Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik

read August 2010

This is our August book club book. Lori, my BFF, came with me last month to book club and recommended this as a good read. Being open to new ideas like we are, we went with it. I'm so glad that we did. This is a great book. Set in a Minneapolis, MN suburb, it is the story of 5 neighbors who form a book club in the 1960s. The book follows them over the course of 30 years. I found it a little tough to keep track of all the women in the beginning, but as the story progressed it became a little easier to get. Two thumbs up.

East of Eden

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

read July 2010

This was our bookclub book for July, which I didn't finish in time! I did finish it a couple of weeks ago, however. I really, really didn't think I would like this book. At all. I don't love anything else I've read by Steinbeck. This one was different. Loved it.

Keeping Faith

Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

read August 2010

For some reason I keep getting sucked back into the world of Jodi Picoult. I've learned that people either love her work or hate it. You should read the reviews at goodreads.com and you'll see what I'm talking about! Although I have fought it for a long time, really do enjoy her books. Last month I read "House Rules". After reading that I thought, "Ugh, why do I read her stuff...". However, I picked "Keeping Faith" up at my mom's house last week and couldn't put it down. I really liked it.

In a nutshell, it's the story of a little girl (who's a non-practicing Jew, by the way) who suddenly develops a stigmata, begins quoting the bible, and even heals the sick. Her parents are in the middle of a pretty messy divorce when all of this begins. Oh, and by the way, God is a woman.

This one definitely kept my interest. Easy reading, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Enough to make me want to revisit one of my old faves of Picoult - "Salem Falls". My only issue with this is that there are way too many unanswered questions at the end of the book.

House Rules

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

read July 2010

Many people mock Jodi Picoult, but I do enjoy her books. This one - not my favorite, but it was good. 'House Rules' is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. I don't really know much about AS (as they call it in the book), but it seems to be a form of Autism. Jacob is particularly obsessed with forensics. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. And...what do you know....Jacob finds himself accused of murder. There aren't as many plot twists as in some on Picoult's books that I've read in the past, but I would still recommend it. Easy read. Good for the beach, but it does make you think about how we communicate and how those that may not be able to communicate as well can sometimes have pretty crappy lives!

Blood Oath

Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth

read July 2010

I spent the July 4th weekend at my parents' cottage (Indian Lake). Even though I was only gone for a little over a day, I still found it necessary to bring two books with me. Well, I didn't tough either one b/c my sister brought me this one. It's the story of Nathaniel Cade, a vampire, who is sworn to serve and protect the President (yes, of the US). It seemed a little far-fetched when I read the book jacket, but it's written in a way that's actually believeable. It was so good...I didn't put it down all weekend and finished it late last night. I don't know that I would buy it, but it's a definite "must read".

Next, I need to finish my July Book Club book!

My Fair Lazy

My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

read June 2010

I know I have said this before, but this time I mean it. If you haven't read anything by Jen Lancaster, run to the nearest bookstore and buy one of her books. I'm telling you to buy vs. going to the library because you WILL want to read them again. And again. She's just that funny.

This is her 4th book, and I was not disappointed. Her books tend to jump around a lot (that's just her style), but I thought this one jumped around a bit more than usual. It's an easy read - great for summer. Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.

Little Bee - June Book Club Book

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

read June 2010

Little Bee was our June pick. I picked it because I had seen and read a lot about it and, when it came out in paperback, decided it was time to invest. (Side Note: I have to really love a book to buy it in hardback. I will not think twice about plunking down a few bones for a paperback, but you know I am in love when I buy the hard copy. It's a true sign of commitment....) I had to cram to read it, because I kept picking up magazines to read during my trip to NC the weekend before, but I did it. Read all 266 pages before our June 18th meeting.

Wow. This book was deep. It's the story of two women: Little Bee, a Nigerian refugee, and Sarah, a suburban housewife. Their lives connect years before when Sarah and her husband, Andrew, were on holiday in Africa. (Don't you love how the British say "holiday" instead of vacation? I do.) It's disturbing and sad. But also funny at times. Like how Sarah's son refuses to dress in anything but his Batman costume. (Spoiler Alert!) When Sarah's husband dies, it's Little Bee that really is there for her, saving her life in a way. There's this one particular scene at the funeral where Sarah's son jumps into the open grave and Little Bee gets him out. When Sarah thanks her, Little Bee shrugs it off by saying, "I just did what anyone would do". Sarah replies, "But nobody else did". Very poignant. The chapters switch back and forth between Little Bee and Sarah's voices (a la Jodi Picoult). I fancy that style of writing...keeps things fresh. I was impressed by the author's ability to successfully write from a woman's perspective. I did think that Sarah seemed a little detached. However, that probably had less to do with the fact that the author's a male and more to do with the fact that that's just how the character was. Maybe? Maybe not.

All in all, a good read. It's probably not the type of book I'd normally pick, but I'm glad I read it all the same. I wouldn't buy it it hard cover, though.

The Anglo Files: A Field Guide to the British

The Anglo Files: A Field Guide to the British by Sarah Lyall

read May 2010

I had been waiting for months to read this book. I mean, just look at the cover! How great - the Queen as a tea bag? I love all things British and it looked great. I was so disappointed. Don't get me wrong, some parts of the book were awesome. However, overall I just found it....well....a little choppy for lack of a better word. Maybe I just had it built up in my head too much. Disappointing.

Eclipse - Again!

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyers

read May 2010

I read Eclipse again (probably the 4th time) in honor of the upcoming release of the movie. June 30th. Can't. Freakin. Wait. I was thinking that this was my favorite Twilight book, but now I just really don't think so. And I liked Bella a lot more before the movies. Now she's just so whiny and annoying. One of the readers on goodreads.com had this to say:

First of all, I have lost most of the respect I had for Bella as a character. Her obsession for Edward has really gone overboard, to the point of becoming downright annoying, even unhealthy. She worships the ground he walks on, and is all too ready to dump her parents and friends just so she can spend more time with him without growing old. She doesn't seem to have any serious problem with the idea of making her parents worry, or the thought of never see them again... she's willing to stomp over anything that isn't Edward, even things that can enrich her life. She's like a satellite, her boring life revolving solely around him. She has no self-worth, and spends a good deal of the book whining, complaining and sighing, I really wanted to shake her hard at times and tell her to GET A LIFE.

Honestly, I kind of agree with that!

The Gargoyle

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

read May 2010

Where do I begin? I didn't like this book AT ALL when I first started reading. It is sooo disturbing. The main character in the story gets burned nearly to death in a horrific car crash. He's a porn star who is raised by his meth-head aunt and uncle. He's driving drunk. It's such a downer! And the details of the car crash are just....absolutely....horrible.

But I kept reading. And OMG I'm so glad I did! I couldn't put this book down. I even took it to work with me and read it while at stoplights on my way to work. While this guy is recovering in a hospital, he meets this mentally ill woman (Marianne, a gargoyle sculptor) who claims that they were lovers in a past life....700 years ago. All the while he's recovering, Marianne tells him stories of their love. She tells stories about the plague, Vikings, Italian mercenaries, 13th century convents, etc.... It's just an amazing book, with all kinds of imagery and themes that I'm just not smart enough to explain intelligently.

I read that the author was given a $2 million advance for this book, which is his first novel. Well, it was worth it. Hands down the best book I've read in 2010.

Dead in the Family

Dead In The Family by Charlane Harris

read May 2010

Dead in the Family picks up where book #9 left off. Sookie is healing and trying to deal with the emotional aftermath of the torture she faced during the Fae war. She and Eric are dating, and they are still married in the vampire way. Bill is having problems healing from the silver poisoning he got during the Fae war. Sookie and Eric were like a "normal" couple in this book. I think I prefer them better when they're fighting. Much more sexual tension that way. There was a lot of political stuff in this book that I didn't really love either (kind of got boring...) The government is considering adding shapeshifters/weres to the national registration bill, which would limit their rights as US citizens. There is a lot of turmoil with some supporting the bill, and some against.

Like the other Sookie books, this book was an entertaining read. Harris continues to do a great job with character development, and I enjoyed seeing many of my favorite characters again. The tone of the book was more of a downer than previous books, which I guess makes sense given what Sookie went through with the Fae war.

As a fan of the Sookie series, overall I enjoyed this book however it was not one of the better ones in the series.

The Mistress of Rome

The Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn

read May 2010

I'm a sucker for historical fiction.... I was not disappointed one bit by this book! It did lose me a little bit at the end, however. Somewhat predictable. But overall an enjoyable read! Glad that I bought it and I would like to read more by this author. You can find out more about her on GoodReads.com, which is one of my favorites websites all about books. She's currently writing a prequel and sequel to this book. Can't wait!

The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson & The Olympians Book #2) by Rick Riordan

read April 2010

I didn't like this as much as the first Percy Jackson book, but it really didn't disappoint. Percy is now in seventh grade and he (along with his friends) must travel to the Island of the Cyclops, grab the Golden Fleece (yep, the famous one) and return it to Camp Half-Blood before the camp is destroyed. I can't wait for my BFF's oldest daughter to get into this series....maybe another year or two.

Summer Reading List - Updated 5/9

Okay - I purchased a few more books today (Mother's Day), so I must update my summer reading list.

I posted this entry on my "regular" blog.....but then realized, "Hey! I have a blog just for books! What am I thinking???" So I'm posting this entry here as well!

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I went to Barnes & Noble this afternoon in search of a book club selection for May. I've decided that I miss my reading friends and want some excuse to have them over again in a month to drink wine and talk.... I also went to Target where I happened to find a few more good reads. I found sooooo many great books. I bought a few. Okay - more than a few. More like 8. But I have my summer reads all selected. Here's what I'll be reading this summer:

1) Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer. This is the third of her New Moon series. I've read it before (several times), but the movie comes out on June 30th, and I want to be fully prepared. If I remember, this one was my favorite. I'm still a Jacob fan.

2) The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. I hadn't heard anything about this one, but it looks pretty good. It's the story of a man who, while recovering from a car crash in a hospital burn unit, meets a woman. Said woman claims they were lovers in medieval Germany. Interesting, no?

3) My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster. Okay - if you haven't read anything by Jen Lancaster, get off your ass and go buy one (or all four) of her books. My favorite of all of them was Pretty in Plaid, which was her I love Target.

4) The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. This one may be my book club pick for May. It's about a girl who is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives totally alone with clothes and a book - a book of fairy tales. The dock master and his wife raise her and, on her 21st birthday, they tell her the truth about where she came from. So off she goes to trace her real identity. It sounds really good, and it has a reader's guide in the back of the book. I'm a sucker for books with reader's guides in them.

5) Little Bee by Chris Cleave. This is the other contender for May's book club selection. I've heard about this book, but for some reason never checked it out before today. I think it's new to paperback, which is what caught my eye. Anywho, the back of the book says, "This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again - the story starts there...." Hmmmmm......I'm intrigued! The book's a bestseller and has won a bunch of awards. True, a bunch of awards does not always equal a great book. But the author's from the UK. And you know how I love all things British.....

6) Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn. Historical fiction is my favorite genre. It's about first-century Rome, the Emperor Domitian, gladiators, etc.... I probably picked it up because I've been watching that series "Spartacus" on Starz lately. Interestingly, the author wrote her first story at age seven after seeing the movie "Spartacus" with that famous guy....I can't remember his name.... She said that she always wanted to write a book about a gladiator and this novel is the end result of that first "book" she wrote as a kid. Cute story, huh? That alone was enough to make me buy the book!

7)The Anglo Files: A Field Guide to the British by Sarah Lyall. This book has mixed reviews on GoodReads.com, but it looked good to me. I bought it last year and, although I've started it, I keep putting it down and forgetting about it! I know....you're probably thinking, "Well, it can't be THAT good then". But, really, it is! It's about a woman who moves from NYC to London in the early 90s. I'm going to finish it....soon.....

8) The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan. This is the 3rd book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I really enjoyed the first two. I've been waiting a few weeks to buy it in hopes of scoring one at Half Price Books. My mom (who I have reading them too) said that they told her that since the movie came out, there haven't been any of the Percy Jackson books handed in. Bummer. So I broke down and bought #3 today.

9) The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. This is book #1 of Riordan's new series, The Kane Chronicles, which is about Ancient Egypt.

10) Dead In the Family by Charlene Harris. If you haven't aready gotten into the Sookie Stackhouse series, this summer is a good time to do so. True Blood (on HBO) is based on this series by Ms. Harris. They're really, really good books. I think this is the 10th Sookie book. When I reviewed my summer reading purchases with my BFF, she kindly pointed out that I had forgotten to purchase this. I fixed that situation today with a trip to City Books. Book #3 is my favorite....if you've read them then you will know why.

11) The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon.

12) A Patriot's History of the United States by Larry Schweikart. I picked this up at Target today. I don't know if I would necessarily consider myself a patriot, but it looked good.

There are definitely more books I'm interested in....but this will get me started. Now if only I had a beach and a smokin' hot island man to serve me pina coladas all day, I'd be set!

A Reliable Wife

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

read March 2010

So this was one of those books that where you knew what would happen about 20 pages into it. However, I kept reading it and.... I. Loved. It! Really good book. From Barnesandnoble.com because I'm too lazy to paraphrase it myself...

It's a frigid mid-October night in 1907 and Ralph Truitt, a wealthy industrialist living near the Canadian border, is meeting the train. It carries Catherine Land, his mail-order bride, who answered his newspaper ad for a "reliable wife." As happens in all small towns, Truitt's private business has become public. Waiting on the railroad platform, he's surrounded by curious neighbors, most of whom his mills or mines employ.

When the train finally arrives, the exotic beauty who exits the private railroad car Truitt sent to fetch her is clearly not the same woman whose photo he holds in his hand. But with so many curious eyes upon them, Truitt hustles her off to avoid a scene, yet delivers a warning: "This begins in a lie. I want you to know I know that."

Great book. Quick read. I couldn't put it down.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

read March 2010

This is the same author that wrote "Pride and Prejudice for Zombies", which I never read but kept picking up at the bookstore. So because vampires are the latest craze, and because it was on sale at Target, I gave this one a try. In this book, the author meets a vampire (Henry), who gives him a bunch of Lincoln's old journals. As the author reads, he lears that Abraham Lincoln was a prolific vampire killer. See, according to the story, Abe's mother dies from the bite of a vampire, and her sickness was passed off as "milk sickness". From this moment on, Lincoln vows to destroy as many vampires as possible.

This was a pretty good book. I kept wanting there to be more of it. There's enough historical background in it that you keep thinking, "Hmmm....could it be???" I already have "Pride and Prejudice for Zombies" on reserve at the library. I'll let you know how that one turns out!

Wench

Wench - A Novel by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

read March 2010

I first read about this book in February's issue of Oprah Magazine. And, of course, because it was recommended by Oprah, I was like 80 millionth in line for it at the library. But my turn came up quicker than I though, and I was super excited to pick up the book on Monday. I read this in 2 days. It is an AMAZING book. It's the story of four slave women whose Southern white owners take them to a resort every summer for vacation. The resort is in free state Ohio and it takes place pre Civil War. The book is fiction, but the resort that's mentioned in the book (Tawawa Resort) did exist. It was close to Xenia, Ohio, and the author mentions that it is documented by historians that Southern slaveholders frequented the resort with their slave mistresses. Interestingly, the resort was only open for four years and was then sold to The Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1963, this property was purchased and renamed Wilberforce University, which is the nation's oldest, private, predominatly African-American University. Interesting, no? I can't even begin to describe the different emotions I went through when reading this book. The relationships between the slave women and their masters, the women with each other, the women with the slaveholders' wives were all fascinating. This is the author's first novel. If you look at her picture, she looks awfully darn young to have written such an awesome book! Good for you! It's one of the best books I've read in a long time.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan

read March 2010

Yes, I do realize that you will find these books in the "Ages 9-12" section of Barnes & Noble. Honestly, though, they're pretty good! Almost as good as the Harry Potter books. They're all about Percy (short for Perseus) Jackson, who discovers that he's a half blood. That's half human, half Greek god. I won't tell you which one...that would ruin the surprise. I haven't seen the movie that's out (I think it's still out, right?). In general, I find that movies just are never as good as the book. They're quick reads, of course, but I'd definitely recommend them. I've already ordered the 2nd one, which should be here any day!

Where the God of Love Hangs Out

Where the God of Love Hangs Out by Amy Bloom

read March 2010

Okay, I admit. I didn't read this book completely. It's basically a collection of short stories. I read about it .... probably in People magazine .... and checked it out from the library. But I was so into other books at the time and I didn't get around to starting it until yesterday. And it's due tomorrow. (Not renewable, of course, because it's on someone else's reserve list.) I don't love it enough to rack up late fines either. It's an okay book. I didn't like the first story at all, but I liked the next two enough to put this back on my list to read again soon.

I Swear I've Been Reading!

I have been reading a lot lately. I swear I have! I've been very fickle this winter - flitting from book to book as my mood suits me. To be honest, I've been doing a lot of "easy" reading these days...like re-reading Charlene Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.


These are the books that the HBO series "True Blood" is based on. By the way, the books are great. #3 is my fave.

Then there are the books that I've read that I'm almost too embarrassed to post about. For example, the Motley Crue biography "The Dirt". It was good, though.



Or this one....



But I will be better about 1) finishing books and 2) blogging about them! I mean, one of the main reasons why I wanted to start this blog is so that I can have a record of what I've read. I just reserved a bunch of books at the library and I'm looking forward to getting back on track!