Oh my word! Why haven't I checked out a Joshilyn Jackson novel before now??? She has been on my radar for many moons and I picked up gods in Alabama at our recent used book sale at the library and my goodness I devoured it!
Description: For 10 years Arlene has kept her promises, and God has kept His end of the bargain. Until now. When an old schoolmate from Possett turns up at Arlene's door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, former quarterback and god of Possett High, Arlene's break with her former hometown is forced to an end. At the same time, Burr, her long-time boyfriend, has raised an ultimatum: introduce him to her family or consider him gone. Arlene loves him dearly but knows her lily white (not to mention deeply racist)Southern Baptist family will not understand her relationship with an African American boyfriend. Reluctantly, Arlene bows to the pressure, and she and Burr embark on the long-avoided road trip back home. As Arlene digs through guilt and deception, her patched-together alibi begins to unravel, and she discovers how far she will go for love and a chance at redemption.
I loved Arlene, but man was she kind of dumb for a smart woman! I did enjoy her dialogue and conviction to stay true to her promises to herself, that takes commitment. Especially, when you give up fornicating for good after having sex with your entire sophomore class, almost.
If you love sassy southern women and a little side of crazy southern family with a tint of mystery, check this one out. Perfect for your beach bag or a quick escape.
This book just held so much within it! Mental illness, humor, racism, whodunit, forgiveness, redemption, murder and more. Jackson is a very humorous writer and her characters were excellent!Loved it so much and I can't wait to check out another one of her books!
Have you read any books by Joshilyn Jackson? What southern based novels do you recommend?
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
I'll be Seeing You
I brought five books on our eight day camping trip which was a bit much, but anything is possible. ;) I ended up reading 3, technically finishing the last one on our first day home. I could have read more but I did spend two nap times drinking Bloody Mary's and catching up with relatives!
I'll be Seeing You by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan was one of my birthday gifts that I had been holding on too. I loved it! My only complaint was the end. Obviously, all books must end, but I felt like we hit the conclusion of some tension and then let's quickly wrap this up! Not to give away a spoiler, but I wish more details had been given towards an occasion that happens at the very end and that the last poem shared was a bit more explained and possibly that more letters were shared post-war.
Description: "I hope this letter gets to you quickly. We are always waiting, aren't we? Perhaps the greatest gift this war has given us is the anticipation..."
It's January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a sensible professor's wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. Glory comes from New England society; Rita lives in Iowa, trying to make ends meet. They have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home.
Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence. The friendship forged by their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front, and gives them the courage to face the battles raging in their very own backyards. Connected across the country by the lifeline of the written word, each woman finds her life profoundly altered by the other’s unwavering support.
A collaboration of two authors whose own beautiful story mirrors that on the page, I’ll Be Seeing You is a deeply moving union of style and charm. Filled with unforgettable characters and grace, it is a timeless celebration of friendship and the strength and solidarity of women.
I loved how the book was comprised of letters between the two women and letters they sent to their husbands and sons and other people. There were enough details given that it wasn't hard to follow and I really liked the style it was written.
I can't even pick a favorite woman. Both had stories that I enjoyed reading about. Sometimes when books split perspectives there is one perspective that I prefer but in this book, I enjoyed both equally and didn't have a favorite. I think that because their lifestyles were so different you got different stories with each personality and that kept me engaged.
This book really made me wish I had a pen pal. I could imagine myself sitting down with some pretty stationary and writing my heart out to someone far away with a cup of coffee by my side and anxiously waiting for a reply. Email/social media is great, but snail mail still holds a place in my heart. I miss the postcards I'd get when my grandparents would travel out West and letters my grandma would write to me. I'm sad that I didn't keep those from my childhood. What treasures they would be today!
I definitely recommend this for people who like WWII books and Sarah Jio books!
Have you read books about WWII with women as a focus? What books from the 1940s era do you recommend?
I'll be Seeing You by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan was one of my birthday gifts that I had been holding on too. I loved it! My only complaint was the end. Obviously, all books must end, but I felt like we hit the conclusion of some tension and then let's quickly wrap this up! Not to give away a spoiler, but I wish more details had been given towards an occasion that happens at the very end and that the last poem shared was a bit more explained and possibly that more letters were shared post-war.
Description: "I hope this letter gets to you quickly. We are always waiting, aren't we? Perhaps the greatest gift this war has given us is the anticipation..."
It's January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a sensible professor's wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. Glory comes from New England society; Rita lives in Iowa, trying to make ends meet. They have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home.
Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence. The friendship forged by their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front, and gives them the courage to face the battles raging in their very own backyards. Connected across the country by the lifeline of the written word, each woman finds her life profoundly altered by the other’s unwavering support.
A collaboration of two authors whose own beautiful story mirrors that on the page, I’ll Be Seeing You is a deeply moving union of style and charm. Filled with unforgettable characters and grace, it is a timeless celebration of friendship and the strength and solidarity of women.
I loved how the book was comprised of letters between the two women and letters they sent to their husbands and sons and other people. There were enough details given that it wasn't hard to follow and I really liked the style it was written.
I can't even pick a favorite woman. Both had stories that I enjoyed reading about. Sometimes when books split perspectives there is one perspective that I prefer but in this book, I enjoyed both equally and didn't have a favorite. I think that because their lifestyles were so different you got different stories with each personality and that kept me engaged.
This book really made me wish I had a pen pal. I could imagine myself sitting down with some pretty stationary and writing my heart out to someone far away with a cup of coffee by my side and anxiously waiting for a reply. Email/social media is great, but snail mail still holds a place in my heart. I miss the postcards I'd get when my grandparents would travel out West and letters my grandma would write to me. I'm sad that I didn't keep those from my childhood. What treasures they would be today!
I definitely recommend this for people who like WWII books and Sarah Jio books!
Have you read books about WWII with women as a focus? What books from the 1940s era do you recommend?
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Books & Bars June Edition
For June we picked The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout. It was on all of our to-read lists so we figured it would be a good one to tackle. Smart phones = making book picking so much easier. We've used our goodreads app many a time to see what we all want to read and make a pick and to check out the local library and/or amazon for availability and pricing!
Description: Haunted by the freak accident that killed their father when they were children, Jim and Bob Burgess escaped from their Maine hometown of Shirley Falls for New York City as soon as they possibly could. Jim, a sleek, successful corporate lawyer, has belittled his bighearted brother their whole lives, and Bob, a Legal Aid attorney who idolizes Jim, has always taken it in stride. But their long-standing dynamic is upended when their sister, Susan—the Burgess sibling who stayed behind—urgently calls them home. Her lonely teenage son, Zach, has gotten himself into a world of trouble, and Susan desperately needs their help. And so the Burgess brothers return to the landscape of their childhood, where the long-buried tensions that have shaped and shadowed their relationship begin to surface in unexpected ways that will change them forever.
With a rare combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite prose, and remarkable insight into character, Elizabeth Strout has brought to life two deeply human protagonists whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with readers long after they turn the final page. Tender, tough-minded, loving, and deeply illuminating about the ties that bind us to family and home, The Burgess Boys is Elizabeth Strout’s newest and perhaps most astonishing work of literary art.
We didn't spend much time discussing the book as the majority ended up not really caring for it. One member said, "Well, I like everything!" and had read Olive Kitteridge and said this was a book of fresh air compared to that one, though she loved that book as well. It did seem like a dark dreary sad tale to me, and I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Someone compared how they felt at the end to how they felt when they finished, "We Need to Talk About Kevin," and we all agreed that if Kevin had done what Zach had done it would have been on purpose with a mean intent and not a 'prank.'
I personally don't know if I ever really ended up liking any of the characters. I thought I liked Jim but then in the end I didn't. I thought Helen was too stuffy. Bob was a mess and a bit confusing and I feel like he was supposed to be the likeable character but he just wasn't for me. Susan was Susan and just blah as well.
I will definitely say that this book is not one to read if you want to read anything happy! But, I'm also not one who needs a happy ending but the whole book was just sad, sad, sad.
Have you read The Burgess Boys? What did you think?
Description: Haunted by the freak accident that killed their father when they were children, Jim and Bob Burgess escaped from their Maine hometown of Shirley Falls for New York City as soon as they possibly could. Jim, a sleek, successful corporate lawyer, has belittled his bighearted brother their whole lives, and Bob, a Legal Aid attorney who idolizes Jim, has always taken it in stride. But their long-standing dynamic is upended when their sister, Susan—the Burgess sibling who stayed behind—urgently calls them home. Her lonely teenage son, Zach, has gotten himself into a world of trouble, and Susan desperately needs their help. And so the Burgess brothers return to the landscape of their childhood, where the long-buried tensions that have shaped and shadowed their relationship begin to surface in unexpected ways that will change them forever.
With a rare combination of brilliant storytelling, exquisite prose, and remarkable insight into character, Elizabeth Strout has brought to life two deeply human protagonists whose struggles and triumphs will resonate with readers long after they turn the final page. Tender, tough-minded, loving, and deeply illuminating about the ties that bind us to family and home, The Burgess Boys is Elizabeth Strout’s newest and perhaps most astonishing work of literary art.
We didn't spend much time discussing the book as the majority ended up not really caring for it. One member said, "Well, I like everything!" and had read Olive Kitteridge and said this was a book of fresh air compared to that one, though she loved that book as well. It did seem like a dark dreary sad tale to me, and I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. Someone compared how they felt at the end to how they felt when they finished, "We Need to Talk About Kevin," and we all agreed that if Kevin had done what Zach had done it would have been on purpose with a mean intent and not a 'prank.'
I personally don't know if I ever really ended up liking any of the characters. I thought I liked Jim but then in the end I didn't. I thought Helen was too stuffy. Bob was a mess and a bit confusing and I feel like he was supposed to be the likeable character but he just wasn't for me. Susan was Susan and just blah as well.
I will definitely say that this book is not one to read if you want to read anything happy! But, I'm also not one who needs a happy ending but the whole book was just sad, sad, sad.
Have you read The Burgess Boys? What did you think?
Friday, June 27, 2014
Discussion: Eleanor & Park
I adored this book. It captured the adolescent awkwardness so well and I feel like how teens in the 80s existed was pretty spot on too. But, I'm not on expert on that. ;P For a YA 'love' story, I was a big fan.
1. Eleanor says she and Park are too young for true love. Do you believe that? Do you think Eleanor believes that?
I think Eleanor doesn't think that anything good can happen to her and does anything necessary to protect herself.
2. How do Eleanor and Park's parents shape their outlook on relationships and the future?
3. Why does Park's mother change her mind about Eleanor?
4. How is Park's relationship with his mother different from his relationship with his father? Who sees Park more clearly, his father or his mother?
5. Why is Park embarrassed by Eleanor? Is his embarrassment a betrayal?
6. Steve says that he's Park's friend—is he a true friend? Are Steve and Tina good guys or bad guys in the story? Do you think Eleanor and Tina could ever be friends?
I think if they had started off differently, Eleanor and Tina could be friends. I think when Tina realized what Eleanor's life was like, not unsimiliar to her own situation, I'd guess that she turned into a semi-decent person. Steve and Tina both had kind of a good heart, in the sense that they recognized a shitty situation and would help, but they are teenagers. ;P I also feel like the people you grow up with, will always be your friends regardless of time, distance or fights, you just connect in a special way.
7. Is Eleanor's mother a good mother? Why does she stay with Richie?
8. How would Eleanor and Park's relationship be different in 2013? How would cell phones, digital music, and Internet access change their situation?
9. What is the importance of music in Park's life? And how is it different for Eleanor?
10. Was Eleanor right to run away? Should she have left her brothers and sister behind? Was there more she could have done to help them?
In her position, I don't think there was going to be a 100 percent perfect ending and she knew that. She couldn't risk taking the younger kids because the chances of getting caught or brought back would make things so much worse, but she knew that Richie wouldn't put up too much of a fuss if she just left and she knew her mom would accept it and probably be relieved but Eleanor was a teenage girl with no options. I feel like the way it ended meant that mom got the guys to leave with the kids, but she was probably on her way to the next train wreck of a guy.
What did you think of the book? Have you read any other books by Rainbow Rowell? Thanks for participating!
1. Eleanor says she and Park are too young for true love. Do you believe that? Do you think Eleanor believes that?
I think Eleanor doesn't think that anything good can happen to her and does anything necessary to protect herself.
2. How do Eleanor and Park's parents shape their outlook on relationships and the future?
3. Why does Park's mother change her mind about Eleanor?
4. How is Park's relationship with his mother different from his relationship with his father? Who sees Park more clearly, his father or his mother?
5. Why is Park embarrassed by Eleanor? Is his embarrassment a betrayal?
6. Steve says that he's Park's friend—is he a true friend? Are Steve and Tina good guys or bad guys in the story? Do you think Eleanor and Tina could ever be friends?
I think if they had started off differently, Eleanor and Tina could be friends. I think when Tina realized what Eleanor's life was like, not unsimiliar to her own situation, I'd guess that she turned into a semi-decent person. Steve and Tina both had kind of a good heart, in the sense that they recognized a shitty situation and would help, but they are teenagers. ;P I also feel like the people you grow up with, will always be your friends regardless of time, distance or fights, you just connect in a special way.
7. Is Eleanor's mother a good mother? Why does she stay with Richie?
8. How would Eleanor and Park's relationship be different in 2013? How would cell phones, digital music, and Internet access change their situation?
9. What is the importance of music in Park's life? And how is it different for Eleanor?
10. Was Eleanor right to run away? Should she have left her brothers and sister behind? Was there more she could have done to help them?
In her position, I don't think there was going to be a 100 percent perfect ending and she knew that. She couldn't risk taking the younger kids because the chances of getting caught or brought back would make things so much worse, but she knew that Richie wouldn't put up too much of a fuss if she just left and she knew her mom would accept it and probably be relieved but Eleanor was a teenage girl with no options. I feel like the way it ended meant that mom got the guys to leave with the kids, but she was probably on her way to the next train wreck of a guy.
What did you think of the book? Have you read any other books by Rainbow Rowell? Thanks for participating!
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Return to Sullivan's Island
There is always one book that one of your favorite author's writes and you're like, SAY WHAT? And you only stick with it because you know the other stuff you've read is soo good. This is one of those instances. This is also one of those instances when the follow up to a favorite book just fails. I picked this book up at our used book sale because we all know I can't let a 'series' go, they must be finished! So I HAD to follow up Sullivan's Island with this. Ugh. Just Ugh..
Same characters, same family as Sullivan's Island which was SO good. This time? Yuck. Point of view changed far too much and was just jarring. Beth was stupid. It was just ugh. I was super disappointed. But that didn't mean I didn't stay up late to finish, which was partly because I didn't want to lug a hardcover book on vacation with me, but still, major disappointment! These characters could have had such better resolutions, and frankly I'd have loved more insight into the Susan/Simon angle!
Description:
It was impossible to remember how gorgeous the Lowcountry was. It never changed and everyone depended on that.
Newly graduated from college, Beth Hayes has worlds to conquer. But her grand ambitions are put on hold when she's elected by the family elders to house-sit the Island Gamble�ghosts and all.
But there is much about life and her family's past that Beth doesn't understand. And her plans to rest and rejuvenate�to bask in memory and the magic of white clapboards and shimmering blue waters�begin dangerously unraveling when she falls in love.
Still, everything here happens for a reason�and disappointment, betrayal, even tragedy are more easily handled when surrounded by beloved family and loyal friends.
What sequel/follow up book disappointed you? Do you keep reading a series even when it starts to annoy you or can you easily walk away from the story lines?
Same characters, same family as Sullivan's Island which was SO good. This time? Yuck. Point of view changed far too much and was just jarring. Beth was stupid. It was just ugh. I was super disappointed. But that didn't mean I didn't stay up late to finish, which was partly because I didn't want to lug a hardcover book on vacation with me, but still, major disappointment! These characters could have had such better resolutions, and frankly I'd have loved more insight into the Susan/Simon angle!
Description:
It was impossible to remember how gorgeous the Lowcountry was. It never changed and everyone depended on that.
Newly graduated from college, Beth Hayes has worlds to conquer. But her grand ambitions are put on hold when she's elected by the family elders to house-sit the Island Gamble�ghosts and all.
But there is much about life and her family's past that Beth doesn't understand. And her plans to rest and rejuvenate�to bask in memory and the magic of white clapboards and shimmering blue waters�begin dangerously unraveling when she falls in love.
Still, everything here happens for a reason�and disappointment, betrayal, even tragedy are more easily handled when surrounded by beloved family and loyal friends.
What sequel/follow up book disappointed you? Do you keep reading a series even when it starts to annoy you or can you easily walk away from the story lines?
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Currently: June
Reading: Return to Sullivan's Island when writing this but probably something else, when you are reading this! ;) Most likely, The Burgess Boys, The Hunger Games or something else..
Loving: not working
Thinking: about what to make for dinner. Not having a/c and not going to the store while preparing for a vacation makes for interesting meals when you don't want to put on the oven and then it decides to storm!
Frustrated: by people who bring their sick child to family functions. If a doctor gives you an antibiotic, it's not allergies FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME. And perhaps if your doctor says that, you may want to get a new one. I think they suck. My kid caught your kid's allergies, AGAIN.
Feeling: eager for the scale to move down. I'm working out and trying to be super mindful of what I eat and it's not budging and it's making me mad. I'm sore, I'm doing it, I'm drenched in sweat but I do not lose. I feel like it should be melting away but nope, most likely when I weigh myself again I will have gained weight, again.
Anticipating: camping with all the cousins. The beach, smores, reading, hopefully some relaxing.
Watching: Rizzoli & Isles, Pretty Little Liars and a new fave, Farmhouse Rules which is a cooking show. I just finished catching up on Revenge and Pretty Liars (in time for it to start again ha)
Sad: my kid has been sick and the weather has sucked so that our first two weeks of break have included far more TV and staying in the house than normal
Working: on nothing. I should soon be working on cleaning out or guest room/office because it became a dumping ground this school year
Grateful: for my family
Listening: The Highway on XM radio. I've really been enjoying anything Luke Bryan, Eric Church and I love Bottoms Up by Brantley Gilbert.
Wishing: for central air. SOme day. And a wraparound porch. And a hot tub.
What are you currently reading, anticipating, and grateful for?
Loving: not working
Thinking: about what to make for dinner. Not having a/c and not going to the store while preparing for a vacation makes for interesting meals when you don't want to put on the oven and then it decides to storm!
Frustrated: by people who bring their sick child to family functions. If a doctor gives you an antibiotic, it's not allergies FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME. And perhaps if your doctor says that, you may want to get a new one. I think they suck. My kid caught your kid's allergies, AGAIN.
Feeling: eager for the scale to move down. I'm working out and trying to be super mindful of what I eat and it's not budging and it's making me mad. I'm sore, I'm doing it, I'm drenched in sweat but I do not lose. I feel like it should be melting away but nope, most likely when I weigh myself again I will have gained weight, again.
Anticipating: camping with all the cousins. The beach, smores, reading, hopefully some relaxing.
Watching: Rizzoli & Isles, Pretty Little Liars and a new fave, Farmhouse Rules which is a cooking show. I just finished catching up on Revenge and Pretty Liars (in time for it to start again ha)
Sad: my kid has been sick and the weather has sucked so that our first two weeks of break have included far more TV and staying in the house than normal
Working: on nothing. I should soon be working on cleaning out or guest room/office because it became a dumping ground this school year
Grateful: for my family
Listening: The Highway on XM radio. I've really been enjoying anything Luke Bryan, Eric Church and I love Bottoms Up by Brantley Gilbert.
Wishing: for central air. SOme day. And a wraparound porch. And a hot tub.
What are you currently reading, anticipating, and grateful for?
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
July's Group Read is...
On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves!
Description: When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.
T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments -- instead of his friends.
Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter.
Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.
I have to admit this description kinda makes my stomach crawl. But, I've heard nothing but good reports so, here's to hoping it's a goody!
Who is joining us? I will post discussion questions on July 25th!
Description: When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.
T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments -- instead of his friends.
Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter.
Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.
I have to admit this description kinda makes my stomach crawl. But, I've heard nothing but good reports so, here's to hoping it's a goody!
Who is joining us? I will post discussion questions on July 25th!
Monday, June 23, 2014
11 Things
What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
During the school year, I check to see if I have any messages/emails for work and then I immediately go to the bathroom and shower. In the summer, I listen to see if I am up before my child and then I laze in bed and check social media or read my book for awhile until she wakes up or I need to get up to make coffee!
What do you eat for breakfast?
It depends. I don't like eating right when I wake up so sometimes I'd grab stuff for work like a yogurt or granola bar. Otherwise I eat anything from eggs, pancakes or waffles.
What’s your go-to weeknight meal?
When we have nothing else planned we tend to go with spaghetti and a salad. Because we always have those ingredients!
Do you do any kind of journaling or memory keeping?
Just this blog now. I used to have a private online one, which I technically still do, I just don't update it and I haven't written in a real journal since high school?
How do you fix your coffee, or do you prefer tea (or neither)?
Coffee I will either drink black or I will put in caramel maccihiato creamer. Yum.
What’s the last good book you read?
I've read a lot of good books lately, South of Broad by Pat Conroy, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell and Before She Woke by Hillary Jordan to name a few!
If you had a day all to yourself with no schedule, how would you spend it?
Sleep in, go out for breakfast and enjoy a lot of coffee! Head to the farmer's market and look around, go to Target, visit the library, make guacamole and eat that with chips for lunch, read in my hammock, go on a boat ride and grill out for dinner.
What are three things on your life list?
Visit a beach in a different country with my husband again, get a new house, visit Washington D.C.
When you really need to relax or de-stress, where do you go and what do you do?
Lay on the hammock alone, drink a glass of wine or 2, or bitch to my friend!
What’s on your nightstand?
A book I finished awhile ago that I need to donate, the book I'm currently reading, my lamp, water bottle,and phone.
What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?
Go to the bathroom, if I need to set my alarm I do that and then I go to bed. Some nights I read, and some nights I just go right to bed.
What are some things on your life list?
During the school year, I check to see if I have any messages/emails for work and then I immediately go to the bathroom and shower. In the summer, I listen to see if I am up before my child and then I laze in bed and check social media or read my book for awhile until she wakes up or I need to get up to make coffee!
What do you eat for breakfast?
It depends. I don't like eating right when I wake up so sometimes I'd grab stuff for work like a yogurt or granola bar. Otherwise I eat anything from eggs, pancakes or waffles.
What’s your go-to weeknight meal?
When we have nothing else planned we tend to go with spaghetti and a salad. Because we always have those ingredients!
Do you do any kind of journaling or memory keeping?
Just this blog now. I used to have a private online one, which I technically still do, I just don't update it and I haven't written in a real journal since high school?
How do you fix your coffee, or do you prefer tea (or neither)?
Coffee I will either drink black or I will put in caramel maccihiato creamer. Yum.
What’s the last good book you read?
I've read a lot of good books lately, South of Broad by Pat Conroy, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell and Before She Woke by Hillary Jordan to name a few!
If you had a day all to yourself with no schedule, how would you spend it?
Sleep in, go out for breakfast and enjoy a lot of coffee! Head to the farmer's market and look around, go to Target, visit the library, make guacamole and eat that with chips for lunch, read in my hammock, go on a boat ride and grill out for dinner.
What are three things on your life list?
Visit a beach in a different country with my husband again, get a new house, visit Washington D.C.
When you really need to relax or de-stress, where do you go and what do you do?
Lay on the hammock alone, drink a glass of wine or 2, or bitch to my friend!
What’s on your nightstand?
A book I finished awhile ago that I need to donate, the book I'm currently reading, my lamp, water bottle,and phone.
What’s the last thing you do before you go to sleep?
Go to the bathroom, if I need to set my alarm I do that and then I go to bed. Some nights I read, and some nights I just go right to bed.
What are some things on your life list?
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Sullivan's Island
My mom and grandma were two of the biggest influences in my life when it came to reading when I was younger. My grandma was ALWAYS reading. She'd go into her bedroom shortly after dinner with a book and the tv and my grandpa would retire to the living room with his newspapers and his television. Speaking of, my dad and grandpa were two of the biggest influences on my life when it came to reading the newspaper, which we have delivered to our house Thursday-Sunday. My mom always had a pile of books and magazines by her various chairs throughout the house and by her bedside table.
It's not surprising that my first foray into 'adult' books would follow in my models footsteps. I was reading Nora Roberts in junior high. Which on another tangent reminds me of an article I read about Judy Blume the other day and she said that teens/children are their own best censors. If they don't understand something / are uncomfortable they skip over it. If they have questions, they ask. Did I ever ask my mom about a Nora Roberts sex scene? Nope. Just like I never asked my grandma about the sex scenes in her romance books when I checked those out. Did it help make me realize my mother and grandma were women too who just may have feelings? Yup. Helps make you realizes you're normal.
So where am I going? Basically, I read a lot of 'beach reads' 'chick lit' 'basic smut' for the first 20ish years of my life. Now it's hard to me to read many of those books but books SET on beaches, near beaches or with strong/hilarious female leads... they still get me.
Dorothea Benton Frank has become one of my favorite 'beach read/women character writers' around. She has depth, she has history, she's hysterical and there is a bit of sex/romance. But it's good. Sometimes a tad unbelievable but just one of those writers who I love reading and staying up late to finish because I need the story to close!
Description: Set in the steamy, stormy landscape of South Carolina, Sullivan's Island tells the unforgettable story of one woman's courageous journey toward truth.
Born and raised on idyllic Sullivan's Island, Susan Hayes navigated through her turbulent childhood with humor, spunk, and characteristic Southern sass. But years later, she is a conflicted woman with an unfaithful husband, a sometimes resentful teenage daughter, and a heart that aches with painful, poignant memories. And as Susan faces her uncertain future, she realizes that she must go back to her past. To the beachfront house where her sister welcomes her with open arms. To the only place she can truly call home.
The lead character Susan is hilarious. I love her. I also like that this book jumps back and forth from 1963 to the present (1999). Which, if you like Sarah Jio, you'd probably adore this book too. I liked that in the 1963 version we hear about the Civil Rights issues and how the beach was back then. I also enjoy how Susan deals with her husband cheating on her. She's a classy (minus a momentarily lapse with a toothbrush and pee) and strong and has a good sense of humor.
She does attempt to go on a date and OH MY LAWD, that 'sex' scene is HILARIOUS!!!! And I snorted because seriously that would happen to me on a date, I just know it!
This book is just soo much and I was really rooting for Susan to reconnect with her lost first love, Simon, and to figure out the mystery of her daddy dying in a marsh in 1963. I'm actually starting a follow up that is written about these characters but focuses more on Susan's daughter as soon as I'm done writing this.
Who influenced what you read as a young adult? What are your favorite 'types' of books? Have you been to Sullivan's Island? Charleston? (SO many local references in her books! and Pat Conroy's!)
It's not surprising that my first foray into 'adult' books would follow in my models footsteps. I was reading Nora Roberts in junior high. Which on another tangent reminds me of an article I read about Judy Blume the other day and she said that teens/children are their own best censors. If they don't understand something / are uncomfortable they skip over it. If they have questions, they ask. Did I ever ask my mom about a Nora Roberts sex scene? Nope. Just like I never asked my grandma about the sex scenes in her romance books when I checked those out. Did it help make me realize my mother and grandma were women too who just may have feelings? Yup. Helps make you realizes you're normal.
So where am I going? Basically, I read a lot of 'beach reads' 'chick lit' 'basic smut' for the first 20ish years of my life. Now it's hard to me to read many of those books but books SET on beaches, near beaches or with strong/hilarious female leads... they still get me.
Dorothea Benton Frank has become one of my favorite 'beach read/women character writers' around. She has depth, she has history, she's hysterical and there is a bit of sex/romance. But it's good. Sometimes a tad unbelievable but just one of those writers who I love reading and staying up late to finish because I need the story to close!
Description: Set in the steamy, stormy landscape of South Carolina, Sullivan's Island tells the unforgettable story of one woman's courageous journey toward truth.
Born and raised on idyllic Sullivan's Island, Susan Hayes navigated through her turbulent childhood with humor, spunk, and characteristic Southern sass. But years later, she is a conflicted woman with an unfaithful husband, a sometimes resentful teenage daughter, and a heart that aches with painful, poignant memories. And as Susan faces her uncertain future, she realizes that she must go back to her past. To the beachfront house where her sister welcomes her with open arms. To the only place she can truly call home.
The lead character Susan is hilarious. I love her. I also like that this book jumps back and forth from 1963 to the present (1999). Which, if you like Sarah Jio, you'd probably adore this book too. I liked that in the 1963 version we hear about the Civil Rights issues and how the beach was back then. I also enjoy how Susan deals with her husband cheating on her. She's a classy (minus a momentarily lapse with a toothbrush and pee) and strong and has a good sense of humor.
She does attempt to go on a date and OH MY LAWD, that 'sex' scene is HILARIOUS!!!! And I snorted because seriously that would happen to me on a date, I just know it!
This book is just soo much and I was really rooting for Susan to reconnect with her lost first love, Simon, and to figure out the mystery of her daddy dying in a marsh in 1963. I'm actually starting a follow up that is written about these characters but focuses more on Susan's daughter as soon as I'm done writing this.
Who influenced what you read as a young adult? What are your favorite 'types' of books? Have you been to Sullivan's Island? Charleston? (SO many local references in her books! and Pat Conroy's!)
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Hypocrisy
I got Hypocrisy by D.M. Annechino to review and it pulled me straight out of a reading rut! I think this may be the first 2014 book that I read in less than 24 hours!
Description: Dr. Lauren Crawford is a brilliant research scientist who discovers a revolutionary treatment for cancer that not only extends life, but much improves the quality of life for terminal cancer patients. The treatment, in some instances, can even cure certain cancers. On the evening before Dr. Crawford holds a press conference to announce that the FDA has given preliminary approval of her new cancer treatment, somebody follows her to her car and puts three bullets in her head. Was it a planned murder with a motive, a mugging gone badly, or merely a random act of violence? Two New York City homicide detectives, Amaris Dupree and T.J. Brown, are assigned to the investigation. The detectives evaluate the circumstances surrounding Dr. Crawford's death, and follow a trail of clues that exposes a sequence of startling facts. One by one, the detectives carefully examine each suspect and piece together a puzzle with unimaginable implications. As the investigation gets more intense, and the detectives get closer to solving the murder mystery, someone threatens Dupree's life. The detectives now realize that Dr. Crawford's murder was much more than a homicide. And if they don't arrest the murderer soon, Dupree might be the next victim.
I was immediately hooked into the plot. The book opens with the murder and the detectives get right on the case. I read a lot of this genre so sometimes I get a little more critical about how some of them are written. I noticed that I wasn't rolling my eyes at typical thriller writing crap so that made me happy! I enjoyed the characters of Dupree and TJ and felt drawn to them and wanted to know more. I thought the premise of the book - murdering a scientist about ready to cure cancer - was awesome. I mean, how can there NOT be a cure for cancer? It's a great topic to delve into and brings up interesting questions.
In the back of the book the author posed some questions and I thought that I would answer them here on my blog..
Did you find the book engaging--did it make you want to turn pages?
Absolutely! I opened it during nap time on a Saturday, read through the night, woke up early on Sunday and finished it while the child watched cartoons on Sunday morning.
Were Dupree and TJ fully developed?
I think so, but there were points that were just a tad unrealistic. The whole let's get drunk and release our life stories to each other were a bit much. I also didn't like that it seemed that Dupree was super smart and the boss and TJ was painted dumb at times that would really make me question how he could be a detective. But, I think they grew and you did get to know more about them as the story progressed.
Who was your favorite character?
Brenda or Leona! ;) Brenda is the superwoman behind the desk at the police station and Leona is Dr. Crawford's mother.
What do you think of the plot? Was the story plausible, original?
I enjoyed it and I believe so. However, the amount of dirty hands involved in the process and the lack of talking about it seemed a bit far fetched. Maybe too many characters.
Did any plot twists surprise you?
Not really. I think everything that happened was at least hinted too that nothing was a shocker.
If you are interested in thrillers/detective books this is for you!
What was the last book you read in 24 hours or less?
I was given this book by iRead Book Tours for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Description: Dr. Lauren Crawford is a brilliant research scientist who discovers a revolutionary treatment for cancer that not only extends life, but much improves the quality of life for terminal cancer patients. The treatment, in some instances, can even cure certain cancers. On the evening before Dr. Crawford holds a press conference to announce that the FDA has given preliminary approval of her new cancer treatment, somebody follows her to her car and puts three bullets in her head. Was it a planned murder with a motive, a mugging gone badly, or merely a random act of violence? Two New York City homicide detectives, Amaris Dupree and T.J. Brown, are assigned to the investigation. The detectives evaluate the circumstances surrounding Dr. Crawford's death, and follow a trail of clues that exposes a sequence of startling facts. One by one, the detectives carefully examine each suspect and piece together a puzzle with unimaginable implications. As the investigation gets more intense, and the detectives get closer to solving the murder mystery, someone threatens Dupree's life. The detectives now realize that Dr. Crawford's murder was much more than a homicide. And if they don't arrest the murderer soon, Dupree might be the next victim.
I was immediately hooked into the plot. The book opens with the murder and the detectives get right on the case. I read a lot of this genre so sometimes I get a little more critical about how some of them are written. I noticed that I wasn't rolling my eyes at typical thriller writing crap so that made me happy! I enjoyed the characters of Dupree and TJ and felt drawn to them and wanted to know more. I thought the premise of the book - murdering a scientist about ready to cure cancer - was awesome. I mean, how can there NOT be a cure for cancer? It's a great topic to delve into and brings up interesting questions.
In the back of the book the author posed some questions and I thought that I would answer them here on my blog..
Did you find the book engaging--did it make you want to turn pages?
Absolutely! I opened it during nap time on a Saturday, read through the night, woke up early on Sunday and finished it while the child watched cartoons on Sunday morning.
Were Dupree and TJ fully developed?
I think so, but there were points that were just a tad unrealistic. The whole let's get drunk and release our life stories to each other were a bit much. I also didn't like that it seemed that Dupree was super smart and the boss and TJ was painted dumb at times that would really make me question how he could be a detective. But, I think they grew and you did get to know more about them as the story progressed.
Who was your favorite character?
Brenda or Leona! ;) Brenda is the superwoman behind the desk at the police station and Leona is Dr. Crawford's mother.
What do you think of the plot? Was the story plausible, original?
I enjoyed it and I believe so. However, the amount of dirty hands involved in the process and the lack of talking about it seemed a bit far fetched. Maybe too many characters.
Did any plot twists surprise you?
Not really. I think everything that happened was at least hinted too that nothing was a shocker.
If you are interested in thrillers/detective books this is for you!
What was the last book you read in 24 hours or less?
I was given this book by iRead Book Tours for review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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