Book Meme

A Little about me through a book MEME

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
trade paperback. MM too small and flimsy- Hardcover to big and bulky

Amazon or brick and mortar?
amazon.com and PBS! There is nothing like coming home and seeing the box with the smile on the front porch. Plus before I buy a book, I check the rating/reviews on amazon.com. So I’ll see it in BN , go look it up on amazon.com, then go back to BN and buy it or sometimes I just buy it off Amazon.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

Borders, because they have more sections- especially and African American section. However there not one near me L

Bookmark or dogear?

Bookmark but actually I don’t’ really do either. I hardly ever dogear.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

- Genre then By author- so series stay together

Keep, throw away, or sell?!

Keep the faves -Trade the rest= PBS. Throw away never! (ok once when I became so overwhelmed with books. Also I donated boxes and boxes of books to the NOLA library after Katrina.

Keep dust jacket or toss it?
toss aside

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
. remove

Short story or novel?

Novel. Even though I’m known for my short attention span, I’d much rather read a novel.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?

Anthology- but again not really by fave

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
neither. Harry Potter sucks. What is the point and what is all the hoopla about?????

Like that damn razr phone. I just don’t get it.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

Usually tired- and when I ride the bus- I stop when its my stop- even though at times I don’t want too and I’ve even forgotten.

Thanks -Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin J

"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"?
dark and stormy night

Buy or Borrow?
depends on the Amazon rating J- I prefer to buy. That way I’m not constantly worried about keeping it sooo pristine.

New or used?
new- cause I like the smell. Used- cause my budget like the sound of that.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
book review- book reviews-book reviews.

Recommendations are tricky (unless its amazon.com) - it could be there favorite book and your worst nightmare... or their momma’s book. Awkward conversation. Also I have “eclectic tastes. And downing a book someone loved is hard.

Browse- nets good read sometimes- But only in genre situations (black or Christian bookstores and Borders) in BN it can quickly become a nightmare.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

Tidy ending- but sometimes it depends on how life is treating me. A cliffhanger for the doldrums. Tidy endings for the cliffhangers (of life).

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?
Bus reading anytime- morning/ afternoon reading on beaches and balconies in the sun in spring and summer (spring only after pollen season or I and the book will be green). Nighttime reading in bathtubs with classes of wine and good music.

Bathroom reading- anytime (LOL)

Standalone or series?
depends. I grew up on Sweet Valley and Babysitters Club, but I can’t think of any real good series now. Left Behind got old and ummm that’s it.

Favorite series?
childhood- BSC (The Babysitters Club) oh and The Ramona “series”

Now- E. Lynn Harris and his Raymond, Basil, Eva, Nicole stories

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Depends on which group I’m speaking in- Chrisitan, Black or General

Favorite books read last year(s)?

§
2005-

o Something Borrowed- Emily Griffin

o The Myth of you and Me- Leah Stewart

o My Sister’s Keeper- Jodi Piccoult

o Girl Meets God- Lauren Winner

§ 2006-

o The Alchemist- Paul Coehelo

o By the River Piedra I sat and Wept- Paul Coehelo

o God’s in Alabama- Joshilyn Jackson

o The Kite Runner (??)

§ 2007-

o White Lines – Tracey Brown

Favorite books of all time?

§ The Bible- God et al

§ Flyy Girl- Omar Tyree

§ The Red Tent- Anita Diamant

§ The Alchemist- Paul Coehelo

§ Oh The Places you’ll Go- Dr. Seuss

§ Something Borrowed- Emily Griffin

§ Fahrenheit 451-Ray Bradbury

§ Warriors Don’t Cyr- Melba Patillo Beals

Sex.Lies.Murder.Fame

Sex. Lies. Murder. Fame

Lolita Files

With a name like that, how could you not be intrigued? This book was about two “weird” people, Penn and Beryl and their relationship. Once was narcissistic, charming genius and a “player” the other obsessive-compulsive, workaholic with some way more serious issues.

There was lots of sex, lies, murder and fame and this book was a definite departure from Files other novels. This one was just kind of weird, crazy and far fetched, just like the characters, Beryl & Penn. It was neither a page turner (which I was expecting based on the title) nor a complete bore. It was an okay story about some crazy a** people. I couldn’t picture or relate to either Penn or Beryl so that’s probably why I’m feeling a little lukewarm about this one.

Overall, an okay/good read. Not her best and I still like Blind Ambitions & Scenes from A Sistah a lot more. I am looking forward to her next novel. Maybe she could bring Penn or Beryl backs (some kind of way) and put them with a normal person and that would be interesting…..

Verdict: Library or my favorite- Paperback swap!

Nineteen Minutes

Nineteen Minutes

Jodi Piccoult

No rating but a must read

WOW is all I can say. In light of recent events ,I hesitated to continue reading this book. I actually picked it up Sunday afternoon ( April 15) and read the first few pages on the bus the morning of ( April 16). I’m not sure if I can accurately give a review of this book, because the wound is raw ( so to speak) and because I enjoyed the book ,because it gave me a little insight and I actually cold look at Seung-Hui Cho as a person ( because regardless of how it feels- he was) or see his side of things if he was bullied.

In Nineteen Minutees, Jodi Piccoult takes us behind the scenes of a FICTIONAL* High School shooting from several points of view- the mother of the shooter, a survivor, the judge hearing the case and the story leading up to the shooter from the shooter himself. Two of the most chilling passages in this novel relate to how nineteen minutes could completely change everything. (Most of us know that it can actually take a lot less.) I agree that sometimes it seemed nerd vs. jocks or stereotyped the high school popularity heirachy, but in the end, people due to get hurt and some people do not ( cannot or won't be able to) look back on "that time" of their life and smile.

What I can say about this book is that it is true Jodi Piccoult. I can’t say it’s her finest because it my opinion that honor is reserved for "My Sister's Keeper". This is a great novel and the ending is one of the best (not in how it actually ends, but the suspense and how Ms. Piccoult got us to that ending). I can also say that this book is a great improvement over her last book The Tenth Circle, which I did not enjoy (no review- I was recovering from a tonsillectomy) but this book cemented Jodi Piccoult on my list of favorite authors. Ms. Piccoult tells all sides of the story with raw emotion, but yet a side of tenderness. It was real hard for me to read at times (due to recent events), I even put it down a few times, but I’m glad I picked it up and finished it. IT was actually quite healing.

I’ll probably read it again in a few months and update my review here. As for now, it gave me ( as a an American, a university employee,) as much closure as I will ever get.

Verdict: A Must read. Falls in my Jodi Piccoult spectrum right between "My Sisters Keeper" (# 1) and The Pact ( a tie).

* She actually had to take down her website forum because crazy Idiots actually tried to BLAME and slander her name and this book for this senseless act.

Behind Those Eyes

Behind Those Eyes

T.P. Carter

*** (2.9/5)

I picked up this book for my sister, but I ended up stealing it from here and reading it first. Then I got mad, and threw it back into her room- yeah, I didn’t like this one, or it wasn't that I didn't like it cause I did finish it- it was that it was unbelivable and annoying.

It’s basically about an affair between and married man and a woman, but the premise is all about being in love with two people, is that possible. This wasn’t your average run of the mill affair and there was no sex between the two until the last third of the book and even then it wasn’t passionate affair sex, but lovemaking.

This book felt like it was two books. It was written in the way most African American fiction books are written. Books geared toward us have more of a drama flair, more dialogue, but then it felt like the author was trying to make it heavier than your typical African American novel, which I can appreciate her efforts but it really annoyed me. To me, most books geared toward African Americans (women) are written in a very detailed flamboyant way- it’s almost like watching a TV show. For instance read an Eric Jerome Dickey and then go read any mainstream (white) author that writes fiction. Or even compare the writing to a Pearl Cleadge who is acclaimed in both circles. I know the genres are different, but I guess when you read as much (quantity and variety) as I do, you start to notice these things. I love both types of books equally, so I’m not complaining; however in my opinion trying to do both was a disaster.

In addition to the style of the book, I also found the book a little unrealistic. I could not believe that Derrick loved his wife SO DAMN MUCH, but then fell in love with Taiyler so passionate and deeply hard at the drop of a hat. If at some point it was acknowledged as lust or something brief or if we learned that say he loved his wife, but wasn’t in love with her, I could have believed it, but it was just too much. And it pissed me off- he had a good woman, why would he jeopardize that? It wasn’t sex and I guess I couldn’t believe that he loved both of them and was in love with them. It was weird and annoying. I guess that goes to the age question about the difference between women affairs (emotional) and man affairs (sexual). Anyway, aside from that it took the book a little long to get to the point. I knew they were going to have an affair; it just took too long to get there. I found myself skimming over entire chapters trying to get to the point only to be so disappointed when I did – and don’t even get me started on the ending. ?????? Again, I felt like the ending took the drama filled style and tried merge it with something else.

I noticed that a few amazon.com reviews also felt that Ms. Carter was biting off of someone else’s style (mainly Eric Jerome Dickey), which I definitely noticed. That’s what I was getting at when I talked about the differing styles. Also I’ll like to make a note that I don’t read street lit, can’t stand the stuff, don’t read Triple Crown Publications,but I still didn’t like this book. In fact I’m very well read but everyone has their own opinions.

My opinion on this book: Try it out. One one hand its nice to see a book with a little more substance actually being published and not just some "soap opera" type book, but still for me it was a bit too much. I say library and while you are at it - check out some classic EJD.

Mudhouse Sabbath

Mudhouse Sabbath
Lauren F. Winner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent, April 13, 2007

Though Provking Essasys on relationship/differences between Judaism/Christinity customs. Winner was raised Jewish and convereted to Christiniaty as an adult. This adds a unique perspective. Must Read.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Lionel Shriver

I tried and tried to get into this novel and I couldn’t. The writing is weird. It’s written from the point of a view of a mother whose son hasn’t committed the unthinkable. I think she is writing the letters to her husband (estranged) and she talks about the past and what it’s like now. I got in about 20 pages and just couldn’t go on anymore. Why doesn’t she just leave town- start over some place else? If you finished it let me know. The writing is written as though is stream of conscious, her thoughts, like you are in her head. Which is nice, but hard to follow?

It’s a hot book. I waited for a while for it on Paperback swap, finally got and as soon as I posted it was gone the next day. If you liked it let me know. Maybe I’ll give it another chance…

Meanwhile I'll just keep waiting for Jodi Piccoult's newest, Nineteen Minutes, which is about a similar incident.

Allure

Allure

Jackie King Scott

****(4.5/5)

This is one hard book to find on amazon.com, but I did find it and read it and enjoyed it and it was worth the search. The one thing I can say about it is it was too short, but that does in no means takes away from the book. I just wanted to know Valerie and John a little more, and to hear John’s voice- which was a little absent.

Valerie and John have been married for seven years, but are growing apart on a daily basis. Their union is even more threatened when Valerie meets handsome Curtis. The novel takes place throughout many church events and seminars and is told primarily from Valerie’s angle.

In the end though, this books is more than just a work of fiction but a great (i.e. realistic) portrait of marriage and its ups and down and the hope, faith and forgives that must exists to make marriage work.

Powerful and quick read.