Shiver & Linger

These books, Shiver and Linger, are supposedly "the new Twilight" as far as series go.  These books still have the fantasy premise of werewolves (no vampires), however, the way the werewolves change, why and when is very different from Twilight. 

Grace is a teenage girl that is fascinated with the wolves that live in the woods behind her house.  This fascination began when she was a small girl and was attacked by these wolves.  She survived and ever since has watched these wolves...one in particular catches her eye, the one with the yellow eyes...  Meanwhile, in the woods Sam (the yellow-eyed wolf) watches over Grace throughout the winter.  He hasn't stopped watching over her since the day he stopped the others from killing Grace long ago. 

In Shiver, the two meet and fall in love, then become determined to find a cure for this werewolf toxin.  A toxin that keeps them wolves during cold temperatures and human in warm.  I can honestly say, that this book could stand alone.  At the end of Shiver, you are satisfied and think everything has been nicely tied up in a bow.  However, further drama ensues in Linger that does not fully resolve itself leaving the story wide open for the third book.

I have to say that I didn't get fully invested into this story until about halfway through Linger.  I hate saying that because some of my friends absolutely love this series (to date).  But, I can say that I am definitely intrigued at this point and will definitely read the third book, Forever, which is scheduled to come out later this year.  I want to know how Sam and Grace sew this one up!

Good In Bed

I know what you're thinking...this book is titled WHAT?  And the cover doesn't help.  But, trust me...this book is fabulous.  I wouldn't say it was one of my all-time favorites, but it is definitely a good book.  And if you want a book that will make you laugh out loud...pick this one up today.

This book starts out with Cannie Shapiro at work and her best friend calling to console her...but, console her about what?  It turns out that Cannie's...ahem, soon to be officially ex-boyfriend...became the new columnist for a magazine...the column interestingly titled "Good In Bed."  The topic of this column is supposed to be the man's side to a relationship; advice to women on what men really think and want.  Cannie and Bruce (the bf) were on a break...and Cannie assumed it really was a break, but Bruce obviously thought otherwise.  He thought they were officially through...which, is why he had no problem writing in his column about what it's like to "love a larger woman."  Cannie is flabbergasted...she knew she wasn't the cutest, little petite thing, but she never thought of herself as a "larger woman."

This book is a journey of self-discovery for Cannie and for the most part it's hilarious...right down to her dog's name, Nifkin (if you don't know what that is...read the book, it is hilariously explained).  She has a wonderful sense of humor and I laughed out loud numerous times while reading this book.  The story does turn rather serious about halfway through, but it all ends in a way that I was very satisfied with.  And I have to admit...it was a bit of a surprise.

I think this book has a fabulous message/moral and would be an excellent read for any woman.  Every woman has "body issues" and I think that Jennifer Weiner takes a refreshing look at this topic in today's society.

Sometimes I Wonder...

It's at times like these I wonder about my true "bloggerness."  It's been a while since my last blog.  The holiday season took our household by storm and I'm wondering how other bloggers have time to still blog while shopping for and wrapping presents, cooking and baking tasty treats as well as driving here and there and everywhere to visit with family. 

It's a hard balancing act and I just couldn't do all of that AND blog...especially considering this was my first Christmas season as a wife.  Instead of all three of my sides of my family (mom, dad and stepdad's), I also spent the holiday season with David's...who also happen to live outside of Oklahoma City.  It's hard to shuffle your schedule around to see everyone and I hope that it gets easier...though, from everything I've heard from friends and family, this is always a juggling act made even more difficult when you have children of your own.  Then, you're struggling to have your own little family's holiday bonding time.  I'm so happy that David and I are surrounded by so many blessings and love...I just hope we learn to better balance our time in the years to come.

And bravo to all you bloggers out there that manage to keep it all straight and going!  Within the next few days I hope to catch everyone up to my current reading schedule as well as some great recipes I've tried within the past couple weeks.  Stay tuned!

The Last Summer (of You and Me)

I'm going to start out this review by simply saying...this book is so good!  It's well worth the read and it's really not that long.

This story surrounds two sisters, Alice and Riley, who always spend the summer in a Fire Island summer home.  They've grown up in this summer home next door to their best friend, Paul.  Riley and Paul are the same age and have always been best buds.  Riley was always the headstrong, athletic sister that's "one of the boys."  Meanwhile, Alice has always been the younger, smart, pretty sister...who has also always had a crush on Paul.  Little does she know, that Paul has always felt the same way about her.  This summer...is the summer their attraction comes to a head.  Alice gives her virginity to Paul and the two begin a torrid love affair...but they don't tell anyone, not even Riley. 

One night changes all of this...Alice has snuck over to Paul's and an emergency alarm goes off with a helicopter coming to whisk them off to the mainland hospital.  Alice dismisses this as an old retired person probably having a heart attack or some such medical emergency.

In the morning, Alice discovers it was not an old person...it was Riley.  Riley has a rheumatic heart problem and needs a new heart.  What's worse...is when you find out why.  So, how does a headstrong, athletic and seemingly healthy girl handle this?  By not telling anyone, of course.  Most especially not a childhood best friend.  Riley feels more comfortable with people who don't know because she doesn't feel pitied or mothered-henned...

Meanwhile...Paul feels that Alice has dumped him for no apparent reason.  She just up and left the island without even so much as a good-bye.  Will Paul eventually find out the truth? 

And will Riley get her new heart?

Read it and find out!

The Scarlett Letter

As I've discussed previously, I like to have a rotation within my reading schedule.  I like to read in an order along the lines of fiction, nonfiction and classic.  The Scarlett Letter is one of those classic reads and was next on my rotation.  Everyone seems to know the general story...this adulterous tale details the life of Hester Prynne. 

The book opens with Hester being led from the small Puritan community's prison, carrying her small child...the product of an adulterous affair...to the town scaffold for the townspeople to ogle and judge.  Embroidered to Hester's bosom is a beautiful crafted letter "A"...in such fine detail that even some of the townswomen say it is too fine a punishment for her to wear.  Hester and her daughter, Pearl, settle on the outskirts of town in a small cottage where Hester makes a living embroidering.  Her work adorns the finest clothing and is even worn by the governor, but never that of a bride.

While Hester was being heckled on the scaffold, her husband finally comes to town...only to discover his wife being shamed.  Because he is a rather cold individual, he does not come to her rescue.  Rather, he introduces himself to the town as Roger Chillingworth and lets on as a doctor.  The town minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, comes down with apparent heart problems that appear to have a psychological twist.  Chillingworth attends to Dimmesdale closely.  Throughout the novel, Chillingworth begins to think that perhaps there is a link between Dimmesdale's sickness and Hester's secret...perhaps Dimmesdale was her lover.

You, the reader, know there is a link.  And near the end of the novel Dimmesdale and Hester decide to run away together so they can raise Pearl together and live as a family...but, Hester finds out that Chillingworth has purchased a ticket on the same ship.  They're foiled.  In the end of this debacle, Dimmesdale, after church that day, rises to the scaffold with Hester and Pearl...and confesses his sin.  Pearl then kisses her father...which she has refused to do before in the novel because he has not proclaimed them as his family despite her repeated request.  At this time, Dimmesdale's heart finally gives out and he dies.

Hester and Pearl leave town with no one knowing where they have gone.  Hester returns many years later, still wearing her scarlett "A" and returns to her work.  Pearl is rumored to have married an aristocrat and begun a family of her own.  Pearl also inherits Chillingworth's fortune, even though she is not his daughter.  Later, Hester dies of old age and the town buries her aside Dimmesdale.  The two share a single headstone...one decorated with the letter "A."

This book was...OK.  I have to say it just wasn't my favorite.  I can understand that it was shocking in it's time and that it tackles some difficult subjects.  It just didn't grab me and I didn't enjoy the character development or plot line.  Just my two cents!

The Art of Racing In The Rain

The Art of Racing In The Rain tells the story of a family from a different point of view...from the dog's perspective.  Enzo tells his life story along with the lives of his owner, Denny, as well as Denny's wife and daughter. 

Enzo has learned most everything he knows from television programs ranging from National Geographic to Nickelodeon.  Of course, the majority of what he knows revolves around race cars because Denny is an amateur race car driver...which is where the title of the novel comes from.  Denny is an expert at racing in the rain and he shares his secrets with Enzo. 

One television program in particular caught Enzo's attention...one that states that if a dog is ready, when they die they get to be reincarnated as a human.  After Enzo has done everything he knows to keep his family happy and intact...he's sure he's ready. 

This book discusses a couple of heavy subjects, the death of Denny's wife and the subsequent custody battle between Denny and his daughter's maternal grandparents.  These battles are shared in the way only a dog could understand them. 

And at the end...does Enzo get reincarnated?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

I really enjoyed this book.  A bit teary towards the end, but totally worth it!

Her Mother's Hope

Her Mother's Hope is a two-book saga that chronicles mother and daughter stories within two generations.  I think this would be an excellent mother-daughter reading discussion!

This book begins in Marta's young life, the daughter of a poor tailor and seamstress in Switzerland.  While she has a horrible relationship with her father, Marta is extremely close to her mother and little sister.  As Marta grows up, her mother encourages her to do and be all that she can be, even though Marta's father is determined to squash whatever hopes and dreams she might have...which include completing school and going on to college.  Both Marta's mother and little sister are much weaker-spirited than her and while Marta is away tragedies occur that prevent her from coming home (and to their aid).

Guilt-ridden Marta moves on with her life.  Throughout the bulk of the first half of this book you learn about Marta's young adulthood, traveling around the world and becoming the strong-willed woman she embodies.  A lot of her ferocity and desire for life is due to her younger home-life...her aspiration to be unlike her father and stronger than her mother.

The second part of this book begins to chronicle the life of Hildie, Marta's oldest daugther.  Even though they look very much alike, Hildie is very different from her mother...she is much more soft-spoken and has a heart to serve others.  Marta is afraid this is a sign of weakness and is abhorred that Hildie will have the same fate as Marta's mother and sister.  So, Marta is determined to give Hildie "tough love" so this does not happen.  All the while, Hildie has no idea why her mother appears to favor her siblings....buying them whatever their hearts desire, while refusing to help Hildie in her dream to become a nurse.  In the end, Hildie runs off to become a nurse anyway...and meets the love of her life.  Through all of this, none of Marta's children ever know where she came from, why she is the way she is or why she treats each of them the way she does...especially Hildie.

This book concludes with Marta discovering that Hildie might, perhaps, not understand her mother's intentions all this time...and is dreading the idea that Hildie might feel the same way about her that Marta felt about her father.  Of course, this was never Marta's intent...

The sequel to this two-part story is Her Daughter's Dream...  I absolutely loved this book and I cannot wait to finish this story!