Book Review: Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper

Review: Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever
Series: Jane Jameson – Book 3
Author: Molly Harper
No of Pages: 324
Release Date: 29 December 2009

UNEXPECTED UNDEAD BREAK-UP

Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire Gabriel has always been unpredictable, but the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of the international vacation, coupled with his evasive behaviour over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow – alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.

Now the children’s-librarien-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colourful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby…or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her new hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is suddenly becoming a matter of life and undeath…

My Thoughts:

Jane just keeps getting better.

Jane gets off the plane after possibly, maybe being broken up with by her boyfriend Gabriel, but she’s not entirely sure if they have officially called it quits yet. What spurred her final decision was the need to get back to her shop which has been broken into and trashed, Gabriel’s lack of interest only made it that much easier. Now she has to deal with her best friend’s pregnant wife, and an extremely irritating relative of Dick and Mr Wainwrights.

Jane continues getting better and better. She swoons, and she isn’t ashamed of swooning, but she refuses to be a doormat, and actually follows through with that unlike so many women in fiction who are getting walked all over without even realising it and spouting about how they are emancipated beings and all that. Jane says no to Gabriel and although she has all of the normal reactions in crying, bingeing on junk and sappy girl movies she doesn’t go running back to Gabriel as soon as he snaps his fingers and I absolutely love it.

Dick is also only getting better as we see more of him, he is tender hearted and treats Jane like a sister, but still is able to turn around and make jokes at her expense – come to think of it, like a sister – he is also the one who really helps Jane through her breakup by identifying her male tendencies, so he takes her out to get blind drunk and in a fight which is exactly what I would do. Dick is also showing another side of himself when around Andrea and although we are seeing through Janes eyes, we can clearly see how much he loves her in his actions.

Harper’s writing is only getting funnier as far as I am concerned, I had more laugh out loud moments with this book than I had with the previous two, only not by much. Harper’s writing is consistently good, drawing you in with wit and feeding you enough drama so that you won’t let go.

I also love how Jane’s world is kept within Jane’s world, the scene has been set in Half Moon Hollow and the story stays there, Janes vacation was out of the picture and we only re-joined the story after she got back, it makes for easy reading because I already have the layout in my head rather than creating a whole new set.

Jane’s stories are comfortable and funny. I know I can dive in and be faced with life threatening situation in an easy, hilarious way. There is no heaviness that comes with this story, you go in feeling like crap and you come out happy, you go in happy and you still come out happy which is exactly why I can’t wait for the next book in this series because Jane Jameson is good for a laugh.

Also in this series:
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men

Book Review: Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy

Review: Accidentally Dead

Series: Accidental Friends – Book 2

Author: Dakota Cassidy

No of Pages: 339

Release Date: 1 July 2008

NINA ALWAYS LOVED THE NIGHTLIFE.

It’s a lousy first day on the job for dental assistant Nina Blackman when a patient, loopy from anesthesia, bites her. At least he was cute. But for real drama she can’t beat the next evening. Nina wakes up with a set of razor-sharp fangs, bionic vision, supersonic hearing, and a taste for blood. There must be a good explanation. There is. It’s her patient, Greg Statleon.

SHE JUST NEVER EXPECTED TO BE THE NIGHTLIFE.

A visit to his Long Island castle hardly results in a cure. Greg claims there isn’t one. Unfortunately, Nina isn’t wild about her lifestyle change – or the danger that goes along with it. She’s determined to prove this infuriating vampire wrong. It’s a shame he’s so irresistible. It’s a bigger shame that he’s dead. On the other hand, they’re perfect for each other – if Nina‘s willing to commit to one man for eternity.

My Thoughts:

Accidentally Dead was very lucky it didn’t find a home on the DNF pile it started so bad.

Nina was accidentally bitten by a vampire when he went to the dentist to get his tooth fixed. After rejecting any sort of notion that she will never be human again and trying to find a way to turn back she not only has to find a possibly evil vampire who could help her, but she also needs to content with her growing feelings for her maker.

Accidentally Dead was basically a replica of The Accidental Werewolf only with vampires. Girl gets bitten by something supernatural in under far-fetched circumstances, girl rejects what she has been turned into, girl falls for supernatural that turned her and accepts her new life.

Now it’s probably lucky that I can barely remember what happened in The Accidental Werewolf  apart from the general gist of the story because I was pretty sure I liked Nina in that story. Now? Not so much. Nina was a vile potty-mouthed idiot who developed a crazy notion that Greg was evil and didn’t want to give her humanity back so he could control her for his evil plan to take over the world.

But it wasn’t really Nina or any of the other characters I had a problem with. It was the whole premise of this book and the way it was written.

I don’t really want to know what Cassidy’s word document looked like but it must have looked like an ode to Christmas with all of the red and green lighting up the page. Words like “hawt” “dayum” and “gawd” marred every page. Swear words were as frequent as the word “the” and yet halfway through everyone decided to change their vocabularies (especially Nina) to incorporate words like “Flip-off” and “B-word”. If you’re going to swear, at least be consistent with it.

The whole premise of Accidentally Dead though goes against not only normal vampire lore, but the books actual lore. Greg’s tooth was hurting, but no one ever finds out why he can’t heal himself or why there are no late night dentists closer than an hour away from his home. Then we also go back to stupid Twilight vampire logic that one bite makes a vampire, which is wrong on so many levels, because how would normal not blood baggie drinking evil vampires feed without turning everyone they feed from? I’m pretty sure we didn’t have packaged blood from willing donors five hundred years ago.

Then we have the stupidity of the 500 year old dusting which states that if you don’t mate with another vampire before you turn five hundred you die – this rule by the way has been around since before the beginning of time according to vampires. So of course Greg who has never turned another vampire must either mate with an evil chick no one likes or Nina who he turned a few weeks ago and barely knows, or die. I really want to see this relationship 100 years down the track.

Like I said, it’s not so much the characters themselves I have a problem with (they can’t help how they’re written) but the plot driving the story is pathetic. I don’t mind swearing, I do mind the butchering of the English language and I am surprised I finished this book, although it may come down to a mild case of OCD, but I will definitely not be continuing on with this series.

Others in this series:
The Accidental Werewolf
The Accidental Human
Accidentally Demonic
Accidentally Catty

Book Review: Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper

Review: Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men
Series: Jane Jameson – Book 2
Author: Molly Harper
No of Pages: 376
Release Date: 25 August 2009

FOREVER A BRIDESMAID, NEVER AN UNDEAD BRIDE

Once a devoted children’s librarian, Jane Jameson now works at a run-down occult bookstore. Once a regular gal, she’s now a vampire. And instead of a bride, she’s an eternal bridesmaid – which leads her to question where exactly her relationship with her irresistible sexy sire, Gabriel, is headed. Mercurial, enigmatic, apparently commitment-phobic vampires are nothing if not hard to read. While Jane is trying to master undead dating, she is also donning the ugliest bridesmaid’s dress in history at her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding. Between a freaked-out groom-to-be, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and Zeb’s mother, hell bent on seeing Jane walk the aisle with Zeb, Jane’s got the feeling she’s just rearranging the proverbial deck chairs.

Meanwhile, Half Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow, Jane’s Grandma Ruthie, has met her match in her latest fiancé. He smells like bad cheese and has a suspicious history of dead spouses. But Jane’s bitting her tongue. After all, would a nice girl really think she has a future with a vampire?

My Thoughts:

Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men was a hilarious follow up to Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs.

Jane is helping out with Zeb and Jolene’s upcoming wedding preparations, not only does she have to wear the ugliest dress in history to comply with the don’t outshine the bride on her wedding day rule, but she also has to attempt to keep the peace between Jolene’s family and Zeb’s mother.

Jane was once again side-splittingly funny. Her antics in Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men were hilarious, from her nail-polish concoctions to her pot-pie hoards. I was a bit disappointed in her when she nearly gave up on the book store though, and loudly expressed my relief when she went back again.

Gabriel was in a way, a disappointment for me. He was a typical male. Solving problems with sex and being all-round distant, he was keeping secrets and being a little rude. Then turning around and telling Jane that he loves her. It was almost like a normal relationship, and in a way it infuriated me because there was no stability in that relationship. I want to read about people that don’t have to worry about whether or not the guy is going to call back, and yet at the same time I’m thanking Harper for writing the romance this way because it shows us that vampires have normal uncertain relationships as well.

Dick once again played a huge part in the way of comic relief, he also provided Jane with a sense of stability in her life through his friendship and I’m glad Jane recognized that instead of taking advantage of it.

Although Jane’s world is full of vampires, werewolves and ghosts who have as normal a dating scene as what the living seem to, her life is still surprisingly normal. Jane goes about her everyday life which really hasn’t changed that much, as she pointed out when she spent a whole night watching DVDs on her couch with no one to talk to. She still has money woes occasionally and family issues with her insanely meddlesome family and absolutely psychotic sister she has a boyfriend who she wants to trust but can’t quite seem to because of his weird absences and of course her friend who is normal most of the time, but sometimes has lapses in judgement like any normal male.

Harper’s writing is consistently good in Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men, not only was it absolutely hilarious, but it also flowed and drew one in to the point that you didn’t want to come back out, I want to go and live with Jane her world is so vivid. I want to work in her shop and talk with her and her friends.

Harper turned what could have been a boring or even absurd situation with Zeb’s wedding and turned it into something engaging and witty. I absolutely cannot wait to start Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever.

Also in this series:
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Nice Girls Don't Live Forever
Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbours

Book Review: Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper

Review: Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs
Series: Jane Jameson – Book 1
Author: Molly Harper
No of Pages: 355
Release Date: 31 March 2009

UNEMPLOYMENT SUCKS

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children’s librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that’s sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer, shot and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-coloured cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.

Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favourite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She’s forced to forgo her favourite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn’t enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What’s a nice undead girl to do?

My Thoughts:

Jane Jameson is probably one of the funniest protagonists I have ever read.

Jane has just been fired from her beloved library, so she does what any despairing bookworm would do – she goes out, gets completely hammered and strikes up a conversation with the guy next to her.

If becoming a vampire isn’t enough within her first few weeks Jane is accused of murdering another vampire by setting him on fire which lands her in deep trouble with the vampire council.

Jane is one of the funniest heroines I have ever read I think, her mannerisms are so relatable (well to me anyway) and she is an all-round genuinely good person. Her biggest issues in her life are trying to keep her mum off her back for living alone and not being married, and of course, overdue library books.

Her antics as a newly turned vampire are hilarious. It’s not often that I find a book that has that new vampire smell, they are always old and powerful and rich. Jane is young, poor and has a tendency to cling to ceilings.

Harpers’ writing is absolutely incredible; everything is completely seamless from Jane’s transition to vampire and keeping a consistent running dialogue in her head full of funny quips and witty observations. Harper wasn’t at all jerky or awkward and amazingly she pulled off being absolutely hilarious and putting Jane in completely ridiculous situations and just carrying on as if the reader isn’t rolling around laughing.

The plethora of secondary characters only complemented the hilarity of the situation. Gabriel the vampire sire whom Jane had a simple – non eternally committing – relationship with, her mother who is the perfect incarnation of many over-bearing, controlling mothers, Zeb the cute best-friend who helps Jane test out her abilities by convincing her to jump off her two storey roof and Dick Cheney (not the real one) put in for purely comedic relief and occasional information was the perfect complement to Jane.

Jane’s story was simple, at first I didn’t know where it was going, how can you make a story out of a new vampire? (I hadn’t read the back of the book at the time) And even with the vampire investigation going on as well as Jane trying to adjust to her best friend occasionally trying to kill her to test out her new abilities nothing was too over the top. You don’t have an incessant need to get to the end to find out whodunit but rather you just enjoy the story each time you delve into its pages. Jane’s story is a journey, not an ending, and even the ending is simple and short lived.

I absolutely loved Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, it was funny, simple and well written and I can’t wait to get my hands on Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men.

Also in this series:
Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men
Nice Girls Don't Live Forever

Book Review: Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

Review: Dead as a Doornail
Series: Sookie Stackhouse – Book 5
Author: Charlaine Harris
No of Pages: 295
Release Date: 25 April 2006

Sookie Stackhouse enjoys her life, mostly. She’s a great cocktail waitress in a fun bar; she has a love life, albeit a bit complicated, and most people have come to terms with her telepathy. The problem is, Sookie wants a quiet life – but things just seem to happen to her and her friends. Now her brother Jason is about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. She can deal with that, but her normal sisterly concern turns to cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local shifter population.

She’s afraid not just because Jason is at risk, but because his new were-brethren suspect Jason himself may be the shooter. Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who’s behind the attacks – unless the killer decides to find her first.

My Thoughts:

This series just keeps getting better.

Sookie has more than one mystery to solve this time around with not only someone murdering shifters and seemingly blaming Sookie’s brother Jason for doing it, but an appeal from Alcide the werewolf also arises to help his father in his bid for pack master.

Sookie just keeps getting better and better, and she is so real as well. I was a little disappointed in her when she considered being with Bill again – I mean come on, he cheated on her! – But in a way, it was her first love; there is a bond there that for her at least, will never be broken. Her jealousy over Bill’s new girlfriend was hilarious, and I am sure that many have felt the exact same way when we were confronted with ex’s and their new partners as well.

Although I loved Alcide in Club Dead and really wanted him and Sookie to get together, in this I was really disappointed with him. He was manipulative, pushy and just plain rude at times. There was no courtesy regarding what Sookie might be feeling or if she really consented to being involved with the pack like she was, he only cared about his father. Which is far enough in a way, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of those you supposedly care about. He came on way too strong in Dead as a Doornail, sure Sookie was in need, but wanting her to live with him and barely knowing her is a bit much, even for a supernatural creature. I am proud of Sookie when she kept her head straight with regards to Alcide and his advances, people may think Sookie to be dumb, but she is actually incredibly intelligent when she has her moments, which only adds to her character.

Eric was as lovably scary as always, doing favours for Sookie in exchange for information about their time together when he had amnesia. He may be a conniving, manipulative fiend but as he plainly stated to Sookie, unlike others at least he’s honest about it. It’s what makes his character that much more likable, sure he’s a bad guy in some ways, but he’s upfront about the fact and he’s not afraid or ashamed of getting what he wants by using any means necessary.

This series is consistently good. Going in you know what to expect, you know there will be vampires, werewolves, death and a lot of blood, but Harris writes this series with a light heart. You don’t go into Sookie’s world and come out feeling like crap because of all the bad that’s happening. You come out with Sookie’s attitude of keeping a smile on your face and continuing on, but this series isn’t heavy anyway.

For the massive amount of death and destruction you don’t get depressed, you just keep reading and know somehow it will be better. It’s comforting and safe and that’s why I love this series so much.

I cannot wait to get into Definitely Dead, the next book in this series.

Others in this series:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and GoneDead in the Family
Dead Reckoning

Book Review: Breaking Down by Maia Kinney-Petrucha & Stefan Petrucha

Review: Breaking Down
Series: Papercut Slices – Book 2
Author: Maia Kinney-Petrucha & Stefan Petrucha
No of Pages: 64
Release Date: 29 March 2011

Contained within the pages of this ghoulishly groovy graphic novel are the complete, unauthorized PARODIES of...nightlight, too soon, ellipses and breaking down.

Together these tales from the complete nightlight saga...the tragic, yet somewhat sparkly and movie-worthy, epic love story between Bleh-Bleh and Fredward. But unlike other silly love stories such as “Romeo and Juliet” that merely featured humans, this unforgettable, this seemingly never-ending yarn is complicated by the fact that Fredward just happens to be a...

No, not a rainbow rider...a vampire. Of course, things get even more complicated, and somewhat creepy, when Bleh-Bleh and Fredward meet J-Bob, a werewolf...

Can a flighty, fickle, female, a self-absorbed blood-sucker and a hapless, hirsute hunk find true happiness together? Or is that a stupid question?

My Thoughts:

Breaking Down was a quick, entertaining if slightly odd parody.

Breaking Down is narrated by Bleh-Bleh’s father Duck. He gives us an update on what’s been happening over the last few years and we get to see in pictures how the story unfolds.

Bleh-Bleh is quite true to her Twilight counterpart, being exceptionally dull and dim-witted. It is emphasised here in her addiction of sticking her tongue in light-sockets “for a buzz”.

Fredward and J-Bob have equal panel time to Bleh-Bleh in this parody and it is made quite obvious who the authors think Bella should have ended up with.

We also get a cast of evil child stars (including appearances by the Rugrats, Stewie and Chuckie), super-heroes and quite well drawn renditions of the Volturi.

What kept me entertained about Breaking Down was that all of the questionable things from the Twilight Saga were brought up and emphasized, including but not limited to: Jacob’s imprinting on a child, Bella’s ability to chose the cold, dead, scrawny guy over the hot, live, nice guy, and Bella’s inability to realise that Edward was a dangerous killer.


Breaking Down was odd, it was not what I am looking for in a parody, when I think parodies I think Disc World series, a parody of life but not outrageously so, there is still a story in front of the comedy. This was an obvious jab at all the atrocities of Twilight, it was a weekend comic put together by Petrucha and his daughter and it was funny, it was light and it was quick.

I have still yet to find a parody that I enjoy without thinking “well, that’s just stupid and obvious”, but Breaking Down was an entertaining read for those of us that have read the Twilight series and who will be able to pick up on the major jokes but also a lot of the subtle and well hidden ones.

Breaking Down was a light, funny and playful approach to the Twilight saga.

Also in this series:
Harry Potty and the Deathly Boring

Is it just me? Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney

Am I the only person who seems to have not heard of this book?!

Some vampires are good. Some are evil. Some are faking it to get girls.

Awkward and allergic to the sun, sixteen-year-old Finbar Frame never gets the girl. But when he notices that all the female students at his school are obsessed with a vampire romance novel called Bloodthirsty, Finbar decides to boldly go where no sane guy has gone before-he becomes a vampire, minus the whole blood sucking part.

With his brooding nature and weirdly pale skin, it's surprisingly easy for Finbar to pretend to be paranormal. But, when he meets the one girl who just might like him for who he really is, he discovers that his life as a pseudo-vampire is more complicated than he expected.

This hilarious debut novel is for anyone who believes that sometimes even nice guys-without sharp teeth or sparkly skin-- can get the girl.


****

How cute does this sound? It sounds like it might take a few cracks at Twilight as well...which I am always up for.

Book Review: Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler

Review: Tracking the Tempest
Series: Jane True – Book 2
Author: Nicole Peeler
No of Pages: 350
Release Date: 1 July 2010

JANE TRUE HAS ALMOST COME TO TERMS WITH HER SUPERNATURAL HERITAGE...ALMOST.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and Ryu - Jane's bloodsucking boyfriend - can't let a major holiday go by without getting all gratuitous. An overwhelming dose of boyfriend interference and a last-minute ticket to Boston later, and Jane's life is thrown off course.

Ryu's well-intentioned plans create mayhem, and Jane winds up embroiled in an investigation involving a spree of gruesome killings. All the evidence points towards another Halfling, much to Jane's surprise...

My Thoughts:

Back into the crazy world of Jane True, and the story is only getting better.

Our story picks up about four months on since the end of the last book. Jane is learning how to use her magic and although she hasn’t mastered a lot of offensive magic, she is getting quite good at shields under the watchful eye of Nell the Gnome.

This adventure really starts in Boston after she goes to visit Ryu the sexy vampire. A rogue Halfling is on the loose and death by fire has become a recent occurance in the world of supes. After getting tangled up in the mess and the Halfling taking a liking to Jane she helps out with trying to solve the case.

Jane is once again hilarious with her internal monologue. She is also intelligent enough to spot things overlooked by others. The development of her powers in Tracking the Tempest definitely adds a whole new element to listening to how her brain works.

Ryu I didn’t like in this one, he was very condescending to Jane in front of his collegues and even Jane wondered at a point in time if we were now seeing the real Ryu. He became an arrogant pig and in hindsight makes some of his actions from Tempest Rising a little clearer.

Anyan, completely swoonworthy once again with his all maleness and complete gentleness, with Jane starting to gravitate towards him especially furthering their friendship as he took over her training in Boston was really sweet especially after the way Ryu was treating her.

We also have a plethora of new characters introduced in the form of Ryu’s investigative team. Caleb the pantless satyr was constantly good for a laugh and very adept at healing all of the teams various injuries, Daoud the guy with the general store in his pants and Julian the Halfling recharger were all excellent additions to the cast of characters and I definitely hope to see them reappear later on.

Tracking the Tempest had me in fits of laughter once again with Janes thoughts and the new characters various one liners. The underlying mystery carrying on from Tempest Rising added extra levels to Tracking the Tempest and that mystery alone will have me drooling for more. I once again cannot wait until the next instalment of this awesome series, Tempest’s Legacy.

Also in this series:
Tempest Rising
Tempest's Legacy
Eye of the Tempest
Tempest's Fury

Book Review: Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

Review: Can You Keep A Secret?
Author: Sophie Kinsella
No of Pages: 374
Release Date: 1 March 2005

Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irreplaceable spirit and a few little secrets:

Secrets from her boyfriend:
I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.

Secrets from her mother:
I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while mum and dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.

Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world:
I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.

Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger...Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company’s exclusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her...

My Thoughts:

I loved this so much! It was such a cute, light, entertaining read.

Can You Keep a Secret follows the story of Emma Corrigan a woman of many secrets. Emma is a marketing assistant who is extremely ditzy and on her first big assignment that could earn her a promotion, she sprays the client with Cola.

On her way home from that meeting she has to catch a plane, Emma isn’t a good flyer. After about three vodka and tonics and a glass of champagne, she racks up the nerve to fly. Things even seem to be looking up when she gets upgraded to first class. Seated next to a handsome man in jeans Emma is attempting to sleep through the flight, until the plane starts going down...Thinking she’s about to die, Emma spills all her secrets to the man sitting next to her, everything.

Jack takes a liking to Emma when he recognises her at the office. He feels that he can talk to her properly without the worry of being buttered up because of who he is. From there the drama ensues, Jack teaches Emma that some secrets are ok to be shared by sharing them in a round-about way. But when someone has all of your secrets, something is bound to go wrong...horribly wrong.

I love Emma, she has the whole in the head dialogue going on which is absolutely hilarious, so not only are her quips to her workmates, roommates and family entertaining, but we also have part of what she’s really thinking to go by as well, which makes it laugh out loud funny.

I also liked Jack as a leading male; he was definitely not what you expect of a founder of a company. He was also quick witted with the comebacks and very good at making things happen on the sly. Even after being left by Emma on a date he managed to be the perfect gentlemen by getting the bus driver to drop her straight at her door, which was so romantic.

What I love about Kinsella’s writing is that for being a light-hearted read, she doesn’t skimp on the details and also fleshes out the other characters, namely, Emma’s roommates Lissy and Jemima.

Lissy is the hard hitting lawyer who is a quiet homebody when she isn’t in court and Jemima is a spoilt brat who wants everything, has everything and is constantly sharing her wisdom of how you have to treat a man to get a ring on your finger.

Kinsella is a master, and definitely the go to girl if ever you need a pick me up on a bad day. Can You Keep a Secret is yet another keeper by her and I am definitely looking forward to what wok of hers I can get my hands on next.

Book Review: Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook

Review: Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood
Author: Eileen Cook
No of Pages: 261
Release Date: 5 January 2010

In the final weeks of eighth grade, Lauren Wood made a choice. She betrayed her best friend, Helen, in a manner so publicly humiliating that Helen had to move to a new town just to save face. Ditching Helen was worth it, though, because Lauren started high school as one of the It Girls--and now, at the start of her senior year, she's the cheerleading captain, the quarterback's girlfriend, and the undisputed queen bee. Lauren has everything she's ever wanted, and she has forgotten all about her ex-best friend.

But Helen could never forget Lauren. After three years of obsessing, she's moving back to her old town. She has a new name and a new look, but she hasn't dropped her old grudges. She has a detailed plan to bring down her former BFF by taking away everything that's ever been important to Lauren—starting with her boyfriend.

Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.


My Thoughts:

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood is like Mean Girls, in book form.

Lauren Wood was Helen’s best friend, until she betrayed and humiliated her in front of the entire school forcing Helen to leave the state and start life fresh. Helen was a quiet girl when she left content with her old black and white movies and not really realising that she was being used by her best friend. But when she returns to her small home town and the high school that hated her before she left, she is a completely different person.

Now Helen is back under the name of Claire, and she’s out to destroy Lauren’s life just like hers was destroyed. She needs to steal her boyfriend, make her friends hate her, get her kicked off the cheerleading team and somehow make the whole school laugh at her.

Easy Peasy.

Helen is a funny character, albeit a little obsessed and a touch crazy, she is really likeable. She is completely focused on getting Lauren though, which makes her a bit annoying, but that is the whole point of the story.

I loved the fact that the love interest wasn’t your typical love interest for this general kind of book; he was the mysterious film-maker that no one really took notice of but everyone seemed to be talking about. Instead of the star quarter back that seemed to be the cliché interest at the start of the book.

Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood was a very feel good tale, and it was written in a way that doesn’t make you hate Helen for her revenge plan but understand her and also feel a little sorry for her in the process. It teaches us that not all friends are worth it and although sometimes revenge can go too far, a bit of cheese in a vent and a couple of missing buttons off a shirt isn’t all that dangerous.

I devoured Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood and anyone who did like Mean Girls like I did, will find this book laugh out loud funny.

Book Review: The Accidental Werewolf by Dakota Cassidy

Review: The Accidental Werewolf
Series: Accidental Friends - Book 1
Author: Dakota Cassidy
No. of Pages: 326
Release Date: 5th February 2008

COLOUR ME BITTEN...

Marty Andrews is havin a bad week. First, she;s bitten by a mangy mutt while walking her teacup poodle. As a result, her salon-perfect blonde hair begins darkening by the day to something thats's sooo not in her colour wheel. Her moodswings have turned her into The Hormonal Hulk. Worse yet, the hair on her legs is rowing at a rate even a body slam into an entire vat of wax couldn't cure. Last, and most important, her dream job as a sales rep for Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics is going to hell in a handbasket...

The only high point is Keegan Flaherty, the drool-worthy man who shows up at her door. Of course, he's clearly insane. Keegan claims that he accidentally bit Marty, and since he's a werewolf, she is now, too. Read meat cravings aside, Marty refuses to believe a word until a kidnapping makes her realize there's more at stake that her highlights. And she must put her out-of-control life in the hands of the man who makes her blood run wild in more ways than one...

My Thoughts:

This book is an absolute scream!

I had so many laugh out loud moments that I had to control myself from loud outbursts when I was reading this at work.

Marty at the start isn't a very likeable character. She's a work-aholic, who only seems to care about make-up and her little poodle. But as the story progresses we see her deeper side, and her funny side which make her as loveable as Muffin, the poodle with small dog syndrome. I love Marty's development, from self-obsessed Betty-Sue zombie to caring, nurturing and considerate pack member. I also loved that through this transformation she didn't lose her edge.

Keegan is absolutely delicious. He's all man with a soft side that only comes out when Marty strikes him at his most vulnerable times. He's a hard man who's hard to read and even harder to connect to, but in this case it only adds to his sexiness.

The Accidental Werewolf is a predictable novel, but the way it got to the finish we knew was coming was extremely entertaining. The fights with Keegans ex, the sit downs with his family, who were so welcoming to something so new to them, and to her poodle.

The plot may not be the strongest, but it didn't stop The Accidental Werewolf from being a completely enthralling tale. I think what also help it along was the language. The style of writing that Cassidy uses was very modern. She uses slang, true accenting of words and the characters talk like real people. It's as if you are literally watching a bunch of chicks on the street having a conversation.

Cassidy didn't confine herself to literary tems or language, and she pulled it off very well. I think this is what made The Accidental Werewolf so enjoyable, because it was on my level, and in my language. It is what made me devour so quickly and eagerly await the next book in this series.

Warning: This book does contain some explicit language and sexual material.

Others in this series:
Accidentally Dead
The Accidental Human
Accidentally Demonic
Accidentally Catty

Available at:
Amazon
Book Depository

Book Review: Bro Code by Barney Stinson

Review: Bro Code

Author: Barney Stinson

No. Of Pages: 195

Release Date: 1 October 2009

 

Everyone’s life is governed by an internal code of conduct. Some call it morality. Others call it religion. But Bros in the know call this Holy Grail the Bro Code.

Historically a spoken tradition passed from one generation to the next, the official code of conduct for Bros appears here in its published form for the first time ever. By upholding the tenets of this sacred and legendary document, any dude can learn to achieve Bro-dom.

Praise for Barney Stinson – from the ladies

“Stinson sure knows how to use his pen.” – Lisa, shared a cab

“It’s a little rough in the beginning, but once you see all the magnificence packed inside, you won’t ever want to put it down.”  - Katie, Lost Tourist

“I’ll be honest – I was a little worried when I saw the length, but don’t worry – it’ll grow on you.” – Carolyn...Carol?, Met outside Yoga

About Barney, By Barney

Barney Stinson is a handsome and available Renaissance man best known for blowing up the blogosphere with www.barneysblog.com. Barney plays 83 different musical instruments, holds the record for the most weight ever calf-pressed, has flown a fighter jet around the world blindfolded, ranks first in the world in laser tag and good looks, invented that chariot thing for crippled dogs, and currently serves on the board of a Fortune 500 company, which is why he probably won’t answer your calls.

My Thoughts:

Book Review: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Review: Twenties Girl

Author: Sophie Kinsella

No. Of Pages: 432

Release Date: 21^st July 2009

LARA HAS ALWAYS HAD AN OVERACTIVE IMAGINATION.

Now she wonders if she is losing her mind. Perfectly normal twenty-something girls just don’t get visited by ghosts! But inexplicably, the spirit of Lara’s Great Aunt Sadie – in the form of a bold, demanding, Charleston-dancing girl – has appeared to make one last request: Lara must track down a missing necklace Sadie simply can’t rest without.

Lara’s got enough problems of her own. Her start-up company is floundering, her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, and she’s just been dumped by the love of her life.

But as Lara spends time with Sadie, life becomes more glamorous, and their treasure hunt turns into something intriguing and romantic. Could Sadie’s ghost be the answer to Lara’s problems – and can two girls from different times end up learning something special from each other?

My thoughts:

Book Review: Nightlight: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon

Review: Nightlight: A Parody

Author: The Harvard Lampoon

No. Of Pages: 154

Release Date: 11 March 2009

About three things I was absolutely certain.

First, Edwart was most likely my soul mate, maybe.

Second, there was a vampire part of him – which I assumed was wildly out of his control – that wanted me dead.

And third, I unconditionally, irrevocably, impenetrably, heterogeneously, gynecologically, and disreputably wished he had kissed me.

And thus Belle Goose falls in love with the mysterious and sparkly Edwart Mullen in the Harvard Lampoon’s hilarious send-up.

Pale and klutzy, Belle arrives in Switchblade, Oregon, looking for adventure, or at least and undead classmate. She soon discovers Edwart, a super-hot computer nerd with zero interest in girls. After witnessing a number of strange events – Edwart leaves his chips untouched at lunch! Edwart saves her from a flying snowball! – Belle has a dramatic revelation: Edwart is a vampire. But how can she convince Edwart to bite her and transform her into his eternal bride, especially when he seems to find girls so repulsive?

Complete with romance, danger, insufficient parental guardianship, creepy stalkerlike behaviour, and a vampire prom, Nightlight is the uproarious tale of a vampire-obsessed girl, looking for love in all the wrong places.

My Thoughts:

Teaser Tuesdays - 19/1/2010

Currently Reading: Nightlight: A Parody - The Harvard Lampoon

"Then I decided to really fight. I jumped up to kick Josh in the butt. I got kind of embarrased mid-kick though, so it ended up being more of a timid toe-tap. His butt cheeks juggled, unscathed, sending me backwards into the empty grave he had come out of."

Teaser Tuesday is the brain-child of Should be Reading