March Rewind

March

 

It's been another busy month at Kinx's Book Nook. Another wonderful and crazy month. First, I was chosen as the blogger of the month at Oklahoma Women Bloggers. I wrote several posts about spring cleaning, book review, why I love to read and why I started blogging. Clink here for my posts.

 

This month I wrote six book reviews; ranging from ok to great. Here's my list:

 

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (Book Club)

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

The Bruges Tapestry by P.A. Staes

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen by Sally Smith O'Rourke

Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni

 

I only read one book that I really didn't like (The Missing File) which I haven't reviewed yet.

 

My favorite book that I read and reviewed had to be Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni. It is such a great sequel to Angelology. You really need to check it out.

 

I also had some really good giveaways. I participated in the Spring Cleaning Hop and gave a way a big box of books. Congrats to Leslie for winning! I still have two giveaways that are still active: Animal Boogie and The Bruges Tapestry.

 

The last big thing is that I started Barefoot Saturdays. I recently decided to become a Barefoot Ambassador and sell/promote children's books. Every Saturday I will be spotlighting a great book from Barefoot. So far, I've talked about Animal Boogie and You and Me. Both outstanding books!

 

Last but not least, I received my first draft of my new website. Hopefully, in the next month I will be switching from Blogger to a self-hosted site. I'm a little nervous but excited too.

 

Well, that's my month in a nutshell!

 



Review: French Milk

French Milk by Lucy Knisley
Published by Touchstone Books (Simon and Schuster)
Published in 2007
193 pages
Graphic Novel/Memoir
Purchased paperback from Amazon

Synopsis:

A place where young Americans can seek poetic magic in the winding streets of a beautiful city. The museums, the cafs, the parks. An artist like Lucy can really enjoy Paris in January. If only she can stop griping at her mother. This comic journal details a mother and daughters month-long stay in a small apartment in the fifth arrondissement. Lucy is grappling with the onslaught of adulthood. Her mother faces fifty. They are both dealing with their shifting relationship. All the while, they navigate Paris with halting French and dog-eared guidebook.

About a month ago I read Relish by Lucy Knisley and instantly became a huge fan of her work. After I read Relish I had to get her earlier, French Milk; and I'm so glad I did. Lucy has a way of telling her life experiences with a sharp wit that you just want to know more about her life. You can completely empathize with her.

The entire book is about her trip to Paris with her mom. When I was twenty-two, my mom and I went to Europe. We had such a great time. But, at the same time, we had those mother/daughter spats and so did Lucy and her mother. This book brought back such great memories for me. The mom/daughter bonding is something that you will treasure forever. Lucy is hardly ever critical of her mom which I find rather refreshing. They had such a great time in Paris. I thought that Lucy really illustrated how close her mother and her really are.

Another thing I really loved was how Lucy was able to show her angst on her soon to be graduation from college. I rememeber when I was twenty-two and trying to figure what I was supposed to do with my life. Her depressive fits were fitting for her time in life. To me, every college-graduate feels the uncertainty after graduating from college. It's scary and depressing.

I loved Lucy's Paris. It was all about food and art. She is a milk and foie gras affionado. She loved the milk in Paris so much that she named her book for it and I totally get it. I remember when I was in Paris and I thought the vegetables never tasted better. It's probably all the nasty preservatives Americans use. But the food DOES taste better in Paris! Most of her memories centers around food. She documents most of her meals during her trip. I loved that her most favorite meals were at their apartment. Lucy and her mom have such a great bond over food.

Lucy's illustrations are fun and fairly simple. I liked how she attempted to portray some classic pieces of art. I found it really amusing.

French Milk is a fun graphic memoir about a twenty-two year women coming age in Paris with her mom. It is funny and sweet. I highly recommend it!

February Rewind

 

February Rewind

 

 

It's been another wonderful month of book blogging! I really love this stuff. It's just so much fun! This month I was able to write five book reviews, participate in two blog tours and write four posts on Why I Love to Read. I would say that was a successful month!

 

 Reviews

 

Searching for Captain Wentworth by Jane Odiwe

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Austenland by Shannon Hale

The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson

 

Blog Tours

 

A Tainted Dawn by B.N. Peacock

The Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard

 

Why I Love to Read

 

My Family

Kindle vs. Print

Snowy Days

Book Club

 

And last, but not least, I became a Countess for supporting Austen Admirers! Thanks, Angie for all your hard work for an amazing Austen app!

 

 

 



Book Blogger Hop (4): A Long Train Ride

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended December 31, 2012.

 

Luckily, Billy from Coffee Addicted Writer will relaunch the Book Blogger Hop. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt just like before. The hop's purpose will remain the same as it will give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

Q: You're going on a long train ride. What books will you bring to read?
A: Luckily for me I have a big fat Kindle and I can load it up! I would look at my current TBR list and see what's next. Currently, I'm reading The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman so I would take that for sure. Next I would take The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan, The Midwife's Tale by Sam Thomas, French Milk by Lucy Knisley, and The Promise by Kate Worth. Those should keep by occupied for the trip.