Review: The House of the Wind by Titania Hardie

The House of the Wind by Titania Hardie

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Pages: 480 

Format: book 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  A love story of magic and healing about two women, centuries apart, who fight to make the world of their dreams a reality. San Francisco, 2007. Madeline Moretti is grieving her fiancé’s death. Nothing brings her joy anymore, and Maddie’s grandmother, a fiery Italian, sends her to Tuscany to heal. Here, Maddie is immersed in the mystery of a ruined villa. Destroyed centuries ago in a legendary storm on the Eve of St. Agnes, it has been known ever since as the Casa al Vento—the House of the Wind. 


Tuscany, 1347. Mia hasn’t spoken since her mother’s death and lives in silence with her beloved aunt. One dark night, a couple seeks refuge in their villa. Used to welcoming passing pilgrims, Mia is entranced by the young bride’s radiance and compassion but is mystified by her reluctance to reveal even her name. Where has she come from, and why must her presence be a secret? As each searches for a way to step into her future, both Mia and Maddie will be haunted by the myth of the young woman who walked unscathed from the ruins of the House of the Wind.




Kritters Thoughts:  A unique piece of literary fiction that was so enjoyable, I may be short on words.  There are two stories running at the same time and the intersect at just the right moment.  One woman is in 2007 in San Francisco, has recently lost her fiance and is trying to deal with the grief of it all.  Another young woman is in 1347 in Tuscany and is also dealing with losing a family member.  


The parallels between these stories weren't too obvious to make the reader feel belittled, but they were subtle and sweet.  Maddie (2007) was a character I fell in love with from the beginning, I wanted to hear more about her job, her family and everything in between.  Mia (1347) was harder to get in to, maybe due to the time the story was taking place and my lack of knowledge about Tuscany and its history.  


I think the depth of this book was perfect.  I loved sinking my teeth into a good women's fiction and the satisfaction of finishing a good book.


Beware this is a chunkster at just under 500 pages!




Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.  

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (69)

A good week in book reading and with the month ending, I am hoping to keep ahead in May too!  Has anyone read a real page turner recently?


I skipped my in my mailbox vlog for many reasons, will be back in some form or fashion next week.  What are people doing with this whole thing?


A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney. 

Finished this past week:
The Queen's Lover by Francine du Plessix Gray
Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski
Whatever it Takes by Lindsay Paige
Picture This by Jacqueline Sheehan

Currently Reading:
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese 
      (took a pause on this one, hoping to finish soon)
The House of Wind by Titania Hardie

Next off the TBR pile:
Daughters for a Time by Jennifer Handford

Review: Surviving Emily by Laurie Bellesheim

Surviving Emily by Laurie Bellesheim

Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing 

Pages: 232 

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Abigail Hooper and Stephen Sparks had never heard of Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy until one fatal morning in November when it crushed their hopes and dreams. Twelve years after the devastating loss of their dearest friend Emily, they find themselves still affected by the trauma. 

Abigail, married and newly pregnant, helps others through her work for the Department of Children and Families. When a new client with epilepsy unexpectedly forces her to re-examine the past, Abigail realizes she's the one who needs saving. Stephen has struggled emotionally, physically and spiritually after losing the love of his life, and the long-term effects of his grief have kept him from truly living and finding love again. 

As the two search for redemption and the power to heal, their paths cross once again. Emily's presence so long ago still has meaning in their own lives, teaching them the meaning of true friendship and what's really important. Drawing on her own experience with a close friend with epilepsy who died, author Laurie Bellesheim raises awareness about the disease in this compelling tale told partially through flashbacks. 





Kritters Thoughts:  Losing a friend or loved one at a young age can greatly alter one's life course and even send them on a different path.  Best friends Stephen and Abigail lost a best friend and a girl friend one morning when Emily was found dead from Sudden Death related to her disease epilepsy.  At first these two friends clung to each other in hopes to help each other cope with the loss, but suddenly their friendship came to a screaming halt.


Told through both friends perspectives, this book was heart wrenching because the reader really feels these friends pain with losing someone so close.  I absolutely loved how the story weaved in and out.  There was an ease to the reading which made the book even more enjoyable.  A few side story lines didn't jumble the book at all, it added depth to these two characters and gave their lives a fullness.  


I would pass this book onto any kind of reader.  There was heart and soul for those readers who need a emotion, but the reading was simple for the reader who doesn't like a hard read.  I will be watching out for what comes next from Laurie Bellesheim.


Rating:  absolutely loved it and want a sequel


Ebook Challenge 2012: 19 out of 25 


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Women's Literary Cafe.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Review: S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim by Cynthia Sass

S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim by Cynthia Sass 

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers 

Pages: 304 

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads: Acclaimed weight-loss expert Sass has arrived at the exciting secret to sustainable weight loss: her innovative combinations of clean, nutrient-rich foods not only maximize fat-burning, but also deliver a faster, healthier metabolism forever. Her Cinch! plan includes 30 days' worth of quick-fix, satisfying meals.




Kritters Thoughts:  A little different when it comes to Kritters reviews.  I don't always get books that are nonfiction or are self helpish.  I have read this from cover to cover like I would do any other book, but I have failed in that I wanted to complete the 5 day Fast Forward before I reviewed and many other things in life got put ahead, so I stand now to vow that I will do review part 2 after the 5 day Fast Forward is complete and the results are in!


Back to the review - I loved the combination of cold hard facts, real life people with their stories and practical recipes.  With all three of these components, this book is more than just another diet book, I hate to even call it that - maybe more of a life guide book.  


I would recommend this book to the readers who want to try a different lifestyle.  I am not sure living with the former catering chef that I will be able to live this lifestyle full time for long term, but I could dabble in and out of it.  I am glad to know what the power and cleansing foods are, so I can consciously add them to my diet on a weekly basis.




Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.  

Congratulations to 

Sheena and Lillian

for winning a copy each of 

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory!

Review: Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

Publisher: HQN Books 

Pages: 432 

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon's Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father's wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she's not thrilled…even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox.Having to fend for herself financially for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist's assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn't the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn't the only thing that needs a little TLC….




Kritters Thoughts:  Another Kristan Higgins book that was sweet, sassy and full of life.  The reader meets Parker Welles a single mom who is in an interesting situation.  The father of her child is married to her best friend and the three of them make a great support system to raise the sweetest little boy - Nicky.  A devastating blow to Parker's lifestyle happens and her world is immediately changed and it takes a village to help her get back on her feet.  


Although these books can seem to be predictable, they have heart and romance which are just the right ingredients for a sweet summer romance.  I love the ease of reading with all of Kristan Higgins books, sometimes its not only the plot that makes a book, but the way a book is written.  As well, Kristan Higgins' characters are always easy to connect with, so the story can quickly grow around such great characters.  


I would recommend all readers to pick up this book and take it to a pool or to the beach. It was easy to get into this one and the story didn't lull at all, I was swept into the story the entire time.


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel


Ebook Challenge 2012: 21 out of 25  


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Little Bird Publicity.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Review: The Queen's Lover by Francine du Plessix Gray

The Queen's Lover by Francine du Plessix Gray

Publisher:  Penguin

Pages: 300 

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  The Queen’s Lover begins at a masquerade ball in Paris in 1774, when the dashing Swedish nobleman Count Axel Von Fersen first meets the mesmerizing nineteen-year old Dauphine Marie Antoinette, wife of the shy, reclusive prince who will soon become Louis XVI.  This electric encounter launches a life-long romance that will span the course of the French Revolution.  The affair begins in friendship, however, and Fersen quickly becomes a devoted companion to the entire royal family.  As he roams through the halls of Versailles and visits the private haven of Petit Trianon, Fersen discovers the deepest secrets of the court, even learning about the startling erotic details of Marie-Antoinette’s marriage to Louis XVI.  But the events of the American Revolution tear Fersen away. Moved by the colonists’ fight for freedom, he is one of the very first to enlist in the French contingent of troops that will fight for America’s independence.




Kritters Thoughts:  An interesting take on life behind the scenes in the palace of Louise XVI and Marie Antoinette.  As a reader that limits her historical fiction intake, the "story" must grab me to make me forget that it takes place beyond our current times.  From the summary, I was intrigued by the look at the French side of history, as I often read about the English kings.  The addition of an affair and Marie Antoinette's obvious fame were definitely points to pull me in.


Written from both the perspective of Axel, the queen's mister and his sister who is said in the prologue to have her chapters fill in the gaps, I loved hearing her take on her brother's life.  


I even learned a thing or two!  Beyond learning what went on in the marriage between Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, I was excited to read about France's role on the Revolutionary War and what a Swedish man's input was on behalf of the French in the war.  The chapter written by his sister including letters he wrote from the states, including my home town of Williamsburg, VA, were informative and entertaining.  


A fan of historical fiction and those who love a little behind the royal scenes would enjoy this book.   




Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row


April-June Challenge 2012: Royal Flush


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.  


Other tour stops:


Monday, April 16th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Wednesday, April 18th: Life in Review
Monday, April 23rd: Kritters Ramblings
Wednesday, April 25th: Peeking Between the Pages
Thursday, April 26th: Broken Teepee
Friday, April 27th: Unabridged Chick
Tuesday, May 1st: Amused By Books
Wednesday, May 2nd: Life is Short. Read Fast.
Thursday, May 3rd: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Wednesday, May 9th: Historical Tapestry
Thursday, May 10th: A Bookish Affair
Monday, May 14th: Scandalous Women
Wednesday, May 16th: Enchanted by Josephine

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (69)

A great week of reading and an even better weekend of wedding planning!  Invitations were mailed and the centerpieces design was completed and approved, made for a rewarding and productive weekend.  Now back to work, hopefully it is busy and quick!


A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney. 

Finished this past week:
The Singles by Meredith Goldstein
Whole Latte Life by Joanne DeMaio
When All That's Left of Me is Love by Linda Campanella

Currently Reading:
Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
The Queen's Lover by Francine du Plessix Gray

Next off the TBR pile:
House of Wind by Titania Hardie