December Book List

Zero-Budget Christmas: The Almost Entirely True Story of Our Quest to Do Our Christmas Shopping Without Spending Any Money by Jason Anderson (2 stars)
I was intrigued by this short book when I saw it for a dollar on Amazon. It's exactly what the title says. Jason Anderson's writing is funny and Jon Acuff-esque, he and his wife sound like nice people, and their ideas are good. If saving money is new to you, this book will be helpful. But if you're already a bargain hunter (like me), you probably won't find any new information here.

The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass by Mandy Hale (3 stars)

After a bad breakup, Mandy Hale couldn't find any books or encouragement for single women. So she founded her own website/ministry, The Single Woman, and wrote this book. I like her for that, and am in FULL support of her overall message! But while the book had some good nuggets of wisdom, it was a little cutesy and Oprah-motivational for me (the many rhyming couplets made me feel like I was back in the Pentecostal church where I grew up). If that doesn't bother you, you will love this!

Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion by Sara Miles (4.5 stars)
Sara Miles was a very unlikely candidate to become a Christian. But one day, as she walked past a service at St. Gregory's Episcopal Church in San Francisco, she felt an inexplicable urge to go in. When she took the Eucharist, she knew her life had changed forever. Within a year, compelled by Jesus' command to "feed my sheep," she had started a food pantry at the church that provided groceries to hundreds weekly. I was fascinated, inspired, and convicted by this memoir. I haven't been part of a Eucharist-focused denomination, so I've never thought much about Jesus as nourishment. I hope these insights will stick with me.

PS - I later discovered that Sara is (I think) the daughter of Betty Miles, who wrote YA before it was YA, including a lesser-known favorite of mine, The Real Me. It was about a teenage girl in the 1960s or 70s who fought The Man for permission to deliver newspapers and play sports.

These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen (4 stars)
Cate and Renee are NYC roommates and co-workers at an InStyle-like women's magazine. Cate has just landed an editorship and has to prove herself, while Renee is vying for a beauty editor position and struggling to lose weight so she can look the part. They're just beginning to establish a real friendship when Abby, the troubled sister of a colleague, comes into their lives. Each woman is hiding a lot of trauma and at least one big secret. More than anything, this novel is about how they learn to trust each other. There is a love interest (a good one), but the women's friendship is definitely the focus of the story, and I love that.

Books for December: 4
2013 FINAL TOTAL: 68

Not my highest annual total, but I read a lot of quality books this year, and Quality Over Quantity is slowly becoming one of my rules for life.

See you in 2014! :)

My Top Books of 2013

If you're looking for a last-minute gift for the bookworm in your life, here are my top ten fiction and non-fiction reads of 2013 (not all were released this year)! I had such a great reading year that it was hard to narrow it down. These selections were based on pure enjoyment and/or how much they've stuck with me, regardless of how I rated or ranked them initially. There should be something for everyone here.

Fiction

Life After Life, Kate Atkinson

Thin Space, Jody Casella

Clockwork Princess, Cassandra Clare

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn

Burn For Burn, Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Flat-Out Love, Jessica Park

Across A Star-Swept Sea, Diana Peterfreund

Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell

This Is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith

The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey

Nonfiction

Saturday Night Widows: The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives, Becky Aikman
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, Brene Brown
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, Susan Cain
But Enough About Me: A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous, Jancee Dunn
A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live, Emily P. Freeman
Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate, Justin Lee
Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes, Shauna Niequist
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, Sheryl Sandberg
Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove, Ahmir Thompson
When We Were on Fire: A Memoir of Consuming Faith, Tangled Love, and Starting Over, Addie Zierman


Happy reading!

November Book List

Yes, this is late. (I spent Thanksgiving in Miami, got back on Monday, and have been scrambling ever since!) Now that I do What I'm Into every month, I'm wondering whether I should incorporate my book review lists into those posts as everyone else seems to do. But there's already so much going on there. Thoughts? Anyway, here's November.


Thin Space by Jody Casella (5 stars)
Marsh Windsor survived the car accident that killed his twin brother. Before her own death, his elderly neighbor taught him about "thin spaces," places where the barrier between our world and the afterworld are thinner, enabling people to visit with the dead. Racked with guilt and grief, Marsh goes everywhere – including school – barefoot in hopes of literally stumbling upon a thin space. His real objective is to get into the house where the old lady promised to create one. Unfortunately, his new neighbor, Maddie, makes those efforts difficult. As he slowly lets her in on his plans, he is forced closer and closer to everything he's been trying to forget. There's much more going on in this story than meets the eye. If you read it, please let me know so we can discuss!!

With a Little Luck by Caprice Crane (4 stars)
Berry, a classic-rock DJ in LA, has lived her entire life according to the superstitious teachings of her gambling-addicted father. When she meets Ryan, she's just finished her second bad relationship in a row... and bad things always happen in threes. So their love is doomed. But as their relationship progresses, Berry begins to question her philosophies and her screwed-up, if loving, family dynamics. This novel is classic Caprice Crane, which means it's funny, blunt, touching, and true all at the same time. It took me a while to get into it because Berry's superstitions are so intense as to be off-putting, but that's all part of the plan.

Across A Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund (5 stars)
This novel is set in the same postapocalyptic world as For Darkness Shows the Stars, but in a very different place - on two luxurious island nations where technology is embraced and the Reduction has been overcome by genetic engineering. Persis Blake, heiress to an estate and best friend of the princess of Albion, wears airheaded beauty as a disguise. She's actually the Wild Poppy, a notorious spy and enemy of the cruel revolution happening in Galatea. When Justen Helo, a famous scientist close to the Galatean throne, rescues her on a mission gone bad, things get a lot more complicated. So complicated that I can't explain any further. The important thing is that I LOVED this book and it is well worth your time. :)

When We Were on Fire: A Memoir of Consuming Faith, Tangled Love, and Starting Over by Addie Zierman (5 stars)
I've never even visited Addie Zierman's blog, but after reading this memoir, I'm ready to declare her the voice of my generation. If you grew up an evangelical Christian or want to understand someone who did, you need to read this ASAP. It's a masterful depiction of late 90s evangelical culture that manages to be both honest and respectful.


Books for November: 4
2013 year to date: 64

No Spend November

I took this picture of my To Be Read pile last week. This stack has accumulated on the floor by my nightstand for over a year, and obviously doesn't include the epic number of unread e-books on my Kindle. A few of these were books I had to have immediately and forgot about just as quickly. When I bought four shiny new releases, I had to reorganize the pile. Hello, wake-up call.

Then I saw Paige's post about No Spend November. To participate, you commit to stop spending money in a certain area for the entire month. I'm a moderator, not an abstainer, and I don't respond well to no-whatever months. But I couldn't ignore the timing of this challenge (and could definitely stand to save a few bucks). So I've decided to stop buying books, physical or e-, during November. In fact, I also plan to stop requesting Netgalleys and even going to the library, because I really need to make headway with the books I already have. I'm so easily distracted by whatever's new and interesting.

This isn't a self-inflicted punishment, but a way to help me focus and clear some space. I admit I'll probably make an exception for great Black Friday deals... but Black Friday is the second-to-last day of the month, so I think it's okay!

Link up with A Dose of Paige if you want to participate too! Everyone will be checking in mid-month.

October Book List

Happy Halloween from Gandalf and a pumpkin!

A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live by Emily P. Freeman (4.5 stars)
Emily Freeman's second book for adults, about expressing your vocation or "art" in your everyday life, was right on time for me as usual. She encourages paying attention to our own unique design and what moves us, promotes the value of the everyday, and looks at the different things that hold us back from our art and creativity. I've been studying these topics all year, but still found many revelations here. A good companion to this book would be Edith Schaeffer's The Hidden Art of Homemaking, which I also loved and which is really about bringing beauty to ordinary life.

Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (4 stars)
Questlove, the drummer for the Roots (Jimmy Fallon's house band), has written not only a unique and fascinating memoir, but also a sort of Hip-Hop History 101 for the casual observer. Stories about his upbringing in Philadelphia and the early days of the Roots are interspersed with lists of the albums that shaped his life. His editor, co-writer, and manager also contribute (that would be the "Meta" part). I learned a lot from this intelligent, riveting book!

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (4 stars)
Eleanor is an outcast with a terrible home life. Park is a thoughtful music-obsessive who's always been sort of on the fringes of popular. One morning he takes pity on her and offers her a seat on the school bus. What follows is the story of their first love and its serious complications... very sweet, but also raw and real. I don't understand how this book hasn't won a national award. To me it has all the markings of a new classic. Loved it.

Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando (4 stars)
I reviewed this here.


Books for October: 4
2013 year to date: 60

Halloween Concert and Book Signing

Yesterday was my first real concert with the Bartlett Community Band - the third annual Halloween concert at the BPACC. Most people were in costume and it was SO much fun! I went as a Starbucks Frappucino (an idea from Pinterest). I freehanded the Starbucks logo onto white posterboard, and for the straw, rolled up a green posterboard and hot-glued it to a headband. The dress was a truly last-minute find at Goodwill the night before. I'm very happy with how the costume turned out!

The band had a great time backstage before the show checking out each other's outfits. My favorite was the clarinetist who dressed up as a blind referee. :) It was also an opportunity to officially meet more people. I've only been a member since July and hardly know anyone besides the other second-row fluties.

Alanna and Jonathan, and of course my parents, were faithfully in attendance.

***

The other exciting event of my weekend was attending a book signing for Thin Space, the new YA novel by my 11th-grade Honors English teacher, Jody Casella! A couple of weeks ago I got an e-mail about the upcoming event and was like, "Wait, I know that name." I followed the link to her blog and we reconnected. On Saturday I went to the signing along with a couple of my old classmates (whom I hadn't seen since high school - I didn't go to my 10- or 15-year reunions), and then we all hung out talking for most of the afternoon! It was a great time, and I'm happy and excited for her success and what might be next. Look for a review of Thin Space here soon!

On another note, I grew up in Hickory Hill. For those of you not familiar with Memphis, that area went, well, downhill very rapidly during the mid-to-late 90s... my high school years. I had no idea how much I'd missed knowing people who share that experience. My family moved after my first year of college, and the friends I've made as an adult have never driven down their childhood street and felt heartbroken at how dilapidated it is. Or watched the mall where they had their first jobs become a run-down, deserted shell. So it was good to talk to people who carry that with them too, underneath the Hickory Hill card that we occasionally pull for street cred.

September Book List

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (4 stars)
A twisty nautilus of a novel that kind of blew my mind. On a cold, snowy English night several years before WWI begins, Ursula is born. Several years later she drowns... and is reborn on the same snowy night. As this pattern repeats itself, she recalls her past lives with increasing clarity and makes adjustments to save herself and her loved ones. She doesn't always succeed. In typical Kate Atkinson fashion, these plot turns are subtle at times - you really have to pay attention. But it's worth it!  

Boat Girl: A Memoir of Youth, Love, & Fiberglass by Melanie Neale (4 stars)
I received this one from Netgalley, so a review will be posted on its own later this week.  

The Tofu Quilt by Ching Yeung Russell (4 stars)
A friend loaned me this book of free-verse poetry about a woman's childhood in Hong Kong. She thought of me because many of the poems are about wanting to become a writer. :) These spare, beautiful, sweet words about a loving family in a foreign place were like a palate cleanser for my brain. I've never been a regular reader of poetry, but this makes me want to start! 

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg (4 stars)
I read this memoir/advice book for my women's resource group at work. Sheryl Sandberg, an executive at Facebook, shares her experiences and insights as a successful woman in the corporate world. Depending on what sort of culture you come from, you'll probably find her advice either too feminist or not feminist enough, but it really worked for me - I must be in a sweet spot. Among her sound observations: women must learn to "sit at the table," speak up for ourselves, and own the credit for our accomplishments; unlike men, women are usually forced to make a choice between being successful and being liked; choosing a supportive, equal-minded spouse is key to success. Overall, she emphasizes the importance of women helping and supporting one another if we're ever going to achieve true equality, in the workplace and everywhere else!  

Self-Inflicted Wounds: Heartwarming Tales of Epic Humiliation by Aisha Tyler (3 stars)
I'm an admirer of Aisha Tyler in all her roles - comedienne, podcaster, writer, cohost of The Talk, etc. She's super smart, funny, ambitious, and totally unpretentious. In this memoir, she recalls her most embarrassing (and hilarious) moments and what she learned from them. I didn't love the book quite as much as I expected to, but it's entertaining and somewhat inspirational. Warning: if profanity bothers you, you'll probably want to skip this one (but then you're probably not a fan in the first place).  

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (5 stars)
This alien-invasion novel is told from multiple perspectives and will keep your brain clicking and your heart pounding until the end. I read it in two sittings. It's 50% Ender's Game, 50% The Host, 100% awesome. I loved it.

Books for September: 6
2013 year to date: 56

August Book List

A little late, but it's a holiday!

The Best Worst Thing: A Memoir by Kristen K. Brown (3 stars)
Kristen's husband, Todd, died suddenly of a heart attack when they were both in their early 30s. This memoir recounts their courtship and marriage, and Kristen's process of adjustment to single motherhood and life without her best friend. While she and I are coming from very different places spiritually, I admired her strength, honesty, and zest for life even in terrible circumstances.  

Bunheads by Sophie Flack (3 stars)
Hannah has worked incredibly hard all her life just to dance in the corps of the Manhattan Ballet. Then she meets Jacob, a regular college student, and starts to realize how much she's sacrificed for her career. As the ballet season unfolds and company politics heat up, she weighs her options: continue on with no promise of success, or leave and start a real life? I enjoyed this, but often just felt bad about how unhealthy the ballet world is. Wow.  

Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life by Natalie Goldberg (4 stars)
This follow-up to Writing Down the Bones was a text for my writing class. As the title indicates, it focuses on setting your writer's mind free and writing out of your instincts. Many chapters end with a "try this" activity idea. Natalie Goldberg is undoubtedly a little crazy, but it's a good kind of crazy. :)  

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian (4.5 stars)
At a high school in an island community, three very different girls secretly come together to take down the popular crowd: Kat, the rebellious outcast; Mary, the mysterious newcomer with a tragic past; and Lillia, the insider. Each of them have their own reasons for revenge. But as revenge plots often do, this one quickly spirals out of their control. This novel is like a really, really good soap opera with extra depth.  

Love at 11 by Mari Mancusi (3 stars)
A decently enjoyable novel about a San Diego news producer, Maddy, who stumbles upon the scoop of her life while shopping for fake designer purses in Tijuana. Her adorable new photographer, Jamie, helps her chase the drug-smuggling case. As they get closer to answers, they also get closer to each other - but unfortunately, he's engaged. Meanwhile, Maddy's parents are going through a messy divorce after 30 years of marriage, and she's left to mother her teenage sister Lulu, who's partying a little too hard. I felt eh about this at first, but the plot tied together and redeemed itself in the end!  

The Red Sea Rules: The Same God Who Led You In Will Lead You Out by Robert J. Morgan (3.5 stars)
This short book, really more of a devotional, outlines principles from the Israelites' deliverance in Exodus that we can apply to our own "Red Sea" experiences. It's helpful and comforting, and encouraged me in my relationship with God. But for some reason I was expecting something more revolutionary.  

Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn by Melanie Shankle (3 stars)
I'm probably one of few people who doesn't follow the Big Mama blog, but I still wanted to read her memoir about her journey to motherhood and her daughter. It's good, but I'd probably feel more engaged with it if I were a mom.  

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (4 stars)
I received this novel for my birthday and read it in one sitting. After teen star Graham Larkin accidentally e-mails regular teen Ellie, the two start an anonymous correspondence that grows into an unlikely friendship. He's so taken with her that he selects her Maine hometown as the location of his next movie. They finally meet in person... and that's just the beginning. Relationships are broken and mended, and long-kept secrets are exposed, and it's all beautiful and real. I LOVED this book.  

Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Life and Love from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed (4 stars)
I heard of Cheryl Strayed, via her newer memoir Wild, before I ever heard of Dear Sugar. But after reading this compilation of her best advice columns as Sugar, I see why she had such a following. Her compassionate, wise words to confused and hurting people ring true because they're born from her own life experiences. I related both to the letter writers and Sugar's answers, and cried multiple times. I recommend this book for anyone who's lost a loved one (Sugar's mom died when she was 22), or really anyone who's been through hard times. Even if you don't agree with all her advice, as I didn't, you'll feel stronger in your own worldview because of what she shares. Amazing work.  


Books for August: 9 (at least 3 were read in an airport)  
2013 year to date: 50

July Book List

Becoming Myself: A Woman's Journey of Transformation by Stasi Eldredge (4 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs.-Christians Debate by Justin Lee (5 stars)
Torn arrived on my doorstep the same day DOMA and Prop 8 were repealed. Talk about timely. From page one, I was riveted. By sharing his own story bravely and honestly, Justin Lee stands as proof that you can be gay AND a Christian. In the context of his personal journey, he examines evangelical "ex-gay" programs, the difference between orientation and behavior, the problem with "love the sinner, hate the sin," the real meat of what the Bible says on these issues, and much more. I have reservations about some of his conclusions, and think there's more to this Biblically than just the verses that speak directly about homosexuality. However, I feel a growing compassion for gay people of all faiths and non-faiths, and have wished for a way for gays and Christians to be on the same "side." This book points us toward that way. 

Most of all, I related to Justin's heart as he struggled to reconcile his unwanted homosexuality with his devout faith. While I'm straight as can be, I went through a similar emotional and spiritual process when I got divorced. I consumed every Christian book, sermon, and Biblical commentary I could get my hands on about the topic, ashamed of this new label that I didn't ask for and had actively fought, afraid that I was derailing my life and my testimony. Because of that common experience, I feel certain that whether you agree with Justin or not, he's coming from a place of wanting to honor God, even if it costs him. Bottom line, read this book. I don't think it's hyperbole to say (along with the book) that the future of the American Church partly rests on how we respond to this issue. It's not going away anytime soon.

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez (3 stars)
Carmen is an internationally known violinist competing for the Guarneri prize, the most prestigious honor in her field. Her mother, a former opera singer whose promising career was cut short, has molded and managed her entire life to prepare her for this moment. Now, at 18, Carmen is suddenly aware that she's just a passive participant in her own life and career. Her realizations are complicated further when she falls in love with her competition, Jeremy King, a virtuoso just like her. I flew through this novel and think any professional musician would love it.

Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton (5 stars)
A selection from my writing class, this book is a documented year in the life of a poet living alone in a New England country house in the 1960s. It's mostly her musings about the craft of writing, the problems and blessings of being a creative person and/or a single homeowner, and anecdotes about her garden and animals. As others have noted, she also expresses views that were pretty brave and radical for the time. For better or worse, I often felt like Sarton was describing my own life. Something resonated with me on every single page. I give this five stars not because it's brilliant (though it often is), but for my own personal connection with it at this particular time. It encouraged and inspired me while also warning me away from some things I don't want to become. (PS – Despite this glowing review, I was really traumatized by what happened to the farm cats at the end of the book. It was a terrible twist ending!)


Books for July: 4
2013 year to date: 41

June Book List

Sorry this is late!

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain (5 stars)
An amazing exploration of what it means to be introverted in an extrovert-oriented culture. An introvert herself, Susan Cain researches how the outgoing, "hail-fellow-well-met" salesman personality became the American ideal, and how deeply it permeates our society. She interviews successful introverts from all walks of life, including many who have learned to act like extroverts for their professional and social survival. Throughout the book, she affirms the value of introverts and encourages parents, bosses, and friends to stop trying to force the introverts in their lives into an extroverted mold. This book blew my mind. I never fully realized how much I've been discriminated against as an introvert, or how often people have tried to "fix" me - and I'm pretty close to the middle of the I/E spectrum. I can understand why some extroverts have been offended by this book, but I don't see it as an attack on extroversion at all. It's just an attempt to balance the scales and remind everyone that there's more than one way to be.

The Vogue Factor by Kirstie Clements (3 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Why Is My Mother Getting A Tattoo? And Other Questions I Wish I Never Had To Ask by Jancee Dunn (5 stars)
While But Enough About Me focused mostly on Jancee Dunn's career as a rock journalist and VJ, this memoir is about her lovable, tight-knit, crazy family (and friends). Stories include a trip with her Southern mother to Savannah, her siblings' plot to revisit their childhood home (long since inhabited by another family), how Dunn announced her surprise pregnancy to her husband (with her whole family as an audience), and the titular story of her mother getting a tattoo. She also transcribes several ordinary but hilarious conversations with her best friend, Julie, who calls her at the same time every morning. It reminded me of the daily calls I used to have with my sister as we both drove home from work. Anyway, this book is total comedy comfort reading.

This Girl by Colleen Hoover (3 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Off Balance: A Memoir by Dominique Moceanu (4 stars)
Most Americans remember Dominique Moceanu as the youngest member of the Magnificent Seven women's gymnastics team that won gold in Atlanta in 1996. Her talent and determination caught everyone's attention. But behind that facade, she was enduring constant abuse at the hands of her father and coaches, under a level of stress no child should have to experience. Now an adult, happily married to another gymnast and a mother of two, Dominique is clearly coming from a healthier, more confident place. She tells her story honestly, without sugarcoating past events OR demonizing those who harmed her. That's a hard line to walk. Especially when she finds out, shortly before the birth of her first child, that she has another sister whom she never knew existed. Some reviewers are skeptical whether a lot of these events really happened, but sadly, it all seems pretty believable to me.

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park (and companion novella, Flat-Out Matt) (4 stars)
When Julie arrives in Boston for her freshman year of college, her apartment rental turns out to be a scam. So her mother's former roommate takes her in, and she's suddenly part of their unusual family: kind, geeky, and exasperating MIT student Matt, precocious and quirky preteen Celeste... and a life-sized cutout of their adored older brother, Finn, who is away on a long international trip. As Julie grows closer to Matt and Celeste, she has a growing certainty that something's very wrong in their household. I don't want to say much more about the plot, but suffice to say I read the entire book in one night. LOVED IT!!! Aside: Even though it's clear in the book that Julie is from Ohio, I kept imagining her as British. I finally realized that her "voice" reminded me a LOT of British-American blogger Holly of Nothing But Bonfires.

The God of the Mundane by Matt B. Redmond (4 stars)
In this short and excellent book, former pastor Matt Redmond debunks the prevailing attitude that our lives don't count unless we're doing Something Big for God. He observes that our celebrity-worshiping, success-oriented, everyone-is-special culture has fully assimilated into the Church. I especially liked his point that, while the Church urges us to live big, daring lives like the apostles, the Bible never actually commands such a thing. Instead, it encourages Christians to aspire to a quiet life, doing the work God has put to our hands. While this book is a little repetitive considering its length, a lot of the statements in it profoundly encouraged me. I really need to take its message to heart.

Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid (3.5 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (2.5 stars)
Ten years after the events of The Devil Wears Prada, former enemies Andy and Emily are best friends and co-founders of a successful high-end wedding magazine, The Plunge. Andy has just married the handsome, charming heir to a media empire. Other than her mother-in-law's disapproval of the marriage, her life is going great, and her nightmarish year working for Miranda Priestly is far in the past. Then Andy gets several unexpected surprises, and Miranda makes an offer to buy The Plunge that the girls can't refuse. I was really excited for this novel, but it didn't live up to my expectations. I somehow expected a more lighthearted plot. A lot of what happens in the story is disappointing and sad.


Books for June: 9 (woo hoo!)
2013 year to date: 37

Beach Reads

Today's Top 10 Tuesday topic at The Broke and the Bookish is Beach Reads... so I couldn't resist chiming in!

 

1. Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund – The first in a series of four novels about Ivy League secret society that put Diana Peterfreund on the map. These books are smart, funny, and suspenseful. What are you waiting for?

2. Stiltsville by Susanna Daniel – I loved this novel about a woman's life in Miami from the 1960s through Hurricane Andrew and beyond. It really evokes the Old Florida atmosphere that my parents grew up in and that I absorbed as a little girl.

3. Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen – All of Sarah Dessen's books take place in summer. This one, set in a beach town, is probably the summeriest. (I suspect her new release, The Moon and More, might beat it, but I haven't read it yet!)

4. Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddons – This tale of three Carolina sorority sisters over a period of thirty years is crazy awesome in the sudsiest kind of way. Perfect for the beach!

5. In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner – I recommend this book often – it's one of my longtime favorites. A very real (and ultimately uplifting) picture of the complicated relationship between two adult sisters, who have nothing in common but their shoe size.

6. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling – Mindy's totally hilarious and relatable memoir. I still laugh when I think about some parts of this book. There is a story in it about a high dive.

7. Forget About It by Caprice Crane – Things get very complicated when a mousy young woman pretends to have amnesia in order to escape her life as a doormat. Funny and surprising.

8. Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park – I just finished it, so you'll hear more about it later, but I loved this "new adult" novel to an illogical degree. I'll go out on a limb and declare it the Best Recently Released Beach Read.

9. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter – I keep telling people that the title perfectly sums up this book, about a young Italian man and a movie star scandal and a lost love. Everything about the story and the characters are beautifully ruined. On the whole, it's kind of a masterpiece.

10. Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist – Shauna's first book of essays, about enjoying the simple things in life, is perfect for a vacation. It'll leave you feeling even more refreshed.

 

 

Now I wish I was at the beach. Well, even more than I already did. Thanks!!

May Book List

This was a quality month!

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson (4.5 stars)
Confession: I've never read the original Peter Pan, and the Disney movie wasn't my fave growing up. But I was intrigued by this serious take on Tiger Lily, the native Neverlander girl who's a peripheral character in Peter's story. Tiger Lily is the adopted daughter of the tribe's shaman, Tik Tok. Her exceptional strength, skill, and quiet ways make her an outsider to most of the tribe, except for her two best friends and of course her father. At fifteen, she learns that she's been promised to the most horrible man in the village and must marry him at the end of the hot season. Shortly thereafter, she wanders into the forbidden forest and meets the infamous Peter Pan and his Lost Boys. What follows is a heartbreaking story of first love (and so much more). Anderson de-cartoons these familiar characters and Neverland itself. This book far exceeded my expectations and has a quiet truth and sadness about it that will stick with me for a long time. I should also mention that the story is narrated by Tinker Bell, who, as a mute but highly empathic fairy, can sense the thoughts and feelings of all the characters. It might sound silly, but I promise you, it's not.

Emotional Vampires at Work: Dealing with Bosses and Coworkers Who Drain You Dry by Albert Bernstein (4.5 stars)
I read this for Netgalley and just finished it, so it'll have its own post next week! Preview: it's fascinating and very helpful for dealing with people everywhere, not only at work.

But Enough About Me: A Jersey Girl's Unlikely Adventures Among the Absurdly Famous by Jancee Dunn (5 stars)
I already liked Jancee Dunn after reading her debut novel, Don't You Forget About Me. Now that I've backtracked to her 2006 memoir, I see her as a kindred spirit. She engagingly describes the high points of her life, starting with her childhood, progressing through her years at Rolling Stone and as one of the first VJs on MTV2. The chapters are interspersed with pieces about some of her favorite celebrity interviews, all VERY boldfaced names. As the title suggests, Dunn is totally unpretentious despite her many brushes with rock and roll fame. She's a crafty, documentary-watching homebody who counts her quirky parents and sisters as her best friends. She's also naturally hilarious - I hadn't LOLed so much at a book since Bossypants. If you like music or journalism or any story told by a likeable person, this is worth a read. I'm glad I bought it so I can revisit my favorite parts.

Reclaiming Your Heart: A Journey Back to Laughing, Loving and Living by Denise Hildreth Jones (4 stars)
Denise Hildreth Jones' latest focuses on the hard things in life that shut down our hearts, and the crucial importance of fighting to keep our hearts open and alive in a difficult world. Each chapter describes a different type of shut-down heart - angry, controlling, disappointed, and fearful among them - how it got that way, and how to revive it. As with all of DHJ's writings (she and I have similar histories), this was very timely and applicable to me. I could benefit from a more in-depth study!

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (4 stars)
Three years ago, Hudson Avery, rising figure skating star, gave up the ultimate big break after discovering that her dad was cheating on her mom. Since her parents split, she's helped her mom at their family diner, creating one fantastic cupcake after another and trying to forget the old days. Then a letter arrives inviting her to a skating competition with a huge scholarship prize. Seizing her only chance to get out of her dead-end small town, she starts skating again in secret. But she's found out by Will, captain of the hockey team, and his friend Josh. The team hasn't had a winning record in years and is facing disbandment, and they want her to share her ice-queen secrets with their players. As she works to regain what she's lost in the midst of her current crazy life, Hudson finds that what she thought she wanted may not be what's right for her after all. This book felt really real. I especially enjoyed the sweet relationship between Hudson and her younger brother. And Josh is pretty dreamy. :)

Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin (5 stars)
The continuing tale of Anya Balanchine, illegal-chocolate heiress and mafia daughter, trying to keep herself and her loved ones alive in dystopian 2082 New York. In this second novel, she's forced to flee to Mexico as a fugitive, where she takes refuge on a cacao farm and learns about the family business. Meanwhile, back home, more unexpected tragedies and surprises are set into motion. I've read reviews complaining that "not enough happens" in this series, but not only do I disagree, I also think the quieter times we spend with Anya and the other characters are the best parts. To me there's a definite Dickensian vibe. Can't wait for the final installment!


Books for May: 6
2013 year to date: 28

April Book List

Saturday Night Widows: The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives by Becky Aikman (5 stars)
I cannot say enough about this memoir - I've wanted to give it its own post. I only wish I had read it sooner. A few years after her husband died, journalist Becky Aikman gathered five other widows together to form an optimistic, forward-thinking support group - no Five Stages of Grief allowed. This is the story of their first year together, along with interesting research about grief, recovery, and relationships. The best way to describe my feelings about this book is that I want to give it a big hug. While I was divorced and not widowed, certain aspects of my situation have caused me to relate more to widows than other divorced women. Like Aikman, I've felt like a misfit among misfits as I've rebuilt my life. Reading these brave ladies' stories and being a virtual party to their conversations made me feel 100% less alone. It reassured and encouraged me SO MUCH, and I'm so thankful they were willing to share.

At Least You're In Tuscany by Jennifer Criswell (4 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Levitating Las Vegas by Jennifer Echols (3 stars)
I reviewed this here.

Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen (4 stars)
If you loved Anna Godbersen's Victorian Luxe series, you will love her new series set in the eleventh hour of the Roaring 20s. Cordelia and Letty, two best friends from small-town Ohio, run away to NYC in the summer of 1929. Though they expect to find their fortunes together, they're quickly separated. Letty becomes a cigarette girl in a speakeasy on her way to stardom. Cordelia finds her long-lost father (a wealthy gangster), and a new friend in the spoiled but lovable Astrid. Nothing goes as expected for any of the three girls. The prologue declares that by the end of the series, one of them will be married, one will be a star, and one will be dead. So I'm committed to the ride. :)

Books for April: 4
2013 year to date: 22

***

Today is Niecy's first birthday! I can't believe she's already been with us a whole year! The world got better when she arrived in it. :)

World Book Night 2013

Last night I participated in World Book Night! WBN started in England in 2011. As the website describes it, it's "an annual celebration dedicated to spreading the love of reading." Each year, 30 books are selected by a panel. To volunteer as a book giver, you have to complete an online application explaining which book you want to give away, and why, and where you plan to give it away. If you're selected, a box of about 20 books is sent to a local pickup location the week before World Book Night. Then, on the designated night, you go out into the community to give away the books, ideally to light readers or non-readers. This was the second WBN in America, and the second one I've participated in. Two for two!

I got my first choice for 2013: Bossypants by Tina Fey! Last year I handed out books sort of randomly, and this year I wanted to be more intentional. My original idea was to give away copies at a women's shelter (Bossypants is such a great book for women). But when I started researching, I quickly realized that most women's shelters are off the grid and don't allow visitors. The Salvation Army has one downtown that's not secret, but they never returned my call asking permission to give books there. Sooo I sent out some desperate e-mails to friends with charity connections. My eventual book giving location was Su Casa, a ministry to the Hispanic community that provides lots of English classes to non-native speakers. The evening class supervisor stood in the hall with me as students were arriving, and pointed out advanced students who would enjoy reading the book for practice. Many native speakers (instructors, I'm guessing) also took books, including several who indicated they didn't read much, and one had a lot of questions about WBN. Yay!

I've already decided that next year, if I'm accepted, I'm going to give books away at a hospital. Probably in the ER. So remind me of this in 2014 when I'm worrying about where to go!

Sarah Dessen Book Signing

Last night I met Sarah Dessen, one of my favorite authors!

The last book signing I went to at Booksellers at Laurelwood wasn't well attended and no one had much to say. It was tense (for me). So I was happy to be among a crowd of enthusiastic fans there last night. Sarah was SO friendly and more extroverted than I had imagined. People asked a lot of good questions and her answers were very interesting. If you're not familiar with her novels (the 11th one comes out soon), they're each set in one of two fictional North Carolina towns that she made up. Each book stands alone, but old characters often make cameos in later books. (In a small town, they would run into each other eventually!) The characters are my favorite aspects of her books. Her main characters tend to be quieter types surrounded by quirky, more exciting friends, and I so relate to that. Based on what I know of Sarah, I feel a kinship with her and think that I would have a similar writing process if I ever write fiction.

This tour is for the paperback release of What Happened to Goodbye, so I brought my hardback for her to sign in case that was the only book allowed. But then I saw a few people with multiple books, so I ran out to the car and grabbed This Lullaby, which is my favorite. I had brought it just in case. (I seriously need to design a Spinnerbait T-shirt on Cafepress.) She signed both! I only got about 10 seconds with her, but she complimented my outfit and started talking about how stripes are so in now. Yay!

Also: I received a Netgalley e-mail this morning about the BEA Bloggers Conference. I always thought you had to be published or in the industry to go to BEA, and I'd also have assumed you need to be a Real Book Blogger to go to this, but ANYONE CAN GO. It's in NYC at the end of May. That's short notice, and I'd feel a little silly being there, but man am I tempted. Maybe next year.

March Book List

Happy April!

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
I don't know how to sum up this marvelous conclusion to The Infernal Devices without spoiling anything. It's moving, surprising, and epic in the truest sense. As soon as I finished, I wanted to re-read the modern-day Mortal Instruments series to find all the cross-references which will now have much greater meaning. It takes special talent to build a strong, believable universe that crosses generations, and make all the pieces fit. Fantastic.

At Least You're In Tuscany: A Somewhat Disastrous Quest for the Sweet Life by Jennifer Criswell
Netgalley read; review to come later this week. Sorry, I'm a little behind on things. I will say that I really liked this!

You Are A Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins
Although there are a few great nuggets in this book for writers, I was largely underwhelmed by it. It's more of the hustle-hustle talk I've grown weary of. On the plus side, I'm already doing a lot of the things he recommends, so that was kind of reassuring. I give this book three stars only for Goins' observation that "you can't react and create at the same time," which really resonated with me. Other than that, go read Bird by Bird or something. :)

Save The Date by Jenny B. Jones
Lucy, the owner of a Charleston nonprofit for homeless young women, is in trouble. Her main source of funding has evaporated, and she's weeks from having to turn her girls back out onto the streets. When she goes to a benefit to appeal to donors, she runs into Alex, a former classmate turned ex-NFL star, notorious playboy, and candidate for Congress. Unbeknownst to her, Alex's campaign is floundering and he needs something to improve his public image. He makes Lucy an offer she (seriously) can't refuse: pose as his fiancee until the campaign is over, and he'll save her girls' home. What follows is enjoyably predictable, but also has some surprises thrown in. I can see why many of my friends love this book. It would be a great movie, and Reese Witherspoon would make a perfect Lucy (if she gained a little weight!).

Bread & Wine: Finding Community and Life Around The Table by Shauna Niequist
LOVED this and reviewed it here.


Books for March: 5
2013 year to date: 18

Bread & Wine: The Review

I discovered Shauna Niequist in the summer of 2010, when I impulse-bought her second book, Bittersweet. In that rough period of my life, her raw, honest, yet hopeful words were a huge comfort to me. I went on to devour her earlier book, Cold Tangerines, and loved it too. So when she recently put out a call on her blog for reviewers of her long-anticipated third book, Bread & Wine, I was thrilled to participate!

Bread & Wine is about the intersections of food and fellowship, food and culture, food and travel, food and memories, all within the context of a normal life. It's a celebration of food without snobbery – you won't find any reviews of five-star restaurants here. Through personal stories, Shauna demonstrates the power of sharing simple but good food with people you love, especially when life is tumbling down around your ears. Many of the chapters involve her Cooking Club, a group of friends who started cooking and eating together once a month and formed strong bonds around the table. Other chapters focus on especially memorable or meaningful meals in her past – the wedding leftovers she and her husband shared on a window seat, special dinner parties for friends' birthdays, a potluck cookout with her family after her son's baptism. She also reflects on times when others ministered to her through food.

Most of the essays end with a recipe related to the story, and they all sound amazing. In the letter that came with the ARC, Shauna encouraged reviewers to have a dinner party including some of the recipes from the book. Well, I did, and it was fantastic. Read about it here tomorrow! I'll share more specifically about the recipes then. She also includes a helpful appendix about her pantry staples and weeknight dinner routine, and basic entertaining tips.

As much as I enjoyed the food talk, my favorite aspect of Bread & Wine was Shauna's usual vulnerability and transparency about her personal struggles. As someone who dealt with infertility for many years, then endured a rough pregnancy and a health scare with her son after he was born, she's well acquainted with life not going according to plan. She also talks openly about her overachieving nature, her experiences as a writer, and her innate need for constant community with the people she loves. I relate to her deeply. For me, reading her books is like reading letters from a wiser older sister. I feel less alone in my messiness, and inspired to handle it in a more positive, productive way. Somehow, Shauna fully validates the pain and junk of life, while simultaneously pointing to its joys, victories, and the God who rules over it all. She is an ambassador of Wholeheartedness.

Bread & Wine will be released on April 9. I soaked up every word of this book, and highly recommend it.

** I received a copy of this book for review, but this review is my honest and personal opinion. **

February Book List

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown
For a long time, I was hesitant to read this book. I thought it was another "You're a wimp, and your life will be devoid of meaning until you take epic risks and HUSTLE HUSTLE HUSTLE!" book. I'm so weary of that message (especially from Christians. I mean, really). But Daring Greatly isn't like that AT ALL. It's about shame and vulnerability: how vulnerability is key to living a full, "Wholehearted" life, and how we can't achieve vulnerability until we face and overcome our shame. It shows us how we can dare greatly even in the smallest challenges and the most mundane parts of our lives. Much as I believe that everyone can benefit from counseling, I believe everyone can benefit from and should read this book. It's revolutionary and applicable to everyone. Every point is backed up by years of extensive data and interviews conducted by the author, as well as her personal experience. It reminded me of The Happiness Project in tone, so if you loved that, you'll love this too! I seriously need to re-read it already. FIVE STARS.

Beautiful Chaos and Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
The Beautiful Creatures movie inspired me to finish reading the series. Lena, Ethan, & co.'s actions at the end of the second book - which unhinged the magical Order of Things - have brought about the apocalypse, both literally and figuratively. In book 3, Gatlin suffers under Biblical-level plagues, and the gang searches for a way to prevent the end of days, resulting in a shocking sacrifice. So I can't say much about book 4 without spoiling book 3! The increasing roles and complexity of the supporting characters in the later books is one of the best things about the series (even though, overall, I enjoyed the first two books more). Honestly, by the end, I liked Link and Ridley more than Ethan and Lena! Give those crazy kids a spinoff.

French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating For Pleasure by Mireille Guiliano
I picked this up at Goodwill after several Francophile friends raved about it. I enjoyed it, but with mixed feelings. Mireille and her descriptions of French life and philosophies are charming. I completely agree with her that Americans desperately need fresher food, increased physical activity, a more moderate and inclusive attitude toward eating, and more joie de vivre overall. What simultaneously encouraged and frustrated me is that I'm already trying to practice most of those things. And building lots of exercise into your daily life and commute (thus avoiding the gym) and getting all your food from farmers' markets sounds lovely, but it's not a reality for those of us who live in suburban and/or corporate America - not in NYC, Paris, or on an idyllic farm in the French countryside. We just have to do the best we can. However, I'm aware of my tendency to take "diet books" way too personally.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
Netgalley read; I reviewed it here.

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith
In this sweet 13th (!) installment of the series, newlyweds Mma Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti are building their dream house; the detectives investigate Mma Potokwane's wrongful dismissal from her job as matron of the orphan farm; everyone rallies behind the younger apprentice mechanic, Fanwell, when he's accused of a crime; and Mma Ramotswe's hero, renowned detective Clovis Andersen, appears on the doorstep of the agency. I love how the bonds between these characters deepen with each book! (Aside: am I the only one who totally forgot Mma Potokwane was married? Where is her husband the rest of the time??)

Books for February: 6
2013 year to date: 13


PS - Happy birthday, Sarah! :)

Netgalley Review: The Sea of Tranquility

Great cover. I can't stop looking at it!

Nastya was a piano prodigy, and music was her whole life. Then a violent attack left her crippled physically and emotionally. Two years after the incident, she moves in with her aunt and starts over in a new town for her senior year of high school. Although Nastya doesn't want anyone infringing on her angry solitude, she finds an unlikely friend in Drew, a known playboy with a heart of gold. At the same time, she's irresistibly drawn to his best friend, Josh, a quiet, mysterious classmate with a painful past of his own.

I'm attracted to stories of broken people who fall in love, wade through each other's mess, and help each other find healing. This novel fits the bill. I enjoyed a lot of the little details, like Nastya's obsession with names (which I share - now I feel less weird!) and the warmth of Drew's family. I also appreciated that, while we feel the intimacy and coziness of Nastya and Josh's developing relationship, the story is as much about friendship and family as romance.

Recommended for fans of: Slammed, Amy and Roger's Epic Detour, Sarah Dessen

***

Because this novel contains a fair amount of language and sexuality, this is a good time for me to directly address the fact that I am a Christian who is okay with reading books containing language and sexuality. I know that many of my blog readers are much more conservative than I am, so I often feel the need to disclaim. I generally don't have a problem with these aspects of media as long as the overall message is good/redemptive, and/or they flow naturally from the subject matter, are true to the characters, and generally aren't gratuitous. (Although part of the reason I read so much YA literature is that it's less harsh than most adult fiction.) But everyone's judgment is different. So from here on out, just be aware that the books I review (and movies, shows, and music that I recommend) are probably not totally "clean." I'm not going to apologize for that anymore. :)

January Book List

Sorry to post two book-review posts in a row, but it's time for the monthly reading roundup. Because IT'S FEBRUARY!!! The blahness of January is OVER!

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Lost meets Miss Congeniality: When a plane of teenage beauty pageant contestants crashes on a desert island, the small group of survivors still see each other as competitors. But as they shed their pageant smiles and learn to love and accept themselves, they become a united force to be reckoned with. That's fortunate, because it turns out the desert island isn't so deserted after all - and the locals aren't friendly. This novel wasn't what I expected. It's creative and funny, and I LOVED the concept. But it's also a liberal treatise on almost every current political and social issue involving women, and gender in general. Some of her points were insightful, but I got tired of being hit over the head with an agenda. I'm all for fiction making a statement, whether I agree with it or not, but for me this was a little too much.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Twisted murder mysteries aren't my thing, and neither are stories with little to no redemption, but Gillian Flynn's amazing prose and plotting make this one totally worth it. This book will keep you guessing and shaking your head until the very end. Aside from that, it's an excellent commentary on the particular depravity of our times. I wish I'd read it with a book club so I could discuss all the shocking moments!

Magic or Madness, Magic Lessons, and Magic's Child by Justine Larbalestier
I'm a longtime fan of Justine Larbalestier, and this trilogy is probably her best known work. It's about a teenage Australian girl named Reason who's been raised by a single mom, on the run from her dangerous grandmother. When her mom has a mental breakdown, she's forced into her grandmother's custody in Sydney. There, Reason opens the back door and finds herself in New York City. What follows is an unconventional, compelling story about friendship, identity, family, first loves, and the ethics and balance of magic. It took plenty of turns I never saw coming. If you like fantasy that's a little off the beaten path, try this trilogy. I recommend Kindle - it's hard to find in print.

The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
I reviewed this here.

When The Darkness Will Not Lift: Doing What We Can While We Wait For God - And Joy by John Piper
This little book provides good reassurance to Christians experiencing any level of depression or a "dark night of the soul." It's very short - the notes indicate that it's more like an expanded chapter of Piper's book When I Don't Desire God. He takes a very compassionate tone, while also pointing out some of the uglier root causes of spiritual struggle. Most importantly, he repeatedly states that depression or spiritual struggle is not an indication of unbelief. That can't be said enough in our "positive, encouraging" Christian culture. I'm glad I read this.

Books for January: 7
2013 year to date: 7