My expectation for this book was that it would be a snarky mother-daughter face off of “I told you so’s” and “Whatevers,” between two powerhouse and frankly, gorgeous women.

Many of us don’t remember that before Vanessa William’s had a notable movie and tv career, she was America’s first black Miss America.  She also lost her title because some professional nude photos surfaced of her that she had done years prior. Oh ya, and the creepy photographer that sold them Hustler made a lot of money doing so.  Her honesty and humor makes her more human than most superstars, and I believe it speaks to the power of the human spirit.

Going through the book and seeing Vanessa survive and even thrive despite her fall from grace with Miss America is nothing short of inspirational.  I think back to my late teens and early 20′s with chagrin- I wasn’t a bad girl by any means, but I surely was nieve.   I can only imagine what it’s like to be in her shoes in a new millenium, it makes me feel sorry for any woman running for public office who grew up in the age of Facebook where your dumb teen moments and poor judgement calls are permanently accessible somewhere in the archives of your online past.

Vanessa illuminates that no woman has to be “ruined,” because of society’s attempt to shame women or exploit their beauty, intelligence and ability to be leaders of their own lives.  I really enjoyed the book!

 Get more of You Have No Idea over at BlogHer!

In my personal life, I’ve made the connection to food and money many times.  I’ve noticed based on certain stimuli, like a tiny poor choice (getting McDonald’s or hanging out with a superficial friend) I end up spiraling into a series of poor choices when it comes to my nutrition or budget.   I’ve also come to realize that just as people having eating disorders sometimes to cope with trauma, loss or low self-esteem (as well as many other life issues), people also do the same with money- binging, hoarding, purging and over indulging.

In Roth’s Book, Lost and Found, she also makes this connection.  For most of her life she’s been battling and processing her  habits around food:  the dieting, the over indulging, the weight lost/gain/self-loathing.

Then, in December 2008 when she loses her entire life’s savings the now notorious ponzi scammer, Bernie Madoff, it occurs to her that she has the same unhealthy relationship with her money.

As a (somewhat) personal finance blogger, I got really tired reading finance books.  Sure, you can learn about your money:  how to invest, how to cut costs, what to buy, what not to buy, where to put your money and so on, just as you can learn about nutrition, but  if you don’t learn WHY you spend the way you do, or how your money makes you feel having a tactical plan for investing or saving is useless.  Understanding your personal relationship with money is vital to implementing the knowledge of the financial gurus, yet so many people think they just need tactical knowledge and never look deeper- luckily Geneen Roth does in her book,  Lost and Found.  

We’re kicking off a month long promo of this book, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading over at BlogHer so I hope you’ll check it out if you want more info or to discuss the hot topic of money!

I was compensated for my time to review this book for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Sookie Stackhouse meets Jen Lancaster’s Bitter Is The New Black. That’s exactly how I’d describe this book and it’s main character, the sassy Graciela (Ace) Jones. Relateable, independent and southern meets intelligent and sometimes awkwardly funny situations.

Diary of a Mat Fat Girl by Stephanie McAfee  is a fun read.  This is chick lit with real humor, bad language and feminine honesty- I  need a read that would suck me in and totally distract me from my life, this fit the bill.

Ace is the main character you will love as much as I do, especially when her situations lend themselves to awkward humor, personal introspection and admissions of insecurity.  You will identify with her embarrassment but acceptance of her sometimes-frumpiness but root for her to pick herself up by her sandal straps.

At one point in the book she describes going to the gym with gym clothes on (you know, like normal people do), the kind of old and oversized tshirts and stretched out yoga pants we all wear to get sweaty in, but comes to realize the gym culture is not about that.  I giggled when she walked past rows of shiny haired-Under-Armour wearing Barbie Doll-esque gym fanatics to relegate herself to the “normal person” corner like I do.

Oh did I mention there’s a part where Ace & pal Lilly are doing detective work for their friend’s unfaithful spouse?  It’s some juicy southern gossip!  Not only is Diary of a Mad Fat Girl entertaining but it’s hilarious.  There is a penis that is compared to a sea creature coming out of it’s shell.  ‘Nuff said.

Ace deals with “life stuff” with as much intelligence as there is humor- while most books like this make me want to hit my head on a desk, I think the book created the “drama” and hashed it out appropriately.  Ace deals with the end of a grade-school-sweetheart relationship,  insecurity, jealousy, body image and then tackles the issue of a friend’s crumbling marriage due to infidelity and abuse.  These issues are handled with humor but not trivialized or made superficial with your typical “chick lit” tone that drives me up the wall.

So if you want some juicy southern gossip & a lovable main character that will surely be an entertaining read, I really enjoyed reading Diary of a Mad Fat Girl and you can find Diary of a Mad Fat Girl On Amazon to snag your own copy!  :)

I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review but all opinions expressed are my own- I swear!

I was sent this book by the BlogHer Book Club and really really wanted to like it.  Many women like myself are looking to get savvy about their nutrition and get in touch with their weight and why it’s (haha, probably) kinda off.    I am all for sciencey-jargon but I really had a hard time getting into this book or getting inspired to kick butt with my health this year- but perhaps that’s not the point of this book…

If you work in medicine, are a nutritionist or generally enjoy the technical side of our daily lives- this book is for you.  

If you’re like me who wants both abbreviated, yet poignant science to back up some healthy eating tips and actionable steps to actually apply what you’ve learned, this is not the book for you.  If you want recipes or pretty photos, look elsewhere.

Granted, there was a lot of solid insight into the historical and social changes that have caused a cultural weight boom in recent years- that part was fascinating.  In short- we eat a LOT of corn people!  They do have a few practical tips, like more Omega-3s/less Omega-6s, and drinking soda or sugared juice will play some serious hijinks on your weight and if you’re trying to pop out the babies, you might want to think about your diet more seriously.

Read this book if:

• You want to know if there’s some truth behind being “big boned.”

• How to estimate your natural weight vs. your current weight & how to gauge your body type.

• You are curious about the science behind women’s bodies and the weight we carry.

• You can handle a lot of science talk and aren’t looking for a how-to guide to eat better.

What’s on your bookshelf that helped you get healthy?  I want your recommendations!

I was compensated for my time by BlogHer Book Club but opinions (as you so can tell) are entirely my own. 

As a frugality blogger, I often am moved to ask-  ”WHY SO SERIOUS?”  when people take their couponing to the extreme and execute their money saving tactics with military precision…which I like to a point but not when it totally is un-fun.

That is why I love Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel:  100 Dirty Little Money Grubbing Secrets by Phil Villarreal…    it ain’t yo momma’s frugality book!

You need to read or buy this book for yourself/someone you know if:

• You want a book that is both tactically frugal, practical and hilarious.
• You enjoy saving money in normal ways, but get a thrill out of being a total ninja with free stuff, discounts and cheap ways to have fun.
• You see saving money as an adventure or a game, or you want to learn.

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