www.downwardspiral.com

It’s been awhile, my friends, and I’m sorry for that. I have been so busy reading that I have not been very busy sharing my thoughts with all of you on my literary conquests. I have read three more books in the last few weeks, and have mixed reviews. The first two that I read were good, but nothing to write home (or a whole blog) about. Jewel says that I have to at least mention them so you guys don’t think I’m lying about reading them. Okay, fine, I will. There were This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper, and The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble. They were both standard fiction books – somewhat heavy themes, but stirred in with a lot of fluff. Oddly enough, they both had themes of crazy dysfunctional families. A theme that I know well, and have been dealing with lately.  Not on a huge scale, but big enough that I think about selling some of my family members more than one time a week. But like I said in the blog before this, don’t we ALL have a crazy sibling? (Looks around as she is the only one who raises her hand…) Awkward…

Anyways – this brings me to the book that I finished last night. As I have said before, I am a sucker for a good memoir. That tends to be first place I go when looking for a good book. I love people’s first-hand accounts of their lives. I think it’s because it gives me a glimpse into something new and different – maybe something that I wish to accomplish, or something that I want to know about but obviously won’t/don’t want to/can’t experience it.

So this last book that I got the chance to read, Beautiful Boy by David Sheff, was a perfect read. It is all about David’s son’s downward descent into the crazy world of meth. He started as a well-behaved, bright young boy, and quickly becomes a completely different person, ensnared by the evils of drugs. I haven’t had a lot of experience with drugs. I haven’t even done any (smoking pot included), and none of my close friends have fallen into their traps. But I do know people who have had drug problems in the past, and have since changed their lives for the better. This book was a crushing book – it was extremely well written, and was infused with facts about addictions and the drugs themselves. There was no fluff in this book. It was all pure emotion – the love of a father for his son is a very raw, beautiful thing. I cannot wait to be a mother. And even when I read books like this, I can’t wait. I know that sounds strange – but reading about the love that the parents have for their child even through the craziest points in their lives, makes me realize how much I am yearning to be a mom and to be filled with that reverential awe for my child.

As I said before, drugs are a foreign territory to me. But one thing that struck a chord with me in this book is what Nic’s drug problems and disease did to his family – mainly his younger siblings. He would take off, and not show up to important things, and stole money from his little brother’s piggy bank. The kids knew what was happening with him, but they didn’t fully know the extent. But it was a scary and confusing thing for them to live through. I know how this is – I did the same thing with my brother. But with my brother, I don’t think it was drugs (still am not sure) – it was mainly violence and a rage and anger that he could not keep in check. It was getting kicked out of my house constantly, and smoking after saying how much he hated smoking, and hitting my mom and dad, and even scalding my dog. It was this erratic behavior that I could not fully wrap my mind around that was incomprehensible for a little girl – so reading this book, my heart ached for Jasper and Daisy, Nic’s younger siblings. I had been there to an extent. I had lain awake at night crying because I wasn’t sure where he was, and wanting him to come home and to be nice to my family. I hid things that were special to me in case they got broken or stolen. I was afraid to trust him when he seemed like he was in a good mood because I didn’t know how long it would last.

My brother has grown by leaps and bounds. He still makes decisions that I don’t like, but all family members do that. I’m not longer afraid of his anger. But like dealing with people with drug addictions, I am sure, it’s still eggshell city sometimes. I am always afraid that the old Aaron will come back – and sometimes shades of him do, but never like it used to be.

I highly recommend reading this book. David’s son, Nic (the one who the book is about) has a book called Tweak that I am planning on checking out soon. I want to see the story from his angle.

I am in the middle of three others books too… Hahaha… I’m out of control! So that’s what, 9 books now since September 1? Not bad, Mandy, no bad! Only 43 to go! -Mandy

Amazing book. Read it now.

www.thesequeliscoming.com

Dear Diary,

It’s been a long time since I’ve written.  Just a quick update- my crush talked to me the other day!  He told me that my shirt wasn’t ugly today!  It was so so awesome!  He even looked me in the eyes as he said it!  My life is complete.

Wait, I just realized something.  This is not my diary.  Oh my gosh.  My life is ruined.  I don’t have a delete button on this thing. 

OHMYGOSH. 

Anyways, I know I haven’t written on here in awhile either.  I apologize.  I’m just pretty important, and my life is pretty busy.  Actually, you must know that I’m kidding here, but in reality, I have been pretty busy, and this blog did take a backseat, and now I come humbly back.  Since I last wrote, I have read two books, and am halfway through my third.  See, I have been super-stressed, and my way to escape is to read.  It’s definitely been a help in these last few weeks. 

The two books I read have both been sequels- “the Girl Who Played with Fire” by Stieg Larsson (sequel to “the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins (sequel to “the Hunger Games”).  “The Girl Who Played with Fire” was okay.  I really don’t want to spend time talking about it though.  But “Catching Fire” was pretty amazing.  But truthfully, I don’t really feel inspired to talk about it either. 

One thing that did come to mind during reading both of them though, was the idea of a sequel.  It made me think about my life, and if my life was a book, where the writing would stop and then start again as a sequel.  Would my life be parceled into different times of schooling?  Would it be when I survived hard struggles?  Or has my sequel even begun yet?  Will it be when I find the love of my life?  When I have kids?  Will my life be an entire series of books (ala Anne of Green Gables, aka the best series of all time?).

If I had to split my life into two books, I don’t know where the divide would be.  It’s quite possible that it would be between high school and college.  I feel like I experienced a lot in my younger life, but it was in college and after that I pulled the knowledge from those life experiences and was able to become a more complete person.  But then, that just sounds like one book.

In a lot of ways, I feel like I’m still waiting for my sequel to start.  I’ve put so much work into my life, finding my way and becoming the person that I think people want me to be, expect me to be, and I am waiting, and waiting, and hoping for something to start.  I just don’t know what.  When does life start?  How do you start a new chapter…or more importantly, start a sequel?  Hopefully I will have lots of time in my life, and lots of experiences to fill lots of books.  But for now, I will just settle with trying to remember to write new blog entries…

Thank you all for being part of the book of my life.  <3

www.dontweallhaveacrazysibling?.com

See, I have this friend. Her name is Jewel. You may have heard of her. No, not the singer - Jewel, my best friend. She was supporting me in my library adventure the day that she issued this challenge to me, and she grabbed a book and handed it to me and walked away. It was a book that I had already seen the movie for a - movie that I loved. And guess what Jewel says? "The book is way better."

Hmm... I'll be the judge of that! Okay, I was honestly expecting it to be better. It usually is, as we well know.

The book? The one that turned out to be book #5?

In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner.

If you don't know the premise, I will give you the super quick synopsis: A slightly frumpy girl and a super gorgeous girl are sisters. Their mother died when they were young, and the frumpy one is constantly taking care of the beautiful sister. And she doesn't have very good self esteem, but she's got a great life. And her sister seems to be constantly messing up... Throw in some shoes, some dogs, some men, and wackiness ensues. Read the book to find out more.. or the movie if you are lame. :P Actually, they are both good.

This book really made me think about my brother and myself. My brother Aaron is 6 years older than me, and to say that we are different is an understatement. We chose totally different paths in life, have done different things, achieved different milestones. It's shocking when my friends meet him to know that we are related, because we are like oil and vinegar. So the relationship between the sisters, Maggie and Rose, in this book really hit me.

My brother and I are so different, yet so alike in the sense that we know exactly what buttons to push to piss the other off (as most siblings do.) There is no person in the world that can get me as fired up as my brother. He brings out a side of me that I hate sometimes - he is the only person that I can remember full out screaming out in my lifetime. And not just sibling banter - worse. Terrible, mean, things. Not unwarranted, but still, terrible. I can still feel myself in that moment, thinking that I hated who I was right then and pissed at him for bringing me to that level.

But just like Maggie and Rose, who go through a terrible fight in this book and go their seperate ways for awhile, I have the weirdest soft spot for this crazy brother of mine. And I know that in a heartbeat he would be there for me, because he constantly has. Okay, so maybe his way of making me feel better is asking me if I want to sell drugs to make friends, or telling me that he will have someone killed. But still - when he really means it, he really means it. He has had a really hard year - my whole family has had a weird year. And my brother is still standing, which is impressive. Sometimes when it feels like I am about to watch him crumple, he pulls himself out of the mess. Just like Maggie in this book... I watch how Rose, the older sister, takes care of Maggie so well and I think about my brother and I, even though I am the younger one. I make fun of him, and roll my eyes at him, and don't approve of his decisions, but I do love him.

I think that we all have people in our lives that we will have that soft spot for no matter what... We all have someone, be it a family member or a friend that no matter what happens, and no matter how many times we say to ourselves "if he threatens to put me in a bucket one more time, I'm outta here (no? just me?)", we stick around. Maybe it's because we have a great neice and two great nephews in the mix. Maybe it's because we know that no matter what, we both care. And maybe it's because we're not so different when it boils down to it. Maybe it's because we are both doing the best that we can for ourselves and for each other, and we can both respect that without always agreeing with it.

So this book? A+.

I also read another one, called the Magicians, which I loved at first but then got stupid. I stumbled through it so I wouldn't be a quitter. And now I'm on to book #7.

Good recommendation, Jewel. :)

Anyone have anymore recommendations for me? Anyone? Anyone?

It's a trick. You can't click to look inside. I jacked this picture from Amazon. oops!



www.thirdfloorladieslingerie.com

Book four DOWN! Whoo! I feel so accomplished. Although I am halfway through two other books as well. But this next book I picked up and read pretty quickly - it was an easy read. It's called Sima's Undergarments for Women. It's a book about a Jewish woman who runs a lingerie store out of the basement of her house, and it's quite popular. She seems to have this intuition for what women want and need in the way of underwear, and everyone who comes into her little shop loves her. A woman in her early 20's comes in one day, and Sima is quite taken with her. Not in that way, guys... Get your minds out of the gutter. She is mesmerized by this young lady, who starts to work at the shop for Sima.

Throughout the story, we find that Sima could never have children. She had tried throughout much of her marriage, had endured test after test, and found that her fallopian tubes were scarred from a disease. After all of the testing, she decided that she didn't even want to adopt. She was bitter, and upset about not being able to be a mother. And her marriage, although still going after many, many years was strained because of it. So Sime puts all of her efforts and affections into Timna, the new girl from Israel.

It was a really, really good book. At first, I could not tell where it was going when it would heavily describe the fascination that Sima had with Timna. It was getting a little weird for my liking, until it suddenly started to dawn on me, as we learned more about Sima's past and her inability to have children.

What a scary, scary thought.

Being totally honest with you, I have always feared this as well. Not so much the scientific inability to have a child, but missing the opportunity to be a mom. I was at a wedding once with a friend, and I said "Man, I so want to be married and have a baby." And that friend, who had known we really well for years, was shocked to hear me say that. My own father once told me that he had to drop me from his insurance when I was 23 - 23 or married, whichever came first, to which he responded with "which I don't know if I ever see happening for you." After my sharp reaction, he backtracked to say that I was just so independent, and he didn't see me settling down for anyone else but myself. I understood what he was trying to say, but having him voice one of my biggest fears in the Staples parking lot hurt me to the core.

I have not always had the greatest self esteem. And some days it waxes and wains - I think that most people can sympathize with this, especially women. I have days when I look in the mirror upstairs and feel great, and by the time I catch a glimpse of myself in the car window I've decided that I look and feel terrible. I hate that about myself, and I try hard to not let it get ahold of me when it comes. I try to shake it off, and think about the things that I truly love about myself.

So Sima's story, of not being able to have a baby, haunted me. I don't worry that I won't be able to physically have a baby, but I do fear that I will never have the chance to be a mother. And that would kill me. I know plenty of people who don't have kids, and they are amazing people, and they are doing just fine. But I know that some of them would have preferred to have children, but situations arose or didn't arise that made it not come to fruition. But I so much want to be a mother. I spend time with my cousin, who is an amazing mom, and even on her craziest days where she is drinking a glass of wine with me, I am jealous of her being a mom. I am jealous of all of the little things - of the "I love you's" and the pictures, and the silly days, and the playing games just because her kids want to spend time with her. I have always had a heart for children, that's undeniable. But I can't wait until I go the next step and those children that I am working with and spending time with, and playing with and being super silly with are my OWN.

So I understand Sima's longing for a child of her own, even though our circumstances are much different and she is much older. I just hope that one day I can look at my child and see that the longing wasn't permanent - that it all came in good time. And I know that it will if I just trust in the good of the world and the awesomeness of God and what he wants for me.

So Sima, I toast you. For making sure that women have bras that fit them and that they love, and for being so strong in the face of something that would otherwise cripple others. Even though I know you are a fictional character, I think you're amazing -- and I wish that this book was longer.

Until next time, everyone.... Thanks for listening to my blubbering. -Mandy

PS: I think I have kept true to my no emoticon challenge, Jewel. Do I get a gold star????



Two bra cups up. Wait, that sounds wrong.



www.notabookreport.com

So when Jewel and I started this blog, we discussed a few simple rules that we have already laid out a few of. One of the other rules was that every blog must be inspired by a book in some way. So far we have chosen to discuss the books that we have read, and that's all well and good... But for now, I have decided to branch out and bust out of the mold. Mold is gross anyways.

I want to talk about nostalgia. I have a problem with this every single fall. And right now, I am reading a really good book that is making it worse. It's called The Magicians, and it's like Harry Potter for grown-ups. Now, I know that I've been out of school for awhile now, because I'm an old troll. And I also know the biggest difference in myself and this book that I am reading is that I did not attend a magical unversity. And I don't mean that in a wrongly placed adjective way - literally, a magical university. This what what goes on in this book. And even though I'm that far removed from the subject matter (I can't bend light or move through walls), it still makes me miss school.

There is something about books that is so incredibly magical. You can be transported to another world, be a different person, learn about new things, all within your grasp. How awesome! There is a reason that I re-read a few of my favorite books over and over again. It's the comfort of slipping back into that place that you are so weirdly comfortable with for never actually going there. When you're sad or lonely, a great book can be just the right fix for it. This all sounds so dorky, but I know that anyone reading this who loves to read will feel the same way.

I could spend hours (and I used to) at coffee shops doing stuff online and reading books. I wish that I had more time in my day/week/life to do all of the reading that I want to do. This is not my way of saying that I'm mad that Jewel is beating me at the challenge (I'M NOT, OKAY?). This is my way of saying that if I had it my way, I would read for a living and do nothing but blog for you guys. Even if you don't want to read it.

The weird point that I am tying to make is this - today, it suddenly hit me that taking time to read is something that I cherish and love to do. And it conjures up (see? maybe I DID go to a magical university) all sorts of great emotions. I have a hard time putting down a book when I really love it. But then when I'm done, I'm sad that it's over. IT'S A CATCH-22! Which reminds me, I should read that book.... I never have.

Books that I want to read? Thanks for asking. Feel free to let me know if they are worth checking out...

The Red Tent
Three Cups of Tea
Great Expectations
The Great Gatsby (I know, I've never read it.)
A Brave New World (already read it, but I want to re-read it.)
Crazy Love
Velvet Elvis
Room: A Novel

Any other suggestions?

Until next time, friends... Thanks for reading. If you did. -Mandy

www.thehungergamesisnotnecessarilyaboutfood.com

One and a half days was all it took for me to finish my next book.  Yes, it was an easy read, but mainly it was because I couldn’t put it down!  The fourth book in my challenge was “the Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins.  Working at the library, the book kept passing through and I thought- it must be good!  If all the kids are reading it, I better get up on my game, yo!  (No, I don’t really talk like that.  Most of the time anyways.)   I like to be able to relate to my student workers, and throw out questions when I interview people like, if you had to choose, would you be Team Edward or Team Jacob, and then always tell them they chose wrong. 

“The Hunger Games” is a young adult (ahem, don’t say it…) novel about a sixteen year old girl alive in post-apocalyptic North America.  There are 12 (mainly poor) districts around a cruel and rich capitol, who keeps revolts at bay by the hunger games.  Every year, a lottery is used to choose one boy and one girl from each district to come together and fight to the death. 

Now, Mandy would tell you that I am obsessed with Nazis.  (Don’t worry, there is a logical progression here- go with me.)  It’s true that my concentration in my history degree from college was in WWII, and Nazism, but it is not because I am (as Mark calls me) “Cruel Jewel.”  The truth is that violence and war, and how people react in and to it, fascinates me.  What happens to a community when war is around them, and what happens to a child when they grow up seeing it everyday, thinking it is normal?  There is a book that was part of my reading for a class called “Neighbors” by Jan Gross, and it examines the role of the Polish people who murdered their neighbors when given the opportunity (terrible summation- you should read it sometime though if you can stomach it).  Throughout history lessons, the Germans have been blamed for the extermination of millions of Jews in WWII, but Gross discusses the roles of neighbors who killed also.  Where does the blame of violence lay?  Is it in the hands of people who actually murder, or also the people who watch and do nothing? 

The reason I discuss this is that one description of “the Hunger Games” briefly mentioned Suzanne Collins’ focus on war and violence, the effect on children, and a small comparison to Nazism.  The book is for young adults but it does explore these ideas in a mature way, and makes you question what you want the main character to do.  Do you want her to kill her fellow competitors?  Is it okay when it is the only way for her to survive?  Would you have survived the hunger games?

I know I would not have survived.  Mainly because I can’t run for more than about a minute before giving up.  But also because I have never seen any side of me that could fight like that.  Sometimes I wonder what young people joining the military feel about that.  Do they realize that they may have to kill someone to save their own life?  I can’t imagine.  So, yes, I highly recommend this book.  I am anxiously awaiting my copy of the second of the series.  And yes, Mandy, you knew I would have to talk about Nazis sooner or later!

www.familydramalikewhoa.com

My third book was “the Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls.  Nattawan would not rest until I had read it, even going to the point of requesting it for me on my library account!  I am so glad she did.  This book is SO good.

“The Glass Castle” is Walls’ memoir of growing up in a crazy world, with a family life that none of us would ever consider possible.  Her book details her childhood in memories of chaos, and confusion and yet, full of life.  It describes her father, a drunk yet charismatic man who loved her but did not know how to care for her, her self-centered mother who inspired pity, and her and her brother and sister who would survive for days without eating, and if lucky, got one bath a week.  Stories of selfishness, stories of survival, and stories of struggle.  And yet, through it all, the special relationship of a brilliant yet crazed father who could convince Walls she was the luckiest girl in town.  It takes a true writer to craft words so that you can feel the confusion of emotions that they did in their memory.  Walls did that. 

My favorite story included in the book is one where her father is determined to take his kids to the zoo to show them that no animal is dangerous if you know how to handle them.  The children are dirty, hungry and their father is possibly drunk, yet as a child, Walls made a beautiful memory of it.

“Dad squatted outside the fence opposite the cheetah.  The animal came closer to the bars and studied him curiously.  Dad kept looking at him…the cheetah looked back.  Finally, he sat down.  Dad stepped over the chain fence and knelt right next to the bars where the cheetah was sitting.  The cheetah remained still, looking at Dad. 

Dad slowly raised his right hand and put it up against the cage.  The cheetah looked at Dad’s hand but didn’t move.  Dad calmly put his hand between the iron bars of the cage and rested it on the cheetah’s neck.  The cheetah moved the side of his face against Dad’s hand, as if asking to be petted….

We climbed under the chain fence and knelt around Dad…by then a few people had begun to gather.  I knelt close to the cheetah.  My heart was beating fast, but I wasn’t scared, only excited.  I could feel the cheetah’s hot breath on my face.  He looked right at me.  His amber eyes were steady but sad, as if he knew he’d never see the plains of Africa again.

‘May I pet him, please?’ I asked Dad.

Dad took my hand and slowly guided it to the side of the cheetah’s neck…the cheetah turned his head and put his moist nose up against my hand.  Then his big pink tongue unfolded from his mouth, and he licked my hand.  I gasped.

‘I think he likes me,” I said.

We climbed over the chain.  When I looked back, the cheetah was following us along the side of the cage.  Before we could make our way through the crowd, a heavy man in a navy blue uniform came running towards…shouting about regulations and how idiots had been killed climbing into cages…

Dad nodded and…led us through the crowd and toward the exit.  I could hear people around us whispering about the crazy drunk man and his dirty little urchin children, but who cared what they thought?  None of them had ever had their hand licked by a cheetah.”

Throughout the book, I was continually amazed.  How could a daughter whose money was stolen by her own alcoholic dad, who had no clothes except ones she pinned together because they were falling apart, who ate a stick of margarine and dug through trash to try to get any nourishment, still love her dad?  Walls does not try to define it with psychological grandeur, but simply shows it with memories.

The book got me to thinking about families, and the problems that all of us have.  As I discussed with my friend Kristin somewhat recently, no family is perfect.  We tried to think of a single friend that had that perfect, all-American life.  We couldn’t.  Our childhoods certainly weren’t pain-free.  What would my life be like if my father hadn’t passed away when I was eight?  What memories would I have?  He was a wonderful man and I have amazing memories, but there are also memories of sadness when he was sick.  Would I be the same person if I didn’t have those memories, or experiences?  I don’t believe I would be at all.  While we were nothing like poor in this book, we definitely did not have a lot of money, and my father never graduated from high school.  His dream for my brother and I was to go to college, and the money that we received from social security when he died, provided us with the means to do so.  You can never truly ask the question, 'what if?', because it never leads anywhere.  You simply have to try to learn from the life that was given to you.

Everyone has memories of childhood that have shaped them, whether good or bad.  Read this book to see the amazing story of how 3 children overcame years of neglect and abuse, and also confused love, and became a story of survival and triumph.  Highly recommended.  (Thanks Nattawan!)

www.notsomuchtotheyearofyes.com

Hi all - Reads Wizardspoon here, aka, MANDY. That is my awesome occasional pen name that I just recently made up. You're probably wondering "Reads, where have you been?" Well, my friends, the answer is simple: housesitting.

Yes. Housesitting for my dear, sweet uncle in a little villa known as Gig Harbor. Do I love it here? Yes. Do I want to live here? Yes. Have I read much, especially since I'm fairly isolated from my comfort zone? No, weirdly enough.

I decided to come prepared for the journey, and checked out about 8 billion books from the library. I thought to myself that I would zip through all of them and have to go back for more, since I would be spending so much time by myself. It turns out that wasn't so.

See, I have a problem. And it's called text messaging and hanging out with people. I know, it's a common problem nowadays - but I have it pretty bad. They should make a pill for it, because I'd add it to my pill container for sure. I get back in the evening from hanging out with my family or working, and my monkey brain does not want to sit still to read a book. It wants to catch up with people via text message, and maybe watch some good old American TV.

The other day I was all ready to sit down and start into the Year of Yes by Maria Dahvana Headley. I was excited - I had heard things about this book, and it looked really cute. The premise? She just says "yes" to anybody who asks her out for a whole year. I am a huge fan of memoirs, especially ones that do some sort of experiment (ie, A.J. Jacob's amazing books), so I was pretty excited. But I could not get into it. In fact, several times when I was ready to snuggle up with a book and one of my uncle's dogs (old lady moment for sure), I found myself turning on the TV.

What is it about my brain that makes me do that? It's constantly multitasking. I am literally never doing just one thing at one time, and I know I'm not alone. If I am driving, I'm listening to music, or talking on the phone (on the hands free, of course). If I'm doing laundry, I'm transcribing a hearing, or getting some work done (or writing a blog)... I can't let my brain focus on purely one thing. I wonder why that is? And when it comes time for my monkey brain to calm down, and for me to read a book, sometimes I just can't do it. I go through periods where, like Jewel said before, I devour books like a hungry tiger. And I thought this would be one of those times. Maybe it's being away from home, or being near my cousin and her family, but it took me forever to get through this book.

And maybe it's partly because this book wasn't that great. There, I said it. It was written in a really confusing way, in a way that jumped tenses and alluded to the past but then was suddenly in the present. I got confused a bit, and the only thing that kept me plugging through was this challenge, and the sense of completion. I hate quitting on books. In fact, I have been reading a book the entire summer that I can't get myself to finish - maybe it's because it's really good, because it doesn't suck. But this one I probably could have skipped and been fine with it. Who wants to read about how much love another girl gets all year? Who wants to read about a girl who, I believe, is 19 or 20 and is distraught because she hasn't settled down? Ummm - hello. 28 year old over here with no sympathy and a headache from reading the tiny print of your book in dim lighting.

So I say not so much, year of yes. And I will keep plugging through "This I Believe", which is shaping up to be great. Until next time, my friends.... :) Hopefully my monkey brain will not take me so long this time!

Meh.

www.booksarebetterthanmovies...mostofthetime.com

Jewel here again.  I finished my second book, right on schedule!  Boom, roasted.  For someone who never read a textbook in college (and I'm being completely serious here, never ever read anything except a few sentences of each chapter at my best), I'm actually keeping on reading schedule, which is amazing!  I  recently discussed with some awesome people how, if the deadline comes, and I'm not close to finishing, I will just read like 10 Baby-sitters Club books, cause I could get through them in about two hours...but I digress.  My second book, if you're wondering (and I assume you are, because honestly- you're the one reading this) was "the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".

Before I read the book, I had just recently seen the movie.  It was in Swedish, and now looking back, I could possibly even say I have read it twice since I read the whole movie...huh.  Maybe I'm done with 2 1/2 books!  Now I am a stronggggg advocate for always reading a book before seeing the film adaptation.  In fact, I recently saw a quote that said, "Never judge a book by it's movie."  EXACTLY.  But I know it's not possible to read all books before seeing movies, and thus, I ended up watching "the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" before reading it.

I was very surprised to realize that I actually enjoyed the movie more than the book!  Now, never show this to my parents please, as they never read, and always tease me by saying, "oh, they wrote a book after that movie?"  har, har, har.  Gets funnier every time.  :)  But it's true...the movie was better in my mind.

The book centers around a journalist who has lost a case of libel against a large corporation, and is hired on a private basis to solve a very old murder case.  He is joined by a young hacker/researcher girl, and they stumble upon a history of sexual violence and murder.  The book and movie are definitely thrillers, and bring out strong emotions with quite graphic scenes.  I enjoyed the book, but it concentrated on two fronts- the libel case, and the murder mystery.  The movie just focused on the murder mystery.  The movie seemed to flow better, and to truly keep you on the edge of your seat.  Some of the graphic sexual violence scenes though...well, I definitely had to fast-forward through two. 

When I looked into the history of the book (because I'm a nerd and many times do that, ahem), I found out that the author Stieg Larsson, considered the sexual violence a main theme.  The original title was "Men Who Hate Women" and the theme was based on some truth from his own past.  At 15, he witnessed the gang rape of a young girl, and was never able to forgive himself for not being able to stop it.  His main female character was named after the girl in this incident- Lisbeth.

Btw- I am on a very sad spell- I need a much more uplifting book next.  Suggestions please.

Overall, I really did enjoy the movie better, but I will forever continue to think reading the book first is better- for me at least.  I do not judge, but I do encourage!  My personal examples of really bad adaptations (my own opinion, of course) include "the Virgin Suicides", the Da Vinci Code" and "the Golden Compass".  Really amazing adaptations are "Pride and Prejudice" BBC version, Harry Potter and "Lord of the Rings".  What are your best and worst??? 

Reading provides an opportunity to create in your own mind characters, places, sounds, even tone of voice.  There's nothing worse than buying a book after the movie comes out and seeing the famous actors/actresses on the cover- you can never imagine them any different!  That is why I choose a book over the movie first- I want my opinion of the characters to matter.  I want to shape a story, whether I wrote it or not.  Books can teach you so much about yourself, if you simply let your creativity lead you.  What characters take on aspects of people you know in real life, and what does that mean?  When you take sides in a literary conflict, why?  Who do you imagine a romantic hero or heroine to be like and what does that tell you about your own future loves?  Ahh, books.  Can you tell I love them?  :)

www.realitytvsucks.com

So here goes. My first posting about a book. I must start by saying that the idea for this challenge came when I was watching reality tv late one night.


It all started when I was watching a particularly terrible episode of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” the show that can simultaneously disgust and mesmerize me. It never fails, I always watch it, even when I don’t want to. Why? I wondered. Why do other peoples’ lives fascinate me so much, even when there is nothing more going on then in my own life? So I thought, I am going to spend my time in a more productive way- and in a way that makes me happy. Reading.


Logically, the first book I would pick would be “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote. (That was sarcasm, if you couldn’t tell). I don’t know why I picked it, but I had been meaning to read it for about five years, and thought, well, maybe it would make me sound smart in this blog.


The book turned out to be more like a reality show than I could ever have imagined. Drama, tragedy, love, mystery, and even more shocking than tv- it was actually REALITY. The story is the true account of a father, mother, and two children brutally murdered by two men out on parole. Men who believed that the house would hold thousands of dollars, but in actuality, only got about $40-50 out of the night. Capote writes a tale that weaves you throughout the incident, and through the killers’ mindsets, even making you feel somewhat sorry for the man who did the actual killing. In reality tv, this would be called creative editing. In this novel, it is called the true story.


I read this book alone in my house and got chills. This story was more real to me than most reality shows that I have watched. It could happen to anyone, at anytime.


Would I recommend it? Probably not. It takes a certain person to enjoy it. Did I love it? Yes. Capote’s style of writing was easy to read, and the way he wove the delicacy of life with the psychology of a killer’s mind was incredibly scary and sad. But throughout it all, I learned that life is incredible and not to be taken for granted- or lived through reality tv. Get out and live it on your own. Do something thrilling. Something new. Write a blog. Read a book. Jump out of a plane. Plant a garden. Just do something you enjoy. And now on to the next book…

www.wrinklingtime.com

Hi everyone! It's me, Mandy. Your favorite. Yep, we all know this already, so let's just be honest and get it out in the open.

Remember in our first blog when I said that Jewel was upset because I had already read one book in September, thereby beating her already? Well, I'm here to talk a little bit about it. But first, some slight exposition (that's a fancy book word for stuff that happens leading up to where we are.)

I am the queen of late fines. Seriously. I could win the Olympic gold for the late fines that I've racked up. So, naturally, I had racked up about $28.00 in library fines. Sorry, Kitsap Regional Library (product placement!). So the other night, I wanted to read a book to quiet down my monkey mind before bed, so I turned to the shelf of books that I have. And found this gem on there, that I had read years and years and years ago, and decided to revisit.... (drumroll, please) A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle. I know what you're saying (and what Jewel repeatedly said)... "It's a kids book! It's so easy!"

But, my friends, let me tell you something. Reading this book in 6th grade is WAY different than reading it in... 24th grade. Our brains, as we grow older, have a harder time wrapping themselves around the magic and wonder of worlds like the one that L'Engle created. Worlds where people dematerialize, where people can create holes in the universe, and where stars can become live people. And although once I started reading I slipped back into the comfortable arms of her writing and the story itself, the logistics of the world that I know honestly kept putting up little road blocks that detoured me from soaking it in fully. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying it's a bad book. It's actually quite a magnificent book one that I will recommend to people to read - people under the age of... oh, say, 15 probably. Because the older we get, the harder our brains work and the less space we have for our imaginations. As much as I would like to say that's not so, it is... I'm a very imaginative person, but I'm still limited by the knowledge and experiences that I've had.

So as I read the book (it took me about 2 hours), I tried to slip back into elementary Mandy mode. Minus the terrible t-shirts with cats on them, pink plastic glasses, and short mom dictated haircuts... But my grown up mind wouldn't fully let me do it. Which may be a good thing, because looking back at the pictures - I cannot believe I left the house like that. 

Now off to the next book...... This is a good challenge! And I didn't even use ONE smiley emoticon on this entire blog. I'm already kicking butt. Take that, Jewel. 

Book 1 - done!

www.howitallstarted.com

It was a dark and stormy night.  Not really, but it did start in Washington, with two best friends, Jewel and Mandy.  That's us, if you didn't gather.  Best friends since 8th grade, when Mandy cornered Jewel and forced her to be her friend (can you tell Jewel is typing???) 

We are not going to tell the entire story of us, although it will in most likely come out throughout this blog.  And believe us, we have some pretty incredible and crazy memories.  But one thing that we share is a love of books.  Jewel has made it into a little bit of a career, working at a library, while Mandy consumes books like a starved baby tiger.  And that's why she took the 52 book challenge from Jewel.  Here's how it started.

Jewel:  "I think I'm going to challenge myself to read 52 books in 52 weeks."
Mandy:  "Wait, how long is 52 weeks?"
Jewel:  "A year."
Mandy:  "I will do it too!"

Hold on a second.  We are currently arguing about this, Mandy contests.  Either way, that's what we decided to do.  Starting on September 1st, 2010, we will read books and tell you all about them.  Read if you dare.

Mandy here. : ) Yes, I contested our supposed "conversation" that Jewel claims happened. She is just mad because after she told me about the challenge, I explained that I had already finished one whole book in September. Therefore, beating her at her own challenge already. So that, my friends, is why she would insinuate that I wasn't aware that 52 weeks composed a whole year.

Jewel back again.  I had to explain to Mandy that it doesn't matter how quickly you read a book, as long as you finish.  And then our blog idea came about- writing about what we are reading, and how that relates our life.  I also issued a challenge to Mandy just now that she does not use smiley face emoticons.  (It's going to be hard for me. Seriously.)

ANYWAYS - (Mandy here.) - We decided a few things. 1) We love books. 2) We sometimes have interesting lives. And the two could meet in the middle somewhere in this blog. So you will find what could be called grown-up book reports (Jewel vetoed that idea for our blog title, btw) and a little bit of life application. We're super fun people - it's a proven fact. We can both agree on that. We are hoping for a few things to come from this blog: fame, fortune, book deals, and boyfriends. So if you have any way of making any of those happen, keep reading and be dazzled by what you will find! Seacrest out.

Mandy. Quick! Try to look scholarly!

Jewel. Her two loves. :) (OOOPS.)