Remember Me? (200

by Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella is back with another hilarious tale!  This one involves a serious case of amnesia that has main character Lexi Smart’s head spinning.

It’s 2004, and Lexi’s having a bad life.  She’s been stood up by her loser boyfriend, she’s been passed over at work in the bonus category, and she’s standing in the pouring rain outside a nightclub with her inebriated friends in a not-so-savory part of downtown London.  When it seems she’s finally getting the attention of an approaching cab, she slips and falls down some stairs, and everything goes black.

 When she awakens in the hospital, it’s 2007.  She hasn’t been in a coma; she’s just had a car accident that has erased the last three years of her memory.  The mystifying part is that she hardly recognizes herself–she’s thinner, obviously wealthy, a top exec at her company, and married to a gorgeous man!  How did this happen?  And how does Lexi navigate this new life when the last time she checked, she was nowhere near this fast-track?

Sophie Kinsella’s stories are not always the most realistic.  Rather, they’re humorous takes on average, everyday problems we all have.  Lexi learns that there are more important things in life besides appearances, and she learns that she had strength within herself that she never knew existed.

If you haven’t tried Sophie Kinsella’s novels before, pick one up today.  They’re quick reads, and very entertaining.

The Road Home

by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen

Genre: Inspirational

Review by guest “ranter” Donna Catron, MPL Librarian

Imagine taking a road trip cross-country with your mother-in-law in a broken-down car with little money. That’s the premise of the new inspirational book The Road Home by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olsen.

If you’ve been to many weddings, chances are you have at least a passing acquaintance with the story of Ruth, whose dedication and loyalty to her mother-in-law lead her on the path to becoming the great-grandmother of the legendary King David.

The Road Home turns this story on its ear by imaging Ruth as  cocktail waitress in Las Vegas, sister-in-law Orpah as an exotic dancer, and their mother-in-law Naomi as the run-down widow of a hotel clerk. When Ruth’s and Orpah’s husbands die tragic deaths caused by substance abuse, Naomi decides to go back to her Mennonite roots in Pennsylvania (near Bethlehem, of course). When Ruth insists on accompanying Naomi on this journey in their geriatric car, she encounters both danger and hardship, with many breakdowns and a memorable run-in with a motorcycle gang.

What makes the novel so good is that throughout all of these very modern scenarios, the book stays true to the basic message of love and loyalty found in the ancient Book of Ruth. There’s also little inside jokes sprinkled in, such as the story of how Orpah got her name. So, if you’re looking for some “inspiration” in your fiction, try this or any of the other great new books in this genre.

Skipping Christmas (2001)

by John Grisham

Genre: Fiction

I always look forward to the holiday season, but there is always a wee tiny bit of stress involved.  Juggling family get-togethers, shopping lists, money flying out of the wallet… we’ve all been there!  So what would happen if we just decided to skip the whole thing: No presents, no decorations, no food, no cards, no spirit? 

You all may have seen the movie, “Christmas with the Kranks.”  It’s based on John Grisham’s hilarious novel, Skipping Christmas.  This book puts a satirical spin on the notion of skipping all the festivities that come with Christmas.

It’s short, so you can read it in a weekend on your couch, while you eat the fruitcake you got in the mail from Aunt Marge in front of your over-priced Christmas tree, by the light of the thousands of Christmas lights you have strung on your house that filter through your window.  Enjoy!

Sammy’s Hill (2004)

by Kristin Gore

Genre: Chick Lit

Maybe I’m stereotyping a bit, but I never would have imagined that the daughter of a politician could have me laughing hysterically!  Kristin Gore (Al’s daughter) brings Washington to life with her main character, Samantha (Sammy) Joyce.  Sammy is a young senatorial aid who is dedicated to bringing better health care to seniors.  She’s also a self-deprecating hypochondriac whose love life is a mess and who finds herself constantly in sticky Bridget Jones-esque situations.  She insists on having fish as pets, for example, though she can’t keep them alive.  She does have the flushing ceremony down pat, complete with the song “Octopus’s Garden” playing in the background as the fish are flushed to their watery graves.  Despite her quirks, as you delve into her personal and professional life, you find yourself becoming proud of the girl as she stands up for what’s right… no matter how much trouble it lands her in.

Gore’s debut novel is one of the funniest I’ve read in awhile; and, I’ve just discovered that the sequel, Sammy’s House, was released in July of this year. 

If you love comedy and politics, try these out, and let me know what you think.

CourtTV’s series Murder By The Book is back! 

In case you missed it last year, the hour-long show is narrated by popular mystery authors who tell true stories of crimes they’ve witnessed or been involved with and that subsequently inspired them to write.  For example, James Ellroy kicked off last season’s series with his chilling tale of the still-unsolved murder of his mother in a suburb of Los Angeles when he was a child, and how it has haunted him throughout his life. 

Other episodes from last season featured a different author each week and included stories from both Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, Lisa Scottoline, and Michael Connelly.  This season, best-selling authors such as Sandra Brown, Harlan Coben, Lee Child, David Baldacci, Elizabeth George, and many others, get to tell their stories.

The show is full of drama and reenactments, documentary footage, and the author’s insights; it will hook you if you’ve ever wanted to get inside the mind of a successful mystery/crime author.  The season kicked off November 5 and will air on CourtTV every Monday evening.  Don’t miss it!