Wow, you guys were cracking me up with your comments on last week’s post.  I’ll grant you,it’s a lot of TV, especially for someone who barely watched TV for about 18 months while I was traveling so much for the law firm.

But keep in mind that:

• I am usually also on the computer at the same time.  I never just sit and watch TV without doing something else at the same time.
• We don’t have kids.
• We don’t go out a lot.

Here are some thoughts on TV this week:

1.  The Young and the Restless.  I am almost always in Phyllis’ corner, because she is so true to live (she, like many of us, is her own worst enemy).  But this whole thing with her wanting to take the baby away from Billy and Victoria is just wrong.  Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.  I may have to hate her forever after this.

2.  The Real Housewives of New York.  First of all, Luann has a mother’s helper for her two teenagers.  And what she wants is someone to live with them, cook, and discipline them.  Ummm, that’s a MOTHER, Luann.  While you’re off in the city with your boytoy, your kids are out in the Hamptons with a pseudo-mother.

Also, I thought that Cindy might be too normal for this cast.  Not so much.  Her teeth were perfect and yet she was freaking out over her veneers popping off.  But I did like the way that she handled Ramona, who needs to be put through a manners class!  Seriously, you don’t start things with people’s family members at a party!

3.  Glee.  “Born This Way” was the first good episode in a long time, in my opinion.  I really enjoyed the songs, especially Kurt’s version of “As If We Never Said Goodbye.”  I just thought that was such a magical performance.  But overall, it was really good.  And the best part?  No Gwyneth Paltrow!

4.  Top Shot.  So glad that Chris Reed won.  I would have been so ticked had Brian won, as they carried him a lot during the show.

5.  The Real Housewives of Orange County.  I think that Gretchen’s and Tamra’s war is really a setup at this point.  I think that they’re being told to be bitchy to each other.

I love that Donn has grown a backbone and is putting Vicki in her place.  I know that they are splitting up, but let’s hope she will learn something.  Hey, I said HOPE.

But of course, Alexis and her dramatic performance of a codependent wife stole the show.  Really?  You can’t go anywhere on your own?  Oh, and then it’s really about how your husband doesn’t want to be around THOSE women? Hmmmm, right.  If it were my JOB to be around those women, Bob would be there no matter what. 

And yes, Alexis, spending 20 minutes in the bathroom crying is ruining your friend’s birthday party.  No one died.  Jim was at home. 

I suspect that there is trouble in that marriage, probably over money, since their house is in whatever fancy word they used for foreclosure.

Any goodies from your side of the screen?

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

• Regular Amazon Price:  $10.19  Kindle Price:  $9.68  Savings: $0.51

I really love Julie Klassen’s writings.  She’s a gifted Regency period storyteller, which is hard to find in a field full of Jane Austen-wanna-bes.

The story follows Olivia, who believes that she may have killed her father while trying to save her mother from him.  She runs away and waits for her mother to join her.  Along the way, she is mistaken for a thief and sent to jail.  However, Lord Bradley believes that she might have overheard a conversation that could injure his place in society.  He takes her out of jail to work for him as a governess, where he can keep an eye on her.

Of course there are pitfalls, misunderstandings, stolen glances, and more.  You know who will end up with whom, just not when or how.  All in all, worth reading.

 The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

• Regular Amazon Price:  $7.77  Kindle Price:  $7.38  Savings: $0.39

Another Regency romance from Julie Klassen, the story follows Mariah, who has been banished to her cousin’s old gatehouse following an indiscretion with a gentleman.  Mariah must learn to live away from her family, as her father has disowned her.

The gatehouse is attached to a large estate, currently owned by her distant cousin.  However, her cousin passes away, which leaves the estate to the stepson, who has no interest in helping Mariah.  He rents out the estate to the nouveau riche Captain Bryant.

Mariah assembles her own family of outcasts, even adopting in Captain Bryant as a friend.  But her scandal will continue to follow her.

Loved this book.  It was beautifully written and there was a great deal of action.  The characters easily came to life.  Highly recommend.

***This is a new feature on the blog where I discuss my TV viewing habits.  I may lose some readers when they see what I watch, but oh well.***

I should probably give you a brief rundown of what I watch on a weekly basis.  Prepare to be impressed/unimpressed.

Sunday

• Challenge (Food Network)
• Desperate Housewives
• Celebrity Apprentice
• Family Guy
• Ax Men
• The Real Housewives of Orange County
• Undercover Boss
• The Killing
• Pawn Stars

Monday

• How I Met Your Mother
• Mad Love
• Mike and Molly
• Harper’s Island
• The Event (though I haven’t been caught up on this in a few months)

Tuesday

• Glee
• Raising Hope
• Traffic Light
• Top Shot
• The Good Wife

Wednesday

• Modern Family
• Top Chef or Top Chef Masters
• Sons of Guns
• Happy Endings

Thursday

• The Office
• Grey’s Anatomy
• The Real Housewives of New York

Whenever I can

• Nurse Jackie (we don’t have Showtime right now)

And you can add The Young and the Restless to the daily viewing during the week.

Obviously, the schedule changes depending on the season/time of year.  In the summers, I pick up Drop Dead Diva, So You Think You Can Dance and Big Brother, for example.

I feel like I’m missing some shows, but that’s what I can think of off of the top of my head. 

Obviously, I use the DVR and OnDemand to watch some things, as the Powers That Be have put as much as they can into the 9pm Sunday slot.  I may not get to watch everything on its appropriate night.  For example, I haven’t seen Desperate Housewives or Celebrity Apprentice or anything from Monday night yet this week.

I usually Tweet during the reality shows that I watch.  I Tweet my reactions or comments to the outlandish behaviors of The Real Housewives or Top Chefs.  You can follow me on Twitter:  @purtyinorange.

This week, during The Real Housewives of Orange County, I tweeted:

So what are you watching?  Do share so that we can talk about it together!

Enlightenment for Idiots by Anne Cushman

• Regular Amazon Price:  $11.20  Kindle Price:  $9.99  Savings: $1.21

Amanda is a freelance writer who wants to be a Yoga instructor.  However, to make rent, she writes for the “For Idiots” series.  She’s down on her luck in both the romance and the finance departments when her agent offers her the chance to write the book, “Enlightenment for Idiots.”

Amanda takes you on a journey through India with her, where she attempts just about every type of Yoga, meditation, and spiritual methodology known to man.

A surprise is in store for Amanda, though, one that will change her life.  And she finds, as Dorothy did, that “if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard; because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.”

Cushman paints a beautiful and vibrant picture of Amanda’s travels.  I was craving Indian food the entire time I was reading it.  I could even feel my knees hurting in empathy with Amanda’s from when she kneeled on a hard floor for hours, meditating.

Highly recommend it.

Poser: My Life in Twenty-Three Yoga Poses by Claire Dederer

• Regular Amazon Price:  $15.50  Kindle Price:  $12.99  Savings: $2.51

This is a memoir by Claire Dederer, detailing her liberal upbringing as she works her way through the realities of motherhood and marriage.

For Claire, Yoga is her only “me” time.  She and her husband are raising their young daughter; though, as is typical in most families, the majority of the child rearing falls to her.  Her husband is a freelance writer and they struggle to make ends meet.

The book is less about Yoga studio practice and more about the philosophy of Yoga (though it doesn’t come out and say so.)  Claire realizes the effects that her rather unstructured upbringing had on her – some good, some bad – and how she is reliving them in her own marriage.

I wouldn’t say that I loved the book, but it was a pleasant enough read. It’s a bit too serious for just a beach read, but the thought process is similar to regular chick lit.

Yoga School Dropout by Lucy Edge

• Regular Amazon Price:  $14.95  Kindle Price:  $9.00  Savings: $5.95

First of all, I just have to tell you how much I love Lucy Edge in general.  I was so disappointed that the book was not available on Kindle.  I emailed her (and I know several others did as well) and asked her if I could purchase the manuscript, which I could then format as a PDF and send it into my Kindle.

She talked to her publisher, who assured her that it would be out of Kindle eventually.  However, she decided that it would be better for her to go ahead and publish it herself on Amazon.  And she did and emailed me that it was available.  She also sent me a “Yoga School Dropout” mug.

The book did not disappoint at all.  Lucy has a fabulous sense of humor and she applies it to her trials and tribulations as she searches for herself in through Yoga.  She quits her job as an advertising executive in England and takes off for several Yoga retreats in India.

Her view of the Yoga as an excuse to buy Lululemon and go on detoxes changes into a real appreciation of the meaningful side of of Yoga, that has more to do with spirituality and less to do with getting the perfect body.

This book definitely had me wanting to do a Yoga retreat.  Loved it.

Signs of Life by Natalie Taylor

• This book was provided to me by the Amazon Vine Program.

Natalie Taylor, 24 and 5 months pregnant, is awakened by a phone call that her husband has had an accident while Carveboarding.  Though no one tells her at that moment, she knows that her life has changed forever.

Natalie takes us with her on her journey into life as a young widow and new mother.  At her age, she had never questioned that her husband, Josh, would be by her side for many years to come.  Now she must learn to navigate her life as a single mother.

All of this may sound like the book should only be read by those who want to feel depressed or who have a pessimistic outlook on life.  This is not the case.  Yes, the facts are grim and you feel sad for Natalie and what she faces.

Natalie’s writing, though, allows room for hope.  She finds strength around her in her large group of friends and family.  Her son, Kai, is born and she realizes that even if she were given the chance to be reunited with Josh in heaven, she would fight it to stay with Kai. 

Natalie has always been someone who moved through life and learning as quickly as possible – taking advanced classes, finishing her degree early, etc.  But she quickly realizes that “AP Grief does not exist.”  She can’t rush through this process and get past it.

Overall, this is just a beautifully written memoir.  Natalie honors her husband and his memory throughout the book, but also conveys the lessons she has learned on this journey.  Instead of being morose and depressing, she uses humor and strength to relate her story.  I highly recommend it.

My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent

• Regular Amazon Price:  $9.99  Kindle Price:  $7.19  Savings: $2.80

This is the fourth book in the Soul Screamers series.

I know, this is a book for Young Adults.  And I remember having teen angst.  But Nash is a loser and Kaylee needs to move on. 

Nash’s ex-girlfriend made me want to go through the Kindle and smack the crap out of her.  Which, I guess, is a testament to Vincent’s writing, as her characters are so very real.  And that is why it wrings such emotion from me (including the frustration at the characters.)

I think it’s obvious that someone else has some feelings for Kaylee (and if you’ve read the series, you know to whom I’m referring.)  Can she get past her feelings for Nash to explore this relationship?  We’ll have to wait for the next book to find out.

I wouldn’t call this the strongest book in the series, but it’s not the weakest, either.  If you’re a fan already, I recommend it.  And again, it’s nice to have something other than vampires to read about.

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

• Regular Amazon Price:  $17.81  Kindle Price:  $12.99  Savings: $4.82

This is the ninth book in The Hollows series.

Okay, I really really wish that Kim Harrison would send us new books every month, because it’s torture waiting for each update on the lives of Rachel, Jenks, and Ivy.

As per usual with this series, I couldn’t put it down. I love all of the characters.  We continue to explore the relationship between Rachel and Trent, which is always layered with sexual tension and distrust (like all relationships, right?)  I think it’s pretty easy to figure out why Trent wants to reach the West coast as soon as possible. 

Rachel shows a great deal of growth in this book.  She is out of depression mode and back into kicking-a$$-and-taking-names mode.   She’s accepted who she is and isn’t ashamed to be herself. 

I wish that there had been more interaction between her and Ivy, but I understood that it just wasn’t possible to pack one more angle into this incredibly fast-paced and intricate book.

As per usual, I laughed out loud in several places.   Kim Harrison’s writing is so amazing – you just want to jump into the book and yell at the people who are trying to keep Rachel down.  Fantastic book with great storytelling. 

Disturb by JA Konrath/Jack Kilborn

• Regular Amazon Price:  $10.04  Kindle Price:  $2.99  Savings: $7.05

Not one of my favorite Kilborn/Konrath novels (they are the same person).  I think it’s because the characters weren’t as fleshed out as they normally would be. 

The storyline focuses on a research institute that has developed a drug that replaces sleep.  Obviously the drug needs to be approved and they need a doctor to help push it through the FDA. 

When the doctor uncovers the side effects and how the drug is formulated, the level of danger for everyone increases.

I think that Bill, the doctor, is badly written character.  We’re supposed to empathize with his loss of his wife from a year before and yet understand why he would be attracted to Theena, who is clearly lying to him. 

In any case, screwing around with Mother Nature can lead to bad ends for everyone.

The List by J.A. Konrath/Jack Kilborn

• Regular Amazon Price:  $12.46  Kindle Price:  $2.99  Savings: $9.47

Again, not the best from this author, but still engaging.  The story follows ten adults who have numbers tattooed on the bottom of one foot.  Each person looks like a historical figure and for a very good reason.

This time, the characters are very enjoyable and it’s easy to care about them.  The banter between  two of the characters, Bert and Roy, is just hysterical.  I found myself laughing out loud. 

I just wish that the story had been fleshed out a bit more.  I think that we missed a whole lot of information at the beginning.

Queen Bees & Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman

• Regular Amazon Price:  $9.07  Kindle Price:  $7.95  Savings: $1.12

I admit it.  I love the movie Mean Girls.  I bought it.  I watch it over and over.  It cheers me up and makes me giggle. 

I watched the extras and the movie is actually based in part on this book.  So, even though I am and plan to remain sans children, I wanted to read it.

I think that this is a must-read for anyone with kids, not just those with daughters.  And it can actually be applied toward adults as well.  Cliques don’t just stop in high school – they continue into college and even into our 30s and beyond.

Wiseman breaks down the hierarchy in the Queen Bee circle.  I saw myself in different roles, including that of the Queen Bee.  But I’ve also been the Sidekick, the Messenger, and the Banker. And, I’ve been the Target. 

Growing up is hard, no matter what role you play.  And what our parents tell us, even when we don’t appear to be listening, can really impact our lives.

I know that my parents constantly told me to “act like it didn’t matter, never show that you’re hurt, etc.”  And so yes, I grew up withholding emotions and acting as though all was perfect, a la Bree van de Kamp.  My nephew, who was about 11 at the time, told me that I thought I was perfect.  A friend of mind told me, after witnessing me hold it together at my father’s funeral, that I was a lot to live up to.

I have to say that after reading this book, I was even happier about not having children.  When I think of what parents go through with their kids now, I shudder.  I know how much I lied as a child, and we didn’t have the internet or anything then.  I can only imagine the art to which kids elevate it now.

Think that your kids only have one Facebook account?  You’re probably wrong.  Think giving them a cell phone is keeping them safe?  Not when they can fake being anywhere, since they can call you from anywhere.  Think 8 is too young to teach your kids about sex?  Not hardly.

If you’re looking for the right way to communicate with your kids, Wiseman has tons of great suggestions.  I think it’s an excellent book for anyone to read, though, as it has such great lessons for all of us.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

• Regular Amazon Price:  $10.08  Kindle Price:  $9.29  Savings: $0.79

First of all, Curtis Sittenfeld is a woman.

The book follows Lee, a student at an exclusive prep school.  Lee is there on a scholarship, having decided to move from her lower-middle class home in Indiana to this East Coast private boarding school.  Of course, she’s always on the outside, as she doesn’t have the pedigree that most of the students have.  Nor does she have anything like being a person of color or gay to make her popular.

Instead, she struggles to fit in, far away from home and her usual circle of people.  She does make some friends here and there, but still feels as though she lives her life on the fringe. 

I wouldn’t say that this was a great read, perhaps because it was too real in some ways.  The characters could have been examples in the book Queen Bees & Wannabes.  They also could have learned a great deal from this book.

Beyond having to deal with the usual stress of high school, the kids in Prep also have to be overachievers in just about every way.  Even though most of them are legacies, they still need to get into Yale, or Harvard, or Columbia in order to please their families. 

All in all, an interesting read, and at the end you know what happened to all of the players. 

Thank you to all who entered.  You guys love you some Charlotte Hilton Andersen, and you know  I’m totally on board with that!

Winner #1:  Commenter #30 Write_Stuff!

Winner #2:  Commenter #16 Sarah!

I’ll be in contact with you both so I can get your copies to you. 

Again, thanks to all who entered.  And thanks to Charlotte for writing a wonderful book!

The Great Fitness Experiment by Charlotte Hilton Andersen

If you’re a blogger, you most likely already know Charlotte, via her blog of the same name.  I’ve been reading her blog for some time and was thrilled to see her wonderful writing rewarded with a book deal.

I was so excited to read her book.  And it was everything I expected it to be – laugh out loud funny and extremely well-written.   Charlotte’s recount of her fitness experiments is hysterical.  She and her Gym Buddies took on a new challenge each month and then gave their results and opinions at the end of each.

I think my favorite part of the book is when a friend of Charlotte’s tells her to “Be water.”  He said, “Why do you keep hitting the rocks?  Just flow around them. Be water.”  I think that is my new motto as well.

What I didn’t expect was how much of myself I would see in this book.  I wanted to hug her so many times throughout the book. She is truly blessed with her friends, especially Gym Buddy Allison, who was brave enough to speak up when she sees Charlotte going downhill.

Charlotte and I both have addictions – mine is to food and hers is to exercise.  And yes, while we all joke that we wish we could be addicted to exercise, any addiction is extreme and therefore unhealthy.   That didn’t stop me from being jealous of the fact that her starting point is where she is healthy physically and my starting point is, well, in the body I currently am.  Which means that we will both battle these skewed perceptions for as long as we live.  We’ll always be recovering.

All in all, a wonderful read with lots of great information.  I love how honest and real Charlotte is.  I’m proud to know her through our blogs and to call her my friend.

The Giveaway

Because I loved this book so much and because I love to support fellow bloggers, I am giving away two (2) copies of Charlotte’s book.

How to Enter:

Leave a comment on this post.  You can enter as many times as you like.

Winner will be announced Friday, February 4 by noon.