What We Are Reading: Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rainbow Rowell, you have touched my soul again.

For me, this book is about many things.

This book is about a family of four who is four until it's three. The remaining three are left to put the family back together and figure out how to move on.

This book is about two sisters who are trying to find their place in the adult world. The world of college. Both reaching, learning, spiraling, in their own way. The girls may look alike but inside they are very different people who have to learn to navigate on their own.

This book is about new relationships. Throwing yourself into those relationships desperately only to have it break down (Wren). Proceeding cautiously, oh so cautiously, and having the other party understand and support you (Cath). The pairings in this book are perfect. The relationships are genuine, real, deep.

This book has touched my heart and left a fingerprint. This book has tapped on my soul and left a mark. I will always have a piece of this book imprinted on me. Thank you, Rainbow.


View all my reviews

Book Review: I Have Iraq In My Shoe (Giveaway!!)

I Have Iraq in My Shoe: Misadventures of a Soldier of Fashion by Gretchen Berg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This memoir follows Gretchen Berg, an American woman, through a year of teaching, shoe shopping, cultural assimilation, debt pay down, and the search for a soul mate all while living in English Village in Erbil, Iraq.

Gretchen is a very relatable thirty-something woman who is open minded enough (and far enough in debt) to set out on an adventure in a war torn region based on the gross exaggerations promised to her by her friend who worked at the school in Iraq.

I enjoyed following Gretchen’s quest to become culturally aware, even if she really was just trying to feel at home. I also enjoyed laughing (with her) about all the added luggage fees she accumulated during her time in Iraq. When will the woman just learn to pack light?

Great book, Ms. Berg! Thanks for sharing your journey with us!

Give Away!! I won this book over on Chick Lit Is Not Dead and I am feeling the Karmic Pull to pass it on! If you would like my copy of this book just comment below. If more than one person requests the book I will draw names from a hat or something. Please submit your comments by March 9th!

View all my reviews

Book Review: And One Last Thing

And One Last Thing ... by Molly Harper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Lacey Terwilliger is living what she thinks is the perfect life. She has a home in a cozy small town. She has a husband who provides for her. She is able to stay at home and keep the house while helping her husband run their successful insurance agency. She is a member of the Junior League. Everything is perfect.

Until it isn’t.

After a confused and slightly drunk local florist delivers flowers to her on a random week day, Lacey discovers her husband is having an affair with his secretary. And he is doing a bad job of hiding it!

In an act of revenge Lacey makes a very public example of her husband and then flees town to seek solace in her summer cabin.

While in hiding Lacey learns who she really is and what she is looking for in her life this time around.

I found this book to be an absolute riot. I loved it from the first page all the way to the last. Lacey is loveable and relatable if not a little over the top. She is a woman you want to cheer on as she blazes her path into a life where she can be the Real Lacey.

Great job, Ms. Harper!

View all my reviews

Book Review: A Little Night Magic

A Little Night Magic by Lucy March
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the cute story of Olivia. A waitress in a small town in upstate New York who is feeling stuck in her life and looking for a big change. Just as she is about to board a plane to Europe to get away from it all she meets a woman who changes her life in an even bigger way than she could have imagined.

I found this book to be a fun, quick read. The story was a nice blend of love story, adventure, coming of age, and super natural. It was a bit predictable but that really didn't spoil anything for me.

I recommed this book to anyone who likes Chick Lit or Cozy Mysteries.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Blood Lust by T. Lynne Tolles

Blood Lust by T. Lynne Tolles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third installment in Tolles Blood Series takes us down a different path then the first two stories. While the first two books revolved around the O’Rielly sisters and the Bloomington brothers, this third book is mostly about Darby, the elder O’Rielly sister.

While it was different and I did miss the other characters, it was the most addicting book of the series. I could not put this book down and read it every second I had, finishing it in two days.
At the conclusion of the second book, in true Tolles fashion, she introduces Dominic leaving the reader to wait for book three to know what adventure Dominic brings.

Dominic is the Uncle of the Bloomington brothers who raised the boys after their parents were killed. His son is gravely ill and since Vampires cannot get sick Dominic does not know how to make him better. Against Devon’s wishes, Devon and Darby fly across the country to help Dominic. Devon is so angry he becomes cold and distant from Darby causing her to question the strength of their relationship.

No one in the family will tell Darby why Devon is so upset until Dominic’s son, Anton is nearly left for dead by his own wife. Darby starts to put the pieces together and gets Anton to confide in her about his wife. Things only get worse from there until Darby is all alone living in Massachusetts with her entire family thinking she has gone loony.

The first few chapters of the story made me wonder why a strong woman like Darby would put up with the way she was being treated. The middle chapters had me rooting for her but wondering why she didn’t use her magic to find what she was looking for. The last half of the book Tolles brought out the real Darby, the quick thinking, witty, crafty Darby the readers love redeeming any frustration from the first few chapters and making everything right again.

I look forward to reading the fourth book – Bloodstone Heart.

Again, I would recommend this to anyone over the age of 15 interested in Vampire Drama Young Adult fiction.


View all my reviews

Book Review: Bloodstone Heart by T. Lynne Tolles

Bloodstone Heart by T. Lynne Tolles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bloodstone Heart is the forth book in the Blood series by Tolles and it certainly does not disappoint!

This book introduces us to two new characters. Josh, an young man who is able to hear everyone’s thought and does not know how to turn them off. And Lanie, a young woman who can see the history of an object simply by touching it.

Josh and Lanie connect during a change encounter at a corner store and begin their journey to save themselves from Vampires and loneliness.

A few chapters in, Josh and Lanie connect with the series characters who are still located in California. And after awhile the story collides with the ending of the third book.

I really enjoyed how Tolles made book three and four over lap and then meet up. In book three, it was very easy to wonder why the girls did not go to Connecticut to help Darby and Devon in their time of need. But after reading book four the reader now understands what else was going on in their lives.

Once again, I was very pleased with how the story keeps moving forward and does not drag on. It was another page turner and I am looking forward to book five.

Keep it up Tolles! I recommend this book to anyone over the age of 15 interested in Vampire, Werewolf adventures.


View all my reviews

Book Review: The Summer My Life Began

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I won this book on a blog giveaway over the summer and finally got to it a few weeks ago.

This YA Novel is a coming of age story about a girl, Em, who comes from a well to do family. Her life is planned for her, all she has to do is live it.

But shortly before she graduates high school she starts to think she might not want this bought and paid for life.

Along comes a card and note from an unknown aunt and with a little convincing she talks her parents into letting her spend a month at this aunts Bed and Breakfast on the ocean.

Em meets family she didn't even know existed, learns a lot about herself, and unravels a dark family secret setting her life on a new path.

I give this book 4 stars and recommend it for anyone 13 and over.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Blood Moon by T. Lynne Tolles

Blood Moon by T. Lynne Tolles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Blood Moon is the second book in the Darby and Rowan series. It is a must that Blood of a Werewolf is read before Blood Moon as the character descriptions are written with the assumption the reader already knows everyone.

I received a copy of Blood of a Werewolf for free in exchange for a review. But only a few chapters in I was completely hooked and knew I would be reading the rest of the series. I downloaded Blood Moon minutes after finishing the first book because Tolles is a master of tying up all the lose ends and then throwing in a huge cliffhanger in the last sentence of the book.

While Blood of a Werewolf took the sisters on an adventure from their new Vampire boyfriends past, this second book takes them all on an adventure from the sisters past. A very dark past that involved their distant ancestors in the late 1800’s and is now coming back to replay its self in the present day.

I enjoyed watching Darby really hone her Witch skills. She is very powerful and this book let her explore those powers.

Dean from Colorado was a large part of this story and he was important in helping Rowan flex her Werewolf muscles. I look forward to seeing Rowan hone her skills in upcoming books.

As with the first book, Tolles gives extensive detail and explanation in some areas yet glosses over things the reader may feel are important at other times. This is just her style and I found that if she dismisses something as unimportant, she doesn’t bring it up as a major storyline chapters later. Realizing this style and keeping in mind this book was written for a YA audience made the book enjoyable.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. With another major cliffhanger at the end of Blood Moon I am off to begin reading Blood Lust now!


View all my reviews

Book Review: Blood of a Werewolf By T. Lynne Tolles

Blood of a Werewolf by T. Lynne Tolles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was recently given a free copy of Blood of a Werewolf by T. Lynne Tolles and asked to read and give a review. I had never read YA Vampire / Werewolf books before and was slightly daunted because I have no interest in reading Twilight however I went into just like any other book, with an open mind.

I really enjoyed this book. It is the story of two sisters, Darby and Rowan, who come from a long line of witches but they have never really used their powers since their family was not interested in the world knowing who they were. These two sisters meet and connect with two Vampire brothers who are being pursued by a man who is seeking revenge on them for a decision their father made.

During the weeks these four people are connected there is love, trauma, many hospital visits, a few plane rides, and a lot of drama.

The story moves along at a brisk pace and never leaves you waiting for something to happen.

The author does a good job writing dialogue without it sounding forced. My only criticism would be when there is a conversation taking place that conversation in reality would only take three, maybe four, minutes but in the story it would be enough time for someone to drive from one location to another. This seemed a bit difficult to believe.

There were times during the novel where I had to remind myself that I was reading a book written for Young Adults. The story had some steamy parts that may not be suitable for a pre-teen or young teen but the rhythm and language were written for that set.

The ending leaves a major cliff hanger which would normally make me crazy but this is the first book in the Blood Series so I immediately turned on my wireless and downloaded book 2 for $2.99.

I would recommend this book for anyone 15 or older.


View all my reviews

Book Review: The Kite Runner

Wednesday night on my flight home from Ohio, I finished reading the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

This is yet another in a very tall pile of books I purchased many, many moos ago but never got around to reading. But a few weeks back I finally picked it up and was not disappointed at all.

The story starts with Amir being called back to Afghanistan by his fathers business partner telling him there is a way to make it all okay.

Then the story quickly jumps into Amir's life as a child living in Kubal with his father, their servants, and all of the people his father surrounded himself with.

We follow Amir and his father as they flee to America, witness Amir's adjustment to the America but most importantly we witness his fathers adjustment to America.

At the mid way point we are brought back to the phone call that changes and shapes the direction of Amir's life and let him begin healing for past sins.

This is a coming of age story turn a story of making up for life long regrets.

I believe my life is fuller now that i have read this story. It was heart wrenching at many, many points but it also touched my soul.

I give it five out of five stars and recommend it to all my reader friends.

Picture borrowed from Amazon

Book Review: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

I read a brief write up of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain in Real Simple magazine one month and I thought it sounded interesting. This is the story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, The Paris Wife, Hadley. I find Hemingway to be an interesting person and plan to read more about him in the future but I thought it would be nice to start with this novel about his relationship with Hadley.

Image from Amazon.com

I love the book; it was well written and felt like a memoir written by Hadley while it was actually a novel written by McLain.

While reading the book (or listening to it on my iPod via audible.com rather) my mind kept circling back to how real these character were. I often wondered how McLain could write such a book after both Hemingway and Hadley were deceased and therefore unavailable for interview.

With just a quick search on Amazon.com I learned that McLain used the numerous letters written between Hadley and Hemingway to learn the intimacy they shared and to develop her story. I assume the rest was rounded out with details McLain polished in her vision of this famous couple.

Hemingway and Hadley meet through a mutual friend one week in Chicago. Hadley has had a volatile life that McLain does a wonderful job piecing out to the reader in the first chapters of the book. As the reader, you may find yourself rooting for Hadley straight off.

Hadley has found herself to be a 28 year old woman in 1921’s Midwestern America. Almost a spinster, she is giving up on love and happiness when she meets Ernest and while very cautious she is intrigued by him. They spend months exchanging letters until she finally visits him again in Chicago. Within a short time they are engaged and then married and trying to figure out how to get to Paris where Hemingway is told he will meet people who will inspire him and mentor him.

The novel follows the years of their courtship, marriage, child, and eventual breakdown of their relationship after the Hadley learns of Hemingway’s affair (not his first but the first she knows of!)

I truly enjoyed this novel and will have to continue to remind myself that while this was well researched, it was in fact a novel which gives the author a lot of creative license. Ms. McLain, I believe you used that license very well. Very well indeed.

Guest Blogger: Lover Awakened Book Review

Turn Me Gingerly

a book review by GingerSnap

Credit

The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series profile

Book 3: Lover Awakened

Theme Song:  “Cut” by Plumb

Lover Awakened is book #3 is the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  By far, the darkest, terrifying and ruined brother in the Brotherhood, this is the story of Zsadist.

If you know the song “Cut”, by Plumb, I think this is the best way I can sum up the make-up of Z and how he has managed to get through life thus far.  I don’t even know where to start with Lover Awakened. After the rush of the first two Brotherhood stories, Zsadist’s story took on a whole new direction. Abducted and sold into slavery as an infant, Zsadist grows up serving Kings and Queens of his time. Post transition, Zsadist is forced to be a blood slave (amongst other things) to the Queen. These are probably the darkest, most brutal parts of the story. The tale of abuse, humiliation and despair Zsadist suffers through is enough to clamp a vice around your chest. Rescued from the hell he was surviving in, Zsadist learns he has a twin, a family and is part of the most respected band of brothers in the vampire society. Free from the shackles the "mistress" kept him in, Zsadist has never escaped the nightmares, scars, memories and blackness that consume him. He lives in a prison with no walls.

Following up on a storyline from "Lover Eternal", we are reacquainted with Bella, a beautiful aristocrat vamp, who has been abducted by a member of the Lessening Society. After a run-in with Bella during a social gathering at the Brotherhood mansion, Zsadist is on a man-hunt to find Bella and bring her home. Bella's time at the hands of her abductor are eerily similar to those of "Silence of The Lambs"... very, "It puts the lotion on its skin, or it gets the hose again!".  Messed.  Up.  Unusual for a lesser to have any feelings for another being, let alone keep a "pet", the lesser known as David, aka "Mr. O", is consumed with madness as he obsesses over the striking resemblance Bella has to his lost love in his human life. After she is able to release another captive from the cabin she is being held in, Bella hopes the citizen vampire can survive long enough to notify the Brotherhood she is still alive. When David realizes what she has done, Bella suffers the beating of her life and she can only hope her attempt at survival was not in vain. 

It is Zsadist that finds her and rescues her from the brink of death. Upon her healing, is when the story of Zsadist and Lover Awakened truly unfolds. If anyone needed rescuing in this story it is Zsadist who carries the weight of centuries of abuse, rape, beatings and torture. Not even his twin, brother of brother Phury, can reach him at times. Sinister to the core, scarred, you can't help but wonder what Bella sees. Zsadist is not ruined, but absolutely broken.  How can one survive the depths of hell and come out the other side whole? Can one save themselves and be born again?

"I was dead until you found me, though I breathed. I was sightless, though I could see. And then you came... and I was awakened." 

Lover Awakened took my breath away. A story of evil blackness, despair, love & triumph has you reaching into the depths of Zsadist’s soul with him to discover what a life of hope, love and living could be like. In true JRW fashion, I laughed, cried, gasped and nearly fell off the bed on the last page of the book. If you haven't started yet, you must lose yourself into the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Book Review: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

I was wondering one of my favorite places, Half Priced Books, on rainy afternoon browsing for nothing in particular at all when I came across a little paper back of The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

I vaguely recalled this book as a movie I had never seen and it was only $2 so I added it to my stack.

It sat in my office for a few months until I finally picked it up.

I try very hard not to read the back cover of a book before I dive in so I really wasn’t sure what I was getting into. And to be honest I had thought that movie I had never saw was about a Spelling Bee.

I was wrong about the movie and extremely pleased with the book.

This is the story of Lily Owens. Teenaged white girl in 1964 South Carolina just as the Civil Rights Movement is underway and Blacks are given the right to vote.

Lily is being raised by her Peach Farm owning, angry, abusive father and a black woman, Rosaleen, who had been pulled out of the Peach Fields years ago after Lily’s mother was killed.

After a run in with a local group of white men Lily and Rosaleen found themselves in Jail.

Lily’s hatred of her father, fear for Rosaleen’s life, and her need to know how her mother really died drove Lily and Rosaleen to run away from home seeking freedom from both the police and her father.

This is a true coming of age story that spans a summer in a very hot and racially volatile part of the country. Stories of this era fascinate me with no end.

To think. My parents were pre-teens during this time.

Less than 50 years ago, this was our country. I look at how far we have come and I am given hope for the equal rights battle that is being fought right now.

I applaud Monk Kidd for sharing this story in a moving, emotional, well written way.

After finishing this book I learned that The Secret Life of Bees actually was made into a movie. A movie that is not about a Spelling Bee. The book has also spelt more than 100 week on the NY Best Seller List.

I am glad I picked up this book. It is one of my all-time favorites and though I do not typically read a book more than once, I think I will make an exception.

Guest Blogger: Book Review of Lover Eternal

Turn Me Gingerly

a book review by GingerSnap

The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series profile

Book 2: Lover Eternal

Theme Song:  “Turning Page” by Sleeping At Last

Lover Eternal, Rhage's story, is book 2 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and it did not disappoint. I am absolutely smitten with Rhage.  You have read an excellent book when the characters, the moments, scenes from the pages, are with you days after you have finished.  During the most intimate parts of this book, I found the song that kept running through my head, the one that feels like the anthem for this book, was “Turning Page” by Sleeping At Last.  If you have never heard this song before, please take a moment to listen.  It is has such a beautiful melody and the lyrics brought me to tears the first time I heard it.  I find myself daydreaming at work, in the car, thinking about Rhage, about Mary, about their story.  And so this tale unfolds...

Considered the most beautiful of all the Brothers, he is known to them as "Hollywood". Glorious in his looks, majestic in his conquests, Rhage’s exploits are legends amongst the vampire world. Not all that glitters is gold, and we soon learn that all that glory, all that lust, is indeed a curse. What happens when you piss off the Scribe Virgin? You get served. Reckless in his youth, taking his glory for granted, Rhage made one mistake that will haunt him for the next 200 years. Seeing that he needed a reminder of what happens when you lose control, the Scribe Virgin gives him "The Beast". Beautiful in a Beauty and the Beast sort of way, Rhage is now marked with a dragon tattoo that covers his entire back. When Rhage loses control, the dragon turns real, and takes form as the Beast. Rhage transforms from a warrior, to the Beast with claws, scales, standing 15 feet tall and bullet proof, the Beast is something even the most ferocious in the Brotherhood fear. The only way Rhage has found to soothe the Beast and keep him at bay is through fighting, in a release of violent energy, or through other energy outlets in the form of sexual conquests. This is Rhage, and this is his story. Until of course….the day he meets Mary. Coming out of a Beast stupor, Rhage bumps into Mary (literally) in a hall at the Brotherhood mansion. Rhage is hypnotized by the beauty in her voice, her smell and is consumed with a desire to be near her. Mary, it turns out, has a curse of her own. 

Diagnosed with leukemia several years ago, she has been able to keep the cancer at bay until her most recent checkup. Mary knows her cancer is back, and she is as far from finding love as she is in finding faith. Her job at the law office going now where, her obsessive hours at the Suicide Hotline becoming concerning, all keep Mary from living in the reality of her world. Befriending John Matthew turns out to be first step is what is to become the fate of her existence. After running into Mary at the mansion, Rhage insists on seeing her again. Their first date is not the tale of love stories. So intrigued and caught up in the steal grey eyes of Mary, the eyes of a warrior, someone who has been to battle, the Beast almost emerges.  Confused by his reaction and his retreat from her, Mary convinces herself that the likes of such an amazing looking man, could never be interested in the likes of her. Unable to explain his emotions or his feelings or his ability to keep the Beast at bay, Rhage continues to try and prove to Mary her worth. The song and dance and the story that unfolds between Rhage and Mary have you on the edge of your seat and your heart racing. Unable to deny the love, passion and desire for one another, trying to break down walls and barriers they each hold onto so tightly, both trying to find faith amongst the rage, the unknown, the internal Beast they both battle... Rhage is the first to break. Confessing his love for Mary, he realizes after all this time, the reason he can’t control the Beast around Mary is because he is not the only one who wants Mary and wants to be with her. The Beast inside of him, wants her too. 

As the war continues to rage between the Brotherhood and the Lessers, the fear of protecting his fragile human has Rhage in a tailspin. In the end the cancer, Mary's own personal Beast, is taking over. Unable to bear the thought of losing her, the thought of losing the one he wants as his shellan, Rhage does the unthinkable. He begs with all his worth to the Scribe Virgin, to take away her illness, for once willing to sacrifice everything he is, everything he knows just to have her, even if that means living with the Beast forever.  With the Scribe Virgin, you never mess, and Rhage must agree to the conditions she lays down. The Scribe Virgin allows Mary to choose her own destiny. To live a long and happy life cancer free, with one condition. She has to live it without Rhage, the one she has finally found faith and love in. Or live out her remaining days with Rhage, succumbing to her own beast. Does she live? Does she accept the conditions offered to her? Will Rhage suffer for eternity with the Beast, never having the only love he has ever known? The answer to that my friend is on the last page of Lover Eternal, in which I do highly recommend you read and find out. ;-) Lover Eternal had me on the edge of my seat until the very end and wrenching my heart like no other book has.  So far my most favorite of the series, the story of Rhage and Mary continues to pull at me.

Guest Blogger: Book Review of Dark Lover

Today I will be turning the blog over to my friend who would like to share a book review! She is my first guest blogger so please give her a big welcome!

Turn Me Gingerly

a book review by GingerSnap

The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series profile

Book 1: Dark Lover

If you are unfamiliar with the series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood, and you are into dark, steamy, vampire genre books, I highly encourage you to give JR Ward’s series a chance.  I started reading this series, and this is my review. 

Oh my JR Ward.... where do I begin. Yoww....sa! That was a breathy little, "yowsa". The first book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series introduces us to the vampire warriors that make up the band of brothers: Darius, Wrath, Rhage, Tohrment, Zsadist & Phury. Dark Lover is Wrath's story. 

At first I wasn't sure what to make of Wrath. Brooding, angry and shutting out the world, he is a force to be reckoned with. When tasked with the responsibility of helping a fallen brothers half-breed daughter transition, Wrath's world is turned upside down. Convinced he is a one man show, he has spent centuries ignoring who he is destined to be. His mission has always been vengeance for those slayed; his parents & fellow fallen brothers. But now, Darius has bequeathed to him his final wishes - take care of Beth and help her. What I loved most about this book was the chemistry, lust and love story that develops, unfolds and consumes you. In the midst of helping Beth transition to the world of vampires, there is also the looming force of the Lessening Society always around a dark corner. A war is raging between the Lessers and the Black Dagger Brotherhood and Wrath is leading the fight. Caught up in his overpowering love for Beth, Wrath is torn between fighting with his brothers and protecting his one true love, his leelan, his shellan. After years of running, fighting, shutting the world out, Beth breaks barriers and brings Wrath to new levels of intoxication he never knew. Finally, a rightful King ascends to his intended throne. 

This first story, was an excellent mix of love story, war, mystery and campy, hilarious candor. “Dark Lover” introduces other background characters that help keep this booking clipping along at a pace I had a hard time keeping up with. Butch: a strung out homicide cop on a mission to protect Beth from what he assumes is a pack of drug lords on steroids. Fritz, the ever doting-pleasing doggen, and Marissa, the scorned ex-shellan of Wrath. 

I laughed, I gasped and sweated reading every last page of this book. As another reviewer said, "The Black Dagger Brotherhood owns me...". Dark, magical, full of lust, love and action, this book will possess you. Well, well JR Ward... don’t mind if I do.

Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

I have walked past displays of The Time Traveler’s Wife, hardly giving it a second though for a few years until one day I found it on the sale rack at the discount book store. I didn’t buy it but I felt compelled to read it so I borrowed a copy from a friend and set in to read a book everyone else has already read.

Within the first six pages I was smitten by the love story tangled in a bit of Sci-Fi. Niffenegger has a way making something that is so completely impossible seem like something that could be happening right now without our knowing. She explains away the time traveling as something similar to epilepsy, a chromosomal disorder that has yet to be discovered.

The story is not given to the reader in a chronological order because that is not how Henry lives his life. This gave me a feel for how Henry must have felt his entire live. Waiting for his future to unfold like a mystery, reliving painful events over and over again, knowing the future but not being able to divulge it to the people closest to him.

Niffenegger foreshadows discreetly and obviously at the same time. At times I was very confused about how something happened only to realize a few chapters later we had not been told how it happened yet. All open loops are eventually closed but the excitement of the book is waiting for something to unravel in an often out of order sequence only to be tied in a bow before the end of the novel.

The way she moves from Henry’s voice to Clare’s voice and back to Henry is a beautiful dance. Giving each their own spotlight and allow the reader to see not only the Time Traveler’s Wife’s story but also the Time Traveler himself.

I have heard criticism regarding the length at which Niffenegger will describe a scene such as a game of pool or the art of paper making. I do not agree with this criticism. I felt the book often read like a dance, the detail added to that movement which added to my enjoyment of this novel.

I was moved by this unconventional love story and refreshed to read something original. I give this book 4 stars.

Author Review: Jen Lancaster

A few years back a co-worker of mine, Emilie, was telling me about this author she loved and suggesting I check out her books. At the time that author had three books on the shelves and I had 8 billion books on my to read list.

No really. 8 billion. Check out my list on Goodreads if you don't believe me.

I vividly remember her telling me not to read the first book first since that will probably turn me off but read the second book then go back to the first book. I completely lost interested and promptly forgot the name of the author.

Fast forward 6 to 8 months later. I am in Barnes and Noble near my house browsing the shelves. It's not that I want my list to grow past 8 billion books to read, it's just that I love book stores so much!

So, in typical Kara fashion, I pick up four or five new books mostly based on their cover. This is harder now that I read on my kindle but yes, I do judge a book by it's cover. But one of my life rules is "Never judge a girl by what she is reading, simply celebrate the fact she is reading at all."

I begin reading a book called "Bitter is the New Black" and I am hooked on the first sentence. "Camille said you stole a bag from a homeless guy."

I tore through Bitter on a work trip and found myself in the Dayton, OH Barnes and Noble looking for Jen Lancaster's second book "Bright Lights, Big Ass" for the flight home.

These two books have me in stitches my entire trip. Everyone both of they flights thought I was insane as I held in my laughter which just caused me to make strange snorting noises and silently shake in my seat.

Laughing out loud in the hotel room made my trip much more enjoyable and mostly made me forget I was away from my family for three days.

When I returned to my home office I ran into Emilie's cube to tell her all about this crazy, mean, absolutely hilarious woman who has written a series of memoirs about how crazy and mean she is. I insisted she read them right away as she sat there looking at me like I was an total idiot.

When I finally stopped blabbering on about how quickly Emilie needs to read these books because her life is not fulfilled until she has read them, she gently explains to me that not only has she read all of Jen's books and follows her blog, this is the author she was trying to get me to read almost a year ago when I told her I simply was not interested.

Emilie is very, very nice and completely resists the urge to tell me I am an idiot and hand me a big "I told you so!" Instead she simply sent me a link to Jen's blog and suggested I check it out.

Since this all went down Jen's has published and I have read/purchased four more memoirs, making her memoir total six, one novel, and one highly successful blog.  Not to mention the columns she wrote for TMS Humor Hotel and all the interviews she participated, it's not hard to get a regular fix of Jen.

In June of 2009 when Pretty In Plaid hit the shelves Jen made an appearance at a local Boarders. Of course Emilie and I were all over that!

I even dressed like Jen!

To make me love her even more than I already do, her books are typically published in early May making them the perfect birthday present to myself! 

This year I preordered Jeneration X, her newest memoir so it would be on my Kindle as soon as I turned it on May 1st. I freed up my reading schedule so I would be ready for it first thing the morning it was released.

Jen promised she was bitchier in this book, much more like Bitter than the other four, and she did not fail on that promise. Within the first pages I already knew I would shaking my head, rolling my eyes, uttering the phrase "Oh, Jen, you didn't" over and over again, snorting, laughing, crying, peeing my pants, and gasping for breath through the entire book.

Let me tell you. I was not at all disappointed. Keep up the good work, Jen.

Book Review: Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus

Once a week Heidi goes to the library (Biblioteca) at school and brings home a book.  It is fun to see what she picks out.

When she was at the Montessori school, she would come home on Tuesday nights with a book for homework.  We would all gather around and she would read to us.  This was something we looked forward to as a family so I am very happy that her trips to the library will help us continue this family reading time.

Last night she brought home a book called Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus by Mo Willems.

The story starts out with the Bus Driver asking the reader to watch his bus so he can step away but before he goes he say, And Please don't let the pigeon drive the bus.

As soon as he leaves, the pigeon shows up and starts pleading his case on why you, the reader, should allow him to drive the bus.  Everything from nicely asking to pleading to a temper tantrum.

We were laughing through the entire book!

The illustrations were so simple and complemented the story perfectly.  I highly recommend you pick up this book, even if you do not have a child in the house.

I searched Amazon for the link and found that Mo Willems has written a few other Pigeon stories that I intend to search the library for next time we are there!  Then I found his website that has activities!  I am totally smitten!

Book Review: The Watson’s Go To Birmingham

After completing The Help Shawn mentioned his students were reading a book called The Watson’s Go To Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis and that he was going to read it.


This book was set in 1963 partly in Flint MI and partly in Birmingham AL. He read it on the plane on the way to CA and then passed it on to me.

It was a quick read at 210 pages. Refreshing after the bulky book I had just finished.

It was a light hearted read. Also refreshing after the sometimes intense moments in The Help.

In reading this book I realized how jaded I have become while reading a book. I could not help but expect for something really awful to happen. There were two tense points late in the book but since this book was written for the middle school sect it was not overly dramatic.

The story is about a boy, Kenny, who lived in 1963 Flint MI with his Goofy Father, his Mama who relocated from Birmingham after marring his father, his older brother, Byron, who was always getting in trouble, and his younger sister, Joetta, who was very protective of the trouble making older brother.

Kenny and Joetta watch Byron cause a lot of trouble and repeatedly get reprimanded by their parents. After a forbidden hairdo incident involving Byron, his parents decide it is time for By to go live with his grandma in Birmingham for awhile. They pack up the Brown Bomber, their family car, and drive from Michigan to Alabama. While in Alabama the family is faced with what is really happening in the Civil Rights Movement at the time with a church bombing and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Curtis writes this story so well you believe Curtis is Kenny. It truly reads as an autobiography, not a fictional story. I suggest you check it out. If you have a middle school aged child in your home, enjoy it with them.

Book Review: The Help

The Help By Kathryn Stockett

I recently read a book called The Help written by Kathryn Stockett. Prior to reading the book I had not read any reviews but I did see it on the end cap at Target. I was not sure what it would be about but I am always up for a book that is not set in current day New York City or London.

I was absolutely hooked the minute I started reading this novel.

The book follows the life of three society women in Jackson Mississippi from 1962 through 1965, the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, and a few maids who raised these women and their children.

Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan returns to her parents’ cotton farm after graduating from Ole Miss with a degree in English. She sets out to make find a journalism career and make a difference in the world.

On Skeeter’s journey she befriends two maids, Aibileen and Minny who share glimpses into their lives as black maids in Jackson. Starting out with the seemingly simple mission to find out what happened to her lifelong maid Skeeter ends up learning a lot more about the life of a black maid in 1962 and about herself.

The book makes mention of the murder of Medgar Evers and Martin Luther King Jr and shows how tragic these events were for the African American community.

I was deeply touched by this novel. While it is a fictional novel, Stockett incorporates history accurately and appropriately into the story.

I recommend this novel to everyone. It is a wonderful, welcome change to the typical chick-lit books found on the shelves today.