sTORI TELLING by Tori Spelling

Somehow I forgot to list a book I have read, a book I actually really enjoyed. I know what everyone things about Tori - I thought it myself, but I have to say, I have fallen in love with Ms. Spelling. Since the premiere of Tori and Dean: Inn Love, Tori has shown what a fun and normal person she really is. Because of this, I wanted to read a book by her. I lucked up on a copy of Mommywood, signed by Tori at a thrift store, and since then, I have searched for sTORI TELLING.

When I found the book, I read it and loved it. It was fun and quirky, and you found out lots of crazy things about Tori that you might not have known. I was ready to post Tori Trivia on Facebook after reading the book. It is fun and cute and interesting. I might be biased, but I think it is a fun, great read, one that your girlfriends will like, one that you can read really quickly. It is a true guilty pleasure, so enjoy it with some chocolates and really expensive bubble bath.

Should you read it? Absolutely!

Should you pass it on? If you find another copy. You might want to keep yours!

You, Maybe by Rachel Vail

I just finished You, Maybe. I have to tell you, I am sad right now. The book really had an emotional impact on me. It hurt when I finished the book, after battling through the emotional turmoil that was conveyed in this book.

Don't think I am giving away the ending of the book. It ended with a glimmer of hope, but through the book, you are really faced with the experience of a high school student going through that awkward stage - finding herself in her relationship and not in a relationship.

I was immediately taken back to my high school days, the days of being crying over heartbreak, the days of living high on love, and just enjoying that feeling of newness. I admit, I looked up my old boyfriend (and his wife), just to see how he had changed, and to be thankful that I have found a new relationship since that high school flame burned out. I am afraid that a teen might get the wrong idea from the book (that promiscuity is okay if you "love" a high school boyfriend/girlfriend), but I think it is great to revisit the past.

Should you read this book? If you have graduated from high school, yes!

Should you pass it on? Sure, to a high school friend, but not to a teen.

Click here to read a chapter from the book.

Eyeliner of the Gods by Katie Maxwell

I kept Eyeliner of the Gods in my purse. I read it while waiting to go into interviews, while I was in the parking lot, or when I was waiting for anything else. It was a short, quick read, and it was enjoyable throughout. The ending was terrible.

Why do I keep having issues with the endings? I think it may have something to do with the way this ended. Sometimes, I want the main character to get her man, and sometimes I don't. I think I would have liked this ending, but there was one little line that changed how I read the book. There was a line that made it all seem like the girl went from being the hero(ine) to being a '50's dependent on her man kinda girl. That changed the entire way I read the book.

I love Katie Maxwell. I think her other books are great, but none take this particular viewpoint; at least, not the ones that I have been reading.

This particular story is great (until it isn't). It focuses on a group of students who participate in an archeological dig. There is a bit of a mystery, which Jan (short for January) Jones is able to unravel. The mystery is great, because it isn't obvious. I wasn't sure who the perpetrator was until January revealed what was discovered. I wouldn't give this book to any young girl who is still forming her identity, but I think it is enjoyable, especially if you know where you stand regarding your existence outside a relationship.

Read it? Sure. Pass it along? Maybe....

Big Fat Manifesto by Susan Vaught

Big Fat Manifesto is essentially a novelized form of the document Fat Girl Manifesto, which I found while googling the wrong title. The main character writes a column entitled Fat Girl Manifesto in which she chronicles the "injustices" she faces as a size 4X. She also comments on her boyfriend's bariatric surgery, which she is not a fan of. The story is a bit predictable for a teen novel, but worth reading. I rather enjoyed it, although by the end, I was ready for it to be over. It is rather like the book I read earlier, Fat Chance, but aimed more at a younger audience.

The book is filled with facts and research (though none of it cited), that rationalizes being morbidly obese. The character is supposed to be happy with herself and proud of being fat, but she complains because she is never cast as the lead in a play and she can't wear beautiful clothes. I really want to know if the author is fat. Does she understand these struggles or is she framing this in a way that she finds to be fair and balanced? I think it could be interesting to know.

Recommendation: I don't know... Read it if you identify with being a large person in a skinny world, but not if you don't want a long rant about how horribly fat people are treated.

The Truth About Hillary

I finished The Truth About Hillary:What She Knew, When She Knew It, and How Far She'll Go to Become President by Edward Klein about a month ago. I haven't written about it because I have been busy hiding it under my sister's pillow, in her purse, and in her car, so that Hillary's face is ever present to scare her. As you can see, the cover image is frightening. Even better, the spine of the book has one large eye that stares out at you from the shelf or underneath the sofa or where ever you choose to store (hide) this book.

Now to the contents: I will first admit that it took me several months to read this book. I started it around May and have been reading it sporadically over these past few months. It is interesting enough, but I can't trust Klein. So many of his "sources" are anonymous, and it is clear that his agenda is to defame the former first lady.

You might be wondering why I bought this book. Am I for Hillary, against her, or was there some other force that led me to pick up my volume? To be perfectly honest, I bought the book because I thought the picture was super scary. I thought it might be some sort of biographical account of her life, and hey, who isn't curious about someone else's life? I thought I could learn something.

What I learned from the book is that Edward Klein hates Hillary and will go to any length to tie her to every bad thing he can think of. He proclaims that she is a lesbian because she had lesbian friends in college, and because she was given a magazine as a gift, she is a poster child for the ideas that are promoted within those pages. He rants about her nefarious deeds and sites sources on every page. I found that I checked every source (which added to my reading time) because I didn't believe what he said. It was outlandish, boring, and unfounded. After reading the book, I really feel like I trust Hillary more than I could ever trust Klein. She is a sympathetic character who is making it, even after he tried so hard to ruin her image. I could relate to her - I have friends who do things I might not agree with, have been cheated on and stayed with my partner, and there are other similarities. She is attacked and now I feel like I have to protect her.

Should you read this book? Probably not. It is not worth it. If you want to learn about Hil, why not choose a more credible author (one not consumed with some grandiose, paranoid theory that Hillary is out to get him)? I am just glad it is over.