~CLOSED~ Book Review & Giveaway: The Blue Star

The Blue Star by Tony Earley

From Hachette Books

Seven years ago, readers everywhere fell in love with Jim Glass, the precocious ten-year-old at the heart of Tony Earley's bestseller Jim the Boy. Now a teenager, Jim returns in another tender and wise story of young love on the eve of World War Two. Jim Glass has fallen in love, as only a teenage boy can fall in love, with his classmate Chrissie Steppe. Unfortunately, Chrissie is Bucky Bucklaw's girlfriend, and Bucky has joined the Navy on the eve of war. Jim vows to win Chrissie's heart in his absence, but the war makes high school less than a safe haven, and gives a young man's emotions a grown man's gravity. With the uncanny insight into the well-intentioned heart that made Jim the Boy a favorite novel for thousands of readers, Tony Earley has fashioned another nuanced and unforgettable portrait of America in another time--making it again even realer than our own day. This is a timeless and moving story of discovery, loss and growing up, proving why Tony Earley's writing "radiates with a largeness of heart" (Esquire).

My Review

The Blue Star is a wonderful love story, and a journey into the era prior to and during WWII. Jim Glass is a sweet young man experiencing true love, but with a girl who is promised to someone else. He would do absolutely anything to gain Chrissie's love, but the situation is complicated because she is "tied" to another boy, in ways that make it almost impossible for her to even consider giving Jim a chance. I really enjoyed this book, and in particular, the historical backdrop was interesting. Tony Early writes with great attention to detail, and he makes you think about things that can sometimes be uncomfortable to think about, but that make the story seem more real.

The Blue Star can be purchased at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as other retailers.

Giveaway
Thanks to Valerie at Hachette Books, I'm giving away 5 copies of The Blue Star by Tony Early!

MAIN ENTRY:

Visit Hachette Book Group and tell me about another book there that you'd like to read and why. You must do this FIRST, in order for your entry to count.

EXTRA ENTRIES

~Follow me PUBLICLY on Google Friend Connect. Include your Google Friends user name in your comment. Make sure I can see your name in My Followers on my sidebar.

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Entries will be accepted until November 30th at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be drawn by random.org and validated per rules. US & Canada addresses. Winners will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to reply before an alternate winner is chosen. Good Luck!

Disclaimer/Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review. This is my honest opinion, and was not influenced by the sponsor in any way.

Applesauce-Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Every Autumn, we visit apple orchards and buy lots of apples for eating, baking, and canning. I've canned more applesauce year than we will be able to eat, so I've been looking for recipes for baked goods that include it as an ingredient. I found this one at Food & Wine (they have some great recipes!). It's moist, chocolatey, and slightly spicy. It was very quick and easy, and I didn't even need to use a mixer. I know I'll be making this one again and again. Here's a link to the recipe for Applesauce-Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake.

Congratulations Becky & Matt!

My daughter is Engaged!!!

Matt asked our daughter Becky to marry him yesterday! I'm so happy for them. I know they have a wonderful future together. (And I can't help but think about my future grandchildren! LOL)
He got her a beautiful vintage ring.
Wow, the years go by fast!

~CLOSED~Book Review and Giveaway: The Lace Makers of Glenmara

The Lace Makers of Glenmara

A Novel
By Heather Barbieri

From Harpercollins.com

Book Description
"You can always start again," Kate Robinson's mother once told her, "all it takes is a new thread." Overwhelmed by heartbreak and loss, the struggling twenty-six-year-old fashion designer follows her mother's advice and flees to her ancestral homeland of Ireland, hoping to break free of old patterns and reinvent herself.
She arrives on the west coast, in the seaside hamlet of Glenmara. In this charming, fading Gaelic village, Kate quickly develops a bond with members of the local lace-making society: Bernie, alone and yearning for a new purpose since the death of her beloved husband, John; Aileen, plagued by doubt, helplessly watching her teenage daughter grow distant; Moira, caught in a cycle of abuse and denial, stubbornly refusing help from those closest to her; Oona, in remission from breast cancer, secretly harboring misgivings about her marriage; Colleen, the leader of the group, worried about her fisherman husband, missing at sea. And outside this new found circle is local artist Sullivan Deane, an enigmatic man trying to overcome a tragedy of his own.
Under Glenmara's spell, Kate finds the inspiration that has eluded her, and soon she and the lace makers are creating a line of exquisite lingerie. In their skilled hands, flowers, Celtic dragons, nymphs, fish, saints, kings, and queens come to life, rendered with painterly skill. The circle also offers them something more—the strength to face their long-denied desires and fears. But not everyone welcomes Kate, and a series of unexpected events threatens to unravel everything the women have worked so hard for. . . .

About the Author

Heather Barbieri is half-Irish. Her paternal ancestors left counties Donegal and Tipperary after The Great Famine and worked in the coal mines of Eastern Pennsylvania before settling in Butte, Montana. Her impeccably dressed maternal grandmother was a descendant of a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria and instilled an avid interest in fashion in her granddaughters. Barbieri’s first novel, Snow in July (Soho Press), was selected as a Book Sense Pick, a Glamour magazine “Riveting Read,” and a Library Journal Notable First Novel. Before turning to writing fiction full-time, she was a magazine editor, journalist, and film critic. She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and three children, and is currently working on her third novel.

My Review

The Lace Makers of Glenmara is a beautiful, heartfelt story of grief, friendship, adventure, tradition, love, and so much more. While traveling in Ireland, Kate Robinson happens upon the tiny village of Glenmara, and little does she know that her life will never be the same. The women of the village have a lace-making club that Kate becomes part of, and she takes their handiwork in an entirely new direction. The women are a close-knit group, providing friendship and support to each other through hard times, family problems, illness, and even spousal abuse.

I enjoyed The Lace Makers of Glenmara very much. The author describes the characters and the village in such detail that I felt almost as if I were there with them. I grew to like the women of the Lace Making Society, as well as their families, and even a lovable dog named Fergus. I've never travelled to Ireland, but if I do, I'd like to find a little village just like Glenmara to visit.

The Lace Makers of Glenmara is available for purchase at HarperCollins, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers listed here.

Giveaway

Thanks to Heather and HarperCollins Publishers, I'm giving away 3 copies of The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri!

MAIN ENTRY:
Go to the HarperCollins The Lace Makers of Glenmara page and comment with something specific you learned about the book or the author (other than what is already included in this post!) You must do this FIRST, in order for your entry to count. Please don't just repeat comments made by others here.

EXTRA ENTRIES

~Follow me on Google Friend Connect. Include your Google Friends user name in your comment. Make sure I can see your name in My Followers on my sidebar.

~Follow me on Twitter (@amylou61) AND Tweet this Giveaway. Leave a link to your Tweet in a comment. You can copy this Tweet:

" Win a copy of The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri @ Peace & Quiet http://tinyurl.com/ydaqblz "

~ Favorite Peace & Quiet on Technorati and leave your user name (I will be checking) in a comment.

~Grab my button and post it on your Blog's sidebar. Include a link to it in a comment.

PLEASE make sure your email is either linked to, or included in your comment.

Entries will be accepted until November 14th at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be drawn by random.org and validated per rules. US & Canada addresses. Winners will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to reply before an alternate winner is chosen. Good Luck!

Disclaimer/Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review. This is my honest opinion, and was not influenced by the sponsor in any way.