Review Bomb | The Best Kind of Reality Shows

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you are unfamiliar with this first show, allow me to give a little background. Ghost Hunters (not to be confused with the trash that is Ghost Adventures, don't even get me started) came to be because of Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. They founded T.A.P.S. - The Atlantic Paranormal Society and conducted investigations on public properties and in private residences at the request of the owners, and filmed many such investigations. Something I have always appreciated about this team is that they did not go into every case assuming the activity was paranormal. It was their priority to first make their clients feel safe - especially if they were investigating a private residence where there were children involved. The team would debunk everything they could, and even if they could not explain something away, they still hesitated to call it paranormal more often than not. Unfortunately the team is no longer together and only bits and pieces of info are available here and there. Though, I think it is quite telling that Grant Wilson is using the Ghost Hunters show title with a completely new team, while Jason Hawes, Dave Tango, and Steve Gonsalves have gone on to create a new show called Ghost Nation. Tango and Gonsalves were also on the original Ghost Hunters (and are hilarious; great comic relief!).

I liked this trip down memory lane for two reasons, first being that it included cases I loved that aired on television, second being that it included cases that occurred before the series began and so were brand new to me.

Some of my most favorite investigations were here, which was delightful. If you can catch a rerun of the St. Augustine Lighthouse, DO IT. If that episode does not make you believe in the paranormal, that at least there is SOMETHING out there, nothing will. The same could be said for their investigation of the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.

Side Note: The Stanley is DEFINITELY haunted. I don't want to make this post any longer than it is already going to be, but Eleanor's dad and I stayed there on a trip eight years ago. We did one of the ghost tours, and then investigated on our own after that was done. We heard the children up on the 4th floor say hello after Chase asked if there was anyone there who wanted to play a game of hide and seek. As we left that hallway I heard the sound behind me of a hand dragging along the wall; every time I stopped, it stopped a moment later. I also got a photo where you can see the outline of a child in the reflection off the patio door. Additionally, both Chase and I are incredibly heavy sleepers, but both nights I was woken up by sound coming from the room above us, of what sounded like furniture or something being dragged across a hardwood floor, and of very loud stomping around in what sounded like boots or some other thick-soled show. When I asked at the front desk the morning of check-out, I was informed that when the hotel was the private residence of the Stanley family, the 4th floor had hardwood floors, but as a hotel all the floors had had carpet for many decades now. During the time the Stanleys lived there, the 4th floor had been the nursey and place where the children and nannies played and slept, as well as the maids and their children, I believe. This was such a cool experience, nothing felt malicious. It was so peaceful.

Back to the book though, otherwise I will be telling ghost stories all night.

We do get some backstory on the show regulars, but the main focus remained on the cases that came their way. I can appreciate this on one level, because they are professionals and want to remain recognized as such. We saw their personalities come out on the show, but I was hoping for a bit more in-depth look at how/why they got into the business and what keeps them going. I believe Jason wrote the bulk of the material, as it is written very much the same way that he speaks. Jason is very matter-of-fact and strict, while Grant is a bit more easy going but not totally (especially when a crew member messes up big-time in a way they should not have because they should know better).

You would not necessarily have to be a fan of the show to find this book interesting. They are very thorough and professional, explaining things that one with an interest in the paranormal would already know, such as the equipment most of often used, what it does, etc. The cases are presented in short chapters so you could read quite a few at once if you were interested. You wouldn't even have to read the cases in order, but could find the ones most interesting to you first. I personally wish the chapters would have been a bit longer, with a bit more depth to each case; there is only so much you can see in an hour of television after all, and less than that when you take into account commercials, the lead-up to the investigation, the walk-through, and the final analysis. That leaves you with maybe 20-25 minutes of actual investigation shown, when they record hours, and sometimes on multiple nights.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I adore Josh Gates. He is exactly the person you would want to travel with because first of all, he is a riot; sarcastic and snarky and witty and intelligent. Even if something really shitty happened on your travels, you could count on Josh to at least make you laugh your ass off about it. His current show is Expedition Unknown, but this book deals exclusively with his first series, Destination Truth.

The premise of this show involved Josh and his team investigating various legends (Bigfoot, the Ri, Chupacabra, etc) and various location deemed haunted (holy shit, the episode filmed at The Great Wall of China was fucking lit and I would never in a million years want to be there after dark) to try to come sort of conclusion. This involves the team researching information, heading out, Josh trying all the disgusting food each locale has to offer, the team getting some sort of vehicle that definitely looks like it could explode or break down or both, and some really great footage of beautiful countries that most people will never see in-person in their lifetime. My only complaint is actually about the show, not the book, in that the team did two locations per show. I wanted so much more time at the haunted locations!

So, obviously, the paranormal action was my favorite. I didn't mind the other stuff, but I am always down for a good ghost hunt. There are several episodes where I was not disappointed. The first is the episode at The Great Wall, which I already mentioned. Other great investigations include spending the night in the tomb of King Tut in the Valley of the Kings (Josh totally hates camels and it is hilarious whenever he has to ride one), the ruins of Petra, ruins of once-mighty Incan cities, Easter Island, Angkor Wat, and my most most most favorites: investigations at Masada, Pompeii, and Chernobyl.

What I love most about this book, besides the behind-the-scenes glimpses, the in-depth information on the locations/legends, and the great photos, was Josh himself. It felt like having a conversation with an old friend and as I was reading I could hear him speaking the words, and not my own internal voice going. That is the mark of an exceptional writer, which Josh proved to be. I was a bit cautious at first; just because one is witty and intelligent on camera, does not guarantee the same result in a different medium. Luckily, the book is just as great as any episode. Josh is incredibly articulate and knowledgeable (something obvious if you watch the show for two seconds), and I found myself laughing out loud constantly at his narration of all the things we didn't see when filming, because they are actually on location for days and sometimes week. Yet everything gets condensed down into one twenty-minute segment, two segments per hour-long episode. There were definitely times I was grossed out (same as on the show; the team ate some pretty yucky stuff), and also time a chill ran down my spine remembering some of the spookier investigations.

For Josh, the 'traveler' part is as important as any part of the investigation. He is a world traveler in every sense of the word and stresses the importance of this throughout the text. It is not enough to take in famous tourist traps wherever you happen to be (but I'll be damned if I am not going to the Tower of London on my next trip to the UK), but to truly become a traveler. When it is safe to do so, leave the beaten path and find the hidden gems. It will always be worth it and the memories will last a lifetime.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was not simply a rehashing of every single investigation. Josh shares plenty of information about the locations his teams went to, but he is also constantly encouraging people to go out an explore. This does not mean you have to get lost in a jungle looking for velociraptor-like creature; it simply means get out of your comfort zone and find something new about the world you didn't know before. Josh gives tons of advice on how to do this, and perhaps one of my favorite parts of the book is the point where Josh gives the reader a lesson in how to not be a total d-bag when you travel internationally (I would say this is a great lesson for Americans, but those of us who feel the need to travel so desperately would probably not insist everyone speak English to us to begin with, so...)

There are so many one-liners throughout the book, much like on the show, that I wanted to share dozens and dozens. This mini-review has rapidly turned into a regular-sized review, so I will share only this one, which came from their Egyptian adventures:

"To make matters worse, the entire country is an infrastructural disaster. After they erected the greatest civilization in the history of the planet, it's as though the Egyptians said, 'Okay. That's enough. Let's just call it a day for the next 5,000 years'" (page 198).

So perfectly Josh, and I am here for it. I love his dry humor and that is part of what made me love the show so much. Even when I was less interested in whatever monster they were looking for, I could always count on his narration of events to keep me hooked.

Perhaps my biggest take away from all this though is that, despite all the adventures he has had, all the evidence he and his team have captured at dozens of locations all around the world, Josh still can not say for sure where or not he believes in ghosts. The things he has seen and done would make a believer out of me in an instant, and I think this gives him even more credibility. All of that, and he still says he is not sure.

Though it would help to understand some of the stories, and to appreciate his wry and sarcastic humor, it is not necessary to have seen the show. This is as much a travelogue as it is a memoir, and it is deliciously perfect.

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The first time I saw an episode of River Monsters was a night that Eleanor's dad was sitting on my couch with Eleanor in his lap while I got in a shower and pumping and everything else I could not do before he came over after work, because I literally held my baby all day and it was glorious.

I took one look, said, "This guy is crazy," and went back to whatever I was doing.

Little did I know, Jeremy Wade would soon become a very important member of our household and I would see the episodes on Netflix so often, I would have them memorized. More on that in a bit.

If you are unfamiliar with Jeremy Wade, I can give you some quick backstory. He is a biologist and basically travels the world in much the same fashion as Josh Gates, looking for monsters of a different kind. He is searching for monster-sized fish, and most of the time he finds them. No location is too remote, not legend or story too dangerous to deter him from catching his fish. This book goes even deeper, and we get great insight into Jeremy's life and career and we see the work that goes into tracking down information, speaking to locals about the specific species, and then how he goes about planning to catch (and release) these mighty beasts. I am not by any stretch of the imagination what you would call an "outdoor girl", so the fact that I could not only watch episode after episode, but read a book on the very same subject, should be pretty telling about Jeremy's ability to tell a great story and keep you coming back for more.

One of the things I appreciate most about Jeremy Wade is that he truly cares about the natural world and these fish he is seeking out. He never sought them out to catch them and kill them or keep them; it was solely to see if there was truth to the legends or myths he had discovered, and to find what creature could be behind such stories. He is a conservationist above all else and he speaks - both on the show and in the book - of these fish in such a way that you can tell he feels this is deeply important. This is his mission, his life's work, to bring attention to these beautiful, deadly, fascinating wonders and show how humans are impacting even those who live in the most out-of-the-way locations. Fish populations are dwindling rapidly and we are 100% the cause. This is not something Jeremy can abide and his passion for his career shines both in the show and on the page.

With this one, like the others, it is not terribly necessary that you see the shows before you read the book. I think anyone who has an interest in travel and remote locations would find Jeremy's stories of interest, even if you are not necessarily into the actual fishing aspect of the show, as was my case. It was so fascinating to watch him collect information, interact with local populations in his pursuit, and - more often than not - come away with footage of the elusive fish he was after that day.

Now, going back to the quick story of how Jeremy Wade and River Monsters became a staple in our household. As I said, Chase would watch it sometimes when he would come over after work in those early days after Eleanor was born. Eleanor was never a fussy baby, there was no time when she would just scream her head of for no reason. She would get restless sometimes, I guess is the best way to describe it? When it happened, she would get very wiggly and honest to God, the only thing that would settle her was River Monsters. It was not just the sound of Jeremy's voice, but also his British accent (she truly is her mother's daughter, I am a total sucker for a beautiful boy with a British accent). I would turn on River Monsters and as soon as she would hear him speak she would become still and listen. She would try to look in the direction that his voice was coming from, and it never failed, BOOM. Calm baby.

I thought it would be really cool if I could somehow contact Jeremy Wade to share my story about Eleanor, maybe even get him to sign a birthday card for her first birthday (I thought of this sometime in the spring; she is a July baby). I scoured the Internet and found an email address for him, but the website did not look like it had been updated in quite a while, so I thought chances were slim that the email would reach him.

Except, IT DID!!!

I had asked if he would be able to sign a birthday card and explained how we called him 'Uncle Jeremy' because it was like he was part of our family, and how he was always be able to calm my restless baby girl. I even sent him a few photos of Eleanor, and a disc with a couple short clips of her watching the show; as she got older and was no longer a restless newborn, she would still drop everything the moment she heard his voice. He responded that this was perfect timing, because he was back in the production office for a very short time before heading back out again to film. I sent off the small package right away and hoped it would arrive before he departed. Within just two short weeks, I received a package back; not only had Jeremy signed the card as well as some smaller promotional photos, he specifically signed the card 'from your Uncle Jeremy', I am forever grateful, because that is a keepsake that Eleanor will cherish forever.

Fish on!

Book Review: Into the Storm: Violent Tornadoes, Killer Hurricanes, and Death-Defying Adventures in Extreme Weather

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Just an aside before we get started, I find it rather fitting that I am writing this review today, of all days, when one of my favorite movies of all time premiered in theatres:

I used to think Reed Timmer was just another egotistical boneheaded adrenaline junkie. Turns out he still is, but he is also far more intelligent than I have previously given him credit for and I ended up not being completely put-off by his book.

I used to love watching Storm Chasers, though Reed drove me crazy (and Sean Casey, don't even get me started!) because he would take such huge risks that always seemed in the end not quite worth it. Almost dying one hundred times just to get the closest shot possible is just not a risk I want to take. Timmer is free to do that of course, and I don't think for him it is a matter of wanting to, but needing to. he makes it clear in his book that he HAS TO chase every storm he possibly can. And that's fine for him. But there were a couple stories he recounted in his book where he made that decision not only for himself, but for the people chasing with him and that was unfair. Putting yourself in danger is one thing, but making that choice for others is not cool, especially when they have made it clear they do not want to be put in that position.

There is no denying that Reed Timmer is intelligent about how the weather all works. The book is an easy read and he pretty clearly explains the basics so readers understand how tornadoes and hurricanes come into being. He also includes a glossary at the end of the book that readers might find helpful if they forget what something means.

Prior to this, I knew nothing of Timmer besides the antics I saw on the show - and also that he now has himself a nice little weather-related empire after starting his website tornadovideos.net so many years ago. It really worked out for Timmer that he was just getting into the weather video game so to speak, as YouTube was a little fledgling thing; that timing could not have been more perfect. While that's all well and good now, in the book Timmer (or, his 'co-author') recounts how this all came to be. He was a freshman at OU and was bored by the basics in his intro classes because it was stuff he already knew. Despite this kind of statement, I did not interpret that as any kind of bragging. It's pretty obvious in any field that if you are really, really interested in something, an intro course will not be a whole lot of fun for you. That would be like expecting me to sit through a semester of an Intro to Medieval History class - I'd want to be up there teaching the class for myself. But, anyway, Reed didn't want to be up there teaching, he wanted to be out in the field, chasing storms. He did so throughout his undergraduate and graduate days, dragging along a variety of friends and acquaintances. Some knew what they were getting into, some did not, and some probably would never go back out with him again. Throughout this time Timmer scrapes together money selling videos, quickly learning how many times he can sell footage, and how to make the most of the film he's got. 

One topic Timmer does not shy away from is that of his relationship to others in the same field, those who felt and may still feel that Timmer's recklessness are a detriment to what they do. He's been accused more time than anyone can count of taking risks he does not need to, nor should not take. I never got the impression that Timmer felt like he was above this criticism. He is very honest about this and that he understands why they are concerned, but also that he is doing things his way. I think he does want to be accepted, or at least did in those early days, by the more traditional storm-chasing community, and it wasn't as though he did not listen to what they were saying. Even so, he has this almost uncontrollable impulse to go farther and deeper into a storm every single time, which will always put him at odds with much of the rest of his field.

Timmer is passionate about what he does and that comes through on pretty much every page. It would be interesting to read new material about his more recent adventures in the last nine years or so since this was published.

Recommended.

Book Review: Priceless

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

I know some people will roll their eyes and think that the only reason Richie has a book deal is because she is famous. That might be the case, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have any talent. We're not talking about life-changing literature here, but I firmly believe there is value in books that we can easily get lost in for a while and not having to think too much can be a good thing. I really liked Richie's first book The Truth About Diamonds, which I read years ago when it was first published. I didn't even remember this was on my TBR until I was scrolling through looking for books to delete, and when I rediscovered this one, I nabbed it quick from the library.

We follow the main character, Charlotte, as she navigates her family's fall from grace when her father is arrested for embezzlement (luckily there are no complicated details to deal with here. After he is caught he keeps repeating how it was a 'small loophole' he took advantage of and we are never given an explanation of how he stole billions. We don't need it) and see how she manages to pick herself up and start over. There is a mystery element when her father's former clients come out of the woodwork with fury they are more than entitled to. One begins sending death threats and following Charlotte, and though it was easy from very early on to figure out who was threatening her, I did not enjoy the book any less by figuring out who was behind the threats.

Charlotte will annoy you because she is spoiled, and it is not as though she comes out of this completely transformed human who renounces all society and material goods, but you do kind of want things to at least be okay for her, because her father's crimes were not hers to take responsibility for.

It's not a terrible way to pass an hour or two. A nice brain break if you need one.

Review Bomb: Jersey Shore Edition

(graphic is not mine, found online)

I love Jersey Shore and I ain't ashamed of it one bit. I wouldn't even call it a 'guilty pleasure'. Leading up to show time every week, my friends and I would send each other obnoxious text messages and call each other just to shout, "Cabs are HEEEEEERE!" and hang up. The first seasons were my most favorites, though I watched the whole series. I did not get as into the spin-offs, because the strength of the show was these seven ridiculous people living together and being ridiculous and I loved it. Without cable, I have not been able to see the episodes of the new series, Family Vacation, but I still keep up with what is going on.

 Rating: 3 Stars

I wasn't reading this one for any of the 'shore-tested secrets' as advertised on the cover, but because it is Jersey Shore-related and it occurred to me that these books have been sitting on my TBR for ages and I should get to it, especially considering my new TBR goal I have going on. I figured it would be an easy read and I was right. It's not because it is terribly written or anything like that, it's put together pretty well. JWoww has always seemed like the realest one to me (and Pauly, too. Pauly just wants to have fun ALL THE TIME), and it was definitely her personality coming through in the way she writes. The book was exactly what I expected, nothing more and nothing less. There were some some really good solid bits of advice that, were I childless 20-something hanging out at The Shore, I'd definitely keep in mind. Then again, I am still the target audience even having a child, because as fans know, JWoww, Snooks, and Ronnie are married and/or have children now. It's kind of weird to 'grow up' together, but also kind of amusing. I am just glad all my drama has not played out on national television (cough*Ronnie*cough). I suppose this qualifies as a self-help book, but I more so looked at it as yet another way to get to know one of my reality faves, despite being a few years old.

I also find it amusing when people automatically assume because these people have become famous for being drunk and loud and hungover on said national television, that they must be stupid. This is not actually the case, and believe me, partying hard and being intelligent are not mutually exclusive. And if you don't believe me, please allow me to show you tons and tons of photos from undergrad and grad school where I am a hott fucking mess on the weekends, while busting my ass working two jobs and going to school for time, earning both a Bachelor's and a Master's in education.

In addition to the expected sections about hair, make-up, clothes, etc, Jenni adds a lot of thoughtful advice as well. If you've seen her on the show, you know she is pretty upfront - she will say what's on her mind, even when no one else will (except the time with the note in Miami. That whole situation was so messed up for everyone involved. What a clusterfuck!) She included a lot about healthy eating habits, work-outs, self-respect, staying safe when out for the evening, body positivity, and even some yummy Italian recipes - plus cocktails as well. She also shared some pretty personal stuff about a particularly unhealthy and abusive relationship that she had been in, and I think this story is especially important for those who look at JWoww as this super strong and confident woman. She is, but she also went through some shit, and it's part of her history but she is not trying to hide it. Her voice is authentic and she is by far one of the most relatable 'reality stars' in general.

 Rating: 3 Stars

Aw, Snooks.

Obviously this one was written long before Snooki was married with three children, but much like JWoww's book, I was not exactly reading it for all the insider secrets. Also like JWoww's book, this was exactly what I expected: a look at the life of earl-seasons Snooki. This also reads very much the way she talks, and she is funny and ridiculous and someone who would be fun to hang out with at The Shore. We're not talking great literature here, but that's not its intention anyway, so why judge it like that? It's a fun summer/beach read, though like I said it is a bit dated now, seeing as how Snooki is now a wife and a mom. Still, it's a light read and a change of pace and was a good way to spend an hour or so.

 Rating: 3 Stars

Here's another shocker for you: Vinny isn't a dumdum either.

This book differs from the other Jersey Shore fare, because it is a genuine, serious self-help book. I don't mean that the others were inauthentic in any way, but the others more so capitalized on the Shore connection and the guido/guidette life, whereas Vinny shares his struggle with anxiety and how he works to control it.

I never in a million years would have guessed that anxiety and stress were factors in Vin's life. He's always been the one who is so calm and wants no drama. (He was also one of the 'good boys' until Pauly corrupted him!) Here he shares his experiences starting in high school when he would have panic attacks come on out of no where. It became such a problem that he ended up moving back home during college because it got so bad, and was also with him throughout filming the first five seasons of the show.

There's nothing groundbreaking or new here, and Vin discusses at length the books and resources he has used in order to help keep the anxiety and stress at bay. He does not claim to be an expert, and is simply sharing a plan he has developed for himself that is working. So many people struggle with stress and/or anxiety in general (myself included - I get pretty intense a-typical migraines from stress and have meds to help control those migraines), and even to the point of officially being diagnosed with a stress or anxiety disorder. Don't be surprised by this book. Vinny is highly intelligent and explains a process that works for him. Wanting to share that so that he can help others is a great thing, and given his visibility in pop culture, it might encourage those struggling to seek help when knowing someone 'famous' deals with the same kinds of issues. We are not talking world-changing here, but there is enough room at the table for everyone to share their truths and shouldn't we all be trying to help one another, anyway?

 Rating: 3 Stars

Ah yes, back to Snooks again.

Much like I said with Vinny's book, and Jenni's too, it is possible to be more than one kind of person. It apparently horrified some people when Nicole and her boyfriend announced they were having a baby, as though they actually expected her to continue going out and partying while pregnant. Let's be realistic here, folks. Not everyone you see on television is exactly one thing all the time. Babies make people grow up, thankfully, and that's what happened here. Make no mistake, she is still Snooki, but she also became a mom and got married, and that became part of who she is now.

Truthfully I wish I would have read this when I was pregnant with Eleanor. I feel like I would have been less irritated by some of the less comfortable parts of pregnancy, and the first few months afterwards had Snooki's voice been playing through my head, telling me what was to come. At least things would have still been funny. Okay, so cracked and bleeding nipples will never not hurt, so forget that part. Still, it would have been a kind of comfort anyway, had I read this then. We can always count on Snooki to be brutally honest, and that is exactly what you get here. Again, not groundbreaking, but kind of like talking with your pregnant BFF about all the things your non-pregnant BFFs wouldn't understand.

Review Bomb: Pop Culture/Social Media

Time for another review bomb. I am liking this format much better, especially for books that I did not really care for/weren't for me. This time around the topic is, as you probably guessed by the title, about pop culture and social media. Two of the books focus directly on social media, and one is about paparazzi/celebrities. Unfortunately none of the books were that great, but perhaps you will see something in them that I did not.

 2 Stars (for me), 4 Stars (for its actual target audience)

This book was poorly placed. I found it while browsing in the adult non-fiction section of my fave Christian bookstore. Had it been in the teen/young adult section, no problem, I would not have purchased it. But even reading the back did not indicate right away that it was geared toward a younger crowd. I am 35, and while Facebook and I have been together now for thirteen and a half years, I am beyond the age of needing something like this.

That being said, this would be a fantastic book for a youth group to read (and as such, I have given my copy to our youth pastor so he can look over it and use it as he needs it. There are a lot of great discussion questions scattered throughout and plenty of Scripture as well. In looking at it from a parental perspective, it would also be a great one for parents to read WITH their teen. I think it would open up some really honest lines of communication to help these young adults and teens trying to navigate this completely tech-saturated world we now live in. That's something they don't seem to understand, once you put something online, it loves forever. Even if you delete it, it is never really gone.

The author makes another great point that nothing online is really as it appears. One of my pastors also talked about this in a sermon a couple weeks ago - you don't see anyone posting pictures of their dirty kitchens or their perfect little angels turning into demons and having meltdowns in the grocery store. It is a harder concept I think for teens and even young adults to grasp - you see what people want you to see and a lot of time it is just a mirage. The author discusses this and encourages her readers to really think about this and why that social media presence is so important to them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 3 Stars

For being such a slim volume, there was a lot more research included than I thought there would me. My initial assumption was that this would be another quasi-celeb (Stolz was a contestant on America's Next Top Model, then a host for MTV) memoir about ridiculous social media-related anecdotes. It was that, completely, but not as shallow as I anticipated. Stolz backs up much of what she is saying with research. It was not terrible, and she is a decent writer. It is also a fairly quick read. Her addiction to social media is a little alarming though. Like, slow down. Seriously. On the other hand, it was great that Stolz was so honest about her own addiction to social media and the technology we have at our fingertips. She started the book by trying to go a week without her phone. I don't think I could do that, but not for social media reasons. I only have one single app on my phone - Goodreads. But I need my phone for things like driving directions and talking to my family, as I do not have a land line. I will be the first to admit that I was seriously addicted to Facebook, especially when it first came out (I have had an account since 2005, way back when it was only for specific colleges' students). But now I am a mom and I spend most of my time on Facebook posting pictures of my daughter and I and our various adventures, as our family is two states away and we only get to go home twice a year. I have considered more than once deleting social media accounts, but then that kind of puts the kibosh on my blog. I mainly use Twitter to talk about books I am reading, to interact with authors and fellow bloggers, and harass Dan Jones (which I also use Facebook for). When my laptop was out of commission for a week not too long ago, it was MAGICAL. I could still access Facebook and Twitter on my phone, but I did not really want to. A social media break would do everyone a lot of good every so often - Stolz included!

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 2 Stars...and that's being generous

I have to be honest and admit that I went through a celeb-obsessed phase. I would read all the weeklies - US Magazine, In Touch, etc. That time also coincided with my eating disorder so I was also pouring over the pages filled with 'thinspiration' actresses who always seemed to be a kind of thin that I could not attain.

This though...is different. For three years Buhl became the one taking the photos, and getting them sold to those magazines I needed each week. And her thought process is kind of...warped.

The tidbits about the celebs she covered was really interesting and in that aspect this was a perfect summer read that requires no real thought or effort to think - except for the occasional 'Did she really just think/say that?' - and is a quick read. It was when Buhl's personal life began weaving in, as always happens with careers/jobs, and that was less interesting to me. It was obviously important to her own story, and her pregnancy provided an exit from being a paparazzi, but still.

The weirdest thing about this was to me was her perception of the celebs she covered regularly. Celebs and the Paparazzi are not friends; they can't be, based on their actual relationship of one person making gobs of cash off photos of the other. That part came across as really delusional, specifically in her interactions with Katherine Heigle. "Katie" was nice and polite to Buhl, but seriously, they were not friends. It was weird that she even thought that, for the briefest of moments. And don't even get me started on the whole weird thing with Adrian Grenier.

Despite my disdain for people who make a living off invading the privacy of others (I'm talking about the celebs out grocery shopping with their kids, not those tipping off the paparazzi about their location), it was kind of interesting to get a look at the job from the inside. Buhl discusses the tools of the trade and all the tips/tricks she learned on the job. Example: If you are in an elevator with a celeb, don't you dare snap a single picture. Once you're out of the elevator though, the celeb is fair game. Can you imagine how awkward that elevator ride would be if they knew you were to take a zillion pictures of them? Yeesh. She is also kind of contradicting of herself at times. Buhl goes on about all the things a celeb can do in order to diminish their appeal to the paparazzi, but then also discusses the lengths she personally went to in order to get shots of certain celebs who very much liked to keep their private lives private - case in point, Jennifer Aniston. The whole thing with Kate Bosworth was pretty bullshit too. Bosworth is apparently very protective of her privacy, as she has the right to be - she (and any celeb) doesn't owe anyone anything, especially in the comfort of her own home. Yet Buhl recounts a story of spying on Bosworth at home, using binoculars and states, "We relish how infuriated Kate would be, if only she knew." Are you kidding me? You're kind of an awful human for that.