Through a Glass Darkly – A Review
I am reading from a first edition. Click the image to view the most recent book cover.
Title: Through a Glass Darkly
Author: Karleen Koen
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 743 pages
*Spoilers*
Depressing. Intense. Captivating. Intriguing. Dramatic. I end this book exhausted.
Karleen Koen has effectively dragged me tooth and nail, screaming, begging to stop, through roughly 6 years (if I followed the timeline correctly) of Lady Barbara Alderly Montgeoffrey’s life. It was long, excruciating, and well, brilliant. I am so tired, feeling as though I lived through it myself, and wonder how Koen managed to write 700 pages of this 1700’s soap opera without bawling her eyes out daily. The children die, the brother commits suicide, the husband has a male lover… can anything go right in this poor woman’s life? The only solace was knowing it was fiction, although I was constantly reminded of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire
Even more, up until the last few pages, I wondered how on earth two more novels could possibly follow this one (I didn’t realize while reading that Dark Angels
I feel terrible reviewing this book, describing it so crudely. Koen states on her site:
“This was such an innocent experience for me, writing without realizing others would read me and have opinions about everything. I’ll never be able to write with the innocence this book displays, but it’s my goal.”
and I don’t wish to be the person that adds to that loss of innocence. The book is good, it really is. Just probably isn’t the best of books to read while plodding through Les Miserables. It makes it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel in the middle of a rough week!
I can’t wait to discuss this book with other readers, as this is the first official Half Price Books Humble Book Club pick. Koen is a Houston resident, so I thought having a local author on the Book Club’s first set of titles would be both exciting and appropriate. The meeting will be held September 3rd from 8 – 9pm, led by yours truly, and I’m getting very antsy. There’s still time to pick up a copy and read the book in time to join the discussion! You won’t be sorry, and there will be more exciting event announcements for September to come… So stay tuned, and start enjoying your Karleen Koen binge now.
All Good Things Must Pass, but Awesome Things Keep Going
This summer has been peppered with all sorts of amazing things at Half Price Books in Humble. Temara Moore kicked off our summer with doing a reading and signing of Bloop! Bloop! Goes the Poop! M.G. King came and read and signed copies of The Librarian on the Roof! Fireman Ricky Meehan from the local fire department came to our kick off party – in gear! We had a photography raffle for brides, a martial arts raffle for sports fans and health gurus, and a southern fiction gift basket raffle when Melinda McGuire came to town for her book signing. We were also graced with the presence of Delaney Rhodes and Rhonda Dennis. Last, but certainly not least, Archie has been rocking the acoustic guitar every Friday night all summer.
But as our parents told us and their parents told them, all good things must pass. With August 1st here, the hottest month of the year doesn’t urge on the spirit of summer, but does quite the opposite – it reminds us that Fall is just around the corner. Which means: there are only a few performances left from Archie, and all our summery events are bound to begin to morph into more cozy weather activities.
I love cozy weather activities. Wearing sweaters and boots, hunkering down with a hot cup of joe… sigh.
Needless to say, I am stoked about Fall and the wonderful things we are planning. Stay posted to see what awesome things of Fall will replace our good things from summer; I will keep my blog updated and you can always check out the store’s website.
P.S. If you are a Houston area musician looking for some troubadour experience, shoot me a message.
Bookstores + Brownies = Best Things in Life
July 28th couldn’t have come fast enough. I twiddled my fingers and tapped my toes, checked my blog and my messages, repeatedly, in anticipation of meeting Melinda McGuire and Rhonda Dennis in person at Half Price Books. I haven’t read Josephine: Red Dirt and Whiskey
Melinda and Rhonda were both just the definition of southern friendliness. Brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and free packets of Cajun seasoning were available for the taking. In addition to signing and selling copies of their books they held an exciting raffle for a gift basket of all their combined titles and other goodies. The event was all smiles, pleasant conversation, and plenty of brightly colored checkered napkins!
Raffle Winner!
I find that the best things in life are browsing books, meeting people, and eating fabulous baked goods. It doesn’t really get much better than that! I think the kiddos would agree, as Ayla got to meet Melinda’s youngest who is the same age (but a head taller), and share sugar free cookies. The girls pal’d around in the kids sections here and there as well as discussed the merits of alternative health in the stacks behind the book signing table. Toddlers can be quite chatty around new friends.
It was a pleasure to have these two lovely ladies and their families at the store this weekend and I look forward to having them again. Maybe next time you can join us.
Even if you missed the signing, show your support for these southern authors by purchasing copies of their books here
Weekly Low Down on Kids Books 7/25/12
Title: But Who Will Bell the Cats?
Author: Cynthia Von Buhler
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
In 2009, I distinctly remember coming across an ad for this book (maybe from my days of stalking shelfari for hours on end). I sat clicking though the website (click book cover and it will take you there) thinking it was so cool and eerie. Finally, this year – this month actually – I had the pleasure of reading But Who Will Bell the Cats? to my kiddo. It is so wonderful.
Based on an Aesop’s Fable, But Who Will Bell the Cats? follows the adventures of a mouse and bat as they try to get bells around the necks of the royal princess’s eight cats. If they could hear the cats approaching, there would be more freedoms and amenities available to them around the palace, they would no longer be confined to the cellar in fear.
The story is a lovely twist on a classic dilemma with beautiful and riveting images not limited by your typical 2D art. Von Buhler has made real sets for paper dolls and photographed them, making the art fascinating, unique, and a little bit intense:
In addition to having written this story, I was also the painter, sculptor, interior decorator, mason, gardener, and plumber of the sets. The rooms were built by hand from wood. The stone walls were formed from plaster. The floors are handmade from inlaid wood, mother-of-pearl, and plaster. The characters were painted in oils on gessoed paper, then cut out and placed in the sets. I photographed the scenes with a Nikon D300.
– Cynthia Von Buhler
(Browse through each part of the castle/book and how it was made: http://butwhowillbellthecats.blogspot.com/2008/06/portraits.html)
We love it, and it is a great story to read right before nap time (due to the length on each page, you really need a settled kiddo to hold their attention if they are under two). For older kids, the website offers all sorts of activities and games to tie into the book, including printable paper dolls, like the ones used to make the book! Visit: http://butwhowillbellthecats.com/lookinside.html
Title: The Wishing Star
Author: M. Christina Butler
Illustrator: Frank Endersby
Publisher: Little Tiger Press
Today at the story time at Half Price Books in Humble, a little girl picked this title out for me to read. We all enjoyed it so much, her mother bought it before leaving the store.
Endersby’s art work is so lovely and eye-catching. Reminiscent of the Rainbow Fish
Together, they created magic.
A Southern Saturday at Half Price Books
Make plans for Saturday, July 28th!
Southern summer sun beating down on you?
Need an escape?
Take a trip to northeast Texas and the land of pine trees and red dirt roads in Josephine: Red Dirt and Whiskey. Set in the Great Depression, travel with Josephine on her late night adventures as she tries to find the elusive and forbidden Ethan.
Want to travel a little further?
Try post-Civil War Kentucky and meet Nelson McGinnis and Cora Ross as they get to know each other and come to terms with their attraction that will change their lives forever in Nelson and Cora – The Beginning. The McGinnis family are Confederate supporters and the Ross family are loyal Unionists. Each family hides dark secrets that will come to light as you get to know Nelson and Cora.
Prefer a little more modern travel?
The Green Bayou series set in south Louisiana may be just the ticket for your literary vacation.
Come on in to Half Price Books at Humble on July 28, from 1-3 PM, for a Southern Saturday. Escape the heat and dive into a Southern Fiction novel.
Come meet Melinda McGuire, author of Josephine: Red Dirt and Whiskey and Nelson and Cora – The Beginning, along with Rhonda Dennis author of the Green Bayou Series.
Enter to win a book bundle, signed posters, bookmarks, coffee mugs and more.
There may even be cookies!
– Melinda MCGuire
Summer Reading Programs – July 2012 Update
Feed Your Brain display at Half Price Books in Humble
I’m proud to say that my little kiddo sat through all of her 500 minutes of reading time and then some, earning herself a certificate signed by the State Librarian and a free book from the library. Harris County Public Libraries have a fun little system going, and it has been fun logging all our minutes read over the last few weeks for the Get a Clue program.
In addition to that, Half Price Books has a summer reading program as well called Feed Your Brain. Reading time is supposed to be done during the months of June and July, but its not too late to get started now and earn prizes for both programs.
To help your kids earn their minutes, bring them along to Wednesday story time at Half Price Books Humble at 10:30 am. Books are read until we get tired (usually around 11:00 am, but if we’ve got a good attention span out of the kids that day, we may stretch it to 11:15 or so). Every now and then we are privileged enough to have children’s authors read their own book aloud and stay for a book signing. Snacks are always provided.
This Month’s Raffle at Half Price Books Humble!
Fitness and Wellness Raffle This is the summer to achieve health in mind and body. Starting Monday, July 2, buy any fitness, sports, wellness, or health book at our HPB Humble store and get a chance to win one free month of martial arts lessons at Wang’s Martial Arts. Winner will be announced Saturday, July 7 at 7 pm. See store for details.
Story Time Party With M.G. King
With summer in full gear, story time at Half Price Books in Humble has become a force to be reckoned with, but mostly because M.G. King is quite possibly one of the coolest ladies I’ve ever met and she was kind enough to do a reading and book signing in place of the usual kid’s story time on Wednesday.
There was a fun little song, a reading of Librarian on the Roof!
Make your own poof book! http://www.vickiblackwell.com/makingbooks/poofbook.htm
Read my review of Librarian on the Roof! https://anakalianwhims.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/weekly-low-down-on-kids-books-31312/
Anakalian Whims 