Because summer vacation has been if full swing for a couple of weeks I have (1) been reading like crazy and (2) haven't wanted to take the time to write about my recent reads. So here are the last 3 books I have read:
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy
Although this is a work of fiction Ms Murphy has used many factual happenings to make the story come to life. The story is set in Nazi occupied Poland (the end of WWII). It is about the struggle of two Jewish children (and their parents who had to abandon them for all of their safety) and their attempt to conceal their identity for survival through the genocide. Like all stories focused on the plight of Jewish individuals during WWII, this is heart breaking. It is however a refreshing idea to have the story based on a child's perspective, a child in hiding but not isolated like Anne Frank. These children are trying to live amongst Poles in order to escape their death due to their bloodlines. I would recommend this book to all, yes it has sad parts due to the content but it is not all blood, gore, and loss.
The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
If you are a "Sex and the City" fan you will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! It is Carrie's story, like the before mentioned book/HBO series, only it is Carrie in high school. It is as entertaining as the hit series and gives much insight to why Carrie is who she is. Funny, sad, and reminiscent of all the "high schooly" things we have all endured!
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
This is Chelsea Handler's number one best seller. It is a funny account of various happenings in Chelsea's life (childhood, on). I had true laugh out loud moments and really did like the book but "Are you there Vodka..." is still number one in my eyes. I would recommend reading this, it is large print, not a lot of print on each page, so it is a very quick and entertaining read.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Are you there Vodka, its me Chelsea. By Chelsea Handler
I finished this book a couple of weeks ago and forgot to post about it. IT WAS HILARIOUS!! I'm serious, real laugh at loud funny. But let me preface this with I am a huge Chelsea Handler fan. I love, love, love to watch "Chelsea Lately" on the E! channel. Soooooooo....... if you are not familiar with Chelsea, I recommend you watch the show a couple of times before diving into this book. Some of Chelsea's humor is very crude; not everyone will appreciate it the way I do.
Chelsea Handler is a comedienne and has written quite a few books about the various things from her life. This is the first of her books that I have read but I am borrowing her newest "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" from my friend and ordering the others SOON!!
If you like Chelsea, you will love this book!
Chelsea Handler is a comedienne and has written quite a few books about the various things from her life. This is the first of her books that I have read but I am borrowing her newest "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" from my friend and ordering the others SOON!!
If you like Chelsea, you will love this book!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
Again, a suggestion made by my friends. Not a book I would normally choose on my own, but very happy I read it.
The Last Song is a heart warming story of a teenage girl and it wasn't so high schooly to read. I could relate to many things that happened in her life; much of my growing years paralleled hers. 75% of the book was uplifting and fun to read, the final chapters lead to a tear fest: uncontrollable sobs, streaked and swollen face. Seriously.
While reading the book I felt for Ronnie (the main character) in her quest to find friends, many of us can relate to being burned by people we thought were our friends. But isn't that what growing up is all about: learning who to trust, how much and when?
Read this one, its good. But remember the Kleenex. I am excited but hesitant to see the movie because chances are that the parts I found most important will be cut.
The Last Song is a heart warming story of a teenage girl and it wasn't so high schooly to read. I could relate to many things that happened in her life; much of my growing years paralleled hers. 75% of the book was uplifting and fun to read, the final chapters lead to a tear fest: uncontrollable sobs, streaked and swollen face. Seriously.
While reading the book I felt for Ronnie (the main character) in her quest to find friends, many of us can relate to being burned by people we thought were our friends. But isn't that what growing up is all about: learning who to trust, how much and when?
Read this one, its good. But remember the Kleenex. I am excited but hesitant to see the movie because chances are that the parts I found most important will be cut.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
"The Walk" by Richard Paul Evans
"...Procrastination is the thief of dreams"
"I have decided on a destination; the path is but detail"
.....are just a couple of the awesome quotes that Mr Evans put in the beginning of each chapter.
This book fooled me as being a tragedy: it promised that it was about a man who lost everything (his job, his house, his car, and his lifetime love) all at the same time. What I wasn't prepared for was the grieving process he chose to take part in; very unconventional. This is an inspiring book, it made me realize what I have and what I am missing out on---which is NOTHING that can be purchased no matter the dollar amount I may acquire.
I'm not one for sappy happy endings or a road full of sunshine and roses, this book offered much by way of heartache and tears and many "you have got to be kidding me, what more can this guy go through" but it was in a good way.
I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I loved it and if I was capable of reading books more than once (I cannot do it, I remember each book I have ever read. Not the titles, the stories with every detail) this book would be the one I would read over and over!!!
"I have decided on a destination; the path is but detail"
.....are just a couple of the awesome quotes that Mr Evans put in the beginning of each chapter.
This book fooled me as being a tragedy: it promised that it was about a man who lost everything (his job, his house, his car, and his lifetime love) all at the same time. What I wasn't prepared for was the grieving process he chose to take part in; very unconventional. This is an inspiring book, it made me realize what I have and what I am missing out on---which is NOTHING that can be purchased no matter the dollar amount I may acquire.
I'm not one for sappy happy endings or a road full of sunshine and roses, this book offered much by way of heartache and tears and many "you have got to be kidding me, what more can this guy go through" but it was in a good way.
I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I loved it and if I was capable of reading books more than once (I cannot do it, I remember each book I have ever read. Not the titles, the stories with every detail) this book would be the one I would read over and over!!!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Catch-Up
There have been a few books I have read of late that I want to mention because they were really good. Yes, I have been bitten by the "it made it to the movies, it must be good" bug but I wasn't disappointed by doing so. ***I have lent out some of the following books so I don't have some authors names available, I'm soooooo sorry*****
"The Lovely Bones": very good book, quite an emotional roller coaster so if you cannot handle uncontrollable tears, steer clear. I haven't seen the movie yet, so I cannot compare it.
"Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks: awesome book, more tears but happy ones. Again, haven't seen the movie so I cannot compare. Good ending, just not one I would have chosen.
"My Sister's Keeper" by Jodie Piccoult: I read this thick book in 2 days; it was easy to be in "their shoes" both as a mother and a sibling of a chronically ill sister. It had its funny parts, its interesting parts, and of course the sadness. Well worth the tears! Don't lynch me, but I was semi-happy with the ending. I enjoyed the movie but it WAS NOTHING like the book--almost an entirely new story.
"Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger: once I got used to the time traveling dates--back and forth and back and forth---I really liked this book. Such a sweet and romantic love story. Better than any Prince Charming fairy tale. I did have to flip back and forth to straighten out dates for the first couple of chapters but it was easier to understand once I was familiar with all the characters. I have to be honest: two of my friends had to up and quit reading because the back and forth was too confusing. The movie SUCKED compared to the book; don't waste your time or money watching it.
"The Host" by Stephanie Meyer: I was bitten by the Twilight bug on a dare by my sister--I didn't understand what the craze was about; she said "Read the first 3 chapters of the first book and if you want to quit then that is it". I finished the series in a week. I heard that the author had another book out and I thought I would try it. I loved it. On one hand it seems like science fiction but on the other it is much like reincarnation. Really good book and excellent ending!
"The Lovely Bones": very good book, quite an emotional roller coaster so if you cannot handle uncontrollable tears, steer clear. I haven't seen the movie yet, so I cannot compare it.
"Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks: awesome book, more tears but happy ones. Again, haven't seen the movie so I cannot compare. Good ending, just not one I would have chosen.
"My Sister's Keeper" by Jodie Piccoult: I read this thick book in 2 days; it was easy to be in "their shoes" both as a mother and a sibling of a chronically ill sister. It had its funny parts, its interesting parts, and of course the sadness. Well worth the tears! Don't lynch me, but I was semi-happy with the ending. I enjoyed the movie but it WAS NOTHING like the book--almost an entirely new story.
"Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger: once I got used to the time traveling dates--back and forth and back and forth---I really liked this book. Such a sweet and romantic love story. Better than any Prince Charming fairy tale. I did have to flip back and forth to straighten out dates for the first couple of chapters but it was easier to understand once I was familiar with all the characters. I have to be honest: two of my friends had to up and quit reading because the back and forth was too confusing. The movie SUCKED compared to the book; don't waste your time or money watching it.
"The Host" by Stephanie Meyer: I was bitten by the Twilight bug on a dare by my sister--I didn't understand what the craze was about; she said "Read the first 3 chapters of the first book and if you want to quit then that is it". I finished the series in a week. I heard that the author had another book out and I thought I would try it. I loved it. On one hand it seems like science fiction but on the other it is much like reincarnation. Really good book and excellent ending!
Why another blog you ask?
I have always loved to read. Many an afternoon (til midnight) did I spend lost in books. The first book I remember reading on my own was "Bread and Jam for Francis" when I was in the first grade. At the time I loved to jump rope, as did Francis. I still own the copy that I read that first time.
Friends will ask me to refer them to a book when they have depleted their former list of suggestions and because I read SO much I forget what books I have read--- unless they are the unforgettables which I will make huge mention of. I decided that I need to keep some type of list of the books I read and what I felt about them. A hand written list is so common and easily misplaced amongst a desk of "art" supplies used by my un-forest friendly five year old (each of his masterpieces must have its own sheet of paper). I could have just created posts on my original blog after each book but then I would need to rummage through the archives to find past loves. So here is to another blog; not in place of but along side.
I know that you all will not agree with my thoughts on books but that is what I desire without having to wait for a book club to all be on the same page (pun intended) or to have to agree on a certain book at a certain time. This is MY LIST, in MY ORDER, and however quickly, or not so quickly, I finish.
Let the adventure begin!
Friends will ask me to refer them to a book when they have depleted their former list of suggestions and because I read SO much I forget what books I have read--- unless they are the unforgettables which I will make huge mention of. I decided that I need to keep some type of list of the books I read and what I felt about them. A hand written list is so common and easily misplaced amongst a desk of "art" supplies used by my un-forest friendly five year old (each of his masterpieces must have its own sheet of paper). I could have just created posts on my original blog after each book but then I would need to rummage through the archives to find past loves. So here is to another blog; not in place of but along side.
I know that you all will not agree with my thoughts on books but that is what I desire without having to wait for a book club to all be on the same page (pun intended) or to have to agree on a certain book at a certain time. This is MY LIST, in MY ORDER, and however quickly, or not so quickly, I finish.
Let the adventure begin!
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