I surrendered

I gave up, ya happy?!

I told Erika on the cruise that i am incapable of stopping once I start reading a book, I need to know if it will get better. that was while I was reading Life of Pi and complaining the whole way through. But I stuck with it and guess what? It sucked. It was horrible. I didn't care for all the euphemisms or the subtext, I like my story told to me and there it is.

Anyhoo, earlier this week I started reading Between the Bridge and the River by Craig Ferguson. I enjoy Craig Ferguson on his talk show (although I am rarely awake to watch it). I had heard about his book when it came out a few years back and was anticipating it's arrival from my favorite book swapping place. It even had a review from Mitch Albom on the back which excited me.

I started reading it the first night and there were a lot of characters to keep up with in the first few pages. Long story short. After 100 pages I gave up. I didn't care if it got better, I didn't care which character was which and honestly I didn't care if the characters lived or dies (I think one was in the process of both).

Sorry Craig, I will continue to watch your show when I am awake but I won't be reading anymore of your books.

Debbie Macomber

Kathy comes out of her room the other night and asks if I have read the latest in the Dakota series, well no I haven't even read the first. SHe then rushes back to her room and gets me all 3. I am thankful to her for that (and for a million other things, but that's another blog)

When I was working the American Book Expo a few weeks back, I mentioned to Erika that Debbie Macomber was going to be doing a signing, she had no idea who that was. I will tell you she is one of my favoritest authors of all. She is good for light reading, a good cry, a great followthrough and all around good reading. The tagline on her website is "Wherever you are, Debbie takes you home." It's true.

Anyhoo, this series as I mentioned is referred to as the Dakota series. Dakota Born, Dakota Home and Always Dakota. In Dakota Born we meet and begin to love the residents of Buffalo Valley, North Dakota. The premise is that it is a dying town and needs something to revitalize it. Well, uh since you know there are three books already written (and probably more to come) then you know the revitalization happens. There are a plentitude of characters some predictable some surprising. There are family lines and single storylines, but most of all there is a sense of belonging. Not just the characters belonging but you, as you are reading you start belonging to the town as well. You want Kevin to go to Art school, you want Gage and Lindsay to admit they love each other, and you want to know what is hidden in the fireplace.

I highly recommend this series and Debbie Macomber other series Blossom Street and Cedar Cove. BTW Cedar Coves latest 8 Sandpiper Way is coming out inSeptember 2008.

Bad Books

I just finished two books that I didn't like. Cyprus Revisited was one that Adrienne found in anticipation of our stop in Cyprus on our last cruise. It was awful. It started with a long, long history lesson. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good historical novel, but in the good ones the action takes place within the history. In this one they disguised the history as dialogue, "So Professor, tell me everything you know about Cypriot history. OK....." It got a little better when they got into the story of a current revolution going on, but then they had apparently used up their page allotment and ended the book in an absurd manner in about two pages.

The other book was Tree of Smoke, a war novel. Why, on earth did I think I would suddenly enjoy a war novel? I have never enjoyed a war novel in the past. My record still stands.

I can't believe I kept reading. I talked about this with Adrienne a few weeks ago. She said she always keeps reading in case it gets better. I have cut my losses before (I can probably count the books on one hand) and stopped reading. I am not sure why I kept going, but I did, and I am not the better person for it.

The two I just started are very good so far. Of course, it could just be the contrast effect.

The Friday Night Knitting Club

Walker and Daughter is introduced as a knitting shop that has a club materialize out of nowhere every Friday evening. When I begin reading I worry a little that this will be a poor attempt at imitating the Debbie MacComber knitting series.

The cast of characters are plentiful and hard to keep track of at first, but by the end I was hoping that the reason for so much info on each means this author will continue this club in future novels.

This is a first novel for the author and a very good one at that. There are twists and turns and smiles and yes some tears. At one point there were sobs and more than once outright laughing.

This is definitely one to not miss.

Losing It blah blah blah blah

I wish I would have lost the book before I read it.

I like Valerie Bertinelli, and I especially enjoy autobiographies. But this was more about her ex-husband Eddie Van Halen than it was about her. Her background and childhood info was slight, even her foray into television was quickly dispersed. THe majority of the focus was on her relationship with Ed.

Of course, it is my own fault. She is only in her late 40's so really is it too early for an autobiography? She was signed to a huge weight Loss contract, so writing a book when she is "in the news" is a total publicity stunt. It worked.

My one saving grace is that I did not buy this book. It cam from my favorite book place Paperback swap. I will return it to my bookshelf and hope that some other sucker will want to read it.

Audition

"I want to be you" is what young people starting out in television would say to Barbara Walters, her reply was always "Then you have to take the whole package". But that package has been kept as a closely guarded secret to the real world for her entire career. Even her age is speculated by different media (tabloid) outlets. This book reveals all.

As is usual in an celebrity's life, the beginning is not always pretty. She talks in detail about her sister and her deficiencies. Whether now with all the testing and diagnosing and help available might her sister's life have been different? How her Father worked night and day to make the world of entertainment an everyday thing for everyday people. Lou Walters didn't get much recognition in life but recently had a street named after him in NY, where the Latin Quarter once stood.

She talks about her many romances, and speaks candidly about her marriages. Her chapter on Merv was familiar to me as she talked about Lorimar and such. It reminded me of Kathy's Law School Graduation and when she received a card signed Merv and Barbara, I was flabbergasted!

The chapter on her daughter is beautifully written about an ugly time. A time most parents of teenage daughters go through but hid from their friends. It is good to read that with everything they went through, there is hope in the end.

The last third of the book deals mainly with her hundreds of interviews, it is fascinating to read how hard she worked to get the "get". How much travel and fatigue is involved.

I have never been a "fan" per se. But I am definately impressed with all she has done and the "glass ceilings" she has broken for many women.

All Right

Currently reading:
Santa Fe Dead by Stuart Woods - murder mystery along the lines of Rober Parker. Nothing heavy or gruesome. A lot of back story though that makes me feel I missed a book, I usually read everything that comes out by this author so I need to go on to Amazon and see if I missed something in a Sante Fe series.

Just Finished:

Belong to Me - Marisa De Los Santos - great book. She wrote one Love Walked In that has been on my list forever however my library doesn't have it. It was just one I saw reviewed somewhere that I thought I would like, but never got to read. Then I say this one (Belong to Me) at the library and the blurb looked good. When I got it home I thought I recognized the author name and checked my list. Writing style is reminiscent of Miss Zoot, definately something my sisters would enjoy.


A Laura Lippman and an Ann Rule - not something I think you guys would enjoy.

Firefly Lane - Kristen Hannah - Very Beachesesque, although I have not read or seen Beaches it has now become its own genre, and this book definately fits. Best friends going through very different lives together. Well written and comfortable read.

On the dresser waiting:

Hold Tight - Harlan Coben, Phantom Prey - John Sanford - thrillers by authors I read everything by.

Candy Cane Murder - Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, Leslie Meier - easy read "murder", think Evanovich, with a food theme.

The Time has come

I am officially restarting the Amazon Readers. I am currently reading The Audition a memoir by Barbara Walters and will give you my review when I complete it.

What are you reading?