The Survivors Club
Title: The Survivors Club
Author: Ben Sherwood
Pages: 400
Genre: Non-Fiction, Self Help
We all face difficult situations, but some people are resilient and some are not. Who is able to come out of tragedy or overcome a circumstance and survive? Survivors. Ben Sherwood describes survivors as those making the best of their remaining days no matter if it is 50 years after the situation or 3 days. They are overcomers, people who move on, walk forward with head held high. Sherwood interviews people who have overcome all different types of struggles, and obstacles and whom he considers to be survivors. At the end of the book the reader has the opportunity to see if he/she is a survivor and what are the strengths that she/he relies on to make it through tough times.
I LOVED this book. There is so much about The Survivors Club that appealed to me. It resolves mystery, gives explanations of ways the mind works, and brings psychology to the forefront of the study. I have always (well since Highschool) been interested why people survive when others don't. Some people go through hard times over and over and they aren't any worse for the ware, then other people seem to hit a slight speed bump and their whole world goes out the window. What is the difference between the two? How can someone survive the holocaust and then another person cannot cope with the death of a pet? The Survivors Club argues that it depends on resiliency, and if you are a survivor and good at coping or if you aren't. The most effective survivors reach deep within themselves and find the strength to live through it, whatever the 'it' may be.
I was captivated by each section and chapter of this book, I listened to it on audiobook (thanks to hatchette audio) and found myself looking forward to the next time I would have a chance to listen to the next chapter. At the end there is a survivor IQ test which is available for the reader to take online, I took it and it was an incredible portrayal of who I am. I had my husband look at it and he agreed that it was very accurate. If you reach the end and take the test and the results come back that you are not a survivor, there are things that you can do to learn how to start becoming one.
This wasn't my typical book, I am a fiction fanatic...but this was really worth my time. I think I may even have to grab a hard copy so that I can underline and re-read it- It is worth it for sure!
Giveaway:
I have 3 copies to give away. After you win you can let me know which format you'd be interested in (audio book or hardcover book). Sorry no PO boxes and only US and Canada residents please.
To enter the giveaway post a comment below through the 7th of March telling me who you have most admired for their survival mentality, or their ability to be positive no matter the circumstance.
Sundays at Tiffany's
Title: Sundays at Tiffany's
Author: James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Genre: fiction
Type: Audio Book
Yearly Count: 8
Pages: 320
An imaginary friend, a protector who watches out for your when you are little- could he be your only true love? I didn't pay much attention to the writing in this book, or if it was realistic, seriously does that first sentence sound realistic!? No. So it is more like super-hero imaginary friend tale, a story of a girl who lives her life pretty parallel (ie neglected) to all those around her, not by her choice by theirs. The only person who has stayed in her memory as loving and true. Jane's mother is famous, or at least too famous for her daughter and has had men in and out, four husbands- all men who didn't end up being good enough for her. Jane feels she will never measure up either, never dressed right, always eating too much, saying the wrong things and below par.
She catches a glimpse of her childhood imaginary friend and the story moves right on from there. I was so entranced by the story that I didn't worry if it seemed realistic, or if there were major flaws, I enjoyed it and while I was reading (and listening to it on audio book) I only cared about what happened, how Jane would end up and if she would love and be loved. There are twists that I wasn't expecting, but they made the story even more interesting. I didn't read this novel for its literary prose, or the picturesque portrayals- I read it to entertain me, and that it did.
I was actually really surprised at the completely mixed reviews this has gotten on Amazon. I tend to be right in the middle of where everyone else is rating the book, this time we are all over the map! I was caught up in it- entertained. I enjoyed reading this from cover to cover, it was different, lovely and mysterious and far-fetched, still wholly pure delight. Seriously this guy/angel/imaginary friend knows everything about Jane and loves her still. That is so precious, so unconditional and just what we all need. He loves to see her eat, to see her enjoy life, to see her happy- who of us wouldn't want that!?
Audiobook version:
I read (listened to) the audio version of this for most of the book. This was an audiobook done well, I loved the reader's voice (actress Ellen Archer) and I thought she did an exceptional reading. I can't imagine a better voice to read this book, it was sweet. Yay for Hachette Audio!
Are there books where you didn't worry about the style, the prose, the descriptions? For me it happens when I don't mean for it too, I just get caught up and forget to be critical. That could be a good thing right? I know that I am a book reviewer, but more importantly I am a book reader and a book lover. Do you always notice flaws? Which books have you gotten caught up in so much so that you didn't think to criticize?
Giveaway:
I have 5 copies of the paperback Sundays at Tiffany's to giveaway (thanks to Hachette Book Group) as well as 3 copies of the audiobook version by Hachette Audio. It is almost Valentine's Day, this is the perfect time to read this amazingly sweet and improbably romance.
Comment on this post and let me know if you would rather win the paperback version or the audio version, if you don't care tell me that too. No PO boxes, US and Canada residents only, and peeps I am so sorry about that. You have through the 18th to comment with an answer to this question: What was your best date ever? Explain why. (If you don't have the perfect date to describe- make up the perfect date! 
ps. I don't notify winners via email, so if you want to know if you have won make sure to check back that day, or better yet- add me to your reader and you won't miss any giveaways!
The Shack
Title: The Shack/La Cabaña
Author: William P. Young
Pages:266
Genre: fiction, faith
Yearly Count: 2
The Shack is a fiction story that, after a devastating event, takes Mack, the main character into a fantasy-like dream place where he meets God, (or "Papa") the Holy Spirit (or "Sarayu" and Jesus. There he heals, learns from them about the way the world should be and about how he should see the things that happen to him. It is filled with theology, mostly about how to live and his attitudes towards what comes his way.
I went back and forth between listening to this in Spanish and reading it in English. In Spanish it is called La Cabaña. I wish I could say strongly one way or another if I loved or hated it, but to me this book really wasn't either so good I am thrilled by it, or so horrid I want to rag on it. There are some things in it that are a little strange, and for my tastes there was way too much debatage between the characters on different theologies and such. I enjoyed the beginning, the mystery and such, but once he went into the fantasy land...it was just not the same stuff for me.
I didn't think the book was written particularly well, but I decided I would forgive that if it made an earth shattering impact on me. As much as I did learn things from the book, it was not earth shattering enough to move away from the just average writing.
I will say that this book has caused more than its fair share of controversy in my own life, and even the mention of the title can strike up a conversation. I have had two people call me up afterwards apologizing for their drastic/harsh opinions on it (mostly because they were rude in their approach) so I know that it is controversial. The funny thing is that those who haven't read it seem to have the strongest opinions. As in what I was yelled at the first time I mentioned it: " AHHH, that is not a christian book!!!! It contains 13 or 14 counts of HERESY!!!" Seriously, when was the last time you heard the word heresy!?!? yuk. Okay, and that dweeb hadn't even read it, he said that he gathered his information from "snippets" that he saw online. Seriously? ya.
Because of all the strife I have endured for it....I don't think I will try to bring it up in a group of friends, at least not my most opinionated friends until the topic settles a bit. I guess if you are one of those who claims it is heresy, but won't read it, all I can say is that really you should give it a read first. It isn't claiming to be a new add-on to the Bible, or that it is divinely inspired, so chill folks. I think dooming some book and therefore neglecting the little good morsels it contains is really sad, and this book certainly does have some good. Having said that...I still have yet to determine if it is good enough to merit the several hours it takes to read. It was just blah for me.
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What did you think about The Shack? Always remember that if you have reviewed it and would like me to link to your review comment a link to me on this post and I will
The Lucky One
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Pages: 336
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Genre: mainstream fiction
Yearly Count b: 95
I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book before, and this time I didn't really read it, I listened to the audiobook version of it. I love audiobooks right now, since I am in the middle of knitting up a storm for Christmas gifts. I liked it, it was really good and like many of his other books, I believe that it is movie worthy (The Notebook, Message in A Bottle, A Walk to Remember....I am sure there are more
The Lucky One is about destinies, and making your own. Logan, a soldier in the Iraq war has a sense that everything will be okay, that he is safe, because he holds a picture of "his lucky gal" however the strange part is that he has never met her. When his time is up will he go find her? Does he owe her for this protection her photo has provided for him?
Goodness, it was good. It could be weird based on that description I have right there, but it isn't mystical or strange, it all feels just really right and makes complete logical sense to me. Maybe it tugged on my heart strings, I know it did, and I let it because I wanted it to.
This was a romantic book, not chick lit, not romance, fiction and yet it was somehow more tidy than most. I need a book like this many times after reading the gore of a modern lit novel. I need bad to be bad and good to be good and there be separation between them. I really enjoyed this book on so many levels it is a sweet book of life in small town America. Many of us have, at least at some point, lived in that small town type place and will be able to relate easily to Sparks The Lucky One.
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Author Website: Nicholas Sparks
