Can You Keep A Secret?

So cute and silly and funny. Some real emotional moments I could relate to. Can You Keep A Secret? reminded me why I love Sophia Kinsella. I could read the book again right now.

I could relate so much to Emma. I've totally faked my way through a job I didn't understand (I wasn't even sure how I ended up there). I may have acted like I had more more money than I did at that age, trying to impress the "right" people. I've been awkward (I'm still awkward). I've said I liked things when I didn't, just to make someone else happy. That stuff with Emma's family hit a nerve too. It was more extreme, but I think a lot of people can relate to what's going on with the Corrigans.

The story is pretty simple, girl meets boy, girl thinks she's going to die, girl spills all her secrets to boy, they don't die, girl thinks she'll never see boy again, boy turns up at her office. Seriously, that sums up the first bit of the book. Everything that happens after is hilarious and touching. Sometimes I cringed, sometimes I smiled, I laughed, I wanted to know what happened next. I stayed up way too late reading. Even though the plot seems simple, Kinsella packs the books with so much emotion, tension, and laughter, that you can't put it down.

Besides Emma, the other characters are great. Many of them are searching for pieces of themselves, on journeys of discovery. Jack is practically the opposite of Emma, I think. Lissy is trying to be more than what she's been labeled. Maybe Jemima even learns about herself. The ups and downs, the misunderstandings, the tears, were all worth it for them in the end. The ending made me love the book even more. Not just the Epilogue part, which was beyond cute, but the part with Lissy and Jemima. She so deserved it. I'm so happy with my book choices so far this year, I'm excited/nervous about what the next story will bring, though I know that the next book I pick up by Kinsella will surely make me laugh again.

Undead and Unsure

Perfect Laura is just awful. She's the Anti-Christ though, so I don't know what I expected. I can't elaborate without spoiling the story. I let what she did sit with me for a bit, but she makes me so angry. MaryJanice Davidson spent several books, possibly since Laura was first introduced, setting up the ending to this novel. I didn't see the full twist coming though. Some of it was expected, but not all. Did she always know she was going to do this? Sometimes, I still can't believe it, what a terrible girl and such a cold-hearted thing to do.

Undead and Unsure is another entertaining installment is the Undead series. Whenever I want something fun to read Queen Betsy is there for me. Like the other Undead books, Undead and Unsure had a quirky storyline and piled together is an unlikely cast of characters. Really though, I loved the baby storyline. Dr. Taylor coming in and trying to tell everyone something was wrong, but NO ONE listened? How everything distracted them from what should have been a horrible situation? Those moments were the best for me. I also really liked the hellfog. That strengthened the sister versus sister storyline. I still have to say, the best part of the story was the end. The epilogue made the book so much better. It caused me to be a little astonished and a little mad too (in a good way). It also made me very excited to read the rest of the series. I know the final book in the series will be out soon, but I have two more to read before I see Betsy's end. I hope it's a happy(ish) one.

Can I also mention how excited it was to get some of the story from Sinclair's perspective? His tone was different, it was nice to hear him, the way he thinks and some deeper truths into who he is. Reading him from Betsy's perspective has long kept him at a distance. I feel like he's deep, thoughful and loves his wife. I hope that more books will have his perspective and maybe the perspective of other members of their family. I always enjoy the Undead books and I look forward to more.

Me, Myself and Why?

I don't know exactly how I feel about Me, Myself and Why? It was an interesting book, full of bizarre and unique characters. I really couldn't put it down. It was unlike any book I think I've ever read before. The main character was all over the place in a "multiple personality disorder" kind of way, but that is sort of the plot of the book. Really though, everyone was weird. Not just the people at BOFFO (the super secret division of the FBI that employs crazy people), but the supposedly normal people in Cadence's life.

I picked up me myself and why along time ago because it's written by MaryJanice Davidson. I love Davidson's Undead books and have been reading them for years, though I've fallen behind. So, when I see something else written by her, I snap it up. I've been slowly picking up the Cadence Jones series and now that I have all the books, I thought I aught to read them. I wasn't disappointed either. Me Myself and Why? was definitely the style I've come to recognize from Davidson, without making Cadence sound like Betsy. Cadence, Shiro and Adrienne are distinct and I think that must have taken some work.

I'm not totally happy with the ending. While the story concludes, it has definitely left threads hanging. While the end wasn't a cliffhanger, it left too much open, unlike other series books I've read from Davidson. Usually I get more satisfying endings. That definitely hasn't put me off the books though, especially when they're so easily accessible.

You know when you're reading something with a mystery, and you're trying to figure out who the bad guy is? Well I kind of figured it out and I kind of didn't.  I don't want to give away the ending, because I think it was a unique way to call attention back to the main character, without it being obvious until it was revealed, because then it was kind of obvious. So, that final part of the mystery I really liked, I called it, but I didn't. With those kinds of twists, I'm looking forward to reading more about Cadence Jones.

Shopaholic On Honeymoon

Shopaholic on Honeymoon is a perfect little taste of the Shopaholic series.  It is full of Sophie Kinsella's humourous tone and Becky's insanely wonderful personality.  Shopaholic on Honeymoon takes place during the gap of time between Shopaholic Ties The Knot and Shopaholic and Sister. There's an entire year in there where Becky and Luke go on honeymoon.  They travel the world and come home to all of Becky's purchases.  But was it smooth sailing the whole time?  Was it a perfect year?

I love that Kinsella was inspired to write this short story.  I'm glad it was free too!  Though it had what I believe is the desired effect, I want to read more Shopaholic.  I don't own Shopaholic to the Stars yet.  I want now more than I did before.  I'm itching to read more Kinsella.  I do have a couple of her stand-alone books that I haven't read yet.  Maybe it's time for Twenties Girl or Can You Keep A Secret?.  I have been spending some time commuting with strangers this week, maybe Can You Keep A Secret? is the perfect book to be reading.  I think I just need more Sophie Kinsella in my life.

Reckless

I don't normally read romance novels, or any of its subgenres, but for some reason, I couldn't resist reading Skye Jordan's Reckless.  I downloaded it for free on iBooks, it was one of the top books. It is free with Kindle and Kobo too.  I enjoyed the novel so much, I'm considering paying for the second and third books in the series.  Reckless is a hot and sexy piece of fiction.  I've dipped into this genre before and been disappointed.  Previously, I have found that the writer has focused all their attention on the sexy parts of the novels, to the detriment of the story.  I enjoyed the story of Reckless.  A poor girl works hard and achieves success.  A rich boy leaves the family business to find happiness and make it on his own.  I liked Lexi's work ethic, her focus on her goals.  She just needed to loosen up.  I liked Jax's independence.  He just needed to stop dating superficial girls.  I found myself rooting for them as a couple.  I liked their best friends, Rubi and Wes.  It seems like they'll be the stars of Rebel, Jordan's second Renegades book.  I might just get it when I need a quick read.

I would have liked a bit better ending though.  It was just done.  Suddenly.  One of those times where there were other "sneak peaks" at the end of the book, so I thought there was more story.  It keeps happening to me.  I should have known better and checked.  Even without that unfortunate surprise, I still would have liked something more at the end.  An epilogue?  Riding off into the sunset?  I hope that even though Rubi and Wes are going to be the focus of Rebel we get to know what happens to Lexi and Jax. - I just noticed that the girls names are four letters and the boys are three; is that a thing?  Am I going to start reading more novels in this genre because of Reckless? Probably not, but I might read the ones written by Skye Jordan.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

For a long time, I thought I had read Judy Blume. If you're a bookish kid, and I was, of course you've read something by her. As I got older, I thought about it, read about her books, looked at her catalogue, and realized that I hadn't ever read one of her books. How did that happen? How did I read, and read, and READ, and not one of those authors was her? As an adult, I wondered if I should fix that gap in my reading life, especially since I felt that in just a few years, this was the kind of book my daughter might be reading.

Then, the day after I had finished reading Slaughterhouse-Five, having NO idea what I should be reading next (big book hangover), there it was on a big book table, marked down... A children's classic missing from my life, on sale! It called to me and I took Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. home and started reading it the same day.

I could have easily read the story in one day. It’s not long; reading it in one day would have been a snap. The plot flows, follows Margaret along on her pre-teen adventure.  Moving, boys, breasts, and periods, what is the next disaster going to be?  I really sympathized with Margaret, thought she was crazy, mean, nice, and hormonal.  I related with Laura Danker.  I have known more than one Nancy. We have all learned the lesson that looks aren’t everything, but it’s hard to learn that at twelve.

There’s something about finding out a book is banned that makes me want to read it more too.  I’ve read so many articles and lists about banned books and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is so often on them.  That was one of the reasons that if I were to only read one Blume, this would have to be the one.  I can tell why it was banned.  Periods and God.  No one wants to read about a girl trying to discover those two things.  Gross, right?  Also, blasphemous.  I actually thought that Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. is a great book to help a young person learn about those things.

The ending was the only thing I wasn’t completely happy with. It felt too open, there was too much left unsaid. It's not like I need books to wrap up every loose end, I just like books to feel finished. Maybe part of my problem was that there were about 20 more pages after the end of the story, previewing another of Judy Blume's books. I didn't know that, so I turned the page expecting more story. It was a very disappointing moment, and not the first time that has happen, when I saw what was on the next page. Please publishers, note somewhere that there's a preview of another book included so I'm not sad at the end. Thanks.

I am glad I finally read this book. It’s a modern classic, fun, sweet and something I’ll be recommending to my children and my friends’ children and anyone who hasn’t read it.  I know Blume has written books for adults, I’m interested now in reading one of those. If anyone is missing Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. from their reading lives, you should fix it.

Enid's Near Canadian Adventure, by Peggy Bracken

It's been a few weeks since I participated in a Short Story Monday.  Mostly because I've been engrossed in some amazing novels.  I'm reading another one that I'm really enjoying, but I started to feel that short story itch.  As I was considering what short story I would read in between novels, I saw Enid's Near Canadian Adventure.  With a title like Enid's Near Canadian Adventure, I couldn't resist reading Peggy Braken's short story.  It's quite short, consisting of two letters, one from Enid to her friend Maeve and the return letter from Maeve to Enid.  It's written in a sort of slightly modernized Jane Austen-esque style, which I found interesting.  Enid seems to be very melodramatic and inclined towards extremes, which Maeve points out in her replay.  These aren't the pretty, kind, supportive sort of letters you might read between Lizzy and Charlotte in Pride and Prejudice.  Maeve's reply to Enid is a bit brutal.  

It was an interesting story.  I'm not quite sure if I liked it though.  Something about it irked me.  I think I liked the style of writing, I am often drawn to epistolary stories.  Maybe I didn't like Enid.  I'm not sure I liked Maeve either.  I didn't dislike them.  I'm not sure how I feel about them.  Maybe disconnected?  If someone else reads the story, let me know what you think.

Short Story Monday is hosted by John Mutford at The Book Mine Set.

Mini Shopaholic

Someone finally used it! They finally used the word that holds this series together. If you had asked me before, I would have said they'd done it already, but after seeing it I print, I know this is the first time Becky has heard it.

Mini Shopaholic finds Becky and Luke dealing with their rambunctious two-year-old. What I found interesting was learning a bit more about Becky and Luke’s childhoods and how that shaped them as adults.

I really enjoyed this addition to Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series. It’s what I wanted and expected. Life’s been crazy and I needed another happy read. The ending makes it obvious that there will be another book, but without a bunch of loose threads. Mini Shopaholic does a fair job standing on its own, but an even better job making me want more.

Literary and Funny?

This week’s Literary Blog Hop asks: “Can literature be funny? What is your favorite humorous literary book?”

I think any story can be funny or at least have elements of humour. Douglas Coupland’s Eleanor Rigby and The Gum Thief are great novels that I consider literary and they have moments of being funny, but they aren’t funny stories. I agree with Lucia’s response also; Pride and Prejudice is full of humour. Shakespeare is a literary giant and Taming Of The Shrew is a fantastic and hilarious piece of work, not to mention his other comedies.

However, when I think of funny books, where then entire story has the reader laughing, I think more of Chick Lit or even types of Contemporary Fantasy. So just from experience, literature can of course be funny, but the overall book is not usually thought of as humourous.

Who agrees/disagrees?

Confessions Of A Jane Austen Addict

By the second sentence of Laurie Viera Rigler’s Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, I was hooked. Rigler’s main character is Courtney Stone, a twenty-first century, working, independent, thirty-year-old woman, who is obsessed with Jane Austen. Courtney’s mind is somehow transported into the body of a woman named Jane Mansfield. Jane lives in the nineteenth century, in a year when only Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice have been published. These two novels become Courtney’s only connection to her former life as she is forced to live Jane’s life.


Rigler’s writing was inviting, a smooth combination of contemporary writing style and “Regency” language. One of the first things that struck me and was maintained throughout the novel, is the realistic portrayal of life in the 19th century. The first problem Courtney is faced with is having to pee, which, as far as I can remember, is never addressed in any book or film about that time. There’s the lack of hygiene (Courtney has to insist on bathing twice a week), farting in church and a woman’s “monthly courses” which means she is “indisposed” until it is over. Courtney even comments on how the era is romanticized. She is frustrated by how little freedom women have and how a woman of thirty is practically over the hill. I suppose I would be too if I found myself in that era. Courtney’s observances only add to the plot of the story.


Just like in an Austen novel, nothing is what it seems in Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict. There are misunderstandings. Hidden meanings. There are circumstances that Courtney laughs at, though if it were Lizzy Bennet, she might be disgusted. There are terrible people who pretend to be friends. There are marriages of convenience, while there is also the search for love. Laurie Viera Rigler’s first novel has left me happy; wanting to know more, yet satisfied with the ending.

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife is an amazing story. It is beautiful and sad. The story of Clare and Henry stays with you even after the end. I wish I could know more about Clare’s future; it seems so fragmented. I loved the evolution of Clare’s feelings for Henry, the childhood longing to the adult reality. I love Henry’s shock at his feelings of Clare. They each changed the other’s life before knowing the other existed.

Is there any free will in their stories if Henry comes to Clare knowing everything because he travels through time? The same question comes up when Clare runs into a young Henry. Do they ever make any real choices? There is a depressing inevitability to it. Fate or determinism? The added dimension to the story makes the events, the lives of Clare and Henry, seem real.

Remember Me?

I think Remember Me? had the perfect ending. Lexi Smart doesn’t have some brilliant flash of memory; things don’t come flooding back to her in grand, dramatic fashion. What happens seems more natural. It’s a thread, “gossamer thin” and it’s real. It’s something she can hold on to and use for the life she’s creating for herself. It’s not the picturesque life she thought she had, it’s a life that reflects the person she’s remembered.

Remember Me? is definitely full of Sophie Kinsella’s style and humour. The story, however, didn’t have me yearning for more the way the Shopaholic series has or The Undomestic Goddess. I didn’t love Lexi the way I did Becky or Samantha. The meat of the story, the really interesting bits, doesn’t happen until a third of the way into the narrative. Lexi takes too long to learn about Eric. Maybe Jon should have been introduced sooner.

It is a really enjoyable story and an excellent stand-alone book. I just found Lexi’s friends and family frustrating and extremely unhelpful towards someone who has amnesia. It fueled the plot, but made me a bit angry at the supporting characters. Remember Me? was an easy read and a unique story. However, it didn’t leave me with the same good feeling as Kinsella’s other works.

Shopaholic and Baby

Sophie Kinsella has created yet another fabulous novel starring the incomparable Becky Brandon (neé Bloomwood). This installment of Becky’s life tugged at my heartstrings more than the others. She’s pregnant, happy and excited about her future with Luke when along comes the ‘red-haired bitch’. I can’t imagine, during what is supposed to be a magical time for a couple, to have your husband’s super hot ex-girlfriend show up and make a play for him! The way Venetia Carter treats our heroine is reprehensible.

Becky continues to make some crazy choices. She (as always) shops too much. She also makes some great decisions and helps not only her failing company, but Luke’s business as well. If she could only focus her powers, Becky would be unstoppable. She just can’t seem to get over this unstoppable shopping habit. I am excited to see what Becky has in store for us next.

The Undomestic Goddess

There’s no other way to begin this, except to say that The Undomestic Goddess was thoroughly entertaining. Sophie Kinsella has given us another character to love. Unlike the outrageous Becky Bloomwood, we have the indomitable Samantha Sweeting. Samantha is very responsible and career focused. Shopping is likely the last thing on this young woman’s mind. What happens to her is not her fault. She copes with the situation as best she can. Though she has a mini-breakdown, becoming The Undomestic Goddess is the best thing for her.

At first, one might get the impression that Sophie Kinsella (aka Madeleine Wickham) is advocating the domestic side of women versus the career driven. As funny and wonderfully entertaining as this novel is, at the heart of it, I think, is the search for balance. There are men and women both, who become obsessed by career. Samantha was only 29 and she was obsessed by work. She’s never had a real relationship and hadn’t been on a vacation in seven years. As Iris, the wise matron said, you only get your youth once. Do you really want to waste it in office buildings? Do you want to be the sort of person who doesn’t even bother to look out the window?

I think career is important. You need goals and a way to support yourself. Yet, you need to make sure that it’s something that’s going to make you happy in the long term. Fine, you want to be a lawyer, be “a full equity partner,” but you need to be sure that in this lies your happiness and future. Samantha never thought beyond making partner. She never though beyond work. In the end, she discovered that she wanted to look out windows and have weekends off. She wanted balance.

Shopaholic & Sister

Oh, Becky. In and out of such complicated situations. How does she get herself into them? Sometimes (most of the time) it’s due to her lack of self control. Other times, however, it just happens. The end of the story, the protest, she had nothing to do with her sudden complication. It just happened that way! She was trying to help her sister and it was an odd coincidence.

Jess is such an interesting sister to Becky. A sister who hates shopping! What a blow to Becky’s vision of her sister! How can a woman hate shopping? That’s okay; Jess can obsess about other things. Becky just needs to open her shopaholic mind to other possibilities. I can’t wait to see what happens in Becky Brandon’s (neé Bloomwood) next adventure.

Shopaholic Ties The Knot

When crisis hits Becky Bloomwood, all thoughts of shopping fly from her mind. Her life gets so crazy, out of control; she buries her head in the sand. Random things happen to her and it’s hilarious. Okay, so maybe not all of it’s random, but she can’t help it (most of the time.) Some of it could be stopped by shopping a bit less. Some of it could be helped by being a bit more decisive. Yet I understand her frequent predicaments. She just wants to make those she loves happy. Isn’t that what most of us want to do?

Confessions of a Shopaholic

All these fabulous things are happening for her and Rebecca Bloomwood is still shopping. She’s probably not even near being recovered. Of course, if she was, there wouldn’t be a series of books about her. Confessions of a Shopaholic was fantastic. Easy to read, hilarious and exciting. I could barely put it down!

I love the change in Becky. Yes, she is definitely still a Shopaholic, but she’s realized what is important. She grows up, though the final letter is very ominous. I’m sure it is part of a nice set up for the next novel. Which I’m absolutely going to read. Sophie Kinsella has me hooked.

Check out her website!
http://www.sophiekinsella.com/

Beautiful Lies

Emilie Richards’ Beautiful Lies is categorized as a romance novel. I don’t usually read romance novels. This one was given to me as a gift. I was in the mood for something lighter; since this has been sitting on my shelf for five years, I figured now would be a good time to pick it up. It was definitely not was I expected and I’m not sure if that was a good thing.

I expected this ‘romance novel’ to contain, honestly, more sex. On rare occasions, I have read other romance novels. From those three or four, there is usually a lot more sex scenes (of varying degrees) mixed in with some kind of adventure. The characters in Beautiful Lies had sex, but after the kissing and a little groping, the reader was left behind.

Is that why I found the book a bit boring? Perhaps. The story was fairly interesting. A twist on the star-crossed lovers. Not predictable. But everything just sort of happened. The events were described in great detail, but you didn’t really feel like you were there, as with many other stories I’ve read.

Maybe a little raunch would have balanced things out.

The Distinguished Guest

Finally! I finished Sue Miller’s The Distinguished Guest. It was bad. I did not like it. I would never recommend it. Well, not totally anyway.

There is one really interesting part of the novel. It begins on page 202, four pages into Chapter 14. Lily Maynard, one of our main characters (who is, The Distinguished Guest) is being interviewed by a student who is writing her thesis on “Integration”. Her name is Marcea McKendrick. She is witty, intelligent and black. As Marcea interviews Lily, a discussion begins about whether there is a “Black English” and a “White English”. It is really interesting. Can the English language be divided into Black and White? Is it more a difference between a rural and city or uneducated and educated English? Is it just the vernacular of different social groups? Being neither Black nor White, it is difficult for me to say.

Clearly there were differences in the way people in different communities spoke and still speak. There are many dialects of English, as well as French, Spanish and any number of languages. Quebec French is different from Paris French, which is different from Cajun French. I found this one part of the novel fascinating. Would I recommend the whole novel for just ten pages? I don’t know. Probably not. That one section is worth a read though. Stop off in a library or even spend some time in a bookstore if you are interested in the subject. In the end, I’m just glad reading The Distinguished Guest wasn’t a complete waste of time.