Massive Book Review Round-Up

My goal this year was to read 75 books. I really wanted to hit 100 but I think that was just too lofty a goal. I got really bad about keeping track in the middle, though, so here's a rough guess at where the count is at. I'm definitely missing a few, but hell if I can remember what they are.

Also, my well's running dry so if you have any recommendations, please feel free to comment. I need some fresh ideas.

43. Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett
44. Just One Of The Guys by Kristan Higgins
45. Wife In The North
46. Cruel Summer
47. Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks
48. Northern Lights by Nora Roberts
49. Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
50. California Demon by Julie Kenner
51. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
52. The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot
53. Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot
54. Every Boy's Got One by Meg Cabot
55. Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
56. Babysitter's Club: Kristy's Big Idea

And I've currently got the fourth Thursday Next book ("Something Rotten") and Heyer's "Frederica" jockeying for my next read.


One (or Two) Sentence Reviews:

43. I had forgotten how much fun The Watch series really was. And boy was I glad to finally read a Pratchett I could follow again (the Death books are all twisty and stuff).
44. This book made me cry at points and I didn't like it as much as previous ones.
45. Blog turned memoir that I really found myself getting into. I really loved the ridiculous number of times she ran out of gas and cursed her husband.
46. Diary-framed YA novel that was a bit derivative but sweet nonetheless. Nobody does YA diaries like Meg Cabot, though.
47. Interesting YA with a strong, unique, feminist heroine. Alpha's drunken letter at the end was easily my favorite part.
48. Engaging read about a man finding a fresh start on life as a Sheriff in Alaska.
49. Very popular old-school Nora Roberts romance novel. Not bad, but I like my heroines feistier and my male leads less douche-y.
50. Very fluffy, not much substance. Good books to read in the tub, but not worth much more effort.
51. So Damn Awesome. Sophy totally rocks.
52. Fluffy chick lit written all in e-mails and the like. The first, and best of the series.
53. Retread of the first in the series. The leads in this were less like-able.
54. Really horrible. Didn't like it at all.
55. Finally completed after borrowing from the library at least 5 times. No evil time-traveling Frenchman though... so, damn!
56. Ridiculously cute. Love the artwork in this graphic novel re-working.

The horror!

Now, crap-tastic music is always playing in the store. "Mambo #5" was playing when I was in the bathroom the other day. And I had to listen to "beating down the walls of heartache, bang bang, I am the warrior" every damn day for four months.

But the other day, it reached a new low. So low, in fact, that I was certain my ears were going to spontaneously bleed from the torture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wJ-VPqFzy0

Yeah...

Now, it's well known that I'm not a fan of John Mayer. Elliott once asked me why I didn't like him but then answered the question himself with "Ah, the misogyny, right? Yeah, I see that." Force me to listen to even a few seconds of "Daughters" and I'm ready to punch holes through walls out of anger.

But that?! Ugh. Whole new level of awful.

Just watch the cheesy 80's Tom Petty music video. You'll feel cleaner, I promise.

Hysterical Ammounts of Racism

Alec Baldwin is absolutely hysterical on 30 Rock.

For those who haven't watched the show previously (I'm assuming anyone reading this), the only set-up you need is that Jack (Alec Baldwin) is an NBC executive, Tracy Morgan is the bat-shit crazy star of a popular sketch comedy show, and Jack's dragged him down to therapy because he's been acting out and doing whatever Jack tells him not to (all "you're not my father!").

The poor therapist has to sit through the following in sheer horror:

"Mind your own damn business, Mrs. Rodriguez!"

"Lady, just because I'm an ignorant black man and you paid me a nickle to bust up your shifarobe doesn't give you the right to call me ridiculous just because I'm proud of my son."

Butt-Fugging-Ugly

Ok, a quick word in about Project Runway. I haven't even watched the past week's episode yet, but I've seen photos.

Everyone keeps saying that the designers this season seriously suck. They're not wrong. There's pretty much only three or four of them with any talent at all.

Evidence:



Yeah, this was not the loser last week. In fact, it wasn't even considered the second worst.

I hate Kenley so damn much. I hate her stupid damn face and her stupid damn Betty-Page hair. And everything she designs is butt-fugging-ugly. But that? Is so damn atrocious. God, I think I hate it more than Vincent's trash dress from season 3. And now I'm ashamed of myself.

Ugh.

TV Thoughts

The new tv season had begun! Wee!


So far, I rather liked the pilot of HBO's new vampire show True Blood. It's on cable, so it has the requisite oddness, persistant use of the f-word, and plenty of sex and nudity. And although I don't care much for vampires, it also has a psychic main character. And we all know how I feel about psychics (LOVE them).

Assorted Observations:

• I like Sookie. I love how she gets all stupid and googly-eyed whenever Bill the Vampire is around. And how she totally choked that evil bastard with the chain (psychically, right? the him not being able to get it off part? it was unclear, though).
• "You just shut your nasty mouth, mister. You might be a vampire, but when you talk to me you will talk to me like the that lady I am." (The southern inflection on the last three words is really what kills)
  
• I hate her best friend. I both hate the character and the wooden actress (Side note: she was in the truly awful dance movie "How She Move" and she was awful in it).
• The bar-owner guy is really attractive. I'm always a fan of that.
  

I watched half of the pilot of 90210 but just wasn't interested. Also, the girls are all dangerously skinny skeleton girls and I just can't get behind that. I like to read the TWOP recaps at work... but I doubt I'll watch any more of it.

I made my way through the first episode of this year's Prison Break for one reason and one reason only. Dr Sara's back! Eee! Oh, well, and also cause I read that T-Bag eats a guy... but I didn't even keep watching till that happened. I haven't followed this show steadily for over a year and I really don't think that's bound to change now. Unless I hear about Dr. Sara doing something awesome... I can't resist. I love her so much.

Bonus: The TWOP take on Prison Break's return. First, the list of crazy-ass shit they compiled the week before the season premiere. And then there's this summary of T-Bag's plot:

"Meanwhile, T-Bag chews a lot of desert scenery in his blood feud quest for Michael. He also chews his former traveling companion. That's right -- T-Bag ends up in the desert thanks to some untrustworthy coyotes, and after his traveling companion dies in a freak accident, T-Bag roasts and eats him. Is there some way that you haven't violated the laws of God and man, T-Bag? Are you planning necrophilia for November sweeps, or will that have to wait until May?"

I didn't really care for the Bones premiere either. I missed most of the last season, but I was caught up on the major plot points. It just felt kind of lackluster to me. And if Angela and Hodgins don't figure out their shit and get back together, I'll be seriously pissed. (Although I did like that they didn't break up because of Angela's ex but because of their own individual insecurities and issues).


Next Batch of reviews to feature Gossip Girl, Privileged, Fringe, and Top Design. Possibly to be up later today... but the dentist prescribed me Vicodin... so maybe not.