Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter

I won the Mother’s Day Giveaway on Jo-Jo Loves to Read blog and received my box of books a couple of weeks ago from Hachette Book Group. It was very exciting! I took the box with me to one of my book clubs and we picked out Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter for our August book club.

Odd Mom Out was a very entertaining read that didn’t take me long to finish. Marta Zinsser is a single mother that has moved from New York City to a wealthy suburb of Seattle for her job and to be closer to her parents. Her young daughter Eva had many friends in New York, but finds it hard to be a part of the crowd in Bellevue. All Eva wants is to fit in, and she would like her “odd” Mom to also fit in. Marta is the owner of her own advertising agency, loves to wear combat boots and drive a Harley, is a free spirit and could care less about fitting in or what other people will say. Life changes when she tries to help her daughter and falls for a “Viking giant” named Luke.

I really enjoyed this book and I think it will be a good book to discuss at my Lakeshore Moms’ Book Club meeting. The many themes of the book include fitting in vs. being yourself, working moms vs. stay at home moms, and working moms vs. working dads. It’s all very interesting and will make good discussion points for myself and my fellow moms.

One of my favorite quotes (pg 288 of the Trade Paperback):

“For the stay-at-home moms, where is the respect? How many men really respect their wives? How many men understand the sacrifices their wives are making to keep the house clean, raise the kids well and make sure dinners always on the table, warm and waiting?”

I wish their would have been more to the ending to finish up the Taylor and Jemma Young storyline, but overall it was good. This is my first Jane Porter book and will not be my last!

Tribute by Nora Roberts

I’m a bit behind on reviews as I had family in town visiting for a long weekend. So please forgive me as I try to catch up!

Tribute was the July pick for the Lakeshore Moms’ Book Club. We had yet to read a Nora Roberts book for our club even though a few of us are fans. I have the movie on my DVR ready to watch, but I wanted to read the novel first!

Tribute is the story of Cilla McGowan. She is a former child star (I thought of the girls of Full House) and granddaughter of a famous actress, Janet Hardy, who died young in the 1970’s of a drug overdose (I thought of Marilyn Monroe). Cilla has bad stage fright and after falling off of the D list has discovered a fulfilling career as a home flipper. She buys houses, restores them, and sells them for a profit. After buying Janet’s farm in Virginia from her mother, Cilla goes to Virginia to restore her grandmother’s estate. There she find fulfilling work fixing up the house, getting to know her father and half-sister better, learning more about Janet, and also meeting the hot neighbor next door, Ford Sawyer.

Ford is a hot nerdy graphic artist that lives across the street. I liked Ford and thought he would be someone Ben and I would be friends with. While he was a bit of a stalker in the beginning (watching her with binoculars to better use her as a model for his new graphic novel), he was a very romantic character. He was supportive of Cilla and I also loved his nerdiness. I especially enjoyed when he talked about his love for Lost and Battlestar Galactica. I loved the pop culture references. The only thing that seemed off was Cilla’s making money off of fixing up houses – I don’t think much of that is going on now with the current real estate climate!

The novel was interesting with great secondary characters and seeing Cilla grow as a character from a loner to someone who belongs. The Janet Hardy mystery was also intriguing. I couldn’t put the book down at the end to see how it ended. I was a half surprised by the ending and half not as I had guessed some of it earlier in the book.

I’m not the super Nora Roberts fan that my friends Jenn and Carol are. They’ve read most if not all of her novels. I’ve read quite a few, but not nearly all of her works. Out of the novels I have read, I’d put this in the middle. It was enjoyable, but not one of her best.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Audio)

Eat, Pray, Love was the June Lakeshore Moms' Book Club pick. I was really looking forward to reading it after hearing good things on Oprah and elsewhere about this book for the past few years. I was running short on time so I chose to listen to the audio version of this book as read by the author herself, Elizabeth Gilbert.

I wish I could say that I loved this book, but I instead found it to be extremely boring. I think the main problem was that I never connected with the author, Elizabeth Gilbert. Ms. Gilbert had the perfect live: nice house in the suburbs, husband, great job. Yet she finds herself sobbing in the bathroom from unhappiness. She leaves her husband, has an affair with a man named David, and then decides she wants to travel to Italy, India, and Indonesia. She gets a publisher to pay for the trip if she promises to write a book about the trip when she returns.

Off she goes on her trip. In Italy she eats a lot of tasty sounding food and learns to speak Italian. She laments often about David and strangely not her husband. She then goes to India where she talks a lot about her problems praying. This was VERY boring. In Indonesia she has a guru and falls in love with a hot brazilian.

I guess to me, Ms. Gilbert seemed like a rich woman with a different set of problems and values than I have . . .and it wasn't that interesting to read about. I didn't really learn much by reading about her mental problems and problems with praying. I didn't feel much sympathy at all . . . except for her poor husband that she left. Especially after she spends the entire book talking about David and how she wants him back and barely says anything about the man she had married.

At the end of the day, I was confused on why this book gets such glowing reviews and was a best seller. Did anyone enjoy this book more than I did? Sadly our book club was postponed until next month, I want to see what everyone else thought about this book.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

My Sister's Keeper was my personal pick for the Lakeshore Mom's book club this month. I read the book two years ago and knew it was a page turning, fantastic story that is especially relevant to mothers. To read a summary of the plot of this novel, please see my previous blog about this novel. I think it was a good book club pick, everyone told me before book club how much they enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I had the same experience, it was my second time reading the novel, but I couldn't put it down. After a nail bitting Lost finale last week, I stayed up late to finish My Sister's Keeper. And I wonder why I never get enough sleep!

We had a great discussion of this novel yesterday at book club at my house from a mother's prospective. On one hand, we had one member who though the mother, Sara, was way overboard on protecting her sick daughter Kate. On the other hand, another member could see how one could get this protective and would give anything to cure their sick daughter. It was a good talk.

If you are looking for a good page turning summer read that you can't put down, I highly recommend this book. It would be a timely read as a movie based on the novel is coming out at the end of June. See the trailer here. I am a little disturbed by the casting (Cameron Diaz is not old enough by a good decade and Alec Baldwin is too old by two decades) and very disturbed about the rumored change in the excellent novel ending. But I still want to see the movie besides my misgiving!

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

I just finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs for my Lakeshore Mom's Book Club . . . just on time since my book club meeting is tomorrow night!!

Georgia Walker is an independent woman who owns her own knit store "Walker and Daughter" and struggles with trying to raise her 12-year old daughter Dakota. A core group of Walker and Daughter patrons organize the Friday Night Knitting Club where a little bit of knitting gets done, but also a lot of bonding. The book tells the story of the main group of Club characters, but focuses usually on Georgia, Dakota, and Georgia's mentor, Anita. When Dakota's father James reenters Georgia's life, things are brought to a turmoil.

I thought this book was a great story of female friendship. I also thought it was a good story that was true to life . . . as in life doesn't always go according to plan, but we make the most of it. One thing that can keep us all together is our bonds with others. These bonds are most important during times of crisis. I won't say more than that you need a box of kleenex with this book!

My only complaint is that I felt that some of the secondary characters were not developed enough. I loved some of them. . . Gran reminded me of my Great-Grandma Kile and Anita was a terrific friend. Others had good starts of stories (Cat-Georgia's "frenemy" from the past, Darwin-doctoral student with woes, Lucie-a woman starting out as a single mother), but they weren't well rounded or fleshed out behind 2-D characterization. A lot of questions were not solved by the end .. . hopefully they will be more developed in the sequel, Knit Two.

Overall I thought this was a great book and I really enjoyed reading it. I read online that this may become a movie starring Julia Roberts - one can only hope!

The Ghosts of Old Bay Road by Marie McFadden

The Ghosts of Old Bay Road by Marie McFadden is my Lakeshore Mom's Bookclub pick for February. This is McFadden's first novel and the primary setting is the "tip of the mit" or the northern lower peninsula of Michigan with action also in Chicago.

The novel starts in 1978 when Shayna McDuffy and Ben Flannery first meet and Ben feels an instant attraction to Shayna. Twenty years then pass before the two meet again. Shayna is an aloof widow that widower Ben is trying to start a relationship with. Ben can not figure out the mystery of Shayna and why she hides herself from all others.

Shayna's mysterious past suddenly comes to visit their small Michigan town and Shayna has to start a life on the run. Will she be able to live down her past and allow herself to love again?

I really liked this book. It was so engaging that it kept me awake for many night time baby feedings - which takes a lot sometimes, especially when you are sick with a cold! The plot was great and the characters were relatable and interesting. I especially liked Mabel - the widow who is chasing after Ben and won't take no for an answer, she made me laugh out loud. I thought this novel was only going to be a soft love story, but it was a love story wrapped up in a murder mystery. The ending and "ghosts" brought a tear to my eye. I also liked the setting, it is always great to read about areas that you know well - to me, Michigan and Wisconsin!

I also enjoyed that the main story is about two people finding a new chance at love in their middle age. Most love stories are about people in their 20's - which is fine, but it is refreshing to read that love can happen at another stage in life.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a good romantic mystery.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

I selected Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte for my Mom's Club bookclub pick of January. I am pretty sure that the other members of my book club are ready to kill me at this point. They are not as big of fans of Victorian Literature as I am. We'll see what they have to say at our meeting next week.

I selected Wuthering Heights after is was referenced extensively in Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse. It has been a good ten years or so since I've read Wuthering Heights so I decided it was time to refresh my memory of it. It seemed like a great time to read the book. It was also mentioned in the Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society and has been remade into a two-part Masterpiece Theatre mini-series that will be aired later this month. PBS is giving away a copy of the book as well as Tess of the Dubervilles (also a great classic) if you are interested - I've signed up!

If you have never read or heard of Wuthering Heights, it is a complex tale involving love and vengence in two families through two generations. The Earnshaws and Lintons are the two greatest families in a lonely neighborhood in Yorkshire. Mr. Earnshaw has two children, Hindley and Catherine. One day on returning from Liverpool, he brings home a young boy who he adopts and names Heathcliff after another son who had died. Hindley and Catherine are upset at first, but Catherine soon becomes great friends with him. Hindley dispises him after he takes his place in his father's heart. Heathcliff knows how to work Mr. Earnshaw to his advantage, which works great . . . until Mr. Earnshaw dies. Hindley returns home with a wife and casts Heathcliff out of the house to work in the stable. Hindley's wife dies while giving birth to a son, Hareton, and Hindley sinks into alcoholism and depression.

Catherine and Heathcliff travel to Thrushcross Grange one day while playing and watch young Edgar and Isabella Linton playing. They are discovered and chased by dogs. Catherine is hurt and stays at the Grange for weeks while Mrs. Linton to make her into a lady. During this time, Catherine becomes interested in Edgar. When she returns to Wuthering Heights, she tries to keep her friendship up with the Lintons, but it causes great jealousy with Heathcliff. Eventually she tells housekeeper Nelly Dean that she has accepted a proposal of marriage from Edgar as it would be demeaning to marry Heathcliff. She then goes on to say how much she loves Heathcliff, but Heathcliff runs off after only hearing the first part. She eventually marries Edgar and they are happy until Heathcliff returns.

Heathcliff has mysteriously made a fortune and wants to get back at everyone who has done him and ill turn. He manages to buy up all of Hindley's gambling debts and takes over Wuthering Heights. He visits with Catherine and the Lintons at Thrushcross Grange and manages to spread discord in Edgar and Catherine's marriage. He elopes with Isabella as she is Edgar's heir. Catherine basically loses her mind and dies sortly after giving birth to a daughter, Catherine. Hindley dies shortly after Catherine and Heathcliff raises Hareton as a common laborer as he himself was treated after Mr. Earnshaw's death. Isabella runs off from Heathcliff after much abuse and gives birth to a young son named Linton.

Years pass and young Catherine is raised without knowledge of the Heights. One day she runs into Hareton and Wuthering Heights while exploring while her father is in town picking up Linton after Isabella's death. Catherine is offended that Zillah (the new housekeeper at the heights) says that Hareton is her cousin and lets it slip that Linton is coming to stay with her. Heathcliff shows up at the Grange and takes Linton back with him to Wuthering Heights. Over the years Catherine and Linton try to establish a relationship through secret letters and visits by Catherine. Heathcliff tries to force Linton into this in order to get Catherine and Linton to marry and thereby put the Grange under his control. Heathcliff eventually kidnaps Catherine and Nelly Dean while Edgar lies dying and won't let Catherine leave until she marries Linton. Edgar dies with Catherine by his side and Linton dies shortly after willing all of his and Catherine's estates to Heathcliff.

Catherine lives at Wuthering Heights and falls into dispair. She becomes a not nice person in keeping with the people she lives with. She eventually strikes up a relationship with Hareton and teaches him to read (after first making fun of him for not reading and then making fun of his attempts to learn). Heathcliff falls into dispair searching for his Catherine's ghost and feels that his vengence is for naught since Catherine and Hareton echo him and Catherine. Heathcliff dies and Catherine and Hareton get their rightful estates back.

Why do I like this book? The story is dark and most of the characters are extremely unlikeable. Heathcliff is not a dashing romantic hero, in fact, he is more a villian. I feel somewhat sorry for the circumstances that he was raised in and admire his all consuming passion for Catherine, but he is more than slightly unhinged. Catherine the elder is narcassistic and seemed to suffer from mental problems. Yet I find their story of all consuming passion that extends beyond the grave to be fascinating. Even more fascinating to me is the story of the second generation. That Heathcliff could be so diabolical to plot over the years to take down his enemies is riveting. I thought young Catherine was a nicer person than her mother and loved the father daughter relationship between her and Edgar. Edgar still loves Catherine the elder after all of these years, but his love is more tempered and resonable. I feel sorry for him as he wasn't sure what to do with the whole Catherine and Heathcliff situation. Edgar is an unsung hero of the story.

I could go on forever about different aspects of the story and what I think about them. I hope to discuss them next week at book club. What do you think, why has this book remained a classic for over 150 years? What keeps people intrigued? I think unique characters and storyline, what do you think?

Also - what do you think about the various movies? I just rewatched the 1992 version and the 1998 Masterpiece Theatre version. I think the 1992 is much better than the 1939 (sacralige - I know!) because it shows the entire story, not just the first half. It also shows Heathcliff in a much darker light, which is more true to the novel. That said, I still think there has been no movie/TV version of the book that really does it justice. I have high hopes for the new version on masterpiece this month.

In closing, check out this video of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights" from the late 1970's. While I like the song, the dancing just makes me laugh.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I just reread To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee for my Lakeshore Moms' bookclub. It is I think my fourth time reading it, but definitely not my last. This is a novel that can be enjoyed again and again and will always bring new meanings and messages to the reader.

To Kill a Mockingbird is the coming of age story of tomboy Scout Finch and her brother Jem . They live in Maycomb Alabama with their widowed lawyer father Atticus and housekeeper Calpernia. The novel spans several years with Scout aging from six to nine. Scout and Jem befriend a new boy named Dill that comes to visit his aunt during the summer. Together they fantasize about neighbor "Boo" Radley that hasn't been seen outside his house in years. The novel beautifully portrays small town Southern life in the 1930's. Scout has almost an idyllic childhood until she is forced to grow up when her father defends African American Tim Robinson against the false allegations of rape by a white woman, Mayella Ewell. I will say no more for those who have not read the novel.

I think this is a superb piece of American Literature for several reasons. First of all, it is one of the best coming of age stories that I have ever read. Secondly, it is a great tale about the inequality of race in the American South. I am glad that the nation I live in today has gone from this novel with such racial inequalities to a nation where we have the first African American President. Thirdly, Atticus Finch is one of the best literary heros ever. He is a good man who sticks to his principals and stands for honesty and integrety of individuals. I wish I lived in a world where there were more men and women like Atticus Finch. Lastly, the storytelling and description in this book are beautiful. It is truly a masterpiece.

The only thing I didn't like about the book is the racial epithats used throughout. It was a sign of the times and historically accurate, but it's a bit jarring for modern sensibilities.

I had this book with me at the orthodontist on Monday and heard from several people that they liked the book and hadn't read it since high school. I first read it in high school myself, but I was never made to read it for a class. Truthfully, when I look back on what books we did read in high school (and college), I find that 99% of the books I read for classes were written by men. Why is that? Why are important women writers left off the syllabuses? I still dream of someday throwing down my engineering degree and becoming an English professor of literature that forces everyone to read women authors:-)

If you have never read this classic, I HIGHLY recommend it.

Fancy Pants by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

I read Fancy Pants a couple of weeks ago for my Lakeshore Mom's Club bookclub pick for October. This book was okay, but mainly had the problem of being stuck in the 1980's and not having a very likeable hero.

Francesca is a spoiled English heiress down on her luck. She has led a life of leasure, but after her mother's death, she finds out there is no money left. She tries to make money, but ends up stranded in America. Dallas, or Dally, a second rate handsome golf player finds her and helps her out . . . sort of. Sparks fly between the two, but they can't seem to keep it together.

I liked Francesca's story. I didn't like her at first as she seemed a lot like a Paris Hilton. After she loses it all though and has to work her way back up to the top, I really liked and admired her. Dallas on the other hand, I never liked. He used violance against women when it suited him and seemed to think he should be able to coast through life on his good looks. He does a variety of bad things in the book (like not telling Francesca that his is married), but we are supposed to feel sorry for him. I never did. If he would have been a more likeable hero, this would have been a much better book.

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Three Cups of Tea is a wonderful book. It's a truly inspiring story of how one man (Greg Mortenson) is making a difference in Pakistan and Afghaniston by building schools for underpriviliged children in remote areas. He believes that by providing education for children, especially girls, will promote peace. I read this book for my September Mom's Club book club pick and it should provide for some great discussion next month!

This non-fiction book tells the story of how Greg Mortenson traveled to Pakiston to climb K2. Disoriented after his failed bid to climb the mountain, he ends up in the small village of Korphe. The inhabitants care for Mortenson and he becomes friends with them. He promises to build them a school. He returns to America to raise money. Through hardships and years of work, he finally builds his school. Learning lessons from this first experience, he begins to build schools across Pakistan and after 9/11, Afghanistan.

Mortenson's story is inspiring. It's amazing how one man can do so much good. Parts of the book made me angry such as when he tries to give his talks in D.C. to politicians on how money spent on schools and clean water could do so much more good than more bombings. I still have hope that enough people will read this book to cause a change to happen in our government and in our dealings with Afghanistan. This book is a must read!

Maternity Leave Book Review

I keep putting this quick review of the books I read during maternity leave off as I read A LOT of books during maternity leave and keep on reading a lot. I spend a lot of time nursing the baby at odd times and read a book to keep myself awake or for something to do besides watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with my two year old. So here I go . . . . a quick review of my reads.

Slave by Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis. I borrowed this book from my friend Elina. It was an eye-opening true live tale of a young girl torn from her family in Africa and forced into a life of servitude in Africa and also in Great Britian. I was and still am VERY disturbed that slavery still exists in our world today. We need to do something about this as a resident of the world! I recommend this book for everyone to broaden your world view.

Hard Eight, To the Nines, Ten Big Ones, and Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich. I read these four light and fluffy reads over the past couple of months. Stephanie Plum's adventures continue to keep me entertained and laughing. I thought Hard Eight was a bit weak, but loved the other three. I'm getting distressed that I only have three books left in the series to read!


The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir. The Lady Elizabeth is a fantastic historical novel about Queen Elizabeth I. I liked the perspective of the book as it was about her very early years, which are mostly ignored in novels for her later queenly years. A must read if you are a historical fiction fan that loves the Tudor era.


My Lady Ludlow and Other Stories by Elizabeth Gaskell. If you read Cranford, you will notice that there are many characters and tales missing that were in the PBS miniseries. This book contains the missing links. "My Lady Ludlow" and "Doctor Harrison's confessions" contain the missing characters. I enjoyed this book of stories. Gaskell is a great Victorian author who really gets the detail of living in a small country village.


People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I read this book for my Kewaunee Library June book club pick. It's a great book for fans of The DaVinci Code and books in general. It is the story of a sacred Jewish text that was rescued in Sarajevo during the war in the 1990's. The book restorer finds several "clues" in the book of the journey it has taken over the past 500 years. There are several stories then for each clue and the books journey. It was VERY interesting. I only wish the stories could have been longer. This is one of the best books I have read this year.


The Notebook and The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks. I reread The Notebook for my Mom's Club June book club pick. It's a good book, but I actually think I like the movie better. I feel that it was Sparks' first novel and not as well written as some of his later books. The Wedding is a follow-up to The Notebook and is one of the most romantic books I've ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a romantic tale.

Real People, Real Prescense by Cardinal William Keeler. This book is full of short stories about the Eucharist and how different people in a Catholic community feel about it. I enjoyed it. It gave me a lot to think about and helped me on my faith journey.

Push Not the River and Against a Crimson Sky by James Conroyd Martin. My mother-in-law loaned me these books and I highly enjoyed them. They are a must for those who love historical fiction as I do. The fantastic thing about these books is that they are set in Poland during the late eighteenth century. I know nothing about Poland and it was great to read a book not set in England or France. Push Not the River is based on Lady Anna Maria's diary, which is amazing considering all that she goes through. It is a great book. Against a Crimson Sky is a bit weaker as it is not based on a diary, but on Martin's imaginings of what could have been. He delves too much into the history to the detriment of the story.


The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale. After reading a couple of great reviews of this books, we chose it for our July Kewaunee library book club pick. This doesn't happen often, but the reviews of the book were actually better than the book itself. While the muder mystery was horrifying and interesting to read about, the book too often delved into tedious details that I didn't care about. Maybe I was spoiled by great non-fiction reads such as The Devil in the White City, but this book was not a good read.


Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson. This novel was my Lakeshore Mom's Club book club pick for July. It is one of Ellen's favorite novels so she chose it. Half of the moms loved it, while the other half hated it. I liked it, but had some details in it that annoyed me. Sam is actually the grandma writing letters to her granddaugher Jennifer about her illicit affair with the man of her dreams. Jennifer reads the letters while Sam is in the hospital and falls in love with her dying friend Brenden. The lovers and haters of this book disagreed about happy vs sad endings. Should an ending be happy if it is unrealistic? Interesting discussion. My bones were the details. The Badger Ferry didn't play movies and have many of it amenties until the 1990's, but riders find these things on the ferry in the 1970's. I loved the Wisconsin setting and the romantic get aways to Copper Harbor Michigan.

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. Another good love story from Sparks. I enjoyed that the novel was about people my age and dealt with change after 9/11. The ending was sad, but good. The overall plot is about a young man that is in the military. Back on leave he falls in love with a young college girl. He makes plans with her for when he gets out of the military, but it all changes after he reenlists after 9/11. It's a good story, but have a box of kleenex hand.

I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle. This comic novel is about a dorky valedictorian's confession of love for popular Beth Cooper and the night of hilarity that follows. It was entertaining, but not the best book I've read. I thougtht the language and sex was a bit much for a young adult novel (I had to read adult novels for that as a teen), so I must be getting old

The Aviary Gate by Katie Hickman. This novel is two stories, one is a modern day story of a woman searching for herself and the clues to the mystery of what happened to an English merchant's daughter, Celia, hundreds of years before. Celia was thought to be shipwrecked, but was really kidnapped and taken as part of the Sultan's harem. The second story is about Celia and her love Paul as he searches for her. I loved Celia and Paul's story, but was bored by the modern day scholar. Her love story was not engaging. The ending of Paul and Celia's story was bittersweet and a bit of a let down. Overall an interesting novel, but not the best I've read.

The Dirty Girls Social Club and Dirty Girls on Top by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. I read a good review of Dirty Girls on Top in Entertainment Weekly and figured I would check out the first book it was based on before I read it. The premise is chick lit from a Latina perspective. While I did enjoy the Latina perspective, as chick lit it was mediocre. While I did enjoy The Dirty Girls Social Club, I found Dirty Girls on Top to be a disappointing sequel. Mostly it was because I liked the ending of book 1, but Valdes-Rodriguez felt the need to undo all of the happy endings to start off book two. I found it unbelievable that a wife would go back to a murdering husband, and I couldn't feel sympathy for Usnavys and her cheating on a perfect husband. I'd read book 1, but skip book 2.

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot. This is the third book in the Queen of Babble series. It is a light hearted chick lit novel about Lizzie Nicols and her trials in NYC. I like her spunk and independence. I really like how she is always able to work for her dreams. On the romantic side though, I must say I was disappointed. What the heck happened with Luke? I don't know - anyone else out there that has read the series and would like to discuss.

In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner. I have read this book previously, but reread it as it is my Mom's Club book club pick for August. Weiner is one of my favorite authors. Her chick lit has a great depth to it. I love the secondary characters and the relationships between sisters. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it.

In the Company of Secrets and Whispers Along the Rails by Judith Miller. I received these two books from my MIL for my birthday. They are Christian romance novels set in the late 1800's in Pullman, Illinois. I loved the historical aspect of them. The story was very good and kept me interested. I just wish I had the third book so I could see how it ends. Perhaps I'll have to hint around to my MIL that it would make a good Christmas present.

Love the One You're With by Emily Griffin. This novel was about a woman with a perfect husband who suddenly meets up with her long lost love. They had broken up for good reasons, but suddenly she finds herself wondering if she made a mistake. I thought this book was rather slow and it annoyed me as SHE HAD THE PERFECT HUSBAND. It was okay over all - I'd rather read any of Weiner's novels than this book.

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich. This book was recommended to me by my friend Corinna. Kathy and I decided to pick it for our August Kewaunee Library book club pick. The book had an interesting premise. The author, Barbara Ehrenreich, lived in three different locations across the country and tried to live on a minimum wage job. She had a lot of difficulty, especially in securing a place to live. It was interesting as I had never thought about people living in hotels and whatnot. I thought that Barbara was a bit condecending to people who do work lower wage jobs. She tried to show the hardships they had to face, but she also seemed to think she was better than they were. It should make for a good discussion at our meeting!

Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger. My MIL loaned me this book. It was a great mystery/love story set in Northern Minnesota and in Thunder Bay, Canada. A retired police officer is asked by a family friend (Henry) to find the son he feels exists that would now be a 70 something year old man. The story of Henry and his lost love Maria Lima takes up the middle of the book and was also wonderful. I really enjoyed this book.

Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson. I have loved the movie Somewhere in Time my entire life, but have never read the book until now. The book is back out in print as Matheson is also the author of I Am Legend. This book is the ultimate in describing a passionate love that can make a man will himself through time to be with his love. I really liked how the book made you question though whether Richard truly traveled through time or whether it was caused by his brain tumor. I like how the movie was set in Mackinac Island rather than the California of the novel. It was a good fantasy novel.

Captain Wentworth's Diary by Amanda Grange. Grange tackled one of my favorite Jane Austen heros, Captain Wentworth. I loved how this book described Anne and Captain Wentworth's first romance prior to the start of Austen's novel. Wentworth was a bit more of a "player" than I would have imagined him to be, but it all changes when he falls in love with Anne. This is a great book for any Jane Austen fan.

Well, I've been working on this "quick" summary for a week and a half now so it's time to post! I kept reading more books which added to me not being able to finish it! :-)

Maternity Leave Movie Review

While I was on maternity leave, I didn't spend much time on the computer. Sorry for the lack of posts for awhile. I'm going to try to get updated here and actually keep up with it. I've had a lot of things I've wanted to discuss on my blog!

I didn't watch too many movies over the past two months. I haven't been to the theatre at all - with an infant and a 2-year old - it's hard to get away. I have watched a few movies on DVD though, and here is some quick reviews of what I thought.

August Rush. This movie was a romance married to Oliver Twist. It was the story of a young orphan boy music prodigy and his parents. It was okay. I didn't like it as well as I thought I would - mostly because of some silly plot twists.

There Will Be Blood. When I think of Daniel Day Lewis, I think of him as sexy Nathaniel running through the forest in The Last of the Mohicans. He was NOT sexy in this movie. While There Will Be Blood had beautiful and brillant cinematography, I found the story to be overly violent and confusing. When I got to the end, I thought, "what was the point?" and "best picture nominee - I think not!" Was anyone really truly moved by this tale? I would be interested in hearing your point of view.

P.S. I Love You. The story of a young widow and the husband who sends her letters throughout the year to help her move on with life. It was a good movie, but would have been more enjoyable if it wouldn't have started with a fight between the couple. In the next scene the husband was already dead. I would have like their love story more if I would have felt more drawn to the couple. Besides the first scene though, I loved the movie.

No Country for Old Men. I agree with the overall reviews for this movie, it was a good movie except for the ending. Was it all just a dream? It was a scary, action packed movie. I really wanted to see what had happened. If it were up to me, I would not have awarded this movie best picture because of the ending. I think Atonment and Juno were both much better pictures. I also think Eastern Promises and 3:10 to Yuma were better pictures and they weren't even nominated for best picture!

National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Another fluffy adventure movie in the same vein as the first movie. Don't go into it expecting a masterpiece and also don't think about it too much and you'll enjoy it.

27 Dresses. I thought this movie was an enjoyable chick flick. I really love James Marsden and was happy to see him in a movie where he actually does win the girl! This story of a woman who has been a bridesmaid 27 times seemed a bit far fetched at times, but it was a cute movie.

Quick Book Review Update

As with movies, I've read a lot of books in the last month during baby feedings. I'm a month behind on reviews with the new baby so I'm going to do a quick summary of what I've read in the past month to catch up! I'm going to list the books I've read from the most recent to the one I had finished right before the baby was born!

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved the Masterpiece Theatre mini-series and also read the book over the past few days. The book does not include any stories about Doctor Harrison or Lady Ludlow - they are separate novellas, which I didn't realize at first! The book is a charming picture of life in a small village during the Victorian era. I enjoyed it.

The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier. This book was recommended and borrowed from my good friend Elina (she has been recommending books to me since 4th grade!). This book was about a woman who has relocated to modern day France and becomes obsessed with tracing the story of her ancestors. Her ancestors were Hugenots that had to flee France to Switzerland to avoid prosecution in the 16th century. Half of the story is about her ancestor Isabelle and the dark secret hidden in the family. It was a good book and very interesting to learn about the era.

Princess by Jean P. Sasson. Princess was also loaned and recommended to me by Elina. The book was a first person account of a Saudi Arabian Princess named Sultana for the book's purposes. It was a vivid account of life under the veil and rule of men. It gave good brief background to the history of the region and of Islam. It was a good book to read to understand women's issues in the Middle east althought it was written directly after Desert Storm so it is a bit dated. It's hard to believe that women live such restricted lives in our modern age.

The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier. This is another book borrowed from Elina. I enjoyed this novel a lot! It tells the tale of a beautiful unicorn tapistry and how it was designed and woven. The lives it intersects are fascinating. I highly recommend this novel to fellow lovers of historical fiction.

Time and Again by Nora Roberts. This novel is actually a combination of two older novels by Nora Roberts. They both involve handsome men traveling back in time from the 24th century and meeting the love of their lives. They were entertaining novels, but not among Roberts best.

The Perfect Summer by Luanne Rice. This book was a Mom's Club book club pick. The story is a romance/mystery involving a woman, Bay McCabe, who's unfaithful husband has disappeared, and who's teenage crush has reappeared. I enjoyed this light read, except for the excessive mention of the "boardwalk" that Bay and Danny worked on in their youth.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult. I thought this novel was riveting and thought provoking (although I figured out the "surprise" ending right away. It involved a murderer who was on death row and wanted to donate his heart to his victim's family. The murderer may also be performing miracles in jail.

Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. I enjoyed this book although it's surprise ending was a tear jerker, especially after you've just given birth. I think Ben thought someone had died when he saw my tears! This novel is a follow up to Good in Bed. I thought it was a good sequel and enjoyed getting back into Cannie's story.

The Strongbow Saga Book Three: The Road to Vengeance by Judson Roberts. This novel was another first look review from Harper Collins so the novel actually comes out in June. I enjoyed the novel. Although I hadn't read the first two in the series, I was able to grasp the story quickly and go with it. If you enjoy Viking adventure tales, this book is for you.

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

I finished The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham earlier this week. It is my Mom's Club book club pick for the month of April (I'm ahead of the game!). I really liked the novel and read through it relatively quickly. It had nice short chapters that kept me intrigued. I watched the new movie version of this book last fall and I think the movie not only did a good job of bringing the novel to the big screen, but actually improved upon it. More of that discussion later. . .

The general plot of the novel is that a young woman named Kitty marries a shy bacterolgist, Walter Fane, even though she does not love him. She mostly marries him because she is getting old (25) and her much younger sister is about to be married. Kitty is married first and returns to Hong Kong with Walter before her sister's wedding, which makes her happy. While in Hong Kong, she meets the older Charlie Townsend and they have an affair. The novel starts with Walter discovering the affair. Walter tells her that she either has to get Charlie to agree to divorce his wife and marry her or she has to travel to the interior of China with him to help in a Cholera epidemic. Of course Charlie refuses to divorce his wife as Walter had predicted and Walter and Kitty travel to the interior of China. While there, Kitty learns a lot about her husband and herself. She works with small children at an orphanage and really comes into herself as a woman. I will say no more or the book/movie will be ruined for you!

I really liked Kitty's journey from a vane and selfish woman to someone that really started to care about other people. I didn't like some of Kitty's racist remarks about the orphans, but as the novel was written in the 1920's, you can't help but expect some of that!

I thought the movie improved on the novel as it really gave a more in depth portrayal of Walter and also showed a lot about the work he was doing to stop the Cholera epidemic, which I found fascinating. I also liked the ending of the movie better. SPOILER ALERT DON'T READ AHEAD IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING. I liked how in the movie Walter and Kitty find love although in the novel, Kitty never loves Walter, but only grows to respect him. I also liked how in the movie we don't see Kitty again until five years after Walter's death when she meets Charlie Townsend on the street with young Walter. He tries to set up a meeting, but she rejects him. I like that much better than the torrid last bit of steamy loving they had before she abruptly leaves for England in the book. It was degrading for Kitty.

I highly recommend both novel and film. Both were excellent.

The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson

The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson is a young adult science fiction novel that is the February pick for my Mom's Club book club. It was a very quick read as it is a young adult novel.

The Girl Who Owned a City is the children's version of I Am Legend. In this story, all adults over the age of 12 have been klled by a deadly virus. The children left have to learn to survive on their own. Some children form roaming gangs that hurt other children for their food, but Lisa decides to get the children she knows together to take over the high school and form her own city. She uses her wits to find food and to form defenses against the roaming gangs of children. One day Lisa makes a tragic mistake and her dream of the perfect city of the future in imperiled.

This book was an interesting read. As a child, I'm sure I would have loved it - a world without adults! As an adult I'm disturbed about the possibilities of what would happen to my son (and future son) in a world with no adults. For small children - it would be a death sentence if they didn't have older siblings. I liked the book overall, but I'm sure that it would be an awesome book for tweens that like science fiction.

I Do (But I Don't) by Cara Lockwood

I Do (But I Don't) by Cara Lockwood is the March book club pick for my Kewaunee Mom's Club Book Club and was actually picked by my best friend Jenn. I read it over the weekend and thought it was great!

I Do (But I Don't) is the story of Lauren Crandell, a wedding planner. Lauren is very organized in life and at work, but not when it comes to her love life. She had a terrible marriage and has been divorced for a year. She hasn't been able to move on until she bumps into a handsome fireman that helps at one of her weddings. She is instantly attracted, but then horrified when she realizes that he is the groom at a new difficult wedding she is the planner for. Much hilarity ensues.

I really liked this book. The writing was engaging and really brought you into the story. It was engaging enough that it was a book I didn't want to put down. It was a fun book and I highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a good chick lit book.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I just finished rereading Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell for my Mom's Club book club. I must say, I am extremely glad that I read this book again, it is a masterpiece. It's also a lot different reading a book when you are 29 versus 14! If you know the plot or don't want to know the end, skip the next section.

Plot Overview
I think everyone knows the classic story of Katie Scarlett O'Hara, the headstrong, spoiled Southern girl - but I'll recap in case you don't. Scarlett is in love with her neighbor Ashley Wilkes, but discovers just before the start of the Civil War that he is going to marry his cousin Melanie. For spite, Scarlett marries Melanie's brother Charles Hamilton. Charles dies of sickness without ever facing battle and Scarlett finds herself a pregnant 16-year old widow. After her son's birth, she goes to Atlanta to stay with Melanie and Melanie's Aunt Pitty-Pat. Scarlett finds Atlanta exciting, but life in mourning as a widow rather drab. Life is lightened up when Rhett Butler scandalizes society by "bidding" for her at a ball and dancing with her all night. Sherman eventually starts his march to the sea, but Scarlett can't leave pregnant Melanie alone in Atlanta after promising Ashley to watch out for her. After Melanie gives birth, Scarlett, her son Wade, Melanie and Baby, and Prissy (Scarlett's slave) are rescued by Rhett Butler who drives them out of Atlanta. He leaves them though and decides to join the army, but to Scarlett's anger. She arrives back at her plantation, Tara, to discover the place has been devistated by the Yankees, her mother has died, and her father has lost his marbles.

Scarlett works hard to find food to keep everyone fed. She is getting by after the war, but the Yankees raise taxes on Tara and are going to take it away if she can't pay them. She visits Rhett Butler in his Atlanta jail to try to seduce him to marry her (he is rich and she wants the money) or to become his mistress. He refuses, but luckily on the way home, she meets up with her sister Suellen's beau, Frank Kennedy, and lies about her sister being engaged to someone else. She is able to persuade Frank to marry her within two weeks and use his money to pay the taxes on Tara. Frank runs a general store and Scarlett pushes him to make more money. She borrows money from Rhett to buy her own mill and scandelizes Atlanta society by running it herself. She has a daughter, Ella, with Frank. After she is accousted in Shanty town, Frank and other vigilantes take their own form of justice against the assailants and Frank is killed in the process. Rhett proposes to Scarlett the day of the funeral before she can marry anyone else.

Rhett and Scarlett start off having a happy marriage, but Scarlett's love for Ashley comes between them. They have a daugther, Bonnie Blue Butler, that Rhett adores. Scarlett suggests separate bedrooms because she doesn't want to have any more children, much to Rhett's anger. Bonnie dies in a riding accident at age four and Melanie dies about a year after due to a miscarriage. Scarlett realizes that she has loved Rhett all along and that her love for Ashley was an illusion. By this point, Rhett has had enough with their marriage and tells Scarlett "I don't give a Damn" and leaves. Scarlett vows to win Rhett back and the book ends.

Laura's Thoughts
I thought this book was VERY well written. The characters were fully developed including all secondary characters. You really don't get a feel for the secondary characters in the movie as you do in the book. The dialogue was fantastic, especially some of the witty dialogue between Rhett and Scarlett. The description of the scenary and live in the Civil War days is uncomparable. The book is 960 pages long, but riveting. Although I know the end, the book still had me sobbing, much to my son Kile's dismay.

I liked how the book gave a good overview of what life was like for a rich southern family before, during, and after the war. Scarlett is not the most likeable of people, but I liked reading about a strong willed woman who does what she can to survive. The love story between Rhett and Scarlett is not a typical or conventional story and it rivals those of Elizabeth and Darcy, Cathy and Healthcliff, Romeo and Juliet. I just wanted to slap Scarlett though for her silly longing for Ashley. Ashley in the book is more attractive though then Ashley in the movie - although he is still no match for the manly Rhett Butler.

What I didn't like about the book is what most people would probaby say, the blatant racism. Take this critism with a grain of salt though. I really don't like a "white washed" past where we pretend that people were never racist. I think it's important to learn what we used to be like as a nation so that we never go there again. Taking that in to account, I understood that Scarlett's ignorant feelings towards African Americans was typical for a Southern lady at the time, although I thought it was racist.

Scarlett is a character that you love and hate. The way she treated her first two children was quite cold and hard to understand as a mother. Her treatment of Melanie and Rhett is also annoying. I'm glad that she grows as a character and by the end realizes the error of her ways, but it would have been nice for her to appreciate people while she had them. I like how she is a well developed, very three dimensional character that grows throughout the novel.

The introduction to the version I read compared this book to Anna Karenina, Vanity Fair, and Madame Bovary. I've read all three of those novels, so it was interesting to ponder the strong willed women in each novel. I think Scarlett is the most like Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair. Any one else read these books and have thoughts?

If you have never read Gone With the Wind, I highly recommend it. It's a bit of a slow read at first, but believe me, it gets much better. Gone With the Wind is a great American novel that I believe everyone should read.

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

This may have been the third or fourth time I've read Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding. It is the Kewaunee Mom's Club book club pick for September and I thought I'd read it early rather than last minute like last time. The book was my suggestion as something light hearted after reading Stephen King last month.

Bridget Jones's Diary was the first of the "chick lit" genre as we know it. It's a good book and also a good movie. Bridget is a thirty-something "singleton" that keeps a journal starting with the new year and her hilarious resolutions, which include "I will not fall for any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, commitment phobics, people with girlfriends or wives, misogynist, megalomanics, chavinists, emotional f**kwits or freeloaders, or perverts." Bridget has a great group of friends, some crazy relations, and definitely some romance problems. She starts off the year in love with her boss, Daniel Cleaver, who is also quite the cad. She is very annoyed with Mark Darcy, whom she meats at the New Year's Turkey Curry party, as he seems quite standoffish. Will Bridget find true love? You'll have to read the book to find out.

This book parallels Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, while it's sequel, Bridget Jones and the Edge of Reason parallels Austen's Persuasion. The sequel is worth a read, but don't bother with the movie. I thought it was quite terrible and seemed to have missed the whole Persuasion theme of the book. If you want to read something truely terrible, click here for Bridget Jones Returns, postings of a column that Fielding has been writing in Great Britain. I was very annoyed by where she has taken the story with this column. SPOILERS AHEAD: Bridget has a baby (good for her!), but the father is DANIEL CLEAVER!! ARGH! I thought we got rid of him as a cad in books 1 and 2. Once again ARGH!

Overall Bridget Jones's Diary is a good book and fun to read. I must admit though, as I read it this time, I realized I've become a "smug married." When I first read the book while I was single, I related much more deeply to Bridget. Now that I'm married, it's still funny, but doesn't hit home as much. Ah!

Different Seasons by Stephen King

This is actually the second time that I've read Different Seasons by Stephen King. It was the August pick for my Mom's Club Book Club, and luckily I finished it yesterday morning as the meeting was last night. This is the only Stephen King novel I've read. I've been told I should read The Stand, any other suggestions?

Different Seasons contains four "novellas" by Stephen King. I'm going to split my discussion up between the stories.

1. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. This is definitely my favorite story in the book and is the basis for the fantastic movie, The Shawshank Redemption. Andy is wrongly convicted of a murder and spends twenty something years in Shawshank Redemption. He is the victim of brutal violence, but somehow always manages to keep his dignity and hope intact. He befriends another man named Red, the man who can "get things." This story is wonderful.

2. Apt Pupil. I do not like Apt Pupil, and unfortunatly it is the longest story in the book. The story freaks me out. It tells the story of a young "All American Boy" named Todd who becomes obsessed with the holocaust. He figures out that a neighbor, "Mr. Denker," is really a commandant that was in charge of a concentration camp in hiding in the U.S. Todd blackmails him into telling all of the details of the camps. The two have a parasitic relationship and each separately begins to descend into evil. This story is very disturbing. I don't think I need to read it again!

3. The Body. The Body was made into the movie Stand By Me, which I haven't seen since I was young. It tells the tale of four boys who go off on a gruesome adventureto find the dead body of a lost boy that was killed by a train. The boys each have a tough life and the trip is a defining moment and adventure in their lives. It's an entertaining story.

4. The Breathing Method. This story is intriguing, although freaky. It is about a man who goes to a mysterious "club" with no name after invited by his boss. There are books and things there that are unheard of on the outside world. The men take turns telling stories. One of which is "The Breathing Method." A young woman in the 1930's discovers that she is pregnant and is dumped by her boyfriend. She faces the future with bravery and is determined to have her baby and use the breathing method that the doctor recommends. There is a freak accident when she is on the way to the hospital to delivery the baby. You'll have to read the story to discover the rest. The club itself intrigued me in the story - I wanted to learn more about it. The story was good too, although very disturbing.

Overall, it is a good book and worth a read!

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

I reread The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd a couple of days ago to refresh my memory before my Mom's Club Book Club tonight. I picked the book out as I really enjoyed it when I read it a couple of years ago.

I really enjoyed reading the book again. The novel tells the story of Lily Owens, a 14-year old girl who lives on a peach farm in South Carolina with her abusive father, T-Ray and her African American nanny Rosaleen. When Rosaleen offends some white men on her way to register to vote and ends up in jail, Lily breaks her out and runs away with her on a quest to learn more about her dead mother, Deborah. Her journey takes her to a bright pink house full of three sisters that are bee keepers. There she learns about life, love, and forgiveness.

It's a wonderful coming of age novel, especially as it is set in the turbulent South of 1964. I think it is a modern day classic. If you haven't read this wonderful novel yet - I highly recommend it!!