Review: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

 

“We have groundbreakingly divided this searing examination of a relationship between two human beings into chapters with different subject matters and headings. It’s an oral history presented to you in an organized yet playful fashion, dotted here and there with photography and cute drawings.”

At last, the full story behind Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman’s epic romance, including stories, portraits, and the occasional puzzle, all telling the smoldering tale that has fascinated Hollywood for over a decade. 

The year: 2000. The setting: Los Angeles. A gorgeous virtuoso of an actress had agreed to star in a random play, and a basement-dwelling scenic carpenter had said he would assay a supporting role in the selfsame pageant. At the first rehearsal, she surveyed her fellow cast members, as one does, determining if any of the men might qualify to provide her with a satisfying fling. Her gaze fell upon the carpenter, and like a bolt of lightning, the thought struck her: No dice. Moving on.

Yet, unbeknownst to our protagonists, Cupid had merely set down his bow and picked up a rocket launcher. Then fired a love rocket (not a euphemism). The players were Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, and the resulting romance, once it ignited, was . . . epic. Beyond epic. It resulted in a coupling that has endured to this day; a sizzling, perpetual tryst that has captivated the world with its kindness, athleticism, astonishingly low-brow humor, and true (fire emoji) passion.

How did they do it? They came from completely different families, endured a significant age difference, and were separated by the gulf of several social strata. Megan loved books and art history; Nick loved hammers. But much more than these seemingly unsurpassable obstacles were the values they held in common: respect, decency, the ability to mention genitalia in almost any context, and an abiding obsession with the songs of Tom Waits.

Eighteen years later, they’re still very much in love, and have finally decided to reveal the philosophical mountains they have conquered, the lessons they’ve learned, and the myriad jigsaw puzzles they’ve completed, in a book. Featuring anecdotes, hijinks, interviews, photos, and a veritable grab bag of tomfoolery, this is not only the intoxicating book that Mullally’s and Offerman’s fans have been waiting for, it might just hold the solution to the greatest threat facing our modern world: the single life.

I’ve always been the type to be reluctant with any non-fiction in general, but memoirs and autobiographies especially. But when I saw this was a book, and then heard about the audiobook, I had to read it/listen to it! I think it might be the book that changes my mind on non-fiction. I LOVED this audiobook SO. MUCH. Nick and Megan are so truly in love and are so darn funny. I listened to it in my car on my way to work and I would find myself hysterically laughing (like a crazy person to other drivers I’m sure). I love the set up with the book, and it feels as though you are having a conversation with both of them. It was so interesting to hear about both of their lives, and how their careers have come to be. LOVED THIS BOOK. I recommend it to everyone.

 

Just Finished / Now Reading: May 2nd, 2016

Just Finished/Now Reading for May 2nd, 2016

Introducing Love Library Love!

Hi everyone!

I’ve decided to start a section of this site that will be dedicated to blog posts about my MLIS journey and any other bookish tidbits I want to add in.

These posts will be called “Love Library Love.” I don’t have a scheduled time for these posts as of right now but I will TRY to post 3 times a month.

Let me know if you have any questions about my library schooling or reading!

Guest Review-Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

*This guest review was written by the amazing Maria with RelentlessReading*

“For eighteen years I’ve believed what other people told me about what was right and what was wrong. From now. I’m deciding”

It’s 1959. The battle for civil rights is raging. And it’s Sarah Dunbar’s first day of school, as one of the first black students at the previously all-white Jefferson High. No one wants Sarah there. Not the Governor. Not the teachers. And certainly not the students – especially Linda Hairston, daughter of the town’s most ardent segregationist. Sarah and Linda have every reason to despise each other. But as a school project forces them to spend time together, the less their differences seem to matter. And Sarah and Linda start to feel something they’ve never felt before. Something they’re both determined ignore. Because it’s one thing to be frightened by the world around you – and another thing altogether when you’re terrified of what you feel inside.

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Y’know the type of books that are, in simple terms, more than books? The books you never really put down, even though the physical copy mightn’t be in your hands anymore; the characters who don’t feel like characters but real people, real friends of yours, telling you the story of their life. The characters whom you love equally as much as you could love any real person, and whom you miss and worry about constantly whenever you’re not with them. The books you don’t just read, but live in; the books that entirely take over your life, whilst you’re reading it and for long afterwards.

“Lies We Tell Ourselves” is one of those books.

“Lies We Tell Ourselves” can teach you more about the past than any history book ever could – not because it tells you the facts, but because it tells you much more than that. It teaches us about not only what happened, but, more importantly, how it felt to those involved – and, for once, not the white people involved, but the black people. Those who were truly victimized, not those who have the habit of playing the victim. The terror and pain experienced by Sarah beams from the pages. At times it felt not as though I were reading about her, but as though I were her; I could feel every ounce of shame, every once of anger, all the humiliation she experienced. Books like “Lies We Tell Ourselves” are of huge value in today’s society, because they allow people like me – white, privileged people to gain a better understanding of both institutionalized and societal racism, not only in the past but also nowadays.

Which leads me onto the topic of representation. There’s no doubt about the fact that, although recently a greater emphasis is being placed on diversity in YA books, authors and publishers still have a long way to go. “Lies We Tell Ourselves” is a perfect example of what we mean when we say we want better representation in novels. First of all, it doesn’t treat minorities like individual blocks; it shows that, more often than not, minorities intertwine. Many authors seem to not realize that a person can belong to more than just one minority. LGBT+ or POC protagonists are a rare occurrence in YA books, but what’s even rarer than that is an LGBT+ and POC protagonist; I was really excited to finally find a book that contains such a main character.

Another problem I have with many “LGBT+ books” is that they focus mostly on the fact that the character is LGBT+. We don’t want books about LGBT+ characters; we want books with LGBT+ characters, and “Lies We Tell Ourselves” is exactly that. Of course, coming to terms with one’s sexuality is a major aspect of the novel, but it is not the only aspect. There’s more to the plot and to Linda and Sarah than solely how they feel towards one another.

I could talk for long about all the things about “Lies We Tell Ourselves” that I adored, but in summary it can all be brought down to one sentence: I couldn’t find a fault in the book if I tried. It’s gripping, unique, and impossible to put down. The characters are original and intriguing; the character development is perfect. The book is educative, but not the text-book type of educative; it teaches facts through fiction, it tells us about the past (and present) without bringing it down to solely names, dates, and places. In simple terms, it has all the ingredients of the perfect novel.

Without a doubt, “Lies We Tell Ourselves” is among the top five books I’ve read this year, and a new addition to my list of all-time favourites. It’s definitely a novel I will be recommending to all.

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THANKS to Maria for sharing this review! Go check out her blog!

TBT Review: Book of Love by Abra Ebner

Every Thursday I will post an older book review or a new review of a book I read a while ago. This week the book is Book of Love by Abra Ebner read and reviewed in 2012.

“We live many lives, Jane, but very rarely do we ever come across the same soul twice.”

When seventeen-year-old Jane Taylor witnessed her father’s death, something happened to her. Ever since, her thoughts have been consumed by death, going so far as to foresee the ever-changing deaths of those around her. Sixteen-year-old Emily Taylor resented her sister’s closeness with their father, who died when she was six. With the strange ability to read minds, she drowns the voices out with drugs, sending Jane over the edge. When seventeen-year-old Wes Green was adopted, he moved in next door to Jane, finding in her a childhood friend turned high-school crush. All summer, the pain in his bones seemed unwarranted. He was done growing long ago. When senior year starts, however, the pain only gets worse. The foreseen changes are not expected, and far too animal for his taste. When Max Gordon found himself standing above the dying body of an innocent seven-year-old girl, he saw in her eyes something he hadn’t seen in the century he’d spent roaming Earth. Her father was already dead, but there was hope to save her. Jane was her name, and already she was all he ever wanted. It was his job to bring her back, and it was his job to protect her – the biggest mistake of his life. When these four teens enter Glenwood High their senior year, no one but Max could understand the future ahead of them. Drawn together by blood and friendship, they each hide a dark secret that will soon bind them together. Max has to protect Jane, Jane wants to be normal, Wes wants Jane to love him, and Emily just wants the voices to stop… But their fate just wants them dead.

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I had a really hard time getting into this book and I was about to put it down but I am so glad I kept reading! The characters are so developed I feel like they are my friends or me myself. I didn’t really like how down and out all of the characters always seemed but I got over that. I loved Wes and Emily’s relationship, and I actually was rooting more for them than for Jane and Max. I did not like Emily and Jane’s mother as a character, I thought she could have been portrayed in a better light than the usual “nothing without a man” character. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.”

Jonas’s world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

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This is a type of book that really makes you sit down and think. I really enjoyed it! To be honest, I started to read it and wanted to get it done because the movie will be coming out soon, but it’s always been on my “reading bucket list.” It’s a super quick read and reminds me of a lot of other dystopians. I did not get the feeling that this was a book written awhile ago. Overall, I enjoyed the read, the characters, and the story. I would recommend this book to those who love dystopians.

TBT Review: College Weekend by R.L. Stine

I’m starting a series in which I post a review that was written a while ago, or I will review a book I read a while ago. The first one in the series is College Weekend by R.L. Stine.

READ IN 2008.

Nothing can ruin Tina River’s big weekend at Patterson College with her boyfriend, Josh Martin. She’s so excited, she doesn’t even mind that her cousin, Holly, will be tagging along.

But when Tina and Holly arrive, Josh is gone. His roommate, Christopher Roberts, says Josh is stuck in the mountains, delayed by car trouble. That’s weird— Josh never mentioned he was going away.

It gets even weirder when Holly suddenly disappears. But Christopher isn’t worried— about Holly or Josh. Christopher seems to have the answer to everything. Tina is confused. But one thing is clear— she’s about to learn more about love and murder than she ever wanted to know.

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This is the typical cheesy R.L. Stine book, but this book will always have a special place in my heart. Normally, I would not like a character like Tina because she has a very cry-baby attitude but I just love this book. I love the character of Christopher even though I probably shouldn’t. I love the plot, I love the setting, I just love everything about this book even though people might judge me because of that. For being only 147 pages, this book does what some books don’t, in that it gives you relatable characters and a story that can be loved by readers. I would recommend this to anyone because it is enjoyable and a quick read.

Review: All The Rage by Courtney Summers

“You know all the ways you can kill a girl? God, there are so many.”

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

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THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
I am so glad I heard about this book and got a chance to read it. Courtney Summers really handles the topic in a realistic sense. It’s a breath of fresh air for a young adult book to have flawed characters, and to talk about real issues. I felt frustration, sadness, and just immense emotions while reading this book. Summers writes this story so well that I connected with each character, and they way they were feeling. I connected with Romy, and her pain and her mom’s frustration at not being able to really help her. The one complaint I do have is that nothing really happens to her rapist, Kellan Turner. I know this is reality, and that sometimes nothing happens to the person responsible, but I would like to know if something ever did.
Please be aware this book may trigger, it contains rape and murder.

Guest Review- Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined by Stephenie Meyer

*This is a guest review written by the awesome Kelsey of Darcy’s Book Blog.*

“Try not to get caught up in antiquated gender roles.”

Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Twilight! This special double-feature book includes the classic novel, Twilight, and a bold and surprising reimagining, Life and Death, by Stephenie Meyer.

Packaged as an oversize, jacketed hardcover “flip book,” this edition features nearly 400 pages of new content as well as exquisite new back cover art. Readers will relish experiencing the deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful love story of Bella and Edward through fresh eyes.

Twilight has enraptured millions of readers since its first publication in 2005 and has become a modern classic, redefining genres within young adult literature and inspiring a phenomenon that has had readers yearning for more. The novel was a #1 New York Times bestseller, a #1USA Today bestseller, a Time magazine Best Young Adult Book of All Time, an NPR Best-Ever Teen Novel, and a New York Times Editor’s Choice. The Twilight Saga, which also includes New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella, and The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide, has sold nearly 155 million copies worldwide.

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2 stars

It’s hard to believe that it has been 10 years since Twilight first released, and a glittery Edward was released upon the world! In honor of it’s anniversary, Stephanie Meyer’s gave us a gender swapped story, which was an interesting choice to make.

Confession time: I was a twihard back in the day. I was caught up in the Team Edward/Team Jacob argument (Team Edward!), and went to a book signing for Eclipse. Even at the time, I recognized that the writing was terrible, and there were disturbing aspects to the story. Not to mention that Bella was a weak heroine. There was still something about the story that drew me in.

The plot line for Life and Death is pretty much the same as Twilight, with a few changes made to some of the lines to fit to the swap. Instead of Edward, we have Edythe (which, why Edythe instead of Edith?) Instead of Bella, we have Beau (or Beaufort). Then there are the rest of the Cullens–Carine (Carlisle), Earnest (Esme), Royal (Rosalie), Jessamine (Jasper), Eleanor (Emmett), and Archie (Alice). I don’t understand the reasoning behind changing the gender of all the Cullen clan. Why not leave them the same? Or maybe just gender swap Alice and Jasper. Why Rosalie and Emmett? I don’t get that. Not to mention all the other characters that were gender swapped, for what I feel, no reason at all. Why did Eric have to become Erica? There just seemed no point behind the choices. The choices of names really bugged me, I will admit.

I did not have high expectations going in, so I was not disappointed. I thought it was a pretty fun way to celebrate it’s tenth anniversary, but the writing is still not terrible. This book was basically an edit of the original book, with edits made to fit the gender swap (and a different ending for Beau!)

Can this please have this be the end of Twilight? Please? No more sparkly vampires. Just no.

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Big thanks to Kelsey again for writing up a guest review! Go check out her blog! Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to see even more of her awesomeness.

Review: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

“I was not a lovable child, and I’d grown into a deeply unlovable adult. Draw a picture of my soul, and it’d be a scribble with fangs.”

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice” of Kinnakee, Kansas.” She survived—and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, the Kill Club—a secret secret society obsessed with notorious crimes—locates Libby and pumps her for details. They hope to discover proof that may free Ben. Libby hopes to turn a profit off her tragic history: She’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club—for a fee. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer.

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Gillian, Gillian, Gillian! Her books always have me reading until the late hours. Just like Gone Girl, I could see that this one was going to be GOOD. I found the original premise to be intriguing but it took me a while to get into it. As with Gillian’s other works, it leaves you feeling like you’ve been invited into some deep dark corner of the world to hear a crazy tale, and I kind of love it. I think that Libby was an incredible character, and I also liked the switch in characters and time periods. Some people might be lost in parts of it, but it is all explained at the end. This is a dark read, and should not be read in conjunction with other dark reads. I suggest reading something light and happy after J I really enjoyed this book, and I would love to get some comments after you guys have read it to tell me what you think!