High Rising by Angela Thirkell

233 pages
Originally published in 1933
Reprinted by Moyer Bell in 2008
Kingston, RI & Lancaster, England

I first discovered the delightfully witty writings of Angela Thirkell when I stumbled upon Wild Strawberries in early 2010. I enjoyed the book so much I checked to see if there were other stories the included the same characters and was pleased to find Wild Strawberries was one of several books in a series! Right then and there I vowed to start at the beginning and read my way through the entire series -- what most know as the Angela Thirkell's Barsetshire Series.

But it was not until mid-spring 2011 that I had the chance to start at the beginning of the series with High Rising. Like Wild Strawberries, High Rising is not a dramatic tale, but instead a comical telling of every-day life in a little English country-side town during the early 1930s.

High Rising centers around Laura Morland, a windowed mother with four sons (three grown and absent from the story), who supports herself and her youngest son, Tony by writing fan-fiction. Included in the story are Laura and Tony's friends, associates, and neighbors who reside in the neighboring towns of Low Rising and High Rising within Barsetshire County. Although nothing much happens in either location the story is driven by the comical escapades of Tony (and at times Laura), a few romances, and plenty of observations on life and human nature by a cast of well-crafted characters -- all of which keep the reader turning page after page.

I found High Rising a delightfully charming and witty story and it didn't take long before I fell in love with the setting and many of the characters. High Rising is a comfort-read that gives one a feeling of nostalgia. It's the type of book I love to pick up and read when I just want to relax and enjoy a good story about people.

My only complaint was with the book edition. It is a reprint, but had numerous type-o's that should have been caught by the publisher (or editor). Because of this I did not bother to purchase a copy of High Rising, but instead borrowed one from my library. I would love to own a copy of this book, it was that good, but I am holding out for either an older (original) edition or correct reprint.

I definitely look forward to reading more in the series and highly recommend High Rising to those looking for a light, entertaining read with plenty of character charm.

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Related Links:

• The Angela Thirkell Society
• Angela Thirkell's Bibliography
• Angela Thirkell's Facebook Fan Page
• Happy Birthday Angela Thirkell

• The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell (Reviewed)
• Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell (Reviewed)

Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

501 pages
Published 1935 by Gollancz
Reprinted by Harper Collins Publishers in 1995
New York, NY

It's no secret, I love a good mystery read. And yet somehow I had managed to get nearly three decades into my life with books without once picking up a novel by Dorothy L. Sayers. That is, until this year when several of the ladies in my book club strongly encouraged our group to not only read Gaudy Night, but to add it to the very limited list of books we read and discuss together. I knew then and there I had to read something by Dorothy L. Sayers. A book coming with such strong recommendation from readers I respect and admire, I knew must be indeed a worthwhile read.

For those that don't know much about Sayers' mystery novels, Gaudy Night is the tenth book in the Lord Peter Wimsey detective series. It varies slightly from the earlier books in the series in that the plot revolves around mystery author Harriet Vane, a friend of Lord Peter's, with Lord Peter taking a supporting role to the story. Having absolutely no background in either the character's lives or the previous cases solved within the series I thought I might be in for a bit of confusion, but I was not. Although references to earlier cases, particularly Strong Poison are made, these are subtle and do not distract from the present story. In a way, Gaudy Night could probably be considered one of the few stand-alone reads within a series if one chose to read it that way.

The plot:
Famed mystery writer Harriet Vane returns to her alma mater (an all female college) for reunion of sorts, which will include the annual "Gaudy" celebrations. Harriet initially has second thoughts about making the trip, but after the weekend turns out well she quickly dismisses such thoughts... Until she  discovers a poison-pen type note in the pocket of her gown that she wore during her stay. This she soon learns is not the only one of its kind. The dons of the college contact Harriet asking for her assistance in solving a real mystery -- who is the lunatic behind a string of malicious pranks, poison pen letters and nasty graffiti that has been spread around the college following the Gaudy Night. The only problem is the dons want to keep the matter out of the press and yet there is a sense of urgency that the mystery must be solved before someone is seriously injured... Hoping to avoid scandal and further problems Harriet begins to investigate, but quickly turns to her friend Lord Peter Wimsey for help in clearing the names of some of her beloved teachers.

My Thoughts:
I truly enjoyed Gaudy Night. It was a good mystery read. Although, I confess, I did solve the "whodunnit" about 125 pages before the end, which I count an accomplishment as the mystery was a definite puzzler. I found the story well plotted, well written, and overall fascinating on so many levels.

On the surface you have a mystery. Below that there are discussions and thought provoking conversations that revolve around issues of the day like social class, feminism, a woman's education, and the advantages of marriage and single-hood, career and family. Of course to further enrich this novel there is also a love story and plenty of charm and wit to keep the reader laughing and turning the pages.

Yes, this is a Harriet Vane story, but it is contained within the Lord Peter Wimsey series and Lord Peter's presence is certainly felt within the book even when he is physically absent from the scene. It didn't take long before I knew I had to read the rest of the series. I just loved Lord Peter and Harriet Vane.

Gaudy Night is a quotable, meaty story, but also a thrilling and completely satisfying mystery. Definitely a must-read for mystery fans or those looking for a good English read from the early part of the 20th century, but don't just take my word for it, go get a copy and discover for yourself!

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Related Links:

• Online Gaudy Night annotations by Bill Peschel (for those of us who need help w/ Latin quotes and other classical references)
• The Dorothy L. Sayers Society (UK)
• HarperCollins Publishers: Dorothy L. Sayers
  
• Open Library: Dorothy L. Sayers

At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern by Myrtle Reed

353 pages
Published in 1905 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
New York and London
The Knickerbocker Press

It's been a long time since I've reviewed a Myrtle Reed novel. I was first introduced to Ms. Reed in 2009 by a good friend who is also an avid reader. For those unfamiliar with Ms. Reed's writing, she was a best selling author at the turn of the last century who wrote mostly novels, but also dabbled in the art of cook books under the pseudonym, Olive Green.

Ms. Reed's novels are best known for their sweetness and charm as well as their sharp wit and social commentary. Although they are classified as "romance" they are by no means brainless fiction. Ms. Reed weaves together a cast that is both diverse and real-to-life. There is always some moral or social lesson to be taken from the story, but it is served in a way that makes the read more enjoyable rather than turning the reader away.

At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern was published in 1905 and was Ms. Reed's ninth book published and probably one of her funniest.

The Plot:
As the novel opens newlyweds, Harlan and Dorothy Carr arrive at their new home, a strangely built house dubbed by locals: the "Jack O'Lantern." Harlan and Dorothy, who inherited the house and surrounding farm from Harlan's recently deceased Uncle Ebenezer, quickly settle in to their new home, all the while puzzling over the numerous mysteries that surround the house, including a number of bedrooms that appear to have been built haphazardly onto the main house.

Who was this Uncle Ebenezer that Harlan never met and why did he leave the bizarre house to Harlan? The mysteries begin to unravel (and seemingly so does Harlan and Dorothy's marriage) as a number of uninvited guests,who claim to be distant relatives of Uncle Ebenezer, start turning up on the doorstep of the Jack O'Lantern.

What ensues is a summer of bizarre happenings and a mix of hilarious and sometimes painful family scenes, and a few serious moral lessons that all culminate into a most satisfactory ending.

My Thoughts:
I found At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern to be quite different than the other novels by Myrtle Reed that I have read. It seemed much more moralistic, but not in a negative way. In fact, I found the overall story a very enjoyable read. I thought the winding plot was clever and fresh as it kept my interest for the entire book, even through what some might consider the "slow parts." I also enjoyed the character development. As typical Myrtle Reed fashion the characters are diverse with some you love, some you love to hate and some that are just down-right hilarious.

I read somewhere that At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern was adapted to the silver screen in 1922. I imagine it must have been quite a funny and entertaining film, but unfortunately I'll never know, because like so many of the early films it is lost to time and no longer available for viewing.

What I did find while browsing the Internet was a review of this book in the New York Times newspaper from 1905. If you have time be sure to check it out: New York Times Review 1905.

I've now reached the end of Myrtle Reed books that are readily available to me, but there are still at least a half-dozen I've yet to read. As time and funds allow I hope to extend my search and read the rest of her novels. They are charming and entertaining reads that I always enjoy and encourage you to give them a read.

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Related Links:

Read The Book:
Google Books (FREE)
Project Gutenberg (FREE)
Amazon Kindle ($0.99)

Other Myrtle Reed Book Reviews:
The Spinster Book
Weaver of Dreams
A Spinner in The Sun
Lavender And Old Lace
The Master's Violin
Old Rose & Silver

Quotes & Book Teasers:
Tuesday Teaser: At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern
Tuesday Teaser: A Spinner in the Sun
Tuesday Teaser: A Weaver of Dreams
Tuesday Teaser: Lavender and Old Lace
Tuesday Teaser: Old Rose & Silver
Romantic Passages: Old Rose & Silver

Who Was Myrtle Reed?
Wikipedia: Myrtle Reed
Online Literature: Myrtle Reed
Chicago Magazine (Aug 2006): Myrtle Reed

Mrs. Tim Flies Home by D. E. Stevenson

Published in 1952, reprinted in 1974
By Holt, Rinehart & Winston
New York, NY
284 pages

Mrs. Tim Flies Home is the final book in D. E. Stevenson’s four-part Mrs. Tim series. For those not yet familiar with the lovable Hester Christie, a.k.a. “Mrs. Tim” stop reading this review and go read my reviews of Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, Mrs. Tim Carries On, and Mrs. Tim gets a Job. Although the Mrs. Tim books can be read in any order I personally think they are best if read in order of publication. By doing so the reader’s familiarity with Hester and her friends and family grows just as the characters relationships grow and mature with time.

The Plot:
“Leaving Tim (now a colonel) in Kenya, Mrs. Tim flies home to her children for the summer in her beloved North Country. A stopover in Rome allows for the unexpected renewal of an old friendship with Tony Morely – a friendship regarded as highly suspect by fellow passenger Rosa Alston.

Once installed in The Small House in Old Quinings, a host of local characters – some familiar to followers of Mrs. Tim’s adventures – brighten and shadow Hester’s life. Tony Morely turns up, but so does Rosa Alston with her gossipy innuendoes. Mrs. Tim has a trying time with a singularly unpleasant landlady, but two young romances enliven the village, and Mrs. Tim closes her diary on a note of infectious happiness.” (The publisher, Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1974)

My Thoughts:
I had bitter-sweet feelings as I picked up Mrs. Tim Flies Home. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the series and I felt as though I was meeting with some friends for the very last time. And yet, as far as a final book in a series can go, Mrs. Time Flies Home was very enjoyable and tied up a few loose ends nicely and left a few to the imagination of the reader.

As I read I found myself once again marveling at how comforting the Mrs. Tim books are in spite of the simplicity of their plots. Mrs. Tim Flies Home is a charming story filled with witty tales of domesticity in post war (WWII) England. There’s something about the dialogue, narration, and characters that drive the story with the occasional plot twist or intrigue.

I confess my only regret, if I am allowed to have one, is that throughout the series many couples find true love and live “happily-ever-after” including Tim and Hester, but for Tony Morely. Tony was one of my favorite regulars in the series. I just loved his sense of humor and charm and I always hoped, right up to the last quarter of this book, that he would find a woman who could rival Hester for his admiration. But in the end I suppose Stevenson felt it far more romantic and much more Tony-like to leave him a bachelor who remains a very dear friend of the Christie family. In retrospect, I suppose I can accept that.

Overall I definitely loved the Mrs. Tim series. The first in the series was reprinted by The Bloomsbury Group Publishers in 2009. I heard a rumor that they may go on to publish the rest of the series. I hope it's true, because this is one series I definitely am happy to own and to recommend.

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Related Links:

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment - Reviewed
Mrs. Tim Carries On - Reviewed
Mrs. Tim Gets a Job - Reviewed

Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim of the Regiment
Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim Gets a Job
Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim Gets a Job
Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim Flies Home

Happy Birthday D. E. Stevenson

Other D. E. Stevenson books reviewed

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

418 pages
Published in 2010
by Dial Press a trademark of
The Random House Publishing Group
New York, NY

Mini Shopaholic is the sixth in a series of chick-lit/romantic-comedy-of-errors novels by British author, Sophie Kinsella.

The Plot:
"Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true a shopping friend for life! But it's trickier than she thought as two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping. She can create havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks to her own christening. She hires taxis at random, her favourite word is Mine, and she's even started bidding for designer bags on eBay. On top of everything else, there s a big financial crisis. People are having to Cut Back including all of Becky's personal shopping clients and she and Luke are still living with Becky's Mum and Dad. To cheer everyone up, Becky decides to throw a surprise birthday party on a budget but then things become really complicated. Who will end up on the naughty step, who will get a gold star and will Becky's secret wishes come true?" (Summary courtesy of Sophie Kinsella's website.)

My Thoughts:
I've said it before, I'll say it again. When it comes to reading I view books like one might view food. Some books are the appetizer, others are the entree, and still others are like a dessert. One cannot have a healthy diet if all you eat is why type of food, there must be balance. And so it is with reading. I try to balance out my reading by partaking in some classics, some biographies and non-fiction, and even some light-fluffy chick-lit from time to time.

The Shopaholic series is one such chick-lit that I've surprised myself by liking. When I first came upon the series in 2008 I had mixed feelings. I found Becky's story very funny and compelling and yet some of the choices she made really stressed me out. I know this is how a lot of readers feel, but unlike those who ditched Becky half-way through her first catastrophe I actually stuck it out. In some odd twist of irony I actually found myself interested. I had to know what happened next. And after the first book I picked up the second. It didn't take long before I discovered a pattern within the novels:

1. The story opens and we see Becky has a situation.
2. Becky tries to fix things, but gets into a mess.
3. Becky gets further into the mess.
4. When all else fails suddenly she's able to come out of the mess and everything works out just fine.
5. Happy ending promising the next installment.

Not to say this pattern should be interpreted to mean the Shopaholic series are brainless works of fiction because they are not, but neither are they meaty works of literature. Overall I've found them to be entertaining. A mix of modern comedy, romance, and lessons learned. The fun of the story is all in contained within Becky's latest adventure... so long as you can put up with all the drama.

I do have some objections to some aspects of these novels, but considering the world-view of the characters (and the author) nothing is a surprise. Readers should be wary that since this is a British novel there is a smattering of profanity that is a bit stronger than most American novels of the same genre. There are some other adult-content references within the story, but for the most part the story remains clean.

All in all, if you've read any of the Shopaholic series (or seen the 2009 film adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic) and enjoyed them and especially if you've made it as far as the fifth book (Shopaholic and Baby) you really must read Kinsella's latest, Mini Shopaholic.

For those of you who have tried to read, but given up on Becky, I'll just say don't bother I know you won't enjoy it.

And for those who have already read Mini Shopaholic, you probably already know that it isn't the end of Becky's story. I suspect in a year (or two) there will be a seventh addition to the series, which I confess I plan to read.

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Reviews of Sophie Kinsella's books & Related Links:

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Can You Keep A Secret by Sophie Kinsella
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

The Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella: (read in 2008 prior to this blog)
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Shopaholic And Sister
Shopaholic and Baby

Other chick-lit novels I've read and reviewed.

Bedtime Reading Anyone?

A friend linked to this the other day and I thought it was just too funny not to share.

Mrs. Tim Gets a Job by D. E. Stevenson

282 pages
Printed in the United States
in 1947 by J. J. Little and Ives Company
New York

It really says something about an author when they not only succeed in writing an enjoyable read the first time, but then go on to succeed in telling it further in a second and third installment. Such is the case with Mrs. Tim Gets a Job, the third story in the Mrs. Tim series by D. E. Stevenson.

The Plot:
"With Tim still with the Regiment in Egypt, Mrs. Tim begins to feel the need of something to occupy her time. But when she jokingly remarks to an acquaintance that perhaps she should "do something," that chance remark brings Mrs. Tim more than she had bargained for. She finds herself working for Miss Erica Clutterbuck whose English Border home has been turned into a small hotel. Here at Tocher House one amusing situations after another develops, with the incomparable Mrs. Tim always unhappily in the middle. Here too are new and entertaining characters that are welcome additions to the Tim circle. Like the earlier books, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment and Mrs. Tim Carries On, the story is told for Tim, and quite unconsciously it shows his wife the amusing, warmhearted, understanding person she is." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
I've said it before, I love the Mrs. Tim books. They are a delight to read and always good for a laugh. With each book I feel as if I am returning to the story of a dear friend. Mrs. Tim Gets a Job picks up a few years after the the last novel, Mrs. Tim Carries On, ends. I was pleased that readers are given the chance to learn how various long-time friends of Hester's were doing since the second world war had ended. Such meetings include Hester's hilarious late night adventure with Pinkey and a surprise visit from my personal favorite, Tony Morely!

In addition readers are introduced to a handful of new characters and settings that add to the enjoyment of this read. I couldn't help but love the gruff Erica Clutterbuck. My favorite scene being when she's reading aloud from a supposed Jane Austen novel to the work party (a group of women sewing clothes for charity) on April 1st. Of course in keeping with April Fool's Day it's not really an Austen story, but none of the women, excepting Hester, realize this. What ensues makes for quite an amusing scene and would be appreciated by any Austen fan. All I have to say is well done Stevenson!

Yes, D. E. Stevenson has scored another winner with Mrs. Time Gets a Job. Her writing style is hilarious, witty, charming, sweet, and all around fascinating. Even the day-to-day tales kept me turning pages until late into the night. Mrs. Tim Gets a Job is another winner. Oh how I would love to get my hands on the complete set of this series. Bloomsbury Group reprinted the first in the series, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment in 2009 (now available in the US for under $10). I'm hoping they will go on to republish the rest of the series. (Pretty please!)

Up next the last installment of the Mrs. Tim series, Mrs. Tim Flies Home. Look for a review in the next month.

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Related Links:

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment - Reviewed
Mrs. Tim Carries On - Reviewed

Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim Gets a Job
Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim Gets a Job
Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim of the Regiment

Other D. E. Stevenson books reviewed

The Importance of Being Married by Gemma Townley

337 pages
Published in 2008
by Ballantine Books
a Random House Publishing Group

At least once a summer... or once every few months I feel the need to read something light, fluffy and comically entertaining. This time I selected The Importance of Being Married by Gemma Townley.

Those who aren't familiar with Ms. Townley, she is the author of several British chic-lit novels and the sister of Sophie Kinsella (a.k.a Madeleine Wickham, author of British chic-lit novels including The Shopaholic books). As a side note I find it absolutely fascinating that these two sisters have not only succeeded as writers, but they have also both become quite popular in the genre they've chosen. Fascinating.

But back to the book... The very first thought I had when I picked up The Importance of Being Married was that it sounded like it could be a modern twist on Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest, and in a way it is. The book is crazy, it's hilarious, it's maddening and a bit unrealistic, but don't expect it to be a replacement for the original. Still, if you're looking for something new and different in the chic-lit genre then look no further.

The Plot:
"Jessica Wild isn’t big on commitment. But after inheriting millions from Grace, a sweet old lady she met in her grandmother’s nursing home, the situation seems to have changed. To put an end to the many questions about her nonexistent love life, Jess had led Grace to believe she had a boyfriend-turned-fiancé-turned-husband: her glamorous boss, Anthony Milton. But Jess’s fantasy to keep Grace happy has backfired–Grace has passed away and left her fortune not to Jessica Wild but to Mrs. Jessica Milton.

Having weighed all legal options, Jess comes to the realization that there’s only one thing she can do: get Anthony to fall in love with her and pop the question for real. With help from her feisty best friend, Helen, Jess reluctantly learns the art of flirting, seduction, and playing hard to get. But just when it appears that Anthony is about to ask the (literal) million-dollar question, Jess finds herself wondering if it’s right to say “I do” for all the wrong reasons." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
Overall I enjoyed The Importance of Being Married. There were some aspects that annoyed me, particularly Jessica's perpetual lying. The story would have been so much simpler had she just told the truth, but then that wouldn't have made for much of a story. Something else that I didn't like was again fairly typical of modern British literature. There is a mild to fair amount of language, which for the most part can be glazed over, but something I feel should be noted for readers who prefer to avoid it altogether. There are also a few extramarital love scenes that are referenced, though no details are given. Although this too is typical of the genre I know it's not something that has to be present to make the book a good read and often wish it was just left out.

Another point I'd like to make is that the ending is a little predictable. But that shouldn't come as a surprise to most readers of the chic-lit genre. Nearly all chic-lit novels have the same format. Girl is introduced. Love interest is introduced. Problems complicate the story and make for both stressful page turners and hilarious laughs. But in the end the girl gets her happily-ever-after, the lose ends are tied up, and the troubles clouding her life have blown away like a passing storm. Thankfully The Importance of Being Married did have one little twist that I didn't anticipate and for that I was grateful.

I did enjoy Ms. Townley's writing style. Early on her comic wit and the "voice" of the heroine/narrator drew me into the story, like this line from the beginning of Chapter 2:

"The story started a long time ago, in the tradition of all good fairy tales. Not so long ago that goblins were roaming the earth, but long enough for it to have gotten a little bit out of hand -- two years, two months, and six days ago, to be precise." (Chpt 2, pg. 8)

Although I did think The Importance of Being Married was a modern twist on Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest it also reminded me of a mix between Sophie Kinsella's Confessions of a Shopaholic and the 1999 film, The Bachelor, starring Chris O'Donnell and Renee Zellweger. If you enjoyed either or both of these you are very likely to enjoy The Importance of Being Married.

As for me, I did enjoy The Importance of Being Married enough that I think I'll add its sequel to my TBR list. I'm curious to know what happens next in Jessica Wilde's life and I'm hoping next time around she's more honest with herself and her friends.

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

233 pages
Published by Longmans, Green & Co in 1932
Reprinted by Penguin Books in 2006

"Oh Charles. You do have heavenly teeth." Could there be a more bizarre introduction to a novel than that? And yet, that was exactly how I first learned of Stella Gibbons' comic novel Cold Comfort Farm.

One aspect of reading that I love is how you never know when or where you'll stumble upon an intriguing read. It might be while browsing in a library or book store, or while listening to the radio or watching TV. It's sometimes when you read a blog or even while reading a book that mentions another book. But probably one of my most unique introductions was reading a quote within a status update on Facebook -- it was the reference to Charles' heavenly teeth that first intrigued me with Cold Comfort Farm.

So what is Cold Comfort Farm about? Perhaps you're like me and have never heard of this book. If so it might be best summed up as this: A beautiful young socialite named Flora (recently orphaned) decides to move in with her country relatives, the gloomy Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm. Each relative has their own unique problem and Flora soon turns life upside down on the farm as she applies some "modern common sense" to each situation in an effort to bring everyone a happily-ever-after.

Cold Comfort Farm is a comic novel that satires or parodies many of the late 19th century and early 20th century novels, particularly those by D. H. Lawrence and Thomas Hardy.

My Thoughts:
At first I found the story to be a bit of a muddle. Not only was I trying to piece together the characters (there are so many!) and settings (see below re: the time), but I was also trying to sort out the deliberately convoluted prose and "strained metaphors" that are supposed to add to the entertainment of the book. I learned later that some of the most "purple" paragraphs are marked with asterisks, which once you know this helps prepare you in your reading. Of course, with some books all of this might be enough to bog me down and cause me to lose interest, but not so with Cold Comfort Farm. Despite it all I still found the book to be a quick read and by the time I reached Chapter 6 I found myself adjusted to the writing style and that the characters and settings were fitting together like pieces to a puzzle.

As to the heroine... I can't say really whether I liked Flora or not. At times I found her noisy and annoying and yet, I couldn't help cheering a little as she tied up the loose ends and set off to her own happy ending. She's not a favorite character, but she was so much of this story I'm willing to overlook the annoying moments.

Looking back I realize it might have helped me if I had watched the movie first, but since everyone who's read the book raves about it I decided to wait until after I'd finished reading. Once finished I did request the movie from my library, I couldn't resist. This book just begs to be adapted to the screen and the 1995 adaptation starring Kate Beckinsale is a fairly true version. There were some modern aspects to the story, but nothing too shocking. (i.e. where something is implied subtly in the book it is semi-subtly depicted or stated in the movie, but nothing graphic.) The only loss is that due to time constraints some of the minor characters are dropped or morphed into other characters. If you want the story at it's fullest you should read the book first then watch the film.

One other interesting note I want to make about the book is its setting in time, which I referred to earlier. While Cold Comfort Farm was written in the early 1930s Stella Gibbons set the story to occur "some time in the future." This future date is not obvious at first, but does appear in some unexpected moments. Like the mention of the Anglo-Nicaraguan War of 1946, characters sending mail by air, and most strange of all when Flora has a conversation with a friend on the phone and he "tunes" in the television screen so he can see her while he talks with her. As I said, these are a little unexpected because so much of the story refers to what one might expect to find in the way of houses and machines, clothing and culture of the 1930s.

In the end I found Cold Comfort Farm a witty and very entertaining read, albeit very bizarre at times. There were numerous passages that I jotted down as they were just too funny not to quote. It is definitely one-of-a-kind novel and yet had hints of other stories. If I had to compare Cold Comfort Farm with other literature or films I'd seen I might describe it as: Mary Poppins meets Emma Woodhouse meets Jane Eyre meets Far From the Madding Crowd. No, it's just not your typical 1930s novel. And yet I found much of the plot predicable. From the introduction of each Starkadder and their peculiar situation I had an idea of how things would be resolved, but this didn't spoil the read. If you haven't read Cold Comfort Farm and you're looking for something entertaining and as they say "wickedly funny" then look no further.

For those curious about the author, Stella Gibbons began her writing career as a journalist, but eventually penned more than 30 novels and books of poetry from the 1930s through the early 1970s. Cold Comfort Farm was her first novel and the book that made her famous. She did write a couple short sequels in the 1940s, but I have not yet read them. For more information check out her Wiki-biography or these news articles.

Related Links:
Cold Comfort Farm (Google Books)

Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell

227 pages
Published 1934 by Hamish Hamilton
Reprinted 2008 by Hoyer Bell

I first learned of English/Australian author Angela Thirkell thanks to fellow blogger and reader, Marie. Since I was already a fan of D. E. Stevenson, Marie suggested I check out Thirkell's novels. I am so glad she did!

Since I knew nothing of Angela Thirkell, I began by searching the Internet to find out who she was and what she wrote. I quickly discovered two things about Thirkell. First, she was a very prolific writer (penning over thirty novels in nearly as many years; beginning in 1931 and publishing on average one novel a year until her death in the early 1960s). And second, that unlike D. E. Stevenson nearly all of Angela Thirkell's novels are either still in print or readily available through my library's catalog without tapping into ILL. Further research disclosed that most of Thirkell's novels are based in the fictional county of Barsetshire (created by English author Anthony Trollope in his six novel series The Chronicles of Barsetshire). I should note at this point that while Thirkell was wildly popular in her day she preferred to read the works of Trollope, Austen, Dickens and Thackeray and quotes from novels by these authors crop up without reference in several of her novels.

Initially I thought it wouldn't matter the order in which I read Thirkell's novels. I thought they were similar in format to D. E. Stevenson's novels -- somewhat connected, but easily read as stand-alone novels. And while that could be said of Wild Strawberries it isn't necessarily true of Thirkell's other books as I learned when reading The Headmistress a few weeks later, but more about that novel later, for now I will focus on my first read by Thirkell. Those unfamiliar with the story contained in Wild Strawberries it could probably be summed up like this:

The Plot:
"A witty romp through English Country-house life at its most delightfully absurd. At Rushwater House in West Barsetshire, Lady Emily Leslie and her family are entertaining an assortment of house guests, hangers-on, and French monarchists. Amid a perfect welter of rapturous embraces and moonlight madness, a marriage is finally arranged. A glittering summer party provides a hilarious climax to the various intrigues." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Wild Strawberries. It began as a simple story about a wealthy family living on a English country estate in the years between World War I and World War II, but before the second chapter was at a close it became clear that the story was so much more.

It is satire, it is drama, it is hilariously entertaining (the "change-over" scene in the car on the way home from the train station had me laughing out loud), and it is terribly romantic. And while the plot is certainly fresh there was something almost reminiscent of the romance in the play/film(s) Sabrina. I read on with amusement as the drama surrounding the two Leslie brothers and a particular lady played out to the very last page. Yes, I can honestly agree with the publisher's summary -- Wild Strawberries is a witty romp of a read. I loved it.

If there is a downside to this novel it might be in the following: Due to it's setting (1930s pre-WWII England) there are some prejudices and slurs. And while I don't agree with the opinions expressed by some characters it was not unusual for the era and not something I think a reader should take offense to.

If you haven't yet read Angela Thirkell, you might start with her first work, High Rising, which is on my immediate TBR list so I can't attest to the quality of that work, but I imagine it'll be a worthwhile read. Or you might just jump into the series and read Wild Strawberries. For myself, this novel was enough to convince me I needed to read more Thirkell.


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P. S. Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell should not be confused with the 1957 film Wild Strawberries directed by Ingmar Bergman. They are two completely different stories.

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment by D. E. Stevenson

378 pages

Published in 1940

Farrar & Rinehart, Inc.

Printed in the USA

by J. J. Little and Ives Company, NY

I am particularly excited to share with you about my latest D. E. Stevenson read, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment.

This is the first in a series of novels about Mrs. Tim (Hester) Christie, the wife of a British officer. These novels are somewhat unique in that they are written in the first person by way of diary entries and also in the fact that they detail the life and adventures of a military family living in Britain during the years leading up to (and during) the second world war.

Telling a story in the form of diary entries can be tricky. The author risks slowing the story down through limited dialogue or mundane day-to-day activities, but readers will find that is not the the case here. Mrs. Tim of the Regiment was extremely entertaining with plenty of action, detailed description, and witty dialogue cleverly woven throughout. Even what might be perceived as mundane was told in such a way that kept me interested and amused. It takes a definite type of humor to cause me to laugh out loud while reading and this book has plenty of it. While I've read some great reads this year, this one was by far one of the funniest. I'm already planning to request the next book in the series (Mrs. Tim Carries On) through my library's ILL program.

And that brings me to the other reason why I'm so excited about this book. Not only was it a delightful read, but it will soon be readily available for readers in the USA thanks to Bloomsbury Group who have republished the book in paperback form. Copies will be available in stores and online as of April 13, 2010 for as little as $9.45. (And yes, I am reserving a copy for my own personal library.) Maybe, if sales are good enough they'll reprint the entire series? Here's hoping!

In the meantime if you aren't certain about buying a copy then be sure to check your libraries collections and if they don't own a copy then ask your librarian if they can purchase a copy of Mrs. Tim of the Regiment. In my opinion, this is another must read by D. E. Stevenson.

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Related D. E. Stevenson Posts

Miss Buncle's Book
Miss Buncle Married
The Two Mrs. Abbotts
Rochester's Wife
Celia's House
Listening Valley
The Blue Sapphire

Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim of the Regiment
Tuesday Teasers: The Blue Sapphire
Tuesday Teasers: Listening Valley
Tuesday Teasers: Miss Buncle Married

Lavender And Old Lace by Myrtle Reed

267 pages

Published 1902

G. P. Putnam's Sons

New York and London

"Happiness is not a circumstance, nor a set of circumstances; it's only a light, and we may keep it burning if we will. So many of us are like children, crying for the moon, instead of playing contentedly with the few toys we have. We're always hoping for something, and when it doesn't come we fret and worry; when it does, why there's always something else we'd rather have. We deliberately make nearly all our unhappiness with our own unreasonable discontent, and nothing will ever make us happy, deary, except the spirit within." (Chapter 10, page 147)

To date Lavender And Old Lace stands out as my all-time favorite novel by Myrtle Reed. I loved it.

In a nutshell: this is another classic love lost, love found, love hoped for story by Reed. And like all her works it's also so much more; it has it's share of mystery, drama, and sharp and witty character analysis through description and dialogue. But for anyone expecting just another "boy meets girl" romance this is not that book. It's also not a story about two old women who kill off their tenants like the similarly named Hitchcock film, Arsenic and Old Lace. (No spoiler here, no one is murdered in this book.)

As the novel begins Ruth Thorne, the smart and witty heroine, arrives in a small unnamed seaside village where she is to spend an extended vacation resting (as required by her editor and doctor for her health) and house-sitting for her aunt, who is traveling abroad. When Ruth arrives she is met with one mystery after another. First, after years of near solitude and no traveling what has made her spinster aunt pack up and travel all the way around the world? Then there's the instructions left by her aunt that insist Ruth must place an oil lamp in the attic window each evening until dawn. When Ruth takes time to explore the attic she finds more questions than she does answers. What follows is a story that includes the weaving of several romances -- some lost, some found, some surprising, and some absolutely entertaining. But as the story comes to a close not everything is the typical happily-ever-after.

Still, I believe Myrtle Reed struck gold with Lavender And Old Lace. I loved Ruth's character in this book; she's sharp, witty, and full of spunk. She's also a little unique for the heroines of the early 20th century being that she's a working woman. Likewise, I really enjoyed her male counterpart in the story, Carl. Although their romance was definitely predictable I still loved watching Ruth and Carl's friendship and love develop. They spar and tease and made me laugh out loud. I laughed a lot while reading this story.

I also cried. The ending is a happy one for Ruth and Carl, but it's a tear-jerker in another way, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

As I said, I loved this story. I loved it so much that I ran out and bought a used copy for my own library (available online for as little as $4-$13). But if you're not willing to bite the bullet and pay a few dollars for an ex-library edition there are plenty of other options. You can read the novel online at: Project Gutenberg, Google Books, Public Bookshelf, or Online-Literature. Or for those audio book lovers you can listen listen thanks to BooksShouldBeFree.com.

Up next, my review of The Master's Violin by Myrtle Reed (coming in two weeks, next week another D. E. Stevenson novel).

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Related Links:

Lavender And Old Lace (Tuesday Teasers)

A Spinner In The Sun by Myrtle Reed (reviewed)

A Weaver of Dreams by Myrtle Reed (reviewed)

Also, there's little information online about Myrtle Reed's books, but I did discover Wikipedia as an entry for Lavender And Old Lace. But beware! This entry is full of plot spoilers and should not be read until after you've read the book.

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer

312 pages
Published 2007
Penguin Group
New York, NY

I found out about The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer through a link to Framed and Booked on Semicolon's Saturday Review and decided to read it based upon the book's plot description -- it just sounded like such a fun and rather unique story.

The Plot:
At thirty-six, Genie Michaels feels like she has hit the snooze button on her life one too many times. When her "commitment-phobic" boyfriend Hugh proposes on national television -- not to Genie, but to an unknown mystery woman -- Genie's wisecracking friend Patty doesn't hesitate to give her some tough love: "You remind me of that idiot Sleeping Beauty, lying around like a zombie waiting for your prince. Well, guess what, he rode right past your castle and now you have a choice -- you can either go back to bed or you can wake up!"

Genie chooses to wake up. After some questionable advice, her first step is to allow everyone to believe she's Hugh's real fiancee. (She'll let him be the one to explain the mistake.) Naturally the good news travels fast and, in a heartbeat, Genie's parents are booking a reception hall while friends are showering her with gifts. Genie feels bad about the deception, but at last everyone is dancing to her tune, and she can't help but enjoy it...

Genie realizes that she never need a man to start her life-- to buy a home, to get a better job, or even to wear a diamond ring. And if Prince Charming wants to show up while she's at it, she just might teach him a thing or two. (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
The Sleeping Beauty Proposal is a mix of romantic comedy, chick-lit fluff, and some valuable lessons for women who find themselves single and waiting around for Prince Charming to arrive before they get their life started.

From the beginning of the story I thought The Sleeping Beauty Proposal contained a very clever and unique plot, although at times it was a tad predictable. By predictable I mean it's your typical girl-power story. The heroine wakes up and finds herself single and past the world's "best by" date, but no matter how much time and effort she pours into her relationships (or career) she can't seem to reach that higher plane of success (i.e. marriage to Prince Charming, a house full of laughing children, or that promotion at work). Then something happens that pushes the heroine into taking charge of her life. She puts aside routine and tries something different. She makes something of herself in spite of the man who has hurt her, she finds happiness within herself and her friends and family, and in the end she finds real love and happiness... and in most cases her dreams start to come true.

Overall I enjoyed the story. Ms. Strohmeyer's writing is funny and entertaining, but also typical of the genre. I found myself comparing it to Sophie Kinsella's Confessions of a Shopaholic. In both books the heroine of the story lies to cover up a problem, but soon discovers that lying only makes for more trouble, so she ends up telling the truth to make things right.

Aside from the heroine lying there were a couple other aspects to the story that I should mention as fair warning to other readers. For starters, the book does contain a moderate amount of profanity, but because the book was written by an American author the language is a little tamer than one might find in a British novel. Then there is the matter of premarital sex. While the are no graphic details (this is no Sex in the City) it is definitely an topic focused on by the author (characters sleep together, talk about sleeping around, or other intimate matters). As I said, nothing too graphic, but call me old-fashioned, it was just a little too much for my liking. I think Ms. Strohmeyer's story could have carried the atmosphere of romance without going into the level of detail she did. Last, the relationships within Genie's family are at times a tad dysfunctional. I did note that while Genie's family attends a church they definitely view a born-again Christian in-law as being a little bit of an oddity.

Still, if these issues are overlooked it's not too bad of a story. I think, if cleaned up some, it could make for a fun Summer romantic-comedy with maybe Sandra Bullock taking the role of Genie and Hugh Grant playing his look-a-like Hugh Spencer, Genie's boyfriend.

My Summary:
In my opinion if you are interested to read The Sleeping Beauty Proposal, borrow don't buy. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Sleeping Beauty Proposal a 2.5 to a possible 3. I satisfied my curiosity about this story, but it's not likely I'll pick up another novel by Strohmeyer any time soon.

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Related reads:
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (no review, read pre-blog)
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Can You Keep A Secret by Sophie Kinsella
Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde

A Dog Called Scholar by Anne H. White

158 pages

Published 1963

The Viking Press

New York, NY

A few weeks back I was browsing the children's book section for stories to read aloud to my daughter when I passed by the Juvenile section and A Dog Called Scholar caught my eye.

Out of curiosity I did a little digging on the Internet, but couldn't find much about A Dog Called Scholar or its author, Anne H. White. Apparently this book hasn't fared as well as other books from the same era, it and its author didn't even warrant a spot on Wikipedia. And because of this I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I discovered it wasn't even properly listed on Shelfari, someone had posted the book but with the illustrator as being the author! (Yes, I changed it.)

But despite it's near anonymity I really enjoyed A Dog Called Scholar, so I'm hoping to draw some attention to it through this review.

The Plot:
A Dog Called Scholar is set in the present day (of publication, around 1963) in what I suspect to be a rural New England town. As the story opens a litter of Golden Retriever puppies has been born to two of Mr. and Mrs. Woodward Wilson's most prized "Wonder Dogs." Unfortunately while most of the litter appears to carry on their parents beauty and breeding, there is one little ball of fluff that appears different. Not exactly the runt, but definitely a little slow, this puppy is dubbed, Little Moo. It doesn't take long for Mrs. Wilson to decide they must be rid of Little Moo and as soon as possible before he has a chance of clouding the Wilson Wonder Dog name as well as their popularity.

Enter the Tucker family with their two children, Clem and Susie. Some time previous to this story the Wilson's stayed with the Tuckers while both family's were abroad in Europe. It is when Mrs. Wilson considers Little Moo's fate that she remembers she never properly thanked the Tuckers for their hospitality by way of a gift and that giving Little Moo to the Tuckers would be the solution to all her problems.

The Tuckers (excepting Mr. Tucker) are delighted to have their very own dog and it isn't long before Little Moo is adopted into the Tucker family and renamed Cubby... and then later Scholar. The rest of the story follows the comedic adventures of Scholar with the Tuckers and around town. The climax of the story actually comes in the last chapter when the Wilson's return, having learned what a wonderful dog Scholar turned out to be, and try to buy him back much to the distres of everyone, but Mr. Tucker. From this point until the end of the chapter and likewise the end of the book the story becomes a page-turner. What will be the fate of Scholar?

My Thoughts:
From start to finish A Dog Called Scholar is a delightfully charming and funny story about a dog and his family. In some ways it reminded me of a 1960s children's version of the popular Marley and Me (reviewed), but only a little (Scholar is not quite as crazy as Marley). A Dog Called Scholar is a great read for dog lovers of all ages, but especially for children. I would even say it could make for a great read-aloud to younger children and I'm adding it to the long list of books I want to share with my daughter when she gets a little older, as she is a big fan of dogs.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate A Dog Called Scholar a 4. It is a charming, yet dated story (there are lots of references to life during the 1960s which would be quite foreign to a child of the millennium), still it is a fun read and one that should not be quickly forgotten. Check your local library, they might have a copy. If not, used copies can be found online at a very affordable price (under $5).

As a side note, during my online research I discovered Ms. White published a few other novels, including one that Robert McCloskey illustrated. I definitely want to check that one out.

Homer Price by Robert McCloskey

149 pages
Copyright 1943
Viking A Division of Penguin Books
New York, NY

This was my second reading of Homer Price by Robert McCloskey. The first time was when my mother read the book to my siblings and I as children, but it was so long ago I didn't remember much of the story. So when I came upon it in the children's section of the local library I decided to check it out and re-read it.

The Plot:
"Homer Price lives two miles out of Centerburg, where Route 56 meets 56A, but most of his friends and relatives live in town. They include Aunt Aggy and Uncle Ulysses, the Sheriff and the boys, Miss Terwilliger, Miss Naomi Enders, great-great-great granddaughter of Ezekiel Enders who founded Centerburg and who owned the precious formula for making Cough Syrup and Elixir of Life Compound. While Centerburg is not exactly nosey, precious little happens that the good citizens do not know..." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts and Summary:
I really enjoyed re-reading Homer Price, but then I've been a fan of McCloskey for as long as I can remember. As a little child, before I could read, I remember my parents reading to me other McCloskey books (Make Way for Ducklings, Blueberries for Sal). There is something charming and timelessly classic about his books. Part of it has to do with the delightfully simplistic, yet detailed pen and ink illustrations. And then in the case of Homer Price it also has to do with McCloskey's writing style. The tales included in Homer Price wonderfully depict small-town life in the Midwest during the 1940s with all its quirkiness and charm.

My Summary:
Homer Price makes for an excellent read for new readers, or as a read-aloud for young children. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Homer Price a 5. It's a timeless classic that I'm glad has survived the decades and is still easily accessible. I'm planning to purchase a copy for my daughter's personal library and look forward to sharing it with her when she's a little older.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

435 pages
July 21, 2009
Random House Publishing
New York, NY

I know I said I was on break from reading chick-lit, but I couldn't pass up the chance to read and review British chick-lit author Sophie Kinsella's latest novel Twenties Girl, which was released in the US last week. I had planned to read it later this summer, but some how managed to get my hands on a library copy within days of its publication and then I couldn't resist taking a 12-hour break from Little Dorrit to read and review a brand-new novel. And so here we are...

The Plot
Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie -- a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance -- mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man. Sadie, however, could care less.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from each other along the way. (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts
When I first heard that Sophie Kinsella's next novel was a "ghost story" of sorts I wasn't the least bit interested in it, but after reading the plot description and remembering that her other books have been quick, light, and generally entertaining reads I changed my mind and decided to give it a chance.

And I found Twenties Girl to live up to my revised expectations. It was a clever and entertaining romantic comedy that had me laughing out loud at times. Excepting the usual amount of profanity and love scenes that are generally found in Kinsella's books, Twenties Girl was overall a good read. I should also mention that in comparing this recent read side-by-side with another British author's chick-lit I can honestly say Kinsella's prose if definitely superior to that of Katie Fforde's, but it is still by no means a "classic".

Although Twenties Girl can be called a ghost story, it really isn't. First, there's nothing ghoulish or creepy about the story. Second, it's really more the story of a twenty-something British girl struggling in life and love, whose encounter with the ghost of her dead great-aunt sends her on a path of adventure and self-discovery, which eventually leads to a happily-ever-after-ending for all concerned. I'd call it a fantasy/romantic comedy more than a ghost story.

As for the characters... Initially Sadie's character really grated on my nerves and I couldn't stand her immature, selfish, and her apparent hedonistic view of life, but gradually her character settles down and if ghosts can learn lessons, learns a few lessons from Lara, which very much improves her. On the flip-side Lara's character seems to have a better grasp of her morals and responsibilities, but is unwilling to take some chances, but with the aide of Sadie changers her outlook on life and some of her relationships.

There were some vaguely familiar aspects to this novel. The ghost story part reminded me of the 1990s film, Ghost, but only a tiny bit. And then there were aspects of Lara and the love interest that reminded me of characters in Hester Browne's The Little Lady Agency and Kinsella's earlier work, Can You Keep A Secret.

My Summary
Still, overall I thought this was a fresh and entertaining story by Kinsella and I am tempted to say of all of Kinsella's novels that I've read (Shopaholic series, Can You Keep a Secret, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, and Twenties Girl) this latest novel is probably a close second to my favorite...

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate this new chick-lit novel, Twenties Girl a 3.5. I am glad I took the time (one afternoon and evening) to read this book and I definitely recommend it to fans of Kinsella's books, but it's still a borrow vs. buy in my opinion.

Bidding for Love by Katie Fforde

384 pages
Copyright 2007
St. Martin's Press

I wasn't planning to read another book by Katie Fforde so soon after the last, but Bidding for Love arrived through the inter-library loan system faster than I expected... and then I found myself picking it up and reading it here and there... and before I knew it, I had finished it.

The Plot:
Bidding for Love is a romantic-comedy that was originally printed as Flora's Lot when it hit the bookstore shelves in the UK during the spring of 2007. It is the 11th novel by British author Katie Fforde. In this story the beautiful twenty-something Flora Stanza has suddenly become an heiress. When an uncle dies and leaves her the majority partnership in an auction house Flora decides to give the family business a try and leaves her London life for the English countryside. While Flora's knowledge of auctions and antiques is limited to the little bit of "Antique Roadshow" she's watched on TV that doesn't stop her from being full of enthusiasm and ideas. The only problem is her rather curt and stuffy cousin Charles and his fiancee Annabelle aren't exactly happy to have Flora's help. When they make an offer to buy Flora out of her shares for a large sum of money she is almost tempted... but in the end decides to stay on a little longer. What follows is a story that is witty, entertaining, romantic, and anything but dull.

My Thoughts:
This is the second novel by Katie Fforde that I have read. My opinion of Fforde's writing style is becoming a little more established. She's an ok writer, but not a great writer. Fforde creates entertaining stories with interesting settings, witty dialog, rich characters, and romantic matches.

However, there are some drawbacks to the books. First, Fforde seems to really like to use the phrase "his eyes crinkling" a lot, which does get old. And although I definitely appreciate the fact her stories have little to no language and her love scenes are minor, I still think she could do a little better. For example, the love scene in Bidding For Love seemed a little thrown on the reader; almost as if Fforde felt she must have a bedroom scene (albeit subtle) in the book in order for the book to be properly romantic. Apparently this is something modern writers sturggle with and that's interesting because clearly Jane Austen didn't need any bed scenes to turn Pride and Prejudice into the multi-generationally loved story of romance that it is.

And while we're on that subject I have one more complaint and it has to do with the Flora's love interest. On the one hand I saw it coming, yet for some reason by the end of the book it still seemed a little thrown together -- almost as if Fforde was trying to channel Jane Austen and bring in a little Fitzwilliam Darcy/George Wickim/Elizabeth Bennett drama. I realize nearly the whole world of romance readers is in love with Mr. Darcy, but can't writers give it a break and create some new types of heroes? Just a thought.

My Summary:
Overall I enjoyed Bidding for Love. It was a fun read. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Bidding for Love a 3.5. I am interested in exploring some more of Ffordes books, but not right now. I'm taking a break from chick-lit for a little while.

Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

357 pages

Copyright: March 2004

Random House

New York, NY

Can you keep a secret? Ok, well it's not really much of a secret since I'm posting it here on my blog. The truth is, I've been slacking in my reading of classical literature. The weather is warmer and the days sunnier (after all it is officially Summer!) , my life is busier than ever and I just haven't had the attention span for anything meaty. Instead I've been drawn to light fluffy chic-lit and that's exactly what you will find if you pick up: Can You Keep A Secret by Sophie Kinsella.

The Plot:
Can You Keep A Secret? is the story of Emma Corrigan, a 20-something British woman with "a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets..." Secrets she keeps from her boyfriend, her family, her coworkers, and even from her best friend. Secrets that she keeps to herself... Until one day during a fateful plane trip, she spills every single secret to the handsome stranger sitting next to her, in a sort of final confession before the plane crashes... But then the plane doesn't crash. It lands safely and Emma goes home only to return to work on Monday and discover that the stranger on the plane isn't really a stranger after all... He's the American CEO of the company she works for... and he's visiting her office for the week... and he knows every one of her deepest darkest most humiliating secrets!

My Thoughts:
Can You Keep A Secret? is fluffy chic-lit at its best -- a light-hearted romantic comedy with a shot of girl-power and lessons to be learned. One being, while some secrets are best kept to ourselves, others are better brought to the open. Friendships and relationships thrive on truth and being honest with ourselves as to who we are.

In keeping with the formula of a romantic comedy, Can You Keep A Secret? has its highs and lows, but ends on a happy note for the heroine and for the reader. I am not the first person to say this, but I think it is worth repeating. Yes, chic-lit is all fluff, but Sophie Kinsella is really good at writing fluff and making it fun to read. I really enjoyed Can You Keep A Secret? and found the story fairly believable, although I did struggle with how quickly Kinsella resolved a messy situation in a few chapters that should have taken a lot more clean-up in real life.

The only caveat I have with this book is in the content. I did find the language a little heavier and the sexual content a little more frequent than in The Undomestic Goddess, but not quite as bad as in Remember Me? I certainly don't look at these books as examples of fine literature or as a "how to" for modeling my life, but they are entertaining if you skip or skim over the bad parts. Keeping this in mind I would recommend Can You Keep A Secret? to fans of the Shopaholic series.

For those curious you can read the reviews I wrote on Kinsella's other books by clicking on the titles: Remember Me? and The Undomestic Goddess. Unfortunately I read the Shopaholic books in 2008 before I started this blog, so I do not have any reviews of that series.

My Summary:
On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate this piece of chic-lit a 3 to 3.5. I had fun reading it and would actually consider seeing it if adapted to the big screen.

Which reminds me... I recently saw something about Kate Hudson starring as Emma in a movie adaptation of Can You Keep A Secret? While I think this story would make a fabulous film, I must admit I am disappointed to see yet another of Kinsella's books being adapted to an American setting. I really think they should have been left where they were set -- in Britain, like what was done with the Bridget Jones movies.