Month: October 2010

Good in Bed, by Jennifer Weiner

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Cover ImageFinished 10-6-10, rating 4.5/5, fiction, pub. 2001

“You called me fat in a magazine.  You turned me into a joke.  You don’t think you did anything wrong?”

“Face it Cannie,” he said.  “You are fat.”  He bent his head.  “But that doesn’t mean I didn’t love you.”

The box of tampons bounced off his forehead and spilled into the parking lot.

Chapter 1

Cannie has a good job as a reporter, close friends, a dog she loves, but she is unhappy with the extra weight she carries.  To make matters worse her ex-boyfriend of five years has just written an article in a national magazine titled “Loving a Larger Woman.”  Although she was the one to initiate the break-up she’s not sure she did the right thing and she makes some questionable decisions.

Cannie is a great character, full of humor, intelligence, laughter, and wit. It is light at first, but also addresses serious family issues with both of her parents that I found very real.  And the fact that the reality wasn’t all tied up with a pretty bow at the end made it great for me.  It managed to maintain the fun while still showing that not all things in the real world can be solved the way we want.  It is chick lit at its best, but moves beyond that to a heartfelt story about starting to love yourself.

This was a great debut novel and I’m not sure what took me so long to read it.  Oh wait, it’s the hundreds of other books I own.  Anyway, I’m happy to discover a new author who I look forward to reading.  My only complaint comes from the fact that I’m pregnant.  The pregnancy storyline was a little flat for me only because it felt like Weiner just took things from a pregnancy book and threw them in.  I’m sure that if you are not pregnant this would not bother you, but since I’ve had over eight months of living it it just didn’t ring true for me.  Still loved the book!

This is from my personal library and was chosen by Shanyn, Debbie, Em, and Mom.

“Hilarious, love her.”  Em

“I became an instant fan after I read this one.”  Debbie

“I love that book.”  Shanyn

Think of a Number, by John Verdon

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Think of a Number by John Verdon: Book CoverFinished 10-1-10, rating 4/5, thriller, pub. 2010

Do you believe in Fate?  I do, because I thought I’d never see you again-and then one day, there you were.  It all came back: how you sound, how you move-most of all, how you think.  If someone told you to think of a number, I know what number you’d think of.  You don’t believe me?  I’ll prove it to you.  Think of any number up to a thousand-the first number that comes to your mind.  Picture it.  Now see how well I know your secrets.  Open the little envelope.

Chapter 4

Retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney is living in the country with his wife, Madeleine, and a hobby of using mug shots of serial killers to make art.  His inability to move past police work frustrates Madeleine and their marriage suffers.  Dave is contacted by an old college friend for help in finding who is sending him provocative letters.  Dave wants him to go to the police, but he refuses, so Dave helps him the best he can.  Only it looks like his friend is not the only one in danger and Dave is sucked into a state-wide investigation.

The hook of this thriller is the letters.  Each one predicts a number that the recipient will guess between 1 and 1000 and the letter always knows.  The letters also promise exposure for a past sin unless the recipient send money.  I’m not usually one to figure things like this out without a lit of help and this was no different.  Looking back there was one clue that could have made it less of a surprise, but I missed it.  The hook was a successful one.

I liked the mystery of it, but I also really liked the story involving Dave and Madeleine.  In thrillers there is rarely time or effort put into showing relationships, but this one did address a crumbling marriage and it did make me more invested in the book.  I wanted to know what would become of the couple.

This is a great debut and if you are a thriller or mystery fan, don’t miss it.  It would also appeal to puzzle lovers.  I don’t know if he plans on writing more books about Dave, but if he does I’ll be first in line.

I received this book from Jenners at Life…With Books.  Thanks Jenners 🙂

Scrambled Halloweenish Quiz

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It’s October!  That means my birthday, our anniversary, and Halloween decorating 🙂  I love fall.  See if you can unscramble these titles (5 pts each) and authors (5 pts each). They all contain a Halloweeny kinda word.

You have until Thursday at midnight to submit your answers as a comment.  I hide your answers until then.

Here are the rules… 1. Open to everyone.  Play once or every week, that’s okay.  I’m happy to have you here today.

2. No cheating.  No googling, other internet searches or looking at other commenter answers.  Yes, we’re going by the honor system

3. Your first answers will be the only ones accepted.

Last week’s Banned Book Quiz here.  Current Leaderboard here.

1. HET RVEAGYADR OKOB – LINE MIGANA – The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2. ULMP OPSOYK – NATEJ VANVICEOH – Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

3. KELESNOT WERC – SPHETNE NIKG – Skeleton Crew by Stephen King

4. NOS FO A TWICH – GORYREG GAMRUEI – Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

5. NA HECO NI ETH NOBE – AANID BALDNOGA – An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

6. OTINGNH TUB STSHOG – HETB TRAPKEH – Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart

7. FINFOC CANRED – FRYJEEF VADERE – Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver

8. GINTHAUN FO LILH USHOE – HIRELYS SACKJON – Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

9. LINGWIL PRITSIS – LISPHYL BEERCHIS – Willing Spirits by Phyllis Schieber

10. WRITREGHOTS – VISTAR RESTHARH – Ghostwriter by Travis Thrasher

Monday Movie Meme – Supernatural

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Feature Presentation…MONDAY MOVIE MEME
Share on your blog favorite movies with those witchy, surreal, psychic or alien happenings, linking back here at The Bumbles.
 
Here are a few that fit the bill.  I’ve listed them in the order I like them best.  And they have something else in common besides today’s theme.  Can you guess what it is?
 
 
These aren’t my absolute favorite supernatural movies, but so many of them have shown up here week after week that I decided to mix things up.  Can you guess the common thread?   I don’t think I made it very hard!
Visit the Bumbles for more supernatural movies.
 

Free Books for October

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In my ongoing quest to keep books moving out and not just in I give away a few books each month.  Leave a comment, tell me which book you want and I’ll get the book to you for FREE either by mail or personally if I’ll see you soon.  The first one to request each book wins.  Once you’ve ‘won’ the book I can get your shipping address if I need it.  Also, you can come back and get a free book every month if you want.  These have all been read a time or two.

1. The Prize by Julie Garwood.  mass market romance.  B&N review.  for Linda B

2. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.  mass market classic.  This copy is from college so it has some markings in it.  B&N review.  for Sarah E

3. Fortunate Harbor by Emilie Richards. ARC trade paperback.  B&N review.  for Misha

4. Contemporary American Short Stories. trade paperback. Never been read.  B&N review.  for Carol M

Happy Reading!

September’s 5 Word Movie Reviews

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So, September was a very slow month for movies.  It was a slow month for everything.  Sleeping is taking more time than usual and trying to get things done before baby comes is a priority.  We’ll see what happens this month!  It’s possible that baby could come a few days early and be an October baby, like me 🙂

If you’ve seen any of the movies leave me your 1-5 words in the comments and I’ll add them to the post.  Or, if you are feeling ambitious and want to do this on your own blog leave me a link in the comments and I’ll add it to the bottom of the post.   Of course,  you can always just comment.

(1988. Cast- Ilan Mitchell-Smith, John Glover, Wallace Langham, Doug Hutchinson)   Grade B

Teen Bullies Cruelty. Different Ending.

(1955. Cast- Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi)      Grade B-

Love Affair with Venice Continues.

Bittersweet affair in breathtaking Venice. (Stephanie)