Sadly, Another Independent Bookstore Bites the Dust!!

I absolutely love and adore independent bookstores!! Not only do I enjoy visiting, shopping and reviewing independent bookstores here on my book blog, but I also enjoy all the wonderful benefits that come along with visiting independent bookstores.

Independent bookstores (done right) are pillars of the community. They offer many wonderful benefits like book/reading groups, author signings/events, staff recommendations, other book related events, and so on. Plus, each independent bookstore is unique in its own way. They have staff members who are knowledgeable and passionate about books, reading, and catering to readers and shoppers within their community.

So, it is with a very sad heart, that I've recently learned that Granada Books in downtown Santa Barbara, California will be closing its doors on May 3, 2015 after two years of being in business. I first learned about Granada Books closing their doors on their Facebook page... I also discovered the following article titled, Independent bookstores on decline as Granada Books shuts doors by Marissa Wenzke at the Pacific Coast Business Times that offers more details.

I lived in the Santa Barbara area for 16 years (up until May of 2014) and had visited Granada Books on several occasions. I even wrote a glowing review about my experience visiting Granada Books in 2013. I loved their storefront with its great location on State Street. The friendly staff members at Granada Books was always a perk. I always enjoyed the abundance of wonderful books for purchase, layout of their store's interior, and all the awesome events they hosted frequently throughout each month. Granada Books is truly a community bookstore. Granada Books was doing everything right in making sure their bookstore was awesome, so it sucks big time that they will soon be closing their doors for good next month.

Currently, everything at Granada Books is on sale. Books are 40% off and even their book displays are up for sale!


Granada Books marks the third independent bookstore, I've visited that has closed its doors since I started my blog. It is a sad thing to loose a indie bookstore. 

Have you seen a decline indie bookstores in your area? Do you shop at indie bookstores? Or do you prefer shopping for books though big chain bookstores or online through Amazon?

Friday Finds #78

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 
 
Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

I downloaded the following free books to my Kindle from Amazon:

Blood Ties: The Souvenir Killer by Kathy McKenzie-Runk
Fashionably Dead by Robyn Peterman

The following are the free books I received from the Goodreads First Reads Program:

Basic Law: A Mystery of Cold War Europe by J. Sydney Jones
Murder At Cirey by Cheryl Sawyer

I purchased the following books:

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (audiobook)
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (audiobook)
Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie (audio dramatization)

So, which books have you added to your reading wishlist and/or to be read pile this week?

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Unabridged Audiobook

I never read The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery as a child... So, when I came across the unabridged audio edition of The Little Prince on Audible, I decided to buy a copy of it and listen to it on my Kindle. 

Playing time for The Little Prince is approximately 2 hours and is narrated by Humphrey Bower. I thought both the audio production and narration of The Little Prince were really well done. My only complaint about listening to the audio production is that you miss seeing the illustrations that are part of the novel itself. I would have enjoyed seeing the illustrations mentioned in the audiobook.

Overall, I thought The Little Prince was a good novel. I wasn't as impressed with it as much as I thought I would be... The Little Prince seems to be so liked/beloved by many people that I expected to love it more than I did due to the hype this novel has received from the public at large.

My favorite character in The Little Prince was the fox. I enjoyed the following quotes from The Little Prince that were said by the fox:

"One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eyes."

"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."

"It is the time you have lost for your rose that makes your rose so important."

The following is the plot summary for The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery from Audible:

A timeless classic. Few stories are as widely read and as universally cherished by children and adults alike as The Little Prince. The perfect audio companion, this Bolinda edition will capture the hearts of listeners of all ages.

The book has been translated into more than 160 languages and, to date has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. It is one of the top 50 best-selling books. It has been adapted into a movie musical by Lerner and Loewe, two different operas, as well as into an animated series. It is often used as a beginner's book for French language students.

A pilot stranded in the desert awakes one morning to see, standing before him, the most extraordinary little fellow. "Please," asks the stranger, "draw me a sheep." And the pilot realizes that when life's events are too difficult to understand, there is no choice but to succumb to their mysteries. He pulls out pencil and paper... And thus begins this wise and enchanting fable that, in teaching the secret of what is really important in life, has changed forever the world for its readers.

I am giving The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery a rating of 7 stars out of 10 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie

BBC Radio Dramatization

I've been a huge Agatha Christie fan for years now... Ever since my high school days when I read my very first Agatha Christie mystery novel for fun. I wish I could remember the first Agatha Christie novel I ever read, but alas I do not.

I do remember at some point reading Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie, but do not remember many details of this novel as it had been a long time since I'd read it. 

So, when I recently came the BBC Radio Dramatization of Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie through Audible, I decided to purchase it.  

Playing time for Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie is approximately 2 hours, 14 minutes. I was able to listen to it this afternoon.  

The following is the plot summary of Death On The Nile from Audible:

John Moffatt stars as the famous Belgian detective in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of one of Christie's most popular novels.

Linnet Ridgeway has led a charmed life. Blessed with beauty, enormous wealth, and a devoted husband, she has everything anyone could wish for. But as the happy couple set out on an idyllic honeymoon cruise on the Nile, storm clouds are gathering....

Linnet's former friend, Jacqueline de Bellefort, follows her and Simon wherever they go, and Linnet senses she is in danger. At first, her fears seem groundless. But an attempt is made first on her life and then on her husband's. Eventually, the killer is successful, and Linnet is found horribly murdered. With an obvious suspect who cannot possibly have committed the crime, it is up to Hercule Poirot to probe the depths of a remarkable criminal mind and discover the dark secret behind what is only the first in a series of inexplicable deaths.

I enjoyed listening to the BBC Radio Dramatization of Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie. I'm giving it a rating of 9 stars out of 10 stars.

 Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

Wednesday Riders by Tudor Robins

Young Adult Novel

Wednesday Riders by Tudor Robins is the second novel in the Island Trilogy. Wednesday Riders is a young adult novel approximately 181 pages in length. 

Last week, I read Appaloosa Summer, the first novel the Island Trilogy, in two days. I enjoyed reading Appaloosa Summer so much that I couldn't wait to start reading the second novel in the Island Trilogy titled, Wednesday Riders... So, I purchased Wednesday Riders from Amazon within a few minutes of finishing Appaloosa Summer and began reading it right away. 

I read Wednesday Riders within a 24 hour period and enjoyed reading it almost as much as I did Appaloosa Summer. Wednesday Riders takes place the summer following Appaloosa Summer does... Once again we encounter both Meg and Jared and their time spent on the island. But it's a different summer for both of them this time around when Jared makes a startling confession to Meg near the beginning of Wednesday Riders that threatens to ruin their relationship. Can they overcome Jared's confession and work it out? Or will it be the end of their romance?

I must admit that things start off with a bang when Jared makes a completely unexpected confession to Meg near the start of Wednesday Riders... It's a shocker and devastates Meg. She spends the rest of the summer working at the bed and breakfast, coaching a group of young girls to ride, learning to sail, trying to decide whether to do about Jared... And Meg even explores the possibility of an new romance! 

Some mini dramas happen throughout Wednesday Riders that keep things from becoming predictable, but sometimes I felt like the drama was a bit much at times. I could relate to how Meg felt about Jared's confession, but other times I felt like she acted a tad immature. Then again this is Meg's first romance and she's 17 years old, so how else is she be expected to react to Jared's confession?? 

I would have thought after things cooled off between them over the course of a few weeks, that Meg would have taken the time to find out why Jared did what he did... We only learn what he did that upset Meg, but not in a lot of detail. It would have been nice to learn more of the details upfront. I still had an unanswered question or two by the end of Wednesday Riders about Jared's confession that left me wanting to know a bit more.

In Wednesday Riders, I enjoyed reading that Meg's mom was a bit more motherly and engaged in Meg's life this time around, instead of being the emotionally distant/detached/stern mother she was in Appaloosa Summer.

I also enjoyed reading about Meg training other horseback riders as well as taking an interest in other hobbies and new characters. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Wednesday Riders and would recommend it to others who've already read Appaloosa Summer. I am looking forward to reading the third installment of the Island Trilogy when it comes out.

The following is a plot summary for Wednesday Riders from Amazon's Website:

The island.

Meg can’t wait to get back. She’s excited to see her new mare kick up her heels in Salem’s old paddock. She’s impatient to run on country roads between breeze-blown hayfields.

Mostly, Meg longs to be back with Jared again.

It’s going to be the perfect summer.

But can real life live up to Meg’s huge expectations?

When Jared makes a heart-wrenching confession, Meg has to re-evaluate everything. If perfection’s not possible, can Meg find a way to build happiness for herself?

Fans of Appaloosa Summer will welcome the return to familiar places and characters, with the chance to be captivated by more of the beauty, romance, and dreaminess of Meg’s summer island life.

I'm giving Wednesday Riders a rating of 8 stars out of 10 stars. Until my next post, happy reading!

Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins

Young Adult Novel

Earlier this week, I read the ebook version of Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins. Appaloosa Summer is the first novel in the Island Trilogy and it falls into the young adults genre. It's approximately 246 pages.

I downloaded Appaloosa Summer for free to my Kindle. The following is my unbiased review of Appaloosa Summer.

First off, I love the cover of Appaloosa Summer and it was one of the things that first attracted me to this novel.

I love that Appaloosa Summer's leading character is a teenage girl, is set primarily on a Canadian Island, involves horses and horseback riding... And of course, first love! Who doesn't like to read about blossoming first love?

I liked the leading character of Meg Traherne. At times though, I thought she seemed a bit more mature beyond her 16 years of age and had to remind myself at times she was a teenager.

I didn't like Meg's mom though. Meg's mom seemed cold/distant and treated Meg like she was irresponsible. But Meg proves to be very responsible and does a great job working at a Bed & Breakfast during the summer that her mom finally has to acknowledge Meg's as a responsible person who is closely reaching adulthood.

I enjoyed reading about all the events on the island and learning about the other characters Meg meets during her life on the island during the summer. My favorite part was reading about her budding romance with Jared... These two are a cute pair!

The following is the plot summary for Appaloosa Summer from Amazon's website:

Sixteen-year-old Meg Traherne has never known loss. Until the beautiful, talented horse she trained herself, drops dead underneath her in the show ring.

Jared Strickland has been living with loss ever since his father died in a tragic farming accident.

Meg escapes from her grief by changing everything about her life; moving away from home to spend her summer living on an island in the St. Lawrence River, scrubbing toilets and waiting on guests at a B&B.

Once there, she meets Jared; doing his best to keep anything else in his life from changing.

When Jared offers Meg a scruffy appaloosa mare out of a friend’s back field, it’s the beginning of a journey that will change both of them by summer’s end.

I'm giving Appaloosa Summer by Tudor Robins a rating of 8.5 stars out of 10 stars. I enjoyed reading Appaloosa Summer so much, that I immediately download the the second ebook in the Island Trilogy titled, Wednesday Riders. I began reading Wednesday Riders right away and have finished it as well. My review of Wednesday Riders will be coming soon. I am looking forward to reading the third installment of the Island Trilogy once it is made available for purchase.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Little Free Library in Orinda, California!!

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a Little Free Library in Orinda, California with my husband on our way to Berkeley, California. I love visiting Little Free Libraries!! The Little Free Library in Orinda is the 5th Free Little Library we've visited over the past few years. Each Little Free Little Library is so unique and the one in Orinda, California is large and offers a nice selection of books to choose from. 

I am so glad that other avid readers are promoting reading in their neighborhoods by placing Little Free Libraries in their front yards! 

I was able to leave a book and take a book during our brief visit to the Little Free Library in Orinda, California.

So, have you ever visited a Little Free Library before? Would you ever consider setting up one in your yard?

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Friday Finds #77

Friday Finds is a book meme hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. Friday Finds is a chance to share and show off the books you discovered during the week and would like to add to your reading list... 
 
Or a place to simply feature the books you've actually purchased throughout the week and have added to your to be read pile!

I downloaded the following free books to my Kindle from Amazon:

Murder By Numbers by R. S. Vaisbort
Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford
Imogene in New Orleans by Hunter Murphy
The Mysterious Affair At Styles by Agatha Christie
All Fired Up by Ellie Kennedy
Murder Out of the Blue by Steve Turnbull

Plus, I purchased the following eBook from Amazon:

Wednesday Riders by Tudor Robins --- This is book two in the Island Trilogy. It's a novel for young adults... I read the 1st book in this trilogy titled, Appaloosa Summer,  earlier this week. I loved reading Appaloosa Summer and still need to review it. So, I decided  to purchase, Wednesday Riders immediately after reading Appaloosa Summer. 

I also received the following book for free from the Goodreads First Reads program:

Degrees Of Separation by Marc Richards

So, which books have you added to either your wishlist or your to be read list?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!