Normally, I do a whole bunch of end-of-year posts to talk about whether or not I met my previous goals and to make new goals. 

Well, I didn’t meet last year’s goals.  Not a one, I don’t think.  But that’s okay, as I made those before I found the job that I have now.  

I haven’t made any new goals for 2012, either.  And that’s okay.  I still believe in them; I just haven’t sat down and made any.

There are some big changes coming up for me in 2012 (hopefully.)  As soon as plans are a bit more cemented, I will let you know.

2011 was a great year for me and for Bob and our family.   I hope that it was just as wonderful for you.  I think 2012 is going to be even better.

Much love to all!

The Ninth Wife

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Bess has always been a bit adrift, as she doesn’t know much about her background (her mother was adopted).   She is a folklorist and loves learning about different cultures. 

She hasn’t been as lucky in love, but thinks that has changed once she meets Rory.  Both of them see marriage in their future.  Of course everyone has some skeletons in their closet once they get past 30. But Bess wasn’t expecting that Rory’s past included 8 other wives. 

There were some great moments in this story.  It deals with so much more than whether or not a person’s past predicts his or her future.  I think that the writing could have been a little bit stronger, as well as the character development.  But overall, I thought it was a pretty good effort and I would read more from this author.

Everything I Needed to Know about Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume by Jennifer O’Connell, Meg Cabot, Beth Kendrick, Julie Kenner, Cara Lockwood, Stacey Ballis, Megan Crane, Laura Caldwell, Melissa Senate, Stephanie Lessing

Regular Amazon Price:  $11.90  Kindle Price:  $10.00  Savings:  $1.90

Ahhh, Judy Blume.  I read a lot of her books as an adolescent.  I didn’t realize until now that a lot of what I read was written before I was born!  her books have a timeless feeling to them that don’t limit themselves to a certain time in history.

I’ll admit, I didn’t understand all of the undertones that occurred in the books.  I was either too young or simply didn’t have that particular issue and therefore, didn’t see myself in the book.   However, reading this book of essays on Judy Blume’s writings made me realize what I’d missed.  I kind of want to go back and reread them all and see what I pick up on now. 

If you were a fan of Judy Blume’s books, you will definitely enjoy the trip down memory lane.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

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Can you imagine a life where you wake up every day and can’t remember anything?  That is the story of Christine, who has suffered memory loss from an accident.  Every morning, she awakens next to the man she doesn’t remember marrying, in a house she doesn’t know, and has to be told who she is all over again.  She keeps a journal, but that only helps if someone tells her where it is.

The writing is wonderful and the character development makes you care about Christine and her journey. 

I really enjoyed this novel.  There are twists and turns that you don’t expect at all and the ending will shock you.  I had not heard of this author before, but I certainly hope that he is busily working on some new material for us. 

One Day

Regular Amazon Price:  $8.97  Kindle Price:  $9.99  Overage:  $1.02

I saw the trailer for the movie and decided that I wanted to read the book.  It was a twist (to me) on the movie Same Time Next Year. 

The book was a bit difficult to get into, I though, but after you settle in, it becomes compelling.  It centers around Em and Dex, who meet on their graduation day from university.  Over the next 20 years, they continue to meet on this same day. 

Their lives take different twists and turns through jobs, relationships and even parenthood.  But their connection remains the same, even when they think that they might really hate each other. 

I won’t spoil the book with more details. I will simply say that I was moved by it, at different times sad, angry, and happy.  It was very well-written.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Regular Amazon Price:  $8.75  Kindle Price:  $9.99  Overage:  $1.24

Obviously, this book was out for a long time before I read it.  I couldn’t decide if I wanted to read it or not.  Again, the movie trailer led me to the book.

The story follows Aibeleen and her friend Minny, who are two black maids in 1960s Mississippi.  They are employed by white families to raise the do the cooking and cleaning, as well as raising the children.  The book centers on the fact that the maids love the white children as their own, but at some point, the white children become what their parents have raised them to be: prejudiced against blacks.

In my life, I have read about Harriett Tubman.  I have learned about Dr. Martin Luther King.  But I must admit that I didn’t know anything about what these women went through.  To be thought of as having a disease, simply because of the color of their skin.  To be forced to use a different bathroom.  To watch the children they raised turn against them and view them with disdain.  My heart broke for these ladies.

I loved this book.  It was so beautifully executed that I felt as though I was right there with them.  I am not sure that I want to see the movie, as I’m afraid it won’t do the book justice. 

I highly recommend this.  It’s hard to read in many places, but the story needs to be told.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

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The story follows Jacob Jankowski, who is living out the rest of his life in a rest home.  When he was 23, he was poised to become a veterinarian.  However, fate stepped in and he left school.  He ended up joining a traveling circus, where he assisted with the menagerie.   During this time, he falls in love with Marlena, who is a performer in the show and also married to the ringleader. 

I will say that Gruen is gifted in her ability to create imagery.  You can see the animals and feel the angst that the circus employees go through under their sadistic leaders.  That being said, I can’t say that Marlena is a well-developed character.  I don’t feel as though we know why Jacob fell in love with her, beyond the fact that she was beautiful and cared about her animals.  It feels as though that part of the story was left out.

And why is August, Marlena’s husband, so evil? It does sound as though he suffers from some mental issues, but what is the background on him?

I just couldn’t fall in love with these characters nor the story. 

Beauty Queens

This book was provided to me by the Amazon Vine Program.

Libba Bray is a new author to me, but I had seen that Jen Lancaster recommended her books.  Jen has never lead me astray yet, so I was thrilled when this one came up for review on Amazon Vine.

Beauty Queens follows the story of the Miss Teen Dream pageant girls, whose plane crashes on a deserted island. Sound familiar?  Lost anyone?  Or any other TV show/movie where this happens?  So this will probably be boring and old, right?

Not so much.  The girls are young and most have lived a pretty sheltered life.  But Miss Texas takes control of the situation, though her priorities are a bit out of whack, e.g. choosing to practice their poses over finding food and water.  She is convinced that they will be found right away and doesn’t want to waste time on non-pageant related issues.

Miss New Hampshire is at the opposite end of the spectrum, in that she only joined the pageant to write an expose for her high school newspaper.  She wants to focus on actual survival tactics rather than pageant business.

We work through each of the girls, meeting them and finding out who they really are versus their pageant personas.  And there are some other characters who join in and add to the fun.

I loved this book.  I laughed out loud many times.  It’s a book that I would love to see be made into a movie, as it would just be so funny. 

My only complaint is the length.  I think that there were some parts that could have been cut out or cut down.  Other than that, it was an absolute hoot.

Always Something There to Remind Me by Beth Harbison

This book was provided to me by the Amazon Vine Program.

Beth Harbison is very hit and miss for me.  I sometimes really enjoy her books (Shoe Addicts) and other times am disappointed (Hope in a Jar.)  This is one of the disappointments.

I am sure that most of us have the What-If guy/girl, where we wonder what would have happened had we stayed with him/her.  Harbison takes this to the extreme with her characters, Erin and Nate. 

Erin and Nate meet and fall in love as teenagers.  They share a connection that is not often found at that age, but Erin doesn’t trust that this could be everlasting love and wants to date others.  Nate does not take that well and they break up.  Despite efforts to reconnect during high school, they end up not meeting again until over 20 years later. 

Erin has never forgotten Nate and wonders what might have been. 

Overall, this is an old tale.  Really old.  And there’s just nothing fresh here about it.  It’s predictable, it’s mundane, and to be honest, the characters are just not that likable.  I find myself feeling sorry for the significant others over the two main characters.  I can’t recommend it.

As you know, I took the month of July off of blogging, as I knew it was going to be a very busy month at work.  I had hoped that during this time, I would “blog ahead” some posts, such as the décor posts or my book reviews.

That didn’t happen. 

The truth is, I really love my job. 

I wave at the building when I’m not there – seriously! 

I love my boss.  I MISS her when she’s not there.

I love what I do.  I am stimulated intellectually, creatively, you name it. 

And because of that, I have not had any urge to blog. 

That doesn’t mean that I don’t love you guys anymore – quite the opposite!  It just means that I need some time away, some undefined time, until I feel like blogging again.

I have a lot to say – it’s not a content issue at all.

It’s more about me focusing my energy on my career right now.  I have finally found the perfect match:  the right job AND the right company.

I am also stepping down from the Ohio Blogging Association.  I started it when I was unemployed.  I just don’t have the energy for that anymore either.  I’m so proud of what the team has done.  Huge shout-outs to Alicia, Rachel, and Katie.  I have told them that I’ll support them from the sidelines.

I do post frequently on my Facebook page, which is here.  I almost always carry my status updates from my personal page over to that.  I hope you’ll follow me there to keep up.

Also, I will still Tweet, @purtyinorange.

This isn’t goodbye, as I’m sure I’ll be back here and there.  It’s just to say:

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for caring.

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for commenting.

Thank you for sharing your world with me.

Thank you for allowing me to share mine with you.

Love,

This month is going to be killer at work, and I know I won’t have any time to blog. So I’m taking the month of July off. 

1.  There won’t be a July Challenge of the Month.  We’ll resume those in August.  The winner of June’s Challenge of the Month is Miss Laura of Absolut(ly) Fit!  Go Laura!  This is her second win this year.

2.  If you would like to guest post, just email me at angela[at]prettyinorange[dot]com. 

3.  This is the first real break I’ve taken in the 5 years I’ve been blogging.  I think I deserve it

I’ll see you guys in August.  It’s really not that far away at all!

Love to all of you!

2.  I was so disappointed about #1 that I NEARLY didn’t even bother with the Next Food Network Star.  I thought, well, maybe I am just tired of food shows.  Not so much.  I just needed better TV.

• I like Jyll, Whitney, and Orchid.  Whitney reminds me of Rachael Ray in looks and Orchid reminds me a lot of Aarti.
• I loathe Penny’s existence.  I think she’s evil. 
• I was glad that Howie was out right away.  What a jerk!
• Chris is a child pretending to be an adult.

3. The Real Housewives of Orange County finale and reunion was sort of a letdown.  I wonder if Gretchen and Tamra are actually friends but play this hatred up for the show.

4.  I love every minute of So You Think You Can Dance.  I was so sorry that the Irish stepper didn’t make it further in the competition.  I don’t have a clear favorite yet, but I really think all of the girls are pretty awesome.

5.  Okay, I must speak about The Young and the Restless real quick.  I loathe Phyllis so much that I can barely stand to see her on the screen.  Yes, it’s a story, she’s an actress, but dammit, that is one tough storyline.  And Katherine can go straight to hell with her.

6. Bob and I have started watching Finding Bigfoot.  Oh yes, we have.  It’s hysterical.  Now, don’t get me wrong – I am sure that there are tons of creatures and such that we haven’t found evidence of yet.  BUT – BUT, these folks are going about it the wrong way.

The reason a show like Ghost Hunters worked so well is that, while everyone on the show believed that ghosts were real, they went about trying to disprove the sightings they investigated.  They tried to recreate scenarios and find logical explanations. 

These folks on Finding Bigfoot want to find one so much that they draw conclusions with scraps of evidence.   They should be trying to disprove, not prove.  The guy who runs this show is so desperate to believe that he comes off as a joke, rather than credible.

We watch it for entertainment.

7.  Drop Dead Diva returned last night and was just as awesome as ever.  I love that show!

8.  I know a lot of people are upset about the season finale of The Killing, but after they received a second season, what else could they do?

How about you?  What have you been watching?

Regular Amazon Price:  $15.60  Kindle Price:  $12.99  Savings:  $2.61

This felt like a return to Steve Berry’s first novels, which I loved.  Cotton, Stephanie, Cassiopeia – they’re all here.  Danny Daniels is along for the ride, too.  Keeping the character count down allows for more focus.

Berry focuses on American history this time out.  This time Cotton and the gang are up against American pirates who have been functioning with the government’s approval for hundreds of years.  Imagine that!

The only problem that I had with this book was that the characters of Jonathan Wyatt and the pirate group’s secretary (can’t remember the character’s name) were almost interchangeable while reading.  At times I had to go back and reread to make sure that I had the right character doing the right action. 

Overall, I thought it was a decent read and I will continue to follow Steve Berry’s writing.

The Neon Graveyard (Sign of the Zodiac Book 6) by Vicki Pettersson

Regular Amazon Price:  $7.99  Kindle Price:  $7.99  Savings:  $0.00

Okay, first, I need a moment.  Why?  Because Pettersson announced that this is the final book in the series.  I fell in love with these characters and now they’re going to go away.  SO unfair, but I guess it’s better to leave it while the series is still good.

That being said, this was a really great ending to the series.  Was everything wrapped up completely?  Not quite.  But it was still a great ending. 

There was a LOT going on in this book.  A LOT.   And while Pettersson did offer some back story here and there, you really have to know the story to get everything straight.  I’ve read all of the books more recently, as I didn’t pick up this series until last year or so, and I was still trying to remember what happened in the past. 

Joanna is not far from where she was in the last book – still trying to bet into Midheaven without losing the last 3rd of her soul.  She needs to get there to save her soulmate, Hunter.  In the midst of all of that, she is still being targeted by both the agents of Light and Shadow.  Oh, and her father, the Tulpa.

I don’t want to give away too much but let’s just say that there are several satisfying comeuppances in this story, along with some sad moments that I wasn’t expecting. 

Highly recommend it.

Ravenous by Dayna Macy

This book was provide to me by the Amazon Vine Program.

Like me, Dayna Macy has a love of food and is unable to control herself at times around her favorites.  She has steadily put on weight and wants to find out why this relationship with food is controlling her.

To do so, she sets off on a journey to find out where her food comes from.  She watches cattle being slaughtered at a local farm, which gives her an appreciation for each bite of meat she puts into her mouth. She visits an olive grove and learns how table olives are made. 

Macy also travels to her hometown and thinks about what emotional issues are tied to her eating. 

She realizes, as we all eventually do, that food cannot fill up the holes that were left by emotional devastation. 

This book was well-written and easy to read.  Reminded me a lot of Eat Pray Love.  I enjoyed it a great deal.

10th Anniversary

Regular Amazon Price:  $14.28  Kindle Price:  $14.99  Overage:  0.71

As you know, I thought James Patterson’s last book was pure drivel.    This one is better.

Lindsay Boxer and her fellow Women’s Murder Club cohorts are back.  Lindsay is finally getting married to her long-suffering fiance.  Yuki is trying a career-changing case.  Cindy and Rich are growing closer and closer.  And Claire is, well, she’s here, but not as much as I would like her to be.

The storyline is stronger than it has been in the past.  It’s more focused than recent entries into this series – thank GOD! 

I enjoyed that three of the ladies had strong stories of their own.  I wish that Claire had been given as much attention.  Or, maybe focus on two characters each book, although one will always be Lindsay since she is the main character. 

All in all, an improvement.   Worth reading this summer.

If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster

Regular Amazon Price:  $14.82  Kindle Price:  $11.99  Savings:  $2.83

I am a huge fan of Jen Lancaster’s.  I wish I could write as well as she does. 

This is her first foray into fiction.  At least that’s what the book says.  But I have to say, it felt more autobiographical than fiction.  It’s still the fantastic and hilarious writing we’ve come to expect from Jen, either way.

Jen and her lead character, Mia, are admirers of John Hughes.  When Mia and her husband Mac (who sounds an awful lot like Fletch, Jen’s real-life hubby) go looking for a house, they head to the suburbs in which Hughes set his movies. 

They buy the money pit and enter into the never-ending struggle to live in a house as it’s being renovated.  Again, this sounds a lot like Jen and Fletch leaving their former sketchy neighborhood to a bigger house. 

I adore that Mia (probably after Mia Sara from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) writes Amish Zombie romance novels.  What a hoot!  I would totally read those!

All in all, I enjoyed it.  I laughed out loud as I usually do with Jen’s novels.  I just can’t see that it’s fictional.

I’m talking about THIS kind of planking:

That’s right. The kind that strengthens your abdomen.  Wait, WHAT?  Aren’t I always about loving yourself no matter what?  Yes, yes, I am. 

BUT, this is important, because when your abdomen is weak, you open yourself up to issues with your back, with your abdominal wall (as in hernias) and increased pressure on your joints.  So, it’s not just about cosmetics, it’s about your overall health.

If you get a flatter tummy, that’s just icing on the cake, right?

Plank It!

Your challenge, should you choose to take it, is to do at least one plank every day. 

There are several options you have with planks and they’re suitable for everyone from beginners to die-hard athletes.

These are just some options.

Or you can watch this video:

The Rules:

1.  Do a plank and see how long you can hold it.  20 seconds is great for beginners.  Over a minute is great for someone a bit further along in their fitness.

2.  Leave your comment WITH your original plank time on this post to announce your intent to commit to the challenge.  You must do so by Monday, June 6.  If you can’t commit to this one, don’t worry – there are 6 more coming!

3.  If you have a blog, it would be great if you could do a weekly summary of what you did for the challenge.

4.  If you don’t have a blog, I would love to receive a weekly summary via email of what you did for the challenge.  OR, you can always do a guest post for me (meaning you write it and I post it here) about what you did.

5.  On June 30th, I want to hear from you as to how long your are holding your planks now.

6.  On June 30, I will enter all of the participant names into a drawing.  The winner receives:

• One (1) $25.00 gift certificate to Amazon.com AND
• Gets to choose a charity to which I will donate $25 in her/his name.

Okay?

Ready, set, GO!