The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: a fable by John Boyne

Wow. What a book. I picked up this book because it was a BBC book club selection. I had no idea what it was about. I was pleasantly surprised when I picked it up from the library that it was a Young Adult book. I thought 'okay, it will be an easy book to read.' I was wrong. Well, yes, it was a simple book to read wordwise, but the subject matter was not. I did what I usually do and read the book flap. But the book flap said nothing. Yes, nothing. What was written was that it was intentional not to give a summary of the book. That should have told me something. So I started reading the unknown.

It begins with a little boy named Bruno. While things were told from an 8 yr old's perspective, meaning a child's point of view, I was able to quickly deduce when the story took place and what it was about. I guessed that the 'Fury' he was referring to was the Fuhrer and where he lived 'Out With' was Auschwitz. The story was about Nazi Germany, Hitler and Auschwitz. Not exactly a pleasant storyline. I knew it was going somewhere, I just didn't know where.

I kept thinking that Bruno's father was a good man. That he had to be because Bruno was a good boy, at least I was under the impression he was. I don't know why I thought Bruno was a good boy, but he just had to be. Besides throughout the story, Bruno did appear to be a good boy. But if I really had to think about it, the Fuhrer would hardly promote someone to be the Commandant of Auschwitz unless he was very capable and aligned with his vision - Nazi Germany vision which I equate with not good. I kept on thinking that Bruno's father was just a good man who fell into the Nazi army. But Bruno's memories of conversations between his grandparents and his father give hints as to what a patriot Bruno's father is. Also things that were said to Lieutenent Kotler about his father leaving Germany also hinted to Brunos' father's loyalty to the German cause. And comments to Bruno about how wrongs are being righted with the Germans in reference to the concentration camps definitely did not make him sound like a good guy anymore.

To Bruno's father's credit, Bruno was not aware of what Auschwitz really was about. Perhaps he wanted Bruno oblivious and innocent or assumed Bruno knew that Jews were the "scum of the earth." Bruno was just a spoiled little boy who just wanted to be a little boy. And living right next to a concentration camp is not the life for a little boy. Therefore, when Bruno made friends with Schmael, the boy in the striped pajamas, Bruno didn't realize that he had done anything wrong. Bruno had the wits not to tell anyone in his family. Although in the end, that was not the wisest idea.

I just don't understand why punish the little boy who actually done the right thing. Why not punish the adults? My jaw dropped when I realized what had happened. It's not like the parents, or rather the father really knew what happened. I mean, I guess, he could have probably deduced what had happened, but he would never have concrete proof. It was all circumstantial. The clothes by the fence. The gap in the fence. I thought that when Bruno donned the striped pajamas, he would be trapped with the other Jews and not be allowed to go back home, that no one would listen to the fact that he was indeed German. I never, never thought that he would inadvertantly be trapped in a group headed for the gas chamber....

I just realized that you have to know some background before reading this book to make an impact. I think it would be a really great book when learning about the Holocaust and Nazi Germany. I will definitely keep this book in mind for T when the time comes.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Okay, this was one weird book. I guess I had expectations going into this book. I've read comments about people laughing out and peeing in their pants. I just didn't get it. And was not laughing out loud. I must be lacking a funny bone. I chuckled once and maybe smiled another time. Not my idea of hilarious, but it will still go under my comedy genre.

I am trying to figure out why this guy is so popular. If these books are memoirs and these are actually "stories" from his life, I do not see what is worthwhile about his life to write about. I guess what he has going for him is that he is a good writer? Because he makes himself sound like a degenerate.

Shopaholic and a Baby by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon is at it again. But this time around I find the story a bit more heartwarming. She and Luke are expecting. And I suppose I can relate. When you're expecting, you can't help but want to get anything and everything for the baby. But you do realize the reality of things and restrain yourself to an extent. Not so with Becky. She is a shopaholic, you know. She also wants the celebrity obstetrician that she overhears a fellow shopper talking about. Unfortunately this new celeb ob-gyn happens to be an ex of Luke's. But that doesn't stop Becky b/c she wants to go where the celebs go. We follow Becky as she shops in the name of the baby. Becky goes through a lot in this book that I'll blame on hormones. ;) As does everyone else in the book. What is not hormonal is the ex trying to sabotage Becky and Luke's marriage. As Becky goes into false and then real labor, we find out why and how Luke falls in love with Becky - well, we know b/c we've been with them since the beginning... And now there is a new little being to join them. Now you don't think I'm going to give it away, do you?

Now I'm wondering if I should read Confessions of a Shopaholic. Not that I'm ever going to see the movie. I'm pretty sure that the book is based on the movie. Then that would be a condensed version of the the first few books, I think. Eh, not really interested.

The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

As with the other books I've read from Philippa Gregory, I am so tempted to run out and read factual books on the lives of Henry the VIII and Anne Boleyn and Mary Queen of Scots and all the others. I want to find out what actually happened and what didn't. I want to see how true to life is the story that Philippa Gregory has woven. She really is a wonderful storyteller. It's amazing how she is able to weave and fill in gaps of history. I mean, what would happen if she fabricated everything. It is a piece of fiction, isn't it? But it's based on facts. There really was a Mary Queen of Scots. There was a Queen Elizabeth. Speaking of which, I want to re-read The Virgin's Lover and compare notes. lol Anyway, it's not like someone is going to come and say Philippa Gregory is a liar and made up stuff.

In this book we follow Mary Queen of Scots during her days in England. She is the "other Queen" that is supposedly the rightful Tudor heir to the throne. As repeatedly said, Mary Queen of Scots is a queen three ways: she was married to the prince of France, she is daughter of the Queen of Scotland and she is the grandniece of Henry the VIII. She is held prisoner for conspiring to murder her husband, the Scottish prince, in order to marry her current husband, Lord Bothwell. Inquiries are made in the Elizabethan court and she is put under the 'house arrest' under Lord George Talbot, a man loyal to the throne. George Talbot, eventually loses his heart, his wife and much of his fortune in caring for this young queen as she plots to regain her freedom.

2008 Book Challenges

I'm pretty proud of myself for completing both the books challenges. And actually keeping track of the books. We all know I am not the most organized. hehe But I actually did it! Woohoo! Of course it did take me a while to transfer the list here. Since obviously I didn't remember to log my books here. I may even be missing a book. But now that it's been almost a month, I forgotten what that books is. Gee, how typical....

So here are the lists of books that I've read for 2008! Happy Reading for 2009! Believe it or not, I'm doing alright!

Title Challenge

A - Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer
B - Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier
C - Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke
D - Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs
E - Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
F - Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier
G - The Good Guy by Dean Koontz
H - Holy Guacamole by Nancy Fairbanks
I - If Cooks Could Kill by Joanne Pence
J - Jessica Z by Shawn Klomparens
K - Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
L - The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier
M - Murder on the Menu by Miranda Bliss
N - Naughty Neighbor by Janet Evanovich
O - On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle
P - Paint it Black by Janet Fitch
Q - Quicksand by Iris Johannsen
R - The Snow Empress by Laura Joh Rowland
S - Step on a Crack by James Patterson
T - Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle
U - Until the Day You Die by Tina Wainscott
V - Vanishing Point by Marcia Muller
W - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
X - The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton
Y - You've Been Warned by James Patterson
Z - Zapped! by Carolyn Higgins Clark

Author Challenge

A - Air Apparent by Piers Anthony
Two to the Fifth by Piers Antrhony
B - Cooking up Murder by Miranda Bliss
Dead Men Don't Have Munchies by Miranda Bliss
The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett
C - Latte Trouble by Cleo Coyle
Decaffeinated Corpse by Cleo Coyle
Chamomile Mourning by Laura Childs
Echo Park by Michael Connelly
Murder Most Frothy by Cleo Coyle

Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark
Hitched by Carol Higgins Clark
The English Breakfast Murder by Laura Childs
Princess in the Spotlight by Meg Cabot
Unpredictable by Eileen Cook
D - The Sleeping Doll by Jeffrey Deaver
E - Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
Love Overboard by Janet Evanovich
F - Cold Mountain by Charles Fraizer
Death a l'Orange by Nancy Fairbanks
Chocolate Quake by Nancy Fairbanks
Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein
Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke
Mozzarella Most Murderous by Nancy Fairbanks
Turkey Flambe by Nancy Fairbanks
French Fried by Nancy Fairbanks
Sympathy for the Devil by Jerrilyn Farmer
Dim sum dead : a Madeline Bean catering mystery by Jerrilyn Farmer
Mumbo Gumbo by Jerrilyn Farmer
Bridget Jones' diary by Helen Fielding
G - The Appeal by John Grisham
The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerristen
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
H - Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag
April Fool Dead by Carolyn Hart
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
I - Third Degree by Greg Iles
J - Pandora's Daughter by Iris Johansen
The Golden Valkyrie by Iris Johansen
K - Rage by Jonathan Kellerman
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury
The dim sum of all things by Kim Wong Keltner
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
L - Made in the USA by Billie Letts
Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts
M - Saturday by Ian McEwan
N - Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble
O - The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
P - Double Cross by James Patterson
7th Heaven by James Patterson
The Sixth Target by James Patterson
Stranger in Paradise by Robert Parker
Two Cooks A-Killing by Joanne Pence
The Lake House by James Patterson
Red Hot Murder by Joanne Pence
Sundays by Tiffany's by James Patterson
Courting Disaster by Joanne Pence
Q - Behind Closed Doors by Tara Taylor Quinn

R - Witch Hunt by Ian Rankin
The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte by Laura Joh Rowland
S - Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steele
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline
Sisters by Danielle Steele
T - Midori by Moonlight by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
U - Black out : a novel by Lisa Unger
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger
V - Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland
W - Dead Time by Stephen White
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner
Killer Mousse by Melinda Wells
Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner
The guy not taken : stories by Jennifer Weiner
Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner
What Lies in Shadow by Tina Wainscott

X - A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo
Y - The highly effective detective goes to the dogs by Richard Yancey
Z - The Book Thief by Mark Zusak

The Baby Chronicles by Judy Baer

I chose this book blindly. First off, I knew it was chick lit but I didn't realize it was Christian chick lit. Secondly, apparently it is a part of a series. I didn't realize that til I finished the book. I saw a comment on the back cover about The Whitney Chronicles. Bummer. I prefer not to read books out of order. Oh well.

As far as the Christian chick lit is concerned, I didn't feel as though it was overtly religious. It wasn't til the end that religion is mentioned more. So that didn't really bother me.

It was a nice cozy book about 3 women who want to have babies. Whitney, who decides to have a baby after 2 years of marriage, and is pleasantly surprised by one. Mitzi, who has been on fertility treatments after trying for a long time and is surprised with triplets. Kim, who is adopting due to health issues - breast cancer and depression - which would make a pregnancy an unwise decision. We go through their trials and tribulations as they talk, laugh, play and work. Towards the end of her pregnancy, Whitney's faith is tested she almost loses her husband. It is Mitzi who helps her see her way back.

And of course there is a fairy tale ending where their amazing boss restructures and renovates their office so that the 3 women can make their own hours and bring their babies into work with them. Where can I find a job like that?

STori Telling by Tori Spelling

Here are some thoughts that I had shared with my IRL book club. Please excuse the choppiness of the incoherent thoughts. lol Then I added some more to flesh it out.

I agree, I did get the feeling that I was reading fiction rather than a real story. It didn't seem real. The outrageousness of what her life just doesn't seem possible. But what do I know? I'm just a girl from a lower middle class working family. Her life could be the lives of all those celebrity children and they do not think twice about it.

I never thought of her much and when I did, it was like she said, Tori Spelling, oh, Aaron Spelling's daughter. Truthfully, I didn't think much of her either. I didn't think she was that pretty. I know, very catty of me. And now that she says in her book that she was constantly trying to make comedic gestures to stand out in the crowd, I simply thought she wasn't that good an actress. That she got her roles (apparently like everyone else thought) b/c of her daddy. Tori says that she didn't get her roles b/c of her dad. That she got it on her own, based on her ability. Maybe. I'm not really buying it. Maybe I'm being a little hard. Maybe her dad's name got in her foot in the door and she is the one who kept it open. But the thing is, even according to her, she hasn't done so well. So maybe she isn't that good? She tells about these movie roles that keeps getting cut, pilots that keep being shot down. She's doing a show now that's not really a show. It doesn't require acting ability. People just want to look into her life. That's not acting. I actually think it's kind of sad that someone would allow cameras to monitor their life. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm a nosy one, too. I totally want to peek into their lives. Yes, I'm a total perv. lol But are they so desperate for attention. That's my take on it.

I didn't realize she did that many TV movies. I think I've seen a few movies that starred her. Well, I didn't actually watch them. You have to love the info button on the remote control. lol Come to think of it, I thought Shannon Doherty and Jennie Garth were the queens of TV movies. Why not Tori Spelling, too?

Her relationship with her mom was just weird. There had to be something more. Since it was Tori Spelling writing her own memoirs, I doubt that she would portray herself in a terrible light. While I will believe that she is a nice person, I think it highly unlikely it was a totally hangup on her mom's part. There had to be something else going on. Like Michele had said, that I'm sure her dad had something to do with the poor relationship between mother and daughter. Saying that they were Hansel and Gretel while the mom was the witch. A little weird, don't you think? And it makes sense that there would be a jealously issue btwn her and her mom. I'm sure that her mom had a bloated sense of self, too. So when Tori came into herself, became her own person, there was someone to compete with.

I think it was Michele who said that her mom didn't train her for real life. But she didn't really have a "real" life by any standards, normal standards anyhow. Having designer Halloween costumes is not real life. Having a 10,000 sq ft house is not just a large house. Based on what BBC moms have said, 3000 sq ft is a big house. Then D tells me that my cousin's ginormous mansion like house is 5000 sq ft. You can bowl in her bedroom! A 10,000 sq ft house must be super gigantic! That is not real life or realistic. Okay, it's real life to her, but seriously, not realistic. I have to laugh at her reminder that the house Aaron Spelling is known for (I can't believe it has 100 rooms and is an acre big!) is not the house she grew up in. That it was simply a large house, but not as large as the Manor. Even having a 10,000 sq ft home is not real life. Getting a BMW for your 16th birthday is not real life. Having a beyond luxury condo when you're 22 and simply paying $1000 is not real life. Oh, I could go on.

As far as that inheritance, I can see how being left $800,000 out of so many millions can seem not right. Especially in light of how her father could buy a million dollar piece of jewelry at the drop of a hat. I mean, I do not expect my parents to leave me anything. I wouldn't expect it, but it just seems different in her case. I guess simply because they had so much money. That said, I totally agree with Rebecca in what she (Tori) thought about being a SAHM and wife. Maybe if Tori Spelling wasn't hundreds of thousands in debt, the inheritance or therelackof wouldn't matter. I guess the $800,000 seemed like a slap in the face. Kind of like 'leaving a nickel for the waiter for poor service' philosophy. But I wouldn't mind that kind of slap in the face. lol $800,000, that's a pretty penny. I could do a lot of damage with that kind of money. :P But when one continuously builds up debt without forethought, I guess $800,000 is piddly. I think she says that it would have been nice if her dad gave her enough money to cover her debts. What good would that have done? She would have just gotten into debt again. More on that in the next set of thoughts....

I had to chuckle about her being satisfied with spending $25 at Forever 21. I've caught a couple of episodes of Tori & Dean Inn Love last year when I still had time to watch television. ;) I am reminded of the planning for her son's first birthday. Ummm.... that is not how someone thinks or throws a party when they have "no money." Not by a long shot. She is so not a normal person no matter how she thinks she is now. One does not have to have a customized cake. One does not have to have monkeys even if the theme is monkeys. One does not have to have the party at someone else's house when one's own backyard will suffice. One does not have to invite everyone under the sun. One does not have to have a circus at a one year old's birthday party. And that's all I caught. I think I must have missed a lot more since Michele says the party must have cost $10k. I guess I think her a little frivilous and self-entitled. Okay, I'm being a little hard. But it wouldn't have mattered how much money her father left her, even if just to cover her debts, she would have continued to have debts and still not be able to be a stay home mom and wife that she seems to think she could be.

So instead, she decides to air out all her secrets by writing a tell all book and having a reality show. Well, obviously, she doesn't consider them secrets since she's telling everyone. I remember catching another episode where she goes to off to do a talk show shortly after the baby is born. How is that putting the baby first? It wasn't like she was doing it for the money. It was to promote her career. To me, despite what she says, it doesn't seem like she wants to simply be a stay at home mom and wife.

Wow. So, okay, I had a lot to say.... lol

Shopaholic and a Sister by Sophie Kinsella

Oh, Becky Bloomwood... what can I say? She drives me crazy. I really feel like shaking her. She really is addicted to shopping for simply the sake of shopping and doesn't seem to learn. That said, she is charming, good hearted and really means well. In this, 4 or 5th book in the Shopaholic series, Becky and Luke are on their yearlong honeymoon trip around the world. And of course, Becky considers it a world shopping trip. But I can see how easy it is to shop and not know how much you have purchased when you have everything shipped home. Hmmm... I suppose that's why D didn't want to sent things right to the room although the Disney resort offered that privilege. Anyway, when they returned home, she ended up with 2 trucks full of stuff! Whew! And while they are away, lots had happened - her best friend Suze had twins and found a new best friend, and her father found out that he had a daughter that he didn't know about! Becky is excited to find out about her new sister and imagines wonderful bonding over shopping. Becky has a rude awakening. Imagine Becky's surprise when she finds out that her half-sister is a no frills person who hates shopping and everything else she thinks is fun. Yes, hates! They part on a poor note when they each say not so pleasant things to the other. Then things come to a head when Luke finds out Becky promised his PR firm would work on a hotel opening for a man with a poor reputation. A reputation that Luke does not want his PR firm associated with. And Becky places Luke in this dilemma when during their last days of their honeymoon, the man helps Becky get a coveted 2ooo euro "Angel" bag with a long waiting list. Luke leaves Becky for the hotel opening on a poor note. And Becky, in her devastation, goes to find her sister in order to learn to be more like her. Becky learns that she and her sister are more alike than they realized.

everyone worth knowing by Lauren Weisenberger

Jaw drop with what the PR world is like. Is it really like that? Do you really, I mean, is it really a PR person's job to go to the clubs and party all night long? Wow. Why couldn't I get into that? Nah, not my style but one could dream, couldn't I? Similar to Devil Wears Prada where a girl who seemingly knows nothing about the biz gets a dream job. Instead of being the assistant to the top editor in fashion, in everyone worth knowing, Bette lands a job with an up and coming PR firm and ends up partying with the hottest celebs and socialites. A bit over the top, but still fun to read about. Bette, daughter of two hippies, niece to a gay columnist uncle, impulsively quits her boring job in the bank world. She needs to find herself. Her uncle helps her land a job with a former assistant who has opened a PR firm. And what is her job? To go to the hottest nightclubs, to socialize with celebrities and socialites, to go to the hottest restaurants, to plan parties for companies like Blackberry and Playboy, and to fly first class to other countries. Poor Bette. lol All the meanwhile, her best friend is engaged to someone she cannot stand, she is constantly the subject of an online gossip column - and not in a good way - for her "relationship" with young, hot, wealthy bachelor and she is interested in Sammy, the bouncer, who has issues of his own. It all comes to head at the Playboy party where Bette finds her best friend's fiance making out with a former schoolmate and the party is crumbling around her. All's well that ends well. Bette finds love with Sammy who opens up a hot new up and coming restaurant. Her best friend breaks up with her fiance and starts anew. Bette decides she will write a romance novel, her secret guilty pleasure.

Thyme of Death by Susan Wittig Albert

New author to me. I was trying my best to find her first book in the China Bayles series. I think Thyme of Death was it. She doesn't have recipes in this book so it leads me to believe that it probably is her first attempt at writing and then eventually added recipes to her books later on. Yeah, another one of my culinary mysteries. Love 'em! Anyway, taking it from a first book standpoint... Thyme of Death was a bit stilted but not bad if it was a first book. While I wasn't crazy about it, I would read it again. I am a sucker for culinary mysteries. I wish that she included recipes in this book. There were a couple of foods I wouldn't have minded recipes for like the clam dip or the pepper cornbread. heehee

China Bayles is a former lawyer who has retired from the Type A lifestyle and moved down to easy going small town Texas to be an herb shop owner - of all things! One of her dear friends, Jo who has cancer, is found dead of an apparent suicide. All the signs, clues, evidence and whatnot are there. China's best friend, Ruby, does not believe it and sets out to find the truth. There is Roz, the famous children star and creator of StrawBerry Bear, who we find out had a secret lesbian relationship with Roz. But Roz is after letters she had written to Jo, supposedly for sentimental reasons. There is Roz's manager, Jane, who is after her to renew her contract There's Violette, who happens to have the sold-out-everywhere StrawBerry Bear in her possession, acting very strangely around Roz. There is Jo's daughter with whom she's never had a close relationship. There's the newspaper owner who is spearheading the campaign for the new airport that Jo is protesting against and possibly has something up her sleeve to end the project. Then Roz is killed. Initially looks like a bleeding ulcer but China thinks otherwise. And then Violette is killed. Another apparent suicide with a perfectly typewritten murder-suicide note admitting to the murder of Roz and all. Again, China thinks otherwise since Violette never learned to type.

The whole story is a bit convoluted and a little bit difficult to follow. I'm still not too sure I get the ending and how it was all resolved. But it definitely wasn't boring. It is figured out that Jo is killed by Roz who had been trying to get the letters. In order to keep their relationship secret due to her upcoming marriage to Senator who has his sights on the White House. That would be some scandal. Jane is the one who kills Roz and then Violette by poisoning them with ant poison. That's where it's a bit convoluted. I couldn't quite figure out the why.

And in the end, Jane is arrested for the murder of Violette, and Violette only. Because supposedly that's a sure thing and it would be too difficult to prove the murder of Roz. And the love letters between Jo and Roz are burned b/c there is no point pursuing the murder of Jo since Roz is dead anyway. I just don't get it.....

Hold Tight by Harlen Coben

I'm not too sure whether Harlen Coben is a new author to me. I seem to think he is, since I don't really remember reading any of his books. Not that really means much nowadays. However, there is a ringing familiarity to a couple of them. I'm sure I have a couple, if not a few of his books downstairs.

Hold Tight piqued my interest before I even started reading the story. In the beginning, before the actual story started, there is disclaimer. Well, disclaimer might not be the right word. Usually it is a disclaimer but Coben claims that the equipment mentioned in the book are real. Now that was a little creepy.

Hold Tight begins with parents, Mike and Tia, who are about to place some sort of monitoring device onto their teenage son's computer where they see everything that their son goes into and every email that he gets. Invasion of privacy, anyone? Their validation is that their son's best friend committed suicide months ago and now he is withdrawn and sullen. Typical teenage, don't you think? Not the suicide part, but the other part. They go further with activating the GPS on his cell phone when he disappears - voluntarily.

Oh, there's the usual murder and mystery, too, but it's the above that really got me thinking about this book. Part of me, now that I'm a mom, makes me think "Wow, what a great idea!" Especially, the GPS part. But there really the invasion of privacy and trust that just doesn't seem right. Sure, one could argue that you want to keep them safe and not let them roam into things they shouldn't go into like porn, drugs or anything illegal. But where do you draw the line? The mom, Tia, says it is our job to protect our kids until they are old enough and then send them out into the world. And right now falls under the "until they are old enough" time frame. I totally understand what she is saying and where she is coming from. Would I think differently if I were not a mom? Maybe. Would I really want to monitor my children's computer activity? I think I would really want to, but would I do it? I think I would be hardpressed to cross the line. There's just something wrong about it. Puts a bad taste in my mouth. But I'm not in the situation where my son refuses to talk to me. What I think worries the parents more is the fact that his best friend committed suicide. As silly as it sounds, they are probably thinking is that their son might be harboring the same thoughts, like its contagious. You have to start wondering. That's why if they are not willing to talk to you, you will try your best to get into their minds. And apparently in this day and age, it's possible. Scarily possible. But where do you draw the line???? Typical teenage rebellion? Or cause for concern? Food for thought. This is why I would hope to really keep the communication lines open and not be oppressive to my children. I want my children to be able to come to be about anything and not be afraid to talk or ask. I know teenage years are going to be expected to be rebellious with peer pressure. That just goes without saying.

Hold tight just has a new meaning. B/c if you hold too tight they might just be scrambling to get away from you....

Lights Out Tonight by Mary Jane Clark

Mary Jane Clark is a new author to me. I've seen her books on the shelves before but have never gotten around to reading her books. So this year's challenge gave me a push to doing so. What I did know of her is that apparently she is related to Mary Higgins Clark, who I do read. Mary Jane Clark is her daughter in law. Interesting. 3 authors in the family.

Lights Out Tonight was an okay book. I didn't quite feel that the characters were developed enough. I felt as if there was a book prior to this book that better explained the characters' relationships and I should have read it first. I kept thinking I was missing something.

There's the main character, Caroline. There is a lot going on with her. She is a film and theater critic who is a newbie in the television world. She is having problems there. Her boss seems not to like her or think her edgy enough. The female anchor seems to be chilly towards her. But you never really know why. Caroline is also a newlywed. And surprise, surprise, her new college aged stepdaughter, Meg, does not like her and does not want to accept her. And the story starts off where Caroline discovers pot in Meg's closet - not from snooping but when she was getting sandals that Meg has asked for. To tie this altogether, Caroline is sent up to the Warrenstown theater festival on assignment where Meg happens to be apprenticing at.

Meanwhile up in Warrenstown a killer is on the loose, that people are not aware of. Two of Meg's apprentice friends are killed, thought to be an accident, after being run off the road. The killer unfortunately thinks that one of victims had taken a picture of the car and sent it to a friend through their cellphone. So the hunt is on for the killer to find the sendee. Meg is the one who received the pictures but the picture of the car is not clear or recognizable.

Then there is famous Academy and Tony winning actress, Belinda, who is the lead in the new play at the festival. She is refusing to star in the movie version of the play. The director is working hard on convincing her b/c the backers will only invest if she is in the movie. She has an artist friend, who is in love with her, seemingly obsessed with her. He paints portraits of her in each of her stage roles. That he refuses to sell. She has a caretaker for her property but he is up to no good. Her understudy is hungry for her chance to shine. Caroline's new husband acts weird around the actress. Like I said before, so much going on.

A librarian is also murdered after she witnesses the killer take pages about Belinda from a magazine.

Then the actress disappears. The whole town searches for her on her vast property. Who could have taken Belinda? In the meanwhile, the killer is still hunting for Meg.

There were so many components to this book. So many ideas. That go nowhere. Which was why I always thought I was missing something.

I would read her books again. This falls under my "fluff" books, books I don't have to do much thinking. To read just for the sake of reading.

Death Walked In by Carolyn Hart

Okay, so I'm on book 3. 3 mysteries. Surprise, surprise. ;) I have to get myself to the library to get some more books!

Death Walked In by Carolyn Hart
The series fascinates me because I would love to be like the main character and own a bookstore. As I discussed with D recently, this would be something I would love to do someday when the kids are older and out of the house. Of course I would deal with the books part and not the business part. heehee The book was okay. Not bad, not great. This series is based on two amateur detectives Max and Annie Darling. Annie is the owner of Death on Demand, a mystery bookstore. Max is problem solver of sorts. He is not a private detective b/c that requires a license but he has an office open to help people solve problems. Max apparently had a problem in a recent book and is a avoiding his problem solving business. He has decided to focus on renovating their new home, the Franklin House. There are a few mysteries involved. First, Double Eagle coins are stolen from a wealthy man's home. A woman is found, by Annie, murdered in her home when she calls to Max to retrieve an item from the Franklin house. The woman is the housekeeper of the wealthy man. Soon it is determined that the housekeeper somehow hid the Double Eagle coins in the Franklin, unbeknownst to the Darlings, and was murdered for them. The questions are: Who stole the Double Eagle coins? Who murdered the housekeeper? Where are the Double Eagle coins hidden? Was the housekeeper involved? The book follows Max and Annie Darling as they seek the answers to all the questions with the aid of Max's mother and two friends via email and webcam as they sail aboard a yacht. I would read more books from Carolyn Hart. She is not a difficult read.

Broken resolutions

So I already broke my New Year resolution.... No, it was not to keep up with this blog. Although that would be a good resolution, wouldn't it? lol I told myself that I would be a better mom. Oops, too late. I think I need help. I really do. It is not healthy for myself or the kids for me to be so angry. I just can't help myself. :( The boys just make me really angry and I lose it. I really feel like running away. I am so tired of being taken for granted. I really wonder how much influence D has over them. They see him ignoring me and learn from that. Ugh.

I already know that this is not going to be a good year. It didn't start off on a good note, did it? D just aggravates the crap out of me. Such an inconsiderate ass. Yes, I may be making it a bigger deal than it is. He doesn't really have to be with me at the stroke of midnight. I don't really care. But seriously, he really needs to figure out his priorities, be with friends or be with me. If he says that stupid crap about being rude again, I swear.... Yeah, it matters other people's opinion than mine. He'd rather be rude to me than to others. Uh, okay.

Anyway, to bigger and better things. New book challenge for the year. Well, I haven't quite figured out what I am going to do. There seem to be so many this year. Maybe there were always so many and I just wasn't aware. Now I am aware. And I am tempted by many. I am going to do one with JC - the 50 book challenge. We're going to call it that even though it might be more than 50. Let's see, in it we're going to do the AZ author challenge again. I am going to give this a twist by applying only the books of authors I have never read before. Just to make it a little harder and make me read other authors since I tend to ram through authors. That gives us 26. Oh, we settled on 12 genres, so 2 from each genre would give us 24, bringing to a total of 50. Cool. The 12 genres are:

nonfiction

humor/comedy

general fiction

chick lit

biography/memoir,

classic

romance

sci-fi/fantasy

young adult

mystery/thriller

horror

historical fiction

Umm..... I'm on book 2. Heehee. I may attempt other challenges but I don't know if I'll be biting off more than I can chew. I read over 100 books last year. But I don't know if I can repeat. I'm sure a lot of the books I read were "fluff" books. Those are easy reads but they didn't apply to any challenges. This year's challenge is more specific and may be harder. We'll see. And once little Zman gets more mobile, I'm sure reading will become a challenge in itself for me.

Can I pretend that the New Year starts now and start over again? I promise I'll try harder to be a better mom. The boys deserve better than me..... D doesn't, but the boys do.