That's What She Read

The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh You know how a good book sticks with you? I couldn't get this one out of my mind.   From Goodreads:  The Dane family's roots tangle deep in the Ozark Mountain town of Henbane, but that doesn't keep sixteen-year-old Lucy Dane from being treated like an outsider. Folks still whisper about her mother, a bewitching young stranger who inspired local myths when she vanished years ago. When one of Lucy's few friends, slow-minded Cheri, is found murdered, Lucy feels haunted by the two lost girls-the mother she never knew and the friend she couldn't protect. Everything changes when Lucy stumbles across Cheri's necklace in an abandoned trailer and finds herself drawn into a search for answers. Lucy and Lila are two female characters who are linked in a mother-daughter relationship that always hits an emotional note with readers (or at least it always does with me). What's great about this book is  that the autho...

Oh what, you're surprised I finally have a book review on my book blog?  I'm motivated to review this mostly because I'm going to see her on May 2 so I thought I'd better brush up on what stories she'll be telling. I've read all of Chelsea Handler's books and look forward to watching Chuy's her show whenever I can stay up that late.  I give Uganda Be Kidding Me 5 stars. 5 stars as in, "Uganda read this book." Why? Because she's frickin' hilarious and random and witty.  And there's just something sadistically funny about someone tearing their ACL on a Swiss ski mountain.  From Goodreads: Wherever Chelsea Handler travels, one thing is certain: she always ends up in the land of the ridiculous. Now, in this uproarious collection, she sneaks her sharp wit through airport security and delivers her most absurd and hilarious stories ever. If you need a good laugh, or inspiration that will get you outta town and...

Good Monday morning!  Do you spend the days following day light savings time mentally telling yourself "it's actually 5:15 a.m., I should keep sleeping," because I sure do.   This past weekend the kids and I went to the circus, visited friends, played outside and went to see Mr. Peabody and Sherman. It was a pretty good movie and both kids liked it a lot and were angels during the entire movie! But by the end of the weekend, we were all exhausted to say the least! As the kids were winding down for the night, I had time to finally read my People, Entertainment Weekly and browse Goodreads to find my next stack of books I tackle. So here you go, another edition of Book Round Up!  There are suspects and motives aplenty when Dr. John Taylor, a well known plastic surgeon is found murdered in a hotel room. What's so interesting about Taylor? He's a closet polygamist and his wives all have stories to tell. With a rare combination of gripping sto...

You know what I'm loving right now?  First, I am loving that it's Monday and I am wearing a messy top knot and sweats. (on an uncool note, I am also wearing Uggs for house slippers because my electric bill continues to soar and I refuse to turn up my heat yet again). But really, I love my job and I love messy top knots on Monday mornings.  I'm loving the fact that Thursday is my birthday, which means I get to have lunch and dinner with some of my favorite people in the entire world. My mom, sister, niece, aunt, manfriend and tons of friends. What could be better? I'm loving that my kids will be back this week. I miss them so much it hurts. I've got our meals planned out, their room is all picked up and ready to be torn apart again and I get to raid their Valentine's Day goodies bags on Friday :)  Another thing I am loving is the following list of books I have been on my to read list! I most recently read The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Ki...

I have a slew of books that I've recently read and I swear, I had visions of seperate book reviews all in my head but free time seems to be literally leaking out of my life lately. Consequently, I bring you 3 book reviews all in one, it's your lucky day! I am like the Payless Shoe Source of book reviews! First, I bring you A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout From Goodreads: As a child, Amanda Lindhout escaped a violent household by paging through issues of National Geographic and imagining herself in its exotic locales. At the age of nineteen, working as a cocktail waitress in Calgary, Alberta, she began saving her tips so she could travel the globe. And then, in August 2008, she traveled to Somalia—“the most dangerous place on earth.” On her fourth day, she was abducted by a group of masked men along a dusty road. Held hostage for 460 days, Amanda converts to Islam as a survival tactic, receives “wife lessons” from one of her captors, and risks a daring escape...

You know that annoying little thing called life that always seems to take up all your time?  Yes, that! That's what has gotten in between me and my first true love: Reading.  I am ashamed to say this year wasn't one for the books. (see what I did just then? :)  So here is a book round up of the books that should have been.  2014, please spare me the drama that your friend 2013 served me up, (with sides of huge life changes and second helpings of trials and tribulations) and let me get some reading done, mmkay??  First off, I actually started this book and put it down at some point. I really think it has potential. It usually takes me a while to get into historical fiction but once I do, I am always glad I stuck with it!  I have a feeling I'll love this book because I LOVED "The Doctor and The Diva"  A gripping novel set in Belle Époque Paris and inspired by the real-life model for Degas’s Little Dancer Aged Fourt...

I read a book!  *raises hands in the air and jumps around in celebration. The Circle by Dave Eggers Synopsis:  When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency. As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO. Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work f...