Friday, July 31, 2009

Books 25-38

I got a little behind on reviewing books.  Mostly, this summer just got busy.  But here I am, at 1 in the morning, and unable to sleep without my husband home.  So I thought I might do a quick review of the titles I have read (a lot of these were on vacation—turns out when your husband has sun poisoning, you have lots of time to read in a country with 2 channels in English :)).

25-29 The remaining four books in the “Fame” series by Karen Kingsbury.  Seriously.  Just read these.  After the Redemption series.  These books are total tearjerkers, but SO good.  I enjoyed them.

30—The second book in the Yada Yada Prayer Group Series.  I liked this one a little more than the first.  The series is growing on me (I read 3 and 4 earlier this week).

31—Julie and Julia.  Loved it.  So funny, so witty.  Seriously.  This is one of my favorites so far this year.  Julie Powell is often sarcastic, more than a little blunt, and her life is so completely the opposite of mine.  But I loved her growth and experimentation with Julia Child’s recipes.  This was such a fun book.  I am SO excited to see the movie next week.

32—Fast Food Nation.  If you ever want eat again, do not read this book.  Seriously.  Freaked me out.  I cooked using ground beef today for the first time since June.  And then I had to sanitize my kitchen.  This book was a little slow, and all levels of horrifying.  I cannot even begin to tell you what it exposes.  Because Andy said I cannot share it with others.  I read him two paragraphs and he got ill.

33—It Ain’t All About the Cookin’—If any bit of you has any sort of somewhat likeable feelings about Paula Deen, read this book.  For real.  I loved it.  I laughed, I cried, and I made the ham salad recipe.  The laughing and crying took place poolside in the Dominican, the ham salad was after I came home.  This book was incredible.  This woman has had a LIFE.  I had heard parts of it before, but she is so incredibly real and honest.  In the opening pages she admits that she smokes and is predisposed to using four letter words on occasion.  It’s an awesome memoir. 

34-37—Thorn In My Heart, Fair is the Rose, Whence Came a Prince, Grace in Thine Eyes—These books were a retelling of the story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah set in the Scotland in the 1700s.  These books were so beautiful….I got entirely too involved in them, and more than once thrust my hands up into the air shouting at various characters.  Loved.them.  End.of.story.

38—The Other Boleyn Girl.  Oh mercy.  I so wasn’t prepared for what went on in this book.  I knew that Anne Boleyn was one of Henry VIII’s many wives, and that she was beheaded.  But wow.  I did enjoy the book.  It was just a bit intense at points.  And a bit risque.  But so is history, so I suppose it all makes sense.

I have a few more books…but I think these are good for now.  I am so glad I’ve made myself take the time to read for fun this summer. 

1 comment:

Shannon E said...

I'm going to try 31 and 38! If it wasn't so early I'd head to the store now.