January | 2015 | Book Chatter

Sunday Matters

Right Now:

It is so lovely out right now. It’s 54 degrees at the moment and will probably end up being in the 70s. The sun is streaming through the window and I hear the coffee pot doing its thing. It feels more like Spring than Winter.

This morning, the plan is to hit church and then rush home for the Green Bay game. Of course we’ll miss about an hour of it but The Hub seems to think he will jinx something if he watches the first hour so he’s okay with missing it.

This Week:

Off on Monday. Yes. But still have rehearsal. We are in the final rehearsals for Annie. The Teen is getting his ‘Rooster’ down and The Girl’s feather duster/servant dance is coming along nicely. The shows are almost sold out. It’s going to be a good crowd when the show hits in February.

There are two doc appointments to deal with this week and I have to keep reminding myself of them because no matter how many reminders I set (Wunderlist, Sunrise, Keep) I continue to forget about them.

Speaking of shows, The Teen created a Kickstarter for the Spring production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He’s almost 50% there but I’m rather proud of the video he put together so if you want to take a peek, do so here.

This Saturday is the winter formal and for once, The Teen does not have to work it. Now that he’s out of ASB he can go and just enjoy it.

Reading:

I am reading this little gem. F. Scott Fitzgerald and old Hollywood. How can you go wrong?

Watching:

Last night I watched Election. Remember that movie? Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick. The Girl wanted to see it but there were a few parts in there that we had to FF through. I don’t remember those parts being in there the first time I saw it.

I watched Moonrise Kingdom, again. Fun movie. Watched a few more episodes of Orange is the New Black (season 2).

Haven’t caught up with American Horror Story at ALL. Four episodes on my DVR to watch. I can’t watch it when The Girl is around and at night, I am wiped out from the antibiotics I am on. I will get to them soon.

Making:

At the moment, nothing but I want something good tonight. It’s so nice out. Maybe something on the grill?

Grateful for:

This three day weekend and naps. I am not much of a napper but I’ve needed them these past few weeks.

Happy Thought For the Week:

It’s going to be a short week which is good because classes start at the university this week and it will be a bit hectic.

What are you up to? Reading anything fantastic that I need to know about?

A Matter of Mercy
By Lynne Hugo
(Blank Slate Press, Paperback, 9780985808617, 278pp.)

The Short of It:

Mistakes can destroy you or change you for the better, but the choice is yours.

The Rest of It:

One fateful night, while driving under the influence, Caroline Marcum crashes into another car, killing a special needs child. Sent to prison and filled with guilt, she serves her time quietly but once out, leaves her home of Wellfleet Harbor. Her marriage is over and all she can think of is leaving the past behind her. However, when her mother falls terminally ill, she is forced to return to the Cape to face all of the things she’s been avoiding for quite a long time.

This story will appeal to lots of readers for many reasons. The story is set in Cape Cod and centers not only around Caroline’s story but also the story of the local aquaculturists who make their living farming oysters. As Caroline tends to her mother, she is reacquainted with a friend from school, Ridley Neal who happens to be one of the oyster farmers farming the beach right below her mother’s home. There is a little bit of romance, a lot of strife, a touch of mystery and of course, the fascinating tidbits surrounding oyster farming and what it entails. I found these bits especially enjoyable.

What I noticed right away while reading, is how quickly I was pulled into the story. Knowing absolutely nothing about oyster farming, I had no problem picking up the terminology. However, there were two moments where I wasn’t sure which direction the author was going in. These two moments did take me out of the narrative a little, but not enough to make me like the book any less. One, involves a law suit against the aquaculturists (which happens to be inspired by a real-life lawsuit) and the other involves stalking and revenge. The latter seemed a little out-of-place to me.

Regardless, I was surprised at how absorbed I was while reading. I had a long stint over the holidays where I was unable to read anything and then here comes this book and I blow though it in just a couple of sittings. The main characters are riddled with flaws, which readers here know, makes my heart sing. The story wasn’t predictable, even though a couple of things seemed a little out-of-place and choosing to build a story around oyster farming…well, I’ve never read anything about oyster farming so that was very different and unique to me. I think I would have liked a little more redemption in the end but overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit.

If you like a book to be a lot of things, A Matter of Mercy would be a good choice for you. Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours, I have a copy to giveaway! See below for details.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

This giveaway is for one copy of A Matter of Mercy and is open to the US and Canada. A winner will be chosen randomly by me. The book will come directly from the publisher. Only one entry per person. Giveaway closes on Friday, January 23, 2015 (pacific). I will contact the winner for his/her mailing address. The winner will have 5 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.