Three...errr...I mean 13+ books in 3 months club?

Monday, January 28, 2008 by Bethany

Oh boy. That is as simple as I can put it. I've purchase (or been given) more books that I can read in about 6 months at the moment. And I feel like I am drowning even further in a rut at work and at home. I guess that is what happens when you survive 2 deaths in the family (both very close family members) and have a 5-month-old baby in the house--right smack in the middle of the holiday season. Now that it is over--well I haven't caught up. with the chores and everyday things. I know the chores never end. Even when the aren't chores and they are something you love to do.

But, nonetheless, I want to make sure I support Melanie's Brilliant Idea (easy enough, buy 3 books a month and then share what you've read with the crowd). So, I'm gonna cheat, fudge my way through, and just share with you what is sitting on my nightstand right now. With the caveat--so that you know--my nightstand is only so big. I have a dedicated 3 shelves more in a bookshelf in the corner of my room with MORE books that have yet to be read (and 3 holiday gift cards to spend)! So, this is the list of my reading for the next few months when I can fit it in (but don't think it is an all-inclusive thing). I'll share reviews as I read, because, well, I can!

The not-all-inclusive-to-be-read-list:
  • ACCIDENTAL IT GIRL by Libby Street
  • THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy
  • THE FROG PRINCE by Jane Porter
  • I DID (BUT I WOULDN'T NOW) by Cara Lockwood
  • THE BABY LOTTERY by Kathryn Trueblood
  • QUEEN OF BABBLE IN THE BIG CITY by Meg Cabot
  • BIG BONED by Meg Cabot (why yes, I'm a fan!)
  • THE GUY NOT TAKEN by Jennifer Weiner
  • SWITCHCRAFT by Mary Castillo
  • THE DOG WALKER by Leslie Schnur
  • ONCE UPON A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN by Patrick Sanchez
  • HOW SASSY CHANGED MY LIFE by Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer
  • GOOD GRIEF by Lolly Winston
  • FIRST IMPRESSIONS by Jude Deveraux
  • THE MAN OF MY DREAMS by Curtis Sittenfeld
  • THE VIRGIN OF SMALL PLAINS by Nancy Pickard
  • VENUS ENVY by Shannon McKelden
And of course, I just finished two different memoirs I loved and will share some dirt on this week on the blog-- CONFESSIONS OF A PREP SCHOOL MOMMY HANDLER by Wade Rouse and THE MIDDLE PLACE by Kelli Corrigan. Both will get some props here soon. So stay tuned. There's even more too... when I get to them.

Hell, stay tuned for a bunch of book nonsense. As soon as I tear the bed down and clean some sheets. And dust. And mop. Vacuum. And well get the rest of my life back together again.

p.s. wish I could have linked to all of those books, but well, time, energy, blog post? I'd have been here all day searching and linking. So wait for the reviews. Then you'll get the links!

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12:52 PM | | 1 comments

November's 3-Books-A-Month Round-Up

Thursday, December 27, 2007 by Bethany

Here we are again, almost done with another month--and time for some book review business for the 3-Books-A-Month-Club (as always, if you need information, go see Melanie Lynne Hauser for the rules of the game). Last month I spent time reading some graphic novels. And when I tell you they were well worth the read, believe me. And take a chance if you're only used to looking at words. These artists are fabulous. The books are stunning in message and illustration. So without further adeu, here's the 2 (or 3) sentence reviews for last month's books:
BLANKETS by Craig Thompson
All I can say is that I loved this book. Deep, moving, touching, love story that had my heart broken by page 10. But at the same time, I just couldn't put it down. All. Day.

POCKET SWEETIES: Volume One by Diesel Sweeties
Everything I expected from reading his work online. Cute and fun.
CITY OF GLASS by Paul Auster, Paul Karasik, David Mazzucchellil, and Art Spiegelman
Total cult classic style here. Not my normal reading material, but definitely worth a look. Especially if you are into that sorta, dark and dangerous type of thing.
Now for December? Well, Melanie gave us a month off. And hell if it wasn't what I needed. Between the holidays, a sudden death in the family, and trying to adjust for Christmas away at the last minute (due to the death)... well, I think I might just die of exhaustion and stress. Even when books are my way of escape, sometimes reading on a timeline can be more stress than it is worth. So all the books I bought in December (and hell yeah, I did buy some)--will be held over for next month! I'll give you a hint: Mary Castillo, Jennifer Weiner, and Wade Rouse.

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November's Picks for the 3-Books-A-Month Club

Friday, November 16, 2007 by Bethany

I decided to mix it up this month--not only with how I post the wrap up and next month's picks--but also in my reading choices. We're going graphic! That's right, I've picked 3 graphic novels and/or comics to enjoy this month and then share my thoughts come December 15th (again, if you need the rules for this 3-Books-A-Month thing, go see Melanie Lynne Hauser for the rules of the game).

Here's my picks!

BLANKETS by Craig Thompson
I have to credit my husband for purchasing this one. He's an avid graphic novel reader--and he turned me on to this book. Not only is it a sorta love story (at least that is what he said and the cover blurb said), it also features parts of my home town in the Upper Peninsula. So, it had to go to the To-Buy-And-Read-List immediately. Can't wait to dig in...

POCKET SWEETIES: Volume One by Diesel Sweeties
I like the guy's daily web comics, figured I'd give his book a try. I mean, what a better reason to support the artist right? And do I get bonus points for buying this for Diesel himself? (And again, I have to credit The Husband for pointing me in the best direction for web comics. So, again, Thanks Sweetie! Oh I mean my husband.)

CITY OF GLASS by Paul Auster, Paul Karasik, David Mazzucchellil, and Art Spiegelman
And this one just looked good. Cult classic, mystery of sorts... who can resist?

I mean, when you are at the bookstore in the small graphic novel section (it really is small. I don't get why the comic book junkies don't jump on over to this section. It's just a longer version of their favorite genre), it is hard not to pick up each and every book to just touch them. And look at them. And leaf through them. The illustrations just fascinate me--mostly because I can't draw worth a damn. And then they are writing a story with pictures? Wow. And thus, I figured, it's about time I give some props to some of these books--they deserve it. Not only do they have to have a good story, but the illustrations have to be good too!

Can't wait to give more props in the November wrap up!

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6:54 PM | | 0 comments

October's 3-Books-A-Month Round Up

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 by Bethany

Here's the October Round Up Post for the 3-Books-A-Month Club (again, the brain child of Melanie Lynne Hauser). She'll be posting her round-up and November picks tomorrow so please go see her site as soon as you can. For me, this month I am going to be doing it a bit different. Mostly because I am dreadfully behind and have a blogging commitment for tomorrow (it is Virtual Blog Tour time!). And secondly because... well, I am just behind. And have blog commitments for tomorrow (that means Virtual Blog Tour time for The Daring Book for Girls. Woo hoo!).

Also--because I am so into change this time around--I'm going to limit my reviews to a couple sentences in these round-up e-mails. Mostly because I love doing book reviews and I might decide to do a full book review of these books someday. But, if you find yourself yearning for more info, please feel free to drop me an e-mail (or comment), and I'll gladly spill the full review to you in a private e-mail. You know, if you are dying to know more.

So, without further ado, here's this month's picks and my comments:

  • How I Got Published: Famous Authors Tell You in Their Own Words By Ray White (Author), Duane Lindsay (Compiler)
    I said this the first time out, I bought this one on a blog recommendation by JA Konrath, author of the Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller series. He plugged the book since his essay (along with many author authors) spill the beans about how they made their book deals. But... well, how can I put this, the editing of the book sorely disappointed me. I'm not an anal grammar puss, BUT, within the first handful of essays I found more spelling and word errors than I care to admit. And, again, that normally isn't something I pay attention to (but they were really hard to pass by). That aside, the stories are really interesting, inspiring, and definitely fun to read. Everyone's path to publishing really is different!

  • Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell
    This book was a recommendation made by Amazon--and it hit the nail on the head. Fun, fast read (though, I admit I am just finishing it up now). Loved the different types of moms portrayed in the book--and husbands. That is the best part, there is a lot of interaction between wives and the men in their lives. And they are all unique and fun. Definitely a thumbs up.

  • And this is where I am behind. Really behind. I haven't started the next book yet. Please forgive me. My own writing has gotten in the way of my reading time this month. You can't sneeze at that! So, next month, I promise to give you the goods on one of the 2 other books I had on the list (Frenemies by Megan Crane and You Had Me At Halo by Amanda Ashby)
Watch this place on Friday for my November picks! I'll be posting them then... along with the reasons why I picked them!

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5:43 PM | | 0 comments

September 3-Books a Month Club Roundup; October's Catch

Thursday, October 18, 2007 by Bethany

It's just past the half-way point in October! You know what that means? I have to give the 3-Books-A-Month Club reviews for September and then let you know what I've purchased for October. Melanie Lynne Hauser is already rounding up the troupes here and giving her updates (I'm just a tad bit behind. But hey, I have a newborn. I have an excuse right?).

So, here's the dish on September's books:

First, I sank my teeth into SECOND CHANCE by Jane Green. There was a lot of meat in this book. At first it took me aback (not sure why) in that there wasn't a whole lot of humor between the characters. But in the end, after we (the reader) meets all the central characters, the fun starts. Lots of walks down memory lane for anyone in their 30s--remembering high school, old friends, and all those mistakes and adolescent acts of innocence. Since we were following a whole cast of characters--well, I found myself missing out on some of them (or wanting more about the others), but it made for a good read.

Next I read, HOW TO TEACH FILTHY RICH GIRLS by Zoey Dean. This book was hilarious. Megan (the main character) just had me in stitches. She is sarcastic, fun, witty, and well... like an every day post-grad girl that is so broke the thought of being well dressed and fed is merely a daydream. There's a bit-o-Cinderella in the plot (as in happily ever after; ugly girl turns pretty), but don't let that turn you away. There's more than a few twists that definitely make it giggling fun. Definitely what I wanted and expected from the purchase.

And lastly, I am reading AGNES & THE HITMAN by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. Yep, I am a touch behind and am about half way done with this book as we speak. But don't let that fool you--the book lives up to Jenny and Bob's name quite nicely. In fact, I loved it from page 3 better than its predecessor book DON'T LOOK DOWN (nope they aren't part of a series, DON'T LOOK DOWN was just their first novel collaboration). Agnes is also a sarcastic wit in this book (must be a theme for September). And get this, she hits more than one person with a frying pan! And there are pink flamingos. A wedding. Murder. Okay... I need to finish this post so I can go and finish this book. It is a hoot (not to mention the hot romance between Anges and Shane. Whew!). Let's just say, Jenny Crusie and Bob Mayer had me at Chapter one.

Okay, enough reviewing! Let's add in the mix my purchases for October. This time I cheated--1) I purchased online at Amazon. Not a big cheat, but I really do relish a trip to the bookstore. Must be something about physically holding the books. But I just didn't have the time. So I ordered some books waiting on my wish lists. and 2) I bought more than 3 books. I just couldn't help myself. Here's what'll be waiting for the rest of this month in my to-be-read-pile (which now might be a good time to tell you all, on occasion I might actually read/review a different book from what I actually bought. I seriously have a pile of books to read that I have purchased over time. And since I have a baby and limited reading time, I am going to pick books to read throughout the month that are really calling to me. But don't worry, I'll live up to the challenge and buy 3 books a month. The pile can keep growing, I am okay with that):
  • How I Got Published: Famous Authors Tell You in Their Own Words By Ray White (Author), Duane Lindsay (Compiler)
    I bought this one on a blog recommendation by JA Konrath, author of the Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thriller series. He plugged the book since his essay (along with many author authors) spill the beans about how they made their book deals. Can't pass up gossip (I mean background) like that.

  • Frenemies by Megan Crane
    Call me a Crane fan. I've read all of Megan's books so far (ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, EVERYBODY ELSE'S GIRL), and this one was just automatically added to the list. Just hadn't gotten around to buying it yet.

  • You Had Me At Halo by Amanda Ashby
    I kept hearing about this book on the author blogsphere. Many authors I liked, recommended it as a good read. Not to mention it is Amanda's first book. Gotta support that!

  • Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell
    Pure and simple, this was a book recommendation made by Amazon. I am a stickler for rating the books I have purchased. And with its data-mining glory, Amazon does do a decent job of recommending other books for me. Not to mention it is mom lit. Right up my alley.
So, there you have it! My September reads and what is coming. Anyone else joining in on the fun too?

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10:21 PM | | 0 comments

Three Books a Month Club

Tuesday, September 25, 2007 by Bethany

Melanie Lynne Hauser, author extraordinaire (she wrote CONFESSIONS OF A SUPER MOM and SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD. Both fabulous reads. Please go buy them now. ), challenged us on her blog Refrigerator Door to buy three books a month. No libraries, free book pick-ups, but real, live purchases from any of your neighboring stores. And, hell, I at least buy three books a month. Call it supporting my dream job or just insanity. But either way, I figured I'd join the fun this month and share my first 3-book purchase for September and tell you why I bought them (besides the fact that I am just a book addict no matter what way you slice it).Fir

HOW TO TEACH FILTHY RICH GIRLS by Zoey Dean
First, who doesn't want to be rich? That premise alone could make me buy a book. Second the little multiple choice teaser question on the back was creative, new, and well funny. So, I figured what the hell. And then there is the whole idea of partying with rich-folk, the idea of a glimpse into the celebrity life, lots of fashion and money and snooty attitudes that will eventually have to work their asses off? Well, a hook that had me wanting to read the book.

For curious minds, here's the little ole' marketing question that was creative enough to have by buy the thing:
The story of a Yale University graduate who tutors the most hard-partying twins in Palm Beach is:

(a) a hot, sexy, laugh-out-loud romp of a read
(b) a makeover take full of fashion and fabulosity
(c) an insider's peek into the super-exclusive Palm Beach society
(d) all of the above
The official blurb:

Recent Yale graduate Megan Smith comes to Manhattan with big plans for a career in journalism and even bigger student loan debt: $75,000, to be exact. When she flails at a disastrous editorial meeting at her trashy tabloid job, Megan is called into the editor-in-chief's office certain that she's going to be fired. And she is. Sort of....

As it turns out, Megan's suddenly ex-boss is old friends with the grandmother of seventeen-year-old identical twins Rose and Sage Baker--the infamous Baker heiresses of Palm Beach, Florida, best known for their massive fortunes and their pension for drunkenly flashing the paparazzi. Their grandmother is set on the girls attending Duke University despite their combined GPA of roughly 0.2. And if Megan can tutor the girls and get them into Duke, their grandmother will pay off Megan's college loans in full.

Unfortunately for Megan, the Baker twins aren't about to bend their busy social schedules for basic algebra. And they certainly aren't thrilled to have to sit down for a study session with dowdy Megan, who quickly discovers that if she's going to get her bonus, she'll have to know her Pucci from her Prada. And if she can look the part, maybe, just maybe, she can teach them something along the way.

Number it is to be read? Likely number 5 or 6. Needless to say, there are a few ahead of it in the to-be-read pile.

SECOND CHANCE by Jane Green
First, I loved the cover. The hardcover's green, glimmery thing with white letters and a hint of pink? Loved it. Right up my alley and had my fingering the cover like a thief on diamonds. Secondly, it's Jane Green. I love Jane Green, her books, her style. And well, I want to be just like her. So, of course it makes a great book purchase choice this month! Oh and the book is about 30-somethings. Married. Some suburbanites. Some city folk. All making a go of life after a tragedy shocks them all. How do school friends reconnect after a loss? Well, we gotta read the book to find out. Again, my kinda book.

Official blurb:
Green tells the story of a group of people who haven’t seen each other since they were best friends at school. When one of them dies in a terrible tragedy, the reunited friends work through their grief together and find that each of their lives is impacted in ways they could have never foreseen. Warm, witty, and as wise as ever, this is a story of friendship, of family, and of life coming full circle.
Read order: after RICH GIRLS (for no particular reason than that it is the order I purchased them in).

AGNES & THE HITMAN by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
Simply put--I read DON'T LOOK DOWN the first book collaboration for the pair of authors and loved it. I knew this one would be a fun ride as well. And, well, I like Jenny. So, it gets two gold stars already. I might also admits that I am a bit of a groupie (cherry bomb is the official title) and follow the joint blog that twitters on about writing and collaboration here. Love those two. Makes for a funny dynamic in real life and a great read in their books.

Official blurb (again):
Take one food writer named Cranky Agnes, add a hitman named Shane, mix them together with a Southern mob wedding, a missing necklace, two annoyed flamingos, and a dog named Rhett and you’ve got a recipe for a sexy, hilarious novel about the disastrous side of true love…

Agnes Crandall’s life goes awry when a dognapper invades her kitchen one night, seriously hampering her attempts to put on a wedding that she’s staked her entire net worth on. Then a hero climbs through her bedroom window. His name is Shane, no last name, just Shane, and he has his own problems: he’s got a big hit scheduled, a rival trying to take him out, and an ex-mobster uncle asking him to protect some little kid named Agnes. When he finds out that Agnes isn’t so little, his uncle has forgotten to mention a missing five million bucks he might have lost in Agnes’s house, and his last hit was a miss, Shane’s life isn’t looking so good, either. Then a bunch of lowlifes come looking for the money, a string of hit men show up for Agnes, and some wedding guests gather with intent to throw more than rice. Agnes and Shane have their hands full with greed, florists, treachery, flamingos, mayhem, mothers of the bride, and—most dangerous of all—each other. Agnes and the Hitman is the perfect combination of sugar and spice, sweet and salty—a novel of delicious proportions.
Again, will likely be read after Green's book out of pure purchase order. Because, well, you have to start somewhere.

If you want to join the 3-books a month club too--join in the fun. Tell me what you bought and why... oh and stop on by Melanie's place and tell her too!

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