"The Journal of Mortifying Moments" by Robin Harding

Oh gosh, I know, I read another book with a pink cover. Tsk tsk.

Well it was good enough. These books with pink covers weren't around before Sex and the City, I swear. And now they are everywhere. The whole genre of writing about someone who is relatively successful in Manhattan and has man troubles seems to take precedence in our society these days. I suppose I can only read so many murder mysteries before I get sick.

Anywho, this one is about a girl who isn't, surprisingly, perfect. She's a little larger than most, although she is still pretty and has a perfect life despite hating it. She's successful and has a super hot boyfriend, described as better looking than Patrick Dempsey.

I never quite know what to make of any of these books. I think they are all Sex and the City knock-offs - they all have the same basic story, same basic characters, a lot of the same problems. But they aren't Sex and the City! We only have room for one of those and we adore it, and we don't really need more.

I guess I get annoyed at how cutesy and how fairytale all of these turn out to be. In the real world things don't always go bad and then get better - it's often enough the reverse. I don't know, I just feel like all of these chick flick books (what on earth should we call them?) try soooo hard to relate to every last woman on this planet. I don't know.

I will say that I don't mind reading these books, but I guess it's just something that makes me a little sick inside.

"Ties That Bind" by Phillip Margolin

Um, I bought this book because it was like $3 at Sam's Club - but that's not a testament as to how good the book is, that has everything to do with how cheap Sam's Club is.

Anyways, I happen to love thriller / mystery types of books, but I also end up neglecting my life when I read them because I become completely enthralled and don't do anything else. So this one I read when I had an afternoon off. Oh no, actually this one I interrupted by my viewing of the Dark Knight, but whatever.

Still, I love Margolin's books and I think he's one of probably the best thriller writers currently. If you like Harlen Coben or James Patterson you'd probably be into Margolin's.

Well, this one was pretty good - like most mysteries it was about a murder (well, a few) that need a-solving and put the main character in danger. This one was particularly interesting because it involves a crime ring composed of high-profile Americans - senators, judges, etc.

It was pretty great - but don't do it unless you have a few hours or can just put it down. Good luck, mon frere.

"My French Whore" by Gene Wilder

That's right, I had to check out more Gene Wilder stuff. I wasn't quite as into this one, but it was probably wittier than the other Wilder book I read.

This novella revolved around a soldier during WWI who impersonates a famous spy, and meets a girl named Annie, who is basically a whore. They fall in love, get married, whatnot.

It was a pretty cute story, and a quick read. I really, truly admire his work because anything he's ever done on film you can see so much him in it, and I love that his novellas have been the same way.

"The Clapper" by Dito Montiel

Sooo Montiel is the author and director of "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints", which I have only seen and have yet to read, but I was at the library and recognized his name and went ahead and grabbed it and....it was awesome.

The book is about this random guy, Eddie Rumble, who ends up in the "career" of being paid to sit through infomercials and horrible sitcoms for a few bucks. The whole point of his career involves using different disguises so people don't catch onto the fact these people are paid to do this over and over on different shows, so that people watching think the laughs are real or whatever.

Well, Jay Leno's people notice Eddie in multiple audiences, wearing all different stuff, and he quickly becomes known as "the clapper".

That's most of the plot, but the story is amazing, and the humor is too. I'm embarrassed to say I actually laughed out loud this morning at one point, in the office nonetheless.

And after reading this one, I can only hope it too will be made into a film.

"Trading Up" by Candace Bushnell

Same lady again as Sex and the City, and I suppose I didn't publish a post about Lipstick Jungle, but I have also read that one.

I like all of these stories about upbeat Manhattanites, but I'll admit I was pretty anxious reading this one - as in it was so long and I just wanted to put it down and I was getting pretty annoyed with the main character.

This one was about Janey Wilcox, a Victoria's Secret fashion model who settles in marrying someone, for reasons unknown to the reader - she admits she doesn't particularly love him and he's not the richest of the choices she has had. I had a really hard time getting into this character, mostly because she was a brat. I mean she was literally dirt - who was basically just concerned about her image as a status-climber, and would do anything to get there.

I wouldn't really say the book was bad, I would just say that it's hard to really understand what the point to it is - and maybe there isn't one. Don't read it if you don't have forever, it's a long one.

"The Woman Who Wouldn't" by Gene Wilder

That's right - THE Gene Wilder wrote this book. I have to say, for a little ole novella, it was an adorable book, and I feel like there was so much Gene in it. The story is about a concert violinist who just goes off his rocker for no real reason, in the early 1900s, and he's sent to a health institution in Germany.

There he meets a prim and proper lady, who is wonderful. He soon discovers she is there because she has cancer (sound familiar) and they get married, and I just can't tell you the ending. I refuse.

Something about this book was sooo Gene and Gilda. I'm a huge fan of the both, and adoring of the relationship they had. It's almost hurtful to read this book simply because in some ways you feel like Gene is talking about her.

But I would recommend it, it's fabulous.

"Will Storr v. The Supernatural" by Will Storr

Okay, okay, we all know that I'm a ghost fanatic. And have every right to be. I was quite astounded with this book, though. Really!

I've read a number of books from ghost hunters, demonologists, you name it. They usually are pretentious, and extremely defensive about what they do. Will Storr is an English journalist who fell into ghost hunting, basically, and was never completely convinced. He had a number of experiences with a number of supernaturally-inclined throughout the world, and he leaves it up to the reader to decide.

I found his story a little more genuine because he specifically said that he went in as a skeptic and came out "not sure." That's it. He explains theories, but never really pushes them on the reader. He admits when there are things he can't explain, and things no one else was able to as well.

I think I found this book a little more scary because of all of this. As much as I would love to believe everything I hear, I know this ghost world a little too well, and know that there are some fakes out there. I'm a little more caught up in the science and evidence part of it all, which made this book awesome for me.

I think this book would be a good read, even for skeptics.

"Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin

Ever since I saw this book when it came out last year (maybe around Christmas?) I've wanted to read it. But, alas, I don't get much reading time during the school year.

Anyways, it was one of the first books I added to my library list early this summer, and just now got it from the library on Monday. It has every right to be a popular book.

Steve Martin talks about what all it took to get him into stand up, for him to realize it's his calling, and actually didn't talk too much about the high point - which usually makes it all the more interesting. We all have a pretty good idea of what happened after SNL and all the movies, but it's always fun to see a celebrity and learn what happened that got them there.

He seems to have an infectious sense of humor, that inserts itself throughout the book, and he has a great way of reminding us that celebrities, too, have their struggles.
Check it out when you have the time.