heatherjodavis's reviews
145 reviews

My friend FloJo told me to read this book and I always do what she tells me to. She said it was a sweet story. I can only imagine that sweet means sadistic in her world. I did like the book. I liked the dual storyline. I liked the historical aspect. I knew where it was headed as soon as Sarah kept her brother safe on that fateful night. I would have liked to have seen more of Sarah's story, though. And I felt like the main character/protagonist was kind of weak. Eventually, she toughened up, but I wish she could have been tougher from the get-go.

(I just spent 15 minutes searching for 50 Shades instead of Fifty Shades... that's neither here nor there, just letting you know how my morning is going.)

I read this only so I'd know what the hype is about. Also, 20/20 did a special on how this mommy porn was taking over suburbia and allowing slightly deviant behavior to three bedroom, two-bath homes all over America. And The Dad begged me to read it, and I always do what I am told. (Not really.)

Not to tip my sexually deviant hand, but after I read it I didn't find anything that was so completely off my radar. (Well, the belt thing is a no-go, and I believe the riding crop has never graced our home, but other than that...)

The scenes were indeed steamy. Ummmm-hmmmm they were steamy. I did like the idea of this Grey-character sweeping Ana completely off of her feet. What I did NOT like was how Ana was completely emo, and Grey was completely wishy-washy.

Bella (of Twilight fame) was 17 years old. She, by virtue of her age, was allowed to be emo. That's pretty much the definition of a 17-year-old girl. Ana, on the other hand, is a 22 year old college graduate looking to become a literary agent at some point in time in her life. She's going to have to stop being emo and grow a pair. (From what I know of agents, they are not always nice.) I didn't like that she sometimes had the gall and sometimes she didn't. "I could never do that, Christian. Oh, wait. I'll do that." I realize that if they were to communicate openly and effectively, this would have just been a sex book with no conflict.

That final scene really proved they were just 17 year olds pretending to be grown-ups. When he says he's going to do that thing with the belt and then she says NO. Then Yes. Then says she liked it. Then got up and broke up with him. Oh for heaven's sake. BE HONEST.

I just wish (and maybe she will) become a stronger woman in books 2 and 3. I had said that I wasn't going to read 2 & 3, but then I will and then I won't. And now I can't stop thinking about them. But I know they're bad for me. But, maybe I could just read them to gain experience in reading sex books...

I {heart} this book. A friend of mine had said that she read this book and it reminded her of me. She has a tendency to read sob-stories, so I avoided it like the plague. Then I was cast in a little national show called Listen To Your Mother with Kyran Pittman and I thought, "Surely the Listen To Your Mother people wouldn't cast an emo-wreck for this show" and I decided to read it. Kyran is so honest and simple and it was a little like reading a long-lost sister's diary. Her words are fun, and her stories are completely relatable. And when I got to actually MEET her and take pictures of her and razz her kid because it was just his birthday and I convinced him that I baked brownies just for him, she was just as down-to-earth and sweet as I imagined her to be. Read it. Read it now. It's a lazy, feel-good read and you'll be so glad you read it. You're welcome.

Screw world peace, my one wish is to have Jenny Lawson come to my house and hang with me. I'm pretty sure I could laugh myself into a size 8 with this chick. She's so brilliant with her words and just when you think you can't utter another giggle, she'll say something that makes you laugh right out loud. The entire time I read this, I would giggle, then laugh, then read it to my husband, then laugh again, then sigh and continue reading a couple of pages before repeating the whole mad process yet again. Jenny is brutally honest and hysterically funny. I'm so glad I read this book. It will go on my read-again-and-again-and-again list.

I am not normally a Stephen King fan. I read Carrie when I was in junior high and didn't sleep for an entire month. I didn't go to my prom because of that book (or at least that's what I tell people). However, he is an excellent writer. He has certainly earned the title Master of the Craft. Finally - FINALLY - after years of saying, "I, as a writer and a writing teacher, I need to read this," I just read it. It was really captivating. I am a memoir junky (aka voyeur) and was really fascinated about his writing process. I found myself re-reading various passaged and wishing the book wasn't from the library so I could underline and highlight. Stephen - I'm a non-fiction fan!

I was really wanting more personal stories and not so much commentary.

Absolutely fell in love with the characters. It helped that I was already in live with the setting, having gone to NSU and taking every single class in my major in Seminary Hall. The story was a beautiful tale of love, regret, and hope that things work out in the end. Loved it! Loved it like I love my precious Northeastern!