All Consuming : erikasastar

Just my style (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:19:18 GMT

by Marina Lewycka

I loved this book. Lewycka knows how to be witty and her humor really is right up my alley. I love the blunt statements that make me laugh out loud and how the mere facts presented as she writes are so comical. Of course the book wouldn’t be half as good without a real meaningful story line, which follows the several years after the death of Nadia’s mother and chronicles her relationship with her sister Vera and the often hilarious, often sad happenings to her aging father. Overall an excellent read!

Consumed "A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:19:18 GMT

A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian

by Marina Lewycka

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Little Earthquakes"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:20:06 GMT

Little Earthquakes

by Jennifer Weiner

WORTH IT!

A story about "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:48:29 GMT

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

by Elizabeth Gilbert

First of all, I will say that I ended up liking the book much better than I anticipated after the first 50ish pages. In the beginning, the author seemed shockingly self-centered and insensitive to those around her, but slowly I understood that that actually was the point. I don’t find her inspiring, but her travel stories are mildly interesting and I enjoyed hearing about the characters she encounters in all three countries.

Consumed "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:48:29 GMT

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

by Elizabeth Gilbert

Consuming "My Life"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:38:05 GMT

My Life

by Bill Clinton

Consumed "Love in the Time of Cholera (MTI) (Vintage International)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:41:33 GMT

Love in the Time of Cholera (MTI) (Vintage International)

by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The Boleyn Inheritance"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:10:09 GMT

The Boleyn Inheritance

by Philippa Gregory

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Special Topics in Calamity Physics"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:09:03 GMT

Special Topics in Calamity Physics

by Marisha Pessl

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:07:38 GMT

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

by Barack Obama

WORTH IT!

Consuming "Flowers for Algernon"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:49:56 GMT

Flowers for Algernon

by Daniel Keyes

Consumed "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:29:10 GMT

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time

by Greg Mortenson

WORTH IT!

Why I recommend "Water for Elephants"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:07:45 GMT

Water for Elephants

by Sara Gruen

I loved this book. Its incredibly well written, imaginative, and has great character development. I really like how Gruen uses the framework of the main character in the last stage of his life to ground the story of his younger days in the circus. I really liked reading about circus life. For me, it was long enough ago that the animal (and human) brutality seemed more like fiction. Totally recommend it! I couldn’t put it down!

Consumed "Water for Elephants"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:07:45 GMT

Water for Elephants

by Sara Gruen

WORTH IT!

Consumed "A Thousand Splendid Suns"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:19:44 GMT

A Thousand Splendid Suns

by Khaled Hosseini

WORTH IT!

A story about "A Thousand Splendid Suns"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:19:12 GMT

A Thousand Splendid Suns

by Khaled Hosseini

Wow. Powerful. This is a spectacular book. I also loved Kite Runner, and often second books don’t live up to expectations, but that was not the case with Thousand Splendid Suns. The perspective of two women in Afghanistan over a ~30 year period of time starts out as shocking and unfathomable. But as Hosseini draws you into the lives of Mariam and Laila, their own struggles and modest triumphs become incredibly real. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

A story about "Katherine"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:02:55 GMT

Katherine

by Anya Seton

Nearly 3 weeks and 500 pages later…and I still didn’t want it to end. Loved this book! Seton writes clearly but authentically, and uses the history to guide her fascinating story. Not knowing the actual historical outcome of the story perhaps made this even more enjoyable for me. Classic.

Consumed "Katherine"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:02:55 GMT

Katherine

by Anya Seton

WORTH IT!

A story about "The Magician's Assistant"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:20:26 GMT

The Magician's Assistant

by Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett’s writing style is fabulous. I think regardless of the underlying story line, I would enjoy reading her descriptions and anecdotes. However, this book also had a good backbone in the story of a woman who loses the love of her life (a gay magician) and embarks on a trip to Nebraska to uncover the story of his background and soothe her broken heart.

Consumed "Everyone Worth Knowing"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:29:25 GMT

Everyone Worth Knowing

by Lauren Weisberger

WORTH IT!

A story about "Confessions of a Shopaholic"

nobody@allconsuming.net (erikasastar) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:50:52 GMT

Confessions of a Shopaholic

by Sophie Kinsella

Drivel. Last 100 pages are slightly more bearable than the rest of the book. In the first 3/4 of the story, the shopping addiction and subsequent financial irresponsibility of Rebecca Bloomwood is apalling. Control yourself! Anyway, a quick read and not totally without merit, but I wouldn’t recommend it.