Considering today is Halloween (finally on a weekend!), I was in the mood for something supernatural this week. Of course, you first think of the blockbusters: Twilight, The Historian, maybe even a classic like Frankenstein. But, I decided to go with something a little less mainstream. Something darker and more of a true horror novel. So I rummaged through my bookshelf and found “The Night Watch” by Sergei Lukyanenko.

I bought “The Night Watch” a while ago, but had yet to pick it up. I remember very clearly seeing it at the bookstore and being intrigued by the critical acclaim on the front. “Harry Potter in Gorky Park” is what it said, which totally hooked me (Gorky Park is a famous amusement park in Moscow, Russia and I REALLY feel compelled by Russia for some odd reason….). Anyways, back to the book.

The story revolves around Anton. In Anton’s Moscow, there is a fight going on between Good and Evil that the humans don’t even see. Only the Others see, special beings who choose to fight for either the Light or the Dark. Anton, our protagonist, is of course of the Light and also a member of the Night Watch. He patrols the streets and subways of Moscow, protecting humans from the agents of the Night (vampires, supernatural beings, etc). I don’t know about you, but that totally reminds me of the opening fight scene in the subway platform from “Underworld,” which is SO badass. Okay, seriously, back to the book. Read More »

Let the Amy Winehouse downward spiral continue!

Need answers to your tricky love questions?

Chris Brown gets sentimental.

This takes the vampire obsession a bit too far.

Who will host the Golden Globes?

Bradley Cooper is single once again!

Those Twilight people are really selling out.

The worst celebrity plastic surgery.

The 80s are back in a major way.

Lady Gaga “tones it down” in Israel.

Heidi Klum is done having kids.

Australia does plus-size fashion. Well.

I am a chronic list-maker, whether I have to make a difficult decision or not.  Lists help me organize my thoughts and remember important facts and details that I need for later.  However, there are some things that I would rather forget and that’s what this week’s showdown concerns.

I’m a fan of movies.  Netflix is my homie and I try to go to the movie theater every week.  Every movie is like a 2-hour escape from reality.  Every movie is also 2-hours that you have to spend with the actors and actresses who are trying to convince you that the movie set they’re running around on is actually another planet instead of a back lot in L.A.  Sometimes, those actors and actresses get a little annoying…and sometimes they get a lot annoying.

Today we’re going to look at two pretty annoying actresses – Megan Fox and Kristen Stewart.  Which one makes the title “actress” more of an irony than a career?  Which one is more ridiculously over-hyped? We shall let the list decide. Read More »

We’re back with another edition of G.W.W.E. (Guys We Wanna Eff)!

Ladies, do you like a good nibble during a makeout sesh? Do you get off on the idea of escaping from the perils of public life into seclusion with your hunk? Do you get hot for precariously messy coifs? If you said ‘yes!’ to all of these questions, and can stand the sight of blood without fainting, Robert Pattinson may be the boy-toy for you.

At 23, Pattinson has set the world ablaze with his vacant, erotic stare that communicates the only emotion I ever need to know: ‘I want to eff the sh*t out of you.’ The hottie shot to fame last fall  for his film role as bloodsucking, sexy vampire Eddie Cullen in the Twilight series. Ever since, ladies aged 8 to 88 have been fainting in the streets at the mere sight of the British hunk, who has been known to instigate spontaneous orgasm with a single scowl.

Most recently, Robert has been making headlines in New York for the legions of girls who’ve come out to stalk him catch a glimpse as he films his new movie, Remember Me, in the Big Apple. Just last week, the effable villain was clipped by a New York taxi cab as he tried to escape the hordes of tween girls throwing themselves upon him in lust. But breathe easy ladies, he’s fine (or shall I say, he’s foyne!).

So, RP, I confess: your devilish grin has inspired me to return to my TigerBeat roots and pin up your photos all over my walls. And refrigerator. And, well, the inside of my medicine cabinet. No facade in my home has been spared from your infinitely effable visage. When you’ve decided you’ve had enough of the tween fandom and want a real woman, come scowl in my direction.

It seems that these days, everybody is obsessed with vampires. Since “Twilight” burst onto the literary scene, an entire genre of vampire fiction has emerged. However, Charlaine Harris with her Sookie Stackhouse novels (as they are known) was present long before Stephanie Meyer. And for those of you who enjoy a slightly supernatural twist on your reading, but feel a bit too mature for “Twilight,” Harris will fill that void.

You may recognize the name Sookie Stackhouse from the popular HBO series “True Blood,” which was inspired by Harris’ series and characters. The book and the TV show are very similar; same characters, same situations. However, as I often find, the book is better than the television or theatrical interpretation.

Sookie is a completely lovable character. Living a simple life in the simple town of Bon Temps, Louisana, her whole world is twisted when a vampire enters the bar where she works. In Sookie’s world, vampires have “come out of the closet” and live among humans, sometimes peacefully, sometimes……not. Sookie takes a particular interest in vampire Bill and soon enough, they develop a relationship.

What I found intriguing about this novel is that Harris parallels real-life relationship struggles with the vampire-human relationship, such as the ever-present issue of different races and religions. Harris uses the vampire platform to demonstrate how couples of different races or religions face criticism from their community and their family and friends.

I found myself completely and totally lost in “Dead Until Dark.” Harris is a great writer; simple, but to the point. I could not put down Sookie’s story and often imagined myself walking along with her and Bill. As with all of my summer reads, the story and language need not be complicated for the book to be entertaining. I fully enjoyed “Dead Until Dark,” and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a more mature “Twilight” or just a supernatural summer read!

So lately I have, like the rest of the world it seems, been anticipating the release of Dan Brown’s “Angels and Demons” film. I’ve re-read the book (I have the nice copy with pictures!) and “The Da Vinci Code” in preparation and cannot seem to satisfy my historical-thriller appetite. So along with “The Reincarnationist,” here is another book that filled my need for some serious reading adrenaline.

“The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova is a LARGE book. I have the hardcover copy and let me tell you, this thing is by no means dainty. At a whopping 642 pages, you’re in for the long haul with this one. But what a fast-paced, exciting and intriguing haul it is!

Kostova takes the classic story of Dracula and weaves it into a story about the hunt for the real man, Vlad the Impaler, who supposedly did discover a way to become immortal. With vivid descriptions of the majestic countries of the Eastern Bloc (if you’re ever been, you will be drooling with jealously) and scary dives into crypts and ancient castles, Kostova is sure to please a history or travel buff purely with her settings. Read More »

It’s summertime and love is in the air. While I’m lucky enough to have an amazing long term boyfriend, most girls our age are still playing the dating game. Online dating sites like EHarmony.com and Match.com have been everywhere lately- from billboards to TV’s to your sister’s computer screen. But what happens when you don’t fit the traditional mold and would like to look for someone… a bit more unusual? Maybe you have something specific that defines your personality or a certain style of living that cannot be compromised in a romantic relationship.

Hoards of specialized dating websites have begun to crop up around the web, resulting in matchmaking opportunities for weirdos everywhere. Radar Magazine’s list of some of the most obscure dating sites inspired me to search for a few strange dating sites of my own. I figured there must be something stranger than Datemypet.com…and boy was I right.

Redneckandsingle.com- The name of the site is pretty self-explanatory. If you enjoy beer, trucks, fishing, and rodeos this is probably the place for you.

Laffpersonals.com- Been around the block one too many times? This site is for singles openly infected with herpes, HPV, or your choice of a variety of other nasty STD’s. The site argues that 1 in 4 people have an STD anyway, so it’s safer to date someone who’s up front about it…and maybe they have a point. Read More »