Waiting on Wednesday: Janelle

This week's WoW (courtesy of Jill at Breaking the Spine!):

The Mischief of the Mistletoe: A Pink Carnation Christmas
Dutton Adult
Release Date: October 28, 2010

Goodreads: Arabella Dempsey’s dear friend Jane Austen warned her against teaching. But Miss Climpson’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies seems the perfect place for Arabella to claim her independence while keeping an eye on her younger sisters nearby. Just before Christmas, she accepts a position at the quiet girls’ school in Bath, expecting to face nothing more exciting than conducting the annual Christmas recital. She hardly imagines coming face to face with French aristocrats and international spies…

Reginald “Turnip” Fitzhugh—often mistaken for the elusive spy known as the Pink Carnation—has blundered into danger before. But when he blunders into Miss Arabella Dempsey, it never occurs to him that she might be trouble. When Turnip and Arabella stumble upon a beautifully wrapped Christmas pudding with a cryptic message written in French, “Meet me at Farley Castle”, the unlikely vehicle for intrigue launches the pair on a Yuletide adventure that ranges from the Austens’ modest drawing room to the awe-inspiring estate of the Dukes of Dovedale, where the Dowager Duchess is hosting the most anticipated event of the year: an elaborate 12-day Christmas celebration. Will they find poinsettias or peril, dancing or danger? And is it possible that the fate of the British Empire rests in Arabella and Turnip’s hands, in the form of a festive Christmas pudding?

I believe it was April when Erin introduced me to Lauren Willig's first book, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, and I immediately fell in love. I ran out and quickly bought the remaining books in the series (including the 6th one in HARDCOVER) and spent the week embracing/loving all things historical, romantic, and spy-like. For me, these books touch upon everything I love in a book--a clever female protagonist, a charming/handsome love interest, good old-fashioned but slightly spicy romance (well spicy as it can be for the 1800s) and adventure. This is really difficult but Willig does it well.

I was disappointed when I realized, after reading the sixth one, that there were no more but then I stumbled upon news of The Mischief of the Mistletoe and now I'm eagerly anticipating October! Sure, it'll be a little colder. I won't be able to wear shorts, go to the beach, drink a margarita on the patio...and yes, this will suck BUT I will be able to snuggle up on my couch and delve into the perfect mix of a Jane Austen+Carolyn Keene (Elizabeth Bennet & Nancy Drew anyone?) novel. Oh, The Mischief of The Mistletoe, you are not coming fast enough!

Review - Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde

Summary (via Goodreads): "If Thursday thought she could avoid the spotlight after her heroic escapades in the pages of Jane Eyre, she was sorely mistaken. The unforgettable literary detective has another think coming." The love of her life has been eradicated by the corrupt multinational Goliath, and to rescue him Thursday must retrieve a supposedly vanquished enemy from the pages of "The Raven." But Poe is off-limits to even the most seasoned literary interloper. Enter a professional: the man-hating Miss Havisham from Dickens's Great Expectations. As Miss H's new apprentice, Thursday keeps her motives secret as she learns the ropes of Jurisfiction, where she moonlights as a Prose Resource Operative inside books. As if jumping into the works of Kafka and Austen, and even Beatrix Potter's Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, weren't enough, Thursday finds herself the target of a series of potentially lethal coincidences, the authenticator of a newly discovered play by the Bard himself and the only one who can prevent an unidentifiable pink sludge from engulfing all life on Earth.

Review: I've heard a lot of good things about Jasper Fforde over the years, so about three years ago I finally got around to reading first book in the Thursday Next series, The Eyre Affair, and, to be honest, found it a bit difficult to get through. I liked the book enough; it was fun, imaginative, and quirky, but I just felt derailed by not being able to keep track of all the elements of Fforde’s world. I just felt like I’d been dropped into this strange world with no preparation. And I couldn’t really emotionally connect with Thursday. She just left me a little cold.

So when I saw Lost in a Good Book at the library I was hesitant to pick it up, but remembered all the good things I heard and thought I'd give it another try. I’m happy to say that the second book was much more enjoyable and I flew through it. This time things like book jumping, time paradoxes, and mammoth (yes, as in woolly) migrations barely made me bat an eye. This book is much more emotionally driven and allows Thursday to become a much more sympathetic character. I felt like I could understand Thursday's motivations a little better and understood where her initial distance came from. She actually reminded me a bit of Olivia from the show Fringe. At first they were both a bit matter-of-fact and business-like, but once I saw how committed they both are to the people they love, both became two of my favorite female protagonists. I couldn't help shed a tear or two at Thursday despairs over the loss of Landen and admire her determination to get him back, no matter the consequence. I also loved the addition of Miss Havisham as Thursday’s Jurisfiction mentor. She’s hilarious and sad, yet a little badass. I hope she’ll be in more of the series.

Lost in a Good Book is fast-paced and full of one brilliantly irreverent literary reference after another. I definitely became much more immersed in the world this time around. I found myself trying to decide what branch of Spec-Ops I’d want to work in and wanting a dodo as a pet like Thursday. Fforde’s Next series is hard to describe and even harder to encapsulate in one or two words, so let me just say that Lost in a Good Book was absurd, thrilling, hilarious, and a joy to read. I've already ordered The Well of Lost Plots and can't wait to get started.

Lit Snit Verdit: B+

Review - Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Summary (via Goodreads): When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Review: This book was entertaining enough, but I think all the hype I’d heard from various blogs left me a little disappointed. You can’t help but compare it to the movie Grease (which Elkeles even refers to at one tongue-in-cheek moment), and has the same fun, romantic, opposites attract feel to it. However, Elkeles’ has a certain social commentary and realism that reminds you that Alex isn’t ‘playing’ at being a gang member. I appreciated too that Elkeles deals with Brittany’s sister’s cerebral palsey with respect and honesty, never using Shelley as a cheap gimmick. She has as much personality and development as any of the other characters. I really enjoyed the main characters best friends, Sierra and Paco, who served not only as humorous distractions from the drama at certain points, but really proved that this book was about friendship and loyalty as much as it was a love story.

Perfect Chemistry started off really strong, allowing me to become invested in both Brittany and Alex’s lives, but as things developed it just seemed slightly contrived and their story wrapped up a little too neatly in the end to the point I kind of groaned and wished Elkeles had left a bit more to the imagination. That said, both characters were really well-rounded and I loved the dual POV. The dialogue, for the most part, was witty and clever.

I see the next in the series is about Carlos, Alex’s younger, hot-headed brother, who was probably my least favorite side character. I might give Rules of Attraction a try, but I’ve got so much on my to-read pile right now it probably won’t be any time soon.

Lit Snit Verdict: B-

Want another opinion? See what Emily and Her Little Pink Notes has to say about Perfect Chemistry.

Casting Call Friday - One For The Money

We hadn't seen this kind of feature around on other books blogs, so we here at Lit Snit thought it'd be fun to start a new weekly feature, Casting Call Friday.

We know not every book will be (or should be) turned into a movie, but sometimes you just can't help imagine who in Hollywood would be perfect to play your favorite character. Every Friday one of us will pick a book and give you our dream cast.

This whole thing actually came about a few months ago when I finally got around to reading Janet Evanovich's One for the Money Janelle, Daniela, and I argued for longer than I'm sure any of us would like to admit about who would be the perfect Stephanie Plum, Morelli, and Ranger. In celebration of that first (and probably not the last) casting argument/discussion/belligerent yelling (totally on my part...I get defensive about my Morelli choice) I thought I'd kick off Casting Call Friday with One for the Money, even if it's already cast and in production.

Stephanie Plum: Michelle Monaghan

She's smart and sly, with the ability to play comedy and drama really well. If any of you have seen the movie Trucker, you know Michelle can play a realistic, flawed character with heart. She'd be awesome as the lead character, making those absurd bounty hunter mishaps Stephanie finds herself in, seem realistic and not at all cartoon-y.

Joe Morelli: Jeffrey Dean Morgan

I won't lie. I kind of adore Jeffrey Dean Morgan and think he'd be awesome in most anything, but he'd especially be a great Morelli. He's got that gruff, arrogant but sweet charm that makes Morelli my favorite of Stephanie's love interests. Morgan just embodies Morelli in my mind. He could even pull off lines like, "It's not the pizza, darlin', its my masculine presence" without making me cringe.

Ranger: Kevin Alejandro

Kevin Alejandro has the perfect mysterious badass vibe that's needed for Ranger. He'd be a great bounty hunter mentor to Stephanie, while keeping the sexual tension alive and well.

Grandma Mazur: Cloris Leachman

Hilarious and uncensored, Leachman would be perfect as Stephanie's gun-toting, delightfully batty grandmother. I can just hear her delivering Grandma Mazur's dry, blunt quips, while serving as a lovable meddler in Stephanie's personal and professional life.

Lula: Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique proved this past year that she's one hell of an actress with Precious, and I think she'd be brilliant as Lula, the hooker who Stephanie befriends and eventually becomes her sometimes partner. She's funny and sweet and you'd know she'd have Stephanie's back.

So that's my dream cast for Janet Evanovich's One for the Money. What do you think? Do you agree/disagree? What's your dream cast for the Stephanie Plum series?

EDIT: I've just discovered the hilarious blog Forever Young Adult who cast the main characters in their reviews. If you like this feature, check them out!

Review - I wanna be your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert

Summary: (via Goodreads) Punk rock is in Emily Black's blood. Her mother, Louisa, hit the road to follow the incendiary music scene when Emily was four months old and never came back. Now Emily's all grown up with a punk band of her own, determined to find the tune that will bring her mother home. Because if Louisa really is following the music, shouldn't it lead her right back to Emily?

Review: I wanna be your Joey Ramone is the debut novel of Stephanie Kuehnert. At its foundation, it is a coming of age story that highlights the aspects of life that help propel us toward adulthood and the things we must figure out before we can cross that bridge. For Emily, these things are music and her runaway mother, Luisa. She has a strong affinity for both and has decided that the best way to fill the void left by the departure of her mother is by immersing herself in all things punk rock.

With this in mind, Emily manages to create the quintessential pre-rock’n’roll-stardom adolescence for herself. She is brilliant but flawed by her youth, which compels her to try all sorts of destructive habits in abundance: sex, drugs, alcohol. Emily’s reckless lifestyle is shockingly addictive, believable and justifiable. Nobody we know grew up like this—or would have wanted to—yet Emily’s narrative makes it seem possible—attractive even! Kuehnert makes us want to be in Emily’s skin, feeling all the teenage angst, reliving those music-induced highs, and rocking it out with her band (She Laughs). Without having to hear a single note, we become the She Laugh’s first audience, and their first fans.

No matter what happens Emily constantly keeps one thing in mind—Luisa, her idol. In Emily’s head, Luisa is likened to a rock god: she is surrounded by mystery and myth, she is unreachable, and her life is guided solely by music. To help the reader understand more about Luisa, Kuehnert intercuts Emily’s first person narrative with brief third-person narrations describing Luisa’s life. This technique has the interesting effect of supplying information about Luisa while still keeping her estranged. In essence, Luisa’s true feelings are concealed and remain a mystery to us; much like her whole life is a mystery to Emily. But unlike Emily, the reader finds it impossible to idolize Luisa. Instead of living the music-driven life of Emily’s imagination, Luisa is nothing more than a hallow vagabond chased by the ghosts of her violent past. This leads her through her own run of reckless promiscuity and drug abuse, but youth can no longer be an excuse—not after 21 years on the run.

As the story concludes, a reflective look over the lives of Emily and Luisa shows two generations of women whose lives have been ravaged by events beyond their control. By creating such similarities in the lives for both her heroines, Kuehnert seems want to analyze the different healing powers of running away vs. running after one’s problems. Her conclusion is unclear as neither method seems perfectly ideal. What is clear is Kuehnert’s emphasis on the power of family and friends. Ultimately, it’s the longevity of her relationships that allow Emily to find the strength to let go of the past.

Lit Snit Verdict: A

Click here to read the review that inspired me to read this book.