Book Update 4: Ma'am that's the dust cover

So, I'm here playing Carrie Bradshaw on my chaise again. Not as glamorous as one would expect but I've got my glass of water on standby and Austrailas Master Chef on TV. Got to love those accents! Right, so the reason we are here, is that I've finished another 3 books.

The first book is Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire. It's the first Oprah Book Club book I've ever read. Well, I mean I've never read a book (that I'm aware of anyway) that was part of Oprahs Book Club. This one was though.

Initially I had massive aversions towards it for multiple reasons.

1. It is based on a true story - I don't like those
2. Being very interested in movies, I was bombarded with images and information about the movie version
3. It would be depressing
4. The very long title
5. Mariah Carey was in the movie

All those things were holding me from reading it, until someone gave it to me. It had been on sale and bla bla bla you should read it bla bla bla. At least it wouldn't be a ho-mance. I still can't get over the fact that Mariah Carey was in the movie version. She was the reason why Glitter was made gods sake! That should never be forgotten.

That said, if you are into the sort of semi (c)rude graphic language, tragic story and a mix of story and poetry you might like it. For me, it was maybe too 'real' or I'm just not really into reading in graphic detail about how a 12 year old girl was raped by her father and then later gave birth to their retarded child. Or how her mothers nether region smelled. Quite frankly, I can live without that. The grammar and spelling mistakes etc. were genious though, just like in Forest Gump - if you've read that. It works. I didn't really like Forest Gump either, but the way it was written was great.

Again. Glitter! Mariah, I shall never forgive you

The next book is the first book of the Being Human series called The Road by Simon Guerrier. Before I start writing about the book, I have to mention that the cover design is by the graphic design master Glittering Lee. We here at Sayhey ADORE Lee, and quite frankly we'd have his children if it were physically possible or if he asked. Of course Lee is, like most of the good gays, taken.

Well, enough about that. We are here to talk about the book, which is quite entertaining. What do you get if you take a werewolf, vampire and a ghost and put them in a house together? You get a tightly knit group of friends who look out for each other, and whatnot.

Then, what do you get if you add a middle aged black woman ghost who smells something like brimstone. Wearing a purple hat, lacquered hair and a floral dress under a purple coat? Well you should buy the book and find out. It's quite entertaining despite the story unfolding in Bristol of all places. Ch-che-check it out!

Last and certainly not least, I've finished Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomanical, Self-Centered Smart Ass Phase by Jen Lancaster. As my regular readers may have notices, I have a thing for Miss Jen Lancaster. I've read all four of her books - and just when you thought you might be safe, another one is released this May.

I saw the title of her first book Bitter is the New Black over on Dinahs blog, and just *had* to read it. From there it just escalated and I'm still quite smitten with Jen Lancasters style of writing. It's fun, honest and I imagine my life story being written like that when I retire to my chaise, a glass of Champagne in hand, and live of Godiva chocolates and Beluga caviar. It's not Jen Lancasters fault that she lives in Chicago of all places. That said, Jen loves Chicago apparently, and I suppose my few days in her fair city wasn't enough to hook me. Truth be told, I was tired, cold, starving and ended up walking past the Crocs Beach Volley tournament by Lake Michigan. No, honey. No.

Pretty in Plaid, is like her autobiography in which she writes about some of the turning points in her life. Some fun, and some a little less fun but always with a cheerful twist. Like the title suggests she uses outfits to recall the events in her life. From the seventies and up. Like she remembers wearing a too-tight pink parka from Lands' End that couldn't zip over her green wool crewneck sweater the day she learned that the Challenger exploded, a scratchy purple V-neck when Reagan was shot and a a red Ralph Lauren turtleneck, loose sand-coloured 501s and a red and blue grosgrain band around her watch when she first kissed her husband Fletch.

For someone like me, who loves clothes, witty comments and someone who can laugh at themselves this is a must read. Big, nay huge both thumbs up!