Book Review: Something Borrowed (Emily Giffin)

So much to others surprise, Something Borrowed was my actual first Chic-Lit novel I have ever read. I can't say I haven't read a soap opera novel ever as I remember being like 15 or so and grabbing like the one and only Danielle Steel novel I ever picked up from my mum's bookshelf. I was never really a Danielle Steel fan. I had heard some many women in my chic-lit and other book club sites remark how good "Something Borrowed" was so I decided to give it a try (it looked easy enough to read through). Just some big of info on this novel:

Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl---until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé. Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness. Something Borrowed is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying, and calling your best friend.

I gave this book more of like 3-1/2 Stars it was easy enough to read and get through and for being my first chic lit novel I wasn't completely disappointed although while reading this at points I couldn't help but to think "I don't watch soap operas on telly why am I reading this?" Well even though with this in mind I still per-sued on with the reading, I did love the 80's references and all the descriptions to things I remembered growing up to. Such as ie: there is a reference to the show "Threes Company" that I use to love etc.. I can't say this book wasted my time reading although to me it was quite predictable, I found myself almost not ready to finish it the last 20 pages i felt i could have done without, since it was such an obvious ending. When it comes to books though I have OCD once I start it I have to finish it. If you want a quick beach read you might like this tho. I gave it the 3-1/2 Star rating for being somewhat enjoyable and yet very quick to read once you did sit down to start reading it.

Next book on my list is "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro so be expecting a review on this one soon! It's an October read for one of my book clubs and I can't wait to start it.

Until then Happy Reading All!!!

3 4 5 Challenge

So I signed up for a new challenge that was indeed to good to pass up I seen it on Mindful Musings Blog and had to check it out, and viola I signed up you should too!!

Here's how it works.

1.It will run from August 1, 2009 to August 1, 2010

2.You may sign up at any point in this time period

3.To complete the challenge, you must read THREE books from one series, FOUR books from another series, and FIVE books from another series

4.You do not have to choose your books ahead of time (but are more than welcome to)

5.You do not have to 'complete' a series (i.e. you don't have to read a trilogy for your three book requirement - just 3 books from the same series)

6.Only books that you read between August 1, 2009 and August 1, 2010 count

7.The books you read may count for other challenges

To join in the challenge with me visit Chic Loves Lit.

I will be making updates to this post as I complete the challenge. Below are the books that I plan to read for the challenge. Books with links (to reviews) are the ones I've completed!

5 Books From A Series (Anita Blake Vampire Series:Laurell K. Hamilton)
1. Guilty Pleasures
2. The Laughing Corpse
3. The Circus of the Damned
4. The Lunatic Cafe
5. Bloody Bones

4 Books From a Series (Twilight Series: Stephenie Meyer)
1. Twilight
2. New Moon
3. Eclipse
4. Breaking Dawn

3 Books From a Series (Sleeping Beauty Triology: A.N. Roquelaure)
1. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
2. Beauty's Punishment
3. Beauty's Release

Book Review: Water for Elephants

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

I personally gave this epic novel 5/5 Stars for me it had everything that I could of possibly needed in a circus tale. I went into this book not over expectant to find a gem but boy did I! I loved this novel and don't have enough good things to say about it! Only thing I will say about this novel that "some" may not like who are animal lovers (I being one of them) it does have some scenes that may disturb those who are truly against animal abuse. Taking this in account I can understand if someone didnt want to read this novel for that particular reason. I do know that circus' esp in the depression era were not precisely known for their animal loving nature, hence why circus' everywhere now are being thoroughly investgated.

Knowing all this I can still say this has become a new favorite of mine and i truly reccomended to anyone who loves reading about the circus.

Book Review: The Reader (Bernhard Schlink)

What to say about "The Reader?" Well I gave it 3 Stars I found it, easy to read at a mere 218 pages and the chapters were short and simple. Although (yes there is a but lol) the book (to me) seemed to drag slightly in the middle and maybe this is because when it comes to books that have trials and legal wording etc..it tends to lose me when it gets too involved with the terminalogy.

The book is about a 15 year old boy who has an affair with an older woman (precisely 22 years older) after falling ill, the woman although vanishes amid their relationship and isn't heard from until numerous years later. It's not until the boy is in his twenties that he sees the woman again not in an intimate matter but standing a trial for Nazi war crimes (as the boy is a law student standing in on the trial).

Now I can't say I am an oprah fan and was kinda leery after finding out it was one of her book club reads but went on to finish reading it none the less. I don't know if I was the only one who felt this way ...but I felt the love between the boy and woman (if love is what you would call it) happened really soon too soon for me to believe (if that makes sense) but then I reminded myself again of course it had to be since it's only 218 pages! lol With this is mind I questioned myself that maybe "love" or what we think is "love" really does happen that fast when one partner is soo much younger than the other meaing ie: 15 year old boys hormones run amok and therefore any older woman who initiates a spark of interest or persuades a boy into a sexually related affair, maybe that in fact does happen quite quickly.

Who knows but those who have been in this sort of love affair or part of one . As side from that along the trial of this book (middle of the book) I found myself being able to set it down and could have more than likely forgotten about it at that point, but told myself its such a fast/small read that i should give it the chance and finish it. The ending to me got better, and kept me interested til i finally did finished the book. All in all I give the book 3 out of 5 stars cause out of everything it was a decent read just not extremely exceptional.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I finally finished the 870 page, 38 Chapter (5th) book tonight, and I feel a huge load of accomplishment not to mention a small curiosity for more! lol I know I am a harry potter glutton! lol

Reading many other reviews about the 5th book and after reading it I tend to agree yet disagree with some! HP 5 was highly energetic and very much detailed and complex for me which really kept me going! Although! maybe it was the 870 pages (136 pages more than HP4) that made the beginning seem to take longer to reach interest? i don't know but once I did reach that point (I mean HP completely boring?! never!) I couldn't put the book down after that point.



I never really was one of those passionate people that read the book first than went to a movie and said "WTF?!!" cause I always took a movie for exactly what it was "A Movie." Now! I find myself saying why didn't they put this part in?!! and where is this part?! All the more reason for being glad to be an avid reader and that there are books to add more clarification to the "whole story" still would of been nice to see all those vivid descriptions put to film but beggars can't be choosers so I am reminded.

Anyways onto the review all in all a VERY addicting read once you get through the long awaited beginning of when harry makes contacts with the Order patrol/squad that tend to take him to Grimmauld Place! The book went into so MUCH more detail regarding O.W.L.S, Occlumency and explained so much more that the movie tended to leave out as most of the movies do although I tend to believe the 4th movie was one of the worst that disappointed me with the lack of background that was missing but again it's "A Movie!" Needless to say 5 stars from me easily it kept me entertained and I would easily read it again and might do it later on for the Re-Read Challenge coming up this next month through november! lol

Now for a lil more lighter reading my next book started is "The Reader" I have the next two Harry Potter books and am anxious to start them just don't want to find myself in the same situation as before "A Harry Overdose" that it takes longer for me to get into cause after the last 870 pages I just read. lol So I have taken a HP break for the meantime and will start some books my book clubs are discussing! Just until I am reading to finish the HP series (might just be my way of dragging it out a lil longer) hate to see it come to an end! lol

Until my next review Happy Reading All!!!

As the Stack Grows....

As the title states.....Yes! my TBR stack has grown! lol

Today i received "Water for Elephants" which has been on my must obtain list of books. I want to read it already!! Although I am sustaining myself due to the fact that I am on Chapter 11 of the top book Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix.

So far the 5th HP book is pretty good although I still stand by my earlier conviction that the 4th HP book is by far my favorite. So much reading is on my list, can't say that i don' plunge into things when I make my mind up to doing them. I have now found myself amid 2 Book Clubs, at least 4-5 Book Blogs not to mention all the interesting challenges I will be bestowing upon myself. Speaking of Challenges there is a great one starting .....click the link for details!

The Re-Read Challenge

I am sure that my stack of reading is going to get ALOT longer with this new challenge not to mention if my 2 book clubs decide on the books they want to read for September. With one group its a toss up between The Kite Runner and The Graveyard Book I wouldn't mind reading the graveyard book but voted for The Kite Runner beings I can not only get it on paperback swaps site, but it was also on my TBR list. So I might be skipping that book if graveyard is chosen we shall see.

Until then....Happy Reading an Blogging All!!

2009 Yearly Reading List

I was reading a blog I found through another bloggers site that i frequently visit. In the blog "Girl v. The World" she professed for avid bookworms to put down a list of books they would like to read throughout the year, well even though i just got the time to read i figured i would give it a go...what i don't read i can just continue into next year so here goes my list as it is right now.

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire
   
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Water for Elephants
4. Twilight (Series)
5. A Great and Terrible Beauty
6. I Am Legend
7. The Virgins Lover
8. The Time Traveler's Wife
9. The Book Thief
10. I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell

So far the ones i can cross off my list are #1 just finished it and now into #2 and got nearly 100 pages into it. Water for Elephants is in the mail to me atm. I have the twilight series next to my desk in a book ready to read as well as having a great and terrible beauty, i am legend and the virgins lover obtaining dust on my shelf. As far as the last 3 I am patiently waiting for those to appear available on my paperback swap site so hopefully i obtain those within the next year if i can't get to them this year.