Book Love

Happy Valentine's Day fellow readers!

Going along with the theme of love, I want to know what books you LOVE. I'm talking crazy, head-over-heels, can't stop thinking about love. What book do you gush over the most? Or what is your favorite love story?

The book I am most in love with and have been thinking a lot about lately is Golden by Jessi Kirby. I love the message of not being afraid to go out and do something and not always staying in your comfort zone. I could really use that extra push of motivation again. A reread is necessary soon.

I've also been stuck in another reading rut so I look forward to hearing what book(s) you're in love with!

No matter what your plans are for today I wish you all a lovely day! 

After work I plan to eat lots of pizza, drink some wine, and dwindle down my Netflix queue (I've been marathoning One Tree Hill lately).

Lori Reviews Labor Day

Title:  Labor Day
Author:  Joyce Maynard
Published:  William Morrow Publishers, 2009
Where I Got It:  Bought on my Kindle

I am a sucker for books that are being made into movies with actors or actresses that I really like.  Ever since I first saw the press for Labor Day starring Kate Winslet, I've been interested in the book.  I read a couple of summaries, but they didn't really do a good job because I didn't immediately want to buy it.  I thought that maybe I just wasn't truly interested in the story, so it was on the backburner.  Then I saw a preview for another book to movie adaptation that looked interesting (though I am decidedly neutral towards the actor in it).  As I was investigating that book, I saw that one of the recommended books was Labor Day and it was only $4, so I bought it.

I finished it in less than 24 hours.  

It seems rare that a book can so completely suck me in that I just speed through it, but that's exactly what I did.

Goodreads Summary:  With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry—lonely, friendless, not too good at sports—spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about the soft skin and budding bodies of his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele—a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly's with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his "Husband for a Day" coupon, he still can't make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart.

But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life's most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others—especially those we love—above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for.

In a manner evoking Ian McEwan's Atonement and Nick Hornby's About a Boy, acclaimed author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex, adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy—and the man he later becomes—looking back at an unexpected encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.

That really does a pretty good job of summing up the plot of the novel.

My thoughts:  I loved this writing style!  It was kind of gritty and raw and emotional and real.  It's the kind of writing style that I wish I had been able to cultivate in my days as a creative writing student.  (Maybe it has to do with the topic...)  Maynard creates an excellent sense of place and rendering of the characters.  Yes, there are how many stories about a single parent, who has a secret that makes them a bit off, living in a kind of run down house with their kid and then life changes.  But this one was different.  It was real.  The characters were vibrant and alive.  The narration really put you in the place of the novel.

Lately, I've been dealing with feelings that life isn't turning out like I had anticipated that it would.  So many things have not gone according to my pre-grad school plan.  But occasionally I remember that this is a life.  It's different and not what I had imagined, yes, but it's something that I am willing to work to maintain because it's that important to me.

I think that that is why I loved this story so much.  

Life doesn't always go the way you plan for it to, but it works itself out in ways that you can't really even imagine.  And that's OK.  Probably better, even, because who wants such a simple and bland life?  You eventually learn, like Henry, that there is more to life (and adult relationships) than fleeting connections and sex.  True and deep human connections come along so rarely that when they do, you have to hold on and fight for them and sometimes wait patiently (or impatiently).  You do things for the person you love that you wouldn't do for anyone else and that's what makes that love special and worth having.

There's that Hemingway quote--"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen."  This novel closes with a passage that reminds me of this:

What she will register, at least, will be the fact that she is not alone.  And it has been my experience that when you do this--slow down, pay attention, follow the simple instincts of love--a person is likely to respond favorably.  It is generally true of babies, and most other people too, perhaps.  Also dogs.  Hamsters even.  And people so damaged by life in the world that there might seem no hope for them, only there may be.

It's the millions of little things that make up and sustain relationships--not the big things.

Anyway, read it.  



Sidenote--Who else winds up reading a book if they see an actor or actress they really like is going to be in the film adaptation?  It can't be just me!

Natanya Reviews Vaclav and Lena by Haley Tanner

Title & Author: Vaclav & Lena by Haley Tanner

Publisher/Date: The Dial Press (Random House), 2011

Where I got it: Amazon for kindle

Why I read it: I think I found out about it from a Goodreads newsletter a few months ago, and it sounded interesting. I also thought the papercut design on the cover was really pretty!

Summary (from Goodreads):

Vaclav and Lena, both the children of Russian émigrés, are at the same time from radically different worlds. While Vaclav's burgeoning love of performing magic is indulged by hard-working parents pursuing the American dream, troubled orphan Lena is caught in a domestic situation no child should suffer through. Taken in as one of her own by Vaclav's big-hearted mother, Lena might finally be able to blossom; in the naive young magician's eyes, she is destined to be his "faithful assistant"...but after a horrific discovery, the two are ripped apart without even a goodbye. Years later, they meet again. But will their past once more conspire to keep them apart?

This is a story about things that change and things that don’t change; things that are known, things that aren’t known, and things that shouldn’t be known. It’s about love and beauty and ignorance and pain and sorrow. This book was so good, I cried a bit when I finished it. I hadn’t read a book this touching in a long time. Vaclav and Lena are so cute, and I loved that, while this could have just been a cute love story, Tanner made it so much more complex—to the point where at times I wasn’t sure if I was really rooting for Vaclav and Lena to be together or not. Vaclav’s love for Lena is heartbreaking, and it is so difficult during parts of the novel to watch Lena take advantage of him and manipulate him. And while this makes Lena seems horrible, she’s just messed up, and no matter what she says or does, we know that she still loves Vaclav.

Anyway, going past the nonsensical gushy stuff and onto some specifics. The novel is split into four parts, two of which follow the characters while they’re together, and the other two detailing their time apart (from an omniscient third-person perspective), and I think that this was a great way to split up the novel. I also loved Vaclav’s obsession with magic, which continues even once the story switches to him as a teenager. The concept of not letting go of the characters’ childhood is a big theme throughout the novel, and Vaclav’s magic really helps with this. The one thing about this theme that got kind of annoying is that, even when they were 17 years old, Vaclav and Lena still seem very naïve and immature, to the point where they really sound exactly the same as they did at age 10. At times this wasn’t very believable, but at the same time, I do think that part of the point is to contrast the ways the two characters do and don’t change, so that aspect certainly doesn’t ruin the novel for me.

Beyond that, there were certainly problems with the novel—the end is a bit abrupt, and there’s a side of Lena that keeps resurfacing but that Tanner never fully deals with, making it hard to guess what happens after the end—but honestly, I don’t even care, because all of the good parts of this novel are just so good.

I’m sure Vaclav and Lena isn’t for everyone, and I may very well just be a sap, but especially as the author’s debut novel, it really is wonderful.

4.5 stars

Julia Reviews Everything I Know About Love I learned From Romance Novels

Title/Author:Everything I Know About Love About Learned From Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell
Publisher/Year Published: October 2011 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
How I got this book: From my local library
Why I read this book: I read a lot of romance novels and the title is pretty much out of my mouth
Rating: 5 stars

I read my first romance novel right around the age of 12. My cousin gave me some to read that she had gotten through various ways. She said they were really good books I would like them. 13 years later and I am still reading romance.

As a self-professed bookaholic, people often times give me a lot of condecension for my choice of reading. When I tell people that I read 72 books in 2010 and 49% of them were romance I often get "Well those don't count." or "It's just chick porn."

This really frustrates me. Just because it is a book that is heavily focused on romance means it doesn't count? I picked up Everything I Know I Learned from Romance Novels hoping to get some more amo to throw at these people, but what I found was a group of stories and lessons that were enchanting and eye opening.

Everything I Know About Love was written by Smart Bitch Sarah over at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, a site I often frequent. She often asked readers while she was writting to contribute anecdotes, as well as other authors and publishers. What she collected was a chain of stories about people and their relationship with romance. It was really interesting because not only did I realize what other people have taken from reading romance, I realized that a lot of that applied to me as well.

What I Learned From Romance Novels:

• Don't to settle for something less than I am worth.
• Though men are not romance heros, the romance heroes have qualities (like kindness and the ability to listen) that real men can have.
• It's not a problem to embrace sexuality.
• The happily-ever after is not the interesting part. It's how you get there.

I don't expect someone to ride up beside me, sweep me off my feet onto their white horse and tell me they've wait for me forever. I do expect trust and communication, understanding when something happens when life isnt always perfect, someone who will love me faults and all.

For me romance has been an escape, a roadmap to relationships, a way to discover myself to just name a few. What this book really solidified in me is that I don't care that other people may think less of me for reading romance. They dont know what they have taught me. I know that I will be a better friend, lover, woman, and person for reading them.

As for the book, you hear a lot of stories like this neatly divided into sections. If you dont read romance but have wondered why so many flock to it. Pick this up. It is quick and fun to read. It took me one 4 hour flight.

I am not sure how to end my review/personal outpouring. I guess I'll end it with this. Never feel guilty for reading something. A book can mean anything to anyone. :)

The Science of Single by Rachel Machacek

Title/Author:The Science of Single: One Woman's Grand Experiment in Modern Dating, Creating Chemistry, and Finding Love by Rachel Machacek
Publisher/Year Published: January 2011 by Riverhead Trade
How I got this book: I picked it up off at Borders' going out of business liquidation
Why I read this book: The cover grabbed my eye.
Rating: 3 stars

I was taking my last walk through a Borders two days before it closed, basket full of romance novels that were a dollar each, when I stumbled across this book in what used to be the biographies section. This is not biography, but the periodic table cover made me pick it up. There were quite a few left, but after some quick math in my head I decided that even if it was horrid, I may be able to pick up some tips could at least say I read it.

In the Science of Single, Rachel, our author, decides to make an experiment out of dating in the modern era. She takes different types, like online dating, blind dating, dating services etc. and dives into them headfirst while writing about her experiences. Most of her lucky suitors know nothing of the experiment.

Rachel goes into the pros and cons of each but not in an out and out list. You can tell the pros and cons through her experiences, of which she writes in detail. She gives the guys cute little nicknames based on something about them. I quite enjoyed that, and then seeing them pop up later.

To say one thing about the Science of Single, it does not lack entertainment. The way Rachel writes is very fluid and clear. It was easy to fall into each section and be absorbed by her journey. I would easily take a section and read it before bed time. The part that didn't quite capture me was Rachel. This bothers me to say, because she is a real person and it was sort of a memoir, but I just couldn't connect with her. We are very different people in the way we approach (or subconsciously avoid in my case) dating. The point being there were times where I just wrinkled my nose. Most of this was early on though, and what redeemed this for me was the fact that in the end she grows. And that is what I like to see, even in a story about dating, growth.

So did I pick up any tips? A little There are a lot of options out there and each one may suit one of us more. Her foray into online dating made me want to give it a try. It was an interesting read, entertaining and well written. It was definitely not a waste of time, just a little hard to connect to at times.

In summary, I would recommend it for the people who want to be entertained by one woman's attempt to decode the modern dating scene.

Tahleen Reviews "Millie's Fling" by Jill Mansell

Title: Millie's Fling

Author: Jill Mansell

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark, 2009

Rating: 4 stars

Millie has not had the best of luck in the man department, especially lately. But when she stops bestselling romance novelist Orla Hart from hurling herself off a cliff, things are gonig to change. But Millie isn't sure it's for the better. Orla decides she wants to make a departure from her normal writing, namely about glitzy celebrities and high living, in favor of normal, everyday people. And she's willing to pay big money to Millie to tell her ALL about her love life. Trouble is, Orla isn't going to let Millie go on her own, and tries to set her up with any number of men.

This British chick-lit is great fun. It is full of what I can only describe and crazy shenanigans. Millie's trying to keep her attraction to Hugh, a young widower, secret, especially from Orla, since the novelist already told her he was off limits. Millie's flatmate, Hester, is super annoying and can be a total slut when she wants to be, since she's got the hots for Lucas Kemp, a guy they both knew in high school who is now back in Newquay and sexier than ever--despite her boyfriend Nat, who is miles away in Glasgow working as a chef in a restaurant.

Seriously, the things that happened in this book were fantastic. One twist after another, and misadventures galore. One of my favorite scenes had to do with a kitchen fire, a mud wrap, and some missing clothing. There were so many delicious misunderstandings, and the humor was rife with British slang, which is funny to me regardless.

If you're just looking for a feel-good romantic comedy type book, I'd definitely check out Jill Mansell's stuff. I'm sure her other books are just as good and funny, and I am looking forward to reading them.

Disclosure: I got this as a free nookbook from bn.com.

Jamie Reviews The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

I was really ecstatic when I heard that that David Levithan was writing an adult novel because I love me some David and I read quite a bit of adult as well...and because it was about loooove. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I knew if it was like most of David's novels I'd feel some sort of connection to it.

The Lover's Dictionary was SUCH an interestingly lovely read that I DEVOURED in a day. Each page contains a passage of prose that reflects a word from the dictionary and it is written as though it is a dictionary entry. The passages range in length, some being a sentence or two and some being half of a page long, and follow the love story between a nameless narrator and his lover. You feel kind of a distance at first because you are only seeing snippets (not chronologically) of their love story and because they ARE nameless but you find yourself reading these intensely intimate thoughts and raw emotions and this couple becomes so exposed as the book gives glimpses into some of the most joyful and exciting times in their relationship as well as some of the most difficult and trying times in their relationship.

This book was really such an honest portrayal of the many facets of love as it examines the joys, the doubts, the heartbreaks, the sacrifices and the different nuances and quirks in the love affair between two people. Some passages made me laugh, cry and reflect on my own relationship as certain feelings or situations would hit close to home. The writing was exquisite and I found myself bookmarking page after page thinking that each passage was my new favorite only for it to be dethroned by another.

Some I wanted to share:

ineffable, adj.
these words will ultimately end up being the barest of reflections, devoid of the sensations words cannot convoy. Trying to write about love is ultimately like trying to have a dictionary represent life. No matter how many words there are, there will never be enough."

autonomy, n.

"I want my books to have their own shelves," you said, and that's how I knew it would be okay to live together"

placid, adj.

Sometimes I love it when we just lie on our backs, gaze off, stay still.

There are SO many wonderful lines and passages in this book but I tried to pick some shorter ones that stood out in my mind.

My final thought: This book was a gem! Upon finishing it I just held it close to my chest because I was amazed at how raw it was and how much I connected with it. I thought of the moments that made my heart flutter in my relationship, I thought about the doubt and the act of learning how to trust in a relationship, the beauty in the mundane and the wonderful journey love really is despite how hard it can be to love and let yourself be loved in a relationship. The prose was something to be savored and I have no doubts that I will read this book again as it has a permanent place on my shelf. Levithan's delivery was creative and I found the his connection to each of the words to be genius. I'd recommend to lovers of adult fiction who don't mind something different and who don't need to be wooed by a fast moving plot.


Originally posted on my personal book blog -- The Perpetual Page-Turner

Julia Reviews "The Science of Kissing"

Title/Author:The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us by Sheril Kirshenbaum
Publisher/Year Published: 2011 by Grand Central Publishing
How I got this book: I received a review copy from the publisher
Why I read this book: It sounded interesting and when I started it was around Valentine's Day.
Rating: 4 stars

When did humans begin to kiss? Why is kissing integral to some cultures and alien to others? Do good kissers make the best lovers? And is that expensive lip-plumping gloss worth it?

Seeing those questions posed to me, I thought to myself, "This could be quite interesting! A scientific look into kissing." I am not going to lie; I was a little weary starting a book about kissing, thinking that the possibility could be high of it turning into a How-to book. (Not that I would turn down a few pointers.. which this book does give based on the context of the science)

This is not a How-to book. It is more of a "Why" book. Each chapter delves into a different aspect of kissing, for example: kissing among animals, how kissing evolves, the hormones involved, potential spread of diseases, etc. On the spread of diseases front, what I took from that chapter is that if I brush my teeth and floss regularly but my boyfriend whom I kiss does not, I can still get cavities from the mouth to mouth transfer. Gross.

I aprticularly enjoyed the chapters that talked about how kissing is percieved in men vs. women. She talkes about what hormones get going and what that means for our involentary responses.

Each chapter takes a scientific look at whatever the topic is. Why do men find lips attractive and the correlating aspect of why women highlight them? It's all in there. The Science of Kissing covers a wide range of topics separated by chapters so if one does not suit your fancy it would be easy to just skim passed to the next chapter.

If you are thinking, "This book sounds interesting, but I am not too into reading heavy science things," then worry not! This book, though it does contain the science, presents itself in a way that is not research paper-like, but instead flows well and doesn't talk over the reader. There are some times where I personally thought the science went on a little too long, but someone else may have really found that enjoyable. When that happened I would just skim along until I got to the next new and interesting topic.

If you are interested in reading more about the science behind why we kiss and all that comes with it, this is a really interesting read and I would highly recommend it.

Julia's Top Ten Favorite Love Stories

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 post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. If you can't come up with ten, don't worry about it---post as many as you can!

Next week the topic is: TOP TEN BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATIONS. See a list of future TTT here.

Though I am sure you are sick off all the love stuff (although I may point out that there is a good chance your favorite heart full of chocolate is marked down today at your local grocer), you can't deny that there are some great books with even greater love stories.

1. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Is it still a love story even if things are... well rocky would be a good way to describe it. Yup, and this on is often marketed as the greatest one ever. I don't know if it deserves such high acolades for its love, but it is a great story that took very Ohioan me and transported me to the South in the Civil War. And who doesn't know who Rhett and Scarlett are?

2. Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Henry and Clare are such interesting characters and learning about each of their lives through the eyes of the other (or the time of the other) is quite a heart wrenching story. I just love this book and the sole reasons why is their story. And the time travel..

3. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
This story is great. I read it on the beach one summer and it was the perfect beach read about life in the circus. I don't want to get too much into it seeing as it is a great story that is best left to the reader, but let me just say that I liked it enough to include on this list.

4. Titanic: The Long Night by Diane Hoh
This is the point in the list where I can hear you saying, "What book is this?" Well lets paint a picture. It's around the time the movie came out, and being obsessed with everything Titanic I saw this book in Scholastic and bought it. Two girls meet two boys and the stories unfold from there. I may have to dig this one out and give it another go.

5. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Look! It's not Romeo and Juliet! Beatrice and Benedick's story is 1000 times more awesome than those kids. They've been around the block and know better from it (for one they don't kill themselves at the end). This play is hilarious and if you have not had a chance to read it, I highly recommend it!

6. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
I can hear the cries and gasps, but I have to include this. It is a great story and the heart of the story is Humpert's "love" for Lolita. For such a creepy topic, the writing is just beautiful. And I felt like I wanted to include it on the list

7. Romance Novels by Various Authors
I can't tell if I am deciding this is a cop out or just the way I feel. I read SO MANY romance novels. I did that math and 46% of the books I read last year were sold in the romance genre. So why isn't this 10 romance novels? Probably because I expect them to be about love. I honestly don't know why they don't individually resonate with me more. But as a collective, they deserve a spot on this list.

8-10 I am cheating a bit on. I have never read these books, but I have seen movies based on these books that I think are lovely. So that's my caveat. So I guess we can stop my book list at 7 and add my Top 3 Love Movies Based on What I am Assuming Are Love Books

8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I am in love with the BBC special. I love it so much that I've put the book on my TBR (remember Top Ten Books I can't Believe I've Never Read anyone?) I know it will be worthwhile once I actually get around to reading it.

9. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Another mini-series that is just sigh enducing. This one a little bit more... well messed up because it involves... a priest and a young women as she ages... but I still liked it. It's been on my to read for forever...

10. North and South Elizabeth Gaskell
Just saw this BBC miniseries and it was really good. I really think I would enjoy the book. I didn't even know it was a book (or if I did it was in passing) until my google search post watch or else I would have done the reverse. But this was love too.


So those are my lists. Convoluted to be sure, but my own. Link up on the linky below to share your list! Let's share some love!

Julia Reviews " Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon

Title/Author:Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Publisher/Year Published: 1991 by Dell
How I got this book: The Library
Where I got it: The library because everyone and the mother's half-cousin's maiden aunt twice removed had read it and loved it
Why I read this book: Everyone was recommending it to me. Thought I'd see what the fuss was about.
Rating: 2.5 stars

I read this back in June 2009. This is what I wrote right after finishing

You know I started off liking this book. I really did. Even at 200 pages in I was still enjoying it. But then something happened and it started to lose its "magic." It's been a while since I actually read it but I remember the feelings of "What?" and "I am pretty sure I could have conveyed the exact same feeling/thing in about 20 less pages" pretty well.

I think it started near the climax. It was done acceptably well. "Now lets get to the wrapping up part. What? There are still 200 pages? What the hell happens there? "

One of the things I really hate when reading is a book that goes on and on after what is clearly the climax (my biggest problem with Kite Runner as well). I mean, there were some interesting parts that happened after, but since this was already going to be a series, why not just move it over a book and end it with the reader feeling invigorated and not thinking "End already!"

I feel like I am in the minority in the dislike of this book. Clearly, some people must like it or Gabaldon wouldn't have the following she does nor would there be six or so succeeding books. And going back to some notes I took while reading it, I was enjoying it. But I have this feeling that if I pick up the next books in the series, I will hate myself.

So in conclusion. It was OK. Just OK. Maybe a good. An OK and a half. Will I be picking up the next books in the series? Unlikely. I feel like there are better books in the world that I can spend my time reading.

Overall, I still feel the same way. I just don't get it. Well, I get it more than I get Twilight but that's a whole different can of worms. It has time travel, love, action, interesting characters (when they are not being ridiculous). It has a lot of things. Actually, it has a lot of messed up things as well that really made me think, "I can't believe that just happened!"

I realize I have a inherent vendetta against long books, long defined as plus 500. If I feel it can be cut, I don't want it in there. I like plot driven by well rounded characters. At 800+ pages, this has fallen into my "too long!" box of no. I probably would have given the second book the good college try if it wasn't for that pet peeve. I have liked long books before (eg The Brothers Karamazof, Gone With the Wind, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Three Musketeers) but I think I judge them harsher than I would a shorter novel.

How about you? What is your feeling on long books? Skip/Skim/Savor?

As for Outlander? I'm giving it a 2.5 only because there were parts I genuinely enjoyed.

Julia Reviews "Beastly" by Alex Flinn

Title/Author: Beastly by Alex Flinn
Publisher/Year Published: 2007 by Harper Teen
How I got this book: The Library
Why I read this book: Saw a trailer for the movie coming out, thought I would read the book.
Rating: 4 stars

I stumbled into a trailer for a new movie coming out in March called "Beastly." Upon doing a bit more research I discovered that it was a book first, as it usually is, and decided to read it. Two things sold me on this book from the relative get go: one, it's a retelling of one of my favorite Disney movies* "The Beauty and the Beast", and two, it's told from the Beast's perspective.

The book does a great job of modernizing the Beast's tale. One of my favorite highlights is the chat room group for mythically affected teens. But besides the obvious of updating the scenery to the 21st century perspective, the actual Beast transformation is really believable. The magic of the tale balances well with the modernity. There is a great story arc that isn't too sudden or unbelievable. He starts off quite unlikable actually, but the promise of his transformation is enough to spur you past his childish special snowflake syndrome.

One side comment that really has nothing to do with my review but I've read quite a few YA novels this year that have novels told from 1st person point of view. Why is that, I wonder? As a general rule, I dislike first person narrative because it limits what I can know about other characters. I learn a good deal about the main character but the secondary characters suffer. I concede that sometimes first person works well, I thought it was great in The Hunger Games, but it's just not my favorite. I'm curious to what opinions you guys have on POV. First person: love it, hate it, can't live without it?

Anyway, back to Beastly. While it does a good job with the modernization while keeping all the essential elements, it was missing something that would push me into 5 star territory. It just didn't have that extra kick. Is it a great read? Yes. Would I recommend it to anyone who likes the tragic romance of Beatuy and the Beast? Hell yes. Is it a book I would read again? Probably not. But it was definitely worth the read. And I'll probably go see the movie when it comes out in March. If only for Neil Patrick Harris.

*I know it's a fairy tale, but I am more familiar with the Disney version. I am still plowing my way through The Brothers Grimm ... then comes Hans Christian Anderson ... then I'll do the more famous ones I have not hit (like this French tale!)

Trivia! The second most familiar Beauty and the Beast version for me? The TV show from the late 80s. Oh, Vincent...

Top Ten Favorite Fictional Couples in Books

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 Top Ten Tuesday is all about our favorite couples in literature. For me, a good romantic relationship in literature is one that is, in general, not formed too hastily and the development of the relationship is at least somewhat believable. On occasion I do become enthralled with romantic relationships that are hastily formed and are the most ridiculous love stories ever. It happens. I'm ok with it. None of the romantic relationships ever seem to take the same form. Sometimes I like quiet relationships and sometimes I like really drama-filled ones--all seem to have some flaws and reflect the issues inherent in loving someone. I cannot stand obsessive and unhealthy relationships. I understand there are those relationships but they won't make my favorite couples list. I understand falling head over heels but becoming a mindless creature that can't function on your own disgusts me.

Some picks might include spoilers if you haven't read them:

1. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice -- I'm sure everyone will have this on their list. I may be a bit impartial with this one as my own "love story" looked like this. I loathed my boyfriend when I first met him and essentially thought myself better than him like Elizabeth did. Out of nowhere I found myself wanting to spend time with him and thinking of him differently. He had always known he had feelings for me and he waited patiently for me to realize and reciprocate.

2. Romeo and Juliet -- I genuinely was obsessed with this relationship in high school when I read it. I really didn't even like this play but loved their relationship and oohed and ahhed at their true love and all the dramatics of it. I wonder if I would still feel the same reading it now.

3. Eliza Doolittle and Freddy in Pygmalion -- I read this in my 11th grade Brit Lit class and wrote a paper on it because I loved this play (and also was obsessed with My Fair Lady). I know everybody WANTED Eliza and Higgins to get together but I never really did. Ok, maybe there was a small part of me, but for once I was happy that the guy who genuinely liked the girl--albiet the "nice guy"--got the girl! Don't get me wrong, I like when a guy changes and comes to realize his faults in how he treated a woman and they live happily ever after. But for some reason I just really loved that Freddy liked her for who she was and found her charming and quirky.

4. Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games-- Disclaimer: I've only read The Hunger Games so far so I have NO idea who she ends up with AND I realize that they weren't technically a couple but they were in my mind! I just thought this was a really realistic, sweet kind of couple. She could be herself and that was what he liked about her. They had a friendship as a foundation and there was that extra something something there. I am scared to read Catching Fire and Mockingjay because I just have a bad feeling about the liklihood of them ending up together. SHHH. Don't tell.

5. Pigeon and Anieleca from A Long Long Time Ago and Essentially True-- Loved this sweet couple! I love the way he was hellbent on getting her family's respect and then wooing her. I loved his genuine devotion and love for her. Le sigh.

6. Henry and Clare in The Time Traveler's Wife -- This is one of those couples that I loved and don't know why! Some of the girls in the College Students group and I were discussing how tragic it was that all she did was just wait and wait for him all her life and the relationship's development was so abnormal because she just always knew she was supposed to be with him since she was young. For whatever reason, I found myself loving it despite this. I still can't figure out WHAT was so redeeming about it but it moved me in a certain way and that counts for something.

7.  The wife and husband in Blindness-- This might seem like an odd choice. I understand that. However, I just loved how she pretended to be blind and went with him into  these horrible living conditions and took care of  him. I love how she tried so hard in little ways to make him not feel so helpless and how she still loved him even when he resented that she could see. She could have had a much more comfortable life outside the asylum but she chose to remain with her husband.

8. Odysseus and Penelope from The Odyssey-- I remember not being excited to read this for class but I found myself smitten with this couple! Epitome of sacrifice and devotion to your true love! Enough said!

9. Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables series -- Childhood favorite! I'm in need of a re-read but I remember always rooting for them and thinking they were so cute! Love a good happily ever after story!

10. Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza from Love in the Time of Cholera -- Ok, so one word here--PASSION. This relationship just took ahold of me from the beginning and took me from a ride for sure. The relationship was clearly flawed and messed up with him being a player and her being a tease and rejecting him but I just found it wildly passionate.

What are your favorite couples in books? Do you disagree/agree with any of mine? What makes a good fictional couple in your mind? What couples make you want to gag? :)

Next week's topic -- Top Ten Favorite Authors