This was so funny. It was the perfect read for me as I was in a bit of a funk. I laughed and laughed. I sat outside and read in my yard, and I know thThis was so funny. It was the perfect read for me as I was in a bit of a funk. I laughed and laughed. I sat outside and read in my yard, and I know the neighbors heard me and thought I was crazy. I sat in the house and read, and the dogs gave me funny looks. I shared funny parts on Facebook. It was just that funny.
I didn't read the first book, Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single, but I wasn't lost. The story starts with her honeymoon. There's diarrhea, a three-legged dog, a Christian resort, a runaway husband. Then they go to their new home...only it's not really their home. Bring in the MIL from HELL. Holy smokes! I would have left right then and there, but JJ is much braver than me. She sticks it out, swallows her retorts, and does the only thing she can: spends her husband's money. LOL
This book was just so fun... I didn't expect much from it either. I've never read this author before and I did not realize until it landed on my doorsThis book was just so fun... I didn't expect much from it either. I've never read this author before and I did not realize until it landed on my doorstep that it was part of a series, so I was afraid that I would be lost...
Not only does the book standalone just fine, but I loved it so much and laughed so hard, I immediately made sure a previous one is on its way to my door.
Lucy is the heroine and she was adopted by the president...so she has always felt out of place and naturally, every time she turns around. she's told how lucky she is and this has led to feelings of "owing" her adopted parents...that means no misbehaving...
This is a story that is a blend of historical fiction, greed, determination, women making waves, anger, finger-pointing, and tied with an ending that This is a story that is a blend of historical fiction, greed, determination, women making waves, anger, finger-pointing, and tied with an ending that just left me sitting there with my mouth hanging open.
Irene is a young woman who has spent years making a museum all it can be, silently permitting a man to take all the credit, knowing one day her time will come. But instead of being named the next curator, she's cast out...all because she is a woman.
She has one chance to take the world by storm: find some copper scrolls in Cambodia. It's ancient history, and valuable in so many ways.
Enter Marc, Simone, Louis, and numerous other people as the journey commences from Shanghai to Cambodia. There's angry tribemen, a dying man,government officials needing to be bought, drug use, arguments, the jungle, secrets of the past unveiled, and all the while Irene comes to realize a stunning moral: You can spend the rest of your life always searching and wanting more or you can be happy with your life as it is.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Initially, I wanted to chuck it. The characters are ugly, vile, and tedious. They repeat the same stuff over anI have mixed feelings about this book. Initially, I wanted to chuck it. The characters are ugly, vile, and tedious. They repeat the same stuff over and over; the narrative does too. It pounds into our head over and over that his kids just want the man's money and yada yada.. Harry hates Mexicans. I got that impression the first time he use a derogatory racial slur. I didn't feel it was necessary to have him say it over and over.
Even the nice guy, the dad, was annoying. "I didn't expect this.." OVER AND OVER. (Do you see how annoying it is to read the same thing constantly?)
There is a very dirty, scandalous relationship and though that didn't bother me so much as their stupidity.. Do you really think you won't get caught? I mean, walking a bit away from camp and fornicating for three hours.. Duh.
Despite the ugliness and stupidity of the characters, however, I was driven to read until the end. I wanted to know what happened. It kept me in suspense enough that I was entertained. There were some surprising twists.
This is probably the most disturbing book I've ever read...second only to Rosemary's Baby.
Imagine having everything you want: nice house, good looksThis is probably the most disturbing book I've ever read...second only to Rosemary's Baby.
Imagine having everything you want: nice house, good looks, money, perfect children, hubby that works hard--until you have to sacrifice him, of course... and all you have to do is give your soul to the devil. Would you do it?
Thirteen women in this small town did. They have sex with him. (And that is one really creepy scene!!!! Whoa! Well done!) They offer their blood. They sacrifice dogs. (Hated that part.) And they also sacrifice their husbands down the road...and in once case, a son.
What would possess a freed slave in the pre Civil War south to risk her freedom and go back to Richmond where any person of color can be grabbed and sWhat would possess a freed slave in the pre Civil War south to risk her freedom and go back to Richmond where any person of color can be grabbed and sold?
The chance to be spy, of course...and in the process free ALL the slaves, not just herself.
Though a very long read, I enjoyed immersing myself in Mary's story the last four days. It starts with her as a child and her mother keeps telling her that Jesus has a plan for her.. (No, this isn't a religious book.)
There's so much food for thought in this book, I can't possibly cover it all... from "we in the house" to African Americans that are free looking down on those that aren't to the big question, "Why stay in slavery?" There's prejudice, there's white people that say their abolitionists yet boss servants around just like slave owners, there's a young African American woman trying to get educated and make the most of herself, realizing her place in life, risking all for family and love.
I first heard of Wallis Simpson when I watched The King's Speech, a move about Edward's younger brother and his stuttering problem. I said, "Wow. ThatI first heard of Wallis Simpson when I watched The King's Speech, a move about Edward's younger brother and his stuttering problem. I said, "Wow. That woman made a KING abdicate his throne!!! What in the world did she do?" And I was fascinated.
So when this book popped up, I could not wait to get my hands on it. And first, I'd like to say it was extremely well-written. I was riveted in the beginning even though I was a touch put off by Wallis's obsession with society, class, finding a husband.
At the halfway point, I started to get irritated. Wallis just expects everything handed to her. She's absolutely worthless, can't work, won't work, just has to get married asap. And though I realize this was the norm, it didn't make me like her. She thinks she entitled to everything from the wedding of the season to an allowance she doesn't earn. Did I mention she also tries to seduce her own cousin?
A sexy book if nothing else. Crime noir. Makes me think of Mob City. Speaking of, does anyone know when that's coming back?
What was sexy about it is tA sexy book if nothing else. Crime noir. Makes me think of Mob City. Speaking of, does anyone know when that's coming back?
What was sexy about it is the writing. Let me lay out some examples for you.
I'm yours, that's what I told him without every spitting out a word. He could see it on me, feel it on me. He liked to have me on the bare mattress, like the way it rubbed me raw. I liked it. Liked the burn of it. Liked thinking of it all the next day, every time I leaned against anything, every time the strap on my brassiere pulled across it.
But while I could totally feel the heat from the pages, I hated that we got a pretty savvy woman once again suckered by a man. Why do men always have to be our downfall?
Though the narrator does her share of suckering.
I gave him my best walk, half class, half pay-broad. You can twist those two tightly, fellas don't know what hit 'em. They can't peg you. It gets them--the smart ones--going. Spinning hard trying to fix you. You're like the best parts of their grammar school sweetheart and their first whore all in one sizzling package.
Basically: the narrator is seductive, whether you like what she's doing or not.
At only 180 pages, this is a book you just pick up to kill some time. You won't lay it down enlightened, won't muse deeply on anything, won't really remember it a few days later, but it is entertaining as it follows two lady gangsters embroiled in the gambling business--which sometimes has to include murder...
They say some people handle grief in bad ways...I think this couple does. First, let me say this is a good story, not so much about a dog, but about hThey say some people handle grief in bad ways...I think this couple does. First, let me say this is a good story, not so much about a dog, but about handling grief and loss and a how a dog can help people heal.
Justine's dog is dog napped, basically and then abandoned. While she struggles with bitter feelings with her step family and her father dying AND searches for her dog, an older couple picks her dog up and replaces their lost daughter with the dog. The dog brings them together again. No longer are they sitting apart, but together in order to pet the dog who lies on both of their laps. No longer are they spending days trying to avoid each other, but bonding as they walk the dog, take the dog for rides..and so on.
My problem with this book was solely: I can't stand any of the characters. I thought the heroine, Justine, was irresponsible. I have three adorable dogs and I would never EVER leave them in the cab of some truck driver's truck, especially not a man I barely knew or knew from a bar. She also packed up her little boy and left her husband. Not a smart move. Wasn't like he beat her.. and she could barely provide for the kid.
The couple: The whole, "Let's not find his owner/let's place an ad but be half-witted about it/No, of course he doesn't have a chip.." stuff didn't fly with me. I get they loved the dog and I personally felt the dog was better off with them than Justine, but they struck me as so corrupt, I had a difficult time stomaching the whole situation.
Good book and well written, but I don't think it will agree with everyone.
Favorite quote from the dog: "Humans have this nee to express themselves through their mouths, and he supposes that this is because they are so poor with their noses." LOL...more
Wow. This is one of those books with one of those endings that just left me with my mouth hanging open.
It takes place in Italy during WWII. Italy hasWow. This is one of those books with one of those endings that just left me with my mouth hanging open.
It takes place in Italy during WWII. Italy has been taken over by Nazis. The heroine, Giovanna, is spending her teen years under German rule and has even had to give up most of her home to German soldiers. Her brother has failed to report for duty with Italian/German army and has run off to be a resistance fighter/partisan. Her father is angry as he is a devoted Fascist. (Actually, he's on the winning side whoever they may be.)
In the beginning, Gia (I'm shortening it as that's quite a bit to type over and over) is a normal teenage girl with feelings of desire. She's left with nothing but Nazis to focus her new found feelings on and she develops a crush on Hans. He's married, but that doesn't stop her...but before it goes too far, Gia realizes she's in the wrong. This botched affair leads to so many things...Gia begins to change for one thing.
She begins aiding the resistance, providing supplies, medical care, starts to ask questions. She goes from being a naive school girl ogling older, married men to a young woman with a mind of her own that believes in doing all she can to help her country and the Jews within it.
There were times I thought Gia was disappointing and stupid, but her narrative, all first person POV, was so brutally honest.. it was as though she was admitting to her own flaws. I felt as though she was speaking to me, saying, "Look what I did. Yes, I did that. Can you believe how stupid I was?" Somehow, it worked, it drew me in, and it made the heroine "real."
The ending. Wow. I didn't see that coming... to live with that knowledge the rest of one's life. Yikes. Something else in the book that had a huge impact on me was when the Allies came to town and ran out the Germans. The military higher ups sit there and talk smack about their very own Buffalo soldiers and Gia thinks...
"The irony of all this was eating away at me: the American military, so much the "white horse" for all of us in this war, felt to me like a weak echo of the Nazis' own prejudices and hostilities."
Really, too many good points for me to bring up. Loved this one. Love the narrative, the realness, the history, the drama, and except for her father who I never came to like, the characters....more
The Rebel Wife. Key word, attention grabbing word: REBEL. Uh.. what makes the heroine of this book a rebel?
I made it to page 113 before just setting iThe Rebel Wife. Key word, attention grabbing word: REBEL. Uh.. what makes the heroine of this book a rebel?
I made it to page 113 before just setting it aside...probably for good. Gus is newly widowed, okay. Her husband had a gruesome death. Okay. But again, what makes her a rebel??? She never spoke up to her husband when he was alive, doesn't really speak up enough to the Judge who is now taking control of her estate, doesn't speak up to her "servants" who talk to her in a way she doesn't approve, and word, she doesn't even believe she should have the right to vote.
"Would you like to vote, Miss Gus?" (Her servant asks her. He is a freeman/former slave.)
"Me? Of course not. It's not my affair. Nor is it yours!" (Says our rebellious southern belle.)
Yea, that's a rebel wife, right there. Add to that, the endless vagueness of all the characters and the constant riddles that were supposed to make me feel eaten with suspense, but only served to irritate me, and the book wasn't a winner for me. ...more
At first, I found this book hilarious and was spending more time laughing than reading. Let's pretend that God is really a teenage boy who's really hoAt first, I found this book hilarious and was spending more time laughing than reading. Let's pretend that God is really a teenage boy who's really horny and every time he falls in love with a chick, a mortal chick, the earth is destroyed by crazy weather. Every time he forgets to turn off the water in his bathtub, the earth is flooded. And this is a very lazy, self-centered, God named Bob who's mother won the planet earth in a galaxy poker game. The author gets a star for uniqueness alone. LOL
Bob is yet in love with another mortal girl, Lucy. But it can't work because Lucy is going to age, wither, and rot and Bob is going to stay Bob. There's also Mr. B who does all the work and wishes to resign, Estelle (I have nothing much to say about her. Her character didn't have a lot of impact, really.) Bob's mom... and this was just too weird. I'll get to that.
I think C.W. Gortner is a man, so I was exceptionally surprised and pleased at the woman's POV being done so well. Her insecurities, her love for her I think C.W. Gortner is a man, so I was exceptionally surprised and pleased at the woman's POV being done so well. Her insecurities, her love for her husband, her strengths and weaknesses were so real to me. To be honest, I didn't expect to like this queen. She was behind the murder of so many...but the last part of the book, the Inquisition, showed me another side and reason to it all. Same history, different POV.
I preferred the beginning of the book. Young Isabella, her friend, Beatriz, her passion for Fernando. I fell in love with Fernando there for a while myself...till he was a bad boy. Young Isabella shows us her brothers' reigns. Her half brother, the sodomite and his wife trying to throw a daughter of questionable lineage on the throne... Her second brother takes the throne, only to die. Isabella tries to play nice and fair and it bites her later. She's threatened, imprisoned of sorts, they want her to marry against her wishes...but she only wants Fernando.
I found it wonderfully romantic. I was completely enthralled with the first half of the book. The second half with her as queen showed me a determined and strong woman and mother, then the Inquisition. I grew a tad bored with all the court intrigue. I always do. Those parts about wars and traitors start to lose me for some reason, but I thought this was a great book....more
They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.. and having read this which is based on a true story, I'd say they may be right.
It's a novel They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.. and having read this which is based on a true story, I'd say they may be right.
It's a novel about the abuse of power and how what can be a good thing in one's hands can become something else, something evil in another's.
Sari is a teenager branded as a slight "witch" because she has the power to use herbs and such to help with wounds, illness, and pregnancies. She feels ostracized by her little town and so when the wealthiest boy agrees to marry her when she becomes a certain age, she feels lucky. But he goes to war first, WW1 to be exact and while the men are gone from this small town, the women go a little stir crazy and trouble brews when some Italian POWs show up. You get the picture.. Eventually the women get used to men being gone, even Sari.
Marco, a handsome Italian POW makes Sari start to think about some things. "..you're happy for people just to tolerate you because of the person you've married?" Does she want to be liked for simply being Ferenc's wife when he comes back? Does the town respect her for her or just because of Ferenc? She's left little time to ponder because Ferenc does come back and he's not the same man. None of the men are the same. Every man is changed by the war.. wounded.. afflicted with nightmares.. And the women don't like them, have gotten used to not having them around.. prefer it even..
But some are downright abusive and what starts as good intentions.. kill this man, save a baby.. kill this man, save a woman.. ends up being greatly abused and Sari realizes the town never respected her at all and they may just try to blame her for it all.
Extremely well written, suspenseful at some parts, shocking in others. Lots of things happened that I didn't foresee. I couldn't predict this one at all. I could also see from "both sides of the fence" in this one. I didn't like what some of the characters did at times, but I could also understand. It takes a skilled writer to pull this off. I also enjoyed the conflicting emotions that Sari had about what she was doing at different parts of the story.
Love, sex, intrigue, murder, war.. this book has it all.
Favorite quote: (Judit's views on religion)"I have no respect for anything that only wants to stop people from doing things."...more
This is a prime example of when one takes a story they can tell in 50 pages or less and adds a bunch of mumbo jumbo to it till it hits 250 pages. The This is a prime example of when one takes a story they can tell in 50 pages or less and adds a bunch of mumbo jumbo to it till it hits 250 pages. The book too 84 pages alone just to inform me that the narrator is widowed, the French government is razing her house to make a new street, she refuses to leave, and pines away the last days writing to her dead husband. By page 84, I also knew that she met her husband in a flower shop, her MIL died in that house, she gave birth in the house to a bratty daughter, and her husband was afflicted with Alzheimers. The rest is just filler. Filler that put me to sleep. And this would work if the story and its characters were more interesting, but frankly, what I mentioned above... that's really it. That's just dull.
The narrative doesn't work for me either. The entire narrative is from the woman's POV blabbering to her dead husband.. excuse me, TELLING her dead husband this and that and reviling the past.. Key word there: TELLING. It's all telling, no showing. ...more
What I really liked about this novel is the way one thing led to another.. One woman, imprisoned by her health, by her declining body leads to the relWhat I really liked about this novel is the way one thing led to another.. One woman, imprisoned by her health, by her declining body leads to the release of a woman imprisoned by her marriage..
This novel follows six people, four women, two men. The four women were once the best of friends, but time and distance has split them up. However, they still think of each other and more so when it's discovered that one of them, Armaiti, the one in America, is dying of a brain tumor.
This story was another great part of the novel. Food for thought: You have a tumor/cancer and only 6 months or so to live.. Do you die on your terms? Or do you go through countless surgeries/chemo and die on other's terms? Really loved this aspect.
Laleh blames herself for Armaiti's tumor, thinking it is the result of a blow to the head long ago in their girls' rioting days.. Her husband tries to make her see reason. Kavita is a lesbian who even in middle age, feels she must hide the fact from her family because it's not just done openly in India. And then there's Nishta...
Nishta married a Muslim man.. and when the riots occurred, he was changed forever. He says at one point in the book that she's the only beautiful thing left in his life.. and he keeps her close in check, using religion to do so. He imprisons her. The other women only become aware of this when Armaiti calls from America asking them all to come visit her and see her one last time before she dies.. and this how one woman's misfortune becomes one woman's blessing.
Quibbles: Seemed over wordy and too long for what it actually contained. The girls' past rebellion was brought up a lot, but except for that one riot that was mentioned, I wasn't sure what all they had fighting for or how.. That wasn't too clear to me. The ending.. left me wanting. It felt incomplete. I needed that happy reunion.. not the promise of it....more
This was an incredibly suspenseful read and a bit different from my usual fare. It follows a man mostly, one that I didn't like some of the time, but This was an incredibly suspenseful read and a bit different from my usual fare. It follows a man mostly, one that I didn't like some of the time, but I was still hooked on the story as he goes from the U.S. to India to France searching for a sex-trafficked girl who lost her parents in the tsunami.
I found this eye-opening. I've know there was sex-trafficking, but all the people knowingly involved...how easy it is to get away with exploiting these girls...shocked me. It's not a pleasant read as we're subjected over and over to the nasty, disgusting sexual impulses of men. Can't they control themselves??? Really? Everyone was a horny bugger--even the hero himself. In his defense though, the women offered themselves. He isn't a rapist, just a very confused married man.
The narrative goes back and forth between the lawyer/hero, Thomas, and the two girls who have lost their parents and been sold into servitude against their will. Threats keep them compliant and every time one attempts escape, she ends up running right into the arms of bad people again. From one pimp to another, from drug trafficking to France to strip clubs in New York, one girl especially can't seem to catch a break.