Academy Awards, Student Drivers & Charming Friends

I'm not really sure why I'm writing this post. I guess I want to get back in the habit of just posting about my life... not just reviews. Although, I love the opportunity to review bags, books and Bon Jovi (the concerts), I really started my blog just to blog about "whatever". So, I guess this is a "whatever" post. Read at your own risk :D


J completed Driver's Education on Saturday and got his Learner's Permit yesterday. Yeah, the DMV on a Monday afternoon is a study in "Hurry up and wait". Thank goodness, I had a great book! We were there for almost two hours. There were quite a few student drivers... even some kids he knew from "school" school and some from driving school. He's only driven in parking lots and a cemetery(I know... lol ... but there's a very large cemetery nearby with lots of "streets" and not much traffic), but he's pretty good. He's driven both my car (Durango) and my husband's car (Subaru Forester). I think my car intimidates him a little. That's okay, though, I like that he's cautious.


I've been seeing a lot of movies, lately... some with friends, but, most by myself. I love going by myself. I have been reading my ereader in the theater before the movie while, usually enjoying a (smuggled-in) coffee drink. I've seen more of the Oscar nominated films than I have in previous years. Oh, the picture... just me and the hubby on date night. Don't I wish... ROFL!!!!


Black Swan... I saw it today. It was good, not great. Maybe, I should have seen it before all the hype. I'm like that with books, too. If it gets too much "buzz", I am usually disappointed. The dancing was beautiful but I kept trying to figure it out. I knew there'd be a twist so, I focused on that. And, as creepy as this movie poster, is, I think it's kind of beautiful. Is that weird? I think I could have waited for this one to come to "On Demand" and watched it on my couch.


The Kids Are Alright... My overriding thought about this movie... Mark Ruffalo is kinda hot!


True Grit... Wow! I have to talk about what a great actress Hailee Steinfeld is. I'm so happy that she was nominated. her nomination should have been Best Actress, though... not Supporting Actress. I think she was the star of the movie. Yes, Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon were really good but it would not have been the same without her.

The King's Speech... I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS MOVIE!! Seriously, it's now one of my all-time favorite movies. It deserves every accolade it receives and every award for which it is nominated!! Have you seen it? Did you love it? If you haven't seen it... what are you waiting for?!? See it tomorrow!!! Honestly, it's so wonderful! I loved the relationship between Bertie and Lionel. And to know that it's a true story, makes it just that much better! I'm not giving anything away... so, no worries... you know the speech at the end of the film... well, there's actual audio of it! Listen to it and you'll appreciate the film even more.

I'm meeting a friend tomorrow for shopping and dinner. There's a store that I've just recently heard about. It's Charming Charlie! What a fun name for a store. It's all accessories... jewelry, scarves and, of course... bags!!! I am so excited to shop there with one of my closest friends then enjoy a great meal and even better conversation!


I carried my new Sydney Love tote today. It was the perfect "partner-in-crime" bag as I smuggled my coffee into the movie. It has a flat bottom so my drink didn't spill. I'll have to use it again the next time I see a movie :D

CSN Review... Sydney Love Tote... Again!!

I was fortunate to be contacted by Eileen at CSN to review another great product. Of course, I said yes!!!

I promise you that I looked at a lot of products. I really did! There are, literally, thousands of fantastic products at amazing prices... even swing sets ... how cool is it that you can order a swing set through the web! I even asked my family if there was anything they would like to review. In the end, though, I chose another Sydney Love Tote. This is my second one, and... I LOVE them!!!

Let me say, first, that the pictures I took are not the best quality. I have a new computer and haven't quite figured everything out. But, let me assure you... the tote bag is of the BEST quality!!! Here's the link on the CSN website. Please go there so you can see this bag in all its glory :D

Just like the first bag I received... everything about this transaction was easy... besides, of course, choosing what to order... lol! Not a bad problem to have... don't you agree?!?


This is what the bag looked like out of the box... wrapped in tissue and plastic. The handles were wrapped in plastic, too.

This "Vintage Hotel" pattern is so fun! I have been looking at all "patches" and colors on the bag and can't wait to use it. Like most women (I believe), I wear a lot of black... it's slimming, after all :D and with all the vibrant colors, it's the perfect tote to "pop" an outfit. It is, most definitely, a tote. It's too big to be a purse, really... but that's okay! I LOVE totes. I can throw my bag, my ereader, water bottle and assorted accoutrements (hey, that would make a great blog title!!) in it and be prepared for my day. There's a whole line of bags, agendas and wallets with this same print and... can you hear it... the wallet and the agenda are calling my name! I love matching accessories... but that's another post for another day... lol!


This is the tote bag rarin' to go... lol! It will definitely carry everything I need. I sincerely wish these pictures were better. M just came in to give me a fast tutorial... yes, my 12 year old daughter knows more about computers than I do. Not a big surprise there, huh? Anyway... back to the tote bag, it has a fun polka dot lining with quite a few pockets... in which my cell phone, sunglasses and, of course... the ever-present lip gloss (Dark Kiss by Bath and Body Works. I am truly addicted to this!) will fit nicely! There is also an outside zippered pocket. I love that... I can toss my keys in there, zip it up and A) not worry about them falling out and B) not having to "dig" for them.

If you haven't already, please read the review of my first Sydney Love bag. I get compliments every time I carry it!

Thanks again to Eileen and CSN Stores for allowing me to choose this great Sydney Love Vintage Hotel Tote Bag in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review. And because, CSN is a great company... they have offered to sponsor a very (really!) generous giveaway! Details coming soon!

Second Blog Anniversary!

Today is the second anniversary of Bags, Books & Bon Jovi!!

I hadn't read my first post in quite a while so here it is...


WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009
The First of Many...Hopefully!


I'm not quite sure why I'm doing this. Peer pressure, I guess! At my age, that's almost laughable. It seems that all my online friends are blogging so who am I to be left behind?!?

I will try to blog whenever I think there is something that needs to be forever recorded in cyberspace :o)

I also want to use my blog to post pictures of the bags that I carry each day. Those who know me, know that I have a lot of bags and change them daily. Yes, daily! Crazy, I know but I love purses and want to show off my collection! I think my collection is so great! I love them all equally...my Louis Vuittons, Dooney & Bourkes as well as the bags I buy at Target and Kohl's!

I will also blog about books. Again, those who know me, know I love books! I belong to two book clubs and read all the time. Thank goodness for carpools as that's when I do a lot of reading...waiting in my car. I'll not only blog about books I'm reading but just about anything book "related".


When I started blogging, I really had no idea how big the "blogosphere" was and how Bags, Books & Bon Jovi would become a part of it. I think what amazes me most, though, is that there are these wonderful people who like what I write enough to "follow" me. I love my blog and I love that there are other bloggers who enjoy it, too!


To you, my followers... my very sincere thank you!

Blog Hopping on Thursday!!

From Jennifer's Crazy-For-Books blog... In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! 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 to read! 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!!


RULES:
Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.
1. Enter your book blog link in the Linky List below
In your link, please state the main genre that you review: eclectic, contemp. fiction, ya, paranormal, mystery, non-fiction, etc.

Example: Crazy-for-Books (eclectic adult fiction)

2. Post about the Hop on your blog. Spread the word about the book party! The more the merrier! In your blog post, answer the following question (new question each week!).

If you have a suggestion for a future HOP question, click here to fill out the form! Thanks!


This week's question comes from Barb who blogs at Sugarbeat's Books:

"Why do you read the genre that you do? What draws you to it?"
My favorite genre is, most definitely, MYSTERY!! I have loved them since I was very young and read Encyclopedia Brown. I guess I read them for the puzzle... to see how it will be solved. I don't try to solve it... but, at the end, I have to able to see the clues. I don't like mysteries that are solved "out of left field". I read mostly series mysteries and get very invested in the characters. I like to see the evolution of the main characters and their relationships to each other.

3. Visit other blogs in the Linky List! Make new friends! Follow new book bloggers! Talk about books! Rave about authors! Take the time to make a quality visit! Check out other posts and content, make a new friend! Don't randomly follow someone if you never intend on actually following them! No spamming please! (Please do not leave your link and not visit other blogs - it's just not cool and not in the spirit of the Hop!)

And just as an FYI - this event is not something you should feel that you have to participate in every week. If you want to join in and link up once a month, GREAT! It's up to you how often you participate!

So, have fun HOPPING and enjoy your BOOK PARTY weekend!!!

Thanks for stopping by Bags, Books & Bon Jovi. I haven't "hopped" in a while and I'm looking forward to checking out some great new-to-me blogs!

Please stop back later as I will post my meme... First Line Friday! And, hopefully, post about the bag I'll carry tomorrow. Which one will I carry tomorrow? I haven't decided yet... although I have narrowed it down to a few :D

The Girl in the Gatehouse

From the author's website... "An ambitious captain, a beguiling outcast, and
a mysterious gatehouse...
Mariah Aubrey lives in seclusion in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant by writing novels in secret, at a time when novel writing was considered improper and unladylike. When wealthy and ambitious Captain Bryant leases the estate, he is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. Will he risk his plans—and his heart—for a woman shadowed by scandal?"

This is my introduction to Ms. Klassen's novels. I was a bit concerned when I received it right before Christmas. It's almost 400 pages and, like most everybody, I was busy, busy, busy everyday. But, when I sat down to read it, I was pleasantly surprised at what a quick read it was.

While "Regency" romances, aren't usually a genre I read, I enjoyed the time period portrayed in this novel. It's generally considered a very strict social period and it was intriguing to see Mariah Aubrey live within those constraints while really being a woman ahead of her time. I liked that she was a "secret" novelist.

I thought the premise of the scandal that banished (isn't that just a great word?) Mariah to the gatehouse was well thought out and wasn't just a plot device to "get" her there. It was integral to the story as well as shaping Mariah's character. Had it not happened, I think Mariah would not have been so intriguing to Captain Bryant.

I knew the quotes at the beginning of each chapter would relate to the action in that chapter but it was fun when the connection was made. These kinds of details in a novel are something I enjoy. They aren't going to make or break my enjoyment of any book but, I believe, it's the author's (or publishers) way of adding just that extra layer literary element.

Thanks to Bonnie at CFBA and Bethany House for sending me The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review.

To Challenge or Not to Challenge...

... that is the question!

It seems that, at least with the book blogs I read, the beginning of the new year is when most of the reading challenges start. I've never participated in any blog reading challenges. I have noticed, however, a few that interest me.

Why am I hesitant to participate? A few reasons, really. Honestly, failure is an option. I'm afraid that I would not complete the challenge. Yes, I know I won't be graded or thought less of if I don't complete it, but I don't want the sidebar "widget" not to have the "completed" stamp across it. Silly, I know.

I also think that I might focus too much on the challenge books and not read other books... books that just catch my interest. Although I consider myself a fast reader, I definitely don't read as many books as some bloggers. I'd be worried that, if it comes down to it, I might choose a "challenge" book over another book just to try to complete it.

Yes, I know I am really over-thinkng this. I know these reading challenges are meant to have fun with books and blogs. I know no one will quit reading my blog because I might not complete a challenge.

So, after all this... I will, most likely, jump in and participate in at least one reading challenge. I'd love to know your thoughts on blog reading challenges... do you participate? If so, which ones do you join? If you don't participate, why not? do you have the same "concerns" that I do?

First Line Friday...on Saturday

I began First Line Friday because first lines have always intrigued me since I heard an author say that writing the first sentence is, by far, the most difficult part of writing a novel. The reasoning was that a first sentence can make the reader continue reading or cause the book to be tossed aside. So, go to your To Be Read Pile, choose as many books as you want and share the first line. Be sure to include the title and author so that if your reader also finds it intriguing, they can find the book. Also, share your thoughts about the first line. Does it draw you in? Is it...exciting...thought provoking...scary...funny? Join in, if you enjoy first lines as much as I do! Be sure to use my great First Line Friday graphic and leave me a comment so I can read your blog! I'm not the only one with a meme celebrating first lines... Becky at Page Turners at http://pageturnersbooks.blogspot.com/ hosts Book Beginnings... check her blog, too.

"Prologue
Liam Kilbranish looked down at the lump of flesh curled in front of him on the cement floor."
Among Thieves
David Hosp

Honestly... not the most compelling first line. Hopefully, the rest of the book is better.

I do have to say, though, that I love the cover. It took me a while to realize it was a frame with the painting cut out of it. It's how the real art thieves of The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum stole the paintings. Can you believe it?!? Priceless masterpieces just cut out of the frames! If you're not familiar with the still-unsolved robbery... from Wikipedia... "Shortly after midnight on the morning of March 18, 1990, thieves disguised as police officers talked their way into the museum. They handcuffed the two on-duty security guards out of sight and then stole thirteen works of art valued at over $500 million, including The Concert, one of Johannes Vermeer's thirty-five known paintings, and three works by Rembrandt van Rijn, including his only seascape, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, and a small self-portrait print. Also stolen were a series of drawings by Edgar Degas and additional works by Édouard Manet and Govaert Flinck, as well as two objects: a Chinese Ku, or beaker, and a finial from a Napoleonic flag. It is considered the biggest art theft—and property theft—in history; the crime remains unsolved. The museum still displays the paintings' empty frames in their original locations. Some mistakenly believe this to be according to the strict provisions of Gardner's will, which instructed that the collection be maintained unchanged, but that claim is completely untrue, as evidence by the fact that only nine frames involved in the theft still hang. A reward of $5 million is offered for information leading to the return of the works of art in good condition."


One of the reasons this novel caught my attention is because it involves The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. My favorite painting, Mr & Mrs Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes by John Singer Sargent, is part of its collection... as well as many of his other works. I'd love to visit there someday.


I've missed showcasing my purses on my blog. I carried an "oldie but a goodie" today... my "rocker chick" black handbag with a lot of silver hardware. This is just a great bag that I never tire of carrying... although all the hardware can be kind of loud.

Happy New Year's Eve!!

My 2011 resolution for my blog is to write 200 posts... and not slack off towards the end of the year (as I did this year...lol).

I hope 2011 brings great bags, even better books and a Bon Jovi concert (oh yeah)!!

Cheers!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I hope today finds you surrounded with love and joy!

288

Even though I've been slacking on this blog lately, I've written 288 posts, including this one! I think it would be really fun to write my 300th post on New Year's Eve. To accomplish that, I have to really make an effort to blog on a regular basis. I've done it before... I know I can do it... I have no idea why I haven't been blogging lately. I have the best of intentions but we all know about those... :D

My book club met tonight to celebrate Christmas. No book discussion... just a great dinner with good friends! We did decide, though, that our January book will be
The Hotel on the Corner or Bitter & Sweetby Jamie Ford.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this novel Have you read it? Does it lend itself to a thoughtful discussion? Has your book club read it?

The Lightkeeper's Bride by Colleen Coble

From Christian Fiction Blog Alliance website... "A thrilling romantic mystery set in the lush Victorian age.
Central Operator Katie Russell's inquisitive ways have just uncovered her parents' plan for her marriage to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster. Her heart is unmoved, but she knows the match will bring her family status and respectability.
Then Katie overhears a phone conversation that makes her uneasy and asks authorities to investigate. But the caller is nowhere to be found. Mysterious connections arise between the caller and a ship lost at sea.
Against propriety, Katie questions the new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson. Then a smallpox epidemic forces their quarantine in his lighthouse. Though of low social status, Will's bravery and kindness remove Katie's suspicion and win her love. Katie and Will together work to solve the mystery of the missing girl and the lost ship as God gives the couple the desire of their hearts."

This novel is, at its heart, a mystery with strong Christian characters. It has everything a good mystery should have... an intriguing puzzle, red herrings, twists & turns, heroes & villians, and, most importantly... a satisfying conclusion. It would have read well without the faith-based characters and situations. But, Ms. Coble used faith in this novel to enhance and soldify the characters' motivations and actions.

As much as I enjoyed the mystery, it is the relationships between the three main characters... Will, Katie and Jennie (yes...Jennie!) that I believe is the heart of the story and what kept me reading. Yes, we all know. going in, how these novels will end so it's really not about getting to "the end"... it's about watching Katie and Will make that journey and how God lights their way.

I also read the first in Ms. Coble's series, The Lightkeeper's Daughter and loved it. So, I was so excited to be given the chance to read and review the latest in The Mercy Falls series. I was also excited to turn the last page of the novel and see that the next book, The Lightkeeper's Ball will be released in January 2011. I will, most definitely, read it and hope it' not the conclusion of this well-written Christian historical mystery series.

~~I received The Lightkeeper's Bride from Thomas Nelson Publishers and Bonnie from The Christian Fiction Blog Alliance in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.~~

Cool New Follow Friday!

Yeah, I've been slacking on my blogging! No excuses, really... just life. I'm sure you know how that goes :D


Anyway, I just found this great new Follow Friday. It's hosted by Java at http://nevergrowingold.blogspot.com/ It's for bloggers, like me, who are over 40! That's not to say that I don't I don't love and follow bloggers of all ages... I definitely do... but it's kind of fun to read blogs of women who remember when Jon looked like this... and we looked like this...

So, I welcome those of you who found me through Java's Follow Friday 40 & Over! And for those of you who are kind enough to read my blog and have wondered where the heck I've been... I'm back and I'm going to blog on a more regular basis!!

I'll be back later with my favorite meme... First Line Friday!! And, of course, a picture of the purse I'm carrying today! Honestly, I've missed blogging about my bags!

Veteran's Day

God Bless and we thank those who have served and are serving our country in the most patriotic way!

My father and father-in-law both proudly served our country and are laid to rest, with Honors, in the same National cemetery... within "sight" of each other.

A Memory Between Us

From Sarah Sundin's website..."Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge--until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth's heart a top priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she carries a shameful secret that keeps her from giving her heart to any man. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?"

I LOVE this book!! I LOVE this series! The only thing I don't love... I have to wait until August 2011 for the third book. Not a problem, though... I'll just re-read the first two! And you bet... I most definitely will!!

When I review a novel for my blog, I read it with a more critical eye than books I read for pleasure. That said... there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with this novel. The characters are real... flaws and all. This book (as well as the series) is set in WWII and, sadly, not all characters survive. There were times tears welled up as a character died. I have to say, though, it made the story real... it's war... people died. The story would have lost its "heart" had everyone survived. How the characters deal with their grief, their guilt and their willingness to carry on is what gives this novel its depth and grace.

I loved how Ms. Sundin writes. There are many combat scenes yet they are not so "technically" written that I skim the pages. Nor are they "fluff" or "filler" to remind us that this story is a war story. They are written as integral parts of the plot just as the love story between Jack and Ruth is. I could tell Ms. Sundin researched what she wrote about but didn't hit me over the head with it. She gave me what I needed to understand and appreciate what combat was like.

The same can be said for the faith aspect of the novel. While it is a necessary part of the novel and character development... the author writes it so that it is seamless. I've said it before but I won't read Christian fiction that uses faith as its only "draw". A Christian novel must have a great plot, welldrawn characters and a satisfying (not always happy but fitting to the story) ending or the faith part falls flat.

A Memory Between Us has it all. I simply LOVED it!! As much as I loved Jack and Ruth, I adored Walt and Allie!! Their story is told in A Distant Melody... the first book in the series. While A Memory Between Us can be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading both. There is a richness from reading both stories that I just can't get enough of!

You know the old adage... you can't judge a book by its cover. Well, in this case...you sure can! The cover art is stunning! It captures, perfectly, the feel of this novel as well as what Jack and Ruth look like. I can say the same thing for A Distant Memory... perfect cover art!!


Please visit Sarah Sundin's website... www.sarahsundin.com. You will learn so much about the men and women who lived through WWII to become, as Tom Brokaw wrote... The Greatest Generation!

Thanks to Amy at http://www.litfusegroup.com/ for sending me a copy of A Memory Between Us in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review. Thanks also to Ms. Sundin for writing such a wonderful series.

First Line Friday & Old Friends

FIRST LINE FRIDAY...First lines have always intrigued me since I heard an author say that writing the first sentence is, by far, the most difficult part of writing a novel. The reasoning was that a first sentence can make the reader continue reading or cause the book to be tossed aside. So, go to your To Be Read Pile, choose as many books as you want and share the first line. Be sure to include the title and author so that if your reader also finds it intriguing, they can find the book. Also, share your thoughts about the first line. Does it draw you in? Is it...exciting...thought provoking...scary...funny?

Prologue
"He dressed the boy's body whilst it was still warm."
A Small Death in the Great Glen
AD Scott

My first thought about this first line... eewwww! My secoond thought about this first line... love the word "whilst'! My third thought about this first line... I always find it intriguing when a story begins with the murderer's perspective.It makes for an interesting read.

I found this mystery at B&N. To spend a while in a bookstore, by myself, perusing (great word... don't you agree?)the shelves is truly one of my most favorite things to do. We've been kind of a reading rut in my mystery book club. We've been reading multiple books by some authors. While that's not a bad thing, we really need to expand our reading horizons. There are far too many great authors that we have yet to read. I mentioned this book in book club the other day and it was decided we would read it in the near future.


I carried my large black Coach Carly today. I had dinner with two women that I hadn't seen in ten years. We were in a playgroup even before M was born. And as things happened, we gradually drifted apart as the kids entered school. I re-connected with L as J's school... her twins are sophomores there. G, another playgroup mom, was there and we shared pictures and stories of our kids. In my mind, these kids are toddlers and preschoolers. To hear stories of football practices, driving tests and Homecoming dates just reminded us what great kids we have! We had such a fun time and, definitely, plan to get together again... and again... and again.