The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette

I read The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette by Carolly Erickson for the Royalty Rules Challenge. I decided to expand my horizon and read something else that does not relate to the Tudors, my favorite era of royalty.


This book is told form Marie Antoinette's point of view. I did like the diary format. Erickson wrote about her life form a naive girl to a mature woman on her way to her execution. Even though I knew how the book was going to end I kept hoping her rescue would be at hand. The book implied that Marie Antoinette was a scapegoat for the unhappiness of the French people. Her expensive life style and her being from Austria are some of the reasons for the French Revolution.

I did enjoy this book. Erickson reached her goal by creating a sympathetic Marie Antoinette. I now have to go find biographies of Marie Antoinette to see what was truth and what was fiction. I also have to read about the French Revolution so that I can learn more about it. And yes, the Tudors are still my favorite.

Happy Reading

Booking Through Thursday

You should have seen this one coming … Who is your favorite Male lead character? And why?

Who is my favorite male lead character? Acheron from the Dark Hunter/Dream Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I just love him. He is the leader of the Dark Hunters who fight daimons who are vampires. He is mysterious and a immortal. No one is sure who or what he is (we will find out in August when his book will be released). He is very tough but has a very kind heart.

Harry Potter also comes in mind. I like how Harry is vunerable but yet he is strong. He does not realize that he is strong and that he is capable of more then he thinks.

My reasons seem so simplistic, but it boils down to that I like the books and these male lead characters help make the books so enjoyable.

Happy Reading

Two for one 2

Crossfire by B. J. Daniels

I loved this book! I have read 6 books in code red series. So far this is my favorite in the series. I loved that Daniels used a timeline to help tell the story. Also Daniels incorporates flashbacks to explain the relationship between the two main characters.

Anna Carson had just returned to Courage Bay after being gone for 5 years. She is coming back to be a SWAT paramedic. Her ex- fiance Flint Mauro will be her commander. He is not happy. He did not want Anna to be in SWAT. One her first day back a hostage-taking occurs at City Hall. Can Anna and Flint save the hostages and repair their relationship?

Spontaneous Combustion by Bobby Hutchinson

This is another book in the code red series. This is about Shannon O'Shea and John Forrester. Shannon is one of two female fire fighters in Courage Bay. John Forrester is a fire fighter from New York. Shannon gets disoriented in a warehouse fire after rescuing a dog. She is rescued my a mystery stranger in Silver, protective gear for fire fighters. Is John her rescuer?

This was a good read. I do enjoy the code red series. This one did not let me down.

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess

My favorite picture of Dr. Suess.
(from http://www.seussville.com/)

Today is Dr. Suess's Birthday. Celebrate by reading a book by Dr. Suess. If you go to http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/marchholidays/l/blmar2nd.htm it will give you more ideas on how to celebrate Dr. Suess's Birthday. You can also go to http://www.seussville.com/ to learn more about Dr. Suess. He had a very interesting life.

My favorite fact about Dr. Suess (Ted Geisel) is that during WW II he worked for Frank Capra’s Signal Corps. During his time with the corp he made movies. He developed a cartoon character Private Snafu to help train the new recruits. He also won two academy awards for films that he developed in the corp: Your Job in Germany and Your Job in Japan few copies are left.


One last FYI Suess is his middle name, not made up and I thought Suess was made up.

What is your favorite Dr. Suess book? When I was young I loved The Cat in the Hat. As a preschool teacher I love Green Eggs and Ham. I basically know it by heart and when I read it to my class I can really act it out. Please comment on what is your favorite.

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess

A New Earth

I just finished A New Earth: Awakening to your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. This is a very enlightening book.

From back cover blurb:

"In A New Earth, Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness and show reader's how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence." I believe that the back cover blurb explains the book better than I could.

This is a book about spirituality. It does not focus on any specific religion, but Tolle incorporates different leaders of religion into his explanations, esp Jesus and Buddha. He also use little stories that usually involves monks to help illustrate his points.

The first part of the book, which is about the ego and the feelings that the ego can create; I understood. I could relate to what Tolle was saying about the ego. But the second part of the book, which talks about the pain body and finding your inner purpose is where he lost me. I am thinking if the ego is you thoughts how can you find your inner purpose. Because if you self dialogue to find your inner purpose; is it your ego talking? I am just confused about this part of the book. Hopefully when I take the Internet class with Tolle and Oprah it will clear somethings up

I chose this book because I am trying to find my happy place again. Somewhere down the ages, I lost my happiness, my life purpose so I am reading books that will help guide me back. I was just tired of being mad. angry, frustrated all the time. I will continue down this path until I find who I am again.

Enjoy the moment.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday: "Who is your favorite female lead character? And why? (And yes, of course, you can name more than one . . . I always have trouble narrowing down these things to one name, why should I force you to?)"

Wow, this is a tough question. My first thoughts went to my favorites when I was young girl. Nancy Drew was one. I liked that she was strong and had a fun life. I wanted to be like her. I also liked Laura Ingalls Wilder, just the life that she lived was so different from mine. As an adult Dr. Kay Scapetta; I like that she is strong-willed woman. She fights for what she believes in. I enjoy the story lines and what happens to her on her many adventures. Plus I an fascinated by forensics. I have not read the whole series yet. I have read up to Points of Origin. I have heard that her later books are not as good. Alison Carver from the Taliswoman series by Carole Nelson Douglas. She travels to a parallel world and has to handle unknown situations. Again she is a strong woman who does not need a man to take care of her.

Happy Reading

New Books

I am sorry I have not posted anything for over a week. My parents came up from Missouri. My mom brought me some books to put on my TBR shelf. More about that later. I have been reading Eckhart Tolle's book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. I have enjoyed it and learned a lot. More when I have finished it.

My new books from Mom:
Catherine Anderson
1. Summer Breeze
2. Keegan's Lady
3. Sun Kissed
4. Forever After
5. Annie's Song

Orchard Valley by Debbie Macomber
Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong

Code Red Books:
1. Hard Rain by Darlene Scalera
2. Spontaneous Combustion by Bobby Hutchinson
3. Cross Fire by B. J. Daniels
4. Turbulence by Jessica Matthews

So I have more books to read. Yeah!!!!!! You can never have too many books. That is what I say, but my husband says something else. Do you need anymore. You have not read what you got. He does not understand. I am sure every book lover understands you never have too many books.

Happy Reading