Review: Body Surfing - Anita Shreve

Release Date: April 24, 2007
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Contemporary Fiction 
Format: Hardcover
# of Pages: 291
Source: Purchased at Border's
Challenge: 2011 Reading From My Shelves Project &
100 Books in a Year
Purchase Book: Amazon

At the age of 29, Sydney has already been once divorced and once widowed.  Trying to regain her footing once again, she has answered an ad to tutor the teenage daughter of a well-to-do couple as they spend a sultry summer in their oceanfront New Hampshire cottage.  /  But when the Edwards' two grown sons, Ben and Jeff, arrive at the beach house, Sydney finds herself caught up in a destructive web of old tensions and bitter divisions.  As the brothers vie for her affections, the fragile existence Sydney has rebuilt for herself is threatened.  With the subtle wit, lyrical language, and brilliant insight into the human heart that has led her to be call "an author at one with her metier" (Miami Herald), Shreve weaves a novel about marriage, family and the supreme courage that it takes to love.

First Sentence:

"Three o'clock, the dead hour."

My Thoughts:
I can't say that I was very happy with this book at all.  I don't recall ever reading any of the other books Shreve has written, but I don't foresee that happening anytime soon.  From the start the book was slow going, and the characters were not very developed.  As I look at my notes now I notice that all I kept writing was "on page 130, still bored..." "on page 190...not interesting..."

I couldn't find a character in the book that I truly liked.  Sydney annoyed me, Jeff was a huge jerk, Ben was pretty lame, Mrs. Edwards was a mean old lady, Mr. Edwards was a pushover....AHHHH.

I really thought there would be more to this book, but I was sadly disappointed.  I really wanted to like this book, as I've heard great things about Anita Shreve before -- maybe I just started on the wrong book?

My Ratings

Liked: The open ending

Disliked: ALL of the characters

Cover: 4/5

Characters: 1/5

Writing Style: 3/5

Plot: 2/5

Ending: 3/5

Overall: 2.5/5

Happy Reading!

Review: The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing - Melissa Bank

The Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing - Melissa Bank

Release Date: May 1, 2000
Publisher: Penguin
Age Group/Genre: Chick Lit
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 274
Source: Purchased at GoodWill

Challenge: Reading From My Shelves Project & 100 Books in a Year
Purchase: The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing (Amazon)

Generous-hearted and wickedly insightful, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing maps the progress of Jane Rosenal as she sets out on a personal and spirited expedition through the perilous terrain of sex, love and relationships as well as the treacherous waters of the workplace.  With an unforgettable comic touch, Bank skillfully teases out issues of the heart, puts a new spin on the mating dance, and captures in perfect pitch what it's like to be a young woman coming of age in America today.

First Sentence: 

"My brother's first serious girlfriend was eight years older -- twenty-eight to his twenty."

My Review:

I really wanted to love this book.  I read The Wonder Spot and really liked it, however this book was just not for me.  I'm a sucker for second chances, so I repeatedly tried to get through this (and finally I did).
I thought that the writing style was extremely awkward.  There weren't really chapters, it was more like little scenes.  Typically that would have been fine, but I didn't feel like the scenes flowed properly.  Overall it just felt like I was jumping from one part of Jane's life to the next without really knowing what to expect.  Much of the time I felt like I would read a part of it and then forget why it was important.
I was extremely annoyed with Jane throughout the book.  I know that it is typical for women to fall in love with the same types of guys over and over again, but it seemed like the choices she was making were just so depressing.  I was getting sad just reading about her falling in love with stupid alcoholics over and over again.  Then, if there was a lighter, funny part I didn't find it all that funny because I was still sad about her constantly being hurt.
It really drove me crazy that many of the people Jane surrounded herself with told her how "ordinary" she was, and that she wasn't, nor would she ever be, beautiful.  The character I see in my head is beautiful, she just makes some dumb decisions.
While I struggled through most of the book, I really enjoyed the last bit.  If the rest of the book could have been written the same way I think I would have loved the whole thing.  Bonnie and Faith cracked me up!  While that whole thing is a little weird (because suddenly Jane is seeing/hearing people...) I think it is what lifted me out of the deep depression I felt during the rest of the book.
A lot of the reviews that I read hailed this book as "the book that started the chick-lit genre", but I don't feel that at all.  I would categorize this as the book that started the depressing genre.

Some Great Quotes

"While home is the place where you can relax and be yourself, this doesn't mean that you can take advantage of the love and affection other members of your family have for you. - From 20th Century Typewriting by D.D. Lessenberry, T. James Crawford and Lawrence W. Erickson"

"He tells me that the best man I will ever find will be attracted to other women."

"Keep a calm atmosphere and children won't worry. - From The Sailor's Handbook Edited by Halsey C. Herreshoff"

"Overslept.

So tired.

If late,

Get fired.

Why bother?

Why the pain?

Just go home.

Do it again."

"A Girl Scout is clean in thought, word and deed.  It's easy to be clean on the outside.  All you need is soap and water and a scrubbing brush.  It's harder to be clean on the inside. - From Junior Girl Scout Handbook"

"You can feel how much he loves you.  For a second, you think maybe if he can just hold on to you like this, he'll keep you from falling off the earth, out of this life."

"Making jokes is your way of saying Do you love me? and when someone laughs you think they've said yes."

"I am a truthball in search of a goof."

Ratings:

Likes: The very last section of the book.

Dislikes: The fact that the whole time I just felt sad.

Favorite Characters: Bonnie & Faith

Least Favorite Character: Archie

Cover: 3/5 - not sure how it relates to the story...

Characters: 2/5 - most of them just got on my nerves

Writing Style: 3/5

Plot: 4/5
Overall Rating: 3/5

Ending: 4/5

Happy Reading!

Review: The Crepe Maker's Bond - Julie Crabtree

The Crepe Makers Bond - Julie Crabtree

Electronic Version

Received from NetGalley

Expected to be published - Spring 2011

Ariel is the head chef in her family kitchen.  Cucumber salads, fettuccine carbonara, fish tacos, and peanut butter pie are just a few of the dishes she crafts when she's feeling frustrated by the world.  And it's turning into a frustrating year.  Ariel, Nicki and Mattie have been inseparable friends since they were little kids, but now Mattie's mom has decided to move away.  It's the girls' last year in middle school, and they can't fathom being separated.  The friends concoct a plan that will keep Mattie in the Bay area -- she'll move in with Ariel and her family.  But before you can say "bff", the party is over.  Everything Mattie does gets on Ariel's nerves, and it's not long before the girls are avoiding each other.  This was supposed to be their best year ever, but some painful lessons are threatening to tear their friendship apart.  Can the girls scramble to make things right before the bond crumbles?

My Review:
I thought this book was great!  I don't know which I enjoyed more -- the plot, or the recipes (which I will definitely be trying out!).  The story was a cute story about learning how to deal with the loss of a close friend.  Honestly, this was something I tried as a kid also -- my best friend and I thought it would be SO fun if we lived together, because then we could really be sisters -- let's just say that after the long weekend she spent at my house, I was glad I was an only child!
I loved Ariel's passion for cooking.  It thrilled me that she is only in 8th grade, but cooking far better than I ever have, and probably ever will!  The names of all of the recipes are super cute too! Like I said, I will definitely be trying some of these soon!
I was not fond of Nicki's character, as I thought that the secret she had kept throughout the book was pretty lame. It seemed like it was something so crucial to the plot, but when you find out it just makes you roll your eyes.
Overall, it was a cute little story about the bonds that are created between friends, and how easily they can be damaged.  I would recommend this book to YA lovers for a quick read.

My Rating:
Overall: 3
Characters: 3
Plot: 3
Writing Style: 3


About Julie Crabtree

Julie was born in Torrance, California in 1970.  She moved to Ahwahnee, California, in the mountains near Yosemite National Park, as a young child, where she grew up.  Julie attended the University of California at Davis, earning her degree in English literature, and then went to a private business school to obtain her paralegal certification.  She spent a year in Spain, teaching English.  After many years as a legal administrator in the San Fransisco bay area, Julie quit work to stay home with her two young daughters.  She began her writing career in the magazine market, and published her work in the San Fransisco Chronicle Magazine, Green Prints, MotherVerse Magazine, Highlights for Children and the American Library Association's Knowledge Quest magazine.  Her first novel, Discovering Pig Magic, winner of the 2008 Milkweed Prize for Children's literature is available everywhere books are sold.  The Crepe Makers' Bond, the highly anticipated sequel to Discovering Pig Magic, will be released in Spring 2011.  In late 2007 Julie relocated to the tiny coastal town of Crescent City in extreme Northern California.  While she loves to write, Julie also thrives on reading, particularly contemporary fiction.  Her other hobbies include gardening (with an emphasis on strange and exotic succulents), and cooking difficult and extravagant meals.  She can be found frequenting the beaches around her home with her dog Digby and a good walking stick.  A longtime yoga in a small Crescent City studio in 2007.  

Happy Reading! 

 

Review: Metro Girl - Janet Evanovich

Metro Girl - Janet Evanovich

Paperback, 384 pages

Published September 8, 2005 - Harper Torch

"Just because I know how to change a guy's oil doesn't mean I want to spend the rest of my life on my back staring up his undercarriage."  From the word go, Evanovich delivers her usual goods, albeit in a different vehicle.  After 10 Stephanie Plum novels, each more successful than the last, Evanovich introduces Alexandra Barnaby, aka Barney.  Barney hails from Baltimore rather than New Jersey, but she's from the same slice of working-class life as Stephanie; she donned mechanic's overalls in her father's garage during summer breaks from college.  Her younger brother, Wild Bill, shares her passion for cars, and now he's disappeared from Miami, along with NASCAR star Sam Hooker's boat, The Happy Hooker.  Evanovich doesn't mind showing her romance roots, as Barney and Sam start off starling at each other; as any reader can tell, they have to team up (a) to save Bill and (b) to enjoy delicious sex.  As in the Plum books, plot takes a back seat to riffs, roughups and dialogue - and in the last lies the book's most notable distinction.  If Stephanie bids fair to be New Jersey's Dorothy Parker, Barney is Baltimore's echo of Robert Parker.  Conversation is terse and coded, full of sexual innuendo, with a high premium on toss-away lines uttered under duress.  Despite the amazing quantity of physical jeopardy, there's little tension; it's all about hanging out with Metro Girl and NASCAR Guy - which may be just what millions of Evanovich fans will want." - From Publishers 

My Review:

I enjoyed this book, as I have many Evanovich novels before.  I read a lot of reviews saying that this was very similar to the Stephanie Plum novels, and while I do agree, I also think that Barney is her own character.  The writing style is (obviously) very similar, but I think I kind of knew going into this book that it would be similar to the other books Evanovich has written.  I did feel at times like there wasn't much focus on the plot at all, and then at other times it was too heavy.  

I liked Barney's character - she was quick and witty, and had a great sense of humor.  I can't deny that Sam (NASCAR Guy) annoyed the living crap out of me.  I just can't see what or how Barney could be attracted to him....but okay...

Overall, I would say this is a great weekend read in between some "heavier" books.

My Ratings:

Overall: 3.5

Characters: 4

Plot: 3

Writing Style: 4

Happy Reading! 

Review: Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Awaken - Katie Kacvinsky

Electronic Version

Received from NetGalley 

Genre: YA, Science Fiction/Fantasy

Expected Publication - 5/23/11

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer.  Whether it's to go to school or on a date, people don't venture out of their homes.  There's really no need.  For the most part, Maddie's okay with the solitary, digital life - until she meets Justin.  Justin likes being with people.  He enjoys the physical closeness of face to face interactions.  People aren't meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her - a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live.  But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

My Review:

First off, the cover art is amazing!  It is honestly what brought this book to my attention in the first place.

I definitely enjoyed this book, and found myself unable to put it down.  It was fast-paced and had such a fantastic plot.  I know that a ton of YA books tend to lean to the romance-y side of things, however while there was a bit of that in this book, it wasn't the main premise.  

I could not imagine a world in which I did not have daily physical interaction with other humans.  I think I would lose my mind!  Many of the technological things that Maddie had in her house seemed awesome, like the digital ceiling canvas, and the computer alarm that woke her up...but it also seemed drab and boring.  I can't argue that there would be a lot less crime, etc in teenagers if schools and everything else was socialized, but I also feel like this would be such a hellish trap.  

Could you imagine going on a "virtual date"?  At one point, Maddie is invited to climb Mt. Everest with one of the family friends.  How weird is that!?

I liked Maddie, however I did find her rather annoying at times.  My favorite character in the book had to be Justin.  Not just because he seemed so smart and dreamy, but he was a much more rounded character, and seemed to have everything under control all the time. 

While I don't think that digital school and a digital life are for me, I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it.  

My Favorite Quotes:

"Life is too short to say maybe."

"...no amount of power is worth having when it means hurting the people you love."

"It's like looking through a microscope your whole life...you miss the whole picture.  Sometimes you need to get lost in order to discover anything."

"But sometimes the more disoriented you are, the more clearly you start to see."

My Ratings:

Overall: 4.5

Plot: 5

Characters: 5

Writing Style: 4

Happy Reading!

Review: The Girl She Left Behind - Karen Brichoux

The Girl She Left Behind - Karen Brichoux

Paperback, 256 pages

Published July 5, 2005 - NAL Trade
Purchased at Border's

From the author of Coffee and Kung Fu and Separation Anxiety comes a refreshingly insightful new novel that asks: Can you find a home in a place where you never really belonged?

No one knows why Katherine Earle has come back to Silver Creek, Montana - not even Kat herself.  At eighteen, she ran away with her boyfriend and got married in the big city, but after spending three years alone and on the road, she's finally come home.  Well, not home, exactly, because she's renting a motel room and trying to avoid all chance encounters with people who might recognize her.  But when she's pulled back into ancient family intrigues, she must choose between the woman she's become and the girl she left behind.

My Review:
I thought this was a really sweet little story, that had the feel-good effect.  I didn't really know what to expect, as I had not heard of Karen Brichoux before, but I was pleased.  I will be checking out Coffee & Kung Fu as well!
Kat left Silver Creek when she was 18 in the middle of the night with her boyfriend.  She spent time with him in California after they got married, but then left him and hit the road by herself.  She traveled with her cat, Miss Kitty for three years before returning to Silver Creek.
I think that this story was able to really show that home is truly where the heart is.  Even though she was raised in Silver Creek, coming back wasn't all that she hoped/thought it would be.
I would recommend this as a light, feel-good read.

My Rating:
Overall: 4
Characters: 4
Plot: 3
Writing Style: 4

About Karen Brichoux
(From Karen's website)
"The daughter of American missionaries, I was born and raised in Southeast Asia.  Most of my childhood was spent reading or forcing the long-suffering family pets to act out the plots of books I'd recently read.

In college, everything was interesting to me, and I could never answer the question "What do you want to be?" without a measure of sarcasm over the idea that "being" something was somehow equated with "doing" something.  Still, guidance tests had revealed a natural predilection for verbal and mechanical skills, which had caused my high school counselor to suggest English or literature or, if that didn't interest me, perhaps becoming a car mechanic.  Oddly, no one suggested mechanical engineering, probably because I had managed to fail Algebra the first time I took it.

After stints as a secondary education major, a theater major, and a humanities major, I graduated with a degree in English literature.  Still interested in everything, I went on to graduate school for an MA in European history, where I focused on social, political, and religious history of twelfth and thirteenth century France.

While working toward a PhD in European history with a concentration in nineteenth-century social/political history combined with political, labor, and feminist theory, I began the painful process of re-examining what really interested me (beyond "everything").  I had been writing stories all my life, but I'd always pictured authors as reclusive, frightened, bitter people.  Realizing that the description also applied to PhD students, I abandoned my prejudice against being an author and wrote my first book.  I naively assumed that awards and editor requests meant I was going to be published by tomorrow or, at worst, the day after.  I left graduate school and began writing full time, even when it became obvious I was not going to be a published author tomorrow or even next week.  Three years later, Coffee & Kung Fu was published by Penguin Press.

Writing is, in many ways, a reversion to childhood.  I still spend most of my time reading and living in the world of my imagination, but the family pets are happy to report that I no longer enlist their services in acting out plots.

Happy Reading!

Review: Hope Burned - Brent LaPorte

Hope Burned - Brent LaPorte

E-book from NetGalley

Published by ECW Press - October 2010

GoodReads Review:

A father sits down to write a letter to his son explaining why his hands are covered in blood.  He journeys back through his childhood on the farm, through the captivity, torture, and brutality that he suffered from the men he just killed - his father and his grandfather.  A reflection on a solitary landscape, this bleak yet move family tragedy details three generations of abuse, where the birth of a newborn forces the question, Is it better to live or die?

My Review:

I really have mixed feelings about this book.  I was completely thrown off by there not being chapters or anything.  I understand that it was supposed to be written like a letter from a father to son, but it was so lengthy that at times I felt like it should have just been in a standard story format (if there is such a thing).  

While I did complain a little about the format of the story, I also liked it.  I feel like writing is one of the greatest ways to get out feelings and emotions, and this story just proved that further.  I wish that "Tom" didn't have to go through all of those things in his life, but the sad fact of the matter is -- thousands of people struggle with physical abuse each day.  It takes a lot for someone to write something on such a touchy/"taboo" topic.  At times I just became enraged at Tom's father and couldn't understand how you could not love the boy you created.  

I did fall in love with most of the characters in the book that Tom meets after he flees the farm.  All in all I really thought that this was going to be a heartwarming story by the end of it (even though I knew that the narrator was writing the letter to his son after having just killed his father and grandfather).  I know that might sound naive, but I kind of thought it would end well for everyone.  This was a very heartbreaking story, with an incredible twist at the end.  I am still a little shocked (after two days) at the ending.  I never saw that coming!  

Recommendation:

I would recommend this only to people that would be in the mood for it.  It is a dark story, and not one that you could just pick up and start reading.  You would really have to be in the right frame of mind for this book.   I enjoyed it, even though there were parts that made me cringe/cry/angry/annoyed...

3 out of 5 stars

Happy Reading!

Review: The Girl in the Green Raincoat - Laura Lippman

The Girl in the Green Raincoat - Laura Lippman

E-book from NetGalley

Published by Avon A, 2011

GoodReads Review: 

In this modern twist on Rear Window, Tess Monaghan has been put on bed rest for the last two months of her pregnancy.  Day after day she watches a girl in a green raincoat in the park with her greyhound, until one day Tess ominously notices the dog running loose.  Convinced some harm has befallen its owner she becomes dangerously obsessed with learning her fate.

My Review:

I thought this was very similar to some of the Janet Evanovich books I've read in the past.  It was a cute little mystery with a female detective that saves the day.  It was a nice quick read that definitely was full of twists and turns.  I really thought that this was going to be a predictable book, but I was mistaken.  

This is the first of the Tess Monaghan novels I've read and I really enjoyed it -- I will definitely be checking out the first 10 books.  I didn't realize that this was a book that was part of a series, but I liked that I didn't really have to read the others to understand what was going on.  

I enjoyed Tess's character, as well as the other fun and quirky characters (especially Whitney -- what a friend!).  What a little terror Dempsey was in the beginning!  It all turned out well though, as he definitely helped to save the day!

Recommendation: 

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, lazy Sunday read.  It was a thrilling mystery packed with great characters and a plot line that will keep you guessing.

4 out of 5 stars.

Happy Reading!

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium - Lauren Oliver

E-book from NetGalley

Published by HarperTeen, 2011

Goodreads Review: 

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing.  They didn't understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold.  Things are different now.  Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demand that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen.  Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she'll be cured.  A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

My Review:

Lauren Oliver is an incredible writer and story teller.  The whole story kept me interested and wanting more.  The plot is incredible - I love that she uses love as the disease.  It kind of makes you think -- are we all love sick?  Does it make sense to eradicate love?  Can we really exists without love!?

I loved the main character, Lena.  I felt like I could really relate to her.  She always follows the rules, and didn't expect there to be anything outside of her little bubble of life that was created by the government.  She is eager to get through the procedure and get paired with her husband.  She had goals and dreams to go to college and have a family and live by her best friend, Hana.  All of this is changed when Lena goes to her evaluation and sees Alex.  She completely flakes on her evaluation, but is saved by the mass chaos brought on by a "mix up". 

I was completely caught off guard by the ending.  It seemed like the story was wrapping up and I really liked the way that things were going...but then there was a twist.  I still really liked the ending, it just was not what I was expecting at all. 

I thought this book was a real fast paced page turner with a great story line. I am definitely going to be checking out future (and past) books by Lauren Oliver. 

Recommendation: 

I would recommend this book to all YA lovers, and those that love a nice little love story.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Happy Reading!

Review: According to Jane - Marilyn Brant

According to Jane- Marilyn Brant

E-Book / Downloaded to Kindle from Amazon

Published 2009 by Kensington

Goodreads Review: 

It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice".  From nowhere comes a quiet 'tsk' of displeasure.  The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten.  Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there.  Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own.  Years and boyfriends come and go -- sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough.  But Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent.  Stay away, Jane demands.  He is your Mr. Wickham.  Still, everyone has something to learn about love -- perhaps even Jane herself.  And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending.

My Review:

First let me start off by saying, I've not read Pride and Prejudice, nor anything else written by the Great Jane Austen.  Not because I don't want to, I just haven't gotten around to it.  I guess because mostly this was something that was forced upon me during school, and now that I'm free to read whatever I want...I do.  I surely will give Pride and Prejudice a chance...soon.

I must admit, at first, I thought -- wow, this Ellie chick is whacked out.  She's hearing voices in her head, and not just that --- it is the voice of Jane Austen!  I loved the conversations that Jane and Ellie would have.  They had me laughing, tearing up, and even getting angry at some points.  It is totally appropriate that Jane Austen was residing in Ellie's head (I won't spoil it for you, but Jane discloses her reasoning at the end of the book), especially since Ellie is a nerd, with a big heart.  I probably would have gotten a lot more of the references and homage to Pride and Prejudice had I read that before, but I still thought overall this was a really cute book.

The author, Marilyn Brant did a great job of getting me hooked right from the get-go.  Not being a die hard Jane Austen fan, I find that quite impressive.  As I started reading, I just had to know why Jane was in Ellie's head, and what would happen to Ellie.  I really enjoyed Marilyn Brant's writing style, and will definitely look into other books she has written.

I love, love, love the ending of the book and think it is perfect.  I would not have asked for anything more, as it is exactly what I wanted to happen for sweet Ellie.  I won't lie -- while I did love Ellie, her sister annoyed me throughout the entire book.  I'm pretty sure she was supposed to be an annoying character, but I couldn't help but be angry when I read Di's name, and realized I would have to listen to her blab on and complain about something.  I guess you win some you lose some, huh?

Overall, I liked the book, so I will give it 4 stars, however, (to no fault of the author's) since I haven't read Pride and Prejudice I didn't get a lot of the references that I am sure made the book even better.

My Recommendation: I would recommend this to anyone that is a Jane Austen fan for sure, as well as anyone that loves a sweet little hopelessly romantic tale.

Happy Reading!

Review: Queen of Babble Gets Hitched - Meg Cabot

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched - Meg Cabot

Paperback / 319 Pages

Published by HarperCollins 2009

Lent to me by my best friend

GoodReads Review:  Big mouth. Big heart.

Big wedding. Big problems.

It's the wedding of the century!

Things are looking up at last for Lizzie Nichols. She has a career she loves in the field of her choice (wedding gown restoration), and the love of her life, Jean-Luc, has finally proposed. Life's become a dizzying whirl of wedding gown fittings—not necessarily her own—as Lizzie prepares for her dream wedding at her fiancé's château in the south of France.

But the dream soon becomes a nightmare as the best man—whom Lizzie might once have accidentally slept with . . . no, really, just slept—announces his total lack of support for the couple, a sentiment the maid of honor happens to second; Lizzie's Midwestern family can't understand why she doesn't want to have her wedding in the family backyard; her future, oh-so-proper French in-laws seem to be slowly trying to lure the groom away from medical school and back into investment banking; and Lizzie finds herself wondering if her Prince Charming really is as charming as she once believed.

Is Lizzie really ready to embrace her new role as wife and mistress of Château Mirac? Or is she destined to fall into another man's arms . . . and into the trap of becoming a Bad Girl instead?

My Review:  I love, love, love Lizzie...maybe because I am so like her.  I often find myself blurting things out that I know shouldn't be shared, and then thinking "where did that even come from!?" I read the first two books in this series earlier this year, and loved them too.  

Lizzie is an extremely likeable character, and throughout all her ups and downs I felt like I was right there with her.  She has fallen in love with Luke, whom she met in Paris the previous summer, and during the last book they have broken up and Lizzie spends some time with Luke's best friend, Chaz, who is also Lizzie's best friends ex boyfriend.  LOVE TRIANGLE!!! This is better than trashy tv!  Anyway, throughout all of this book, while Lizzie is engaged to Luke, everyone is rooting for her and Chaz.  

I also loved Ava Geck!!! How extremely hillarious!! All I could imagine was Paris Hilton becoming Lizzie's best friend and it was perfect!!

I think that the main thing I got from this book is just that you can't help who you love, and who you don't.  It is so true.  I know more often than not people will stay with their partner for reasons that just don't make sense, and you've got to stop and realize what you really want.  Lizzie is a fantastic character that I think most women can relate to.  I thought this was a witty (as always with Meg Cabot), fun read. 

Recommendation:  I would recommend this to anyone that has read Meg Cabot before, but also to those who haven't read Meg Cabot before.  Make sure that you read the first two Queen of Babble books before this one, or you might be a little confused.  This is a funny, sweet, great read!

Five Stars

Happy Reading!

Dear John - Nicholas Sparks - Jan 2010

"Our story has three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. And although this is the way all stories unfold, I still can't believe that ours didn't go on forever." 


Okay, so Nicholas Spark's books always follow the same formula...Boy meets girl, they fall in love, something tragic happens, & happily ever after.  I'm not really one for this type of story, but honestly, I enjoy a light, easy read every now and again.  


So, John (the main character -- who is of course insanely beautiful) is in the military.  He goes home on leave, and goes to the beach to surf.  While he is at the beach he notices some other young adults playing around on the dock.  One of the girls, Savannah (who is also, of course, insanely beautiful), loses her purse and becomes extremely angry.  Savannah is in town with her church group building a house for Habitat for Humanity.  John notices Savannah as the "damsel in distress" and fishes the purse out of the water.  So of course, as soon as John saves the purse, Savannah falls in love (gimme a break right!?  --if it was that easy, we'd all be "in love").  After spending a little bit of time together, Savannah wants to meet John's family (come on Savannah, give it some time!), but John is reluctant.  John's father definitely has some quirks (he doesn't talk much, he has a very strict routine, an obsession with his coin collection, etc.), so John is worried about brining Savannah home with him.   When Savannah has dinner with John and his father, she has a great time.  She learns about the coins, and watches John's father.  Savannah grew up on a ranch with a neighbor she was very close with (the neighbor is actually a part of her church group -- so he is also at the beach).  The neighbor's brother was diagnosed with autism at a young age, and Savannah was often around to see and experience what autism was like.  After her visit with John's dad, Savannah believes that John's dad is autistic.  When she tells John about this, he flips out, and doesn't want to hear it.  I could definitely relate, as that would be the last thing I would want to hear, true or not.  Anyway, John heads back to Germany after his leave is up, and he makes a promise to Savannah to keep in touch.  They decide to write letters back and forth.  While John is away, his father gets very sick.  He comes home to see his father, and realizes that Savannah was probably right.  They continue to write, but the letters from Savannah become less and less frequent.  Finally, John gets a letter from Savannah, stating that she has fallen in love with another man, and is engaged to be married.  John is distraught, and spends all his time doing as many reckless things as he can to erase the pain he is going through.  When John's father passes, he comes back home to take care of his fathers estate.  While he is home, he makes a detour to go see Savannah.  He doesn't exactly know where to locate her, as they haven't talked for many years, but he goes to her hometown.  He finds through the grapevine that she is living in the house next to her parents ranch.  It all starts to come together, and he realizes that Savannah left him to marry the friend that she grew up next to.  She is now happily married, and taking care of the husbands brother, that has autism.  While having dinner with Savannah, John finds out that her husband has skin cancer, and it cannot be treated.  There is an experimental procedure at John's Hopkins, but Savannah and her family cannot afford that treatment.  John realizes how happy Savannah is, and decides to sell his fathers old coin collection, and donate the money to Savannah's family anonymously so that her husband can get the treatment he needs.  Of course, Savannah and her husband live happily ever after.


Okay, so I hate Savannah.  Let's just get that out to begin with.  Honestly, I think it is ridiculously cheesey that her and John fall in love that quickly, but if you overlook that...the chick is still whacked out.  With a love like that, you are going to leave him?  I just don't understand.  I know that long distance relationships are hard, but really?!  I just think that was extremely selfish.  Savannah tries to explain to John that the reason she did what she did was that she was "young and scared".  UGH, I just don't see it.  But, I was also pretty mad at John.  Instead of fighting for Savannah, he just lets her slip away.  


So -- the movie comes out, and I think - WOW, that would be a great movie to go see.  WRONG.  WORST. MOVIE. EVER. ((Well, maybe second worst -- after My Sister's Keeper)).  I know that when the author sells their story to a movie company they lose all the rights to it, but I really think that the changes in the movie were completely unnecessary and really didn't even make any sense.  UGH. 


Movie gets 1 out of 5 stars.


Book gets 4 out of 5 stars.




Happy Reading!