Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne

And FINALLY, I come to the book I finished most recently (this afternoon), Little Lady, Big Apple by Hester Browne. Unfortunately, I picked this book up not realizing that there was a prequel called The Little Lady Agency by the same author, but it was enjoyable even without having read the prequel. I do plan on going back and reading the first book, and I hope that knowing how it turns out won't make the read any less enjoyable.

It's the story of a woman (Melissa) who runs an agency for men providing services such as picking out gifts for wives, girlfriends, mistresses, blah blah blah, giving them etiquette lessons, posing as their girlfriend for family functions, basically giving them the tools they need to appear to be well-put-together men of substance regardless of whether or not they really are. She's based in London, but her boyfriend moves to New York for a short period of time and she goes with him for a holiday. As you might imagine, hijinks ensue. It's similar to the Shopaholic series - precocious British leading lady, dashing American businessman love interest, trials as she attempts to acclimate herself to life in Manhattan.

I'll have to read the first book to really comment on this, but I will say that Browne went quite out of her way to make Jonathan (Melissa's American boyfriend) behave atrociously in this book. I was surprised at how far she went with such a small amount of character credit built up in the "But really I'm a good guy" bank - although maybe she expected that would all transfer from the first book to the second, and not having read them in the correct order, I missed out. All I'm saying is that after you've read enough books, it becomes very clear what the author is planning to do with a character over the course of the novel by how they have them behave...and it was clear from pretty early on that Browne was directing the lovers down a star-crossed path. Your readers aren't idiots, authors. They don't need to be spoon fed their emotions -- "Hey, look what a bad guy this character is, you should be suspicious of him!" -- it basically just leaves the reader feeling like the protagonist must be an idiot to stick around and put up with such ridiculous behavior for so long - whether it's from a boyfriend, a colleague, a parent, whatever. It just doesn't need to be overdone.

I guess I wonder if authors think that if they don't clearly draw the lines between good and evil, readers will become upset about the fates assigned to certain characters left in purgatory. Am I the only one who thinks that forming your own opinion about characters, novels, stories, is most of the fun of reading? Then again, maybe I just need to start reading things that are actually meant to challenge your mind and spur conversation rather than chick lit imported from the UK.

So it was a good read, but again it's back to the old standard -- there's a time and place for sweet cake, but eat too much of it and it'll make you sick.

Vision in White by Nora Roberts

Yeah, I picked this book up because it has a bride on the cover. What's it to you?

I had never heard of Nora Roberts before I picked up this book, but apparently I am the only one in the world who hasn't because she has over 156 published novels as well as several Lifetime Original Movies to her name. I've gotta be honest, though - she's been writing since 1981, which is 29 years, and she has over 156 novels out...that's an average of more than 5 novels per year. Really? Can anyone really do that? Quality writing? Hmmm.

Ok so I read Vision in White (stop mocking me, I hate myself for the title alone) and was pleasantly surprised - I was honestly expecting some sort of Harlequin romance novel, but it really wasn't like that at all. This was the first in the "Bride Quartet," so I imagine that 3 more books were released after this one to complete the Quartet, although I have not been able to find them yet (but yes, I do intend to). Story of 4 women (seriously, do all novels written about 4 women instantly get published? Note to self) who are childhood friends and grow up to run a wedding planning business together, each handling separate elements (one handles catering, one handles photography, another handles flowers, and the last handles the details). As I've only read one of the books I can only speculate, but I would assume that as this book was written from the perspective of one of the women, the rest of the Quartet would have 1 book written from the perspective of each of the others. It was wittier than I thought it would be. Granted, it had some of the classically annoying chick lit plotlines where the heroine gets herself into and out of trouble in a completely unrealistic manner, but it was enjoyable nonetheless - and it did manage to get me through an entire 4 hours of my flight being repeatedly delayed as I tried to get home for Christmas. So that's something.

Long story short, it was better than I had expected but I wasn't expecting much.

Me & Orson Welles by Robert Kaplow

I read Me & Orson Welles over what I will call a snow day this past week - the thing is, it only snowed 2 or 3" in Columbus - the reason it was a snow day for me, though, is that it snowed about 2 feet in Washington, DC, where I was supposed to fly that day, leaving me stranded (in a sense) in Columbus, flight canceled, etc etc. No plans to speak of, so I went to the library and stocked up on a few books to get me through until I could reschedule my flight and make it home for Christmas vacation.

So I picked up Me & Orson Welles, which I really think classifies more as a novella than a novel due to how short it is, and I really thoroughly enjoyed it. It's the story of a young man who meets Orson Welles entirely by chance in New York City and has a whirlwind week basically from just being in Welles' presence. Kind of a story about what could happen from being in the right place at the right time. It's highly entertaining, energetic, and at times laugh out loud funny - which isn't something I say often of novels (or novellas, for that matter). For being such a short work, it packs a ton of drama and plot. It's not going to take you long to finish, maybe if you have to wait for a plane like I did, take it along to the airport, it will ensure that you are not tempted to drop kick small children nearby (though, sadly, I finished this book in 4 hours and didn't have it with me the next day while I actually was in the airport for 4 hours and wanted to drop kick a small child nearby).

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

My friend Paul hates Jodi Picoult because he feels that she draws upon the basest of human emotions. I wonder if Paul is going to be annoyed that I mentioned his name on this blog. I guess that will tell me whether or not Paul actually reads the blog.

But I digress. I agree - she does draw upon the basest of human emotions. But why do we read books in the first place, why do we see movies or watch television? Isn't it all about the vicarious experience of emotions? The fact that you can drown yourself in something and see what it would feel like with the safety net of being able to turn off the tv, close the book, or walk out of the movie? Or, if you're Joey from friends, put it in the freezer (anyone?). So maybe there's something to be said for Picoult's ability to draw those emotions out of us. Some reaction is better than no reaction at all when it comes to these things. I guess it's kind of like that whole "hatred is better than indifference because hatred still means you care" argument.

Another thing that I will say about Picoult is that it's clear that she thoroughly researches each of her novels, and in reading her work, you always learn something. This book, Handle with Care, is about a child born with osteogenesis imperfecta, which is (from Wikipedia) a "genetic bone disorder. People with OI are born with defective connective tissue, or without the ability to make it, usually because of a deficiency of Type-I collagen." Basically it means that their bones break much more easily than those of a normal human being, therefore stunting their growth for their entire life. It's actually quite an interesting thing to learn about, and if I'm going to be reading something that some people (paul) would categorize as not much better than trashy drugstore novels, at least I'm learning something in the process, right?

You'll learn about OI and about wrongful birth suits, basically a type of malpractice lawsuit in which the plaintiff alleges that their child never should have been born.

It's an interesting read, if nothing else. Not my favorite by Picoult, but not my least favorite either. Worth picking up at the library if you come across it, or if you need something stimulating to listen to for a long road trip.

The Brothers K by David James Duncan

I am tempted to save this until the end of all the catch-up posts I am doing today, but in terms of the order that I read the books, this is where it comes up. This was the most moving and influential book I read in the past 6 months, maybe the past year. It really stuck with me after I finished reading it. It's challenging - over 600 pages - but when I finished I missed the characters, I missed the story. I felt like I had spent a week on vacation with friends and then was plunged into a vacuum that suspended all communication with the outside world. I had a book hangover. Books are unlike alcohol in that sense - only the best books give you hangovers.

I haven't read The Brothers Karamazov, but I have it on good authority that The Brothers K is not in any way based on the novel with the similar title. It's the story of a family made up of 4 brothers (the principal characters), a mother and father, and twin daughters (the youngest).

The story is narrated by the youngest boy (Kincaid, they call him Cade, which I now want to name a child). His three other brothers are Peter, Irwin, and Everett. Peter and Everett are antagonists but in completely different ways - Peter passively, Everett aggressively. Irwin is a gentle giant with the best of intentions but not always the best ways of bringing them to fruition. Cade is your classic omniscient narrator...he'll tell you everything you want to know about the rest of his family, but that's pretty much your only way of getting to know anything about him - through his observations of the rest of his family. I think that's appropriate, though. Every family has a storyteller, which is as much an identity as any other role you could take on.

The father is a mill worker with latent dreams of making it in the world of professional baseball, the mother is an ardent Adventist, and the the twins kind of get mushed together as twins sometimes do, but they (these twins in particular, not twins in general) aren't all that important to the storyline so it doesn't really matter. Plus they annoyed me in general so I liked the way they were defined by their twinness.

Families have stories - anyone knows that - and this one is especially complex, just like most probably are if you know all of the details. I guess that's what it is - you get to know this family on such an intimate level through spending time with each of the boys that by the end, you have drawn similarities between their family and your own, and it's painful to let them go. They're far from perfect, but that's the charm. All the nicks and dents in the exterior of their family are the places you can grab onto and fill in. They don't slip out of your hands.

There's too much to go into to describe everything that happens in the novel, but if you're looking for something more serious, I really do recommend this book. You'll love the characters, and the story, and...everything.

Again, look for quotes from this book on the other blog.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

It just took me three tries to spell twenties. And I am in my twenties. Sad. Christmas vacay brain melt.

Sophie Kinsella (Or Madeleine Wickham depending on which of her books you're reading, Kinsella is a pen name) is like Jodi Picoult. She's not going to disappoint you. She just probably won't wow you either. You know what you're getting when you pick up one of her books. It kind of disappoints me that it's come to that with her. Confessions of a Shopaholic was so good...as were probably two out of the four books in the Shopaholic series that followed (Shopaholic...ties the Knot, takes Manhattan, and Baby, and Sister). Then there were other one-off books that were good (http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/kinsella/books/ for the author's website)...and Twenties Girl falls into this category. A "one-off book that's good." It's about a young woman who is haunted by the ghost of her dead Great Aunt and as such led through a series of obstacles and mischief with the end goal of ceasing the haunting...I don't know, at a certain point, it all becomes very A+B=C. Heroine gets herself into silly mishap that she would have avoided had she had any common sense but it's a novel and she's the heroine so you let it slide. Heroine behaves like an idiot but ends up getting the handsome/smart/rich/successful/funny/caring leading man anyway just because. It all leaves me with the feeling of...could someone please write a novel out of my life so I could figure out who my leading man is and he could fall for me already? It appears to be quite easy from all these books I keep reading...

Maybe I should read different books.

Anyway this has turned out to be more about me than it is about the book so I'll end by saying this - if you're looking for something light, get at it. If you're looking for a book to change your life, you should probably move on to something else.

How to be Single by Liz Tuccillo

Is it sick that I read a novel claiming to be a guidebook on how to be single? Or is it amazing, because I'm reading about how to be the best at what I am doing rather than reading about how to do something completely different (ie How to get married)?

It's fiction, anyway, so calm down.

How to be Single is a novel written by the female half of the pair that wrote He's Just Not that Into You. So I figured, at the very least, it's gotta be witty. Witty and probably somewhat autobiographical. It's about four women (Again, I seem to get myself into these books with four women), one of whom is an author who is setting off on a journey around the world to learn about different country's dating cultures to find out why America has the highest divorce rate in the world - what are we doing wrong? Or, as some might come to think upon further introspection, what are we doing right (just keep reading)?

She travels to South America, to Greenland, China, India, France, and learns about dating rituals and customs in each place she visits. India has a divorce rate of less than 1% if I remember correctly, and something she wrote about India struck me as interesting - they have arranged marriages, which most people in America seem to think is backwards and oppressive, but when you think about it, who knows you better than your parents? Your parents are married, so they know what it takes to have a marriage (albeit maybe not a successful one, but that's a story for a different day). They aren't looking for romantic love, necessarily, Hollywood love, they're looking for a good match. Maybe there's something to be said for that. Then again, what about spousal abuse rates in India? What about the cultural stigma attached to divorce? Is it a different level of openness to arranged marriages, or a different level of prejudice against divorce? The combination of both? There are two sides to every coin, after all.

So the main character travels around, her friends join her for some of the trips, and while she's away they all take care of one another back home in New York. One thing I will say for Tuccillo is that she doesn't pander to the expectations of the Happily Ever After ending, which, if you've read He's Just Not that Into You, you could probably expect. One must be open to the idea that you are your own true love, which for people who are reading a book called How to be Single, is probably the best answer you could get. To put it in the words of Carrie Bradshaw,

There are those [relationships] that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Once you read this book, every time you read or hear the title, you'll sigh.

At least I do.

I, like many other women (and possibly men, who knows), loved The Time Traveler's Wife. Loved. Wanted to snuggle with it. Stayed up late and wanted to stay in on the weekends to read it (although let's be real, I probably wanted to stay in on the weekends anyway). If you haven't read it, do. I know I was late to the party (it had already been made into a major motion picture by the time I picked it up), but it's one of those parties that I think will always be in full swing no matter what time you arrive (and it won't make you feel bad about not having a plus one. In fact, it will be your plus one). For those of you who haven't heard about it or seen the trailer for the movie (which I am going to rent the second it comes out on DVD because I missed it in theaters), this is the story of a young man (Henry) with a genetic permutation that causes him to travel through time when he is under major stress. It's involuntary, but it allows him to be present at major moments for his family that he otherwise wouldn't have been able to (such as seeing his wife when she's a young child). This fantasy of Henry's ability to time travel (or rather, inability to stop time traveling) allows Niffenegger to weave a more complex and richly detailed love story than she would have otherwise been able to.

I sometimes catch myself wondering if I've met my future husband yet. Do I already know him? Is he someone I met a long time ago and will come across again in the future? Or will he come into my life a few years from now as a stranger? Point is, I wonder what he's doing. Does he live in the same time zone as me? Is he eating dinner? Does he ever wonder who/where his future wife is, and what she's doing? Niffenegger opens up the possibility of being able to find out the answers to those questions...which, for someone (creepy?) like me, is a pretty cool idea.

Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan

I am determined to catch up on the book blog while I am at home in Nova over the holidays. I have already been at home for 3 days and this is my first attempt, so go ahead and guess how that's going...but now that I'm actually starting, I think I will be able to follow through. Maybe. Hopefully.

Ok, so, backing up in the photo log of my iPhone, the book I last read but did not tell you about was Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan. I picked Commencement up at the library because it was in the "new fiction" section even though I'm pretty sure that was incorrect (although I'm not so curious to check it for myself). It's the story of 4 girls who meet at college (Brown) and remain friends for the rest of their lives...well, at least into their late twenties. It tells different parts of the story from each of their perspectives and gives you a really well rounded view of their friendships - the whole, and each individual relationship that makes up the whole. They aren't in a sorority (I don't think they even have those at Brown, but again, don't care enough to look it up), but that's the general feeling you get. I'm lucky enough to say that I was able to read this book from the perspective of a young woman who does have friends as close to me as the woman in this book - so I can't really say how the book would read if you didn't have those relationships - but for the people who read this blog (probably pretty much exclusively those women who care about me enough to care about my blog), I recommend it. It reminds you what you've got to be thankful for. One of the things at least. Obviously major events transpire in the book that carry the plot along, but the thing that you're left with after you've read the book is less an impression of those events and more an impression of the friendship that guided those women through them. Which is, like those friendships, a pretty great thing.

Oh, and please check the other blog for a passage from this book that I have since read aloud to multiple people.

Oops, I did it again...haha...thanks Britney.

Now that I've quoted Britney Spears in the title of this post, you're not going to be mad, right? Molly V I'm pretty sure you're the only one who reads this anyway, and I'm only posting because you reminded me to do so when I saw you recently, so...here ya go. Don't hate me.

Over two months now...Pretty sure that's a record.

So I totally would have forgotten what I was reading two months ago if I hadn't seen it in my "currently reading" thing that I left un-updated...I was reading a book called Spiced by Dalia Jurgensen. I remember two things about this book:
1) There wasn't enough food talk and
2) Her descriptions of her lesbian relationship made me wish there was more food talk.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not homophobic (I work in fashion, if I were homophobic I would be having a much bigger problem with my job). It's just that I felt that Jurgensen used her lesbian relationship (short lived though it was) to somehow justify her existence as a chef or give herself street cred. Or kitchen cred. Whatever. As if the picture of her on the cover with her arms covered in tattoos wouldn't do that. There may have been a piercing or two as well, I'm not sure. Anyway...if you're looking for a straight up food book, this isn't it. If you're looking for a book whereby the author attempts to figure out her sexual preferences by reliving all of her escapades on paper, then please go ahead and put this book on the reserve list at your library.

Now, you're going to have to forgive me, because I have pretty much forgotten everything I read between Spiced and the books I read in late August. At one point I did re-read the entire Twilight series and then buy the movie (HORRIBLE. I knew this before purchasing it. I did it anyway) on DVD and download it onto my iPod (WHAT? Robert Pattison. Enough said). Let's just pretend that is what I was doing for those first few weeks in August.

Late in August I traveled to Guatemala for a couple of weeks. This is what I took with me:
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Ok, well, first of all, this book has a puppy face (ok, it's a dog, but whatever) on the cover, which immediately garners points with me. Second, it's a great book. A book written from the perspective of a dog about his owner's life and the changes that they go through together. Poignant, funny, insightful...awesome. I think even dog-non-fanatics would enjoy it. It was creative and well written. I read this straight through on my flights down to Guatemala, and then finished it sitting in the factory waiting for things to be shown to me. I tried (unsuccessfully) to hide my tears from the tough Guatemalan men who came into the room to check on me as I finished the book. I highly recommend this one.

Piece of Work, Dating Big Bird, and Her by Laura Zigman
Three separate books here - all same author. Found them all as I made a mad dash through the library to get some books to take with me to Guatemala. I had heard there would be a lot of downtime. This wasn't true, but I did still find time somehow to read a few books. What can I say...I really do like books more than people.

The fact that I'm combining the three into one post should tell you two things:
1) I'm lazy (reinforced by the lack of posting for 2+ months)
2) They didn't really stand out as unique beings to me.

They served their purpose - books to keep me distracted while I was traveling. Did they make me cry in the middle of a factory in Guatemala, or on a plane back from Guatemala? No. Maybe. I don't remember. But I don't think so.

I read Her first and made short work of it. It's not rocket science. Blah blah, insecure twenty something who meets a fabulous man who remains friends with his fabulous ex, she goes insane about said ex and potentially destroys her relationship with fabulous man. Let's be real - who hasn't fantasized about stalking their man's ex (or...has actually done it?)? But this book made me feel awkward. There's a difference between funny awkward and funny crazy. This was funny crazy. Except more on the crazy side and less on the funny side.

Nevertheless, I hadn't brought too many books with me to Guatemala, so I had no choice but to continue with Dating Big Bird. Thirty-something woman, basic premise is that she is in a relationship that she's not convinced is going anywhere (it's not) and she compares it to dating big bird - the relationship is comfortable and friendly, not threatening in any way, but not really maturing beyond the most infantile level. Big Bird is a warm (Feathery) body to sleep next to at night. She considers the idea of taking on parenthood by herself. Yawn. Honestly I'd rather just talk to all my girlfriends about their problems - it's the same deal, same content (we're not quite to that stage yet, though) but I actually CARE about them. I didn't care about this character. She had this niece she really loved (so Molly maybe you would like her) but (sorry Molly) fictional characters who care a lot about children only serve to creep me out. Especially when said children are not their own. I'm never having children, am I?

And let's round it out with Piece of Work. Actually somewhat appropriate for the current economic situation, woman is a stay at home mom until her husband loses his job and she's forced to become the breadwinner for the family. Antics at the office, antics at home, woman questioning her worth as a mother and therefore her worth as a human, blahhhhh. I don't think I'm mature enough yet to empathize (sympathize? whatever) with this character's plight. Check back in 20 years.

Ok so then I came back from Guatemala...and I was in Columbus for two days...and then I went back home to Virginia, North Carolina, back to Virginia in a week...what was I reading down there?

Oooh I read Fallen Skies by Philipa Gregory after a brief false start where I forgot that I had already read The Debutante Divorcee (don't read it) and I tried to read it again. So, Fallen Skies. The first of Gregory's novels that I've read that did not deal with the Tudor monarchy. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much, given how much success and notoriety Gregory has gained from the books she wrote about that period, but it appears that she is just an all-around solid historical fiction writer. This book is set in the 20s in America and deals with a few different issues -- the role of women in marriages and in the household, the Madonna/Whore contradiction, the role of men as they return from war (how their lives are changed, etc). Basically Gregory does a great job, again, of convincing you through period details that you're reading something more intellectually challenging than drugstore romance novels (you're not). But at least she doesn't resort to the use of phrases like "throbbing member." Not that I'm entirely sure I would be opposed if she did. This is a good one - quite long, though, so settle in.

Oh I just remembered two that I REALLY enjoyed but had totally forgotten there for a minute!!
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
These two were probably my favorites over the past couple of months. I read them out of order- or rather, in reverse order, because I wasn't aware the pair existed. You're supposed to read Confessions before you read Rude Awakenings - it didn't really lessen my enjoyment at all, but I think there were things I was supposed to catch on to that I didn't until later than I should have. Basically they're about two women who wake up in each other's lives. One girl, Jane Mansfield, is from the time of Jane Austen, and wakes up in modern day. The other, Courtney Stone, who is from modern day, wakes up in the time of Jane Austen. I really think it would make a great movie to combine the two stores into one...but that's just my opinion. Basically, it offers a commentary on both times from the perspective of someone from the other - interesting social satire with a bit of "grass is always greener" thrown in. Both thoroughly entertaining.

So after Fallen Skies...what was there...you'd think I would remember this because it was only about 3 weeks ago...but I don't. Bleh.

Ok so when I returned to Columbus, I read Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs (also the author of The Friday Night Knitting Club and Knit Two, which were recommended to me but which I have not yet read). A little bit food, a little bit comedy...I liked it. Fluffy on the food side, well, fluffy all around, really, but it was lightheaded. About an aging woman (in her own perspective, really) who is approaching 50 (I hope I don't feel as bad as she does about turning 50) and isn't sure where her life is going - she has a television show on a fictitious version of the Food Network, two adult daughters whose lives she is constantly trying to fix, and a dormant love life. If I were writing the blip for the jacket of this book, now I would probably say something like "Add a little spice and see what she cooks up!" And I just did. It's fluffy, but I wanted to keep reading it. Again, not going to change your life.

And, finally, after that I read The Appeal by John Grisham. I don't think I've ever read a Grisham book I didn't like. Again, he's one of those authors who has figured out a successful formula for novels - insert part A into part B, add part C and voila, bestseller. This one is about a group of people whose lives are all intertwined as they are affected by the repercussions of a major verdict that faults a chemical manufacturer for the instances of cancer in a small town. Richly layered, intricately detailed, masterful plot lines. Reading Grisham at this point is like riding Space Mountain. You're in the seat of a machine that knows where it's going, even if you're not entirely sure where you're going to end up. There are twists and turns, surprises around ever corner. Sometimes you're excited, sometimes you're scared...and you're in the dark until you come around that final corner. Regardless of how you feel along the right, though, you always know you're in good hands.

I finished that book this afternoon, so I'm pretty sure that I would remember if I had read another book between that one and now.

Good news for you, dear reader, is that I recently purchased an iPhone (yay!) and I have started taking a picture of the cover of every book I read so that I cannot forget anymore!

Until next time!

I've done it again...

I know, I know, I've gone ahead and stopped posting for a month again. Oops.

Here goes.

The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble
As I stated in the last post, I was a little concerned when I began reading this book and immediately recognized some of the same qualities about the characters in this book as the last Noble book I read - it just gets a little old, when you read a new book, you want new characters. Or, if the characters are going to be similar, just keep the same characters and continue their story. The Reading Group is quite interesting - it's about a group of women who are connected through a reading group (surprise) - at first they think their reading group is the only way they are connected, but eventually they come to realize through 6 degrees of separation type of thing that their lives are actually more connected - and in stranger ways - than they could have expected. This is definitely more of a vacation read than Things I want my daughters to know. Could easily read this on a beach or a plane and not be disappointed.

Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble
The most vacation-friendly of all the Noble books I read in the past month. Kind of typical best friends "could there be more between us" story, but an entertaining read. Similar to The Reading Group in that there are dramatic curve balls thrown in there, and maintains a thread common in all Noble books I've read in that there is an emphasis on the importance of family.

If you could see me now by Cecilia Ahern
I have now read all but one of Ahern's novels. I just put the most recent one on my reserve list at the library (you didn't really think I had enough money to buy all these books, did you?). If you could see me now is my least favorite of Ahern's books so far. PS I love you was the first I read, I believe the first she released, and the one she is most well known for - the movie and all that. I think it was my favorite but I'd have to go back and read it again to be sure. Love, Rosie was quite cute-- Rosie is a very likable character, and I enjoyed There's no place like here. All of Ahern's books are sweet - I think that's the most accurate description I can come up with. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not judging Ahern. She's 28 years old (I actually verified that, not just guessing anymore) and she's managed to publish almost 10 novels, also working as a producer for "Samantha Who?" on ABC. I kind of want to kick her, but I'm not judging her. I just feel like as far as authors go, she's like a carrot cake cupcake. There are bits of here that are nutritious (the carrots and the pineapple) and good for you, but there are also other parts that are sweet and just kind of fluffy (mmmm, cream cheese icing). She's not a steak, she's not a salad...but sometimes you really just want a carrot cake cupcake. And she's good for that.

So then I read the last two Harry Potter books for a 2nd time in anticipation of the movie that just came out (such wonderful books, such a wonderful movie) and am between books at the moment. I think I'm about to read a food book...will let you know...hopefully in less than a month :-D.

Another group of books

I was on vacation last week (well, not last, but the one before) so I had a lot of time to read...here are all the books I read while on vacation. I was afraid I wouldn't remember all the titles so I took a picture before I returned them all to the library yesterday:


Already wrote about GirlCook in the last post. The day after GirlCook, I read Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus (the pair who wrote The Nanny Diaries). Dedication tells the story of a young woman whose heart was broken by a boy who went on to become a pop sensation. It's a fun read, a great vacation read - and the BEST PART OF THE BOOK (in my humble opinion) is the section in the middle that describes the main character's years at the illustrious University of Virginia! The book describes UVA as only a student could - using words like O'Hill and the Corner, First year and Second year - but I checked and neither McLaughlin or Kraus attended the University. In fact, they met when they were both attending NYU. I'm not sure who they know who was in fact a Wahoo, but it added a lot to my enjoyment of the book. Yes, I would have preferred that they draw that portion of the book out a little longer, but just like Nanny Diaries, the story was dishy enough to keep my attention beyond the portion set in Charlottesville (ah, Charlottesville). Recommended to readers in general, highly recommended to fellow Cavaliers.


After Dedication, I read There's No Place Like Here while sitting on the beach in Hilton Head (mmmm). There's No Place Like Here was written by Cecilia Ahern - daughter of the Prime Minister of Ireland and author of PS I love you (previously made into a movie). I read PS I love you a long time ago, but from what I can recall, this book was completely and utterly different - which is something to be said for a modern author. Recently I've found that an unfortunate trait many modern authors share is the inability to create multiple unique works (more on that later)...but it seems that Ahern has managed to accomplish that feat. At age 28, or something similarly ridiculous that makes me kind of hate her. My petty hatred aside, the story was interesting - about a private investigator obsessed with finding the Place where all the Lost Things go. Whimsical and occasionally moving - all in all a good read.

And, most recently, I finished Things I want my Daughters to know by Elizabeth Noble. The story of a mother who has four daughters...as well as terminal cancer. She writes letters to each of her daughters leaving them with her final words of wisdom. The story follows the girls after their mother passes away...and I am partly but not wholly embarrassed to say that I was left crying on the beach, on the plane, and at the pool when I returned to Columbus. There are a number of funny parts of the book, but overall it's just a touching story.

So I really liked the book - but the problem is that I just started reading a 2nd novel by Noble and it appears to use almost exactly the same contextual details to familiarize the reader with the characters as she did in the other book...which just makes me squirm a little bit. I guess Noble didn't intend for her readers to read the books back to back, but still, I don't like wondering if I'm thinking about the characters from the first book or the second. I guess I should stop reading books by the same author one after the other, but if I liked the author's work, why wouldn't I want to continue reading it as soon as possible?

Anyway. Will keep you posted.

Gah, another one of those times...

Ok so let's see if I can recall the books I've read since I last posted...

I know I was reading Dear John by Nicholas Sparks as I flew back to Columbus one night...so I guess that means I was reading it as I flew back from DC where I spent Mother's Day wknd. So, Dear John - a reliable Sparks book. You know what you're getting when you pick up one of his books. I'm not quite sure I have to write much more. Boy meets girl, complication, see each other again after a period of time, etc. I will say that this one isn't quite the same as all the rest, there is a bit of a twist, but it still won't change your opinion of Sparks as an author - which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I'm relatively sure that there was a book between the last one I posted about and Dear John but if I can't recall it I'm not really sure that it's a big deal that I don't post about it.

So in Vegas I read two books on my Kindle - I was a little more than excited about the fact that Ruth Reichl and Jennifer Lancaster were releasing new books and knew I'd buy both - so it was perfect to download them on the Kindle before jetting off to Vegas - not lugging books in a carry-on = good.

Pretty in Plaid by Jennifer Lancaster:
I hate to admit it, but this was my least favorite of all of Lancaster's books so far. It was kind of a prequel to the rest - telling the reader about her life before she got it all and then lost it all - a lot of stuff about the 80s. The basic premise of the book was that you are not what you wear...I've gotta be honest, Jen - I liked it more when you wrote snarky but ultimately meaningless commentary on society. That's your bread and butter. Why try to change? Anyway, I suppose I should remind you how much I liked Lancaster's first three autobiographical novels - so that you realize that "not as good" does not necessarily mean bad. It just means not as good.

Not becoming my mother by Ruth Reichl:
Eeeh, sorry, but same as above - the least favorite of all of Reichl's books so far. I was relatively more disappointed in this book than Lancaster's, though. Reichl's first three books (reviewed separately on this site) were so obscenely good that I probably shouldn't have hoped for something quite as good at this point, a few years later...but I so desperately did. Ruth, how could you do this to me? This book wasn't about Ruth Reichl or her relationship with food at all. It was about her mother, her mother's life, her mother's influence (or lack thereof) on Reichl's life. And - I must say - I'm pretty sure it was a pamphlet rather than a book...(I just checked amazon.com and it is 128 pages. wtf). Anyway. Check it out at the library rather than buying it.

So that was the Vegas trip. Since Vegas, I've been to Nashville and back (will write about my trips on my other blog). I'm on vacation all this week and intend to read a few books - today I read Girl Cook by Hannah McCouch.

Girl Cook -- must admit I considered putting this book down at page 55 and not looking back. I found the description of an erection early on in the book and its comparison to a certain vegetable unnecessary and crude. I felt that McCouch lost herself in the first hundred pages of the book and relied upon shocking descriptions to convince the reader that she was an edgy and sensational author...it didn't work for me. Anyway, I pushed on and finished the book in one day (so, no mind-bending challenge between the covers, but not so horrible that I did end up abandoning it). Obviously, being a book about a girl in the food industry, I enjoyed it - but I got the sense as the main character (Layla) made her way through her confusing career and even more confusing love life in Manhattan, that McCouch had written this book as a thinly veiled autobiography meant to wound some loser from her past (the inspiration for the character Frank in the book). Kind of like going to a new restaurant, ordering your favorite meal, and wishing you had just ordered something new because this version does not live up to the standard in your mind.

A few books on tap for this weekend and my trip to Hilton Head. Do I travel as much as I read? Apparently.

I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci

The title of this blog should say it all - I like books more than people. Those who know me might not think that's such a big deal given my distrust towards people in general, but it really does mean something. I promise.

This book was one of my favorite kinds - food combined with chick lit. Really, what could be better? The (few? imaginary?) male readers of this blog are probably thinking "Ummm...anything?" but I loved it...and I think you would too.

Melucci's story is autobiographical. It describes how she learned to cook through the important (yet failed) romantic relationships of her adult life. Her desire to be able to cook for the men in her life taught her the way around the kitchen. I know, I know, I get it. We're supposed to be educated, evolved women of 2009, no longer deriving pleasure from cooking for men...but I've gotta say, there is little I enjoy more than cooking for the loved ones in my life and watching their faces as they enjoy the food. I can burn an extra bra for that if you want, but I love it. And I loved that Melucci unapologetically wrote an entire book about how much she loved it. Granted, it wasn't entirely about how she loved to cook for men - rather it was about the effect her romantic relationships had on her evolving self - but it was honest and interesting.

She described the men in her life, their relationships, and the food she cooked for or with them. I enjoyed reading the recipes she included and her descriptions of how cooking made her feel. I am glad that I am able to say that as a reader, I appreciated learning more about her relationship with herself and her cooking than I did learning about her relationships with the men in her life. Granted, maybe it's just because I didn't think any of the men in the book sounded particularly appealing (one of them was over 60 years old) , but I think it says something about where I am in my life and what interests me. Something I like.

The book is a quick and easy read. It has food and sex. Quick, easy, food, sex. Now are the men interested?

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Unaccustomed Earth is another collection of short stories by Lahiri, similar to Interpreter of the Maladies. Both are amazing. Interpreter was a book assigned in AP English my senior year of high school - and granted, I was a big nerd in high school who usually completed my assignments, but I'm going to admit fully and completely that I would sometimes read the beginning and ending of chapters within books I wasn't interested in actually reading. There are so many amazing books out there - why waste your time reading those that don't interest you? I read every last word in Interpreter of the Maladies.

I've always been interested in Indian culture, so I suppose that has something to do with the reason I like Lahiri's books so much (her work also includes The Namesake, which is moving and grand and so...remarkable). But it also has something to do with Lahiri's rich descriptions that make you feel enveloped by the scenes she describes. I love Indian food because it is flavorful and spicy and exotic and rich...the experiences of eating Indian food and reading Lahiri's words are quite similar. They feel like falling into pillows covered in jewel toned velvets.

Who doesn't want that?

Side effects of Lahiri's work include an intense craving for naan.

One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell

This may go without saying, but Bushnell's fame and success comes from writing the book that inspired the HBO Series, "Sex and the City." She's like JK Rowling for women of that undefined, amorphous age between college and your first child. Except, let's be honest, for a lot of those women (myself included) JK Rowling is JK Rowling because they love the fantasy world of Hogwarts and Harry Potter as much as they love the fantasy world of Manhattan where men like Mr. Big make Carrie Bradshaw an honest woman. I'm not quite this cynical yet, but I do wonder if at some point I will consider Harry's world to be more likely than Carrie's. Check back in a few years. We'll chat then.

Anyway, Bushnell has made a name for herself writing somewhat satirical social commentaries mostly focused on women in Manhattan - among her other books are Lipstick Jungle (which spawned a wonderful but unpopular series on NBC), Four Blondes (less highly regarded by women of my generation) and One Fifth Avenue. I've read all of them, but most recently I read One Fifth. It tells the story of a somewhat incestuous social circle in Manhattan - kind of a Small World, six degrees of separation tale. Bushnell has found her sweet spot as an author, her niche. She knows her characters and writes about them in a refreshingly biting tone, shedding light on the less savory parts of the Fabulous Life in Manhattan towards which so many aspire. I, for one, appreciate that...but I wonder if it is because I have never felt inclined to chase the Fabulous Life, and always wondered whether that meant that there was something inherently wrong with me. Seeing it through a less enamored eye is reassuring. Now, I hate to think what Bushnell would write about a 25 year old trying to find herself in Columbus, Ohio, but I think I'm safe from her scrutiny for the time being.

I think I liked One Fifth for the same reason so many women loved SATC. It was honest. It didn't try to convince you one way or the other - to love the life of the characters or to not. It just presented the facts in an honest light and allowed you to make the decision for yourself. That's one thing I find to be rather sickening about all the saccharine sweet chick lit novels out there today - they are trying so hard to convince you of something, to sell you on a fantasy. Bushnell is confident enough in her own storytelling abilities that she doesn't need to rely on the Fairytale Ending. Some might argue that Carrie and Big ending up together in the end was a departure from Bushnell's commitment to all that is Real - but I disagree. There was never any disguising how hard it was for the two of them to be together. There was work to be done.

I guess it comes down to this - Bushnell's writing isn't patronizing, and it isn't written in a way to shield you, dear reader, from the unfortunate truths of life. Rather, it finds a way to highlight the entertaining ironies of everyday Truths. It's clear that Bushnell respects her readers in a way that authors of typical chick lit (I'm talking to you, Lauren Weisberger) do not. She appreciates the idea that they will not shy away from the honest light.

So, with that said, I'd take Mr. Big over Prince Charming any day.

Dear John...or Calamity Physics.

Alright, I give up. I should have realized that I wasn't going to win this battle, but I didn't want to admit defeat...and I have to at this point.

Calamity Physics, you win. Or maybe you lose, I don't know. Point is, I cannot stand to finish you right now. I'm about halfway through you, and I just can't deal with it. Don't get me wrong - when I'm reading you, you maintain my interest. But when I am not with you, you don't stay in the back of my mind, keeping me thinking about when I'm going to be able to spend more time with you. The thing is, I do feel this way about other books. I hadn't even started reading other books, and I was already thinking about when I could. That isn't fair to either of us. So I'm moving on.

So, anyway, now I'm reading One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell...I will probably finish this week....I'll let you know how it goes. I think it will serve as a good rebound book.

I promise I haven't forgotten about you

I am still reading Calamity Physics. Work has been insane lately. I am repeating this for about the 20th time, but I had worked 40 hours this week by the time I left work last (Tuesday) night. So you get a general idea of how busy I've been lately. Not much time for reading.

I promise I'll write about Calamity Physics when I am done. I am trying to finish ASAP because I have books lined up to be next that I'm excited about...among them:

1. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell
2. Oxygen by Carol Cassella
3. Sway: The irresistible pull of irrational behavior by Ori and Ram Brafman
4. Being released May 5th -- Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster. I will definitely be adding this one to my collection!

the man of my dreams by curtis sittenfeld

I just wrote in the title of this post and then set my fingertips on the keyboard and sighed.

I finished this book this afternoon and then immediately called my friend Paul in the parking lot - I felt so empty after finishing this book, so...worn out. It took a surprising amount out of me to read it, and I am still mourning it a few hours after closing the back cover. I'm not sure what it was that affected me so much - I identified deeply with the main character on some levels, but on others felt like we couldn't be more different. I guess maybe I identified so closely with her that the things that happened to her felt like they were happening in my own life.

After finishing this book, I am intensely glad that I read Sittenfeld's 3 novels in the order that I did - Prep, American Wife, and then this book. I unknowingly read them in the opposite order I would rank them. Prep honestly makes me angry. I was expecting something very different when I opened the book with the grosgrain belt on the front - something about kids from prep schools that would speak of my life - but what I found was sad and dark and...unsavory. Nothing like the joy and irresponsibility I experienced at my own prep school. I suppose I should go back and read Prep again, this time not judging the book by its cover, more prepared to face and cope with what it is.

I read Sittenfeld's other books knowing what to expect - and I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe if I gave Prep another chance and this time, allowed it to be what it is rather than what I was hoping it would be, I would have the same reaction. Though I must say, it's doubtful.

In short, the man of my dreams accomplished what I was hoping for from Prep - it echoed my life. It is the story of a young woman named Hannah, from her childhood through her twenties. She is the product of a divorce between a passive mother and an aggressive father. She struggles through her life, trying to define herself independently from her relationships with men. It is real. What more can I say about it? There are so many fluffy chick lit novels out there right now, riding high on the fantasies young women (such as myself) maintain about themselves and their potential futures - but Sittenfeld's voice is honest, and Hannah's experiences ring true. Maybe this will explain why I copied half of the book over into the quotes section on my other blog.

I imagine that Sittenfeld wrote this book out of personal experience, hoping it would find other young women who had felt the same way at one point or another in their lives. It did.

Jemima J by Jane Green

Jemima J was recommended to me by two friends as a light, easy read. I felt, after the emotional connection that I had with American Wife, that I needed something a little lighter. Jemima J was perfect. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised - I haven't been the biggest fan of Jane Green in the past, but I figured that with the recommendations of two friends, I needed to give her another shot.

Jemima J is basically a story about first impressions and the snap judgements people generally make based off of them. I won't get into too many details, but it's entertaining, and I would recommend it for a vacation read - or a read to cure you of the emotional hangover you're having after finishing another book.

Parts of the narration are confusing - the narrator does not have a voice distinct enough from the main character for you to always know exactly who you're hearing from. Other parts of the book are a little...cookie cutter. I don't mean to downplay the book, because as I've said, it IS interesting and fun - but it's also predictable. It has all the parts necessary to make up a successful chick lit book, and at times it feels a little bit like "Insert part A into part B and you will have a good story."

Sometimes, though, there's something to be said for familiarity. You don't turn to Jane Green for thought-provoking literature. You turn to her for laughter and daydreams of prince charming...and she delivers.

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

I want to write about American Wife the same way I would write about a friend, or a favorite restaurant, or a movie I had just seen and loved. I have surprisingly positive and tender feelings towards this book, considering that I was not a huge fan of Prep, Sittenfeld's first novel.

American Wife is a story loosely based on the life of Laura Bush. I read the book for that reason - and I loved it. I'm not a huge fan of the Bushes - but I basically wanted to see just how much Sittenfeld could get away with criticizing the Bushes through their thinly veiled disguises. That wasn't the point of this book. Granted, I'm not entirely sure still what the point of the book WAS, but the story and the narration were outstanding. I'm tempted now to read a biography of Laura Bush to see just how much of the plot was true to life. I can't tell you how lost I was in the story of this book...it enveloped me and I felt like a true friend of the narrator who followed her as she told the story of her life.

It was tragic and hopeful in the way that I think only true stories can be. Finding that funny oxymoron in life is a beautiful thing - and capturing it on paper is even better. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a read that is not necessarily more challenging than others - but is more worthwhile.

Second Glance by Jodi Picoult

Another Picoult book...I had a few bad runs with choosing random books (don't judge a book by its cover and all that) and I had to choose one by a trusted author to get myself back on the horse.


Picoult didn't disappoint. Second Glance was an interesting read - pretty fast paced and with all kinds of things that automatically make it a good story...ghosts, mystery, romance. It's actually a pretty long novel (especially as Picoult's books run) but it really doesn't feel like it drags on. One of the things I love about this novel is that it tells a bunch of seemingly separate stories and then weaves them together towards the end - yes, with Picoult you should really know they'll all come together eventually...but this one seemed to have even more separate plotlines than I had come to expect.

As I said above, it was a good read. But it wasn't phenomenal. There are books - characters - that stay with you after you finish a book. You miss them like old friends. You want to know what's going on in their lives (is this just me? I hope not, because it's a sign of a great novel and it would be a shame if I were the only one who had experienced it). This is unfortunately not one of those books. Which may or may not be a good thing - say that you had just read one of those novels, one of the ones that stays with you - you don't necessarily want another right away...so that would be a perfect time to read Picoult.

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but...for a book about ghosts, it wasn't very haunting.

HA!

If I'd Known Then: Women in Their 20s and 30s Write Letters to Their Younger Selves (What I Know Now) by Ellyn Spragins

Yeah, I'm posting close to midnight on Valentine's Day, which happens to be on a Saturday this year. So what? Single people unite blah blah blah other bullshit.

ANYWAY this book was better than the last - it was in the same vein (people writing about/to themselves at a younger age) and yet the letters spoke to me more than the essays in the previous book. It did bother me slightly that most people were writing to themselves around their teenage years though (just in case the concept is lost - the whole idea is that adults write letters to themselves at earlier, harder points in their lives to show how much they've grown since that point...the idea that it does in fact get better) - I mean, let's be honest - teenage girls are a lost cause. Is it really worth writing anything to them? Seriously, let's just put them all in cages until they're like...I dunno...22? 23? Sometimes I think I should still be in a cage somewhere so we could possibly extend that age limit to 24.

So people write these letters to themselves and tell them to hang in there, it won't be so bad for long, they will come out of the awkward phase they're in and eventually become people famous enough to have a letter to their younger self included in a compilation. Yeah, the essays are good, inspiring, etc, but....really...we don't all grow up to be celebrities. We don't all win gold medals in the Olympics, we don't write bestselling novels, we don't release platinum albums. I think it may have been better - more inspiring - to read a compilation of letters from normal people to their younger selves. To say, yeah, it gets better, even if you don't turn out to be a celebrity, you will be happy, and life still turns out to be pretty darn great. So, keep that in mind.

That is, unless you happen to also be a celebrity. In that case, read this book. It will probably speak to you and reassure you that your life is great and not awkward anymore...which may or may not be because you're rich and famous.

It's a Wonderful Lie: 26 Truths About Life in Your Twenties by Emily Franklin

I read this book, hoping that it would help me understand exactly why I'm not as happy in this, the most...highly anticipated of decades of my life...as I expected to be. Believe me, I'm happy. I am honestly probably happier than most people deserve to be - happier than I deserve to be - but I am trying to accept this happiness and these blessings with as much bumbling grace as I can. I'm just not...skipping through fields of flowers with my beloved by the hand, getting paid truckloads of money to do something that is a perfect expression of my hearts desire.


The book is a compliation of essays written by women who have "survived" their 20s and lived to tell about them...and to tell the lessons they've learned about how your 20s aren't exactly all they're cracked up to be. So I read this book, hoping for some sort of validation. Some sort of...relief, maybe, from the guilt I feel from having all this happiness and yet still not quite feeling completely fulfilled. This book was good at making me feel more normal than I previously felt - the essays compiled to make up this book each spoke to me for different reasons, but as a whole I found the book to be less than what I was hoping it would be. Granted, I may have been hoping for something to speak to me in the same way SATC did, but this wasn't it. There were essays that spoke to me more strongly than others, but only one or two that truly "got it" or truly moved me.

All in all, the predominant themes were all the same - the details varied, but all in all the story was the same. Quit worrying. Give up the drama. Let go of the idea of what your 20s are supposed to be and relish instead what exactly your 20s are. Your 20s. Not the life your mother lived, or your sister lived, or your friend is living. Just yours. Love them for what they are, because they'll be gone soon enough, and then you can start worrying about what your 30s are supposed to be.

I think I will choose to take the advice of those ladies, and I will live my 20s and make the mistakes now that I can live to regret later.

Note to the other 20something ladies reading this blog - pass this one up. Watch reruns of SATC instead.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

I was recently on vacation outside of the country and found myself out of books...and out of hope that I might be able to find a good book in English to carry me through the rest of my vacation. Reading books in Spanish, while a noble pursuit, was not really what I was hoping for on my beach vacation. I was pleasantly surprised when I found a Jodi Picoult book on the shelf in the resort gift shop (strangely, none of the books in the shop were even in Spanish).

I'm trying to think of what I would compare Picoult to in order to effectively communicate how I feel about her as an author. I guess I might compare her to my car - she's reliable and at times surprisingly powerful...and there's usually nothing ordinary about her (I might be overestimating people's opinions of VWs right now, but anyone else who owns a VW will tell you that they consider their car to be anything but normal).

I've read a number of Picoult's books (7 of what I believe are 14 she has released to date) and she never disappoints. Her books are usually sensational (and I mean that in the most literal sense), focusing on controversial topics. One thing I really like about Picoult is that she does her homework, and it's obvious - she always thoroughly researches the topics she's writing about and you are definitely left with more knowledge after reading her books. Granted, that knowledge is usually about rather obscure things such as the different methods of hanging used in Capital Punishment, but it's knowledge nonetheless.

Change of Heart tells the story of a young man named Shay Bourne who is on Death Row and wants to donate his heart post-execution. Picoult's work isn't full of deep, meaningful metaphors (at least if it is, they're too deep for me because I haven't caught them), but it is full of interesting stories that can at times be deeply moving (I do not recommend that you read My Sister's Keeper in any public place). I would confidently recommend any of her books to a friend - regardless of whether or not they were titles I had read. There's something to be said for an author who can instill such confidence in her readers. Picoult, as an author, is like a smoldering flame - she won't burn bright and die quickly. She'll continue to throw heat.

Are you there Vodka? It's me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

Before I get into today's post, I just need to say that I bit it walking out of my apartment today. Sheets of ice in the parking lot = not awesome.

So another friend recommended this book to me...(I just typed us and then realized that it's not ok to refer to myself in the 3rd person plural)...and let me just say that strangely enough, the friends who recommend books to me and the books they recommend are eerily similar. I'm not sure which of my friends is going to take the most offense to that, but I'm guessing it might be Kelly and this book - but please keep in mind that I only say that because the book was quirky and at times shocking - not because I think you're a promiscuous alcoholic (although we really do need to have a talk about your drinking habits...jk).

Moving on. Are you there Vodka is a loose collection of somewhat autobiographical essays by Handler. I added the somewhat because I'm pretty sure she wasn't really dropping f-bombs at age 8. Speaking of f-bombs, I lasted until 8:32 this morning before cursing at the car in front of me for driving so slowly. So, as I said above - the book is quirky and at times shocking. It honestly made me somewhat uncomfortable. Granted, I'm not the most liberal person in the world (I'm not even the most liberal person in my group of somewhat conservative friends) - but I'm 24 years old (for a couple more months at least) and it shocked even me. So be warned. The stories are funny, yes, but they explore a part of human nature that I'm really not looking to explore...ever. I would probably describe the book mostly with the words vulgar and distasteful. But I would honestly guess that that was Handler's main idea. I finished the book - it wasn't so bad that I didn't - I guess it's somewhat like a car accident, you have to keep looking even though it's disturbing and morbid...although I'd compare this book more to a train accident when one of the trains was full of circus freaks (is circus freaks still a PC term?).

I will say this - I became so certain that the only thing I would take away from the book was a strangely dirty feeling that I was left unprepared for the multiple times throughout the book that Handler spoke in a voice that all females can relate to and made me laugh out loud. And that's not always an easy thing to do.

So in the end maybe I will just describe the book as I might describe Kelly - smart with a biting wit...overall wholly unpredictable in a way that pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you redefine your boundaries...but not unhappily.

Tuscan Holiday by Holly Chamberlin

A friend (Sarah) recommended this book as it was quite relevant to my life recently...and it was quite enjoyable. The first book I read on my Kindle, in fact (which is a completely separate topic, the Kindle that is, and as this isn't really a "technology" blog I won't get into it, but I do like the Kindle and am happy to have received it as a surprise for Christmas).

This book is about the journey a mother and daughter take to Italy between the daughter's college graduation and her wedding. The daughther leaves the States completely sure of herself and her relationship with her fiance, and comes back a lot more sure of herself and a lot less sure of her fiance. I'll take an international love affair any day.

As a 24 year old who feels like she is at the beginnings of a journey of self, it was an interesting read...I usually try to be eloquent but I'm just going to lay this out there: the daughter in the book was really annoying. Like, I'm an immature somewhat-know-it-all 24 year old, and she was an immature know-it-all-22 year old, and even I found her to be annoying. So take that for what it will. Granted, she's not as annoying as the book develops and much of the story centers on her transition from brat to...less of a brat, but is it really that much of an accomplishment to humanize a character who you created as being ridiculously annoying in the first place? Just a thought.

But, the book did make me think about this - I have no idea how I'm ever going to have children. Or rather, how I'm ever going to like my children. The idea is obviously quite far off in the distance at the moment (it would be nice to have a gentleman caller before I had children), but as of now I consider children to be smaller, stickier, noisier versions of adults. And I don't even like adults that much. The list of why I dislike children could go on and on but it's got very little to do with this blog so I'll leave it alone - anyway - how am I going to like my children? They're going to be annoying for a very, very long time. They're going to be little brats who demand that I care for them. This seems problematic to me. But I digress.

I suppose I should hold on to this book for a few (ahem - 30) years and then read it again from the perspective of the mother of an adult child (I mean, I can only hope I have gotten over my aversion to children by that point). I wonder if the naivete of the adult child would be quite as annoying from the perspective of a mother - or if it would be endearing. That very "wonder" is really just a hope from my end that I have not been that annoying to my mother as I've grown up.

But I'm guessing still annoying.

The book is written from the perspective of the mother watching her daughter experience a crisis of self of sorts - and it made me wonder if all mothers experience the same feelings as they watch their daughters shed the skin of adolescence and take the shape of the people they will become. It made me wonder, actually, when that will happen - when I will shed the skin of my adolescence and take the shape of the person I will become. Maybe it's already happened but it's hard for me to see from an inside perspective. Who knows.

Long story short the book is interesting and is much more about a journey of self than a literal journey - hell, maybe the literal journey the mother and daughter was supposed to be an (obvious) metaphor for the more subtle one running through the plot. I just thought of that and now that I see that it's been staring me in the face, I'm kind of annoyed. At myself, at the author, I don't know. At children, probably. Everything is usually their fault.

It has become clear to me that I'm worthless as a blogger

Ok so I really doubt that I HAVE any loyal readers, but if I do, I apologize for my lack of posting for the past...two months. Oops.

I promise, I have been reading, I just haven't so much been...posting. Oops again.

Ok so I can't even remember all of the books that I've read since I last posted, so I'm just going to try to give you the short and sweet on those that I do remember (please note that was not an attempt to intimidate you with the number of books I read, rather it was a testament to just how bad my memory has become).


So, now, the short and sweet.

Sweet Love by Sarah Strohmeyer

I won't lie, I picked this up at the library because the cover is pink and decorated with a cupcake. It's a story about lost love, etc, etc blah blah blah...that's about how the book goes. No offense to Strohmeyer, but this book taught me that two of my passions are intertwined - baking and reading/writing. If you buy a mix, throw in the necessary ingredients, and pull the result out of the oven, you'll get out what you put in - something that is cloyingly sweet and overall ordinary. You have to add a few personal touches in order to end up with a product that can hit more than just one note. I didn't run to the library to pick up another Strohmeyer book.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

A trusted friend passed this book along to me after she had finished with it and I was not at all disappointed by her recommendation (which reminds me that I have to ask what she's been reading recently). This book is deserving of all the critical acclaim it received. It is an entirely unique story about a young man who essentially runs away with the circus following family tragedy - it's the classic coming of age, boy meets girl story, but with details so unlike any other story I've read that it felt completely new and...refreshing. For once, a book where I could not see the ending 50 pages away (again, not an attempt to brag, just a comment on my apparent lack of ability to choose quality literature off the shelves of the library). I highly recommend this book.

Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen

So hopefully the fact that I read two other books by Gruen will reinforce my recommendation that you read Water for Elephants. I unfortunately read these three books in the order of how much I would end up enjoying them, but I enjoyed the first so much that I wouldn't say it is a negative commentary on the last two.

So, anyway, Riding Lessons. This book tells the story of an equestrian with Olympic potential whose career is cut off in its prime. It's about her life thereafter, her story as a mother and a daughter, set against the backdrop of the stable and training center her parents own and run.

There's love, family challenges, competition, and animals...so I was entertained. It was Gruen's first novel...no Water for Elephants, but good nonetheless. Good enough that I read the sequel,...

Flying Changes by Sara Gruen

Flying Changes is the sequel to Riding Lessons - another story about life, love, family, and riding. I can't really distinguish at this point whether I liked the first or second novel more - they were both good, but the fact that one does not really stand apart from the other in my mind might tell you something. The second book focuses more intensely on the relationship between the main character and her daughter, which is at points a little less than believable (the teenage daughter is a bit of a drama queen). So, again, recommended, but not as strongly as Water for Elephants - which is definitely Gruen's strongest work so far (in my eyes and apparently those of the American public).

Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger

Another entertaining novel by the author of The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing (if you haven't read either of those, you should read them). This one focuses on the lives of three best friends - three young women in New York City - a little bit like Lipstick Jungle (RIP, and yes I'm still mad about it) but without all the focus on the high powered careers. I'm going to be honest here - this book is for the girls who miss SATC. I have a feeling that Weisberger has a girl crush on Candace Bushnell....which isn't a problem. The SATC/Lipstick Jungle girls (both novels were authored by Bushnell in case you hadn't heard) were older than the girls that Weisberger features - so maybe Weisberger is the Bushnell of our generation (or at least, a little closer to our generation).

The book was good - don't get me wrong - and if I would just stop analyzing things and leave them be, I would even say the book was a great read (specifically for the beach or some sort of vacation, release sort of book). The thing that bothers me is this - all three of the main characters in this book are intelligent women with exciting careers (or exciting lives, in the case of Adriana). So why, then, is the thing that they focus on and talk about all time men? I'm not saying this isn't (entirely and exactly) accurate...but it is still irritating. Books are an escape, a release in which you can pretend life is not exactly the same way it is in reality - so what is refreshing about a book revealing and detailing the prevailing neuroses of women our age?

Again, probably just thinking too hard...but...it's a thought.

The Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer - Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn

I'm not going to write a review of these books other than to say these things -

1) Read them now.

2) Then read them again.

3) Then you should probably call your friends and let them know you're alive because they're worried they haven't heard from you.

If you have the chance, see the movie before you read the books, otherwise you will think the movie is trash (Unless, of course, you tune out all dialogue and just watch Robert Pattinson's face).

Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner

The latest installment in the Cannie Shapiro series of books...this one about her trials as the mother of her teenage daughter, Joy. Jennifer Weiner is a good author, she writes entertaining dialogue and moves the plot along before you get bored. The book is written from both Cannie and Joy's perspectives, which is fun but at times annoying - Joy is 13 years old and if I wanted to read stories from a 13 year old's perspective, I would read young adult fiction (Ummmm, like Twilight). A weak criticism in the face of an overall entertaining and moving story - I won't give anything away, but just when you think the climax has passed and the book is about to wind down, Weiner throws in a curveball that turns the plot on its head and gives the book some muscle. So if you're tempted to throw the book in the corner (a la 13 year old drama), wait it out at least until you know what I'm talking about.

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham

I've always been a big fan of Grisham - I must admit that I miss the days of The Partner (although it appears those days are coming back with a new release available January 27). I am always pleasantly surprised by his ability to transition seamlessly between the worlds of the courtroom and (in this case) the football field...in Italy. There must be something in the water in Charlottesville that produces brilliant writers (I crack myself up).

I particularly enjoyed this novel because lately I have been considering the merit of a culinary tour of Italy (if you want to either accompany me or bankroll me, or hell, both, let me know) and Grisham spent a good while detailing the food his characters enjoyed throughout their time in Italy (I am growing hungrier as I type this). So the book had food - what else did it really need for me to enjoy it? It was also an interestingly new treatment of the classic tale of a fallen hero (a former NFL pro who can't find work in America and moves to Italy to play in the European league)--

Grisham is brilliant because he doesn't crumble under the pressure of the classic Happy Ending - he constructs his own story with the assured confidence that, happy or not, it will still be good.

And it is.

Phew. Ok. So, if my memory were better, I might have a few more books to add to this list - but really, do you want to waste your time reading about books I read in the last two months and can't really remember?

Happy reading. Oh, and send me some recommendations - I'm off on vacation next week and need some great beach reads! :-)