Author: macjam47

I am an avid reader who loves to share my thoughts about the books I read. Other activities I enjoy are doing things with my grandchildren, baking and cooking, gardening, Pilates, and deep water exercise.

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I have accepted the A-Z Challenge to write a blog post for each letter of the alphabet during the month of April. Please click here or on the A-Z tab in the menu above.

A – Angels

B – Beaches

C – Cooking

D – Daughters-in-law

E – Exercise

F – Flowers

G – Grandchildren

H – Hubby

I – Ice Cream

J – Jolly Jumper (video)

K – Kentucky

L – Love and Laughter

M – Mother

N – New England

O – Oregon

P – Photo Project

Q – Quiet

R – Riley

S – Surprise

T – Taney

U – Unforgettable

V – Vacations

W – Washington, D.C.

X – X-Box

Y – Yard

Z – Zowie

Our Granddaughter is a Fashionista

Published on by macjam4732 Comments

Our little granddaughter loves sunglasses!

Happy Spring 3-20-14 Josie's First Easter 4-20-14

 

 

Swinging at the park 3-20-14 - Happy Spring

 

Movie Star Status 3-17-14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And don’t forget hats!

12-15-13 (2)

Josie 11-10-13

JosieBig 11-8-13

Bundled up 3-6-14

Ready for sunshine 1-25-14

Josie loves playing in the sand 3-11-14

The Rooms are Filled by Jessica Null Vealitzek

Published on by macjam475 Comments

The Rooms Are FilledMichael is the adopted son of John and Anne Nygaard and loves his life on his parents’ Minnesota farm. Then one day, the unthinkable happened. Michael’s dad collapses and dies and Michael’s mother has no choice but to sell the farm and move to Ackermann, Illinois where a job at her brother’s restaurant is waiting for her.

When they arrive in Ackermann, Michael has a difficult time making friends – he is the new kid, and the target of the 4th grade bully.  He is befriended by another loner.  Tina is in 6th grade and goes to the junior high. She lives across the street from Michael, and they become close friends, even though her moodiness bothers Michael. He doesn’t understand why she is nice to him one minute, and mean the next.

Michael’s teacher Julia Parnell has observed the bullying, but is powerless to do anything because there is no school policy against it. She befriends Michael, and they form a close friendship.  When Anne is asked to work Saturday’s, she asks Julia if Michael could stay with her during her shift.

Michael is drowning in his grief but can’t talk to his mother about it because he doesn’t want to make her sad. He misses his dad tremendously and dreams of talking with him.  His life was so much simpler with his dad, the farm, his chores, and his friends. Would his life here ever feel the same? Would he ever be accepted?  When each child had to tell something interesting about his life, Michael revealed that he was adopted. The other students treated him meanly, and he was even more ostracized.

No one knows Julia is running from her past, but when it catches up with her, will it affect her job, her relationship with Michael and her other students?  Julia has been best friends with Rose since they were young girls. A towns person knew someone from Julia’s past, and before long, rumors were spreading.  Her lesson plans had the word Homo written in bold black letters on them. It was hard enough to figure out who she was without others’ bigotries getting in the way.

There is a lot going on in this book, and a lot of prejudice and resentment.  Will each character be able to solve their personal conflicts?

I loved THE ROOMS ARE FILLED. It is a quick read, but a complex storyline. I fell in love with the characters of Michael and Julia and was rooting for them all the way. Jessica Null Vealitzek writes with enthusiasm and passion. She has woven the lives and problems of various characters into an intensely captivating tale. I highly recommend this book.

Learn more about Jessica:

Author Page Jessica Null Vealitzek

Blog True Stories

Twitter

Facebook author page

Goodreads

To buy her book on Amazon THE ROOMS ARE FILLED

Tattered Innocence by Ann Lee Miller

Published on by macjam475 Comments

Tattered Innocence by Ann Lee Miller

After an affair with Bret, a married man, Rachel Martin wants to get as far away from him as she can.  Jake Murray’s love life had just turned topsy turvy not only when his fiance Gabrielle dumps him, but she leaves him without a first mate on his charter cruise boat, The Smyrna Queen. Rachel applies for the job and gets it, but at her first meeting with him, she has made up her mind that her new boss is cold and unfriendly.

Jake left the corporate world to start his own business on The Smyrna Queen, a dream he shared with his deceased grandfather. Nearly everything he owns is in this venture.  He needs a first mate to help him sail the boat and prepare meals for the guests. Since the only available sleeping quarters are in his cabin, Rachel makes it clear from the beginning that she is there for the job and nothing else.

It is quickly apparent that there is an attraction between the two of them, but neither will admit it because they are both still running away from previous relationships. Add to that, family problems, hurricanes, and the guilt they carry; this story has multiple layers to it.  Since this is a Christian romance novel, there are references to God all the way through the book. Rachel convinces Jake to go to a beach service with her, and though he is skeptical at first, he comes around.  There are often instances throughout where Rachel and Jake each reach out to God for guidance and forgiveness.

The book is well written, and the story will keep you turning the pages. If you are looking for a light romance novel and don’t mind Christian references, this is undoubtedly a book I would recommend.

Ann Lee Miller grew up in New Smyrna Beach, earned a BA in creative writing from Ashland (OH) University, and currently lives in Phoenix with her husband and children. She writes full time and lectures at various Arizona colleges.

The Lighthouse Award

Published on by macjam477 Comments

The Lighthouse Award

 

 My blog friend Cathy over at Between the Lines nominated me for this awesome award. I am humbled by her thoughtfulness and support. If you haven’t visited Cathy’s blog yet, it is time to hop over there and check it out. Thank you Cathy for this nomination, I am truly honored.

 The rules require me to

• Display the Award Certificate on your blog.
• Write a post and link back to the blogger that nominated you.
• Inform your nominees of their award nominations.
• Share three ways that you like to help others.
• Nominate as many bloggers as you like.
I’d like to pass on the award to these deserving blogs

If you’re not into awards and don’t participate, that’s absolutely fine. Please accept this as my way of saying I really your blogs.

The three ways I like to help are

  • Take time to smile and say “Hello” to everyone. Sometimes that simple effort can make a difference in the other person’s day.
  • I like to pay-it-forward to those in need.
  • I don’t gossip. Gossiping causes so much pain and I don’t want to contribute to someone else’s unhappiness.

 

The Versatile Blogger Award

Published on by macjam477 Comments

the-versatile-blogger-award

 

Wow! My good friend Stephanie over at S.J. Thomas’s Book Blurbs has nominated me for yet another award! Thank you so much Stephanie; you are awesome! Speaking of awesome, please check out Stephanie’s fantastic blog where you can read some stories on the Killer Thriller page, read about Stephanie AND her furry friends on her About Me pages, and of course on her Book Reviews page there are many links to her book reviews.

 

Now the Rules for This Award:

* Display the Award on your Blog

* Announce your win with a post and thank the Blogger who nominated you.

* Present 10 -15 deserving Bloggers with the Award

* Link your Nominees in the post and let them know they have been nominated
with a comment.

* Post 7 interesting things about yourself

Seven Interesting Things about Me:

 

1.) My daughters-in-law are extra special people and my best friends. I’d be lost without them.

2.) I love to watch storms, especially when there is lightning.

3.) I like snow once it’s off the roadways and sidewalks, but after a long winter, I can hardly wait till spring.

4.) I am so claustrophobic I panic in crowds.

5.) I love shoes, but I hate to wear them.

6.) I love doing laundry.

7.) My favorite color is pink.

My Nominees:

These are some of the many blogs I follow that I really love and I know you will too! Please stop by and check them out!

  1. Julie Valerie’s Book Blog
  2. True Stories
  3. Colline’s Blog
  4. dreamzandclouds
  5. MegaMad4Books
  6. H.M. Brooks Writes
  7. Purrfect Kitties
  8. Creativwins
  9. The Storytelling Mom
  10. The Kim Challenge
  11. Booksandbassets
  12. A Woman’s Wisdom

Congratulations everyone!

Passing Fair – ABC Poem

Published on by macjam472 Comments

My friend Morgan at booknvolume.com posted this for me today. It is so beautiful, as is all of her poetry. Please stop by her blog and read more.

Morgan's avatarBooknVolume

Passing Fair

Absolute Silence,
Breathless Sigh,
Chaos Soaring
Deep Inside,
Echoes of a
Fracture in Time,
Gabriel’s Horn
Heralding Fine,
Indigo Setting in
Jagged Night,
Kisses Telling More than the
Light,
Message Drifting in
Neptune’s Hand,
OH the Tranquility of a
Purposeless Plan,
Questing,
Resting,
Shadows Drifting,
Timeless Device of the
Universe, Shifting,
Vast and Empty,
Waiting Delay,
Xanadu Tempting
Yesterday,
Zero hour Passing Fair,
All
Betrayed in Your
Calamitous Stare.

(sorry, ran over a bit, first go, but I know you will Humour me 😉 )

Because macjam 47 at : http://michelleclementsjames.com asked me to 🙂

~Morgan~
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Beautiful Original Artwork: across_an_ocean_of_stars_by_whisperingcrows

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The Moon Sisters by Therese Walsh

Published on by macjam479 Comments

The Moon Sisters
THE MOON SISTERS is a remarkable story of two sisters who are grieving the loss of their mother while their father is drowning his sorrow in vodka.  Jazz and her younger sister Olivia can’t seem to stop battling over one thing or another – Jazz’s new job at the funeral home where their mother’s wake took place; Olivia, legally blind, determined to find an ending for their mother’s novel in remote Cranberry Glades in the mountains of West Virginia.  Jazz reluctantly follows Olivia who hops a train and meets Hobbs, a tattooed young man, whom Olivia falls for, much to Jazz’s dismay. After all, they know nothing about him or his past. While trying to protect Olivia and convince her to go home, Jazz becomes as embroiled in Olivia’s struggle to find the spot where their mother believed she would find the conclusion to her life’s work.

When I read Walsh’s debut novel THE LAST WILL OF MOIRA LEAHY, I was drawn in and thought I was reading one of the best novels I had ever opened. However, I was unprepared for the complexity of the storytelling in THE MOON SISTERS. This is writing at its finest! The story is woven between bits of past family history and the story of their quest for closure. It is a highly emotional read that will keep your attention from page one to the end of the book. This will surely be among the top books of 2014.

Find out more about Therese Walsh and her books visit her

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Goodreads

Buy Therese’s books at Amazon.

Liebster Award!

Published on by macjam4726 Comments

Liebster AwardI am a bit late posting this award.  This year got off to a busy start and it doesn’t look like it is going to slow down any time soon.  This is an award I’ve always coveted, so I have to give a HUGE thank you to Stephanie over at S.J. Thomas’s Book Blurbs for nominating me for the Liebster Award. Stephanie is a wonderful blogger and a true and loyal friend. Please stop by her blog and say “Hi.”

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and link to their blog.

2. You must answer the 10 questions given to you by the nominee before you.

3. You must nominate 10 of your favorite blogs with fewer than 200 followers and notify them of their nomination.

4. You must come up with 10 questions for your nominees to answer.

Q&A time… 10 questions to answer, so here we go:

1. What was your first job?

Hmmm, my first job….  I love to babysit so I babysat all of the time, but my first regular job was at a discount department store making and selling popcorn.  Because I LOVE popcorn, I never minded this job, and I never got tired of eating it. To this day, it is still my favorite snack. I worked kept this job through high school and up until I started college.

2.  Why did you start blogging?

I love reading and I wanted to thank the authors for their wonderful books I read. I decided the best way was to write a nice little blurb about the books. Also, since my friends were always asking me to recommend a book, blogging helped me fulfill that as well.

3.  What kind of family did you grow up in?

I grew up in a large family. I have three brothers and two sisters. When I was in 7th grade my grandparents moved in with us, so my grandmother would have help taking care of my failing grandfather. We had a very warm and loving home and I often think about those times with all the fun, laughter, and hustle-and-bustle of a household with so many.

4.  What is the most expensive thing you have ever purchased?

I’d have to say it was our home.

5.  Is this where you thought you be at this age?

Not really. I never imagined that I’d have a blog.  It has been a wonderful experience, and I’ve met so many fantastic blogging friends.

6.  What is your favorite place that you’ve ever visited?

I don’t think I have one favorite place. There are so many wonderful places I’ve visited, each in their own unique way.  Charleston, SC has always been one of my favorite places to visit with its history, great food, gorgeous climate, and endless things to do. Boston, MA is another favorite and not just because my oldest son and his family live there, but for more for the same reasons I love Charleston – rich history, great food, endless things to do and see. Washington DC is another favorite for all the obvious reasons. It is a city I’ve gotten to know very well over the years when our Boston family and our youngest son and his family have both lived there for several years each. Maui was an amazing trip with so many different points of interest that I had never experienced before.

7.  If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

I’ve always wanted to visit Germany and visit some of the cities of my ancestors, as well as other countries my family came from.  My heritage includes France, Germany, England, Ireland, Wales, Italy, and so on.  I am still in the process of tracing my beginnings, but one thing I know for certain is … I am a mutt.

8.  What is your favorite movie? 

I don’t watch too many movies because I’m usually reading, but my favorites would include RUDY, REMEMBER THE TITANS, THE BLIND SIDE, and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.

9.  Cat or dog person?

Though I love both, I would have to say dog because I’m allergic to cats.  My favorite dog is my son’s black lab Riley.  Unfortunately, I haven’t convinced Hubby to get a dog.

10. Your favorite book?

I really dislike this question since there are so many great books it is impossible to pick just one or even a dozen.  Well here goes, but not in any specific order.  A BED OF RED FLOWERS by Nelofer Pazira, THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by Sue Monk Kidd, LIFE AND DEATH IN SHANGHAI by Nien Cheng, SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN by Lisa See, THE DAY THE FALLS STOOD STILL by Cathy Marie Buchanan, THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M.L. Stedman, THE APPLE ORCHARD by Susan Wiggs, THE CLOVER HOUSE by Henriette Lazardis Power, and THE KITCHEN DAUGHTER by Jael McHenry.  Since I love children’s books, I could list many of those as well, but I’ll stop here.

My 10 Questions for Nominees to Answer:

  1. Why did you start blogging?
  2. Who is your favorite author and why?
  3. What is your favorite book and why?
  4. What genre of books do you prefer?
  5. Have you ever thought about writing a book? Why or why not?
  6. What was your favorite childhood book (before 6th grade)?
  7. Do you have a favorite reading spot? Describe it and tell why you like to read in that location.
  8. If you could be any character from any book, who would you choose and why?
  9. Describe in three words or less, a world without books.
  10. Who is your favorite author?

Nominations:

If you don’t do awards or have already received these, please just take it as a token of my appreciation for how wonderful your blogs are. You deserve it!

  1. Julie Valerie’s Book Blog
  2. True Stories
  3. H.M. Brooks Writes
  4. craftyStaci
  5. Colline’s Blog
  6. Such A Novel Idea
  7. bibliobeth
  8. The Day Dreaming, Candy Eating, Red Headed Bookworm
  9. Amber Skye Forbes
  10. Turn the Page Reviews

Congratulations everyone!

Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons by Jon J. Muth

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Hi Koo

Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons by Jon J. Muth is an enchanting picture book featuring a darling panda, Koo. The story is told through a series of Haiku. Each Haiku highlights a letter of the alphabet by capitalizing a word within the Haiku, and so from page one A = Autumn to the last Z = Zero.  Beautifully illustrated by the author with colorful story pictures, Hi, Koo! is sure to delight young children (and their parents).

I absolutely loved this book. It is positively one of the best books I’ve read for young children. The innovative way of introducing the alphabet was a break from the traditional ABC book.

I fell in love with the panda Koo from the very first time I saw him on the cover of this book. Check it out.

Learn more about Jon J. Muth and his books:  Website     Facebook     LibraryThing

Buy his books:  Amazon     Barnes & Noble