September72011
Bitter Is The New Black: A Memoir Jen Lancaster Being laid off after the terror attacks of 9/11 was difficult for all, but with when you have a shopping addiction to designer labels it’s a little more difficult to give it all up. After being told of her promotion that would be taking place in the next few days Jennifer Lancaster is laid off, much to her own surprise. Learning to be on a tight budget and not to indulge in haircuts and highlights is difficult for her and her boyfriend, Fletch, after bring in two dogs from a local shelter. One of her many hilarious ways to get some quick cash is to get married to Fletch. The wedding isn’t as perfect as she hopes, seeing how the hotel they stay at in Las Vegas is home to the Adult Entertainment Expo the very same weekend.  This is just one of the many stories that fill the pages of this lovely memoir. Living in Chicago, Jen’s life is an endless game of changes in her career (or lack there of), love life, and even location. The memoir covers her daily life from 2001 to 2003. In lack of a career, Jen started a website to vent about her unemployed life and the companies that haven’t given her a chance or put her through many interviews, only to not be hired. Lancaster pulls the website in the book by putting in parts of her blog and some of the emails that were exchanges between her and some of her readers. The memoir gives hope to those who are in between jobs and careers. She shows the readers to explore your passions during this down period and that is where a new career can stem. Exploring volunteering options are also a great outlet for those who have free time to spare due to the recession and lack of jobs. Lancaster also gives hope to those who are looking for a path during and after college.

Bitter Is The New Black: A Memoir

Jen Lancaster

Being laid off after the terror attacks of 9/11 was difficult for all, but with when you have a shopping addiction to designer labels it’s a little more difficult to give it all up. After being told of her promotion that would be taking place in the next few days Jennifer Lancaster is laid off, much to her own surprise. Learning to be on a tight budget and not to indulge in haircuts and highlights is difficult for her and her boyfriend, Fletch, after bring in two dogs from a local shelter. One of her many hilarious ways to get some quick cash is to get married to Fletch. The wedding isn’t as perfect as she hopes, seeing how the hotel they stay at in Las Vegas is home to the Adult Entertainment Expo the very same weekend.  This is just one of the many stories that fill the pages of this lovely memoir.

Living in Chicago, Jen’s life is an endless game of changes in her career (or lack there of), love life, and even location. The memoir covers her daily life from 2001 to 2003. In lack of a career, Jen started a website to vent about her unemployed life and the companies that haven’t given her a chance or put her through many interviews, only to not be hired. Lancaster pulls the website in the book by putting in parts of her blog and some of the emails that were exchanges between her and some of her readers.

The memoir gives hope to those who are in between jobs and careers. She shows the readers to explore your passions during this down period and that is where a new career can stem. Exploring volunteering options are also a great outlet for those who have free time to spare due to the recession and lack of jobs. Lancaster also gives hope to those who are looking for a path during and after college.

August202011
The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory Anne of Cleves was sent from her home and family in Germany to marry one of the most notorious womanizers in history, Henry VIII, the King of England himself.  She was 24 years old when she was chosen and raised to be polite and conservative, unlike anything Henry was prepared for. Being new to England, Anne had many challenges to overcome including learning a new language, English, when hardly anyone in her court spoke German and learning the English lifestyle to become a beloved Queen that she would never had the chance to be. Lady Rochford, Jane Boleyn, had sent her husband and sister-in-law to the butcher’s block to save the supposed Boleyn fortune. The Duke of Norfolk, Jane Boleyn and Katherine Howard’s uncle, summoned Jane back to court to help with the arrival of the new Queen Anne, but little did Jane know that she would be another pawn in his game to bring the new Queen down. With the arrival of fourteen-year-old Katherine Howard to Anne’s court Henry is quickly fooled by her beauty and conveyed innocence. Soon after his wedding to Anne, Henry has the union annulled to marry his “rose without thorns”, Katherine.  Not wanting to return disgraced to Germany, Anne stays in England and watches the King fall more in love with Katherine and out of love quicker than the affair began. The novel follows the lives of these three women who are fighting to stay alive in the days where the King is mad, and will execute you for just about anything. With the court being a place of plotting and manipulating the women find their own paths to stay in the good graces of Henry. The women’s ambitions were only achieved if the men of the family or king allowed them to be, most of the time they were pushed aside and replaced by what the men wanted. Only constant begging would help achieve their goals, but doing so would put their own status on the line and possibly their life when it came to matters with the king. Secrets made life at court more interesting for the bored Ladies in Waiting and Maids in Waiting. When Katherine gained control of the court there were plenty of secrets to go around, and many from her not so innocent childhood started to swirl. The combination of secrets, plots, and lust add fuel to the fire in this already crazy court.   Philippa Gregory’s novel shines with passion and love for the English history that many people don’t know much about, except for the fact that Henry had six wives. Though the book isn’t 100% accurate, Gregory does her best to fill the pages with a more personal view on the horrors that Henry’s wives endured secretly and publicly. The novel was easy to follow with the switching of perspectives each chapter between the three women. The smallest of details bring the readers into the rich and vivid life at court without overwhelming them with to much detail. 

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

Anne of Cleves was sent from her home and family in Germany to marry one of the most notorious womanizers in history, Henry VIII, the King of England himself.  She was 24 years old when she was chosen and raised to be polite and conservative, unlike anything Henry was prepared for. Being new to England, Anne had many challenges to overcome including learning a new language, English, when hardly anyone in her court spoke German and learning the English lifestyle to become a beloved Queen that she would never had the chance to be. Lady Rochford, Jane Boleyn, had sent her husband and sister-in-law to the butcher’s block to save the supposed Boleyn fortune. The Duke of Norfolk, Jane Boleyn and Katherine Howard’s uncle, summoned Jane back to court to help with the arrival of the new Queen Anne, but little did Jane know that she would be another pawn in his game to bring the new Queen down. With the arrival of fourteen-year-old Katherine Howard to Anne’s court Henry is quickly fooled by her beauty and conveyed innocence. Soon after his wedding to Anne, Henry has the union annulled to marry his “rose without thorns”, Katherine.  Not wanting to return disgraced to Germany, Anne stays in England and watches the King fall more in love with Katherine and out of love quicker than the affair began.

The novel follows the lives of these three women who are fighting to stay alive in the days where the King is mad, and will execute you for just about anything. With the court being a place of plotting and manipulating the women find their own paths to stay in the good graces of Henry. The women’s ambitions were only achieved if the men of the family or king allowed them to be, most of the time they were pushed aside and replaced by what the men wanted. Only constant begging would help achieve their goals, but doing so would put their own status on the line and possibly their life when it came to matters with the king. Secrets made life at court more interesting for the bored Ladies in Waiting and Maids in Waiting. When Katherine gained control of the court there were plenty of secrets to go around, and many from her not so innocent childhood started to swirl. The combination of secrets, plots, and lust add fuel to the fire in this already crazy court.  

Philippa Gregory’s novel shines with passion and love for the English history that many people don’t know much about, except for the fact that Henry had six wives. Though the book isn’t 100% accurate, Gregory does her best to fill the pages with a more personal view on the horrors that Henry’s wives endured secretly and publicly. The novel was easy to follow with the switching of perspectives each chapter between the three women. The smallest of details bring the readers into the rich and vivid life at court without overwhelming them with to much detail. 
July52011
 What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen                 Mclean Sweet is a senior in high school with a lot of history. She has been moving around with her father for the last few years and been the new girl several times after her parent’s brutal divorce. With each new town she becomes a different person, Eliza the popular girl, Lizbeth the drama mama, and Beth the all around joiner. Her arrival to Lakeview leads to her being Mclean once again, but not by choice. This bunch of friends is different from the others she had left without even a goodbye, they found her and never let go. A boy genius trying to reclaim his teen years, Dave, a girl who was never accepted as the new girl, Deb, and even the stereotypical girl high school girl obsessed with clothes and boys, Heather, are just a few of the people she encounters in this quirky town. This is the first time she can be herself, who ever that is. With this group Mclean starts to re-evaluate her relationships with everyone: Dave, her mother, and even herself. Mclean’s relationships are the driving force in the novel. The mother-daughter dynamic is something that most everyone can relate to; it is full of resentment and tension. Her mother’s mistake is what led to the demise of the marriage and almost completely wrecking her relationship with Mclean. The love connection takes time to develop between Mclean and Dave, but every step closer they get brings new challenges for Mclean to face within herself, as each relationship does in real life. With the evolution of all the relationships it becomes clear that Mclean has been hiding emotions from herself and it’s time to come clean. Sarah Dessen brings the world of teen lit another great novel. The ease of reading the novel brings the feeling of knowing the characters on a personal level. The connections she makes to previous novels are subtle, like in all her other novels, with the appearance of Heidi and the beach town of Colby. At the close of the novel, Dessen ties it all in a nice bow, without being too cliché about it. With summer coming to an end, this novel is one to grab on the way to the beach for a nice relaxing read. 

 What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

                Mclean Sweet is a senior in high school with a lot of history. She has been moving around with her father for the last few years and been the new girl several times after her parent’s brutal divorce. With each new town she becomes a different person, Eliza the popular girl, Lizbeth the drama mama, and Beth the all around joiner. Her arrival to Lakeview leads to her being Mclean once again, but not by choice. This bunch of friends is different from the others she had left without even a goodbye, they found her and never let go. A boy genius trying to reclaim his teen years, Dave, a girl who was never accepted as the new girl, Deb, and even the stereotypical girl high school girl obsessed with clothes and boys, Heather, are just a few of the people she encounters in this quirky town. This is the first time she can be herself, who ever that is. With this group Mclean starts to re-evaluate her relationships with everyone: Dave, her mother, and even herself.

Mclean’s relationships are the driving force in the novel. The mother-daughter dynamic is something that most everyone can relate to; it is full of resentment and tension. Her mother’s mistake is what led to the demise of the marriage and almost completely wrecking her relationship with Mclean. The love connection takes time to develop between Mclean and Dave, but every step closer they get brings new challenges for Mclean to face within herself, as each relationship does in real life. With the evolution of all the relationships it becomes clear that Mclean has been hiding emotions from herself and it’s time to come clean.

Sarah Dessen brings the world of teen lit another great novel. The ease of reading the novel brings the feeling of knowing the characters on a personal level. The connections she makes to previous novels are subtle, like in all her other novels, with the appearance of Heidi and the beach town of Colby. At the close of the novel, Dessen ties it all in a nice bow, without being too cliché about it. With summer coming to an end, this novel is one to grab on the way to the beach for a nice relaxing read. 
May242011
When you lose everything in a day, what is there to live for? Jacob Jankowski is facing this question the moment he finds out about his parents deaths and the reading of the will. Jacob is left with nothing and finds himself running out of town the day he is supposed to take his final exams to become a certified veterinarian in the 1930’s.  Jacob decides to jump on a random train car and lands in the Benzini Brothers circus. He quickly finds himself in the company of the animal trainer, August, and his wife, Marlena, and living with a dwarf, Walter, and his dog, Queenie, in the horse car. While learning the ins and outs of the circus life the owner, Uncle Al, acquires what is known as a bull, an elephant in circus terms. Training the elephant is a challenge when Jacob is dealing with feelings for Marlena, who is to be performing with the bull and her husband. As relationships grow and the economic state of the circus is in question every day is filled with the pressure for success and deciding if standing up for what is right is worth losing everything.                 Sara Gruen creates a refresh look into the world of the circus during the Depression Era. Gruen uses the proper vocabulary of the circus during conversations that Jacob has with the other workers, whether they are performers or workmen, giving the novel a level of authenticity. She also brings in the aspect of prohibition and raids that were conducted in night clubs. Characters in the novel are more than 2D; they have depth that is weaved into the story and makes each one important in their own way. The story is set up in away where you learn about Jacob’s circus life in flashbacks while he is sleeping in a nursing home he despises, which is vital to seeing what is important to Jacob by seeing what stories he will tell with the nurses, which are few and far between. The romantic setting that Gruen creates is instant when Jacob sees Marlena for the first time. It is intense and forbidden, which drives the best love stories like Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra. The romantic setting and historical accuracy is what drives the novel into greatness. Water for Elephants is a novel that is sure to be a classic that will be read in future generations to come.

When you lose everything in a day, what is there to live for? Jacob Jankowski is facing this question the moment he finds out about his parents deaths and the reading of the will. Jacob is left with nothing and finds himself running out of town the day he is supposed to take his final exams to become a certified veterinarian in the 1930’s.  Jacob decides to jump on a random train car and lands in the Benzini Brothers circus. He quickly finds himself in the company of the animal trainer, August, and his wife, Marlena, and living with a dwarf, Walter, and his dog, Queenie, in the horse car. While learning the ins and outs of the circus life the owner, Uncle Al, acquires what is known as a bull, an elephant in circus terms. Training the elephant is a challenge when Jacob is dealing with feelings for Marlena, who is to be performing with the bull and her husband. As relationships grow and the economic state of the circus is in question every day is filled with the pressure for success and deciding if standing up for what is right is worth losing everything.

                Sara Gruen creates a refresh look into the world of the circus during the Depression Era. Gruen uses the proper vocabulary of the circus during conversations that Jacob has with the other workers, whether they are performers or workmen, giving the novel a level of authenticity. She also brings in the aspect of prohibition and raids that were conducted in night clubs. Characters in the novel are more than 2D; they have depth that is weaved into the story and makes each one important in their own way. The story is set up in away where you learn about Jacob’s circus life in flashbacks while he is sleeping in a nursing home he despises, which is vital to seeing what is important to Jacob by seeing what stories he will tell with the nurses, which are few and far between.

The romantic setting that Gruen creates is instant when Jacob sees Marlena for the first time. It is intense and forbidden, which drives the best love stories like Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra. The romantic setting and historical accuracy is what drives the novel into greatness. Water for Elephants is a novel that is sure to be a classic that will be read in future generations to come.
April152011
Cloaked by Alex Flinn             From Manolo Blahnik to Converse, Johnny Marco has seen them all and can fix them.  Johnny and his mother run a shoe repair store in a hotel that is about to go under located in South Beach. With his father missing, Johnny takes it upon himself to save the family business, even if it means creating his own line of women’s shoes with scraps of the forgotten ones in the store. When a fellow employee from the hotel convinces him to leave his post at the shop to see the arrival of a Princess, he becomes a little obsessed with getting her to wear his shoes. When she asks him fix her shoes and bring them personally to her, he hopes he might actually get the chance to see his shoes on her feet. Then the unexpected happens, she asks him to go on a quest to find her brother who was turned into a frog. To make some quick cash, Johnny agrees to the quest, and if Johnny finds her brother the Princess said she would marry him. If he isn’t able to find the frog, the Princess will have to marry a ruthless prince that would most likely kill her before the honeymoon is over. Meg, his best friend since he can remember, helps him with his quest throughout the Florida Keys. She does everything that she can to help Johnny finish his quest for the Princess, even if it means losing Johnny as a friend. Johnny battles giants, witches, and even his own feelings for his best friend with a quirky flare and some help from “used-to-bes”, which are humans that were turned into animals. Without realizing it, Johnny becomes a reluctant hero in the end that readers will fall in love with.             Alex Flinn’s new novel combines classic fairy tales with more of the obscure ones to create a magical world for her characters. She showed the readers that not all fairy tales end with the Princess getting married and living happily ever after. Reality and true love grounds this novel, even with the magical elements that are constantly occurring to the quiet hero and his dynamic best friend. Flinn’s sparkle shines through in this delightful, light novel. Cloaked is the perfect novel to lounge on the beach while enjoying the sun with the upcoming summer. 

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

            From Manolo Blahnik to Converse, Johnny Marco has seen them all and can fix them.  Johnny and his mother run a shoe repair store in a hotel that is about to go under located in South Beach. With his father missing, Johnny takes it upon himself to save the family business, even if it means creating his own line of women’s shoes with scraps of the forgotten ones in the store. When a fellow employee from the hotel convinces him to leave his post at the shop to see the arrival of a Princess, he becomes a little obsessed with getting her to wear his shoes. When she asks him fix her shoes and bring them personally to her, he hopes he might actually get the chance to see his shoes on her feet. Then the unexpected happens, she asks him to go on a quest to find her brother who was turned into a frog. To make some quick cash, Johnny agrees to the quest, and if Johnny finds her brother the Princess said she would marry him. If he isn’t able to find the frog, the Princess will have to marry a ruthless prince that would most likely kill her before the honeymoon is over. Meg, his best friend since he can remember, helps him with his quest throughout the Florida Keys. She does everything that she can to help Johnny finish his quest for the Princess, even if it means losing Johnny as a friend. Johnny battles giants, witches, and even his own feelings for his best friend with a quirky flare and some help from “used-to-bes”, which are humans that were turned into animals. Without realizing it, Johnny becomes a reluctant hero in the end that readers will fall in love with.

            Alex Flinn’s new novel combines classic fairy tales with more of the obscure ones to create a magical world for her characters. She showed the readers that not all fairy tales end with the Princess getting married and living happily ever after. Reality and true love grounds this novel, even with the magical elements that are constantly occurring to the quiet hero and his dynamic best friend. Flinn’s sparkle shines through in this delightful, light novel. Cloaked is the perfect novel to lounge on the beach while enjoying the sun with the upcoming summer. 
8PM
Onward by Howard Schultz             Starbucks is a company that holds a place in many people’s heart as their third place; first place is home, second is work and third is a combination of both. When problems started to occur with the economic climate people to spent less time and money at third places, like Starbucks. Many companies suffered and this is the story on how Starbucks not only survived the new economic climate, but turned themselves around and created a new image for themselves. Coming back to the CEO position in 2008 was a year long journey for Howard Schultz that he didn’t expect to do when he stepped down in 2000. The choice to come back came from falling daily sales and the increasing number of problems plaguing the stores, like the burnt cheese from the sandwiches and lack of actual coffee smell in the stores. During 2007, Howard assembled a team to help with his return, which without he would have came back looking like he was bored and was coming back just because he didn’t have anything else to do. After his return he quickly realized that there were a lot more problems that needed to be dealt with, like a shortage of Ethos water throughout the Midwest which was the result of a bad supply and delivery chain. Howard came back with passion and the drive to fix the problems at hand without compromising the values of the company he was protecting. The first months and years back as CEO was hard emotionally on Howard because the company needed to layoff many partners; employees at Starbucks are called partners because they hold stock in the company.  The book is a firsthand account of the problems and changes that Howard Schultz encountered while bring the company back to its former glory.             Howard Schultz is an inspiring writer and storyteller. The way Howard tells his side of the story, readers feel as if they are experiencing it with him and not just being told what happened. While reading there are moments that are so uplifting and inspiring to a young entrepreneurs and seasoned professionals alike. Howard shows readers that being passionate isn’t a bad thing and that assembling the right team is vital. This is one book that needs to be on every business owner’s book shelves if only for the fact to remind them that mistakes are something that you shouldn’t hide from but learn from grow, like the bottle that sits on Howard’s desk from a carbonated coffee drink that never took off.

Onward by Howard Schultz

            Starbucks is a company that holds a place in many people’s heart as their third place; first place is home, second is work and third is a combination of both. When problems started to occur with the economic climate people to spent less time and money at third places, like Starbucks. Many companies suffered and this is the story on how Starbucks not only survived the new economic climate, but turned themselves around and created a new image for themselves.

Coming back to the CEO position in 2008 was a year long journey for Howard Schultz that he didn’t expect to do when he stepped down in 2000. The choice to come back came from falling daily sales and the increasing number of problems plaguing the stores, like the burnt cheese from the sandwiches and lack of actual coffee smell in the stores. During 2007, Howard assembled a team to help with his return, which without he would have came back looking like he was bored and was coming back just because he didn’t have anything else to do. After his return he quickly realized that there were a lot more problems that needed to be dealt with, like a shortage of Ethos water throughout the Midwest which was the result of a bad supply and delivery chain. Howard came back with passion and the drive to fix the problems at hand without compromising the values of the company he was protecting. The first months and years back as CEO was hard emotionally on Howard because the company needed to layoff many partners; employees at Starbucks are called partners because they hold stock in the company.  The book is a firsthand account of the problems and changes that Howard Schultz encountered while bring the company back to its former glory.

            Howard Schultz is an inspiring writer and storyteller. The way Howard tells his side of the story, readers feel as if they are experiencing it with him and not just being told what happened. While reading there are moments that are so uplifting and inspiring to a young entrepreneurs and seasoned professionals alike. Howard shows readers that being passionate isn’t a bad thing and that assembling the right team is vital. This is one book that needs to be on every business owner’s book shelves if only for the fact to remind them that mistakes are something that you shouldn’t hide from but learn from grow, like the bottle that sits on Howard’s desk from a carbonated coffee drink that never took off.
March242011
Secret Diary of A Call Girl By Anonymous Belle De Jour, a London call girl, makes reading non-fiction bearable for someone who doesn’t read non-fiction. We all hear stories about politicians and celebrities getting caught with call girls but we never get to hear about the life of the call girl, just the life of the politician or celebrity. Belle has a humorous voice while writing about a serious subject. She is informative about what goes into being a call girl, everything from prep to how the manager takes in clients. It is a very long process and it really is a full time job. The book only covers a short amount of time of Belle’s regular daily life. Every month in the book she gives her own ABC’s to being a call girl, for example C is for Cash. Belle got into the business like many others, the pure need of money. After graduating from university she couldn’t find a job and turned to what she liked to do. Her first client wasn’t even planned, it just sort of happened and after that she took a liking to it. She found a manager, took some beauty shots, and was up online. The book describes all her different relationships, her past and her own advice, like what kind of knickers she prefers and waxing verses shaving. The relationships she had in the book are ones that everyone can relate to, like a stalker ex, the best friends, and the strained relationship Belle had with her parents. The way Belle approaches life is very unique. She embraces her lifestyle and isn’t ashamed of what she does. She isn’t a drug addict or abused, like many call girls are, she just hates the mundane life of the nine to five workers. Her own love of books led to her writing this one. Belle set up the book so that every day wasn’t the same thing; she includes different conversations with clients, personal definitions, and her own past. The book teaches readers not settle for an ordinary, boring job but to find a career that they love and that they are passionate about.  

Secret Diary of A Call Girl By Anonymous

Belle De Jour, a London call girl, makes reading non-fiction bearable for someone who doesn’t read non-fiction. We all hear stories about politicians and celebrities getting caught with call girls but we never get to hear about the life of the call girl, just the life of the politician or celebrity. Belle has a humorous voice while writing about a serious subject. She is informative about what goes into being a call girl, everything from prep to how the manager takes in clients. It is a very long process and it really is a full time job. The book only covers a short amount of time of Belle’s regular daily life. Every month in the book she gives her own ABC’s to being a call girl, for example C is for Cash.

Belle got into the business like many others, the pure need of money. After graduating from university she couldn’t find a job and turned to what she liked to do. Her first client wasn’t even planned, it just sort of happened and after that she took a liking to it. She found a manager, took some beauty shots, and was up online. The book describes all her different relationships, her past and her own advice, like what kind of knickers she prefers and waxing verses shaving. The relationships she had in the book are ones that everyone can relate to, like a stalker ex, the best friends, and the strained relationship Belle had with her parents.

The way Belle approaches life is very unique. She embraces her lifestyle and isn’t ashamed of what she does. She isn’t a drug addict or abused, like many call girls are, she just hates the mundane life of the nine to five workers. Her own love of books led to her writing this one. Belle set up the book so that every day wasn’t the same thing; she includes different conversations with clients, personal definitions, and her own past. The book teaches readers not settle for an ordinary, boring job but to find a career that they love and that they are passionate about.  
March182011
Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly Everyone has a story, either tragic and depressing or beautiful and exciting. Andi Alpers’s story is the tragic and depressing one. Andi has been through a lot in the last few years of her life: she lost her brother, Truman, her mother went crazy, and her father left the family for another woman after the death of Truman. Andi did what a lot others do, she turned to music and drugs that she was prescribed by her doctor. Before Truman’s death she was an A student but now she is struggling to graduate on time with the rest of her class. It is winter break of her senior year, just one semester away from graduation, and her father takes her away to Paris to finish her senior project and get her mind off the death. While in Paris Andi finds a diary belonging to a woman, Alex, who lived two centuries ago during the French Revolution and Reign of Terror. Once she begins reading the diary she starts to build a strong connection to Alex and the French Revolution. Andi also finds herself with a group of musicians that show her how to live, really live and not just making it through the day. Virgil, the rapper of the group, seems to be always popping up around her and showing her how beautiful life can be even when bad things happen.   Jennifer Donnelly’s novel was mesmerizing and mysterious. It also shows the reader how one girl, Alex, can fight for someone she loved even during the darkest moments of France’s history. Andi’s journey through depression in the novel is one that many can relate to. The way that Donnelly connects the two girls in a beautiful and poetic way through the catacombs of Paris is inspiring. Donnelly is very thorough when creating the supporting characters around the two leading ladies. Many authors don’t give great particulars on minor a character, which is sometimes a huge disappointment, but giving the little details like Donnelly does, gives the reader a better connection to the story. Even though the way the Donnelly ended the novel felt a little rushed, Revolution was all around a great historical fiction novel. It will stick with the reader with its great characters and beautiful quotes, such as “Every heart is made of stories” and “Life’s all about the revolution, isn’t it? The one inside, I mean. You can’t change history. You can’t change the world. All you can ever change is yourself.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Everyone has a story, either tragic and depressing or beautiful and exciting. Andi Alpers’s story is the tragic and depressing one. Andi has been through a lot in the last few years of her life: she lost her brother, Truman, her mother went crazy, and her father left the family for another woman after the death of Truman. Andi did what a lot others do, she turned to music and drugs that she was prescribed by her doctor. Before Truman’s death she was an A student but now she is struggling to graduate on time with the rest of her class. It is winter break of her senior year, just one semester away from graduation, and her father takes her away to Paris to finish her senior project and get her mind off the death.

While in Paris Andi finds a diary belonging to a woman, Alex, who lived two centuries ago during the French Revolution and Reign of Terror. Once she begins reading the diary she starts to build a strong connection to Alex and the French Revolution. Andi also finds herself with a group of musicians that show her how to live, really live and not just making it through the day. Virgil, the rapper of the group, seems to be always popping up around her and showing her how beautiful life can be even when bad things happen.  

Jennifer Donnelly’s novel was mesmerizing and mysterious. It also shows the reader how one girl, Alex, can fight for someone she loved even during the darkest moments of France’s history. Andi’s journey through depression in the novel is one that many can relate to. The way that Donnelly connects the two girls in a beautiful and poetic way through the catacombs of Paris is inspiring. Donnelly is very thorough when creating the supporting characters around the two leading ladies. Many authors don’t give great particulars on minor a character, which is sometimes a huge disappointment, but giving the little details like Donnelly does, gives the reader a better connection to the story.

Even though the way the Donnelly ended the novel felt a little rushed, Revolution was all around a great historical fiction novel. It will stick with the reader with its great characters and beautiful quotes, such as “Every heart is made of stories” and “Life’s all about the revolution, isn’t it? The one inside, I mean. You can’t change history. You can’t change the world. All you can ever change is yourself.
9PM
Something Borrowed By Emily Giffin Being single when she turned thirty wasn’t Rachel’s plan at all, but best friend, Darcy, to the rescue by throwing a show stopper birthday party. Feeling good after a few drinks things start to get heated between Rachel and Darcy’s fiancé, Dexter. Waking up the next morning everything has changed. An affair was started that would be difficult to end.  Rachel quickly finds herself dating Dexter’s best friend as a cover and running off to London to get away from the looming wedding. Lying to keep their secret affair as the wedding date gets closer gets harder because feelings start to grow between the pair that just gets deeper with each day and secret meeting. Rachel soon has to decide if she wants her best friend or the love of her life.  Rachel is someone that I didn’t want to relate to when I picked up this novel, but ended up seeing a lot of myself in her.  It is very rare that a character can get under my skin, but Darcy did by being that classic snob-ish woman. I don’t know how Rachel was able to put up with this woman for most of her life; I would have gotten away as fast as I could. I feel in love with Rachel’s best guy friend, Ethan, when she decided to visit him in the middle of this delightful story. He is the best friend that every girl needs when dealing with a complicated love life. This novel shows us the other woman’s point of view in a cheaters relationship, which hardly gets told. Emily Giffin’s debut novel was hard to put down. The writing draws you in from the first line. Giffin has a way about developing the plot that makes this want to be writer jealous. All of the twists and turns the plot takes make it so captivating and intriguing. The way she ended the story made me happy, unlike many books I have read recently. This was an all around wonderful novel. This novel is being turned into a movie, starring Kate Hudson as Darcy and Ginnifer Goodwin as Rachel. The opening day is set to open June 10th, 2011. Giffin’s world continues with Darcy’s story, in Something Blue.

Something Borrowed

By Emily Giffin

Being single when she turned thirty wasn’t Rachel’s plan at all, but best friend, Darcy, to the rescue by throwing a show stopper birthday party. Feeling good after a few drinks things start to get heated between Rachel and Darcy’s fiancé, Dexter. Waking up the next morning everything has changed. An affair was started that would be difficult to end.  Rachel quickly finds herself dating Dexter’s best friend as a cover and running off to London to get away from the looming wedding. Lying to keep their secret affair as the wedding date gets closer gets harder because feelings start to grow between the pair that just gets deeper with each day and secret meeting. Rachel soon has to decide if she wants her best friend or the love of her life. 

Rachel is someone that I didn’t want to relate to when I picked up this novel, but ended up seeing a lot of myself in her.  It is very rare that a character can get under my skin, but Darcy did by being that classic snob-ish woman. I don’t know how Rachel was able to put up with this woman for most of her life; I would have gotten away as fast as I could. I feel in love with Rachel’s best guy friend, Ethan, when she decided to visit him in the middle of this delightful story. He is the best friend that every girl needs when dealing with a complicated love life. This novel shows us the other woman’s point of view in a cheaters relationship, which hardly gets told.

Emily Giffin’s debut novel was hard to put down. The writing draws you in from the first line. Giffin has a way about developing the plot that makes this want to be writer jealous. All of the twists and turns the plot takes make it so captivating and intriguing. The way she ended the story made me happy, unlike many books I have read recently. This was an all around wonderful novel.

This novel is being turned into a movie, starring Kate Hudson as Darcy and Ginnifer Goodwin as Rachel. The opening day is set to open June 10th, 2011. Giffin’s world continues with Darcy’s story, in Something Blue.
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One Night That Changes Everything By Lauren Barnholdt When the notebook of all Eliza’s deepest fears was stolen and secret society of high school boys are threatening to post it online she is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back, even if it evolves her lying ex-boyfriend, Copper. Eliza is driven by a secret she would rather keep to the grave than tell anyone. With the help of her two best friends Eliza goes along with what the boys are telling her to do, but is also trying to find a way to steal her notebook back before they make her confront the biggest fear involving her sister and a stupid night years ago. All the while Copper is trying to weasel himself back into Eliza’s life. Copper is doing all the right things but Eliza refuses to listen even when he helps with the challenges she is given, like signing Sexy Back on stage with her to help calm her stage fright. She begins to fell drawn between if he is now telling the truth and wanting her back or if he will always be a liar who is controlled by his supposed friends. Lauren Barnholdt’s writing is basic and simple, which is what makes this story an easy read. I expected this novel to have more of challenge and a deeper story line. It was a disappointment when I reached the end and it was bland. Barnholdt’s characters where relatable and simple but more depth would have been favorable. Eliza was a classic heroine and Copper was her knight in shining armor, his character was made to be loved by the readers.  The novel was like a Nalla Wafer, good and sweet but plain and unsatisfying. It is not a story I regret reading but one that I could have done without. When reading the summary expectations are high for the novel but expectations are almost always never reached. Barnholdt showed great potential as a novelist in the future and I am looking forward to being able to read more from her. Even Sarah Dessen started in a similar fashion, with Someone Like You, and now is a bestselling author and has movies based on her books, How to Deal and Dreamland. 

One Night That Changes Everything By Lauren Barnholdt

When the notebook of all Eliza’s deepest fears was stolen and secret society of high school boys are threatening to post it online she is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back, even if it evolves her lying ex-boyfriend, Copper. Eliza is driven by a secret she would rather keep to the grave than tell anyone. With the help of her two best friends Eliza goes along with what the boys are telling her to do, but is also trying to find a way to steal her notebook back before they make her confront the biggest fear involving her sister and a stupid night years ago. All the while Copper is trying to weasel himself back into Eliza’s life. Copper is doing all the right things but Eliza refuses to listen even when he helps with the challenges she is given, like signing Sexy Back on stage with her to help calm her stage fright. She begins to fell drawn between if he is now telling the truth and wanting her back or if he will always be a liar who is controlled by his supposed friends.

Lauren Barnholdt’s writing is basic and simple, which is what makes this story an easy read. I expected this novel to have more of challenge and a deeper story line. It was a disappointment when I reached the end and it was bland. Barnholdt’s characters where relatable and simple but more depth would have been favorable. Eliza was a classic heroine and Copper was her knight in shining armor, his character was made to be loved by the readers.  The novel was like a Nalla Wafer, good and sweet but plain and unsatisfying. It is not a story I regret reading but one that I could have done without. When reading the summary expectations are high for the novel but expectations are almost always never reached. Barnholdt showed great potential as a novelist in the future and I am looking forward to being able to read more from her. Even Sarah Dessen started in a similar fashion, with Someone Like You, and now is a bestselling author and has movies based on her books, How to Deal and Dreamland. 
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