This is my original post…

I decided to add book reviews to my blog since I do so much reading here in Mexico.  It seems like I am telling the same story over and over when I am recommending books so I thought this would be easier.  I have read soooooooo much since I got to Mexico that I decided to start with this month´s (July 2012) New York Times Best Sellers.  Most of these have been on the list for a LONG time but some are new.  After this review I will review books I have read that week.  Note – I haven´t read all of these but the list is to give you some perspective…

Fiction:

1. Fifty Shades of Grey – I was hesitant to read this at first but it kept popping it every where so I decided to give the series a shot.  In the descriptions they describe it as a book about BDSM which is true but its only a small part of the book.  Really its about a naive girl and a screwed up guy trying to have a relationship.  It’s very sexy…The BDSM is interesting because the main character is very methodical and practical about it.  Intriguing really…

2. Fifty Shades Darker – The first book ended in a cliff hanger so I started the second one right away.  Obviously the two get back together, they have many challenges including someone trying to kill them.  The girl gets irritating some times and the book is still very sexy.

3. Fifty Shades Freed – This was my least favorite book but it’s still worth reading so you have some closure.  They figure out who is trying to kill them and they have a few other challenges which they work out.

Some people say that the point of these books that even people with baggage can have good relationships.  In this case the guy has most of the baggage and its major.  You have to give it up to the girl for all the shit she has to deal with and although she gets annoying at times you really can´t blame her.  I read the whole series over a weekend.

4. Gone Girl – I haven´t read this book and not sure that I will.  It’s about a woman who disappears and her husband is the first one accused.  Doesn´t sounds different from a hundred other books where the husband is blamed so at this time not interested…

5. Bared to You – This book was recommended if you like the Shades series.  It doesn´t have the BDSM aspect but it is about people with baggage.  In this book both main characters…hell even the minor characters have a lot of baggage!  This book is also very sexy but the story is interesting.  Sometimes it’s so f´d up you can´t tear yourself away from it.  Its book one of a trilogy and I am anxious about book 2 which comes out this fall.  The 2nd book is more about him…

6. Bloodline –

7. Summerland

8. Once Burned

9. Summer Nights

10. Wicked Business – I love all Janet Evanovich books and this one did not disappoint.  Its book two of the Lizzy and Diesel series and this time they are looking for the Stone of Lust.  For you Stephanie Plum fans…Diesel is the strange guy that appears in the between the numbers books. LOL funny!

11. Odd Interlude #3

12. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter – Tim and I decided to read this when we saw the trailer for the movie.  I really didn´t think I would like it but I was pleasantly surprised.  For people who love historical fiction…you will love this.  It’s so mixed in fact you really believe that Abe Lincoln was Vampire Hunter.  It’s supposedly based on diaries he left and its interesting how they weave the story in with known facts of his life.  I haven´t seen the movie but the book was good and I learned a little more about Abe Lincoln.

13. The Marriage Bargain – I like cheesy books like this…especially as beach reads.  This story isn´t that much different from other ones where two people strike up a deal and then end up really falling in love but its cute and a fast read.  I like the characters even if they make me nuts sometimes because they are both so dense.  I was a little annoyed that she got pregnant tho…really?? can we be less original?  regardles…fun read.

14. The Litigators – For those of you who gave up on John Grisham a long time ago…I think its time to go back!  His books aren´t as predictable as they once were and the good guys don´t always have everything fall into place (The confession is an excellent example of this).  This book is different…basically its about an office of losers who struggle to make a living and who fall upon a big case that will change everything…of course.

15. Wicked Nights

16. The 11th Hour – Another author who never disappoints!  James Patterson brings back the Women´s Murder Club and Lindsay is pregnant.  There is trouble in paradise tho (blame it on the hormones).  Very interesting cases…especially the heads buried in the yard.

17. The Age of Miracles – I don´t recommend this book!  I finished it only because I kept hoping it would get better but overall the book was depressing!  It was an interesting concept.  The days are getting longer… the world is changing…ok…great but why? I think the main idea of this book is adapting to change.  The days are now 100 hours…ok so now what? I like how they addressed that but too many sad things happen and the main character never really finds happiness.

18. A Game of Thrones- I started this book but never finished.  It’s an interesting story but there are too many characters and the book jumps around a lot.  It’s very long and I have too many other books to get caught up in this series…From what I did read the HBO series seems to follow the books really well so I decided just to watch that!

19. The Innocent – Very interesting read.  Reminded me of that movie with Natalie Portman where she turns into a assassin.  The innocent is about a government assassin who decides not to take a the shot and all hell breaks loose from there. He is getting set up and somehow a 13year old girl gets mixed up in it.  Fast adventurous read!

20. Kissin Tell

21. At Last

22. Midnight Promises

23. Odd Interlude #1

24. A Dance with Dragons

25. Mission to Paris – On my reader!

26. Calico Joe – Another excellent example of John Grisham breaking from the norm.  This book is another historical fiction book that had some much fact mixed in I had to do some research to make sure it was fiction!  If you love baseball and underdog stories you will LOVE this book!  I couldn´t put it down.  You fall in love with the hero, you hate the bad guy and you can´t stop turning the pages because you want to find out what happened.

27. The Last Boyfriend

28. A Storm of Swords

29. A Clash of Kinds

30. The Lucky One

Non Fiction – I don´t read a lot of NF…I like to live in a world of fantasy and make believe…especially if it’s about tragedy and hardships…I feel like I live through enough of that BUT in order to not to repeat history we have to understand it.

1. Becoming Sister Wives

2. Wild

3. Unbroken – A WW2 Story – I loved this book!  The author is amazing in how she makes you fall in love with the main character before the real story starts and when it does you are rooting for him all the way.  Amazing story!!

4. The Amateur

5. Killing Lincoln

6. In the Garden of Beasts – On my reader

7. An American Son – Considering reading…this guy could be Romney´s Vice President.  A cuban american…

8. Cowards

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – On my reader

10. Escape from Camp 14

11. Heaven is for Real

12. The Glass Castle A great memoir that has been on the NY times best seller for years.  I am sure all of you know of someone who can´t be bothered by real jobs because they are better than that and have big ideas and dreams.  This is that story and how it affected a little girl and her family.

13. Steve Jobs – I really liked this book.  I lived a lot of this story and it was fun to see names of people I worked for and with.  This story is the story of our lives, the technology we use and the movies we watch.  It’s definately worth reading to find out how things came into be.

14. Outliers

15. I Feel Bad About My Neck