The Big Blow Candy Floss....

We get back from the wonderful United States, beautiful weather, high temperatures etc.. into one of the strongest winds I have ever experienced and boy did it wreck havoc but onwards we go...
The Queen has a plot for Wills...
Kate does her first solo engagement since the topless scandal and all goes very well.
Eva Longoria arrived in town and really didn`t have a lot to say that wasn`t heavily scripted....
Rachel Hunter broke Rod Stewart`s heart big time...
Are Rhianna and Chris Brown back together and if so why would Rhianna even contemplate rekindling this relationship, its extremely rare for leopards to change their spots.....
Kim Kardashian is having a wonderful time with Kanye West, planning Wedding No 3 maybe and busting out of her clothes big time!
Anne Hathaway gets married in what looks like a nice gown with the worst headpiece since god knows when....
John Travolta and Olivia Newton John record a Xmas Album... yikes, treacle alert!
Lady Gaga wears the same Versace Safety Pin dress that rocketed Elizabeth Hurley to fame but the effect is not quite the same.
Tori Spelling had a ghastly time after the birth of her newest addition, things went wrong big time but all appears well now.
David Beckham covers up quickly when a tour bus happens upon him while he was filming an ad dressed only in his underwear... what a sight it was and not bad in the least!
Jen, Casper and little Emme make the front row at Chanel`s Paris Fashion Week show....
Melanie Lynskey and her husband go splitsville...
We finally see Jennifer Aniston`s sparkler and its big...
Lindsay and Dina Lohan have a bust up, while father Michael trades parenting advice with Octomum... only in the U.S.A.
Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito split after 30 years... what gives with this story?
Jack Osbourne got married in Hawaii last week...
Casey Green shows us how to lose a dress size for summer...
Russell Brand exchanges numbers with a very young random...
Ange says "The Wedding is Off", could this be because Brad is the new face of Chanel No 5 ?
Has Courtney Cox found a new man???
Kristen and Rob rekindle their love and take it public but really who cares?
Mariah Carey and Niki Minaj fight and bicker or do they?
Bobbi Kristina Brown causes family members concern but hello are they actually doing something about her issues?
North and South magazine asks "What`s making us Fat" and goes inside the new Ed Hillary book....bound to cause a stir this one.
Vanity Fair has Daniel Craig as its cover boy and a very good article on the feud that is tearing Michael Jackson`s family apart plus all sorts of other reading delights!

Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand

This novel set on Nantucket Island was a fantastic read. This hard to put down book with its fast paced narrative was driven essentially by its characters who told the story in alternate voices and yet it was also plot driven, so a mix of both, which worked wonderfully well, it was not at all difficult to keep up with the characters, their back stories were beautifully lit and added another dimension to what could have been a lightweight read in the hands of a less skilled author.
The story begins with a horrendous car accident, one that will reverberate in ripples across the island and uncover secrets that have been skilfully buried, it will change and alter lives and take the narrative away across the seas to Perth, Western Australia and introduce a whole new set of richly drawn characters and away of life that is vastly different from that on the Island. I particularly loved the scene in the bar, where one of the main characters is watching a Rugby Game, Australia versus New Zealand, aka The Wallabies versus The All Blacks, Hilderbrand`s description of the All Blacks as Bad Asses is spot on.. It is obvious that Hilderbrand has done her research and done it well, her descriptions of people and places resonates and if you haven`t been there already you surely will want to by the time you finish reading this book. You will also want to see a Haka if you haven`t already!
Serious issues handled sensitively and wisely with compassion and empathy and with a realism that takes you right into the characters personal space and what characters Hilderbrand has drawn, linked to each other by life and loves and the circumstances of their residence, it is hard not to be drawn to them and harder still to let them go at the end of the book. Few readers will be unable to identify with the life issues tackled in this book and all will be able to empathise, most will be able to say "But for the grace god, go I".
A wonderful read with a marvellous dollop of humour, this book is available in Trade Paperback and also available via the Library System, this is an author well worth seeking out.

The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger

This was an absolutely stunning read, I couldn`t put it down and I certainly didn`t want it to finish.
It was magical in its descriptions of people and especially places, painting them so vividly that you certainly felt as if you had been there. Her characters are beautifully drawn and multi-faceted and develop throughout  the book like onion skins being delayered, they are not characters who are easy to like and most readers will form an opinion one way or the other. There are secrets and lies and twists and turns aplenty in this well paced suspenceful book that draws you so deeply into each characters orbit and it is simply amazing to look back on the reading of this book and see what appeared originally as quite simple turning into anything but.
The Two main characters are George and Amina who have met online and married when Amina travels form her home in a small village in Bangladesh to Rochester, New York where husband George lives, apparently the epitome of all things good, all things American, But nothing for these two and the characters that surround them is as simple as the surface appears and it isn`t long before stress and strain poke their heads in and life becomes quite the challenge especially when secrets charge in with resounding force and open a can of snakes as opposed to the often mention worms!
This book stretches across continents, across generations and across expectations and the heavy weight these can and do bring to those who choose to marry out of their own cultural group. and attempt that difficult challenge of making it work, so much can and does change and at the drop of a hat, how you react and what actions you take determine failure or success.
I felt that Freudenberger took me on an adventure of a life time to Bangladesh, I felt as I was right there, smelling the smells, riding in the rickshaws,climbing the stairs, bouncing along the rutted roads, sharing the meals,thwacking the mossies, trying to do the right and acceptable thing, listening for snippets of conversation...
This book is available via the library system and it is well worth placing a hold.

Last Dance Candy Floss...

A sad goodbye to the Queen of Disco...Donna Summer, who will always be remembered for her wonderful anthems and all the fun and joy the brought to our lives!
Peaches Geldof shows her baby boy...
Demi has a hot new man...
Nigella has replaced the wine in her life with diet coke...way to go!
Reece Witherspoon continues to feel the family angst as her parents who have been seperated since 1996 but never divorced fight over her father`s remarriage and will changes...this aint pretty!
Cameron Diaz is looking a little lacklustre at the moment...wonder why?
Wills talks about his incredible Granny...
Anna Wintour will not have Kim Kardashian at any function she is organising...this is going to hurt!
Shorty`s biggest fan has only missed 2 episodes in 20 years...that is endurance!
Tori Spelling is positively blooming!
Barack Obama receives a very special shirt from David Beckham.
Katherine Heigl is finding mothering a newborn a challenge, first daughter was adopted at 9 months...really the house elves and baby nurse will be the ones run of their feet!But the pictures are real cute.
Tom Cruise is thrilled beyond belief with the way he looks in his new movie Rock of Ages...he plays a rock star, when asked the secret of his eternal youth he said" I don`t know why I look so good and so young"...botox, fillers anyone?
Kelly Travolta`s private hell...it appears that the court case may have turned to custard but this is an enduring roundabout in Hollywood and the questions about JT never end.....
Camilla is jealous of Kate?
Scott walks out on Kourtney?
Simone Callahan(Warne) tells Liz to leave her children alone...not much chance there I`d say! and shows of her new man.
J.Lo and Casper are hoping to adopt twins...say what?
Rachel Hunter goes on an Intrepid Journey and its got nothing to do with Rod!
Mel Brown really, really enjoys herself at Brian McFadden`s engagement party but wasn`t feeling so sunny next morning!
Stars without Makeup, just like us, kind of!
Ashton Kutcher and Halle Berry lose it with the papz....
Nicole, Harlow and Sparrow join Joel in Sydney for some family time downunder.
Jessica Marais and James Stewart introduce their baby and share their love!
And Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel kiss up big time at the basketball!

Titanic Candy Floss.....

Near, Far, Where ever you are...100 years have passed since the world`s most famous ship sinking. I have been asked twice while reading to children when there has been a mention of the Titanic,if I was on it when it went down...sorry ROPS guys but the answer is NO!
Kate and William celebrate their 1st Anniversary!
The Real Reason Jacko Gill quit the Olympics....
Rhys Darby has a secret heartache...heavens knows what it is!
Bobbi Kristina is doing a reality show?
Rihanna is pining for Ashton Kutcher.. are they kidding?
Joel Madden and Delta Goodrem tell why they click..
Are Kanye and Kim really on??? Well he has a K name....
One Direction are a big hit in Australia, lets hope the girls on this side of the Ditch show more restraint this week!!!
J.Lo gives Casper a birthday present he couldn`t afford himself... a customised Dodge Ram Utility! Way too go Jen!!
Beyonce and J.Z. share their holiday with us...snaps that is!
What really caused Danni and Kris to split?
Jay and Anna get engaged and so do Brad and Angelina!!
A supposed cousin of Jennifer Aniston`s has blurted that he is helping to arrange her Big Fat Greek Weeding in Crete, guess he won`t be now!
Paul Henry takes a Romantic Cruise...
Julia Roberts and Naomi Watts enjoy the sea with their children, while Pink`s cute little girl Willow goes for a whizz with Mum and Dad.
A week later and Beatrice and Eugenie are out in their first official capacity with Granny, while cousin Louise comes a cropper on her horse and breaks her arm.
North and South is out and asks are young people becoming accidentally addicted to pain killers like Oxy Contin(Hillybilly Heroin) and should we be aware that this dangerous drug is to put it mildly, addictive. We know that Michael Jackson and Courtney Love had big problems with this drug and yet its being prescribed here, if its caused a death is it wise to give it out?
Animal Testing... is it right or is it wrong?
A terribly sad bike accident raises the question of why is there so much Death By Bicycle in New Zealand? and what can we do about it?
La Leche League answers its critics....
A very poignant essay.
As always great columns, beautiful layout, divine recipes and great book reviews!

Snow falling on cedars by David Guterson

My copy of this book was published in 1995 but I have until now never been able to read it, then I picked it up and click!
It has been one of the most marvellous reading experiences of my life, there isn`t a life theme that isn`t beautifully and deftly covered in this book. Set on San Piedro Island of  Puget Sound in the mid fifties this book takes you on a journey, a voyage of discovery if you like into another time and place with such depth and atmosphere that you can literally feel it pulling you in, the force of the fog alone is remarkable.
In a small community a death occurs and a trial results, it is in the getting from the start to the finish of the trial that the story evolves and the characters and their backstories are unwound and given to the reader. Each story and each chapter is linked seamlessly with the writer using the type of language that is simply a delight to read, the book is tightly written and there are numerous twist and turns and secrets and desires abound. The fallout on the Community from the Second World War and the bombing of Pearl Harbour are perhaps the most gut wrenching parts of the book and the deeply held prejudice that results is thought provoking to say the least, many of those attitudes and views are still held today, it only takes a trigger and they spring back into life, equally the book paints a remarkable portrait of love, compassion, truth and honesty and of the ability of not all to run with the pack. It also speaks of the ability of Justice to be done.

This book sold truck loads of copies, it also won the Pen/Faulkner Awards and The ABA Book of the Year when it was published and it certainly deserved them all, a book that crosses a number of genres, it is available from the Library and from Second Hand Bookshops, its worth hunting for or borrowing a copy.

Food Festival Candy Floss...

What a gorgeous day we got for our Annual Food Festival and how great was it!
Jen tried to hide a boy...her stepbrother who leads a life a wee bit wilder than Jen`s!
Cameron Diaz gets up close with Gwyneth Paltrow`s husband at the Playboy Mansion, surely not!
Antonio has a wild night... without Melanie.
Uma relaxes as her tummy expands...
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene wrap up tight in Norway.
Suri has a meltdown....
Harry and Chelsey together again..maybe.
Jennie Garth`s hell after her husband walked out...rumour has it, he was often hooked up with women who weren`t his wife!
Adele goes from the Glamour of the Grammys to the Drudge of Supermarket shopping...hello we do it weekly, the groceries not the grammys!!!
Khloe Kardashian hits back at rumours she and Lamar are splitting..
Rob Kardashian got himself arrested in Florida....
Rhianna and Ashton?
Lindsay Lohan gets a role on Glee.. well done!
Chris Klein follows a new path...
An over zealous fan breaks into Simon Cowell`s home..
Chris Cairn shares how the love of his 3rd wife helped him to survive the year from hell...
Are Liz and Shane having IVF?
Judi Dench on the cover of the Australian Women`s Weekly.. looking fantastic!
Easter treats galore..
Demi`s sad demise...
Time to throw away the scales...yes indeed!
Is Doctor Google dangerous? He is if you hit the wrong site.
Petra has learned her lessons..
Steven Tyler is 64?
Kate Winslet through the years... as Titanic 3D is released.
And every good wish to the beautiful, brave and courageous Helena McAlpine.

Exposure by Therese Fowler

This gripping read is dazzling in its ability to take a situation, grapple with the intricacies and still make it a page turner.
Essentially the story of Wilkes and Winter families and the very real but secret love shared between their children Amelia and Anthony, it is a modern day story that shows so clearly the impact that Modern Social Media has on the lives of all of us but especially the youth of today and how extremely dangerous the smallest push of a button can be. A book riven by behaviour, it takes you into choices and consequences, one ill advised action, one set of angry words in the wrong ears and life can combust in a second.
The author also shows us that Wealth and Influence can be used so cavalierly when reputation is at stake, equally she does a wonderful job of showing us how it can backfire. A wily and cunning prosecutor with his own agenda can make more trouble than is believable.
I really liked her characters, they were real to their experiences and their behaviour exemplified this, therefore they resonated especially Harlan Wilkes and Kim Winter whose backstories were defty painted into the story and heavily influenced it. Amelia and Anthony were a delight, so true to themselves and their love, I found myself walking every step of their journey with them, it takes an author well able to write, to Lead her book with such clearly defined yet work in progress characters such as Amelia and Anthony and their friends, I was struck by their Nobility, their decency, their chance taking and ultimately the importance of doing the right thing that ripped the book open in an amazing twist.
An exceptionally good book that shows us that even in such times where Social Media and the Internet are so powerful, old fashioned values can stand and people can change.
Available from the Auckland Library Service or via Special Order from your local Indie.

Helen...The Helen Meads Tragedy,A Father`s Story by David White

When Greg and Pam White`s daughter Helen was murdered by her husband Greg White in 2009, their lives changed completely and in retirement they found themselves back parenting fulltime, Helen and Meads had a 9 year old daughter, who only had her White Grandparents to love, care and nurture her along with her elder sister Kimberley. The grief they felt had to be tucked away, so that Helen`s 3 children could be supported to grieve themselves and the the White`s came up against the steamroller that is our court system.

A Court System that doesn`t put victims first.
A well written book, that is easy to read it tells the story of Helen`s life( a little more detail wouldn`t have gone astray) and her somewhat  ill advised early relationships and then the meeting and relationship that carried Helen into Racing Royalty with the accompanying lifestyle,all owned and controlled by Meads, who was heartily disliked in the community while his wife was dearly loved by all. The disquiet felt by those who were closely entangeled with Meads especially after  Helen sustained a serious beating by a somewhat paranoid Meads refused to go away and entreaties from Family to leave failed to work. Helen had her reasons for staying and No body should be beating themselves up over the fact that they were unable to save her.
The book does a marvellous job in showing quite clearly how even innocent young children are re victimised by a system that simply doesn`t play fair, especially  when it comes to providing for them after a tragedy such as this...in this case the very,very wealthy Meads Family including The Matriarch have refused to maintain/or support Samantha, it has all devolved onto the Whites at tremendous cost I hasten to add. The White Family with one exception and including This Matriarch should be utterly ashamed of themselves.
White goes into the custody battle they had to wage to provide security for Samantha, he paints a grim picture of our bail laws, violence against Women in this country and the price that is extracted when Grandys have to step up to the ball park, it is not so easy to parent at 65 as it is at 35.
If David White`s book achieves anything, it will be to educate young women against the dangers of abusive relationships and should they find themselves in one to get out quick and in the case of young girls, parents with suspicions need to act and get their daughters out and away. Easy to say I know, not so easy to do.
Even without words, David Whites photos show what a lovely lady his daughter Helen was, fun, love and mischief beam from her face, those who called her friend were lucky indeed.

Prince Harry hits the Caribbean Candy Floss

Yes indeed the Prince has been out and about representing his Granny!
Demi`s out of rehab and trying to work it all out.
Cliff Curtis shows us his L.A. family, cute little son.
Yikes has Carla Bruni had some plastic surgery or what?
A very pregnant Jessica Simpson poses on the cover of Elle Magazine in her Birthday Suit and channels Demi!
Bernadine Oliver-Kerby and Jerome Kaino team up for the Child Cancer Foundation..very well done you two!
Shirley McLaine whizzes into Downton Abbey and feels right at home.. she would have been there in a previous life so not that hard a transition.
Was the late John Lennon a victim of Bulimia...a new book says yes.
Did famous New Zealand Aviation icon Jean Batten have a daughter?
Gwen Steffani horses around at Knotts Berry Farm with Kingston and Zuma...
Oprah holds out a life line to Bobbi Kristina Brown...while rumour has it that Whitney Houston and Jermaine Jackson had a secret affair, they were both young and he was married to Hazel Gordy at the time!
Kim Kardashian is hoping to secretly adopt? God help the child should she!
Judy Bailey introduces her new Granddaughter Mila.
Gordon Ramsey pounds the streets of Auckland...
Rachel Hunter shows of her curves in Malibu, along with daughter Renee.
Polly takes us to Hollywood and obviously has fun... I have to say this woman is the best columnist in the business, her advice is always straight up, forthright and on the money, no pussing around here.
Have Linds and Heidi been at the Surgeries again? yikes girls stop while there is still something left.
Guy Sebastian has a baby boy, his name is Hudson.
Snookis pregnant but is Reece joining her in the Baby Club?
North and South Magazine is out... its cover story is the tragic murder of Helen Meads by her husband Greg, her father David White has written a book that will be out in mid March, this is a very unpleasant story well told.
Is Prostate Cancer Screening necessary?
Wendyl Nissen talks about the recent Breast Feeding Controversy and the week from hell she got for taking a stand..unbelievable in this day and age that free choice is only yours as long as it suits those with strong opinions..Wendyl, you go girl!
Record Store Etiquette...
Anika Moa takes her music inside.. literally.
The Importance of Bone Health.
Next Magazine has Angela Bloomfield on the cover, she grew up before our eyes nightly and hasn`t jumped yet!
A guide for single parents who want to date..
Secrets to Success...money, living the dream, raising the bar, unlocking your true potential..a magazine full of glamour and gloss that actually has something for everyone.

the Wife`s tale by Lori Lansens

Like her previous book The Girls, this is an excellent and absorbing read.The story of Mary Gooch, beautiful of face but obese of body is one of those stories that hooks you in and refuses to let you go. Instead of celebrating her 25th Wedding Anniversary with her husband as she had planned, Mary finds herself alone, her husband gone and in no hurry to reappear.
Her reflections on the demetrius of their years together fuels a desperate quest to find him and leads her on an adventure that she could never have dreamed of, shucking away the chains of dependence Mary hits the road and the sky and travels to a world far from her imaging, one that ultimately leads her to find what it is she has so desperately longed for all these years. As the secrets and lies that have been her life with Gooch fall away and as she is introduced to a whole raft of characters, in slow steps her eyes are opened to the world, the scales literally fall away.
It isn`t an easy journey, small town versus big city, there are potholes in the road, there are hurts and sadness's, misunderstandings but Mary shows a determination previously unseen and a receptivity to others and their life journey that is heartwarming.
I particularly liked the quirkiness, the uniqueness of Lansens characters and the way she developed them, they resonated, they struck you as being real and totally believable, they were refreshing in their outlook on life,  there was humour and Lansens references The Girls in Marys small hometown..
Lansens writes very well and has a depth of understand about the things that push a life in a particular direction that is quite unique, it blends with wisdom and compassion to give her books a special kind of magic and to leave you thinking about them long after the last page.
Available in paperback and via the library system.

The Baker`s Daughter by Sarah McCoy

This is one of those very special books in that you could give or gift it to almost anyone over say 16 and they would love it. It is a wonderful story told so very well by an author who obviously does know how to write and do it well and who is able to link and make real an intergenerational story that  starts in 1945 in Nazi Germany and ends in El Paso Texas in 2008.
The story of the Schmidt's in Germany is such a touching, poignant story, a story that takes you through some very dark and gritty days indeed but a story that lights your spirit and shares the kindness and goodness that can occur even when risk is far more than greater. Quite frankly it did that very rare thing with me, it made me cry to think that people would risk their lives to save another in circumstances where it would be very easy to simply turn and walk away, however I did need to keep in mind that some kindness came with an agenda and the Schmidt`s were spared some difficulties because of their daughter`s beauty. Intertwined with Elsie`s story after she leaves Germany is the story of Reba Adams and although her challenges are of a different nature, Elsie`s role in her life is pivotal and inspires a truthfulness and a seeking which alters lives.
The characters are beautifully drawn and so real that they could be your Grandparents, friends or neighbours or in a couple of examples your worst enemy. This book draws on a  life affirming simplicity to tell its tale, love is bigger than all and reveals its self in many forms and unexpected ways. Never dull and never gloomy the tale draws you in right from the beginning. opens history`s door and takes you on a journey that has many sharp turns and decisive moments, and many characters who reveal themselves in unexpected ways, it also shows us that the desire to protect is a very strong one and even if we might make a choice that with hindsight is perhaps not right, time and happenstance can right a wrong and truth will out. Where does one start when it comes to  food which is another key element, if I had have been able to find a Bakery open at 10 at night in Aucks, I may have eaten my way to serious damage, one could simply smell the food wafting from the page and I found it particularly heartwarming that the author was able to use food in such a comforting way and also her ability to show the meaning in a non judgemental way of food in the every day cycle of life.
Grief and Healing are very real in this book especially during the Nazi  years when so many ordinary folk who thought they were making the right decision found later and with hindsight that they hadn`t and that there was a price to pay, equally modern life throws up many conundrums and many of us will face the same challenges but from a different force as we traverse life. Right and Wrong, Good and Bad, Love and Healing, Faith and Duty, Longing and Desire, Compassion and Redemption are all so beautifully weaved through this very well plotted novel.
I would wish to point out that this books ability to comfort resonates with me in a very particular way. The day after I began reading this book, our  Principal had to call us into the Staff Room at the School where I work and tell us that an 11 year old boy who had finished the year at ROPS on December 15th had passed away that morning, a fortnight after being diagnosed with Leukemia, I cannot think of a better book to be reading when such a dreadful thing happened, it highlighted for me the preciousness of life, no matter the time or place in which it is lived.
Available through the Library System, I  have a feeling this book will be released in New Zealand fairly soon in a soft cover edition, it is a great read and as I said earlier it would make a wonderful gift especially for someone you may know who is going through a rough time.Plus it has recipes in the back, so if you bake....

The End of Normal by Stephanie Madoff Mack

The End of Normal is a beautifully written story of love found and love lost. It is not always an easy read but it is informative and very,very real.
When Financer  Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme came undone in December 2008, it took more than just Bernie and his wife Ruth with it, it took his family and thousands of investors, big and small who found the lives they had been living coming to an abrupt and horrible halt. None more so than Madoff`s son Mark who found the stigma and the finger pointing to much to bare, taking his life in December 2010, leaving Stephanie and 4 children behind.
Stephanie tells with such love and learned wisdom the story of all her Princess Dreams coming true, the barriers and obstacles, the path she had to forge to enable hers and Mark`s relationship to flow, she is never less than thankful for all the good times and good things that come her way...her wariness of her in laws and her husbands ex along with her husbands brother and his partner bearing fruit, the cold impenetrability of Bernie and Ruth Madoff, the pure and utter blinkered vision and the disinclination to do what might be conceived as the right thing towards those most wronged by their actions or lack of.
There is plenty of anger and righteous indignation in this book, all directed at those who most deserve it. Equally there is guts, courage, dignity and a graciousness that will well serve her children as they grow, there are rivers of tears in this book but it is not riven with sadness, it is a book in which a young woman finds herself in the worst possible situation but chooses not to let it take her down to the bottom instead she sets out to heal and to take herself and her children on a path that will allow their lives to be almost whole again while always noting that their is a much loved, missing piece.
A very good read, it also points quite clearly to the important part others play in helping us to heal and move along, Stephanie has wonderful friends none more so than RoseMarie Terenzio whose book Fairy Tale Interrupted was recentlyy published and reviewed on this blog. Both these ladies have huge hearts and a tale to tell.

Fairy Tale Interrupted by Rosemarie Terenzio

When I started reading this book I felt that I was headed for disappointment but I can say having finished it, I was not. It just took me awhile to be able to relate to RoseMarie, her insecurities and her terribly anxiety about almost everything.
An ordinary girl from the Bronx she rose by complete surprise to become John F Kennedy Jr's, Everything Business wise and she also became very friendly with Carolyn his wife, which caused further dramatics of its own. A very hard worker, who wanted to please there is little doubt that her contribution to John`s life was major and that he would not have functioned well without her, she had his back, she was smart, savvy and knew how to say no, equally he made it possible for her to have a life that she could never have dreamed of, very few things that could happen didn`t happen...RoseMarie got to go to all sorts of places, met all sorts of people and every summer got a week in Hyannis at John`s house.

For all his charm and affability, he could pitch a fit and throw a tantrum often ill directed, he could be sulky and unpredictable, Rosie as he called her could also pitch a fit and should she feel the need, she could sulk a little.
Equally he was kind, generous, supportive, loyal and devoted to Rosie and she to him.
One of the things that really struck me was her complete honesty, be it good, bad or ugly she called it as she saw it, the hurt and the pain is all there, as is the anxiety and insecurities.While Carolyn Bessette came across as rather generous, I have never liked her and this book doesn`t change that.
Well written and easy to read it takes you into a time in Kennedy`s life that certainly had it ups and excitement but equally disappointments and downs but it is from the perspective of a true insider and in the end she has written a book that honours John`s faith and trust in her. It is well worth reading!

Could it be love Candy Floss....

Kerre Woodham shares what she`s learned about men... you go girl! Love is everywhere this week....
Sonny Boy Williams and Jamie Ridge, apparently its love and they`ve headed of to Raglan!! but not before making the cover of the Woman`s Day!
10 Kiwi Couples share their love secrets....
Demi`s girls are a little worried about Mummy...
Wills has gone to the Falkland Islands and Kate is feeling sad...
Kimberly Stewart takes Delilah out and she`s rather cute.
Shirley McLaine joins Downton Abbey... this can only be good as she as probably lived her role in a previous life!
Is Jim Carrey`s daughter using his name to gain fame and riches? American Idol anyone?
Inside Jen and Justin`s new home...
SAG award parties and gowns...
Jean Paul Gaultier pays tribute to Amy Winehouse... amazing looks!
The Hoff pops the question!
Drew Barrymore and her finance chill at home.
Heidi...is not happy but apparently Seal would like her back!
Gwen takes the boys fishing and they come up trumps!
Is Ange expecting and could it be another set of twins?
Fran Dresher claims she and her ex were abducted by Aliens... ex says it ain't so! Wacky or what?
Madonna and Elton are still snipping at each other...
Has Cameron Diaz been under the knife?
How come David Arquette`s new girl looks so much like Courtney?
Hayley Westenra is engaged to her French love and is very happy indeed!
Kourtney and Scott have a Babymoon...
Awen and Natasha renew their vows in Bali and this time the children are with them.
Alix Bushnell gets married and Masterchefs Kelly is engaged and pregnant!
Valentines Day should be a highlight this year if all the hearts, pink borders and love stories within this weeks mags tell the story!

Faith by Jennifer Haigh

This is the kind of book that takes your breath away and will have you thinking for quite awhile after you finish reading it. The book tells the story of Arthur Breem, a Catholic Priest and his family the McGanns using the main narrative voice of his sister Sheila who tells his story with the love she has for her brother, the doubts that she experiences and the reality of the knowledge she possess as the story progresses. At pitch point the McGanns present as the perfectly ordinary family living their lives as we might all do, until the day Art is accused of a crime against a child and his and his families lives shatter apart with alacrity.
Nothing is really as it appears, yet Haigh draws her characters with such a realistic hand they you recognise them, you all know them,be they in one camp or the other.There are secrets and lies in this tale and they are deep and painful, it is a novel populated by grieving people, their responses and reactions to situations is spot on and so is the dialogue that Haigh gives them. Her understanding of the human psyche and what motivates it at certain stages is quite phenomenal and as she draws in her supporting characters she gives them a ballast in the story, they all have a role in the telling and they all come from their own if similar views especially the devout Catholics, they are all influenced in their reactions to Arthur's plight by their own plight, if they go one way they will be excluded from all they have know and equally the opposite choice will seem them keep their positions.
This book leads you on a journey and as you move along you find yourself challenged at different points...How would I Feel? What would I Do? How Well to we really know our family and what kind of bonds do we really have if the chips come down? A very thought provoking book, it is well paced..
It is also a book filled with love in its many variations, a book that is compassionate and understanding but always realistic and human, strength and frailty entwined, history repeating, those patterns that we some times don`t even recognised that so impact on our lives.
I liked all of the characters bar the bigot but I equally understood his motivations. I thought the character of Mike was amazing and so was Kath both being shown in all their humanity, Art captivated me in all his failings and his wondrous capacity to love, the growth of the characters was also exceptional, none was the same at the end of the book, be their change good or bad, wisdom was a stand out character developement for me, it was very subtle but it was there.
This book is available in Paperback at $26.99 in all good book stores.

Alix and Nicky..The Passion of the Last Tsar and Tsarina by Virginia Rounding

When the heir to the Russian Throne, Nicholas became engaged to Queen Victoria`s granddaughter Alix of Hesse few could imagine the heartbreak and tragedy that lay in wait for the couple, their children, their extended family and their dynasty, some may have guessed that the beautiful but shy Alix was not suited to the machinations of the Russian Court but few would have seen that equally her beloved was not going to be up to the task of pulling the Dynasty along with him into a noble future.
This Romanov family have been popular book subjects since Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie and the resulting movie hit the public spotlight in 1967/1968, little had been known before and what was out there was murky and shrouded in the spectre of the mad monk Rasputin. After the old Communist reign fell away knowledge simply flooded through and so did the books be they narrative or the very popular coffee table variety, most of which I own. It has been a number of years however since I have read a book on this subject as good as Roundings. Much broader in scope than the title would suggest, it flows along linking one chapter of the story to the next with a seamlessness that is borne out of very good research and good writing skills coupled with the ability to see the bigger picture and a depth of understanding of her characters that is enlightening. Rounding empathises but she does not hesitate to call a spade a spade, neither is she particularly prudish. She gets to the point of the matter and uses language that fits in with what is actually meant in the recounting rather than glossing it over, it adds humour as well as humanity to her characters lives.I particularly liked the way she linked one characters story in with that of another and how she dug into the background of a situation from a number of viewpoints, this enabled her to get as close as possible to the truth.
Like Massie`s book this is easy to read and very engaging, pick it up and its hard to put down. Well written and with plenty of facts and figures but no stodge, the narrative carries you along and even if you know what is coming, the affect is never lessened or diluted. As another chapter in the Romanov saga it is very welcome indeed.

Available by special order from your local Indie or from The Auckland Library system, anyone who enjoys history will enjoy this.

If Today Be Sweet by Thrity Umrigar

There are very few authors whose writing can enrich your life experience, Thrity Umrigar is certainly in that class, this book while a novel is a tool for teaching, a bridge across divides. It is simply one of the most heartwarming book I have read since The Story of Beautiful Girl.
Set in Ohio it tells the story of Tehmina Setha who has recently been widowed and has come to stay with her son Sorab and his wife Susan while she decides where her future lies...Bombay or America. As Tehima forges her journey we are introduced to life in Bombay going back to her rather sheltered upbringing and meeting the people and places that have formed her into the person she has become which at the end of this book is quite a different person to the one we started with although her intristic characteristics never leave her.
This book is written with such a fine, expressive hand that you can`t help but be drawn in, the characters weather multi-layered or fairly simplistic are in themselves a portrait of modern life, laced with old fashioned values or though in one case not so modern values, Grace you know who you are! We see how easy it is to become simply consumed with fitting in and in keeping up appearances. The book takes a good hard look at issues of race, poverty, death and grief, abuse, the power of modern media and the inner strength that resides in people and causes them to do the right thing by others. The relationship between parent and child is explored and the impact that leaving your home country to live elsewhere has on everyone in your life is beautifully handled as is interracial marriage.
The ability of this writer to handle each character with dignity no matter their circumstances deeply impressed me, at all times the writer was fair but always honest, motivation is a powerful tool wherever you may be. Along with humour, the book abounds with love and grace, it points us clearly toward recognition that what we leave behind us does matter, that no matter how simple our actions they can impact on others.
This book is easy to read and very easy to become absorbed in, it never becomes preachy and it is never boring, I wanted to see how it ended but I didn`t want to finish it.
You will find this book in any good Indie Bookshop,or they will be able to order it for you, it comes in a lovely soft cover and Thrity has a back catalogue well worth looking at.
This is the first book I have read for The 2012 South Asian Book Challenge.

Charming Billy by Alice McDermott

This is an oldie but a goodie, you will find it in the Library system and in good second hand bookshops and its worth the effort.
Billy Lynch is dead and buried and here begins the story of an Irish Catholic boy from New York whose life follows a pattern of predictability intermingled with unpredictability. The writing is beautiful, the descriptions of both people and places real, the characters are drawn with a fine brush that at times morphs into a few hard swipes when the writer deems it necessary.
Family, religion, love, ambition and redemption are all key to this story and are all intertwined in that peculiarly Irish way that plays out worldwide where ever you live and if you are a certain age, there will be so many, yes I remember that, I remember this. Entwined with alcohol and secrets this is not a slow narrative, it is never dull, never boring, like a wave it pulls you along, even a pervading sadness at life's disappointments doesn`t spoil this. I particularly liked the way she unravelled her characters a little bit at a time, it kept you of balance and you couldn't`t be sure where they might go. The characters are not always likeable, for example I loathed Eva, even while I could understand her motivations and forgiveness is a mighty powerful thing, as is settling for second best.
Hunt a copy of this book down.

Midnight Champagne by A.Manette Ansay.

Manette Ansay became very well know when her book Vinegar Hill was chosen for Oprah Winfrey`s Book Club many years ago, it was a great read.
Set on the shore of Lake Michigan this book is about love and marriage, secrets and lies, life and family.
It is linked by two marriages, one just beginning and one disintegrating into horror. The proximity of one marriage and the denouement of another are linked because they are held at the same time and in the same place, characters go back and forth and intermingle in the most unexpected of ways.
The characters are richly and vibrantly drawn in all their passion, fury, bitterness and pain, they are also very funny and there are alot of laugh out loud moments. The book is divided into 6 interlinked chapters, each covering an aspect of the Wedding of Caleb and April.This is not really the wedding of April`s dreams, in fact its a little trashy but that doesn`t detract at all, it simple brings humour to the story in quite surprising ways. The writing is rather magical and the story fairly hums along, stopping now and again for breath or a secret to be revealed.This is the kind of book that once picked up, you can`t put it down, you simply can`t wait to see what unfolds or who does what and to whom, does love triumph in the end and what on earth would you do in the same situation are questions you will find yourself pondering... doing the right thing can make you feel so good when all is weighed up.
This book is in print and can be ordered from Unity Books in Auckland, its in softcover.