When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison

When in Doubt, Add Butter
by Beth Harbison

Gemma Craig has spent her career as a private chef taking care of other people. From Lex, the fussy department store owner straight out of a movie from the thirties; to grossly overweight Willa, who must radically change her eating habits or die; to the strange Oleksei family, with a constant parade of mysterious people coming and going; to the hideously demanding A ngela who is “allergic to everything” and foists her tastes on her hapless family; to the man Gemma thinks of only as “Mr. Tuesday” because they’ve never met. Everyone relies on Gemma, even while she goes home alone each night and feasts on cereal and quick meals. But when life takes an unexpected turn on a road Gemma always thought was straight and narrow, she must face her past and learn to move on in ways she never imagined.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

I LOVED this book! I almost NEVER read romances but this one was just absolutely perfect in every way and I enjoyed it so much. Gosh, I feel like such a gooey little girl with rose-colored glasses and too much sugar in her veins but it was just so good!

It's so refreshing to read a book written by someone who honest to god knows how to write and tell a good story. If you're looking for a read that you can trust to have a happy ending and will fulfill all your expectations, this is the book for you. It's enough to get anyone out of a downer mood, for sure.

The wonderful descriptions of all the food made me really hungry, haha. And I felt like the characters were all people that I recognized from my own life. The story takes place around DC, too, which is just far enough away from where I am currently for me to be pleased with getting lost in it, but close enough to feel like I was reading a happy story of someone who actually lives nearby.

The only reason I didn't give 5 of 5 is because, honestly, this book has no real substance hahaha.

Go read this book! You'll like it!

This is How by Augusten Burroughs

This is How
By Augusten Burroughs

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Running With Scissors comes a groundbreaking book that explores how to survive the "un-survivable" and will challenge your notion of self-help books.

To say that Augusten Burroughs has lived an unusual life is an understatement. From having no formal education past third grade and being raised by his mother’s psychiatrist in the seventies to enjoying one of the most successful advertising careers of the eighties to experiencing a spectacular downfall and rehab stint in the nineties to having a number one bestselling writing career in the new millennium, Burroughs has faced humiliation, transformation and everything in between. This Is How is his no-holds-barred book of advice on topics as varied as:

• How to feel like crap
• How to ride an elevator
• How to be thin
• How to be fat
• How to find love
• How to feel sorry for yourself
• How to get the job
• How to end your life
• How to remain unhealed
• How to finish your drink
• How to regret as little as possible
• And much more

Told with Burroughs's unique voice, black humor, and in-your-face advice, This is How is Running With Scissors—with recipes.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

This is, without a doubt, the most candid self-help book I have ever read. It covers a vast range of subjects, from how to deal with optimist do-gooders when you're down, all the way to mourning the death of a child. And the ironic part-? All of these situations, the book teaches, can be handled with a single, powerful, simple tool:

Absolute honesty with yourself.

"This Is How" spends 230 pages repeating the same honesty mantra in so many different ways, that it's a profound experience when it finally clicks. So many different examples are used that, at some point in the book, you're garunteed to find something that speaks to you, and when you do, the point hits home.

Everyone has issues. Some people more than others. And it seems to me that no matter how light or extreme your life difficulties are, this book will definitely help give a second perspective on your situation.

I read this book in a day and a half- exceptionally long for only 200 pages of text. But the words invoke a lot of thought, a lot of conversation, and offers something that lasts beyond the turn of the last page.

Dollhouse: Epitaphs

Dollhouse: Epitaphs
by Andrew Chambliss, Jed Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, and Cliff Richards

Joss Whedon's Dollhouse continues, written by television-series mainstays Andrew Chambliss (the CW's Vampire Diaries, co-writer of Buffy Season 9), Maurissa Tancharoen (Spartacus), and Jed Whedon (Dr. Horrible.) The Rossum Corporation's Dollhouse technology has gone viral with a synchronized phone call that wiped the minds of everyone it reached, turning them into mindless killers. Those who avoided the call - including show favorites Echo, Alpha, Mag, Zone, and Griff - must try to survive in the sudden apocalypse and be wary of Rossum's expansive technological reach. This is only the beginning.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

Dollhouse: Epitaphs is the first book of a series that is a must have for all Dollhouse fans. The comic retains many aspects of the show that I enjoyed most: the mood, the characters, and the psychological thrills.

The comics take the opportunity to explore characters besides Echo, who we already know so much about. Instead we follow primarily the story of Alpha and a 13-year-old boy named Trevor who gets wrapped up in the adventure. The comics explain several things about the ending of the television series that the show didn't have time to delve into, and I'm certain that future books will explore more of Joss Whedon's world that we didn't get to dive into during the show.

I'm really excited for the comic series. Besides the story, the art is really good, with most panels capturing the actors' likenesses well. The first volume also comes with the cover gallery at the back so that you don't miss out on any of the other beautiful cover pages you might not get with the mini-issues. I felt a little bit twitchy at first about paying 18.00 USD for a comic book, but I think it was worth it in the end. I look forward to more!

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
by Stieg Larsson

Lisbeth Salander—the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels—lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is an awesome wrap up to an awesome trilogy. Stieg Larsson's stories may be dense with detail and back story, but it all seems well worth it when the series comes to a satisfying conclusion. I'm not normally into stories of intrigue and politics, but Larsson's compelling characters and intricate plot (peppered with bits of action the silver screen will love) kept me going to the very end!

Cursed by Rhianne Aile

Cursed
by Rhianne Aile

Upon their grandmothers death, Tristan Northland and his twin, Will, come into possession of her Book of Shadows and the knowledge that their family is responsible for a centuries-old curse. Determined to right the ancient wrong, Tristan sets off across the ocean to reverse the dark magic. (Adult Fiction)

 Rating: 4/5

This book was so much fun!! It involved all of my guilty pleasures wrapped up into one book: werewolves, true love, absurd levels of homosexual pairings, mysterious estates, magic, drama and happy endings. It felt like my version of the paperback romance novels you find old women and nurses reading behind the counter-- that is meant entirely as a compliment. The paperbacks I refer to are addictive, honest in their intention, and incredibly fun to get lost in for an afternoon or two. I fell in love with the characters in Cursed, enjoyed the werewolf lore in this world, and not to mention the explicit material was well-written. I've got a handful of friends who will enjoy reading Cursed, so I'll definitely be passing along the word.

The Hustler (1961)

The Hustler (1961)
Director: Robert Rossen
Writers: Sidney Carroll (screenplay), Robert Rossen (screenplay), Walter S. Tevis (novel)
Stars: Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason and Piper Laurie

"Fast" Eddie Felson is a small-time pool hustler with a lot of talent but a self-destructive attitude. His bravado causes him to challenge the legendary "Minnesota Fats" to a high-stakes match which begins Fast Eddie's lifelong struggle against his greatest opponent of all- himself.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

This movie is like an exploration of a single character, Fast Eddie. Fast Eddie is a con-artist inside and out of the game. I really liked Eddie, and despite him being a generally...I don't want to say 'sly' or 'sleezy', but those are the best words I've got right now- despite being a sly guy with a penchant for self-destructive behavior, I really like him.

Happy ending or not? You be the judge.

The Unloved (2009)

The Unloved (2009)
Director: Samantha Morton
Writers: Tony Grisoni, Samantha Morton
Stars: Molly Windsor, Robert Carlyle and Susan Lynch

Lucy is eleven years old. Having been neglected by her estranged mother and father, she is placed in a children's home. Through her eyes, we follow Lucy's struggle to cope with the system.

My Rating: 4 of 5 "Really Liked It"

What strikes me most about this movie is the mood. It's bleak but captivating, and something about it just feels so raw. It feels like truth. I really feel for the characters and really feel like I understand them even though their experiences are so different from my own.

Apparently this movie was made for TV? I need to look into it a bit more, but that's what IMDb says. That actually surprised me, since I don't associate made for TV movies with having such high quality.

Cherry (2010)

Cherry (2010)
Director: Jeffrey Fine
Writer: Jeffrey Fine
Stars: Kyle Gallner, Laura Allen, Britt Robertson
Genre: Comedy/Drama

An Ivy League freshman gets an unexpected education when he falls for an older woman and her 14 year-old daughter develops a crush on him.

My Rating: 4/5 "Really Liked It"

What I loved most about this movie was the characters. Not only are the main characters entertaining and interesting, but all of the surrounding characters have depth as well. This movie is a really good "dramedy" because the situations are so absurd that you have to either laugh or cry, and it's got just the right amount of humor to make you laugh instead. It's well worth a watch.