Review: The Girl Who Chased the Moon

August 8, 2013Leave a comment

Sarah Addison Allen, The Girl Who Chased the Moon

When 17-year-old Emily’s mother dies, leaving her an orphan, Emily moves in with her grandfather in her mother’s hometown of Mullaby, North Carolina. Almost immediately, Emily begins to notice strange things about the town — starting with the fact that her grandfather is literally a giant who stands over 7 feet tall. Then there are the mysterious lights that appear outside her window at night, which nobody seems to want to talk about. But most importantly, Emily soon discovers that the entire town is hiding a secret about her mother, something that has the potential to change Emily’s life forever.

I’m starting to suspect that Sarah Addison Allen is a sorcerer of some kind; her novels all have this luxurious, magical quality that transcends ordinary experience. Or to put it less pretentiously, I love her books, and this one is no exception! I enjoyed the glimpse of life in a small town, with all its idiosyncratic personalities and inexplicable traditions. My favorite character was Julia, Emily’s next-door neighbor and the best baker in town. There’s plenty of romance and mystery in this book, and it’s a perfect read for a lazy summer afternoon. This is not my favorite novel by Sarah Addison Allen — that would be The Sugar Queen — but it was still a lovely experience. Can’t wait for her new book, which is coming out next year!

Review: Wedding Night

July 31, 2013Leave a comment

Sophie Kinsella, Wedding Night

Lottie Graveney is certain that her boyfriend Richard is going to propose, so when his “big question” for her turns out to involve frequent flyer miles, she’s absolutely devastated. Still reeling from the subsequent breakup, she gets a call from her ex-boyfriend Ben, with whom she once spent an amazing summer on the Greek island of Ikonos. Ben is still as gorgeous and fun as Lottie remembers, and he even says he wants to get married. So Lottie and Ben decide to have a quickie wedding and fly to Ikonos for a whirlwind honeymoon. But Lottie’s older sister Fliss thinks this is a terrible decision, and the only solution is to follow them to Ikonos and stop them from consummating the marriage. Can Fliss prevent Lottie from making the biggest mistake of her life without losing her own chance at happiness?

I normally enjoy Sophie Kinsella’s light, breezy brand of chick lit, so I was excited to get my hands on a copy of this latest book. It was a fun, fluffy read, but ultimately I didn’t like this one as much as I wanted to. Lottie and Fliss take turns narrating the story, and I think the novel lacks focus as a result. There’s just so much going on, between Lottie’s romantic turmoil and Ben’s questionable motives and Fliss’ difficult divorce and Richard’s change of heart…it was just too many threads to keep track of, especially in such a fast-paced novel. There are ultimately two romantic plotlines, and neither of them is sufficiently developed. Also, I had a lot of trouble with Fliss’ character; while her original intention of protecting her sister is good, she uses a lot of underhanded methods to get her way. Another character does call her out for this behavior, but that didn’t stop me from being frustrated for a big part of the novel. All in all, this is a decent beach read, but I’m glad I didn’t spend any money on it.

Review: Suddenly, a Knock on the Door

July 30, 20131 Comment

Etgar Keret, Suddenly, a Knock on the Door (trans. Miriam Shlesinger, Sondra Silverston, and Nathan Englander)

This collection of short stories is a strange mixture of realism and fantasy, comedy and tragedy. Keret is an Israeli author, and several of his stories reflect the current struggles of that country; one of them begins with a conversation in a restaurant and ends with a suicide bombing. But there is no grand political pronouncement in these stories, and ultimately they’re not about politics. Rather, they depict universal human experiences like sex, friendship, death, love, loneliness, chance, and fate. My favorite story in the collection (“What, of This Goldfish, Would You Wish?”) starts with politics but ends somewhere else entirely, as a documentarian interviews both Jewish and Arab residents of Israel and meets a man with a magic goldfish. Most of these stories are dark, and many are surreal, but all of them offer a fascinating perspective on the human condition.

I don’t often read short stories, and I’d certainly never read anything by Keret before, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this collection. Keret’s style is very understated and direct, which works well in his fantastical stories especially; it’s as though he’s telling a joke with a completely deadpan expression. I also think the stories as a whole are very well-crafted, with endings that are resonant and satisfying but don’t necessarily tie everything up too neatly. I definitely teared up on more than one occasion! As usual, a few of the stories didn’t quite work for me — the titular story in particular was a bit too clever for its own good — but overall I was very impressed with this collection and plan to read more by Etgar Keret.

Review: The Innocents

June 21, 2013Leave a comment

Francesca Segal, The Innocents

Adam Newman is a successful young lawyer living in the posh London suburb of Temple Fortune, home of a tightly-knit Jewish community. He is about to marry Rachel Gilbert, his childhood sweetheart and a thoroughly suitable girl in every way. The Newmans and the Gilberts have been friends for many years, and the entire community of Temple Fortune has embraced Adam and Rachel’s upcoming marriage. The only discordant element in their plans is Rachel’s cousin, Ellie Schneider, who has recently returned to London to avoid a scandal from her life in New York. Adam disapproves of almost everything about Ellie, yet he finds himself strongly attracted to her. The more time he spends with her, the more his safe and secure world begins to unravel. But can Adam really choose Ellie if it means leaving Rachel, her family, and Temple Fortune behind forever?

When I first heard about this book and realized that it was a contemporary retelling of The Age of Innocence, I was immediately intrigued because I love Wharton’s novel. Although I was skepitcal at first, I think Segal did a wonderful job of taking the same plot and transposing it to a contemporary setting. I didn’t find Adam to be the most likeable character, but the book depicts his struggle in such a compassionate light that it was easy to understand his conflicting desires. I also loved the portrayal of the Temple Fortune community, with its focus on family, shared values, and food. (Seriously, the food! Fair warning, this book will make you hungry!) I wasn’t totally sold on the character of Ellie and couldn’t quite see why Adam was so strongly drawn to her. But I really liked the fact that there were no easy answers; one minute I was rooting for Adam and Ellie, but the next I was feeling sympathy for Rachel. The ending is very bittersweet and poignant, just as in the original novel. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who liked The Age of Innocence.

Review: Spies and Prejudice

June 18, 2013Leave a comment

Talia Vance, Spies and Prejudice

Berry Fields isn’t exactly your typical teenage girl. Working as an assistant for her P.I. father, Berry is more likely to spend her weekend tailing a suspect than hanging out at the mall. She has also caught so many cheating boyfriends and husbands in the act that she doesn’t fully trust any of the guys she meets. So when drop-dead gorgeous Tanner and his stepbrother Ryan show up at her school, Berry is immediately suspicious and hostile — especially when she overhears Tanner dismiss her as “nothing amazing.” Meanwhile, Berry continues to grieve for her mother, who died eight years ago in a supposed accident. But Berry can’t help suspecting that there’s more to the story…and the more time she spends with Tanner, the more she’s convinced that he’s hiding something.

First off, this is definitely not a book you want to judge by its cover (which is pretty awful, am I right?). It has been described as a cross between Pride and Prejudice and “Veronica Mars,” and if that concept appeals to you, I think you’ll enjoy this book! I found Berry a very believable and interesting character, and her investigation into her mother’s death was a great way to propel the story forward. The romance between her and Tanner was well done, not too melodramatic or sappy, and the mystery balanced out the love story very well. I didn’t 100% understand the final solution to the mystery, but I was reading pretty quickly by that point, so I probably just missed a few background facts along the way. Finally, I really liked the way P&P was incorporated into the story; there’s enough for Austen fans to pick up on and appreciate, but it’s not an exact replica of the original plot. I like the fact that this book uses the P&P framework but incorporates its own spin. Definitely recommended to YA and Austen fans!

Review: Star Crossed

June 3, 2013Leave a comment

Jennifer Echols, Star Crossed

Wendy Mann is a PR expert whose job is to keep rebellious celebrities in line. She’s great at getting PR nightmares to clean up their acts, but not so great at getting them to thank her for it. As a result, her firm is losing business, and her job is on the line. Wendy has one last chance to prove she’s an asset to the firm: she’ll fly to Las Vegas to rehabilitate the image of a young starlet who’s in the middle of a very messy — and public — fight with her ex-boyfriend. Wendy is confident that she’s up to the challenge…until she discovers that her old college nemesis, Daniel Blackstone, is representing the ex-boyfriend. Daniel is just as good at his job as Wendy is at hers, and he’s just as determined to make sure his client comes out on top. When Wendy and Daniel meet again in Vegas, they are surprised to discover a strong mutual attraction. But can they make a relationship work when they’re on opposite sides of someone else’s breakup?

I’m a big fan of Jennifer Echols’ books and have eagerly devoured each one as it comes out. Sadly, however, I think I should have skipped this one. It’s not a bad book, by any means…the writing is fine, and the story is certainly a fun, easy way to spend an afternoon. My problem is that it’s no different from hundreds of other contemporary romance novels; there was nothing unique or compelling to make it stand out in my mind. I also wasn’t terribly interested in the setup of this book. I don’t particularly care about lifestyles of the rich and famous in Vegas, and I would never have picked up this book if Echols hadn’t written it. I was hoping she would be able to interest me in a book that’s not my usual taste, but unfortunately, I wasn’t convinced. I’m still really looking forward to Echols’ next YA novel, Dirty Little Secret, but I won’t continue with this adult series.

Review: My Life Next Door

May 26, 20131 Comment

Huntley Fitzpatrick, My Life Next Door

All her life, Samantha Reed has been fascinated by her next-door neighbors, the Garretts. They are a loud, messy family with eight children, and they live in a state of almost constant chaos. Samantha’s uptight mother has always told her to stay away from the Garretts, but Samantha is jealous of their seemingly carefree lives. However, she’s only ever watched them from afar…until one day, when Samantha is 17, Jase Garrett climbs up to her bedroom window and introduces himself. Jase is handsome and sweet, and he has a strong sense of responsibility, unlike most of the privileged guys Samantha knows. The more time Samantha spends with Jase, the more she falls for him. But eventually a terrible tragedy forces Samantha to choose between the Garretts and her own family.

I’d heard so many great things about this book that I finally just had to read it! It didn’t quite live up to my very high expectations, but overall I enjoyed the book. I really loved the depiction of the Garretts; it’s rare to see a large family portrayed in fiction at all, much less in a positive light. The romance was sweet and straightforward, without the endless angst and love triangles that fill a lot of YA novels. I also found the plot with Samantha’s mother very interesting…I honestly had no idea where it was going to go! I loved some of the secondary characters, particularly Tim; I would have liked more of his story. Overall, this is a very well-written and enjoyable YA novel, and it would definitely be a perfect summer read!

Review: A Girl Like You

May 13, 20132 Comments

Gemma Burgess, A Girl Like You

Abigail Wood has just had a terrible realization: she doesn’t know how to be single. She’s been with the same man since college but is recently on the market again, and now she’s trying to navigate the London dating scene…with no clue what she’s doing. Her sister Sophie and best friend Plum shower her with well-meaning (and often contradictory) advice, but Abigail still seems to end up dating — and getting dumped by — the wrong men. Desperate, she seeks help from her flatmate Robert, a smooth-talking man who can seemingly get any woman he wants. Abigail decides to try Robert’s tips, and she’s shocked (and pleased) to discover that they actually work! Abigail becomes more confident in her career as well as her love life, and she’s never been happier. But when she meets a guy she really, really wants to impress, she’s suddenly not sure that she can keep following Robert’s advice.

I really loved Gemma Burgess’ first book, The Dating Detox, so when I found out she’d written another one, I put it on my wishlist immediately. I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint! If you like chick lit, I can’t recommend this author highly enough. Abigail is a fun heroine with a sassy, tongue-in-cheek style, and I think that she’s a very relatable character — sort of a much-less-obnoxious Carrie Bradshaw. I certainly can’t imagine myself doing some of the things that Abigail does, but it was fun to escape into her world for a while! I also loved Abigail’s friends, who have their own lives apart from her drama but who still manage to be there and support her. The overall plot of which man Abigail will end up with is fairly transparent, but it was still fun watching her realize it. I’m disappointed that I don’t have any more Gemma Burgess books to read…hopefully she’ll write another one soon!

The Cinderella Deal

May 9, 2013Leave a comment

Jennifer Crusie, The Cinderella Deal

Daisy Flattery is a free spirit, an artist with a penchant for adopting stray animals and telling stories that are “unreal but not untrue.” She couldn’t be more unlike her upstairs neighbor, Lincoln Blaise, a reserved academic who dreams of becoming a college professor. But fate brings Daisy and Linc together in a surprising way: Linc has just been interviewed for a great job at a small liberal-arts college, but the unspoken catch is that he needs a wife if he wants to get hired. Linc immediately invents a fiancée and offers Daisy money to pose as the lucky woman. Daisy doesn’t like Linc much, but she’s flat broke, so she accepts his proposal. But the more time they spend together, the more Daisy and Linc realize that their fake relationship might actually have a real future.

Is the premise of this book preposterous? Yes, yes it is…but this book was such a fun little read! Despite the incredibly familiar opposites-attract plot, this book seemed like a breath of fresh air to me. I just really loved both Daisy and Linc; despite appearances, they are both fundamentally kind, big-hearted people who are ready to take a chance on love. There’s a great mixture of romance and humor, and I think it would make a wonderful chick flick. I also enjoyed the book’s setting, which is primarily a small college town with plenty of quirky secondary characters. I would definitely recommend this book to people who are feeling grumpy or depressed — it’s an instant mood-lifter!

Review: The Trouble with Paradise

April 8, 20131 Comment

Jill Shalvis, The Trouble with Paradise

Dorie Anderson desperately needs a vacation. She’s single, overworked, underpaid, and stuck in a dead-end job at Shop-Mart when she’d rather be designing her own clothing line. So when she suddenly wins a spot on a luxury cruise to the South Pacific, she jumps at the chance to have an adventure. And adventure seems to be headed her way in the form of adorable baseball star Andy Hutchinson. He’s sweet and kind, and he has a sexy Texas drawl…so why can’t Dorie stop thinking about the brooding ship’s doctor, Christian Montague? As Dorie struggles with her feelings for these two men, she also faces much bigger problems, including a storm, a shipwreck, and even a potential murder.

I’ll admit, I picked up this book solely because I needed something set in the South Pacific for the Around the World in 12 Books Challenge. I’ve also heard really good things about Jill Shalvis, who is apparently a very popular author in the contemporary romance genre. Unfortunately, I wasn’t particularly impressed by this book. It’s a fun, beachy read with a fair amount of bodice ripping (or the modern equivalent), but that’s about it. I enjoyed the direct writing style: Shalvis doesn’t waste a lot of time setting the scene or developing backstory, preferring to dive into the action instead. But the dialogue did make me cringe on occasion, and there wasn’t much character development in either Dorie or her hero. The “mystery” subplot also felt completely unnecessary and uninteresting. I might give Shalvis another chance, but I’ll look for one of her more recent and more popular novels.

You Book Me All Night Long

Tag: contemporary