love & hate

The Descendants

2012-02-12T18:05:00.001-08:00

A while ago I blogged about The Privileges, thinking it was a book where I understood the thoughts and some of the actions of the characters, though I was disappointed in the end. I really like The Descendants though. I'm sort of between liking and loving it, so I gave it the "ranking" of loved, giving it the benefit.

I had no idea was this story was. I know there is a movie and it's received a bit of accolades, so thought I would read the book at least. There are quite a few story lines in this story, all continuing side by side and not one by one. This is much a worldly story in many ways. It sort of made me sad for the characters, reading of their thoughts and of their actions, though not shocked... because I am human. And though I grew up in, and continue to live, the LDS religion, not many of my friends shared my beliefs and standards, and many of them, I know, lived lives very similar to characters in the story.

I enjoyed the reality of the story. I enjoyed reading what I'd hoped to read in The Privileges (and it made me happy, happy to know that even though this is a book, that I am not alone with some of my philosophies). I definitely recommend this book. I have a Clearplay player, so will be renting the movie soon too. I am interested to see how they interpreted this one. I can't see Hollywood swaying much from the original text - at least I hope they don't.

Enjoy!

Joy for Beginners

2012-02-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

After posting on this book a few weeks ago, my aunt recommended I read another book by the same author. I love recommendations, so I just read it this afternoon.

I'll admit, to start I was a little hesitant, as the book is written in the same style as the first - one chapter dedicated to each character. It took me a little bit longer to get into this book, but once I got a grasp of the message, I loved it.

While reading this book I realized, there are stories that emotionally just drag you through the ringer. They pull you it, they make your gut wrench as you read of the unimaginable sorrow a character experiences, and you are just so grateful for your life at the end. We've all read them (we've posted about some of them on this blog.) I read them - they make me cry, they drag my heart through the ringer. But I don't necessarily leave all the better after reading the story.

I know why it is I like this author. She writes how I feel. She doesn't tell you the intimate, deep secrets. She doesn't get all gushy and mushy and pull at your heart strings. She tells it how it is. She tells you the story. She doesn't add whipping cream and cherries and nuts on top, she just spells it out. I like that. It is honest, it is believable, it is straight forward.

I especially enjoyed this story because unlike books like "Eat, Pray, Love" - I think she is telling you that you can find joy in the life that you have. Regardless of the hand you are dealt, divorced, single, widow, cancer survivor, lost a loved one to cancer, unhappy - look at where your live it now, and make it a happy one. Find the joy in the journey. Find what makes you happy now - and you don't have to go far to find it. You don't have to take a year off from life to search for it. It may take a year to develop the true joy, but it is in rediscovering what makes you happy, and I think that is important - the "re". We don't have to find an all new thing, an all new hobby, an all new person. We've all been happy. What was it that made us happy? How can we bring that back?

It isn't a self help book, no. But it is a book filled with lessons we can take to heart.

I also realized that three of the last books I've read are all set in the NW. Being a NW girl, that might also have something to do with why I enjoy them. The authors write to my way of thinking, my way of living. How could they go wrong?

Enjoy.

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

2012-02-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

I've been home sick from work for a full week. You'd think I would have read a million books by now, well at least taken a big chunk out of the seven I have checked out from the library. But someone recommended I watch this show, and I conveniently picked up the first two seasons right before this monstrous flu attacked. But the DVDs are done, and though season three is waiting for me to pick up at the library, a hour drive each way just to pick up the DVDs does not seem like a pleasant trip. So, I've started on the books now. The first one I picked up this morning is The Girl Who Fell From the Sky.

There is a new TV Series on right now, The Firm. I like it well enough. (I like Josh Lucas.) But the show isn't doing well, on it's way to being canceled. The writers tried to be creative. Each episode begins and ends with either flashbacks or flashforwards. I don't really care for it. That may have to do with my crazy little aversion of reading the backs of book or of movies or watching the preview of next week's episode at the end of a TV show. Their creativity doesn't abide well with me.

In 2010, Kathryn Stockett was a guest lecturer at the Sundance Author Series, and sadly my friend and I talked about attending for too long, and by the time we did something about attending and actually sat down to buy tickets, they were sold out. And sadly, we missed Heidi Durrow in 2011. I read The Help well before I knew Stockett was scheduled to speak. I had planned to read "Girl Who Fell" before Durrow came to speak, but we didn't get tickets anyway, so I postponed. A shame really. Another great book. Another opportunity to listen to a talented author missed.

I was thinking about the authors' series this morning. Thinking about when The Help was being made into a movie, there were suddenly newspaper articles about people claiming infringement, claiming that Stockett based her characters on their own lives. I was thinking about how Adele's ex-boyfriend had claimed that he should benefit from her latest success since their break-up was much of the inspiration for some of the songs. I was thinking about how sad it is that our society is so sue happy. Inspiration has to come from somewhere. Emotion has to come from somewhere. Experience teaches us. Experience inspires us. Without inspiration, without emotion, without experience, we wouldn't have these great stories. But talent, talent is what assists Adele to put to music the pain of her heart. Talent is what provided the outlet for Stockett to write her story. Talent is what Durrow demonstrated in writing "Girl Who Fell."

A piece of Durrow is in this story. This isn't her story. The story isn't based on her life experiences. But pieces of her are melted into the story. There is a truth to much of the emotion felt by the protagonist. I appreciated the reality her experience brought to the story.

I also appreciated the creativity of her storytelling. The is some use of flashback to help us understand the characters and the story. I like how she does it. I like how each chapter is told by one of the characters in the story so that for that one to ten pages, you dive deeper into the one character. You still learn of others and of the story, but you get just a little bit closer to one person through each brief chapter.

This is a really random post, full of random thoughts - blame the cold medicine I am taking right now if you like. =) I enjoyed this book. It is a quick read, but a thought provoking read. Especially following the events in yesterday's news, it was a timely read. I have had a lot of thoughts this morning regarding many aspects of this story. I hope you take the chance to read this one.

Enjoy.

Beautiful Oops!

2012-02-02T14:41:00.001-08:00

I was watching my friends' twin boys the other night and we read this book together. I absolutely fell in love with this book. It is definitely a book for adults. If I had had kids, this would have been a book for me. Being a little OCD, it can be rough when things don't go right. I go batty when things are messy, when things aren't organized, when things don't go as planned. But this is a great book about making the best of those things. The things that are messy, the things that aren't organized, the things that don't go as planned. You know, life.

Bet you didn't expect me to ever post on a children's book. Surprise. I read lots of different books. I even bought a copy of this one for my book shelf, and I haven't purchased a book for myself in at least two years. It got to me that much. Crazy!

Enjoy with your kids, or on your own.

Ready Player One

2012-01-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

Okay, I wasn't going to do another post right after I just did one, but I was surprised to see this one hasn't been done, considering it was a New York Times Bestseller.

My brief synopsis: A story about the future where everyone basically lives in an online gaming system called Oasis. When the creator of Oasis died, he left a huge puzzle within the game and whoever figured it out would then own his company. The story follows a young man who finds the first key and has to proceed with tracking down the puzzle, while trying to avoid being killed in the real world.

This was a fun, quick read for me. It has a ton of 80's game, movie, and tv references, and it was interesting to see the world the author created. It is a little geeky in parts, but I am admittedly, a bit of a geek myself, so maybe that's why I didn't mind. So you can either read it, or wait for the movie they are supposedly going to make. But I'd say read it.

graveminder

2012-01-30T20:27:00.000-08:00

It has been forever since I put something up here, but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading. With weather like we've been having up here in New York, that's pretty much all there is to do.

My latest read was this one. I was a little hesitant because I read Wicked Lovely, this author's other bestselling book, and hated it. I was worried this would be much the same. And while I can say I didn't hate the book, it wasn't my favorite either. The main female is such a pansy, the main male is a pushover, and half the time I could not figure out what the story was trying to do with itself. It seemed to be ever straddling that line where it could be really really good but couldn't quite commit to it. And I felt like I read the same paragraph again and again:

Male lead, Byron, "You know you love me. I love you too."

Female Lead, Rebekkah, "Uh umm.. I am a self pitying coward so I can't say I do. But come have sex with me instead?"

B: "I want to. I can't. I will. I can't. I will. I can't. Okay. Whatever you say..."

R: "If we do it won't mean anything. But I can't say I love you, even though I do. Or do I? I'm just going to run away now..."

Bleh. Again, I didn't hate it, but if I had to give a recommendation it'd be: don't bother.

The School of Essential Ingredients

2012-01-22T13:22:00.000-08:00

I am not sure how I stumbled upon this book. No one on the blog has pasted about it. Perhaps it was from a Goodreads recommendation? Or maybe I saw it on the NY Times bestseller list? No matter where I learned of it, this book was perfect for me though. Despite the fact that I have been quite absent from our food blog of late, it isn't for lack of cooking. At least 5 nights a week I am slaving* (*side note: slaving carries such a negative connotation for me, just with the obvious reference to the history of slaves and all; it seems like you are doing something you are forced to do. I am not forced to cook each night, I LOVE it, and thankfully looking up the word "slaving" just shows it to mean "work very hard. Phew)" - back to where I was, yes slaving over the hot stove and/or oven most nights a week. I just enjoy cooking so much. Most stuff turns out great (admittedly, this past week I cooked something that I did not like. It was a first time recipe, and a last. I apologized to the family for the meal. They were nice and ate it anyways, I'm sure suffering all the while.) It is something I enjoy doing for myself, and something I love sharing with others.

Another thing I love? When things just work out. Haven't you just been have a bad day? Or a bad week? Maybe even a bad year? Or just a bad afternoon? And without giving any details to the company you are with - after an activity, an event, a discussion, a few minutes with a good book, a few hours with a touching film - things are just better. You didn't solve your problem, no one is any bit the wiser of what you are going through, but things are just better. There are a few things that can do that for me. Reading, cleaning, running, hanging out with my godson, and the list can go on, but most certainly, cooking is on that list.

This is a quick read. It would probably make a great vacation book. I also think it would be a great book club book (I am recommending it this month for mine.) Of sorts, a collection of short stories, and how the stories are weaved together.

Many times I tell friends, hey, just visit the Northwest, specifically the Portland area, and you will understand me better. I now have a book that I can share with them, also a way to get to know their quite closed off, quite quiet friend, better.

Enjoy!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

2012-01-08T20:55:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you how much I loved this book? I didn't know they had made a movie based on the story, I only learned after being half way through when Gina shared her post. I don't think I agree with Gina though, I am not certain a movie can do this story justice (and I don't agree with some of the casting, only because it doesn't match the images in my mind).

I loved the main character, a young boy, from the start. The way his mind thinks is so like my own. It is always encouraging to read of characters that are a bit like myself. Such a creative mind, such an interesting way of thinking.

I wasn't sure where the story would lead. I liked that about the book. I wanted to keep reading.

Read this one. Before you see the movie.

Enjoy!

Extremely Close & Incredibly Loud

2011-11-28T14:47:00.001-08:00

In three words I deem this book: extremely creative, heartfelt, and incredibly sweeping. (Was that more than three words?)

On a whim I picked up this book from my friend's house while attending her birthday party. She recommended that I read it. It isn't the type of book I'd pick out on my own, so excited to read it upon her recommendation, I started it right away. What a brilliant book. And so touching, so moving. My gosh, so moving. Here's the synopsis:

Nine-year-old Oskar Schell has embarked on an urgent, secret mission that will take him through the five boroughs of New York. His goal is to find the lock that matches a mysterious key that belonged to his father, who died in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11. This seemingly impossible task will bring Oskar into contact with survivors of all sorts on an exhilarating, affecting, often hilarious, and ultimately healing journey.

What I loved about this book was how real it was. So real, that I need to read a fantasy or cheesy love book now. This book exhausted all of my emotions. I laughed, I cried. That is the sign of a good read, for me anyway. However, although a great book, I am taking some points away from it for some language and sexuality and confusion. This book for the most part is narrated by a witty, brilliant nine-year-old boy, but on occasion it jumps back a forth from him to a couple of other narrators and honesty, maybe I'm just slow, but I sometimes I found it difficult to follow. And there is nothing worse than being confused, or not understanding the author, while reading a good book. The bit of confusion I experienced didn't spoil much, and I was able to understand the book as whole even with it. I was happy for that.

Right after I tell my husband they could totally make this book into an amazing movie, I discover they already have. Here's the trailer (with Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock no less!!) CLICK HERE

3.5 out of 5 stars

Something Blue

2011-10-23T16:15:00.000-07:00

This review is aimed at the ladies. I'm wondering what kind of woman you are? Let me tell you a little about me. I've never hated guys. I don't grudges against them. I may be single, but I don't blame the men. Dating is college was annoying. You see, I am not a girl who plays games. On way too many occasions, I had a friend get mad at me for going out with a guy who'd asked me out. It turns out, if you didn't already guess, that the friend liked the guy who asked me out. I'd go to ward prayer (if you don't know what that is, is the LDS community, singles' wards (a ward is a congregation, a singles' ward is a congregation of non-married LDS Church members. These congregations meet for Church on Sundays. Sunday evening they gather, well they did in the 90s when I was in college, we'd gather for the stated purpose of someone sharing a spiritual thought and then someone saying a prayer to end out the day. But really, it was a social gathering - that's all it is/was.) So anyways, I'd go to ward prayer, my roommates or friends and I would socialize, I'd come home and sometime that week, or even later that evening, I'd get a call and be asked on a date. More upset friends. I got tired of it. When I'd go to ward prayer, if a new guy came up to me, I turned into a "wing [wo]man" and I'd immediately grab my roommate, or a friend, and say "Do you know so and so?" And then many times, I'd just walk away so that I couldn't in anyway be "to blame" for being asked out instead of a friend. I got tired of the drama. I also was certain to not date a friend's x (though a roommate married one of mine). And it's carried well past college, I take the backseat when there are quality guys around when I'm with my friends. This is a drama free zone.

ALLLL that being said, I really hesitated to begin this one. If you'll recall, I didn't enjoy the first book. But I think after reading this book, I think I know why I didn't enjoy the first book. You see, these two books are told by friends. The first book by one friend, the second book by the other friend. I am a lot like the girl narrating the first book. But, I would never act as she did. I think that may be why I didn't like it. The second book, as told by the second, showed that in some ways, I am also like that girl a little, very little - though I wasn't in need of the attitude adjustment she received in the second book.

I enjoyed this second book a whole lot more than the first. The second book had a longer wait at the library which is why I read them a few months apart. I think they would be good books to read consecutively so that you can get the whole picture before making a judgement. Bring both books on vacation with you.

Enjoy.

Three Cups of Deceit

2011-10-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

I don't see that anyone has reviewed Three Cups of Tea. I read it a few years before joining this blog. It is interesting. My mother sent me the book and asked me to read it to see if investing was a good idea. I read the book. It was a good story. I wasn't totally sold though. I'm glad I listened to that inner-doubt.

Have you read the Book of Mormon? Do you know about the "pride cycle?" A person goes from nothing, to something, to a lot, to selfish, to greed... and that seems to describe the point Greg Mortenson has reached.

This is a book screams conspiracy theory. And Greg Mortenson is holding the smoking gun. It is a quick, quick read, a short book. I think it is really unfortunate what has happened. I have loved discussing it with others. I'll keep my opinion to myself (but I do side with Krakauer on this argument.)

Enjoy.

The Persian Pickle Club

2011-10-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

I've been in my new neighborhood for a year now, and I've finally joined a book club. This is the first book I will meet with the group to discuss. Just as I'm sure that we judge people when we hear their review on movies or music or television shows, I judge book groups on the books they read. I also hold off on suggesting books until I know the group well. My first impression, this group sticks with the safe books. We'll see where we go from here and if/when I contribute to our reading list.

So, I've already said this book is safe. I'll expand. This is a super, super quick read. The text isn't challenging. The storyline, while predictable in nature, at least the events don't take place in an order you expect - there are some twists thrown into the storyline. I'm not saying I hated the book by any means. I don't know that it is a book I would just flat out recommend though. I chuckled a couple times. But the storyline didn't make me want to be better, it didn't really excite my imagination, the story didn't make an impact on me.

I'm going to be careful at book club, I won't start any discussions - hopefully I can contribute to the discussions in a positive way, but I don't know that I can think of anything that really makes me want to stir up a conversation. Maybe I'll post a comment about some of the discussions and maybe I will be given reason to like the book after we discuss it.

Enjoy... maybe with your book club?

Sisterhood Everlasting

2011-10-05T18:12:00.001-07:00

Have you read these books? The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books? The first one was cute. The next three had there good parts, but definitely had some bad parts. I enjoyed the movies. I wasn't sure what to think when I heard she had another book out about the sisterhood though.

Can I tell you? I am so glad I read this one. I hated this book. I was so mad at what happened (and when you read it, you'll understand what I mean.) But I loved the book at the same time. I am certain this is the last book. It has to be. And I thought it was a great end to the whole storyline for these characters.

If you haven't read the books before, read the first one, and then watch the first and second movie. Skip books two through four - or don't. But then read this one, number five. I think you'll be glad you did.

Enjoy!

The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars

2011-10-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

I am allergic to chocolate, have been since I was about two years old.The smell, growing up, it made me sick to my stomach. I learned to recognize the taste so that I could immediately spit it out should I chance to eat it. I got to pretty good at picking chocolate chips out of a cookie. I can peel the cakey cookie off a Fat Boy and enjoy the delicious vanilla ice cream on the inside. Growing up, I loved me some bit-o-honey. And then there was ET, and our shared love of Reese's Pieces. Did you know that ET saved Reese's Pieces? I've known that for a very, very long time - but if you didn't, you can read about it in this book.

I was fascinated by this book. Chocolate and me - not friends. But I sure did love reading about it's history in the United States. I read about how the Hershey milk chocolate flavor was developed. I thought the description interesting, having never tasted it, as I tried to imagine what it is like.

I am all about competition on the football field, basketball court, etc - even a little friendly competition in the marketplace - but boy is this a fierce battle between Mars and Hershey.

I totally recommend this book. I learned so much. In fact, I kind of want to work for one of the companies now. Do you think they'd take me? They wouldn't have to worry about profit loss due to employee theft on my part, though I guess I wouldn't be able to contribute much to their product development.

Enjoy!