June in Hindsight

Seventeen books read this month!  I'm happy with that, I think it's my biggest month since Jack was born.  Can't believe he's three months old already!  Several of these reviews are still upcoming, but I've included links to the reviews that are already posted.

67. Linger - Maggie Stiefvater
68. And God Created the Au Pair - Newland & Smets
69. Skinny is Overrated - Danielle Milano, MD
70. Thumbing Through Thoreau - Kenny Luck
71. Shadowland - Alyson Noel
72. Sea - Heidi R. Kling
73. A Tailor-Made Bride - Karen Witemeyer
74. My Name is Memory - Ann Brashares
75. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer - John Grisham
76. Succubus Blues - Richelle Mead
77. Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George
78. Momology - Shelley Radic
79. The Summer I Turned Pretty - Jenny Han
80. It's Not Summer Without You - Jenny Han
81. The Search - Nora Roberts
82. Insatiable - Meg Cabot
83. Cast in Courtlight - Michelle Sagara

Review: Cast in Courtlight by Michelle Sagara

Series: The Chronicles of Elantra, #2

Summary: It's Festival time and the Hawks are busy keeping the extra crime under control.  All the Hawks, that is, but Kaylin, who has been sentenced to spend her time on magic lessons.  But a reprieve appears- in the form of a trip to the Barrani High Court to heal the High Lord's heir.  With Severn at her side, it might make for an interesting trip, if Kaylin can just manage to avoid all the people who are out to get her.

My thoughts:  Sagara has done an amazing job of creating a fantastical world that I love to get lost in.  The world-building in this series is just fun to watch and explore, and was one of my favorite features of Cast in Shadows.  The good times just keep on rolling in Cast in Courtlight, with the added benefit that we get to see a lot more of one of my favorite races, the Barrani.  They're a reserved and enigmatic, sort of elvish-feeling race.  Which means they are a great foil for Kaylin, the human firecracker.

I enjoyed getting to see continued interaction between Kaylin and Severn.  But I wanted MORE!  I think the relationship between these characters has plenty of room for development, either romanticly or as friends.  The play by play between them is so entertaining; I would have liked to see it fully utilized.  Perhaps in future books?  I am also really liking Lord Nightshade and would have liked to see him get more page time. 

I was so confused by the last few chapters of this book.  I've reread them, and I still can't quite figure out what happened in the final battle.  Maybe I'm just slow, but I'm pretty sure the writing is also convoluted and hard to follow.
Final word: (4/5) Love the story and characters, just wish I could figure out exactly how it ended...

Review: Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

Summary: Theodore Boone, age 13, knows more than half the lawyers in town.  His parents are lawyers, he wants to be a lawyer, and he spends all his spare time in the courthouse.  So you could say Theo has his ear to the ground in matters of law.  When it looks like a cold-blooded killer is about to get away with his crime, Theodore has no choice but to step in.

My thoughts:  I love kid detectives.  I grew up on Encyclopedia Brown and the Bobbsey Twins.  So when I saw that John Grisham, whose older books I absolutely love, had written a middle grade mystery, I knew I had to check it out.  I was hoping the freshness of a middle grade novel would encourage a return of Grisham's intense story-telling.

Did it succeed?  Well, not quite, but it was still good.  First off, I have to say I really enjoyed Theo himself.  He manages to pull off being a precocious kid without coming off as a know-it-all.  I loved the segments where he was providing amateur legal advice to his classmates.  Theo also has the distinction of being one of the few MG/YA characters I can think of who has two normal, healthy parents.  Since both Theo's parents and his uncle are lawyers, the family dynamics added an interesting dimension to the story.

The book also had a surprising amount of info about the American judicial system.  I actually feel like I learned a thing or two.  Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer could probably have an interesting and useful life as a supplementary reading assignment in Civics classes.

Where I felt the book could have been improved was mostly in the area of plot and pacing.  While the main storyline was compelling (a man kills his wife and seems about to get away with it), the development moved at a snail's pace.  Then, just when things started to get exciting, it was all over.  I felt a little cheated, because there was a lot of buildup, then nothing really happened.  Several of the plot threads felt like they'd been left  hanging, and I would have preferred to see them tidied up a bit.

Final word:  (3/5) Great for Grisham fans, and middle graders with an interest in law or mystery.

Teaser Tuesday

Today's teaser is from Insatiable by Meg Cabot:

On the other hand, he was a vampire-- something her own dog had been at great pains throughout most of the night to warn her about, though she seemed perfectly unaware of the fact.  Even now, as she was walking slowly around the penthouse, taking in the view, she had no idea of the danger she was in.

Isn't that the way it always goes?

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Review: Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

Summary:  Georgina Kinkaid is a succubus.  It seemed like a good option once upon a time, but the shine has long since worn off.  When you're a bookish good girl at heart, it's hard to get excited about work that involves getting men to trade their souls for... um... you know.  And it's hard to be excited about life when you can't have a decent date without sucking some of the guy's life away.  At least there's her bookstore day job, complete with access to her favorite author, sexy Seth Mortenson, even if she can only admire from afar...

My thoughts:  Richelle Mead always writes a good story.  Every story of hers that I've read exhibits a great balance of plot and pacing, keeping the story going quickly without giving too much away too soon.  Succubus Blues was the same way, and I really enjoyed it, except...

I'm conflicted in my feelings about Georgina herself.  On the one hand, I really like the character.  She's fun and funny, you just can't help but enjoy her.  AND she likes books.  On the other hand, I have to say the whole succubus thing didn't really do it for me.  I mean, surviving by having sex and sucking away life energy?  The ick factor is high.  However, I really, really liked Seth.  The genuinely shy guy who is much better by email than in person, yet has a generous and kind heart- what's not to love?  Poor guy, I just don't see this ending well with him and GK.

Not sure I'll be continuing with this series, because the succubus concept honestly bugs me a lot more than I thought it would.  But this book is a great read nonetheless.

Final word:  (4/5) If you're a fan of paranormals and you haven't read Richelle Mead yet... why the heck haven't you?  Grab this series ASAP. 

Is it just me, or is the girl on the book cover a vamped-up version of Richelle Mead herself?

Content warning: Due to the sexual content, I do not recommend this book for underage readers.

A Bit of Me(Me): Dictionary Dive

A Bit of Me(Me) is hosted by Danielle at There's a Book.  It's a chance to get to know a bit more about the people behind the blogs.  Anyone can join in!

This week's question: What is your favorite word and why?

I suggested the question this week.  I am in love with words.  I am that annoying person who uses archaic terms and gigantic words in everyday speech- it drives my friends crazy.  But I'm not doing it to be irritating or because I think I'm smarter than anyone else.  Quite the opposite, actually.  I'm a child,  I just like how they sound.  My favorite word of all time:

Visceral (adj.) vis-er-uhl: characterized by or proceeding from instinct rather than intellect: a visceral reaction.

This is derived from the word viscera, which literally means organs.  So basically, visceral is a word you would use to describe "a gut feeling".

Interview: Ann Brashares

Ann Brashares is the author of the YA series The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, as well as several other novels for both teens and adults.  Her current book is My Name is Memory.  Ann has graciously agreed to answer a few questions for me today, so let's get started:

Describe yourself in three words.

Incapable of being brief. Oh, that's four. See what I mean?

What does a typical day in your life look like?

I take my kids to school. Central Park is right by school, so often I meet a friend and run a few miles. At home I drink coffee and read the newspaper and maybe a political blog or two. Then I go the the library and write for a few hours before I pick up my kids. We buy mango after school and wander home. I try to work more while they do their homework. I usually practice piano and make dinner. When I'm in the fun part of a book I write at night, and otherwise I read.

I read (and loved) the Travelling Pants books, but My Name is Memory is definitely a different kind of story. What was your inspiration for the new direction?

I thought it would be fun to write a love story over a broad canvas of time. The book has historical and fantastical elements, but it is fundamentally like my other books in that it is about love and relationships.

Can you tell us a bit about your writing process and what writing means to you?

I tend to write in bursts. The first hundred pages of a book are always slow and tumultuous. I'm always prone to procrastination, doubts and second-guessing. By the middle I've gotten tight with my characters and I start having fun. In the first part of a book I wish I had a job where somebody would just tell me what to do. For the rest of it, I relish the freedom.

What was the last book you read that you absolutely loved?

I read The Gathering by Anne Enright. Her writing is beautiful.

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me, Ann!

Want to know more?  You can find Ann at her website here or follow her on Twitter here. 

Review: My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

Rated: 4/5

Summary: Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall his past lives.  And he has spent countless lifetimes searching for and falling in love with the same girl, only to be torn apart from her over and over again.  The current version of his sweetheart, Lucy, has no memory of him or who he is, only the sense of a strange connection.  Can Daniel break his losing streak, or will he end up frightening Lucy away?

My thoughts: Can you imagine a love that lasts for centuries?  A love that survives through multiple lifetimes, stretches across history and continents, and yet is never fully complete.  Would that be the ultimate gift, or the ultimate torture?  In My Name Is Memory, it's a little bit of both.

The story starts with Daniel and Lucy's relationship in the present day, but we are also treated to glimpses of their past lives.  These glimpses, told in the first person by Daniel, were one of my favorite parts of the book.  After all, the present day is really the smallest part of Lucy and Daniel's story.  The main part of the book is third person, and you don't get as clear a view of Daniel's personality.  He's an intriguing character, a man who has lived countless lives in service of a single goal.  I got the impression that he might not be entirely sane, but I really liked him.  Who could be sane after living for that many years?

The writing is beautiful.  The shifting between times and perspectives made it feel very dreamlike to me, but it's the kind of dream where you wake up and you wonder if it was real.  Brashares brings her characters to life with incredible clarity.  As far as I'm concerned, she is a master of "showing" you her story rather than "telling" you her story.   The only problem that I had with this book is that it took a long time to get to the point.  The first third  is good, and the last third is amazing, but I have to say I found the middle a little bit tedious.  I just wanted Daniel and Lucy to find each other, already! 

Once, the story picked up again, the book was pure bliss.  So good that as soon as I finished it, I flipped back to reread the last few chapters.  I am in love with the entire concept of this book, the romance and the heartbreak.  I have to say I've been a little obsessed with it.  One of my favorite things about reading is the way you can take a vacation from reality and still come back feeling like you've become wiser with the experience.  My Name Is Memory is a perfect example.  The observations about people, life and love are unexpected and real- even though the overall idea of reincarnation is not something I personally believe in.

I was warned about the ending of this book, and I am glad I was, so I'm going to give you a little warning too.  It's not very satisfying.  There are a lot of questions left at the end of the book.  In fact, I would say the biggest part of the story is yet to come, since this book is intended to become a trilogy.  According to the publicist in charge of this tour, Ann "is intending to write a sequel."  That sounds like we may be waiting for a while.

Even with the problems I mentioned, I still loved this book.  It will definitely be getting a permanent place on my shelf and I'll be marking my calendar for when the sequel comes out. 

Come back tomorrow for my interview with Ann Brashares!

Waiting on Wednesday: Clockwork Angel

Since I absolutely loved the Mortal Instruments series, it stands to reason that I am DYING (seriously, I feel feverish) to get my hands on this book, the first of a new series by the phenomenal Cassandra Clare.  Due out August 31, 2010.

Book description:  When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Teaser Tuesday: Succubus Blues

Today's teaser is from Succubus Blues (Georgina Kinkaid #1) by Richelle Mead.

Each time (the realtor) found a place that might work, she'd get really excited: "Yes-yes. Oh yes! This is it! Yes! Yes!"  I confess, by the time it was through, I felt kind of sleazy and exhausted, like maybe I should have tossed some cash on the pillow or something. p. 75

Statistics show that most mortals sell their souls for five reasons: sex, money, power, revenge and love.  In that order. p. 1

I love Richelle Mead.  She has such a clever and entertaining style.  This book is great so far.

Review: A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

Summary: Hannah Richards has always wanted to own her own dress shop, and she's finally realizing her dream with a move to the small town of Coventry, TX.  Most of the town seems happy to have her... everyone except the grouchy (albeit handsome) livery owner, JT Tucker.  He's convinced that her business is grounded in nothing but vanity and sin and would like nothing better than to see Hannah's business fold.  When Hannah agrees to help JT's sister improve herself and find a husband, sparks are sure to fly!

My thoughts: Isn't the cover pretty?  Though, I have a hard time imagining wearing a dress like that in Texas.  I would DIE from the heat.  Thank goodness for modern modesty.

Having previously kissed Christian fiction goodbye, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book.  I was pleasantly surprised.  A Tailor-Made Bride was a very fun read.  I had forgotten how much I enjoy stories set in the Old West (former Louis L'Amour reader here), and this book definitely fed the craving.  Our story takes place in a dusty frontier town, full of the type of characters you wish reminded you of your neighbors.  It's so refreshingly wholesome.

I felt that the characters here were pretty well-written, though I have to say JT was a little overbearing for my taste.  I really enjoyed Hannah, though my favorite character was probably Tom the stable hand.  The supplementary characters in the story were particularly well-realized, and even those who only appear for a few paragraphs are memorable.

Fellow romance readers, I have a question for you.   Do you think it's possible that a book with no sex (hardly any kissing, really) can be just as enjoyable as your typical romance?  I found in this case that the lack of sex gave the characters' relationship a much more believable arc.  I wasn't constantly saying to myself "NO ONE falls in love this fast" because there was no rush to get the characters together in time for the mid-book sex scene.  It's so much more romantic, if you ask me.

Overall, this is a great summertime read, perfect for the backyard lawn chair and a glass of lemonade.  Fans of Christian romance are sure to enjoy.

About Karen Witemeyer: Karen Witemeyer is a deacon's wife and mother of three who believes the world needs more happily-ever-afters. To that end, she combines her love of bygone eras with her passion for helping women mature in Christ to craft historical romance novels that lift the spirit and nurture the soul. -borrowed from her website.

*Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Review: Momology by Shelley Radic

Summary:  Mothering is part art, part science, and always a work in progress! Created with the next generation of mothers in mind, Momology is a delightful collaboration of celebration and information to help readers be the unique mothers God created them to be. With access to 36 years of research-based ministry at MOPS, Momology shares the four core elements of successful mothering using a variety of voices: parenting and relationship experts, peer-to-peer advice, and the respected team at MOPS International. With lively contemporary design, fresh perspectives, and cutting edge research, Momology seeks to make better moms--because better moms make a better world. (Goodreads)

My thoughts: Today I'm mostly talking to the moms in the crowd.  Though any of you who are planning to be moms in the future will want to take note of this book to check out later.  Momology is a new workbook/devotional/book that makes you realize you're not alone that's designed to help every mom feel better equipped to raise her children.

Momology is conveniently broken up into short, easy-to-absorb sections.  Sections that you could quickly read while, say, waiting for your 2-year-old to finish emptying out the Tupperware drawer so you can start putting it all back (hypothetically speaking).  Each section is different.  Some feature personal stories from other moms in the trenches, while others are more devotional-style teaching.  The variety really helps to keep the information fresh and interesting.  My favorite sections were the quotes from moms answering open ended questions like "I feel successful as a mother when..." or "The most important decision I made yesterday was..." The answers were all to often making me laugh or shake my head... someone else out there is as crazy as me!  There are also lots of links to outside sources (like personality typing tools!) should you want more help or information.

Momology is a production of the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) organization and anyone who's attended a MOPS group before is going to find some of the material eerily familiar.  Perhaps for this reason, I didn't feel like I really got a lot out of this book in the end.  I also think I expected it to be more focused on practical parenting tips, when it's really more about growing the mom as an individual.

If you do decide to read this book, I recommend taking it slowly and keeping a notebook handy to get the most out of it.

Comment generator:  What is your single best piece of advice for parents?

After five years of being a mom, I have one piece of advice that I give to any  mom-to-be that asks: If someone offers you help, accept it!  You don't need to do everything by yourself.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Cream of the Crop (12)

Cream of the Crop is a feature here at Today's Adventure where I showcase a few of my favorite posts from other bloggers.  Here's what caught my attention this month:

My friend Juju over at Tales of Whimsy posted a great review of Jane Austen's classic Emma.  I love her reviews! Check out the "ABC" section- isn't that clever?  She also provided a link to some very cool Jane Austen-themed crossword puzzles.
There's one more day to enter the fantastic scavenger hunt hosted by The League of Extraordinary Writers.  As stated, the prizes are made of pure win!

Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews posted about The Seven Deadly (Book Blogger) Sins.  Which ones are you guilty of?

Maggie Stiefvater wrote an amazing post about gender stereotyping.  As always, she is both entertaining and thought-provoking.  I'd love to hear what you guys think about what she has to say.

A Bit of Me(Me): Animals

A Bit of Me(Me) is hosted by Danielle at There's a Book.  It's a chance to get to know a bit more about your fellow bloggers.  Anyone can participate!

This week's question: Are you an animal person? Any type in particular?

I like animals from a distance.  I love zoos, aquariums, and Animal Planet.  But at this point in my life, I am not what you would call an animal person.  Unless you count toddlers as animals (I do!).  I figure, I already have three human beings who are totally dependent on me for their continued well-being.  I don't have time for a pet.  Someday, though, I would love to have a cat again. 

I wanna be somebody else!

If you were going to be a character in a book, who would you be?

It's a tough call for me.  On the one hand, I would love to be Fire, because I think she's just generally amazing.  Or I could be Sookie Stackhouse, with a seemingly endless supply of hotties vying for my attention.  Or there's Yelena from Poison Study, another parogon of awesomeness.  Or..

Well, you get the idea.  I don't think I'd pick a YA character, because you couldn't pay me enough to make me want to be a teenager again =o)

Who would you pick?

Review: Sea by Heidi R. Kling

Summary: Sea's life ended when her mother died.  Well, Sea is still alive, but you can't really tell by looking at her.  She's afraid of almost everything.  When her father surprises her with a trip to Indonesia to provide aid to tsunami survivors, she just about has a nervous breakdown.  When she finds herself falling for the handsome and mysterious Deni, will Sea be brave enough to grab hold of a new lease on life?

Opening lines: "I'm sitting alone on the other side of the world talking to a sea turtle that might be my mom.  The boy I love is with the girl he loves and the girl he loves may not be me.  If I was half-way to Crazy before, I'm fully there now."

My thoughts: See Sea.  See Sea fly.  What does Sea see? Sea sees the sea.

Sorry, I'm really tired.  I do have some better thoughts.

Sea is an incredible debut novel.  Kling has created a story that effortlessly weaves together personal tragedy and world issues, a novel that is both "small" and "big." 

I didn't really like the character of Sea/Sienna early in the story, but she really grew on me as the book went on.  As the book opens, Sea is still locked in her fearful life, the result of her mother's tragic death in an airplane crash.  I loved watching her take steps outside herself and finally move towards really living again.  And again, I didn't particularly like Deni, but he and Sea were amazing together.  The romance is surprising and yet believable, and never sappy.

I love that this novel is set in post-tsunami Indonesia.  Anyone old enough to read this novel is old enough to remember the tsunami that struck Indonesia in December of 2004. Though it does date the novel somewhat, it also gives the story a grounding in reality that makes it very immediate and relatable.  The Sea-Deni storyline was good, but I was almost more intrigued by all the stories Sea heard from the orphans.  Incredibly heartbreaking, but still full of hope.

Who should read this:  I think this is a YA novel that definitely has the potential to appeal to an adult audience.  It would be a great book club choice too- lots of material for discussion.  There is some disturbing material related to the tsunami, as well as some mild sexual content (don't worry, they never go past second base) but I think it's perfectly appropriate for teens aged 14+

Heidi R. Kling in her own words: "In high school I discovered acting and was cast in the role of the whimsical Clarisse in the spring production of Fahrenheit 451, a dystopian story of a world without books; a bleak and disturbing future where books are banned-burned by fireman-and preserved only through people’s memories.  This story changed the way I viewed life and I decided I wanted to be a writer. For real." -borrowed from the bio on her website

Mini-reviews (13)

Shadowland by Alyson Noel (Immortals #3)

Long story short: So Ever screwed up bigtime, and now she and Damen are back together, but unable to touch one another.  Then they learn that the process of becoming Immortal may have more dire consequences than they realized.  Though desperate to find a cure, Ever meets handsome surfer Jude and finds herself losing focus.

My  thoughts: After my volatile reaction to Blue Moon, I wasn't entirely sure I would be reading Shadowland.  But I just could't stay away.  (Hi, my name is Vanessa and I am addicted to closure.)  Unfortunately, Shadowland left me hanging again.  Not only do the problems left by Blue Moon remain unresolved, but Damen and Ever encounter even MORE complications.  Ugh.  I find myself frustrated by the fact that if there is a right way and a wrong way, Ever will always choose the dumb way.  The girl takes poor choices to an art form.  One thing I did really enjoy here was the new depth to Damen's character.  He's not just a jerk anymore!  Will I be reading the next book, due out this month?  Yes, probably.  But it will be against my will.  I recommend waiting to start this series until the final book is written, so you can save yourself the suspense torture.

Body Heat by Carly Phillips

Long story short:  He's a cop with a crook out to get him.  And a bum shoulder.  She's a physiotherapist with beautiful hair and a penchant for bossy men.  It's meant to be.

My thoughts: This book definitely falls into the "so bad it's funny" category.  There's tons of hair-tossing and steamy, flustered glances.  The girl falls for the guy in his sexy outfit of cut-off, belly-baring sweatshirt (and no, he's not working out while wearing it. Ugh.)  He's got a bad shoulder and she's a physiotherapist, so of course they need to move in together for the summer so she can "work on him" in the evenings.  Oh baby.  It's kind of funny, but unless you have literally nothing else to read, you can safely give this one a miss.

Waiting on Wednesday: Stork by Wendy Delsol

Book description: After her parents' divorce, Katla and her mother move from Los Angeles to Norse Falls, Minnesota, where Kat immediately alienates two boys at her high school and, improbably, discovers a kinship with a mysterious group of elderly women--the Icelandic Stork Society - who "deliver souls."

Reason for interest:  Another case of cover lust, though the premise does sound interesting. 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

Teaser Tuesday: A Tailor-Made Bride

Today's teaser is from ATailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer.'

He could see her now.  Pale hands lying outstretched and limp, alarmingly white against the dark, wet wood.  Her face down.  Yellow hair strewn every which way, tangled with twigs and soggy leaves. She wasn't moving.

Please be alive.  Please.

I hate when blonde hair is referred to as "yellow."  Reminds me of drawing self-portraits with Crayolas.  But this quote is exciting, no?   I wonder what happened to her... hope she's ok.

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

Review: Thumbing Through Thoreau by Kenny Luck

Henry David Thoreau was a philosopher, and a man enamoured of nature.  Kenny Luck has taken choice selections from Thoreau's writings and paired them with artwork depicting the natural world.  The result is a beautiful book that anyone can enjoy.  I particularly like the spare beauty of the artwork of Jay Luke, who is one of the contributing artists.  I think Thumbing Through Thoreau would make a great coffee table book for any home.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes to whet your interest:

"If you built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

"It is wisest to live without and definite and recognized object from day to day- and particular object- for the world is round, and we are not to live on a tangent or a radius to the sphere."

"I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well."

Review: And God Created the Au Pair

Rated: 4 hyper toddlers out of 5

Summary: Nell and Charlotte are two sisters separated by an ocean, but united in the war against the children.  Nell just moved to Canada, where she is contending with potty training and trying to keep up with the hyper-competitive mother next door.  Charlotte remains in the UK where she strives valiently, trying to keep her fixer-upper from falling apart, hire the perfect au pair, and finally get her mooching brother-in-law to clear out.

My thoughts: Have decided to adopt new British-style writing voice.  Shall acheive this by dropping the pronoun "I" whenever possible and abbreviating "very" to the much shorter "v."  Find the effect vv charming, makes everything sound more witty, and obvs saves time.

Maybe not.

This is the first book in a long while that made me laugh out loud.  Poor Joe.  You know how annoying it is to sit next to someone who is reading a funny book?  He does.  Charlotte and Nell's antics were hilarious, in part because some of them felt like they were inspired by secret video footage of my home.  If you are now, or have ever been a mother of a toddler, you should read this book.  It will be a balm to your soul, promise. Check out this quote from an email in which Charlotte talks about her 2 year old son, Hugh: 

"Have the constant feeling with Hugh that I am pitting my wits against him to keep him alive.  Given his dreadful behavior at the moment not quite sure it's worth the effort."

I had to take off a point because the story didn't really have much in the way of an over-arching plot.  But, to be honest, the book is so entertaining I doubt if you'll mind.

Read this if: you are a mother, especially if you feel you might be going crazy.

A Bit of Me(Me): Movies

A Bit of Me(Me) is hosted by my friend Danielle at There's A Book.  It's a weekly chance to share a bit of the person behind the blog.  Anyone can join in! 

This week's topic: Tell us all about your favorite movie and why. Can’t pick one? Give us your top five!

I definitely can't pick just one, but here are a few movies I really like.

1. ThePrincess Bride. No list of my fave movies would be complete without this cheesy classic.  As a child, my brothers and I had the ENTIRE movie memorized and we used to recite it to entertain ourselves on long car trips.  This had the added benefit of driving our parents slightly bonkers.  If pressed, I could probably still spout most of the dialogue.  "Fezzik, are there rocks ahead?" "If there are, we'll all be dead!" "No more rhymes now, I mean it!"  "Anybody want a peanut?"

2. 10 Things I Hate About You.  The movie that made me fall in love with both Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles.  This is a loose retelling of The Taming of The Shrew, and it's very very funny.  If you haven't seen it, you need to.  Pure chick flick magic.  Also home of some fantastic quotes: Brunette airhead: "I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can underwhelmed, but can you ever just be 'whelmed?'"  Blonde airhead: "I think you can in Europe."  And the scenes with the gynecolegist dad forcing his daughters to wear a fake pregnant belly are hilarious.

3. The Return of the King.  Actually, I love the entire Lord of the Rings saga- I have the extended versions!  But this one is my favorite.  I love Eowyn's storyline, and the scene before the Gates where Aragorn  gives his speech "It is not this day!" gives me tingles up my spine.  I don't like Viggo Mortensen in any other movie, but he makes a HOT Aragorn.

4.  The Replacements. Joe is a huge fan of sports movies.  I'm usually not, but it's impossible not to love this story of underdogs making good.  Plus, jailed football players singing and dancing to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" is pure entertainment.

5. Any Harry Potter movie.  I love the whole series!  The Order of the Pheonix might possibly be my favorite, but it's really hard to decide.  I also love the Prisoner of Azkaban, especially when Hermione punches Draco Malfoy.  And the scene at the tower top in Half-Blood Prince, when Dumbledore fights the Death-Eaters and Snape kills him.  I know it's sad, but for some reason I love that part, too.  Can't wait for the Deathly Hallows!!

So that's my list, though it's definitely incomplete.  What are your faves?