what I’ve read: May 2011

Are you ready for the May 2011 edition of “What I’ve Read”? I know you all wait for it with bated breath. Here goes:

The Raising by Laura Kasischke

Synopsis from Shelfari:
The accident was tragic, yes. Bloody and horrific and claiming the life of a beautiful young sorority girl. Nicole was a straight-A student from a small town. Sweet-tempered, all-American, a former Girl Scout, and a virgin. But it was an accident. And that was last year. It's fall again, a new semester, a fresh start.

Craig, who has not been charged with murder, is focusing on his classes, and also on avoiding Nicole's sorority sisters, who seem to blame him for her death even though the police did not.

Perry, Craig's roommate, is working through his own grief (he grew up with Nicole, after all, and had known her since kindergarten) by auditing Professor Polson's sociology class: Death, Dying, and the Undead.

Mira has been so busy with her babies -- two of them, twins, the most perfect boys you could imagine but still a nearly impossible amount of work even with Clark's help -- that she can barely keep herself together to teach (Death, Dying and the Undead), let alone write the book she'll need to publish for tenure.

And Shelly, who was the first person at the scene of the accident, has given up calling the newspapers to tell them that, despite the ''lake of blood'' in which they keep reporting the victim was found, the girl Shelly saw that night was not bloody, and not dead.

I have to say, I didn’t really care for this book. It was written from several different points of view, which in other books I’ve read in this style I’ve liked. However, in this book, there didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to who was “speaking” when. Also, the story jumped from present day to flashbacks without warning. It was quite confusing. I also didn’t feel there was any closure at the end. Needless to say, not one I’d recommend.

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

Synopsis from Shelfari:
Some bonds can never be broken... Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. That's what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they're both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school's scapegoat. Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weathergirl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents' house in their small hometown of Pleasant Ridge, Illinois, caring for a troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the Internet. She's just returned from Bad Date #6 when she opens her door to find her long-gone best friend standing there, a terrified look on her face and blood on the sleeve of her coat. "Something horrible has happened," Val tells Addie, "and you're the only one who can help." Best Friends Forever is a grand, hilarious, edge-of-your-seat adventure; a story about betrayal and loyalty, family history and small-town secrets. It's about living through tragedy, finding love where you least expect it, and the ties that keep best friends together.

I’m kind of on the fence about this book. I think maybe I misread the book jacket because I was expecting more of a mystery. It was more a story of friendship, making amends, and finding love. Perhaps if I’d gone into it with that mindset I would’ve enjoyed it more. Overall it was a good book, and I sympathized with Addie on many levels, especially when it came to her weight. I think I would recommend this book, but just make it clear what it’s about.

Reshaping it All by Candace Cameron Bure

Synopsis from Shelfari:
Candace Cameron Bure first became known to millions as a co-star on the hit ABC television series Full House. Today, like her brother Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Fireproof), she is the rare Hollywood actor who is outspoken about her Christian faith and how it helps overcome certain obstacles, like her struggle with food addiction. Bure's healthy lifestyle has been featured in US Weekly and People magazines as well as national talk shows including The View and NBC's Today. In Reshaping It All, she continues the story, inspiring women to embrace a healthier lifestyle by moving faith to the forefront, making wise choices, and finding their worth in the eyes of God. Candace shares a candid account of her struggle with food and ultimately her healthy outlook on weight despite the toothpick-thin expectations of Hollywood. More than a testimony, here is a motivational tool that will put readers on the right track and keep them there. In addition to practical advice, Candace offers a biblical perspective on appetite and self control that provides encouragement to women, guiding them toward freedom. Includes 16-page black and white photo insert.

I LOVED this book! I remember watching Candace Cameron Bure on Full House back in the day. She & I are the same age, so I really related to her. This book chronicles her struggles with her weigh {boy, do I ever relate to that"} and how she’s been able to overcome those struggles with God’s help. It’s not a “diet” book, but really a book on how to change your lifestyle, spiritually AND physically. I originally read a copy from the library, but had to go out & buy my own. I know I’ll be referring to this book often in the future. Seriously, read it.

So, that’s what I read in May. Right now I’m reading The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand. So, stay tuned for that one next month!

What have you been reading?