The Social Network

FANTASTIC movie. Best I've seen in a long time.

Black Swan

Intense and disturbing movie.

Sweet Valley Confidential, by Francine Pascal

OMG! So Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are in a fight, and I heard it from Caroline Pierce, and Bruce Patman is all involved, and have you HEARD about Lila Fowler????
This was so funny, and such a kick to revisit ludicrous Sweet Valley, and tune in to the updated shenanigans- some really terrible writing and a plot that was just insane enough to make this time-warp fiction fun made this a one-sitting read that had me turning the pages as fast as I did when I was 10 and fascinated with the whole absurd series.

The Frugalista Files, by Natalie McNeal

This was a fun look at how Natalie McNeal- an underemployed journalist with $20,000 in debt- took control of every aspect of her life, and turned it around.


While this reminded me very much of Karyn Bosnak's hilarious Save Karyn: One Shopaholic's Journey to Debt and Back, Natalie's story is much more recent, and while the events of 9/11 were something of a factor in Bosnak's story, Natalie accrued her debt and career issues in the recent recession.

A relaxed, conversational tone kept the slim book feeling very friendly and informative, and even bits of rather obvious advice, such as changing to credit cards with lower interest rates seemed much more do-able with Natalie's chatty urgings.

While the book starts with a bang, and Natalie's first February of spending only on bills and food was a great beginning, the book lacked the drama of yet another shopping-withdrawal memoir, Judith Levine's Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping, which took on that challenge for a year. However, that made Natalie's stuggles and achievements seem that much more relatable, and she never annoyed me as a reader, unlike Levine.

A sassy city girl's story of getting herself out of a rut and into the life she wants, this was a quick (one sitting!) and enjoyable if not life-changing read.

Strings Attached, by Judy Blundell

Wonderful historical YA.
Shifting between 1950's Providence RI and Manhattan, 17 year old Kit Corrigan's story of leaving Rhode Island to test her talent on stage in New York weaves together the Rhode Island Mafia, the Red Scare, and the Korean War in unexpected and intricate ways.
So well done, I read it in one gulp.

I Think I Love You, by Allison Pearson

Very likeable, enjoyable read. Welsh girls Petra and Shannon adore David Cassidy in the 1970's, but a cruel twist of fate stops them from getting to meet their idol until much, much later. This was so well done, with wonderful characterizations, and a great sense of how teenage girls operate. Magazine writer Bill is another great character- this was hard to put down, and definitely the kind of book to recommend to people looking for a good, fun read with some substance.

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance, by Brendan Halpin

Charming and quick YA about 2 teen stars who find themselves after losing their hit show.

Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood, by Susan Linn

Interesting, if older (2005) book about aggressive marketing directed toward children, and the damage it can do.

The Not So Great Depression, by Amy Goldman Koss

Cute and somewhat sociologically interesting childrens'/YA book. Jacki and her family have always been lucky, but after her mother is laid off, and their savings are depleted by risky investments, everything changes. Her older sister Brooke can no longer count on being able to afford the universities of her choice, despite having aced her SATS and spending years building up application material, Jacki suddenly finds that piano lessons aren't just a hassle, and much more. Well done, but not a great read.

A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness

For such a big bestseller, I had higher hopes about this. It started well- very much like last year's The Physick Book fo Deliverance Dane- but turned pretty bad very quickly, and only a combination of curiosity and disbelief kept me turning the pages. Damsel in distress has never been my flavor.

Henrietta Sees It Through, by Joyce Dennys

Part 2 of the Henrietta letters. Fictionalized letters from Henrietta, a doctor's wife, to a friend named Robert, who is fighting in France, about life during wartime.

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June, by Robin Benway

Terrible YA. 3 sisters each discover they have special powers and proceed to bore the reader to death.

Delirium, by Lauren Oliver

Pretty fantastic YA dystopian sci fi. In this near-future society, everyone undergoes an operation to prevent (or cure) deliria - love. Great world building, and some genuinely emotional scenes.

Fannie's Last Supper: Re-creating One Amazing Meal from Fannie Farmer's 1896 Cookbook, by Christopher Kimball

This was just fascinating. Kimball spends about 2 years working with chefs to try to recreate a 12 course meal from Fannie Farmer's cookbook, using a coal fired stove and as authentic ingedients and materials as possible. An insane labor of love.

How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell

Very funny book about the young Viking Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and his struggles to train Toothless, his dragon.

The Ghost at Widower's Pond, by Karen Chilton

I really wanted to like this more than I did. I really enjoyed the first book, set in Exeter RI, and hoped the series would develop well, but this was a bit of a sophomore slump for me.

Prom and Prejudice, by Elizabeth Eulberg

Pretty terrible YA take on Pride and Prejudice, set at a boarding school full of some of the least realistic teenagers I've ever read.

Anything Goes: A Biography of the Roaring Twenties, by Lucy Moore

Interesting, if episodical, look at the culture in the 1920's. From Scott and Zelda to President Harding's girlies, lots of interesting tidbits, but overall, not a really cohesive look at the decade.

Death of a Chimney Sweep, by M.C. Beaton

Pretty weak entry into the Hamish Macbeth series. I really don't enjoy it when animals become that involved with the plot. (See: Martha Grimes' The Black Cat)

Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, by Gail Steketee

Alarming sort of book filled with anecdotes about hoarding, made me want to throw away everything.