Marty Peter's is an accountant, who has abandoned aka disappointed her family by moving down the street. She never moved into the city though and that is why she spends her mornings and evenings commuting into NYC. Around working and commuting Marty works on pursuing her dream of writing. No one has liked her works though and maybe she should just sticks to the numbers that make sense to her. But, then everything changes at whirlwind speed.
First she goes on client presentation with her chauvinist boss to Theodore McKenzie one of their largest clients and a leader in the entertainment industry. McKenzie is threatening to pull his account and with that would go many of their other accounts, including the one for the Motion Picture Academy and why the firm gets to do a presentation on voting at the Oscars every year. Marty makes an impression on Teddy, McKenzie, and has the fate of his account with the firm in her hands now. Not something her Boss is happy about. On the way to this meeting Marty finds an abandoned bag on the subway with a journal inside it, but with a name but contact number or other information about the owner. The errors start as Marty realizes the screen play in the journal is amazing and since she doesn't know the owner she takes credit for the work. With Teddy McKenzie interested in her screenplay Marty just might have found a way to live her dream as a writer. That is until she actually meets E. Riley, the owner of the journal. With things rolling with the screenplay and at work it might be to late to stop things, but now that she is starting to like Riley and she isn't sure where her priorities should be and what is worth losing to get your dream.
Written between a memories with quotes of friends of how Marty became famous and is famous and her telling her story above of how she started on the path in Hollywood.
I was sent a copy of this novel by Erin Brady and writing the review per her request, but the summary and opinions are my own.
This was in a different format that I hadn't read before, so it was a little odd for me. But, I found that I really did enjoy the plot over all. Marty was a fleshed out character that I found that I could relate to. The situations that she found herself in and how she reacted kept her human and in ways a reader could relate to, though they were exceptional circumstances most people wouldn't find themselves in. Not as much with the supporting characters, in I couldn't relate to them, but you learned enough about each of them as you needed to know and when you need to know it. I liked the set up of finding out about the supporting characters as the main character learned things and think that for some of the supporting characters that is what Brady was doing.
I enjoyed reading about Marty and watching her grow and learn, she made some choices that seemed real to me, even like things I might do and ways I would react at first. I would give this book 4 stars and would like for more by Brady and would enjoy seeing her grow as a writer.
September 28, 2012
September 21, 2012
The Next Best Thing: Jennifer Weiner
Ruth has lived with her Grandmother for most of her life, ever since the accident that cost Ruth her parents and left her scared for life. Graduating from college, she decides to move to Hollywood to pursue her dream of being a writer. With her grandmother along for the ride they set out. Grandma thrives working as an extra, with a boyfriend, and friends in the community center. While Ruth works, as an assistant, she writes hoping to get her own show on TV.
With hard work, a broken heart, and trying to find her way in a society obsessed with beauty with a scared appearance Ruth attempts to find her happiness in Hollywood. She thinks she is getting her dream when her show is picked up. But, she just has to realize how much she may have to compromise or give up in order to actually live her dream.
Personally, I enjoyed this book more than some of Weiner's other recent stories. I enjoyed how she concentrated on one plot line and primarily on one character, with the supporting characters around Ruth. Instead of spreading the plot around multiple main characters and all the others that surrounded around each of the different characters. You had just one person to get behind and follow, that I felt I could really get behind more, while sometimes I get overwhelmed with having to follow and care about multiple characters. I enjoyed her other books, but going back to focusing on one person and the world that surrounds her lets me get behind that one person better. I am glad that this is more back to the roots of Weiner's early works.
If you had a chance to pickup Weiner's kindle novella Swim earlier this year, it was the inspiration for this novel and introduces us to Ruth. There were elements in this novella that weren't in The Next Best Thing, that I missed a bit, but having read both of them I was able to see all the elements, but wish if there was going to be some overlap that it all could have been there.
I am going to give this book 4 stars as it a great Weiner work and had characters that you could get behind and appreciate. But, it did still leaving you wanting a little more. I appreciated how it reflected Weiner's personal experience of having had a TV show picked up and dropped last season and I will miss The Great State of Georgia which I had tried to catch on hulu as I don't have cable. As always I look forward to more from Weiner as I always do and hope she keeps building more characters that we as readers can get behind and relate too.
September 14, 2012
The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.: Nichole Bernier
Elizabeth dies in a plane crash that is overshadowed with September 11th, the one that changed the world we all live it, occurred soon after. But, her friends can't forget her and how she died as well as the others.
Kate stops on her way to a summer on an island to get away from the world to pick up Elizabeth's journals that she left her in the will. Kate decides she is going to spend the summer learning about her friend. The more she learns about Elizabeth and the friendship she thought she had the more she questions, about Elizabeth and her own life. While Elizabeth's husband is pushing Kate to share what she learned and that is a decision Kate isn't sure she is ready to make.
Written between Elizabeth's past journal entries and growing up and Kate in the present reading the journals and considering what she is learning. Questioning choice she has made, her marriage, what she knew about her friend, and what she might want to do in the future. Through out the plot you get to see both characters grow and change.
I enjoyed how the plot of this book deals with difficult issues, making the reader think about the choice they make, what they think they know about their friends and how they judge people or how they might be judged by the others around them.
I thought one great growing point that Kate could have done through this book that she didn't is she talked about how she enjoyed reading Elizabeth's journal and she wished that she had a journal or something to show how she grown to her husband, but she never did journal or try to write or anything. I wish that she would have tried, but see how that could have made the plot more complicated too.
I haven't ready any of other books by Bernier (this may be a debut novel not sure) and I would pick up more by her. I think she has a great writing style and provides a different view of how to look at things. I would suggest this book to others. It reminds me a bit of early other authors I enjoy, Emily Giffin, Jennifer Weiner and other recognizable names.
I would give it 4 stars.
Kate stops on her way to a summer on an island to get away from the world to pick up Elizabeth's journals that she left her in the will. Kate decides she is going to spend the summer learning about her friend. The more she learns about Elizabeth and the friendship she thought she had the more she questions, about Elizabeth and her own life. While Elizabeth's husband is pushing Kate to share what she learned and that is a decision Kate isn't sure she is ready to make.
Written between Elizabeth's past journal entries and growing up and Kate in the present reading the journals and considering what she is learning. Questioning choice she has made, her marriage, what she knew about her friend, and what she might want to do in the future. Through out the plot you get to see both characters grow and change.
I enjoyed how the plot of this book deals with difficult issues, making the reader think about the choice they make, what they think they know about their friends and how they judge people or how they might be judged by the others around them.
I thought one great growing point that Kate could have done through this book that she didn't is she talked about how she enjoyed reading Elizabeth's journal and she wished that she had a journal or something to show how she grown to her husband, but she never did journal or try to write or anything. I wish that she would have tried, but see how that could have made the plot more complicated too.
I haven't ready any of other books by Bernier (this may be a debut novel not sure) and I would pick up more by her. I think she has a great writing style and provides a different view of how to look at things. I would suggest this book to others. It reminds me a bit of early other authors I enjoy, Emily Giffin, Jennifer Weiner and other recognizable names.
I would give it 4 stars.
September 7, 2012
Don't Let Me Go: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Grace sits on the steps of her apartment building so that someone will see that she's in trouble and needs help. Billy is a former dancer and an agoraphobic that never leaves his apartment, till he is pulled onto the balcony to find out what a little girl is doing on the stoop each day. The neighbors in the building end p coming together to help Grace and she pulls each of them out of their own little worlds too. They find that they all really have been lonely. Now, they have someone who needs them. Rayleen, the manicurist who takes Grace in the evening and makes sure she gets to school, kind of the one who spearheads the whole concept. Felipe, who walks Grace home from school and is teaching her spanish. Billy, takes Grace in after school, and teaches her to dance. Mr. Lafferty is a bit bigoted to the other neighbors and seems angry, but Grace has a way to melt parts of his heart. Ms. Hinman, says she is to old to help, but find she wants to and enjoys a lost hobby in making Grace some new clothes. They all come together and help Grace and each other, pulling Billy really out of his apartment. That is until Grace's Mother comes out of her drug induced stupor and takes Grace away from everyone.
This book took me a little to get into, but I really got into it towards the end. I appreciated how all of the characters were built up and developed. The chapters alternated between from Billy's perspective and Grace's. I liked the child's perspectives alternating to the adults, with different information given in both. All of the characters changed and grew through out the plot of the book.
I would suggest this book to others as a nice fun read. It has some moments that are deep and the characters do great growth other the plot, but it isn't made have to really think intellectual. I hope that others enjoy it too. 4 Stars
This review is part of chick lit plus blog tours.
I was provided a copy of the book for review, but the summary and thoughts on the book are mine.
This book took me a little to get into, but I really got into it towards the end. I appreciated how all of the characters were built up and developed. The chapters alternated between from Billy's perspective and Grace's. I liked the child's perspectives alternating to the adults, with different information given in both. All of the characters changed and grew through out the plot of the book.
I would suggest this book to others as a nice fun read. It has some moments that are deep and the characters do great growth other the plot, but it isn't made have to really think intellectual. I hope that others enjoy it too. 4 Stars
This review is part of chick lit plus blog tours.
I was provided a copy of the book for review, but the summary and thoughts on the book are mine.
August 31, 2012
Dewitched: The untold story of the evil queen: EL Sarnoff
The Evil Queen is sentenced to what appears to be life in prison/the dungeon for the attempted murder of Snow White. After serving some of her time, Jane Yvel, also know as the Evil Queen has someone take pity on her and instead of staying the dungeon she is sent to Faraway. Jane thinks she is being sent to a spa, but what Faraway turns out to be is Evil Rehab for fairy tale characters.
Jane works through her issues, makes friends, and actually starts to care about others so she is sent back into the world. Her biggest fear after rehab is facing Snow White and pain that she caused her. But, that pain may cost Jane more than she ever realized, but there could be other influences at play that Jane has been suppressing for years.
There are some spoilers in the review, so if you don't want any spoilers be warned, but I shall try to keep them vague as to not give away the whole plot.
One of my favorite lines from Wicked the musical, but I love the novel too.
"Are people born Wicked? Or do they have Wickedness thrust upon them?"
I think this plot is really looking at this quote in relation to Evil. Is Jane and the other characters who visit Faraway Evil/Wicked, or do they just not know better or have been trained that way, following examples. They just need redirection to learn or be shown something new and different and then they can be the person they are meant to be or can at least now be a contributing part of society.
So, Faraway shows them another way to look at things and contribute to society. Bring out the best part of the characters and helping them be who they should be? Or changing their fate? I think the characters all have to learn something much like many of us all have to learn something and how our past effects or changes us.
With that I will leave you with the rest of the wicked quote "After all, she had a father. She had a mother, as so many do..." and I think this is important to consider that is what comes next.
This was an enjoyable read for me. I would give it 4 stars. I feel like the plot have a creative way to deal with complicated issues that many people deal with. While it also keeps the plot moving and light hearted and as an enjoyable read. I look forward to more from Sarnoff and hearing more again Jane and I think Sarnoff has given us an interesting ways to consider fairy tales.
This review is part of chick lit plus blog tours.
I was provided a copy of the book for review, but the summary and thoughts on the book are mine.
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August 26, 2012
In my Bag 8/26-9/1
Reading:
A Game of Thrones: George R.R. Martin
And the Winner Is: Erin Brady
and depends on what comes in at the Library
Up for review:
Dewitched: The untold story of the evil queen: EL Sarnoff
Don't Le Me Go: Catherine Ryan Hyde
The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.: Nichole Bernier
The Next Best Thing: Jennifer Weiner
August 24, 2012
Showbiz, A Novel: Ruby Preston
Scarlett Savoy had been the assistant of Margolies "King of Broadway" for the past four year. Getting through the day to day time, by telling herself that she is training herself and learning to be a producer herself. She is finally start to get somewhere with her own producing project. Unfortunately, it falls as the same time as Margolies biggest project ever is coming to a head.
The head theater critic at the main newspaper in town commits suicide and secrets he has been coving for years are threatening to coming out and definatly getting harder for those who know them to hide. A theater gossip columnist is up to replace the critic and when he and Scarlett start something, they are each finding themselves on other sides of secrets that could be enough to break the relationship they are forming.
Everyone has to make some choices about what they feel is important and how they want to proceed with their career and lives.
I personally really enjoyed this novel. Theater is a large part of my life (my husband and many of my friends are actually stagehands) and it is one of my other hobbies. So, I was able to relate to this book on levels that others without theater background might not be able to relate too. That being said, it was also written in a way that if you didn't know theater you can follow what is going on and happening.
When you read the initially description of this book it appears to be set up kind of like a mystery. I tried to drop most of that from my summary because I just didn't feel like that was the focus of the plot and there wasn't much of a mystery for the reader as both sides were being shown and it was easy for the reader to piece it together. The characters were able to quickly put the pieces together too and just needed the proof that they had to work at. So, seeing it as a novel with a plot of characters out to prove themselves and to grow this plot fits better.
I would give this book 4 stars as it isn't really what you exact at first it is a good developed lot that builds characters and had a plot with good movement. I think this is defiantly a good start of series where we could see more of the characters and I want to know more about the characters. I hope that Preston keeps writing and making parts of theater more accessible to the general public.
This review is part of chick lit plus blog tours.
I was provided a copy of the book for review, but the summary and thoughts on the book are mine.
August 23, 2012
Ruby Preston guest post
I was recently given a chance to read and be Show Biz: Ruby Preston and I will be posting my review of that tomorrow, but today we get a guest post from Ruby.
The Intersection of Broadway and Books
By Ruby Preston
When I first made the decision to write a book I knew I’d have to tackle a learning curve. After all, the publishing world and the Broadway world are worlds apart, right? Wrong! It turns out that, while there are some simple logistical differences, Broadway and books actually have a lot in common.
For one thing, the same rules apply for success: talent, persistence, and luck! In both writing and theater you have be good at what you do, stick with it through thick and thin, and be in the right place at the right time.
Writers and theater people are all faced with impossible odds for capturing people’s entertainment time and dollars. And yet, both books and theater have the power to transform lives and make a life-long impact if done well.
The interesting challenge for me was switching which side of the table I was on, so to speak. As a Broadway producer, a big part of my job is to read through piles of script submissions to find something I can run with - much like publisher does with manuscripts. It’s a difficult job because there are a million factors I have to take into account when I evaluate a script and I sometimes have to turn down shows that I think are wonderful.
Being suddenly in the position of submitting my work as a writer, I found a refreshing new perspective that is very much informing my approach to producing. I’m getting a much better sense of how I want to communicate and constructively interact with the theater writers who are offering up their work for my consideration.
Whether Broadway or books, I’m thrilled that I get to play in two such exciting communities of dedicated, creative and brilliant artists. Both industries are facing big challenges and even bigger opportunities and I’m happy to be along for the ride.
July 27, 2012
A Year to Remember: Shelly Bell
When Sara's younger brother gets married on her 29th birthday and she is surprised with a speech things don't go exactly as she planned. She starts a lovely speech about soul mates, but ends it with a vow to be married by her 30th birthday a year away. The plot follows Sara through the media frenzy she is forced into after her vow makes it to YouTube and how she heads out on her search for love/marriage.
Sara joins the online dating pool, does speed dating, and follows up on other connections. All the while listening to others advice and doing what she seems to think people want her to do or she is expected to do to reach towards her goal. Thinking she know what she wants and starts a relationship. But, maybe it is time for Sara to figure out what she really wants and that might not be what she originally expected, or she thinks others want from her.
Part of what I really appreciated about this book is that how Sara grew through out the year of this plot. She learned about herself and grew and that is what I like seeing in main characters in novels that I enjoy. Sara made her mistakes in the year and learned about her friends. In that learning and growing she came into herself and learned what she really wanted for herself.
I have to give this book 4 stars in that I enjoyed reading it and really couldn't put it down in parts as I wanted to see how Sara worked it all out. It is not a deep book, but if you are looking for a nice read and to see character growth this is one to pickup.
This review is part of chick lit plus blog tours.
I was provided a copy of the book for review, but the summary and thoughts on the book are mine.
July 23, 2012
Rock Star's Girl (A Hollywood Dating Story) : J.F. Kristin
Emily spends her time maintaining her fashion blog and enough freelance work to just make the ends meet. But, she takes one evening off to see her friend Jesse's band preform. At the event she meets Cory Sampson the lead singer in another band, which has already had at least one hit and potential for more.
Suddenly, Emily finds herself half of the new it couple on all the celebrity blogs and gossip sites. That is not only effecting her personal life, but her professional life, as advertisers and freelance gigs come and go with her popularity, but it is changing her relationships too. With Jesse and Cory both wanting something or not sure if they want something from her new found popularity. Emily has to make a choice for herself and figure out how she is going to precede with her life and career.
I enjoyed this book and would defiantly give it three stars. But, there was nothing there to push it over the edge to an amazing book for me. I would recommend it was a nice read and I liked the insight it gave into blogging/celebrity gossip, but it wasn't deep and didn't deal with issues that many can relate to. Overall, I do have to say that you should read it if you are look for a nice read that keeps your attention, but you don't have to think about.
Suddenly, Emily finds herself half of the new it couple on all the celebrity blogs and gossip sites. That is not only effecting her personal life, but her professional life, as advertisers and freelance gigs come and go with her popularity, but it is changing her relationships too. With Jesse and Cory both wanting something or not sure if they want something from her new found popularity. Emily has to make a choice for herself and figure out how she is going to precede with her life and career.
I enjoyed this book and would defiantly give it three stars. But, there was nothing there to push it over the edge to an amazing book for me. I would recommend it was a nice read and I liked the insight it gave into blogging/celebrity gossip, but it wasn't deep and didn't deal with issues that many can relate to. Overall, I do have to say that you should read it if you are look for a nice read that keeps your attention, but you don't have to think about.
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