No glory holes in this book. 

Alice Clayton wrote one of the best-worst chic lit books that I've read in a long time.

And by worst I mean there is stuff in there that made me blush in a way that I hadn't since the 50 Shades series.

I feel like this book is The Bachelor meets San Francisco meets delusion. I don't know. I've lived in an apartment complex for a while now, and I haven't heard any wall banging (unless someone is literally drilling a hole to hang up a picture) and I haven't seen any hotties roaming the halls.

Maybe I should move.

Back to the book. There's the main character, Caroline, who moves into this amazing apartment courtesy of her boss. She's in the midst of getting unpacked and settled and ready for bed on her first night there, when she finds herself in an impromptu late night fight with her neighbour, who is a little busy and therefore blissfully unaware that an altercation is taking place at all. Of course there's moaning. Of course there's a wall involved. And banging. Hence the name of the book.

She realizes that the culprit is a hottie mctottie who is wall-banging not one, but three different women folk, all of different shapes and sizes (well done, Alice).

Of course they meet and of course they have a Harry Met Sally Met Ross and Rachel type of introduction. They are oh so witty and oh so hot for eachother. So, naturally, they remain friends, but there's lots of slipping of the Freud. Through this friendship courting, they learn a lot about each other and realize there are things that they like (i.e. she bakes him bread and he protects her after a night of watching scary movies). They end up falling in love and decide to try and make the jump from neighbour to friends to more than friends. He decides he doesn't want to have sister wives anymore (okay, he never did) and she decides that she can tame this bad boy. And of course, as is the case in real life (insert eye roll here), she totally changes his need to be with multiple women.

Despite all the cliches ... in all honesty, I was jealous of this made up story with this made up friendship turned hot and heavy romance. I was 50 Shades of green with envy. If you have a weekend to spare, read the book. It's quite cute and the banter in it is actually very easy to read and very witty.

And, Caroline's cat is named Clive, for God's sake. Also, did you check out that cover? Not that one should EVER judge a book by it's cover, but, um ... damn.

Something Borrowed

Before I start my review, I just wanted to welcome our brand-spanking new reviewers, Amber, Lauren, and Elisabeth. Thanks for taking an interest ladies! Your reviews have been awesome!

Okay ... about the book.

This book was written by Emily Giffin and I believe this is her first novel. I read this book a couple of years ago and I found it was something I could relate to, not because I was sleeping with my best friend's fiancé (like that would ever happen), but because of the age-group of the ladies this book focused on. These women are turning thirty, in the prime of their lives, have great careers and great friends and are living life the way it is meant to be lived: to the fullest.

Of course with every friendship you have the under dog (Rachel) and the alpha dog (Darcy). Darcy is the "look at me!" girl while Rachel is the girl who stands in Darcy's shadow. She is the type of girl who will bite her tongue when it comes to Darcy's antics, because, well that's what best friends do, right?

Darcy is pretty dependent on Rachel. Rachel is ambitious. She's a NYC lawyer and Darcy isn't anything really. Darcy followed Rachel to NY and, considering she didn't really have any work background, managed to snag a glamorous job which paid amazing dollars. But then again, Darcy is the kind of girl that doesn't really have to work to get what she wants. Yes ... she's THAT pretty.

Long story short, Rachel hooks up Darcy with this guy she went to law school with named Dex. At first Dex didn't really show an interest in Darcy (much to her shock) because he kinda sorta liked Rachel. Since Rachel wasn't really confident, she dismissed his feelings because he couldn't possibly want someone like her. Dex and Darcy began to date and wound up getting engaged, with Rachel appointed to maid-of-honour status. On the night of Darcy's surprise 30th birthday party, Darcy goes home pissed drunk and Dex and Rachel end up sleeping together.

This is where it gets interesting. They vow to keep that as a one night thing but the problem is that they can't stop thinking about each other and it continues on to be something ... more. And it's a weird dynamic because Darcy is important to the both of them. This affair comes to a head when Rachel can't stand the lies and being the other woman when she feels she should be THE woman. She tells Dex that he either needs to call off the wedding or they can't continue what they're doing (duh). Strangely enough? I was totally rooting for Dexter and Rachel. Even though they were having an affair. Trust me if you read this book, you would be too.

I loved this book. It was so well written and not hard to read at all. I loved how Emily wrote the story ... her style was awesome. Read this book. It's such a fun read (and it has a sequel!) and it took me about a day to finish it. And I re-read this book. That's how much I liked it (but truth be told, I only re-read the steamy parts).

Truth & Beauty

Recently I fisnished reading Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett. This book is one of the best I've read in a long time and I'll tell you why.

For one, it's a story about friendship. It's about two writers who meet back in college, go on to be roommates in grad school, work together, and become the closest of friends, experiencing life, love, illness, etc. together throughout their lives. I was first told about this book by another blogger actually, and was excited to read it, as I had heard such great things about it from her.

Lucy Grealy is the main character in the book, a woman who died before the book was published (I'm not giving away anything, dont flip!). Lucy has a rare form of jaw cancer, and because of such had surgery after surgery through her youth and adult life, and Ann was by her side through all of this. The author adds in little excerpts of letters that were written to her from Lucy over the course of their friendship, and I found this to be a really sweet touch.

I'd say this book is probably more geared towards women. Not than men wouldn't enjoy it, and it's not a "chick lit" type thing either. I think it would be like if I wrote about my friendship with my roommate. How we met in college, that night we drank a bottle of gin and then hid in a coat room at a cocktail party. How I go to family bbq's at her house, how she borrowed my black camisole when we went out for martinis on Wednesday night, and how we stay up for hours talking about men with good heads of hair. Sure, some men might like to read bits of it, but I'd suspect that it's just generally a more woman type thing. But frankly, what do I know? The book just struck me more as something a woman would enjoy. That's all I'm sayin.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. So much so, that I then sought out a book by Lucy Grealy, Autobiography of a Face, which she wrote about her struggle with cancer. I havent started that one yet, but I'll be back to report in on that at a later date!

If you're looking for a quick, equally funny and bittersweet read this is a good go to.

**I had this all spaced out nicely, but apparently blogger (my old friend!), isn't cooperating.**