Hope in a Jar - Book review

I finished another book last week when I was sick and came home from work early. Yes, I was sick. Boo hiss. No worries though. I'm feeling better and no one caught the flu from my blog before.

Anyhow - the latest little gem was one that I picked up second hand from my favourite book store - Millpond Records and Books. If you haven't had a chance to check out the store - I highly recommend it. It's located in the village of Hespeler which is part of the bigger city of Cambridge. They are on twitter and facebook. I'm happy to say a) I knew them before they were famous in the local book store circles and b) that I can count them as really good friends even if I don't buy books or records.

I seriously could gush on and on about Greg and Wendy and their awesome shoppe, but I'm here for my latest book review - so let's hop to it.

Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison

This novel is more geared to those that like a bit more of a feminine touch. The book is written in first person and uses the concept of a high school reunion to reunite friends who have spent 20 years apart. What I really liked about the writing style, is that you really felt for the characters. The author did a wonderful job of holding just enough back so that you were guessing the whole time.

No matter who you are, there will have been times when you were in high school that you didn't really feel like you fit in. The two protagonists in this novel are very relatable in this aspect. More and more as I read, it made me really appreciate the friends I've had, and especially those that I call friends now. All in all this book was really about friendships - and how important they are no matter where you are in your life and career. If anything, it helped me look at my own life and let me see that even if it isn't exactly the same as my childhood dream, I can be happy about what and who I have in it now. It also gave me hope for some of the friendships I've had that have slipped away a bit.

No book is perfect, and there are aspects of the book that I found a little too predictable. But the writing is clean, the story is easy to get through and it was fun to read. It also made me really want a makeover, but that's nothing new.

I've already recommended this to a few friends - and even passed it off to a friend who's been having a bit of a rough patch lately. I think the book will help her see that things just might work out for the best. I would really recommend this book for any woman who has friends. Hopefully that means everyone because friends are a fabulous thing to have.

So this is #8 for my #26in2011

#26in2011

I've been pretty active with my plan to read books this year. It became a conscious choice when everyone on twitter started talking about #26in2011. From my understanding there is no rules except to finish 26 books in 2011. As every year has 52 weeks, this means reading a book every two weeks. Here we are at the middle of March and I'm already done 7 books and have one on the go. Long way to go to hit 26!

#1 - I started out 2011 with a book that I had already read but love. Ransom by Julie Garwood. Julie Garwood is one of my favourite authors for how she weaves a story. In Ransom, we are transported to the medieval ages. It's a romantic yet dramatic story about a woman who has to endure heartache and pain as the story moves from England to the Scottish highlands. I won't give away the ending, but the story does have a wonderful beginning, middle and end. I'll read it again and again I'm sure.

#2 - The White Queen by Philipa Gregory. The author of The Other Boleyn Girl has become hot hot hot since the book was made into a movie. And although I did like that b

ook, I was actually more intrigued by the stories that were woven into Philipa Gregory stories. The first of her novels I read was the Constant Princess. That lit a fire under me that had me thirsting to find out more and more about the Tudor dynasty. My husband realized this last year when I started talking about it frequently, watching the tudors and just generally having a one-track mind. the library didn't have any copies of any books by Philipa Gregory as they were in constant demand (I can completely understand). So this Christmas when my hubby was wandering around a store, he just looked over and found this little gem. the story is based on the War of the Roses, a famous time in English history when the country is split into two different factions to determine who should be the king of England. What I love about the stories of Philipa Gregory is that they are always based on truth. Yes she puts thoughts into the minds of those that there is absolutely no way of knowing what they really felt, but she's researched so much about the

period and the people that she's writing about that you feel you are right there with her. She truly is a gem of a writer. As a writer myself I truly can admit that I really admire how she uses her craft. This is a fantastic book. Read it. I know it will make you clamor for more.

#3 - The Book of Lies played on another of my favourite reading passions - religious mystery. This is an action packed adventure based in current day but with a little bit of history mixed in. The story goes on the search for the tool that Cain used to kill Abel. Again, based a little on fact, but a lot on speculation, I found that I couldn't put this down. It was action packed. Good read if you feel like getting caught up i

n the story.

#4 - Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher was actually my 3rd book, but I had to put it down and read The Book of Lies. I found the story was really hard to get into. It was really heavy and reading it in the winter made it difficult. So I took a break, got lost in an action adventure book - and then picked this back up again later. Lucky for me, I was in the right mind. The protagonist in this book is not your typical 30-something going on an adventure, it's about a 60-something woman trying to get her life back together after going through heartbreak and loss. Her positive outlook and her will to keep on going was wonderful. If anything, it helped me get through this winter in a good way. I'm glad I finished what I started.

#5 - Julie Garwood again with Shadow Music. Based again in the Highlands during medieval times. It was an easy read, but so good. Every time I read a Julie Garwood novel I want to be the heroine in the story, being caught up in passion. ah. good story.

#6 - Found Wanting by Robert Goddard took me back to action adventure and puzzles. Every adventure book has to have a treasure, and this one is no exception - Anastasia from Russia, Nazi Germany and some crazy business with Russia and Norway. It's another book that was difficult to put down -even brought it to work to read during my lunch hour. I had to know how it ends. The title was very fitting as even at the end of the book you felt like there were still questions. With that said, it's a good book. Great way to get lost for awhile.

#7 - Bitch Posse by Martha O'Connor. From what I read, she's a new author but she's a writer of my generation and her story was based in my times. Honestly - I w

as a few bad choices away from

being a member of the Bitch Posse in real life. I really felt that I related to the characters - all of them. The story used a technique that I enjoy, flipping back and forth through time to help the story move along but at the same time explaining the depth and reasoning behind current day decisions. It was a great book. Maybe men won't get it, but any girl from my generation should get it and if she doesn't - she doesn't deserve to read it. :)

Honestly, the books this year have been good. I think all of them are worth reading. Can't wait to read the other 19. Yikes! 19 more to go. I better get reading!

200 posts!!!

According to my dashboard I have posted 200 posts! Amazing that I've had so much to say. I know by Twitter that I have crap more that has come spewing out of my mouth.

With that said, I'd like to thank blogger for creating a platform that allows me to spew my thoughts whenever I feel like it.

I'd also like to thank my sister for organizing breakfast this morning for my brother-in-laws birthday. I really like breakfast. When I logged on, I was intending on talking about breakfast in Cambridge. Perhaps I'll save that for another day and just leave you with a word of wisdom that I learned a long time ago:

Don't run with scissors.

Stay safe out there.

Love and the Bachelor

Watching the Bachelor. I know. Quel suprise. I'm addicted to the stupid lovely doveyness. I want these gorgeous people to fall in love. Scratch that, I want everyone to feel love. I want everyone to get the chance to feel what I feel with my husband.

I know, I know. Sappy love junk. What the heck is wrong with me?

Well I'll tell ya - I'm in love. With my husband. Crazy isn't it?

Anyhow - enough mushy gushy stuff about my husband. Let's talk about the Bachelor.

Sadly, I never watched Brad's season of the show. I didn't know all of his dirty secrets but I did know that he was the guy everyone couldn't believe didn't pick a girl. Now here he's back and has a chance to find love again. It's not very often that people get to do that. I know personally it's not the way I would choose to find love.

I think love takes a lot of time to develop into something lasting, but I do believe that it can start in an instant. I've seen people have incredible passion instantly, but that generally doesn't last very long. I've seen others have a slow building friendship that turned into love when they realized they couldn't live without each other.

My husband and I - we weren't friends first. Well not for very long at least. We met online - we opened ourselves up to each other. It was exciting on so many levels and it allowed us to build into something awesome. I still find it amazing to still be in love with him after so many years. I wonder if this is what will happen for Brad on the Bachelor? I really hope so.

There are so many amazing women on this show and I really think Brad is a good guy. I do think he's feeling quite a bit for several of the girls. I hope that he can narrow it down. God - I can't even fathom having to choose!

Anyhow - the show's getting juicy so I'm going to get watching.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike!

In case you haven't heard - I GOT A BIKE!!!!!

I've been yelling and cheering about it all day long. I realized a few months ago that I really wanted a bike. Unfortunately, I didn't really do anything about it and refused to ask for one for Christmas. I never thought that anyone would be able to get one in their budget. Bikes are big business and can get really expensive.

When I was a kid I was a pretty skilled bike rider. I learned to ride a two-wheeler and never looked back. When it came time for the annual Hespeler Optimist Bike Rodeo, I was right there in my element. The rodeo gave me a chance to show my skills, my hand eye coordination, my safety knowledge and my super awesome ability to rock my bike. I actually won the entire rodeo twice and came out with two new bikes.

Unfortunately those bikes were all gone over the next few years, including my awesome purple bmx that I used to win the rodeo. The first bike was a mountain bike and my dad ended up giving it to my cousin who's parents couldn't really afford a new bike. The second was a 10 speed that my dad gave to my niece when she outgrew her own bike. I wasn't really riding it all the time anymore as I had my drivers license so it wasn't that big a deal.

And here I am, 32 years old and would love to go for a ride, but no bike to do it. I started looking off and on with www.kijiji.ca. What's nice about kijiji is that you are able to search in specific areas and price ranges. Sure I saw some wonderful bikes that were a little too expensive, and then some crappy bikes at wonderful prices. I emailed someone on a bike at the end of the summer that they said they were selling for their grandmother. The bike was all awesome and retro and looked perfect for my needs. Sadly - they never responded and the ad even stayed up for a month longer. Every time I saw it I got this bad taste in my mouth.

Two days before Christmas I suddenly realized that I should've asked for a bike from Santa. I started looking pretty seriously again at bikes and noticed an advertisement from a bike shop in Kitchener that was having a big sale this week. My dream bike was on sale half price - but that was still over $300. Knowing that I needed a good solid adult bike, I was almost ready to go buy one.

Turn on boxing day. I knew that people would be selling things after Christmas, I thought I'd give it a shot. Kijiji allows you to sell things second hand so would this be my chance to find a bike??? I log on and not only did I find a bike, but it was in Cambridge - located within a bikes ride of our house! The price was just over $100, it was cruiser, has white wall tires and a basket. I've always loved my mom's retro bike - of course hers was actually from when she was a teenager so it truly is an original. Her bike has a book rack, where the one I was interested in has a basket.

I sent off a message "I would be interested in seeing the bike." I was going to include more, but my loving husband thought that was enough. If I was first to respond, they should be able to answer and I might get a bike. Hours and hours went by and I kept checking my email for a response. Sadly - there was nothing. I gave up by the evening but was shocked when my husband turned on the computer to see that I had gotten an email. We arranged to meet the following day (today).

We drove over this morning and as soon as I saw the bike I couldn't help but smile. The bike wasn't overly used, and the gentleman who was selling it on behalf of his wife told us they were updating to a mountain bike because they wanted to get more off the beaten path. The gentleman we dealt with was so nice. He even adjusted the seat lower so that I could ride on it with my short legs. I was so excited to hear the little ding of the bell, and how easy it was to get the basket on and off so that I can take it shopping with me.

The hubby took a ride and compared it to a shopping cart. I knew that would be what I was getting. Being that I'm not the same kind of skilled rider I once was, I knew that this bike would not be winning the bike rodeo any time soon.

I honestly, couldn't stop smiling the whole time. The bike had to be mine and I was so happy to give him the money and put it in the car. as soon as we got home, I hopped on the bike took a spin for myself. I'm still smiling at it now - even though it was bloodly cold!!!

I'm the proud owner of a Schwinn 3-speed Cruiser with a basket, bell and white wall tires. And I'm happy. Oh so happy. :)