Review -- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Eat, Pray, Love

by Elizabeth Gilbert

Penguin, 2007

352 pages

*My mom let me borrow her copy.

Summary: After a terrible divorce, Liz spends a year traveling in order to heal herself from within. She spends 4 months each in Italy (eat), India (pray), and Bali (love).

Review: Wow, at times this novel can be really powerful... and sad... and interesting... and funny. Author Elizabeth Gilbert takes the reader on a journey to find a balance between pleasure and enlightenment. The prose is wonderful. The author is able to express herself and explain the change within in such a personable way. I found myself feeling as though the author was a close friend. A friend who was opening up about all her anxieties and difficulties as she learned how to be a better version of herself. However, there were sections of the novel where I wanted to yell at her -- Who cares if you are having trouble mediating? YOU ARE IN INDIA!!! On a side note, I am also EXTREMELY JEALOUS, because who wouldn't want to get paid to travel to these great place and just work on relaxing, finding themselves, and being happy? I think she has one of the best jobs in the world. Overall, highly recommended especially for those interested in traveling, spiritual journeys, memoirs, and Italian food. Rating: **** out of 5

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 8/23

This meme is hosted by Book Journey.

I can't believe the weekend is over already! Over the weekend I was able to almost finish the fantastic One Day by David Nicholls. Last week I finished Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (review to come) and reviewed Starting From Scratch by Susan Gilbert-Collins (click on the title to read my review).

This week I am hoping to start one, if not all of the following: The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, and Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin.

What are you reading this week?

Friday Finds -- 8/20

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

I just finished a fantastic novel with recipes and then came across Lunch in Paris, A Love Story With Recipes by Elizabeth Bard. This book sounds great. Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

Was it love at first sight? Or was it the way her knife slid effortlessly through her pavé au poivre, the steak'spink juices puddling into the buttery pepper sauce? LUNCH IN PARIS is a memoir about a young American woman caught up in two passionate love affairs--one with her new beau, Gwendal, the other with French cuisine. Packing her bags for a new life in the world's most romantic city, Elizabeth is plunged into a world of bustling open-air markets, hipster bistros, and size 2 femmes fatales. She learns to gut her first fish (with a little help from Jane Austen), soothe pangs of homesickness (with the rise of a chocolate soufflé) and develops a crush on her local butcher (who bears a striking resemblance to Matt Dillon). Elizabeth finds that the deeper she immerses herself in the world of French cuisine, the more Paris itself begins to translate. French culture, she discovers, is not unlike a well-ripened cheese-there may be a crusty exterior, until you cut through to the melting, piquant heart.

Doesn't this sound wonderful and delicious? What did you find this week?

Review -- Starting From Scratch by Susan Gilbert-Collins

Starting from Scratch

by Susan Gilbert-Collins

Simon & Schuster Adult, 2010

322 pages

*I received this from the publisher for review.

Summary: On the day she defends her dissertation, Olivia is devastated by the news that her mother (Vivian) has died. Olivia moves home and uncovers secrets about her mother and three siblings while learning to move forward from the terrible loss.

Review: Let me explain why my summary is just okay -- I forgot to mention the cooking! The novel is centered around Vivian's love of cooking and even includes recipes. Olivia uses cooking as a way of feeling close to her mom. I thought this was lovely little novel filled with wonderful characters and some unexpected surprises. Each sibling (including Olivia) has a secret that they are keeping from the family. The author does such a great job of having the secrets come out in both funny and sad ways that make you feel like part of the family. Olivia was a great main character, very interesting and relatable. Overall, a fun and light read that was very entertaining and made my mouth water the entire time! Rating: **** out of 5

**** Corrections (8/20/10): Thanks to Ruth who caught my mistakes! In the original post I wrote that Annie was the main character, but have since fixed it to read Olivia. Sorry everyone!

Have you read and reviewed this book? Then leave a link to your review in the comments section!

3 W Wednesdays -- 8/18

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you reading? Currently, I am about 20 pages away from finishing Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and 20 pages into One Day by David Nicholls.

What have you recently finished reading? Over the weekend I finished Starting from Scratch by Susan Gilbert-Collins (review to come) and last week I reviewed Look Again by Lisa Scottoline (click on title to read my review).

What are you reading next? Most likely I will try to read The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry or if the library has a copy, then I will read The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson.

What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 8/16

This meme is hosted by Book Journey.

Happy Monday! This week I am trying to finish Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert so I can go see the movie with my mom. I also need to pick up One Day by David Nicholls again and if all goes according to plan (which it never does) then I will finish the week off by reading The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. Last week, I read Starting from Scratch (which I loved, review to come) and reviewed Look Again by Lisa Scottoline (click on the title to read my review, not my favorite but had some good qualities).

What are you reading this week?

Friday Finds -- 8/13

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

My Friday Find this week is a book that I am in the middle of and can't seem to put down. It's the lovely Starting From Stratch by Susan Gilbert-Collins. Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

In this heartwarming debut novel with recipes, a grief-stricken daughter cooks herself and her family back to life.

Okay, if that was not enough information for you then here is what I found at the publisher's website:

Why is someone who just defended her doctoral dissertation still wasting her time at her childhood home, two months after her mother's funeral, making coq au vin and osso buco? Olivia Tschetter, the youngest of four high-achieving South Dakotan siblings, is not returning to "normal"—or to graduate school— quickly enough to suit her family. She wants only to bury herself in her mother's kitchen, finding solace in their shared passion for cooking. Threatened with grief counseling, Olivia accepts a temporary position at the local Meals on Wheels, where she stumbles upon some unfinished business from her mother's past—and a dark family secret. Startling announcements from two siblings also challenge the family's status quo. The last thing she needs is a deepening romantic interest in a close but platonic (she thought) friend. But while Olivia's mother is gone, her memory and spirit continue to engage Olivia, who finds herself daring to speak when she would never have spoken before. Told with humor and compassion, Starting from Scratch explores the shifting of family dynamics in the wake of shattering loss and the healing power of cooking.

Food is a constant in the book, so I am always hungry while reading it and I am seriously considering buying a cast iron skillet just so I can try the chocolate cake recipe. Seriously.

What did you find this week?

Review -- Look Again by Lisa Scottoline

Look Again
by Lisa Scottoline
St. Martin's Press, 2009
352 pages

*I borrowed this book from the library.

Summary: When Ellen suspects that her adoptive son may be the kidnapped son of another couple, she sets out to find the truth and puts herself and her son in danger.

Review: In the beginning of the book, Ellen struggles to decide if she should look into her adoptive son's biological family to determine if he is a kidnapping victim. And she struggles. And she struggles. And her kid is whiny. And her kid has a temper tantrum. And she feels like a terrible mom. And she struggles. So I was really bored in the beginning, but about half way through the novel, the action picks up. All of a sudden, Ellen is tailing people and getting DNA samples all spy-like. And I can't put the novel down, it's so good. The ending was a little predictable but still a good conclusion to the story. Overall, the characters were okay, the plot was good, the writing was fine, but I most likely won't read another by this author anytime soon. Rating: ** out of 5.

Have you read and reviewed this book? If so, leave a link to your review in the comments section!

3 W Wednesdays -- 8/11

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? Right now I am in the third part of Eat, Pray, Love (the love part) by Elizabeth Gilbert and only a handful of pages into One Day by David Nicholls and Starting from Scratch by Susan Gilbert - Collins.

What have you recently finished reading? I just finished Look Again by Lisa Scottoline (review to come) and The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens (click on the title to read my review).

What are you reading next? No idea. I need to finish the three that I am working on before starting something new.

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 8/9

Happy Monday! I have today off of work so this will be a quick post and then I am off to yoga class. I am currently reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (I just finished the Italy portion and am yearning to go there on my next vacation) and One Day by David Nicholls (not much to report I have only read a few pages since last week). Last week, I finished Look Again by Lisa Scottoline (review to come) and reviewed The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens (click on the title to read my review). I have book club tomorrow night and we are discussing The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (click on the title for my review). Have a great week of reading!!!

What are you reading?

Book Club Spotlight -- 8/8

In October, the library book club will be reading The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

Can you read your future in a piece of lace? All of the Whitney women can. But the last time Towner read, it killed her sister and nearly robbed Towner of her own sanity. Vowing never to read lace again, her resolve is tested when faced with the mysterious, unsolvable disappearance of her beloved Great Aunt Eva, Salem's original Lace Reader. Told from opposing and often unreliable perspectives, the story engages the reader's own beliefs. Should we listen to Towner, who may be losing her mind for the second time? Or should we believe John Rafferty, a no nonsense New York detective, who ran away from the city to a simpler place only to find himself inextricably involved in a psychic tug of war with all three generations of Whitney women? Does either have the whole story? Or does the truth lie somewhere in the swirling pattern of the lace?

Have you read this book? If so, give it some love (or dislike) in the comments section -- just no spoilers please!

Do you use Google Analytics?

I feel very behind the times. A few weeks ago, I (finally) installed Google Analytics on my blog. It only took me three times to figure it out (and I strangely consider myself tech savvy). So now the results come in everyday and I wonder how to use the information that it gathers.

How do you use the information from Google Analytics? Have you set goals based on the data? If so, what are they?

Right now the only thing I really understand is how many visitors I receive on a daily basis and the average amount of time a visitor stays. That's pretty much it. Oh, and I like the feature that shows which content is viewed the most.

As a reviewer do you use this information to receive review copies? Do you report this information to anyone -- publishers, publicists, or your own readers?

Let me know in the comments section or send me an email at jedziedz(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Friday Finds -- 8/6

Happy Friday! My Friday find for this week is Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie (available 8/31/10). One of my all time guilty pleasures is Agnes and the Hitman also written by Crusie (and Bob Mayer). Here is the Barnes and Noble description:

Andie Miller is ready to move on in life. She wants to marry her fiance and leave behind everything in her past, especially her ex-husband, North Archer. But when Andie tries to gain closure with him, he asks one final favor of her before they go their separate ways forever. A very distant cousin of his has died and left North as the guardian of two orphans who have driven out three nannies already, and things are getting worse. He needs a very special person to take care of the situation and he knows Andie can handle anything…When Andie meets the two children she quickly realizes things are much worse than she feared. The place is a mess, the children, Carter and Alice, aren’t your average delinquents, and the creepy old house where they live is being run by the worst housekeeper since Mrs. Danvers. What’s worse, Andie’s fiance thinks this is all a plan by North to get Andie back, and he may be right. Andie’s dreams have been haunted by North since she arrived at the old house. And that’s not the only haunting…What follows is a hilarious adventure in exorcism, including a self-doubting parapsychologist, an annoyed medium, her Tarot-card reading mother, an avenging ex-mother-in-law, and, of course, her jealous fiance. And just when she thinks things couldn’t get more complicated, North shows up on the doorstep making her wonder if maybe this time things could be different between them. If Andie can just get rid of all the guests and ghosts, she’s pretty sure she can save the kids, and herself, from the past. But fate might just have another thing in mind…

It sounds like the perfect summer read -- I can't wait! What did you find?

WWW Wednesdays -- 8/4

This meme is hosted by Should Be Reading.

What are you currently reading? Right now I am in the middle of Look Again by Lisa Scottoline (I started skimming -- I don't know if it's my mood, the characters, or the topic that is turning me off) and One Day by David Nicholls (less than 20 pages in -- very interesting characters so far).

What have you recently finished? Last week I finished The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens (click on the title to read my review). Yesterday I searched the internet for word that there is a sequel in the works to this book, but came up with nothing. Very disappointing.

What are you reading next? Maybe I will try to finish The Host by Stephenie Meyer (a re-read) or The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (for book club in October).

What are you reading?

Review -- The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens

The Wife's Tale

by Lori Lansens

Little Brown, 2010

353 pages

*I borrowed this book from the library.

Summary: Mary's life is filled by her hunger for food and her love for her husband, Gooch. Overwhelmed by grief and depression, Mary is morbidly obese. When Mary's husband disappears, she faces her fears and leaves her small town in Canada for California. With the help of strangers, she begins to learn who she is without Gooch.

Review: I am going to start at the end instead of the beginning. For me, the ending was abrupt and disappointing because the book was so good. I turned the last page and was upset because I absolutely loved Mary and was so proud of the transition she begun to make within. Okay, so back to the beginning. When you meet Mary, you recognize the sadness and depression in her life and her inability to sedate the hunger she feels inside. Author Lori Lansens does a great job describing Mary's fight with food and endearing her to the reader. The strongest part of the novel for me was Mary's quest to find Gooch. I just loved all of the characters who helped her with her journey and how accepting they were of her. They were able to see beyond the weight to the person she was inside and I think that helped Mary to begin the process of healing herself. Rating: **** out of 5 (Dear Lori Lansen, I will make it 5 out of 5 stars if you tell me there is a sequel in the works. Thank you, Jess)

Have you read and reviewed this novel? Then leave a link to your review in the comments section!

It's Monday! What are you reading? -- 8/2

This meme is hosted by Book Journey.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. The weather here (in Massachusetts) is really beautiful -- cool, sunny, and breezy. The perfect weather to sit outside with a book and something fruity to drink. I digress! This week, I am reading One Day by David Nicholls (interesting so far) and Look Again by Lisa Scottline (kind of terrible -- maybe I am just not in the mood?). Last week I finished the wonderful A Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens (review to come) but if you want to discuss the ending then shoot me an email (jedziedzAThotmailDOTcom) because I have a lot of confusion and disappointment brewing (and I absolutely loved this novel). I also reviewed the fantastic This Must Be The Place by Kate Racculia (click on the title for my review).

What are you reading this week?