Book Review: The Wednesday Sisters

The Wednesday Sisters was another title I picked up at that recent book sale. I had never even heard of it before and really had no idea what to expect. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. It was wonderful and one that might be a keeper and one that I reread again another summer.

There were so many reasons why I loved this book. It was about a group of friends. It was about a group that talked about reading and later writing. It followed the space program and other big events in history. It wasn't the first book I read about the 1960s/1970s but the one thing I really didn't like was how women were treated as only a wife and mother. I knew this but for some reason this book was much more honest about it.

The Wednesday Sisters reminded me a lot of Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons. The book is about five women - Allie, Frankie, Linda, Kath and Brett - who meet at the playground while their children play the morning Robert F. Kennedy is shot and realize they have a common interest in literature and writing. Together, they embark on a writing journal. First, by writing together for an hour each Wednesday morning and then critiquing each others work during the week and bringing it back to discuss. The writing helps the women is more ways then they can imagine.

The book takes place over the course of five years. The women go from strangers in the park to best friends. Each woman has to overcome their own trials - infertility, breast cancer, infidelity and insecurity - but with the help of the Wednesday Sisters they each survive stronger. The friendship starts with a common interest in the Miss American Pageant but as the women age and realize what is going on in the world see the pageant for more than ball gowns and swimsuits, more than a beauty pageant. And they see themselves as more than wives and mothers.

It took everything I had to do anything but read this weekend. I definitely cheated on my to-do list yesterday, so that I could finish the book. I was a bit disappointed in the ending but other than that this was a great book. If you liked Angry Housewives, you'll love this one. Check it out!

Happy Reading!

Summer Bucket List: Progress?

Summer is not even close to being over but it is the end of July and I want to make sure I get everything in on my summer bucket list for my epic summer. It's been a great summer so far, but I definitely haven't done as much as I had expected considering I ended up being a lot more busy with meetings, trips and life.

Well, here's what I have done so far this summer.

** Host parties in the backyard. **

Silly me thought I would have time to have people over once a week! Was I crazy! Must have been on all those painkillers I was hyped up on. Needless to say I have managed two parties - basically one per month. I'm not thinking any more parties this summer but maybe just having a few people over here and there to enjoy the summer evenings in the backyard.

** Spend time with family and friends. **

Amanda was here in June and we had such a wonderful time even if we didn't get to play tennis. My friend Courtney got married, so it was awesome seeing her family and of course two Lakeside trips to see friends and new babies!

** Go on vacation.**

Williamsburg was fabulous and so was the boat show weekend at Lakeside. The June week not so much. Talk about a hurricane on the lake. Needless to say my vacations are done for the summer and I'm a little sad.

And lots of other adventures:

In August, I still want to try some new restaurants, make ice cream and go to the drive-in. Oh yeah, and definitely work on my failing golf game!

Happy August! Let's get together if we haven't already and enjoy the beautiful weather finally!

Merry Christmas in July!

We all know how Christmas obsessed I am, so it is no surprise that when I saw that Christmas in July was on a Saturday that I needed to have a party. I came to the conclusion a bit late though and being out of town three times in the last few weeks meant that it was a hastily thrown together party. Christmas in July is often overlooked and I have such fabulous memories of celebrating as a kid at Lakeside when they had a live nativity the one summer and then later when I worked there going to Put-In-Bay for the evening. I wanted to have more Christmas in July memories, so party was scheduled and guests were invited!

Of course when it came to food and drink, my first thought was that we have to have Jingle Juice. I love Jingle Juice. In addition, some of the other festive food included a veggie tree and peppermint s'mores. Had more people come, I would have made more, including mistletoe jello shots and cut out cookies. There was also pepperoni rolls, buffalo chicken dip and Rita's. Oh and shredded chicken sandwiches that I kind of bombed! Christmas in July is tricky because you want to have themed food but if you think about it do you really want to be in a hot kitchen with crock pots and the oven going or spending hours making sugar cookies? Yeah, I didn't want to be doing that because I wanted to spend as much time that afternoon as possible at the swimming pool.

Decorating was much easier than I had expected considering that some of my Christmas decorations were readily available in the office turned storage space. I grabbed a small tree for the deck and the Charlie Brown tree for the kitchen. Of course there is always the famous Elf poster and than a canvas painting that my sister made for more decor . We already have Christmas lights on the deck, so that worked perfect and I had some holiday plates and napkins from a gift to use. I didn't want too much, so I think it worked out well.

I put on the invitation that there would be a White Elephant exchange but I didn't do that great of job reminding people, so it was a small one. We also had a snowball fight (water balloons) at midnight, which was awesome since it was still like 80 degrees and consisted more of us throwing balloons at the garage. I had also planned on showing Elf in the backyard but people were in and out and seemed content just hanging out and talking.

All in all it was a nice relaxing evening! Merry Christmas!

Rereading an Old Friend Again

Sometimes and especially in the summer after reading through so many new books, I love to come back to an old favorite. There are not many books that I can reread - I try but they aren't as fabulous the second time around. However, in some cases, they just get better and its like hanging out with your best friend. That's how I feel when I read Summer Sisters or Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons or The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood.

Last week I finished The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood for the umpteenth time. I've lost track of how many times I've read it. I do still remember the first time. I found it at the Lakeside United Methodist Church Library in high school. I'm pretty sure I devoured it in one afternoon on the dock. I loved it so much! Then I quickly found the prequel, Little Altars Everywhere, at the Lakeside Women's Club Library. Although not as good, I loved every minute of it!

The Ya Yas are my favorite and I long for a similar group of friends. I suppose my summer sisters come closest but not even. Perhaps that's why I like it so much. Yes, there are dark parts of the story and some might say that it is more about a mother and daughter but I see it as a wonderful book of friendship. One in which friends become family and so much more. At the end of the book, I'm always sad that it's over because I hate saying goodbye to an old friend.

So, if you have not read The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood I highly recommend that you do. You will definitely not regret it! I'd let you borrow mine but I'm a little attached to it and would fear that I might not see it again. Head to the library or bookstore and pick up a copy! It's a perfect summer read and you might just find that you feel how I do while reading that  you just met new friends that by the end of the book will be your best friends.

Enjoy and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Nantucket Red

I picked Nantucket Red up as an ARC (advanced reader copy) at the Public Library Conference last spring in Indianapolis. Looking back, I was so excited to finally have the sequel for Nantucket Blue but once I got home it was lost on my bookshelves until now. This titled kicked off my 2015 summer reading list and it definitely did not disappoint. In fact, I liked the sequel better than the first but then again it has been two years and I had forgot some of the plot of Nantucket Blue.

Not going to lie. I still read teen books even though it is no longer my job. We all know I'm sucker too for summer books and anything that takes place on Nantucket - hence why I love Elin Hildebrand's books so much. This is basically a Hildebrand book for a younger audience.

When Nantucket Blue ended Cricket had hooked up with her best friend's brother leaving an awkward void between the once unbreakable bond of friendship. Nantucket Red opens with Cricket preparing for her senior year at her private girls academy in Providence, Rhode Island. Her plans for the year include getting involved with every extracurricular activity, excelling as a player and co-captain of the lacrosse team and preparing college applications, specifically for Brown University. The only problem is that Jules, Cricket's best friend, is still not speaking to her after the events of the summer on Nantucket and together, Cricket and Zach (Jules' brother) have decided to take a pause in their relationship.

As the year progresses, the relationship between former best friends is on the mend. Cricket is accepted at Brown and prepares for a summer working in a local restaurant and training for the Brown lacrosse team. When she finds out that her scholarship will only cover tuition not dorms, meal plan or student fees, she realizes she will have to continue to live at home in order to fulfill her dream of attending an Ivy League university. An unlikely source offers to match Cricket's summer earnings to provide her with the opportunity to have the full college experience and Cricket is up for the challenge even if it means returning to Nantucket as a waitress at the famous beachfront club where Jules and Zach are now members.

Then one night everything changes. Cricket makes a mistake. Something that is unknown territory to her and she does not know how to handle the aftermath but Jules and Liz, Cricket's former coworker on Nantucket and now roommate come to the rescue.

Head to the library this week and check out this teen series. Find out if Cricket and Jules stay best friends, if Cricket and Zach end up ending the pause and if Cricket learns from her mistakes and attends Brown. Fans of Jenny Han's Summer I Turned Pretty will enjoy this series. It's a quick read but a perfect book to throw in the beach bag and read poolside. The review I wrote for my teens of the first in the series is below.

Nantucket Blue is the perfect summer romance book. At the beginning of the book, Cricket is finishing up her junior year of high school. She and her friend Jules have grand plans for a summer on Nantucket at Jules' family summer house. In Cricket's mind, the summer will be even better because Cricket's crush, Jay, will also be spending the summer on the island. After a terrible thing happens to Jules' family, Cricket is faced with reality. She will not be spending the summer on Nantucket with her best friend and crush. However, she is still determined to be there for her friend and find some summer love herself. Cricket finds a job and goes anyway to Nantucket but the summer does not begin or end like any of them intended. Read Nantucket Blue to find out if Cricket and Jules have a fabulous summer together, if Cricket finally ends up going out with Jay and to experience the other adventures of a summer spent on a beautiful island. Fans of the Jenny Han series will love Nantucket Blue.

Hello Summer 2015!

For an active person, spending nearly two months cooped up in the apartment recovering was terrible. All I wanted to do was enjoy spring in Highland Park, ride my bike on the North Shore Trail and of course train for the half marathon. The first two will happen and I'm still learning to come to terms with the absence of the last. With that being said, now that I am almost healed and preparing for my pending graduation from physical therapy, I'm planning an epic summer of adventures to make up for my failed spring.

Besides trips to Lakeside, shooting fireworks and attending weddings, I'm looking forward to a summer spending time outside with friends and family. Here are my plans for summer 2015! Who wants to join me?

** Host parties in the backyard. **

Thanks to all of my time spent in the recliner, I had plenty of time to look at party ideas for the backyard. I want to make lifesize Scrabble and show a movie on the garage wall. I'm sure the neighbors will love both! Of course there will be lots of fires, s'mores and dinners on the grill.

** Spend time with family and friends. **

In June, my dear friend from college, Amanda is coming to visit from Florida. I'm excited to see her. It's hard since my closest college friends are literally all over the world. Tennis used to fill our time - not sure if that will happen with my knee but there will definitely be some trips to our old stomping grounds - good old La Roche and Tennis Village. 

With three weddings, Lakeside weekends, family visits and graduation parties, there will be plenty of time to enjoy family and friends.

** Go on vacation.**

Aside from almost a week at Lakeside in June and the boat show weekend in July, Dennis and I are going to Williamsburg in July. He's never been there, so I'm excited to introduce him to another one of my favorite places.

And lots of other adventures:

Try new restaurants (there must be outdoor seating). Make ice cream and Popsicles. Go to the farmer's market. Attend outdoor concerts and movies at the city parks. Play disc golf. Learn to golf and spend lots of time at the driving range. Go to the drive-in. Have a picnic in the park. 

Happy unofficial start to summer! Hope to see you this summer!