Thursday, June 30, 2011

#44 Four To Score-Janet Evanovich

Okay, okay I know what some of you are thinking. Why is she writing about this book it's been out for years and the seventeenth book was just released, why doesn't she write about that? Well, the truth is I haven't read it yet. I just started reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series back in April. I have a habit of doing this you see, I find a series I like after it's well into the series. This works out in my favor though because there is no waiting time between books. it takes longer for me to get to the point where I have to wait, rather impatiently, for the next book to come out.

Four To Score has all of Evanovich's trademarks, a good mystery, humor, and the characters we've come to know and love.

Stephanie is hip deep in trouble again as an easy apprehension turns into something far more complicated. teamed up with ex-hooker Lula, bad boy cop Joe Morelli, mysterious bounty hunter Ranger, and Grandma Mauzer Stephanie myst catch her woman before Joyce Berhardt, arch nemesis, husband stealer, and now bounty hunter, can.

This is a book you'll want to finish quickly and will with it's page turning action and humor. You'll want to run out and get the next one.

*WARNING: This book contains an abundance of humor that will make you laugh out loud in public places making you look slightly funny to the people around you.*

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

#43 Promises to Keep - Jane Green

Ok let me take a minute first to explain what the number means. Back a few months ago my friend Adro and I were talking about our not so healthy addiction to books while of course working at a bookstore. Adro and I established that we need to create a BA (Bookaholics Anonymous). Then we decided that we would keep track of how many books we read in 2011. so we started it was already March when we decided to do this so we had to try and remember all the books we'd read since January. So this is what the number means Promises to Keep is the 43rd book I've read in 2011.

And now that the explanations portion is over let's get to the meat of the blog. Typically I have not been a reader of what critics call women's fiction, I've always been more of a mystery buff but I'm a sucker for a good story regardless of genre. I've read  a majority of Jane Green's previous 11books but this one by far is the most powerful.

Promises to Keep starts out seeming to be a light hearted story about this group of family and friends, but becomes a story about the hardships of illness and the strength of love and friendship. Okay, okay I know this sounds like a really girls book, but before you write it off a just another Lifetime movie git it a chance.

Green's style kept me interested and engrossed. Her characters are real and believable which makes the book more than just a story but a story about real people. Green makes the characters come alive and when the laugh you laugh and when they cry your as upset as they are. You feel as if you are part of the story rather than just an observer from the outside.

As an added bonus and incentive to readers Green takes dishes mentioned in the story and puts the receipes for them at the end of every chapter. So all in all I'd give this book four thumbs up (that is if I had four thumbs) for a good plot and excellent characters.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Making It

Everybody says go to college, get your degree so you can get a good paying job when you get out. television and movies glamorize post-grad life, graduates with nice cars, nice apartments, and god paying jobs, an social live of going out to clubs, bars, and restaurants. Well, let me tell you it's a load of bullshit. I went to school, did everything you're supposed to do and where am I? Live in a three bedroom apartment with roommates I don't talk to , driving a car I can't really afford, working 60 hours a week at two jobs, and living on a grocery budget of $20/week. this is the life of a twenty-something American gils it isn't pretty, it isn't glamorous but it's real.

Back when I was deciding what I wanted to study at school I went through all my options considering what I enjoyed doing and what I could make a living doing. Well, I convinced myself that writing, the one thing I never get tired of was not a practical choice, so I moved on. I could be and English teacher, I loved English and I was always told that I would make a good teacher. The problem? My mom is a teacher and I see the stress, the lack of appreciation. When I told my mom what I was considering she told me to consider something else, anything else. So what did I end up deciding? Forensic anthropology. Ever since CSI I'd been fascinated and passionate about forensics, especially the bones. So that's what I studied and loved every minute of it. Of course to do anything with forensic anthropology you have to have a doctorate degree which is more money and a college out of state meaning bigger moving costs. Also it means taking the GRE which costs $120 for a test. A TEST!!!! Not even pieces of paper just $120 to sit in front of a computer for several hours and answer questions on a screen.

So here I am a year out of college living paycheck to paycheck and considering my options. What am I going to do for the rest of my life? Better yet, more immediately what am I going to do now so I have more than $20/week to spend on groceries?

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Between A Heart and A Rock Place : Review

OK so lately I have been reading a lot of Biiography and naturally I tend to pick out those by people I recognize; actors, musicians, or just other bios I pick up that sound interesting (the best/worst part about working in a bookstore is that I'm constantly surrounded by books so I'm always finding new things to read). Anyway I love Pat Benatar and when I saw that she had a biography out naturally it got added to my to read pile.

Right away the writing style Benatar uses got my attention. with some biographies you feel like you're reading a press release rather than a book but here you feel like your talking to Benatar one-on-one. The style is very laid back and personal the way a biography should read. You pick up the book becuase you want something that's going to hold your attention and tell you more about the person at the same time, not something that's going to bore you to tears with formality.

one of the most striking things about the book was that when she talked about her career she didn't refer to herself as an solo act but rather one part of a band. Most people think of Pat Benatar the woman and not Pat Benatar the band because most people forget that there is an amazing ensamble of people baking her up including her husband Neil "Spyder" Giraldo. The rare times she refers to herself in her career are when she talks about the struggles she faced as a woman in rock music in the 70's and 80's.

Honestly I would read this book over again! Once I finished reading I didn't feel like I'd finished a book but a conversation with an old friend. I highly recommend this book!!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Hello!

Ok so this may not be everyone's cup of tea but I'm gonna give it a shot anyway and combine the things I love reading and writing. Reading has made up a good chunk of my life for as long as I can remember even before I could read I was carrying around any book I could find. Once I learned the funny little lines on the page had a meaning and told a story I was hooked. Not surprisingly the written word has consumed my life ever since. I am and avid reader of just about anything that is written in English (only because I can't read any other languages) and write just about anything that pops into my head. Currently I also happen to work in a bookstore which only feeds my addiction to books.


Here I'm going to write about books I've read, things I'm writing, and experiences that come from working in a bookstore (and trust me there are some doozies!!) I welcome any feedback and input you all have to offer. Even if no one reads this at least there's the chance to feed my two passions.