Firstly, I totally realize it has been far too long since my last post. I promise to remedy that and fill you in on a bit of why. But first, I have an actual book that I’ve read from front to back and a post to write about it.
As you may know, I’m a huge fan of BlogHer. And of books. Well, lo and behold, BlogHer has a book club. Who knew? All of you, probably. Anyway, I’m starting to participate which is great as it gives me the push I need to get out of my reading rut. Their current read is Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster. I’d previously read her first memoir, Bitter is the New Black in 2011. She’s a sarcastic, pop culture laden, witty kind of gal. And she’s started to delve into fiction. This is her second novel.
What’s it about? Lissy Ryder was a classic Mean Girl in high school. Head of the popular girls, bully, cheerleader, all things cliche. She’s continued to live that self-absorbed life for the next 20 years. Then boom. everything goes wrong. She loses her cushy job for obvious and justifiable reasons, her husband asks for a divorce, she loses her condo, and has to move home with her parents. Trying to shallowly get out of her bind, she decides to prey upon classmates at her reunion to drum up clients for her brand new marketing firm of one. Things go awry.
In steps Debbie, or Deva as she’s now called. She takes her in after the disastrous reunion and gives her a way to make things right. A potion that will take her back.
That’s all I’ll give as a synopsis so as not to spoil anything.
Though this isn’t my usual fare when it comes to reading, I breezed through the 300 or so pages rather quickly. There were lots of 90s trivia and pop culture references that made me grin. Lancaster is a sharp wit and let’s everyone have it at some point: soccer moms, plastic surgeons, band members, children, Bieber. Hell, even Oprah gets mentioned.
It was like reading a more adult version of the movie Big. [meaning there were bad words and some sex talk.] Or perhaps more accurately it was like reading a campy, chick lit (I dislike that term, but for lack of a better one) book version of the movie Sliding Doors.
Did I love it? Not really. Did I hate it? Not at all. Though it was a light read, it did give me pause a few times. It made me try to remember high school. Did I say or do awful things to others? Did I say or do kind things to others? Can one person’s seemingly minor act cause a butterfly effect on those around her?
What do you think? Can you change someone’s life with one small act? Do you remember an instance where that happened? Were you a mean girl?
To read more about what others though about this book and/or to join in the discussion, click here.
This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.
I am in my mid 30′s ans this kind of story doesn’t seem to carry the substance I need in a book. I have one right now that will be hard to beat, Coming to Rosemont by Barbara Hinske. It has substance and a good deep storyline. It’s more Women’s Fiction than Chick Lit. barbarahinske.com if you want to take a look. I have a teenage reader here that may like this one though, maybe let her have a crack at it!
I probably won’t read this book (I’m 65… the pop culture [I actually typed "poop" culture by mistake LOL] references are probably not of interest to me), but I had to comment on Sliding Doors… one of my favorite movies of all time… and I’m not a huge fan of Gwyneth Paltrow. But that movie really made me wonder, “What if…?”
Same here. I think of that movie pretty often considering it came out in 1998.