BOOKS MONTH IN REVIEW - MAY.....

 My month of books in review for.....

Total books read this month....5

New to me Authors....
Edward P. Jones
J. J. Devine

Book Format
 Paperback..2

Genres Read....
 Western/Romance 1
Mystery 2

Top Books for May....
 The Known World - Edward P. Jones
Fall of Giants -  Ken Follett

Looking forward to reading in June
"A" is for Alibi - Sue Grafton
"B" is for Burglar - Sue Grafton
Mary Mary - James Patterson
June Book Club book- Unknown at this time
Winter of the World - James Follett

Library Books....

 Big Bad Wolf - James Patterson
London Bridges - James Patterson

Books I bought.....
 The Cheyenne Bride - J. J. Devine
Fall of Giants - Ken Follett
The Known World - Edward P. Jones


The Cheyenne Bride - J. J. Devine

Big Bad Wolf - James Patterson

London Bridges - James Patterson

The Known World - Edward P. Jones

Fall of Giants - Ken Follett

Katheryn over at The Book Date hosts Month in Review.

BOOK REPORT.......

Fall of Giants - Ken Follett

Product Description(Amazon.com)
A thirteen-year-old Welsh boy enters a man’s world in the mining pits. . . . An American law student rejected in love finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson’s White House. . . . A housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with a German spy. . . . And two orphaned Russian brothers embark on radically different paths when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution.
From the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty, Fall of Giants takes us into the inextricably entangled fates of five families—and into a century that we thought we knew, but that now will never seem the same again. . . .  
Series: The Century Trilogy (Book 1) 
Mass Market Paperback: 960 pages 
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (September 4, 2012) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0451232852 
ISBN-13: 978-0451232854

MY THOUGHTS:  I won the whole set of this Trilogy at my grand children's fall festival last year.   And what's even better, they are LARGE PRINT.  So I don't have any trouble reading them.  I've wanted to read this series of books for the longest time.  Put the regular print is so small I couldn't.   The only drawback is that the large print has lots more pages.  This book has 1247 pages.  And I'm sure the others do also.  So these will be read once in awhile books until they are finished.  I started this one last summer.  This book has it all, romance, mystery, history and politics.  Some of my favorite things to read.  The books follows Maud and Walter through their romance.....Maud is an aristocrat and Walter is a German Spy.  Their romance is leading into muddy waters.  Will they come out of the war still in love?  Billy is Welsh boy from the poor mining area.  Billy wants to get out of that, so list's up for the army.  Does Billy make it through the war and get his self out of mining job?  Gus is rejected by the woman he wants to marry.  Go Gus signs up for the army.  Gus is a law student and rich, does he make it out of the war intact?  Ethel is a housekeeper for the aristocrats.  She does the forbidden of falling in love with the Earl.  What happens when the Earl tires of her?  Lev and Grigori  are orphans in Russia.  They both want to come to America, but have enough money for one ticket.  Lev stills the ticket from his brother and goes to America.  He marries into a mob family, but was that his best choice?  Griorgi stays in Russia and takes on the care of his brothers girlfriend and a baby.  Giorgi gets into the Russian revolution.  How does Giorgi come out of the revolution?   It was a long book with lots of characters to keep track of, but the author doe the writing go good it's not a problem.  It all flows together nicely.  I give this book 5....

This book is for the letter F for the Alphabet Soup Challenge and for Chapter Break Bingo Challenge.

THE GOOD. THE RANDOM. THE FUN.

I'm joining Tamar over at Random-osity for The Good. The Random. The Fun. 

THE GOOD.
I got my Bleeding Heart block done.

THE RANDOM.
This is our dog, Bob.  He is part Mastiff and Labrador.  He looks so regal sitting there.  But he's really waiting for something to move , he's on guard duty. lol  He is a gentle giant.

THE FUN.
A brand new sandbox to play in.  Bella and Luke love to play in sand.

I'm also joining Katheryn over at The Book Date for It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Last year I went to the kids Fall Fair Festival at school.  They were having a silent auction.  Saw a bag of books in a tote, so thought I'd put a bid on them.  And I got it for 15.00 dollars.  I was shocked the price wasn't higher.  The books I got were Ken Follett's Century Trilogy in Large Print.  I have been wanting to read this series.  So I've been reading Book 1, Fall of Giants, off and on for the last few months.  There are 1,241 pages, so it's a long book, but it's really good.  Anyone else read this series?  Anyway, I'm almost done, about 200 more pages to go.  I'll be finishing if off this week. 

 

I just posted my review of The Known World by Edward P. Jones.

SLOW SUNDAY STITCHING

I'm joining Kathy over at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching today.  Hop over and check out all the stitching going on.

I've been working on my Flower Garden blocks.  So far in my garden are Sunflowers, a birdbath, and some Columbine. 
Sunflowers

Birdbath

Bleeding Heart

 I'll be working on the Roses today.  I've got one rose done and have started on the second.

I'm using 3 strands of DMC floss and the stitching is one on linen.  This is the first time I've used linen and I'm really liking how smooth the stitching is.  I'm also working on some Chickens, haven't decided what I'm going to do with these, but they are looking kind of cute.

They are being stitched on muslin.  I've also given them names.  I'll probably make this into a quilt one day.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Slow Sunday Stitching.

I LIKE.....

I'm joining LA Paylor over at Not Afraid of Color for I Like Thursday.  Hop over and check out everything going on over there.

I Like.....
these beautiful roadside flowers blooming.  Don't know what they are, but they are pretty.

I Like.....
the re-do of the Front Porch....but it's not done yet.  Updates coming later.

I Like.....
my car.  I've never had this new of a car.  When I got it, it was only 4 years old.  It's 2012 Chevey Cruz and it has all kinds of buttons, that I'm still learning what they are for.

I Like......
the look on Bella's face when she got her new Baby Alive Doll.  She was so excited.

and of course where ever Bella is....Luke is close by.  They are 6, almost 7, twins.....and my grand children. 

Well, that's it for me.....got some chores to do around the house before picking the kids up at school......yea, this is the last day of school! 

BOOK REPORT.....

The Known World - Edward P. Jones

Product Description(Back Cover)
Henry Townsend, a black farmer and former slave who falls under the tutelage of William Robbins, the most powerful man in Manchester County, Virginia.  Making certain he never circumvents the law, Townsend runs his affairs with unusual discipline.  But when death takes him unexpectedly, his widow, Caldonia, can't uphold the estate's order and chaos ensues. 
Paperback 
Publisher: Amistad Press (May 25, 2004) 
Language: English 
ASIN: B006KKR6PG

MY THOUGHTS:  This is my book clubs choice of May.  I had not read any books by this author before.  But I will be reading more of his work.  This was a really awesome book.  Loved reading about all the people, their families and their way of life.   
[Edward P. Jones has woven a footnote of history into an epic that takes an unflinching look at slavery in all of its moral complexities.]  I give this book 5.....

This for the letter K for The Alphabet Soup Challenge.

MONDAY RAMBLINGS.......

THE GOOD.

I've been working on my flower garden, not the real thing, but my Embroidered Flower Garden.  Got the Bird Bath done.  Good block, turned out really pretty!

Now I'm working on the Bleeding Heart Block.

Sorry, it's kind of wrinkled, but I took it off the hoop to take a picture.

THE RANDOM.

Know anything about Gophers?  Other then the fact some people think of them as a pest.  We have a family of Gophers that live in our barn.  Every spring they come out to eat the clover and other grasses in our back field.  I learned something new about Gophers.  [They climb trees!]  Did anyone else know that? 

I was at the Dollar Store the other day and picked up this bag.  It's really a lunch bag, but I use it to carry my embroidery and a book.  This bag goes with me everywhere.  That way I always have something to do while waiting in the car.

THE FUN.

Speaking of books, I am currently reading The Known World by Edward P. Jones.  Really great book, it's my Book Club's choice for May.  It's set in the days before and after the Civil War.  No it's not about the plantations, it's from the slaves point.  From slavery to freedom, it follows Henry Townsend, a black farmer and former slave.  The author has woven a footnote of history into this book.

The book I just finished was book 10 -  London Bridges -  of the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.  My review is here.

While I'm doing my Embroidery, I like to watch T.V. or a movie.  I recently watched The Free State of Jones with Matthew McConaughey....kind of a weird movie, but I liked it.  I also re watched The Wizard of Oz.  Love that movie! 

I'm linking up with Tamar over at Radom-osity for The Good. The Random. and The Fun.  

Also linking up with Kathryn over at The Book Date for It's Monday, What Are You Reading? 

Jump over and check them out.  You might find something that will send you blog hopping. 

BOOK REPORT.......

London Bridges - James Patterson

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Two of the greatest villains James Patterson has ever created in one book! Minutes after soldiers evacuate a Nevada town, a bomb completely destroys it. On vacation, FBI agent Alex Cross gets the call: the blast was perpetrated by the Wolf. A supercriminal and Cross's deadliest nemesis, the Wolf threatens to obliterate major cities, including London, Paris, and New York. Then evidence reveals the involvement of a ruthless assassin known as the Weasel. Could these two dark geniuses be working together? Now with just four days to prevent an unimaginable cataclysm, Cross is catapulted into an international chase of astonishing danger - and toward the explosive truth about the Wolf's identity. 
Series: Alex Cross (Book 10) 
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages 
Publisher: Vision; Reissue edition (October 1, 2005) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0446613355 
ISBN-13: 978-0446613354

MY THOUGHTS:  This is a great mystery, but still not too sure about who the Wolf is.  Hope the next book in this series will explain it.  I'm pretty sure the Wolf will show up in a latter book.  Alex Cross is working for the FBI, he gave up his job with the Washington police, to go work for the FBI.  He's not having a good time, the FBI does things a lot different then Alex is used to.  So Alex is trying to find his place among all the others.  In the meantime, he's trying to find the Wolf before obliterates 4 major cities.  But every time Alex thinks he's got him, the Wolf gets away.  Really suspenseful book.  Really enjoyed this one.  Can't wait to read the next book in the series......Mary Mary is the next in the series.  I give this book 5.....

This book is the letter L for The Alphabet Soup Challenge.

I was blog hopping earlier and ran across an interesting book challenge called  Chapter Break Bingo.
It's being hosted over at Chapter Break.....go check it out.

Rules
  Each month we will upload a new bingo card.  You download the bingo card and mark off squares as you read books each month.  At the end of the month, we will post our own bingo cards.  Link up your post or post your own bingo card int the comments.
 
I thought I would join in, looks like lots of fun.  This is my Bingo Card.....

 This started May 1, so I'm a little behind, but I'll catch up......you can use the same book for as many squares as it fits into.  The card covers the whole month, so what ever you read that month, you can mark it off.

SLOW SUNDAY STITCHING......

I'll be joining Kathy over at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Hop over and check out what everyone is working on today.

It's suppose to be up to 75 today with the sun shinning, which is a big deal around here.  It seems it's been cloudy and rainy for the last month or so.  Very few sunny days.  So I'm going out on my front porch and so some embroidery on my flower garden.  I've gotten the Sunflower Block done.

  And of course in my garden there is a Birdbath.  That's the one I'll be working on today.

I've got the Bird, water and birdbath done.  I'll be working on the flowers.  I'm using 3 strands of DMC floss.  Next up will be the Pansy Block....

May all the mother's out there have an awesome Mother's Day. 

BOOK REPORT......

The Big Bad Wolf - James Patterson

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Alex Cross battles the most ruthless and powerful killer he has ever encountered - a predator known only as "the Wolf. "Alex Cross's first case since joining the FBI has his new colleagues stymied. Across the country, men and women are being kidnapped in broad daylight and then disappearing completely. These people are not being taken for ransom, Alex realizes. They are being bought and sold. And it looks as if a shadowy figure called the Wolf - a master criminal who has brought a new reign of terror to organize crime - is behind this business in which ordinary men and women are sold as slaves. Even as he admires the FBI's vast resources, Alex grows impatient with the Bureau's clumsiness and caution when it is time to move. A lone wolf himself, he has to go out on his own in order to track the Wolf and try to rescue some of the victims while they are still alive. As the case boils over, Alex is in hot water at home too. His ex-fiancee, Christine Johnson, comes back into his life - and not for the reasons Alex might have hoped. 
Series: Alex Cross (Book 9) 
Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages 
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Reprint edition (October 1, 2004) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0446610224 
ISBN-13: 978-0446610223

MY THOUGHTS:  This is book 9 of the Alex Cross series.  This one was really good.  Kept me reading until the wee hours of the night.  I wanted to find out who the Wolf was.  If Alex could come up with a working theory on how he could catch him.  He did of course, but......well I can't tell you what happens...that would give the story away.  So you'll have to read it yourself.  This is also a good stand alone book.  You just miss out on some of the personal stuff on Alex.  I give this book 5......

This book is the letter C for The Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge.