Books I read in 2021

Tree from our local library 😀

This year, I read a surprisingly large number of books. I think work must have been really slow, because I don't know how I found the time to read so much considering we moved three times and I trained for a marathon. A lot of the books were quick thrillers, but I read some meaty, thought-provoking books as well. My TBR pile for 2022 is huge already. 

Here they are in the order I read them:

1.The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

2. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

3. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley - Not as good as the Guest List, but kept me guessing.

4. Four Winds by Kristin Hannah - I love her sweeping novels set in the past and this one was really incredible. 

5. What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

6. The Wreckage of My Presence by Casey Wilson - If you know me, you know I love my Housewives and the Bitch Sesh podcast. This book of essays was entertaining and, at times, really heart breaking.

7. The Housewives by Brian Moylan - It read more like a history book and there was a lot of stuff in it I really didn't care about. Moylan was blacklisted by Bravo, so he didn't get many juicy interviews.

8. The Last Flight by Julie Clark - I really loved this book. I always love a good "make yourself disappear" thriller and this one was no exception.

9. Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian - He has been a favorite author of mine since Midwives in the 90s and I love that every book he writes is completely different. This one was set in Massachusetts in the 1600s.

10. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave 

11. What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins

12. Verity by Colleen Hoover - Fun Twist

13. We are the Brennans by Tracey Lange - This book didn't deliver the way I wanted it to.

14. The Push by Ashley Audrain - One of my favorites (and most terrifying) of the year. Glad I didn't read this while I was pregnant.

15. The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix - Reminded me a little of a Chuck Palahniuk book. 

16. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle 

17. Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

18. 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard - One of only two books I read this year that dealt with the pandemic (the other was just hinting at it). 

19. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

20. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - I normally really like his books and this one popped up on a lot of notable peoples' lists for the year, but it just wasn't my favorite.

21. A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson

22. Beach Read by Emily Henry - Liked this one more than I expected to.

23. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney - I felt like this book had twists for the sake of having twists.

24. Billy Summers by Stephen King - This book takes place pre-pandemic and was a little more convoluted than I'm used to with a King book. I still liked it.

25. Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena - My first Lapena. I proceeded to read all the rest of her books in about 2 weeks.

26. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

27. A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena

28. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

29. Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

30. The End of Her by Shari Lapena

31. And Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

32. Abandon by Blake Crouch - I really love him as a writer and this one switches between the old west and modern day.

33. We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

34. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I always love a good "Sliding Doors"-esq read.

35. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Both Bill Gates and Barack Obama had this on their list of favorite books of the year and I concur. It made physics palatable and had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Would HIGHLY recommend.

36. A flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

 

Books I read in 2020

This year was (obviously) a disaster, but there was some good to come out of it. I had some time to read, and it was definitely an escape to take my mind off all the anxiety and stress I was feeling. Thanks to my library's hot titles section and a membership to BOTM (book of the month), I got a chance to read a bunch of really great new titles. My goal was to read 20 books and I made it through 22. Here are the books I read in 2020...

1. Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano - This was a really sad book to start off the year and it was much harder to read this book now that I have kids. Luckily, I didn't fly on an airplane once this year, so I didn't have to worry about plane crashes.

2. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett - This one had a lot of buzz surrounding it, but I wasn't that impressed. 

3. Ghosted by Rosie Walsh - I really liked the twists in this one.

4. The Devil in the White City - Historical non-fiction that reads like a novel. I thought this book was fascinating.

5. Playing Dead by Elizabeth Greenwood - At the beginning of the year, I watched a lot of "Disappeared" on Discovery channel and was obsessed with the cases where people chose to disappear and weren't kidnapped. 

6. The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian - He is one of my favorite authors, but this book wasn't my favorite.

7. How to Disappear by Frank Ahearn - This guy was a superstar bounty hunter in his day and now knows everything there is to know about how to disappear so nobody can find you. 

8. Untamed by Glennon Doyle - One of my absolute favorite books of the year. It made me cry and laugh and stuck with me for a long time.

9. If it Bleeds by Stephen King - Three stories in one book. It didn't disappoint.

10. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - Like the title, this book was completely fine.

11. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - This book was talked up a lot and I wasn't that impressed with it.

12. Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas - Not sure I really understood what exactly was going on at this school. The book was just ok.

13. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins - Another one of my top three of the year. This book was heartbreaking and devastating. I didn't want to keep reading because it was so tense and sad, but I also couldn't put it down.

14. I'm thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid - I picked up this book when I heard they were making a movie out of it starring Jesse Plemmons. I still haven't watched the movie, but the book was just ok. Not what I expected.

15. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett - This was named book of the year by a lot of different groups. I thought it was really interesting.

16. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - I am such a fan of his and really loved this book. His writing makes me feel a lot smarter when it comes to science than I really am.

17. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen - The trend right now seems to be twisty mysteries. This one gave us a couple twists and was somewhat satisfying.

18. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi - This was another one that was talked up by so many people. I thought it was just ok.

19. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab - This was one of my BOTM picks and I really loved it. I read it in just a couple days and couldn't stop thinking about what I would do in that situation.

20. Just Like You by Nick Hornby - I normally love Nick Hornby's books, but this one wasn't my favorite. It dealt with Brexit and age differences in a relationship.

21. The Guest List by Lucy Foley - This was a fun, quick read that kept you guessing until the very end. I'm excited to read The Hunting Party next.

22. Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline - A disappointing follow up to Ready Player One. In this book, it felt like the author spent the entire time trying to prove to the reader how much he knows about 80s pop culture. It was overkill.

Books I read in 2019

I had several New Year's resolutions last year that didn't come to fruition, but I did manage to read 21 books (my goal was 20). I went mostly for bestsellers this year and was lucky enough to read several of them because it timed out that they were available on the "Hot Picks" shelf at the library when I was there. Here's the list...

1. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones - I honestly remember nothing about this book, but I think it was good?

2. Beautiful Boy by David Scheff - I haven't seen the Steve Carell movie, but the book was heartbreaking, especially if you have kids.

3. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker - I loved this one. Again, having young children made parts of it difficult to read, but in general, very compelling.

4. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood - Not what I was expecting. I don't recommend.

5. Educated by Tara Westover - I read a couple non-fiction books this year and this one was fascinating.

6. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - It seems like this was the book to read this year and I can see why. Heartbreaking and gripping all at once.

7. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn - They are apparently making this into a movie? I thought it was actually kind of predictable.

8. Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman - A good mystery.

9. The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff - Based off real-life accounts of women who operated radios and worked as spies during WWII, it was a good read.

10. The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian - His style has changed a little bit over time, but I don't hate the mystery path he's taken recently.

11. Adjustment Day by Chuck Palahniuk - Typical Palahniuk.

12. Bad Blood by John Carreyrou - I found this non-fiction account of Elizabeth Holmes and her company Theranos to be FASCINATING.

13. Run Away by Harlan Conan

14. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead - President Obama recommended this book and I saw it on the bestsellers list, so I decided to check it out. Very sad.

15. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - This book was so well-written that I was halfway through before I realized that it was a novel and not non-fiction. I loved it and wish the band was real so I could listen to their music!

16. The Institute by Stephen King - I like his recent work and this was a good story with a child protagonist.

17. Range by David Epstein - The big takeaway is that our kids should be well-rounded instead of focused on one particular discipline.

18. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami - He is such a beautiful writer and these short stories were so poetic.

19. Do you Mind if I Cancel? by Gary Janetti - If you don't follow him on Instagram, start. This book was a hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking autobiography about growing up as a gay man in the 70s and 80s.

20. Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson - A story about 3 women who attended West Point and then followed different paths in the wake of 9/11, it took me awhile to get into this one, but it was great by the end.

21. The Guest Room by Chris Bohjalian - This one meandered and took awhile to really get to the climax and it just wasn't my favorite by him.

Happy reading in 2020!

Books I Read In 2018

I made it through 13 books last year, which is not nearly as many as I would have liked, but chasing a toddler around and taking care of a newborn don't leave a lot of time for recreational reading (Can I count Little Blue Truck on my list? I read it over 300 times this year). ;)

1. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - This one took me awhile to get through, but I love a story that starts off when the main character is a child and ends with them as an adult.

2. Little Fires Everywhere by Christine Ng - This seemed to be the book to read this year. I thought it was ok.

3. The Shining by Stephen King - I mainly read this so I could read the sequel and I knew that the movie was a lot different than the book.

4. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King - This is the story of Danny Torrence all grown up. It's a lot different than The Shining, but I liked it and am excited to see the movie version.

5. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty - When I find an author I like, I tend to read a bunch of their books in a row. I had already watched the HBO series Big Little Lies and this book was definitely my favorite of hers that I read this year.

6. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty - What if you woke up and 10 years of your life was gone? As a mother of small children, this book really got to me.

7. Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

8. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah - I have read a lot of her books and I really liked this one, even though everyone else in my book club hated it. My only criticism is that it seemed to meander a bit. Just when you thought it was over, there was another twist...and then another.

9. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

10. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin - This was another hot book this year. What if you knew the date you were going to die? Would it change how you lived your life? I thought this book was just ok.

11. The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin

12. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - After watching both seasons of the TV show, I figured I should read the book. Absolutely terrifying to read...especially when pregnant.

13. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty - A departure for her in terms of style, but I enjoyed this book anyway and read it in just a couple of days.

My goal for 2019 is to read at least 20 books. On the list are An American Marriage and A Column of Fire.

Books I Read In 2017

Ok, here's the scoop. I had a baby in late 2016 and therefore didn't have a ton of time to read in 2017, unless you count Hippos Go Berserk and a bunch of other Sandra Boynton books a million times. (I did, somehow, find the time to watch the entire Gilmore Girls revival TWICE as well as the entire series from start to finish). Anyway, the books that I did read tended to be short autobiographies as those were easy to pick up, read a few pages, and come back to them later. Big plans for 2018, but here's my feeble 2017 list:

1) The Girl With All The Gifts - M.R. Carey: In all honesty, I started this one in 2016, but I did finish it in 2017 so that counts, right? Enjoyed it. Curious to see how the movie adaptation played out.

2) Talking As Fast As I Can - Lauren Graham: Since I was very into Gilmore Girls during those long, long days and nights in early 2017, I gobbled this book up. She writes like she talks and I enjoyed all the juicy insights into Parenthood and her relationship with Peter Krause.

3) You'll Grow Out Of It - Jessi Klein: I heard about this book while listening to Jessi guest host on a parenting podcast and it was by far my favorite book of the year. Witty, relatable and just a fun, lighthearted read. A must-read for any woman in her 30s.

4) Mrs. Fletcher - Tom Perrota: I've always been a big Tom Perrota fan and when I saw this book at the library, I immediately scooped it up.

5) Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies - Michael Ausiello: I have worshipped Michael Ausiello since his days writing for Entertainment Weekly. I have coveted his job for many years and wish I had thought to start TVLine. This book was sweet and so, so sad. I can't wait to see the movie adaptation with Jim Parsons.

6) When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi: Why I chose two non-fiction books where someone dies in such a fragile year is beyond me. I had been hearing about this one for awhile and thought it was so beautifully written. I was so happy he got to meet his baby.

What are you planning on reading in 2018?

Books I Read In 2016

The list is a little light this year since I spent a lot of time reading baby books, but here we go. I hope to get back to reading at some point in 2017.

1. The Andy Cohen Diaries by Andy Cohen - A fun read on my honeymoon
2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
3. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - LOVED this book and can't wait for the movie!!
4. After You by JoJo Moyes - The sequel to Me Before You. Meh.
5. Bird Box by Josh Malerman - If you want to be scared to open your eyes.
6. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
7. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
8. Wayward by Blake Crouch
9. Here's the Plan by Allyson Downey - I read this book because it was of interest to me, but also because I narrated the audiobook for Audible!
10. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple - Fun book to kill time during the last months of my pregnancy
11. And Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris

Books I read in 2015

So, 2015 wasn't my best year for reading, but it wasn't my worst either. My selections were all over the place and I tried to hit different genres. Station Eleven was by far my favorite book of the year and About Grace my least favorite.


1. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - The book was ok. The movie adaptation looks terrible. I just wouldn't have cast Charlize Theron in that role.

2. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

3. Yes, please! by Amy Poehler - I listened to the audiobook and I love when celebs narrate their own books. The guest readers made it even more amazing.

4. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson - Entertainment Weekly touted this as one of the best books of 2014. I thought it was just ok.

5. In One Person by John Irving

6. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - The "it" book of the year. I loved that the chapters were short so it felt like I read a lot more than I really had each sitting.

7. We are Water by Wally Lamb

8. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - Set in Michigan (!) and dealing with life after a flu virus wiped out 98% of the world. I absolutely loved this book.

9. About Grace by Anthony Doerr - The was nothing like All the Light We Cannot See and it dragged.

10. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - Quick, entertaining read. Emily Blunt is starring in the movie adaptation.

11. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling - I find her super relatable and entertaining.

12. Black Chalk by Christopher Yates

13. Pines by Blake Crouch - This is the first in a trilogy. The TV show Wayward Pines with Matt Dillon is based on the books.


Heading out on my honeymoon, I'm bringing fun, trashy books. Any suggestions for must-reads in 2016?

Books I Read In 2014

I'll be honest, this wasn't my best year for reading. Unless you count the six months I spent recording voiceovers for kids in Korea learning English. In that case, I read A LOT. I resolve to read a lot more this year, especially since I have literally stacks of books filling up my living room that I haven't gotten to yet. In the meantime, here is my paltry list of books I finished this year.

1. And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini - This book was similar to "A Thousand Splendid Suns" in that it was a sweeping drama that covered several generations and locations. I like when books come full circle at the end and I like that this one didn't tie everything up in a nice bow, but left us with a sense of too little, too late.

2. Divergent by Veronica Roth - I read this because I knew the movie was coming out and was sorely disappointed. It follows the trend of a lot of YA books that are set in a dystopian future, but this one didn't grab me the way The Hunger Games series did. I actually just got around to seeing the movie last week and it was blah.

3. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami - I read this book as I was training for the Bayshore half marathon and it just made me realize that while I enjoy the calories you burn by running, I just don't have the passion for it like this guy does.

4. The Other Way Around by Sashi Kauffman - Full disclosure; this book was written by my good friend and former roommate. I am a fan of YA literature in general, but I usually am disgruntled by authors who try to write in a teenage voice. Sashi nailed it. And once I got over the fact that my friend was writing about the inner thoughts of a teenage boy, I really enjoyed it.

5. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer - Entertainment Weekly talked this up as one of the best books of 2013, so I decided to give it a shot. It took awhile for me to get into, but it was interesting to think about how our lives actually turn out versus the teenage vision of us in the future.

6. One More Thing - Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak - This guy is an amazing writer and I read this book in just a couple of days.

7. The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman - This was a short, quick read, but it was really entertaining and I am still terrified of the babysitter that moves into the house.

8. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes - We read this for book club and although I thought it was a bit cheesy and predictable, it was really timely given the right-to-die debate that dominated the news this year.

9. We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas - Another sweeping drama that spans several generations. I've heard they're making it into a TV show, which I'm excited to see.

10. Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian - Let me start by saying this; I love Chris Bohjalian. I have read almost every one of his books and they are all so different and gripping. This one, however, fell short. Where Sashi Kauffman captured the voice of a teenage narrator, Bohjalian just didn't. I know that he has a teenage daughter and that he used her as inspiration, but the narration sounded forced and precocious. While it worked in "The Fault In Our Stars", it just didn't here. I had a hard time getting through this one.

11. The Book of Joe by Jonathon Tropper - I finished off the year on a high note with this one. I discovered Tropper last year when I read "This is Where I Leave You" and although the movie adaptation fell short, I fell in love with this author. The Book of Joe also deals with coming home again and repairing familial wrongs done in the past, but his language is just so vivid and creative that I find myself re-reading passages several times to admire his clever turns of phrase.


Books on my list for 2015:
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
We Are Water by Wally Lamb

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Yes, Please! by Amy Poehler
Not That Kind Of Girl by Lena Dunham


What did you read this year? What is on your list for 2015? Happy reading!!

2013 Reading List

Here it is, folks. My reading list from this past year.

1. The Law of Similars by Chris Bohjalian
2. Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott
3. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Shephen Chbosky - Liked the movie a lot, but obviously liked the book better.
5. Tender to the Bone by Ruth Reichl
6. The Passage by Justin Cronin - The first in a trilogy of zombie books. The third isn't out yet. The first two books were so scary that I couldn't sleep for weeks.
7. The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes
8. The Twelve by Justin Cronin
9. Skinnydipping by Bethenny Frankel
10. Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan - Made me miss college.
11. Carry the One by Carol Anshaw - Read a lot of good things about this book, but I didn't really love it.
12. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Have 4 hours to kill and some tears to get rid of? Loved this book and I can't wait for the movie.
13. The Gunslinger (Dark Tower, book 1) by Stephen King
14. The Girl She Used To Be by David Cristofano
15. World War Z by Max Brooks - The movie strayed from the book a LOT, but I learned a valuable lesson...during the zombie apocalypse, head north and pack warm clothes.
16. The Hottest State by Ethan Hawke - I went through a weird phase this year where I only read novels written by celebrities.
17. Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
18. The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie
19. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult - I had taken a break from her books the past couple years, but I really liked this one.
20. A Good American by Alex George - One of my favorites this year.
21. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman
22. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
23. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
24. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris - Thank God this series is over.
25. Inferno by Dan Brown
26. Beloved by Toni Morrison
27. Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky
28. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee
29. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn - Not as good as Gone Girl, but not as bad as people had said.
30. Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld
31. This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper - My favorite book of the year. His turns of phrase are brilliant and I would absolutely re-read this book. I have a stack of other books by him for 2014.
32. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Books I'm looking forward to in 2014: And the Mountains Echoes by Khalid Hosseini, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson and the Divergent trilogy.

Where have all the good shows gone?

You may or may not know this about me, but I enjoy television. I can't believe it is almost fall premier season once again. Unlike past summers where I pick a show or two from the early 2000s to catch up on, this summer I binge watched Scandal, Revenge, House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black. This is in addition to watching True Blood, The Newsroom, Under The Dome, Dexter and Breaking Bad.

Usually, at this point in the summer, I am anxiously awaiting the return of my favorite shows. This year is a little different. 30 Rock and The Office are over. Dexter and Breaking Bad are almost done for good. This is the first year that I haven't had a full Thursday night NBC lineup. Only Parks and Rec remains for my "comedy night done right". This is usually the time of year when I need to carefully read Entertainment Weekly's "Fall TV Preview" and pick out a bunch of new shows to try, but for some reason, I'm just not feeling it. The new Will Arnett show with Margo Martindale looks so cheesy and I just can't distinguish one spy drama from another. Last year I gave Revolution a shot and couldn't get through three episodes because I found the protagonist to be so annoying. Whose hair could possibly look like that without a hair dryer or curling iron?

My viewing schedule is looking a little light, and despite the fact that I will soon have two DVRs, I may not even need a second one! I'm sticking with my favorite shows; Homeland, The Good Wife, Parenthood and Parks and Rec, and am throwing in a few guilty pleasures like Scandal and Revenge. I could do without Elementary and The Mentalist, but I have big crushes on both Jonny Lee Miller and Simon Baker, so I'm really only in it for the eye candy.

Perhaps as the fall season gets underway, I will get inspired to check out new shows. I'm a big fan of Joss Wedon and will give his Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a chance, but I just haven't had anything else yet grab my attention. I've posted my fall viewing schedule, but if anybody has suggestions for new (or existing) shows that I just have to check out, please let me know. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to find something else to do with all this free time. :)

What Are You Bingeing On?

I have a problem. I've had it for many years. Recently, I discovered that this problem not only has a name, but almost everyone else has gone through it at some point or another. My problem is called binge watching. Binge watching is the act of watching an entire season or series of a television show in a short amount of time, sometimes not stopping to shower or sleep.

My earliest memory of binge watching was in 2004. I had heard of 24, but had never seen any episodes. The new season was starting soon and I wanted to catch up. Back then, Netflix wasn't streaming yet, but you could get television shows on DVD. Over the course of 4 weeks (keep in mind each disc was only 4-6 episodes and I had to wait for the mail), I caught up on 2 seasons of the show. That's 48 episodes! I couldn't get enough. And when I couldn't wait for the DVDs to arrive via mail, I would head to the video store to see if I could get the episodes quicker. I remember being super embarrassed on a Saturday in July of '09 when I went to Videoport 3 times in one day to rent episodes of Rescue Me. I thought I could just wait for the DVDs to come in the mail. I couldn't. The clerk just smiled at me the third time I went in and said, "Gotta love Tommy Gavin."

A lot of the time, my binge watching has been to catch up on shows I had heard a lot about and were still airing new episodes, but I just hadn't gotten around to. I caught up during the off-seasons on Grey's Anatomy, Castle, Friday Night Lights, The Good Wife, How I Met Your Mother (7 seasons in the summer of 2012), Rescue Me and Downton Abbey. To be a true binge, you really have to watch several episodes in a row and it has to take the place of something else you should be doing (like going outside or working).

In other cases, I used my binges to take on shows that I had always wanted to see, but missed when they originally aired. This was the case with Battlestar Galactica, Veronica Mars, Alias, Arrested Development and, last month, Felicity.

But what happens when you can't maintain the binge? Maybe you start strong, but then a month has gone by, then two and eventually, you take that show off your instant queue. This happened to me with The Wire and The West Wing. And interestingly, I gave up on both halfway into the 3rd season. Is it binge overload? Would it have been better if I had watched those shows one week at a time when they originally aired? I think that's the sign of a true binge. When you can't get enough of a show. You stay up late, you call in sick to work, you order way too much take-out. You get super wrapped up in the characters and the show and when it's all over, you feel a little sad.

I'm looking for my next fix. Community and The Sopranos aren't streaming. Am I willing to wait for the DVDs? I hear great things about House of Cards. I know that I'll spend all day on May 26th binge watching the new season of Arrested Development. In the meantime, I guess I'll see what mood I'm in on the next rainy weekend.

What's your favorite binge show?



My 2012 Reading List

And here it is, my annual reading list. I'm including the audiobook I recorded, but not by name. It was a terrible book, but I would feel bad if the author ever saw this. Here goes:

1. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
2. Robopocalypse by Daniel Wilson
3. 11/22/63 by Stephen King: This books was great! Great historical lesson and entertaining read.
4. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
5. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
6. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
7. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
8. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
9. The Paris Wife by Paula Melaine - Another fun historical fiction read.
10. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
11. Alice I have Been by Melanie Benjamin
12. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
13. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
14. Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins
15. Most Talkative by Andy Cohen - I listened to the audiobook. I highly recommend this read. Hilarious!
16. Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
17. Mudwoman by Joyce Carol Oates
18. Crossed by Ally Condie
19. Wild by Cheryl Strayed - This made me want to go out and hike by myself for a month. Then I remembered I don't like camping.
20. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - Divisive ending, but I really loved it.
21. Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi
22. The Marriage Plot by Jeffery Eugenides
23. Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian
24. Defending Jacob by William Landay - Fun courtroom drama, great twist.
25. Maine by Courtney Sullivan
26. The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
27. Home Front by Kristin Hannah
28. Audiobook I recorded - TERRIBLE!
29. Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell

Some of the books I'm looking forward to in 2013:

The Fault in Our Stars, Winter of the World, Carry the One and I want to finally finish the first book in the Fire and Ice series.

Fall TV In Review

We're officially about 2 weeks into the fall TV season and I'm ready to assess the shows I'm watching thus far. Warning: Spoiler alerts coming. If you aren't caught up, check back once you are!

Dexter: A- After an abysmal 6, Dexter is back with an amazing premise. FINALLY, Deb is in on it, and it couldn't be more uncomfortable. I was SURE that when Dexter called Deb for support that he was going to kill Louis and pretend he hadn't. But maybe Dexter really is going to change? According to TVLine.com, episode 3 has one of the best deaths we've seen in several seasons. So, maybe our protagonist isn't quite ready to put away the knives. Obviously, the Trinity season was the best there ever was or will be, but I like the way this season is going so far. The only hitch is his annoying son Harrison. Couldn't he go live with Rita's parents? I feel like trying to explain where he is each week is cumbersome.

The Mindy Project: B+ My most anticipated debut of the season, this show seems like it is written for me. Granted, Mindy's book made me feel like like she and I should (obviously) be best friends, but I am pleasantly surprised at the snappy writing and good character development of this show. I could do without her receptionists and the new nurse, but I have laughed out loud at several lines and I love the SNL alums who make cameos as potential love interests.

Nashville: A Ok, so we've only seen one episode, but man, does this show have potential. Connie Britton is fantastic, but I'm more surprised by how amazing Hayden Panettiere is. There is so much drama in this show and I am really excited about where this season is going. Plus, with T-Bone Burnett in charge of the music, there is actually something worth listening to.

Gossip Girl: No Comment. Yes, this show is a guilty pleasure and I have been watching it since day one. I only mention it because did anyone else hear Blair say in episode 1, "Serena isn't what I'd call 'Country Strong.'" an obvious reference to the movie Leighton Meester was in with Gwyneth Paltrow. A cute wink to those in the know.

Revolution: C- I always give at least a couple new shows a chance and this one didn't hold me past episode 2. I think J.J. Abrams found something special in Evangeline Lilly and Matthew Fox and any attempt to recreate that is a fool's errand. I felt this way about Alcatraz and despite claims that Revolution is the next big thing, I'm over it. The characters are too pretty and I just don't buy it.

Grey's Anatomy: A- I've stuck with this show for 9 years, and I am happy to say that it does not disappoint. There is nothing more effective than tragedy on a grand scale and to end last season with a plane crash and to begin this season with the death of a beloved character is the best thing they could have done. Although I've never been a fan of April, I'm interested to see what happens with her and Jackson and the Christina fugue state was interesting. And Meredith as the new Bailey? I love it!

30 Rock: B- This is the last season of my favorite show and I just want it to end with some of the greatness that we've seen throughout the years. I thought the first episode was a letdown. I couldn't care less about Kristen Schaal's Hazel, and for some reason, Kenneth only pops when he's a supporting player to Tracy or Jenna. The second episode was way better. I'm really hoping to see more of those great one-liners that made the show great initially. I did enjoy the word "slut" on Jenna's bachelorette t-shirt, which is an obvious reference to the episode where Cerie asks Liz and Jenna to be bridesmaids and Jenna says that the theme of the bachelorette party should be sluts.


Elementary: B- The only reason I don't love this show is because I JUST finished watching the British show Sherlock, which features an Asperger's (?) inflicted Sherlock Holmes played by Benedict Cumberbatch....I could not even make that name up. God knows I love me some Jonny Lee Miller (ever since the days of Hackers), but I'm not sure I prefer the recovering drug addict to the clever and funny! Sherlock of the BBC.

Parenthood: A If you had asked me a month ago how I felt about Ray Ramano, I would have punched you in the face and asked you never to speak his name around me again. Oh, how the tables have turned. Here were are, three episodes into the new season and I'm actually rooting for his character!!! I've never been a huge Monica Potter fan but with the development of Christina's breast cancer, I feel like I need to invest in Kleenex because I cry during the last two minutes of Every. Single. Episode. I agree with my parents that with so many storylines, it's hard to fit everything in and sometimes the episodes feel clogged, but who doesn't love Mae Whitman? And I think there is a potential love interest between her and FNL alum Matt Lauria (Luke Cafferty), which I am so psyched about.

Homeland: A I was a fan of this show before it won every single award possible at the Emmys. Damien Lewis is amazing, especially since he's British and you would never know it. But Claire Danes is really what pulls it together. I'm a little bummed that she's knocked up, only because it means the shots will get tighter and tighter as the season goes on and I feel like it will affect the character development a bit. The suspense each week is worth the price of admission.

Obviously, I watch many, many other shows, but these are the ones that I felt deserved attention. I am still waiting for the premieres of American Horror Story, Happy Endings and The Walking Dead, but I think I've got enough good TV to make it through the winter. Hit up the comments with your own assessments.

I Wanna Do Bad Things With You

I used to play a little game with Time Warner when I lived in Maine. Get HBO for six months for shows like True Blood or Six Feet Under and then when they were over, switch to Showtime in late August just in time for Dexter and Weeds. Nowadays, the premium channels are on to me, and insist on delivering great programming year round. As May network TV finales wrap up, I always feel let down and resigned to a summer of crappy Bravo reality shows (minus Top Chef, which is amazing) and catching up on shows I missed the first time around like Alias and Dollhouse. But this year, I feel like there is so much summer TV to look forward to that I can barely keep up. Here is a rundown of some great shows on the way.

Mad Men, Girls, Game of Thrones, Nurse Jackie and The Big C: These shows are a great segue from the network finales to the premium debuts. With just a couple weeks left of each of these shows, I feel better about the fact that I have to wait 6 months to find out who lives on Grey's Anatomy and what happens between Will and Alicia on The Good Wife. Mad Men has been spectacular this season (as always), and Girls is the breakout hit of the year. They are great place holders until we get to the heavy hitters of summer...

True Blood: Premiering June 10, we will finally get to see if Tara lives or dies (unfortunately, I think she makes it) and what Chris Meloni is like as a vampire. Now entering its 5th season, True Blood has strayed so far away from the books that I don't think Charlaine Harris recognizes much of her own original concept. However, by keeping entertainment like Layfayette, eye candy like Alcide and Eric and Arlene's creepy baby, this season looks very promising. And I've made a drinking game out of the weird way that Bill whispers, "Sookie".

Breaking Bad: If you aren't watching this show, go to the video store, logon to Netflix or go On Demand and catch up NOW. Vince Gilligan has done an amazing job of showing the drawn-out, painful deterioration of our protagonist from a loving family man who just wanted to do right by his wife and son to a cold, calculated killer. I love that this show has an end date and that we know at some point Walt will hit rock bottom. I can't imagine a finale more explosive (pun intended) than last season, but if any show can pull it off, this one can. I never thought I would sympathize with a teacher-turned-meth-maker, but this formula (i.e. Dexter) seems to be working for me.

The Newsroom: I happen to be one of the 10 people in the world who actually loved Aaron Sorkin's short-lived show "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip". I'm hoping that by living outside of the constraints of network TV and heading instead to HBO that The Newsroom can be everything that Studio 60 wasn't able to be. I'm ok with the fact that the cast strays away from Sorkin's usual crew (Bradley Whitford, Timothy Busfield, etc) and I can't wait to see how Jeff Daniels carries the show along with Emily Mortimer and Jane Fonda. Seriously, I could not be more excited for this show.

Add to those shows the opening of movies like Moonrise Kingdom, Your Sister's Sister and Ted and I think I can break my cycle of spending the entire summer watching 6 seasons of some 90s show that I missed the first time around (although season 3 of The West Wing is next on my Netflix queue).  :)

Why Happy Endings is ah-mah-zing

I didn't give this show much of a chance when it first came out in 2011. All I knew was that it seemed like another Friends rip-off, starring Elisha Cuthbert, who I only refer to as mountain lion (after that awful episode of 24 when she was chased by a mountain lion). After some prodding by my friend Cory and a couple good reviews by EW, I decided to give it another chance. I watched all of Season 1 on Netflix streaming and now that they are into season 2, it's one of my favorite shows to watch each week.

Here's why it's great:
1. It isn't stereotypical AT ALL. Yes, there is a gay character, but do they make him flamboyant and a good dresser? NO! He's constantly teased for being fat, sloppy and just plain lazy. In fact, we probably wouldn't even know he was gay unless they occasionally gave him a love interest.

2. This show has great throw-away lines that span the decades. When Penny gets excited about potentially having a new step-brother, she talks about her childhood companion:
Penny: "I always wanted a sibling, but the closest I got to a kid sister was a My Buddy doll."
Max: "Why didn't you just get a Kid Sister doll?"
Penny: "I did, but we weren't that close."

That one was for the 80s kids. In this week's episode, Alex gave us a 90s reference:
Alex: "I just got the Criterion Collection of Clueless, so I'll see you later. I hope not sporadically."

And finally, in this week's episode, in the midst of Brad and Jane's big fight, the guys want to go to a strip club and a steakhouse, but Brad would rather stay home and "catch up on Downton Abbey."

The show is truly funny, in part due to the improvisational styles of all of the characters (except Elisha Cuthbert. She's still kind of the weak link). Casey Wilson, as Penny, gets to show off her comedic skills way better than she ever did on SNL. The characters also make fun of themselves. There was a great scene last season when Elisha Cuthbert claims she isn't ready to date yet, and Penny asks, "But what if you were being chased by a mountain lion and your dad was, like, this counter terrorist guy".
Or in last week's episode when Penny gives a tongue-in-cheek reference to her catch phrase:
Penny: "It's ah-mah-zing. What? I haven't said it barely at all this season!"
Dave: "Season? You mean winter?"
Penny: "Yeah, it's more of a summer saying."

The show is quirky, sometimes a little too quirky (I didn't care for the Max as a bear plotline), but most of all, it makes me laugh, out loud, every week. If you haven't seen it, get season 1. Watch it all in one sitting, preferably without any distractions, and tune in Wednesday nights to catch up with Season 2. You'll thank me.

Books I read in 2011

My friend Jessie suggested a couple years ago that we post what we've read throughout the year. I love seeing what other people are reading and am always looking for suggestions, so add your favorites to the comments section!

Side note: In the 2nd grade, my grandmother gave me a sweatshirt with patches sewn on that read, "Reading is cool" and "Books Belong". I wore it once, was made fun of, and never wore it again. If I still had that sweatshirt (and it still fit), I would wear it proudly.

Books I read in 2011
1. The memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
2. Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian
3. The Living Great Lakes: searching for the heart of the inland seas by Jerry Dennis (I read this book for book club and really loved it. I learned a lot about the history of the Great Lakes.)
4. Room by Emma Donoghue
5. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
6. Night by Elie Wiesel
7. Squirrel seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
8. Full Dark, no Stars by Stephen King
9. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
10. Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
11. Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
12. Matched by Ally Condie
13. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Such a fun read. I think we can all relate a little bit to her childhood)
14. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
15. Sarah's Key by Tatiano DeRosnay (Heartbreaking. I thought they did a good job with the movie adaptation)
16. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
17. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
19. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway
20. Palo Alto Stories by James Franco
21. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audry Niffeneggar (NOT as good as the Time Traveler's Wife)
22. The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
23. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress bny Rhoda Janzen (Ugh)
24. Under the Dome by Stephen King (Believe it or not, this was my favorite of all the books I read this year. The character study and intense plot line made the 1,000 pages fly by. It was also cool to get all the Maine references. I just bought his new one 11/23/63 to read in 2012)
25. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
26. Before you Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian
27. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
28. Admissions by Jennifer Sowle
29. Is Everyone Hanging out Without me? by Mindy Kaling - My second favorite book of the year. She is totally relatable, I laughed out loud several times and I want to be her friend.
30. Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah
31. Heat Wave by Richard Castle (I know, I know. But somebody took the time to write the actual book, so I took the time to read it. And it was free on my Kindle)
32. Fall of Giants by Ken Follett (Jessie Jones lent me this book in July and it took me almost 6 months to finish. Not as quick of a read as Pillars of the Earth, but a great historical fiction account of WWI told from the point of view of several characters in different parts of the world. I can't wait for the next book in the trilogy)
33. Ape House by Sara Gruen
34. The Leftovers by Tom Perrota (I loved Election and Little Children and this new one from him was really cool)

Happy New Year everyone and here's to great reading in 2012!

Fall TV Preview

It's the most wonderful time of the year! As it gets colder outside and I start to go into hibernation mode, my DVR heats up and the fall TV season begins. In terms of new programming, so far I think I'm going to invest in The New Girl, A Gifted Man (I love me some Patrick Wilson) and Up All Night. I gave Charlie's Angels one episode. It reminds me a lot of Alias (especially with Victor Garber as Charlie), but as much as I like Minka Kelly, I hate that girl from Grey's Anatomy last season. No thanks. I'm also ditching a few shows this year. Don't judge, but I've been watching Gossip Girl and Desperate Housewives since they both debuted and I think I'm done. Surprisingly, I also decided to get rid of the Biggest Loser. It's just too long. I don't have two hours every week to watch ads for Jennie-O turkey.

Ok, let's break it down by day:

Sunday: I'm super into The Good Wife after watching the first two seasons on DVD over the summer. I've heard that Michael J. Fox is coming back this season too, so yay. The Walking Dead, Dexter, Homeland (new), Breaking Bad and The Amazing Race make for an exciting start to the week. I got through 4 episodes of Boardwalk Empire over the summer, but I just consider it too much of a "boy" show. Sorry Buscemi.

Monday: House without Dr. Cuddy is hard to imagine, but sending House to prison is a great way to break up the formulaic monotony of the show. I'm a little skeptical about the whole Charlyne Yi storyline, but have missed Dr. Crankypants over the summer. I've heard 2 Broke Girls is funny and may give it a shot. I don't watch singing or dancing reality shows, so don't try to get me to watch Dancing with the Stars or America's Got Talent.

Tuesday: I have enjoyed the first two episodes of Ringer and will probably continue with that. The fact that it's on the CW gives them a little more leeway with outrageous plotlines and it's about time Sarah Michelle Gellar was back on TV. I'll be honest. I'm only watching Glee this season to see the story arcs of "The Glee Project" winners and if they are all like Linday's performance last week, I'm in. I think Parenthood is one of the best shows on TV right now and can't wait to see what happens to the Bravermans this season. Is Michael B. Jordan leaving?

Wednesday: I loved Modern Family before they won every Emmy possible. That show is hilarious. Survivor: South Pacific is entertaining this season because the dragon slayer and a hippie version of Ozzy are back. If I can get through Top Chef: Just Desserts, Top Chef: Texas is starting in a couple weeks.

Thursday: I had to give up hosting trivia Thursdays to have time to watch all my Thursday shows. You think I'm kidding. Parks and Rec without a Ben/Leslie pairing is heartbreaking, but that cast is phenomenal and I'm sure this season will rock. I'm not so sure about the Office sans Steve Carell. It seems a little gimmicky, but I'm willing to go along for the ride. I hate having to wait until January to get my Liz Lemon fix on 30 Rock, but I'm sure the wait will be worth it. I'm also watching Grey's Anatomy and The Mentalist (I love a man in a 3-piece suit). I had been watching Project Runway over the summer, but may give it up.

Friday and Saturday: Now that my beloved Medium is over, I'm giving Patrick Wilson's a Gifted Man a chance, although I really can't stand that actress who played Rita on Dexter. And of course, SNL makes for good hungover Sunday morning DVR watching. It's not gay if it's a 3-way.

Time to wrap up in my Slanket and settle in for the long haul. What am I missing?

Farewell Tommy Gavin & 62 Truck

I was first introduced to Tommy Gavin and the rest of 62 Truck during the summer of '09. I think FX was starting the latest season of Rescue Me and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Since I am obviously too impatient to wait for Netflix, I went to Videoport 3 or 4 times that weekend and plowed through the first couple of seasons. The show follows one house of the NYFD in the wake of 9/11. Tommy Gavin, played by Denis Leary, lost his cousin and best friend on 9/11 and deals with it through alcohol, infidelity and numerous other self-destructive behaviors.

In the series finale, Tommy has a dream that leads us to believe that 5 firefighters died in the big warehouse fire, but we eventually find out that Lou is the only one who did. Janet has her baby at home in a matter of 3 minutes and Tommy wants to name him Lou, but Janet decides on Shea, which was Lou's last name. The final episode had a lot of the typical goofiness, but comes full circle when Tommy shows the new probies a banner with the names of the firefighters who died on 9/11 and tells them what it really means to be a hero.

Although the show dipped into the absurd a few times (mainly involving Sean's love life), there were some really touching moments throughout the seasons. It's fitting that the show wrapped up almost to the day of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Rescue Me gave us an insight to the guilt, rage and eventual healing that the firefighters of New York felt in the years following 9/11. I could have done without the actress who played Tommy's daughter, Katie. In fact, she was terrible, but guest appearences by Maura Tierney, Tatum O'Neal and Michael J. Fox more than made up for it.

All in all, an entertaining and inspiring show. I raise my glass to you, Tommy Gavin!

Why There Should Be A "Glee Project"-Type Competition For Every Show

I just now got to watch Sunday's season finale of the Glee Project. If you aren't familiar with this show, Oxygen network looked at 40,000 auditions and narrowed it down to 12 finalists competing for a 7-episode arc in season 3 of Glee. Each week, the contestants had a group song and music video featuring a theme (vulnerability, sexuality, etc). The producers would choose three contestants who didn't do so well to perform last chance performances for executive producer Ryan Murphy. His least favorite would go home. The downfall to the show is that Murphy ultimately chose the winner as opposed to audience votes (otherwise, Cameron would be the winner). While I think that Glee is fine on its on, I am way more excited to watch this season when I know Damian and Sam's back stories and know what they had to go through to get the role.

SO, imagine how fun this type of show would be for, say, House. Contestants would compete to replace Olivia Wilde when 13's character leaves this season. Challenges would involve tongue twisting medical monologues or seeing who has the best chemistry with Omar Epps. Or, how about a competition to find the next trainers for The Biggest Loser. Instead of sticking us with the "unknowns" like they did last season, let me decide before the season even starts whether I'll want to watch it based on the trainers' catch phrases and interesting training techniques.

As anyone who knows me knows, I always claim not to watch singing or dancing reality shows, but when the prize is a role on a show that I watch, I'm in! There's something about rooting for the unknown, little guy that I love. It's like we're in on a secret about the show and I always like to be in the know. So, as we head into the fall television season, let's think about this method for some of our favorite shows. Let's use the method to find the new boss for the office, a third lab tech for Walt and Jesse on Breaking Bad or a fifth douchebag to hang with Vince and his posse on Entourage.

Take The Money And Run

Maybe it's just because I'm well into season 4 of Alias, but the premise of the new ABC summer show, "Take the money and run" had me intrigued. Let's not mention what other ABC show I was watching when I saw the first preview for this show (Really? JP over Ben?). Anyway, I digress. This show totally plays into my current fascination with the CIA and covert ops. Basically, a team of two is given a  briefcase with $100,000 in it and they have one hour to hide it in their hometown. In the case of the premiere, two brothers have to hide the suitcase in San Francisco. The detectives and profilers have 48 hours to find the briefcase. If they do, they get the money. If not, the brothers keep it. All the detectives have to go on are the phone records from the hour the brothers had to hide the cash, the GPS coordinates from the route the brothers took, and any information gleaned from interviews while the brothers are in custody. It's amazing in this first episode to see how the brother Paul is completely breaking down despite the fact that he only has to wait it out for 48 hours before he and his brother can walk away with $100,000. He even talks about how they'd give some money to their mom, who had breast cancer. Toughen up, buddy!

I've never been to jail or slept in a jail cell, but I can't imagine that it would be that hard to lie to the detectives and wait it out. I guess the other part of this game would be having a partner you could really trust. You'd have to come up with a lie that you could both stick to. In this case, the brothers buried the briefcase in a park, which I think is brilliant. They then don't have to worry about any of the friends they called giving them up.

There are so many ways you could play the interrogation. To see Paul give up the location with only 18 hours left to go drives me CRAZY! It's a game! A TV show! For $100,000! The detectives walk away with the money. And the other brother is ok with it? Ughhh! This show is my new obsession.