Bloodroot

The name of the book is very much like what a bloodroot is. You would never guess that this plant could be used as a healing agent or a poison. This pretty flower can be deadly.

All these characters lives are intertwined. There are good things that happen. And there are bad. Bad enough that one another didn't mind seeing each other dead.
I think the characters were written to tell their story for themselves because the reader gets the sense of their messed up lives. You feel their pain. And even though they are different, they are not. Intertwined from generation to generation.

Character Byrdie, Myra's granny chose to have the reader experience her history because it was foreshadowing what Myra was going to do when she was older. A wild streak for the two. Involved with someone young. One worked out the other didn't. Obvious lesson that Myra found out too late from Byrdie is not to run so far from home. Slow it down, because family is all you have at the end.
There was talk about magic. Myra's granny was part of "granny women". Curse was to be lifted all the pain and bad things happened to family when someone was born with haunt eyes. It was broken in a way. Might of skipped Myra when she was born. And her kids had it rough but they are young enough to break way and make it better for themselves. Traditions are important. That's the foundation on how your life plays out. For better or worse it's up to you to make what you want.

Appalachia is the back drop for this story. It can be as wicked as foul weather, or it can be accepting. Myra's husband treated her so badly. I think the one thing I actually felt not just the beatings that she got but he would put her under the house. It was like the story that Edgar Allen Poe wrote "The Premature Burial". Very twisted mind he loves her enough to keep her like that. If he can't have her, her grandmother wasn't either. The contrast of John Odem, Myra, and her children is love, hate that just don't know how to work out for the good. History does repeat itself in the worse way. Nothing from beginning was showed of true warm feelings.

Doug, Myra's friend from childhood says Bloodroot Mountain has an allure to it. Why the  two of them felt with one in the mountain I think is because Bloodroot accepted them as themselves. No pain, always seem to find that calming place.
Myra's children do seem to follow that reckless pattern that both Myra and John Odem had. But I believe they do try to straighten out. They are so like Myra that there was a strong bond between them. You have one mother and even though things might not be the way you want. That bond somehow will bless you.

Bloodroot, healing characters like Byrdie, and Ford who showed Myra a better side, and Macon who was Byrdie's strong one. Pain, hateful characters like John Odem. Thought he could wipe out the stuff that happened to his mother and him as a child. But in turn just hurt the person that would of stayed with him to the end. Healing and poison very deceiving like the flower.

I'm glad that I stuck to it and read all the way through. Sure there were parts that drug on but the story itself was pretty good.

I give Bloodroot 5 

Barnes and Noble Customers Who Bought This Also Bought 
 The Melting Season by Jami Attenberg, The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine,  Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Roses by Leila Meacham, The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova, The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker, The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman

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Hard Eight

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Very surprised that Hard Eight was a funny story. Lately Janet Evanovich I feel in my option was making Stephanie more grown up than what her antics were. Which I thought were a bit boring.
Anyways Hard Eight is refreshing. I like how Stephanie kept referring to Ranger's place as the batcave. And always the tension of Ranger, Morelli, and Stephane. Stephanie as hard as she wants to be has a big heart and wants to help people. Even though it does gather in trouble sometime. But than again that wouldn't be our Stephanie. Grandma never disappointed at being crazy grandma.
Another that I noticed is Evanovich tends to recap on certain things. Which is good to refresh memories, especially for people who don't read the books in succession. But it is a bit annoying when trying to read without going through history.

I give Hard Eight 5

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The rest of Stephanie Plum series

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Holly,Jolly,Murder

Didn't think book was exciting. Very weird. Too many characters in a plot but favorite character Claire. Her daughter snotty. Not much on Christmas, surprising it's a holiday book. Druids and Wiccians uh don't know about that.


I give Holly,Jolly, Murder 2

Barnes and Noble  Customers Who Bought This Also Bought The Goodbye Body by Joan Hess, Without a Word by Carol Lee Benjamin, The Murder at the Murder at the Mimosa Room by Loan Hess

It is a BookCrossing book and is available.

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The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

I'm glad that I made up my mind to finish this book. Good book but a bit slow.
part of it was I felt sorry for Lisbeth. For when she came into hospital the part of her was damaged was her brain that numbers would be effected. Which is her favorite thing to do. I found that the setting of hospital to court and what was between Blomkvist and Salander was a bit stagnant. There was not much happening. You could surmise was going on/going to happen when you read that Zalchenko was in hospital. The court scene was pretty much what I thought. Good to see a lawyer stand up for women's rights.
What made this book was the characters themselves.Salander's friend Blomkvist although not sure how he makes it with his friends and lovers. He was funny but a stand up friend.Interesting to look into more of what Berger was about. She came off as being tough but really she had feelings as everyone else.The Russian characters are like the CIA.

The little history behind certain things as like the Amazon women that get their breasts taken off was interesting. I like how Larsson intertwined the stories.
All the loose ends were tied up at the end of the book. The final battle between Salander and her brother was won. Now finally Lisbeth's scars inside of her are now starting to heal.



I never read the first book but did enjoy the Swedish movie. I liked this edition The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. But out of the trilogy I liked the second book the best. The Girl Who Started the Fire.



I give The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest 3

 because story was slow


Barnes and Noble says Customers Who Bought This Also Bought Innocent  Scott Turow,  Deliver Us From Evil  David Baldacci,  The Lion  Nelson DeMille, Little Bee Chris Cleave, Afraid Jack Kilborn, Help Kathryn Stockett

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Bright Young Things

My thoughts on this story. Not necessarily, thoughts that are in order.
I have to admit I did like this book. First reason why I picked this to read is because it was written from the 1920's. The start of the show Boardwalk Empire.
Two girls breaking out to a big city. Very  bold of them. Cordelia, the sassy one found out what bright young things meant. When girls use their brightness of their eyes, softness of their skin, they have a advantage in getting what they want.
Letty, Cordelia's girlfriend had differences with Cordelia and tried to find her own life. She stumbled on someone abusing a greyhound. Why? she asked to the man who was doing the abusing. "Because they're old,and they don't run fast anymore, and they're no use to me anymore". Enough to give  Letty  a reason to rescue a beautiful greyhound. A  likeliness of how Letty's personality is.
How can Letty be so naive to believe someone that is as sleazy as the guy she hooked up with would want her just to sing innocently, to live her dream? When all she went out on stage is to have people yell out to take it off..

What I liked to see is that Cordelia found her father. Which she set out to do. But what I find funny is how easily that her father accepted her. You don't read so much on that in stories. As she got along with her new life,she got involved with a son of a competitor. A no no.. Only to find that he used her. He used her to get to her father.A unnecessary death

The funny part about it Cordelia went to find Thom Hale. I was made to believe that she wanted to talk to him. But she came to kill him. Didn't go through with it. And found out when she got home her brother and "family" were going to help get back at the big bad Hale family. Of course Letty found Cordelia and all was forgiven.

Also never pictured Cordelia the way picture is on cover. Pictured her a little more homely. With dark hair.


A good set up for the next book.


Barnes and Noble says 
People who bought this also bought Revolution Jennifer Donnelly,  Perfect Ellen Hopkins,   The Name of the Star: Shades of… Maureen Johnson,  Elixir Hilary Duff,  Before I Fall Lauren Oliver

 I give Bright Young Things 4 

Although I like a little bit of meat from my books, this story it is what it is. A sweet story about girls finding their way in a big city and trying to go after what they want. And being encouraged by family. The 1920's theme helped too.
And that is why I gave it a 4.


I am looking forward to the next book in line.

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