Book Nook Club: humor

Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts

Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts

February 29, 2012

What Stays in Vegas by Beth Labonte

Tessa Golden embodies the typical life of a “Bridget Jones” administrative assistant. She hates the cold yet works in Massachusetts, her only friend works alongside her and they fill the day by making fun of their boss, and the love of her life works only a couple of feet away. However, he is married to a beautiful woman and Tessa is stuck in an endless cycle of pining over Nick, the untouchable married man who rules her heart. Oh, and her company’s biggest client is The Jiggly Kitty, a national strip club chain. Skilled in strip club lingo, Tessa feels her life suddenly going nowhere.

When Tessa is offered a three-month job in Las Vegas filling in for a woman leaving for maternity leave, she jumps at the chance. Not only is it warmer in Las Vegas, but this move will also give her a chance to get her mind off of Nick. Tessa suddenly finds herself consoling her boss, who’s husband just left her for a younger woman, and along the way discovers a new chapter in her life. She continues to dabble in her art and bonds with a handsome co-worker, Chris. But as Nick begins to admit some buried feelings, Tessa finds herself in the middle of a love triangle. Who will she choose and what sort of trouble happens to her in Las Vegas? You will have to pick up a copy of Beth Labonte’s “What Stays in Vegas” to find out!

Confined to my house on a rainy, windy day, I could not put this book down! Tessa truly resonated with me and I could relate to her love problems. I mean, every woman has wanted someone we knew was completely unavailable. Labonte creates a realistic woman, who has faults and talents, yet desires love above all else. She struggles to balance her need for a stable job with her love for art. Playing the sidekick, Tessa’s boss, Kendra is truly my favorite character. She spins out of control but you can’t help but feel sorry for this woman and hate the man who broke her heart.

Certainly a book that you can curl up to on a cold, rainy day, “What Stays in Vegas” will give you plenty to laugh and smile about.

4.5 stars

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

February 20, 2012

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns) by Mindy Kaling

I loved this book. I want to be Mindy's BFF. She's funny, she's honest, she's just a bit over-dramatic, and she's a goody-goody at heart who still loves to hang out with her parents--she's just my type of lady.

She has a great chapter on how she had a photo shoot and all of the available dresses were size 0, and how awful she felt that she couldn't fit into any of them. The chapter that made me laugh the most was a short one about how ridiculously long it takes for men to put on shoes. Seriously, it takes my husband forever (I don't even sit down when I put on shoes!)

The biggest negative about the book is that the narrative flow of the chapters isn't the greatest. It tends to jump from one topic to another. But as I enjoyed everything that she had to say, it didn't bother me that much. It's also very much a "girl" book--most of the humor revolves around things that men may not find that funny.

I read Tiny Fey's Bossypants shortly after reading this, and I have to say that I enjoyed this one a little more. Mindy seems like a real person with insecurities and flaws. I can relate to her.

Four and half stars
post signature

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

February 12, 2012

Three and a Half Virgins by John Blumenthal

On the evening of Jimmy Hendricks' 40th birthday, his wife announces that she's had an affair with their neighbor and wants a divorce. This sends him into a tailspin, and he begins to regret certain things in his past, especially the way he treated certain women he'd deflowered. At the prompting of a poker buddy he sets out on a quest to track these women down and apologize to them.

When I read the description of this book, it reminded me of the cult classic High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. And as I read the book, there were other things that reminded me of -well- other things. The main character's struggle with his famous name is like that of Michael Bolton's in Office Space. The friend who struggles with halitosis and therefore speaks unintelligibly through a scarf is named Kenny, a la South Park. Author John Blumenthal's impressive portfolio -co-writer of Blue Streak, a hilarious movie, former editor for Playboy magazine, and contributor to The Huffington Post- seemed like a guarantee of an enjoyable read, yet it all felt flat to me. Blumenthal presents scenarios with potential, but they never got off the ground, at least not on my airfield.

All is not lost. The trouble is, I'm a woman, and a difficult one to please; an even more difficult one to get a laugh out of. I believe Three and a Half Virgins was at heart meant to be a man's book. If my husband read this book (he's too busy reading sales manuals), he'd love it. Case in point, it was my husband that pointed out to me that there were three and a half cherries on the cover, which got an eyeroll out of me and a chuckle out of him.

And there is a message here. One more comparison to be made. One of my favorite books, The Alchemist, tells the story of a boy whose search for treasure brings him right back to his starting place, teaching us that while we may go on epic quests to follow our dreams, our treasure is often found in what we already have. Jimmy Hendricks seems to come to that conclusion at the end of the book, he just doesn't seem very bowled over by it. Women like to be bowled over, and you can take that any way you like.

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review.

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

February 2, 2012

Hiring Worthless Heroes- by Mark Forrest

Do you ever wonder what you would do if you had seemingly worthless superpowers? Would you even attempt to use them or just pretend to be a normal individual? The narrator, Greg Foster, has one secret that he has not shared with anyone: he can create glow-in-the-dark farts. Yep, you heard me right. That amazing ability is actually Greg Foster’s superpower. This detail is only one in hundreds that Forrest uses to create his story, “Hiring Worthless Heroes.”

Recruited by Ian Simpson to create a superhero detective agency, Greg convinces Bean and Jim (two other individuals with equally ridiculous abilities) to join his team and solve crimes. Their first mystery: to uncover the whereabouts of Tommy, a local schoolchild. Not giving any more details away, this mystery is short lived and falls flat. I wanted to love this novel, as it made me laugh out loud at certain parts. However, it was too short for my liking. I wanted more mysteries, more details, and more plot. I think that is Forrest extends the plot line a bit and adds more cases, then this book would be a great success!

I did appreciate Forrest’s humor and unique perspective on superheroes though. In a society where blockbuster after blockbuster is about recreating comic books, Forrest plays on this fascination with the unusual. I honestly am looking forward to Mark Forrest’s continuation of the adventures of Greg and his gang of misfits. With a bit of editing and a longer story, Greg is sure to become your next favorite superhero. As a short story though, this book will make the reader laugh and wonder what sort of trouble could these heroes possibly run into next?

2.5 stars

*I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

January 17, 2012

Mr. Popper's Penguins DVD

One of my favorite books that I read growing up was Mr. Popper's Penguins. I don't remember all of the details from the book but I remember thinking how cool it would be to have penguins. And it was one of those books that I always wanted to see brought to life.

Luckily, now we can all see this Newberry Medal winning book brought to life in the new movie starring Jim Carrey. Released to DVD on December 6th, this hilarious movie follows Mr. Popper as he learns about life and his family from a handful of adorable penguins.

As Mr. Popper quickly gets acquainted with – and increasingly attached to – his winged roommates, his life quickly unravels: the deal he’s long been working on with a formidable socialiate, Mrs. Van Gundy, played by the acclaimed Angela Lansbury (Murder She Wrote, Beauty and the Beast), is derailed and Popper almost lands in jail. While Popper’s penguins turn his swank New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland - they teach him valuable lessons about family- human and otherwise!

This movie was a cute one and kept me smiling through the entire thing. I would recommend it to anyone with kids or has read the book and wants to see the fun story brought to life.
post signature

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

December 12, 2011

Laughing Through Life by Connie (Corcoran) Wilson

Laughing Through Life was certainly an interesting read as I journey through Connie (Corcoran) Wilson’s short stories that detailed her attempts at cooking, her disasters with shoes, and her views of none other than President George W. Bush. I wanted to love this book and quite honestly, I enjoyed the majority of it. The tales, while disjointed and not revolving around a singular theme except for the fact that they all occurred in Connie’s life, made me laugh out loud. I felt connected with Connie over her inability to keep grapefruit ripe and her observation that everything DOES go wrong at dinner parties where the main goal is to impress your guests. Also, let’s not overlook the story about her student who wanted to perform a mock interview for Hooters, and certainly dressed the part!

My only strong criticism of the book was her political content. I tried to remain unbiased throughout reading the entire book and believe I set some of my personal views aside with grace. I also understand that strong political views exist, and the fact that a woman such as Connie uninhibitedly speaks these opinions makes me proud to live in America where freedom of speech is rampant. However, I think the continual outpouring of these political stories distracted me from the main goal of Laughing Through Life: to make the reader cry with laughter. I would have liked to see the Bush jokes decreased a bit and more antidotes about her children and life experiences inserted in the book. Although, putting my personal opinions aside, I do have to say that her story about getting kicked out of the radio station for singing an anti-Iraq song proved hilarious.

Overall, this book made me laugh and smile, which I believe was Connie (Corcoran) Wilson’s goal. The novel reads like a collection of short stories, so do not expect an overall theme to be present, but this type of book was refreshing to read. I do warn that if you have strong Conservative views to not reading this book or to read with an open mind. Laughing Through Life just might surprise you.

3 stars.

*I was provided with a free copy of this book to review.

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

December 3, 2011

Unnaturally Green by Felicia Ricci

Unnaturally Green by Felicia Ricci is a memoir about a girl who understudied for Elphaba, one of two main witches in the musical Wicked, in San Franciso's company. Felicia's memoir captures her experiences with Wicked from her very first time seeing it on Broadway as a teenager to her audition to her experience performing four shows in one weekend for huge audiences.

This book was well written, easy to read, insightful, and hilarious. Felicia writes her memoir like she writes on her blog - like she's telling her story to a best friend - and I loved it. I love Broadway shows and learned a ton not only about the inner workings of Wicked but about the audition/show process altogether. Like did you know there's an understudy and a standby for the lead in major productions? The standby is the first person in line to perform when the main performer is out and the understudy is the backup to the standby and also performs in the ensemble. I had no idea.

I'm a lover of Wicked (I've seen it four times now) and devoured this book in about two days, eager to hear where Felicia's story would take her next. This book was overall not only fantastic but fascinating and I would recommend it to anyone who likes the theater, Broadway, and especially Wicked. An easy 5 stars. And if you don't want to take it from me, there are 44 other reviews on Amazon.com that are 5 stars as well.
post signature

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

November 30, 2011

It's A Waverly Life by Maria Murnane

Two years ago I raved about my new favorite chick-lit book Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane. And this week I got to see what happened to Ms. Waverly Bryson in the sequel It's A Waverly Life. In It's a Waverly Life, Waverly has new friends, a new job, and a new boyfriend. Sounds perfect right? It would be for anyone but Waverly, who continually puts her foot in her mouth and screws even the best things up.

I love chick-lit especially when there is a main character like Waverly. She's a strong and quirky woman who reminds me that there are times when you just have to laugh and move on. Things don't go her way in It's a Waverly Life (mostly due to her own mistakes) but instead of pitying herself she learns from and builds on her mistakes.

Waverly continues on her adventures with her two best friends Andie and McKenna and meets a number of new friends in this book that I loved. And then there's Jake, is he her boyfriend or not? Maria's writing is hilarious and I found myself laughing over and over again as Waverly tried to figure out her next move. It's definitely one of my favorite chick-lit series, I'm excited to see where Waverly's life takes her next. Recommended for anyone who likes chick-lit, especially books like Bridget Jones Diary. 5 stars

I received a free copy of this book to review from Sarah at Little Bird Publicity.
post signature

post signature

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

July 7, 2011

The Future Perfect by Kirk Mustard

My dad introduced me to Douglas Adams as a kid, and I've always loved his stuff because it's funny. I learned about Kurt Vonnegut in college, and appreciated his skill at demonstrating the absurdities of the human condition. Kirk Mustard has taken elements of both of these writers, put them in a blender with Aldous Huxley, and served the result in a tall frosty glass with a little umbrella and a few chunks of fruit.

The Future Perfect (an abbreviated title by the way) is the story of Earth somewhere between now and the society portrayed in Wall-e. Consumerism has... well, consumed the planet, science has taken over everything, even the afterlife, and nature has been all but eradicated by society's paranoia of germs.

Weighty topics are skillfully explored through a fascinating assortment of Adams-esque characters. There's Zenith, a loud colorful ad executive who must constantly churn out new products to a ravenous public, at one point even conceiving of and publishing a book during a short commercial break. His good friend is Monty, a witty self-proclaimed Luddite who longs for simpler times yet panics at the sight of a roasted chicken. Apex Caliente is the unwitting catalyst to the truth behind Nophy, a computer generated afterlife.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the detail of technological advances of the future. The synthesized food was disgusting, but probable. The voting system, which uses television ratings to determine what people really want subconsciously, was very creative. My favorite thing, which I really hope to see one day, is the flexy-screen, basically a screen the size and nature of a piece of paper, and used as such.

There are only two negatives to this book. First, there are a lot of grammatical and typographical errors. But overall the writing was good enough and the story interesting enough that it was easy to overlook. Second, the style of writing is a bit uneven. There's a lot of fantastic material between the beginning and the end, but it starts out choppy and ends suddenly. If the errors were fixed and the beginning and end rewritten, this would be a five star book.

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

May 30, 2011

The Albuquerque Turkey by John Vorhaus

I asked to review this book because I live in Albuquerque, and I was hoping to "see" some familiar places. As it turns out Albuquerque barely figures in the story, but its still good fun, the sort of book many reviewers would describe as a "romp." Personally, my dignity precludes me from using that word. I won't use "quaff" either, unless I'm making fun of someone for being a wine nerd.

The Albuquerque Turkey is the (some might insert "rollicking" here) tale of a con man, Radar, whose girlfriend (also a con artist) has decided to go straight after a pretty big score (landed in a previous book, The California Roll). The two decide somewhat randomly to settle in Santa Fe, where they mull over what to do with the rest of their lives. Accounting? Teaching? Car sales? But when Radar's long lost estranged father shows up (also a con artist), their plans for reformation take a different turn.

Radar's friend and sidekick, Mirplo, also dabbles in reformation. He throws his hat in with the artsy crowd, pulling a con of his own as he pretends to be a great artist. Yet along the way he actually does become a great artist. Mirplo is only a supporting character, but definitely the most colorful, and my favorite. The name of the book comes from one of his pieces, a sculpture called -you guessed it- The Albuquerque Turkey.

This was a fun book. The writer has written books on the subjects of gambling and comedy, and he certainly seems to know his way around both. But what I enjoyed the most was Vorhaus's way with words. He masterfully manipulates language to say the same old things in new ways. A couple of his sayings that are now a part of my own vernacular are "verbal prostate massage" (sweet-talking your way out of or into something) and "audio waterboarding" (my new way of expressing myself when my husband plays AC/DC).

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

May 9, 2011

Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin

Friday night I went to see the new romantic comedy Something Borrowed with one of my good girl friends. It was exactly what I needed. It wasn't until after the movie that I actually realized that the movie was based on the novel, Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. Since I liked the movie so much I immediately asked my friend to borrow the book and went to the library on Saturday to pick up the sequel, Something Blue. And proceeded to read both books in the course of 48 hours.

Let me just throw it out there before I get to my reviews - this is one book where I just recommend you see the movie. It had the perfect combination of believeable humor, stolen kisses, and plot to keep me entertained and I'm already planning to go see it again.

Something Borrowed was okay, but for once in my life I actually preferred the movie. The book is about two best friends - Rachel and Darcy - who have been best friends forever. The friendship is dominated by competition, with Darcy always winning. Darcy is more beautiful, more glamorous, more wealthy, etc. Rachel is her dutiful and loyal sidekick, the straight A, good-girl who never does anything wrong. Until she sleeps with Darcy's fiancee, Dex, on the night of her 30th birthday. And doesn't feel bad about it. The novel is told from Rachel's point of view as she learns to stick up for herself and not let Darcy win for the first time i her life.

Maybe I would've felt different if I'd read the book before the movie, but I feel that the movie portrayed the relationship between Rachel and Dex in a different light than the book did. The movie built up more of a pre-Darcy relationship between Rachel and Dex, which made me more sympathetic with what she'd done. In the book, the birthday incident just happens, and it's not quite as forgiveable when it doesn't come with the build up of a pre-Darcy law school crush.

Then there's Something Blue, which is the sequel to Something Borrowed, and follows Darcy on her journey after the whole Rachel/Dex fiasco. I'm not going to give many details so I don't spoil anything for you, but I actually kind of hated the book. This again might be the fault of seeing the movie and falling in love with the characters in the movie, but the story in Something Blue was just unrealistic to me. I may just be a cynical person, but I couldn't get over how Darcy could just change her life and have such a perfect ending after the book (and movie actually) forced me into hating her.

So to sum it all up, I would skip the books and go see the movie.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

May 8, 2011

"Horton Halfpott" by Tom Angleberger

(Disclosure: I did not receive anything for reviewing this book. I bought it, and the only discount I got was because I have a Barnes and Noble membership card. I do consider Tom Angleberger to be an online friend, and did receive an ARC from him for Stonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run a couple of years ago.)

On Friday, I found myself in the bookstore and spotted the display for Horton Halfpott, and cursed myself for forgetting that the release date had come for that. Naturally, I grabbed a copy.

The full title of the book is Horton Halfpott, or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor, or The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset. The cover glows in the dark. This, by the way, is only the fun that you get to have before opening the book.

This story is a whole lot of fun. As the titles suggest, the story starts as M'Lady Luggertuck wears her corset a little less tight one day, setting off a strange feel in the air, which sets off all kinds of peculiar events. These culminate in the theft of the Luggertuck family treasure, and all manner of chaos and mayhem as the crime is investigated.

Make no mistake, this is definitely kidlit. It's written at a great level for children. Were I to choose a primer for the later reading of Dickens, though, this would be it. If Charles Dickens himself wrote a piece of modern children's literature, I think it might look a lot like Horton Halfpott. Being a huge Dickens fan, by the way, I do not say this casually.

Horton Halfpott himself could well be a Dickensian protagonist. He's a hard-working, loyal-to-a-fault kitchen boy in Smugwick Manor who gets caught up in the mystery and a plot to kidnap the young lady Celia, a young lady from nearby with whom he falls in love. The boy is every bit as lovable as Oliver Twist, which is saying quite a lot.

The villains and various scoundrels around the story (the head of the kitchen, the Shipless Pirates, etc.) are a true joy to read. The story is a delight. Tom's Acknowledgments credit Charles Dickens with inspiring the story, and it really shows. The sympathy for the poor and downtrodden, contempt for the rich and stuck-up, and celebration of the wealthy and compassionate are so very enjoyable.

The book doesn't take itself too seriously, though. Whenever the story turns to romantic thoughts, the narrator assures us that he won't dwell on such things too much. We are assured once that while Horton was dwelling, the narrator won't do so.

When my wife and I are reading in the living room, we will frequently read a sentence or passage out loud because it's so well-written, so expressive, or otherwise worth sharing. I must have read a quarter of the book to my wife, and I felt like I was being too selective. In a way, I think I should have just read the book out loud to her.

Having read all four of Tom Angleberger's novels (two of which are written under the pseudonym Sam Riddleburger) -- The Qwikpick Adventure Society by Sam Riddleburger, Stonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run by Sam R. and Michael Hemphill, and The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom A. -- I feel like I need to comment on his writing style. In all cases, the narration is a lot of fun. But he has not used the same voice in any of them. The other three books have been in wonderful first-person narration, but by very different characters (Yoda having been by more than one character). Horton uses a wonderful third-person narration brilliantly executed in order to maintain the humor of the story.

Coming in at 206 pages and with plenty of Tom's illustrations, it's a pretty quick read, and well worth the time. This is a feel-good book that carries on the Dickensian spirit without the work of getting through Dickens' language. Even so, Tom's use of wordcraft is every bit as enjoyable.

A heartily-deserved five stars.

(Addendum: I have been told that sometimes I need to tone down my reviews to keep from seeming like I'm so excited to gush ... I just can't do it for this one. I really love this book.)

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

February 20, 2011

California Schemin' by Kate George

What happens when you just can't stop finding dead bodies? Ask Bree MacGowan, a 30-something reporter who can't seem to leave trouble behind. Kate George's new novel California Schemin' follows Bree across the country from Vermont to California after she finds the body of her dead boss Vera. And as luck would have it, Bree finds yet another dead body as soon as she arrives in California.

The book is a fun and comedic look at Bree who is kidnapped and taken across the country by teddy bear sweet thugs, rescued by the FBI working with the thugs, and attacked yet again. As many times as she tries, and she tries quite a few, she just can't seem to win. A fun and easy to read story about a woman who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It's definitely not one of those books that will keep you thinking late at night, but it did keep me entertained for the few hours it took me to read. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes comedic thrillers, similar to Devil's Food Cake by Josi Kilpatrick. Or anyone that is looking for a quick read and good laugh. 3 stars.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

June 13, 2010

Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich

This past weekend we decided to drive down to Ohio. On the way out I picked up eight books on CD to get me through the drive while my husband was studying. This was one of those books. I read and reviewed One for the Money a little while back and greatly enjoyed my first encounter with Stephanie Plum. Plum Lovin' follows Stephanie on a much different path than One for the Money, the path of playing matchmaker to a group of people who need some relationship help. The plot wasn't nearly as intriguing to me as her trying to catch tricky criminals. The book was extremely predictable and although it did make me laugh numerous times, lacked in any depth. It was good for entertaining me on a long drive, but I'm not sure I would recommend it for anything other than a quick beach read. 2 stars.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

May 4, 2010

"The Strange Case of Origami Yoda" by Tom Angleberger

(Disclosure: I did not receive this book for review, but I have received books from this author in the past, and I consider him an online friend. Also, I am listed in the Acknowledgments section among his list of "cool folks.")

"The Strange Case of Origami Yoda" by Tom Angleberger is the third book I've read by this author. His two previous books were written under the pseudonym Sam Riddleburger. I need to make that clear for the purposes of comparison later.

This book is presented as kind of a case book, a journal in which each chapter is a section of the story written from a different perspective, trying to determine whether Origami Yoda was just a finger puppet used by a weird kid to make predictions or if it really had powers.

The aforementioned "weird kid," Dwight, claims that Origami Yoda speaks through him, and gives other students advice by tapping into the Force.

Each chapter relates a different student's experiences with the advice from Origami Yoda, and some idea as to whether the writer believes in him. Each chapter ends with comments by Harvey, another student and Origami Yoda-cynic, and final comments by Tommy, the student who compiled this casebook and a believer.

That is one of the first things that shows the genius in how this book is written. Each narrative sounds credible. Angleberger genuinely shifts perspectives and presents the stories from different points of view. His diction, narration, and structure shift as each character takes over. It is very easy to believe that each chapter was written by a different person.

The story is a lot of fun. Watching the school year progress, following the sub-plots, and watching each student deal with this mystery is well worth the read.

Tom Angleberger excels at writing from kids' perspective. His two previous books that I've read, "The Qwikpick Adventure Society" and "Stonewall Hinkleman and the Battle of Bull Run" (co-authored with Mike Hemphill), are also in persuasive first-person narration.

"Yoda" is, like "Qwikpick," presented in a journal format. For young readers (such as my 11- and 13-year-old boys, each of whom loved the book), it's a nice affirmation that some adults do take kids' interests seriously. Kids do compile these kinds of journals, regarding their adventures and mysteries as serious. Too many adults dismiss them.

The book also looks like a journal. Every page has been lightly printed with what look like rumpled lines and folds as if it had been carried around by a sixth grader. The feel of this book is really a delight.

"Origami Yoda" celebrates them. The kids in this book are realistic, smart, and ... above all else ... kids. I could easily believe that my son hangs out with Kellen or Dwight or Tommy at lunch.

If I might indulge here ... "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda" is enjoying a level of commercial success that "Stonewall Hinkleman" and "Qwikpick" didn't. Perhaps that's related to the "Star Wars" licensing and the accompanying promotion. I would strongly encourage readers who pick up "Origami Yoda" and enjoy it to look for the other two books, too.

Also ... Angleberger has filled the book with what we in the geek community call "Easter eggs," little references to other things that appeal to serious fans.

For example, the students attend McQuarrie Middle School. There is a reference to buying food at the Qwikpick. Harvey makes a comment about Robert E. Lee's horse. (Good luck figuring that one out if you're not a Riddleburger fan!)

This is a great middle-school level read, and any adult lovers of kidlit should definitely check it out.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

March 19, 2010

Devil's Food Cake by Josi Kilpack

It's been years since author Thom Mortenson has been back to Garrison, Colorado. As part of the library fundraising committee, who invited him to speak, Sadie Hoffmiller wants everything to be perfect—right down to the homemade Devil’s Food Cake she made herself. Murder, however, was not on the menu. Sadie's detective boyfriend doesn't "need" Sadie's help with the investigation so she starts one of her own.

The best part about Devil's Food Cake is that it's written as a "culinary mystery." Rather than just a hilarious story with laugh out loud characters, you get recipes for the delicious dishes that Sadie is serving to the suspects. So right after Sadie describes the decadent devil's food cake they are eating at the fundraiser, you get to turn the page and make it yourself. And I am definitely planning to make some of them myself because they all sounded delicious. I originally thought that adding the recipes into the book would be somewhat distracting, but it's actually perfect and an idea I wish I would've thought of myself. It's a way for you to connect more with the novel and get into Sadie's head. Not that you really need any help because her character fits the ever present busybody small town middle-aged woman.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The mystery kept me guessing, and the writing kept me laughing. I'd say it was a delicious combination and would recommend this one to anyone really. Just be prepared to crave sweets after. 4 stars

**I was given this book to review by Pump Up Your Book Promotions. This is my honest opinion.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

November 10, 2009

The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter

I was given The Financial Lives of the Poets to review by TLC Book Tours. From the back cover, I was intrigued.

Meet Matt Prior. He's losing his job, his wife, and his house. And he's about to lose his mind- until, at the last moment, he discovers a way he might just possibly manage to save it all...and have a pretty [word deleted] great time doing it.

While I may not have loved the plot or subject of this novel, I was fascinated by the writing. This book follows Matt as he triees to make money by becoming a drug dealer who knows nothing about the streets. Of course he gets caught immediately making matters even worse. And while I didn't quite agree with some of the language and storyline, I loved how Walter's writing made me feel like I was inside Matt's mind (that he was losing). This book reminded me of the contemporary literature that I love with the oddball writing styles like pieces of poetry thrown into the middle of the storyline.

If you can handle the F word almost every page, I'd recommend this book to most adults. It really does give you a good glimpse (in a fictional way of course) into the mind of a man falling apart in the dying economy as he tries to hold onto a mansion-like house and $1200 tree fort. 3 out of 5 stars.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

October 12, 2009

Magical Thinking: True Stories Augusten Burroughs

This was an awkward read for me. Augusten's life is so different from mine; his meanness disturbed me. I didn't like it in the same way that I didn't like Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone, which is probably my most-hated book ever.

The difference is that Wally Lamb's books was fiction, and Augusten Burroughs book is not. So, whether I like it or not, Burroughs lives his life and has the courage to put it into print, and I have to grant some credit for that.

Yes, Magical Thinking: True Stories is funny. Yes, it was intriguing. I felt a bit like a tourist reading it. Much in the same way that I was an embarrassed sojourner whilst reading certain parts of Jeffrey Eugenides Middlesex or whist walking around Amsterdam's sadly fascinating red-light district. Augusten's life is sordid and mean and he doesn't seem to notice. I felt sad after reading his book.

I recently received a copy of Oliver Van DeMille's A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century. I will review the whole book later, but for know I want to share with you the four classifications of stories: bent, broken, whole, and healing.

A. Bent stories portray evil as good and good as evil. Such stories are meant to enhance the evil tendencies of the reader, such as pornography and many horror books and movies. The best decision regarding Bent stories is to avoid them like the plague.
B. Broken stories portray accurately evil as evil and good as good, but evil wins. Something is broken, not right, in need of fixing. Such books are not uplifting (in the common sense of the word), but can be transformation in a positive way. Broken stories can be very good for the reader if they motivate him or her to heal them, to fix them. The Communist Manifesto is a broken classic; so are and The Lord of the Flies and 1984, In each of these, evil wins; but they have been very motivating to me because I have felt a real need to help reverse their impact in the real word.
C. Whole stories are where good is good and good wins. Most of the classics are in this category, and readers should spend most of their time in such works.
D. Healing stories can be either Whole or Broken stories where the reader is profoundly moved, changed, or significantly improved by her reading experience.

Magical Thinking: True Stories? Broken.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

August 4, 2009

When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

At the pool I currently go to, one of the regulars is a woman with Down syndrome .... Odd is the great satisfaction I take whenever I beat her from one end to the other.

"I won three out of four," I told Hugh the first time she and I swam together. "I mean I really creamed her."

"Let me get this straight," he said. "She's obese. She's as old as you are. And she has Down syndrome?"

"Yes, and I beat her. Isn't that great!"

This is the kind of crazy stuff one can find in this collection of essays by David Sedaris. What really gets me is that he only won 3 out of 4 races! As I was reading this book, a clear departure from my typical fare, I found myself making little notations on my bookmark of page numbers and anecdotes that were my favorite. Sedaris doesn't write about anything exceedingly extraordinary like climbing Mount Everest or learning how to play the piano with his toes, but he does turn the normal events of his life into quirkly, sometimes hilarious reading. One of the snippets that had me chuckling out loud in the middle of a silent study hall was his observations on the Stadium Pal, an accessory he had purchased:

It was my search for something discreet, masculine, and practical that led me to the Stadium Pal, an external catheter currently being marketed to sports fans, truck drivers, and anyone else who's tired of searching for a bathroom....

The subsequent analysis of the uses of the Stadium Pal at a long public reading, on an overbooked coast-to-coast flight, or when you just didn't feel like looking for a bathroom, had me in stitches. Combine this delightfulness with the anecdote about telling his parents about his double major in patricide and matricide at Princeton and his adventures in quitting smoking, and the dry humor of this piece of work is just that - a piece of work.

Some of it is vulgar. VERY vulgar. Complete with everything from F-bombs to the N-word, the language of this book can leave the sensitive reader reeling. It would be easy to hold this against Sedaris if the bulk of the book wasn't so freaking hilarious. I do wish he would have included more pieces on his family since the part about their babysitter, Mrs. Peacock, demanding that he and his sisters scratch her hairy, sweaty back with a plastic monkey hand on a stick was just too good. I definitely would have preferred more focus on his quick-witted sisters rather than on his somewhat mundane boyfriend, Hugh. He got a little boring after a while.

The verdict on this one? Read with caution. It's off key, tasteless at times, and very weird. It's also very, very funny.....to some. I will end by sharing what was probably my favorite moment from the whole book. While discussing how modern society has drastically changed its view on smoking from previous generations, Sedaris writes this excerpt. It's so horrible I was almost peeing my pants I was laughing so hard:

It seems crazy to cut smoking mothers out of textbooks, but within a few years they won't be allowed in movies either. A woman can throw her newborn child from the roof of a high-rise building. She can then retrieve the body and stomp on it while shooting into the windows of a day care center, but to celebrate these murders by lighting a cigarette is to send a harmful message. There are, after all, young people watching, and we wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

July 10, 2009

Sunset Beach by Trish Perry

I was sent a copy of Sunset Beach by Trish Perry to review by the publisher. When I first read the back cover I thought this was just going to be another "beach novel." Fluff, chick-lit, whatever you want to call it. Something worth reading while laying out at the pool, but that's it. Surprisingly, it wasn't. The book is about Sonny Miller, 24-year old recent graduate in pyschology, trying to find out who she is- literally. Sonny's mom Teresa has avoided any questions about Sonny's past including who her father is, if she has any relatives, and how she came about. The only thing Sonny knows is that her mom has a sister, Melanie; Sonny hires a private investigator who finds this sister and invites her to spend a week at a beach house with Sonny and her mom. Without telling her mom.

The week is full of Sonny doing pyschology tests (and play breaks) with her mom and Melanie that she really doesn't know to interpret. But the test results aren't hard to interpet and give you a view into the sisters' lives before they went their separate ways 25 years ago.

I don't want to give you many more details about the book as it has a lot of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. There is a lot of depth to this book, its theme, and its characters. The writing is great; I laughed out loud multiple times and got teary-eyed at others. It really is just full of surprises, good ones. I'd recommend it to anyone really. There's something for everyone- family drama, romance, friendship, and female bonding. 5 stars.

Widget by Css Reflex | TutZone

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)