Good Reads Website

Warning this site is completely addictive and you will be on their forever.

Basically this is a website where you can connect with your friends and all the books they have, are or will be reading. It is like having access to their booksleves at all time. You also rate and review them. My friend Kelley signed me up and now I am spending far too much time on it.

So try it out and if you like it friend me!

www.goodreads.com

13 Reasons Why/ Adele 21/ A Discovery of Witches

13 Reasons Why By Jay Asher
      This is a story about a girl who commits suicide and then records 13 tapes each side has a a different story that involves a different person who she says contributed to her act.

      I have no idea why I liked this book maybe it is because you never really know what these people are thinking- even after reading this book you do not know. To be honest I was just curious as to what she would say to the people she felt take part. Would it be vengeful, angry, reflective or more at peace with it all? And I also just cared about the character in the book who receives the tapes. The one who we are listening to the tapes with. I want him to be ok, to be able to not let this wreck him and get something, anything out of the situation. But I would recommend this book to anyone who deals with teenagers, works at a crisis line, has depression in their family (friends included) or even had a bad time in HS. Because it could always be worse, and sadly enough there are signs. It gives you a small piece of the puzzle and that is more than most can do.

      And honestly she tries she does.

Adele 21

      I loved her first CD 19 and to be honest I like a girl who stands behind her voice and talent and not the flash. I was a little wary with this CD because many of the reviews I read referred to it as a Classic. And while I would not go that far, the girl has lungs. and it will remain in heavy rotation in my library.

 Love love love: Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to the Rain, Rumor Has It- well most of the CD.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah E. Harkness

      I am a quarter through this book, and here is what I think it is about. OK we have the Witch/Vampire friendship going. Their search for their origin- why they are the way they are. It involves evolution, genetics, accepting your power, and basically the class system all the supernatural creatures have set for themselves: The Witches, Daemons and Vampires. What grounds it is this Vampire/Witch combo are professors, have doctorates in various fields and are going after this idea from both sides. They are researching it and using their supernatural powers to look into it. It all takes place at Oxford. So far I love it, but really mix genetics even slightly in with anything supernatural and I am hooked.


Check out if you need to spice up your Music Library: The Black Keys, Sleigh Bells and Sharon Jones. Very unique sound for each and lots of talent and last time I checked super cheap on Amazon MP3.

Oh the Fall I Love You Mostly for Your TV & the Boots & Sweaters ...

So since I was beyond late on answering the weekly question- so sorry I am a slacker but now sitting here at my computer with a belly full of Breakfast Burrito I am ready to contemplate all the wonder that Fall TV has to offer me and you! I am a fair amount OCD so when I get my Fall TV EW I write all the shows I am interested in into my trusty planner- I know but I have real stuff in there too. Here is the list with premieres dates after:

Alright all of these I am putting together because they are on the same channel and well we all know what this channel is about since these premiered early too this is also a tad review.

Gossip Girl- I love this show because most of the time it is just fun and dramatic and since I tend to live a pretty drama-free existence it is perfectly fine for me. And the premiere was just that pretty fluff with the flair for the dramatic.

Nikkita- I am still looking to fill that void Alias left. While this show is more fun than Alias was, so far it is worth giving a chance too. I find myself contemplating this though is man I wish they would mix this in with Covert Affairs I feel that would be the perfect cocktail of spy show!

The Vampire Diaries- While I am more of a Paul Wesley girl I have a feeling that, even though they are doing the tired addition of Werewolves, this season is going to be as Oh My Heck as last season. And from the first ep it is definitely true.

Supernatural (24^th) - I just got into this show because I was able to catch all of the last seasons on Cable. And I am now addicted- the last seasons have been really well done and I am looking forward to more Winchester Brothers. It takes that whole monster a week show to a new level. 

I am also looking forward to these shows too:

The Good Wife (28^th) - this show is so tight as far as storylines, characters and the acting goes it is pretty insane. Although I am new viewer thanks to my mom I can’t want to see who she chooses: her old college friend/boss or the man she stood by and the fact that I consider either a choice shows how well the show was done!

Hawaii 5-O (20^th )- Umm fun!

Grey’s (23^rd) - Of course after that crazy finale last year I want to know how my Seattle Grace is doing!

And then old faves: Cougartown (22^nd), Bones (23^rd), Glee (21^st), Justified and Chuck (20^th)!

Yes my DVR is going to be a land of plenty this year and now I will go back to trying to convince myself that 80 degree weather is perfectly suitable for jeans tucked into boots. Happy Viewing!

Book Review-Secrets of a Lady

So, I finished this book a couple of days ago, and I wanted to jump right on FB and shout out that this was one of the best books I've ever read.  But then, I reconsidered, I didn't want to sound to dorky blah blah blah.  However, I am now shouting my dorkiness from the rooftops on the HACK blog!  Part of why I'm so excited about this book is because it's not a hugely popular book.  I found it at the library just browsing, picking out books that looked intriguing.  Little did I know I'd want to read it over and over again.  When I discovered she has a sequel in the Melanie and Charles Fraser series (this book is the 1st), I just about ran in my pajamas to my library to pick it up.  I mean, if I didn't already have a niece named Melanie, I would seriously consider re-naming Kyndal. 

Synopsis:  It takes place in London, around 1819 (after all the Napoleon Bonaparte business).  Charles and Melanie Fraser are high class, the picture of perfection.  Charles is the grandson of a Duke and Melanie is beautiful (of course).  I don't want to give away too much, in case anyone wants to read it, but one night while they are at a party, something terrible happens.  It forces them to venture into their past as well as into the nastier bits of London to find an heirloom ring.  It forces their deep secrets into light, and forces them to decide how far their deceptions can go. 

Gosh, it is so very good.  The story was really great, lots of good plot twists and things I didn't see coming at all.  My favorite part though was how it read, the author did a fab job of describing the characters, both physically and their emotions.  I, to be supremely dorkily honest, read the majority of the book in an English accent to myself (and French for Melanie).  I adore when books get turned into movies, and I'd like to personally go to Hollywood and find someone who'll make this book a movie!!!  Superb.  Lovely.  Compelling.  Done, the end. 

Fall fall fall

Here's my question not only for my fellow hackers, but just in general (since I haven't decided yet).

What show are we MOST excited about in the next couple weeks?  Whether it's starting new or coming back from recess???

Heidi:  I am so many things that I'm excited for I kind of can't choose just one.  But I'll try and list them out just because I'm borderline narcissistic and think you care :).
First:  Community.  Um can we just say Betty White with blow darts.  Cannot wait for this.  This also opens the door for all the other comedies such as Modern Family (by far the funniest show of last season) and Glee.  Granted Glee should prob be another entry but it just looks way awesome.
Second:  House.  I completely adore House and can't wait for more borderline mean one liners that I can say in my head when I'm judging people.
Third:  Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice.  I actually haven't seen when this starts but I'm excited anyway.
Fourth:  Football.  I won't elaborate but I'm excited.
I think that's about all I have right now.  Or at least all I can rememberize.

Abbey:  Modern Family!!  I need me some Phil!  And Cam!  Funniest show on TV, hands down.  I know, I know, Community could go for that title as well, however, the humor kills me in ModFam.  I like the fake reality show format, it makes for some really excellent situations and comedy. 
Community!!  Joel McHale has been sorely missed in our home, 1/2 an hour a week of the Soup is just not enough!
Glee!!  Duh.  No brainer. 
Grey's/PP!!  I need my drama fix! 
CSINY!!  I'm a sucker for the forensics stuff.
Justified!!  I.need.more.Boyd.Crowder.in.my.life. STAT. Like, soon.  Oh and Timothy Olyphant is a fabulous added bonus. 
All the teenage-y shows I rarely admit I crave-90210, OTH, Vamp Diaries (ok, I'll admit to that one because DAY-UM Ian Smolderhalder is my 2nd favorite person in the world to drool over), and this new Hellcats show that I think I hate but I still want to watch. 

This week in news....

Well I thought I would get this going this week (pretending that we've been doing this every week :). But I really only have one thing. Just the thing that I love this week. And here it is.

Lifetime shows three episodes of Grey's Anatomy per week day. Last week they started from the very beginning of Season 1 which I never saw. Needless to say I am SO excited to have me some Grey's over the summer. And even better (and the part I l.o.v.e. this week): we have reached the part in the season in which one Chris O'Donnell comes to Seattle. He is possibly my most favorite teenage crush. Three Musketeers anyone??!! I'm just fabulously excited to have me some drama that I've been sorely missing over the summer. And it's making me so very excited for the upcoming Fall.

I cannot think of anything I didn't particularly like this week...everything else was just standard.

Kara: Way to get us rolling on this, Heidi! I've been thinking how I need to do this all week, so thanks for providing the motivation.

I'll start with the worst, and this is something Abbey and I have talked about before (she might have even blogged about it too) but I was reminded of again during a few morning nursing sessions this week. I can't stand Regis Philbin. My mom likes Regis & Kelly, and I find Kelly pretty funny and as morning talk shows go, its not bad. But seriously, why does Regis have such a big ego? Why is he even famous? Why does he think he's so much better than everyone around (guests included?) And has he always been this blatant with his pretentiousness? I stopped watching after a few minutes because I wanted to smack his ridiculously blonde head.

That said, the best thing I watched this week was Anderson Cooper guest hosting with Kelly. Those two have really good chemistry, and Anderson Cooper was surprisingly down to earth and funny. He also handled being teased by Kelly really well, which definitely isn't always the case with guys in show business. Case in point: Regis. Ugh.

I also loved this week's (last weeks?) "Royal Pains." I'm really liking the story line with Evan and this new girl he likes, and him getting shot by her father in the rump while hunting was hilarious. I liked when he told Divia and Hank that he was still being her paid escort because it made him happy to see her happy. "Wow," Divia said. "They grow up so fast." "They really do," Hank replied. I've been quoting that all week.

The Best & Worst

All right fellow HACKers, here's my group blogging activity idea #2, sort of a new spin on the Weekly Question. Think TV Guide's Cheers & Jeers or "The Colbert Report" Tip of the Hat/Wag of the Finger: The Best and Worst Thing I Saw This Week. Can be TV, movies, songs even, whatever, but I think it'll be a short enough format we can easily answer it every week (unlike my Emmy nominee which is tantamount to writing a small pamphlet to answer, sorry about that ladies!) and could keep us up to date on things we're not watching or let us commiserate/celebrate the things we all love.

So, for me this week: The Best Thing I Watched was "Covert Affairs," the new show on USA starring Piper Perabo as a CIA agent.

Also, totally loved the premiere of "White Collar," got into "Psych" when they did the all-day marathon before its season premiere on Wednesday, "Burn Notice" was great this week, "Royal Pains" totally took a MacGuyveresque move with Hank saving Tucker and his friend after they fell into a wine vat . . . pretty much everything I see on USA, I love. Funny, since with the exception of "Community," everything I see on NBC, I strongly dislike. But "Covert Affairs" was my surprise love for this week, I wasn't expecting it to be so good. So it wins The Best for me this week.

I don't really have anything totally worthy of The Worst Thing I Saw This Week, except for maybe the five seconds I caught of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" before I fell asleep this afternoon. I do not get the appeal of those shows. It makes me sad to see grown women behaving that way, must Bravo take feminism back fifty years with all of its programming?

Heidi:  I totally support this idea.  I think it's utterly fantastic and I wish I had thought of it first.  Haha just kidding.  Alright let's just jump right into this.  Best thing I saw this week was Timothy Olyphant.  I saw him in three different movies this past week.  First:  The Crazies.  This is a horror movie.  And I realize that Cor and I are the only ones in the group who do horror, but really, horror is about fifty times better when you have him to look at.  The Crazies was a terrible movie that I completely would not recommend to anyone but he was phenoMENal as always.  Then I saw him in Catch and Release which I forgot he was in, and also in Hitman.  Both those movies were randomly on tv.  I just can't get enough of him.  I caught thirty seconds of an interview with Jennifer Love Hewitt about her Lifetime movie The Client List where she turns prostitute to save her family's financials and the girl asked her who she would put on her "list" if she were picking this kind of thing in real life.  Well she added Ian Somerhalder.  So I of course started compiling my own list and it is definitely topped with Ian, and Timothy.  TOPPED.
OH WAIT.  I take that back.  While Olyphant is definitely top this week it was not my absolute favorite.  My absolute favorite is most definitely going to be the return of Eureka.  It came back two weeks ago actually but I've just this week caught up on it and I must say I missed it.  I love that show with my nerdy heart and soul.  Love it to the depths.  It's witty sarcastic and science-y.  What more could a girl want?
The worst thing I saw this week actually has to be Covert Affairs.  Not because it was bad.  It was actually pretty good, and I must say I absolutely adore the blind guy.  But I just wasn't immmmpressed.  I'm so used to the quality of White Collar, Psych (which I haven't kept up with but also absolutely adore when I catch it), and first and foremost Burn Notice.  I feel like it's good for summer when the pickin's are slim but that's all.  I haven't even decided if I'll tivo it or not...

Cory: Ok I also agree that this is a super idea but also hold no illusions about myself and know I will totally forget every week. OK BEST was all the eps of Friday Night Lights I caught up on this week. The show continues to amaze and is all heart. The best thing though is that all the stories are not only original but also extremely well acted. And if that is not enough for you one word girls: Riggins that is all you really need to say.
WORST hmm why I agree I was underwhlemed by Covert Affairs it was more because it is basically a vanilla Alias. My standards were just too high I think. And although I enjoy my lovely Housewives (I think it as more of a case study of crazyiness and it always makes me feel normal), I tihnk it had to be The Good Guys. I was looking forward to this show for the funny that only Colin Hanks can deliver but alas he does not. Oh well after giving it a few weeks it is off the old DVR.