# 1 Read 100 Books I Have Never Read Before

Spoiler Warning: These book discussions reveal important details about each of the books. Finish the book before reading on or beware this blog might give it away.

10 of 100- "Drop Dead Beautiful (Lucky Santangelo Series)" by Jackie Collins

The bestselling author of Lovers & Players returns with her 25th fabulous novel and her most beloved character, Lucky Santangelo. Get ready for the scandalously scintillating read only Jackie Collins can deliver!

Like mother, like daughter. No truer words for Lucky Santangelo’s sixteen-year-old Max, who goes looking for trouble when she hooks up with some guy she met on the Internet. Soon the beautiful, willful Max finds herself in deeper waters than she can imagine as she becomes a pawn in a greater scheme that leads back to Lucky and Billy Melina, the studly movie-star boyfriend of Lucky’s best friend, superstar Venus.
If Max’s troubles weren’t enough, Lucky has her multi-billion-dollar Las Vegas hotel complex to contend with . . . along with Anthony Bonar, the illegitimate grandson of her one-time Godfather and lethal enemy, Enzio Bonnati. So begins a non-stop thrill ride as Lucky builds her dream resort—and gambles with all she holds dear. Max, too, is following her dreams, and as her high-flying triumphs prove, she’s more than just a little Lucky.

My Thoughts
I really love this author.  I am going to start looking for more of her books.  She is comical and dramatic and keeps you reading.  The books go fast and keep my attention when sometimes other don't.


9 of 100- "Straight Talk, No Chaser: How to Find, Keep, and Understand a Man" by Steve Harvey

In the instant number one New York Times bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Steve Harvey gave millions of women around the globe insight into what men really think about love, intimacy, and commitment. In his new book he zeros in on what motivates men and provides tips on how women can use that knowledge to get more of what they need out of their relationships, whether it's more help around the house, more of the right kind of attention in the bedroom, more money in the joint bank account, or more truth when it comes to the hard questions, such as: Are you committed to building a future together? Does my success intimidate you? Have you cheated on me?
In Straight Talk, No Chaser: How to Find, Keep, and Understand a Man, Steve Harvey shares information on:

How to Get the Truth Out of Your Man

Tired of answers that are deceptive? Harvey lays out a three-tier, CIA-style of questioning that will leave your man no choice but to cut to the chase and deliver the truth.

Dating Tips, Decade by Decade

Whether you're in your twenties and just starting to date seriously, in your thirties and feeling the tick of the biological clock, or in your forties and beyond, Steve provides insight into what a man, in each decade of his life, is looking for in a mate.

How to Minimize Nagging and Maximize Harmony at Home

He said he'd cut the lawn on Saturday, and you may have been within reason to think that that meant Saturday before ten in the evening, but exploding at him is only going to ruin the mood for everyone, which means no romance. Steve shows you how to talk to your man in a way that moves him to action and keeps the peace.

And there's much more, including Steve's candid answers to questions you've always wanted to ask men.

Drawing on a lifetime of experience and the feedback women have shared with him in reaction to Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Harvey offers wisdom on a wealth of topics relevant to both sexes today. He also gets more personal, sharing anecdotes from his own family history. Always direct, often funny, and incredibly perceptive, media personality, comedian, philanthropist, and (finally) happily married husband, Steve Harvey proves once again that he is the king of relationships.

My Thoughts
These types of books are starting to blend together now.  There was one section I really liked about you need to be prepared to walk if you they man is not being a man.  Again a recommendation from a friend.
 
 8 of 100- "No More Dating Pigs You Are What you Date" by Norah Marler

Norah Marler's heartfelt rallying cry, No More Dating Pigs: You Are What You Date, is a fun, self-help dating guide for single women of every age. Readers will quickly grasp the Dating-Don'ts, Foolish Patterns, and Red Flag Warnings that always result in bad relationships and heartbreak. Inspired by the appalling yet typical real-life dating experiences of the author and her sisterhood, the handbook puts a name to tell-tale signs of "Pigs." These warning signs will resonate with women everywhere. Pigs are smart, they're opportunistic, they're greedy, and they only care about themselves. Existing dating guides, often written by men, rarely ask men to change. It's all up to women. If women aren't getting what they desire, the existing dating guides aren't working. Norah Marler knows it. We all know it. And the solution is easy. First learn to spot Pigs-then, stay away from them.

My Thoughts
This book took a different spin from the other girl dating help books.  Can you see a theme from the stuff my friends have been recommending to me.  I was really happy that the book was more about what you need to do to have better self esteem so you know you are better than the pigs out there compared to blaming it all on the men.  I still would like to do the dating diet but not sure if there is really any "right time" to do it.  She said if you have a great man in your life he won't mind but I think I am the one that would mind.  I wanna still do fun things with them.  I guess that's the point though.  To do fun things with yourself.

7 of 100-"Loving Yourself: Four Steps to a Happier You" by Daphne Rose Kingma
Finished July 2010

A therapist who has made frequent guest appearances on Oprah and whose previous three books have sold over 200,000 copies each, Kingma (The Future of Love) believes that "loving yourself is the greatest work you will do in this life." For Kingma, self-love not only contributes to better relationships and personal achievements, but enhances the ability to be compassionate and generous toward others. Negative childhood experiences, such as abandonment or abuse, that one had no control over contribute to persistent self-defeating feelings of low self-esteem that follow one into adulthood. All of this will be familiar to most readers, as will the four steps Kingma recommends for overcoming patterns of self-criticism and moving toward self-acceptance: mastering the ability to speak out honestly; taking actions that lead to growth; carving out one's own emotional space without others' interference; and "setting out" or focusing on a path beyond the self, via spiritual or other pursuits. What sets Kingma's work apart is that she almost unerringly gets the tone of affirmation right: she encourages without condescension, shares anecdotes without self-aggrandizement or sentimentality, and composes her sentences with care. The results make readers feel as if Kingma has anticipated their needs-exactly what one wants when receiving advice, especially when one has heard much of it before.

My Thoughts

While the four steps to a happier you make a sense and are not too challenging to complete it is just the act of starting the steps that I find difficult.  I really couldn't get into the spiritual side of this book.  Towards the end of the book it took a religious spin as well as discussing the chance of having a past life and reincarnation.  I think she should have just stuck with the four steps to help improve their self esteem and self perception.  I think the book could have still been a success without the spiritual/religious aspect.  I am planning to read the book for a second time to really soak in the steps and the different theories on how childhood or other previous relationships can affect my current perception so I can then stop the patterns of my behavior.

6 of 100-"Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" by Steve Harvey

Steve Harvey, the host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show, can't count the number of impressive women he's met over the years, whether it's through the "Strawberry Letters" segment of his program or while on tour for his comedy shows. These are women who can run a small business, keep a household with three kids in tiptop shape, and chair a church group all at the same time. Yet when it comes to relationships, they can't figure out what makes men tick. Why? According to Steve it's because they're asking other women for advice when no one but another man can tell them how to find and keep a man. In Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Steve lets women inside the mindset of a man and sheds lights on concepts and questions such as:

– The Ninety Day Rule: Ford requires it of its employees. Should you require it of your man?

– How to spot a mama's boy and what if anything you can do about it.

– When to introduce the kids. And what to read into the first interaction between your date and your kids.

– The five questions every woman should ask a man to determine how serious he is.

– And more...

Sometimes funny, sometimes direct, but always truthful, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is a book you must read if you want to understand how men think when it comes to relationships.

My Thoughts

While this book is not my usual cup of tea it was lent to me by a friend who said I just had to read it. There were some things he said that seemed to be very true. The chapters I loved the most were "What Drives Men", "Our Love Isn't Like Your Love", "Three Things Every Man Needs: Support, Loyalty and the Cookie" and “’We Need to Talk’ and other Words that Make Men Run for Cover". In "What Drives Men" it really made sense to me that men are just much simpler creatures. Steve Harvey explains what really drives men is who they are, what they do and how much they make. Men must feel like they have satisfied these requirements to feel like they have finally become a MAN. In "Our Love Isn't Like Your Love" I could see the similarities of what he was saying with my own personal experiences. The three ways men love are they profess, provide and protect. If he is doing those things then he really does care about you and this is his way of showing it. He may not do it by doing a bunch of other crap. "Three Things Every Man Needs: Support, Loyalty and the Cookie". As you can guess “the cookie” is sex, a man’s way of being intimate with a woman. The other things they need are support and loyalty. Support in the form of appreciation for their profession, protection and providing for you and loyalty to stand by them when things get tough. I now know “We Need to Talk" and other Words that Make Men Run for Cover" but I had a pretty good idea that was the case.

So my guy readers…feel free to tell me your opinion. Does this book sound accurate to you?

5 of 100-"The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged!: Lasting Fat Loss That's Better Than Ever!" by Tosca Reno

The Eat-Clean Diet helped readers understand how to stay healthy and lean forever. Three years later, hundreds of thousands of superstars, personal trainers and regular everyday people have overcome their weight and health problems by following The Eat-Clean Diet. This larger, revised and fully updated edition offers in-depth information on: non-threatening exercise o extending and improving your life o getting - and staying - motivated o getting rid of cellulite o tightening your skin o combating the harsh effects of menopause Plus! Nearly 100 new pages; Total redesign; 50 new recipes; Information on eating disorders; Menu plans for different diets; The Quick Eat-Clean Diet at a glance.

My Thoughts

This book is great and I really would recommend anyone to read it.  Her theory makes complete sense.  However, caring it out is much easier said than done.  I have been trying one of her cooler plans but with my schedule it is very hard to stick with.  I know I am just coming up with an excuse but it is true.

4 of 100-"Poor Little Bitch Girl" by Jackie Collins

Denver Jones is a hotshot twenty-something attorney working in L.A. Carolyn Henderson is personal assistant to a powerful and very married Senator in Washington with whom she is having an affair. And Annabelle Maestro—daughter of two movie stars—has carved out a career for herself in New York as the madame of choice for discerning famous men. The three of them went to high school together in Beverly Hills—and although Denver and Carolyn have kept in touch, Annabelle is out on her own with her cocaine addicted boyfriend, Frankie.

Then there is Bobby Santangelo Stanislopolous, the Kennedyesque son of Lucky Santangelo and deceased Greek shipping billionaire, Dimitri Stanislopolous. Bobby owns Mood, the hottest club in New York. Back in the day he went to high school with Denver, Carolyn and Annabelle. And he connected with all three of them. Frankie is his best friend.

When Annabelle’s beautiful movie star mother is found shot to death in the bedroom of her Beverly Hills mansion, the five of them find themselves thrown together . . . and secrets from the past have a way of coming back to haunt everyone. . . .

A new, sexy, and explosive novel from perennial bestseller Jackie Collins.

My Thoughts

After reading the previous book it was nice to read something that was light.  The story line was a little to far fetched sometimes but who knows maybe people really do this this way.  I was happy with the ending of Denver and Bobby getting together.

3 of 100-"A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey

Imagine waking up on a plane.  You have no idea where you have been or where you are going.  You have no memory of the preceding two weeks.  Your front four teeth have been knocked out, your nose is broken, and there is a gash on your cheek. 

Imagine that you have no wallet, no money, no job.  Imagine that you have been an alcoholic for ten years and a crack addict for three.  What would you do?

When he entered a residential treatment center at the age of 23, James Frey had destroyed his body and his mind almost beyond repair.  Surrounded by patients as troubled as he and a droning dogma of How to Recover, Frey had to fight to find his own way to confront the consequences of the life he had lived so far, and to determine what future, if any, he held.

My Thoughts
Um yeah....this book is intense, but a definite eye opener!! Some of the stories of his experiences were so crazy you wanted to close your eyes as if you were watching a horror movie. I really appreciated the way he looked at his addiction and how he took responsibilities for his actions.
Parts of this book were really tough because I could relate from the small time I was in an outpatient facility. While I was only in the unit for one weekend, it was the people I met that reminded me of the characters in this book.

I think the best thing to take away from this book is one accepting responsibility for your actions and remind yourself of just how strong you are and what you can overcome. Two, accepting other regardless of what happened in their past. Everyone goes through tough times; commend them on getting away from the negative and improving instead of holding it against them.


2 of 100-"Dear John" by Nicholas Sparks

When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf.  An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do.  Then during a furlough, he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams.  The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty.  Like so many proud men and women, John must choose between love and country.  Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover that loving Savannah will force him to make the hardest decision of his life.

My Thoughts
I have read books by Nicholas Sparks before and this was not what I was expecting. The books of his I have read end in happy endings, this one not so much. It was really heartbreaking that Savannah broke up with John and it I could not imagine how hard it was for John to see Savannah later happy with someone else. The Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine described the book as "Beautifully moving...Has tremendous emotional depth, revealing the true meaning of unconditional love." John's heartless act at the end of the book truly was a selfless act. A true act of unconditional love. Maybe it is just the state of mind I am currently in, but for this story I really wanted them to live happily ever after.
1 of 100-"Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.

Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.

With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in theCopper Canyons. Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

My Thoughts
I found it really incredible the distances not only the Tarahumara run but also American ultra runners.  There were a lot of techniques I also was to try including running barefoot and "eating like a homeless person".  This was a very inspiring book of what the human body is capable of.  This book is not just for runners but for anyone.