Back in 2008 I listened to Water for Elephants and thought it was a great story.
I always get excited when they make a movie from one of the books I've read.  I'm anxious to see who they pick to play each part and I must say I did not expect these two actors to be the choices.  When I listened to the book I expected them to be closer in age, and I'm sorry, I am NOT a big Robert Pattinson fan.  I didn't get into the Twilight series (even thought that author wrote one of my favorite books). 

I do love Reece Witherspoon.  She was also in Just Like Heaven which was based on another book I read, "If Only It Were True" by Marc Levy.  The book was cute but I haven't seen the movie to compare yet.  Honestly I read the book around 2001 so I couldn't compare the two unless I re-read it. 

Have you been to see the Water For Elephants?  Did you like it?  Are you one of the few who have read it and can compare them?  I would love to hear from you.

True Colors

I finished True Colors by Kristin Hannah, the same author who wrote Firefly Lane. This is a story about three sisters, Winona, Aurora and Vivi Ann. Winona is the oldest and seems to be out-shined by Vivi Ann all the time. Vivi Ann, the youngest, is the prettiest and most loved by their father. Aurora is the middle child and the peace maker. This story, much like life, seems to forget about Aurora and centers mainly around Winona and Vivi Ann. Winona is always competing with her youngest sister over boys and her father's attention. Vivi Ann is clueless to the competition.

We follow along through their lives and loves. Vivi Ann is courted by the man Winona loves. Their father is looking for ways to keep his land in the family and Vivi Ann comes up with all the best ideas. But will Viv always be the apple of her father's eye? We see a lot of the father in the beginning, yet in the middle of the story he is awol. I found myself wondering if I had missed the part where he died. Nope, he showed up again at the end. It was a little awkward, like she had forgotten about him.

A lot goes on in this book, yet it didn't hold me like Firefly Lane. I think there was more care in developing the girls in Firefly Lane than there was in this book. Some of the story line seemed quite familiar to her first book too. I was a little disappointed because I was so pleasantly surprised by her first book. I would call this book a chick-lit, story of the lives of sisters.
I would not call it any where near as good as Firefly Lane.

I give this a 3 out of 5