Sunday Salon, White Christmas in Connecticut

When you're a teacher there is nothing like a snow day to give back a little bit of your childhood and a few memories of waking up to hear that school was closed. Friday, was one of those special days of simple quiet solitude spent reading while the snow covered the ground like a thick layer of whipped cream over a chocolate cake. You love the whipped cream, but then too much can make you feel sick. When morning came and I looked out at fourteen inches plus, images of shoveling began to appear as the dawn of my awakening brain thought, "Too much whipped cream for sure!!!" But like whipped cream, you still eat too much and love every bite no matter how sick you feel afterwords. So as I wake up this morning to more snow I smile thinking of another day of peace, solitude, reading time and sharing Sunday Salon. I'll worry about the shoveling later. Who knows, maybe we'll get another snow day.

Congratulations Jessica James for Shades of Gray

Shades of Gray has moved to #3 on Amazon's Romance/Historical category.This book is one of my top picks for 2008. (See my review)

This Weeks Reads

Lima Nights

by Marie Arana
This book had me flipping pages frantically expecting a great finish, as the author crafted increasing suspense. As the story ended, I felt like I ran into a brick wall. Lima Nights is a wonderful sensual love story depicting racial and class prejudice and society’s intolerance. Arana’s obsessive lovers, have an allure and chemistry that will steam glass with their passion. (Complete Review)

The Common Bond

by Donigan Merritt- Review next week

The Year the Swallows Came Early

by Kathryn Fitzmaurice-Review next week
The Scramble for Africa by Steven Fake and Kevin Funk-Review next week (Awesome, compelling, needed overview of the crisis in Dafur. Extremely well researched with extensive bibliography for further study.)

On the Nightstand

Red Clay Blood River

, by William J. Everett

The King's Daughter, by Sandra Worth

Don't forget the great Holiday Giveaways!!!

Leave a comment this week to enter again.

Review-Lima Nights, by Marie Arana

Lima Nights,by Marie Arana, The Dial Press,pp,246pages,978-0-3458-2,
Release date: December 30, 2008

Lima in 1986 is a pluralistic society of race, economics and social class. Carlos Bluhm, white, married and father of two sons, comes from money and lives in a mansion. Maria Fernandez, a marginalized member of the city is a Peruvian with dark-skin who lives in the slums. She struggles to survive by working two jobs. At night, Maria works in a tango bar, where she is hired to dance with the male customers. The salacious dance club is in a seedy section of the city and Carlos happens to be there one night when Maria is working. After meeting Maria he becomes obsessed with a monomaniac drive to be with her. He even goes so far as to make a comparative checklist to weigh pros and cons between Maria and his wife. The game begins as Carlos wonders what can he be thinking? In his mind he knows they are diametrically opposed in all ways.

My favorite character was Maria who demonstrated a vivacious spirit and tenacious will, with a personality full of contradictions; complex yet simple, young yet wise, childlike yet mature, poor yet rich.

This book had me flipping pages frantically expecting a great finish, as the author crafted increasing suspense. As the story ended, I felt like I ran into a brick wall. Lima Nights is a wonderful sensual love story depicting racial and class prejudice and society’s intolerance. Arana’s obsessive lovers, have an allure and chemistry that will steam glass with their passion.