I finished "The Other Boleyn Girl" last week and really, really enjoyed it! It was much easier reading than I anticipated, fast paced, and just plain interesting! I enjoyed the POV and what an neat insight into that time period-how women were admired but treated so poorly.

I have started "The Queen's Fool" and am enjoying it so far, but am reading it much slower as I have much less time.

I would highly recommend Boleyn Girl to anyone liking historical fiction, especially of the 16th century. Also...watch the Tudors, good show!

Well, I have finally gone to the beach....ONCE! We did go to the lake a few weeks ago for the day, but have only hit the beach, which is only 1/2 mile from us once this summer! Part of the problem was that we were sharing a car, so my husband would take the car to work and then we were stuck here-but now we are the proud owners of two NEW cars! New to us, anyway.

He got a 2005 Camry and I got a 2003 Venture van-and I LOVE it!! It is so comfortable, huge, full of extras and just damn nice. I am so happy to have a car of my own again!

Cross posting below to bookloversunite

Ok, now for the latest books read-I finished Painted Veil, The Orchard, Cold Moon, Memory Keeper's Daughter and Drowing Ruth.

I agree with at_midnight on Painted Veil, it is one of the few books where the movie was more enjoyable-athough the book was ok and certainly quick. The Orchard was good, about a local apple orchard trying to survive the Great Depression. It was a bit boring at times, but still enjoyable. Cold Moon was a Lincoln/Amelia story by Jeffery Deaver and I really liked it! It was long, but a quick, twisty, action packed read. Definitely a good summer book! I didn't care much for Memory Keeper's Daughter even though it had come highly recommended. Drowning Ruth was good-I have had it on my shelf for years and have never read it, it was a typcial Oprah read, imo.....a bit depressing, but interesting enough.
Not sure I would recommend any of the above except Cold Moon which was the best of the bunch.

Next up is Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult, one of the books of hers I haven't read yet-and again, been sitting on my shelf for years but haven't read. Trying to get through some of my older 'to reads' instead of just going out and buying new ones. Also, I am looking forward to two books coming out August 7th-Eclipse and 4th Comings, so I want to do quick reads so that I can start those when I get them.

Life has been good, esepcially with the new cars! Busy working on the Board of Directors for both my daughter's and son's football teams and of course, you get suckered into working your ass off with stuff-like making and managing their websites! Have a LOT to get done before the season begins.

Have a great remainder of the summer!!

Well, after finishing The Road yesterday morning, I chose A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier for my next book. I finished it a few minutes ago (it was only 220 pages) and wanted to post while it was still fresh in my mind.

I enjoyed it, and would recommend it, but it is NOT for the faint at heart. It was gruesome, horrifying, scary and unbelievable (but a true story) all at the same time. It is about a boy, Ishmal, who at the age of 12 is recruited by the government army in Sierra Leone. His recruitment was after he had witnessed horrifying scenes and had been seperated from his family. The story is told through his eyes-it is amazing what he survived, and what happened (and still is happening) in some countries. Children the same age as mine shooting villagers. *shudders*

Anyway, a very good, sad story. Again, not for anyone that can not handle gruesome descriptions.

I think next up is Painted Veil. I have seen the movie and thought the book looked interesting enough. I have a book on order at B&N, The Orchard, which will probably be my next one.

Anyone read the English version of The Swarm? I want to check it out, but it is almost 900 pages and don't want to start it if it is not any good (as I MUST finish a book I start, no matter how bad)

Basketball starts tomorrow again for Maddie (another AAU team she has been asked to join) so I should have some reading time tomorrow.

Enjoy the week...going to be a HOT one here!

*cross posting at bookloversunite

I LOVE summer! The beach, warm sun, baseball games, late dinners, sleeping in, cooking on the grill.....

*happy summer sigh*

I do hate getting sand where sand doesn't belong and the total lack of good tv. However, it does give me a chance to read much more and enjoy some reruns or catch up on missed eps online.

Ok..reading.

I finished Bright Forever and Whistling in the Dark. Book stories dealt with child abuduction/molesting/murder. Yeah, not the greatest of subject matter, but both books dealt with it very well. I much prefer Whistling in the Dark to Bright Forever. Dark takes place in the late 50's, Forever, I believe, was the 70's. Both in times of innocence and small town comfort. The stories vary in reasons why a child was taken and one is POV of suspects, while the other is told from the POV of a 10 yr girl (possible victim)

I recommend both, but I would have to give Dark a higher rating-it was excellent.

Next up is "The Road", which I am reading with at_midnight. I just started and only a few pages in, but it definitely has my attention and I am curious to see the reason behind their situation.

I have added a few to my "to read" list

The Orchard

Stormy Weather

Pocketful of Names

Saving Sailor


Happy summer reading everyone~!

*cross posting @ bookloversunite*

I finished Riding Lessons by Sara Guren and Little Children by Tom Perrotta.

Riding Lessons was ok. The end was great and something that touched me very much because I could relate to it, however, most of the book made me feel slightly annoyed with the main character. Her choices and the way she treated her daughter, while it might be realistic, irked me. She was not a good mother in action, but she did love her daughter.

Little Children was better-a quick, easy read. Pretty sexual in different aspects, which all come together at the end. Again, it was hard for me to be sympathic to the characters, as I disagreed with their choices. However, it certainly wasn't unrealistic, given the situations the characters found themselves in-then again, they brought it on themselves.

I had the movie Netflixed and it is being sent out today, so hopefully I will have a chance in the next counple of days to sit, watch and compare to the book

Next up is Bright Forever by Lee Martin. I had actually started this book about 6 months ago, but lost it after reading only about 20 pgs. It took me forever to pick up another copy. I had enjoyed what I had read so far, so I am looking forward to starting it again. A lot of reviews compare it to "Lovely Bones" and "Case Histories"-both of which I have read and enjoyed.

Busy busy week-working the snack shack at the baseball field this week for Dalton's team. Also, award ceremonies for Dalton, Jordan and Maddie at school and Dalton graduates Thursday night from 8th grade! Party for Dalton thie weekend and massive amount of baseball games too! Must go do some more housework to get ready for the weekend!
*hugs to all*

I was inspired by at_midnight to run wild with the Edward/Bella relationship and do some fanart. I have done bookart before, and have enjoyed it very much. I love hunting down just the right images.

I had seen other "Twilight" fanart, using (mostly) Emily Browning as Bella and Gaspard Ulliel as Edward. While I think Emily is a good fit, I disagee with Gaspard and decided to venture out and find another Edward. I discovered one of the most lovely men at . His name is Mathias Lauridsen and he is a model (obviously!) and just freaking perfect! He even has a scar on his cheek. His eyes are blue, but that can be changed to fit Edward. All the male images in the collage are of him.
After reading some suggestions on Edward, I think Drew Fuller would be the best...he is great looking. I can see him in that role, especially after doing Charmed.

Click images for full size




Brushes are mine and Vered's, texture is Tre's, quote is from the book, "Twilight".

I usually have a hard time reading horsey/riding related books, it just makes me miss it that just more... considering not a day goes by that I don't miss my horse or riding, reading about it makes it hurt just that much more.

Anyway, I am going to chance the pain and read it...maybe it will be nice to just read horse related words again.

It's about eventing, which is what I did..not sure if that will be better or worse...

at_midnight, I see your "Little Children" icon at bookloversunite-have you read the book? Any good? Reviews at Amazon.com seem approving....

*coss posting at bookloversunite *

Well, I finished New Moon late last night. I had about 160 pgs to read at 8pm last night and I stayed up reading until I was finished. I even read the beginning of Eclipse.

I didn't like this book quite as much as "Twilight", but it is a close second. I adored Jacob in both books, and was very glad to learn more about him and his life in this story. I am not sure I approve of the way Bella treated him, she used him to help her through a rough time and during it, began to have feelings for him, just not in the same way. I felt like she might be settling for him, even though she denied it.

Honestly, haven't we all been head over heels for someone, only to have it end or never begin and then we move on, 'settling' for whoever might come next? I guess that part of it felt real, but I still felt for Jacob-knowing she did not return the same love, but he couldn't help but fall for her anyway. I still wonder why Bella is suddenly so attractive to all these 'beautiful' guys.

I do feel, while I love Jacob, that Edward is her true love and that she would not be happy if she was not with him. There is more passion between them, when the slightest touch sends your pulse racing, that is not something you just want to give up.

I am definitely looking forward to "Eclipse" and eager to see what happens to Bella and the gang. I might do some art for it, inspired by at_amidnight. I have done other book art before, so this might be fun...finding people for Bella and Edward.

Huge thanks to at_amidnight and shadow_of_me for recommending this series, I am very glad I read them!!

Next on the list is...I am not sure. I have "Riding Lessons"-by the same author as "Water for Elephants", "Little Children", "Cold Moon", "Empire Falls" and "Bright Forever" here to chose from, just not sure which will be next.

I have to read 2 more books this month to keep up with my goal of 50 for the year.

Yesterday was my 17th wedding anniversary! We have been together for 20 years (in November) and married for 17...wow. We went to a baseball game for my son, and they WON for the first time this season and Dalton had his best hit of the season, a stand up double. Then we took the kids out to dinner...nothing too exciting, but fun family time.


Also, it is the 8th anniversary of my website, touchstonesart.com. I have not had the domain for that long, but I have had a fanart site up for that long-first under Fredfarm and Gertie way back in 1999. Yikes, it was XF only back then, and I gradually slipped into other fandoms. I have had a Tobey layout since late 2001 and have had only Tobey layouts since then.

Time sure flies.....

Mad has been playing baseball again this year and had a great game the other night. She usually gets hit with a pitch during the game at least once-not sure why, the pitchers see her come up to bat and either get flustered because she is a girl or they want to hit her because she is a girl *g*. She is the only girl playing in the league this year, last year there were two. Either way, she usually hits pretty good, some grounding singles, but on Saturday, she hit a HUGE pop fly to the outfield and got a sliding double out of it...it was awesome! She also stole home twice safely and had some great slides (she is very proud she can slide now). When she came up to bat after that huge hit, the other team's coach told his outfielders to "back up, big hitter at bat"...what a cool compliment that is, eh? She ended up with a nice single that time.