Review...

Oh me…Oh my…Flavia de Luce…what a fascinating little person she is!!! Barely 12 years old with a mind that absorbs chemistry and all of its applications as though she was a mad scientist. What an odd sad household Flavia is a part of. A long gone mother whom she never knew, two sisters who torture her horribly, and a very aloof unhuggable father…this is the essence of Buckshaw…the place the de Luce’s refer to as home. Flavia has inherited all of the chemistry equipment of a dead relative complete with simmering beakers and a skeleton. Yikes!!! Flavia loves this room that is solely hers within Buckshaw…it is her refuge and it is also the place where she plans chemical revenges on her vengeful sisters. It is also the place that calms her because nothing is as wonderful to Flavia as writing in her notebook and figuring out her experiments.

I found this book to be just a tad difficult at its beginning. It took a number of reread pages for me to get used to the characters and the total “Englishness” of the book but after the first few rereads it was not an issue at all…I became totally absorbed in this mystery, the characters, the events and most of all Flavia. I love English settings and mysteries with a passion and this one was perfection. It had twists, turns, fascinating characters…in fact the only thing missing was the butler…but that place was held by Dogger…the de Luce’s all around gardener, caretaker and handyman. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the relationship that Flavia had with Inspector Hewitt…it was just the right touch of respect, admiration and humor. I already own the second Flavia de Luce book and can’t wait for more.

LucyGrace...My Little Reading Buddy...

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Lovely Lazy Days...

LucyGrace and I spent hours on the deck this afternoon...my husband was tucked away at work...and dinner is sort of whatever we are hungry for tonight...we have already had nachoes...so...I have the prep for a veggie pizza ready but right now our tummies are full...I am even further enamored with my book's main character...young Flavia de Luce...she is so endearing, clever and again...quite quirky.  I am savoring this book even though I have the next one in the series already Kindled.  I love Friday nights...when I was teaching...I was asleep by 7:00 because I was so exhausted...now without teaching...my Friday's are much more lively...meaning that at least I am awake for most of them...I love it.  Cheers, Bloggers...have a lovely week end...

Oh So Sweet...

I am more than three quarters of the way through The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie and I am enthralled with its star and most delightful main character...Miss Flavia de Luce.   She is such a quirky erratic presumptuous brave girl.  This book is not a book that can be read quickly...it is to be savored slowly.  Flavia has so many hurdles in her short life...her father is aloof and not one for touching, her sisters appear to hate and torture her...the opening scene in this novel was priceless.  Alan Bradley, the author, has overcome the obstacle of not being a quirky science poison loving girl...and written it as though he is one.   More later when I finish this delightful English village mystery.

Hmmm...I Have To Rev Up Business...

I am obsessed with getting more followers...I am sort of stuck at the number that I have...in fact...I am down one...I feel like the stock exchange...but how do I get more people to read me?   Not sure...I have no clue how to do contests...or the random number thing.  There needs to be a new blogger user guide that explains all of the practical issues of blogging and gaining an audience.  I would love to send someone one of my handmade pillows...or chocolates or a lovely new book...but I am not so certain that I love blog contests.  I won a book from someone but it is a teeny tiny paperback and I don't enjoy reading paperbacks...then I won another book that appears to be sort of  gently used...and then I won a book and a gift card that never came at all...so...I have to think about this blogging thing a bit more and decide what I want from it.  I feel an attachment to Manda on Draw A Blank because I have this idea that she and I started blogging at around the same time...and she graciously answers tons of my technical questions.  I noticed that Manda now has more followers than I do...I guess I am more competitive than I thought but I am happy for her.  I miss Jeannie from Pine Cottage Books because she used to comment on my blog all of the time and now she is an unblogger.   So many bloggers have been so encouraging but perhaps all blogs reach a time when things just slow down...hopefully this is my case.  Yesterday I recieved an email from an English author asking me if I would read and review his book and I was absolutely thrilled.   So...I shall continue in my quest to gain more followers.   Happy Wednesday!!!

About Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt...

I did enjoy this book...it sort of wrapped up my four book reading spin into total character dysfunction...Cee Cee Honeycutt was sort of a light hearted dysfunction but it was true dysfunction, nevertheless.  It was Southern comfort at its best.  It had everything a book that takes place in the South should have.   A well meaning aunt...who rescues Cee Cee and a housekeeper who bakes the best beaten biscuits in all of Georgia.  Together these two strong women help Cee Cee to heal.   End of story...time to make biscuits...and why do I crave the food mentioned in the books that I am reading?  I am looking up pie crust recipes right now...

All About The Handwriting...Random Thoughts...

My mom was known for having the most beautiful handwriting.  It was just so perfect and lovely.  People loved getting cards and notes from her and she loved sending them.  She loved being called the lady with the lovely handwriting.  My brothers and sister and I treasured cards from her and she showered us with cards and notes.  What bothers me now is that I didn't save them in any one area...I would tuck them into books and cookbooks and notebooks and folders and drawers so that now...when I find one...it is just achingly sad.  When my mom died...she had been ill for quite a few months and no longer wrote anything...not cards or notes or letters.  I don't think she even remembered our birthdays or anniversaries at all during her last year of life and she treasured them before she became so ill.  Just writing about her this way makes me so very sad that she is no longer living.  I used to cry when I was little when cousins or aunts or uncles wanted me to stay at their house for sleepovers...I could not bear to be away from her at night.  If she went to a meeting at night and walked home...I could not sleep until she was safely in the house.  She was such a funny brave and lively mom...she used to wash the windows on the second floor of our house by sitting on the window sill with her legs dangling in and her upper body out...and I would hold on to her legs from the inside as tightly as I could so she would not fall...so she would not slip away...and now...I just try to hold on to every little memory and thought of her...as tightly as I can.