Delirium by Lauren Oliver

This book has been on my must read list forever.  I had heard about it through the blog world.  It's a series and it is about a dystopian world so it sounded a little Hunger Games-ish and I was hoping to be as hooked by it as I was with that series.

Here is the synopsis from Paperbackswap.com:

There was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it. Then, at last, they found the cure. Now, everything is different. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she'll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But then, with only ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable.

I really identify with this whole idea of love as a disease right now because I am in the midst of fighting off a crush.  It really does make you feel desperate and a little out of control and sometimes I do wish there was a cure for it!!  But to never love or be loved?  That would be really sad.

The book was really good.  It started off a little slow for me, but I got sucked in and definitely want to know what happens in the next one.  It wasn't Huger Games good because I didn't run out to the book store to buy it immediately, but I did put it on my wishlist and can't wait to continue Lena's story.

I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.

Sweet Potato Queens One True Book of Love

I was invited to join a book club a few months ago and this was our very first book pick (our second was 50 Shades...yeah we're that kind of book club).

Here is the synopsis from Paperbackswap.com:

From the back of the book: — To know the Sweet Potato Queens is to love them, and if you haven't heard about them yet, you will. Since the early 1980's this group of belles gone bad has been the toast of Jackson, Mississippi, with their glorious annual appearance in the St. Patrick's Day parade. In this book, their royal ringleader, introduces the Queens to the world with this sly, hilarious manifesto about love, life, men, and the importance of being prepared. Chapters include:

* The True Magic Words Guaranteed to Get Any Man to Do Your Bidding

* The Five Men You Must Have in Your Life at All Times

* Men Who May Need Killing, Quite Frankly

* What to Eat When Tragedy Strikes, or Just for Entertainment

And, of course:

* The Best Advice Ever Given in the Entire History of the World

From tales of the infamous Sweet Potato Queens' Promise to the joys of Chocolate Stuff and Fat Mama's Knock You Naked Margaritas, this irreverent, shamelessly funny book is the gen-u-wine article.

For me this book was kind of funny and semi-entertaining, but I didn't love it.  It did make for some really awesome discussions at our book club.  

The book also includes some delicious sounding recipes.  One woman made the dip and brought it to book club and it was pretty tasty.  I tried the pineapple-cheese casserole dish on my own and it was just ok.

Overall I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

50 Shades of Grey by E L James

Of course I had to get on the 50 Shades bandwagon.  I know most of you all have already read these so I won't go in to what they are about, but you guys- this is porn!  Seriously.  How are they going to make a movie out of this?

I of course loved it.  I loved the story of Christian and what's her face.  I loved the fantasy of a rich guy buying you gifts like a car and a new computer.  I even loved the sex scenes.  Even though they made me super uncomfortable and blush like crazy.


The story really is outlandish.  Does this stuff really happen?  What girl doesn't have email?  Who buys someone they just met a car for graduation??


And I really can't believe that it is so acceptable that we are all so proud about reading these books.  Should men be ok and flaunt their Playboys by the pool?  Yes, I know that is pictures and not words, and there is no story behind it, but when did it become acceptable to consume porn in public and proudly talk about it all over the internet and in real life?  And talk about it in front of kids?  I was at the pool one day and 3 women were reading these books and discussing them very loudly so the whole pool could hear with 2 men.  One of the little boys kept asking what the book was about.  His mom just kept saying "grown up stuff" and being vague, but I bet that little 10 year old is going to Google them at some point and maybe even read them for himself.  It's just all so strange to me.


As much as I loved these books I stopped about 2 chapters in to the second one.  It just didn't feel right.  It was making me have all these lustful thoughts which just wasn't good for this single gal.  So I put the other 2 books on my bookshelf and will revisit them once I am married.  I think it would be perfect reading for the honeymoon actually! (if that ever happens!)


I give the first book- Fifty Shades of Grey- 4 out of 5 stars!

Love Lies by Amanda Lamb

When this trial was going on in Raleigh I was OBSESSED with it.  I even wrote about how I was going through withdrawals from it.  So I just had to read this book even though I had heard before that it was totally biased.

Here's a synopsis from Amazon:

Who killed suburban wife and mother Nancy Cooper...?

Suspicion fell on Nancy's handsome husband, Brad. But why would a devoted husband and father of two young girls want to kill his wife? Nancy's parents and friends knew why. And what transpired revealed secrets not only about Brad, but about their deceptively quiet town.

It would take a mountain of damning evidence to make sure justice was served.

After reading the book, I can see why Amanda Lamb was biased.  She ran in the same circles as Nancy (had seen her around everywhere she hung out), their kids were similar in age, and they even lived in the same neighborhood I think.  So I am sure when this happened she thought "Wow, could this happen to me?"

The book is totally biased, doesn't tell as much info as if you would have listened to the whole trial, and basically assumed Brad did it from the beginning.  I think there was one small chapter on Brad's defense.  I kind of hate that I wasted my time reading it, but for some reason I was obsessed with that story, so anything to feed that obsession is something I will consume.  I am still waiting for the Lifetime movie!

I give the book 2 out of 5 stars

Fishbowl by Sarah Mlynowski

A few years ago I read Milkrun by Sarah Mlynowski and LOVED it!  I absolutely loved her writing style because it felt like I was reading how thoughts flow through my own head- random, all over the place, with humor and a little bitchiness throughout.

I don't know if her writing just wasn't as good in this book, if I had changed or if the story line was lacking, but for some reason I didn't enjoy this one as much.


Here's a synopsis from Paperbackswap.com:


Smart, witty and a little bit bitchy, Fishbowl lets you press your face against the glass, see into the lives of three unique roommates -- and laugh your head off. — Allison can't wait for Jodine and Emma to move in to her apartment -- until she realizes having roommates means living in a fishbowl: You are never alone. When one small, slightly accidental fire leads to one big repair bill, all efforts to avoid each other are finally abandoned: They've got to raise money... fast ("Insurance? You mean you have to pay for that?"). This means joining forces. Bonding? Well, at least they're talking to each other!
Amazingly, they agree on a plan: shamelessly exploit their combined expertise on the male species for hard cash.?Tactics: sell tickets to their swanky soir?es and How to Pick Up Women seminars... But their grand scheme sweeps away any last shreds of privacy with startling consequences. Now that they're forced to take a long, hard look at themselves, Allie, Jodine and Emma's lives -- and budding friendship -- are about to change, in ways they never imagined. 


I give this one 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

When I went on the ski trip I woke up pretty early most mornings.  When I woke up I would go ahead and get out of bed and go downstairs so I wouldn't disturb the guy I was rooming with (it was bunk beds...we were not in the same bed).  The second morning I forgot to grab my book when I went downstairs.  I didn't want to go back in there so I looked at the dozen or so books they had on the bookshelf in the living room and decided on this one because it was not very big and I already knew the author.

Here is a synopsis from Nicholas Sparks' website:

Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life—boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies—he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Despite his attempts to be neighborly, the appealing redhead seems to have a chip on her shoulder about him…and the presence of her longtime boyfriend doesn’t help. Despite himself, Travis can’t stop trying to ingratiate himself with his new neighbor, and his persistent efforts lead them both to the doorstep of a journey that neither could have foreseen. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage and family, The Choice ultimately confronts us with the most heartwrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?

Some Nicholas Sparks books are so sad a predictable.  This one wasn't bad.  I flew through the first half. I love that his books are set in NC because I usually end up knowing some of the places he writes about.  I've been vacationing in Atlantic Beach almost all my life because my family has a timeshare there.  Beaufort, where the majority of the book is set is just over the bridge and is one of the cutest little towns ever.  Having been there really helped envision the story as it unfolded.

When I got to part two of the book I was like crap...here we go with the Nicholas Sparks tragedy portion of the book.  It sucked.  But suprisingly it had a happy ending.  Can you believe it? 

Not a bad book but not one to put on your must read list.  I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

I really enjoyed the Twilight series but had not heard much about this other book by Stephanie Meyer.  Then I heard it was going to be made into a movie and I had to read it because the book is ALWAYS better than the movie.  But in this case I am kind of hoping it's the other way around.

The book wasn't bad.  I just could not get into it and thus it took me forever to read!  It is a big book and I felt like maybe she should have cut some stuff out because it just was soooo LONG and not gripping me that I came to hate it a little. 

I know it sounds weird but it is about these aliens called "souls" that take over human bodies here on earth.  The main character "Wanderer" or "Wanda" has lived many lives on many different planets in many different bodies.  But this is her first time on Earth.  And her "host" Melanie is not very cooperative of her body being taken over. 

Melanie never completely goes away and they eventually become "friends" I guess you could say.  Melanie's thoughts and feelings are so strong that "Wanda" starts feeling them too.  This leads to them go look for her brother Jamie and her love Jared.  They are in hiding because they do not want to be taken over by the souls.

There is so much that happens and it was a pretty good story.  I can't wait to see the movie.  But I definitely didn't love this book just because it took me sooo long to get through so I only give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.