FitReaders Week 1 & Book Review: Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

This challenge is organized by Geeky Blogger's Book Blog & That’s What I’m Talking About

Happy New Years everyone!! It's been a fun year. ^.^ I hope you all met your challenges and I hope you set new ones for this year. 

Saturday: 2 miles bike & .50 mile jog Sunday:  Nada (It was my birthday) Monday: 30 yoga & 1 mile walk Tuesday: 3 mile bike & .50 mile jog  Wednesday: Did a thorough clean on the apartment today by myself (it took 2.5 hours), so I am counting it. LOL Thursday: 1 mile walk Friday: 30 mins Zumba - buns, abs, & thighs  Conclusion: Not a bad week. A nice start to the year and I am excited for the year to come! Along with doing a decent job with staying active, I felt I did pretty okay with eating bad food at all the holiday parties of the year. 
~*~

Author: Jennifer Weiner
Title: Good in Bed (Cannie #1)
Genre: Fiction, Romance, & Drama 
Pages: ebook
First Published: 2001
Where I Got It: My shelf (Can't remember where I got it from XI)

"For twenty-eight years, things have been tripping along nicely for Cannie Shapiro. Sure, her mother has come charging out of the closet, and her father has long since dropped out of her world. But she loves her friends, her rat terrier, Nifkin, and her job as pop culture reporter for The Philadelphia Examiner. She's even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body.

But the day she opens up a national women's magazine and sees the words "Loving a Larger Woman" above her ex-boyfriend's byline, Cannie is plunged into misery...and the most amazing year of her life. From Philadelphia to Hollywood and back home again, she charts a new course for herself: mourning her losses, facing her past, and figuring out who she is and who she can become."

This is my second time reading this book; the first time was in High School when I randomly stumbled upon it at the library. I remember loving it, but not enough to actually buy it. At the beginning of last year, I found a free ebook of this, so I snatched it up and then forgot about it again. 

Anyways, I do really like this book for many reasons. The main reason is because I see a lot of myself in Cannie. She isn't my book twin, but I can really relate to her. She is "bigger" like me (even tho she is taller and more "beefy" tho) and she hates her body. Also, she is a little neurotic and tends to obsess over things - like her weight and the article her ex wrote. Honestly, I would have blown up more then she did over the article that her ex wrote. Okay, it wasn't horrible and mean and overly descriptive, but damn - it was unnecessary of Bruce to write that, because Cannie is already self-conscious about her weight, so waaaaaaay to go ass. I would punch my ex in the face if they wrote that article. >___>

I'm a nosy person and I like reading other people's reviews. A lot of people complained about Cannie being "too depressed" and "too whiny" about the whole breaking up with her ex. DUH! She actually loved him (which is stupid, because he was a loser and ass) and she didn't want to break up with him. Then yes, a event happens and she went on a crazy spout of walking and walking and walking and crash dieting. It's completely understandable and I would bet the majority of people would react the same. It was super sad and it bummed me out hardcore both times I read it. Ugh, so sad. Poor Cannie. 

Yes, it was full of drama and chick lit-y, but I think it was done pretty realistically. The only thing that made me roll my eyes, was Cannie's friend who became "famous" due to her play. Meh, I think its cheesy when an author makes someone become "famous" in their book, but whatever I guess. 

The ending was good. It makes me want to read the second book, but I have read some horrid reviews about it. However, I shall attempt it someday. In the end, this is a fun book. I liked it JUST as much as I liked it when I first read it. The characters are fun and there is a LOT going on. I highly recommend this to those that books with some major drama. Yes, Cannie does get her HEA, but damn...she had to really, really work for it and I love when the author makes it tough to get for the character. Again, I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Cannie and Dr K (awwwe)

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Bruce & Cannie's mom 

Book Review: Good Men by Jennifer Weiner

Author: Jennifer Weiner
Title: Good Men (Cannie #.5)
Genre: Fiction, drama, short story, & Romance
Pages: ebook
First Published: 2001
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon freebie)

"A prequel to Jennifer Weiner’s bestselling and beloved debut, "Good Men" takes us into the world and mind of Bruce Guberman, on the night of an ill-fated bachelor party, when Bruce and his friends decide to kidnap his girlfriend Cannie's rat terrier Nifkin. A tender, riotously funny short story, "Good Men" is about five men and their unlikely friendships and also about love, marriage, and what gives two people the courage to link hands and jump off the cliff"


This is a short story prequel to the book 'Good in Bed' by Jennifer Weiner. I randomly found this at the Amazon store as a ebook freebie and I am certainly glad that it was a freebie, because I would be rather upset if I spent money on this.

This takes place before Bruce and Cannie break-up and Bruce decides to write that article that is the catalyst to the beginning of Cannie's story. Ugh, Bruce. I only read this because I was curious about who he was and what he was all about. Yes, he loved Cannie. But no...I would not date him if I was Cannie. He is a man stuck in his early twenties and refuses to give up weed and make something of himself. He refuses to finally write his dissertation to finally get his masters (or whatever) and get a great paying job. Why did Cannie stick around? Ah, right, because she felt she could do no better even tho she is successful herself. I am glad she finally moved on to find the man right for her. I wish the short story did cover the break-up event, because I am curious. 

Why did the author leave off the story with hope for Bruce and Cannie? It was annoying, because I knew there was no hope for them, because Bruce is a loser. 

Meh. This was an okay prequel, but I do recommend skipping this until you actually read 'Good in Bed'. I hated the ending and that the author left us with hope for the couple. No, there is no hope, he is a loser and I did not want them together. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 1 star. 

Favorite Character(s): Cannie (even tho she is touch cra-cra) and Nifkin (puppy!)
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Bruce (a huge loser) 
  

Favorites of 2014 - The Carole Awards!

Happy end of 2014! I can't believe the year is already over and 2015 is right around the corner. Man...time does speed past faster and faster the older you get. This year I cut out the music section, so I can have more categorizes for books and movies. Now, let us hand out these imaginary Carole Awards (since i don't really have any - man, I wish I did have an award show named after me).  

Category 1 Movies:
Favorite Female Character.........Maleficent from 'Maleficent'
Honestly, I was stuck between 2 characters for this award, but Male gets it, because I think the actress did a wonderful job at making this classic baddie into a hero who temporarily lost her way. 

Favorite Male Character..........Adam from 'Upside Down'
I really adored him because he was smart and motivated. He wanted to be rich and wanted the woman he loved. He used his wits to get what he wanted and I respected that. Plus, he was pretty cute. ;) 

Favorite Baddie..........Richard from 'The Iceman'
The movie is about Richard, but he is a baddie. A baddie who gets rid of baddies? Yes, but he still was a baddie and went to jail for it. However, I loved him and the actor who plays him.

Favorite Poster..........Belle
A lovely poster with lovely colors. It really does pop. Also, the actress who plays Belle is pretty and her eyes are so intense.

Movie of the Year...........North & South
Another tough one, I watched sooooo many good movies this year. Even though this one is a "movie on TV" type film, it was still great and it deserves this award. The acting was fantastic and the story-line had me hooked. It even gave me the motivation to re-try this book. ^.^ 

Category 2 Books:
Favorite Female Character......Jasmine from 'The Dance of Spirits' 
She was a tough girl, who would do anything to survive, but keep to her morals no matter what. 

Favorite Male Character.......Robbie from 'The Bride Prize' 
He was simply adorable and funny. I loved that he could draw so well and he was such a gentleman and fought for his woman even though it seemed hopeless. 

Favorite Baddie...........Anara from 'A Cursed Bloodline' 
OOoooooh how he angered me! However, he certainly did a number on our heroes physically and emotionally. What a good baddie.

Favorite Cover...........'Dark Amelia' by Sally O'Reilly 
I love the colors. It seems simple, but it really is gorgeous. The mix of white, read, and then the peachy/red on her lips just seem to make it pop. 

Author of the Year...........Cecy Robson
I am so excited to see what she has next up her sleeve!

Book of the Year...........'The Korean Word for Butterfly' by James Zerndt
Like always, this part is always the hardest, especially after reading so many wonderful books this year. However, I must pick this one, because I loved it so much. It was a great story with great characters. 

What do you think? What were your favorites of 2014? :) Good luck in 2015!!!!!!!!!

2014 Wrap-Up & Plans for 2015

2014 is already over? What? Huh. That went quickly. 

Well, here is my wrap-up of the year:

 Book Read & Reviewed: 

83

Movies Watched & Reviewed:

22 

Challenges:

Read 80 books - accomplished (yayy!)

Conclusion:

A very good year, especially bookwise. I haven't read that many books in a long, long time. My original book challenge was 60, but I blew past that, so I upped it. Yayy! I am excited for the year coming up. :) 

2015 Goals:

Again, I shall do the the Goodreads challenge (I love it), I think I am going to try and get 85. Eeeeeek *fingers crossed* Also, one of peeps from Book Club shared this on the Facebook page and I shall attempt it. Some of them shall be hard, but it shall be fun. I highly recommend everyone gives it a go. 

*I will have my favorites of 2014 posted tomorrow. I'm still working on it.