Book Review: From Notting Hill with Love Actually by Ali McNamara

Movie fanatic Scarlett O'Brien dreams of a life as glamorous and romantic as all the big screen flicks she worships. When a chance house-sitting job in iconic Notting Hill comes along, she knows living in one of her favorite movie settings is an opportunity too good to pass up.
Leaving behind her skeptical friends, family, and fiance, Scarlett heads to London and finds herself thrust into the lead role of her very own romantic comedy. But can real life ever be just like the movies? Larger-than-life new friends, a handsome but irksome new neighbor, and a mystery from her past may prove to Scarlett that living her life like a RomCom is more complicated than she thought! (Description from http://www.amazon.com)

My thoughts: 

How could I not read a book with two of my all time favorite RomCom movies in the title? I mean, I need a new copy of Notting Hill because it has a scratch in it (just at the part where Spike is trying on t-shirts for Will). I love Spike. Anyway...

Loved, loved, loved.Yes, it was predictable. But so what.  I read chick lit because it is light and fluffy and makes me happy. It will make you happy too. 

Looking forward to the sequel called: 

Book Review: Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec

 

Claire is a twenty-something, single mom that grudgingly helps her best friend sell sex toys while she attempts to make enough money to start her own business to give her foul-mouthed, but extremely loveable (when he's asleep) toddler a better life.  

When Carter, the one-night-stand from her past that changed her life forever, shows up in her hometown bar without any recollection of her besides her unique chocolate scent, Claire will make it a point that he remembers her this time.  

With Carter's undisguised shock at suddenly finding out he has a four-year-old son and Claire's panic that her stretch marks and slim to none bedroom experience will send the man of her dreams heading for the hills, the pair will do whatever they can to get their happily ever after.

Warning: contains explicit sex, profanity and enough sarcasm to choke a horse. (Description from http://www.amazon.com)

My thoughts:

 

I bought this book for my Kindle with high hopes. Read reviews that said it was laugh out loud funny, so I kept it for a time that I might need that. Like when the Northeast has been threatened by a hurricane and we might be without power for days and my boys might be home... for days. The book started out funny but then...

 

I don't consider myself a prude (but I'm sure classmates from high school might beg to differ) but I have never read a book that finds more ways to say penis or vagina and it was just too much for me. And the 4 year old had quite a potty mouth. I mean, I do too(especially when driving) and I know my boys know all of the four letter words, but it was overkill and stopped being funny the second time he said "Holy Shit!"  Too much trashy talk from every character. I sure hope I never meet people who talk this way in real life.

As for the story itself, it had potential but was poorly executed. I don't see how people could give this 5 stars on amazon. Seriously. Not recommended!

Book Review: Every Day by David Levithan

 

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.
There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.
It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day. (Description from http://www.amazon.com)


My thoughts:

Bottom line, this book was awesome and probably will make it into my Top 10 of 2012 list!  The premise is unique and the writing is brilliant.  Although it is a YA, I could see this being read by a lot of adults. It would make a good book club selection because it is very thought provoking. It would make a great book to teach at the middle/high school level also.


David Levithan did an amazing job of placing A into a different person each day and exploring their life, family and relationships. For the day A could be boy/girl, black/white, gay/straight, fat/thin, happy/suicidal. A does not try to change or deviate away from what his "host" is typically doing or feeling. I enjoyed reading about the person who A inhabits and how their day would go. "A" has no physical identity himself, but most definitely a personal one. When "A" meets a girl (in her boyfriend's body) and falls in love, things change. Levithan then begs the question, what makes you love a person? Can you love someone in a different body every day?

David Leviathan manages to teach some lessons about love without becoming too preachy and I appreciate that, and I think a lot of teens will too.

My one criticism of the book is actually the cover. I have seen this before. Like here:

 

and here:

 

The subject matter is totally different (time travel and fallen angels) but someone might pass this by thinking, I might have already read this! Much to similar. But still highly recommended!

Book Review: The Playdate by Louise Millar

 

In a quiet London suburb, a group of mothers relies on each other for friendship, favors, and gossip. But some of them shouldn’t be trusted, and others have dark secrets.
When Callie moved into her new neighborhood, she thought it would be easy to fit in. The other parents have been strangely hostile, though, and her frail daughter Rae is finding it impossible to make friends. Suzy, with her rich husband and her three energetic children, has been the only one to reach out, although their friendship has recently felt inexplicably strained. Now the police have suggested that someone dangerous may be living in their neighborhood, and the atmosphere feels even more toxic. Then there’s the matter of Callie’s ex-husband, and the shocking truth behind their divorce . . . a truth that she would do anything to hide. (Description from http://www.amazon.com)

My thoughts:

Finally, a book that I started reading and couldn't stop! At first I thought it was going to be a chick lit type book, with the title being The Playdate and all. It is not a funny story about mothers meeting other mothers at the park. It is a bit more serious and psychological. 

The writing is excellent and Louise Millar finds a way to keep you vested in the plot.  You know that things with the main characters are a little off, but you can't put your figure on exactly why so you keep on reading.

Louise Millar successfully used three characters as narrators; Callie, Suzy and Debs. Each managed to have something to hide and the author was able to bring you more than half way through the story before revealing important information about each character.  Just when I thought I had it all figured out...

I can't reveal to much more without giving away some of the plot, so I am going to stop here. But I enjoyed it and would read another book by this author.

Book Review: Stone Heart by Luanne Rice

Nomadic archaeologist Maria Dark is returning home again to the Connecticut shore–a magical place where she, her sister Sophie, and their brother Peter spent their childhood on the banks of Bell Stream. After fifteen years away, Maria hopes that she can rediscover the joy and optimism of her youth in the arms of her family. But things have changed. Maria’s siblings and her mother have weathered difficult times...and Sophie and her children are not as happy as they seem. Now Maria will embark upon an emotional journey–navigating the memories of a tender past–toward the truth at the heart of her family and the chance for a new beginning.

A remarkably graceful and intuitive novel, Stone Heart reveals the depths of faith and love that can mend life’s most fragile and precious ties. As never before, Luanne Rice inspires us all to look love squarely in the eye and never let it go. (Description from http://www.amazon.com)

My thoughts: 

My friend Ron from my gym handed me this book and suggested that I try it to get out of my post "The Casual Vacancy Funk." I was having trouble finding something to read and he thought this might cure my book slump.  I had seen a lot of people at the library check out books by this author and I really don't know why I didn't try them previously.  I also did not know that Luanne Rice is a Connecticut author!  Having visited the Connecticut shoreline many times, I could picture some places that could be Hatuquitit. I enjoy reading about places that I "might" have been. It helps bring the story to life.

This book was a serious read. It is about domestic violence and about how much it can be hidden, even among close family members. Maria finds out that her sister Sophie's life isn't as perfect as it seems. Maria must find the way to the truth about her sister. As she is doing this, Sophie make a choice that has a lot of consequence for herself and her family. I liked the way the author includes a subplot ( Maria is an archaeologist and finds the skeleton of an Indian woman who was murdered on a nearby island). The subplot was nicely woven into the main plot without becoming overbearing. Luanne's writing style is easy to read and although the ending was sad, it made sense to the story. Recommended!

Book Review: On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

 

Four years ago, Jocelyn Butler left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Edinburgh. Burying the grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without any real attachments has worked well for her so far but when Joss moves into a fantastic apartment on Dublin Street, her carefully guarded world is shaken to its core by her new roommate’s sexy older brother.

Braden Carmichael is a man who always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Jocelyn in his bed. Knowing how skittish Joss is concerning any kind of relationship, Braden proposes a sexual arrangement that should satisfy the intense attraction between them without it developing into anything ‘more’. An intrigued Jocelyn agrees, completely unprepared for the Scotsman and his single-minded determination to strip the stubborn young woman bare…to the very soul. (Description from http://www.amazon.com)

My thoughts:

I think this book popped up on Amazon for me, you know, those who bought Fifty Shades of Grey also bought...

So I decided to give it a shot.  Plus I love Scottish boys. The only thing that was a little strange for me was that the lead male character is named Braden, and that is my son's name, and it was a little weird. At times. Like during the sex scenes.  Oy.

If you are looking for something to read after reading Fifty Shades of Grey or Bared to You, this would be the one. It is a love story, with lots of sex, a female character with some issues from her past,  and a rich guy who pursues her.  Basically the same formula. Not bad, but not great either. What is different about this one is that is a stand-alone; everything is tied up nicely, no sequel.

I'm not sure if I can highly recommend, but if you are looking for some spice, this might fit the bill.

Book Review: The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

 

One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different.
When Liza's brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen his soul.
She knows, too, that she is the only one who can save him.
To rescue Patrick, Liza must go Below, armed with little more than her wits and a broom. There, she uncovers a vast world populated with talking rats, music-loving moles, greedy troglods, and overexcitable nids . . . as well as terrible dangers. But she will face her greatest challenge at the spindlers' nests, where she encounters the evil queen and must pass a series of deadly tests—or else her soul, too, will remain Below forever. (Description from http://www.amazon.com)

My thoughts:

I am a big fan of Lauren Oliver, with Before I Fall one of my favorite YA books. I am also eagerly awaiting the third book in the Delirium series (Delirium, Pandemonium).  I had heard good things about The Spindlers and put it on my must read list.  This book is a fantasy novel for middle grade readers. I enjoyed it immensely, and I am not a huge fantasy fan. 

This book begs to be read aloud. Lauren's descriptions are vivid and real. Her creatures are fun, sometimes a little scary and have human-like emotions, causing the main character Liza to deal with things like friendship and betrayal.  There are quite a few twists and turns in the plot which will make you want to read "just one more chapter." I am sure it would make a great film.

If you are looking for a middle grade fantasy with a strong heroine, descriptive writing, and adventure, put this one on your list!

Race Review. Disney's Happy Haunted 5k Trail Run

Finally sitting down to write this post. Randy and I took a vacation in late September/early October.  I did very little reading, due to a poor book choice on my part. Our vacation was a cruise on the beautiful Disney Dream.  But we managed to sneak in a 5k!

I know what you are thinking. Why would two adults choose a Disney Cruise? Disney cruises are not just for families, there are a lot of activities for adults and a lot of adult only spaces. We had a great cruise, met some wonderful people and spent some quality kid-free time. Since our cruise coincided with the Tower of Terror 10 Miler Weekend, we decided to run the 5K that Disney holds along with the longer, major race.

On Saturday September 29, Randy and I ran The Happy Haunted 5K Trail Run at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. We had picked up our bibs and goodies the day before at the expo, so we were all ready.

The race started at 7:00 a.m. so we were in the car at 6:00 from our hotel outside Disney to make it to The Wide World of Sports and the beginning of the race.

Randy got corral B and I got corral A.  We were planning to run together, so I just hopped into corral B with him. It was a little dark and since it was a trail run, they had to wait until about 7:10 to let the first corral go. That way the sun was up and it would make the run a little less dangerous.  Disney does a great job of  "entertaining" you while you wait for your start. They had some characters, lots of music and a costumed comedian picking people out of the crowd and having some fun.  Everyone is happy. You are at Disney! At about 7:15 we were off. It was very humid and about 75 degrees, so I knew I was going to sweat.

It was a true trail run that wound somewhere behind the Wide World of Sports facility. 

There were some characters, some music but no surprises (like things jumping out at you!)  The trail was well marked and lined with a lot of volunteers to direct you.  We ended up on the track where we ran into these folks. This was the only photo I took during the race because Braden loves the Haunted Mansion and I knew he would have been mad if we didn't stop.

This was not a timed race, so I think we finished in about 31 minutes. The heat, the trail and my leg probably slowed us down. We both received "medals" which were plastic but still so cute!

And we got to see Mickey at the end! What could be better!

Disney provided a great post-race goodie box which was filled with cheese, crackers, gummy energy chews, a powerbar and a hand wipe!

We paid $55 each to run this race, which is quite pricey for a 5k, but when you are doing anything Disney, you pay more. I would do another 5k in a heartbeat but I'm not sure I would plan my trip around a race.With this one, I knew I could handle a 5k and we were going to be there anyway.   I would love to do a half marathon at Disney, but $155 is steep for the registration only, and then add flight, hotel, etc.  Plus, for many of their races, they either begin at 10 p.m. (ugh!) or at 5:30 a.m. which means you are getting up at 2:30 am to get to the start (double ugh!). We shall see...

Book Review: The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…. Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations? Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults. (Description from amazon.com)

Since this book was published on September 27, 2012, I decided to buy it and bring it with me on vacation. I was so looking forward to reading this book and letting you know that I loved it and that you must read it. 

Not!

Let me begin by saying that I love Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling and what she did for children and children's literature as a whole. I was a new librarian when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was published in 1998. I remember reading the a starred review in School Library Journal, having a few patrons come in and ask about the book and then watching the whole thing explode. It was such an exciting time. It was clear to me that this was a phenomenon that was rare and that would take years or maybe decades to happen again.  I truly believe that the publication of these books paved the way for a lot of other authors and the explosion (almost saturation) of children's/young adult literature series. Without Harry Potter, I believe, there would be no Twilight or The Hunger Games.

That being said, I did not finish this book. The first chapter seemed promising, but I think the most interesting character happened to be the one who died.  I thought it was dull, boring, depressing and I did not get attached to any characters (and there were many of them) enough to find out what happened to them.  It was filled with foul language and a lot of adult situations; rape, drug use, child abuse. There wasn't a whole lot of plot and every page seemed tedious to get through. I held off on reading any reviews until I was about half way through the book, because I didn't want to cloud my opinion. Sadly, my review seems similar to many other readers. 

I just read that J.K. Rowling's next book will be a children's book. Hmm.....

If you must read it, borrow it from the library or get in touch with me, it is just sitting there on my shelf.