July 13, 2018 EVERYDAY I WRITE THE BOOK

2 years. Can't believe The Belle of the Book just marked its second year!! Over 25,000 views from all over the world. Even been--liked--retweeted--messaged--by several authors whose books I've reviewed. VERY COOL.  When I started this blog--I had a dream.  I really wanted to MATCH BOOKS WITH PEOPLE--A CAREER CHANGE. Then low and behold--I was reading the New York Times Book Review a few months ago and--SOMEONE STOLE MY IDEA.  They have a new column called Dear Match Book--SO CLEVER. Tears literally formed in my eyes--pretty sure I screamed and had a temper tantrum too!  I had a VAGUE IDEA--but someone else MADE it a REALITY.  UGH!! It's sort of like a Dear Abby column. People write to Match Book about their BOOK LIVES and ask her for literary advice and book recommendations. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?! I get a pit in my stomach EVERY time I read the column. Shaking my head--cursing myself. I knew it was a good idea. In Kristin Hannah's new book The Great Alone, Ernt Allbright thinks it's a good idea to move his family to Alaska but quickly realizes they are completely unprepared for the harshness of the land.

Ernt Allbright is damaged. He is a POW from the Vietnam War who comes home a different man. After receiving a letter that he has been left land in Kenai, Alaska, Ernt impulsively packs the VW van and moves his family to Alaska. Although his wife Cora and thirteen year old daughter Leni have no interest in Alaska, they hope the move will help their emotionally scarred, abusive father escape his demons. With the help of other homesteaders, including Large Marge and Mr. Walker, the Allbrights learn how to survive their first winter when they have 18 hours of night and Ernt's mental state is challenged. This is a frightening sometimes troubling story of love, survival, loss and human resilience. Don't want to say too much more because I don't want to give anything else away. This is a must read. The descriptions of the Alaskan scenery,  untamed wilderness and stark conditions come alive through Hannah's words. This novel is about 420 pages--but it's a real page turner--so it's about a 4 mile run that you will not be able to put it down. Seriously.

July 6, 2018 MOTHER'S MILK

Mammograms. The only thing WORSE than getting your breast squeezed flatter THAN a pancake is perhaps--a colonoscopy prep or child birth. OUCH. So this BREAST SCREENING TECHNICIAN-deftly maneuvers MY saggy boob--twists it and shapes it--much like pizza dough--so it fits-- JUST SO-- into this machine. Then she puts on her DR. FRANKENSTEIN GOGGLES--CRANKS THE MACHINE-- asks over and over again--IS THIS TOO TIGHT??  Choking back tears, I nod--OKAY--even though I can HARDLY breathe. NOT KIDDING. Then she actually tells me to STOP BREATHING and snaps a pic. After barely surviving PHASE ONE-- it's off to the BREAST IMAGING EXPERT for an ultrasound because I have DENSE TISSUE--Who knew?? This involves traversing several hallways-- pretty sure I'm in the basement of the hospital NOW. Seriously. It feels like I'm in a TWILIGHT ZONE EPISODE. I'm strapped to a bed--FREEZING COLD GOO is spread all over my boobs--AND SOME weird contraption starts taking "ADDITIONAL PICTURES". Sounds suspicious right?? I'm pretty sure NO ONE wants additional pictures of these BAD BOYS. AHHH! The indignity of it all.

Maya Anderson, one of the central characters in Fredrik Backman's novel Beartown  faced humiliation and shame but in this sequel Us Against You she finally gets redemption.

I'm a huge fan of Backman and have read all of his novels. Loved Beartown and was thrilled to hear that he wrote a sequel because I loved the town and characters in the first book. So Beartown is a tiny town in Canada that lives--breathes--eats--HOCKEY. This is a poor town--always the underdog. Peter Anderson is the General Manager of the team who lives in Beartown with his wife Kira, daughter Maya and son Leo. After a brutal rape in their small community involving Maya, the team is threatened and the town is virtually torn into factions. Us and Them explores the aftermath as many of the players leave the club to play for the rival town, Hed. Others struggles with guilt and the consequences of doing the right thing. After the team is officially disbanded, a stranger comes into town to start a new team with a new coach who plan to stage a comeback against Hed. His new team includes, Amat, Bobo, Benji from the first book as well as several new players. This is a story about hockey but it's so much more. It's also the story of  people--lifers in a town they love. They are loyal,  determined, quirky--everyday people we all know--insightful and comforting to be around. Make sure to read Beartown first so that you can truly appreciate the whole experience. Us Against You is about 400 pages--or a 5 mile run--that I am truly enjoying. Happy reading. 

July 1, 2018 IT'S A HEATWAVE

CRAZY. Who closes OCEAN AVE on one of the busiest weekends of the summer??? Virtually held prisoner in my own home. The traffic was backed up for at least 6 HOURS--ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST DAYS OF THE YEAR.  Wonder who was responsible for that BRILLIANT  IDEA?? It doesn't take a ROCKET SCIENTIST to know how idiotic that was. AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE MAKING MAJOR DECISIONS IN OUR WORLD TODAY.  Hello--My dog would know  better than to close a major road on a SUMMER WEEKEND--especially BEFORE JULY 4TH. If I were smarter--I WOULDA let people park in my front yard--$25 dollars a car.  SHOULDA had a lemonade/beer stand going too.  Coulda made a fortune--possibly retire. COULDA--SHOULDA--WOULDA.  Don't worry though--I'll be ready the next time some BUREAUCRATIC BRAINIAC  tries to impress us with his BRILLIANCE. Okay--so my  imprisonment wasn't SO BAD--I had an excuse to sit and finish  the International Bestseller I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh.

 After 5 year old Jacob is killed one rainy afternoon in a hit-and-run accident, Jenna Gray quickly moves to a remote coast in Wales to escape the memory of the accident and start a new life. In the meantime, Bristol police officers are trying to piece together the accident and bring the culprit to justice. The chapters alternate between Jenna and the police investigation as Jenna struggles to start over and the police inch closer and closer to discovering what really happened on the day Jacob was killed. Don't want to give much more away but will say that this chilling novel has a plot twist that I never saw coming. It's an easy read of about 370 pages or a 4 mile run that will leave you shaking your head. WOW.

June 27, 2018 TIME IN A BOTTLE

Time. It's something I think about often. I guess the older I get--the more I appreciate time. I'm no longer willing to waste it. I've become more selfish with it because I finally realize that time comes with NO money back guarantee--can't buy more or extend the policy--so there's no sense wasting it doing something--I DON'T WANT TO DO. When I was younger--I had a hard time saying NO--and then I would be angry with myself because I was DOING SOMETHING I DIDN'T WANT TO DO--A-G-A-I-N. Thankfully--I've gotten much better at just saying NO--and let go of that STUPID GUILT I used to feel when I said NO. Guilt--IS JUST ANOTHER WASTE OF TIME.  It's just negative energy that messes with your mind and keeps you from appreciating time and spending it wisely. NOW--My definition of spending time wisely would obviously include-- READ A LOT OF BOOKS--especially the one I just finished and LOVED called Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo.

Set in Lagos, Nigeria, Yejide and Akin fell in love and married while attending university.  Akin is expected to take many wives and have several sons, however, they have decided to have a monogamous marriage. Unfortunately, after 4 years of marriage and a host of visits to fertility doctors and healers, Yejide is still not pregnant. Due to mounting pressure from his family, Akin reluctantly agrees to take a second wife leaving Yejide feeling betrayed. Yejide and Akin realize that the only way to save their marriage is to get pregnant. Begging the question-- how far are they willing to go to get Yejide pregnant??  How much should they have to sacrifice for the sake of family and tradition? This incredible story is told in first person and alternatives between the voices of Yejide and Akin as they tell the story of their marriage in the wake of political unrest in Lagos. Ultimately, this is a story about infertility, loneliness and how they both attempt to save their marriage but somehow almost tear it apart. This  book is so powerful and disturbing that I could hardly put it down and it is still lingering in the back of your mind. It's been 3 or 4 days and I haven't been able to start another book--seriously. I'm hoping that by writing about it, I can finally let it go and move on to my next book. It's about 260 pages --or a 3.5 mile run--that should be moved to the top of your summer reading list!

June 23, 2018 THE BARE NECESSITIES

Healthy and Happy-- That's what I say whenever I'm asked about my family--because those are the only things that TRULY matter.  As long as they are healthy and relatively happy I can breathe a sigh of relief. By healthy--I don't just mean physical health-- also mental health. Far too many people are suffering the debilitating effects of mental illness today.  Just take a look at Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. Two people who seemingly had it all together. Stars in their own right with children and plenty of money.  Both SEEMED to have it all but something was STILL MISSING. Many believe that money solves everything--NO WAY. Money can't buy health or happiness.  Be thankful for your mental and physical health today. Don't take it for granted--if you see someone struggling--BE KIND--OFFER A HAND. Remember-- it's all a crapshoot--There but for the grace of God go I. 

Greer Kadetsky, one of the protagonists in Meg Wolitzer's new novel The Female Persuasion struggles to help her boyfriend when he experiences difficulty after the death of his brother by a family member. Greer and her boyfriend Cory are the brightest of the bunch. Both plan to go to ivy league schools and have a great life. Unfortunately, Greer's hippie parents haven't saved a dime so she's off to a second rate school in Connecticut called Ryland. There, she meets Zee--a lesbian ultra feminist who takes Greer to an event on campus where she meets Faith Frank--a famous champion of the Women's Rights Movement since the 1960's. After college, Cory goes to seek his fortune while Greer gets a job working for Faith--her mentor--at a foundation that raises awareness of women's issue. While working at the foundation, Greer must come to terms with many issues including her own betrayal of her friend Zee and the untimely death of Cory's little brother. Wolitzer weaves a well written story  by alternating the voices of Greer, Zee, Cory and Faith where we learn lessons about loyalty, influence, power, betrayal, ambition as well as the history and status of  women's rights today. This novel is about 460 pages --or a 6 mile run-- that explores many themes that a relevant today.

June 19, 2018 SHE'S A MAN EATER

New London Mall. 1981. On my sixteenth birthday--I walked into Papa Gino's--filled out an application--got my first official job. At that time THE NEW LONDON MALL WAS IT. There was NO Crystal Mall--YET. They had Orange Julius, Pepperidge Farm, The Paperback Booksmith, Hallmark, London Luggage, Tobacco Village, David's Hair International, D & L, Two Guys, Thom McAn --and an ESCALATOR AT THE OUTLET. I would go there JUST to ride the escalator--AND visit THE TALKING CHRISTMAS TREE!! Such great memories. I loved working at Papa Gino's--and learned SO many valuable things--cleaning grease traps, making dough, running a grill and MAKING PIZZAS. I  can vividly remember standing at the pizza station with my boss Lisa making pizzas from 5-9 every Friday night with Hall & Oates blaring on the Jukebox. It was CRAZY BUSY--slaving over a 500 degree oven for $3.35 an hour.  I will BE FOREVER grateful to Lisa for everything she did for me. In addition to hiring me, she taught me to be responsible and take pride in my work. She treated her employees as family and hosted several picnics for us every summer. The most important thing she did for me though sounds crazy. She ACTUALLY co-signed my first car loan. She trusted me and knew I wouldn't let her down. Thanks for giving me a chance all those years ago. 

 Erika, one of the main characters in Liane Moriarty's novel Truly Madly Guilty is feeling grateful too for her friendship with Clementine until tragedy threatens their childhood bond. As this story unfolds, Three seemingly happy families gather for a last minute barbecue in an Australian suburb. Erika and Oliver are the childless, successful couple who live next door to Vid and Tiffany. Vid is a big personality who loves a party. On a whim, he invites Erika and Oliver over for a cookout. They agree to come after Vid includes their other friends Sam and Clementine and two young daughters. The premise of the story is that  something happens at the cookout that leaves each family struggling. Their feelings are a complicated mess between guilt,  blame and lust that threatens to break families and friendships apart. This is the story of marriage, friendship, guilt, parenthood and how some seemingly innocent event  changed the landscape of their lives forever. I enjoyed this book but thought it was a little too long. I had to keep reading though because I had to find out what happened at the cookout that changed each family so drastically. I did enjoy the book and think you will too. It's about 540 pages--or a 5-6 mile run--that you will have to finish to fully understand and appreciate. Enjoy!

June 11, 2018 PROBLEM CHILD

Why do our kids make THEIR problems--OUR problems?? How did this happen?? Why me?? Don't they know I JUST WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE.  Kids today are CLUELESS. They can't DO ANYTHING FOR THEMSELVES--and it's OUR FAULT. We DID/DO TOO MUCH FOR THEM. God forbid they should be UNHAPPY or STRESSED for a whole second!! I'm telling you this from EXPERIENCE. Whenever  one my "adult-aged kids" has any TEENY-- TINY problem or feels the least bit STRESSED--it SOMEHOW becomes my problem.  I've tried  to hide BEHIND books--go on EVEN longer runs--even "forget" to charge my cell. BUT THEY STILL FIND ME. They have some special DRIVE YOUR MOTHER INSANE RADAR. They're DETERMINED to get me involved--Stress me out--make me anxious--infuriate me. WHY?? WILL THEY EVER LEARN?? WILL I EVER LEARN?? It's too late for me. BUT--if you're a parent of the next generation--HEED MY ADVICE--DO NOTHING FOR YOUR KIDS. MAKE THEM FIGURE IT ALL OUT--LIKE WE HAD TO DO. I promise you--THEY'LL BE BETTER FOR IT and SO WILL YOU.

One way I've learned to cope with annoying children is to escape in a funny book--so that's what I did in Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher.  The main character in this epistolary style novel is Jason Fitger, a professor of creative writing and literature at a small college in the Midwest. Jason is a middle aged, disillusioned professor with serious "women problems" who lets loose in the endless letters he is called upon to write for students and colleagues. His recommendations/letters are brutally honest, passive aggressive and laugh out-loud funny as he not only writes recommendations, but also somehow recounts his once promising career,  romantic life which is a disaster, and the budget cuts that continue to eat away at his department.  He has really hit rock bottom-- as seen in his hysterically crazy letters. So,  if you're looking for a good laugh than you should give this novel of 192 pages a try. It's an easy read--about a 2.5 miles. I will leave you with another word of advice: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IN A QUIET, STAID ENVIRONMENT UNLESS YOU WANT TO MAKE A SCENE.