Hey everyone! Sorry I'm late to my own party. Childhood friend + last minute visit = night of drinking. Anyway, I hope you have your books handy 'cause I really need help.

The book we're reading now for Book Club, Love Monkey by Kyle Smith, just isn't doing it for me. I should like it. It has funny parts and Smith really has a way with words, but so far I just can't into it. It's about a single guy, Tom, who lives in New York and writes the headlines for a tabloid. He's single and still hung up on his ex.

This synopsis is from Google Books:

"Many men aim high; Tom Farrell dares to be average. While his friends accumulate wedding rings, mortgages, and even, alarmingly, babies, Tom still lives alone in his rented apartment with nothing but condiments and alcohol in his refrigerator. He spends Saturday mornings watching cartoons and eating Cocoa Puffs out of an Empire Strikes Back bowl, and devotes the rest of the weekend to his other favorite hobbies: sports and girls."

There are parts that made me laugh out loud. I really should like this book. But I don't. So, please tell me what you're reading. On this post or on your own site using Mr. Linky, give us the title and author, a review and three sentences from page 38 (I used the length of Love Monkey - 336 pages - to choose the number).


"Now Eli's in the Zone with Hillary. I confronted him about it one night. They had been making cute little call-me-later gestures at each other across the newsroom as I was stuffing my backpack with stolen office supplies, and when I left, he and his gonna-get-some-tonight smirk followed me onto the elevator."

My hope with this carnival is that one of you will get to post three really exciting sentences from your book that make me want to read more. And then I can go to my next book club meeting armed with awesome suggestions and everyone will love me and think I'm brilliant and well-read. So have at it!

I'm Going on a Date! *UPDATE*

With my hubby of course. He took today and tomorrow off so he can have a 5-day weekend! We're headed out shortly to see the new Indiana Jones, which I will definitely come back and tell you about.

Then, we're going to Ikea (we live about 40 minutes from it so getting there is an event in itself!) then to lunch and a quick stop on the military base.

I also have my first book club meeting tonight. We're discussing Naked by David Sedaris. I hope these ladies are nice and fun, not bookish and boring!

Later!

Update

So, I can't give my opinion of the movie without spoiling it, so I will quote my husband:

"They deviated from the formula. They didn't need to, it's already a successful franchise. All they need is a religious artifact and Nazis."

2009 Reading List

For 2009, I want to keep a reading journal so at the end of the year I can look back and see what I've read and what new authors I found. I will try to keep this list current.

My Best Friend's Girl, Dorothy Koomson- A light, cute fast read. Thumbs Up (Jan 09)

To Have and To Hold: A Novel, Jane Green- Very good, typical Green. Thumbs Up (Jan 09)


Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See- Very good. Rich in Asian culture. (For book club, Jan. 09)


The Next Big Thing, Johanna Edwards. Cute and fast. The main character is overweight. A little cliche with the ending but I'm glad she didn't feel the need to drop down to a size 4 to be happy. (Jan. 09)

Barefoot, Elin Hilderbrand. Thumbs up. A fast, light read with one main character named Melanie. This was the first book I've read by her, I will definitely look for her others. (Feb. 09)

Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster. Thumbs Way Up. This was hilarious. Even though I wasn't a VP I could relate to the laid off, lifestlyle adjustments Lancaster made. I can't wait to read her other two. (Feb. 09)

Forget About It, Caprice Crane. Thumbs Up. Cute and fast. Made me wonder what I'd change if I could fake amnesia. What inner parts of me would I want to bring out? (March 09)

A Long Way Down, Nick Hornby. Neutral. It was a little hard to get through at first. I stuck it out to see how the characters worked through the issues that made them want to commit suicide (it's not depressing) and if they found ways to be happy. (For book club, March 09)

Still Alice, Lisa Genova. Thumbs WAY up. I flew through this after my mom passed it on.It's gripping and sad. It's got me a little freaked out. Every time I walk into a room and forget why I'm there I'm wondering if I should see a doctor! (April 09)

What I've Read - 2008 Reading List

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read. I just don't get people who say they don't like reading. Reading is the ultimate escape. It's relaxing. It's entertaining. It's informative. I'm sorry non-readers but you baffle me. What's not to like about reading?

Anyway, I wish I could list all the books I've read this year but there's so many I can't remember them all (not braggin', just sayin'). So, I'll list the ones I've read since I've been on holiday with a rating: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down or Switzerland (get it? neutral?) and a short note for the ones I didn't like.

I'll add to the list as I finish a book. Feel free to agree or call me a moron. I welcome spirited discussion. Earlier this month (4/08) I joined a book club through Meetup and I'll note which books were for the club.

In no particular order:

The Girls' Global Guide to Guys Theresa Alan- Thumbs Up

Goodnight Nobody: A Novel Jennifer Weiner- Thumbs Up

The Red Hat Club Haywood Smith- Thumbs Up

The Red Hat Club Rides Again Haywood Smith- Thumbs Up

Dreamboat Judith Gould- Thumbs Down (Cliched and predictable)

My Favorite Mistake Beth Kendrick- Switzerland (Cute, fast read but characters were formulaic)

Suburbanistas Pamela Redmond Sutran- Thumbs Up

The Pact Jennifer Sturman- Switzerland (Chick Lit mystery, predictable)

The Chinchilla Farm: A Novel Judith Freeman- Thumbs Up

Wife in the Fast Lane: A Novel Karen Quinn- Thumbs Up

Between, Georgia Joshilyn Jackson- Thumbs Up (Way, way up)

Tales from the Crib Risa Green- Thumbs Up

Julie and Romeo Get Lucky Jeanne Ray- Thumbs Up

Pug Hill Allison Pace- Thumbs Up (Despite my dislike of small, yippy dogs)

Gods in Alabama Joshilyn Jackson- Thumbs Up! - Methinks she's going to become one of my favorite authors

The Ivy Chronicles Karen Quinn- Thumbs Up

Promise Not to Tell: A Novel Jennifer McMahon- Switzerland (I was expecting more creepy and scary)

The First Assistant Clare Naylor/Mimi Hare- Thumbs Up the The Second Assistant the first book, was also good

Just Between Us Cathy Kelly- Thumbs Up (A little too long)

Rescuing Rose Isabel Wolff- Thumbs Up (Stay away if you're tired of the Bridget Jones knockoffs)

Always and Forever Cathy Kelly- Thumbs Up (Again, a little long)

The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd- Thumbs Up

Awake Elizabeth Graver - Thumbs Up - Her writing style is a bit flowery. There were times when I got tired of it, and others where I loved her sentences

Oh My Stars Lorna Landvik - Thumbs Up - This was very good

Weekend in Paris Robyn Sisman - Thumbs Down - Couldn't finish it

Adventures of an Ice Princess Liz Maverick- Thumbs Down (Vapid)

The Almost Moon Alice Sebold- Thumbs Up

Remember Me? Sophie Kinsella- Thumbs Up Finished 4/20/08

Naked David Sedaris (for the book club) - What's between neutral and Thumbs Down? I didn't hate it. There were parts that made me laugh out loud. But it was weird. It's in essay format, but I didn't feel like I was learning about his life. Read at your own risk. Finished 5/10/08

Love the One You're With Emily Giffin- Thumbs Up


Flirting with Forty Jane Porter - Thumbs Up Finished 6/17/08

Water for Elephants Sarah Gruen - Thumbs WAY Up - This was for the book club. I didn't expect to like it because of the whole circus thing but it was great!

Love Monkey Kyle Smith - Thumbs Down This was for book club. Smith has a way with words, but I didn't connect to the character at all. (Finished 7/23/08)


The Time Traveler's Wife Audrey Niffenegger - Thumbs WAY Up For book club. SO, so good!

Certain Girls Jennifer Weiner- Thumbs Up

Savannah Breeze Mary Kay Andrews -Thumbs Up - This was the second in a (sort of) series. I also read Savannah Blues which was good too. Both are light reads.

Dream When You're Feeling Blue Elizabeth Berg - Thumbs Up

The Alphabet Sisters Monica McInerney - Thumbs Up

Family Baggage Monica McInerney - Thumbs Up

Swapping Lives Jane Green - Thumbs Up

The Center of Everything Laura Moriarty - Thumbs Up

Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman Elizabeth Buchan - Thumbs Down - I rarely put a book down without finishing it, but I just couldn't get into this

Ready or Not? Chris Manby - Thumbs Up

The Ex-Wife's Survival Guide Debby Holt - Switzerland - Light and fast but not the best ex-wife gets her life together book I've read

Happiness Sold Separately Lolly Winston - Thumbs Up

The Other Side of the Story Marian Keyes - Thumbs Up

Speechless Yvonne Collins/Sandy Rideout - Thumbs Up

Love Walked In Marisa de los Santos - Thumbs Up

Luscious Lemon Heather Swain - Thumbs Up

The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters Elizabeth Robinson - Thumbs Up

We Are All Welcome Here Elizabeth Berg - Thumbs Up - I think I'm going to like everything she does

High Stakes: A Tale of Vegas Vampires Erin McCarthy - Switzerland - I almost put it down, but it was such a fast read I finished before I got really bored

Ladies with Options Cynthia Hartwick - Thumbs Up

Middlesex Jeffery Eugenides - Thumbs Up

Hissy Fit Mary Kay Andrews - Thumbs Up

Home to Big Stone Gap Adriana Trigiani - Thumbs Up - I've loved all the books in the Big Stone Gap series

The Family Tree Carole Cadwalladr - Thumbs Down - Could barely make it past the first chapter

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming Joshilyn Jackson - Thumbs Up

Sweet Revenge Dianne Mott Davidson - Thumbs Down I usually enjoy this series despite the plot similarities, but this was so formulaic and almost painful to read.