Belong To Me by: Maria de los Santos

This is the second part to "Love Walked In." I wouldn't necessarily call it a sequel, I mean technically it is, but the story, the life that happens, in this book is different. I don't know how to explain it.

First of all, I'm obsessed with the way Maria de los Santos has written this book, everything about it: the different perspectives, the way it all first starts out as different stories; unique, individual, different stories that always tie together somehow, someway to be this one, complete life. Like all these little puzzle pieces adding up, with its own personal shapes, to create a huge finished puzzle. Its just beautiful.

Second of all, I'm obsessed with Cornelia. I'd like to hope I'm something like her. When I read these books I feel connected to her. She's different, but okay with it. She's completely nerdy to the point where strangers, people that don't really know her, have no idea what she is talking about when she speaks. But, she is so Cornelia that people can't help to love her. I am in no way saying this is me. I am just saying that I definitely respect Cornelia's character and if I had to choose somebody to be like, I'd hope to be like her.

Cornelia and Teo's relationship is something (that although I understand its fiction) is something I can only hope to strive for, to hope to have one day. I think I'm so content being single because I won't settle with my forever.. my forever WILL be like Cornelia and Teo.

I don't know why but these two novels certainly found a way to nudge themselves into my soul, my brain... to become a part of my life; just like the Art of Racing in the Rain. And, I love that about novels. That's why I read, because its continues to help me grow, to see things from so many different perspectives, to know more than I ever thought I could. Once a person opens themselves up to be a sponge and soak in all that life can have (good and bad) you have an infinitely high ceiling of growth. Its endless, and I forever will try to reach the end.

Oh yeah. One thing I forget to mention about Cornelia, what I love about her and what I try to do is this: The way she talks about the bad, about the flaws, the struggling, the hard times, the negative in her life. EVERYBODY has it, everybody's personal journey is different and their own and no one can take that away from anybody. But, there are so many people that choose to let this take them over. They let the negative affect them negatively. Which makes sense, after all, it is negative. But Cornelia doesn't do this (okay, maybe once or twice, after all, she is fictionally and metaphorically human). Instead she acknowledges it and owns it. Yes, her life isn't perfect nor yours. Yes shit goes wrong, as your shit, too, goes wrong. But, that doesn't mean she or anybody needs to be babied, pitied, coddled, or complicated as too make them feel like the bad doesn't exist. No matter what you do, or what you say. The bad is there. So just accept it and don't make it mean more than it already does. I can't explain it well, I don't think. You'll have to just read the book and understand what I mean.

As always, here are some of my highlighted parts of the book:

"Never again would birds' song be the same. And to do that to birds was why she came." -Robert Frost

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." -Carl Sagan

"Wasn't at least the possibility of forever the whole point of everything?"

"We think our parents are in charge, right? Like they know what they're doing? But the truth is, they're making it up as they go along, just like we are. Just like everyone. If we judge them by their worst mistakes, they're all, like, gargantuan failures. Maybe you should try judging your mom by her intentions, by whether she, like, loves you and is doing her best."

"Yes, pain is abominable, a nightmare, but pain reveals, when we'e had to throw all else overboard, what is left in our personal sinking boat."

"But I've found that if you insist on goodwill, if everyone insists on it together, goodwill comes. I've found that love can be a decision. Forgiveness, too."

The 19th Wife: A Novel by David Ebershoff

It is important to remember that this book is fiction, although, based on a true part of history. As a Catholic, this book was pretty interesting for me to read because I learned more about the LDS faith. It was interesting to see, from this novel's narrative, the perspective that the modern LDS have on the Firsts. This book opens a lot of questions regarding the faith... however, which religion has all the answers?... none! I am not trying to offend anybody, so I choose to keep my opinions intra-personal on this particular subject. I will just state my opinions based upon the novel as a whole.

It took me a really long time to read, and I am usually a pretty quick reader. Parts of it would capture my attention and other parts (mostly the parts that regarded historical references) I would tend to get sleepy and bored while reading. Nevertheless, I finished it and feel more knowledgable for it. Unless one is a devoted reader or very interested in the LDS faith, in particular, the Firsts, I wouldn't recommend reading this novel because, for me at least, it took a lot of dedication to get through.

Here are some notes I highlighted from the novel:

"As poison enters a well, contamination must follow."

"If only the unfaithful heart could act with originality!"

"Last year when my grandma fell and broke her hip she couldn't paint her toenails anymore. So my grandpa started doing it for her, even after he fell and broke his hip, too. For me, that's love."

"You should be careful about saying "I love you" too much. If you don't really mean it the words will lose their value. But if you do mean it, then you can go ahead and say it all the time."

"That's what the desert's about: solitude. It's a test. A test to see if you can stand yourself."

"What do I consider myself now? A man attempting to be good. In this endeavor I have no use for church and steeple. If another man does, I only wish he finds what he needs."

"Who's to say what will come next? Who can say they know what it all means? You got to live with it. The not knowing. The wondering. The unanswered questions. The murk of life. You got to accept it - the why."

"Rage is a candle, it will always burn out."

"I believe most men, even the greatest, can offer salvation only once in their lifetime; for if he succeeds (and most men do not), he will overestimate his powers and thereafter will behave recklessly."

Sarah's Key by: Tatiana de Rosney

This novel is very intense. It tells the story of France's (Paris) role during WWII and the Holocaust. It was extremely powerful for me because I had just spent two weeks in Europe, which included visiting Paris, so it was very weird to read the events and be able to picture it in my head. Books like these are never really easy to read, but they are worth it and people need to be aware and know the horrors of what took place. When I visited Germany, we went to a concentration camp. There we learned that every German student is required to visit a concentration camp before they graduate. I found this very interesting. But, it is so much a part of Germany's history that it makes sense. As I was visiting the concentration camp, I thought to myself, I feel so much for all the suffering and people that died here; but, could you imagine being a survivor.. and having to live everyday bearing on your heart, shoulders, and soul what you lived through? Nothing about anything that occurred during this part of our world's history is okay, and I don't think there is anyway that the world will be able to think about these events without becoming emotional.

This novel was not just a historical novel, but it also had a personal familial relationship tied into the plot that also opened up interesting controversial topics that, sadly, many couples face today. The ending was not amazing, but it satisfied me. I think it was appropriate because as I said before, there is no making it okay, there is no getting over it, there is no forgetting... so, there is no way you can really end this novel with a blunt period, more like an airy breeze that lasts for only a second but leaves you lingering with both the comfort and shivers of it all.

Something Blue by: Emily Giffin

This book is really great. It is the sequel to Something Borrowed; however, unlike sequels that I'm used to reading, it is not just  a continuation of the plot but also written from a different characters point of view. It is interesting to see the other characters take on all the events that took place in Something Borrowed and then to see the storyline progress. It made me want another book doing the same thing from the first point of view, Rachel, to see what she thought about the new events that had taken place. There are a few more books in this series; but, I'm not sure if they are new plots and characters or if it is a continuation of the first two. Oh well, I guess we will find out!! These two books were such easy reads and it was a nice break from the previous emotional novels I had read!

Something Borrowed by: Emily Giffin

This book captivates you from the beginning, very easy and fun read. AND I'm sure a lot of people can relate to many of the characters in the book, whether they see them in themselves or if they remind them of people they know and interact with in their own lives. I definitely had this experience and I felt like I was reading something that was very real. There are four (I think, maybe five...) other books in this series and I am very excited to read the next three or four. I have a 14 hour plane ride on Monday so I suspect I will get through a couple then. Just like with "The Help," I was so focused on reading and finishing this book that I didn't take much time out to highlight good points in the book. I have only one to share with you:

"When you are in a relationship, you are aware that it might end. You might grow apart, find someone else simply fall out of love. But a friendship isn't a zero-sum game, and as such, you assume that it will last forever, especially an old friendship. You take its permanence for granted, which might be the very thing that is so dear about it."

This quote touched me a lot, because I really felt that it was applicable as an explanation for why I do and do not do things in regards to relationships. I have a hard time letting go of things and people that have touched my life in special ways, I feel safer in a friendship because as this quote says, friendships are something that don't predict an end, but a stable support system that can last a lifetime. I find comfort in that.

The Help by: Kathryn Stockett

Okay, so this was absolutely an amazing book. I loved everything about it. I think I personally felt a little more connected to it because I spent four years in the south, South Carolina, for college so I saw first hand the type of segregation and level of racism that still sadly exists. Coming from the West I was really confused when I went to the south and experienced the differences. The book really creates a vivid picture of what it must have been like and it is really something people should be aware of. I found it especially interesting that the author had first hand experience being raised by help. I think that made the book more special and real.

I was so into this book that I didn't really take much time to highlight as many parts of the book as I should have, but here are a couple things:

"Mother's been nagging me about my smoking and I know I should stop, but its not like its going to kill me."

"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."

"The Art of Racing in the Rain" -Garth Stein

I love love loved this novel. I had been wanting to read it for a while, I finished my other book club book pretty quickly so I decided to squeeze this one in before I received my next book to read. To be honest, I had no idea what it was about, I knew that it had something to do with a dog and I heard it was kind of sad. Other than that, I had no idea about the plot. And, I totally love going into books with that kind of knowledge. I love knowing nothing about the book except for that I hear its really good or something. This way every moment with the book is a surprise and each page is something new and exciting. Sometimes books aren't that great at the beginning, or some parts are slow, which can leave you with no drive to finish the book. However, when someone is like, "This is a really good book, you have to read it," I have faith that at the end of the book I will be happy I read it. So, anyway, I read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and I really think that everyone should read this book. Very VERY good. Very inspiration in ways and as silly as this sounds it just has something good to say. Here are my favorite lines from the book:

"People and their rituals. They cling to things so hard sometimes."

"Because memory is time folding back on itself. To remember is to disengage from the present."

"That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves."

"Any problems that may occur have ultimately been caused by you, because you are responsible for where you are and what you are doing there."

"The true hero is flawed. The true test of a champion is not whether he can triumph, but whether he can overcome obstacles- preferably of his own making- in order to triumph. A hero without a flaw is of no interest to an audience or to the universe, which, after all, is based on conflict and opposition, the irresistible force meeting the unmovable object."

"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life, as Eve felt the joy of life. To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to."

"Yes: the race is long- to finish first, first you must finish."

"Separate entrances for cats and dogs. That's what I remember most. And still another entrance for infectious animals, which did not discriminate by genus. Apparently, dogs and cats are equal when they are infectious."

"There is no dishonor in losing the race," Don said. "There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose."

"The human language, as precise at it is with its thousands of words, can still be so wonderfully vague."

"The race is long. It is better to drive within oneself and finish the race behind the others than it is to drive too hard and crash."