Book Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

Don't worry, no spoilers here. 

Here is my honest take on the book that took up too much of my time...

Gripe #1: Too much detail in the bedroom scenes. Enough said on that one.

Gripe #2: Too much swearing. And words used in ways that are derogatory to my senses.

Gripe #3: Lack of character development. From the author’s description, I had a hard time feeling that either of them loved each other for more than their lusty impulses, especially the last half of the book. I found an emotional flatline in the text.

Gripe #4: Too lengthy/too wordy. Not enough meat to merit the number of pages.

The One Merit: Because I have a great relationship with my husband & children, I was genuinely able to connect with the feelings they might have had for one another through their various trials & tribulations. The tears I shed over this book came in no way from the author’s depiction of Clare & Henry’s relationship, but rather through my own imagination of me & my husband going through it. So I guess the merit comes from the fact that my emotions were actually stirred by this book. But then again, if you stay up until 6 a.m. to finish it like I did, wouldn’t you be crying out of sheer exhaustion at the end anyway?

On a side note, do any of my fellow readers know of a book rating site that rates the levels of sex, drugs, profanity, etc.?

Believe It, Be It

I just finished reading this book written by the first female winner of the Biggest Loser, Ali Vincent.  All in all, it was a good  read.  She tends to repeat herself a lot, but I really enjoyed what she had to say about her life's transformations and how everyone is capable of the same.  She tells her story from "the beginning," how she started as a Mormon girl (a surprise to me) who didn't quite fit the mold (with a permiscuous, single mother), to a self-conscious teenager and unhappy young adult.  I liked her account of how she and her mother ended up on the show, and what happens behind the scenes at the Biggest Loser ranch.  If you are a fan of the show, it is worth the read if you are looking for more of what really goes on there.  The title of the book, "Believe It, Be It", is a saying she would repeat to herself every morning on the ranch as she rung a little bell given to her by a friend.  I thought it was catchy.  I also learned that she is a lesbian...also a surprise.  She seems to be a very warm, upbeat person with a lot of love for others. 

So, if you're looking for a little motivation to change your life, pick it up.  Next on the docket...The Time Traveler's Wife.