my books. my life.

Title: Faith
Author: Jennifer Haigh
Narrators: Therese Plummer
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 336
Audio: 10.1 hours
Year: 2011
Publisher: Harper Audio
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

It is 2002 when Sheila’s brother, Art, a Catholic priest, becomes caught in the fury of child molestation accusations flying through the Boston Archdiocese. Their brother Mike is furious, quick to assume Art is guilty. Their mother never doubts his innocence for a minute.  Sheila, quick to jump to Art’s defense at first, begins to doubt him. Art himself is lost without his church and heartbroken over the end of his relationship with the boy and his mother who have become his accusers. The family must look deep into their past and finally learn to communicate to get through this difficult time.

My Thoughts:

Faith shows that Haigh is not afraid to take a Big Issue and dissect it from every angle. We all remember 2002 (at least if “we” means all of us Catholics). Priests were being accused left and right of molesting children, and the Boston Archdiocese was the center of those accusations. It was a horrific time for so many people. But what was it like to be a priest accused of such a terrible crime? And what was it like to be his family? And what could have possibly happened in that man’s life to get him to that situation? These are the things Haigh shows us. And she does not shy away from anything.

There was really some masterful storytelling here. The truth comes together slowly, but in such a way that makes you keep going to find it. The characters are complex and full of flaws, even as they grow and develop throughout the novel.

Having been raised in an Irish-Catholic family with Boston roots, there was so much about this book that was familiar. From the big things, like the feelings the characters have toward the church and the beliefs they struggle to reconcile, to the little things, like the Mary-on-the-Half-Shell statue every  family had in their yard (including mine). It made the book very personal. When Mike’s wife criticizes practically everything about being Catholic, I got defensive, despite the fact that I haven’t been to mass since Easter. I think Haigh grasped what exactly it is to be Catholic and what exactly it is that makes others fail to understand it.

But I don’t think you need to have any ties to the Catholic Church to enjoy (this seems like the wrong word here) this book. I think the basic struggles, however dissimilar the details are to our own lives, are relatable. Family and faith and how to deal with those two things are struggles that we all face.

The audio production was phenomenal. Therese Plummer did a wonderful job narrating (and actually managed to find a Boston accent that didn’t make me want to scream). I HIGHLY recommend reading this one in audio.

Others’ Thoughts: Stephanie’s Written Word; Devourer of Books; Literate Housewife; That’s What She Read; Jenn’s Bookshelves

Buy It Now: Amazon; IndieBound

I didn’t post my monthly update last Sunday because I thought, “Hey, it’s only July 31, I could still finish another book today.” Then on Monday, when I very predictably had not finished another book, I remembered that I don’t really read much these days and that was very silly logic on my part.

So what did I read in July? I finished seven books: 5 print and 2 audio.

1. Flawless by Sara Shephard (Pretty Little Liars #2)
2. The Heroine’s Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore
3. 13, rue Therese by Elena Mauli Shapiro
4. Feed by Mira Grant (audio)
5. Blood Work by Holly Tucker
6. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
7. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (audio)(reread)

My favorite book this month was Feed. My least favorite was probably my Mockingjay reread.

Psst…at this time next week, I will have a husband again. I am so excited, I can barely concentrate on anything else. I think I might be getting too old for this whole living apart thing. I used to handle it fine (we lived apart for an ENTIRE year four years ago), but I really miss him this time (well I always miss him but this time is different). Perhaps I’m in need of a little more stability these days. But it doesn’t matter now because I will see him in FIVE DAYS. *jumps with joy*

What are you up to this Sunday?

The pile of half-read books is slowly dwindling. Which, of course, meant I rewarded myself by starting a new book. This week I finished Blood Work (which I’d been “reading” since May). I also finished Feed in audio (and posted the review on Friday).

So now I am reading The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson as my reward book before tackling the remaining half-read books. I am also finishing up my reread of Mockingjay as my audiobook.

Did you all read a lot while you were hiding from the heat this week (and did you enjoy the taste of my world)? Read anything good?

Title:Feed (Newsflesh, Book 1)
Author: Mira Grant
Narrators: Paula Christensen and Jesse Bernstein
Genre: Fiction; Post-Apocalyptic; Zombie
ISBN: 1607885123
Pages: 608
Audio: 15.2 hours
Year: 2010
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Source: Library
Rating: 5/5

Summary:

In 2014, the cure for cancer and the cure for the common cold combined to form Kellis-Amberlee, a disease waiting to be awaken in every human being essentially making them a zombie. You die = zombie. You get bitten = zombie. Got it?

Fast forward 20-some years. Georgia and Shaun Mason are bloggers (the news media can’t be trusted since the zombie rising) chosen to follow the man many believe will be the next U.S. President. With the threat of Kellis-Amberlee always on their heels, they find even more danger in their path.

My Thoughts:

The premise sounds insane, right? Trust me when I say it is TOTALLY BELIEVABLE. Grant does such an amazing job building this world that you have to accept it. It’s our world. But with zombies. And slightly smaller technology. Georgia and Shaun filled us in on the history through their blog entries and Georgia’s thoughts. The details are fantastic and far too numerous to discuss here.

The action starts immediately and doesn’t stop moving until the end. In a world of zombies, I guess you don’t have much time to sit still (unless you’re hiding). There was zombie fighting, political sabotage, and more.

The characters and the relationship were also strong. Georgia and Shaun are closer than most brothers and sisters, and this was really the main relationship in the book. Which is different. But they still had their friends and coworkers and a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with their adoptive parents that I hope is further explored in further books.

If I have one complaint about this book, it is that I got a little sick of all the blood testing (you have to test to make sure you don’t have Kellis-Amberlee). But then again, I walked through two metal detectors yesterday so maybe it’s not that different. And I think it is really annoying to the characters even if it is a part of their lives, so maybe that was the point.

Please listen to the audio of this book. The narration is superb. Paula Christensen is the main narrator with Jesse Bernstein serving a supporting role. Christensen has these wonderful voices for the different characters. Georgia’s is straight-forward. Shaun’s is a laid-back-surfer-type. But my favorite is Steve, the security guy. You should listen just for this one.

Others’ Thoughts: My Friend Amy; Bermuda Onion; Good Books and Good Wine; Devourer of Books

Buy It Now: Amazon; Powell’s; IndieBound; Book Depository

Check out other audiobook reviews today over at Devourer of Books.

What a long, wonderful, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, magical journey this has been. I am excited to see the final movie tonight, but I am also saddened by The End. We’ve faced The End before. In 2007, when the final book was released, I think there was a similar feeling. But we still had the movies to look forward to. So this End is a little more final (unless we count Pottermore).

I wish I could watch this final Harry Potter movie with my husband.  We were also living apart when the final Harry Potter book was released (the time zones have favored him both times), so maybe it is fitting. Harry Potter has been a part of our relationship from the beginning – we started dating right around the time the first movie was released. As lame as that sounds, it’s true, and I think this is the first movie we won’t be seeing together (even when I was in California for the 5th movie, we waited until he visited to see it). I have some wonderful friends here who are braving the midnight showing with me and I am very thankful for that. And hopeful that they won’t judge the tears that are sure to come.

How do you feel about the final movie? Are you happy? Sad? Bittersweet? Relieved that this Harry Potter nonsense will finally be over? Baffled by the entire fascination? Let me know. I want to discuss Harry Potter one more time before it ends.

Hello everyone. I apologize for not having more of a presence on here this week. If you’ve followed me on twitter, you know that have been in Vegas since Saturday for my mother’s wedding. I am not one of those bloggers who is so on top of things that I can schedule posts and the time I thought I would have to post a thing or two never came into existence. I will return with reviews as soon as I catch up with life.

This is going to be an odds and ends kind of Sunday Salon today.

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Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there. You all impress me every day. I will be seeing my mom next weekend in Las Vegas for her wedding, which is the start of my crazy few months of traveling. Two weeks after Vegas, I am taking a 48-hour trip to St. Louis to visit my best friend from law school who needs some cheering up (I’m hoping my company + Buffy + chocolate helps). And a month from today we leave for Europe. Still deciding what to do with the blog while I am away, so stay tuned. I guess I’ll sleep in July?

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My new reading plan was going well until I hit a snag. Review copies. I kind of forgot about them and I apparently did not plan well. So I’m taking a little break from The Plan to read a few books I feel like I HAVE to read (or SHOULD read at least). Oh well.

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So what am I reading? Well I just finished Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away by Christie Watson, which I will be reviewing tomorrow. And now I am starting The Ninth Wife by Amy Stolls.

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You can still enter to win a copy of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees. Two copies are up for grabs until Friday. I will announce the winner in next week’s Sunday Salon.

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And finally, I want to brag a little. I ran my third 5k this morning at the I Love Mother’s Day Race in Palm Harbor. I set a personal record by more than 4+ minutes by finishing with a time of 28:50. This was the first race Ben and I ran together and I stayed with him the whole way. It was a beautiful, cool morning here and a lovely day for a race.

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So that’s it from me. What are you doing/reading today?

I first saw Amanda and Jill do this and I wanted to play. I thought it would be a fun Friday post.

Four jobs I’ve had in my life:

1. Ice cream server (I wore a poodle skirt. And worked there through high school and college)
2. Field Organizer for President Obama’s campaign
3. House painter
4. Phone page at my law library (I basically gathered books and articles from all over campus for professors)

Four books I would read over and over:

1. Harry Potter
2. Little Women
3. Jane Austen’s novels
4. Thursday Next

Four places I have lived:

1. Dexter/Ann Arbor, Michigan
2. Waltham, Massachusetts
3. San Francisco, California (only for a summer but I have to use it because I haven’t moved around much)
4. Dunedin, Florida

Four books I would recommend (going with my 2011 reads only):

1. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
3. Matched by Ally Condie
4. Picking Bones from Ash, Marie Mutsuki Mockett

Four places I have been:

1. South Africa
2. Italy
3. Mexico
4. The Caribbean

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Ice cream
2. Chocolate
3. Breakfast for dinner
4. Burritos

Four of my favorite drinks:

1. Water
2. Diet coke
3. A good beer
4. Soy Chai Latte

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. Michigan (I miss my family/friends)
2. Boston (with my dad)
3. On my European adventure (soon!)
4. Asheville, North Carolina

Four things that are very special in my life:

1. My husband
2. All of you
3. Ballet
4. Books

Four bloggers I hope will do this meme:

EVERYONE!

Today I am going to talk about best friends. Jen from Booklicity has asked me to spotlight MWF Seeking BFF, a blog dedicated to the search of a new best friend. But first, I want to share with you why I relate so much to it and why I think many of you will as well.

When I moved to Florida at age 25, it was essentially the first time I had left home. Sure I went to college (11 miles away from my parents’ house) and got married and even spent a summer in California, but southeast Michigan remained my home. In 2008, I packed all of my possessions in my car and drove 1200 miles south on I-75, and started a life here in Florida.

One thing that hadn’t occurred to me would be how much I would miss having a best friend (we’ll say BFF for simplicity’s sake). In high school, I had a few BFFs. We did everything together and they remain some of my closest friends today. In college, I had Ben (I think I was so focused on this relationship that I sacrificed my other friendships to some extent). It wasn’t until law school that I found that one BFF. The one person that I could rely on for anything. Susan and I met on out first day of law school and we were inseparable for three years. We took classes together, studied together, and just had a lot fun together. When we were both in Ann Arbor, we saw each other practically every day. During our summers apart, we emailed all day long (well, we still do that). When we graduated, I moved to Florida and she moved to St. Louis. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to not have her close by.

I’ve found some great friends in Florida, but I still don’t have that one BFF that I can call at anytime just to talk or watch endless episodes of Buffy with. They have kids or live *just* far enough away that it becomes impracticable or they already have a best friend. I would love to find another Susan and I think I just keep hoping she will show up.

Well Rachel Bertsche is tired of waiting. Like me, she’s moved to a new city (Chicago) and is in need of a new BFF. So she created MWF Seeking BFF, a blog that chronicles her adventures in BFF hunting. Along the way, she discusses various aspects of friendship: can you stay friends with high school friends? (Me: Absolutely);  why your husband is not your BFF; how hard it can be to pick bridesmaids (Me: boy did I struggle with this one); the fictional people she’d most like to be friends with; and whether your twitter friends really are your friends (Me: I disagree with her on this one and think some of my twitter friends are some of my closest friends although I understand the difference).

Maybe I should be like Rachel and be a little more proactive in my search. I tend to rely a lot on my long-distance friendships and they really aren’t the same. If you’ve ever moved to a new place and found yourself a little lost without your best friend, check out MWF Seeking BFF. I know it will at least keep me entertained while I wait for Ms. Perfect BFF to show up.

Good morning, everyone!

I’ve had a busy little weekend of productivity. I am participating in Bloggiesta and it forced me to finally finish fixing the formatting on all of my old posts AND create a alphabetical-by-title books read/review directory. So now you can read my posts all thy way back to February 2007 without any wierdness getting in the way (but I don’t necessarily recommend it – I wanted to delete about half of the posts). And, which I definitely recommend, you can browse my books by title now HERE. Someday, I will have the alphabetical-by-author directory up but that’s going to have to be done by hand. Next Bloggiesta perhaps?

I also grew frustrated by the variations of white walls, white trim, light carpet that apartment living has forced on me and picked up a last minute painting project. I decided to paint the entertainment-center-turned-china cabinet that we have in our dining area. We got it for free and it was a very light pinkish color which neither of us really liked. Well now it’s GREEN! We’re a bit obsessed with green – there is a little bit of it in every room. It just needs one final coat today and I will have a new china cabinet. Now I have the painting  bug (I enjoy painting more than normal people) and I am trying to think up more projects (this will almost certainly include the middle section of this piece that we keep in the guest room).

Before

After

I am going to keep painting and Bloggiesta-ing today and maybe even get a little reading in. Have you accomplished anything this weekend?