Crazy Little Thing

I recently read Crazy Little Thing by Tracy Brogan.  This is a MUST for a beach read.  I found myself laughing out loud many times during the book.  It's a simple plot that has been written about endlessly, but Brogan added such spice to her characters that I didn't mind.

Sadie, the main character, spends the summer with her kooky aunt and colorful cousins.  While her children enjoy the circus like atmosphere, Sadie finds herself in a hot romance with a doctor.  Enter the ex-husband, who adds drama to the story and Sadie herself causes quite a bit of the drama as well.  I LOVE the aunt in the book.  She is hysterical.  I also love the token gay cousin.

If you are looking for something light, fluffy and humorous, Crazy Little Thing will satisfy you!

Let me know what you thought of it!

The Scottish Prisoner

Im a terrible blogger, almost two months since I have made a post!!!!

I recently read The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon.  It is one of her spin-off books from Outlander, and part of the Lord John Grey series.

This book is incredibly bleak and sad.  Although Lord John is it's main character, Jamie Fraser is the second main.  It follows him through those "lost" years when Claire went back to her time.  After Culloden, Jamie was captured and imprisoned on a farm where he worked with the horses.  Ever the stoic, Jamie does his work, does it well and happens to father a child from a one-time tryst and eagerly awaits glimpses of his child.

Lord John takes Jamie with him to London to help him on some military/political mission that ends up taking them to Ireland.  Gabaldon hits the nail on the head with this book.  The tone of this book is bleak, sad, and just blah.  Exactly the way Jamie Fraser feels.  The tone of the book really puts you into the mind frame of Fraser.

I think this is a great book and even if you aren't into the Lord John series, read this for Jamie.

The Round House

My sincere apologies for being so lax in my blog posts! The holidays were very busy and I hardly had a spare minute to read, much less write!  Hopefully my crazy days are behind me and I am back to being able to post with more regularity!

I recently read The Round House by by Louise Erdrich.  This book follows the son of a North Dakota Native American who has been viciously attacked.  The details of the crime are slow to come forth as Joe tries to unravel the mystery of his mom's attacker.  Joe's father, a tribal judge, also tries to come to terms with the attack and how it has changed his family forever.  This novel depicts life on the reservation as hard and shows that even in the 1980's there was animosity between the Native Americans and Whites. There is a pretty shocking twist in the book that will make you want to keep reading late into the night!

I really loved Erdrich's novel and was sad when it ended as not all the loose ends were tied up for me.  Her writing is superb and I just love her descriptions of life on the reservation.  You can read more about Louise Erdrich here.

I have just started reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlandish Companion.  There are summaries of the Outlander Novels, lists of characters, and information from Diana on how she came to write the novels.  Interesting stuff for the Outlander fanatics.

Let me know what you are reading!

A Brief Reading Hiatus

Life has gotten in the way of my reading habit! I had started reading the Angry Women Suite and halfway through I had to stop reading.  I don't understand why reviews were praising this book.  It was very hard to follow and really the plot was hard to decipher.

From there I started reading The Neighbors by Ania Ahlborn.  The book was interesting and a little different than books I've been reading.  Andrew Morrison moves away from his alcoholic mother only to find himself in the midst of an odd relationship with his neighbor Harlow.  Harlow deceives Andrew and he becomes one of her pawns in a sick and twisted game of manipulation and sex.

Although the book held my interest, I felt the writing was stunted and at times a little juvenile. But that's what I get for reading a free book on my Kindle.

Next up for me is The Round House and A Thousand White Women.

What are you reading for the new year? Let me know, I am always up for more suggestions!

Happy Holidays!

The Angry Women Suite

I've been busy and apologize for not posting sooner.  I am still reading The Angry Women Suite.  I am halfway through and really do not like this book much.  The writing is fabulous and the characters are deep, however, the constant jumping between present and past has made it very difficult to stay up with the plot line.  I also don't find it very interesting.  There have been several mentions of murder, but nothing has even gotten close to explaining what that is about.  I am almost ready to call it quits and put the book down and move on.  I RARELY stop reading a book in the middle, but I am eager to get on to some new books and blog about them.

I feel like I am missing something with Fullbright's novel.  It received rave reviews, yet I just cannot get into it.  Have you read this book? What are your thoughts?

Happy Reading!

Freebies

Thanks to my cousin Jessica for sending me these freebies! Enjoy

http://www.audible.com/offers/30free?asin=B009QF3ZZC&ref_=tony_bennett_fb

http://bit.ly/Vk0MrT

My Favorite Authors

As a book nerd I have some favorite authors that I'd like to share with you all. Let me know who your favorite authors are.

1. Jodi Picoult - Jodi is an AMAZING writer. Her novels are beautifully written with scenes that plop you down in the middle of them and thought provoking plot lines. She has written 22 books and I have read them all.  If you are looking to read an author that makes you think and feel and has substance to her words, I highly recommend picking up one of her books.

2. James Patterson - If you haven't heard of James Patterson, you must be living under a rock.  His famed Alex Cross series has made it to the big screen.  With Patterson's short chapters and nail biting mysteries you will eat up this book like cake!

3. Anita Shreve - I find Shreve's books to be similar to Jodi Picoult's.  Her novels are often set in New England and cover many topics with romantic themes intertwined.  Picoult writes with an emotional intensity that will keep you flipping the pages.

4. Diana Gabaldon - Outlander.  Jamie.  Claire.  Enough said.

5. Harlan Coben - I love Coben's Myron Bolitar series.  These mystery novels have humor interspersed with chilling twists and turns.

Who are your favorite authors?