First Line Friday

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?



"I'm a dead man."

Pieces of Sky
Kaki Warner

I discovered this book through one of my favorite blogs... Misfit's "At Home With A Good Book and the Cat". Here's her post... http://misfitandmom.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/pieces-of-sky-by-kaki-warner/
She often reads obscure (at least, to me)novels and more often than not, I'm placing a library hold on them. She has a blog "voice" that I enjoy.

Getting back to the first line, though... I think it's a great "hook" and will definitely draw me in. It's also the first line in a trilogy. I LOVE trilogies! There's just something about knowing that once you turn the last page, there are still a few more books! Even though, I never read them back-to-back-to-back...lol...it's comforting to know that they are waiting for me!

Smash!

M is a Drama Princess... usually in a good way! She loves performing and is in Choir and Musical Theater. The spring production is Alice in Wonderland and she is cast as The Cheshire Cat.


She has been looking forward to a new NBC show, Smash. It premieres Monday, February 6th but the first episode is online now. So, having no homework, we watched it after school today. We both really enjoyed it. Steven Spielberg produced it so, hopefully, it will last.

Even though I know everyone knows I love purses, it was a nice surprise today when a co-worker gave me one of her purses. She was cleaning out her closet and knew I was looking for an olive green bag. The one she gave me is perfect! My search is over! Well... at least for an olive green bag... lol! It has gold hardware and tassels! So, I'm going to go through my closet and give her a few bags I don't really use anymore. It's going to be difficult to part with my bags but it's the least I can do.

And So It Begins...

J is 16 years old and a Sophomore. Yes, he's becoming a wonderful young man but, as any parent knows... it is just going by WAY too fast!! Case in point... he received his first college information letters today! Not just one but three! I'm SO not ready for this!

I love the man he is becoming but I miss the little boy he was...

Teaser Tuesday

I LOVE Teaser Tuesday.
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

"This made the third time in two weeks that Veronica had gotten huge hunks of secret grand-jury testimony into a story. Each time, the U.S. attorney demanded to know how she had done it."
Rogue Island
Bruce DeSilva
page 27

This is our February mystery book club selection. It won Mystery Writers of America's prestigious Edgar Award in the best first novel category. In the dedication, he talks about a note from Evan Hunter(real name of one of the greatest crime fiction authors, Ed McBain) encouraging him to turn a short story, Malice, into this novel.

So, I was excited to read this mystery... I LOVE Ed McBain... read this post...http://bagsbooksandbonjovi.blogspot.com/2010/05/silver-saturday-spotlight.html Let's just say, right now... at page 69, I'm a little underwhelmed. It's good, not great. I hope it gets better but it's a fast read so I'll stick with it. I'm interested in discussing at book club and hearing what everyone else thinks. We have fantastic discussions and they're even better when when there are varied opinions.

Unhallowed Ground ~The Fourth Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon by Mel Starr

From Kregel Publications... "Another brilliant slice of medieval crime fiction
Thomas atte Bridge, a man no one likes, is found hanging from a tree near Cowleys Corner. All assume he has taken his own life, but Master Hugh and Kate find evidence that this may not be so.
Many of the town had been harmed by Thomas, and Hugh is not eager to send one of them to the gallows. Then he discovers that the priest John Kellet, atte Bridge’s partner in crime in A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel, was covertly in Bampton at the time atte Bridge died.
Master Hugh is convinced that Kellet has murdered atte Bridge--one rogue slaughtering another. He sets out for Exeter, where atte Bridge now works. But there he discovers that the priest is an emaciated skeleton of a man, who mourns the folly of his past life. Hugh must return to Bampton and discover which of his friends has murdered his enemy."
I first read a Hugh de Singleton mystery when I reviewed it here...http://bagsbooksandbonjovi.blogspot.com/2011/03/trail-of-ink-third-chronicle-of-hugh-de.html It was such a great read that I had to go back and read the first two to see how Hugh, a surgeon, became a detective.

That evolution, for me, is the key to this series. Hugh is such a faceted character that, even though the mystery is paramount, I really read these novels for him. Mr. Starr has written a truly interesting character. He is fair and concise and thoughtful in his efforts at solving mysteries. His relationship with Kate is real and fits in the story. She is not a "token" character but one whose interactions with Hugh gave me more perspective into how he lives in his world.

His world, being thirteenth century England, is another one of the author's strong points. He has researched that time period so well that he sets scenes and adds characters so effortlessly that the story is not bogged down in unnecessary details. He is not one to add material to prove that he knows his subject well... that is a huge peeve of mine when reading historical fiction! I'm so happy that Mr. Starr has foregone the extraneous pages showing his "research" in favor for incorporating it naturally to make the mystery and the characters foremost.

The mysteries in Hugh de Singleton's chronicles just keep getting better. They are layered and intriguing and absolutely not easy to figure out. The mysteries are subtle and well thought out but, as in real life, there is so much more to someone's life. Hugh does not spend the entire novel trying to solve it. He must live his life and, thus, these books become a wonderful piece of historical fiction, as well. However, the conclusions are true to the novels and, as usual, with a great mystery... I don't even try to solve it. I follow Hugh and let his epiphanies become my own. It is a skilled mystery author who allows me, as a reader, to do that.

Although, I believe that Unhallowed Ground, The Fourth Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon, can be read as a stand alone, I think reading the series from the beginning provides a background that makes each book more enjoyable. The books, in order are... Unquiet Bones, A Corpse at St. Andrew's Chapel, A Trail of Ink and, this the lastest... Unhallowed Ground.

About the author... Mel Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating with a MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970, he taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage, MI, where he retired in 2003 as chairman of the social studies department of Portage Northern High School. Mel and his wife, Susan, have two daughters and seven grandchildren. www.melstarr.org

~~~~Thanks to Amy at LitFuse, Mel Starr and Kregel Publishers for providing a copy of Unhallowed Ground: The Fourth Chronicle of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review.~~

Downton Abbey...Again

I cannot tell you how excited I am to watch Downton Abbey tonight! I LOVE it so much!

As much as I enjoy the "upstairs" story, it is the "downstairs" romance between Anna & Mr. Bates that is my absolute favorite storyline. He is such an honourable man and she loves him for that. To see where their story leads is the main reason I watch every week. Although, as much as I cannot stand O'Brien, I have to say that her "doings" make for some great drama. She definitely has a Mrs. Danvers quality.

Bags, Books & Bon Jovi~~Third Blogaversary!!

Today is the third "blogaversary" for Bags, Books & Bon Jovi!

I really never thought I would enjoy blogging so much! It continues to amaze me what a cool place the "blogosphere" is. I have connected with people who share my love of reading and everything book related!

I sincerely thank those of you who "follow" me, those who read Bags, Books & Bon Jovi and those who take the time to comment on what I've written.

First Line Friday

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?

"She screamed."
The Diamond Waterfall
Pamela Haines

Okay, well... that's to the point. Hmm, I have no idea why she is screaming. I guess the first did draw me in as now I want to find out why she is screaming. And, even more... who "she" is!

This book has been in my TBR pile for quite a while. It keeps getting bumped for other books so I'm making the promise to read it. I've decided it will be my bedtime book. I will keep it on my nightstand and not bring my current read to bed.

I bought this hardcover at the library book sale. On the last day, all the books you can fit in a bag are just $5. What a bargain! So, I buy books that I probably would pass over otherwise. I generally read them and donate back to the sale.

From the book jacket... "The Sparkling Cascade of diamonds was designed to adorn the women who married into one of England's most prominent families - a symbol of the wealth and privilege enjoyed by the Firths of Yorkshire. Instead the magnificent necklace would come to burden the women who wore it, becoming for them an emblem of bondage and inherited tragedy.
Pamela Haines's enthralling new saga tells of three generations whose lives and destinies are linked through blood and inheritance of this priceless heirloom. There is Lily Greene, star of the London stage, who in 1898 weds the enigmatic sir Robert Firth, and for whom the diamond waterfall comes to symbolize a state of degradation and humiliation she never imagined possible. There is Lily's daughter, Sylvia, who is married for this fabulous legacy and leads a life of love and torment. And finally, there is Willow Gilmartin, who in the spring of 1945 removes the diamond waterfall from its bed of ivory satin-and at last claims a heritage that has for so long eluded others.
Sweeping from a great Yorkshire estate to the Riviera and across Europe - from the opulence of Edwardian London to the trenches of France in World War I and back to England during one of her most dramatic hours-this panoramic novel interweaves the lives of men who would fight on the battlefields of two world wars and women who would carry forward the traditions that defined them."

This has EVERYTHING I love in a family saga!! I can't believe I haven't read this sooner!

Sparkling Reviews Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Sparkling Reviews(http://www.sparklingreviews.com/2012/01/kindle-fire-and-50-gift-card-giveaway.html?showComment=1326991667638#c7151425020663691293) is hosting a Kindle Fire giveaway sponsored by a very generous but anonymous author!

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

From the author's website... "An aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The year is 1537. . .
Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.
The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.
But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.
With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past."

"When a burning is announced, the taverns off Smithfield order extra barrels of ale, but when the person to be executed is a woman and one of noble birth, the ale comes by the cartload."

Seriously... this is one of the greatest first lines I have ever read!! And you know me... I ADORE first lines! The best thing, though, about this first line... it's the beginning of a wonderful novel. Ms. Bilyeau has crafted a debut novel that I read quickly so I could share with a friend. I can't wait to hear her opinion. Although, since our tastes are very similar, I have no doubt she is loving it as much as I did.

The Crown is receiving rave reviews that compare it to The DaVinci Code meets The Other Boleyn Girl. While I agree with the latter comparison, I take issue with the former. The Crown is a much more layered story written with great detail and research. That, to me, is the difference between a writer and an author.

Ms. Bilyeau has created characters who are complex yet driven by things that we can, five centuries later, still relate to. I have come to believe that first person historical narratives, such as The Crown, just draw me in. It's difficult not to really connect with Joanna when it feels like she is right there, telling me her story. Her thoughts and feelings add a dimension of fear as her world is changing, quite literally, before her eyes.

I started this book looking forward to reading a historical novel. I was surprised that the "mystery" of it would take center stage and change my interpretation of it. I am excited to read the sequel that I hear Ms. Bilyeau is writing. I hope that Joanna continues to be embroiled in situations that create stories I enjoy as much as I did The Crown.

Please come back to Bags, books & Bon Jovi on February 1st as I will be interviewing Ms. Bilyeau about The Crown.

~~ Thanks to Amy at HISTORICAL FICTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS, Nancy Bilyeau and the publisher for sending The Crown in exchange for my fair and thoughtful review.~~

Blustery Day

Tomorrow is supposed to be very windy around here... gusts up to 90 MPH...UGH! I hate wind!!

Musing Monday

Musing Monday is hosted by MizB at
Today's musing... "What devices –if any– do you read books on? Do you find it enjoyable, or still somewhat bothersome? Or: If you only read the print books, why haven’t you chosen to read on any devices?"

I actually have three ereaders... a Literati that I won in a contest, a Pandigital novel that was a birthday gift and a Kindle 4 that I purchased to travel with to Germany.

I think ereaders are great devices but I will never, ever give up "real" books. My main love of ereaders is the portability. I love being able to carry a smaller device in my bag and still be able to read that 800+ page tome that I'm reading. Yes, I usually carry big handbags but it's still nice when it doesn't weigh more than a toddler.

The Pandigital is really more than an ereader...it's a tablet! So, I can surf the web, read email and read books all in one nifty little device. One of my favorite things is to eat lunch by myself at Panera... I usually do it once a week or so. It's easier to read a book on an ereader there than trying to keep the book open while I enjoy my broccoli cheese soup and Greek salad.

As you may or may not know, I love accessories! So, it's no wonder that ereader covers are my new favorite thing! My husband actually made a custom cover for the Literati. I was looking at ereader covers on Etsy and found some that used real dust jackets. So, DH made one for me. He used a dust jacket of a book with a gorgeous cover. I love it because no one else has the same one and it looks like a real book! I found a really cute black faux croc cover at Kohl's for the Pandigital and a bright red one for the Kindle.

What are your thoughts on ereaders? Tell me here or leave your link at MizB's blog!

And this...

...is how we all feel today!

Alcatraz

This is a new show that premieres on Monday. It looks different (in a good way) and we are excited to watch it.

From the show's website... "From executive producer J.J. Abrams (FRINGE, “Lost,” “Star Trek,” and the recent blockbuster “Super 8”) comes ALCATRAZ, a thrilling new series that follows a unique trio investigating the mystifying reappearance of 302 of Alcatraz’s most notorious prisoners and guards, 50 years after they vanished.
When San Francisco Police Department DET. REBECCA MADSEN (Sarah Jones) is assigned to a grisly homicide case, a fingerprint leads her to a seemingly impossible suspect: JACK SYLVANE (guest star Jeffrey Pierce), an Alcatraz inmate who died over 30 years ago. Given her family history – both her grandfather and surrogate uncle, RAY ARCHER (Robert Forster), were guards at the prison – Madsen’s interest is immediately piqued. When the enigmatic, knows-everything-but-tells-nothing government agent EMERSON HAUSER (Sam Neill) tries to impede her investigation, she becomes doggedly committed to it.
Madsen finds herself working with an unlikely partner, Alcatraz expert and comic book enthusiast DR. DIEGO “DOC” SOTO (Jorge Garcia), to help piece together the inexplicable sequence of events. The two discover that Sylvane is not only alive, but he’s loose on the streets of San Francisco, exacting decades-old revenge and leaving bodies in his wake. And strangely, he hasn’t aged a day since 1963, when Alcatraz was ruled by the iron-fisted WARDEN EDWIN JAMES (Jonny Coyne) and the sadistic ASSOCIATE WARDEN E.B. TILLER (Jason Butler Harner).
Detective Madsen and Soto must team with Hauser and his associate, LUCY BANERJEE (Parminder Nagra), to stop Sylvane’s vengeful killing spree. By delving into Alcatraz history, government cover-ups and Rebecca’s own heritage, the team will ultimately discover that Sylvane is only a small part of a much larger, more sinister present-day threat. Because even though he may be the first, it quickly becomes clear that Sylvane won’t be the last to reappear from Alcatraz.
During the course of the investigation, Madsen and Soto will learn that Hauser has been awaiting the prisoners’ return for nearly 50 years. Soto will witness his life’s work – the history of Alcatraz – come alive, while he and Madsen fight to keep the country safe from history’s most dangerous criminals."


Too bad Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Harris aren't in it...lol! But that's a whole different story... isn't it?!?

First Line Friday

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?


"The last camel collapsed at noon."
The Key to Rebecca
Ken Follett

Shouldn't this be the final sentence? It seems that whatever journey is being taken, would be over if the last camel has died.

This is a novel by one one of my favorite authors, Ken Follett. I had always known about it but had no idea it involved one of my favorite novels, Rebecca. I love that novel so it'll be interesting how it "plays" into a WWII thriller.

From Follett's website..."North Africa in the summer of 1942 and Rommel seems unbeatable. His secret weapon is Alex Wolff, master spy, and a deadly code buried in the pages of du Maurier's novel, Rebecca. Crossing the blazing Sahara, Wolff enters Cairo to steal British military plans. His pursuer, Major Vandam, engages the lovely Elene to lure him into range. As Rommel's troops come closer to victory, the pursuit continues across the desert to a startling, explosive confrontation.
Ken's view
After the success of Eye of the Needle, my publishers would have liked me to write another World War Two spy story every year for 25 years. But I was only 29, and not ready to be put in a box. I was very firm that I was going to write anything that caught my fancy and the fancy of my readers. However, while researching Eye of the Needle, I had come across a wonderful true story.
There was a spy ring based on a house boat in Cairo in 1942 which involved a belly dancer and a British major she was having an affair with. The information at stake was crucial to the battles going on in the desert. The code used by the spies was based on one of the great suspense novels of all time, Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. The spycatcher in the story is trying to find the key to the Rebecca code. The Key to Rebecca was my third bestseller. After that, I really started believing that I was a success."