Musing Mondays {3-16-09}

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about talking to strangers…

We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you? (question courtesy of Dena)

If I'm just "out and about", I'll look to see what the title is, but won't start a conversation. If it's in a bookstore or library, yes! I don't know why the setting makes the difference to me. I wouldn't mind if someone started a conversation with me about whatever I happened to be reading at the time. No one does around here though. I think that's what lead me to blogging and the book related online communities to begin with. I'd love it if someone sat down next to me and started a conversation about a book!

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Make Kylee Read Me - winner

Here's how it broke down!

The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton	IIIII (5)
The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx	I (1)
Middlemarch - George Elliot	II (2)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith	IIII (4)
Three Junes - Julia Glass	II (2)

The winner of "Make Kylee Read Me" is The House of Mirth, by one vote! I picked up a used copy at my local Goodwill store this weekend. No more excuses. =)

This post is inspired by the most recent Booking Through Thursday question. Also, I will still be reading a book with my 15yo daughter this summer; most likely To Kill a Mockingbird.

Review of: The Smart One

Author: Ellen Meister
ISBN: 9780061129629
Pages: 384
Published by: Avon A (August 2008)
Genre(s): Mystery, ChickLit, Humor
Grade: B+
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09



When I first got this book I was excepting your typical chick-lit, which I enjoy now and then. I personally need to read something light and fluffy after something heavy and dragging just to get my head back on straight. The Smart One was perfect for that. Up until the industrial drum was discovered in the neighbors basement. It is a great read! Bev, Clare and Joey are really funny (though I don't think Clare realizes how funny she is).

There are elements of quite a few genres in The Smart One. Definitely chick-lit, but also, mystery, romance, family strife, humor, and suspense. In my opinion, any fan of chick-lit or romance will really enjoy The Smart One by Ellen Meister. Below is the blurb from the back of the book.

Bev is the Smart One, who finally leaves her artistic ambitions in chalk dust (and her humor-impaired husband in the arms—and legs—of his nubile protégée) to become a schoolteacher. Clare is the Pretty One, who married well and seems to be living a designer version of the suburban dream. Joey is the Wild One, struggling to stay clean and sober now that she's used up her fifteen minutes of fame as a one-hit-wonder rock star.

They love each other but mix like oil, water, and hundred-proof gin . . . a combination that threatens to combust over family tensions, suspected infidelities, a devastating accident, a stunning confession, and the sudden reappearance of their handsome, now all-grown-up former neighbor, Kenny Waxman, who's back in town making his mark as a TV comedy writer.
It seems they'll never understand where their differences begin and their own destructive tendencies end. Then it happens: the sisters discover a decades-old body stuffed inside an industrial drum and begin a bold, heartbreaking, and sometimes hilarious journey that will either bring them together . . . or tear them apart for good.

Renee Giroux at IJustFinished sent me a copy of The Smart One for review. Thank you, Renee.

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Musing Mondays {3-9-09}

What is your policy when it comes to new authors? Do you feel comfortable purchasing a book or do you prefer to borrow new authors from the library? How often do you 'try out' a new author? 

In general I don't buy books my new (and new to me) authors. I will however, borrow and on rare occasions buy, a book by a new (or new to me) author. If the author or a specific book is highly recommended to me by someone with very similar tastes I may take the chance and buy it.

More March Musings

Kylee's 2009 Blog by Kylee's 2009 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Friday Fill-In {3-6-09} #114

And...here we go! 

1. Getting up this morning was my last random act of kindness.
2. Another place to live would be nice.
3. Keep yourself open in matters of the heart.
4. Coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
5. Join your separate paths.
6. Our daughters reminds me that there is always a reason to laugh.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to visiting my mom and step-dad, tomorrow my plans include visiting the RISD campus and Sunday, I want to write!

For more Friday Fill-Ins.

Booking Through Thursday {3-5-09}

We’ve all seen the lists, we’ve all thought, “I should really read that someday,” but for all of us, there are still books on “The List” that we haven’t actually gotten around to reading. Even though we know they’re fabulous. Even though we know that we’ll like them. Or that we’ll learn from them. Or just that they’re supposed to be worthy. We just … haven’t gotten around to them yet.
What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?

I'm going to choose my top five from Jezebel's 75 Books Every Woman Should Read. I read this list (and copy/pasted it into my files) back in Sept with the intention of "Someday I'll look it over and pick some to read... someday"; today is the perfect day!

Here is my top 5 list- in no particular oder:

• The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton
• The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx
• Middlemarch - George Elliot
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
• Three Junes - Julia Glass

There are many more on the list that I intend to read 'someday' and some that I have already read (stay tuned for that list!). Simlar to BethF I'd like you to challenge me to read ONE book from this list before the end of 2009. Depending on the book with the most votes I may read it over the summer with my 15 year old daughter. We plan on reading a book this summer as a mother-daughter bonding thing. =) Especially since she may be going to a program at RISD the summer of 2010 or 2011.

So leave a comment below and I will read the most voted for book!

Updated 9:58am: Forgot to link to BTT!!! Here is the link to this week's post.

Teaser Tuesdays {3-3-09}

• Grab your current read
• Let the book fall open to a random page
• Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
• Please avoid SPOILERS.

 Léon at once envied the calm of the tomb, and one evening he had even made his will, asking to be buried in that beautiful rug with velvet stripes he had received from her. For this was how they would have wished to be, each setting up  an ideal to which they were now adapting their past life.

This week's Teasers come from Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel/react to this book, but I'm finding myself relating to portions of Emma. Don't forget to go to MizB's blog for more tempting Teasers!

Review of: Emily Post

Author: Laura Claridge
ISBN: 9780375509216
Pages: 592
Genre(s): Non-Fiction - Biography
Grade: C
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge, 2009 Read & Review Challenge







I have to admit. I had a really hard time getting through this book. It took me 6 or 8 weeks to finish it. (I read Kusheils's Scion which has 200 more pages in 3 weeks, so it was more the lack of interest in the material's presentation than the length of the book.) When Shana asked for some one to take over the responsibility of this book I thought, "How interesting. She must have lead an exciting life." Well, she did lead a fairly exciting life, but the presentation was so dry.

Emily Post was related to the Roosevelt's (she thought Eleanor was too involved in politics and causes), she wrote more than Etiquette and played in the concrete base of the Statue of Liberty! I know I would have enjoyed Emily Post much more if I could have taken my time and read it in pieces over a few months rather than with a deadline. If you have more than a passing interest in Emily Post herself or in the periods that this book covers (1920's to 1950's) I'd recommend this book.



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Kylee's 2009 Blog by Kylee's 2009 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Reviews coming soon!

• Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners
• The Smart One
• Pretties
• Specials