Wickedly Good Reading

Let me just start by saying that I have never read ANY Harry Potter books. Have never seen any of the movies either. Never wanted to. Fantasy and sorcery have never been my genre.

Until now, perhaps.

The book I am currently reading has me under some kind of spell - pun intended. It's Gregory Maguire's Wicked; the story of Wicked Witch of the West - pre-Wizard of Oz. It's a rich world of fantasy. Smartly written. I am in absolute awe of Maguire's mind and imagination.

I first became intrigued by the story of Wicked when I saw its sign in NYC's theatre district back in September. I think it was the sleek look of absinthe green against black that attracted me, really.

Alas, so many broadway shows, so little time in the Big Apple. (in the end, Mamma Mia, Hairspray and Avenue Q won out) I almost picked up the book a number of times since then, but was always deterred by its whole fairytale meets fantasy thing - again it's just not what I usually read. Someone from work, tho, mentioned it last week and I picked it up on Sunday, knowing I was going to be home for a few days with this awful cold/flu.

Now, I am 347 pages in and can't wait for Dorothy to show up in those pretty, pretty shoes....

Also on my summer reading list:

Jenn Lancaster's new book - Such a Pretty Fat

I actually also bought this one on Sunday but have hid it away from myself (huh?) so that I won't start reading it until my vacation leave begins in July. I LOVED Lancaster's first two books (Bitter is the New Black and Bright Lights, Big Ass) and I give them to all my girlfriends for birthdays, Christmas or just because. Just the other day, my friend T took them to her book club and the ladies there loved them too. Just doing my little part to grow the Jennsylvania army.

Bright Shiny Morning - James Frey

So I know James Frey got into BIG trouble with A Million Little Pieces. Oprah's nostrils, they were a flarin' when he duped her over the authenticity of his 'memoir'. Despite the hullabaloo, I maintain Frey is a good storyteller. I read My Friend Leonard in one, five-hour sitting. I just saw a quick spot about BSM on Canada AM today, but from what I can tell, the book's about love in Los Angeles. I remember Frey's writing as raw, real. I also remember his style - the short, choppy and then run-on sentences, the lack then over use of punctuation, the switching of tenses - it all drove me nuts. And I expect no less from this book.