Thursday Daily Meme

Today's meme asks us: What is the oddest thing you've ever read? (You know, something not a book, magazine, poem, short story or article).

My answer: I had to think about this question for a few minutes! My mom, sister and I took a trip to Paris a few years ago and I'd have to say that some of the signs around the city were hard to decipher :). I do know a tad bit of French, thanks to the foreign language requirement in highschool, but not really enough to get by in France on my own! What about all of you? :)

Happy last day of March, hello April and Easter!

Another weekly meme! To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions...

• What are you currently reading?


• What did you recently finish reading?


• What do you think you'll read next?

My answers:

I am currently reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is a pretty short book, but a very interesting adventure story. It also surprisingly has a really cute love story!

I recently finished Nordie's at Noon by various authors. This was an inspirational memoir about four women who meet once a month at the store Nordstrom's to discuss their journey to overcome breast cancer.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I remember my sister reading this book years ago, but I never asked to borrow it. I'm interested to see what happens when a tiger and a boy are stranded in a lifeboat together! :)

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.


• Open to a random page


• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.


• Be careful not to include spoilers!


• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teasers!

My Teaser: "The other man remarked that tea was always more delicious when it was served in crystal, because the aroma was retained. The third said that it was a tradition in the Orient to use crystal glasses for tea because it had magical powers."

p. 59 from The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the weekly meme, Musing Mondays. This week's Musing asks...Do you read books while you...eat? bathe? watch movies or tv? listen to music? While you're on the computer?

I wish I was a good multi-tasker, but I'm not! I like to concentrate on only one thing at a time, otherwise I get overwhelmed. Hubby and I watch tv a lot while we're eating, but the tv being on while I'm trying to get absorbed in a good book is too distracting. And I love movies too much to not give them my full attention as well! :) Enya seems like a very soothing vocalist, so maybe sometime I will put her on in the background when I'm reading or writing. Sometimes I do read while I'm in the bath, but I always end up getting my book wet! One time, I had to pay a $20 fine for accidentally dropping my library book into the bathtub. Lesson learned :). What about all of you?

Nordie's at Noon by Various

Synopsis in a Sentence: This memoir gives us a peek into the lives of four women who fought a courageous battle against breast cancer at young ages.

My Thoughts: The stories of Patti, Kim, Jennifer and Jana really hit home for me as my own mother fought (and won) her own battle with breast cancer at only 40 years of age. This book was recommended on a list that I found at my local library about books which every woman should read. Nordie's is unique from other books on cancer in that it actually kind of reads like chick lit! The women do describe the treatments and procedures that they go through, but they also write about their love lives, day to day victories, defeats and friendships. It's definitely not a dry, scientific view of cancer, but one that shows how deeply cancer can touch and affect every aspect of our lives.

The four women are diagnosed with breast cancer all at age 30 or under. Patti is incredibly, only 26 years old when she is diagnosed! Being 27 years old myself, my heart pretty much broke when I read that. I tried to picture myself in her situation, and try as I might, I couldn't imagine enduring what she went through. She was so courageous and graceful in her battle, and was perhaps my favorite story in this book. Jennifer's story also amazed and inspired me deeply as well. She was 27 years old when she was diagnosed and was pregnant while she went through chemotherapy! My sister just gave birth to her first child, and the thought of her having to endure painful procedures and take powerful medicine during such an already emotional time, kind of makes me shake my head in wonder at the trials women go through. I would definitely recommend this book to you, dear followers, and would encourage you to stay up to date on your mammograms and current on breast health topics. My husband is a doctor and tells me that this is a disease which can be survived with early detection! Enjoy and be inspired by this book of women who fought their battles with humor, grace and bravery. Yay, sisterhood! :)

What I liked least: When the stories ended, I wanted to know more about the women and how they are doing today!

What I liked most: This is not a book written about these women...Patti, Jennifer, Jana and Kim wrote these stories themselves, which makes your reading experience more powerful. At the end of the book, you feel like you've made four new best friends!

Dear Readers: have you or anyone else you know been affected by breast cancer?