NetGalley ARC | Slayers, Every One of Us: How One Girl in All the World Showed Us How to Hold On

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating | ⭐⭐

I will take some blame here, but only some. When I read the sub-title, I thought it meant us collectively, as fans of the show.

In reality it meant the two women writing the book, and that's not what I was expecting. Even reading the summary, I still thought it would be more general and the life lessons would be deeper and more meaningful.

I love Buffy. As in, full on OBSESSED, as a teenager. The very first episode I ever saw was "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" and I was a smitten kitten. I never missed an episode, even when it was a rerun, and own the original-awkward-menu-set-up DVDs for the entire show.

I don't want to give too much attention to the man who created the character, because he is awful, but it has to be acknowledged. I was DEVASTATED when reports started coming out about his behavior, but I could not let go of something I loved so much, for so long. When I listened to and read Sarah Michelle Gellar's statements about the show and its legacy, including: "I will always be proud of 'Buffy'...Was it an ideal working situation? Absolutely not. But it's okay to love 'Buffy' for what we created because I think it's pretty spectacular," I realized I didn't have to.

So when I saw this memoir I had to snatch it up, because Buffy IS spectacular. I don't even know how to accurately describe everything Buffy means to me. I thought this book could, and it did, but again for the two authors.

The book is described as, "A memoir reflecting on heartbreak, perseverance, and life lessons learned from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from the hosts of the hit podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer". I've never listened to the podcast, fyi.

Their marriage starts with an ultimatum: Kristin must watch the show, which is Jenny's favorite. They started from the beginning, along the way creating the podcast, finding massive success with it, then divorcing while also determined to keep their committment to their listeners/community even when they could no longer remain committed to each other. The book focused a lot on that aspect and how Buffy basically helped them through it.

I expected it to be about how it changed our lives, how we grew as a result of Buffy. It might seem like I am exaggerating, but this show CHANGED LIVES. It was so imperfect and magical and everything. College courses were offered FOR YEARS about the show. I can't even count the number of pop history AND deeply academic books written about Buffy and Angel. I own most of them.

Yet for everything we learned from the show, the strength we gained from these imperfect characters doing their best and also failing a lot of times, that area was surprisingly lacking. These so -called lessons barely scratched the surface.

I did not find their story particularly compelling, either. Despite my deeply intense love for the show, nothing in this book made me want to go listen to the podcast. Fans of Buffering will most likely be the ones to enjoy this, but as someone who is just going in as purely a fan of the show and unfamiliar with it, it's entirely possible they will feel the same way I did when I finished the book. As in...why did I read this?

Had the marketing for this book been more accurate, we wouldn't be here. But saying fans of Buffy will love this one is misleading; this is meant for a specific group of Buffy fans, those who also like/are familiar with the podcast.

I also feel like it also traded a lot on emphasizing the power of Buffy showcasing queer characters. It was kind of marketed on the premise of Buffy's influence in that area specifically of queer empowerment, but ultimately that's not what the book is about.

I would not recommend it to fans like me who love the show so much, but have never heard of Buffering the Vampire Slayer - unless you are interested in starting that. Those who already know of it and like it will probably  enjoy this.

Book Review | Heartbreak is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music

Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This surprisingly slim volume packs in a ton of information for Swifties and music fans in general. Rob Sheffield is one of the great music journalists of our time and is 100% a Swiftie. Those who love Taylor will enjoy the many Easter Eggs and jokes he drops along the way, as well as the whole catalog of knowledge he possesses, and music fans will enjoy his professionalism for this deep-dive into one of the greatest pop icons of all time.

Sheffield has been there from the very beginning, back when Taylor was just another young girl with her guitar and a dream, landing her first record deal in Nashville. He is Taylor's preferred journalist and he's had much more contact with her throughout her career than any other music journalist, period. He knows her work inside and out, and that knowledge is on full display here. With his unique perspective, he is able to chronicle Taylor's career and connect with fans in ways other journalists only dream of.

Taylor is at once both one of the most loved icons of all time, as well as the most heavily criticized. For the most die-hard fo fans, she can do no wrong. For the biggest haters, she can do no right. It's a battle that I don't think anyone is particularly intersted in winning, and that's fine. Like it or not, what Taylor has done for pop music, and music in general, will echo for generations to come.

One of my most favorite things Sheffield does is rank every single Taylor song, currently sitting at 274 entries. He updates the list with each new album and I highly recommend Swifties check it out if you haven't already. While I wildly disagree with some of his rankings, I love seeing what songs other Swifties love and hate. It's crazy how ten randon fans could come up with ten wildly different lists, but that's due in part to the many genres of music Taylor dabbles in - from country, to pop country, to pure synth pop, indie, back to pop, and more. She does it all.

While Swifties will catch many inside jokes and Easter Eggs, that should not dissuade a casual fan from picking this one up. It is a fantastic look at everything that makes Taylor, Taylor. He gets to the heart of the albums and eras, writes of specific songs and what they've meant to him at various stages of his life, and so much more.

Taylor has inspired two generations of young girls now (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) to pick up their pens (glitter gel, quill, and/or fountain - the three ways Taylor has categorized her own music) and guitars and write their own songs. When Eleanor had to stop dancing in the fall of 2023, she had been messing around with a hand-me-down accoustic from one of our cousins. Within a couple weeks, she was at a music school for guitar lessons, determined to learn every single Taylor song ("Our Song" was the first one and she nailed it within just a couple lessons). She's since expanded to take vocal lessons and a performance class, as well as recently adding drum lessons. I am so, so thankful to Taylor for inspiring this in her. Even as Eleanor discovers new artists that she loves even more, Taylor is where it all started.

Though it is obvious that Sheffield loves Taylor, he does not shy away from the times where she has made some serious errors in judgment, nor does he overlook her flaws. But, she's human just like the rest of us. Those issues along the way make her even more relatable, just as her songs do.

This book was not written simply to make a buck off of Taylor's name. In the end, this volume is a love letter - to Taylor, to Swifties, and to music.

Highly, highly recommended.

Book Review | Into the Taylor-Verse: Taylor Swift's Song-Writing Eras

Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This would be a great gift for the Swiftie in your life, or the new listener who wants to know more about one of the greatest music icons of all time.

The book gives an overview of both her life and her work, accompanied by illustrations from each era.

Time and again, those who are not fans are dismissive of her song-writing, claiming all Taylor writes about are her exes. This could not be further from the truth, and that's what makes her so universally appealing. Are there numerous break-up songs? Of course. But what artist doesn't use their personal life to make music? Taylor touches on so many more topics than that though, and this book showcases her talent beautifully. From Debut through Midnights, Taylor captures the feelings of growing up, young adulthood, and the real world - and all the highs and lows that come with each stage of life she's experienced thus far.

Beyond a detailed dive into Taylor's skills as a songwriter, the author looks at her discography as a whole (except for Tortured Poets, which must have come out after the book went through final editing or went to print?), the showmanship and creativity she pours into her tours and live performances, and so much more.

I'm not sure I can truly describe how much Taylor's music has impacted me. Prior to the Eras Tour, I only owned Fearless, which came out in 2008. But Eleanor was a massive fan and begged me to really listen to Taylor. I resisted for months, but finally gave in, and nothing has been the same since then. The emotion that Taylor puts into all her work is absolutely captivating. She can have me in tears as I scream-sing a song that has not been applicable to my life in twenty years. But that is her gift. She taps into these deep wells of emotion and truly heals, long after the cuts have scabbed over but never gone away.

Through her music, we see Taylor's personal growth as well and her development as a songwriter and performer. Her stories are universal, and that's why her music evokes such powerful responses from fans; she is just like us.

In addition to looking at the music, the author also drops in other content that I enjoyed. There's a playlist of songs that are not about exes, mini-bios of her beloved cats, and why the number thirteen matters so much in the Taylor-verse.

This was a thorough journey through Taylor's career, calling attention to the themes that flow from song to song, album to album. Each era is given its time to shine, from her beginnings as the darling of country music (she won her first Grammy awards for only her second album, Fearless - Best Female Country Vocal Performance, Best Country Album, Best Country Song [White Horse], and Album of the Year), through her complete genre shift and the dizzying heights she achieved with 1989 (one of the greatest pop albums of all time - and what's crazy is that it isn't even her best album), to her "comback" after disappearing in the aftermath and of Kim and Kanye's bullshit and lies, to her surprise Covid albums, to where she is now, the undisputed icon she is today.

Highly, highly recommended.

Book Review | Stars Around My Scars: The Annotated Poetry of Taylor Swift

Rating | ⭐⭐⭐1/2 

I really had to argue with myself about how to rate this one. The cover and the title are both so gorgeous, but there were some issues I can't ignore. Some of the annotations didn't fit with what we already know about the songs and the deep Taylor-lore that comes along with a nearly 20-year career. Some of the notes were also a bit of a stretch, but there was enough that made sense to keep me going.

The author does a deep dive into the poetry of Taylor Swift - at this point, let's call it what it is. She takes us line-by-line througha massive amount of songs - forty-six total, spanning all eleven albums. These songs are chosen carefully; they are among the most-loved and also the ones that cause Swifties the most grief in never-ending debates about the content and subject.

Each song is given its space to shine as the author takes us through the development and structure of each. The notes in the margins indicate literary references (TayTay LOVES literature. Check out this review on her many, many inspirations) and poetic techniques. Unfortunately poetry is not really my thing, so I had a crash-course in what some of the terms meant because certain ones were unfamiliar to me. She touches on the numerous easter eggs that we've come to know and love from Taylor, as well as cross-song connections and themes that flow from one song or album to the next.

Following the text of the song itself and notes, the author provides an in-depth analysis on the meaning and symbolism of each, and this is where I disagreed with some of the interpretations.

I loved the format, but felt the text was too small and the colors too light for those who may have issues with sight. Editing is one of my favorite things, so I loved the chaotic scribbles in the margins, the arrows connecting concepts, etc. I could see though how it would be overwhelming for some readers.

Overall, depsite some of the issues I found, I think this book is still of great value to Swifties - and weirdos like me who just love words. The text is impressive and the author clearly knows what she is talking about in terms of analysis of Taylor's songs as poetry. Taylor's work truly is deep and thoughtful in so many instances, and it is art. What she has created in the last twenty years is incredible and I am so eager to see what kind of album she will create next.

Highly recommended for Swifties, also recommeneded for those with open minds who want to see what the big deal is about Taylor's lyrical genius.

Book Review | Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, From Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets

Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't think non-fans truly understand the depth and complexity of the stories that Taylor tells through her music, or the recurring themes from album to album. This is probably the book I would recommend to those who are not fans, but don't hate her just to say they hate her. It breaks down so many literary references that Taylor brings to life, even ones that I missed because I was scream-singing or ugly crying to some of my most favorite songs.

One author is a lit prof and the other an actor in musical theatre, so each have their area of expertise and absolutely know what they are talking about. I always go into these Taylor books cautiously, because you never know what might end up just being a cash-grab with no real substance that rehashes basic entry-level info that any casual fan might know.

Luckily, that is not the case here.

Anyone who has a remote interest in literature will catch the numerous references to The Great Gatsby and Alice in Wonderland (beyond the obviously titled 'Wonderland' from 1989, one of the greatest pure synth pop albums of all time). However, Taylor is also inspired by the Romantics, Gothic fiction, Postmodernism, and more. She is Dr. Swift after all (has an honorary PhD from NYU), so Taylor knows her stuff.

While Feder is a lit professor, the book remains an easier read and explains things in an academic way without being too dense. This is definitely important for younger readers and those who are not super familiar with literary eras but want to know how those informed Taylor's eras.

I am torn on the book's organization, which is why I rated four stars instead of five. The authors chose to go chronologically, which makes sense because then over time you see how themes developed and which references she continued to draw on. The downside to this is that there is some repetition from album to album, which would have made grouping songs thematically make more sense. But then the reader would miss out on the chronilogical growth, so really there are pros and cons to each.

Each album is accompanied by a reading list, which I found really cool. I like that the authors really dug into authors of each era and did not recommend titles or authors that many might already know. Of course we get Shakespeare and Greek mythology, but there is so much more that they offer up that keep with the themes Taylor was exploring on a particular album. The authors also did the reverse, offering playlists of Taylor's songs that matched up with different novels. The attention to detail and type of information offered here truly is far-reaching.

Highly recommended.

Author Gift | Expletives Not Deleted

I received free digital and physical ARCs and final copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The first thing I must do is apologize to you, Mr. Acord, for not getting this review posted in anything that could be remotely considered timely. I enjoy your work and devoured the book quickly. But reviews have been harder for me the last couple years and what I have posted, has been practically forcing myself to sit down at gun-point and write, instead of just reading, reading, reading.

In 2020 I read Acord's first book, Sub-lebrity: The Queer Life of a Show-Biz footnote and absolutely LOVED it. you can find my review HERE. Acord's writing style makes you feel like you're having a conversation with him. You could be best friends, chatting over dinner, getting drinks after a show, anything. I liked the book so much, I went and found his web series Old Dogs & New Tricks. It's fantastic as well.

I was so excited then when Acord offered advanced copies of his new book (in 2023. I'm a terrible person). He is a talented writer, witty and clever. All of the characteristics I loved in the first book were here as well, which makes for another fantastic book that is a must-read.

So, where to begin, but at the beginning? Acord tells us from the start, "I've been trying very hard lately to not become a grumpy old queen. I fear I am not being entirely successful."

There are plenty of things Acord was annoyed about when he penned this one, and it's likely he's still annoyed with those things, because some are even worse now. He touches on a variety of topics in this eclectic collections of essays. We get the heavy ones, like racism, cancel culture/culture wars, maga/the idiot-in-chief, and more. But he leaves plenty of room for lighter pieces as well, and it is a testament to his writing skills that he is successful with both. I know that no matter what topic Acord is tackling, he will be unflinchingly honest, and that kind of honesty is a breath of fresh air these days.

As in his first book, Acord takes us back to life in Indiana as he was growing up. I especially enjoyed his essay, "Am I a 'They'?" as he thinks back to his preferences in childhood for horses, books, and Barbies instead of GI Joe and cops and robbers. He concludes that he may actually be a They after all, but has reached the point in his life where he might just be "a bit too old to make a radical lifestyle change now" (page 150).

Acord also keeps us in the present as well, in the essays about cancel culture, facebook, and all this exhausting racist reactionary bullshit that followed President Obama's election as our first Black president. These essays are timely and hit the nail on the head each time. Acord is intelligent and concise without being preach-y. And as I said before, always, always honest.

Highly, highly recommended.

Book Review | Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras

Rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is stunning.

Whether you're a fan of Taylor or not, this book is gorgeous and those who enjoy reading about fashion may very well like it as well.

I was unfamiliar with the author prior to reading this one; she has been blogging about Taylor's fashion ensembles for over a decade and has a massive following.

Here she not only details the designers who dress Taylor, but provides commentary and analysis on signature looks, daily wear, and concert costumes. She documents Taylor's entire career, from the cowboy boots and dresses of Taylor's early days, to the dazzling choices she displays on red carpets.

Understanding Taylor's clothing choices play a huge role in the narrative of each era. Nothing Taylor does is accidental. Fans know that ANYTHING can be an easter egg and she truly is a Mastermind. Taylor herself has said she typically has things planned two years in advance, so much of what she is showing us now even as she enjoys well-deserved time off after the greatest tour in music history could indicate what is to come.

The author dives into the specifics of each album, detailing a selection of looks that Taylor wore in that particular era. The author connects various outfits to certain songs and lyrics, and why she thinks Taylor and her stylist chose certain pieces. The commentary is subjective of course, but much of the analysis makes sense. The chapter dedicated to what the author calls 'bloopers' is a perfect example - outfits she personally did not think worked for Taylor.

It's almost impossible to not recognize these looks, even if one is not a fan. Through over 200 photos, I found I recognized most of them, despite being a newer fan. I loved seeing the evolution of Taylor's style from her start in Nashville to now being literally the most famous woman on the planet.

Despite being 'unauthorized', I don't feel lke this book was just a chas-grab, unlike much of the other nonsense currently being published. It is clear from start to finish that the author is a fan who loves Taylor so much. Her dedication is apparent throughout, because she is one of us.

Highly recommended.

Book Review | Taylor Swift Is Life: A Superfan’s Guide to All Things We Love About Taylor Swift

Rating | ⭐⭐

Continuing with my celebration of Taylor finally owning her life's work, here is one book you can absolutely skip. Giving it two stars was extremely generous.

The first issue is that the author clearly is not even a Taylor Swift fan. That would be fine if the author wrote factual and correct information, but she didn't. If she were, there's no way she would have made such massive, glaring errors throughout the entire book. In looking at her other writing, this is actually from a whole series about several artists - Harry, Gaga, Rhianna, etc. It reads like the author went through other books about Taylor, looked at Swiftie TikTok accounts, rounded up more info on Twitter, and STILL managed to get a lot wrong.

Secondly, Taylor would absolutely HATE the cover. She opened up about her eating disorder in the 1989-days, and the choice for the cover image is a supremely emaciated, elongated version of Taylor? Gross. Like, Taylor is tall, but not that tall. And she's healthy, not stick-thin with no muscle.

Now for the content. It will be easiest to just bullet point all the ways this book got everything SO, SO wrong.

• Author states that Red only references Jake and Conor. No Harry? Are you kidding me? Some of the best songs on the album are about Mr. Harry Styles (The Very First Night, Trecherous, Come Back...Be Here, Run, Begin Again, I Almost Do, Everything Has Changed, and obviously I Knew You Were Trouble).

• Song titles in the wrong sections for whatever she was talking about

• About folkore, the author says the love triange is between Betty, Inez, and James and he cheats on Betty with Inez. NO. Inez is the only who likes to gossip. He cheats with Augusta/Augustine.

• The song is called You're on Your Own, Kid, NOT You're on Your Own Now, Kid.

• Book claimed to include all eras, but did not include The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology. TTPD dropped at midnight on April 19th, 2024 and The Anthology dropped two hours later. It's a double album, 31 amazing songs. The book was published way after the albums came out, so why exclude some of the best songs she's ever written?

• There's a section called 'Who's the Muse' and man, did she fuck this up, too. The author says Jake, John, and Calvin can breathe a sigh of relief for not being referenced on TTPD (and Calvin can, but he's the only one. She literally wrote a song about him for Lover called 'I Forgot That You Existed'). Yet anyone who has half a brain can listen to this amazing collection of songs and realize that it is Taylor looking back on her entire career, all of those relationships, friendships, situations, and people. Almost everyone is included here somehow - Jake/John, Harry, Kim and Kanye, Joe, and even Ratty fucking Healy. To reduce this album to a break-up album only about Joe is incredibly insulting.

• The color theme for folklore is gray, not brown.

Quite simply, there are way better books about Taylor Swift and her music. In-depth break-downs of literary references, her work as poetry, etc. This is a cash-grab by an author who probably doesn't know much about ANY of the musicians she writes about.

Not recommended.

Book Review | The ERAS Tour Book

Rating | All the stars forever and ever and ever

Eleanor and I were lucky enough to attend The ERAS Tour twice - in June of 2023 (Minneapolis N1) and November of 2024 (Indianapolis N2). It was pure magic and I miss it so much. I miss making and trading friendship bracelets, I miss watching grainey and laggy TikTok livestreams "with" my cousin as we shout at each other via text, I miss eagerly awaiting the surprise songs, I even miss the post-concert come-down and exhaustion.

TikTok is full of Taylor fans lamenting the fact that it has been MONTHS since anyone asked us if we know the lyrics to this bridge (Cruel Summer), if we're ready to go back to high school (Fearless set), if we have ten minutes to spare (All Too Well Taylor's Version Ten-Minute Version From the Vault), or if we have one more song to give (Karma, the very last song of the three hour and 15 minute show).

This book was the perfect way to relive all of it.

Captured within these 250+ pages are personal reflections written by Taylor, hundreds of photos from every Era, plus rehearsal photos, design and costume sketches, costume/instrument/equipment photos, and so much more.

Like it or not, Barbara Walters was not lying in 2014 when she said, "Taylor Swift IS the music industry." That was eleven years ago when 1989 came out and Taylor is bigger than ever. 1989 marked Taylor's complete genre-shift that went from country to pop-country to full-on pop. The album is one of the greatest pure synth pop albums of all time, and what's crazy is that it's not even Taylor's best album. There is no one who comes even close to doing what she does.

I was late to the party, not going to lie. I bought Fearless back in 2008, but was not a Swiftie by any means. For a while there she even annoyed me, and I don't have a particularly good reason why. But Eleanor was hooked and she begged me for MONTHS to listen to Taylor. I refused, despite having liked 1989 when it came out, but not really listening to anything else by her in those following years. But seeing how sad my girl was when the tour sold out so fast was hard.

So, we went through it all to get tickets. The shows had long-since sold out when I came to the realization that Taylor's music is fantastic, so StubHub was the next stop. I snagged what I thought were pricey tickets at the time ($450 a piece and worth every penny) and off we went to Minneapolis Night 1.

THEN TayTay announced MORE US dates. My cousin and I both tried for presale, because why not? We wouldn't go if we didn't get presale, because resale tickets would be astronomical this time around. (Resale tickets in our section at the top level were going for $2500. We paid $140 for face value. Don't ever let anyone tell you that it was Taylor who made the tickets so expensive). 

Neither of us expected to get a code, but I did. So in August of 2023, sitting in a first-teacher-day of the school year meeting, my phone was clutched tightly in my hand as I watched the minutes tick by until the sale began. My friends couldn't stop laughing at me as my knee bounced nervously, watching me continue to look back and forth from my phone, to the principal, to the clock on the wall, over and over. With minutes to spare we were released for lunch and I bolted outside as fast as I could to make sure that the cement walls of our building would not be the reason my connection lagged or kicked me out of the queue.

But I did it, I got the tickets, and off we went to Indianapolis fourteen months later.

My mom drove my cousin from Minnesota, and I spent mannnnny hours in the car with two eleven year olds. Eleanor's BFF had never been to a concert EVER, and I loved being part of that experience for her. Back when the Eras Tour movie was released, we'd gone a couple times to the drive-in to see it. The first time we did, Eleanor's BFF looked at me with wide eyes during the opening set of Lover and asked, "This is what we're going to see???" Magical is the only way to describe it.

Highly, highly recommended for the Swiftie in your life.

Book Review | Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt's Creek

 

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This will be less of a review and more akin to posts I write about Dan Jones's books.

You know, the big fan-girlie ones.

Because I fucking love this show as much as I love Buffy and Friends. If you've been around for any amount of time, you know that my love for those two shows is quite off the charts. (I once faked being sick just to stay home and listen to a 10 minute morning radio interview with David Boreanaz when I was in high school. When my mom got home from work she rolled her eyes at me and said she knew I wasn't sick and that I should've just straight-out told her why I wanted to stay home becase she would have let me either way.)

I was late to the game, but when I finally started watching, I could not stop. I was hooked from that first moment - seeing their lives turned completely upside down, yet still having the emotional energy to incredulously ask Johnny why on earth he actually purchased a town as a joke for David's birthday one year. Johnny could not understand why it was so confusing for them. I about died laughing and knew I would love this show forever from that moment.

I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the town and everything Dan and Eugene were creating. I let Eleanor start watching the show (much like with Buffy, there is some censoring here and there) and she also finds it hilarious. We have a keychain set, one saying Best Wishes (mine) and the other saying Warmest Regards (hers) that we each carry, and it is even how we sometimes bid each other good-bye. We planned to dress as David (me) and Alexis (her) for Halloween this year, until we unfortunately remembered she had to be at her father's house. Next year though, it is ON.

This book is exactly everything you would want as a perfect book-end to one of the smartest, funniest, sweet, hopeful shows ever created. To hear directly from the actors and actresses who brought the characters and the town to life, was almost like sitting and having conversations with them. To see photos from behind the scenes, to see how close they were as a cast, was also wonderful.

I especially appreciated the pages dedicated to Moira's ensembles. I laughed as I remembered specific scenes that paired with the variety of outfits. And we cannot forget the wigs as well. The same was done for David's sweaters. Oh, how I love his sweaters, so so much. (When we do get to dress as them for Halloween, Eleanor and I decided I will be wearing the lightening bolt one.)

One thing I especially appreciated was getting to the heart of the family, particularly when discussing the relationships between David and Moira, Alexis and Moira, and David and Alexis. This is not to diminish Johnny Rose in any way, he is certainly the rock and most level-headed member of the family (most of the time, especially early on). But exploring those three relationships in particular was really important. In "Finding David", the season two premier. Seeing how they chose to mirror David and Moira through their choice of clothing, and how clothing in general was a major way of communicating for the entire six seasons, was important. Until looking back at the stills included in the book, I did not take much notice of how much David and Moira were dressed alike and what that meant.

As for the other two relationships I mentioned, there is discussion around those as well, specifically as the show goes on and Alexis keeps giving Moira these chances to be the mom Moira already thought she was in her own mind. That culminates in the finale of season three, and if you have not seen it yet, I will not spoil it. But I was very touched by the book when Annie Murphy says that in that scene, it is not Alexis smiling but Annie herself, in awe and admiration of Catherine O'Hara.

David and Alexis also have quite the complicated relationship at times, but they always come through for each other when it really matters. I always found it so funny when they would have these big blow-ups, especially early on - like the first episode of the show when they are arguing about who can get murdered first when fighting over who will sleep in which bed (one of my fave scenes ever), after getting into a fight outside telling each other to shut up (another fave scene and one that Eleanor and re-enact often because it makes us laugh).

A point the book really drives home is that they really never had the chance to do this as kids, to have arguments like this, because they didn't really grow up together, what with the boarding schools and all. So, when we see them act like petulant children toward one another, it's because in that way their relationship was kind of stunted and now suddenly they are stuck together in this tiny room for the foreseeable future.

There is so much more here and I could go on forever, both about the book and the show. I loved watching the family grow as individuals and together, to see how their outlooks on life change as they become part of the town that they hated so much when they first arrived.

Best Wishes, Warmest Regards is a must-own for any fan of the show and I can not recommend it highly enough.

Quick Thoughts | Titanic and the Making of James Cameron

Rating ⭐⭐⭐

The author is kind of a toad who REALLY doesn't like DiCaprio at all, or Hollywood much either it seems. The fifteen year old in me wants to fight her.

The adult in me recognizes this is decent work otherwise, detailing Cameron's passion for underwater exploration, telling the story right, and doing it well.

Publicist Gift | The Greatest Hoax on Earth: Catching Truth, While We Can

 

I received a free physical copy of this book from Emily Keough (publicist) in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Just to get this out of the way, the cover is weird and I don't like it.

I know Abagnale's "story" - his version anyway - for the most part, though I might be the only person left on the planet who has not actually seen the movie (surprising, considering the fact that we are talking about Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks here, my two fave actors of all time). Honestly, the story just did not interest much, though I think I have Abagnale's book on my Kindle, possibly.

This story, however, the story about the story, is HIGHLY addicting.

Here the author has pieced together what ACTUALLY happened in all the years Abagnale was supposedly such a charming con man who never hurt a single person, so he claimed. He's given a voice to those who were hurt, who suffered financially at the hands of a guy who likes to say he is the greatest con man the world has ever seen. Turns out, he's not. What he is though, is a big fat liar. About EVERYTHING.

For decades Abagnale has been leading this life in which he claims to have been a doctor, an attorney, and pilot, and more. He makes his living now by giving lectures and basically explaining to companies how to not get duped by guys like him. Except that in itself is all a con, because almost certainly most of it did not happen the way he claimed. There are likely bits of truth here and there, and the book still leaves some questions unanswered, but overall it is a big fat nope on the truth scale.

One of the most important points I took away from this book is that these were not the victimless crimes that Abagnale has always claimed. He has maintained that he never stole from small companies or individuals, and that he has paid everyone back. Yet this is proven false in multiple instances when the author uncovers victim after victim, people who trusted Abagnale.

The Parks family in particular is key to unraveling the truth and separating fact from fiction. Paula Parks was a lifhgt attendant for Delta in 1969 when she met Abagnale basically because he stalked her, claiming to be a pilot. He charmed his way into her life and the lives of her family members, moving in with her parents and sleeping in her old room. Outward appearances showed him spoiling her parents constantly with gifts and dinners - all paid for by the money he was stealing from them. Mark Zinder is another key figure in tearing away the curtain. He was Abagnale's booking agent in the 70s and 80s, and had a front row seat to many of the shenanigans - and had plenty of stories to share on Abagnale's darker side.

The author makes fantastic use of all kinds of records - proof that Abagnale's cons are what the actual con is here. Court records show that he could not have done some the things he claimed, because he was already in jail for far less glamorous charges. That alone is all the proof I need to see through the bullshit. There's more, however. So much more.

More written records in the form of multiple exposes written at the time are discussed and those are just as damning. Many journalists were skeptical of Abagnale's claims then, and did plenty of investigating of their own to expose his lies. Yet for some reason, their findings failed to gain traction and Abagnale only rose higher and higher. The obvious cause for this is the way information was disseminated at the time. Long before the Internet became a thing, Abagnale was free to peddle his nonsense and his wider audience was none the wiser. This part is the most frustrating for me. He's on Johnny Carson how many times, and no one from the show looked through newspaper accounts from across the country? The journalists who wrote the stories pushed to make their work known, but it seems like people would rather have believed Abagnale and his complete fabrications.

The most frustrating thing now though, is the fact that people STILL believe his stories. Nearly all of his claims have been disproven and here we are, still at a place where many who have read the book and/or seen the movie believe what he is selling. It is beyond absurd.

I found the sections that delved in Abagnale's family to be of high interest. His parents divorced and he ran off. He was arrested for a slew of petty crimes in NYC on many occasions and was almost always placed back into the custody of his parents. It is especially telling that his parents believed him to be mentally ill. They believed he needed psychiatric help to confront the causes of his compulsion to forge checks and steal credit cards. If that had ever happened, perhaps none of Abagnale's victims would have ever crossed paths.

What I don't understand is how this has gone on for so long. Abagnale is still a security consultant and makes his living pushing this story that has been shown time and again to be false. Yet, he has never been charged for any crimes in this deception. How is this possible? He has claimed to have worked for the FBI as a consultant because he was just so fantastic at forging checks. This has been proven false. Yet Abagnale has not been arrested or charged with the crime of impersonating a government employee. That's kind of a big deal, something like three to five years in prison if found guilty? And it's not like the FBI doesn't know who he is or what he's doing still, to this day. Every FBI agent contacted about this say they never knew or worked with him. Abagnale claims that everyone denies knowing him because they are all so embarrassed to have been duped by him as a teenager. Why has the FBI never come out and formally said this is not true? Why have none of the places he has claimed to have worked (hospitals, airlines, city governments) not come out and announced that it is all lies? And what about the companies who pay him for his supposed security expertise? I would be demanding my money back and taking him to court over it.

Those questions are ultimately left unanswered and the only reason I rated the book four stars instead of five. This still makes for a compelling read that I highly, highly recommend - regardless of your familiarity with the supposed exploits.

Book Review | Conan Doyle for the Defense: A Sensational British Murder, the Quest for Justice, and the World's Greatest Detective Writer

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In 1908 Marion Cilchrist was murdered in her home; a rather unlikable woman but white, Christian, wealthy, and elderly, so the crime must be solved with the utmost speed - accuracy be damned.

With very little investigating actually going on, the police set their sights on Oscar Slater. Slater was an immigrant and Jewish, so naturally the prime suspect. The book is really commentary on the bigotry of the times (which we know still exists today), and there are many layers to the story on top of it being an excellent historical true crime drama. Slater was the perfect suspect - he made a living as a gambler who lived with a prostitute and may himself run some sort of brothel (which he denied). The one piece of evidence the police had against him was  a pawn ticket for a brooch that somewhat matched the description of one stolen from Gilchrist's home during her murder. Slight problem - the pawn ticket was written up a few weeks before the murder. But never mind actual facts; the police continued on their way, railroading Slater by coaching witnesses to identify him, despite the fact he did not remotely fit the descriptions given of the man seen lingering around Gilchrist's home. Even though Slater was clearly innocent, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. A stay of execution was granted and instead Slater found himself on his way to Peterhead Prison for a life of hard labor.

Arthur Conan Doyle took great interest in the case, unsurprisingly but did not actually become involved in solving it until he received a smuggled message from Slater in 1925 - by then Slater had been in prison for nearly twenty years. Still, Conan Doyle saw the gross miscarriage of justice and got to work right away, using the very same methods as his famous protagonist to attempt to solve the murder - and if not solve it, then at least prove Slater's innocence. Conan Doyle was relentless in his pursuit, pouring over every last bit of documentation he could get his hands on - trial transcripts, witness statements, even newspaper accounts. He worked tirelessly to note all the inconsistencies he found, and there were plenty. In the end, he was finally able to win Slater his freedom and the man was released in 1927.

The social commentary here is just a crucial as the crime and trial, because they are wholly intertwined. Slater was a German immigrant and Jewish, so he was someone to be feared. No matter that he was well-traveled and spoke English well, he was still of a lower class and thus had to be a criminal. Even Slater's champion had a rather low opinion of him to start with, referring to him as a blackguard at one point. Even so, Conan Doyle was also a champion of justice reform and his work is the only reason Slater saw freedom once again. Unfortunately Slater did not seem terribly grateful to Conan Doyle and a very public spat made him all the more unsympathetic, even to those who recognized he was innocent, after Conan Doyle's hard work in getting Slater's sentence overturned.

This is an engaging read that I could not put down. Highly recommended.

Book Review | Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I never watched Glee, not a single full episode. While I thought the premise was interesting, I could not stand Lea Michelle, and quickly abandoned any ideas I previously had about watching. Even so, it is still hard to escape Glee-related news even after the show ended. Cory Monteith's death due to an overdose, Mark Salling being a disgusting fucking excuse for a human being and then committing suicide, and then Naya Rivera, the victim of a tragic accident when she drowned in early July during an excursion with her young son.

I can not explain why, but I was immediately drawn in as word spread quickly that she was missing. I think partly this was due to the fact that I have a young child myself (though a couple years older than her son) and I could never imagine a scenario when I would leave Eleanor alone on a pontoon in the middle of a lake. From the very start I wanted to be optimistic, but as a mom I just knew in my heart that something terrible had happened.

I read thread after thread of fans sharing their favorite scenes from Glee, and watched clip after clip after clip. The one that really hit me though, was her rendition of "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry - and I have no doubt I am not the only person struck by this performance. Rivera's character Santana sang this song for Finn Hudson, the character played by Cory Monteith. It was such a haunting performance, her voice so pure and filled with grief. The first time I saw it, I started bawling by eyes out, while at the same time completely confused as to why. This was a celebrity who I had very little knowledge of, and I don't say this to sound crass or uncaring, I just mean that I anticipated a reaction much like others I had to celebrities who I was only vaguely familiar with - prayers for their families. I had no emotional attachment to this actress or show.

Yet there I was, sobbing as she sang. And I think it all comes back to that common denominator we have: we are mothers who love our babies so fiercely that we are willing to lie, steal, cheat, kill, or die for them. In Rivera's case, it appears that is exactly what happened, she gave her life for her son's. We will never know for sure, but I think it is safe to say that it is the most likely scenario.

I decided to read Rivera's memoir to get to know her, this person who had suddenly brought out these huge emotions in me, who I did not know at all. I've watched tons of clips by now of her being amazing as Santana Lopez, and have never laughed harder than at some of her quips - often at the expense of Lea Michelle's character, which I am always down for.

What struck me throughout was the completely candid way Rivera spoke of her life, her career, her mistakes, her choices both good and bad. She owns everything, and knows there were plenty of times she messed up, but also plenty of times where she took responsibility and forged her path. She's confident and to some that will probably come across as arrogant, which could be off-putting but I found it refreshing. It's clear she was an immensely talented person and the world has been robbed of that talent.

I appreciated that this was not just a gossip-fest, and that Rivera gave ample attention to all stages of her career, not just Glee. I had no idea before this that she had been a successful child actor who had appeared on several shows, including Fresh Prince and Family Matters. But after that, roles started to disappear and by the age of eleven, Rivera was dealing with going back to being a regular kid - something she had absolute zero interest in. She did continue to go on additions, but nothing came of those. As she grew up Rivera details all of the jobs she knew she did not want, and what it was like to have lived her dream, knowing it was still out there, but potentially giving up for good. Her role on Glee almost didn't happen, because she was ready to call it quite for good. Her mom convinced her to wait it out a little longer, and the rest is history.

Rivera does not shy away from some very serious, painful topics. She is open and honest about her decision to have an abortion, which I think is commendable. No one has the right to judge a woman for making this decision, and I appreciate that Rivera opened herself up to criticism and makes no apologies to those who might look down on her decision. Rivera also discusses her identity as a biracial person, and how she felt that she did not fit in as a result. She also outlines her struggle with an eating disorder and how that impacted her for a long time.

Though I had only limited knowledge of Monteith, I found the section devoted to him incredibly moving. It is clear the two were close and that his death impacted her greatly. Learning about their friendship made the clip of her singing "If I Die Young" all the more heartbreaking.

For those like myself who at first did not understand the big deal about Glee, and Naya Rivera in particular on the show, the book helped - as did the many fan tributes that poured in during the search for Rivera, and after the recovery of her body. Sanata Lopez might have been the supremely confident, vicious cheerleader, but she was also so much more than that to so many viewers. She was among the first to portray a Latinx teenager who was also queer. This representation is absolutely critical to those who so often feel invisible. The journey Santana went on to become who she truly was, and to be able to declare openly and without fear that she was a lesbian, this was huge. And Rivera played the part stunningly. She was witty and scathing and took no shit from anyone. She was confident and talented, much like Rivera was in life, and will be remembered as such in death.

One of the things that also brought me to tears as I read were the many instances where Rivera referred to something in the future. It was so heartbreaking to know that just four short years ago when the book came out, she had these ideas and plans, which will never come to be. She talked about having more children, her (ex, as of 2018) husband, and all that entails and I could not help but tear up, thinking again of her son out there alone on the lake, terrified, having no idea what was going on.

Page 235: When I started writing this book, I knew I didn't want it to be the kind of book everyone was expecting me to write, which was a trashy tell-all that talked a whole bunch of shit - I'll write that book when I'm 85 and just don't give a fuck anymore.

Page 171: Getting a second chance at parenthood with the person I was always meant to be a parent with...

Page 148: "Years from now, when I'm still married and Ryan and I have all these kids and grandkids running around, I can sit back and think, "Yeah, I lived. I really lived."

Recommended for pop culture/Hollywood fans who especially appreciate a strong, badass female.

Book Review | SUB-LEBRITY *The Queer Life of a Show-Biz Footnote

I received a free physical copy of this book from the author, Mr. Leon Acord, in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The very first best thing that the author did was use and reference footnotes EVEN IN THE TITLE. As Matthew Lewis can tell you, I ADORE footnotes. That it just one more quirk in my nerdy little history brain. Why have just enough information, when you could have ALL OF IT? Seriously, I probably need help. But I love footnotes, so Leon and I were already off to a great start.

The author contacted me via Facebook and asked if I would care to review the book, and I knew right away this one was for me, for a few reasons:

• I love salacious gossip and drama (just you wait until you find out what a psycho sweet little Cindy Brady is)
• footnotes, already mentioned
• I dig stories about Hollywood NOT related to gossip, but to the inner-workings as well; not just the finished product but the behind-the-scenes work that goes into getting to the finished product
• I know and dearly love many fabulous men, and I am glad that we are living in a time when these men are finally allowed to be their fabulous selves without (nearly as much) fear as in earlier decades

This book is mostly hilarious, which I appreciated (seriously, she's a fucking psycho) - and a little gross, which I did not (STDs are yucky. Don't get them.)

Even though this was a quick read for me and I breezed through it within a couple days, that doesn't mean there was no content. It got stunningly deep at times, but also beautifully shallow at others and a good memoir needs both of those things, as well as everything in between. Acord is a gifted writer and for much of the book it felt like we were chatting over drinks (something I would LOVE in real life because I think Leon Acord and I could be BFFs and it would be A-MAY-ZING). He is unflinchingly honest about his highs and lows, and that is refreshing. It is not in a manipulative or "poor me" kind of way. It is matter-of-fact, this is what happened, this is what I learned, this is how I grew from that.

I mentioned previously that I love the inner-workings of Hollywood, not just the gossip parts and the red-carpet premiers, etc. There's a reason Ari and Eric were my faves on Entourage: they're the ones who got shit done. Vin had to show up, look pretty, deliver his lines, but especially early on, Ari and Eric were in charge. So, seeing all the hard work that Acord put into these projects he cared about, these labors of love, was one of the high points for me. Fundraising is awful. I hate it and it is embarrassing to basically ask people for money (which I am basically currently doing anyway, because my sweet little ballerina made one of the competition teams at her dance studio and it is expensive as hell. But she loves it and one way or another, I will find the money for it). But, it is also what you do when you love something and believe in it, and that's exactly what Acord did. I also found so many of the behind-the-scenes goings-on interesting - again not the gossipy stuff always, but just how you have to work together, interact professionally even when you are fed up with each other, and how to just completely blow your top off when YOU. HAVE. HAD. IT. There is a time and a place for everything, especially when telling off a director who just doesn't GET IT.

Acord's story does not pick up right in Hollywood though. We are first taken to his childhood in Indiana and his youth reads much like the tales of my friends who also grew up gay in the Midwest. Some are out fully and happily now, some are out but everyone who is uncomfortable with it pretends they're not, and some still have not found the right time for themselves. I can't imagine worse places growing up gay than the Midwest, except the South I guess. Ugh, half our country just sucks at being good people #SorryNotSorry

Going along for the ride was at times exhausting. There is so much rejection one has to deal with when trying to make it in show business. I don't know if I could handle that over and over, but that's the nature of the game and Acord comes through it shining because he did the things he wanted to do and developed the projects he wanted, found the funding, and brought them to life. I had previously seen ads or references to Old Dogs & New Tricks on Amazon but not watched it yet. For the life of me, I don't know why because now having viewed the first few episodes I am hooked, and only stopped watching to knock this review out of the way so I can get back to it. The show is wonderful. It is honest and heartfelt, clever and witty. It was also really cool just to see Acord shine on the screen after having read the memoir and recounting how it all came to be. So much about the show just flows so smoothly, I really like it.

I often found myself laughing and crying as I read of Acord's journey. He is so passionate, and honest, and hard-working, and compassionate, and engaging. He is someone you absolutely want to hang out with because he makes you feel like you belong. I also got pretty angry too, in reading specifically about the issue with Cindy Brady (I can't even remember her real name, not that it matters here) and her trash followers. The whole show was such a bullshit set-up anyway, and Acord was a much kinder person than I would have been, even posing for a photo before leaving. I would have straight up left, knocking shit over. But again, I am not a very nice person. Long story short, she's a terrible person and sent him all kinds of hateful shitty messages and so did some of her "fans" and fuck all, he was way calmer than I could have ever hoped to be. But, we do have to remember that trumplethinskin supports don't logic very well, so there's that hurdle also. Google the story, I'm sure her horrendous Facebook messages are out there online for people to see. What a wench.

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I stayed up later than I should have, for "just one more story" which then became "just one more chapter". The writing is clever and engaging, and Acord is not afraid to lay it all out there, all the good and bad. I think there are so many great messages to take from this book: going after what you want, while staying true to yourself. Maybe where you end up is somewhere completely different than you thought you'd be, but if you find yourself happy with that, then it is all okay. There will be detours and road blocks, but finding the solution to going under, around, over, or through is worth it when you are chasing your dreams.

Highly recommended.

Book Review | Slimed! An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden Age

Rating ⭐

I am 100% the audience for this book. I lived for SNICK especially (Saturday Night Nickelodeon) with Roundhouse, Rugrats, Clarissa Explains It All and OF COURSE Are You Afraid of the Dark? Not to mention the wider variety of shows offered throughout the week - GUTS, Legends of the Hidden Temple, You Can't Do That on Television!, Hey, Dude, Salute Your Shorts, Wild and Crazy Kids, Double Dare, and so many more. I loved this network, turned it on as soon as I got home from school every day, and spent a good amount of time with it on Saturday nights. That is why it is so painful for me to only give this book one star. Full disclosure: I was actually going to give it two stars, but then I discovered the author is a racist piece of shit, so one it is.

When I finished this book I was utterly confused. See, the "author" (and I use that term loosely because he's a shitty person), compiled all these answers from people, which is exactly what an oral history is. He got that part right. BUT, then he goes and fucks it all up by putting no identifiers with any of the interviewees AT ALL. The reader is just expected to know so-and-so was a writer for this show, this person was a voice actor for that show, this person was the animator for that project, etc. Literally, just their names.

There is also zero organization at all. Instead of going in chronological order, or by show, the material is thrown together by question/topic. So you have a bunch of people from a bunch of different shows, sharing their experiences, which may or may not mesh with the experiences of others on the same show, and you are constantly flipping to the back of the book to figure out who is talking and what show they were even on, or wrote for, or directed, or whatever.

Then I went over to Goodreads to post a quick blurb about my thoughts and I noticed a review that linked to an interview the author gave. I read it and it was so ridiculous and horrible. Basically, he thinks diversity is bad and sometimes white dudes really are just the best at whatever it is that needs to be done. White is the standard and the only time you would need diversity is for a plot point. Otherwise casts should just be white. He says the women over at the channel are obsessed with diversity and that's the only reason the shows have characters of various backgrounds. Seriously? Fuck off into the sun.

I wanted a nostalgic trip down memory lane and I sort of got that, with the actors I knew. But everything else ran together like a jumbled mess. And the author is a shitty person. This era of Nickelodeon deserves SO MUCH BETTER.