One Beautiful April Morning

They'd take their separate paths, perhaps reluctant at first but eventually learning to embrace the challenges. They would grow. Change. Shift. One gaining control of life, the other finally learning how to let go. They would think of each other often at first, but time would soon make them forget. Forget everything but a tiny piece of themselves that didn't quite feel whole. That longed for something even though they couldn't quite place what it was they missed at all.

It'd probably be years before they saw each other again. Five. Ten. Maybe fifteen. They'd look at each other from across a crowded room and it'd be as an answer to long forgotten question.

Or, they could have both grown so far beyond the other that they hardly recognized each other at all. One would turn to a friend, the other to a new lover. Nothing would be remembered so that nothing more could be forgotten.

My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

Rating: 2 stars
Shelf: Now Reading

I have never plowed through a book this fast just to get it over with. It was so incredibly dissappointing, from start to finish. The more I read, the more I disliked it. I'm not really sure why I even felt the need to finish, except to say that it's rare I don't finish a book.

I thought the writing was pretty awful. I see a lot of reviews defending Jodi's strong writing, but I don't see it. Her charactization skills are awful. If you are going to write a book in which each chapter showcases the thoughts and feelings of a different character, you better make damn well sure you know who each character is. Jesse, for example, would never use the word 'palatable'. I'm fairly certain, anyway. In my copy of the book the way the author differentiates each character is by giving each one a different font. Not only was this distracting, but it was a clear indication that she couldn't individualize these characters through her writing alone. I read this book with a friend and although she loves it, she said to me, "Sometimes I get confused about who is speaking." If this was written well (Like, say, Poisonwood Bible??), the reader would never be confused.

Then there is the oh so "shocking" horrible suprise twist ending! What the --- .... I can't. The "It's Raining." chapters were so artsy (see, attempt at artsy = annoying and pompous) I wanted to throw the book out the train I was reading it in.

I shed not one tear. And I wanted to. Because what a cool concept! I wish someone else had written this book. With a better ending.

Purchase Now from Amazon:  My Sister's Keeper: A Novel

The Giver - Lois Lowry

Rating: 5 stars
Shelf: Now Reading

Absolutely amazing book. I can't believe I never read it before now. It moved me so deeply - I only wish that it wasn't such a short novel so that I could have experienced it longer.

Purchase Now from Amazon: The Giver 

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Remember when I promised myself that I would post all reviews here?

Rating: 5 stars
Shelf: Now Reading

Little Women was even better than I remembered it being.

The best review I can give it is to compare book to movie. I've long been in love with the movie, it's one I watch many times throughout the year and several times in a row around Christmas time. My feelings on it are always the same - Beth is always a little too righteous, Amy incredibly annoying (how DARE she steal Laurie from Jo and then ask her sister after the wedding is already done if it's okay?) and I always hope that when Laurie asks Jo to marry him, the outcome will somehow change and she'll say yes (even though I love the Professor), and why does Laurie go off to Europe and become a creeper?

The book was so different. So much better. The characters were more realistic and each changed drastically throughout the course of the book, but in keeping true with the lessons they've been taught and in such a way that you feel you are growing with the characters. When Jo says no to Laurie, it's obvious these two people have a relationship that is beyond marriage, that should never be ruined by marriage. And when Laurie and Amy fall in love it is something sweeter, something they are not both quick to realize, but when they do it is because they realize they need eachother and the reader knows just how happy they will be. (Also - Laurie doesn't traipse around Europe hitting on hot French ladies. In fact - he forswears all women. Good boy! Not a creeper at all!)

I LOVED this book.

Purchase Now from Amazon: Little Women

I Hate Counting Words

Goal - 5000 words per chapter

Chapter 1 (The House) - 3488
Chapter 2 (The Lot) - 1467

Chapter 2 still has much more to go, but I don't know how else to expand Chapter 1. I wish I could figure out how to hook up my printer so I could actually make notes. But, yeah. No idea how to do that with this computer.

Anyway, that's my update. It isn't much. I lost the drive and so I just keep going over Chapter 1 and the bits of Chapter 2 that I've written to fix and expand. It's boring work, but I guess the point is that I'm working. Blah. Blah. I love doing it and have a need for it, but gosh. Writing sucks sometimes.

Oh, I started keeping record of the characters as well. I'll share the beginning of Charlie's as he's the least important of the main characters.

Charlie Walsh

• Anabel Pace's brother; Paul Pace's best friend and brother-in-law
• 3 years older than Anabel; 1 year younger than Paul
• Extremely clumsy - has suffered many broken bones growing up from trying to keep up with Paul.
• Pushed to the side by Anabel and Paul and resents it, but is still loving and loyal. He is the black sheep of the family. He is (very dorkily) inspired by Charlie Pace from LOST, and like him is struggling to find his own place.

I haven't written a physical description of him yet, but as Anabel is blonde, I'm guessing Charlie will be as well.

Oh man - I'm watching Season 2 of the Tudors and Henry was just informed Anne had a baby girl. Shit son!

Back to writing.

The Resolutions of Twenty Ten

Some literary, some not, all documented:

- Read between 35 and 50 books this year. 35 being the final total of 2009 and 50(something) being the number I burnt myself out on in 07 and 08.

- Stop using my credit card and fix my debt (it's already been two months since I last used it. Huzzah!)

- Read at least two works of non-fiction - filling out my notebook as I go along.

- FINISH Les Miserables. I believe I have something like 3 or 400 pages left.

- Keep my apartment neat.

- Write a review for every book I read this year.

- Update my blog with all of my book reviews.

- Write. Anything.