XVI by Julia Karr

Goodreads summary:
Some girls can't wait to be sixteen, to be legal. Nina is not one of them. Even though she has no choice in the matter, she knows that so long as her life continues as normal everything will be okay.

Then, with one brutal strike, Nina's normal is shattered; and she discovers that nothing that she believed about her life is true. But there's one boy who can help--and he just may hold the key to her past.

But with the line between attraction and danger as thin as a whisper, one thing is for sure..For Nina, turning sixteen promises to be anything but sweet.

My thoughts:
This time last year I was reading my first dystopian YA novel. Something about Christmas break makes me want to read about the end of civilation as we know it. :) Just kidding. I liked this book. It didn't blow my hair back but there were several parts of this book that appealed to my political science heart. I definitely could feel how the author felt about the sexualization of young girls, health insurance companies, and over bearing governments as a whole. The interesting thing about this book that other dystopian books lacked what how real the main character is. Nina is the average girl who is put into some serious and shitty circumstances. She handles what she can and fails when she can't handle them. I am looking forward to the follow up to this book which is due out in a few weeks.

I would also say that I liked that Nina was not only loyal to her family like all or most dystopian books, but Nina also valued her friends as family. I liked that Nina had strong female friendships with two very distinctly different girls. I can relate to that. Even now my two closest female friends couldn't be more different.


I would recommend this book to people who dig the dystopian trend in YA books.

Drink Slay Love By Sarah Beth Durst

Goodreads summary:
Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

My Thoughts:
She had me at Acknowledgments. I will say that this book made me laugh at least three times from how ridiculous it is. I think it was a fun read. This book had a sense of humor about itself and by extension I don't feel the author takes herself overly serious. I will say that she almost lost me though with some of the unicorn stuff. Without spoiling anything I will say that while making fun of Twilight she unintentionally had some of the same annoying aspects to her book as Twilight. For instance I would for once like a book to show that love doesn't just happen over night but takes time to build and develop. Silly teenagers and rushing to use the love word!

That being said I would recommend this to anyone looking for an eye rolling good time. I wouldn't recommend this book if you are looking for a serious and or deep read.

While writing this review I was listening to the blissful silence that is my apartment on a quiet afternoon.

My oh My.... how time flies when you are doing math.

Tomorrow is the day....

Yep, I turn 30 tomorrow.

I am attempting to be positive about my birthday this year. I have never been a fan of them. Mostly, I like to sleep and not do a damn thing. This year I will be rocking some Thai food with my nearest and dearest. I am pretty excited to see my peeps. I haven't seen them much lately because of school. I took my final so I magically will have some free time until the second week of January.

My 30 for 30 project has been on the back burner for the last couple of months but as of tomorrow I am going to put it back in the forefront.

Bitter is The New Black By Jennifer Lancaster

Goodreads Summary:
This is the story of how a haughty former sorority girl went from having a household income of almost a quarter-million dollars to being evicted from a ghetto apartment...

My thoughts:
I am pretty sure that Jen Lancaster is my new best friend. Okay, not really, but I think she is pretty awesome. I loved this book. I dug her insight and lack there of. While reading this book I felt like I was hanging out with a richer less emotionally intelligent version of myself. I love me some designer clothes and the SHOES oh the shoes how I love thee.
I have read some seriously negative reviews of this book. I will say that Jen's narrative is definitely not for everyone. I think she appeals to a specific type of personality. I would not recommend this book to just anyone. She has the snotty bitchy attitude that a lot of women in my generation have. We feel entitled to a lot and when our expectations inevitably fall short we don't always handle it the best way but in the end we figure it out.

While writing this review I was listening to the snow melt from the first storm of the season.

Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Summary:
Caitlin has been living in her big sister's shadow her whole life. Out of nowhere that shadow up and moves away leaving Caitlin alone to figure out her own life. Rogerson comes into Caitlin's life and everything changes for her, but not in a good way.

My thoughts: SPOILER ALERT!
This is a departure for Sarah Dessen. Caitlin isn't a character I could immediately connect with. I have never really felt like I had to live up to my perfect siblings. Caitlin tries so hard have a different path from her older sister Cass. In the process of finding that path Caitlin looses herself. Rogerson enters Caitlin's life at just the wrong time, just when she is open to suggestion. She starts making choices that normally she wouldn't. The first time Rogerson hits her, she doesn't tell anyone. Caitlin deals with the increasing abuse for months.

I knew a girl in high school who dealt with beatings for months. She was addicted to the roller coaster. She wanted nothing more than to please him but he was rarely pleased. I saw her slow decline and heard her stupid excuses about the bruising. This book gives, in my opinion, an accurate account of what happens to women who are victimized. It starts with manipulation and ends with a fist.

I would say I liked this book over all. I would not recommend this to just anyone. I would imagine it would be a trigger book for those who have dealt with domestic abuse.

While writing this review I was listening to Grey's Anatomy.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

Goodreads Synopsis:
Walker and Daughter is Georgia Walker's little yarn shop, tucked into a quiet storefront on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The Friday Night Knitting Club was started by some of Georgia's regulars, who gather once a week to work on their latest projects and to chat-and occasionally clash-over their stories of love, life, and everything in between.

Georgia has her hands full, juggling the demands of running the store and raising her spunky teen daughter, Dakota, by herself. Thank goodness for Anita, her mentor and dear friend, and the rest of the members of the knitting club-who are just as varied as the skeins of yarn in the shop's bins. There's Peri, a prelaw student turned handbag designer; Darwin, a somewhat aloof feminist grad student; and Lucie, a petite, quiet woman who's harboring some secrets of her own.

However, unexpected changes soon throw these women's lives into disarray, and the shop's comfortable world gets shaken up like a snow globe. James, Georgia's ex, decides that he wants to play a larger role in Dakota's life-and possibly Georgia's as well. Cat, a former friend from high school, returns to New York as a rich Park Avenue wife and uneasily renews her old bond with Georgia. Meanwhile, Anita must confront her growing (and reciprocated) feelings for Marty, the kind neighborhood deli owner. And when the unthinkable happens, they realize what they've created: not just a knitting club, but a sisterhood.

My thoughts:
I liked this book. It wasn't really what I was expecting. My friend recommended this book to me forever ago. I had been putting it off for one reason or another ever since. I can't say I had a valid reason for it. I am glad to say that I dug this book. I liked the variety of female voices with a common hobby; therefore, a common thread going through each story. I liked the voice of Georgia. She reminded me of my Mother in a few ways. My Mom has owned her own business for over 33 years now. My Mother, was not a single Mom so she didn't have that set of hardships to deal with. But the personality between Georgia and my own Mom was similar.
I liked that this club became a support system for each of the ladies in the story. I think it is important for adult women to maintain connections not just with family or work but other women as well.

I would recommend this to pink book readers and anyone who wants to be pleasantly surprised by a book.

While writing this review I was listening to Mya - Ghetto Supastar

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Good Reads Synopsis:
Who is the real McLean?

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

My thoughts:
I read a lot of negative reviews on this book before reading it. I have to say I don't agree with any of them. I liked this book. I have said it before, but I just dig the way that Sarah Dessen tells a story. I love that she brings in characters from other books.
I liked the character of McLean. She is smart and adapts to her surroundings quickly. I like she changed not just her style every where she went but her name as well. I think most people have wanted to try on a different name and personality. I think to varying degrees we all try on different personalities at some point. I have always been fascinated with people who can so quickly adapt. In some ways McLean reminded me of my friend My friend like McLean can seamlessly put herself in any situation and excel.

I would recommend this to Pink Book readers or anyone who digs a good writer.

While writing this review I was listening to Emmapuppy grumble and moan about not being at the dog park.

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

Goodreads Synopsis:
Some bonds can never be broken...
Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. That's what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they're both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school's scapegoat.

Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weathergirl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents' house in their small hometown of Pleasant Ridge, Illinois, caring for a troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the Internet. She's just returned from Bad Date #6 when she opens her door to find her long-gone best friend standing there, a terrified look on her face and blood on the sleeve of her coat. "Something horrible has happened," Val tells Addie, "and you're the only one who can help."

My thoughts:
Why does Jennifer Weiner always have an over weight character who gets skinny in order to love themselves? That would be my only complaint in this book is that Addie can't love herself until she drops weight. I am so tired of women having to drop weight before they can feel love from themselves or others. I am a heavier girl and I have love for myself and others.
That being said I liked the rest of this book. I liked the clash of personalities between Addie and Val. Addie is cautious and careful about her life. Val runs a bit wild in comparison. During various stages of my life I have been both overly cautious and wild. It was nice to read both perspectives of this life long friendship.

While writing this review I was listening to Extreme - More Than Words. Yep.

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

Synopsis via Amazon.com:
Sometimes all you can do is fly away home . . .

When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wife—her hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. At fifty-seven, she ruefully acknowledges that her job is staying twenty pounds thinner than she was in her twenties and tending to her husband, the senator.

Lizzie, the Woodruffs’ younger daughter, is at twenty-four a recovering addict, whose mantra HALT (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) helps her keep her life under control. Still, trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achieve—a husband, a young son, the perfect home—and yet she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. With temptation waiting in one of the ER’s exam rooms, she finds herself craving more.

After Richard’s extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be.

Written with an irresistible blend of heartbreak and hilarity, Fly Away Home is an unforgettable story of a mother and two daughters who after a lifetime of distance finally learn to find refuge in one another.


My thoughts:
I liked this book. I have been hit or miss with Jennifer Weiner's books. This one I am on the side of really liking. I dug the three female voices and seeing their respective views on the world and a shared heart ache. I did have hesitations with the main voice Sylvie as I have never been the type of person to give up everything for the person I am with. Sylvie lost herself in her husband and his life. I was glad that she finally found herself again in the end but she was the hardest voice for me to relate to.

I recommend this book to those who dig the pink books (chick lit).

While writing this review I was listening to Anderson Cooper 360

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Synopsis:
Just before her nineth birthday Rose discovers something off about herself as she is biting into a homemade lemon cake. She can taste the emotions of her Mother in every bite. She can taste the thoughts and feelings of those who prepare her food. From the sadness of her Mother to the rush of a restaurant cook. Rose has an older brother who she looks up to but his behavior is distant and then just bizarre as the story progresses.

My thoughts:SPOILER ALERT
Well shit. I wanted to like this book. I really tried liking this book, for 3/4 of this book I was on the firm side of like-age. Then Rose's brother Joseph turned into a chair. Yep, a folding chair to be exact. The whole first half of the book we learn about Rose and her awesome ability/ curse to taste the emotions of whomever is preparing the food or harvested the food she is eating. I liked Rose. I hated the Joseph character and what was done to him.

I don't recommend this book to anyone. It made me too mad.

While writing this review I am listening to Anderson Cooper 360

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

They call it Amor Deliria Nervosa and you will be infected without the cure. It kills you when you have it and it kills you even if you don't have it. The cure is the only way you can be happy. Everyone when they turn 18 receives the cure. You can tell the cured from the uncured by a three pronged scar on the neck from a needle which immobilizes you during the procedure. It isn't safe for the uncured to be alone with other uncured of the opposite sex, to prevent infection of course. The disease is sitting like a ticking time bomb in all of us, waiting to spread. You will be safe from infection if you follow the rules. Curfew at 9pm for the uncured. Do well on your school board exams. Do well in your evaluations. You will be rewarded with a mate who is best suited for you. You will be happy once you have been cured.

Lena has been counting the days until her own cure since her Mother died of the disease. Lena is terrified of being infected. Lena's worst fear comes true when she meets Alex. She is infected with Love. There are the sympathizers and resistors of course, as there are with every insane government movement. There are even the invalids, those who have lived outside of the grid. Alex was born in The Wilds, the area outside of city limits. He is an invalid, uncured, infected, diseased. Lena discovers all the lies about the disease, her Mother, and herself through learning to love Alex.

This book gave me goosebumps several times. Not because, we as a society, are expecting people to line up for lobotomies but because we probably aren't far off. This book is what happens when you drink too much of the cool aid someone else is feeding you. There is the ever present totalitarian government, acting for the safety of its people. Lies and fear are always effective in brainwashing people into thinking they need something fixed, cured, or changed which wasn't broken.( See cable news organizations)

I liked this book. I even liked that the ending isn't picture perfect. Most, if not all, endings aren't what we want them to be in reality. It is easy to want those pretty moments in books, but it is refreshing to have a book end on both a happy and depressing note. It makes the book feel more real. This book leaves several things unanswered. I have heard there will be a sequel coming out sometime next spring.

I recommend this book to those who like awesome writing, dig apocalyptic stories, and or political stories.

While writing this review I was listening to Poe - Terrible Thought off of Haunted.

Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen

Auden just graduated high school and has a summer to kill before heading to college. She has been so wrapped up with pleasing her parents and getting excellent grades she has forgotten to do basic things, like have fun. So she is off to Colby, for a summer at the beach.

I liked this book the most of all the Sarah Dessen books I have read thus far. I am sure I have said that before but this one was more developed and I didn't feel a lacking of understanding for any of the characters, even the side characters were whole.

I love that Sarah Dessen mentions other characters from her other books. Just slight mentions that if you aren't familiar with her writing wouldn't mean anything. It is like a secret between you and the writer that you know about these other people that are only passing through a paragraph. In a lot of ways it makes her writing better, it isn't that she is creating a world per se it is that she is pointing out how small our world really is. Every one has a story, you just may not have read it yet.

In this story Auden develops the child in her. This is something I can relate with. I often let fear hold me back from behaving like a kid sometimes. I was so uptight, and still am in a lot of ways. I could relate to being uptight and also letting go of a lot of it while still maintaining who you are. This book made me want to go bowling in the middle of the night while drinking excessive amounts of coffee.

I recommend this book to my friend Miss A. I also recommend this book to anyone who likes Sarah Dessen or a good read that doesn't take a year to get through.

While writing this review I was listening to Emma play with her bone by throwing it around the room and pouncing on it.

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

Kate Cline is the main character of this book. She discovers a neighbor stabbed to death in their kitchen. Kate finds herself engrossed in figuring out who killed her neighbor. The murder mystery makes Kate remember who she was before she was a married house wife with three kids. Kate is dissatisfied with her life. She isn't happy just being a housewife and mommy.

This book reminded me how much I am sure that becoming a Mother might not be the best idea for everyone. I think that all too often women get wrapped up in the idea of being a Mother and don't take time to consider what it really means. While I don't have children I wouldn't jump into it without realizing that I would be giving up so much of what my life is. Oddly, this murder mystery novel got me thinking about it.

Over all I dug this book. I wouldn't say that it was an all time favorite or anything but it was a decent night time read. I found the interactions between the "Mommy's" in this story to be interesting. Women compete with each other way too much. Who has the best hair, who is the best Mom, who landed the best husband. All of these things come up in the book. I have never been one of those girls who competes in such things. I will say that I do have a competitive streak, I always want to have the highest grade in any class I take. I don't know what is wrong with me!

While writing this review I was watching Ugly Betty. I love Amanda!

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Remy is a lot like the other characters we have seen from Sarah Dessen. I am still not sure how she keeps writing the same basic book over and over again but I genuinely like each one. Remy has Daddy issues as well as Mommy issues. Of course there is a dude, but he doesn't really come to the rescue. We often see the male love interest in Sarah Dessen's books come to the rescue of the female lead.

Nothing overly remarkable stood out about this book. I liked the dynamic between Remy and her friends. I would have liked a little bit more with the group as a whole. They have an interesting exchange every time there are together and I think it was a missed opportunity to not have more with the group of friends.

I would recommend this book to Dessen fans. I would also recommend this as a light summer read for anyone who likes a light but good writer.

While writing this blog I am listening to the Rachel Maddow Show.

Wither By Lauren DeStefano

Wither: The Chemical Garden Trilogy
This book is post apocalyptic America. Basically the fit has hit the shan in more ways than one. Most of the countries we know and love have literally been blasted off the face of the planet. And America is sadly what is left. Don’t get me wrong, I dig America or what have you but I am kind of tired of all of the stories that have every other place in the world destroyed. Let’s be honest here folks, Americans fuck shit up way more than other places; our homeland is included in that. To think that America will outlast or out live other places in the world is just unlikely. Plus we are all heathenistic, at least that is what the churchy folk tell me.
So geneticists have been tweaking the human code to rid the species from illness. Cancer and terminal diseases are erased but along with these things the science folks have deleted our longevity. They aren’t sure why but girls kick the bucket at 20 and men kick it at 25. Our story in Wither is about Rhine, yes like the river. She is 16 and snatched away from her life in industrial poor New York and taken to riches in Florida to be wed. Rhine is half of a set of twins. Her brother Rowan is left behind with no idea where his sister has been taken or if she is even still alive. Poor girls are snatched off the street and sold as wives to rich young men. They then are forced to make babies. All the while everyone is killing over at really young ages.
I dug this book. My friend suggested this book to me a few months back when she read it. You can read her review here . I like the main character; while she is strong she is also human. She struggles with Stockholm syndrome and remembering where she comes from. She learns to really care about other people around her. I found the concept of sister wives in this book to be interesting. It made me wonder if the author has had experience with polygamists. It wasn’t a negative portrayal of sister wives which is so common when talking about polygamists. There is not a religious angle to this book at all, but being from Utah you learn the term sister wives pretty early on.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoyed The Hunger Games. I would suggest this book to those who dig YA lit. I liked the writing style of this author. I read her bio and she seems like a nerd, which of course I can relate to.

While writing this blog I am listening to Norah Jones.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Samantha Kingston is exactly like a lot of the mean girls I went to school with. Samantha's friend Lyndsay is a lot like I was in high school. The leader of the mean team. I think in a lot of ways this books feels like it was written by Tina Fey during her mean girls phase had she been obsessively watching Groundhog Day. I know that this comparison to this book has been made multiple times but it is the best way to some up this book. Sam lives the same day over and over seven times.

Sam is faced with her own harsh reality and the harsh reality of those around her. She is also made acutely aware of consequences for actions big and small. The writing style of Lauren Oliver took a little getting used to for me. I blame this on my recent re-reads of Harry Potter, it can be a mind fuck to go from dramatic wizards to dramatic popular girls. Once I adjusted I found the way the characters interacted to be authentic, meaning, that while these girls are mean girls they are also incredibly loyal to one another. They may be bitches, even to each other, but they each have redeeming qualities if you take the time to look for them.

Kent is the love interest in this book. I like that he is kind of over the top with his checkered shoes and bowler hats. I used to spend a lot of time with guys like Kent in high school. It made me miss all those guys for a little bit.

Over all I dig this book. I plan on picking up Lauren Oliver's second book after I finish all the other books I have started right now. I would recommend this book to formally overly bitchy girls such as myself, and or, currently bitchy girls. I liked the message this books sends. I will say though if you have recently dealt with suicide or bullying this book might not be the best thing for you to read.

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Ruby is 17 and living alone. Her mother took off about two months ago and had Ruby not had nosey landlords she probably could have continued living alone for a long time. She was keeping up with the basic bills, mostly, and keeping things together, mostly. Long story short it is discovered that Ruby has been abandoned by her mother and is shipped off to live with her older sister. This story is about Ruby figuring herself out.

Like all the other books by Sarah Dessen that I have read we follow Rudy through some tough situations and a lot of emotional growth. However, in this book we get something that I wanted in other Sarah Dessen books. We get better and more in depth character development with the male love interest. Nate is a great guy who helps Ruby come to terms with herself and her situation.

The twist(ish) of this book is that Ruby in turn helps Nate. We have not seen the female lead help the male lead in other Sarah Dessen books that I have read thus far. I liked that we got more of the male(ish) persepective in this book. I also liked that the guy who did all the rescuing needed to be rescued. I think this is closer to reality. I would say in most healthy relationships the "strong one" flips between people and isn't isolated to men.

I would recommend this book for peeps looking for a light and fast read.

While writing this blog I was listening to my boyfriend talk about his job.

Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire by JK Rowling

Wooooooooooops! I was suppose to post this weeks ago as part of the Harry Potter read a long with

Harry is getting wiser and older in this book. Harry doesn't seem anywhere as whiney in this book as he has in other books. In this book we getting better insight into Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. I think they way the Dark Lord runs his crew is interesting. I also still can't help but to think, seriously Lord Voldemort, you can't kill that kid? You are like a fucking immortalish snake dude, you can't off some kid? Whateves.

Harry is thrown into the TriWizard Tournament in this book. This is where Hogwarts and other magical schools compete with one another. I liked seeing the snooty French witches and the bad ass Bulgarian wizards. There is more diversity in characters in this book than in the others. In this book the Dark Lord is rebodied and is super bad dude again.

I liked the really normal bits in this book. Ron and Harry are having a hard time finding girls to take to the school dance. Ron is grumpy that Hermione is going to the dance with someone else. I like the normal kid life aspects thrown in with the wizard shit. I think perhaps that is why I have been able to read these "fantasy" books and not others. I like having normal things to relate to.

While writing this half assed review I am listening to Lady Gaga - Bloody Mary

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

Colie is the girl we walk with through this book. She is being shipped off to live with her eccentric Aunt while her Mother goes on a European tour for her fitness crazed career.

Colie used to be a heavy girl. She lost 45 pounds with the help and determination of her Mother who is basically the hottest thing to hit fitness since Tae-Bo. Colie's Mother is doing a summer long European tour promoting all of her fitness what not so Colie is shipped off to stay with her "art freak" aunt in a small town.

As a heavy girl I could relate to the main character. She was treated like dirt for being fat. I have always been treated like shit for daring to be fat. I have had random people say mean things to me in the grocery store to people in high school saying the only reason boys talked to me was because I gave good head. Colie has had to deal with a lot of the same bullying behavior. I never let it get to me as much as Colie does. I always stood up for myself. I never let people call me a slut and get away with it. Colie is a lot like many girls I knew in high school. Taking every insult and turning it into a twisted form of self punishment.

Yes this book has a cliched ending, but I didn't mind it. I liked that Colie ended up with an Art dude while learning to accept her art freak aunt. I think the art nerd in my soul smiled a bit at the cheese of the ending.

I would recommend this book as a fast summer read.

While writing this blog I was listening to Lady Gaga - Americano

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Annabell is a girl who on the surface appears to have everything until she and her best friend Sophie get into a huge fight. This book is about learning about that fight and the truth behind it for Annabell.

Annabell is sexually abused by Sophie's boyfriend. Annabell opted not to talk to anyone about what had happened to her. We the reader can kind of guess what happened to her if we pay attention to the clues but it isn't the lead topic by any means. I liked this book.

I liked the character development in this book. Annabell has to figure out how and when to speak up. I can relate to characters who have a hard time coming into their own voice. When I was much younger I had a really hard time talking to anyone. I was bound so tightly in my own head that once I learned to speak up it mostly came out in dramatic flare up and shouts. I still have a tendency toward the dramatic self expression, I am a poet after all.

Annabell develops a friendship with a fellow lunchtime outcast named Owen. This is your typical pissed off white male character who has gone through anger manangement classes. He helps Annabell learn to deal and speak about what has happened to her. His character development is the only character I had a hard time with. I wanted to know a bit more about him and his motivations for some of his behavior. Over all though I would say I still liked Owen.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy the pink books (chick lit) as much as I do, younger girls trying to figure themselves out, older women in the mood for a walk down memory lane.

While writing this review I was listening to Lady Gaga - Government Hooker.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Nora Gray is the main character in this story. She is annoying to me from the first chapter on. I never warmed to her as a character. I suppose I couldn't relate to her. I guess I just couldn't get into this one. Like the last book I read, Nora's Father died suddenly and Nora is learning to deal with the death.
Nora is trying really hard to make her normal life work. Then suddenly she is seated next to a guy named Patch in Bio class and all hell breaks out in her life. Nora is a stronger version of Bella from the Twilight series. I suppose this is why I disliked this book so much, it reminded me of Twilight a lot.
Am I asking too much when I ask that characters don't go from hostility to love in a matter of days? I have never made such a fast progression. I am not stupid enough to think I am in love after a few weeks. I really wish these type of books would stop thinking I, the reader, am retarded.
I struggled to get through this book. It was predictable from start to finish. I disliked every character. I also disliked the Fallen Angel talk without the mention of a God. Don't get me wrong, I am not even close to religious but I think if you have religion in your book you either have to have a clear explanation of the theology you are babbling about or pick a generic one that people already know. I found myself thinking back to what I know of Fallen Angels in a variety of contexts and this story didn't really jive with any of them and there wasn't further discussion other than mentioning a heaven.

I would recommend this book to people who want mind numbing cliched predictable crap. Basically, this might be a good read by the pool since you really don't have to pay attention to it very much.

While writing this post I am listening to Massive Attack - Mezzanine.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

The Truth About Forever is about a teen named Macy. She is learning to be "fine just fine" after the sudden death of her Father. Macy feels the need to be the perfect daughter her Mother never had in Macy's sister. Macy is living the cookie cutter dream. Perfect boyfriend, perfect grades, prefect job... perfect perfect perfect. There is just one thing, Macy is actually not perfect. She has just being going through the motions of being perfect.

Macy as a character is actually pretty easy to relate to. She is the average kid trying to get through something not so average. She was close to her Father and since his passing she has held the stiff upper lip for her Mother.

Of course, a boy comes along and makes things not so perfect. Wes, is the cliched misunderstood artist type. Tattoo and all. I liked this character even with him being so predictable. I am a sucker for the artsy type though. While "normal" girls lusted over jocks and the "normal" hot guy, I was always getting slimy over the art guys. I don't know what it is about a man who is rough around the edges and creates art that gets me going. Anyway, apparently I have this in common with Macy. She is attracted to Wes from the first time she sees him.

I won't give away why they connect so much but I will say I like the development of the story. I liked the way that this story started, progressed, and ended. It definitely had some eye rolling cliched moments but over all I dug this book.

I would recommend this book to those who have a soft spot for pink books like I do. I would recommend this book to girls who are trying really hard to be something they are not.

While writing this review I am listening to Massive Attack Mezzanine.

Goals Goals Goals...

So I have started the weight release goal for my 30 for 30 and so far have lost 1 pound. Go Malinda! I am counting calories which blows but is super enlightening. I have an app on my phone that makes it very easy to keep track of what I am eating. It is also helping me watch my cholesterol. I come from a long line of heavy folk and have many a bad eating habits. I don't want to jump into a program that is too radical to keep up. So I have altered my path and thus far it isn't easy but it is doable.

I have a great concept for a painting working around my noodle and now I just need a sunny weekend day to make it come to life.

The boyfriend got a call today informing him that he has been hired at the University of Utah hospital. While the money isn't much more than he is currently making it is at least in the field he wants to be in. So YAY for him! My own job hunting hasn't been going awesome thus far and I have been frustrated. I am revamping my resume and hopefully that will bring new life to my hunt. So if anyone knows of any jobs out there that you think I would be rockin for please let me know.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

In short: We follow 17 year old Andy through her emotional tail of her brother's death, her potential suicide, and the heart ache of the French Revolution as she relearns history through the diary of another.

This is not a feel good book. That is not to imply it isn't good, because it is written quite well. I enjoyed the style of Jennifer Donnelly quite a bit. We are instantly curious about this girl Andy who seems way too intense for no reason. We find out later she was present at the accidental killing of her little brother. She has grown up with an eccentric Mother and absent Father. The only thing Andy can hold on to is her music.

Andy can kick some serious ass on the guitar. In this way she reminds me of several musicians I know. All of whom started playing the guitar when they were teenagers at the height of depression. Music is something that I lean on as well. I don't play, but I listen to music every second that I can. I can relate to getting lost on three or four chords of a song.

There is a fair amount of French Revolution history in this book. It made me realize how much I had forgotten about the French Revolution. I went back in my history lessons and expanded them to assist me with the sections of the story that take place in 1795 in Paris.

While, as I said previously, this is not a light read, it is worth the read. I wouldn't recommend this to someone who is currently depressed. There are A LOT of depression triggers in this book if you are prone to the doom and gloom I would be careful of your own mood while reading this book. I always wished that more book reviews gave heads up to us depressives.

I was listening to Norah Jones while writing this review.

School blues....

So... paying for school has been a huge issue for me the entire time I have been going to school. I have only taken grants and loans when shit got desperate. I have tried to solve my money issues by myself. Skip forward many years later and I am out out out of options. I am now applying for scholarships and more FASA just to get two classes paid for. Yep, I am two classes away from getting my AS. Which may not be impressive to you, but I have worked really hard on getting even that far.
It isn't likely that I will be able to get FASA. I have too many credit hours. I have gone through the appeals process once before and it isn't likely that I will be successful a second time. I am hoping that a scholarship comes through but I am not holding my breath. So I will have to wait until next year, or perhaps the one after that to graduate.
I was of the super depressed variety when I figured out I wouldn't be able to finish school this year. I have come to terms with it now. Sometimes I wish I had a wealthy tuition fairy who took care of these things for me. But really, I am glad that I only have a few thousand dollars in student loans. I am glad that it really will only be another year before i can graduate. I have waited this long, what is one more year?

So I have been working on my 30 for 30. I am having a hard time getting back into the writing mode. I have tried at least 30 poems but haven't finished them. I have been doing better with writing in my journal but not as much as I need to.

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban By JK Rowling

I am re-reading all the Harry Potter books as a part of a read a long with
This is the first book in this series that I actually enjoyed reading the first time I read it. The first two books were slow and really juvenile. I know they are kids books, but I had been told over and over than adults could enjoy these books as well. This is the book that I started to believe that.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione don't bother me any where near as much in this book as they have in the other books. We get a better understanding of the Dark Lord and the people he surrounded himself with in this book.

We meet Professor Lupin (Mooney), Peter Petegrew (Wormtail), and Sirius Black (Padfoot) in this book. Professor Lupin and Sirius Black are some of my favorite characters. I feel bad for Lupin because he has had a hard time of it with being a werewolf. He is a softer and more thought provoking character as you would from a stereotypical werewolf. Sirius Black as it turns out was best friends with James Potter and is actually Harry's Godfather. I like that Harry, by the end of the book, has a Father figure to talk with and look up to. Harry has been so desperate for connection that is nice to see him finally see someone as family. Wormtail, is just a wormy dude who betrayed his friends and he is the lowest of people. He reminds me of wormy people who flip flop between popular kids in high school.

The writing in this book is greatly improved from the first two. I found myself slipping right into the story and forgetting everything around me. When a story can draw me in effortlessly I really dig it. So often I have to force focus on things that I am reading. I have to say that this book has more of a dark tale to it. We learn about Dementors and those fuckers are creepy!

Soooooo, who would I recommend this book to? I would say anyone who digs the fantasy or kid book thing.

I am listening to Wolf Gang as I write this. You should check them out.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

So I watched the crap movie with Julia Roberts called Eat, Pray, Love and was not at all impressed with this so called "year long journey" the main character was taking to really figure herself out. I thought this movie was boring at best and highly cliched and irritating at its worst. I found it less about a woman working through her shit (as billed) and more about a romance. Which BLAH at Hollywood! Give me a story that is genuine and don't assume I have to have a hot guy in a movie for me to go see it! (confession.... hot guys don't hurt.... yep I'm a hypocrite)

None of these things apply to the book. I could relate to this writer lady quite a bit. I too have had that moment on the bathroom floor crying and not having any idea how to get myself up. I have struggled with the darkness of depression and learned to cope with it as best as I can. I have also medicated myself once in my depression history with zero luck with it helping me. And a total loss of my ability to express myself. Needless to say, I didn't stay on those meds very long.

Elizabeth Gilbert speaks openly and honestly about the good, the bad, and the ugly all lurking in her closet. She is humble and yet not at all depending on the circumstances. I don't so much relate to a "God" aspect the way that Elizabeth does. I do, however, connect with the voice in your own heart to guide you through the tough bits. I really liked this book. I like the concept of smiling with your liver. And while I half think this means I should drink a little more, I get the concept of letting a smile flow through your body. This is why I have put this on my 30 for 30 list. I want to feel a smile flow through my whole body.

While my personal spiritual journey was completely different; and will always be completely different I can appreciate the hard work. I recommend this book to people who dig the subject of self realization, those going through a spiritual change, or anyone who enjoys good writing. I will put this out there, if you are of the sensitive variety there are several doom and gloom dark moments that can trigger all sorts of internal whatnot. Be prepared, we dive into her icky sicky right with her.

I rocked the audiobook read by the author for this book. I have always been a sucker for writers reading their own work. If you like audiobooks I highly recommend that you get this. You really get a sense of who this woman is through her voice.

While writing this review I have been listening to Adele (19) and the Beatles (Abby Road). What are you listening to?

30 for 30

Every year I try to visit my older brother in Seattle for his birthday. He turned 30 two years ago. He made a list of 30 things he wanted to do for his 30th birthday and checked the list off the weekend around his birthday. I am still waiting for his amazing video blog but other than that he made good progress on the list. If I had a picture of the Gothic photo shoot we did in Lakeview Cemetery I would post it here. For those of you who used to Goth out in the 90's, this is the Cemetery where Bruce and Brandon Lee are buried. Yes, this was my idea. Yes, I am that girl. "It can't rain all the time" even in Seattle. Oh man my brother will be ashamed to know me right now. Thankfully, I don't think he reads this blog.

Fast forward two years and now it is time for me to turn 30. 30 has been everywhere lately. Friends are turning 30 everywhere I look. My own birthday (which isn't until December) is coming up a lot in conversation. My friend recently had me out to Denver for her 30th and while I was there I decided something about my own birthday. I am going to do 30 things for my 30th birthday. I am not going to limit myself to the day or weekend of my birthday. I want to make this a year long journey. I am still working on my list. Something about the last five or so things to do is hard to come up with. I will post a partial list at the end of this blog.

So why? Why come up with a list and push myself to work on things? I don't take enough time on myself and my growth. I get too busy with work, school, and all the rest to remember to better myself. I am terrified of getting older. A couple of months ago I found my first gray hair and had a total melt down. I have been putting myself through hell, beating myself up for not being where I wanted to be by 30. This list is a way for me to work on myself and work through my aging issues, and have a little fun while I am at it.

Here is the incomplete list:
1.30 paintings
2.30 poems
3.new job
4.graduate
5.sunrise photo shoot
6.sunset photo shoot
7.blog every week
8.journal every night
9.meditate every day
10.smile every day
11.amends
12.release weight
13.30 drawings
14.travel somewhere new
15.dream bigger
16.learn to smile with my liver
17.find something beautiful about Utah
18.get drunk with my brother
19.dance
20.10 shows
21.leave my comfort zone
22.design and sew a dress
23.swim without being self conscience about my body
24.make serious progress on my book
25.sit on a porch
26.hummingbird tattoo
27.teach myself intermediate algebra
28.reach my book goal of 150 books read this year
29.Spend more time with my friends
30.Leave an impression

This is Where I Leave You By: Jonathan Tropper

I liked this book. At first I wasn't sure that I would like it, let alone finish it. Sometimes the internal monologue of a Jewish male is pretty far from what I can relate to. I was, sadly, not raised by a crazy Jewish woman. I lived in New Jersey while I was young and I had wished that my Mother was a crazy Jew more than once. As it is she is a crazy Mormon Mother.
This book is about a family shitting Shiva for their recently deceased Father. For those who are unaware Shiva is a Jewish custom of morning for a week with family members. Shiva means seven in Hebrew. You sit either on the floor or close to the floor and people pay their respects by visiting you during this week long period. This family, like my own, has not spent much time all together in quite a while. There is the dysfunction that all families suffer from and then there is the extreme dysfunction.
The main voice of this book is Judd. Shortly before his Father's death from cancer Judd walks in on his wife doing that naked tango with Judd's boss. Judd is floored by the betrayal of his wife and then this devastation is compacted by his Father's death which is compacted, again, when Judd finds out his soon to be ex is carrying his baby.
I can't say that this was a light read by any means. You get right in the thick of Judd's depression and regret. You swim in it with him for most of the book. The last few chapters finally you are pulled up by the hair and things end on a mostly positive note.
The female voices in this book made me think of my friend Albert. If Albert were a Jewish woman, he would have written this book.

I recommend this book to those who can handle a depressing story without it sucking them in too much and those who can relate to mourning. I would also suggest this book to anyone who enjoys a good story. Jonathan Tropper can tell a good story. The individual voices of his characters are all clear, and while sometimes cliched, they are never confused.

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets By JK Rowling

This is the second book in the Harry Potter series. I am rereading this book as part of a Harry Potter read a long hosted by my good friend

I like this book much better than the first. I love love love the character of Lockheart. He makes me giggle with his arrogance and incompetence. I love that he magics all the bones out of Harry's arm during a quidditch match.

The characters of Harry, Hermione, and Ron are better developed in this book. We get a good look at the dynamic in Ron's family. I really love how real his family is, from the grumpiness to the obvious love from all of them. It reminds me of my own family.

I will say that I don't dig the giant snake and the spider bits in this book. I tend not to enjoy icky icky eeewwww things like snakes and spiders. I do laugh a bit at Ron being terrified at spiders. I like that JK Rowling make the boys in this story a little less obnoxious.

I recommend this book to children and those who don't mind children literature.

Afterlight: The Dark Ink Chronicles by Elle Jasper

I should have known from the cover tag line of "Blood is thicker than ink." That this book was going to be complete shit. Actually, saying this book was complete shit would be an understatement. I have a high tolerance for crappy vampire books and tv shows. I read and reread Anne Rice more than I would like to admit so trust when I tell you that I don't normally hate on crappy vampire books.

This book is like a smutty version of Twilight. Can I just tell you how tired I am of helpless, yet hardened women, who crave... long... lust... for vampires. Even though they could get killed they still bone their vampire boys until they "change." UGH! Enough predictable shit!

This book also uses words like "freakin" and "hellava" way too much. There was zero variety in the vocabulary of Elle Jasper. I also have to say that reading the sex scenes was mostly just gross rather than even slightly erotic. I have written my share of sex stories. I opted to make most of them funny. Frankly, trying to write erotica and have come out as anything other than ridiculous is just a wasted effort.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. From cliched characters to poor writing it just isn't worth the time it takes to read.

The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta

I didn't know what to think of this book after a few chapters. Now that I have finished this book I am still not sure how I feel about it. I connected with the female lead, Ruth. She really just wanted to tell the truth to the youth she was hired to teach about sex. She was held back by the religious right which was taking over in her community. Growing up in SLC, I grew up in schools that only taught abstinence. I will say this about that brand of curriculum, I started having sex when I was 14. It would have been nice if I had been nice to have been armed with knowledge. This is not to imply I wouldn't have had sex at such a young age. I would have still fucked like a hot bunny even with the knowledge. I just would have been safe from the get go, rather than just being lucky before a gay friend of mine showed me the ins and outs of safe sex.
The Abstinence Teacher brought up a lot of issues for me. My big RED FLAG went up with all the GOD talk in this book. I was worried I had just checked out a book that was trying to convert me. We see Ruth struggle with the religious right not only in her career with them putting a stop to Sex Ed and replacing it with Abstinence teaching; but Ruth also has to deal with the same people in her personal life. Ruth becomes outraged when her daughter's soccer coach holds a team prayer at the end of a game. Frankly, I would have flipped my top. I got my feathers ruffled by the way the Christians in this book talk and act. I felt like I was back in high school and those snotty bitches were calling me the devil again.
I think my personal bias against religious people prevented me from liking Tim. He is the male lead in this book. He is a born again Christian and not having an easy go of it. He is a recovering addict who basically transfers his addiction for drugs to God. Having more than one junkie for a friend I know how easily some flip the switch from heroin to Jesus. I think both addictions are equally dangerous to your well being.

Over all this book was a lot of lead up and talk to an anti climatic end. Did I like it? I can't say for sure. I have been thinking about that since finishing the book. I will say I liked parts of it. Parts of it made me so disgusted with the accuracy of how some people behave I had to walk away from it for a while. Over all I would recommend this book, with the warning that if you have the same prejudice against religious people you may get your panties in a bunch.

The Secret Life of Bees By Sue Monk Kidd

In the last couple of months I have been reading a lot of books and essays set in the South in the 60's. Race relations are something that have come up a lot in my political science classes. While things are better than they were in the 60's it is in reading these works that I see how much more work we still need to do for equality. Today our schools are less diverse than they were in the late 60's. A disturbing number of minorities are incarcerated.

The laws and justice system in this country are racially bias. It is something that comes up in the Secret Life of Bees. Rosaline is treated quite harshly for spitting on a white man's shoes. She is the house keeper for Lilly. Lilly is the main voice in this book. We learn almost equally about bees and people in this book. I loved the way the writer incorporated bee keeping into day to day life and the similarities in relationships.

Lilly's Mother was tragically killed when Lilly was 4 years old. Lilly has always had a hole in her heart where her Mother should have been. Lilly's Father was not a good man toward Lilly. He was overly harsh in his punishments and overly apathetic about her when she was behaving. Neglect and coldness is all Lilly knew from her Father so it wasn't surprising that Lilly grew very attached to Rosaline.

When Rosaline ran into legal trouble Lilly couldn't stop herself from helping her run away. They ran away to a different part of the same Southern state. Lilly has a hard journey figuring out who she is, who her Mother was, what is right or what is wrong. It is a touching and at times overwhelming journey. But in the end Lilly figures out what she believes and knows about herself and the world.

I would suggest this book to anyone who is interested in a good but heavy read.

A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages By Kristin Chenowrth

I have always thought that I would love to hang out with Kristin Chenoweth, if she weren't so dang nice (this is a bit of a joke from her book). :) I really enjoyed the snap shots of her life that she painted in this book.

I guess I never thought about how annoying it can be to constantly be called short and sweet. I am taller than the average girl and meaner than the average girl, so these things haven't ever been said to me. That isn't to say that I couldn't relate to Kristin. She and I couldn't be more opposite but at the same time, I found a lot of myself in reading her book.

Kristin gave light to how much hard work actually goes into building a Broadway career. She is sweet and endearing in the way she talks about her best gay to her grandpa. There wasn't one point that was a high point over the others in this book. That is the thing about the way that Kristin delivers her story. She rides the highs and lows with the same humility and grace. She drips with normality which you don't often see from people as talented as her.

In reading about Kristin, I went from liking her to really respecting her. I was a pseudo fan of hers when I started and I would say that my fan-ness has also grown from reading about her. I dig anyone who stays true to who they are and doesn't apologize for it. I am not at all religious like Kristin. I don't think I have prayed since my Mother used to make me do it before dinner each night. But I do mediate, I do hold my personal truth near and dear. I found it refreshing to read about someone who isn't afraid to ask for help when she needs it, but for the most part she has to figure things out on her own. I am the same way.

I fully recommend this book to everyone.

Catching Fire By Suzanne Collins

This is the second book in the Hunger Games Series. In this book we again follow Katniss through her struggles just to have a normal life. She has won the Hunger Games and no longer has to work just to feed her family. She and Peeta have been given homes and anything else they could want for having won the games. The catch is that the Capitol is pissed these two won. Normally in the Hunger Games, much like in Highlander, there can be only one. Katniss and Peeta have cheated the Capital.

As a result they end up having to go back to the Hunger Games. This time they are going up against people who have all won previously. This is something the call the Quarterly Quell where there are new rules for the Hunger Games every 25 years. This year it so happens that the people chosen to go to the games have to be from the winner pool. This means there are so seriously people to seriously crazy people in the competition. Without ruining anything for anyone I will say that these preparations for the Games are more interesting than the first book. I will also say I liked the character development in this book better than in the first.

There is an interesting twist of events at the end of the book that I didn't really see coming, well at least not the way that it did. I don't want to have any spoilers here so I will just say you may want to have the third book handy when you read this one as it ends on a cliffhanger.

I recommend this book for anyone who has read the first. I would not recommend this for young children as there are definitely some mature themes what with all the death of the Games and all. I would also recommend this book to fellow Political Science majors or anyone interested in fear tactics that governments use.

Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone By JK Rowling

This is the first entry in my Harry Potter Read along with my good friend Crystal. I am looking forward to reading what everyone else thought of the books.

I have read the Harry Potter series a few times now. I have in the past skipped the first two books if I reread the series. This first book isn't really a magical read for me. I can understand the appeal that it has for children. It is a simple yet complex story which leads to vivid imagery if you aren't hindered at painting the picture yourself (which most children are not and most adults struggle with). There is a lot of background information in this book so it is important to read for the sake of understanding everything but I don't think I really enjoy it. It is like reliving the awkward years of childhood all over again. It made me want to straighten my bushy hair and hide my big teeth.

Harry starts off as a kid who tries to stay as invisible as possible while on Privet Drive. As soon as Harry hits the wizarding world he suddenly has a voice. He stands up for himself against bullies. He sticks his nose into things that don't concern him. The thing this story lacks for me is a motivation. Why is Harry suddenly so out spoken? Why the sudden change in behavior? I get that Harry loved Hogwarts, but does a sense of home lead to reckless abandon for who you were ten minutes ago?

The quidditch section of this book is boring to me and I try to just move past it as quickly as possible. I understand the appeal, it just isn't my deal to read the description of a sports match. Sure I can dig sitting in Yankee Stadium with a hot dog and a beer surrounded by friends. I am definitely not one of those people who sits at home next to the radio listening to a game. I am more of a Wait Wait Don't Tell Me kind of listener.

The strongest theme in these books is love. Be it love for your friends who you would risk dangerous situations to help. Sometimes it is the love of family, as seen with the Weasley bunch. Over all it is the wish of love that we see with Harry. More than anything in the world Harry wants and need love. I dig a story that teaches children loyalty and love.

All in all this is definitely a book meant for children. I would suggest it to parents struggling to get their own child to read. I would suggest it to those interested in understanding the Harry Potter movies a little better (as I think they leave much to be desired). I would also suggest this as a light read for anyone wanting a little fantasy that isn't has heavy as other fantasy books. For instance, JK Rowling does not create a language in these books. :)

The Help By Kathryn Stockett

I finished this book a few hours ago. It is the story of three women set in Mississippi in the 1960's. One women is a white recent college graduate while the other two are black maids. Yesterday, was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I was living in New Jersey going to elementary school the first time I heard the "I have a dream..." speech. It gave me goose bumps then and it gives me goose bumps now. That speech gave me hope for the future of race relations. I have hope for sexual equality. I have hope that inequality is something that is covered in history books, not felt in day to day life. I know that I am an idealist. I know I will suffer with my disappointment when what I wish doesn't happen. But I can hope. As a little girl growing up first in Draper, Utah then in Flanders, New Jersey, then back to South Jordan, Utah you would think that I was somewhat sheltered against racism. I did after all grow up in the 80's and 90's, not the 50's or 60's. I remember some kid at school calling me a spic and I had no idea what that was, let alone that it was a racial slur. I was in the 1st grade when this happened to me. It was the first time, but certainly not the last time someone said that to me.

I am confrontational to say it nicely. My friends all agree that they love when I am a bitch to people when they deserve it but hate with when I aim it at them. I am not afraid to tell people exactly what I think of them and whatever it is they are doing in front of me. I related to the character Minny more than the others in The Help, because she too couldn't help herself. She would tell people exactly what she thought of them. She would also lash out at people when they deserved it. I have a hot temper just like her. In the story Minny has a harder time than most maids as she is confrontational. She gets fired a lot for her mouth. She is also a really sweet woman and would do anything to protect the people she loves most. I could also relate to that level of loyalty.

Miss Skeeter isn't someone I could relate with at first. She was just another spoiled rich white girl from the south in the beginning of this book. She like an onion needed her layers peeled back. Her Mother was over bearing and overly critical and I had a hard time with this dynamic. My own Mother can be somewhat out spoken but has never intentionally made me feel bad about myself like Skeeter's Mother does consistently through out the book. Miss Skeeter comes up with the idea to write a book. She decides she wants to write the black maid's perspective on domestic life. She obviously had no idea what she was getting herself into when she started the project but by the end I think it made her a stronger person.

The character of Aibileen has the strongest voice in the book. We see her struggle with raising yet another white baby. We see her love a child that is not her own, knowing that one day that child will flip a switch in her head and start seeing Aibileen as less than. We see Aibileen show great courage in being the fist woman to record her stories for Miss Skeeter. Aibileen works for Miss Skeeter's close friend so it is difficult for them both to talk about the way Aibileen is treated.

The way these three very different women come together and share their lives with one another isn't a new story. I would say that over all this story has been told in different forms many times. I am not saying I didn't enjoy this book. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I did like that the two black maids had more of a voice in this book than the one white character. In that way it was different from other books that I have read. I didn't struggle too much with the dialect in which this book is written. I took a Diversity in American Literature class which had reading selections much more difficult and thick with dialect. I only mention it because I wasn't prepared for it when I picked the book up to start reading it. I generally prefer to know before hand if a book is written in a dialect. I tend to have to concentrate a little more on the reading when this is the case. I started this book a while ago but had to put it down until I had more time I could devote to it.

I would recommend this book to any one interested in race relations, female bonding, the south, and or a different view of American History. I would not say that anyone not at least a teen should read this book, as there are some graphic parts to it and some of the language is a bit harsh. I had a friend tell me they were thinking of reading it to their 6 year old. I don't think that would be a good idea.

The Point....

I have started this blog because I read way too much. I am often asked for book suggestions and of course my mind inevitably goes blank. Also, my friend who is an avid reader/ blogger (http://www.dorolerium.com/) is having a Harry Potter read along. I will be joining in on the fun of reading a long so once a month expect some Harry Potterness! In between those I will be posting about what I am currently reading and books I have previously read and loved. I will try really hard to not be one of those "blogger douches" who thinks their opinion is superior to all others. The fact that I am blogging indicates that I at least have this tendency in my soul, but I will try to keep it to a minimum.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Originally, when I heard about this book, I had no intention of reading it. I was told it was a teen romance series. After reading Twilight I didn't really feel like going back into the teen lit world. However, a former classmate of mine convinced me to give it a read. I am glad that she gave me the incentive to read this book.

The story starts off with introducing us to Katniss. She is 16 but wise beyond her years with having to take care of her family. She is a little bit on the stereotypical "my life is hard, so I am hard" side of character building. I would also say that our main character is inconsistently bright and dense. She can figure out how to feed her family when needed but can't pick up on the signs of a boy liking her.

I am a Political Science major so the politics of the Capital versus the Districts is fascinating to me. The Capital is a totalitarian state. The Districts 1-12 serve the Capital. Most of the people of the Districts are treated little better than slaves. The name of the book comes from a yearly event the Capital forces on the districts. From each district one male and one female child have to be offered up via lottery drawing to go to the Hunger Games. Once in the games the goal is to be the last one living. So basically 23 children have to die every year to satisfy the Capital and to remind the districts that they don't have the power to question the government.

Katniss is the female going to the games from her district. The teen romance drama which I thought this book would be more about is between Katniss and Peeta, the male selected to go to the games from her district. Their interactions before the Games and during are interesting to me from the stand point of what people will do to survive. I don't know that I would have it in me to fight anywhere near as hard as others to survive. I don't mean that in a self loathing way, I just mean that I don't think I could kill others just so I could live. The implications of your quality of life if you do live are profound, could you live with knowing you killed someone?

The dynamic between the districts and the Capital made me do a lot of thinking. Is this the way things would be if the United States took a nose dive? It was an interesting read and I would recommend it to teens, those with political science tendencies, and anyone looking for an easy read with heavy subject matter. I will say that some of the material can lead to pretty intense imagery if your imagination is at all like mine. I would say that this book is pretty well written, but has some shaky bits to it that have to be over looked to fully enjoy it.