Well folks, I’ve completed book 5 of my book challenge in 2012. Yay!

My 5th book was You Have No Idea: A Famous Daughter, Her No-nonsense Mother, and How They Survived Pageants, Hollywood, Love, Loss (and Each Other), written by Vanessa and Helen Williams. I’ll be honest: I haven’t read a lot of non-fiction books in the past, but I truly enjoyed this book! I was not well-versed on the life of Vanessa Williams until now, and it was incredibly intriguing to learn about her.

The book follows Vanessa through her life, from childhood to the present. With each section of her life she dictates, her mother Helen also provides her insight into the situations. I loved the dual viewpoints the ladies provide! It is interesting to see situations from two separate sets of eyes…and opinions. As I mentioned, I wasn’t well versed on Vanessa’s life (I fell in love with her character Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty, but was unfamiliar with the details of her life before that point), but was so inspired by how much she has gone through, and how poised and talented a woman she is. Both Vanessa and Helen have poignant stories to share and advice to pass on. I found myself taking note of many different quotes from the book as I read through: I’ll share my two favorites because they are (in my opinion) quite wise and thought provoking…

“That taught me that you can’t please everyone and no one really knows who you are through headlines, blurbs, and media sound bites.”

How often do we quickly judge others (celebrities, bloggers, a random person in the coffee shop) without full knowledge regarding their situations? On the blogging side of things, I know that I personally am not able to share 100% of my life with my readers. What you see is essentially a segmented portion of my life: what I choose to share. You can’t possibly know 100% of who I am and what I do by simply reading my blog. You can get a good sense of it I hope, but really…not everything is going to be translated. But people can be quick to judge based off of what they see. Interesting food for thought, don’t you think?

“I wanted her to understand that being called a name doesn’t make you what that name signifies. It doesn’t define you, but it does define the person saying it to you.”

I don’t know what else I can add to this quote: it is so perfect (and so true). It is exactly the type of statement I’d hope to have the eloquence to say to my children one day…

So, in the end, I would suggest giving this book a shot if you are a fan of Vanessa’s and are looking for some entertaining non-fiction. I know I enjoyed my time reading the book! Make sure you check out the book club page on BlogHer and get into the discussions there!

***This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own***

I can hardly believe it – it’s the first week in April and I’ve already completed my 4th book towards my goal of 12 books in 2012! Let’s hope I can keep on track to meeting or exceeding this goal!

The book I want to share with you today is Born Wicked. It is the first book in a series of young adult novels known as The Cahill Witch Chronicles, by Jessica Spotswood.

Pretty cover photo, right???

The book’s protagonist is Cate Cahill. She lives with her two sisters (Tess and Maura) and her father…their mother passed away. The sisters aren’t exactly known to be “normal” townsfolk - they are seen as somewhat eccentric because they don’t do things like wear fancy gowns and they tend to stay at home rather than attending teas with other ladies. And…they happen to be witches.

Cate feels a strong responsibility to protect her sisters: before her mother passed away, she made Cate promise to look after them. And, the Cahill sisters are living in a time where the religious Brotherhood is persecuting witches and sending them off to asylums, sometimes without trial. Cate is about to come of an age where she is expected to declare her intention: to marry, or to join the Sisterhood. Not only are witches being hunted down by the Brotherhood, but there is also a prophecy looming over Cate…one that would certainly put them in a place of great danger and responsibility. Cate is faced with juggling life with a new governess, tea parties, and feeling torn between two suitors…all while keeping the sisters’ secret under wraps.

Overall, I found this book an easy read: the first installment of the Cahill Witch Chronicles set up the characters and the background story well. However, the meat of the predicament seems to be yet to come with future installments. I can definitely see how people can get hooked on book series (after getting drawn in to the Hunger Games a while back); leaving stories somewhat unfinished and unresolved definitely sucks you in to wanting to find out more! I can see teenage girls really getting into this book series; I can’t say that it will top my list of all-time favorite books, but it was certainly an entertaining read…and now I want to know what happens next!

Are you a fan of any book series? Tell me your favorites!

***This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own***

I am still on my journey to reading at least 12 books in 2012, and I have the 3rd installment of my quest to share with you today!

The Fault In Our Stars is a young adult fiction novel by award winning author John Green. It follows the story of Hazel, a 16 year old who is suffering from terminal lung cancer. Hazel has a somewhat harsh, yet honest, view on life and her medical situation. The novel revolves around the relationship between Hazel and Augustus, a handsome cancer survivor she meets at a cancer support group meeting. They realize they share a fondness for quirky humor and adoration of a book by a particular author. As the reader, you follow the relationship as it blossoms, even under somewhat grim conditions; they are living life even though they are constantly being exposed to death. You become invested in Hazel and Augustus’ quest to find out answers from an author who is seemingly reclusive (and you even find yourself becoming invested in their search for closure).

The novel shows a good deal of contrast: there are highs and lows throughout the story. John Green’s characters are dealing with a serious topic (cancer, death…and love too) but he approached the tale with his quirky, slightly sarcastic, and at times humorous protagonists. I appreciated the realness of Hazel’s character, who manages to see humor and live life amidst tragedy. Because it is young adult fiction, I found the book an easy read; the tone is conversational in nature and it flows easily from page to page. If you’re looking for a book to add to your beach bag, this could be a great selection for you!

If you’d like to read what others have to say about The Fault n Our Stars or to join in on the conversation you can visit the BlogHer Book Club page!

***This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own***

Unbelievable. I am through book #2 of my 12 book journey and it is still January. I blame it on picking such a good book this time.

The Lost Symbol was just what I needed: this is the kind of book I love to read.

I am a huge Dan Brown fan. Deception Point, Digital Fortress, Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code…I devoured them. Brown is such a gifted writer, and his 3rd book featuring Robert Langdon (also in Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, if you aren’t familiar) was just as thrilling as his previous works!

The Lost Symbol is a great combination of mystery, action, and history. The previous two Robert Langdon escapades took place in Europe: this story was set in Washington DC. As usual, Brown does a fantastic job of hooking you from page 1. I don’t want to dive too far into revealing the plot (you’ll want to do that yourself), but here is a short description from Goodreads:

In this stunning follow-up to the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown demonstrates once again why he is the world’s most popular thriller writer. The Lost Symbol is a masterstroke of storytelling–a deadly race through a real-world labyrinth of codes, secrets, and unseen truths… all under the watchful eye of Brown’s most terrifying villain to date. Set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol accelerates through a startling landscape toward an unthinkable finale.

When I say that I couldn’t put the book down, I’m really not lying. There are so many twists and turns that will throw the reader for a loop; it is such an exciting read! I absolutely recommend that you pick this one up if you are a fan of Brown’s previous work…or if you are a fan of mystery. You won’t regret it!

I definitely need to have more books like this on my shelf (since I’ve already read all of Brown’s books): any recommendations of authors or books that are similar?

Have you read any Dan Brown books, or The Lost Symbol itself? What did you think?

So, I made a resolution to read at least 12 books during 2012…and I want to share that journey with you all! I figure if I share my progress with the world, it might keep me accountable; I don’t want to fail this year!

I somehow managed to finish my first book of the year before January ended; hopefully I can keep myself on track!

Book 1: Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

I have heard MANY people talk about their love for Jodi Picoult books in the past. This was my very first foray into her writing (crazy, right? I feel like I had to have been living under a rock). In hindsight, I probably should have started with one of the “big ones,” like My Sister’s Keeper.

Vanishing Acts was ok. It wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read, but it wasn’t the worst. However, I did start reading it back in 2011, put it down for MONTHS, and then returned to read most of it in 2012. I never do that with books…so that has to say something for my interest level. Here’s a short description (from Goodreads)

Delia Hopkins has led a charmed life. Raised in rural New Hampshire by her widowed father, Andrew, she now has a young daughter, a handsome fiance, and her own search-and-rescue bloodhound, which she uses to find missing persons. But as Delia plans her wedding, she is plagued by flashbacks of a life she can’t recall. And then a policeman knocks on her door, revealing a secret that changes the world as she knows it.” In shock and confusion, Delia must sift through the truth – even when it jeopardizes her life and the lives of those she loves. What happens when you learn you are not who you thought you were? When the people you’ve loved and trusted suddenly change before your eyes? When getting your deepest wish means giving up what you’ve always taken for granted? Vanishing Acts explores how life – as we know it – might not turn out the way we imagined; how doing the right thing could mean doing the wrong thing; how the memory we thought had vanished could return as a threat.

Overall, it was an easy read…and the plot line really didn’t surprise me. You can pretty much figure out what is going to happen from the first few pages into the book. The book does switch around in perspective between the different characters (so you see the different sides of their experiences), but with all of the switching around I really think you miss out on character development.

If you’re looking for an easy read at the beach or the pool, this book might be right up your alley. However, I don’t know that I’d recommend it in the end! Moving on to book #2…The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.

Oh, and if you aren’t already…be friends with me on Goodreads!

Have you read Vanishing Acts? If so, what did you think of it? Would you recommend that I pick up another Jodi Picoult book in the future?