American Housewife by Helen Ellis... A Review

I don't often read short story collections. Why? I can only say it's because of the investment. After I read the first story, it's like the first chapter of a "normal" book, I want to keep turning the pages. BUT, short story collections need to be savored and I usually am not the savory kind of reader. But I made an exception with American Housewife by Helen Ellis and I am so glad I did.

American Housewife is a collection of fun, contemporary, tongue-in-cheek stories that had me smiling cheek to cheek! And by contemporary, I mean stories I can relate to in the present day. Like the story of two women who live in apartments and share the same hallway (The Wainscoting War). One woman is rather elderly and has lived there forever with her flocked damask wallpaper and huge antique oil paintings in the common hallway they both share now. The other woman is a young "new money" girl and has ideas about updating what she thinks is a depressing and old looking hallway soon after she moves in.  Their "disagreement" is fought in emails to each other, until a final resolution, that is by no means neighborly, is reached. It is funny as all heck to read. Then we move into a behind the scenes look at a new reality show called Dumpster Diving with The Stars, that pits an ex-playboy bunny against a nobody writer and includes John Lithgow as part of the fun. No need to read these stories in order- enjoy them at will! In these stories you'll meet a housewife who "pumps the salad spinner like a CPR dummy", a housewife who thinks wainscoting is "the bomb" (and you should too or else!), and a group of book club ladies who have an unusual requirement when you join the club.  In all there are 12 stories, 2 of which are just 2 pages each, but a great 2 pages they are.

My favorite stories? Definitely The Wainscoting War (See description above), Hello!Welcome to Book Club (very Handmaiden Tales like), And The Fitter, which is about this husband who can tell exactly what bra will fit any lady and not just fit, but feel absolutely the most comfortable and look great too. No need to touch the woman, just looking at her reveals all he needs to know. It is a talent that he had since he was little, and he's very much in demand. And what woman wouldn't want a man who could do that! But being married to the guy is a full time job! That's all I'm going to say! I also really liked My Novel is Brought To You By, which is about this woman who signs a contract with Tampax to write a book and let's just say, product placement becomes an issue. It is funny!

I checked this out of my fabulous library, but now I think I'm going to have to buy this because it would be something I would open up and enjoy again. And that's a great thing about your library- you can try before you buy!

A slim 185 pages, but 4 stars from this housewife! Helen Ellis' writing is enticing and these stories are insightful, not to mention bitingly funny at times. Definitely borrow, and buy if tongue-in-cheek housewives put a grin on your face.

The Sunday Salon and Reader Resolutions..

Happy New Year! And welcome to The Sunday Salon! Winter has finally come to Connecticut and the excitement of a new year is in the air. As we put away our cut-offs and tank tops (yes, it was that warm last week) and we move indoors for the next few months, it's time to turn our attention back to reading and book shelves and other inside activities. Of course reading is always on our mind, isn't it. I almost always have a book with me just in case I get stuck somewhere. But what other bookish things do we do during the year or mean to do during the year? And do you have any reader resolutions?!

Reader Resolution #1… This is probably "Read More Books" for most people, or read more nonfiction or horror or "you fill in the blank" kind of books. Or read a specific amount of books… I signed up for the reading challenge of reading 50 books for the year (a lofty goal). But I have resolved to read more poetry in the past, and to read more science fiction too. But does it always have to be about reading? NO!

What About… Organization or decoration? How about  resolving to organizing your books in one place or by author or even by color?! How about resolving to get a book shelf or build one! Or how about rotating the books on your shelves? Do you like to have your favorites there, the currents there or a combination? I always have favorites on the shelves, but when I run out of room for some of the new books I want to shelve, it's time to rotate… and decide to store or donate (see resolution below)!

A Resolution to "Clean out the Shelves"…  Yes, for some of us it's hard to get rid of books. I NEVER throw out books, but every year I do clean out my shelves and donate books that I have read, but don't need to keep. My local library has a sale and my book donation helps raise money for things not in their budget.

Visit Your Local Library… Why not resolve this year to visit your local library?! Libraries are a great local resource for a lot of things and even just walking through those doors and checking out a book once in a while shows that people still use the library! I have a fantastic local library, but I can remember times when funding was leaner and budget cuts took away some of the things I enjoyed (like eBooks). If libraries aren't used they will disappear! In some places they already have.

Read What You Have!… This could be a sub category of "Read More" resolutions, but I think that it deserves it's own category! How many TBR books do you have on your shelf?(or nightstand or table…) TBR, aka To Be Read, can multiply like rabbits in some readers homes! I know this from experience. There are many reasons for buying a book and not reading it right away, but sometimes those books can get lost in the shelves for YEARS! Am I right?! So, why not resolve to read what you already have? Not easy with all these wonderful books coming out every month, but maybe resolving to read at least one for every new book you buy?

My Reader Resolutions are simple…

1.  I resolve to read books that I think I will enjoy and if I'm not enjoying a book, I am going to put it down without guilt (that's hard sometimes). 
2.  I resolve to sign up for reading challenges for FUN! I have signed up for a few reading challenges (read 50 books, read 12 Graphic Novels, read 6 library books), but I am NOT going to let the challenges rule my reading life! Theses challenges are for pleasure and fun, NOT Stress! And that includes my own Chick with Books "Book Bingo" Challenge, which I'm hosting as a FUN way to read books. 
3. I resolve to use my library more. Not just because of the library challenge I signed up for, but because I don't need to buy every book I want to read and this will save some money!
4. I resolve to Blog more! The past year or so life just got in the way a bit, but I miss chatting with everyone here and in the book blogging community! So expect more this year, including the fun stuff like giveaways! 

I'm hosting a FUN reading challenge! Book Bingo is a fun way to see if you can fill in the spaces of a bingo card with the books that you're reading! It's also a way to nudge you to read something you may not normally read, so you can get that space filled for a Bingo! Follow this link: Chick with Books "Book Bingo" to read all about it and join in on the fun! If you would like a printable Bingo card, just email me at quzy@mac.com and I'll get one to you!

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I think that about does it for MY reader resolutions! What about YOU?! Do you have any Reader Resolutions for this year? Hope I shared some ideas for you! Let me know! And share any ideas you have with me here! I'd love to hear all about them!

Happy Reading… Suzanne

Chick with Books "Book Bingo 2016" Challenge

Chick with Books Book Bingo 2016!

Want to play along?! For my reading group, I made this Bingo card with each square representing a different book and I thought "Hey, maybe some Chick with Books followers might like to play along too!" So, here's the Bingo card for YOU too!   

                                                                                                  

                              Chick with Books Book Bingo 2016 

A Newbery or Caldecott Winner *********** (Mr. Wuffles)	Nonfiction ************ Concussion	Longer than 500 Pages	Published in 2015 *********** Farlaine the Goblin	With a Blue Cover  ************* (River Road)
Historical Fiction ********* The Edge of Time	A Booker Prize Winner (or made the short list) ************ The Drivers Seat	Set in a Place you’d like to visit	Currently on the Best Seller List ********* The Nest	Graphic Novel *************** (Sunstone Vol.1)
Poetry or Short Story Collection ********** American Housewife	With a Red Cover ****** The Girl in The Red Coat	Chick with Books Bingo!	Romance or Love Story ************ (Our Souls at Night)	By An Author That Shares your first Name
With a Number in the Title	Has Water on the Cover ********** Eternal on the Water	Translation	A Western	Something from your TBR Pile
Biography or Memoir	A Banned Book	Food as the Theme ********** (Beat, Slay, Love)	Manga ******** (A Girl on the Shore)	Listen to an audiobook

 The rules are simple… 

1. Be adventurous! This is for fun! Enjoy finding books you want to read that fit in the squares!

2. The Challenge runs from January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2016

3. If you want to participate, you can join anytime! If you're a blogger, feel free to write a blog post with the "rules" and link back to me. You can just sign up below by leaving a comment telling me your ready for some adventurous reading and come back and share your progress.

4. It's one book for each square! If you read a book that fits more than one square, you can only use it for one square. And once you check a square off, it's checked off for good. (Remember, it's all about reading the books). Feel free to print the Bingo card to help you keep track OR email me for a large PDF of this Bingo card! 

5. The middle square is a freebie! No need to read a book for that one!

6. Every 3 months, I'll post an update here where you can share your progress, what books you read for which squares and if you got any Bingos! I'll post the updates, April 1st, July 1st, Oct. 1st, and Dec. 31st. 

7. Remember it's not really a competition, but let's see who can get the most Bingo's! 

                                                                                            

Now…Ways to be REALLY adventurous…

*The 5K Bingo… That's your first Bingo, 5 in a row! How awesome is that! And you can just keep getting Bingo rows to add up those Bingos! Remember a Bingo row is 5 squares in a row. 

*The Double Barrel Shotgun Bingo… That's 2 Rows going the same direction! 

*The Double Cross Bingo… X That's X'ing out the Bingo Card with the 2 diagonals! 

*Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend Bingo… ◊ That's getting the 8 squares checked off that form a diamond.

*Diamond Earrings Bingo… ◊◊ That's 2 small diamonds (made up of 4 squares each) that touch each other. So that would be 7 squares . You can also lose an earring for a Lost an Earring Bingo made up of just one small diamond of 4 squares.  

*Around the World Bingo… That's getting all the boxes around the perimeter, like a square! That's 16 Squares!

*25 Shades of Black Bingo… That's the WHOLE Bingo Card! What an accomplishment! You must read ALL THE TIME!

Up for the adventure? I sure am! I have enjoyed Book Bingo in the past and look forward to it this year with all of you! Let's see how many Bingo's we can get, if we can get any of the fancy Bingo's above, and what books we read to fit theses Bingo squares!

Good Luck! Leave a comment below to join in!      
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**UPDATE: I've filled in 9 Bingo Squares, With a Blue Cover and Romance or Love Story! AND Graphic Novel! And Manga! Nonfiction, Newbery or Caldecott Winner or Honor Winner, With Food as a Theme, and A Poetry or Short Story Collection. AND, Book with a Red Cover! How are YOU doing??