Brunette Ambition

Brunette Ambition 
by Lea Michele

Lea Michele is one of the hardest working performers in show business. Whether she’s starring as Rachel Berry on Glee, rocking a glamorous look on the red carpet, recording her solo album, or acting as the spokesperson for L’Oreal, Lea is the ultimate multi-tasker. She knows better than anyone that it is difficult to be your best self and keep things in perspective when your to-do list is overflowing and you are faced with challenges, so she’s developed a foolproof system for remaining healthy and centered. In Brunette Ambition, she reveals the lessons and advice that have worked for her--from beauty and fashion secrets to fitness tips, and career insights. Supplemented with never-before-seen photos and revealing anecdotes, it’s the book Lea wishes she’d had in her teens and early twenties: A practical and inspirational guide to harnessing tenacity and passion and living the fullest life, no matter what obstacles life puts in your way. (Description from Goodreads.com)

I like to flip through a lot of non-fiction "lifestyle" books.  I dabble in books on diet, fashion, and decor but I don't often truly read them from start to finish. When my friend Jen over at yabooknerd reviewed this one I was immediately curious and requested it through interlibrary loan. I was hesitant to let my hopes build up too much because I often find celebrity books to be either knowingly pretentious or to just be written as if we all had enough money and time to live as they do and thus, unknowingly unrealistic. 

I was pleasantly surprised that though, there were a few moments like that here, they were few and far between.  For the most part Lea Michele seems down to earth and the tips she gave and stories she shared seemed well chosen for a large audience.  I liked that she threw in tips on every part of a healthy and happy lifestyle - from loving yourself to choosing and cherishing good friends, to staying  healthy and stress-free, to looking and feeling great! It was not only a fun book to flip through, but one that I actually sat down and READ.  I even took it back to work and photocopied some of the exercise and recipe pages.  

A much better read than I'd anticipated. 

Full Disclosure: Borrowed through Interlibrary Loan

Unhinged

Unhinged 
by A.G. Howard
Splintered, book two

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole. She was crowned Queen of the Red Court and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the boy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly appealing Morpheus. Now all she has to do is graduate high school.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

Could she leave Jeb and her parents behind again, for the sake of a man she knows has manipulated her before? Will her mother and Jeb trust her to do what’s right? (description from Amazon.com)

Okay, before I say anything else, I just have to ask...does anyone else get creeped out by this cover? Don't get me wrong, I LOVED this book just as much as the first, but every time I look at Morpheus on the cover, I find myself actually shrinking back mentally from the story...it's so disconcerting. 

Anyway, moving on...let me tell you how I devoured this book as soon as I couldn't see the cover any more.  I think my imagination just takes me in a different place, but man, can A.G. Howard create the best world inside your head! 

Alyssa's world is darker, creepier, and just plain more addicting than the original Alice's could ever have been.  I love peeling back the little layers of not only Wonderland, but our own to find the secret and creepy things that might be hiding underneath.  As much as Alyssa's dilemma about how she feels with both Jeb and Morpheus is fun to read...it's really the world and Alyssa's power within it that keeps me totally captivated.

I'm itching to dive back down this rabbit hole again.  Soon, I hope!

Full disclosure: eARC received from NetGalley, ARC received for review from VOYA 

Drama

Drama

by Raina Telgemeier

 

Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon Over Mississippi, she's a terrible singer. Instead she's the set designer for the stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen, and when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier! (description from Amazon.com)

 

I have to admit, I'm not a huge graphic novel reader and that's partly because I have a little bit of trouble following the panels in the manga style ones.  I do, however, occasionally find some graphic novels that I truly adore and both of Raina Telgemeier's fall into this category.

 

I love the colors, the drawing styles and they are easy to follow!  While her first one, Smile, was somewhat autobiographical, Drama is just a cool middle school story.  Callie loves theater and wants to become a set designer someday for Broadway.  Seeing her passion made me think back about all the plays and musicals I've seen and how important the stage set can actually be...

 

I also loved seeing her embrace her passion and not be ashamed at all of being into a "dorky" club.  It was great to see all the drama "geeks." I was once a drama geek so I loved that connection! Callie's friends each had their own passion and none of them hesitated to do the very best they could in their own facet of the show. 

 

The friendships and crushes seemed very realistic and reminiscent of how I remember feeling about people and interacting with them in my own middle school years.  I also loved that Telgemeier addressed homosexuality in a very easy manner, making it not the focus of the story, but just a natural part of Callie's day to day experience. 

 

I really thought this was a great read that left me smiling. I would love to read more about Callie and her friends.  

 



Full disclosure: Borrowed from my library

This Week's Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

 

So, since I've become involved with the Nutmeg Book Award selection committees in my home state of CT, my blog has had to become a little less of a priority in my life.  There are times when I can tell that I'm blogging a lot less frequently, but I hope that it hasn't been TOO noticeable for all of you.  I've also found that I really can't get to all of the "just for fun" books that I'd like anymore... but I'm actually reading more than ever!

 

So... I decided that I want to try to inject a little more fun into my blog again. Some things that I can do weekly or more frequently...and some things that might be a little less, well purely review-y.  LOL.  So, Library Loot is something I want to try because with my job I most definitely bring books home from the Library every week, so every time I post this there should be at least something for y'all to enjoy. :P

 

My Library Loot:

Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible

by Tim Gunn

 

Island of Thieves

by Josh Lacey

 

The Humming Room

by Ellen Potter

 

So, that's what I picked up at my Library this week... did you swing by yours?

I haven't decided yet if I'll be mentioning books I buy or am given on a regular basis...we'll see. For now, just shoutin' out for my Library use, LOL. :)

 



What's On My Hold List?

Welcome to the November 2012* edition

of

"What's on My Hold List?"

*I just realized I never did an October edition...*face palm* MY BAD!!*

 

One of the most beautiful things about working in a Library is that I have the ability to put lots of things on hold and read them *before* I buy!! These are some of the books that I'm currently waiting for, though I may buy one or two of them after reading, as well.

 

Notorious Nineteen

by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum, book nineteen

 

Rebel Heart

by Moira Young

Dust Lands, book two

 

Sapphire Blue

by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red Trilogy, book two

 

Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible

by Tim Gunn

 

 

Bad Yeti

by Carrie Harris

Kate Grable novella

 

Breathless

by Sophie Jordan

Firelight novella

 





You can click on each title to go to their Amazon page for a description...

So, these are the books I'm waiting anxiously to get my hands on...what are you waiting for??

The Lies That Bind Vlog Tour - Week 3!

For each of the four weeks leading up to the Get Real Contemps on Tour that will be helping to officially launch The Lies that Bind, the sisters' are releasing a vlog about their inspiration and some great sneak peeks! So, here's the video for week three, Road Tripping across the USA!!


Lisa & Laura will be heading out on the tour in November, but packing is always a pain. I love the idea of a full-on FASHION SHOW to prep for a big trip. Too bad my sister doesn't live close enough to confer with!! What do you think of their outfits for New York, California, and Virginia? I love the white top and plaid scarf outfit the best, personally... in fact, YOU can tweet your favorite outfit choices with the hashtag #lie2mefashion or go on their Facebook page to suggest some other options. 

Don't forget to check out the website for the series...

Heartless

Heartless: A Novel of Vampires, Werewolves, and Teapots

by Gail Carriger

The Parasol Protectorate, book four

 

Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.

Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet? (description from Amazon.com)

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I love the casual snarkiness of this series.  There is always something tongue-in-cheek happening. I find myself giggling all the way through, every time.  Alexia is a woman that I would love to be friends with in real life.  She's real, she's very practical, and like me, she loves nothing better than to eat!

Again I loved how all of the men in Alexia's life have made little accomodations to better fit themselves to her... I love that Alexia has not truly had to bend on any of her beliefs.  Though I do not claim to be a staunch feminist, there is a definitive part of me that applauds Gail Carriger for the way that she writes this series. :)

Since this is book four, I cannot talk too much about the specifics without giving away tons of spoilers.  Needless to say, if this sounds intriguing, I highly recommend you go back and try book one, Soulless.  Lovers of the paranormal, steampunk, high tea, historical fiction, and humor unite!

Full disclosure: Purchased for my Nook

Mini Reviews: The "I'm Just Trying to Find My Place in the World" Edition

Where I Belong

by Gillian Cross

In the hot desert of Somalia, Mahmoud is kidnapped and held for a ten thousand-dollar ransom. His older sister, Khadija, is in London, thousands of miles away; and yet Mahmoud s life is in her hands. Someone has discovered her identity, that she is Qarsoon the Hidden One the face of famous fashion designer Sandy Dexter s newest collection. Who can Khadija trust to help her? She now must appear as planned on the Fashion Week runway. Only then can she possibly earn the money to save Mahmoud s life. Also involved is Abdi, a fourteen-year-old boy coming to terms with the mysterious disappearance of his father, and Freya, the totally unfashionable daughter of Sandy Dexter, trying to find her place in her mother s world of haute couture. (description from Amazon.com)

I thought that this was an interesting way to introduce a lot of information about Somalian culture. The kids each brought a totally different viewpoint to the story and it was intriguing to read how they interacted with each other and the adults around them.  I had trouble sometimes keeping track of who was the narrator of the different chapters, though, and while this was a sometimes exciting story that was easy to read, it didn't totally enthrall me. 

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Tall Story

by Candy Gourlay

Andi is short. And she has lots of wishes. She wishes she could play on the school basketball team, she wishes for her own bedroom, but most of all she wishes that her long-lost half-brother, Bernardo, could come and live in London where he belongs.

Then Andi's biggest wish comes true and she's minutes away from becoming someone's little sister. As she waits anxiously for Bernardo to arrive from the Philippines, she hopes he'll turn out to be tall and just as crazy as she is about basketball. When he finally arrives, he's tall all right. Eight feet tall, in fact—plagued by condition called Gigantism and troubled by secrets that he believes led to his phenomenal growth. (description from Amazon.com)


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I hadn't been sure I would like this story, but it was actually a very touching, almost folk-story feeling tale. I loved both Bernardo and Andi in different ways.  He was a wonderful boy, who just happened to grow 8 feet tall, and had to deal with how that affected how all the people around him viewed him.  Andi was fiesty, loyal, and incredibly impatient to be independent...and yet, she loved her brother without reservation.  With a slight touch of "magic" and a great, loving family, this turned out to be a great read!

PS - The audio version is phenomenally done. A fun one to listen to!

Full disclosure: Audio book received to review for SLJ
*2012 Debut Author Challenge title*

The Mostly True Story of Jack

by Kelly Barnhill

Enter a world where magic bubbles just below the surface. . . .
When Jack is sent to Hazelwood, Iowa, to live with his strange aunt and uncle, he expects a summer of boredom. Little does he know that the people of Hazelwood have been waiting for him for quite a long time.

When he arrives, three astonishing things happen: First, he makes friends -- not imaginary friends but actual friends. Second, he is beaten up by the town bully; the bullies at home always ignored him. Third, the richest man in town begins to plot Jack's imminent, and hopefully painful, demise. It's up to Jack to figure out why suddenly everyone cares so much about him. Back home he was practically, well, invisible. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a magical tale. It was that side of magic that turns out to be creepy.  I felt bad for Jack as he was trying to figure out who and possibly what he was...and yet, he was good and he made new, loyal friends. I liked the style of this book a lot, and will be checking out Barnhill's next book.

 



Identifying a Potential Steampunk Reader...or, "Hey, I have no idea if I would even like steampunk?!"

So, today over on the Hub's blog, I created a post to help figure out if you would possibly like Steampunk...and if so, where on Earth to start! Check it out and let me know what you think. :)

In My Mailbox - February 6, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

From the Library:

Foiled by Jane Yolen

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly

Wildwing by Emily Whitman

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

On My Nook:

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

Borrowed:

*Squee!! Special thanks to Jen from Yabooknerd for lending this hot ARC to me! Can't wait to read it!!*

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker

Lauren Conrad Style

Lauren Conrad Style
by Lauren Conrad

You've seen Lauren Conrad on TV and red carpets, looking fabulous whether she's going casual for a day with friends or dressed for a night out. Now Lauren reveals how you can adapt her classic, understated style for yourself.

In her first-ever style guide, Lauren offers tips on how to create your own unique look, shares her favorite sources of inspiration, and identifies the absolute must-haves for any fashionista's wardrobe. Along the way, she examines her fashion evolution, from California-casual teen to camera-ready style icon and clothing designer.

From beauty advice and hair secrets to how to shop vintage or find the perfect T-shirt, Lauren Conrad Style unlocks the mysteries of being effortlessly chic. With Lauren's guidance, you'll look and feel stylish every day. (description taken from Amazon.com)

As much as Lauren Conrad gets on my nerves and I don't really care about her personal style...I did think there were a LOT of good tips in this book. I'm not much of a non-fiction reader, but I find myself consistently drawn to fashion type books (not that it's reflected that much in my wardrobe... :P).

This one has a nice layout. There are different sections for clothing, makeup, care, etc. and they are all easy to read and full of helpful tips. There are some nice shots of things like how to wear one LBD eight different ways and things like that...

If you like fashion, this one's worth at least a quick flip-through.

Runaway

Runaway
by Meg Cabot
Airhead trilogy, book three

Emerson Watts is on the run: from school, from work, from her family, from her friends, from herself.

With everyone she loves furious with her for something she can't explain, and nothing but the live Stark Angel fashion show on New Year's Eve to look forward to, Em's reached the end of her rope. . .what's the point of even going on?

But when she discovers the truth about Nikki's secret, she knows there's only one person she can turn to.

Will Christopher be able to put aside his personal feelings and help her expose her employer to the world? Is it even fair to get Christopher involved--since if he agrees, there's every chance that Stark Enterprises will try to have them both killed--this time, permanently?

Maybe it would be better for Em to just keep on running. (description taken from amazon.com)

It honestly amazes me how Meg Cabot was able to make the fantastic premise for this trilogy so, well...believable. Really! I have thoroughly enjoyed these books and am almost sad to see Em Watts' story finished. She is a fun character to follow.

Without being spoiler-y, I will say that though readers may suspect what the nefarious Robert Stark is up to, the depths of his evil-doing surprised both Em and me! Cabot threw in a good twist with his plan and I was happy to see the resolution.

The one and only thing I would have changed...I felt like it wrapped up too soon in the end. There was a lot of build-up, then the plot reveal, the resolution, and then...boom...ending. I would have liked just a little more fleshing out of Em and Christopher's relationship finally coming together. *Sorry for the minor spoiler, but we all saw that coming, right?!*

All in all - an enjoyable conclusion to a fun, fashionable sci-fi trilogy.

Beauty and the Briefcase

Okay, I have to admit that I am a total nut when it comes to seeing all these cheesy, formulaic, girl/love/lessons learned type movies! I Lurve Legally Blonde, Clueless, etc., etc., etc!!

I just got done watching Beauty and the Briefcase on my DVR and I LOVED it!!!
Hilary Duff was funny, cute, and all around likeable/relatable. The guys were all cute and the premise (girl goes to business world undercover to write article for Cosmo magazine about finding the right guy) was totally fun and just different enough, that though I knew the ending far before it came, it was still FUN to watch!

If you love the cheesiness that makes you *squee* when the end comes and then immediately hunt down your bf/hubby to hug like a crazy woman, I recommend you check to see if this is rerunning or Hulu it!

PS - As a wanna be fashionista (wanna be since I am sadly not economically able to ever even dream about owning the things I fantasize about...) I should also mention that the wardrobe, both male and of course female, was fantastic in this movie!