Trashionista: Rating: 3/5

December 17, 2009 7:16 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Today's Special by AM Goldsher

I hadn't read any of AM Goldsher's previous novels, although we reviewed The True Naomi Story back in 2008. But the synopsis looked interesting and what can I say? I'm a sucker for Little Black Dress books, so I decided to see what this author had to offer.

Today's Special focuses on cute workaholic chef Anna, who along with boyfriend (and manager) Byron, runs top restaraunt Tart. Tart has been transformed from a small restaraunt into one of the city's top eateries, and is still going strong. When Anna decides that she'd like to apply for reality restaraunt show FoodTube, Byron's sceptical - but of course, with all the publicity it could generate, maybe she has a point...

Pretty soon, Anna, Byron and staff are preparing for their TV stint. After all, with a successful business, what could go wrong? However, sometimes the excitement can be a bit too much, and Anna and Byron's secret problems can't be kept under wraps forever, especially when there are TV cameras everywhere you go. Byron is under immense pressure, Anna is constantly pestered by customers, and waiter Keith can't seem to get rid of his love for Anna.

I'm not going to say any more and spoil it, but I will say that Today's Special was a good read. Unfortunately I didn't think it was at all funny, though others may disagree. It took me a few chapters to really get into it, although again, this could simply be due to my personal preferences.

Although I didn't find this book to be as good as I had expected, I did enjoy it. AM Goldsher's take on the food world is unique and fun, and I would definitely be interested in what else this author has to offer!

Rating: 3/5

Posted by Elle Symonds on December 17, 2009 in Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 16, 2009 1:04 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Do Not Disturb by Tilly Bagshawe

I've read a few books by Louise Bagshawe but have never tried any by her sister, Tilly. Louise writes a good story in the bonkbuster style but isn't as, er, graphic.Tilly has added the more raunchy aspects to a story and has come up with a good book with all the bonkbuster elements included. Sex? Yes. Adultery? Yes. Revenge? Yes. Strong male, good looking and arrogant? Oh yes. And an assertive female that would never in a million years have anything to do with said male? You betcha.

We are thrown into the murky world of hotels, specifically within The Hamptons. Honor Palmer, a hardworking beautiful woman, inherits the Palmer hotel when her father dies. Honor loves the hotel and wants to restore it to its heyday. But she has many battles to fight. Not only has the hotel been neglected for a long time, but her step mother is after the trust, her sister is spending money fast and a new hotel is being built, right on the doorstep of Palmers. With handsome but arrogant Lucas Ruiz in charge.

I don't warm to Honor or Lucas at the beginning, but then maybe I wasn't meant to. Both of them go on a emotional journey with ups and downs, and which mainly centre around one man. Anton Tisch. This man is seriously wealthy and owns the hotel that is being built in The Hamptons. He wants Palmers to go down. Not just destroyed but annihilated. And he will use any means necessary to do so, including his manager, Lucas.

A touch predictable perhaps in the storyline and not realistic at all, but then, that isn't the purpose of this type of book. It is all about fantasy and escapism. And if that's what you want (and who doesn't at the moment when the media is full of depressing stories) then this is the right book to find it in.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Platinum by Jo Rees

Posted by Helen Redfern on March 16, 2009 in Bonkbusters, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 23, 2009 12:09 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Hysterical Blondeness by Suzanne Macpherson

Anyone who's blonde would have had to put up with the stereotypes. You know, that gentlemen prefer blondes, blondes have more fun, that brunettes are potentially boring, and yada yada yada. So when I picked up

Hysterical Blondeness, a title in the Little Black Dress series, I was amused at the way that Suzanne Macpherson takes the whole blonde/brunette issue and turns it into a brilliant plot.

Brown-haired department-store worker Patti wishes she was better looking. Checking out the guys at work along with her best friend Pinky usually result in making fun of the way that bl onde girls are fawned over. Patti loves her life, friend an job, despite feeling a bit low when it comes to the looks department. However, Patti and Pinky remain resolute that they'll never resort to...well, blondeness.

Until one day, when Patti wakes up to find that she's platinum blonde...

After testing out a new weight-loss drug, Patti is shocked to find that her usually boring, brunette locks are now very, very light. She's blonde. EVERYWHERE. And her new colour, she thinks, is actually rather nice. Housemate Paul also thinks so, too. It's a side-effect of the diet drug, but Patti doesn't worry too much. In fact, it could actually give her an advantage...

With Patti's new bout of blondeness (and loss of weight), she becomes more confident, and sets out to snare the unobtainable and very wealthy department store owner Brett Nordquist, who's always had a thing for blondes. Within time she's promoted, and set to marry Brett...although how long will it all last? And is being blonde and beautiful really necessary for a perfect life?

Despite the amusing plot, this book turned out to be not as funny as I had hoped. The characters became annoying, and the book became riddled with stereotypes and cliches that just didn't go away. Whereas Patti seemed down to earth and pleasant in the beginning, I was shocked to see that after she'd gained her new looks, her main goal was to marry Brett Nordquist, thus seeming totally out of character and turning the story into a rather silly attempt at romantic comedy, which didn't work so well for me.

However, it's worth a read, whatever your hair colour.

Rating: 3/5

Posted by Elle Symonds on February 23, 2009 in Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 22, 2009 4:32 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Importance of Being Emma by Juliet Archer

I seem to be reviewing a lot of books with ‘being Em...’ in the title. If there is a book out there called ‘Being Eminem’, feel free to send it to me. Anyway...

The Importance of Being Emma is the first in Juliet Archer’s “Choc Lit” series, which will bring Austen characters and plotlines and plant them firmly in the 21st century. Can you guess which one this is based on?

This book casts spoilt rich girl Emma Woodhouse as the eponymous anti-hero, the daughter of a food magnate returned from various adventures (some of which she enjoyed at Harvard Business School) to revitalise her father’s flagging industry with her radical marketing ideas.

The trouble is, her father has also brought in the cut-throat skills of one Mark Knightley, on whom Emma had a teenage crush, and who her father tasks with mentoring his daughter. Of course, his daughter thinks she can do just fine on her own, thank you, and wishes Mark would treat her less like a clumsy kid sister and more like a... like a... well, she’ll get back to you on that.

The story is told from both Mark and Emma’s point of view, which does a great job of building the tension, but also had me shouting, “come on would you?!” every few pages. Both characters are painted brilliantly as both proud to the point of arrogance about their own shrewdness, yet blind to what’s in front of them.

And, as soon as they almost get it together, one of them does something to rub the other up the wrong way (and not in the right way, either). It’s very irritating, but it keeps you turning the pages.

Tangled into the weave of this would-be love affair are some red herrings in the form of Flynn Churchill, who catches Emma’s eye, and Emma’s ditzy PA, victim of Emma’s attempted makeovers and mismatched matchmaking. Plus some brilliant one-liners from Emma’s increasingly hypochondriac old maid-like father.

This is a good read and a clever reworking of the original (only with more sex), despite the somewhat broad brushstrokes applied to the secondary characters, and the slightly clichéd view of modern gentry sensibilities (it seemed a bit far-fetched that Emma, with all her experience and her Harvard education, would be so flummoxed by her PA’s Estuary vernacular).

But, as I said, both Mark and Emma are characterised really well, and the plot is cleverly and effectively structured to keep you hooked till the end.

Perfect for a holiday read!

Posted by Robyn Wilder on February 22, 2009 in Books, Brand new authors, British Authors, Classic Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (4)

November 24, 2008 9:56 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: Who Can Save Us Now? Ed. by Owen King and John McNally

I wrote about Who Can Save Us Now? back in July when Jennifer Weiner mentioned it on her blog. It is an anthology of short stories about super heroes and Jennifer has a story of her own in there. I was drawn to this book as I have my own little super heroine story I'm working on, plus of course, I'm a massive fan of Jennifer's. However, I'm not a big fan of the short story, don't know why, so it was going to be interesting how I got on with it.

There are twenty two writers who have taken part and written some very up to date and modern stories. Now I'm not one of these comic book superhero fans who can talk about genre, statistics and stuff with any degree of authority. In fact make that no degree of authority. Basically I don't have a clue. All I know is, I like a good story.

And in the anthology you will find good stories. But you will also find some mediocre ones. Some of them I started and struggled with, quickly moving on to the next one. But others had me gripped. (Obviously) Jennifer Weiner's was one of them. Her unusual superhero story had me intrigued and, indeed, gave me a few goosebumps along the spine.

It is difficult to rate an anthology as there is always going to be variations in quality. However I'll give this a three out of five on average, but please remember there are some fours and fives in there too. (As well as some ones and twos but that's by the by).

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try In Bed With...

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 24, 2008 in More On Monday, Rating: 3/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 18, 2008 11:01 AM

BOOK REVIEW: It's A Kind Of Magic by Carole Matthews

What is it with Carole Matthews and her book titles recently? A few weeks ago I read All You Need Is Love (ta da da da daa) and now I have Freddie Mercury with his moustache and yellow jacket in my head. Not a bad image but quite distracting when you're trying to read and write.

As you may guess from the title, It's A Kind of Magic (gah! Every time I write this I'm doing the backing vocals) is a magical book. Chick lit with fairies. I am not averse to a bit of magical fantasy in any of the books I read, as long as it is done well. I loved Garden Spells where the magic and fantasy was applied in such a subtle way, it was still believable. With It's A Kind Of Magic, the magic was applied with a sledgehammer. Nevertheless I still found it entertaining.

Emma and Leo have been on and off for around five years. Emma is a neat and control freak whereas Leo is untidy, unreliable and, if I'm honest, a right, royal pain. On Emma's thirtieth birthday he rolls up over two hours late, drunk and falls into her birthday cake. Emma breaks it off and this time she means it.

Or does she?

Walking home that night Leo meets a woman on Tower Bridge. She comes home with him and turns his life upside down. For she is not human. She is a fairy - with a wand and everything.

And I can accept that, for it isn't the magic I have a problem with. What didn't quite ring true for me were the characters of Emma and Leo. Emma whines a lot about Leo, saying she loves him, but most of the time she just hates being on her own. Leo was meant to be cute, in a childlike way, but I just found him irritating and certainly not likable enough to root for him.

Despite all this I still found the book entertaining enough to want to finish it which is great as I have plenty that I am struggling to start at the moment. Carole has that great ability to suck you in and, by keeping her chapters short, with a mini cliffhanger at the end of each of them, you just have to carry on. She also made me laugh out loud a few times. Not something I am prone to do.

I would, however, have liked a different ending. I love romance and the bit where you finally see which people get it together. But when I finally closed the book I felt like I had eaten too much toffee (and I hadn't even had my breakfast yet). The words that popped into my mind were "sickly" and "sweet".

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try I much preferred Carole's latest one (out in hardback) All You Need Is Love

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 18, 2008 in Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 12, 2008 10:50 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch

I really enjoyed Allison Winn Scotch's debut, The Department of Lost and Found, and I'd been looking forward to her second book, Time of My Life for a while (particularly since I saw the beautiful cover).

It's another in a fairly long line of "what if" type books. Like Jenny Colgan's Do You Remember the First Time (in which a 30-year-old woman wakes up one day to find herself transported back to age 16). Or Catriona McCloud's almost-brilliant Growing Up Again, in which the main character also goes back in time to age 15.

Time of My Life has probably got the most in common with Mil Millington's Instructions For Living Someone Else's Life, in which Chris Mortimer goes to bed aged 25 in 1988 and wakes up aged 43 in 2006. But, you know, in the opposite direction.

Time of My Life's Jillian only goes back seven years, but they're an important seven years. In the present, she's married to Henry, living in the suburbs, a stay-at-home mom to eighteen month old Katie. She's not happy and more and more she finds herself thinking about her former life in New York, working as an advertising executive and living with the sexy Jackson.

And then - via a masseur unblocking her chi - she's back in her old life. At first, it's good. The sex is better than she remembered and, thanks to her future knowledge, she's kicking ass at work. But she misses her daughter. And, when she starts bumping into her future husband, Henry - and is able to directly compare him to Jackson - she's not sure which time she belongs in.

I enjoyed Time of My Life, but I found it a bit slow-going. Reviews on the back cover describe it as "a fabulous, madcap read". Also "funny" and "hilarious". I'm not sure they were reading the same book. I didn't find it funny at all and it's far from madcap. In fact, it's what I would call emotionally intelligent. Jillian looks deeply into the experiences that made her into the person she was (in the future, if you know what I mean). Her mother's abandonment at age 9. The death of her best friend. Her need to be popular.

Despite this, I never really felt I got to know Jillian as well as I would have liked. In fact, I was more interested in her friend Megan and I'd love to read a book from her point of view.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Growing Up Again by Catriona McCloud

Posted by Keris on November 12, 2008 in American Authors, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 7, 2008 10:16 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Overnight Fame of Steffi McBride

I wasn't exactly mad keen to read Andrew Crofts' debut novel, The Overnight Fame of Steffi McBride - I find it hard to maintain my interest in real dysfunctional soap stars, why would I want to read about a fictional one? But, despite that, I did find the premise intriguing and so I sat down to read...

... and I didn't get up again until I'd finished it. That makes it sound like a particularly gripping read and, while it *was* both gripping and entertaining, it was more that it was such an easy read. It would make a great holiday book.

Steffi wants to act, but her abusive father has told her in no uncertain terms that her doing so would bring shame on the family. So she has acting lessons in secret and it's at one of these lessons, when she gives a monologue describing her father beating her mother, that she is discovered by casting directors from Britain's biggest soap (which, unsuprisingly, sounds rather Eastenders-esque).

Steffi is thrown into the limelight and, despite basically playing a tart with a heart, apparently becomes enormously popular with the public. Next thing she's modelling for Elle (I found this a bit implausible - has anyone from Eastenders modelled for Elle?), being courted by a Max Clifford style PR guru and fixed up, both professionally and personally, with her childhood hero, former boy band singer, Luke.

Of course, her old life - her father's behaviour, the fact that she lived in a squat with her druggy boyfriend - is soon picked up on by the press who, as they do, take to hounding her pretty constantly. And then they get hold of an even bigger secret from her past - one that even Steffi's unaware of...

I really did enjoy this book. It found it convincing about the fake aspects of celebrity (although I found Steffi's mega-swift rise to fame a bit much) and how easily the people around you can change. What I didn't find entirely convincing was Steffi herself. I never really knew how she was coping with it all. I just didn't feel I'd really got under her skin. In fact, I didn't feel like I really knew any of the characters; they all could have been fleshed out so they felt more like real people.

Having said that, I'd quite like a sequel because I want to know what's next for Steffi!

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Secret Diaries of Abigail Titmuss by Abi Titmuss for a "real" version or The Truth About Ruby Valentine by Alison Bond for a fictional alternative

Posted by Keris on November 7, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 24, 2008 9:35 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Miracle Girls by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt

Reviewed by Jill Hart

The Miracle Girls is a sweet novel about second chances. Ana Dominguez has just moved to Half Moon Bay and is doing her best to fit in to her new life. Unfortunately, Riley, the most popular girl in school, has singled Ana out for her own brand of high school torture. When Ana and Riley end up in detention together, Ana is sure things can't get any worse.

God uses this bad situation to bring Ana together with a group of girls (Riley included) who, like her, are living their second chance at life. Ana realizes that they have been brought together for a purpose, but she must now convince the other "Miracle Girls" - maybe not Riley - that their friendship is meant to be.

I really enjoyed Miracle Girls and am already looking forward to the next book in the series. This is the type of novel that is timeless, that I'll want my daughter to read when she hits her teens (or tweens). I look forward to the day when I can share my love of reading - and clean, godly books like this one - with her.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try It's All About Us by Shelley Medina

Posted by Aigua Media on October 24, 2008 in American Authors, Inspirational, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (2)

October 20, 2008 10:16 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: All Balls and Glitter by Craig Revel Horwood

I love Craig Revel Horwood. I know he's meant to be the Mr Nasty of Strictly Come Dancing, but I find him the most consistent judge and the most consistently hilarious.

I'd read a lot about this autobiography before it was published. The papers were full of lurid tales of Craig's time as a rent boy and a drag queen, so I was expecting it to be scandalous, juicy and, since Craig is so honest on Strictly, rather indiscreet too. Yeah. It wasn't.

It was a good read, I'm not saying that, and it was certainly considerably more entertaining than Lorraine Kelly's yawnfest, but there just wasn't actually that much scandal.

Craig wasn't *really* a rent boy (he allowed an older man he wasn't actually interested in to take him travelling), being a drag queen isn't particularly shocking anyway (and judging by the photos, he was a very good one) and apart from that it was mostly about his career. Which has been solid and accomplished.

I had to stop myself skipping to the Strictly section of the book, where I thought his lips might get a little looser, but, no, it was all on-message. Everyone gets on. It's a great show to do. No, the producers don't tell him to be nasty, he just likes to tell it as it is.

Like I said, it was, in the main, an entertaining read, but it wasn't a particularly exciting one. Maybe he should have got the Mr Nasty side of his character to write it...

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try My Booky Wook by Russell Brand (much juicier)

And don't forget about my Strictly Come Dancing reviews over on TV Scoop!

Posted by Keris on October 20, 2008 in Celebrity Authors, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 13, 2008 11:38 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Seduction by Gemma Holliday

You know me, the words "erotic fiction" made me a teensy bit afraid. I'm not a prude (okay, I'm a bit of a prude), but I'm always wary of reading anything described as "erotic" and I'm certainly wary of reading anything with people in their underpants on the cover.

But Geneva Holliday's latest book, Seduction, while it is indeed erotic, is also great fun. I think I read it in two sittings and I was pretty much smiling throughout.

Seduction features Mildred Johnson. She works for the managing director of an investment firm and is, by all accounts, deeply unattractive and insecure.

Tony Landry is a player. Despite still living with his mother, he sleeps with a different woman every night (and sometimes more than one at a time) and is basically a moral vacuum.

So when Tony gets a job at the company where Mildred works, the reader isn't unduly worried. I mean, Mildred's certainly not his type. But then Tony's friend tells him how he can use his new job to steal money from the company and, for that, he needs to convince Mildred that he's in love with her. And he does. And poor Mildred falls for him too. Hard. (Fnarr.)

Tony, the swine, jilts Mildred on their wedding day and nicks off to Barbados with his ill-gotten gains.

Mildred, devastated, goes to Barbados on holiday. Well, she thought it was a holiday, but it turns out her friend has sent her to a weightloss boot camp. Mildred loses weight and becomes stunningly gorgeous.

And then she bumps into Tony and sees the chance for revenge...

(I know it seems like I've given away pretty much the whole book - and I kind of have - but that's no more than it says on the back cover!)

Like I said, Seduction is great fun... as long as you don't take it too seriously. (And, to be honest, I'm not sure you could.) At the beginning, Mildred is such a dope and so insecure that I just wanted to shake her, but then she changes quite dramatically and I'm not entirely confident it's for the better (I can't say any more than that because I don't want to give the ENTIRE book away!).

But bits of it *were* pretty sexy, so it would make a rather fabulous beach read, I think. And I'll definitely be reading more Geneva Holliday books.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Amorous Woman by Donna George Storey

Posted by Keris on October 13, 2008 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 10, 2008 11:59 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs

I'd been looking forward to Kate Jacobs' second book for almost a year, so earlier this week, I made myself a cup of tea, got myself a packet of dark chocolate digestives (*my* comfort food) and curled up on the sofa to indulge... (I had the book as well).

It's the story of TV chef Augusta "Gus" Simpson who learns that her long-running cookery show is getting, in the opinion of the audience and the television station, stale. I'm afraid to say I found the book stale too. (The biscuits, however, were fine.)

Gus's producer tells her that they need to liven things up and so she finds herself agreeing to a live show with special guests. The original plan, basketball stars ("Hot guests and cool food") falls through when they are delayed by the weather and the head of the station instead brings, younger, hotter (and cooler) Spanish internet chef, Carmen Vega to cook alongside Gus. Gus, of course, can't stand Carmen, but the audience loves her and so Gus and Carmen are given a show to co-present.

Meanwhile, Gus is trying to control the lives of everyone around her - her daughters, their boyfriends, her best friend and neighbour, the reclusive Hannah - while refusing to live her own life (widowed more than twenty years earlier, she hasn't dated since).

But I'm afraid I didn't really believe a word of it. I didn't warm to Gus at all. I didn't find anything that happened particularly believable, plus it was all rather cliched (why did she dislike Carmen? Because she was younger and more attractive). The storyline that Hannah was hiding out after a scandal seemed to appear from nowhere.

I know I recently complained about criticisms of chick lit as predictable, but, seriously, the love interest in this book practically arrived with a flashing "LOVE INTEREST" light show above his head. And yet I didn't find myself rooting for he and Gus to get together because I didn't care enough about either of them.

I've also complained in the past when people call a plot "contrived" because, let's face it, all plots are contrived by the author - but I got the impression reading Comfort Food that Kate Jacobs was sitting and thinking, "Hm. What should happen next? Oh yes, I know, I'll send them all on a team building course." It just didn't seem natural to me and I found myself mostly scanning the entire second half of the book.

I was particularly disappointed because I enjoyed The Friday Night Knitting Club so much. Jacobs' next book is a sequel to that one, so here's hoping it'll find her back on form.

Rating: 3/5 (I toyed with a 2, but it *is* well-written, so I've decided on a 3)

Like this? Try The Perfectly True Tales of a Perfect Size 12 by Robin Gold (a similar idea, but so much better)

Posted by Keris on October 10, 2008 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (3)

October 9, 2008 1:03 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum

The first time I heard of Julie Buxbaum's debut, The Opposite of Love, was when I found out it was to be adapted into a film with Anne Hathaway playing the lead. When I received the book it had a quote, from Marian Keyes no less, on the front cover. "Gripping, wise and extremely refreshing. I loved it." Made into a film and Marian Keyes' endorsement. This book, I thought, must be great.

It is the story of Emily, a successful Manhattan lawyer, working for a prestigious law firm. Intelligent, well educated and in a relationship with a fabulous man, Andrew, whom she loves. After spending a great weekend together with him, she dumps him. Because she had an inkling he was about to propose. Her friends and Grandpa Jack are incredulous. They thought him perfect for her. But it seems Emily, like her friend Jess states, gets pleasure out of breaking her own heart.

We then go on an emotional journey with Emily as she is sexually harassed at work, is given a case at work that goes against every instinct in her body, faces a future with a confused Grandpa, a distant father and, also, motherless, as her mum died when she was only fourteen.

This is a book about Emily finding herself. We know the outcome of this as it is written in the prologue. But would the journey be interesting enough to keep you turning those pages? Well, I found the first one hundred pages great at first. Julie has a fresh writing style which I really admire. But it did begin to get a little dull and I was desperate for Emily to make something happen for herself. Eventually she does which keeps me reading for the rest of the book.

It was interesting to see how she puts herself back together again. As I got to the end I had a fleeting thought that maybe everything happens a little too conveniently. But I also found it powerful at times. My eyes were stinging with emotion right towards the end, then bizarrely, I also found myself skipping little bits. Again it was starting to get a little (tiny tiny) bit boring. I'm looking forward to seeing it on the big screen though and will definitely pick up her next book. I agree with Marian, it was wise and it was refreshing. I think this writer has a great future ahead of her.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller

Posted by Helen Redfern on October 9, 2008 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 6, 2008 12:35 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley

Just Say Yes is a contemporary romance, full of up to the minute cultural references, set in both London and Cornwall. Lucy Gibson is the girlfriend of Nick Laurentis, a popular winner of the reality TV show Hotshots (thinly veiled The Apprentice). Nick proposes to Lucy live on air in the final show, Lucy says no (they hardly know each other and the L word has never been mentioned) and is subsequently hounded by the paparazzi and treated like the worst woman in Britain.

Lucy has had enough of the paps stalking her on her doorstep, so she decides to flee to Cornwall and live in her friend Fiona's cottage for a month. Whilst she's down there she meets Josh and his girlfriend Sara, feels like a gooseberry but is also, disconcertingly, extremely attracted to Josh.

Josh is the sort of man who doesn't like being lied to, who likes the truth and doesn't give any second chances. The problem is, as soon as he says this, you know Lucy isn't going to tell the truth about why she is down in Cornwall. I've spoken about this kind of frustrating misunderstanding in books before, where she is obviously not telling him the truth just for the sake of the plot so it all reaches a climax towards the end. Last week, Keris spoke of predictability in chick lit. Whilst we often know in chick lit who is going to end up with who, it is the journey of how they get there that makes a great story. I knew who Lucy would end up with straight away, but slightly infuriatingly I also guessed how they would get there.

Also, as far as I can see, she has nothing to be ashamed of. So she turned down a chap's marriage proposal. Is that such a bad thing? Surely Nick was the one who should be ashamed for putting her in that position in the first place?

With the clunky plot in mind, there were a few other aspects of the story that didn't make it flow easily. One minute it is early evening and the next it is afternoon (on the same day). Then the spiky plant. One minute she has taken it home, then towards the end of the book it is back at the office...It is just little things, but mildly infuriating when you are opening up your imagination to believe the story and the characters.

Now that I've had my moan though, I did enjoy the book. It was a pleasant, easy read. There were great descriptions of Cornwall that made me want to pack my bags and live there immediately. Josh was a heroic swooning character ideal for a romance novel and Lucy was the sort of girl who doesn't recognise her own beauty. A bit dim at first but comes up trumps in the end.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Decent Exposure by Phillipa Ashley

Posted by Helen Redfern on October 6, 2008 in Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 25, 2008 9:57 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Handbags and Homicide

An interesting title that managed to grab me straight away. I'm not a big handbag person but I do like a bit of mystery, so this seemed a perfect book for me to read whilst resting my bump. By Dorothy Howell, it is a Little Black Dress book, and I've enjoyed two of them recently so had high hopes for this one.

Haley Randolph is really into her designer handbags. Not fake, knock off ones, but the real thing. However, her expensive taste has led to very large credit card bills. She works in the accounting department for a well respected law firm, but has to take on evening work at Holt's department store just to pay for everything. Then, a few days after starting work there, she walks into the stockroom and finds her boss lying dead on the floor.

The police are called, the owner of the store arrives but gradually the finger of suspicion starts to fall onto Haley as she found the body and no-one else appears to have been in the stockroom at the time. Then she goes to work at the law firm and finds out she has been put on administrative leave. There is a discrepancy that has to be investigated in her work.

All this would have me hyperventilating, but Haley appears to be such an airhead the seriousness of the situation kind of passes her by. She thinks the owner of the store, Ty, is pretty hot, carries on working at the store (this is now her only source of income) and takes it out on her credit card. Gradually though she wants to clear her name and starts some investigating of her own. She's a bit like a Clueless or Legally Blonde version of Meg Cabot's Heather Wells.

At the beginning her stupidness frustrated me. But. The book had that page turning factor so I kept going and the stupidness kind of fell into place. I enjoyed the last third of the book in particular, when she becomes a bit more clued up and is determined to clear her name. Then the book finishes. On a cliffhanger! How frustrating is that? So I googled the book, came across Dorothy Howell's website and find there is another Haley Randolph mystery coming out next year. Phew. That's alright then.

Breezy, amusing, with mystery. A great, light read. I look forward to the next one.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Posted by Helen Redfern on September 25, 2008 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

September 4, 2008 11:11 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Someone Special by Sheila O'Flanagan

Normally when I start to write a review I've already written it in my head and know exactly what rating to give it. But this one, Someone Special by Sheila O'Flanagan has put me in somewhat of a quandary. She is a great chick lit writer and I loved her previous book Yours, Faithfully but this one has left me shaking my head.

Our heroine is Romy, an Irish archaeologist living in Australia who is suddenly called home by her step brother, Darragh, because their mother is going to have a back operation. She has to leave her best friend Keith behind and then goes and confuses things by kissing him as she says goodbye to him at the airport.

Romy arrives back in Ireland and goes to look after her glamorous mother, Veronica. The two of them don't appear to get on and silences are loaded between them, issues are skirted around and each one thinks the other doesn't like them.

We also meet Kathryn, Romy's step sister, who has a very successful career and marriage out in New York. Romy is irritated and upset as her family are dismissive of her own career and she always feels like an outsider. Her father is divorced from her mother and is now married again and it feels like it is just her, Romy. There are lots of family issues to be sorted out and many of them centre around the family business, which belonged to Darragh and Kathryn's deceased father, not Romy's.

As ever with a Sheila O'Flanagan novel, the scenes are well written and the characters are well described. I wrote some notes, however, whilst reading the book. The first one simply says "frustrated by Romy". Her step siblings think she has this chip on her shoulder and she does, but she doesn't do anything to help herself. She doesn't say what she feels, just wants to escape back to Australia. Eventually she does say what matters, but by then we are towards the end of the book and my frustration with her has been steadily building all the time to the point of not caring any more. Although the characters, including Romy, are well written, I didn't warm to any of them, except maybe Keith and he was barely in it.

Many of the chapters and paragraphs within the book are used to set the scene. Past history that has happened in the family. Whilst this was useful in order to understand what everyone was feeling, I was just itching to get on with the plot.

Once I had finished the book, I looked at it lying on the floor some ten minutes later and couldn't remember if I had finished it. I'm afraid that's the sort of impact it had.

Rating: 3/5 (I rounded up as I wanted to give it a 2.5)

Like this? Try How Will I Know? by Sheila O'Flanagan - she does write some great books.

Posted by Helen Redfern on September 4, 2008 in Irish Authors, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 2, 2008 4:06 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Jack With a Twist by Brenda Janowitz

Jack With a Twist is Brenda Janowitz's second novel featuring lawyer Brooke Miller. In the first, Scot on the Rocks, Brooke's boyfriend dumps her just before her ex-boyfriend's wedding, which they were supposed to attend together.

In Jack..., Brooke is trying to arrange her wedding to her gorgeous fiance (um, Jack) at the same time as working on the biggest case of her career. Things are thrown into turmoil when Brooke finds out that Jack is working on the same case... but for the opposition.

Between dealing with her controlling mother, Jack's even more controlling family, and the enormous workload dealt to her by her future husband, Brooke is also trying to find a wedding dress and, you know, have some semblance of a life.

I enjoyed Jack With a Twist even more than Scot on the Rocks. As with Scot... there are some improbably situations that drove me a bit mad, but Brooke is such a sweet character and the supporting characters are such good value that I didn't mind as much as I might otherwise.

Brooke herself reminds me of a less daffy Becky Bloomwood or Lizzie from Meg Cabot's Queen of Babble series. And, yes, that's a compliment!

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot

Posted by Keris on September 2, 2008 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 27, 2008 12:51 PM

BOOK(S) REVIEW: A Round-Heeled Woman and Unaccompanied Women by Jane Juska

I bought Jane Juska's memoir so long ago that, although the Waterstone's receipt was still stuck in the front cover, everything but the company name had faded away (I hate when that happens; how much better would that money have been in *my* bank account!).

Anyway, I finally started reading it and, after three chapters, loved it so much that I had to put it to one side so I could take it away with me. I loved Jane Juska's voice - wry, self-deprecating, honest - and I was desperate to read more about her adventures, but I am also always keen to have a good book to read on a plane, so I had to wait.

In case you've never heard of it, A Round-Heeled Woman is a memoir written after Juska decided to place the following advert in the New York Review of Books:

Before I turn 67 - next March - I would like to have a lot of sex with a man I like. If you want to talk first, Trollope works for me.

Incredibly brave, don't you think? Or, as Juska herself points out, foolish. I wanted her to find intelligent, entertaining, kind men and have, as she wished, lots of sex (great sex, in fact). This didn't exactly happen.

Juska's "sexploits" aren't the only focus of the book, though, she's also led an interesting life, teaching in high schools and San Quentin Prison and we learn a lot about this too, plus her family background, education in the fifties, marriage and problems with her son.

Of course, the dates with the advert's respondents and any subsequent sex are the bits that stick in the mind... actually, I'm not certain that's true. Some of the sex parts stick in the mind (ew), but I find myself thinking more about the way the men treated her. She falls in love (which she didn't intend to) with more than one of them and it doesn't work out well.

That was my problem with the book, really - and it's my problem, not the book's. I was hoping for a life-affirming memoir. I wanted Juska to get everything she wanted and more and she doesn't. In fact, she gets her heart-broken more than once. I found, as I read on, I was feeling sadder and sadder.

But not so sad that I didn't leap at the chance to read the follow-up - Unaccompanied Women - in which she's still looking for that elusive mate and, at the same time, somewhere secure to live. In fact, security is a major issue in both books, which made me worry for Juska even more. Security - financial and emotional - is one of my major driving forces and I'm "only" 37. I hate the idea that I will still feel the same in another 37 years.

I didn't enjoy Unaccompanied Women quite as much as A Round-Heeled Woman, simply because Juska reports the stories of a number of other women and I didn't find them quite as interesting as her own. Having read the books, though, I feel quite protective of Juska and hopes she gets at least some of what she really wants.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (for wittily written essays on ageing) or My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler (for a sex memoir)

Posted by Keris on August 27, 2008 in American Authors, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 18, 2008 12:11 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Sparkles by Louise Bagshawe

I've not read any Louise Bagshawe before, so this weekend, thanks to my husband's generosity, I settled down with one of her more recent books, Sparkles. It tells the saga of the Massot family, owners of the prestigious jewellery firm. Sophie, the wife and mother, Tom the son and Pierre, the husband and father who has been missing for seven years. Sophie, distraught, has decided she, Tom and the firm need to move on, so she has had Pierre legally declared dead.

Tom doesn't take this news very well and distances himself from his mother. In the meantime the knives are out at Massots the firm. There are hirings and firings aplenty and Judy, Pierre's mistress has got it in for Sophie. Then there is Katherine, Pierre's mother, a woman who hates Sophie and makes sure a gulf is driven between her and her son.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this story. There are also lots of holes and problems I have with it. The women are either career driven "working girls" or submissive and virginal. Of course, they also all hate each other, with this hatred stemming from the rivalry of one man, Pierre, where personally, I don't see the attraction.

But. Yes there is a but. This is a strangely gripping tale. Once I'd picked it up I could barely put it down. Admittedly the plot line is faintly ludicrous and Sophie is a weak heroine, but even so, I kept reading. And dreamt last night that I was the owner of a jewellery firm. Sparkles certainly has impact.

Like Keris with Glamour, I was expecting some "bonking". I had thought Louise's books were "bonkbusters". This was not the case, after all the heroine didn't believe in sex before marriage. Nevertheless, I definitely look forward to reading more of her books.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 18, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 14, 2008 8:30 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Secret Diaries of Abigail Titmuss by Abi Titmuss

For those of you who don't know who Abi Titmuss is, well, she shot to fame as the girlfriend of a well known TV presenter in the UK (an ex of Catherine Zeta Jones) when he was arrested over rape and sex allegations. She was a nurse at the time and loyally stood by him whilst the press went mad and he was left a broken man. Because of all this press interest in her boyfriend's story, Abi herself started to get attention. Then, bizarrely, the Richard and Judy Show called her in to screen test as a presenter.

The screen test went well and she was offered a job as a roving reporter. Meanwhile she was still working as a nurse at the hospital. She did a couple of pieces for the show, then disaster struck. Someone sold pictures of her with two men and a woman (you know what I mean). Then there were drug allegations. So she was dropped from The Richard and Judy Show. In our crazy media obsessed world, however, this didn't stop the job offers. She went to work for a fantasy channel for a lot of money, FHM the men's magazine wanted to shoot some pictures of her, the tabloids were printing stories about her all the time, and she sort of *fell* into the world of glamour modeling.

This is not an autobiography. As the title suggests it is actually a diary from the date she met her TV presenter boyfriend and when she had just gone part time as a nurse in order to study acting. Unfortunately for her, with the scandal that followed and the career choices she made, her dreams of being an actress were beginning to look less and less likely. I thought the diary extremely well written, but when I read the first page or so properly I saw it had been written "with" Lucie Cave, the talented features editor from Heat Magazine.

The diary shows the world behind the headlines. What is printed versus what actually happens, staged paparazzi shots, the inordinate amount of money to be made from photographs. To me though, this is actually a sad book. When I finished it I actually felt sorry for Abi. If what is said in the book is true or even remotely true, it is a terrible example of the price of fame and the way women in particular are built up by the media, only to be torn to strips a short while later. The sadder part is, women or girls actually aspire to be like her. As Abi says in her advice, are you insane?

From the headlines and the photographs you would think Abi is having a ball and milking it for all its worth. Whilst she may be doing the latter, the former is achieved through lots of alcohol in order to make her more confident. Most women deal with self esteem, weight issues and fat days. Abi is no different. But then I think, why put yourself out there? Why go on a reality TV show? Why expose yourself in such a way? She complains that she feels violated at times so why keep on milking the cow?

Even if you aren't interested in Abi, but are interested in the celebrity media and the way it works, this gives you a small slice of behind the scenes action. As celebrity books go, it's not bad, and as it's not an autobiography but a diary - it's an easy read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Jordan: Pushed To The Limit by Katie Price

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 14, 2008 in British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (3)

August 1, 2008 10:34 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Chocolat by Joanne Harris

Finally I have managed to finish Chocolat by Joanne Harris. I tried to read this years ago, and struggled, but after reading Garden Spells, which had a sticker on saying "Adored Chocolat? You'll love Garden Spells," I thought I'd give it a go. After all I adored Garden Spells, but would I enjoy Chocolat as much?

The story revolves around the lives of Vianne Rocher, who arrives at the French village of Lansquenet with her daughter, Anouk. Her arrival and setting up of a chocolate boutique opposite the church at the beginning of Lent doesn't sit well at all with Father Reynaud. He believes she is a serious menace to the village, upsetting the status quo and encouraging women like Armande and Josephine to behave inappropriately.

Then there are the gypsies that come to the village on their boats, including Roux. The intolerance towards these people by the church, the narrow-mindedness, the secrets, including one big one. It is all very intriguing and we see it all through the eyes of Vianne and Father Reynaud.

I found it difficult initially to get into the rhythm of the book. I was also self conscious, I felt I had to enjoy it as so many other people had raved about it.

I found Joanne's style of writing evocative, but also a style that you have to really sink into, to forget everything going on around you. Once I had done this, by about page one hundred, I was comfortable with the writing, the characters, and I was no longer seeing the film in my head, I could really get into it.

However. Something didn't feel quite right. Whether it was the fact that this is supposed to be set in the present and not one hundred years ago. It wasn't until films and a big TV was mentioned in the story that I actually grasped that this was set in modern times, but the way people were acting, particularly the priest, felt quite backward and therefore rather cliched of a catholic village.

Then there was Vianne. I didn't feel I really understood her, to get what she was actually trying to do. It didn't delve deep enough into her character for my liking and Father Reynaud was just two dimensional.

Saying that, I enjoyed it, and certainly recommend it. I'm also looking forward to reading The Lollipop Shoes, but, controversially maybe, I can't give it more than 3 out of 5.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen - I preferred it.

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 1, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

July 31, 2008 11:59 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Love Of Her Life by Harriet Evans

Keris loved the cover and story of Harriet Evan's second novel, so I was quite excited to review her third, The Love of Her Life. With a similar (but not as stunning) cover, The Love of Her Life promised to be a "modern day love story jam-packed with humour hurt, hope and happiness". Everything you need really, so I was raring to go.

The heroine is Kate Miller, an English girl living in New York. Her father, living back home in London, is ill and she needs to come home to see him. The only thing is, she'll no doubt also see lots of reminders of what happened as well. Including the man who could, quite possibly, be the love of her life.

So she goes back home and sees her father, meets up with her best friend, and all the time references are made regarding something that has happened in the past. What could this be? Harriet Evans definitely keeps the pages turning here, as we need to know what had made Kate run away to New York and take a job that is quite beneath her abilities.

The book then goes back in time and we find out some information. Then we come back to the present, then back again, which to be honest did confuse me slightly. But then I should have been paying better attention, but I was distracted by Kate. You see, I found her a bit frustrating. I wanted to give her a good shake at times, she just seemed a bit, well, wet.

I find it frustrating when the plot is based around a lack of communication and misunderstandings that are blindingly obvious to the reader. After all, if there were less of these issues in the book it could probably have been about one hundred pages shorter, yet still a good read.

Saying that though, I did enjoy the book. It was fun putting all the pieces of her life together and finding out exactly what happened in order for her to flee London. Everything then makes sense and I can almost (almost!) forgive her for being a bit of a drip.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Alphabet Weekends by Elizabeth Noble

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 31, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (3)

July 22, 2008 10:53 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Darcys Give a Ball by Elizabeth Newark

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Touted as "A gentle joke, Jane Austen style," The Darcy's Give A Ball is a short, light-hearted novel centered around the lives of Austen's most loved characters.

Jane and Elizabeth are experiencing a small portion of what consumed their mother's thoughts in Pride and Prejudice - the romantic attachments of their children. To aid in this endeavor, they decide a ball is in order. Their children are of age to enter society and what could be more fun than a ball that includes all of their friends and loved ones.

This book is a lot of fun - a quick read, but well put together. There is a bit of romance, a bit of mystery and a bit of intrigue. Austen would have gotten quite a chuckle of what this author came up with to keep her character's lives exciting.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try A Walk With Jane Austen by Lori Smith

Posted by Aigua Media on July 22, 2008 in American Authors, Classic Novels, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 21, 2008 12:37 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Other People's Husbands by Judy Astley

Some books, when you put them down, you physically itch to get back to and don't feel your life will be complete until you finish it. Others you'll look at but then you keep finding lots of other things to do before you return to it. Other People's Husbands was, for me, unfortunately the latter.

Sara is married to Conrad, an artist who is twenty five years older than her. Conrad has decided he would rather die than become seventy and Sara, a teacher at the local college, has plenty of male friends. Then she finds she is attracted to one of them.

Then there is Pandora and Cassandra, Conrad and Sara's twenty something children, Cassandra's baby and Sara's sister Lizzie with her son Jasper. There is a house full with lots going on.

This is, for want of a better description, a nice book. A book that doesn't tax you, an enjoyable one, but not one that leaves a lasting impression. The relationships between the characters are played out well. Conrad is a bit "unusual", Sara seems to be having some kind of crisis of her own...but I don't feel I get to know the characters too deeply.

This is my first Judy Astley novel, so I don't know how it compares with her others, and it won't necessarily be my last. It's definitely one for when you just want a nice (there's that word again), light read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Having a Lovely Time by Jenny Eclair

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 21, 2008 in British Authors, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 17, 2008 10:44 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Thanks For Nothing, Nick Maxwell by Debbie Carbin

Thanks For Nothing, Nick Maxwell is the debut novel by Debbie Carbin. Using a rather unusual style of writing we follow Rachel Covington's life as she meets Nick at work, takes him home, gets pregnant but doesn't realise - then spends the next few chapters wondering what's wrong with her. When she finally does see the doctor, it is also, by coincidence the same day she has arranged to meet a man called Hector as she found his mobile phone and is returning it to him. She then ends up spilling her secret to him.

When I say unusual style of writing I mean Debbie has written this in the first person as though Rachel is talking directly to you. For example;

I'll show you my office later. Make sure you have a look at the performance tables. They're over by Jean's desk, pinned up on the wall. You'll see that my name is always in the top three, week in, week out.

At first this style of writing irritated me, but I got used to it, got stuck into the story and it didn't matter anymore. What was strange though was when Rachel went on to describe what other people were doing in the story, without actually being there herself. I had to get my head around that one.

When Rachel decides what to do about her pregnancy (and you can guess what she decides as she finds out early on in the book and the book goes on for another 400 or so pages) the stranger with the mobile phone becomes more involved in her life, we find out that they coincidently share the same circle of friends, then Hector happens to be involved with the IT at her work...

I really enjoyed this book. It was a page turner, was well written and I'm looking forward to Debbie's next book. However, there are rather a few too many coincidences throughout but especially near the end (which was, nevertheless, satisfyingly emotional). Then there is the plot. It is a plot built on confusion and misunderstandings. Woman gets pregnant with someone she's not serious about, doesn't realise for a while even though it's blindingly obvious to the reader, then meets another man but man thinks she is still involved with the father. Also, I can't help but think I've read a similar plot somewhere before.

This is a lovely debut novel and definitely one to pack in your suitcase, just don't expect too much in the way of originality.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 17, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 9, 2008 11:16 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Moose by Stephanie Klein

When I featured the video trailer for this book, I warned that it would make you cry... well, if you're anything like me, you'll find the book even more upsetting.

Subtitled, "a memoir of fat camp", it's exactly that - there's a little about Stephanie now at the beginning and end of the book, but the rest of it is about Stephanie's overweight childhood and summer spent at Camp Yanisin. The title refers to the fact that in eighth grade, boys at school started calling her "Moose". But not just Moose, a long, drawn-out, moose-call type of "Moooooooossse". I can't think about that without feeling utterly furious, so you can imagine how I felt when Stephanie reported that her father thought it was funny...

The book is filled with that kind of thing - Stephanie actually feels popular and relatively at home at fat camp, despite the fact that the camp itself sounds ridiculous and pointless (and that's assuming you don't find the very idea of fat camp offensive). The thing I found so depressing about this book was the relentless focus on Stephanie's weight - both by herself and her family. Yes, I know that's what the book's about, but it's just such a miserable thing for a child to have to spend her time worrying about.

Of course, it's certainly possible that I found this book so upsetting because I identified with it so much, but I've recently read two other weight memoirs - Shauna Reid's The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl and Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster - and, although I identified with those books too, I also found them amusing and entertaining (as well as poignant and inspiring); Moose made me sad and angry.

It's very well written and brutally honest (wincingly honest sometimes), but I was glad to finish it.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster

Posted by Aigua Media on July 9, 2008 in American Authors, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 30, 2008 11:37 AM

BOOK REVIEW: By the Time You Read This... by Lola Jaye

Lola Jaye's debut has certainly been eagerly anticipated by us here at Trashionista, since the author has been writing a monthly guest blog (and pre-publication diary) for us for ages (read the first here).

The premise of By the Time You Read This... is similar to that of Cecelia Ahern's PS I Love You - Lois's father died when she was a child, but then her Aunt gives her a book that her dad has written for her: The Manual.

The first rule of The Manual is that Lois must only read each new entry on her birthday from ages 12 to 30 and she's not allowed to read ahead. The book also contains sundry advice that she can read as and when she needs it.

And so, with The Manual for company, we follow Lois from age 12 to 30. We meet her friends, her family, her boyfriends. We follow her through changes of career, home and car.

I found it really interesting and entertaining to follow a single character through what are basically her formative years. Usually in chick lit you get a snapshot of someone's life, but By the Time You Read This... is more comprehensive and more involving for that. It's satisfying to witness Lois becoming a strong and independent woman.

I did sometimes find the advice in the manual too convenient and contrived - for Lois's father, Kevin, to have given the advice he did he'd had to be more than a good father, he'd have to have been a clairvoyant - but I didn't enjoy the book any the less for that.

I actually found Kevin's voice more convincing than Lois's and it is his voice that has stayed with me since reading the book. Having said that, I'd still love to read another book about Lois and find out how she's managing without The Manual...

All in all, an inventive and original book and a highly promising debut. Go, Lola!

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Posted by Aigua Media on June 30, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

June 19, 2008 1:32 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Filthy Rich by Wendy Holden

Filthy Rich by Wendy Holden is a hefty book. 598 pages long to be exact. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't put me off, it actually makes me look forward to a book more. For some reason I like a solid book in my hands - it makes me think I'm going to get a cracking story. So did Filthy Rich weigh up? Well some bits did and some bits didn't.

Based in a village in the East Midlands, there is a huge cast of characters that come together over the common ground which is to be made into allotments. There is Mary and Monty the aristocrats who live in the crumbling stately home, the American's Beth and Benny, who have decked out their cottage in head to toe Cath Kidston, Catherine, the new head teacher, Philip, who moved to the village after his wife died and Alexandra, a WAG and wannabe celebrity. Oh and Morag, a not very pleasant eco-warrior type person. Out of breath yet? There are even more characters but I haven't the room to mention them here.

The first 157 pages of this novel start out quite slow. There is lots of description, particularly about the stately home and how people look that it does become a little tedious. When I got to page 156 and was introduced to yet another character, this time the Reverend who I really didn't care less about, I was desperate for something to happen, sharpish, otherwise I was going to give up on the whole thing.

Thankfully the book then picked up pace, although for the plot it was still a little long winded. But still, I carried on, because now I was starting to enjoy the book. I liked Mary and Monty and Catherine and was amused by a few others. Not Morag though. I thought she was vile and wished some of the other characters would stand up to her more.

So there I was happily reading away, then it ended. The whole thing seemed to conclude in one chapter. Just before this we had one character behaving absurdly out of character - this annoys me as I feel it is something put in just for plots sake and doesn't feel natural. And the ending she gave for Morag, I didn't think that was fair. Not on Morag but on what she gave her.

It sounds, with all my criticisms like I didn't enjoy the book. I did enjoy it, but I think the first 150 pages could have been reduced and the ending maybe fleshed out a little more.

Like this? Try Kiss Chase by Fiona Walker

Posted by Helen Redfern on June 19, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 18, 2008 2:14 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon

Reviewed by Kirsty Greenwood

In between all the celeb gossiping, it seems a few Heat Magazine journos (Jo Carnegie, Lucie Cave) have taken to knocking out the odd book – not least Paige Toon, Heat’s resident reviews editor.

I picked up Johnny Be Good after its sterling review in said magazine, and wanted to find out if it was worth the (possibly biased) five stars accolade they gave it.

Johnny Be Good begins when twenty-something Meg Stiles flies to LA after landing a dream job as PA to the worlds hottest rock star Johnny Jefferson (if only). Determined not to cross the boundaries of a working relationship, Meg vows not to fall under sexy Johnny’s spell. Until of course, she does.

Also residing at the LA mansion is down to earth, good guy Christian, an old friend of Johnny’s who is there to write his biography. (Can you tell what happens next?)

Swept up into the sometimes-bitchy world of LA celebrity, Meg is torn between two men. The moody, sexy bad boy who will inevitably break her heart, or the one who will always love her, but she just doesn’t fancy. In between all this Meg is trying desperately to keep Johnny from embarking on a path of alcoholic self-destruction, as well as trying to figure out whether the LA lifestyle really is for her.

Johnny Be Good is extremely well written. Meg is a likeable, relateable character and the book contains some real laugh out loud moments. It does, however, focus solely on her relationship with the two leading men, and although this is well done, it would have been nice to see a little more substance within the plot.

Without question, Johnny Jefferson is one of the sexiest chick lit heroes I’ve ever read, and the scenes between him and Meg are bursting with toe-curling anticipation.

The ending has a killer twist, which I’m hoping has been done to pave the way for a sequel. If not, then it’s just one of those annoying endings that leaves you feeling a bit “Huh??”

I’d recommend this novel for anyone who wants a relaxing, giddy read, without having to concentrate too much.

Rating: 3.5/5 [We don't do halves, so I've rounded it down, cos I'm mean like that! - Keris]

Like this? Try Dedication by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Krauss

Posted by Aigua Media on June 18, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (2)

June 17, 2008 2:02 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Don't Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes by Dixie Cash

Now this is an odd one. Dixie Cash is a pseudonym for two Southern sisters (one of whom is named, interestingly, Jeffery). Don't Make Me Choose ... is the fourth in a series featuring the "Domestic Equalizers" - two friends who are hairdressers with a sideline in private investigation.

So. The Domestic Equalizers are Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin and, in this book, they've been invited to New York to speak at the National Association of Private Investigators convention. Also attending the convention is Celina, a librarian from another small Texas town, who's always harboured ambitions to be a PI herself.

And then. Stuff happens. Okay, er, Debbie Sue and Edwina befriend Celina and they attend some of the conference. Plus Celina meets a hot policeman who the other two aren't sure can be trusted. And somewhere in New York there is a serial killer targeting prostitutes.

To use footballing terminology (sort of), this is a book of two halves. For the 150 pages, practically nothing happens in painstaking detail. Usually I would have stopped reading, but the writing is pretty engaging and I really liked the character of Celina and wanted to find out what happened to her.

The rest of the book loads happens, but I found it utterly unconvincing. Debbie Sue and Edwina are caricatures and I just didn't believe in them. Yes, it's far-fetched and kind of a farce, but it should still be convincing. I mean, Lula in the Evanovich books is over-the-top, but I totally believe in her. I didn't believe in Debbie Sue and Edwina for a minute (I also struggled to keep straight which was which). That's probably why I liked Celina, because she seemed like a person, rather than a character. I ended up scanning the rest of the book and getting more and more irritated with the women's daffy behaviour.

And yet I'm giving it 3/5. I thought about giving it a 2, but when I think about this book, I think about it with fondness, rather than irritation, presumably due to the first half or the character of Celina. I don't know, it's not an exact science (that's for sure). So to sum up? It could have been really good. It wasn't. But it also could have been a lot worse. Hmmm. Maybe give Celina her own series..?

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Posted by Aigua Media on June 17, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 16, 2008 10:50 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins

Reviewed by Jill Hart

[Make sure you read to the end of the review, since we have five copies of The Pemberley Chronicles to give away! - Keris]

Have you been longing to know what happens to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy after the wedding? The answer has arrived. The The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins picks up where Jane Austen left off.

The book begins seven weeks after the wedding and finds Lizzie happily at Pemberley. She has endeared herself already as the new mistress of Pemberley and has acquainted herself with her duties and obligations as such. Life marches on and the author gives you glimpses, just as Austen did, into both the trivial as well as major events that take place in the lives of all the beloved Pride and Prejudice characters.

It's an enjoyable read and I was satisfied with most the events the author placed in the lives of Austen's characters. My one main complaint is the overwhelming praise of Mr. Darcy all through Part One. It got to the point that I literally skipped entire sections that rambled on and on about all of his wonderful qualities. It almost seemed that Collins was trying to make up for all of the insults Darcy receives in Pride and Prejudice. It was, however, very distracting and took away from the quality of the story.

That aside, I relished being back in Jane Austen's world. Collins' did a great job of staying true to the characters that we all fell in love with in Pride and Prejudice. It's definitely worth reading.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try A Walk With Jane Austen by Lori Smith

To be in with a chance of winning one of five copies, email editor@trashionista.com with your name and address and "Pemberley" in the subject line, before midnight GMT 30 June. This comp's only open to US entrants, I'm afraid.

Posted by Aigua Media on June 16, 2008 in American Authors, Classic Novels, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 9, 2008 12:09 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Chocolate Mouse Trap by Joanna Carl

Reviewed by Angela Richardson

The Chocolate Mouse Trap is the fifth book in The Chocoholic Mysteries series by JoAnna Carl. This is the first one I have read and I was very curious how Carl was going to mix chocolate and murder mysteries. The combination sounded as though it could be delicious or nauseating (personally I suspected the latter).

This book (and I am guessing the others, due to her frequent reminiscences of past murders) revolves around Lee Mckinney who works in her aunt's chocolate shop. After meeting a party planner, Julie, that has passed some business her way, she is now being inundated by her "inspirational" emails. That is until Julie's killed.

When all the people on her emailing list are plagued with computer problems and then more attacks start to happen, Lee feels she has to investigate. Why would a harmless food industry emailing list be the target of an attacker? She's determined to find out, even if it means risking her own life.

I have to say, this book is quite bizarre. It's basically a cosy murder mystery, but Carl inserts these chocolate quotes between chapters and I wouldn't like to be caught with her main character Lee, when she's on a chocolate lecture. All she has to do is name a chocolate and you get a detailed description of it after. It is all an extremely strange idea and definitely not very good to read while you are trying to diet. I bought 2 bars of chocolate in a day because of this book! Or perhaps that's the idea and she gets commission from a chocolate company!

Overall, the basic book is a good one, it kept me interested, and although the pace did tend to lag occasionally, I thought it was a good read. I just found all the chocolate facts and details to be a bit strange, but then there must be a chocoholic market out there as this is the fifth in the series.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Forever Summer by Suzanne Macpherson

Posted by Aigua Media on June 9, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 5, 2008 10:11 AM

BOOK REVIEW: I like You: Hospitality under the Influence by Amy Sedaris

Reviewed by Diane Shipley (remember her?!)

I'd like to nominate Amy Sedaris as the anti-Martha Stewart. Although Amy has written a guide to entertaining and hospitality, it could possibly put any serious "homemakers" into an early grave. Like her brother David (who I love!) actress/author/comedian Amy is witty, intelligent... and more than a little strange.

I Like You... is made up of 29 chapters, giving advice on putting together different types of parties and get-togethers, from wakes to brunch. Plus there are recipes for quick and tasty meals for one and a number of cakes and desserts which sound positively mouth-watering. (Sedaris clearly knows her stuff: she has her own cupcake company in New York.)

Sometimes I couldn't work out whether the author was serious, such as when she talks about bringing home a group of Japanese business men she didn't know and cooking for them, or when she recommends holding impromptu twenty-five cent sales during a dinner party. But despite the sardonic tone, all of the recipes here are genuine and Sedaris is clearly enthusiastic about entertaining.

Unfortunately, the book reminded me of all the reasons I don't enjoy cooking or throwing parties (the effort, the clean-up, the small talk!) but that's a personal thing. It also made me laugh when Sedaris said she loved being a waitress, and would always rather eat at home than eat out. Reverse both those statements and you have my views exactly!

I do wonder if the wit and irony of the book might perhaps turn off people who don't realise the recipes should be taken entirely seriously. It might be better to have skipped the information on the best way to douche (!) and have made a few more concessions to conventionality... Also (picky, much?) I'd have preferred the book in an A3 format, that could have been laid flat so it was easier to follow the instructions. (I imagine...)

Despite a few reservations (and the caveat that this book is not for the easily offended!) I'd definitely recommend I Like You as a refreshingly modern guide to entertaining; an alternative to the likes of Martha Stewart and Delia Smith, who take it all too seriously for my liking.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

Posted by Aigua Media on June 5, 2008 in American Authors, Girly Stuff, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (1)

May 21, 2008 11:01 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Secrets of Married Women by Carol Mason

Reviewed by Helen Redfern

Jill is married to a lovely chap called Rob. Life would be perfect for them, if only they hadn’t been told that Rob wouldn’t be able to father children. Rob is distraught and understandably withdraws. His wife though thinks he is going off her.

Jill has two close friends. Leigh is bored with her own husband and decides to have an affair whereas Wendy has a seemingly perfect marriage. Whilst listening to Leigh in raptures about the man she has found to have an affair with, Jill can’t help but look at her own marriage and wish she had a bit of passion in her own life. Then she bumps into a Russian lifeguard.

I’m a bit confused about this book. A few of the characters, including the main one, evoked quite a few negative feelings in me, which is obviously skilled writing as I actually feel something for the characters. This also meant, however, that I didn’t feel any empathy for Jill. Her husband is reeling from the shocking news of his inability to have children, yet all she can think about is their sex life and lack of it. During the course of the book I found her uncaring, spoilt and undeserving of such a lovely man. If I’m honest I didn’t particularly care what happened to her until the end. Which is when I couldn’t put it down.

The writing style became different, quite deep, with not so much conversation taking place. I began to see a stronger side to Jill and actually started to care what happened to her. I would have liked to have seen this final Jill explored more thoroughly rather than just shoved into the epilogue as I thought it made her journey more interesting and made her less shallow.

Throughout the book the style of writing is great with some hooks to keep me reading. There were a few twists (one I saw coming a mile off but I won’t dwell on that). It is just this empathy issue. I wanted to root for her but she kept letting me down. I only carried on reading at some points to see how Rob would get on. I’m glad I did because the epilogue made it worthwhile.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Marshmallows for Breakfast by Dorothy Koomson

Posted by Aigua Media on May 21, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (1)

May 7, 2008 10:34 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Wrong Sort of Wife by Elise Chidley

Reviewed by Helen Redfern

Lizzie’s life starts to unravel when she unburdens herself in an email to Jane her sister. Starting with "Janie, do you ever feel you need a mini-break from being married – or is it just me?" She goes on to talk about the main thing she wants to do is sleep, she hates picking her husband’s soggy underpants up off the floor and basically she’d rather eat a box of chocolate digestives to "candles and music" with her husband any day. Unfortunately instead of sending it to Jane, she forgets to check the address and it automatically goes to James, her husband. Oops.

She doesn’t hear from him all day, then he comes home from work, goes upstairs, refuses to speak to her, then packs his bag and leaves. Un-be-lieve-able. Just from one email. Can I point out here that Lizzie is the mother of three year old twins. She hasn’t had a proper night's sleep since they were born and has no help from her husband as he works long hours and away from home. It’s pretty obvious from the email that Lizzie has lost her zest for life and needs help from her husband not the cold shoulder. Even my own husband could see that. I guess what I’m saying in terms of plot, this isn’t realistic. If it is then I’d say she’s better off without him.

However. Lizzie decides to move from their house to a completely different county where her best friend Tessa lives, rent a cottage and sort herself out, believing her husband will come to his senses and beg her and the children to return home. Whilst I have issues with the email - and the spineless husband who’d rather go to the divorce courts than talk to his wife - which is basically the whole premise of the book, I lowered my eyebrows and closed my mouth to read on. Then I really enjoyed it. I loved the character of Lizzie and the way she decided to tackle her new life. She begins to run and get fit, starts to write again and looks for a job, all the while looking after her twins. The book is well written and has that page turning factor.

We have tiny flashbacks to when she met her husband and he seems to be a nice, caring chap. Someone who adores her. So this leaving her over an email doesn’t fit in. Sorry to harp on about it but it did spoil the book for me.

Then we get to the end. I’m not going to give it away, but I’m reminded again of this email and how the whole of Lizzie’s new life is built from it. So whilst I enjoyed the middle of this book, and I really did, I’m marking it down because of this.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Hens Dancing by Raphaella Barker

Posted by Aigua Media on May 7, 2008 in Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 28, 2008 3:37 PM

BOOK REVIEW: No Strings Attached by Clare Dowling

Reviewed by Angela Richardson

Claire Dowling is a scriptwriter for Ireland’s top soap (I’ll have to take their word for that as I haven’t seen it). This is her fourth venture into the novel writing world, so she’s not exactly a novice in this area either. I was understandably expecting great things from her new book, a romantic comedy called No Strings Attached, after hearing Dowling’s impressive CV.

No Strings Attached is based around Judy who is getting married on Saturday and it’s a military operation: the dress, the three-tiered wedding cake, the uncle that nobody will sit beside at reception. She’s determined it’s going to be the happiest day of her life. That is until her fiancé, Barry, mysteriously disappears wearing nothing but his pyjamas. However, when his credit card shows up two days later in the south of France, Judy has to admit that he’s walked out on her.

Fanning Judy’s fury is Lenny, Barry’s best man, who believes that you shouldn’t let commitment ruin a perfectly good relationship. With the love of her life romping around France, Judy might just be in the mood for a little romance – with no strings attached, of course…

This book started out great. It was fast and funny and showed just how well Dowling can write. Unfortunately, I found the middle of the book just concentrated on everyone’s unhappiness. The plot seemed to falter and all the energy and humour of the book was leeched out to a parallel universe.

It did recover itself for the last quarter and regained its star quality, however, I’m not sure that this was enough to save the book. There were a few subplots, which compounded the gloom, having several couples struggling with their relationships and generally being miserable doesn’t really fall into the genre of romantic comedy for me.

No Strings Attached ended up being a very average book in a genre that is already oversubscribed. If only someone had been brave with the editing then this would have been a great read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer

Posted by Keris on April 28, 2008 in Irish Authors, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 24, 2008 6:55 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

Reviewed by Kathryn Siriwardena

Houseatriverton Perhaps unsurprisingly (given the title), this book focuses on a grand English country house - Riverton Manor - and the shocking events of one Edwardian summer.

Narrated by Grace Bradley, a ninety-eight year old ex-housemaid at Riverton, we dip in and out of her memories and recollections to slowly reveal the mystery.

Unfortunately, 'slowly' is the operative word. Kate Morton is by no means a bad writer, but I found the book very slow to start. And the middle dragged a fair amount, too. In fact, it wasn't until the last third of the book that I really began to enjoy myself.

It could be a matter of wordiness (Morton uses a lot), or could be a problem with the characters - which, sadly, appeared unreal. I didn't believe in their actions or motivations and consequently didn't care for them.

Luckily, the exception to the rule was Grace herself. I did warm to her character and continued reading purely to find out what happened to her.

Unfortunately, that's not quite enough to give this book a whole-hearted recommendation.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: The River King by Alice Hoffman

Posted by Sarah Painter on April 24, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Richard and Judy | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 4, 2008 10:42 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Always Go to Bed on an Argument by Deborah Ross

I requested a copy of Deborah Ross's Always Go to Bed on an Argument after a friend sent me a hilarious extract that I immediately forwarded to friends and family. Inevitably, that extract was the funniest thing in the whole book, but the rest is plenty entertaining too.

Subtitled 'And other useful advise from the non-domestic goddess', Always Go to Bed on an Argument is a collection of essays, columns, letters, minutes of meetings, etc., generally purporting to relate to the Non-Domestic Goddess Club (which may be a real site, but I can't tell because it's not working).

Covering everything from housework to parenting to giving up smoking, Ross is very funny and frequently open about the kind of things you generally don't admit to even your closest friends (except perhaps by emailing them an extract of this book!).

Though it's probably a better book to dip in and out of rather than read straight through - I found it a little repetitive - it's still good fun and worth a good few belly laughs ... but, oh my goodness, how bad is that cover?!

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Confessions of a Failed Grown-up by Stephanie Calman

Posted by Keris on April 4, 2008 in British Authors, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 3, 2008 9:55 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Villa Serena by Domenica de Rosa

Reviewed by Jennie Hughes

This is definitely a novel of two halves. It starts with Emily, a middle-class divorced mother of three children – Siena, Paris and Charlie – in their villa in Tuscany from whence she sends a weekly column about Italian life to an English newspaper.

It’s all quite two-dimensional and predictable. Emily is obsessed by memories of her first boyfriend at University and her lost youth; Siena has an Italian and slightly unsuitable boyfriend; Paris is anorexic; Charlie (a late addition to the family in a desperate attempt to save a doomed marriage) is happy in his Italian nursery school.

So it goes on with descriptions of their life in Italy, some back story about Emily, her ex-husband, her old friend Petra and yadayadayada. In fact, I nearly gave up on the book after about a couple of chapters because I felt it wasn’t convincing me about any of these people. But I don’t like to abandon books – it seems unkind, somehow – and I’m glad I didn’t.

An archaeologist (Raffaello, a local boy, but he’s been in America for years) starts a dig in the hills just behind Emily’s villa. He’s looking for Etruscan artefacts, but the first things he uncovers are the remains of two village men, partisans in the second world-war. Now we start to get some history of the villagers, and the tensions amongst them. In fact it was while reading the priest’s address at the burial service held for the two men that I suddenly thought, “Hang on, is this a different author?”, because here was a person with an inner life, secrets, depth.

From this point on the book becomes interesting. All sorts of past lives and interactions begin to be disclosed and the characters take on much more reality and roundedness. Old skeletons, both literal and figurative, come back and have to be dealt with. There is war-time intrigue, family feuds, Etruscan finds, sex, food and, just briefly, the possibility of a mad axe attack. The old boyfriend turns out to have psychological problems, Petra starts eating, and Emily ends up with the right man. Yes, the archaeologist, natch.

I guess the difference between the two halves of the book is a deliberate literary device to point up the vacuity of Emily’s life prior to the arrival of Raffaello, but the author is taking a bit of a chance on everyone being as dogged as I am.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Posted by Sarah Painter on April 3, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 21, 2008 7:30 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Meaning of Sunglasses by Hadley Freeman

Despite having no discernable interest in fashion (I work from home, mostly in pajamas, so there's no real need), I absolutely love Hadley Freeman's Guardian newspaper column. She's so dry, funny and down to earth. I think I gave a little squeal when I heard she'd written a book.

The Meaning of Sunglasses is subtitled "A guide to almost all things fashionable" and it's certainly that. Set out in alphabetical order (which took me a shameful amount of time to work out - I kept wondering how the topics had been organised. D'oh.), the book features everything from Accessories to Yoga.

The thing I love about Ms Freeman is that she often says just what I've been afraid to admit (sometimes even to myself) about fashion (see Coats, stuck at the nexus point between dull and stressful). She's totally straightforward in her criticisms of magazines (the products are featured because the companies have paid for the advertising - I know this and yet I still always fall for those "must-have" or "products of the year" articles) and even certain designers, and she's practical about the ridiculousness of much fashion.

And yet ... I didn't enjoy this book anywhere near as much as her column. Often, either me or my husband (yes, my utterly fashion-ignorant husband loves her too) will read bits out to each other. I didn't feel the need to share any of this book with him. Her column frequently makes me laugh out loud. The book had me smiling once or twice. Granted, I did read it straight through and it may be a better book to dip in and out of.

If you haven't read any Hadley before, I'm confident you'll enjoy it as a common sense explanation of the madness of modern fashion, but Hadley fans may be disappointed.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Fashion Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones

Posted by Keris on March 21, 2008 in Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 14, 2008 11:52 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder by Holly McQueen

22nd May sees Isabel Bookbinder launched on an unsuspecting public. Being touted as the new Becky Bloomwood, Isabel is a chick lit by numbers character; head in the clouds, heart on her sleeve and just a little bit stupid. The book follows her attempts to secure a publishing deal and become a literary star. The only problem is she's so caught up in dreaming about the lifestyle she associates with being a 'novelist' that she forgets to actually put pen to paper. And thus the problems begin.

The novel is definitely one for Sophie Kinsella fans, as Bookbinder borrows heavily from the Shopaholic series. Not only is the character similarly infuriating at times, the love interest is very Luke Brandon-esque and the novel is broken up with Isabel's fake newspaper and magazine articles (about herself), much like the Shopaholic books were broken up with Becky's letters to her bank manager.

As fun Summer reads go, this is probably the ultimate beach novel. It's fluffy, light and easy to read. McQueen is a good writer who knows her audience and weaves together a tale that'll have you giggling and sighing with frustration in equal doses.

Sadly, I had serious issues with the title character. I loved the idea of her, I thought the faux magazine articles where she imagined herself as rich, beautiful and successful were great (ok, maybe I've done that too...) but she was just a bit too silly for my liking. At one point, I actually threw the book down in disbelief. While there are moments of sheer brilliance and plenty of laugh-out-loud funny lines, I couldn't really feel an affinity for a woman who is so ridiculous she lets herself get carried away to the extent that we see in the novel. It's one thing to daydream, it's another to ignore reality all together.

Rumours suggest that Isabel Bookbinder is set to become a series character, and I must confess, as much as I enjoyed this book for what it was - pure fluff - and could see why people would love it, I'd much rather have more Little Lady instead. Isabel was just a bit too dim and ridiculous for me.

3/5 - So much potential, but Isabel drove me mad!

PS. If you think you can tolerate the silliness, Isabel has a rather lovely website where proof copies are up for grabs. You can also pre-order the novel for £6.99 through Random House.

Posted by Gemma on March 14, 2008 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 13, 2008 6:41 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Daisy's Back In Town

Daisyback When Daisy Lee Monroe walked out of Lovett, Texas fifteen years ago, she was a frightened eighteen-year-old with a secret.

Now she's back in town, forcing herself to confront the bad boy she left behind - Jackson Parrish.

Unfortunately, her sister is acting even crazier than usual, her mum can still talk the hind legs off a donkey and Jackson still makes her stomach flip with one glance.

Jackson is (understandably) very upset with Daisy and wants nothing to do with her. She was his friend and lover, and when she left Lovett it was with his best friend, Stephen.

What Jackson doesn't know is that Daisy's betrayal was even worse than that; she was also pregmant with his child and has waited until now to tell him.

All credit to Rachel Gibson for managing to make me care for a protagonist who has acted so badly. Although I couldn't help but like Daisy Lee, I did feel it was very out-of-character that she had waited fifteen years to tell Jack about his son.

Daisy has to chase Jackson all over town to try and deliver her news. To complicate things further, the lusty attraction that Jack and Daisy felt as teenagers is still alive and kicking.

The Texan setting is lots of fun - a real escapist treat for a Brit like me - and Jack is a very sexy, very alpha hero. Daisy's Back In Town is a raunchy romance from an accomplished writer.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom by Jo Barrett

Posted by Sarah Painter on March 13, 2008 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 28, 2008 1:55 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Personal Shopper by Carmen Reid

Personalshopper The Personal Shopper of the title is Annie Valentine. A single mother of two children, Annie works at an exclusive London department store. She's also sick of handling absolutely everything on her own, and is looking for love.

Fashionista Annie is a very endearing heroine. She works hard - with property development projects and ebay selling as well as her main job - to keep her two children in a good postcode and private school.

Annie wants to better her situation and give her children an idyllic schooling (something she had just a small taste of when she was young). She is a brilliantly determined character and you can't help but root for her.

Carmen Reid has the magical light touch, coupled with humour and plenty of warmth. Even though The Personal Shopper is somewhat predictable - with a boss from Hell and dating woes - it's very readable, too.

However, one fairly major plot twist felt rather forced (and false), which spoiled things for me a little.

Still, the plot romps along at a good pace, making this a great beach read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Posted by Sarah Painter on February 28, 2008 in British Authors, Fashion-Lit, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 26, 2008 11:11 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Good Vibrations by Ayn Carrillo

Ayn Carrillo's Good Vibrations has been on my shelf for a little while, but I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it. First there's the title. Then the subtitle - "One good girl's hilarious exploration of all things bad..." Funnily enough, I spotted the US version which is titled Pornology and has a much more sophisticated cover (see it over the cut). The US is often accused of dumbing down (the title of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone being changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone springs immediately to mind), but they're certainly winning in the chick lit cover wars!

Anyway, back to Good Vibrations. When Carrillo's boyfriend accused her of being "pornophobic" she made a list - she really loves making lists - a "Porn to do list" in fact. On the list were items like "meet a porn star", "visit a strip club", "test vibrators", "check out a brothel" and more. Here's a tip: if the previous sentence offended you, you're not going to enjoy this book.

I'm not easily offended and I enjoyed this book. Carrillo has a chatty and easy writing style, in particular she's good at writing about pretty full-on stuff in a lighthearted and informative way. Having said that, even though I'm no prude and am pretty open-minded about most things, there was one bit of the book that quite literally turned my stomach. Chapter 8. Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.

As is often the case with memoir, I didn't believe bits of the book, usually bits that were meant to be funny. There's also a relationship with a man Carrillo met in a sex shop running through the book and that didn't ring true either (although, judging by the acknowledgments, the man exists, at least!). Mostly Good Vibrations is an entertaining and informative addition to the sex memoirs that have flooded the market lately. (Ew. Now I've reminded myself of Chapter 8.)

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler

Posted by Keris on February 26, 2008 in American Authors, Girly Stuff, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 21, 2008 1:14 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Smart Vs Pretty by Valerie Frankel

Smartvpretty Two sisters - one labelled the smart one (Frank) and the other pretty (Amanda) - are left running a Brooklyn coffee bar after the sad demise of their parents.

Unfortunately, a chain coffee house has opened next door and the cafe's finances are in dire straits. Enter Clarissa, a business studies student who offers to take on the coffee house (for free) as a project.

Not even the smart sister is suspicious, and Frank and Amanda start vying for Clarissa's friendship, while giving her free reign over their business.

Then, about a third of the way in, what had seemed to be a book about sibling rivalry and a 'Mr Coffee' of the week competition, abruptly transforms into a murder mystery.

Although sharply written, with plenty of great descriptions of the characters and the setting, this novel is just too uneven. Now, I love chick lit mystery, but this is one of those books that reminds you just how damn hard it is to get the balance right.

Characters and plot twists come thick and fast, but, unfortunately, these are so convenient as to appear farcical. Plus, the sisters are frequently TDTL (Too Dumb To Live).

Ultimately, Smart Vs Pretty is a missed opportunity. With a scaled-down plot and more attention given, instead, to the character development of the sisters, this would have been a far more enjoyable read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: One For The Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Sarah Painter on February 21, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 8, 2008 11:55 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Career & Corporate Cool by Rachel C Weingarten

I wasn't sure that Rachel C Weingarten's Career and Corporate Cool would be much use to me. I work for myself so the "corporate" doesn't apply. The book is subtitled 'How to look, dress, and act the part - at every stage of your career' and since I work from home, often in my pyjamas, I didn't think Weingarten had anything to teach me in that area either. As is often the case ... I was wrong.

This book is packed with a lot of advice that you've probably already heard if you've ever read a women's magazine, but it feels somehow much more up to date. It includes questions on how to define your own personal style and then to use this in every area of your professional life.

Containing advice on everything from dress and make-up to behaviour inside and outside the office to the differences between masculine and feminine work styles and how to gracefully handle emergencies, Weingarten covers pretty much everything you'll ever need, no matter what your job. The abundance of post-its sticking out of my copy suggest it's just as useful if you work for yourself.

It's not at all stuffy or preachy, in fact it's entertaining, often funny and a very easy read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Career Helium by David Thompson

Posted by Keris on February 8, 2008 in American Authors, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Self development | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 1, 2008 10:27 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear by Sharon Dunn

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Quirky and hilarious – those are the words I’d use to describe Sharon Dunn’s newest release, Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear. The title alone made me chuckle and the book doesn’t disappoint.

The Bargain Hunter’s Network (BHN) is a group of women that shop together and, naturally, seek out sales and bargain prices. BHN consists of four women: cat loving Ginger, Kindra the college student, Suzanne the mother of four, and Arleta, the senior citizen of the group.

In Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear, the second book in the Bargain Hunters Mystery series, the group travels to Calamity, Nevada, the site of an invention convention in which Ginger’s husband wants to take part.

The group arrives in Calamity and from there things go steadily downhill. A mystery ensues and the HBN ends up right in the middle of the action. The result is a hilarious novel that, while at times silly, entertains and gives a nice break from reality which is something I can always use. J

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Simmer Down by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant

Posted by Keris on February 1, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Inspirational, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 28, 2008 6:09 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Young Wives' Tales

51fiiyqg9xl_ss500_ Young Wives' Tales has been shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2008 (there's still time to enter our fabulous giveaway for the entire shortlist, by the way) and is Adele Parks' seventh novel.

It's also a follow-on from Adele's first novel, Playing Away, catching up with the main characters a few years later. I haven't actually read any Parks before, and, I have to admit I will pick up her next book with some trepidation...

It's not that I didn't race through the story, happy to pick up the book each time after I'd left it, and it wasn't that the writing wasn't up to scratch.

Unfortunately, it was that rather important element in a character-driven plot. The people. I found them all fairly objectionable.

The story focuses on, and is told from the different viewpoints of Lucy (the mistress who became the wife), Rose (the ex-wife and dutiful mother to twin boys) and John (divorcee lad on permanent 'totty alert').

Lucy is vile. Selfish, bitchy, and dissatisfied with her (rather shiny and plentiful) lot, while John is almost a caricature of a lad-about-town commitment-phobe bloke. Both have epiphanies towards the end of the book, but by then, I had developed such a disliking for them that I didn't really believe they could change that drastically.

Rose, the ex-wife, was probably supposed to be more sympathetic character, but I found her rather sanctimonious. Her twin boys were great, though, as was her best friend, Connie, and love interest, Craig.

I realise that you don't have to have likeable characters to write a good book, and Young Wives' Tales certainly isn't a bad one. It's just not exactly my cup of tea.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 28, 2008 in British Authors, Prize Winners, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (3)

January 25, 2008 8:53 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Does This Book Make My Butt Look Big by Sarah Nilsen

Reviewed by Helen Redfern

Ever been in the situation where you’ve been lying down on your side and your tummy spills over, or perhaps you catch an unflattering angle of yourself in a mirror and think ‘Right, that’s it. Enough. Diet starts tomorrow.’ You then feel utterly deprived until you perk up as you realise that you now need to go through the ‘day before ritual’ when you can eat anything and everything on sight because tomorrow (once again) is Day 1.

Sound familiar?

For Sarah Nilsen, author of ‘Does this book make my butt look big (and who cares anyway. Its my butt)’ this is quite a common occurrence for her. And to be honest for me too, because as I was reading this particular chapter I could feel myself thinking ‘oh my God, she does that too!’

‘Does this book…’ is a collection of Sarah’s memoirs of what it is like to be a woman in modern times. The embarrassment (being fitted for a bra), the pain (deciding its time to visit the gym), and the responsibility (of being a Mum and left with the puppy poo) all make for a humorous account of Sarah’s life.

This book is like sitting down and having a natter with your best mate. Talking about all the embarrassing stories you have and finding they are remarkably similar, just a few details have changed. I don’t know if it scares me or reassures me that we all share the same foibles. But it is amusing none the less.

I did have a slight problem with the book though. Sarah is American and I am English. I must stress that this isn’t a problem with other American books I read but with ‘Does this book make my butt look big?’ written as if chatting over a bottle of wine, the language is, well, chatty, with the use of American terminology, slang and brand names. This meant the flow of the writing was interrupted for me whilst I tried to work out what things were. For example she refers to ‘In Touch’ magazine. I’m not familiar with this one (this was important as a chapter is devoted to her love of magazines). Is it the equivalent to Heat or the Economist in the UK? As I read further on I deduced what it was but for a while it bothered me.

Nevertheless even though it is American in it's tone the issues that worry women cross boundaries. The stories are engaging, honest and real with a hefty dollop of humour and tongue firmly placed in her cheek. It’s designed to show the lighter side of female life, saying what women really think instead of what they should be thinking. Obviously we do have serious thoughts and our life isn’t all shoes, spas and diets but when we do become neurotic and irrational in our behaviour it is nice to know we are not alone.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes

Posted by Keris on January 25, 2008 in American Authors, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (13)

January 24, 2008 5:17 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Chalet Girl by Kate Lace

The_chalet_girl We meet Millie at the end of the ski season. She is a chalet girl and damn good at her job. Plus, she's never been tempted to break the rules and fraternise with the tourist clients who come to stay. Until now.

Luke is enjoying a snowboarding break with his best mate (and fellow reporter) Archie, and he is equally drawn to Millie. She is so natural and sweet and pretty. Plus, she seems tinged with sadness which increases Luke's interest and attraction.

Of course, the path of true love cannot run smooth (it would make for a very short book), so a misunderstanding leads to Millie heading back to England without saying goodbye to Luke.

Gradually, Millie's past is revealed and we get to know the source of her unhappiness. We are also treated to more misunderstandings and slip-ups as Luke searches for Millie and Millie's life unfolds.

Although some of these were a wee bit contrived and Lace's style leans on a great deal of 'telling' rather than 'showing', I enjoyed The Chalet Girl. It's a good-natured read with warm characters, and a rags-to-riches plot complete with a ball at the end.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: Decent Exposure by Phillipa Ashley

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 24, 2008 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 14, 2008 9:28 AM

BOOK REVIEW: I Did A Bad Thing by Linda Green

Badthing_2 I Did a Bad Thing is Linda Green's debut. Linda is a freelance journalist. She also spent ten years working in regional newspapers in London and the Midlands.

Her heroine, Sarah Roberts, is a reporter on a local newspaper. She lives with her saintly, eco-warrier boyfriend Jonathan, and tries to do the right thing.

Then, her old love walks into the office and Sarah's past comes flooding back...

Linda Green's writing is fun, with lots of great dialogue, and all the details of small newspaper life, unsurprisingly perhaps, ring true. I liked and sympathised with Sarah, and found myself racing through the book, wanting to find out about her past.

Green structures the book with chapters from both the present and the past. Unfortunately, and this may just be me, but I found the swapping between the two quite disorientating. It threw me out of the story the first few times, and after a while, I found it a little annoying.

I think this is because the present portions are written in first person past tense, while the past bits are written in first person present tense. With me?

Also, the 'very bad thing', when it is revealed, just doesn't seem quite bad enough...

However, I do like Green's style and will be keen to read her next one. Also, if we had such a thing, I would've given this book three and a half stars, not just three.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: Playing James by Sarah Mason

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 14, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (3)

January 4, 2008 3:25 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose by Diana Janney

The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose is a funny book. Not so much funny ha ha (although it is), but more funny peculiar. Written by supermodel-turned-philosopher (surely the *only* supermodel-turned-philosopher) Diana Janney, it's (apparently) an adult book that looks and sounds more like a young adult book.

Harriet Rose is a schoolgirl philosopher. Intelligent and precocious she takes herself - and the "Meditations" she writes - extremely seriously. When she tells her mother and Nana she doesn't want anything for her fourteenth birthday (requesting that they donate to charity instead) they present her with a published copy of her collected meditations and a plan to promote and publicise the book (of which they've had 1000 copies printed).

Before long, due both to her own, strangely fascinating, nature, and the efforts of her mother and Nana, Harriet's appearing in newspapers, magazines and on TV. Her schoolmates, not too enamoured with her at the best of times, are less than impressed. But Harriet doesn't care. Until she meets the wise and handsome (and French) Jean Claude and finds that, although he's interested in her, he also seems to be attracted to her petite, airhead schoolmate, Charlotte.

Harriet doesn't exactly try to win Jean Claude from Charlotte - instead she believes that if he's interested in a twerp like Charlotte, he can't be worthy of her ... but she's still fourteen after all...

...except she rarely sounds fourteen. The back of this book claims it's in the tradition of Adrian Mole or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. It reminded me a lot of Adrian Mole, less of the Mark Haddon book. Like Adrian Mole, Harriet is unaware of her limitations and much of the book's humour is at her expense. Unlike Adrian Mole, I didn't find it laugh-out-loud funny, more gently amusing. Apart from a teenage protagonist, I didn't think it had anything in common with The Curious Incident... and I feel that was only mentioned to try and cash in on that book's crossover appeal.

Although she's irritating, I did like Harriet and some of her meditations (particularly those relating to her father's death) were surprisingly moving, but rather than having "cross generational appeal" as the press release suggests, I'm worried that The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose will be too YA to appeal to adults and too adult to appeal to teens.

Still, it's definitely well-written and good fun, so I'll certainly be reading whatever Diana Janney writes next.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary by Rae Earl

Posted by Keris on January 4, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 31, 2007 10:33 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife by Niamh Greene

Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife sits squarely in the Mummy Lit camp. It's chick lit after the heroine has left her job in PR, swopped her city flat for a house in the suburbs and had a couple of children with her dishy but distant hubby.

This is Niamh Greene's debut and I wanted to like it more than I did. Her writing is engaging, funny, and Bridget-Jones style chatty. Plus, the diary format worked very well for a light-hearted look at life as a stay-at-home-mammy.

However, while Greene's panache carried the book along, by about halfway through I had started to play spot the plot. Not an awful lot seemed to be happening and the things that did happen were a little, um, convenient and unbelievable.

Then we come to the cliches. The misunderstandings with the career-girl VBF (Very Best Friend) and her MOM (Man of the Moment), the interfering mother-in-law and cardboard-cut-out school-run mums.

Another problem with writing something so airy-fairy light in this genre is this: self-absorbtion (obsessing over tummy-size and designer bag-envy) is all well and good when you are a single girl about town, but it seems rather, well, whingey and selfish, when it comes from a woman with a kind, hard-working husband, two lovely children and a stable home.

Personally, in a book that focuses on family drama, I like a bit more heart and soul.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: Rainy Days & Tuesdays by Claire Allan

Posted by Sarah Painter on December 31, 2007 in Irish Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 28, 2007 8:24 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Wag's Diary by Alison Kervin

Despite my general obsession with celebrity, I don't have much interest in the WAGs. In case you're unaware of them, the WAGs are the wives and girlfriends of professional footballers. Victoria Beckham is their Queen (obviously), but there are loads of others, like Wayne Rooney's fiance Coleen McLoughlin and Alex Curran, wife of Steven Gerrard.

Anyway, despite not being interested in the WAGs, I was interested to read The WAG's Diary because I'd heard so much about it and the author, Alison Kervin, gave us such a good interview.

It's the story of Tracie Martin. Married to Luton Town footballer, Dean, she prides herself on being a WAG, believing it to be the pinnacle of achievement for any woman. But things aren't so good in Tracie's WAG world. Dean's playing days look to be numbered (he can still score, but often he does it in the wrong net), their daughter, Paskia-Rose, is more interested in being a footballer than a WAG (the horror!) and the other WAGs aren't towing the WAG line. Some of them even go to matches in trousers. Trousers!

Tracie thinks she should write a How To manual for potential WAGs and enrols herself on a writing course where she meets local reporter, Simon. They strike up a friendship and soon Tracie's writing that manual and everything is changing. And not necessarily for the better.

When I first started to read The WAG's Diary, I couldn't really see the point of it. Obviously, it's a satire on WAG-dom, but the WAGs are really beyond satire. I mean, they're a parody anyway so why bother parodying them? But as I read on, I really started to like Tracie and wanted things to turn out well for her. It's kind of like a cross between Bridget Jones and Footballers' Wives. (So if you didn't like either of them, I doubt you'll like this!)

My other complaint is that Tracie is supposed to be so stupid that she uses "ostrich-sized" when she means ostracised, but then, at other times, is extremely articulate! It makes it a bit of an uneven read. Still, I enjoyed it enough that I'll probably read the sequel, WAG's Diary in LA.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Everything A Girl Needs To Know About Football by Simeon De La Torre and Sophie Brown

Posted by Keris on December 28, 2007 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 17, 2007 5:08 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Thepact As with Picoult's other novels, The Pact takes an extreme situation and then extrapolates the consequences, following the fall-out for the characters, the moral conundrums and legal rigmarole.

Emily and Chris have been inseparable since childhood. Now in their teens, they appear to enter a joint suicide pact, but Emily dies and Chris doesn't. Only Chris knows the truth, but what is it?

Emily and Chris have not just been friends since childhood, they have lived next door to one another and their parents are best friends, too. The grown ups are thrilled when Emily and Chris become 'something more' as teenagers, putting subtle, well-meaning pressure on their romantic relationship.

Emily, aged seventeen, is found dead from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet. Chris tells police he intended it for himself, but he ends up on trial for murder.

The psychological trauma for both sets of parents is realistically drawn, and Emily and Chris's relationship is believably intense. Picoult drip-feeds the secrets and events leading up to the shooting, keeping the mystery throughout the book.

The courtroom drama towards the end, although quite lengthy, is taught and nail-bitingly suspenseful.

However, much as I enjoyed this book, I felt somewhat let down by a couple of aspects. Firstly, I didn't quite believe all of Chris's reactions - or that he would keep certain things to himself for as long as he did. I kept wanting to shout 'just spit it out' at him. Plus, the ending didn't have the 'wow' factor I was expecting.

Still, Picoult not quite on her game still produces a tense, complex read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this: Try: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Posted by Sarah Painter on December 17, 2007 in Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

MORE ON MONDAY: Seven for a Secret by

Following the untimely deaths of a number of family members, James Mackenzie Wright wrote Seven For A Secret to help children deal with bereavement. Specifically, he wanted to help children see grieving as a positive rather than a painful rite of passage.

The story centres on Holly and George who have lost their 20-year-old sister, Helen. The entire family is in mourning until Holly sees a smiley woman beckoning her up a tree. After climbing the tree, Holly and George are greeted by a group of magpies who take them to meet their sister.

Helen introduces the children to various big concepts, including the idea that you choose your own life and that the level of difficulty of the life you choose is related to how many times you've lived before and what you want to learn from your next incarnation.

The philosophical lessons are interwoven with Holly and George's more child-like adventures and they're both very sweet characters.

While I found Seven for A Secret thought-provoking, it's intended for children aged between 11 and 16 and I'm concerned that there isn't an exciting enough plot to hold their interest. It might be better investigated and discussed with an adult, rather than read as a story, but it's certainly a good introduction to some difficult concepts.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Dear Zoe by Philip Beard

Posted by Keris on December 17, 2007 in More On Monday, Rating: 3/5, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 11, 2007 11:36 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

When I discovered the Holly's Inbox website, I had to force myself to stop reading or I wouldn't have got anything else done. I started reading the book on Saturday morning and pretty much didn't get anything done until I'd finished it on Sunday evening.

Written entirely in the form of emails to and from Holly, who has just started work as a receptionist at a large London bank. Her colleagues are generally awful (apart from Jennie who Holly went to school with ... at least to begin with) and it's only the emails from her friends Jason and Aisha that are getting her through. Until she starts a flirtation with James, one of the company's Vice Presidents. A flirtation that will eventually change everything. (Duh duh duhhhh!)

Holly's Inbox is an extremely easy read, but a totally compelling one. Very little really happens - the plot-based emails are interspersed with the kind of emails most women working in offices get: horoscopes, offers of cheap flights, money-laundering requests from Nigerian princes - but Holly's voice is so real that I was just as happy reading about her struggles to get her broken washing machine collected by the manufacturer as I was to read about her weekend in Spain with James.

Really, Holly's Inbox is the kind of book that gives chick lit a bad name, but it made me laugh and I struggled to put it down, so I just don't care. Great fun. (It was also written by a man, but I'm going to have to go and find out more about that...)

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot

Posted by Keris on December 11, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (5)

December 4, 2007 3:16 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Forever Summer by Suzanne Macpherson

I know it seems weird me reviewing a book called The Forever Summer in the depths of winter (well, I'm trying to pretend this is the depths and it's not going to get much worse...), but this book isn't really "summery". In fact, it's rather cosy.

When beautiful but bitchy Emily Ruth Griffin drops dead in the produce aisle of the supermarket where Lila works, Lila's immediate worry is that she's poisoned her with the Cheese Whiz and crackers Emily had just sampled.

But when Emily Ruth starts haunting both the produce aisle and Lila herself, Lila's got more to worry about. Like the kid in the Sixth Sense, Lila sees dead people. But not All The Time, just when they've got a beef. But what's Emily Ruth's beef? Lila doesn't know. It's got something to do with lemons and babies, but she's not making herself clear.

Could it be that Lila has started dating Emily Ruth's sexy ex-husband, Lucas? Probably not since Emily Ruth cheated on him with his own brother... And what about the man Emily Ruth was preparing to have dinner with on the day he died? And what's with all the dead wives in this town, anyway?

So many questions... And, actually, not so many answers. I really enjoyed this book, but that's mainly because the characters are so good rather than the plot. I didn't guess what Emily Ruth was after, but I worked out whodunnit very early on. It didn't matter though, because Lila and Lucas (along with the minor characters) are very entertaining and I was happy to join them for the ride.

The other thing I loved about this book was the setting. It's a small town in either Ontario or Washington State (apologies if this is clear in the book; if so, I missed it) and it reminded me a bit of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls and you know how much I love Gilmore Girls.

This is the first of Suzanne Macpherson's books I've read, but I'll definitely look out for more.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Fortune Quilt by Lani Diane Rich

Posted by Keris on December 4, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Romance, Supernatural | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 30, 2007 2:04 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Chinese Whispers by Marisa Mackle

Chinesewhipsers When we meet Fiona Lemon, she hates her temp job as a PA, rants about bad dates, and is need of a new flatmate after a misunderstanding with her best friend, Ellie. Yep, it's a classic chick lit opening. Unfortunately, the situation with Ellie is quite minor, and I didn't believe they wouldn't just talk about and make up... Still, I persevered with Chinese Whispers, and I'm glad I did.

Fiona lands a job as gossip columnist for Irish Femme and the hilarious insider's peek at celebrity party-life and magazine journalism is a treat.

Fiona gains a flatmate - Bunny Maguire - who is looking for a new start after a disastrous relationship. Bunny accompanies Fiona out on the town and inadvertently becomes a 'celebrity'.

Fiona has a likeable voice and the plot zings along, but there were a couple of problems for me...

First is a personal bug-bear, so feel free to ignore my ranting if you don't share it. The text is clogged with exclamation marks, which, for me, spoils a lot of the humour. For the record: if a line is funny, the exclamation mark is redundant. If the line isn't funny, the exclamation mark is irritating.

Okay. Still with me? My second problem was the handling of one plot strand. I don't want to give too much away about the ending, but it felt very out of kilter with the light-hearted feel of the book. Also, I felt that Fiona (and Bunny's) attitude to Bunny's abusive ex-partner just wasn't believeable. They simply didn't seem bothered in the way I would've expected them to be...

Still. This was a fun, quick read and I would certainly try another of Mackle's books.

Rating: 3/5

Like this: Try: Miss Understanding by Stephanie Lessing

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 30, 2007 in Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 23, 2007 4:59 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Decent Exposure by Phillipa Ashley

Decentexposure Burned-out, Emma Tremayne leaves her high-powered PR job and moves to the Lake District for some much-needed peace and quiet.

She ends up helping out the local mountain rescue team with its fundraising by organising a tasteful nude calendar. Unfortunately, gorgeous 'Mr July' isn't too pleased...

This lovely, warm story is Phillipa Ashley's debut novel. Emma is a likeable heroine and Ashley's writing is deft, sexy and full of humour.

The plot - city girl meets rugged and handsome outdoor guy - is sprinkled with twists and misunderstandings which keep you turning the pages. The characters are well-drawn, so you keep rooting for them to sort it all out, although there were moments when I thought 'oh just speak to each other!''

Decent Exposure is a light romantic read for a rainy afternoon, with fabulous descriptions of life in a tight-knit Lake District community and a very sexy male lead.

The only bit I really disliked was the epilogue. Not a big fan, anyway, but this one (and I won't go into detail to spoil the ending) was a touch on the cheesy side.

Rating: 3/5

Like this: Try: Wish You Were Here by Phillipa Ashley

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 23, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 16, 2007 11:55 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Star Von Bunny, A Model Tale by Kym Canter

I have absolutely no idea what this book is all about. You can watch a little film about Star Von Bunny here, but don't expect it to help (although it's worth watching for the use of the word "inspirate").

Star is a toy rabbit who wants to be a model. This is her story. From moving to New York, to changing to an all-white diet (including marshmallows and vanilla ice-cream), to working out with Christy Turlington and eventually moving to LA to become a MAW (Model-Actress-Whatever), Star's journey is accompanied by numerous photographs and one illustration that made me laugh out loud.

The book is written by Kym Canter, a former fashion and style reporter (she was Special Projects Editor at Elle), currently Creative Director for ultra-luxury fashion house J. Mendel. A portion of the profits is going to Doctors Without Borders.

I read it in about 10 minutes. That's not to say I didn't like it because I kind of did. I just don't really know who it's *for*. I guess it's one of those stocking fillers that you read on Christmas Day and then give to the charity shop. If you're in the fashion industry, perhaps you'll find it hilarious. I'm fashion-challenged, so I just found it cute and charming, if a little pointless, but it didn't make me want to punch people like a certain other charity fashion book.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try This Little Piggy Went To Prada by Amy Allen

Posted by Keris on November 16, 2007 in American Authors, Fashion-Lit, New Releases, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 8, 2007 10:18 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Motherhood Walk of Fame by Shari Low

The Motherhood Walk of Fame, Shari Low's fourth book, is the story of Carly Cooper, an author and journalist, happily married to her childhood sweetheart and with two lovely sons. The problem is, she's bored. And not just with her sex life (that's less boring and more none-existent).

When she gets a phonecall from her ex, Sam - one of the (six!) men she was engaged to before marrying Mark* - everything changes. Mark has given Carly's first novel to his agent and he's lined up meetings for Carly with Hollywood studios.

*And you can read all about them in Shari Low's first book, ~~Why Not?~~ What If?, which also features Carly.

Completely overexcited, both at the thought of livening up her life and possibly taking Hollywood by storm - Carly books tickets to LA for the whole family. There's only one problem, Mark refuses to go. Determined not to miss out on the chance of a lifetime, Carly and the kids go anyway, leaving a disgruntled Mark home alone.

Out in LA, things are great. Possibly too great. Carly not only loves the lifestyle, she finds herself remembering all too clearly what she used to love about Sam.

So Carly has to choose. Between LA and the UK. Writing for the movies or writing for Family Values magazine. Between her husband, Mark and her ex, Sam (who, by the way, used to be a high class gigolo). In other words, between real life and a dream life.

I enjoyed The Motherhood Walk of Fame. Shari Low is very funny and I'd laughed out loud a few times in just the first few pages. The kids are very cute and the Hollywood experience is entertaining, but I felt the book sagged a bit in the middle. There wasn't really enough plot to keep my interest. Having said that, I loved the ending.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Rainy Days & Tuesdays by Claire Allan

Posted by Keris on November 8, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 1, 2007 4:41 PM

Book Review: Names I Call My Sister by Mary Castillo, Berta Platas, Sofia Quintero and Lynda Sandoval

Namesicallmysister_2 Names I Call My Sister had two strikes against it when I picked it up for review. First, it isn't a novel, it's four novellas, and I am notoriously impatient when it comes to short fiction, and secondly, the cover is a little dull. Which is a real shame, because the quick-fire, funny reads inside are anything but.

The novellas are linked by the theme of sisterhood, and cover topics such as sharing secrets, running away from your husband (briefly), and S&M (not as naughty as it sounds, apparently).

Till Death Do Us Part is from Switchcraft-author Mary Castillo. I hadn't read Castillo before, but knew she was a hot writer of Latina Lit and that Keris loved her third book In Between Men. Unfortunately, perhaps as a result of my high expectations, this was my least favourite of the novellas. It follows sisters Dori and Sela as they live up to their reputation as 'those wild Orihuela girls' at their brother's wedding. It's suitably fast-paced with some wonderful one-liners, but somehow the characters left me cold. Castillo gives us both Dori and Sela's points-of-view, but their voices just weren't distinct enough and I found them confusing rather than enlightening.

What Stays in Vegas by Bertas Platas. The heroine, Anita, is snarky and fun and the plot takes us to Vegas to retrieve Anita's usually-sensible sister Susu. Platas's style reminded me a little of Janet Evanovich, and I will certainly be looking out for more of her work.

Sofia Quintero's Whipped introduced me to another new (to me) writer. Michelle Saez is straighter-than-a-ruler by day, but at night she lives a double life in leather as Madame Michelina. When her attorney sister, Jennifer, starts running for office, Michelle's secret becomes a problem. Although sexy, Whipped doesn't quite live up to the premise, but it's a fun, quick read.

And finally, my favourite from the collection; Diss-Connected by Lynda Sandoval. Cristy's world is turned upside down when her blabbermouth sister, Marisol, lets slip her dark secret live on radio. I loved these characters and the setting (Christy runs a yarn-shop and cafe which I would love to visit - yes, I know it isn't real) and I am in awe of how Sandoval managed to pack so much into 127 pages without ever seeming rushed. Although, and this is where my short-fiction gripe comes back, I really didn't want it to end...

Rating: 3/5

Like this?: Try Santa, Baby by Jennifer Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 1, 2007 in Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 26, 2007 3:02 PM

BOOK REVIEW: How To Bring Up Your Parents by Emma Kennedy

You probably recognise Emma Kennedy from the Heat magazine TV ads, but she's an established comedian, writer and actress. How To Bring Up Your Parents is her first book and it's based on her popular (and very funny) blog.

I was a bit concerned when I started reading this book because the first section - "the science and history bit (because you're worth it)" - didn't really do much for me, but once Kennedy got onto the subject of her actual parents - Hysterical Mum Brenda (HMB) and Welsh Dad Tony (WDT) - the book really got going.

Rather than just being a series of blog posts in book form, How To Bring Up Your Parents is arranged around "Practical Problems" such as Entertaining, Leaving Home and Sex and Other Embarrassments. Kennedy's parents do seem to be genuinely funny, but Emma's interpretation of them is utterly hilarious. It's a very affectionate portrayal too - they really seem to have an enviably close and honest relationship.

Reading this book will both make you appreciate your parents more and comfort you to learn that your parents aren't quite as mad as you always suspected (or perhaps that they are and that's okay too!).

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Yes Man by Danny Wallace

Posted by Keris on October 26, 2007 in British Authors, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 25, 2007 2:09 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Violet On the Runway by Melissa Walker

When I was a youngster I fell in love with a series of books about an innocent young girl - I think she was called Caitlin - who got into modelling. It was like America's Next Top Model, but not so skanky. So I was excited to read Melissa Walker's Violet On the Runway, the story of 17-year-old Violet, who believes she's P.L.A.I.N. until a model scout tells her she could be a star.

Violet's friends and family are unsure this is the right thing for her, particularly when the scout, Angela, insists she goes to New York to try out for the Fashion Week shows.

Violet does brilliantly and ends up moving to New York to model and live in one of those model apartments with other models, on of whom is, inevitably, a complete bitch. Violet enjoys the modelling, particularly since she seems to be good at it, but she's not sure New York, the people or the industry are right for her...

I enjoyed Violet On the Runway to an extent. It was an easy read and Violet is an endearing character, but I felt like it didn't really live up to its promise. Early in the book Violet overhears Angela talking about how Violet's going to be "skewered" and, for me, the skewering just never happened. It was too nice, Violet's journey was too easy.

But then this *is* the first in the series - the first chapter of Violet By Design, out in March next year, is included in this book - so perhaps things hot up for Violet in the future.

One thing I will say though is that there never would have been any cocaine snorting in the Caitlin books. Either young adult fiction is getting too realistic or I'm getting old. Or both.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Dramarama by E Lockhart

Posted by Keris on October 25, 2007 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Series, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (2)

October 23, 2007 12:42 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Glamour by Louise Bagshawe

I've never felt tempted to read a Louise Bagshaw novel because I always thought they were bonkbusters and while I was very much into the bonkbuster as a genre when I was about 14 - Judith Krantz, Jackie Collins, you know - these days, not so much.

But then I started reading Bagshawe's latest book, Glamour, and I got into it straight away. It's the story of three school friends: British brain Jane, Texan glamourpuss Sally and Jordanian Helen (who has both brains *and* beauty). But things suddenly go badly wrong for all three girls and they end up living very different lives and losing touch.

Of course, when they inevitably find each other again, it turns out that not only are they all beautiful and successful, they're all brilliant at the same business - retail - and so they decide to set up a store. But not just any store - the most glamorous and exclusive store in the whole wide world!

I sound a bit sarcastic, don't I? Well, the thing is, although I thoroughly enjoyed Glamour, I also found it to be enormously cliched and, well, not very good. The women are basically archetypes and the men are the traditional alpha males who treat the women like precious objects (but of course they also respect their success and intelligence ... to a degree).

Plus Bagshawe is the mistress of the mixed metaphor and some of them made me laugh out loud (yes, grammar humour - I'm a dork). Like this one - "... Sally and Jane were like a jigsaw puzzle. They made no sense on their own, but together they were unstoppable." Yes, look out for those unstoppable jigsaw puzzles!

Oh and as for it being a "bonkbuster", it's really not; there's hardly any bonking in it at all (oh, it's years since I've used the word "bonking"!).

What is *is* is the very definition of a guilty pleasure. Despite frequently saying "This is rubbish!" and being disappointed by the totally unbelievable ending, I could barely put the book down. Next time I go on holiday, I just might be packing a Louise Bagshawe book for the flight.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Adored by Tilly Bagshawe

Posted by Keris on October 23, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 15, 2007 8:46 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murders by Joanna Fluke

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murders is Joanna Fluke’s first book in the Hannah Swensen mystery series, and it’s a nice introduction to the queen of the Cookie Jar, Lake Eden’s most popular bakery.

When Ron LaSalle, delivery man for the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with her famous chocolate chip cookies scattered around him, Hannah is determined to help find his killer. After all, she doesn’t want her cookies getting a bad reputation, and Ron was a great guy and good friend.

She soon starts finding clues and helping her policeman brother-in-law with his investigation, and when a love interest comes onto the scene that only shakes things for Hannah, making her even more determined to find LaSalle’s killer.

Although this was an enjoyable book I did find the characters a little clichéd – the annoying mother, the selfish sister and bumbling policeman were all a little two-dimensional, and Hannah was a bit annoying – she could cure the baby with colic, even though it’s own mother couldn’t, and she could, of course, solve the murder that the police were unable to crack. A few more flaws in her character would have been nice.

On the plus side there are lots of lovely recipes in there to get your taste buds going and for that reason alone I might have to read book number two.

Rating: 3/5

Like This? Try Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie

Posted by Nicola pedley on October 15, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 2, 2007 8:51 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Queen Geek Social Club by Laura Preble

The back of this book piqued my interest, as it proclaims "I'll be the first to admit it - I'm a geek". I'm a geek too. I think - I'm a dork, at least - so I was intrigued to read a young adult book from a geek's point of view.

Shelby Chapelle hasn't had a close female friend for a while. She gets plenty of dates, but she's missing out on female companionship, particularly since the death of her mother. Yes, her inventor father has created a robot companion - Euphoria - but that's not really the same, is it? But then Becca Gallagher comes to town...

Becca's a self-proclaimed geek too and soon she's convinced Shelby that geeks need to band together if they're going to take over the world. Of course, the first step to taking over the world is taking over the school and so the "Queen Geek Social Club" is formed. Becca has plenty of ideas of what they should do - starting with force-feeding too thin supermodels - but Shelby isn't sure she wants so much attention. Wasn't she happier as a lone geek?

I enjoyed the Queen Geek Social Club. Shelby and Becca are both fun characters (particularly Becca) and I enjoyed the schemes they came up with. The problem for me was that they weren't really geeks - they were just too cool! Plus the suspension of disbelief required by the robot Euphoria was just too much for me. I don't know much about robots, but I'm not sure they can make meals, wash dishes and form romantic attachments for other household products.

Having said that, I would like to read the next book in the series, Queen Geeks in Love (out next month), if only for Becca.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try How to be Popular by Meg Cabot

Posted by Keris on October 2, 2007 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Series, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (3)

September 28, 2007 9:35 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Switchcraft by Mary Castillo

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Mary Castillo, a hot new Latina novelist, shakes things up with her newest title, Switchcraft. Castillo gives chick-lit a twist as her heroines, Nely and Aggie, end up in each other’s bodies.

Nely and Aggie have been friends for years, but have grown apart since the birth of Nely’s baby. In an effort to reclaim their friendship, and also in hopes of speaking to her dead mother, Aggie signs them up for a weekend getaway at Guru Sauro’s New Age Spa.

Once they arrive at the spa, things go a little haywire. During their session with the guru, they end up “switched.” They confront the guru, who says he can’t switch them back until the next new moon, 28 days later.

There is nothing they can do but try to muddle through living each other’s lives. Aggie (in Nely’s body) must care for 18-month-old Audrey, avoid the advances of Nely’s husband, and fend off her control-freak mother-in-law. Can she manage it without wrecking Nely’s marriage?

Nely (in Aggie’s body) heads to Aggie’s boutique. What she finds is a lack of customers and a store going down the tube. Can she come up with a plan to save Aggie’s business? And how will she handle Kevin, a man she despises, but who Aggie considers a good friend? Can she successfully avoid him without costing Aggie her friendship?

Switchcraft has a unique plot – a little bit Freaky Friday, but way more fun. The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the overuse of curse words. Not my taste, and it broke my concentration when reading. Overall, I loved the plot and the twists in the storyline. A great book for chick-lit fans.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try In Between Men by Mary Castillo or Life Swap by Jane Green

Posted by Keris on September 28, 2007 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 20, 2007 1:28 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Sammy's House by Kristen Gore

Reviewed by Jessica Denmark of Jessica, Etcetera

When I read that there was a sequel to one of my faves, Sammy's Hill, I couldn’t get to the library fast enough. Thank goodness for home delivery! I’m an advocate for the checking out books from the library until I decide if I want to add them to my already-far-too-large collection. This one jumped near the top of the buying list if only to complete the set.

Samantha "Sammy" Joyce, fresh off the campaign trail for her vice-presidential boss RG and fresh in love with Washington Post reporter and boyfriend Charlie, has her work cut out for her in the White House under the presidential rule of President Wye and his enemies, the conniving opposition group called the Exterminators. When Sammy gets the hint that President Wye has slipped off the wagon, she makes fast frenemies with her fellow staffers, all of whom she suspects to the be the leak for the Exterminators, struggles to come to terms with boyfriend Charlie's quick move to the New York bureau to cover a developing story, and fends off her well-meaning but somewhat meddlesome mother, all in a single bound.

Sammy’s House is heavier in tone and politics than Sammy's Hill so there are a couple, albeit brief, monotone spots, but is nonetheless entertaining with several laugh-out-loud situations including a Say Anything reference (Lloyd Dobbler anyone? How do you NOT love that?).

While it was not quite as entertaining, it’s understood that Sammy has overcome several obstacles, conquered some new tasks, taken on new adventures and grown up quite a bit - right alongside her readers. And I appreciated the fact that Gore recognizes her readers have aged and does similarly with Sammy. What Sammy might have done in the first book, she thinks twice about in this one; where she would have spoken her mind before, she bites her tongue; and yet remains steadfast in her stances and views to still be a relatable character. I like to think I’ve grown up a little since reading the first book too.

I absorbed the book in an almost stream-of-consciousness way, as if hearing Sammy's internal monologue. It is definitely chick lit but for the political set that power walks the streets of D.C versus the runways or publishing hallways of NYC.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler

Posted by Keris on September 20, 2007 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 6, 2007 12:10 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Mommies Who Drink by Brett Paesel

Mommies I had a bit of a confusing time with this book, Mommies Who Drink by Brett Paesel. (This cover pic and that link are to the UK version released on 1 November, but you can buy the US version on Amazon UK now).

Anyway, back to my confusion over this book: I received it for review in unbound format - basically just a sheaf (a big sheaf!) of papers. I thought it was a work of fiction, and was reading it in that frame of mind when a few chapters in I realised it... might actually be real. I checked on Amazon and yep, it was. Oops! So I had to re-adjust my feelings about the book in the light of it being true (I couldn't think "why would the character say that?" anymore...)

So! Despite the irresponsible, shock-value title, Mommies Who Drink is not about alcoholics who loll in the gutter leaving their children unattended. It's about Brett and her group of gal pals who meet up every Friday for beers/wine/cocktails (sometimes all three) to discuss their lives and give the moms among them the chance to let their hair down after a week of play-doh and nappy changes. And er, that's it.

I know this isn't a novel so I can't really be critical of the lack of story progression, but even the best memoirs usually follow some storytelling conventions. The problem I had with this book is that it jumps about too much - it's a series of anecdotes and stories and observations that aren't really tied together by anything. There's one particular story, where the author is scared to death of flying, which is written up to a dramatic crescendo... and then just stops and we're onto the next thing. The weekly meet-ups are supposed to give some kind of sense of time passing but there really isn't any story progression. I found it a bit disappointing.

But! I did like the authorial voice, most of the time. It's good to hear from a woman making motherhood work whilst also making cynicism work nicely for her! (Even if sometimes there might be a bit too much cynicism...) And the female friendships were very well portrayed.

I just can't help wondering if turning this into a novel after all might have been the best idea...

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Motherland by Maria Beaumont.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on September 6, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Memoirs, New Releases, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 31, 2007 10:40 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

In the tradition of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Harry Potter and His Dark Materials, Alice Kuipers' debut has been released in both teen and adult editions.

It's the story of Claire and her mum who are both so busy they barely get to spend any time together and instead the majority of their communication is done via notes on the fridge door.

When Claire's mum is diagnosed with breast cancer, we learn their reactions to it via the notes. Of course, both Claire and her mother are shocked and devastated, but they also struggle to cope - not only with the diagnosis, but with each other.

Because many of the notes are short, I read Life on the Refrigerator Door in less than an hour. I found that because I'd spent so little time with these people and knew so little about them (it's hard to convey much backstory in notes on the fridge door), it wasn't as involving and moving as it could have been.

I'm actually a bit annoyed that this book has been treated as a "serious" book about "serious" issues (and Kuipers' introduction doesn't help) when I've read much more moving portrayals of both cancer and mother/daughter relationships in so-called "fluffy" chick lit books.

The above probably sounds more negative than I mean it to be. I did enjoy this book (as much as you can enjoy a book in which one of the main characters has breast cancer), but I would have liked to get to know Claire and her mum a lot better and without gimmicks.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acochella Marchetto

Posted by Keris on August 31, 2007 in Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (3)

August 24, 2007 12:07 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Behind Every Great Woman There's a Fabulous Gay Man by Dave Singleton

Gayman Is it just me? Does everyone in the world have a fabulous GBF (Gay Best Friend) except me... And if so, where can I get one?

Dave Singleton argues that every woman needs a GBF - that's why his book is called Behind Every Great Woman There's a Fabulous Gay Man. But luckily for those of us who don't have our very own Stanford Blatch, Dave is happy to advise us on how to "avoid the pitfalls of the dating game, live stylishly and be even more fabulous than you already are." Which is nice.

The book is essentially a love and style guide for women from a gay man's perspective, divided into two parts: Dating, Men and Relationships and Style, Straight Talk and Self-Esteem.

Dave begins by talking about the importance of a male gay best friend for every straight woman, and about how wonderful his female friends are. Which is lovely for them, but doesn't help those of us without a GBF, now does it?!

There are some really interesting ideas in the first part of the book, such as looking at the part you play in your unsuccessful relationships - finding out where your love insecurities come from, and breaking self-destructive patterns. There are also useful and more light-hearted tips on checking if a man 'plays for your team' or not... The second part of the book is about appearance, plastic surgery and the like and is more superficial - although Singleton advises thinking about whether you're having a procedure done for your looks or your self-esteem, which is certainly good advice.

But a lot of the advice in the book seemed to be stretched a bit thin - I felt it was a bit repetitive and could probably have been squashed into a long feature article as I'm not sure there was enough here to build a book on. Some of the chapters in the second half of the book in particular just seemed there to make up the numbers, and didn't provide much useful insight - why it's okay to wear a short skirt to work, for instance. (Do we need to be told? And I'm still not gonna...) Plus, I couldn't help feeling that perhaps the idea for the book was a bit outdated - I mean, SATC is over and GBFs aren't exactly news. This book was only published in the UK this year, but in the US in 2005, which explains a lot.

It's witty, if not particularly original, and does contain some useful ideas, but may be one to skim rather than use as your style and dating 'bible'.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Jane Austen's Guide to Dating by Lauren Henderson.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 24, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Girly Stuff, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance, Self development | Permalink | Comments (3)

August 15, 2007 9:09 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Wish You Were Here by Phillipa Ashley

I had to review a book called Wish You Were Here as part of our Summer Special celebrations, didn't I?

Phillipa Ashley's second novel features Beth, who fell in love with Jack on holiday in Corsica eight years ago. It had certainly been a whirlwind romance, but Beth was devastated when, after proposing, Jack walked out on her with no explanation. When Beth gets a fabulous job in a travel company, she's horrified to find that Jack's just been made CEO.

Beth needs the job to help support her family back in the Lake District - her father had an accident and can't work and her sister needs money to go to drama school - so she accepts it on the condition that she and Jack never speak of the past and keep their relationship strictly professional. But, of course, it's not as easy as they imagine.

The longer they work together the more they're reminded of their previous relationship and the more the old feelings reoccur. And then Beth arranges a research trip to Corsica and Jack decides to go with her ... and not strictly for professional reasons.

I enjoyed Wish You Were Here, but I'm annoyed at another misleading blurb. The back cover says, "As Beth and Jack are forced to spend time together, Beth begins to unravel the mystery of Jack's disappearance." No, she doesn't. She absolutely doesn't. She starts to fall for him again, but there's no unravelling involved. And, in fact, the mystery of Jack's disappearance was the most disappointing thing in the book. Obviously, I can't say what it is, but I didn't buy it at all. I did, however, love Jack (why are all the sexiest heroes named Jack?).

I really liked Beth and her family and the descriptions of Corsica are lovely too, but the ending of the book made me like the rest of it less.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

Posted by Keris on August 15, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance, Summer Special | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 13, 2007 5:18 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith

I love Alexandra McCall Smith's Botswana-set No.1 Ladies Detective series. I always think each book is going to be the last and then, before I know it, there's another.

Good Husband - the eighth in the series - continues in the same vein as the other books, i.e. not much happens. Mma Ramotswe actually doesn't do much (if any) investigating in this book, instead her assistant, Mma Makutsi, and the good husband himself, Mr JLB Matekoni decide they'd quite like to do some investigating of their own, with varied results.

Mma Makutsi's case involves stationery stealing and Mr JLB Matekoni is instructed by "the rudest woman in Botswana" to find out who her husband is having an affair with. No, it's not exactly Law & Order, is it?

But there is a little bit of drama - although drama is too strong a word really - a couple of the regulars are looking to move on. Charlie, one of Mr JLB Matekoni's apprentices (he's the owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors) has decided to set up on his own and Mma Makutsi realises that now she's getting married she doesn't need to work at all and hands in her notice.

It's the mellowness of this series that I love, but this latest book is so mellow it's almost unconscious. I enjoyed it - what's not to enjoy? - but it's probably the weakest of the series, which is a shame. In putting Mma Makutsi and Mr JLB Matekoni to the fore, it's almost as if Smith has forgotten the heart of the book. This series belongs to Precious Ramotswe and the stories should always be hers. Fingers crossed she's back in the driving seat (of her little white van) in the next book.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexandra McCall Smith

Posted by Keris on August 13, 2007 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 7, 2007 11:54 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Diary of a South Beach Party Girl by Gwen Cooper

Diary of a South Beach Party Girl is a bit of an odd duck. It says "a novel" right there on the cover, but the similarities between the main character of Rachel Baum and the author, Gwen Cooper, are so extensive as to make you wonder. I appreciate that often is the case with a firsst novel, but Diary of a South Beach Party Girl seems much more autobiographical than most.

When Rachel moves in with her friend Amy in Miami's South Beach, she finds herself launched into a world more decadent than she ever imagined. With almost constant partying, cocaine use and with a thing for a local career criminal, Rachel's life seems out of control, but it's not, not really. In fact she loves her life, loves the South Beach scene and, following a huge falling out with the treacherous Amy, loves her new "family" of gay best friends. So what's the problem? Well - and this is really the problem with the book - there isn't one.

Diary of a South Beach Party Girl reads much more like memoir than fiction and, as you read on, you find that Rachel and Gwen have so much in common as to make the "a novel" on the cover pretty redundant. Then the acknowledgments include the sentence "Tony also provided an inexhaustible trove of names, dates and descriptions, and it was to him that I turned whenever my own memory was in doubt." But why'd'ya need "memory" to write "a novel"?

I did enjoy Diary of a South Beach Party Girl, I just think I would have enjoyed it more had I not felt misled. There are some great characters - not least the appropriate named John Hood - and the writing is engaging, but I like my novels to have a story, not just be thinly (very thinly) veiled memoir.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Tabloid Love by Bridget Harrison

Posted by Keris on August 7, 2007 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (3)

July 31, 2007 8:24 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Sleeping With The Fishes by MaryJanice Davidson

MaryJanice Davidson is back - though now her unique brand of paranormal chick-lit has taken a break from Minnesota's vampire circuit.

Yep, this time - it's mermaids. (Gotta give her credit for ori Sleepingfishes ginality!)

MJD's new novel, Sleeping With The Fishes, has recently made its way onto UK shelves and despite the slightly baffling concept of mermaid chick-lit (whatever next?) it's actually rather good.

Sleeping With the Fishes introduces Dr. Frederika Bimm (Fred for short) - a mermaid working as a marine biologist at the New England Aquarium. Daughter of a mysterious merman and earth-loving hippy Moon Bimm, blue-haired Fred is seemingly content with her life, working at the aquarium alongside her boss Dr Barb and best friend Jonas (the only one who knows that she's really a mermaid.) As her tail only appears when she's swimming, Fred's fishy trait is suspicious only to those with slightly odd mermaid obsessions (enter dreamy new coworker Thomas).

All of a sudden Fred is met by merman Artur, claiming to be the Prince of the Black Sea. Not only is he there in an attempt to sweep Fred off her feet...erm, tail... but he's also appeared to report that deadly toxins have been found in the sea and something must be done to stop it.

With two love interests, an overly-chirpy intern to deal with and poison in the water she loves so much, Fred suddenly finds she has enough on her plate to deal with. Can she find out who's reponsible for the toxins?

Sleeping With the Fishes is a pleasing yet rather short offering from MJD; not as good as the much-loved Undead series, but not as bad as Hello, Gorgeous - the tale of bionic heroine Caitlyn.

Whereas MJD has an obvious knack for writing quick, addictive reads and feisty, kick-ass characters, I can't help but thinbk this is actually part of the problem; the books are far too similar. Sure, the concepts are different but the characters are alike. Reading Fred's shouty, take-no-prisoners attitude felt exactly as though I was reading about the Undead series' Betsy, only as a mermaid this time. Whereas her books, including this one, remain action-packed and unputdownable, the heroines and their sidekicks remain a bit too samey for my liking. (Did Artur remind anyone else of Sinclair?)

MJD may gain a 10 out of 10 for her quirky, original ideas, but the downside to her work is that her characters seem to be cloned. To me, this just seems lazy. (There is only one Betsy. ONE!)

Not only that, but this book feels slightly rushed - quite like the Undead series in fact, which has caused fans to speculate over whether certain books were actually longer and split into two separate titles.

However, despite this book being of the fast-paced, light, read-in-two-hours sort, it's still good. It doesn't quite reach the standards of Betsy and pals, but it's definitely enjoyable and amusing.

After all, who can resist a mermaid?

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Girl Overboard by Aimee Ferris

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on July 31, 2007 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 27, 2007 4:05 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Another Man's Life by Greg Williams

Anothermans The concept of Another Man's Life by Greg Williams is pretty interesting: twin men with very different lives (one is a single, hot-shot rich businessman, the other a stay-at-home-dad ever since he was made unemployed) decide to swap lives and to find out how the other half lives, if the grass is greener on the other side... and all that jazz.

So they hatch a plan to pretend to be each other for two weeks, during which Tom (the stay-at-home-dad)'s wife will be away and Sean (the single, hot-shot rich businessman) will be off work. Or that's the plan, anyway.

What could possibly go wrong?

Of course LOTS could possibly go wrong, and in fact does - Sean meets a woman he could fall in love with, but is posing as a married man; Tom is shocked to discover how little he misses family life. And both men realise that yes, in many ways the grass is greener on his twin's side of the fence.

A quote from GQ editor Dylan Jones on the front of this book calls it 'Nick Hornby with knobs on', so I was expecting big things. Unfortunately it didn't quite deliver. The brothers narrate alternating chapters but I found little to tell their voices apart, and kept having to flick to the front of a chapter to remind myself who was telling the story! While the moral implications of such a life-swap were dealt with pretty well in the narrative, the characters still came across as a bit unsympathetic at times. And it just isn't as funny and clever as it thinks it is. (Jokes are often punctuated with a "she thought I was really funny" - type comment as if to impress the reader, which doesn't work).

However, I did enjoy the concept and liked the book more as it moved towards its conclusion. I liked the happy ending but just didn't feel I'd read anything particularly special.

As it's 'lad lit', I wonder if a man would have enjoyed it more...

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Mr Nice Guy by Thomas Dowler.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 27, 2007 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 26, 2007 12:53 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Scot on the Rocks by Brenda Janowitz

Brenda Janowitz's debut novel, Scot on the Rocks, is subtitled "How I survived my ex-boyfriend's wedding with my dignity ever-so-slightly intact" and is the tale of lawyer Brooke Miller, whose boyfriend dumps her just before her ex-boyfriend's wedding, which they were supposed to attend together.

Too embarrassed to tell her ex, Trip, that she's now single (he's marrying a Hollywood superstar, after all) she convinces her friend and colleague, Jack, to accompany her and pretend to be her fiance, Douglas. Her Scottish fiance, Douglas. I feel I want to say "with hilarious consequences" here, probably because I bet you can imagine exactly what happens.

Despite its predictability, I really enjoyed Scot on the Rocks, though I did have a few problems with it. Douglas is so, so awful that I couldn't imagine what Brooke ever saw in him, plus her attentions switch to Jack a bit too quickly to be convincing. I would have liked to have got to know both Jack and Brooke's best friend Vanessa a bit better (although I can see Vanessa having her own book in the future).

Despite the above, I enjoyed Scot on the Rocks predominantly because of Brooke's voice. She's sweet and very funny and I really enjoyed her asides to the reader. As a character, she'll stick in my mind, but I'm not sure if the book will. I'll certainly be keen to read Brenda Janowitz's next book though.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Talk Gertie to Me by Lois Winston

Look out for a big Scot on the Rocks giveaway next week

Posted by Keris on July 26, 2007 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 25, 2007 11:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler

Washingtonienne Jessica Cutler is probably the most notorious of all the people to have been fired for blogging at work. Not only did she work for a senator in Washington, D.C but she wrote about the six different men she was having sex with and all of their sexual peccadilloes... and her own. She blogged anonymously, but was found out through word-of-mouth (and eventually, hard disk evidence) and unceremoniously 'let go' from her job. Instead of hiding in a dark corner, she decided to capitalise on the subsequent media attention she received, and used it to get a book deal (with a 6-figure advance). The Washingtonienne isn't her blog in book form, however; it's novel based on her experiences.

Jackie Turner is a New York transplant in America's capital, working for a senator, having her apartment paid for by two wealthy men she sleeps with, one of whom pays her for the privilege. Then she starts a blog, which causes a huge scandal.

'Semi-autobiographical' doesn't quite seem to cover it!....

I must admit there were times I forgot I wasn't reading a memoir. I always find it hard to get a handle on novels based heavily on the author's experiences - I always want to know exactly which bits are true. If the lawsuit against her is anything to go by, however, Cutler's debut is very close to the truth.

It's witty and readable but the narrator has a very dark world view and it's full of drug-taking and sordid sex (which on one occasion seemed uncomfortably close to rape to me) and the narrator's presumption that most people live like her (those that don't are stupid/boring) and that these things are what constitute 'fun'. Yet puking purple bile into bushes on the way to work and snorting drugs off - well, you'll have to read the book - doesn't sound much fun to me. Although I did feel a bit jealous that she could watch Law & Order all day...

This is definitely a novel in the anti-heroine trend, saved from being appalling by the snappy writing and (finally!) the narrator's insight into her behaviour towards the end of the book. Not everyone will enjoy reading this, some people will find it shameless, I just found it left me with a bit of a nasty taste in my mouth at times. And yet I kind of enjoyed it (she said, in horrified disbelief) and it was certainly entertaining. If anyone else has read it (perhaps for Mamapop's book club) I'd love to know what you thought.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 25, 2007 in American Authors, Bonkbusters, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (3)

BOOK REVIEW: The Late Bloomer's Revolution by Amy Cohen

I'd never heard of Amy Cohen, but the title of her memoir - The Late Bloomer's Revolution - appealed to me. Add this to raves from Melissa Bank and O Magazine and I couldn't wait to crack it open.

Not long after her beloved mother dies of cancer, Amy gets both fired and dumped by the man she thought she was going to marry (this wasn't an idle assumption, he told her so just a week earlier), Amy has to accept that she's nowhere near where she wanted to be in her thirties. Once the hideous psychosomatic rash (on her face!) has cleared up, she starts dating again and encounters a catalogue of losers and idiots, with the occasional promising man turning out to be just another loser or idiot. (I've read this type of story in many, many books, so I guess it must be true - but what on earth would possess a man to say, "You know how I feel about you, don't you?", promise to call in ten hours and then never contact her again? What?).

I actually really enjoyed this book, but it wasn't at all as advertised. The back cover says "... the heartwarming story of how so many things came gloriously late for Amy Cohen" but they don't, not really. She learns to cook and ride a bike, she develops (following the loss of her mother) a fantastic relationship with her father, but this book was far, far more about dating than anything else and I found the ending to be a terrible cop-out - you can't spend 287 pages saying one thing and then change your mind completely on the 288th and call it a revolution.

I did love Amy though and the book was like listening to a particularly funny friend, I just wish the ending had been different.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try But Enough About Me by Jancee Dunn

Posted by Keris on July 25, 2007 in American Authors, Memoirs, New Releases, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 23, 2007 11:12 AM

BOOK REVIEW: An Absolute Scandal by Penny Vincenzi

Absolute

Reviewed by freelance writer and Trashionista fan Hannah Davies...

Coming in at 768 pages in the hardback edition, and set amidst the complex financial dealings of the City in the Eighties, Penny Vincenzi's latest novel An Absolute Scandal seems a daunting prospect. Potential readers should bear in mind, however, that this is less than half the size of War and Peace. More importantly, An Absolute Scandal is a very good read overall.

All the classic Vincenzi ingredients are here: a glittering backdrop of wealth and privilege, a large and diverse cast, some energetic sex and, well, plenty of scandal. An Absolute Scandal introduces the characters as they enjoy the kind of material success that, for some, typifies the early Eighties. As disaster strikes in the form of increasing debt to Lloyds Bank, the families are drawn together by their mutual monetary woes. This device is extremely well-handled: the explanations of the financial complexities are clear and accessible, and never take precedence over the gripping human drama. The plot skips lightly from Alice bands and Ferraris in London to well-heeled Americans in Boston, the savage beauty of the Welsh coastline and the glitzy world of the celebrity hairdresser, yet never loses its hold on the reader.

The main weakness is the sudden promotion of 'feisty' housewife Debbie to prominence during the second third of the novel. Although she is clearly intended to be an 'everywoman' counterbalance to the assorted wealthy Sloanes, her character fails to convince, and her struggle to balance the duties of family with the demands of career flirts at times with tedium.

In addition, after a long and intense build-up, the ending feels rushed and somehow not entirely satisfying. Nevertheless, with its addictive plot and stylish narrative, I'd recommend this as a great holiday read. Even if you feel that it is not quite up to the standard of Penny Vincenzi's previous books, you can always use this hefty tome for impromptu arm-toning exercises by the pool. However, be prepared to take less sarongs and sandals than usual, or you might end up paying excess baggage charges!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Adored by Tilly Bagshawe.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 23, 2007 in American Authors, Bonkbusters, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 13, 2007 5:48 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Yorkshire Pudding Club by Milly Johnson

Yorkspud The first thing that attracted me to this book was its cover - attractive and conveying a clear 'women's fiction' message without being a pink shoe/butterfly/egg-covered cliche, it's very nice indeed. The second thing that attracted me was the title because like the heroines of this book, I'm from South Yorkshire, so I just had to read it.

The Yorkshire Pudding Club is made up of three women: Janey, Elizabeth and Helen, who have been best friends since school despite having very different backgrounds. When Helen makes them accompany her to an ancient fertility symbol in the hopes she'll fall pregnant, little do the women realise that before long all three of them will have buns in their metaphorical ovens..

But none of their pregnancies will be smooth sailing...

One of the most frustrating things about this book was how long it took to get going. It took about 100 pages for all the women to cop on about their upcoming bundles of joy ('Hmm, I wonder why I'm so tired, and my breasts are swollen and do you know I haven't had a period...' sort of thing)which was annoying and totally lacking in suspense as it's clear from the cover that all 3 women are going to have babies. I was also annoyed by the self-consciously 'Northern' nature of some of the dialogue - it got bit too "ee by gum" salt-of-the-earth stereotypical at times. More importantly, the story constantly switches perspective and I kept finding it hard to keep Janey and Elizabeth's voices separate - they were very similar.

But it wasn't all bad by any means. I found the last third of the book became more exciting and less predictable, and things ended just as I'd have liked. I also loved the support the women gave each other and think this could be a comforting/consoling read for first-time mums.

A good read but not a great one - losing about 100 pages might have helped.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 13, 2007 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 12, 2007 2:17 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Serious Kiss by Mary Hogan

The first thing I want to say about Mary Hogan's young adult novel The Serious Kiss is that the cover is so wrong for the book. The cover made me think it was a historical novel, set maybe in the 19th Century, perhaps about a girl who worked in vaudeville. It made me think of (adult) novels like Angela Carter's Wise Children or Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters.

So if it's not a Victorian vaudeville novel, what is it? It's the story of Libby who lives in a rundown house with her rundown family. Her father's alcoholic, her mother's overweight. With her best friend, Nadine, Libby comes up with a plan to have a serious kiss - a "totally real, sincere, meaningful, soulful, poetic, inspiring, knee-buckling, love-filled, journal-worthy, insomnia-producing, appetite-reducing, mind-blowing, life-changing, unforgettable, undeniable, serious kiss". She's just starting to get close to Zack Nash when her parents drop a bombshell - they're moving to a different town.

And that's not all. Not only do they move to Barstow, a one horse town in the middle of the desert (I've been there; I would *not* want to live there), but they're moving into a trailer park, where the grandmother they never knew they had lives. As Libby starts school, humiliation piles on humiliation until something's got to give.

At the start I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book. Libby seems a little too obsessed with not gaining weight and with her mother's obesity and, though I know teenage girls do worry about that, making it such a big part of a book only perpetuates the problem, in my opinion. But as I read on, I started to understand and sympathise with Libby and I ended up really enjoying it.

I do think that once the family arrived in Barstow things changed a little too quickly and the resolutions were just a bit too easy, but it's an interesting read that tackles some interesting issues.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Holes by Louis Sachar

Posted by Keris on July 12, 2007 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 4, 2007 11:19 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Be Mine by Laura Kasischke

Be Mine, the debut novel by poet Laura Kasischke, is a tricky one to review. For the first 150 or so pages I didn't think I'd be able to finish it - not only did it drag, but it was also chock-full of pretentious and rather amateurish symbolism. I lost count of the blood, the rose petals, and the numerous dead animals (seriously, there were rabbits, squirrels, deer, birds and more). But once I got further on in the book, I found that I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day.

"Be Mine" is what's written on a note left in teacher Sherry Seymour's locker on Valentine's Day. She has no idea who it's from, but when the first note is followed by other, more verbose, messages, she starts asking around. She knows it's not her husband of 20 years and he seems as intrigued by the notes as she is. When she bumps into a former friend of her son (who has recently left home to attend college on the other side of the country), she invites him for dinner and he suggests the notes' author may be Bram Smith, the school's sexy auto teacher.

Both Sherry and her husband are excited by this idea and, with her husband's encouragement, Sherry embarks on an affair with Smith. And then, inevitably, things go horribly wrong.

As I said, I was absolutely gripped by Be Mine. I found it well-written (mostly), thrilling, thought-provoking, exciting and erotic, but at the same time there were a number of plot twists that I totally didn't buy at all (the kind of thing that would have had me throwing other books across the room).

Think of it as a film that doesn't really hold together, but is diverting and entertaining all the same.

Rating: 3/5 (2 for the symbolism and plotting + 4 for the excitement and writing = 3!)

Like this? Try Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

Posted by Keris on July 4, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 29, 2007 5:31 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York by Gail Parent

I'd wanted to read Gail Parent's 1972 novel Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York for some time, ever since Jennifer Weiner classed it as her favourite chick lit novel on her blog, in fact. It could certainly be called a cult classic: those who know of it seem to love it, but it's out-of-print (though available second-hand on Amazon) and pretty under-appreciated.

Our eponymous heroine Sheila has moved to New York after graduation and is pretty much living the Sex and the City dream: working, partying, young free and single... but she's desperately unhappy. Not only is she a touch chunky, she's - wait for it - she's single. The SHAME. And in fact, never having heard of feminism, she's so depressed by the fact that she has no hubby to take care of her, that she's planning her funeral already. For when she commits suicide. Yeah - that'll show 'em!

Cultclassicweek_4 You might think that the storyline of the book is entirely satirical, and at first I thought so too - but then I read the quotes from reviews at the start of the book, calling it "real" and "sad but true", as if all single women in their twenties are so desperate for a man and kids that they'll kill themselves rather than get it. I can't imagine reading this book in the early 70s - I imagine the black comedic feel was probably a revelation back then but reading it in 2007 was a strange experience and I found I didn't relate to the novel at all. Sheila is too self-deprecating to be releatable and the only sad thing here is how much she hates herself.

Rather than the chick lit novel I expected, Sheila Levine's sense of humour is re-he-ally dark. There's no denying this book is funny and that Gail Parent is a very talented writer with a quick wit. But I wish she'd put it to another use instead and never even suggested that women of her era felt this way.

I expected a good laugh, an interesting plot and a dash of nostalgia. I was disappointed: I got a character who hated herself for no good reason and a book that left me with a bit of a nasty taste in my mouth.

Mainly for the quality of Parent's writing, I'd give it..

Rating: 3 out of 5

But I'd rather read a Weiner!

Like this? Try Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher or Girl, Interrupted.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on June 29, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Cult classic week, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 26, 2007 5:17 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Heading South by Luke Bitmead and Catherine Richards

I love the idea of books written by a man and woman together - Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer - you generally get both perspectives (male and female, that is) convincingly. Heading South is different. While it's written by a man and woman, Luke Bitmead and Catherine Richards conceived the idea to see if they could write convincingly as the opposite sex, i.e. Luke wrote as Cassie and Catherine as Nick. Luke and Catherine met via an online writing forum, but had never met in person when Luke tragically died last October, aged just 34.

Heading South doesn't have an enormous amount of plot. Basically Cassie is an artist, living in the Gloucestershire countryside with a menagerie of animals. She loves her life and her friends, but she hasn't yet found the right man. Nick lives in Sheffield and is nursing a broken heart. He's been unceremoniously dumped by his fiance and he's lost his job. But when a friend looks him up and invites himself to visit his family and new business in Gloucestershire, Nick finds himself heading south...

To begin with I didn't think I was going to be able to keep reading this book. Cassie is the most incredibly twee character I've read for a long time. I did like her, but she's so desperately, painfully sweet that I really struggled to identify with her (her pets are named after the AA Milne stories: a dog called Pooh, pheasant named Eeyore, even a horse called Christopher Robin). I found Nick more convincing than Cassie, but not particularly special. I liked him, but I didn't fall in love with him.

I never would have guessed that each character had been written by the author of the opposite sex, though, so Richards and Bitmead were certainly successful in their endeavour.

Heading South is nothing new, but it was a bit like an old-fashioned respite from the real world. During the day, I found myself looking forward to getting back to it and losing myself in a world where women say "Crumbs!"

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Come Together by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees

Posted by Keris on June 26, 2007 in British Authors, Debut Novels, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 14, 2007 5:38 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Big Fat Bitch Book For Girls by Kate Figes

Bitchbk This week, I read The Big Fat Bitch Book For Girls... or did I read The Big Fat Bitch Book for Grown-Up Girls? Yes, this is one of those confusing, split-in-half books that you turn upside down halfway through: one side is aimed at teenage girls, the other at women. And that's not the only confusing aspect of this book (but more on that later)...

The Big Fat Bitch Book... is an interesting and worthwhile idea: it's a look at the history of bitching in life and on the big and small screens as well as an exploration of the role of bitching in women's lives. Is it an important bonding experience - or a form of bullying that hurts far more than physical aggression? Kate Figes shows that bitching can be both.

Back to the confusion thing, though - the book is an odd mix of iconic bitchy quotes from stars like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford (those legendary feuders!) and films like Mean Girls and Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf... mixed in with devastating stories of the effect truly bitchy behaviour can have on girls' and women's self esteem. This would have been better as a study of bitchery which asked us all to be a bit nicer or as a book for teenage girls (or their mothers) about how to cope with bullying bitching. OR it could have been devoted to good-natured bitching without delving into the darker side. It's hard to read about a fifteen year-old who self harms because of the bitchy remarks of girls at school and then to laugh about Katharine Hepburn slagging off Shirley Temple, for example. It seems like Kate Figes's argument is enjoy bitching... but not too much. It's a confusing message. If your moral argument is we all need to think more about what we say, don't then glorify hurtful remarks, however iconic.

I also didn't like the two books in one deal - I think it meant some of the material was repeated and while it's a fun gimmick, again, it meant the book wasn't very (my watchword of the week!) cohesive.

While I may seem very criticial, I did for the most part enjoy this book, even as I found its messages more than mixed. (But I mean that in the kindest possible way...)

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Watching the English by Kate Fox

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on June 14, 2007 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Non Fiction, Opinion, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 8, 2007 1:58 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Art of Undressing by Stephanie Lehmann

After really enjoying You Could Do Better, I was looking forward to Stephanie Lehmann's new book, The Art of Undressing. Except it's not a new book at all! First released in the UK in March this year, The Art... was actually written in 2005. (Those sneaky publishers!) Anyway, the fact that this is a slightly older book might be why I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I hoped I would.

It's about Ginger, a 25-year-old trainee chef who has always felt overshadowed by her mum Coco, a former stripper who now teaches the art of seduction... with Ginger as her mortified assistant. Ginger has a lot on her plate (ha! no pun intended): her sulky teenage stepsister and cold father are still reeling from the death of Ginger's stepmother, who was more of a maternal figure to Ginger than Coco has ever been. Plus Ginger's boyfriend Ian treats her badly, but when she dumps him and tries to seduce Tom, the hottest man at chef school, she doesn't have much luck there either. Does she need to cast off her sneakers and chef's whites and learn to be sexy just like mommy?

That's what the novel can't seem to decide: whether Ginger should conform more to society's expectations of sexually available young women, or whether she should stay true to herself. Whether she's repressed and uptight, or just her own person, with different morals to her mother. At the end of the book, we're left with the tentative feeling that Ginger is starting to relax and be more true to herself without being all uptight about it, but I think the novel tries to please both those people who think stripping is just a bit of fun, and those who find it exploitative. In the end, it doesn't quite please either. And although Tom had his moments of charm, I didn't think he was good enough for Ginger!

I do like Stephanie Lehman's style of writing, she combines real emotion with a fast-paced story, and had clearly done her research on the stripping 'industry' and the food one. The most realistic moments of the book were those which focused on Ginger's complicated family dynamic. Having a "blended family" myself, I thought she portrayed that particularly well.

But I never felt Ginger really learned to feel good about herself, as her own person, and that was disappointing.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Marsha Mellow and Me by Maria Beaumont.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on June 8, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 1, 2007 4:56 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Give It Up! by Mary Carlomagno

Giveit I first heard of Mary Carlomagno's book when the lovely Keris told me about her plans to emulate the concept of Give It Up! Which is: to give up one thing you love, per month, for a year.

It's an interesting prospect although (as with so many things) I decided I'd rather read about it than actually try it myself, so that's what I did.

Mary has an epiphany when she's looking for something in her wardrobe one day, and is hit on the head by a barrage of shoe boxes. Her life is getting out of control: she's spending too much, accumulating too much, going on drunken nights out too much. So why not try a month without alcohol, then one without shopping, then one without elevators, newspapers... and so on.

I enjoyed reading about Mary's challenge and the things she learned but was disappointed this book didn't dig a little deeper: unlike Not Buying It , the author doesn't question or really look into the consumerist values of western society. And it didn't tell me enough about Mary's feelings and insights to qualify as a memoir, either.

Give It Up! is really more of a guide to streamlining your life than anything else, with suggestions on how and why to give things up. (Which is appropriate as that's now Mary's job - she's founded a company to help people streamline their lives, based on her own experience).

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Not Buying It by Judith Levine or The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on June 1, 2007 in American Authors, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Self development | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 31, 2007 2:03 PM

PREVIEW REVIEW: The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer

Sleepingb Out on 21 June, The Sleeping Beauty Proposal is Sarah Strohmeyer's second fairytale-themed fiction, following The Cinderella Pact.

Despite its name, The Sleeping Beauty Proposal is a modern-day story about Genie Michaels, who has been dating university professor and newly successful author Hugh for four years. So when he proposes to her live on TV during a talk show interview, she's amazed but gratified, and can't wait to start planning her wedding. Until... she rings Hugh and he says he's sorry, he was proposing to the love of his life: but not to Genie.

So Genie's best friend Patty comes up with a plan: as Hugh goes back to his native England to promote his book (with his new fiancee in tow), Genie will just pretend that he did propose to her after all. It's full steam ahead to a wedding that may or may not have a groom...

I love the concept of this novel: although it may sound a bit silly, Strohmeyer pulls it off. She also has lots of interesting points to make about the inferior way single women are treated in modern society and the way an engagement ring can open doors - even if its a cubic zirconia one you bought for yourself! (But then again, her characters seem to still want to get married rather than buck the system and be unconventional).

It was a little obvious how the book would end, but there were enough surprises along the way to keep it interesting. It made me a bit anxious to think what would happen when everyone found out the engagement was fake so I'm not sure how realistic it was that Genie would have been able to keep up the charade, but I guess truth is stranger than fiction and this is a fairytale, albeit a modern one... But why does the villain always have to be an Englishman?!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try London is the Best City in America by Laura Dave.

More wedding related gossip and news over at our sister site Bridalwave.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 31, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 23, 2007 10:16 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Going Overboard by Sarah Smiley

Goingover Subtitled "The misadventures of a military wife" Going Overboard sounded very intriguing...

It's a memoir of a year in the life of Sarah Smiley, whose husband Dustin is in the navy and, in this perilous political climate, often abroad in rather dangerous situations. Which means that Sarah is home alone with their two young boys, alternately worrying herself sick and cursing her husband for having joined up in the first place.

I read a review of this which suggested that the U.S Navy and Secretary of Defence would be quaking in their boots at the revelations herein, so was looking forward to some real insider intrigue from the front lines of war... but that wasn't what this book was like at all. It's about how hard it can be to be a military dependant, something Smiley has been all her life, as her Dad was in the Navy too.

I found the insights into military life interesting, and have to admire the strength of wives (and husbands, of course) in Sarah's position. But most of the book is about the ups and downs of her time alone, and these would be true of any long-distance relationship. (I know, I've been there - never again!) Sarah struggles with her attraction to another man, long-distance arguments with Dustin, and feelings of loneliness and overwhelm. She writes about all of this very honestly, and is very open about her own flaws and frustrations, which makes her a very likeable narrator. She's also very funny, if at times frustratingly helpless! I raced through this book and enjoyed every minute, but I think I would have liked to have read something to make the Secretary of Defence quake at least a little bit!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Job Hopper by Ayun Holliday.

Related: TV NEWS: Going Overboard | More memoirs.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 23, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 17, 2007 2:48 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan

Bonjour Bonjour Tristesse is something of a cult classic and I'd been wanting to read it for a while. If I'd known how short it was, I might have added it to my 'to be read' pile a lot sooner! When it came out in 1953 it caused something of a scandal, and Francoise Sagan is actually a pen name (inspired by Proust) which the author adopted to protect her family's privacy.

French seventeen-year old Cecile and her father Raymond are very close, almost weirdly so. They're on holiday together on the French Riviera, enjoying the sun in the day and the nightclubs at night, when Raymond invites Anne, an old friend of Cecile's (long-dead) mother, to stay. His girlfriend Elsa, who is also staying with them, is less than impressed, as is Cecile - and she launches a plan to get rid of Anne which has a far worse outcome than she ever could have anticipated...

To say this novel seems to be so revered, I found it a little lacking in... something. I didn't really care about any of the characters. The writing and observations were at times very good, but the book is so small (just 108 pages) that there's little depth. The ending is a bit shocking, and left me feeling unsettled, and the book is a good read.

But I was expecting to love it, and I didn't. C'est la vie.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith.

Classic novels archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 17, 2007 in Book related, Classic Novels, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (4)

May 10, 2007 12:41 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Hex and the Single Girl by Valerie Frankel

Valerie Frankel is a well-known name on the US chick lit scene, but isn't quite so well known over here. Her two latest books (Hex and the City and I Take This Man) coming out on the Little Black Dress label should change all that (plus this book was recommended to us by no less than Meg Cabot, so who are we to argue?).

Hex and the Single Girl's Emma Hutch is a good witch. Her skill is telegraphopathy - transporting a picture from her head into someone else's. She uses her powers for good (cos she's a Good Witch), being hired by women to put pictures of them into the minds of the men they're after. Sort of magic matchmaking. Things haven't been going incredibly well, though, and she's in danger of losing the West Village apartment she loves, so when Daphne Wittfield offers her a giant cheque to snare eligible bachelor and computer-whizz William Dearborn, Emma can't resist. Even though she suspects Daphne's interests aren't exactly pure...

But then Emma meets William and, inevitably, falls for him herself. Not only is it an ethical nightmare, it also helps Emma realise it's about time she started dealing with her own romantic life instead of everyone else's. When a friend and former client comes to Emma and asks her to help get her obnoxious boyfriend, Jeff, back, Emma finds that Jeff is mixed up with an embezzlement scandal and will do anything to get Emma off his back.

This is really a quite peculiar book, but I enjoyed it. It's so tongue-in-cheek that's it's almost a parody of a chick lit book, but it's genuinely funny and quite gripping. It's very well-written - as you'd expect from a veteran like Frankel - and the characters are great. Emma's wonderful - funny, sexy and charming - and her best friend Victor's lovely too. Sometimes the humour was a bit broad for me and it was also a bit too farcical in places, but if you don't take your chick lit too seriously, you'll love Hex and the Single Girl.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try My Lucky Star by Joe Keenan

Posted by Keris on May 10, 2007 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance, Supernatural | Permalink | Comments (4)

May 9, 2007 5:11 PM

BOOK REVIEW: A Taste of Italy by Lucie Simone

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Lucie Simone’s short story A Taste of Italy. I knew it would be raunchy* since it was published by erotica publisher Freya’s Bower, but Carly, the heroine, seemed so sweet and charming that I just couldn’t see it getting too saucy ... boy, was I wrong.

Carly’s in Italy on holiday, but she’d also like to find a man. She’s not looking for anything permanent, but it’s a long time since she’s been with anyone and Italy certainly has a reputation for romance. But Florence is disappointing Carly at every turn, crummy hotel rooms, disappointing breakfasts, dodgy men and bad weather has Carly at the end of her tether, but then she meets fellow American, David and things quickly look up.

A Taste of Italy is a quick and entertaining read. There’s not much of a plot, but it reads as a sort of extended sexual fantasy, so it doesn’t really need one. There were a few cliches that made me wince, one line that made me laugh out loud (it was intended to, I hope) and the sex was actually sexy (if a little full-on). I was hoping for a little more Italian atmosphere, but that might just be me.

I definitely look forward to reading more from Lucie Simone (I was disappointed to learn that’s a pseudonym - it’s such a gorgeous name).

* Freya's Bower rates it as "tangy" - how fabulous is that?!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Just One Spark by Jenna Bayley-Burke

Posted by Keris on May 9, 2007 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (7)

May 1, 2007 8:14 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The First Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare

I loved The Second Assistant, so when I heard that the authors of that book had written a sequel, catching us up with Lizzie Miller one year on from the end of that book... well, I snapped up a copy quicker than a very snappy thing indeed.

So how is Lizzie's life looking twelve months later? Well, she's been dating producer Luke Lloyd for most of that year, has been promoted to first assistant and is great friends with her predecessor Lara, who also happens to be her boss's wife. Heck, she's even made up with Jason Blum, the screenwriter friend who screwed her over.

But there are a few things stopping Lizzie from being truly happy...

First, there's evil Amber, the new second assistant, who's snotty, underhanded and - of course - British. Is she out to sabotage Lizzie, and if so, how? Then there's a new client at the agency, LiLo-esque actress Emerald, who Lizzie's being sent to Thailand to babysit. AND on top of all that, Lizzie isn't sure if she's ready to settle down with Luke without establishing a career and cash flow of her own first. It's going to be an interesting few months...

I don't know if it's ever possible to enjoy the sequel to a successful first novel as much as the original, and I didn't like this book quite as much as The Second Assistant. But the authors haven't had a sophomore slump, either - this is a perfectly entertaining book, and definitely kept my interest. I was pleased that it ended in a more Hollywood fairy-tale way, which was lacking from the previous novel. That makes the ending a bit unrealistic, but in a novel about Hollywood, who wants gritty realism?

It seems like the last we've seen of Lizzie - I hope we've left her to enjoy her happy ending - so I am interested to see where Naylor and Hare turn their attentions next.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 1, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 26, 2007 1:35 PM

BOOK REVIEW: A Nameless Witch by A Lee Martinez

A Nameless Witch isn't the kind of book I'd usually read. It's compared on the back cover to Terry Pratchett and (although Jenny Crusie raves about him) I've never read any of his books (I started one, but couldn't finish it). But something about A Nameless Witch appealed to me...

Cursed at birth, a girl is bought by a witch and raised as a witch herself. When her mentor is murdered she undertakes a quest to avenge her death. Assisted (mostly) by her familiar - a duck called Newt - a troll, a broom and, eventually, a fox and Wyst of the West, a White Night, she travels across lands to her destiny. (Part of the curse means she is ageless and also carnivorous. When she meets Wyst she doesn’t know whether she wants to sleep with him, eat him, or both. I hate it when that happens.)

This book started well, but then became so slow and saggy in the middle that I found myself scanning page after page (I think that's perhaps what happened with Pratchett too, but because I wasn't reviewing it I could just stop reading). Having said that the ending was completely brilliant - exciting and moving - and almost made up for the middle.

Plus the witch is certainly an interesting and original character and there are some fun touches and imaginative set pieces, but I found that the jokes just weren’t good enough and more suited to a children's book.

A Nameless Witch is, in parts, entertaining, original, interesting and amusing, but unfortunately it's too patchy to be really great.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Coven of One by Kate Bousfield

Posted by Keris on April 26, 2007 in American Authors, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Supernatural | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 20, 2007 5:40 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Persuasion by Jane Austen

When I studied Austen at university, we read everything but Emma and Persuasion and yet everyone always tells me Persuasion is their favourite and I felt like I'd missed out. Finally, six years after graduating, I've read it and ... I was a little bit disappointed.

Eight years before the book begins, Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth fell in love. But Anne's family put a stop to their engagement, believing he wasn't good enough for her. At 27, Anne is still unattached when Captain Wentworth comes back into her life.

Of course, it's not hard to predict just what's going to happen, you know full well who will turn out to be a villain, which relationships (or connections) aren't necessarily what they seem and that Anne and Wentworth will end up together, and perhaps that lessened my enjoyment somewhat. But I think the main problem I had was that I just didn't feel emotionally involved. Probably because I didn't warm to Anne. And I'm afraid Wentworth's no Darcy either. (Although I must admit to a small flutter when he made his declaration to Anne - Austen does a good declaration!)

While there is plenty of Austen's deliciously dry wit and beautifully drawn characters - particularly Sir Walter, Admiral Croft and Anne's ridiculously bratty sister, Mary - Anne seemed a little wet and a bit dull and I couldn't quite see why Wentworth had been in love with her for so long.

As with all of Austen's books, Persuasion is as much about money and status as it is about romance, and it was interesting from that point of view, but I didn't feel that it added anything I hadn't already learned in her previous novels.

Despite all of the above, it's still Austen and so it's beautifully written and, to use an Austen-esque term, sufficiently diverting, but I'm afraid it will never replace Pride & Prejudice in my affections.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Emma by Jane Austen

Posted by Keris on April 20, 2007 in Austen Week, British Authors, Classic Novels, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 19, 2007 8:46 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Notting Hell by Rachel Johnson

I wasn't sure if I'd like Rachel Johnson's debut novel, Notting Hell. I wasn't overly keen on her first book The Mummy Diaries, finding it a bit smug (you can't moan about 'having' to go on holiday, can you?) Notthell

But the author's description of this book (something about the "haves and have-yachts") made me laugh and full of nostalgia for that film (as the residents of this book call Notting Hill), I gave it a go.

It follows a year in the lives of two women, Mimi and Clare, both of whom live on a street with access to a private communal garden - a luxury in London. Mimi has three kids and a part-time journalism career whilst Clare is a garden designer and feng shui obsessive. Whilst Clare are her husband Gideon are super-rich, Mimi and her hubby... are not.

The book's all about the inhabitants of the square from the alternating viewpoints of Mimi and Clare, which allows us to see things that each character does not. But Mimi is the only really sympathetic adult character here, and she has some big flaws... We learn about life on an exclusive communal London garden and the petty rules, silly jealousies and extra-marital affairs that occur. (I'm dying to know how much is based on true events - and if any of it's based on anyone I might have heard of, tee hee!)

It suffers from the same slight smug problem as her earlier book, and I couldn't help feeling books like this are so unconnected from the real world as to be a bit frustrating. But Mimi is a great character and I enjoyed the pace of the book, most of the time - there are occasional interludes when things are getting exciting and the narrator takes us back in time to give us the background story - grr, get on with it!

Still it's a good read (a nice one for summer, with some good moments of humour) if not a great one.

Although if you'll get second home envy or private school bile at the thought of reading about the super-privileged, it might best to steer clear... I find it rather fascinating, though.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Secret Life of a Slummy Mummy by Fiona Neill

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 19, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 18, 2007 9:42 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Drugs Are Nice by Lisa Crystal Carver

Drugsarenice Moving right away from Austen for a while, let's look at a lifestyle Jane could never have imagined in a million years...

I have to be honest, I'm not sure how to describe this book - but I'll try. Drugs Are Nice is a memoir, but a very unconventional one because Lisa Crystal Carver has had a very unconventional life. The book begins when Lisa's father tells her, age six, that he's going to prison. She describes the next few years as uneventful, but she lives alone with her mother, who has major health problems which entail regular surgeries. Lisa is home alone during her mother's hospital stays, and often the sole carer as her mother recovers. Understandably, this puts a strain on their relationship, and as a teenager Lisa moves across the country to live with her now-released dad for a while. But his violent and verbally abusive style of communication means she moves back home with her still-ailing mum after about a year, and finds sanctuary in her intense friendship with best friend Rachel, with whom Lisa forms the band Suckdog. Touring with Suckdog seems to entail meeting some very disturbed people and having very little vocal talent, but the girls persevere...

The next few years involve Lisa getting into more and more weird forms of performance art (pretending to poo on people, actually urinating on people, writing and performing plays on all manner of disturbing subjects) and forming relationships (both platonic and sexual) with some very weird people - including her much older French husband, who she admits looks like a weasel and acts very oddly, with whom she has an open relationship.

At times, this book is a really uncomfortable read, and I couldn't understand why Lisa, clearly intelligent and talented (more at writing than singing/performing, perhaps) was choosing to live in this way. Finally, at the end of the book, Lisa shows some insight into her behaviour, looking into her past and talking about her need to live outside of the constraints of 'civilised' society. This part of the book is the most interesting and thought-provoking bit but doesn't last as long as I would have liked! It's a very well-written read, and a book that makes a huge impression, but it's not a book you 'enjoy' as such, and it's definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try But Enough About Me by Jancee Dunn.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 18, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 9, 2007 8:46 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Sound Of No Hands Clapping by Toby Young

Tobyyoung Toby Young's memoir How to Lose Friends and Alienate People is the best example of what could be called self-sabotage lit.

Here is the sequel, The Sound of No Hands Clapping, in which Toby attempts to crack Hollywood, with not one but two screenplay attempts - including one for an uber-producer whose identity is kept hidden (make your own mind up)...

Although this memoir is enjoyable, it's a bit fragmented - we go from his first meeting with the producer to reading about one of Toby's terribly misjudged best man's speeches. Then back to his writing, then off to an argument with his wife, etc. I think the simple truth is that, much as he would like us to believe he's still making stupid mistakes and getting things all wrong, Young has clearly grown up and moved on from his days of stupidity in New York. He still misjudges situations and makes bad decisions, but is a lot more self-aware, and his relationship with his wife and kids proves he's not the ignorant fool of his first book.

Perhaps all that is why I didn't find this book quite as enjoyable as the first - in that book, Toby was making a right old hash of everything from his love life to his friendships to his career. In this one, he seems more settled, happier, and as though he's working harder to dredge up instances of shoddy judgement. Which is probably much better for Young as a person - but not quite as interesting to read about!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Watch the author talk about the book.

Like this? Try How to Lose Friends and Alienate People by Toby Young or The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 9, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Memoirs, More On Monday, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 6, 2007 4:30 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Dork Whore by Iris Bahr

Dorkwhore Iris Bahr's memoir Dork Whore (yup) is about, as the subtitle has it: "My travels through Asia as a twenty-year old pseudo-virgin".

Hmm. Now to describe a "pseudo-virgin"... well, you're probably better off reading the book for a full explanation as I'm far too nice to tell you in any detail! Let's just say Iris was very sexually inexperienced and hoping/desperately looking to improve her sex life. So at the age of twenty and after three years in the Israeli army, she decided to travel around Asia with her friend Boaz. Unfortunately, Boaz hated Bangkok and hopped on the next flight to Paris after just one day, leaving Iris alone and desperate (in more ways than one...)

Okay, so we all know that sex sells, but in this book it really wasn't necessary. Bahr is a witty talented writer and comes across as flawed and insecure but essentially very likeable. I would have much rather read a straightforward account of her travels, or perhaps of her childhood and what it's like to be transplanted from Brooklyn to Israel at the age of twelve. We get a bit of that, but not enough - and it would have been far more interesting than learning about just how many times a week Iris likes to... um.. "pleasure herself". The sex stuff is on the lewd side and seems like the author's trying too hard to give the book an interesting angle.

When she writes about other aspects of her trip however, the book's a really good read. And I love the cover! [DS]

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler.

Posted by Aigua Media on April 6, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Memoirs, New Releases, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 3, 2007 4:31 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Job Hopper by Ayun Holliday

Jhfront_2 Job Hopper is the third of Ayun Holliday's books we've reviewed (check out what we said about her others here and here).

As the title would suggest, it's about her inability to hold down employment for long, a history of her time flitting from one low-paid job to another in the time before she became a mum (and a writer). The subtitle says it all: The checkered career of a down-market dilettante.

I always enjoy Ayun's books. She comes across as such a fun, likeable and quirky character and her love of life is obvious. If I wrote about my stints working in a high-street shop and an Essex cafe, they wouldn't make half as enjoyable a read - the fact that she finds joy in, and even misses this type of low-paid work is testament to her ability to make the most of every experience. Which isn't to say I understand why anyone would miss waitressing (I know I don't!) Describing her time working as a museum security guard, a masseuse without the necessary paperwork and what has to be the world's worst temp, among other jobs, this book held my interest and made me laugh.

However... I didn't like it as much as Mama Lama Ding Dong. The stories here were clearly written separately and then made into a book later, making it a little disconnected, with no real narrative tension. And seeing as the book is all about how (as a busy stay-at-home mother) she can no longer do that kind of work, learning more about how her 'career' ended would have been appropriate.

Still, it's a good read, and I'd especially recommend it to anyone in low-paid work in need of tips to make life more interesting!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try You'll Never Nanny in this Town Again by Suzanne Hansen

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 3, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 23, 2007 11:01 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Bed Rest by Sarah Bilston

I was so looking forward to reading Bed Rest, Sarah Bilston's debut. The Marian Keyes cover quote reads, “A novel about how to juggle career, marriage and childbirth; I laughed out loud and couldn’t put it down.” And we all know we can Trust Marian, can’t we? Apparently not.

Quinn “Q” Boothroyd is a successful English lawyer living in New York whose doctor tells her she has to spend the last three months of her pregnancy on bed rest. Bored, she starts keeping a diary. At first I was worried that nothing was going to happen and that I’d just be reading about how many cakes Q was eating and whether or not she managed to watch Ricki Lake that day, but then visits from her family, tensions with her husband and affairs between her friends introduced a bit of interest. But only a bit.

My biggest problem with this book was that I really disliked the character of Q. Irritatingly self-pitying, she’s dreadful to her family, condescending to her friends, and either needy or aggressive with her husband, Tom. The one good thing she does - helping her neighbours whose building is about to be torn down - she does initially out of boredom and then continues despite knowing that it may well cause a huge problem in her already shaky marriage.

I couldn’t care about Q’s family or friends because Q doesn’t and we see them through her eyes. Although having said that, I did develop a certain sympathy, but only because I didn’t know how they managed to put up with the self-absorbed Q. It’s a shame because it’s very well-written and with a witty (rather than whiny) and snarky (rather than snippy) heroine it could have been just what Marian promised.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Everyone Else’s Girl by Megan Crane

Posted by Keris on March 23, 2007 in British Authors, Debut Novels, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (4)

March 22, 2007 12:03 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Sweetheart Season by Karen Joy Fowler

Aakj Unlike some people (okay, a lot of people), I found Karen Joy Fowler's The Jane Austen Book Club a throughly enjoyable read, so I was really looking forward to her next book, The Sweetheart Season.

It's the story of Irini Doyle and her colleagues at a small-town cereal factory, who form a baseball team after World War Two, when all of the men of Magrit (their small town) have died or, having seen a bit of the world, decided to stay away. The team will give them the chance to travel the country and meet some eligible bachelors... or at least, they think it will.

That's ostensibly the storyline, although actually the baseball theme take a while to get going. We learn about the history of Magrit, the cereal factory and its founder, Henry Collins and many other things too! Fowler has certainly created a very believable small town from her imagination, but perhaps she's created it in a little too much detail - although her writing is always wry and often funny, there's just to much of it, and the book could have been made much snappier and more enjoyable with a less rambling plot. I was disappointed that the baseball storyline took a while to get going, but when it did I was reminded how boring (and to a Brit, incomprehensible) baseball is. I also didn't understand why the narrator of the story was Irini's daughter, who admits at the start of the book that she might be embellishing... it's already fiction, I see no reason to pile an unreliable narrator on top! (And the afterword spoiled the ending, too - pure self-indulgence.)

My discrepancies made sense, however, when I found out that this book was actually written in 1996, but not published until last year. I'm sure Karen Joy Fowler's next book will be as crisply edited as The Jane Austen Book Club, and all the better for it.

Here's an enjoyable but slow read in the meantime!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on March 22, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 19, 2007 10:14 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Karma by Holly A Harvey

Holly A Harvey’s debut novel, Karma, was published after she won the North East leg of the Undiscovered Authors competition.

It tells the story of Paige, whose life is not going well. She hates her job and is treated like dirt by her colleagues, plus previous health problems have seen her land in a fair amount of debt. And just when she thinks things can’t get worse ... they do (of course).

After realising she’s been a doormat for way too long - and inspired by an invitation to her school reunion - Paige decides to give karma a helping hand and get revenge on the people who have wronged her. That’s not exactly my understanding of karma (which, to be fair, is mostly based on My Name Is Earl) but still it’s good to see Paige standing up for herself. The problem I had with it was that the change happened so quickly. One minute she wouldn’t say boo to a goose, the next she’s kicking geese down the street (not literally, you understand).

There are quite a lot of problems with this book. The action doesn’t really get going until 100 pages in, it switches from present to past tense seemingly without rhyme or reason, there is way too much detail about everything (for example, Paige says she bought something on ebay. You then get three pages about how she found it, who she bid against, what she paid for it, obnoxious emails from the seller, etc.) and the ending is just too neat and perfect ... but, despite all of that, I did enjoy it.

Paige has a charming, self-deprecating voice and a good stock of funny one-liners. I didn’t laugh out loud, but I smiled a lot and, although chick lit readers have recently been criticised for their supposed narcissism, Karma had that recognition factor that’s always good fun (you know, when you go “that’s just like me!”) and it was particularly nice to find a heroine fantasising about my teenage crush Matt Goss!

Although it’s got its problems, Karma is an entertaining and funny read. And now that she’s (hopefully) got all the waffle out of her system, I’ve got really high hopes for Holly A Harvey’s next novel.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Why Not? by Shari Low

Posted by Keris on March 19, 2007 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Prize Winners, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (2)

March 5, 2007 10:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Goddess Society by Kelly McKain

The Goddess Society is a club formed by Lia, Jen and Shelley for the purpose of losing their virginity. Kelly McKain’s novel starts out fairly shocking (there’s sex on page 2) but actually becomes much tamer as it goes on.

Shelley is a model who doesn’t get on with her mother and thinks she may be in love with her best friend. Or maybe not. Jen is definitely in love with her best friend, Dylan, but she’s got issues with her mother too. She’s dead and Jen can’t remember what happened. Despite the fact that Lia is two years younger than her two friends, she’s so keen on Jase she’s willing to throw all caution to the wind.

The girls are great friends and the description of their friendship was my favourite thing about this book. It’s written very naturally; it’s not too cheesy, but not unnecessarily antagonistic either. It reminded me a bit of Ann Brashares Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. But without the pants.

And if you enjoy it, you can read more about the girls in The Lost Goddess.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart

Posted by Keris on March 5, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Series, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (2)

February 27, 2007 4:55 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Off the Record by Allison Samuels

Off the Record, by ‘award-winning’ US journalist Allison Samuels, is subtitled ‘A reporter unveils the celebrity world of Hollywood, Hip-hop & Sports’ and includes background on her interviews with and articles about various black celebrities including Denzel Washington, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Kobe Bryant.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. At first I thought it might be a sort of in-depth look at the history and influence of black entertainment, but once I read Samuels’ charming introduction I thought I was perhaps in for a sort of memoir with gossip along the lines of Jancee Dunn’s But Enough About Me. It turned out to be neither.

Samuels writes about how and why she got each interview, where they took place and what the interviewees were like, but very little of the actual interviews is included and, from what Samuels says of her published interviews and how they were received, I would have liked to actually read at least some of them.

It’s kind of like sitting next to a reporter at a party, repeatedly trying to get her to dish about celebrities and instead hearing about how lovely everyone is and how much she enjoys her job. Fair enough as it goes, but it’s not really an attention-grabber.

There were a few revealing stories - the chapters about Eddie Murphy’s bewilderment with what happened to his career, Bill Cosby’s grief and anger over the death of his son and Whoopi Goldberg’s bitterness at being missed out of Halle Berry’s Oscar acceptance speech were excellent. The Aretha, Whitney and Janet chapter was good too, but mainly because there was actually a bit of dish on Whitney.

The author mentioned more than once her reluctance to reinforce black stereotypes (a comment Angela Bassett made about turning down the film Monster’s Ball caused huge problems for both Bassett and Samuels) and so rather than writing about Death Row Records founder Suge Knight as ‘a menace to the entertainment industry’ she tells us how delightful his parents were and how his mother named him Sugar ‘because he was such a sweet baby.’

Often an interview looks to be on the brink of disaster (and therefore a little more entertaining for the reader) but everything turns out fine. For example, during a photoshoot, Snoop Doggy Dogg does a ‘gangbanger dance’:

With as stern a voice as I could muster, I calmly informed Snoop that this photo shoot was not for a hip-hop magazine, where there probably wouldn’t be a backlash. Also, I told him that in all likelihood his fellow Crip members would not see his shout-out, however thoughtful. He seemed to get the message, that is, until he began blowing marijuana rings into the camera, requiring another sideline meeting. Fortunately, he complied the second time as well, and the rest of the shoot went off without a hitch.

Do you remember the character on The Fast Show who ended every story with the words “... which was nice”? I found myself muttering them as I finished a lot of the anecdotes in this book.

Despite the above, I was enjoying this book, but the last line blew it for me. The book’s Epilogue is a tribute to Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King Jr and an activist in her own right. The book ends "As the one-year anniversary of the death of this great woman approaches, I felt it was only fair and fitting to dedicate this book to her and her lifelong struggle to see that equality wasn’t just a dream but a reality."

Unfortunately, the majority of the book before this only serves to disprove that point. From Denzel Washington’s disillusionment with the racism of the film industry, to a chapter about Atlanta pole dancers, which includes this quote from a former stripper named Daisy, “I think black women are seen as the lowest of the low in society. We don’t count, so why not violate us? ... I’d be cool when I left the stage, unless a white man was up-front and center looking at me in a way that sent chills up my spine.”

Off the Record is an interesting book, but it’s certainly no proof of equality.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try But Enough About Me by Jancee Dunn

Posted by Keris on February 27, 2007 in American Authors, New Releases, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 23, 2007 1:52 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Lucy Blue, Where Are You? by Louise Harwood

Lucy Blue, the heroine of Louise Harwood's third novel, is in the process of extricating herself from an unsuitable relationship with an overbearing, controlling man. In an act of liberation that is totally out of character, she accepts a New Year’s Eve party invitation from an old friend in Scotland, imagining this to be the start of her exciting new life of freedom.

The party itself is a disappointing flop, but the situation worsens when Lucy finds she can’t return to London, where she’s due back in work the next day, because the airport is snowbound. A plot is hatched amongst the stranded souls in the car hire office to share cars in order to reach their respective destinations, and Lucy finds herself reluctantly “lumbered” with giving a lift to a devastatingly attractive stranger, Jude.

Having spent the best part of a day cooped up in a small hire car together, passion suddenly strikes and Jude and Lucy make an unscheduled detour to a roadside motel and succumb to their animal passions. Job done, they agree that this should remain one magical, mystical memory, set against the perfect, snowy backdrop, never to be repeated. Both agree that to meet again would be to shatter the perfection of the day and so, upon reaching London, they happily go their separate ways.

All is fine until a poster in a tube station declaring “Where are you, Lucy Blue?” throws them back together again, bringing to the surface buried emotions, family issues and consequences they couldn’t possibly have foreseen.

I found this a light, easy book that would make an enjoyable beach read (yes, I know it’s the depths of winter, but you get my drift).

On the downside, the characters didn’t quite feel substantial or developed enough to really care about. My acid test of a good chick-lit book is that it makes me laugh and cry and really root for the heroine. This did none of those things (and I’m easy, believe me).

The plotline showed early potential, and contained some very romantic ideas, but I felt it soon descended into predictability. It was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end, but when the denouement arrived, visible from halfway through the book, like an artic. on the horizon, I can’t say I really cared that much that everyone had resolved their issues, found (relative) happiness and that those who needed to had seen the error of their ways.

The dialogue felt slightly plodding and unnatural at points too - for example, the passion that erupted between Jude and Lucy appeared to suddenly spring out of leaden conversation and slight awkwardness (but maybe I’ve just never been fortunate to experience the kind of passion that requires no words to ignite!).

All that said, the book grew on me. It wasn’t a demanding read (which I mean in a good way, honestly), just lighthearted, romantic, fun entertainment. [Louise Luck]

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Next Big Thing by Sara Caspian

Posted by Keris on February 23, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 14, 2007 3:42 PM

BOOK REVIEW: One Hundred Ways to Say I Love You by Celia Haddon

Since it's Valentine's Day (What? You didn't know?), I thought I'd review a romantic book. Celia Haddon's One Hundred Ways to Say I Love You is one of those books that men pick up at the last minute, thinking "That'll do," before buying a bunch of carnations from the garage, but don't let that put you off, it's actually a very sweet book.

A selection of (mostly) romantic quotes, separated by themes like "Reasons for love" and "Let's get physical," One Hundred Ways to Say I Love You opens with every chick lit fan's favourite (I imagine):

In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

Mr Darcy to Elizabeth Bennett, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 1813

I never read that without getting a little skip in my stomach (although that may be because it makes me think of Colin Firth).

I also loved this, in an 1872 note from Benjamin Disraeli to his wife:

I have nothing to tell you, except that I love you, which, I fear, you will think rather dull.

This is a slight book, but a sweet book. I read bits of it out loud to my husband - he found it funny rather than romantic, but that might have been because I was reading it - but if you're looking for a little romantic inspiration you could do a lot worse. But do not accept those garage flowers!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Did I Wake You? by Beth Lapides

Posted by Keris on February 14, 2007 in British Authors, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (2)

February 13, 2007 8:37 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Talk Gertie to Me by Lois Winston

I love the premise of Lois Winston’s Talk Gertie to Me. When, in just one day, Nori loses her boyfriend, best friend and her job and gets home to find that her mother has turned up unnanouced for an indefinite stay, her childhood imaginary friend Gertie emerges to dispense straight talking advice.

It turns out that Nori’s mother, Connie, has come to New York as part of an elaborate plan (cooked up with her best friend) to get her overworked husband to take more notice of her and to hook Nori up with Eugene from back home (said best friend’s son).

But, of course, things don’t quite go according to plan. Both Nori and her mother find their lives speeding off in unexpected and exciting directions and, when Nori’s father turns up to talk sense into his errant wife (bringing Eugene along for the ride) things get even more out of hand.

Talk Gertie to Me is great fun. I was hoping Gertie would be a physical presence (like my own imaginary friend, Mr Corbett - what?) but she was just a voice in Nori’s head. Also, the book is written in the first person, with some chapters given over to Nori’s mother, Connie. I wasn’t sure about them at first, but I ended up enjoying Connie’s journey just as much as Nori’s, even if there wasn’t any, um, hooking up in her side of the story. Nori’s love interest, Mac, is sweet and sexy, if a little over-keen and under-developed (as a character, I mean, not physically), but the book has a satisfying ending, even including a sort of ‘where are they now’ update, which I guess rules out a sequel. Shame.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Venus Envy by Shannon McKelden

Posted by Keris on February 13, 2007 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 6, 2007 1:30 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Step On It, Cupid! by Lorelei Mathias

After seeing the vid-lit for Lorelei Mathias' Step On It, Cupid! I just had to give it a read. Granted, I'm not usually one for tales of dating (I'm a meanie who'd much love to see our heroines end up alone with twenty cats. Okay, joke!), but this one just seemed cute. Not only that, but the Little Black Dress series is wonderful (Spirit Willing, Flesh Weak is another great read, but we'll save that for another time.) Anyway, on with the review.

Sassy twenty-something Amelie (yep, just like the film) has a fabulous job in advertising, and after vowing to make her work the centre of her life for the coming year, she's determined to succeed when she and best friend Duncan are handed one heck of a task - an ad campaign for Fast Love, Britain's upcoming and already widely popular speed-dating company. The task at hand is to come up with a brand new strategy - but SPEED-DATING? Of all things!

Passing off speed-dating as a tool for the utmost in desperate, Amelie is stumped when she finds herself dragged along to speed-dating nights as research for the Fast Love project. And after being introduced to countless impossible suitors, maybe it's time to give up on the whole romance thing? Speed-dating couldn't possibly work...or could it?

Step On It, Cupid! is cute, romantic and definitely a joy to read if cutesy, romantic books are for you. However, despite the lovable Amelie and plenty of humour in places, I did think the whole concept (overworked ad girl with demanding boss finds love) is starting to become a bit overused. It may be dotted with cliches, but the speed-dating theme does bring a whole new, original twist to it. Needless to say, I enjoyed it, and as previously mentioned, I usually give the overtly lovey-dovey ones a miss.

In all, it's a fun, light read, that'll keep you guessing. And for once, the ending isn't TOTALLY obvious, either.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Bachelorette Party by Karen McCullah Lutz

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on February 6, 2007 in Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 30, 2007 4:48 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Just One Spark by Jenna Bayley-Burke

We featured Jenna Bayley-Burke’s Just One Spark as part of our NaNovember Extravaganza, as Jenna wrote it for National Novel Writing Month. It sounded great, so I was thrilled to finally get to read it - particularly as it’s a Mills & Boon book. It’s a long time since I’ve read a Mills & Boon. I used to sneakily read my grandma’s medical romances and we studied two as part of a Popular Fiction module during my English degree (and they were great), but it turns out they’ve changed. Just One Spark is a “Modern Romance Extra” book and ... well, let me just say this, it’s not like your grandma’s Mills & Boon.

Hannah has been burned by men one time too many, so when firefighter Mason approaches her and she spots his wedding ring, she wastes no time in telling him where to go. But she can’t get him out of her mind. Mason, who isn’t actually married, can’t stop thinking about Hannah either, and when they finally meet up again and Mason convinces Hannah that the wedding ring was part of an experiment his psychologist brother was conducting, things hot up between them. And then they really hot up. Made-me-blush kind of hot.

Let’s make no mistake, the plot of Just One Spark is secondary to the, ahem, action. And despite the fact that I really liked Hannah and Mason, particularly Mason, as characters, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the plot. Hannah’s family believe on very flimsy evidence that Mason is stalking Hannah; Hannah herself believes - in spite of compelling evidence to the contrary - that Mason is only seeing her for sex. There actually is a stalking sub-plot which I didn’t think was satisfactorily resolved. That's not to say it's not an enjoyable story, because it is, but I did feel that some of the plot was there because the book needed more plot and less sex, rather than the way the characters would really act.

But the action ... well, that was convincing. This book must have been great fun to write. The sex scenes are genuinely erotic and entertaining, yet they never seemed gratuitous, which is some feat.

My grandma, though, would be turning in her grave.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Adored by Tilly Bagshawe

Posted by Keris on January 30, 2007 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 25, 2007 1:54 PM

BOOK REVIEW: A French Affair by Susan Lewis

Susan Lewis has written many best selling books. In her latest book A French Affair she has used her favourite theme of motherhood. Something that I didn’t think would interest me, as my maternal instinct is about as large as a microbe.

Jessica had a seemingly perfect family - three children, a famous husband and her own successful career in television. That was until her daughter was killed in a freak accident. Jessica instinctively knows there was more to her daughter’s death, but her husband Charlie is so paralysed with the horror of losing a daughter that he refuses to even discuss his wife’s suspicions.

When their marriage is rocked by yet another terrible shock, Jessica decides to go back to the house in France where her daughter died to get some answers. When she reaches the idyllic vineyard she soon finds a great deal more than she was expecting in a love that is totally forbidden and a truth that will almost certainly devastate her life.

It’s very difficult to describe this book as it tries to be a little of everything. The story is mainly about relationships and how events can change your feelings about everything, but it’s also a mystery as Jessica is investigating the mysterious circumstances in which her daughter died.

The plot is very good, but the majority of it was squished into the last quarter of the book. The first half was so slow that I found myself falling asleep in embarrassing places – on the train, the bus, in the car (luckily I wasn’t driving… that would be illegal!). It reminded me of when you go to a restaurant and the plate of food is so large that however much you eat there’s still loads left on the plate. The more time I spent reading this book the longer it seemed to get until I reached that magic halfway mark where Lewis stored away most of the story.

I think this would be a good summer read. It was set in hot foreign climes and had a very lazy atmosphere. However, it was a little too slow to keep my attention. [Angela Richardson]

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Posted by Keris on January 25, 2007 in British Authors, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 19, 2007 8:34 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Mommy Confidential by Melinda Roberts

Mindy Roberts began her blog to record the lives, escapades and hilarious remarks of her three young children. Before long she was blogging about her great, but incredibly stressful and exhausting job, her difficult relationship with her husband of twelve years, illness, ant and rat infestations and much much more.

Mindy’s blog, The Mommy Blog, is one of the longest-running and most popular “mommy blogs” on the net (and, yes, she’s still writing it). Unlike many mommy bloggers, Mindy can really write - she’s self-deprecating, funny, brutally honest, intelligent and entertaining. And her children sound adorable.

Still I do have a couple of criticisms of Mommy Confidential. The first is that, at 500 pages, it’s too long. The trouble with blogs is that there is a tendency to write pretty indiscriminately and though things may be interesting at the time they are taking place, they’re really not so interesting after the fact. There are memes and quizzes included in this book and random anecdotes about Mindy’s history and friendships which, while mildly interesting, don’t hold with the theme of the book and didn’t really need to be included.

The second is that, as the back cover blurb has it, “Mindy began to write about her life and children in the sleepless hours in an effort to capture her young family’s world in real time.” While that’s fine for a blog, it didn’t really work for me as a book. I think it would have been better to restructure the narrative as a straightforward memoir, but as it is, it really does just read as a blog in book form.

Having said all that, I did enjoy this book. Mindy is not only a wonderful writer, she’s also an incredibly strong woman. Honest about the challenges of work, marriage, motherhood and balancing all three, she is inspirational as well as entertaining and I found myself wanting to get back to the book to find out how she was coping with each crisis. I also found myself reading chunks of the book out to my husband and my friends.

Mommy Confidential is a good book, but I think with a bit of restructuring and a lot of editing, it could have been a great book.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Mama Lama Ding Dong by Ayun Halliday

Posted by Keris on January 19, 2007 in American Authors, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (4)

January 11, 2007 11:21 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Phosphorescence by Raphaella Barker

Diane loved Raphaella Barker’s Hens Dancing so when I saw the author had written a young adult novel, I had to try it out.

Phosphorescence is about Lola who, having been born and raised in a small village in Norfolk, is horrified when her parents divorce and her mum moves her to London. She feels like she doesn’t fit in in a city and misses the sea - as well as her grandparents, best friend and the boy she likes - but everything changes when a school camping trip back to a remote island near her former home almost ends in tragedy.

I enjoyed Phosphorescence. Lola is an intelligent character and I enjoyed the original coastal setting - I believe Raphaella Barker lives in Norfolk and she writes about it very evocatively. The back of the book is rather misleading, suggesting as it does all sorts of island-based, candlelit teen shenanigans, whereas in fact that’s only a tiny portion of the novel. It’s also full of YA cliches, but the originality of the setting is enough to lift it above the ordinary.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Boy Book by E Lockhart

Posted by Keris on January 11, 2007 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 2, 2007 6:03 PM

BOOK REVIEW: My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler

Handler Maybe because I'm such a good, sweet innocent young woman (stop laughing at the back!) but I love reading about people who are totally politically incorrect and absolutely shameless, and comedian-turned-author Chelsea Handler certainly fits that bill. In her memoir of one-night stands, My Horizontal Life, she wants to dispel the myths around one-night stands: that they're something to be ashamed of, make you a bad person, or that only slutty people have them. They're something to be re-joiced in, laughed at and looked forward to, she says...

Despite the theme of the book, it's actually not sexually explicit. We learn a lot about Chelsea's family, her upbringing and her friends, and we learn perhaps more than we need to about some aspects of her life (do NOT ask her how she got RSI!) But she never gets down to the real sex stuff nitty-gritty, and for that I was grateful! Her book is more about her encounters than the actual sex itself, which stays behind closed doors. Trust me, the men she meets and situations she gets into are weird enough, we don't need to know more...

This book made me laugh, but was at times very mean-spirited (she hates and mocks her former roommate for being a virgin at 28, and frequently lies to men). I don't think I'd want Chelsea for a friend (finding out she likes to try to make her friends pee themselves in their sleep confirmed that for me) but as an author she's entertaining and I admire her self-confidence and lack of hang-ups and the fact that she offers a new perspective on sexual mores.

But her romantic life -and her everyday life, too- seems a little shallow, and at times I had to stop reading because she was just being too mean or annoying! Definitely an improvement on Girl with a One-Track Mind-type tell-alls though, and a fast and fun read, if you can cope with a dose of attitude and more than a little superficiality...

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on January 2, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (2)

BOOK REVIEW: Dirty Sugar Cookies by Ayun Halliday

Dirty Sugar Cookies is an example of the increasingly popular food memoir. In other words, Ayun Halliday writes about her life via memories of meals she’s eaten and cooked. We learn about the New Boys and Girls Cookbook with such delights as Enchanted Castle and Bunny Salad, how Ayun’s relationship with her mother and grandmother is processed through food, plus we hear all about boyfriends, jobs, even the birth of her second child (this was my favourite chapter).

I did enjoy this book, but I found it a little hard to read. Ayun has a very particular writing style with a lot of diversions and if I didn’t concentrate I lost my thread, but it’s interesting - and often very funny - reading. Plus each chapter ends with a recipe, written in Ayun’s irreverent style. Examples include Monkey Brain Tartare (which is actually delicious-sounding shrimp sandwiches), Post-coital Pancakes, and, um, Quiche. My favourite instruction “drink the remaining butter.” You don’t get that from Delia Smith!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Mama Lama Ding Dong by Ayun Halliday

Posted by Aigua Media on January 2, 2007 in American Authors, Memoirs, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (3)

December 28, 2006 12:45 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Empress Orchid by Anchee Min

Empress Empress Orchid by Anchee Min isn’t a traditional chick lit read- more like historical fiction, but I found it a fantastic view on how women can gain positions of real power and what they have to go through on the way. So I think it could be quite inspiring reading if you want something a little more serious.

The book tells the fictional story of a real character – the last Empress of China. She starts her story as the impoverished daughter of a nobleman, without even enough money to transport her father’s body home, and ends up controlling the Empire having given the Emperor his only male heir.

Whilst the plot is slow and it can be hard work keeping track of the characters, the book has a fantastic amount of detail about the process of becoming a concubine and all the ritual that surrounded the court – as well as some intricate descriptions of the clothes worn. The strongest part of the story, and that which will leave you really wanting Orchid to succeed, is when she overcomes her misery at not being selected to spend a night with the Emperor and learns some ‘tricks of the trade’ from the oldest profession to make sure that when she does, it’ll be a night he won’t forget!

The book does a good job of exploring the difference between the public persona and the private person – the Emperor behind closed doors is not everything he seems to his court, and it’s through completely different skills that Orchid manages to captivate the Emperor. This turning point sets off an extreme version of the jealous power-play familiar to anyone who’s spent time with a large group of women, but in this case it’s a salutary lesson for anyone who has every dreamt of being a princess.

Not one for lighthearted beach reading, but a really interesting book all the same. It makes you think hard about how much we take for granted in today’s society while providing some interesting fictional insight into the past. [Emma Tazewell]

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 28, 2006 in Book related, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Richard and Judy | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 19, 2006 2:20 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Santa, Baby by Jennifer Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips

Asantab Sometimes there's a book I just can't wait to read, and I never learn not to over-hype it to myself, in case I get disappointed... this was the case with Santa, Baby. It's Jennifer Crusie! It's Christmas themed! I'll love it, right?!

Well... maybe. Despite the cover, which gives huge prominence to the big draw that is Jennifer Crusie, this book is actually three novellas with a Christmas theme in one handy holiday volume.

And as I was reading, I couldn't help wishing that the book was another great Crusie novel, instead...

The collection opens with Hot Toy, Crusie's novella, which is light but very entertaining, well-written with an unpredictable storyline. As always, she has great ideas and tight plotting and it's very definitely Christmas-themed. It's not as good as her novels, but as a light seasonal treat, very enjoyable. Then we have Christmas Bonus by Lori Foster and Naughty Under the Mistletoe by Carly Philips and... meh. Firstly, they could have been set at any time of the year with just a few Christmas details thrown in later, unlike Crusie's story which is seeped in a seasonal theme (with a sexy spy thrown in for good measure).

I found the two non-Crusie stories (sorry, novellas- and that's part of the problem- they were more like stories streeeetched out to become mini-novels, without the plot to back it up) very cliched and hard to believe or relate to: this is a world where you know someone intimately and make plans to be with them forever after just one night, and where a man repeatedly calling you "sweetheart" is endearing rather than deeply patronising. Of the two, I slightly preferred Naughty Under the Mistletoe, partly because it didn't have fifty pages of sex (I'm not exaggerating- call me Prudey McPruderson but I like something left to the imagination, especially as this occasionally missed the mark- "donned a rubber"? Sounds safe, but not sexy... and flickering tongues just remind me of lizards I'm afraid!) but didn't think either of these stories were anything special or managed to capture any real emotion. And there was too much telling and not enough showing ("how could any man get inside her when she'd feared emotional closeness would result in unhealthy dependence?"- who thinks like that?!)

If you like a predictable romance story that you don't need to think about, you might enjoy them, but they weren't my cup of tea, and I'd recommend just reading Hot Toy to get you in the holiday mood- then, as with a box of champagne truffles on Christmas morning (she hinted), exercising some restraint and leaving the rest- for your own good.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Don't look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Meyer.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 19, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Romance, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 13, 2006 1:59 PM

BOOK REVIEW: My Fat Brother by Jim Keeble

Reading all this chick lit is, of course, fabulous, but sometimes I fancy a bit of testosterone and it was with that in mind I picked up Jim Keeble’s My Fat Brother. Jes is the fat brother of Scott - a popular poet with a gorgeous girlfriend. The brothers are friendly, but not particularly close.

But then Scott’s girlfriend dumps him and while his professional life seems to be going from strength to strength, his personal life is going from bad to worse and this, coupled with a family tragedy, leads Scott to question everything, try to repair familial relationships and, um, assault a penguin.

My Fat Brother isn’t a bad book - I enjoyed it to a certain extent - but it’s similar to quite a lot of books I’ve read recently in that it takes forever to get going and the reader seems to be expected to care about the characters from page 1. I’ve actually given up on a couple of books because even by page 100 I didn’t care. It’s just lazy writing.

For example, Scott’s devastated when his girlfriend finishes with him, but I’d seen so little of their relationship and had so little insight into his feelings about her (apart from the fact that he once vaguely thought about what it might be like to marry her and he’d never thought that about a girlfriend before), that I just didn't care. About halfway through the book something happened that made me cry and I realised I really felt for Scott, but halfway through is too late.

Plus a lot of the action in the book seems to take place for comic effect rather than there being any genuine motivation. And it’s funny. A bit. Just not funny enough. It’s a shame, because there’s some good stuff in here about the odd and competitive relationship brothers often share, but it’s hidden under a lot of, in my opinion, irrelevant, unoriginal, and insufficiently explained subplots. A shame.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Family Way by Tony Parsons

Posted by Keris on December 13, 2006 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 8, 2006 6:17 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Principles of Love by Emily Franklin

When Love Bukowski’s father becomes the Principal of Hadley Hall prep school, she has to start over again in a new place and make new friends. Before too long, she has a crush on the school hottie, Robinson Hall, but unfortunately he’s dating one of Love’s only friends - the gorgeous Lila.

With her mother not around - her whereabouts are a mystery since Love’s father refuses to discuss her - Love looks to her Aunt Mable for a female influence and in her spare time both sings at Mable’s Boston coffee shop and records radio jingles, generally for embarrassing products.

Oh and there’s also her email buddy, DrakeFan, who Love thinks is probably perfect for her, if only she knew who he was.

I sort of enjoyed this book, but I found it a little peculiar. It’s beautifully written and Love has an interesting and original voice, but very little happens and it’s a bit too serious for me (while not actually being about serious subjects, if that makes sense). Also, a number of storylines are not fully realised or are abandoned, although this may well be because it’s the first in a series.

Having said that, I am intrigued enough to read the next one, so it’s definitely got something. I’m just not quite sure what.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund

Young adult archives

Posted by Keris on December 8, 2006 in American Authors, Rating: 3/5, Series, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 4, 2006 12:51 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: Watching the English by Kate Fox

Katefox Watching the English is Kate Fox's attempt to make sense of our island race. (Sorry Scots, Welsh and Irish!) She wanted to discover and describe the essence of Englishness - asking what unique attributes do the English have, and how can they be best described - and made sense of? She did some painstaking research to find out: spending a morning bumping into people to see how many of them would apologise (clue: more in England than anywhere else in the world!) or having a pleasant afternoon queue-jumping to see what people's responses would be. (If you guessed out-right violence, you're not English, are you?)

The book is subtitled "The hidden rules of English behaviour" and Fox attempts to uncover and explain what these rules are, and then explains them. To some extent...

Obviously the author has an advantage in some ways - she is English, and she's an anthropologist, so used to the systematic and scientific observation of a society in order to understand its rules. But she can't help getting caught up in them herself - for example she really dwells a lot on the class system, giving it great importance in the book. And here she's only really speaking from one perspective - her own. She talks about how only middle and upper-working class families use coasters, and is at pains to point out that she never would - to prove her upper-middle class credentials. Not exactly an impartial scientific observer, but as she's writing about her own experiences that's probably inevitable! I certainly enjoyed her personal observations and think she made some fascinating discoveries - especially about the unspoken rules of pub behaviour, and the very English approach to sporting events.

I think this book would be a brilliant help to those nations who sometimes find the English cold or have trouble understanding our behaviour (Americans spring to mind, as there are several examples of cross-pond cultural misunderstandings in the book). It's also a very entertaining read for English - and probably even non-English British - people. But the book was sometimes a tad too subjective, sometimes a tad too analytical and I'm not convinced that Kate Fox truly explained what Englishness is, although she certainly makes some interesting and enlightening discoveries about us.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 4, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Non Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 30, 2006 7:19 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Daughter of the Bride by Francesca Segre

Just managed to sneak another NaNovember author review in! Francesca Segre's Daughter of the Bride features Daniella, a financial reporter on Wall Street who, unlike many chick lit heroines, is actually good at her job. She's intelligent and articulate - no Bridget Jones style snafus for Daniella. But. She's single and she really doesn't want to be, so when her mother announces she's getting married, Daniella's not sure how she feels about it. Basically, she doesn't think it's right that her mother should be getting married before her.

Daniella's family lives in San Francisco and so she finds herself flying back and forth to help her mother choose a dress and a caterer and a florist, etc. Back in New York, Daniella dates various men, always looking for her idealistic IB (Imaginary Boyfriend). At one point, one of her boyfriends tells her that she's holding back in the relationship and that he's not sure she's ready to get settle down and get serious, that she doesn't really want it, she's too busy being herself and "chasing dreams of perfection." I would have preferred to see more of this insight from Daniella instead of her immediately thinking every man she meets could be "the one" and then constantly being disappointed. I was actually quite disappointed that, although Daniella states she doesn't need a man to validate her in her work, in her personal life she definitely seems to feel like she's less valuable because she's single.

The book doesn't really have much in the way of plot and I'm afraid I was bored by all the marriage plans. (I found planning my own wedding tedious, so I was bound to lose interest in planning a fictional wedding.) There are some lovely characters though. I particularly liked Daniella's brothers, Max and Enrico, and would have liked to see more of them. In fact, I enjoyed the book more whenever Daniella was in San Francisco. There was something I found almost claustrophobic about the New York scenes.

The main problem I think I had with Daughter of the Bride was that it was strangely humourless. Searching for a man may not be a comedy topic in reality, but reading about it without the relief of laughter is actually quite hard work and I found myself scanning quite often.

That said, Francesca Segre writes beautifully so I'll definitely check out her next book and if you're planning a wedding - either for yourself or your mother! - you'll probably enjoy Daughter of the Bride more than I did.

Rating 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Why Girls Are Weird by Pamela Ribon

Francesca's guest blog / Francesca's author interview

Posted by Keris on November 30, 2006 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, NaNovember, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (4)

November 20, 2006 4:57 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Miss Understanding by Stephanie Lessing

Miss Understanding is about Zoe Rose who is .. odd. She shows signs of having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and possibly even autism, but this isn't referred to openly (at least not that I noticed, but I could have missed it - I'll explain in a bit). She has recently been made deputy editor to Issues magazine (which featured in Stephanie Lessing's first book, She's Got Issues) and since Zoe's apparently a radical feminist and Issues is a typical women's fashion glossy, you can imagine it's not exactly a match made in heaven.

Zoe starts work at Issues and immediately gets on the bad side of a couple of Fashionistas (in a very funny bathroom scene). It has to be said, no-one is convinced by Zoe's journalistic credentials and everyone is more interested in the fact that one of her enormous boobs leaps out of her blouse in the first editorial meeting. Because that's the other thing - Zoe can't dress herself. At all. Basically the rest of the plot is typical bitchy, back-stabbing, sabotage type of stuff you would expect from a book set at a glossy magazine.

For probably the first third of the book I kept putting it down and gasping with frustration. It's predictable and obvious and far-fetched, but it's also really funny and that's what kept me reading. I have a vague idea in the back of my mind that Stephanie Lessing meant Miss Understanding to be a satire on chick lit, but then I kept stopping to ponder whether satire works if you have to be told it's satire and if a satire on chick lit is just another way of saying bad chick lit.

As for Zoe being a radical feminist, she suggests articles like 'Why Your Girl Boss Is Mean to You When You Dress up for Work!' and 'Why Girls Are Mean to Redheads, Fat Girls, Girls with Freakishly Large Breasts and Sluts!' So, um, not so much (then again it is meant to be satire .. I think). There are actually some interesting (though not new) points made about the way women treat other women, but there are also too many examples woven through the book - in general the woman are stereotypes and stereotypically mean to one another - I felt a bit like Stephanie Lessing was beating me over the head with it.

The reason I'm unsure as to whether Zoe's issues are mentioned openly, is that I found myself scanning great chunks of the book - there was just too much waffle - but I kept reading because the character of Zoe fascinated me and there were some damn good jokes in there. Stephanie Lessing can really write so I hope she forgets the satire and writes a "proper" chick lit book next time.

Rating: 3 out of 5

If you like this, try The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Posted by Keris on November 20, 2006 in American Authors, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 3, 2006 6:17 PM

BOOK REVIEW: English as a Second Language by Megan Crane

Megan Crane's debut features Alex Brennan who, bored with her life in New York - and offended when an ex claims she couldn't get into graduate school in England - heads to an unnamed UK university to get her master's in literature. There she befriends Spanish Cristina and good-time Brit boys Toby and Jason, makes an almost instant enemy in fellow American Suzanne and gets an immense crush on her tutor, Sean.

According to the bio at the back of the book, Megan Crane spent the last 5 years at university in England working on her master's and PhD in literature so I don't think it's too unreasonable to assume that English As A Second Language is at least a little autobiographical. And as exciting as I'm sure it was to live, I didn't find it particularly exciting to read about. Carry on over the cut to find out why not.

Crane is an intelligent and engaging author and recreates the atmosphere of an English university perfectly. Of all the books by American authors featuring English characters, this is the only one I've read that rings completely true. The speech patterns, habits and behaviours are all conveyed brilliantly (Alex even comments that women up North dress tartier than those down south, to which I exclaimed 'Hey!' in indignation, but - yeah - it's a fair point). Plus there's a great scene featuring Robbie Williams's Angels (even if no-one else in the US is catching on to the Robster's charm, at least a couple of chick lit authors are!) and some interesting and entertaining characters.

The problem for me was that the book has no plot. The only conflict is between Alex and Suzanne and Suzanne is such a nutcase that I just wanted Alex to tell her where to get off and not bother with her again. There's a little romantic tension between Alex and Toby (and Suzanne) but it blows hot and cold so often (and Alex seems so distanced from any possible feelings for him) that I lost interest in whether they would get together or not.

Having said all that, I did enjoy the book as a slice of student life and a reminder of my own experiences as a mature student (I didn't get up to half of what Alex gets up to though. Oh, let's face it, I didn't get up to a tenth of what Alex gets up to!) and I think Megan Crane is a talented writer. She just needs a plot.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

Posted by Keris on November 3, 2006 in American Authors, Debut Novels, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

October 16, 2006 7:24 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Man of the Month Club by Jackie Clune

I've seen Jackie Clune on TV and found her very funny so I was excited to read her first novel, Man of the Month Club (and surprised it hasn't been promoted more). The book is about Amy who runs her own business, has a glamorous home, a flash car, great friends and basically wants for nothing. But when a baby is abandoned on her doorstep and her friends all start getting pregnant, she realises there's just one thing she does want ...

Carry on over the cut to find out what it is (but I bet you can guess!).

Yep, it's a baby. So Amy decides that she's going to spend one year having sex with whatever men she can find in the hopes that before the year is out she'll be pregnant. If she doesn't manage it, she'll give up on the entire plan. Unfortunately, though, actually getting men to sleep with her is more troublesome than she thought and a good few months have passed before she even manages that. Her friends are all surprised, but happy for her, but her friends aren't particularly well-drawn and even though there's a lot of them, I didn't really take to any of them.

Considering Jackie Clune is a comedian, Man of the Month Club made me laugh exactly once (that was a really good line though). It's not a bad book, I found it mildly enjoyable, it is very well-written and the hero is pretty sexy, but there are problems. I think Jackie Clune may have thought she was subverting both the chick lit genre and some stereotypical ideas about women and their ticking body clocks, but I don't think she succeeded with either attempt. Like all good chick lit (I'm being sarcastic) Amy's got a Gay Best Friend, but in a cunning twist, he's not sweet, funny and encouraging, he's a cynical bitchy queen - I felt like the author thought 'oh, I'll give her a gay best friend, but I'll make him mean, that'll be funnier'. It wasn't. Also - guess what? - even though Amy's shop is called Precious Little Darlings (which would've been a better title for this book), she doesn't even like children! Hilarious! (Yes, I'm still being sarcastic. I'll stop now.)

I didn't particularly like Amy and I didn't particularly like the idea that a perfectly happy and successful woman can't hit the big four oh without the urge to procreate. But the ending? Well I don't want to give anything away, but the ending kind of makes the entire book pointless. I really wanted to like this book. But I didn't.

Posted by Keris on October 16, 2006 in British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Debut Novels, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (5)

October 5, 2006 11:04 AM

BOOK REVIEW: I Was a Teenage Popsicle by Bev Katz Rosenbaum

Bev This book really reminded me of This Place Has No Atmosphere by Paula Danziger (a fantastic futuristic kids/teen novel about the first colony on the moon), which I read and loved as an eleven year-old, so I had fond feelings about it from the start. As the title suggests, it's teen lit, something I haven't read since I was... well, a teenager, but Keris talks about it so much (and writes it so brilliantly- stop blushing, it's true!) that I was keen to try.
And I wasn't disappointed. I Was a Teenage Popsicle is the story of Floe Ryan, who died in 2006 but was cyrogenically frozen (well, not frozen, 'vitrified', as she's keen to point out) until a cure for her illness could be found. Now it has, and she's been brought back to life... but it's 2016 now and things are very different...

This is a great plot! It lends itself to some wonderful situations, the best of which is probably the fact that Floe's younger sister Sunny, who she tortured as a teen, is now her big sister... and keen to get her revenge. There's also the whole re-adjustment angle, and the author's speculations about what life is like in the future. Plus, Floe's parents are still vitrified and the clinic where they're held is in financial and legal trouble- and Floe's fellow thawed-out popsicle (there's only two of them in the world) is a boy she really had a crush on back in 2006... so there's a lot going on, and it's written in a fun, fast-paced style that's easy and enjoyable to read.

But much as I enjoyed the book, I had some minor concerns. I found it a touch unimaginative that the author imagines that in 2016 we'll all be wearing Star-Trek style clothing. Isn't that a bit of a 1960s assumption/cliche? Not very original... although if it does happen clearly we'll have solved the problem of teenage self-consciousness by then, which is a major breakthrough! Also, the narrator contradicts herself a couple of times- such as when Floe's sister seems to be getting nicer towards her, and then suddenly isn't or when Floe says she's fit, and then a page later tells us to 'forget when I said that...' which is a bit jarring. Some parts of the story are also skipped over a little. I couldn't help thinking I would have adored this book when I was eleven, less so at sixteen- the characters seemed a little emotionally young, and I wonder if it would appeal more to pre-teens than to teenagers, who might want something a little more... racy? (Look at the popularity of books like the much more explicit Sugar Rush, for example... the characters in Popsicle won't even use a mild swear word!)

But overall, this book is fun and imaginative- a great idea, executed well, even if this future isn't quite as I'd imagine it!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Princess Diaries Seventh Heaven by Meg Cabot and This Place Has No Atmosphere, of course!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 5, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (4)

October 4, 2006 2:25 PM

BOOK REVIEW: e-luv by Dave Roberts

Subtitled "An Internet Romance", e-luv is the story of Trevor - and his online alter-ego Lord Brett Sinclair - as he starts to live his life entirely online.

When agoraphobia coupled with a mysery illness result in Trevor losing his job, he finds himself more and more attracted to the internet. Chatrooms, dating sites, online poker. He can be whoever he wants to be and no-one needs to know he can't go out. Except, that is, when they want to meet him in the "real world".

And they do. Amazingly, a number of different women turn up at Trevor's door, never suspecting that he can't actually get through it. One woman even comes from the US, leaving her husband, but bringing her child. Women send him underwear through the post. He receives so many phonecalls from his various online girlfriends that he's forced to come up with a cunning way of establishing who's calling without offending them by asking outright.

Eventually though Trevor starts to realise he needs to step away from the computer and out into the fresh air and with the help of, yes, a woman he meets online, he's able to do just that.

I really enjoyed e-luv. Yes it was funny, but it was also compelling in a slightly disturbing way. I had to keep reading to see just how far Trevor would go and how low he would sink. The only criticism I have of the book is that it doesn't read like fiction at all. I have no idea how much is real (though reading the author's very funny blog, it would seem like quite a lot) and I think this book may have worked even better as a kind of comedy confession book.

Still, it serves as a warning that too much time online can really damage your health!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Yes Man by Danny Wallace

Posted by Keris on October 4, 2006 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 15, 2006 11:14 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Ya Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells

Yayas Never one to let a book fad pass me by (not when it comes to chick-lit, anyway) I devoured the book Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood back in 2000. I was less keen on its prequel, Little Altars Everywhere, which was written after the success of the first book. And now Rebecca Wells and her gang of southern belles are back, in Ya Yas in Bloom.

So... is it a Ya Ya too far?

Honestly, yes.

Don't get me wrong, this book's nicely written and enjoyable enough, but totally and utterly unnecessary. There's really no story here, just a loosely linked series of vignettes re-telling the story from the first book (and not as well, because really, what else is there to say?) There's no narrative to speak of and really no point, but it's enjoyable enough fluff, at least... Thankfully, it's a lot less dark than Little Altars, whose hints at child abuse seem to have been quickly forgotten.

Rebecca Wells' talent for creating a rich, evocative world is still evident- she writes great characters and I can't blame her for wanting to re-visit them. Who wouldn't like to spend a bit more time with the beguiling Vivi Abbot Walker and co.? But fans of Sidda will be disappointed as she's relegated to the background here, and Baylor is the only "tres-petite" to have a storyline- although that works as he's very sweet. I enjoyed most of the book, but it doesn't really add up to more than the sum of its parts. Cynically, I couldn't help wondering if this was a cashing-in opportunity... Wells must have other ideas and she certainly has the ability to execute them- I'd love for her to create a new and exciting fictional world.

It's not a bad way to spend some time, and newcomers to Wells would probably enjoy it more than I did, but there are other books out there which do the same thing a lot better- Divine Secrets, for a start.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on September 15, 2006 in American Authors, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 8, 2006 8:22 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot's adult novels haven't yet achieved the enormous success of her teen books, but this year has seen the release of the first book in each of two new adult series. The first Heather Wells mystery, Size 12 Is Not Fat received mixed reviews and so did Queen of Babble, but I was dying to read it anyway.

So does it reach the usual Cabot heights? Well, in a word .. no. (Cue stunned gasps from everyone who knows me!)

Carry on across the cut to find out why not.

Lizzie Nichols is 22 and has just graduated. Some of the criticism of both Size 12 Is Not Fat and this book is that it could easily be one of Meg's teen books if it wasn't for the subject matter and I wonder if that's why she's made Lizzie 22. But even for 22, Lizzie is unbelievably immature. Oh she's sweet, but too naive to be realistic. And not just because she uses the word 'stiffy' about six times in the first fifty pages.

As the title implies, Lizzie can't keep her mouth shut. She talks a lot and she can't be trusted to keep a secret. Following a disastrous trip to London to visit her appalling boyfriend (who she's actually only previously spent one night with) she gets the train to Paris to visit a friend who's working at a French chateau and spills all her secrets to the handsome hunk in the next seat. And guess what? He's the son of the owner of the chateau. Did you see that coming? No! Me neither! (I'm being sarcastic.)

Once Lizzie gets to the chateau this book improved immeasurably. Despite being embarrassingly dopey, Lizzie is very sweet. Her friend Shari and Shari's boyfriend Chaz are great characters (as is Lizzie's grandma who sadly disappears from the book after the first 100 or so pages) and Luke (the chateau-owner's son) is gorgeous.

But .. but .. it just wasn't that special. It was sweet and funny, but it wasn't very original and I hate to say it but this type of story was done a lot more successfully by Sophie Kinsella in Can You Keep A Secret?

If you like this, try Can You Keep A Secret? or The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

Posted by Keris on September 8, 2006 in American Authors, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (3)

September 5, 2006 12:56 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Don't Try This at Home by Katie Pearson

Dtt I don't usually lean towards the tales of motherhood, but Katie Pearson's Don't Try This at Home jumped out at me from its shelf and immediately caught my interest. With the funny title and cute cover, it's hard to ignore it. With a slightly unusual format that makes it different from all the others, it's a good read.

Successful producer Dot Davies makes the ultimate decision to quit her job after accidentally sending an offensive email to her boss. Okay, so that's her excuse – but Dot has, in fact, been contemplating the idea for a while. After having battled cancer and now facing the realisation that she's not the brilliant mother she wishes she could be, Dot swaps her well-paid job at the BBC for a new career as a stay-at-home mum.

Things are not all they're cracked up to be as Dot battles with the constant demands of her daughters rather than her boss. Husband Alex isn't entirely happy with the situation, especially with much-loved Nanny Sarah quitting to embark on a new, and very public, career of her own...

Not to mention Alex's new-found interest in the form of top beauty Jessica. And when a family problem arises, can Dot's life be as good as it used to be?

Don't Try This at Home takes a witty, light-hearted look at life as a full-time parent, with some very amusing twists. It also tackles the subject of cancer in a rather blunt manner. The book is written in email format, which can get a bit tedious when you're trying to keep track of who Dot is writing to, yet when the story develops, this unusual approach seems to work well.

However, I cannot help but feel that Dot’s emails go on for a bit, possibly to the extent of whining (oh, those ‘woe is me’ ladies really grate on my nerves) but all in all, this book is rather pleasing.

Don't Try This At Home by Katie Pearson £5.59

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on September 5, 2006 in British Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 30, 2006 11:39 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Husbands by Adele Parks

Adeleparks Adele Parks makes her characters very difficult to like. In fact this is the main reason I gave up entirely on Playing Away, as I actively despised Corinne, who seemed to have no redeeming features, and was cheating on her self-professed 'perfect' husband for no apparent reason.

Husbands still has its fair share of women you might not want to be closest chums with, namely Bella, who has committed bigamy by being married to both her best friend's boyfriend, and her current husband, at the same time. But obviously none of them know it yet.

Luckily the other characters in Husbands are its redeeming quality. Laura, still hurt from a nasty break up, is a quietly determined single mother who falls head over heels with a busker she meets on the tube. It's just unfortunate he also happens to be married to Bella. Then there's Bella's mate Amelie, who despite being recently widowed, is by far the most optimistic character of the book. The cast is completed by Phillip, Bella's doting older man, and her second, non-legitimate husband.

The book charts some fairly major coincidences as the lives of Bella, her two husbands, and Laura become rather too entwined for comfort. They end up at an Elvis convention in Las Vegas, where most of the book is set, and we get a whistle stop tour round the sites of the city while Bella tries to decide which husband she likes best. Eventually Bella starts to display some more attractive qualities, and I actually started to enjoy Husbands.

I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to read another of her books, but this has convinced me that I can finish one, and it was a vast improvement on Playing Away. The sort of dilemmas Parks' characters face are the kind that give you that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach the moment you wake up, and personally I'd rather read something that lifted my spirits rather than bringing them down. Recommended for days when you can't stand to read another happy ever after and you're sick of flawless characters with sugar coated lives. [Charlotte Howells]

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Other Women by Kirsty Crawford.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 30, 2006 in British Authors, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK REVIEW: Which Brings Me To You by Steve Almond & Julianna Baggott

I was so excited about this book after reading Steve Almond's Candyfreak. It's written by both Almond and Julianna Baggott and is a series of alternating letters written by John and Jane after they meet - and almost have sex - at a wedding. They decide instead to get to know each other first by writing confessional letters about their relationship histories to see if they might have a chance at more than a coatroom fumble. Sounds great, right? Read on to see if it was.

This book reminded me a lot of Melissa Bank's The Wonder Spot. Basically the majority of John and Jane's letters serve as a complete story about one of their past relationships, all of which - like Sophie's in The Wonder Spot - both end badly and serve to give us background on the characters. So we learn that not only did John used to be a "surf dude", he also, further along the line, worked in an advertising agency and voted Republican. We learn that Jane worked in a bookstore and had a relationship with both members of a married couple.

The problem with the book for me was that I never really warmed to John and Jane. Partly I think it's because, even though the book was written by two authors, John and Jane's voices seem very similar - occasionally I would start reading a letter thinking it had been written by the other character. For this book to have really worked, for me, I would have wanted to be desperate for them to get together at the end, convinced that they were soulmates. I didn't get that feeling - rather, as my mother-in-law says, at least they won't spoil two houses.

Having said all that - it is an extremely well-written and entertaining book. It's a good read, really. It just seemed to me to be an unfortunately cold read too.

(I have to also mention the fact that the back cover blurb says 'But they live on opposite sides of the country'. John lives in New York and Jane lives in Philadelphia. Not only are they on the same side of the country, but there's less than 100 miles between them. I know I'm pedantic, but that kind of thing annoys me.)

If you like this, try The Wonder Spot by Melissa Bank (for a similar story) or Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (for a book written by duelling authors)

Posted by Keris on August 30, 2006 in American Authors, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 23, 2006 10:15 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Confessions of Supermom by Melanie Lynne Hauser

Melanielh At first, I thought this book was Confessions of A Supermom- a tongue in cheek look at the stress of motherhood. Nothing so down to earth! Confessions of Supermom is Melanie Lynne Hauser's attempt to create the first superhero with two teenage kids, a nasty ex-husband and a job in a supermarket...

Birdie Lee is a downtrodden mother feeling unappreciated and stressed out. One day she's cleaning the bathroom before work, pouring every noxious cleaning fluid she has onto a stubborn stain, when she falls into unconsciousness. When she wakes up about eight hours later, she feels drained and woozy at first. But before long, she's feeling...well, super!

She has the ability to clean with the power of 10,00 Swiffers, sense when children are in danger and run to save them- and of course, for bad boys and girls there's the penetrating glare and "super time-out". If all this sounds pretty silly- it is. And I haven't even mentioned the ultra-strong cleaning fluid that shoots out of her wrists, Spiderman's-web style.

In order to become a proper super-hero, Supermom must defeat an evil empire (of course!) and alter-ego Birdie's also hoping to kick-start her love life with a certain single dad from the PTA...

It's a fun book, but you do have to suspend disbelief and buy into the concept while you're reading it. I enjoyed the parts about Supermom- especially when she tries to fly, chooses her costume and saves kids from danger. The snippets of faux-newspaper coverage are also hilarious. The author clearly has a lot of wit, intelligence, and a knowledge of superheroes that could rival a teenage boy!

What lets the book down is that Birdie is a little... boring. Melanie Lynne Hauser has great things to say about under-appreciated mothers, but couldn't the pre-Supermom Birdie have had something in her life besides her children, one friend and a mundane job? The great thing about Superman is that yes, Clark Kent's a geek- but a geek with an interesting career! The parts with Supermom raced along, but the parts with Birdie dragged a little. Also, the feminist in me was screaming, "Why is Supermom conforming so neatly to gender stereotypes?!" (Or words to that effect...)

If you want some escapism and a warning of the dangers of mixing bleach and other fluids, Confessions of Supermom is a good light read.

But super? Not really.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Like this? Try Wife in the Fast Lane by Karen Quinn.

*Did you know? This is the first book in the Supermom series, with the next installment, Supermom saves the World, due in 2007.*

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 23, 2006 in American Authors, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 18, 2006 12:48 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Girls' Poker Night by Jill A. Davis

Jilladavis Because I've always loved that Friends episode where the girls learn to thrash the boys at poker, and the weekly poker game is where the Desperate Housewives dish their girlie gossip, the premise of Girls' Poker Night really appealed to me.

Ruby Capote moves to New York to work as a newspaper columnist, adjust to life as a singleton- and start the tradition of a weekly poker night with her three best friends...

I especially liked the fact that none of the women knew how to play poker, so at first they played with an instruction book in front of them (I'd have to do that!) It made me think this is a tradition I'd like to start with my friends. But I like my friends a lot more than I liked the characters in this book...

What this novel really needed was some serious editing- and a lot more heart. The realisations the main character has are pretty superficial- and the friendships between the girls are on the bitchy side. (You know the kind of thing- you're feeling miserable and someone tells you your hair needs a re-style, that's the kind of good friends these gals are).

It's not organised into chapters but instead has different headings- I think these are supposed to be quirky and profound, but it reads like one long ramble and a disjointed one at that. I don't think writers should veer from the conventional chapter structure unless there's good reason- or they really know what they're doing!

Having said that, it's a light, fast read with some witty moments. I always appreciate books about New York writers but despite the cool poker concept of this one, I've read a lot better. It's not an awful book, but it is unsatisfying.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Tabloid Love by Bridget Harrison, The Dog Walker by Leslie Schnur.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 18, 2006 in American Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 9, 2006 6:08 PM

RICHARD AND JUDY SUMMER READS : The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Thehistorian This week sees the final book of Richard and Judy's Summer Reads feature, 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova.

The book is a new take on an old tale - the legend of Dracula. It is inspired heavily by Bram Stoker's work, particularly in considering that Dracula is still wandering freely among us, and that he holds an historical significance wider than many of us have realised. The book is a set of sroties within stories - almost like a literary russian doll. The story is begun by a teenage girl who finds a mysterious book in her father's library. This contains letters bequeathed to her father (Paul) by his dissertation supervisor (Rossi) many years ago. The structure is a mixture of the girl's first person account of events interspersed with a packet of letters left by her father, which also give the content of the letters written by Rossi. All three protaganists are in search of one being - Dracula, Rossi searches alone whilst Paul is accompanied by Helen (who happens to be Rossi's estranged duaghter), and the girl is accompanied by a student she met at Oxford.

Carry on across the cut to see what I thought of the book.

I am loathe to admit that on a number of occasions I became tempted to throw this book across the room - it really was that frustrating a read. The first 100 or so pages dragged horribly, but sure that it must get better I persevered. I haven't made my mind up yet whether I'm glad I did.

The plot was very intricatly planned, with the three stories lying comfortably on one another - though at times these did veer a little too far from the believable (yes even for a book about vampires). I also found myself diasppointed that Kostova spent so little time on the vampires themselves - having read more books on vampires than I probably should have I did expect a little more fangy business.

The characters were a mixed bunch really. I found the three protaganists a little dull if I'm perfectly honest - Paul particularly was far too whingy for my liking. The characters met by Paul and Helen on their travels were far more vibrant, and the combination of these and the descriptions of many Eastern Eurpoean countries were one of the saving features of this book.

I'm not going to give the ending away to you, but I will say this - I ended up feeling like I still didn't know half of what I expected to know at the end. There was an incident with about 40 pages to go that was dealt with far too quickly, and there were far too many unanswered questions.

All in all I was pretty disappointed with this book. It wasn't a bad book, I just wanted it to be better than it was.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Posted by Jenni on August 9, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Richard and Judy | Permalink | Comments (5)

August 5, 2006 6:03 PM

BOOK REVIEW- Burnt Toast by Teri Hatcher

I spent a lot of time in the '90s wanting to be Teri Hatcher- or rather, wanting to be her incarnation of Lois Lane- plus I've never missed a Desperate Housewives, so I was interested to read her new book, Burnt Toast. Part memoir, part self-help guide, Teri uses the ups and downs of her own life to illustrate the importance of being good to yourself. She thinks that too many women "eat the burnt toast"- that is, don't value themselves enough to make a new slice of toast when they burn some, always putting their needs last in every area of life, however big or small. It's a good message, and is delivered with lots of warmth and humour. But for me, there was a little something missing...

Teri's clearly an intelligent and witty woman, and I liked the ethos of this book, but I couldn't help wondering why she'd chosen to write a book that's only half-memoir... She actually doesn't reveal very much of herself, and maybe that was the idea. What she chooses to reveal is very selective, and at times, where she draws the line is mystifying: we learn (several times!) that she just loves her nipples (yep!) that she had no sex on her honeymoon, and that she's very insecure, especially around men... But she doesn't share why her marriage fell apart, or what her Housewives audition involved, or more seriously, make any mention of the child abuse she suffered for several years. I can understand her not wanting to go into any detail about the latter, but it seems strange not to mention it, or even allude to it, in a book purporting to share yourself and your most intimate feelings.

Maybe the paradox in the book illustrates a paradox about Teri: she has a lot to share, but seems to think we'd only be interested if she dressed it up with humour and self-help lessons so it's not all about her. At root, she comes across someone with very low self-esteem, and at times I couldn't work out if she was lying to herself or simply being disingenuous: she talks about her love of coupons and the free stuff actresses are given- doesn't she realise that comes across as spoilt and a little obscene when you're already a millionaire? (I think she genuinely doesn't see herself as a rich and powerful woman, but we all do!) Also, she insists she hasn't lost weight since her New Adventures of Superman days, but anyone can see she has- maybe her scales are broken...

Having said that, I admire Teri Hatcher's bravery in sharing the feelings she does write about, and I certainly found her book enjoyable and entertaining, heartfelt and (mostly) honest. But maybe she could have cared a little bit less about what people thought, and really dared to bare her soul.

(Oh and be warned- you'll be constantly craving hot, buttered toast throughout the book!)

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Tabloid Love by Bridget Harrison.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 5, 2006 in American Authors, Celebrity Authors, Girly Stuff, Memoirs, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (3)

BOOK REVIEW- Something Beginning With by Sarah Salway

Something Beginning With is a book with a unique concept: it's a novel, told in encyclopaedia format. Alphabetised entries tell the story of Verity Bell, a young woman dealing with a tricky boss, a troubled love life, and life alone after the death of her parents a few years earlier. It's a great idea, and very well-written, but would the concept turn out to be too gimmicky to really tell a good story?

Well, yes and no. Sarah Salway's use of the alphabet is a gimmick, but it's not just used for that reason- it does actually enhance the story: at the end of most entries is a short list of other entries that illustrate the same point- which can be used to cement a point the narrator is making, or to undercut it in order to make the reader laugh. It allows for a lot more fluidity than a traditional approach and the fact that each entry can be taken as a work in itself means that the quality of writing is excellent. Sarah Salway usually writes poetry and the succinctness of her language is probably a reflection of this. However, although it is possible to flick backwards and forwards throughout the book, I'd still recommend reading it from front to back, or you'll spoil the story for yourself (and probably get very confused!) If you truly could move back and forwards through the book like a real encyclopaedia, I don't think it would make a good novel, as there would be no story at all.

In fact, that was what disappointed me about this novel: it's very short, and I felt the story was a bit flimsy. It's also rather depressing- a young woman is very isolated, for no particular reason. Yes, she had rather unsupportive parents, who are now dead, but nothing much seems to be happening in her life, and I wasn't sure why. She didn't seem sad enough to be clinically depressed, and yet she had no confidence or 'get up and go'. The type of modern women's writing that I (and I think most of you) enjoy best is when women overcome obstacles, or grow in confidence, or achieve something. This story was instead very downbeat and pedestrian, and there was just something missing- it had no heart or vibrancy and reading it was a bit of a hollow experience.

Sarah Salway is an extremely skilled stylist, but her next book really needs more substance.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Conversations with the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 5, 2006 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 1, 2006 10:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW - The Cinderella Moment by Gemma Fox

Thecinderella What happens when a chance meeting with a gorgeous man changes your life forever? It all depends on fate to be perfectly honest - will it be a simple happy ever after, or will fate be cruel and send you on a terrifying rollercoaster ride? This is exactly the problem facing Cass who meets the lovely James on the train. He seems perfect... or is he?

Cass is a bit down on her look. Her husband has decided to leave her (she's too irresponsible apparently) so now she must stop painting and get a job that will pay enough to support herself and her son Danny. Every city job she's applied for has ended in rejection - its bad enough she has to apply for these jobs, the least they could do is employ her! her next door neighbour, and closest thing to family, Jake has an alternative suggestion. A friend of his is looking for an assistant to help him to get back on his feet after surgery. The work wouldn't be taxing - general PA style duties plus some time helping out... in his art gallery! Life seems to be looking up at long last.

Then on the train Cass meets James Devlin. He is annoyingly nice, pretty close to perfect in fact. When he leaves his mobile behind Cass rings him to arrange for him to collect it. Unfortunately it is his wife who answers - maybe he wasn't so perfect after all. When James becomes a missing person, suspected of running off with his fancy woman (yup thats what his wife thinks of Cass) the book takes on a whole new direction. Cass finds herself caught up in the middle of a huge misunderstanding which involves her being watched by the police and gangsters. How will she ever manage to persuade them that she is innocent of anything they're suspecting her of?

The plot of this book is cleverly intertwined without becoming confusing (apart from when you try to describe it to someone else). Fox allows the story to unfold in front of you so that you feel a step ahead of the characters throughout the book. The story is well paced, and offers some laugh out loud moments. It just about keeps on the right side of believable - though it veers dangerously close to the line at times.

The characters are all well written - whilst Cass can at times come across as a little wet I found I didn't mind this because of the richness of the rest of the characters. I'd be hard pushed to pick a favourite, though I might have to go with Jake and Barney.

This is a light hearted enjoyable read that would be good for the beach or the commute.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Like this? Try 'How Was It For You?' by Carmen Reid

Posted by Jenni on August 1, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 27, 2006 3:34 PM

BOOK REVIEW- The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare

Thesecond Many young women dream of moving to Hollywood, working for a top movie mogul, and mixing with famous actors and high-flyers in the film world day-in, day-out. But Elizabeth Miller, aka: The Second Assistant, isn't one of them. A down-on-her-luck political campaigner, she meets a Hollywood big-wig at a Washington party and, thinking she has nothing to lose, flies to L.A and lands a new job- approximately 2650 miles out of her comfort zone...

After her first task, sorting drawing pins into piles (throwing away the coloured ones, of course!) it becomes clear that the Stephen Spielberg biography Elizabeth read on the plane isn't going to be adequate preparation for this crazy new world. However, after a lot of ups and downs, she slowly starts to realise she likes the town, even making a new friend or two and finding a man she likes (can she make him her boyfriend? Read it to find out!) and she even becomes inured to the craziness of Hollywood...

"There are things that I know are not normal but since I became involved with Hollywood, I now cease to bat an eyelid at. They are: Men who wear mascara in between eyelash dyes, the sign in the bathroom of my office that says 'smoking and vomiting prohibited'... women who take fertility drugs even though they don't have a boyfriend..."

You get the picture. The authors have both lived and worked in Hollywood themselves, and so this is another Devil Wears Prada "snitch-lit" -type novel. I think this one is a bit of a broader farce than DWP, or The Nanny Diaries for that matter- but then truth is stranger than fiction and we are talking about Hollywood, so who can be sure??!

I have to admit I was a little disappointed with some aspects of the story. Elizabeth goes through so much at the start of the book, finding it hard to adjust and dealing with all the bitchiness and competitiveness of the film world, that I thought she'd have a typical 'rags to riches' Hollywood ending (this is one of those rare cases where the authors could have made that seem realistic!)- but she doesn't. It's not a terrible tragic ending or anything, but I was left wanting more. I can only assume that was to whet readers' appetites for the sequel which I hope will tie up all the loose ends. But even though I love this type of book, I can't help wondering... how many more of them do we need?

Still, this is an easy-to-read insight into another (fascinating) world, with an intelligent protagonist, and it's all the more enjoyable if, like me, you choose to assume that a lot of it is based on real events!

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try You'll Never Nanny in this town Again by Suzanne Hansen, The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger.

*DID YOU KNOW?* Uma Thurman was set to film Mimi Hare and Clare Naylor's script, The Accidental Husband in 2004, but it never happened. (Fodder for their next book, perhaps?!)

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 27, 2006 in American Authors, Devil Wears Prada, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

BOOK REVIEW: Do You Remember The First Time by Jenny Colgan

Doyouremember I don't know why I keep reading Jenny Colgan books. I threw "Amanda's Wedding" across the room. "Looking for Andrew McCarthy" was okay, but nowhere near as good as it could've been (I mean, what a great premise!). "Working Wonders" was bleh. Each time I finish one of her books, I vow not to read another. Then one comes out and I go, "Ooh! A new Jenny Colgan!" It's as if she's hypnotised me. "Do You Remember The First Time" has another fab premise - what would you do differently if you were sixteen again? - and I imagine that's something we've all wondered at one time or another.

30-year-old Flora suspects her boyfriend is about to propose and thinks she might say yes, even though she's far from sure she wants to marry him. So when her childhood sweetheart turns up unexpectedly at her best friend's wedding, Flora finds herself so full of regrets about the past and worries about the future that she wishes she was 16 again. And when she wakes up the next morning she is. Only a few people remember her and so she finds herself surrounded by people who know her, but who she doesn't know. (The explanation for this is that only the people who really love her remember her, but it's actually just a convenient plot devise.)

Anyway, when Flora realises that all her adult knowledge and experience are useless - she's just as uncool and unpopular as she was the first time round - she thinks she'd like to go back to reality after all. But then, when she finds herself falling for a foxy 17-year-old, she's not certain she wants to.

I imagine Jenny Colgan was furious when the movie 13 Going On 30 came out at around the same time as her book - no, it's not the same (and I know it's the other way around), but there are definite similarities. But, just like the movie, Do You Remember The First Time is great fun and a reminder that despite worry and stress, it's actually much better to be a grown-up. No, really.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Like this? Try 'Switchcraft' by Lowri Turner

Posted by Keris on July 27, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 24, 2006 3:01 PM

BOOK REVIEW - Talking To Addison by Jenny Colgan

Talkingtoaddison Most of us have at one time or another lived in a flat share, and many of us have had an elusive housemate. We can find ourselves wondering where they go when they're not in the house, and what they're doing that means they only leave their room to leave the house. Jenny Colgan was obviously in this situation at some stage in her life - she chose to write this book about it...

Holly is living in what many people would consider to be a nightmare situation. She's sharing a house with people who seem to live their entire lives by rotas. They're constantly on her back to wash up, clean and general follow all of their nitpicking rules. After deciding enough is enough Holly moves out of there, and into a new house with people as normal as she is. There's Josh who is too nice for his own good, Kate who is terminally unlucky in love, and then there's Addison. Holly can't work Addison out at all, she occasionally hears him leave his room, but rarely sees him. She'd love to see a bit more of him though - he's gorgeous!

Holly quickly finds herself fascinated by Addison. She longs to know more about him, and what makes him tick and so she makes that her mission. Slowly but surely she forces her way into Addison's life, trying to get to know the man she lives with. At the same time she's falling for Finn, but he's a bit of a recluse so that seems to be putting an obstacle in her path to true love.

Will she find out everything she wants to know about Addison? Will she find true love with Finn? Well you'd better read and find out!

This is standard fare for Jenny Colgan. Its a simple story with plenty of amusing moments. Its not a lengthy read, but she manages to squeeze enough into the pages to make sure you keep turning them. The plot is simple but effective, I found myself thinking 'oh thats just like...' all the way through it. The characters are well written, and reminded me of a lot of people I know.

This book is typical of a lot of chick lit fare. Its very entertaining, but it won't set the world alight with its originality. Read this when you want an enjoyable comfort blanket of a book.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Like this? Try 'Playing James' by Sarah Mason.

Posted by Jenni on July 24, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (4)

July 18, 2006 11:30 AM

BOOK REVIEW : Like Mother Like Daughter

Likemother Some girls have the kind of relationship with their mothers that it often feels like they're best friends. Other girls have mothers who try really hard to be their best friends and actually end up driving their daughters mad. Alice Harrison is one of those girls. Her mother, Suzie, is approaching sixty but is acting like her coming birthday is her sixteenth instead. When she comes up with a hare-brained scheme to find love for herself and her daughter Alice begins to despair - why can't she have a mother like other girls?

Alice is a life coach, though the fact that her husband left her for another man and then became her best friend makes her wonder at times how it is that she can sort everyone else's lives out just not her own. Suzie has a highly popular newspaper column that she appears to feel is the perfect venue to discuss her own life, and more worryingly Alice's. She has bemoaned the fact that Alice looks likely to remain single in this column, but even this hasn't helped her to find love. With her sixtieth birthday looming Suzie decides on a scheme to sort out Alice's life - she doesn't want any presents from Alice, all she wants is for her to have a date for the birthday party.

When Suzie announces the scheme Alice is, as you might expect, a little reluctant. Particularly when Suzie decides that she thinks she ought to join in the plan - after all she can't turn up to her own birthday party without a date! Grudgingly Alice agrees, though to be honest with her mother you can't help but give in.

Everything seems to be going smoothly when both Alice and Suzie find themselves a man early on into the scheme. Suzie meets her man on the Eurostar; he's fifteen years her junior, but who's counting? Alice meets her man at work; she's vowed never to date a client, but he's just so persuasive. When the two women discover that their new men are the same person... well you can imagine the fun!

This is a well written book with believable characters. At times I found Suzie to be completely infuriating, but I know people with mothers just like her. Alice is the more likeable character, though at times she verges on becoming a little wet. The plot itself is a little thin, though some of the dating events are quite amusing.

This is a decent book, but it's not great. I found myself wanting to get to the end of it so I could start another book, but I never once thought about not finishing it. Worth a look, though you might be better of getting it from your library.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Like this? Try 'I'm Celibate - Get Me Out Of Here' by Jo Elliot

Posted by Jenni on July 18, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 10, 2006 3:42 PM

BOOK REVIEW : Angel by Katie Price ('Jordan')

Angel_2 I have to admit that when I saw Katie Price was writing her first novel I was a bit dubious. Okay, incredibly dubious. When I saw the promotions for it, and realised it was a story about a young girl who turns to glamour modelling to try to earn the money she desperately needs if she is to follow her dreams my fears for the book deepened. Was this going to be yet another version of Katie's life, or would she surprise me? I have to admit I was curious as I began to read.

'Angel' tells the story of Angel, a girl who is just on the brink of finishing college with dreams of a career in fashion design. The only problem is that she doesn't have enough money to fund the art course she desperately wants to take, and her parents won't fund such an uncertain future. On top of that its been less than a year since her parents revealed that she was adopted - she's still not really sure of who she is or whether she really belongs.

Angel is tempted by a model scout to have some photos taken. When the photographer suggests doing some glamour shots she feels a little reluctant. Once she agrees though she quickly realises that this could be the shortcut to the money she wants. Angel's rise to fame as a glamour model is rapid, and all of a sudden everybody wants a piece of her. Surely something's got to bring her down again, but will she survive?

This is a reasonably written debut novel, particularly when you consider that the author has no experience of writing beyond her own memoirs. The subject matter is so familiar when you think about Katie Price that you wonder whether some of it may actually be autobiographical. Then again they say write what you know, and this is certainly what Price knows. This does make me think that we will only truly see whether Price has promise as a novelist

The characters and plot were believable, you could easily see some of them gracing the pages of the tabloid gossip pages. The ending was relatively accomplished, whereas this is an area some first time novelists appear to struggle with Price tied up all the ends neatly but without it feeling forced.

This would be perfect as an easy read for the beach this summer.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Like this? Try 'Adored' by Tilly Bagshawe.

Posted by Jenni on July 10, 2006 in Bonkbusters, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Debut Novels, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (50)

May 31, 2006 10:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW : Old School Ties by Kate Harrison

Oldschool_1 As Big Brother fever is sweeping across the UK at the moment, I was drawn to this book about the making of a reality TV programme. Whilst this isn't about a house with a random mix of 'unique' characters (Ben Elton already did that) it is instead about the other side of reality telly. You know the kind of programme, find a person and set them some kind of challenge and then film them making a fool of themselves as they try to complete it. This book by Kate Harrison takes on this side of the reality coin and features a programme about organising a school reunion.

'Old School Ties' tells the story of Tracey Mortimer. Now a downtrodden housewife, Tracey remembers her school days fondly. She was the queen of the school and everybody adored her - she had a loyal gang of followers, everyone followed her every edict and she dated the cutest boy in the school. Now life's more about making sure that both of her children get the right arrangement of spaghetti letters for their tea, and monitoring the levels of CBeebies they watch. Which is fine, but just not where she expected to end up. So when a TV production company advertises for someone to star in a programme about their school reunion she can't help herself - this is the chance she's wanted for so long.

As the production company arrives, and they start to get in touch with Tracey's old classmates a different story begins to emerge. Many of them don't remember Tracey as fondly as she thinks they do - and those that remember her fondly are the kind of good souled people who can never see the bad in anyone. Pretty quickly a different picture of Tracey is formed, but the production company realises this can only be good for the sake of the programme. After all, some of these people want to settle some scores, and who knows what skeletons may be lurking in the closets!

The story is relatively light-hearted and doesn't pull any punches. The characters are created well, and are very believable. Unfortunately I did not find anything in the book to rave about. Yes it was fairly entertaining, and had the odd laugh out loud moment, and the occasional hint of nostalgia. It's just a shame that when I finished it my overwhelming feeling was that the book "Could do better".

Rating : 3 out of 5

Like this? Try 'Dead Famous' by Ben Elton

Posted by Jenni on May 31, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 16, 2006 10:04 AM

BOOK REVIEW - Up And Running by Holly Fox

I'm a simple girl at heart, and when it comes to books I generally only have one wish. That the description of the book in the blurb on the cover bears at least a passing resemblance to the book contained withing said cover. This book by Holly Fix, I quickly realised, did not meet that wish - the book I was expecting to read and the book I ended up reading were pretty different if I'm perfectly honest. Good job the book I ended up with was pretty good!

Meg Randall is the girlfriend of famous explorer Will Churchill-Twines (with a name like that it was exploring or politics!) but she's starting to wonder whether the fame that comes as part and parcel of the role is worth it. When it comes down to it, her existence isn't all that fulfilling - she's either waving him off to his next perilous journey, nervously waiting for news whilst he's on that journey, welcoming his broken body back from said journey, or a spectator on the sidelines whilst he prepares himself for the next journey. She's starting to think that she wants more from life, just as the news comes in that the communication link between Will and his team in the UK has broken down - he's lost somewhere in the North Pole. If all that wasn't enough, her mother has summoned her back to the family home before it is sold off for good.

Adele Buchanan couldn't have much more of a different life. She is the glamourous hostess of Hey! Today! - the nation's favourite breakfast show. It's nowhere near as glamourous as it appears though, she is under constant observation by the outside world... but that is almost bearable compared with the scrutiny she is placed under by her own bosses. She's already gone under the surgeon's life a number of times to please them - surely there's more to life than this.

The paths of Adele and Meg become crossed, as both women approach breaking point. This is where the book disappointed me. I was expecting the women to meet fairly early on in the book (as this is suggested to be the starting point of a whole heap of consequences) whereas in fact they meet well after the halfway point. The meeting is actually nowhere near as influential as you might expect, and the consequences... well they feel a little rushed and just a little far fetched at times.

So the main plot is flawed, what about the rest of the book? There is a lot of detail placed upon the supporting characters - we get an insight into the rivalry between Adele's boss and his equivalent at an alternative television station, and the author even attempts to wander into the realm of musings about the afterlife and near-death experiences. This is a lot to try and fit into under 300 pages, and by the end of it nothing feels quite right - the author seems to have tried to start too many things and ended up giving up in a state of defeat.

The characters thankfully offer some saving grace to the book. They are well conceived and created, and I found myself routing for many of them. This is a book worth a try - just don't expect too much!

Score: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try 'Bachelor Boys' by Kate Saunders

Posted by Aigua Media on May 16, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 11, 2006 11:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Other Women by Kirsty Crawford

Otherwomen This book by Kirsty Crawford looks closely at women, and their relationships. It features three women, all very different. The woman widowed at an early age with young children now wondering where she went wrong and why they'd rather talk to anyone but her about their problems, the woman married to a man who can keep her in the lifestyle she wants but who has the unwanted baggage of a teenage daughter, and the woman happily married with children but about to be uprooted for her husband's dream existence. Their lives become inextricably linked, but who will come out still smiling by the end of it?

The three women in question are Jane, Sam and Bella respectively. Whilst to the outsider each looks highly content in their own situation, each woman is hugely unhappy. Jane has had to sell off half of her family home in order to try and save the rest of it for her children - Sam and her husband Ben along with his daughter Emma now occupy the other half of the house. Jane had hoped for friendship with these very close neighbours, but the glamorous Sam doesn't want anything to do with Jane - a woman who seems horribly old and frumpy. When Jane sells the lodge at the end of her property to Bella and her husband Iain she hopes beyond hope that they may be more friendly. Sam soon has her claws into Bella, the only other relatively young woman in the area, but Bella is determined to enter fully into the idylic lifestyle that Iain uprooted them for.

This book follows the women, and their friends and familes, through holidays, illnesses, family troubles, and a whole host of romantic liasions - many of them forbidden.

Whilst the book aims to be careful in it's examination of the women, at times it sadly falls short. It doesn't quite reach the heady heights it aims for, but is definitely well on its way. The characters are in general well created, but the plot is a little patchy in places. Luckily this doesn't detract too much from the overall novel and as a debut this is definitely worth a look.

Like this? Try 'Notes on a Scandal' by Zoe Heller.

Posted by Aigua Media on May 11, 2006 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 9, 2006 11:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Skintight by Susan Andersen

Skintight_1 A couple of weeks ago I reviewed 'The Perfect Age' - a novel about the natives of Las Vegas. I loved that, and to be perfectly honest all mention of anything related to the mecca of glamour, glitz and gambling, so I thought I might quite like this book by Susan Andersen. It's set in... yup you've guessed it... Las Vegas, and centres around the worlds of two of the modern icons of Las Vegas - the professional poker player, and the showgirl. I couldn't wait to get reading...

Jax Gallagher is a professional poker player who has just made the biggest mistake of his playing career. After getting drunk he sat down to play, and ended up betting an IOU for a baseball autographed by the New York Yankee's most famous line up. The problem... the baseball isn't his - it currently resides with his father's widow, the glamorous Las Vegas showgirl Treena McCall. There seems to be only one solution as far as Jax can see - he must head for Las Vegas and get it back, any way he can.

Treena is not your average showgirl. Recently widowed she has forged a return into the life she left to nurse her sick husband. The major obstacle in her way is her age, as she celebrates her 35th birthday she wonders how much longer she can go on for. The troupe has younger members than her, and if she's truly honest with herself, these days their kicks are higher than hers - she just wishes they could be a little more gracious about it. When the mysterious Jax arrives in time for the major poker tournament Treena allows herself to be wrapped up in excitement of being pursued by this very attractive example of the male form.

The book takes a tour around the glamorous side of Las Vegas, but keeps a healthy level of cynicism - revealing some of the less glamorous and rarely seen faces of the city. The major theme of Jax and Treena is well conceived and written, but at times it is Treena's friend Carly, and the budding romance between the girls' neighbours Ellen and Mack that steal the show.

I enjoyed this book, but felt that the early part of the ending let it down. It felt in a couple of places as though the author wasn't exactly sure how to get the characters out of the situation she had put them in. The very ending was incredibly predictable, but then I don't mind that too much - it almost gives the book the same feeling as a comfy old jumper. Definitely one to give a try.

Like this? Try 'Love Overboard' by Janet Evanovich.

Posted by Aigua Media on May 9, 2006 in American Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 3, 2006 11:00 AM

Poison Arrows - Book Review

Poison I picked this up because of its shocking pink cover. When I turned it over and read the blurb on the back I wasn't so sure about the book - starring cupids receiving missives from above and a small Irish town named Gorrib it didn't sound like such a great read. The fact it was written by Morag Prunty however swayed me - I loved her previous two books so maybe this would be better than I expected...

Christian is an angel. More specifically he's a cupid who gets sent down to Earth to help the loveless find love. He's a little apprehensive when he receives his new assignment - to Gorrib, a small town in Ireland with more people looking for love than he'd care to have to cope with. The work isn't the problem, that comes from the idiosyncracies that make angels angelic - little things like being unable to ingest food or drink... a major problem when everyone you meet invites you for yet another cup of tea.

Christian's targets are all desperate for success in love in their own way. Mary has been in love with the same man for years and years, she's waited this long for him but is starting to wonder how much longer she must wait. Sandra left the small town lifestlye years ago for the bright lights of the city, plus there's more call for lap dancers there. She's had enough now and heads back to the small town she holds firmly in her heart. And then there's Moses and Rose, former childhood sweethearts. He has never gotten over her jilting him for her future husband, and she feels trapped in a suffocating marriage to Gorrib's answer to Enoch Powell. It certainly seems like Christian has his work cut out for him.

The book follows the progression of the major characters lives set against an archetypal backdrop of Irish life. Unfortunately Prunty throws in twists and turns through the angelic side of things - the culmination of which left me feeling utterly bemused. This is a shame however as the rest of the story, including the presence of Christian ticks along nicely. I think its another case of an author tryng too hard to be clever - if she had left out some of the extra bits then this would have been a far better book. This in itself leads me to recommend this as worth a try, though you'd probably be best getting it from your local library!

Like this? Try 'Dancing With Mules' by Morag Prunty

Posted by Aigua Media on May 3, 2006 in Girly Stuff, Irish Authors, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

May 2, 2006 11:00 AM

My Favourite Mistake - Book Review

Because Beth Kendrick is one of the authors featured on the fabulous Literary Chicks group blog, when I spotted My Favourite Mistake in the library, I had to get it. I hadn't had a chance to try any of her books yet, but I was sure I would love what I found.

Like Jennifer Weiner's In Her Shoes, Beth Kendrick's first book is about two sisters with opposite personalities and lifestyles. But when the immature, flaky sister Skye calls the sensible sister Faith from their hometown in Minnesota, Faith of course drives cross-country to help her. Even though she knows it will mean running in to her childhood sweetheart, Flynn, whom she hasn't seen since she rejected his marriage proposal ten years earlier.

When Faith gets home she finds things with Skye are much worse than she expected and that her feelings for Flynn are as strong as ever. Before long she's torn between staying in town and running away again.

My Favourite Mistake is a light, easy read. I found myself rooting for Faith and not just because Flynn sounded so completely foxy. There are some great scenes - a 'Free beer til somebody pees' bar competition and a dog covered in skunk-stink and tomato ketchup were my favourites - and a hilariously cute 5-year-old to boot, but, and I'm not entirely sure why, I didn't love it. I definitely liked it enough to try her other books though. [Keris Stainton]

Like this? Try 'Maybe Baby' by Lani Diane Rich

Posted by Aigua Media on May 2, 2006 in American Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 25, 2006 10:34 AM

Beating About The Bush

Beating This Linda Taylor novel promised a somewhat frantic tale of a city girl moving to the country. I have to admit that as a country girl I quite enjoy these tales - it always amuses me how these 'city girls' find the most everyday things such a challenge. So was this tale of 'the simple life' going to cut it?

Ella Norton went into corporate banking to please her father, it was his job for all his life so the idea of doing something different never occured to her. However at 28, rich behind her wildest dreams, Ella decides that she's had enough. She's running herself into the ground and working so long and hard that she's not seeing any benefit of her wages. So she sells up and moves back to Oxfordshire, near where she grew up, buying a run-down cottage which she lives in with her two lodgers Faith and Miranda.

Faith, a veterinary nurse, is quiet, naive and unassuming wheras Miranda, a high class free-lance flight attendant, is brash, worldy and downright rude. Ella chose two housemates so different to reduce the possibility of clashes... but it doesn't seem to be working. On top of that the tutor on the horticultural course that she has signed onto is drop dead gorgeous and married. Oh and then they find a package of heroin in their bin and realise that one of their neighbours must be dealing drugs. When Jaz, abrasive detective in the local CID asks to set up an observation point in Ella's bedroom she starts to think that maybe the simple life isn't quite so simple.

This book moves along at a reasonable pace. The characters are in general believable, though at times Taylor verges toward the Jane Green school of thought in creating characters - it takes a long time to find anything endearing about either Faith or Miranda and as a result I found myself having to make myself continue reading in the hope they got better. The plot is in places sadly predictable, particularly when it comes to the love stories.

I enjoyed this book, but doubt I would find myself rushing to get hold of one of Taylor's other efforts. Whilst it filled a few hours, that is sadly all it did.

Like this? Try 'Restoring Grace' by Katie Fforde

Posted by Aigua Media on April 25, 2006 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 17, 2006 11:00 AM

Written In The Stars

Writtenstars What do you get when you cross a group of fourteen year old girls with New Years Eve, stolen alcohol and no parental supervision? In the case of Gemma Sinclair and her friends a time capsule, containing predictions for each other's lives, not to be opened for ten years. And what do you get when thirteen years later when that time capsule is re-discovered? A whole lot of forgotten memories and one girl's uncannily accurate predictions. She couldn't have truly seen their destinies... could she?

In order to agree with letting Gemma and her friends Nikki and Fay spend New Years Eve with no supervision, Gemma's parents insisted that they be joined by the daughter of the colleague they were going to a party with. Miranda was an enigma, dressed head to toe in black with her hair tied off her face with a long headscarf. It was she who supplied the contraband vodka, she who proposed the timecapsule, and when it is reopened she who made the predictions that scare the other three girls. For Gemma, at a crossroads in her life, it is the predictions that have not yet come true that are the most concerning. It is in her predictions for Gemma's future that Miranda cautions her against marrying the first person who asks her... but her long term commitment-phobic boyfriend Adam has just proposed... and she said yes!

Gemma feels hugely panicked by the fact that in marrying Adam she could be about to fulfil one more of Miranda's predictions. So she enters a period of doubt and soul searching whilst trying to track Miranda down to find out what she meant by her warning. Whilst the escapades don't reach the hilarity of other novels they are still entertaining, and keep you entertained and interested.

The characters are well created, and the plot is somewhat original. The ending is a little unexpected, but I did feel that the twist was a little unoriginal - it almost felt like the author herself didn't know how to get out of the tale she had spun.

This is an enjoyable read, but sadly didn't live up to the potential heights it could have reached. A bit of a disappointment really.

Like this? Try Why Not? by Shari Low

Posted by Aigua Media on April 17, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 12, 2006 11:49 AM

Dead Famous

Deadfamous In light of the news that we have another reality TV couple preparing to tie the knot (Chantelle and Preston from this year's UK Celebrity Big Brother) I thought I would share this gem by Ben Elton with you. Now whilst many of us these days are loathe to admit it, Big Brother still has a pull over most of us - you know you flick over to it during the adbreaks! This is a book set within a Big Brother style show, the back cover reads "One house, ten contestants, thirty cameras, forty microphones, one murder... and no evidence" - I knew after reading this I was going to be hooked!

The story starts after the murder has taken place. Inspector Coleridge and his investigative team are beginning the lengthy process of reviewing all of the filmed footage from within the 'House Arrest' compound. The nation watched via the live internet stream as the murder happened, yet no one has the faintest idea whodunnit. Everyone has a theory, but there are no facts and no evidence.

Inspector Coleridge is a genuine throwback to the 1950s, the whole concept of reality TV goes against his very being. His negativity about the whole concept may be a little frustrating to some readers - I personally found it pretty interesting, it made me think again a few times. This coupled with Elton's accurate representation of figures familiar to many who have watched Big Brother make this book a fasciniating read.

Elton weaves the investigation and events in the house from before the murder together throughout the book. We get to find out about the ten contestants - who are scarily believeable at times, and about the members of the investiagion team, and the production team behind 'House Arrest'. I have to admit though that I found it took a while to get used to the way the story darted between the present and the past - at times it almost felt like the pace was a little too fast.

For me the saving grace of this book was the ending. It truly comes out of nowhere, I found myself phsyically shaking my head in disbelief. I would definitely say it is worth persevering with the book for this.

This is not a great book. The idea is brilliant, but unfortunately the book itself just doesn't live up to expectations. It is not Ben Elton's finest effort, but for those who can persevere with it the ending is pretty good.

Like this? Try Fashion Victim by Sam Baker

Posted by Aigua Media on April 12, 2006 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 5, 2006 5:30 PM

Running Away From Richard

Richard This is the sequel to Chris Manby's earlier work 'Lizzie Jordan's Secret Life', and I realised quite early on that it probably would have been good to read the first book before diving into this one. While it was a good enough read, it was slow to start and the fun only really began when Lizzie arrived in LA (yep, 'Broken-hearted Brit goes to LA' plot ahoy!). Persevere and you'll find yourself getting into it, but this is definitely not the best Chris Manby offering...

Lizzie Jordan is the kind of character who doesn't do much to endear herself to you at first. It's not really giving anything away plot-wise to tell you that our story begins when she gets dumped by the Richard mentioned in the book's title. Lizzie is a real drama queen (and aspiring actress), and she takes being jilted incredibly badly. The first few chapters see her moaning, weeping and generally acting like a spoilt little girl. I would imagine those who've read the first book might feel more sympathy for her at this point. I just wanted to smack her.

Then, due to a few happy coincidences, she finds herself flying off to LA to begin a new life, sans Richard. Here is where the book really begins, and while there are a good few stereotypes and predictable plot points to lead us through to the 'they all lived happily ever after' ending, it's saved by plenty of laughs, the odd poignant moment and some slightly more interesting characters than we left behind in London (Lizzie's housemates Joe and Brandi are particularly fabulous).

One thing I would suggest to readers (along with reading the first Lizzie book first) is to avoid the author's acknowledgements at the beginning of the book unless you want to spoil a very important plot twist. Give the book a chance and it turns into a very funny, fast-paced LA yarn. I just wish there wasn't so much of the self-indulengent dumpee ranting at the beginning. This gets a three purely because it's not quite up there with my previous 4-rated reads. If there was a three and a half category, I'd put it there. Good, but not good enough! [Gemma Cartwright]

If you like this, try Angels by Marian Keyes

Posted by Aigua Media on April 5, 2006 in British Authors, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 24, 2006 11:00 AM

Prep

Prep The media furor surrounding Curtis Sittenfeld's debut novel was difficult to miss. Every literary review raved about it, promising huge things for this author. A tale of a teenager at boarding school written for adults seemed like a great idea. Many chicklit fanatics began their reading lives the same way, from the tales of girls at boarding schools as young readers graduating to tales of 'high school high jinks' as they became teenagers. How many of us spent our lunchtimes swapping our latest Sweet Valley books?! So would this book transport me back to those carefree days? I certainly hoped so.

Prep tells the story of Lee. At 14 she decides that the only school she could possibly attend is the prestigious Ault School. From a family that can't afford the exhorbitant fees for her to attend as a boarder, Lee works and achieves a scholarship. The story begins when Lee's father drops her off to begin the academic year as a freshman. She arrives imagining the school will be straight out of the brochure... quickly she comes to realise that school prospectuses are about as realistic and accurate as most holiday brochures and house details!

Initially Lee finds Ault bewildering - the pupils seem to obey a whole set of social rules that exist only within the stone walls surrounding the school campus. She doesn't know how to act or behave around these people, or how to get them to accept and like her. Slowly she adapts to her surroundings though as events unravel she starts to wonder what the cost of acceptance, and of academic excellence, truly is.

The mini storylines of school life are a fascinating insight into the world of high-money elite boarding education. However, whilst they make the book an enjoyable read I found myself wondering a number of times whether they were not just a little bit overdone. The characters unfortunately suffer the same fate. In trying to create this environment of intrigue, and a society that lives seperate to the rest of the world, some of the characters feel hugely artificial. That said, both the characters and the plot are interesting and keep the reader gripped throughout.

What may have been classic chicklit sadly falls short of meeting all the standard requirements. This isn't the lighthearted, any time, any place I hoped for from it. However, 'Prep' i