Return of: That one I keep meaning to read (11)

Well this is something I haven't done here in a while. 'That one I keep meaning to read', is something I like to do here at Jessie's Book Place where I like show my readers a book I've had sitting on my TBR pile for a long time. Usually it motivates me to get around to reading it. I also used to do this on the weekends, but eh, I think Mondays are good.

This is a book I've had sitting my shelf for at least four years. The book hoarder in me won't allow myself to get rid of any books I haven't read yet, especially if it's one I can even remember why I bought it.

The Trouble with Kings 

by Sherwood Smith

Description (from GoodReads): Princess Flian finds herself the unwilling object of desire of three royals. Is the one she wants a villainor a hero? Waking up in a strange place, Flian Elandersi at first doesn't know who she is. One wicked prince tells her she is secretly engaged to an even more wicked king who wants to marry her right away. But before that happens, yet another wicked prince crashes through a window on horseback to sweep her off her feet. Memory returns, and Flian realizes that all any of them seem to want is her considerable wealth, not her pleasant-but-ordinary self. She longs to escape the barracks-like, military atmosphere and return to civilization and her musical studies. Who is the villain? Prince Garian Herlesterlanguid, elegant, sarcastic? Prince Jaimhe of the dashing horsemanship? Or King Jason Szinzar, whose ambiguous warning might be a threat? Flian decides it's time to throw off civilization and take action.

Showcase Sunday (22)

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books Biscuits and Tea.

Well, I've officially put myself on a book buying ban after the past two weeks. Last Saturday was my birthday so the only reason I bought any new books was because my mother took me to the bookstore and gave me money to buy some books.... And of course, I ended up with more books than the money I was given could pay for so I paid the difference. Then, I went back to the bookstore because I had gotten a coupon. Yes, I know, I'm a sucker.

Let's Talk (3)

Let's Talk is a weekly meme originally hosted by Melissa from i swim for oceans. It is now being hosted by Smash from Smash Attack Reads and Kt from a Book Obsession. It's a meme that I randomly participate in when I have something to say/when I remember.

This weeks topic is: "Have you ever been inspired to do something creative by reading about it in a book? Examples cooking, baking, trying a new food or drink, making jewelry, designing clothes or shoes and even bookish inspired vacations."

I have been. And not just books have inspired me either. I went to Florida about two years ago, and it was the first time I had gone to Universal's Island of Adventures since the first time I had gone when I was eight or something. My main reason for talking my parents into buying tickets for the park was for the Harry Potter section that they had just put in. It was amazing. However, there we went into the "Three Broomsticks" (because we weren't going to stand in a line outside for one of the drink stands and I mean come on the Three Broomsticks!) and tried Butterbeer. We all came back from Florida craving Butterbeer. We tried looking up recipes online, and found a few that almost came close the one at the amusement part.

I've also made jewelry that was inspired by The Night Circus. I had discovered the site Etsy last spring, and whenever I read a book or played a game or something, I would go to the site and see if anyone had made something relating to it. And, of course, after finishing The Night Circus I went on the site and found a number of jewelry pieces. However, I thought "hey these are things I could make myself." I have a few black and white Pandora bracelets that were inspired by The Night Circus.

Last, for those of you who don't know, I'm a casual gamer. I am completely in love with the Kingdom Hearts series. One of my favorite games from the series is the game for the DS "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days". In this game almost every time you complete mission the characters will sit down at their spot and eat sea-salt ice-cream. One day I was just curious, I wanted to know if this was real ice-cream they were eating. I'm still not sure if sea-salt ice-cream is a thing, and if it is where I can find it. I did however, find a few recipes to make my own. They aren't bad, in fact I plan on making more over the summer, and make them look more like ice pops like they look in the game.

Bout of Books 7.0 Update

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The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

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Okay, so the past two days haven't gone too well for me, I did start both Dancing in My Nuddy-Pants and The Sea of Monsters. I'm not gonna say how far I got in them because I'm a bit ashamed of myself. Anyway, today is my day off, so I'm hoping to catch up on some reading time. I also wanted to take part in the Twitter chat on Monday, and I was ready for it to, but I wasn't paying attention and somehow I missed it. I'm thinking I'm going to put an alarm on this time to remind me.

Winners~

Some of these are long over do...

The winner of the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway was:  Marie. She picked the book Taken by Erin Bowman.

The winner of April Showers Giveaway was Riv. And, she picked Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.

The winner of the Echo giveaway was Raina.

Lastly, the winner of Jessie's Book Place Random Giveaway was Sarah S. To fill the medium flat rate box she picked Glass series, The Swan Kingdom, Island series, The Night Dance, The Girl Who Invented Romance, Eagle and Jaguar series. And just if you see this Sarah, I did try to contact you again after you gave me your info, everything did fit in the box, it was just that I'll hopefully send the box out within the week.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (17)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey. I've decided that I'll do this meme, every couple of weeks (or you know, something like that). 

Blog Tour: Sweet Mercy by Ann Tatlock

Tour Schedule

About Sweet Mercy

Stunning coming-of-age drama set during the Great Depression and Prohibition

When Eve Marryat's father is laid off from the Ford Motor Company in 1931, he is forced to support his family by leaving St. Paul, Minnesota, and moving back to his Ohio roots. Eve's uncle Cyrus has invited the family to live and work at his Marryat Island Ballroom and Lodge.

Eve can't wait to leave St. Paul, a notorious haven for gangsters. At seventeen, she considers her family to be "good people," not lawbreakers like so many in her neighborhood. Thrilled to be moving to a "safe haven," Eve soon forms an unlikely friendship with a strange young man named Link, blissfully unaware that her uncle's lodge is anything but what it seems.

When the reality of her situation finally becomes clear, Eve is faced with a dilemma. Does she dare risk everything by exposing the man whose love and generosity is keeping her family from ruin? And when things turn dangerous, can she trust Link in spite of appearances?

Barnes & Noble * Amazon * Bethany House

 

My Review

For some reason, I was super worried that this book was going to take me some time to finish. In fact, I gave myself more time to read this book than I do for other books I do with other tours. Surprisingly enough I finished this book in a day.

The book had me hooked right from the start. I really liked the Eve's voice/narrative for the most part. I can't really say much about the character herself. The story was interesting itself. In school we learn about the Great Depression, but nothing about the Prohibition, or at least I hadn't heard of it until now. Granted, this Prohibition seemed kind of stupid all in all and I could understand why so many people would go against it, and I don't even drink myself.

Speaking of which, this was something little Eve didn't seem to understand. She was quite annoying about it in fact, actually for the most part she was just annoying. She thought she was "good", and didn't seem to get over this. She always did what she thought was "right" and whatever. It doesn't mean it was right. I felt like she needed to learn that everything wasn't black and white and I don't think she did. I just kept waiting for that to happen.

There was this character Jones, whose her cousin, I liked him, he did seem to understand things better than Eve and I thought maybe he would be the person to get things across to her. Maybe older Eve understood everything, she seemed less annoying and less like I would want to punch her in the face (yes I went there), however, at no point while we were told the story of when she was seventeen did I feel she had learned anything. I'm sorry to go on about this, but this really bugged me. I liked many of the other characters her friend Marlene and her sister Cassandra for example, just not Eve, who if I had liked her I probably would have liked the book just that much more.

I'd give Sweet Mercy 3/5. I had received Sweet Mercy through Netgalley.

4/5

About the Author

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy-Award winning novel Promises to Keep. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association "Book of the Year" in fiction for both All the Way Home and I'll Watch the Moon. Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her "one of Christian fiction's better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories." Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina.

 

Website * Facebook * Goodreads

Giveaway!

Tour Giveaway
1 winner will receive a copy of 3 of Ann's Books Sweet Mercy, Travelers Rest and Promises to Keep
Open to US & Canada Only
Ends 5/21/13

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