Another great chick lit, only this one is actually written by a MAN. Whodda thunkit?
Cassandra French, attorney, is fed up with the dating game. In fact, just about the time she's ready to throw in the towel, she has an extraordinary idea: What if there were a finishing school for boys? You know, something to turn all the mama's boys and die-hard bachelors into marriageable material? Outrageous as it sounds, Cassandra does just that. Yep, she turns her basement into a finishing school for three men she considers promising.
There's just one catch - her "students" are held against their will. You can only imagine the antics that French faces, tutoring the unwilling, and keeping a lid on her secret school.
Don't be deterred by the very pink cover - I guarantee you will be entertained by this one.
I haven't read much of Grisham's work in the past few years. While he is a very talented writer with a smooth command of the English language, my original intent was to cast a negative spin on this blog entry. In retrospect, I felt that wasn't fair or objective. Taking a step back in time (the memory is a dangerous thing!), I remembered the thrill of reading his early novel, A Time to Kill. I devoured that book as if I would never read again, and followed it with several more of his works. And I'm pretty sure I enjoyed every single one, until I reached The Rainmaker. For whatever reason, I lost interest at that novel. Ironically, I have read several since then and enjoyed them as well.
To be fair, Grisham is a master story teller, and I have to give the man his due. His books are easy to read, if not somewhat predictable. A Grisham novel is certainly an easy way to while away a rainy afternoon.
Verdict: Comfortable reading, but a bit on the "cookie-cutter" path for my tastes. On a positive note, there are plenty of Grisham books to choose from. And, who knows, maybe he'll lead you to my favorites, Cornwell and Lescroart, as well.
This book is going to make one heck of a chick flick some day!
Annie Freeman was quite the woman. Part rebel, part pioneer, she's the kind of person who leaves an imprint on everyone she meets. When Annie dies of ovarian cancer at the age of 56, she leaves one last, over-the-top request of her five dearest friends. She asks that they band together for a 10-day, cross-country trip to scatter her ashes in the six places that meant the most to her during her life. And, to make sure they do, she has her ashes delivered to her oldest friend, stuffed inside her favorite pair of sneakers. She also foots the bill.
Thus begins a journey between five women who know each other only through their mutual friend; a journey filled with tears and laughter, and a great deal of wine, that culminates in a bond of friendship and incredible life lessons. The first of it's kind, the "Traveling Funeral" makes its mark as these women go from place to place, all sporting their own pair of Annie's trademark high-top, red canvass tennis shoes and red bandannas in honor of their friend.
Radish has crafted one of the most touching, thoughtful, and hilarious novels I've read in ages. I'll recommend this one to women from all walks of life. It is insightful and inspiring in ways that only women can appreciate, without being overly sappy. We should all be so lucky as to encounter an Annie in our own lives.
Those of you who know me well can guess exactly why I snagged this book off the shelf. I was looking for a lighthearted, easy read for the plane ride to San Antonio, and this was the perfect fit.
Sarcasm is an art. Some of us use it expertly, others simply can't pull it off. Notaro falls in the expert category. Simply by observing the behaviors of those around her (and, perhaps, mixing in a few of her own irrational fears), this woman churned out 226 pages of comical absurdities.
Half Bridget Jones, half Carrie Bradshaw, with a healthy dose of sarcasm, Notaro showcases the lack of common sense in our world in a manner sure to make you laugh. It's a great rainy-day read and was the perfect diversion as I sat next to Sneezy Man on the first leg of the plane ride.
Another great chick lit, only this one is actually written by a MAN. Whodda thunkit?
