Best of Gossip Girl Season 3 1-10

Although I had several complaints with Season 3, it's Gossip Girl so of course it had its good points too- and I outlined them below. 

Chuck and Blair's Cheating Game

Hey whatever floats your boat. Personally I think the game is kind of hot although if I were Blair I'd  play the other way around. Then again maybe she doesn't want to be solicited by random strangers at bars. Chuck doesn't mind. He's probably used to it. 

Chuck's Sweet Side

Chuck is hellbent on making up for lost time because he is definitely going for Boyfriend of the Year. Standing patiently by Blair while she struggles to conquer the NYU social scene, getting a photographer to boost Blair's confidence by taking her picture, being the world's most supportive boyfriend. He even kisses another boy for her (wowzers. Chuck proves he can work his magic on anyone) Now that's dedication. As long as Blair has Chuck nothing can be wrong with her life.

Georgina and Blair's Fight for Social Dominance

I love this tug of war- mostly because its over something I would never fight over in a million years (I am definitely not Queen Bee material) but seeing Georgina and Blair go cut throat over the attentions of the NYU masses through bribery backstabbing and underhanded comments is just pure entertainment. And a little scary. Two Queen Bees, one college- now that's a recipe for diasaster. 

Dan and Georgina

During Season 1, the relationship between Dan and Georgina was frustrating since he was obviously being manipulated by a lying two faced psycho. But Season 3 all cards are on the table and for some reason Dan and Georgina end up "together" For one night anyway. After Georgina reverts to classic desperate girl behavior, by calling, borderline stalking and eventual blackmailing in an attempt to ensure that they end up together again. 

Tripp and Serena

Tripp is hot. Not gonna lie. And I love affairs that should never happen but do anyway. And Serena hasn't had an affair with a married politician yet so why not? It's time. Now Serena can check "married" and "congressman" off her To Do list. Double whammy! 

Dan Olivia Vanessa Threesome

Lets be real here. In what world would any guy ditch Olivia for Vanessa? And in what world would a girl let a guy hook up with his ex girlfriend? Shes been in enough movies to know that that never ends well. But it does create some interesting dynamics. Dan walks through the entire episode in some sort of a daze. I think he never imagined one girl would be fighting for him let alone two. 

Did you agree? Did you disagree? What did you think? Please comment or subscribe and check out my next post. You know you love me. Until next time XOXO Bernadette

Worst of Gossip Girl Season 3 Episodes 1-10

Season 3 is usually when the "worsts" start to balance out the "bests" After a few seasons, writers start churning out some stale ideas and everyone is already so in love with the show that they can get away with it. But with my eagle eye, I spotted the worst of the first ten episodes of Season 3 and will now call your attention to it. 

Bree Buckley

Nate's girlfriend/ friends with benefits at the the beginning of Season 3. He returns from Europe with her only to discover that her father is a bigwig in an opposing political party. Their families are pretty much enemies. It would be classic Romeo and Juliet if I actually cared about Bree. But I don't. I find her fake (so does Blair. And I always trust Blair's intuition) I like Nate as a person but when it comes to his love life I feel the show focuses on it wayyy too much.  If we must see Nate hop from woman to woman can we make the girls a little more interesting? And less manipulative. A unique combination if there ever was one. 

Serena Flaking Out On Brown

Surprise, surprise Serena flakes out yet again. Never saw that coming. Serena and her "the world owes me something" attitude are getting more and more frustrating to deal with. She got into her dream school based on her social calendar and how many times her picture appeared in People magazine. But once the time comes to stop playing games and get to work, Serena flakes out once again. I wonder if Serena has ever done a day's work in her life. Can we send her off to Africa and have her do charity work? Now that would be interesting.

Serena Ruining Chuck's Plans

I find the Chuck-Serena relationship is one of the my favorite relationships on the show. The fact that Chuck has a brother-sister bond with a girl instead of viewing her as a one night stand is something that I find touching. Chuck confides in Serena his plan to open a new club, she ruins it not once but twice- the first time because she does not have the sense to keep her mouth shut, the second time because she figures that if her future isn't going anywhere than neither should anybody else's. Serena needs to find a hobby. I still think Africa is a good idea. 

Serena and Carter

 What a pointless couple. I'm really getting sick of Serena's every other week romances with guys who are not all that interesting. i mean Carter Bazien is like chuck bass 2.0. Only not as rich or polished. and the writers are running out of storylines for them already. I mean sending Carter on an oil rig to work off his debt? Will he get kidnapped by pirates while he's out there? I expected better Gossip Girl. You are moving into soap opera material here. 

Chuck and Blair Fighting for the Painting

Really? Chuck and Blair's relationship has been reduced to squabbling over a painting? Where did the exciting game playing scheme cooking couple go? Now they are bickering over a piece of canvas. Oh how the mighty have fallen. 

Vanessa Trying to Break up Olivia and Dan

If we do send Serena off to Africa, I nominate Vanessa as her off-screen travel guide. Her attempts to break up Dan and Olivia (as a result of Georgina's blackmail) are not only transparent but...downright bad. She's played the role of the jealous girl so much I thought she would have had more experience breaking up happy couples. Even if she hasn't done it firsthand she's spent months watching the girls of the Upper East Side operate. They have got splitting up couples down to a simple art. And what they don't know they learn. 

Rufus and Lily's Constant Fighting

They aren't even married and already I am sick of the fighting. If they can't agree on where and when to have the wedding, how are you going to be able to handle the ups and downs of married life? If you keep breaking up there is probably a reason why it isn't working out- and that reason is probably still valid. I'm going to take a guess and say that this marriage will last two years tops. 

Vanessa and Her Relationship With Her Mom

If I can barely stomach Vanessa i am definitely not going to be able to handle her uptight excuse of a mother. I blame her for the way Vanessa turned out.  If she had a been a better mother, then maybe Vanessa wouldn't be so damn annoying. 

Vanessa Trying to Stop Olivia From Giving the Speech

How desperate are you? You would ruin your best friends relationship just so you could give a freakin speech about all the good things you've done/ plan to do. Oh the irony. If i was Dan I would have been done with Vanessa a long time ago. When is he going to realize she has become just like the upper east side that he so despises? 

Jenny Hazing Jonathan and Eric

 I think what happened is that Jenny realized she doesn't have any friends so she might as well dump yogurt on the only people who show her the least bit of kindness. Love the reasoning, Jenny. I don't know how she rationalizes treating the people she cares about so badly but if I hear one more hypocritical comment about how mean the Upper East Side is I am going to drown her in giant vat of yogurt.  

Serena Pushing Blair into Cake

Really mature, Serena. 'Nuff said. 

Jenny Being Disrespectful to Everyone at her Cottilion and Still Getting Nate as an Escort

 Jenny has gone from being a little frustrating to a full time brat. And when I say full time I mean 24 hours a day. Her stepmother has very generously arranged for Jenny to make her debut in society even though she is a nobody. A five year old has better manners than she does. Not only is she incredibly rude to Blair but she also hurts Kira and Eric. And she STILL ends up with the best date. Stupid Nate. Why cant he see through her? Someday Nate wont be around to rescue Jenny. Or he won't want to. I look forward to it.

So basically eliminating Vanessa, Serena and Jenny would solve all my problems. There is probably enough room in Africa for the three of them. You know you love me. XOXO Bernadette

Reality Show Challenge Episode 5 Part 2

Bad Girl's Club

 

For once in my life I actually paid attention to the title of the episode and thought it was somewhat clever- "Kentucky Fried and Char Boiled" You would only know understand this title if you had actually been watching the season- Kentucky is the nickname for one of the girls in the house (left) and Char (bottom) is the name of another girl. They've had their differences before but this is the episode things finally come to a head between them. And when I say things come to a head it means they decided to start an all out war over virtually nothing. The episode starts with all the girls returning from San Francisco talking about how lame Sydney was to leave the house without saying goodbye or taking her stuff. The days past the same way all the days in the Bad Girls House past- petty squabbling during the day, getting ready to go out in the afternoon, clubbing in the evening and returning home half drunk or half naked at three in the morning. As the days past the rift between the girls in the house grow stronger. It soon becomes Nicki and Lauren (aka Kentucky) versus Char, Kori and Jessica. Ashleigh is just kind of there. Char (who is very bad at trying to conceal the fact that she wants control over the entire house) dislike Nicki and Lauren because they aren't starstruck by the fact that she is 27 and don't do as she tells them. Basically because they aren't followers. One night Lauren finally loses her cool after Kori and Char butcher her accent multiple times and a physical altercation breaks out between Kori and Lauren resulting in both of them spending the night at the hotel. The next morning Char and Kori start right in on Lauren again. The episode ends the same way it began- with all the girls gossiping about each other and trying to appear tougher than they actually are.
Character: 1.5 I am going to throw Char off the roof. Oh I'm sorry was that immature of me? Guess what? I don't care. Every time Char appears on camera I know she is going to say something about how mature she is and how childish the behavior of the other girls are. Thankfully the producers of the Bad Girls Club do have a sense of humor because they splice together several scenes where Char is acting like a 5 year old. Ahhh, hypocrisy on camera. What a beautiful thing.
Emotional Intensity: 0 The first time that an episode has ever scored a 0. I'm not surprised it was this one.
Conflict: 1.5 I kind of wonder what life might be like if these girls faced real problems. Note I'm not saying they have never encountered serious problems. For example at least one of the girls has a parents that is in rehab for alcoholism. But when I say "Face their problems" I mean deal with their problems head on not avoid them through escapist behavior like partying and drinking. A stay in the bad girls house should come with mandatory therapy.
Class: .5 Jessica gets the Classiest Cast Member. Since she was sick she spent most of the episode, staying in and gulping down soup. Also she was hardly in the episode and that is always a bonus when it comes to staying classy in a reality show. Also its the only way to preserve your sanity.
Overall Rating: 3.5/20

The Biggest Loser

And then there were ten. Last week Pam was eliminated by the red line leaving Danni the only remaining member of the white team. The Red Team is left with four people and the Blue Team still has five. The contestants were devastated to return from a workout and find their refrigerators and cabinets bare. Alison left a note for them and they met her at the grocery store down the street. There every team was given a budget and 15 minutes to fill up their carts with healthy but affordable food. Compared to past challenges wheeling a cart up and down the air conditioned aisles of a supermarket doesn't seem all that difficult and all the teams passed with flying colors and a refrigerator full of good. The Blue Team is experiencing some tension and their trainer, Bob is convinced that they are set up to lose the next weigh in. I don't know why. They've been fine so far. Bob scares me more than Jillian if we're being honest. Still, he may have a point. Danni is like a machine when it comes to these challenges. In the second challenge of the week, every team was given the challenge of retrieving five pound coins from the water (ten coins per team member) Danni edged the Red Team out for victory winning the choice of a two pound advantage on the scale or a phone call home. I guess this means that they aren't able to communicate with people from home otherwise. Wow. Them and their families are really sacrificing a lot for them to be on the show. Maybe its to level the playing field- so those who have a supportive family at home don't have an advantage over those who don't have anyone to call. Danni takes the two pound advantage since she is by herself and it's do or die. Everybody had a really good week on the scales but somebody always has to go home and this week it was Lisa, of the Red Team. The rest of the Red Team decided to vote Lisa off because they thought that she would be able to succeed on her own. And she did. At the end of the episode we saw Lisa and all the improvement she has made. I wonder what would happen if someone fell off the wagon after the Biggest Loser and didn't lose anymore weight, or God forbid gain weight. That would be an awkward segment to include.
Characters: 3.5 Danni gets more and more beautiful every week, not because she is losing weight but because she is gaining confidence. She's won two challenges in a row on her own and she has a really strong connection with her trainer. Jillian doesn't even have to yell anymore. I also admire Lisa and her drive to loose weight even on her own (well not on her own. She does have a supportive family and I'm sure that they were instrumental in helping her loose the weight) The more weeks pass the more I admire the dedication of these contestants and what they put themselves through every week.
Emotional Intensity: 1.5 It was sad to say goodbye to Lisa. I'm going to miss her presence- we need all the women we can to balance out what feels to be the overwhelming amount of testosterone on the show.
Conflict: 2 There wasn't all that much conflict this week although I did sense a little bit of tension among the Blue Team but that's bound to happen when you have people exercising from dawn to dusk with the threat of elimination hanging over their heads. But considering the subject matter, I think the show is doing a great job. I mean not many people could make a TV program about lifting weights all that interesting but this show goes above and beyond by making it not only interesting but also semi inspiring.
Class: 4.5 As always The Biggest Loser kept it classy- no swearing, no scandals, nothing but hard work. This show has got the Classy category on lock down. Plus anything would look good when proceeded by the Bad Girl's Club. As for Classiest Cast Member I'm going to go with Lisa because she was a very gracious loser (no pun intended) Not to mention she did an excellent job of losing the weight on her own and while she was on the show she always gave 100%. Plus she's not going to be around again so this was her last chance to be recognized on my blog (I'm sure she'll be thrilled if she ever finds out)
Overall Rating: 11.5/20

Beauty and the Geek

Matt and Leticia return from the elimination room much to the disappointment of the other girls who think Leticia shamelessly uses her feminine wiles in exchange for safety (and then have a point) This week's challenge was proceeded by the Geek Makeover which I assume is a regular thing on the show since nobody seemed to surprised by it. I'm always a little skeptical of makeovers. I've had a few but they've always been self makeovers- never have I gone to someone else and entrusted them with my appearance. Then again I don't think I've ever been that desperate. In my opinion a lot of the guys emerged from the makeover looking similar but Greg and Tommy (I always found him cute to begin with) underwent a pretty dramatic transformation from closet cutie to blatant hottie. As usual Joe the Cowboy is using every fiber of his being to resist the unfamiliar- in this case a style that does not involve a cowboy hat. I can see his partner, Tara getting frustrated and honestly I don't blame her. All Joe does is complain about how uncomfortable he feels. It's a reality show. What does he expect? The actual challenge (which the makeover had no bearing on) was to create a scene about prom night. To make things more interesting the judges were the leading soap stars from the Young and the Restless and the prize was a walk down the red carpet for the premiere of Prom Night. Some couples took an epic flop- I guess it's a little tricky to have a steamy love scene with someone who doesn't practice good hygiene while others were pleasantly surprising. Leticia and Matt emerged victorious but I would have picked either Randi and Greg (who did the whole "I can't sleep with you because I'm gay" scene) and Cara and Chris whose scene was a bit of a parody about the more dramatic elements of soap operas. It was revealed at the end of the episode that no one would be eliminated this week. Instead Matt and Leticia got to pick another couple to go out on the town with (they chose Greg and Randi) while the remaining four couples had to choose who would be sent to elimination the following week. To decide they decided to have a cross dressing fashion show. The girls agreed with the exception of Tara that Joe was the worst which would send them to elimination the following week. I feel bad for Tara. She's doing the best that she can- her partner just needs to step up his game (he was even worse as a woman than he was a soap opera lead) But everybody is safe for another week. 

Characters: 1.5 These people are getting kind of boring, even with new clothes and a new hairstyle. I really only care about Cara and Chris and Tom. Everyone else is kind of bland and just not all that interesting. I'm not all that surprised that the girls don't have much of a personality but the geeks don't really have one either. Or at least not the kind that jumps off the page (or rather the screen) Then again it is a lot to hope for from reality television.

Emotional Intensity: .5 This episode had crossdressing and chest waxing. Not all that much time in between for heartfelt confessions and touching moments. 

Conflict: 2.5 I still feel really bad for Tara. She puts a lot of effort into getting Joe up to snuff but it's like getting a stubborn three year old ready for preschool. Honestly I'm kind of looking forward to getting Joe out of the house because even watching him is draining my energy. An outright disagreement or altercation would be a lot better than this constant whining but also probably less realistic.

Class: 3.5 The beauties (and most of the geeks) have done a good job of staying classy. There isn't any backstabbing or gossiping- I guess everyone is too focused on saving their own skin. But the Classiest Cast Member has to go to Tara just for putting up with Joe and being such a good sport about it (socially awkward guys I can handle. A guy that smells...not so much) So kudos to you Tara. Even if you don't win the competition at least you have the satisfaction of knowing that you kept it classy.

Overall Rating: 

Gossip Girl Season 2 Best of Episodes 21-25

The concluding episodes of a season always have more positives than negatives mostly because all the loose ends get tied up and all the characters who won't make it to Season 3 beat a hasty departure so there is alot of  additional drama and confusion at the end of a season. 

                                                                   Seder Dinner

 Sit down dinners are always ticking time bombs. You just know that whenever everybody is sitting in one place then someone drops a bit of news that has people running from the table in tears. Why should a religious holiday be any exception? First I love how everybody kept crashing the party- I love when uninvited guests show up much to the frustration of the host/ hostess. In this case Serena decides to make a surprise appearance as does her maybe husband Gabriel. Not to mention Dan, who is serving as a waiter, also gets dragged into this. In the end there is so much drama and tension that Eli leaves the table (it was hard to find room for him in the first place)

Chuck Apologizing to Jenny

Chuck's assault of Jenny was one of the biggest problems I had with Gossip Girl.  the fact that he never faced the repercussions nor did Gossip Girl emphasize how serious attempted rape is. I think the writers tried to remedy this problem by having Chuck make a sincere apology to Jenny in Season 2. Although this will never excuse what he did, it shows us Chuck has changed and that he realizes how unforgivable his actions were. I wish we could have seen Chuck wrestling with the guilt from his actions, maybe going to therapy but at least he apologized and that is always a step in the right direction.

 Georgina Returning from Bible Camp to Help The Upper East Side

Georgina is always good for something. All she has to do to cause trouble is walk into the room. It was nice to see her working with Serena, Blair and company instead of against them. And the fact that she has been away at bible camp and has embraced Jesus much to the disbelief of her former enemies only makes things even more entertaining. The scene where Chuck brings Georgina back to Manhattan is probably my second favorite scene in the entire series (the first being brunch at the Bass house in the second episode) 

Flashback to Lily's Past

We know that Lily was once involved with Rufus and they had a child together but other than that her past is a bit of a mystery- as with most adults in our lives. Too be honest I don't even care that much about Lily, her multiple marriages and her strained relationship with her mother but once in a while an episode that gives us some insight into the past of a character is a good thing. And I couldn't really object when I found out that the teenage Lily is played by Brittany Snow of Hairspray and John Tucker Must Die. I wouldn't even care if she played someone's long lost Aunt Beatrice.  Honey, you can guest star any day! 

Chuck Getting Blair Elected Prom Queen

It would have been furious to see someone other than Blair gain the prestigious position of prom queen. So it was satisfying to see Blair beat out her lemmings for the role. The fact that it was all because of Chuck is what makes it doubly satisfying. The sweet unexpected gestures that Chuck does for Blair (like ensuring a bunch of cheaters don't take away her title as prom queen) are just as important to the Chuck-Blair relationship as the frequent screw-ups and betrayals both of them endure at the hands of the other. 

Scott, the son of Rufus and Lily

Finally we get to meet the product of Rufus and Lily's love. In my opinion he is like a mini copy of Dan- no wonder Vanessa likes him so much. When he arrives on the scene, Vanessa takes an interest in him and Scott scores a direct source of information about his real family. It's going to be interesting to see how things develop in Season 3 regarding Scott and his realtionship with his family (no one cares about Vanessa) 

Georgina Going to NYU

Georgina in a club? Pretty standard. Georgina at college? This could be interesting. Scratch that, this will be interesting especially when she requests Blair as a roommate. I sympathize with Blair but I can't wait until she arrives at college and discovers who her roommate is. Also no one intended to go to NYU yet Dan, Blair, Vanessa and Georgina all ended up there anyway. And no one ended up at Yale even though that was the only college any of them were talking about in Season 1 (obviously it comes down to keeping everyone in the same city) I don't mind though. Drama is best when it happens in close quarters.

So what do you think? Was Season 2 all you were hoping for? Are you looking forward to Season 3? What would you like to see? Let me know in a comment, like this post, subscribe and please check out my next post. You know you love me. XOXO Bernadette. 

Worst of Gossip Girl Season 2 Episodes 21-25

Only four episodes so there was not all that much to find fault with. Of course I did my best but we all know that I actually like the show so I'm not exactly an impartial judge. 

Vanessa

Maybe it's just me but I have to notice that her part in the show becomes increasingly diminished towards the end of Season 2. Basically she is only there for everybody else to spill their problems to. Even Rufus speaks to her about his financial concerns. Also while I am on the topic of Vanessa, she is always available for Nate whenever he feels like dating her. Now that he is no longer dating her and Dan certainly is no longer dating her can she just not come back for Season 3? Maybe fall off a cliff during that backpacking expedition? I hear they have cliffs in Europe. 

Serena Trying to Get All the Con Money Back Herself

When Poppy and Gabriel first con Lily and a bunch of other rich people out of money, Serena who still has not grasped the value of a dollar decides that she will get the money back herself with a plan that makes no sense whatsoever and actually just ends up losing more money. I'm sure if Serena has ever earned a dollar in her life she would be quick to call in somebody who could actually get the money back instead of leaving it in the hands of a bunch of amateur high schoolers. I understand that she did not tell her mom because she did not want her to be disappointed but don't you think her mom is going to suspect something when she starts getting calls from all her friends about where their money has gone?           

Trying to Trap Poppy by Giving Them Georgina's Money

This plan made absolutely no sense and I know that it wasn't just me who felt this way. All right: this is the ingenius plot that Serena came up with to get her mother's money back. Send Georgina to meet Poppy. Georgina has a tape recorder and is supposed to get Poppy talking about money while the tape is recording. I don't know how that is supposed to accomplish anything and it doesn't because Georgina only ends up losing her money too (well the money of the bible camp that she goes to)

The Unflattering Labels Given Before Graduation

During the graduation ceremony, Gossip Girl issues a blast labeling Dan as an insider, Nate as the class whore you know, Blair as a weakling, Chuck as a coward and Serena as (gasp) irrelevant. Coming from Gossip Girl this attack was kind of tame but everyone is so bored by the graduation ceremony they overreact anyway especially Serena who can't stand not being in the spotlight. Someday Serena will learn that just because someone writes it on the blog does not make it so. Although you would have hoped she had learned that by the end of senior year.

I know this entry was short but I promise a longer post next time. For now please comment or subscribe and check out my next post. You know you love me. Until next time XOXO Bernadette

Reality Show Challenge Episode 5 Part One

Note: Starting now I am implementing an award known as Classiest Cast Member to each show every episode. It doesn't do anything towards winning the overall challenge but good behavior should be rewarded (even if they never know about said rewards)

The Bachelor

And the drama continues- in Puerto Rico! Hope you brought your passports, ladies. There are 11 girls left to  compete for Ben's attention and the claws are getting sharper. The first one on one date Ben has is with Nicki whom I kind of forgot about until now. They spend a nice day in San Juan getting caught in the rain and buying themselves authentic Puerto Rican clothes. 'Si, Senor' says Ben which I think translates to 'Yes, sir' Nicki gets a rose and sticks around after opening up to Ben about her previous marriage. For the group date, the nine girls that did not have one on ones were taken to a baseball diamond to play a competitive game of baseball. The team that lost would be sent home on the bus and the team that won was awarded a romantic evening with Ben on the beach. The Red Team (Kacie B. Casey S., Jamie, Courtney-see below)
won much to my chagrin. Pretty much anything that makes Courtney happy is something I'm against. Kacie B scored the rose though which made me happy since she seemed pretty genuine. Things did not go as well fr Elyse who was sent home after her one on one with Ben. Courtney then decides to take advantage of the situation and invite Ben to go skinny dipping. Ben is hesitant but he is a guy so of course he goes through with it. This kicks Courtney's behavior from very irritating to borderline intolerable. I have a feeling Courtney was one of those people that never had friends for girls and spent all her time with other peoples boyfriends. And she's proud of it. Before the rose ceremony Emily tries to warn Ben about Courtney but Ben tells Emily to "be careful" which sounds like something a guy in the mafia might say. I was certain Emily's meddling was going to get her sent home but at the end of the night it was Jennifer who did not receive a rose which surprised me. I thought she and Ben had a good relationship but maybe the sparks just weren't there which isn't anyone's fault.

Characters: 3.5 As the show continues, it seems to get more and more focused on Courtney- probably because she tends to make the most unbelievable comments. You would think that if you were on national TV you would not be so blatantly manipulative. I mean Ben is probably going to see this eventually. And what is he going to think of all her insensitive remarks about the other girls? Never mind that she seems to view him more as a prize than as a person. But, although watching her ugly little face is probably giving me a premature ulcer, it does add tension among the girls and grabs my attention.

Emotional Intensity: 3 I feel really bad for what these girls are going through. I mean I know to be on The Bachelor is their own decision but it must be really draining emotionally. I don't think I could afford to be all bright and happy even time Ben graced me with his presence. In fact I would probably be mad at him. Doesn't he know a relationship is supposed to go both ways? If a girl has to fight to spend time with you, it's not a very good basis for a long lasting relationship. Yet I feel bad when girls are sent home in tears, their hopes dashed. They gave it their all only to have Ben put in a mediocre effort at best. 

Conflict: 3.5 The fact that Courtney broke the rules and took Ben skinnydipping made me absolutely furious. And she had the nerve to call Blakely a "stripper" in the same episode! I'm really surprised and disappointed Ben did not see right through her but I'm glad she pulled this stunt because it ups the stakes and shows what she is willing to do to get the guy. At least point it could be anything. 

Class:2.5 There were girls who exhibited class although reality shows do have a tendency to focus on the ones who don't, like Courtney. But I would have to say that the Classiest Cast Member goes to Kacie B. just because she seems to have everything that "classy" encompasses.
Overall Rating: 12.5/20

16 and Pregnant

This episode we get to meet Alex, a 16 year old who got pregnant with her boyfriend of the last two years, Matt. Thankfully Alex seems more prepared than most teen mothers- she has not one, but two jobs and is weighing her options once the baby arrives. Her mother suggests adoption and says she "will not have a baby under her roof" Alex makes tentative plans to give the baby to her friends mother but once the baby, Arabella, actually arrives she makes the decision to keep it. She rents a room but quickly discovers that she cannot afford the rent on top of everything else so it's back home with her mom again (who apparently reverts on her previous ban of babies) Alex quickly discovers that returning to school isn't going to work out so she enrolls in cyberschool. So not only is she working two jobs and raising a child, but she is essentially homeschooling herself. And what is Matt's contribution? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He is probably the worst of the dads I've seen so far (well one of the worse. At least he didn't backtalk Alex's mother) However, I think smoking pot and partying while your girlfriend struggles to raise your child qualifies you as a pretty deadbeat father. Especially when he has not made one financial contribution. Of course that is tricky when he doesn't have a job. The girls in these movies really choose the wrong men to have babies with (even if it is accidentally) Maybe it should be a rule that you cannot have intimate relations with someone unless they have a job or some means of making money.If Congress ever passed that bill, we could save a lot of time and money.
Characters: 3 I really liked Alex as a main character. Talk about responsibility. She puts a lot of work into taking care of her baby. Her friends also seem very supportive- dropping by to keep her company. One friend even changed Arabella's diaper the minute she walked through the door because Alex asked her to. I'm glad Alex can rely on her friends and on her family. Her mother initially doesn't want Alex in the house if she is raising a baby but she softens (probably after seeing the cute images of her granddaughters face) I also find Alex's little brother adorable. He asks if it is against the law to keep the baby. I kind of wonder if that was scripted since he looks a little too old to ask that question. As usual the only character that got under my fingernails was Matt. Seriously, these guys need to shape up. Fast. Even without a baby I doubt they would be going anywhere in life. Maybe a job at McDonalds. Always aim high. Also doesn't his picture (above) kind of look like he is prepping for his mug shot (Actually I think he was arrested already so it's probably too late to prep)
Emotional Intensity: 3 The last few minutes of the show were especially frustrating. Alex confronted Matt about his less than helpful role in her baby's life and he basically just threw his stuff on the ground and shouted at her. Whoa, dude calm down. Realize that this is ten times harder on Alex than it is for you. I know that it must be incredibly difficult to miss out on one or two parties while you take care of your daughter but we all have our crosses to bear, don't we? Honestly the selfishness of some of these people really surprises me sometimes. It amazes how fast the girls grow up and how the guys generally like to stay locked in the role of unhelpful boyfriend.
Conflict: 2.5 For much of the episode, Alex is deciding between adoption and raising the baby herself. I don't even know how someone could begin to make such a difficult decision. I think the problem was that Alex spent several days with Arabella after she was born. After all that time with her baby, it would nearly impossible for a mother to give up her child. Mothers find it difficult to give up their children after holding their babies for only ten minutes. I don't find Alex selfish for deciding to keep the baby since she gives up everything for her child. I don't often say this but I think Arabella should maybe watch this episode once she is old enough so she can see just how much her mom loves her.
Class: 2.5 A mom sticking by her daughter. That is class- and I am referring not only to Alex but also to her mother. I going to give Alex the title of Classiest Cast Member because even though she loses her temper once in a while she has bravely shouldered alot of responsibility for someone her age. It's not going to be an easy journey but I think Alex can handle it if she stays on her path.
Overall Rating: 11/20

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

The episode began with Teresa rehashing her latest squabble with her brother to her husband who thoughtfully tells her to "Shut up" I don't understand why she puts up with that disrespect but she seems to have a tendency to take her frustration out on her friends. We got to see a little bit more of Teresa's family in this episode. Besides a wonderful husband she also has four daughters. The oldest, Gia, wants to get a bra since all her friends have one but everyone, including her mom, try to poke holes in that dream by pointing out that she is completely flatchested. Teresa tells us a little bit about how when she was growing up her mother never discussed puberty with her. I doubt she would be too pleased if she knew her daughter was discussing it on national television. And I felt really bad for Gia. Maybe she didn't mind being on camera but I don't understand how she could be. When I was 10, I was mortified when it came to getting my first bra. I didn't even like to journal about it let alone talk about it. What kind of mother would let the details of her 10 year old daughter's chest size (or lack of) be revealed to the entire country? Meanwhile Lauren, Caroline's daughter, is having the opposite problem. Her diet is working but not fast enough in Lauren's opinion. Lauren actually looks really pretty. I guess someone who isn't rail thin perfection thanks to a boob job or liposuction is a bit uncommon on this show. The episode also included a "Field Day" at Jacqueline's house.

For Field Day, they definitely go all out- bouncy slides, dunking booth, red and blue T-shirts for each of the teams along with bandannas. The competitions included a Tug of War, a potato sack race and a three legged race. The blue team kicked the red team's butt much to the annoyance of Gia who bursts into tears and accuses the blue team of cheating (very loudly and numerous times) Everyone nods knowingly and says its puberty. Well if I had a camera stalking me I'd probably freak out a little too. Jacqueline tries to calm Gia down by reading her a story about a sore loser which is probably the worst thing she could have done. If a child is upset, you need to wait for them to calm down before you start to reason with them. Even in my late teens I will still react negatively if I am confronted by reason at the wrong time. Gia gets very upset and wants everybody to leave her alone except for her mother (oh and the cameras can stay too) Teresa gets annoyed with Jacqueline and Caroline because she feels it was not their place to discipline her child (which I kind of understand but it's not like Teresa is actually going to do anything about it. I have a feeling Gia could kick a baby in front of Teresa and she would only role her eyes and make some excuse for her behavior) And even though Teresa and her brother finally are no longer at each other's throats, the relationship between Gia and her uncle is strained because Gia isn't old enough to know that her mom is selfish. Oh to be young and naive.

Characters: 2 I've kind of given up on Teresa's family. From the way they interact with each other I have little hope they will grow up to be anything other than carbon copies of Teresa. I still admire Melissa and the way she doesn't seem to care what anybody thinks. Caroline professes to be someone who has "no time for drama" but then why is she always talking about it? Jacqueline needs to accept the fact that Teresa can't be trusted and move on. Only Kathy seems to be the only housewife with a little bit of sense (sorry Melissa but at least Kathy wears shorts that are her size) Kathy is the one I would like for a mom and Melissa is the one I'd like for a hip aunt or older sister. I also learned that Caroline's sons aren't as bad as I thought they were. Apparently one of them took his sister to prom because she didn't have a date. That's a sweet thing to do. 

Emotional Intensity: 2 Watching people quibble about who cheated at a three legged race isn't exactly all that emotionally touching. Although every time I see a child (aka anyone under 18) being filmed in a moment that should be private, I do feel sad.

Conflict: 3.5 I actually like seeing the conflicts and relationships between parents and their children rather than parents with each other. Because parents and children are supposed to fight- at least a little. But other adults really need to treat each other with respect- because they are adults! I also like when the conflict is not between two people but rather between a person and an event or a force of nature. Less tacky, more real.

Class: .5 An episode that includes what should be a private conversation between a mother and daughter isn't going to get any points from me no matter what the rest of the episode consists of, even if it was something as wholesome as field. Well as wholesome as it can get on reality TV. As for the Classiest Cast Member, I'd have to pick someone who was far removed from all the drama and that means Kathy even though she really wasn't in this episode all that much. So maybe that's the secret.

Overall Rating: 8/20

So what did you think? Was I too harsh? Was I not critical enough? Please leave a comment, subscribe to my blog and check in for more posts. 

Young Adult Fiction Review July 2013

This month I tried to add some variety to the young adult books. I aimed for stories with more depth and less cliche as well as stories that deal with more serious issues (death, suicide, grief) I'm still struggling to achieve the perfect balance between light and serious when choosing books so bear with me.

Love and Other Perishable Items By Laura Buzo

             (published in Australia as Good Oil)

Characters: 2 Love And Other Perishable Items had a pretty large array of characters (many of them employees at the Land of Dreams aka a supermarket) Main character 15 year old Amelia was multilayered and likable and her love interest Chris (22) bordered on cliche but was appealing nonetheless. I kind of wished the author had developed some of the other characters better instead of assigning them to stereotypes- Jeremy (tool), Kathy (untouchable girl all the guys want) Donna (wannabe rebel), Bianca (queen bee). She could have done a lot more with all the characters instead of confining most of the focus to Amelia and Chris. 

Plot: 1.5 Cliche to say the least. Younger girl catches attention of older guy-older guy tries (and fails) to fight it- they either go their separate ways or promise each other that one day they will end up together. I kept waiting for a plot twist of some sort but it never came. The speed of the plot was hindered namely by Chris's journal entries which were a repetition of a series of uninteresting events and activities. If I published my journal as it was, right this minute, with no changes it would still be more interesting than Chris's. I think there was way too much focus on the everyday activities of Chris instead of on the ups and downs that keep a plot moving smoothly. 

Satisfaction: 1.5 The book was told in alternating points of view- from Amelia's first person point of view and then Chris's journal entries. I did enjoy Amelia's humorous point of view but the book became sluggish when it was Chris's perspective. An ambiguous ending with a vague conclusion did this book no favors either (several loose ends were tied up) but overall I found the ending awkward. 

Conclusion: This book tried way too hard to be something it was not. There were numerous literary allusions to classic novels which only provided a sharper contrast between the enduring elements that those books contained and this book definitely lacked. I wouldn't waste time on this book honestly. I find it to be a waste of time and print.
Overall Rating: 5/15

I Swear by Lane Davis

Characters: 2.5 There are definitely some colorful characters in this book. Leslie, the victim, driven to suicide by years of relentless suicide. Macie, Leslie's chief tormentor who keeps up a charade as a concerned student body president. Jillian, Beth and Katherine, Macie's friends who follow her lead in ruining Leslie's life. And Jake, Jillian's sister who loved Leslie and is perhaps the only one who stood by her. The book is told from the alternating points of view of Katherine, Jillian, Beth and Jake as they each deal with their role in Leslie's suicide. Unfortunately, this did not work in the book's favor as a lot of the voices blended together and sounded as though they were one person. My favorite characters were Macie and Beth, perhaps because I found them the most multilayerd. Macie for example is the perfect example of a sociopath. Many authors make the mistake of exposing a vulnerable side to their villain at the end of the book which is a strategy I find to be overused and unrealistic. The fact is there are truly people out there without a conscience and Macie is one of them. So I liked the portrayal of her as a chilling manipulator who only cares about herself. My second favorite character is Beth because I also found her character to have depth because of the shameful (in her opinion anyway) secret that she keeps. I wish she had developed Jillian and Jake a bit more but the interactions the characters had with one another managed to be entertaining and revealing anyway. Unfortunately none of the characters (with the exception of Jake) are at all likeable nor do I feel any sympathy from them. You reap what you sow. And it took them all way too long to grow a backbone. 

Plot: 3 After Leslie commits suicide, her parents file a wrongful death suit against the girls who had spent so much time hurting Leslie- spreading rumors about her, throwing eggs at her, leaving her hateful phone calls and text messages. The plot escalates as the girls prepare for their depositions and as each of them privately battles with the struggle to lie or to tell the truth. 

Satisfaction: 1.5 Considering the topic (bullying and suicide) I would have expected the book to be more powerful. I was disappointed. First of all alot of the characters were generic and based on high school stereotypes. As I mentioned earlier although the book was told from alternating points of view the voices of the characters sounded very similar, almost identical. Not to mention I felt that the ending was unsatisfying in terms of all the characters getting what they deserve. Perhaps it was supposed to be realistic but real life is rarely so anticlimactic.

Conclusion: This book fell short of my expectations. Given the subject, I expected it to be powerful and to leave an impact but it honestly did not. Perhaps I am being a little too harsh. There were several times where my heart ached for Leslie but I felt that was because of the subject not because of Davis's writing. Be that as it may, I am a harsh judge (ask the kids from the debate team). I do feel that this book did a good job of examining the repercussions somebody's death can have on everybody around them. Which is why suicide is never the answer.

Overall Rating: 7.5/15

Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler

Characters: 3.5 Almost all of the characters in the book interested me in some way or another. Sam (the main character) had her flaws but overall I enjoyed her as a protagonist. After she accidentally kills a boy (Alex) with peanut allergies by kissing him after eating peanut butter, she morphs into a very vulnerable and sympathetic character. All I wanted to do was wrap Sam up and hug her. The unique plot set up the possibilities for original cast of characters. There's Zee, Alex's best friend and Sam's crush. There's Chloe, Alex's sister. And then there's Casper who Sam uses to escape from her pain and guilt. These are just a few of the characters Gurtler brings to life in this novel which can be sad at times but always enjoyable.
Plot: 4 Props for originality. I never knew a kiss could kill (although Gurtler admitted in the author's note that she isn't sure it can either) After Sam kisses Alex to get back at Zee and he dies from an allergic reaction, the repercussions are brutal. Sam faces the anger of many of Alex's friends even Zee and punishes herself for what she feels was her part in Alex's death. During the course of the book Sam faces many ups and downs- as she pursues a relationship with playboy Casper, as she learns more about her mother (who died when Sam was little) and as she gets to know Chloe, Alex's sister. The journey that the book takes the reader is one of a kind and very, very special.
Satisfaction: 3.5 I read this book in one sitting. From the moment Sam swam onto the pages, I felt like she was a main character I could relate to and I was right. Things were difficult for Sam but there were also rays of sunshine that showed the light at the end of the tunnel. Sam's humorous narration of a tragic experience made me laugh at times and cry at others. Truly a worthwhile read.
Conclusion: Unless you dislike realistic fiction I see no reason why you shouldn't read this book. Definitely one of the best books I've read for this blog so far.
Overall Rating: 11/15

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Characters: 1.5 I took a strong dislike to the protagonist of the book, Whitley. I sympathized with her situation (neither of her parents seem to pay her any attention) but I also hated the chip on her shoulder. Not to mention her complete and total lack of responsibility. For example she takes a 13 year old to a house party and then gets her drunk and forgets about her. Whitley is the stereotypical party girl who drinks and flirts to forget about the fact that her parents don't pay her as much attention to her as she wished. In other words a character that we have seen a million times already. The object of  her affection/ future stepbrother, Nate, is the cliche hot/ nice guy and Bailey, her future stepsister, though sweet is boring. And the dad that doesn't pay her any attention is yet another character we have seen way too much of. The characters are flat and boring; therefore the conversations in the book are also pretty boring. And novels usually don't fare well when stocked with boring characters.
Plot: 1.5 I predicted the ending of the book from practically the first chapter. There are are absolutely no surprises in this book- I could see everything coming ten pages ahead of time. Also how unoriginal is the plot? Girl arrives to stay with her dad for the summer and he springs a surprise fiance and family on her. Why does everything always have to be a surprise in books? Do authors not realize that it rarely happens that way in real life? Also the whole stepbrother-romance is becoming a very common plot aspect for something that is supposed to be considered off-limits. The only thing more predictable than having Whitley fall for the son of her dad's fiance is having her fall for the next door neighbor. Even though the main character is wild and somewhat reckless, the book was actually kind of boring.
Satisfaction: 1.5 I know that "you can't judge a book by its cover" But the cover of the book did not give me high expectations. I mean it looked like a million other covers. And the story was like a million other stories. A girl from a somewhat broken home always on the lookout for a constant party. How satisfying can that be?
Conclusion: Hopefully you have more to do with your time than Whitley does. Assuming that is true, then this book is a waste of time. If you honestly have nothing else to do and you want a superficial read, I suppose this could suffice but honestly there are some many better options out there.
Overall Rating: 4.5/15

The Ruining by Anna Collomore

Characters: 4 A fascinating array of characters take center stage in this chilling novel. The main character Annie is a vulnerable young girl from a broken home. Her background includes a lecherous stepfather and a younger sister who drowned in the pool while Annie was supposed to be watching her. But Annie arrives in California determined to leave the past behind and to focus on her new job- a nanny for what seems like a normal family of four. There is Walker, the handsome husband who obviously adores his kids. There's Libby, the glamorous wife who seems to have everything. There's Jackson and Zoe, the two children under Annie's care. And of course the love interest, Theo (the next door neighbor). Anna Collomore does an amazing job of creating multi-layered and intriguing characters. Annie is a likable as a person but an unreliable narrator which only raises the suspense and increases the tension. Possibly the most complex character besides Annie herself is Libby, Annie's employer. As readers we can't tell if the events that happen to Annie take place inside her head or if they are orchestrated by Libby. One of the best aspects of this novel is that we know enough about our characters to understand them but they still keep us guessing.

Plot: 4 Annie arrives in California to what seems like a dream job- a nanny to a perfect family. But then strange unexplained things start to happen to and around Annie. Is she just being paranoid or is there someone out to get her? As Annie struggles to balance both a job, school and a social life, cracks begin to appear in what Annie once thought was a perfect life. The result is a terrifying trip into the realm of mental instability. 

Satisfaction: 3.5 This was such a chilling and gripping read. I found it to be just as disturbing as the horror movies I frequently watch, if not more so. This book did an amazing job of pulling me into Annie's world and getting me to see and feel things as though they were happening to myself. The only part of the book that didn't exactly deliver was the ending. I don't know if its just me but I felt like it was anticlimactic and a bit of a letdown. Not to mention it seemed to be a little too tidy. But a book doesn't need a big dramatic finish to be good and this book was definitely good.

Conclusion: If you get freaked out easily or you don't like to read books where your mind might start playing tricks on you, then stay far away from this book. If, however, you are looking for a book that will keep your eyes glued to the page with suspense, then I certainly recommend this book.

Overall Rating: 11.5/15

 Do you agree? Let me know what you think and check out some of my recommendations. Please comment or subscribe and check out my next post. Bye :)