Literette

www.insultcomic.com

WARNING: If you get easily offended and/or cannot take a joke, DO NOT read, hear, or see anything by Lisa Lampanelli.

But if you have a great sense of humor and don’t take yourself too seriously, watch her stand-up and read her book, “Chocolate Please: My Adventures in Food, Fat, and Freaks.” Lampanelli, the reigning “Queen of Mean” holds nothing back when it comes to her scandalous, politically incorrect humor. Her favorite topics are fat people, black men, and promiscuous sex, and that’s all that I was expecting from this raunchy novel. Yes, you will read lots about her interracial sexcapades and gluttony, but this book also goes much deeper than that.

Chocolate Please shows a softer side of Lisa. She tells about her rise to fame as an insult comedienne and the struggles that the fame brought along with it. You will learn about Lisa’s multiple stints in rehab (but not for drugs or alcohol—Lisa doesn’t drink) her childhood trauma of always feeling second-best (along with hilarious stories of her Catholic upbringing) and numerous failed relationships (who knew Lisa used to be married?)

Though Lisa handles difficult issues in this memoir autobiography, she always does so with a wonderful sense of humor and sarcastic style. I would highly recommend Chocolate Please to anyone who wants to get a much better insight into the life of this completely inappropriate comedic genius, as well as a face full of tears from laughter.

www.nicholassparks.com

Two reasons why I was first against reading Nicholas Spark’s The Last Song (and why I ultimately realized I should’ve read it weeks ago.)

#1: Ok, I’m probably going to lose a few fans from this comment, but I have to put it out there: I hate the movie, The Notebook. I hate it, I really do .  It’s just too sappy and unrealistic for my likings. I’m convinced that no guy is ever going to run up to me in the middle of a rain storm, scoop me up into his arms and profess his undying love for me.  It ain’t gonna happen in this lifetime. So I was a little unfairly biased to Nicholas Sparks and figured his other stories would strike me the same way.

#2: I’m not exactly the biggest Miley Cyrus fan. If I were fourteen I’d probably think she was the coolest girl ever, but the Spice Girls are more my generation. Knowing that Miley was the starring role in the movie version of The Last Song made me assume that the book would be an overly-dramatic saga full of teenage angst and heartbreak. Well I was right about the heartbreak part, but very wrong about everything else.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks is one of the best books I’ve read this summer. It was nothing I thought it was, and everything I thought it wasn’t. The story follows Ronnie, a rebellious 17-year old living in New York City, who is sent, against her will, to spend the summer in small-town North Carolina with her estranged father. Ronnie tries all she can to get out of coming to North Carolina and refuses to give her dad, the town, or the people around her a chance. Ronnie is just about to head back to New York City when a freak accident bumps her into Will, a gorgeous, athletic all-American boy—exactly the opposite of her usual bad-boy “type.” As the summer goes on, Ronnie and Will fall deeper and deeper in love, until deep-south culture and secrets from the past tear them apart.

What really made me love The Last Song was not the connection between Ronnie and Will, but Ronnie and her father. To watch them grow and develop their relationship was delightful, heartwarming, and heart-wrenching all at the same time.

I can’t say much more than this without giving away the ending and spoiling the entire book. But I will warn you: it’s a major tear-jerker. I bawled when I read it, and not just a few tears, literal sobbing. But if you want to read a wonderful story about teenage heartbreak and love, I would highly recommend The Last Song. Nicholas Sparks has just gained a new number one fan.

www.suemonkkidd.com

The Secret Life of Bees is another of my favorite southern books, yet so different than ‘Little Altars’ or ‘Belle Cantrell.’ The rich prose of Sue Monk Kidd weaves a story of Lilly, a 14-year-old from South Carolina as she journeys to learn about her past, her family, and herself. It’s 1964, at the height of the Civil Rights movement and Lily and her nanny, Rosaleen are sick and tired of their everday lives. They live in constant fear of Lily’s father, “T-Rex,” who blames Lily for accidentally shooting and killing her mother Deborah years ago, and the political unrest of segregated South Carolina is too much for Rosaleen to handle.

Then one day in town, Rosaleen gets beaten by a group of white men when trying to protect her new right to vote, and it becomes the breaking point for her and Lily. The two of them run away to Tiburon, South Carolina, with no knowledge of where they’re going except for a picture of a Black Madonna with the town name scrolled on the card, the only momento Lily has left of her mother.

When they arrive in Tiburon, the Black Madonna leads them to the home of the Boatwright sisters, August, June, and May. The Calendar sisters take Lily and Rosaleen in, and introduce them to the world of beekeeping and honey making. Lily keeps her roots and family a secret from the sisters, who know more about Deborah than Lily can ever imagine.

The crazy encounters at the Boatwright house are always lighthearted and fun for the reader, whether it be Lily’s crush on a local farm hand, or a church service gone wild at the sisters’ home. The warm, loving Boatwright sisters teach Lily and Rosaleen how to stand up for themselves and fight for what they believe, and most importantly, true love.

If you want a feel-good family book, The Secret Life of Bees is a perfect fit. Be sure to check out the movie, starring Dakota Fanning and Queen Latifa, and one of my other favorites, Sue Monk Kidd’s  The Mermaid Chair.

www.jodipicoult.com

Jodi Picoult is by far one of the most successful current fiction writers out there. Her book My Sister’s Keeper (previously reviewed) was a smash hit, and the movie version made over $78 million worldwide. It was the first book I read of hers, and so far, my second favorite, surpassed only by this novel, The Pact.

In true Picoult style, this story addresses a contreversial current issue (teenage suicide) and is full of excitement and page-turning suspense. The Pact follows high school sweethearts Chris Harte and Emily Gold and their descent into a dark place in which no one ever excpected them to end up.

The Golds and the Hartes have been family friends since their kids were young. They always hoped and dreamed of Emily and Chris ending up together and one day marrying. And as luck would have it,  as soon as the kids hit their teenage years, Chris and Emily fell in love and have dated ever since. Emily and Chris are both shining stars of their high school. Chris is a varsity swimmer and Emily, an achieved student. They are the epitome of a perfect high school couple, until deep depression leads to the death of Emily.

The Pact is shocking and impactful from the very beginning. The first page opens with Chris and Emily in a passionate embrace, being broken away by a gun shot–to Emily’s temple. The events that follow shatter the Harte’s and Gold’s image of perfection, as well as their close relationship. Emily is instantly killed, and Chris is rushed to the hospital for injuries. But the big mystery to all is why Emily is dead, and Chris is still alive.

At first, Chris insists that Emily made him swear to a suicide pact, to end both of their lives together. But when this story begins to unravel, Chris is targeted as the one who pulled the trigger on Emily–the one who killed his one true love.

Chris is put on trial for murder, and the book unveils his heartache as he grieves the loss of Emily, and tries to prove his innocence to his family, friends, and Emily’s parents. Intertwined with with Chris’ prison and court troubles, the novel also winds back in time, through Emily and Chris’ lives together, and the dark secrets the jury does not know.

The Pact will give keep you clinging on to each word, long after the chapters end. This book will resonate with anyone who has ever been in love, and understands the heartache of young life. I gurantee that Picoult will grab your interest with The Pact, and keep you as a loyal reader for years to come.

www.sophiekinsella.com

Yet another wonderful book by the beloved Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella.) One of my good friends bought this for me for Christmas, and after reading The Gatecrasher only a few weeks earlier, I was very excited to dive in and start reading. I was, as usual, not disappointed.

Sleeping Arrangements centers around two very different families, brought together by an unusual situation. Hugh and Amanda are a high-strung couple, who strain to keep up a happy exterior, although neither are very content with their loveless marraige. Hugh is a successful high-level executive, and his high-maintenance housewife Amanda wants nothing more than to escape the life of the everyday to a beautiful villa in the French countryside for a weekend of pampering, and “me-time.”
Chloe and Phillip, however, have never married, and have never felt the pressure to. The free-spirited Chloe does not care about the ways of the world, and hopes that the vacation will give Phillip some time to de-stress and take his mind off his impending unemployment, in hopes that it will save their relationship.

But when the couples arrive at their villa, they’re surprised to discover it has been double-booked. And it is even more of a shock when Hugh and Chloe see each other for the first time; they were lovers fifteen years ago, until Hugh broke Chloe’s heart and hadn’t heard from her since.

As the summer heat rises, so does the tension between Chloe and Hugh as they wonder what could have been, had they never had their big falling out so long ago. The two are forced to determine if leaving their not so perfect families is worth it for a chance to change the past.

The juxtaposition of different personalities and contrasting storylines keeps the novel interesting and more than just a sappy tale of long lost loves reunited. The story is entertaining, funny, and oh-so-relatable. So who will it be in the end? Hugh and Amanda? Chloe and Hugh? The ending might just surprise you…

www.alicesebold.com

There seems to be a recent trend of womens’ fiction novels being turned into movies. My Sister’s Keeper, Confessions of a Shopaholic, He’s Just Not That Into You, etc. The Lovely Bones  by Alice Sebold is the latest piece of literature to be shown on the big screen, but this book doesn’t quite have the same happy, chick-lit feel as some of the others. As usual, I have not seen the movie, but don’t really intend to. The book is all I need. Although the movie does star Mark Walbergh, so I may have to go see it just for him…

The aqua-blue background and silver charm bracelet on the cover of The Lovely Bones is, to say the least, misleading. It’s not the light, cutesy tale one would think it to be when pulling it off of the shelf. In reality, The Lovely Bones is a mix of memoir, mystery, and thriller, all with a feminine appeal. The book is told from the point of view of Susie Salmon, a 14-year old who is stuck in the “world in-between.” Susie was raped and murdered by her neighbor, Mr. Harvey, while taking a short-cut on her way home from school. The murder itself is depicted rather graphically for a short bit of the book, but the rest reflects on the the struggles of those she left behind.

Susie watches over her family from heaven, as they discover her death, and attempt to recover from it and move on. She watches her younger sister try to cope with the loss, and continue to grow up and deal with everyday teenage issues in the most normal way possible. She watches over her father as he begs detectives to continue searching for her killer, and, ultimately, takes matters into his own hands.

But perhaps the most heart-wrenching moments of all are when Susie reflects on her own life and what she has missed, since being taken away too young. The novel takes a unique look at the mysteries of the spiritual world and the after-life, and the relationship we have with it here on Earth.

The story is definitely a tear-jerker, and, at times, difficult to read. While Sebold’s use of language and description makes a beautiful literary piece, it also causes the story to move along slowly and become dry in places.

For a unique book, and a fresh perspective on life and it’s little treasures, be sure to read The Lovely Bones.

www.megcabot.com

Well it has been a while since my last post, but a lot has happened! I graduated from JMU and snagged a wonderful full-time job so needless to say I’ve been busy! But now that things are settling down and I’m getting used to my new routine, posts should be coming more regularly. But enough about me, back to the books!

Meg Cabot is the author of The Princess Diaries, the tween book series-turned hit movie, as well as a number of other young adult books. But she has also ventured into the world of adult fiction, and has had great success, especially with her Queen of Babble mini-series.

Queen of Babble follows Lizzie, a new college graduate with a degree in fashion history…well, she doesn’t exactly have her degree quite yet. There’s a technical problem standing in the way of getting her diploma, but she doesn’t dare tell her judging family this. She’ll just write her senior thesis while spending the summer in Europe with her new boyfriend, Andrew, and everything will be fine.

Except Lizzie’s new beau doesn’t exactly turn out to be Prince Charming. But by the time Lizzie gets fed up enough and decides to leave him, she’s stuck in Europe with no way to get home. Lizzie’s best friend Shari just happens to be spending the summer working at a Chateau in France and encourages Lizzie to come stay with her at the mansion.

Lizzie quickly finds adventure at Chateau Mirac. Her tendency to speak without thinking, and to not know when to stop puts her in many awkward, yet humorous for the reader, situations. She finds romance with the owner’s son, Jean-Luc, but his girlfriend poses a big obstacle for their budding relationship. And when a bride who has her wedding at the chateau is on the brink of a nervous break-down, Lizzie uses her “useless” fashion history skills to turn an out-dated wedding dress into the dress of her dreams.

But when Andrew unexpectedly shows up at the Chateau, begging for Lizzie’s forgiveness, will she leave the lavish life in the French countryside to be with him once again?

Cabot’s story is a cute, quick read, and while entertaning, it is, at times, too fairy-tale-like to relate to. Cabot seems to have made the transition to adult fiction quite well, but you can still tell that she is used to writing for a younger audience.

Be sure to read her two sequels to this book, Queen of Babble in the Big City  and Queen of Babble Gets Hitched.

www.mariankeyes.com

It’s about time for another review of a book by my beloved Marian Keyes. If you haven’t already taken my advice and read Watermelon, do so A.S.A.P. so you can get to my favorite book in the Walsh sisters chronicles, Rachel’s Holiday.

Rachel’s Holiday follows another Walsh sister, Rachel, who moved from Ireland to New York, and got a little too wrapped up in the enticing big city scene. Rachel doesn’t see her love of partying, alcohol and drugs as anything more than something to pass the time, until she wakes up in the hospital after an overdose. And thanks to a dramatic piece of poetry she wrote the night before in her drug-induced stupor, the doctors also believe she’s suicidal.

After a lot of coercing from her family and friends, Rachel reluctantly returns back to Ireland to enter into drug rehab. But the prospect of going to the big-named treatment center has Rachel more excited than scared. She’s convinced she’ll meet celebrities, receive exclusive spa treatments, and emerge a glamorous, rejuvenated starlett. She could not be any more wrong. In treatment, Rachel battles with her addiction, her peers, her advisers, and mostly herself, until she discovers what she really wants her life to be.

Rachel’s Holiday gives a true look into drug treatment and rehab, and the struggles that everyday people can face when their innocent partying goes too far. Keyes tackles the issue of substance abuse in an honest, straightforward way, but breaks up the intensity with Rachel’s sarcastic humor and encounters with fellow rehab patients. Although Rachel’s Holiday deals with a serious current issue,  Keyes continues to weave in the lovable quirkiness of the Walsh family and the honest emotions of these women. A definite read for a serious story with a feel-good ending.

www.jodipicoult.com

My Sister’s Keeper has recently been made into a successful Hollywood movie. But unless this movie is out of this world, the whole saying is true, the book is always better than the movie. Because this book is phenomenal.

The story is about Anna, a normal 13 year old girl with an abnormal story. Her sister, Kate, has terminal cancer. Kate is constantly in and out of the hospital, can grow sick at a moments notice, and interrupts many of the joyous times Anna should be experiencing as a young teenager. And Anna’s life does not only revolve around Kate, it was created because of Kate. Anna’s parents decided to have another child after Kate was diagnosed with leukemia, in order to use the cells from her umbilical cord to help Kate get better. But after the cord blood was used up, Kate’s family used more donations from Anna to keep Kate healthy–her blood, bone marrow, etc. And now, at 16, Kate’s kidneys are failing and she is in desperate need for a kidney that her family is naturally expecting to get–from Anna.

But this is the last straw for the younger sometimes forgotten sister. She is tired of playing savior to Kate. So Anna goes to a lawyer, Campbell, to sue her parents for the right to her own body. The legal battle is the thread that holds the plot together, but Picoult weaves so much more into the storyline: Anna’s older brother’s rebellion, her father’s frustration, mother’s grief, and sisterly bonds.

Picoult’s novel moves quickly, with twists and turns to keep you interested and makes the book hard to put down. My Sister’s Keeper has a very surprising ending, which I never saw coming. I’ve heard some people say they hated the ending, but I thought it was fitting. I have yet to see the movie, but hear that the ending is completely different from the book, which I am not too fond of, I like for movies to stay as true to the book as possible.

Picoult has written sixteen novels, all on contraversial issues such as teen suicide, school shootings, rape and mercy killings. Although I’ve only read two of her novels so far, I picked up another at Border’s last weekend and can’t wait to get started. Her books are different than those that I usually review, so if you are looking for a light happy read, this is not for you.

My Sister’s Keeper is a powerful story, and definitely a tear jerker (I bawled multiple times while reading), but something that will move you, tear at your heart, and make you appreciate your family and the blessings in your life.

www.sophiekinsella.com

I just got back from a week long vacation in Key West where I had lots of free time, so of course I spent much of it reading! Sitting by the pool reading a good book is one of the most relaxing things in the world. I got through three books, two of which were by Madeleine Wickham, one of my (sort of) new favorite authors.

Madaleine Wickham is the real name of famous author, Sophie Kinsella, author of the Shopaholic series, and a book I have previously reviewed, The Undomestic Goddess. Wickham’s writing style is almost identical to her books as Kinsella–light, any funny with characters who are easy to connect with and relate to.

Her first book as Wickham that I read is called The Gatecrasher. This book follows Fleur Daxeny, a high-maintenance single woman looking for love, and more importantly, for money. But what is most unusual about Fleur is the way she meets men…at funerals. With the help of her flamboyant friend Johnny, Fleur attends burials and viewings where she is sure to meet an uber wealthy widower, looking for someone to heal his heart. Fleur sure knows how to put on a show, staying long enough only for him to fall in love with her…and for her to steal his gold card. She bounces from man to man, shattering their already broken hearts, and running with their money. Until she meets Richard Favour.

Richard is a kind, good-hearted man who Fleur finds is surprisingly easy to stay with. But problems with his children…and even hers…may make it more difficult for her to get what she wants. When someone important comes back into Fleur’s life, she is left to decide if money or family is more important.

Although the book focuses on Fleur, it also develops a wide array of other rich characters in Fleur’s and Richard’s lives, intertwining several small stories into one. As my first book from Wickham, I was more than pleased, and glad that I have now more “Kinsella-like” books to read!