A Short Break

Hello Fellow Readers,

I will be taking a short break from Whymsy Likes Book, to spend some time with my family and attend my sister-in-law’s wedding.  But never fear I shall return on September 7, 2012 hopefully refreshed and ready to share some new finds with you.

Whymsy

The Sweet potato Queens’ Book of Love by Jill Conner Browne★☆☆☆☆

Damn it, where’s my ice cream?

Non Fiction – Comedy – Chick Lit

240 pages

Publication Date:  January 19, 1999

Written by their leader Jill Conner Browne, this book is meant to be a humorous guide to the life philosophies of the Sweet Potato Queens; a group of Southern Belles from Jackson, Mississippi who make their annual appearance during the Jackson St. Patrick’s Day parade since the 1980s.  This group of sassy women, dubbed as the only female drag queens that they know of by Browne try to live life with gusto and purpose.

When I started this book I was ready to have a good time.  I was looking for a light, easy read with a high entertainment factor for the weekend, however, it never happened.  After a slow start I tried to keep the faith, but by page 65 my faith dwindled down to nothing.  This book was always on the verge of being funny, but never crossed the threshold.  I thought with chapter titles like: Men Who May Need Killing, Quite Frankly or What to Eat When Tragedy Strikes, I was in for treat, but I never was satisfied.  I wanted an ice cream sundae, but all I got was the bowl!

SBN13: 9780609804131

Girls in Love by Jacqueline Wilson ★★★☆☆

Boyfriends, diets, and being cool … growing up is hard to do.

Fiction - YA Chick Lit

Reading level: Ages 12 and up

160 pages

U.S. Publication Date:  2002

Girl’s #1

Thirteen-year-old Ellie returns from a dreary holiday in Wales to start grade nine with her two cool best friends, gothic Nadine and stylish Magda.  Arriving at school to find out Nadine has a much older boyfriend Ellie feels left out and babyish, so she makes up a boyfriend from her twelve-year-old pen pal Dopey Dan and a dishy boy she sees every day on her walk to school.  Ellie feels bad about the lie and wants to come clean, but once Magda ensnares a boyfriend of her own she can’t.  On top of living a lie that becomes more inconvenient with time, Ellie deals with fighting parents, an annoying little brother, staving off the real Dan from visiting London and trying to navigate the shark infested waters of teenagehood.

This is a story about the in between time from child to teenager.  Growing up gracefully is never easy and Ellie and her friends are a prime example of how it really is.  Ellie is not super smart, or beautiful, she is a little chubby and likes to draw, in other words a perfectly average girl making her very relatable.  She admires her friends and can only see her flaws when comparing herself to them.  But not everything is as peachy as Ellie thinks.  Nadine is dating a guy much too old for her who is trying to push her into having sex and Magda is rather wild with no idea on how to reign herself while dragging poor Ellie with her.  I would say these are somewhat familiar scenarios for a lot of people.  This book is a definite tug-a-war between trying to grow up quickly with the constant awareness you might not be ready for what you think you should be doing. 

I found this book cute and humorous.  Wilson deals with some very real subjects, such as sex, drugs, alcohol and self-worth in a way that doesn’t feel heavy and the morals aren’t applied too thickly.  Something to keep in mind for the American reader is the British have a different culture than us and tend to be less Puritanical so beware.  

ISBN13: 9780552551311

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich ★★★★☆

I like it down and dirty!

Fiction – Mystery (Cozy)

320 pages

Publication Date:  January 1, 1994

Stephanie Plum #1

Literary awards:  Anthony Award Nominee for Best Novel (1995), Shamus Award Nominee for Best First PI Novel (1995), Dilys Award (1995), The Crime Writers' Association New Blood Dagger (1995), Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel (1994)  Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel (1995)

Desperation is a great motivator and Stephanie Plum is feeling both desperate and motivated in One for the Money.  Laid off from her job and unemployed for the last six months Stephanie finds herself willing to do almost anything including taking a job as a bounty hunter for slimy cousin Vinnie.  To make things a little sweeter this bounty is for a cop turned murder named Joe Morelli; a man Stephanie has a rather complicate history with.  Sure the last time they met she hit him with her car accidentally on purpose and he may not be too happy to see her, but Stephanie is still almost confident she can handle him.  Even with zero bounty hunting skills, a prize fighter gunning for her and the clock ticking down on her trial week, Stephanie believes she can handle herself, but the question becomes can she handle Morelli too.

Evanovich weaves a sordid tale with a hilarious heroine, Stephanie Plum, who has the tenacity of a bulldog and is incredibly and unapologetically self-aware.  Stephanie is completely lovable, and realistic.  Evanovich has a gift for description whether it’s a person, place, thing, event or emotion, which makes the reader really experience Stephanie’s world.  Through these descriptions the reader is led to understand in an intimate way how Stephanie’s oddball family, the communities of Trenton and her interactions with Joe Morelli shaped her.  Stephanie’s world supported by a cast of colorful characters – Lula(who gains importance as the series moves a head), wacky Grandma Mazur, and mysterious Ranger –takes on a living breathing life of its own. 

I would call this book dirty, but in really good way.  There is nothing clean cut or pristine about it.  This story is completely blue collar and I really liked it.  Usually I’m more into the gentleman thief or savvy investigator type of stuff, but this book was great for the very fact it threw a normal person into odd circumstances and she behaved the way most normal people – with an extra helping of tenacity - would.   I found it very refreshing, smart and sassy and I plan to move right along to the second book.  (I love it when series have been out for a while and there is no need to wait for the next book to come out!)

Side note:  I am now several books into the series and have deemed it worthy enough to add to my Chosen Ones List.

ISBN13: 9780312362089