Book Review - "Cloris: My Autobiography" by Cloris Leachman (#26 - 2016)

Cloris: My Autobiography by Cloris Leachman

My word, Cloris Leachman has lived a LIFE!  I've always been a big fan, but didn't know a lot about her or her journey.  She's delightfully candid, honest, fun and normal.  This is a person who has lived her life fearlessly, open to new adventures and experiences.  She started out doing radio voice work, being a theater understudy, etc.  Eventually earning a reputation as a dependable, hard worker with a lot of talent.  She shared the Broadway stage with Katherine Hepburn, her husband's best friend was Marlon Brando, Judy Garland's kids hung out at her house, etc.  She knew and/or worked with a who's who in Hollywood.  Her range of work is mind-boggling.  She's done drama, comedy, TV, Broadway, movies.  Winning an Oscar and a lot of Emmys along the way.  She's a legend but I don't think she knows she is.  She's a mom and grandma and a really cool lady.  I breezed through this book in 2 days, loving every minute.  She even gives you a verbal hug at the very end, like she said she would like to hug you and to consider yourself hugged.  Who does that?  It seems corny but it was so sweet.  I highly recommend this book, it was so good.

Book Review - "Alexander McQueen: Blood Beneath the Skin" by Andrew Wilson (#25 - 2016)

Alexander McQueen: Blood Beneath the Skin by Andrew Wilson

I always seem to read (or re-read) a McQueen book (and watch endless McQueen videos on YouTube) between Christmas and New Years.  Always.  I love him, I love his work, I love his shows, I hate he's gone.  This book may be my favorite biography of him, it went into a lot of depth and there was a lot of information that I wasn't previously aware of.  It's a hard read at times because of his troubled soul but following his journey is so fascinating.  You didn't want it to end in a way because you know what was coming.  I highly recommend this book.  It's a must read for any McQueen fan!

Here are the McQueen books I own and love: 

Alexander McQueen: The Life and the Legacy by Judith Watt (link to my review)

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Love Looks Not with the Eyes: Thirteen Years with Lee Alexander McQueen

Book Review - "Winter Soldier: The Complete Collection" by Ed Brubaker and others (#24 - 2016)

Winter Soldier: The Complete Collection by Ed Brubaker and others

I know, I know, it's 2017 Jenny, why are we still talking about 2016 books?  Because I'm tragically behind on my reviews of the final few books I read last year.  So expect a few more 2016 book reviews.  Okay, here's the sometimes hard to find Winter Solider collection by Ed Brubaker.  I liked this one, but not as much as the Captain America series he did (this is the next book that ties into that series).  I have a soft spot for Bucky Barnes so I enjoyed it, but it's not a "must read", you don't miss too much.  It follows Bucky after he was Captain America for a while, and he's back in the Winter Soldier garb.  It was a super fast read and if you like the Winter Solider/Bucky then pick it up because Brubaker does tell a good story.

Here are my reviews of the Captain America series if interested:
Captain America, Vol 1: Winter Soldier Ultimate Collection by Ed Brubaker and others
Captain America Vol. 2: Red Menace Ultimate Collection by Ed Brubaker and others
The Death of Captain America by Ed Brubaker and others

Book Review - "The American Heiress" by Daisy Goodwin (#23 - 2016)

The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

This is the story of fabulously wealthy Cora Cash, a 19th century heiress who has been groomed to go to England and marry a cash-strapped aristocrat and in exchange get that coveted title and social status. This was THE thing to do back then for the turbo rich girls and Cora is the richest of rich.  She and her mother embark on a trip to England.  Quite suddenly she finds herself a Duke.  It is a whirlwind romance and they get married.  But does Cora know what she's gotten herself into?  All the secrets and social traps and players that she may or may not be able to trust?  Will she be able to navigate the rough waters or will she give up?   This book was a super fast read.  Interesting enough to keep you turning the page, however I found, upon finishing, it just wasn't enough.  This could have been a great story, but it just was a decent one.  I wanted it to be more.  Is it worth your time?  Yes, just don't expect this to be Downton Abbey in book form, it most certainly is not.

Book Review - "Second Chance" by Jane Green (#22 - 2016)

Second Chance by Jane Green

Another Jane Green novel, just love her books so much.  That being said, this is probably my least favorite of her novels (that I've read).  It's not bad, it was just super hard to get into.  It centers on friends, Tom, Olivia, Holly, Saffron and Paul, from school who gather twenty years later when tragedy strikes.  They come together, get to know each other again and secrets come out.  They are forced to examine their life choices and they make changes that start them on new, unexpected paths.  The first third of the book is really slow and it was hard sorting all the characters out, it does pick up and then was a quick read after that, but I just didn't feel any fondness for any of the characters.  It's a good beach/vacation read.  But I would pick up one of her other books before this one.  

Other Jane Green reviews:

Dune Road

Family Pictures - maybe my favorite

Swapping Lives

The Other Woman

Jemima J - A fluffy, chick-lit beach read.  Nothing deep here.  It's about a girl who is 100 lbs overweight and her transformation inside and out after deciding to drop the pounds.  Very predictable.  However sometimes you just need a book like this, it's like a bag of Doritos, sometimes they just hit the spot. 

Book Review - "Confessions of a Crispy Mom" by Laura Frances (#21 - 2016)

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher for review. I only accept copies of books for review that look like something I would normally buy or check out at library.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Confessions of a Crispy Mom by Laura Frances

I was eager to get my hands on this book, the author is a dear friend, former boss and mentor.  It's her first book!  She has a sharp wit and the ability to get really "real" about a lot of things.  I always appreciate that and her ability to just make you better (your work, your life, etc).  That being said, she would be mad if I didn't give an honest review, so that's what I will do.  The main character, Delia is each of us, our struggles, our insecurities, just being overwhelmed on a daily basis as moms. The ultimate question being how can we make the most of the years we have with our children? Through some letters left to her by her late Mother, Delia discovers how to answer that question. It's a touching, raw and heartwarming read. I will admit sometimes I teared up because Delia's "confessions" hit very close to home (though unlike Delia, I wouldn't get upset if my husband hired a person to clean house every once in a while - lol!). It's a quick read that packs a big punch. Pick this one up, especially if you have small children!

Book Review - "Capture Your Style" by Aimee Song (#20 - 2016)

Capture Your Style by Aimee Song

I picked this up at Marshall's on a whim, I had heard about it and it seemed interesting.  It's a very short/concise read.  I had sort of low expectations about how beneficial this book would actually be. But I was pleasantly surprised, I did get some really good tips about photography and editing photos.  Also about how to make your Instagram feed to look more cohesive and harmonious to best reflect your mission statement/brand.  After finishing the book, I spent about 4 hours going through my feed and deleting photos that I didn't like anymore and I geotagged all my travel/landmark photos.  At times I think she did oversimplify how to get a good photo (not everyone has a photographer following them around and not everyone wants to pester random passersby to take endless photos of them), but other than that I would recommend this book! 

I'm @spryonthewall on Instagram.

Book Review - "Make it Happen" by Lara Casey (#19 - 2016)

Make it Happen by Lara Casey

I stumbled upon Lara Casey through social media and promptly ordered this book and her PowerSheets.  I dug in.  Now let me preface this review with the fact that she is faith-based and if you are turned off by that in any way, then this is probably not for you.  I started working on the PowerSheets and watching Lara's videos and reading her blog.  Then I quickly realized I needed to read the book and dig deeper through that.  This book is really thought provoking, honest, raw, emotional.  Ms. Casey lays it out, she bears her soul and all her issues and how she worked through them (is still working through them) and lessons learned.  She's like your honest friend who tells it like it is but in a warm, funny, nonjudgmental way.  She wants to help you be your best self.  And she's not talking about "having it all" and "climbing to the top", she's talking about living your life with purpose and creating a meaningful life.  It's not an easy read at times, lots of stuff comes up with her prompts and exercises.  And I get overwhelmed by that so it took me a while to read it from cover to cover.  And I still feel like I need to revisit all the dogeared pages (I dogeared A LOT of pages).  So this book is more of a journey and a workbook, something that I'm going to keep with me and reference a lot.  I highly recommend the book and I highly recommend following Ms. Casey on social media.  She does live Facebook talks on Wednesdays, she's such a motivating person.  

I've been a bit slack on the PowerSheets (this is my perfectionist side coming out, I want to fill everything out "right" so I just don't do it, which defeats the purpose I'm aware, because there is no "right").  Work in progress here :)

Book Review - "Lovable Livable Home" by Sherry and John Petersik (#18 - 2016)

Lovable Livable Home by Sherry and John Petersik

I mean you can't read blogs and not know who Sherry and John are/were/are.  I followed and enjoyed their blog for years and eagerly bought their first book Young House Love, and really liked it.  So I was excited to see what they had in store for book #2.  I did not enjoy this one as much as the first book.  I think because it didn't focus so much on their projects, more on sharing other people's home and what they do that works for them.  Which is fine and the photos are beautiful.  However, I came to see what John and Sherry are up to, more about what they have been doing since the blog was shuttered.  But maybe that isn't the point and I'm just missing the blog.  Overall it's a solid book with lots of ideas, but if you are looking for more of what the blog was, pick up book 1.

Book Review - "The Knockoff" by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza (#17 - 2016)

The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza

I was eager to pick this one up!  Imogen Tate is the 40-something Editor-In-Chief of Glossy magazine, she's at the top of the fashion world.  However, after returning from a medical leave (she had breast cancer) she finds her former assistant Eve now running the magazine.  But it's not so much a magazine any more as it is a shopable app.  Imogen is blindsided and has to quickly figure out what is going on and what evil Eve has planned for her. Eve is a 20-something psycho hellbent on being the "new" Imogen no matter what it takes.  Making fun of Imogen's age and how non-tech savvy she is, writing her off as a "dinosaur".  But as much as Eve is tech/social media/etc savvy, she has no clue how to deal with human beings or navigate the actual real world.  And that's where Imogen starts creating her battle plans.  Nothing unpredictable, but very well done and a fun read.  

Side Note:  I will say that, being the same age as Imogen in the workplace, this hit a bit close to home as I'm now considered "old".  I'll just leave it at that.  Also I read this article, that was sent to me by a fellow 40-something friend, right after I finished this book and it really is interesting.  Okay, okay, I'll stop shaking my cane now ;)

Book Review - "Finding Audrey" by Sophie Kinsella (#16 - 2016)

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

I love Sophie Kinsella's books (Shopaholic series, etc.), they are always light, fluffy and fun to read.  So I was super excited to read her first Young Adult novel.  Okay, it's not awful, but it's not amazing either.  To be honest I expected a bit more.  The story is about fourteen year old Audrey who wears dark glasses all the time and rarely leaves her house.  You find out that she has a crippling anxiety disorder and depression stemming from some major bullying at school (though it takes a while to figure it out and she never gets specific as to what exactly happened, it's very vague and a bit maddening because you just want more information). You find out how her family has been affected, especially her mother and older brother.  But not really.  There is a mom vs brother over video games story line that annoyed me to no end.  Anyway, it follows her as she starts to find her way back to wanting to leave the house and have friends again.  Sort of.  Look, this book could have been a tremendous teaching story, a refreshing story about her dealing with these issues and finding a way through it.  Instead it's overly simplified and almost too breezy how it all starts to come together (solidified by her brother's friend Linus).  Sort of like "here's a boy, he'll solve all your problems" type of deal.  I don't know, it just fell flat to me (maybe I'm too old?).  I just expected so much more from Ms. Kinsella.  

Book Review - "A Passion for Fashion" by Nick Verreos (#15 - 2016)

Disclosure: I received a .pdf copy of this book from the publisher for review. I only accept copies of books for review that look like something I would normally buy or check out at library.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Passion for Fashion:  Achieving Your Fashion Dreams One Thread at a Time by Nick Verreos

I honestly didn't really know what to expect when I was approached to review this book.  I remembered Nick from Project Runway season 2 and I liked him a lot (I also remembered he was one of Lauren Conrad's instructors at FIDM during The Hills - yes, I do remember the most random things).  I assumed this was more about his journey into fashion, etc.  While that was partially true, most of this book was a sort of instruction manual about how to get into the industry.  Which was really a pleasant surprise.  I mean, I wish I had had this book when I was in my fashion classes during my college years.  He talks about how to create a croquis, technically draw garments (complete with detailed illustrations), and various portfolio guidelines (which as a textile designer I can totally use, thanks Nick!).  Honestly, you can tell he's a really good teacher, I learned so much.  Now my fashion instruction was limited and mainly concentrated on very technical/manufacturing courses, so I didn't do any illustration or draping, etc.  But I will say he stressed the importance of patternmaking and patternmakers.  This is 100% true.  Now I sucked at patternmaking, but it is well known in the industry that if you are a good patternmaker you can pretty much write your own check.  And he really stresses that sometimes you may not have the "glamorous" job, but you can learn the most from something that you never thought you would be doing.  He gives practical, useful and spot on advice for getting your foot in the door and beyond.  I would encourage anyone who is interested in a career in fashion (or if you know of anyone interested in fashion) to pick this book up pronto!  It's one of the best blueprints for getting on a path to a job in the fashion industry I've ever read!  I hope he writes another book on the business side, he touches on it here, but I think he would be ideal to write a "fashion business" book.

In the meantime, please check out his website and excellent YouTube channel with great instructional videos (that I've been watching).  Here he is talking about the book:

Book Review - "After You" by Jojo Moyes (#14 - 2016)

After You by Jojo Moyes

This is the sequel to Me Before You (my review here) it picks up about 18 months after the events of the first book occur. Louisa is lost and depressed and just all around stuck.  I'm not going to say too much so I don't spoil anything, but I will say that she meets a few people that completely turn her life upside down and hopefully can help her move forward.  Okay, I'm going to say that this was a somewhat underwhelming sequel.  I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.  I love Louisa but I guess I wanted a bit of a different story.  Though part of me understands why she wrote the story the way she did.  If you loved the first book, you will not love this one as much, but it's completely up to you if you want to pick it up.  You won't miss out if you don't read it and just want to leave the story/characters the way they were in Me Before You.  Proceed at your own risk.

Book Review - "Wake Up Happy" by Michael Strahan (#12 - 2016)

Wake Up Happy by Michael Strahan

I picked up this book because I like Michael Strahan a lot and wanted to learn more about him.  This was a short book, easy to read but not lacking in information or stories.  He talks about his childhood on an Army base in Germany and how inspiring his parents are to him.  He covered how he was determined to play football in high school in the hope of getting a college scholarship.  To do that he had to leave his family in Germany and come to live with his Aunt and Uncle in Houston, Texas.  Plus he had played football only just a little bit, so it was a huge learning curve for him.  It taught him focus and determination and also to not give up.  I really like how he was honest in his "failures" and how he learned from them and how he took those lessons and built upon them to better himself.  He wasn't worried about not succeeding, he was more worried about not trying.  I like that a lot!  Anyway, I liked the book a lot for an easy, breezy and very positive and inspiring read!

Book Review - "Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Daily Lives" by Gretchen Rubin (#11 - 2016)

Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin

Ever since I read The Happiness Project (my review of it from 2013 is at the bottom of this post) I've been a huge Gretchen Rubin fan.  She takes what may seem like dry subjects and makes them interesting and informative.  I find her books so easy to read and digest.  I loved this book, LOVED it.  She takes an in depth look at how and why we form habits (and how we can form more good habits and ditch the bad ones).  Now habit formation and execution is not a one-size-fits-all thing, she bases it on how we respond to expectations.  She calls these "tendencies" and there are four types (I'm an "Obliger").  Knowing how we respond to expectations and being self-aware, we can then come up with strategies to make habits "stick".  I'm overly simplifying things, but trust me there is so much insight in this book.  I highly recommend picking it up!  Side note she has a podcast too that I enjoy.

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - I've been wanting to read this book for quite and while.  I've heard some good buzz and let's face it, who doesn't want to be happier (or at least read about someones journey towards more happiness)?  Bottom line, it's totally worth your time.  You may not have the same happiness journey (in fact she points out that you probably won't), but it will help you to think about your own keys to happiness and what you can do to help make yourself happier.  I really liked how she didn't sugarcoat or shy away from being self aware enough to point out her flaws/weaknesses/what she wanted to work on.  I could totally relate to the whole "being snappy, yelling and nagging" issue she had.  I loved that the book made me stop and think a lot and I'm going to work on my own resolutions, mindfulness and happiness.  Totally and completely recommend this book!

Book Review - "My Journey" by Donna Karan (#10 - 2016)

My Journey by Donna Karan

I'm a HUGE Donna Karan fan (have been since day 1, oh yes, I remember when she showed her first collection), so I was eager to pick this one up.  Memoirs/biographies are sometimes a double edged sword.  On one side you are excited to find out more about the person and how they work/live and on the other side you are afraid that you might not like them and/or might not live up to your expectations of them.  There was a little of the latter in this book.  I loved finding out what inspires her and how she got her start but the way she treated and handled her first husband was appalling.  She's quite the character and honestly she would drive me nuts with all the mediums, psychics, retreats, etc. what she calls her "woo woos".  She is self-aware enough to admit that her late husband and daughter roll their eyes at that stuff too.  I most enjoyed the way she outlined how her business started and how it grew.  She really was doing stuff that was so groundbreaking, it's hard to describe it if you didn't live during that time, but she truly created clothes that were both feminine, easy and comfortable yet structured and powerful.  Her fabrics really played into that, I owned a pair of dress shorts by her (obtained at a major discount) that held their shape, moved with you, and I wore them until the fabric literally fell apart.  She knew how to cut a garment, how to drape, she knew what flattered a woman's body.  This is what is sorely missed now that she's not involved with the company.  I 'm not sure we will ever see someone like her again, which is very sad for me.  I know, you are thinking, but we see stuff like what she was doing everywhere now.  Yes and no.  We are seeing the "look" but we are not seeing the fit, the drape, the chic layers that all work together, the mindfulness of what women need.  Overall this book is totally worth your time if you are interested in Donna Karan or fashion history.  

Book Review - "A Window Opens" by Elisabeth Egan (#9 - 2016)

A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan

I had heard so many glowing reviews of this book that I couldn't wait to pick it up.  I'm totally the working-mom-in-her-40s that this book is aimed at.  I had high hopes.  Those were quickly dashed by Alice, the main character whose lack of self-awareness is breathtaking.  Alice's husband decides to leave his high-powered law job in Manhattan which means Alice has to find a full time job (she was working part time at a woman's magazine).  She finds a position at a book selling start up.  But it's hard, yo.  It's so hard when you have a nanny and your husband works for himself now close to home.  You have to work long hours, check emails outside of work and deal with difficult bosses (the horrors).  Her best friend is a book store owner and when Alice takes the job at the competition (that she needs to pay the bills - keeping up with the Jones's ain't cheap) her friend totally turns into a bitter a-hole.  Guess she's not that great of a friend?!  But then she is?!  The characters are really awful.  Yes, there is a touching side story about her father and his cancer battle and how stressful it is.  But then she gets all bent out of shape about her lawyer husband helping her mom and dad get their affairs in order.  It's honestly hard for someone like me who doesn't have the help she does (example, she never has to make dinner, the nanny or her mother does that every night) to muster up much sympathy.  She got sad one day because they were sharing toothbrushes at home (?), like there aren't 1000 Duane Reades in Manhattan that you can't walk in and buy some toothbrushes in 5 minutes (?).  It's head scratching. It's like she wants to be a stay-at-home mom but doesn't want to actually admit that or something.  I couldn't figure out if this was a thinly veiled memoir, because it came across as a bit of that, which comes off as sour grapes.  I honestly cannot recommend this book at all, it's insulting. 

Book Review - "Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit" by Sean Hepburn Ferrer (#8 - 2016)

Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit by Sean Hepburn Ferrer

I'm a big Audrey Hepburn fan (my daughter is named for her) so I had to pick this up when I was wandering through a used bookstore last week ($4.20 - in pristine condition - score!).  This was a super fast read, I pretty much read it all in an evening.  It's not a biography, it's more of a tribute in words, pictures and family mementos, of a mother who happens to be an icon.  Full of photos and stories it's a lovely book that highlights her humble, kind and generous spirit.  This is a must for any Audrey fan.  I highly recommend it!

Book Review - "Bonkers: My Life in Laughs" by Jennifer Saunders (#7 - 2016)

Bonkers: My Life in Laughs by Jennifer Saunders

I picked this up immediately after I finished Amy's Poehler's book (review here).  So it's back-to-back funny lady memoirs!  I LOVE Jennifer Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous was life changing for me (not exaggerating).  So I was eager to learn more about her and her journey.  The one thing I took away from this is that she's very laid back.  She's just all about getting on with things, not making a big deal.  She's not about being famous or overly ambitious, she just wants to be happy and live a good life.  Even dealing with breast cancer, she just had a really good attitude.  I really liked the story she told about writing (or trying to write) a screenplay for Goldie Hawn.  It was very lol.  I think she's extremely underrated as a comedy writer (with Ruby Wax - who is a scream), she has a fearlessness that is unmatched.  She was light years ahead when it came to writing female characters that were equal to male characters in regards to not worrying about them being likable, quiet or precious.  Like Edina could be placed into a movie like Caddyshack and hold her own.  She proved that an all-female cast in a comedy show could be successful.  Not only successful but a phenomenon, people everywhere love the show, love the characters.  This was in the early/mid '90s and trust me I had never seen anything like it.  I think she doesn't get nearly the credit she deserves for changing things up.  My only complaint about the book was that she skips around a lot and it can get confusing.  But other than that, I recommend it!

Book Review - "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler (#6 - 2016)

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

I like Amy Poehler so I decided to pick this up.  Well, if you are looking for lots of lol's then this is not the book for you, it's more a "skim the surface" memoir.  Does that make sense?  Not that that is a bad thing.  I enjoyed it much more than Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me  but like Kaling's book, I never feel like I got to know the real Amy.  She gives some good advice, has lots of parenting stories, stuff about Upright Citizens Brigade (too much about that, I was never much of a fan) and co-workers.  I just never felt I got a firm idea as to how she got to where she is and she came off at times as a bit brooding.  That being said, it's worth a read (especially if you are a fan), the chapter about "time travel" was my favorite, it is a very similar way to how I think about stuff like that which was nice.  I still think Tiny Fey's Bossypants is much better.  Joan Rivers books being the gold standard for me, she combines inspiration, realness and funny in the perfect way (Enter Talking and Still Talking being my favorites).