I'm a Book Reviewer!

Okay, not really. But, after mentioning in my last post that I recently read THE LOVELY BONES, I got a message from the lovely Chelsea/Page Flipper saying she had also just read (and reviewed!) the very same book. (I'm so glad I wasn't the last person to show up at the party...or...wait...was I?) Anyway, I wrote a lengthy reply to Chelsea's review and then realized it basically amounted to my own review...so I've decided to post a slightly modified version of my comments here in case any other LOVELY BONE-heads want to weigh in and share their thoughts. So...here it is:

THE LOVELY BONES BY ALICE SEBOLD
as reviewed by moi...

I had heard all the hype about THE LOVELY BONES ages ago (including people mourning the fact that they couldn't find a single book club not reading it), but wasn't necessarily expecting much when I finally--seven years after the fact--dove in myself. Call me Pollyanna, but a lot of hype typically makes me expect less of a book (or whatever it is being hyped).

SO...let's start with the bad (see previous "Pollyanna" reference): Like Chelsea, there is one part of the book in particular that rubbed me the wrong way or, as Chelsea said, was "very WTF." This is why I said, in my last post, that I wasn't sold on the second half. It was basically a Sixth Sense/"I see dead people" thing that stayed in the oven way too long--and suddenly, our protagonist is returning to earth from heaven, inhabiting the body of her former (quasi-lesbian) classmate, and then hooking up with her former (male) crush. WTF indeed. Not only was it all a bit far-fetched--it almost seemed like it belonged in another book. Even the voice seemed off. It sort of made me remember that one chapter in Melissa Banks' THE GIRLS' GUIDE TO HUNTING AND FISHING, if anyone's read that (if you have, I think you'll know what I'm talking about).

That said, there were many things about this book that I LOVED and that kept me reading:

1. The writing was stunning. Although there were a lot of characters to follow and it got choppy and skipped around quite a lot, I mostly found it to be pitch-perfect, eloquent, breathtaking...and yes, lovely. The fact that Sebold could make such morbid subject matter (a girl who's been brutally raped and murdered and watches the aftermath on earth from her perch in heaven) almost status quo--even humorous at times--was, to me, a major coup. I loved that Sebold maintained such sympathy and neutrality for all the characters, even the most grotesque. Pure genius, IMO.

2. The will-they-or-won't-they catch the rapist/killer plotline was riveting. It's been ages since I've read a book I just didn't want to put down. This one had me going and going because I wanted to see what would happen next and what clues would be uncovered, how the characters would evolve (and boy did they--well, most of them), etc.

3. The quasi-spirituality was compelling. I'm not a particularly religious person and I thought the way the afterlife was presented here was quite interesting without being overdone. Made me think about life. And death. And stuff.

There were a lot of other things I liked and disliked (the ending was quite a let-down for me), but I should probably just shut up already and stick to writing books rather than reviewing them. For now, anyway. ;-)

I'm interested to hear from any of you who've read THE LOVELY BONES, too. So please share your thoughts.

XO

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Ever since becoming an “adult,” I haven’t found vacations to be nearly as restful as the idyllic experiences of my childhood—frolicking on the beach, staying out all night, sleeping in as late as I like. Back then, my most stressful moments revolved around inadvertently dropping my perfectly ripe nectarine or tuna salad sandwich or just-purchased-from-the-ice-cream-man chocolate éclair in the sand. That, or losing my bikini top when I took a particularly daring plunge into the water.

I swear I'm not complaining (okay, I am...but let me explain). I mean, yes, the past couple weeks were a bit hectic—chasing after my three-year-old son, seeing my mother bald and bedridden. And let's face it, the real bummer is that I'm freaking old and just don't have the energy to (god, this sounds awful, but...) have fun like I used to. However, there were plenty of good times in the mix, not the least of which was the news that while the chemo is definitely kicking my mom’s ass, it seems to be kicking the cancer’s as well. Meanwhile, since Mom was pretty much out of commission for our visit, she planned lots of activities for us, like:

The Del Mar Fair!

Sea World!

Cordiano Winery!

I also forgot to bring reading material with me, and found myself searching for something on the shelves of the condo we were renting—and boy, did I discover a gem. I know I’m about seven years late on this, but I finally cracked open THE LOVELY BONES and was absolutely riveted. I did kind of like the first half better than the second, and wasn’t totally satisfied with the ending…but overall, I was pretty much blown away. Anyone else out there care to share their thoughts on that particular novel? Again, I know I’m seriously late to the game, but now I’m desperate to discuss it with other people who’ve read it. (Hey, 2002 was a really busy year for me, okay? I didn’t have time to join a book club.)

What else? Oh yeah. If you’re French (or you speak French), MEILLEURES ENNEMIES, TOME DEUX came out on the 11th of June! So…here’s a message for all my French-speaking amis:

Je serais si heureux si vous achèteriez MEILLEURES ENNEMIES, TOME DEUX immédiatement. J'aime tous mes ventilateurs français et espère que vous appréciez livre deux autant que livre un. (And yes, I know that a fan, in the context of someone who likes my books, is not really called a “ventilateur” in France, but I thought that would be a cool—no pun intended—way to translate it since I don’t know the correct word. :-)

I think that’s probably enough updates for now. I’ll be posting more frequently over the next several weeks, since my son’s summer vacation is officially OVER until mid-August (and therefore, mine is kinda/sorta beginning!).

If you're heading somewhere fun, here’s hoping you don’t drop any of your ice cream in the sand...

XO

Holiday! Celebrate!

I’ve been on a bit of a forced vacation since I last posted, due to the fact that my son is on summer break (yes, even preschool gets summer break). One week down, one to go—and boy, time sure flies when you’ve got new DVDs like Scooby Doo Meets Bat Man, not to mention AWESOME places like Target, Chili’s and McDonald’s PlayPlace to fill the hours. Ahhhh, life as a suburban, valley-trash mom.

It really hasn’t been all that bad. We’ve had some good times. See? Here’s Jack enjoying the 50-cent horsey outside of our local CVS:

Yeah! Um. The good news is, tomorrow we’ll be heading down to San Diego, where there are beaches (within walking distance)! The Del Mar Fair! LegoLand! Sea World! Aquariums! Plus, we get to spend plenty of time with my parents, who rented us a condo right down the hill from them (gotta love the parents). I’m really looking forward to seeing my mom, whose ride on the cancer rollercoaster has been pretty scary the past week, and to help take some of the caregiver duties off my dad’s shoulders. Of course, now it seems Mom’s on an upswing (wheeeee!), so perhaps we’ll actually get a chance to celebrate…you know…life.

I’m in a celebratory mood for another reason, too. I’m probably not supposed to share the details yet, but subtlety isn’t one of my virtues. So...um...er...uh...OKAY! It involves FRENEMIES, a made-for-TV movie, and a some channel called “The Disney.” That wasn’t too specific, was it? Of course, we’re talking about Hollywood so let’s all keep those expectations in check, mmmmkay? Shyeah, right. I’ve been telling everybody! I can’t stop talking about it! I’m beyond psyched! I’m probably jinxing it! But oh well. It’s freaking exciting! RIGHT?

I will of course post updates if and when I have them (and I'm allowed to share them). Till then…have a cool summer. K.I.T.!

XO

Home Sweet Home

I just returned home after spending a week with my mom, which was amazing in every possible way (mostly good!). I’ve never done so much cooking and cleaning in my life, nor enjoyed it more. Why? Because I’ve never seen such gratitude in my mother's eyes, nor tried so hard to help someone so ravaged by disease and the poison that's supposedly eradicating some of it. Trust me...I know the unfortunate reality is that I'm in really good company. I don't think there's anyone out there who hasn't experienced cancer first- or second-hand. So, I'll stop yammering on about it and instead express myself in song, sweet song. Here's my cancer playlist for the week (hey, there's a fun new installment! :-):

Bittersweet Symphony, The Verve (poignantly reflects a lot of my current feelings)
Don't Stop Believin', Journey (great song, great sentiment)
Cancer For The Cure, eels (yeah, kind of bizarre…but it’s been popping into my head lately for obvious reasons)
Cure For Pain, Morphine (a drug my mom's become all-too-familiar with in the past few weeks as the cancer has invaded her spine in particular—and, hello? Click the link for the awesome live performance from my new favorite country, France!)
Home Sweet Home, Mötley Crüe (would you believe this was the song playing on the radio within a few minutes of pulling into my driveway and finally seeing my husband and son again? True story)

In other news, GLAMNESIA revisions are done and the book rocks. What? I'm an optimist now, so I can say these things. ;-)

Love to all of you,

XO

Does Absence Make The Heart Grow Fonder...?

Let's hope so! Because I doubt I'm going to be posting much--or be in much contact with anyone in general--for a wee bit longer.

You see, I'm not just frantically trying to wrap up GLAMNESIA revisions...I'm doing so on my mom's Mac (I shamefully confess I am a PC user at home and I'm NOT loving the mac mouse OR keyboard. GAH!). That also means I'm spending quality time with my beloved cancer patient (Mom), doing the cooking and cleaning and anything she wants (and truly--no sarcasm here at all--loving every moment of being able to return the maternal favor and take care of HER for a change).

The good news is she's doing as well as can be expected. I even cooked her a gourmet meal tonight and she devoured it (not bad for two days after chemo!).

Wishing you all well,

XO

J'AIME LA FRANCE!

I received the most fantastique email from my French translator, Jean-Noël Chatain, this morning. It included the GORGEOUS new cover for the French version of FAKETASTIC (A La Vie A La Mode, out June 11), and some equally beautiful news regarding sales of the French version of FRENEMIES (Meilleures Ennemies). I’m talking très grand, mes amis.

So really, I just have one question for my beloved translator: How do you say “I am so effing stoked” in French?

XO