I read about They Did It With Love on another reader's blog and placed the book on hold at my local library. It came in pretty quickly and I started to read yesterday and finished it this morning. It was such a wonderful book and I really, really loved it. I would rate it an A.
From Amazon:
Sofie and her husband have left Manhattan in search of a more tranquil life in the suburbs. But when a member of Sofie’s new neighborhood book club turns up dead, things get messy. She discovers that everybody has something to hide, including her own husband. Her neighbor Priscilla has been married to Gordon for fifteen years, but the love left their marriage a long time ago. Susan is Priscilla’s biggest supporter until she has to choose between loyalty to her friend and telling the truth. Ashley is eager to fit in, but her youth and status as a second wife keep her on the outside. She may know more than they think she does, though. Julia seems to have it all—the perfect house, job and husband. But her untimely death has people questioning how perfect her life really was. Through this swamp of suburban secrets, Sofie must wade to find the truth behind Julia’s murder and the state of her own marriage.
The premise is one of my favorites and I love the setting. I really enjoy reading about the wealthy and think it is fascinating to read about their lives. The fact that the characters are such fans of mystery books and have a book club dedicated to them was also a great idea. This book had its own mystery going on and they were a ton of twists and turns throughout the story. I ended up having parts of the whodunit correct but I was surprised with some of the ending. The characters were really well written, and as it turned out I didn't really like many of the characters but I still enjoyed the story. That was surprising for me. I am also going to look for the two other books Ms. Morgenroth wrote and check those out. I really enjoy her writing and highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery.
I think I have one more book to read to reach my goal and I don't think I will be able to finish it. I am still not feeling too well and I also have more work to get done for my mom so that doesn't leave me with a lot of wiggle room. I am going to start a new book I just got earlier in the week called By Blood Written and seems to be quite the suspense book. Hope everyone else is having a relaxing weekend and Happy Reading!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
I have been a fan of Sue Grafton's books since a couple of years ago when I received the first three of her books for Christmas. I hate the long wait between books all of the time, but I was excited to get the book in from the library. It was a pretty good book and I would rate it a B+.
From Amazon:
In what may be her most unsettling novel to date, Sue Grafton's T is for Trespass is also her most direct confrontation with the forces of evil. Beginning slowly with the day-to-day life of a private eye, Grafton suddenly shifts from the voice of Kinsey Millhone to that of Solana Rojas, introducing readers to a chilling sociopath. Rojas is not her birth name. It is an identity she cunningly stole, an identity that gives her access to private caregiving jobs. The true horror of the novel builds with excruciating tension as the reader foresees the awfulness that lies ahead. The suspense lies in whether Millhone will realize what is happening in time to intervene. Though set in the late eighties, T is for Trespass could not be more topical: identity theft; elder abuse; betrayal of trust; the breakdown in the institutions charged with caring for the weak and the dependent. It reveals a terrifying but all-too-real rip in the social fabric. Once again, Grafton opens up new territory with startling results.
Like the description says, this book really hits home to a lot of issues in the world today. As a loving grandaughter to my 93 year old grandmother it sickens me to think that people could abuse and be so mean to the elderly. I always enjoy Ms. Grafton's books and really like Kinsey. I love the little details in her in day to day live and love that she is willilng to take a risk. She has a fierce stand of what is right and what is wrong and I love that about her. The secondary characters in this series are also really enjoyable and I always love reading her books. There was not a lot of suspense or mystery in the book which is why I gave this a B+, but it is still an enjoyable and fun read.
Up next is They Did It for Love which I got at the library. I have two more books to read to get to my goal and I hope to do it. I have the flu which has cut down on my reading a bit, but do feel better today than I have the past couple of days. However, I have work to do for my mom's business here at home and I haven't done laundry and need to clean. I hope to get all of it done and should be able to as long as I get my butt in gear. I hope everyone else had an enjoyable Christmas and have been getting some reading done. I received several gift cards for the book store so that made me happy. Happy Reading!
From Amazon:
In what may be her most unsettling novel to date, Sue Grafton's T is for Trespass is also her most direct confrontation with the forces of evil. Beginning slowly with the day-to-day life of a private eye, Grafton suddenly shifts from the voice of Kinsey Millhone to that of Solana Rojas, introducing readers to a chilling sociopath. Rojas is not her birth name. It is an identity she cunningly stole, an identity that gives her access to private caregiving jobs. The true horror of the novel builds with excruciating tension as the reader foresees the awfulness that lies ahead. The suspense lies in whether Millhone will realize what is happening in time to intervene. Though set in the late eighties, T is for Trespass could not be more topical: identity theft; elder abuse; betrayal of trust; the breakdown in the institutions charged with caring for the weak and the dependent. It reveals a terrifying but all-too-real rip in the social fabric. Once again, Grafton opens up new territory with startling results.
Like the description says, this book really hits home to a lot of issues in the world today. As a loving grandaughter to my 93 year old grandmother it sickens me to think that people could abuse and be so mean to the elderly. I always enjoy Ms. Grafton's books and really like Kinsey. I love the little details in her in day to day live and love that she is willilng to take a risk. She has a fierce stand of what is right and what is wrong and I love that about her. The secondary characters in this series are also really enjoyable and I always love reading her books. There was not a lot of suspense or mystery in the book which is why I gave this a B+, but it is still an enjoyable and fun read.
Up next is They Did It for Love which I got at the library. I have two more books to read to get to my goal and I hope to do it. I have the flu which has cut down on my reading a bit, but do feel better today than I have the past couple of days. However, I have work to do for my mom's business here at home and I haven't done laundry and need to clean. I hope to get all of it done and should be able to as long as I get my butt in gear. I hope everyone else had an enjoyable Christmas and have been getting some reading done. I received several gift cards for the book store so that made me happy. Happy Reading!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Projection by Keith Ablow
After looking over some of my previous reads this year, I decided to select another of Mr. Ablow's book to read next. Much to my surprise it was a continuation of the first book I read in the summer and it took me awhile to remember what had happened. Once I did, I picked up the book more and read more than half of it this morning. I would rate it a B+.
From Amazon:
Distinguished plastic surgeon Trevor Lucas may not be guilty of the four murders he stands accused of, as Ablow's gruesome psychological thriller opens, but he has clearly lost his mind, claiming that his right arm is controlled by Satan. Frank Clevenger, hero of Ablow's first novel, Denial, and consulting forensic psychiatrist to the Massachusetts police, is well aware of Lucas's innocence, since he framed him to save their mutual lover, the pathologically jealous but pitiable Kathy Matheson. Kathy's four victims were Lucas and Clevenger's other sexual partners, including the woman who was Frank's real love, but he sees Kathy only as a victim, since she was raped by her father as a child. When Lucas takes control of the hospital ward where he is being held, cuts off his arm and begins mobilizing the criminally insane inmates to assist him in vivisecting their fellow patients and members of the hospital staff, Clevenger makes a foray into the grisly ward and convinces the state police to hold off their assault on the hospital for 24 hours so he can delve into Lucas's past to discover the roots of his trauma. Astonishingly, the cops agree, and Clevenger is off to Baltimore, Lucas's hometown. Along the way, ponytailed Clevenger scores heroin, falls in love with a prostitute and continues to affirm that criminals with difficult childhoods are not responsible for their actions.
I liked this book because their were surprises and twists I never even expected. Like I said, it started off slowly for me but then really picked up the pace. Dr. Clevenger is hardly anything close to a normal psychitrist and is far from perfect. He definitely has his own problems, which I sort of like. Quite often the hero in suspense books are close to being perfect and Dr. Clevenger is not. It is hard to like him, but I felt this book did show his good points. I was surprised by a lot of the events that happened and I feel like this book was not completely resolved. I hope there is more of this book in the future Clevenger books. I know I have a couple more, so hopefully I will be able to get some answers.
Up next is T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton. My idea of placing the books that are large typed on hold panned out again as people seem to forget about those. I got it in really quick and on the normal book list, I was number 136 for it. However, I will read it quickly because I feel guilty holding on to a popular book for a long time. Hopefully I can get it read fast over today and tomorrow, though of course we will be busy with Christmas. I also missed my blog anniversary yesterday. I can't believe it has been a year. I read some of my older entries and I really love being able to reflect on the books I have read over the year that I otherwise may have forgotten about. I also noticed I didn't meet some of my goals, but hopefully will meet my main goal of reading 100 books. I think it will be pretty big with graduating this semester and my problems I went through this summer. Three more to go, so hopefully I will be able to get it done.
I hope everyone has an enjoyable Christmas. I am looking forward to it all being done. Sometimes it just seems like such a chore since we have so many places to go. My parents just got divorced three years ago and it is a pain trying to see everyone, including the in-laws. Plus my anxiety and depression is getting bad again and I really don't feel like leaving my house. Oh well, gotta do it. To everyone else, have a wonderful Christmas and be safe! Happy reading!
From Amazon:
Distinguished plastic surgeon Trevor Lucas may not be guilty of the four murders he stands accused of, as Ablow's gruesome psychological thriller opens, but he has clearly lost his mind, claiming that his right arm is controlled by Satan. Frank Clevenger, hero of Ablow's first novel, Denial, and consulting forensic psychiatrist to the Massachusetts police, is well aware of Lucas's innocence, since he framed him to save their mutual lover, the pathologically jealous but pitiable Kathy Matheson. Kathy's four victims were Lucas and Clevenger's other sexual partners, including the woman who was Frank's real love, but he sees Kathy only as a victim, since she was raped by her father as a child. When Lucas takes control of the hospital ward where he is being held, cuts off his arm and begins mobilizing the criminally insane inmates to assist him in vivisecting their fellow patients and members of the hospital staff, Clevenger makes a foray into the grisly ward and convinces the state police to hold off their assault on the hospital for 24 hours so he can delve into Lucas's past to discover the roots of his trauma. Astonishingly, the cops agree, and Clevenger is off to Baltimore, Lucas's hometown. Along the way, ponytailed Clevenger scores heroin, falls in love with a prostitute and continues to affirm that criminals with difficult childhoods are not responsible for their actions.
I liked this book because their were surprises and twists I never even expected. Like I said, it started off slowly for me but then really picked up the pace. Dr. Clevenger is hardly anything close to a normal psychitrist and is far from perfect. He definitely has his own problems, which I sort of like. Quite often the hero in suspense books are close to being perfect and Dr. Clevenger is not. It is hard to like him, but I felt this book did show his good points. I was surprised by a lot of the events that happened and I feel like this book was not completely resolved. I hope there is more of this book in the future Clevenger books. I know I have a couple more, so hopefully I will be able to get some answers.
Up next is T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton. My idea of placing the books that are large typed on hold panned out again as people seem to forget about those. I got it in really quick and on the normal book list, I was number 136 for it. However, I will read it quickly because I feel guilty holding on to a popular book for a long time. Hopefully I can get it read fast over today and tomorrow, though of course we will be busy with Christmas. I also missed my blog anniversary yesterday. I can't believe it has been a year. I read some of my older entries and I really love being able to reflect on the books I have read over the year that I otherwise may have forgotten about. I also noticed I didn't meet some of my goals, but hopefully will meet my main goal of reading 100 books. I think it will be pretty big with graduating this semester and my problems I went through this summer. Three more to go, so hopefully I will be able to get it done.
I hope everyone has an enjoyable Christmas. I am looking forward to it all being done. Sometimes it just seems like such a chore since we have so many places to go. My parents just got divorced three years ago and it is a pain trying to see everyone, including the in-laws. Plus my anxiety and depression is getting bad again and I really don't feel like leaving my house. Oh well, gotta do it. To everyone else, have a wonderful Christmas and be safe! Happy reading!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Eye Contact by Stephen Collins
After reading the book by Mr. Collins that I got from the library used book sale I had to check out his backlist. While I was disappointed to find that he only had one other book, but I was glad to see that it was at my local library. I went and got it, and enjoyed it a lot. I rated it a B+.
From Amazon:
Actress Nicolette Stallings is a compulsive exhibitionist who in the throes of self-loathing manipulates men by leading them into sexual acts that feed her masochism. When she provides a night of uninhibited sexual fantasy for a man she picks up in a restaurant, he turns out to have more problems than she can handle, which plunges her into a frenzy of self-preservation. Teaming with memorable characters (first-time novelist Collins makes New York cabbies and doormen come alive in a few short sentences), the book is full of people who help Nick see herself for who she really is. Surviving visits to her analyst, an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, her mother's compulsive soup making, the desire to self-destruct, her need to expose herself, and her disastrous approach to her career, Nick learns to meet life one day at a time and could well become the Holden Caulfield of the 1990s.
This book had an excellent premise and was nothing like I have read before. At first, I hated Nick but as the story continues, you really begin to feel for her and get a better understanding of where she is coming from. The side characters are also wonderful, especially Nick's new-found friend Joanna. There is quite a few graphic scenes in the beginning of the story, but just like I mentioned in my previous post it didn't bother me. I may have liked this book better than Mr. Collins' previous book that I read, though this book ended with a few questions and I like things a bit more tied up. I also thought the resoulution to the main problem came out of nowhere, though it didn't bring down my assessment of this book that much.
I am not sure what is up next. I need to look at my bookshelves. I have now read two straight books from the library and I am trying to balance out my TBR books with my library books. T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton came in for me so I am looking forward to reading that but I am going to read one of my own books first. I will hopefully be able to make it to the library tomorrow because it is the last day before they close for the holiday. I would love to get that one read this weekend. I am know on vacation until January 7 and am really looking forward to it. I do have some work to do for my mom's business which I can do from my house in my pajamas, so I really don't mind that. I need to get two more gift cards and Christmas is done. Today was my DH's 30th birthday, so I am relieved that is all done now. I just need some time to decompress and relax a bit and am looking forward to that. Hope everyone else is getting some relaxing and Happy Reading in!
From Amazon:
Actress Nicolette Stallings is a compulsive exhibitionist who in the throes of self-loathing manipulates men by leading them into sexual acts that feed her masochism. When she provides a night of uninhibited sexual fantasy for a man she picks up in a restaurant, he turns out to have more problems than she can handle, which plunges her into a frenzy of self-preservation. Teaming with memorable characters (first-time novelist Collins makes New York cabbies and doormen come alive in a few short sentences), the book is full of people who help Nick see herself for who she really is. Surviving visits to her analyst, an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, her mother's compulsive soup making, the desire to self-destruct, her need to expose herself, and her disastrous approach to her career, Nick learns to meet life one day at a time and could well become the Holden Caulfield of the 1990s.
This book had an excellent premise and was nothing like I have read before. At first, I hated Nick but as the story continues, you really begin to feel for her and get a better understanding of where she is coming from. The side characters are also wonderful, especially Nick's new-found friend Joanna. There is quite a few graphic scenes in the beginning of the story, but just like I mentioned in my previous post it didn't bother me. I may have liked this book better than Mr. Collins' previous book that I read, though this book ended with a few questions and I like things a bit more tied up. I also thought the resoulution to the main problem came out of nowhere, though it didn't bring down my assessment of this book that much.
I am not sure what is up next. I need to look at my bookshelves. I have now read two straight books from the library and I am trying to balance out my TBR books with my library books. T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton came in for me so I am looking forward to reading that but I am going to read one of my own books first. I will hopefully be able to make it to the library tomorrow because it is the last day before they close for the holiday. I would love to get that one read this weekend. I am know on vacation until January 7 and am really looking forward to it. I do have some work to do for my mom's business which I can do from my house in my pajamas, so I really don't mind that. I need to get two more gift cards and Christmas is done. Today was my DH's 30th birthday, so I am relieved that is all done now. I just need some time to decompress and relax a bit and am looking forward to that. Hope everyone else is getting some relaxing and Happy Reading in!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Pyres by Derek Nikitas
As I mentioned in my previous post, I read about Pyres on another bloggers site and it seemed interesting. I picked it up from the library and while it got off to a slow start, I was quickly into it. I give it an A-.
From Amazon:
In PYRES, 15 year old Lucia Moberg lifts a CD out of a store in a shopping mall-and when she and her dad get into their car, there is a tap at the window.The next second her father's brains are on the dashboard.So begins the story of the ruin of her mother, whose home life is shrouded in darkness, a mysterious and menacing motorcycle gang, the real-to-life female cop out to crack the case, who is facing her own family's collapse, and the struggle for Lucia to piece together some semblance of a normal teenage life.The writing is hard and crisp, and wholly multi-dimensional, while the story moves along at a nail-biting pace with twists, turns, literary allusions, and the engaging plight of several fascinating, memorable, and fully rounded characters.
This was a really well-written book. I really felt for Luc and all of the guilt and experiences she had to deal with. I couldn't even imagine the pain that she felt and then all of the blame she places on herself for her father's death. The book had a ton of twists and turns and the suspense was well done. About 75% through the book the read finds out all of the whodunits, but the suspense still builds. I really enjoyed the characters of Luc and Greta, the cop who investigated the murder. The only thing that I did not enjoy was some of the references to Luc's father's heritage because at times it seemed like it was a little far-fetched, and I do admit to skimming some of those parts. Overall, a very good first book by Mr. Nikitas.
Up next is the other Stephen Collins book titled Eye Contact. I got it from the library and want to see how this one is. We had a snow day today, so I was able to get a lot done last night and today. Most of the shopping is done and most of the wrapping is done. I have a couple more small gifts to get and a few gift cards to get. I am happy about that. Tomorrow I am only working half of a day, so I will be able to get the rest of it done hopefully. Hope everyone else had a good weekend and Happy Reading!
From Amazon:
In PYRES, 15 year old Lucia Moberg lifts a CD out of a store in a shopping mall-and when she and her dad get into their car, there is a tap at the window.The next second her father's brains are on the dashboard.So begins the story of the ruin of her mother, whose home life is shrouded in darkness, a mysterious and menacing motorcycle gang, the real-to-life female cop out to crack the case, who is facing her own family's collapse, and the struggle for Lucia to piece together some semblance of a normal teenage life.The writing is hard and crisp, and wholly multi-dimensional, while the story moves along at a nail-biting pace with twists, turns, literary allusions, and the engaging plight of several fascinating, memorable, and fully rounded characters.
This was a really well-written book. I really felt for Luc and all of the guilt and experiences she had to deal with. I couldn't even imagine the pain that she felt and then all of the blame she places on herself for her father's death. The book had a ton of twists and turns and the suspense was well done. About 75% through the book the read finds out all of the whodunits, but the suspense still builds. I really enjoyed the characters of Luc and Greta, the cop who investigated the murder. The only thing that I did not enjoy was some of the references to Luc's father's heritage because at times it seemed like it was a little far-fetched, and I do admit to skimming some of those parts. Overall, a very good first book by Mr. Nikitas.
Up next is the other Stephen Collins book titled Eye Contact. I got it from the library and want to see how this one is. We had a snow day today, so I was able to get a lot done last night and today. Most of the shopping is done and most of the wrapping is done. I have a couple more small gifts to get and a few gift cards to get. I am happy about that. Tomorrow I am only working half of a day, so I will be able to get the rest of it done hopefully. Hope everyone else had a good weekend and Happy Reading!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The Venus Fix by MJ Rose
I have been a fan of Ms. Rose's books for some time and have read her Butterfield Institute books prior to this one as well as some of her stand alone books. I have had this one forever and started reading it a long time ago but never picked it up again. I found it the day and decided to pick it up. It was a good book and I rate it a B.
From Amazon:
As one of New York's top sex therapists, Dr. Morgan Snow sees everything from the abused to the depraved. From high-profile clients with twisted obsessions to courageous survivors, the Butterfield Institute is the sanctuary to heal battered souls.
Morgan Snow's newest patient is a powerful, influential man -- secretly addicted to watching Internet Web cam pornography. He's not alone in his desires. She's also working with a group of high school teenagers equally and dangerously obsessed with these real-time fantasies.
Fantasies that are all too accessible.
Then the women start dying online, right in front of their eyes.
Now it's all about murder.
This book definitely had an interesting premise and I enjoyed it pretty much. It wasn't terribly suspensful, and I don't think there was enough foreshadowing for the reader to actively decide who the killer was until the book was almost over. Dr. Snow also gets on my nerves a bit as she has some hangups from her childhood that bothered me. I don't think I am nitpicking as when I was looking over previous notes I wrote about her books said the same thing.
That being said Ms. Rose expertly weaves together erotica and suspense together. While I am normally a little prudish when it comes to the more erotic type books, I did not blush while reading it. I really enjoy reading a book written where a psychitrist is the main character. Part of me thinks if I didn't go into teaching, I would love to have gotten a degree in counseling. Part of teaching is psychology driven, so I think that plays a part in it too. Ms. Rose seems to have done a lot of research on psychology and it shows in the book. I am not sure what her background is, but she writes a good story. I hope she continues the series because it is somewhat left with a cliffhanger.
Well I am finally done with school. It is such a relief though I keep feeling like I forgot to do something. It is weird to have nothing to do with homework and all of that after so long. I took yesterday off and just hung out around the house. Today I got some shopping done and tomorrow I think I am just going to be snuggled in at home. We are supposed to get up twelve inches of snow which I am so not looking forward to. I so need to move somewhere warm year round. I have a lot of wrapping left to do so I hope to get some of that done. Still not done getting all of my Christmas shopping done, but I am not going to go out of the house tomorrow if it is bad. Up next I am going to read Pyres by Derek Nikitas. I got it from the library after reading a review for it, so I hope it is an enjoyable. I am still trying to reach my goal of 100 books by the end of the year. I am at 94, not including the DNF books I read, so I should be able to make it. Hope everyone stays safe and warm where ever you are and Happy Reading!
From Amazon:
As one of New York's top sex therapists, Dr. Morgan Snow sees everything from the abused to the depraved. From high-profile clients with twisted obsessions to courageous survivors, the Butterfield Institute is the sanctuary to heal battered souls.
Morgan Snow's newest patient is a powerful, influential man -- secretly addicted to watching Internet Web cam pornography. He's not alone in his desires. She's also working with a group of high school teenagers equally and dangerously obsessed with these real-time fantasies.
Fantasies that are all too accessible.
Then the women start dying online, right in front of their eyes.
Now it's all about murder.
This book definitely had an interesting premise and I enjoyed it pretty much. It wasn't terribly suspensful, and I don't think there was enough foreshadowing for the reader to actively decide who the killer was until the book was almost over. Dr. Snow also gets on my nerves a bit as she has some hangups from her childhood that bothered me. I don't think I am nitpicking as when I was looking over previous notes I wrote about her books said the same thing.
That being said Ms. Rose expertly weaves together erotica and suspense together. While I am normally a little prudish when it comes to the more erotic type books, I did not blush while reading it. I really enjoy reading a book written where a psychitrist is the main character. Part of me thinks if I didn't go into teaching, I would love to have gotten a degree in counseling. Part of teaching is psychology driven, so I think that plays a part in it too. Ms. Rose seems to have done a lot of research on psychology and it shows in the book. I am not sure what her background is, but she writes a good story. I hope she continues the series because it is somewhat left with a cliffhanger.
Well I am finally done with school. It is such a relief though I keep feeling like I forgot to do something. It is weird to have nothing to do with homework and all of that after so long. I took yesterday off and just hung out around the house. Today I got some shopping done and tomorrow I think I am just going to be snuggled in at home. We are supposed to get up twelve inches of snow which I am so not looking forward to. I so need to move somewhere warm year round. I have a lot of wrapping left to do so I hope to get some of that done. Still not done getting all of my Christmas shopping done, but I am not going to go out of the house tomorrow if it is bad. Up next I am going to read Pyres by Derek Nikitas. I got it from the library after reading a review for it, so I hope it is an enjoyable. I am still trying to reach my goal of 100 books by the end of the year. I am at 94, not including the DNF books I read, so I should be able to make it. Hope everyone stays safe and warm where ever you are and Happy Reading!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Stop Dressing Your Six Year Old Like a Skank by Celia Rivenbark
I got this book from the library after seeing the title and getting a recommendation from Amazon based on the books that I looked at. I was interested in reading it since I assumed I could relate to a lot of the topics and ended up reading it in a couple of hours. I would rate it a B-.
From Amazon:
Celia Rivenbark is an intrepid explorer and acid commentator on the land south of the Mason-Dixon Line. In this collection of screamingly funny essays, you’ll discover: *How to get your kid into a character breakfast at Disney World (or run the risk of eating chicken out of a bucket with Sneezy)
*Secrets of Celebrity Moms (don’t hate them because they’re beautiful when there are so many other reasons)
*ebay addiction and why “It ain’t worth having if it ain’t on ebay”
*Why today’s children’s clothes make six-year-olds look like Vegas showgirls with an abundance of anger issues
*And so much more!
Celia Rivenbark’s essays about life in today’s South are like caramel popcorn---sweet, salty, and utterly irresistible.
Like I said, I read this pretty quickly. It was a light read and Ms. Rivenbark was dead on in some of her writings. I was often nodding along with her and did enjoy it. I believe part of the reason why I marked it down, however, was because in one paragraph she would be talking about something and then just rattle off in a totally different topic. Part of it could have been me, however, because I am very anxious and nervous. Today was my last day of student teaching and tomorrow morning I have my portfolio presentation which will allow for the college to recommend me for certification. I don't feel prepared enough and I am just so nervous. I have to be there by 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning and it is in downtown Detroit and of course they are predicting snow right in time for rush hour.
Oops, there I go. I just rattled off into a totally different topic.
I suffered from a pretty bad depression and anxiety problems this summer and got them under control pretty well. However, the past month it has been rearing it's ugly head and I am having a really tough time tonight. I can't sit still and would love to go work some of this energy off on the treadmill, but unfortunetly I have a bad migraine and I don't think that will work. My kids today threw me a party and there were tears shedded, but I am not too upset because I know I will see them when I sub and next week at the Christmas party. Ugh, that's another thing I am stressing about because I am not done with my shopping and have wrapped exactly zero presents.
All right, enough. I know this sucks as a book review, but to sum it up, it was a fun book to read, though I doubt I will go out and look for more by her. Up next is a book by M.J. Rose named The Venus Fix. I have read many of her other books including the Morgan Snow series, and I think this one is the second one. I have already read the third one but am pretty sure it doesn't matter what order I read the books and it has been a long time. Hopefully I will get to read a bit before I attempt to sleep, but I am not sure. I want to study my portfolio and what I am going to discuss and I need to pick out my clothes tomorrow morning.
All right, sorry for putting anyone to sleep. I guess I just needed to vent a bit. Happy reading!
From Amazon:
Celia Rivenbark is an intrepid explorer and acid commentator on the land south of the Mason-Dixon Line. In this collection of screamingly funny essays, you’ll discover: *How to get your kid into a character breakfast at Disney World (or run the risk of eating chicken out of a bucket with Sneezy)
*Secrets of Celebrity Moms (don’t hate them because they’re beautiful when there are so many other reasons)
*ebay addiction and why “It ain’t worth having if it ain’t on ebay”
*Why today’s children’s clothes make six-year-olds look like Vegas showgirls with an abundance of anger issues
*And so much more!
Celia Rivenbark’s essays about life in today’s South are like caramel popcorn---sweet, salty, and utterly irresistible.
Like I said, I read this pretty quickly. It was a light read and Ms. Rivenbark was dead on in some of her writings. I was often nodding along with her and did enjoy it. I believe part of the reason why I marked it down, however, was because in one paragraph she would be talking about something and then just rattle off in a totally different topic. Part of it could have been me, however, because I am very anxious and nervous. Today was my last day of student teaching and tomorrow morning I have my portfolio presentation which will allow for the college to recommend me for certification. I don't feel prepared enough and I am just so nervous. I have to be there by 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning and it is in downtown Detroit and of course they are predicting snow right in time for rush hour.
Oops, there I go. I just rattled off into a totally different topic.
I suffered from a pretty bad depression and anxiety problems this summer and got them under control pretty well. However, the past month it has been rearing it's ugly head and I am having a really tough time tonight. I can't sit still and would love to go work some of this energy off on the treadmill, but unfortunetly I have a bad migraine and I don't think that will work. My kids today threw me a party and there were tears shedded, but I am not too upset because I know I will see them when I sub and next week at the Christmas party. Ugh, that's another thing I am stressing about because I am not done with my shopping and have wrapped exactly zero presents.
All right, enough. I know this sucks as a book review, but to sum it up, it was a fun book to read, though I doubt I will go out and look for more by her. Up next is a book by M.J. Rose named The Venus Fix. I have read many of her other books including the Morgan Snow series, and I think this one is the second one. I have already read the third one but am pretty sure it doesn't matter what order I read the books and it has been a long time. Hopefully I will get to read a bit before I attempt to sleep, but I am not sure. I want to study my portfolio and what I am going to discuss and I need to pick out my clothes tomorrow morning.
All right, sorry for putting anyone to sleep. I guess I just needed to vent a bit. Happy reading!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Double Exposure by Stephen Collins
All I can say about this book was wow. It was what I would consider an erotic suspense and seemed so out of what I was expecting. I really enjoyed this book, however, I rate it a B+.
From Amazon:
Joe McBride has his hands full. He's a TV critic in the running for an anchor position at a brand-new cable network. He's the adoring part-time father of five-year-old Mollie - when his ex-wife will let him see her. He's just been jilted by his new fiancee. And if all that isn't enough, he's right in the middle of moving into a new apartment, in the pouring rain. Joe McBride is stressed-out, to put it mildly...and things are about to get a whole lot worse. In this tense and twisty thriller, Joe McBride is plunged into a maze where few things are what they seem. He's barely begun to unpack when a beautiful new neighbor tries to seduce him. Still reeling from his broken engagement, Joe soon finds himself drawn irresistible to the young woman, but each new revelation about her life only deepens the mystery surrounding her - and as his curiosity escalates into obsession he discovers he's playing the lead in a deadly drama of someone else's design.
I was enthralled with this book and read it in about two hours all together. The book was really good and though not so suspenseful since I kind of figured out some of what was going on. I just couldn't get over the fact that Rev. Camden himself is writing this semi-erotic book. I really liked Joe, though part of it kind of confirmed of some stereotypes that are generally told about men and what they think with. He gets himself into a lot of trouble with his new obsession and it takes a nasty turn. I wasn't expecting what then happens and it had me whipping through the end of the book very quickly. The only reason why I didn't rate this book higher was because part of it was a little predictible. I know that Mr. Collins wrote one previous book and I think I am going to check out from the library.
Up next is another non-fiction book, Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like A Skank. I loved this title, and find it true. So many times these little girls that I see at school and other places are dressed like Britany Spears and it confuses the heck out of me. Hopefully this will have some humor with the topic.
Happy Reading!
From Amazon:
Joe McBride has his hands full. He's a TV critic in the running for an anchor position at a brand-new cable network. He's the adoring part-time father of five-year-old Mollie - when his ex-wife will let him see her. He's just been jilted by his new fiancee. And if all that isn't enough, he's right in the middle of moving into a new apartment, in the pouring rain. Joe McBride is stressed-out, to put it mildly...and things are about to get a whole lot worse. In this tense and twisty thriller, Joe McBride is plunged into a maze where few things are what they seem. He's barely begun to unpack when a beautiful new neighbor tries to seduce him. Still reeling from his broken engagement, Joe soon finds himself drawn irresistible to the young woman, but each new revelation about her life only deepens the mystery surrounding her - and as his curiosity escalates into obsession he discovers he's playing the lead in a deadly drama of someone else's design.
I was enthralled with this book and read it in about two hours all together. The book was really good and though not so suspenseful since I kind of figured out some of what was going on. I just couldn't get over the fact that Rev. Camden himself is writing this semi-erotic book. I really liked Joe, though part of it kind of confirmed of some stereotypes that are generally told about men and what they think with. He gets himself into a lot of trouble with his new obsession and it takes a nasty turn. I wasn't expecting what then happens and it had me whipping through the end of the book very quickly. The only reason why I didn't rate this book higher was because part of it was a little predictible. I know that Mr. Collins wrote one previous book and I think I am going to check out from the library.
Up next is another non-fiction book, Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like A Skank. I loved this title, and find it true. So many times these little girls that I see at school and other places are dressed like Britany Spears and it confuses the heck out of me. Hopefully this will have some humor with the topic.
Happy Reading!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Hypocrite in a Poufy White Dress by Susan Gilman
Hypocrite in a Poufy White Dress is yet another memoir I picked up at the library. This one was all right, where at times I was loving it, and then questioning why I had even picked it up and kept reading it. I rate it a C+.
From Amazon:
Adult/High School–Gilman has a gift for showing the humor in the ordinary. Her memoir takes readers from her childhood in the late 1960s and early '70s through adulthood and marriage. As the book opens, she is reminiscing about the summer of 1969 when she was four and her parents took her to a commune where one of their friends was filming a documentary. She got to personify innocence by dancing naked on the beach with other children. Other experiences include the challenges of being the only Jewish girl attending a private Presbyterian school, her mother's enthusiasm for transcendental meditation, and her own infatuation (and ultimate meeting) with Mick Jagger. Set against the backdrop of New York's Upper West Side, her descriptions of the insecurities that plagued her as an adolescent ring with truth. Gilman's narrative illustrates how the highs and lows that mark the teen years are remarkably similar among generations, and suggests that perhaps the gap isn't so wide after all. As she shares some of her adult experiences–career choices, the effects of her parents' divorce after she and her brother were grown, a work-related trip to the Polish concentration camps–her refreshing blend of humor and frankness does not trivialize the significance of her observations. Gilman's is not an extraordinary life, but she offers a view of American culture over the past 35 years that is compelling and highly readable.
Some of the things Ms. Gilman discusses seem so absurd, but as I continue to read these memoirs, I have soon discovered that I have lived a fairly sheltered life. At times there were some really laugh out loud moments with her describing finally meeting Mick Jagger and other things going on. I really related to her experience dealing with her parents' divorce when she turned 26. About a month after I got married, I found out my parents were getting a divorce after nearly 30 years of marriage. It really hit me hard, and in some ways, still does today. A lot of what Ms. Gilman had to say about it was so true and I had tears in my eyes while reading it.
I really thought the ending dragged on. There was one point towards the middle where I flew through 100 pages, but the last 40 pages seemed to take about 2 hours for me to read. I also skimmed a lot, especially at the end. The author also discusses so many friends and seems to act like they are all some of her closest friends, though there were so many I couldn't keep them straight. At the end I almost just gave it up, because I was so frustrated it with it. The middle of the book, though, kept me reading and made this one not a DNF.
Up next is one of my books I got yesterday at the book sale. I am going to read the Stephen Collins' book because I am so anxious to see how he writes. It is also a suspense, so sometimes I need to go back to a gritty mystery holding me to the pages. I have a couple more memoirs to read, though I think my best strategy is to alternate between reading those. I hope I am not getting burned out. That would really stink, especially since I am about 4 days away from graduation! Hope everyone had a good, relaxing weekend and Happy Reading!
From Amazon:
Adult/High School–Gilman has a gift for showing the humor in the ordinary. Her memoir takes readers from her childhood in the late 1960s and early '70s through adulthood and marriage. As the book opens, she is reminiscing about the summer of 1969 when she was four and her parents took her to a commune where one of their friends was filming a documentary. She got to personify innocence by dancing naked on the beach with other children. Other experiences include the challenges of being the only Jewish girl attending a private Presbyterian school, her mother's enthusiasm for transcendental meditation, and her own infatuation (and ultimate meeting) with Mick Jagger. Set against the backdrop of New York's Upper West Side, her descriptions of the insecurities that plagued her as an adolescent ring with truth. Gilman's narrative illustrates how the highs and lows that mark the teen years are remarkably similar among generations, and suggests that perhaps the gap isn't so wide after all. As she shares some of her adult experiences–career choices, the effects of her parents' divorce after she and her brother were grown, a work-related trip to the Polish concentration camps–her refreshing blend of humor and frankness does not trivialize the significance of her observations. Gilman's is not an extraordinary life, but she offers a view of American culture over the past 35 years that is compelling and highly readable.
Some of the things Ms. Gilman discusses seem so absurd, but as I continue to read these memoirs, I have soon discovered that I have lived a fairly sheltered life. At times there were some really laugh out loud moments with her describing finally meeting Mick Jagger and other things going on. I really related to her experience dealing with her parents' divorce when she turned 26. About a month after I got married, I found out my parents were getting a divorce after nearly 30 years of marriage. It really hit me hard, and in some ways, still does today. A lot of what Ms. Gilman had to say about it was so true and I had tears in my eyes while reading it.
I really thought the ending dragged on. There was one point towards the middle where I flew through 100 pages, but the last 40 pages seemed to take about 2 hours for me to read. I also skimmed a lot, especially at the end. The author also discusses so many friends and seems to act like they are all some of her closest friends, though there were so many I couldn't keep them straight. At the end I almost just gave it up, because I was so frustrated it with it. The middle of the book, though, kept me reading and made this one not a DNF.
Up next is one of my books I got yesterday at the book sale. I am going to read the Stephen Collins' book because I am so anxious to see how he writes. It is also a suspense, so sometimes I need to go back to a gritty mystery holding me to the pages. I have a couple more memoirs to read, though I think my best strategy is to alternate between reading those. I hope I am not getting burned out. That would really stink, especially since I am about 4 days away from graduation! Hope everyone had a good, relaxing weekend and Happy Reading!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Library Used Book Sale
I hit up one of our local library used book sales and while not one of the bigger ones, I still got a good haul. I picked up 8 books for myself, 2 books for teaching, a magazine, and six children's chapter books for my future classroom. All of this I got for $3.25! I couldn't believe my luck. All paperbacks were a quarter a piece or six for $1.00 and the same for the children's books. The magazine and teaching books cost a dime each. While I may not have picked up some of these books normally, I couldn't pass up the oppourtinity to find some new authors. For me, I got the following:
Murder Can Cool Off Your Affair by Selma Eichler
Double Exposure by Stephen Collins (yes, the guy from Seventh Heaven!)
Kill Me Again by Leslie Rule
Death in a Funhouse Mirror by Kate Flora
Cradle and All by Zachary Alan Fox
Death Splits a Hair by Nancy Bell
The Violet Hour by Richard Montanari
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Not too bad. I love going to these sales! Though I did feel kind of guilty because I so do not need anymore books to read, I really couldn't pass it up and the money does go to a good cause. No more new books until after Christmas, at least!
Murder Can Cool Off Your Affair by Selma Eichler
Double Exposure by Stephen Collins (yes, the guy from Seventh Heaven!)
Kill Me Again by Leslie Rule
Death in a Funhouse Mirror by Kate Flora
Cradle and All by Zachary Alan Fox
Death Splits a Hair by Nancy Bell
The Violet Hour by Richard Montanari
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Not too bad. I love going to these sales! Though I did feel kind of guilty because I so do not need anymore books to read, I really couldn't pass it up and the money does go to a good cause. No more new books until after Christmas, at least!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
The Wrong Man by John Katzenbach
Can I just say I loved this book? This story is what a thriller and psychological suspense is all about and what it should have. This was my first book that I read by Mr. Katzenbach, and I can guarantee that I will be reading many more by him. I rate this book an A.
From Amazon:
Ashley Freeman is a promising art-history student passionate about every aspect of her life. One night, the twentysomething Bostonian meets Michael O'Connell, a handsome, dark-haired stranger whom she readily forgets after a single steamy session between the sheets. But Mike, a street-smart psychopath who stalks women for sport, has no intention of letting Ashley go. He watches her every move from the shadows and sends her countless e-mails professing his love. Ashley's family and friends shrug it off as a crush, until O'Connell, an ingenious computer hacker, reveals the damage he can do: he sabotages the reputation of Ashley's professor father with a stinging accusation of plagiarism and nearly gets her mother, a lawyer, disbarred. Bribes and threats do nothing to deter him, and when a private investigator assigned to the case turns up dead, the Freeman family takes extreme measures to quash O'Connell's relentless pursuit.
This was a long book and it killed me that I didn't have more time to read it. Every spare minute I did have, however, I picked it up and was reading. I was almost late going back to school on my lunch break because the book was so good. The story is told through many different perspectives and I feel does a great job getting into the emotions of everyone. While I went into the story expecting the focus to be on Ashley, this is not the case. The ending made me a little mad, though I do understand it. The suspense was just so well written and my heart was pounding as I read it. It has been a long time since I have read a psychological suspense like this and I am sure that it will take quite awhile for me to forget this one. Mr. Katzenbach is definitely on my list of author's to be on the lookout for.
Up next is another memoir, this one titled Hypocrite in a Poufy White Dress. I got it from the library and I think it needs to go back soon, so I figured I would read this one next. I am sure it should be a quick read, and as December continues to pass quickly, I am really trying to get to that 100 books read mark. I am done with the teaching aspect of my student teaching and will just be doing observations on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow I have a conference to go to, and then my presentation is on Thursday of next week. Besides preparing for that and doing a final run through of my portfolio, my outside work is done so hopefully I will be able to get a lot of reading done. I still have to finish my Christmas shopping, Chris' 30th birthday is on the 20th and I need to get ready for that, and I need to get my cards out. I am hoping to do that tomorrow night or maybe even bringing it with me to the seminar tomorrow. Even if I can right out the envelopes, I will be happy. Well, enough talking out loud to myself, I am going to squeeze in a quick chapter before I go to sleep. I do get to sleep in a bit tomorrow, but we are supposed to get some snow tonight that they are predicting will make the roads messy. Fun fun! Happy reading!
From Amazon:
Ashley Freeman is a promising art-history student passionate about every aspect of her life. One night, the twentysomething Bostonian meets Michael O'Connell, a handsome, dark-haired stranger whom she readily forgets after a single steamy session between the sheets. But Mike, a street-smart psychopath who stalks women for sport, has no intention of letting Ashley go. He watches her every move from the shadows and sends her countless e-mails professing his love. Ashley's family and friends shrug it off as a crush, until O'Connell, an ingenious computer hacker, reveals the damage he can do: he sabotages the reputation of Ashley's professor father with a stinging accusation of plagiarism and nearly gets her mother, a lawyer, disbarred. Bribes and threats do nothing to deter him, and when a private investigator assigned to the case turns up dead, the Freeman family takes extreme measures to quash O'Connell's relentless pursuit.
This was a long book and it killed me that I didn't have more time to read it. Every spare minute I did have, however, I picked it up and was reading. I was almost late going back to school on my lunch break because the book was so good. The story is told through many different perspectives and I feel does a great job getting into the emotions of everyone. While I went into the story expecting the focus to be on Ashley, this is not the case. The ending made me a little mad, though I do understand it. The suspense was just so well written and my heart was pounding as I read it. It has been a long time since I have read a psychological suspense like this and I am sure that it will take quite awhile for me to forget this one. Mr. Katzenbach is definitely on my list of author's to be on the lookout for.
Up next is another memoir, this one titled Hypocrite in a Poufy White Dress. I got it from the library and I think it needs to go back soon, so I figured I would read this one next. I am sure it should be a quick read, and as December continues to pass quickly, I am really trying to get to that 100 books read mark. I am done with the teaching aspect of my student teaching and will just be doing observations on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Tomorrow I have a conference to go to, and then my presentation is on Thursday of next week. Besides preparing for that and doing a final run through of my portfolio, my outside work is done so hopefully I will be able to get a lot of reading done. I still have to finish my Christmas shopping, Chris' 30th birthday is on the 20th and I need to get ready for that, and I need to get my cards out. I am hoping to do that tomorrow night or maybe even bringing it with me to the seminar tomorrow. Even if I can right out the envelopes, I will be happy. Well, enough talking out loud to myself, I am going to squeeze in a quick chapter before I go to sleep. I do get to sleep in a bit tomorrow, but we are supposed to get some snow tonight that they are predicting will make the roads messy. Fun fun! Happy reading!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Autobiography of a Fat Bride by Laurie Notaro
This is my second book by Laurie Notaro and I enjoyed it. I liked it slightly better than the first one I read, especially since this one had some order in the way the story is told. I would give this book a B+.
From Amazon:
Notaro's first book, The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club (2002), achieved cult status and became a surprise best-seller. Returning with another uproarious collection of personal essays from the dating front, Notaro proves that her first-time success wasn't a fluke. Detailing her trip down the bumpy road to matrimony, Notaro outrageously entertains with a sweetly skewed outlook on everything from breaded meats to baby wipes. Having endured boyfriends from hell and survived kamikaze-style dating, Notaro does the unthinkable by getting someone to fall in love with her! This, in Notaro's world, is not the equivalent of the Holy Grail. First, there are in-laws to impress and weddings to plan, both without inflicting bodily harm or doing jail time. Next come the challenges of permanent cohabitation, with its surprise revelations of untoward bodily functions and appearances. Finally, there are the joys of first-time home ownership and joint income-tax filing. Notaro tackles them all with the inimitable, acerbic wit and ruthless, self-deprecating candor that have deservedly earned her legions of loyal fans.
Ms. Notaro really does have a good voice and tells a pretty funny story. Now I don't know if this makes me weird or what, but I really good relate a lot to her and some of her stories. I won't go into too much detail about what I can relate to because that just might be too much information. Her mom and Nana are absolutely hilarious and I loved the chapters that they were involved in. Her and her husband's relationship also reminded me a bit of my and my hubby's relationship, so that brought a few smiles to my face. Again this was a short book and what I really liked about it was it was perfect for me to pick up and read for three minutes while in line at the post office or bank and not be confused when I picked it up again.
While I am loving these memoirs and I have two more from the library by two different authors, I think I am going to read a thriller. I need to switch it up a bit. I looked at my bookshelves and I think I am going to read next The Wrong Man by John Katzenbach. I read about this on one of the blogs I was reading and have it on my shelf, so I think I am going to grab that. I also have been bad lately and bought quite a few books so I really need to pick more books off those shelves instead of constantly reading library books. That is going to be one of my reading goals next year is for every new book I buy or get from the library, I need to read one from my shelves. We'll see how long that will last but is something I really want to focus one.
I don't think I will be leaving the house much today as the weather is crappy. Last night we got snow, then ice, and now it is supposed to rain all day. Perfect day to stay in! Hope everyone else is reading and having an excellent weekend! Happy Reading!
From Amazon:
Notaro's first book, The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club (2002), achieved cult status and became a surprise best-seller. Returning with another uproarious collection of personal essays from the dating front, Notaro proves that her first-time success wasn't a fluke. Detailing her trip down the bumpy road to matrimony, Notaro outrageously entertains with a sweetly skewed outlook on everything from breaded meats to baby wipes. Having endured boyfriends from hell and survived kamikaze-style dating, Notaro does the unthinkable by getting someone to fall in love with her! This, in Notaro's world, is not the equivalent of the Holy Grail. First, there are in-laws to impress and weddings to plan, both without inflicting bodily harm or doing jail time. Next come the challenges of permanent cohabitation, with its surprise revelations of untoward bodily functions and appearances. Finally, there are the joys of first-time home ownership and joint income-tax filing. Notaro tackles them all with the inimitable, acerbic wit and ruthless, self-deprecating candor that have deservedly earned her legions of loyal fans.
Ms. Notaro really does have a good voice and tells a pretty funny story. Now I don't know if this makes me weird or what, but I really good relate a lot to her and some of her stories. I won't go into too much detail about what I can relate to because that just might be too much information. Her mom and Nana are absolutely hilarious and I loved the chapters that they were involved in. Her and her husband's relationship also reminded me a bit of my and my hubby's relationship, so that brought a few smiles to my face. Again this was a short book and what I really liked about it was it was perfect for me to pick up and read for three minutes while in line at the post office or bank and not be confused when I picked it up again.
While I am loving these memoirs and I have two more from the library by two different authors, I think I am going to read a thriller. I need to switch it up a bit. I looked at my bookshelves and I think I am going to read next The Wrong Man by John Katzenbach. I read about this on one of the blogs I was reading and have it on my shelf, so I think I am going to grab that. I also have been bad lately and bought quite a few books so I really need to pick more books off those shelves instead of constantly reading library books. That is going to be one of my reading goals next year is for every new book I buy or get from the library, I need to read one from my shelves. We'll see how long that will last but is something I really want to focus one.
I don't think I will be leaving the house much today as the weather is crappy. Last night we got snow, then ice, and now it is supposed to rain all day. Perfect day to stay in! Hope everyone else is reading and having an excellent weekend! Happy Reading!
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