Real Marriage: The Truth about Sex, Friendship, and Life Together by Mark and Grace Driscoll

I didn't read all of this. I didn't have time to. It's nonfiction. It has some good advice.

To my non-Christian friends, yes, it is a Christian book. I know this is really difficult for you, but if you can get over the "Christian-y-ness" of it, it has a lot of good stuff. I promise. Seriously. And risque stuff. Really!

Of course, the Bible has a lot of wisdom in it as well. But that's another story, no?

For someone trying to turn from their selfish relationship ways, this probably isn't a bad idea for a read. *cough*

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

I have been waiting for this one for months, it feels like.

What to say? It's Jodi Picoult. I really wish she'd edit her pages so that I couldn't  skip ahead further down the opposite page and ruin everything, but hey. We can't have it all.

Maybe because I anticipated this one so much, it left me a little blasé. I was drawn in; I wanted to finish. I was a little put off by some of the characters' thought processes ('people don't really think like this').

The ending was nice and tidy and calming.

The pictures throughout, specifically in the end, kind of ruined it for me as well (I feel like I'm complaining too much, but I just want to be honest and run the scope between what I was expecting and what I received). I get the transition; I get what she was trying to do. Use a lot of hypotheticals and quotes in the air and feel-good mythical consistency.

It almost felt like she was trying too hard.

I kept waiting for the hippie lawyer to "hear" something from the not quite dead father/turned wolf and for it to come out what had really happened on that bed between gay son and father (yes, I know: twisted).

Let the old legends speak for themselves. I love myths and old stories and people who truly believe in whatever they believe in. You started with a beautiful story about the sacredness of life vs living life to the fullest (or quantity of years vs quality of years).

If the daughter is immature, make her a brat from the beginning. Don't make her seem well-adjusted and rounded and then spring ill-fitting character qualities. It rubbed the wrong way.

Make me believe. Give the son more substance. I didn't feel the conviction in his decision to stay once he had returned. It was almost as if he was a minor character, 2d, of little importance. 

Don't paint in watercolor and expect your audience to see  high definition intensity.

It just isn't going to happen.

50 Shades of Grey by E. L. James

WELL!

Who would have thought?

I've been busy. Very busy. And, quite frankly, reading has not been a top priority for me lately.

A coworker and I began talking about how apparently 'in the now' this book was - it was all over television shows and magazines (I hadn't heard of it). So we both decided to have a go.

It was sluggish, painful reading.

Yes, there's a lot of untoward physical activity. If you're not into that - just don't go there. Trust me. It's a lot to handle. It was blatantly obvious why this book has only been available as an ebook - because most people would be embarressed if they were caught reading it by someone who knew what it was.

The writing is painful, as well. You thought Steph Meyer was bad? Try her hoard of fan-fic writing followers.

HOWEVER:

I was amazed at the ending. Truly, I felt something at the end. I won't give away what happens, but I was shocked - the last few pages of the book actually held some feeling, emotion, and grit.

I might read the other two, some other time. Maybe.