What NOT to Read

I've been doing a lot of reading since the beginning of the year and thought I would give some mini-reviews.  I've been working my way through People's list of Top 10 Books of 2011.  Some were great - some just so-so as far as I'm concerned.  I've also read some random books that were super cheap to download to my Kindle.  One of which was my FAVORITE book of the year.  Let me start with that one:

This was my favorite of all the books I've read this year - it almost made me cry.  No book has done that since Outlander (my favorite book of all time). It's an epic tale of young love in East Texas - and a family with a tragic "curse".  You know at the beginning what the result is - but you will not be able to put it down trying to figure out how it gets there.  SO GOOD. 

Before I started reading this book - I just knew Jobs as "that apple guy named Steve that wasn't on Dancing with the Stars."  Within 3 pages of this MASSIVE biography I was hooked.  The writing was excellent, Jobs is a very interesting character with a very interesting past, and I encourage anyone in a management position at a company to read it.  Takeaways:  Only hire "A" talent.  A little encouragement can cause people to do extraordinary things.

Hello Gorgeous.  Been crushing on him since Tommy Boy came out and "lit'rally" love him on Parks and Rec currently.  This book was like reading People magazine.  Tons of gossip and backstory on the Sheens and many other 80s young stars.  You be mad at NBC for his treatment while on the West Wing, you will recoil in horror about the tale of his bodyguard in Paris.  I read this in 2 days - couldn't put it down. Did I mention he wrote it himself? 

I wasn't allowed to read this in bed after Joe went to sleep because I laughed so hard the bed would shake and Joe would wake up.  I'm a huge 30 Rock fan so I'm familiar with Tina's delivery for jokes.  I hope that translates to people not as familiar with her. You let me know. Definitely worth a try.

Liked it, didn't love it.  I had a hard time not reading this like Kelly Kapoor (from The Office) was reading it to me.  Which is totally ironic because a big part of the book is how she's been pigeonholed into that part.  Towards the end she has some amazing insight to unhappily married couples.  So much so I'm thinking of dedicating an entire blog entry to it. Funny, but not Bossypants funny.  I do love her new show on Fox though - The Mindy Project.

If you like Outlander, you'll probably like this one.  Takes place in the early 1800s in New York about a woman of Quaker decendency who leaves England to live with her father in the Wildnerness.  Love and crazy situations ensue - and apparently 4 subsequent novels as well.  I'm about to start #2.  It's a long book so block off 3 weeks to read. 

 I love me some history and this fictional book with true events......I couldn't put down.  It's about 5 women who's lives intertwine in the English countryside during WWII.  It's a little unbelievable and transparent at times.  But I still highly recommend it - I really enjoyed learning about the preparations the British made for bombings and the Blitz. 

So, I read a lot more than I thought I did so this is going to be like a 2 or 3 parter.  In part 2 I will take on the Shades of Grey trilogy, Sookie Stackhouse, and Chelsea Handler.  Don't miss it!