Review: Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe

After seeing Rob Lowe on Oprah and the way he was with his kids, I knew I had to read his autobiography.  (Check out this link "Rob Lowe's Family" at Oprah.com.)  Although I've always thought he was handsome in a pretty obvious way, I can't say that I'd ever really followed his career that closely.  After his interview on Oprah, talking about his autobiography, I was pretty intrigued and put his audio book on hold at my local library.  Believe it or not, I took me until the middle of September to finally get my hands on it, but it was well worth the wait.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "A teen idol at fifteen, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-seventies Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood.  

The Outsiders placed Lowe at the birth of the modern youth movement in the entertainment industry. During his time on The West Wing, he witnessed the surreal nexus of show business and politics both on the set and in the actual White House. And in between are deft and humorous stories of the wild excesses that marked the eighties, leading to his quest for family and sobriety.

Never mean-spirited or salacious, Lowe delivers unexpected glimpses into his successes, disappointments, relationships, and one-of-a-kind encounters with people who shaped our world over the last twenty-five years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable."

Review:  This was probably one of my favorite autobiographies to date.  Having Rob Lowe read his own life story, you get a feel for the emotion behind certain chapters in his life, which was such a bonus.  The experiences he shared from his childhood, of his parent's divorce, being uprooted from Ohio, and his mother's mental ups and downs really do correlate to the addictions and issues he struggled through later in life.  Interestingly enough, he had a constant, internal dream of the stable family with a wife and children he loved.  Despite his good looks, his easy women, and his foray into addiction, Hollywood seems to be something that he has figured out and given a spot in his life, but not given the spotlight.  That journey was really interesting to sit back and experience with him.

One of the things I found most interesting about this autobiography was Lowe's constant identification with his passions.  Acting is obviously something that he is incredibly passionate about.  He loves acting, and it shows in the way he talks about the movies and television shows he has been in.  Rather than always playing the lead role, he learned that he had an aptitude for playing the supporting role in comedies.  Now he is engaged in searching out great films that he can direct and be involved in producing.  It's nice to see how passionate he is about acting and to hear about the craftsmen side of things.  

Lowe with his sons Matthew and John Owen.

Stories I Only Tell My Friends is a juicy read, filled with Hollywood tales and insider stories.  Rob Lowe has seemed to rub shoulders with presidents, stars, and royalty alike and has the stories to back them.   However, his end goal seemed to be more about finding happiness, which he has done with a wife that is his match in friendship and love, and with the jewels of his life, his sons.  The passion he feels for his family and acting make his life story even more interesting.  I enjoyed listening to this audio book and would definitely recommend giving it a try. The biography feels true to Lowe as a person and allows us a nice insider view.

*FTC Disclosure:  Review was based on a library copy of the audio book.

Review: The Food of Love by Anthony Capella

Thanks to a quick road trip up to Idaho to visit my mother, I had the chance to listen to an audio book, The Food of Love.  I'm not sure if the cat enjoyed it, since he was in the back seat in his carrier, but he stopped howling at me after about 45 minutes.  Yes, I turned it down and tried to comfort him.  He was just being a bit of a diva and wanted out, but there was NO way I was opening that carrier!  He soon settled into a nice nap and I moved on with my audio book.  It's nice to be able to listen to an audio book for long stretches of time and not just during a commute or daily errands!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Laura, a twenty something American, is on her first trip to Italy. She's completely enamored of the art, beauty, and, of course, food that Rome has to offer. Soon she’s enamored of the handsome and charming Tommaso, who tells her he’s a chef at the famed Templi restaurant and begins to woo her with his gastronomic creations.  But Tommaso hasen'’t been entirely truthful—; he'’s really just a waiter.

The master chef behind the tantalizing meals is Tommaso’'s talented but shy friend Bruno, who loves Laura from afar. Thus begins a classic comedy of errors full of the culinary magic and the sensual atmosphere of Italy. The result is a romantic comedy in the tradition of Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxanne that tempts readers to devour it in one sitting."

Review:  Admittedly, I was drawn to this book because of the food and travel elements.  The fun, seemingly romantic turn to the story was also an added bonus, but I was most interested in hearing about the preparation of really great Italian food.  The book jumps into the affair between Laura and Tommaso pretty quickly and spends a large chunk of the book unraveling, just as its Cyrano de Bergerac comparison heralds.  The unraveling is painful, and to be quite honest, I found the romance to not be romantic at all!  The food references were beautiful and poetic, but when twisted up with sexual trysts, they started to sound almost sleazy.  In fact, I'm not really sure that a woman would be wooed in quite the way the author describes it.  I wonder if my own bias in this is mainly because I'm a female reader and the author's perspective as a man is describing what romance looks like to him?  Maybe I just missed it?

Since Tommaso isn't the cook in the story, and just the Lethario who wants in Laura's pants (sorry to say it that way mom, but that's the only way of describing it), it's much easier to connect to the shy chef Bruno.  In the beginning I thought he was a bit of a creeper; why would he be so smitten with his roommate's girl, enough so that he would create these magical dishes for their dinners?  Over time though, Bruno's heart really comes through and helps to round out the story and the insincere sort of romance going on between Laura and his roommate.

There are lovely descriptions of food and food preparation, from handmade pastas to stewed meats and tender spring vegetables.  Bruno's passion for food is more attractive than he is, which I do think the author was vying for, so his descriptions were excellent.  Although the story felt sleazy in the beginning, there was redemption in the arc of the story by the end.  Overall, it was still a nice read, with great food references.  Now, can I get my ticket to Italy please?!?

*FTC Disclosure:  This review is based on a library copy of the book.

Just out of curiosity, could you be seduced by really great food, enough so that you would overlook a creeper?

Review: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily by Lauren Willig

Here we are at another Sunday and I just didn't feel like I had anything great to share today!  It's been a low-key weekend filled with grading papers and cleaning house.  See.  Nothing spectacular at all.  Thankfully, I worked in a huge chunk of time yesterday to read and was able to finish a couple more books.  Those reviews are to come later, but this week I finished listening to Lauren Willig's The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, which is the 6th installment in the Pink Carnation series.

Synopsis:  From Booklist, "Willig switches the setting of her Pink Carnation series from eighteenth-century England to colonial India in the sixth installment, which finds wild Penelope Deveraux married off to Lord Frederick Staines after the two are caught in a compromising position. Though they connect physically, the spirited, witty Penelope and the pompous, hedonistic Freddy have little in common. Freddy’s new position as special envoy to an English ambassador has brought them both to India, where rumors of intrigue involving a French spy known as the Marigold are afoot. Already floundering in her loveless marriage, Penelope sets out to unmask the spy, suspecting that their serious escort, Captain Alex Reid, might be the culprit. But as Penelope grows closer to Alex, her suspicions give way to a deep mutual attraction. Willig brings colonial India to vibrant life through Penelope’s eyes, and the sparks flying between Penelope and Alex generate plenty of heat. By taking the story to India, Willig injects a new energy in her already thriving, thrilling series, and presents the best entry to date."

Review:  In this sixth installment in the spy serie, The Pink Carnation, we find ourselves in the midst of a pretty unhappily married couple with Penelope and Frederick.  This good deal of tension between them makes for a pretty interesting lead into a growing friendship and relationship between Penelope and Alex Reid.  It seemed to me that Willig set Reid up to be the "good guy" foil to Frederick's bad behavior from the start.  Frederick just didn't seem very interested in the happiness and safe-keeping of his wife at all, while Alex did.  Frederick had a wandering eye, while Alex seemingly did not.  All that Frederick lacked, Alex seemed to have in spades.  How could a reader not fall for a strong, protective male like Alex, regardless of the strong personality exhibited by Penelope?

Set in India, this seemed to ease some of the stifling propriety that was held over the other couples in previous installments.  Also, I thought there was more time spent on the story set in the past, than in the present day story between our modern-day researcher Eloise and her new beau Colin.  For once, I was okay with that.  Usually, I have been annoyed at the long switches away from the present-day researcher revealing all of this past history to us, but I liked Penelope's spunk and the way Alex played off of her behavior.  We still had spy action going on in this story, but it didn't seem as involved as previous stories.  In reality, it just added another layer to the complicated love triangle going on in the novel.

This particular installment was one of my more favorite ones in the series.  Although I've read the other books, I didn't feel that I had to read them to really get this story.  It would be nice, but not completely necessary.  The storytelling is engaging and the tension nicely played out.  Overall, a fun diversion to the England-set stories of previous installments, and one that I enjoyed reading.

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig

As mentioned in previous posts, I like audio books.  Have I ever REALLY explained why?  I'll admit it.  I have terrible road rage.  Any swearing that ushers forth from my lips comes from a selfish driver cutting me off at 75+ miles an hour to and from work, the idiot who just has to merge into what is to be one lane at the last possible second, or the certified lunatic who tails you in the hopes that they can drive right up over top of you.  Yes, I hate drivers in my state like no other.  Out of all the places I've lived, Utah has to be the top of my list of most selfish, diabolical drivers on the planet.

To save my sanity and help me forget that I want to shake my fist at every car I meet on the road, I figured out that audio books helped soothe my anguish every time I hop behind the wheel.  Now I make sure to ALWAYS have an audio book waiting, for fear I have a mini stroke while driving.  This past month or so, I have been listening to The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, and since I kept getting lost and had to rewind about a million times, this might have just been a good one to settle me down!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "After 12 years in India, Robert, Duke of Dovedale, returns to his estates in England with a mission in mind-- to infiltrate the infamous Hellfire club to unmask the man who murdered his mentor at the Battle of Assaye. Intent on revenge, Robert never anticipates that an even more difficult challenge awaits him, in the person of one Lady Charlotte Lansdowne.

Throughout her secluded youth, Robert was Lady Charlotte’s favorite knight in shining armor, the focus of all her adolescent daydreams. The intervening years have only served to render him more dashing. But, unbeknownst to Charlotte, Robert has an ulterior motive of his own for returning to England, a motive that has nothing to do with taking up the ducal mantle. As Charlotte returns to London to take up her post as Maid of Honor to Queen Charlotte, echoes from Robert’s past endanger not only their relationship but the very throne itself."

Review:  Let me be up front in saying that I honestly grabbed this audio book, not just because I had already listened to the previous four that came before, but because I was so invested in the "modern-day" story that is embedded in these spy novels.  While the spy stories are being told, we as readers understand that it is through our modern storyteller, Eloise Keller, that we are getting anything at all.  It is her story, and her romance with modern day descendant to the Pink Carnation, Colin Selwick, that I was so involved in this installment.  The two have finally gotten together romantically, but there is still  much that American, Eloise, is uncertain about her dashing new boyfriend.  She finds information about him that might stake him to some spy activity of his own  And, how can this swashbuckler of his own rights be interested in an academic who has her nose in old journals and diaries all the time?

I really enjoyed the more modern side to the story this time around, especially since I found myself lost in the story of Robert and Lady Charlotte so often.  For one, Robert and Charlotte were often at cross purposes and didn't understand where the other was coming from throughout most of the story.  The miscommunication, jealousies, and misdirected frustration was enough to drive me batty.  To top it off, the story included the mad King George, so I was often thinking about history and where that placed things, rather than truly following the story.  My bad, I'll admit, but I was a bit distracted by the real history that went behind the story.

As always, the story was highly entertaining.  That is high praise from a reader, such as myself, who doesn't like mysteries hardly at all.  I like the romantic and historical twists to be found in this series, and find the author's writing style engaging.  Although this particular story lost me at times, and I found myself wanting more out of the modern story, I can still say that the series is great fun and a nice, historical diversion.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review is based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler

We're off to another busy week ahead, and all I want to do is sit down with a good book.  There is a great Read-a-thon going on over at The True Book Addict this week.  I wanted to join in with all the fun, but have parent-teacher conferences this week, along with two other night activities I have to attend.  That limits just about anything I do outside of work to nothing!  If you're interested, you should stop by to sign up to get a nice chunk of reading done this week. 

Regardless of the busy schedule I'm now facing, I did get swept away by a pile of books this past weekend.  I have about twelve books I'm rotating through, which I don't recommend, but is about where my head is at right now.  On Saturday evening, I stayed home and spent a good 5-6 hours reading.  It was the best Saturday night date I've had in awhile!  Although my review isn't one of the books that I finished on Saturday, I wanted to share a quick review of The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler.  It's a quick, fun read.

Synopsis:  Penny and her mother uproot from NYC to move to Hog's Hollow, where Penny's mother opens a cupcake bakery.  Rather than get to know kids her own age over her long summer break, Penny waits until the first day of school.  Once there, her reception isn't good, and she finds herself as a virtual outsider and picked on by some of the more popular kids.  Along the way, Penny makes friends with a Tally and Blake, who take her under their wing.  There's also Marcus, the kid she sees walking his dog on the beach, who she can't help but feel drawn to be around.  If social pressure and making friends isn't enough, Penny has to deal with her parent's separation and whether Hog's Hollow is really the place she wants to end up.

Review:  Tackling issues of separation, divorce, being the new kid at school, and teen love, Heather Hepler's novel seems to have a little bit of everything.  We see the mean girl scenario play out in Penny's experiences at school, but on the other hand, we also see young love blossom before our eyes.  This small little young adult novel seems to have a little bit of everything in a teen's life.

Although the cover is what initially drew me to pick up this small book, the cupcakes and bakery make up a very small part of the story.  Hepler draws on real-life situations that teens face to flesh out the story in the book.  For instance, the first day of school scene and encounter with the school secretary are really well done. (In fact, I shared that chapter with the students in my Popular Fiction course.)  The way the author depicts how Penny feels, and what she sees, are really smart.  To say that Penny is uncomfortable and feeling out of place on that first day, is an understatement. 

Not all the scenes in the book pop out as much as that first day of school, but there are many other memorable moments that feel close to what teenagers feel and consider important.  Penny worries about her family, about her position at school, and about the boy she finds herself crushing over.  She isn't one of those characters that gushes, ad nauseum about how she feels about her crush, but you can sense how much she wants to be noticed.  In short, you really feel for her and want her to be happy.

While simple in its themes and ideas, The Cupcake Queen was a sweet, simple read.  The issues hit on in the book are familiar, yet vital to most teens, and I can see many readers connecting to Penny.  Overall, I found the story to be an easy read, but one I would recommend to many of my own students.

*FTC Disclosure:  Review is based on a library copy of the book.

Although the title is The Cupcake Queen, very little in the book references cupcakes at all.  Are you all right when a title only vaguely mirrors the story, or do you feel that the title should hit on the most important themes of the book?  What say you?

Review: The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig

Yet another eventful school year has come to a close, and I'm reminded once again of the amount of "decompressing" that I have to go through to feel normal again! Thankfully we have this lovely Memorial Day weekend, which is perfect for just that...relaxing. Yes, I have a few things to finish up before I leave for Hawaii, but really things are going quite well.

One series I've been trying to finish before I leave is the Pink Carnation series, by Lauren Willig. I've reviewed the first three in the series, and recently listened to book four on audio book, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose. While not my favorite, it still was quite a fun story.

Synopsis: Picking up where book three left off, with Letty Alsworthy marrying her sister Mary's intended, Mary Alsworthy is now outside of "society" as she knew it. Feeling jilted, yet not particularly upset (as she didn't really even love her intended, but wanted his status), Mary is forced to politely circulate in society knowing she might not find a husband. To this bleak, soured picture enters the dastardly Lord Vaughn, from previous installments. As with the previous novels, we are unsure about whether Vaughn is working as a spy for the French or not, and he always seems to be hitting on whatever lovely lady is in his vicinity. Although he is flirtatious, his desires are not towards remarrying (since he is a widower), but to play, which makes him nervous around Mary. Not only must the two fight what is an apparent attraction, but they must also work to uncover the identity of the elusive Black Tulip.

Review: While I appreciated the witty banter and thrilling action of book four, I had a real difficult time getting into this particular story. It seemed to me that the previous installments had helped to create this character in Lord Vaughn who was quite unpopular to the reader. Throughout the stories, he seemed like this swine who flirted with the women, and who could or could not be spying for the French and playing both sides. In all honesty, I viewed Lord Vaughn as a great villain, and I just couldn't let that go to see him as a possible love interest for Mary, nor as someone that I should feel the least bit of sympathy for.

Lest I demonize the lead male character without giving the lead female character her just dues, I have to say that Mary came across as a spoiled brat as well. In some ways I was supposed to feel bad for Mary, as she had lost her "love interest" to her sister, but she didn't even really love him! Instead, Mary was more interested in looking for status, and I wasn't completely convinced that she had completely changed as she fell in love with Lord Vaughn. Could I say the two fell in love? I suppose you can say the two were a good couple, and deserved one another, but I really struggled to connect to these two characters. It's not that the story in itself is bad, as the thriller theme is carried forward and you learn more about the espionage and action of the story, but I wasn't as into the main characters.

On the flip side, I couldn't get enough of our modern narrator's story. Eloise, as the graduate student researching the Pink Carnation, has developed a relationship with the rich owner of these sensitive historical document, Colin. He was so reluctant and snooty about allowing Eloise access to the documents in the beginning, that it created this delicious tension between the two, that has left them pretty much falling for one another by this point. The problem is, you only get the rarest snippets of the modern day story!!! Honestly, I've switched gears a bit, and really just want to know what's going to happen between Eloise and Colin!

Altogether, as with the previous books, I have enjoyed this series. There wasn't any extended love scenes in this particular installment, but there was the characteristic sexual tension present as in the others. I can't say this was my favorite of the first four, but I really am loving the story of our modern narrator that has been building up. Because of the modern element of the story, I can't wait to read the next installment!

*FTC Disclosure: The review is based off of a library copy of the novel.

This counts as my 6th in the 2010 Audio Book Challenge over at Queen of Happy Endings. Technically this is the last one I signed up to do, so I have successfully completed one of my challenges!

Review: The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig

My AP essays are graded and back in the students' hands. I'm still fretting, and plenty busy putting together the final lesson plans for the remainder of the year, but that last stack of papers before the AP test next week was a huge relief for me. As for my 10,000 steps a day. Let's not talk about how bad the last two days have been...can I plead walking forgiveness? I'll have to get "back on track" (ha, ha) over the coming days!

Although I haven't been reading much outside of essays, I'm thankful for the audio books I get to listen to as I drive back and forth to work. Last week I finished listening to the third in the Pink Carnation series, The Deception of the Emerald Ring. I'm always glad to get some "reading" in, even if it's unwinding to a book on CD!

Synopsis: In the third installment of the Pink Carnation series, we are introduced to 19 year old Letty Alsworthy. Fearing the rash elopement of her older sister Mary to Lord Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe, she slipped into the carriage that was meant to be the escape vehicle for the two lovers. In the process, Lord Pinchingdale mistakes Letty for Mary, in the dark of the carriage, and pulls her into an embrace. When he figures it out, and although nothing more licentious than a kiss occurred, her reputation is ruined and the two are forced into a marriage. Therein lies the tension behind the story. With a forced marriage, neither party is happy with the arrangement. In the meantime, Lord Geoffrey is serving as a spy, and must continue his work, regardless of a young wife hanging onto him. The question for Lord Geoffrey becomes whether he can forgive Letty for not being Mary, and if Letty can forgive Lord Geoffrey for being a distant husband.

Review: I realize that my synopsis might make Willig's third novel sound cold and ruthless, and it seems that way in the beginning, but it really only serves to propel the story. As with each of the novels in this series so far, there is a level of tension, and in this case, I actually really enjoyed the distance and frustration introduced so early on in the story. Rather than a shallow, "I love you and feel passionate towards you" from the get-go, we have two characters who have to learn more about one another. Honestly, Letty is a sweet character, and one that I felt got blamed for too much of Lord Pinchingdale's frustrations. Although Letty is not described as the beauty that her sister Mary is, we get the sense that Letty has a keen mind and strength that gives her strength. Lord Pinchingdale, however, is also someone we learn to see as a man dealing with the job he is expected to carry out in the midst of the chaos of marrying the sister of the woman he originally meant to marry. Yes, he comes off as the scoundrel, but the misunderstandings the couple must overcome help to create a story that you believe a little more than the two previous to it.

In my opinion, this was my favorite installment of the three in the series. Because of Letty's confidence and personality, and the work that the couple has to go through to actually learn to love one another, they make this mystery/spy romance pretty charming. There is something vulnerable, yet strong, about Letty that I really liked, and I appreciated that she could stand on her own two feet.

As a side note to this story, this was the book in the series that finally made me a frustrated and left wanting more with the secondary story being told in the present, from the researcher Eloise Kelly. Through her work on her thesis, her research has taken her deeper and deeper into the female spy ring, thanks to the letters and journals owned by Colin Selwick. In the other installments, the present-day research plays a major backseat, but in this novel we really grow to care about Eloise getting her research, and maybe getting a handsome, rich Colin on the side?!? I don't know why, but the Eloise & Colin storyline reminded me of an earlier Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy twist. It's only a shady reminder, but still there to taunt a bit!

Overall, another fun book, and a great thriller at the same time. These books seem to mix the period drama with a little espionage and romance. What could be more fun, I ask? As a side note, I have found the audio version of these books to be really fantastic, and not distracting in any way.

*FTC Disclosure: This review based off the library version of the audio book.

This counts as my 5th in the 2010 Audio Book Challenge over at Royal Reviews. This is also part of the Book Review Party Wednesday over at Cym Lowell. Stop on by to see other great book reviews there!

Review: The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

I'm happy to say that I'm back to work and in the swing of my normal routine again! All of those repairs and waiting around for appointments and repairmen about drove me batty. I traded repairs though, for a two-day migraine that just wouldn't leave me alone. Ah, the life! Having crazy migraines or a busy mind leads to yet another reason to be a proponent of audio books. Honestly, audio books have saved me on many occasions, such as when I get a headache, have a long drive (as I did to a wedding on Saturday...that kept me from the readathon), or for my daily commute (to keep me from getting insanely angry at ignorant drivers). I can't say that I've ever really listened to audio books on a regular basis until these past several years, and now I don't know what I'd do without a great book to listen to!

With that in mind, there are some audio books that, for me, are more conducive to listening to than others. In the case of The History of Love, I would say that it takes a bit more concentration to follow. It was a great book, just difficult at times to follow.

Synopsis: The premise of this novel is hard to set up without giving things away. Set up with multiple story lines, it seems that the book is a series of short stories; however, the three or so stories eventually start to converge, so it becomes more obvious that they each tie together with the others.

It begins with the life of Leo Gursky, an old man who tells his story of surviving the Holocaust and having lost the love of his life. He tells a story of a girl, who escaped Europe before WWII, whom he loved and never stopped thinking about. After the war, Leo sought her out in New York City, only to find that life circumstances had dramatically changed things between them. You can never quite tell what happened to Leo's life from that point on, but as each of the other stories are introduced, you begin to fill in what might have happened. Each story leads to a wonderful conclusion, which shows how love influences our lives and the directions we each choose to take.

Review: First, I have to say that this was one of the more difficult audio books to follow that I've checked out. A simple distraction in traffic left me tuning back in to the story saying, "Wait...who is that talking now?" Since it is told from multiple perspectives, and they feel different from one another in the beginning, it was often hard to follow the stories. To be honest, I just wanted to hear more of Leo's story. Because it begins with him, and does seem to center on him, I found myself wanting to just go back to him. The writing is beautiful, and the images that are drawn up amazed me. I found myself agonizing over Leo's happiness, hoping and praying that this beautifully complex character found the joy he so desperately deserved, before he died. In a culture where we sometimes side step the story of the aged, I found Leo's experiences to be telling, and to show how the actions and experiences of one's life can influence one's philosophy on aging and dying.

While complex and beautiful, this story took great care to weave the lives of multiple characters together in a very satisfying way. In an effort to not give away the ending, all I can say is that the entire story feels like it's waiting for the ending of the story, when the reader can see all the plot points finally slide together. Altogether, I found the story haunting, revealing, thought-provoking, and beautiful. Difficult at times to follow in audio, the novel was one that needed careful attention. I genuinely appreciated and enjoyed The History of Love, and would readily recommend it to any serious reader.

For more information, see: The History of Love.

*FTC: Review based off of a library audio book.

This novel counts as my 4th in the Audio Book Challenge at Royal Reviews.

Also, don't forget to join in my giveaway for The Secret History of the Pink Carnation! The giveaway ends on 4/18!

Review: The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

In the midst of a busy lifestyle, there's nothing like being able to still get in great, fun books by getting audio books. Thankfully, over the last week and a half, I was able to listen to the follow up in the Pink Carnation series. Since I recently listened to book one, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, I was excited to move along in the books to see how the series continued.

Synopsis: Continuing to bounce between the present-day academic, Eloise Spark, who is working on her dissertation and now a young Henrietta who has taken the place of the Pink carnation, and who is the younger sister of Richard (from the previous book). Henrietta might be considered a junior spy of sorts, but back in England, and watched over by her brother's good friend, Miles, there seems to be little to spy out other than her new-found crush on Miles. As chums growing up, Miles nor "Hen" (as they call her) have ever really looked at one another as love interests, and in fact, have been more like siblings; however, now that they are both adults, their mutual interest in one another has developed.

In the midst of the budding relationship, there are still French spies amongst them, but no one is quite sure who they are. Both Hen and Miles spy out different associates that they suspect, yet never really communicate their work as spies, nor coordinate. As Miles and Hen's relationship turns into full-fledged romance, their lives are in jeopardy, and to protect their new love, they have to find and put away the French spy who is out to disable The Pink Carnation for good.

Review: If the story plot sounds complicated, it really isn't. While it jumps around, pulling you from character to character, making you wonder who might be a spy, the real story centers around this complicated relationship and emotional dance between Henrietta and Miles. Although you realize there is a spy story going on, the tension mainly focuses on the misunderstandings and social pressures between the two love birds.

As with the last story, there is a good deal of romance involved in the story, but isn't developed until the later part of the novel. In this particular installment, there seemed to be less storytelling done from the present, which I actually missed...strange enough. I have been curious about Eloise, and can sense that she has developed feelings for the man who owns the journals she is reading. Honestly, I did want a bit more from the present, and grew to care a little more about our grad student. For some reason, now that she has uncovered the story behind The Pink Carnation, I wanted to know more about what Eloise was going to do with her story, and hope to get more in the novels that follow!

Overall, I have enjoyed these stories and am looking forward the the next installment. This second book leaves you with a bit of a cliffhanger with Eloise, and dropped Henrietta and Miles a bit, even though you knew they were all right and happy. There is a certain playfulness to these stories that I find interesting, and I enjoy following to see how the spies will catch their enemy, and how their female spy love interest will help them. These really are fun to follow, and while you could probably read them individually, I do think you need some back up from the previous story to really dive in. However, if you like period dramas with a bit of romance built into a spy thriller, then you might enjoy these.

For more information, see: The Masque of the Black Tulip.


This is my 3rd of 6 in the Audio Book Challenge at Royal Reviews.

Review: The Time of My Life by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi

After an amazing weekend with friends, I had to refocus and turn in my 3rd term grades today. What a relief to have them all in though! Now that I've conquered them, I wanted to post my review of Patrick Swayze's autobiography The Time of My Life, because it has been weighing on my mind for a couple of weeks. Rather than a normal synopsis and review, you'll have to forgive me as I take this in a little bit of a different direction.

Back in junior high, I developed a huge crush on the great actor, Patrick Swayze. I remember becoming obsessed with him as Orry Main, the son of a plantation owner from South Carolina who becomes friends with a northerner during his West Point days, pre-Civil War. Let's not mince words, Patrick Swayze was electric in that role, and many to follow! Today I own that series, and still love it.


As a young girl, I had Patrick's "Sexiest Man Alive" cover from People magazine taped up in my locker at school, and followed his career like any good fan would do.
Of course we remember Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing, but he played in a wide range of other movies that included Ghost, Roadhouse, and many, many more. Before acting Patrick started off as this amazing dancer, that started as a ballet dancer in New York City, but ended up in acting after injuries prevented him from dancing professionally any longer. He also had an incredibly long-lasting relationship with the beautiful Lisa Niemi, who I had seen with him in interviews. The two met in Texas as young dancers, and later fell in love and married as aspiring dancers in New York. Together, they built a life together that comes through beautifully in Swayze's autobiography.


I've always loved Patrick Swayze and his work, loved his passion for life, and loved his absolute dedication to the people closest to him. To me, he was a wonderful, surprising man of conviction in an industry that often lack such qualities.

Having said that, and knowing some of his background already, I was so touched to learn more about his life. In his autobiography, The Time of My Life, Patrick Swayze reveals many of what he felt were vulnerable aspect of his character, which included his need to master whatever skill he attempted (feeling that he always had to be good at whatever he did), his abiding love for his wife Lisa (which he revealed he always felt she wasn't as in to him as he was into her, which he later learned was totally wrong), and his deep pain over losing a much loved father and its effects on him. I was moved to hear about his vulnerable moments, to hear how he faced them, and even how he overcame the problems he developed with alcohol as he dealt with his pain. To me, Patrick Swayze's life is a real testament to the ups and downs of any person's life, and how we can approach them.

As I knew heading into his life story, I also knew that the book was completed shortly before his death in September of last year. Patrick Swayze's battle with pancreatic cancer was known from the beginning, and seems to float over the book as you read, making you think, "Just give it all you've got!" From this, I mean that I kept thinking that had he known, how would he have changed things? I think we all would just say to ourselves, to dig deep and give life all you have, which is what I kept thinking as I related his struggles to some of my own. Ten years ago I had a much too close brush with pancreatic cancer. At 23 I had a tumor removed from my pancreas, and for years since, have been haunted by all the "what ifs" of that paralyzing disease. I was fortunate to have caught it so young, and have had yearly check ups to ensure a clean bill of health ever since. Having shared that, I have to admit to always passing up any book, film, or interview that discussed pancreatic cancer, only because of my own fears over the disease. Patrick Swayze's life story and fight against cancer was the first time I really faced listening to someone else's story. Before that, I just couldn't listen. In fact, when The Last Lecture came out, I avoided it like the plague, and still have not read it, out of my own fear. However, with this strange obsession I had with Patrick Swayze as a young girl, I felt that I had this connection to what he was going through, and wanted to hear more.

It seemed to me, that in the end, Patrick Swayze honored his own life and what he had accomplished through the way he battled cancer. Cancer will never define him, but strangely shed a light on all the good he had done, and reminded us all of how important it is to reach for happiness each and every day.

In synopsis, I highly recommend The Time of My Life. Listen, I'm the first person to run from stories of cancer or dogs (you know...because they always die!), but this autobiography was really moving. Like any human story, it reminded me how precious life is, and even how precious we are as individuals. The walk-away message of this book is varied, and I can say that I have thought about many different aspects of my own life since reading his autobiography. All I can say is, that as a fan, but more as a fellow human being, his life touched mine for good.

For more information, see: The Time of My Life.

*Review based off of library copy of the book.

Review: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Welcome to what already feels like a glorious midweek! The sun has started to shine here, so much so, that I'm being hopeful that spring is around the corner, and that the trees and flowers will start to blossom. I think it's all rather deceptive, and I've never known it here to really stick to its current pattern; therefore, we'll get snow soon, right? Honestly, I can hardly wait for spring. If I convince myself enough, I think I can feel it in my bones.

Okay, enough of the irony here that I'm dying inside for spring breezes and flowers, and the book I recently finished listening to on audio book was The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig! I had actually seen books by Lauren Willig pop up in reviews all over the blogosphere, and they had pretty good reviews. Thank you again to so many other bloggers for pointing out yet another author to me.

Synopsis: Written as a narrative within a narrative, we have our modern protagonist Eloise Kelly working on a dissertation about the famous spy, the Pink Carnation. In an effort to uncover the true identity of this lesser known spy for England during roughly the same era as the Scarlet Pimpernel, Eloise travels and lives in London, looking for documents that might reveal the secrets she seeks. In the process, she is offered a peek into a diary of a Miss Amy Balcourt, a young woman of French descent, living in England, but with a burning desire to be the next great spy for the British.

As secondary readers of the diary, we get sucked into Amy's world, where she meets Richard Selwick (who is also the spy called The Purple Gentian) on a visit to her brother's home in France. Amy is quickly smitten with The Purple Gentian, yet not so much with Richard. Okay, so she might be just a little intrigued by Richard, not realizing he is one in the same as her masked spy and hero. Through a series of adventures, both come in contact through their endeavors to spy for England and must try to keep their identities, and budding romance, hidden from all.

Review: As mentioned earlier, I listened to this as I drove to and from work. While this book has received mix reviews, I thought it was a pretty interesting story. Although it is far from a true history of the era or culture, and read a bit more like a historical romance, I enjoyed the escape factor. Since I tend to be an easily distracted reader and listener, the two stories (past and future) were fine for me. In fact, I appreciated being jerked back into the present from time to time, to be reminded that this is a diary we're being privileged to look into, and not a history book! Some of the encounters between Amy and Richard/The Purple Gentian were a bit far-fetched, and steamy at times, which wouldn't be exactly accurate. However, in keeping with the idea that this is a diary, and about a supposed female SPY, I figured it was meant to delve into the non-standard for the time. Spies don't necessarily live by every strict code of the culture they live in, right?

While the book had me confused in a few places, and not following the how, where, and why of the espionage, I still was entertained and enjoyed the story. The book does contain two pretty surprising sex scenes that honestly had me reaching for the volume on my radio to turn it down for fear someone would hear! I know. I sound silly, but they took me a bit by surprise. On the whole, I would say that the novel was a fun romp through history, but in a very fictitious way. I enjoyed the story, but wouldn't turn to it for any sense of true history or the culture of that time period. For more information, see: The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.

This book counts as my second in the Audiobook Challenge. I'll also be linking up with Cym Lowell's weekly Book Review Party. Stop by his site to visit other bloggers who have reviewed a book this week!

*This review is based from a library copy of the audio book.

Review: The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

Back before Christmas, I picked up The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale on audiobook. I'd seen other reviews on the book, and was surprised by the range of responses people had to the story. Having enjoyed many of Hale's other books, I knew I had to see what all the hub-bub was about for myself!

Synopsis: Mormon housewife, Becky Jack, happens to have a chance run in with her Hollywood crush on a trip to LA where she was in the process of selling a screen play. Very pregnant, and very different from the Hollywood life, Becky's chance meeting with famous Felix Calahan has her thrown a bit. The two end up sharing a cab back to their mutual hotel, sparring verbally with one another, and even sharing dinner together after a famished Becky is left to either sit at the bar or call up room service. Felix Calahan plays the aloof star, and although Becky has had a crush on him, she takes him for what he is, just another human being! Striking in her treatment of Felix, and her vibrant personality make Becky stand out and create an impression on the star, and the two become friends.

Over the months and years of the story, Becky and Felix chat on the phone and even share visits when Felix happens to be in Salt Lake City, near where Becky lives. Eventually, the two become the best of friends, and both go back and forth, questioning their friendship. Can men and women really be friends, even if they are both already married? Where these two, very different people meant to come into each other's lives for a reason? Will their spouses understand?

Review: I realize that we each have our own reactions and feelings about a story. In the case of The Actor and the Housewife, I have seen a wide range of these reactions. My own overwhelming feeling of frustration is evidence of Hale's ability to tap into an interesting idea, and to carry it through. While it's fun to consider what might happen if a woman, of an unspectacular background or life, came in contact with her Hollywood crush, I found myself scratching my head (figuratively speaking) throughout much of the book. I haven't been married before, but will say that the relationship between Becky and Felix definitely sounded and felt like love. It didn't seem to help me that I felt distant from Becky's spouse, and that although he was a part of the story, he ended up feeling more like a stock character, with little personality. That feels mean of me to say, but I felt as though after all the detail and time spent on the relationship between Becky and Felix, that her marriage was a kind of afterthought, or one we had to be convinced was better than what she had with Felix.

This adult book by Shannon Hale is an interesting read, and one that I've been asking friends and coworkers to give a try so I could talk to them about it! As for crafting a story to make you think, and to engage your thoughts and feelings, Hale has definitely done just that. I can't say that many authors have really looked at how male and female friendships come into play in a marriage. Hale's line of questioning in the book, to ask where the line is between appropriate friendships and those that threaten a marriage are quite interesting. I'll admit that I was often quite uncomfortable with Becky and Felix's friendship, and through to the end, really believed that there was more there than friendship. This really wasn't my favorite Hale novel, but it is one that made me consider how complex adult relationships really can be. For more information, see: The Actor and the Housewife.

*Review based on library copy of the novel.

This review is linked up at Cym Lowell's weekly Book Review Party. You can stop by there to see other interesting book reviews going up there! This audiobook also counts towards my first in the "Audio Book Reader Challenge," hosted by Royal Reviews. I'm now off to try to find my next great read for my daily commute!

Review: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This has been an AMAZING weekend. I haven't had many responsibilities, other than a few AP Lit. essays to grade, so life has been sweet. In the midst of all that though, I have been thinking a lot about the earthquake in Haiti. When you live so far away, it can feel so overwhelming to know that people are suffering so horribly. Had I more money, an airplane, or even an airplane ticket, I could donate more of myself and my means to help. As it is, I feel this sense of sorrow and pain, knowing that all I can do is donate a few measly dollars, hoping that those who are managing these relief organizations get the money to those who really need it. Do you ever feel like you're just not bright enough to know how to do more?

As for reading, I read a magnificent chunkster of a book over Christmas, and I have been waiting to post my review. For what? Hmm...I don't really know, but I am still thinking about the characters in Pillars of the Earth, and a little sad that I'm finished with the book. I realize I'm a bit late to the bandwagon with this read, but I'm so glad I arrived at all.

Synopsis: Pillars of the Earth has been kicking around as one of those “have to” reads that I just didn’t make the time to read. Well, I noticed that the audiobook was available at my library and grabbed it. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I would be listening to this book for years if I didn’t put it aside and pick up the book! So, thanks to Christmas, I grabbed the old copy kicking around my mom’s place and tore through the last 350 pages. Let me just say, that it was a FANTASTIC read.

In this epic read, we are introduced to a multitude of characters from the middle ages in England. Tom Builder has aspirations to build the best cathedral in the land, also hoping to care for his starving family who has become destitute. In a strange turn of events, Tom begins work on a daunting cathedral project in Kingsbridge, under Prior Phillip. Together, they struggle to juggle God’s laws, and those of the land. There is intrigue, politics, in-fighting, battles, famine, crimes, love, and loss mixed into this epic read. We start with Tom the builder, but we move on to his children and their loves and losses.

Review: In general, it is nearly impossible to summarize a novel that is almost 1,000 pages. To say that it is a commitment, is putting it mildly, but so worth it. The novel spans decades, and follows characters that you grow to care about. There were characters I ached for, hoping for their happiness and safety, and others that I hoped would get their rightful justice. At times, I gasped, and even muttered my thoughts out loud. Unfortunately, that caused people around me to look at me with curiosity and even annoyance at times. Let me just say, I couldn’t help myself.

So far as epic, chunky novels are concerned, this was one of my favorites. I didn’t want the novel to end, and yet I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what would happen. The more I knew about certain characters, the more I wanted to see how their lives turned out. While I did get bored with descriptions of architectural outlines, I knew that they were the centerpiece for the story going on. I also skimmed some of the fight scenes, both because I’m a chicken and don’t enjoy violence, but also because they were pretty detailed and I could skim forward to the results. There were a lot of scenes of sensuality and rape, which were pretty hard to take at times, but once again, they created a connection to the characters that you don’t often get in shorter novels.

I really enjoyed The Pillars of the Earth and would recommend it to anyone who loves books like Gone With the Wind, The Thornbirds, Shogun, or any other lengthy epic, chunkster that pulls you in and won’t let you go. I’m so glad that I tackled this huge novel and can’t wait to dive into his sequel, World Without End. For more information, see: The Pillars of the Earth.

Also, since this is a book I've had on my TBR pile for over a year, it's a great start to my participation in the TBR Challenge. Yay! One accomplished. As for my next TBR novel, I'll have to consider on that one a bit. As a side note, I understand that this is going to be coming out as a TV miniseries some time in 2010.

What chunkster novels have you loved and couldn't get out of your head?

*This was a personal copy for review.