Review: How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True

How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True

Author: Sarah Strohmeyer
Pages: 320
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: April 23, 2013
Source: YA Books Central for Review

Description from Goodreads:
From Sarah Strohmeyer, author of Smart Girls Get What They Want, comes this romantic comedy about one girl's summer job from hell. Think The Devil Wears Prada set in Disney World.

When cousins Zoe and Jess land summer internships at the Fairyland Kingdom theme park, they are sure they've hit the jackpot. With perks like hot Abercrombie-like Prince Charmings and a chance to win the coveted $25,000 Dream & Do grant, what more could a girl want?

Once Zoe arrives, however, she's assigned to serve "The Queen"-Fairyland's boss from hell. From spoon-feeding her evil lapdog caviar, to fetching midnight sleeping tonics, Zoe fears she might not have what it takes to survive the summer, much less win the money.

Soon backstabbing interns, a runaway Cinderella, and cutthroat competition make Zoe's job more like a nightmare than a fairy tale. What will happen when Zoe is forced to choose between serving The Queen and saving the prince of her dreams?

First Sentence: "There was no getting around the fact that Tinker Bell was a little bitch."

Review:

Y'all, I freaking adored Sarah Strohmeyer's YA debut Smart Girls Get What They Want, and I was very excited to get my hands on  her next YA effort, also given a super long title. What I wanted from How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True (henceforth to be called How Zoe because my fingers are tired) was a light, funny read to combat all the science fiction and dystopian books I've been reading. How Zoe was the perfect little palate cleanser, and just what I needed to read at this moment.

How Zoe is super cutesy. Like, cutesy to the power of kittens dressed up like princesses, okay? It is not, however, set in the 80s and does not involve cotton candy, as the cover seems to suggest. The mood is light-hearted and Strohmeyer's goal is to make the reader laugh and smile. At this point in my reading, I really wanted something sweet and funny, and How Zoe fit the bill perfectly.

How Zoe takes place at a fairy tale-themed theme park, Fairyland. Zoe and her cousin (and best friend), Jess, have gotten coveted internships to work in the park over the summer with 38 other teens. Two of the interns, one male and one female, will win $25,000 dollar scholarships at the end of the summer for being the best of the best and showing that Wow! spirit. Both Jess and Zoe could really use that money, since Jess' parents lost their jobs and have already used up her college fund, and Zoe's family is strapped for money due to her late mother's medical fees.

Fairyland serves as the perfect set up for romantic drama, because it's 40 attractive kids away from home for the summer. Plus, there's mystery and backstabbing and general rule-breaking. Yes, it's a bit silly, but that's totally the point. How Zoe is a great readalike for Strohm's Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink or Sales' Past Perfect, both of which take place at historical reenactment towns, and, personally, it's my favorite of the three.

What I like best about Strohmeyer's YA novels is that, though romance is a big part of them, she doesn't spend all of her time on that. She really highlights the importance of female friendships and of reconsidering first impressions. Though Jess and Zoe don't get to spend too much time together through the course of the book, because Zoe's role keeps her so busy, Zoe always keeps Jess' well-being in her thoughts. Never at any point does Zoe resent Jess for being the princess-type, while she's not. Jess and Zoe are totally supportive of one another at every turn, and it's so great to see healthy female friendships in YA.

My only real complain with How Zoe is the ending. The last chapter feels rushed and infodumps a ton of information on the reader. What could have been a cool twist ends up feeling way too neat and rushed. Plus, the whole resolution seems a bit unlikely, even in the context of the story. Why would Zoe have specifically been chosen for this? How could it have been in play the whole time and what if it fell through? Both the conclusion and the romance, while decent, would have been much more satisfying with a bit more time put into them.

Even more than in Smart Girls, How Zoe is a fluff book. If you're looking for something with a dark center or deep themes, How Zoe is not going to be your book. However, if you're looking for a fast-paced read full of heart and humor, you can't go wrong with Sarah Strohmeyer's YA novels. I know all of her future YA efforts will continue to end up on my to-read list!

Rating: 3/5

Favorite Quote: "'Really, whoever you are, your puns are pun-ishment enough.'"

Review: Austensibly Ordinary

Austensibly Ordinary

Author: Alyssa Goodnight
Pages: 320
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date:January 29, 2013
Source: Author for review

Description from Goodreads:
Steamy, funky, and thoroughly modern, Austin, Texas isn’t much like the gardened country estates of Jane Austen’s work. But there might be a few similarities in its inhabitants…

Cate Kendall is no stranger to daydreams of brooding men and fancy parties—after all, she teaches one of her beloved Jane Austen novels in her English classes every year. But as for romance or adventure in her own life, the highlight of most weeks is Scrabble with her cute coworker, Ethan, and he draws the line at witty banter. But Cate is ready for a change. When she finds a mysterious journal that seems to have a link to the soul of the great Jane Austen herself, she knows it’s her chance. And she grabs on with both hands…

Before she knows it, Cate has invented an alter ego with an attitude, attended some seriously chic soirees, and gotten tangled up with a delicious mystery man. And she’s uncovered enough unexpected secrets about Ethan that her Scrabble partner has taken to brooding looks and unfathomable silences. It’s a positively Austenite predicament, and Cate is sure she’ll land in hot water and heartbreak—but maybe not with Jane herself to guide her…

First Sentence: "'What does it say about me that I'm jealous of the lives of fictional characters?'"

Review:

Yet again the universe rewards more for not writing an author off after one uninspiring experience. In preparation for reading this, I read Goodnight's first book to which this is a companion, Austentatious. While I did enjoy reading Austentatious, I really wasn't wowed by the book either, and had assorted issues therewith. Goodnight has improved so much, and Austensibly Ordinary turned out to be an utter delight from start to finish.

Since I read predominantly for character, a heroine can make a big difference. Though I didn't dislike Nicola, I didn't relate to her particularly either, though. Cate Kendall, though, I love. She's sassy, silly and completely ridiculous. Where Nicola spent much of the book endlessly considering the scientific possibilities of the journal, Cate takes things much more at face value. Plus, Cate's funny and a little bit crazy. Her character came through much more strongly. Not only that, but I got a much better feel for her family and friends as well, which gave the novel a broader impact.

Another wonderful change from Austentatious to Austensibly Ordinary is that I think the Austen references have been much more pertinently used than before. Austensibly Ordinary loosely retells Emma, using the matchmaking subplots to full comedic effect. While this does make the story more predictable, I have no problem with that whatsoever, since shock value is not what readers go to Austen retellings for. Mostly, we go for clever allusions to Austen, which I found in spades here.

The common thread weaved through these two books is a magical journal, a bit of magical realism, supposedly possessed by the spirit of Jane Austen. When a person writes an entry in the journal, "Jane" erases all but a few words, leaving a pithy, vague, fortune-cookie-fortune sort of message for the reader. These pieces of advice nudge the heroine in the right direction eventually, but they're so vague that the heroine generally takes some major detours along the way, much like Jaye does in episodes of Wonderfalls. While Cate does use and very much enjoy the journal, she does not obsess over it the same way that Nicola did. Taking a step back and leaving the journal as a fun little aside from time to time was the right choice in my opinion.

Like Emma, Cate makes some really stupid romantic decisions along the way, perhaps even dumber ones. However, you're so much in Cate's head that, even though you want to shake her, you can understand why she had to see a particular situation through. Basically, she's confused and a lot of things change that she was in no way prepared to handle. Also, I did not mind her action as much because she did act, coming up with plans to make her way through confusion, rather than whining about her inability to decide. I like my heroines proactive.

The romance here really worked for me. Cate's Mr. Knightley is nerdy deliciousness. I mean, seriously, sign me up for one of those. *waits* There relationship has a firm foundation and is one that I can really imagine lasting, rather than some sort of instalove disaster doomed to imminent failure. Also, these two have mad crazy sexual tension that comes out of nowhere and I love that. The scene when they first get together consists of much swoon. Though a departure from Austen's format, I liked that the novel didn't end immediately after the couple managed to find their way to one another.

If you liked Austentatious, you're sure to love Austensibly Ordinary. If you didn't or were on the fence, I still think it might be worth your while to give Goodnight another chance. I deem Austensibly Ordinary to be a delightful romance, with Austen-y goodness and a bit of fantastical silliness.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Quote: "'That's what friends do,' he said, taking another pull on his beer and keeping his tone matter-of-fact. 'They warn you off unsuitable men. Men have a way of impairing your judgment—I call it the Darcy Effect. Bad manners and mediocre good looks and you think he's a worthy specimen. Turns out he's more like a bug. So I dissect him.'"

Review: Austentatious

Austentatious

Author: Alyssa Goodnight
Pages: 320
Publisher: Kensington
Source: Library

Description from Goodreads:
In this quirky, sexy novel set against the lively, music-filled backdrop of Austin, Texas, a young woman learns that romance can wreak havoc with even the best laid plans. . .

It started innocently enough. While browsing in one of Austin's funky little shops, Nicola James is intrigued by a blank vintage journal she finds hidden among a set of Jane Austen novels. Even though Nic is a straight-laced engineer, she's still a sucker for anything Austen-esque. But her enthusiasm quickly turns to disbelief once she starts writing in the journal--because somehow, it's writing her back. . .

Miss Nicola James will be sensible and indulge in a little romance. Those twelve tiny words hit Nic like a thunderbolt, as if her diary was channeling Austen herself! Itching for a bit of excitement, Nic decides to follow her "Fairy Jane's" advice. The result: a red-hot romance with a sexy Scottish musician who charms his way into Nic's heart in about five seconds flat.

Sean MacInnes is warm, funny, and happens to think Nic is the most desirable woman he's ever met. But a guy like Sean doesn't exactly fit into her Life Plan. With no one but Fairy Jane to guide her, Nic must choose between the life she thought she wanted--and the kind of happy ending she never saw coming. . ..

First Sentence: "As the song goes, there are 'miles and miles of Texas.'"

Review:

Ever since I first read Pride and Prejudice, back when I was somewhere around twelve or thirteen, I've been an unmitigated Austen fangirl. Dear readers, I know that right now, you are probably all either pumping the air in sisterly solidarity or rolling your eyes at how trite it is to be obsessed with Jane Austen. For me, there can never be anything remotely hackneyed in appreciating some of the wittiest, best-written literature ever composed, so you can say what you want, but you will not change my mind. As part of my obsession, I simply cannot resist any of these Austen-inspired novels, be they spin-offs, retellings, continuations, or merely quirky Austen-referencing romance novels, as is the case here. No matter how many bad ones I read, and believe me I've read some serious stinkers, I keep coming back for more. Thankfully, Austentatious proved to be entertaining and not to fall anywhere near the designation of 'stinker.'

The basic premise here is that Nicola James, scientist and Austen fan, has always lived her life according to plan. She does not believe in wasting time on Wentworths or Crawfords, and does not intend to step foot outside her carefully ordered life. In her early- to mid-twenties, Nicola's focusing on her promising career and has no interest in getting bogged down in a relationship just yet, as it might distract her and derail her from her ambitions. Life, of course, has other plans, because this is a romance novel; in real life, not being distracted by romance is laughably simple.

Nicola's character proved a bit difficult for me to really relate to, largely because I think the launching off point of the story should have been a bit earlier than it was. Because we meet her only just as her life is about to be thrown into chaos, we really only have Nicola's assertions, backed up by her friends', about how her life used to be. We don't get to see her being a capable scientist at work or turning down a possible romantic prospect because he doesn't fit her timeline. Nor do we really have any idea what her Plan looks like in detail or why men can't be a part of it. Personally, I think a prologue of her thirteen-year-old self creating the plan, and why the plan means so much to her, might have been really helpful in establishing her character.

Anyway, she finds this weird little journal at an antiques shop and buys it to give as a present. Then she spills on it, thus deciding to keep the journal for herself. She writes an entry and heads off to bed. Later, when she opens up the journal, she discovers that most of her entry has been erased, leaving only these words: "Miss Nicola James will be sensible and indulge in a little romance." Basically, this diary has apparently been channeled by the spirit of Jane Austen and wants to be her matchmaker or fairy godmother.

Listen, as I've already stressed, I love Austen, but I thought the Austen references were a bit weak, and not that well thought out. The quote-a-day Austen calendar was well-used, but the other references were mostly just to characters and really did not feel especially apt. I mean, Nicola compares Sean, her love interest, to Darcy, and he just is NOT a Darcy. I like him well enough, embarrassing tendency to serenade people in places not intended for such activities aside, but nothing about his personality says Darcy; he's outgoing and flirty, and convinced from moment one that he wants to be with Nic. Calling him a Darcy is a serious Austen gaffe. He's closest to Henry Tilney actually, though with a good dose of Willoughby or Crawford (only not the asshole bits). The journal's snippets did not read like Jane Austen either. I would have been happier had the journal been just a random spirit that Nicola chose to think of as Jane, rather than it actually being Jane, because that felt wrong to me.

Nicola did definitely need an invasion of excitement into her life, and a sexy Scottish man certainly fits the bill. I do like him as an influx into her life, to keep her from crushing on that awful boring guy at her office, but I'm not convinced of their compatibility. Of course, I might have more faith in their relationship if they weren't confessing love after just a couple of days. Instalove automatically lowers my belief in your actual feelings, guys. Go for it, by all means, but you do not need to be in love before you can decide to make space in your lives for one another. Try each other on for a while first, okay. Austen's heroines didn't immediately fall in love, did they? No, they didn't, except for Marianne, and we ALL know how that turned out.

Though I obviously had a lot of issues, Austentatious was an entertaining and quick read. Some of my three star reviews just come out sounding a lot more negative than they really are, but, honestly, this is one of the better Austen-inspired books I've read, if not in the use of said Austen. A lot of my problems stemmed from Nicola herself, and I hope that, in the next installment, I'll be able to relate more to the heroine. So far, I would recommend these books more for chick lit readers than hardcore Austen fans.

Rating: 3/5

Favorite Quote: "After that, I slid into a dream involving a field of heather and some carelessly tossed skirts—it was impossible to tell whose, because he was most definitely wearing a kilt."

Audiobook Review: Size 12 and Ready to Rock

Size 12 and Ready to Rock
Heather Wells, Book 4

Author: Meg Cabot
Narrator: Sandy Rustin
Duration: 10 hrs, 4 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Source: Harper Audio for review

Description from Goodreads:
Heather Wells used to be a teen pop sensation...until her label dropped her for gaining a few extra pounds, and she walked in on her boy-band boyfriend Jordan Cartwright banging her pint-sized popstar replacement, Tania Trace. In the aftermath of this debacle, the last thing Heather expected were the plus-sized sparks that flared with Jordan’s big brother, Cooper.

But now that Heather and Cooper are ready to tie the knot, she’s determined to keep her new job at New York College’s aptly-nicknamed “Death Dorm” from throwing a wrench (and the many other deadly little surprises it’s thrown in the past) into her happily-ever-after plans. (Maybe not the “ever after” – Heather and Cooper have learned to take the words “until death do us part” very seriously!)

Now, in SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK, it’s summer break and the campus is quiet. But that doesn’t mean Heather can relax…because that ambulance she just saw pulling up in front of Death Dorm is there for none other than Tania Trace, now married to – and pregnant by – Heather’s ex…who just happens to be covered in his wife’s bodyguard’s blood.

Just another day at Death Dorm – or has America’s hottest couple got a deadly secret? Soon Heather’s dodging photo-hungry paparazzi and squealing fourteen and fifteen year-old pop star protégés after the first-ever Tania Trace Rock Camp – with its own reality film crew – checks into the dorm. But when one of the producers of Tania’s reality show checks out – on a gurney – it’s clear murder wasn’t taking the summer off.

Can Heather get estranged brothers Cooper and Jordan to bury the hatchet – before someone buries it into Cartwright Record’s biggest star? If the “reality” is that saving Tania’s life is what it takes to get her ex out of her life – and Cooper firmly into it, once and for all – Heather Wells is ready to rock, roll, and right some grievous wrongs!

Review:
When I saw Meg Cabot speak at the Decatur Book Festival last weekend, she spoke about her goals as an author. Unlike some, she doesn't try to write in an effort to win literary acclaim; she writes to entertain. She hopes her books will bring joy and fun into the lives of children, teens and adults. Well, I, for one, think she is entirely successful in this regard and the number of books she's sold indicates that there's a real market for that. She does just for fun books with the best, ranking with Janet Evanovich as an author that I pretty much always enjoy even if I don't get any deeper lessons from her books.
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I have to admit I was a bit concerned about Size 12 and Ready to Rock. It had been so long since the last Heather Wells book, which came out when I was in college, and I didn't remember the series feeling unfinished. When an author revives a series that was closed, it tends to be a mistake. The opening chapters of Size 12 and Ready to Rock upped my levels of concern that this would not be as good as the previous books. It starts with an overly melodramatic scene in which Heather gets shot with a paintball and thinks she's dying. Add to this the fact that she and Cooper are hiding their engagement, making me fear that he's going to turn out to be an awful guy all of a sudden, and some discussion of babies, and I was rolling my eyes.

Thankfully, Meg Cabot didn't take the story down any of those entirely obnoxious plot paths I thought might be coming. I should really have more trust for Meg, given how many of her books I've enjoyed. Heather Wells does have a tendency to melodrama, as the first scene suggests, but that's just who she is and it's part of what makes her a fun main character. I had just forgotten what she was like since I hadn't read one of these books in years. Once I settled into the rhythm, I was able to sit back and enjoy Cabot's humor and characters.

Jordan and Tanya have a much larger role in this one. Jordan is Heather's ex-boyfriend and Cooper's brother, which makes the engagement awkward. Cabot pulls off the Heather having dated brothers thing well, without making it feel completely absurd. I wanted to hate both Tanya and Jordan and was ot thrilled at first that this book's mystery centered around them, but it turned out to be totally amazing.

If you loved the first three Heather Wells books, get excited because there are even more coming after this and they are just as good. If you haven't read them, go start, assuming you enjoy fun. The Heather Wells books are an excellent read-a-like for Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books.

Performance:
This was my first time listening to a Heather Wells book; I read the first three. While the format change was at first a bit disarming, I ended up being pleased with my decision, though I'm sure it would have been fun to read this one as well. With the action and the humor, though, this was a good choice for the audiobook format. I listen on and off while doing chores, and I always looked forward to getting to listen to another chapter or two.

Sandy Rustin does a great job, and is one of the narrators I've been most impressed by so far in my audiobook experience, which, admittedly, is somewhat limited. She does a marvelous job with accents. I loved the way she read for Magda and Sarah. In fact, all of her voices were great, though I wasn't a fan of the Cooper voice. Her voice fits well with Heather Wells' character, sort of chirpy and optimistic.

Size 12 and Ready to Rock was a pleasure on audio, so, if you enjoy listening to books, I highly recommend this one.

Rating: 4/5

Willoughby - Patrick Doyle (from Sense & Sensibility)

Mr. Darcy Forever
Austen Addicts, Book 3

Author: Victoria Connelly
Pages: 314
ARC Acquired from: Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley

Description 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.

First Sentence: "Sarah Castle wasn't in the habit of blindfolding people, but her sister's twenty-first birthday was a delightful exception."

Review:
This chick lit Austen spinoff is very Sense and Sensibility meets The Holiday. I previously read and reviewed Dreaming of Mr. Darcy, the prior book in this series (although the books are not particularly interrelated so far as I can tell). I am happy to report that this one is as charming, for a Jane Austen and chick lit fan, as the former.

The older sister, Sarah (the Elinor), has a pretty severe case of OCD, which is why she's so incredibly fastidious. This is a really interesting take on the character of Elinor, who is, excepting Fanny Price, arguably the most boring of Austen's heroines. I like her, but she's definitely reserved. Interestingly enough, I just read another Austen-inspired novel (Compulsively, Mr. Darcy) which did a modern take on P&P with Darcy suffering from OCD. Thankfully, this one's better.

The story alternates between the sisters' trip to Devon for Mia's 21st birthday, where they get to stay in Barton Cottage, and three years later, when the sisters, now estranged, both go to the Jane Austen festival in Bath. How they lost touch is learned slowly. These switches between time worked effectively. Although most of the broad plot is clearly recognizable as Sense & Sensibility, Connelly does make some derivations from the Austen novel. To my mind, these were nice additions, allowing for the modernization of the tale and for her to make her own story.

However, I do want to point out that there is some serious instalove going on here in all sorts of places. Of course, you can see that sometimes it doesn't work out, but that sure doesn't stop these ladies from 'falling in love' within a matter of days again. Sigh. Will people never learn?

Now that I know that people can actually rent the building used as Barton Cottage for Sense & Sensibility, I have a new vacation dream to add to my list. Oh yeah, also that Jane Austen festival. Now to find a friend that would go with me...and the money and time with which to do it.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Quote: "'Novels can tell us so much about life. They have the power to enrich our own lives in so many different ways. They're not just for entertaining us, although that would be enough.'"

Bathwater - No Doubt

Dreaming of Mr. Darcy
Austen Addicts, Book 2

Author: Victoria Connelly
Pages: 351
ARC Acquired from: Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley

Brief Summary:
Having lost her mother and a good friend in a short span of time, Kay is done with Hertfordshire, home of her favorite hero, Mr. Darcy. Now, everything's coming up Wentworth. She moves to Lyme Regis and purchases a lovely B&B, conveniently named after Wentworth. Even better, her first guests, who show up before she's even opened the place, are the main cast and crew for a new film adaptation of Persuasion, including the swoon-inducing Oli Wade Owens, playing Captain Wentworth. Unfortunately, heroes aren't always what you expect them to be.

Review:
Kay is a full-blown Austen fanatic. I have it pretty bad myself, thus the reading every spinoff I can get my hands on, but she's worse than me. Thus far, I have managed to avoid owning multiple copies of each of her books just because I love the different covers. Anyway, with this in common, along with a tendency to daydream and romantic expectations set way too high because of our dear Jane, I had every expectation to like Kay. And I did, initially. However, after a pretty short while, she pissed me right the hell off.

Why? Because she's so stupid. I get that she's swooning over Mr. Sexy Movie Star and all, but who would ever be interested in him after hearing about all of his conquests, and even having seen him leave someone's room in the morning. How can you convince yourself there's true love involved after that? She just jumps from one thing to another because she can't bear to be alone. Kay should see a shrink, because her behavior is not healthy.

Okay, rant over. As Jane Austen spinoffs go, I thought this was a pretty good one. It's light and fun with a nice ensemble of characters. I particularly liked Gemma, and Adam was a sweetheart. This makes for some good chick lit, whether you're a Jane Austen fan or not. If you aren't though, you will probably be tempted to give her a try afterwards though. Or not, what with all the discussion of how she messes you up for life because you want a man like that. (Speaking of, where is my Henry Tilney?) My main complaint about her writing is an overabundance of the word 'whilst.' This does not make you sound Austen-esque, and I really don't think Brits say that word constantly. Seriously, all the time.

Also, I would really love to watch the adaptation they made in the movie. There are two already that I have seen, but neither has quite captured the novel for me.

Rating: 3.5/5

"So why do we choose the boys that are naughty?
I don't fit in so why do you want me?
And I know I can't tame you...but I just keep trying"

Let Me Live - Queen

You're (Not) the One

Author: Alexandra Potter
Pages: 371
ARC Acquired from: Penguin via NetGalley

Brief Summary:
Ten years ago, during her student days, Lucy Hemmingway took a trip to Venice and fell in love with an American student studying abroad there. Their time together was magical and, when they parted, they kissed under the Bridge of Sighs while bells rang, in an aim to fulfill an old legend which would mean that they would be together forever. Of course, this is real life, so Nate married someone else and Lucy, now living in New York (rather than her native London) is still single and hung up on Nate, who she believes was The One. Then, they meet by chance and fall in love all over again. And promptly fall out of love again. Only the legend will not let them part. What do you do when the One just won't leave?

Review:
When I was in high school, I just ate up chick lit. I read pretty much any chick lit novel I could get my hands on, and loved most of them. I envied the romance, the sex, the adventures, and liked to pretend I would get to experience such things some day. As I got older, though, I found that I no longer had a taste for such unrealistic plot lines, which just help to feed high expectations and disappointment with the real world.

You're (Not) the One is about as unrealistic as they come, but in the very best way possible. This definitely falls into the category of chick lit novels that rock, even to my older, more critical eye. For one thing, the whole story is delightfully tongue in cheek. Everything is over the top and poking fun at itself. Plus, the whole theme is that sometimes you do get it wrong. Love at first sight does happen here, but it turns out to be a different kind of love, not the good kind. It also doesn't hurt that Lucy is British. I just love the lingo.

This novel definitely has a bit of a Sarah Addison Allen type feel to it, as it has some very light, subtle, adorable magical realism woven throughout. I loved the way the Legend of the Bridge of Sighs functioned in the story and how it all played out. The legend chases Nate and Lucy in incredibly hilarious ways, like jukeboxes and facebook. Really the only thing/person I did not like was Nate, which is okay, because the title tells you right from the beginning that he's not going to work out.

Chick lit is not for everyone, but if you're willing to give it a go, this is definitely an excellent one. Recommended to fans of reading about real life, only with a dash of magic thrown in.

"So let me live (so let me live)
Let me live (leave me alone)
Let me live, oh baby
And make a brand new start"

Touch Me - The Doors

White Tiger
Dark Heavens, Book 1

Author: Kylie Chan
Pages: 386 (for the story alone); 414 (with extras)
ARC Acquired from: HarperCollins via NetGalley

Brief Summary:
Emma is an Australian living in Hong Kong, where she teaches English to the children of wealthy families. Sick of her annoying boss, Kitty, Emma quits and gets hired on to work full time for the sexy and mysterious Mr. Chen as nanny to the sweetest little girl ever, Simone. From the get go, Emma has had a huuuge crush on her employer, but he's obviously got secrets and no one will tell her what they are. Even more frustrating, he keeps acting like he might like her too, but not following through. What's a nosy girl to do?

Review:
Well, I haven't read an adult fantasy romance in a while. This one was pretty interesting and, by and large, I enjoyed it, but I do feel compelled to mention that this is more about the fantasy and less about the romance (in the harlequin, sexy fabio on the cover sense). If you are in this for sexy scenes, you will be woefully disappointed. They have to happen sometime, but not yet.

The plot of this novel was largely setup, with little actually resolved, although there is a definite narrative arc to it. The characters were interesting, but didn't quite resolve into entirely real people for me, particularly Mr. Chen and, to a lesser degree Emma. Possibly the disconnect is because of the parts of themselves they do not yet know? Whatever the case, I do like pretty much everyone and hope that their story turns out well.

I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that this story has a lot of Chinese mythology in it, about which I know a grand total of nothing. Reading a story set in a different mythological base was really refreshing, not that I don't dig my Greek myths. I also loved reading about wholly different cultures (Hong Kong and Australia).

While this one did not blow me away, I am seriously curious to check out the next book/s in the series, because I so want to find out what's going to happen. What's the deal with Emma? Does she have some sort of power or is she just awesome? Will she and John ever be able to be together for real?

Today's song choice is a little mean considering, but I could not resist. The weather stuff and all seemed so appropriate. Plus, this is what Emma's thinking through pretty much the whole thing. :-)

"Yeah! Come on, come on, come on, come on
Now touch me, baby
Can't you see that I am not afraid?
What was that promise that you made?
Why won't you tell me what she said?
What was that promise that you made?

Now, I'm gonna love you
Till the heavens stop the rain
I'm gonna love you
Till the stars fall from the sky for you and I"

Ache for You - Ben Lee

The Peach Keeper

Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Pages: 273
Publisher: Bantam

Brief Summary:
Willa Jackson moved back home to Walls of Water when her father died and left her the house. A prankster in school for reasons she never really understood, she felt guilty for having failed her educator father. Paxton Osgood, on the other hand, seems to have everything totally under control, just like she did in high school. She heads up the Women's Society Club, which performs charitable work while also giving the classy local ladies a chance to show off. Then again, Paxton still lives at home and has fallen in love with her best friend, who, she's pretty sure, is gay. Both Willa and Paxton are in for some surprises when the restoration of the old Jackson family home by the Osgood family unearths some family skeletons (literally).

Review:
The Peach Keeper is Allen's fourth novel, but only my second of hers. I read her first book, Garden Spells, last year and positively adored it. This one definitely did not disappoint and has convinced me that all of Allen's books will need to make their way into my personal collection at some point. Even though I do not normally care for southern fiction (ironic that, being a southern girl myself, Allen does it perfectly. The fact that the stories are set in the south both do and do not define the stories (which I realize is super unclear, but I know what I mean). The characters do not drawl everything, but there is a southern-ness that I can't really explain.

What makes Allen's work shine amongst other chick lit books out there is the magical realism. There is always an element of magic, not the Harry Potter kind, but magic all the same. It's a magic that, as the term suggests, is accepted as natural, and really does seem to be. The magic has a subtlety and possibility to it that makes me really want to believe that the real world is Allen's world.

Plus, there's the romance. I do not read too much chick lit anymore. At some point, it just stopped actually striking me as particularly romantic or believable. Allen's romances are quite simple. They don't try to surprise you too much; you know who's going to end up with whom, which frankly you pretty much always do. Again, the delightfulness of the romance stems from the sheer cuteness and the chillness of it. There is no bodice ripping or exuberant sex scenes, and yet you can feel your heart do little happy skips. Or maybe that's just me.

Although I think I preferred Garden Spells a bit overall, I still loved reading The Peach Keeper. I highly recommend Sarah Addison Allen to fans of chick lit and to people who really want to believe that love and magic really exist.

"There's no rhyme and there's no reason
You're the secret in the back of my skull
There's no logic, so please believe me
Our love's confusing, but it never gets dull"

This Love Affair - Rufus Wainwright

In Office Hours

Author: Lucy Kellaway
Pages: 255
ARC Acquired From: Hachette Book Group via NetGalley

Stella is in her mid-forties, happily married with two children, and seriously successful at work. She is the only female executive at AE, a big oil company. Bella is in her late twenties/early thirties, a single mom, and works as a personal assistant (also at AE). Bella's boss, Julia, is fired because she had an affair with another man at the company. The story is told alternatively from both of their perspectives. The similarity in their names seems unnecessary in the context and leads largely to confusion; it's not like the parallels between their lives would have been difficult to see without this connection.

I expected this to be a chick lit novel about office romance. Although chick lit has not been my genre of choice for a number of years, a good one here and there can be quite enjoyable. Office romances are a bad idea in general, but it's not like they don't happen. Still, this could have been a different book.

This novel seems to suggest three things.

1. Adultery happens. A lot. At least, if you're high-powered in a company.
2. Age gaps are hot. Successful women will date younger men and successful men will date younger women.
3. Women cannot focus on work in the midst of an affair, but men can.

The last of the three is the one that really pisses me off. During Stella's affair with her subordinate, he still manages to get his job done, but she mentions many times how little she cares about work compared to her trysts. She constantly skives off work for a rendezvous and is extremely non-productive. Despite that, she gets promoted and receives accolades for her excellent performance. Is this because even when half-mad with obsession she does amazing work or because the standards for female employees are lower and no one notices? Meanwhile, Bella seems to do very little, as her position was created so she can stay in the department with her cheating boss. She constantly invents reasons to go to his office and sends whiny text messages wondering why he is cold to her at the office.

Bella and Stella both obsess about their men constantly. The men certainly seem interested too, but are they really agonizing over whether a text message ends with an x? I just could not deal with how childish and absurd all of the people in this book were.

"I don't know where I'm going
But I do know that I'm walking
Where?
I don't know
Just away from this love affair"