Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

This video, mentioned by and involving both Neil Gaiman and Wil Wheaton, made me request this from the library within seconds of seeing it. It's funnier than the BIBLE!

So I got this a few weeks ago and have to admit....it's funnier than the BIBLE.  It's subtitled as a Mostly True Memoir (no James Frey coverup here) and it's Jenny Lawson talking about her *cough*unusual*cough* childhood, struggling with mental illness and making her poor husband suffer (just kidding, although he does seem long-suffering).

I have to admit I thought my childhood was a little different but hers really takes the cake. I never got my arm stuck in cow's vagina and never had my dad make a puppet from a dead squirrel. And that's only 2 of the events that shaped her life.

This is not all knock out drag out funny. She is serious/funny in certain sections that require it. Yes, she pulls off serious/funny.

The video was not false advertising. I'm pretty happy I picked this one up

Cathedral by Nelson DeMille

This is actually the first DeMille book I've read and I really enjoyed it. Color me incredibly surprised when I saw that it was published in 1981. More on why in a second.....


Brian Flynn and his lover, Maureen Malone are soldiers with the IRA in Ireland. "Once in, Never Out". I would call them more like terrorists but that's just me. Malone gets out of the biz (as much as she can) and tries to get peace between Ireland and Britain. She ends up in America on Saint Patrick's Day working for her cause. She hasn't seen Flynn since their failed attempt to free her sister from a prison.

Malone and a British ambassador are asked to stand on the steps of the St. Patrick Cathedral for a bit during the parade, as proof that Britain and Ireland can get along, apparently. One thing leads to another and whoops.....here is Flynn and his new "army" taking over the Cathedral. Malone, Baxter (the British guy), a priest and the Cardinal are all taken hostage.

The inspector who comes thisclose to getting to the Cathedral before the takeover, and therefore has a huge part in the book, is also Irish. Everyone in this book is facing down demons (with the exception of the Cardinal...possibly). The entire book is the takeover, the battle and barely any aftermath. In short, a hugely exciting read.

My surprise at the date of the book is because I was thinking of 9/11 throughout the book. It amazed me this was written so many years before the attack when it sounded so familiar.

I think I'll be adding DeMille to my list of authors to read.

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

Oh, how I loved this book!

Hoff uses dialog with Pooh and friends to explain Western Taoism. I'm no expert, but Taoism is basically living simply, living naturally and basically going with the flow. Much like Winnie the Pooh does.

This is a very small book (about 176 pages) but it is really packed with good information on how to embrace your inner Winnie. Hoff uses Tigger, Rabbit, Owl, Piglet and Eeyore to explain how Pooh embodies the Taoist mindset while others basically try too hard. Rabbit tries to be clever and often fails, Eeyore is a downer, Owl tries to be knowledgeable and often fails.....  Poor other critters.

For a little dose of living simply and happily, this is a good book to read and re-read.

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

Going on a beach vacation always makes me take random paperbacks. They are usually destroyed within moments of hitting the beach and this was no exception.

Reading the synopsis made me interested in this book:

"When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed."

I failed to realize it was a chick lit book. It was entertaining enough following Lexi on her quest for memory and it was pretty funny in spots. But it just wasn't my cup of tea. I finished it and placed it in the hotel laundry room for another guest to enjoy. It was gone within an hour.

Mile 81 by Stephen King

I've had a super hard time concentrating lately so this little Kindle single was up my alley.

So a quick little review:

Real quick read - short story SK style. I kind of wondered when the King part would come in and ... it did. Ew.