Thursday, August 6, 2009

Out Of Order

We have been having computer/modem/router problems around here and I've been without service all week. What a good thing that our neighbor does IT and was able to help diagnose the problem. It sounds like some part of our system might have been hit by lightening. Crazy!

Funny, when there's no computer to use I'm able to get a lot more reading done. Somehow I didn't get much more housework done. Hmmm.

I hardly know where to begin with my 300 emails, huge backlog on bloglines and the numerous books I've read. So, here, I think I'll start with something fun.

Sophie Kinsella. Do you enjoy her books? For whatever reason, I'm drawn to them, and I was happy to score a fresh and never-read copy from the library of her newest book, Twenties Girl: A Novel. Kinsella is of course known for her Shopaholic series, but this is a stand-alone book.




In Twenties Girl, we meet Lara, a twenty-something young women whose luck has seemed to have run out. She's had problems at work, a break-up with her boyfriend and now she has to attend the funeral of her great-aunt Sadie who she never knew.

But. Twenty-something Sadie in ghost form appears to Lara at the funeral and she begs Lara to stop the funeral because she cannot rest until a very special necklace is returned to her. Let's just say Sadie is extremely persistent and Lara agrees to help her. Thus begins the antics that take place in this novel, from cute and funny, to cringingly embarrassing (and unlikely) as well as quite moving. We discover how having a ghost can actually be quite helpful as they can go places and see things others cannot. Just as you'd expect there's romance involved here, and just as you'd expect with a Kinsella book, there are happy endings all around.

Reading a new Sophie Kinsella book is like eating your favorite candy - wonderful in small doses. I mean, I wouldn't want to read books like this all the time, but once in a while they're just the perfect escape. It's a quick, fun, light, escapist read. I want to give kudos to Kinsella for her writing ability. I think writing a book like this is harder than it looks, keeping the balance between fun and ridiculous, and weaving that invisible thread throughout the book that keeps the reader curious and turning pages. All in all, a delight.

12 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I hate being away from the computer of having computer problems, but I get so much more done when that happens. I'm dying to get my hands on a copy of Twenties Girl!

Carrie K said...

Bummer about your computer woes. Glad it's fixed now! Yikes, the backlog can be overwhelming, can't it?

I love Sophie Kinsella, she's so much fun. You're right, she's the perfect quick escape.

Staci said...

I have yet to crack open one of her books but I do have Shopaholic on my shelves. I feel the need to get that done this month!! :)

Anonymous said...

I just finished TWENTIES GIRL on my Kindle. It was laugh-out-loud funny in several spots. Some parts were only so-so, but I think overall it was just what I needed.

Sorry about your computer. Ours has been fried by lightning before as well. Strange, isn't it?

Melissa said...

We had a similar lightning strike a few months ago at our house - it zapped the garage door motor, turned on the motor in the jacuzzi, and fried the wireless box for the whole house (no computer, no cable, no phone). Good times. Fortunately, it was all fixed within a couple days, but still ... kind of scary.

I've never read any Sophie Kinsella although people do seem to like them. Maybe I'll have to give them a try one of these days ...

Tara said...

bermudaonion, I bet you'll love Twenties Girl!

Carrie K, totally!

Staci, she's fun, I think I prefer her stand alone books to the series, which is fun, too.

Kay, I agree completely! It is strange - how does that happen??

Melissa, Oh no - that sounds awful! She's a fun writer, just pure fun.

Ti said...

We had a lightning strike that wiped out my hard drive a couple of years back. That sucked!

I'm sorry you had to deal with it but yay for the IT neighbor next door.

Cath said...

I had no idea there was a new Sophie Kinsella! Thanks for the heads up. I haven't read all of her shopaholic books but love her stand alone ones such as Remember Me? and The Undomestic Goddess.

Karen said...

I always really enjoy Kinsella's novels and am really looking forward to this one after reading your thoughts on it. Thanks!

Rebecca Reid said...

I too get a lot more read when I'm not computer-ing!

I've never read any Sophie Kinsella, but it does sound like a nice light read for those times when I get the itch for something not too serious.

Nan said...

Sounds great to me!

Tara said...

Ti, nuts! I know , that came in really handy.

Cath, no problem! The Shopaholic books always get a little too silly for me, though I've read them all. I think I like the stand alones better.

Karen, I hope you like it!

Rebecca, no kidding! She's a fun writer.

Nan, I'd love to know if you'd enjoy something like this!