Revenge Wears Prada

Okay, so everyone read The Devil Wears Prada, or at least saw the movie, right? So if you enjoyed the book and/or movie, you will probably enjoy this book. Is it great literature? Nope. Does it make you think, or teach you something new? Nope and nope. But it is entertaining.

Andy Sachs is 10 years older now, and she and former nemesis Emily are best friends and partners who publish a high-end wedding magazine, called The Plunge. Andy still superficially looks down her nose at all the trappings of the fashionable while still having, hoping to have, or admiring them. She has a handsome, well-connected husband and a job she loves, so all is good in the world. And then The Devil, Miranda Priestly, sees how successful The Plunge has become, and she wants it in her little empire.

What happens then is entertaining, not really surprising, but fun to read. It's a quick read, and if they do make a movie and bring back all of the same cast, I'm likely to go see it (or at least put it on my Netflix).


Revenge Wears Prada

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

I really enjoyed this adult fairy tale by Neil Gaiman. It's a compelling story that draws you in, and hold you until the very end (which isn't that long). If you're into mystical realism/fantasy, you'll love this novel.

Our unnamed narrator is approaching 50 when he returns to his hometown for his father's funeral. Finding himself with time on his hands, he returns to the place he grew up - though the house is long gone - and finds himself at the big farmhouse at the end of the lane, where his friend Lettie lived. He sits on a bench overlooking the pond, and thinks back to when he was seven-years-old, and the series of intriguing, scary, and fantastical events that took place.

This is a fairy tale, but it's not for kids. It's dark, and scary at times, and explores themes of loss and betrayal and memory. A really great read that I just couldn't put down. I'll definitely look for more of Gaiman's work.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Salt Sugar Fat

This book is a must-read for EVERYONE. Seriously. If you shop at grocery stores and eat any packaged/canned/processed food, you need to read this book.

I consider myself to be a healthy eater. I don't drink soda, I generally avoid cookies/chips/candy, I eat fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible. When I do indulge, I indulge with homemade or bakery sweets, or good quality dark chocolate. But Michael Moss has shown me that you need to read the label of EVERYTHING you buy in the grocery store, from salad dressing to yogurt to breakfast cereal, because the food manufacturers add sugar, fat, and salt to everything. Seriously, read the label on a Yoplait yogurt, then read the label on any brand of cookies - I bet the Yoplait has more sugar than a cookie. Seriously.

Moss is a really good writer - Malcolm Gladwell-ish, in that he takes a lot of information and distills it down to something normal people can read, understand, and enjoy. And he doesn't preach, this isn't a diet book, it's just a book that says, "this is what the food industry does - how will you deal with that?" Probably one of the most interesting things is that almost every food industry insider he interviewed said they did not eat the products their company made, or only ate them in very small quantities. Now what does that tell you?

Salt Sugar Fat