Update: SORRY, guys. WordPress doesn’t automatically allow comments and I keep forgetting to set it so they DO allow comments. Comments are now enabled for this post!
Since I’ve been done school I’ve had the chance to spend some time doing one of my favourite things–reading!
Last weekend I went and got a library card, I wanted to get lots of reading done this summer but I knew it would be stupid to keep buying new books, so why not take them out for free. I left the library with my new card and an armful of books to add to my growing pile.
That is my constantly-growing pile of books “to-read”. Now, I’m going to do a brief review of a few of the books I’ve had the chance to actually read and take off that pile over the last few months. Then we’ll get to the giveaway, can anybody guess what I might be giving away?!
1. Good in Bed by, Jennifer Weiner
I loved this book! It was funny, heartwarming and sad all at the same time. I think that Jennifer Weiner is a great writer and her dialogue had me turning page after page. I loved that the heroine, Cannie Shapiro, was a larger woman. I read through some of the Q&A with Weiner that were at the end of my copy and like she said, it’s SO rare to come across a main character who is a larger woman that doesn’t end with her losing the weight. I also loved the quirky characters in this book. It was a great chick lit book and a must-read!
2. Rattled! by, Christine Coppa
For those of you who don’t know, Christine (or Chrissy as she’s known to her readers) writes the blog Storked! over on glamour.com. It’s the story of her journey through single motherhood. The book Rattled! is a memoir about her pregnancy. I have to say that I was slightly disappointed in this book. Maybe it’s because I had very high hopes for it after reading Chrissy’s blog every day, maybe it’s because I had just finished Good in Bed, which is a very similar book and, in my opinion, much better. I don’t want to go bashing Chrissy too much because I’ve got to hand it to her for opening up in her book and telling the truth, but to be honest she came off as kind of whiny and selfish the first half of the book. The second half of the book was a bit better, but still, nothing amazing. I do think that Chrissy’s story is pretty amazing, single mom doing it all herself, I just don’t think she did a very good job of telling her story.
3. Plain Truth by, Jodi Picoult
I’m actually not completely done this book yet, I have about 50 pages left. It’s my first Jodi Picoult book and I am thoroughly enjoying it! I like that it’s centred around the Amish culture. I’ve always been somewhat fascinated by those kinds of cultures. I’m interested to see how it turns out! Next up, I want to read ‘My Sister’s Keeper’ by her because I see the movie is coming out soon and I like to read the book before watching the movie. Everyone remember my Twilight fiasco?
OK, onto the giveaway! Has anybody guessed what it is? A BOOK!
I knew I wanted to give away a book as one of my giveaways, but I racked my brain to think of which one. I have lots of favourite books so I was unsure of which one to choose. One book kept popping up in my mind. I read it last summer upon the recommendation of my mom and aunt and absolutely fell in love with the characters. I have never read a book before where I felt so connected to the characters. I thought about them all the time, I was obsessed, I was reading it every spare second I had and even then it took me three weeks to read because it’s over 1000 pages long. Please don’t let the length scare you, it is a truly amazing read.
Outlander by, Diana Gabaldon
Just to give you a bit of a teaser, the book is set in the 18th century Scotland. A woman, Claire, is from the 1950′s but she somehow gets thrown back in time when she’s on her honeymoon. She winds up in 18th century Scotland when there is a war waging between the British and the Scottish. She meets Jamie, a young Scottish warrior and her whole world gets flipped upside down.
Ladies, I am not lying when I say this, my mom and aunt told me the same thing but I didn’t believe them: you will fall in love with Jamie.
I had dreams about Jamie after reading this book. Even Webster approves!!
OK, onto the giveaway rules. There are TWO ways to enter this giveaway.
1. Leave me a comment telling me what your favourite book is and WHY.
2. Link back to this giveaway on your blog (if you don’t have a blog send me an email and I will give you a second entry) and then leave a SECOND comment with the link to the post where you mentioned this giveaway.
Please make sure you leave two, separate comments if you are entering more than once!
Also, don’t forget that you have until next Tuesday to enter yesterday’s giveaway–yummy larabars, clifbars and locally grown honey! And Kelly over at She Wears a Red Sox Cap is doing a Traders Joe giveaway. Now, I really want to win this giveaway because there is no Trader Joes up here in Canada (that I know of?) and all I read about on everyone’s blog is how amazing it is! So, just because I’m telling you about Kelly’s giveaway doesn’t mean you have to go and enter go and enter Kelly’s giveaway!
Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow, giveaway #3 is the best one yet!
Good in Bed image found here.
Rattled image found here.
Plain Truth image found here.
Outlander image found here.
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uh, oh, I’m the first to comment! I don’t know if that is such a good thing on a giveaway post!! oh well. love your book reviews. sorry to hear you didn’t really like Rattled! I wanted to read it and almost bought the book the other day (but stopped myself since I haven’t finished the books I already have! I too have been thinking about checking out the library for that reason…). I think I have Good in Bed, but haven’t read it (surprise, surprise, right? Though I do have The Guy Not Taken and have read a few stories in there…) and I want to read My Sister’s Keeper after seeing the movie trailer this past weekend!
Anyhoo, I would love to win Outlander. I remember you told me how much you loved it a while back and I put it on my ever growing list of books to read/buy.
And my favorite book? Well, I love all things Nicholas Sparks and The Lovely Bones is near the top of my list but I think my all-time favorite has to be Tuesdays with Morrie. So good and made me cry multiple times. I feel like there is so much wisdom imparted by Morrie in that book. When you read it, you really feel like you shouldn’t take one day for granted. I’m thinking I should read it again, actually.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Just reading your teaser about Outlander brings back so many good memories of that series of books. I love your blog hon, keep up the good work. I’m curioius to see what giveaway #3 is.
I’m a nerd and here’s where it shows. I actually started reading a fiction book over the weekend, and put it down after one night to read a book from Triathlete Magazine. I only read non-fiction books, about whatever I’m currently obsessed with. gardening, running, real estate, business, finance, biographies, whatever.
Right now i’m reading the Triathlete Magazine Complete Triathlon Training Book.
My all-time fave book is probably ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ – I usually read it about once a year. Aside from that, I am obsessed w/ travel memoirs! One of my favorites is “Without Reservations” by Alice Steinbach.
Sounds like I need to check this Outlander book out!!
the lovely bones because it is soooooooo amazing!
I loved “Good in Bed”. I’m just about done with “The Smart one and the pretty one” by Claire Lazebnik and I highly recommend it. Definetly chick lit but good writing and good storyline. Add it to your growing list of books to read!
Outlander is on my list of books to read…would love to own it instead of having to take it out of the library!
One of my favorite books is The Stand. I don’t like too much of Stephen King’s stuff, but that one was killah! (His book On Writing was also a very good read.)
Love the new look of your site!
hmm my favorite book to date is — Jemina J by Jane Green. i think that was one of the best books I’ve read! i think any girl can relate! It is a chick lit, but an important chick lit. =)
WOW!! That is a GREAT giveaway!!! I have heard such wonderful things about the Outlander series and what a great way to “get into it”!!!
You should DEFINITELY read “My Sisters Keeper”…I read it in Mexico and it EASILY reached my top 10 books!!! I bawled like a baby but it was a FANTASTIC book!!!
You are going to get more than you asked for in this comment because I LOVE reading!!!!
Right now, I am reading “Lucky” by Alice Sebold (author of the Lovely bones – it talks about her rape when she was in college…it jumps right in and it shook me up at first but now I am enjoying it…
I will give you my top books:
- Jurassic Park (followed by the Lost World) – I have read this book every summer since grade 10 – that’s 11 times!!!! CRAZY right???) his writing is AMAZING and he manages to bring you into this world and really make you feel the suspense
- The Da Vinci Code – I am agnostic, and I LOVE hearing different theories…I was able to read it with a completely open mind!!
- Angels and Demons – same as above
- The first Time – Joy Fielding – she often writes thrillers, this is more of a love story…I was actually sobbing at the end
- Suzannes Diary for Nicholas – James Patterson – BEAUTIFUL!
- My Sisters Keeper (as mentioned above!)
- The Devil Wears Prada (a girl is allowed a little chick lit right??)
- the Harry Potter Series (of course, mostly the Goblet of Fire though)
Oh and I am TOTALLY linking this in my blog!!! Need to enter as many times as possible!!!
Haha, I am LOVING this post because I am getting so many great book idea’s from you guys! I am writing them down for my next library trip!
Thanks!!!
@Jen–I LOVED the Da Vinci Code too, but I thought Angels and Demons was better as a book and as the movie!!
You picked out some great books from the library! I have read them all except for Cocktails for Three (which is weird cause I love Sophie Kinsella) and the Sidney Sheldon book.
I think anyone that knows me, knows I LOVE Jodi Picoult, her books are truly fascinating to me. The research she puts into each book really, really amazes me, she always find subjects that are usually REAL but RARE. I always learn something when I read her books and I love that.
Coincidentally… (ha!) my favorite book is by her! It is My Sister’s Keeper! It is definitely my fav book by her and it is so good, I promise you won’t be able to put it down. I’m hesitant about the movie, but my fingers are crossed that it will be good. Plain Truth is another one of my favorites by her, I agree with you Amber, the Amish culture is very interesting!
As I say that is my favorite book, I can’t stop thinking about other books that are my favorites! Ahhhh! I’m such a dork, I get too excited over books! I ADORE the Harry Potter series and cannot wait to have children so they can read them. I also love just about anything by Jennifer Weiner and Lauren Wesiberger. Gosh, my list could keep going!
Glad you got a library card! I’m seriously at the library about once a week and it’s so easy to reserve books, or even request they buy the book you’re looking for! Here they have an “interlibrary” loan and you can have the book sent to your library from another library for a $1, so that is also pretty convenient.
Anyway, glad you’re enjoying your summer so far!
Picking a favourite book is sooo hard. Here’s a few that I’ve quite liked:
The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
Persuasion – Jane Austen
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
I Capture the Castle – Dodie Smith
Not Wanted on the Voyage – Timothy Findlay
My favorite book?
The Girl’s Guide to Hunting & Fishing.
I read it during one of those periods in my life where I needed to know I wasn’t alone in the dating world. It’s all the same character but it kind of bounces around during her life. I believe they even made a movie that has Sarah Michelle Gellar & Alec Baldwin in it, based loosely on the book. I highly recommend it. I have re-read it several times and it always makes me smile each time.
I am intrigued by the book you are giving away! even if I don’t win the giveaway I’m most definitely going to check it out.
(Also, I have Jennifer weiner’s newest book, Certain Girls that I must read soon AND she’s coming out with a new one in July!!!)
I suppose a double entry never hurt anyone!
My post with info on your book swap: http://nory.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/public-service-announcement-books/ =)
I have two faves, the classic and the newer favorite. My CLASSIC favorite book is Judy Blume’s Just as a Long as We’re Together. Ok, not a “classic,” but I read it a million times when I was in junior high.
Now? My fave is Eat Pray Love. That book lit a fire in me that’s made me want to see the world. And I’m almost on track to do it.
Hey, I had to comment on YOUR comment now!!!
I agree that Angels and Demons was a MUCH better book – and I REALLY hope that the movie will be better as well (I DID not like the Da Vinci Code movie…no good!!! But I haven’t seen A&D yet).
I actually have been downloading One Tree Hill. Luckily I haven’t gotten anything with viruses and I have all six seasons now!!! I am JUST halfway through the 6th season finale…I find season 6 focuses a LOT on Brooke and now that she is older, I LOVE her…it also is a lot about Nathan and Haley who I also REALLY like (plus their kid is super cute!)
I never have to manually turn on comments for each post… I have it set to do it automatically. There should be a way to do it in settings. I know this isn’t giveaway entry, but I just wanted to comment about that.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the new blog. It’s absolutely ADORABLE!!!
Quick question before I proceed – does Webster come with the book giveaway ?
I’m a book fanatic…I’ve been reading ever since the sixth grade. I still have my young adult books stashed away in a box, and I do plan to donate those books to the library (or should I keep them for when I have my own library in my house?
)
Out of all the books I’ve read, I love The Great Gatsby.
Think about it – the setting was in the 1920s, a time where all was grand – a time where people lived worry, enjoyed life and held cocktail parties all night long. Jay Gatsby was my favorite out of all the characters. He went from being poor to being wealthy, and meeting the one he loved (Daisy)…I didn’t like how his life ended in death…It was a sweet story as well even though Daisy was coquetish. Tom? What a meanie bo-beanie!
And have you ever seen the movie? The original with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow? It was a great movie.
AND…
I linked the Book Giveaway on my recent post: Memories: DG-07.
My favorite book hmm.. I don’t even know where to begin.. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott…. pretty much anthony Jodi Picoult writes… I LOVED the Twilight series, have yet to see the movie because Edward Pattinson is NOT hot enough to be Edward, LOOOVE Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, love James Patterson’s Alex Cross series, though he tends to get a little sloppy with his details and it kind of annoys me, and I love his Women’s Murder Club Series… PS I love you, American Wife, and tons tons more!
I loved Good in Bed!
One of my favorite books that I just finished is The Thirteenth Tale, it was amazing.
My favorite books is A Wrinkle in Time.
Nothing’s ever felt as magical as that book did to me when I was 12 years old.
That sounds like a whoa way super pimp book. Also I love the blog. I’m going to check out everything once I finish this post. Also I’m glad to hear you like the 30 Shread with Jillian. I’ve really liked it so far. Again – such a cute blog!
my favourite book of all time is definitely Charlotte’s Web.
I love all of the Shopaholic books by Sophie Kinsella because they are well-written but hilarious!!!
Hi Amber. If you liked reading about the Amish – check out some of Beverly Lewis’s books – not her children ones, but she has a few Amish series. I’m hooked on them right now.
Hi Amber! I found your blog through Body By Glamour.. isn’t the internet wonderful? haha. I just wanted to comment, seeing as I just started reading Outlander the other night, by recommendation from my best friend’s mother!
She said that it was her favourite book and she had never lent it to anyone… kind of a big deal, and I’m excited to hear that it’s going to be worth it.
And as an aside, my absolute favourite books are the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty (starting with Sloppy Firsts). I started reading them about 7 years ago and the series just finished this year.. it’s an amazing story about growing up, and the protagonist has got to be the most fascinating character I have ever read.
Also, if you can find it, I really recommend the novel version of The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Definitely Google it, it’s hilarious!
And being a redhead is awesome. Coming from someone else who knows.
I read so much its hard to come up with a favorite. But let’s see, I loved The Time Traveler’s Wife. An old favorite I’m always re-reading is Gone With the Wind. Not really a book, but I love anything by Jean Plaidy, who is a historical fiction author. I’ve never read Outlander but it sounds like something I’d enjoy. Count me in!
To kill a mocking bird is hands down my favorite book ever.
I’m going to comment, but don’t enter me in the giveaway, I already have the book!!!
I have to start reading Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult (does she have thousands of books??? I always hear about a different one!). I read Rattled!, and to me, it was better than I thought it would be!!! Funny how we both went in opposite directions for that one
I liked the Outlander series too, although it really made me want a scottish boyfriend. Thankfully, John is amazing with accents and he humors me with a scottish one sometimes
I didn’t like the last book though for some reason…I didn’t even finish it!
ps: I’m done with the 3 seasons of Brothers and Sisters. Somehow, it’s made me want to drink wine!!! Did that happen to you too??
My favorite book is Desiree (Annemarie Selinko). It’s sort of biography of Desiree, first Napoleon fiancee who became quenn of Norway. It’s very romantic, it covers some important historical event and I like the way Mrs Selinko wrote it.
the Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger is my all time favorite book. Ironically it was the very first book I had to read Freshman year of High School. I loved the way that the main character spoke, and the central theme of him going crazy but being unable to save himself. A-Ma-Zing Read!
http://dontcallmekathleen.blogspot.com/2009/06/giveaway-mania.html
How cheesy is it to say that my favorite book is the Bible? But it totally is. The NIV is the only one I can really get through, and I read a little bit of it every night. I really like it because it has a variety of stories and I could read it over and over again and still never fully get all of the nuances.
My other favorite books are The Awakening by Kate Chopin and The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan. Both are absolutely amazing reads. I’m also a big fan of the script of The Laramie Project.
~Amanda
I linked you!
http://shoshanahg.blogspot.com/2009/05/mushroom-olive-pizza.html
Wow! What an awesome giveaway! That book sounds amazing!
One of my favorite books is “Breathing Lessons” by Ann Tyler. I love how Tyler writes and how you feel like you truly know the characters in her novels. I especially connected to the characters in “Breathing Lessons” — I love Maggie and how she’s always hopes for the best and is just a dear, clumsy soul.
i am not entering this giveaway i am just saying i have the series and have read it several times whoever wins is in for a great read not only historial but fantasy and once you atart you will not want to stop til the end gla
Read the whole Outlander series! It only gets better
)
Obviously I can’t win the giveaway now – or rather, I shouldn’t because I already have a very dog-eared and tattered copy of that book.
My favorite book of all time is Blood and Gold: or the Story of Marius by Anne Rice. I just love the character Marius, so it stood to reason that I would love his book. Love is a mild word compared to how much I adore the book. It’s beautiful, emotional, full of history, and adventurous.
Valorie
morbidromantic@gmail.com
My favorite book is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry…he takes you to the slums of India during the Muslim-Hindu riots but tells it like magic. It’s truly haunting.
Cocktails for 3 is cute but weirdly enough I like her books better when they’re under Sophie Kinsella.