The Dead Whisper On ~ Hip to be Square

Okay ladies, I have two more books for ya. One is a darker story, the other is fun. Let's start with the dark......

The Dead Whisper On by T.L. Hines - Do you remember Waking Lazarus? (The guy who died 3 times) Well this is his 2nd book and like the last one it's a chiller. If you creep-out easily than this isn't something to read before bed. It actually didn't bother me, but then again maybe I'm a creep.(?) It's about Canada MacHugh who lives in down and out Butte, Montana. 11 years after her father has died he starts speaking to her. I don't want to give away too much of the story, but he's offering her a chance to do some good in the world, to expose some wrong doings. But, of course there are forces at work that don't want her to succeed with her missions. (What kind of thriller would it be if someone isn't chasing someone else?) Even though it's a dark book, it is a story of hope and about whether to listen to the things your heart believes. I enjoy a thriller now and then with a little conspiracy theory thrown in.

And now the fun book......

Hip to be Square by Hope Lyda - I would call this a coming of age story, but the lead character, Mari Hamilton, is almost 30 and hasn't accomplished any of her "before 30 goals". Mari is single and works at a retirement home, so the only men she meets are seniors. Instead of receiving Vogue in the mail she gets the AARP Newsletter. She finds herself wishing for a change, but at the same time hates change and avoids it like the plague. One of the things I loved about this book are her friends. Now I love a good inspirational book with solid examples of Christian character, but I also love books where the character seem more, I don't know, real? (flaws and all) Even though they are all christian ladies they are not always nice and don't always get along. This is a humorous book with a touch of sarcasm. Some parts of her life seem to fall together a little too easily, but over all it was a fun story.

Well that's all for now, thanks to Jen H. for introducing me to Jodi Picoult, I enjoyed the tragic My Sister's Keeper and am now off to read the only other book I found by her at my local library - Plain Truth. I have to admit that the Amish lifestyle intrigues me. Hope to hear from some more of you soon!

Happy Reading ~Mo

Baby Proof

“Baby Proof” by Emily Giffin is not, by any means, a novel whose writing will move you or deeply impact you. It is a very light and quick summer read. It is about a woman who basically knows from the time that she is a little girl that she does not want children. She shares her decision with every man she dates, only to find out that none of them feel the same way. She finally meets a man who also does not want children, falls in love and they get married. A couple of years into their marriage, one of them changes their mind and wants children after all. The book is about what can happen in a marriage when two people now want different things….what they will do and will not do for the person they love. Overall, it was a fast, enjoyable read…I got through the 348 pages in less than 2 days.

It's About Your Husband by Lauren Lipton

Okay, I've never posted a blog before and grammar is not my strong point........but here goes. I have read a few books lately but nothing really "blogworthy". One book I did enjoy though is, It's about your husband by Lauren Lipton. This is not a deep or thought provoking book, it is simply a fun read. The book is about Iris, a woman who leaves the West Coast for her dream job on the East Coast, only to find herself quickly unemployed and in debt. Desperate for an income and with time on her hands and absolutely no clue on how to be a Private Eye, she agrees to spy on her friends sister's husband. Hilarity follows. This book reminded me a lot of Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. (Another one I really liked) It's a quirky, romantic comedy. Although Husband is not quite as funny as Shopaholic, I really enjoyed it. I also recently read The Jester by James Patterson. After having a little trouble getting started on this book, I was told that of all the books he has written, this is one of his most graphic. It takes place during The Crusades so there is lots of violence. I did enjoy the story and will try to read him again (Jen, maybe you could suggest a good one for me.) however if you have a weak stomach, it would be better to skip this one. We are going down south next week and I am taking 3 new books with me. Hopefully I will have a jem or two to write about in a couple of weeks. ~Monica

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

To read 650 pages of any book, you have to, at the very least, love the author. I have read Stephen King's stories since I was in high school and I owe him my current fear of clowns and storm drains. His book on writing, called appropriately-On Writing, inspired me to pursue the creative process of writing and get caught up in the story instead of worrying about the grammar.

Lisey's Story (pronounced Lee Cee) is about the muse behind a famous author, his wife. It's really a tale of their love that even continues after his death. (Don't freak out, the back cover let's you know the story is about a widow.)

I didn't realize when I picked this book up that it was 650 pages. It wasn't until three days later, and I was only 1/2 way through it, that I bothered to look at the page number at the end. Don't judge a book by its size! I bought the paperback edition and it it narrower than a normal paperback, though longer, but it really didn't seem like a 650 page book.

That said, the story keeps you going. King writes in a wild way that keeps you wondering how the thing, he just threw at ya from left field, fits into the story. He references other novels and uses lots of literary points...of course he is writing about an author and the author's process. The cadence of the story is rhythmic and even poetic at times, and though there are some creepy spots it is by no means a horror story, it is a love story, Stephen King style!

I would recommend it to most and encourage them not to be daunted by the 650 pages but sit back and enjoy a novel that takes you where only good imagination can.