July Free Books!
Our give-away books for July 2010 are two novels that I absolutely fell in love with. (Yeah, I know it’s supposed to be “with which I absolutely fell in love”, but when it comes to love, grammar sometimes goes by the wayside!) They are….
WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS by Christa Allan
and
THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
Cover blurbs:
WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS: Leah Thornton’s life, like her Southern Living home, has great curb appeal. But a paralyzing encounter with a can of frozen apple juice in the supermarket shatters the facade, forcing her to admit that all is not as it appears. When her best friend gets in Leah’s face about her refusal to deal with her life, Lean is forced to make a decision. Can this brand-conscious socialite walk away from the country club into 28 days of rehab? Can she leave what she has now to gain back what she needs?
Sue’s Take: This beautifully lyrical book exudes a rare combination of humor, angst, and tough love. The true-to-life characters will totally steal your heart. (New, trade paperback format)
THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY: January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could image that she would find it in a letter from a man she’d never met, a native of Guernsey, a British island once occupied by the Nazis.
Sue’s Take: You will fall in love with Juliet and with the very special people of Guernsey who survived great loss during the Nazi occupation. Written as a series of letters, this novel is also highly lyrical. (New, hardcover bookclub edition)
To qualify for the July 28th drawing please tell us your favorite summer veggie or fruit. For me, it’s raspberries just picked and still warm from the sun!
When you post, your name will be entered in our drawing. If your name is drawn first, you will have your choice of the books. The second name drawn will receive the other book. So tell us, what’s your favorite summer fruit or vegetable?
Blessings! Sue
Yum! That sounds like my kind of party….
I love watermelon, but I also eat everything in sight at our local Obetz Zucchinifest in August.
Another vote for watermelon!
Hi Sue,
My favorite fruit is sweet juicy watermelon. There’s nothing like it on a hot summer day!
Hi Trish, This has to be winter on your side of the globe, but thank you for your “summer” reply!!!
I didn’t know you could eat raddish leaves, Bill! I’ll have to try that…
My favourite summer fruit would have to be cool watermelon.That first bite taste just yummie all year round.Trish
Crisp, fresh radishes are a treat. When we were kids, we sliced them and ate them on bread and butter. We even ate the leaves as sandwiches. They are one of the earliest crops from the garden.
…Bill
Karen, my mom’s from Traverse City. When my grandfather was still living, we used to go to the Cherry Festival every summer. We always stopped by a roadside stand on the way home to the UP to buy a quart of fresh sweet cherries. I love that your dog picks her own blackberries!
I’ve never tried strawberries dipped into powdered sugar. Sounds great!
Hmm… this is a tough one. I love to walk across the street to the lake because the blackberries are starting to get ripe. We pick them right off of the bush (and swat the mosquitoes that are enjoying a different kind of feast). Our little Honey dog eats them straight from the bush too, which makes me smile. Did you ever try to eat blackberries without hands? The thorns must poke her nose but she goes for it anyhow.
Cherries… the Cherry festival in Traverse City is crowded but worth the trip. I like to stop by the roadside stands and buy fresh cherries.
…I’ve been sitting here and thinking about it and I think my favorite is strawberries. I love everything about them, especially the really great fresh ones, not the oversized mutants that Walmart has.
Hmmm…. I do have to say, my favorite summer fruit has to be sweet, deep red, strawberries sprinkled or dipped into powdered sugar. The strawberries can’t be squishy, or too crunchy, but JUST right. 🙂
Yes, I remember doing that!
…wait….me again. I just can’t decide. I think it is sitting at the edge of the garden eating early peas right from the pod.
I absolutely love ALL of the fresh veggies & fruits in the summer…….so it is difficult to pick just one. Let me think…….if I have to pick one, I guess it would be fresh, wild blueberries. Being eaten as they are picked, of course. No need for a container 🙂
Wow! We have a delicious harvest right here in our comments! I feel like I’m looking through the lovely colored pages of a gardening book. Thanks! Sue
Soon as corn is “as high as an elephant’s eye,” pick fresh, run to house and put in pot of boiling water…wait, wait…take out, dip in melted butter, shake a bit of salt, and enjoy!! Best to eat outside or wear a bib!
(Read The Help . . . good book to read and discuss…)
my favorite summerfruit is the redcurrant berry, i have 2 bushes in my small city garden, its just great to walk into the garden and see the bright red berries just waiting to be eaten by my 4 year old daughter and myself, sometimes so sour that a shiver runs down my spine.
I would love to say that fresh grown tomatoes are my favorite because they are so juicy but I just don’t like them! Strawberries would be my favorite fresh fruit.. Mmmm.. Strawberry shortcake!
My favorite summer fruit is fresh-cut watermelon, no salt added. I love the sound of the melon splitting as the big knife introduces itself to the rind. And I love the soft but crunchy texture of the first bite–and every ensuing bite–taken with a fork or with a spoon or simply with a mouth wide-open.
My favorite summer fruit are blueberries. They are so good.
Zucchini Squash steamed with some butter and salt–mmmm!