Good Reads...

Still plugging away on my Kindle reading more books than I ever have before. Often when I'm bored and feel like I've come to the end of the internet, I like to go on Amazon.com to see what other people are reading and what makes their best sellers of the day or week.

A couple good books that I've really enjoyed in the past few weeks...

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This book is about a girl named Hazel Grace who is battling cancer. It's a little bit of a love story between Hazel and a boy named Augustus Waters...another cancer survivor she meets a cancer support group. Kids, cancer...sounds sad...but it was a really good story and I enjoyed a young person's point of view about two such serious issues...cancer and love!

also

Homefront by Kristin Hannah

I see a lot of people walking around with books in the courthouses where I work. Mostly because justice does not move to swiftly and waiting to get into family court is the game of hurry up and get everything resolved and ready to go and then you wait. I had seen quite a few people carrying around books by Kristin Hannah. Just by the pictures and the name..I thought she might be a Jodi Piccoult/Nicholas Sparks type...while I do like both of those authors, I find it hard to differentiate between what books I've read by them...because they're all kind of the same thing slightly different plot.

So, I dove into Homefront. I must say, I really enjoyed the way the book flowed. I liked how things happened pretty quickly in the story line and enjoyed all the characters as well. Definitely a good read! I will be checking out some more of her books soon!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

It's Wednesday and time for What I'm Loving Wednesdays with www.littledaisymay.blogspot.com !

Here's what I'm loving this week....

Neutrogena's Naturals Pore Scrub. This was one of my sister's Favorite Things for Christmas this year. (Here's a LINK explaining our Favorite Things Christmas Tradition). This scrub smells fantastic and it's all natural..so no chemicals or additives to harm or irritate your skin.

Even better...it works so perfectly with my Clarisonic Skin Brush. I love a good scrub but most got all gunked up and stuck in the brush of my Clarisonic. This one works perfectly and gives me a good cleaning...one just like I get when I go for a facial!

During the holiday break, Mr Allan was away for a few days. This gave me lots of time to watch some bad tv. Thank God for On Demand...it helped me discover so many shows I feel like I've been missing! One of them...Scouted on E!. It's the reality show where model scouts submit their local models to a team from One Management in NY for the opportunity to be signed. Mostly I just like to see these average teens and their transformation and ultimately what the experts think and whether they'll make it in the modeling world or not!

And, of course we can't forget that this show is back on...The Bachelor...my bad bad bad addiction. Every season I complain about the 2 hour long episodes, the crazy chicks, the same lines that Chris Harrison uses...yet I watch. I didn't think I'd get into this year because I wasn't a Ben fan on the Bachelorette and I don't think he's this outstandingly handsome guy that merits having 25 girls drooling over him. But, kudos to ABC for putting it on right in the New Year when everything is a rerun and there's been nothing on TV because of the holiday.

I've been doing more than just laying on my couch watching reality tv...I've also been reading like a mad woman. My Kindle has truly been one of the best things I bought in the past year. It has made one of my great loves...reading..so accessible. It's always in my purse and I've read more in this past year than I have in quite some time. The latest good read... Rich Boy by Sharon Pomerantz

I really enjoyed this book. I hadn't heard about it or stumbled upon it through my many amazon.com searches. I think I saw a review on some one's blog and downloaded it to my Kindle. A great story about a kid who grew up with not a lot and goes on to live quite the different lifestyle.

Come check out what I'm reading on Good Reads...a great site to keep tabs on what you and your friends are reading! My GoodReads Bookshelf

Good Reads....

 a week at the beach meant a lot of reading..so what did I tackle as I sat sunning myself looking at the beautiful ocean in front of me?? Here's a snap shot of some of the books I've enjoyed this summer while on vacation!

Faking It by Elisa Lorello. This caught my eye because it has a tie to southern New England and it came up in my Amazon you read lots of chick-lit stuff suggestion list. I love the hint of New England and places that are mentioned. In a nutshell it's about a thirtysomething year old up tight writing professor who has her engagement called off, moves back near her hometown for work and an unlikely friendship with a male escort begins. I did enjoy this book. Was it the best thing I've read all summer, probably not, but the strange friendship between these two very different characters kept my interest peaked and it was a great book for the beach!

BossyPants by Tina Fey. So good. So funny. My friends who came to Martha's Vineyard are probably so sick of hearing me talk about the new term I learned from reading this hilarious book....crotch biscuits. A quick read that will surely entertain!

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan. I read this author's first book, Commencement, and really really enjoyed it. Mostly because I went to school up in Western, MA, where the book was set and enjoyed the references to the 5 college area in and around Amherst and Northampton, MA. But....what I really love about both of Sullivan's books are the characters. She does an excellent job of creating these believable, likable characters...the ones where you keep reading because you feel like you know them and want to see how their stories pan out. Maine is about a family with many different colorful characters and what connects them all...the family home on the water in Maine. I enjoyed this book as much as I did with her novel, Commencement.

The Paris Wife: A Novel by Paula McLain. Let me just say, my dad is a history buff. I am not. If novels rehash historical events I usually roll my eyes and start skimming. A couple months ago I was talking to my dad on the phone. He was going on and on about this excellent book he read about World War II and a bombing of a plane and this fantastic survival story. In my head, I was thinking...totally not my cup of tea. A week later I was browsing on Amazon.com looking for some books and saw rave reviews about this story of a fighter plane that was shot down during World War II. I bought it, read it, and then thought..is this the book my dad mentioned that I so easily dismissed? Yes, indeed it was. That book was Unbroken by Lauren Hildebrand. You might be asking yourself..what does this have to do with the book pictured above called the Paris Wife? Well, when I started to read what this book was about...a novel about Hadley Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway's wife, set during the period where he wrote some of his greatest novels...that same history..ewww...not my thing thought came into my little narrow mind again. So, I decided to give it a shot and really really enjoyed this book. I love the era...the 1920's...and that the book is written from Hadley Hemingway's point of view. It might not sound like something you may typically read...but surprise yourself!

Good Reads

While on vacation, I managed to really relax and was able to read  a few good books. I'm still loving my Kindle...and it got a little beat up, had many sunscreen finger prints on it, but made it back in one piece. Here are a few books I plowed through....

First up..Room by Emma Donoghue. This novel was interesting and caught my eye because it's told through the voice of a 5 year old boy. A boy who was born in captivity. His mom was a kidnapped 19 year old who was locked in a her captor's shed for almost 8 years. It was very interesting and coming from the 5 year old's point of view made it a great read. The only thing I couldn't get out of my mind...it reminds me of the recent case that was in the news of the girl who was kidnapped and help captive for years in her kidnapper's backyard. But, overall, a great read...a fast one too!

Ok, if you liked the MTV half reality series Laguna Beach and the Hills, then you know who Lauren Conrad or LC is. If you have no idea what those shows are about or who this chick is, you're probably not going to like her book either. Let me start by saying I really learned nothing reading these books, there wasn't any educational value to them whatsoever...but I was a sucker for Laguna Beach and faithfully watched the Hills which made these a senseless, fast, good read for me. I seriously read each of these books in a day. They're loosely based on the Hills...you see a lot of striking similarities from the characters on the show to those in the book. I hope she comes out with me..because I'll read them as well...again, they're no prized literary pieces, but I enjoyed them as a good light fluffy read!

Onto Unbroken....this is the book that surprised me. I kept seeing it in best seller lists but when I read the subject matter about it...World War 2, fighter pilots...uh...not really my thing. I'm not one who enjoys the historical reads...so I said...I'm all set. Then my dad started to really get into his Kindle. Before we left for Mexico he told me all about this excellent book he read and went on and on and on...I thought he might have told me the whole story! So, I stopped him..and said, maybe I'll download it. I did, and am so happy I read this book. It's an amazing story! I had to keep telling myself that it's a true story! I was half expecting something to happen in the end...but it is a biography that reads like a novel. I thoroughly enjoyed this and told Mr. Allan it's right up his alley. It's so well written that I forgot about the historical stuff I normally don't care to read.

Happy reading!

Some more Good Reads...

Ever since my Kindle came into my life, I've been reading like a mad woman. I've always loved to read and the excuse this year has been that I just don't have the time to settle in with a good book. Now that I have my beloved Kindle in my purse at all times, reading has become readily accessible to me all the time. I whipped out my Kindle while I was waiting in the doctor's office waiting room the other day and read a couple pages..it's really allowed me to get back to something I love to do.

So...I've been asking for recommendations left and right of books to read. I have a very cool co-worker, H, who can give me a new book a week to read..and she's so good that she can instantly tell me if it's my thing or not and guess whether I'll like it not.

So, on the advice of her....two books I've read in the past month that get solid grades from me...

First up...One Day by David Nichols

Normally, I don't like to read novels that are set in England or that have British main characters. It just drives me crazy to read the English lingo..is this silly, yes, but I try so hard and it drives me nuts. But, my co-worker assured me that even though the main characters are British, it wasn't laced with all the Brit lingo..so I gave it a try and it turned out to be a good solid book that I enjoyed. I didn't shut the last page and say to myself...this was absolutely fantastic, but I was satisfied with the story the whole way and would recommend it. So..what's it about?

It's the story of Emma and Dexter. Two college friends who hook up right after graduation only to part ways and go about their lives for the next 20 years. They're from quite different backgrounds and the story follows them through their paths and how they intermingle. Dexter goes from traveling the world to a career in TV, Em goes from working in a tex mex restaurant to suddenly emerging as a new young adult author. The plot brings you through the will they be together or won't they, which i enjoyed. So, all over, a solid B+ on this one.

Next up....Swamplandia by Karen Russell

Another recommendation from my co-worker..she hadn't read it, but said she read absolutely great reviews about it..so I figured...let's give it a shot!

When I started this, I thought...hmmm...different...as the book starts out with the Bigtree family and their life on an island called Swamplandia. They run a tourist attraction where the family is involved in alligator wrestling and they refer to their gators as Seths. Their mother, the star or their attraction, dies and the family struggles to keep Swamplandia afloat. The oldest son, Kiwi, just wants to start a normal life off the island. The older sister, Osceola, is somewhat of a lost soul and the youngest, Ava, just wants to follow in her mom's footsteps and become the star alligator wrestler that revives Swamplandia.

I really enjoyed this book. It switches back each chapter by telling the story mainly from Ava and Kiwi's point of view. It started strong, maybe got a little slow (but only for a tiny bit) in the middle, and ended so strong. When I finished the book and read about the author, Karen Russell, I wasn't surprised to see that she was previously a short story writer...it made a little sense for the tiny slowness I felt in the middle of the book.

If I took this book off the shelf and read the back, I may have not bought it, but I'm so glad I did read it, it turned out to be amazing in the end.

Have any good books to recommend? Post a comment or shoot me an email at becomingmrsallan@gmail.com

Good Reads..

Reading is a passion of mine.  I was a little kid at East Woosocket School begging my dad for more money to buy the Troll books from the paper leaflets my 2nd grade teacher would hand out. I would get the books and hole myself in my bedroom reading one after another. I blew through Ramona Quimby, Nancy Drew, the Babysitters Club, onto Sweet Valley Kids and graduated onto Sweet Valley High.

Now that I've outgrown the Babysitter's Club, I've moved onto what's commonly referred to as chick-lit and throw in a decent novel here and there. But, I thrusted myself back into the tween genre of books with Twilight and read that series. I did feel like a superstar blowing through these 500 page books until I remembered they were made for an audience probably half my age.

I just couldn't push the tween novels aside. My co-worker, H, brought this series to my attention and I must say I LOVED it. Sometimes I'm funny with books...like I just can't stand when the main characters are British...everyone suggested the Shop-a-holic series, but it drives me nuts when every other word is bloody or we're talking about going back to their flat. So, if you told me the subject matter of this series, I probably would've stuck my nose up at it saying I'm all set with the sci-fi stuff I know isn't real.

But, I paid for the Kindle version of this book and am glad it was stuck on there and I gave it a shot. This was hands down one of my favorite reads of the past month....

This novel brings you to the country of Panem where the Hunger Games take 2 tributes from the country's 12 different districts to be placed in an arena and the last one standing alive, wins. Sounds a little weird, as it did to me, but on advice of someone who read it told me..give it a chance it's a great read. I finished this book in a little over a day...and the few days later ... I blew through the 2nd and 3rd books of the trilogy as well.

Book 2..Catching Fire

And Book 3...Mockingjay

This series seems to be catching quite the following and you've probably heard of someone who's read it and hopefully loved it as well!

Good Summer Reads

June has been a crazy month. Mr. Allan has been gone on business travel for about 90% of the month. This was one of the first weekends we were allowed to kick back and relax. The sink holes are gone from our pool, the weather is beautiful, the flowers are blooming, and all the hard work in the yard has paid off.

While I lounged by the pool this weekend I finished a novel and started a new one. I'm always on the hunt for some good books..especially bring to the beach worthy books.

Here are some of my picks!

I have the attention span of a gnat. I heard some rave reviews about this book. I grabbed it and started it in April. I read maybe 35 pages and thought..what's the big deal about this book? I stuck it out and am so glad i did! I LOVED this book. It wasn't fluffy chick lit that sometimes makes me feel not smart. I'm hooked and so excited there's a movie coming out as well!!!

If you don't want to read a book that will take you the whole summer..than this series might be for you. After finishing The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I needed a small breather. I love Janet Evanovich books. They go in numeric order, starting with One for The Money. I read them intermittently. A couple made it on the honeymoon to Hawaii. They're quick reads, and I love the main character, Stephanie Plum. I also love that there's a new one coming out every few months, so it's something easy to pick up anytime and keep going with the series.

Ok. I'll be honest. I hadn't heard about this book in any book review or intelligent publication. I was reading US magazine and saw a picture of Sarah Jessica Parker holding this book. It caught my eye because I thought it might be a self help book. I did some research and found it at Barnes and Noble and decided to pack it away for a read while I was in Hawaii in the fall. It turned out to be an excellent read. A 4H club Southern girl exposes the secrets and stories behind the Help in the 1960's in Mississippi. The stories are from the maids and nannies from that time and in that area make it an excellent read. So, US magazine is useful is certain situations.

And...just because I finished it today....

So good. I didn't think it would..but it topped the first one. I raved about it so much that Mr. Allan has picked up The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo after I assured him it wasn't a girly book.

Happy reading and don't forget your sunblock at the beach!