My Favorite Reads - The Lovely Bones

Every week Alyce from At Home With Books posts My Favorite Reads, which allows us to share a favorite book from our past.

This week I picked The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I read The Lovely Bones shortly after it came out in 2002. It was my first year in college and I remember being overwhelmed with how powerful the story was and unable to put it down and enjoy living in the dorms until I had finished. Susie is raped and murdered but Sebold writes it in a way that isn't overly gruesome and therefore very readable. It is truly a beautiful story. Last weekend I finally saw that movie and loved it! As I said, it has been a long time since I read the book (I seriously need to reread it) but the movie brought it to life exactly the way I remember it. I would recommend reading the book and then seeing the movie. I think the fact that I read the book had a big impact on how much I loved the movie, my husband didn't love it like I did but even he said that he might read it! (P.S. Susan Sarandon in the movie is hilarious)

Publisher's Description:

When we first meet 14-year-old Susie Salmon, she is already in heaven. This was before milk carton photos and public service announcements, she tells us; back in 1973, when Susie mysteriously disappeared, people still believed these things didn't happen. In the sweet, untroubled voice of a precocious teenage girl, Susie relates the awful events of her death and her own adjustment to the strange new place she finds herself. It looks a lot like her school playground, with the good kind of swing sets.


In case you missed the movie trailer, check it out:

Arcadia Falls - Carol Goodman

Arcadia Falls
By Carol Goodman

When Meg Rosenthal’s husband dies, she takes a job at an art school in small town Arcadia, bringing her resentful daughter, Sally, with her. Meg is quickly swept into the mysteries of the school and its haunting history and Sally is swept into a strange clique in the school.

I loved this book! I was captivated from the first page and want to gush over it but I don’t want to give anything away. It’s like Practical Magic meets Hansel and Gretel. Okay, that sounds weird but Lily and Vera, the founders of the school, wrote hauntingly real fairy tales and Goodman beautifully laces one in particular throughout the book, bringing to light the inspiration for the story.

The school is set in a wonderfully eerie forest with a dramatic waterfall that was the site of a death years earlier. Goodman creates a beautiful story about art and life and love. The love a mother has for her daughter, the passion an artist feels for her work, the connection between an artist and muse.

I want to live in Arcadia and experience the apple trees and the old, mysterious buildings. I felt so many connections to this book then, at the end when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Goodman mentions Phish Food. Seriously people, if you haven’t tried Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream you are not living.

This is a love story, a ghost story, a fairy tale, an amazing book. I can’t wait to read Goodman’s other books.


**Source: ARC for review from publisher, thanks Ballantine Books.

Mailbox Monday

Thank you to Marcia at The Printed Page for putting on the weekly Mailbox Monday, a place where I discover so many wonderful new books.

Check out her blog and post all the new books you acquired last week.

The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen (I received this copy for review from the author, thanks Brian!)

From the author's website:

On the outside, Nick O’Reilly has it all: a high-flying legal career, as a partner of an elite Wall Street law firm, and financial security, with an apartment overlooking Central Park. Having grown up in a working-class family, as far back as Nick can remember this was his dream. But at the age of thirty-six, after several years of sacrificing his personal life for professional gain, Nick has started to ponder his future and consider the mark he wants to leave on society both professionally and personally—his legacy.

After being chastised in the press for turning a cold shoulder to the community, the firm calls upon Nick to help rehabilitate its image by handling its first pro bono case. Nick is asked to represent Dawn Nelson, a domestic violence victim who is fighting for custody of her young son, Jordan. A far cry from Nick’s specialty of defending the misdeeds of Corporate America, it is up to Nick to set Dawn and Jordan on a path to a better life. But Nick gets much more than he signed on for, as Dawn forces him to reassess his life choices and, ultimately, be true to himself. Only when Nick finally realizes what is truly important in life does he face his toughest—and possibly final—challenge: a battle for his own survival.

Exploring the flaws of being human and the importance of controlling one’s own destiny, The Life O’Reilly reminds us of how precious life is and how quickly and tragically it can change. Written with great empathy, The Life O’Reilly is an emotional and unforgettable tale that will challenge one’s expectations of the modern love story.

LOTR Readalong - Fellowship: Ends - Two Towers: Begins

Awwe crap! February is over and that means we are on to the next book for the LOTR readalong and I just made a huge mistake. I went over to The Literary Omnivore to see what Claire had to say for her wrap-up, since she hosted February, and she had a video for the movie trailer, and I watched it. Big mistake, big, HUGE! Now I want to watch the movie soooo bad, but I can't. I'm going to wait until I have finished all the books to watch the movies again.

My husband actually asked if I wanted to watch the movie a couple weeks ago. Seriously hun? I'm in the middle of reading the book for the first time and you think I'm going to want to pause halfway through to watch the movie? Sadly, since then I can't get idea of watching the movies out of my head.

I'm kicking myself for not having a post-it handy (I don't mark-up books...except some non-fic) to throw in for one of my favorite moments on the book because now I can't find it. Frodo heard some pitter patter behind them or sensed someone near and of all the sudden I was like GOLLUM!!! Oh happy days how I love Gollum.

I'm completely typical and am in love with Aragorn so I don't think I need to go into that. I was surprised, though, at how much I enjoy Gimli. He is cute and quirky and yes when I read I imagine him in the movies but still...

I can't wait to continue with the next book because so far the story is awe-some!

The good thing about me being a few days late with this post is that both the the final post for The Fellowship of the Ring AND the introduction post for The Two Towers is up at Shelf Love. Teresa is hosting this month so lets get started.

I'm just starting The Two Towers for the first time and I am so excited to see the story move on. I enjoyed The Fellowship of the Ring but I feel like now we have all the introductions out of the way and can get into the good stuff. The story really started to pick up towards the end of the last book and I became more addicted than I thought I would. Now I just want to get with Gollum and hopefully see more of Aragorn and meet Arwen. After reading Teresa's rant over Faramir I can't wait to read more. My interest is peaked.

Mailbox Monday

Thank you to Marcia at The Printed Page for putting on the weekly Mailbox Monday, a place where I discover so many wonderful new books.

Check out her blog and post all the new books you acquired last week.


I didn't receive any books in the mail last week but I did get something better. My contest win from Nely at All About {n} came in. A beautiful book cover from Shanna at Hide-a-Book.

I have to admit I am kind of obsessed with it. It is an adorable protector of all evil that tries to harm my books (that cute ribbon is the bookmark). Plus, when I go with my husband to his work gym I don't have to worry about all the Army guys judging the covers of my books. The only bad thing is now I am going to have to buy more and I want Christmas to come again so I can give them as gifts. Thanks so much Shanna and Nely.

The other thing that I am really excited about is that it is March 1 which means the deal I made with my husband about not buying books is over. The curse is broken!!!! I am going to the store later and buying The Stolen Crown by Susan Higginbotham.

Jacob Have I Loved - Katherine Paterson

Jacob Have I Loved
By Katherine Paterson

This book has broken my heart and then put the pieces back together so gently I didn’t even realize it was mended.

It was difficult for me to get into the beginning of Jacob Have I Loved. I thought I had read it before but it turned out to be a different book than I thought so I didn’t know what to expect. Then, I kept waiting for Jacob to appear. Who was he? What was his story?

Finally, about 50 pages in, I let go of waiting for Jacob and just fell into the story. I couldn’t put it down after that. The story grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Then, it began shaving off pieces of my heart until it finally shattered what was left with one quick moment.

I knew it was coming. I could feel it about to happen. Well, I could feel the build-up that something was going down but at first I didn’t know if it was going to be good or bad. I just knew it was big. Then, I knew it was bad. I could see what was going to happen but she didn’t know yet. I wanted to shake her “don’t you know what is going to come next?” Then, she knew, and I was heartbroken. I didn’t know if we would ever recover but by the end of the book I was yelling “don’t forget the first one.” And after all that I closed the book with a smile on my face.

I love Louise and though she lived a very different life from me, so much of her felt familiar. Oh Jacob Have I Loved, how I have loved you.

*I read this book as part of the Shelf Discovery Challenge.

**Source: I bought this book with my own sweet loot.

Heresy - S.J. Parris

Heresy
by S.J. Parris

Set in 1583, Heresy takes us to the University of Oxford during a very dramatic time. Giordano Bruno is an excommunicated monk, turned spy for Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's Principal Secretary of State. He goes to Oxford to look for a lost book for himself, while also keeping his eye out for practicing Catholics for Walsingham. Once at Oxford, Bruno is quickly pulled into solving a mysterious death that many don't want to admit is a possible murder.

Parris takes a real person and creates a very realistic mystery that is both captivating and enlightening. I have read so much about this time period but nothing gave me the same understanding for what it must have been like for people with the different religious beliefs. I was constantly second-guessing possible killers and motives while Parris portrayed events that very possibly could have happened.

Although Bruno went to Oxford in search of a lost book, the story focused more on the mysterious murders. The book that Bruno was searching for became a side note that came up sporadically throughout the story. I do wish that more focus was put on the missing book, but the murders intrigued me so much that I didn't find myself wondering about it until Bruno randomly brought it up again.

This is definitely an interesting read for anyone curious about the battle of religions during Queen Elizabeth's reign. I enjoyed getting a look into a different part of Queen Elizabeth's England.

**Source: ARC for review from publisher, thanks Doubleday.