Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me (Howie Mandel)

I had received Howie Mandel's book as a gift so I was excited when I finally had an opportunity to take some time to read it.  I had chosen this book as my "A book that is funny" choice, since I had recently been watching a lot of "America's Got Talent" and realized how funny I think Howie Mandel is. 

I loved this book.  It was the perfect mix of funny, embarrassing, heartwarming, and honest.  Howie speaks truthfully about his ADHD and "germophobia" and helps us to truly understand the challenges that he goes through.  It puts these issues in a whole new light and allows us to begin to understand the complexities of the OCD he faces. 

There were so many funny stories in the book where Howie recounts pranks he pulled on others and encounters he's had with various people.  There were also more serious stories, where he talks about health concerns and other struggles. 

Though the book is a little more dated now, since it discusses Howie's days on the TV show Deal or No Deal, it's still recommended by me since it's equally as funny and true.  I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who likes nonfiction, Howie Mandel, or comedy. 

My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials - In a Class by Itself (Sandra Brown)
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book - Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me (Howie Mandel)
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read - Six Years (Harlan Coben)
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

In a Class by Itself (Sandra Brown)

It's been a while since I've read this book, but I shall do my best!

I read "In a Class by Itself" by Sandra Brown as part of my 2015 Reading List (which I doubt I'll be able to finish at this point!) as my choice for book by an author with the same initials as myself.  I had heard good things about Sandra Brown and she seems to be a very popular author, so I chose one of the many books on the library bookshelf and ended up with this one.

Dani and Logan have a history together, which causes some tension and brings up some old memories when they return for their high school reunion.  When Dani returns, she has some questions to ask Logan and Logan is also looking for some answers about their past.

From what I remember, seeing as I read this book about 6 months ago, it was an easy read and also had a few twists at the end.  I hadn't been able to predict what their past involved or what their current challenges were.

It was a good book, though written in the 1980s, and still contains a nice love story for those who want some romance.  Considering when the novel was written, it contained more details about ther relationship than what I would have expected.  Recommended for someone who likes their romance novels. 

My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials - In a Class by Itself (Sandra Brown)
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read - Six Years (Harlan Coben)
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas

Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)

I've finished my first book of 2015 - which also fits into my 2015 Reading List!

I started reading "Some Girls: My Life in a Harem" because it was recommended by my mom. It's the story of a girl who moves from a difficult situation in the United States into a quite different situation in Singapore.  She is promised a large sum of money if she moves across the world to attend parties for Prince Jefri.  The ladies fight over his time and attention during their stays in Brunei.  She's treated fairly well, has caught the prince's eye, and receives quite the perks with this 'employment.'

Although the title and overall idea of the book may discourage some people from picking it up, I enjoyed Jillian's story.  Despite this book sounding like a "deep" content book, it was easy to read and wasn't a depressing tale of a girl's life-gone-bad. It was an interesting read and provided quite a different view than the reality that we see in North America.

I would recommend this book for those who like non-fiction books and for those who enjoy stories about people who live different and interesting lives.  It was definitely a book I would recommend to others! 


My 2015 Reading List Update

• A popular author's first book
• A book that was originally written in a different language
• A book written by an author with your same initials
• A memoir - Some Girls: My Life in a Harem (Jillian Lauren)
• A funny book
• A book with a colour in the title
• A book you own but have never read
• A book with a one-word title
• A book written by someone under 30
• A book you can finish in a day
• A book with non-human characters
• A book set during Christmas