Sunday, August 24, 2008

Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah



Rating: 5

Pages: 496

Challenges: Pub Challenge, Summer Thing

Synopsis (from bn.com)
In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all---beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer's end they've become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah's magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness.

Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn't know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she'll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she'll envy her famous best friend. . . .

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship---jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they've survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

Review

This book was great!! I really felt for the characters and it may be because I am very hormonal but I cried and cried through this book! The author sets up sections by starting with a song for the era, which brings back songs that I haven't heard in a long time.

If you like books about women's relationships you will like this book!! I would highly recommend it! I will read more books about this author.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Pathetic July Totals

Since today is August 1 I thought I would post my book totals for July....ready...hang on to your hats! 3 - yes 3. Now to my defense I am about to finish book 4 and am 1/3 of the way through the Host which is 600+ pages. But yes July was only 3 books, but 1124 pages which is decent.

I do have a good reason! I am expecting a baby! Feb 23 is my due date and I can't seem to get enough sleep, so my normal reading time is now sleeping time. I don't remember being this tired with my first - I must have blocked that out! Although I do remember the nausea very well. So far it has been better this time and I vowed to take meds this time! I lost weight with my first in the first 4 months because every other day I was loosing my meal.

Also work has been crazy...but who wants to hear about that? Not me!

Now it is August 1 so we'll see how it goes this month! I figure I am ahead of the game since I am about to finish 1 and 200 pages into another!