Thursday, June 15, 2006
The Washingtonienne
The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler
Plot: Based on what actually happened to the author, Jacqueline comes to DC after a broken engagment and begins work as an intern and then low-level staffer on the Hill. She begins affairs with a number of guys, including some married men and high-level gov't officials. She starts a blog to recount her experiences to her friends and it doesn't end well.
Why I Liked It: Boy was this book smutty! And I mean that in a good way, sometimes it's fun to read a book where the main character has tons of sex, does drugs, buys clothes, and then has more sex. As a former DCer (but one who never worked on the Hill) I enjoyed the DC setting and hearing about bars I used to go to. A fun fluffy read.
What I Didn't Like: It's hard to have compassion for the main character (and I think you're supposed to) because she's kind of a horrible bitch. But who cares? Sex! Drugs! Sex!
Buy/Library/Store/Avoid: I'd go library or store with this one. And I'd only suggest reading it in Borders/Barnes & Noble/your independent book store of choice if you'd be embarassed by being seen in public with a book cover of a woman in a frilly pink bra. I kind of was.
If You Liked This, You May Also Like: High Maintenance or Going Down, both by Jennifer Belle, which also feature lots of sex and drugs and sex in the city.
Random: You can find the original blog that started the scandal here.
Plot: Based on what actually happened to the author, Jacqueline comes to DC after a broken engagment and begins work as an intern and then low-level staffer on the Hill. She begins affairs with a number of guys, including some married men and high-level gov't officials. She starts a blog to recount her experiences to her friends and it doesn't end well.
Why I Liked It: Boy was this book smutty! And I mean that in a good way, sometimes it's fun to read a book where the main character has tons of sex, does drugs, buys clothes, and then has more sex. As a former DCer (but one who never worked on the Hill) I enjoyed the DC setting and hearing about bars I used to go to. A fun fluffy read.
What I Didn't Like: It's hard to have compassion for the main character (and I think you're supposed to) because she's kind of a horrible bitch. But who cares? Sex! Drugs! Sex!
Buy/Library/Store/Avoid: I'd go library or store with this one. And I'd only suggest reading it in Borders/Barnes & Noble/your independent book store of choice if you'd be embarassed by being seen in public with a book cover of a woman in a frilly pink bra. I kind of was.
If You Liked This, You May Also Like: High Maintenance or Going Down, both by Jennifer Belle, which also feature lots of sex and drugs and sex in the city.
Random: You can find the original blog that started the scandal here.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Sex as a Second Language
Sex as a Second Language, by Alisa Kwitney
Plot: Kat is a former actress whose husband has left her and won't see their son. She's struggling to make end's meet and teaching a ESL class, where she meets a hunky Icelandic student who really is a CIA agent who needs her help tracking down her missing father. Yeah, it's complicated.
What I Liked About It: Kwitney is pretty humorous. The book was realistic I thought, and I liked the scenes about her dealing as a single mother.
What I Didn't Like: The CIA stuff I could live without. Also, the sex scenes were kind of weird, like really graphic but also weird.
Buy/Library/Store/Avoid: I'd get this one from the library. A good summer read, but I didn't love it.
If You Liked This, You May Also Like: Other Alisa Kwitney such as Does She or Doesn't She or The Dominant Blonde.
Monday, June 12, 2006
The Little Lady Agency
The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne
Plot: Melissa can't find a career that suits her, but is good at organizing things. After she is fired from her most recent job, she decides to start her own business and a new persona to help awkward young men navigate the social scene. Of course she falls for one of her clients.
What I Liked: I think I like makeover stories, because I adored this book. Probably because it's all about makeovers (this is also probably why I will always watch Miss Congeniality whenever it is on tv. Oh Sandra Bullock!) This book was incredibly fun and enjoyable, a great beach or plane read. Also there was some ambiguity in the book about who she would ultimately end up with, which is a nice change from most chicklit.
What I Didn't Like: Nothing, really.
Buy/Library/Store/Avoid: Buy, I think. Like I said, great for the beach.
If You Liked This, You Would Also Like: Any other British chicklit. Or the sequel to this book, which is coming out this summer I think.
Plot: Melissa can't find a career that suits her, but is good at organizing things. After she is fired from her most recent job, she decides to start her own business and a new persona to help awkward young men navigate the social scene. Of course she falls for one of her clients.
What I Liked: I think I like makeover stories, because I adored this book. Probably because it's all about makeovers (this is also probably why I will always watch Miss Congeniality whenever it is on tv. Oh Sandra Bullock!) This book was incredibly fun and enjoyable, a great beach or plane read. Also there was some ambiguity in the book about who she would ultimately end up with, which is a nice change from most chicklit.
What I Didn't Like: Nothing, really.
Buy/Library/Store/Avoid: Buy, I think. Like I said, great for the beach.
If You Liked This, You Would Also Like: Any other British chicklit. Or the sequel to this book, which is coming out this summer I think.
The Dairy Queen
The Dairy Queen by Allison Rushby
Plot: Dicey Dye has lost her job and marriage, so she and her sister and best friend return home to the small Austrailian town they were raised in order to regroup.
Why I liked it: It was funny, and the problems of the main characters were pretty real (and not in a movie-of-the-week sort of way).
What I didn't like: It took a while to get going. I wasn't enthralled, I have to say.
Buy/Library/Store/Avoid: Library
If You Liked This You Would Probably Also Like: Hating Valentine's Day by the same author, which I liked better, really.
Plot: Dicey Dye has lost her job and marriage, so she and her sister and best friend return home to the small Austrailian town they were raised in order to regroup.
Why I liked it: It was funny, and the problems of the main characters were pretty real (and not in a movie-of-the-week sort of way).
What I didn't like: It took a while to get going. I wasn't enthralled, I have to say.
Buy/Library/Store/Avoid: Library
If You Liked This You Would Probably Also Like: Hating Valentine's Day by the same author, which I liked better, really.
