Two Stars

Best for:
Fans of the actress who don’t mind a lot of unnecessary name dropping.

In a nutshell:
Actor Rebel Wilson shares her story, from her upbringing in Australia, through her time as an actress and welcoming her first child.

Worth quoting:
N/A

Why I chose it:
I do love the Pitch Perfect films, and I love a good memoir read by the author. I’ve hesitated reading it because I don’t know much about Wilson, and I kind of wish I’d trusted that instinct.

Review:
First off – the good. Wilson shares the story of fighting the Australia tabloid press and winning her defamation suit against them. That is a super bold move, and I remember the stories themselves, saying Wilson was basically a liar, so good on her for proving them wrong and showing that actions have consequences.

What I took away from reading this book is that Wilson is probably a kind human, which we need more of in this world, but that I would be exhausted spending time with her (if her actual persona is similar to what was shared in the book). She shares a lot of stories that involve famous people, but the people she chooses to highlight – Ellen Degeneres, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, James Corden, Matt Lucas – none of them are individuals who I’d want to praise in print forever. Yes, this book came out a couple of years ago, but information about the actions of most of these folks has been out there for years.

She also chooses to share all the free and fancy shit she’s gotten over the years, which could serve as an ‘oh my gosh how absurd is it that rich famous people get this stuff’ but instead comes across more as oblivious. And this is a minor complaint, but she uses brand names / restaurant names when its not necessary. She’s always talking about her ‘G Wagon’ instead of just saying she got in her car. It just rubs me the wrong way.

She doesn’t shy away from bringing up some controversial things – because I have the UK version of the book, large parts of the section where she has accused Sacha Baron Cohen of some despicable things things was literally bleeped out, though I read up on it and good for her for raising the issue – but she leaves out one controversy that I recall pretty clearly. When she was cast as the romantic lead in a rom com, she kept saying she was the first heavy actress in that role, even though Queen Latifah, Melissa McCarthy, and others have been in a few rom coms as the lead. It strikes me as odd that she left that whole thing out, as it would have shown that she too can make errors.

That said, she obviously had to work hard in her life to build a career, and was fairly old (by Hollywood standards) before she had her success in Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect. She talks a lot about her size, and I think she probably did a lot of Gwyneth Paltrow-style b.s. ‘wellness’ stuff, and I found those parts hard to listen to because it felt like she was trying to justify her weight loss when I don’t think she owes that to herself or anyone else.

Three Stars

Best for:
Those who enjoy a little bit of wry humor with their cozy mystery.

In a nutshell:
Inspector Grasby has been sent to a village to help investigate some thefts, but while there, at least one body is discovered.

Worth quoting:
(Shows the style of humor in the book) “Let me tell you, being assailed at gunpoint is by no means my favourite way to spend time.”

Why I chose it:
I got sucked in by the display at Waterstones.

Review:
This was a fairly fun read. Not my favorite mystery, but it definitely kept me guessing.

Grasby narrates the story from his perspective, though we are told in the beginning that this has been pieced together based on journals his distant cousin has discovered. And it is clearly set up to be the first in a series, as Grasby hints at other stories to tell ‘at another time.’

Grasby is a bit of a screw up, though he hints that he did some brave things during his time as a soldier in WWII. This book is set seven years after the war, and while I found it interesting how often the war was referenced, it eventually does make sense. The town is full of interesting characters, as you’d expect. When Grasby arrives to investigate thefts (a bit of a punishment for messing up a case in his larger city office), it becomes clear that something else is going on. Some of the townsfolk are quite helpful, others are standoffish and rude.

About partway through the book we learn there’s another level to what is going on in the town, but like Grasby, we aren’t entirely sure what should be believed and who should be trusted. As is always the case with a good mystery, eh?

I’ll probably read the follow-up book (I bought that one too), but maybe not until next Christmas.