Peony in Love

I'm a big Lisa See fan, in that I loved Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy.  I even really liked Snowflower and the Secret Fan.  So, when I found Peony in Love at my local used bookstore a while back, I picked it right up.  Like most all of my books, this one hung around in my queue for about a year or so.  I finally picked it up a couple weeks ago and gave it a go. 

Even before I picked this book up, I thought that perhaps it wouldn't be up to See's normal standard.  Virtually everyone in my book club had read it already and they all said that it was good...but, not as good as our favorite See books.  So, I had some slight trepidations when I picked up the book.

What's odd about this book is that it's a ghost story.  The main character, Peony, is alive in the first section of the story, but the rest entails her life as a ghost and how she interferes in her true love's life.  I have to say that I was kind of confused in parts, but it was all tied together in the end. 

Would I recommend this book?  Probably.  I gave it a full three out of five stars.  However, if I were to recommend you read a Lisa See book this would not be my first choice. 

I Did Something Scary

OK, maybe not scary in the truest sense of the word.  But, last night I created an Etsy store.  It kinda freaks me out a little bit, but I'm kinda excited at the same time. 

I love crocheting new and fun things as well as sewing fantastic patterns with the fabric available in our online quilt shop.  Seriously, the possibilities are endless. 

And it was either this or end up with a load of crafty stuff that I've made and have no place for.  Not to mention that David will get cranky if our house started to burst at the seams. 

So, this is a new way for me to express myself creatively and hopefully other people will reap the benefits of my handiwork.

If you're interested in my shop, I've added a new tab underneath my blog heading that will take you straight to it.  I'll still share a lot of the items I make on here, but perhaps not all of them anymore if they're going to be listed on the shop. 

In the interim though, here's the first apron I made to sell via Etsy.  Cute, huh?

The Worst Hard Time

Trying to keep on track with my reading rotation, this next book is a non-fictional documentary of the Dust Bowl.  The Worst Hard Time is a book that is currently rotating through my book club and when I checked to see if was available digitally through my local library...score! 

I listened to this one as an audio, which I think was very helpful because this book can be dry...no pun intended.  But seriously, this book is fantastic and I would definitely recommend it...though I would most assuredly recommend listening to it rather than reading it normally.

You learn about the Dust Bowl in history classes growing up, but you never learn some of the crazy things that this book details.  For instance, I had no idea that there was a dust cloud that traveled all the way from the Midwest to New York City.  I also never knew that the dust was so thick that even within a tightly secured and bundled up house sometimes you couldn't see your own hand held in front of your face, the dust was so dense.  And the last fascinating tidbit I learned that I'll share here on my blog is that people got dust pneumonia from these storms.  When people died, doctors would open them up and the deceased's lungs would be black with dust.  In fact, the Dust Bowl pretty much decimated an entire generation of small children living in the Midwest during this time.  Crazy.

I truly feel that everyone should read this book, but most especially if you grew up or currently live somewhere within the Midwest.  This is some startling information regarding this part of the country's history and it's amazing that so little of it is taught to school children today.  I give this book a big, fat thumbs up...go read (or listen to) it!!

Wildflower Hill

Sometimes you pick up a book because it's on one of those lists that says, "If you liked (fill in the blank) book, then you'll love this one!"  This book, Wildflower Hill, falls into the category of Kate Morton comparison.  In fact, if you look closely at the review at the top of the cover pictured above, you can read that it's a positive commentary about Wildflower Hill from Kate Morton herself.

This book definitely follows Morton's style, in that it tells the story of a grandmother (Beattie) and granddaughter's (Emma) relationship.  Emma comes home to Australia at the beginning of the novel because she's taken a nasty fall, ending her career as a prima ballerina...when she was already truly at the end of her career, being in her early 30s.  She discovers upon her arrival that her grandmother, who died a few years back, left her an inheritance of Wildflower Hill (an old estate).  But, she was not able to learn about this inheritance or collect until she was well and truly "retired" from being a ballerina.

Emma sets to work cleaning up the homestead, in an attempt to sell it quickly and pocket the cash.  What she discovers instead is a mystery surrounding Beattie's past that Emma is intrigued to learn.  How did her grandmother truly come to own Wildflower Hill?  And did Beattie have a secret past that no one in the family ever knew about?

I really enjoyed this Kate Morton-esque novel, though Kimberly Freeman definitely has her own distinctive writing style.  And as always, I love reading a book that takes place in an Australian setting.  There's something fascinating about Australia to me, I'm not sure what it is.  I would definitely recommend this one.

Friday Funday

Happy Friday!

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Enjoy my favorite pins for this week!

Source: mapleandmagnolia.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Source: quotediary.me via Crystal on Pinterest

Source: roxanashomebaking.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Source: wanelo.com via Crystal on Pinterest

And because I always want to lengthen my to-read list. 
Though I've read quite a few of these.  Well, at least on the first pin....

Source: blog.hpb.com via Crystal on Pinterest

Source: retreatbyrandomhouse.ca via Crystal on Pinterest

Mother-Daughter Infinity Scarves

Recently, I wanted to make something with two/three yarns included in one type of stitch.  My urge started when I saw this pin on Pinterest.

Source: chucksforchancho.com via Crystal on Pinterest

I had some really cute sock yarn that was pink/purple multi-colored, along with a pretty purple and an off-white.  I decided to make a couple infinity scarves for one of my best friends and her daughter.  They're two peas in a pod and I knew my friend's daughter would greatly appreciate something that was almost exactly like her momma's.

I rather think they turned out well, what do you think?

P.S. I ordered this dress form last week and it came in yesterday.  I absolutely love it and can't wait to picture some of the aprons I'm going to make with it, not to mention more scarves!

In Cold Blood

I've been really bad about keeping up with my reading rotation lately (Read: I've only been reading fiction).  But, In Cold Blood got me back in line considering it's both a classic and non-fiction.

Let me just start by saying oh my gosh, I don't know how I haven't read this before.  I grew up in Kansas and love to read non-fiction...so how have I missed this?  In Cold Blood is the meticulously researched book by Truman Capote documenting the 1959 senseless, brutal murder of an entire household in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas. 

This book is riveting, horrifying, intriguing, sad and fascinating all at the same time.  There is no slow part in the book, it kept me wanting to read more throughout.  I highly, highly, highly recommend this one.  A new favorite for my classic/non-fiction pile for sure!

P.S. I loved Truman Capote's writing style, so I will more than likely be picking up the classic Breakfast at Tiffany's sometime soon!