Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Weddings and Motherhood - March 18, 2014


So…I made great strides in my reading pile.  That is, until I went to the library and grabbed a couple of more.  The “bestseller express” shelf is my personal nemesis and I always feel obligated to take on the challenge of grabbing one and reading it within the week.  Today I took Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things.  Personally I am not a fan of her nonfiction and I would never normally read this book…but since it was placed on “bestseller express,” it has become my burden of the week.  Here’s to hoping for pleasant surprises. 

Currently Reading:
  • My Life in Middlemarch  by Rebecca Mead
  • Dancing Fish and Ammonites by Penelope Lively (received through Goodreads)
  • Third Degree by Julie Cross (received through NetGalley)
  • The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
  • Blood Will Out: The True Story of A Murder, A Mystery, and A Masquerade by Walter Kirn

On Deck:
  • Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
  • Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
  • The Burning by Jane Casey (received through NetGalley)
  • Beautiful Addictions  by Season Vining (received through Goodreads)
  • The Frangipani Hotel  by Violet Kupersmith (received through NetGalley)
Recent Reviews:

Dream Dress by Janice Thompson (received through NetGalley)
4 Stars

This is not a book that I would normally pick out on my own so I am grateful to have received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Gabi leads a Cinderella life (pre fairy godmother) as the alterations girl at a fancy bridal shop.  She is continually mistreated by her boss and looked down upon by some of her colleagues.  She dreams of designing her own wedding dresses and has a sketch book full of ideas.  Gabi is at that point in her life where something has got to change but she is stuck in her life and afraid to take the steps needed in order to make things better.  But after a fateful episode with a client, a support group manifests including her mother, a sassy grandmother, several friends also involved in the wedding industry and a good-looking reporter who sweeps her off her feet.  In order to fully change her life, Gabi has to learn to forgive, accept her potential and comes to terms with her faith.  In the beginning, Gabi’s attitude towards her own life is almost too frustrating but as she evolves, her confidence grows and she learns to open herself up to the life that she wants.  Overall, this was an inspiring and light-hearted read. 

 
The Kids Will Be Fine: Guilt-Free Motherhood for Thoroughly Modern Women by Daisy Waugh (received through LibraryThing)
3 ½ stars

As the mother of three children, I know a thing or two about parental guilt so I was looking forward to reading this book.  The author looks at different aspects of motherhood and the sometimes unrealistic expectations placed on mothers.  First of all, this is a funny book and I laughed out loud several times.  Her sections on pregnancy and baby care are by far the funniest I have ever read.  However, about midway through her opinions become fiercer and I am not sure she does a good job alleviating that guilt.   I also didn’t find some of her examples very relevant…possibly because my children go to public schools?  Regardless, this is a very funny book and I was able to sympathize and agree with enough points to make it worth the read.  

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