“San Francisco, 1976. A naïve young secretary, fresh out of Cleveland, tumbles headlong into a brave new world of laundromat Lotharios, pot-growing landladies, cut throat debutantes, and Jockey Shorts dance contests. The saga that ensues is manic, romantic, tawdry, touching, and outrageous – unmistakably the handiwork of Armistead Maupin.” – Goodreads Description —— I READ MORE
Category: Book Review
BOOK REVIEW | SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – MATTHEW QUICK
Pat Peoples knows that life doesn’t always go according to plan, but he’s determined to get his back on track. After a stint in a psychiatric hospital, Pat is staying with his parents and trying to live according to his new philosophy: get fit, be nice and always look for the silver lining. Most READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | GOOD OMENS – TERRY PRATCHETT AND NEIL GAIMAN
This book holds the dubious honour of being my all-time favourite. I generally hesitate to make such intense statements, fearing disappointment on the reader’s part if they find that the expectations I built up don’t measure up to the experience. In this case, I have no such reservations. —— It is the story of READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | AGENT 21: RELOADED – CHRIS RYAN
This is the second book in the Zak Darke Agent 21 series (the first being, of course, Agent 21). Rather than struggle to sumarize the story for you I’m going to let Chris Ryan introduce you to the plot of the book: Sound exciting? It is. Like the first book in the READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | THE ROSIE PROJECT – GRAEME SIMSION
Don is a professor of genetics whose life follows a very structured routine – he gets up at the same time every day, shops at the same markets, eats the same meals and goes to bed at the same time. Everything in his life makes sense. Everything is rational. Until he meets Rosie. Rosie READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | PAPER TOWNS – JOHN GREEN
After finishing The Fault In Our Stars (aka The Blue Book) enveloped in a blizzard of Kleenex, I wanted more of John Green’s writing. So I moved on to Paper Towns looking for more of the poignant and humorous narrative. The first thing I’ll say is this definitely is not The Blue Book. Don’t READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | DASH & LILY’S BOOK OF DARES – RACHEL COHN & DAVID LEVITHAN
First thing to say about this book is that it was written by the same duo responsible for Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (yeah, the one that was made into a movie with Michael Cera and Kat Dennings). So that gives you an idea of the sort of story it is. Cute and quirky. READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | THE NAME OF THE STAR – MAUREEN JOHNSON
This book grabbed my by the throat and just wouldn’t let go. It’s the story of Rory Devraux, a Louisiana teen whose parents relocate to Bristol (in England), giving Rory a choice of schools for her senior year of high school. She picks Wexford, a boarding school located in London – right in the READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | THE FAULT IN OUR STARS – JOHN GREEN
Better known amongst my group of friends as “The Blue Book” (for obvious reasons), this book took me completely by surprise. A friend of mine recommended it, saying that he loved it, that it made him all emotional and that I should definitely read it. So one Sunday when I was recovering from a READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | COMPACTS AND COSMETICS: BEAUTY FROM VICTORIAN TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY – MADELEINE MARSH
Back in the day (i.e. about 5 years ago) I took some Women’s Studies courses in college. One of the main things I learned that stuck with me was that the worse things are for society in general, the better they are for the relative status of women in that society. For example, during READ MORE
BOOK SERIES REVIEW | THE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY – SUZANNE COLLINS
(Please note: Because this review covers a trilogy of books, it required spoilers. Please read at your own risk!) I came late to the Hunger Games. I am one of those who watched the movie – then figured maybe I’d give the books a go. But once I got started, I proceeded to zip through READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | BOSSYPANTS – TINA FEY
Tina Fey is one funny lady. But more than that, she’s an incredibly smart one. It’s not easy to be as humorous, self-deprecating, inspirational and charismatic as this lady. (Trust me; I’ve tried.) So I was intrigued at the prospect of learning more about the lady behind the laughs. Though I’ve never been READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | MY LAI 4: A REPORT ON THE MASSACRE AND ITS AFTERMATH – SEYMOUR M. HERSH
War is a strange concept. It has rules. Certain populations are off limits, and certain acts are prohibited. And yet, the purpose of a war is to take human life on a mass scale. It seems inevitable, then, that lines become blurred, that war is the cause of (or sometimes a haven for) atrocity. In READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | IF YOU ASK ME (AND OF COURSE YOU WON’T) – BETTY WHITE
I have so much respect and admiration for Betty White. Let me just say that up front. Not only has she molded an ever-growing and -changing career during a time in life when many performers are withdrawing from the public eye and enjoying the fruits of their years and years of hard work, but she READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | THIS IS A CALL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DAVE GROHL – PAUL BRANNIGAN
It is because of Dave Grohl that I began reading again. At the end of last year I was lucky enough to attend a Foo Fighters’ concert. And I gotta tell ya – if you’re not a fan of the Foos, you’re missing out big time. These guys get up there and give it their READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | TRAVELS – MICHAEL CRICHTON
You might not think so to see his books gracing the illustrious wire racks of grocery stores and newsagents, but Michael Crichton is an amazingly talented writer. I will argue this point with anyone who dares contradict me. He had me cowering under my blanket as a teenager when I was reading Jurassic Park READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | SEXUALLY, I’M MORE OF A SWITZERLAND: MORE PERSONAL ADS FROM THE LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS – DAVID ROSE
I must admit, this book’s title is what grabbed my attention. And how could it not? Turns out, the inside of the book is just as interesting. We all (or at least most of us) know what it’s like to be single and wonder if we’re ever going to find someone we can be READ MORE
BOOK REVIEW | EVERY DAY IN TUSCANY: SEASONS OF AN ITALIAN LIFE – FRANCES MAYES
When I was in high school my mother left her copy of Under the Tuscan Sun lying around the house. On a whim one Saturday afternoon, I picked it up and started reading. The next thing I knew, I was immersed in Italian culture, fascinated to discover with Mayes the joys (and many frustrations) READ MORE