Thing 1:
Happy Friday! I’m so happy that my day is almost over! I get to leave early today (at 3) to go to a women’s weekend at my boss’s cabin near Lake Arrowhead. It’s only about an hour and a half from here. Some women from my church are going and we eat and drink and play games and go shopping and take hikes and it’s just fun and relaxing. I say cabin cuz it’s in the mountains but it’s like a fully stocked/equipped home. I’m definitely looking forward to it.
Thing 2:
My review for Saving Midnight by Emma Holly is up at The Book Binge. Just FYI.
Thing 3:
My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for this week was a book that I got from the book swap 
during the first So Cal Blogger Get Together that I attended. I grabbed All About Men by Shannon McKenna off the shelf and was looking forward to reading it. This book ended up being a DNF for me and since I can’t remember who I got it from I’m curious to see what that person, whoever they may be, thought about it. And if anyone else has read it, what did you think?
It’s a book with 3 novellas in it. I read the first novella and tried really hard not to chuck the book against the wall…3 or 4 times. The hero of the story was a little stalkerish at first (following the heroine 800 miles on his motorcycle cuz he wanted to “taste” her. Uh, yeah. But he was so sweet I kind of let it slide. Then the heroine made him mad and he got all sexually controlling – and controlling in other ways – throwing her stuff away cuz he didn’t think it was good enough, etc. I didn’t like him AT ALL! The fact that the heroine was running from a controlling boyfriend made it even worse…and that she fell in love with him. Oy. I started to think she was as nuts as the hero by the end of the story.
Then the second story was about a woman who worked for a head hunter. She was going after a GM of a hotel group and lied about who she was to get past the receptionist. When she got to the appointment she discovered that there had been an emergency and the GM wouldn’t be able to meet her but the CEO would. She tried to leave but just couldn’t manage it. The CEO and her hit it off (on the couch) and he asked her to dinner. She accepted. During dinner the CEO finds out that she’s not who she says she is so he takes her to his room and has wild sex with her. (cuz that’s what you do when someone lies to your, right?) She of course feels vulnerable so doesn’t ever take her dress off…during 2 rounds of sex and him going down on her twice. Okaaaay. If you feel that vulnerable and uncomfortbale then leave! Omg I hate stupid women. When he finally tells the head hunter that he knows that she’s not who she says she is and that he thinks she’s a scam artist she says, “you thought I was a criminal and you still had sex with me?” and he says (get this), “well just cuz I thought you were a criminal didn’t mean I didn’t want to fuck your brains out.” Oh dear God. I stopped reading immediately. The men in that book were a little too scary for my liking! lol Yet, when I looked on ratings from Goodreads I saw that there was anywhere from 2 stars to 5. Apparently those stories appeal to some women – just not me.
An Observance:
This morning after I dropped the kids off at school I saw a girl/woman walking down the street. I’m not sure if she was walking for exercise or if she was going somewhere. She had regular clothes on but she was definitely walking with a purpose so it was hard to tell. She wasn’t a large woman from the back but wasn’t small in size either. When I passed her I saw that she had a crop top on and when I looked in the rearview mirror I saw something similar to this:
Eeew. Is it me or are we seeing more and more of this? I see this often in my city – especially in teens. I don’t think I’m a prude and think that everyone should be completely covered at all times but when you’re belly’s on the large side should it be put out there for the world to see? I have to think that the girls who wear outfits like this have great self-esteem (which is awesome) and don’t care what anyone else thinks but then I have to wonder…do they think that boys find this attractive. Just cuz it’s skin doesn’t mean it’s pretty.
I’m not sure why I brought this up – it’s just kind of been on my mind all day! lol The things I think about. 🙂
Ok – I’m off to finish my work so I can go and have fun in the mountains. I won’t have internet access until I get home on Sunday but can’t wait to see what you all have to say!
Have a fabulous weekend!
Hey Tracy!!! OMG… so jealous of you and your weekend, but I know you are going to enjoy yourself so much!!!! Have a wonderful time!!
Onto the subject of skin… I agree with you all the way. I have a belly and I will be the first one to tell you that I have accepted myself and my body and I love myself for who I am… However, that does not mean that I am going to show the whole world either! I think they think because it is skin it is okay to show. The kids and some adult women are the same way around here.
Re: Shannon McKenna – she's a guilty pleasure for a lot of people, but she's WAY more miss than hit for yours truly. You didn't get the book from me, I'm going to guess Rosie. Rosie is an unabashed McKenna reader and I think she's read everything she's written.
Re: Fat chicks wearing inappropriate clothing. I blame this on Britney Spears. When that brainless twit arrived on the scene was when I started seeing fat women wearing low-rise jeans in airports. Ewwwwww.
People, not everyone is meant to wear low-rise jeans. Honest. I know I'm fat, which is why I buy my jeans at WalMart (or Penney's) because I'm convinced those are the only two stores left in So. Cal. that carry clothing for fat people. And by "fat" I mean anyone over a size 6.
LOL – sorry. Got ranty there. But yeah, I soooo hear you Tracy.
Ohhhh, have a great week-end, Tracy!! Sounds like you're going to have a great time!!
You know what I hate? Not only seeing their stomach, but the butt crack! Ugh, buy longer shirts and higher waist pants!!
Hey! have a fun weekend! You must give a report! Also, can I just say that the tummy thing, well, I don't mind seeing it one way or the other, but those low rises sure look uncomfortable on that poor girl.
It might have been me. But I'm not sure. I didn't care much for it either. I think McKenna needs the longer format for her formula to work. I fully admit she's my little crack addiction, but in short story format, she doesn't work for me. The problems with her formula that work so well for me in her longer books (don't ask – if you love McKenna, you just know) – the TSTL heroine, the too alpha alpha, the implausible plot – just can't cut it in a short, It amplifies their flaws.
Hope you have an awesome weekend!!
And as for the bellies… there's a reason I stopped wearing miniskirts and leggings. That picture right there? That's the reason. Sheesh!
I just recently read my first McKenna and it was that All About Men. I really liked it and can't wait to read her full length novels 🙂 I can understand why people won't probably like it, but it was just my kind of thing 😉
Tracy, what a nice weekend… good for you!
McKenna seems to have some guilty pleasure reads, and some that are on the borderline for me personally. They can be over-the-top yummy and hmm… this one sounds hmm…. thanks for your thoughts
Cecile – I'm not fit and trim but if I was I may be tempted to show it off – even at my age! lol But I just don't get at some women think it's sexy – I just don't.
Wendy – lol I think that's a great idea – let's blame Britney! For some reason the muffin top on the sides of low rise jeans is unattractive but at least most of that is covered. When the belly hangs over the low rises – ewwww! lol
You can rant any time on my blog! 🙂
Nath – Crack Kills! lol I'm with you on that one.
CJ – you're always such a nice person – I love that about you. 🙂
Lori – Although I didn't care for her characters in this book I might still try one of McKenna's full length novels. I didn't hate her writing all together, that's for sure. I'll have to see.
LOL I forgot mini skirts and leggings. And leggings are coming back in – and not under a skirt either! yikes. 🙂
Maija – see you're one of the people who liked it! 🙂 Good for you. I knew after seeing the ratings on Goodreads that I was probably in the minority but that's why there's so many books out there – something for everyone.
Hilcia – the sex scenes were, ah, plentiful in this book – no doubt there. She does write great sex, there was just a ton for such a short story, at least for my liking. As I said to Lori – I'll probably read one of her others too and see what I think.
Oh, please, you have to come to the beaches in NY. I mean, hey, if you're that confident, more power to you.
I had two kids and like Cecile, I've concluded I'll never look like I did at 17 again. I'm perfectly accepting of it. However, you'd never catch me walking around baring all, lol.