Book Review - Dear Girls by Ali Wong

Dear Girls

Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life

  ALI WONG

 Penguin Random House Canada

                                                                   

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    This is not my usual style of book; I'm going to put that out there right now. But I have loved Ali Wong ever since I saw Baby Cobra with my sister (who had just had a baby and was relating to her hard) so when this title popped up I had to give it a go.

The paperback is the perfect size to slip into my work briefcase, and I read the whole thing in one little hop skip and a jump flight from Vancouver to sunny Edmonton, laughing the whole way. 

    Ali is vulgar, provides way too much details about her life and leaves you wanting more in the most wonderful way. I'm a bit of a prude in life, I don't swear, or talk about my personal life, I don't do public displays of affection and anything that happens below clothes is definitely a taboo; these same rules don't apply to Ali and I was surprised how much I didn't mind it. 

   

     If you have someone reading over your shoulder, this may not be the book to read unless you really want to freak them out; there were definitely moments when I was horrified for her poor girls who would be reading these letters some day (although really, if they had her for a mother, i'm sure that sort of talk would not be shocking to them in the least by that point in their life)

    

    Ali is witty and owns her life experiences through this story, whether good or bad. She switches between outright humor to being surprisingly touching with ease and I was disappointed when I reached the end, because I didn't want to say goodbye. 

  

     I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a laugh and a light read, though be warned there is sometimes some swearing and it can be graphic if you are a prude like me. A solid 4 out of 5 stars. 

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There is an old superstition that however you begin your new year is how the rest of the year will go. While I've never been an overtly superstitious person, I have facetiously ensured that my January 1st are always days with good food, good friends and a safe snuggly day with books. Until this year. 

My January 1st involved moving a loved one, falling and hurting my knee and worst, my wrist with an injury that keeps coming back every time I so much as hold a phone in that hand. Not the best start, and surely my first sign that 2020 was not going to be everything I wanted from a Double 2 year. 

What is a Double 2 year? All the best things in my life happen in Double 2 years, I was born in 1984. (equals 22 when added together) I graduated in 2002. I got hired by the company I still work with in 2004 (4 is 2x2 so technically I consider this a triple 2 year), promoted to head office in 2012, promoted again to buyer in 2014 (triple 2) and in 2020 I was going to start my dream job, manager of books.  

The dream job turns out to be the only thing actually going in my favour in 2020. As Covid-19 closed borders and forced people into lockdown, I was separated from my loved one that I had helped move Jan 1 by a border that was no longer a minor inconvenience to cross but a figurative wall between us, but I was able to work remotely and had my health.

With the border still closed, I've taken to focusing on my job instead of worrying about things I can't change. I get to buy books for not just myself, but for 180+ stores, approximately 2200 feet of shelves to fill with product over all. I'm getting paid to read, something I've done voraciously all my life. And with all my reading, I thought maybe it's time to review some of the things I actually get to read, to share with others what's out there. 

And so for that purpose, here is my blog. We will see if I can keep it up.