Coffee, Books and Laundry

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? 2/27/12

2012-02-26T23:08:00.000-06:00

Meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

My first It's Monday! post.

Books read last week:

Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

I was looking forward to reading Shooting Stars, sadly it was a disappointing read.

I'm currently reading:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

I just started this on my kindle. I must know what all the raving is about, plus it's John Green. Need I say more, nerdfighters.

Up Next:

The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

2012-02-26T22:44:00.000-06:00

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick

Author: Joe Schreiber

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Publication Date: October 25th 2011

From Goodreads:

Perry Stormaire is a normal high school senior- he is busy applying to college and rehearsing with his band- until he agrees to go the prom with the Lithuanian exchange student who is staying with his family. It turns out that Gobi Zaksauskas is not the mousy teenager that she seems but rather an attractive, confident trained assassin. Instead of going to the prom, Perry finds himself on a wild ride through the streets of New York City as Gobi commandeers the Jaguar his father lent him for the prom in order to take out her targets. Perry learns a lot about himself- and ends up with some amazing material for his college application essays.

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No surprise that Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick is in development right now, and should hopefully soon be in theaters. It's a wild ride Mr. Schreiber takes us on, perfect for the big screen.

What can i say about Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick? It's funny, suspenseful, thrilling. It's Ferris Bueller on steroids. The pace was great but than again the book is 192 pages. It's small but packs a punch. The writing is excellent and I thought it was unique how the wild night from hell was written. Perry is telling us about his night through college application essays. Bet ya that would peak the interest of whoever's job it is to read applicant essays.

New York...you are the perfect supporting character. Shit like this can only happen there. Imagine it set in Denver, CO..it just doesn't go. No offense to Denver, it's beautiful but New York with it's gritty streets and "chew you up and spit you out" reality is exactly what Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick needs.

It's awesome, seriously.

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

2012-02-21T16:43:00.001-06:00

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare

Author: Melissa Jensen

Publisher: Speak

Publication Date: February 16th 2012

From Goodreads:

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school; Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is her French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before.

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I have to start off by saying I love this book. With the exception of one small tiny imperfection for me it was a damn ~~good~~ great read.

Ella is invisible, but that is how she likes it. She's comfortable there, where she can hide her scar that is described as being quite large on her shoulder going up her neck and down toward her chest, she just hangs with her two best friends, Frankie and Sade. She's in love with the perfect speciman, Edward Willings, sadly he's dead and has been since 1917 ( I think that is the year, i'm being to lazy to go back and verify). Yeah, she's crushing on a not really all that famous painter. That's the kind of girl she is. :) I love that about Ella, who says a dead guy is not off limits. She also is crushing on unattainable Alex, who happens to be dating a true bitch. Aren't they always? Ella is so real and human. She's insecure about her scar and her families lack of money. And Alex will he isn't all that he seems. In fact I was prepared for some guy that is somewhat awful to see the light and change , but he really is cool from the get go. They are perfect for each other. The relationship between them is cute and one of a kind. I truly truly find him crush worthy.

My one small complaint is Ella's friends Frankie and Sade. I liked them a lot, I wanted to know more about them. But we only get little glimpses here and there. I wanted to know what is Frankie's major problem with Alex, and why is Sade so insecure. Frankie has a twin brother Daniel who makes a couple of appearances, and I even wanted to know more about him. What gives!

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare is one of my favorite YA reads this year, so far.

Something Blue by Emily Giffin

2012-02-18T16:21:00.000-06:00

Something Blue

Author: Emily Giffin

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: March 21st 2006

From Goodreads:

Darcy Rhone has always been able to rely on a few things: Her beauty and charm. Her fiance, Dex. Her lifelong best friend, Rachel. She never needed anything else. Or so she thinks until Dex calls off their dream wedding, and she uncovers the ultimate betrayal. Blaming everyone but herself, Darcy flees to London and attempts to re-create her glamorous life on a new continent. But to her dismay, she discovers that her tried-and-true tricks no longer apply- and that her luck has finally expired. It is only then that she can begin her journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and true love.

-------------------------

Something Blue is a reread for me. I never reread but I saw Something Borrowed the other day and couldn't for the life of me remember what Something Blue was about. I figured why the hell not, but before starting I checked what I rated it some years ago. 4 stars..yep. I guess I thought it was good. I guess reading taste do change as time goes by because this is clearly a 2.5/3 star read...now.

My problems with Something Blue is Darcy and Ethan. Really I'm not buying it this time around. First, Ethan clearly sees right through Darcy, and I know she changes as time goes by, but shallow is shallow. I'm not sure if you can just erase this from your personality. Ethan is so much more, what's the word i'm looking for....hmm...BETTER than Darcy. The further you read the better Darcy becomes as a person, and I thought that was great. But to me the changes came because of the wrong things. I can't really articulate what i'm thinking right now, but I guess you can say I wasn't thoroughly convinced.

Something Blue is Darcy's story, if you are not a fan of her and infact can't stand her, it will be a hard read. Her ways don't start changing until the halfway point, and like I said it's a little unconvincing.

Mini Review: I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy by Pittacus Lore

2012-02-10T17:44:00.000-06:00

I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy

Author: Pittacus Lore

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: July 26th 2011

From Goodreads:

Number Six- When John meets her in I Am Number Four she's strong, powerful, and ready to fight. But who is she? Where has she been living? How has she been training? When did she develop her legacies? And how does she know so much about the Mogadorians?

In I am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy, discover the story behind Six. Before Paradise, Ohio, before John Smith, Six was traveling through West Texas with her Cepan, Katarina. What happened there would change Six forever...

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Like most who love the Lorien Legacies series, we wondered about Six. How did she become such a bad ass? What's her story? In The Lost Files: Six's Legacy we get Six's story. I thought it was good. It could have easily been a full book but I quite liked it condensed into a novella. I can easily see why she has so much hatred for the Mogadorians, and why she is so ruthless when it comes to killing them. I enjoyed it.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Recommendations for Chick Lit

2012-01-17T09:01:00.000-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish

This week's Top Ten is :

Top Ten Books I'd Recommend to Someone Who Doesn't Read Chick Lit.

1. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Men I've Dated by Shane Bolks

2. A Girl Like You by Gemma Burgess

3. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

4. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me by Sarra Manning

5. Sophie Katz Series by Kyra Davis

There are 5 books in this series

6. Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell

7. Notes From the Backseat by Jody Gehrman

8. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

9. Queen of Babble Trilogy by Meg Cabot

10. Accidental It Girl by Libby Street

I also have to add anything by Melissa Nathan.

Sundowners by Lesley Lokko

2012-01-13T16:32:00.000-06:00

Sundowners

Author: Lesley Lokko

Publisher: Orion Mass Market Paperback

Publication Date: October 7th 2004

From Goodreads:

Take Four friends...Rianne: beautiful, wealthy and thoroughly spoilt, she has the world at her feet but is about to risk everything. Gabrielle: intelligent, loyal and always worrying about everyone else, now it's time for her to start looking after No. 1. Nathalie: petite, pretty and with a shrewd eye for business, she uses her work to help her forget the one man she can't have. Charmaine: flirty and outrageous, she knows all about the good life. She just needs someone to pay for it...Then a chance encounter changes everything- and for Rianne and her friends, nothing is going to be the same...

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I've had Sundowners in my TBR for years now and with my commitment to read my oldest books I decided on this chunkster. At 656 pages Sundowners is an epic read that covers 20 years of the lives of 4 girls from their time in a all girl's boarding school to the start of their careers and adult lives.

Sundowners reminded me a lot of Judith Michael's books or even Judith Krantz. Author Lesley Lokko grabs you from the start, now for me the start grabbed me but in all the wrong ways. I detested Rianne from the start up until about 100 pages in. Then I started to see changes in her that made the next 500 and something pages a crazy ride. Her story still was my least favorite though. I enjoyed reading about Gabrielle's life the most. But they were all interesting. I was rooting for all of them.

There is a little bit of everything in Sundowners..politics, love, betrayal and exotic locations. The politics was really interesting, it was having to do with South Africa, Nelson Mandela and so much more. It's very hard to explain it, but it's definitely exciting.

Sundowners is a throwback to women's fiction of the past. It's a glorious ride.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

2012-01-11T11:34:00.000-06:00

Attachments

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: Dutton Adult

Publication Date: April 14th 2011

From Goodreads:

Beth and Jennifer know their company monitors their office e-mail. But the women still spend all day sending each other messages, gossiping about their coworkers at the newspaper and baring their personal lives like an open book. Jennifer tells Beth everything she can't seem to tell her husband about her anxieties over starting a family. And Beth tells Jennifer everything, period.

When Lincoln applied to be an Internet security officer, he hardly imagined he'd be sifting through other people's inboxes like some sort of electronic Peeping Tom. Lincoln is supposed to turn people in for misusing company e-mail, but he can't quite bring himself to crack down on Beth and Jennifer. He can't help but be entertained and captivated by their stories.

But by the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late for him to ever introduce himself. What would he say to her? "Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you." After a series of close encounters and missed connections, Lincoln decides it's time to muster the courage to follow his heart...even if he can't see exactly where it's leading him.

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Wow! What an awesome book. Attachments has a little bit of everything that makes a great women's read. The characters, the relationships, the wittiness and of course the story itself...I could kiss it.

Attachments is told mostly/really from the perspective of Lincoln, our ever laid back yet tense male protagonist. We know of Beth and Jennifer only through their emails. Back to my book character crush Lincoln, he is perfect...for me. He's a little depressing and pessimistic. He's a tad bit of a loner, not really ambitious but aware of his lack of it. Wants some purpose but needs someone to point him in the right direction. The ending of his relationship to what he thinks is his one true love darkens him. Slowly though he rises up from the ashes and starts living his life. The fact that he falls for Beth through emails before he even knows what she looks like makes me like him even more. Beth and Jennifer have a great rapport with each other. They tell each other everything and you do get a sense of their personalities through their emails. Beth is witty, fun and sarcastic. Jennifer is equally just as witty.

To me attachments is more a story about Lincoln then Beth and Jennifer. We are along for the ride as Lincoln tries to discover what he wants in life. We ride out this funk he's in at the same time admiring his uncomfortable yet liberating choices he's making. And through the emails we find out about Beth and her emotionally closed off boyfriend and the back and forth decision of whether to be a mom with Jennifer.

Everything was just done right in Attachments. I loved it!!

Things I Know About Love by Kate Le Vann

2012-01-09T03:00:00.000-06:00

Things I Know About Love

Author: Kate Le Van

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Publication Date: December 10th 2010

From Goodreads:

Livia Stowe has never been lucky in love. While her friends were going to parties and dances and on dates, Livia was being shuffled in and out of hospitals, making her dating life difficult.

But this summer is going to be different. Cancer-free for over a year, Livia's boarding a plane to visit her brother as he studies abroad at Princeton University. She's determined to make the most of her trip, recording every moment of it in her private blog. Maybe she'll even have a fling with a cute college boy!

America is bright, exciting, and filled with romantic possibilities. And then Livia meets Adam, and her plans for summer fun become so much more. Entranced by the magical New York City that he shows her, Livia is smitten, but is she really ready to risk her heart again?

---------------

Things I Know About Love is a really short read with 160 pages but in those pages you really get to know Livia and love her. Her romance with Adam is sweet and full of youthful romance. I was reminded of the feeling you get when you meet someone for the first time you really like. How you don't want to interpret signs. Just the fact that everything HAS to be a sign. It was all done very cute, but then you know there is this awful lingering thing in the distance. Livia's illness is always there in back of her mind, but she doesn't want it to affect her new found happiness with Adam. We also get to see things from Adam's point of view. There isn't a lot of it but enough to know what he's feeling about Livia.

I was touched by Livia's story of first love.

Weekly Recap and Upcoming Week

2012-01-08T13:54:00.000-06:00

This week I read 5 books and wrote a review for all but one. One of my resolutions was to write my reviews as soon as I finish a book. So far so good.

I have one review left to write for this week for Things I Know About Love by Kate Le Vann.

I also wanted to read out of my comfort level this year. 4 out of the 5 books I read I probably would not have picked up before.

My favorite read this week is Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake.

I'm currently reading Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. I'm not too far in, but so far it's good. This upcoming week I hope to read at least 3 books.

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School starts back up for my kids Tuesday. Thank God!! I am so ready to get back to a regular routine. Yesterday I was feeling antsy, I think my ADD was kicking up in full gear. I read for about 30 minutes only yesterday, watched absolutely no TV, instead I invited some friends over and had a ping pong tournament in my backyard. I was on ping pong fire. I kicked some major butt!

Hope everyone has a great upcoming week.

Just a little story about FIREWORKS.

2012-01-07T14:11:00.001-06:00

My New Year started with a bang, hundreds of them to exact. There were so many fireworks going off all night. One decided to go rogue and set it's eyes on me or my chest to be exact.

<---This is what my chest looked like 5 minutes past midnight. It hurt like hell and I was cussing up a storm. And before anyone says I shouldn't have been close to it, I wasn't close to it. I'm an adult and I know better. The pain has subsided but now I'm worried about scarring. Are my cleavage showing days over? By 12: 30 I was at home laying down with burn medicine all over my chest. But not before someone put butter on it at the party I was at, then was told by numerous people butter is just an old wise tale and not to be put on a burn. So then I got lathered with mustard and smelled like a hot dog. :P What a way to start the New Year.

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff, Alex Tresniowski

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: November 1st 2011

Non-Fiction

An Invisible Thread is about an incredible friendship between a 11 yr. old boy living off the streets of New York and a thirty something business women. Laura Schroff walked right pass Maurice when he asked for some spare change, for some reason after passing him up Laura stopped and turned back. She offered to take him to McDonald's. From there grew a friendship that would change both their lives for the better.

An Invisible Thread is such an inspirational read. How many times have we ignored the homeless asking for change? Have we become so jaded that it doesn't even pull on our heartstrings to see someone going through hard times? I love that Ms. Schroff stopped and considered that she was ignoring a child obviously hungry. She gained so much from her friendship with Maurice. Maurice's story is heartbreaking to read, especially knowing that it is the story of many children out there today looking for someone to care.

In An Invisible Thread we follow both Maurice's and Laura's individual lives and their deep friendship. We also get insight to their pasts. I truly loved this book.

The Fates Will Find Their Way by Hannah Pittard

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Fates Will Find Their Way

Author: Hannah Pittard

Publisher: Ecco

Publication Date: February 1st 2011

From Goodreads:

Sixteen year old Nora Lindell is missing. And the neighborhood boys she's left behind are caught forever in the heady current of her absence.

As the days and years pile up, the mystery of her disappearance grows kaleidoscopically. A collection of rumors, divergent suspicions, and tantalizing what ifs, Nora Lindell's story is a shadowy projection of teenage lust, friendship, reverence, and regret, captured magically in the disembodied plural voice of the boys who still long for her.

Told in haunting, percussive prose, Hannah Pittard's beautifully crafted novel tracks the emotional progress of the sister Nora left behind, the other families in their leafy suburban enclave, and the individual fates of boys in her thrall. Far more eager to imagine Nora's fate than to scrutinize their own, the boys sleepwalk into a adulthood of jobs, marriages, families, homes, and daughters of their own, all the while pining for a girl - and a life - that no longer exists, except in the imagination.

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The Fates Will Find Their Way reminds me a lot of The Virgin Suicides. The story is told from the perspective of the neighborhood boys that circulated around Nora Lindell. She disappears on Halloween when she is sixteen and takes on this grandiose persona. We follow the boys through young teenagers to mid life as they fantasize and wonder what happen to Nora.

What I found so wonderful about The Fates Will Find Their Way is the writing. The prose is beautiful and eerie. It is a depressing read but it works. It's as it was meant to be. I thought Ms. Pittard did a flawless job writing a man's point of view. I understood these group of guys and also understood their need to fantasize about where Nora could be. It became part of who they were. In later years it bonded them, these married group of men still drinking together and speculating.

If you do decide to read The Fates Will Find Their Way keep in mind this isn't a mystery so don't expect answers. The story is not about Nora but about the boys that could never let her go.

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Descendants

Author: Kaui Hart Hemmings

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: May 15th 2007

From Goodreads:

Mathew King was once considered on of the most fortunate men in Hawaii. His missionary ancestors were financially and culturally progressive - one even married a Hawaiian princess, making Matt a royal descendant and one of the state's largest landowners..

Now his luck has changed. His two daughters are out of control: Ten year old Scottie is a smart - ass with a desperate need for attention, and seventeen year old Alex, a former model, is a recovering drug addict. Matt's charismatic, thrill- seeking,high-maintenance wife, Joanie, lies in a coma after a boat - racing accident and will soon be taken off life support. The Kings can hardly picture life without her, but as they come to terms wit this tragedy, their sadness is mixed with a sense of freedom that shames them - and spurs them into surprising actions.

Before honoring Joanie's living will, Matt must gather her friends and family to say their final goodbyes, a difficult situation made worse by the sudden discovery there is one person who hasn't been told: the man whom Joanie had been having an affair, quite possibly the one man she ever truly loved. Forced to examine what he owes not only the living but to the dead, Matt takes to the road with his daughters to find his wife's lover, a memorable journey that leads to both painful revelations and unforeseen humor and growth.

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I was very disappointed with The Descendants. I expected more character insight, instead getting bratty kids and a MC that somehow comes off spineless instead of capable.

Though I did dislike The Descendants I still found some parts quite engaging and heartfelt. The struggles Matt faces when he finds out his wife was having a affair is raw and emotional. How can he get mad at his wife if she is dying? How does he manage to do what's right for his children and wife after feeling so betrayed by her? Ultimately the MC's struggle with his emotions is what kept me reading till the end. I wanted to know if he came out okay in the end.

The story was told almost in a passive way. Very slowly and kind of 'whatever' at moments. Am I suppose to not like Joanie or am I suppose to understand her and at the end, like her. Because I just didn't plain like her, yet the writing I felt kept nudging me to try to understand her and sympathize, I just couldn't. As for the daughters they were a hand full and so irritating that I almost DNF'd it. If they didn't start showing some growing up I probably would have chucked it.

The Descendants have some great beautiful written parts but as a whole it didn't do it for me.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

2012-01-03T12:43:00.000-06:00

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

Author: Sarah MacLean

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: March 30, 2010

From Goodreads:

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried - and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss - to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston - Charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all - the one that says that pleasure- seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love.

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I really have to love a historical romance book to finish it. The ideal sounds so appealing, to get lost in the romance. But when I pick one up it rarely peaks my interest, and I throw it aside for another book. But occasionally I hit the jackpot, one that is so deliciously funny and romantic like Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake.

Callie is not the most beautiful girl in London, not by a long shot but that doesn't mean she doesn't want it all, especially love. At 28 she's already considered a spinster with an impeccable reputation. But what is this great reputation getting her? She's bored and resigned to the fact that she won't ever be more than a spinster. Since she can't have the whole works..love, marriage and children she will settle for adventure. She creates a list of things she always wanted to do and sets upon making them happen. First on the list is to kiss passionately. And she has chosen none other than her decade long crush Gabriel St. John, the Marquis of Ralston. He once made her feel beautiful when she was younger and she hasn't been able to keep him off her mind since.

What I liked so much about Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is how fearless Callie becomes. She seeks out adventure and boy does she get it. She's a lady in public and rule breaker by night. I laughed so many times. She definitely has some crazy things on her list. Gabriel is a great character. He's gorgeous with dark black hair and blue eyes, and is devilishly bad. There is quite a bit of naughty parts but not overly done. It was hot though. I'm not a fan of overly sexual books and this one was fine for me. Callie and Gabriel have chemistry. They are smoking hot together. What's not to love..the wallflower gets the guy.

Looking forward to reading more of Sarah MacLean's books. I've already have the next two books in the Love by Numbers series.

2011 Books Read

2012-01-03T02:42:00.000-06:00

A-
Await Your Reply- Dan Chaon
Audrey, Wait - Robin Benway
Anna and the French Kiss- Stephanie Perkins
American Gangbang- Sam Benjamin
A Girl Like You- Gemma Burgess
B-
Before I fall- Lauren Oliver
Beauty- Robin McKinley
Beneath a Starlet Sky- Amanda Goldberg & Ruthanna Hopper
Best Intentions- Emily Listfield
But I Love Him- Amanda Grace
The Book of Lies- Mary Horlock
Beautiful Dead- Yvonne Woon
Before Ever After- Samantha Sotto
Babe in Boyland- Jody Gerhman

C-
City of Fallen Angels- Cassandra Clare

A Catered Affair- Sue Margolis
Craving Perfect- Liz Fichera
The Confession- John Grisham

D-
Dairy Queen-Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Deception - Lee Nichols
Die For Me- Amy Plum
Don't Breath A Word- Jennifer McMahon
Delirium- Lauren Oliver
Divergent- Veronica Roth
Demonglass- Rachel Hawkins
Dark Parties- Sara Grant
Dead Beautiful- Yvonne Woon
Ditched- Robin Mellom
E-
Epic Fail- Claire LeZebnik
Exposed- Kimberly Marcus

F-
From Nottinghill With Love Actually- Ali McNamara
Firefly Lane- Kristin Hannah
Forbidden- Tabitha Suzuma
Fragile- Lisa Unger
Flawless- Lara Chapman
From This Moment On- Shania Twain
The Future of Us- Jay Asher, Carolyn Mackler

G-
Going Too Far- Jennifer Echols
The Girl Who Would Speak to the Dead- Paul Elwork
Give Up the Ghost- Megan Crewe
Groundswell= Katie Lee
Graffiti Moon- Cath Crowley

H-
The House at Riverton - Kate Morton
Hex Hall- Rachel Hawkins
Handling the Undead- John Ajvide Lindqvist
He's So Worth It- Kieran Scott

I-
In the Woods- Tana French
It's Kind of a Funny Story - Ned Vizzini
If I Stay - Gayle Forman
Invincible Summer- Hannah Moskowitz
I am Ozzy- Ozzy Osbourne
I am Number Four- Pitticus Lore
I Heart New York- Lindsey Kelks

J-
John Belushi is Dead- Kathy Charles
Just Friends With Benefits- Meredith Schorr
Jellicoe Road- Melina Marchetta

K-

L-
Love at First Click- Elizabeth Chandler
The Last Little Blue Envelope- Maureen Johnson
The Lipstick Laws- Amy Holder
The Lonely Hearts Club- Elizabeth Eulberg
Little Woman and Me- Lauren Baratz Logsted
Lola and the Boy Next Door- Stephanie Perkins
The Last Letter from Your Lover- Jojo Moyes
The Lover's Dictionary- David Levithan
M-
My Husband's Affair- Anne Brecht
My Fair Lazy- Jen Lancaster
The Midwife's Confession- Diane Chamberlain
The Magnolia League- Katie Crouch
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs
My Name is Memory- Ann Brashares

N-
The Nobodies Album- Carolyn Parkhurst

O-
One Day - David Nicholls
The Off Season- Catherine Gilbert Murdock

P-
Prom and Prejudice- Elizabeth Eulberg
Playing Dirty- Susan Anderson
The Peach Keeper- Sarah Addison Allen
The Power of Six- Pittacus Lore
Pretty Face- Mary Hogan
Prince of Thieves- Chuck Hogan
The Paris Wife- Paula McLain
Q-

R-
The Romantics- Galt Niederhoffer
Revolution- Jennifer Donnelly
Real Live Boyfriends- E. Lockhart
The Raising- Laura Kasischke
Rules of Civility- Amor Towles

S-
Still Missing- Chevy Stevens
Stay - Deb Caletti
Something Like Fate - Susane Colasanti
Summer and the City- Candace Bushnell
Sometimes it Happens- Lauren Barnholdt
Sharks & Boys- Kristen Tracy
Summer in the City- Elizabeth Chandler
Summer of the Geek- Piper Banks
Shut Out- Kody Keplinger
She's So Dead to Us- Kieran Scott
The Sweet Gum Tree- Katherine Allred
A Stolen Life- Jaycee Dugard

T-
These Hidden Things- Heather Gudenkauf
Take A Chance on Me- Jill Mansell
The Tea Rose- Jennifer Donnelly
The Things We Cherished- Pam Jenoff
Tainted- Brooke Morgan
Troy High- Shanna Norris

U-
Unearthly- Cynthia Hand
Unbroken- Laura Hillenbrand

V-
The Vespertine - Saundra Mitchell

W-
Wish You Were Dead- Todd Strasser
Wish - Alexandra Bullen
Where She Went- Gayle Forman
What Alice Forgot- Liane Moriarty

X-

Y-
You Wish- Mandy Hubbard
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me- Sarra Manning

Z-

2012 Reads

2012-01-01T11:54:00.000-06:00

A
An Invisible Thread- Laura Schroff
Attachments- Rainbow Rowell
Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick- Joe Schreiber
Article 5- Kristen Simmons

B
Bet Me - Jennifer Cruise

C

D
The Descendants - Kaui Hart Hemmings

E

F
The Fates Will Find Their Way- Hannah Pittard
The Fine Art of Truth or Dare- Melissa Jensen

G

H

I
I've got Your Number- Sophie Kinsella

J

K

L
The Lost Files: Six's Legacy- Pittacus Lore

M

N
Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake- Sarah Maclean

O

P

Q

R

S
Sundowners- Lesley Lokko
Something Blue- Emily Giffin
Shooting Stars- Allison Rushby

T
Things I Know About Love- Kate Le Vann

U
Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain- Portia de Rossi

V

W

X

Z

2011 Favorite Reads

2011-12-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

Not necessarily published in 2011.

My 5 star reads this year.

1. One Day by David Nicholls

My favorite favorite book of 2011.

2. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

Loved the determination of the MC.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Great YA contemporary.

4. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Inspirational and heartbreaking.

5. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Just as good as everyone says.

6. You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sarra Manning

Great chick lit.

7. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Loved that setting, and characters.

8. A Girl Like You by Gemma Burgess

Witty and fun. The best chick lit book I've read in awhile.

9. The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Genius concept, and it worked fabulously.

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

2011-12-30T02:04:00.001-06:00

Ditched

Author: Robin Mellom

Publisher: Disney- Hyperion

Expected Publication: January 10th 2012

From Goodreads:

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first.

Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

And then ditched her.

Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-eleven, Justina must piece together - stain by stain on her thrift- store dress - exactly how she ended up dateless. A three- legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with demolition derby- ready Cadillac. And there was the incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car...

But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love.

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When I first read the description of Ditched, I was reminded of the 80's film starring Keanu Reeves, Before Last Night. Keanu Reeves sold his prom date to a pimp, and that sure didn't happen in Ditched, but the premise is the same..they both lose their prom dates, and can't remember a darn thing.

I really liked Ditched but there are some serious flaws in it that made it not up to par to, I don't know, lets say Before Last Night. Why couldn't I like Justina a little bit more? I think it would have a made a huge difference with my feelings about Ditched. The fact that she's a kissing bandit (scandalous *rolls eyes*) is ridiculous. High school kids make out, it's a fact. Annoying how she replayed how she got this so called reputation. Yeah, Justina is considered not quite but sorta easy cause she likes to kiss. Not have sex, not give fellatio but the good ol' nasty deed of kissing. She was comical at times but mostly annoying. Ian, is hardly around really. We get to know him through Justina. I liked him wish I knew him a little better but that's alright. My favorite though were the stoner kids that Justina finds herself with that night after getting 'ditched'.

The best part of Ditched is the shenanigans the stoners and Justina get into. I think she owes them a dime bag for making her night memorable. Without them Ditched would have been boring for me. The conclusion was perfect for me. I love how teenagers blow things way out of proportion. That's what Justina did but it's perfect. It fits her and the dramatics of being a teenager.

Some parts were funny, some were annoying. But all in all it was decently good.. I won't wibble wobble with my recommendation for Before Last Night though. Watch it, and if you end up not liking it at least you got Keanu for an hour and 31 minutes. Win/win situation.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

2011-12-29T15:03:00.004-06:00

The Lover's Dictionary

Author: David Levithan

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Publication Date: January 4th 2011

From Goodreads:

How does one talk about love? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan's The Lover's Dictionary has consrtucted the story of his relationship as a dictionary. Through these short entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being with in a couple, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait in our time.

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I thought I would have some trouble with how it was written. I mean I really don't care for verse books, and this is similiar in that we get crumbs a long the way and in the end the crumbs add up to a whole slice. Honestly, I loved it. Seriously. Something about it was so honest and real, and jeez I can see the relation to me.

One of my favorites

abyss, n.

There are times when I doubt everything. When I regret everything you've taken from me, everything I've given you, and the waste of all the time I've spent on us.

A very quick awesome read. At this moment I'm in awe of David Levithan. I plan to buy my friends a copy for Valentines Day.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

2011-12-29T13:09:00.000-06:00

What Alice Forgot

Author: Liane Moriarty

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: June 1st 2010, Paperback

From Goodreads:

Remember the women you used to be...

Alice is twenty-nine. She is whimsical, optimistic and adores sleep, chocolate, her ramshackle new house and her wonderful husband Nick. What's more, she's looking forward to the birth of the 'Sultana' - her first baby.

But now Alice has slipped and hit her head in her step aerobics class and everyone's telling her she's misplaced the last ten years of her life.

In fact, it would seem that Alice is actually thirty nine and now she loves schedules, expensive lingerie, caffeine and manicures. She has three children and the honeymoon is well and truly over for her and Nick. In fact, he looks at her like she's his worst enemy. What's more, her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her either. And who is 'Gina' everyone is so carefully trying not to mention?

Alice isn't sure that she likes life ten years on. Every photo is another memory she doesn't have and nothing makes sense. Just how much can happen in a decade? Has she really lost her lovely husband for ever.

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What Alice Forgot is a book that makes you think, and reflect back on your life. Anyway I found myself doing that while reading What Alice Forgot. There is so much truth to the journey Alice takes after she loses her memory of the last 10 years.

How many times have we looked back at our younger selves and think how much more free and true to ourselves we were. I know I was. I know that I was Melissa, not just a mother and a wife. Through time and responsibities I've changed so much, some for the better and some for the worse. I loved how Alice couldn't figure out how she became this person that is so not like her. A decade is a lot of living and I can see how time changes people as their situations change. Ah..times are always a changin.

I'm not sure if this is marketed as a chick lit, it certainly isn't to me. There are hints of it but I think it is so much more than fluff. Anything that can make you think so much about your life is a good read. Ms. Moriarty is excellent in showing Alice's confusion, as well as the people around her who didn't know what to do with this new (though old) Alice. They were perplexed especially Nick. Nick, what a real character. He is so much fun, and witty in flashbacks of the younger less jaded him. As you are reading the present, you think what the hell happened to him?

Also wanted to point out that though the bulk of the book is about Alice, we also get two other small story lines. All done very well. My interest never waned. Not once.

What Alice Forgot is flawlessly done. I truly enjoyed it.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

2011-12-28T14:09:00.000-06:00

The Future of Us

Author: Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Publisher: Razorbill

Publication Date: November 21st 2011

From Goodreads:

It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long- at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right- and wrong- in the present.

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This was a straight up trip to read for me, I graduated 1997, so the references were WOW. It's hard to believe that during my days, beepers were the rage and cell phones were really big, seriously. As a senior I had only seen one cell phone, it belonged to my friends older sister who worked for a newspaper. It had a huge carrying case..lol. Anyways, I loved the whole idea of The Future of Us, but I didn't LOVE it.

Emma and Josh aren't real likable characters, IMO. Emma is obsessed with getting the details of her life perfect, and is constantly changing things up to see if she can spruce up her life 15 years into the future. And this is all going by snippets she posts on Facebook 15 years later. She reads these one line statuses and decides she must be miserable. Whatever! Josh on the other hand is loving what Facebook says is his future. He's married to a beautiful girl he goes to High School with, who he thinks would never give him the time of day in current 1996. He vacations in exotic places, and seems to live the LIFE. Except when he starts hanging out with his future wife, he's not really feeling the connection. Will he eventually feel a love spark.

Somehow through Facebook they recognize what they mean to each other and how it's better not to be consumed with life 15 years into the future. It gets all wrapped up in a nice little bow for you. I feel like they hit the surface only with The Future of Us. The possibilities were endless, somehow they dropped the ball for me.

the Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am Reviews

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

These will be so short that as soon as you begin, it'll be over. ;) I have some catching up to do.

Flawless - 4 Stars

I'm a sucker for romances like this....the he/she's out of my league kind. A great YA remake of Cyrano de Bergerac. Recommended

American Gangbang- 3 Stars

A memoir about an ivy league grad entangling himself with the Adult Entertainment business in California. Very interesting read about the unglamour of the porn business, no matter how hard you want to change the industry, it ends up changing you. If you are curious about the trivial and actual coming together of a porn, this will interest you.

Last Letter from your Lover- 2.5 Stars

Interesting enough to finish, but it did have some flaws. At times the story slowed down, and got boggled down with insights that I cared nothing about. I preferred the past love story, then the mess of the currents characters. I would check your local library then spend the cash.

My Name is Memory- 2 Stars

Some parts were good, some weren't. A lot of WTF moments for me in this one. I guess it was just okay. Surprisingly, the characters didn't do it for me. I felt I should have cared a lot more about them since I've been with them since the beginning and how many deaths. Again save your money.

A Stolen Life- 3 Stars

The writing was awful but she never claims to know how to write a book. She tells readers from the beginning that everything will be jumbled up and confusing at times. I gave it 3 stars because I feel her story needs to be told in her words, and that is exactly what you get. Don't expect a lot of answers.

Pretty Face- 1 Star

Blah! I love the idea of a young girl learning to love everything about herself, but this was a major fail for me. The MC really worked my nerves. There was nothing empowering about her or her journey. Was there even a journey?

You Wish- 3 Stars

I can't remember a darn thing about this one but the gumballs, and pink pony. Both great as kids but as a 15 year old I would think I would have preferred lipsticks and Corey Haim (RIP), and as an adult, chocolate and Ryan Gosling. Definitely not memorable, but with a 3 star rating I gave it I obviously enjoyed it.

The Confession- 4 Stars

What can I say, I really really love John Grisham. His writing is so simple. I love it. The story he weaves draw me in, his endings aren't always what you want but that's okay. If you like John Grisham then definitely read it.

She's So Dead to Us- 4 Stars

I loved She's So Dead to Us. The MC whines a little bit too much, but the story is really great. A very quick read.

He's So Not Worth It- 4 Stars

I liked this one a little bit less than the first. Why? The MC is annoying, so many things could have been resolved if people just talked. Still good though. I'm really enjoying this series.

A Girl Like You by Gemma Burgess

2011-12-24T10:44:00.000-06:00

A Girl Like You

Author: Gemma Burgess

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: January 6th 2011

From Goodreads:

"I've discovered the secret to successful singledom. I'm acting like a man. And it's working."

After breaking up with her boyfriend of, well, forever, Abigail Wood must learn how to be single from scratch. Her dating skills are abysmal, and she ricochets from disaster to disaster - until Robert, one of London's most notorious lotharios, agrees to coach her. With his advice, she learns to navigate the bastard-infested waters of the bar scene, and practices the art of being bulletproof. The new Abigail is cocky, calm, composed..but what happens when she meets her match?

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I loved, I mean LOVED A Girl Like You. I was a huge fan of chick lit a couple of years ago, but since been bored with it. Occasionally I will read one here or there and I am so glad I do because I get to find gems like these.

I loved the dialogue, so witty. I laughed so much while reading A Girl Like You. I adore Gemma Burgess's writing, her sense of humor is off the chart. It was predictable but told in a more exciting way for me. No insta-love here, it's all done nice and slow. I read this in one afternoon, and that is hard for me to do now, unless it's freaking awesome.

Abigail and Robert's group of friends are the best. A fun group of people, what's not to like.

Read it, seriously. Definitely one of my favorites this year.

Likes/Dislikes Review: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

2011-12-21T15:20:00.000-06:00

Graffiti Moon

Author: Cath Crowley

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: February 14th 2012

From Goodreads:

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere-spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night-and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with ED, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tell hers he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

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Likes:

Shadow is a great complex character.

Ed and Shadow being the same person...awesome.

Halfway point the story picks up to something kind of fabulous.

Love that Shadow is a graffiti artist and his best friend is a poet.

There is some good honest deep moments about life and shifting into adult hood for the characters.

Dislikes:

The ending was lackluster.

Lucy is seriously boring.

The first half is tedious.

In Summary:

I don't understand all the gushing, really. Graffiti Moon is a decent good read. It doesn't warrant screaming off mountain tops for me.