REVIEW - This World We Live In - Susan Beth Pfeffer

Title: This World We Live in

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):

"In the year that has passed since a meteor collided with the moon, Miranda’s friends and neighbors have died, the landscape has frozen, and food has become increasingly scarce. The struggle to survive intensifies when Miranda’s father and stepmother arrive with a baby and three strangers in tow. One of the newcomers is Alex Morales, and as Miranda’s complicated feelings for him turn to love, his plans for his future thwart their relationship. Then a devastating tornado hits, and Miranda makes a decision that will change their lives forever."

Thoughts: This World We Live in is the finale in Life As We Knew It series. Unfortunately, it is also an example of a series that just runs out of steam as the story progresses. The first book was amazing; the second was less so, mostly because I did not care for Alex as the main character. This third one combines those elements I least liked about the whole series into one novel. It makes for a lackluster ending to a series that started so well.

One gets the distinct impression that Ms. Pfeffer had no idea how to end the novel, as it ends rather abruptly. Through hindsight, one realizes that this is not a novel in which there will be a happily ever after for Alex or Miranda. It is not as if the moon will miraculously be knocked back into place in the span of a year. However, unlike other post-apocalypse novels, there is not even the modicum of hope upon which the reader can feel satisfied. As the story progresses, the situation goes from bleak to worse, and it is almost as if Ms. Pfeffer wrote herself into a corner where she could either end the novel or kill off all the characters. Understandably, she chose the former even though it feels rushed and forced.

Alex remains as unlikeable as he was in The Dead and the Gone. He is still infuriatingly righteous and stubborn. The romance that springs up between Miranda and Alex also does not sit well. The relationship seemingly forms out of nowhere, as there are none of the normal signs that the two are becoming attracted to each other, yet feels horribly predictable because there is little else to cause tension between the two main characters and tie the two stories in the series together. It is a relationship which I could never fully support, which distanced me greatly from the overall story.

The one saving grace of the story is that the reader finally gets a bigger glimpse of life outside of Miranda's small world. Through the travellers' stories and Miranda's own trip, the reader can get a feel for the devastation of the United States wrought by the moon's displacement and how other parts of the country were coping with the disaster. This larger picture creates a greater impression upon the reader than any of Miranda's philosophizing or Alex's stubbornness.

This lackluster third novel is truly disappointing given the freshness and excitement of the first novel. I suspect that if I had cared a bit more about Alex and Julie and eventually about Miranda and her entire family, I may have been more emotionally involved with This World We Live in. Sadly, by the time the novel ended, I honestly did not care anymore, causing me to ignore the fabricated emotional connections that were supposed to make it a powerful story. It is unfortunate because I did care about Miranda in the beginning. Sometimes, stories should not be forced into series. This World We Live in is one example of this.

REVIEW - Angel Burn by L. A. Weatherly

Title: Angel Burn

Author: L. A. Weatherly

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):

"Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L. A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful.

They’re out for your soul . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind."

Thoughts: When reading Angel Burn, one needs to forget all one has ever heard about angels. In L. A. Weatherly's imaginings, angels are the Big Bad. It makes for a story that is interesting and more than a bit heretical. Ms. Weatherly's angels are not fallen angels but rather ones that come with wings and halos. They do not come from a heaven but rather from another world. They have only come to Earth because their world is collapsing and the only energy upon which they can feed is found in humans. Therefore, not only are angels no longer celestial beings but are now predators intent upon taking over Earth by bending all human will to their purpose. Go figure.

Angel Burn is not the best YA, paranormal romance ever written, but it does get kudos for trying to do something different. Unfortunately, one can be a bit too different, and the strain to the reader's credibility does more harm than good. This is exactly what happens with this first in the Angel series. Angels as the Big Bad is akin to teddy bears being rabid. Some images do not work well and are too incredulous to be easily ignored or accepted. Also, it is not the most well-written novel either. Some of the more romantic scenes are cliched and overused, including one snort-inducing scene where the hapless hero is left chasing after his beloved, screaming her name as she flies off to save the world, realizing what a terrible mistake he has made in letting her go alone. Oy.

This is not to say that it is a horrible novel. In fact, it is decently pleasant. It does read a bit too much like a romantic drama screenplay, replete with cheesy imagery and even worse dialogue and sentimentality, but there is a reason why such imagery and dialogue is so popular. The idea of evil angels is even quite intriguing. One has to give Ms. Weatherly credit for creating something completely unique. Unfortunately, I personally could not overcome the faults of Angel Burn. I enjoyed it while I read it but will not be picking up the second in the series when it is released. I just did not care enough about any of the characters and felt the idea of lethal angels quite preposterous and writing just too sentimental for comfort. That is not to say that teens will not fall in love with the story. In fact, I suspect they will be more accepting of the more difficult-to-accept concepts than I was. Angel Burn is proof that sometimes YA novels are for their target audience only.

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-galley!

The Sunday Salon - May 29, 2011

Welcome to all new followers and visitors!! For those who are non-bloggers, I do apologize for all of the Armchair BEA posts this week. As one of the founders from last year and an organizer this year, it is an event that is near and dear to my heart. It was a rousing success, topping out with 600 participants. It was an amazing week, but I'll admit that I am tired. There are hundreds of new bloggers, and I enjoyed visiting as many as possible. I'll be visiting more as I can as I get a chance. For now, I am going to shut down my computer for the rest of the weekend as I visit with my family and celebrate Connor's 11th birthday and Memorial Day. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Birthday Reflections

Isn't it funny how quickly things can change? As I sit and reflect on this, I cannot believe that my eight pound, three ounce baby boy has grown into a five-foot, seventy pound young man in a very short eleven years.

Happy Birthday, Connor!

No longer a helpless infant, he has become a talented pianist, artist, soccer player, and runner. His Connor's Corner features never cease to amaze me on his writing ability. The world fascinates him to no end, and keeping up with his voracious curiosity has become quite difficult. It is a pure joy to watch him face the world head-on and know that with his intelligence and gifts, he will be able to overcome anything. I can mourn the loss of my baby but know that the young man who has taken his place is someone destined for great things.

Happy birthday, Connor!

Armchair BEA 2011 - Blogging about Blogging

I have spent quite a bit of time over the past few months discussing blogging as I hashed out my ideas on certain trends in book blogging. These have included readathons, giveaways, blog hops, rules, reasons to start blogging, followers, comments, overdoing guest blogging, and blog tours. Now, these are just my thoughts on these topics. If there is one thing about blogging that will get me fired up is the idea that there are rules to blogging. Honestly, in my opinion, there are no rules.

Yes, there will always be someone who states that you should do X, Y, and Z in order to maximize your visitors or become a top blogger. To that, I say poppycock. Blogging is intensely personal, and what works for one may not, and often does not, work for someone else. How you run your blog, what you do to promote it, and what you hope to get out of it are uniquely yours. If you feel like a certain meme or event is draining, do not do it; conversely, if you adore music and want it playing on your blog, go for it. Who cares what other people think? At the end of the day, a majority of us are blogging as a hobby or to improve our writing. While we dream about one day quitting our day jobs and becoming full-time writers, this will remain a dream for 95 percent of us. This is okay! However, it makes the idea of your blog as an extension of your personality even more important.

Let me let you in on a little secret - those bloggers who burn out, take an extended blogging break or quit altogether have not figured out that there are no rules. These are the ones who feel compelled to participate in certain memes or weekly events even though they do not like them. These are the ones who feel that they have to post something every day, even if they do not feel like it. Someone somewhere has told them that in order to be considered a successful blogger, they have to do this. I am here to tell you this is not the case.

Do not write if you have nothing to say. Do not force yourself to participate in something in which you do not see any benefit or if it makes you uncomfortable to do so. No one is going to banish you from the Internet for staying silent for a few days or for not participating in Monday's "What Are You Reading" meme. In my opinion, those blogs that I favor and consider the best, are those that pave their own ways and follow their own formats. They write when they have something to share, are quiet when they do not. Their words are more powerful as a result, and they never, ever apologize for their silence. It is a hobby that they continue to enjoy because they have learned to ignore the "experts" and do things their own way.

So newbies, do not feel ashamed or overwhelmed! Do what feels comfortable for you. Enjoy blogging. It is fun and can be incredibly worthwhile. I guarantee that your blog will evolve and grow as you figure out your style, and this growth is as exciting for your audience as it is for you.

Armchair BEA 2011 - Relationships

Bloggers have been successful because of the relationships generated with other bloggers, authors, publishers and booksellers. Because of our willingness to use the power of the Internet and build relationships, the entire book industry has sat up and taken notice of the importance of book bloggers.

Because there is a serious dearth of independent booksellers in my area, I have not been able to build a special working relationship with a specific bookseller. However, thanks to the power of Twitter, I have been able to promote various booksellers through retweeting and letting friends on Facebook know of special events and promotions. I also try to visit these same booksellers whenever I visit the town/city in which each bookstore is located. Showing my support for independent bookstores, no matter where they are located, is one way of building relationships.

I have had the pleasure of attending a regional trade show, where I was able to mingle with authors, booksellers, and publishers. It was a great way of getting the word out about my blog, and my presence at the trade show indicated how serious I was about building relationships and representing authors and publishers to my audience. Through e-mails and Twitter, I have been able to become quite friendly with them and know that there is a mutual respect between us. In fact, I look forward to any opportunity to meet them again to further strengthen our relationships.

Speaking of meeting fellow bloggers/publishers/authors/booksellers, outside of Twitter and other social media sites, meeting someone in person is the best method to build long-lasting relationships. I have jumped at the chance to meet bloggers, whether it is a formal book function or just a few people meeting for coffee or lunch. Through this method, I have been lucky enough to have established legitimate friendships, spending long weekends with several of them. These friendships have enhanced the blogging experience because I know that they can understand some of the stresses and frustrations that occur with blogging. Similarly, we can commiserate and champion various books or encourage the other to read a book that the other would have never considered reading. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that is even more special because it transcends a regular blogging relationship and has become something more. You never know when these friendships will occur, so I say get out there and meet your fellow bloggers. Even if you do not find a BFF, you will never regret the stronger professional relationships that results from these meetings.

Any good book industry relationship is built through time and effort. Do not be afraid to become active on Twitter. Speak up and speak often. Jump into on-going conversations. No one, and I mean no one, will be offended by this. Private conversations tend to occur via direct messages or e-mails, so everything else is fair game. Take advantage of this because this is how you start building relationships. Also, do not be afraid to meet bloggers as often as possible. This does more for strengthening relationships than any Twitter conversation and can be quite fun to finally meet someone who is as passionate about books as you are.

Once you do all these things, you cannot stop there. Good relationships, like good marriages, require continual effort to maintain. E-mails, phone calls, Twitter conversations, blog commenting and more in-person meetings will strengthen and enhance these newly-formed relationships. Whether it is with an author, a publisher, a bookseller or a fellow blogger, you will not regret this output of energy because relationships are what make blogging truly rewarding.

Armchair BEA 2011 - Interview Day

Today is all about networking! Even though I was in charge of assigning the interviews this year, I forgot to sign up to participate myself. Oops. Instead, let me share with you some of my favorite book bloggers. These are the ones I must read, no matter what.

• A Reader's Respite
• Amy Reads
• Beth Fish Reads
• Chrisbookarama
• Devourer of Books
• Galleysmith
• Girls Gone Reading
• Jenn's Bookshelves
• Literate Housewife
• my Books. my Life.
• Not in the Pink
• Presenting Lenore
• The 3 R's Blog

There are many, many others. I love them all for a variety of reasons. Some keep me in stitches. Some have remarkably similar tastes in books as my own. Some have become wonderful friends, whom I have had the pleasure of meeting and even spending entire weekends together. I hope you are as lucky in discovering new book blogs and making new friends!

Armchair BEA 2011 - Best of 2011

It may be just me but so far, 2011 has been an absolutely amazing year for fiction. Already this year, I've had the pleasure of reading the following 2011 novels:

• Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen
• Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Rourk Dowell
• The Other Life by Ellen Meister
• The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
• Stay by Deb Caletti
• Where She Went by Gayle Forman
• Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell
• Divergent by Veronica Roth
• Doc by Mary Doria Russell
• The Moment by Douglas Kennedy
• Faith by Jennifer Haigh
• The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls
• The First Husband by Laura Dave
• Bossypants by Tina Fey
• Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

And that is just what I've managed to finish to date! I do not spend a lot of time looking at catalogs, so I am not 100 percent certain what is coming in the next six months. I do know that if they are anything like what has been released so far, they are going to be amazing! 

Armchair BEA 2011 - Welcome, Armchair BEA Participants!

Welcome to That's What She Read! I'm Michelle, one of the founders and organizers of Armchair BEA. The next week is going to be extremely busy but we hope that it will also be extremely fun, as we attempt to bring BEA directly to you...without the added travel expenses and tired feet and shoulders.

Since today is all about introducing ourselves, my fellow organizers and I have done just that on Armchair BEA Central. In case you want some greater details, I will be participating from Cincinnati, Ohio, although I am really in Middletown - halfway between Cincinnati and Dayton (get it?). I have several favorite armchairs but do not often get a chance to sit in them thanks to two very active kids. Most of the time, I write posts in advance during my lunch breaks at work and format them and schedule them quickly in the evenings between practices, evening chores and bedtime. I've been blogging for over two years now, so I have it down to a science!

For those who are long-time visitors, you will already know that I do not specialize in any one genre but pride myself on the fact that I read everything and anything - classics, biographies, science fiction, paranormal, romance, suspense, YA, mysteries, literary fiction, self-help books, memoirs, business, science nonfiction, and anything else that strikes my fancy. My philosophy is that life is too short to limit my options to one genre when there are so many fascinating subjects out there begging to be explored. In any given week, you will see me review books that cross all genres, although I will admit that I do have a special affinity for anything vampiric. I do try not to indulge myself too often.

This week, I will be flitting between both this site and Armchair BEA Central, attending the Twitter party and various panels. I hope you all stop by and let me know how you are enjoying the week!

TLC Book Tours presents Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

Title: Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

Author: Tom Franklin

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):

"In the late 1970s, Larry Ott and Silas '32' Jones were boyhood pals. Their worlds were as different as night and day: Larry, the child of lower-middle-class white parents, and Silas, the son of a poor, single black mother. Yet for a few months the boys stepped outside of their circumstances and shared a special bond. But then tragedy struck: Larry took a girl on a date to a drive-in movie, and she was never heard from again. She was never found and Larry never confessed, but all eyes rested on him as the culprit. The incident shook the county — and perhaps Silas most of all. His friendship with Larry was broken, and then Silas left town.

More than twenty years have passed. Larry, a mechanic, lives a solitary existence, never able to rise above the whispers of suspicion. Silas has returned as a constable. He and Larry have no reason to cross paths until another girl disappears and Larry is blamed again. And now the two men who once called each other friend are forced to confront the past they've buried and ignored for decades."

Thoughts: Tom Franklin's Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is a fantastic study of friendship in rural Mississippi. In addition, it studies the tensions placed on relationships, no matter where one lives. Black versus white, middle class versus poor, fathers versus sons, opinion versus fact - these elements all combine in a variety of ways that shape Larry's and Silas' past and future while allowing the reader to explore the meaning of true friendship.

The first thing that strikes the reader is the miserable existence to which Larry has been relegated. Alone, isolated, and harassed, Larry lives a life that humans, as social beings, are not meant to live. The sympathy generated by this picture of a man who longs for some form of attention only grows as Mr. Franklin takes a journey to the past and shows how Larry ended up as he did, and the reader realizes that Larry was doomed almost from the very first by his interest in anything but what was considered socially acceptable in the late 1970s and early 1980s in Mississippi. As Larry's innocence is confirmed multiple times, the reader cannot help but champion Larry's cause, wishing there was some way he or she could help him discover some joy.

Conversely, with Silas, Mr. Franklin does something completely different. Of the two, Silas should be the more sympathetic. A black child growing up dirt poor in Mississippi is not an easy childhood, made worse by his lack of a father. Yet, of the two, Silas is distinctly less sympathetic. Silas made friends easily and had his innate baseball talent that drew positive attention his way. As an adult, his affability, fairness, and deference makes him socially acceptable. Yet, there is something uniquely unsympathetic about his character - a dark shadow that remains unresolved until the very end.

The mystery behind the girls' disappearance unfolds slowly and delicately, as Mr. Franklin draws out the answers in a way that only builds tension and heightens the reader's anticipation. The myriad of possibilities, as they are slowly eliminated, only adds to an already complex drama in which a sleepy southern town is is anything but.

In spite of the evil that abounds in this small town, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is really a lovely story, full of heart and more importantly of redemption. The whodunit portion of the story is intense, as any good mystery needs to be. There is nothing outlandish in the plot, and a reader can imagine the story unfolding in any one of the small towns that dot the nation. The crimes themselves are all too familiar and all too common. The realistic nature of Larry and Silas' relationship, Larry's isolation, and the crimes against the two women combine to create a story that punches the reader in the gut.

For further discussion, please check out the following stops on the tour!

• Tuesday, May 17th: Eclectic/Eccentric
• Wednesday, May 18th: Book Journey
• Thursday, May 19th: Jenn’s Bookshelves
• Tuesday, May 24th: Chronicles of a Country Girl
• Wednesday, May 25th: Lit and Life
• Wednesday, May 25th: Helen’s Book Blog
• Thursday, May 26th: Life In Review
• Tuesday, May 31st: Raging Bibliomania
• Wednesday, June 1st: Life in the Thumb
• Thursday, June 2nd: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
• Tuesday, June 7th: Jo-Jo Loves to Read!
• Wednesday, June 8th: Debbie’s Book Bag
• Thursday, June 9th: Books and Movies
• Friday, June 10th: My Reading Room
• Monday, June 13th: Wordsmithonia
• Tuesday, June 14th: Crazy for Books
• Wednesday, June 15th: Teresa’s Reading Corner
• Thursday, June 16th: Unputdownables
• Friday, June 17th: Rundpinne

The Sunday Salon - May 22, 2011

Have you ever had one of those weeks that were just fun? It started out with Holly's recital, which was amazing and ended with Connor winning his soccer game yesterday. In between that, I came into work to brand-new work stations, carpet and furniture. I also had an amazingly fun working session with my co-workers about Myers-Briggs assessments. It was hilarious to see how everyone reacted to their results; it will be even more interesting to see how well we will utilize these results to work together. After that, we spent a wonderful Friday night with friends. In all, it was just one of those weeks in which it was great to be alive!

Did you see all of my reviews this week? In case you missed them, here they are again:

• The First Husband by Laura Dave
• The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls
• The White Devil by Justin Evans
• Bossypants by Tina Fey

These are just the reviews! In addition, I finished the following novels this week. It's been another good reading week.

• This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
• Bitch? Please! by Megan Munroe
• Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
• Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin

The Armchair BEA agenda has been posted. It is going to be an exciting and jam-packed week. With more videos and vlogs of attendees than ever, including our first-ever video of the expo itself before the doors open to everyone, it really will be an amazing event. I hope you stop over to Armchair BEA Central and check out all the action!

Speaking of Armchair BEA, I have some writing to do to prepare for all the fun. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday. Happy reading!

Armchair BEA is Coming!!

The excitement is building! Can you feel it? While hundreds of bloggers, authors, booksellers, and publishers head into NYC next week, the organizers of Armchair BEA are making sure that you do not feel left out of the action. In fact, with more than three times the number of participants and double the number of giveaways, I dare say that Armchair BEA is going to be better than NYC next week! Just check out the agenda:

Monday, May 23: Who are you, and how do you Armchair?
You’ll probably be getting a lot of new visitors to your blog this week, so introduce yourself in a post! And if you specialize in a particular genre, share what it is and why you love it. Also, tell us how you’re doing Armchair BEA - where you are, what you’re excited about, what you hope will happen this week. We’ll have a lead-in post for you to link up to. ALSO: 

• a guest post from Pam telling you what you’re not missing by staying home from BEA
• an author chat (guest TBA) hosted at Mundie Moms 

Tuesday, May 24: Giveaways Galore!
Tuesday is Armchair BEA’s big Giveaway Day! We’ll be doing giveaways all week here, but if you’re hosting a giveaway for Armchair BEA-goers on your own site, this is the day to post about it there and link it up here! And if you’re not hosting a giveaway, today’s suggested posting topic is “Best of 2011”: share some of your favorite books so far this year, and/or the the books being promoted at BEA that you hope will end up among your favorites for the year! ALSO:

• Talking e-books with PicPocket Books and Carisa from Digital Storytime

Wednesday, May 25: Work the Network!
This is the day for the ever-popular blogger Interviews! Participants did have to sign up for the interviews in advance, so if you missed the cutoff, our “alternate” topic is an invitation to write a post highlighting some of your favorite book blogs and bloggers - share the love! We’ll have a place to link up your posts here. ALSO:

• Chris’ interviews with four international book bloggers (Armchair BEA goes worldwide!)
• A panel discussion with the Armchair BEA organizers and past BEA attendees
• an author chat (guest TBA) hosted at Mundie Moms 

Thursday, May 26: Nurturing Relationships
Blogging is about community, and community is about relationships. Post about a relationship you’ve formed with a particular publisher, author, blogger, or bookstore; share your thoughts and tips about connecting and building those relationships; crowd-source your questions about these relationships! We’ll have a place to link up your posts here. ALSO:

• Connect and build your relationships on Twitter during the Armchair BEA Twitter Party (time TBA)!
• Talking with Joe Foster from Edelweiss (an Armchair BEA partner) about working with bloggers and publishers

Friday, May 27: Blogging about Blogging!
Today is the day of the Book Blogger Convention, so Armchair BEA will also put the focus on the “blog” portion of “book blog.” There are lots of things you could post about today - here are just a few to get you thinking:

• How do you utilize social networking in relation to your blog? What may be the pros and cons of doing so?
• Share some of your favorite blogging technical tips.
• Create a "rule list" of things you should and shouldn't be doing on a book blog. 
• What are your tips for balance life and blogging?
• How do you keep your blog fresh and interesting to your readers & yourself?
• There are quite a few book blogging events out there. Which are your favorites and why? How do they affect your blog directly?

We’ll have a post here where you can link up. ALSO:

• a guest post from Florinda highlighting common concerns of book bloggers, regardless of niche
• a panel discussion on Blogging Tech Tips
• an author chat (guest TBA) hosted at Mundie Moms

Make sure you check out the official Armchair BEA blog for all the happenings!

REVIEW - Bossypants by Tina Fey

Title: Bossypants

Author: Tina Fey

Narrator: Tina Fey

Audiobook Length: 5 hours, 35 minutes

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):

"She’s a comic genius, every woman’s imaginary best friend, and the thinking man’s sex symbol. Tina Fey didn’t get this far without pulling on her bossypants.

Before there was Liz Lemon, before there was “Sarah Palin,” before there was Weekend Update — there was a woman with a dream. A dream that one day she would write a book about how she got here. But she had to get there first.

On her way to becoming an award-winning superstar, Tina Fey struggled through some questionable haircuts, some after-school jobs, the rise of nachos as a cultural phenomenon, a normal childhood, a happy marriage and joyful motherhood. Her story must be told! Fey’s pursuit of the perfect beauty routine may actually give you laugh lines, and her depiction of her whirlwind tour of duty as the Other Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live takes you behind the scenes of a comedy event that transfixed the nation. Now, Fey can reflect on what she’s learned: You’re no one until someone calls you bossy."

Thoughts: Bossypants is generating buzz for good reason. Tina Fey rocks. Her ability to laugh at herself while making a point about the state of society or our current culture is as refreshing as it is hilarious. Expecting nothing more than a few good stories and some great jokes, I was surprised to find Ms. Fey sharing advice on being a leader, managing others, and being a working mother in today's cutthroat society. While a majority of the readers will not be able to relate to some of Ms. Fey's stories about dealing with actors or working on television shows, her advice crosses all areas of business, making it a welcome addition to an already excellent story.

In Bossypants, Ms. Fey debunks myths of working mothers and the trappings of stardom. She takes great pains to point out how she is just like everyone else, with the same insecurities, skin and weight problems, and family issues that we all have. Granted, she is also more successful, funnier, and wealthier than I will ever be, but that's besides the point. The fact is that even though she is successful and supremely funny, she also has a point to make about being a woman and the traps into which women tend to fall thanks to societal pressure or custom. Much in the same way Ms. Fey was able to draw attention to the idea of sexism in the previous presidential race through an absolutely hilarious skit, she uses her humor to draw attention to female sabotage, pressure to fit a cultural norm, and other timely topics. In spite of all the jokes, Ms. Fey's ultimate point is timely and much-needed.

There should be a disclaimer on this novel. One should not listen to Bossypants when in a meeting or in situations where distractions are a bad idea. Case in point, I was listening to it while working and had to choke back the audible laughter for fear of scaring my co-workers or causing them to think I had finally had a mental breakdown. Instead, I suffered in silence, laughing inaudibly so hard I had tears streaming down my face. (If any co-workers happened to walk past when this occurred, then they still probably thought I had that mental breakdown but because I wasn't making a huge, noisy scene, they let me go.) The best part was that I laughed, a lot. Whether it was over a joke, a scene, or even one little sentence, Ms. Fey's success as a comedic writer definitely shines as she turns the pen towards herself.

As a narrator, Ms. Fey is one of the best I've yet enjoyed hearing. I felt like I was sitting across from her as she was sharing her story with me. While listeners do not have the visual cues to mark asides or sarcasm, she speaks in such a way that the listener has no doubts as to when Ms. Fey's sarcastic side has made an appearance. She also incorporates audio of some of her more famous SNL sketches, as well as her own interpretation of her co-workers' voices, which only enhances the audio experience. Any time I can get the opportunity to listen to or re-watch my favorite SNL skit ever, the first time she ever debuted her Sarah Palin impersonation, it is a good day.

For those who doubted it, Bossypants truly is deserving of the hype. It is not glitzy or glamorous. Ms. Fey does not spill dark secrets about her fellow cast mates or Hollywood friends. Rather, she shares herself with her audience - an honest portrait of a supremely talented woman who worked hard to achieve her success in spite of all the odds stacked against her. The fact that she makes her audience laugh while doing so is just an added bonus.

REVIEW - The White Devil by Justin Evans

Title: The White Devil

Author: Justin Evans

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):

"A fierce and jealous ghost . . .

A young man's fight for his life . . .

The Harrow School is home to privileged adolescents known as much for their distinctive dress and traditions as for their arrogance and schoolboy cruelty. Seventeen-year-old American Andrew Taylor is enrolled in the esteemed British institution by his father, who hopes that the school's discipline will put some distance between his son and his troubled past in the States.

But trouble—and danger—seem to follow Andrew. When one of his schoolmates and friends dies mysteriously of a severe pulmonary illness, Andrew is blamed and is soon an outcast, spurned by nearly all his peers. And there is the pale, strange boy who begins to visit him at night. Either Andrew is losing his mind, or the house legend about his dormitory being haunted is true.

When the school's poet-in-residence, Piers Fawkes, is commissioned to write a play about Byron, one of Harrow's most famous alumni, he casts Andrew in the title role. Andrew begins to discover uncanny links between himself and the renowned poet. In his loneliness and isolation, Andrew becomes obsessed with Lord Byron's story and the poet's status not only as a literary genius and infamous seducer but as a student at the very different Harrow of two centuries prior—a place rife with violence, squalor, incurable diseases, and tormented love affairs.

When frightening and tragic events from that long-ago past start to recur in Harrow's present, and when the dark and deadly specter by whom Andrew's been haunted seems to be all too real, Andrew is forced to solve a two-hundred-year-old literary mystery that threatens the lives of his friends and his teachers—and, most terrifyingly, his own."

Thoughts: Starting a new school is never easy but when the school is across the ocean, is exclusive, and has a 400-year-old history, the rituals and adjustments a new student faces is even more daunting. This is what faces Andrew Taylor as he prepares to cross the threshold of his new private school, The Harrow School. Sent there by his father as a last-ditch effort to improve his grades and standing among elite college boards, Andrew knows that he cannot screw up again or else the consequences will be dire. Unfortunately, a mysterious force seems bent on preventing Andrew from walking the straight-and-narrow. Just how far is Andrew will to pushing the envelope in this unfamiliar environment while attempting to solve the mystery? Does Andrew even stand a chance?

Any time a story is based even partially in fact, the rest of the plot becomes much more interesting. This formula holds true for The White Devil. Anyone with access to the Internet can do a quick search to determine whether Byron's life story really was as dramatic and diverse as it is mentioned in the story. Given the eyebrow-raising facts mentioned in the heat of the story, most readers will feel the urge to do just that. This in no way detracts from the plot but rather adds to the ring of authenticity exuding from its pages.

The mastery of The White Devil is not only in the literary history weaved into the story, the grim atmosphere takes on a life of its own. The dreary and damp weather, while often construed as a cliche about London weather, truly does come to mirror the mood of the characters, their hopelessness, and despair. The rain represents their frustrations at the lack of understanding and confusion about what is truly occurring. Mr. Evans executes this idea of the backdrop becoming a secondary character in a novel brilliantly, bringing to the story a very old-fashioned, Gothic feel that works brilliantly with the plot itself.

Andrew Taylor and Piers Fawkes, as the two main characters, are uniquely flawed but so well-suited to the story. Both have flawed pasts and are given the opportunity to grow beyond their flaws. Yet, the reader never knows whether each character will do so. The reader's inability to predict either character's behavior or reactions only adds to the confusion and growing dread. Combined with the atmosphere and historical elements, this unpredictability succeeds at keeping a reader breathlessly on edge up through the very last lines.

The White Devil has it all - atmosphere, history, supernatural activity, mystery. It is a perfect read for a stormy autumnal afternoon, as its eeriness fits so well with the idea of decay and retreat that permeates the air during that time of year. However, that is not to say that a reader cannot enjoy it at any point in time during the year. I finished it on a bright morning in May; even though the weather was sunny and warm, I still managed to feel chilled and uneasy at the action unfolding before my eyes. Mr. Evans has successfully captured all of the elements of a true Gothic horror novel, making The White Devil a must-read for any fans of that particular genre.

Thank you to Mark Ferguson from HarperCollins for my review copy!

REVIEW - The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls

Title: The Ninth Wife

Author: Amy Stolls

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):

"In The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls, Bess Gray has just learned that the man she loves, the man who asked for her hand in marriage, has been married eight times before. This funny, touching, and surprising novel follows Bess on her cross-country odyssey to learn about her oft-wed fiance from the eight ex-spouses who came before. Stolls, an acclaimed author of Young Adult novels and winner of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award brilliantly explores the very grown-up world of male-female relationships and family dynamics in the delightful, unforgettable new masterwork of contemporary women’s fiction."

Thoughts: A sad fact about today's society is that a majority of all people who marry at least once will also get divorced. One or two divorces is considered normal. Three or four is slightly amusing. Anything over that, and you head into the Hollywood marriage rate, which is only acceptable if you are fabulously wealthy or notorious. So, what is a girl to do when she finds out that her boyfriend has been married eight times? While the answer is seemingly simple, Amy Stolls' The Ninth Wife explores the complications behind this question and the vagaries of love.

The story switches back and forth between Rory and Bess. From Rory, the reader gets a first-hand understanding of why he chose to marry eight different women while getting a hint at how Bess just might be different. Bess' point of view mirrors the reader's own, as she struggles to fathom how someone could ever get married that often and still want to attempt another marriage and reconciling the feeling of disbelief with her growing feelings of love and commitment to someone who obviously is not commitment-phobic. This duality, while often adding a comedic bent to the story, presents a very clear picture of the different types of love that exist, how each one is legitimate and fills a need in people. While a delightfully light-hearted story on its own, the reasons for all eight wives are all serious and reasonable, which themselves insert a more studious tone to the novel. This seriousness in no way detracts from the novel but rather instills a measure of realism to the proceedings.

In Bess, Ms. Stolls has created a character with whom many a reader will be able to identify. Suffering from self-esteem issues, loneliness, societal expectations, and an aging family, her experiences will be all too familiar for readers of a certain age. Yet, readers of any age can relate to her feelings of inadequacy and desire for a meaningful relationship. The fact that Bess is so adorably likable is a testament to Ms. Stolls' ability to create a character that is sympathetic, not too depressing, and engaging. Conversely, Rory is just plain charming. Between the two, the tension and laughs, romantic and otherwise, flow freely.

For those who like this sort of thing, there is a lesson to be learned about relationships; however, those readers who just prefer to sink into a great novel without bothering with any life lessons, The Ninth Wife definitely fits the bill. Ms. Stolls has created a cast of characters that is as humorous, fun, and realistic as one would want while adding an element of poignancy and sensitivity to the overall story. Life is not all fun and games, and Ms. Stolls maintains a balance between the whimsical and the realistic. The Ninth Wife is simply a delightful story about the power of relationships and love.

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-galley!

REVIEW - The First Husband by Laura Dave

Title: The First Husband

Author: Laura Dave

Synopsis (Courtesy of Powell's Books):

"Annie Adams is days away from her thirty-second birthday and thinks she has finally found some happiness. She visits the world's most interesting places for her syndicated travel column and she's happily cohabiting with her movie director boyfriend Nick in Los Angeles. But when Nick comes home from a meeting with his therapist (aka "futures counselor") and announces that he's taking a break from their relationship so he can pursue a woman from his past, the place Annie had come to call home is shattered. Reeling, Annie stumbles into her neighborhood bar and finds Griffin-a grounded, charming chef who seems to be everything Annie didn't know she was looking for. Within three months, Griffin is Annie's husband and Annie finds herself trying to restart her life in rural Massachusetts."

Thoughts: On the surface, The First Husband is a light-hearted look at one woman's journey to discover love and life and happiness. It is often hilarious, quite poignant and extremely visceral. However, the true beauty of this fresh and fun novel is the depths underneath, where Ms. Dave explores the importance of finding oneself above everything else. While in the guise of supposedly trite "chick lit", The First Husband has sufficient gravitas to rend the heartstrings while simultaneously requiring the reader to ponder the lessons Annie is learning. Quick and compelling, The First Husband is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

The First Husband has it all - comedy, quirky characters, drama, unexpected twists, and a reminder of the important things in life. As various characters mention at intervals throughout the novel, life is messy, and Ms. Dave does not hide from this fact but embraces it in such a way that Annie, Griffin, Nick and the entire cast of characters morph into personal friends and acquaintances. Even better, none of the characters are perfect. The reader will disagree with various decisions at one point in time or another and will recognize when each character is making a poor life choice. However, this is what gives the novel its heart - because each reader can draw on his or her own life experiences to recognize the poor decisions and empathize.

Ms. Dave has a way of creating extremely realistic characters. Better yet, she does not shy away from the tough lessons. What makes one relationship successful over another? How does one truly know whether a relationship is meant to last or not? How does a couple manage different expectations, wants, and needs in a relationship made up of two very different people? How does one move on from the familiar? What chances are worth taking in life? For those readers who want to get more out of a novel than just a good story, Ms. Dave does not disappoint. However, for those that still want a good story, The First Husband exceeds all expectations.

While light and airy enough to read on the beach, The First Husband is grounded enough to be realistic and familiar to anyone and everyone. The reader not only gets that necessary sense of satisfaction felt upon finishing a great novel, the reader will also feel a sense of contentment and happiness that comes with knowing others struggle with the same questions and concerns about relationships, even if those characters happen to be fictional. I predict The First Husband is going to be a very popular beach read this summer, deservedly so.

Thank you to the author for my advanced reading copy!

The Sunday Salon - May 15, 2011

We are definitely in the throes of the spring season: two soccer games, three soccer practices, ten hours of ballet practice, school music programs, testing, writing contests, and a ballet recital. This was just one week's worth of events. It's been an insane week, one of those weeks where Jim and I only get a chance to talk once we fall into bed exhausted. As this is the last week of ballet, it should get better starting tomorrow. As crazy as it has been, it has been fun because both of the kids are having so much fun this season. Holly is absolutely fascinated by the bigger girls' and their various dances. Connor's soccer team is doing really well this season too. Their joy makes all the mileage and time spent away from work/home totally worth it.

Speaking of Holly, here is her dance that she will be performing for the final time this afternoon. This was taken at the first full dress rehearsal, where they were working on the lighting. She is the third from the left if you want to keep track. Enjoy!

With Blogger's unexpected outage this week, you may have missed the reviews that were supposed to have gone live this week. Here they are again in case you are interested:

• Faith by Jennifer Haigh
• You Believers by Jane Bradley
• Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
• The Maze Runner by James Dashner

I also revisited blog tours in the latest Trends in Book Blogging.

I also had another productive reading week. With all the time at various practices, this was inevitable. Look for reviews of the following books to appear in the next few weeks.

• The White Devil by Justin Evans
• The First Husband by Laura Dave
• Bossypants by Tina Fey
• Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly
• Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

With this, I need to get Holly ready for her performance. It's a big day for her, and getting her to sit still long enough for me to pull back her mane is going to be a challenge. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Happy reading!