Books That Made Me Cry

I came across a recent blog that asked "Do you remember the first book that made you cry?"

The first book that really got me excited about books was
The Outsiders by SE Hinton. I had to do a book report in
9th grade and I picked this one. It is great.
It also made me cry.









Surprisingly Stephen King's It was another book that made
me cry. This is one of my all time favorite books.








Another more recent read that made me cry was The Host by Stephanie Meyer. What an awesome book. I really loved the characters.

Guilty Pleasures

I am so into the songs of "3 Days Grace" I like "Disturbed".

I love,love,love "Linkin Park".



My guilty pleasure???

ABBA
I finally got to see "Mamma Mia" I loved it. The cinematography was beautiful. The songs? What else? Fab-u-lous!!

Favorite song? "Money,Money,Money"

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I have recently joined entrecard, another traffic site where you "tag" people's cards and they tag you back. It's not like Blogexplosion or Traffic Burst, but I do like it because they have the blogs in categories so you don't have to go through a lot of sports blogs (if you don't care for that) to get to book blogs. (there are many other categories too) Long story short, I came across a blog that featured The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

This is a story about Charlie, a 15 year old starting high school, told through letters. The story starts out with...

Dear friend,

I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Please don't try to figure out who she is because then you might figure out who I am, and I really don't want you to do that. I will call people by different names or generic names because I don't want you to find me. I didn't enclose a return address for the same reason. I mean nothing bad by this. Honest.

Charlie is the youngest of 3, His sister is a senior in high school and his brother just started college with a football scholarship. He's trying to fit in and his English teacher has taken a special interest in him. He assigns extra books for Charlie to read like "Walden" and "Catcher in the Rye". He tells Charlie he should try to participate in life.

Charlie makes friends with Sam and Patrick and is exposed to many new things like music, parties, drugs and alcohol. He is a part of their group, but is he really participating? Charlie lives in a time where you go to see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and act it out, where you go to Big Boy to hang out and smoke, where you make mixed tapes to give to people to let them know what songs make you think of them. Its a world of first dates, first loves, and first times. The lines of sexuality are blurred and brownies can be magical.

As I was looking at the reviews on Barnes and Noble I was amazed to see that there are 505 reviews and 516 ratings and overall it was given 5 out of 5 stars. Although this book was released in 1999 (the book takes place from Aug 1991 to Aug 1992) the latest review was on Oct 8 of this year.

The one thing that struck me was that Charlie felt younger than most 15 year olds are today. Perhaps that much has changed in our culture. I could not put this book down. I'm 42 and it brought me back to those feeling you get in high school...where do I fit in, how can I be myself, who am I really? Charlie is by far one of the most endearing characters I have ever met and I am the richer for having met him. Not a book about teen angst, because Charlie is more giving than that.

I loved everthing about this book, but be warned...it was one of the 10 most challenged books of 2007.

I give this one 5 out of 5.

Bobbie Faye's Very (Very, Very, Very) Bad Day

Bobbie Faye's Very (Very, Very, Very) Bad Day by Toni McGee Causey is about a 28 year old who lives in a trailer, has a best friend who owns and runs the local Cajun Outfitter and Feng Shui Emporium and is responsible for her 5 year old niece while her sister is in rehab drying out. Bobbie Faye is a magnet for all things bad and apparently everyone in Lake Charles, Louisiana know it.

Bobbie Faye wakes up to a flooded trailer and calls her brother to scream at him(it was his fault for not fixing the washer). She finds out that he has been kidnapped and for ransom, they want her Contraband Days tiara. This tiara is a worthless hunk of tin handed down to her by her mother. She has it in a deposit box since her sister hocked everything else to support her habit.

As Bobbie Faye is leaving the bank with the tiara, the bank is robbed and they take off with her tiara. Only they've messed with the wrong girl. She kidnaps a man in a truck and makes him go after the robbers. And in true Bobbie Faye fashion, they lose the car, she causes the truck to drive into the river and actually ends up being chased by the police and the FBI for robbing the bank.

This book was so fun. Along the lines of Janet Evanovich and her Plum series, Mrs. Causey has given us a woman who is doing her best to take care of her family, but shit keeps happening. One of the many things I loved about this book is how at the beginning of each chapter she has these funny little blurbs...for example
"You know how some people are born to Greatness? Well Bobbie Faye Sumrall woke up one morning, kicked Greatness in the teeth, kneed it in the balls, took it hostage and it's been begging for mercy ever since.
- a former Louisiana mayor after Bobbie Faye accidentally ran her car into his office, knocking pages of fraud evidence into the street, which help land him in federal prison."

I am so happy to finally have found another author who has made reading a laugh out loud experience. Thank you Mrs. Causey...I hope you have more good adventures in ya!

5 out of 5!!!!

MentalPause

Let me preface by saying I am 42.
Hubby and I are in the car waiting to pick up youngest from school:

Hubby: You look tired.

Me: Yeah, I'm exhausted and I have a headache. I started today.

Hubby: Well you don't have to deal with it too much longer .

Me: (hoping I misunderstood where he was going with that) What?!

Hubby: You have till what, 47 and then you don't have to deal with it?

Me: (praying I'm not overcome with a menstrual meltdown and blinded with an overwhelming urge to take him out...) It's different for everyone.


I didn't talk to him again for the rest of the night.




***ATTENTION ALL MEN******

This is never an ok conversation. I suggest you NEVER bring up the fact that your wife is approaching, going through, or will ever see menopause.

Life on the Refrigerator Door

Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers is a quick read.

This is a book about a mother and daughter as told through the notes they leave each other on their fridge. Claire's mom is an obstetrician who is also single. She has a lot of demands on her time and expects a lot out of Claire, who is only 15.

Each page is a note that was left on the fridge and I don't want to give too much of it away. I took me maybe an hour to read and I thought it was touching. It reminded me that I should slow down and really "be" with my children, let them know how important they are to me by spending time with them. We tend to let ourselves get caught up in life and realize to late that all the important things passed us by.

I felt the book fell a little short, maybe could have been a little "deeper". I did make me reflect though, so for that....
I give this book a 3 out of 5.

High School Musical 3

I have a 10 year old so we watch a lot of the Disney Channel at our house. Needless to say we have been inundated with the commercials, interviews and clips from the up coming "High School Musical 3".

Since the first two were HUGELY successful, I guess Disney wanted really cash in, so this time you have to pay. I like that kids are excited about the musical and it got me to thinking about how much I love musicals and how they aren't as prevalent as they used to be.

I thought I would look back at some other high school musicals:


Fame (1980)

This was such an awesome movie. It followed 7 students who are accepted into a high school for performing arts and follows them through all four years. A movie about finding yourself, fitting in and how far you may go to attain your dream. The songs were great and I loved it.





Hairspray (1988, 2007)

I saw the most recent one and I really liked it. A movie about segregation, love and being proud of who you are. From what I understand this one was less risque than the original.






West Side Story (1961)

An modern day (well, kinda) Romeo and Juliet. What a great story and fun songs. Who hasn't heard of this one?








Grease 2 (1982)

OOOHHH LLOOORRDDDD, file this one under "What were they thinking?" I thought this one was pretty sad, however my 2 oldest love this one. (22yr old and 19yr old). It starred Michelle Pfeiffer (what?!?!?) and featured such songs as Do it for Your Country, Reproduction and Score Tonight. All I gotta say is...What was I thinking letting my kids watch this!?!?!?




Grease (1978)

Love, love , love this one!!!
Great songs. Great cast! Olivia Newton John, John Travolta (who's that?), and Jeff Conway (that loveable giving man from Celebrity Rehab). A must see!

Best Quotable movies

I am lucky to have been born at the time that I did. I have witnessed many incredible things. I have had the pleasure of having 3 great kids with which I can share my profound wisdom and some of the coolest movies/music/tv shows....you get the picture. I am reliving my glory days and dragging my kids with me. Curiously, they find a lot of it really is cool.
I thought I would share some of these glorious things with you, starting with the Best Quotable Movies. These are movies that have the greatest lines that you must learn and use whenever possible.



The Goonies (1985)
Quotes:

"Goonies never say die!"
"Hey you guys!"
"Watch your face ma!"
"I like the dark, I love the dark. I hate nature, I HATE nature."

The Hot Chick (2002)
(ok I know this one isn't that old, but come on it was great!)
Quotes:

(crying) "Its me, Jessica"

"Boys are cheats and liars, they're such a big disgrace. They will tell you anything to get to second base... ball, baseball he thinks he's gonna score. If you let him go all the way then you are a hor... ticulture studies flowers, geologist studies rocks. The only thing a guy wants from you is a place to put his cock... roaches, beetles, butterflies and bugs. Nothing makes him happier than a giant pair of jug... glers and acrobats, a dancing bear named Chuck. All guys really want to do is - forget it, no such luck." (long but great)

"Ling Ling, you walk right by Crazy Nails and no say hi me"

"I'll take two banana daquiris, one mango, a sloe-gin fizz, one slippery nipple, and for me, a screaming orgasm on the beach with extra sugar on the rim. Yum!"





The Blues Brothers (1980)Quotes:

"Its a 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, a half a pack of cigarettes, its dark and we're wearing sunglasses...Hit it."

"Oh Mr. Man, oh, Mr, Man!"

"We're on a mission from God"

"How much for the women? I want to buy the women..."

Encino Man(1992)
(Brendan Fraiser, need I say more?)
Quotes:

"If you're edged 'cause I'm weazin all your grindage, just chill. 'Cause if I had the whole brady bunch thing happenin' at my pad, I'd go grind over there, so dont tax my gig so hard-core cruster."

"Ooouuuuu bbuuuudddyyy"

"Ow Senorita, that hurt my lobe, I didn't do it, they started the whole thing."

"Shuuush!!"

"Jump off the gym, splatter on the street and go for the co-ver."
"I don't know you, I don't like you, as of now, I'm all over you"

Tommy Boy (1995)

Quotes:

(in high voice) "Housekeeping, you want me fluff pillow?"

"Holy shnykies"

"what about seat belts? To fasten, take the little end and stick it in the big end and... you know what? If you guys don't know how to use a seat belt, just ring your call button and Tommy will come back there and hit you on the head with a tack hammer because you're a retard."

The Book of Lies

Brad Meltzer's The Book of Lies is about the original murder and Superman. Sounds far fetched huh? Mr Meltzer spins a web of international intrigue, conspiracy and the supernatural.

Cal Harper witnessed his father push his mother and kill her when he was little. His father went to prison and Cal never saw him again. One night while picking up the homeless in Florida to take to a shelter, Cal and his buddy Roosevelt (a hippie/preacher who's lost his way) find Cal's father with a bullet in his stomach. They take him to the hospital and Cal discovers his father may be receiving and delivering illegal shipments.

Cal and his father are being watched by Ellis, a ruthless killer who is after the shipment and will let nothing get in his way. He is, by the way, on a mission for a higher purpose.

From Florida to Cleveland, all are on the chase to be the first to find the book of lies. With some twists, a double agent and conspiracy, I thought this book cannot miss.
The concept was new and exciting, however, I felt it lacked something. Sometimes I felt liked I may have missed something and I would back up and read, but nothing there that I didn't get the 1st time. The ending was very anti-climatic.

I give this one a 3 out of 5.