The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley

Lucinda Riley delighted American readers in 2011 with her sweeping, historical novel The Orchid House.  Since its publication in the UK, it has gone on to become a huge international bestseller with more than one and a half million copies sold.  Riley thrilled readers again in 2012 with her next historical novel, The Girl on the Cliff, which achieved further international success, making its debut on the New York Times Bestseller List and achieving #1 in both Germany and Norway.  Lucinda Riley returns to take America by storm once again with THE LAVENDER GARDEN (Atria; June 11, 2013).  Already, international rights for THE LAVENDER GARDEN have sold in twelve countries.  The Lavender Garden, Riley’s most powerful novel so far, is the mesmerizing tale of heroism and betrayal inside an aristocratic French family across half a century.

Le Cote d’Azur, 1998: In the sun-dappled south of France, Emilie de la Martiniéres, the last of her gilded line, finds herself sole inheritor of her childhood home, a magnificent chateau and vineyard.  With the house comes a mountain of debt – and almost as many questions.

Paris, 1944: A bright, young British office clerk, Constance Carruthers, is sent to Paris to be part of Churchill’s Special Operations Executive during the climax of the Nazi occupation. Separated from her contacts in the Resistance she stumbles into the heart of a prominent family who regularly entertain members of the German elite even as they plot to liberate France.  In a city rife with collaborators and brave members of the Resistance, Constance’s most difficult decision may be determining whom to trust with her heart.

As Emilie discovers what really happened to her family during the war and finds a connection to Constance much closer than she suspects, the chateau itself will provide clues that can unlock the mysteries of her past, present, and future.

This book has been getting amazing reviews. I'd put this one on my summer reading list.

A Beginner's Guide to Talmage by Calvin R. Stephens

A Beginner's Guide to Talmage by Calvin R. Stephens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Description: Have you ever wanted to read the gospel classics by Elder James E. Talmage but never quite found the time? Or have you wished you could recall highlights from Jesus the Christ or Articles of Faith? Now you can find the best by Elder Talmage all in one place, arranged by the major themes found in his writing. The first in a new series of classic material from beloved writers, A Beginner’s Guide to Talmage brings together the best quotations and hand-selected excerpts from Jesus the Christ, Articles of Faith, The House of the Lord, The Great Apostasy, The Parables of James E. Talmage, The Story and Philosophy of “Mormonism,” The Vitality of Mormonism, and Elder Talmage’s general conference addresses. A brief introduction offers insight about his life and the influence of his teachings. This thematic arrangement of some of the best thinking from an apostle of the early twentieth century will renew your appreciation for the writings of James E. Talmage.


My thoughts: There are few authors that intimidate me. Those who are intimidating are those who have the enviable gift of writing succinctly and intelligently, possess a spiritual and theological knowledge that is difficult to articulate, and yet they do, and they have higher I.Q.'s than I do. The three that meet this criterion include Neal Maxwell, Hugh Nibley, and James E. Talmage.

All three all intellectuals along with being theologians. I have no doubt that they have had visions of the earth being formed down to chemical reactions and molecules to atoms. Few people have a better understanding of the Atonement, the mission of Jesus Christ, and the nature of Jesus Christ than James E. Talmage. Not only does he have great understanding, he offers supporting documentation and the gift of articulating difficult ideas into a nearly tangible object. But it takes great concentration and time for the reader to grasp these concepts. Which is why each of the aforementioned giants have, on at least one occasion, failed to engage me but succeeded in putting me to sleep.

Before you start judging me, please go check to see if that is a mote in your eye.

And Isaiah. I can't forget to include Isaiah.

So what Calvin Stephens has done has written a book that includes Talmages' greatest insights and/or summaries of gospel principles and has organized them into bite sized sections. It's a topical guide on gospel principles according the man who wrote Jesus the Christ and the many volumes on the Savior. The concepts are organized into chapters and the sub concepts that fit into that chapter are included in natural segues.

I understand Talmage.

I am still struggling with Isaiah. But I'm still reading Isaiah. Until I fall asleep.

Again. Go look to see if you have a mote in your eye before you judge me too harshly.

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Circle of Shadows by Imogen Robertson Feature and GIVEAWAY

A grisly murder among the German aristocracy propels this tale of eighteenth century forensics and historical crime solving

The forthright Mrs. Harriet Westerman and her reclusive companion, anatomist Gabriel Crowther, tackle their first case outside of England in the fourth installment of Imogen Robertson’s heralded historical suspense series.

As Germany’s elite are celebrating Shrove Tuesday of 1784 with a masked ball, the beautiful Lady Martesen is murdered. Daniel Clode, brother-in-law to Mrs. Westerman, is found near the body. All evidence points to him as the killer. As Daniel awaits execution, Westerman and Crowther arrive and quickly encounter a court full of opulence, intrigue, and deadly secrets—but no one who will talk.

With Anne Perry’s eye for period detail and Tess Gerritsen’s forensics knowledge, Robertson is emerging as a major author of highbrow suspense.

Interesting Info: 

There’s also an interesting true life backstory here: the novel is partially inspired by Count Cagliostro, who was born into poverty but quickly became the most talked about man in Europe during the 1700s due to his alchemical swindling and forgery. By the time he was imprisoned under accusation of being a Freemason in the late 1700s, Cagliostro could count amongst his personal enemies Goethe, Casanova, Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette. You can also find traces of him in Faust and Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute.  

A note on this as a series: while I don’t think it’s necessary to have read the previous books in order to enjoy this one (Robertson does a good job filling in any missing pieces and on a personal note when I read this one I’d only read the 1^st book in the series, skipping the 2^nd and 3^rd, and didn’t find myself lost or confused). That being said, reading this book will spoil some of what happens in the books before it.

In honor of it being June 18th, I'm hosting a giveaway! Today is:

• My parents anniversary. 52 years together. Yay, old folks! Clap your hands, everybody!
• 22 years ago today (yes, on my parents' anniversary), I ran off with a friend and spent the best summer of my single life backpacking through Europe. Since this story takes place in Europe, let's celebrate Europe. Yay, Europe! Clap your hands, everybody!

So if you have been following the series, kudos to you and here's your chance for a copy! If you have not, I bet you will want to now but here's your chance with a copy but be forewarned that it might take some of the fun out of the previous books by telling more than you want to know when you read THOSE book after reading this masterpiece.

And the very difficult task of winning the book is fill out the detailed form below. If you want to tell me nice things in the comment section in addition to filling out the form, I will allow that. I need nice things whispered in my ear. 

You can tell me that I have a nice summer tan (I don't) because I like to hear it.

U.S. only. 
One copy available.
Ends June 30th


 

What Maisie Knew Feature and GIVEAWAY!

Make sure you have the tissues close by and be ready for a difficult "coming of age too young."Written well over a hundred years ago, the truths told in the book, as seen by the child protagonist watching the disintegration of her parents' marriage, hold true today. So true that someone in Hollywood decided to write an adaptation screenplay. Take the tissues. It's coming.

If you haven't read this classic and you want to, here's your chance. The lovely people at Penguin want you to read it before you watch the movie. That isn't true. I made that up. The lovely people at Penguin want you to read it no matter if you see the movie first or second. Or third or fourth, although I can't imagine what comes in between. So. Fill out the form below for your chance.

What Maisie Knew is a modern-day adaptation of Henry James' 1897 novel of the same name. Set in New York City, it tells the story of young Maisie, the precocious daughter of Susanna, a rock singer, and Beale, an art dealer. Through the aftermath of her parents' ugly divorce, she is forced to confront how selfish and damaged adults can be.

Maisie is played by Onata Aprile, who was six years old at the time of filming. Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan play her parents, who constantly neglect and misunderstand their keenly observant daughter. Beale remarries, and his new young wife is Maisie's former nanny, Margo, played by Joanna Vanderham. In order to prove she can provide an equally stable environment, Susanna arranges to marry a younger man, Lincoln, played by Alexander Skarsgard. Lincoln forms a close bond with Maisie. The film explores the difference between nature and nurture and whether it's possible to reconstruct and redefine what family means to you.

The protagonist of What Maisie Knew is a young child, meaning the story reflects a unique view of the world. Even though it's a movie about a little girl, it is aimed at an adult audience and deals with adult issues. The two directors, Scott McGehee and David Siegel, aim to create a realistic depiction of divorce, where the child is caught in the middle and often used as a bargaining chip.

Made for a budget of only $6 million, What Maisie Knew is produced by the independent studio Red Crown Productions. It was an official selection of the 2012 Toronto Film Festival. The tone of the film has been described as realistic melodrama, relying on performance and dialogue to convey the intimacy of the story. Ultimately, it shows that many children all over the world are in the same position as Maisie.

Instructions for a Heatwave

About the Book: Gretta Riordan wakes on a stultifying July morning to find that her husband of forty years has gone to get the paper and vanished, cleaning out his bank account along the way. Gretta's three grown children converge on their parents' home for the first time in years: Michael Francis, a history teacher whose marriage is failing; Monica, with two stepdaughters who despise her and a blighted past that has driven away the younger sister she once adored; and Aoife, the youngest, now living in Manhattan, a smart, immensely resourceful young woman who has arranged her entire life to conceal a devastating secret. Maggie O'Farrell writes with exceptional grace and sensitivity about marriage, about the mysteries that inhere within families, and the fault lines over which we build our lives‹the secrets we hide from the people who know and love us best. In a novel that stretches from the heart of London to New York City's Upper West Side to a remote village on the coast of Ireland, O'Farrell paints a bracing portrait of a family falling apart and coming together with hard-won, life-changing truths about who they really are. Maggie O'Farrell is the author of After You'd Gone, winner of a Betty Trask Award; My Lover¹s Lover; The Distance Between Us, winner of a Somerset Maugham Award; The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox; and The Hand That First Held Mine, winner of a Costa Novel Award. 

For a sneak peak, click on "Look Inside!" Review to come.

Do You Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine by Paul A. Offit

Do You Believe in Magic?: The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine by Paul A. Offit
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Goodreads: Medical expert and health advocate Dr. Paul A. Offit offers an impassioned and meticulously researched exposé of the alternative medicine industry.

A half century ago, acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, Chinese herbs, Christian exorcisms, dietary supplements, chiropractic manipulations, and ayurvedic remedies were considered on the fringe of medicine. Now these practices—known variably as alternative, complementary, holistic, or integrative medicine—have become mainstream, used by half of all Americans today seeking to burn fat, detoxify livers, shrink prostates, alleviate colds, stimulate brains, boost energy, reduce stress, enhance immunity, eliminate pain, prevent cancer, and enliven sex.

But as Offit reveals, alternative medicine—an unregulated industry under no legal obligation to prove its claims or admit its risks—can actually be harmful to our health. Even though some popular therapies are remarkably helpful due to the placebo response, many of them are ineffective, expensive, and even deadly. In Do You Believe in Magic? he explains how

megavitamins increase the risk of cancer and heart disease—a fact well known to scientists but virtually unknown to the public; dietary supplements have caused uncontrolled bleeding, heart failure, hallucinations, arrhythmias, seizures, coma, and death; acupuncture needles have pierced hearts, lungs, and livers, and transmitted viruses, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV; chiropractic manipulations have torn arteries.
Dr. Offit debunks the treatments that don't work and explains why. He also takes on the media celebrities who promote alternative medicine, including Mehmet Oz, Suzanne Somers, and Jenny McCarthy. Using dramatic real-life stories, he separates the sense from the nonsense, showing why any therapy—alternative or traditional—should be scrutinized. As he advises us, "There's no such thing as alternative medicine. There's only medicine that works and medicine that doesn't."

My thoughts: I found a lot of value in this book. Living in the mecca of snake oil vendors (Utah), I decided years ago to not buy into all the claims of magic juice that cures whatever ails. The fancy double speak was underwhelming and did nothing to answer questions I had. Yet even when I took a hard line, I've still found myself wandering the homeopathic aisles at stores, comparing labels and walking away completely befuddled.

Offit breaks the book up into 12 easy to read and understand chapters. He explains the FDA, the Dr. Oz superstars, the mega vitamins and special diets, and the science behind all of it. Most disturbing is the politics behind all of it. Pharmaceutical companies have a reputation and have been trashed further with distrust and the "organic" touting companies. Offit does not defend pharmaceutical companies except to explain how drugs are tested and approved by the FDA. He is not a proponent for pharmacology but for science and information.

When we buy our food or drugs at the store, the ingredients are clearly listed. There is oversight in the conditions that our food and drugs are prepared. It is illegal to label our food and drugs with claims that have not been scientifically proven. This is not so when considering alternative medicine. Labels and "specialists" touting cures for cancer, autism, Chronic Lyme Disease (which is not a medically recognized condition), can not be supported by scientific evidence. In fact, the opposite has been true. Many treatments have proven to be nothing but expensive and time consuming. Additionally, some treatments have caused disability and death.

No matter what your political leanings, this is an excellent book to read to trace the ancestry of holistic medicine and the way it is helpful and harmful.

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How I Reviewed a Little Piece of Pinterest and Got Possessed

I don't mean to brag but I pretty much rock.

You know all those cool little DIY crafty projects on Pinterest? Well, I finally lost myself on Pinterest and just emerged with some pretty great crap.

Not only that, but I am providing you with step-by-step instructions, Nancy- Style. Prepare yourself and follow the instructions EXACTLY. Or you'll mess it up.

First, the photos:

Roxie is the neighbor's dog. If I don't "remember Roxie," she will spend all day in her doggie cage in the garage without food and water. That might be a bad thing.

The 13 year old is going to scout camp. He's supposed to be taking care of Roxie. 

And my last creation:

Total cost for all of these decorations (which are going to my work office) = $0. Don't worry. I'll let you in on the how to do all this great stuff. Step by Nancy-Step.

So the decorating style I'm going for at work is old fashioned and barnyard. Surprisingly, I don't have a single chicken or any rendering of our feathered friends. I suddenly got this hankering to make a chalkboard for my office and I was going for the last photo: You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. 

I wanted it on chalkboard paper. I hunted all through Pinterest and couldn't find it but I found ALL kinds of chalkboard ideas. Including a scrapbooking type page which I imported into Paint and added some new, fun fonts and, without having a clue what I was doing, I made this:

A good *TADA* would be good right about now. 

And I sent it to the UPS store to be printed.

Meanwhile, my inner 8 year old boy kicked in and I was going, "That looks fun! OOoh! So does that! I really ought to do THAT one, too..." and suddenly I had a few projects going on. Which leads me to my little Father's Day present for Scott:

Which is just black and white photos on thinner photo paper, cut up and modge podged onto canvas then covered in wood stain and modge podged again. I didn't really like how it turned out so I did another one and painted the white part black. So he has two to choose from. So I guess the copies did cost me $.54. 

Sorry about that lie.

So I found that you can make a chalkboard without all that fancy schmancy paint. All you need is a tablespoon of tile grout to one cup of any kind of paint. Like I'm going to measure paint and grout any more than I measure flour, yeast, sugar and water when I make bread. I do measure the salt. I don't know why. But we have grout. We have paint. And we have wood. And this is where the instructions come in. Pay attention. This is important.

Starting with the wood:

1. Be a dumpster diver.

This is oh-so-very important when your creativity is screaming "good intentions." Rarely does my creativity actually get out but I always want to be prepared! Which leads me to neighborhoods where homes are under construction. That's right. That beadboard was found. . . in a dumpster. All that wood and finish carpentry MDF - in a dumpster.

Just to be clear, there is a right way to do dumpster diving. I'm not really sure what that right way is but I'll tell you how I do it. With good planning. I generally choose to go on Sundays when nobody is working on construction. Ideally, you want to avoid evenings as people in neighborhoods like to walk around, talk to neighbors, and get to know strangers who might be thigh high in a dumpster. You go when there is a high probability that the entire neighborhood is at church. Best time is right after your own church. Best clothing for this activity would definitely be your high heeled sandals and maxi skirt. Find a house that might be doing finish carpentry and stop by dumpster. Climb up, look in. If it hasn't been recently dumped, dive in. Avoid nails but as a precaution, make sure your tetanus shot is current. Best pieces are usually 13 layers down, wedged so that you have to stand on them in order to pull them out which only adds to the excitement as you snag your maxi dress, trip on your high heels, and land on your bottomotomous while praying the nails are facing downward when you land.

In that regard, sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. 

In the good news department, I do not wear pantyhose, therefore, I have never gotten a run in my hose from dumpster diving. So there's always that.

Back home where you are suddenly possessed by the must-make-chalkboard demon, you already have the wood, the paint and, thanks to your husband's thoughtful Mother's Day present, a miter saw. Yes, I really did ask for a miter saw for Mother's Day. I can't begin to tell you how much fun I had with it. Also, I used my husband's nail gun which I am conscientiously wary of using. The large, square-ish frame I made for the huge and heavy chalkboard is made out of some kind of hardwood. I used the big nail gun with the long nails and discovered that the laws of physics changed. When I shot the nail straight through to attach to the other piece of wood, it hit that other piece of wood, bent, and emerged from the wood which is usually a bad thing. Particularly when it comes out next to your thumb. It did hurt. I did yank my hand back. I did see that the skin was broken and feared a puncture wound. I squeezed for about five minutes, trying to get blood from the wound before I realized it only went through the first layer of skin.

"Scott!" I yelled, "No segue here, but when did I get my last tetanus shot?" I admit I was only slightly insulted when he asked if he needed to drive me to the emergency room. Always assuming the worst. 

So all that super cool stuff from one Sunday afternoon (not including the many Sundays in the dumpsters) and I didn't even include one gorgeous frame I made from 6" pine floorboards that I will staining and hanging on the garage wall after I paint a rectangle of chalkboard black and grout for messages within the Taylor tribe. 

More pictures coming when the crafty demon emerges from dormancy in another year or two. I'm so excited!