Monday, May 09, 2005
book twenty-one
Sushi For Beginners
by Marian Keyes
Another fluff chicklit book. This book is about Lisa, a tough-as-nails magazine editor who gets "promoted" from London to Ireland to start up a new Irish fashion magazine. She thinks it's the end of the world because she was counting on getting a job in Manhattan.
Ashling works for Lisa at the Irish magazine. She has a good friend Tom who decides to become a stand-up comedian in order to meet girls. Through him, Ashling meets Marcus Valentine...
Anyway, the storyline is pretty complex, but the upshot is, people's lives change and it's funny. Plus, they use "pants" as sort of a mild swear word, which is beyond amusing!!
by Marian Keyes
Another fluff chicklit book. This book is about Lisa, a tough-as-nails magazine editor who gets "promoted" from London to Ireland to start up a new Irish fashion magazine. She thinks it's the end of the world because she was counting on getting a job in Manhattan.
Ashling works for Lisa at the Irish magazine. She has a good friend Tom who decides to become a stand-up comedian in order to meet girls. Through him, Ashling meets Marcus Valentine...
Anyway, the storyline is pretty complex, but the upshot is, people's lives change and it's funny. Plus, they use "pants" as sort of a mild swear word, which is beyond amusing!!
Labels: book reports, chicklit
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
book eighteen
Little Earthquakes
by Jennifer Weiner
Okay, you should be getting the drift of how these go now: borrowed from Coworker L*, thought it would be fluffy, was actually quite good.
The narrator is a woman named Lia who went to Hollywood at 18 to make it big, but has returned to her hometown under slightly mysterious circumstances having undergone some kind of loss. She observes a group of women in the park who are all expecting babies...
...and then the next several chapters of the book follows the stories of the pregnant women, the births of their babies, and the ways their lives change following the babies' arrivals.
The characters are all clearcut individuals without being "the smart one!" "the cute one!" or any dopey stereotypes like that. While the ending of the book is a little too neatly tied up, it doesn't feel unrealistic. I found myself liking the characters and wanting to know more about them. I will definitely read more of Jennifer Weiner's books. Now I can see why Pamie keeps raving about her. (Also, her blog is entertaining.)
by Jennifer Weiner
Okay, you should be getting the drift of how these go now: borrowed from Coworker L*, thought it would be fluffy, was actually quite good.
The narrator is a woman named Lia who went to Hollywood at 18 to make it big, but has returned to her hometown under slightly mysterious circumstances having undergone some kind of loss. She observes a group of women in the park who are all expecting babies...
...and then the next several chapters of the book follows the stories of the pregnant women, the births of their babies, and the ways their lives change following the babies' arrivals.
The characters are all clearcut individuals without being "the smart one!" "the cute one!" or any dopey stereotypes like that. While the ending of the book is a little too neatly tied up, it doesn't feel unrealistic. I found myself liking the characters and wanting to know more about them. I will definitely read more of Jennifer Weiner's books. Now I can see why Pamie keeps raving about her. (Also, her blog is entertaining.)
Labels: book reports, chicklit
book seventeen
Me Times Three
by Alex Witchel
Another chick lit book borrowed from Coworker L*. After reading the first chapter (on the treadmill, naturally), I thought I knew what the book was going to be like. It is revealed in the first chapter that the main character's fiance is actually engaged to two other women as well as her. So I assumed it would be a completely fluffy (anti)romance book.
But it ended up being a much more honest portrayal of a woman's life. It wasn't only about her (ex-)fiance - it was also about her job and her friends and her parents and her gay best friend and AIDS in the 80s and dating and all kinds of stuff.
The ending was a little stilted, but not unbelievable. I would try the author's other books, too.
by Alex Witchel
Another chick lit book borrowed from Coworker L*. After reading the first chapter (on the treadmill, naturally), I thought I knew what the book was going to be like. It is revealed in the first chapter that the main character's fiance is actually engaged to two other women as well as her. So I assumed it would be a completely fluffy (anti)romance book.
But it ended up being a much more honest portrayal of a woman's life. It wasn't only about her (ex-)fiance - it was also about her job and her friends and her parents and her gay best friend and AIDS in the 80s and dating and all kinds of stuff.
The ending was a little stilted, but not unbelievable. I would try the author's other books, too.
Labels: book reports, chicklit
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
book fourteen
Can You Keep a Secret?
by Sophie Kinsella
Coworker L* is feeding me her stash of fluff books as she finishes them. I use them as motivation at the gym. This one was quite entertaining!
The main character is a young woman working in advertising. She has a boyfriend and a roommate and a slightly hysterical internal dialog. Or should that be "dialogue" since she is British? Anyway, she ends up on a plane seated next to a handsome stranger, and when they encounter severe turbulence, she panics and pours out all her secrets to the stranger in fear that she will die and no one will ever know her innermost thoughts.
After she returns to work, it is revealed that the handsome stranger is none other than the American founder of her company. Hilarity ensues. No, really, it's pretty hilarious. This isn't a deep book by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a fun read and kept me distracted from the treadmill.
by Sophie Kinsella
Coworker L* is feeding me her stash of fluff books as she finishes them. I use them as motivation at the gym. This one was quite entertaining!
The main character is a young woman working in advertising. She has a boyfriend and a roommate and a slightly hysterical internal dialog. Or should that be "dialogue" since she is British? Anyway, she ends up on a plane seated next to a handsome stranger, and when they encounter severe turbulence, she panics and pours out all her secrets to the stranger in fear that she will die and no one will ever know her innermost thoughts.
After she returns to work, it is revealed that the handsome stranger is none other than the American founder of her company. Hilarity ensues. No, really, it's pretty hilarious. This isn't a deep book by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a fun read and kept me distracted from the treadmill.
Labels: book reports, chicklit
