Bossy Pants

Bossypants by Tina Fey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my gosh. I don't think I have laughed so hard at a book in my life. After being on a roll of biographies of funny people (NPH, Amy Poehler, Mindy Kahling) this is by far my favorite. I don't know how I put off reading this.
From Tina's view on women with 'yellow hair' & the secrets of beauty (Who cares?) & I got a special laugh out of her chapter on photographers & photo shop. And moments of the book touched me. Like the chapter on her father & the pressure that women puts on other women.
I think I'm glad I saved this book for awhile because it really was the icing on the cake for funny people biographies...
& the older that Tina Fey gets, I hope she becomes that 'crazy lady' which means she'll never stop talking...

View all my reviews

Wild

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm probably going to be one of the few that doesn't give a lot of stars for this book.

I'm sorry - it was sad & boring to me.

I wanted to read this book before I saw the movie. I love Reese Witherspoon. I think the idea of a woman hiking the PCT trail on her own in order to 'find herself' is interesting. I think I would have been better off with the movie. (& I probably rarely, if ever, would make that statement against a book)

The story of Cheryl Strayed is everywhere right now. A woman who did something not a lot of people do, much less a woman... by herself. Cheryl lost her mother to lung cancer & her family & marriage just fell apart afterwards, leaving her mixed up in meaningless relationship & trying drugs to comfort her.

This journey was to help her start a new life... which ultimately, it does.

But the whole journey to me was just slow. Now, I will say, I did like the beginning. The story of her relationship with her mother. I sat & cried at the passing away of her mother & thought how unfair life is. But the rest of the book of being on the trail & the people she meets along the way & the different detours she has to take to get to her final destination? Yawn. It just became mind numbing to me.

Maybe I need to go hiking by myself to understand better why everyone is going crazy over this story...

View all my reviews

The 13th Gift

The 13th Gift: A True Story of a Christmas Miracle by Joanne Huist Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I feel like such a Scrooge giving this book 2 stars, but I just didn't really care for it.
Its the story of a family that lost their husband/father & how their first Christmas was. 2 teenage boys who are rebelling, 1 young girl who still has the innocence to her of wanting everything to be OK, & a mother/wife who is grieving & doesnt want to make new Christmas memories without her spouse.
I think why I didn't enjoy it was because it was just so sad to me. It was something I dont really want to think about or feel & I could feel the sadness this family was experiencing. Yes, this is a true story, which made it even heavier in emotion to me.
Of course, I did appreciate the point of the story - a mystery person who left a gift on the front porch of this family the last 12 days before Christmas, & ultimately brought this family close together for the holidays... & even more, set a future plan & surprise for future families that needed support & love during the holidays.
I have to say though, I was glad the story was done. my heart couldn't take it.... so while I'm rating more on how this book effected me instead of how the writing is, its my own personal view.
Sorry if it sounds like Ba Humbug...

View all my reviews

Yes Please

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

i love funny people & even more when funny people can actually be funny in print. its not something everyone can do (Mindy.... I'm talking to you). I always love Amy on SNL & Parks & Rec, so I was glad to read & see she's basically just an every day person who has issues, like sleeping problems & anxiety, but can still find humor in her own way. i especially love she's my age & when she talks about her childhood & teenage years & what kids today will miss out on, I'm sitting here shaking my head the whole time.

i especially love the chapters from behind the scenes. The fun things on SNL & how they came up with idea of all the women at the Emmys to come on stage together. I love that scoop stuff. but also love she stays private & doesnt down her husband or want to cause drama with anyone. even love the chapter of her admitting when she messed up & had to aplogize.

i just was really sad it came to an end. i can now add Amy to my list of,people i know would be my best friend in life.

View all my reviews

The Mistletoe Promise

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's everything cheesy that you would expect from a Holiday book, but I loved it. I always seem to like Richard Paul Evans.
This is the story of Elisa & Nicholas. Two people who were lonely during the holidays & Nicholas, being a lawyer, came up with a contract which they called The Mistletoe Promise, where they would accompany each other during the holidays to Thanksgiving & Christmas events.
It reminded me of something like Pretty Woman, minus the hooker thing :)
It was a sweet story really as Nicholas swept Elise off of her feet through the holidays & as they started developing real emotions for each other. But they were both hiding a secret & not sure how the other would feel once each of their secrets were revealed.
Of course, as I mentioned, with cheesy holidays books come cheesy parts. Enter the role of Elise's ex-husband, Dan, who just got on my nerves & whose character just didn't fit with the class of the other two.
The stupid ex-husband didn't falter me from wanting to know what happens to these two.
It really was a fun read for the Holidays.

View all my reviews

Me Before You

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I knew this book was not going to have a happy ending.

When you hear of anyone talking about it & using the words like, heartbroken, tissues, puffy eyes... yeah, I knew going in to be prepared.

I still cried though. I'll use all those words myself now.

We meet Will Traynor. A man who had the life of a rich, powerful, business man playboy & how his life changed when he had an accident leaving him as a quadriplegic.
We meet Louisa who is looking for a job & not skilled for anything but somehow is hired for Will's caregiver. Two opposites together. She learning how to take care of Will. He learning how to make it through every day.

I don't want to give anything away because I think people have been really good at keeping the main points of the story to a place where you need to read it to find out where all this heart break comes from.

I will say I did enjoy the book. I was rooting for Lou. I was especially rooting for Will. I was rooting for the relationship they were developing. I was totally enraptured in the story.
It made me thankful for my health & the abilities I have & don't give much thought to.

The CONS of the book? I thought it was a little strange how they had a random chapter every now & then from someone else's point of view. It just felt odd to me.
The book is written from people in a different country, so to have different culture & use of words, it took me a bit to get used to some of it.
Neither of the cons made me dislike the book any less though.

In the end, I really enjoy the book, even though I closed it with a heavy heart & tear stained face. But if a book can move you to that emotion, then it gets a thumbs up for me.

View all my reviews

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose your Own Autobiography

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OK - let's put aside the face that I always said that I'm sure Neil Patrick Harris & I would be best friends if we met (which he confirmed in this book... seriously... he said those same words) - but this really is a fun book. Exactly what I expected from him.

And if you are wondering, it really IS an adventure book, just like the ones from when you were a kid. You can be on an adventure & make decisions as you want your life, as Neil Patrick Harris, to go.

I did try to do that but I was afraid I would miss something... which you would have if you didn't read it straight through. There's a spoiler for you. Or if you did do the adventure book style, look around for the pages that you missed then :)

But this is the story of his life from starting as a child actor, to a husband with twins & everything in between. It has its moments of realness, its moments of what growing up as a star looks like, its moments of what realizing you are gay, as a star, looks like. But even better, there are moments of funny, of a sense of humor that NPH has, a real person. & even pages of magic. Seriously. Real magic. He walks you through a few magic tricks ... that ALL work out! Don't ask me how. I really believe NPH is beyond magical now :) Try the tricks. You'll be amazed yourself.

I will say, there is language throughout the book & even a chapter that I was cringing with the language & the content.. but it was just a smidgen compared to the whole book.

In the end, I sat & read the last few chapters of how Neil & David became parents & what fatherhood is to him... & I seriously teared up. It was so moving. & the last part, just imaging how NPH would do it with the style of a Broadway star, I totally got choked up & wanted to start the adventure again.

I'm sad this book is over... a true sign of a good book.

View all my reviews