Ironically, Rebecca Bloomwood writes financial articles in a magazine called Successful Saving, although she could write an encyclopedia about all the things she doesn’t know about successful saving. “I shop, therefore I live,” is her motto. Or wait, maybe it was “I live, therefore I shop.” Shopping is her only hobby and a true addiction…
Confessions of a Shopaholic is another Brit Chick Lit book with yet another heroine who is the author of most of her own problems. But unlike the addict heroine in Marian Keyes’s Rachel’s Holiday, the heroine of this book is not nearly so likable, nor does she make as much progress. Rebecca Bloomwood has a…
A little while ago I saw the movie The Whole Nine Yards with Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry. It was a comedy about a man who discovers that his neighbor is a hit-man. Some premise, I thought. A charming sociopath kills people for a living, and we’re supposed to find that funny. What burned me…
Second Thyme Around made me wish for much more – more humor, more character development, more emotion. Although I enjoyed the pleasantly quirky narrative style, the book never gripped me enough to recommend it, particularly at the hardcover price. Fey organic farmer Perdita Dylan walks in to the kitchen of one of the restaurants she…
After I fell in love with Mr. Maybe I was very interested in reading more stuff by Jane Green, so I asked if I could review Jemima J too. Jemima J was actually last year’s book. It came out in hardcover in America in 2000, and has been recently released in trade paperback. It contained…
Marian Keyes’s Rachel’s Holiday is a warmly-recommended story about addiction, denial, and the need for acceptance. Rachel Walsh is a 27- year-old Irishwoman who leads a high-flying New York party girl’s life. She strives to be chic and groovy and wants nothing more than to be accepted by those she considers fashionable. But what she…
I picked up a copy of Good in Bed as a result of a discussion I was in about Brit Chick Lit. This book is not British, but in many other ways, it does fall into the same sub-genre. The heroine is young, urban, professional, single, and somewhat neurotic. She’s also quite funny and rather…
Do you remember the old maternal adage, “It’s as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a poor one”? This question is taken up and explored in depth in Jane Green’s funny and thoughtful new book, Mr. Maybe. Libby Mason has a pretty good life. She’s young, she’s pretty, she’s got good…
Amanda’s Wedding is a fun affair for a first novel – a bit flawed, but shows promise. It’s worth it for some great one-liners and ironic observations and I plan to keep it just for the laughs. I can warmly recommend this book whenever you’re in the mood for a light, humorous romp, but you…
Wendy Holden’s comedy Bad Heir Day is a frothy romp guaranteed to keep a smile on your face and a chuckle never far away. My idea of a near perfect day on the beach would likely contain lots of sunshine and a book like this. For absolute perfection, I’d also need an ice cream and…