Small Break

Dear Followers,

After a very lucrative summer of book reading, I have decided that it is time for a short break. Oh no worries friends, it's only going to be about two weeks (you may resume a collective sigh of relief!). During this time I'll be dutifully searching for new book selections by keeping a sharp (and perhaps obsessive) eye in the book stores.

So! During this short intermission, enjoy a little sunshine, drink a little sweet tea, eat a good cupcake, and devour an awesome book. I'll be seein' ya!

Lauren

p.s. - If you're looking for a great book that's quick, fun, and romantic, I HIGHLY recommend James Patterson's Sundays at Tiffany's . . . absolutely fantastic!

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

Naturally, people don't prefer to make mistakes--they just aren't fun! Sure the older and more wiser individuals in our lives will brag about the teachable moments that result from these gaffes, but come on! If we all had it our way, we'd avoid all roads that guaranteed mistake making. Depending on the severity of said mistake, you feel embarrassed, wish you had done something else, or pray really hard for the ability to literally turn back the hands of time. I mean, time traveling can't be that hard, right?

So when Samantha Sweeting makes one of the BIGGEST and most simple mistakes of her law career (on the cusp of her promotion to partnership no doubt!) she experiences a complete and all consuming break down. A heart pounding, palm sweating, spasmatic panic attack quickly ensues. As everything she has worked for since the ripe age of 18 starts to slowly crumble around her, she does the last thing anybody, especially herself, would ever believe she would do.

After doing a complete about face from her life and hastily running away from her problems, a fluky misunderstanding (accompanied with a few tiny white lies) lands Samantha a job as a housekeeper. Yes! A housekeeper . . . Or a domestic. A maid. A house manager. Whichever title you fancy, the funny and highly entertaining aspect of this book is about the struggles and challenges Miss Sweeting faces when forced to do ironing, cleaning, and *GASP*, COOKING! (dun dun dunnnn!).

But it isn't until she meets the gardner, Nathaniel, when the brighter side of this odd change of occupation begins to take place. Cleaning loos don't seem as bad, burning the chickpeas is laughable, and washing a cream, cashmere top with colored fabrics . . . well, that can be fixed with a credit card and a phone call; nothing too impossible to handle!

Slowly, but surely, her tightly wound exterior begins to loosen in places she didn't even know were bound. She no longer measures her days in increments of time but just sits and breathes as the hours pass. She no longer has her weekends booked with reviewing contracts and other lawyer-ly things but can actually spend time with those she cares about. Without her initial recognition, Samantha begins to live for the first time in her life; and it all started with an apron and a toilet scrubber.

However, to those of you followers who would like to hear one insight into this book that perhaps wasn't my favorite, I will give you this. I am a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella. I've read just about all of her books and have enjoyed every single one. BUT, at the end of her books I often feel as if I've been dropped off a cliff. Suddenly and unfairly. I wouldn't go as far as to say that there isn't a qualified ending, cause there is. But are they always substantial? I think not.

I'm going to try and avoid giving something away when I explain this but there is a letter Nathaniel writes to Samantha. I can only assume it's to explain his feelings, but would I know for sure? NO. The reader doesn't even get a small excerpt to get at least an idea of what is written. Nothing, nada, ZIP! No insight, no clue, no fun. Slightly frustrating.

But don't let this fool you, I adored it! Read, read, read . . .

Double Fault by Lionel Shriver

"The experience of failure is common as dirt. So why don't we write about it more often? In fact, I have come to deeply admire the mature, philosophical, sometimes even cheerful resignation with which so many "ordinary" people come to terms with lives that don't remotely resemble the ones they'd hoped for. The amount of grace required is stupendous. [And] Double Fault is about a young women signally lacking in that grace." - Lionel Shriver

What is the appropriate response to failure? Is it acceptable to wallow in self-pity with every dejected emotion consuming you? Or are we expected to graciously bounce back, take inventory of our present selves, and move on? Whatever belief you hold, failure is an uncomfortable and metamorphic experience to someone's life. Not only do we shy away from discussing it but it appears that I have never come across an author who has illustrated the truly devistating effects it can have; not simply on ourselves but every aspect to our surrounding lives. Point blank: it can be despressing!

Lionel Shriver has beautifully illustrated a heartbreaking, and yet enlightening, tale of how we handle it when failure knocks on our door. Willy Novinsky, the main character, becomes desolate, angry, spiteful, and just plain mean, after the downfall of her pro-tennis career due to a sudden injury.

As you read this story, it isn't a matter of hoping for a changed heart or improved spirits on behalf of Willy because somewhere, deep down, you succumb to the understanding that Willy is beyond reach. She is so deeply invested in her failure and jealousy of her husband's (Eric, another pro tennis player's) atheletic success that she can't see straight. Though she KNEW how she should act, what she should say, the contrary seemed to always prevail. As the reader, I grew so frustrated (slamming books down, stomping like a toddler) with the impending doom that I literally closed the book, walked away, and vowed NOT to pick it up and finish the remaining half.

But like the literary sucka I am, I sucked it up and finished! Hooray.

Before I give you a thesis statement worth of review, I will leave you with this: this cautionary tale isn't about whether Willy will bounce back from her injury and conquer the tennis world but the astonishing response she has to her own failure. While reading this book it's like watching a car crash in slow motion, knowing the damage that will be caused, knowing what might happen once the two cars have collided and yet hoping against hope that at the last minute someone will steer their car in the other direction and normalcy will remain.

I guess, in essence, that is the beauty of this book. No matter how bad it seems to get, you are always hoping for Willy to do what's right. But to reference what I said earlier, what exactly is the right way to handle failure?

"Failure can become an ambition of its own. In its attainability lies its allure."

-Double Fault

Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern

The idea that one could begin to inhabit the traits of another through the simple process of a blood transfusion is absurd, at best. To then believe that there is an established connection that is neither understood nor avoidable, is incredible. But through the story of Justin and Joyce, what once seemed to be the foundations of a good science fiction novel, is the perfectly executed tale of love lost and then found by Cecelia Ahern.

Before reading this book, I'd never heard of or picked up one of her novels. Boy! What a wasted life. I can't praise her enough for the combination of EXACTLY the type of romantic-comedy I love and a well written story that utilizes language in a way that redefines the idea of the cliched Rom-Com.

Not to diss us lovers of Romantic Comedies, because HEY! I'd be dissing myself (haha--not cool!), but at times, Romantic Comedies are predictable and easily concluded within the first few chapters. This, being the reason why I almost cringe at the classification of this book as a RomCom. Yes, it was funny (serious laugh out loud material) and yes, it was romantic, but there was so much more that dictated the pages of this book. From the intrinsic struggles of dealing with a sudden death, to the deeply-rooted battle with a defining moment in the past, the two main characters (including all the supporting characters as well) are well developed and profoundly shaped by their mutually exclusive experiences.

So, to Cecelia Ahern, thank YOU for the memories . . .
(on a scale of 1-10, what was the cheese factor of that last statement? I'd say 6. But it was so appropriate don't you think!)

Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie

YIPPY! I've finally found some time to write about the book, yesss!

So here we goooo . . .

After years in a lackluster marriage, Nell Dysart finds herself without a job, a man, and well . . . a life! So one day she randomly applies for a secretary position at a detective agency and begins to work for Gabe Mckenna--The Head Hontcho and fella with the mysterious eyes and shoulders the size of a Mac Truck, OOOO! What transpires after that is purely hilarious (literally, I laughed out loud in public places!), entertaining, suspenseful, and of course, romantic.

Gabe and Nell's tumultuous relationship in and outside the work place is a delight to read from beginning to end. With both characters displaying dominating personalities, the clash between the two titans creates a fascinating dynamic to read. From Nell trying to take over a place (new buisness cards, paint jobs, couches, etc.) she's only been a part of for a few months, to Gabe's unmasked inability to change, their relationship constantly straddles between unfiltered passion and combative rage.

Not only did Jennifer Crusie do a great job of establishing this relationship, but the details of the supporting characters of the book was also well developed and added great depth to the story as a whole. Which, unlike the last book I read, was a welcomed change!

So what would my overall review of this book be . . . well, there's not a doubt that perhaps in about 6 months I could pop open this book again and enjoy it just the same. I'm pretty sure that should say a thing or two about it. Enjoy!

Ummm, THAT just happened!!!

So today I'm cruising my twitter account and checking out some of my replies. I scroll down to look at what one of my friends wrote and then I glance beneath her to see a very familiar name appear below . . ."@JillMansell" . . . written across the screen. At this point it hasn't registered that it is THE Jill Mansell. YES! THE! I'm talking author of "An Offer You Can't Refuse", the book which I had recently given a slightly critical review (yikes!). After my brain began to connect with my eyes I began to FREAK OUT!!! I cannot believe that JILL MANSELL took the time to reply to me (tweet below)????

"JillMansell@cola85 Don't worry Lauren, you're not alone - others have agreed with your review! Read the ones for Miranda's Big Mistake - much better!"

What the world?? And she was so kind, even though I said I was "on the fence" about how I felt about one of her books.

I feel like in some beyond cheesy and sentimental way that I've climbed a hill (possibly a small one, yesss) into the world of literature. I wasn't sure I was going to read another book written by her, but NOW? Well, now, I'm certainly going to crack open another one of hers.

Thank you, @JillMansell for taking the time to reply to my little tweet, it made my day . . . no, WEEK!!

I'm comin, I'm comin!!!! . . .

Sorry y'all, I've been so busy that I haven't had the chance to blog about the most recent book I finished. It was another Jennifer Cruise (SURPRISE!) titled "Fast Women" !!! I finished it 500 years ago (okkkayyy, maybe I finished it Monday!) and I'm slackin' on the job and haven't blogged about it yet. So this is just a quick notice to say, "Hey! Wasssup, I'm cool, how you b? Imma get that blog up real soon aight?!"

PEACE!

PS - currently reading "Thanks for the Memories" by Cecelia Ahern. It's GUUD . . . thus far!

An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell

Have you ever been so conflicted about a book that you just, honest to goodness, had no idea what to say about it? It's never happened to me before, but here I am, experiencing it. Since I'm a little stuck on my feelings with this book, I'm gunna try really hard to figure out a way I can write a proper blog about this because HEY! this is what I'm here to do. Give you fine folks a word or two about a book!

So here I go. . .

As I'm trying to express my jumbled up emotions, I think I have come to one conclusion about how I feel. The main problem about this book was a lack of interaction between the main character, Lola, and her dearly lost beloved, Dougie. It wasn't that I didn't love them bo. . .wait a minute, I didn't have enough TIME to measure out my love anyways! Not only did their relationship seem a bit lacking, shall I say, but there were like 800 (exaggerating a tad) other stories going on at the same time. It isn't that I don't looove when authors do that--I find it gives great depth to a story--but when it appears that the main character's relationship isn't as well developed as it should be at the end, well then, I have some issues!

On a happier note, I did love Lola very dearly. She was great AND she worked at a bookstore (my secret dream!) so there was much to love there.

But my intial thoughts still hold. I wanna, REALLY WANNA, read another Jill Mansell and give her another good college try. . . but I'm nervous.