45. finally! a satisfying chick lit/mystery novel!

Goodnight Nobody, Jennifer Weiner

I will be the first to admit that i hated Jennifer Weiner's novel, Good in Bed.  I thought it sucked, but perhaps the content matter just wasn't for me.  she reminds me a lot of emily giffin, in fact, this book mirrored love the one you're with in a lot of ways, but kicked its ass, quality-wise.  in fact, i almost couldn't put this one down.  well, i could, but i was having a little personal drama that was keeping my mind racing and occupied, so i could only focus on a novel for so long before i went into hysterics over-analyzing my own situation.  but that is all sorted out now thank goodness, and i was able to finish this book in the peace and sanctity of a (cold! a breeze!) bedroom :)  and it was a satisfying read.  i had no idea who it would be or why or ????? as much as i like out-smarting the heroes in mystery novels, i really enjoy being lead on til the very end.  these sorts of novels remind me of how exhilarating a good Nancy Drew book used to be when I was younger.  i read all of the newer, paperback, modern Nancy Drews and most of the old hardcovers (my mom used to buy me those 4 packs of the old Nancy Drews that they sold all wrapped in plastic in the book section of Costco when I'd been especially good- i remember ripping into that plastic and cracking the hard plastic/cardboard spine and just knowing it would be a really good night filled with old windmills and adventures with Bess and dreamy Ned.  oh those were the good ol days).  now, nothing will ever replace the thrill and excitement of classic nancy drew literature, but this wasn't too bad..... a great birthday present from my sister-in-law, and i wish it hadn't took me so long to get to it.

42. the queen of blah blah blah (a.k.a. the queen of predictability)

meg cabot, author of the famed princess diary series, wrote the queen of babble, which was apparently made for boring holiday weekends where you need something to flip through quickly..... i know, that's a little harsh, but i'm sorry, i cannot read any more books where the protagonist antagonizes over EVERY LITTLE DETAIL.... over and over and over again.  i had had enough of this from my last emily giffin experience (see: #41), but at least that was life changing stuff like adultery and resentment and dead mothers..... this queen of babble, lizzie, is convinced she's in love with a boy she hung out with for one night and e-mailed for a few months so she goes to live with him in england for the summer.  um, excuse me?  when did girls become so stupid?  oh, right, i went through that phase in 7th GRADE!  come on, get real ms. cabot!  yes, girls are silly sometimes about matters of the heart, but not stupid enough to move after one night of making out in a dorm room.  and her "silly" antics where she can't keep her "big fat mouth shut" are unbearable.  give me a break!  (break me off a piece of that kit-kat-bar! ha ha)  now that i have gotten all of that out of my system, this book wasn't all bad.  the plot line was kind of fun and it is always nice to see the clueless, down on her luck (supposedly), happy go lucky girl get what she wants.  and i did enjoy her passion for fashion that comes out in the writing.  that is always refreshing to see someone who knows a lot about their passions.  but i think in the future, i will just pretend i'm a teenager again and go back to the princess diaries.  at least that unreality is realistic.  wait, what?

41. love the one you're with.... because you are with them?

Now, I normally love Emily Giffin's work, which is why I read Love the One You're With, her fourth novel, with enthusiasm this last week.  Unfortunately Ellen, her main character in this one, wouldn't stop bitching and overanalyzing her perfect little life with an amazing husband and family and job yada yada yada.  she is so full of resentment for i don't even know what that it was a real pain in the ass to read.  especially when she turns that resentment and boredom into a possible affair with an ex-lover who everybody knows is a jerk..... i couldn't stand it.  if you don't let go of past loves, do you block the possibility of full love for your future?  or do you open up different places in your heart for those new loves?  most people will probably sympathize with giffin's main character's holding a flame for a past love, but her bitching and whining and then sort of blurring the lines on what she can and can't do with this flame?  not so much.  suck it up, yeah? 

that being said, this book made me feel that there is another layer to love that we don't understand until it is tested and really thought about- commitment.  time commitments are one thing.  commiting to love somebody through the difficult parts of life and the great parts?  something else entirely.  it's a boring aspect of love to ponder when you consider all of the wonderful, swept off-your-feet lovey stuff, but it's something that makes real love real.  i suppose that's why the wedding ceremony is such and important and vital part of love- it's making that solid commitment in front of people (with witnesses-ha ha-) to hold on to your love and cherish it and ride it through the hard parts and the joy rides.  yet another reason why i love LOVE.   there are so many parts that pop up and swirl together and mix up to make the most perfect and most difficult emotions that a human can face.  heartbreak sucks, but when its all said and done, being in love with someone who you are committed to and learning everything about that love is worth any past pain and hardship with any other sub-par love.  awwww love is so sweet*

#14: lovely lovely

Something Blue, by Emily Giffin

That's right, i have read another book in only ONE day! needless to say, i had to brag about my impressive ability to read and complete disregard for time spent doing "productive" things. i read an entire book and chatted on the internet today. what did you do? :)

i feel warm and fuzzy. not to say that this book wasn't totally predictable, but im a sucker for a great ending.

most of all though, i am enjoying basking in my room. it's 12:30 on a friday night, or saturday morning, depending on your point of view, and i have enjoyed countless hours wrapped up in my quilt, snuggled up with pillows and ensconced (yeah, i went there) in the nice pinkish glow of my lamps and christmas lights. last i saw, it was snowing puffy, swirling snowflakes outside and i am more than happy to be doing absolutely nothing interesting this weekend. i love my room, which is a really good thing, considering how many hours i stay holed up in here. i wish i could share my room with more people, but then again i don't, because it's my room and nobody could appreciate it like me, as it is entirely my taste and catering to my liking. i feel like a beach boy, but i really could go on about my room for a while, which would be quite showy, and i don't like to be showy. but tonight, reading about the misfortunes and joys of darcy and ethan and rachel and dex, i came to realize just how happy i am to be here. i hope you are happy too, wherever you may be. :)

*peace and love*

and, because i couldn't get too sappy on you, here's a little somethin' somethin' from my favorite movie-film friend: