Amazon.com

I love Amazon.com!!! Seriously...I used to think Target was my one-stop shopping...Not so much anymore. I can order anything from jeans to jam and get it shipped to my front door within 2 days for free. I just love it...But more than the online shopping, I love their book selection and I love how they've (I picture little cave dwellers) gotten to know me so well...

I purchased my first Kindle a couple of years ago. I'm now on my second Kindle. I really grew rebellious towards the whole e-reader campaign...But once I bought one, I was hooked. I don't know how we ever crack open a real book anymore. These devices are amazing. I can read about a book in the middle of an airport, download a sample (probably my most favorite feature of the e-readers), and have a book in my hand within seconds. Simply amazing...

But the most amazing thing about Amazon.com is how I can rate a book I've finished and a little screen will pop up of "recommendations"...Ok, I feel like they've, more than likely, installed a microchip in my brain because they know me so well. I get hooked on their recommendations and before I know it, I'm downloading another book and falling in love with new characters all over again. It's fabulous!!!

With this said, here's a new list of books I've read this past month and they were so good, I had to share!!!

 This book really, really surprised me...Like it says...It's a memoir of friendship. I knew it was a book I'd enjoy from how moved I felt after reading the sample. It's a beautifully written book about the love between friends, which developed because of their love for their dogs. It's so tragic, loving, and moving. Have a box of tissues handy!!!

This book had a slew of really well-developed characters. It was a joy to read. In fact, I loved it so much that I have already pre-ordered her next book coming out in January. I was sad when it was over.

Wow! Amazon did it again!!! I haven't ever heard of this book, but it popped up as "recommended" for me and it was so, so good!!! It starts out where a childless couple who are isolated and alone taking care of a light house happen upon a ship wreck on their desolate island. Inside the boat is a crying baby. The couple, who have always wanted children, but couldn't have any...decide to keep the child and not report the ship wreck. It a sad story of love and loss and the true meaning of family. I enjoyed every minute of it!!!

I happened upon this book while shopping at Target. It intrigued me. And if you don't already know...I totally judge a book by it's cover! :D This is somewhat a fairy tale. It's a very different genre for me, but I'm really enjoying it. While you know it's completely unrealistic, there's also a constant element of surprise  It has kept me turning the pages!!!

Good Books!

I've been so lucky lately with some GREAT reads!!! And as I always say, a good book must be shared! My youngest is going to be waking up from his nap any moment now, so I'm just going to put them down on paper and let you do the research. I have faith you are familiar with Google?!

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2012 List of good Summer books...

At least once a year, I try to compile a list of good books I've read for the past 12 months. I have very limited time these days. My "sit by the pool while the kids swim" days are over. I have a toddler, which means my main objective if a pool is anywhere nearby is to keep him OUT of it (or at least his head above water!). The only time I have to really read now is after everyone is snugly tucked into bed at night, so a good book must be able to keep me up past my bedtime! Below is a list of books that did just that for me. Enjoy!



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Let me begin this selection by saying that books that take the nation by storm are normally lost on me. For example, I'm still baffled by Twilight and more baffling for me is the fact that I read the entire series. I guess I just kept thinking I must be missing something. They did absolutely nothing for me! The "Grey" series is a little different. This series didn't involve intricate writing styles or themes. The plot was pretty mundane and stupid, but it was enthralling. It did keep me up at night and not because of reasons you're thinking...The relationship between the two main characters was just intriguing, I guess, for lack of a better word. I enjoyed watching it unfold and develop. But the main reason I included it on the list is because it's easy reading. It's entertaining. It keeps you coming back for more. I recommend downloading on some kind of e-reader with 3G because once you finish one book, you'll want to immediately download the next! 

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Wow! This is by far by most favorite memoir I've probably EVER read! As most of you know, my motto is "life is too short to read a book twice"...Not true for this book. It's so funny and uplifting. It's a book any woman and/or mother can relate to. It's beautifully written. It's a book about coming of age...About being a mother and a daughter. As Kelly describes it, "That sliver of time when parenthood and childhood overlap." It's a story of survival and need. I just loved it. You will too! 

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This is one of those books that I was so happy I never gave up on. It's hard to get into. The writing style is unique and it takes some time to adapt to. It may even seem boring at first. It's one that can easily be sat down and never picked up again...But don't do it! It's worth every minute you devote to it. It's about two twin brothers in Ethiopia who are orphaned by their mother who dies at their birth. Their father runs away. The boys come of age during a revolution. It's fascinating and heart wrenching. The twins are born conjoined at the head and forever share fates that are intertwined even after they are physically separated. As you might expect, there is betrayal and miracles and trust. This book was named one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year in 2009--A title I believe it wholeheartedly deserves! 

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I was scouring the internet one night looking for a good book. This one kept popping up on every list: Amazon, New York Times, etc. I quickly downloaded a sample to my kindle. It immediately had me enraptured. It has love, romance, suspense, mystery. It contains a very, very unique story line. The story begins on Nick and Amy's 5th wedding anniversary--The day Amy disappears. It's a dark story about a marriage gone very wrong--one that started out with so much promise. As a fellow blogger wrote: "Marriage is the real mystery in this book". It's true. And maybe it's baffling for everyone. Maybe no one really truly knows their mate like we believe we do. The story is fascinating and hard to put down. I enjoyed every minute of it! 

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Elizabeth Gilbert may be one of my favorite authors. I loved "Eat, Pray, Love", which made me want to read her next book, "Committed"....If you read her first book, you probably already know her view on marriage. She doesn't think too highly of it. However, you see a different side of her in "Committed". I expected to hear lots of marriage bashing and while there is some of that...She clearly states in the book that survey after survey clearly reveals that marriage benefits men far more than it benefits women....she comes to understand it and envelopes it and not necessarily out of choice, but necessity. It's a good book. One that made me look at my own marriage differently. It's, once again, another page turner. In fact, I read it years ago...And reviewing it here has made me want to visit it again. It's a striking look at commitment...Do we need a piece of paper to be committed to another human being? I really enjoyed it...hence, it made my list this year.