Year of No Sugar

Year of No Sugar by Eve O. Schaub
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I'm not sure I get the point of the book. Spoiler alert - they did NOT indeed go a year of no sugar.
& what the book is telling us is basically, its IMPOSSIBLE to do. So there's that.
I did find some things interesting in the book - but most of the things I found interesting were facts she shared from other writers on the subject.
She never really mentioned anything about how it effected her family, except little snippets of her daughters journal, who basically felt tortured & hated every minute of it, but nothing about health & energy. I think she mentioned one time about the fact that they didnt loose any weight - that was the extent of her documenting their health. Oh, & that her kids missed less days at school by a few days. M'kay.
& then she COMPLETELY 100000% lost me when she talked about an anniversary trip to Tanzania where they slit a goats throat & how she wished she could go back & do it again - because then, she was a pescetarian & now, she's a carnivore - & even drinking the blood mixed with milk (A local tradition) sounds interesting to her. EXCUSE ME? She also goes on to talk about why eating meat is a good thing & even goes as far as visiting a friend's farm to watch chickens being "processed" & even slits a chicken's neck herself. Needless to say, for me - after this chapter, I really didnt even care what else she had to say. This was a book on sugar, not about a switch from vegetarian to a carnivorous life style.
In the end - I'd tell everyone to skip it. You'll not really learn anything & you'll be very sick of hearing the word "Dextrose"

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It's Dinnertime. Do you know where your sugar is coming from?

Most likely everywhere. Sure, it's in ice cream and cookies, but what scared Eve O. Schaub was the secret world of sugar--hidden in bacon, crackers, salad dressing, pasta sauce, chicken broth, and baby food.

With her eyes open by the work of obesity expert Dr. Robert Lustig and others, Eve challenged her husband and two school-age daughters to join her on a quest to eat no added sugar for an entire year.

Along the way, Eve uncovered the real costs of our sugar-heavy American diet--including diabetes, obesity, and increased incidences of health problems such as heart disease and cancer. The stories, tips, and recipes she shares throw fresh light on questionable nutritional advice we've been following for years and show that it is possible to eat at restaurants and go grocery shopping--with less and even no added sugar.

Year of No Sugar is what the conversation about "kicking the sugar addiction" looks like for a real American family--a roller coaster of unexpected discoveries and challenges.

Hillbilly Elegy

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I keep seeing everyone reading this & giving amazing reviews.... & the whole time I'm reading this, i'm like, "I dont get it". To me, it was boring & ordinary & nothing groundbreaking or earth shattering. Maybe because it just felt like reading a lot of my own family history? Mamaw & Papaw in this book sounded exactly like my own grandparents, some of the relatives in the book sounds just like my own family & the situations that I read in reviews that people are in shock about, just sounds like ordinary life. I mean, I do live in Kentucky but never considered our family "Hillbilly"... maybe I need to rethink that.


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From a former Marine and Yale Law School Graduate, a poignant account of growing up in a poor Appalachian town, that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America’s white working class. Part memoir, part historical and social analysis, J. D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy is a fascinating consideration of class, culture, and the American dream.

Vance’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love.” They got married and moved north from Kentucky to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. Their grandchild (the author) graduated from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving upward mobility for their family. But Vance cautions that is only the short version. The slightly longer version is that his grandparents, aunt, uncle, and mother struggled to varying degrees with the demands of their new middle class life and they, and Vance himself, still carry around the demons of their chaotic family history.

Delving into his own personal story and drawing on a wide array of sociological studies, Vance takes us deep into working class life in the Appalachian region. This demographic of our country has been slowly disintegrating over forty years, and Vance provides a searching and clear-eyed attempt to understand when and how “hillbillies” lost faith in any hope of upward mobility, and in opportunities to come.

At times funny, disturbing, and deeply moving, this is a family history that is also a troubling meditation on the loss of the American dream for a large portion of this country. 

The Andy Cohen Diaries

The Andy Cohen Diaries: A Deep Look at a Shallow Year by Andy Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to this one... I love me some Andy Cohen.
I dont usually do audio books because I cant stick with the story - but I do like audio books for autobiographies - especially when the writer tells his / her own story.
This one, meh.... I did enjoy some of the stories - love Andy no matter what - but man, this one drug on forever in some stories. & towards the end, I thought we were never going to get to the end.
I think each chapter was over an hour long. Seriously - THE LONGEST AUDIO BOOK EVER!!!!!!!
I have his follow up book also on audio book - I may need a break before I go into that one.

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A year in the whirlwind life of the beloved pop icon Andy Cohen, in his own cheeky, candid, and irreverent words As a TV Producer and host of the smash late night show Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen has a front row seat to an exciting world not many get to see. In this dishy, detailed diary of one year in his life, Andy goes out on the town, drops names, hosts a ton of shows, becomes codependent with Real Housewives, makes trouble, calls his mom, drops some more names, and, while searching for love, finds it with a dog. We learn everything from which celebrity peed in her WWHL dressing room to which Housewives are causing trouble and how. Nothing is off limits - including dating. We see Andy at home and with close friends and family (including his beloved and unforgettable mom). Throughout, Andy tells us not only what goes down, but exactly what he thinks about it. Inspired by the diaries of another celebrity-obsessed Andy (Warhol), this honest, irreverent, and laugh-out-loud funny book is a one-of-a-kind account of the whos and whats of pop culture in the 21st century.

Between Heaven & the Real World

Between Heaven and the Real World: My Story by Steven Curtis Chapman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure how this was going to go. When you are a fan of someone/something, expectations are high. & coming out of the Beauty & the Beast book & being a little disappointed, I was hoping this book written by favorite artist wasnt going to let me down.
Oh mercy - it didn't for one second.
The story of Steven Curtis Chapman's life growing up with his brother & his family & meeting Mary Beth, working in Opryland (I now wonder if he was working there when I was there with my family when I was little!!) & how he started in Christian music. All the way through his amazing story of becoming a husband & a father & then the adoption of his 3 girls... & then the tragic story of loosing sweet Maria. & how the family has endured since. The Lord gives & takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Being a fan of his since way back in the day, & seeing him in concert so many times, I actually felt really familiar with a lot of these stories, but they didnt seen old to me. I loved reading them again & seeing little extra inside information in the stories. But there were plenty of new stories I've not heard or wasnt aware of. All of it making me just love the Chapman gang even more.
I just appreciated the honesty in this book about his marriage & sharing about the loss of his daughter. It tore me up all over again reading it & hearing about the days afterwards. But it's just so cool that they share to show how God works in it all. There's one picture & story they talk about after deciding to tear their house down that gave me total chills. I've not heard that story before & the picture... just wow.
I thought I was going to be overwhelmed when I saw how thick this book was (over 400 pages)... I zoomed through this book. Couldnt put it down.
Again, I may be biased because I have been such a Chapman family fan since I was a teenager so this to me was just like the cherry on the ice cream sundae to me. Couldnt get enough & wanted more.

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We Should Hang Out Sometimes

We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story by Josh Sundquist
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So this guy is very likeable.
It's the story of a guy who just struggles on the dating front - so he goes back & looks over the girls that he was interested in growing up through middle school & high school, into college & telling the stories of their 'relationships' - if you want to call them that... & then figures out what went wrong. Even talking with these ladies to discuss what happened & what went wrong.
A pretty neat idea.
I have to say, its not a heavy, thought provoking, rocket science book. But it was a nice, easy, fun read to look into someone's openness about dating. Especially when you've had cancer at a early age & lost a leg. Add that into being a teenage boy - & you're going to have dating issues.
You're going to love Josh & his innocence & sweet nature.
Is this a MUST read? Nah... but I did enjoy it.
... & side note - i have since found his web page & his YouTube channel & enjoy him more in action than on these pages. I wish I would have heard his voice & seen his personality before I read it - it may have added more life to the story.

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What's the book about?

A bright, poignant, and deeply funny autobiographical account of coming of age as an amputee cancer survivor, from Josh Sundquist: Paralympic ski racer, YouTube star, and motivational speaker.

Josh Sundquist only ever had one girlfriend.
For twenty-three hours.
In eighth grade.

Why was Josh still single? To find out, he tracked down the girls he had tried to date and asked them straight up: What went wrong?

The results of Josh's semiscientific, wholly hilarious investigation are captured here. From a disastrous Putt-Putt date involving a backward prosthetic foot, to his introduction to CFD (Close Fast Dancing), to a misguided "grand gesture" at a Miss America pageant, this story is about looking for love--or at least a girlfriend--in all the wrong places.

Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins

Kathy Griffin's Celebrity Run-Ins: My A-Z Index by Kathy Griffin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can't help it... I've always loved Kathy Griffin. Something about her makes me laugh. Maybe its the attitude that she doesn't care what she says, but I've always been a fan of hers. I shake my head a lot at her, but still laugh at a lot of the things that comes out of her mouth. I think you have to know she's a COMEDIAN. People tend to forget that. & I also know she's not everyone's cup of tea. Comedy is like any art - its all in the eye of the beholder.
I actually did this one audio book & I'm not a fan of audio books - but I think doing this book that way is what made me give it the full 5 stars. Her voice, it wasn't like she was 'reading' - it was like she was just telling her life - & I KNOW she was adding in things that aren't in the book. Add in her own laughter as she was reliving these celebrity stories & I didnt want this to end.
It made me really like other celebrities more, & also have me give some side eye to some others after the real life interaction with these people. When you can come away loving Christine Aguilera more, you gotta like this book. Some of the stories are really endearing too making me 'ahhh' a lot of times & other stories just had me flat out laughing.... Leo DiCaprio & the bathroom scene, I choked laughed while I was driving.
SO MANY CELEBRITY STORIES!!! I was all about it.
& you gotta read it just for her story about being involved in one of the biggest serial killer trials in the US.
I will listen to this again just for the sheer fun of it.

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Shaken by Tim Tebow

Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms by Tim Tebow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not a football person or a fan at all, but I do know Tim Tebow.
Who doesn't know about Tebowing - right?
I've not read any of his other books, but when he had a spare weekend & stopped into our church & spoke & talked about his future book, I wanted to grab it, just to support someone who is giving a good message to the world on faith & reminding us WHOSE we are - not who we are.
I really did enjoy the book - even the parts of Tim telling his football story. I thought that part may bore me a bit, but it was interesting to see how he handled being let go of the organizations he was a part of.
The book is full of Tim's experiences in life as a teenager on mission trips, to playing in the big leagues, to everything in between. & it all holds great reminders of God's truth.
Some of the stories, I've heard before... some of the points he makes on scripture, I've heard most of them in other places, but there were a few little snippets of truths that were new to me that really gripped me. I have to say, for me reading a book on a football player, I really did enjoy it.

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The Magnolia Story

The Magnolia Story by Chip Gaines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I cant even begin to say how much I loved this book. I want to buy it for every one. For every woman, for every mom, for every person with a dream.
I love Chip & Joanna Gaines anyways but to read their life story makes me love them even more.
I honestly swooned so many times in this book. Just to hear the story of these two individually, & together & how their show came to be & their success. The stories of their childhood, to how they met & the wisdom they have learned through the years is just so heart warming. & I love how they balance each other out through so many of lifes ups & downs. How they clearly saw God working in their lives & feeling His presence.
Y'all, I can't say enough about this book. If you like their show, if you like them, you are going to ADORE this book. If you have no idea who they are, I'd still think you'd like this book. It's just a good true life story that is filled with heart, wisdom & love.
I'm sad to see it end.... it gave me the warm fuzzes the whole time.

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______________________


These famous words are now synonymous with the dynamic husband-and-wife team Chip and Joanna Gaines, stars of HGTV’s Fixer Upper. As this question fills the airwaves with anticipation, their legions of fans continue to multiply and ask a different series of questions, like—Who are these people?What’s the secret to their success? And is Chip actually that funny in real life? By renovating homes in Waco, Texas, and changing lives in such a winsome and engaging way, Chip and Joanna have become more than just the stars of Fixer Upper, they have become America’s new best friends.

The Magnolia Story is the first book from Chip and Joanna, offering their fans a detailed look at their life together. From the very first renovation project they ever tackled together, to the project that nearly cost them everything; from the childhood memories that shaped them, to the twists and turns that led them to the life they share on the farm today.

They both attended Baylor University in Waco. However, their paths did not cross until Chip checked his car into the local Firestone tire shop where Joanna worked behind the counter. Even back then Chip was a serial entrepreneur who, among other things, ran a lawn care company, sold fireworks, and flipped houses. Soon they were married and living in their first fixer upper. Four children and countless renovations later, Joanna garners the attention of a television producer who notices her work on a blog one day.

In The Magnolia Story fans will finally get to join the Gaines behind the scenes and discover:

The time Chip ran to the grocery store and forgot to take their new, sleeping baby

Joanna’s agonizing decision to close her dream business to focus on raising their children

When Chip buys a houseboat, sight-unseen, and it turns out to be a leaky wreck

Joanna’s breakthrough moment of discovering the secret to creating a beautiful home

Harrowing stories of the financial ups and downs as an entrepreneurial couple

Memories and photos from Chip and Jo’s wedding

The significance of the word magnolia and why it permeates everything they do

The way the couple pays the popularity of Fixer Upper forward, sharing the success with others, and bolstering the city of Waco along the way

And yet there is still one lingering question for fans of the show: Is Chip really that funny? “Oh yeah,” says Joanna. “He was, and still is, my first fixer upper.”

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2 things I really enjoy in life - 1.) Funny people! I LOVE funny people. Humor & comedy just makes my day. Laughing is one of my favorite things to do in this world. 2.) Autobiographies. I love learning about people's lives & their stories. So when a autobiography comes out of a lady I find really funny, I had to get it.
I loved Tina Fey & Amy Poehler's autobiographies & was hoping this was going to be that same level.
I guess it shouldnt shock me that reading this, Lena Durnham is one of Amy's favorites people because I couldnt make myself finish her autobiography... & this one was a close second.
Those I did finish it - but not happily.
Did it have its funny moments? Of course
Was Amy profound in places? Yes. I so appreciated her honesty on her life growing up with her mom & her father... & in every few chapters, you'd see a depth about Amy & the way she's come through some tough situations.
Did it have its fill of language & vulgar talk? DEFINITELY. Now, honestly, I am someone that doesn't get offended easily - & it takes a lot for me to get embarrassed. But truly, some pages, I would have just died if someone I knew looked over my shoulder & saw some of the wording on some of these pages. To me, personally, it was just a little too extreme. You can be funny & get your point across without needing SOOOO MUCCHHHHHH in your face.
That was disappointing to me. It made me just not enjoy the book that much.
Its so bad, I probably wont even keep this one on my shelf with all my other autobiographies...
anyone want a free book?


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Tox-Sick

TOX-SICK: From Toxic to Not Sick by Suzanne Somers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This sort of thing intrigues me. The toxic things in the air & environment.

I wish I didn't want to know about it all because it all freaks me out. The way it affects a body & our health? I finished reading this wanting to move into a bubble... but am concerned for the plastic content on that :)

This book isn't a light read - its full of words that have a lot of letters in them & I could never pronounce.

But it does have some real life stories & some tips & tricks & hints on how to make yourself healthier in this area.

I know people give Suzanne Somers flack for some of her health choices & being a voice in this field, but she lives it - so I'll give that to her.

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A year of Living Prayerfully

A Year of Living Prayerfully: How a Curious Traveler Met the Pope, Walked on Coals, Danced with Rabbis, and Revived His Prayer Life by Jared Brock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I cant say enough about this book.

The journal a man took over a year to find out what prayer means to others, to different religions, to different countries - how it can change in his own life & bring he & his wife closer to God.

The travels & adventure took him literally over the world as he went to Italy, England, North Korea & leading him to leaders of churches, including a face to face with the pope, getting near Benny Hinn & even trying to get in to see Billy Graham.

This book is so full of insightful information about the different ways people believe in God & the way we can relate to Him, but its also full of real life experiences, full of history of how things came to be & of course, full of humor. The little side notes marked on the bottom of the pages usually had me laughing - literally - out loud.

It was also so sad to see how people believe in North Korea, to the opposite side of South Korea in the biggest church that has 7 buildings that are basically sky scrappers. Or the people in Westboro Baptist Church that feels so selected by God & has the most messed up view of God's love & grace then anyone I've ever read about. But the call Jared has to pray for these misguided people is something that still lays on my heart. God can reach them as well as the people of North Korea, as the people who live Anywhere, USA that all need Jesus.

Not to give any spoilers because I think we all get this - but like Jared found out, a trip around the world doesn't show what prayer is - its basically a Dorothy moment - in your own back yard. It's about your faith in our Father. Returning to our first love. Spending time with your Father. Just talking. Just communicating.

I can't recommend this book enough - I really can't. It's full of amazing words that will stir your soul... & maybe change the way you pray daily yourself.



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Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected

Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected by Kayla Aimee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So I'm not a big fan of reading about babies or births or anything that hurts my heart about not having a child of my own, but for some reason I was drawn to this book... & so glad I did.

This is the story of Kayla Aimee & the birth of her daughter Scarlette as she came into the world earlier then she should have. The things that precious baby went through & the story of her life & the way that Kayla survived it all, with her humor, with her heart, with her family, with her faith & hope in God, its such a good story.

Its written in such a grabbing way. I didn't want to stop reading. One second, you are aching for this little tiny baby that is so small she can fit in your hand & the next, you are laughing at the memories that Kayla shares with you reflecting on her life & memories. It's such a mix of emotions - all making up a fantastic read.

I have since found out Kayla Aimee is a blogger & I just love reading her writing even more when I can. She's got such a joy that shines through her words. I'm going to be adding her to my list of people that I know that we'd be best friends if we lived near one another. :)

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Miracles from Heaven

Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing Story of Healing by Christy Beam
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The story of a little girl that was born with health issues with her digestive system leaving her in the hospital, & on lots of medications & without a normal childhood life.

Annabel is one of 3 girls, with 2 loving parents & a host of family that loves her. They all have to work together to deal with Anna's health issues.

But she's still a little girl who wants to have fun with her sisters.

So when one day she finds herself climbing a tree with her sisters & ends up having an accident where she falls INSIDE of the tree, her worlds gets changed forever.

A rescue has to happen to get her out & miraculously Anna comes out with just a few scratches. And before long, Anna is telling everyone that she sat on Jesus's lap & the experience has when she went to Heaven when she first made that 35 foot drop to the bottom of the tree. With instructions that she had to go back & everything would be fine, Anna's life certainly would be fine.

Besides surviving the fall, her digestive issues all seemed to be healed as well.

This story really was an interesting read written by the mother, Christy Beam.

I know there's a lot of touchy subjects about "heaven" stories but I still enjoy reading experiences of it... believe it or not yourself. I especially love the story of the miraculous healing of this little girl - regardless if you believe the Heaven part.

I will say, not a lot is really mentioned about the Heaven experience. It's more a biography of Anna & her family... I always love a good biography.

While not the most exciting book I've read, it did hold my attention & I was excited to see a glimpse into this family's life.

TD Jakes is apparently making this book & this little girls story into a movie as well... & we all know a book is better then a movie :)

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Ghost Boy

Ghost Boy: The Miraculous Escape of a Misdiagnosed Boy Trapped Inside His Own Body by Martin Pistorius
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love true stories. Something about them just makes them so much more alive to me as a reader.

This is the story of Martin. A young boy who had some sort of health issue that left him pretty much in a world of his own unable to communicate, allow him the use of his body, leaving him in a wheelchair with little understanding of what was going on around him.

He slowly starts to become aware of his surroundings more & more, while it takes those around him a while to notice. Thankfully, a nurse could sense he understood more then everyone thought & pushed to have him tested. Once they realized his brain was coming back, it was time to work on a way to communicate. The story is the way Martin was able to come back to the world & become PART of the world.

Reading what was going through his mind while no one understood was tortious to me. I can't even imagine. Having to sit, sometimes in painful condition, to listen to everything going around him & even to have horrific things happen & he having no way to tell anyone or cry for help... or to even have an opinion on what to eat or wear, the basic things. I cant even imagine.

We see that with technology, & with a lot of hard work for Martin to regain strength & the natural ability he had to deal with computers, he was able to come back into the world & talk with his family & even find love.

After hearing of some of the things he lived through, I was so glad he had a happy ending.
So deserved.


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The Unveiled Wife

The Unveiled Wife: Embracing Intimacy with God and Your Husband by Jennifer Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I just love getting emails every morning with prayers about how to be a better wife.

So when I was able to get the book to see what the whole story was, I was excited. I love Jennifer Smith's heart for marriage & the struggles that just come with it only because we're humans.

I ended up reading this book in one day. It's such a easy read with really insightful questions that would make this a good book for a women's Bible Study group.

The book wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be, but I still enjoyed it. It told the story of Jennifer & her husband Aaron, the relationship starting young, two people who had expectations of what their spouses should be & keeping God focused in it all.

As everything, marriage isn't everything you THINK its going to be. I so appreciate Jennifer talking about that. We have expectations of what marriage should be, the happily ever after, & we get frustrated when its not what we feel like we deserve.

The book was mainly the issues that Jennifer & her husband experienced as they became married & ventured into those first years of marriage. The book is basically about their story, & not until the end does it seem like its more of a marriage help book for every one else, which is more of what I was expecting. I'm not saying that's a fault. It's just different from what I was going in thinking it was. & I always love to read about someone's journey & especially someone's triumph in their journey.

I still am looking forward to the ministry that Jennifer has in her life & will still open my email every morning anxious to pray along with thousands of woman who are covering their marriage in prayer.

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The Hiding Place

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A much talked about book...

I was anxious to get around to it. It definitely feels like a book that you need to like. I will say, this isn't my style of book. I do enjoy a biography, though I don't like books that war-driven, or even books that make me so uncomfortable. Granted, I know this book is real life & sometimes we need to feel uncomfortable looking at history.

What I did love about the book is of course the attitude of the ten Boom family. The faith that they have in trying to hide people from horrible things, only to be put in the same position because of their actions. How Betsy kept her faith & her conviction even in the worst of times & treatment, always reminding her sister how powerful their God was & how they could tell others about Jesus in the misery that were experiencing... hope...

I think I could go through & 'like' every quote that is written from the book. Powerful words.

Honestly, I wasn't sure how to rate the book. I don't like it... I don't like the treatment of people during the Holocaust ... I don't like feeling that nauseated tingle in my stomach.... but I did love the wise words that were given - the encouragement I received that in the worst of times, you can hang onto the promises of God & reflect it to others. Giving hope that, as flowers, a time will come when things will bloom again.

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10% Happier

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really am interested in mediation & the health benefits that it can give your mind & body...

For me, prayer can be a form of meditation. I guess what really turned me against this book is the fact that it seems to be really against Christianity.... I was very disappointed in the views of a belief system & how this is book strickly entails it as a Buddhism method.

More so, the book isnt really that much about meditation as it is Dan Harris's journey & almost biography with drugs, anxiety, & his path to meditation.... & he ultimately is a confessed athiest who believes in the practices of Buddhism as well. Again, to each his own, but when I read words from other mediation gurus that call God "the dead white guy", I'm sorry - I'm instantly sickened by the book & am done with it.

& the advice on actual meditation was just basically a 3 step process ... something I can find on Pinterest.

I did give it 2 stars only because I always do enjoy a biography of someone's life... thats the only reason it got anything.

Now, I'll search Google for real ideas on mediation :)

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It was me all along

It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always am interested in the story of people's lives, especially when it comes to people that struggle with the same things I do. In this case, it is weight. The story of a girl who grew up over weight & after getting in college, turned her life around.

The first part of the book really sets the issues that seems to cause Andie to overeat & start her path down the road of being obsese. An alcoholic father cause such turmoil & tragedy in her life. It was a very sad story & one no child should grow up in. The only comfort in the midst of arguments & fear was food.

We then get to see Andie as she goes through high school & then into college. The roller coaster of weight piling on & the unhappiness that came with that. Andie comes home from college during the summer &decides to make a change... & change she did. We see the roller coaster start the decent... the weight coming off.

But life isn't always as happy as you think it would be once you get weight off. Other issues & obsessions begin, like the fear of gaining the weight back or the obsession of exercise.

If anyone has ever lost weight or dealt with food addictions, you could relate with so much of the story.

I will say, the beginning of the book was very slow to me. It was a LOTof talking & describing of food... a LOT. It did pick up for me & I did enjoy reading the journey she was on to make a change in her life.... but the whole story was just OK to me.

Andie became a blog writer after trying out other jobs &really, this is what the book felt like - a big blog post. Nothing wrong with that. I just had a hard time connecting 100% with her... so I could take it or leave it. It wasnt a life changing book, but it also wasnt a full boring read either....


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Wild

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm probably going to be one of the few that doesn't give a lot of stars for this book.

I'm sorry - it was sad & boring to me.

I wanted to read this book before I saw the movie. I love Reese Witherspoon. I think the idea of a woman hiking the PCT trail on her own in order to 'find herself' is interesting. I think I would have been better off with the movie. (& I probably rarely, if ever, would make that statement against a book)

The story of Cheryl Strayed is everywhere right now. A woman who did something not a lot of people do, much less a woman... by herself. Cheryl lost her mother to lung cancer & her family & marriage just fell apart afterwards, leaving her mixed up in meaningless relationship & trying drugs to comfort her.

This journey was to help her start a new life... which ultimately, it does.

But the whole journey to me was just slow. Now, I will say, I did like the beginning. The story of her relationship with her mother. I sat & cried at the passing away of her mother & thought how unfair life is. But the rest of the book of being on the trail & the people she meets along the way & the different detours she has to take to get to her final destination? Yawn. It just became mind numbing to me.

Maybe I need to go hiking by myself to understand better why everyone is going crazy over this story...

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Yes Please

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

i love funny people & even more when funny people can actually be funny in print. its not something everyone can do (Mindy.... I'm talking to you). I always love Amy on SNL & Parks & Rec, so I was glad to read & see she's basically just an every day person who has issues, like sleeping problems & anxiety, but can still find humor in her own way. i especially love she's my age & when she talks about her childhood & teenage years & what kids today will miss out on, I'm sitting here shaking my head the whole time.

i especially love the chapters from behind the scenes. The fun things on SNL & how they came up with idea of all the women at the Emmys to come on stage together. I love that scoop stuff. but also love she stays private & doesnt down her husband or want to cause drama with anyone. even love the chapter of her admitting when she messed up & had to aplogize.

i just was really sad it came to an end. i can now add Amy to my list of,people i know would be my best friend in life.

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