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My (not so) Storybook Life: A Tale of Friendship and Faith
Fresh, funny, and poignant, My (not so) Storybook Life is old-fashioned humor mashed with literary spoofery. Elizabeth thinks of herself and her husband, Matt, as a modern-day Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. Together they’ve endured paint-color mishaps, sewage disasters, pest infestations, and a schnauzer that poops at tornado sirens. It’s hardly the domestic perfection a young Liz imagined while reading Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice. Could it be that these literary stalwarts had led her astray?Liz tells the story of her own path to happiness, along the way seeking revenge on her literary Jo March has to cope with a soul-sucking job, Elizabeth Bennett shepherds a Duggar-size brood of kids, and Anne Shirley deals with a penny-pinching husband. But every comedy is balanced by tragedy. Angela was one of Liz’s closest friends, a kindred spirit who, at age thirty-one, was diagnosed with cancer. Before Angela, Liz was discontented. But it was the journey she took with this friend that made her realize that her house and its decorations and plumbing and dirty-clothes-covered Man Cave were not burdens to be tweaked and perfected, but blessings to be thankful for.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 30, 2011
This was an excellent book. I cried, I laughed, I added books to my "to read" pile. I love Liz Owens style of writing. Honest but with a twist of funny, she makes getting stabbed in the eye seem hilarious. Even though I knew the ending, I didn't want to put it down.
It's a story of friendship and of Liz's life with her husband and family. A fabulous added touch, Liz takes our favorite characters from literature past and gives them a "real life" twist, with Jane Eyre struggling with her husbands snoring, Mr. Bennets "Man Cave" and Daisy from the Great Gatsby opens up her own bake shop, much to her husband and mother-in-law's dismay.
Liz is clever, witty, honest and sweet. This is a MUST READ.
It's a story of friendship and of Liz's life with her husband and family. A fabulous added touch, Liz takes our favorite characters from literature past and gives them a "real life" twist, with Jane Eyre struggling with her husbands snoring, Mr. Bennets "Man Cave" and Daisy from the Great Gatsby opens up her own bake shop, much to her husband and mother-in-law's dismay.
Liz is clever, witty, honest and sweet. This is a MUST READ.
October 20, 2011
For the last several years I have been reading the blog Mabel's House by Elizabeth Owen. It is witty and funny and very real to life. Better yet, I know Liz and her husband, Matt, personally from college and somehow that makes her stories even better.
Her posts about dissatisfaction with life and the need to grow up resonated with me. As did her thoughts on not being ready to become a mom {which she finally plunged into last year after almost a decade of marriage}. I relate all too well.
When I found out she was writing a book, I jumped on board and pre-ordered my copy as soon as I could. A few weeks ago that book arrived on my door step and I couldn't wait to dive in. As usual, Liz's style of writing did not disappoint.
My (not so) Storybook Life is broken into 14 chapters that take us into the world of marital bliss {that prove to not always be so blissful}. The book also shares Liz's personal journey of the loss of a friend to cancer. While Liz could have chosen to run away from her problems or write her story in a cynical way, she chooses instead to be grateful for all of the moments that make up her life, even when things don't turn out the way she thinks they should.
One unexpected twist in this book is Liz's introduction to each chapter. She takes literary characters that we grew up with and weaves modern-day scenarios of what those characters would be up in their ever after {the parts that don't always go so happily}. If you are a lover of literature and are curious about what Anne and Gilbert; Scarlett and Rhett; Marianne and Colonel Brandon or the March Sisters are up, you cannot miss out on this book. Just be prepared to both laugh and to cry.
Excerpts from the book:
It's often said that people resemble their pets, or vice versa. If I were a vain woman I would deny this fact to the death since Mabel desperately needs a diet for her rotund backside and a daily regime of anti-anxiety medication. But denying our similarities would do no good in light of the fact that she and I are doggy-human soul mates.
As long as I didn't pray about the big things, I avoided being disappointed in God... When you kneel before God and pray, you admit your helplessness. You admit that there's nothing you can do about a situation. And in praying, you admit that God is really up there. You concede He's really listening. And that, my friends, is no small revelation.
I relayed my frustration to my mother.
"Do you know what I did yesterday? I'll tell you. I worked eight hours, got stuck behind a wreck on the river bridges, got home an hour and a half later, threw sticks with Mabel and got a splinter, changed the sheets on the bed because they feel gritty, ate a bowl of cereal, balanced the checkbook, cried, weighed myself, cried again, and finally passed out on the couch. Of course my toilets are dirty! Of course we eat takeout! Of course my baseboards are dusty! How can I possibly be expected to do all this?"
Mother watched me placidly, paintbrush in hand. Slowly she began to shake her head. "Who cares? I raised my daughters to be creative and happy, not disinfecting, baseboard washing experts..."
"I had so much time before, so many possibilities stretching endlessly ahead of me. But it's not endless. This all has an expiration date."
Her posts about dissatisfaction with life and the need to grow up resonated with me. As did her thoughts on not being ready to become a mom {which she finally plunged into last year after almost a decade of marriage}. I relate all too well.
When I found out she was writing a book, I jumped on board and pre-ordered my copy as soon as I could. A few weeks ago that book arrived on my door step and I couldn't wait to dive in. As usual, Liz's style of writing did not disappoint.
My (not so) Storybook Life is broken into 14 chapters that take us into the world of marital bliss {that prove to not always be so blissful}. The book also shares Liz's personal journey of the loss of a friend to cancer. While Liz could have chosen to run away from her problems or write her story in a cynical way, she chooses instead to be grateful for all of the moments that make up her life, even when things don't turn out the way she thinks they should.
One unexpected twist in this book is Liz's introduction to each chapter. She takes literary characters that we grew up with and weaves modern-day scenarios of what those characters would be up in their ever after {the parts that don't always go so happily}. If you are a lover of literature and are curious about what Anne and Gilbert; Scarlett and Rhett; Marianne and Colonel Brandon or the March Sisters are up, you cannot miss out on this book. Just be prepared to both laugh and to cry.
Excerpts from the book:
It's often said that people resemble their pets, or vice versa. If I were a vain woman I would deny this fact to the death since Mabel desperately needs a diet for her rotund backside and a daily regime of anti-anxiety medication. But denying our similarities would do no good in light of the fact that she and I are doggy-human soul mates.
As long as I didn't pray about the big things, I avoided being disappointed in God... When you kneel before God and pray, you admit your helplessness. You admit that there's nothing you can do about a situation. And in praying, you admit that God is really up there. You concede He's really listening. And that, my friends, is no small revelation.
I relayed my frustration to my mother.
"Do you know what I did yesterday? I'll tell you. I worked eight hours, got stuck behind a wreck on the river bridges, got home an hour and a half later, threw sticks with Mabel and got a splinter, changed the sheets on the bed because they feel gritty, ate a bowl of cereal, balanced the checkbook, cried, weighed myself, cried again, and finally passed out on the couch. Of course my toilets are dirty! Of course we eat takeout! Of course my baseboards are dusty! How can I possibly be expected to do all this?"
Mother watched me placidly, paintbrush in hand. Slowly she began to shake her head. "Who cares? I raised my daughters to be creative and happy, not disinfecting, baseboard washing experts..."
"I had so much time before, so many possibilities stretching endlessly ahead of me. But it's not endless. This all has an expiration date."
September 22, 2013
I loved this memoir because, among other things, it is about the small, sweet, funny, vexing lives that most people live. In this book, nobody hikes 1,000 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail or jets about New York City and Europe on the arm of a beautiful, alcoholic, bat-shit-crazy mother. Nobody rises from hippie-style poverty to run her own successful NYC restaurant or begins as an abandoned orphan and ends up the mistress of a French tycoon. This is a memoir for the rest of us, who go to work, deal with cranky pets, quirky spouses, and dream of having kitchen floors that don't ripple underfoot. It is funny, clever, touching, and--notwithstanding the "storybook" title--very real.
The author uses a clever device, imagining characters from her favorite novels ("Little Women," "Anne of Green Gables," etc.) having to deal with the challenges Owen faces in her workaday, domestic life after their stories end. How would Rhett and Scarlett deal with a dog who poops at the sound of thunder? How would Heathcliffe and Cathy handle leaky plumbing?
Owen frames the story around meeting and befriending Angela, a calm-and-collected fellow employee who handles everyday grievances at the office, the mall, the flea market, and home with dignity and grace. Together, the two good friends share highs and lows as Angela faces a devastating health crisis and they weave a lasting bond of friendship and faith that is the ultimate happy ending.
Owens also maintains a very good blog, which I recommend, as well: mabelshouse.blogspot.com.
The author uses a clever device, imagining characters from her favorite novels ("Little Women," "Anne of Green Gables," etc.) having to deal with the challenges Owen faces in her workaday, domestic life after their stories end. How would Rhett and Scarlett deal with a dog who poops at the sound of thunder? How would Heathcliffe and Cathy handle leaky plumbing?
Owen frames the story around meeting and befriending Angela, a calm-and-collected fellow employee who handles everyday grievances at the office, the mall, the flea market, and home with dignity and grace. Together, the two good friends share highs and lows as Angela faces a devastating health crisis and they weave a lasting bond of friendship and faith that is the ultimate happy ending.
Owens also maintains a very good blog, which I recommend, as well: mabelshouse.blogspot.com.
April 16, 2012
I loved this book!! I laughed and cried my way through its entirety. I had a very hard time putting it down! Elizabeth Owens takes readers through a sad tale of friends and loss, all the while adding the day to day that she and her husband are going through and the stress that seeing someone that you are close to and love fight cancer, and the feelings of helplessness and loss that go along with it as you stand by that person. This book was one that helped me to realize the good friends I had, and to rekindle some old friendships that I had let grow stale. Ms. Owens brings the day to day humdrum that we all dread back with a refreshing laugh as she tries to bake cookies and then ends up feeding them to dog next door, while pouring out her troubles to a eager listener. I would recommend this book to everyone! Its a must read!
November 3, 2011
Absolutely adored this book inside and out. One of my favorite bloggers, this made me laugh out loud on a plane and cry real tears as I finished as the plane landed. Loved it, Elizabeth, simple loved it.
April 10, 2012
Love her blog; loved her book!
www.mabelshouse.com
www.mabelshouse.com
August 13, 2023
I read the blog "Mabel's House" for years (it has since been retired, but I remember it well). There was just something about Elizabeth Owens' (now Elizabeth Harrell) writing voice that felt like sunshine and sweet melodies. Then I discovered she wrote a memoir. Then I finally got my hands on it through Thriftbooks. And then it sat on my nightstand for longer than I really can excuse. I decided that 2023 was the year I was finally diving into this book. And I was immediately reminded how Elizabeth Owens' writing felt like sunshine and sweet melodies.
What I liked about My (Not So) Storybook Life:
The format and Liz's voice - Sheer genius. It's literary in all the best nerdy, bookworm-ish ways. It's self-deprecating in a way that brings soft laughter. It's sincere but never takes itself overly seriously. It's gently irreverent in the most tongue-in-cheek way, but never inappropriate. And it is raw and honest in a way that feels vulnerable but never puts the reader in the position of feeling voyeuristic.
Liz teaches some valuable lessons on friendship - There is no spoiling here: her friend does, indeed, die from cancer, but the way Liz allows her readers to walk alongside her as she learns to navigate friendship through devastating challenges contains something from which I think anyone could benefit. Learning to come alongside, to sit quietly and simply be there without trying to fix, without trying to fill the silence with platitudes -- which, let's face it, seems to be natural human instinct -- is a valuable tool to master. We may not all be asked to provide friendship to someone with a terminal diagnosis, but if you open yourself up to friendship, life will be filled with trials: divorce, chronic illness, pregnancy loss or infertility, mental health, family dynamics of many flavors, you name it. I feel better equipped now, and I wish I'd had this in my arsenal already at points in my life.
What left me conflicted:
I don't know if I wanted a little more polish to the writing - I will start by saying that many bloggers who have tried their hand at writing a book often just feel like a collection of blog posts. That was not the case with this book, which was definitely more polished than blogging, firmly in the memoir category. Every once in a while, though, there was something that felt a little too... (something indefinable for me) and I wished there had been just a hair more editing. But then I consider how this book really felt authentic in its storytelling and I am not sure if more editing might have spoiled that effect.
Heartwarming, charming, raw, humorous. This book did not fail to deliver on its cover promise: friendship and faith. There are so many anecdotes I considered highlighting but really, it's better for the reader to discover them unprepared in advance. Elizabeth truly has a gift for using words, and despite what could have been a heavy topic, she is a joy to read.
What I liked about My (Not So) Storybook Life:
The format and Liz's voice - Sheer genius. It's literary in all the best nerdy, bookworm-ish ways. It's self-deprecating in a way that brings soft laughter. It's sincere but never takes itself overly seriously. It's gently irreverent in the most tongue-in-cheek way, but never inappropriate. And it is raw and honest in a way that feels vulnerable but never puts the reader in the position of feeling voyeuristic.
Liz teaches some valuable lessons on friendship - There is no spoiling here: her friend does, indeed, die from cancer, but the way Liz allows her readers to walk alongside her as she learns to navigate friendship through devastating challenges contains something from which I think anyone could benefit. Learning to come alongside, to sit quietly and simply be there without trying to fix, without trying to fill the silence with platitudes -- which, let's face it, seems to be natural human instinct -- is a valuable tool to master. We may not all be asked to provide friendship to someone with a terminal diagnosis, but if you open yourself up to friendship, life will be filled with trials: divorce, chronic illness, pregnancy loss or infertility, mental health, family dynamics of many flavors, you name it. I feel better equipped now, and I wish I'd had this in my arsenal already at points in my life.
What left me conflicted:
I don't know if I wanted a little more polish to the writing - I will start by saying that many bloggers who have tried their hand at writing a book often just feel like a collection of blog posts. That was not the case with this book, which was definitely more polished than blogging, firmly in the memoir category. Every once in a while, though, there was something that felt a little too... (something indefinable for me) and I wished there had been just a hair more editing. But then I consider how this book really felt authentic in its storytelling and I am not sure if more editing might have spoiled that effect.
Heartwarming, charming, raw, humorous. This book did not fail to deliver on its cover promise: friendship and faith. There are so many anecdotes I considered highlighting but really, it's better for the reader to discover them unprepared in advance. Elizabeth truly has a gift for using words, and despite what could have been a heavy topic, she is a joy to read.
July 26, 2026
I thought I would give this book a three, but by the end, it became a four star read for me. The concept is cute; each chapter begins with beloved classic characters in today’s world.
Chapter 4: Pride, Prejudice, and Personal Possessions includes characters from Pride and Prejudice. “Mrs. Bennet had, at one time in her life, been very attrac-tive. She had been tiny and petite with glistening brunette curls and a gay laugh that lit up the sun. But five daughters and five thousand cheesecakes later, her body had ballooned and her disposition curdled. It wasn't that Mr. Bennet minded her healthy figure; he actually thought her waddle was cute. It was her incessant nagging that drove him into emotional paralysis” (60).
Chapter 8: Wherefore Art Thou, Pest Control? includes characters from Romeo and Juliet.
Owen talks about her husband, her home, her dog, and her friend, Angela, who is battling cancer. “DVD player broke. I suggested we read aloud to each other by candlelight. Matt shed one small tear” (131).
“There are flaws in every-thing. But in embracing those flaws, we become thankful. And eventually, thankful turns into grateful. And grateful, well, gratefulness turns into happiness” (239).
To do:
Watch Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.
Chapter 4: Pride, Prejudice, and Personal Possessions includes characters from Pride and Prejudice. “Mrs. Bennet had, at one time in her life, been very attrac-tive. She had been tiny and petite with glistening brunette curls and a gay laugh that lit up the sun. But five daughters and five thousand cheesecakes later, her body had ballooned and her disposition curdled. It wasn't that Mr. Bennet minded her healthy figure; he actually thought her waddle was cute. It was her incessant nagging that drove him into emotional paralysis” (60).
Chapter 8: Wherefore Art Thou, Pest Control? includes characters from Romeo and Juliet.
Owen talks about her husband, her home, her dog, and her friend, Angela, who is battling cancer. “DVD player broke. I suggested we read aloud to each other by candlelight. Matt shed one small tear” (131).
“There are flaws in every-thing. But in embracing those flaws, we become thankful. And eventually, thankful turns into grateful. And grateful, well, gratefulness turns into happiness” (239).
To do:
Watch Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.
March 31, 2020
The short comparison stories at the beginning of each chapter were OK but they held no weight to the authors emotion packed life stories.
August 30, 2024
I made an honest stab at this book, after finding it on the library free shelf and falling in love with the title and cover picture. But seventy pages in, I still couldn't find the places that were making the back-page blurb-writers laugh out loud. Some kind of personality clash was going on for us, it appeared. I don't abandon friends, but I can abandon books, even those whose lives are not the story-book type.
July 7, 2013
Wow. I loved this book so much! I'm usually stingy with my 5 star ratings but didn't even hesitate giving _My (not so) Storybook Life_ 5 stars. I love how Elizabeth Owen starts each chapter with a modern day update of my favorite book characters. Owen puts a new twist on the "happily ever after" of Jo March, Tom Buchanan, Anne Shirley & more. The heart of each chapter tells the story of Owen's friendship with Angela, Owen's adventures as a new wife & homeowner, and more. I truly laughed out loud several times while reading her stories. I finished the book feeling like a friend of both Elizabeth & Angela. I love this book!
January 23, 2012
Great book by a fun new author. Liz is funny, imaginative and poignant. She tells her story with wit and insight and is not afraid to poke fun of herself in the midst of her domestic trials and errors. A sweet book for anyone who has ever had a friendship that led them on a journey to appreciate all that life has to offer.
August 22, 2012
Ouuu la la. I laughed, I cried, I read it out loud to any one that surrounded me. I absolutely loved it. Liz's writing was remarkable.. Some take home points & advice that I will carry with me all my days. Her points are so relatable, yet her story is so unique. I adored this memoir. Eagerly awaiting her next book!
November 17, 2014
Not quite what I was expecting although I guess I should have known better. It was a good book, I didn't get all the literary references which made me feel a bit silly but her humor toward life and her husband made me literally laugh out loud. Her reaction toward her friend's illness is genuine and heartbreaking. It's a very quick read and I hope to read something from her again.
October 18, 2013
Don't take this book to the doctor's office. You'll be cackling out loud and people will stare. It's hilarious and heartwarming. Okay, you might need the occasional tissue, but it's well worth it. There are maybe 2 times the author uses a swear word, but I really had to rate this a 5.
January 1, 2012
I want everyone to read this book! Insightful...funny...poignant. This book nourished my soul.
August 29, 2012
I really liked this book a lot! Quick story but had my interest from the start. I wish I could remember who recommended it to me , but Im glad I found it
March 8, 2012
Clever, funny, heartwarming, real, tangible. Everything you want in a curl up with your favorite blanket and chocolate book.
January 30, 2012
Cute & funny - worth reading, but not exactly a page-turner.
June 21, 2012
I really liked this book. She told funny stories that I felt I could kind of relate to.
July 23, 2012
One of the most clever little books I have had the pleasure of reading in a while.
September 22, 2012
A very funny and heartwarming story. Very well written and basically just a fun read. Definitely recommend it to those going through hard times.
January 6, 2014
What a great concept for a memoir. I do love a good memoir!
January 18, 2014
A great story of how a friendship can impact your entire outlook on life.
February 13, 2016
Check out my review at:
http://www.shannonsbookbag.blogspot.c...
http://www.shannonsbookbag.blogspot.c...
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews