While I'm Falling by Laura Moriarty

I stayed up way too late last night and finished reading While I'm Falling. This book was like a train wreck; I couldn't look away. The mess the mother and daughter make of their lives was realistic without going overboard, but they redeemed themselves at the end.

Jodi Picoult summed up While I'm Falling thusly:  "While I'm Falling deftly captures the moment a child realizes that growing up means being responsible for your parents' mistakes--and preventing yourself from making the same ones. Laura Moriarty keeps getting better and better."

I agree.

Book Read: While I'm Falling

Author:  Laura Moriarty

ISBN:  978-1-4013-0272-6

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Are you a fan of Tina Fey? Have you read Bossypants, her memoir? Well, if you are and if you haven't, I'd recommend it. This book had me cackling out loud each time I cracked the spine. Ii can see why her writing career (she wrote for SNL, the script of Mean Girls, 30 Rock) is flourishing. Flipping through the book now for an example, I found this paragraph talking about her friendship with some gay people in high school:

I guess I should also state that Karen and Sharon never hit on me in the slightest and it was never weird between any of us. Gay people don't actually try to convert people. That's Jehovah's Witnesses you're thinking of.

And this one a little later in the book when she is told to give Sylvester Stallone, who is hosting SNL that week, a message. That he needs to enunciate; he's hard to understand She gives him the message, he gets it, then:

He couldn't have been more easygoing about it. My guess is that this was not the first time in his career he had been given that note. I went back outside and manually released my butt cheeks.

It's like this throughout the book. You really should read it. Do you like reading memoirs? What's been your favorite so far?

Book Read: Bossypants

Author:  Tina Fey

ISBN:  978-0-316-05686-1

The Last Secret by Mary McGarry Morris

I've read several other books by Mary McGarry Morris and they all have a common theme:  they're dark. The writing is good but it can sure put you in a foul mood. At least it does that to me.

This novel featured a bunch of unlikeable characters. In fact, I can't think of any I could really relate to or that I liked. But it was compelling. It starts with Nora as a teenager who has run off with an older boy Eddie. Their short time together ends with an act that leaves Nora confused, depressed, and feeling bad about herself. Those feelings never really go away, but as an adult she had a boatload of other troubles to deal with. It was gloom and doom throughout, but in spite of that, The Last Secret (which by the way, I figured out right away, not at the end of the book when it was revealed) was a good read.


So, to kick this foul mood, tonight I'm going to start reading Bossypants by Tina Fey! Do you like reading dark books? What's your favorite type of book to read?

Book Read: The Last Secret

Author:  Mary McGarry Morris

ISBN:  978-0-307-45127-9

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

I finally finished reading Lisey's Story by Stephen King. It only took me 10 days. Geez, but it was a long book but really good. Crazy, but good. I don't usually read horror or supernatural or science fiction or whatever you want to call his books, but some are all right. This one was good, just enough "normal" to make it believable (or mostly believable).

The best part to me was early in the book when Lisey fixes herself a meal. Cheeseburger Pie Hamburger Helper and lime Kool-Aid, with double sugar! Scott (her deceased husband) called this sort of meal "eating nasty." Oh man! I cracked up on that one!

Do you like Stephen King's books? What's your favorite?

Book Read: Lisey's Story

Author:  Stephen King

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe

Okey, dokey. I stayed up till 2:30 last night and finished reading Rob Lowe's autobiography Stories I Only Tell My Friends. With that title, I think it's safe to say that we're now friends because, even though I don't know if he told it all, he told a lot of it. Rob (I'll just call him Rob now that we're pals... I mean he says so right there in the title of his book!) wrote this sucker in an easy-to-read, no-nonsense way that made hims seem like (gasp!) a real person!

Seriously, this autobiography was a fun read since I'm a fan of the pretty boy, love TV and movies and Rob name dropped till the cows came home, and basically because I'm nosy. I began to wonder if Rob (that's my bud Rob Lowe for those of you not paying attention) was for real because after every little set back that would send the weaker of us back home with our tails between our legs, he just took a bigger bite and did what he had to to improve himself.

I did notice that he glossed over his relationship / dating / whatever you want to call it with Melissa Gilbert. He gave her less than a page of ink. She, only the hand, went on and on and on in her autobiography Prairie Tales. Just goes to show you how different a relationship was in the eyes of each person.

Can you say positive attitude? I'm beginning to think his character Chris Traeger on Parks and Recreation (love it!) is really just good ol' Rob. No embellishments. That's how he comes across in the book. Intense but lovable. Literally.

Are you a Rob Lowe fan? Which role or movie or TV show is your favorite? I'd have to go with Parks and Rec. That show is genius, and my friend Rob just adds to the wonder of it.

Book Read: Stories I Only Tell My Friends

Author:  Rob Lowe

ISBN:  978-0-8050-9329-2