Outlander (by Diana Gabaldon)

As I have mentioned before, my mom is a lover of books that come in "series". Her bookshelves at home are lined with series - murder, mystery, romance, witches, if its a series, she owns it. Which, I have to say, benefits me also, especially if I want to start reading the series, because she has all the books already. Good for the pocketbook. Well - two years ago (or thereabouts) when I went home for some holiday, she bestowed upon me the Outlander series, and said, and I quote "you will no be disappointed." Hesitant to get wrapped up in a series of books with each book at a meager 800 pages each, I put it on my bookshelf and didn't look back. That was until last month, when after reading "In cold blood" I needed a fast/lighthearted read. Something to take my mind of the reality of civilization. So why not read about a time travelling nurse in the 1940s? I opened the first book of the series - "Outlander" and began my journey. Oh My Gosh. I quickly realized how ADDICTING this book was. I would think about it at work, and be excited to get home to read it at the end of the day. We aren't talking a literary masterpiece here, but it is damn good. It has all the makings of the perfect chick book - love, time travel, romance, scottish warriors, love, romance, ... love, romance... you get the point. Basically, the book is about a main character - Claire Randall aka Claire Beauchamp. She is visiting Scotland with her hubby in 1940s (after WWII) - Frank Randall - and while on a hike to look at some rocks, she gets hurled back into the 1700s, in Scotland. She gets swept up in the life and times and love of the 1740s and basically the book follows her story from that point on. Its a guilty pleasure to read this book, and luckily for me there are 7 more books in this series to carry me onward. I just started the second book - Dragonfly in Amber, and it is not disappointing either (and it is also 800+ pages). I recommend this book if you are looking for an easy, entertaining, and addicting read. It won't take you long to power through the 800 pages, and it will definitely leaving you wanting more at then end, and luckily there is more!

One Day (by David Nicholls)

I picked this book up at B&N on a whim. I was trying to find "The Art of Racing in the Rain" (for book club) and stumbled upon this book, as it was a pick of one of the employees at B&N. My, am I glad I found this book. What a thought provoking, emotional, and creative novel. This book follows the lives of two people - Emma and Dexter, and is set in England. Em and Dex meet on their last day of college after graduation. Em, after having a crush on Dexter for almost all of college, finally lands him at a party that night. What follows is a dramatic and yet delightful trip through the next 20 years of their lives, but only told on one day of the year - July 15th (hence the title "One Day"). Each chapter is July 15. Each chapter discusses what is going on that day in Emma's life and in Dexter's life. Each of the characters has an impact on the other's life. This book read fast, was immensely addicting, and hard to put down. I'm glad I read it on vacation because I had extended periods of time to read. This isn't a happy go lucky chick lit book. It deals with real struggles throughout the book, but it also unravels a genuine love between the two main characters. I felt myself relating at times to the struggle to "find yourself" and establish yourself as a woman in her 20s, and I also related to the quest to find love, and the obstacles along the way. I recommend this book. It is quite enjoyable. Make sure you have tissues handy throughout the book.

Up Next: The Art of Racing in the Rain (by Garth Stein)

Commencement (by J. Courtney Sullivan)

I enjoyed this book. It was a light reading until the very end when it turned into a mystery. Kind of threw me for a loop. This book follows 4 women, from when they first meet at the all girls - Smith College, to when they are in their late twenties in respective different areas of the world/life. It's told from each of the 4 girls perspectives, which is interesting because it also talks about events that happened in their lives from different point of view. There's the feminist girl, the snob, the rich girl, and the laid back chick. I related to a lot of the book, as in relationships I formed in College and how life is like for the relationship four years later. It read really fast, and kept you pretty enthralled. It dealt with love, dreams, growing up, not wanting to grow up, losing touch, and also when its a good time to be opinionated about a friend's choices and when you should just keep your mouth shut. I recommend this book for a light end of summer read, but watch out for the last 100 pages, will surprise ya.


Up next: The Likeness (by Tana French) and The Art of Racing in the Rain (by Garth Stein) (for book club)

Just Don't Call Me Ma'am: How I Ditched the South, Forgot My Manners, and Managed to Survive My Twenties with (Most of) My Dignity Still Intact (by Anna Mitchael)

I read this book in less than 24 hours. It was just that good. This is a non-fiction memoir about a chick named Anna (the author). She is in her late twenties. It was very witty and relatable. At times I felt like I was reading about my own life. She's a Texan, from Houston who moved from Boston to Seattle to New York. The book starts in her apartment in Brooklyn, and at the end of a relationship, and continues on from there. Its an introspective look at the mind of a late twenties woman who is forging on through adulthood. I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed it, and cannot wait to discuss it at book club in a month!

Up next: Still reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, keep getting sidetracked, but plan on finishing it up soon!

The Carrie Diaries (by Candace Bushnell)

I was given this book by a best friend of mine, and I took it with me to read while on vacation in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. That was the best decision! This was a perfect "beach read". It's an easy read - I read it in 3 days (much of which were interrupted by floating on a raft in a pool and drinking Pina Coladas, among other things). This book is a prequel if you will of the Sex and the City book by the same author. In this book, you read about Carrie Bradshaw's senior year of high school and all the antics, drama, romance that comes along with it. I really enjoyed it. It was entertaining and read fast. I learned all about Carrie's senior year - her friends in high school, the boys she dated, her decision to become a writer, and why she ended up in NYC. I definitely recommed this book if you are a fan of Sex and the City, gives ya a glimpse of Carrie pre NYC. Still the same spunky girl though as she is on the show! I wouldn't mind reading a book like this about Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha. A little back story is always good, and I hear in the upcoming movie (to be released this week!) we get a glimpse of the ladies back in the Eighties!

Up next: The Host (by Stephanie Meyer) - about 1/4 in right now, AND The Shack (by William Young) - about 1/2 through.

American Wife (by Curtis Sittenfeld)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I read this on a recommendation from Elaine and it was well worth it. I had a hard time putting it down. This book is loosely based on the life of Laura Bush. The main character is Alice, and it chronicles her life growing up from small town Riley, Wisconsin, to big town Washington, D.C. The book includes stories of love, happiness, sadness, friendship, and trials and tribulations I found relatable (well except for marrying the president of the U.S.). I didn't know much about Laura Bush's life, and would have to ask friends for information about her or to verify a storyline from the book. Its about 50/50 I would say. And it doesn't matter whether you like her or not, its just a good, girly story.

Rating: CPD

Up Next: Same Kind of Different as Me (about half way through right now).

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously (by Julie Powell)

I read this book in three days. It was a funny, witty memoir of Julie Powell's year long adventure to cook through Julia Child's "Master the Fine Art of Cooking". If you haven't been living under a rock, then you know what this book is about because the movie was released last week. I wanted to finish the book before I saw the movie (its generally how I like to do things, minus Harry Potter). It was an entertaining look at Julie's life while she attempted to cook all 600 or so recipes from the book. I related in a lot of ways to a lot of her stories and I think that made it more enjoyable. Let's face it, who doesn't get bored with their life and want to find a way to spice it up? Atleast every now and again. I can't wait to see the movie, because I have heard it is really fun! Julie's book is inspiring for all of us out there that like to cook, but have no training, and only have minimal space to cook, and not a lot of time.

Rating: CPD

Movie: Yes, out last week, with THE Meryl Streep and Amy Adams (who I adore)

Up Next: The Hour I First Believed (by Wally Lamb) (this is a long one, so a review might not come for a week or two).

Vision in White (by Nora Roberts)

This was a fun/easy read. If you love weddings and romance, you'll love this book. Its the first of four books in a series by Nora Roberts. I like Nora Roberts series (I read the Garden Series a few years back). I'm not sure when the 2nd one "Bed of Roses" is due out, but I heard in October. A group of four women, who have been best friends forever, start a wedding business at an estate that belongs to one of the four women. One woman is a photographer, one is a florist, another a baker, and another wedding planner. Each book is about each different woman. As you might tell from the title of this book, this book talks about the photographer - Mac. She is fun, witty, a little bit messed up, and easily relateable to. I recommed this book to anyone who wants a good, quick, light read. And, you'll find yourself wondering if there is another Carter Maguire out there for you too!

Rating: CPD the last half, it was a litte slow at the beginnig.

Movie: Nope.

Up next: Julie and Julia: A Year of Cooking Dangerously (by Julie Powell)

Firefly Lane (by Kristin Hannah)

I read this book while on vacay in Mexico last week. I picked it up on a recommend from a fellow bookworm. Best recommend ever. If you are a girl, best friend, wife, daughter, woman, and mother, you'll enjoy and relate to this book. Firefly Lane follows a thirty year friendship of two girls that meet in the awkward throes of junior high, one seemingly outgoing girl and one seemingly insecure girl, both lonely. I think I related to both women throughout the book as they dove through different facets of life, whether its a crush, or choosing a career path or family, or accepting that the most important people in your life is the girl sitting next to you letting you cry on their shoulder, that you often times take for granted. This book has a realistic ending, and I won't say you won't need a box of tissues (just a hint). I got through this book in about 3 days. Granted, I was on vacation, with nothing to do but read this book, lay by the pool, and sip fruity drinks, but I think you will find yourself wanting to read it at every free moment you have.

Rating: CPD

I don't think a movie is being made about this book, but think "Beaches".

Up next: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows

Something Borrowed (By Emily Griffin)

I know I said I was reading Sarah's Keys, but instead I chose to read this because it has been sitting on my shelf for a while. And man am I glad I read it. I could. not. put. it. down. This book is about an attorney, she is thirty years old, and single, and has this best friend from childhood that is very selfish and consuming, yes consuming. I won't go into too much detail for fear of spoiling the book, but let's just say it's really about the struggle to please other people above yourself, what you sacrifice when you do that, and how to regain your ability to put yourself and your needs first, especially when it comes to love. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone who happens to be a romantic. It also helped being an attorney and relating to the character in that way as well, although you don't have to be an attorney to relate. Just fyi.

Rating: CPD x a trillion.

Up next: Something Blue, the sequel to Something Borrowed. I feel attached to the character, so might as well pick up the next book in the series asap.

The Lucky One (by Nicholas Sparks)

In true Nicholas Sparks tradition, this book is set in North Carolina. It concerns an ex-marine and his quest to find a girl in a photo that he found in Iraq. What unfolds is a story of love between the girl in the photo and the ex-marine, the relationship between the girl and her ex-hubby, and the relationship between the girl, the ex-marine, and the girl's son. Its set in a quiet NC town called Hampton. This was an easy read, slow at first but picked up towards the middle. It could have done without all the description and detail in the beginning, but I suppose it needed that to really understand the plight of the characters. I didn't cry at the end, like I do with most Nicholas Sparks books, but the characters remain with you even when you finish the book. (I thought about the characters this morning when I heard a commercial about ice cream (you'll have to read the book to understand)).

Length: about 300 (can't remember exactly)

Rating: LNL

Currently Reading: Sarah's Key (by Tatiana de Rosnay)