On the Pile: Winter Break Edition

But before we get to the books, I just need to say: I must have this shirt.
Who wants to get it for me?

Now, back to our regularly scheduled post.

In the rare moments when I couldn't find something to watch on television (although with 84 hours of America's Next Top Model and a constant feed of Law & Order spin-offs, there really wasn't much time when I wasn't glued to the TV) and was between issues of US magazine (JT and ScarJo? And Prince William's girlfriend is really just adorable), I read a few books. Mostly ones with short sentences, simple words, and little need for mental effort.

I indulged my inner geek with a couple of Buffy books. Yep, that's right. I read fan fiction. Seven Crows and Queen of the Slayers. Neither was spectacular or even particularly well written, but they're fun diversions if you're a Buffy fan.

I also picked up a couple of chick lit titles:
The Jane Austen Book Club
Full Disclosure: I only read this because my on-again, off-again crush is playing Dean in the film version (and Will Tippin went and got himself married, so I needed some distraction). I probably would have gotten more out of this if I were a Jane Austen fan. I suspect the stories of the book club members are supposed to reflect Austen's books. But I don't know enough Austen to make the connection, so I was mostly bored.

Happiness Sold Separately
A solid, good read. Anne Tyler for the thirtysomething set. The ending was a bit contrived, but the characters were mostly realistic without being boring.

I started Pathologies of Power, which seems like it will be a very interesting and important book, but it was entirely too serious for winter break. So instead I read Fame Junkies, which I raced through in one snow-bound day. Now I'm trying to get through Fast Food Nation before the term starts next week.