Monday, March 2, 2015

Recent Reads


I have been doing quite a bit of reading lately, and before I forget everything about the books, I wanted to get a blog post up about them.  These are the books I read up through the end of 2014.  




The Husband's Secret:  This book was about three women and their families in Australia.  Their stories slowly intertwine and a long standing mystery is revealed.  Then there is the truth behind a secret (there is still a lot of book left when we find out just what it is).  This sets off all sorts of repercussions for the people involved.  I didn't really see the ending coming, and I like those kinds of surprises.  I hadn't ever read anything by Liane Moriarty before, and now I am adding all of her books to my "to read" list.  That was how much I enjoyed this story.  This book was five star worthy!




I Don't Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star:  I have been a longtime fan of Judy Greer's work.  I think the first movie I saw her in was Jawbreaker.  After that, she seemed to have a small part in everything.  So when I saw she had written a book, I was interested in learning more about her.  If you are a fan, this will not disappoint.  Her deadpan sense of humor shines through in her writing.  I felt like we could be friends.  Her stories were engaging, and I laughed a lot.  This book gets a strong 4 1/2 stars.



Not That Kind of Girl:  Let me start this off with my disclaimer:  I LOVE GIRLS (the tv show).  I think it is well-written and the characters are all a mix of quirky, a little neurotic, and likable.  For me, this did not translate into a book, and that was disappointing.  Lena Dunham writes really well.  I just found that the same personality that draws me into her show, repelled me from her as a person.

Don't get me wrong, her stories were interesting, and she even solved a life-long mystery about what tonsil stones were called (if you don't know what these are, please don't google them). She just comes off as a high-maintenance friend.  The one you always have to reassure. The one that can be a little demanding of your attention.  Sometimes you might not answer her calls because you need a little break from the drama.  

Overall, I would give this book three stars.  I still watch and look forward to Girls.  I appreciated the honesty with which she recalled anecdotes from her life.  I just felt a little drained after reading about all of them.  




Yes Please:  This was another book that wasn't quite what I thought it would be...funny.  In all fairness, it had its moments, but It was more of a series of essays about defining moments in Amy Poehler's life.  It was interesting, but I was expecting something in the spirit of Bossypants.  It was not. 

I would give it a solid three and a half stars, because after I realized it wasn't going to be a laugh a minute, I settled into her stories about how she became who she is today.  There were a few life lessons she shares along the way, which were not always easy for her to go through, but important to talk about so you can better understand just who Amy is.  If you are a lifelong fan of her work, you will want to pick this up.  


Summer In The City (The Carrie Diaries #2):  If you read and enjoyed The Carrie Diaries, you will devour this book.  It takes place immediately after the first book ends, where Carrie is living in New York City and attending a writers workshop for the summer.  She is introduced to the characters of Samantha and Miranda from the tv series that we all know and love.  For me, it was a solid three stars.  Easy to read, and a continuation of Carrie Bradshaw's teenage years. 

1 comment:

SpryOnTheWall said...

Judy Greer's book has been on my "to get" at the library list for a while, I need to get it ASAP! Great reviews!

I'm Erin

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Hi, I'm Erin. I am living back on the east coast after 15 years out west. Currently readjusting to humidity and mosquitos. I love to take pictures and read fashion magazines.... and to talk about nothing in particular (ok, and my dogs).

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