Milkrun by Sarah Mlynowski

I LOVED this book! I have already ordered Sarah Mlynowski’s other book Fishbowl because this one was just THAT good. This was so appropriate for me to read at this time because it is all about a girl whose boyfriend goes to Thailand to “find himself” and then pretty much breaks up with her through an email. This girl is resilient though and is now on a mission to become “Crazy Dating Girl”. (I’m feeling like Crazy Dating Girl in my life right now!) The story follows her along her adventures.

I loved her writing. I felt like I was having a chat with my best friend every night; or like she had emptied my thoughts out of my head right on to the page. She really writes just like your thoughts might flow though your head…well at least how they flow through my head! It was such a quick, easy, fun read!

I also loved how it wasn’t like a fairytale romance or ending. The guys portrayed in the book are exactly like the guys you would meet in the real world. About half way through, you kind of think you can see the ending coming, but it doesn’t end quite like you expect which was nice too. In fact, I didn’t want it to end. That is how you know a book is good!

If you are looking for something with deep meaning and eloquent writing, this isn’t the book for you. But if you are looking for a fun, entertaining story about dating and life in your 20’s then this is a great pick!

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars!

You can check out the author’s website here.

She is doing a lot of teen novels now, but she also has a lot of chic lit books out! I’ll let you know how the next one I read turns out, but she is already one of my favs now!

10% off Barnes and Noble coupon

I got this coupon for 10% off at Barnes and Noble in my inbox this morning so I thought I would share!

Click here for the online discount code or printable in-store coupon.

Offer expires Feb. 16th, 2009.

The Girls by Lori Lansens

Lori Lansens novel The Girls is the story of Rose and Ruby Darlen who are the oldest surviving craniopagus twins (they are 29 year old conjoined twins who are joined at the head.) I chose this book because I thought it was such an interesting perspective. I wondered how they did everyday things and what kind of adventures they would have.

When I read the first paragraph I thought it was one of the best things I have ever read:

"I have never looked into my sisters eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I've never used an airplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that. I've never driven a car. Or slept through the night. Never a private talk. Or a solo walk. I've never climbed a tree. Or faded into a crowd. So many things I've never done, but oh, how I've been loved. And if such things were to be, I'd live a thousand lives as me, to be loved so exponentially."

I love these words. How the dance together and ring so true and leave you with a deep sense of what really matters when you strip everything else away from life.

I was so excited to get in to this book after I read that paragraph. But I think my expectations were set too high. Don't get me wrong I loved the story. I loved reading about their life and all the twists and turns from their perspective. Most of the story is told from Rose's perspective but there are a few chapters sprinkled throughout from Ruby's perspective. There are some very unexpected twists and turns and I did care about the characters.

I just never fell in love with them. I wasn't dying to get home to read. I didn't find myself longing to know what happens next very often. But it was a good story and Lansens does sprinkle some more poetic, moving paragraphs like that first one, but it just didn't grab me as much as that introduction.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

20% off coupon at Boarder's

I hardly ever buy books anymore since I use paperbackswap.com so much, but I came across this 20% off coupon for Boarder's today. Enjoy!

Dream It. List It. Do It!

Dream It. List It. Do It! Is a great little book full of ideas and helpful tips to making and actually completing your life lists (like my 30 Before 30). It starts out with “10 Rules for Creating and Conquering Your Life Lists” with helpful tips like “define a finish line” and “document your progress”.

The following chapters focus on different themes for “Life List” items:

-Understand Myself
-Learn New Things
-Be More Adventurous
-Make a Difference
-Fix My Finances
-Live in the Moment
-Reconnect
-Cook More
-Be Independent
-Stay Focused
-Make Music
-Be a Better Person
-Be Healthy
-Get a Pet
-Be Happy
…and more! (43 different categories in all!)

There are literally hundreds of ideas in this book. Each theme has pages and pages of items to add to your list that fit with that theme. This book would really come in handy and give you lots of great ideas for your own "Life List".

I normally don't have the patience for books that don't tell a "story", but I will keep this one around and use it to make my 40 Before 40 List!

Overall I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars (just because this is more of a reference book than a book I'll ever read cover to cover).

My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler

You might know Chelsea Handler from her hit show Chelsea Lately on E! If you don't, you should check it out. She is hilarious. A little crude sometimes, but very funny. In My Horizontal Life, Chelsea recounts some of her wildest adventures with men. The subtitle of the book is "a collection of one night stands", but I think she actually only sleeps with 2-3 guys in the book but has many close encounters.

This book was so funny and such a quick and easy read. I was literally laughing out loud through entire chapters! From midgets to gay doctors on Ecstasy, Chelsea certainly has some wild adventures to share. Her witty writing style and short chapters make this book fly by.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

She also has another more recent memoir- Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea. I haven't read it, but it is a bestseller, so I am sure it is pretty good.

The Shack by William P. Young

A co-worker recommended this book to me last week. After reading the online synopsis I went out and bought it that same day. I was shocked it was the NY Times #1 best seller and yet I had not even heard of it!

The Shack by William P. Young is the story of Mack, whose daughter is abducted by a serial killer while they are on a camping trip. The investigators don’t find her body, but find enough evidence in a shack isolated deep in the wilderness to determine that Mack’s daughter has been brutally murdered.

Flash forward to a few years later and Mack receives a mysterious note in his mailbox asking him to come to the Shack for the weekend and it is signed “Papa”. Mack thinks the note may be a prank or could be the killer himself. But he also has a nagging feeling the note could be from God himself. He feels crazy for even thinking it, but has to go investigate.

His journey takes him on a discovery of himself, explores questions surrounding what he referrers to as “The Great Sadness” that descended on his family after the tragedy, looks at his relationship with others, and his relationship with God. It tackles some of the tough questions in life like “Why do bad things happen to good people?” It explores what it means to really love and be loved. In short, it gives you a lot to think about.

I enjoyed the book, but I wouldn’t call it life changing like many other people have. I didn’t agree with everything in the book, but most of it reflected exactly why I believe what I believe. It made me feel God’s love even more and made me look at how I can reflect that in myself to others.

Regardless of what you believe of this universe and life, I would recommend reading this book. It will make you think about some of the big questions and even if it doesn’t it is still an entertaining story.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Check out what other people are saying about it at TheShackBook.com