Patty PIck for 8/27/15 is "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

Harper Lee's classic, To Kill A Mockingbird, has always been one of my favorite books, as I am sure it is for many others. I can not count the times I have read and re-read it over the years, which is a rare thing for me to do. I had forgotten how much I liked it, until I read it again recently. It is a timely reminder that race relations have been effecting our lives in this country for many years unfortunately. 

Scout is one of the best female characters, which has been written into life by an author, in any decade. She is fearless, smart and vulnerable at the same time. Throw in Jem, Atticus, Dill and Calpurnia and the cast is one you will not be able to forget. 
Scout's father, Atticus, usually gets all the attention, but I feel that Scout steals the show. 

While Atticus, the small town lawyer and state congressman, is busy trying to raise his motherless children in small town Alabama, he is assigned the task of representing an innocent black man in a no-win trial. Parts of this book could have taken place in any small town in the South during this time period of our history. While many people concentrate on the lesson of fairness this part of the book relates, the empowerment of women and the discovery of one's true self should be the themes we discuss as much. Unfortunately this book too accurately portrays the truths of the South and other parts of our country during this time in our history concerning the color of one's skin.

But more importantly it shows us the special time of innocence many of us were lucky enough to experience in our youth. How many of you slept with your doors unlocked? Were you ever inside during your summer in daylight hours except to eat? School pageants that the whole town would attend were once standard fair in small town life.

I choose to concentrate on the well-written story of one family living through a special time in their lives, when the kids were innocent and walking to school was the norm. While the famous movie concentrates on the trial and the rescue of the kids by Boo Radley, I think the best part was Scout and her brave outlook on life. The thought of not studying to be a lawyer just because of the norms of the day, did not stand in Scout's way.

Next blog post on 9/10/15 will be on the recently released prequel by Harper Lee, 
"Go Set a Watchman".

Patty Pick for 8/13/15 is "Doughnuts & Deadly Schemes" by Janel Grandowski!

Janel Gradowski has her third book out in her successful Culinary Competition Mystery series and it looks like Amy is at it again. Janel has brought us some memorable characters that make revisiting them again a must. Amy, Carla, Alex and Shepler will
be very busy in this third book in the series. Amy is trying to plan her best friend Carla's wedding, when she runs into a murder.

The killer is wreaking havoc on the retail center of her town and the business owners are running 

scared of the mysterious stalker. All during these crazy happenings, Carla and Shepler are trying to plan and get ready for their wedding. Shepler, a detective assigned to solve the murder, has his plate full with solving the crime.
Carla just wants it all to go away and let her and Shepler have a quiet, unique wedding.
The food in this book will make your mouth water as the action is taking place. Amy will work
to solve the crime as she struggles to give her friend the best wedding she can. The ending will be
full of surprises!

If you are interested in this or other Janel Gradowski books, you can contact her at:

Website: http://www.janelgradowski.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanelGradowski

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanelGr

Page with book purchase links in case you would like those: http://www.janelgradowski.com/culinary-competition-mysteries/1347-2/

Patty Pick for 7/30/15 is "A Place at the Table" by Susan Rebecca White

"A Place at the Table" is a very timely book with all that is going on in our current social climate. It touches on race and gay relationships as well as domestic abuse. Susan Rebecca White writes about the South and its history well, but more importantly she can share the human story that surrounds our South with us all. 

We meet three central characters that seem to have no connection to each other. They 

are born in different generations and into different family settings. Alice is a black girl growing up in a poor town in North Carolina. She and her brother James are inseparable until one day they witness something that will change both of their lives forever. Alice ends up in New York City as a famous chef for Cafe Anders. James is thought to be lost forever after he disappears. 

Bobby grew up a preacher's son in Georgia a few generations later. He prefers to spend time in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother. He finds himself drawn to his male friends but does not understand his own feelings. One of his school friends decides to explore their mutual feelings during a sleepover, but it does not go unnoticed. That starts his estrangement with his parents that never truly heals. His wonderful grandmother takes him in and nurtures him when he needed someone desperately on his side. She eventually sends him off to New York City to follow his dream with the money she saved from baking cakes. 

Amelia finds herself in a loveless marriage that can trend to verbal and physical abuse. Her cheating husband seems to be losing himself to his anger more and more, after their two daughters are out of the house. Being alone with each other has not healed any fissures as Amelia hoped. She has hard choices ahead. 

After being confronted with the truth of her husband's infidelity, she finally makes the break she should have years before. While searching for the reason her parents separated years earlier, she stumbles on a family secret that will send her in search of Alice to confirm the family secret she thinks she has discovered. As we explore their stories entwined in this book, we become invested in the characters. Come find your place at the table.  

   

Words to Live By!

Read this quote again today! Dr. Seuss applies to everything! 

Patty Pick for 7/2/15 is "Every Fifteen Minutes" by Lisa Scottoline

Lisa Scottoline is a master of suspense. I love to read her books and feel the surprises and twists that she will place in unexpected places. Every Fifteen Minutes is about the plans that a sociopath has for their target, who turns out to be Dr. Eric Parrish.

Dr. Parrish is head of the Psychiatric Unit at the famed Havemeyer Hospital in Philadelphia. And even though his personal life is upside down, his unit has received a prestigious award. He takes on a new private OCD patient named Max Jakubowski.   

As Dr. Parrish's personal life falls apart, strange things to be happening to him at the same time. He decides to file for custody of his daughter, Hannah, and the same day he is accused of sexual misconduct with a medical resident he rebuffed. Then one of his new private patients, Max, goes missing! 

This novel explores OCD and some other mental illnesses that don't often enough get 
discussed in the real world. It also paints a chilling picture of a sociopath and the 
unfeeling path this one took to play out their plan. The ending will have you guessing 
the identity of the villain and reading rapidly through the final chapters. As usual, Lisa 
Scottoline writes a good thriller that includes a knowledge of her subjects. Not to give away the ending, but you will be surprised!

Patty Pick for 7/16/15 is "First Frost" by Sarah Addison Allen

Sarah Addison Allen is a compelling storyteller! The Waverley sisters and their family will once again keep you interested until the very end! Sarah knows how to tap into the feelings and interactions of family life in a small North Carolina town. Of course, we do not all have a magical apple tree or special powers, but we do all have those feelings of insecurity that turn up from time to time. As we get back acquainted with the Waverley crew, strange things are 

up on Bascom, NC.

Claire and Sydney have settled into life in the small town of Bascom, North Carolina. Sydney has married and put down roots wih her new husband and her daughter, Bay. Sydney is trying to have a baby with her new husband, much to his unknowing delight. As First Frost nears, they and their loved ones are subject to strange happenings. Sydney's hair is slowing turning more red every day. Claire's daughter, Mariah, has an imaginary friend that is keeping her company. 

And to top it all off, Bay, Sydney's daughter, has fallen for the worst choice  of the guys in the whole town. Her mother must decide if she will tell Bay her own secrets from the past to prevent from making the same mistakes she made. Sydney wants Bay to understand the consequences to your life if she makes the wrong choice in love.  

Claire is struggling to keep her growing candy business going. She is visited by a strange, elderly gentleman with news of her and Sydney' mother. Maryabandoned them both to their grandmother when they were young. What he tells her will challenge all she thinks she knows about herself. 

What Claire and Sydney and their families find out is that you always have your family to support you. That unconditional love is there for the taking - just ask. Once again the Waverley family and the fictional town of Bascom does not disappoint. You will want to read this and be ready 

to fall into the lives of the Waverleys once again.  

July 4th Time Off!

It was getting rather "frosty" at the beach last week!
Loved the sequel to the "Garden Spells" which is one 
of my all-time favorite books! Watch for my review 
in the near future!