Book Review: "Primetime Princess" by Lindy DeKoven

I must be slipping because I almost missed out on one of the best "chic-lit" reads of the summer.  "Primetime Princess" by Lindy DeKoven.

My sister called me last week and said she had seen the author on "The Talk," and since I had worked in the entertainment industry in a previous life, I might enjoy it.  I think any working woman can relate - and especially, those in the legal industry.

Suffice to say, I enjoyed it very much.  So much, that I finished it in just a week.  That's not exactly "speed reading," but keep in mind, when you get home after a long day's work, sometimes a girl just wants to be a couch potato.

This book was engaging, enlightening, funny and a fast-read.  There were a few parts that seemed to drag on, but that could have been my exhaustion creeping in.

Highly recommended.  If you liked "The Devil Wears Prada," you'll love "Primetime Princess."  

Network television is not for wimps!


"Alexa Ross has risen to the top of the Hollywood boys’ club. As the vice president of comedy development at Hawkeye Broadcasting System, Alexa has put her early years working as an assistant to Jerry Kellner, her sex-crazed former boss, behind her.
However, nepotism lands Jerry a plum spot at HBS…reporting to Alexa! Soon Jerry’s malicious behavior is destroying everything good in Alexa’s life, from the young student she tutors to the romance she thought she’d never find. Can Alexa win the battle for ratings and break through the glass ceiling, even if it destroys her—and everything she loves?
Sharp, witty, and heartwarming, Primetime Princess is an unforgettable sneak peek into the exclusive behind-the-scenes drama that occurs over the course of one TV development season."  (from amazon.com)

She Can Type, Take Dictation AND Craft!!

I'm starting to check things off my "bucket list," because - well, because it's later than we think!

The truth is that I've deleted my facebook account.  

And to calm my "withdrawals," I decided to learn to craft.  That's right, "Ms. All Thumbs" is going to tap into her artistic inner self.

I took a class this past weekend to learn all about the "Sizzix" die cutting machine.

And for a girl who didn't know what the word "die" meant, I think I did "okay."  

Holiday gifts, here I come!

Not a bad way to 'de-stress' either.

Movie Review: "Blue Jasmine"

I have to be honest and say that I’ve been boycotting Woody Allen’s films since he married Soon-Yi.

But since his latest, “Blue Jasmine” was filmed partly in San Francisco, I had to lift my ban.

I’m happy that I did.  “Blue Jasmine” is an epic film.  An exploration into a world of lies, deceit, depression, sibling rivalry and so much more.

The entire cast delivered incredible performances.

Arguably, one of the best films of the year.

Don't miss it on the big screen.

 

"A life crisis causes a vapid and narcissistic socialite to head to San Francisco, where she tries to reconnect with her sister."   

Stressed? Squeeze a Frog

I read today that a poll conducted by Monster.com showed that 60 percent of people in the world experience daily stress 18 to 20 times per month at work.

In the legal world, that’s a pretty good number.  I think I could double that number based on my own stress level.

What do you do to relieve stress at work? 

For me, music helps.  When I’m not doing a task that requires intense focus, like when I’m entering attorney time, I often put on a headset and listen to a few instrumental tunes.  Or, if I’m particularly stressed, I will stop and take a walk downstairs for a cup or coffee or tea.

When time permits, I’ll take a lunch-time walk to “walk it out.”

Whatever you need to “keep calm and carry on,” by all means, do it.

Many days, I’m just grateful for this little frog stress ball. 

 

It’s almost Friday!

Throwback Thursday!

Who remembers this?

"Speak of the Devil" by Allison Leotta

The third time is a charm.  Not that the first two ("Law of Attraction" and "Discretion") weren't great, but Allison Leotta's latest novel, "Speak of the Devil" is a mystery lover's delight.  

I honestly could have read this book without putting it down, but I knew there would be a wait for her next novel, so I decided to stretch it out over four days.  

I think that Ms. Leotta's background as a sex crimes prosecutor is really the thing that makes her work so different.  And, if you're familiar with the legal field, it really will hold your interest because she gets all the little details.  

I love being a secretary by day and mystery solver by night - except I really didn't expect the twists and turns this book took - but I sure enjoyed the ride.

Although, I have to admit some of the scenes made me jump while reading!

Another great one from Simon and Schuster:


SPEAK OF THE DEVIL—AND HE WILL APPEAR:  A Novel by Allison Leotta

On the very night she gets engaged to the man she loves, sex-crimes prosecutor Anna Curtis’s professional life takes a shocking turn that threatens everything she holds dear.

While Anna is enjoying a romantic dinner capped off by a marriage proposal, a few miles away two separate groups are gearing up to raid a brothel. A vicious killer known as Diablo—the Devil—leads one group. A few minutes later, Anna’s own investigative team heads in to search the brothel, as part of the fight against human trafficking in D.C. Both groups are caught off guard, with deadly results.

As Anna investigates the bloody face-off, the boundaries between her work and home life begin to blur. Though eager to focus on her new fiancé, the chief homicide prosecutor Jack Bailey, and her soon-to-be stepdaughter, Olivia, this case and the search for Diablo are never far from her mind.

When Anna discovers a web of long-buried secrets and official lies leading straight to her doorstep, the truth about this case threatens to rob her of the happiness she seemed so close to securing. And everything Anna counted on becomes a question mark as Diablo moves in for yet another kill.

Allison Leotta draws on her experience as a D.C. sex-crimes prosecutor to take readers into the back rooms of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the hidden world of the Witness Protection Program, and the secret rituals of one of America’s most dangerous gangs. Universally praised by bestselling authors from Catherine Coulter and George Pelecanos to Lisa Scottoline and David Baldacci, Leotta weaves fact and fiction to create her best novel yet.

Making the World A Better Place - One Post-It (TM) At A Time

The Post-it Brand Wall kicks off the Post-it Brand Dreams for Good Campaign which asks everyone to share their plans for making the world a better place. To enter the Post-it Brand Dreams for Good contestgo to www.facebook.com/postit and submit a photo of your dream for good on a Post-it Note by September 15, 2013 for a chance to win a $25,000 Post-it Possibility Grant.