Novel Chats Part III

Or, at least, I think it's part III. Not real sure. Yeah, I'm late. I'm sorry about that. Remember I said I was overwhelmed? Well, that was nothing. Nothing, compared to what is going on right now. I really just want to crawl in bed, pull the covers over my head, and never come out again. The kidlets, however, would not look too kindly upon this, so here I am. Anyway, I'm sorry for my silence. You didn't come here to listen to me whine anyway, that's why I keep a personal blog. So let me just get on with it...

Live Alone And Like It by Marjorie Hillis

This is a Non-Fiction book, and normally, you just won't find me reading them. However, if this is what Non-Fiction is like, count me in! I absolutely adored reading this. Originally written in 1936 LAALI is now re-released by Hachette Book Group USA. Do not let the title fool you. This is a book that has some great advice for any woman, any where in her life. Hillis was for sure a woman so far ahead of her time, she makes Gene Roddenberry look positively contemporary. You'll laugh out loud at this one and at the same time, you'll find yourself re-examining certain aspects of your life for the better. Whatever the stage of life you are in, you should read Live Alone And Like It, because I can almost guarantee you'll LOVE IT! Definite A for this one.

The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi

There were a lot of things right with this one, although, there were also a lot of things wrong, too. I enjoy a great Women's Fiction story, always have, always will. That said, I came to reading through Fantasy and Romance, so it has to be a great WF for me to really enjoy the book. This was not a great book. It was simply OK, for me. First of all, the protag in this one gets very little "head" time. Mostly, we see it through her hero's POV, and given many circumstances I enjoy that, this one was one I did not. He was a good character. He went through an amazing character arc. The heroine, however, crept towards the finish only to sprint so fast I nearly missed her growth. Also, the title is GIRLS, not GIRL, so the fact that I hardly knew the other woman that had a sub-plot (and she was FAR more interesting) really bothered me. I wanted more about this woman, her character was deep and we never got past the shallow end with her. All in all, the story line was good, just not particularly written in a fashion I enjoy. I give this one a B-.

Your Coffin of Mine by Kimbery Raye

I've read and reviewed the first two books in this series, here and here. As you can see, I thought the books were just OK, but I did enjoy them. Same with this one. Actually, I enjoyed this one more than the other two. This still isn't a series I rush out to get. In fact, as I went to Raye's website, I saw that the fourth book is released and I didn't know that until just now. I do enjoy the series enough though, that as soon as I get some cashola, I'll be buying the newest. Lil Marchette, the narrator of this tale is not the most original of characters. She isn't the most likable either, but I think that's the biggest part of her appeal. I've started the series, so that means I'll be finishing it. I'll enjoy it, I'm sure, as I have enjoyed every other book so far. If you're feeling in a bit of a funk, brain dead, or otherwise in need of some mindless fun, I say read this series. I give it a solid B.

Take Care