Book Review -- Attachments

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

My enjoyment rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hangover rating: 5!

Source:  Personal copy

Genre: General fiction (romantic comedy)

Objectionable material:  A possible cuss word -- maybe.

 

I didn't know anything.

I didn't know it was going to be funny. On the very first page.

I didn't know that there were going to be nerds playing Dungeons & Dragons, and girlfriends emailing each other, and bad breakups, and marital drama, and a boy still living with his mom, and sadness, and uncertainty.

I didn't know you could write a romantic comedy from the guy's point of view. And it work.  Who does that?

I didn't know it was going to be a cross between Bridget Jones meets a Friends episode.

 

I didn't know I would be so happy that I'd read Eleanor and Park first, because I would have assumed that it was going to be Ha Ha Funny, when it clearly was not. Whew.

 

I didn't know that Rainbow Rowell could write two totally and completely different books, but yet nail the relationships in both. Absolutely perfectly.

I didn't know I was going to love everything about this book. Everything.

I didn't know what I was missing.

View all my reviews

Book Review -- Elizabeth the First Wife

Elizabeth the First Wife by Lian Dolan

My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars (should have been 4!)

Hangover rating: 1

Source: Public library

Genre: Fiction, "Chick-Lit"

Objectionable material: One sexual reference -- really tame. 

One day Elizabeth Lancaster is teaching her college level Intro to Shakespeare class – the next, she’s off to Ashland Oregon, as a consultant for a newly imagined production of the Bard’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, staring none other than her ex husband, FX Fahey (think Hugh Jackman) and directed by superstar Taz Buchanan (think Baz Luhrmann). Her summer is filled with all things Shakespeare – but the drama is not confined to the stage – the arrival of her family sets in motion a comedy of errors and love interests that the Bard would truly appreciate.

This was SO my book: I loved the theatrical setting; I loved ALL the references to Shakespeare; I loved the comparisons between Shakespeare’s characters and their real life counterparts (Henry V & Katherine = Duke & Duchess of Cambridge); I loved that she had Team Romeo vs. Team Hamlet vs. Team Twilight (Edward doesn’t stand a chance!); it was witty, it was smart, it was clever – something I would never attribute to “chick lit.”

But here is the rub:

I had 3 serious issues that I just couldn’t get past:

 

• During the casting of the production it is mentioned that the actors were cast by the OSF, not the director, Taz Buchanan – no way would that happen!! At least not in my theatre world.

 

• When referencing Elizabeth’s father winning the Nobel Prize, he is said to be attending on the arm of “Princess Sophia.” There is NO Princess Sophia of Sweden. (Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine).

 

• But this is the kicker – she has Elizabeth I “executing her sister, Mary Queen of Scots.” NOOOOOOOOO!!! Mary Queen of Scots was NOT HER SISTER!! She was her cousin (and a 2nd or 3rd at that…I think). Mary I was her sister! How does this slip by an editor? Even I, lowly public school educated, state undergraduate degree awarded human, knows that they weren’t sisters.

So…suffice it to say…the book I was ready to award 4 stars, dropped to a 3.

Totally took the shine off my reading experience.

But yes…overall, it was still fun.

View all my reviews

TLC Book Tour & Review -- The Unfinished Garden

The Unfinished Garden by Barbara Claypole White

My enjoyment rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars (4 without the F-bomb)

Source:  TLC Book Tours

Genre: General Fiction; Romance; Chick Lit

Objectionable material: Multiple uses of the F-bomb.  Lots!

 

 

Publisher summary:  James Nealy is haunted by irrational fears and inescapable compulsions. A successful software developer, he's thrown himself into a new goal—to finally conquer the noise in his mind. And he has a plan. He'll confront his darkest fears and build something beautiful: a garden. When he meets Tilly Silverberg, he knows she holds the key…even if she doesn't think so.

After her husband's death, gardening became Tilly's livelihood and her salvation. Her thriving North Carolina business and her young son, Isaac, are the excuses she needs to hide from the world. So when oddly attractive, incredibly tenacious James demands that she take him on as a client, her answer is a flat no.

When a family emergency lures Tilly back to England, she's secretly glad. With Isaac in tow, she retreats to her childhood village, which has always stayed obligingly the same. Until now. Her best friend is keeping secrets. Her mother is plotting. Her first love is unexpectedly, temptingly available. And then James appears on her doorstep.

Away from home, James and Tilly forge an unlikely bond, tenuous at first but taking root every day. And as they work to build a garden together, something begins to blossom between them—despite all the reasons against it.

No expectations.

I love it when I start a book with absolutely no expectations – and I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it!

Barbara Claypole While weaves a narrative full of complicated characters that are flawed and broken, and uses the literal and physical metaphor of a garden to help them heal and grow, both individually, and as a couple.

I was amazed that she could develop a character – James Nealy – who is plagued with obsessive compulsive disorder, and make him appear ill and struggling, as opposed to a caricature who is dysfunctional with ticks and outbursts.  And in the process, provided the reader with an opportunity to learn more about the condition.

Her descriptions of gardens and the lush estates of England were glorious:  Birds, bugs, flora, fauna, “The Chase,” ancient woodlands – I felt like I needed to dress up in Jane Austen-like attire and find Mr. Darcy at Pemberley.

Her characters were also equipped with steely dialogue. Tilly and James had very complex discussions about the state of James’s OCD, and Tilly’s past relationships.  In addition, those sharp conversations were extended to friends Rowena and Sebastian.

One of the highlights, for me, was the focus on the relationship and the developing love story between Tilly and James without the sex scenes!  I suppose that might be a disappointment to some, but it was a breath of fresh air to be free of throbbings and heavings.

However, the biggest downfall of this otherwise delightful novel – the use, and overuse of the F-bomb.  Once or twice I can manage…but it was littered throughout the novel.  Maybe it was a necessary element of James’s OCD…but I grew tired of having to read it. Again. And again.

Ultimately, a bright novel about two imperfect people who learn to help one another through their love of life and nature.

I'd like to thank TLC Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Show Mo

Show Less

 

Book Review -- The Tennis Player from Bermuda

Tennis Player from Bermuda by Fiona Hodgkin

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Source:  Publisher (I was not compensated in anyway for my review.  My comments are mine alone).

Genre:  Fiction; British chick-lit

Objectionable material:  fornication

 

From the publisher:

…In 1962, the tennis players at Wimbledon were all amateurs -- there were no entourages for players, no lucrative product endorsements, and little money. Tennis fashion design was the domain of the extraordinary Teddy Tinling.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club was a tiny 13 acres with only 16 grass courts, including the famous Centre Court.

In The Tennis Player from Bermuda, Fiona tells how she qualified for Wimbledon in 1962 and became the best friend of Claire Kershaw, the number one woman player in the world. Fiona fell in love with Claire’s brother, a handsome Royal Marines officer, and their love affair played out against the dramatic Championship match between Claire and Fiona.

Fiona’s story combines friendship and love with one of the greatest sports competitions of all time…

I started playing tennis late in life – like two years ago. Who knew you could fall in love with a sport at middle age – and be good at it! Although my tennis career has taken a hiatus in the past 6 months, it’s still an absolute joy to get out on the courts for a match.

When I saw this book advertised in The New York Times Book Review, I KNEW I had to read it! Thanks to Troubador for sending me a copy.

What I liked: Ms. Hodgkin’s narrative about the actual game of tennis was a thrill to read. So much of my game is the determination to get the ball over the net and not hit it out. I loved the portion where the author talked about the physics of the game: speed, velocity, force, drag – good heavens – I had no idea I needed to be a scientist to be a good tennis player. I learned so much.

I loved reading about the history of Wimbledon. I remember watching the Bjorn Borg/John McEnroe match back in the 80s. I haven’t been there – but after reading Ms. Hodgkin’s book and the addition of my personal TV memories – I feel like I have.

I loved Fiona and her cast of friends – Claire (her best friend and Wimbledon opponent) and Rachel (her coach) – and her family – they were fun, quirky, and enjoyable.   Also, it was the perfect book to read on the heals of the London Olympics.  Makes me want to book tickets immediately! 

What I didn’t like: while Ms. Hodgkin excelled at writing about the game and nuances of tennis and Wimbledon – her romance writing (Fiona had two love interests) was lacking. One of her relationships ends abruptly, and where there should have been this great sense of sadness…there was really no emotion at all. There was also a veiled reference to “date rape” that was really uncomfortable. When I read that particular scene I thought, “ummm….she didn’t just blame herself for that did she?”

Ms. Hodgkin didn’t actually play at Wimbledon in 1962. I had to constantly remind myself that this was a NOVEL not a memoir, and Ms. Hodgkin used herself as a the main character.

If you are a tennis player, a fan of the game or a fan of Wimbledon – or even a fan of British chick lit – this was overall an amusing and entertaining read.

View all my reviews

Book Review -- A Vintage Affair

A Vintage Affair: A Novel by Isabel Wolff

My enjoyment rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book source:  Personal copy

Genre: Fiction; Chick-lit

Objectionable material:  unmarried relations

Can you imagine playing dress up for a living?

Phoebe Swift does…in her vintage dress shop in London’s Blackheath neighborhood. With gowns, skirts, sweaters, bags, satins, crinolines, taffetas, wools, and beading, Phoebe has applied her Sotheby’s expertise to the reemergence of selling and wearing classic clothes.

Her shop draws a variety of customers: newspaperman, Dan, wants to write lifestyle article about her shop; Miles who is trying to please his difficult daughter with the purchase of a vintage gown for a society fundraiser; Mrs. Bell who is selling her wardrobe of vintage clothes, with the exception of a special blue coat; and Emma, whose memory lingers over it all.

This was the quintessential British chick lit book – worthy of a Hugh Grant/Renee Zellweger cast.

Author, Isabel Wolff, has created a boutique any customer would dream of lazing the afternoon away looking at all the exquisitely crafted garments. One only wishes pictures had been included.

The story line and characters are less well crafted, however: a convoluted story where Phoebe is plagued with guilt over the death of a friend; a busted romance; a WWII era missing person; a midlife crisis, divorced Dad – it was like a polka dot shirt matched with a striped skirt.

Regardless of what it lacked, remarkably, I still really enjoyed it. Phoebe was fun – and it made me wish I could play dress up in my grandmother’s closet.

It was a “right place at the right time” kind of book.

 

View all my reviews

Book Review -- The Icing on the Cupcake

The Icing on the Cupcake: A Novel by Jennifer Ross


My rating: 2 of 5 stars

No one likes to be dumped.

Especially by your fiancée.

But Ansley Waller finds herself dumped, discarded and almost immediately replaced by her fiancée with her sorority sister. What is a girl to do other than pack up for New York City to reconnect with a grandmother she’s never met, start a “cupcakery” on the Upper East Side and try to mend her broken heart.

I’m not a prolific “chick lit” reader – but Jennifer Ross’s The Icing on the Cupcake was a reasonable representation of the genre.

Ansley shows great determination when she arrives in New York by honing her baking skills and putting them to use as the proprietor of her own shop. While living with her grandmother, Ansley helps her navigate the red tape of a potential audit with the IRS, all the while trying to determine if her grandmother’s financial advisor, Thad, is at all interested in her or not.

There is an additional layer to this novel that includes Ansley’s family cook book – a collection of multigenerational recipes from Ansley’s ancestral maternal grandmothers. It is a priceless heirloom, and recipes submitted to this tome are considered sacred. What the reader learns is that it is more than a cookbook – but a history book as well.

And the cupcake recipes included in the book look delicious! I was going to attempt to bake one of the more “simple” recipes but A) Even I couldn’t find potato starch and B) when it’s 101 degrees outside, the last thing I wanted to do was turn on the oven. No way!

However, what was a pleasant enough story ends in a very bizarre, “Fatal Attraction” scenario that comes completely out of left field. It was just plain silly and odd. And that soured the whole book.

Sum it up: If you like chick lit and cupcake recipes, but don’t care about a wacky ending, this is the book for you.

Book source: Thank you to Jennifer Ross for a copy of this book. I was not compensated in any way for my review.

View all my reviews >>

Book Review -- The Actor and the Housewife

The Actor and the Housewife: A Novel by Shannon Hale


My rating: 1 of 5 stars







I must first preface this “review” with the following disclaimers:

I’m not a fan of chick lit (is this book considered chick lit? – Mormon lit maybe?); I generally find it trite and friends get mad at me for taking it too seriously and not accepting it for “what it is!”

I’m not a reader of YA fiction; YA fiction has become significantly more mainstream lately, and many friends “cross-over” between YA fiction and adult fiction. With the exception of Harry Potter, I’m an adult fiction reader.

Because of the above, I’m not familiar at all with Shannon Hale’s YA novels. I know they are widely respected and liked. I know a lot of my friends have read The Princess Academy and her Bayern series and loved them. Because of their respect for her books, I decided to read both of Hale’s adult fiction books, Austenland, and her newest, The Actor and The Housewife. I planned on Austenland first, because I’m following an “Austen Challenge” on a book blog I follow, but, because The Actor and The Housewife is a new book, and only a 14 day check out – I had to fast track it to the front of my Hale reads.

Without holding back – The Actor and The Housewife was probably the most ridiculous book I’ve ever read. The premise: suburban, LDS, SAHM, sells screenplay to Hollywood – where by she meets top Hollywood, heart-throb, English actor (a Colin Firth/Hugh Grant/Kenneth Branagh/Ralph Fiennes kinda character) and they instantly become best friends. In the mean time, they both must maintain marriages, and she a family, while they carry on their best-friendness.

Now, Shannon Hale in her dedicatory page of Austenland, dedicates her book as such: “For Colin Firth: You’re a really great guy, but I’m married, so I think we should just be friends.” So, maybe this novel was an attempt to live out her fantasy of being best friends with Colin Firth. Or after she wrote it thought, “What a great premise for a novel – a normal, everyday Mom, being best friends with a hottie actor! Eureka!”

Somehow her quest to live out her fantasy or make this idea into a novel fails miserably. I never once believed that these two could possibly be friends. Or that men and women can maintain friendships without irreparably harming their marriages. Or that her husband, or ward, or kids, would tolerate such a relationship. Every scenario featuring both of these two characters is so far fetched it was laughable. Here is one: hottie Felix, having a lay-over in SLC goes to a screenplay workshop given by Becky. First off, what high paid actor flies commercial with lay overs? That would be ZERO! Here is another one: on another stay in suburban UT, Felix accompanies Becky to a ward pot luck. Seriously, ward pot lucks are painful enough to attend as members, can you imagine Brad Pitt going to one? And it was painful to read about too. I don’t think I will ever go to a ward pot luck again. There are other equally outlandish scenes, ones that I would find myself hollering at my husband to come listen to, “Honey, you got to listen to this!” He cringed most of the time and would say, “why are you reading this?”

Admittedly, the dialog between these two characters was witty and comical. If it had been a romantic comedy between two single adults, I think she could have managed a fun, likeable, entertaining book. And the last third of the book (for reasons I can’t explain, because it would spoil the ending – if you actually read it to the end) was FAR more successful than the beginning.

But all in all, The Actor and The Housewife was a stay-at-home, Mormon mommy, mess.


View all my reviews >>