Tuesday, July 30, 2013

It's Monday! What are you reading?

So really it is Tuesday already and the summer is flying by.  In less than a month my children go back to school.  It seems like it has been flying by since the last day of school.  I remember being a kid and thinking how long summer was, but it sure doesn't seem like that anymore.  Here is what I finished since last weeks post:

Finished Reading:
The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau
Tales from the Hood (The Sisters Grim #6) by Michael Buckley
Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
How To Run a Marathon:  The Complete Beginner's Training Guide by Katrina Abiasi
Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

Still reading:
Courting Carolina by Janet Chapman
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Sunday, July 21, 2013

It's Monday, What are you reading?

I really thought summer would have more free time, and I guess it has, but all of those times seem to be filled with something.  Going to the pool or the waterpark, going to the movies and the drive in, VBS, swimming lessons, camp, everyday chores, exercise and running and all that.  I have been reading, but haven't done much writing.  I hope to do a bit more this week, but I guess we'll see how it goes.  Here is what I finished since my last post:

Finished reading:
Raven by Lauren Oliver
Lost and Found In Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber
Red House by Mark Haddon
Profit of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau
The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene
Waiting to be Heard by Amanda Knox

Still reading:
The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau
Courting Carolina by Janet Chapman
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Tales from the Hood (The Sisters Grim #6) by Michael Buckley
Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Being Perfect by Anna Quindlen

Overview from Barnes and Noble:

A few times in your life, someone will tell you something so right, so deeply true that it changes you forever. That is what Anna Quindlen, author of the timeless bestseller A Short Guide to a Happy Life, does here.
In Being Perfect, she shares wisdom that, perhaps without knowing it, you have longed to hear: about “the perfection trap,” the price you pay when you become ensnared in it, and the key to setting yourself free. Quindlen believes that when your success looks good to the world but doesn’t feel good in your heart, it isn’t success at all.
She asks you to set aside your friends’ advice, what your family and co-workers demand, and what society expects, and look at the choices you make every day. When you ask yourself why you are making them, Quindlen encourages you to give this answer: For me. “Because they are what I want, or wish for. Because they reflect who and what I am. . . . That way lies dancing to the melodies spun out by your own heart.”
At the core of this beautiful book lies the secret of authentic success, the inspiration to embrace your own uniqueness and live the life that is undeniably your own, rich in fulfillment and meaning.

My thoughts:
This is the perfect, short little gem to remind you to do things for the right reason and to stop worrying so much about what other people are thinking.  Being perfect is an illusion and can form an empty shell that you live in by do not fully live while trying to maintain.  It is hard to take the time to truly be yourself and not the person you think you are supposed to be for others, but if you can avoid the trap you can find your own happiness and fulfillment in what you really want and believe.  Short, sweet, to the point and easily read in a sitting.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780375505492
  • Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 4/26/2005
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 64

Meet the Author

Anna Quindlen
ANNA QUINDLEN is the author of four novels–Blessings, Black and Blue, One True Thing, Object Lessons–and five nonfiction books: Loud and Clear, A Short Guide to a Happy Life, Living Out Loud, Thinking Out Loud, and How Reading Changed My Life. She has also written two children’s books: The Tree That Came to Stay and Happily Ever After. Her New York Times column “Public and Private” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992. Her column now appears every other week in Newsweek.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

It's Monday, What are you reading?



Finished:
A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth
Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline (audio)
Being Perfect by Anna Quindlen
Twilight: Director's Notebook: The Story of How We Made the Movie Based on the Novel by Stephenie Meyer by Catherine Hardwicke
Of Crimes and Misdemeanors by Michael Buckley (Sister's Grim #5)(audio)

Still Reading:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene
Waiting to be Heard by Amanda Knox
Courting Carolina by Janet Chapman
Red House by Mark Haddon (audio)

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Saturday Snapshot- Ducks!

 Thursday was an Old Fashioned 4th of July in our town and we celebrated it by buying Duck Race tickets for the rubber duck race in the creek.  Beforehand all the ducks are set out in numerical order.  This year each of the kids had their own duck.
 We had number 540.  I guess we should have recognized the signs when it was the only backwards duck laid out on the table!  Our little sheriff was already marching or swimming to his own tune!
We also had number 550 and 551.

And last there was 540, another brown hatted fellow, but not a sheriff this time.

 We sat and stood by the creek waiting for our ducks to come by, but they never did.  After all the winners had made it to the end we walked back and found out little guys stuck with lots of their friends in the rocks.
 Needless to say, none of our ducks were winners this year, but it was still fun to participate.
I think my kids liked the part where they got to go in the creek to clean up the left behind ducks the most!

Friday, July 5, 2013

Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline

 

Overview from Barnes and Noble:

Bestselling author Lisa Scottoline has thrilled millions with her emotionally-charged novels that feature strong women exploring the boundaries of family, justice, and love.   In Don’t Go, she breaks new ground and delivers the story of a soldier who discovers what it means to be a man, a father, and ultimately, a hero.
When Dr. Mike Scanlon is called to serve as an army doctor in Afghanistan, he’s acutely aware of the dangers he’ll face and the hardships it will cause his wife Chloe and newborn baby.  And deep inside, he doesn’t think of himself as a warrior, but a healer.
However, in an ironic turn of events, as Mike operates on a wounded soldier in a war-torn country, Chloe dies at home in the suburbs, in an apparent household accident.  Devastated, he returns home to bury her, only to discover that the life he left behind has fallen apart.  His medical practice is in jeopardy, and he is a complete stranger to the only family he has left - his precious baby girl.  Worse, he learns a shocking secret that sends him into a downward spiral.
Ultimately, Mike realizes that the most important battle of his life faces him on the home front and he’ll have to put it all on the line to save what’s dearest to him – his family.  Gripping, thrilling, and profoundly emotional, Don’t Go is Lisa Scottoline at her finest.

My thoughts:
Up until now I had only read Scottoline's non-fiction work, but this was a digital audio book at our public library and I decided to give it a try.  I figured when Mike was in Afganistan something bad was going to happen and I have to say that I think being separated from small children for so long is not healthy for anyone, coming back for his wife's funeral his daughter has no memory of him and cries whenever he is around, when he comes home for good she is calling his sister-in-law "Mommy" and brother-in-law "Daddy" and wants nothing to do with him.  (I have to say at this point I didn't understand why the in-laws had allowed this to happen and wondered why they hadn't done more with the Skype sessions and pictures to reinforce who daddy was, where he was, when he would be back, I had issues with this because as much as they wanted to blame his absence for the problems, they could have taken steps to help in advance.)  Dealing with an injury, the use of pain killers, the death of his wife, a child who doesn't know him, the loss of his practice while he was gone, no immediate job prospect in the area and the disturbing facts he learned after his wife's death make for a very turbulent first week home from combat. 

Years ago I read mysteries a lot and felt like I had gotten pretty good at figuring out the twists, but this is the second mystery in the past two weeks that I have had hunches that turned out to be totally wrong, so either I am rusty or mysteries have gotten a lot better!  I was not totally sold on the narrator of this audio book, the way he made the women sound was just kind of off to me.  I couldn't tell if they were supposed to have French accents, as I originally thought, or if that was just how he made his voice sound more feminine. 

The book raised questions about what kind or education families need to help their loved ones reenter family life away from the battle front, what kind of protections need to be made for their legal rights nad to ensure that they have jobs to come home to, what kinds of legal documents could the armed forces be providing to eliminate possible litigation and how long does it take to reintegrate with the family.


Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781250010070
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Press
  • Publication date: 4/9/2013
  • Pages: 384

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

A Little Bit Wicked by Kristin Chenoweth with Joni Rodgers

Overview from Barnes and Noble:

A lively, laugh-out-loud journey from Oklahoma beauty queen to show biz sensation.
"Life’s too short. I’m not."
You might know her as a Tony Award–winning Broadway star who originated the role of Galinda the Good Witch in the smash musical Wicked. Or you may recognize her from her starring roles on TV—The West Wing, Pushing Daisies, and Sesame Street. At four foot eleven, Kristin Chenoweth is an immense talent in a petite but powerful package. Through a combination of talent, hard work, and (she’s quick to add) the grace of God, Kristin took Broadway and Hollywood by storm. But of course, into every storm, the occasional drizzle of disaster must fall, and Kristin reflects on how faith and family have kept her grounded, even in tough times.
Filled with wit, wisdom, and backstage insight, A Little Bit Wicked is long on love and short on sleep. It’s essential reading for Kristin’s legions of fans and an uplifting story for anyone seeking motivation to follow his or her dreams—over the rainbow and beyond.

My thoughts:
I love being able to look into someone else's life and see how they live, what they love and how they deal with the highs and lows.  Chenoweth was fun to read about.  From her time with her family, the one who adopted her as a baby, to her time in Oklahoma learning to hone her voice, to Broadway and LA and planes and more, she was able to find the fun and humorous in even the not so great moments of life.  She is very grounded in her friendships and her faith, and she does not hide her faith from anyone.

I think sometimes seeing someone onstage or on TV or in a movie makes it seem like they lead a charmed and easy life, but no one got where they are without putting in effort and hard work and suffering rejection.  It is nice to hear someone else be candid about not getting a part, being passed over or not coming in first, to put some everyday obstacles into perspective.  I've never seen Wicked or watched The West Wing, I saw a couple episodes of Pushing Daisy's and never even heard of Kristin's talk show based on her life, but I enjoyed her book.  I almost think it made it better that I didn't have any preconceived notion of who Chenoweth is based on the roles she has played.

Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9781416580560
  • Publisher: Touchstone
  • Publication date: 4/6/2010
  • Pages: 246
 

Monday, July 1, 2013

It's Monday, What are you reading?

After finishing my overdue library book last weekend I decided it was time to flip through and read the magazines and newspapers that have been piling up so I didn't finish a ton of actual books, but I still was busy reading!  Here was my week:

Finished reading:
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Once Upon a Crime by Michael Buckley


Still reading:
Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline
Courting Carolina by Janet Chapman
Wicked Business by Kristin Chenoweth