This Beautiful Life...A Review

Book Summary...

Richard and Liz Bergamot leave their lives in Ithaca to live in Manhattan with their two children...15 year old Jake and 6 year old Coco. Richard has just received a fantastic job offer. They will begin living the New York good life. Both children happy and in private schools...everyone living a fantastic life...well...almost everyone. Liz is a bit at loose ends with this move and still adjusting but the family is hopeful and excited by this new venture...until everything begins unravelling. Jake receives an explicit sexual video from a 13 year old friend and innocently sends it on to a friend who sends it on to more friends until the video is viral and out of control.

My Thoughts...

I read this book in sort of shock and awe. It was amazing to me how this family's life could spiral out of control in such a short time. The book is beautifully written and told from the point of view of Liz, Richard and Jake. It was sometimes profoundly difficult for me to read this book because every downward spiral was just so sad. We see the way Liz dealt with the move and what happened to Jake...she spent hours looking up pornography on her laptop in addition to watching the video that was sent to Jake to try to understand what was going on and why Jake did what he did. Richard had to take a leave from his beloved job because of what Jake did. Even Coco was affected by what happened by accidentally seeing some videos on Liz'z laptop. Jake seemed to not quite get that what he did was the cause of all of this...and in my mind he seemed to devalue himself and make choices that would affect him for all time.

The most amazing part of this book was the last chapter or so when we learned what really happens to the future of this family.

This book was thought provoking to say the least and not really a comfortable book for me to read.  I hated Liz's ways to deal with her life.  She was either picking up Coco stoned or bringing her home from a sleepover at The Plaza literally drunk.  I could be totally wrong but while reading this I felt that Liz felt that she was an amazing mother but when Jake's crisis hit...she reverted to staying in bed and doing weird things on her laptop. 

Just my thoughts.

And I wasn't crazy about Liz's relationship with her husband.

They couldn't seem to get past this and it made me feel as though they had hidden parts of them from each other...

Again...

Just me dealing with this kind of book.

I've Reached A Landmark And I Am Proud Of It...

Thank you, Brenda Youngerman, author and blogger and friend!!!

I am not good at following directions but I am going to do my best!!!

Brenda is a new blogger friend and she and I are reading each other's blogs and commenting on them.  Her blog is beautiful...I have not read her books yet but I just Kindled Disrupted Lives and I will read it soon.

I think I won this award because no one reads my blog and I get very little traffic...lol...I am sorry...but it is funny to me...and I am just teasing.  People who know me know that I am not a serious sort of person.  I won this because less than 200 people follow me right now...but I am actually thrilled that I have that many and so far no one is jumping ship.

They most likely just forgot they are following but that is ok with me!!!

I am not sure what a Liebster is but it sounds important...doesn't it?  Actually I looked it up and it is German for sweetheart...so that is a good thing!!!

Technically I am supposed to list five blogs that I follow that have under 200 followers...
Here comes the part where I prove I am not a good direction follower.
Kathy Youngerman...you have to forgive me. 
All of the blogs that I follow have about a million followers.
Even if they started off with just a few they have sky rocketing numbers right now.
So...
I am just happy that I found blogging.
I love doing it.
It makes me happy.
I have learned a lot of things about me...Patty...while writing.
I have met some amazing people.
I have been able to chat with authors.
I have become addicted to Goodreads.
I have lots and lots and lots of books.
I am going to go to BEA someday.
The very first blog I ever read and loved does not exist any more.  It changed me forever.
That would be you...J.K.
And...Ti and BermudaOnion and June...thank you for being friends to me and always helping me with my million blogger questions.  I am a huge fan of each of your blogs.  They are all different and special.
Wow...
I had no clue where this post was headed but I kind of like where it went.

Poor Baby...

My husband had an awful awful day yesterday.  He often travels for business domestically as well as internationally and is such a seasoned prepared traveler that I rarely ever hear him complain.

That is until yesterday.

His nightmare day.

His nightmare flight.

He rarely goes through Atlanta but did yesterday because it allowed him to get to his destination faster.

Da da da dum...

Atlanta...

Mechanical difficulties.

A five hour delay.

  He finally arrived at his hotel and even though he had a guaranteed reservation with Mariott...which means they cannot give your room away...they gave his room away.

There was no more room at this inn.

They transported him to another hotel that had air conditioning issues.

No room service...he was starving.

I only know all of this because he called or texted me nearly every half hour.

He apparently ate a Steak and Shake something or other at midnight.

Needless to say he was not a happy camper.

We are very mad at Mariott.

Mr. Mariott is going to get a phone call from us soon.

Mr. Mariott better be prepared to do some listening.

I better be prepared to do some soothing.

He will be home late tonight and I am making his favorite homemade pizza...the kind my mom used to make that is loaded with sauteed fresh peppers from our garden...

I am taking him out to our favorite bistro on Friday.

I think that will soothe him plenty.

What is your worst travel mishap?

Blogger Blues!!!

What on earth is wrong with Blogger...here is my list of horrible awful things going on...

No one can comment on my last post but on other older posts comments are possible.

Everything is changed...the set up is all different.  I can barely get to design.

Nothing is blocked...I checked every setting and Blogger is being stupidly ridiculous.

I don't even know how to change to another blog producer.

I don't have that many computer skills.

This is so frustrating that I can't stand it...I barely get comments as it is and now why would anyone even bother with me...

Sad sad day for Patty until she figures out this mess that she didn't even cause!!!

Anyone have any ideas?

But you can't comment so I will never know...

More...more...more...BOOKS!!!

OMG...

I am getting really embarrassed about my books.

I have tons.

I like saying yes to authors.

I love netgalley.

I love buying books.

I am committed to Amazon and my Kindle for the rest of my life.

I am an admitted bookaholic.

Here is what I am working on this week and many upcoming weeks.

I can't wait to read this...

Fell in love with this cover and the summary...

Love this cover and the summary.

Fascinating cover...I am taken with covers.

Look at this cover...it is a notebook...I love notebooks.

And this perfect cover.

My plan is to read. 

I think that is a good plan.

What is in your reading future this week?

The Properly Combined Sandwich...

I am a self proclaimed sandwich addict.  I think this is in my genes and I think I got it from my dad.  He used to make me my favorite sandwich ever...white bread...Kraft American cheese...Iceburg lettuce and Kraft mayo.  OMG...I lived on these. 

Which is truly funny now since I live and die for whole grains, artisanal cheeses, and olive oil mayonnaise.

However there is a sandwich that I love and could live on forever.

It is this.

Really good bread...a sourdough or a ciobatta or a good dense Italian.

Toast it.

Spread it lightly with butter...lately we have been using goat cheese butter.

Yum.

Spread with mayonnaise.

Add a huge gigantic leaf of lettuce...Boston, Red, Bibb or even Romaine.

Add a slice of summer tomato...salted and peppered.

Add a slice of red or sweet onion...lately we have been getting local ones that are to die for.

Half of an avocado...put the other half on your husband's sandwich because even though he says he doesn't want one...he really does and will try to sneak yours if you are not looking.

Assembly is critical.

This is the correct order.

Toast... then lettuce... then onion...then avocado...and here is where it gets tricky...

smoosh the avocado down with your hand making a lovely thick spread.

Add tomato and other piece of toast.

Slice this in half if you dare.

Put it on your lovely luncheon plate...get two paper towels and eat it.

You can't talk to anyone during this lunch...not possible...

But this is one heck of a yummy sandwich!!!

Enjoy!!!