Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

Hubby used to drive an hour to work and an hour home. Because of that, he used to listen to books on the drive. This was one of the books he “read” and he just about “ran off the road” laughing. Not really, but something just cracked him up. He told me and told me I needed to read this book. Since we had it in audible, that meant I had to listen to it. Listening to books isn’t quite my strong suit, so it took me a while to get through it. I started it in September of 2018, then didn’t touch it again until February 2020. I finally finished it.

This is such a good book. Seriously.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

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Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I started reading this book. I never made it all the way through. It’s interesting. I didn’t remember a lot of what I read… nor do I remember watching the movie. What the heck? I remember Professor Umbridge and I hate Professor Umbridge, but… oy! I couldn’t even remember watching this movie. Hubby would say, oh yeah, or this and that… but not me.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

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Book Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

It was interesting going back and reading this book. While it was a lot like the movie, there were a lot of differences too. I’m pretty sure years ago when I started reading the series, this was the last book I read through its entirety. But I have to say, it’s been years so I forgot quite a bit too.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

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Book Review: Bringing Up Bébé

I started this book in August 2018. Yes, that long ago. And finally finished it. I would read it and then quit. Read then quit. I’m not sure why I couldn’t just push through and finish it, but… I actually read it as a suggestion from a blogger, The Life of Bon. It sat on my Good Reads shelf looking like I wouldn’t read it. And truthfully, I wasn’t. But I finally did. 

Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman

The secret behind France’s astonishingly well-behaved children. When American journalist Pamela Druckerman has a baby in Paris, she doesn’t aspire to become a “French parent.” French parenting isn’t a known thing, like French fashion or French cheese. Even French parents themselves insist they aren’t doing anything special.

Yet, the French children Druckerman knows sleep through the night at two or three months old while those of her American friends take a year or more. French kids eat well-rounded meals that are more likely to include braised leeks than chicken nuggets. And while her American friends spend their visits resolving spats between their kids, her French friends sip coffee while the kids play. (more…)

Book Review: Bridget Jones’s Diary

 

I know this is a movie that came out, oh gosh, way back when. But here’s the thing with this book… prior to starting Grad School, I bought this book, at a book sale at work for a quarter. It sat there waiting for me to read it for years. I’m talking years! Jump forward to grad school. I took a British Comedy class. I really had no choice. And this was actually on the book list that we had to read. Shhhh… I still never read it. I glossed over it enough to be able to talk in class about it, but I didn’t read it. I had this class the same semester that I had comps and this was the furthest thing from my mind. Oh, and watching the movie DOESN’T help unless you’re comparing how the book and the movie are DIFFERENT!

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

a 30-something Singleton who is certain she would have all the answers if she could:
a. lose 7 pounds
b. stop smoking
c. develop Inner Poise (more…)

Book Review: The Paris Wife

Earlier this year a friend of mine took some “test” on Facebook. You know, those weird tests. It was about 1,000 books that you should have read. It was interesting. I figured with grad school that I would have read more than 52 of them. 52/1000… not good odds… One of the books was The Paris Wife. I actually hadn’t read it yet, but I owned it. It was a book I came across a while back… we’re talking over a year ago. It was a physical book even. Sadly, it just sat there waiting for me to read it. Once I saw it on the list and realized I had it but hadn’t read it yet, I jumped on reading it.

Gosh, for as many books I’ve read about Paris, I need to visit Paris. Truthfully, I want to visit 1920 Paris and 1940 Paris, not current Paris. Although don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see current Paris too. I think it is just all the reading of I’d about a Paris I’ll never truly get to experience. (more…)

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

We’re moving right along. At the school Valentine’s Day party yesterday one of the gals asked how I got my little to read. Obviously, in Kindergarten they accept parents reading to the kids as the kids reading. The kids are sitting and listening to reading. I said, does it count if I am bribing a little. She wants to watch the movies, so she has to read the book first. They kind of laughed at me. But it works. We’re ahead of the reading curve. Have been even before we started the reading of the Harry Potter series, but still, we’re ahead and I like it!

The goal for the students is if they read X-number of books (I can’t remember the number) that they get to duct tape the vice principal to the wall. It’ll be exciting and I want to see if it can happen. (more…)

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

When it comes to reading the Harry Potter series, I know I am way past the prime reading time. But here’s the thing… I read this book long, long ago. I’m bringing the next round of “fan” into the reading world. 

Last fall when the little started school, we learned we had to read 30 minutes per night. No big deal. Then one weekend we watched the Harry Potter movies. Since then all she’s done is beg to watch them again. So I made her a deal. We had to read the books (as well as other books because come on she needs to learn to read)… and as a reward, she’d get to watch the movies.

It seemed like a fair enough deal, right?

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

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Book Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

For school, the little has to read at home for at least 30 minutes per day. Every 15 minutes, we get to count a “step.” They are supposed to have 4 steps per day as a minimum. She gets 2 at school and 2 at home to equal the 4. But sometimes she and I go over the top. 

Things that count, parents/siblings/grandparents reading to them, them reading to the family member, reading books, magazines, etc. A Kindergartener’s book if you’ve looked lately is very thin. That means that you can read 1-6 books in 15 minutes. Sometimes though she and I go for chapter books. And I’m not really sure how, but late last fall we got into watching all the Harry Potter movies. She loved them. I was a bit leery at first, afraid we’d deal with nightmares. Not that they are that scary, but she’s 5. They could be scary to a 5-year-old… She is team Gryffindor. Her favorite character is Hermione. Pretty sure because she’s the lead female character. At that age, it matters.

So I figured if she liked the movies so well, we should read the books. I have Kindle Unlimited and they are on there so no big deal. We can only read 1-2 chapters a night depending on the length. Toward the end, she starts getting restless but that happens when we read 16 children’s books too. We started it on December 11, 2019, and ended on January 6, 2020. (more…)

Book Review: Blue Bayou by Jiffy Kate

I had a hard time with this book. It was an easy read but the writing was a little lackluster after reading everything else I have this year. I wasn’t impressed with the writing. Then I realized that this was two writers. I could see a difference. I hate to say that it was easy, but it kind of was. The writing just didn’t seem to flow as easily. I will give this story props too, it gave both characters side of the book. I really like that.

Blue Bayou by Jiffy Kate

The road to self-discovery leads Maverick Kensington deep into the heart of New Orleans. The colorful characters, beautiful scenery and the hot mess of a woman he finds along the way offer him the perfect place to reinvent himself. (more…)