nook-Alicious

I love books beyond belief and comprehension and have since I was a child. I love going into a Barnes & Noble and seeing the pretty and neat shelves lined with the latest and greatest, a Starbucks treat waiting for me to enjoy as I browse. I also love used books stores...our local Fiction Addiction and Mr. K's - that distinctive scent of old pages that have been turned by loving hands, some books old, some books bearing inscriptions on the inside covers. Books are magic to me and everyone in my life knows it.

Which is why they were completely flabbergasted when I told them that my very existence depended on receiving a nook for Christmas. To a lover of the written word, an e-reading device is blasphemy in the highest form. It is the forgoing of everything we book lovers relish...the smell, the feel, the enjoyment of turning pages. It is also a completely ingenious way to store mass amounts of books into a small, aesthetically pleasing device with a perfect leather cover that fits oh so perfectly on my bursting at the seams built-ins.

I had to have it.

As this Christmas drew near, my parents remained mum on whether or not I would be the recipient of the coveted nook. I read news reports that talked about how B&N was back ordered with nook requests and most people would not even receive theirs until well after the New Year.

So I talked myself into not REALLY wanting a nook because I figured that I probably wouldn't get it.

However, when Christmas Day rolled around and I opened one package (that was definitely NOT in the shape of a nook - my parents, the perpetual tricksters) and lo and behold, I had it. Complete with a beautiful nook holder in red.

Ladies and gentleman, I must say that I am in love with my nook. I can take it anywhere and purchase any book that B&N offers...all from the comfort of my house, thanks to the built in Wi-Fi. I have finished at least one book and am currently reading one now - all brand new books that do not come in paperback yet, for the purchase price of $9.99 each. I kid you not. And they download within seconds of me telling my nook that I wish to purchase them. It is a book addict's dream.

It's nookAlicious.

A Take On Women

This past weekend was the rainiest one in the history of my life, or at least it felt that way. Not that I complained - on the contrary, I curled up for crazy amounts of time in my holey J.Crew yoga pants and read and read and read. In fact, I read my way through two books! And these two books kind of made me mad, sad, and a little irritated with myself that I wasted precious time on this earth reading brain crack when I could have been reading something worthwhile. Usually, I am all about some chick lit, but for some reason, it really rubbed me the wrong way.

I first read One Fifth Avenue, Candace Busnell's latest about glitz and glam in Manhattan. If you aren't familiar, she wrote the original Sex & the City best seller that HBO made into the series. First of all, I LOVE Sex & the City. I think it's hilarious and while it is racy and somewhat unbelievable, it's main basis is female friendship and I think that's what gives it staying power. However, One Fifth Avenue didn't portray friendship all. In fact, all it portrayed was women being conniving, manipulative, and obsessed with getting ahead, either monetarily or professionally. The women in this book didn't care about true love or friendship - they cared about having the best apartment and spending their millions the fastest. I understand that it's fiction, but when you look at society today, at the things our young girls concern themselves with and wonder where in the world they get these ideas from - well, not only is our television media saturated with it, our literature is saturated with it, too. From Confessions of a Shopaholic to He's Just Not That Into You (both originally books, for all your non-book worms out there), women are again and again being portrayed as materialistic piranahas who are more interested in the stylishness of their Christian Loubatain's than in being role models for future generations.

The other book that made my blood boil was Lauren Weisberger's Chasing Harry Winston. Now, I have been a fan of Wesiberger up until this book. She was the one who wrote The Devil Wears Prada, which I love, love, LOVE and she also wrote Everyone Worth Knowing which was pretty good, too. Both of these books showed the downside of trying to be hip and glitz. In my opinion, her latest just completely, excuse me, SUCKED. It is the story of three friends who make a pact to change some part of themselves, mostly involving relationships and sex. I guess my problem is in how it portrays sex - casually, promiscuously, and, in my opinion, dangerously. I find it very irresponsible to refuse to go into the emotional trauma that most women experience after one night stands and rather portray characters as happy go lucky females who can hop in and out of the sack with zero repercussions. Yeah, that doesn't happen and we all know it.

Amazingly, these authors are both women! You would think that it would show in their writing, but it doesn't. Rather, it seems more like a callous, horny fifteen year old male wrote these books.

Although they both provided a few laughs and kept me occupied, I would suggest to avoid at all costs.

A Book Review of the Non Tattered Variety

Since my Pat Conroy book was chewed to shreds, I had to start a brand new novel and, lucky for me, I found a copy of Katherine Howe's novel, Physick Book of Deliverance Dane at the GLA's book sale. This was a book that had gotten great reviews and, being the fan of Twilight, Sookie Stackhouse, and Harry Potter, I felt like I was probably going to enjoy the book. Plus, even though it was fiction, it turned out to be based on a lot of historically correct things and I'm always a fan of history.

Okay just a quick note - this book is about the Salem witchtrials, but, more than that, it is about witches. Do I condone witchcraft? No. Am I a practicing Wiccan? Again, no. I did dress up as a witch for Halloween this year, but that is the extent of my involvement in anything relating to the occult, other than my ocassional voodoo practices.

Howe gives a look at the horror of the Salem witch trials and opens up the door for this question - what if there really was witchcraft going on in Salem and it wasn't a bunch of hoopla made up by hormonally charged women, as portrayed by Winona Rider in The Crucible. It is an interesting take on an old (true)story, made all the more interesting, at least to me, when you read Howe's biography - she is related to two of the people convicted of witchcraft during the trials at Salem. I wish I could trace my family history that far back. However, if you type in "moonshine" or "pool shark" on google, you will probably pull up at least one person I'm related to.

I kid.

So the book is good. It's not for everyone, but I enjoyed it. If you've read it, let me know what you think!

A Mish Mash - Bookworm Style

So how about I purchased ten hardback books and three soft cover books for a grand total of $59?! Sounds like a bit, and yes, I did spend more than I intended to, but all in all, I am happy with my new books from the 2009 GLA book sale.

Have you ever been in a giant crowd with a bunch of, well, nerds? Well, that is where Chelle and I found ourselves (and we are not discounting US as non-nerds, to set the record straight). We arrived at the book sale bright and early, at least 25 minutes prior to the doors opening on what, for some, is the highlight of their year (that would include me). We moseyed on up, Starbucks in hand, feeling very prompt and on top of things...and then we noticed that everyone else was carrying luggage. I felt pretty sure that I was in line for a book sale and not at GSP waiting on my flight to the Caribbean. And then it dawned on me - we were mere amateurs and these were SERIOUS book shoppers - ready to make large purchases that required rolling luggage and the possibility hand trucks. Chelle and I just had our Starbucks and a smile.

The doors opened right at 8:30 and we were immediately in the middle of a huge throng of people with thoughts of the latest NYT Bestsellers for $5.00 dancing in their heads. The thing was - it was very well behaved and QUIET for that many people! I am used to mad shoppers getting trampled at Wal-Mart, shouting curse words as they hold on to their deeply discounted flat screen with one hand and fending off possible thieves with the other. This, on the other hand, was a very well-behaved mob of...bookworms. Fast moving, ready to express themselves if they are wronged and you pick up their book, yes, but misbehaving snatchers? Not so much.

While I did begin to feel somewhat claustrophobic and regretful that I wore a shirt that made me sweat as I perused the Trade Paperbacks, I didn't feel the need to punch anyone in the face (well that feeling came over me at least once when several big bottomed women wouldn't make room for me to browse the Nicholas Sparks books and I think it came over Chelle when she was unable to peacefully look at the titles in the Cookbook section. I do have to say that the Nicholas Sparks situation was averted because of my calmer and taller friend).

We were finished with the whole shebang in 45 minutes and left with a loot that will keep both of us in reading material for the next 6-8 months. Just in time to start planning our strategy for the GLA Book Sale 2010.

And yes, our new strategy will involve luggage with wheels. Get ready for it.

All Wee Wee'd Up

UPDATE:
It is 12:28 am. When Chad and I decided to go to bed about an hour ago, I hear this from the bedroom..."Oh, Kelley, I am so sorry." Lovely. So I walk in and guess what? The new Pat Conroy is in tatters. Evidently, the wall eating dog has now decided she's more of a book eating dog. Lessons learned from this event: 1. Don't pay $30 for a book 2. Don't get all braggy about it being signed by the author because the page he signed is just as edible as every other page and 3. Don't leave your new book on the bed because obviously anything that's not put up at least six feet off the ground is fair game.

No, I am not giving the dog away. I still love Lucy. My sense of humor is still intact. Barely.


It makes me giggle a little to think of a grown man using this terminology to explain anything...but it makes me wince to think of that man as our president. BUT this post has nothing to do with politics...it has EVERYTHING to do with something much better and easier to understand...a big 'ole sale!

SC has a lot of traditional events throughout the year, from Carolina Cup (which I have never been to, by the way, but wish to go if only to purchase a cute dress and large hat) to the Carolina-Clemson game...but one event happening this weekend takes the cake, in my book...it's the Greenville Literacy Association's Annual "Really Good, Really Big, Really Cheap Book Sale" and it is TO-MORROW y'all! I can hardly stand my excitement - even more so than Thanksgiving night when I am about to get up at 3:00 am to meet Frick (and hopefully Frack this year) to be a part of the mob that is Black Friday.

So what's so great about this big 'ole book sale? Well, number one, it is helping a wonderful cause, the Greenville Literacy Association, which does everything from helping people pass their GED to teaching adults to read the written word for the first time.

Number two - for a book lover like me, it is pretty much like having a golden ticket into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. You know the part where they see the chocolate river and just have their choice of tasting everything? That's really the only comparison I can give you that describes the feeling I get at this book sale. It really is THAT GOOD OF A SALE, y'all. They have every kind of book you can imagine, from the latest best sellers to classics and they are dirt cheap. I very much enjoy dirt cheap. I bought Pat Conroy's latest, South of Broad, last week and it was $30. Seriously. I never pay that much for a book and usually wait until:

a.) I have a coupon b.) it goes to paperback or c.) someone feels sorry for me and buys it for me as a gift.

I did cave in and get it though because it was his first work of fiction in a very long time and I was able to get a signed copy which I will treasure forever. (I managed to do that because of a great little new & used bookstore that just opened up in our area, Fiction Addiction. It's awesome.) I am still reading it, but will be posting about it soon. The jury is still out on whether or not I like it.

So yes, I am all wee wee'd up to go and get my book sale on. Luckily, my best friend is just as nerdy as I am and we will be standing in line before the doors open, Starbucks in hand. It's going to be an awesome Saturday!

Book Review Friday (aka I am sunning myself by the pool)

THANK. GOODNESS. IT. IS. FRIDAY. YA'LL.



Has this week dragged on forever or what? And to all you dads out there, including my own dad, step-dad, and husband - Happy Father's Day Weekend! Today, my friends, I am planning on heading to the pool and basking in the super hot date weather.com has predicted for our neck of the woods. But, in honor of the weekend, and because I'm sure you're dying to hear my opinon on another category of literary delights...here is the category that I would like to refer to as the "Brain Crack" category. Let me explain. These books are just fun. They may or may not be set in reality, may or may not agree with everything that is moral and good, but they will sure keep you entertained!



The Twilight Series - by Stephenie Meyers (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn)



Yeah. I know you're out there snickering and calling me cliche and blah blah blah because everybody is talking about these books. Fine. Do it. I don't care. But, if you are laughing at me...you haven't read them. And after you DO read them, you will be apologizing to me, much like the slew of friends I have that laughed and then became addicted themselves. These books are fantastic. Literary genius? Um, no. A heck of a good time? Oh yeah. (P.S. DO NOT see the movie until you read the books. Seriously.)



The Sookie Stackhouse Series - by Charlaine Harris



Am I obsessed with vampires, you ask? No, I am not. It just happens to be that the first two entries to this post are a little vampire-centric. Okay, a forewarning about Sookie, lest I someone reads them and then gets mad - they would most definitely be rated an 'R' if I had to rate them. Maybe MAYBE a 'PG-13.' There is some bad language and, ahem, compromising situations. But they are very well-written and there are currently 9 of them available, so Sookie's story is a continuous one. (Fraught with drama, I might add.)



The Bachelorette Party - by Karen McCullah Lutz



This book is laugh out loud funny. It's definitely rated 'R' but it's all in good fun, really. The writer also co-wrote the script to Legally Blonde, if you want some trivia. The dialogue is hilarious - I have probably re-read this book five times and I still giggle.



Brigette Jones's Diary - by Helen Fielding



Classic women's book. That's really all there is to say.



I hope that ya'll find something great to read and enjoy your Friday! :)

Book Suggestions - Christian

Wow, I certainly won't win any awards with that boring blog title. Lucky for ya'll, the books below are most certainly NOT boring.



Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers

A very good friend of mine, KT, told me about this book back in the summer of 2003, when I was going through one of the most difficult times of my life. I was at the beach on a girl's weekend and spent the entire time with my nose in this book and have been recommending it to everyone and their mama ever since. It is an absolutely beautiful love story that is so greatly written that you will not notice that it is a gazillion pages long. Read it. Be blessed by Mrs. Rivers' words.



This Present Darkness - Frank Peretti

This is a work of fiction; however it is a very powerful portrayal of spiritual warfare. It is not for the faint of heart and not for folks who aren't prepared, after reading, to be able to recognize that there is a spiritual war going on, even if we can't see it. It's good stuff.



Six Hours One Friday - Max Lucado

I really really love Max Lucado. This is a book about the Crucifixition and it is also a reminder of how much God really loves us.



Christy - Catherine Marshall

This is an oldie goldie. Some may remember it as a short lived television series starring Kellie Martin. The book is so much better! About a well to do girl coming to the Appalacians to teach, it is about change, love, and recognizing that God's plan for your life may not be what you thought it was.



Two From Galilee - Marjorie Holmes

Starring Mary and Joseph, this is about them and their relationship prior to and up to the birth of Jesus. It is a sweet, tender story and gives you more insight to what their lives must have been like when they received the news that they were going to be earthly parents to the Son of God.



Read. Enjoy. And let me know what you think!

Book Fiend Friday

Well, it's definitely summer here in SC. Thunderstorms move across our area on a pretty much daily basis and one hit pretty hard yesterday, knocking our power for a loop and making me crazy for a few hours. No internet! No way to charge my cell phone! No background noise of the dishwasher/washing machine/dryer! I was alone with my thought so I began to think of some summer book readin' suggestions that I could give to ya'll and I think I've come up with some good ones. I'm going to post them by category (classics, biography, etc) because I want to give ya'll some really good choices and not just crap I've read because it was a hardback on sale at B&N. So today...the classics...



Classics

Don't cringe. I know that you are because I have my go go gadet eyes on you. Reading the classics isn't a bad thing, although for some I know it may dredge up terrible memories of high school English classes, your thoughts wandering to the upcoming prom and how you have no date, and the feeling that your skin may break out at any moment and omg, did you just start your period???. Trust me on this...not only will you enjoy them MORE (because prom is over, you have a constant supply of period products on hand, and that break out thing is something of the past, etc), you will feel very intellectual when that old party question favorite comes up and you can reply with a very intellectual answer.



To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Harper Lee only wrote one book in her life and that was this American masterpiece (which was also turned into an award winning movie). Scout, Jem, and the fabulous Atticus Finch are legendary literary characters and this book will have you hooked from the first page. There is a reason it is mandatory for school age kids...too bad they don't appreciate it when they read it the first time. This book has also appeared on many banned book lists (there is no real good reason why), so feel like a rebel and read it!



Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

A beautiful young woman haunted by her husband's late wife in a ginormous British mansion. A creepy housekeeper who seems intent on ruining the new Mrs. DeWinter's life...oh honey, it's so good. DuMaurier wrote several fab novels, so if you read Rebecca and need more Daphne in your life, you can immerse yourself!



Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Ya'll, this book is the epitome of the Old South. If you are Southern and have not read this 1000+ page novel or AT LEAST sat through the epic movie starring the fantastic Clark Gable and Viven Leigh (as Rhett & Scarlett) you ought to be ashamed. And if you are poor (like me) and can't afford to buy a new book a week, this book will probably hold you until August 'cause it is so long and the print is tiny. It's worth it though. And the book does differ slightly from the movie, just to give you movie die hard fans a heads up. OH -Margaret Mitchell only wrote one novel, too. There are sequels, though, but don't waste your time on Scarlett - head right over and get Rhett Butler's People. Out of the two, it's the one I'd recommend.

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I'm sure most every Robert Redford fan has seen the movie and pretty much everybody has to read the book, but it's so much better when you're older. The roaring '20's, too much money, unrequited love...so tragic!

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie

This is for all you mystery buffs out there...before Nora Roberts, before Mary Higgins Clark there was Dame Agatha Christie, who wrote mystery novels out the wazoo. This one is my favorite!

So there you have it...some hand picked classics for you to pick up and read this summer! I am going to wrack my brain for my favorite ROMANCE novels (and no, not the ones with unclothed couples on the front) that just took my breath away. And yeah, 'ole Nick Sparks will probably be making an appearance!

Ya'll have a good weekend!