Friends With Benefits
I really enjoyed this movie!!!!!!!!!!! I looove Mila Kunis, so that worked out for me, and I hadn't seen anything else that Justin Timberlake had done, but I was pleasantly surprised. My cousin Angela and her husband were flipping through channels and this was just starting.. They said they had seen in like five times, but it was great and watched it again. I'm glad they did!
I like how Friends With Benefits consistently points out that movies aren't like real life while also being a movie not like real life.. In some ways it was, but it was definitely a bit satirical in the way it was made. The movie kept my attention throughout and I would even go so far as to say I was sad when it ended!!!!
I would HIGHLY recommend this movie to men and women alike, as it has tons of appeal and even more laughs. Go see it now!!!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
movie 13
That's My Boy
UGH. hahaha. I was in Florida and it was a tropical storm, so we couldn't go to Universal or the beach as we'd planned, so my cousin and I drove to Clermont to see a movie. When we got there, our choices were Prometheus, Men in Black II, or this. We chose That's My Boy since it was a comedy.
I really don't love these movies that were totally made for dudes. I kind of like Adam Sandler, but mostly in his serious funny roles.. It was funny to see Vanilla Ice, though, and I guess it was basically a good movie. The end was WEIRD WEIRD WEIRD and it was totally dreamt up by a VERY SICK mind. That's all I will say about that.
Overall I was satisfied by the movie's intent, which was to pass time on a rainy day. I don't think I would recommend it at all, though.
UGH. hahaha. I was in Florida and it was a tropical storm, so we couldn't go to Universal or the beach as we'd planned, so my cousin and I drove to Clermont to see a movie. When we got there, our choices were Prometheus, Men in Black II, or this. We chose That's My Boy since it was a comedy.
I really don't love these movies that were totally made for dudes. I kind of like Adam Sandler, but mostly in his serious funny roles.. It was funny to see Vanilla Ice, though, and I guess it was basically a good movie. The end was WEIRD WEIRD WEIRD and it was totally dreamt up by a VERY SICK mind. That's all I will say about that.
Overall I was satisfied by the movie's intent, which was to pass time on a rainy day. I don't think I would recommend it at all, though.
book 24
The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham
338 pages
Actually, I wasn't too impressed with The Wedding Girl. I mean, it was okay but it was VERY unrealistic. The thought of someone neglecting to admit that she had married someone so he could stay in the country is sort of absurd.. like, if you were getting married, don't you think you might think to yourself "I'd better make sure I'm not still married"????
Milly was an overall likable character (except, of course, for the above mentioned stupidity). You could get in her corner and hope it all works out for her. You wanted her to be happy. Simon was not at all likable, I have no idea what Milly saw in him.. he came across as a brat who would never be happy ever. Also, the Isobel/Milly relationships weird stuff was just that - weird. I won't say anything and give it away, but it was bizarre and I don't think I liked it.
I found this bok to be very readable, I finished it quickly and wasn't bored, it was just unrealistic and weird at times. I hope the other books by Madeleine Wickham have better story lines since I've read all of her work published as Sophie Kinsella already!!!!!!
3 stars
Saturday, June 16, 2012
book 23
Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts by Claire LaZebnik
288 pages
Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts is a great title. It kind of ends there. The premise is really good - Keats Sedlak is the only average member in her family of intellects and geniuses. She is in a regular relationship with a regular guy, and they've been together for 10 years. Her family is comprised of crazy people who lack social skills. This could have been really funny or really moving or really good. It was none of those things. The chapters were very formulaic - each one ended with a single sentence thought and progressed similarly.
I cannot, cannot, CANNOT STAND when book characters have completely abnormal names. Who would name their kids after the LAST NAMES of their favorite authors? Hopkins, Keats, and Milton. The first two are girls. I found that really hard to get passed. Really hard to read and I'm not one of those people that can just sub in a normal name. I get that it was part of the family quirkiness and how Keats seems to lament her name but I don't go for it. Too weird and annoying. In fact I've had this book for months and I put off reading it because of the names of the characters. That's how much I knew it would bother me. AND when I went to restock and B&N the other day, I purposely avoided all strangely named character books, even if it looked like the story might be good.
I read the whole book because it was tantamount to a train wreck for me. I wanted to see how the gore would unfold. I was not moved at all, I did not feel bad for any characters and I didn't particularly like any of them. Mostly I didn't find them respectable. I didn't see any of the characters as people I would like in life, not even the normal Keats. So i plowed through it with the goal of starting a new book as soon as possible.
I would not recommend this book.
288 pages
Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts is a great title. It kind of ends there. The premise is really good - Keats Sedlak is the only average member in her family of intellects and geniuses. She is in a regular relationship with a regular guy, and they've been together for 10 years. Her family is comprised of crazy people who lack social skills. This could have been really funny or really moving or really good. It was none of those things. The chapters were very formulaic - each one ended with a single sentence thought and progressed similarly.
I cannot, cannot, CANNOT STAND when book characters have completely abnormal names. Who would name their kids after the LAST NAMES of their favorite authors? Hopkins, Keats, and Milton. The first two are girls. I found that really hard to get passed. Really hard to read and I'm not one of those people that can just sub in a normal name. I get that it was part of the family quirkiness and how Keats seems to lament her name but I don't go for it. Too weird and annoying. In fact I've had this book for months and I put off reading it because of the names of the characters. That's how much I knew it would bother me. AND when I went to restock and B&N the other day, I purposely avoided all strangely named character books, even if it looked like the story might be good.
I read the whole book because it was tantamount to a train wreck for me. I wanted to see how the gore would unfold. I was not moved at all, I did not feel bad for any characters and I didn't particularly like any of them. Mostly I didn't find them respectable. I didn't see any of the characters as people I would like in life, not even the normal Keats. So i plowed through it with the goal of starting a new book as soon as possible.
I would not recommend this book.
book 22
Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger
435 pages
Everyone Worth Knowing was a fantastic read. At first I found it a little slow, but once I got a few chapters in, I could not put the book down. I had it on me at all times just looking for a free second to devour even one page if that's all I could. I read Chasing Harry Winston probably two or three years ago and I don't remember being crazy about it, so I had sort of put this book off thinking it wouldn't be my style. I was VERY pleasantly surprised to find that Everyone Worth Knowing is exactly 100% my style of book.
I loved the theme of romance novels throughout the book. I feel like maybe these chick-lit books are the new romance novel for a tamer generation of ladies - not that as a whole we are tamer, but for different groups. Honestly, I couldn't read 50 Shades of Grey - I am way too prudish with my literature and I would feel embarrassed - but these books have just enough sex, yet not too much information to make me feel squeamish. Bette was extremely likable, as were Penelope and Sammy and Will and Simon.. Weisberger created lifelike characters that had real personality and charm. The characters that the reader wasn't supposed to like or trust came off as unlikable and untrustworthy. No one was extremely needy or annoying. None of the characters had stupid personality traits or ridiculous names (my BIGGEST PET PEEVE!!!!)
Overall this was a FANTASTIC read and I'm so glad I picked it up! I think I will be giving the other novels by Lauren Weisberger a chance now and I hope they live up to the same standards set by Everyone Worth Knowing!
Saturday, June 2, 2012
book 21
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
377 pages
The Opposite of Me is about sisters and their triumphs and tragedies. Lindsey and Alex are fraternal twins with nothing in common except having shared a uterus for nine months. Lindsey is a successful marketing exec in New York, while Alex is a model and TV personality in the DC area. Lindsey always strived to be smarter than her sister because she was always overlooked since they were small children. When everything goes terribly wrong at work, Lindsey is forced to make changes she never imagined would happen. She moves back home to Bethesda and starts her life over, expecting to resume her high powered successul life in DC but life happens and her goals change.
There are some surprising twists and turns in this story. I never had a sister so it was interesting to see these women bond over time. I don't know what that's like, but apparently they hadn't either until circumstances drove them together. Some aspects were strange, like Alex dating the guy who had always loved Lindsey - I'm just not sure that's realistic because ladies are territorial and also I think there is some level of disrespect there, but that's just me.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I think four stars is perfect!
377 pages
The Opposite of Me is about sisters and their triumphs and tragedies. Lindsey and Alex are fraternal twins with nothing in common except having shared a uterus for nine months. Lindsey is a successful marketing exec in New York, while Alex is a model and TV personality in the DC area. Lindsey always strived to be smarter than her sister because she was always overlooked since they were small children. When everything goes terribly wrong at work, Lindsey is forced to make changes she never imagined would happen. She moves back home to Bethesda and starts her life over, expecting to resume her high powered successul life in DC but life happens and her goals change.
There are some surprising twists and turns in this story. I never had a sister so it was interesting to see these women bond over time. I don't know what that's like, but apparently they hadn't either until circumstances drove them together. Some aspects were strange, like Alex dating the guy who had always loved Lindsey - I'm just not sure that's realistic because ladies are territorial and also I think there is some level of disrespect there, but that's just me.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I think four stars is perfect!
book 20
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
435 pages
I love Sophie Kinsella's books. I really do, and there is nothing bad about them, ever. The only tiny complaint I have is that the main characters are strikingly similar to each other, but since I love them, that's kind of a moot complaint..
I really enjoyed the paranormal take on this story, it was really well done and not cheesy. I sort of put off reading Twenties Girl for a while because I was genuinely scared that it would be really corny and stupid, because we all know our dead great aunts do not follow us around yelling in our ear. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. I don't mind suspending disbelief, but in this case I didn't really have to - it was just natural and Sadie felt like just another character in the book, not a silly ghost.
I would highly recommend this book and I'm so so sad that I have now read everything Kinsella has published. I guess it's time to try Madeline Wickham!
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