Marley and Me

Tonight I finally watched Marley & Me the movie! I read the book several years ago and was dying to see the movie at Christmas but I got over-ruled. So of course I rented it the day it came out on BluRay!! I loved Marley & Me - both the book and the movie. Of course, the book is always better because you get so much more detail, but the movie was cute and accurate. I felt like the movie conveyed all the emotion and humor of the book. Plus, who doesn't love Owen Wilson, Jennifer Anniston and cute labs?? Seriously.

Just a little word about a pet peeve of mine. I really don't like it when people refuse to read good, well-written, insightful, delightful books just because the end might be sad!! Yes, Marley & Me is a book about a dog so you can guess how it ends and yes, the end IS sad. Yes, after reading it I felt sad about my dog's mortality. BUT the rest of the book is so good it made me appreciate every sweet moment with my dog, even when she is driving me crazy. Plus, I think all good books take you on some sort of emotional journey. Thats part of the fun!

Plot - Although I'm sure you all know, this is about "life and love with the world's worst dog". Really its the story of a young couple and the beginning of their family, filled with lots of very funny moments with Marley.
Read - 2006?
Length - 300 pages

Blog Karma

The other day, my brother called me narcissitic for having two blogs. I told him that my book blog was mainly for me to keep track of what I read and that I am always looking for good books/recommendations from my friends and that maybe the blog would become a forum for that. He called it blog karma - I was putting book reviews into the blogosphere in the hopes that I what I put out there would come back to me.

Well, I am happy to report that the very next day, I got my blog karma! My friend Sara started her own book blog!! Sara has recommended some good books to me over the years, and I can't wait to see what she has to say. Sara has a rating system, so I am thinking about creating my own rating system as well. Anyway, feel free to leave comments with recommendations of what I should read (or avoid reading)!

Three Cups of Tea

This book was eye-opening to what is going on in Pakistan as a result of the Taliban. It details the efforts of Greg Mortenson to raise money to build schools in rural villages of Pakistan on the belief that education is the key to fighting terrorism. I learned a lot about how people live over there and how poverty, lack of options, and lack of education contribute to the rise of terrorists. I highly recommend reading this book (even if it did get a little long and choppy at the end).

Read: March 8-29, 2009
Length: 330 pages
More info: Three Cups of Tea website
Next Up: Sammy's House by Kristin Gore

Baby Proof

I just finished listening to this book on CD on my way to work. It was read by Cynthia Nixon (of Sex and the City) so that made it fun. Anyway, I really like Emily Giffin's style and the fact that she is a lawyer turned novelist. Its like she is living my dream. Anyway, I think I liked the other two books a little better, but this is still a fun read (or listen...anything to get your mind off traffic).

Plot: Claudia and her husband do not want to have children...and then he changes his mind!

Read: March 16-25

Also by Emily Giffin: Something Borrowed and Something Blue

Still Reading: Three Cups of Tea

Something Blue

Since this book is the sequel to Something Borrowed, I wasn't sure what to expect, especially because the main character switched. But I loved it! Maybe even more than the first one. I can't wait to get the other two that she wrote. Anyway, Something Blue has great character development: The author makes you hate Darcy in the first book but somehow I loved her in the second.

Plot: Darcy breaks off her engagement because she is prego with someone else's bebe and a little soul searching ensues.

Read: March 1-7, 2009

Related Books: Something Borrowed (book #1) and Baby Proof (same author, don't know if the characters overlap)

Next Up: Three Cups of Tea