Novel but Nice

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger My rating: 4 of 5 stars Everyone’s favorite ex-assistant Emily Charlton is back and just as sassy and confident as ever!! If any character deserved their own book, Emily would be among the top on my list! This book is positively delightful, and introduces two new co-leading ladies who are the perfect complement to Emily. Lauren Weisberger sure knows how to write a trendy book with surprisingly deep social commentary on the insecurity underlying all of the glitz, glamour, and money without being overly critical of anyone who subscribes to that lifestyle. I absolutely had a blast reading this book, and I think other readers—whether new to Weisberger or long-time fans—will feel the same way! Emily Charlton now has her own assistant to boss around... Emily has found her way into a career that perfectly capitalizes on her mix of taste, elegance, and ball-busting working as an image consultant to celebrities. Emi...

Girls' Night Out by Liz Fenton My rating: 4 of 5 stars A beautiful, haunting story of friendship and what happens when that friendship is put to the test. A must-read for women of all ages!!! Girls’ Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke is a gripping tale of friendship and the cracks that form over time. This book reminds me a bit of what makes Liane Moriarty successful—it’s a deep character study of women and their lives both separate to and in relation to one another, and with a dash of suspense. Readers will find themselves turning the pages, wanting to find out the hidden secrets of these three women that will answer the question, what happened to their friendship?? From the outside Ashley has everything a girl could want —a handsome husband, two lovely daughters, a successful business, a 7,000 square-foot home in California, stunning good looks, and a magnetic personality. But these things that Ashley has that make her enviable also make it hard fo...

The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wow! The number of twists in this book had my head spinning! Jessica Knoll brings us a wonderful but terrifying portrayal of the dark side of sisterhood, leaving the reader wondering if the drama we see on Reality TV is actually less twisted than the truth. I found this novel absolutely captivating! Jessica’s use of alternating narrators kept me on my toes—I didn’t know who to trust or believe. Once I thought I had the dynamics and characters figured out, the narrator would change and everything I thought I knew was turned over. I have followed Jessica Knoll’s work since her days at Cosmopolitan Magazine, when she wrote her Josie stories. From there, I followed her blog as she kept Josie alive. Though I liked the Josie stories, it was really when she began writing about Elizabeth that I saw what is so special about Jessica as a writer. She writes damaged characters so well; I hate them, I love them, they...

Lethally Blond by Kate White My rating: 4 of 5 stars Gosh, do I love a Bailey Weggins Mystery! If you've never read Kate White's Bailey Weggins series, I've heard them referred to as Cosmo Girl meets Nancy Drew. Fitting, since the author is the former editor of Cosmopolitan magazine. I absolutely love these books. They are fun, light-hearted, and usually have some good twists to them. This one was enjoyable for me, and could absolutely be read on its own (though the character develops across books, so it is also nice to read these in order). It doesn't spoil any of the previous books in the series, so a reader could dive in to this one as a solo book. Plot Teaser (Spoiler Free) Lethally Blond picks up with our heroine Bailey Weggins still working for Buzz Magazine. Buzz is sort of a celebrity gossip magazine, and Bailey writes about celebrity crimes. But now Bailey is about to find herself involved in a celebrity murder case that hits very close...

The Advice Column Murders by Leslie Nagel My rating: 4 of 5 stars What an adorable cozy mystery! A perfect weekend read :) I enjoyed this book immensely! One of my favorite aspects of this genre (the cozy mystery genre), is that you get the mix of the mystery/detective work, with this running commentary of the quirky lives of the town's residents. I actually discovered in the end of the epilogue that the author, Leslie Nagel, is from a real town of Oakwood, OH. Though there are likely less murders in the real Oakwood, I fell completely in love with this town, and Nagel's true experiences are why this town felt so authentic. This book made me want to live in that sweet town, with it's wacky residents and sweet hometown newpaper! Leslie Nagel's The Advice Column Murders is actually the third in her Oakwood Mystery series. I haven't read the first two, but any reader can absolutely go into this book as a standalone. At first I felt a bit thrust i...

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty My rating: 3 of 5 stars A solid offering from Liane Moriarty, but slow in its pacing. Its been about a week since I finished this book and it has taken me this long to think about how to review it. I had a hard time rating this one, because it was simultaneously well-written and sort of predictable. Liane Moriarty is a fantastic writer. I love how in depth into her characters' thoughts she goes. Her books are almost always driven more by the inner monologues of the characters than the dialogue and interactions with others. Plot Teaser   The book tells the stories of three women: Cecelia, Rachel, and Tess. Cecelia is a total super-mom. She runs a wildly successful tupperware business and she has three lovely daughters and a handsome, doting husband. Rachel is a bit of a lost soul. She lost her daughter when she was only a teenager, lost her husband recently before the book begins, and is about to lose her grandson (i...

A Body to Die For by Kate White My rating: 4 of 5 stars The second Bailey Weggins, and a fun read!!! There's only so many times I can gush about the fun Bailey Weggins series, but I suppose if I'm reviewing, its as good a place to gush as any! Bailey Weggins is a fictional true crime writer in New York City, who routinely finds herself in the middle of a murder scene, and uses her keen journalistic skills and brain to help solve the mystery. I've heard the Bailey Weggins books described as Sex and the City meets Nancy Drew, and its very accurate! Some readers don't respond as well to these books. There are lots of comments made about fashion and appearances. I like these, but they certainly throw back to a YA type style, though these books are certainly not YA. I love the descriptors, and I've always been a magazine reader--these felt right in line with other things I've read and enjoyed in the past. Plot Teaser Bailey has had a rough f...

If Looks Could Kill by Kate White My rating: 4 of 5 stars A perfect guilty pleasure read (though I don't feel guilty at all)! I had recently become interested in Kate White books when I came across her book The Sixes and absolutely loved it. White is a former editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, and I've seen her Bailey Weggins mysteries described as "Nancy Drew meets Sex and the City"--such a perfect descriptor! Plot Teaser (Spoiler Free) This is the first of the Bailey Weggins mysteries, and it opens with true crime writer and journalist Bailey Weggins getting a call from her boss Cat Jones, the editor of Gloss magazine, in a panic. Cat is calling first thing Sunday morning, and she is worried about her nanny Heidi's well-being. Despite the fact that Bailey is currently shacked up with a gorgeous new love interest, she gives in to Cat's panic and goes over to help. When Bailey arrives at Cat's townhome though, something is definitel...