Saving Karyn

Title: Saving Karyn
Author: Karyn Bosnak
Published: 2003
Pages: 445
Days it took me to read: 2 days
Rating 3.5

Favorite Quote " I really needed this ______ it's an investment into my future."

Review: This book is about a girl who moves to the big city to be on her own for once, and away from the life that she knows to 'find herself'. All she seemed to find was stores to shop in. I could relate to her and yet I feel like I have a little bit more self control than to let me spending get to the point of 20k in debt. She was very smart in starting a website to have people help her, but I could see both sides of the story. People were upset b/c she was having others pay back her debt that she gained by buying $400 sunglasses and $500 purses. There are thousands (millions I'm sure) of people all around the world who are in debt but do not have others paying back for them. She was lucky enough to be the first to think of this...and very unlucky to have gone through this hell. I can't even, and don't even want to imagine the stress she felt reading her credit card statements.

The Unlikely Disciple

Title: The Unlikely Disciple
Author: Kevin Roose
Published: 2009
Pages: 319
Days it took me to read: 3 days
Rating: 4 stars
Favorite Quote: this isn't really a quote, but he talks about how 'normal' the students at Liberty are.

Review: So this book is about a Quaker who goes to Liberty college for a semester. He is not a Christian but he wants to see what it is like at a Christian college. There are many things I found interesting about this book. I think it is nice to show people that Christians are 'normal' and that they deal with the same issues everyone on the planet deals with. Of course there are things I didn't like about the book - I guess I have never really been a big Jerry Falwell fan mainly because I think he was more a 'bible pusher' and gave a back image of Christians, or at least a little too hard core. But it was interesting to learn about the school he started! I think this is a great book for anyone to read. I do enjoy reading debut novels because I look at the author's writing style, things I would have changed etc. But this is a great reminder to everyone out there that no one is perfect and we are all dealing with our own struggles through life.

Happy Accidents

Title: Happy Accidents
Author: Jane Lynch
Published: 2011
Pages 302
Days it took me to read it: 4 hours
Rating: 3.5 stars

Favorite Quote: "Find what you do best and do your best with it"

Review: I was telling my friend Bayley how I had wanted to read Tina Fey's "Bossypants" (which I still do!) and she told me there was another funny lady's book I should read - Happy Accidents. I have watched a bunch of Jane Lynch's movies - Best in Show, 40 year old Virgin, Role Models. She is hilarious. I guess you could say I am a fan but not obsessed, and I'm not a fan of Glee. The book was interesting to read how she got into her acting career (she really wasn't 'found' until her mid-40s!) She lived and worked in Chicago until her late 30's so as she was writing about places it was pretty cool to know what she was talking about.

After she talked about some of the movies I had seen her in, it made me want to watch them again because most of them are improv which I thought was just fantastic and now knowing that I want to watch them again. If you need an easy read, know who Jane Lynch is then yes I would say go for it and read it. But if you have something else that you've been looking forward to reading - go for that one first.

Sing Your Way Home

Title: Sing Your Way Home
Author: Jodi Picoult (I obviously had some catching up to do)
Published: 2011
Pages: 466
Days it took me to read it: 6 hours
Rating 2.5

Favorite Quote: Honestly do not have a fav from this book really..


Review: Well as you can see in my past 3 posts, all I did this weekend was read. I told my co-worker that I read 3 books and she was like 'WHAT?' I guess that is a lot for a normal person but who ever said I was normal? So this is the latest in Jodi's collection and I have to say it's probably one of my least favorites, along with 'The Tenth Circle' which I had to force myself to finish. This is about a couple who tries IVF and loses a baby. They divorce and the husband finds Jesus and the wife finds love with another woman. Let me just say, I am not anit-gay. I feel that everyone has a right to do what they want with their life - but this book just wasn't my thing. I mean I felt that it gave Christianity a bad rap because of how pushy, showy, and closed minded the husband and pastor were. I understand that it is a sin to be gay, I also know though that God does not want us to judge others. He wants us to love one another...

I did like Zoe's job, a music therapist. I did think it was pretty cool that this book came with a CD. Jodi actually wrote the lyrics and then a friend of her's sang the songs and brought Zoe to life. That is pretty darn cool! I will say this book was an easy read, and as always Jodi's characters are easy to relate to; it just wasn't my kind of book. It did have a great ending though which I was happy about especially after reading 'Handle With Care's ending. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

House Rules

Title: House Rules
Author: Jodi Picoult
Published: 2010
Pages 533
Days it took me to read: 8 hours
Rating 3.5

Favorite Quote: 'How did you sleep last night?' On my stomach

Review: What can I say, I grabbed 3 of Jodi's books while I was at the library the other day. House Rules is another one that I read the summary of when it first came out and then put it back on the shelf. Once again she did not disappoint. Jacob is autistic, but he is high functioning Asperger's. He's 18 and obsessed with forensic evidence. His brother is overlooked, his mom gave up her life for him and his tutor is dead. He ends up as a murder suspect.

It was frustrating to read this book - mainly because Jacob is a frustrating character. And I know this probably sounds awful but if I have a baby that as special needs I pray that if it has to be something I want it to be Down's and not Autism. My heart went out to Emma ( the mom) I can not image having a child that does not want to be touched. That could not register my emotion towards them, or heaven forbid not get my sarcasm! lol

Although this was more of a mystery it really wasn't. You know what happens but the truth doesn't come out for another 250 pages. Plus I just did not understand why he didn't tell the WHOLE truth in the first place, but again not a real person so it doesn't matter. If I had to sugguest this or Handle with Care, I would say read Handle with Care....although this was obviously good enough for me to read 265 pages a day:)

Handle With Care

Title: Handle with Care
Author: Jodi Picoult
Published: 2009
Pages 477
Days it took me to read: 8 hours
Rating: 4.5

Favorite Quote: ' Do you drink a lot of soda?' Um, yeah I guess. 'Well stop, they use that stuff to clean up the blood after traffic accidents'

Review:  So I would say for the past 3 weeks I haven't really read anything. I've been in a depressed slump with pretty much meant I worked, I slept, I ate. So thankfully a trip to the library has helped me get out of that! I read this book in 3 sittings and it is pretty great if you ask me. I feel like if you read the summary you may put it back on the shelf. Actually that's exactly what I did in the aisle of Target when this book came out. Jodi is one of my favorite authors and when I saw that she was writing about disabilities I have to say I was a little turned off.

I should know by now not to doubt the woman, she is an amazing writer and I always feel as if her characters could be my neighbors. This book is about will who has OI (brittle bone disease) and her mother sues her OB-GYN doctor. I think my mom would find this book interesting because they talk about ultrasounds a lot and pregnancy. Then again that is her job not her life so maybe she wouldn't..

Even though I realize these characters are not real, my heart went to Charlotte (the mom) I wished Amelia was stronger. I felt sorry for Pipper and prayed for Williow's bravery and child innocence. I do have to say I did not like the way the book ended. At all. It actually pissed me off a little bit but then again she's ended books like this before so I shouldn't have been too surprised I guess.

I am glad I read this and will probably add it to my collection as I have all of her other books already! :)

Born To Run

Title: Born to Run
Author Christopher McDougall
Published: 2009
Pages: 287
Days it took me to read: 4 days
Rating: 5 starts

Favorite Quote: “Deny your nature and it will erupt in some other, uglier way.”


Review: This book is amazing. I still do not consider myself a runner but I do run and a goal of mine is to run a marathon - just to say I did. The only problem is that I really am not a distance runner. The author is a marathoner and kept getting hurt. He could not understand why with the technology that we have and all of the super tech running shoes why he was getting hurt. And at the same time there was a tribe out there called 'The Running People' and in 2 days they could run 400 miles. barefoot. He set out on an adventure to find out their secret even if it meant life or death.'


I learned so much about running. My relationship with running.  And other runners for that matter - every time I read all I wanted to do is run! Even though I guess you could consider this book educational it was a quick read for the most part.  If you like to run, if you're thinking about running, or if you just want to learn more about running - READ THIS BOOK! 

Waiter's Rant

Title: Waiter Rant
Author- The Waiter
Published: 2008
Pages 302
Days It took me to read it: 2
Rating: 4.5
Favorite Quote: It's actually a whole paragraph where he goes into detail about Mad Cow disease for an asshole customer that wanted to make sure he wouldn't get it eating their steak. I love putting customers in their place and making them look stupid at the same time:)

Review: I think if you have ever dined in a restaurant you need to read this book. I have been a server before so I could relate to 'the waiter' page after page. I liked reading the situations he's been in and know that it doesn't matter where you are in the country people really are the same. It makes you realize you really should not take anything personally when it comes to customers in a restaurant because if they were not yelling at your and calling you an idiot it would just be some other person.

I think it's great that he kept his identity a secret throughout the years that he wrote his blog (this book is based on a blog, whoops did I fail to mention that in the opening paragraph?) The very last page in the book he gives up his name: Steve. Then again it could be a made up name that he just decided to put in the book.

Again this is a great book, easy read and a 'Can I getta AMEN' if you've ever worked in the restaurant industry.

Next Read: The Omnivore's Dilemma

Househusband

Title: Househusband
Author: Ad Hudler
Published 2002
Pages: 294
Days it took me to read: 2
Quote: 'Malibu Beach Barbie soon proved to be as evil as I'd feared.'
Rate: 3.5

Review: I guess I would say I picked this book up mainly because of the title and false hopes that maybe I could take some notes and some how implement them into my own husband. After the first 4 paragraphs I realized that would never happen but was into the book enough to continue to read for the shire entertainment value. Linc is a stay at home day who seems to be a Type-A feminized male if you ask me. I had to wonder throughout the book if he was going to be coming out of the closet in the next chapter or not (spoiler alert: he doesn't) I did think his parenting advice was good and I should probably take notes on how Malibu Barbie is an evil bitch.

Ad Hudler is a stay at home dad himself so I did have to wonder how much of this story is real and how much is made up. Again, since I am writing a book about my life but in a way that makes it sound fiction (avoiding lawsuits here people) well I have to say I like the mystery behind that question. The thing I did not like about this book is how there were actual recipes in the back of some of the chapters. I mean I get that the character is really into cooking but make up your mind; are you writing a novel or cook book? Then again this is a way for this book to be different the all the others.

I would read this book again, although probably not anytime soon. It will probably be 3 years down the road when I'm standing in line at the library and skim through and THEN realize, why yes I have read this book already!

The Starter Wife

Title: The Starter Wife
Author: Gigi Levangie Grazer
Published: 2005
Pages: 359
Days it took me to read: 3
Review: 3 outta 5 ain't bad!
Quote: Nothing stood out to me enough to remember...

Review:  The Stater Wife is about a woman who's married to a Hollywood big shot and how her life changes after he tells her he wants a divorce. The characters are fun and easy to relate to even though I  have never been to the West Coast. It gives an inside look at what life in LA is life and to be honest; I don't want to find out if it's true! It's sounds exhausting! It was another light read and was a nice escape for the real world for the hours that I did read it, I would be willing to read her other books as well.

The Reading Promise

Title: 'The Reading Promise'
Author: Alice Ozma
Published: 2011
Number of Pages: 270
Days it took me to read it: 2
Rating 2.5 stars
Quote: 'Though you couldn't see the sun through the small window behind us, there were no clouds in sight and the sky was the color of an Easter egg, freshly dyed and still dripping from the experience.'

**in reference to their grandma's cat....'She absolutely oozed hatred like no other creature before or since.'

Review: I picked this book up and decided to get it after I read the summary. The idea that a father and daughter read together for 3000+ nights rocks my mind. It inspires me to read to my kids when they are growing up, maybe even after they know how to read even. My mom read to me growing up and I love it; I guess it never crossed either of our minds to continue (although I feel now that I am out of the house it would be a silly topic to bring up) I have to say this book was easy to read due to her simplistic writing style. Alice is only 22 and this is her first book (Weird that I'm jealous?) I do not think I would read it again however due to the fact that I did not view any of the characters as 'friends'.

I also did not like the way her father spoke to her at times, although this could be reader's error and could have been the way I interpreted it. I give her props to the fact that she didn't have a ghost writer and that she was able to spit out 270 pages (my new goal for my book at least, if she can do it, damn it so can I!) Anyway , 'The Reading Promise' was a decent, light-hearted book but one that I would not run out and buy-which is why I love the library:)

Next Read: The Starter Wife

What the ???

I was in line today at the library, had a stack from my hip to my ears! I waited patiently in line as the other patrons were being helped. I did what I always do and flipped through each book, thinking about which I would read first. As I was reading the first few pages of  'Calender Girl' it dawned on me that I had read it already; now I don't mind re-reading books but this is one that I remembered that was not worth my time a second go around. I decided that it might be fun and interesting to keep a blog of what I'm reading, not only for myself but others as well. It's always nice to see what others are reading and what they think of the books. If nothing else this will be a great way for me to keep track of what I've read and what I'm willing to re-read again. Of course, this blog may change or vary but for the most part I think I will keep it simple and something like this:

Title
Author
Published Date
Number of Pages
Rating (out of five *'s of course)
Days it took me to read it
My review
Worthy of a re-read

I think this will be interesting and I'm challenging myself to keep this for at least a year to see what I've read over the span of 365 days. The title of my blog should be self explanatory or at least I feel it should if you've ever picked up a book and read. I think you can pick up a book anywhere you are and be welcomed by new and old friends alike. These friends will not judge you, they open their world up to you and take you away from the 'every day life' whenever you need a break. A book can comfort you, expand your mind, help you grow as a person even. With all of that said; I'm off to read!