waiting on wednesday: If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It encourages bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases we can't wait to read!


Last April, there was an interview with Curtis Sittenfeld, who wrote my favorite book ever, American Wife, in the New York Times books blog, PaperCuts. In the interview, she mentions the best book she's read lately, an early copy of If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous, despite the fact it's coming out in 2010. Sittenfeld said the book's release "seems really far away, but I swear it's worth marking your calendar for." I did, and when it popped up this week, I was thrilled to rediscover it, and I still can't wait to read it. Her blurb quote running on Amazon is this: "I love, love, love IF YOU FOLLOW ME. It's fearlessly honest, occasionally heartbreaking, and extremely funny, and I can't recommend it highly enough." I'm sure there are plot descriptions out there, but I don't want to read them. I want the joy and humor of this story to unfold with surprise from day one. I think the cover is beautiful too!


I'm beyond excited for this novel, and March cannot get here quickly enough. I suppose it could, if Harper Perennial decides to send me an early copy! 

Intrigued? Preorder If You Follow Me: A Novel (P.S.) from Amazon today. As an Amazon associate, I will receive a commission from the sale if you purchase it through this link.

book review: No Time to Wave Goodbye by Jacquelyn Mitchard

No Time to Wave Goodbye is a sequel to Mitchard's first novel, The Deep End of the Ocean, which was most famously chosen as Oprah's first book club selection. If you haven't read The Deep End of the Ocean, there will inevitably be a few spoilers in this review. 

A lot of time has passed between the two novels, both in publication dates and in the characters' lives. In many ways, however, not much has changed, and not much happens the first ninety pages. There's an awkward mix of catching readers up on what they may not remember about the last book and catching readers up on what happened since the events of the last book. I read The Deep End of the Ocean only last year, and I sometimes had a hard time figuring out which events I already knew about. There are a ton of characters thrown at the reader, including many characters calling Ben Sam to his face but thinking of him as Ben.

The opening scene itself is so interspersed with backstory, it's incredibly distracting. Vincent is premiering his new documentary in Chicago, and Beth has no idea what it's about. To hammer this point home, the reader is subjected to a ridiculous amount of her questioning interior monologue. The constant questioning is annoying because it's clear she's about to watch the movie and find out all of these answers and the subject of the film is one of the basic facts about this book. Vincent's film is a documentary about missing children. Ben/Sam interviewed five families about their missing children. The film is a such a huge success, it wins the Oscar for best documentary. These events all unfold simultaneously quickly (in ninety pages) and slowly (it was all quite telegraphed form the beginning, I thought), that it's clear something big is about to happen, as any reader can see the book is more than ninety pages. As though it weren't clear enough, Mitchard laces in ominous foreshadowing at every opportunity. I really wish the novel would have opened at the Oscars. It's difficult to fault a 220 page novel for being two long, but the first seventy pages were a waste of story and writing.

Finally, the action happens, and Mitchard's writing instantly becomes emotional, moving and thoughtful rather than stiff and filled with awkward metaphors. There's a surprisingly haunting and tragic poetry to the events. Once the action happened, I was absolutely riveted, and the book's turns of events surprised me.

No Time to Wave Goodbye is a difficult book to review for many reasons. I truly loved parts of it, but it doesn't work as a whole for me. There's a powerful message in it, and I do think it's worth reading if you enjoyed The Deep End of the Ocean, which is a nearly universally enjoyed book. The ideas of this novel are strong, although the execution is weak at times. It was good enough to keep reading, but I was also eager for it to end. The pacing was off the entire time, even while I enjoyed the book. Would I recommend it? Yes and no. My enjoyment of this book had little to do with my attachment to the characters. I truly liked the idea of it, and the idea of it is good enough to recommend it, despite my reservations with the beginning of the book and Mitchard's uneven reading. It would make a fantastic book club selection. The ideas are ripe for discussion, it's short, and there will likely be those who love and hate it, but I would guess most readers will fall somewhere in between. It's hard to love or hate a book so uneven in story, pacing and writing.

Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Pages: 228
Publication date: September 2009
Source: my local public library

Buy No Time to Wave Goodbye from Amazon.

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movie monday: Coco Before Chanel

One of my new goals is to start seeing movies in the theater again. My specific plan is to treat myself to a film every Friday night at the Spectrum, the local, independent art house theater, which is conveniently located next to the New World Bistro Bar, my favorite restaurant in town, where I'll treat myself to a glass of wine after the show. I started my new tradition last Friday, and I had so much fun. I'll post my movie reviews here on Monday mornings.

The movie: Coco Before Chanel is aptly titled; it follows Coco Chanel from her time in an orphanage, but it stops where most people become familiar with her story. The film stars the delightful Audrey Tatou as Coco. Perhaps my favorite thing about Coco Before Chanel was it's honesty. I confess to loving the feel-good rags to riches biopics as much as anyone, but it's rare to see a biographical film provide hope with honesty and without sappiness. Most of the film is not feel good. It's hardly depressing, but it is real. Coco didn't have an easy life. She and her sister were orphans, and they fought for opportunities. Coco makes some decisions she may not be proud of, but she doesn't regret them. She doesn't have the dream of becoming a fashion designer from day one, just as few of us truly know what we'll end up doing from the beginning. Her skills, experience and desire for self-sufficiency slowly evolve to lead her to it.

The film is a little slow, but it's similar to the pace of her life. It seems like it's not going anywhere for awhile, and if you didn't know what Chanel is, you might think that. I personally thought the subtitles were a little fast. My French is decent enough to understand some of the dialogue, but I often read the subtitle before the characters had begun to speak their lines. The beautiful lulls of dialogue featured the next subtitle, which threw off the pace a bit for me.

The beauty of the film comes in its last half hour, when it becomes clear the slowness was in fact subtlety leading to a mesmerizing and poetic final half-hour. It's the kind of film one might be tempted to stop watching if she were at home, but ends up loving. It truly is a film that is the sum of it's parts. It works as a whole, but it's not necessarily riveting from the opening frame.

It's a beautifully feminist film; it's an honest look at one woman's struggle and journey for her place in the world. It's not a film with universal appeal, but it is a fantastic, beautiful, and inspiring film. If you like foreign films, historical films, biopics and strong female leads, then I highly recommend this film.

Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Release date: September 2009 in the U.S. Here's a map of where this film is currently playing! There's no word on dvd release yet.

Source: I saw it at my local, independent, art house movie theater

sunday salon: Thanksgiving wrap-up

While Thanksgiving brings wonderful time spent with family and friends, as well as a few days to relax, the most exciting about Thanksgiving for a graduate student is knowing the end of the semester is almost here. There may be a lot to get done in the next two weeks, but I'm already looking forward to the ability to read, relax and watch movies without feeling guilty.

I also became an Amazon Associate this week. You should notice the Amazon search box to the right of this post. You'll also notice a link to purchase each book I review at the bottom of posts. The program is rather simple: when you click on links from my site to purchase things at Amazon, I get a small percentage commission; you pay the same price. While it's not secret I want a Kindle, I decided to stop hoping I win one and start making plans to buy one. I'll use the money I earn through the Amazon Associate program to finance my Kindle. I hope the advertising won't be distracting. I don't have high expectations for revenue, but every cent helps!

Books finished this week: 

• A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd - I was thrilled to discover this new to me author and a new series for this author.
• The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - I'm so glad I finally got around to reading Persepolis, and I look forward to reading more of Satrapi's work.
• No Time to Wave Goodbye by Jacquelyn Mitchard, the sequel to Deep End of the Ocean will be reviewed Tuesday.

Currently reading: A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve. Somehow, I've never read Anita Shreve, and I'm really enjoying this novel so far. I've read some middling reviews, so I'm curious to see how my opinion changes as the book goes on. I'm already smitten with Shreve's writing, however, and plan to read more of her books.

Movies seen (I finally got around to hooking up my Netflix account to the xbox 360, so we can now watch instantly through the television. I can't believe it took me this long to set it up, but I immediately cancelled HBO. I'm a convert, and thus, I will be watching and reviewing more movies in the coming months!):

• To Catch a Thief  - We watched this movie on Thanksgiving, and I haven't seen it in years. It was so much fun! I adore Cary Grant, but I was most amazed how visually stunning the film was and how it didn't seem outdated. 
• Casino Royals - We also watched Daniel Craig's first foray as James Bond on Thanksgiving. I really enjoy this movie, especially the ending scenes in Venice, one of my favorite cities in the world. 
• Coco Before Chanel - I went to see this lovely French film Friday night, and my review will be posted Monday as part of my new Movie Monday feature.
• Brodre - I watched the Danish film that the upcoming Brothers (starring Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire) is based on. I'll offer a comparative review when I see Brothers, but in the meantime, if Brothers is anywhere near as good as Brodre, it should be a major player at the Oscars this year.

Happy reading!

graphic novel review: The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

The Complete Persepolis contains Persepolis and Persepolis 2 in one volume. Although there is no indication where the second volume begins, there is a shift in the story. Persepolis is an autobiography in graphic novel. Marjane Satrapi grew up in Iran, and the book is as much a story of the Persian people and Iran's history as it is her own. It's a fascinating look at a country and its history, but it's most remarkable seen through the eyes of a child. It's incredibly moving to think and see how much geography plays into our own sense of self and autobiography.

From a visual standpoint, Persepolis is simple and beautiful. There are frames so packed with meaning, I would stare at them for a few minutes. I would gladly hand several on my wall. It's an incredibly accessible graphic novel, as it's rather verbose, but Satrapi's drawings are powerful.

Persepolis is clearly a powerful book, and I do believe it's an important book, particularly for Westerners. I think it's wonderful and smart, but I didn't quite love it. It moved me deeply, but there was some unknown element inhibiting my full personal enjoyment.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Pages: 352
Publication: October 2007
Source: my local public library

Buy The Complete Persepolis from Amazon. (As an Amazon affiliate, I will receive a small percentage of the sale; it does not affect the price you pay for the item.)

book review: A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd

I've been craving mysteries lately, especially historical mysteries. I read a few glowing reviews of A Duty to the Dead, the first in a new historical mystery series by Charles Todd. The reviews were right.

The novel is set in 1916, and it opens with the British hospital ship Britanic being hit. The action grabbed me right away, and I instantly felt an affinity for Bess, the narrator. She's an army nurse and an independent woman.

The crux of the novel is unraveling the mysterious final message a dying solider entrusted Bess with. She has romantic feelings for him, and she takes the post-Britanic break to visit his family to deliver his dying message. Bess is smart, proper and independent all at the same time. The prose flows beautifully, and the setting is luscious.

I loved this book, and I read it in less than a day. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the next Bess Crawford novel! I'm also eager to read Charles Todd's other mystery series featuring Ian Rutledge. There are eleven novels in that series so far. There is also one stand alone novel, The Murder Stone. Charles Todd is actually Caroline and Charles Todd (Caroline was robbed!), a mother and son writing team.

Have you read the Ian Rutledge series? How do they compare to Duty to the Dead?

Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
Pages: 336 pages
Publication date: August 25, 2009
Source: my local public library 

Buy A Duty to the Dead: A Bess Crawford Mystery from Amazon now!
(By clicking this link, I will receive a small percentage referral bonus from Amazon, which does not affect the price you pay.)

waiting on wednesday: Hell Gate by Linda Fairstein

Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event to highlight a not-yet-released title you're excited about.

It's no secret I'm a huge fan of Linda Fairstein and her Alexandra Cooper mysteries. I discovered the series a in 2003, and I always look forward to the latest installment. Fairstein's writing continues to improve, and her novels are a beautiful mix of compelling mystery and informative, especially about the history of New York City.

Fairstein's twelfth Alexandra Cooper novel, Hell Gate, comes out on March 9, 2010. In Hell Gate, Alex finds her attention torn between investigating a shipwreck that has contraband cargo-human cargo-and the political sex scandal of a promising New York congressman now fallen from grace. When Alex discovers that a woman from the wreck and the congressman's lover have the same rose tattoo-the brand of a "snakehead", a master of a human trafficking operation-it dawns on her that these cases aren't as unrelated as they seem and that the entire political landscape of New York City could hang in the balance of her investigation. As Alex looks on at the nameless victims in the morgue, she realizes she's looking at the present-day face of New York's long, dark tradition of human trafficking-a tradition that began hundreds of years ago with slave trade from Africa, now a multimillion-dollar industry that will stop at no cost, even if that cost is Alex's life.

To tide myself over, I'll reread a few older Linda Fairstein novels, but Penguing/Dutton, I'd love an advanced copy!

book review: Driving Sideways by Jess Riley

Driving Sideways is Jess Riley's first, and sadly, only novel to date. It's the story of 28-year-old Leigh Fielding, who has just received a kidney transplant and a new outlook on life. After not expecting to live past her 30th birthday, Leigh decides to live boldly for once and take a road trip from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to Los Angeles, where her mother, who left when she was five, lives. Along the way, she stops to see her college boyfriend, her best friend, and the family of the man who donated her kidney.

The description of the book does not begin to do it justice, and I'm not a fan of the cover. I read this book because I'd read so many great reviews. It's a road trip novel for my generation. I love Jack Kerouac's On the Road, and this book captures it's spirit but bears little other resemblance besides the a prominent road trip. Leigh is irreverent, funny, smart, grounded, and delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I adore it's ability to be both meaningful and amusing. It's a delightful blend of light-hearted fun and real-life worry. It's never too heavy, or too light, and Riley achieves balance with story and characters.

If you're under the age of 35 (perhaps even 40), then you'll love this book. If not, then you might miss some of the humor and pop culture references. I do worry many of the pop cultural references will become obsolete, antiquated or less funny in the coming years, so read it now!

I sincerely hope Jess Riley has another novel coming out because this one was a fantastic novel, and an even better first novel.

Rating: 5 stars
Pages: 352
Publication: 2008
Source: my local public library

book review: Evil at Heart by Chelsea Cain

Evil at Heart is the third book in Chelsea Cain's Gretchen Lowell series. I enjoyed the first two, and this one did not disappoint either. Gretchen Lowell is on the run, and Archie is staying in a psychiatric ward by choice. To many, many people, however, Gretchen has become a hero. There are fan sites, "Run, Gretchen!" t-shirts, and a Beauty Killer manicure (like a French one, but with blood red tips instead of white). There's even a fake fan site, and it's fantastic. The book gives us the perfect set-up: there are bodies with Gretchen's signature, but no one can tell if she's killing again, manipulating people to kill for her, or if it's purely the work of her fans trying to emulate her. "Portland seemed divided into two groups of people these days--people who wanted to get as far away from Gretchen's crime scenes as possible, and people who wanted to rub up against her corpses" (p. 122).

Chelsea Cain infuses her characters with joy, humor and humanity. Yes, it's a book about a deranged, beautiful female serial killer. Yes, there is some gore so gruesome it is hard to read. Mostly, though, this book focuses on Susan, Archie and Henry as humans. They tell jokes. There's character development, real newspaper politics (Gretchen Lowell sells papers, but is she really responsible for these deaths?), and the city of Portland shines almost as a character itself.

I worried this series was in danger of fizzling out, but Evil at Heart is the best book yet. If you haven't read the first two, please read them first. If you didn't like the second book as much, read this one; I think it will change your mind. I'm sure there will be another book in this successful series, and I hope at some point for some sort of prequel. I'm utterly fascinated by Gretchen's mysterious upbringing. I'm sure Cain will give us the answers eventually, and they'll be wilder than I can even imagine.

On the grander level, I admire Chelsea Cain for writing a feminist novel about a torturous serial killer. Cain exposes the flaws of all of our society's views of gender with Gretchen. A beautiful woman doesn't seem threatening, yet she's killed more than 200 people. For once, a serial killer is brutalizing men more than young, pretty women. She's a master manipulator, but she's also brilliant and physically strong; her deranged mind is her most powerful weapon. She's neither hero nor anti-hero, but she is an indirect voice for feminism. Gretchen Lowell is a wonderful example of equality. Perhaps gender subversion isn't Cain's intention, but it's a wonderful by-product.

Rating: 4.25 stars (out of 5)
Pages: 320
Publication date: September 2009
Source: Marcia from The Printed Page gave me her ARC 

sunday salon: the importance of negative reviews

The Importance of Negative Reviews:
Earlier this week I posted a review of Behind the Bell by Dustin Diamond. I considered not reviewing the book because it was so bad, but after a few people asked me how I liked it, I decided to review it. Many bloggers don't post negative reviews, and I respect that. I was blown away by the positive comments I got on my incredibly negative review. Most commenters thanked me for my honesty, and it got me thinking about negative reviews in the larger context. I think they're important, and I don't come across very many of them.

Reading is about personal taste, and simply knowing what books I like doesn't tell the whole story. I write reviews because looking at a star rating only tells part of the story. I give a lot of four-star reviews. I'm pretty good at finding books I enjoy to read, and I think most book bloggers agree. There are authors I always enjoy, books in a series I like, and recommendations from those whose taste is similar to mine. Perhaps also we don't finish the books we dislike.

Most books that get a four-star rating from me get it for different reasons. Rating a book is complicated, and I take a lot of things into consideration. The two biggest criteria for me are the quality of the book and how much I enjoyed reading it. I recently read Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. I gave it three stars, even though I didn't like it. It was beautifully written, and I really enjoyed the first one hundred pages. I think it's a book worth reading, even though I didn't like it. I read some books that are not especially well-written but incredibly entertaining (the early Sookie Stackhouse books come to mind), and I think of them as four-star books largely because of how much I enjoy reading them. I like ratings, but explaining why a book gets its rating is more important to me.

I know my taste is not universal. I never want to write a negative review for the sake of writing a negative review, nor do I want to write a positive review for the sake of writing a positive review. Reading is an incredibly personal and often emotional experience. I admire writers, and I don't want to engage in ego boosting or personal attacks; I want to write about my personal reactions to books. I will continue to write negative reviews. I will continue to write honest reviews, both positive and negative. Calling a book the worst book I've ever read, as I did this week, requires justification. There is often a fine line between being honest and being mean, and I think I achieved it.

What do you think about negative reviews?

Reading update:
I finished Evil at Heart, the latest Chelsea Cain novel about Gretchen Lowell, and my review will be posted tomorrow. I also finished Driving Sideways by Jess Riley, which will be reviewed Tuesday.

Want to win a Kindle?
It's no secret I want a Kindle, and there is little to no chance I'll get one for Christmas. Thankfully, Bibliofreakblog is still hosting her fantastic giveaway. If you enter via this link (or the one on the top of the right sidebar, then I get one entry too.)

Coolest thing about being a book blogger this week:
Robin Maxwell emailed me after my Waiting on Wednesday post about her latest novel, O, Juliet, which comes out in February, and offered me an advanced copy of the book when it's finished. It's always a joy to hear from authors, but to receive an early copy of a book I can't wait to read was completely unexpected and incredibly exciting!

children's graphic novel review: Kristy's Great Idea

I grew up reading The Baby-Sitters Club series. I remember seeing a display of the first four in the series in a bookstore and asking my father to buy them for me. I think he only bought me one or two that day, and he told me I could have the next ones when I finished those. Thus began my monthly trip to the bookstore to get the latest book. I began to outgrow them somewhere around the 120th book. I loved the movie, and I watched the tv show. I played the board game with anyone who would play with me, and often with myself.

When I stumbled across news that there was now a graphic novel series, I immediately wanted to read it. The first four books in the original series have been transformed by Raina Telgemeier into graphic novels. The characters were immediately recognizable, which was wonderful. After all of the book covers, the tv show and the film, there are many images of each character out there, but Ms. Telgemeier did a fantastic job of making them look the way I think they should. As a fan of the series growing up, I was amazed how many details of their lives came back to me as soon as I started reading it. As a reader of the series, I was always a little annoyed at how much of each book was spent reminding me who the characters were. Seeing their personalities expressed visually rather than with words was fantastic.

I am not the target audience for this book, but I really enjoyed it. It was a fast read, and it was fun. There was so much joy in the characters. I am an incredibly visual person, and it was wonderful to see so many minor characters shine through their physical depiction. If you were a fan of the books, I highly recommend this trip down memory lane. It's fun. I don't know if the original books are still read, but the graphic novels truly do put a fresh face on the series, and yet, they're still true to the original. Kudos to Raina Telgemeier.

The good news: the first four books in the series are graphic novels. The bad news: Scholastic has no plans to continue the graphic novel series. The related news: Raine Telgemeier has a new book coming out in February 2010: Smile.

Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
Pages: 192 
Publication date: 2006
Source: my local public library

children's book review: Diary of Wimpy Kid #3 - The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney

I've really enjoyed the first two books in Jeff Kinney's hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The third is more of the same. Honestly, the books are starting to run together for me at this point, which is not necessarily a bad thing. There is an overarching problem and resolution in each book, but for the most part, the books are all collections of funny stories. To some extent, the stories could be mixed and matched within the books. It's a joy to have a series of books that don't rely on what came before them. (I love books in a series, and I grew up on Sweet Valley Twins, Baby-Sitters Club, Fantastic Five, Sleepover Friends, etc., but I would never dream of reading them out of order. Harry Potter beautifully builds on past actions; you can't read them out of order.) Parents, teachers, independent booksellers and librarians can hand a child, even a reluctant reader, a Wimpy Kid book, and it won't really matter which one it is. It's a fantastic, hilarious series. It encourages children to read, write and draw. There are some smart jokes, and there are some low-brow jokes, but it still works.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
Pages: 224 pages
Publication: Spring 2009
Source: my local public library

Waiting on Wednesday: O, Juliet by Robin Maxwell

Jill at Breaking the Spine hosts Waiting on Wednesday, a weekly event encouraging bookbloggers take Wednesdays to feature an upcoming book they're excited about.


This week I've selected the new novel by Robin Maxwell, author of several historical novels. 


O, Juliet is the story of Juliet Capelletti. Yes, Robin Maxwell is taking on Shakespeare's beloved Romeo and Juliet, and I can't wait to read it. I've never read Robin Maxwell before, despite her books always sounding interesting to me. This book is definitely on my wish list. I first read Romeo and Juliet in ninth grade, and I absolutely adored it. Something about that play speaks to me. The last time I was in Venice, I dragged nomadreaderboy to Verona to see the home "Juliet" grew up in. It was overrun with tourists, but I still loved it. I gladly posed with the statue of Juliet and purchased a t-shirt. To read a retelling of this play will surely be a joy. 


The only bad news: the book won't be published until February 2, 2010. The good news: I get married five days later. Is there a better book to read on the eve of one's wedding than a retelling of one of the greatest love stories ever? 

book review: Behind the Bell by Dustin Diamond

I grew up watching Saved by the Bell. I remember when it premiered, and I watched it obsessively ever after. Seriously, for a few years when it was in syndication, I watched it for two hours EVERY DAY. I liked Saved by the Bell: The College Years. I still recognize random guest stars when they appear on other shows now. I can still recite dialog and song lyrics from the show. I had the cd for years after it stopped being cool. (Yes, it was cool for awhile).

Given my history of enjoyment with this show, I was excited to read Dustin Diamond's memoir about the show, Behind the Bell. I didn't even have high expectations, as celebrity memoirs are rarely well written, but I had to read it.

It's the worst book I've ever read. Ever.

I contemplated not blogging about because people already will either want to read it despite it's lack of literary virtue or want to read it because of the subject. This review will not change anyone's mind.

Despite the book itself being horrible, there clearly was no editor. The grammar was appallingly bad. The former copy editor in me wanted to take a red pen to it even though it was a library book. Words were misspelled. He used idiotic words such as douchenozzle to make a point. He also writes moronic, vague sentences, then follows them with the sentence "What I mean to say is this." (Say what you mean! Use your words!) The literary violations extend beyond letting the author have artistic control. The most egregious error: when the word horseshit needed a hypen to split it onto two lines, the hyphen appeared between the s and the h. Yes, horses-hit. How does that even happen in the post-typewriter world?

When I could get past the cringing from his complete misuse of me, myself and I, as well as that, which who and whom, the memoir was unnecessarily mean and condescending to every other human being in the world, past, present and future. Diamond showed no perspective, decency or rationality. He writes off people he met as a child. Yes, I understand you thought Fred Savage was spoiled when he was eight. Does it mean he still is? Perhaps, but none of us can stand the scrutiny of the actions of our eight-year-old selves. He boasted about his own sexual exploits while deriding others for it. Although he is ridiculously misogynistic, he seems to hold sexual adventure against everyone but himself. Yes, this derision includes the women he slept with; he's incredibly hateful to them.

I finished the book, but it was uncomfortable to read. I'm not a prudish person, but it was hard to read the words of someone so clearly unable to let go of his hatred for so many people, places, situations and things. Diamond needs therapy. He needs an editor. He needs a fact checker. Mostly, he needs to find something to enjoy. He needs to find some sense of meaning in his life. It was uncomfortable to read because he's a human being.

Rating: 0 stars (Hated it. Seriously, don't waste your time. It's completely lacking any redeeming qualities.)
Pages: 288
Publication date: September 2009
Source: my local public library

sunday salon: the week in review

It was a weak reading week for me. The end of the semester crunch is here, and I'm frantically finishing final projects. I'm currently reading The Fifth Servant by Kenneth Wishnia, which is a fascinating mystery set in the Jewish ghetto of Prague in 1592. It's not, however, the light reading I've been craving this week with school stress. Thus, I'm also reading the third Diary of a Wimpy Kid novel because it is delightful, hilarious and light.

Books finished this week:

• Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
• Behind the Bell by Dustin Diamond

Books received for review:

• Season of Ash by Jorge Volpi from Library Thing Early Reviewers
• Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson from the publisher

On my television: 
I'm still enjoying Brick City, the five part documentary series about Newark on the Sundance Channel. It aired in September, but thanks to my DVR, I'm finally watching it. 

I also caught up on The Good Wife, which is my favorite new show this season.

I am almost caught up on the new episodes of Law & Order. It's enjoying another fantastic season, but I fear no one realizes Friday night is a good night to watch it. Jeremy Sisto is outstanding, and I'm really enjoying seeing more of Lt. Van Buren's personal life and battle with cancer.

Cool contests:

• Lisa McMann is holding a huge contest gearing up for the release of Gone, the follow-up to Wake and Fade.  I'm desperately trying to get my hands on an ARC of the book as an early wedding present. Gone comes out ton February 9, two days after I get married.
• Want to win a Kindle II? I do! I know the chances of getting one for Christmas are slim to none, so I'm resorting to winning one (a girl can dream!). Bibliofreak is hosting The Great Kindle II Giveaway. When you enter through this link, I get an extra entry too! There are lots of ways to enter. Happy Kindle II wishing! To remind you, I'll keep the button on the right sidebar until the contest ends. Thanks Bibliofreak!