The Notebook

I've never read this book even though its suppose to be the greatest love story ever (next to Romeo and Juliet). Maybe I'm just bitter about love (which I am, because it always burns me), but really, I thought that Allie wasn't good enough for Noah. He's a shy, sensitive, good guy who has only ever really loved her, and she claims that she loves him (which I believe she did), but was engaged to someone else. Why wait 14 years ( I think it was) to go find the one you really love? Now days it would be a little easier because we have things like Facebook and email, but still. At least he tried to stay in contact with her by writing her letters. And I know that its not her fault that her mother took them before Allie could read them, but that's no excuse. No, I didn't cry when I read it. Yes, I probably will when I watch the movie (maybe, I'll let you know).

Should you read this book? Who am I kidding, you probably already have.

Food Rules

While I would love to read more about how to eat 'real foods' and make them and such, I have a short attention span for anything non-fiction. So this book was great for someone like me. Only 139 pages and its a list of food rules, like, don't eat any cereal that turns your milk a color, eat slowly, and don't eat anything that's been processed. It's common knowledge type of stuff, but sometimes we need a refresher course. While reading it, it really made me want to change the way I eat. Stop hitting up the frozen dinner section and actually buy stuff to make my own dinner. Its easier, but I don't do it because it seems time consuming. But if it makes me healthy and thinner, than its worth it I guess.

Check this book out, its short, simple, and handy.

The Happiness Project

I'm not sure why I bought this book, I guess I thought that it would make me happier. But then before I even started to read it, I realized that a book can't make a person happy. It can make them laugh and give them ideas on how to improve their life, but in the long run, does it really make you happier? No. And if it does, let me know. I want to read that book.

It occurs to the author one day that while she isn't unhappy, she's not as happy as she could be. So she creates the Happiness Project. Every month for a year she focuses on one subject to improve on. In January it was to Boost Energy, meaning she was going to get all the clutter out of her apartment, exercise more, and go to bed earlier. June was for working on Friendship, remembering her friends birthdays, make new friends.

So was she happier by the time the year was over? She says yes. And she says that her husband and people around her seem happier as well. Act how you want to feel.

The only useful thing that I got out of it was to just be yourself. If there is something that you like, don't be afraid to do it. The author confesses that she likes children's literature, but was always embarrassed to buy books (even the Harry Potter books) because she felt like adults didn't read books for kids. Once she broke out of her shell, she found that lots of adults like books like these and she even started a book club. So, if there is something that you like, don't be shy about it. Unless it's something hurtful, like drugs or doing bad things to kids. In that case, you need help.

Like I said, this book didn't make me happier, but yes, it did make me think about stuff. I always say that I'm not happy with my life. But I kind of realized that I'm not unhappy with my life. Simple changes like exercising and going to bed at a more decent time, and saving my money so I don't feel financially stressed, would actually help a lot. So would working on my leaning tower of books that I keep buying and never read. I figure that if I have more energy, I'd read more. I've kind of been slacking off this year.

Should you read this book? Go for it. Everyone experiences different results, so maybe this is just what you are looking for.

Dear John

I'm always intrigued to read a book that has been made into a movie. Is the story so good that film people feel like it will make a great flick? I'm guessing that since most of his other books were turned into movies, that they decided to do the same with this one. I have no desire to see the movie. Mostly because I don't like the chick who plays Savannah. If it was someone else, then sure. I'll probably end up renting it.

This is the second Nicholas Sparks book that I've read this year, and I'm really starting to think that maybe my goal for this year should be to really all his books. That might take some time.

This book is pretty fast paced and easy to read. It's a love story. And a story about heartbreak. But really, while the previews to the movie make it look like a tear jerk er, I didn't cry, not even close.

While on leave from the army, John meets Savannah and they fall in love. Maybe I'm just bitter, but I have a hard time believing that you can fall in love with someone that you've only know for two weeks. So they are smitten kittens and then he has to go back to Germany and they write letters and all that jazz. The second time he sees her, things get a little tough, but they try to work it out. Eventually she dumps him. This takes place after the whole 9/11 thing, and he's over in Germany and places at war. If she really loved him, than she would've waited for him. I understand that would have been hard to do, but supposedly love conquers all. They don't see each other for years and she gets married and doesn't know what to do with his life. There wasn't really a recap as to what he does next. Guess it's whatever the reader wants to imagine. If any part of this book is sad, it's the dad.

It was a decent book. Check it out.

Truly, Madly

I've been on a book spending spree lately. Whenever I go to Winco, Fred Meyers, Target, or Walmart I always look at the book selection. Something I really don't need to be doing. Oh well. What's done is done. I picked up this one because I liked the cover (purple is pretty) and frankly, it seemed like the most interesting to me at the time.

I liked it. Don't let the hearts and girly cover fool you. While a bunch of people fall in love, it's more of a mystery novel. It's about Lucy Valentine who's dad runs a matchmaking service, and when he goes out of town for some recovery, he asks Lucy to take over. What makes the Valentine's so special for this line of business that they can feel people's auras, everyone except Lucy who has her own gift. When she touches someone's hand she can see what they are missing. First day on the job she shakes the hand of a client and sees a dead body. Curious about finding out what happened, she and cute (or says the book) P.I. guy upstairs try to solve the mystery. Of course they fall in love while they do so.

While it does talk about romance, it's not cheesy. Or gooey. It was a good book. I just hated the ended, because while everyone had a happy ending, it just kind of ended suddenly. Like it's suppose to be a cliffhanger to get you to read the next book. Maybe someday when I'm at Walmart and see it, I might pick it up.

The Cinderella Pact

I was reading a magazine (People maybe?) and saw that they turned this book into a movie (I think for Lifetime?) and it sounded interesting so I went and got the book. And I really liked it.

It's about Nola, and overweight editor at a magazine, who tries to get a job as a columnist, but they won't hire her because she's fat. So she makes up Belinda Apple, a slim, stylish, British girl who doesn't exist. One day she and her 2 chubby friends get rejected at a fancy restaurant because of their weight so they decide to follow some advice that Belinda (aka Nola) gave to a reader, and make a pact to lose weight. Basically they are transforming themselves (kind of like Cinderella). One friend decides to get gastric bypass surgery, the other starts eating better and exercising with a professional trainer, and Nola, like most of us, has her ups and downs.

One day her boss figures out that Belinda isn't real, and in order to keep her job, Nola does what she can to prevent from getting fired. And on top of that, she falls in love with the guy who could fire her. All while trying to not be hurt by the fact that her sister wants Belinda as her maid of honor.

The ending was kind of lame, but I really enjoyed. Maybe one day I'll get motivated and do a "Cinderella" on myself.