Distant Waves: A Novel of the Titanic by Suzanne Weyn

I am a fan of Suzanne Weyn from her other books that I've read. I did as I always do and looked for any new books she might have coming out and then put them on reservation. So I bought this when it came out, even though it was in hardcover because I had money at time.

It took me a bit to get into this, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. Yes, it is a novel about the Titanic. Which made me wonder, why in the world are we so obsessed with Titanic stories? We know how they're going to end, and yet, I personally, can't seem to get enough of them. But, besides that, there was a TON of history, soooooooo interesting. The author even goes into a bit of detail at the end about all the history research she did.

The really interesting history included Nikola Tesla, Harry Houdini, Lily Dale - which they called Spirit Vale, Astor and Guggenheim, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and that is just to name a few. I will highly recommend this book, although as far as I know, we shipped any we got back shortly after they arrived, and I haven't seen any paperback copies. If I was a librarian, I would definitely have a copy of this in my library to share. You know, I tried to donate a book to my school library the other day, a hardcover book, but because they already had a copy that wasn't checked out that much, they said they didn't want it. Well, if it was my library, it would be a book I would totally talk up. If I was a middle school librarian, I would try to go into CA teachers' classes and do book talks often. In fact, one CA teacher I did summer school with when I was my first summer library experience asked me to do that with her classes once a week. I wonder if the librarian at her current school does that now? I'll bet she does, I know that librarian and she is really awesome, I've asked her for advice a lot.

Anyway, such a great book.

Mutant by Peter Clement

While I have one book posted as what I'm reading right now, I'm actually usually reading 2-3 books at any one time. I picked up Mutant, a stripped cover book to read yesterday. It is a medical thriller. But I'm going to take a (web)page from my friend Charlotte, and not read books that I just can't get into or decide not to read for whatever reason, because I have too many sitting in my office, as well as so many others I want to read, and life is short.

I chose to toss this book out as its main theme is genetically engineered food as the "evil" and I'm not a real fan of this. People don't quite understand that we have been genetically engineering food since we first selected the best of a crop to take the seeds from. And when we choose the best animals to breed. And there are good things done by science. Yes, there are bad things, but I just don't agree with setting up big scares over things constantly. So, I choose not to waste my time on this book.

I picked up Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub, another stripped cover book. While I could never get into the Talisman, a friend said this was really good and I could read it without having read the other. And I am a huge Stephen King fan, so I'm trying it. I have to say so far, it's not grabbing my attention. I'll give it another day, then it may go the way of Mutant.

White Sands, Red Menace by Ellen Klages

This is the sequel to a book I reviewed a week or so ago called the Green Glass Sea. This picks up after the bomb has been dropped and the war is "over". The German scientists, Von Braun and others are now here in America helping us with our rocket program. Our main characters, Dewey and Suze are back. They mostly live with Suze's mom, Terry Gordon, because Suze's father, Dr. Gordon is busy working on the rocket. Mrs. Gordon is protesting the war, she's very upset at having helped create something that killed so many people. Suze and Dewey have created a whole carnival of Rube Goldberg type machines with Suze's artistic representations of people. Suze isn't happy with how her mom and Dewey seem to be best friends, and soon finds a friend in town called Ynez. From Ynez Suze learns about prejudice in the town, as well as Mexican culture. Dewey meets a boy named Owen, and a friendship turns into a young love type relationship, but never does the story get too gushy for a kid's book. And towards the end a mysterious woman on a motorcycle shows up, and things get to be interesting. Mrs. Gordon and Dr. Gordon are fighting, and of course they also have an issue showing up to mess with their relationship besides their disagreement on the science research.

This book had some great history in it. I know it was considered as a possible Truman nominee, but guess it didn't make it since I don't see it on the list this year. I feel they made a mistake. This book was really good, as was the one that came before it. Oh well, I will definitely recommend it to kids at school as well as at the bookstore. That is if I ever get to work in the kids department again.

Movie Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Wow, I was sooooooooooo disappointed in this movie. And anyone who knows me knows that it takes a lot to really disappoint me. As someone who has almost always read the book before I see the movie, I know that the movies never, or almost never live up to the book. One exception I can think of right now is the Green Mile, which I think they did an awesome job with! But anyway, back to my point. So much was left out of Twilight, I mean if you hadn't read the books, the movie doesn't really let you see how Edward and Bella fall in love. But I still was able to really enjoy seeing Twilight brought to the movie screen.

The Lightning Thief had too much changed and too many important things left out. Maybe it's because I've read this book so many times, because I've read it to like 3 different groups of students. And we answered questions and discussed it, so I know it detail by minute detail. But I feel they left out such important characters, such as Mr. D. (Dionysius), Ares, and Clarisse. Plus, they went to Nashville Tennessee instead of to St. Louis like in the book. And then, Annabeth is supposed to be blonde, not dark haired. And there was no mention of Kronos, the whole "voldemort" bad guy who goes throughout the whole series. (I threw the Voldemort reference in for those critics who called it a cheap copy of Harry Potter, which it SOOOOO is not). And then, Annabeth is supposed to have a crush on Luke, and not believe in Luke as a bad guy so quickly. Plus, there's the whole thing where we're not supposed to know who Percy's dad is right away. Plus, I feel like Percy is supposed to be 12 years old, yet the characters in the movie are all high school age.

If you haven't read the books, go see the movie, it's probably really good in that situation. But if you've read it, and love the books like I do, you might skip it. I'm not even sure how they can do a sequel with all the stuff they left out.

Deep Storm by Lincoln Child

I've been a fan of Lincoln Child since I borrowed the book The Relic from one of my high school students my first year of teaching. I've since read through all the books in that series that he co-wrote with Douglas Preston, and I've moved on to the books each of them has authored on their own. In fact, I think I'm a book or two behind in the Relic or Pendergast series.

Deep Storm is a science thriller. The US goverment has found something buried under the Earth's crust in the middle of the ocean near an oil rig. Peter Crane is our main character, a former Navy medical doctor called in to this top secret mission because of his past experience in a high stress situation. People in this amazing facility are getting sick, but their symptoms don't match, and there is no sign of what could be the cause.

Turns out there is more to what they're looking for, it's an alien artifact, and one they come to find should probably be left alone. And of course, as often happens in this type of book, there is one military person who is not seeing the bad things, and plans to continue for his country at all costs. Good read.

The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs

I've seen A.J. Jacobs' books around the store, The Year of Living Biblically and The Know-it All. They always sounded really funny, but I just never picked it up to read. The Guinea Pig Diaries is new enough that we had it in hard cover so that I could check it out. And it was definitely worth it. This was hilarious! From outsourcing his life to people in India, to living by George Washington's 110 rules of life, and it begins with his online dating experience as a beautiful young woman. The things he does are crazy. He even lets his wife be the boss of him for like a whole month! Wow, I can't recommend this book highly enough. I also can't wait to read his other 2 books. It is interesting to know that he is an Entertainment Weekly writer, which is the one magazine I subscribe to because I HAVE to read it every week.

I've also decided I need to get my reading journal set back up so that every 10 books I read a classic, or every 15 I read a nonfiction, etc. That way I can get through the 300 books sitting in my 2nd bedroom waiting to be read.

Take a Chance on Me by Susan Donovan

This was your basic romance book. I'd read another book by this author called He Loves Lucy. I enjoyed it, and this was okay, but almost too much your stereotypical romance. And one thing, it is like FOREVER before they actually have sex. It's kind of a big tease, even in the chapter where they finally do, it takes page after page after page leading up to it. Seriously. It was frustrating. I did enjoy the little dog, and can't remember if my sister has read this yet, but if not, the dog is a little chinese crested, like her dog.

Okay book, I won't read again, and will probably not keep this, I'll put it in a garage sale. It's actually not a strip cover believe it or not.

Later tonight I'll post my review of The Guinea Pig Diaries by A.J. Jacobs.

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages

This is a YA book, and I really enjoyed it. I've really gotten into the historical fiction lately, especially the YA stuff.

This is set in 1943, during World War II. One of our main characters is Dewey Kerrigan. Her father is a scientist and they live in a town that doesn't officially exist, Los Alamos, New Mexico. The scientists here are working on a very secret military project called only "the gadget" that is supposed to be able to end the war if they can just get it right. Dewey is kind of a tomboy in that she enjoys building mechanical type projects. Another girl living in this nonexistent town is Suze Gordon. Suze is also kind of an outsider with the other girls, but tries her hardest at first to fit in with the girls in the town. Due to Dewey's father being called to Washington to help with the project politically, Dewey ends up staying with Suze and her family. A friendship forms after they come to see what they have in common.

Of course the gadget does get invented, and there is a tragedy for Dewey. I was glad to see that there is a sequel, another book I had noticed before I even read this one, called White Sands, Red Menace. I have it to read, so it will probably be one of my next YA books. Or I'll read it after the Lincoln Child book I'm reading now.

Confessions of a Serial Dater by Michelle Cunnah

I've enjoyed another book by Michelle Cunnah called Call Waiting. Another bargain book find. Confessions of a Serial Dater was one I ordered in, but still a bargain book. She is one author on my list to check in the computer every so often for her books in bargain. Her other book 32AA I haven't yet read, it kind of kept me a bit off due to the fact that I'm a bit larger chested, and wasn't sure I'd quite relate to someone like that. But after this book, I know that whoever her heroine is, I'm sure I'll enjoy the read.

Rosie is our main character, and she has a boyfriend named Jonathan. Now, she once told him her shoe size, but 2 sizes smaller than real life, because she was ashamed of how big her feet are. And so he buys her some really expensive shoes, but the problem is they are too small. The story starts out at a work event for her boyfriend with his obnoxious, lecherous boss. The fact that her boyfriend doesn't stick up for her when his boss comes onto her, well, it pretty much is a last straw. And it just so happens at this same event is a very handsome, charming doctor. Kind of a knight in shining armor as he picks her up and carries her because of her uncomfortable shoes.

He seems like the perfect guy, but like all good chick lit, there is a problem with him, or so she thinks. I loved this book because some of the ways she acted are the ways I do. Like, she acts like she's not really interested when she is, just because she thinks the guy isn't really interested, he's just acting like it. I so have always felt that way. I wonder how many opportunities I've missed because I doubted a guy was really interested, and so I played it way cool to not get hurt or made fun of.

And you know this is a really fun book if I have some actual pages/quotes to share in my review. The first thing I liked was about the fantasies she has about "Dr. Love" as she calls him before she learns his name. Her fantasies are love at first sight, although hers are more romantic than erotic she says, and mine often take a turn towards the latter really quickly. Another thing about her fantasies that is just like mine, is that she is always dressed really sexy, and her makeup and hair are perfectly done. Basically she looks hot. I rarely wear makeup in real life, and rarely look hot, but in my fantasies, I always do! And, later in the book, her fantasy is of being in a wedding dress, with Luke, Dr. Love, in a rumpled groom's suit. And she's skipped the wedding and gone right to the honeymoon. I often skip right from the whole first date/falling in love part in my fantasies, to the point where I'm settled in the relationship with the guy and getting married/etc. Jumping way forward.

The only complaint I had about this book, was that it was often that there were long periods where Luke, the dream guy, wasn't around. And I wanted him there. So it was my impatience that made me feel bored sometimes. But I do highly recommend it, and will be looking for her other book 32AA soon.

My current book is also laugh out loud funny. I should be done in a day or two and blog soon after.

The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

I picked this up as a stripped copy at work a week or two ago. Recently, or ever since the movie The Other Boleyn Girl, I've began enjoying more historical fiction. This book is set in the time of Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution. It's about a boy who is a gypsy and his friend/mentor a fellow gypsy who is a dwarf. They work with a magician whose biggest trick is that a bullet is shot at him and he catches it. They are called to a wealthy man's house to perform for his guests, and this time, the bullet hits its mark. Well, the person holding the gun is Count Kalliovski, who knows the magician, and Tetu the dwarf from an event he'd like to bury. Tetu knows Yann must get away before Kalliovski finds him. In their hiding and trying to escape, they end up being helped by Sido, the daughter of the Marquis de Villeduval. Sido is not treated well by her father. And turns out that Kalliovski wants to marry her.

Count Kalliovski is not what he seems, and so Tetu gets Yann away, but not before he is wounded, maybe killed. He sends Yann to a friend in London to raise him and turn him into a young gentleman. The family he goes to live with is actually related to Sido, and Yann gets a chance to go back and try to help her.

It leaves on a cliffhanger, and I was worried it would just end like that, but no, there is a portion of a sequel at the end, so I'll be waiting for that to come out to read as well. A good historical fiction book for kids.

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

Can't remember for sure if this was a Gateway nominee in year's past, but for some reason I've wanted to read it. So when it was a strip copy at the store, I took it home. I had put it on my shelves at school for the kids to read, but decided to pick it up myself at lunch one day.

Christopher Creed, the class freak, disappears without a trace, and it becomes a huge town gossip item. The main character is Torey Adams, and he wants to know what really happens. In his search for the truth, he begins losing his current friends in exchange for realizing how uptight and snobbish they are to people that are just as normal and maybe braver than them. Anyway, it all leads up to Torey finding a body in a strange manner and how it kind of sends him over the deep end and he has to move away from the town to get a break.

Interesting story. Not great, but okay.

Good Luck by Whitney Gaskell

I've read at least one other book by Whitney Gaskell, Pushing 30, and I really enjoyed it. She is one of the authors that I look for her books to go on bargain. And this was another fun read.

The main character is a teacher, so obviously something I have in common with her, which is always something that draws my interest. Well, on the worst day of her life, she's accused of sexually harrassing a male student and gets fired, and then when she goes home because of being fired in the middle of the day, she finds her boyfriend cheating on her in their house! She just so happens to buy a lottery ticket that day because of her friend talking about it, and guess what, she wins! So what I wish would happen to me. Well, at the same time the press finds out about her firing, and all of a sudden she's in the middle of a media circus. So an old friend calls and offers her a chance to hide out in Palm Beach. She gets a makeover, new hair color, clothes, etc. And tries to figure out what she's going to do with all this money as her friends and family begin to get weird about it. One friend won't take the check she sends. Her sister turns into Bridezilla thinking of how much money she can try to spend on her wedding. She meets 2 guys there,and there's the chick lit part.

Such a fun story, I will be looking for the other Whitney Gaskell stories soon!

Dispatch by Bentley Little

I always pick up Bentley Little books at the store and the back cover reads like something I'd be very interested in. Then, half the time I pick them up and have trouble getting into them. They're rarely what I expect them to be.

This one took a looooooooong time to get to what the main story was thought to be from the summary. It ended weird, had an interesting twist to it. Not sure that I liked it though. It's about a guy who writes letters that get things done. Most of the time he doesn't write as himself, he uses an alias, or pretends to be someone else writing about himself, etc. He gets strange mail showing that someone knows what he is doing. And one day, he gets a job offer to do his letter writing for real purpose. And it all gets kind of weird at that point. I don't know. It actually made me consider tossing all the other stripped copies of Bentley Little books I have as I don't know how much this was really worth reading. Eh. We'll see.

I have 2 more book reviews to do after this. I'm a bit behind on my blogging again.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Funny thing about this book, I had ordered an advanced readers copy of this book from a Shelf Awareness email, and set it aside with my other tons of "to-read" books. Forgetting about it, I saw the book sitting on a table in the break room at the bookstore and picked it up to read. I get home, and I go to write it in my notebook where I keep track of what I'm reading, and found the other copy I'd already had. I ended up taking the copy from the break room back to work and keeping it in my locker to read on my breaks. Well, after Wednesday night's break, I wished that I'd brought it home to read because it was getting to a really good point. So, I picked up the copy I'd gotten in the mail and finished the book up yesterday.

Basically our main character is Thomas. He wakes up inside an elevator one morning and can't remember anything but his first name. He is in what they call the Glade. There are a bunch of boys around his age there, and none of them remember anything before they woke up in the elevator the same way. Once a month a new boy shows up. Weekly there are supplies that show up in the elevator. All the boys there work in some way, farming, taking care of animals, cooking, etc. Some boys are Runners. You see, the Glade is surrounded by a giant maze with 8 entrances. The runners go out looking to see if there is a way to escape in the mazes. The mazes change every day, and they map them looking for any clues. The doors to the mazes close every night at dark. In the mazes are creatures called Grievers. If you run into one, they either sting you, or kill you if you're left there over night.

Unusually, the very day after Thomas shows up, a girl is in the elevator with a note about how there will be no one else showing up. First thing that's weird is that it is a girl, there are no girls in the glade. She's in a coma when she gets there. Everyone assumes Thomas must have something to do with her since they arrived so close together. Thomas does feel like he's been there before, and he wants to be a runner as soon as he learns of them, even though runners are very brave, and only boys who have been there for awhile usually get that job.

Soon Thomas learns there are secrets he must remember. Getting stung by the Griever seems to bring memories back, so he has to consider that. Anyway, it's a good story, keeps you interested all the way through. Only issue I have, it leaves off on a kind of cliffhanger, so you know there is going to be a second part. I'm just wondering, can't anyone write a novel that is a stand alone novel for kids anymore? I know some stories are just going to lead on into more than they can fit into what may be a normal size kid's novel, but look at the size of Eragon. I think 3 parts the size of the Maze Runner could all fit in that book, and maybe it could all be read in one book. I get so tired of waiting anymore for books that leave you hanging like this. Not that these books aren't good, I just kind of like to be done and move on to something else when I finish the book. I mean, look at the Stephen King novel I just finished. All done in one, yes - one VERY big book, but still done in one book.

Oh well. Good book.

Supernatural: Nevermore by Keith R.A. DeCandido

I love the CW series Supernatural. I actually stumbled onto the books based on the show on one of my regular searches I do at the bookstore every couple of months when I have some extra time at work, like covering the customer service person's break. I like to plug in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and look for any new books about that series. Well, disappointingly, other than graphic novels, which I'm not a huge fan of, there aren't any new books. But one thing I always do is to click on the authors names and see what other books they might have out. Keith DeCandido has written one or two Buffy books, and I enjoyed them, so when I clicked on his name and found a Supernatural novel, well, I immediately went to the SciFi section to find it. And I bought it of course.

I like how this book was set between two episodes of the show, instead of just totally recapping an episode like some tv show novels do. What's also great is that they tell you what two episodes it is supposed to be between.

Anyway, as you might have guessed from the title, there is a supernatural mystery having to do with Edgar Allen Poe. First there is a murder when a person is bricked up inside a wall and left to die. Then an orangutan kills a person. While the boys are there, they catch the suspect in the act of burying body parts under the floorboards of an apartment. All these are part of a supposed ritual proposed by a "fake" psychic guy to raise the dead, in this case, trying to raise Edgar Allen Poe. At the same time, they're helping out a friend of their friend Ash, the computer geek back at Jo and Ellen's bar. He's an old hippie/rocker guy who has a ghost in his house every night after his band has a gig. So they're staying with the guy, instead of their normal cheap motel room, trying to find out who his ghost is and get rid of her.

The story was good, and did have some of the normal humor. But unfortunately, what is so good about Dean's humor on the show, is his facial expressions and the way he delivers the lines. While I can kind of see that in my head as I read, it's just not the same. After watching a new episode of Supernatural last night, and enjoying Dean so much I literally laughed out loud, I understood just where the book came out flat. I do have 2 more books based on the series, and I will enjoy reading them too anyway. Don't think they're both by this same author, but I'm sure they'll still be good.

Separation Anxiety by Karen Brichoux

For chick lit, this was very depressing. Yeah, you know the girl is always going to have issues, and the book will start that way. But this chick had a totally messed up life and we got to see all the dirty laundry. And you don't quite get why she has to separate herself from her best friend Jonz. He seems like an awesome guy. I know, I know, part of it is the girl finding out what she's lost and going back in the end, but it's just really hard to sympathize with the main character in this book. While some of her thought processes do resonate with this single girl, too depressing for me to really enjoy. I did finish as I wanted to know if there would be any happiness. And it did have a pretty good chick lit ending.

Not much else to say.

Under the Dome by Stephen King

Finally finished all 1074 pages of this huge novel. Really, it's actually about the size of another Stephen King novel, It, my favorite King novel of all time. It's longer than Breaking Dawn, or any of the Harry Potter novels as well. It was good once I got into it, and it isn't that it was hard to read that took me so long, just that it was so hard to hold! As I got halfway through I got to the point where I wanted to be reading it during commercials and not just at the table when I was eating. I even brought it to school one day this past week to read during my lunch break. The story was really good, and I didn't think that the early on hints that it was aliens would actually be what it turned out to be. I kinda thought maybe the "Chef" guy who ran the huge secretly town funded meth lab would be some kind of inventor who created that. And the thing about a Stephen King book is that every time you think, finally a break for the good guys, nope, there's a bad guy/thing there ready to spoil it and close that door. You just keep going and going and the last 400 pages are like htat over and over it seems.

So, I definitely recommend this. It reminds me a bit of one of his other alien books, what is the name of it, um, The Tommyknockers. Just because of the whole alien bit. I liked all the attention to what would happen inside the dome from no fresh air, or water, and the pollution and all that. Anyway, if you like Stephen King, go ahead and jump into this huge tome. It'll be worth it.

Now, a note, at my Weight Watchers meeting yesterday morning, our leader talked about seeing Julie and Julia and how she decided to do something similar and cook all the way through a WW cookbook. I'm thinking of doing something similar. But I will only cook the things I want to eat. If I do it, I'll just go straight through the book and cook what I'd actually eat. So I'll let you know when I get started with that, and maybe blog about that too. Right now I'm at a point where even though I have tons of books that I haven't read, sitting waiting to be picked up, when I go to decided what to read next, I have trouble finding anything I think I want to read for sure. What I've picked to read have all turned out good, it was sometimes just getting started.

Miss Understanding by Stephanie Lessing

I actually began this book awhile ago. It was one that I left in my master bathroom to read during bubble baths. But as I was reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels, it sat there waiting to be finished. This book was purchased when I got the crazy idea to search for chick lit books that were bargain that I could actually order into the bookstore I think I still work at.

What can I say about this book? It was one of the strangest, most outlandish main characters I think I've EVER read in a chick lit book. First the way she dressed, the ideas she had. I can't even describe how crazy they are. Her sister, also as crazy as can be. Normally I try not to give main points away, but like me, if you were to read it, you would determine before she really does that she's pregnant. And some of the gross things she talks about that happen to her body during this time? Just yuck. Can't say much about it. I'll probaby give it to my sister to read since we share all this type of book. But mainly I just have to say it was weird. I'm glad it was only $4.98 plus my 30% discount. It won't be a book I keep, and I probably won't look for any more books by this author either.

I should hopefully finish my Stephen King book tonight or tomorrow. I intend to read it during commercials as I sit home like I normally do on Tuesday nights. Oh yeah, had a sonogram/ultrasound today due to some health issues. Now, you see things about this in movies and on tv all the time when someone is pregnant. (I'm NOT pregnant, that would be an immaculate conception at this time in my life). But what was horrible about it is that you have to drink 32 ounces of water and be done an hour before time, and then you CAN'T go to the bathroom!! I was literally dancing back and forth in the doctor's office waiting for them to do the procedure. Not fun. Why do they not ever talk about that aspect of sonograms in tv/movies? I can see a huge comedic aspect to something like that. Oh well, what do I know?

BTVS: One Thing or Your Mother by Kirsten Beyer

There was a time, probably early last year, when I still had a "reading schedule" set up. Every 10 or so books I'd read a Buffy the Vampire Slayer book (BTVS). Every 20 books I'd read a classic, every 5 books a nonfiction, etc. This was my way of broadening my book reading horizons. But then, things like reading for the Mark Twain list came along, and last spring I was really enjoying all the weight loss memoirs that I was reading and the inspiration they gave me at the time on my own weight loss journey.

Well, I decided to pick up a Buffy book to keep in my locker at the bookstore while I was reading the HUGE Stephen King novel at home. This was a fun book. While it wasn't a story from the show, it was in the season where Angel is Angelus. And the mayor is there, and Spike is getting ready to get back at Angelus. I like how all this was intertwined with things we knew from the show. And while I'd been reading the comics that were supposed to be season 8 of Buffy, I lost interest in those. I know that it's supposed to be so awesome that they can do so much more with comics that is unaffordable for a tv show, but to me it was just way too far out there. And I felt that the human sides of the stories, the things that made me laugh or cry when I watch the show were missing. So I stopped buying them and reading them.

This book was a fun one as I said. It was great to visit that world again. As I now seem to reside in either a Twilight or Sookie Stackhouse neighborhood I was reminded again why I love Buffy and considered putting the DVD's back in my bedroom tv so I could watch them and enjoy it again. And I may still do it. I'll be typing up at least one more book review tomorrow. And I'm getting close to the end of the Stephen King book as well.

Around the World in 80 Dates by Jennifer Cox

I've decided instead of numbering all of my book reviews, I'll just put the name in the title as I did with this. I don't always blog about all the books I read, partly because I reread books often, like the Twilight series, and Harry Potter whenever a new Harry Potter movie comes out.

Last year about this time I was reading all the weight loss memoirs I could get my hands on in my working on losing weight. Which I've not finished, but am still working on losing weight. I also have read dating/single life memoirs throughout the years as I've worked at Barnes and Noble and seen them in the store. This book happened to be in our clearance bins. While I promised myself I was not going to even look at those bins because I really don't need to buy anymore books, I looked, and am glad I did now. This book was really good. It made me wish I could travel around the world looking for love. It gave me an idea for the perfect job for my sister who loves to travel. And it also made me wish I had friends who would be willing to set me up with a guy in this same type of situation. Yet every guy people usually set me up with is overweight. And as I hate that trait in myself, and am working so hard to change it, I just can't see myself with someone who is overweight.

So, anyway, Jennifer Cox is the author. She lived in London and had just broken up with her latest boyfriend. She decided to try getting people to set her up around the world. And in the spirit of the book Around the World in 80 Days, she planned 80 dates throughout Europe, America, Asia, Austalia, and New Zealand. Lots of interesting dates. In fact, one she turned down was her Viking date, and he's actually one I wish I could hook up. His picture is one of a skinny, nerdy guy, but the way he talked about his archaeology of digging up Vikings was just the way I feel about things I'm passionate about and made me want to meet and date him. I wish there was some way I could contact her and get his info. She ended up meeting who would become her soulmate on date #55. But after discussing it with him, decided to go ahead and finish out her dates. In the end, she quit before the last 4 or 5, knowing she had found what she wanted, and wondering how many soul mates each person has, as one of the last ones she dated came to be really a possibility. But she wanted to give #55 a fair chance, and it seems he is the one. There were a few pages I marked, so let me include parts of those next.

After date #11 she realized that she didn't want to morph or be molded into someone else. She wanted to find someone else like herself, a soul mate she could relate to. And that is me too. I want someone like me that will like me for the way I am.

Date #20 was with the person who won the Dear Juliet letter. There is a movie coming out about a letter written to Juliet, and people actually do write these letters and leave them in Verona, and there are actually volunteers who read and sometimes answer, and even pick a winner. After helping read the letters, this is something Jennifer said:

"As terrible as it sounds, I suspected I would find dating an intensely romantic man a bit claustrophobic and annoying; all that fetching and carrying and fussing around would get on my nerves. Either that or I'd assume they'd done something really bad and were overcompensating. I know, why I'm still single is a mystery to me, too."

That last line is so something I have to say to myself a lot whenever I say something so picky like she said. It made me laugh out loud. But then later, when she's trying to decide if she's being too picky, I have to agree with her there too. If you don't like someone and can't enjoy their company, what other reason do you have for being with them? Like she says, I want a boyfriend who makes me happy, and that I can make happy in return.

Anyway, I really, really recommend this book. It's a great story about love, as well as just a fun look at how single women think. It also clued me into the Burning Man Festival, which several people commented that they can't see me going to that, but I'm open to a lot more stuff than other people think.

And so now, I'll have another book review tomorrow, too tired to write it tonight, and I'm still working on the new Stephen King book.