REVIEW: I Can't Tell You (Hillary Frank)

Title: I Can't Tell You
Author: Hillary Frank
Reading Level:Easy reading, young adult, but has you reading between the lines
Amazon Average Rating: 4.5 stars (based on 11 reviews)
My Rating: 2.75 (Bonus points for creativity, though. Seriously.)

Keeper Status? Not for me, but am glad I read it!

No sample writing style this time around, (1) because I'm not sure it would capture the essence of the book, and (2) said book is in another room and I am too lazy to go get it. I'll give you one guess which is the main reason....  Anyway, I'm not sure how or why I wound up with this book on my shelf, but I put off reading it for a while. I was drawn to it, because the author pushes the boundaries of what you can do on written page.

REVIEW: Bright Lights, Big Ass (Jen Lancaster)

Once again, it's been a while. I plan on doing a bit of an overhaul of my rating system soon, which I'll semi-start with this post, but since I haven't done much here and right now I'm essentially just writing for myself at this point, I'll put that off for another day. After finishing this most recent book though, I had to put everything down and get myself going. So. Here goes.




Title: Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why  It Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?
Author: Jen Lancaster
Reading Level: Easy, quick read. Lots of anecdotes. Possibly a good commuter book, but only if you have the self-control to contain your giggling in public.
Amazon Average Rating: 4 stars (96 reviews)
My Rating: 4 stars
Keep/Borrow/Pass: Keep

Sample writing style:  I huff on the couch for another minute, which is just enough time to vow that the TV cooking chick is now my sworn enemy. You, missy! Yes you with the EVOO and GB and LMNOP and the rest of the stupid abbreviations. Enough with your toothy Joker smile and al the giggling. If you’re going to chop, dice, or practically puree something, use one of those descriptive words and not “gonna run myknife through it,” because that doesn’t tell me anything. And how about a specific unit of measure and not just “eyeball it.” […] And please either turn up the heat in the studio or wear a looser shirt. ‘Cause I ordered the arugula, not areola, thanks (124).

First of all, that excerpt is from one of my most favorite parts of the book -- when Jen Lancaster goes off on Rachael Ray. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not much of a fan. Apparently, neither is Jen.

REVIEW: Island of Lost Girls (Jennifer McMahon

Uh oh. Slap me on the failboat and ship me off full steam ahead. I have certainly not kept up with my goals of posting my reviews. That said, here we are, back and rolling again.

Title: Island of Lost Girls

Author: Jennifer McMahon

Reading Level: Easy, fast read, nice commute book

Amazon Average Rating: 3.5

My Rating: 3.5


Sample writing style: "Rhonda Farr had two Peters in her life: The Peter she loved but could not have, and now the white rabbit, which she, not unlike Alice in Wonderland, seemed destined to chase down the hole. But Alice's rabbit was not named Peter."

Island of Lost Girls was a fast-paced story that I was able to read in about two days during my hour-long commute to work each way. It had enough suspense and mystery to help me ignore and avoid all the crazies you run into when riding public transportation, and I liked that it was so easy to read; various distractions did not interrupt my enjoyment or understanding of the book. There's nothing I hate more than having to reread paragraphs multiple times because someone next to me is yakking loudly on a cellphone.