#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso | Review

#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso

Published: May 6, 2014

Publisher: Portfolio

Pages: 256

Received: borrowed from library via Overdrive (audio book version)

Find Online: Goodreads

In the New York Times bestseller that the Washington Post called “Lean In for misfits,” Sophia Amoruso shares how she went from dumpster diving to founding one of the fastest-growing retailers in the world.

Amoruso spent her teens hitchhiking, committing petty theft, and scrounging in dumpsters for leftover bagels. By age twenty-two she had dropped out of school, and was broke, directionless, and checking IDs in the lobby of an art school—a job she’d taken for the health insurance. It was in that lobby that Sophia decided to start selling vintage clothes on eBay.

Flash forward to today, and she’s the founder of Nasty Gal and the founder and CEO of Girlboss. Sophia was never a typical CEO, or a typical anything, and she’s written #GIRLBOSS for other girls like her: outsiders (and insiders) seeking a unique path to success, even when that path is windy as all hell and lined with naysayers.

#GIRLBOSS proves that being successful isn’t about where you went to college or how popular you were in high school. It’s about trusting your instincts and following your gut; knowing which rules to follow and which to break; when to button up and when to let your freak flag fly.

I read this in 2019 as I am starting to work on moving up the ladder at work. I figured that it would be good to start getting as much exposure to topics on being a boss, being a GIRL BOSS and being effective at the role. 

I've now read a few other books on topics including coaching, leadership and the like. And I really enjoyed this audio book. It was very engaging and Sophia as the narrator actually was a great choice because I feel that she emphasized the right parts of the books and have such inflection. 

There are so many quotable parts in this book that I would love to own a copy so that I can annotate it and reread it as needed. I want to be successful in my new career goals and I think this book just helped me see that anything is possible if you want it and work for it. That you are your own worst enemy if you keep standing in your own way. It's opened my eyes to what I can do and how I want to accomplish it. 

The only thing I wish it touched on more of is the leadership part of her life. I enjoyed her rags to riches story and her motivational writing style, but I think it honestly just needed more about the business side of things on a coaching and leadership level. 

Anyone have suggestions for books about leadership from a woman's POV? I'd love to read more!

Before I Die...

Gosh, I love this book! I need a reread ASAP. I still don't own a copy of the book and it's on my MUST BUY list. I originally listened to it via my library and Overdrive. It's one of the books that I just fell in love with from the beginning and it both gave me hope and crushed me. I still haven't written my review for it... maybe I do need a reread soon so I can finally put my thoughts down.

Have you read ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES by Jennifer Niven? Thoughts? 

 

TTT: Favorite Book Quotes

Now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Over the years, I have bookmarked quite a few quotes and even started making images to go with them and here is a list of some of my top quote from books.

"I love you more than I hate everything else." 
-Landline, Rainbow Rowell

"Sometimes books don't find us until the right time." 

 -The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin

"I don't want to stay in the bad place, where no one believes 
in silver linings or love or happy endings." 

-Silver Linings Playbook, Matthew Quick

"People are living too much or too little, and I wondered if anyone 
out there is living the right amount."

 -The Next Thing On My List, Jill Smolinski

"Considering the way the world is, one happy day is almost a miracle." 

-Eleven Minutes, Paulo Coelho

What are some of your favourite book quotes? 

HPMOTW: Favorite quote from Order of the Phoenix

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There are so many great quotes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but this one just seems like the right one for right now. What is your favourite quote from this HP book?

The Girl From Yesterday by Kathryn Miller Haines | Review

The Girl From Yesterday by Kathryn Miller Haines

Published: April 17, 2017

Publiser: Pocket Star

Pages: 304

Received: from publisher for honest review

Find Online: Goodreads | Amazon

In the fast-paced psychological thriller traditions of Gillian Flynn, Jessica Knoll, and Liane Moriarty, Edgar Award nominated-author Kathryn Haines Miller (The Girl Is Murder) spins an engrossing tale of what might be the worst birthday ever.

Helen’s life is simple. She has a job. She has a boyfriend. She has her weekly NA meetings. No drugs, no drinking, no sex, not even any caffeine—not anymore. Because Helen knows this: once you’re an addict, you’re always an addict. There is no such thing as recovered.

And on her thirtieth birthday, the stability she’s cobbled together for herself will vanish. A call from the police, a body found, a dead woman with Helen’s name in her back pocket—it’s all so hard to believe. But then when Helen finds out the victim was her childhood best friend, a girl who went missing in high school, it’s too much.

Helen knows she has to stick to the routine that keeps her in control, and with the way the police are eyeing her for this, she’s worried about looking suspicious. But the unfortunate reemergence of her old friend—and the mysteries that always surrounded her—means Helen can trust no one, not even herself.

This was such an intense thriller. Helen is a great main character - she's determined to figure out what is going on despite her mental health, drug addiction recovery and possible arrest for a murder she's not sure if she committed. From the get go you see how much she wants this new life of hers to work - her NA meetings, her new boyfriend, a job with her family's business (that she's surprisingly good at it), but one phone call makes her world turn upside down.

The story lets us see into Helen's past as a teen with her friend Carrie, who happens to be the deceased. It shows you how her best friend went missing and how that affected Helen's life. You see the drug addiction up close and you see her fighting hard to keep from relapsing. That's not to say she doesn't make some stupid choices along the way to uncovering the truth, but considering what hell she is going through, I'd say they may have been the lesser of two evils.

Carrie's family leaving didn't only affect Helen's life, but many other characters as well. It was interesting to see how one person could do so much just by not being around anymore. Perhaps it wasn't in the going away, but in how it all played out. The feeling of hope and then it being gone.

The story is written in a way that you are never quite sure what the truth will be - who did this to Carrie, why now and is Helen really involved? I was rooting for Helen the whole time though because there was just something about her that made me want to see her make it and prove people wrong.She works so hard to try and figure out what has happened to clear her name, because "no one could save you but you."

The entire book is filled with twists and crazy things keep happening. I loved every little detail that Helen uncovers. Honestly, twist after twist kept coming and many I hadn't figured out which is how I know I'm reading a great book. I bet you won't see the twists coming or the ending - I sure didn't.

What would you do if you were sure you weren't losing time, but the facts are making it seem as though you were? Is Helen back to drugs again, is she mentally unwell, or is someone framing her?

About the Author:

Kathryn Miller Haines is an actor, mystery writer, and award-winning playwright. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and received her BA in English and Theatre from Trinity University in San Antonio and her MFA in English from the University of Pittsburgh. She's a member of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Chapter of Sisters in Crime and has been a board member of the New York chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Kathryn is an adjunct faculty member for Seton Hill's MFA in writing popular fiction. She lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband, son, daughter and their two dogs. -source

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Great Men...

Read my review of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child here.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman | Review

I took part in the Simon & Schuster Canada read-a-long for this book and was happy to have participated. If you want to see what it was all about check it out here, but be warned there will be spoilers if you read through the discussion.

The movie releases September 2nd and I cannot wait to see it after having read this book. It's an emotional roller coaster of a story.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Publisher: Scribner

Published: July 31, 2012

Pages: 343

Received: owned a copy

Find Online: Goodreads

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

M. L. Stedman’s mesmerizing, beautifully written novel seduces us into accommodating Isabel’s decision to keep this “gift from God.” And we are swept into a story about extraordinarily compelling characters seeking to find their North Star in a world where there is no right answer, where justice for one person is another’s tragic loss.

The Light Between Oceans is exquisite and unforgettable, a deeply moving novel.

WARNING! Possible Spoilers!

I had been meaning to get to this book for sometime, as it was on my TBR shelf a long time. Once I was contacted by Simon & Schuster Canada to be a part of a read-a-long I knew I had the perfect time to get to it. 

I adored this story. Being a new mother myself, it pulled at my heartstrings a lot more and was quite the emotionally charged story for me. From the beginning where Isabel and Tom find the tiny baby shipwrecked on Janus to meeting Hannah who is grieving her missing child. Wow, I was torn in so many directions as a mother. I was working out all points of view as a mom and yet I knew what the right thing to do was, but understood how hard it must have been.

I enjoyed the way that Tom and Isabel's relationship built and how they were a good match for being alone on a lighthouse island. It would have been extremely isolating, so it makes sense that they had each others backs and supported each others decisions. If not, they would not have lasted as a couple. Sadly, some decisions that are made start to tear them apart. Tom always has Izzy's best interest at heart, but her loyalty comes into question later in the story. She seems blinded by love for her child.

So much drama happens in this story and most of it is heart wrenching. How do you decide what is "right" in this situation? I know morally what makes sense to be right, but what about what is right for the well being of a child? It must have been hard to come to terms with what happens.

It's truly a story about love, family, sacrifice and forgiveness. 

If you get the chance to read this book, DO IT. If not, then try catching the movie as I am sure it will be amazing. You can watch the trailer below.

About the Author:

M.L. Stedman was born and raised in Western Australia and now lives in London. The Light Between Oceans is her first novel.

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave | Review

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Published: June 2, 2015

Pages: 260

Received: for honest review

Find Online: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

There are secrets you share, and secrets you hide…

Growing up on her family’s Sonoma vineyard, Georgia Ford learned some important secrets. The secret number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine: eight hundred. The secret ingredient in her mother’s lasagna: chocolate. The secret behind ending a fight: hold hands.

But just a week before her wedding, thirty-year-old Georgia discovers her beloved fiancé has been keeping a secret so explosive, it will change their lives forever.

Georgia does what she’s always done: she returns to the family vineyard, expecting the comfort of her long-married parents, and her brothers, and everything familiar. But it turns out her fiancé is not the only one who’s been keeping secrets…

I flew through this book. I devoured all of the relationship issues, the emotions and the resolutions. I laughed and I cried. I love when books can do that - make you think, make you feel, make you want more. 

Georgia's life just got complicated - a wedding a few weeks away and she finds out that her fiancé has a five year old daughter. And not just any daughter - her Mom is a movie star. Ouch! I don't blame Georgia for running, for wanting to be surrounded by family. 

She's not the only one with relationship issues and the entire book centers around her family, them delving into their issues, helping each other through it all and figuring out what to do next. I loved that the siblings (Georgia, Finn and Bobby) had a way of moving past things without apologizing: "The Ford children didn't apologize to one another. We did what my mother had told us to do as children. We held out a hand and the other sibling had to take it. Everyone willing to move on." See isn't that amazing? This happened a few times during the story. 

I enjoyed the flashbacks about her parents lives, the building of the winery and current life challenges. It helped to build the characters and give your perspective about their feelings. It also helps you see what her father meant when he says: "My father had a theory that what was of equal importance to the wine you presented in your vintage was the wine you left out of the vintage. In winemaking, this was known as declassification. Declassifecation: a fancy word for what wines you were willing to throw out."

It's such a great story about figuring out what you really want in your life, what your willing to hold on to and what your willing to let go of. There is so much more I'd like to say and characters I'd like to comment on, but if I do, it will ruin everything. So no spoilers. 

But I will say that I really like what Georgia decided to do and how she decided to live her life. If you are looking for a good summer read for those last few weeks of the season, then I suggest you pick this book up!

About the Author:

Laura Dave is the author of the critically acclaimed novels The First Husband, The Divorce Party and London Is The Best City In America. Her novels have been published in fifteen countries, and three of her novels, including Eight Hundred Grapes, have been optioned as major motion pictures. She resides in Santa Monica, California. -source 

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HPMOTW: Favorite quote from Philosopher's Stone?

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Everyone Is Talking...

...Stronger Than Fear

Be someone....

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline | Review

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Published: August 16, 2011

Publisher: Random House

Pages: 374

Received: borrowed audiobook from library

Find Online: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the  OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

OMG! What was I waiting for? How did I not read this before now? I LOVED IT! I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Wil Wheaton, which was just the icing on the cake. Not only is this book about all things pop culture and video game related, but it's narrated by an iconic 80s kid. Perfect match!

I was immediately pulled into the story by Wheaton's narration, the dystopian reality and the pop culture from my childhood. At every turn there is a new reference to some movie, video game, TV show or piece of music that I can't help but smile while thinking of. From the Family Ties opening theme to the references of RUSH, from the mention of John Hughes' movies to reenacting War Games and from good old Atari to Xbox - there are so many references.

I loved the premise of the book - playing a virtual game to find a hidden Easter egg and win a ton of money! Wade is a great hero and I was cheering him on from the beginning. You want him to succeed and have a better life than what was dealt to him. You want to see him change the world, to make things better and save it from the 6s (the bad guys who will try anything, even murder to get to the prize).

I loved being a part of OASIS through Wade's eyes - seeing him attend virtual school, chilling with his friends, and crushing on a girl. Interesting to see it all happen virtually. I really grew to like Wade and wanted to be one of his virtual friends, I wanted to be on his side and be a part of this craziness. I honestly think that listening to the audiobook version was great in that respect as well, because it gave me that chance feel and hear the tone and feeling behind everything happening in the book and getting to know Wade more.

I don't even know what else to say about this book except that if you like a good nerdy book about 80s pop culture and dystopian stories, then this is your book! What are you waiting for.... go grab a copy! I'm off to listen to the soundtrack made by Ernest Cline! 

Looking forward to Armada!

About the author:

ERNEST CLINE has worked as a short-order cook, fish gutter, plasma donor, elitist video store clerk, and tech support drone. His primary occupation, however, has always been geeking out, and he eventually threw aside those other promising career paths to express his love of pop culture fulltime as a spoken word artist and screenwriter. His 2009 film Fanboys, much to his surprise, became a cult phenomenon. These days Ernie lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, their daughter, and a large collection of classic video games. READY PLAYER ONE is his first novel.-source

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