Author: CMash

An avid reader for many years. Married for 31 years with 2 fantastic adult sons who I am so very proud of with great gfs. Am disabled. Found this wonderful community of book blogging in approximately December 2009 and have loved every minute of it. Am now a reviewer for authors, publishers, publicists, etc. And am also a partner in a Virtual PR tour company, Partners In Crime Tours for authors of novels of mystery, suspense and crime (www.Partnersincrimetours.net)

Aloha Friday (1 of 3)

FRIDAY
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(check out yesterday’s review)
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Hosted by An Island Life

From An Island Life:
  In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
  If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!


Now that the weather is starting to get chilly……..
My Question:
Favorite type soup?
My Answer:
Homemade chicken soup

2 Friday Blog Hops (2 of 3)

Hosted by Java from Never Growing Old

From Java’s blog:
Are you a blogger over 40? Yeah, welcome to the club!
Please join in the fun and get to know your fellow bloggers!!

Book Blogger Hop
Hosted by Jennifer from CRAZY FOR BOOKS

From Jennifer’s site:
  In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!
  The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don’t have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get over 200 links every week!!
  Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.
  If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!
This week’s twist:
“Where is your favorite place to read?  Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?”
My answer:
It depends on the time of year.  Now that it is getting cold, it would be in my recliner wrapped in an afghan in my new, but not completely finished, office/library.  During the summer it is sitting by or on a float in the pool.

Friday Fill-Ins (3 of 3)

ffi
So…here we go!

1. One of my strongest beliefs is my faith.
2. That’s huge!
3. The sky is cloudy with a threat of rain and wind and cold, so the bones will be aching.
4. Sounds of my family laughing is comforting to me.
5. I always thought I’d be healthy.
6. I heard a noise and then I went outside to look at the full moon.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to relaxing with hubby, tomorrow my plans include computer to-dos, laundry and Sunday, I want to go visit my son!

Review "Love Always, Hobby and Jessie" by Sara Robinson

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Love Always, Hobby and Jessie by Sara Robinson
Published by PathBinder Publishing, LLC
ISBN 978-0-9842496-0-2
At the request of the Author, a TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
   Synopsis (borrowed from back of book): Even the most difficult of marriages can survive a lifetime through commitment, acceptance, and work. In Love Always, Hobby and Jessie, the improbable bond that was the marriage of Hobby and Jessie Robinson showcases one example of a rocky marriage that eventually finds its footing.
  Defined by their heritage and their experiences, Hobby and Jessie met, merged,-and split many times as they unknowingly defined their unique relationship. The conditions implemented to keep peace forged an eventual lifelong truce and acceptance. Those outside of their marriage would have been puzzled by the solutions that Hobby and Jessie found. As unconventional as they were to each other, their attempts at brokering their special treaties mirrored their individual styles. Couples who settle on the edges of their relationship often find themselves at the very center of it.
  My Thoughts and Opinion: I usually don’t post my review of a book that I am currently hosting a giveaway of said book, just in case it is not a positive review and/or giving away spoilers. I am breaking my own rules in the case of this book only because of the giveaway, but, I will not include any spoilers. No matter your age, please enter this giveaway. If you are a baby boomer, memories of your childhood will be triggered and if you are younger, then you have an idea of your grandparents’ lives. Sara Robinson invites the reader into her life and her parent’s marriage, both the good and bad, funny and sad, and traditions long forgotten. For a debut author, Ms. Robinson has the unique ability to transport the reader back in time whereas this reader had everything else tuned out, triggers for my own personal memories, even sharing similar experiences and events of my childhood. The writing style so descriptive that when she writes about how certain smells trigger her memories, I found myself able to create and conjure up those scents. I found that the flow of her words allowed me to produce a mini home movie in my mind. This memoir is a quick read and contains many pictures of years past, that will resemble your own photo albums from years ago of your parents and/or grandparents. Well written and, for me, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up and continue reading. Kudos Ms. Robinson!!!! I hope you have more books in the future.
  On a personal note, I am on the latter end of baby boomers and presently dealing with being the sole caretaker and responsible party for an aging parent, who was born around the same time as the author’s parents, this book triggered so many memories and was a bittersweet read for me. The pictures resembled pictures I am now finding, some so similar it could have come from my families’ photos. The way of life of that era that Ms. Robinson shared, could have been written about my relatives. Thank you for sharing Sara Robinson!!.

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DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Review "Love Always, Hobby and Jessie" by Sara Robinson

Photobucket

Love Always, Hobby and Jessie by Sara Robinson
Published by PathBinder Publishing, LLC
ISBN 978-0-9842496-0-2
At the request of the Author, a TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
   Synopsis (borrowed from back of book): Even the most difficult of marriages can survive a lifetime through commitment, acceptance, and work. In Love Always, Hobby and Jessie, the improbable bond that was the marriage of Hobby and Jessie Robinson showcases one example of a rocky marriage that eventually finds its footing.
  Defined by their heritage and their experiences, Hobby and Jessie met, merged,-and split many times as they unknowingly defined their unique relationship. The conditions implemented to keep peace forged an eventual lifelong truce and acceptance. Those outside of their marriage would have been puzzled by the solutions that Hobby and Jessie found. As unconventional as they were to each other, their attempts at brokering their special treaties mirrored their individual styles. Couples who settle on the edges of their relationship often find themselves at the very center of it.
  My Thoughts and Opinion: I usually don’t post my review of a book that I am currently hosting a giveaway of said book, just in case it is not a positive review and/or giving away spoilers. I am breaking my own rules in the case of this book only because of the giveaway, but, I will not include any spoilers. No matter your age, please enter this giveaway. If you are a baby boomer, memories of your childhood will be triggered and if you are younger, then you have an idea of your grandparents’ lives. Sara Robinson invites the reader into her life and her parent’s marriage, both the good and bad, funny and sad, and traditions long forgotten. For a debut author, Ms. Robinson has the unique ability to transport the reader back in time whereas this reader had everything else tuned out, triggers for my own personal memories, even sharing similar experiences and events of my childhood. The writing style so descriptive that when she writes about how certain smells trigger her memories, I found myself able to create and conjure up those scents. I found that the flow of her words allowed me to produce a mini home movie in my mind. This memoir is a quick read and contains many pictures of years past, that will resemble your own photo albums from years ago of your parents and/or grandparents. Well written and, for me, I couldn’t wait to pick it back up and continue reading. Kudos Ms. Robinson!!!! I hope you have more books in the future.
  On a personal note, I am on the latter end of baby boomers and presently dealing with being the sole caretaker and responsible party for an aging parent, who was born around the same time as the author’s parents, this book triggered so many memories and was a bittersweet read for me. The pictures resembled pictures I am now finding, some so similar it could have come from my families’ photos. The way of life of that era that Ms. Robinson shared, could have been written about my relatives. Thank you for sharing Sara Robinson!!.

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DISCLAIMER

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Booking Through Thursday (1 of 2)

THURSDAY
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(fyi…I was a bit bored the other day and was cleaning out some files, arranging others and had this idea that I would make a new BTT image for today…what do you think?  As I learn new things about the computer, I tend to want to test it out and that’s why I did this.
Today’s Question:
Name a book (or books) from a country other than your own that you love. Or aren’t there any?
My Answer:
Not sure if my interpretation of the question is right but, this is the first answer that popped into my mind when reading it.  The only book that came to mind, and it’s because of the original origins and that is the Bible.

Enquiring Minds (2 of 2)

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Hosted by Lori from Dollycas’s Thoughts

From Lori’s site:
  It struck me recently how much time I spend on this computer every day, blogging, chatting or playing games on Facebook, emailing friends and relatives, making cards and calendars, etc. etc. etc.
  We depend on each other for book reviews, giveaways, encouragement, friendship, but how well do we really know each other?
  So that is what this meme is all about, getting to know each other.
  Each Thursday I will post 3 questions for you to answer that you can copy and post on your blog with your answers.
So here are the Week 8 Questions

1. Do you ever feel like no one is reading your blog?
        No because those that are reading them are also taking the time to comment, so I know some friends are visiting.  What amazes me, is that they are visiting lol.
2. Would this meme work better for you if it was offered on a different day?
        I like it on Thursday’s because I only have one other meme that I participate in on Thursdays.
3. Do you think there are already too many similar memes out in the blogisphere and I should stop this one?
        There are many memes just like there are many blogs yet discovered.  I think it really is up to the host because it does take time.
Sorry extra question this week.
4. If I were to continue with Enquiring Minds do you have any advice or changes you would like to see.
        Not yet!! lol

Booking Through Thursday (1 of 2)

THURSDAY
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(fyi…I was a bit bored the other day and was cleaning out some files, arranging others and had this idea that I would make a new BTT image for today…what do you think?  As I learn new things about the computer, I tend to want to test it out and that’s why I did this.
Today’s Question:
Name a book (or books) from a country other than your own that you love. Or aren’t there any?
My Answer:
Not sure if my interpretation of the question is right but, this is the first answer that popped into my mind when reading it.  The only book that came to mind, and it’s because of the original origins and that is the Bible.