The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan

The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan is simply a book that I came across and thought it sounded interesting.  It was never on a must read list of mine.  I was simply intrigued by it's subject matter.  That being said, it wasn't a life-changing read or anything.  It was interesting for the most part though.  I like thinking about positive things.  I even write down things for which I am grateful sometimes although not every day.  I think it's a good habit to have, looking on the bright side of life.  I like the comment in the book when she says that one cockroach can ruin a bowl of cherries, but one cherry does nothing to improve a bowl of cockroaches.  If you ponder that thought for a minute, you'll see that it's a really good example of what she's trying to get across.  Don't let that one bad thing make you forget about all those good things in that are still in the background.  Don't focus on the cockroach so much.  Smash it, throw it out and move on.  If you're one of those people who always has something to complain about and want to change that, then pick up a copy of this book.  There could be something in it that helps you turn yourself around.  If nothing else, it will help you see what positivity can do for a person.  I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich

Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich is the 23rd installment in the Stephanie Plum series.  Now, I know that number seems high, but for those of us who are a fan of the series, it doesn't feel high.  I've read all of the 22 previous books, and I'll say this... if you get bored of a concept really easily, then this series is not for you.  It's about a woman who became a bounty hunter for her cousin.  There is always a mystery to solve, usually involving a murder.  Stephanie is the main character/bounty hunter.  She has no training or special skills to be in this line of work.  So, she always gets herself into a jam.  It's a little annoying at this point because you think she would have learned from her mistakes.  However, the humor that Evanovich includes throughout the books makes up for that.  I find myself laughing out loud with a lot of her books in this series.  The first one is still my favorite.  This one... it was a little lacking for me.  It was still good, and I feel like I'm keeping up with Stephanie and her crazy love life with 2 men in the picture.  Her sidekick is a woman who used to be a prostitute named Lula, and she is always good for a laugh.  Overall, I'm glad I didn't skip it.  I give it a 3 out of 5 stars.