Top Ten Tuesday (4): TBR List for Winter!

Hello! This week's topic for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, are the top ten books on your TBR this winter! So, since it's basically winter now, I'm going to just assume this means books I plan on reading/want to read in the near future! There are about a bajillion and one books I want to read ASAP, so here's just a small sampling. Here we  go:

1. Lost December by Richard Paul Evans - This is RPE's latest novel and I'm pretty stoked. I read two of his books last Christmas (Promise Me and The Gift) and LOVED them, and have been waiting for Christmastime to roll around again to read some more. It's time, baby!

2. The Christmas Box Trilogy by Richard Paul Evans - Yup, more RPE. He's a Christmas writing genius and I love Christmas books. His are perfect for this time of year.

3. The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts - Cats + Christmas = best combination of all time. Okay, I'll move on from the Christmas books now, even though I'll be reading much more of them in the coming weeks...

4. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling - Ideally, I would like to read the entire series this winter. Will I have time with all my other books? I don't know, but we shall see. I only read the first four (shut up), so this will be part re-read, part new read.

5. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins - Yes, I've heard many a good thing about this series and it's been sitting on my shelf for awhile. Now I must read it before the movie comes out!

6. One For the Money by Janet Evanovich - The Stephanie Plum series is one I've been wanting to read for awhile. Now, I have the perfect excuse to start! The movie is coming out, it's my mom's favorite series, and she wants me to see it with her. I DON'T see movies until I read the books, so now's my chance!

7. The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks - His newest. Who doesn't swoon over Nicholas Sparks?

8. Love at First Bark by Julie Klam - I am a sucker for animals, and now that I've rescued my own doggie, this book sounds just perfect.

9. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling - Saw her speak at BEA and loved her even more afterwards. She is SO funny and I love memoirs and I love the ha-ha's sooo... I'm excited.

10. Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda - I love me some women's fic and this seems to fit the bill just nicely. It's basically my favorite genre and I've been wanting to read this one since I first heard of it. I really hope to get to it this winter!

So, there's my list. I can think a billion more, but ya know, top ten and all. Hope you have a great week! :)

Review: Dollars to Donuts by Kathleen Kole

Title: Dollars to Donuts

Author: Kathleen Kole

Genre/Audience: Chick lit, adult

Publication: 2011

Source: For Review, CLP Tours

Summary: April Patterson, a "crafting" newspaper columnist, has recently moved from the city to a small, cozy suburb called Boxwood Hills. She's not alone though - she's got her sister, Jessica, her boyfriend, Kevin, and a whole mess of nosy neighbors who she'll avoid at all costs... until she can't, when she finds herself smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood mystery involving a garbage can, a dead rodent, and HER stained sweatshirt. What's a girl to do? She can deny all knowledge, avoid said neighbors, and attempt not to fall for the charms of Gerritt, the hunky new guy in town who just so happens to be staying with her and Kevin. Maybe small and cozy is NOT what April needed after all...

My Thoughts: Kathleen's novels are a breath of fresh air - fun, light, refreshing, and the perfect escape. A short while back, I had the pleasure of reviewing Kathleen's first novel, Breaking Even, and all in all, I just find Kathleen's stories to be a delight. Sometimes you just need to take a step back from life and read a fun book that will make you laugh, and shake your head at all the crazy antics. Dollars to Donuts is one of those books.

April is a pretty funny character. The very first thing we see her doing is totally screwing up her hair and trying to escape to her sister's salon on a bicycle, her main mode of transportation. She also takes a job as a columnist writing about crafts - which she has no interest in and no knowledge of, so we find her throughout the book working on various crafts in frustration, such as a pillow designed to look like a textbook - haha! So, I was quite entertained by April, but also at times grew frustrated for her and her flirtations with, and eventual interest in, Gerritt. Kevin seemed really nice and she had no reason to be so agitated with him. Aside from that indiscretion, though, I did like her. I also liked her sister, Jessica, who always seemed to be April's voice of reason.

If you're a fan of chick lit with a little pop of mystery, I think you'll really enjoy Dollars to Donuts. Like a lot of chick lit, it's not really thought-provoking or anything like that, but it is a lot of fun! I really look forward to seeing what Kathleen comes up with next!


My Rating: 3.5/5

Here I am with my book - I was so excited when it arrived and I had to show Kathleen!

Review: Sorry by Zoran Drvenkar

Title: Sorry

Author: Zoran Drvenkar

Genre/Audience: Thriller, suspense, mystery, adult

Publication: 2011 in U.S., 2009 in Germany

Source: Library

Summary: Four 20-something friends, Kris, Tamara, Wolf, and Frauke, living in Germany, have not much to do and not much direction, and on a whim one night, decide to start up an agency. It will be called Sorry, and they will apologize for people for all sorts of things. Sounds strange, but soon, they are getting call after call, and are raking in the money. Their latest client, however, is a killer, and he has called them to apologize to his victim, and to dispose of the body. He taunts them endlessly, and as they try to discover his identity before he comes after them, the question remains: why did he do this? And, are they next? 

My Thoughts: This was book was GOOD. And crazy. It was also bizarre, and graphic, and addicting and I'm STILL trying to wrap my head around it. A short "story" here will give you a brief summary of my up and down thoughts: A librarian coworker saw me reading this when I had first started, and asked how it was. I was only about 20 pages in and my response was: "weird. Its narration for a killer is from the point of view 'you.'" A couple days later, halfway into the book, she saw me reading and asked again how I liked it. My response this time was drastically different: "it's really good. It started out strange, but stick with it." This is what I would tell you, too. But first, a warning: this book is extremely graphic and very disturbing and dark, including such things as rape, pedophilia, and gory killings. If you can handle that, and you love thrillers, then this is an excellent book for you. But it is bizarre! It has shifting narration: from each of the four friend's perspectives, "you," AKA the killer, "I," who is unknown until the very end, and from "the man who wasn't there," someone who is watching the friends, but also is not revealed until later on in the book. So many strange and disturbing things happen and while the odd narration can be unsettling, I grew to like it, after hating it at first. I liked the book so much because it never stops and never relents. The action and mystery just keep at it until the very end, and I liked how unique the story was, both in its plot and its take on narration. This book truly is not for everyone; you must not have a weak stomach, and you have to enjoy "bizarre." If both of these things apply to you, and you're up for something really different, and exciting, then I'd recommend you pick this book up ASAP... but you've been warned!

My Rating: 4/5

Christmas Cards For YOU!

A couple weeks ago I asked on Twitter if anyone was interested in exchanging Christmas cards, but I got no responses. :( I love Christmas though, and I love mailing out cute cards, so I figured I'd ask here. I got the idea to ask my blog readers from Stephany at Stephany Writes who just posted a form today, so I have made my own! I will not give out your address and will discard it after your card is mailed! Please fill out the form if you would like a card! Also, leave a comment that you did so please. You can also send me a card if you like (but totally don't have to). :) Any questions? E-mail me: stephaniet117 at yahoo dot com. Thank you.

Top Ten Tuesday (3): Authors I'd Love to Have Over for Thanksgiving!

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish, is all about which ten authors you'd love to have over for Thanksgiving dinner! My choices are all authors that I am grateful for and would love to meet/see again. Check it out!

1. Beverly Cleary - if you've been reading my blog for awhile, you probably know that I credit Beverly Cleary (and my mom) for getting me into reading. Ramona is my favorite, and I will always be grateful, so I'd love to have Mrs. Cleary over to say thanks, and to chat about Ramona!

2. Beth Hoffman - I had the honor of going to dinner with Beth while at BEA in May. I would love to spend more time with her! Her novel, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, is one of my all time favorites and Beth was one of the first authors that reached out to me after I reviewed her book. She showed me how grateful and gracious authors are, and I am so thankful to know Beth.

3. Jen Lancaster - She's one of my favorite authors, as many of you probably know, and she would definitely crack everyone up at Thanksgiving dinner! I'd love to meet her someday. I'm grateful to Jen for making me laugh so hard.

4. Chuck Palahniuk - You probably already know this, but I'm a liiiittle bit obsessed with Chuck. I met him at BEA, and he was so sweet. I'd love to have him over so I could talk to him more and get into his strange and bizarre (but totally sweet) head! I'm grateful to Chuck for screwing with my head and making me say, "huh?!" every time I read his work! Seriously, it's fun and makes me think!

5. Meg Cabot - She's probably on a lot of lists, but I would really love to meet her someday. I am grateful to Meg for writing The Princess Diaries, one of my top five favorite series ever. I cried when I finished the last book because I grew up with the series.

6. Ellen DeGeneres - She's technically an author... see, I just reviewed her book. Who WOULDN'T want to have Ellen over for Thanksgiving?! I'm grateful to Ellen for always making me laugh.

7. Alicia Bessette - So I could beg her to write a sequel to Simply From Scratch (now titled A Pinch of Love), a freaking amazing book that you should all read! Seriously though, I am grateful to Alicia for melting my heart with this book. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Plus, I am dying to know why the title was changed. I would love to chat with her!

8. Harlan Coben - Because my mom loves him and I would totally invite a guest for my mom... because I am thankful for my mama above anything else. :)

9. Kathleen Kole - How I adore Kathleen! She has become a great friend of mine on Twitter after I reviewed her novel, Breaking Even, and I would be so happy to meet her someday! I am grateful to have found both a caring friend, and a great writer, in Kathleen.

10. Allie Larkin - Allie and her novel, Stay, are simply amazing! I have met Allie twice now, because she is local, and she is so sweet and cool. I am grateful for Allie because she loves dogs and promotes animal rescue! I would love to see her again someday.

Review: The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson

Title: The Christmas Shoppe

Author: Melody Carlson

Genre/Audience: Christmas fiction, adult

Publication: 2011

Source: Library

Well, hello, Christmas season, you are early as ever! I don't usually start my Christmas reading quite this early, but this book was due, and I figured, what the hey? I'll read it now... the neighbors have pumpkins out still, and the other neighbors have Christmas decor already. Right now is choose your own holiday time, I guess. So, this is the first of many Christmas reads for me this season. Did I mention I love Christmas books? Well, not this one, so much...

Summary: Parrish Springs is a tiny town getting ready for Christmas. Things are going along as usual until the strange and eccentric Matilda Honeycutt moves to town and opens up a strange thrift store called The Christmas Shoppe. Many of the townsfolk want her and her shop gone, claiming the store and its unusual, used merchandise will hurt their own businesses on Main Street and detract from the ambiance and atmosphere of all the nice shops. Everyone's talking badly about Matilda and her strange ways, but she doesn't seem to mind. Matilda is adamant that the people look in her store to find "what they need," and though she struggles to get them in, those who do go in discover the true magic inside the store...

My Thoughts: I really, really loved the sound of this story. I love magic, especially Christmas magic, and I love small towns, buuut, this book didn't really work for me. I didn't dislike it, but it was just kind of "meh." It didn't feel Christmassy to me at all, aside from the fact that it was Thanksgiving time, and the store was called The Christmas Shoppe. I also didn't care for the characters. Matilda was eccentric and mysterious, which is cool, but we never see things from her point of view. The characters most predominantly featured, Tommy, the newspaper owner, and Susanna, the city manager, were both okay but kind of flat. They also changed their mind nonstop without any logical explanation - one minute they were rooting for Matilda, the next they were badmouthing her like everyone else. They were fickle and uninteresting, and though the book skimmed the surface of their pasts, it didn't delve in enough for me to really care or grow interested.

The shop had magical powers whose details I won't give away, but even that was kind of lame. When something magical happened, it would talk about it only very briefly, and the lives it affected each time were, again, hardly touched on. I think if this book had just focused on one main character and how their life changed, the story would have been infinitely better. The story really did have potential -I LOVE cheesy Christmas books - but it was too all over the place, and had too many characters to develop anyone's story well enough for me to be really invested.

My Rating: 2.5/5

Review: Life, In Spite of Me by Kristen Jane Anderson

Title: Life, In Spite of Me: Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice

Author: Kristen Jane Anderson, Tricia Goyer

Genre/Audience: Memoir, inspiration, religion, adult

Publication: 2010

Source: Library

I'd seen this book around the blogosphere before, but when I saw that Kristen was coming to a local church to speak, I knew I just had to read it and go see her. When Kristen was 17, she found herself in a dark place, full of despair. In a short period of time, her grandmother and four friends all died, and shortly after, she was raped. Finding herself in a deep depression, one night, Kristen laid down on the train tracks near her house, and waited to die. She felt the pain as 33 train cars ran over her body, but a force was pushing her down. After the train stopped, she didn't know whether she was dead or alive, until she looked over to her right, and saw her legs lying ten feet away from her body.

What happened after is a story of triumph, faith, and hope. Kristen spent months recovering in the hospital and at home, and learning to accept that she no longer had legs. Kristen heard over and over again that God had kept her here for a reason, and she realized that she had been given a second chance at life. She developed a strong faith, and became close with God who made her realize she had a purpose. Today, Kristen is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, and runs a ministry, called Reaching You Ministries, which helps those dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts. She has had many surgeries and is working towards walking again someday with the use of prosthetic legs.

Kristen's story is so inspiring and hopeful. I'm so glad I got to meet her as she is an incredibly beautiful person both inside and out and hearing her story was amazing. While I am not a religious person, I admire Kristen's faith. I sometimes envy those who have a faith as strong as Kristen does. She came out of her depression and now shines in life and helps so many people by sharing her story. Kristen has inspired me to believe in miracles.

I was deeply touched by this story and am so lucky to have gotten to meet her. I think this story will resonate especially well with those who have a strong faith, but even for me, I felt a sense of hope and inspiration from her story.

My Rating: 4/5

Here is a blurry picture of the lovely Kristen and I, taken by my technologically challenged mom with my 8 megapixel iPhone... don't know how she does it, hahaha! Love you mom. :) It was so great meeting Kristen!

Review: Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

Title: Little Blog on the Prairie

Author: Cathleen Davitt Bell

Genre/Audience: Middle grade, YA

Publication: 2010

Source: Library

Summary: Gen is a 13 year old suburban teen who is in for a bit of a shock this summer vacation! Her mother has signed her family up for Camp Frontier, a "vacation" experience in which they will live like real 1890's pioneers including wearing the funny clothes, milking cows, and confiscation of all of their modern things. Gen sneaks in her cell phone though, and constantly texts her friends back home about how miserable it is there and how hard everything is. Despite the arguments with her family, the weird clothes, and nasty food, things start looking up when she meets the cute boy whose family is also "vacationing" there, despite the mean girl who also has a crush on him. Then Gen discovers her friends have turned her text messages into a popular blog which could really stir up some trouble for her on the frontier when a TV crew comes down to meet her. This could mean an end to their experience which Gen was maybe, sort of, just a little, starting to like...

My Thoughts: This book was super cute. While it was a little young for my taste, I think younger readers will love it, and really connect with Gen and what she goes through with her crush, family drama, mean girl fights, and a forced separation from her friends and technology. I loved the morals in the story and the things that Gen learns about what it means to be a part of a family. She learned about responsibility, hard work, and making sacrifices for those that she loves. One disappointment for me was the lack of the "blog" part. I mainly picked this up because of my interest in blogs (because I am, after all, a blogger!). The whole blogging part of the story really didn't come into play until the end of the book. While I think this is fine, and enjoyed reading about Gen's experiences on the frontier nonetheless, perhaps they shouldn't have made the blog seem like a focal point of the story by its title and description. So, just don't expect a lot of blog action if you decide to pick this one up. I think this will appeal to fans of middle grade fiction, history, and Little House on the Prairie! It has a touch of romance which is perfect for younger teens and tweens.

My Rating: 3/5

Review: Practical Jean by Trevor Cole

Title: Practical Jean

Author: Trevor Cole

Genre/Audience: Literary fiction, satire, adult

Publication: 2011 (in U.S.)

Source: For review, TLC Tours

Summary: Jean Horemarsh is a pleasant and content small-town woman. Married to a nice enough man, no kids, and owner of a ceramics business, Jean sadly just watched her mother die a slow and painful death from cancer. Now, she's decided to give her closest friends a "gift." She's decided to kill them to save them from the pain of growing old and ill like her mother...


My Thoughts: When I first heard about this book, I was SO excited to read it. Isn't the premise so bizarre and one of a kind?! Just my kind of book... no wonder Chuck Palahniuk is my favorite writer! It did not disappoint. It was as dark, strange, twisted, and somehow even funny, as I hoped it would be. You know what else? It also happened to be beautiful. The writing was subtle and gorgeous, descriptive and slow. One of my favorite descriptions was of the sun being fat and buttery (or something along those lines). Despite the fact that Jean is clearly not right in the head, and is violently killing off her friends, you won't dislike her. She isn't doing these things maliciously; she genuinely thinks she is doing them a favor. I also like that Jean is blunt, snippy, and even kind of rude. I wouldn't say she is likable or endearing at all, but I definitely never once hated her - I just knew she was demented a bit and I like quirky characters. I would classify this book as literary fiction, despite its strange topic, and thought it was a little bit slow moving at times, but mostly I appreciated the unique, dark, and strange story. It isn't the kind of book you can race through because of all the lengthy descriptions that you want to absorb. I'd definitely recommend it for fans of dark fiction, Chuck Palahniuk, and Dexter!

My Rating: 3.5/5

Top Ten Tuesday (2): Books Outside of Comfort Zone

Today is my second week participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is books that you've read that were outside of your comfort zone. This list was a little challenging for me since I like to read almost any genre, but I did manage to find some. Links lead to my reviews for the ones I've reviewed. Here we go!

1. Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey - Okay, about two and a half years ago, one of my best friends, another Stephanie, raved to me about this book. She insisted I read it, and lent it to me. I was pretty unsure about it because I was not into fantasy or vampires at all, and stuck strictly to contemporary. I had it for a couple of months, then reluctantly started to read it. I COULD NOT put it down! I remember reading it in my film class, even. This became one of my favorite books and opened my eyes to a whole new genre(s). Now, I love reading fantasy, paranormal, and vampire books in addition to my contemporary. It also got me BACK into YA because I had stopped reading it for awhile. So thanks, Steph! I've already preordered the sequel, and cannot wait, though I wish it hadn't taken so long to come out! This was also one of the first books I ever reviewed.

2. Shiver by MaggieStiefvater - Another new topic for me: werewolves!  This was my first werewolf book. I decided to read it because of all the rave reviews. I thought it was okay, but wasn't in love. I will still read more werewolf books now, though!

3. Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris - This is a love story set during WWII. I typically do not enjoy historical novels, but I gave this one a try anyways, and it has also become one of my favorites. I have discovered that I LOVE novels set during WWII!

4. Separate Kingdoms by Valerie Laken - I usually don't enjoy short stories, or books about other countries. This was both. I was surprised to find myself really enjoying it though!

5. You Don't Love This Man by Dan DeWeese - This may sound weird, but I don't usually read books from a male POV. This one was not only from a male, but a middle aged one. How could I possibly relate? Well, I liked this book a lot.

6. Heist Society by Ally Carter - I was sent the sequel for review, so decided I'd read the first one first. I don't usually like action/adventure books, but I LOVED it! So much fun!

7. The Potluck Club series by Linda Sheperd - This is a Christian series, and I'm not Christian, but I loved the premise, so I read it anyways. I loved the series, and now am open to reading Christian fiction. If the story line sounds good, I'll read it!

8. Morpheus Road: The Light by D.J. MacHale- This was another male POV book, and it also seemed too young for me but it was so exciting I couldn't put it down! I don't read a lot of middle grade, but I do read it sometimes, and this book was what opened my eyes.

9. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos - I generally don't enjoy classics, but I have read a lot of them because my Bachelor's degree is in English Literature and I was forced to read them for my classes (oh woe is me). I loved this book though, and thought it was hilarious! It's one of the funniest books I've read and I would never have picked it up if I hadn't had to for a class. Another excellent classic? McTeague by Frank Norris... so bizarre and funny.

10. Eviction Earth by T.C. Pannone - I don't usually read sci-fi but when I was offered this book for review, I took a chance because I love space and the universe. It was a really cool read!


So what have we learned? :) It's good to read outside of your comfort zone! I was reluctant to read all of these books, yet I enjoyed every single one, and some of them are even favorites of mine now!

Review: Seriously... I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres

Title: Seriously... I'm Kidding

Author: Ellen DeGeneres

Genre/Audience: Humor, memoir, adult        

Publication: 2011

Source: Library

I love Ellen. I think she's hilarious, original, and unafraid to be herself. This memoir, her third, proves all of those things. I haven't read her other two memoirs, but I certainly plan on it.

I'll admit, some of the chapters were a little silly and pointless, but in its entirety, this book was funny, lighthearted, and entertaining. I was literally laughing out loud by page two... where Ellen claims her pen name is Danielle Steel. Bahaha. I was cracking up. Meanwhile, my boyfriend, a non-reader (yes, the horror!) had no idea who Danielle Steel was! Aaaanyways... now that I think about it, I was actually laughing when I first picked it up and was reading the back of the book. For real, next time you're in the store and you see this book, just pick it up and read the back.

I've seen some bad reviews of this book, criticizing said pointless chapters and such, but honestly? Just look at the title of the book... Seriously... I'm Kidding. This book isn't meant to be taken seriously, it's for fun, so lighten up, you Negative Nancy's!

Moving on!

I don't get to watch Ellen's show very often, but if I was retired, I would most likely watch it every day. My point is, even if you don't watch her show, this is an excellent book to read if you like Ellen at all, and or just want a funny, positive book to read. It delves a little bit into her personal life, but not much. One day, I'd like to read a more personal memoir by Ellen, but for now, I'm enjoying laughing my butt off at her humorous essays, anecdotes, and ramblings.

My Rating: 4/5

Top Ten Tuesday (1): Strong Book Reactions/Emotions

Well! This is my first time ever participating in Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish)... so hello, hello! *waves* I thought this week's topic was really interesting, so today is as good a time as ever to start! This week, the topic is books that you had a strong reaction to/emotional responses. Links lead to my review (of the ones I've reviewed). Here we go:

1. Marley and Me by John Grogan - I am the biggest animal lover of all time, and I remember staying up until the middle of the night to finish this book because it was that good. When I finished, my eyes were stinging because I was so tired, but also because I was bawling my eyes out. My mom came downstairs to use the bathroom and she asked me "what's wrong?!" If there's anything that makes me emotional, it's animals!

2. Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster - This was my first Jen book and it made me laugh SO hard. Thus began my lifelong obsession with Jen, and my constant recommendations of Jen's books to everyone I know.

3. Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty and Forever Princess by Meg cabot - I'm putting these ones together because they both made me cry for the same reason: they were the last books of series that I'd read for years and I was devastated when I turned the last page of the last book. I cried so bad when I finished them.

4. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks - Another one that had me crying like a dang baby! Basically... all of his books do, including The Notebook. *Sob*

5. Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk - First let me say, I really liked it... but this book was repulsive and shocking and when I finished I was left with a feeling of "huh?!" And that's precisely why I love Chuck Palahniuk so much. When I met him at BEA, I... 1. almost died and went to Heaven, I was so excited and 2. was surprised to find that he was such a doll baby... he was the sweetest person ever, even though his books are crazy!

6. Simply From Scratch by Alicia Bessette - This book was ahhhmazing. It made me kinda sad at times, but in the end, it gave me such a happy, warm, content, "ahhh" kind of feeling. I'd be remiss not to mention some of the other books that made me feel this same ooey gooey way: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by the incredible Beth Hoffman, 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter, Up From The Blue by Susan Henderson, If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now by Claire LaZebnik, and Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans.

7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult - This was my first Jodi Picoult and man, did it make me emotional! I felt like I was on a roller coaster the whole time, and the ending took my breath away. Such a stunning novel. I gave a copy as a gift to my best friend and now she's a Jodi fan for life as well. :)

8. This One is Mine by Maria Sample - Okay, I seriously looooved this book. And the ending was kind of ambiguous but I was just dying to know what happened to the characters... so I promptly got on my computer and e-mailed Maria with my questions and she kindly gave me some answers. :) *sigh of relief*

9. Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You - This book made me happy/sad. I loved it so much and e-mailed Peter Cameron right away to tell him how much I loved it. It made me crack up laughing, it made me sad and empathetic because the character was lonely, but it also gave me that sense of "not alone-ness," in spite of and because of the character's personality, which is where the happy part for me comes in. Why? Because the character and I were a lot alike, and it's nice to know you're not the only one out there feeling a certain way.

10. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner - Had to read this in one of my college courses and hated it. It was so frustrating and confusing. It made NO sense! Ugh! I didn't even finish it. And guess who still got an 'A' in the class? THIS girl.