Blogger Confession: I love the smell of...

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved the smell of books. I distinctly remember being in my elementary school library and not being able to resist the intoxicating scent of the paper and ink. I've done this pretty much my whole life- and still do it today.

I can't tell you why I love the smell of books, but I do. Library books, school books, store books, used books. Doesn't matter. They all have a smell and I love it. To me, it smells of imagination. An imagination that is about to come to life and take me on a journey or tell me a wonderful story.

For a long time, I was embarrassed about it. I tried to disguise it and come up with a decent reason for why I just planted my face in the middle of a book. People would look at me with an odd look on their face that wreaked of nonacceptance. Now that I'm older, I don't care. I've come to learn that we all have weird things we do, and this is mine. It also helps that I don't take my all consuming whiff around people I don't know.

My oldest daughter does it. She may be doing it just because she's seen me do it, or she may love the fragrance as much as I do. Who knows. I love the smell of books and I doubt that will ever stop!

The Wedding Dress (Summer Reading Recommendations)

The Wedding Dress

By: Rachel Hauck

Recommended by: Betsey Brooks

I found it, the perfect book to take on vacation a trip or just to curl up with; it's a fascinating read. The story introduces you to the women whose lives are forever changed by a very unusual wedding dress. In fact the dress seems to be a gift meant for only these women. How the dress comes to each bride is a mystery.

The story starts with Charlotte Malone is the owner of an up and coming bridal shop. She has become engaged to Tim Rose after knowing him only a few months. Their wedding is coming up and she needs to find a wedding dress. the couple seem to be very busy and just don't get around to getting things done for their wedding. The engagement crumbles, but a strong bond continues between the two.  Life takes on a whole new purpose when Charlotte buys a mysterious old trunk with a lock that is welded shut. Charlotte begins the most wonderful adventure as she searches for the answers to the mystery surrounding the beautiful wedding dress  she finds in the trunk.

From the 1912 segregated city of Birmingham to the present day the stories of these amazing women will captivate you.  Emily, engaged to the most eligible bachelor in Birmingham, Taffy and ex slave seamstress with a gift from the Lord, Hillary married and widowed within months, Mary Grace a shop clerk  and Charlotte with an unknown father and no living family, are all linked together by the shimmering wedding dress. These women are smart, strong, courageous and not predictable. The twists and turns in their lives weaves a beautiful uplifting story.

This is a book I will buy and encourage others to purchase.  I think it is the kind of story one can read over and over, each time discovering something new. Thank you Ms. Hauck for such a refreshing inspirational story. I look forward to reading more of your books.

My Reading Quirks

We all have little quirks to our personalities. Funny little things we do, for reasons we may not know. I thought I would share some of my reading quirks with you. Over the years, I have developed a few and here they are:


1. Whenever I start a new chapter, I always count how many pages are in it.
2. I can't handle opening a book all the way to the point of bending or breaking the spine.
3. All of the books that I buy have to be in perfect condition and I do my best to keep them that way.
4. I can read anywhere- bathtub, bathroom, in the car. Doesn't matter to me.
5. I do judge a book by it's cover. It's usually what gets my attention, so I have to like it. If I like the cover, I'll read the summary of the book.
6. I get cranky if I'm constantly interrupted when I'm reading. It's especially frustrating if it's a good book.

There you have it. Maybe, someday, I'll get therapy to help deal with #2 and #3. We'll see.

Wallflower In Bloom

Summer Reading Selection!!! Grab this book on your way to the beach or pool! You will have a great time while getting a great tan!

 

Wallflower In Bloom

By: Claire Cook

257 Pages

I thought a great way to kick off the summer is with a book about a girl who takes control of her life and does something daring. Dierdre spends her life being her famous brother's assistant. She tends to his needs every hour of the day and got very comfortable doing so. However, when her brother catches her kissing an old college friend of his and pitches a fit, Deirdre has had enough. On the spot she quits. In a night fueled by chocolate milk mixed with vodka, Deirdre puts up a notice. She encourages her brother's numerous fans to vote for her to be on Dancing With The Stars. The girl who always blended in with her family is about to step out in a big way.

May you enjoy Deirdre and her journey. I was able to relate to her in so many ways. I loved her humor and the way she saw the world. I was so excited when she made that first step out of her brother's shadow. Everyone deserves to make their life theirs.

Summer Reading 2012

It's that time of year, again. Break out the bathing suits. Lay out your towel. Apply your sunblock. But before you do any of that- you need to get a good book! Summer is known for it's great books. Like just about every magazine, newspaper, and lots of blogs do, I am giving you some summer recommendations. Hopefully, you enjoy them!

I'm going to share with you some great book series I have found. I'll tell you about really good stand alone books. It's going to be an all-out book-loving session here at Jen's Corner!

I would love to get any recommendations you may have, as well. Tell me what you're reading! Share books you loved! Let's spread the word!

Just Say Yes

Just Say Yes
By: Phillipa Ashley
356 Pages

Summary:
Lucy Gibson barely knows Nick Laurentis—aside from in the biblical sense—when he proposes in front of 10 million people after winning a British reality TV competition. An overwhelmed Lucy declines, and media hell ensues. Lucy’s closet friend, Fiona, spirits her off to a cabin she owns in a seaside town outside London where Lucy meets Josh Standring, who owns the nearby cabins. To spare Lucy the nightmare of further media exposure, Fiona tells Josh that Lucy is a merchant banker who has suffered a minor meltdown. Josh has a girlfriend and Lucy has just about given up on love, but the two are drawn to each other. Will her real identity scare him off?--bn.com

I enjoyed Just Say Yes. It was a fun read. I didn't like Nick, however. I still don't understand why Lucy questioned her actions for as long as she did. He was a jerk from the get go and there was no reason in the world why he would've expected her to say yes to a proposal considering their relationship was mostly a sexual one. The way he turned on her the moment things didn't go his way should've been the biggest red flag of all. I felt the time she wasted feeling badly over her turning him down was a waste.

Meeting the sexy Josh Standing was where my loins got involved in the story more. I waited with baited breath for their first kiss. And then I waited for their first... Well, you know. Josh is the guy with the juvenile delinquent past who makes good as an adult. He was the perfect guy for Lucy. His heart was pure. When you first meet this hot character, he's dating the bitchy Sara. I was hoping they'd split sooner, but it was worth it when it did happen.

While the story had some slow parts, overall it's a good read. As with any book, there are characters you love to love, and those you love to hate. There is the happy ending, though you wish it didn't take so long to get there. A fun summer read.

Rating: Borrow From Library