Friday, June 29, 2012

Another Double Review


I've got another couple books to tell you about today.

The first one is Playground by Jennifer Saginor

Here is what Amazon says:

You are six years old. Everyday after school your father takes you to a sprawling castle filled with exotic animals, bowls of candy, and half naked women catering to your every need.
You have your own room. You have new friends. You have an uncle Hef who's always there for you.
Welcome to the world of Playground, the true story of a young girl who grew up in the Playboy Mansion. By the time she was fourteen, she'd done countless drugs, had a secret affair with Hef's girlfriend, and was already losing her grip on reality. Schoolwork, family, and "ordinary people" had no meaning beyond the gates of the Mansion, where celebrities frolicked, pool parties abounded, and her own father - Hugh Hefner's personal physician and best friend, the man nicknamed Dr Feelgood - typically held court.
Everyday was a party, every night was an adventure, and through it all was a young girl falling faster and faster down the rabbit hole - trying desperately hard not to get lost.

This was a good book. It wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a lot more about being in the Playboy mansion, but it was more so a story about what being in the mansion opened her eyes to. I liked this book a lot, but I have to say it was sad. There were so many things going on that made me say "I can't imagine if that was my life". I mean, this girls dad was unreal. I don't want to say too much and give it away, but let's just say he was NOT a good parent figure.

Overall, I recommend this book, but not for a light read. It's got some pretty intense moments, so be prepared.

Up next, Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand

This was one of the books that I got in my book swap.
Here is what the back says:

Every summer the Newton family retreats to their beloved home on Nantucket for three months of sunshine, cookouts, and bonfires on the beach. But this summer will not be like any other. When Archer Newton, a prominent New York attorney, dies in a plane crash on his way home from a business trip, his beautiful widow Beth can barely keep things together. Above all, though, she decides that she must continue the family tradition of going to Nantucket, and at the same time fulfill a promise that Arch made before he died.
Beth invites Marcus, the son of Arch's final and most challenging client, to spend the summer with her and her teenage twines Winnie and Garrett, who have mixed reactions to sharing their special summer place with this stranger. Always a place of peace before, Nantucket becomes the scene of roiling emotions and turbulent passions as Marcus, Winnie, and Garrett learn about loss, first love, and betrayal. And when they stumble upon a shocking secret from Beth's past, they must keep it from destroying the family they've been trying so hard to heal.

This is a book that I never would have picked up on my own. But I really enjoyed it. It's a very light read, so it's a great book to read when you have a few minutes. One of the things that is a little different is that it is narrated from more of the omniscient point of view... you knew what was going on without actually being inside anybody's head.
It was kind of a predictable story line, but not so much that it was boring.
Another thing I really liked about it was that it has a good ending. It gives really good closure, which is something I look for in a book (although I do like a book that leaves me wanting more, but only when it has another book that follows).

Overall, I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.



4 comments:

Unknown said...

Um...I'm totally going to read Playground! I haven't heard of it before, so thanks for reviewing it!

Bubblymuppet said...

Playground sounds very interesting!! Definitely adding it to my list =)

Heather said...

I'm adding playground to my list!!

Shoshanah said...

I've never heard of Playground before, but it definitely sounds like an interesting book.