Ashe Library Winter Reading Challenge discussion

I love gardening and miss seeing the flowers in my neighborhood during
the winter.

This is a 2 book task. To complete the task, pick 2 different flowers from the following list and read a book fitting the description for each.

* White Lilacs (youthful innocence): Read a Young Adult book. The genre Young Adult must appear on the book's main page.
* Marigold (pain and grief): Read a book where death is central to the plot (murder mysteries would work well here).
* Red Rose (true love): Read a romance. The genre Romance must appear on the book's main page.
* Daffodil (chivalry): Read a book set during the medieval times. For the purposes of this task, medieval times will be defined as the 5th through the 16th century (400 AD–1500 AD).
* Hollyhock (ambition): Read a book related to an ambition you have (any goal you have will work). Required: Please identify your ambition when you post.
* Sweetbriar (simplicity): Read a book with a one word title.
* Hibiscus (rare or delicate beauty): Read a book with a beautiful cover. Required: Post the cover when you claim this task
* Plumeria (new beginnings): Read the first book in a series.

Required: Identify the flowers you picked when you post.

Beyond: A Ghost Story
Marigold. Being a ghost story, there is a certain amount of death involved.... A well paced read with likable (except, of course, the villian) characters who grow stronger throughout the book. Jane and Lexi have a particularly admirable friendship. I truly enjoyed this book, though ghost stories are not usually my choice. (240pgs)

Marna wrote: "Beyond: A Ghost Story
Marigold. Being a ghost story, there is a certain amount of death involved.... A well paced read with likable (except, of course, the villian) characters who grow stronger thr..."

I'll be posting a "Marigold" story soon ;)

Crewel
Plumeria. Crewel is a "Hunger Games" read-alike (though I preferred the first book in the "Hunger Game" series)and the first in the "Crewel World" series.

1) Red Rose. I read Staying at Daisy's, a cute and humorous romance set in the English countryside. Very likable main couple although some of the secondary characters were more distracting to the plot rather than supporting the main storyline. 500pgs


2) White Lilacs. I read Lock and Key, and coming of age story about a teenage girl who is abandoned by her mother and goes to live with a sister she hasn't seen in 10 years. Very touching story with believable characters that I found myself really rooting for to find their happily ever after. 422pgs

Fairest I read this book on the recommendation of a former student and the request I continue to participate in their book club. I found it to be an interesting comment on beauty. (White lilacs)

Love in a Nutshell I am a Evanovich fan, but the plot was too predictable. (Red rose)

The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee is a wonderful book. Set in Hong Kong during World War II and in the 50's, the novel tells the story of a love affair between a married piano teacher and an Englishman with a past. It gives insight into the goings on of Hong Kong in past years and is quite interesting. I chose the book for "Hibiscus" because I love the cover. The photo of the provocative piano teacher with her golden hair and beautiful evergreen dress rests on a beautiful border of emerald green and orange symbols and flowers. 326 pages.

My second book is simply titled SALAD and is a lovely cookbook of salads that look vibrant and healthy. It is a pleasure to look forward to the fresh produce that will be available once all this darn snow leaves us this winter. It is a "Sweetbriar"221 pages

Archangel's Storm

Red Rose: Romance
If you read any paranormal romance, there are two authors never to be missed: Nalini Singh and Kresley Cole.

This particular titles is from the Guild Hunter universe (which is much darker then her other series Psy changeling) and focuses on the archangel Raphael's (with his consort Elena the alpha couple of the series) spymaster Jason and Mahiya, a princess under the thumb of another archangel.

Their relationship unfolds sweetly amongst the dangerous politics of their world. Singh's immortals seem to grow crueler as time marches on for them but Mahiya has made the choice not to let the tragedy (and it is indeed tragic) create bitterness, cruelty and hate in her own heart.

352 pages



Plumeria:New beginnings first book in a series

So, since I read the other two book in the Stars of Mithra series I figured to read the first and finish it off..all be it in the wrong order (2,3,1).

Private Eye Cade Parris has the case every PI who signed up because of the Maltese Falcon and Humphrey Bogart dream of, a mysterious woman asks him to find a missing person: her. Suffering from amnesia, Bailey wakes up to find herself in some no-tell motel with a canvas bag containing a million dollars, a .38 special and a large blue diamond.

Again, a love at first sight complicated by an unknown identity and the search for answers.

What makes this worthwhile? The scene where Bailey tells the truth of who she is and how she met Cade to his socialite mother...who stomps out of the house in the face of such obvious lies.
299 pages

1. White Lilacs. I read Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren. It's the 3rd book in The River of Time series. It was good. 388 pgs. 3. Red Rose. I read Just Between You and Me by Jenny B. Jones. I thought it was very good! I enjoy reading her books! 312 pgs.

Sweetbriar: I read Toddy by Jane Peart. I thought it was good, not my favorite but good to read. 150 pgs.

Plumeria: I read for this one Coming Home by Lauren Brooke. I really liked this one! I look forward to reading the rest of the series! 144 pgs.