Review: The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "In the ancient town of Ephesus, Mary lives alone, years after her son's crucifixion. She has no interest in collaborating with the authors of the Gospel—her keepers, who provide her with food and shelter and visit her regularly. She does not agree that her son is the Son of God; nor that his death was “worth it;” nor that the “group of misfits he gathered around him, men who could not look a woman in the eye,” were holy disciples. Mary judges herself ruthlessly (she did not stay at the foot of the Cross until her son died—she fled, to save herself), and is equally harsh on her judgment of others. This woman who we know from centuries of paintings and scripture as the docile, loving, silent, long-suffering, obedient, worshipful mother of Christ becomes, in Toibin’s searing evocation, a tragic heroine with the relentless eloquence of Electra or Medea or Antigone. This tour de force of imagination and language is a portrait so vivid and convincing that our image of Mary will be forever transformed."

Review:  When the long list for the Booker Prize came out, I saw The Testament of Mary and was pretty intrigued by the idea of Mary's story and what she might have had to say about her son's life and death.  Having visited Ephesus and the home that is believed to have been Mary's home, this all felt like a story that really was waiting to be told by someone.  The question was whether someone could tell it in a way that would feel honest and with the right tone, not fearing the backlash that might come from taking on such a character. 

We pick up the story after Christ's death, with Mary reflecting on her son's life and those who she seemingly felt might have pushed and pulled him along the way.  Her tale is a sad one, filled with the words a mother might speak about her lost child; however, in this case, that child is one whom she has lost in a most horrifically jarring way.  Yes, he was a religious figure, but she was his mother.  Her thoughts are a mother's thoughts, and we see her filled with anguish over the mortal actions and decisions surrounding her child.  Mary speaks not as a mother heralding the Son of God, but as a mother concerned for a child who might have been pushed and pulled in too many directions in his short life.

I found this short novella to be incredibly moving, and an interesting tale to be told.  Granted, this was a piece of fiction, and not a piece of Biblical writing, and yet the title and characters lend themselves to that immediate and strict judgment and comparison.  I simply couldn't do more than listen to the story being told and consider how Mary, as presented, really felt.  Wouldn't her isolation, hiding, frustration, and deep sorrow make sense to any person at this point in the story?  Her lines were haunting to read, but so interestingly moving and thought-provoking.  This is one of those stories that will stick with me and have me thinking for some time.

Mini Reviews: YA Catch Up

Here are some YA novels I need to play catch up on.  I thought I'd do some short mini reviews in an effort to share what I've been reading.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth--In book two of the Divergent series, we find the fall out from the simulation and Tris trying to deal with her initiation into Dauntless.  Book two picked right up where the first left off and there is a lot of back and forth in this one.  We learn more about the role of the other factions and find that there is still a lot of intrigue confusing Tris about who is good and who is bad, who could be right and who could be wrong.  I really liked this installment, but will say that at times I was exhausted by what was not shared between Tris and Four.  I found myself yelling at Tris to just trust Four and tell him what was really going on!  Since I have just started Allegiant, I happen to know that will come up again, so I will be hearing more about that later on...  Still, an amazing read.  The last 75 pages or so really locked this one in for me.

Everbound by Brodi Ashton--Yet another second book in a series, this is the next in the Everneath series.  Book one, based on the Persephone story continues here with Nikki grieving her boyfriend Jack and his sacrifice for her into the Everneath.  How can she explain his disappearance and how can she get him back?  In this installment, Nikki has to enter the Everneath and figure out how to stay connected to Jack.  While I sometimes got confused with the layout of the Everneath at times, by the end, I was shocked and flipping pages like crazy to find out what was going to happen!  This is an exciting follow up to book one and not a disappointing sophomore follow up at all.  In fact, I'm eagerly waiting for the third book.

Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin--Technically considered "New Adult" more than Young Adult, this was a book I had seen discussed a bit online, so I decided to read it and give it a try.  I'm not sure I should have done that though, as my reading experience was a bit painful.  The story was about Carrie, the daughter of a Senator being tailed by Finn, the Marine.  However, Carrie thought she was away at college and free, not realizing that she was being tailed by secret protection.  Finn and Carrie became friends and then more than friends, but then how could Finn tell Carrie that he was being paid to protect her? Honestly, I really should have stopped reading this book around page 50.  The story became pretty predictable and I found it irritating that the lies and sexual tension were the main crux of the story.  I understand that the heightened tension, adult situations, and age of the characters all put it in the category of New Adult, but I can't shake the predictability of the story or the non-stop lies that kept the story rolling. 

Review: Sugarhouse: Turning the Neighborhood Crack House Into Our Home Sweet Home by Matthew Batt

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "An improbably funny account of how the purchase and restoration of a disaster of a fixer-upper saves a young marriage

When a season of ludicrous loss tests the mettle of their marriage, Matthew Batt and his wife decide not to call it quits. They set their sights instead on the purchase of a dilapidated house in the Sugarhouse section of Salt Lake City. With no homesteading experience and a full-blown quarter-life crisis on their hands, these perpetual grad students/waiters/nonprofiteers decide to seek salvation through renovation, and do all they can to turn a former crack house into a home. Dizzy with despair, doubt, and the side effects of using the rough equivalent of napalm to detoxify their house, they enter into full-fledged adulthood with power tools in hand.

Heartfelt and joyous, Sugarhouse is the story of how one couple conquers adversity and creates an addition to their family, as well as their home."

Review:  Since I live in the Salt Lake area, I was intrigued by the premise of this novel when I saw it at the library, and am also a bit of a sucker for stories about grad students on a bit of a life journey.  In this case, it involved a major renovation.  In this area, those renovations can involve some major-league fixer-uppers, but worth a pretty penny if done correctly in the area of the valley he's written about.  In short, this novel was well worth the time and I will say up front that I really did enjoy it.

As an English major, Matthew Batt knows how to craft language.  His writing and observations about minute details in Salt Lake could be biting and funny at the same time.  Many of the chapters in his book stood out as individual short stories that I wanted to hang onto.  When he talked about searching for the perfect home in the valley, getting help at the local hardware store, or trends in construction he noticed in their home from 50 years ago, his storytelling really was so keen and spot on that I could hardly put the book down.  I'm not sure how he managed to make all of that so entertaining, but he really did.  I loved the details about ripping up the flooring to find lovely hard wood floors underneath that was riddled with nails from the laminate they had covered it with.  A nightmare that anyone who has restored an old home might recognize.  It was those details that made the story sing.

One strange part of the story that I didn't connect with was his detour into his grandfather's life.  That sounds odd, considering families generally shape a person's life and add interest to a story, however, I kept feeling like it was distracting from the story at hand.  I wanted the story to center more on his relationship with his wife and how she factored into this home they were working on.  Instead, the grandfather and family outside of Utah kept having this continued impact on the story that turned it into a type of "finding himself" journey that I hadn't expected.  Maybe that was the point, that they had been impacting this remodel more than anything else?  Since this was a true story, the author's family might have played just as much of a role in this remodel and in his marriage as anything else?  I simply felt my own curiosity pulling me back to his home and life he had "built" here in Salt Lake.  

The writing in this book was really top notch.  Certain sentences caught my attention, and I found myself rereading them,  and then marking them so that I could come back to them later on.  While I could understand the inclusion of the author's family, I would have liked more about his marriage that was started out in the beginning and in the title.  Overall though, a very interesting book with some great writing.

Review: Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan

Synopsis:  Issy Randal grew up around her grandpa's bakery, where he understood the value of great-tasting baked goods and drawing in the community.  As an adult, Issy has been laid off, and from her corporate job where she was dating the boss.  She realized that the boss might not have been the "love of her life," as he kicked her to the curb pretty quickly after she left the job. 

With her time off and a bit of unemployment rolling in, she took the plunge and opened up a bakery, hoping to finally put her skills and talents to use.  With her new bakery, she found a new host of friends, a new neighborhood, and a host of money problems that only her cute, single banker could hopefully help her out with.

Review:  This is quintessentially a story about remaking one's life from a real low point and having faith in a dream unrealized.  Issy Randal is a young woman who grew up around her grandfather's bakery, where he pulled together a community after the war with his sweet treats.  Now, Issy was trying to get her grandfather to help her pull her own life together after losing her job, by remembering his recipes and giving her advice on how best to run a bakery of her own.

While the story is really about Issy and how she pulls together her life, I liked the back story with her grandfather.  There is the beginning of the novel when Issy loses her job (trust me, I'm not giving anything away there) that we are introduced to her boss and boyfriend, who really crushes her self confidence.  I hated to see how she allowed this one guy to break her!  It was so much better to watch the recipes and people she met through the bakery to transform her life, which is essentially what the real purpose of the book ends up being about.

Each chapter features a sweet treat and recipe, which then also follows another step in Issy's life.  Getting the bakery isn't an easy transition, as we can imagine.  Luckily--and ironically enough--Issy's banker is a nice, young single guy who takes a chance on her, but who also has his own interesting back story.  He finds Issy's sweet treats and story very endearing and wants to believe that she can make it, but wonders if she can really beat the odds.

On the whole, I found the story to be a quick and easy read.  There were sections of the book near the middle that lagged a bit, and where I did feel that I knew what was going to happen, but I can't say that this dissuaded me from finishing the story.   While I found Issy likable, I also couldn't completely relate to her in other ways.  She was a bit gullible and vulnerable, which is how the range of characters should be--as varied as there are people in the world, so I went with it. 

The recipes are sweet and made me wish I could bake a little better.  The story is a tad predictable, but still generous and giving.  I just always wish that I lived a little bit closer to a bakery or could read IN a bakery while reading a book like this!

Review: Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them.

Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die. (Not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does.)

But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future. . . .

If she even has one."

Review:  This isn't your average vampire book.  When Meg Cabot puts her spin on an adult book, you know there will be a sense of humor injected in it somewhere and a girl who is pretty pragmatic about the world she lives in.  Insatiable is definitely that type of novel.  Meena Harper is the hard working writer for a soap opera that wants to take on the new vampire twist.  (Insert eye roll here.)  Yes, Meena does what she is told and writes this new vampire twist, but how odd that she should then meet the real deal and kind of fall for him???

Meena, like most of Meg Cabot's heroines, is a sort of self-assured gal who really just wants to find a love who is her best friend.  When she meets dark and mysterious Lucien, she finds herself strangely attracted to him, and he finds the same thing for this free-wheeling city girl.  He's dead and she's not, but that doesn't stop a romance from kindling up.  What do you do about the people who want him dead though?  Problem.

While I think I'm just about burned out on paranormal stories and vampires, in general, I can't help falling for a good Meg Cabot novel.  Her novels are always light hearted, even when there is murder and intrigue going on in the background.  Somewhere there's a modern girl, seeing the murder and intrigue as a "shoot-you-ruined-my-day-and-my-outfit" sort of view.  (And I don't mean that as being a silly girl!  She's simply down to earth and notices the things that other authors might not.)

I thought Insatiable was a fun, mysterious read.  I liked the modern twist in New York City, with Meena writing for a soap opera.  And, I liked the idea of vampires and vampire slayers secretly living among us, doing their best to not drag us all in on their problems.  Meena is a relatable character, with spunk and a cute little dog (that I found myself worrying about during key fight scenes).  Lucien, the vampire, is somehow very sympathetic as a character, but could be pretty bad-A in the most opportune moments.  There are a few other characters that I could mention, but they come around to complicate the storyline and add that twist to it that makes it fun to read.  Overall, I thought it was a fun read, and I plan on following up the cliff-hanger that was book one with the next book that's already out!  Strangely funny vampire book, with a new twist to it.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

Review: Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony

I'm not even sure how to go about explaining this amazing little graphic novel.  After seeing it in the early nominations for "Best of..." awards on Goodreads, I decided to check Chopsticks out and was not disappointed.  Told in a series of pictures, instant messages, letters, ticket stubs, etc., this was more of a study in critical thinking than in storytelling.  I quickly realized that this tale of piano prodigy, Glory, and her next door neighbor friend, Fred, was more than met the eye--literally.  The story starts off with a mystery of sorts, that you have to try to figure out.

The thing I most liked about this graphic novel was its unpredictability.  When I would think the story was heading in one direction, it would start to reveal itself as something completely different.  The ending in itself is pretty shocking.  As a complete story, I really found it intriguing and an interesting study in how to read, predict, and draw meaning.  I did feel that with its language and pictures that some young adults might find it offensive, so as a teacher I'll be careful about who I recommend it to.  As a complete story though, it was pretty amazing.  If you're geared up for a different kind of story, this is a graphic novel you ought to check out.  I really hope that other books of this style come out soon!

Check out the trailer for Chopsticks below.

Review: Miranda's Mount by Phillipa Ashley

I'm excited to share more about Phillipa Ashley's newest novel, Miranda's Mount.  Don't forget to check yesterday's guest post by Phillipa for a bit more background on the novel and a great giveaway!

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "When Miranda finds herself fighting for her home, her job and her heart, sleeping with the enemy may not be the best tactic…

With no family of her own, Miranda Marshall has developed a healthy respect – some would say obsession – with other people’s histories. As property manager of a spectacular island castle in Cornwall, she’s made St Merryn’s Mount one of the UK’s most popular heritage attractions. While she may have the castle running like clockwork, Miranda hasn’t bargained on its sexy owner returning to claim his birthright. Dark, handsome and with a rakish reputation, Jago St Merryn not only looks like a pirate but is intent on flogging the Mount to a soulless leisure corporation. Miranda faces the battle of her life as she tries to persuade him to face up to his past and continue the St Merryn dynasty. But Jago has his own reasons for jumping ship and when he throws down the gauntlet to Miranda, she’s forced to delve into painful memories she’d much rather keep hidden…"

Review:  There is always such a great escape factor in Phillipa Ashley's books, and Miranda's Mount is no different.  Set on the property of a historical castle on a small island in Cornwall, we meet Miranda, who essentially runs the property for the owners in welcoming guests to the island.  As with many of Ashley's novels, there is a lightness to the story that pulls you in and is a fun time.  This novel was no different.  Miranda's professionalism in challenged right away when the aging property owner's son, Jago, returns to run the show.  He's not the bossy type.  In fact, he's the sell-and-run type.

In this contemporary novel, Miranda is the career girl and Jago is the dashing yet impersonal hero.  We quickly learn that people's interests cannot be turned on and off like a spigot, even if they have every reason to not be together.  Miranda is single minded in her career and loves her job, but Jago is broken by his past and determined to sell the property.  These factors make the story complicated and interesting to watch unfold.

As with most of Ashley's novels, the first third of the book has a delightful humor and playfulness to it that made me like Miranda and the other characters.  However, the twist in the story is always right around the corner!  I really did love the location, with the island castle and the tide around the island that either shut them off from the world or gave them a nice sandbar to walk back to the mainland.  I could picture that island and wanted to visit or stay for awhile.   The characters in this novel were also complicated and lovable, mainly because of their flaws.  In fact, I often wondered about Miranda's liking for Jago.  He was obviously easy to look at (and very rich to own that castle), but obviously had secrets underfoot.  What's not to like about a bit of mystery though, especially when it's couched in good looks, right?

Phillipa Ashley, once again, has written an escape read both in its story and location.  I always enjoy a great Ashley novel because they are books that you can sink yourself into for a nice visit.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

Don't forget to stop by a great guest post by Phillipa, with a nice giveaway of her novel and Downton calendar!  Check it out to hear how she came to be inspired to write the castle island in Miranda's Mount.

Review: Most Talkative by Andy Cohen

Synopsis:  If you watch Bravo Television at all, you have to know Andy Cohen.  As the man behind the reality shows on Bravo and the host of Watch What Happens Live, Andy is that hilarious, reality super fan that we all somehow relate to.  Before becoming the man behind the Real Housewives franchise, Andy Cohen was a young pop culture fan from St. Louis, Missouri, who began to realize that he was something different from those around him.  Eventually, Andy came to terms with what made him different, which was that he was gay, and gained the strength to let it be known. 

After college, he came out to his friends and family, and proceeded to follow his dreams in television.  This led to his current, lucrative and exciting career with Bravo.  The stories he goes on to tell in this book are both poignantly personal and pop-culture, both memoir and tell-all. 

Review:  I have been a Bravo fan for a very long time.  In fact, I started watching the Real Housewive's franchise from day one of the Orange County ladies.  Andy Cohen was kind of a known extra cast member of sorts, to those of us who have followed these shows.  I think everyone who knows him, loves him!  Honestly, Andy Cohen has a great sense of humor, and a way of saying what he thinks about these women's crazy antics without really saying it and showing his bias.  In short, most fans of the network love Andy.

The thing I loved about his book was the candid way he talked about his own life and his own experience growing up and coming out as a gay man.  I did find it interesting that Andy seems to write of his coming out as part of his life, but not the defining feature of his life.  In coming out, his family seemed to embrace him and move on with life, so the person he speaks of with greatest fear was his good friend and college roommate.  I was so moved by his expression of fear and concern over telling his friend and really could start to appreciate how that must have felt for him.  In the end, his roommate embraced his coming out and the two are still good friends today.

There seems to be an integral connection between Andy's pop-culture obsession and his current job, all fueled by healthy doses of all that is uniquely Andy.  His memoir talks about his early days on national, morning television--including stories about Oprah Winfrey, various CBS news anchors, and other celebrities that made this a real page turner.  Just the stories behind the Housewives franchise (which really is a pretty small portion of the book), make it a must read for fans. 

I really enjoyed Andy's story.  There is such a nice mix of happy and serious, to really echo what we see with the real Andy Cohen on his show.  His anecdotes and memories are funny, fast-paced, and engaging.  Now I will just hope that he writes another book, with more great "behind the scenes" stories for us in a few years down the road!

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the book.

Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun."

Review:  I've had mixed feelings about writing a review about The Passage since it was so complex and I took way too long to read it.  After seeing Justin Cronin on Good Morning America, I went to pick up his novel.  Honestly, I was intrigued by the idea of a scientifically altered group of people unleashed on the world.  Cronin called them a type of vampire, so admittedly, that's how I went into the story.  These human monsters seemed about as far removed from any monster I'd read about and felt more like a story that echoed authors like Stephen King in The Stand.  

Overall, this novel is beyond complex.  There are characters galore, and time and gaps in time that make the story even more complex.  It feels like you just get used to a set of characters and we rotate to another set.  In a way, you really do need to dedicate some time to this novel and then keep at it.  This is not a book to start reading, put down, and come back to without considerable issues.

The gist of this novel is an apocalyptic story where a scientific experiment went so terribly wrong that it pretty much wiped out society.  Now we follow a small band of people who have survived and find out how they might just survive and not be looking behind their backs forever more.  How?  You find out some pivotal information near the end of the first book that really propels you into reading the next one out.  I won't lie.  It was a little bit of a "holy cow" sort of moment when you start to pull things together, and it is pretty interesting, but you have to read the next book to find out what really happens.

Let me be clear that this is not my normal read.  I didn't love it and I struggled to get through it.  That doesn't mean that it's not a good book and I'll be the first to admit it.  The story is engaging and requires your complete attention to keep characters and story lines straight.  However, I can see that this has a clear audience for readers who enjoy a thorough story that works to build up the world and its characters, putting an interesting twist to it all.  Although I felt a bit weary at the end, I can say that I'm glad I stuck it out.  That ending is pretty exciting and made me consider reading the next book!

For some alternate reviews, check out these bloggers:
 It's All About Books
 The Book Smugglers
 Hey Lady, Whatcha Readin'?

As you can see, I'm in the minority!  Most people LOVED this book.  If you've read it, please comment and let me know what you thought and feel free to leave a link to your own review.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

Review: Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley

Yes, it's been awhile since I posted.  Rather than go into a long explanation of where I've been, which has more to do with my level of fatigue than anything else, I thought I'd dive right back in with what I love most--BOOKS.  Nothing would be better than to tip-toe back into my blogging than by reviewing Phillipa Ashley's newest release here in the U.S., Just Say Yes.  It came out the first of June, and was such a great book to read to help me refuel my depleted engines.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Lucy Gibson needs to get away. When her good-looking, popular boyfriend Nick Laurentis, winner of reality TV show Hot Shots, proposes to her on air she's stunned -- into silence. Every girl loves a romantic gesture, but she's just not ready for that kind of commitment. With the press hounding her as the one who callously broke Nick's heart, Lucy escapes her London flat to seek refuge in an isolated Cornwall cottage. But little does she realise that life down there will be far from uncomplicated!"

Review:  What is not to love about a Phillipa Ashley novel?  Honest.  Her heroes make you swoon and her plots feel familiar, have an unexpected twist, but always end up feeling satisfying.  In this novel, Lucy Gibson has a shocking situation happen with her reality-star winning boyfriend that has her feeling stunned and in need of some space to think.  We've all been there--meaning the needing space thing.  What happens when you're not given a chance to think or people jump to conclusions too soon?

Besides making me feel like I want to move to England--once again--this book made me feel a range of emotions that pulled me into the story.  The people she meets in Cornwall add more depth to Lucy's story and I wanted even more from them.  These characters were great and added that contrast to Lucy's fast-paced life back in London.  I won't lie though.  There was one scene on a topless beach that had me flipping pages back to make sure I read it right.  Perhaps my naivete with nude/topless beaches made me think I was reading it wrong, but that was one shocking moment that threw me and would have had me snorting out my beverage if I'd been drinking one at the time.  (Made you curious now, right?)  Regardless, this wasn't a gratuitous book, just filled with some interesting twists and turns. 

Beaches at Cornwall.  Anyone else bewitched by this? 
Photo Credit: http://www.cornwallwaterfronthomes.co.uk/cornwall

Overall, I have become a real fan of Phillipa Ashley's novels.  I like her characters and interesting stories.  Also, as a serious Anglophile, I love being introduced to parts of England I wouldn't get to go to normally.  In this case, we went from London right on down to the seaside in Cornwall.  Honestly, I have to get back to England soon.  If you're looking for a great summer read, with a bit of romance and a happy ending, then this novel and all of Phillipa Ashley's other novels will surely fit the bill.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on an advanced review copy from the publisher. 

Whew.  I did it.  My first foray back into my blog.  :)  Thankfully I had such a great book to pull me back into it all.  Thank you to everyone who has checked to see what's up.  Sorry I've been so negligent.   Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things!

Review: Fever Cure by Phillipa Ashley

I thought I'd be a bit ironic today and review Phillipa Ashley's novel Fever Cure as a nod to the fever-induced state of illness I've been in this week.  Seriously, I thought I'd said goodbye to hard core colds like this!  I don't even know anyone at work with a cold right now, yet I somehow picked one up that has me single-handedly supporting Kleenex brand products.

Needless to say, I took today off and thought I'd log on and try to get something posted.  What would be better to review than a good Phillipa Ashley novel?  I actually read this one back in February, so I'm behind in getting this review posted!  Phillipa writes great modern romances such as Dating Mr. December and Carrie Goes Off the Map, which I've reviewed here on my blog.  I've even had a great chance to interview Phillipa about her writing.  She has a great sense of what women think and feel. 

Synopsis:  It was the end of a bad relationship for Keira Grayson, and she was looking forward to cutting loose at her friend's wedding.  In the process, she makes an embarrassing stumble in front of Doctor Tom Carew, son of an earl and a bona fide hottie.

Tom is home from New Guinea, where he was working with patients there on the island.  However, now he's home and trying to pull together the pieces of a disaster he left behind there.  Keira and Tom have instant chemistry, but like all budding relationships, the baggage they bring with them can also bring them down before they have a real chance. 

Review:  This is a true "escapist" read.  When you want to imagine yourself meeting a swoon-worthy male specimen, who also has a great job and landed money, sometimes a book is the only way you'll get it!  Tom has just enough emotional distance and wounds for Keira, who is sensitive from her own history and fears, to build a story where they have to communicate and work it out.  In short, you care about the characters and what happens to them. 

I'm a total Phillipa Ashley fan and will pretty much read anything she has written. I love her character development & escapist story lines. This one was a little racy, but since I'm not exactly a prude, I didn't mind. The ending was a bit predictable, with a few twists and turns to change it up slightly, but you honestly don't want it to end any differently than it does.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

Now, I'm off to take a nap.  It's time to knock this head cold out for good!!!

Review: Mr. Darcy Forever by Victoria Connelly

I wish I had a schedule where I could have hopped on Mr. Darcy Forever sooner.  Thank goodness for a nice Spring Break that gave me a chance to sit down and read it in one sitting.  In my world, that's a bit of a luxury, and I loved it!  This was a prefect book for my break.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Estranged sisters Sarah and Mia Castle have spent a lifetime fighting over the men in their lives. They finally begin to make amends at the annual Jane Austen Festival in Bath, England. During the festival, the sisters realize that they can't bear to be apart. They discover that their sisterhood forms a bond stronger than their mutual connection as Jane Austen addicts. And in true Jane Austen fashion, they each begin to lose their hearts to dashing gentlemen."

Review:  Having read an earlier novel of Connelly's, I knew I was in for a nice, modernized treat with this newest book.  Let me just start off by explaining that Pride and Prejudice doesn't really play a role in the novel.  The title, in my own opinion, is a tie to the perfect Austen character, as the rest of the book is more geared toward Sense and Sensibility.  

In the beginning of Mr. Darcy Forever, I had a difficult time tracking the present and the past as it jumped from the present estrangement between the sisters, Sarah and Mia, to the past events that split them up.  I can tell you right now that we don't learn of the conflict until well into the book.  Usually that would irritate me, since I like to understand the characters so that I can attach myself to their actions and reactions.  In this case, it worked out really well and had me realizing how quickly I jump to conclusions--maybe like these two sisters did to begin with.

As mentioned, it takes a long time to understand what came between these two sisters.  Sarah, who has OCD and needs to control everything, appears to be the nuisance or villain.  Although we might feel for her and her idiosyncrasies, it seems like she might have driven the two apart by her actions.  However, Mia increasingly comes across as immature and possibly as responding too emotionally to her situation.  Come on.  Can't Mia see after these years of being apart how silly and immature she used to behave?  This is what I thought in the beginning.  Readers of Jane Austen's novels will quickly start to draw connections to Sense and Sensibility in the story.  This is in no way exactly like the classic story, but there are some definite similarities to the Dashwood sisters, with some interesting and surprising twists to the story.

Mr. Darcy Forever was a delightfully emotional read.  Austen fans will readily recognize aspects of Austen's classic, while getting a modern look at Bath and our characters' complex, modern lives.  I really enjoyed the novel and its characters and appreciated the way the story unfolded so as to not feel predictable or overworked.  Overall, a good clean Austen modernization.  

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a review copy provided by the publisher.

Review: Plus by Veronica Chambers

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "The perfect romantic makeover story about an every-girl whose dream comes true . . .

Beatrice Wilson is our lovable Cinderella, who just got dumped by her very first boyfriend and put on twenty-five pounds. But then she's discovered as a plus model. In the eyes of pop culture, Bee is Jessica Alba and then some! Now she must vanquish skinny rivals, fend off sleazy photogs, and banish jealous frenemies in her rise to superstardom. All the while, she's torn between her first love and the surprisingly sincere up-and-coming rapper she tutors in calculus. But what's better than finding your prince charming? Finally learning to love yourself!"

Review:  Can we just say--book that satisfied my teen angst plus reality-tv-in-a-book desire?  Yep, I really enjoyed this quick read.  In fact, I kind of smiled at the end, even though it had a characteristic cheesy and predictable ending.  Yes, Beatrice is a "thick" girl--*cough, cough* not really.  Honestly, Beatrice is a girl who had a messy break up and eats like a normal girl.  However, we all know that "plus size" models probably have a different standard than other plus-size gals, right?

Anyway, I digress.  Beatrice is a nice enough character who is riddled with weaknesses that come out clearly in her story.  She makes stupid mistakes with men, and has insecurities that far outweigh her plus-size physique.  In short, she has issues that can be annoying, but it's not as if she doesn't have a forgivable air to her that allows us to suspend judgement and just enjoy the book.

I enjoyed Beatrice's Top Model-esque story and found it to be a fun, quick read.  There are some pretty fun, catty moments in the book (yes, they're fun), and also that hint of seriousness to keep us cheering on Beatrice's future.  This was a surprisingly enjoyable read that I could 100% see myself indulgently liking as a teen--as I do now.  It all feels familiar, but is still a fun little book.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the book.

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's."

Review:  With an interesting concept--life after death--and a setting in Park City, Utah that I was familiar with, I have to say that I was pretty easily sucked into Brodi Ashton's first novel.  There seems to be a lot of information that comes at the reader, in a somewhat vague way, but it is just that vagueness that makes you want to keep reading to find out what is going on.  What do we know from the get go?  We know that Nikki is a strong-minded girl who has had some traumatic things happen to her, which included her mother's death and some emotional pain that she couldn't shake.  We quickly find out that she was also dating Jack, who was the love of her life, at the time that she checked out of life to the Everneath. 

What don't we know?  A lot.  How did she disappear?  What really happened to make her decide to "check out" of life (so to say) to enter the Everneath?  How did she get there?  Why does she only have six months back in her old life before she has to return?  Is there a way out?  As you can see, there are a lot of questions that have to be answered over the course of the book that keep you reading and wanting more.  Some of our questions get answered, and some are sure to come!

While I admittedly struggled at times to put details with answers, I really liked the countdown that starts the book with her return to her life and moves us toward the day she has to surrender to the Everneath.  This countdown adds to our desire to know what's up and builds the mystery.  We know she has a limited amount of time, so we want her to resolve things at home as much as she does!  For this non-mystery fan, I thought the way the story was built around what happened in the past helped to make it more about what was driving the characters than all the details we were looking for about the Everneath.  Yes, it's all very mysterious and creepy, but Nikki seems so troubled, Cole so ubiquitously shady, and Jack so wounded that you have to know what caused them to all behave as they do.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging read.  The characters have a lot going on, and they seem to learn things at the same time that we do.  The air of mystery and romance to this story really make you want to see the characters find resolution to their problems, and mainly to this whole going back to the Everneath at all!  I fully intend to share Everneath with my students, who I think will really get into the mystery in the story, along with all of the angst going on between the characters.  Honestly, it was a great read, with one doozy of a cliffhanger! 

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Review: Compulsively Mr. Darcy by Nina Benneton

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "For anyone obsessed with Pride & Prejudice, it's Darcy and Elizabeth like you've never seen them before.

This modern take introduces us to the wealthy philanthropist Fitzwilliam Darcy, a handsome and brooding bachelor who yearns for love but doubts any woman could handle his obsessive tendencies. Meanwhile, Dr. Elizabeth Bennet has her own intimacy issues that ensure her terrible luck with men.

When the two meet up in the emergency room after Darcy's best friend, Charles Bingley, gets into an accident, Elizabeth thinks the two men are a couple. As Darcy and Elizabeth unravel their misconceptions about each other, they have to decide just how far they're willing to go to accept each other's quirky ways..."

Review:   This retelling and modernization of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is definitely a unique and different twist on the original story.  While the characters and outline of the plot are there, rife with misunderstandings and romance, this storyline is much different.  For one, it starts off in Vietnam where Elizabeth is a doctor and Darcy has arrived with his friend Charles to help their friends adopt a baby at an orphanage that Jane helps run.  The two sisters immediately assume that Charles and Darcy are a gay couple who have come to adopt, but who wish it to remain quiet.  Elizabeth can't then come to grips with her attraction for Darcy, nor his apparent attraction to her?  The two do eventually work out the truth, as in the original tale--minus this new little twist.  Their time together then becomes a roller-coaster ride of romantic misunderstandings and outside interferences.

I did find this retelling interesting and new.  Some of the issues in their romantic relationship seemed a bit silly at times, such as Elizabeth's "virginity" issue.  I've always felt that some sexual tension or scenes played out in the pages of these retellinngs aren't necessarily out of place, as they are a more modern look at a normal adult relationship, but sometimes I have to giggle a bit at how they are included in the story.  I'm not convinced that with all else that was going on in the story that it needed to be such a focal point.  I definitely loved the tension that was created through these characters' misunderstandings and think that Benneton created an interesting tale to surround our favorite P&P characters.

Overall, I would say that if you're a fan of Austen retellings and modernizations, then definitely give Benneton's book a read.  It is unique and full of action that will keep you flipping pages to see how they work them all out.  All around, a thoroughly entertaining read.

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on an advanced review copy provided by the publisher, Sourcebooks.

Review: Dreaming of Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly

Let me not be shy about my love for Captain Wentworth.  His ability to be so long suffering and to carry a flame for Anne Elliott across the years has always made him one of my all-time favorite heroes.  How could I then pass on a lovely novel set in the present day in Lyme?  That's not it though.  It's on the set of another filming of Jane Austen's famed Persuasion.  In short, Victoria Connelly's Dreaming of Mr. Darcy was my perfect fit.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Fledgling illustrator and Darcy fanatic Kay Ashton settles in the seaside town of Lyme to finish her book, The Illustrated Darcy, when a film company arrives to make a new adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Kay is soon falling for the handsome bad boy actor playing Captain Wentworth, but it's the quiet screenwriter Adam Craig who has more in common with her beloved Mr. Darcy. Though still healing from a broken heart, Adam finds himself unexpectedly in love with Kay. But it will take more than good intentions to convince her that her real happy ending is with him."

Review:  I really enjoyed reading Dreaming of Mr. Darcy.  Considering it was more about Captain Wentworth, including plenty of references to reading Persuasion, I felt like it should have been Captain Wentworth that we were dreaming about!  That wouldn't have lost me for one second.  

When our heroine settled into Lyme and her new B&B, she didn't seem to be some lovelorn woman trying to shake off a dodgy past.  Instead, Kay seemed to be a sweet girl who was living her dream to live on the sea coast.  I really loved the premise behind Kay settling into Lyme and opening her B&B, only to have the newest film crew becoming her first customers.  There is a fun, bumpy love story between Kay and the star playing Captain Wentworth, but a variety of other love interests for other characters are also running about.  The biggest love triangle though becomes one that no one knows about other than Adam, who has fallen for Kay from first sight, but can see that she is falling for the big movie star.  In short, he can see what's going on, but can't resist his love for Kay.

If there was one wish I could have made for this fun, romantic sort of modernization, it would be a slower build up to the relationships.  Call me a cynic, but I would have liked to see Adam come to realize his interest in Kay and not be smitten from the first moment.  I think that would have helped me cheer him on a bit, rather than see him as a romantic sap.  He was such a lovable character that I spent a good portion of the book feeling like our flighty heroine might not be good enough for him!  In the end, it all works out and there are moments of delightful tension.  Overall, I would say that it is the perfect night by the fire type of read and one that I'll be sharing with my girlfriends who love Austen-esque stories.  

Now, where can I get myself a good deal on a little place on the English coast?  It sounds pretty promising.


*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a review copy sent by the publisher.

Review: Mark of Royalty by Jennifer K. Clark and Stephonie K. Williams

Synopsis:  From Amazon, "At a time when royal infants are marked at birth, a royal advisor makes a terrible misstep, and an infant princess must be secreted away to save her life. Named Sarah by Miranda, the woman who agrees to raise the child as her own, the girl is unaware of her royal heritage, even though Miranda has done all she can to pair Sarah with the king's nephew, Lord Chad. But unexpected events prevent the expected betrothal. Determined to fulfill her devoted mother's wishes, Sarah reserves her heart for Chad despite her growing affections for another man. But as plots against the crown unfold, someone accidentally discovers Sarah's mark of royalty, setting the stage for discoveries that will shake the kingdom to its core."

Review:  As far as historical reads go for teens, this was a pretty cute one.  There is a definite Ever After vibe to the story that keeps you flipping pages, routing on Sarah from the very beginning.  Having been passed off at birth, marked with a tattoo that was the insignia of her royal lineage, Sarah grew up knowing nothing about her past.  All she knew was that Miranda, her adopted mother, was her protector and biggest fan.  Going against the grain of other "Cinderella" tales, in this one it is her step-father who comes to resent her, especially after Miranda's death.  Sarah then has to try to impress the king's nephew, Lord Chad, who seems more bent on her step-sister.  Along the way she meets a different, mysterious young man, who she meets while out on one of her outdoor adventures.  Little does she know, this young man might just be the real key to her happiness and freedom.

In characteristic fairytale-like style, this story has a bit of royal intrigue, a bit of romance, and a bit of history all rolled into one.  While the use of descriptors in the story (adjectives and adverbs) were used in odd ways and too often, you soon become accustomed to them and focus more on the story than some of the language issues.  Honestly, I think that teen girl readers would really love this book for its ease in storytelling and sweet romantic tale.  I have no doubt that girls would really enjoy this slightly different telling and wouldn't think twice about how the story was told. 

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a personal copy of the novel.

Review: The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou

In a continued effort to read novels that have appeared on multiple suggested reading lists, I picked up Maya Angelou's The Heart of a Woman.  I've read her first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, a long time ago and always wanted to pick up and keep reading.  This book jumps ahead a bit in years, but does pick up her story again, which is pretty interesting.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Maya Angelou has fascinated, moved, and inspired countless readers with the first three volumes of her autobiography, one of the most remarkable personal narratives of our age. Now, in her fourth volume, The Heart of a Woman, her turbulent life breaks wide open with joy as the singer-dancer enters the razzle-dazzle of fabulous New York City. There, at the Harlem Writers Guild, her love for writing blazes anew.

Her compassion and commitment lead her to respond to the fiery times by becoming the northern coordinator of Martin Luther King's history-making quest. A tempestuous, earthy woman, she promises her heart to one man only to have it stolen, virtually on her wedding day, by a passionate African freedom fighter.

Filled with unforgettable vignettes of famous characters, from Billie Holiday to Malcolm X, The Heart of a Woman sings with Maya Angelou's eloquent prose her fondest dreams, deepest disappointments, and her dramatically tender relationship with her rebellious teenage son. Vulnerable, humorous, tough, Maya speaks with an intimate awareness of the heart within all of us."

Review:  Covering a later period in Angelou's life, her young son is now a teenager and Angelou has moved to New York City.  I was stunned by the wide range of experiences she had, from rubbing shoulders with greats like James Baldwin to uprooting her life and family to live in Africa.  To go along with her various life experiences, Angelou also had such a range of talents and abilities that she seemed almost unreal or superhuman!  It seems like her writing was not her primary talent, but more of the outlet for all else she had done with her life.  Her words hold weight and power and carry her readers through the experiences of her life and how they shaped her.  
  
Angelou is an obvious activist, focusing her time and energy on the rights of blacks in America.  Her role in plays and politics, music and education were all aimed at helping open the eyes of the oppressor and of freeing the enslaved.  Ironically, I thought her own relationships with men to be the one area that felt contradictory to many of her points.  Although she later married an African diplomat who worked for the United Nations, even he had a way of treating Angelou that created mistrust and chaos.  The points she slips into her narrative about the treatment of men, and in his case the treatment of African men to their wives, is an interesting moment of weakness on her part.  We see her as so strong and yet she has these difficult relationships with men that make her more human that we at first might consider.  Thankfully she pulls her life together, if nothing more than for her growing son's sake.  

Whether she talks of politics, art, or relationships, there is that distinctive eloquence to her writing that makes it interesting to read.  There were moments in her story that felt slow and drawn out, but she experienced so  much in this one book that it was intriguing to consider.  In this way, her writing is engaging.  The Heart of a Woman is a stand alone novel, but definitely feels like a mere chunk of a life's story.  In the case of Maya Angelou, that is one amazingly varied life story!


*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on a library copy of the novel.

Author Interview: Phillipa Ashley of Carrie Goes Off the Map

After a few mix ups only days before Christmas, I am excited to get the opportunity to interview the talented Phillipa Ashley, author of Carrie Goes Off the Map, Wish You Were Here, and Dating Mr. December.  I've thoroughly enjoyed her novels for their great escape read and chick-lit, star quality. I hope you enjoy my interview with Phillipa!

Me:  Thank you so much for letting me interview you about your newest book for my blog! Your book was an undeniable treat, just as your previous two have been.  I have loved reading and reviewing them on my blog, so I’m extra excited to have you stop by my blog to share a bit more.

In the three of your books that I’ve read, there always seems to be a journey involved.  Is there a reason for that, or is that just a fun element thrown in for our couples?

Phillipa:  Apart from Carrie, I don’t think I consciously planned to send the characters on a journey but now you come to mention it, you’re absolutely right! Someone once told me there are only two basic plots for a book, namely ‘A Stranger Comes to Town’ and 'A Journey.’ That’s oversimplifying things, of course, but it does apply to an awful lot of stories. I’d say that Dating Mr. December was A Stranger Comes to Town and Wish You Were Here and Carrie are journeys. A journey makes a very relatable metaphor for the characters emotional discovery.

Me:  Your books are endlessly romantic, with a lot of tension leading up to the endings.  How do you work out the pacing so that you don’t frustrate the reader (which I never have been), but hold us off long enough to make us want the couple to get together?

Phillipa:  Oh gosh… I guess some of the pacing just happens naturally, I start off with a beginning and end and usually two or three big scene ‘turning points’. Then I start writing and the rest of the story unfolds naturally, or I think it does. There are times when I’ve stuck to a plan and realized that it’s not really happening naturally enough so I go back and scrap thousands of words. That hurts but it’s important that the characters lead the story, not my whims. I don’t micromanage scenes – I have no idea what ‘beats to a scene’ are etc.; I write in a ‘train of thought’ way which sometimes works and sometimes leads me into a lot of trouble!

Me:  Has anyone ever mentioned that you don’t describe your female lead characters very much?  In a way, it makes me picture myself in their positions.  Is that on purpose, or am I really overlooking the physical descriptions here?

Phillipa:  No one has said straight out but you are spot on! I think I want my heroines to be every woman and for the reader to fit right into their shoes and hearts and minds - but also I don’t want them to be bland! I made Carrie the most volatile of my heroines. I wanted her to show real reactions to her situation – she’s a bit of a drama queen in every sense and she reacts by turns, devastated and angry, vengeful and confused. Her fight or flight instincts keep kicking in, leading to a journey of true emotional ups and downs. I don’t think I could ever write a ‘kick ass’ heroine but my girls could cut any one down to size with a tongue lashing!

Me:  Specifically for Carrie Goes Off the Map, her fiancé who chucked her seems completely unhappy by the end of the novel.  Was that just me, or was that just wishful thinking in my once-dumped experience to hope that he was miserable without Carrie?

Phillipa:  Of course he’s miserable, lol. Serves him right. Happily, you can take revenge in a book in a way you might not in real life, but people do move on and find new partners who are more right for them than the person they thought was ‘The One.’  I found writing the scene where she returns pretty difficult to write. I wanted their resolution to be quiet and regretful – the ultimate revenge, of course, being to live well as Carrie has started to do. Huw’s not a bad man but he’s made a very bad decision that he has to live with. The worst scene to write, however, was one with Natasha and Carrie that made me cry and made my agent cry. She won’t let me send a book off to an editor unless it has made her shed a few tears!

Me:  I loved Doctor Matt in Carrie Goes Off the Map and kind of think he felt like the reserved version of Mr. Darcy.  In fact, at one point in the story you said he was like a “dirty Mr. Darcy.”  Is that who you pictured here? 

Phillipa:  Matt is my favourite hero. In fact, after I wrote Carrie, I found I couldn’t write for a while (my books are published out of sequence in the USA.) It sounds odd, but I fell hard for Matt and no one could top him for quite a time. The Dirty Mr. Darcy thing comes from a couple of places.  One is the fact that Matt was inspired by a photo of Richard Armitage who had been playing John Thornton in North & South. There had been a lot of stuff in the press referring to Thornton as the ‘Industrial Darcy.’ Matt has that Darcy class thing going on – he’s typical of your posh Oxbridge boy and I did a lot of research with my daughter’s medic friends from those universities. He tries to hide his seriousness and passion all under a veneer of sarcasm and bravado. I can’t give away any spoilers, but yes, he knows exactly how to handle Carrie and exactly what she needs and he gives it unselfishly as he does to his patents. Question is, what does he need?


***Sidenote:  I mentioned to Phillipa on twitter that the "dirty Darcy" bit had me laughing aloud and completely picturing the male hero in a much different way.  What a great way of describing a hero!  :)  (Thank you to Phillipa for providing this awesome picture of Richard Armitage.)

Me:  Do you have any other books that will be coming out in the U.S. that have already been published, and do you have any other books that you’re working on for the moment?

Phillipa:  Just Say Yes is being published by Sourcebooks in June – it’s probably a bit lighter and funnier than Carrie, more of a romp and a stab at reality TV culture. It has a blond, uncompromising, working class hero who was a real challenge to write. After that I have my fingers crossed for the publication of a new longer book featuring a history-loving heroine who has no past of her own and a tortured modern day aristocrat who share a romantic island castle

Me:  I can't wait!  I will definitely be picking them up!

Thanks again Phillipa!  Your books are a real treat for this overworked high school teacher.  In fact, they make me want to escape back to the U.K. and can’t wait for the day that I can travel back over for a longer visit.

Phillipa:  Becky, it’s always a pleasure and thank you for such interesting questions. I’ve loved answering them and would love to meet you if you come over here in future.

Phillipa Ashley

Me:  I can't wait to get back over to the U.K. for a visit and would love to get in touch.  Thanks for such a great interview and for sharing more about your books with us.

Honestly, I can't recommend Phillipa Ashley's books enough.  She has great, romantic-comedy meets British Chick Lit.  There is substance to her writing and a great escape for any reader.  Although Carrie Goes Off the Map was recently released in December, you can also check out her other two novels--Dating Mr. December and Wish You Were Here.  Happy reading!

Knowing Phillipa Ashley based her hero on our fan-favorite Richard Armitage, how does that shape your reading?  Does it change the way you view the character and make you love them more?

What great questions do you have for Phillipa?

Review: Carrie Goes Off the Map by Phillipa Ashley

In the midst of a dry spell where it comes to actually finishing books, I did have a wonderful reading session with Phillipa Ashley's book Carrie Goes off the Map.  Yes, I have an interview at the end of this week with Phillipa, but I just really like her novels and the great romantic escape they serve up!

Thankfully we're off for the holidays.  It couldn't have come sooner for me.  I still have 100+ essays to read over the break, but I think that with some much needed sleep and R&R, those will feel like nothing!  Also, this will be my first Christmas back on the mainland for about four years.  Every year I've traveled to Hawaii to spend it with my mother, but since she moved home, we'll be spending it at my house this year.  I'm sad to not spend Christmas Eve at a luau or Christmas Day on the beach (or the entire holiday in a pair of shorts and sandals, for that matter), but I am kind of happy that I didn't have to pack everything up this year and will be spending it at my home.  It will be a really nice Christmas.  Trust me when I say that I'll be spending as much time as possible reading!  I can't wait.  Let me, however, share this great read.  It was a great book to start off my holiday.

Synopsis:  Just coming off being dumped by her long time boyfriend and fiance, Carrie Brownhill has to find a way to pull her life together and show herself and her ex that her life isn't over.  At the same time, Matt Landor, MD has just returned from a tropical island, where he had been doing  medical service and just traumatized by an accident that had him shipped home to recoup and repair.  Together, he and Carrie somehow end up in each other's paths to healing.  Strangely, it comes in the form of an antiquated camper and a road trip.  Can a road trip do anything more than cause the travelers to bicker and fight?

Review:  Phillipa Ashley has a fun, lively style to her writing that keeps the tempo moving in her stories, and her characters progressing.  I'm always struck by writers who can get me to care about the main character quickly, and I always seem to feel that way with Ashley's heroines.  In this case, Carrie could be any woman who has been dumped by her man/fiance.  However, her situation seems compounded by feelings of all the time she lost and for being played a fool.  It's not as if the relationship fizzled out and they both knew it wasn't right, it was like being jilted and left the outsider and the unwanted.  All you have to do is add a main male lead character who is charismatic, attractive, aloof, and a Mr. Darcy comparison, and you have a real recipe for sure romance.  

Whatever it is about a woman who has been scorned and left aside that draws a man in, I'll never quite understand, but we all seem to love  it.  I can't say that I know of anyone who has done that in real life (gotten together on the back of a nasty split, although I know they exist), but there is something appealing about having that resolution.  This story isn't an easy get together though.  Much of the story is spent traveling the countryside, as Carrie and her handsome doctor, Matt, take a road trip to forget their woes.  As any road trip is bound to do, the two get into their quarrels and eat their fair share of gas station fare.  With that comes short tempers, but also a number of conversations brought on by fatigue and heightened emotions.  

As with Phillipa Ashley's novels, I really enjoyed this newest one.  Carrie's story is one that many women will recognize and see themselves in from start to finish (or at least wish to).

*FTC Disclosure:  This review was based on an advanced copy provided by the publisher.