Hello Kitty Must Die is Deliciously Twisted.

Hello Kitty is an iconic cute little white cat that little girls love, right?  Yes.  However, there is another definition that I didn’t know until I read this book by Angela S. Choi.

Hello Kitty, adj;  A term used to describe an educated, well-mannered Asian American woman who feels torn between the traditional Chinese values of her family and the social mores of being an American girl.

Just like our protagonist, Fiona Yu, who at the start of the book is a 28 year old virgin.   She works seventy hours a week as an associate in a law firm where she wears fabulous clothes and shoes but is treated like chattel.  She works weekends at her family dry cleaning business and listens to her father’s plans to find her a nice Chinese man.  Grrrrr.  

If you like Chuck Palinik or are amused by the twisted, dark and a bit wicked, I recommend this book.  It visits the angst, frustration, and yearning that most young women feel then slips in to a more dangerous, but amusing in a craven way, that most only read about.  

This is Choi’s debut novel and I look forward to more.  

 http://www.angelaschoi.com/  '
Ps. Be sure to check out her website.  She is just as interesting as her novel!

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tyrus Books (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English

'Unbearable Lightness - a story of Loss & Gain' book review...

OK, this book is a very personal and quite harrowing walk through of what it means to feel worthy of yourself. It's Portia De Rossi's (Amanda Rogers to her mum and now Portia DeGeneres) biography that was released last month and it takes you on a real step by step journey of how easy it can be for someone to become all-encompassed in an eating disorder (or 2 in this case) and struggle with their real identity.

It was a little weird to have a biography start when someone is 25, but this is not a story about someone's ordinary life journey, this is almost like a diary. We pick up the story when Portia landed the role of Nelle Porter on the 90's show 'Ally McBeal', continue with her dealing with Hollywood's pressure to be small including a costume director getting grumpy; 'nobody told me she was a size 8', her misguided (or non guided) attempts to get a 'straight' girlfriend, being forced to get help and ends with her beautiful wedding to Ellen.

Whilst this book is very serious there are a few lighter moments, including a few passing references to Ellen - 'its OK Mum, it's not like I'm dating Ellen DeGeneres' was my favourite. She was referring to the fact that her mum was one of the only people that knew she was gay.

I did find myself thinking, towards the end, that it was getting repetitive but then I realised that strict repetition, routine & control were at the core of Portia's life for many many years and it was a true reflection of her reality. My heart sank as she applauded herself for getting to 40kg (88pounds) and soared as she found true love.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough, but reader beware it is personal and can be a little hard to read at times but I can remember the tabloids that she mentions and knowing what was going on behind the scenes is very interesting and eye opening.

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Picture Source #2