Plus one is a new book representing the lighter side of Leatha Romig
345711
Leatha can write dark and dangerous romance all day long. I'll read just about anything she writes. I'm glad to see her offering of light hearted young adult romance which is just a tiny bit close to erotica. Still I recommend it for 18+.
She made a big swing from dark romance to light and it is an enjoyable read. Once I started I couldn't put it down.
4836369
Book #99 Read in 2017
Don't Worry, Life is Easy by Anges Martin-Lugan

This is the sequel to the book Happy People Read and Drink Coffee.  In this book, Diane is moving on from the death of her husband and daughter, buying her parents out of her bookstore and beginning a relationship with Olivier.  But is she really over her love for Edward?  Their paths cross and almost helplessly she needs to answer whether or not she is over him.  What will she decide for her life?  This was a good, quick read and readers of the first book will enjoy this one.  I borrowed this book from the public library.
3814930
I loved this author's first book. So, I was thrilled when she asked me if I wanted to read her new book. I think I like this one even better. It's very different, much lighter, and I completely related to the main character. She reminded me of myself during my single days except she said all the stuff that I only wished I'd been brave enough to say at the time. I sympathized with her and the way she stuck to her principles even though I wanted to yell at her to lighten up sometimes. I totally  agreed with her opinions on the various guys she dated, but I wanted to strangle her when she nearly drove away the one guy I'd been rooting for. I was cheering for him the whole time, but I won't give that part away.
Having worked in an office for many years, I also loved the office humor in the story. I've worked with people like that, too! This would be a great light summer read and I highly recommend it.
1510534
Since I enjoyed Mindy Kaling's first book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), so much, I jumped at the chance to get a free copy of her second book, Why Not Me?, for review from Blogging For Books. It did not disappoint.

I love that Kaling's writing is witty and approachable. I love that her take on women's issues and her attitude about Hollywood are both totally real and grounded. I love that every facet of this book, from the back cover design to the endpaper graphics, from the photos to the author bio is completely in line with Kaling's identity and absurdly hilarious.

My favorite part of Why Not Me? was easily the section with the chapter about beauty advice here Kaling talked about hair. She uncovered the--let's be honest, no longer surprising--truth that pretty much everyone on TV has fake hair. The picture of "her" before all of the Hollywood styling (a photo of Gollum from LOTR made me laugh out loud... not just because I have a friend who has hair thinning due to some medical problems who recently described herself as having had "Gollum hair," but also because I admired the ladyballs (yeah, just like in Easy A) to admit that nobody looks like they do on screen in real life, and to encourage the women reading her book not to compare themselves and their appearances to a standard of beauty she herself can't even attain without a whole team of stylists and a barrage of beauty products.

If you like Kaling herself and find her funny, enjoy her TV show, or devoured her first book, grab this one for sure!
2701466
This satirical look at the lifestyles of Black American princesses or those who think they are (Bogus?) is a humorous and fun read. And should be interpreted as just that,a fun book to be read and taken with a grain of salt. Although this little book makes it clear who IS and who IS NOT, it is not a bible or even a guide to the upper class/middle class black women.  Who would want to be known as being so shallow? Sure there are some truths regarding origins and status, but some of the reviewers here seem to be quite taken with identifying with these stereotypes to the point of putting down those who didn't grow up as a BAP.  I guess these Bettys and Bohos look down their noses at the the Butterflies (let's not mention the Bogus), those who moved into BAPtitude through achievement and schooling.  The distinction is made here between a BAP and a Buppie which is key point.  Being a BAP is mainly about attitude.  It was good to see a book of this type; there are certainly enough books about the negative aspects of black women in the media but I would like to see a stronger analysis with less emphasis on materialism and more on what they represent to the community (and better editing). The four women who wrote this are all accomplished women and it would be interesting to know their stories and how they became BAPS.  This is a fun quick read to take on vacation this summer.
266582
It is unlikely that Winner of the National Book Award will actually be a winner of the national book award but this fine, funny novel by Jincy Willett earns its cheeky title.  It smoothly satirizes the type of novels that Oprah was once famous for selecting for her book club. Not bad books in themselves but of a type.  The author of this book plays with that type in this story of twin sisters, one earthy ... and one cerebral ... and an abusive man who enters their lives.  There will be abuse and there will be revenge but mostly there is humour, particularly in the voice of the narrator, the purer sister.  It is a delightful read.
4579407
I've been trying to have a practice of gratitude myself for several years, so The Gratitude Diaries, a book in which the author spends a year being deliberately grateful for various aspects of her life, a different aspect each month, was particularly interesting to me.  It reminded me a lot of Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project.  But while both authors did some research and interviewed experts about their topic, in the final analysis The Gratitude Diaries is lighter and fluffier - not in a bad way!  I really enjoyed The Gratitude Diaries, but felt it was more helpful for a reader who wanted to reinforce their ideas, where The Happiness Project had some more challenging ideas to what happiness was really all about.  I think this is a feature, not a bug - happiness is a larger and more complex subject than gratitude, which really is just one aspect of happiness, so it made sense to me that a book about gratitude only would not be quite as complex.  But you cam definitely see the power of focusing on gratitude in the author's life - the tone of the book from beginning to end changes a good bit, and by the end you can see that just by focusing on this one aspect of happiness, the author has made herself significantly happier.  That's a powerful testament to the power of gratitude.
416303
I was thrilled to find that Lauren Weisberger had written a follow up. This book is lighthearted and equally full of great emotional stories. A good and enjoyable read.
2014375
This is a very light read, so light I felt like I just drank some of Wonka's lemony fizzy-lifting drink.  But, reading it is wicked fun!  What is it about having a baby, that suddenly gives everyone and their brother the right to bombard you with unnecessary advice?  What is it about motherhood that makes us feel oh-so-guilty 24/7?  This book will certainly help mothers lighten up (and believe me, we all need it).  Jenny tells it like it is, and she's quite frank as well as absolutely hysterical!  I felt like I was overhearing a juicy conversation with her closest girlfriends - she just says things that no one has the guts to say - and I admire her for that.  I hate to say it, but it's great to see a beautiful star so humbled by her inept attempts at parenting.  Just make sure you have a sense of humor and an open mind before reading this one, and you'll enjoy it so much more.
3726166
Lynne and Shingo's adventures show the lighter side of growing old together.  The book is an easy read (not too long) but leaves the reader wanting more.  Frequent outbursts of laughter while reading is to be expected.  It was a gift I was pleased to give to friends and family.
566578
Read this book for my monthly book club, after pleas that we PLEASE choose something "lighter" for a change. Our club gravitates toward books that range from thought provoking to downright depressing.
In the "lighter" regard, this story really delivered.  If you are a "modern working mom" in the range of late thirties to mid fiftys, I think you will identify with many aspects of the main character's persona. She is exaggerated for the purpose of a good story, of course, but there is a little piece of many of us in Eleanor Flood.  (I should note this book is not without its share of thought provoking themes and moments. It is far from all fluff.  Still plenty of content that lends itself to spirited discussion.)

I also read "Bernadette" by this same author (which I liked a bit better, by the way) and was entertained by some minor intertwining of people and places from that novel to this one.

Overall, a great little escape from the happy chaos of your life to another.
1068807
The autobiography, The Lighter Side of MS, isn't so much about MS as it is about someone who decided to laugh about life - in spite of having MS. Its author and main character, Carol Corsini Ervin, demonstrates that there's a lighter side to just about anything if you choose to find it. The story's informal and friendly tone makes one feel as if every chapter is more like visiting a close friend. I found myself having tea at the kitchen table during one of my visits. And a glass of wine in a comfy chair during another. The book reads like a playful diary of the trials and tribulations of a young girl, new to New York City, and working for one of the top news networks in town. Eventually, MS shows up as a minor character in her story. Carol Corsini Ervin, with wit and humor, tells us how it made its entrance. How she coped with it and how she continued to find a way to keep having fun. The whole time, letting her MS know one thing for sure, "You're not the boss of me!" She dealt with all of its challenges in the most effective way, with humor. This story provides inspiration and plenty of smiles as you experience how Carol Corsini Ervin put thumb to nose and gave a big, "nanny, nanny, boo, boo" to MS!
3595641
Separated @ Birth by Samantha Futerman and Anais Bordier is a free Goodreads FirstReads advance reader copy of a paperback book that I began reading in late October. I had chosen to receive this book, because it seemed like a nice, cheery, duo-bio, though I hadn't come across the actual news story online or on television when it had occurred.

The chapters are written back and forth between Samantha (much more cheerful, happy/neurotic) and Anais (more demure, wise) about their childhoods, their meeting through Facebook, then after being crowdfunded to meet each other in London. Their story becomes a lot more jumbled after that and condensed with information about the Minnesota Twin Study (which I feel a kinship with, but didn't quite expect to hear so much about it as I read). This kind of casts a foggy shadow over the earlier, more organized and clear portion of the book and makes the entire thing seem slapdash and not fully thought through.
2814273
I very much enjoyed this book. Marilu speaks to you as a friend. She asks the questions that a friend would who really wants you to succeed in getting your act together. There are current references to her work on Trump's show. She speaks of what each person asked for in terms of food and other comfort items. Reading it you know why she and Carol Alt are so thin and have such great skin.
This book is at the top of my book pile these days with frequent references to it.
4355448
This novel is one of those books that makes you feel all happy when you get through reading it.  The character Jemima J is overwieght. She has a desperate crush on the editor, Ben, at the newpaper she writes for, but he fancies her slim blonde friend.  Ben and Jemima become friends when he confides in her about a serious career move.  Thats when she starts to lose weight, 10 pounds to begin with. Ben leaves the paper to move on to his new job, and Jemima is left feeling lonely.
Jemima Jemima J has all the feelings that I do about myself.  I would vow each day, that this day would be the day that my diet would start.  She finally gets a handle on exactly what shes going to do, and begins an extreme eating and workout regimine.  She eventually tumbles to 121 pounds.

There is a lot gong on in book as it moves, and its all very interesting and funny at the same time.  Wihle it mainly stays with Jemima, it does switch poitns of view, which i found nice and not in any way confusing. Yes, there are some very small unrealistic factors here, but its just a book.  It made me feel good about the size i am and made me realize that I am fine looking how i do. I think thats the real messege in the book, that being thin is not everything, nor will it get you everything.  It was a simply delightful book, and I have already reccomened it to many of my friends.
601696
Invisible Emmie is the sort of book fans of The Wimpy Kid books, or Smarty Pants will love. One of the new graphic novel hybrids it will be appealing to reluctant readers.

Emmie is an average middle school girl who is good at art and dislike math. She is the youngest child in her family and the only kid left at home. It leaves her in an almost only child scenario. Emmie doesn't seem happy about the way her middle school years are going, and I'll admit it looks pretty awful for her. The novel alternates between Emmie and Katie, who is a girl at her school that is the complete opposite of Emmie in every way. Katie is outgoing, attractive, apparently, most importantly has straight hair- which I think is an example of you always want the opposite of what you have.

Overall, I liked it and would recommend it as it had a positive message that could go over well with tweens, I just wonder if middle school these days is really that stressful?
1743837
It seems that every bipolar believes that they need to write a book about themselves. Look at me. I am writing a blog. I have read a bunch of them. That says more about me than about the books. Some are pretty good. Some are not so hot. But I like this one.

Marya is bipolar I. I'm sure every bipolar I would say, "What's so weird about her life." The rest of us would say, "I'm glad I'm not her." She takes us everywhere; professional life, love lives (of course she drove lovers away), family life, suicides, nuthouses, medications, all that.

She is actually a writer. She paints a visual and emotional picture of the real thing. I was invited to become part of her life and I accepted the invitation. I was in the doctor's office crawling on the file cabinets with her. I was riding in the car with her on a bipolar trip to California. She could have left that out of the book. I have already done that one.

It doesn't seem that she makes any part of her life out of bounds. It is a real book about a real person. I don't guess that anyone who is bipolar needs to know what it is like to be bipolar, but maybe family, friends, or someone else does. Or if you have allowed yourself to fall back into self-pity this might be good company. I thought the book was a good one.