It’s Christmas already!!

Merry Christmas Everybody! I suppose most of our reading will be suspended for these next couple of days, but when you do sit down with a book, here are some suggestions for good reading.

A YA (young adult) novel, which is easily juvenile fiction as far as I’m concerned, I just read is “Moon Over Manifest” by Clare Vanderpool. This has a very different premise from the ordinary story, but Abilene–the protagonist–is a normal girl in her early teens: curious, bright, and adventurous. Her life until now has been anything but normal and it’s interesting watching her grow into the new life her Daddy had sent her to. But what she wants most of all is Gideon, her Daddy. And you wonder whether he’s dead or alive or…. until the very end.

“South of Superior” is another story of people dedicated to “toughing it out”. Both these books made me appreciate my very normal life–a solid roof over my head, food on the table, clothes to wear, even some outfits from Talbot’s! “South of Superior” is also about a newcomer to an old established town, which has been hit hard by modern times, and how she became integrated into it. McAllaster, home of her parents and grandparents, is a fictional town, was up north of her current Chicago home, and south of Lake Superior. This story is an easy, nice read, with a dab of everything:  mystery, intrigue, and love.  It is a first novel by Ellen Airgood.

The third novel for today is David Baldacci’s “The Sixth Man”. Typical Baldacci, you hit the floor running when you open the book and you keep going to the end. This is not just good guys/bad guys. It’s a very convoluted mixture of murder, mayhem and solid detective work, which is also compromised at times. If you like action, David Baldacci can deliver. The fact that he’s a very good writer brings that action right home.

And now, Merry Christmas again and I wish you all a wonderful 2012. As soon as you can, light a fire (Yes, in the fireplace!), make a big mug of hot chocolate, and cuddle fireside with a good book. Or whatever! 🙂

Royal Ripoff!

SELLERS BEWARE!!! This “Great Estate Roadshow” currently accepting gold, silver, coins, etc etc at Holiday Inn Express on Holt Road (Webster, NY) offers you insultingly low prices for your excellent quality gold, jewelry, coins, etc. Also, they couldn’t even find information on a pure gold Spanish coin I have. (I found it on the web in less than two minutes.) I suspect they were just “pretending” to look things up on the laptop. Royal ripoff. I suggest you don’t even waste your time. We have reputable dealers right here in Rochester, as I’m sure other cities have as well. I think it’s much safer to keep your business local.