The Kari AnnAlysis

Release: June 16, 2009

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What would it be like to be on a reality show? In this book, we find out. Jane and her BFF Scarlett move to LA. They’re fresh out of high school and ready to be on their own. Jane is starting an internship with a very well-known event planner and Scarlett is going to USC.

They’re only in LA a few days getting a feel for the city when they are approached at a bar by a TV producer. It just so happens this producer is looking for some girls to be on a new show about life in LA. Who better to join the show than two girls just getting their feet wet?

Jane and Scarlett agree, along with two girls they don’t meet until a night of filming, Madison and Gabby, to do the show. Soon it becomes apparent to everyone that Jane is the star of the show. This just doesn’t sit well with one of the girls and she’ll do anything to bring Jane down. And yes, this includes a little payoff with the paparazzi to catch Jane in an uncompromising position with a very handsome, but very *not* her boyfriend.

First of all, I had a hard time letting these characters be themselves. There were many times I’d try to imagine, “Now is that Heidi or Audrina?”. It took me a while to not think about Lauren’s real life in this book. I agree with write what you know, and who knows better about reality? I guess I just needed to clear my slate a little better before I started.

With that said, I really liked the book. I liked how she used real places, like Les Deux, the bar where they are discovered. I felt like I got enough from the characters, but then again, not so much that I am bored with them. I will definitely pick up Sweet Little Lies when it comes out in paperback.

I think Lauren did a nice job writing and keeping me reading. It was a quick, fun read and it’s one of those books that although its fiction, I feel like I learned about a new life and place from it.

One of the things I liked after the book was that there were little messages, tweets and pics from Lauren from the book tour. I like getting into the lives of the authors. I feel like I get to know then when I read their thoughts, but diving a little more into their lives amazes me. (Not that I don’t know everything possible about Lauren Conrad after years of Laguna Beach and The Hills.

I give LA Candy 4 stars.

Release: May 2004

Henry DeTamble isn’t your normal man. One minute you’ll see him, the next you won’t. That’s right, he’s a time traveler. He meets Clare when she is 6. He is 36. He leaves her with a list of dates so she knows when to come back, bringing him clothes and food. This continues until she is 18. Then, they are on a 2 year hiatus. In that time, it is up to Clare to catch up with Henry in the present and explain to him why she knows so much about him, but he hasn’t met her yet. He won’t time travel to back her a few more years. Clare and Henry end up married, like they both knew they would and try their hardest to live with Henry’s time travel, try to solve it’s mystery and have a child.

This is one of the hardest descriptions I’ve ever had to write. There’s so much that goes on and for a while in the book, you’re not sure where you’re going to go next, so you’re not sure where to book mark as an important part. There were some parts that came up again that I had to go back and reference when they were brought up the first time, remembering vaguely that I had heard this before.

Audrey Niffenegger is a genius. This is an unbelievable book. And it puts her up on the list with JK Rowling as someone I’d like to have coffee with and pick their brains. She’s one of those people who make you sit and wonder “how did they think of that?”.

This book was very well written and very well thought out. When Clare was little, the writing sounded like a 6 year old. When she was in college, the writing changed to match her intelligence. When we were with little Clare, I could imagine her reading her story to me herself.

I normally like a book that is a little lighter. Yes, this is a love story, but it does not have a happy ending. It ended up being a terribly sad story of a girl who falls in love at the age of 6 and spends her whole life waiting for Henry. I felt sad for Clare so many times as she was wondering where her love was, wondering if he’d come back safe, wondering how much longer she’d had with him and if they’d ever found a cure. I admired Clare for her commitment to Henry. Many women would not have waited around for him or even believed he was a time traveler in the first place. And most probably wouldn’t have been able to put up with the stress. That’s a love to admire.

I look forward to seeing the movie that coincides with the book, but I am going to have to wait a while. I am not sure if I can go through the heart break so soon.

I give The Time Traveler’s Wife 4 bookmarks. While I enjoyed it and I felt it, it is not something I think I’ll read again. At times I wondered if I was ever going to get through it, it was over 500 pages long.

Release: May 2006

This is the 6th installment of the Sookie Stackhouse series and finally, Sookie gets to use her ability to help humans and it’s the ones who have doubted her are asking for her help. But that’s not the big picture in this book. Her cousin Hadley, who was turned to a vampire, has died and Sookie has been named her heir. Sookie has to go to New Orleans to clean out her place, but this also means she has to meet up with the Queen. Hadley had a special relationship with the Queen that ultimately led to her death. As if this isn’t enough of Sookie’s plate, some weres are also after her.

Sookie now has to solve 3 problems. I somewhat solved one, but the others got past me.

I liked this book because it always kept me questioning what was around the next corner. I never knew if it was a vamp, a witch, a were, a tiger or a demon. Yes, demons are introduced in this book.

One part of the plot that I hated was a little secret comes out about Bill. I am not going to spill it, because I hate reading and writing spoilers, but it definitely changes my opinion for him. Until now, everything he has done to hurt Sookie, I’ve been able to rationalize with, as Sookie had … somewhat.

Oh, and must I mention there’s a new hottie in Sookie’s life? Let’s just say he’s extremely cat like

I give Definitely Dead 4 bookmarks.

Other Sookie Stackhouse Books:
1. Dead Until Dark
2. Living Dead in Dallas
3. Club Dead
4. Dead to the World
5. Dead as a Doornail

Happy Valentine’s Day. Here’s a look at what’s new to my bookshelf this week.

Won from Librarything.com:

Borrowed from friends:

What’d you get this week?

I work about 44 miles away from where I live. So when the weather is bad, I can’t always make it home. This was the case last week. Monday morning before work, I packed my bag with 3 days of clothes. Luckily, that was all I needed.

Monday night I got a hotel room, the other two, I stayed with a coworker.

Knowing me, clothes and toiletries weren’t all I packed. Of course, I packed books. 5 to be exact. I was almost finished with one when I left for work on Monday and I wanted to be prepared.

Here’s my stash:

I actually didn’t get as much reading done as I thought I would. Monday I finished one and started another, but all week, I was battling a runny nose and scratchy throat. If I could’ve spent as much time reading as I did blowing my nose, I probably would’ve finished two or three.

Progress: I finished One Amazing Thing and started Definitely Dead which I plan on finishing today.

We’re supposed to get another round of snow starting tonight, so I’ll have to pack my bags again. I got The Time Traveler’s Wife this week, so I’ll probably start it and take all the ones pictured above… just in case!