Books #8 & 9 - Practical Magic and Here On Earth by Alice Hoffman

So I guess it was an Alice Hoffman kind of weekend for me. I read Practical Magic first...I think I was a little taken aback by it because I've seen the movie at least 5 times so the stark differences in the book were kind of jarring to the mental picture I had already formed. I was definitely sucked into the beautiful writing and format of the novel. It's much darker than the movie, which was to be expected, and it was slightly less magical, and the magic that was in it was much more subtly done than that in the movie. In the movie there's lots of mystic, magic, and make believe but there are only mild undertones of the supernatural but it the subtlety made it that much more believable. I enjoyed the book, but on a different level than the movie, but still say it's worth a read.

Here on Earth...completely different story. I confess, I have never read Wuthering Heights. I know that it's a classic and every young girl should read it but really the opening imagery always put me off. Moors and cliffs are romantic? Since when? But, I digress. Apparently Alice Hoffman based her book on the story of Wuthering Heights. If this is the case, I have less of a reason to read it now. The characters in this book seemed completely unrelatable to me. I never understood the appeal of Hollis and March as a couple or why she would leave her very loving husband for an obvious sociopath. As I've mentioned before, my own experience with infidelity makes me a bit biased but truthfully I just couldn't understand why March was constantly drawn into this sick and twisted relationship where she was seen as an object of a desire and he maintained a puppeteer-like control over her. I see no appeal or romance in that type of relationship. Not to say that the story isn't well written because it is. Hoffman has wonderful prose and imagery and I did feel the intense connection between March and Hollis, I just didn't agree with it so I couldn't fully commit. If you've read Wuthering Heights, I say give it a read just to make the comparison, but other than that, it was just so-so and I liked Practical Magic MUCH better!

Book #7 - Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter

This book was lame and predictable, and sadly that’s the best I can say about it. I’m so disappointed since I am such a huge fan of Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice especially. Unfortunately this book was just a basic and elementary retelling of a story written 200 years ago. The author even includes passages from the book as her protagonists’ dialogue. It was painful to read…and a huge waste of time.

Book #6 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to fall in love with the characters and call all of my friends and say that THIS was the book to read. None of that happened. Instead I liked it. I liked it a lot but I just liked it.

In all fairness, Outlander is a well written book with an engrossing story. At first I was skeptical about how much I would enjoy it if at all, fearing that it would be long winded and drawn out. On the contrary, the descriptions of Scotland in the 1700's was filled with beauty. I could see the rolling greens and feel the air. It is obvious that the author does her research. All of the places, people, and dialects seemed ripely authentic, I could practically hear the Jamie's rough burr rumbling in my ear.

Our heroine, Claire, is fairly likable but it seemed as though she was quick to adjust to her life in Scotland, though she was snatched back nearly 200 years into the past. I felt like she should have felt more scared or out of place or since the story was told in the first person, more out of sorts with the fact that there was absolutely no indoor plumbing!

I enjoyed riding along with Jamie and Claire and watching their relationship unfold. There are quite a few naughty bits but nothing is too over the top or cheesy. I still on the fence about continuing on with the series, but as a stand alone I would definitely recommend it.

Thoughtful Thursday Morning

I am…sitting at my work at desk knowing I should be doing something productive.
I think…tomorrow is going to be a fun day.
I know…that I have a lot to do over the next few days but it will get done.
I have…a house to clean and bills to pay, this might not ever change.
I wish…I had legs like Charlize Theron.
I hate…that I enjoy sleep far too much to get up earlier and put makeup on.
I miss…sleeping next to someone.
I fear…that my Princess is going to grow up too fast and I'll miss it.
I feel…tension in my shoulders.
I hear…the vocal stylings of Ben Harper.
I smell…the Tahitian Vanilla diffuser in the front of the office.
I regret...not getting up to exercise this morning.
I love…having a daughter to come home to every day.
I care…about being a good mother, friend, daughter, sister, aunt, and person.
I always…have a Friends reference.
I am not…someone who believes in being quiet.
I believe…that everything happens for a reason, even when you don't know what that reason is.
I dance…like the Asian lady with the long hair on Soul Train when I'm alone in my house.
I sing…like a Whitney/Beyonce/Jennifer Hudson hybrid in the shower and alone in the car.
I write…because the voices in my head would take over if I didn't.
I win...the lottery once in my life, I'm sure of it.
I lose...my confidence in myself sometimes but I always manage to get it back.
I never…think it's ok to keep secrets from the people you love.
I listen…to my daughter play make believe in her bedroom.
I can usually be found…sitting on my couch on a Saturday night.
I’m scared of…heights.
I read…when I'm all bundled up in my bed.
I forget…things all the time, I'm waiting for all the gingko biloba I've been taking to kick in.
I just…want to live the best life that I can.
I am happy about…having the day off tomorrow.

Book #4-5 Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger and On the Bright Side I'm the Girlfriend of a Sex God by Louise Rennison

#4 - Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger
I liked this story more than I thought I would. It was cute, pretty much the same underlying theme of Devil Wears Prada, but it had a gay Conservative columnist as the comic relief for good measure. All in all not a bad story, definitely a paperback buy.



#5 - On The Other Hand, I'm the Girlfriend of a Sex God by Louise Rennison
I bought this book in the discount paperback section of Barnes and Noble. I paid $4.50 for it and definitely got what I paid for. I think if this was 1995 I would have loved this story, I think now I've become too jaded and too cynical to appreciate the ramblings of a self involved teenager from the UK. I did find all of her slang words funny and her take on life was amusing, but all in all just not a book for me.

Book #3 - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I normally don't read science fiction themed books. They have never been something I have been interested in. So I took a chance on reading this book, because I knew it was being made into a movie, and it was so well reviewed by both critics and regular people.

Firstly, the plot of this story is about Henry, a Chicago librarian who has genetic disorder that makes him an honest-to-goodness time traveler, and his wife Clare who in actual time is only 8 years younger than Henry, but she meets him when he's 36 and she's 6. He meets her for the first time when he's 28 and she's 20. Confusing right? I thought so too, but their awe inspiring love story takes place over all kinds of time and space, and for all the complexities they face, this is also just the story of a boy and a girl and how they fall in love.

I loved this story so much more than I thought I was going to. I thought I'd be confused and displaced wondering how two people can fall in love. I did have trouble reconciling myself with the idea of a 6 year old girl encountering a naked 36 year old man in a meadow and having a conversation, but there is so much more to the story than that. I think Henry and Clare show what true love really is, how loving someone means loving all of them, even when it doesn't seem logical. I enjoyed being a part of Henry and Clare's journey, so much that I was sad when it was over. I can definitely recommend this book.

Glass Half Full

The last couple of weeks have been a roller coaster. I've been stressed about money and wondering how I'm going to get through this month and next. It hasn't been easy, and I don't want to complain because I KNOW that I'm not alone.

The bright side of the last few weeks is that I've been promoted. (yay!!) I'm in a job that has turned into a career!! I'm finally stable enough that I can go back to school,and freaking FINISH!!!!!!! Things are finally starting to look up for me and my little one, my promotion comes with a raise and a bonus which is sorely needed right about now.

The downside to this financial slump other than the scrambling around of the last few weeks is that I'm going to have to postpone the trip to Las Vegas with my girlfriends in May to celebrate all of us turning 30 this year. I've been planning this trip for 2 years, and it seems like I'm the only person who is still excited about it. I think the economy has hit us all and no one wants to say they can't go or that they don't have the money. I found a really good deal on a hotel and all sorts of inexpensive things we could do for fun, but right now it's just not in the cards. I'm bitterly disappointed but at the same time I have come to realize that part of becoming an adult is realizing that you have to put your responsibilities ahead of what you want. I'm not thrilled about it, but the year isn't over yet and Vegas isn't going anywhere. I'm sure we'll make it there eventually. Fingers crossed.

stressed...

Sometimes I hate money. I know it makes the world go round and blah blah blah...but really, today I hate money. I could go into why I have too many bills and not enough money or the unfairness of it all, but not right now. I don't want to whine and complain, I've come to vent and own my feelings. I'm stressed and it's ok to be stressed sometimes. Now it's time to breathe and reboot. (Sex and the City reference for those unaffiliated).

Now that I have committed my feelings to the general masses, I will now calm myself with images that never cease to make me happy. Here's to being slightly less stressed tomorrow.

Naturally Johnny



And because he deserves a second look...



In my notoriously romantic mind, love is like this:



Because no one can be stressed during this musical...



And because it still makes me all tingly inside...






Hmmm, that's better.

Book #2 - Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin

I was so looking forward to reading this book. I have two of this author's other books, Something Borrowed & Something Blue and loved them. Maybe my disappointment over this book has something to do with my personal relationship status, or the fact that given my own experience with marriage ended due to infidelity so the concept of "loving the one you're with" is a bit of a bitter pill for me to swallow. But I digress.

The book is basically the story of Ellen, a woman who is in the perfect marriage with the perfect man and disgustingly happy, until she runs into her ex-boyfriend. Frankly, I hated Ellen before I got to Chapter 4. I knew exactly how the book would end, I was annoyed at how Ellen felt the need to question a good thing in order to revisit a bad one. I could go on, but suffice it say I did not enjoy this story, I thought the main character was a fickle insecure wench, therefore, I do not recommend this book, but I do recommend two of Emily Giffin's other books mentioned before.

Book #1 - 20 Times A Lady by Karyn Bosnak

I am a fan of chick-lit. I love reading about the journey of flawed women seeing as how I am one. :-) I became a fan of Karyn's blog a few months ago and once I found out she was an author, I immediately put her books on my to be read list.

20 Times a Lady is the story of an incredibly flawed woman named Delilah who, through a series of hilarious circumstances ends up on a journey to reconnect with the 20 men she's been um, intimate with. While the plot was highly implausible, I felt like Delilah was my best girlfriend telling me an incredibly funny story full of long rambling run on sentences and enough pop culture references to rival an episode of Gilmore Girls. As Delilah went on her cross country road trip, I could practically hear the fun girly pop soundtrack playing in the background.

According to Karyn's blog, Anna Faris is slated to play Delilah in the movie adaptation. I certainly hope this is the case, because this book reads just like a romantic comedy. I love being able to read books that make me laugh, and exist purely for my entertainment. I definitely recommend it for a lazy Saturday afternoon.