Some Girls: My Life in a Harem

Some Girls: My Life in a Harem

By Jillian Lauren

352 pages, read on my Kindle

Grade C-

A friend of mine hosted book club a few months ago, and this was her book choice. She is friends with the band Weezer and when she found out that the lead singer (I think it's the lead) was married to Jillian, and that Jillian had written this book, she decided it to be her book. Because she is friends with Weezer, she also made arrangements for Jillian to Skype with us during our book club, which was pretty cool seeing as I had never really "talked" with an author like this before.

Ok so on to the review...

This book is actually a memoir. It's really really hard to believe that it is a memoir when you start out because Jillian as an 18 year old girl goes to Dubai to live and be a prostitute for one of the princes. There are nights of partying, drugs, shopping and sex. It's so hard to imagine that someone would actually sign up for something like this. I mean, the idea of getting handed wads of cash and taken to the mall with an unlimited spending amount and being given gifts of expensive jewels is pretty exotic and intriguing, but knowing that you have to sell your body in order to get these things totally changes the "awesomeness" of it.

Towards the end, Jillian goes home to NY for a little while and all of a sudden she becomes very whiny. A friend of mine actually told Jillian that she sounded insipid (10 point word if you ask me) to avoid saying whiny and spoiled brat. After she goes home to NY, she ends up going back to Dubai for a short stint where things in the harem have changed, she isn't happy anymore, and goes back home...again. She then meets her husband and they adopt a son. And then BAM! just like that, the story ends. Very, very anticlimactic.

Jillian as a person, was really fun to talk with. She was very down to earth and we all had a great time. I admire her for telling her story and coming out with it. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that. She is also writing another book that is coming out here soon, and it will show up on this blog at some point because the same friend that selected this book is picking her next book. Maybe we will Skype again, because honestly, that was pretty cool.

Where She Went

Where She Went

By Gayle Forman

264 pages

Grade A

This book is the book that follows If I Stay, which I read last year. I finished this book in about a day and a half. For me, it was amazing. I really really liked it.

Basically in the first book, Mia is in a terrible car accident and has an out of body experience and watches as everyone around her wonders if she is going to make it or not, it's really tough. I cried, a lot. Where She Went is actually told by the perspective of her ex boyfriend, Adam. I kinda fell in love with Adam's character. I really liked him.

But anyway, Adam runs into Mia in New York one night. They spend the whole night together and catch up with each other's lives. The journey between them is just incredible to read. I LOVE how the author completely entraps you in her story. I am really happy that I got a chance to read this book. I think I am going to pick up a copy of the first one in print so I can re-read them because it was really just that good.

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This post was my first post for "Book Review-a-thon" hosted by Jacki over at the Lovely Little Shelf.

Book Review-A-Thon

Hey everyone, since I am behind again, not only in my reviews, but in blog maintenance in general, I decided to participate in this, the First Annual Book Review-A-Thon, hosted by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf. I am hoping I can take one week out of my oh so busy new stay at home life (what am I talking about, I watched Rio about 14 times last week) that I can get caught up, and make you all love me again.

So there you have it...let's see if I can do it!

Wish me luck!!!

Fall for Anything

Fall for Anything

By Courtney Summers

Grade B+

I don't normally do this, but I like this summary of the book, my review will follow:

From Goodreads.com:

From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father.

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

I was totally blown away by this book. I am not sure if it was because I have experienced some of the same emotions that stem from knowing someone that has killed themselves, or if Ms. Summers was just that good at gripping your heart. Either way, I can't believe I put this book off for as long as I did. And when it only took me about two days to finish it, I was mad that I read it so fast.

Hunger Games, Catching Fire (re-listen)

Hunger Games and Catching Fire

By Suzanne Collins

Re-listen

I started to re-listen to this series before I quit my job, and as it was the first time, it was amazing! I didn't get a chance to finish Mockingjay on audio, so I think I will pick it up in print before the end of the year. Either way, this series is incredible. If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet, then you just need to do it. You won't regret it!

Some more Janet E.

Three to Get Deadly

Four to Score

High Five

Hot Six

By Janet Evanovich

Grade D

To continue on my Stephanie Plum series journey, while I still was working I finished four more of them on audio. At least I think it was four more. I might have finished number 7 but I can't be for 100% sure because since my laptop died I can't see what book I left off on my iPod.

However, honestly, these books are only moderately entertaining. I don't remember much of the plots of each book, only that there is a lot of very corny story lines, and ridiculousness. I am not impressed with them, and if I never finish this series, I doubt I will lose any sleep over it.

I know I said it before, and I will say it again...I don't get what the appeal to this series.

So how incredibly lame am I???

I am sorry I have been MIA for so long. Things have been a *little* crazy on my end. I have finished probably four more books that I need to list on my sidebar, which will put me at like 40 books behind in reviews. AAAHHH!!! Well I am going to be working on catching up. But first I will catch you up to a little of what has been so crazy, as I am sure you all are just *dying* to know.

First, my laptop broke. The battery died, or the power cord doesn't work anymore, but either way, I can't get the damn thing to turn on anymore, so this weekend we are going to head to the repair shop and see if I can get a new battery or something. I feel lost with out it and I really don't like using my husbands Mac.

Second, I recently became a stay at home mom. The first week I was off work, my little brother who is 12 was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was in the hospital for most the first week, and then he spend the rest of the week days with me while my mom was at work. It was exhausting, but thankfully he is completely ok with it and he is doing much much better.

And lastly, which also just happens to be the most exciting part of my crazy life, I found out I am pregnant! I am now 11 weeks pregnant and the dr has told us everything looks good. I have been experiencing some pretty bad morning sickness and I also have been getting mild bouts of dizziness. This is causing me some problems when I try to read because I get dizzy and want to puke. But it's all starting to subside and I am hoping that I can get on with my normal life here pretty soon.

So that is the news with me. I am hoping that I will get caught up on reviews here within the next week, it's not like I am strapped for time or anything!

Thanks for being patient with me :)