"Pride and Popularity" and "Northanger Alibi" by Jenni James

I have been really torn about writing this review.  First, these books were sooo not written with me being the target audience (and that's okay) and second, they feel like they still need a bit of editing.  But at the same time, I think that the author, Jenni James, is one of the most passionate writers I have ever met and her love for her books makes me forget that I wasn't wild about them.

I first discovered Pride & Popularity on some random blog (sorry, but I can't for the life of me can't remember which one) and was intrigued by the idea of a Pride and Prejudice reworking.  I got very excited about this book when I realized that it was set in my town (Farmington, New Mexico, for those of you who haven't read the books.  And yes, it really is a real place.  A weird place, but a real one).  So I was pretty excited about reading them.  However, I just couldn't get into Pride & Popularity.  It was a very quick read with a lot covered in a little bit of space.  I had a hard time believing Chloe's parent's would really go that over-top with their daughter's dating habits- going as far as to force her to date someone she wasn't interested in.  I also felt that the novel lacked the build-up required to make the ending conflict with Chloe's sister have a real impact on the reader.  The more time I spent with these characters, the less I was able to really find any common ground with them.  At times it felt like the only thing that was believable was the location of Chloe's home.  It is described as being directly across from a park, and though it never lists which park, it was pretty cool to read this book with an actual location in mind that could very well be the real place.

Having finished Pride & Popularity, I moved onto Northanger Alibi.  I struggled with this one more than the first.  I tried to convince myself that it was due to the numerous Twilight references and (again) the weird dating rules that took place (and again with the forcing of an unwanted relationship) but as I finished the book, I don't think that was it.  I just couldn't stand behind these characters.  They just felt a little flaky.  In Northanger Alibi, Claire (Chloe's sister- and yes, she was in P&P, I've heard complaints that she wasn't) gets the opportunity to visit the Seattle area- and meets two guys that she is convinced are right out of Stephenie Meyer's saga- they clearly are a vampire and a werewolf in disguise!  Even writing it I can't help but roll my eyes.  Again, these books are clearly not for me.

I will say this- there is certainly a market for these books.  I recently attended an author visit with Ms. James.  She read aloud from several of her books, and I was quite surprised that several of the audience members didn't roll off their seats they were laughing so hard.  And laughing with enjoyment.  It was then that I realized that I used to read books similar to James' work quite heavily when I was around the 14-17 age range (the same age as the girls in the audience).  I thought about some of the cheesy plot lines that I thoroughly enjoyed and, though I don't remember them very well, I'm sure they couldn't have been very different from these books.  I've also noticed that my tastes are gradually changing and I have been reading more and more of the adult fiction.  So while I have begun to outgrow these sorts of books, I see that there is demand for it and that there are readers out there who just can't get enough of the genre.  So if you are a teenage girl who is into light and fluffy romances (or a non-teenage girl that is into light and fluffy romances) or are looking for a book that is just clean without major conflict, give this series a shot. 

Happy Reading!
-Melly

"The Mother-Daugher Book Club" by Heather Vogel Frederick

I am excited to say that I have now read the first book in The Mother-Daughter Book Club series!   I am also excited to say that I enjoyed it quite a bit.  The book starts off on a very different note than the following books.  Later in the series, Emma, Jess, Cassidy and Megan are best friends, but they didn’t start out that way.  In the first book, Megan is a member of the “fab four” the queen bees of the school who spend a good amount of their time mocking Emma’s hand-me-downs and Jess’ life growing up on a farm.  Megan is the new girl, having recently moved to Concord from California after the sudden death of her father.  Jess and Emma are the only girls out of the four that are already friends. 

Much to the dismay of the girls, their mothers decide to start a mother-daughter book club which will begin with Little Women.  The club is especially difficult for Jess as her mother is a soap opera actress living in New York City and doesn’t have the opportunity to participate in the club with her daughter.  The club leads to tension between the girls which is escalated when Megan’s friends steal Emma’s journal and reads a private poem aloud (in the presence of Emma’s crush, the subject of the poem).  Of course we know (assuming you’ve read my other review) that the girls resolve their problems and end up becoming friends, but it was interesting to see where the girls started and how their friendship grew.

This was a fun book to read and I recommend it and the rest of the series to young girls.  I also suggest that readers of this series read the book club’s books too (I am anxious to re-read Little Women now that I’ve been reminded of it’s wonderful story!).

Keep up with all of the Mother-Daughter Book Club’s reads!

The Mother-Daughter Book Club: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Much Ado About Anne: Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Dear Pen Pal: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

Pies and Prejudice: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Home for the Holidays (October 2011): A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Happy Reading!

-Melly

"The Mother-Daughter Book Club" by Heather Vogel Frederick

Sadly I am going about this series the wrong way.  So far I have read book two, Much Ado About Anne and am in the middle of book four, Pies and Prejudice.  I am having a lot of fun with this series and look forward to getting copies of books one, The Mother-Daughter Book Club and three, Dear Pen Pal.  In addition, I’d like to read Home for the Holidays when it is released in October.

The series is a bit what you’d expect, based on its title.  Though I am not completely sure how it was formed (does it really make sense to review a series I have not completed?  Oh well….) it’s what I would think it would be about, four young girls are in a book club with their mothers and use the events taking place in the novels to help inspire them to solve the problems taking place in their lives.  The books are not just about the classic literature the girls are reading (so far I've encountered Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice).  Each girl has her own distinct personality; the jock, the fashionista, the farm girl, and the reader.  Though they are all different, this works for them.  Again, I don’t know much about the events of the first book, but during Much Ado About Anne, the girls are working to save Jess’ wonderfully named, Half-Moon Farm.  From their readings and personal skills the girls come up with a plan and put it into action.

This is a great book for late elementary/middle school readers who may not be ready for (or interested in) the vampire romances or intense topics currently popular for young adult readers.  I love that the girls in this series tackle their problems head on and while they involve the adults in their lives, they take control of their actions and work to get things done.  If I had to pick something to complain about, it would be the length of the chapters.  Though they don’t drag, I often find the individual chapters to take a long time to end and I seem to read these books in shorter spurts than normal.  However, I am enjoying reading and I will certainly be finishing this series!

Check out Heather Vogel Frederick's website!

Happy Reading! 

-Melly