in a perfect world by Laura Kasischke

This novel took me A LONG TIME to get through. It's one of those books that I was enjoying, and I did want to finish it, but would put it down and go on to another book. I took a lot of breaks from it, and because of this I was actually pretty sad when it ended. I didn't give it the respect books deserve.

It wasn't at all what I thought it would be. It was kind of a different sort of world, I guess. It was this world, with the same famous people I know, but the world was being overtaken with the Phoenix Flu. Causing death and fear, first across America, and than the world.

It was about a woman taking care of her husband's children. She chose to quit her job, while he continued his as a pilot to take care of his kids. She ends up being the care giver while he travels, and rarely returns.

I liked it, which is why I feel bad for not just reading it. The author wrote a book that was made into a movie. I saw the movie, but will look into reading the book.

I just got a library card, so maybe I'll look her up the next time I'm there.

Summer and the City by Candice Bushnell

I haven't written a book post in a long time. I have two books to write about. There may have been more, but these are the two I remember. I need to write this more. Not really for anybody but me though. I should probably just keep a book journal, not a blog. The blog seemed easier at the time.

Either way. I recently read Summer and the City. It's the next book in The Carrie Diaries. I guess it's a series now. They're planning on also making it a TV series, which does seem pretty great. Only because I loved Sex and the City though.

Anyway, this one had some familiar names. Carrie was in New York for the summer before she went to school. She fell in love with the city. We also finally meet characters we know and love. Samantha and Miranda are both in it.

I liked it. I'll admit it. These books are lovely. They are easy reads, and they make me smile, and I enjoy reading books about writers. Even if this particular writer is made up. Even though I know where she will end up, it is fun watching how she got there. Also, she's younger and it's fun watching Carrie -and all of them, get into relationships when they are still young, and not yet jaded.

I'm looking forward to the next one.

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.