Happy Friday!
Today is going to be a good day for the Fagan family because we will officially be reunited with this crazy lady…
I miss my puppy so, so much. During these past two weeks when we’ve been away from her, I honestly haven’t been able to talk about her too much because I get this feeling of longing in the pit of my stomach.
I can’t wait until she tackles me to the floor at my parents’ house and gives me “nibble kisses.” When Sadie is really excited, she licks your face non-stop and nibbles you a little bit because she can’t control herself.
Nibble kisses are my favorite. 
Breakfast
Let’s fly through breakfast because it’s the same ol’ thang from the hotel buffet.
Eggs, toast with jelly, breakfast potatoes and some Raisin Bran to munch on while I blog.
The belly is full.
Now for the fun stuff!
PBF Book Club
I am so excited that you guys are interested in a PBF book club!
Once I finish reading The Kite Runner, I’ll post a little survey on the blog with three different books for you guys to vote on to select the book we’ll read to kick off the club. And just to clear things up, you definitely don’t need to be a blogger to participate in the book club and if you read the book a long time ago, you’re still more than welcome to participate in the discussion. Stay tuned!
On that note, it’s time for another PBF book review!
The Glass Castle
If I had to use one word to describe this book it would be “struggle.” The first half of this book was a struggle to get through the second half made me struggle with my emotions.
The Glass Castle is a memoir, written by the extremely talented Jeannette Walls. The book details her life growing up in a family that moved around a lot, or “did the skedaddle” as her dad would say. They moved all across the United States, packing up whenever her parents got into financial trouble, craved a new adventure or left to evade the law.
Her parents are non-conformists (to put it lightly). Though they clearly love and adore their children, her father is a drunk while her mother is an artist (though no one buys her work) and an “excitement addict” that feels confined by regular work. At times it’s hard to believe they’re real people because as “characters” in a book, they seem so eccentric.
While your heart breaks for the conditions the Walls children are forced to live in because of their parents, your heart fills up again at the displays of genuine love in the book and the moments of tenderness between the family.
I must admit, I almost quit reading this book in the beginning. The first 80 pages failed to intrigue me. Sure I was amused, but I didn’t long to sit on the couch, curled up with this book, reading for hours on end… until I reached the second half of the book.
Once the author enters her teens and her family moves from Phoenix to a poor town in West Virginia, the book really turned around for me. I found myself emotionally engaged.
I was so incredibly frustrated and angered by the author’s parents and so incredibly moved by the undying love between the siblings in the book. They were truly good people who looked out for each other, despite their unconventional upbringing.
As I closed this book after I read the final page, I realized that this book is more than just a book. It is a lesson. A lesson in appreciation, determination and limitless love.
Past PBF Book Reviews:
- The Art of Racing in the Rain
- Divergent (<—If you liked The Hunger Games, you must read this!)
- The Help
- The Hunger Games Series
- Sarah’s Key
- Water for Elephants
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If you enjoyed The Glass Castle, you’d probably like her other book, Half-Broke Horses. She started researching/writing a book based on her mom’s life, but her mom kept insisting it was her mom (Jeanette’s grandma) that had the amazing life. It is written in first-person, so it’s a mix of fact and fiction of her life.
Also, I would definitely be interested in joining the book club!
I loved the glass castle too. It made me so mad when the author and her brother found the diamond ring and brought it to their mom and said” We could sell this and buy food.” And she said “Yes, but If I keep it will help my self esteem.” And then she keeps it. Seriously what parents does that?! It’s amazing how much the siblings loved each other and how well they turned out despite their parents.
Excited for PBF bookclub! And I’m so glad to hear you made it through the Glass Castle, its truly an amazing story, and Jeanette Walls truly is an amazing and inspiring woman.
Does Sadie bite your hair too when she gets excited? My pup licks, screams like a child, bites my hair, and howls all at the same time when she sees someone she loves.
hahaha surprisingly she’s not much of a hair biter!
I loved this book! Yes, was a struggle to read at times, but still very good:)
Hooray for the pup being back in action!!
I really enjoyed The Glass Castle. I HIGHLY recommend Night Road by Kristin Hannah and Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult. They are both so good I just had to share:)
I can’t wait to participate in the book club. I love to read and it’s difficult finding others who really want to discuss a book and not just gossip. Great idea!
Ohh The Kite Runner? I hope it’s good! I’ve had my eye on it for a while but just can’t bring myself to actually read it. lol I love my romantic suspense books!
LOVED the book.
I have to be honest-at first I had no idea that I was reading a memior. My fiance sends books to my kindle and I don’t really investigate them until I start reading!
I had a strange childhood too so I related with the author. It’s confusing how her parents showed their love-but ultimately they did care alot about their children. I couldn’t believe when her mom asked her to borrow a million dollars!! Her head was really in the clouds!!
I was really thrilled to see how much the siblings cared for each other. I don’t have a great relationship with my siblings and I really wish we could have made it through our childhood with a better friendship.
Looking forward to your book club! I read the kite runner twice-really enjoyed it.
This book is definitely on my to-read list. I’m reading Little Bee now. Definitely looking forward to PBF book club!!
Glad you get to be reunited with your pup. My suggestion for a book club book would be Animal, Vegetable, Miracle A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver!
i should read that! everyone is saying it’s amazing! is it a novel or non-fiction?
My dog does the same exact thing! Except I call them “love bites” haha I love when they are so excited they come straight at your nose!
I almost bought this book yesterday but I stopped myself..I get my financial aid money in a couple weeks, then I’ll buy it!
I love the idea of a virtual/online book club! My former roommate and I used to trade books constantly after one of finished one that we really loved. She moved across state a few months ago, and we’ve been doing the same thing via email and Facebook even though we don’t live together anymore! It’s so much fun to share a great read. I love the idea of doing it with a lot more people 🙂
Two of the latest books I have read and liked:
13 Reasons Why (by Jay Asher) -a compelling book and a MUST READ :]
and
Falling for Hamlet (by Michelle Ray) – a modern day version of hamlet
I totally felt the same with The Glass Castle, it took me awhile to get into it. The first chapter of the book started off really well and then it faded until partway through, then I couldn’t put it down. Some of the stories she tells seem so surreal.
Love the idea of the book club
I love memoirs–I’m curious about Glass Castle now~thanks for the review Julie. 🙂 and Nibble kisses sound so cute and funny hehe
Yep, I’ve gotten those nibble kisses before. They’re the best! 🙂
I’m glad you stuck it out with the glass castle. If nothing else, it’s so very powerful and makes you so grateful for everything you do have.
Nibble kisses are my fav. My bf and I call them “bisses” though (bites + kisses = bisses).
Sarahs Key is an amazing book! If you like that try Those Who Save Us. has anyone seen the Sarah’s Key film???
So exited about your bookclub! I’m really not much of a book reader but whenever i read about you reading a book, it gets me in the spirit as well. You know what book you should def. Read?! It’s called ‘perfect girls, starving daughters’ by courtney e martin. It’s a real serious and eye opening book!
I was planning on commenting and recommending Half Broke Horses to you but I see that several people have already recommended it! I actually enjoyed it more than The Glass Castle. You also mentioned that you will be reading The Kite Runner. May I suggest A Thousand Splendid Suns by the same author! Brutal but such a good book! I’m a new follower by the way.
Edie does nibble kisses too! She usually does it right when we get home from work. Yesterday her whole body trembled when I walked in the door she was so excited.
I recommend the following book for the book club. It is wonderful. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.
I hope you can get a library card soon! I’d be broke if I bought all the books I enjoy reading. Libraries rock!
I have been wanting to read The Glass Castle … yet NOT wanting to. My own childhood was a bit whacked and I’ve made complete peace with all of it and forgiven everybody as well as learned to love them again, flaws and all.
I want to read it because I think I’ll be able to relate a little (maybe a lot, who knows). But I don’t want to read it because once you’ve made peace with something, it’s not all that appetizing to keep doing so over and over again, you know?
I’m such a book-hound, though, and a MAJOR sucker for memoirs and biographies, that I probably will. It definitely won’t be an airplane book for when I’m on the road though! I think I’ll need to have my sweet husband and my snuggle puppy around when I read that one.
I’m so glad you posted about The Glass Castle because it’s actually a required book for one of my classes this coming semester! Now i’m excited to read it!
So excited about book club, and your review of Glass Castle. It’s on my to read list. I honestly didn’t read your entire review (in case there are spoilers), but I read enough to know you found it moving. Can’t wait to read it!
If you haven’t yet, search for Jeannette Walls on you tube. I was so fascinated by her story after I read the book, and found a few I clips of her mother. Last I checked she was squatting in New York not far from where Jeannette lives and still painting.
I loved The Glass Castle! I wrote my essay that got me into my dream college 4 years ago on it, so it holds a really special place in my heart.
Also, I hate leaving my dogs for more than a few hours, I can’t imagine not seeing them for two weeks…I’m glad you were finally reunited 🙂
I loved the Glass Castle, as well as the Kite Runner. I read them both when they just came out! Have a wonderful time with Sadie!!!! I am sure she will be so happy to see you and Ryan.
I know I’m a little late on this post (due to a lack of blog access at my new job 😀 ), but I’ve always wondered what this book was all about. It sounds really interesting, but an emotionally-wrenching read!
Great review! 😀
I think I’m going to have to skip on this book. With law school starting back up again I don’t need my free time reading to also be a struggle!
I totally agree about The Glass Castle, it was slow getting in to, but after it gets started it’s really addicting!
i liked this book but i loved the author’s other book, half-broke horses, even more