confessions of a bookaholic: August 2009

Friday, August 28, 2009

What's In Your Handbag?

Monday, August 24, 2009

August 23, 2009: The Dive From Clausen's Pier

Book: The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
**read for the 2009 TBR Challenge

Product Description:

How much do we owe the people we love? Is it a sign of strength or weakness to walk away from someone in need? These questions lie at the heart of Ann Packer’s intimate and emotionally thrilling new novel, which has won its author comparisons with Jane Hamilton and Sue Miller.

At the age of twenty-three Carrie Bell has spent her entire life in Wisconsin, with the same best friend and the same dependable, easygoing, high school sweetheart. Now to her dismay she has begun to find this life suffocating and is considering leaving it–and Mike–behind. But when Mike is paralyzed in a diving accident, leaving seems unforgivable and yet more necessary than ever. The Dive from Clausen’s Pier animates this dilemma–and Carrie’s startling response to it–with the narrative assurance, exacting realism, and moral complexity we expect from the very best fiction. -- from Amazon.com

My Thoughts: I picked up this book because I had seen the movie awhile ago, and I really liked it. I was curious to see how the book would pan out.

I have to say that I really did like this book. At first I thought Carrie was not a likeable person, I mean who just leaves their newly injured, quadriplegic high school sweetheart? But the more I read, the more I understood her situation. What would you do in that situation? I like to say that I would be an excellent person and stay - but what if I didn't? I don't know - the subject matter really made me think about what kind of person I am and luckily, I have never been tested in this way.

One aspect of the book I thoroughly enjoyed was the sewing! While Carrie sewed, I wished I was her and that I could create such amazing clothes. It really inspired me to take my sewing machine out of it's box and learn how to sew :)

Overall, I would say that this is a really touching book and I really enjoyed it.

{Alicia}

August 21, 2009: I Know This Much is True

Book: I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
**read for the 2009 TBR Challenge

Product Description:

On the afternoon of October 12, 1990, my twin brother, Thomas, entered the Three Rivers, Connecticut, public library, retreated to one of the rear study carrels, and prayed to God the sacrifice he was about to commit would be deemed acceptable. . . .

One of the most acclaimed novels of our time, Wally Lamb's I Know This Much Is True is a story of alienation and connection, devastation and renewal, at once joyous, heartbreaking, poignant, mystical, and powerfully, profoundly human.-- from Amazon.com

My Thoughts: So I've had this book in my TBR pile for awhile, but was always so hesitant to read it because of the enormous size! Seriously, this sucker is about 900 pages and 85 pounds....well it felt like 85 pounds while I was carrying it in my purse. I enjoyed She's Come Undone so much {I've read it several times} that I felt it was finally time to give this book a chance.

Okay, so I start reading this book and all of a sudden I am hooked - seriously, just like that! The story was so interesting and it was very clear that Lamb did his research about paranoid schizophrenia - he sounded like an expert! One thing I enjoyed a lot was the manuscript of Dominick's grandfather. I eagerly read those chapters hoping for some clarification on Dominick's life.

The one complaint I have regarding this book is the ending. After 900 pages of reading.....I thought the ending was too quick, almost as if Lamb decided he needed a happy, tidy ending quick! I think it could have been a little different and the book would have been good still.

Anyways, I have ordered his newest book The Hour I First Believed and can't wait to read it!

{Alicia}

Friday, August 21, 2009

What's In Your Handbag?

Thursday, August 20, 2009

August 14, 2009: The Wednesday Sisters

Book: The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton

Product Description:

Five women, one passion, and the unbreakable bond of friendship

When five young mothers–Frankie, Linda, Kath, Ally, and Brett–first meet in a neighborhood park in the late 1960s, their conversations center on marriage, raising children, and a shared love of books. Then one evening, as they gather to watch the Miss America Pageant, Linda admits that she aspires to write a novel herself, and the Wednesday Sisters Writing Society is born. The five women slowly, and often reluctantly, start filling journals, sliding pages into typewriters, and sharing their work. In the process, they explore the changing world around them: the Vietnam War, the race to the moon, and a women’s movement that challenges everything they believe about themselves. At the same time, the friends carry one another through more personal changes–ones brought about by infidelity, longing, illness, failure, and success. With one another’s support and encouragement, the Wednesday Sisters begin to embrace who they are and what they hope to become, welcoming readers to experience, along with them, the power of dreaming big. -- from Amazon.com

My Thoughts: When I first started reading this book, I was a little weary. I didn't expect it to be set in the late 60's (I obviously didn't pay attention to the back cover), but as I read it I became more intrigued.

I read this with a friend, and I think it was a great choice for our first book :)It was easy to read during a hectic summer. One thing I wish is that we could have had maybe a little more character development, or maybe hear the perspectives of all the women. The two women I was most interested in, Ally and Brett, never really had their voices heard in my opinion. To me, those two women were the most interesting (their stories) and I wanted more from them!

As far as Frankie goes, she was an odd choice for the main character. I can't even tell you how many times I forgot her name! I really did like the book overall, but I was left wanting a little more.

{Alicia}

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

U.K Version

U.S. Version

Okay you guys, Her Fearful Symmetry is a bit of a hot topic, isn't it?! From what I can gather, it is one of the most sought over ARC's! I don't have one, but I can't wait to read this book...seriously, I can't even handle it!

Anyways, which cover do you prefer? I am thinking of buying the U.K. version because I kind of like that cover better (and yes, I'm shallow that way!)

{Alicia}

Friday, August 14, 2009

Target's Bookmarked Selections

There is a really interesting article in the New York Times about Target's Book Club.

I do love the book section at Target, I love the "Breakout" section and the "Bookmarked Club Pick" section - plus the prices are fabulous! I always take a trip to the book section, but I guess I never realized the impact it had on sellers!

Did you know Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay bombed when it came out in hardcover-only 2,000 sold? Then Target released the paperback version as part of the Bookmarked Club Pick and the book sold 145,000 copies! This is amazing to me because this book was amazing! The story taught me something new and was so well written - I just can't believe it wasn't already a huge hit!

Now don't get me wrong - I love Border's a ton too, but sometimes it is overwhelming! So many books and I usually end up with 20 and put most of them back hehe. But I do love the displays at Target and I think it is really fabulous that these programs are getting more copies of great books sold :)

So it's a great article, check it out :)

And now for fun, a list of all the Target Bookmarked Selections
the italicized books are the ones I have read :)

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson {summer '09}
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Wait Clayton {summer '09} ** currently reading
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin {spring '09}
Something Blue by Emily Giffin {spring '09}
Still Alice by Lisa Genova {winter '09)
Shelter Me by Juliette Fay {winter '08}
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay {fall '08}
The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein {summer '08}
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkins by Diane Chamberlain {summer '08}
The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond {spring '08}
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan {spring '08}
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith {winter '08} -- I want to reread this
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs {winter '07}
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin {fall '07} *purchased
The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall {fall '07}
Summer People by Brian Groh {fall '07}
Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst {summer '07}
Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald {spring '07} *purchased
Come Back by Claire Fontaine & Mia Fontaine {winter '07}
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult {fall '06}
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards {fall '06}
The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring {summer '06}
Everything Changes by Jonathan Tropper {spring '06}
Blue Water by A. Manette Ansay {spring '06}
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls {winter '06}
Best Friends by Martha Moody {winter '05}
How to Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward {fall '05}
The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant {fall '05}
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult {summer '05}

I've read 11 1/2 out of 29 books {still reading The Wednesday Sisters}. How about you? Also, are you more likely to pick up a book in Target if it is well-displayed?

{Alicia}

What's in Your Handbag?

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

August 11, 2009: Say Goodbye

Book: Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

Product Description:

Lisa Gardner, the New York Times bestselling author of Hide and Gone, draws us into the venomous mind games of her most terrifying killer yet.

Come into my parlor . . .

For Kimberly Quincy, FBI Special Agent, it all starts with a pregnant hooker. The story Delilah Rose tells Kimberly about her johns is too horrifying to be true—but prostitutes are disappearing, one by one, with no explanation, and no one but Kimberly seems to care.

Said the spider to the fly . . .

As a member of the Evidence Response Team, dead hookers aren’t exactly Kimberly’s specialty. The young agent is five months pregnant—she has other things to worry about than an alleged lunatic who uses spiders to do his dirty work. But Kimberly’s own mother and sister were victims of a serial killer. And now, without any bodies and with precious few clues, it’s all too clear that a serial killer has found the key to the perfect murder . . . or Kimberly is chasing a crime that never happened.

Kimberly’s caught in a web more lethal than any spider’s, and the more she fights for answers, the more tightly she’s trapped. What she doesn’t know is that she’s close—too close—to a psychopath who makes women’s nightmares come alive, and if he has his twisted way, it won’t be long before it’s time for Kimberly to . . . - From Amazon.com

My Thoughts:
Have you ever stared at a book for days thinking you have read it, only to find out that your mother checked it out from the library and that is why it's familiar? No....me neither.

Every once in a while, I love a good thriller....okay, I'm always down for a thriller! And the weather around here {rainy, floody, crappy} put me even more in the mood for a thriller. I'm not going to lie - this book was disturbing to me. Just the way the child abuse was written - it gave me chills. I don't know if I would recommend this book because of these scenes; if you are up to reading them - it is a really good thriller, but those scenes were so upsetting.

Another thing that gave me chills....the spiders! The whole time I was reading this book, I felt like I had spiders CRAWLING on me! Yeah, I went to bed last night thoroughly creeped out by the whole thing.

{SPOILER} Another thing, I called a little plot reveal about 200 pages in. As soon as I read this one sentence, I said "I bet this guy is his brother", so to me that is kind of disappointing in a thriller. {END SPOILER}

So all in all - this is a disturbing thriller that gave me chills but also made me want to vomit at times. Therefore, I don't know if I would recommend it but it was good. Does that make sense? Probably not...sorry!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

2009 Reading Resolutions Revisited

On January 1st, I posted the following reading resolutions:

Read 100 books
Read 25 books out of my To Be Read Pile
Read the entire Wonderful Wizard of Oz series
Write down every book I have read for the year
Finish all my challenges

Let's discuss, shall we? Resolution #1 could very easily be completed by the end of the year if I start reading more books immediately! Normally I read 1-2 books per week, but this summer has really had me slacking off. So once the fall rolls around, I am hoping to pick up my slack...which leads me to Resolution # 2. I REALLY need to bust a move on my to be read pile :) Earlier this summer, I did condense the pile so I do feel better but I need to make a dent! I've only read like 5 books from the pile. How does everyone keep their pile organized? Do you keep a list or just wing it? What works for you?

Resolution # 3 - I have pretty much given up on this. My dream would be to own an anthology of sorts, that might not be the right word - or a collection of all the stories in one place. Does this exist?

Resolution # 4 - check! {yay, I got one!}

Resolution # 5 - ummmmm.....I'm getting there, but since I did a TBR challenge I suppose I should dig back into my piles...grrrr!

Did anyone else set any reading resolutions this year?

Monday, August 10, 2009

August 8, 2009: Along for the Ride

Book: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
-- read for the Sarah Dessen Challenge

Product Description:

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.
In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect. -- From Amazon.com

My Thoughts:
So first of all - I freaking LOVE Sarah Dessen. I don't know what it is, but everytime I read one of her books, I feel happy. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's almost like she is my new security blanket! Second of all, I did not buy this book {I'm waiting for the paperback} because I was able to get it from my library - yay library! It's hard to get new-ish releases from my library!

I really enjoyed the plot of this book - and don't you love it when things from previous books make an appearance (UMe, key necklaces - I'm sure there are more). It makes me feel like I am a part of the Sarah Dessen world.

Also, I hated Auden's mother - she made me want to cry. And her dad frustrated me, in fact the only adult I liked was Heidi! And as usual, Dessen write awesome secondary characters. They are just as important as the main character and you really feel that you get to know them.

So obviously, I loved this book - in fact, I loved it so much I stayed up all night to read it :) I can't wait for the paperback to come out!

August 8, 2009: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Book: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller

Product Description:

What part of our selves do we hide away in order to have a stable, prosperous life?
Pippa Lee has just such a life in place at age fifty, when her older husband, a retired publisher, decides that they should move to a retirement community outside New York City. Pippa is suddenly deprived of the stimulation and distraction that had held everything in place. She begins losing track of her own mind; her foundations start to shudder, and gradually we learn the truth of the young life that led her finally to settle down in marriage--years of neglect and rebellion, wild transfressions and powerful defiance.
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee is the study of a brave, curious, multilayered woman--an acutely intelligent portrait of the many lives behind a single name. -- from Amazon.com

My Thoughts:
Okay - so this is the first book I've read in awhile! I've been having a hard time getting into books, and just ended up putting them down {for now, I do plan on picking then up again!} and this is the first book I've been able to finish!

Anyways - at first, the book seemed really confusing to me. It opens with 50-ish year old

Pippa and her 80 year old husband Herb moving into a retirement home. Okay, my first instinct here was GROSS! But then you find out they had been married for 30 years, but it was still gross to me.

I actually preferred Pippa's flashbacks to her life; she surely led a dysfunctional and interesting life which, no doubt, led her into the arms of a married, older man (twice). I do have to say that I had moments where I didn't really like Pippa - and when she found out her husband was cheating on her my first reaction was, "well what did you expect!"

I found this book frustrating at times, but overall I enjoyed it. I do have to say that I can't wait for the movie - and I think the movie might be better than the book. But we shall see :)

Friday, August 7, 2009

What's In Your Handbag?

Do you always have a book in your handbag? If you can't leave home without something to read, then "What's In Your Handbag?" is the post for you! Every Friday, I will be posting what book is currently in my purse. I would love to know what books are in your handbag this week, so leave a comment below telling me - or if you post it on your site, leave the link in the comments so I can go read about it!

Okay guys - I'm going to be totally honest with you. The last book I finished was Forever by Judy Blume and before that it was an Emily Giffin book. I keep starting books, but then my mind wanders and I just am unable to finish. I'm really trying but it's been a hectic summer and I'm getting a new chair Monday {yay!} so hopefully I will be able to read some more books! It has been frustrating because I don't want to completely abandon the blog, but I feel guilty when I don't post -- if that makes sense! I just can't keep up with most readers this year! Oh well :)

Anyways, I am super close to being done with The Private Lives of Pippa Lee and it is really good so far! I plan on going home tonight and putting my jammies on and reading {who is jealous of this wild Friday night?!} Then I am going to start Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen because I was able to get it from the library...yay! It is the only Sarah Dessen book I haven't read yet, so I am eager to read it....then I can cross it off of my Sarah Dessen Challenge List! I know Bookalicious is reading it right now.....and it is her first Sarah Dessen book! I hope you like it ;)

So that is enough rambling from me and now I want to know - what's in your handbag?

p.s. I also want to apologize for not responding to any comments in last week's post! It was a busy week, but I surely read them all and truly appreciate the comments! There are some great book ideas in the comments!

confessions of a bookaholic

about me

what i've read

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Friday, August 28, 2009

What's In Your Handbag?

Monday, August 24, 2009

August 23, 2009: The Dive From Clausen's Pier

August 21, 2009: I Know This Much is True

Friday, August 21, 2009

What's In Your Handbag?

Thursday, August 20, 2009

August 14, 2009: The Wednesday Sisters

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Friday, August 14, 2009

Target's Bookmarked Selections

What's in Your Handbag?

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

August 11, 2009: Say Goodbye

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

2009 Reading Resolutions Revisited

Monday, August 10, 2009

August 8, 2009: Along for the Ride

August 8, 2009: The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Friday, August 7, 2009

What's In Your Handbag?

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