Book Review

Review & Giveaway: Under a Summer Sky

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Under a Summer Sky
Under a Summer Sky
By Nan Rossiter
(Kensington Publishing Corporation, Paperback, 9780758283917, April 2014, 352pp.)

The Short of It:

Faith, love and family in a gorgeous Cape Cod setting.

The Rest of It:

Laney Coleman and her minister husband Noah live in an old, beloved Cape Cod house with their five rambunctious boys. Their lives are full, but happy. With the two oldest boys heading out to college, this particular summer seems bittersweet. Her boys are growing up and when her youngest son is bullied, their lives take on a complexity that threatens to mar this perfect time. But as with most situations, faith and patience is what pulls Laney through and when she finds herself hosting her brother-in-law’s wedding, she decides to embrace the chaos.

If you haven’t read Rossiter’s books before, you are in for a real treat. This book can be read as a stand-alone novel but it builds on the characters introduced in her previous books. It’s really a culmination of all of her novels. It was nice to visit these characters again, given the heartache that some of them endured in the past.

This is one of those books that you reach for and then smile while reading. It’s a feel-good book. You know the type I am talking about. It contains characters that you care about, a gorgeous setting, food talk (think chowder and peach cobbler), and I can’t forget the furry, four-legged members of the family because Rossiter manages to work them into every book. But as pleasant as it is to read Rossiter’s books, I am always surprised as how she manages to weave in the heavier topics. Aging, health concerns, bullying and characters who question their faith are all included here and it’s what makes this family so real.

This is the perfect summer read because it offers up a lot more than just a sunny locale. It’s filled with feel-good moments but at the same time, really makes you think about the issues presented. Rossiter never fails to impress me. I don’t know how she does it! Her books are always a hit with me and I love how she writes about what she loves. She makes it all look so effortless. The inclusion of the some of the recipes featured is a big plus. I have already made the pasta sauce once and it’s about to be made again later this week.

I have suggested Rossiter’s books to more people than I can count so when she offered a copy for me to give away, well… I jumped at the opportunity. If you’d like a chance to win your own copy, check out the details below.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

This giveaway is for one copy of Under a Summer Sky and is open to the US and Canada. One winner will be chosen randomly by me. The book will come directly from the author. Only one entry per person. Giveaway closes on June 6, 2014 (pacific). I will contact the winners for his/her mailing address.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY! (now closed)

Source: Sent to me by the author.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Bookish Talk, Life

The Sunday Salon: All About The Monsters

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Godzilla Movie Poster
Some movies, you just have to see in a theater and Godzilla is one of those movies. Because of my extreme irritation with most movie goers (texting, talking and overall rudeness) we like to go to a theater where you pay a little more but can reserve your seats ahead of time.  I cannot do 3D and the only showing that worked for us ended up being in a really tiny theater, only eight rows but every single person in there was there for one thing, the movie! So, it was an awesome experience. Big screen, small audience and all of us riveted. That’s how it should be.

The movie was everything I expected it to be and yes, I expected some cheesy bits and some humor and some ridiculous moments but the monsters looked really good and the fighting was good too. I would have liked to have seen more of Godzilla and the acting was sort of lacking all the way around but if you are a fan of monster movies, you will enjoy this one.

A word of caution. My daughter is ten and had no problem with Godzilla at all but the preview that they showed before the movie was a very scary horror movie. I forget the name of it but that trailer kept her up half the night! She could not go to sleep and had a really had time with it.  So, beware of the trailer.

Sunday Salon

Now, for my Sunday. We hardly ever go anywhere during Memorial Day weekend. We are usually too wiped out to do much and that is absolutely the case this weekend.  We are heading to church within the hour and then afterward, I have to hit the market because we are out of everything and you can’t grill your dinner if you don’t have anything to grill.  I keep waiting for one of those contraptions from The Jetsons when you just punch in what you want and it magically appears but I guess the technology isn’t there yet.  I SO wish it was.

This week, The Girl auditions for Grease, The Teen will hopefully finish his summer school enrollment and then I can have some inkling at what we are looking at for summer.

What am I reading?

I am about halfway through with The Vacationers. It’s very readable but it’s not wowing me in any way.  I am about to start The Fever and then I really have to read my book club book for next month, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall which I started but then put down.

I am also reading Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret with my daughter. We take turns reading it out loud. It’s very mild compared to what I remember. We are almost done though and she can’t wait for us to start another book.

I am listening to a HORRIBLE audio book right now. I am giving it some time because it has to get better. It’s Rick Springfield’s Magnificent Vibration. I am not feeling it at all. However, I love him to pieces so I am giving him the benefit of the doubt and will stick with it a bit longer.

What am I cooking?

I think we will grill burgers tonight and then tomorrow, steaks and those scallops I talked about the other day.

What am I watching?

I was watching some Adam 12 the other day and I recorded Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble concert on PBS which I want to watch at some point. Other than that, whatever everyone is in the mood for. No agenda this weekend.

Well, gotta get ready for church but I hope you all have a nice, relaxing weekend.

Chatting with friends about books and life…