Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Lost Art of Gratitude



This book wasn't super wonderful or anything. It had more action in it than the others in the series have. Isabel runs into a woman that she knows one day who invites Isabel and her family to her son's birthday party. While there she (Minty)asks Isabel for some help, claiming that she had an affair with another man who is really the father of her child and not the husband and he is threatening her to get to the child and wants Isabel help her. So she talks to the guy who says that he's not doing anything that Minty is telling people he's doing, and later says that he will give up completely on trying to see his son. Then Isabel finds out that Minty has been telling people that Isabel is causing trouble for her and her family. This woman is crazy. Then again, with a name like Minty, how could you not be?



So that's pretty much the main plot of the story. And Isabel and Jamie finally get engaged. And Cat is being a brat. Isabel isn't as snooty in this one as I felt she was in the last one, but she can be a bit mean sometimes.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

The Help



I don't usually read long books, I have a short attention span and most books really don't need 500 pages to tell a story. But this one felt about right. There was definitely enough going on to keep you reading and not feel that it was to long. I also don't usually read books that are about something that angers me. I will never understand why people are racist. Parts of this book really got me worked up, because that's pretty much what its about. A white girl Miss Skeeter has a dream to become a writer and one day decides that its time that people hear the stories of the black women who work in white people's homes. So it follows the lives of Skeeter, Minny, and Aibileen during the time that they are trying to put this book together. I don't get the white women in this book. They'll let black people raise their children because they are to lazy to do it themselves, but they won't let them use the same toilet as they do. They cook your dinners dumb ass! If they were going to spread black people cooties, having them touch your food is a better way for them to do it than using your potty. It's stupid. And did it ever occur to people that if we just treated people equally from the start that this whole racism thing could probably have been avoided? OK, that's a rant for a different time. But this was a good book and I'm looking forward to see the movie when it comes out this summer.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Bossypants



I'm giving this book 3 stars because it is funny. You'll chuckle throughout pretty much the whole thing. But the thing that bothered me about it, is that usually when someone writes a book about their life, they usually are a little bit more serious and share more info. Up until she starts talking about 30 Rock and SNL, I was having a hard time figuring out if the stories she was telling were real or if she was just trying to get a laugh. I'm still boggled by the period story. Did she really not realize that she got her first period because it wasn't blue liquid like in commericals or was she just trying to make the experience funny? She cusses a lot in this book, so if that is something you aren't comfortable with, I'm just warning you. All in all, I think I really was hoping for something more like the other celebs usually write about, a little more about her childhood, likes/dislikes, schooling and other careers before she got hired at SNL. And captions for the photos. There are a few photos, but without captions how the heck are we supposed to know exactly what we are looking at. The book did make me want to watch her movies (watched Mean Girls and Baby Mama tonight), so if anything, the DVD sales for her movies and 30 Rock will probably go up, so she's got that going for her.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Murder 101



This book was pretty decent. It wasn't anything super wonderful, actually kind of makes me want to take a break from mysteries because they are all the same. Recently single girl somehow gets caught up in a murder, meets a hot detective/cop (because they are always hot), and they fall in love. Geez. Allison is a teacher at a university and one day the cops show up at her office and inform her that her that the dead body of one of her students was found dead in her recently stolen car. For once she doesn't try to solve the murder on her own like most main characters usually do, but she does get herself in sticky situations. Which annoys me. But its a fast read and I'll probably check out the next one in the series.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Such A Pretty Fat



I'm not sure if I want to give this book 4 stars, but since I wanted to keep reading it and it actually made me want to get into shape, I figure it deserves it. I read her first book a few years ago and didn't like it. Even if you know that you are a snobby bitch, I don't think its really good call yourself one. She has some self-esteem issues. I'm not sure why I wanted to read this, guess I thought I'd give her another chance, and it's about her wanting to lose weight, which is something I always want to do. At one point I almost wanted to give up on the book because I got tired of listing to her complain about her weight (which makes me wonder if that's how my friends feel when I whine about being chubby. Sorry friends.) But once she starts going to the gym and gets a personal trainer and starts to eat better, she gets a little less bitchier. Wait, what? Having energy and being able to fit into your clothes makes you happier? Who knew! She also gave me some hope that if a 'fat bitch' as she's called twice in this book can get a husband (even though he has some mean moments) than I can to! (and I'm no where as fat or rude as she is). And like I said, it does make me want to start exercising and get into shape. So yeah, I'll probably check out one of her other books.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Looking For Salvation at the Dairy Queen



I don't know if I would say that this book was amazing that the 5 stars claim it is, but it was really good. Read it in like 4 hours.



It's about Catherine Grace who is a the daughter of the preacher in small town Ringgold, GA who's mothered died when she and her little sister were very young. The first part of the book is about her life growing up in a small town with a preacher for a dad and her joy for Dairy Queen's Dilly Bars. Maybe that's what I should've gotten when I went there today instead of their club. lol. Oh well. Maybe next time.



When she turns 18 she leaves for Atlanta, GA because she has always dreamed of getting out of her small town. She's there for a few months, living with a nice old lady and working at a department store when she gets a message that sends her right back home. Once she's there she comes to terms that this is where she is supposed to be.



It was kind of sad and I didn't like the twist they throw in about her mother. That kind of annoyed me. My library put it in the young adults section, but adults will like it to. I did.

The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday



I like this series, because it does make you think a little, but Isabel is starting to annoy me a bit. She's starting to come off a little snooty. I lost track of how many times the author felt the need to mention that she has lots of money. Goody for you Isabel. And her niece Cat needs to just accept the fact that her Aunt started dating her ex and had a child with him. I don't know why these books are in the mystery section, because there really wasn't any mystery to solve. Yeah she was going to help a friend clear his name, but then it turns out that there was nothing that needed to be cleared. No mystery to be solved. That's was really just in one chapter. The book is short and a pretty quick read. Even though she annoys me, I'll still keep reading the series.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Nutcase



There's a quote on the cover that says that this book is madness and mayhem, and that sounds about right. There is so much going on its a little crazy. But interesting. It's about Kate Holly who is a psychologist and this follows her adventures with her wacky patients (the girl with the many personalities freaked me out) and dealing with her ex-hubby Jay (they seemed cute to me, so hopefully they stay together) and a few other crazy things. It's a quick read, but the second in the series, so you might want to start with the first one.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Absolutely, Positively



I like this series, but this one didn't quite do it for me. The characters are still good, Lucy and Sean seem so cute, but there were to many different story lines and I got a little confused. But other than that, it was a decent book.

The EveryGirls Guide To Life



I thought that this book was a 'self-help' book, but it was more of a 'lifestyle' book. The first part is about organizing your home which read more like a home improvement book. And the part where she talked about make-up and hair sounded like something from a beauty magazine. The Health and Fitness section was pretty interesting, about how she lost 40 lbs and kept it off by eating smaller portions and exercise. It had some good advice, but when I think of 'self-help' its more on how to improve your outlook on life and be more positive, etc. I didn't feel like this had that. It sounds like she spends so much time working and organizing her house, that I'm wondering when she has time to have fun. She seems pretty happy, so she must sneak it in there somewhere. I was also a little bothered about how she kept calling this guy Keven her 'partner' but would never say if he was her hubby, boyfriend, etc. She'll share that she washes her hair like twice a week and wears thongs, but won't share her relationship status? Weird.

Stirring Up Strife



I would've given this book more stars, but there were to many characters and I got a little confused. Plus the Nathan and Quinton characters bothered me for some reason. But other than that, it was a decent book. The library I got it out had put it in the religious section, and yeah, it is about a Bible Study group and there are scriptures before each chapter, it really isn't that religious. Should be in the Mystery section instead. Its about Cooper who meets a lady who suggests that she join her Bible Study group. Cooper is a little down because her boyfriend of 5 years dumped her 6 months ago for another girl, so she decides to check this group out. On the first day she finds out that the lady who first mentioned it to her was murdered and everyone thinks it was the husband. So the Bible group decides to clear his name. I felt like there were to many people involved and she probably could've cut out a few. But it was still a good read.

Tell Me Where It Hurts



After reading this book, I don't think I would ever get a dog. Those poor things get hurt easily. Yes this is a book about the life of a animal surgeon, but it really seemed like all he did was work on dogs who had cancer or messed up their leg somehow. Even so, it was a very interesting book. He tells stories of different surgeries that he has done on animals (mostly dogs, but a few cats) and he adds in a lot of facts about vets. It's funny to, so don't think its just a sob fest of poor little puppies losing their legs. I admire animals. They seem to have a magical strength that it seems like humans don't have. If they get hit by a car and lose a limb or whatever, they just take it and as long as they are being loved and cared for, they are happy. If only people were that easy. So yes, this is a good read of anyone who thought about being an animal doctor, or just likes animals

Farm Fresh Murder



A mystery book should excite you and this one just didn't for me. I don't really care about any of the characters, so that makes it hard to get interested in a book. The concept is good. I never go to Farmers Markets, but they just sound so fresh and good. Unless of course someone gets murdered there. Ha ha.

The Perfect Storm



I wanted to read this book because many, many, many, years ago during my first semester of college I had to write a paper for English class about the movie (and probably was supposed to read the book), and last week I saw the movie on TV and I thought that maybe I should read the book after all. I was under the impression that it followed just the one boat where the six men had died, but it was more about all the boats and people who were involved during the storm. I zoned out a few times because it is full of facts more so than a storyline. Like a long newspaper article. But other than that, it was a pretty interesting book.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

A Turn In The Road



I did not like this book at all. The first few chapters were ok, the excitment of taking a cross country road trip made me want to take one someday, but all the characters pissed me off. Bethanne has been divorced for 6 years, and now that her ex's latest marriage didn't work out, he's trying to get her back. And her daughter and mother-in-law seem to think that she should give him a second chance. He just seemed creepy to me. And while on the trip she runs into a nice biker guy Max, and her daughter flips. My issues with her books are that the characters are to sugar-coated. What person is ok with the fact that their daughter and ex are trying to ruin a new exciting love? Bethanne was way to calm about it. Grow a sense of anger lady, tell them where they can shove it.
So yeah, I didn't like this book.

To Have And To Kill



This book was pretty simple, like it probably didn't take the author long to write it. And yeah, it has nothing to do with wedding cakes. The main character's mother owns a bakery and Piper (the main character) makes a wedding cake for her friend, but that's about it. Mostly it's just about finding a killer who a killed off some people associated with a tv show. It was fast paces and none of the characters annoyed me, though I didn't quite understand why the author felt the need to make the mother sick. If this series continues, I could see where it could come into play, but it kind of seemed like she just wanted to give Piper another downfall. But it was a decent book, read it in one night.