Finley Donovan by Elle Cosimano

 

Pages: 1,020

"Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors. When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet... Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation. Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moments."

Best beach read I could have taken on vacation. I could not stop reading these and was laughing the whole time. The hilarity with which Finlay gets herself tied up in different crimes, without committing a single one, is amazing. Another author-ception with Finley basing her new block-buster books after her adventures with her nanny (accountant/accomplice) and juggling a single-mother life with pseudo-contract killer reputation. I cannot wait for the next installment after the cliff-hanger at the end.

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

So problematic fave.
I just see sarcasm and sass everywhere....Maybe it's because I've watched 10 Things I Hate About You.
I like to think that Kate and Petruchio are just having fun sparing with words, and Kate is letting him think that he won.... I don't know. No one knows.. We're all confused.
140 Pages

Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

I listen to the My Favorite Murder podcast religiously, so of course I picked up their book! It serves as a duel memoir of the podcast hosts and discusses their ups and downs in dealing with alcoholism, eating disorders, general anxieties, and how they learned to begin to heal themselves. From listening to the podcast, I had heard outlines of a lot of their life stories, but this book delves deeper into their lives and how they became murderinos (people who are obsessed with true crime).

SSDGM

Rating: 4/5

Pages: 304

David Sedaris Books

Naked by David Sedaris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think it was probably just me, but I found this one to frequently be more depressing that funny. I realize that humor often comes out of negative situations, but for some reason, this just did not click with me like "Me Talk Pretty One Day."

Pages: 304

---

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There were some truly funny or thoughtful moments. However, this just didn't click with me the way, "ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY" did. It didn't hold my attention as well, and I didn't laugh nearly as much.

That could be my fault, as I was in a particularly bad frame of mind when I read this. As a result, I'm giving it 4 stars, when my gut feeling says 3. Because I think my gut is all mixed up right now, and I don't want to blame this book for that.

Book 288 read in 2018

Page: 275

Big Mushy Happy Lump (Sarah's Scribbles #2)

Big Mushy Happy Lump (Sarah's Scribbles #2) by  Sarah Andersen Pages: 125 Rating: 3 out of 4 stars I was looking for a quick, humorous read and this collection of comics fit the bill. Author and cartoonist Sarah Andersen's shares her struggles as an adult woman in today's world. Everything from budgets, cramps, self-esteem and the joys of staying home are addressed in this funny, but thoughtful comics.

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book 2 is fabulous! I love this series so much. I think I could read these over and over again and still be amused. These stories are so creative, charming, hilarious, and absolutely lovable. Pair that with plenty of action and intrigue, and you'll find yourself reading this story straight through.

I adore this concept/series and hope it never ends. All the historical references and dated pop-culture references totally crack me up. This may have been written for teens, but it is absolutely perfect for adults, especially those in my age range (born in 1980).

I love this. I demand more.

Book 229 read in 2018

Pages: 464

Plum Lucky (Stephanie Plum #13.5)

 Plum Lucky (Stephanie Plum #13.5)
by Janet Evanovich
Pages: 166
Rating: 4 out of 5

Stephanie Plum's Grandma goes missing and her mom sends her to find her. Grandma's found a bag of money and decides to go to Atlantic City for her own adventure. Set around St. Patrick's Day and a guy who thinks he is a leprechaun, this adventure is a wacky tale.

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

Summary: In Furiously Happy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea.

I have been hanging on to this book for a while.  A couple of years ago, I read Lawson's first book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  You'd think that would make me pick up the next one with gusto - nope.  The fear of it not living up to the hype is real, and sadly - true.

What I liked:
The Honesty - Jenny talks about her mental illness with a frankness that is refreshing.  She lays it all out there, never mind the stigma.  The more serious parts of the book are heartfelt and touching.  You can feel her pain, frustration, and ultimately, her hope. 

The Conversations - The funniest parts of this book are her conversations with her husband, mother, and friends.  Hearing what goes on in her head, their responses, and how a mental illness can mean so many different things to so many people, especially those closest, was fascinating, often hilarious, and totally relatable.

What was 'Meh':
The Inner Dialogue - Jenny rambles and rambles and rambles.  She often starts with a funny thought (I did chuckle more than once), but then she beats it to death until all of the funny is gone.

The Language - I'm all for the occasional well placed cuss word.  But they are everywhere in this book, and it ruined some of the funny for me.


3/5

353 pages

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Her memoir makes it clear that Amy Poehler's heart is as big as her sense of humor. Poehler's humble confidence is engaging and contagious. The book is read by Poehler herself with excerpts read by Seth Meyers, Kathleen Turner, Poehler's parents and others.

329 pages, Audiobook

The Haters by Jesse Andrews

The Haters by Jesse Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jesse Andrews is a bold and honest writer, and that’s what I like best about his quirky stories and characters. He has a real feel for the way teenagers actually communicate and interact that makes every story seem so genuine, even when what’s happening is ridiculous or almost slapstick.

He writes really strong and interesting male characters. He’s a bit like Andrew Smith in that regard. Neither neglect to have female characters who are unique and unexpected in their stories, but the most interesting characters in most of their novels are guys. And the most interesting relationships are usually between the guys in each story, even when it’s just a best friends or bromance situation.

I don’t mind that at all, and I enjoy reading such interesting male characters. I would, however, be very curious to see what either of these authors would do with a female lead.

Pages: 336

"Dad is Fat" by Jim Gaffigan

This book is all about Gaffigan being a father to five children.  We learn their names, ages, how they were born (all home births), and how goofy they can be.  The comedian and his family live in a two bedroom, walk-up apartment in NYC and do not own a car, so you can imagine the craziness.  And he gives all the credit for making it work to his wife, whom he seems to worship.  Even though this book is completely about being a dad, his observational humor can still be appreciated by those of us without kids.  Gaffigan reads the audio version and has a great delivery technique.  I'd like to listen to more of his books.

Audio:  5.5 hours
Print:  288 pages

"A Load of Hooey" by Bob Odenkirk

I like Bob Odenkirk's acting; he brings a great comic touch to characters who could have been one note stereotypes, most famously Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill on "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul", so I was looking forward to his quirky and sarcastic humor in this audio book.  Unfortunately, I barely chuckled.  Lots of topics were covered, some of which were not familiar to me, but most of it just was not funny.  Several other people make appearances reading sections, but they were even worse.  The best part of this audio book was that Odenkirk read most of it, and I do like the raspy and exasperated tone to his voice.

Audio:  approximately 2 hrs. 30 min.
Print:  112 pages.

Comedians of Country Music by Stacy Harris

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

Twelve country musicians could be called the stars of "Hee Haw".  Uncle Dave Macon started his career late in life, but became one of the memorable stars.

Audio:  1 hour, 1 minute
Print:  71 pages

"Yes, Please" by Amy Poehler

Here are some of the things I that learned from this autobiography/memoir of Amy Poehler:

• She worked in an ice cream shop in high school and hated it.
• She has experimented with drugs and smoked a lot of pot.
• She had to have a c-section with her first child.
• She has lots of experience being a waitress.
• She is very close to Tina Fey and Seth Meyers, the latter of whom started with her on Saturday Night Live the weekend after 9/11.
• She loves looking at the stars in the sky with her sons. 
• She has sleep apnea.

Amy shared much about her childhood growing up in Burlington, MA, and even had her parents read portions of her audio book.  There were lots of stories about the Upright Citizens' Brigade, her comedy troop that had its own show before she was on SNL. Amy has had a wild life centered around doing sketch comedy, then Parks and Recreation.  My favorite parts of the book covered her time at SNL; Seth Meyers even read a portion about working with her there.  I have been binge watching Parks and Recreation, so listening to this at the same time was informative.  I hope that she doesn't stay out of the spotlight too long because she is so funny and talented and the entertainment business needs much more of that.

Audio:  7.5 hours
Print:  352 pages

"Bossypants" by Tina Fey

The best parts of this memoir, in my opinion and in no particular order, are:

1. learning how Fey got that scar on her jaw.
2. her stories of working at Second City and Saturday Night Live, including her appearances as a certain vice presidential candidate.
3. her observations on the treatment of women in comedy and show business.

I would call this a light memoir since large parts of her life are omitted.  She admitted to a lot of shortcomings and praised many of her former coworkers, which I liked.  I still think she and Amy Poehler are the best anchors that "Weekend Update" has ever had.

Audio:  5.5 hours
Print:  272 pages

My Point...And I Do Have One by Ellen Degeneres

Posted for Paul Mathews

Comedy by Ellen includes how to cure a headache and hiccups. She says she is not a doctor, and her book has a little something for everybody.

Audio:  3 hrs. 43 min.

Print:  224 pages

The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato

Is it 'National Treasure' meets 'The DaVinci Code' in 15th c. Italy?  Fiorato has created a mystery/romantic comedy romp involving political intrigue among the rival city states of Italy, as slowly unraveled by Luciana Vetra, a young, beautiful prostitute/part-time artist model and her unlikely sidekick, a young novice at the local monastery who also happens to be a member of the royal family of Florence.  The mystery revolves around decoding clues in a new painting by Botticelli, La Primavera, in which a political plot that could start a war is shown in the symbolism of the human figures and other elements in the painting.  Who's involved, and who's on the side of the young couple?  This is a fun read, with lots of period detail and a well-described romp through Italy to discover clues.  There are numerous plot twists and unlikely escapes of our intrepid pair to keep the story moving along.  514 p.