My year in review or bye bye 2009 (thank god!)

Its time to review 2009 - the good, the bad and the ugly!

THE BAD and THE UGLY

As many of you know, 2009 was a tough year for me. I started my New Year by celebrating it alone (don't ask) and I was not happy about it and somehow, it set the tone for the whole year. It seems that I was always one step behind - between what I wanted and what was actually happening to me.

In April 2009, I lost my job which I won't go into again as this is something that I mentioned quite alot on this blog.

I was also stuck doing some medical tests that were incredibly scary for me!

In late 2008, my best friend and I had a falling out and although we exchanged a few emails in 2009, we just could not get to that point where we could talk about it.

In 2009, I also realized that I am completely clueless as to what I want to do as a job "when I grow up". Its weird because as soon as I finished my degree in Business Administration, I got a job immediately and never looked back. By 1987, I was the Director of the Human Resources department of the company I worked for (and worked there for 14 years) and kept getting promoted and was actually a very senior person in that company - along with a nice, nice senior salary that I somehow never managed to put aside for my retirement!

Now, I can't seem to stay in a job more than a few years and recently, although I am at McGill University in their HR department, I don't like it at all and I am leaving the position at the end of January - back to looking for a job (AGAIN!). What is wrong with me? I just can't seem to find something that I am passionate about. Needless to say this weighs heavily on my mind.

2009 was also the year of poor choices and poor decisions for me.

I was involved in a relationship that was totally unhealthy for me and for some reason, kept thinking it would get better - which is ridiculous since I am a firm believer in a slogan that we often say in 12 step program - "the true definition of insanity is to repeat the same action over and over and expect a different result" - thank goodness this relationship is now behind me and I have given my friends permission to take my stack of books and seriously hit me with them if I EVER get myself in that kind of situation again.

I am the queen of poor choices let me tell you!!!

Other things that happened in 2009 - I am having lots of trouble sticking to my food plan and staying away from all the binge foods that basically consist of my eating disorder. One of the problems with eating disorders is that they never go away and tend to really surface in times of stress - hence my craving for a hot fudge cholocate sundae all the time (thank goodness, the 12 steps that I believe in so much are standing between me and the self destruction that comes so easily to me).

Wow! I guess really should get to THE GOOD now (and there is alot of it).

I am happy to say that Sharon, my best friend and I decided to finally, at the end of November, sit together and talk - so I am thrilled that this friendship has been saved and we are slowly working on rebuilding our relationship. We were extremely close (think Sex and the City type of close) and I am thrilled that she is back in my life. (Picture; Sharon is in the middle and I am on the right - that is our friend Sarah on the left).

I am also always grateful for Overeaters Anonymous, although I have not been faithful to it, IT has been faithful to me - thank you Bill and Dr. Bob - without you, I would have literally eaten myself to death.

As always, I always say that god did not give me brains when it comes to men, but he made sure that he sent some wonderful pets in my life and my Rebecca (who died a few years ago) and my cat Griz are truly heaven sent.

My grandmother, who died in 2002 and who looks over me everyday and my mother who is very much alive (thank you) are the two women that have always stood by me in my life - regardless of the fact that, for the most part, my mother is baffled most of the time by my actions and I am sure has often considered having my DNA tested just to make sure I was hers (LOL).

My love of reading - which has literally saved my life too many times to count. Thank god for the wonderful people who have sent me books in 2009 (and there are many of you) as well as the new friends that I have made through my blog, particularly my blogger group - Cindy, Linda, Donna and Avis who have all had their share of struggles this year but we have all remained close if not a little more battered.

Finally, I need to remember that I am healthy and that everything I went through in 2009 was for a reason - namely that I needed to learn something from it. I have made some very specific resolutions for 2010 (which is not something I usually do) and the most important one is that I WILL LEARN TO LISTEN TO MY LITTLE VOICE! this voice is my grandmother, my dad and my higher power talking to me - unfortunately, I almost always choose to not listen to it and that is usually when I get in trouble.

Finally and this is a huge one that I truly believe although I often forget or choose to ignore:

I need to remember that I AM EXACTLY WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO BE AT THIS MOMENT!

Happy 2010 to all my friends. Namastes.

OH NO! Another challenge for 2010

10 in 10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge

I just found this terrific challenge over Jessica's site http://www.chicklitteens.com/2009/12/10-in-10-teen-chick-lit-challenge.html and author Kay Cassidy at http://www.kaycassidy.com/.

and you know I could not resist it. I mean, its perfect:

chick lit AND YA combined! I can so do this one!!!! So, here is the challenge:

1) Grab the official 10 in '10 Teen Chick Lit Challenge logo above and put it on your site with a link back to this page to let people know you're playing.

2) Choose 10 teen chick lit books to read in 2010. Or select the ones you know you want to read and leave the rest of your list open to see what comes your way in 2010. (We'll be talking about the great teen chick lit books we've read each month, so you may find some new ones that catch your eye!)

Here is my partial list (cauz I plan on doing more than 10 this year!):

1) A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker;

2) Bikini Breakdown by Melody Carlson;

3) Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski;

4) Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy (I swear this one has been on my list for months!!!);

5) Alpha Bet by Stephanie Hale;

6) Arm Candy by Jill Kargman;

7) For Keeps by Nathasha Friend;

8) She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott;

I will add to the list as I discover more books that I would like to read!!!

EEKKKK!!!!!

REVIEW for Beautiful

A big thank you goes out to the author! for sending me this great book!









TITLE: Beautiful

AUTHOR: Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

GENRE: YA

RATING: 4 Stars



Beautiful is exactly the type of YA book that I adore. An entertaining storyline, engaging character, but more specifically, a social message that comes out loud and clear without being pushy or preachy. Ellie is, to the world to see, perfect and happy. She basically has it all - according to the everyone around her. Yet, Ellie, although not unhappy is also missing something - that she can't quite put a finger on.

In one moment, everything changes for her and it is a this point that Ellie really starts understanding herself and discvovering what is really important in her life. This novel, although aimed at YA, could easily be read by people of all ages. Its basic messages are clear - never judge your insides with somebody else's outsides AND life will throw you lots of curve balls and it is up to you how you deal with them.

This novel is inspiring and true to life. Ellie is put in a situation where she needs to re-evaluate everything that she "thought" was important - and through a very harsh life lesson, she will find herself with the most important gift - the willingness to grow.

I loved the way the author tells her story - from riches to what may be perceived as "rags" and yet -you get the distinct impression that Ellie is actually richer in the end.

I loved, loved this novel.

REVIEW for the Ultimate TFSA Guide

A huge thank you goes out to the wonderful people at Penguin Canada for sending this book to me!

TITLE: The Ultimate TFSA Guide

AUTHOR: Gordon Pape

GENRE: Personal Finance

RATING: 4 Stars

I have read all of Gordon Pape's books and they are always incredibly informative, clear and concise and written for the average layperson trying to find their way through their personal finances and their retirement.

The Ultimate TFSA Guide is the second in the TFSA series that Pape has written. This book is a huge help for all of those who are wondering about the effects of the TFSA program in the first year. Although I read quite alot on the TFSA, Pape manages to brea it down for me in an easy and concise way, cutting through all the techincal mumbo jumbo that nobody really cares about - all we want is to better understand the program and to get some guidelines about what are the best procedures to follow to maximize the program.

This book cleared up a few questions that I had and also touched on the topic of TFSA and retirement which are of particular interest to me. I am stil waiting for someone to write a book or at the very least a chapter about retirement, TFSA and single woman - for some reason, this is not covered in any of the examples or as a subject matter in personal finance.

Nonethless, if you have questions or concerns or if you want to make sure that you are handling your TFSA in the best manner possible, then this is the book for you. I LOVED THIS BOOK.

REVIEW for The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy

A big thank you goes out to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc - a great London based publication house with some wonderful chick lit books!!

TITLE: The Shoe Princess's Guide to the
Galaxy

AUTHOR: Emma Bowd

GENRE: Chick lit (yeah!)

RATING: 4 Stars

Ahhh! chick lit and Brit chick lit - which is the best. I instantly fell in love with The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy - it has absolutely everything that I love in a great chick lit book!

First of all, its chick lit!!!!! secondly, it features a funny, strong and witty main character. Thirdly, it involves shoes, shoes and more shoes, so really all of it just gels together wonderfully to create a storyline that had me hooked from the first second.

Author Emma Boyd knows how to tell a story - I really thought she did a great job of writing a main character that was both a little silly, yet at the same time, was smart and knew where her priorities were (shoes of course!). I think my favorite passage in this book is the definition of what a "heel virgin" is - absolutely hilarious!!! I, myself, have grown quite frightened of heels in the last few years, so this was a topic that was close to my heart (he!he!).

After reading this novel, I kept trying to figure out what our fascination is with shoes and frankly???? I still don't know, but I do know that chick lit and shoes are a wonderful mixture.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

My little Charlie Brown tree and my mother's full size one!

I took a few pictures of my holiday decorations. The tree on the left is my own little tree. It sits on the top of my tv - so you can imagine how small it is. The one on the right is my mother's tree and is full size (not a real one though - we have never had a real tree). She decorates it differently every year. My mother loves, loves decorating her tree.

This is the little Christmas village my mother sets up every year. The little white tree is a tradition - it belonged to my grandmother and comes from Italy. When my grandmother died, my mother got the tree - it's (I think!) older than I am....and is in better shape LOL

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL MY FRIENDS and my 2010 be happy and healthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

REVIEW for The Lonely Hearts Club

Thank you goes out to Nikole at Scholastic Books Canada for sending me a copy of this book!










TITLE: The Lonely Hearts Club

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Eulberg

GENRE: YA chick lit

RATING: 4 stars


The Lonely Hearts Club immediately drew me to the storyline - Penny Lane has just been hurt by another guy - but not "just" another guy, but her childhood friend Nate - he was supposed to be different and it turns out, he was just another jerk, so Penny decides to create The Lonely Hearts Club at school - and surprise, surprise!!!! a ton of girls flock to join - and this annoys most of the guys at the school.

As a 40-something woman who has had her share of loser boyfriends, I immediately fell in love with this book. I love that Penny took a very negative and hurtful situation and turned it into something positive - something in which she could grow out of the experience.

I also loved the interaction between the girls. This book is definitely about guys and their lack of basically everything! but its much more about friendships between girls and realizing that, in life, there are so many things that are important and that guys should never be the only consideration.

The writing is charming and quirky (so is Penny by the way) and I simply adored this book.

By the way, Penny does come to realize that maybe NOT all guys are the same - a lesson I am still trying to learn :)

YOU COULD WIN $5,000.00 AND A FREE BOOK

Hi Everyone:

Something a little different for me and this blog! I found this really nice site and fell in love with it! I would like to encourage you to go and register and you might win the grand prize of $5,000.00 - but they also have a contest every month where you could win $200.00!

I don't normally do this, but I gotta say that I am in love with the jewellery! and this tag particularly!!!

EXTRA BONUS:

For anyone that goes over and enters her contest, you will also be eligible to win a FREE BOOK!!! So, follow the link below and register for the contest and then come back on this blog entry and tell me that you registered and I will automatically enter you into the book contest and the book to be won is:


UNHALLOWED GROUND by Heather Graham.

To register for the contest go to (don't forget to copy the button and the link on your site to be eligible)

http://www.jewelryartdesigns.com/jewelry-jad.asp?p=Win-Jewelry&xref=bookshipper.blogspot.com

don't forget to come back here and tell me you registered so that I can enter you to win the book

Contest ends January 31, 2010 and is open to every country. 1 entry per person please.

REVIEW for Scones and Sensibility

A big thank you goes out to author Lindsay Eland for sending me a copy of this book!

TITLE: Scones and Sensibility

AUTHOR: Lindsay Eland

GENRE: YA

RATING: 3.5 stars

A couple of random musings came to me as I was reading this book. The first one was that I thought the title was extremely clever and the second one was that while this book is set in present time, the book will really please any fan of Jane Austen.

This YA book actually has a clever twist to it, while the setting and the main characters are all set in present time, the writing style and the actual speaking style of the main character Polly are all based on the style of Jane Austen. I mention this because it is the main focus of the novel - both from the author's point of view and the main character's point of view who is a huge lover of all things Jane Austen.

The problem with this, in my opinion, is that anytime Polly speaks, it feels completely ackward to me - in connection with the other characters who spend most of their times ignoring Polly's odd way of speaking, although I loved the fact that she was so "out there" and yet, completely at ease with it all - obviously she has no issue with fitting in with the rest of the world.

Although I wanted to get into the story itself, which is actually very interesting and fun, the writing style distracted me.

I know that this is the main part of this storyline - the imagery between Jane Austen's world of the past with today's world - and that Polly is the link between them, but I just could not get past the old fashioned tone of speaking (and I am actually a fan of Jane Austen).

I gave this book 3.5 stars for the actual plotline which is cute and funny and all about finding love.

REVIEW for Tangled

Thank you! thank you! thank you! Melissa for sending me this book!!!!

TITLE: Tangled

AUTHOR: Carolyn Mackler

GENRE: YA

RATING: 5 Stars

Okay, I ADORE everything Carolyn Mackler has ever written. In fact, I have reread all of her books at least 3 or 4 times each. So, imagine how thrilled I was when I got this new one.

The thing is, at first glance I did not think that I would like it. This one is written in a different way than her others - using the voice of 4 different characters - each with their own chapters - this is usually a method that I don't like at all. Still, I told myself, IT IS Mackler so I had hope.

Was I ever glad that I went beyond my initial prejudice against the genre. This book was absolutely fantastic and is one of those books that I would put down for a few minutes and then need to go back and pick up again.

As I mentioned, the four main characters take turns telling "their" stories and I love the fact that while the lives of these 4 characters do entertwine briefly (and I do mean briefly) we find out so much about each one as their "voice" tells us what is really going on with each person. This is hard to explain without giving away too much, but suffice it to say that Mackler did an absolutely amazing job of joining, disjoining and somehow shadowing each character with each other. I was absolutely blown away.

The other great aspect of this book (other than the writing - which is, as usual, top notch) is the deepness of feeling with each character - both male and female. There is the "fluff" that we see on the surface and as soon as we discover more about each personality, we connect with each of their stories - making them characters with depth and emotion. I loved this about the storylines.

Also, the messages in this book are too numerous to mention, but the one at the forefront is definitely that "one never knows what is going on, deep inside of a person's soul" and that "we should never judge only by what we see".

Mackler is a whiz at writing the best YA out there and this book ranks right up there.

Run, don't walk to get this one at the bookstore.

REVIEW for The Vinyl Princess

Once again, I owe a debt of thank you to Melissa from Harper Collins Canada for sending me this book!




TITLE: The Vinyl Princess

AUTHOR: Yvonne Prinz

GENRE: YA

RATING: 4 Stars



Allie is a "Vinyl" freak - if its about music - she knows about it (okay, maybe not about a group like the Bay City Rollers, but if its different and cool, she knows about it). She is 16 years old and has found her passion - and she gets to live it everyday by working behind the counter at Bob & Bob's record store. Still, she feels as though she wants to express herself somehow and what better way then to combine her passion and blog about it (I know how she feels!).

So, she becomes The Vinyl Princess and writes her blog touching one music freak at a time.

My first thought about this book is how cool it was to read. Because I am at the age where I remember how much fun vinyl really was (I still have my Osmond and Bay City Roller records), I spent considerable time strolling down memory lane.

Allie is a fun main character, she is likeable in that she is actually kind of happy with where she is in her life - sure, she could use a boyfriend, but overall, she is happy! This is a nice change of pace from reading about YA who are rebels without a cause, for the most part.

The book does kind of drag a little bit at times, I felt as though the author added a little too much dialogue and details in some spots, but I have to say that this main character was so engaging, that this felt like a minor detail in the end.

This story is touching and adorable and I really liked the relationship between mother and daughter, again a nice touch that I haven't been finding in many YA novels these days.

This was a great read.

REVIEW for Fishbowl

Once again, a huge, huge thank you goes out to my chick lit supplier, Adam at Harlequin!!! I am sooooooooo grateful.







TITLE: Fishbowl

AUTHOR: Sarah Mlynowski

GENRE: Chick Lit (!!!!!!!)

RATING: 3 Stars

I am a huge lover of chick lit and Sarah Mlynowski does it well! So, it was with great enthusiasm that I started reading this book. To my surprise, while this was a chick lit, it kind of went beyond the usual chick litty recipe of "i am single so I need a boyfriend/husband" and actually became more a book about women and friendship.

So, this is actually a good thing and a bad thing for me. The bad side of this is that, traditionally, I do not like novels told from different perspectives - mainly because I always feel as though I am reading three books at the same time. Fishbowl uses this technique and I am not a huge fan. However, having said that, once I got use to all three female voices (who eventually all become roommates) the stories kind of merge and I started feeling more comfortable with the method.

This book takes a deep look at women, specifically, how 3 women can live together, and yet be quite different. We get to discover, along with them, their wants, hates, longings and fears and its all done very tastefully and with charm.

I did enjoy this chick lit book and commend Mlynowski for managing to incorporate all these female voices into one storyline.

REVIEW for The 13th hour

Thank you goes out to Simon & Schuster for sending me this novel.






TITLE: The 13th Hour

AUTHOR: Richard Doetsch

GENRE: Thriller

RATING: 4 Stars

I use to read alot of thrillers and then just felt "burnout" over them - mainly because they became to predictable and frankly "not thrillling in the least". So, I was both a litte weary and yet intrigued when I saw this book.

I had never heard of this author before and read the sleeve to find out about the story and as soon as I started reading it, I knew that this was one I was going to have to read. This book reminded me of Star Trek's "1st Directive (I think it is) - which basically says that if you go back into the past, you have to make sure you don't alter the future in any way and the movie Groundhog Day (minus the comedy).

Our main character Nick is having a bad day - and its about to multiply itself over and over again. His wife is killed and if Nick does not figure out who killed her, he is going to be facing some serious allegations. Enter the solution - a pocket watch which will give him the opportunity of going back in time - 1 hour (60 minutes) at a time. As Nick goes back in time, he will find a series of mysteries and leads that will force him to reconcile himself to the past and the present - basically living in a time warp where he is the only one who really knows what the future holds for the people he interacts with. In the process, he will find out some things that he probably wishes he had not found out.

This thriller is very, very exciting. Once you settle down to the back and forth and having to untangle the pieces of the puzzle by working backwards in "real time for the actual characters - except Nick" the mystery AND the storyline really pick up.

This story is extremely clever and I just loved the fact that you never quite knew what or who would come up next. Although this book is, at its core, a thriller set to entertain, it also makes you think . How many times have you wished you could go back and "do it over" or "find something out before everyone else"? what if you knew your future?

This book is fast paced and I could not put it down. I loved it.

REVIEW for The 3 Secret Pillars of Wealth

TODAY WE WELCOME AUTHOR JAMES BURNS AND PUMP UP THE VOLUME!!!!

TITLE: The 3 Secret Pillars of Wealth

AUTHOR: James Burns

GENRE: Personal finance

RATING; 4 Stars




I was not sure what to expect with this book. I have, unfortunately, read my share of either "boring" or "ridiculous" books that assure you instant money and wealth. i was extremely surprised and pleased to discover that this book is nothing like that. The 3 Secret Pillars of Wealth is actually a well researched, well thought out and quite interesting book on the world of finance - but brought down to a level that most non-financial people, such as myself, can clearly understand and follow.

This book does focus mainly on investment and investments and having been written in the US is, of course, focus on the US economy and practices but nonetheless this was a very helpful book. I found some interesting ideas and some practices that I had, frankly, never thought about.

This book was also quite inspiring -making me feel as though, even with just a little money, I can actually grow my savings and although I am not sure about the "wealth" part of the title, I can certainly do things to increase my own net financial value.

Very good book and extremely well written and researched.

REVIEW for Six Seconds

Thank you Adam at Harlequin for sending me this book!

TITLE: Six Seconds

AUTHOR: Rick Mofina

GENRE: Thriller

RATING: 4 Stars

Six Seconds by Rick Mofina combines some of my favorite genres - mainly a thriller with a main plotline about saving the world from a deadly event -on a very, very tight deadline.

From the first paragraph, Mofina goes at warp speed with his thriller and does not stop until the last word. We meet Jack Conlin who is now back from Iraq and is being shadowed by a woman who saved his life - but she has very specific plans for him and through manipulation, she will attempt to make sure that Conlin is a focal part of her plan.

On the other side of the country, a little girl is drowning and as she whispers her secrets, the time bomb is now ticking. This book is full of twists and turns and I loved that I never knew exactly what was coming next - I also loved that all the threads of seemingly unrelated stories end up being all tied together to an event that will alter (or destroy) the world!

Loved it! and loved the ending - which I did not see coming.

Time to say thank you

Every year, around this time of year, I start to think back on the year! I have to say that 2009 has been one of the hardest years I have lived in a long time.



But, as I was looking outside my 7th floor window at the lightly falling snow, I thought how beautiful it looks outside.


This is a picture I just took from my living room. Pass the trees is the St-Lawrence River - which you can't really see right now but is a beautiful sight in the summer (and where, it seems, I just spent so much time riding my little blue bike).


As you know, in 2009 I lost my job, this was a first for me and it was both hurtful and scary. It took me some time to get over it and I found something else in September. However, unfortunately, that job is just not satisfying for me and it looks like I am going to have to job search again in the new year (sigh!).

But yet, one of my friends always says to me that "she is grateful to be grateful" and I want to think of that right now. I am not grateful enough. There have been some wonderful things that have happened to me and there have been some perfectly boring and ordinary things that have happened to me - both of which I am grateful for.

This is my cat Griz and I ALWAYS so grateful for her! I have had her since she was 7 months old and she is now 12. She is an "ice storm" cat and is the friendliest cat in the world.

I am also grateful to have a mother who has stood by me - even though, most of the time, she does not really "get" what I am doing (especially with the job changes). She is more of the "stick through it even if you don't like it type".

I am also grateful for my constant love of reading. Reading has gotten through so many things in my life and this is definitely a gift from God. I really feel badly for people who never read - they don't know what they are missing.

I am also grateful for my health. This year, through various reasons, I have had to had some medical tests done that have been scary(to me anyway) and they have all come out negative - and for this, I REALLY am grateful. On top of that, and to my US friends, I know you will understand this - all these tests were free - which is something that I always try to remember when I want to complain about how much taxes come out of my pay cheques or how long tests can take. I calculated that if I had to pay for these tests, it would have been at least $10K worth.

and finally...... I am grateful for all the absolutely wonderfully kind and thoughtful book publishers and authors who sent me so many grand books this year. I cannot tell you how much that means to me - especially since I was out of work and could not really have afforded to buy all the books I wanted to read. You have ALL been true miracles and I am ALWAYS conscious of just how lucky I am.

So, to everyone who has contributed in one way or another to this blog and to my life, I thank you!!!

TINA

REVIEW FOR LM Montgomery

A huge, huge, huge thank you goes out to Penguin Books for sending me this wonderful biography on one of my favorite Canadian authors!






TITLE: L.M. Montgomery

AUTHOR: Jane Urquhart

GENRE: Biography

RATING; 5 Stars

I love all things Lucy Maud Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables! Which is why I was absolutely thrilled when I saw this book. I am impressed by this series (Extraordinary Canadians) published by Penguin Books – taking a well known Canadian personality and having another well known personality write a book, based on their views, of this person and their work.

This is a very clever idea and I certainly think that, in this case, it produced a great book.
Author Jane Urquhart, who I have never read, but have certainly heard about, had the opportunity of reading about L.M. Montgomery and writing about her impressions and views on the life and times of this wonderful Canadian author.

My first impression is that it is obvious that Urquhart respects and enjoys Maud’s books. This comes through clearly in her writings and it is always interesting to me to read about one author’s “take” on another author – especially since Maud was certainly a huge influence on many female authors.

Jane actually also explored Maud as a woman, mother and wife – which, to me, are areas that were missing in the past. While there are many, many books out there, analyzing every word written by LMM, precious few explore her as a human being and Urquhart did a wonderful job of this.

Of course, one of the main sources of reference are the many, many journals that LMM wrote throughout her life and were left to her son to publish upon her death. Jane quickly points out that LMM always knew that her journals would be published and therefore probably amended and tweeked her entries into the journals accordingly – which I always felt was a huge flaw in discovering the “real” LMM – I often wished that LMM would NOT have “altered” her journals at all – but considering how vain LMM appeared to be (and this has been documented quite a few times through various sources) I suppose we could not expect these journals to be 100% genuine – showing the good, the bad and the ugly.

However, having said that, I must say that Jane recounts her views of Maud’s often tragic life with a grace and poignancy that I loved. I think that being a woman and an author gives her a unique understanding of the world in which LMM lived and this comes through in the way Jane talks about the hardships and the decline of LMM in her later years.

This book, while not all that long, was a little gem and although I did not learn anything new about LMM, it was fascinating and touching to read someone else’s view of this wonderfully gifted author and woman.

REVIEW for L.A. Candy

Thank you Melissa for sending me a copy of this book!

TITLE: L.A. Candy

AUTHOR: Lauren Conrad

GENRE: YA

RATING: 2 Stars

I am an adult who enjoys reading YA and I have found that the offerings out there today are absolutely wonderful. However, unfortunately, L.A. Candy is not one of them. I actually have no idea (or had) who Lauren Conrad was so I pretty well started reading this one with no pre conceived ideas.

However, it quickly became apparent to me that the writing in this book is extremely immature (I cringed everytime the two main characters mentioned going out to pick up *boys*) made me feel as though I was in high school and we were giggling behind a locker at some of the *boys* going by. Come on, at some point, they stop being boys and become men.

Although I liked the friendship between the two main characters, I just could not get pass the immature and generic writing of this one.

REVIEW for Unsweetined

A big thank you goes out to Michelle at Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of this book!





TITLE: Unsweetined

AUTHOR: Jodie Sweetin

GENRE: Memoir

RATING; 4 Stars

I am not a fan of Full House, but I had seen it a few times. Rather, I am a fan of addiction/recovery memoirs written by both "celebrity" and "non celebrity" people - it appears that addiction does not distinguish between the two!

As I mentioned, I read alot of memoirs on this subject and imagine how surprised I was when, from the first sentence I found myself completely in Jodie's world! Usually, I can be very picky about the writing, but Sweetin had such an honest and frank way in her telling of her story that I just could not put the book down.

It amazes me that she is actually still in one piece today! I applaud her for being honest enough to tell us that as she was writing the book (in the earlier stages) she was still using. She is also incredibly honest in telling us that she struggles with her addiction everyday!!!

This is not a "Full House" memoir, although she does mention the cast on a fairly regular basis, rather this is a memoir about a little girl who struggled to find herself for most of her life and finally realized that the way she was living just was not going to give her the answers nor the joy that she seeks.

This book is brutal at times and certainly takes the glam off some of the Full House impressions we have had, but I think that this just adds to the reality and the wonderfulness of this story.

I am rooting for you Jodie! Addiction is hell and the only thing that I have found that helps me through is to believe that you have lived all that you have - for a reason! Hang in there! and thank you for the great story.

REVIEW for The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein

Thank you, thank you to Jess at Random House Canada for sending me this book!!!





TITLE: The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein

AUTHOR: Libby Schmais

GENRE: Chick Lit YA

RATING: 4 Stars

http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385737562


I had been waiting to read The Pillow Book of Lotus Lowenstein for months, so I was absolutely thrilled when I finally got my little hands on it.

I loved the basic idea behind this book – Lotus (love, love the name) is extremely precocious – she is definitely a square peg NOT trying to fit in a round hole. In fact, Lotus thrives on the fact that she is different and what does set her apart is that these differences seem to come naturally to her – she is not trying to stand out just for the sake of attention. Indeed, Lotus is quirky and seems completely clueless to the fact that she is the one who is a little “off” with the rest of her life - This made her a very likeable character to me.

Among her many quirks, Lotus is in love with all things French and France – in fact, it is her dream to visit Paris – although at the rate she is going, this dream is going to remain a dream (thanks to her terrible famille(family)! Yep, although Lotus has beautiful dreams – she is the product of a middle class family with an out of work papa, a new age maman and a chess prodigy as a frère (I can do these French/English references all day! Since I am French myself and is one of the things I really enjoyed about this book!). I read this book in practically one sitting.

I loved the Lotus character because she was herself at all times and she was okay with the fact (for the most part) that she was not part of the “in” crowd and not part of that “cliché” of popular girls. It was refreshing to read about a character who saw the world through such different glasses. It was also great to read about her passions for Paris – I mean she even goes on to open a French Club at her school! Now that is dedication.

Of course there is the required best friend and the “maybe” boyfriend, but really this wonderful YA is about a young girl who is not afraid to be herself and not afraid to find her passions and voice her desires for her life.Quirky and charming.

REVIEW for In Cheap We Trust

A big thank you goes out to Valerie at Hachette Books for sending me this book!







TITLE: In Cheap We Trust

AUTHOR: Lauren Weber

GENRE: Non fiction

RATING: 4 Stars



First, let me tell you what this book is not. It is not a "how to" giving us hints and ideas on how to be cheap or save money. Yes, there are a few passing suggestions, but this book is not really about that.

Rather, this book is actually about detailing for us, the history of "cheap" - where it came from, how it was viewed throughout history and who actually took up the movement. I found this part of the book absolutely fascinating. I liked that the author did so much research into the subject and goes way back in time to show us the basis behind the "cheap" attitude. Its amazing to me how much of a bad reputation the word or the attitude of "cheap" has gotten over the course of the "excess" years/generations.

Of course, I am not sure that I can dumpster dive - as this author mentions in the book - but I believe this is more about security for me than about "never been caught dead doing something like that".

This book is a fascinating look at the subject matter that, suddenly seems to have become almost fashionable again!

I loved it.

REVIEW for Exposed

Another huge thank you goes out to the wonderful Adam at Harlequin.

TITLE: Exposed

AUTHOR: Alex Kava

GENRE: Thriller

RATING; 4 Stars

I have read a few Alex Kava novels in my time, however, I have to say that Exposed is fast becoming my favorite. First off, I love, love novels that feature some kind of isolation (snowstorm, infection, etc) it always gives me the impression that the storyline just got creepier and it seems there are always more possibilities in these type of plots.

Well Exposed took that exact premise and turned itself into a first class thriller. This novel features a strong and captivating main character who will find herself exposed to the deadly virus Ebola. While she is in isolation, her friends on the outside try to track down the origin and the mastermind behind the exposure.

There are lots and lots of cool twists and turns in this one and I loved the fact that I just could not quite figure out the whole thing - I always felt as though the author was two steps ahead of me - while at the same time, giving me just enough information and pacing the storyline just perfectly to keep me hooked.

REVIEW for Stop Acting Rich and Start Living Like a Millionaire

Another big thank you goes out to Wiley & Sons for sending me this book!!!







TITLE: Stop Acting Rich

AUTHOR: Thomas J. Stanley

GENRE: Personal Finance

RATING: 4 Stars




I must admit that I was quite intrigued by this title - I wasn't really aware that some people were "acting rich" and I could not really understand what the difference was.

In Stop Acting Rich, author Stanley takes an extremely interesting look at so-called "rich" and the many, many differences that exist between people who are truly millionaires and those who just want to look like they are.

I guess I was a little naive before reading this book and I have to say that the author does a great job of showing the difference between the two very distinct mentalities. I was quite surprised at some of the statistiques quoted in the book - especially about housing and how millionaires view their homes and their new worth.

Very educational and quite fascinating.

REVIEW for How to Say Goodbye in Robot

Thank you so much to Nikole from Scholastic Books for sending me this book!

TITLE: How To Say Goodbye in Robot

AUTHOR: Natalie Standiford

GENRE: YA

RATING: 3 Stars

I have read all of Natalie Standiford's books which is why this one was really high on my "wishlist". I have to say that How To Say Goodbye in Robot was not really in the genre that she normally writes - which is not to say that it was not good, it is simply not at all romantic or YA chick litty. I must admit that I was a little bummed out at this. I like my YA to have some romance, however, this book offers a different take on YA and how there are many different levels of "love".

The main characters Jonah and Bea are extremely, extremely well developed characters - which is a little unusual in YA. I really enjoyed this aspect. The author does not shy away from describing for us these two characters who are, for the most part, two teens who somehow somehow were destined to be connected, if not in the normal type of way. I loved reading their interactions - they were almost like a couple, without being one. There were many, many levels to both of these characters and to their relationship which could be described as good, bad and at times ugly - in short, true life relationships.

Standiford was obviously aiming for a different type of YA here and she has succeeded. I did enjoy this book, I loved the voices and the messages that come through.

REVIEW for Aneroxia

A big, big thank you goes out to author Katie Metcalfe for sending me a copy of her great book!







TITLE: Anorexia

AUTHOR: Katie Metcalfe

GENRE: Memoir

RATING: 4 Stars



Eating Disorders is a subject that is close, close to my heart. I am always in huge awe of anyone who has the courage to fight this disease and then to go on and share this heart-stopping experience with someone else and Katie Metcalfe has done just that in her excellent memoir Anorexia. As a addict, you discover a few realities pretty quickly - denial is huge and the other thing is that in order to survive and recover - you must give it away (or give back) to others so that you may stay in recovery.

Metcalfe has written touchingly about both subjects in her memoir and as I was reading Anorexia, I could see the progression (albeit slow at times) that Katie was making in discovering her inner truths and in keeping herself honest and on the path of recovery. Katie writes about her struggles with a touching hand and heart and does not shy away from sharing with us just harrowing and difficult her life was during her disease and yet, at the same time, she does not make useless excuses about how she got there or why she got there. Katie honestly opens up about "the voices" that she had to live with and how, at first, she let the voices "win" - but she soon discovers that there may another way - one that would permit her to be herself and to be at a happier place.

I could not read this book in only a few sittings as her entries are thought provoking and made me relive some of my own experiences - this book is to be read slowly - to be savored, analyzed and enjoyed.

Congratulations Katie! you are wonderful and my thoughts are always with you - to a fellow traveller as a friend of mine once called it.