I can't see the rainbow today.
Only the darkness, the void.
I can not hear the laughter.
Only tears and sadness in my heart.
I cannot see the solutions.
Only the problems, the negative.
I feel so alone.
So very very alone.
The one I need to talk to cannot listen.
The one I need to understand is unable.
So I turn in on myself. My sadness. My pain.
I can't feel the happiness. Only pain. Only pain.
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Movies and Me
It's amazing how much movies have been able to factor into my life and change it. Or at least make me realize something.
Oh sure they make you laugh, they make you cry, they make you angry or sad. But there is something about movies that just really means something to me.
I just finished watching One Week. It's a movie starring Joshua Jackson. An otherwise healthy individual who for some reason or another is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with a max of two years - and that's if the treatment works. In the first couple seconds after hearing the news, he thinks of three things and these will all come to fruition over the course of the movie. On the way home to reveal to his fiance the horrible news, he comes across someone selling a motorcycle. He takes it for a spin and of course, buys the bike. This is about where his life really begins.
Joshua Jackson is perfect for this role. And I'm not saying that just because a much younger me had this slight infatuation with him. I just think he's got this way of being that makes him seem real. He talks like a normal person. He looks like a normal person and he comes into this role as a normal person. He's not always smiling. He's also not the type of person that has to look perfect all the time with chiseled features and a six-pack abs. The role he plays is a person trying to determine the age old question "What would you do if you only had one day to live? one week? One month?"
As you know, my mother was recently diagnosed with Cancer. She too is stage four. She too was given two years. But she knew what she wanted. She wanted her family around her. She wanted to appreciate the little things, like sitting by her pool and sitting around a bonfire with her family just staring at the flames. She wanted to tell all of us that we love her and she really wanted to laugh. She set all of those wishes into motion because she doesn't know how long she has. She might get 5 years, she may get 5 months. This we do not know.
The thing that has hit me ever since I found out and had time to digest it, we get one life. One life to do what we want, when we want. We have the ability to make choices and to make sacrifices. We can reach for our dreams, or help others acheive theirs. It's all our life to live how we choose.
I've looked around at my friends, both in real life and online, and I've seen a lot of things that just don't seem that important. And I may have made some decisions that have impacted those friendships simply because I have chosen to live another way. I have been trying to tune out the negative, and perhaps that means tuning out the negative people. It may also mean that I've tuned out the overtly positive people because I'll be honest, I can't deal with fakeness right now. We need to live real. We need to be real.
Earlier this year, my uncle passed away from cancer. He fought for 7 years and if there is one thing I noticed over that time was that he "Lived Like he was Dying". I know it's a country song, but I love it for all it represents. I think his passing hit me really hard as he was born the same year as my mother and at the same hospital. My mom was sick, but we didn't know it was cancer yet, and it just made me see that there are choices in our lives. We have the ability to affect our own destiny. If we want to do something, or acheive something, the only thing holding us back is ourselves.
This year, I want to experience life close to home. I want to deepen friendships I've had for years, and ones I've had for a few months but feel right. I want to do what feels right and if it doesn't, well I just don't want to be involved. I've heard people time and time again tell me how they wish they had a love in their lives. I don't think they realize that the first love they need to have in order to find love, is a love of themselves. A love of who they are and what they want and what they want to acheive.
Another movie I watched this weekend helped me see that,
and of course the latest book I read did as well. In the movie "Love that Boy" a bit of a control freak with a list of all she wants to acheive by college graduation finds herself without friends and with a dwindling list. She has to look within herself and open herself up to new experiences and new people. Only then does she start to understand what college should be about and only then does she find love - ultimately that her love is within herself (and not really with the 14 year old boy across the street that she kisses.)
The book I just finished is more well known for the movie of the same name with Julia Roberts, "Eat Pray Love." The book and the movie are VERY different, as you'd expect. Both left me with a different understanding and I'll be honest, the Eat part in Italy just didn't do it for me in the book. I was hoping for more description, but what I came to realize is that the book was a spiritual journey. One that I've been on a bit myself. Essentially, the book takes you through a journey that the only way to hapiness and true love is discovering what you really love and what you really want to do.
I had my moment with this, and I gladly shared this with my husband. From the age of 16 to 22 I was in one long term relationship after another. That's 6 years of giving of myself and giving into their wants and desires and having no idea what I really wanted. I took off to Alberta for awhile and found myself laughing and flirting again, but nothing stood out more as my moment as the first time I had to go and rent a movie from the video store. Now kids, before you ask what a video store is, let me tell you about a life before netflix and pirated movies. Back in the golden days of my 20's we had a thing called a video store where you went and picked up a couple movies, the clerk swiped your card and then you paid them. You kept the movies for a couple days, watched them generally with popcorn and then you brought them back. It usually was a good thing for couples to do on weekends - especially if one wasn't feeling well, or they were stuck in a rut. Anyhow, I found myself alone in a video store and I had a chance to pick out whatever I wanted. I had never felt this experience ever. The ability to choose what I wanted to see for a few hours without the aid of someone telling me that the movie looked like garbage. I stared down at the shelves and at the covers. I would read the back and ponder over each and every movie. I kept looking around for that moment where someone would tell me to put down the movies I had, that they weren't worthy. But no one did. I cannot describe the intense satisfaction it gave me to pick 3 movies, all of my own devices, all indy flicks and not the top blockbuster. I wasn't on any waiting lists, I could just walk out and enjoy whatever I wanted. It was a satisfaction that one doesn't always have in their life. And it was a moment that for me helped me determine that even if someone told me the movie looked stupid, I would never let them tell me I couldn't watch it. I could just watch it on my own. My husband knows this, as we have had the movie store conversation where he's told me my choices blow and that he wants to see something else. But I always get one for me that I watch the next day. It's okay. There is nothing wrong with me.
And so it's through movies, and through my delight of reading anything I want, and through my knowledge that I can do whatever I want, that I know I'm living my life to it's fullest. I know it's not really an epic journey, but it's a journey nonetheless. It's my journey. And I'm going to take it wherever I want. Because I am me. I am still living. And so are you. So go on. Live your life. Love yourself and don't let anyone tell you different.
Oh sure they make you laugh, they make you cry, they make you angry or sad. But there is something about movies that just really means something to me.
I just finished watching One Week. It's a movie starring Joshua Jackson. An otherwise healthy individual who for some reason or another is diagnosed with stage 4 cancer with a max of two years - and that's if the treatment works. In the first couple seconds after hearing the news, he thinks of three things and these will all come to fruition over the course of the movie. On the way home to reveal to his fiance the horrible news, he comes across someone selling a motorcycle. He takes it for a spin and of course, buys the bike. This is about where his life really begins.Joshua Jackson is perfect for this role. And I'm not saying that just because a much younger me had this slight infatuation with him. I just think he's got this way of being that makes him seem real. He talks like a normal person. He looks like a normal person and he comes into this role as a normal person. He's not always smiling. He's also not the type of person that has to look perfect all the time with chiseled features and a six-pack abs. The role he plays is a person trying to determine the age old question "What would you do if you only had one day to live? one week? One month?"
As you know, my mother was recently diagnosed with Cancer. She too is stage four. She too was given two years. But she knew what she wanted. She wanted her family around her. She wanted to appreciate the little things, like sitting by her pool and sitting around a bonfire with her family just staring at the flames. She wanted to tell all of us that we love her and she really wanted to laugh. She set all of those wishes into motion because she doesn't know how long she has. She might get 5 years, she may get 5 months. This we do not know.
The thing that has hit me ever since I found out and had time to digest it, we get one life. One life to do what we want, when we want. We have the ability to make choices and to make sacrifices. We can reach for our dreams, or help others acheive theirs. It's all our life to live how we choose.
I've looked around at my friends, both in real life and online, and I've seen a lot of things that just don't seem that important. And I may have made some decisions that have impacted those friendships simply because I have chosen to live another way. I have been trying to tune out the negative, and perhaps that means tuning out the negative people. It may also mean that I've tuned out the overtly positive people because I'll be honest, I can't deal with fakeness right now. We need to live real. We need to be real.
Earlier this year, my uncle passed away from cancer. He fought for 7 years and if there is one thing I noticed over that time was that he "Lived Like he was Dying". I know it's a country song, but I love it for all it represents. I think his passing hit me really hard as he was born the same year as my mother and at the same hospital. My mom was sick, but we didn't know it was cancer yet, and it just made me see that there are choices in our lives. We have the ability to affect our own destiny. If we want to do something, or acheive something, the only thing holding us back is ourselves.
This year, I want to experience life close to home. I want to deepen friendships I've had for years, and ones I've had for a few months but feel right. I want to do what feels right and if it doesn't, well I just don't want to be involved. I've heard people time and time again tell me how they wish they had a love in their lives. I don't think they realize that the first love they need to have in order to find love, is a love of themselves. A love of who they are and what they want and what they want to acheive.
Another movie I watched this weekend helped me see that,
and of course the latest book I read did as well. In the movie "Love that Boy" a bit of a control freak with a list of all she wants to acheive by college graduation finds herself without friends and with a dwindling list. She has to look within herself and open herself up to new experiences and new people. Only then does she start to understand what college should be about and only then does she find love - ultimately that her love is within herself (and not really with the 14 year old boy across the street that she kisses.)
The book I just finished is more well known for the movie of the same name with Julia Roberts, "Eat Pray Love." The book and the movie are VERY different, as you'd expect. Both left me with a different understanding and I'll be honest, the Eat part in Italy just didn't do it for me in the book. I was hoping for more description, but what I came to realize is that the book was a spiritual journey. One that I've been on a bit myself. Essentially, the book takes you through a journey that the only way to hapiness and true love is discovering what you really love and what you really want to do.I had my moment with this, and I gladly shared this with my husband. From the age of 16 to 22 I was in one long term relationship after another. That's 6 years of giving of myself and giving into their wants and desires and having no idea what I really wanted. I took off to Alberta for awhile and found myself laughing and flirting again, but nothing stood out more as my moment as the first time I had to go and rent a movie from the video store. Now kids, before you ask what a video store is, let me tell you about a life before netflix and pirated movies. Back in the golden days of my 20's we had a thing called a video store where you went and picked up a couple movies, the clerk swiped your card and then you paid them. You kept the movies for a couple days, watched them generally with popcorn and then you brought them back. It usually was a good thing for couples to do on weekends - especially if one wasn't feeling well, or they were stuck in a rut. Anyhow, I found myself alone in a video store and I had a chance to pick out whatever I wanted. I had never felt this experience ever. The ability to choose what I wanted to see for a few hours without the aid of someone telling me that the movie looked like garbage. I stared down at the shelves and at the covers. I would read the back and ponder over each and every movie. I kept looking around for that moment where someone would tell me to put down the movies I had, that they weren't worthy. But no one did. I cannot describe the intense satisfaction it gave me to pick 3 movies, all of my own devices, all indy flicks and not the top blockbuster. I wasn't on any waiting lists, I could just walk out and enjoy whatever I wanted. It was a satisfaction that one doesn't always have in their life. And it was a moment that for me helped me determine that even if someone told me the movie looked stupid, I would never let them tell me I couldn't watch it. I could just watch it on my own. My husband knows this, as we have had the movie store conversation where he's told me my choices blow and that he wants to see something else. But I always get one for me that I watch the next day. It's okay. There is nothing wrong with me.
And so it's through movies, and through my delight of reading anything I want, and through my knowledge that I can do whatever I want, that I know I'm living my life to it's fullest. I know it's not really an epic journey, but it's a journey nonetheless. It's my journey. And I'm going to take it wherever I want. Because I am me. I am still living. And so are you. So go on. Live your life. Love yourself and don't let anyone tell you different.
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Highland Barbarian, Maiden of Inverness and The Shadowy Horses - Book Reviews
Ladies and gentleman, I have been a bit of a reading machine. All this in spite of taking vacation and seeing old friends. My year long goal is soon to be realized and I feel fantastic. In case you weren't aware of what #26in2011 stands for, you can read my blog here. And if you want, you can follow the hashtag on twitter by going here. Using the search this morning reveals that most people appear to have been giving up. Boo to them!!! Booo!!!!!
Before getting into the nitty gritty, I have to give a huge shout out again to Millpond Records and Books for being able to help pinpoint exactly what I was looking for the last time I walked through their door. What I anticipated being a long journey of searching through the racks only took about 5 minutes with the help of Wendy tracking down just the right things. She's awesome in so many ways, even taught me how to knit last year. I cannot recommend going into this store to enough people. It's awesome on such a higher level. And now on with the show!
Highland Barbarian - Hannah Howell
I'm sure you can tell by the title, and the scantily clad gentleman on the cover of the book that this is a smutty romance book. And to be honest, what more could a woman (or man for that matter) want to read on a hot summer day? The book is all kinds of sexy and is my 20th book for #26in2011.
The scene is split between the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland and includes plenty of intrigue, a touch of violence, and of course all the heaving bosoms you could ever want. Even though I had a bit of a tough time with the name of the lead character (Sir Artan Murray - I mean who names their kid Artan and thinks he's going to be awesome?), I did get a bit of a buzz from reading the book.
I'll be perfectly honest, I like reading sexy stories every now and again. So it did meet that piece of criteria for a good book. There was a hint of religion of course in that there were priests in the story. Of course no good book about the highlands comes complete without at least one murder. The only thing that was really missing was Christmas. Per my husband, this book is therefore not one that I will ever cherish because it doesn't meet all my literary needs - those being Religious, Murder, Sexy Time, Christmas. (Gotta love having a husband with a wild imagination eh?)
Maiden of Inverness - Arnette Lamb
As you can tell, this is another sexy story based in Scotland. It's true that I've always had an affinity for where my ancestors have came from. I've always heard the name of the village they came from back in 1776, and dreamed of figuring out what clan we belonged to and what colours our tartan would be. I'd go on about this a bit more, but being as this is a book review and not my family history, I'll carry on about the book.
The writing on this one was a little different than most smutty historical romances. The story starts in childhood for the two lead characters. Both came from very different worlds and were thrust together by fate. Well fate and a really insane story involving the King of England and a priest. Showing that right off the bat you have religion. Check one.
The violence of the novel is hinted at early on, as always with a novel written about unsettling times. So let's check off murder.
I would say the only place where it didn't meet my expectations was the sexy time. Oh sure it was there, but it didn't get my blood racing as much as Hannah Howell's book did. This book tried to focus more on the adventure and getting the historical facts accurate (well as accurate as they could be) than being a specific romance novel. Christmas was also missing from the book, although if I remember correctly they did mention the word once.
All in all, I will happily sell this one back to the book store for someone else to read next. It isn't one I need to keep on my book shelves.
The Shadowy Horses - Susanna Kearsley
By the cover, I thought this might be a bit of a romance novel. Instead what I found was that this was more a story where the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. Of the three books in this review, this was by far the best one and it is number 22 in my quest to reach #26in2011.
Set yet again in Scotland, this book is written in modern times. Centered around an archeological dig taking place in Eyemouth, the story weaves in and out of truth and mystery. The characters for the most part are believable and I found that I could see their faces, watch them walking and living through the creepiness that comes when you are surrounded by a spirit that just won't let go.
The murder was always hinted at, but was never really revealed. I'd still check it off the list as if there is going to be a ghost, there is going to be a death right? Oh wait, just remembering now, there was another murder in the book but it didn't really have a huge bearing on the overall story. So yes, definitely check off murder.
Religion wasn't really in the book and in fact, I don't think it was really there at all even though they did mention once about going to church. Still doesn't count enough.
The sexy time had a really nice build to it and as with all good romance novels it had enough tension between the lead character and her leading man so that you could feel it building. I spent a lot of the book just hoping for a little bit more. Saying they kissed and then "she forgot everything for awhile" just doesn't satisfy the heaving bosoms my husband insists I must have in every story. I still count it as sexy time even though it wasn't described in graphic detail.
All in all, this one was a good book. I might want to read it again, as I do like a bit of mystery sometimes and have always liked the idea of ghosts. (Even believe I've seen them on a few occasions.) I would recommend reading this one.
Before getting into the nitty gritty, I have to give a huge shout out again to Millpond Records and Books for being able to help pinpoint exactly what I was looking for the last time I walked through their door. What I anticipated being a long journey of searching through the racks only took about 5 minutes with the help of Wendy tracking down just the right things. She's awesome in so many ways, even taught me how to knit last year. I cannot recommend going into this store to enough people. It's awesome on such a higher level. And now on with the show!
Highland Barbarian - Hannah Howell
I'm sure you can tell by the title, and the scantily clad gentleman on the cover of the book that this is a smutty romance book. And to be honest, what more could a woman (or man for that matter) want to read on a hot summer day? The book is all kinds of sexy and is my 20th book for #26in2011.
The scene is split between the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland and includes plenty of intrigue, a touch of violence, and of course all the heaving bosoms you could ever want. Even though I had a bit of a tough time with the name of the lead character (Sir Artan Murray - I mean who names their kid Artan and thinks he's going to be awesome?), I did get a bit of a buzz from reading the book.
I'll be perfectly honest, I like reading sexy stories every now and again. So it did meet that piece of criteria for a good book. There was a hint of religion of course in that there were priests in the story. Of course no good book about the highlands comes complete without at least one murder. The only thing that was really missing was Christmas. Per my husband, this book is therefore not one that I will ever cherish because it doesn't meet all my literary needs - those being Religious, Murder, Sexy Time, Christmas. (Gotta love having a husband with a wild imagination eh?)
Maiden of Inverness - Arnette LambAs you can tell, this is another sexy story based in Scotland. It's true that I've always had an affinity for where my ancestors have came from. I've always heard the name of the village they came from back in 1776, and dreamed of figuring out what clan we belonged to and what colours our tartan would be. I'd go on about this a bit more, but being as this is a book review and not my family history, I'll carry on about the book.
The writing on this one was a little different than most smutty historical romances. The story starts in childhood for the two lead characters. Both came from very different worlds and were thrust together by fate. Well fate and a really insane story involving the King of England and a priest. Showing that right off the bat you have religion. Check one.
The violence of the novel is hinted at early on, as always with a novel written about unsettling times. So let's check off murder.
I would say the only place where it didn't meet my expectations was the sexy time. Oh sure it was there, but it didn't get my blood racing as much as Hannah Howell's book did. This book tried to focus more on the adventure and getting the historical facts accurate (well as accurate as they could be) than being a specific romance novel. Christmas was also missing from the book, although if I remember correctly they did mention the word once.
All in all, I will happily sell this one back to the book store for someone else to read next. It isn't one I need to keep on my book shelves.
The Shadowy Horses - Susanna Kearsley
By the cover, I thought this might be a bit of a romance novel. Instead what I found was that this was more a story where the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. Of the three books in this review, this was by far the best one and it is number 22 in my quest to reach #26in2011.
Set yet again in Scotland, this book is written in modern times. Centered around an archeological dig taking place in Eyemouth, the story weaves in and out of truth and mystery. The characters for the most part are believable and I found that I could see their faces, watch them walking and living through the creepiness that comes when you are surrounded by a spirit that just won't let go.
The murder was always hinted at, but was never really revealed. I'd still check it off the list as if there is going to be a ghost, there is going to be a death right? Oh wait, just remembering now, there was another murder in the book but it didn't really have a huge bearing on the overall story. So yes, definitely check off murder.
Religion wasn't really in the book and in fact, I don't think it was really there at all even though they did mention once about going to church. Still doesn't count enough.
The sexy time had a really nice build to it and as with all good romance novels it had enough tension between the lead character and her leading man so that you could feel it building. I spent a lot of the book just hoping for a little bit more. Saying they kissed and then "she forgot everything for awhile" just doesn't satisfy the heaving bosoms my husband insists I must have in every story. I still count it as sexy time even though it wasn't described in graphic detail.
All in all, this one was a good book. I might want to read it again, as I do like a bit of mystery sometimes and have always liked the idea of ghosts. (Even believe I've seen them on a few occasions.) I would recommend reading this one.
Saturday, 18 June 2011
The Pact, The Castaways and The Devil's Queen
I have been a bad blogger as of late for keeping up with my book reviews and blogs. For some reason I've been more interested in engrossing myself in the pages of fiction than writing. And thus - I've read three more books. I'm well on my way to reaching #26in2011 as after these three, I'm so close to 20 I can taste it. Per my husband, I could probably polish off the final 7 books in a day if I wanted - and he's probably right - but I'm not going to do that. I want to savor them. I want to get lost in the pages and ponder what was in them. I want to be part of the story and invest myself in the actions of the characters. I want to feel something, and with the latest three books I know that it's possible.
The Pact: a love story by Jodi Picoult
I've read some of her work before, and what I find the most interesting is how much she writes about subjects that might make you uncomfortable. She will write about a topic with such force that you can't help but look within yourself and think about what she's writing. You can't help knowing what is going on. You want to look away but you can't because you need to find out what happened. That is how I felt about this book.
In The Pact we are transported to small town anywhere, because the location doesn't really mean anything to the ultimate story. It could be about any two kids who have grown up together and loved each other. Heck, it could've been about me. Perhaps that is what makes it uncomfortable. It makes you look inside yourself.
Back to the story, the plot revolves around two young lovers who make a suicide pact and those around them who are trying to understand what and why this has happened when one of the two lives, and the other doesn't. It makes you look at how well people really know each other, especially their own children. The story is heavy. It will take you places you may not have wanted to go but find yourself completely there - you are in that small town, in those houses. You are walking the streets and going to the same stores. You are walking through the high school and you are trying to figure out the "why" all through the story.
It's a shocking read but a touching one. I really recommend it, some tissues and peace and quiet. I also recommend having two books on the ready to help clear your mind of all the heavy stuff when you are done. (But maybe that's just me.) Either way, I really do recommend reading this book. If you want to know more from the author's website - go here.
Per my husband's scale of books I would like: This book essentially has murder, sexy time and in a way, Christmas. It does not have religion so therefore he would not agree that this would be a good book for me. I tend to disagree.
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
If we start with my husband's scale, this book had it all, even though it was light on religion and Christmas. This was fine with me since in reality I never even read the cover and wanted the book solely for the cover. Seriously - look at that gorgeous scene. Could they have picked a more inviting cover for a beach read?
This book was a little bit lighter than the last book, but was still a little heavy in the way the story unfolded. Very quickly into the book two of the key characters die in a boat during high winds. Could be an accident, but so many points lead to something else. The rest of the book unravels everything else that was going around during the time of their death and the months leading up to it.
I started reading this book by my parents pool on a very hot June day when the temperatures felt more like August than a spring day. It was the perfect scene to get lost into something that my mother said was an easy read. The writing flowed really well and before you knew it you were a few more pages into the story and invested with the characters. I liked the way the plot jumped throughout the people in the story. It was always revealing a little more. I felt almost like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.
I really do recommend this book as it does truly have it all. Great summer read.
The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici - By Jeanne Kalogridis
By all accounts, I should've been the most uncomfortable with this story. A women who undergoes hardships and rises to be a queen by touching on the occult and surrounding herself with murder and evil things. But there is something about this story being set well before my time that didn't make it so. Maybe I'm a fan of the macabre and curious about the occult.
So let's look at my husband's scale - Religious - check, Murder - double check, Christmas - it was mentioned, Sexy Time - check. And so that makes it so. The book was good and I enjoyed it. I know it isn't to everyone's taste in not everyone likes to read stories based in the 1500's. I, on the other hand, like to escape a little. I like to think of walking down castle halls, through hidden passages. I like to image the fine fabrics and the clothing when you touch it. I like to feel like I am transported to another time and place.
This review should be about the book and not me so I'll carry on.
The fact that this book was based on a real life person and historical events wasn't lost on me. The writing flowed fairly well, even if the story seemed a little disjointed. I think the writer was trying to fit in the historical aspects into her story and may have jumped forward faster than should have happened. However, I'm not sure how I could've done better given the circumstances.
The way the story was written, I felt like I was standing quietly beside Queen Catherine. I was with her in a deplorable cell in Spain. I was with her in the pope's chambers. I was there at her wedding, and in the room for her wedding night. An innocent bystander you could say to the story of a woman who did everything she did for her family and for their survival.
The book is alright. Not really sure I'd read it again, when I would definitely read the other two books I read in the past couple weeks. It was a good book to finally clean my palate with regards to The Pact. The Pact is a book that had so much resonance with me that it will be a long time before it's out of my system.
So with these three I have completed 19 of my #26in2011. I'm on a roll folks!
The Pact: a love story by Jodi PicoultI've read some of her work before, and what I find the most interesting is how much she writes about subjects that might make you uncomfortable. She will write about a topic with such force that you can't help but look within yourself and think about what she's writing. You can't help knowing what is going on. You want to look away but you can't because you need to find out what happened. That is how I felt about this book.
In The Pact we are transported to small town anywhere, because the location doesn't really mean anything to the ultimate story. It could be about any two kids who have grown up together and loved each other. Heck, it could've been about me. Perhaps that is what makes it uncomfortable. It makes you look inside yourself.
Back to the story, the plot revolves around two young lovers who make a suicide pact and those around them who are trying to understand what and why this has happened when one of the two lives, and the other doesn't. It makes you look at how well people really know each other, especially their own children. The story is heavy. It will take you places you may not have wanted to go but find yourself completely there - you are in that small town, in those houses. You are walking the streets and going to the same stores. You are walking through the high school and you are trying to figure out the "why" all through the story.
It's a shocking read but a touching one. I really recommend it, some tissues and peace and quiet. I also recommend having two books on the ready to help clear your mind of all the heavy stuff when you are done. (But maybe that's just me.) Either way, I really do recommend reading this book. If you want to know more from the author's website - go here.
Per my husband's scale of books I would like: This book essentially has murder, sexy time and in a way, Christmas. It does not have religion so therefore he would not agree that this would be a good book for me. I tend to disagree.
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
If we start with my husband's scale, this book had it all, even though it was light on religion and Christmas. This was fine with me since in reality I never even read the cover and wanted the book solely for the cover. Seriously - look at that gorgeous scene. Could they have picked a more inviting cover for a beach read?
This book was a little bit lighter than the last book, but was still a little heavy in the way the story unfolded. Very quickly into the book two of the key characters die in a boat during high winds. Could be an accident, but so many points lead to something else. The rest of the book unravels everything else that was going around during the time of their death and the months leading up to it.
I started reading this book by my parents pool on a very hot June day when the temperatures felt more like August than a spring day. It was the perfect scene to get lost into something that my mother said was an easy read. The writing flowed really well and before you knew it you were a few more pages into the story and invested with the characters. I liked the way the plot jumped throughout the people in the story. It was always revealing a little more. I felt almost like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.
I really do recommend this book as it does truly have it all. Great summer read.
The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici - By Jeanne KalogridisBy all accounts, I should've been the most uncomfortable with this story. A women who undergoes hardships and rises to be a queen by touching on the occult and surrounding herself with murder and evil things. But there is something about this story being set well before my time that didn't make it so. Maybe I'm a fan of the macabre and curious about the occult.
So let's look at my husband's scale - Religious - check, Murder - double check, Christmas - it was mentioned, Sexy Time - check. And so that makes it so. The book was good and I enjoyed it. I know it isn't to everyone's taste in not everyone likes to read stories based in the 1500's. I, on the other hand, like to escape a little. I like to think of walking down castle halls, through hidden passages. I like to image the fine fabrics and the clothing when you touch it. I like to feel like I am transported to another time and place.
This review should be about the book and not me so I'll carry on.
The fact that this book was based on a real life person and historical events wasn't lost on me. The writing flowed fairly well, even if the story seemed a little disjointed. I think the writer was trying to fit in the historical aspects into her story and may have jumped forward faster than should have happened. However, I'm not sure how I could've done better given the circumstances.
The way the story was written, I felt like I was standing quietly beside Queen Catherine. I was with her in a deplorable cell in Spain. I was with her in the pope's chambers. I was there at her wedding, and in the room for her wedding night. An innocent bystander you could say to the story of a woman who did everything she did for her family and for their survival.
The book is alright. Not really sure I'd read it again, when I would definitely read the other two books I read in the past couple weeks. It was a good book to finally clean my palate with regards to The Pact. The Pact is a book that had so much resonance with me that it will be a long time before it's out of my system.
So with these three I have completed 19 of my #26in2011. I'm on a roll folks!
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Two more for #26in2011
Two more books have been read since my last post for #26in2011. Very different, but both considered a bit more on the chick lit side. One book was light and airy and may never stay with me in the future. The other had me thinking and guessing the entire time. One had an actual ending and the other was pretty weak. One had lots of mystery and adventure, the other had mysterious people but not a huge amount of adventure.
My 15th book I found at a garage sale at my parents church last
weekend. All in all it took me approximately 3 hours to read. Written by Jude Devereau, I found "Carolina Isle" as a fairly easy read but with lots of action. The cover of the book really didn't relate to the story a tremendous amount. It was a typical action adventure/romance. It was written to have a twist, a switch in identities, but it failed miserably. I'll be perfectly honest, the book left a lot to be desired. The characters didn't have much depth. The person who wrote the data for the cover must've only read the first chapter as what they talked about got blown apart quickly.
The whole story was to make you fall in love with being in the Carolina's, but nothing really made you even want to go there. The story would allude to something, and then never went back to explain it. Sure it came to a clean ending, but I never really felt invested in the story.
If you are looking for an easy beach read that occasionally will make you bang your head off the back of your lawn chair, this is the book for you. If you are looking for something that will force you to really think, I'd suggest going elsewhere.
My 16th book for #26in2011 was also found at the church garage sale. The cover really caught my attention. Background in light blue, a woman in a red flowing skirt appears to be dancing, and the title "Trespass" by Valerie Martin. It is a winner of the Orange Prize. To this day I have no idea what the Orange Prize is, but I knew there was something about this book. Yes it's true, i always judge a book by it's cover. There has to be something about it that intrigues me. Lucky for me I have a varied taste. With this book, I don't even think I read the back. I just had to have it.
The story is written by an American, but definitely has some twists and turns that are unexpected. To be honest, I thought the book was written by a man, and it wasn't until I read the title again to put it in this blog post did I notice that it was actually a woman. There was something about the way the characters are written. The point of view doesn't come across as womanly. Although with that said, the characters all come out pretty clearly throughout the story, with the exclusion of some slightly mysterious characters.
What I liked about the book most was the characterization. I also kind of like that it isn't your typical book in that it doesn't have a happy ending. Not really anyhow. Of course it's all a matter of opinion right? There were so many times in the book where I thought "Oh so they are going to do ___" but then it doesn't happen. I found that I had to keep reading. I needed to see how it ends. The novel focuses so much on the character development, that it glosses over the setting. I was fine with that in this book because the story was so interwoven and I got so involved with the characters.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I tend to be a bit on the optimistic side, and that I tend to try and see all the sides of a story. This book really played to my personality in that it wasn't written from just one point of view. It's from the son, the mother, the father, the girlfriend/wife, the father-in-law, the mother-in-law. You want everything to work out for them. You want them all to find resolution and peace. But that wasn't how the book was written. Questions are still left at the end.
Both books were very different. But I would definitely recommend Trespass before I'd recommend Carolina Isle. Sadly, I gave that book too my mother-in-law. She, like me, got a bit pulled into the cover. Too bad I didn't wait and let the book digest before giving it to her. It wasn't a horrible book, and I did read it in a very short time frame. Perhaps if I was at the beach, I would've liked it better. Who knows.
Next time, I'm going to hopefully get something awesome. For now, I'm still on my quest to finish #26in2011. Only 10 more to go!
My 15th book I found at a garage sale at my parents church last
weekend. All in all it took me approximately 3 hours to read. Written by Jude Devereau, I found "Carolina Isle" as a fairly easy read but with lots of action. The cover of the book really didn't relate to the story a tremendous amount. It was a typical action adventure/romance. It was written to have a twist, a switch in identities, but it failed miserably. I'll be perfectly honest, the book left a lot to be desired. The characters didn't have much depth. The person who wrote the data for the cover must've only read the first chapter as what they talked about got blown apart quickly.The whole story was to make you fall in love with being in the Carolina's, but nothing really made you even want to go there. The story would allude to something, and then never went back to explain it. Sure it came to a clean ending, but I never really felt invested in the story.
If you are looking for an easy beach read that occasionally will make you bang your head off the back of your lawn chair, this is the book for you. If you are looking for something that will force you to really think, I'd suggest going elsewhere.
My 16th book for #26in2011 was also found at the church garage sale. The cover really caught my attention. Background in light blue, a woman in a red flowing skirt appears to be dancing, and the title "Trespass" by Valerie Martin. It is a winner of the Orange Prize. To this day I have no idea what the Orange Prize is, but I knew there was something about this book. Yes it's true, i always judge a book by it's cover. There has to be something about it that intrigues me. Lucky for me I have a varied taste. With this book, I don't even think I read the back. I just had to have it.The story is written by an American, but definitely has some twists and turns that are unexpected. To be honest, I thought the book was written by a man, and it wasn't until I read the title again to put it in this blog post did I notice that it was actually a woman. There was something about the way the characters are written. The point of view doesn't come across as womanly. Although with that said, the characters all come out pretty clearly throughout the story, with the exclusion of some slightly mysterious characters.
What I liked about the book most was the characterization. I also kind of like that it isn't your typical book in that it doesn't have a happy ending. Not really anyhow. Of course it's all a matter of opinion right? There were so many times in the book where I thought "Oh so they are going to do ___" but then it doesn't happen. I found that I had to keep reading. I needed to see how it ends. The novel focuses so much on the character development, that it glosses over the setting. I was fine with that in this book because the story was so interwoven and I got so involved with the characters.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I tend to be a bit on the optimistic side, and that I tend to try and see all the sides of a story. This book really played to my personality in that it wasn't written from just one point of view. It's from the son, the mother, the father, the girlfriend/wife, the father-in-law, the mother-in-law. You want everything to work out for them. You want them all to find resolution and peace. But that wasn't how the book was written. Questions are still left at the end.
Both books were very different. But I would definitely recommend Trespass before I'd recommend Carolina Isle. Sadly, I gave that book too my mother-in-law. She, like me, got a bit pulled into the cover. Too bad I didn't wait and let the book digest before giving it to her. It wasn't a horrible book, and I did read it in a very short time frame. Perhaps if I was at the beach, I would've liked it better. Who knows.
Next time, I'm going to hopefully get something awesome. For now, I'm still on my quest to finish #26in2011. Only 10 more to go!
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