The Better Book Club

Since we all can use a little bit of a break from reality television (admit it we all have a few too many Real Housewive episodes on our DVR) I have decided to start a The Better Martha book club. For now I'm hoping to do about two books a month and update with a summary and review. 

The first pick for the month of July is (drum roll please)...

It was just released today so everyone can run out and get a copy. I've had the pleasure of reading some of Taylor Reid's unpublished work and I absolutely loved it. Forever, Interrupted is her debut novel, and it is already getting some fantastic reviews on Goodreads. You can order a hard copy or a kindle edition here. Happy reading!

* REVIEW UPDATE (7/12/2013)
It is inconceivably rare that I come across any novel that bring me to tears or gives me some greater perspective on life that I will carry with me long after the last page is read and the book has been put back on my shelf. Forever, Interrupted is the story of Elsie, a woman who meets and quickly marries the love of her life, only to lose him in a fatal accident ten days later. She then has to explain her marriage to the mother-in-law she's never met. As they both come to terms with the great misfortune fate has handed them, they lean on each other for support while learning to stand on their own two feet without the person they love the most.  I find most novels that strive for the feelings Forever, Interrupted evokes often hit a note that is too sappy and one dimensional to elicit any real emotion from me. Reid does a beautiful job of weaving a sad tale with threads of humor that will make you smile before reaching for anther tissue. This novel does a spectacular job of teaching the difference between moving forward and forgetting when the people you love are no longer by your side. Taylor Jenkins Reid has made quite an impression with her debut novel and I can't wait to see what is next to come from this author.

The Better Graduation Reflections

This year, the beginning of the summer is a bit of a landmark for my family. My parents are having their 30th anniversary, my brother having graduated medical school is officially a doctor, and I'm saying farewell to the small prep school that I have attended for the last 14 years. After watching my father (an alum of the school) hand my brother his diploma, it got me thinking that it would only be a few short weeks before I' be getting my diploma.

Granted it is just high school, and I don't have to deal with the stress of knowing that lives will be in my hands...but still, it was a big awakening. All of this made me realize there are so many things I want to bake, do, see, and read while I'm still footloose, fancy free, and not bound to textbooks in the library. I refuse to let this summer pass only to realize that I have spent most of my days in the house. So here it is, my official Before I Go To College: Summer of 2012 Bucket List.

THINGS TO BAKE

1. Cinnamon Brown Butter Breakfast Puffs (Pictured above. Image via Smitten Kitchen)

2. Naan Bread

3. Homemade Twix Bar

4. Tiramisu (Pictured above. Image via 17 and Baking)

5. Jamaican Hard Dough Bread (This one is especially for my Jamaican parents who have been begging me to make it.)

THINGS TO DO

1. Run on the beach

2. West Coast Swing dance classes

3. Cake decorting class  (Image above via Glorious Treats)

4. Food photography/ styling class

5. Complete my tee shirt rug (Pictured above.)
6. Organize all pictures and computer files

THINGS TO SEE

1. Napa vineyards

2. Broadway show at Pantages Theatre

3. Snow White and the Huntsman

4. Chelsea Lately Live Show (Pictured above. Image via Google Images)

5. Cirque du Soleil

THINGS TO  READ

1. Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book1)

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

3. An Abundance of Katherines (Pictured above. Image via Google Images)

4. Pandemonium

5. Uglies

I'd love to hear about all the activities on your bucket list.

The Better Way to Devour a Book

Audible books are the most wonderful thing since individually sliced cheese. Anytime I am procrastinating, and there is a buildup of work that needs to be done, an audio book is the best way to get me moving. I know it sounds very lazy-American of me, but sometimes I just don’t want to hold an actual book and make my eyes scan across the page. If my room needs to be vacuumed or I need to organize my desk, I can consume a great book and get my chores done at the same time. It’s genius.

Audible.com

My iTunes Library