K.J. Farnham's Blog, page 26

Book Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train is a page-turning thriller told from the alternating perspectives of three female characters. The intrigue begins when Rachel (the alcoholic main character) realizes that something she witnessed could be related to the disappearance of a young woman she feels connected to, even though they have never met. You see, Rachel observes people and things closely during frequent train commutes and becomes captivated by one couple (Megan and Scott), in particular. She goes so far...

Must-read Book on Sale!!

The Kindle version of The Giver by Lois Lowry is on sale for $2.99! If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend taking advantage of this deal.


The Giver

E-book or Paperback?

My husband recently said he thinks the days of print books are numbered. My initial reaction was to call his prediction ridiculous. But later that night, as I read a Kindle book on my iPad, it occurred to me that I have not read a print book in five months. So I began pondering my reasons for choosing e-books over print books.

E-books are:

less expensive
available with the click of a few buttons
adjustable (font size and orientation, lighting)
convenient for note taking and highlighting
easy to sto...

Book Review: 8 Weeks (Time for Love #1) by Bethany Lopez

The opening chapter of this book sucked me in immediately. After a night of heavy drinking, Cal wakes up to find himself naked and in the company of an unfamiliar woman who is also naked. The woman makes her exit almost as soon as Cal realizes she’s there, and he is left wracking his brain, trying to figure out how the hell he let such a “thing” happen. Whether Cal (who has been married to his high school sweetheart Shelly for six years) actually had sex with this mystery woman is unclear at...

Book Review: Of Mice and Money by Winifred Morris

Of Mice and Money tells the story of Kiva, a woman in her late thirties who wants to make a clean break from her drug-smuggling husband. After a decade of putting up with his “scary business” and being told things on a “need-to-know” basis, she decides to give up a life of luxury for one that is simpler, quieter, and much safer—or so she thinks. When she finds a place that seems perfect for a fresh start, chaos (and humor) ensues as new and familiar faces begin showing up on her doorstep.

Much...

Book Review: There Are No Men by Carol Maloney Scott

Claire is a thirty-something divorcee who has ventured back into the dating world. Complications arise due to the fact that she is unable to have children, which she feels eliminates the prospect of finding love with a younger man or anyone who wants children. The first couple of dates she goes on are a result of online dating – these dates offer many laughs and end horribly! On top of meeting men via the Internet, Claire is encouraged by her friend/co-worker to attend Meetup events (which do...

Ready to Read in 2015

One of my favorite things about being a writer is that reading a good book can actually be considered research. ; ) This is why I spend just as much time reading as I do writing. As a result, I have written dozens of book reviews, mostly on Amazon up until I recently became a Goodreads member. Starting in 2015, I will also be posting reviews here as a member of Jo Michaels’ 2015 Review Team.

I have pledged to read and review 21-40 books, so you can expect at least two reviews per month. If you...

Book Review: Birdbrain by Virginia Arthur

Don’t let the cover of this book fool you. Not only does Birdbrain chronicle a young woman’s path to self-discovery, but it is also thought-provoking in regards to nature and the environment. Virginia Arthur took me on an emotional roller coaster. If you enjoy books that make you laugh, cry, analyze your beliefs, and reflect on relationships, then this one is for you.

The first half focuses a lot on Ellie leaving her husband of six years. She goes back and forth with her decision, driving her...

How I Started My Writing Career

I wish I could say that I always dreamed of being an author, but that would be an exaggeration. What I can say, though, is that I’ve always loved expressing myself through writing. Growing up, I wrote regularly in a diary or journal (when the word diary became too babyish) and excelled in subjects related to reading and/or writing. However, when it came time to choose a career, it never occurred to me that I could actually do something that involved my two favorite subjects. So I started out...

Excerpt from "The Me I See"

My stomach turns sour as I stare at my dad’s most recent family photo. I love my dad and Lily—Connie is okay—but the picture makes me feel like an outsider. I feel like I’m looking at one of those generic photos that get placed inside of a frame at the store, the ones where the families look so happy. You know they are just models posing as a real family, but still, you can’t help but wish you were one of them. That’s how perfect my dad’s family looks.

Suddenly, I feel even more self-conscious about my performance at the cheer squad tryouts. Not only would Kelsie have been able to perform the cheer routine, by my little half-sister probably could have, too. It also bothers me that Lily seems to have the same thin, waif-like body type as Kelsie. How is that even possible? Why am I the only one to inherit my dad’s stocky “German genes,” as my mom so often puts it? I know looks aren’t important, yet the disappointment I feel over my own appearance is overwhelming.

Looking more at the picture, I feel the pork loin I had for dinner making its way back up my throat. I jump up and run to the bathroom. When I get there, I immediately crouch down in front of the toilet, but nothing comes out. I rest my forehead on the rim of the seat and swallow repeatedly as acid burns my esophagus.

Would I feel any better if I did throw up?

I stand and come face to face with myself in the cabinet mirror above the toilet. “Maybe it would feel better,” I whisper to myself.

I drop down to my knees and slowly insert a finger into my throat. I gag a little, but nothing comes up. So I try again, only this time I insert my finger so far that my teeth dig into my knuckles. Within seconds, the barely digested dinner that had been in my stomach is now floating in the toilet.

At first, I am shocked. What have I done? I quickly flush the toilet and rinse my mouth out with water. Then I brush my teeth to erase any remaining evidence of what just happened. It isn’t until I glance at myself in the mirror, mouth full of foamy toothpaste, that I realize I feel better—much better.

In fact, I feel so much better that I crawl into bed and drift off to sleep effortlessly for the first time since Anica and me were caught shoplifting.