MiMi's Review - 150 Pounds

Did you all think we forgot? Cuz we totally did not forget to do our reviews. **ahemmaybeidid**

Anyway. Review of 150 Pounds. Seems like it's been forever since I read it!

But the thought I have in my head is that I didn't really like it that much. How rude, right?

It was about bloggers. And about weight issues. Seems like it would be right up this fat blogger's alley, huh?

I mean, it has such a pretty cover! What. Are you saying I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover or by the awesome looking pastries on it? Whatever.

Basically this book was a quick read and I didn't feel like it really went too deep into the whole question of "to be fat or not fat" issue.

One character, Alexis, was touting healthy lifestyle, almost to the point of unhealthy. The other was embracing her body at 250 pounds.

I was confused how the heavy girl, Shoshanna, could have been vegetarian and still be so heavy, until I remembered that I could eat Ding Dongs and Ho-Hos all day and never touch meat but still be fat.

Alexis was a complete bitch...dang near the entire book, in my opinion. I mean, she goes through a major transformation in her life, with having a baby, a sick friend and finding her husband, so she does soften, but her character is never really likable which made it hard to ever root for her even when she was going through some crap that the reader was probably supposed to sympathize with her while she dealt with it.

Shoshanna was a fun character, but you know the need for authors to wrap things up with a nice pretty bow. Of course she lost weight. Of course. It just could not be that she stayed heavy and lived a great life.

The part where she inherited an old house and apple orchard was weird...and it helped to try to explain her childhood and what made her her, but it still seemed disjointed to me.

I dunno. Did you all read it? What did you think?

I'm totally stealing a page from Connie's book and rating this by pounds. Remember she rated the last one with awkward hugs?

Anyway. I give this book 2 cupcakes. Cuz 2 isn't bad but wouldn't we all like to eat a dozen?

 

April 2012 ~ Bloom

I've been a reader of Kelle Hampton's blog for a long time. Enjoying The Small Things inspired me in all areas of my life.

Our April 2012 book selection is Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected--A Memoir by Kelle Hampton.

 From Amazon....

 Love me. Love me. I'm not what you expected, but oh, please love me. That was the most defining moment of my life.


That was the beginning of my story.


 From the outside looking in, Kelle Hampton had the perfect life: a beautiful two-year-old daughter, a loving husband, a thriving photography career, and great friends. When she learned she was pregnant with her second child, she and her husband, Brett, were ecstatic. Her pregnancy went smoothly and the ultrasounds showed a beautiful, healthy, high-kicking baby girl.


 But when her new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, Kelle knew instantly that something was wrong. Nella looked different than her two-year-old sister, Lainey, had at birth. As she watched friends and family celebrate with champagne toasts and endless photographs, a terrified Kelle was certain that Nella had Down syndrome—a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed. Yet gradually Kelle's fear and pain were vanquished by joy, as she embraced the realization that she had been chosen to experience an extraordinary and special gift.


 With lyrical prose and gorgeous full-color photography, Bloom takes readers on a wondrous journey through Nella's first year of life—a gripping, hilarious, and intensely poignant trip of transformation in which a mother learns that perfection comes in all different shapes. It is a story about embracing life and really living it, of being fearless and accepting difference, of going beyond constricting definitions of beauty, and of the awesome power of perspective. As Kelle writes, "There is us. Our Family. We will embrace this beauty and make something of it. We will hold our precious gift and know that we are lucky."


Visit The Young and The Relentless for a chance to win a copy! 

Don't Breathe A Word

One of my favorite books from last summer.....is on sale for $2.99 on Amazon!  If you like mysteries that will keep you at the edge of your seat and leave you guessing at the end, you'll love this book!

I Love Memoirs

Mimi won!!

****

I reviewed a book for BlogHer on The Young and The Relentless.  It's called The Rules of Inheritance by Claire Bidwell Smith and I loved it. (read my review here) I loved it so much that I want to give away my copy to a lucky reader.

All you need to do is leave me a comment telling me a moment in your life that has shaped you.

I'll pick a winner on Sunday Morning.

Rules: 
Contest is open to all bloggers.
Even Mimi.

You must live in the USA.
You must not hate me for not shipping out of the USA.
You must really, really like me.

Contest closes at 8am  Feb 26.

February 2012 - 150 Pounds

amazon

That's right! It's time to announce our next book and here it is!

Here's the synopsis from Amazon:

A smartly-written novel by author, Kate Rockland, of two women starting at opposite ends of the scale--and finding compromise and friendship in their journey towards 150 pounds.

In the fast paced life of blogging, two women stand out: Alexis Allbright, of Skinny Chick, and Shoshana Weiner, who writes Fat and Fabulous. Both have over five million loyal readers. Both are hungry for success. But the similarities stop there.

With over 100 pounds on the scale separating them, weight isn't their only difference. Alexis is a loner who is so bitchy the only person who can stand her company is her gay best friend Billy. She gives neurotic New Yorkers a run for their money with her strict daily workout routine, and weighing of food. 


Shoshana is Alexis’s opposite. Living in Jersey with rowdy roommates, she is someone who “collects friends,” as her mother puts it; and treasures a life of expanding circles...and waistlines.

When both appear as panelists on a popular talk show, their lives intersect in ways neither could have imagined. In turns comedic, heartwarming--and familiar to any woman who's ever stepped on a scale--Alexis and Shoshana realize they have far more in common than either could have possibly imagined, and more importantly, something to offer.

Guess what? Connie is going to be giving away a couple copies of this over at her place, The Young and the Relentless!

And be sure to follow our Facebook page...ya never know when I might sneak in a giveaway too!

Happy Reading!!

Connie Says: MWF Seeks BFF

I confess that when I found this book....I giggled like a school girl.

I will also confess that I used to think that I have trouble making friends.  I know now that this is entirely untrue!  I just need to look for people with common interests and children that like carbs and candy.  It's also helpful if I don't live in Utah.

Who knew?

I really enjoyed reading about Rachel's adventures in friend making and I could see myself doing some of the same things.  In fact I DID do something similar when I lived in Utah.  I was rejected from Mom's Club so I decided to put an ad on meetup.com.

Hi! I'm a married mom of two brilliant children looking for people to chat and eat delicious, preferably chocolate desserts with. The ideal friends will have passion for parenting and a great sense of humor. A love of reality television and a willingness to get out of your pajamas and go to the park with the kids is a must. I'm a Mom's Club Reject that is fairly new to Utah and needs some adult conversation. I like hanging out with my husband but I need some real friends!

I have a 2-year old boy and a 1-year old girl and they would like to meet some like-minded children to play and eat cookies with. We are looking forward to a fun summer of going to the pool, parks and other fun activities!

If you would like to meet up for some summer fun and make some friends, please contact me! If you have been rejected by Mom's Club you are welcome here! Come to a Moms Meetup to share experiences, find advice, give support and make new friends. All moms are welcome!

I had a few people respond and meet me,  but most of them wanted to sell me something.  I did get one real friend out of this deal so all was not lost!

I loved that Rachel joined two book clubs and created a dinner club.  I thought her improv class was a brilliant way to meet people and marveled at how many days a week she was able to go on friend dates without neglecting her new husband. 

The rent-a-friend, made me really uncomfortable.  I don't even think I could have gone through with that one.

One thing that I've found in my search for friendship is that when I find meet people that end up being my friend....we just click!  And sometimes that person doesn't drink coffee...and that's okay.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give MWF Seeks BFF 3 1/2 awkward hugs.

MiMi's Take on MWF

My final thoughts on MWF seeking BFF are kind of a mixed bag.

It was entertaining to read this girl's journey because a) it's something I would never do and b) I already realize what it took her a whole year to figure out.

I wouldn't do this because I already know that adult friendships are made in a different way. They tend to be more organic. You can't go looking for one and meeting over dinner in a nice restaurant isn't the setting in which to show the real you.

Friendships are more complex as you grow older. Friends you have are often made over or because of your children. Making friends or keeping friends when you are a parent is a whole lot different than having that BFF.

Even if the author were to find a BFF it's guaranteed that that friendship will change, evolve or dissipate when her family grows to beyond her husband and herself.

That's not to say a BFF found when you are an adult won't be there and become what she calls, "a lifer." In my opinion, it can be unlikely.

My thought is that this woman spent a lot of money and time (that could have been dedicated to her new husband) pursuing something that in and of itself, was an immature quest. The reason I call it immature is because of her constant, "I want, I need" outlook on her life. This is why I think friendships can change, especially newer ones or ones gained as adults as opposed to friends you make when you're little and become lifers (because they're like family, no?), because once you have children it's not "I want, I need" anymore. It's not all about you.

And I think in the end she realized that you can't just search for and find in 52 designated friend dates what you are ultimately seeking...the BFF.

Of course, as one of our book club members so eloquently put it on our FB Fan Page when I complained about her wasting so much time and money on something so selfish...

If I were getting paid to write a book about it, I'd do it too.

Well said!

PS: The Rent-a-Friend was lame. I was game all the way through until that because it was unnecessary and completely weird.

What were your thoughts?? Don't forget to read Connie's take on it, too!