What's In Your Handbag?

Welcome to my weekly meme, "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.

This week, I am carrying Dying Scream by Mary Burton. I wanted to read a nice thriller and something that will be a quick read. I have never read anything by Mary Burton, but am really looking forward to it!

Leave the link to your "What's in Your Handbag" post in the comments! Also, feel free to grab the button, the HTML is posted on the right sidebar.

{Alicia}

Happy 101 Award

Thanks to Bella Vita for the Happy 101 award! The rules are simple, list 10 things that make you happy and award this to 10 other bloggers.

What a great idea! It really makes you stop and appreciate the great things in life. Focus on the positive!

1. My family!
2. The Wizard of Oz
3. Musicals
4. Cupcakes
5. Pizza
6. Reading a good book
7. Lazy Sundays in my jammies
8. Free Stuff!
9. Diet Dr. Pepper
10. Lifetime Movies

Since I like this idea so much, I am not going to tag anyone. Instead, I invite you all to post 10 things that make you happy on this dreary Wednesday!

{Alicia}

Teaser Tuesdays

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

"Eleven hours of rehearsal, one hour of slow barre work. Impossible to achieve the correct phrasing"

Dancer by Colum McCann, Page 165

{Alicia}

January 24, 2010: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

Book: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Product Description:

Bored on a hot afternoon, Alice follows a White Rabbit down a rabbit-hole without giving a thought about how she might get out. And so she tumbles into Wonderland: where animals answer back, a baby turns into a pig, time stands still at a disorderly tea party, croquet is played with hedgehogs and flamingos, and the Mock Turtle and Gryphon dance the Lobster Quadrille. In a land in which nothing is as it seems and cakes, potions and mushrooms can make her shrink to ten inches or grow to the size of a house, will Alice be able to find her way home again? -- from Amazon.com

My Thoughts: Can you believe that I have never read Alice in Wonderland?! I feel so ashamed by this, considering I am such of fan of Alice. I love the Disney movie, but if I buy Alice merchandies {puzzles, notebooks, bookplates, etc.}, I always buy the book version and not the Disney version.

First, I have to say that I have another Alice in Wonderland book and the illustrations in this one are much clearer {and amazing obviously!}. I love the illustrations in this book and the quality of reproduction is great. So if you are buying an AIW book, look at the pictures first {grin}.

As I read this book, I instantly traveled to Wonderland in my mind....and it's kind of fun there! Through the Looking Glass was really interesting to me as well, I liked the chess set up of the book and I like how the two books flowed together.

At some points during these books, I wondered if Lewis Carroll was on some sort of drugs, but at other times I didn't care! What a fun book, though I can't imagine reading it as a child!

Has anyone else just picked up this book for the first time?

{Alicia}

What's In Your Handbag?

Welcome to my weekly meme, "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.


This week I am reading Dancer by Colum McCann. I am reading this book for my Booking NY to NC book club. I haven't started it yet, but just in case I have time during my lunch break, I will be reading this book then! Has anyone ever read it? I have actually never heard of it, but really am looking forward to giving it a try.

Leave the link to your "What's in Your Handbag" post in the comments! Also, feel free to grab the button, the HTML is posted on the right sidebar.

{Alicia}

Golden Globes 2010

Did you all watch the Golden Globes last night? I LOVE award show season. All I have to say about the show is....Jane Lynch got robbed, but yay Glee for winning! I cried a little.

Onto the important stuff. My list of best dressed.
1. Amy Poehler {Fabulous! I was pleasantly surprised by her choice}
2. Jayma Mays {Probably controversial, but I LOVED that dress}
3. Dianna Agron {Perfection! She looked stunning!}
4. Jennifer Aniston {Vavavoom!}
5. Amy Adams {Cutest pregnant woman ever? Loved it!}

Sandra Bullock was soooo close to being on my list, I loved the color and the bodice, but the bottom of that dress was awful to me!

My list of worst dressed:
1. Chloe Sevigny
2. Tina Fey
3. Drew Barrymore
4. Mariah Carey
5. Julianne Moore

Who was your best and worst dressed at the Golden Globes?

{Alicia}

Button Help

UPDATE: If you look to the right, you will see my new {beginner} button. Not too shabby considering I have no fancy software! This link over at Oikology 101 to be super helpful! If you want to grab my button and participate in "What's In Your Handbag", the HTML code is below!



<br /><br /><a border="0" href="http://www.lookatmybooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj16/adw7984/handbag-3-1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />

Hey guys! I need some help. I want to create a button for my "What's In Your Handbag?" meme. Can anyone offer me any tips {or, ahem, exact instructions} on how to create a button. I'm so hopeless at this stuff!

Any thoughts or tips would be greatly appreciated.

{Alicia}

read.discuss.grow

Are any of my readers part of The Bloom Book Club? I joined when they announced the second book, Same Kind of Different as Me. I've read Angie's blog for about a year and a half, and she is someone that I really look up to. After she announced this book, I thought I'd give it a try!

I am really looking forward to being a part of this community and growing as a person. The motto of Bloom is read.discuss.grow and I think that is a great motto - I mean reading gives us the opportunity to open ourselves up and to learn more. That is something I'm really looking forward to; I'm ready to grow as a person and to learn more about myself.

If any of you are in bloom leave a comment and tell me so that I can make sure I'm following your blog. I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of the current book!

{Alicia}

Honest Scrap Award

Thanks Chasing Empty Pavements for the Honest Scrap Award! Here are the rules:
1. The Honest Scrap Blogger Award must be shared.
2. The recipient has to tell 10 (true) things about themselves that no one else knows.
3. The recipient has to pass on the award to 7 more bloggers.
4. Those 7 bloggers should link back to the blog that awarded them.

Here are my 10 things that my readers do not know.
1.) When I was 14 I fractured my elbow. I am quite short, and my dad raised my bike seat {don't know why} and I fell off my bike. Well, my sister was right behind me and she ran me over with her bike. Hence the fractured elbow. Now, the doctors didn't notice this fracture for two whole weeks! They said I had a sprained wrist, but I knew better! Also, the cast for a fractured elbow sucks - my arm was in a L shaped cast for 6 weeks.

2.) The above injury drove me crazy! The cast itched and my doctor went out of town when I was supposed to get it off. So I cut it off myself....with scissors. Yeah - I got in trouble for that!

3.) Speaking of injuries, I practically lived in the ER when I was little. I was in gymnastics and then I was a cheerleader so I was hurt a lot {the elbow was my only broken bone}. I've sprained pretty much everything that can be sprained {both ankles numerous times, wrists, fingers and even my neck!}.

4.) I've been in several fender benders but thankfully no horrible car accidents {knock on wood}.

5.) I am scared of EVERYTHING. Seriously - bridges and flying are the worst. I don't like driving under bridges, over bridges or near bridges. And flying, well, I've only done that once.

6.) I seriously question my sanity.....why did I become an English major?!

7.) I have an obsessive personality. If I like something, I must own everything. For example, I love cupcakes. Well, a couple of years ago, in a 2 month time period, I bought all the cupcake memorabilia I could get my hands on! Other obsessions - self-help books, purses, shoes, notebooks, dvds and the list goes on. Usually, after about 2 months, I stop the obsession and move on. It's really troubling the amount of stuff I have accumulated in my 25 years of life.

8.) Speaking of 25, that is the first time I've actually admitted my age. See - I went through a little bit of a quarter life crisis last year. 25 years old - shouldn't I have done something with my life by now? The crisis shows no signs of ceasing, but I think I took a good first step by admitting my problem...and age.

9.) I LOVE musicals! I have ever since I was little. In fact, I have an annoying habit of bursting into song randomly throughout the day because I wish my life was a musical.

10.) I love to be alone! This sounds depressing, but I just love it! I love to go to the movies alone, I love to go eat alone, I love ME time! I love to hang out with people too, but there is no better Saturday than being alone! It's my favorite day of the week :)

I know I'm supposed to tag 7 people...but I'm not going to! If you want to post on your blog, feel free! I hope you enjoyed my 10 {boring} facts!

{Alicia}

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!

This week I am reading Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent. I decided to read along with the Bloom Book Club this year as part of a personal New Year's Resolution. I really look forward to being part of this community and learning more. Also, I love the motto: read.discuss.grow. Kind of perfect, right?

So readers, what's in your handbag?

{Alicia}

January 14, 2010: Julie and Julia

Book: Julie and Julia by Julie Powell

Product Description:

Julie & Julia is the story of Julie Powell's attempt to revitalize her marriage, restore her ambition, and save her soul by cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days. The result is a masterful medley of Bridget Jones' Diary meets Like Water for Chocolate, mixed with a healthy dose of original wit, warmth, and inspiration that sets this memoir apart from most tales of personal redemption.

When we first meet Julie, she's a frustrated temp-to-perm secretary who slaves away at a thankless job, only to return to an equally demoralizing apartment in the outer boroughs of Manhattan each evening. At the urging of Eric, her devoted and slightly geeky husband, she decides to start a blog that will chronicle what she dubs the "Julie/Julia Project." What follows is a year of butter-drenched meals that will both necessitate the wearing of an unbearably uncomfortable girdle on the hottest night of the year, as well as the realization that life is what you make of it and joy is not as impossible a quest as it may seem, even when it's -10 degrees out and your pipes are frozen.

Powell is a natural when it comes to connecting with her readers, which is probably why her blog generated so much buzz, both from readers and media alike. And while her self-deprecating sense of humor can sometimes dissolve into whininess, she never really loses her edge, or her sense of purpose. Even on day 365, she's working her way through Mayonnaise Collee and ending the evening "back exactly where we started--just Eric and me, three cats and Buffy...sitting on a couch in the outer boroughs, eating, with Julia chortling alongside us...." --from Amazon.com

My Thoughts: I got this book in the bargain bin at Border's about a year ago, but never picked it up. After seeing the movie {and loving it}, I just knew that I had to read the book.

I was extremely disappointed and this is one case where the movie is better than the book. I had no "laugh out loud" moments, even though Powell sure tried to deliver them, but it seemed like she was trying to hard to be funny and it came off fake to me. Her behavior in the book was sometimes appalling, especially towards her husband Eric and I just could not be sympathetic toward Julie Powell. She was so whiny throughout, by the time she wrote the book - shouldn't she have been over the whiny stage?

My wish for this book is that it would have been more lighthearted and fun! She talked about the recipes, but not enough for me! I wanted to know more about the food. I did get Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Christmas though and I really look forward to trying some recipes {but definitely not all of them}.

So, while this was a good idea in theory, the execution was off to me. I will not be checking out her new book.

{Alicia}

Teaser Tuesdays

Grab your current read.

Let the book fall open to a random page.

Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.

You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!

Please avoid spoilers!

"Once the situation became clear, I felt free to sleep a few more hours before calling in sick and heading out to the grocery store to replenish supplies for the second Boeuf Bourguignon. And the second time I made Boeuf Bourguignon, I'll have you know, it turned out perfectly"

Julie and Julia by Julie Powell, Page 105

{Alicia}

January 9, 2010: The Courage Tree

Book: The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain

Product Description:

A race against time to find a sick child lost in the West Virginia wilderness keeps pages turning in this suspenseful family drama by former psychotherapist Chamberlain (Breaking the Silence). Janine Donohue lives with her eight-year-old daughter, Sophie, on the Ayr Creek estate in Vienna, W.Va., a horticultural reserve operated by the descendants of the original owner. Janine's parents live in the main house, while Janine, a former Army Reserve helicopter pilot, and Sophie, who suffers from renal failure, live in the guesthouse. Despite resistance from her parents and ex-husband, Joe, Sophie is being treated with a new alternative herbal therapy, Herbalina, at the suggestion of estate horticulturist Lucas Trowell. The promising results have allowed Sophie to accompany her Brownie troop on a weekend camping trip. Joe blames Janine for Sophie's illness, believing it is a result of Gulf War syndrome, and disapproves of Sophie's trip. Sophie, her friend Holly and troop leader Allison travel in a separate car on the return journey, then an accident kills Holly and Allison. When the three don't arrive back with the rest of the troop, the police begin to search the dense West Virginia woods. Dazed, scared and weak without her medicine, Sophie manages to make it to a dilapidated cabin, where aging film star Zoe is hiding out. Zoe is awaiting the arrival of her daughter Marti, on the lam after a jailbreak, and Zoe is prepared to do anything to ensure her daughter's safety after many years of neglect. Meanwhile, Janine's parents and Joe suspect Lucas of foul play. Despite some cramped characterizations and too many narrative trails converging at once, this page turner will please those who like their stories with as many twists and turns as a mountain road. -- from Amazon.com

My Thoughts: So far, Diane Chamberlain is 2 for 2 with me. I started this book last week, but didn't really have time to read it. I thought I would sneak a chapter in before bed on Saturday, but instead I wound up HAVING to stay up late and finish the book.

The synopsis tells us that Sophie is alive in the woods but we don't know whether or not she will make it, and we also don't know how she went missing. The scene where the car accident is revealed was really upsetting to me {the graphic nature of the description details one of my biggest fears!} It was truly amazing that little Sophie survived.

There were times when Janine, Sophie's mom, was the only person who wanted to keep searching. Everyone else in her family had given up and urged Janine to do the same. Why would they discourage a mother for holding out hope? What kind of family members are these people?! Janine's parents drove me nuts with the way they treated Janine. Sure, they gave her a rent free house, but they sure treated her like crap! Why did they think Lucas was a pedophile? And if they had this thought, why didn't they fire him? That really bugged me. I knew Lucas definitely had a secret, but I was hoping it was not something illegal because I liked him!

As far as the "Zoe" plot, I honestly had no idea what she would do. Would she risk everything she worked for to save Sophie, or would she put her {crazy} daughter first? I truly was wondering what would happen, especially as Sophie's condition got worse!

This was a very intense book, and I think that once you start it, you won't be able to put it down! I certainly couldn't!

{Alicia}

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!

Hey, guess who forgot to post What's In Your Handbag last week! OOPS! Anyways, this week I've been reading The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain. So far it's pretty good, but I've been so sick that I randomly fall asleep while reading. Also, since I went back to work this week, I've been reading less :(

This book has been in my reading pile for awhile, so I'm reading it for the 2010 TBR Challenge.

So readers, what's in your handbag?

{Alicia}

O.A.T.E.S Challenge

Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin? is hosting the O.A.T.E.S Challenge. I think it sounds really clever and I am going to try and do it!

Here is some more information, from her original post.

This challenge started in my head because I was thinking back in November 2009 about what I wanted to read in 2010. I knew I wanted to be more deliberate in what I read, and part of that would include making sure I read more Joyce Carol Oates. That also included reading Margaret Atwood, specifically The Blind Assassin, because I’ve tried three times to read that book, and three times I’ve given up. However, I think I can do it!
So then I was thinking, Oates…O-A-T-E-S.
O for Joyce Carol Oates, A for Margaret Atwood…maybe I could come up with other authors to fit T, E, and S!
Immediately Ernest Hemingway came to mind, and even though he doesn’t fit the rule that it’s the author’s last name that has to fit the acronym, he can slide since it’s ERNEST HEMINGWAY. Then Twitter came to my aid and it was decided that T could be Leo Tolstoy (yes, even *I* am cringing as I write that), and S can be for John Steinbeck.
I’ll lay it out easier for you to see:
O – Joyce Carol Oates
A – Margaret Atwood
T – Leo Tolstoy
E – Ernest Hemingway
S – John Steinbeck
I’m nothing if not a fan of changing things up, so if there’s a literary author on par with any author already on this list, and their last name begins with A, T, E, or S (come on, this is the O.A.T.E.S. challenge, you can’t substitute anything for Joyce!), then you can substitute that author in. For example, if you wanted to substitute George Eliot for Ernest Hemingway, you could. Or if you wanted to substitute Mark Twain for Leo Tolstoy, you could and I would probably even encourage you in that! Because I think Tolstoy’s shortest book (not including short stories, because duh, those are short) is a million pages.

Here’s the rules/details:

• The challenge goes from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
• Anyone can participate! You do not need a blog!
• Challenge books can overlap with other challenges.
• You do not need to pick your books in advance.
• You can change levels mid-challenge!
• Levels:
  
  • Instant OATES – 1 book
  • Old Fashioned OATES – 2 books
  • Rolled OATES – 3 books
  • Steel Cut OATES – 4 books
  • Whole OATES – 5+ books

I'm still unsure of the level I will be participating in. My GOAL is to do the Steel Cut OATES level (4 books), but we will soon see :)

Completed 1/4 as of 5/3/10

1.  Rape:  A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates {5/3/10}
2.
3.
4.

{Alicia}

2010 TBR Challenge - The Lists

3/12 Complete as of July 19, 2010

Original List
1. The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain
2. Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
3. Smack by Melvin Burgess
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
5. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
6. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
7. Envy: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen
8. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy
9. Natalie Wood: A Life by Gavin Lambert
10. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
11. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
12. Light on Snow by Anita Shreve

Alternate List:
1. The Breakdown Lane by Jacquelyn Mitchard
2. Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky
3. The Deed by Keith Blanchard
4. Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
5. Rainbow: The Stormy Life of Judy Garland by Christopher Finch
6. I Have Lived A Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson
7. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
8. Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell
9. The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve
10. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
11. Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
12. The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb

{Alicia}

2010 TBR Challenge

I'm going to give this challenge a try again {even though I am several days late in finding the challenge}. I think that I will be able to complete it this year because of my book buying ban, therefore, I will be forced to read books in my TBR pile!

Rules:
* the challenge is to read 12 TBR books in 12 months — you can read those all in one month if you want, or one a month, or however you wanna do it.
* you should have a list posted somewhere for others to see
* you CANNOT change your list after January 1st, of the current year!!!
* you can create an Alternates list of MAXIMUM 12 books, if you want, in order to have options to choose from (you can read these in place of books on your original list).
* audiobooks and e-books ARE allowed
* re-reads are NOT allowed, as they aren’t TRUE “TBRs”
* you CAN overlap with other challenges
* OPTIONAL: you can join the Yahoo! Group created for participants of the TBR Challenge, if you want to have a place to keep your list, or just to share with others about how you’re doing!
I will be posting my list and alternate list this evening, when I get a chance to go through my books!

UPDATE: My list can be found here.

{Alicia}

2010 Reading List

Here is my 2010 Reading List {2008 list; 2009 list}

December
129.  The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney {12/29/10} {lb}
128.  Scared to Death by Wendy Corsi Staub {12/27/10}
127.  Impulse by Ellen Hopkins {12/26/10} {lb}
126.  Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus {12/20/10} {lb}
125.  Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender {12/19/10} {lb}
124.  The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere {12/18/10}
123.  The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere {12/18/10}
122.  The Christmas Hope by Donna VanLiere {12/17/10}
121.  The Christmas Promise by Donna VanLiere {12/17/10}
120.  Christmas, Present by Jacquelyn Mitchard {12/14/10}
119.  All I Have to Give by Melody Carlson {12/14/10}
118.  Let it Snow by John Green, Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson {12/11/10}
117.  Broken by Karin Slaughter {12/8/10} {lb}
116.  Undone by Karin Slaughter {12/5/10} {lb}
115.  Still Missing by Chevy Stevens {12/2/10} {lb}
114.  Vanish by Tess Gerritsen {12/1/10} {lb}


November
113.  Night Road by Kristin Hannah {11/27/10} {review copy}
112.  The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere {11/27/10} {review copy}
111.  The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood {11/26/10}
110.  Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks {11/25/10}
109.  The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan {11/5/10} {lb}
108.  Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway {11/13/10}
107.  Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans {11/13/10} {review copy}
106.  Room by Emma Donoghue {11/12/10}
105.  Lucky by Alice Sebold {11/12/10}
104.  My Maasai Life by Robin Wiszowaty {11/11/10} {review copy}
103.  Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane {11/11/10} {lb}
102.  Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee {11/7/10} {lb}
101.  The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton {11/4/10} {review copy}
100.  The World Made Flesh by Justin Taylor & Eva Talmadge {11/1/10} {review copy}
99.  Juliet by Anne Fortier {11/1/10} {lb}

October
98.  The Husband by Dean Koontz {10/30/10} {lb}
97.  The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro {10/27/10} {review copy}
96.  Single in Suburbia by Wendy Wax {10/24/10} {lb}
95.  The Art of Losing by Rebecca Connell {10/17/10}
94.  How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley {10/10/10} {lb}
93.  If I Stay by Gayle Forman {10/8/10} {lb}
92.  The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter {10/6/10} {review copy}
91.  I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron {10/6/10} {lb}
90.  Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins {10/4/10} {lb}
89.  The Homecoming Party by Carmine Abate {10/2/10}

September
88.  Knowing Jesse by Marianne Leone {9/28/10} {review copy}
87.  Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella {9/24/10}
86.  Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins {9/24/10} {lb}
85.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins {9/20/10} {lb}
84.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky {9/18/10} {lb}
83.  Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner {9/14/10} {lb}
82.  Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman {9/10/10} {lb}
81.   You'll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again by Heather McDonald {9/8/10}
80.   I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore {9/6/10}
79.  The Life You've Imagined by Kristina Riggle {9/5/10} {review copy}
78.  Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner {9/4/10} {lb}
77.  Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther {9/4/10}


August
76.  Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor {8/31/10} {lb}
75.  Vanishing by Deborah Willis {8/20/10} {review copy}
74.  Everything is Going to be Great by Rachel Shukert {8/17/10} {review copy}
73.  The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard {8/15/10} {lb}
72.  In This Way I Was Saved by Brian DeLeeus {8/13/10} {review copy}
71.  Never Wave Goodbye by Doug Magee {8/11/10} {lb}
70.  Five Days Apart by Chris Binchy {8/8/10} {review copy}
69.  Family Ties by Danielle Steel {8/6/10} {lb}
68.  Todos Santos by Deborah Clearman {8/4/10} {review copy}

July
67.  Natalie Wood:  A Life by Gavin Lambert {7/27/10} {lb}
66.  My Soviet Kitchen by Amy Spurling {7/26/10}  {review copy}
65.  Dune Road by Jane Green {7/25/10} {lb}
64.  Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler {7/20/10}
63.  The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb {7/16/10}
62.  Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan {7/5/10} {review copy}

June
61.  My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares {6/25/10} {review copy}
60.  Things I Wish I'd Known by Linda Green {6/23/10} {review copy}
59.  I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby {6/17/10} {review copy}
58.  The Starlet by Mary McNamara {6/15/10} {review copy}
57.  Sizzle by Julie Garwood {6/5/10} {lb}
56.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett {6/4/10}


May

55.  The Truth About Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen {5/26/10} {review copy}

54.  Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind {5/15/10}

53.  Whiter than Snow by Sandra Dallas {5/15/10} {review copy}

52.  Life After Yes by Aidan Donnelley Rowley {5/9/10} {review copy}

51.  Caught by Harlan Coben {5/8/10} {lb}

50.  Rape:  A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates {5/3/10} {lb}
49. Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani {5/2/10} {lb}

April

48. The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand {4/28/10} {lb}
47. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani {4/27/10} {lb}
46. Learning to Swim by Cheryl Klam {4/23/10} {lb}
45. Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur {4/21/10} {lb}

44. Push by Sapphire {4/20/10}

43. I Will Carry You by Angie Smith {4/19/10}
42. Broken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky {4/16/10} {review copy}
41. One Day at a Time by Danielle Steel {4/14/10} {lb}

40. Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards {4/12/10} {lb}
39. No Time To Wave Goodbye by Jacquelyn Mitchard {4/11/10} {lb}
38. 3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares {4/6/10} {lb}
37. Big Girl by Danielle Steel {4/6/10} {lb}
36. After by Amy Efaw {4/4/10} {lb}
35. What Difference Do It Make? by Ron Hall and Denver Moore {4/3/10} {review copy}
34. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan {4/1/10}{lb}

March

33. Guest House by Barbara Richardson {3/29/10} {review copy}
32. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins {3/28/10} {lb}
31. Still Life by Joy Fielding {3/24/10} {lb}
30. Look Again by Lisa Scottoline {3/23/10} {lb}
29. Heart of Stone by Jill Marie Landis {3/19/10} {review copy}
28. Dating Game by Danielle Steel {3/14/10} {lb}
27. Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad {3/12/10}
26. Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinksy {3/11/10} {lb}
25. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles {3/9/10}
24. The Real Real by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus {3/9/10}
23. House Rules by Jodi Picoult {3/5/10}
22. A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve {3/4/10} {lb}
21. Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell {3/2/10} {review copy}

February

20. Long Lost by Harlan Cobeb {2/27/10} {lb}
19. Live to Tell by Wendy Corsi Staub {2/26/10}
18. Killer Gorgeous by Jane Holleman {2/17/10}
17. Without You by Anthony Rapp {2/15/10}
16. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah {2/15/10}
15. Burned by Ellen Hopkins {2/13/10}
14. Sweethearts by Sara Zarr {2/12/10} {lb}
13. Going too Far by Jennifer Echols {2/11/10}
12. Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky {2/10/10}
11. Dancer by Colum McCann {2/8/10}
10. Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife by Francine Prose {2/7/10} {lb}
9. Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr {2/5/10} {lb}
8. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella {2/2/10} {lb}

January

7. Dying Scream by Mary Burton {1/30/10}
6. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll {1/24/10}
5. Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore {1/16/10}
4. Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell {1/14/10}
3. The Courage Tree by Diane Chamberlain {1/9/10}
2. Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler {1/4/10}
1. The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannah {1/2/10}

please note that {lb} equals library book.

January 4, 2010: Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

Book: Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

Product Description:

Handler proves the adage that just because one can, doesn't mean one should. This applies to both her role as a writer and a narrator. In this disjointed collection of memories and experiences, even her overenthusiastic voice cannot compensate for the irrelevance and frivolousness that is this book. Her anecdotes cover a range of topics from sex to sibling rivalry to parental humiliation, all showcasing how smart and witty she can be-in hindsight. Whether rambling about how she's freaked out by red-headed men or bemoaning her arrest and short stint in prison, her attempts to be funny fall flat and her valley-girl persona wears quickly on listeners. Her lively voice has the potential to do well with audiobooks, but the overall tone and ecstatic energy she emits only emphasizes the inconsequential prose. Listeners might find themselves asking for Vodka to help reach the end of this production. -- from Amazon.com

My Thoughts: Dear goodness I love Chelsea Handler. Her sense of humor cracks me up, and I understand that it’s not for everyone….but darn it, she gets me every time.

I don’t have much to say on the content; it’s a series of stories compiled from a young age until now. Honestly, you just have to read it to understand how hysterical she is. She is a gifted writer, and you can almost hear her telling these stories. Some of these stories made me want to start drinking with her {wouldn't that be a blast?!}

I think with her books, people either absolutely love them or absolutely hate them. I just happen to love them!

{Alicia}

Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010

Book Chick City is hosting the 2010 Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge and I decided that this is definitely a do-able challenge for me!

Timeline: January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010
Rules: Read 12 thrillers in 2010

Completed 10/30/10

1. The Wrong Mother by Sophie Hannah {1/2/10}
2. Dying Scream by Mary Burton {1/30/10}
3. Live to Tell by Wendy Corsi Staub {2/26/10}
4. Long Lost by Harlan Coben {2/27/10}
5. Look Again by Lisa Scottoline {3/23/10}
6. Still Life by Joy Fielding {3/24/10}
7.  Caught by Harlan Coben {5/8/10}
8.  Sizzle by Julie Garwood {6/5/10}
9.  Never Wave Goodbye by Doug Magee {8/11/10}
10.  In This Way I Was Saved by Brian DeLeeuw {8/13/10}
11.  The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard {8/15/10}
12.  The Husband by Dean Koontz {10/30/10}

{Alicia}

The 365 Day Project

If you are interested in checking out my 365 day project, head over to my personal blog :)

{Alicia}

2009 In Review

2009.....a strange year for me. I read less than I usually do and really don't know why. When I look back to January 2009, it seems like soooo long ago! So here are the books I read in 2009.

December
72. My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler (12/28/09)
71. Over the Holidays by Sandra Harper (12/28/09)
70. The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain (12/26/09)
69. The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman (12/26/09)
68. Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb (12/9/09)

November
67. Knit the Season by Kate Jacobs (11/30/09)
66. The Gift by Cecelia Ahern (11/24/09)
65. Stitches by David Small (11/22/09)
64. The Christmas Secret by Donna VanLiere (11/21/09)
63. The Best Gift by Wendy Markham (11/15/09)
62. Love, Loss, and What I Wore by Ilene Beckerman (11/15/09)
61. It Only Takes a Moment by Mary Jane Clark (11/5/09)
60. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (11/3/09)

October
59. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (10/17/09)
58. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks (10/4/09)

September
57. The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf (9/10/09)
56. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan (9/4/09)
55. Breaking Her Fall by Stephen Goodwin (9/4/09)

August
54. The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer (8/23/09)
53. I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb (8/21/09)
52. The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Wait Clayton (8/14/09)
51. Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner (8/11/09) [lb]
50. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen (8/8/09) [lb]
49. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller (8/8/09)

July
48. Forever by Judy Blume (7/22/09)
47. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin (7/11/09)
46. Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (7/2/09)

June
45. The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (6/28/09)
44. L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad (6/27/09)
43. Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler (6/25/09)
42. Hedge Fund Wives by Tatiana Boncompagni (6/19/09)
41. Extras by Scott Westerfeld (6/17/09)
40. Specials by Scott Westerfeld (6/10/09)
39. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld (6/1/09)

May
38. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (5/29/09)
37. Still Alice by Lisa Genova (5/22/09)
36. Rattled! A Memoir by Christine Coppa (5/19/09)
35. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell (5/17/09)
34. Dead Before Dark by Wendy Corsi Staub (5/11/09)
33. A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love and Faith in Stages by Kristin Chenoweth (5/5/09)

April
32. Look Both Ways by Jacquelyn Mitchard 4/26/09)
31. Midnight Twins by Jacquelyn Mitchard (4/26/09)
30. Love and Other Natural Disasters by Holly Shumas (4/23/09)
29. All We Know of Heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard (4/16/09)
28. Bliss by Lauren Myracle (4/10/09)
27. Willow by Julia Hoban (4/4/09)
26. Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott (4/3/09)
25. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (4/1/09)

March
24. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (3/28/09)
23. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (3/26/09)
22. The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine by April Lurie (3/22/09)
21. Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup (3/16/09)
20. The Writing On The Wall by Wendy Lichtman (3/15/09) [lb]
19. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult (3/14/09)
18. Cracked up to Be by Courtney Summers (3/10/09)

February
17. English as a Second Language by Megan Crane (2/26/09)
16. Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher (2/22/09)
15. Target Underwear and a Vera Wang Gown by Adena Halpern (2/16/09)
14. Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott (2/11/09)
13. Do the Math: Secrets, Lies and Algebra by Wendy Lichtman (2/9/09) [lb]
12. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2/8/09) [lb]
11. My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger (2/8/09) [lb]
10. Identical by Ellen Hopkins (2/4/09) [lb]
9. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (2/2/09) [lb]
8. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (2/1/09)

January
7. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs (1/27/09)
6. Almost Like Being In Love by Steve Kluger (1/24/09) [lb]
5. The Retail Chronicles: The Customer is Always Wrong by Jeff Martin (1/19/09) [lb]
4. Escape by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer (1/17/09) [lb]
3. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (1/4/09)
2. Names My Sisters Call Me by Megan Crane (1/3/09)
1. The Smart One and the Pretty One by Claire LaZebnik (1/2/09)


{Alicia}