Book #26 - The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. If I was allowed to re-read books for this challenge, you could bet that those would be seven of my 100. I got this book for Christmas in 2008, and started reading but never finished. Just so you know, I got the Twilight Saga that Christmas, too. Now I think you know why I never finished.

In this collection of wizarding fairy tales, if you will, Rowling entangles as many Harry Potter characters as possible into this collection. Hermione Granger is the editor of the text; notes of Albus Dumbledore's are included with every story; but strangely enough, there are no references to Harry at all.

It's interesting to see how Rowling takes the lessons learned from traditional, muggle fairy tales, and transforms them into stories that are applicable to her famous wizarding world. At first I thought this was just another avenue for her to milk all that's left of Harry Potter's popularity. But I was wrong. Like every other work of Rowling's, The Tales of Beedle the Bard are all meticulously thought out and extremely well-developed. Hopefully she'll continue to find ways to keep the Harry Potter franchise alive and well, long after the last movie has been released to DVD.

Book #25 - The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

This is the second Sparks appearance on the blog, and I have to be honest - I had no desire to read this book. Due to my obsession with celebrity gossip, I remembered all of the hullabaloo when Nicholas Sparks said he was writing a novel with Miley Cyrus in mind for the female lead, and The Last Song was it. But, my mom happened to read it and said it was really good, so on our recent trip to northern Virginia, I hijacked her Kindle and devoured it in less than two days.

The Last Song follows Ronnie, a 17-year-old girl, and the summer she begrudgingly spends with her father in North Carolina. She hasn't spoken to him in three years and does not want to go, but is forced by her mother. Ronnie is also a piano prodigy, who was taught by her former Julliard professor father, Steve, and has refused to play since he and her mother divorced.

Ronnie goes into the summer with a bad attitude and many preconceived notions about why her father left her family. She ultimately falls in with the wrong crowd, and due to some previous indiscretions back home, lands in big trouble with the law. Between being furious with her dad and her teenage rebellion, she manages to meet Will, a handsome volleyball player from the town's richest family. They fall for each other and he helps her to realize that she needs to cut her father a little slack, especially when they receive the crushing news that Steve is terminally ill.

Ultimately, Ronnie re-establishes a relationship with her father and experiences her first love with Will. This book is another lesson in that it's never too late to make amends. It makes you think about any grudges you're holding, and how you'd feel if something happened to that person and all you've been doing is wasting precious time. Even though I wanted to boycott reading The Last Song, I'm glad I didn't. It helped to remind me how powerful young love can be and that you need to live each day as if it could be your (or someone you love's) last.

Book #24 - The Best Wedding Reception Ever by Peter Merry

As the wedding planning continues, naturally so does my desire to read book about planning weddings. I think it's only natural. This book was actually recommended to me by one of the entertainers at the DJ company we booked. He said it was the best book to read when planning a reception and that he gives it as engagement gifts to all of his family and friends. I figured if a wedding-industry professional was pushing it, it had to be worthwhile reading.

The main focus of this book is how to create an exciting, well-planned reception that runs smoothly. What I liked most about his advice was that Merry didn't offer up just one formula for a successful wedding. Instead, he provides a number of different scenarios to complement the type of wedding you're throwing, making it easy and natural to incorporate some of his unforgettable ideas into your special day.

Although Merry thinks that keeping guests engaged during the reception is key, I'm not so sure I agree. I don't think the guests attending my wedding reception will really want to spend the evening playing games and answering bride and groom trivia as if they were at a birthday party.
But don't get me wrong - that's not to say I didn't get any good ideas from reading. Sorry though; I can't give them away now, especially if I want to have the best wedding reception ever. Everything is under lock and key until 5.28.2011.

Book #23 - Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Although I haven't blogged about a Nicholas Sparks book yet, he is one of my favorite authors. I love his books (although they often have a sad ending) and every time I finish one, I want to move to North Carolina. I also have seen enough Sparks movie adaptations to know that the books are always much better and they need to be read prior to viewing. So I knew before I watched Dear John I needed to tackle the novel first.

This isn't your typical summer love story. It begins with John, an Army soldier home on leave, and Savannah, a college student on a mission trip, and the beginning of their brief courtship. They only have a short time to get to know each other before John heads back to where he is stationed in Europe. But during that time, they fall hard for each other and their relationship blossoms. They sustain their connection by writing letters and looking forward to John's next two-week leave and ultimately when he will be finished with his enlistment. But then, September 11th happens, and John feels compelled to re-enlist for his country, and their relationship changes.

As we follow their relationship over the years and how it evolves, it makes the reader realize that sometimes love just isn't enough. Life and things much bigger than ourselves get in the way - love of country, love of family and unforeseen elements like illness - which can throw us off our intended path. John and Savannah must navigate through all of these road blocks throughout the novel, and it's heartbreaking to experience.

In all of his novels, Sparks is able to create characters that you root for and that you can relate to. He makes it easy to love reading his books and Dear John is no exception.

Book #22 - That Extra Half an Inch by Victoria Beckham

I am obsessed with celebrity gossip. I check people.com everyday to stay on top of what's happening in the celebrity world. Needless to say, my interest in Victoria Beckham peaked when she and her family moved to the U.S. a few years ago. Now, don't get me wrong, I have liked her since the Spice Girls - Posh Spice was indeed my favorite. So I knew I would read her book as part of this challenge.

It's not a true "autobiography" but It still tells the tale of her life, just through a different medium - fashion. In addition to providing fashion tips, we get insight into her fashion choices for some of her biggest life moments, including her wedding.

I would recommend knowing someone who is British or keeping google handy while reading - thank goodness for my friend Roxanne. She was able to explain what Beckham meant by "vests" and "jumpers" because it's not what you would usually think of as an American. But she had a lot more practical advice than I would have thought. At the end of the day, behind the stilettos, the make up and the fame, she is just a mom who needs to dress practically for her day, just like the rest of us.

And that's what I like most about following the lives of celebrities: discovering that they are, in fact, just like the rest of us.

Book #21 - For One More Day by Mitch Albom

Like most of America, I've been reading Mitch Albom's books since he wrote Tuesdays with Morrie. This story of his was recommended to me by my friend Jamie, and as I'm a little behind on my 100 books, she said it was a good, quick read. Which is exactly what I need right now.

This book follows the story of a man who's looking to commit suicide after his life has essentially fallen apart, thanks mostly to his alcoholism and failed professional baseball career. He decides to travel back to his childhood home to kill himself, and on his way, gets into a terrible car accident.

The main character, Chick, then sees his mother, who's since passed away. He spends one more day with her, learning from her and discovering how to turn his life around. Once he recovers from the accident, he begins to slowly repair his life and mend his relationships with his family.

This is a good story in teaching us that it's never too late to make amends. Chick is able to have one more day with his mother - to find peace with her passing and to forgive himself for not being there when she died. Albom is good at showcasing through others' experiences that we always have one more opportunity to make things right, and we should never let it pass.

Book #20 - If You Have to Cry Go Outside and Other Things Your Mother Never Told You by Kelly Cutrone

I was first exposed to Kelly Cutrone on The Hills, where she was Lauren and Whitney's boss/mentor at People's Revolution, a fashion PR firm in Los Angeles. Since her appearances on The Hills and then The City were well-received, Kelly then got her own show on Bravo, and ultimately a book deal. As a PR professional myself (although pitching faucets and high fashion are a little bit different) I knew that I'd want to read this memoir as soon as it came out.

The Kelly Cutrone that narrates this book is a little different than the one you might have seen on television. She is much more zen and very spiritual, whereas on camera, she's depicted as solely a no-nonsense, ruthlessly honest person. The other, softer side isn't seen as much and it was refreshing to hear that voice in her book.

Of course, a number of Kelly's stories are outrageous, but what else would you expect from a woman who moved to New York City with little money and a dream? It was great to hear the perspective of someone who has been in the industry for a long time, and from someone totally objective. She wasn't my boss talking to me about my work and her advice wasn't addressed to a specific employee of hers. Instead, it was straight "this is what you need to do to succeed" and I appreciated that. I would definitely recommend this book to any young woman - not just those working in PR.

Book #19 - Vision in White by Nora Roberts

I know it's probably hard to believe, but this is the first Nora Roberts book I've ever read. I'm not sure what kept me from her in the past; maybe because my mom was always thumbing through one, and as a rebellious teen often does, I didn't want to read anything that was enjoyed by my mother. Good news - I've grown up, and as a bride-to-be, Vision in White was a great first Roberts' novel to experience.

This is the first book in her Bride Quartet (I'm not sure if you've picked up on it yet, but I like to read series). It follows four life-long friends who run a wedding business called Vows. Mackensie is the photographer, Emma is the florist, Laurel is the baker and Parker oversees everything else as the traditional wedding planner. They all live and work in the same sprawling Connecticut estate, and we not only learn a little bit about their business, but also about each woman.

Mac is the main character in this first novel. She hasn't yet found Mr. Right, until a man from her teenage years comes back into her life when his sister hires Vows to plan her wedding. Shy, yet surprisingly sexy, professor Carter Maguire is exactly what's missing from Mac's life. They beginning seeing each other, and like in any romance novel, there isn't a happy ending right away. But Mac and Carter's romance is chronicled in a way that showcases Roberts' sharp, clever writing and develops two very real characters that are easy to like and relate to.

Not only is the novel about finding the right guy in unexpected places, but it's also about friendship. It conveys how the four friends love and support each other through thick and thin, and how they manage to respect each other while running a very successful business.

Vision in White was the first romance novel I've ever read, and I'm anxious to read the books that follow in Roberts' Bride Quartet. It was like watching a cute romantic comedy - although at times it's highly predictable, when it's over, you're still really glad with the happily-ever-after.

Book #18 - Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad

As a child who's grown up as part of the MTV generation, it's only natural that I watched Laguna Beach and The Hills. I could relate to the characters' lives and dilemmas as high schoolers and young adults, with the biggest disconnect between us being their super-wealthy lifestyles in Orange County and my normal one in middle America. Nonetheless, I got hooked on following Lauren Conrad and her friends while I was in college and ever since, it's been a guilty pleasure of mine.

When I first heard that Conrad was penning a series of books, I thought "Wow. I guess anyone can get a book deal in Hollywood." But I should bite my tongue. Sweet Little Lies is Conrad's second novel about two friends who agree to star in a reality show that chronicles their lives in Los Angeles. Fiction, right? Although she's not breaking any new literary ground, and I'm still skeptical as to how much writing Conrad actually does, her novels are a quick, entertaining read that provides some perspective into her crazy life.

I don't feel bad for anyone on reality shows like The Hills - when you sign up to be on television, you know what you're getting yourself into. The same is true in this book. The main character, Jane, who is the star of "L.A. Candy" a.k.a the fictional Hills, sees her life unravel as her first scandal hits the tabloids. Her friendship with her lifelong best friend Scarlett, who's also on the show, deteriorates as she tries to look out for Jane and warn her that everyone isn't as nice as they seem. Ultimately Jane discovers who she can and can't trust, what she needs to do in order to survive in Hollywood, and prevails.


This was a great, mindless weekend read, that kept my attention as I raced through the pages. I liked following the lives of Jane and Scarlett in this book even more than following the lives of Lauren and her pals on TV.

Book #17 - The Big White Book of Weddings by David Tutera

I figured that my reading project should help along my wedding planning process. So, for one of my non-fiction reads, I thought it would be a good idea to delve into a wedding book to help my cause.

David Tutera is a wedding planner to the stars, and one of my bridesmaids keeps telling me how much she loves him on the WE network. At the beginning of The Big White Book of Weddings, he clearly states his mission to help any bride have a sophisticated and classy wedding of her dreams.

The book had some great ideas for the little things like favors, centerpieces, etc. and I was glad I read it to get those tips. But as a bride-to-be who is taking wedding planning at a snail's pace, the rest of Tutera's advice utterly freaked me out and made me feel like I'm doing a terribly inadequate job in prepping for the big day.

I think it will help to re-read this book closer to my actual wedding date, so I can double check that I have everything in order. But right now, it was a quick read for some ideas to file away for that perfect day that's yet to come.