Something Borrowed and Something Blue

SOMETHING BORROWED

Rachel and Darcie are best friends. As children, they lived on the same street and did everything together...they considered themselves sisters. They were completely different. Darcie was the beautiful, charismatic, confident (overly confident) girl, and Rachel was quiet, plain, and the "follower." As adult women, they evolve into their own jobs; Darcy a publicist, and Rachel a lawyer and they remain best friends. Darcie has a fiance, whom she met through Rachel. Rachel is single. On the night of Rachel birthday, she and Darcie's fiance (Dex) take things too far and end up having a secret relationship. The story follows Rachel through this uncomfortable ordeal...

My take on this book: Rachel is definitely the heroine in this book, however, it is hard for me to respect her as she was in a secret relationship with her best friends fiance. The author does an amazing job at portraying Darcie as a selfish, mean, and shallow woman. At times, I was okay with the affair, thinking: "She doesn't deserve him...Rachel does." I think I would have respected the character much more if she would have admitted the affair in the beginning...but then, the story would be completely different!!!

SOMETHING BLUE

"Something Blue" is the sequel to "Something Borrowed." Instead of following the main character of "Something Borrowed" (Rachel), it follows Darcie, who was known as selfish, mean, and shallow. In "Something Blue" Darcie is pregnant and trying to understand her new position in life. Throughout her search for understanding she deals with rejection, but also learns to love herself, love her child, and also finds the most unlikely person to love her back. I personally enjoyed this book more than the first one.

The Time Travelers Wife

About a year ago, my brother-in-law recommended this book. I wasn't able to pick it up until last month as I was busy trying to finish up some other book challenges I signed up for. Luckily, the movie came out last month...so it lit a fire under me to start and finish the book before seeing it on the big screen.

The Time Travelers Wife was a beautifully written book. It was full of fantasy, love, mystery, suspense, humor...everything that makes a good story. The plot revolves around a man, Henry who has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel through life at any moment without much of a warning. During his time travels, he meets a Clare as a young girl and visits her at different times in her life. Clare falls in love with him, although sadly, she is not able to control when he comes or goes. In "real time" these two characters eventually meet, marry, and live their lives. Unfortunately, his time traveling does not end, and the story continues, capturing the pain and loyalty that occurs between these two characters.

This is my first "meeting" with the author, Nora Niffeneger. Her ability to capture each character was extraordinary...I will surely be picking up more of her books in the future. This book is strongly recommended. In my opinion, this is the best book I have read this year!

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper is the first book I have read by the author: Jodi Picoult. I have to say, I was very impressed by her writing and her talent of bringing out every emotion inside of me! I will definitely read more of her books in the future.

To give a bit of background about the story:
My Sister's Keeper is based on a young girl who was conceived to save her sister who has a very rare, very deadly type of cancer. For over 13 years, the young girl, Ana, has gone through blood draws, bone marrow draws, etc. to prevent her sister from dying. At age 13, Ana decides that she should be able to choose for herself whether or not to go through such painful procedures. Her family is devestated and confused when she hires a lawyer to file for medical emancipation from her parents. The remainder of the story illustrates the families ordeal through each characters perspective. It is a story of pain, outrage, joy, and sadness.

I would highlty recommend this book!

Sunset

"Sunset" is the last book in the Sunrise Series by Karen Kingsbury. It follows the Baxter family, a large, very close-knit family living in Indiana. The Sunset is actually the third series that follows the Baxter family. It follows the Redemption series and the First Born Series. I began the whole series four years ago and finally finished the last two books this year. I have to admit, I was sad to end such a wonderful series.
"Sunset" as well as the other books in the series had a wonderful story line and beautiful characters that you cannot help but become attached to. Karen Kingsbury is a wonderful writer, and captures emotions beautifully! I will definitely read more of her books!
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More about Sunset: (Taken from Karenkingsbury.com)
Sunset is about the power of family love, and the healing miracle of redemption. As John Baxter makes plans to marry Elaine, one of the Baxters enters into the most trying season of all. During a time of renewed love and hope for the future, the Baxters try to come together to establish the sacred ground of marriage and to chart a course for the future. Memories of times gone by meet with the changes of today in a story that proves only the support of faith and family can take a person into the sunset years of life.

Angels and Demons

From Publishers Weekly
Pitting scientific terrorists against the cardinals of Vatican City, this well-plotted if over-the-top thriller is crammed with Vatican intrigue and high-tech drama. Robert Langdon, a Harvard specialist on religious symbolism, is called in by a Swiss research lab when Dr. Vetra, the scientist who discovered antimatter, is found murdered with the cryptic word "Illuminati" branded on his chest. These Iluminati were a group of Renaissance scientists, including Galileo, who met secretly in Rome to discuss new ideas in safety from papal threat; what the long-defunct association has to do with Dr. Vetra's death is far from clear. Vetra's daughter, Vittoria, makes a frightening discovery: a lethal amount of antimatter, sealed in a vacuum flask that will explode in six hours unless its batteries are recharged, is missing. Almost immediately, the Swiss Guard discover that the flask is hidden beneath Vatican City, where the conclave to elect a new pope has just begun. Vittoria and Langdon rush to recover the canister, but they aren't allowed into the Vatican until it is discovered that the four principal papal candidates are missing. The terrorists who are holding the cardinals call in regarding their pending murders, offering clues tied to ancient Illuminati meeting sites and runes. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that a sinister Vatican entity with messianic delusions is in league with the terrorists. Packing the novel with sinister figures worthy of a Medici, Brown (Digital Fortress) sets an explosive pace as Langdon and Vittoria race through a Michelin-perfect Rome to try to save the cardinals and find the antimatter before it explodes. Though its premises strain credulity, Brown's tale is laced with twists and shocks that keep the reader wired right up to the last revelation. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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My short, personal review of "Angels and Demons"

"Angels and Demons" was my first book in the "Movie" challenge. Although, the book has an exciting plot, it was very unrealistic and completely far fetched. The characters were interesting, however the storyline becomes exhausting with all of the changes and crazy ideas.
This book was not a "page turner" for me. I often had to put it down and read something else.

I will be nice and give it 3 stars.

Even Now

Even Now
Shane Galanter is ready to put down roots after years of searching. But is he making the right choice? Or is there a woman somewhere who remembers a love that hasn't faded with time?

Lauren Gibbs is a successful international war correspondent that gave up on happily-ever-after years ago when it was ripped away from her. So why is life so empty?

Emily Anderson is a college freshman raised by her grandparents, about to take her first internship as a journalist. But before she can move ahead, she discovers a love story whose tragic ending came with her birth. As a result, she is drawn to look back and search out the mother she's never met, and the father she never knew.

With hallmark tenderness and power, Karen Kingsbury weaves a tapestry of life, loss, love, faith and the miracle of resurrection.

Taken from KarenKingsbury.com
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Even Now was a very interesting and encouraging story that I read on a flight heading to Baltimore, MD. It is a story of love and loss, of faith and restoration. I enjoyed it very much and could not wait to turn the pages to read more. Karen Kingsbury did an amazing job of bringing a readers feelings to the surface. It is a book filled with religious and political views, some you may agree with and some you may not. Regardless of the readers own beliefs, I think that most readers would appreciate this book.
4 out of 5 stars!!!

1st to Die

Lindsay Boxer, the main character, is a homicide inspector in San Francisco. Her eyes are set on the next promotion when the city is suddenly rocked by the gruesome murders of a young newly married couple on their wedding night. Struggling with a difficult medical diagnosis, Lindsay is determined to put all her effort into finding the maniac who kills honeymooners. Along the way she teams up with her handsome new partner. She also forms a bond with three other women, a reporter, medical examiner, and lawyer who come together to form the Women's Murder Club.

I personally felt that the book was interesting, however, the material was very gruesome and sometimes difficult to read. I did enjoy the actual story line. I thought it was a very fast read and perfect for a lazy weekend.

3/5 stars!

Remember Me?

I finished this book last week. The author, Sophie Kinsella, is one of my fav
orites. I enjoy her writing very much...she always thinks up the funniest characters. This story was very interesting. The main character wakes up in the hospital to find that it is three years after her last memory. She is married, rich, and looks completely different than she did before. The story outlines her experience of trying to regain her memory and learn about her new life and how the heck she got there.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

This book is beautifully written. I love how the author paints such a clear picture of each character. Both of the women portrayed in the book were real and believable. While reading the story, I began to really feel for them...at times, I wanted to throw the book in rage, and at times I could barely contain my tears.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a heartbreaking and moving story that shows the strength, courage, faithfulness, and the power to forgive.
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My favorite Quote from the book:
"In a few years, this little girl will be a woman who will make small demands on life, who will never burden others, who will never let on that she too has had sorrows, disappointments, dreams that have been ridiculed. A woman who will be like a rock in a riverbed, enduring without complaint, her grace not sullied but shaped by the turbulence that washes over her."

Sundays at Tiffany's

Book Description:
As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him.

Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they've really been reunited.

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.

My take on the Book:
As long as you put your sense of belief onto a shelf before turning the first page of SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY'S, you'll be fine. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed when this "love story" turned more into a "fairy tale". The whole idea of an imaginary friend becoming real is far out there...but again...this is just a story.

It's a fast-moving read, as all of James Patterson's books are, a love story/fairy tale that includes an interesting yet strange plot. I enjoyed the basic writing and even the tone of the story, but parts of it were pretty unbelievable. I don't feel that I wasted my time with this book, although it is not one of my best reads.

The Last Lecture

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”
—Randy Pausch



On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.
Randy’s lecture has become a phenomenon, as has the book he wrote based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008, but his legacy will continue to inspire us all, for generations to come.

www.thelastlecture.com
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This beautifully written book changed my life. Randy Pausch wrote about the importance of taking chances, achieving your goals, and loving your family. I am grateful that he took the time to document what helped him through out his life. His ability to speak so candidly about his experiences was refreshing as well as inspiring. I feel honored to have been able to read his words.

Nights in Rondanthe

Adrienne Willis is forty-five and has been divorced for three years, abandoned by her husband for a younger woman. The trials of raising her teenage children and caring for her sick father have worn her down, but at the request of a friend and in hopes of a respite, she’s gone to the coastal village of Rodanthe in North Carolina’s outer banks to tend the local inn for the weekend.
With a major storm brewing, the time away doesn’t look promising…until a guest named Paul Flanner arrives.

At fifty-four, Paul is a successful surgeon but in the previous six months his life has unraveled into something he doesn’t recognize. Estranged from his son and recently divorced, he’s sold his practice and his home and has journeyed to this isolated coastal town in hopes of closing a painful chapter in his past, completely unaware that his life is about to change forever.

Adrienne and Paul come together as the storm gathers strength over Rodanthe, but what begins between them over the weekend will resonate throughout the rest of their lives, intertwining past and future, love and loss.
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I finished Nights in Rondanthe a week ago. This book is not on my challenge list, however, I went to see a movie a couple weeks ago and during the previews viewed the trailor for the movie based on this book. It comes out in October, and as I most likely will want to see it, I decided to add the book in. I always like to read the book before I view the movie. It was a quick read and a good escape from the hours spent working on my thesis. The way that Nicholas Sparks can bring you into a story is incredible. It was enjoyable and left me with a good feeling that true romance can be found at any stage in life. However, the idea that real love can develop between two total strangers in one weekend, seems far fetched. I like to think that I am a "hopeless romantic" however, I would have liked more time in the development of the characters relationship. I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. I think that Nicholas Sparks other books were much more appealing (The Notebook, A walk to remember, message in a bottle).

Eat, Pray, Love

Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert...hmmmmm...what can I say about this book. It was a fantastic read, I admit. I was extremely impressed with her ability to be honest/real with the reader. I read a few reviews on Amazon.com and most of them were negative towards the author, claiming that she was self indulgent, selfish, and crazy! I would have to disagree...I think as women we sometimes can forget who we are. Although, I don't agree with the path that she chose to find herself (Italy/eating-yes, India/meditation-no)I took a lot of good information from her experience. I remember a couple of years ago, I was sitting with twenty other women at a women's breakfast and one woman asked every woman if they could truly say who they were as a woman. The rule was we could not say "mom" or "wife" or "daughter"...we had to really look deep in our lives and reveal who we were. I don't know why, but this challenge was so difficult for me! Elizabeth Gilbert dealth with this same challenge while she was in Italy. While traveling "eating" through Italy, she has a conversation with her friend about how every city has a word to describe it. Then he asks her what her word is...this is very difficult, and she actually does not come up with the word until a few months later when she is in India. When I read this, it reminded me to dig deep, and ask God to reveal who I am as a person, as His child. I have not yet found my word...I will let you know when I do.
There were many good quotes in this book. As I said before, I did not agree or believe in many of the areas she researched and fell into, including her heavy emphasis on meditation and her belief that there is no hell...however, I took her her experiences and made my own goals, including scheduling prayer as the author scheduled mediation times. All in all, it was an interesting read. I very much loved her travels through Italy, and although her travels through India and Indonesia were a little too "new age" for me, the book was a good read.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

"I love my pizza so much, in fact, that I have come to believe in my delirium that my pizza might actually love me, in return. I am having a relationship with this pizza..." Chapter 27

"Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend." Chapter 18

About happiness on page 260, "People universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you will leak away your innate contentment. It's easy enough to pray when you're in distress but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your sould hold tight to its good attainments."

The Scarlet Thread

I have been lagging on the "book challenge". It has been a crazy couple of weeks trying to finish my thesis and study for the Praxis at the same time. However, my good friend, Laurin, wrote me to let me know that she was wanting to join in on the challenge. She is reading Eat, Pray, Love right now. Thanks Laurin...because you reminded me how important it is to take time out of our busy lives, find a comfy place, and escape for a while with a great book! It has made studying a lot easier, knowing that I have reading as a reward!

So, I actually finished my fourth book of the challenge: The Scarlet Thread. I was impressed with the book, however, I don't think it was one of the authors best. Here is a guick look at what it was about:

THE SCARLET THREAD follows a woman in a disintigrating marriage who discovers the diary of one of her ancestors who came out west in a covered wagon. The readings of the diary parallel her life in many ways and we see, through duel unfolding plots, how God works on the hearts of the stubborn and moves in their situation as they allow Him to. It's a simple read, but a good one.

I would give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Marley and Me

Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans.

John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.

Marley grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, and stole women's undergarments. Obedience school did no good -- Marley was expelled.

But just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley remained a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.

Marley & Me is John Grogan's funny, unforgettable tribute to this wonderful, wildly neurotic Lab and the meaning he brought to their lives.

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Last night I finished Marley and Me, a story about a lovable, sweet, but terribly misbehaved Labrador Retriever. I adored this book. Not only was it well written, but it also pulled at my heartstrings in a very different way. As a dog lover and owner myself, I empathized strongly with the author/main character's feelings about his dog and the struggles he dealt with. I appreciated the authors candidness (is that a word?) and ability to capture the reader in his vivid descriptions of each trial he went through and then in the end his realization of how much the dog not only needed him, but how much he needed the dog. After reading this book, I appreciate my dogs so much more. Although, at times I want to scream (especially Riley with her crazy antics) I realize that these two dogs in our own household mean the world to us and have blessed us in so many ways.

The Kite Runner

An epic tale of fathers and sons, of friendship and betrayal, that takes us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the atrocities of the present.

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption, and it is also about the power of fathers over sons-their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

The first Afghan novel to be written in English, The Kite Runner tells a sweeping story of family, love, and friendship against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, bringing to mind the large canvases of the Russian writers of the nineteenth century. But just as it is old-fashioned in its narration, it is contemporary in its subject—the devastating history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years. As emotionally gripping as it is tender, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful debut.
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Wow, I finished The Kite Runner today. From the moment I started the book, I was hooked. This beautiful story is full of love, heartbreak, guilt, redemption....and every kind of emotion there is...
All in all, I was very impressed with the authors ability to capture my attention in such a wonderful way. This story will stay with me.

*Next up: Marley and Me.

Love Walked In

I was sick with the flu this week, so when I wasn't sleeping, I had some extra time to read. As I mentioned in an earlier blog entry, I have challenged myself to read 13 books in one year. So, I am very happy to announce that I have finished my first book...Love Walked In.
I love a book that 1. has a good story line, 2. Has characters that you would love to know personally, or who you can relate to, and 3. Just makes you feel soooo good!
"Love Walked In" met all these guidelines. I recommend this book highly!

Now, on to the next book! I will be reading the Kite Runner next!