The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

Someday I will read another wonderful piece of literature, but I took a break. All writing should be considered literature because it's all reading, but I know from my English classes during university that a book such as this, would not have been a part of the syllabus.

Now that I've got that out, I really enjoyed it. I've read two other books by Candace Bushnell, and while I liked them, I didn't enjoy them like I did this one. It was more of a story. Sex and The City was a collection of articles. This was a story about Carrie in high school. The only familiar character was Carrie. I always think about the television series, and that's what I compare to all books involving these characters. I know it's supposed to be the other way around, but really, the book did come after.

The book is basically about Carrie's journey to both New York City and to becoming a writer. This is going to sound terrible, but the last chapter was my favourite because she gets to New York, and calls a familiar character from Sex and the City.

I'll be honest, I read it a month ago, and once again didn't write as soon as I should have. Therefore, I can't quite remember all the details. I think I just liked the way Carrie's mind worked. The way she reacted to things seemed very human, and maybe a little like me. The Carrie's history in the book is different than her history in the TV series, but because it's completely different writers, I guess that's understandable. Also -everybody may not catch it, but I've seen every episode more than once.

Anyway, it was good. I'd probably read it again. (maybe because it makes me feel young to read books set in high school).

No Second Chance by Harlan Coben

I was excited to read this book because if you've seen the other blog entries, I'm a fan of Harlan Coben. I've already written about one other book, but have read a couple more.

I enjoyed this book. It was another twist and turn mystery novel that doesn't really explain anything until the very end. I might read a couple more books and than try it again. Things just didn't seem to fit in the same way they usually do in his novels. I can usually see things coming -or guess why something was done the way it was, and in this book, things just kind of happened. I thought I had things figured out, and I didn't. I guess that's good, but I wasn't happy with this one. I still enjoyed it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the others.

It's about a man trying to find out why he and his wife were shot at and left to die, and where his child is now. His wife died, and he did not. He's left alone to figure out who he can trust, and if he will ever see his baby girl again. As I write the plot, I realise how unoriginal it feels.

I will be reading more by him, and if I read this one again, I'll write about it again.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Before I start writing about the book, I just wanted to point out that for some reason, I'm unable to use Italics in the Title of my blog entry.

I finished this book before the weekend, but haven't written about it yet. Now I have two books to write about because I finished another over the weekend.

I bought this book before I knew it was turned into a movie. It always takes a little of the greatness away when I find out it's being turned into a movie. I guess because if I read it when it's just a book, I get that special feeling of finding it, and knowing that I can spread the news that everybody should read it. If it's a movie, people won't find it as important to read the book. Some movies have been done well, but in most cases, the book is always better.

Now to the book. I loved it. The only thing that I had trouble with was the fact that it wasn't true. I've only had this happen a few times while reading, and it's usually when the book is about something that seems like it could be true. This book was about the division of black and white in Mississippi. It's about how the maids are treated by their white employers. It's a great book, and it makes you think about how hard it really was. I was shocked at some of the rules they had about how the white people were to treat the black people. (this part was true, as I read the message from the author at the back.)

Kathryn Stockett grew up with a black maid, and although it's not about her maid, I'm sure that was a lot of the motivation. She was probably partially raised by this woman, and as a child did not see the unfairness. She obviously sees it now, and was able to write about it eloquently. It's a book about a book basically, and I guess I just wished that the book in the novel was real.

I will be suggesting this book to anybody I can because it's one of those books you like to discuss. (Which is one of the reasons I started this book blog.)

Isabel's Daughter by Judi Hendricks

This book took me longer than it should have to sit down and read it. Every time I opened it, I enjoyed it, but always seemed to find something else to do. Today, after my night shift, I finally started reading it. It was an unfortunate time to not be able to put it down because I had to sleep. (especially because I have some time to read at work). I did end up putting it down because I knew I needed to sleep, and then as soon as I was awake and fed, I brought it back out and finished it before heading back to work.

I really enjoyed it. It's about Isabel's Daughter basically. Although, for most of her life she doesn't know who her mother is. It's about her search and her need to find out who her mother is. She grew up without a family and with the feeling that she was abandoned. Of course, the more she learns about her mother, the more she learns that she's found different kinds of family while she grew up.

I loved the ending. Through most of the book, the romantic in me was hoping for a certain ending, and it happened. Not in a predictable way though, just in the way it was meant to be. It wasn't a romance at all, don't get me wrong, but love in a book doesn't seem to be a bad thing in my opinion.

On to the next book... I have to quit buying them until I catch up to the ones I have in my house. Maybe I should be making a list on here with the books I'm planning to read. (there are MANY).

Caught by Harlan Coben

This was one of those books that I couldn't put down. It was an easy read, but still a great one. I think while I am trying to expand my reading, and give more time to the classics and literature, I also need to take the time to read books that are just as great. I love fiction, I always have. I haven't quite been able to get into science fiction, but maybe I'll add that to my 'must reads'.

Unfortunately, I didn't write this immediately after reading the book, so I can't share my very first impressions because I don't remember them. I've read one other book by Harlan Coben, and I really enjoyed it. I'll have to give it another read though because I can't remember the plot at all.

What I like about his books is the fact that he writes from all perspectives including female. Nicholas Sparks can write books that appeal mostly to woman, but Coben writes mystery novels from all perspectives, and I would assume that both men and women alike would appreciate his writing. I'll have to lend the book to my father (a fellow book lover), and to prove my theory.

I did lend this book immediately after I read it, to a coworker. I wanted to share it. I knew she reads mystery novels, so I offered her this one. She loved it as well, which I was happy to hear.

The book deals with so many different things. At the start, we see a sexual predator caught by a reporter, but don't know the whole story. Throughout the story, we meet new characters, and get new plot twists, and I spend the whole time trying to figure out what will happen next. I guess it's a bit like a movie in that way.

Either way, this book gets a thumbs up. Now, I have to get back to reading.

Invisible Thread by Maree Giles

This book was set in Australia during the 70s. That's pretty important information because what the main character went though, I couldn't even imagine. Also, although I really enjoyed the book, I probably would have loved it more if I could read it in an Australian accent.

It's about a girl who gets sent away to a prison of sorts for young girls. She gets sent away because she ran away from home. From the start, it seems like the whole world is against her, and it pretty much keeps on with that feeling. It is written from her point of view, and nobody else... wait. Strange, they do have on other person's thoughts in this book. I forgot, and now I'm looking at the book differently. For about five pages, they focus on somebody else, and her view of the 'bad girls'. Strange.

Either way, it didn't seem fair. Basically this girl was your average teenage girl. I guess in the 70s people were shocked that a 14 year old could have sex or do drugs, and tried hard to stop it. It seems like to much of a common occurrence these days, and sadly doesn't shock me at all.

Long story short, I liked the book, and couldn't put it down. I like the ones you can't put down. It's based on a true story. I'd love to read a sequel. I actually could go on and on about this book. If I was in University, I'd definitely choose to do an essay on it.

Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

Sometime because of my English degree, I feel like these kind of books, I should not admit I've read. Although I read a lot worse than that. I can admit it, I like the mystery/romance novels when I want a quick escape from reality.

 I love the TV series Sex and the City. I loved the friendship between the four women, and their struggle in life, romance and career. Judge me if you want.

The book, is not exactly like that. First off Candace is the one writing it, and while she's not the main character, I kept expecting all the 'I's' to be from Carrie, not Candace. Carrie is in it, but there are so many different characters in it. All the names are familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint who was who. There is an introduction at the beginning of the novel from Candace. She said this book was written in an unsentimental way. She's right, it was. I didn't feel the same connection to the characters as I do in the TV series.

The character of Carrie was not at all the Carrie I was used to. The relationship between her and Big ended in the book partially because of her. The show really makes it look like it is Big's commitment issues, but in the book, it's clear that Carrie is crazy. I was a bit sad while reading it because I had always compared myself a little bit to Carrie, and imagined the great friendship between the four women. In the book, I really couldn't imagine wanting to be friends with any one of them.

After all that, I did enjoy it. It wasn't a story, it was a collection of different stories about single women, and single men in New York. I've actually read a book by Candace Bushnell before. It's about a life I will never know, and frankly never need to know. I have one more book by her I plan to read, but it's a bit lower on the list. I have quite the list of books to read.