Undomestic Goddess

It has a catchy title and it is the book that I am currently reading.

I do have to say, and please don't be mad at me, that sometimes I find her writing a bit too much. Only in the sense that I start to get really stressed out and there are one to many "Er.."s in her books. However, that is my ONLY complaint and as you can see I'm still reading. I like this one too and I also like that the lead character also has the same first name-last name initials. It's cute. And most importantly Sophie Kinsella has gotten me back into the mode of actually FINISHING books, it's amazing. I now know that I CAN finish books! Hurray!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo/The Girl who played with Fire

As much as I usually steer clear of crime stories, these books are great. I think I mentioned Girl with the Dragon Tattoo once before and The Girl Who Played with Fire is the recently released sequel. Author Stieg Larsson passed away prior to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's publishing but had just delivered this book and two subsequent books with the same characters-- The Girl Who Played with Fire and another to be released in the next year -- right before his death. Translated from the Swedish, both of these books are terrific! Great plots, engaging characters and lots of Swedish names and locals. I'm confident that you all would really like them and appreciate their originality.

I never read books in the car but I actually read this on the way home from the lake house today (no worries...I wasn't driving) and not just because it was a 14-day book from the library and due back in a couple of days!

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters- Revised

I was just going through my emails and a little-cool bookshop in Manhattan always sends me a list of book events coming up. I thought it was funny that they are having a launch for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, since we had just mentioned it! I had to share... just take a look at the food and drink they will be serving- I may have to go! If anybody will be in NYC on Sept 15th let me know :) ADDITION- Looks like it's getting lots of publicity!


Tuesday September 15 @ 7pm
Launch party for SENSE AND SENSIBILITY AND SEA MONSTERS, by Jane Austen and Ben Winters

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, slithers ashore Tuesday September 15 with a launch party at Idlewild!

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is a "literary mashup" of the original Jane Austen text (60%), with giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two-headed sea serpents, and other watery monsters seamlessly woven into the novel by "posthumous collaborator" Ben Winters.

As the story opens, the Dashwood sisters are evicted from their childhood home and sent to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby and the hideous man-monster Colonel Brandon. Austen fans are already arguing among themselves about whether it will be the mutant sea monsters or the original book's meddlesome matriarchs that pose the greatest threat to the sisters' happiness.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has sold an astonishing 650,000 copies in its first four months, and the new book is one of the most buzzed-about launches of the season -- fearlessly debuting on the same date as the new Dan Brown book. (New novels by a number of big name authors have been rushed into print early to avoid competing on what many in the publishing world are referring to as "DB-Day".)

The Idlewild launch will be a festive affair featuring sea-green punch, fried calamari, a seaworthy soundtrack, and readings from the book by co-author Ben Winters and other New York authors.

Reservations required - RSVP to events@idlewildbooks.com

Trailer for the book

Confessions of a Shopaholic (continued)

Ok, ok, ok. I know we already discussed this book but please, can we revisit!? My dear mother just sent me "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and I'm absolutely hooked! I don't even look for a seat on the train ride home anymore because I am too entranced in this book. Why didn't I take the advice from this blog? Why!?

Into Jon Krakauer...

I think I have a problem. I've become addicted to Jon Krakauer's books. I have no idea why. I listened to Into Thin Air this spring and am listening to Into the Wild currently on my iPod while I run. I plan to read Under the Banner of Heaven sometime soon because I've been so captivated by these other books.



I'm pretending that I like him because as a boy-mom I want to understand the adventurous boy psyche but really...I just think he's cool.

Please note, I do not plan to start reading Jack London...

Little Bee

I just finished Little Bee by Chris Cleave a couple of days ago (thanks Isabelle for sending it). I'd had it beside my bed for months and threw it into my overnight bag for a trip to the lakehouse last weekend. The back cover instructs me not to tell you what it's about, so I won't. I can say it was fabulous. You should read it next. You can even borrow it from me.

Pride and Prejudice and ... oh my...

I would really like to hear the opinion of whoever is first to read this...
(Also, they had it in the "classics" section in the Australian airport bookshop. Hahaha!)