Review - The Exceptionists by David Cristofano

Title: The Exceptions
Author: David Cristofano
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publish Date: Aug 7, 2012

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I was working the hardcover fiction bay new releases and kept eying this cover. There is something about it that made me want to stare at it endlessly. It made me wonder what it was about. Who was the girl? Why the boy in the background? Sadly, I left that day without even picking it up to read the summary. Yet, I thought about it all the next day, so much so I tried to remember what the title and who the author was. In the end, I waited til the following day at work to check it out. No, I still never read the summary. I am just not a fan of the blurb. I like to be surprised and wonder where this book is taking me. And boy, was I surprised.

It is about Jon, a boy of a mafia family destined to become part of the family business  of pressuring, coercing and killing. The first part talks of his age of six when he knew the power of manipulation and at age twelve, the need for killing. You had me there.

He sees this girl with blond hair who he falls in love with because of her innocence and then inexplicably his naivety is what takes away her innocence. He is then on a mission to protect what is left of her, but at the cost of upsetting his family as he is set to kill this girl.

Amazing. I fell in love with both of these characters. John for his need to be different and choose his own path, but wanting to not upset his family either. Melody for her need to be loved and shown she is worthy, but then surprises me with the funny and irradic things she does.

I was so wonderfully engaged in this book. What a pleasant find!! And now I am off to investigate David Cristofano's other book, The Girl She Used to Be.

WOHOO just realized there is another book after this one about Melody!!!!

Oops, it's actually book 1 in the series. Darn I read them out of order. I'll have to let you know if you should read them in order or if out of order is good.

Summary -

As part of the Bovaro family, one of the most powerful and respected families in organized crime, violence is passed down and becomes a way of life. Jonathan Bovaro always knew he would become a part of his family's legacy, but he never realized how the beautiful little blonde girl he saw when he was ten could change the course of his life forever.

When Melody Grace McCartney and her parents witnessed that legendary Bovaro family violent streak, it was clear they needed to be silenced. But it was too late. The McCartneys joined the Witness Protection Program. Chosen to exterminate the McCartneys and prove himself to his family, Jonathan pledges to do the job. But as he watches her grow into a beautiful but broken woman, he can't get her out of his mind...or his heart. Torn between his duty to his family and his love for Melody-the mysterious, dangerous, yet vulnerable mafioso must choose between the destiny his family carved out for him and a future unlike anything he ever imagined.

Hampster Wheel Brain

Today in yoga, my instructor began the class with explaining how her brain just wouldn't shut off and that yoga is one hour each day she can invite her brain to focus on less, mainly body placement, breathing, etc. I think my head was going to pop off I was nodding so profusely.

I have never been one of those people that understood the comment, "I am not thinking anything." My brain is like the stock market, ticking away with thoughts so fast it can be difficult to catch them. In the past, I had to teach myself to stop before speaking because it would come out jumbled from trying to keep up with my brain. It took years to realize I would interrupt people in order to get my thoughts out before I forgot them. Literally my brain is on full blast all the time. Relaxing is actually a struggle for me. Shocking, I know.

Yoga has opened up a whole new life for me. It has allowed me to give myself permission during each class to block out all thoughts and just feel. I feel the breath going in, filling up my lungs, my lower abdomen, my lower back part of my back, relaxing my hip joints, pushing through the back of my heels, then back up again. None of this requires thinking. None of it requires judgement, pressure, anxiety or revisiting parts of my day. It is completely and utterly me. Inside and out.

I am not sure if I will ever be able to truly meditate. I am sure I could train myself as I am a "mind over matter" kinda gal, but honestly just being able to shut my brain down for one class has enabled me to realize I can be that fun loving person in even in the worst of moments. I can be kooky, bubbly, friendly and still get work done. I can have tough conversations with my team members and still be relaxed and smile. I can get into stressful situations, handle it and then walk away, leaving the situation in the past.

What amazing freedom.

I have always envied people like my sister, who can get into bed at night and simply flip their brain off as if their entire day was spent meditating. As a young child, I knew what she had done and it was way worse than my wrongs. (lol) Yet, here she slept, peacefully.

Now I get it. Nothing is so important that it should interfere with your sleep, happiness and overall peace with life.

I am still in training. There are days I want to punch people in the face, which actually could be considered an improvement because long ago I couldn't imagine wanting to punch someone, now I know right away. And I counteract that feeling with something else; being aware. I have days where I am tired, at wits end and struggle, but they are becoming fewer and farther between. I am also noticing a change in the way I react to others and their comments and feelings. I know that they are solely theirs and I can only control my own reactions.

Yoga has taught me I can have a million things going on inside, but it doesn't have to control me. I control it. By simply breathing. Breath in, move, stretch, adjust, breath out, tilt, turn, push, breath in. Work is the same concept, but I get paid. (lol) It doesn't (and shouldn't) be stressful. I love my job and I am so good at it.

Such simple lessons, but it can take a lifetime to work.

Hey It's Okay Tuesday

Playing along with Airing My Dirty Laundry

she . . . got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up (with her at Airing My Dirty Laundry) and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.


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I bought a second bathing suit for our beach trip, even though I barely wear the one I have.

To have emailed a random dentist/doctor I found on the internet, who occasionally drops in to the local college health office because there is no one else in this area that works on TMJ. He did call and email me back!! Very happy and hoping that we can figure out why my teeth are so sore they jiggle in their sockets when I walk.

Thinking my kitties are THE CUTEST kitties ever!! Every time I look at them I just wanna squeeze them til their eyes pop out. Thankfully (for them) I have self control.

To be trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up . . . .  for the second time, that is when I turn 50-ish and maybe don't want to be doing what I am doing now. Plan ahead, even if it is a couple decades away.

To use Facebook to check in on all the magazines that I love to read, but rarely ever buy.

Top 3 Books You MUST Read

In no particular order -

ROOM by Emma Donahue - This was a fabulous book. I watched it walk out the door each day. We literally kept running out of stock. It was on the bestsellers list for months. I kept hearing people say, "OH You have to read this!" I kept thinking, I will probably just not like that book. (I am so fd up sometimes lol) When I finally sat down and read this, I was so disappointed in myself for not reading it soon. It was that good! My favorite part of the book was the differences between the mom's point of view knowing the outside world, but being stuck in this one room and the son who only knows this one room and being scared to imagine anything else. Amazing!!

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - so good I may read it again. And I NEVER reread books. It was a wonderful novel that took the everyday and made it extraordinary. It spoke to my intellectual side while pleasing the light summer reader too. And there's two more books in the series!

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - A very different type of fiction book that incorporates the mystical with the fantasy while intertwined with a star crossed love story.

YOUR TURN - Tell me your top 3 books!!

Review - Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Title: Masque of Red Death
Masque of Red Death #1
Author: Bethany Griffin
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publish Date: April 24, 2012

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Just when I thought I had everything figured out in this book, Bethany Griffin throws in a twist toward the end and killed all my hopes for Araby. THEN tosses in another to give me new hope. I cannot tell too much about these twist as it changes the entire layout of the book. AND not in a bad way.

Araby is a girl who lives in a rich part of town, but she isn't supposed to live there as her family is really poor, but because of her father being a scientist that "saved humanity" by providing the designs for life saving masks to protect against the disease they are allowed to stay protected in the towers. (whew long sentence) Araby then if friendly with a rich girl who doesn't seem to realize, nor care about the people who are dying in the city below. Instead her girl friend just wants to party and forget the death.  Araby cannot forget because she knows it is very small circumstances that separate her from the dying people on the street.

Araby gets pulled in to the life of two men, Will the bouncer at the dance club who has two younger siblings at home he cares for and Elliot, the brother of Araby's girl friend who has an ulterior plan. Bethany Griffin does a spectacular job of pulling the reader in to having preconceived notions yet, she keeps throwing in situations that surprised me into changing who I thought was best for Araby. I wanted Araby to have a life with Will the bouncer. He was sweet and kind and thoughtful and understood where she was coming from, but mostly because Elliot seemed self-centered and preoccupied with being a rebel against the cause. Then Elliot would show compassion and woop, my thoughts changed toward him. Each guy was mysterious enough to keep me guessing to whom she would end up with and in the end it all blew up anyway. I wanted to stand on my bed and scream, NO YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Great ending!!

I really enjoyed that Bethany Griffin gave the impression it was an open and closed book, but in reality she threw in the perfect twists and turns to make me crave the next book in this series.

Summary -

 Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

You're the one that I want (books)

When We Were the Kennedys by Monica Wood

I just finished reading the book, Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath by Mimi Alford about her intimate relationship with President Kennedy. It was so wonderfully heartfelt while keeping with her naivety with all the going-ons around her. The history brought back memories and was so vivid when she detailed where she was when things were happening. That book really made me want to read more about the Kennedy's, the presidency and history. Then I saw this book, When We Were the Kennedys by Monica Wood and I can't wait to read this.

Losing Lila by Sarah Anderson

I absolutely loved the first book in the Lila series by Sarah Anderson. It gave such a fun spin on the fantasy and adventure teen books floating around right now. Lila was always a step ahead of her family when it came to her life, then she ends up on her brother's doorstep across the country from her dad where she's been staying since they moved. She immediately comes intrenched in all the choas of her brother's life that has been a secret for years. Her secret love for her brother's best friend - what a great love story! I was on the edge of my seat through the entire book.

Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols
I am a fan of Jennifer Echols and this cover is stunning! I just picked up the arc and it is sitting on my nightstand waiting to be read, but I have a few books in line in front. Grrr!!

What are waiting to read?!?!?

I finally did it . . .

After almost two years of not paying for television, I signed up for Netflix free one month trial period. Yes, I have ulterior motives, but already I miss the novelty of sitting down and watching what I expect to see on tv, not some random crap that receptions through.

I have gotten to the Fifth Season of Lost and can't seem to find it anywhere without paying full price for it. Ugh, nope don't want to do that. And being sick makes me just want to lay in bed. Since my head hurts too much to read, I am thinking tv sounds good right now. And movies, instantly? Damn it.

I will cancel it before 30 days . . . .

I will cancel it before 30 days . . . .

For those of you who are Lost fans, why the hell didn't they pull the inflatable boats out of the plane and float to another island or rescue boat? (or did I miss this answer?)

I cannot believe that after all that time on the island, they finally get off and have to lie to protect the others?!?!?!?!? What a crazy story so far, and it keeps getting better. Every time I think something is too far, too much to believe I get sucked right back in.

Do you pay the $8 (or more) to watch Netflix? I am curious to see the response. I just haven't watched enough tv to justify paying for it. I maybe watch 30 minutes to an hour of the Today's show in the morning, but other than that. I generally read or try to watch online.