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Vices are weaknesses indulged in by most; avoided by a few. Some people drink, some people smoke, some people gamble, some people visit ladies of the night … and me, I read/buy books. In every room of my house you are able to find a well-loved, well-read novel, or two, or ten. When I get super-stressed, my favorite thing to do is disappear into a world unlike mine and make friends with a novel’s cast of characters. And one of my favorite author’s imaginations to visit is that of Sarah Addison Allen.
I originally found Sarah Addison Allen sitting on a clearance bin. Well not her exactly, obviously – but one of her novels, The Sugar Queen. And ever since I have been hooked. The woman writes women well. She speaks to my heart and is so dear and enlightening about love and relationships – platonic or passionate. Sarah reminds me that sometimes there is still magic however small in the world. And when my husband bought me two more of her novels for my birthday, it only took me three days to fly through them both. Then my sister bought me one last Allen and I blew through it overnight, not that this will be the only time I read through these tomes – these books are repeat offenders.
I read Gregory MaGuire’s ‘Wicked‘ when it first came out back in 1995 – and loved it. I quickly collected and read Greg’s other fairytale adaptations – ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’, ‘Lost’, and ‘Mirror, Mirror’ – and must admit to being disappointed in these other lackluster tales. Whereas ‘Wicked’ was nothing short of captivating, these other adaptations were confusing and without the heart of MaGuire’s magnum opus. This is largely why I waited over 10 years to read the second and third installements of the Wicked Witch series.
You’re thinking, ‘Wow, this is a different type of book than Carolann usually discusses’ aren’t you? And you would be absolutely right. See, a couple of years ago my husband and I did a favorite book exchange. I made him read ‘Summer Sisters‘ by Judy Blume; he made me read ‘Rainbow Six‘ by Mr. Clancy. And I actually really liked it and have been hooked on character Jack Ryan ever since. I can honestly say I have read every book in the series, seen all the movies – and at this time, read officially more Clancy books than my husband.
‘If I should ever offend you, I will send a red rose to ask forgiveness. And if ever I receive one tendered for that purpose, I will return a white rose to say that all is forgiven.’
This book starts at the end of the story and thus, the end of the disastrous love affair between Mary Tolliver and Percy Warwick. {I am not ruining anything, you learn that right as you open the book} Therefore, I knew as I was being taken through Mary’s and Percy’s flashbacks, that this part of the story was not going to end happy. Nonetheless, I found myself wishing and hoping that maybe this time, just maybe, Mary would make the ‘right’ decision.
As Holly would say: Bon chers amis,
Good morning! Good afternoon! Good day! And welcome to the true story behind ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and the domino effect the movie had on the modern woman by introducing a good girl yet still a prostitute to the big screen – or so the book jacket boasts.
“… There was always sex in Hollywood, but before ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s', only the bad girls were having it.”
There is nothing more exciting for me than a large stack of pristine novels. That’s right, I am that much of a dork.
Have you ever ridden the PATH train? Well, I do. Everyday. And one never knows what you are going to see.
Well, if you were on the train today around 8am, you would have seen me reduced to tears over this book! In public … full on crying over a book.
I picked up this book because the main character synopsis on the book jacket reminded me of a friend {and I will not tell you which one to protect her innocence.}
I picked this book up because I didn’t have anything left to read and it was on sale at B&N. I didn’t actually think it would be this good.
