For those of you who are friends with me on FB, you know my mattress saga (or at least some of it). And my back problem saga. At least in status update form. Here's a slightly more detailed version.
After weeks of back problems (and multiple suggestions from friends to get a new mattress already), the eventual destruction of my back on February 12 for 24 hours finally pushed me over the edge. So, on February 18, President's Day Weekend, the mattress search was on. Mom and I figured there would be some good sales so what better time to buy. I have a full bed, not a queen like most other grownups, so decided I wasn't willing to spend a lot of money on a mattress that (please, please) will not be on my bed for the next 10 years. Hopefully, it will get relegated to the guest room at some point. And, no offense to my guests, but y'all ain't getting a Tempurpedic!
Mom and I decided to hit Macy's first. Macy's has some very nice mattresses. And they were having an okay sale. Mom and I were lounging around, trying out the different mattresses. And then Deloris, the world's nicest salesperson, stepped in. She let us know, with an apology in her voice, that if only we'd gotten there earlier we could have purchased one of the displays on MAJOR clearance. But unfortunately, there were no queen sized mattresses left, only full. But full is what I need! So Deloris showed us the two fulls that were left. One wasn't very great. But the other? It was heavenly. A Simmons BeautyRest. Ultra firm. As the Shop Tart would say, ding dang y'all! It was a fantastic mattress. And then, I took a gander at the price tag. This was a $2500 mattress, y'all. No wonder it was so divine. But Deloris wasn't lying when she said those displays went on MAJOR clearance. There, on a bright red price tag, was the clearance price. $519. Yep, you read that correctly dear reader. $555 with tax. Shopping done. Did anyone honestly think I could find a better price than that? For that nice of a mattress? I certainly did not. So here is my debit card, Deloris. Ring 'er up! The only downside- no delivery. But really, could I complain about that? And I couldn't pick up my new mattress until March 5. Sad. Because my back could've really used that mattress that day. Oh well. Now that the mattress was purchased, the rest of the day was spent shopping for other fun things!
Fast forward to March 5. I had asked two of the guys I work with to help me. One has a pick-up truck, so really I was using him for that! They readily agreed to help (love those guys). Macy's called to let me know that my mattress would be ready and people there to help me load it between 10 am and 4 pm. That's a problem, Macy's. Some of us have work. Or court. Whichever you prefer. Long story short, I got my new mattress. We loaded up the new one in the truck, got my old one out of the house and over to my parents' to be donated to HomeWorks (I feel bad that somebody's getting an old mattress. But I guess an old mattress is better than no mattress). To thank them for their help, I treated the boys to beer at Morganelli's. Then came home and made up my bed!
In addition to my box springs and super deep new mattress, I also have a fantastic new mattress pad that adds about 2-3 inches of height to my bed. So the whole thing is now about four or five inches above my footboard. No more feet pressed up against the footboard! And my bed now looks so comfy and inviting. I went to bed early last night, just to luxuriate in the amazingness of my new bed. I felt like the Princess and the Pea (minus the pesky pea, of course) climbing onto my high bed last night! And as soon as I actually lay down (after watching a little tv), I was out like a light.
This morning, I woke up feeling great. No back pain, no waking up multiple times throughout the night. Best sleep I've had in months! So in addition to feeling like a princess, I slept like one too. And I've decided that a mattress this good needs a name. To that end, my new mattress has been christened Poppy. Because it is completely sleep inducing!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
I slacked off reading in February....
I have to say, I am embarrassed by how slack I have been since the new year. One would think that giving up the gossip magazines would have helped me with the reading real books. But no. I'm still a slacker. I'll do better next month. Promise. Anyway, here we go!
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. I heard of another book club reading this, so put it on my list. Lillian is a chef who owns her own restaurant. At a very young age, she discovered that cooking is its own language and almost an art form. She decides to share this wisdom and offers cooking classes at her restaurant. This particular group of students consists of a married couple who has overcome difficulties to reach this point together in their lives, a young mother who has forgotten who she is as a woman, an architect who struggles to maintain the integrity of the homes she redesigns, a young widower who rediscovers his love affair with food that had been cultivated by his late wife, a teenager confused about the path her life is on, and several others. The class teaches them more than cooking, it teaches them about their own lives and how to make their lives richer through love.
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Oddly enough, I have had this book on my shelf since before the movie came out. And never got around to reading it. It was not one of my favorites. I will admit, I was jealous of her life (or rather, one year of her life). Wish I could get someone to pay me to take a year off of work and travel. And perhaps my jealousy is why I did not enjoy the book as much as I think I was suppose to. But I had a really hard time getting into the book and found myself thankful when I was finally done. And, to be honest, I really didn't enjoy the movie all that much either. So there you go.
I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella. Poppy is happily engaged to the handsome, academic Magnus. Then her world slowly starts to spin out of control. She loses the priceless family heirloom engagement ring Magnus gave her. Her cell phone is stolen. Then she finds a new cell phone in a trashcan and decides to use it. The phone belonged to a personal assistant of a man named Sam and suddenly Poppy is swept into Sam's world. All just a few weeks before her wedding day. This book was typical Brit chick lit. It was an easy read and made me wish I could have been sitting on the beach while reading it!
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. I heard of another book club reading this, so put it on my list. Lillian is a chef who owns her own restaurant. At a very young age, she discovered that cooking is its own language and almost an art form. She decides to share this wisdom and offers cooking classes at her restaurant. This particular group of students consists of a married couple who has overcome difficulties to reach this point together in their lives, a young mother who has forgotten who she is as a woman, an architect who struggles to maintain the integrity of the homes she redesigns, a young widower who rediscovers his love affair with food that had been cultivated by his late wife, a teenager confused about the path her life is on, and several others. The class teaches them more than cooking, it teaches them about their own lives and how to make their lives richer through love.
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Oddly enough, I have had this book on my shelf since before the movie came out. And never got around to reading it. It was not one of my favorites. I will admit, I was jealous of her life (or rather, one year of her life). Wish I could get someone to pay me to take a year off of work and travel. And perhaps my jealousy is why I did not enjoy the book as much as I think I was suppose to. But I had a really hard time getting into the book and found myself thankful when I was finally done. And, to be honest, I really didn't enjoy the movie all that much either. So there you go.
I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella. Poppy is happily engaged to the handsome, academic Magnus. Then her world slowly starts to spin out of control. She loses the priceless family heirloom engagement ring Magnus gave her. Her cell phone is stolen. Then she finds a new cell phone in a trashcan and decides to use it. The phone belonged to a personal assistant of a man named Sam and suddenly Poppy is swept into Sam's world. All just a few weeks before her wedding day. This book was typical Brit chick lit. It was an easy read and made me wish I could have been sitting on the beach while reading it!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Oh my back!
Growing up, I was always a very healthy kid. No major illnesses. No broken bones. I had hay fever. Seriously, that was it. When I got the chicken pox in eighth grade, I had about 20 poxes. Literally, 20 poxes. I got braces and only had them for a little over a year because my teeth were so well behaved and moved exactly like they were supposed to. My biggest problem was tearing the ligaments in my right ankle during my senior year of high school (stupid Camden Military football field).
Then, my body started falling apart. I blame it on years of dancing and cheerleading. It took its toll. And by took its toll I mean the following: tearing the ligaments in the same ankle 2 more times. Developing chondromalacia ie runner's knee (yes, I get the irony of the fact that I do not run, not in the slightest) on my right knee. And then, there was yesterday.
For the past few weeks, my lower back has been hurting. A nice dull pain. I'm sure that some of it has to do with my 10 year old mattress that most definitely needs to be replaced. But I'm thinking the rest of it has to do with just a bad back. Yesterday, I decided to do a little spring cleaning in my kitchen. The older I get, the more like my mother I am becoming. Everything has to be organized and in its place. So I emptied out most of my kitchen cabinets (this is my second time doing this in the past year, so some of the cabinets are nicely organized) and got to work. I started labeling the interiors of my cabinets so I would know what was in there. I started organizing by categories. I was in OCD heaven. Then, after putting something on the counter, I leaned over to pick something up off of the floor. And bam! There went my back. Tears were streaming down my face. And as it turns out, I was in the middle of a back spasm. That lasted for over 8 hours. I normally eat dinner with my parents on Sunday nights. So they came and picked me up for dinner. I passed the evening laying on their floor, drugged up and heating pad slapped on the back. Once back home, I couldn't even fall asleep for the pain. I woke up today, still in pain but no longer in the throes of a back spasm. Here's hoping I wake up feeling even better tomorrow or court's going to be SUPER fun!!
But if this is the sign of things to come, I'm going to be one decrepit 40 year old!
Then, my body started falling apart. I blame it on years of dancing and cheerleading. It took its toll. And by took its toll I mean the following: tearing the ligaments in the same ankle 2 more times. Developing chondromalacia ie runner's knee (yes, I get the irony of the fact that I do not run, not in the slightest) on my right knee. And then, there was yesterday.
For the past few weeks, my lower back has been hurting. A nice dull pain. I'm sure that some of it has to do with my 10 year old mattress that most definitely needs to be replaced. But I'm thinking the rest of it has to do with just a bad back. Yesterday, I decided to do a little spring cleaning in my kitchen. The older I get, the more like my mother I am becoming. Everything has to be organized and in its place. So I emptied out most of my kitchen cabinets (this is my second time doing this in the past year, so some of the cabinets are nicely organized) and got to work. I started labeling the interiors of my cabinets so I would know what was in there. I started organizing by categories. I was in OCD heaven. Then, after putting something on the counter, I leaned over to pick something up off of the floor. And bam! There went my back. Tears were streaming down my face. And as it turns out, I was in the middle of a back spasm. That lasted for over 8 hours. I normally eat dinner with my parents on Sunday nights. So they came and picked me up for dinner. I passed the evening laying on their floor, drugged up and heating pad slapped on the back. Once back home, I couldn't even fall asleep for the pain. I woke up today, still in pain but no longer in the throes of a back spasm. Here's hoping I wake up feeling even better tomorrow or court's going to be SUPER fun!!
But if this is the sign of things to come, I'm going to be one decrepit 40 year old!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
January readings
I didn't read NEARLY as much as I wish I had this month. I'd like to be reading at least 6-8 books a month. But it is what it is. So here goes!
Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury. Kingsbury is a Christian author. And one I had never read anything by before. The story was beautifully written and very tear-jerking. Cory is an 8 year old boy who was told by his dying mother that the famous 49ers quarterback Aaron Hill is his father. His foster mother, who was his mother's best friend, doesn't believe that. But Cory is eventually given an opportunity to write Aaron a letter. Aaron's world is turned upside down and he turns to his back-up quarterback, a strong Christian and family oriented man named Derrick. The story that follows had me in tears most of the time, it was so beautiful. What it all boils down to is that faith in God can make the impossible possible. And life (for Christians and for football players) is about what happens between Sundays.
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender. All I will say is holy crap! Alexis' 13 year old little sister Kasey is a bit doll obsessed. Which seems only slightly odd. Until her eyes change colors, weird things start happening at their house, and one of Alexis' classmates, Megan, tells her that Kasey is possessed. Megan and Alexis team up to help free Kasey from the powerful force that has taken over her soul. The spirit of a vindictive little girl. This book was crazy. good. Crazy good!
Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston. Elizabeth and Darcy have gone to Constantinople (if you've a date there, she'll be waiting in Istanbul btw). Their 5 daughters, Letitia, Camilla, twins Georgina and Belle, and Alethea, are left with their cousins in London. Letitia is very prim and proper. Camilla is outspoken and well-read, just like her mother. The twins are spitting images of their aunt Lydia, even down to their impulsiveness and willingness to elope. And Alethea is her father's daughter. Just like the Bennett girls in Pride and Prejudice, the Darcy girls have their own sets of adventures and misadventures, but even more so as the Darcy girls are heiresses. This is a must for any English majors/literature lovers. Jane Austen would have been proud of this novel!
The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson. This was my book club book. And a total tearjerker! Olivia Hunt, a movie producer, writes a series of letters throughout a one year period of her life. Those letters are to her sister, her brother, her best friend, her former boyfriend, other Hollywood players, doctors, you name it. The letters chronicle her sister's diagnosis with leukemia, her own attempt to produce Don Quixote (a story of a man who attempted to live an impossible dream, which is kind of foreshadowing), her loves and her struggles. And through it all, she manages to recount the true and outstanding adventures of the Hunt sisters. I will say this- if you have a family member with cancer, it's going to be a tough read. I can attest to that. And then to find that this is almost a true story. The author lost her sister to cancer and held on to the letters that the two of them had written to each other. So it was clearly a cathartic process for her, you can definitely feel the love the older sister has for her younger sister.
Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury. Kingsbury is a Christian author. And one I had never read anything by before. The story was beautifully written and very tear-jerking. Cory is an 8 year old boy who was told by his dying mother that the famous 49ers quarterback Aaron Hill is his father. His foster mother, who was his mother's best friend, doesn't believe that. But Cory is eventually given an opportunity to write Aaron a letter. Aaron's world is turned upside down and he turns to his back-up quarterback, a strong Christian and family oriented man named Derrick. The story that follows had me in tears most of the time, it was so beautiful. What it all boils down to is that faith in God can make the impossible possible. And life (for Christians and for football players) is about what happens between Sundays.
Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender. All I will say is holy crap! Alexis' 13 year old little sister Kasey is a bit doll obsessed. Which seems only slightly odd. Until her eyes change colors, weird things start happening at their house, and one of Alexis' classmates, Megan, tells her that Kasey is possessed. Megan and Alexis team up to help free Kasey from the powerful force that has taken over her soul. The spirit of a vindictive little girl. This book was crazy. good. Crazy good!
Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston. Elizabeth and Darcy have gone to Constantinople (if you've a date there, she'll be waiting in Istanbul btw). Their 5 daughters, Letitia, Camilla, twins Georgina and Belle, and Alethea, are left with their cousins in London. Letitia is very prim and proper. Camilla is outspoken and well-read, just like her mother. The twins are spitting images of their aunt Lydia, even down to their impulsiveness and willingness to elope. And Alethea is her father's daughter. Just like the Bennett girls in Pride and Prejudice, the Darcy girls have their own sets of adventures and misadventures, but even more so as the Darcy girls are heiresses. This is a must for any English majors/literature lovers. Jane Austen would have been proud of this novel!
The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson. This was my book club book. And a total tearjerker! Olivia Hunt, a movie producer, writes a series of letters throughout a one year period of her life. Those letters are to her sister, her brother, her best friend, her former boyfriend, other Hollywood players, doctors, you name it. The letters chronicle her sister's diagnosis with leukemia, her own attempt to produce Don Quixote (a story of a man who attempted to live an impossible dream, which is kind of foreshadowing), her loves and her struggles. And through it all, she manages to recount the true and outstanding adventures of the Hunt sisters. I will say this- if you have a family member with cancer, it's going to be a tough read. I can attest to that. And then to find that this is almost a true story. The author lost her sister to cancer and held on to the letters that the two of them had written to each other. So it was clearly a cathartic process for her, you can definitely feel the love the older sister has for her younger sister.
Bye bye 2011- it was fun reading!
I'm sad to announce that I didn't end the year with a lot of books having been read this month. Only 8 (and 3 of them were shirt stories so I'm not even sure those count!). But here we go with the list!
Anthem by Ayn Rand. This was a re-read. But I'm not sure that a book I read in middle school (or maybe early high school) should really count as a re-read. It had been so long that I didn't really remember much about it. So I enjoyed the re-read. It's an interesting look at individualism v. socialism, advancement v. control. In a distant future, and another dark age, Equality 7-2521 doesn't fit in. Society calls for the "we" to prevail. He begins to sneak away and gain knowledge from hidden books. He falls in love with Liberty 5-3000, an emotion that is not allowed. When he finally decides to share his knowledge with the scholars, they attack him. He leaves the city and finds himself in the uncharted forest. Liberty 5-3000 (or the Golden One, as he calls her) joins him and they look for a new life. They find a city from the Unmentionable Times and make that their home. While reading, Equality discovers the Unspeakable Word and realizes that humanity is an "I," not a "we." He renames himself Prometheus, because he attempted to bring electricity to the scholars and renames Liberty Gaea, because she will be the mother of a new people. It's an easy read and a rather interesting look at how socialism destroys the individual and it is up to each man to retain his individuality, or his EGO.
Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. If you are in a book club, this needs to be on your list!! This story takes place in the 1940's and 1986. In the beginning, twelve year olds Henry (Chinese-American) and Keiko (Japanese-American) becomes friends in Seattle. When her family is sent to a Japanese internment camp thanks to the war, they are forced apart. And begin to realize how much they mean to each other. Eventually, they both move on and lose contact with each other. Over 40 years later, The Panama Hotel, entryway to the former Japantown in Seattle, is bought and refurbishing begins. Henry, who is now a widower, and his son find items left there by Japanese families upon their evacuation. Henry uncovers memories of Keiko. And wonders what ever became of her. It was a beautiful story, one I didn't want to end!
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. I know I've seen about a million versions of this movie and assumed I'd read the books. But half-way through the first book, I realized I never had read either. I loved reading everything about Wonderland. Namely because I love all the Alice movies that have been made (prequels, sequels, everything). So it was great to get to the bare bones of Alice.
Peter Pan by JM Barrie. Again, during the reading of this one, I realized I had never read it. Shocking! Just like with Alice, I love all things Pan. In fact, I just watched a movie on SyFy (most awful spelling of a channel ever) called Neverland. It was kind of a prequel to Peter Pan. Which is probably why I decided to read Peter Pan rather than something else. I'm really enjoying reading all of the old classics (whether they are re-reads or first time reads).
Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From, The Ugly Kids, and The Ugly Kids: To Hell in a Hand Basket by Renee Adams. These were free short stories on iBooks when I started downloading stuff. Thought they sounded cute. Maybe young adult-esque. The first one is about a little girl who sees a unicorn outside her school. She asks her mom where baby unicorns come from. Seeing as her mother doesn't believe in unicorns, she can't give her an answer. But the little girl eventually does learn the answer. When an innocent dies, they become a unicorn. Kind of sad and almost gruesome, huh? The second is about a girl named Lily who is very tall and very big. A Goblin prince falls in love with her and decides to court her. She is able to become an honorary Goblin. But doesn't want to be courted by Gohber. Until she realizes his even more grotesque brothers would like to be courting her. In the third, Gohber's parents invite Lily to their Goblin kingdom for a celebration. But before the celebration can begin, Gohber's brother literally send Gohber to hell in a hand basket. And Lily has to go save him. Because she is an honorary Goblin after all!
Anthem by Ayn Rand. This was a re-read. But I'm not sure that a book I read in middle school (or maybe early high school) should really count as a re-read. It had been so long that I didn't really remember much about it. So I enjoyed the re-read. It's an interesting look at individualism v. socialism, advancement v. control. In a distant future, and another dark age, Equality 7-2521 doesn't fit in. Society calls for the "we" to prevail. He begins to sneak away and gain knowledge from hidden books. He falls in love with Liberty 5-3000, an emotion that is not allowed. When he finally decides to share his knowledge with the scholars, they attack him. He leaves the city and finds himself in the uncharted forest. Liberty 5-3000 (or the Golden One, as he calls her) joins him and they look for a new life. They find a city from the Unmentionable Times and make that their home. While reading, Equality discovers the Unspeakable Word and realizes that humanity is an "I," not a "we." He renames himself Prometheus, because he attempted to bring electricity to the scholars and renames Liberty Gaea, because she will be the mother of a new people. It's an easy read and a rather interesting look at how socialism destroys the individual and it is up to each man to retain his individuality, or his EGO.
Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. If you are in a book club, this needs to be on your list!! This story takes place in the 1940's and 1986. In the beginning, twelve year olds Henry (Chinese-American) and Keiko (Japanese-American) becomes friends in Seattle. When her family is sent to a Japanese internment camp thanks to the war, they are forced apart. And begin to realize how much they mean to each other. Eventually, they both move on and lose contact with each other. Over 40 years later, The Panama Hotel, entryway to the former Japantown in Seattle, is bought and refurbishing begins. Henry, who is now a widower, and his son find items left there by Japanese families upon their evacuation. Henry uncovers memories of Keiko. And wonders what ever became of her. It was a beautiful story, one I didn't want to end!
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. I know I've seen about a million versions of this movie and assumed I'd read the books. But half-way through the first book, I realized I never had read either. I loved reading everything about Wonderland. Namely because I love all the Alice movies that have been made (prequels, sequels, everything). So it was great to get to the bare bones of Alice.
Peter Pan by JM Barrie. Again, during the reading of this one, I realized I had never read it. Shocking! Just like with Alice, I love all things Pan. In fact, I just watched a movie on SyFy (most awful spelling of a channel ever) called Neverland. It was kind of a prequel to Peter Pan. Which is probably why I decided to read Peter Pan rather than something else. I'm really enjoying reading all of the old classics (whether they are re-reads or first time reads).
Mommy, Where Do Baby Unicorns Come From, The Ugly Kids, and The Ugly Kids: To Hell in a Hand Basket by Renee Adams. These were free short stories on iBooks when I started downloading stuff. Thought they sounded cute. Maybe young adult-esque. The first one is about a little girl who sees a unicorn outside her school. She asks her mom where baby unicorns come from. Seeing as her mother doesn't believe in unicorns, she can't give her an answer. But the little girl eventually does learn the answer. When an innocent dies, they become a unicorn. Kind of sad and almost gruesome, huh? The second is about a girl named Lily who is very tall and very big. A Goblin prince falls in love with her and decides to court her. She is able to become an honorary Goblin. But doesn't want to be courted by Gohber. Until she realizes his even more grotesque brothers would like to be courting her. In the third, Gohber's parents invite Lily to their Goblin kingdom for a celebration. But before the celebration can begin, Gohber's brother literally send Gohber to hell in a hand basket. And Lily has to go save him. Because she is an honorary Goblin after all!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
I didn't participate in No Shave November, but rather No Book November!
I think, after last month, I was a little burnt out on reading. So I didn't start a single book until the 6th. And other than the first four books, I just couldn't keep up the same pace as last month. So let's see how (not) well I did.
Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I have had people trying to get me to read these books for quite a while. No idea what took me so long. I read the first one on Sunday the 6th and the second on Monday the 7th. I just couldn't put them down! I did take a quick break to re-read my book club book (more on that later), but went immediately back for the third book as soon as I could. For those who haven't read them, the series is about a girl named Katniss. She lives in a future North America that has been ravaged by hunger and rebellion. To punish the rebellion, each year a boy and a girl from each of the 12 districts of the country are forced to compete in the Hunger Games, a battle royale of epic proportions. This year, Katniss and her co-tribute put a hitch in the plan. They are "star-crossed lovers.". Or are they? Their victory triggers the country and uprisings begin again. In a strange twist, Katniss and Peeta are sent back to the Games because it is a 25th "anniversary" year in the second book. The third book begins immediately after that year's Hunger Games, where Katniss has again made a fool of the Capital (the city that controls their country). The war for freedom has begun. While I was pleased with the outcome of the war, I was NOT pleased with the ending of the book. Katniss has two loves in the series. And she isn't actually given a choice- one leaves her and she "realizes" that she's always loved the one she ends up with. I did enjoy this series, but the first book was by far the best. Katniss' character seems to change throughout the series, and not in a good way. She is actually rather disappointing after her successes in the first book. But it is what it is. And I'm glad I've read the series. And I REALLY can't wait for the movie!!
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. This was my book club book, and also a re-read for me. I loved it the first time and loved it again this time. It's the fictional story of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, Hadley. These types of books are some of my favorite, these historical fictions. The facts are true, the words between the characters are not always. Hadley was nearly 9 years older than Ernest when they met. After a short courtship, they married. And immediately moved to Paris. They traveled, they loved, they drank. They befriended amazing people- Gertrude Stein and her wife, Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, many other famous names. They did eventually have a son, nicknamed Bumby. And they finally divorced, after 6 years of marriage. The catalyst of their divorce, a divorce of two people who were madly in love with each other, was another woman. Isn't it always? But this time around, it was one of Hadley's best friends. While Ernest went on to marry three more times and have countless lovers before he shot himself, Hadley remarried only once. And stayed married for the rest of her life. I really enjoyed this book, as I had no idea anything about Hemingway's Paris wife. Even though she willingly left the public life behind when she and Ernest divorced, it seems like she was an amazing woman.
The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks. I always tell myself I'm not going to read another Nicholas Sparks book because they are always pretty much the same. Young love, ripped apart because they aren't of the same social circle. Eventual rekindling of the relationship. And some sort of regret. And of course, death and sacrifice. I'll be the first to admit, I always get a little teary-eyed when I read a Nicholas Sparks book. And then wonder why in the world I keep reading the same story over and over again. Darn addictive Nicholas Sparks....
Horns by Joe Hill. I've had this book on my shelf to read for quite a long time. I'm not really sure why I decided to buy it. But I'm really glad that I did. It was great! A year after the brutal murder of his girlfriend (a crime he is accused of but never charged with), Ig wakes up with horns growing out of his head. Yes, solid bone horns growing out of his head. These horns seem to grant Ig a special power- people just confess their sins to him, tell him all the bad things they have ever done. And then forget that they have seen him. He decides to use this power to find the real killer. Because once he finds the monster who killed his beloved, there will be hell to pay. Quite literally. Because the hell he's been through since her murder has quite literally turned him into a devil who is bent in revenge. The concept of the book was ridiculously intriguing. I had a hard time putting it down. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!
Kitty Kitty by Michele Jaffe. I've read some of her other stuff before and didn't think it too horrible. I didn't realize that she apparently writes juvenile lit in addition to her adult lit. And I'm not sure I'm a big fan. I bought this book quite a while ago and now I'm wondering why. In this book, high school senior Jas is forced to move to Venice (yes Italy, so I'm not sure what she's bitching about) the day before her senior year of school begins (okay, maybe I understand the bitching a little bit). As it turned out, the story was pretty cool (Jas solves a murder and is nearly killed in the process). But the fact that it was juvenile lit just about killed me. And we are talking totally stereotypical juvenile lit.
Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I have had people trying to get me to read these books for quite a while. No idea what took me so long. I read the first one on Sunday the 6th and the second on Monday the 7th. I just couldn't put them down! I did take a quick break to re-read my book club book (more on that later), but went immediately back for the third book as soon as I could. For those who haven't read them, the series is about a girl named Katniss. She lives in a future North America that has been ravaged by hunger and rebellion. To punish the rebellion, each year a boy and a girl from each of the 12 districts of the country are forced to compete in the Hunger Games, a battle royale of epic proportions. This year, Katniss and her co-tribute put a hitch in the plan. They are "star-crossed lovers.". Or are they? Their victory triggers the country and uprisings begin again. In a strange twist, Katniss and Peeta are sent back to the Games because it is a 25th "anniversary" year in the second book. The third book begins immediately after that year's Hunger Games, where Katniss has again made a fool of the Capital (the city that controls their country). The war for freedom has begun. While I was pleased with the outcome of the war, I was NOT pleased with the ending of the book. Katniss has two loves in the series. And she isn't actually given a choice- one leaves her and she "realizes" that she's always loved the one she ends up with. I did enjoy this series, but the first book was by far the best. Katniss' character seems to change throughout the series, and not in a good way. She is actually rather disappointing after her successes in the first book. But it is what it is. And I'm glad I've read the series. And I REALLY can't wait for the movie!!
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. This was my book club book, and also a re-read for me. I loved it the first time and loved it again this time. It's the fictional story of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, Hadley. These types of books are some of my favorite, these historical fictions. The facts are true, the words between the characters are not always. Hadley was nearly 9 years older than Ernest when they met. After a short courtship, they married. And immediately moved to Paris. They traveled, they loved, they drank. They befriended amazing people- Gertrude Stein and her wife, Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, many other famous names. They did eventually have a son, nicknamed Bumby. And they finally divorced, after 6 years of marriage. The catalyst of their divorce, a divorce of two people who were madly in love with each other, was another woman. Isn't it always? But this time around, it was one of Hadley's best friends. While Ernest went on to marry three more times and have countless lovers before he shot himself, Hadley remarried only once. And stayed married for the rest of her life. I really enjoyed this book, as I had no idea anything about Hemingway's Paris wife. Even though she willingly left the public life behind when she and Ernest divorced, it seems like she was an amazing woman.
The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks. I always tell myself I'm not going to read another Nicholas Sparks book because they are always pretty much the same. Young love, ripped apart because they aren't of the same social circle. Eventual rekindling of the relationship. And some sort of regret. And of course, death and sacrifice. I'll be the first to admit, I always get a little teary-eyed when I read a Nicholas Sparks book. And then wonder why in the world I keep reading the same story over and over again. Darn addictive Nicholas Sparks....
Horns by Joe Hill. I've had this book on my shelf to read for quite a long time. I'm not really sure why I decided to buy it. But I'm really glad that I did. It was great! A year after the brutal murder of his girlfriend (a crime he is accused of but never charged with), Ig wakes up with horns growing out of his head. Yes, solid bone horns growing out of his head. These horns seem to grant Ig a special power- people just confess their sins to him, tell him all the bad things they have ever done. And then forget that they have seen him. He decides to use this power to find the real killer. Because once he finds the monster who killed his beloved, there will be hell to pay. Quite literally. Because the hell he's been through since her murder has quite literally turned him into a devil who is bent in revenge. The concept of the book was ridiculously intriguing. I had a hard time putting it down. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!
Kitty Kitty by Michele Jaffe. I've read some of her other stuff before and didn't think it too horrible. I didn't realize that she apparently writes juvenile lit in addition to her adult lit. And I'm not sure I'm a big fan. I bought this book quite a while ago and now I'm wondering why. In this book, high school senior Jas is forced to move to Venice (yes Italy, so I'm not sure what she's bitching about) the day before her senior year of school begins (okay, maybe I understand the bitching a little bit). As it turned out, the story was pretty cool (Jas solves a murder and is nearly killed in the process). But the fact that it was juvenile lit just about killed me. And we are talking totally stereotypical juvenile lit.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Maybe I should have called this month Book-tober?!
This month, my goal was two-fold. I didn't want to have as many re-reads as last month. And I wanted to complete the Oz series. Let's see if I was successful, shall we?
Sara Crewe and A Little Princess; being the whole story of Sara Crewe now told for the first time by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The first was like the Reader's Digest version of the second. This is the story of a pampered little girl who becomes a pauper when her father dies, leaving her penniless and alone in the world. She is allowed to remain at her boarding school, but must work as a maid. She is clever, with an active imagination. One day, all of her imaginings become her reality. And she truly becomes a little princess!
Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz. Technically the eighth book written about the Blue Bloods, but only the sixth that is actually story. Two of them give background on the Blue Bloods. These are a fabulous vampire series. In it, the vampires, or Blue Bloods, are born vampires. They live a cycle, then their blood "rests.". When they are ready, they can return and live another cycle. Because of this way of life, they are "born" with memories of all of their lives. And they were famous people in the past. The biggest addition to the vampire lore is that they are the Fallen Angels. Two of them actually chose to become Blue Bloods, in an attempt to save their brethren. In this series, the Blue Bloods are being killed (the true death, which means they can never come back in a new cycle). They realize that they are being attacked by the Silver Bloods, Blue Bloods who have turned on their own and drunk vampire blood (a grave offense). The characters are interesting (each Blue Blood has a twin, to whom they are bonded each cycle). Sometimes, things go wrong though. And bonds are broken. In this book, we learn some back stories. We descend into the seventh circle of Hell. And we try to find a way to stop the Silver Bloods. I really enjoyed it. Pissed that the last book doesn't come out until 2013 though. Dang long time to wait....
Rinkitink in Oz, The Lost Princess of Oz, The Tin Woodman of Oz, The Magic of Oz, and Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Book ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen in the Oz series. The tenth book takes place in the island countries surrounding Oz. Prince Inga (whose family owns three magical pearls that will protect, give strength and impart wisdom) and King Rinkitink (and his talking goat Bilbil, who is actually an enchanted prince) are forced to rescue Inga's parents and the rest of his countrymen when they are taken prisoner. With the help of the Pearls (and Dorothy and the Wizard), they are victorious. They briefly go to Oz but eventually return to their island kingdom, happy and secure. In the eleventh book, Ozma and all of the magical items in Oz disappear one night. As Dorothy and her friends go in search of her, they learn that an evil magician is behind the disappearance. Once they find the magician, Dorothy turns him into a dove. He eventually repents of his bad deeds. And everyone in Oz is happy again! Book twelve gives us a little more background on the Tin Man. He was in love with a Munchkin girl when he back the Tin Man. In this story, he decides to track her down and marry her (because he'd promised to!). In addition to meeting new friends along the way, they have many adventures and eventually find Nimmie Amee (the Munchkin girl, who has married someone else by this time). In book thirteen, the wicked Nome King is back. He teams up with a young boy who has learned a magical word that can transform anyone into anything. The Nome King wants the animals of Oz to help him conquer Ozma. Unfortunately for him, good always conquers evil in Oz. He and the boy are transformed into nuts (no, seriously, a walnut and a hickory nut) by the Wizard. Then they drink from the Fountain of Oblivion and are allowed to stay in the Emerald City forever. In book fourteen (the last official Oz book written by Baum), Dorothy reads Glinda's Book of Records and discovers two groups of Ozma's subjects (the Flatheads and the Skeeters) are at war. Ozma and Dorothy then go to find these subjects. When they end up in trouble, Ozma's advisers- the Wizard, Glinda, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, basically the whole cast of characters we've met up til now- come to their aid.
The First Husband by Laura Dave. I really liked this book, from start to finish. Actually, start to finish it only took me a day! It's a very easy read. It's about a woman who's boyfriend of five years decides he needs to learn who he is. Without her. So what does she do? She meets someone else and, within six months, has married him and moved from LA to western Massachusetts. Of course, the ex decides he wants her back. And she loses her job as a travel writer, only to get offered a better job. Along the way, she finally learns who she is and what she wanted all along.
Candide by Voltaire. I decided to go old school, y'all. Like 1759 old. At first, I thought I had read this book before. Then realized it seemed familiar because I know the music from the play. Yep- a nerd through and through am I! I found myself singing the songs that went along with different scenes in the book. For a book written so long ago, it was a very easy read. Candide falls in love, loses his love (only to find her again), survives every adventure that comes his way (sometimes to the point of ridiculousness- no one could escape from death as often as he and his friends do) and through it all wonders if "all's for the best in this best of all possible worlds."
Always Something There to Remind Me by Beth Harbison. Definitely a good beach read. Even though I read it pool-side. In the 1980's, Erin and Nate fell in love. They were young and it was more intense than young love should be. But it ended over a misunderstanding. Fast-forward 23 years. Erin is now a single mom, about to be engaged to a wonderful man. But she never truly got over Nate. When she sees him again, they immediately fall into bed together, despite the fact that he is now married. To one of her best friends from high school. If given the choice, do you choose the man you never stopped loving or the man who is perfect on paper?
Cinderella. Yep, I went for a fairy tale. It's amazing what you can download from iBooks. I feel like everyone knows the story and has read it in a collection of fairy tales (or just seen the Disney version, which was all I'd ever done). So I thought maybe I should read it. It was just what I expected. And very sweet, just like a Disney movie should be.
The Story Girl and The Golden Road by LM Montgomery. Both of these were re-reads. They are about a family (focus on the children) who live on Prince Edward Island. It's Dan, Felicity and Cecily King (siblings). Their cousins Beverly and Felix King (brothers). Another cousin, Sara Stanley (the Story Girl). The hired boy, Peter Craig. And a neighbor, Sara Ray. They have good natured adventures in the years they are all living on the family farm. Typical LM Montgomery charm and appeal.
40 Love by Madeline Wickham, aka Sophie Kinsella. Honestly, I'm still not sure what this book was about. It was British chick lit, which is usually my go-to. This one was about several couples (and their children), spending a weekend in the country for a fun tennis weekend. There were money problems, adultery, confusing British terminology. All in all, not my favorite. And I typically love 1- British chick lit and 2- the author who wrote The Shopaholic series. How she managed to go so wrong, I have no idea.
Sister by Rosamund Lupton. In this book, Beatrice returns home to England from NYC when she learns that her 21 year old pregnant younger sister Tess has disappeared. When her sister's body is discovered, it is ruled to be a suicide based on her postpartum depression after giving birth to a stillborn boy. But Beatrice doesn't believe that her sister would have committed suicide. And she doesn't stop searching for her sister's murderer. The book skips around in time a lot in the beginning, which I didn't enjoy. But once I got used to the writing style, I really enjoyed the book. The murderer (and the ending itself) was unexpected and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end of the book! This was Rosamund Lupton's first novel and I definitely thought she did a great job.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. Alice Love wakes up from having hit her head at the gym. What's weird is that she doesn't go to the gym. At least, 29 year old and pregnant Alice doesn't go the the gym. 39 year old with 3 kids Alice does. Somehow Alice has lost 10 years of her life. She is now living a life that she doesn't even recognize because it was never the life she wanted. She is in the midst of a divorce from her formerly beloved husband and is almost estranged from her older sister. She realizes that 39 year old Alice is a bit of a bitch and she definitely doesn't like the woman she has become. When she does get her memory back, she has to figure out how to reconcile 29 year old Alice with 39 year old Alice. All I have to say is, thank goodness for the epilogue. It definitely gave me the ending I was hoping for!!
Sara Crewe and A Little Princess; being the whole story of Sara Crewe now told for the first time by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The first was like the Reader's Digest version of the second. This is the story of a pampered little girl who becomes a pauper when her father dies, leaving her penniless and alone in the world. She is allowed to remain at her boarding school, but must work as a maid. She is clever, with an active imagination. One day, all of her imaginings become her reality. And she truly becomes a little princess!
Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz. Technically the eighth book written about the Blue Bloods, but only the sixth that is actually story. Two of them give background on the Blue Bloods. These are a fabulous vampire series. In it, the vampires, or Blue Bloods, are born vampires. They live a cycle, then their blood "rests.". When they are ready, they can return and live another cycle. Because of this way of life, they are "born" with memories of all of their lives. And they were famous people in the past. The biggest addition to the vampire lore is that they are the Fallen Angels. Two of them actually chose to become Blue Bloods, in an attempt to save their brethren. In this series, the Blue Bloods are being killed (the true death, which means they can never come back in a new cycle). They realize that they are being attacked by the Silver Bloods, Blue Bloods who have turned on their own and drunk vampire blood (a grave offense). The characters are interesting (each Blue Blood has a twin, to whom they are bonded each cycle). Sometimes, things go wrong though. And bonds are broken. In this book, we learn some back stories. We descend into the seventh circle of Hell. And we try to find a way to stop the Silver Bloods. I really enjoyed it. Pissed that the last book doesn't come out until 2013 though. Dang long time to wait....
Rinkitink in Oz, The Lost Princess of Oz, The Tin Woodman of Oz, The Magic of Oz, and Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Book ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen in the Oz series. The tenth book takes place in the island countries surrounding Oz. Prince Inga (whose family owns three magical pearls that will protect, give strength and impart wisdom) and King Rinkitink (and his talking goat Bilbil, who is actually an enchanted prince) are forced to rescue Inga's parents and the rest of his countrymen when they are taken prisoner. With the help of the Pearls (and Dorothy and the Wizard), they are victorious. They briefly go to Oz but eventually return to their island kingdom, happy and secure. In the eleventh book, Ozma and all of the magical items in Oz disappear one night. As Dorothy and her friends go in search of her, they learn that an evil magician is behind the disappearance. Once they find the magician, Dorothy turns him into a dove. He eventually repents of his bad deeds. And everyone in Oz is happy again! Book twelve gives us a little more background on the Tin Man. He was in love with a Munchkin girl when he back the Tin Man. In this story, he decides to track her down and marry her (because he'd promised to!). In addition to meeting new friends along the way, they have many adventures and eventually find Nimmie Amee (the Munchkin girl, who has married someone else by this time). In book thirteen, the wicked Nome King is back. He teams up with a young boy who has learned a magical word that can transform anyone into anything. The Nome King wants the animals of Oz to help him conquer Ozma. Unfortunately for him, good always conquers evil in Oz. He and the boy are transformed into nuts (no, seriously, a walnut and a hickory nut) by the Wizard. Then they drink from the Fountain of Oblivion and are allowed to stay in the Emerald City forever. In book fourteen (the last official Oz book written by Baum), Dorothy reads Glinda's Book of Records and discovers two groups of Ozma's subjects (the Flatheads and the Skeeters) are at war. Ozma and Dorothy then go to find these subjects. When they end up in trouble, Ozma's advisers- the Wizard, Glinda, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, basically the whole cast of characters we've met up til now- come to their aid.
The First Husband by Laura Dave. I really liked this book, from start to finish. Actually, start to finish it only took me a day! It's a very easy read. It's about a woman who's boyfriend of five years decides he needs to learn who he is. Without her. So what does she do? She meets someone else and, within six months, has married him and moved from LA to western Massachusetts. Of course, the ex decides he wants her back. And she loses her job as a travel writer, only to get offered a better job. Along the way, she finally learns who she is and what she wanted all along.
Candide by Voltaire. I decided to go old school, y'all. Like 1759 old. At first, I thought I had read this book before. Then realized it seemed familiar because I know the music from the play. Yep- a nerd through and through am I! I found myself singing the songs that went along with different scenes in the book. For a book written so long ago, it was a very easy read. Candide falls in love, loses his love (only to find her again), survives every adventure that comes his way (sometimes to the point of ridiculousness- no one could escape from death as often as he and his friends do) and through it all wonders if "all's for the best in this best of all possible worlds."
Always Something There to Remind Me by Beth Harbison. Definitely a good beach read. Even though I read it pool-side. In the 1980's, Erin and Nate fell in love. They were young and it was more intense than young love should be. But it ended over a misunderstanding. Fast-forward 23 years. Erin is now a single mom, about to be engaged to a wonderful man. But she never truly got over Nate. When she sees him again, they immediately fall into bed together, despite the fact that he is now married. To one of her best friends from high school. If given the choice, do you choose the man you never stopped loving or the man who is perfect on paper?
Cinderella. Yep, I went for a fairy tale. It's amazing what you can download from iBooks. I feel like everyone knows the story and has read it in a collection of fairy tales (or just seen the Disney version, which was all I'd ever done). So I thought maybe I should read it. It was just what I expected. And very sweet, just like a Disney movie should be.
The Story Girl and The Golden Road by LM Montgomery. Both of these were re-reads. They are about a family (focus on the children) who live on Prince Edward Island. It's Dan, Felicity and Cecily King (siblings). Their cousins Beverly and Felix King (brothers). Another cousin, Sara Stanley (the Story Girl). The hired boy, Peter Craig. And a neighbor, Sara Ray. They have good natured adventures in the years they are all living on the family farm. Typical LM Montgomery charm and appeal.
40 Love by Madeline Wickham, aka Sophie Kinsella. Honestly, I'm still not sure what this book was about. It was British chick lit, which is usually my go-to. This one was about several couples (and their children), spending a weekend in the country for a fun tennis weekend. There were money problems, adultery, confusing British terminology. All in all, not my favorite. And I typically love 1- British chick lit and 2- the author who wrote The Shopaholic series. How she managed to go so wrong, I have no idea.
Sister by Rosamund Lupton. In this book, Beatrice returns home to England from NYC when she learns that her 21 year old pregnant younger sister Tess has disappeared. When her sister's body is discovered, it is ruled to be a suicide based on her postpartum depression after giving birth to a stillborn boy. But Beatrice doesn't believe that her sister would have committed suicide. And she doesn't stop searching for her sister's murderer. The book skips around in time a lot in the beginning, which I didn't enjoy. But once I got used to the writing style, I really enjoyed the book. The murderer (and the ending itself) was unexpected and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end of the book! This was Rosamund Lupton's first novel and I definitely thought she did a great job.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. Alice Love wakes up from having hit her head at the gym. What's weird is that she doesn't go to the gym. At least, 29 year old and pregnant Alice doesn't go the the gym. 39 year old with 3 kids Alice does. Somehow Alice has lost 10 years of her life. She is now living a life that she doesn't even recognize because it was never the life she wanted. She is in the midst of a divorce from her formerly beloved husband and is almost estranged from her older sister. She realizes that 39 year old Alice is a bit of a bitch and she definitely doesn't like the woman she has become. When she does get her memory back, she has to figure out how to reconcile 29 year old Alice with 39 year old Alice. All I have to say is, thank goodness for the epilogue. It definitely gave me the ending I was hoping for!!
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