________________________ Spreading the Love of Reading One Book at a Time _______________________
This blog is for anyone whoever picked up a book and couldn't put it down. It's for anyone who loves to read and reads often. It's for anyone like me who's been seduced by a book and can't wait to discuss it.
"A true friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably." ~William Penn
The book follows the lives of three very different woman who happen to be friends. One of their weekly rituals is to get together and knit while catching up with each others' lives and sharing advice. Katherine is the sibling of a pair of famous twin movie stars. Sari works at a clinic with children who suffer from autism. Lucy works at a research facility as a lab assistant where animal testing is common. Each woman is at a crossroads in their life in which things can continue along their current path, or take a chance and change things. This is a book about friendship, love, and relationships.
This book has mixed reviews, but I personally liked it. I loved the dynamics of the friendship. The romances were a little on the light side, but I don't think they were meant to be the primary focus of the book, the friendship was. As the story unravels (sorry couldn't resist a little yarn humor) we get to see the personality of each woman. We find out about their fears, insecurities, and a little about their families and past.
One of the fun things about this book is that in the back Claire has listed the recipes for several drinks with names such as Pink String Bikini, The Glittery Scarf, and The Cozy Brown Afghan. I'm curious if the drink on the cover could be The Tangled Skein?
So, what was the song that danced through my head with this one? The Beatles song 'With a Little Help from My Friends'.
Why the name 'Knitting Under the Influence'? Well one night while discussing Katherine's latest predicament, the trio gets a little tipsy and decide to knit. While their advice is sound, the next morning they find their knitting projects aren't quite up to par. Hence, the title 'Knitting Under the Influence'.
Claire grew up and went to school in Newton, Massachusetts, the youngest of 5 children. After graduating from Newton South High, she went to Harvard and later moved to LA. Her name during that time was Claire Scovell.
In LA, she wrote for magazines including GQ, Vogue, and Cosmopolitan. She also met her husband there, a TV sitcom writer who writes for “The Simpsons”. In 1989, they got married and later had four children (Max, Johnny, Annie and Will). She currently lives in the Pacific Palisades with her family and too many pets to keep track of. She admits to being an agoraphobic who would rather hide in a corner somewhere hunched over her computer. So if you're hoping for her to come to a town near you you'll probably be waiting a very long time.
Claire first came on to the literary scene back in 2003, when her first novel 'Same as It Never Was' hit the shelves. After having four children, Claire felt it was time to do something different and decided to write a book. The book is about a young college student whose father and step-mother die leaving her to be the guardian of her 3 year old half-sister. While learning how to take care of Celia, she discovers sometimes it's the unexpected things in life that turn out to be the best. The main character grows as a person and finds love along the way. It should also be noted that the book was later made into an ABC Family movie entitled, 'Hello Sister, Goodbye Life'.
In 2006, she wrote 'Knitting under the Influence'. The book follows the lives of three very different woman who happen to be friends. One of their weekly rituals is to get together and knit while catching up with each others' lives and sharing advice and an occasional cocktail or two. Katherine is the sibling of a pair of famous twin movie stars. Sari works at a clinic with children who suffer from autism. Lucy works at a research facility as a lab assistant where animal testing is common. One of the fun things about this book is that in the back Claire has listed the recipes for several drinks with names such as Pink String Bikini, The Glittery Scarf, and The Cozy Brown Afghan. I'm curious if the drink on the cover could be The Tangled Skein? Oh, and if you're wondering Claire knits and is happy knitting is once again hip.
In 2008, Claire wrote The Smart One and the Pretty One. The story deals with the story of two sisters, Ava and Lauren. Ava is the smart sister - she's a lawyer in a firm and never seems to have time for a social life. She's pretty much married to her job. Lauren, on the other hand, is the pretty one and is a bit of a party girl. She's outgoing and likeable, but has a problem with self restraint when it comes to shopping. Ava is attempting to help Lauren get out of financial ruin by making her come up with a plan and sign a legal document stating she won't buy anything new for a year unless it's absolutely necessary. When Lauren finds a marriage contract her parents and some family friends wrote for Ava and their friend's son, she can't help but think of killing two birds with one stone. She decides to track down the forgotten fiance and get revenge on her sister for making her sign a contract.
One of the fun things Ms. LaZebnik included in the back of this book was a list of famous sisters. The list includes The March sisters from Little Woman, The Bouvier sisters, The Bronte sisters, and the Gorgon sisters. I must admit the last one surprised me.
In 2010, Claire wrote, 'If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now'. This is a book about a single mom, Rickie, who lives with her parents. Rickie was on the college track, going to college when she got pregnant. She dropped out of school at the end of her freshman year to raise her son. Since then, she's kind of lost herself along the way. She's taken online courses, but still hasn't done much to improve her current situation. Her son suffers from celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which the body can't process gluten. He's slightly smaller and less outgoing than most of the other kids in his class and not being able to eat most of the foods other kids can, makes him the target for bullying. In this one, both mother and child have problems fitting in and each has their own hurdles to overcome, but help comes from an unexpected source - the school's new PE coach. In August, Claire's book 'Epic Fail' was released. It's her first Young Adult book and is a loose rework of 'Pride & Prejudice'. While you may notice the similarities between the two books, I'm guessing the majority of people won't make the connection unless it's pointed out. The story is set in an exclusive LA high school. Elise and her family have just moved, and the story deals with fitting in to a new school and how first impressions can be deceiving. It shows how sometimes you need to let go of personal prejudices and look under the surface to really see the person inside.
It should also be noted that she co-wrote two nonfiction books with Lynn Koegel - 'Overcoming Autism: Finding the Answers, Strategies and Hope That Can Transform a Child’s Life' (2005) and 'Growing up on the Spectrum: A guide to life, love and learning for young adults with autism and Asperger’s' (2010). Both books hold significant meaning for Ms. LaZebnik as she is a parent of an autistic child.
Claire also contributed to the play, Motherhood Out LoudSusan R. Rose and Joan Stein, and written by Leslie Ayvazian, David Cale, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Lameece Issaq, Claire LaZebnik, Lisa Loomer, Michele Lowe, Marco Pennette, Theresa Rebeck, Luanne Rice, Annie Weisman and Cheryl L. West, under the direction of Lisa Peterson. Motherhood Out Loud received its premiere at Hartford Stage and recently completed its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse (as In Mother Words). To find out more about the play you can go to: http://www.motherhoodoutloud.com/
Which finally leads us to Claire's most current book which will hit bookstores everywhere today, September 1st, 2011 - 'Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts'.
I have to admit when I saw the name of this book I was pretty sure I'd enjoy it. The fact I went on a Claire LaZebnik book reading spree attests to fact that I did. I love the witty banter and humor found in her books. When I reached the end of this one, I had to giggle as I read her essay entitled 'The Only Normal One'. This book was inspired by, of all things, the Munsters. Remember that long ago created TV series about a family of monsters and one beautiful blond 'normal' daughter that made you wonder if the stork messed up on his delivery? In 'Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts', Keats (named after the poet) Sedlak, is the only 'normal' person in her family. Surrounded by a family of eccentric geniuses she's the one who stands out. She's been dating the same guy for 10 years and her family and boyfriend don't get along. In this book, Keats will discover some things about herself she hadn't known and reestablish some of the bonds with her families.
The publisher accidentally sent me an extra copy of Claire's book, 'Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts'. Her error will be someone's gain. One person will win the extra copy.
Rules to be eligible for giveaway:
1. Only residents of the US are eligible.
2. Please leave either your email address or a link to your Goodreads profile so I may get in contact with you to get your mailing address. No P.O. Boxes, please.If uncomfortable about giving out such information on my blog, please feel free to email me your information at seducedbyabook@gmail.com.
3. Become a follower of my blog, if you aren't already.
4. Leave a comment about an embarrassing family moment.
5. You will automatically get an additional entry if you entered one of my previous giveaway and didn't win.
Winner will be randomly chosen. Book will be sent directly from me. Giveaway ends September 8th, midnight eastern time. Winner will be posted on my blog and notified by email or message posted to them via Goodreads. Winner will have 72 hours to respond before another winner will be selected. Good Luck!
Note: All the above information about Ms. LaZebnik was taken from her website, the back of her books (yes, I usually read cover to cover), and her publisher.
They say every family has a black sheep, but in some families it's not the black sheep that stands out, it's the white one. Such is the case for Keats Sedlak. She's the only white sheep in the flock. Her family is full of geniuses who tend to be a touch eccentric and/or reclusive. As Keats' father is fond of saying, "It's a fine line between madness and genius."
Keats, named after the poet of the same name, is the middle child of three. She's been in the same relationship with Tom for 10 years. Her parents and Tom don't get along, but they tolerate each other. Her mother is divorcing her father, a man 20 years her senior, and is selling the family home. While cleaning out the family homestead and dealing with the reality that her father may not be around that much longer, Keats will reconnect with her family on a new level and realize you can't escape who you are or where you come from.
This is a book about family, love, and growing up. It's about making choices that aren't always easy and leaving your comfort zone. It's about being independent and standing on your own two feet. It's about family, and while you may be able to take the child out of the family, you can't always take the family out of the child--after all families are nonreturnable.
I loved seeing Keats grow throughout the story. I liked seeing her truly bond with her family for the first time in years. I also liked seeing how the dynamics of such an eccentric family worked.
Where the name of the book come from? The main thing that starts off a chain of events in Keats' life is a seemingly innocent gifting of a tattoo, which is a gift that's nonreturnable, hence, the name for the book. I gave this book a 4 out of 5 roses.
"If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child." ~Linda Sunshine
Once upon a time two sets of parents, while drinking perhaps more than they should, decided it would be fun to write up a marriage contract between their children. While all was done in jest and good humor two mothers signed the document and then later forgot of it's existence. Leave it to Ava's sister, Lauren, to find said document almost two decades later and not leave well enough alone...
This is a delightfully funny and entertaining read. Watching the relationship between Lauren and Ava was fun. Both are so very different from the other in some ways, yet alike in others. Ava is the smart sister - she's a lawyer in a firm and never seems to have time for a social life. She's pretty much married to her job. Lauren, on the other hand, is the pretty one and is a bit of a party girl. She's outgoing and likeable, but has a problem with self restraint when it comes to shopping. Ava is attempting to help Lauren get out of financial ruin by making her come up with a plan and sign a legal document stating she won't buy anything new for a year unless it's absolutely necessary. Each is what the other needs. Ava needed someone to push her socially and Lauren needed someone to help with her self restraint.
Mark, Ava's childhood fiance, was another fun character. He helped to add an additional bit of humor. I thought the whole marriage contract was a fun idea and the situations Lauren created brought a smile to my face. They are what led to me to searching for the quote I listed at the top of my review. While the quote isn't from the book, I felt it sums up the mood of the story nicely. I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses.
Notes: Contains language some may take offense to, but I felt it was appropriate for the character.
"I probably shouldn't tell you this, but everyone is dying to know your story. You know, because you look so young." "I'm not as young as I look." "Really?" She narrowed her eyes. "So how old are you?" "Thirty-seven." Melanie said, "Don't listen to her. She's twenty-five." "And Noah's, what, six?" "Something like that." I knew my son's age, but this woman with her perfectly dyed and styled long blond hair and smoothly unmoving skin unsettled me, and that made me turn on my indifferent-mother act. "You had him pretty young." "Right," I said. "He was just a baby." "Good choice. The older ones hurt more coming out."
Rickie Allen isn't your typical mother. She's a single mom who lives with her parents. Rickie was on the college track, going to school when she got pregnant. She dropped out of school at the end of her freshman year to raise her son. Since then she's kind of lost herself along the way. She's taken online courses, but still hasn't done much to improve her current situation. Her son suffers from celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which the body can't process gluten, which can be found in almost everything. He's slightly smaller and less outgoing than most of the other kids in his class. Not being able to eat most of the foods other kids can, makes him the target for bullying. In this one, both mother and child have problems fitting in and each has their own hurdles to overcome. Help comes from an unexpected source - the school's new PE coach, Andrew Fulton.
This was a fun read. I liked the unexpected twist as to how Rickie ended up pregnant. I also liked how she used her snarky attitude to place a barrier between herself and others. I liked how both Rickie and her son overcame some of the hurdles that separated them from those around them. I also liked how part of Rickie seemed to heal as the book progressed. While she would never regret having her son, I felt a part of her truly was hurt by all that transpired. I also like how Rickie's sister, Melanie helped her step out of her comfort zone and meet some of the other moms. Just as some moms had preconceived notions as to the type of person Rickie was, she also had some about the other moms. I gave this one 3 out of 5 roses.
Notes: Contains language some may take offense to, but I felt it was appropriate for the character.
"Olivia." he said. "Your father and, Alicia, too...they named you guardian. Of Celia. You're now your sister's legal guardian."
Life can change in the blink of an eye. That's what happened to Olivia. When her father and stepmother were killed in an automobile accident, she found out she was named guardian to her 3 year old sister, Celia.
"You should take care of Celia, anyway." "Stop saying that." "What else can I say?" he said. I swear the lines under his eyes had darkened since we'd gotten there. "I have to get yo to see this, Livvy. That this may not be what you wanted, but it's the right thing to do." "I don't do things because they're the right thing to do." "You should. You can start now." "You're not going to let me out of this office until I say yes, are you?" "I can't force you to do anything," he said. "If I could, I probably would, though."
Taking care of a three year old is a big responsibility for a 21 years old college student who's never babysat a child in her life. Not particularly close to either of her parents or sister, she's kept herself guarded from the world.With a father who was scarcely around and a mother whose philosophy was, "A glass of wine will make everything better." Olivia practically raised herself. While taking care of her sister, she'll finally get a sense of what having a family is truly like, although not your typical one, and find that sometimes it's the unexpected things in life that turn out to be the best.
I liked seeing Olivia grow as a person. I also liked her quick wit and sense of humor. I liked how she takes her responsibility seriously and didn't resent her sister for the predicament she finds herself in. I liked how Olivia's attitude toward relationships changed and how she opened up to the possibility of love. I loved how Dennis helped out more than he needed to and took care of so much. I also liked how Joe and Dennis were in sharp contrast to each other. I gave this book a 4 out 5 roses.
An added note: This book was later made into an ABC Family movie entitled, 'Hello Sister, Goodbye Life'.
Notes: This book has a touch of romance, but it was pretty tame. There was some mention of drug use and underage drinking by secondary characters, but each were shown in a negative light.
Fitting in at High School is never easy. When you're the new kid and everyone but you is sporting the latest in designer fashions, it makes it that much more difficult. Of course driving the family mini van amidst Porsches, Lamborghinis and Corvettes doesn't exactly score you any points either. Add on both your parents work at the new school and, well, you get the picture. The one thing Elise has going for her is her sister/best friend, Juliana, is also in the same boat. Problem is Juliana found herself a boyfriend, Chase, who seems perfect for her on the first day. That leaves Elise reluctantly paired off with Chase's best friend Derek, the rather aloof and standoffish son of Movie star parents. While Elise finds Derek extremely attractive, his reserved and rather snobbish behavior coupled with his privileged upbringing puts ideas into her head as to what type of person he is and makes things both difficult and interesting all at once.
This is a book about understanding, fitting in, and how assumptions can lead to the wrong conclusions. It's about how first impressions can be deceiving and things aren't always as they seem. It's about giving people a chance and occasionally making a mistake. Basically, it's a little taste of what we all experience--life, in a high school setting.
While this is a modern day take on Pride & Prejudice, it was cleverly reworked in a way that's not blatantly obvious. In fact, I highly doubt most people will make the connection until someone points it out. That, I must say, is the tell tale sign that a rework was done right. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
I loved Elise's smart wit and humor. She had me grinning from ear to ear. I loved how Derek was a tough read and Elise couldn't figure him out at the beginning. I liked how slowly his true personality was revealed, and it was a sharp contrast from what we were first shown. I loved the family dynamics that came into play between the sisters and the drama involved with seeing the uglier side of what goes on in the Hollywood setting.
While the name of the book may be 'Epic Fail', I felt the author scored an Epic Win with this book. I gave it a 5 out of 5 roses. I will be recommending this one to my daughter.
