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Last week I briefly mentioned a special project I have started working on.  I am really looking for writers!! If you write poems, short stories, witty little one liners or are capable of reviewing (books, music, etc.) well, please email me. I will fill ya in! ;) Thank you, thank you!!

I guess the flip side of this post could be "I can read". ;) This year one of my goals is to read 30 books. I'm just about to wrap up my "Winter reading" (although if I'm honest I'll tell you that I actually read the cliff notes for the end because I have a book club meeting tonight and I was too tired today to finish reading - hahah!). Below, are six books I did read start to finish. I wrote reviews or at the very least rated each of them over at Goodreads. I still have a stack of "yet to read" books but I'm always looking for recommendations. Read anything wonderful lately? 

Summer Reading 2008

Wow, last Summer I read 16 books so I'm obviously waaaay behind this year. ;) I have lots of good books waitin' to be read so hopefully I'll be able to add to this list by the end of the month.

The Next Thing On My List : This book was a good light read. I thought it was going to be a bit sappy but was pleasantly surprised by how bold this character was.

The Year of Fog: This was an excellent book that I would definitely recommend. This was a gripping story that had me sitting at the edge of my seat page after page. I felt so much empathy for the story's main character that I was often quite emotional at the turn of events. Great read!

The Bright Side of Disaster : This was an easy read and not nearly as serious as this situation would be in real life. I thought the story was entertaining and cute.

Harvesting the Heart : You know I love Jodi Picoult! Man, she is such a great writer, isn't she? Picoult's character development and great story lines make her books among my favorites and this one did not disappoint. The development of these characters over the years is incredible- her attention to detail made me feel like I actually know these people and it was easy to hate and love them at different parts of the book. The story had me wondering what would happen next and the end of the book had me wanting more.

Edit: Ok, so these first two I had forgotten that I read a few months back. It was still Summer, though, so they count and I'm adding them now. ;)

sTORI Telling : This book was just an extension of the trash mags I love so much. Most of the stories I'd read before but I still enjoyed it. Definitely not the book for everyone but if you like E!, read gossip blogs, or trashy mags, then it could be fore you.

Belong To Me :  I enjoy this author and loved the prequel to this book, Love Walked In. I like [good] sequels because they satisfy my curiosity about what happens after. I loved the characters and  relationships in this book, and how they dealt with the serious life issues presented. Though it's not completely necessary, I would recommend this book after you've read the first one.

Such a Pretty Girl : I was such a huge fan of Leftovers, by Laura Wiess, that I went right out and bought this book but I took a long time to come around to reading it. I finally decided to read it today. Like her other book it was a quick read, only taking a few hours. This book was a page turner. I sympathized with this character and hoped for her survival. Great book; important subject.

20 Times a Lady

I notice I tend to read very deep, often depressing books about addiction, abuse, and death. Every now and again I choose a book that screams "chick lit" and am so rarely disappointed.  Everyone loves a good laugh, love, and self deprecating wittiness. ;) I loved 20 Times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak! I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish it last week - it was very entertaining! PS - her blog is so funny; read it. :)

Here is the synopsis:

"How many men does it take to find true love?

Delilah Darling's magic number was supposed to be twenty. She always thought she'd find the perfect guy by the time she'd slept with twenty of them. But when she wakes up naked in her disgusting boss's bed after a drunken night out, she's filled with regret -- and realizes she's hit her self-imposed limit. Unwilling to up her number but unable to imagine a life of celibacy, Delilah does what any girl in her situation would do: she tracks down every man she's ever slept with in a last-ditch effort to make it work with one of them.

A hilarious romp through Delilah's past loves, 20 Times a Lady proves that in the end, numbers don't matter. True love will come when you're open and ready to accept it."

Leftovers

OMG, wow. I've just finished reading Leftovers by Laura Weiss an WOW what an amazing book. It's a super quick read (great for a weekend day when you have more time) and I couldn't put it down. The way this book was written was unlike any book I've ever read and it's been catapulted into my favorites list. The style of writing reminded me of the movies Memento and Swordfish, which are two of my absolute favorites. It's angry and I know it's not a song but it gave me the same feelings of an anthem - it was that powerful. Now I hope that you'll read it and it lives up to the praise I've given it here but try to read it without expectation so you can bring forth your own feelings and thoughts about it. If you do read it, let me know, I'd love to discuss it further!

Here is the synopsis:

"A devastating novel of desperation and revenge from one of today's most compelling new voices in fiction. In this follow-up to her heartbreaking debut, Such a Pretty Girl, Laura Wiess once again spins a shattering tale of the tragedies that befall young women who are considered society's Leftovers.

Blair and Ardith are best friends who have committed an unforgivable act in the name of love and justice. But in order to understand what could drive two young women to such extreme measures, first you'll have to understand why. You'll have to listen as they describe parents who are alternately absent and smothering, classmates who mock and shun anyone different, and young men who are allowed to hurt and dominate without consequence. You will have to learn what it's like to be a teenage girl who locks her bedroom door at night, who has been written off by the adults around her as damaged goods. A girl who has no one to trust except the one person she's forbidden to see. You'll have to understand what it's really like to be forgotten and abandoned in America today.

Are you ready?"

 

Picture Perfect

I'm on a roll, aren't I? But isn't this how it always is? I go months and months without turning a single page then I gobble books up like I'm starving! After my last review of a Jodi Picoult book I was so nervous to pick just the right one to restore my faith. ;) My sister loaned me her copy of Picture Perfect a while back (I have a stack of books in waiting!).

I enjoyed this book. There was a lot of great detail to this book from describing the characters, their lives, and various plot locations. It wasn't the absolute best, best, BEST book I've read (by her or anyone else) but it was entertaining and good and I'd still recommend it. Here is the synopsis:

"Cassie Barrett, a world-renowned anthropologist, wakes up in a graveyard and doesn't know who she is. Taken in for a few days by William Flying Horse, a Native American police officer, she waits for her life to re-appear. When Hollywood heartthrob Alex Rivers shows up to claim her as his wife, she is stunned but still doesn't remember anything.

After she returns to her fairytale existence as Alex Rivers' wife, fragments of memory come back but she senses there is a side to her husband that she can't remember. When she finds a positive pregnancy test hidden in her bathroom, dark memories return, allowing her to piece together her past. Frightened, she runs to the only person she trusts to keep her hidden: Will.

Jodi Picoult's story is a tapestry rich in detail and emotion, a beautifully written novel that will deeply reward, and perhaps inspire, its listeners."

PS - This is random, I know, but I really don't think this cover has anything to do with the story. Hmm..

The Tender Bar

I think one of the reasons I love books so much is that it appeals to a compassion I have for people. Like in life, I find myself finding all the ways I relate to the people I read about, fictional or non. This book was no different. Last Fall a friend loaned me The Tender Bar : A Memoir by J.R. Moehringer. At the time I read half and then stopped reading for months, as I often do (but not normally mid book). I decided to finish reading it this weekend and it was such a great read! I immediately related to the writer as a child growing up with an absent (or barely there) father. This book is filled with wonderful stories and tributes. It is very(!) well written, incredibly witty, and evokes a wide range of emotion.

Synopsis:

"In the tradition of This Boy's Life and The Liar's Club, J.R. Moehringer's The Tender Bar is a raucous, poignant, luminously written memoir about a boy striving to become a man, and his romance with a bar. A national bestseller that was named one of the 100 Most Notable Books of 2005 by the New York Times, The Tender Bar will reach an even larger audience in paperback.

J.R. Moehringer , winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2000, is a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, and a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. He lives in Denver, Colorado."

Come Back

This past week I read my first book of the year - a mother and daughter memoir called Come Back : A Mother and Daughter's Journey Through Hell and Back by Claire and Mia Fontaine. 

Synopsis:

"How does an honor student at one of the finest prep schools in Los Angeles—a bright, beautiful girl from a loving home—end up shooting up in the back of a van in rural Indiana? How does her devoted mother overcome the shock of finding out that her daughter has not only disappeared but had been living a secret life for more than a year?

Mother and daughter each tell their story in compelling, provocative first-person accounts. Claire chronicles her struggles with her daughter Mia's manipulative, drug-fueled behavior, her relentless search for her across three states, and ultimate choice to force her into a boot camp school in Eastern Europe. Mia details her refuge in the abyss of criminals and heroin addicts and the painful childhood secrets that led up to it. Both describe their remarkable, if controversial, process of healing with unsparing honesty and humor.

An unforgettable story of love and transformation, Come Back is a heart-wrenching portrayal of the bond between mother and daughter that will resonate with readers everywhere."

Even though we have very different issues then these I felt this book was an eye opener in some of the ways I parent my sister. It was also very well written and inspiring. If you want to read more from Claire, visit her blog.

Holiday Reading

I hope you had a lovely holiday! Alex and I had a great time visiting family in Texas. It was cold and snowy which was a nice break from the 85-90 degree temps we still have here. The drive provided lots of time to read + listen to books on CD.

I picked up Flea Market Style just before we left on our trip. The images in this book were beautifully stylized and I was so taken by the photography of Debi Treloar. I normally buy interior books for the photographs alone and never even read the text (a lot of times they're not in English) but this one was inspiring and full of great ideas.

I've had The Crafter's Companion: Tips, Tales and Patterns from a Community of Creative Minds for a while now but haven't had a chance to read it before this week. This book was put together by Anna Torborg of Twelve22. It was fun to read the various contributions from bloggers I've been reading for the last couple of years and am looking forward to using a few of the patterns given within.

One of the books we listened to on CD was The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. While you know that I am a HUGE fan of her work and have read several of her books over the last couple of years, I was not a big fan of this one. It wasn't all bad just a bit slow going and a little disappointing. Even still I am eager to read another book of hers and soon.

Summer Reading 3 + Where I've Been

Thanks for the emails from those who've noticed my month and a half absence from blogging and pretty much all computer use. I spent a week vacationing with the girls in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, relaxing all day and partying all night. I came back and started a new nanny job that I *love*. I've been reading in most of my spare time. The books above are the books I've read between mid-Aug. and Mid-Sept. We've been getting used to having a teenager in the house (my sister moved in mid-July). I've been dating my husband and having family focused evenings and weekends. I've been walking and hiking daily along with eating better and general exercising. I've lost  7 lbs. (and counting).

Happy Fall!

Summer Reading - Part II

These are the books I've read in just over a week since my last Summer Reading post. I told you I was devouring books. ;) Interesting selection, eh? I like to change it up a bit and rarely go from one like book to another.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was so, so awesome. I bow down to the pure genius of J.K. Rowling to be sure. I cannot wait to see this book translated to the big screen and I won't gush on about it for those of you too lame busy to read it. Teeheehee. ;)

I've known about Go Ask Alice for as far back as I remember roaming the bookstore but they must have done a new push of it because it's been popping up everywhere lately and I've finally purchased a copy. I read this book in an evening and while it's a short read it's definitely not a light topic. True to format (it's a journal) it's both honest and raw and so sad.

After such a book, I look for the most trivial chick lit I can get my hands on and on my massive book stack was Speechless- a smart and funny collaboration about the life of a single 30 something "lacky" in Canadian government. I really enjoyed it. :)