Pool time made August a pretty good reading month!

A solid 8 books this month- ranging from reworked fairy tales to scientifical biographies.  Pretty good month!

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer. Yes, Kurt Hummel wrote a book, y'all! And it was REALLY good. As my faithful readers probably know, I love a re-worked fairy tale. In this one, Alex and her twin bother Connor fall into a fairy tale book that their grandmother gave them. Did you know that Goldilocks was a wanted fugitive? Or Red Riding Hood was a tad bit narcissistic? Or that the Princes Charming were all brothers? Or that the Evil Queen really was a kind of sad figure? Despite their love of fairy tales, the twins didn't know these things either! The book was fantastic- I read it in 2 days (and it's over 400 pages). According to Kurt, er um I mean Chris, he plans on writing more stories. I CAN'T WAIT!!

The Prince, The Showgirl and Me and My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark. These two books together sort of made up the movie My Week with Marilyn. The first book is Colin's diary that he kept during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl. In it, he discusses the difficulties Sir Laurence Olivier had on set with Marilyn. Oddly, it doesn't seem that all of it was entirely Marilyn's fault. She had just married Arthur Miller, her third husband. While she was most definitely a movie star (the camera loved her), she was also most definitely not an actress. Olivier (who was married to Vivien Leigh) understood actors. He did not understand this strange new bred of creature in front of him. The woman who somehow managed to stumble onto moments of brilliance, then flee from the set in utter confusion and forgetfulness. The second book was a much more detailed account of the one week that Colin spent as Marilyn's special confidante. Even though both books were combined into the same publication and the second book was first, I decided to read them chronologically. Which meant reading half of the first book, switching over to read the second in its entirety, then back to finish the first. A little confused perhaps, but certainly made the story flow! I had just seen the movie (Michelle Williams was completely captivating). And the book was just as amazing. You kind of feel bad for Marilyn. All she wants is someone to love her and all she got were people who pandered to her and drugged her (just like Elvis). Even her husband viewed her as a plaything- he got to be the man to bed the famous Marilyn Monroe after all! Her story seems to be everywhere lately. The TV show, Smash. The most recent People magazine. There is just a fascination about her that will never die. She won't let it!

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. This month's book club book. I can't really write a full review or I will RUIN the book. Nick and Amy are about to celebrate their five year anniversary. They are both writers who were fired from their jobs in NYC and have moved back to Nick's hometown on the banks of the Mississippi. Nick is small-town Missouri, Amy is the subject of a beloved children's book and an heiress. By the time they move back to Missouri, they have lost everything. The day of their anniversary, Amy goes missing. And all signs point to Nick as the killer. Is he? Amy seems a sympathetic character. But oddly, so does Nick. The twists that keep coming in this book, holy crap! I think I sat with my mouth open in shock for about a minute when I finished. This has got to be one of the craziest books I've read in a long time. I absolutely loved it. And can't wait to discuss with book club!!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith. Last month, I read the prequel, this month the sequel. Elizabeth and Darcy are now happily married, but not necessarily content. As a married woman, Elizabeth can't be seen in public with weapons, despite her skill as a warrior. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, all that changes when Darcy is bitten by a zombie. When his aunt tells Elizabeth that a cure exists in London, Elizabeth, Kitty, Mary and Mr. Bennett set off to find the cure. Zombie fights entail. Secrets are revealed. And Elizabeth remembers how much fun she had as a true warrior. This is the last of the P&P&Z books- and sufficient to say, Darcy and Elizabeth do get their happily ever after!

When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison. If you are looking for an easy beach read, chick lit type, this is it. Gemma is a private chef in DC. She works for a few different households, each of which has their own drama. But she thinks she's happy with her life. She has her work, she has her friends. But she certainly isn't looking for love. After a one night stand, all of that changes. As her work life gets turned upside down, so does her personal life. It's a little deeper than some chick lit (Gemma put a child up for adoption when she got pregnant at 16). But still a good time and a good read.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Ever heard of HeLa cells? I sure hadn't. Ever heard of the polio vaccine, cloning and gene mapping? Of course. They are because of HeLa cells. The cells taken from the cervical tumor of a 31 year old black woman in 1951. Those cells, unlike normal cells, went on to continue to divide and grow at an astonishing rate. For 20 years, her family had no idea that her cells had been taken. In fact, everyone thought they had come from a woman named Helen Lane. When the author (who has a degree in biological sciences) learned about this woman, little was really known about her. Henrietta's family finally opened up and were willing to share what had happened. This family has no health insurance and most of them live in subsidised housing. Yet Henrietta's cells have gone on to form a multi-million dollar industry. The family will never see a penny, because once cells/tissues/etc are removed from your body, you have no control over what happens to them. But her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will know that their mother, who loved to help people, has gone on to help more people than she ever could have dreamed! It was a great book- I'm not much of a science girl, but even I found this fascinating!

The Second Empress by Michelle Moran. Yes, more historical fiction. This is the most recent one by Moran. And I loved it. Marie-Louise is just 19 years old when she marries 40 year old Napoleon, who is fresh off of his divorce from Josephine. Marie-Louise is able to provide Napoleon with the one thing Josephine couldn't, an heir. But aside from that, Napoleon's love for Josephine never fades. Marie-Louise must also contend with Pauline, Napoleon's sister. The two of them have a, shall we say, not quite sibling appropriate relationship. Pauline, just like her brother, is power hungry. She's also a bit of a slut. Her goal- to rule with her brother, just like the pharaohs in ancient Egypt. About a year after Marie-Louise gives birth, the Russian disaster occurs and Napoleon is forced into exile. Marie-Louise and her son return to Austria, where she is free to live out her days with the love of her life (who she unfortunately can't marry until Napoleon dies. But who needs that- they still had children together!). The story is told through the eyes of Marie-Louise, Pauline and Pauline's Haitian (does anyone else say it the way Cher did in Clueless or is that just me?) chamberlain, Paul. Probably one of Moran's stories that is closer to history than to fiction. I read the book in one day, it was that good!

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. I love me some Jodi Picoult (despite the fact that it's usually the exact same story). But this is Jodi Picoult like you've never even imagined! Her co-author is her teen aged daughter. And the story? A re-imagined fairy tale (clearly my other new favorite). Have you ever wondered what fairy tale characters do when you aren't reading their story? Delilah never did. Until one day, Prince Oliver spoke to her from the pages of her favorite fairy tale. Literally spoke to her! Oliver is miserable, continuing to act out the same scenes every time someone reads the story. He wants to escape. And Delilah makes it her mission to help him. But how does a fairy tale character escape from the book that gives him life? A very cute story, made even cuter knowing that Picoult wrote it with her daughter.

July was slow reading, but good stuff!

This month, my reading choices were all over the place.  Chick lit to historical fiction to spiritual to Austen-esque lit.  I love reading such a wide range of stuff!

The Jane Austen Marriage Manual by Kim Izzo. I read this book in 4 hours (got to love a holiday where you can just sit by the pool and read!). Kate Shaw is a writer who is living a pretty happy life. Until everything turns upside down. She loses her boyfriend, a potential job, the family home and her grandmother all right before her 40th birthday. She is finally offered an opportunity to freelance for a magazine and the article is to be about marrying a rich man. Thanks in no small part to a birthday gift of land in Scotland that made her a Lady, she begins to jet set in search of her own Mr. Darcy. But at the age of 40, what is really more important- love or money?


The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. And we return to the historical fiction. In 1922, Louise Brooks, the famous silent movie actress who made the bob THE haircut to have, was just 15 years old when she was accepted to a famous dance school in New York. Her parents couldn't allow her to travel to, and live in, New York without a chaperone. That's where neighbor Cora Carlisle came in. For her, it was an opportunity to learn more about her own life. She had come to Kansas at 6 years old, an orphan from New York. While in New York, Cora finally becomes the woman she always wanted to be and takes these discoveries home to Kansas with her. Louise, on the other hand, goes on to become the icon of a generation before falling into demise. An absolutely fascinating book- I'd suggest it for a book club read. I read it in one day (ok, the same day as I read The Jane Austen Marriage Manual. What can I say- I LOVE a holiday!)

By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho. I needed a little break from historical fiction (mainly because I didn't have any to read at the moment), so went back to a favorite author. Coelho is one of the most spiritual authors I have ever had the pleasure of reading. All of his books focus on different emotions/experiences. This one is about forgiveness. Pilar and her childhood sweetheart haven't seen each other for eleven years. During this years, Pilar has gone to school and pondered what she will do with her life. Her childhood sweetheart, on the other hand, has become a famous spiritual leader. He has been given a miraculous gift. But when Pilar comes back into his life, he must decide which is more important- his gift or his love. For Pilar, there is no decision. Faith, love and miracles are all tied up together.

The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz. I've read quite a bit of her work, most of it being of the supernatural bent. Vampires, witches, etc. This one was about 3 girls who become au pairs for a rich family in the Hamptons one summer. Mindless beach read. And while I still think she's an enjoyable author, I definitely like her supernatural stuff better.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith. This takes place before Elizabeth and Darcy have the pleasure of meeting. In fact, it takes place right around the time Elizabeth is about to have her coming out at her first ball. Instead, corpses begin to emerge from the ground. Mr. Bennet informs his daughters that the unmentionables have returned. And that he, as a warrior, has neglected his duties. He has not trained his daughters in the deadly arts. Elizabeth quickly reveals herself to be quite adept at zombie hunting. Along the way, she falls in love. With her deadly arts Master and also with a doctor who is trying to learn about zombies. Eventually, every bit of the Bennet girls' training is necessary when the zombie herds attack. I love Jane Austen and I love supernatural. So these books are a perfect combination for me!