21st century.

A while back, I debated to pros and cons of reading actual books vs. e-readers. And while I still truly love reading a good old fashioned book, actually holding the book and flipping the pages and all the delights that come with that, I have made the switch.



And you know what? It's not so bad.

In fact, it's pretty great.

I am shocked to hear myself say that but as it turns out, there really is something to these e-readers. As someone who likes to have a book with me at all times, just in case, it can be sometimes cumbersome to carry around an actual book in my purse all the time. Especially if it's a longer book or a hard cover, my purse can get awfully heavy. My tiny little Nook fits nice and easily into my bag without adding a ton of weight. So that's a bonus.

My nook has a non-glared screen (unlike a computer) so it doesn't hurt my eyes if I choose to read for a long time. While it's still not the same as reading off an actual page, it's not as distracting as I thought it could be. I've made the transition to reading on a screen rather seamlessly, and the added bonus is that the Nook has a back light so if I don't have light access or I'm with others who've gone to bed, I can still read.

My other favorite part of having an e-reader is that I have constant access to my personal library. As of now, I have a whole list of books waiting for me to read. New books. When I was reading regular books I would sometimes finish a new book but then reread an old one or two while waiting to get to the library or waiting til I have money to purchase a new one. Now I have books delivered electronically and instantly, allowing me to ever expand my library. Plus with sites like Book Bub, I can get cheap or free books, really cutting down the cost of new reading materials.

So I've taken the plunge and joined the 21st century. and I'm quite enjoying it.

Yes, Fifty Shades of Grey.

It's hard to really go anywhere or talk to anyone lately without Fifty Shades of Grey coming up.

It's been called the book of the year. Chances are almost everyone you know, including your mother or your grandmother, has read it. And wanted to discuss it with you....

Initially when I heard about this book series I was confused, concerned and didn't really know what to think. I had planned to swear off them, but when my sister decided she wasn't a fan and passed along the first book to me, I thought, what the heck?

Turns out, I got hooked. The Fifty Shades of Grey series by EL James turned out to be so much more than I had anticipated. Yeah, it's shocking. There's no question about it. But it ends up being so much more than a shocking S&M relationship and how far it can be taken.

The first book certainly hits the shock value factor. And I think it's part of the point. I would venture to guess a good majority of people don't really have any knowledge of what goes into a relationship like Christian has. And if you do, well, power to you! So sure, reading those very descriptive details was shocking. But once you get passed that and pick your jaw up off the floor, you realize how much more there is. It's an amazing love story. I am of the school that relationships that matter are difficult. Not in a bad way necessarily, but if it's that important,there will be serious obstacles to overcome. The love that Christian and Ana find is simply amazing. Not without it's many complications, obviously, but they overcome each and everyone with honesty, trust and love. It's really wonderful to read and see come to life in your mind.



With the second and third books, the story lines become more fascinating than I would have every imagined. The shock value dies away and the twists and turns of the intricate plots take over. As I read my way through the second and third books, I was enraptured. These books becomes serious page turners, with fascinating hooks and twists I never saw coming. The writing flows almost seamlessly (there were a couple of word choices that irked me but that's just personal preference) and Christian and Ana truly come to life as the stories become more in depth. It goes from an "erotic romance" to a mystery and a thriller and it sort of jumps around between genres without feeling like it's being pulled in too many directions at once. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next and how Christian and Ana would handle it.



Fifty Shades of Grey is, at it's surface, a shocking trilogy bringing to light a very taboo subject, but in it's depth, a great love story and a thrilling read.

Review: Gunn's Golden Rules

Manners matter. Whether it's holding the door open for someone behind you, saying "bless you" when someone sneezes or simply following the golden rule, behaving kindly toward others should be second nature. And it's always welcome. I am always appreciative of someone who holds a door for me, offers me a seat or any other random act of kindness. I try to act in the same way. Of course I don't always succeed (I am human after all) but remembering your manners doesn't only make the person on the receiving end happy, it makes you happy too. When you make someone smile, you can't help but smile back, can you?

Well Tim Gunn is a big promoter of manners. As evidenced by the fact that he wrote Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making it Work.

Now I have to say, I love Tim Gunn. I love watching him work with the designers on Project Runway and watching him champion them on, help them through tough times and offer advice.

Gunn's book sounds just like him. So much so that while reading it I heard his voice in my head reading the words to me. (Which, by the way, was hilarious.) I enjoyed this book. Not only is it an etiquette book, which is find an interesting topic here in the 21st century, but he also inadvertently offered me advice on life, dating and behaving in public.

This book is written in a clear and concise way without a lot of fluff and stuffing. it's easy to read and follow and the chapters flow well and tie in to each other pretty cohesively. I enjoyed hearing Gunn's thoughts on life and manners, and I was certainly amused throughout the book with his stories.

That being said, I was a little surprised by some of the stories. They painted some of fashion's most famous people in a rather harsh and unflattering light. At times, it felt a little bit like a bash session, gossiping over the water cooler about "Can you believe what she said?" and "Did you hear about he behaved?" I realize they were examples of people who feel overly entitled and let that get in the way of behaving well, and the stories were, of course, amusing. I just found it interesting.

Overall, I truly enjoyed Gunn's Golden Rules and I believe he had a lot of intelligent things to say. I also believe his advice is helpful and his suggestions are legit.

The Help.

I know I'm about 100 years late in this but..... I finally read The Help.

I remember when it came out last summer and how big the craze was. It was all I heard about for a while and I've definitely had it on my reading list since then. But other books came into my possession, time passed and it still hadn't been crossed off. Then the movie came out and I couldn't see that without reading the book first, obviously.

The book was just as good as everyone had said, and therefore, as good as I had anticipated. I had a hard time putting it down to be honest. I just wanted to find out what was going to happen next and I couldn't get enough of the stories. I also thought that it was interesting that it was told from various viewpoints, especially since those viewpoints are so distinct and individual. That said, I thought they flowed quite well together and they were sewn together with excellent and flowing writing. The writing itself was very accessible and engaging. As were the characters. The characters were so well fleshed out that they came right off the page and became real life.

Because of that, The Help this book made me angry a lot of the time. As someone who doesn't really understand inequality- whether its sex, skin color, religion, whatever- it's frustrating to experience such blatant and deep founded inequality and racism. I understand of course that that's just how it was in those times and they didn't know or didn't choose to know better. But I appreciate that I had such a strong response because that means the writing was successful. It didn't fall flat and because of that, I'm sure many people aside from myself had strong reactions.

Although I'm another 100 years late in telling you, I enjoyed the movie as well. I thought it was a successful portrayal of the book and it was exciting to see the characters brought to life.

National Book Week.

It's National Book Week. The rules are: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence and write it here. Don't mention the book.


Here's mine: ‎"her only saving grace- the only positive thing to come out of the whole experience- was that she'd apologized in his office."




What's your quote??






Also, I'm currently reading two books on very different ends of the spectrum. I'm reading a lovely little romance novel by Nicholas Sparks. It's sweet and touching much like other works by Sparks.


Then, and it couldn't be more different, I'm reading Devil in the White City. If we're getting technical I'm actually re-reading it. I "read" this book my senior year of high school, but not really and I never finished it. I decided now is a time I can actually enjoy and appreciate this book so I'm giving it another go. So far, I'm quite fascinated. Plus I always enjoy anything that let's me experience my Chicago home town pride.  

Inspiration?

"Write when you’re inspired to write."

I came across this quote in a post from ProBlogger.com. It was discussing quality over quantity- don't just pump out post after post of really nothing to say. Wait until you have something important to say and then write about it.

Lately, I'll be honest, I haven't felt very inspired to write. Whether it's because my job as a fitness instructor keeps me busy, that it's summer and I've been outside playing, I just have been inspired my anything or a combination of all of these, I just haven't been able to buckle down and get words out. Until now.

As far as reading goes, I feel like I've been reading interesting books but nothing that's completely taken hold of me so that I can't put it down and can't stop discussing it with other people.

The last book I finished was a Cathy Kelly novel, Best of Friends.  I enjoyed this book. The characters were likable and believable. I enjoyed the interwoven story lines and how each character relied on each other to make it through and different points through the novel. I also enjoyed that this was also a story of women finding their own strength and making something of themselves, either in a big or a small way. But unlike other Cathy Kelly novels I've read, this one didn't completely 100% suck me in. I liked it, but I wasn't in love with it. I don't know whether that's my fault (being lazy, preoccupied or something) or if this novel just didn't totally gel with me. It took my a while to get through,  which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just a fact. I had a good time reading it though, so I think that 's all that matters.

I'm currently reading a book where I'm having a similar reaction. It's Windfall by Penny Vincenzi. Previously, when I've read Vincenzi's work, I was hooked. Again, I like this book. It's interesting. There are plot twists I never saw coming and characters with fascinating story arcs. I react to the plot lines as well as the characters, so I'm connecting with this novel, I'm just, again, not absolutely pulled in. I don't force myself to stay awake past the time I should because I just can't put it down and I don't need to pull the book out at every opportune moment to find out what happens next, even if it's only for five minutes. That said, I am enjoying it. It's well written, albeit a little confusing with a multitude of characters to keep track of, and intriguing. It's good. Not over the moon amazing, but good.

Review: Balancing Acts

Balancing Acts by Zoe Fishman tells the story of four women who meet up again at a 10 year college reunion and form a friendship like they never expected. Ten years after they've graduated, Charlie- a yoga instructor, Bess- a tabloid writer, Naomi- a single mom and web designer and Sabine- a romance novel editor, meet up at a New York get together for the college class. Though the women were not necessarily BFF in college, Charlie convinces the other three to try yoga with her. With that, these women's lives begin to change in new ways, both separately and as part of their newly formed group. They begin to open themselves up to new experiences, let down walls to allow people in and start to see the world in a new light.

From the first couple of pages in, I was totally hooked. Fishman's writing is accessible and relatable. As each character was introduced I found myself drawn to them, wanting to learn more about their different lives and careers. Fishman does a great job and creating uniquely distinct characters and it's clear that each woman has her own strong personality that shines through both narrative description as as well as through the dialogue.

From a personal aspect, I love that the story as a whole revolves around a yoga class. As both a fitness instructor and a person who practices yoga, I was instantly connected to the idea of the yoga class. Charlie, who left her job on Wall St. to open a yoga studio convinces her fellow classmates to try out her studio by signing up for a six-week yoga class with just the four of them. Initially skeptical in their own ways, Sabine, Naomi and Bess agree and as the weeks progress they find themselves getting more comfortable with the practice, with each other and within themselves. Displaying the changes yoga can inspire both physically and mentally/emotionally is accomplished quite well throughout the novel and I was pleased to see that.

I had trouble putting this book down. I carried it with me every where and was reading whenever I could. Normally I like to savor books and take my time, but I just couldn't wait to continue the story and find out what would happen next or where Fishman would take these characters. I become 100 per cent invested in the characters, which kept me engaged in this novel from cover to cover.

Zoe Fishman

Balancing Acts proves to be an inspirational story for anyone who loves the restorative power of yoga and of true friendships.

Review: Now and Then

Now & Then by Jacqueline Sheehan tells the story of Anna and her nephew, Joseph. Starting in present time, Anna has just returned from a trip to Ireland to find her brother has been in a life threatening accident and her nephew is in police custody for stealing a car. After checking in at the hospital, Anna is sent to retrieve Joseph. Joseph spends the night at his Aunt Anna's house and, propelled by a dream he has, he rifles through Anna's yet to be unpacked suitcase. Anna catches up and something spirals them back in time to Ireland 1884. They are separated, each taken in by different families, and left to try to piece together what happened to them.

Jaqueline Sheehan

While I did enjoy the writing of this novel, for the majority of the time I spent reading it, I felt the presence of the wholes in the story and found myself longing for answers to open ended questions. It's not until the end up of the novel do you find out just what happened to Anna and Joseph that capitulated back in time. It makes sense that that scene is placed where it is, but it also causes confusion throughout because it was difficult to fully accept that the pair somehow magically just time traveled back to the 19^th century. I had a hard time suspending my belief to completely accept the story line.

That said, I did enjoy the characters in this novel. They are interesting and have a depth that brings them off the page. Anna is a strong woman and although her world is turned upside down, she works hard to make sense of what's happening to her. It's touching how worried about her nephew she is and that she makes it her main priority to find him after they've been separated. Joseph is a fascinating character because he comes of age in many ways throughout his (unexplained) time in 1884 Ireland. He's taken under the wing of a wealthy English man who makes Joseph into an unbeatable wrestler. Joseph relishes in his success and also finds love. He's torn between wanting to please his new master and wanting to be with the girl he loves. It's touching to see him deal with these struggles throughout the novel.

Now & Then is an entertaining read, especially if you've read other novels by Jacqueline Sheehan. Her writing style stays consistent but I felt unsatisfied throughout my reading until the very end when every single question is left to be answered.

Review: Someone Like You

Someone Like You by Cathy Kelly tells these story of three women who meet randomly on a trip to Egypt and forge a friendship that proves to be lasting through both happy and trying times. Leonie is a divorced mother who decided to treat herself with a relaxing vacation. She loves her children but is also looking for the love of her life. Emma was dragged along by her overbearing parents- a father who thinks he's the end all be all of everything and a mother who caters to his every need-and she needs an escape. Hannah is an independent American expat who is done with men and focused on bettering herself and her career. Although they seem like an unlikely pairing, these women form a true bond and as their lives carry them on, they are continuously intertwined in each others lives, for better or worse.

Cathy Kelly delivers yet another wonderfully engaging, emotionally captivating novel. What I love most about Kelly's novels is the way she creates such relatable characters. Although it took me a bit to get past the exposition and really dive into the story, once I did I was fully involved in each woman's story. As I continued to read I felt like Leonie, Hannah and Emma were not only friends with each other but friends of mine as well. Kelly's descriptive writing makes it easy to feel like you are personally involved in the character's lives, allowing you to cheer them on or hoping they make the right decisions. These women are exceptionally relatable, to the point that, at times, I felt like I was reading about my own life. I have several pages dog-earred because of quotes I related to so much I wanted to remember where they were.

Cathy Kelly

A big reason for all of this is because Kelly truly has a way with words. She's skilled in knowing just how to describe situations or emotions in order to bring them to life. The stories flow without awkward transitions and each of the three story lines meld together and never feel jumbled. A few times I thought chapters ended abruptly and I had to double check to make sure the next chapter was indeed starting, but I found myself often unable or not wanting to put the book down. I wanted to dive further into the stories and see how things would unfold.

My other favorite aspect of Cathy Kelly novels is how she deals with love. Once again, I found myself entranced by the notion of love between these women and the men that are in or come into their lives. What was new for me, though, with Someone Like You, was that this novel also deals with meeting the wrong men and what that does to a women. While I was cheering on one couple, warmed by their apparent love for each other and could bask with them in the glow of finding each other; I was simultaneously hating another man for hurting one of the women and hoping that soon he would get kicked to the curb.

Someone Like You proves to be a wonderful story of how important girlfriends are, how comforting love can be and also how important finding your independence is.

Review: If You Were Here

Just finished reading If You Were Here, Jen Lancaster's first fictional novel, and couldn't wait to discuss it.

As I said in my previous post, this book was everything I hoped it would be. And more. Lancaster's unique voice shines through her characters, keeping right on point with the clever wit and hilarious sarcasm. At several points throughout the novel, I literally laughed out loud at the comedy of phrasing and the situations these characters, Mac and Mia, get themselves in. One of my favorite lines in the entire book comes after a local gang member in the Chicago neighborhood tries to throw a Molotov Cocktail at their rental home. He fails and Mia remarks, “One second he's standing there looking all smug and menacing in his ski mask, and the next, he's covered in turpentine and flaming harder than Boys Town on Pride weekend.” HI-larious. Humorous remarks like this land throughout If You Were Here.

Clever one liners aside, the story itself is quite interesting. If You Were Here tells the story of Mac and Mia, a Chicago based couple who decide it's time to make the move to the suburbs. After looking at an endless supply of almost houses, they settle on a money pit of a house in need of total renovation. The story retells their adventures in DIY home repair, hiring contractors, renovation nightmares and all things in between. What I loved was the twists and turns this novel takes. There are many unpredictable points reached that I never saw coming. They added a captivating element that made it hard to put the book down. I also really enjoyed that just when you think things can't get any worse or go any further, they do. Lancaster does a great job of setting up scenes and then taking it to the brink, keeping the reader engaged and entertained.

Mac and Mia (who slightly resemble Jen and Fletch in some ways from the memoirs, in a good way) have an interesting and realistic relationship that you can't not root for all the way to the end. Lancaster delves into the other side of happily ever after and hits at real marital problems stemming from financial woes, house disrepair and disagreements. We, the readers, get to see this couple work through such looming problems, making Mac and Mia seem more like old friends than simply characters on a page.

My only (minor) gripe is that I wish Mia was a little more confrontational up front when having to deal with overbearing neighbors and pushy executives and the like. In the end though, she steps up and makes her voice heard in a fantastic way.

Lancaster has successfully made her mark on the fiction world and I can't wait to see where she takes us next.

Jen Lancaster, in person.

If you're a book nerd like me then getting to meet one of your favorite authors in person is always a big thrill.


Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending my second (!) Jen Lancaster book signing for her new novel, If You Were Here.

This is Lancaster's first work of fiction, which is quite exciting. I'm totally obsessed with her memoirs and couldn't wait to my my hands on this book. Luckily, my sister pre-ordered me a copy for my birthday (Thanks, sis!) and I got it just in time for the event.

Even getting to the Barnes and Noble the better part of an hour early, it was still standing room only left. The crowds had already formed to hear Lancaster read, answer questions and get books signed. My friend Jen and I patiently waited, discussing all things Jen Lancaster: previous books and the parts we loved, how Lancaster might make her entrance (we hoped pumping her fists like Rocky to “Eye of the Tiger”....no luck), and what we thought the new novel was going to be like.

Then the time came, Lancaster came to the podium as the crowd snaked all around the upstairs of Barnes and Noble cheered. She started off reading an excerpt from If You Were Here that had everyone laughing out loud at her trademark humor and wit. There's certainly no lacking of Lancaster's voice in her characters. With that excerpt, anyone who hadn't read the book yet (Jen and I included) couldn't wait to see what else was in store. Following the reading Lancaster answered questions from the audience about her pets, what she misses about the city and other things book related.

Lancaster's just as funny in person as she is in her writing and it always a pleasure getting to hear her speak. After a quick coffee break, it was time to get our books signed. Jen and I stepped into the line winding around various book shelves displaying titles from all things gardening to parenting, spirituality and all things in between. We spent out time waiting entertaining ourselves discussing random book titles and reading through a book of useless information (example: people, on average, laugh about 13 times per day.) Finally, it was almost our turn. We briefly discussed what we should talk about while getting our books signs and then we were. Lancaster was friendly and open as she signed out books and posed for a picture. It was a fantastically fun evening and I've since made my way over halfway through If You Were Here. So far I'll say it's everything I hoped it would be.

Lifelines.

Among the many things I love about books and reading is that sometimes you come across something where the author can express in words exactly what you are thinking or feeling in way you couldn't figure out how to do.

I find this happens to me especially at times when I am going through something life changing. Whether is meeting someone or breaking up with someone, making career changes or exploring new adventures I always happen to stumble across a book expressing my exact sentiments that I couldn't find the words for. And when this happens, these stories become life lines- something to hold on through as you figure your way through. It keeps you grounded and serves as a reference point to which you can look back for inspiration, courage or remembrance.

When I find books like this I hold on to them and find that I reread them over again when I am faced with a situation similar to the one that latched my onto the story in the first place.

One of my favorites is a book by Alison Pace called Through Thick and Thin. It tells the story of two sisters, Meredith and Stephanie who lead completely opposite lives. They both bond and separate because of dieting and they try to deal with the issues of their lives while trying to lose weight. At one point Meredith adopts a dog and decides to try a dog yoga, or doga if you will, class. As Meredith struggles through poses her teacher says something so simple, yet so brilliant. "Try easy," he says. What a revelation! And this can be applied to so many things in life. I recall the scene from this book constantly when something is giving me trouble. I'll take a moment and repeat: try easy. I think we have a tendency to make thing far more complicated than they may actually need to be. We get ourselves all worked up into a frenzied, stressed out state of madness until we can't see which way is up. If we take a moment, breathe, and try easy things just might turn around.

Another book I turn to constantly because it's so full of wisdom that I learn something new every time is Eat, Pray, Love. Elizabeth Gilbert offers such insightful views on so many important aspects of life: love, relationships, self discovery, work... to name a few. I tend to turn back to Eat, Pray, Love after things turn sour in my love life. I see a lot of similarities between myself and Gilbert in the way we behave in relationships (as I'm sure many women and maybe even some men do too.) It's nice to turn back to this book and rereard Gilbert's comforting words, like wrapping myself in my coziest blanket and settling in for the period of "getting over it" or "moving on."

Another book I've mentioned here that offers some great advice is Cathy Kelly's Past Secrets. In it Maggie suffers a devastating breakup after discovering her boyfriend's been cheating. Her friend suggests getting back at him, making him suffer and other sorts of revenge. Instead of giving in Maggie says, "I'm trying to put myself in the happy Zen state where the only true revenge is living my own life well." And it's true. You can't look anything but fabulous and confident when you are living your best life to its fullest potential. Instead of worrying about him (or her if the case may be) you focus on you. You make you better and you sink your teeth into carpe diem.

Most recently I've been reading Now and Then by Jacqueline Sheehan. It's been an interesting read so far. I've been enjoying it but I'm only half way through so I don't have an official opinion yet. Anyway, While I reading before bed last night I came across a great droplet of wisdom. The main character Anna is thinking about her situation (which is that she and her nephew have time traveled back to Ireland 1844 and don't know how to get back) and she realizes: she could endure the most excruciating circumstances as long as she knew there was an end. Similarly Anna thinks that "surely she can do anything for a few days." We as people don't do well with any sort of uncomfort. Pain. Confusion. Anxiety. Helplessness.  But we forget it's only temporary. Those feelings don't last forever. I know for me, when I'm in the middle of something, I feel like it's never going to be any other way. When I'm in it, I can't see that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. But as cliche as it is, it's there. The feelings fade back, time makes it better and it ends.

World Book Day!

Happy World Book Day everyone!

Today, March 3, is world book day, and in honor of that, I believe it's time to update about the books I've been reading.

I got a whole stack of books for Christmas this year and since then I have been reading through them quicker than  I can write about them. So far I've enjoyed them all which is always a pleasure. I've gotten lost in many different worlds, the stories keeping me drawn to the pages so I can't put the book down.

Most recently (just yesterday in fact) I finished The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks. The Guardian tells the story of Julie, a recently widowed, small town hairdresser. After the death of her husband, she receives a special gift from him he set up in advance to ease her through her grief, a great dane puppy Julie names Singer. Singer becomes more than just a pet, but a friend who is a little bit like a person. Julie is also best friends with her ex-husband's best friend Mike (who's also in love with Julie). After a couple of dates with a hair client, Richard, Julie figures it's not going to work out and realizes that Mike was who she was meant to be with after all. Things don't go quite as planned and take a scary turn, Julie and Mike fearing for their lives and their relationship.

I was just glued to this book. Sparks does a good job of balancing the thriller aspect with the love story she while I was cheering on Mike and Julie, I was also right there, afraid for them while they fought for their life together. Their story is sweet and touching. Mike's love for Julie is honest and unwavering, and it's always refreshing to see (or read about...) a man so devoted to his love. I found myself just waiting for Julie to come to realization that her feelings we mutual and when they finally get together I gave them a little cheer.

Unfortunately Richard turns out to be nothing like anyone expected, becoming obsessively scary and increasingly dangerous. The deeper into the story I got, the harder it became to put the book down. It was literally a thrill and I wanted to get through each detail, needing to know more and more until my eyes were literally burning with exhaustion and I had to put the book down.

The Guardian is certainly unlike a traditional romance novel but the love story, after everything, stays in the foreground and offers a little something for lovers of romance, thrill and Nicholas Sparks.

Review: Once in a Lifetime

In the small town is Ardagh, Ireland rests a successful and popular department store, Kenny's. Many lives of the people in this town revolve around Kenny's. They own it, are married to the owner, work there, have relatives who are employed there or have some other connection. These connections run deep through the town, connecting not only the people to the store, but the people to each other.

In Cathy Kelly's novel, Once in a Lifetime, she introduces fascinating characters with wonderful, albeit sometimes heartbreaking, stories to tell. Although probably considered chick lit Once in a Lifetime takes twists and turns that are unexpected and take the characters in directions that allow them to become fully realized and more relatable.

Stories start out typically enough, following patterns you would assume. Not to say that's a bad thing, they are enjoyable and captivating stories on their own. Yet at a certain point each story takes an unexpected turn and I found myself unable to put the book down for wanting to find out more details. The depths these stories go to is fascinating and they become real. It's not all fluff and sugar, but real problems are dealt with and I think that's something people can really relate to.

Aside from wonderfully twisting stories, the characters are widely diverse and as a result, they really have space to grow. They take their roots in certain stock characters (the strange old woman, the powerful working mom/wife, the cast off daughter, etc) but the grow from their and take on their own forms. Mainly female lead characters, they are all strong woman in their own ways and it's enjoyable reading about them maneuvering through their lives.

I thoroughly enjoyed Once in a Lifetime and appreciate that Cathy Kelly kept me intrigued from the moment I opened the novel to when I closed the back cover.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned.

I've seen a lot of ads lately for ereaders. Kindle. Nook. Other various knockoff brands.

I'm intrigued by the concept and in many ways it's a good one. Buying ebooks saves trees, you can carry multiple books around as well as newspapers, magazines and what have you easily and well contained. It's small and portable so you don't have to lug around a bulky book, especially if it's hardcover.

I know a lot of people who have ereaders who love them. I know others who love the idea and have one on their wish list.

Personally, I'm still on the fence.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but there's something I really love about holding that book in my hands. I like the small of it, the feel of actual pages and the action of turning those pages one by one until I reach the back cover. It's comforting in many ways to hang on to the story in physical form and get lost in the excitement of what's between the front and back covers. Maybe it's just me, but I don't quite see the charm and wonderment occurring reading a book off a screen.

Not only that, but reading off a screen tends to hurt my eyes. I suppose the ereader screen is a bit different than a computer screen, but it's a screen none the less.

There's just something exciting about seeing that front cover with the (hopefully) engaging and not overdone cover art, the way the title is laid out and the font used. Being able to run your hand over that and know you're about to take another journey into an altered universe where you can escape when reality gets too much.

So there you have it. As much as the ereaders have going for them, I'm just not sure I'm ready to part with my good old fashioned book and the charm it brings to my life.

525,600 minutes

Happy new year!

I hope that everyone had a fabulous holiday season complete with too much food, time spent with family and friends, and of course plenty of good reads.

2010 was an interesting year for me full of a lot of ups and downs. Not my best year, but I suppose also not my worst. I began this blog in the middle of 2010, after much thought and deliberation on just what I should blog about and how to actually bring it all to fruition. It's been a great pleasure being able to share my insights and my favorite books with others and I look forward to much more of that with the new year.

That being said, I start the new year armed with a multitude of new books to jump into. As an avid reader who comes from a family of family avid readers (read: my mother) I was gifted a handful of books for Christmas, which I am delighted about particularly because some are by a favorite author and they all sound wonderful in their own ways.

What I received was Once in a Lifetime by Cathy Kelly, who's also the author of Past Secrets, which I loved. I also got City Dog and If Andy Warhol had a Girlfriend by Alison Pace, a favorite author of mine, and Style A to Zoe by Rachel Zoe. I die for Rachel Zoe and think she's a-mazing.

I am currently still reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. It's quite long and so it's taken me some time to get through but I am loving it. It's a real page turner full of wildly fascinating facts, interesting potential conspiracy theories and unusual adventure. I have a hard time putting it down and stepping away because I'm so captivated by Robert Langdon (the main character) and the events as they unfold. I want to stay glued to my seat and take it all in. I'm about halfway through as it is now and I have a strong suspicion it won't be too much longer before I hit the back cover.

So here's to 2011. May it be filled with love and light and loads of new stories to discover.

December: Read a New Book Month

I know I'm a little late in saying so, but December is "read a new book month."

I love this. I love that there's a month dedicated to people discovering new books to enjoy (or maybe not enjoy but you'll never know unless you crack open the cover, right?). I love reading is being promoted, because in some ways, it seems like a long lost hobby. I meet a lot of people that just don't read for pleasure, and it's so sad for me. there's nothing better sometimes than diving into a new story, getting lost in the characters and the plot points and getting a little escape especially during the crazy holiday season.

So in honor of Read a New Book Month I am reading a new book. I'm reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, author of Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons.

I read Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons in high school but I remember that I loved them. For a while Da Vinci Code was my favorite book. Brown's writing is instantly attention grabbing and his historic knowledge of symbolism and mysticism is fascinating.

 

So over Thanksgiving when my aunt offered to lend me and my mom some books I quickly grabbed The Lost Symbol. I've started it and so far it's been everything I'd hoped for. I was instantly pulled into the plot and was excited to revisit Robert Langdon, the main character from Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons who's also the main character in this book. I'm not very far in yet but I can already foresee the adventures that are to come and the interesting facts I will inevitably learn.

Now to you- are you reading any new books right now? Are you enjoying them? What are you reading?

Also a challenge- if you know someone who loves to read or even someone who doesn't- share a book with them so they too can partake in both the holiday spirit and the spirit of read a new book month.

Thanks Dr. Suess

Just for fun...

Turning the tables.

Enough me about me and my thoughts for a second.

Let's talk about you.

What are you reading right now? Are you liking it or not so much?

Have you heard of any good reads you can't wait to start?

What are you favorite types of books to read? Do you tend to stick to that type/genre/etc or do you like to branch out once in a while?

Escape.

I rarely travel without a book in my bag.

It's why I insist on carrying such a large purse....

But having a book is the perfect way to escape when I need a break from big city living. Like today. Mondays are generally busy for me with teaching group exercise classes in the morning, working as the web editor for my grad school's newpaper all afternoon and then going to grad school class at night.

However, sometimes I have a couple of hours of break in between work and class. Lately I've been taking myself over to Starbucks to work on crossword puzzles (which we can turn in for extra credit! also, because I am terrible at them and am determined to get better) and enjoy an eggnog latte (because really there's not a whole lot that's better as a treat when it's windy and chilly). Today I worked on my crossword for as long as I could (read: for as many words as I could figure out) and then called it quits. Still having time to kill, I pulled out my book (which happens to be Eat, Pray, Love again because i love it so much) and enjoyed an escape for just maybe 15-20 minutes.

That's the thing about reading vacations, if you will, that they don't need to be a lengthy ordeal. Even if you're got 10 or 15 minutes to spar, jumping into that story and getting lost is a wonderful break from reality. It calms me if I'm frazzled or gives me some energy if I've hit a lull, which happens a lot after working, working working on Mondays.

No matter what I'm reading or where I am in the story, I can jump right back in a take a little time away from whatever it is I was doing or will be doing or finished doing.

Sometimes a little escape is refreshing and enough to get through the rest of the day.