Review: "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin is pretty happy. She's got a wonderful husband, two great little girls, they are financially secure and she's doing what she loves- writing. One day on the bus she comes to a realization- she's happy, but she could be happier. This realization leads her to create a "happiness project"- 12 months of tasks and resolutions that will (hopefully) result in her being the happiest Gretchen that she can be. Armed with her personal 12 commandments and her secrets of adulthood, she sets out on her year-long quest for personal happiness, and The Happiness Project is born.

I loved this book! I actually just finished it, less than an hour ago, and decided to write my review before I "lost" all of the things that I wanted to say about why this book was great. I think that one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much was because it really resonated with me. Gretchen Rubin and I have a few things in common- enough that much of what she is saying and doing could be applied to my life as well. We're both happily married, we both have kids (she has two girls, I have three boys), we're both not planning on any more additions to our family. We're both passionate about books, and we both expect praise for a job well done. For example: if I spend all day cleaning, and my husband comes home, I expect him to tell me that the house looks great. If he doesn't, I'll say "Honey! I cleaned all day! Doesn't it look good?", and he, being the good husband that he is, will quickly agree that yes, the house does look great. These things in common made it easy for me to relate to the book.

I also managed to pick up a lot of great ideas from the tasks that Gretchen set out to do. I learned the most from the months of January (Boost Energy), February (Remember Love), April (Parenthood), and July (Buy Some Happiness). After reading January's chapter I was inspired to organize my home more effectively, February's chapter inspired me to nag my husband less and to be thankful for the great person that he is, April reminded me to be more patient with my frustrating, aggravating, yet amazing children, and July inspired me to make some more concrete goals when it comes to saving money.

Gretchen encourages everyone to start their own happiness project, and I can honestly say that I don't think that it's something that I will personally embark on anytime soon, but I can say that I will try to implement some of the tips that she gives in my own life. I found it funny that some of the things that she resolves to do are things that I have started doing myself in the past few months and have found that, yes, they do make me happier! One such example can be found in her chapter on January. She resolves to tidy up before bedtime, making the mornings run more smoothly. That's something that I've been doing myself for the past six months or so; after the kids are in bed at night I do a "sweep" and pick up dirty clothing, dirty dishes, scattered toys, and anything else that may have made its way onto our floors and counters. In the morning, when I'm greeted by a tidy house rather than a mess, I'm inclined to get through the morning in a better mood, making me (you guessed it!) happier! I really hope to learn from Gretchen's personal experiences, in the hope of making my life a little happier in the long run.

Another thing that I liked about the book was that Gretchen never tries to be anything that she isn't. In fact, one of her commandments is "Be Gretchen". When some of her friends tell her that she should take up meditiation, or that she should see a therapist, and those suggestions don't resonate with her personally, she just doesn't do them. She's not saying that they don't work, just that they don't work for her. She doesn't encourage anyone to do her happiness project, but to do one that works for them. She also openly admits when she fails, giving her a human quality that I really appreciated. She's not saying, "I did it, and I did it perfectly", she's saying, "I did it, and sometimes I failed, but in the end, I felt happier".

I did have a few minor problems with this book: she often incorporates comments from her happiness blog into the book. They were relevant, but truthfully if I wanted to read the comments of her blog readers, I would probably just read her blog. They got a little repetitive. I also found that things dragged a little in the chapters for the months of September, October, and November. I found that the things that she was saying were similar to those things said in previous months, so I skimmed those chapters a bit. These were minor problems, though, and they really didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Before I wrap up this review, I want to leave you with something that Gretchen reminded herself of throughout the book. I think that this sentence is worth remembering: "The days are long, but the years are short". So true! I may wish that bedtime for the kiddos would hurry up, or that we were closer to the weekend, but someday soon I will look back at this time in my life and wish that I could do it all over again.

Thank-you to HarperCollins for this review copy! You can browse inside this book here and read the entire January chapter that I found so interesting! Gretchen Rubin also has two websites: her blog about her ongoing happiness project can be found here and her author website can be found here.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Recommended to: Memoir lovers, anyone who could use a little boost in their happiness
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010

Review: "Sex Dungeon For Sale" by Patrick Wensick

A realtor tries to sell a home with a real-life sex dungeon set up in the basement. A popular dishwasher brand has a brand new cycle available: the KILL cycle. A man can't help but notice that his son looks an awful lot like his wife's old boyfriend. A woman sees an image of Jesus in a piece of burnt toast. Kidnappers are advised how to overcome their "empty-nest syndrome" once their kidnapee has been returned home. Yup- these are all in Patrick Wensick's book of short stories Sex Dungeon For Sale.

Full of dark humour and bizarre scenarios, Sex Dungeon For Sale is perfect for those who enjoy their fiction with a healthy dose of off-the-wall. These bite-sized stories are perfect for our brevity-obsessed Twitter generation, as most are only a few pages long yet leave the reader with a lot to think about when the last sentence has been read.

I found myself enjoying these unique, well-written stories, although I enjoyed some more than others. While I loved "Jesus Toast", "My Son Thinks He's French", and "Clean Bill of Health", I didn't enjoy "Wash, Rinse, Repeat" or "Pandemic Jones" as much: the themes were just a little too dark for me personally, but are sure to appeal to anyone who likes their humour black. I'm glad that I had the chance to experience stories that are different from what I usually read- it allowed me to "read outside of the box" for a bit.

Thank-you to Patrick Wensick for sending me this review copy!

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Recommended to: Bizzaro Fiction enthusiasts, those who like their stories with a heaping spoon of dark humour
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010

Winners of "Love in 90 Days" by Dr. Diana Kirschner, Ph.D.

Thanks to random.org, we have winners! The following people have won a copy of Love in 90 Days courtesy of the Hachette Book Group:

#3 MoziEsme
#21 Bingo
#11 Nickolay
#6 Victoria
#17 Dawn M.

Victoria kindly e-mailed me to let me know that she has won this book elsewhere, so the replacement winner is:

#4 couponmom

Winners, check your e-mails for an e-mail from me with instructions on how to claim your prize, and congratulations!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by J.Kaye at J.Kaye's Book Blog. Every week we share what we read last week, as well as our reading goals for the upcoming week. Last week found our household sick with a stubborn (and frustrating!) cold! Even though I dislike being sick, especially when we're not all really sick at the same time but sick one after another, the quiet weekend gave me time to read more than I thought that I would! I'm slowly getting caught up on my TBR review pile, and on Saturday I got the chance to catch up on some reviews that I was behind on.

What I Read Last Week:

Spin by Catherine McKenzie: Even though I actually read this earlier in January, this week I posted my review for a book tour. I loved this debut book, and if you're Canadian and would like to win a copy, enter here!

Denise's Daily Dozen by Denise Austin: I participated in a book tour for this one this week as well, and enjoyed Denise Austin's practical tips and strategies for weight loss.

In The Wake of Loss by Sheila James: This collection of short stories is both moving and beautifully written. Highly recommended.

A Bad Bride's Tale by Polly Williams: On Friday I decided to indulge my sick self by reading some chick lit. This one started off slow, but thankfully picked up and I ended up enjoying it.

Sex Dungeon For Sale by Patrick Wensick: I picked up this off-the-wall collection of short stories on Sunday and finished quickly. This collection is perfect for our Twitter generation and will be reviewed soon.

What I'm Currently Reading:

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin: This memoir follows one woman as she pursues happiness for a year. I'm engrossed already and am having a hard time putting it down!

What I Plan To Read This Week:

The Last River Child by Lori Ann Bloomfield: This book by Canadian author Lori Ann Bloomfield tells the story of a young woman's struggle in a small town in Ontario at the beginning of the 20th Century.

I'll probably have time to read one more book this week, and it's a toss-up as to what it will be. I often read according to my moods when I get close to the weekend. I've been itching to read Holly Denham's Holly's Inbox, but I may also read my copy of My Own Personal Soap Opera by Libby Malin or my ARC of The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak. I'll have to see. Happy reading, all!

Mailbox Monday!

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. Each week we share which books made their ways into our lonely little mailboxes.  Be warned: Mailbox Monday can lead to toppling TBR piles and staggering Amazon bills!

This week brought two new additions to my TBR piles. The first one came courtesy of Danielle at Sourcebooks. It is an ARC of My Own Personal Soap Opera by Libby Malin, which will be released on April 1, 2010.




The second one came courtesy of Penguin Canada's Exclusive Reads program. It is an ARC of The Heights by Peter Hedges, the author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Here's the publisher's description:

"Tim Welch is a popular history teacher at the Montague Academy, an exclusive private school in Brooklyn Heights. As he says, "I was an odd-looking, gawky kid but I like to think my rocky start forced me to develop empathy, kindness, and a tendency to be enthusiastic. All of this, I'm now convinced, helped in my quest to be worthy of Kate Oliver." Now, Kate is not inherently ordinary. But she aspires to be. She stays home with their two young sons in a modest apartment trying desperately to become the parent she never had. They are seemingly the last middle-class family in the Heights, whose world is turned upside down by Anna Brody, the new neighbor who moves into the most expensive brownstone in Brooklyn, sending the local society into a tailspin.

Anna is not only beautiful and wealthy; she's also mysterious. And for reasons Kate doesn't quite understand, even as all the Range Rover- driving moms jockey for invitations into Anna's circle, Anna sets her sights on Kate and Tim and brings them into her world.

Like Tom Perrotta, Peter Hedges has a keen eye for the surprising truths of daily life. The Heights is at once light of touch and packed with emotion and depth of character."

I'm so excited to read both of these! What came in your mailbox last week?

Review: "In The Wake of Loss: Short Stories" by Sheila James

In The Wake of Loss reflects on the many facets of loss experienced by diasporic South Asians. Ana's Mother is the story of a woman who suspects that her husband is having an affair, but her suspicions become unimportant when her only child goes missing one afternoon. Outside Paradise is the story of an old woman who loses everything that mattered to her in life. In The Wake of Loss follows a woman whose on- again, off-again lover has died. On Ruby's Birthday is the story of a man who has lost his wife and children in his home country, and struggles to build a new life in Canada. On a Mountain on an Island is the story of two women who run a B&B together and who are falling out of love with one another. The Arrangement is the story of a couple in a unique situation who will do anything to have children, and Demure is the story of a mail-order bride who is trying to make her way in a strange new world. Finally, Girlfriends is the story of a woman who has lost her mother and is determined not to lose her father as well.

Eight stories, all very different, but all reflect on loss and how it affects every aspect of our lives. Whether it is the loss of identity, a country, a lover, a parent, a child, a friend, or a dream, Sheila James does a beautiful job of connecting us to her many characters, and of making us experience a sliver of the pain of their loss.

I read on someone's blog that short stories are meant to be savoured, reflected on, and enjoyed one by one, rather than as a group. I vowed to myself that I would read these stories slowly and really think about them before I turned to the next one, so I limited myself to reading two a day. I really feel that this approach helped me to appreciate each story on its own, and it is an approach that I will use when reading short story collections in the future. Sheila James has written eight diverse stories, ones that really drive home the point that when people immigrate to Canada they lose both their home and part of their identity, and must often become someone new in a new country. How fitting this theme was, considering Canada's diverse population and the many ethnicities that call Canada home. This was a beautiful book, and one that I would highly recommend to anyone seeking a new perspective on the world around us.

Thank-you to Erinna at Ronsdale Press for this review copy!

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Recommended to: Short story lovers, those looking to read more Canadian literature, anyone who has experienced loss in their personal life
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010

Review: "A Bad Bride's Tale" by Polly Williams

Stevie Jonson is two weeks away from her wedding to Jez and is having some serious doubts. Why is it that almost everything that he does is annoying her? Is it pre-wedding jitters or is it a sign of things to come? When Sam, Stevie's high school crush, comes back to town to attend her wedding, sparks fly between them and Stevie seriously wonders if she's doing the right thing by getting married.

Katy Norris is 36, takes great care of her body, and is ready to settle down, get married, and have children. Unfortunately her boyfriend Seb has yet to pop the question and Katy isn't sure if it is even imminent. Complicating matters, Seb works in New York and she lives in England, making their time together sparse.

Stevie, Jez, Katy and Seb coinicidentally meet up while they are in Thailand: Stevie and Jez are there for their honeymoon, Katy and Seb are there for a romantic vacation. The four of them spend some time together and eventually discover that things don't always work out as planned. Or do they?

I had some serious doubts about A Bad Bride's Tale from the first page. Now I love chick lit as much as the next girl, but both the writing and the plot were a little too much for me. The writing seemed stilted, the plot overdone. Luckily, I like to give every book a proper chance (I try to read at least 100 pages before I give up) and this one got better immediately following Stevie and Jez's wedding (which is early on in the book). The plot picked up after this point, and actually started to get interesting. The plot remained fairly predictable throughout, but I stand by my theory that it is okay for good chick lit to be a little predictable here and there.

Although I wouldn't recommend that you run out and buy this one right away, I do still recommend reading it if your library has a copy or if it is sitting in your TBR pile. If you can get through the first few chapters, it's a great read for a rainy day or the beach, and the conclusion is fully satisfying. I plan on checking out Williams' earlier book, Yummy Mummy, the next time I have a craving for a fun read.

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (due to some early plot and dialogue problems)
Recommended to: Chick lit fans, anyone looking for a light read
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, 2010 Chick Lit Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010, RYOB Challenge 2010

Review: "Denise's Daily Dozen: The Easy, Every Day Program To Lose Up To 12 Pounds in 2 Weeks" by Denise Austin

From fitness guru Denise Austin comes a new book designed to help you incorporate fitness into your life, no matter how busy it is. As a wife, mother, and business woman herself she understands that our days are packed from the time that we get up in the morning until we go to bed at night, and that most of us do not have time for hour long workouts every day. She also understands that most of us have a few pounds that we would like to lose. She's come up with a solution: her daily dozen, 12 minutes worth of exercise that pretty much anyone can incorporate into their schedules. Her workouts are designed to maximize our fat-burning potential, while toning and slimming our bodies. She provides us with 21 days of workouts, cardio suggestions, meal plans, and shopping lists (21 days is approximately the amout of time that it takes to get into a new habit). Denise says that if we follow her instructions to the letter we can lose up to 12 pounds in 2 weeks.

What I loved about Denise's Daily Dozen is that Denise Austin offers us ways to lose weight that can actually be incorporated into our daily schedules. Almost anyone that I know can fit in 12 minutes of exercise a day, whether they get up 12 minutes earlier or go to bed 12 minutes later. There is more to the plan than only 12 minutes a day, as readers are encouraged to do about 12 miles worth of cardio every week in addition to the exercises, but even if all you can fit in is 12 minutes than really that's better than nothing. I love that there are lots of encouraging extras scattered throughout the book, whether it's a dozen tips for healthy food shopping or encouraging stories about those who have lost significant amounts of weight. I especially love the section where Denise describes simple exercises that we can do while talking on the phone, watching TV, or waiting for our toast to pop up. These are all things that I am sure that I can fit into my day with little or no additional effort on my part, but that will eventually show me results.

What I didn't love as much about the book were some of the recipes, which simply weren't to my taste. As the mom to three very picky eaters (and one very picky husband) I just can't see myself cooking one meal for them and another for myself. I simply don't have that much time or energy after a long day. Denise suggests that families can get healthy together by eating these recipes, but I can't see my sons ever eating black beans or sprouts. That being said, I did manage to find a few that I think I can get my family to eat with me, such as "Slim Sloppy Joes", which I do plan on incorporating into our meal rotation.

Quite honestly I don't think that I have the discipline or the determination to follow this plan to the letter, but in an effort to become a healthier version of myself I do plan on incorporating Denise's 12 minute exercise routines into my daily schedule, and I also plan to use a few of the recipes to help my family to eat healthier. I think that there is a lot of pratical, smart advice between these pages and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to lose a few pounds or incorporate fitness into their daily routine.

Thank-you to Anna at the Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy of this for review. If you haven't already, make sure you enter my giveaway to win 1 of 5 copies of this book! It runs until February 5th, so you still have plenty of time to enter. You can also become a fan of Denise on Facebook, follow her on Twitter, or check out her website, http://www.deniseaustin.com/.

Q&A With Catherine McKenzie and Giveaway!

Yesterday I reviewed Catherine McKenzie's debut novel, Spin (here's my review if you missed it) and today I welcome Catherine to The Book Chick to answer a few of my questions!

The Book Chick: You're a litigation lawyer and you also teach law at McGill University. What inspired you to write a book, and when did you actually find time to do it?

Catherine McKenzie: I've always written (poetry mostly) but never was able to sustain my attention for long enough to write a book. Then one day I got an idea for a book (not Spin) and I sort of felt compelled to write it. Once I had finished it, I had an idea for another book and I decided to write that. Spin came two books later. I guess it kind of became my hobby, and it was fun to create my own little world. My job is very cerebral so it's nice to have something completely different and creative. Everyone always wants to know when I have time to write. I really believe that you make time for the things you care about. I try to write a little everyday. It doesn't always work, but most days I make it.

TBC: Considering that you wear many different job "hats" these days, I just have to know: when you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

CM: I wanted to be a lawyer. One out of three ain't bad.

TBC: Spin has a definite celebrity aspect to it. Did you base the celeb characters in your book on any specific real-life celebrities?

CM: I tried not to base the celebrities in the book on real life celebrities, but of course the whole idea for the book came to me when certain celebrities were going in and out of rehab (every week it seemed) a couple of years ago. I'm remember asking myself one day: I wonder why no paparazzi has ever followed a celebrity into rehab. My next thought was: what a great idea for a book!

TBC: When you actually manage to get some time to yourself, are there any specific genres or authors that you love to read?

CM: I read a lot of different genres, actually. These are the last books I read, all which I enjoyed: Juliet, Naked; The White Tiger; Open (I loved, loved, loved this book); Continuity Girl; Wolf Hall; Inside Out Girl; and right now I'm reading Jon Krakauer's new book. Some of my favourite authors are: Jane Austen, Nick Hornby, Bill Bryson, James Frey.

TBC: Finally, I loved your book and was actually sad when it ended. I loved Kate, your main character, and I think that she has more adventures in her. Is there any chance that you would consider writing a sequel to Spin?

CM: Thanks! Several people have mentioned to me recently that they would love to see a sequel of Spin, but I certainly didn't think of it like that when I wrote it. To date, I haven't been able to come up with a concept for a sequel that I like, but never say never. Suggestions welcome.

Thanks to Catherine McKenzie and HarperCollins Canada I am giving away a copy of Spin to one lucky reader!

How to Enter:

1. You get one entry simply by leaving me a comment telling me who your favourite celebrity is. Please include your e-mail address so that I am able to contact you if you win. No e-mail= no entry!

2. *Bonus Entry* Earn a bonus entry by becoming a follower. Current followers are eligible as well, simply leave me a seperate comment letting me know that you follow!

3. *Bonus Entry* Tweet, blog about this contest, add it to your sidebar, whatever! Spread the word and you'll gain an additional entry- just be sure to leave me a seperate comment letting me know how you did it!

This contest runs until February 5, 2010. I will randomly draw the winner and notify them by e-mail after this date. Winners will have 72 hours to respond. This contest is open Canadian address only, no PO Boxes please! Good luck!

Review: "Spin" by Catherine McKenzie

Kate Sandford is almost 30, but she still poses as a graduate student at times for the free food available at graduate events. She writes articles for the newspaper about obscure but interesting bands, and when she gets an interview at The Line, a music magazine that she has always aspired to work at, she is ecstatic. The night before the interview she goes out with friends to celebrate the combination of her birthday and the interview and, well, over-celebrates a little. She arrives at her interview the next day hungover, reeking like alcohol, and sick to her stomach and it isn't long before the interviewers politely dismiss her. Kate is devastated, but a few weeks later she receives a call. If Kate follows Amber Sheppard, the current celebrity "It Girl" into rehab and writes a tell-all after completing the program she will get another chance to work at The Line. Kate doesn't think twice and hops onto a plane headed for the rebab centre Oasis.

Things get complicated after Kate arrives. Even though she was convinced that she didn't have a problem with alcohol, her time in rehab is starting to open her eyes a little to her own destructive behaviour. Kate also manages to not just meet Amber Sheppard, but befriend her, and then comes the ultimate question: can Kate still write her article without losing her new friend? Kate also meets Henry, a celebrity handler, and sparks begin to fly. Will Henry be able to fall in love with a girl that he met in rehab, and can their relationship last outside of the walls of Oasis?

Spin is chick-lit with a heart, and I absolutely loved it. Kate Sandford is definitely one screwed-up individual at times, with the habit of leaping into things without thinking them through first, but she is the type of character that makes you root for her. Not only was I hoping that she would be able to truly see that she had a problem with alcohol, but I was hoping that she would start wanting to get better, and maybe even fall in love along the way. The secondary characters in Spin are fantastic as well: Amber appears to be a spoiled celebrity at first, but as the story continues we see that she's just a girl who has made some bad decisions, and has managed to make those in the spotlight while the world followed her every move. Henry, the celebrity handler, was fantastic as a guy who didn't need to be in rehab, but certainly didn't have it all together either. Kate's parents were wonderful as well- people who truly want to see the best in people, even if those great qualities are in hiding.

There's a line on the last page of the book that I found absolutely swoon-worthy. I would love to share it with you, but won't for fear of giving away the ending. What I can say is that debut author Catherine McKenzie has written a fantastically entertaining and funny yet endearing debut novel and I'm excited to read what she comes up with next.

Thank-you to Catherine McKenzie and HarperCollins Canada for this review copy. You can browse inside Spin here. Be sure to check back tomorrow when Catherine will answer a few of my burning questions, and I will have a copy of Spin to give away!

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Recommended to: Chick Lit fans, and anyone looking for a fun yet thought-provoking read
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010, 2010 Chick Lit Challenge

Review: "Where We Have To Go" by Lauren Kirshner

Meet Lucy. She's an imaginative 11-year-old whose parents are on the verge of splitting up. Her father is a failed glamour photographer and a travel agent who doesn't travel. He's also a recovering alcoholic battling his personal demons at weekly AA meetings. Her mother is larger-than-life, a former beauty queen in her native Bulgaria and a lover of the antique mannequins that represent their little family. As her parents continue to fight, Lucy begins to grasp that all is not well in her household, and when another woman is introduced into the volatile mix, Lucy and her mother move out of the house in pursuit of a better life. The story continues to follow Lucy and her family as they work through the pain of infedelity, the uncertainty of trying to become a family again, her grandfather's illness, anorexia and the inability to fit in in high school. We watch her grow up in the 1990's, and eventually she blossoms into a young college student with a new outlook on life.

Where We Have to Go is an absolutely beautiful coming-of-age story. In the beginning Lucy is a gawky girl on the verge of adolescence with no breasts to speak of and the habit of counting things to ward off bad events. This hint of her obsessive-compulsiveness develops into full-blown anorexia in her teen years when she realizes that she doesn't fit in at school. This part hit particularly close to home for me. I didn't have anorexia in school, but I certainly didn't fit in with the popular girls, despite my desire to. Reading this book brought all of that awkwardness back, along with a sense of relief that I am now past my teenage years and am a (relatively) well-adjusted adult. Lauren Kirshner manages to take those feelings of highschool aniexty and channels them into some great material.

Her characters were also really well-developed, particularly the character of Lucy's grandfather. He was a secondary character, but I could picture him, especially when he leans his cane against the wall of his nursing home, pretending that he doesn't need it, so that he can hit on the pretty young nurses. Lauren Kirshner has written a great debut novel, one that will beg to be read again.

Thank-you to Lauren Kirshner and McClelland Publishers for this review copy!

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Recommended to: Those who enjoy coming-of-age stories, fiction lovers, and those who are looking to read more Canadian authors
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by J.Kaye at J.Kaye's Book Blog. I haven't participated in this meme for a couple of weeks, but I'm ready to join in again. I just feel as if I'm still recovering from the busy holiday season. Am I the only one who's still trying to get back to normal? I'm back to work now, the kids are back in school, and I seem to be back in some kind of routine, so my reading is back on track, thank goodness. Now if I can just get my butt in gear and catch up on some reviews!

What I read last week:

Where We Have to Go by Lauren Kirshner: This was a beautful coming- of- age novel and I will be reviewing this shortly.

Love Struck by Chantel Simmons: I only received this ARC last week, but it really seemed like perfect weekend reading. It was! Review to come on Feb. 15th.

What I Hope to Read This Week:

Denise's Daily Dozen by Denise Austin: For an upcoming blog tour

In The Wake of Loss: Short Stories by Sheila James: This book of short stories seems like the perfect book to read as I read sections of Denise Austin's book. I read on someone's blog that short stories are meant to be read and then savoured, so I'm going to try to read this one slowly.

I highly doubt that I'll get more than that read this week! I also will be participating in two blog tours this week. One is for Spin, Catherine McKenzie's debut novel (it was wonderful!) and will include an author interview as well as a giveaway, so stay tuned. I'll also be participating in the blog tour for Denise's Daily Dozen!

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. Every week we share what new books came in our mailbox last week! Warning: Mailbox Monday may lead to toppling TBR piles and staggering Amazon bills!

This week brought one new addition to my TBR pile: an ARC of Chantel Simmons' latest, Love Struck. I was so excited to read this one that I started it on Saturday and am almost finished! You'll have to wait for my review, though, as this book will be released on February 15th. Here's a description from the publisher's website:

"In the vein of her popular debut novel, Stuck in Downward Dog, author Chantel Simmons brings us a funny, heartfelt story about losing the perfect life—and finding a real one.


When twenty-seven-year-old image consultant Poppy Ross discovers that her handsome and seemingly devoted husband Parker is having an affair, she is dumbfounded. Before she has chance to confront him, however, he is struck by lightning. When he regains consciousness, he has lost his short-term memory—including that of the affair. Given a chance to erase history and possible save her marriage, Poppy decides to remake herself in the mistress’s image, so that Parker might never be tempted to stray again. Her quest to become his perfect woman has disastrous and hilarious results—and might turn out to be the worst thing possible for her marriage."

What was in your mailbox last week?

Giveaway: "Denise's Daily Dozen" by Denise Austin

Thanks to the Hachette Book Group I have 5 copies of Denise's Daily Dozen to give away! Although I have not read the book in its entirety yet, I can tell you that it is chock-full of helpful advice for anyone who is trying to lose weight, whether you're looking to lose 5 lbs, 10 lbs or more! Here's the description from the publisher's website:

"From Denise Austin comes the perfect health book for anyone who wants to live better but just can't seem to find the time. Much more than just another exercise book, Denise's Daily Dozen covers a whole range of health and diet related concepts yet manages it all in a no-stress, time-conscious program of 12's. At it's core, this book contains the minimum daily requirements to keep the reader flexible, strong and trim. Organized simply into seven chapters, which equal the seven days of the week, it covers a full week in daily allotments. Each day will have it's own focus from Monday being "fat burning day" to Sunday's "recharge and rejuvenate."


Denise has created a total body program, including a 7-day balanced meal plan that includes healthy recipes, and a workout that encompasses 12 exercises done in 12 minutes each day. Everyone can take just 12 minutes, at whatever time of the day works for them, and turn it over to these simple and fun exercises. Cardio, toning, yoga and breathing exercises...they're all here but in a way the maximizes effect while minimizing time.

Beyond a dozen exercises for each day of the week this book will include many other of Denise's dozens for each day."
 
Author Information
Facebook Fan Page
DeniseAustin.com
 
Here's how to win:
 
1. You get one entry simply by leaving me a comment telling me your favourite part of Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner! Please include your e-mail address so that I am able to contact you if you win. No e-mail= no entry!

2. *Bonus Entry* Earn a bonus entry by becoming a follower. Current followers are eligible as well, simply leave me a seperate comment letting me know that you follow!

3. *Bonus Entry* Tweet, blog about this contest, add it to your sidebar, whatever! Spread the word and you'll gain an additional entry- just be sure to leave me a seperate comment letting me know how you did it!

This contest runs until February 5, 2010. I will draw the winners and notify them by e-mail after this date. This contest is open to US and Canadian address only, no PO Boxes please! Good luck!

Author Michael Baron Guest Posts Today!

Please join me in welcoming Michael Baron, the author of Crossing the Bridge, When You Went Away, and the upcoming The Journey Home (April 2010) to The Book Chick! Michael Baron guest posts today about "Writing for the Audience in Your Head". Welcome, Michael!

"Though the book I’ve just published, Crossing the Bridge, is only my second novel, I’ve been publishing nonfiction for quite some time now. Interestingly, in all the time I’ve been writing nonfiction, I never thought much about the nature of the audience for which I was writing. While my nonfiction books have always been for general audiences, they have always been targeted to people interested in a specific subject. It was so simple to imagine this audience that I never seemed to do so.


Writing fiction is different in an abundance of ways, but one of them is that one’s perception of a potential audience is entirely different. Few people come to fiction because of the subject. They will read a novel if a story sounds appealing, but they’re less likely to respond because the main character is a teacher or has restless leg syndrome. (This is good news from my perspective. The main character in Crossing the Bridge works in a stationery store. If I were targeting small retail enthusiasts, I think I’d be in a lot of trouble.) Instead, fiction readers are going for the feeling the author evokes: tears, warmth, thrills, wonder, and so on.

It’s much more difficult to imagine this audience. After all, the readers of Dan Brown and Nora Roberts are both seeking thrills, but they are seeking them in different ways. Readers of Pat Conroy and Susan Wiggs might both be after poignant explorations of intimate relationships, but they’re after very different experiences from these explorations. The novels I write offer readers close examinations of people undergoing huge changes in their personal and interpersonal lives. In my first novel, When You Went Away, the main character has just lost the wife he adored, he has a small child to raise, and he needs to deal with his unexpected feelings for a colleague. In Crossing the Bridge, the protagonist is struggling with the death of his brother ten years earlier, the aimlessness he’s felt since, and what happens when his brother’s girlfriend walks into his life. In the novel after this, The Journey Home, one of my main characters has lost his memory and only knows that he needs to get back to his wife, another is fighting to live in her head as Alzheimer’s ravages her, and another is watching his mother fade while he tries to conjure a way to bring her back. To whom do I target these novels?

When I started writing fiction, I tried to imagine a reader as I wrote. I tried thinking of other writers and about writing for their readers. Neither worked. Ultimately, I needed to write for the only audience I truly knew: myself. I know what I look for when I read fiction. I want honest emotions from the author, I want characters that evolve, I want relationships with dimension and complexity, and I want a life-affirming sensibility. Since I think many fiction readers want the same thing, writing to satisfy what I wanted in a novel was neither particularly selfish nor particularly risky. I managed to appease myself with these stories, though I’ll admit that my critical faculties might have been compromised by the writing process. Whether they appease anyone else is something I’ll be fascinated to find out."

Thank-you, Michael! If you haven't yet, you can read my review of Michael Baron's latest, Crossing the Bridge here. You can find out more about Michael Baron and his books on his website, or you can check out his publisher's website, The Story Plant.

Review: "Crossing the Bridge" by Michael Baron

Hugh Penders has been drifting from job to job, place to place, ever since his brother died in a drunk driving accident nearly a decade ago. He avoids his childhood New England home for two reasons: he feels that his presence only reminds his parents that his brother is no longer alive, and he has a secret. Hugh knows that he could have stopped his brother from driving that night, as he was the last person that Chase saw before his death. Hugh is keeping another secret buried: he was in love with his brother's girlfriend, Iris.

When Hugh's father suffers a serious heart attack Hugh comes home to see him, and ends up running the family business while his father is recovering. Conveniently he had quit his job just before his father fell ill and had nowhere else to be. When Hugh runs into his brother's old girlfriend, Iris, on the street in front of his father's store, the two rekindle their friendship. When Hugh starts to feel that he is falling in love with Iris, things become more complicated than either bargained for, and the two must begin to wade through their memories from the past.

I enjoyed Crossing the Bridge. Hugh was richly drawn- a complicated man running from his past and unable to shake free from his late brother's shadow. His mother and father were also characters that I began to care about- his father was a gruff man, unable to show much emotion, yet there were definite moments when his love for his son shone through. His mother seemed to be the invisible glue that held the family together despite their tragic history. The only character that I wasn't able to relate to was the character of Iris, Hugh's girlfriend. I understood why she would have reservations about being involved with Hugh, yet I felt that she kept him at arm's length at all times and I couldn't quite understand why she expected Hugh to run after her all of the time. The plot was interesting, and continued to hold my attention throughout, and the ending was satisfying, as good women's fiction should be. I look forward to reading Michael Baron's future novels, as they provide a rare glimpse of what is going on inside a man's head.

Thank-you to the publisher, The Story Plant, for this review copy. Stay tuned tomorrow when Michael Baron guest blogs at The Book Chick!

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Recommended to: Fans of romantic fiction, as well as fans of Nicholas Sparks novels
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010

Review: "After the Falls" by Catherine Gildiner

After the Falls by Catherine Gildiner is the first selection of our newly formed bookclub on Facebook (thanks for the copy, Marci!). I hadn't read Gildiner's previous books (one novel, one previous memoir) and wasn't sure if I would be able to get into this one without having read one or both of those, but I was quickly captivated by her engaging writing style and the fascinating recounting of her "coming of age" years.

The story begins when Cathy is thirteen years old (oh, those awkward, formative teenage years!). Her parents have decided to move from Niagra Falls, where she was rasied in the family home that has been used for generations, to suburban Buffalo so that their spirited daughter would have a place where she could focus on her studies and generally stay out of the trouble that often found her in Niagra Falls. Cathy has no plans to change her nature despite the fact that her location has changed, and it's not long before she's up to her old ways in Buffalo. As her teenage years unfold, we join her as she lobbies against the statues of black jockeys that grace many lawns in Buffalo, learns about what really goes on during fraternity meetings, and goes off to college with the intent of changing the world. We are with her as she falls in love for the first time, and we are with her as she learns of her father's heartbreaking medical diagnosis that will change her family forever.

Let me tell you why I loved this novel. First of all, even though this is a memoir, it reads like fiction. In fact I frequently forgot that I was reading a memoir and not fiction while I was devouring her words. The things that Catherine Gildiner has experienced rival the things that I could ever hope to experience in my lifetime. She guides us through the 60's in a far more interesting way than history books could ever hope to. Second, Catherine Gildiner allows her readers to get into her head as she writes. I felt that I was alongside her as she experienced her teenage years.

Just a note: it is absolutely not necessary to have read her previous memoir in order to fully appreciate this one. After the Falls has the power to stand alone. It is also not required that you have more than a general knowledge of the 60's to read this either. My knowledge of that period of time is very basic, yet I felt as if I were living history through her words. I especially loved reading about her experiences with sororities in college. What a wealth of knowledge, and how things have changed since then!

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Buy or borrow?: If you're a memoir fan, I would buy this one. It's a great one to add to any collection!
Recommended to?: Memoir fans, anyone interested in the 60's, and those who have read Gildiner's previous memoir and enjoyed it.
Read again?: I would give this one a second read. It is a book filled with rich stories, many of which deserve a second read to absorb them.
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, New Author Challenge 2010

A Few Minor Changes to The Book Chick's Reviews

This year I decided not to make any New Year's Resolutions. Quite truthfully, any resolutions that I make are usually out the window within ten minutes of my making them. I'll resolve to exercise more and then plunk my butt on the couch with a book. I'll vow to quit smoking and then light up in a panic at the thought. I'll decide to save money and then realize that the car needs new brakes. What I do hope to accomplish this year, and this isn't a resolution but more a personal goal, is to write better book reviews. I'm fairly new to the blogging world, I'm just coming up on my two year "blogoversary" and I've really only been avidly blogging for the past year or so, and it is my goal to make my reviews clearer and more concise. It is my hope that by doing this, those who read the reviews will be better able to determine if this is a book that they would like to read, buy, or blog about themselves.

The first change that I've decided to implement in order for me to meet my goal is to add a rating system. I know that these can be fairly controversial, but I hope that by adding a rating system those reading the review will get a better feel for how much I liked or didn't like the book. I tend to use general terms to describe books such as "loved", "liked", "adored", etc. and by including a rating as well, you will now know if this is a 3-star or a 4-star book. Here's what my ratings will mean:

5 stars- I loved the book and it will be added to my personal collection
4 stars- I liked the book and would recommend it to friends
3 stars- I finished the book, but there were many things about it that bothered me
2 stars- I finished the book, but struggled through it
1 star- I didn't finish the book because it couldn't hold my interest

I will also be using half-star ratings (such as 3.5 stars), which will mean that the book fell somewhere in the middle of the two ratings.

In addition to adding a rating system to my reviews, I will now be asking myself and answering three questions at the conclusion of my review. Those questions are:

Buy or Borrow?: Would I suggest buying this book, or would I suggest borrowing it from the library or from a friend?
Recommended to: Who would I recommend this book to? This may include what kind of genre it falls into.
Would I read it again?: Is this book worth a second look?

Finally, there will be a line where I will list which challenges this book counts towards.

Essentially, the conclusion of my reviews will now look like this:

Rating:
Buy or Borrow?:
Recommended to:
Would I read this again?:
Challenges:

Despite the fact that this post turned out to sound a little more confusing than I hoped, I'm hoping that keeping these questions in mind while I'm reading a book will help my reviews to become clearer and more concise, and hopefully more helpful to those reading the review. Of course any changes made have a learning curve, and I may need to make adjustments as I go along. Until then, happy reading!

Giveaway: "Love in 90 Days" by Dr. Diana Kirschner, Ph.D.

Thanks to the Hachette Book Group, I have 5 copies of Love in 90 Days by Dr. Diana Kirschner, Ph.D. to give away!


From the Publisher's Website:

"Finding true love is possible in just 90 days. Renowned clinical psychologist, Dr. Diana Kirschner, uses the latest research, clinical and personal experience to show you how. Dr. Diana knows the questions single women everywhere face: "Why am I attracted to the wrong kind of guys?" "Why is he just not that into me?" "Why can't I seem to find the One?" She also knows the unconscious mistakes that women make over and over again in love-regardless of age, work success, or the type of men they are dating.


Over the years Dr. Diana has received countless inquiries from single women about writing a how-to guide on her work. Love in 90 Days: The Essential Guide to Finding Your Own True Love is that book.

Love in 90 Days is fun, savvy and based on the latest research on singles, online dating and healthy relationships. Loaded with step-by-step instructions, checklists, and weekly homework assignments, this revolutionary love book is also an intensely personal journey for each reader. Love in 90 Days guides you along your own path towards self discovery with proven and effective dating advice and tough love. Dr. Diana dispels common misconceptions about love relationships and dating, and share personal stories from women who have successfully completed the Love in 90 Days Program. There's also a chapter devoted to the special issues faced by African-American women, single mothers, and women forty-five and older."
 
Author Information
Read an excerpt from the book
 
How to Enter:
 
1. You get one entry simply by leaving me a comment! If you wish, you can include a cringe-worthy dating moment that you've had. Please include your e-mail address so that I am able to contact you if you win. No e-mail= no entry!


2. *Bonus Entry* Earn a bonus entry by becoming a follower. Current followers are eligible as well, simply leave me a seperate comment letting me know that you follow!

3. *Bonus Entry* Tweet, blog about this contest, add it to your sidebar, whatever! Spread the word and you'll gain an additional entry- just be sure to leave me a seperate comment letting me know how you did it!

This contest runs until January 22, 2010. I will draw the winners and notify them by e-mail after this date. This contest is open to US and Canadian address only, no PO Boxes please! Good luck!