Monday, November 30, 2009

Knockout


I always figured that Suzanne Somers was some flaky blond celebrity, because that's how she always seems when she's on the Home Shopping Network. I wasn't very interested in reading any of her books because they all seemed like a stiff read, about hormones and ageing and stuff like that. Then one morning I saw her on the Today show and she was talking about how one morning she woke up and was covered in a rash and couldn't breathe. She went to the hospital and they told her that she has full body cancer. She couldn't figure out how this could happen since a month or so earlier her doctor said that she was in great health. So after being told numerous times that she is going to die, the doctors finally figured out that she had something called Valley Fever, which is no where near as bad as cancer and can be treated. They tell her this after they want to give her chemo, and a ton of drugs which she later found out would've killed her. Why would doctors give something to someone that would kill them? So she wrote this book which is a bunch of interviews with doctors who are trying to prevent and treat cancer without using chemicals like radiation and chemo. Since it is full of doctor speak, some parts are kind of dry, but it really was a very interesting read.

This is what I kind of got out of it. In order to prevent yourself from getting cancer, which I think is impossible, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Fruits, veggies, exercise, no soda, no sugar (apparently sugar can actually cause cancer), try to stay away from processed foods and chemicals (like in cleaning supplies. I'm screwed because I spray Febreze all over my room). And even if you do all these things, there's still a chance you will get it. But I think that what they were saying is that if you do live a healthy, clean, lifestyle that if you do get cancer, there will be a better chance of beating it. You need to believe that you will be healthy and its proven that even something as simple as that can help.

After some of the interviews there are statements from that doctors patients who tell their story and how that doctor helped them. Suzanne wants the reader to understand that there are other options out there instead of the typical chemo and drugs that most people get.

One of the things that someone said in the book was when one of the doctors was having a conversation with other doctor and that doctor said that the way to treat brain cancer is with radiation, but if he had brain cancer, he wouldn't do radiation. Because it doesn't work. Why have a patient take something that you, as a doctor, would never do to yourself. Shouldn't you trust how you are treating a patient enough that you would do the same for yourself?

My fav quote from the book was "Feelings Never Lie". It makes sense. We really need to start listening to our bodies. Mines a mess and I need to start making it happy so that I won't die when I'm like 30. Lay off the sugar and start exercising. Surround myself with positive people and do things that make me feel good.

So, check this book out, you might learn something.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

The Gift


I love Cecelia Ahern's stuff. Her books are always magical and touching and can make you laugh and cry. But with this one, I didn't really get that feeling. I kind of felt like her editor wanted her to write a holiday book and she kind of just made this story up. Its a little confusing. The story is about a cop who is telling a kid the store about Lou who is a busy, busy man, and always needs to be in two places at one time. One day Lou gives a homeless man a cup of coffee and later decides to give the man Gabe at job at his work. Something is a little off about Gabe. He always seems to be there, even when he should be elsewhere. One night Gabe lets Lou in on his secret, he gives him a pill which has a cloning effect and allows him to be in two places at once. Lou takes advantage of this gift, but learns that work isn't everything and realizes that he needs to spend more time with his family. About the time he realizes this, something tragic happens to him. I really didn't like the Lou character, kind of felt like she didn't know if he was suppose to be a nice guy or an ass. All in all, this is my least favorite of her books, and I've enjoyed all of her books. Read it if you want, but you won't be missing to much.

Run For Your Life


I was in a reading funk and was in Target and saw this book and it looked interesting. James Patterson is a pretty good writer and the plot sounded good. Its part of a series, which I have not read yet, and about a police officer who has 10 kids and his wife recently died and he's trying to juggle family while working to catch a crazy killer who calls himself The Teacher. He's out to teach the bad people a lesson. It was a good read. Fast paced. A good book to read if you just want something to entertain you. Check it out if you like his stuff.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Murder Under The Mistletoe


I've had this book for years and its been moved from bookshelf to bookshelf, and recently I found it on my mom's bookshelf and decided that I should finally give it a chance and just read it. Its pretty short, so it wouldn't take long. So I read it, and it was OK. Apparently it is part of a series. The main characters- Dee and Barry go on vacation to a B&B for Christmas. While there, a famous model who is also staying there dies. So Dee and Barry (who are likable characters) try to find out who did it. Its a pretty simple book. I would've liked it more if there were less characters. I kind of got confused who was who. But, all in all, it was a decent read.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities


OMG! There's your review.

Just kidding. Back in 2002-2003ish MTV had a TV show called Sorority Life. I watched it and wanted to join a sorority. Not really sure why, maybe because I thought that's what all the cool girls do, or maybe I wanted to make friends and meet guys. Whatever the reason, clearly I never did, because frankly, I didn't really care enough to actually do anything that one has to do in order to join. I was much more distracted by hanging out with friends, working, and having fun. So when I found this book in my sister's car I was interested to read it, because don't we all secretly want to know what goes on behind closed doors. After reading this, I kind of wish I had never wondered, because this was no doubt the most shocking book I think I've read so far. Mostly because it's nonfiction. Through out the book I had to keep reminding myself that it was nonfiction because I could not believe people would treat people like this.

The author picked four girls to follow during a school year and their sorority life. All these girls and their 'sisters' do is drink, do drugs, have sex, talk about their boobs, talk about how they hate the sorority, and talk about how they love the sorority. Half the book felt like is should of been on daytime TV following Days of Our Lives. I would never last in a sorority because A.) I don't like to be bossed around B.) I don't like sharing a room and a bathroom with 100 other girls C.) I'm not a size 4 with clear skin and silky hair and D.) Having sex with a ton of guys and drinking to much and doing drugs is not my think. I actually have respect for myself.

I know a sorority is suppose to be a place where you can make friends and such, but really, after reading this, they kind of seem like a cult. Never really thought of that before. They tell you how to look and how to act and basically don't be yourself, because if you are, then they don't want you. You don't fit the image.

There's lots of facts in this book, so at times it felt like reading a boring newspaper article. It was informative, how some places won't let you in their house if you aren't white, and there's stories of hazing, which just shocked the hell out of me. Why in the world would you want to be part of a group that would make you take off your shirt and bra so that they arr age you in a line by size of your boobs. Ew. The author even asked some girls why they would want to join a house after they were treated so badly and for the most part their answer was 'because we want a place where we can belong'. That's insane. It's pretty common for girls to get tipsy before going out drinking. They call it pre-gaming. And a few girls have actually been raped. One girl got so drunk one night and she even invited the guy who raped her to come over and have sex. That's sick.

This is a must read of anyone who has a daughter who wants to join a sorority. Force your daughter to read this and hopefully she will change her mind. Hopefully by the time any of kids go to college, the Greek system will have cleaned up their acts. But as the author noted, they are still doing thing that they did 40 years earlier, so maybe not. Personally, I think they should just all be shut down. Because with every girl who has a good experience in the house, there's another who had a shitty one and will be scarred.

But that's just my opinion.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Testimony


I was in a reading funk and was checking out the books my mom had lying around and this one really seemed the most interesting. Yeah, my mom has boring taste in books. The reason why this one caught my eye is because its about a sex scandal that takes place in a private school. We all know that kids who go to private school are usually spoiled and more screwed up then public school kids. So even though this is a novel, it sounded like it would be good.

A sex tape involving four students leaks out and the novel follows the events following up to the incident, during, and after. Each chapter is a different character and their point of view of what happened. The students, their parents, and the headmaster. Parts of it were kind of confusing because it jumps around and doesn't go in order of the event. Other than that its a good book and was hard to put down. Check it out. It might make you change your mind about sending your kids to a private school.