Stephany Reads Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

Title/Author: Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Where I Got It: Someone very awesome sent it to me!
Why I Read It: I heard A LOT about her books, and this was one of the ones to catch my eyes first, so I wanted to check it out for myself!
Rating: 4.5 stars

Summary (from the cover):

Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. That's what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they're both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school's scapegoat.

Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weather girl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents' house in their small hometown of Pleasant Ridge, Illinois, caring for a troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the Internet. She's just returned from Bad Date #6 when she opens her door to find her long-gone best friend standing there, a terrified look on her face and blood on the sleeve of her coat. "Something horrible has happened." Val tells Addie, "and you're the only one who can help."

Best Friends Forever is a grand, hilarious, edge-of-your-seat adventure; a story about betrayal and loyalty, family history and small-town secrets. It's about living through tragedy, finding love where you least expect it, and the ties that keep best friends together.

This book was actually very well written, and as the blurb says, it was hilarious! It had it's parts that were kind of boring, of course, what book doesn't? But for the most part, it was very entertaining!

I felt like I could relate to Addie quite a bit when it came to having friends in High School, being picked on, etc. I wasn't UNPOPULAR, but I wasn't popular either. High School was a lot less hard for me than Elementary was, but in that aspect, I could definitely relate to Addie.

Addie and Val had a falling out in high school when Val told Addie a secret, and Addie felt as if she needed to tell someone to help Val out. Addie did no wrong, but Val couldn't see it at the time. In the way Val handled it (I don't want to say too much), she wasn't a very good friend. I feel as if I could relate to Addie in the way of losing a good friend over something incredibly preventable, and being so hurt over it.

The book starts off when Addie was a little girl, living with her parents and brother in a neighborhood in Pleasant Ridge, Illinois. Pleasant Ridge is ( in real life ) a suburb of Chicago. One day Addie was looking out her window before lunch or dinner time (I can't remember which) and saw a moving truck pull up into the house across the street. She saw a little girl get out of the car following the moving truck, and realized they were the same age. Addie got excited, hoping to have a new friend.

Later, Val introduced herself to Addie, and Addie invited her to eat lunch with them. The rest is pretty much history. They were across-the-street neighbors, who hung out every single day. They grew up together, never leaving each others side until the event happened in high school.

My only complaint about the book is that I felt like the event that happened to cause them to drift apart, wasn't well detailed. I felt like there was lots of missing pieces. Also, the event that happened before Val showed up at Addie's door 15 years later, involved another character in the book, and I felt like he kept getting lost in the story. Pages and pages would go by before Jennifer would mention him again.

Overall, this was a fantastic book, and I would recommend it to anyone! I am also going to be checking into her other books very soon!!

Stephany Reads Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Title/Author: Night Road by Kristin Hannah
Publisher/year: March 29th, 2011/St. Martin's Press
How I  got this book: I was on good reads doing those free book entries, and came across this. And I won!!! =-D 
Why I read it: Because I'm a new fan of Kristin Hannah 
Rating: 5 stars




**** THIS IS AN ADVANCED READERS COPY OF THE BOOK. IT DOES NOT GET RELEASED UNTIL MARCH 29TH, 2011!! ****

Description from Goodreads: Jude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyone’s needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. But senior year of high school brings unexpected dangers and one night, Jude’s worst fears are confirmed: there is an accident. In an instant, her idyllic life is shattered and her close-knit community is torn apart. People— and Jude —demand justice, and when the finger of blame is pointed, it lands solely on eighteen-year-old Lexi Baill. In a heartbeat, their love for each other will be shattered, the family broken. Lexi gives up everything that matters to her to —the boy she loves, her place in the family, the best friend she ever had— while Jude loses even more. When Lexi returns, older and wiser, she demands a reckoning. Long buried feelings will rise again, and Jude will finally have to face the woman she has become. She must decide whether to remain broken or try to forgive both Lexi …and herself. Night Road is a vivid, emotionally complex novel that raises profound questions about motherhood, loss, identity, and forgiveness. It is an exquisite, heartbreaking novel that speaks to women everywhere about the things that matter most.

This book is absolutely amazing!! The story line is so intense and so a part of what can happen in real life that you find yourself questioning whether or not you've done the right things through out your own life. I absolutely loved every single character in the book, even though at times I found myself disgusted by the way they were acting or by the choices they were making. Kristin Hannah brought out the characters in a way that I don't think another author could. They had enough background, detail, and time in the story line, that you felt like you knew them in real life. I felt like I was apart of the Farraday family. 
 
The only complaint I have about the book is that in the very beginning, up until about the middle-ish part of the book, it's kind of jumpy. You'll be reading one part, then it'll have a place where you can stop (which I love that in books), and then you'll read onto the next part and it's something completely different. Which, don't get me wrong, this happens in almost all books. But this jumps to a whole different event, occurance, etc. and the book never goes back to the other stuff that was said. However, that doesn't make the book bad and it doesn't make it hard to follow. I just wish it wouldn't have been so jumpy, or choppy, in the beginning. As I kept reading, that was happening less and less and it was becoming very hard to put the book down. 


I think what I enjoyed most about the book is that it was about younger teenagers, who turned into young adults, and how the story line showed that life can change in a split second. It's scary how that can happen, but it's so true. And this story line was not far fetched, and it didn't make you wonder "Yeah right. This would never happen." I felt like Kristin Hannah was bringing the book to life, as if something like this happened to her, which I don't think it did. 

You'll find yourself getting so engrossed into the book that you won't know how much times has gone by, you'll read 100 pages in an hour, and you'll be rooting for every single character. You'll feel like you're one of the characters or one of their friends. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll get excited, and you'll yell at the characters.
 
It was probably the best book I've read from Kristin Hannah thus far. I highly suggest you go out on March 29, 2011 and get this book!! 

Stephany Reads Recovering Charles by Jason F. Wright

Title: Recovering Charles

Author: Jason F. Wright

Where I got it: Library

Why I read it: I read a review on someone elses blog about The Wednesday Letters that he also wrote, and I fell in love with him as an author, so I decided to read all of his other books as well.

Rating: 5+ Stars!

First let me say that Jason F. Wright is an AMAZING author! He is a new found favorite of mine, and as with all of my new found favorite authors, I will read all of the books he has written. Jason F. Wright is the author of the book, The Wednesday Letters, which was the first book I read by him, and I did a review, which you can read HERE.

This book is about a "normal" family, with a "normal", "happy" life in the beginning, but as it sometimes happens in everyone’s life/families, things change quickly. Luke, the son to Charles, has to deal with his mother going into a deep, dark depression after her mother passes away, and the story unfolds into the childhood that Luke endured. As the story progresses, it changes to when Luke is older, and when Charles (Luke's Dad) becomes an alcoholic, and they lose their tight knit friendship quickly. Luke becomes a very successful photographer living in New York where he is surrounded by the love of close friends. One day he gets a phone call from a stranger, which basically changes his life. The stranger asks Luke to come find his estranged father in post-Katrina New Orleans. When Luke receives this phone call, it's a testament to finding out what kind of man he truly is; and who the man is that his father has become.

This story/book/novel is about finding forgiveness not only with yourself, but with others who have hurt you, or you've lost touch with, etc. It's about finding true love, and one's true self. This book should be read by every single person and/or family who has had rough times, for those of us who have regretted things never said, or things that were said, and for those who need to know their life has a second verse. (Some of the words used here were taken from the inside flap of the book. I tried to put it in my own words as much as I could.)

As it was it, this book takes place in post-Katrina New Orleans. I didn’t personally experience this terribly tragedy, and Praise God that none of my family members or friends didn’t either. But by reading this book, it makes your heart break hearing some of the things that happened. I’m not entirely sure if Jason F. Wright actually experienced any of this himself, if he was a relief worker, or if he had family/friends down there, but the things that he explains in such great detail are astounding, yet scary and heart breaking. You find yourself crying for these people, and wishing you could do something for them, even though you’re reading just a story about an event that has already happened.

You will also find yourself rooting for Luke. He has some issues of his own--needing to forgive his father for the things that happened, needing to find him, alive or dead, and he is stuck trying to find true love. Luke is such a lovable character, even with his flaws, that you find yourself rooting for him from the very beginning. 

Something that I absolutely loved about this book, it wasn’t predictable at all. Jason kept you guessing, changing your mind, and would throw in the smallest detail to make you say, “Or maybe not!” when you think you’ve figured out how the book was going to end. I won’t say what happens in the end, obviously, but I will say that it’s not predictable in the least. Another thing that I absolutely loved about this book was that it continuously talked about the love of music. Luke’s father was a huge music lover and a saxophone player. The story frequently reminds us of the healing power that a good song can give us.

This may be considered a spoiler so please READ WITH CAUTION!!!!!! Charles wrote his own music in this story, and at the end of the book, there is a song that was written. It's got the lyrics, and the actual page of notes, if anyone knows how to play an instrument, and would like to follow and play. Also, you can go to www.recoveringcharles.com and hear the song being played. It's absolutely amazing, and beautiful.

This is probably one of the best books I've read this year. It was the book to get me out of my reading slump (finally) and one I would recommend to anyone. I enjoyed this book so immensely, that I want to go out and buy a copy to pass on to someone else, then when they return it, pass it on to yet another person, and/or, the first person I pass it on to, pass it on, etc.

It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me want to call up all of my family and friends just to tell them that I love them. We never know how long we've got left in this world, and this book teaches us just that, and that we should NEVER EVER go to bed angry. Resolve all issues/problems/concerns when they arise. Please, go out and read this book ASAP. I promise, you will not be disappointed.

Stephany reads Kristin Riggle's The Life You've Imagined

Title/Author: The Life You've Imagined by Kristina Riggle
Publisher/Year Published: 2010 Harper Collins 
How I got this book: Public Library
Why I read this book: I was browsing the new books section at the library and happened to fall across it.
Rating: 3 stars 

GOOD READS DESCRIPTION: 

Is the life you're living all you imagined?

Have you ever asked yourself, "What if??" Here, four women face the decisions of their lifetimes in this stirring and unforgettable novel of love, loss, friendship, and family.

Anna Geneva, a Chicago attorney coping with the death of a cherished friend, returns to her "speck on the map" hometown of Haven to finally come to terms with her mother, the man she left behind, and the road she did not take.

Cami Drayton, Anna's dearest friend from high school, is coming home too, forced by circumstance to move in with her alcoholic father . . . and to confront a dark family secret.

Maeve, Anna's mother, never left Haven, firmly rooted there by her sadness over her abandonment by the husband she desperately loved and the hope that someday he will return to her.

And Amy Rickart—thin, beautiful, and striving for perfection—faces a future with the perfect man . . . but is haunted by the memory of what she used to be.

Kristina Riggle's The Life You've Imagined takes a provocative look at the choices we make—and the courage we must have to change. 

First, let me say that this book is set in the part of Michigan that I am currently living! So, with that said, this books gets a MAJOR kudos! It's set in "Haven", which is actually Grand Haven, Michigan. Kristina Riggle also makes lots of references to Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is where I am currently residing. Kristina is a free-lance author for The Grand Rapids Press, and she mentions Chicago, which is my dream city to live in ( and will be  very soon!) So, as you can tell, this book gets lots of kudos for me! However, I did not realize ANY of this until I started reading the book so it was pleasant surprise! 

Now, with all of that "petty" stuff aside, the book/story itself was okay. Yes, just okay. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. I felt like 4 stars was too much, and I wasn't feeling the whole "half star" thing, so I went with 3 stars. It was a good story, it kept your attention, but I felt like there wasn't a big enough climax, or enough jaw-dropping surprises to make you go, "WHOA!" or what I usually saying, "Whatttt!?" Hahaha. The other thing that I didn't really like is that the characters aren't really all that connected. I mean, they are connected, but I felt like at the same time that each person (besides Anna and her mother Maeve) had their own stories in the book. It does tie together to a point where you understand what's going on, but I felt like there should have been more. Does that make sense? 

The sending is a sweet, happy ending. But it could have been more.. what's the word? Shocking? Or rather a, "I didn't see that coming!" Now, don't get me wrong, it's not really a predictable ending, it's just not a surprising one either. 

What I did enjoy about the book/story/plot (aside from what I first mentioned!) is that it does keep your attention, and makes you want to keep turning the pages to see what's going to happen to whom next. You do find yourself routing for the characters, hoping they each get what they're chasing in their lives, and hoping for the best. 

I do recommend the book for a quick, light read if you're trying to get out of a reading slump, or you just want something quick to read. This book is about 300 pages long, however, the chapters are quick so you find yourself literally flying through it. I don't think this book is a go out 5 minutes before the book store closes type book, but it's a book that you may want to look further into and maybe add to your list at a later date. 

*****YOU CAN READ THIS REVIEW ALSO ON MY PERSONAL BLOG STUCK BETWEEN THE PAGES******

Stephany Read's Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Title: Unlocked

Author: Karen Kingsbury
Publisher: Zondervan 2010

Where I got it: Library

Why I read it: She's one of my favorite authors, and this book is tied into another book of hers.

Rating: 5+ Stars


Unlocked is about a boy named Holden Harris who developed Autism after turning the age 3. His parents think that he developed this after a series of vaccinations he got when he turned 3 because of the high level of mercury. When Holden was 3 years old, his parents were best friends with Sharon Reynolds and her husband, who had a daughter the same age named Ella. Ella and Holden were best friends. With Holden being a non-communicative autistic, he's locked into his own world. After Ella (who is in the "popular" crowd) sees the jocks and others bullying Holden, she decides to become fast friends with him (after a long time of not having one) and tried to end the bullying at their school. Ella comes to discover that there is something that will Unlock Holden from his own world --- Music. So Ella sets out to get Holden to be allowed to participate in their schools rendition of Beauty and the Beast.

This book is full of miracles, heart felt thoughts, ideas, and it's heart warming and heart breaking all at the same time. It's an amazing story, based on a true event that happened in Karen's life!!! This book will make you see that miracles do happen every day, and if you believe in God as I do, God works miracles every day too!!! You will find yourself hoping and fighting for Holden, hoping that he'll become Unlocked and that his family will get that three year old boy back again after 15 years.

I believe this book is a must read!!! Karen also has a series out called the Above the line series, which is a series about Christian film makers trying to make a difference in the world. In the last book of this series, they do a movie called Unlocked! Which is this book I'm reviewing now. How cool is that?

I suggest you run out right NOW and get this book!!!

Stephany Read's Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Safe Haven


Author: Nicholas Sparks


Publisher: Grand Central Publishing/2010


Where I got It: I actually won it in a contest. =) 


Why I read it: He's one of my favorite authors! 


Rating: 5 stars




Inside flap description: When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family. Be even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her... a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathetic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards... and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

This was actually a really great book. At first I didn't think I liked it, and it took me a minute to get into, but I would definitely recommend it to everyone. I feel like Nicholas Sparks wrote this book a lot differently than he did his other books. While yes, this is still a romantic love story, it's not quite as "gushy" as his others have been. But, that doesn't take away from his story, or the way he wrote this particular book. The way the book is written is kind of like in parts. In the beginning you're told about her moving to Southport and not being very outgoing, then you've got the part where she briefly speaks about her past, then another happier part, and so on. We don't find out about what exactly the kind of past she had until well into the book, closer to the end. I'm not sure if i like this or not. It felt like it was backwards to me. The 'good' was first, then the 'bad' was second. Usually books have what happened bad happen in the beginning of the book, then the middle to end of the book is how they over come the struggle(s). But Sparks did it the total opposite, which made for an interesting book.

Apparently this book has already been sold to become a movie. I kept this in my mind as I was reading it and I basically kept picturing it has a mysterious, love story with a side of horror mixed in. That's pretty much how the book goes down.

It's heartwarming, and has a few funny parts, it'll make you smile, and you'll actually find yourself scared during parts of it too, wondering if the characters will escape the madness that they're going through. I do believe, however, that this is the first book that Sparks has written that hasn't made me cry. But! Don't get that confused with it being a bad book, because it's not at all. He still did a fantastic job writing it, even without the heartbreaking, sobbing and crying stuff that his other books have. But then again, maybe it's just me and I wasn't in the "crying mood". You be the judge if it's a tear jerker!

I highly recommend this book. I don't really have anything bad to say about it. It's a quick, sort of light, heartwarming, family loving, learning about your past and moving on book. I think you should go read it today!!

Top Ten Tuesday: Stephany's Top Ten Favorite Authors!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!


Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND sign Mister Linky at the bottom to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Don't worry if you can't come up with ten every time...just post what you can!

TOP TEN FAVORITE AUTHORS

I was actually quite excited to participate in this weeks Top Ten Tuesday! I have quite a few authors that I follow closely and read every single one of their books, as soon as a new one is released. So, I figured this list would be a bit 'easier' for me then past lists have been!! So, without further ado, here is my Top Ten Favorite Authors (In no particular order)! 

1.) Jodi Picoult

2.) Karen Kingsbury

3.) Mitch Albom

4.) Nicholas Sparks

5.) Fern Michaels

6.) Marie Bostwick

7.) Janet Evanovich

8.) Kristin Hannah

9.) Stephenie Meyer (You know I had to!) 

10.) Jason F. Wright ( A new favorite!) 

Have you read any of these authors? Do you enjoy them? Why or why not? Are any of these authors going on your lists too? Please share with us!!! 

Next week the topic is: Top Ten Books I'll NEVER Read 

Top Ten Tuesday: Stephany's Top Ten Favorite Book Quotes

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND sign Mister Linky at the bottom to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Don't worry if you can't come up with ten every time...just post what you can!

This week's topic is your Top Ten Favorite Book Quotes!!!

TOP TEN FAVORITE BOOK QUOTES

I must first say that this topic was actually a bit harder than expected. Not to actually FIND a total of ten book quotes that are my favorite, but that fact that I have so many book quotes copied down, it was hard to choose WHICH ten I wanted! I tried really hard to stay away from more than one quote per author, but that was definitely a fail! But, here is my top ten favorite book quotes (In no particular order)! ENJOY!

1. "It's crazy isn't it? To love someone who hurts you. It's even crazier to hurt someone you love." -- Jodi Picoult, The 10th Circle
2. "All good things come to those who wait." -- Fern Michaels, The Scoop
3. "This is scaring the crap out of me. This is like where Dracula would live if he didn't have any money and was a crack head. I bet it's filled with rapid bats and killer snakes and hairy spiders as big as dinner plates." -- Janet Evanovich, Sizzling Sixteen
4. "Isn't it amazing how, when you strip away everything, people are so much alike?" – Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes
5. "Never get attached to a guy if there's a third party involved. The third party always wins. Because they have history on their side." -- Karen Kingsbury, Above the Line Series, Take Three
6. "You know it's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride." -- Jodi Picoult, Mercy
7. "Metabolisms are evil, wicked, vile things." -- Johanna Edwards, The Next Big Thing
8. "I, um, I have this problem. I broke up with my boyfriend, you see. And I'm pretty upset about it, so I wanted to talk to my best friend. The thing is, they're both you." -- Jodi Picoult, The Pact
9. "How would you ever know happiness if you've never experience downs?" -- Cecilia Ahern, P.s. I Love You
10. "When you're struggling with something, look at all the people around you and realize that every single person you see is struggling with something, and to them, it's just as hard as what you're going through." -- Nicholas Sparks, Dear John

What are some of your favorite book quotes? Did you have any of the ones I listed, or have you read any of these books? Please join in, and don't worry if you can't think of ten! Just fill out Mr. Linky below and join! 

1

NEXT WEEK THE TOPIC IS: TOP TEN FAVORITE COUPLES IN LITERATURE

Stephany Read P.s. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern

Title/Author: P.s. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern
Publisher/Year: Hyperion/December 2005
How I Got It: Public library
Why I read it: I just learned it was a book, so I wanted to read it seems like I watched the movie!
Rating: 5 Stars



Let me first start off by mentioning that this is the book to the popular movie, P.s. I love you! I didn't realize that the movie was a book, until just recently and I wanted to check it out. For those of you who haven't seen the movie yet, or read the book, let me tell you what it's about.

This story line consists of two main characters by the names of Holly and Gerry. They are married, and have been together for a very long time. They have the kind of love/relationship that everyone envies. It's what most people call falling in love with your best friend, soul mate, and finding your first true love. Unfortunately, at the young age of 30, Gerry is diagnosed with a terrible illness that causes him to lose his life. Gerry has left Holly a series of letters, that are instructing her to do things that she wouldn't normally do without having Gerry right beside her. Hes made these letters for her so she can move on with her life after he's gone and so she's able to live again.

This story is funny, heartwarming, sad, heartbreaking, and teaches all a lesson. I can sort of relate to this book. Not in the aspect of losing someone I love dearly due to death, but in the aspect that I did go through a break up about a year or so ago, with my first true love, my best friend, who I was with for 7 years. This books shows us how challenging it is to lose someone that has been your everything for quite some time, whether it's through death, or just because you've separated into your own lives. It shows us that even when you think that you just can not go on living without this person, you really can. It's all about grieving, and eventually finding that inner strength inside of you to take a deep breath, say "I will be okay!" and start living your life to the fullest again. You pick yourself back up after hitting the ground, and you LIVE! Because sadly, the world doesn't stop for a broken heart.

I can also relate to this book as in the fact that Holly did everything with, and for Gerry. She wasn't her own person, she couldn't go anywhere without having him right there besides her, she wanted him there always. She wanted to experience every single thing with him, or not at all. That's how I was when I was with my boyfriend for 7 years. I didn't know how to live my life as an individual. Once you lose that person who was literally your everything, you learn how to be independent, do things on your own, and be happy again! And let me tell you, it's the most amazing feeling ever when you finally realize this.

While Holly is going through this rough time in her life, she's able to get through it with the help of her two best friends, and her family. Holly is faced with troubling times when she is still grieving and has to watch her two best friends get married, and the other one is having a baby. Holly know that's suppose to be her and Gerry having the baby, so she goes through a selfish period where luckily, her friends understand that she's just having a rough time. While Holly is faced with all of these emotions, ups and downs, times of success and triumph, she has to realize that it's what Gerry wanted, which takes her a long time to realize. She feels as if she can't move on, fall in love again, or be happy without Gerry. That's why he wrote the letters to her, to show her that he wants her to move on, and live life.

I absolutely loved this book. As I said, it's funny, happy, sad, heartwarming, heartbreaking, but all in all, it's a fantastic book that teaches all of us how to move on, be happy and to live life to the fullest, no matter what.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. And of course, watch the movie as well if you haven't already!

Stephany Read Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Book Title/Author: Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Publisher/Year Published: Diversified Publishing June 2010

How my grubby hands got a hold of this book: From the library!

Why I read this book: It's from one of my all time favorite authors!

Rating: 5 stars

Janet's Stephanie Plum series is about this girl named Stephanie, who's a Bounty Hunter. In case some of your don't know what a Bounty Hunter is, it's a person who goes around their area, searching and locating criminals who have failed to appear in court, otherwise known as an FTA. If and when these people are caught, they're taken to jail, and kept there until a new court date comes along. The Bounty Hunter gets a certain amount of money from capturing that particular FTA. And, that's exactly what Stephanie does!

Stephanie works for her cousin, Vinnie, who is an absolute creep! And Stephanie's two best friends Connie, and Lula also work at the same bonds office. Stephanie is assigned certain FTA's and her and Lula set out to go find these people.

This series is the best series I've ever read. It's the type of series that literally makes you laugh out loud. It's hilarious, scary, and makes you glad you aren't Stephanie Plum or have to deal with the things she does!

In this particular book, her cousin, and the owner of the Bonds office has been kidnapped by some bookies. He has a huge gambling problem, and he owes them $786,000. As the days go on, Connie gets updated phone calls from this bookie, saying that the price is going to keep rising, and by a certain date, if they don't have the money, Vinnie will be killed. So, Stephanie is off to hopefully find and capture Vinnie along with the random FTA's that she has to find.

Lula is probably the funniest character in this book, and all of the Stephanie Plum books. She's an crazy, loud, size 16 woman who tries to fit into size 4 pants, and small shirts. She's got dark caramel skin and wants to shoot everyone and every thing that gets in her way while they're searching for Vinnie, and whoever else they're looking for. Oh, and she's a former 'ho!

Stephanie, Lula and Connie have to come up with all of the money to free Vinnie, and they're not sure how they're going to do it. They end up having a huge sale at the Bond's office where the entire area shows up, but they still don't have all of the money. They need to find another way to come up with the money, and quick.

I probably should also mention Morelli and Ranger. These are two men in Stephanie's life who she can't decide who she wants to be with. Morelli is her on again-off again boyfriend of a few years, and in this book, they're mostly off again. He's also a plain clothes cop. And Ranger is a very dark, sexy and secretive security agent with his own bat cave.

This book is full of laughter, love, friendship, loyalty, and lots of dangerous, firing exploding, stink bombs and trip bombs that Stephanie has to go through in order to save her cousin Vinnie. Does she do it? Does she come out of the situation alive? This is a must read to find out! And that's why I gave it 5 stars!

Side Note: You do not have to read this series in order. All of her Stephanie Plum novels mention enough in the beginning of each book to understand what's going on. I didn't start reading them in order until her 10th book came out. She has 16 books in this series in total, along with a few random Stephanie Plum book that aren't apart of the series, but are still wonderful to read! And, as one more FYI, she has numbers in her titles, because those are the numbers of FTA's and/or bad guys, that Stephanie faces in each book! Nifty huh!?

Stephany Reads: Who Says I Can't by Jothy Rosenberg

Title: Who says I can't

Author: Jothy Rosenberg

Published: Bascom Hill Books/2009

Where I Got It: An publisher from Bascom Hill Books contacted The Broke and the Bookish asking one of us to read the book, so they sent it to me!

Why I Read It: It sounded very interested to read!

Rating: 2 stars


This is a book written by an leg amputee who went almost his entire life with one leg after a bone cancer called, Osteosarcroma developed in his knee when he was 16 years old, and the doctors could not save his leg below his knee. In this book he talks about the trials, tribulations, and obstacles he went through while growing up without one leg and being good despite that. He also ended up developing cancer in his lungs where 2/5 of it have to be removed.

Considering what this guy went through for 35 years now, it's a sad, but happy story. I just couldn't REALLY get into it because I felt like the entire story just dragged on and there was quite a bit of information, and detail that could have been left out of the story. It was dry, and rather boring.

However, reading about some of the accomplishments that this 35 year cancer surviving amputee makes you realize that if you put your mind to it, you can do just about anything. Jothy was able to participate in skiing in Michigan and in Quebec, Canada, went water boarding/skiing, played in beach volleyball matches, and even participated in a triatholan. Keep in mind, he did all of this with only ONE leg to work with.

Jothy's story is a heartbreaking one, and a happy one, all in the same book. I do wish that the way it was written, was a lot better so I could enjoy the book better. But it just didn't cut it for me and took all of the strength that I could to finish reading it.

I wanted to give this book more than 2 stars, I really did, but I just couldn't stand to give it even one sympathy star. I know that sounds horrible, but it just wasn't an interesting read. It consisted of too much data, too many quotes from other people that didn't pertain to the story, and the book could have been written better with less events happening constantly. It was hard to follow, and kind of a dry read. Even giving it two stars, is pushing it.

I apologize, but as bad as I feel this poor man went through all that he did, I just don't recommend this to be added to anyone's to be read lists.

SIDE NOTE: If you would like more information on the publishing group from this book, please visit them at Bascon Hill Publishing, and check into the other books they have available. (Picture inserted at the beginning of this blog gets credit to Bascon Hill Publishing as well.)

Stephany's Review On Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Book Title/Author: Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Publisher/Year Published: St. Martin's Press/2010
How I Got This Book: From the public library.
Why I read this book: Someone actually suggested to me on goodreads to read this book and I almost always read a book that's suggested to me.
Rating: 5 stars

In all honesty, in chapters one through seven, I would give this book 3 stars at the most. I was very bored in the beginning of the book and it took me forever to actually get into it. But once I got to chapter seven, the book started changing, and got more exciting and it was hard for me to put the book down. So, I have to give it 5 stars.

Winter Garden is about two sisters who never had a good relationship with their mother. They never felt that unconditional love that a mother gives, they felt as if their mother hated them, for whatever reason. The sister were very close with their father, however, and he became very ill. He asked his daughters to promise him while on his death bed, that they will try to get to know their mother while they still have the chance. To try to understand why she is the way that she is. Their mother talks about fairy tales quite often in this compelling story. While the two sisters were growing up, they would listen to bits and pieces of this fairy tale until one day they just stopped listening and stopped caring. For Nina, one of the daughters, she stopped listening when her mother refused to wave goodbye to her from the train platform when Nina was going on a trip when she was younger, and for Meredith, it was when her mother didn't show up for her play. These sisters didn't understand their mother at all, and didn't want to. But, they made a promise to their dying father that they would learn everything they could about her.

So, this story is about forgiveness, finding yourself, friendship, and the many emotional outcomes life has to offer. The reason I felt that the first 6-7 chapters were boring is because it wasn't really telling the story. It was just dry, boring 'information' for a lack of a better word. But once Chapter 7 comes, the story changes and get extremely exciting. With the fairy tales, it's like you're reading a story within a story. But the full on fairytale didn't come until after chapter 7. That's when it was hard for me to put the book down.

Winter Garden will leave you feeling so many different emotions. You will feel bored, happy, sad, excited, you will feel heartbroken, but wanting more. You will laugh, and you will cry, you will be shocked, surprised, and the ending is amazing. Kristin Hannah makes you feel exactly what the characters are feeling in her ever powering explanations through out the book, especially when the fairy tale is being told.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. It's a must read and if you haven't read it yet, I suggest you add it to your "To Be Read" list! I promise, you won't be disappointed!