Reality Show Challenge Part 8

The Bachelor

This week the cast of the Bachelor took a break from jetting off to glamorous and romantic locations to return home so Ben can meet their families. If I may refresh your memories, the four remaining girls are: Kacie, Nikki, Courtney and Lindsey (I probably spelled several names wrong but the show is over in a few more episodes so is there really any point in learning?) Ben visits Lindsey and her family in Florida first. She introduces him to the world of horses ("She looks really sexy riding a horse" Ben says. A necessary requirement for a girlfriend) and her parents. After meeting Lindsey and her parents I would have to say
"Look no further" It's easy to see where Lindsey gets her sweet disposition. Ben moves on to visit Kacie in Tennessee where he is greeted by a marching band.  Unfortunately Kacie's parents aren't too thrilled at having Ben as a potential son-in-law. Kacie's parents are a little too old fashioned for reality TV dating and Ben does not seem to understand why some parents might object to their daughter meeting a potential husband on a reality show. Ben is hesitant to get serious with a girl before he has her parent's permission so the evening ends on a bit of a tense note. Next Ben visited Nikki in Texas. When it came to giving their blessing, Nikki's parents were hesitant at first. The last guy Nikki brought home she ended up marrying (and obviously if she's on the Bachelor it didn't work out). Nikki is confident she has a better shot with Ben. And why shouldn't she be? All that stands in the way are the three other gorgeous girls that Ben has feelings for. Nikki ends up telling Ben she is in love with him and her dad gives them his blessing. In any other world this would be a happy ending. But in the world of reality television three other girls are looking to achieve this same happy ending with Ben.  Finally, Ben heads to Arizona to see which side of the family Courtney inherited the manipulative predator gene from. Actually when the show first cut to Courtney and she was talking about how excited she was for Ben to meet her family, I felt a stab of regret for how I judged her so harshly. But then she started talking about how she was so glad that none of the other girls were around and the feeling vanished. Way to alienate probably the only person still watching Season 16 a year later. Besides Courtney's older sister, her family actually seemed down to earth. I was disappointed. I was hoping for a dramatic scene involving flying mashed potatoes. I thought every reality show had at least one scene like that. Everything I know is a lie. Instead the happy couple decides to have a mock wedding complete with vows and everything. Only Courtney would be

brazen enough to try a stunt like that and I can't decide if I am annoyed or impressed. At the final rose ceremony, Ben handed out three roses. If you are good at math you will probably figure out that one girl was sent home. And if you are good at reading people, you probably will not be surprised that Ben ended up sending Kacie home.

Characters: 2.5 I am rooting for Lindsey so much it hurts but I have a feeling I'm going to be disappointed. Reality TV just in a place nice girls come out on top. That's not to say Nikki and Kacie aren't nice but I find them kind of boring and I only started paying attention to them after episode 6. And honestly I am glad Courtney is still around because she definitely knows how to keep things dramatic (but is that really something you want in a future girlfriend?) I still have some serious doubts about Ben's character. He seems like a decent and open guy except for the fact that he is dating four girls which means he is only stringing three girls along. And they have to show him total commitment, cater to all his demands and live on his schedule. But he is free to do pretty much anything he wants. I guess feminism really is dead.

Emotional Intensity: 2.5 This episode actually was kind of intense (well as intense as watching the lives of strangers can be) since meeting someone's parents is a big step in a relationship (once you moved out of the house that is. Otherwise it's just one of the most terrifying experiences) But what was really intense was when Ben decided to tapdance all over Kacie's heart by sending her home after seven weeks of getting to know what a wonderful girl she is. To say Kacie was upset would be an understatement. She was hysterical. Understandable after she has spent seven weeks seeing this guy as a potential husband. For all of you who think you can find true love on TV, please use Kacie as a cautionary tale. No matter what connection you think you may have remember it can be over in a matter of minutes.

Conflict: 1.5 There wasn't quite as much tension as usual in this episode probably because Courtney didn't say anything to the three girls. I sensed a little strain when Ben met Kacie's family but I was surprised there wasn't more. 

Class: 2.5 Now that parents were in the picture and the girls were hundreds of miles apart they managed to keep things classy without any backstabbing or gossip. Ben, on the other hand,...I know his intentions are noble but I don't understand how he can think leading on four girls is okay. I mean even though he is making progress on his journey he is causing for those four girls to make a detour on their journey. And love is many things but not selfish.
Overall Rating: 9/20

16 and Pregnant

I'm sure when Hope's mother named her after one of the theological virtues, she did not intend for her

daughter to end up on an MTV reality show. But she probably didn't intend for her daughter to end up pregnant at 16 courtesy of her party boy boyfriend (her first boyfriend by the way and probably her last for a while) Predictably once her fun loving boyfriend Ben found out she was pregnant, he wanted nothing to do with her and the baby. I didn't expect to see him after that but in a surprising twist of events he changes his mind and actually steps up to be a good dad. At first Hope and her mom are skeptical (as usual Hope's dad isn't in the picture) thinking Ben will be scared off again at the first sign of responsibility but to his credit he rises to the occasion better than a lot of the past "dads" I've seen. I use quotations because it takes alot more than sperm to be a dad. Hope was working in a coffee shop but she ends up quitting because her feet become too sore. Thank God Ben has a job as a bartender where he probably spends his time checking out half drunk girls and wondering why he couldn't be buying them drinks instead of just serving them. Alright maybe I'm being a little unfair to Ben but if you are selfish enough to knock up your virgin girlfriend I reserve the right to bash you a few times. However, it does seem that Ben's partying days are gone since he invites her (and his future child) to move into his apartment and supports her as the baby's due date arrives. Hope eventually dies to induce labor to put an end to all her growing pains and ends up having a C section (which we saw way too much of) Hope and Ben return to their apartment and begin caring for baby Tristan. Ben even gets up in the middle of the night to attend to the crying baby. Bonus points! Then Ben goes back to work serving margaritas to underage girls and unhappily married men while Hope is left to take care of Tristan by herself. She eventually takes a job at a restaurant with flexible hours just so she can get out of the house (petty much the same feeling I had when I was homeschooled). Speaking of school, she probably should give online schooling a shot since she definitely isn't going to be going to college anytime soon.
Characters: 3 Alot of the girls that end up on 16 and Pregnant are not the kind of girls I would have pegged for pregnant teenagers (I think one of the points of the show is that pregnancy can happen to anyone. Well not anyone but you know what I mean) Hope (like many of the other girls I've seen on this show) seems way to smart to have gotten pregnant, although personally I think her boyfriend is the real idiot in this episode since he is experienced when it comes to that. Props to Ben for changing his mind and being there for his kid (and I even forgive him for going MIA for the first two months. He had to get all the partying out of his system) Besides Hope's mom Ben and Hope seemed to be on their own. I mean they both have their friends but their friends are more into partying than having a nice quiet evening with a newborn baby so they aren't in the picture much.
Emotional Intensity: 1.5 When Ben left Hope after finding out she was pregnant, I was pissed off. And even once he returned I harbored some resentment. If I was Hope I wouldn't be able to trust Ben for a long time after that. I'd be convinced that one morning I'd wake up to a two year old baby and a note reading "Sorry babe, but being a dad just isn't for me" And fear of abandonment is known to put a kink in a lot of relationships.
Conflict: 2 Hope did not have an easy pregnancy. Sore feet, stretch marks, the general feeling that comes with carrying around a bowling ball wherever you go. And once the baby arrives (Hi Tristan!) she settles into a less than stimulating routine that consists of staying home, looking after her baby and working at a restaurant. Probably not what she planned to do with her college years.
Class: 3.5 I'm not sure why it is necessary for us to see the doctors cut open Hope's stomach. After all this isn't House of Grey's Anatomy- then again it is a reality show so I guess they trying for as much realism as possible. Remind me again why reality shows are so popular. Obviously these people have no concept of TMI.
Overall Rating: 10/20

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

This episode pretty much revolved around Teresa. It was all about Teresa, Teresa's house, Teresa's finances, Teresa's lies, Teresa's tabloid articles. Oh, and there was some mention of Lauren's diet and Jacqueline's wayward daughter, Ashley but other than that Teresa was front and center for almost all of this episode. And we didn't even get to see her kids that much. Spoiled kids are the best part of reality television. So apparently Teresa has filed for bankruptcy. Usually when I think of bankruptcy I picture a large family with several malnourished crying babies sitting on the curb of a sidewalk next to a couple of cardboard boxes. Not Teresa's mansion of a house which is probably the size of half my block. And while she is declaring bankruptcy she is building a garage. I will never understand finances. When Teresa and her husband visit their lawyer, Teresa gives what I think is supposed to be an inspiring speech about how she is trying to stay positive and how she's looking forward to the light at the end of the summer but it seems to me if you are bankrupt and still adding onto your eight bedroom mansion then the tunnel is looking pretty damn

See what I mean about the finger pointing?

sunny. However, the charges Teresa and Joe are facing for fraud...not so sunny. Teresa doesn't seem too perturbed though. So long as it scores her a magazine cover, she's all good. Jacqueline on the other hand, stumbled upon a magazine article that says Teresa could be facing jail and becomes really worried. When she goes to Teresa for answers, Teresa is evasive as ever. Tension builds leading up to the inevitable showdown between Teresa and Jacqueline which involved a lot of finger pointing (both figuratively and literally. I half expected someone to get their eye jabbed out) Then Caroline just conveniently stumbles upon the scene which even I could tell had to be staged. She joins in the argument and suddenly everyone is talking at the same time and I had to go take an advil and by the time I returned Jacqueline was saying how she wanted to distance herself from Teresa. Teresa commented that it felt like a "friendship divorce" and I had to agree with her.  I was half expecting Jacqueline to pull out a contract and start divvying up the assets. At least I know what to look forward to in the next episode. 

Characters: 2.5 Teresa and her problems monopolize the entire episode. I admit that Teresa's life is interesting but only in moderation and usually only when her spoiled children are involved. And Jacqueline's sweet but this episode needed alot more of the sexy, sassy Melissa. The thing Teresa probably most envies about Melissa is her charismatic personality. She's probably seething with resentment that Melissa gets so much attention- without even facing criminal charges or filing for bankruptcy. Every episode could benefit from a little more Melissa.

Emotional Intensity: 1.5 I wish I could have more sympathy for Teresa and her plight but as soon as I begin to feel sorry for her she does something that makes me think she deserves every bit of what's coming to her. I imagine Teresa is probably a very unhappy person. Her husband walks all over her, her kids don't appreciate what she does and (the biggest sign of all) she writes cookbooks. She's published numerous cookbooks but I've never seen her cook or write. All we see is her talking or getting dressed or talking. She never sits down in front of a computer or spends a minute in front of a stove. If I was her I would find life to be incredibly dull.

Conflict: 3.5 As I mentioned earlier there was a lot of conflict in the episode. Basically that's all the episode was. A bunch of yelling, finger jabbing, hand waving, blame throwing conflict. In my opinion too much. The saying "less is more" definitely applies to reality TV. Building up the tension engages the viewer alot more than a big blow out- at least in my opinion. I know many have been waiting a long time for Jacqueline to
stand up to Teresa and...she kind of disappointed me. I was hoping for Jacqueline to just lose it and start hurling insults but she tried to reason with Teresa which did absolutely nothing.Teresa is one of those people who does not respond to logic (that is true of the majority of the people in reality TV) So I'm thinking if Jacqueline really wants to get through to Teresa she needs to stop talking and push her into a pool.
Class: 2 If I hear one more thing about Teresa and how she intends to "stay strong" during her struggles I will stick a pencil in my eyes. Teresa you are not a martyr so stop acting like you are persecuted. Alot of people end up in dire financial straights and even more of them don't have a mansion to live in. Alot of women have husbands who don't treat them the way they should be treated and some women even have husbands who beat them. I'm hoping that Teresa stops obsessing all the things that are wrong with her life and starts looking at how lucky she is. As for the Classiest Cast Member I'm going to go with Lauren whose been struggling to keep to her diet while all around her her brothers wolf down calorie loaded food. They could make things a little easier for Lauren by not tempting her with pizza drowned in grease. But then again when have brothers ever made things easier?
Overall Rating: 9.5/20

Worst of Gossip Girl Season 4 Episodes 11-22

Damien and Eric

 After everything that happened involving Jenny, I really think that Damien has served his purpose. For Damien to blackmail Eric into doing a drug deal is just a bizarre plot point that I didn't think was necessary. And what kind of drug deal involves tulips? I like seeing Eric having more of a role but not if it involves him being bossed around by ruthless, self involved characters who I don't even like. Come on Eric, you were one of the only characters who didn't let himself be bullied around by the pricks of the Upper East Side.  And now he's become a victim just like everybody else. 

Serena Taking Blair's Profile From Blair

Serena is going to become one of those old ladies who interferes in the lives of her children and grandchildren until they ship her off to a nursing home in Canada. I would have a really difficult time being Serena's friend considering that everything Serena touches (and she manages to get her hands on alot) falls to pieces. For example Blair's Valentine's Day profile during which she is planning on profiling Raina. Serena convinces Raina that the profile would not be a good idea because Blair is still in love with Chuck. I know she was only trying to help Blair out but it's something that is totally none of her business. If Blair did still love Chuck, seeing him with Raina would be hard but it would also be the truth and she'd learn that sooner or later no matter how much Serena attempted to hide it. Not to mention that part of the reason Serena ruined Blair's profile is so that she would have Blair to herself on Valentine's Day. After all isn't that what good friends do? 

Modern Royalty Photo Shoot

Why do these people care so damn much about a photo shoot? I get that Lily's life is falling apart but did we really have to have an entire episode focused around a family picture? It's making me think (sadly) that Gossip Girl is scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of plot. And now Lily's ex husband William comes swooping in to make everything better. William needs to move on, Lily needs to get a hobby and the writers need to get some inspiration. 

Vanessa Telling Serena About Dan and Blair

Vanessa tries to reconcile with Dan but he isn't having any of it. Fancy that. He doesn't want to talk to her after she tried to kill his ex-girlfriend and then blamed it on his sister. So Vanessa decides the best way she's going to get on Dan's good side is by telling aforementioned ex-girlfriend about Dan's affair with her best friend. Vanessa's hippie days have clearly lost her one too many brain cells. Hopefully once Dan finds out that Vanessa is not only vindictive but a vindictive idiot she'll make a permanent disappearance.

Charlie Trailing After Dan and Blair

Since when is Charlie Serena's personal private investigator? Serena needs to do her shameless ex stalking herself. Or better yet forget about Dan altogether. She's bouncing around with every guy in the Upper East Side but she always goes sprinting back to Dan the minute he looks at another girl. And Charlie 

Serena Being All Sulky Over Dan and Blair

Serena thinks that Blair is only hooking up with Dan just because he was once with Serena. I wonder when Serena will grasp the concept that not everything is about her. Probably after she learns that not every guy is going to fall at her feet. Uh, Serena just get over yourself then please get over Dan because he is definitely over you.

Vanessa Trying to Sabotage Charlie and Dan

 http://www.youknowyoulovefashion.com/gossipgirl/tag/vanessa?currentPage=5

Dan has told Vanessa in no uncertain terms that they will never again be friends or anything more ever again. So why is Vanessa still skulking around, spying on Dan and his romances? Everyone in this show has a problem with the words "It's over" Vanessa adopts a philosophy of "If I can't have him no one can" and she tries to make Charlie look bad in front of Dan. However this backfires because the damage is easily traced back to her and it only makes Dan feel sorry for poor Charlie, being manipulated by his possessive ex girlfriends. Charlie isn't entirely off the hook either. Hasn't she learned never to accept relationship advice from anyone other than your mother? And even then proceed with caution. 

Serena Printing Everything Out for Louis's Mom

When Blair finally meets Louis's mom (who is a queen by the way) she learns that his mom is already acquainted with her past antics thanks to Serena printing out every Gossip Girl post involving Blair and making sure that his mom receives them. If I were Blair that would be the last straw.  Serena, I'm going to break this down for you. If Blair ends up with Louis then she can't be with Dan. But Blair can't be with Louis if Serena ruins that relationship. But at this point I don't think Serena even wants Dan back, she just wants revenge on Blair. I'm beginning to realize what an angry person Serena is.

Ivy/ Charlie

I never cared about Charlie so why should I care about the fact that she really isn't Charlie but a con artist named Ivy? I care about Carol's family even less than I care about Lily's background. I don't know why it's necessary for me to know all the details about the Van de Woodsen family tree. With Gossip Girl, I'm only concerned about the younger generation of the Upper East Side (superficial though it may sound) They're more glamorous, more scandalous and more exciting. And alot more interesting.

So what did you think? Did you agree? Let me know and I will try to post more frequently. I love you all and you know you love me. XOXO Bernadette.

Reality Show Challenge Episode 7 Part 2

Bad Girl's Club

Now that Nicki and Lauren have decided to stop quibbling with Char and her "minions" (as Nicki and Lauren call them) the minions have started to fight among themselves. The rift between Kori and Ashley deepens when Kori charges fast food to Ashley's credit card. Kori and Ashley both have very different ideas when it comes to money- Kori charges everything to her parents credit card while Ashley uses her own money to support herself. The girls all go on Loveline to answer questions because (let's face it) they are the experts when it comes to sex anytime, anywhere with anyone. Their advice is pretty useless (actually I'm not

Kori Decides the Only Way to Drum Some Sense into
 Ashley's Head Is To Slam Her Head into the Floor

sure if they even offered advice. I think they just laughed at the questions until the caller hung up with annoyance) not to mention Jessica let her potty mouth run away with her several times. And of course it wouldn't be the Bad Girl's Club without at least one bar confrontation. In this case Kori took it upon herself to tell the guy Char was dancing with that his breath was "stanky" I don't know why you are going to let a half drunk bimbo get in the way of your fun but this guy walked away saying she "ruined it" His girlfriend (probably sensitive about the fact that her boyfriend does not have the best hygiene) ends up throwing a drink at Kori and Char and Ashley end up having to Kori away from the girl before she does permanent damage. Back at the house Kori ends up releasing all her anger in a fist fight with Ashley. There was hair pulling, there was head bashing, there were fists flying. It looked to be the most violent of the fights so far. Ashley and Kori are both sent to hotels to calm down- Lauren comforts Kori while Nicki helps out Ashley. We will see whether these new allegiances withstand all the craziness in the next couple episodes.

Characters: 1 At this point it's the question of which characters I hate the least. And honestly I don't know. Every time I start to like a character they usually end up punching someone else in the face and something equally trashy. I know a lot of the girls haven't had easy childhoods and the fact that they are on the Bad Girl's Club probably means that the parents have failed somewhere along the way. But at one point I lose sympathy for these girls many of whom are pampered, all of whom are demanding. Do they realize how insignificant their problems are? They are living in an amazing house, they get to go out and party every single night, why in God's name do they have to pick fights over who paid for the fried chicken? Send them all to Africa to build mud huts. At this point I'm sure it could only help.

"Bar Room Brawl" Isn't the Best Look for Ashley

Conflict: 1 Could the fights get anymore trivial? The petty sniping over virtually nothing have just become an irritating form of background noise instead of a source of entertainment. If I wanted to hear bickering I would just spend some time in the family room.
Emotional Intensity: .5 Does disgust count as an emotion? If so then I would have to give this episode a 4. Except for the fact that I can't bear to think of this episode scoring above a 1.
Class: .5 Must I really explain? I'm not even going to bother to give out the Classiest Cast Member. In fact I'm considering permanently banishing it from this show. Maybe I'll give it to one of the security guards. I think they were the only characters in the entire episode that did not call somebody a b*tch. We have high standards as you can see.
Overall Rating: 3/20 (an all time low) 

The Biggest Loser

It's every man for himself and the pressure is on. Since there's nothing like a challenge to kick off the week, each of the eight contestants stood in front of a table filled with high calorie sweets- brownies, cupcakes, and of course red velvet cake. They were invited to partake in the Temptation challenge. Basically the contestant that consumed the most calories would be given a two pound advantage on the scale and could give a two pound advantage to the person of their choice. And the lights were off. Four contestants chose to participate- Jeff,  Alex and Francelina. Danni did crutches (always thinking that Danni) and Gina moved the sweets around her table to make people think that she was eating. In the end Francelina ate the most calories

much to the disappointment of Alex who gagged herself with sweets. Francelina ended up giving Alex the other two pound advantage which I thought was really sweet of her (no pun intended) In the next challenge

of the week, the eight contestants stood in the middle of an empty ice skating rink each wearing different colored sweatshirts. A spotlight was shined in various places around the stadium and the last person to the spotlight was eliminated. Once three people were remaining Danni ended up being the first person to reach the spotlight winning a 24 hour visit from a person from home of her choice and a 24 hour visit to give away to another contestant. Danni gave the 24 hour visit to Gina so her husband could visit her for Valentine's Day and then she gave up her own 24 hour visit to Michael so his wife and baby could visit him. Can Danni win based on awesomeness alone? Meanwhile, Lindsay participated in a Bollywood class, Sunny became an honorary member of a cheer team and Bingo got his cast off. During Last Chance work-out the trainers showed no mercy. In the end Francelina and Michael fell below the yellow line and the contestants voted to send Michael home. Too bad. Michael was my favorite character after Danni. But at the end of the episode they showed him looking thinner and healthier than ever. And he and his wife are expecting a second child. He may not have won the Biggest Loser but he definitely won.

Michael's son (I put three pictures
because he's so cute)

Characters: 3.5 Seeing Michael's wife and child visit was incredibly touching. I don't know how the contestants can be away from home for so long without any contact from family or friends. At least they are in a supportive environment. But back to Danni. The longer I watch the more I appreciate how clever and generous she is. I'm not so fond of Jeff right now. I'm still waiting for him to shoulder responsibility for his lack of motivation not to mention he voted to send Michael home when he promised he wouldn't. Gina's
constant whining is also getting on my nerves. Every week I expect her to get sent home and every week I'm disappointed. Maybe next week I'll get lucky.
Conflict: 2 Now that there are no longer teams, the pressure is on and the tension is a little higher than usual. Jeff and Jillian go head to head although they end up resolving their issues when Jeff opened up to Jillian about the frustration Jeff felt when his father died and left him to be in charge of the family. Alex is still not giving it her all much to the frustration of the trainers. I'm
waiting eagerly for one of them to let Gina have it for being so whiny but so far it hasn't happened.
Emotional Intensity: 3 Seeing Michael reunited with his wife and son made this lump grow in my throat. I know I've mentioned it already but this was probably my favorite part of the episode. I know that Michael's motivation is his wife and son and to see him come so far is probably as touching as it gets on reality TV.
Class: 3.5 While a lot of reality shows are about tearing others down this show (even though it is a competition) is all about building each other up. Especially Danni. Needless to say her act of selflessness earns her the Classiest Cast Member. I'm pretty confident that's not the only thing she's going to win.
Overall Rating: 12/20

Beauty and the Geek

This episode promised to be an extra special "Beauty and the Geek Special" but it was basically just a recap of all the other episodes so far with some extra footage thrown in. And I can see why the footage never made it into episodes to begin with because it was boring and to enjoy it you would have to have a vested interest in the characters which I don't. I can't even rate this episode because nothing new happened. It also took away 42 minutes of my life that I could have spent doing something useful for my blog. 

So what did you think? Agree or disagree? What are your thoughts? Please let me know in the comments and check out my next post. 

Adult Fiction July Review 2013

I've decided to start reviewing adult fiction because why not?  I still get strange looks when I'm in the adult section of the library (mostly since I look like I'm twelve but also because of some of the books I've checked out) That's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for my dedicated readers though.

Low Pressure by Sandra Brown

Sandra Brown is probably one of my favorite adult fiction authors. She started off writing romances (those trashy historical ones you have to sneak past the librarian to avoid the judgmental lift of the eyebrows) but graduated to thrillers, the kind with gruesome villains, sexy heroes and beautiful, intelligent heroines. Her books usually follow a certain formula involving this cast of characters- namely gruesome villain tries to kill beautiful, intelligent heroine until sexy hero steps in to rescue her. There are usually other factors that stand in the way between heroine and hero but ultimately they do end up together (I would say spoiler alert but I'm pretty sure anybody who knows the way romance works in books would have been able to figure that out)
Character: 2 Sandra's books are very plot driven leaving the character development a lot to be desired. Perhaps I am being unnecessarily harsh. But a of Sandra Brown's heroines and heroes I feel are interchangeable. In this case Bellamy (the heroine) and Dent (the hero) shared the same qualities alot of her past characters have. Bellamy is attractive, brave yet vulnerable. Dent is sexy, gruff yet gentle.  I love her villains though. They, too, all share similar qualities (usually they are depraved psychopaths out for revenge) but they each have factors that give them the unique twist they need to be terrifying. In this book the creepy pervert was Ray Strickland (although he was not the murderer I consider him a villain considering he spent the entire book trying to kill Bellamy and or Dent) Unfortunately I didn't find him as scary as some of Brown's other villains because he wasn't clever. I'm pretty sure he had the intellect of a cinder block. I prefer evil genius types because how is a cinder block threatening? (unless you drop it on someone's head)
Plot: 2.5 It is a tribute to Sandra Brown's writing that the plot is predictable and unoriginal but manages to be interesting anyway. Bellamy dives into the past as she attempts to find out who murdered her sister 18 years ago. As she discovers scandalous secrets about her family and the people she once knew, she realizes maybe she is better off not knowing what really happened. But she is driven by a request from her dying father and a thirst to know the truth. The ending had several unexpected twists which kept things interesting in the last few chapters.
Satisfaction: 3 Even though they are all similar every time I finish a Sandra Brown book I am itching to start another. It's like having the a dish of vanilla ice cream every night before bed. Although she has definitely had better books, this book contained the amounts of romance and suspense needed to make a satisfying read.
Conclusion:If you want a book with strong character development or some deep seated theme then I would suggest another book but if you like a dash of romance with your thriller then I strongly recommend this book. It doesn't shy away from the suspense or raw violence. Instead it embraces evil head on acknowledging that yes there are sinister people in the world but there are good people too. The book never lacks momentum but goes forward at an exciting pace which makes for an addicting read.
Overall Rating: 7.5/15

Tumbleweeds by Leila Macham

Plot: 2.5 Orphan Cathy Benson arrives at a small town in Texas to stay with her grandmother after her parents are killed. She is quickly befriended by popular football stars Trey and John. As the friends reach puberty, Cathy and Trey begin to date while John tries to conceal his feelings for his best friend's girlfriend. Unfortunately a set of unfortunate circumstances forces the three friends in separate directions until they are reunited years later by another unexpected turn of events. The book follows the three friends from age 11 until their early forties chronicling football games, college scholarships and the birth of children. I'm not going to say anything else because I don't want to ruin any surprises. And there are alot of surprises. Every time I think the story is going to go in one direction it veers sharply in the opposite. For the most part Macham did a good job at creating an unpredictable set of events and avoiding cliche plotlines (which is not easy to do when you have two boys and one girl which risks being nothing more than a love triangle)
Characters: 3 As I mentioned earlier the story is focused on three friends, Cathy, John and Trey who are united by the bond of being orphans. Cathy's parents are killed in a car crash. John's mother died and he is raised by a man seething with resentment who spends most of his days in a state of intoxication. Trey's mother ran off and left him to be raised by his aunt. All of them find comfort in each other. Trey and John, although best friends, are stark contrasts to each other. Trey's a troublemaker who puts himself first and others second. John always puts the needs of others before his own, no questions asked. Both of them are in love with Cathy. But Cathy is far from just a prize to be one. Courageous, determined and strong Cathy faces every obstacle unflinchingly. She is the definition of a heroine that you can root for. Macham does a good job at developing the secondary characters. Each have their own characteristics, their own background and their own agendas which adds flavor to parts of the story that would have otherwise been bland.
Satisfaction: 2 This book really didn't deliver what I was looking for. I found myself frustrated by the decisions that the characters made because a few characters especially Trey ended up making choices that made things more difficult for them in the long run. I felt like the ending was a tremendous let down (although to be honest I couldn't see the book ending any other way) If the ending had been a little different this book would have gotten a 2.5 or a 3. But the ending is what sticks most in the reviewer's mind since it's the last thing that we read. So take note all you authors. If you botch the ending you are losing major points.
Conclusion: This is a long book so if you don't find the idea of the book interesting then don't read it. If you find the plot of the book intriguing then go for it.
Overall Rating: 7.5/20

The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle

Plot: 1.5 Pepper is a new inmate at New Hyde Hospital, a mental institution. Of course Pepper isn't crazy. He was arrested for brawling and through an unfortunate series of events is committed to New Hyde Hospital where all the patients live in a pill induced haze and the days all blend together in a confusing blur. Pepper watches as 72 hour surveillance turns into weeks locked away. Through Book Club Pepper manages to make a few allies who enlighten him as to what lurks behind the mysterious silver door- the thing that spends it's nights preying on the poor souls at New Hyde Hospital, the thing that the staff refuses to acknowledge, the thing that is referred to as The Devil himself.
Characters: 1.5 At first glance the stereotypical main characters (old woman, rebellious teenager, African immigrant) seem somewhat intriguing- after all they are patients in a mental institution. However, after several
pages they begin to get old and become nothing more than cliche participants in a story that fluctuates between slow and bearable.
Satisfaction: 2 This book promised to be terrifying. It failed miserably. It was more a social critique of the mental health system rather than a horror story. I had to slog myself through every ten pages until I got to an exchange of dialogue that was semi entertaining. The ending in no way delivered. It was not gripping nor climatic as promised. It felt like the ending to a mediocre horror movie that had me leaving the movie theater more satisfied with my popcorn than the movie.
Conclusion: I wouldn't waste my time with this book. I feel bad about saying this considering I spent so much time dragging myself through the lacking plot of this book. This is why I try to avoid sci-fi/ horror books. More often than not they always disappoint and few writers have the skill to keep me goosebumps. Victor LaValle, I'm sorry but you're not one of them.
Overall Rating: 5/15

The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman

Plot: 3 Props for coming up with a unique story line. Many people create goals or life lists but very few people are given deadlines and even fewer people are required to complete life lists made at age fourteen (Even two years later I shudder to think about what would happen if I completed the life list I made at fourteen. Not to mention the heart attack it would give my mother) Anyway, the storyline is pretty simple.
Brett is devastated by her mother's death but shocked and hurt to learn she will not receive her inheritance. She can earn it but only if she completes the unfinished life list that she started at age 14. A list that includes such items as: Have a Baby, Fall in Love and Become a Teacher. Pretty sure the comfortable life Brett has been living begins to fall apart. She gets fired from her company and her boyfriend of four years deserts her. With nowhere else to look, Brett turns her attention to her life list. Her adventures (and misadventures) with love, family and friends are hilarious as she tries her hand at stand up comedy, has a disastrous experience with substitute teaching, rekindles old relationship, builds new ones and gives her life the 180 it needs.

Characters: 3 Chick flicks face an uphill battle when it comes to creating in depth characters but Spielman rose to this challenge magnificently. Not only is Brett likable and a heroine we can relate to but she relates her blunders with a sense of humor and a determination that endures. My favorite part about this book is that she did not end up with the obvious romantic choice but that her love life twisted and turned unexpectedly before leading to a very satisfying conclusion. The relationships Brett develops as a result of her life list are also multi layered. Her students, her childhood best friend and her long lost father all emerge as colorful characters who add flavor to the story. Perhaps one of the most influential characters is Brett's mother Elizabeth who is proof that after someone dies the impressions they made will remain long afterwards.

Satisfaction: 3.5 I enjoyed this book alot more than I expected. It was funny, poignant and so adorable. I would say that this book is definitely more chick lit but that does not mean that men cannot enjoy Brett's journey. While this book dealt with some cliche topics and it did have parts that were a little cheesy it was well worth my time and an enjoyable read. 

Conclusion: As I mentioned before the guys might want a pass on this one but for girls this is top quality fiction. A great way to pass the time, an entertaining read and actually somewhat inspiring. It reminded me alot of the self help book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin who chronicles her attempts at happiness as she tries techniques promised to bring more happiness into her life. My copy of The Happiness Project is dogeared and well worn from frequent usage so to compare the two books is a high compliment. After you read it, you'll feel in the mood to check off a few items from your own life list.

Overall Rating: 12.5/20

Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie

Plot: 2 When Emma Tupper returns from a month long leave of absence six months later, she is shocked to discovered she has been presumed dead and life has moved on without her.Emma thinks it will be easy to settle back into her old life but she quickly discovers that things have changed- her boyfriend is now with someone else, she's been replaced at work and there is a strange man living in her apartment. Looks like things aren't going to go back to normal all that quickly. The book's blurb caught my attention but after reading it I found the plot to be poorly executed. There were several things that just did not make sense. For example she moves into her old apartment with a man she hardly knows instead of using the vacant house of her recently deceased mother. Not to mention the book is just plain boring. All Emma does is let her friends know she is alive and returns to her old job. There are no plot twists, there are no surprises. The book is more predictable than a Disney movie and not nearly as engaging. Although several reviews have labeled it a "fast read" it took me almost a week to get through this book because I was so bored with the story that I continually made excuses for not reading. I hope that gives you an idea of how uninteresting the story was.

Characters: 1.5 The story might have been worthwhile if I found the characters appealing but I didn't. Emma is a whiner, plain and simple. I understand that her life has been turned topsy turvy but instead of being proactive all she does once she returns home is complain. Instead of being grateful that she actually is alive, she complains to anyone who will listen. She doesn't really stop to think about how hard it must have been for her friends thinking she was dead. In my opinion she's really hard on her ex boyfriend Craig. So he hooked up with someone else. Was he supposed to wait around forever? Finally I found Dominic (the man who now occupies her apartment) to be extremely irritating. I feel as though he complains almost as much as Emma does. And I get really tired of this stupid game of phone tag they do with each other. Get together or don't but stop being so wishy washy about it.

Satisfaction: 1 The only satisfaction I got was when I finally got to the last page. If the Life List is at the top of Chick Lit then this is most definitely at the bottom.

Conclusion: So boring I honestly don't want to waste anymore time describing it.

Overall Rating: 4.5/20

You probably have noticed that I haven't been posting as much in the last few weeks. Work has been crazy and alot of my friends returned from vacation so I actually have a social life again believe it or not. I promise to keep posting although right now I'm scrambling to get all my summer assignments done before school start so I can't promise to post too often. But please keep an eye out for my next post, subscribe to my blog and please leave a comment.