Book Club Friday {Where'd You Go Bernadette}

Hey y'all,

My book club at work recently completed Where'd You Go, Bernadette as our September book. While I had had this on my GoodReads radar for over a year I had never sought the book out to read. Now I have finished the book and thought I would share some of my thoughts since I know a large number of you have read it! Please comment with your thoughts on the book as well! 

via

Description:

Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.
Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.
To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence—creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world.

Review:

It took a while to get used to the format of the book since it changes perspectives often from an email to Bee's point of view to a letter, etc. But once you get into the book and later find out about the reason for the formatting it makes more sense. I thought that Bernadette herself was very funny as a character however, the handling of mental illnesses and drug abuse were pretty appalling. I also think the book ends abruptly and I would have loved to have had another chapter to finish it. It was a good quick read!

   

And, if any of you grew up with Pizza Hut's Book It program, it's back! As a BookIt Alum you can sign up and gain a free personal pizza! No reading required this time! 

What is on your to-read list? 

I am about to re-read The Best of Me in prep for watching the movie with my Mom in a few weeks.

Trilogies: Book Club Friday

Hey y'all,

So this week I have been reading the final books of two really great trilogies. I finished off the Matched series with Reached and the UnEarthy Series with Boundless. I also just began the series Delirium.

Description:

After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this last instalment. While I loved the first book this was a great conclusion and really explained some of the lingering thoughts of the last two books. It was good, not amazing but I did not despise the ending which occurs with a lot of trilogies. I am content with this novel.

 

Description:

The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.
Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.
As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.
In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all.

My thoughts:

I am upset at the ending of this novel. I got completely obsessed with these books this fall and the second one had me bawling through the entire thing so this one was a let down. I really wanted a different outcome after all this time. Also some things were never really resolved. What happened with Clara's dad and her brother? The epilogue I felt was kind of lacking. But that's just my opinion and what I would want out of the characters.

 

What are you reading?

 

Peace and Blessings,

jDl

Page Turning: Book Club Friday

Hey y'all,

I know it has been forever since I have posted a book club friday link up with Heather, so this one is going to be long but I have read over 10 books since the start of the year and according to Good Read's I am on track for my goal of 113! Thanks to the use of my new nook Simple Touch I have been reading a lot whenever I head over to the gym which has been really great. Since my last link up, I have read a lot of love storys, yay for February!

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden

Description:

There are those who don’t get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don’t get saved.
Luck was not on Callie’s side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her. After it’s all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened. Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it’s a struggle just to breathe.
For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life. As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over. Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him.
Now he can’t stop thinking about the girl he saw at school, but never really knew. When he ends up at the same college as Callie, he does everything he can to try to get to know her. But Callie is reserved and closed off. The more he tries to be part of her life, the more he realizes Callie might need to be saved.

My Opinion:

Ok, so if you are not okay with reading about dark topics such as domestic violence and others, this is probably not the book for you. This is a love story that really focuses on the fact that outward appearances can hide a lot. I loved the story of Callie and Kayden and after I was done I had to scoure the internet and was relieved that there is going to be a sequel! YAY! I highly reccomend this novel.

 

Anna and the French Kiss

Description:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

My Opinion:

This is such a cute sappy love story. I mean who wouldn't want to have spent part of high school in a Parisian boarding school with cute boys (especially one with a British accent)? This was a really quick ready and a great story! While frustrating at times, the story does end well and I think most of it was believable for a high school student's love life.

 

Save Haven

Love hurts. There is nothing as painful as heartbreak. But in order to learn to love again, you must learn to trust again. 
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.
But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

My Opinion:

I am such a sucker for a Nicholas Sparks book. I did love the story and suprizingly I did not bawl throughout it like I tend to. I can't wait to see the movie sometime soon but I already know that they have changed the character's hair color and I am one of those nit-picky people that hates when the small details are not included. I mean, the hair color seems small but I think it mattered in the novel to establish the character's identities.

Are you the same way?

 

Heist Society

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.
Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.
For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

My Opinion:

I love the pull and tug between Kat and Hale which is why I am looking for the next book. This is a story about a girl whose's family is involved with art heists and when she wants to leave the business to attend a normal boarding school, there are struggles with lying about who she really is. A very nice teen series start. Not amazing but I plan on continuing in the series.

Wallbanger

Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a KitchenAid mixer, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O.
Adding insult to O-less, since her move, she has an oversexed neighbor with the loudest late-night wallbanging she’s ever heard. Each moan, spank, and–was that a meow?–punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has, yep, you guessed it, no O.
Enter Simon Parker. (No, really, Simon, please enter.) When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has, well, mixed results. Ahem. With walls this thin, the tension’s gonna be thick…
In her third novel, Alice Clayton returns to dish her trademark mix of silly and steamy. Banter, barbs, and strutting pussycats, plus the sexiest apple pie ever made, are dunked in a hot tub and set against the gorgeous San Francisco skyline in this hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight..

My Opinion:

I completely hate the title of this book but it makes sense to the story line. I thought the book was very humorous and loved the mixed up crazy relationships between all of the friends and the thought of setting all of your friends up with the perfect fit that doesn't fit your list.

 

Definetly Not Mr. Darcy

Chloe Parker was born two centuries too late. A thirty-nine-year- old divorced mother, she runs her own antique letterpress business, is a lifelong member of the Jane Austen Society, and gushes over everything Regency. But her business is failing, threatening her daughter's future. What's a lady to do?
Why, audition for a Jane Austen-inspired TV show set in England, of course.
What Chloe thinks is a documentary turns out to be a reality dating show set in 1812. Eight women are competing to snare Mr. Wrightman, the heir to a gorgeous estate, along with a $100,000 prize. So Chloe tosses her bonnet into the ring, hoping to transform from stressed-out Midwest mom to genteel American heiress and win the money. With no cell phones, indoor plumbing, or deodorant to be found, she must tighten her corset and flash some ankle to beat out women younger, more cutthroat, and less clumsy than herself. But the witty and dashing Mr. Wrightman proves to be a prize worth winning, even if it means the gloves are off..

My Opinion

I loved this story, I mean the idea of Jane Austen meets the Bachelor, perfect. I do think the story needed an epilouge but other than that I loved all of the drama between the contestants and the nitty-gritty of regency England live that is not really talked about in Austen's novels.

 

Kindred Spirits

When life gives you lemons, call your best girlfriends and whip up some lemon martinis. Such is the mantra for the Ladies' Society for the Conservation of Martinis, which was established after one fateful PTA meeting, when four young mothers-Lynne, Mary Kay, Beth, and Carol- discovered they had more in common than they ever thought possible. Meeting once a month, the women would share laughs and secrets and toast to their blossoming friendship with a clink of their sacred martini glasses. The Society was their salvation, their refuge, but when life-shattering circumstances force the group to dissolve, their friendship is never quite the same...until two years later, when a tragic event puts the Society back in session.
When Lynne passes away suddenly, she leaves behind one simple request: that her old friends sort through her belongings. Reluctantly, the women reunite to rummage through her closets. There's nothing remarkable; no kinky sex toys, no embarrassing diary. But buried deep within Lynne's lingerie drawer is an envelope addressed to the Society. And inside they find a letter that reveals a shocking secret and a final wish that will send the women on a life-changing journey...proving that nothing is more powerful than the will of a true girlfriend and a good, strong martini.

My Opinion:

I loved this tale of friends caring for one another and learning a lot of lessons after loosing a member of their society. It was a great heart-wrenching tail and I am glad I know I have friends that would be willing to do the same for me.

 

What have you been reading lately?

 

Peace and Blessings,

jDl

 

Book Club Friday!

hey y'all,

Today is FRIDAY! Chapel Hill was treated to a little bit of snow last night so it finally has a bit of winter (we were in the 60s at the start of the week) and I am going home tonight for the long weekend! I am excited for time with Max the cat, seeing my parents, getting my hair done and celebrating my birthday early.

Now onto the books for the week....

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

MY THOUGHTS

Ok, y'all don't hate me or think I'm heartless but I am NOT in love with this book. I know everyone is ranting about it but I didn't feel very connected to the characters. I also felt that it was kind of predictable. I did love the suprise about the author in the story and I did cry throughout the book but it to me was a like not a love.

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Born of Silence

 Death Stalks Them All...Kere is the second most infamous member of the shadow organization known as Sentella. An explosive engineer who strikes terror into the hearts of the League, the bounty on his head is truly staggering. No one knows his true identity.
The daughter of a traitor, Zarya Starska grew up hard on the back streets of hell- her family hunted to the brink of extinction. But Zarya dreams of a different life and a different world. A world where the harsh hand of the Caronese emperor doesn’t destroy his subjects. As a Resistance leader, her goal is to topple the government that needlessly ruined the lives of her family and comrades-in-arms. In this deadly quest, the only person she can trust is a mysterious man known only as Kere.
By The Light Of Day...
Kere has a dark secret and a brutal past. As he aids the Resistance, he’s actually working to bring down his own family- the Cruels- so named for the viciousness in their blood that runs so deep, no other name would do. Born and bred from one of the oldest and noblest families in the United Systems, Kere’s real name is Darling Cruel. And the one thing he wants most is to see his uncle, who stole the crown by murdering his father, pay for his crimes.
If You Tell A Lie Long Enough, It Becomes The Truth...
In order to protect his mother from execution, Darling’s entire life has been built on a lie that he dare not breathe a contrary word about. His hands tied by his uncle’s cruelty. No one has ever seen the real him. No one except Zarya. She’s the only person he’s ever fully trusted with the truth. But when she betrays him by allowing a weapon he designed solely for her to be used against him, all bets are off.
The Hero Is Now The Monster...
Betrayed to the deepest level, Darling becomes an enemy even worse than his uncle. His goal is not only to reign, but to kill every Resistance member he can find. He won’t rest until all of them are dead and that includes Zarya.
The Twisted Hand Of Fate...
Zarya is the only hope to reach the heart of the man her people once considered their ally. A man who hates her with a fury so great that she knows it’s just a matter of time before he kills her. But if she can find the part of him that once trusted her, the part of him that once loved her, she might be able to save not only her own life, but those of her people.
It’s an impossible mission.
Too bad she doesn’t play the odds

MY THOUGHTS

I love Sherrilyn Kenyon and this story did not diappoint. While the beginning section is filled with tourture scenes which are hard to stomach, this story had lots of twists and turns into one of the beloved members of the League stories. I had always wondered about Darling and the connection of his dark past and royal exterior. I was laughing, crying, and so upset the book was ending.

What are you currently reading?

Peace and Blessings,

jDl

Book Club Friday!

Hey y'all,

I hope that your weeks have all been well! I have already read 2 books toward my goal of 113, three if you are like Goodreads and count Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible. So here we go:

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Born of Shadows

 This is the 4th of the League Series. I actually re-read Born of Ice on New Year's Day as a refresher. The book is described as:

In a world where the League and its assassins rule, where betrayal and treachery are everywhere . . . the only survivors are those ones who are . . .

BORN OF SHADOWS

For Caillen Dagan, a defiant soldier of fortune, survival isn't a right, it's a brutal daily battle. Moving through the Ichidaian universe like a wraith, his brushes with the law and death are legendary. But when an act of rare heroism reveals his hidden birthright, he's forced into a world much more dangerous and cold-hearted than the bloody streets where he was raised-one of obscene wealth and lethal politics.

Ferocious and determined, Desideria serves as an official bodyguard for her queen. Born of questionable genetics, she will do anything to prove herself worthy of the weapons she carries and the position she's won by combat. But when she uncovers a ruthless plot to assassinate the queen and overthrow her country's government, Desideria is caught in the crosshairs.

With assassination contracts out on both of them, Caillen and Desideria must learn to fight together or die alone. And if they fail, their governments will fall into the hands of an unimaginable evil.

My Thoughts:

I loved the story behind Caillen especially after meeting his family members in the other books. However, I did not love the jump back in time. This story takes place a few years after the first two books, Born of Night and Born of Fire. Born of Ice jumps forward in time so I feel that this book should truly be labeled as the third book in the series. I did love the story though and thought it was great.

Carrie Jones' Captivate

 

The second in the Need series described as:

 

He smiles. It's a wicked smile. Kind but not kind. Handsome but dangerous. Feral almost. I can see why Nick nearly killed him, Nick...
I ask again, "Why were you in the road?"
"I was waiting for you."

Zara and her friends thought they'd solved the pixie problem. And they did - sort of. The pixie's are all locked away, deep in the woods. But the king's needs grow stronger each day that he is in captivity, while his control over his people weakens. And it's enough to draw a new king into town. Astley claims he is different. He claims there are pixies who can live peacefully with humans, that it doesn't have to be all violence and nastiness all the time. Zara wants to believe him...until Astley also claims that she is fated to be his queen.

There is no way Zara would ever turn pixie. And she's got good friends who will make sure of that. Besides, she and Nick are so in love they're practically inseparable. But when they very thing Zara wants to protect most is exactly what's at risk, she is forced to make choices she never imagined....

 

My Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this book much more than Need. The story picks up roughly at the same point Need ends and continues the journey and discovery of what pixies are in connection to Zara (a half-human half-pixie highschooler).

 

 

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars is up next!

 

What have you been reading so far this year?

 

Peace and Blessings,

jDl

THE BIG 100

Hey y'all,

It is officiall, after six months of wonderful blogging over here I am officially writing my 100th post! I am thankful to all my readers for being a part of this crazy journey of my life and all of my fellow bloggers who inspire me as I continue to get a glimpse into their lives and call them all my fellow friends.

Now since it is Friday I thought I would share some of my recent reads as a part of Book Club Friday!

So I have read a lot since my last post on books so settle in(synopsis information and images were all found on GoodReads):

Shiver

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I thought the book was ok but not my favorite paranormal teen story. I will probably continue with the rest of the series to see what happens but they are not my top reccomended books.

Divergent

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
LOVE THIS BOOK! This is a wonderful dystopian series and if you loved the Hunger Games Triology or need something to hold you over while waiting to get a copy of Reached I highly suggest this series.

Insurgent

One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
A great sequel to DIVERGENT, this novel continues the journey and choices of Tris in regards to the community and world around her. I must say that this was a page turner, but the ending is INSANE!

Fairest

In the kingdom of Ayortha, who is the fairest of them all? Certainly not Aza. She is thoroughly convinced that she is ugly. What she may lack in looks, though, she makes up for with a kind heart, and with something no one else has-a magical voice. Her vocal talents captivate all who hear them, and in Ontio Castle they attract the attention of a handsome prince - and a dangerous new queen. In this masterful novel filled with humour, adventure, romance, and song, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine invites you to join Aza as she discovers how exquisite she truly is.
Fairest does include a bit of the magic of Ella Enchanted, however, I was not over the moon about the book. It is a nice story but not something I have to have on my bookshelf.

Need

Pain shoots through my head. Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain. The white world goes dark and I know what's about to happen.
Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.
She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.
In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear.
An interesting novel about Fairies and other parnormal creatures. I plan on continuing the series but not a whole lot of attention grabbing.

Unearthly

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.
HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK! I seriously would have read this book in one day if I didn't have to work. I was immediately captivated by this novel and I am so glad I already have my hands on the second book. A story about being an angel but not like the book, Fallen took the situation. It is worth the look.

What are you currently reading?