Before He (or She) Cheats

The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone—Especially Ourselves

Dan Ariely

Psychology

I was a tad disappointed in this book because I thought it would be about lying, and it is, but it’s more about cheating, which is a little less interesting to me.

Mr. Ariely is a researcher who conducts experiments to test how honest humans are when it comes to cheating. At first, all his experiments and conclusions are really interesting. Then you start to get bored and skim. He doesn’t come up with any particularly surprising revelations, either. People cheat. People cheat a lot when money is involved, but usually only a little. I don’t know, I just felt like this book could’ve been a lot more fascinating and it wasn’t.

If you love lots of facts and scientific data, this book’s for you. Otherwise, skip it. You already know we live in a world full of cheaters.

Crash Into Me

This is my 150th post! I can't quite believe it. But I'm definitely having fun writing book reviews and I want to keep this blog going for a long time.

First, Best and Only

Barbara Delinsky

Romance

I’m sad. Way back when I used to devour romance novels like they were candy, I loved Barbara Delinsky. She combined family drama and relationships into un-put-downable books. This is the first time I’ve picked up one of her novels in awhile, and I am appalled that I ever liked her.

First, Best and Only is the story of Marni and Brian Webster (she calls him “Web” throughout the whole novel, which really bugged me). Marni was seventeen when she fell in love with twenty-six year old Brian. They secretly began dating and everything was fine until Brian got into an accident with Marni’s older brother, who died. After that, they lost contact thanks to her parents. Now, thirteen years later, Marni’s president of her dad’s company and is persuaded to be the cover model for their new magazine. Imagine her surprise when she arrives at the photo shoot and finds the photographer is Web, the only man she ever loved.

I just could not get invested in these two, which is bad because that’s the point of a romance novel. Perhaps it had to do with the writing. Marni and Web both said something “softly” so many times that by the end of the book I wanted to start slashing through that word with a red pen. Ms. Delinsky also hates the word “said”, apparently, because she came up with numerous different substitutions: “chided”, “announced”, “put in”, “murmured”, “breathed”, and my personal favorite, “interjected”. Dear god, I get ragey just thinking about them. 

I would not recommend this book, especially if you’re into romance. Steer clear, people. Steer clear.

Family Portrait

Tigers in Red Weather

Liza Klaussmann

Fiction

This book is a wild ride. Not a particularly good ride, but once you start, you have to keep going until the end.

Tigers in Red Weather is the story of Nick (Nick is a woman and I almost tossed the book aside when I realized this) and Helena, two cousins who have grown up together on the East coast. Following World War II, Nick married Hughes and Helena found love with Avery in LA. They both had children and for one glorious summer, they all converge on the house Helena and Nick own called Tiger House.

I disliked many, many things about this book. Nick’s name, for one. All the back-and-forth in time, too. It got real confusing, real fast. I need a linear timeline to enjoy a novel. I hated all the characters. Nick was a bitch, Helena was pathetic…I could go on and on but I’ll spare you. I felt like I was reading the final draft of a novel assignment for a college class, if that makes any sense. You know that feeling you get when you’re reading something and there’s so much description and “perfect” dialogue but you don’t feel like you’re seeing the real characters and their actions seem fake? About halfway through I still wasn’t sure I would finish, but then I figured I might as well see how life turned out for all these horrible people.

I would not recommend Tigers in Red Weather. There’s no one to root for and the skipping around in time is annoying.

Days Go By

This Is How It Ends

Kathleen McMahon

Fiction

Good lord, this was a sad book. I just finished it and I’m still a little teary.

This Is How It Ends is the story of Addie, Bruno, and Hugh. Hugh lives in Ireland and Addie’s his daughter who’s staying with him while he recooperates from a fall. Bruno is a long-lost American cousin (second twice removed or something) who has just lost his job and wants to explore his roots. When he gets to Ireland, as soon as he meets Addie, they fall in love. But then Addie starts experiencing pains in her stomach and I think we can all guess where it goes from there (hint: just reread the title).

I can’t say I really liked anyone in this novel. Maybe Della, Addie’s sister and Hugh’s other daughter. But even she had her moments. I suppose that’s how it is in real life, though, right? No one’s happy or perfect all the time. I loved Lola, Addie’s dog. So I was quite pissed off (spoiler alert) that she drowns in the end! I think. I wasn’t quite sure. I really did love that dog. Anyway, this book is no upper, I’ll tell you that. But Ms. McMahon is a good writer, aside from all the annoying tense changes.

If you like depressing novels, this one’s for you. Otherwise, skip it. Or make sure you read something really uplifting immediately afterwards.

Taking Care of Business

The Exceptions

David Cristofano

Fiction

Wow. At first, when I realized this book was about a hitman stalking his prey, I almost put it down. But the characters sucked me in and I actually finished this book in one day. That is some speed reading, people.

The Exceptions is about Jonathan Bovaro. The Bovaros are a well-known mob family and when Jonathan is ten, he witnesses a family witness his father killing a man. The mob goes after the family and manages to kill the parents but not the daughter. Jonathan is assigned to take care of her, but he finds he can’t do it. He’s drawn to Melody and spends the next several years stalking her as she’s moved around the country by Witness Protection. Jonathan’s father finally decides enough is enough and she must be killed. So Jonathan “kidnaps” Melody and tells her he wants to help her. Then they fall in love. But how can this romance possibly have a happy ending?

I was quite shocked at the fact that I found myself rooting for Jonathan and Melody, but Mr. Cristofano has a gift for creating extremely relatable characters. The book is told from first person, Jonathan’s POV, and the reader really gets into his head and actually starts to feel sorry for a guy working for the mafia. There are lots of twists and turns towards the end, and I was afraid I’d close the book feeling depressed, but I didn’t.

The Exceptions is a great book that will keep you reading long past your bedtime. I highly recommend it.

So Skipable

Weirdly enough, I haven't passed over that many books lately, which will make this post super short. But don't worry, I'll be heading back to the library soon enough and I'm sure I'll be picking up a lot more books that will make me want to throw them against the wall.

A Place in the Country
Elizabeth Adler
Fiction

I'm not entirely sure, but I think I've read an Elizabeth Adler book before. Don't ask me which one, but it's just a feeling I have. No clue if I finished that one but I only got a few chapters in before I tossed this book aside. Woman and her teenage daughter start over in a small English village after woman discovers her husband is having an affair. Sounds good, right? Well, it's not. It was boring and I didn't connect with Caroline or her daughter, Issy, the two main characters.

Falling in Love with Joseph Smith: My Search for the Real Prophet
Jane Barnes
Religion

We all know I'm not much into God and stuff. But I find Mormonism fascinating, so I thought this book might draw me in. No, sir. It is all about Jesus and God and I realize there are people out there who find this subject interesting, but I am not one of them. My eyes started glazing over about two pages into the book. Also, the idea of someone "falling in love" with a historical figure is just plain weird.