The New Girl by Meg Cabot

Book synopsis:
When you are starting at a brand-new school, you have to wear something good.

Allie Finkle's starting her first day of school at Pine Heights Elementary! Plus, she's getting a new kitten, the first pick of show cat Lady Serena Archibald's letter!

But being the New Girl is turning out to be scary, too, especially since one of the girls in Allie's new class -- Rosemary -- doesn't like her. In fact, Rosemary says she's going to beat Allie up after school.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on how Allie should handle the situation. How can Allie tell who's right? Who knew it was going to be so hard being the New Girl?

My review:
Allie Finkle is starting a new school. It's her first day and she is nervous! Luckily for Allie she's in Mrs. Hunter's class with her new friends Erica, Caroline and Sophie. Her first day starts out well until she meets Rosemary. For whatever reason, Rosemary doesn't like Allie and wants to beat her up! Allie's not sure what to do, but thank goodness she has her rules for girls.

The New Girl is book two of the Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series. Allie is adapting to her new home, new school and trying to make new friends. I enjoyed this book as much as the first. Allie is very likable and the reader will root for her as she finds her way being the new girl in fourth grade.

Book details:
Series: Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls #2
ISBN-13: 978-0-545-04049-5
Pages: 222
Year Published: 2008
Genre: Children's Fiction (Series)
Source: Library
Date Finished: October 24

Moving Day by Meg Cabot

Book synopsis:
I like rules. What I'm not so crazy about is everything else.

When nine-year-old Allie Finkle's parents announce that the family is moving, Allie's sure her life is over.

She's not at all happy about having to give up her pretty pink wall-to-wall carpeting for creaky floorboards and creepy secret passageways...not to mention leaving her modern, state-of-the-art suburban school for a rundown, old-fashioned school just two blocks from her new house.

With a room she's half-scared to go into, the burden of being "the new girl", and her old friends all a half-hour car ride away, how will Allie ever learn to fit in?

My review:
My first book of Ms. Cabot's was The Boy Next Door (which I loved and still recommend quite often) and from there I was introduced to the Heather Wells mystery series. I've enjoyed her books so much, that I spent most of my time last year reading her young adult collection. So when I heard she was working on a new children's series, I was curious to know more about it.

Meet Allie Finkle. She's nine years old, currently in the fourth grade, big sister to Mark and Kevin and best friends with Mary Kay. Okay, may be Allie would like to have a new best friend. Someone who doesn't cry all the time. Or someone who will allow Allie to decide what game to play next. Other than that, Allie's life is pretty good. Until her parents say these two small words: "we're moving".

Why would her parents leave their gorgeous home only to move into a falling-down Victorian? (Let's not even talk about that fact the house is probably haunted!) On top of that, her new school isn't so "new". The building is rundown and the gym is also the lunchroom! (Eww...need I say more??)

Allie has to think of something quick before her parents ruin her life. She's promised to be on her best behavior and not complain about the move. If she keeps her promise, her parents will allow her to have her very own pet: a kitten (the family also has a dog). The question is, can she stop the move, but still get the kitten?

I love Allie Finkle! Allie is a cute girl, with a big heart, who is trying to do the right thing all the time. To make sure she stays on the right path, she created rules for herself. Here are some of her rules:

• When you finally figure out what the right thing to do is, you have to do it, even if you don't want to.
• Don't be a braggart.
• Sometimes (but not always) it's better just to keep things to yourself.
• You can't let your family move into a haunted house.
• If you get a new best friend, it's rude to show off about it.

If I were nine again, I would want Allie to be my friend. She's creative, energetic, spunky and just fun! I loved reading Moving Day and cannot wait to read more from this series.

Random tidbit: Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series would be a wonderful selection for a mother/daughter book club.

Book details:
Series: Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls #1
ISBN-13: 978-0-545-03947-5
Pages: 228
Year Published: 2008
Genre: Children's Fiction (Series)
Source: Library
Date Finished: October 24

3 Mini-Reviews

Well, once again I find myself behind in writing my book reviews. For the last week or so, I've been debating whether or not to write them or not write them. Decisions, decisions...

I finally decided to end my stress and post a mini-summary for each book. I hate getting behind on my reviews, but worse than that, I hate the stress that I feel when I get behind. I'm brainstorming ways to stay on top of reviews moving forward (especially in the new year). Hopefully I can find something that will work for me.


Title: After You
Author: Julie Buxbaum
Genre: Women's Fiction
Date Finished: September 16

Summary: When Ellie learns of her best friend’s, Lucy, tragic death, she puts her life on hold (including her own marital problems) to be with Lucy’s husband, Greg and daughter Sophie. As Ellie tries to cope with Lucy’s shortened life, she discovers Lucy’s hidden secrets that cause Ellie to question their friendship. After You is a book about personal healing after a loss. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, end of a relationship or the loss of innocence. After You explores the necessary steps to move forward and begin again where you are.


Title: The Neighbor
Author: Lisa Gardner
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Date Finished: October 7

Summary: From a distance Jason and Sandra Jones appear to be the perfect couple. They have a beautiful daughter, a new house and are in the beginning stages of building a life together. Their perfect façade slowly begins to crumble with Sandra goes missing shortly after putting their daughter to bed. Jason immediately turns into the prime suspect when he’s aloof and uncooperative with the police. What exactly is he hiding? Does he want his wife to be found? If he didn't kill her, does he know who did? These questions are what Detective Sergeant D.D. Warren is determined to find out.


Title: Dying for Mercy
Author: Mary Jane Clark
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Date Finished: October 17

Summary: Following the kidnapping of her daughter, Janie, Eliza Blake decides to rent a house in prestigious Tuxedo Park, New York. She’s invited to a party and before the night ends, the host commits suicide by stigmata. As Eliza and her colleagues, AKA the Sunshine Suspense Society, begin to investigate, they realize he left clues behind that will piece together a cover-up that happened years ago. Can Eliza and her friends find the killer’s identity before they become the next victims?

Red Hot Lies by Laura Caldwell

Usually I pride myself on my intuition. I listen to that voice that says, “Something bad is happening…”or maybe “Get out. Now.” But on that Tuesday at the end of October, my psyche must have been protecting the one remaining day I still believed life was orderly and the universe liked me. Because I didn’t hear that voice. I never saw it coming.

They say bad things happen in threes. When her fiancé, Sam, disappears on the same day her mentor and biggest client is killed, hotshot Chicago attorney Izzy McNeil starts counting. But trouble keeps coming. Sam is implicated in the client’s death, her apartment is broken into and it’s not just the authorities who are following her.

Now, to find Sam and uncover her client’s murderer, Izzy will have to push past limits she never imagined. Lucky for her she’s always thrived under pressure, because her world is falling apart. Fast. And the trail of half-truths and lies is red-hot.

My review:
Red Hot Lies is the first book in the Izzy McNeil trilogy. I've read two of her suspense novels, Look Closely and The Rome Affair, and enjoyed them both. When I heard she was writing a new trilogy, I immediately added the titles to my TBR List.

At first glance, life appears to be going well for Izzy McNeil. She's an entertainment lawyer working for one of the richest men in Chicago, Forester Pickett. She's planning her wedding with her successful and gorgeous, fiancé Sam. She's feisty, beautiful and is satisfied with how things are in her life. Until one evening when several bad things happen in a row that cause Izzy's life to spin rapidly out of control.

Izzy is a character that I liked from page one. Ms. Caldwell did an excellent character portrayal of Izzy, that it seemed as though she was a friend. I immediately pictured her in my mind and rooted for her as she scrambled to find the truth behind Sam's disappearance and Forester's murder.

Red Hot Lies is a good, solid mystery. It kept me engrossed until the ending. There's twists and turns and plenty of suspects. Red Hot Lies did not disappoint. The good news is books two and three, Red Blooded Murder and Red, White & Dead, are now available and I'm looking forward to reading what happens next with Izzy.

About the author:
Laura Caldwell is becoming a favorite author of mine. She is a former lawyer now an Adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola University Chicago. She's the author of Look Closely, The Night I Got Lucky and The Good Liar, just to name a few. To see her entire book list, click here.

Book details:
Series: Izzy McNeil #1
ISBN-10: 0778326500
Pages: 439
Year Published: 2009
Genre: Mystery
Date Finished: August 13
Rating: B+

Jinx by Meg Cabot

Book Synopsis:
It's not easy being Jinx.

Jean Honeychurch hates her boring name (not Jean Marie, or Jeanette, just . . . Jean). What's worse? Her all-too-appropriate nickname, Jinx. Misfortune seems to follow her everywhere she goes—even to New York City, where Jinx has moved to get away from the huge mess she caused in her small hometown. Her aunt and uncle welcome her to their Manhattan town house, but her beautiful cousin Tory isn't so thrilled. . . .

In fact, Tory is hiding a dangerous secret—one that could put them all in danger. Soon Jinx realizes it isn't just bad luck she's been running from . . . and that the curse she has lived under since the day she was born may be the only thing that can save her life.

My review:

Jean "Jinx" moves in with her aunt and uncle after an incident back home. Upon arrival, she learns her cousin Tory (now refers to be called Torrance) thinks she is a witch. Tory reminds Jean that their great-great-great-grandmother was also a practicing witch and stated that one of her descendants will also be a witch. Naturally Tory believes it's her, until Jean saves Zach's, Tory's neighbor and crush, life.

Having read most of Ms. Cabot's young adult novels last year, I was looking forward to reading Jinx. Unfortunately, this book didn't grab me as her previous novels did. The mystery behind Jean's move to live with her aunt is obvious as is the reason her family calls her Jinx.

What really stood out to me was how similar the characters are with the characters from The Princess Diaries series. For instance, Jean reminded me of Princess Mia; Zach was a good guy like Michael; Tory was mean like Lana. At one point, I actually started seeing the Princess Diaries characters instead of these main characters. From this, I thought the plot seemed "a bit familiar" and too formula-based.

Jean, the protagonist, came across as boring and naive. I often found myself wanting to shake her and say "Can't you see what's going on here?" It was so frustrating to see Tory repeatedly take advantage of her and for Jean to remain passive so she wouldn't hurt Tory's feelings.

Although Jinx is not a favorite of mine by Ms. Cabot, I still plan to read my way through her young adult collection.

Book details:
ISBN: 978-0-06-083766-2
Pages: 262
Year Published: 2007
Genre: YA Fiction
Date Finished: August 13
Rating: C-

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

Title: Being Nikki
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Airhead #2
ISBN-10: 0-545-04056-6
Pages: 336
Year Published: 2009
Genre: YA Fiction (Series)
Date Finished: June 28

From the dust jacket:

Things aren’t pretty for Emerson Watts.

Em was sure there couldn’t be anything worse than being a brainiac in the body of a teenage supermodel.

But it turned out she was wrong.

It turns out she has a mother who’s gone mysteriously missing, a brother who’s shown up on her doorstep demanding answers, a former best friend who’s intent on destroying Stark Enterprises, and a British heartthrob who’s written a song about her that’s topping the charts.

How can Em balance all that with school and runway shows — especially when she’s got ex-boyfriends crawling out of the woodwork who want more than just a photo op, a sister who is headed to the high school cheerleading championships, and a company she represents that seems to be turning to the dark side. . .

Not to mention trying to convince the love of her life that models aren’t really airheads after all. . .especially one model in particular.

But then, nobody said it was going to be easy being Nikki.

First sentences: I’m cold. I’m freezing, actually.

Review:
Being Nikki is the follow-up novel to Airhead. In Airhead, the readers learned how Emerson “Em” Watts became Nikki Howard. In Being Nikki, we learn more about Nikki’s personal life.

The story centers around Em adjusting to Nikki’s high-profile lifestyle while balancing her school work, family and trying to be friends with Christopher. When a mysterious stranger shows up at her Manhattan loft unexpectedly, the story takes off and the mystery begins.

I have to admit, I thought Being Nikki was much better than Airhead. Airhead was too repetitive for me. In Being Nikki, Ms. Cabot did a quick recap and immediately jumped into the storyline.

At times, the plot was predictable, however Ms. Cabot did end the book with a great cliff hanger. I’m looking forward to the third book in this series, Runaway.

Recommended to readers: who love Ms. Cabot's young adult novels.

Airhead by Meg Cabot

Title: Airhead
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Airhead #1
ISBN-10: 054504054-X
Pages: 337
Year Published: 2008
Genre: YA Fiction (Series)
Date Finished: June 18

From the back cover:

No one cares what’s inside.
EM WATTS IS GONE.

Emerson Watts didn’t even want to go to the new SoHo Stark Megastore grand opening. But someone needed to look out for her sister Frida, whose crush, British heartthrob Gabriel Luna, would be singing and signing autographs there—along with the newly appointed Face of Stark, teen supermodel sensation Nikki Howard.

How was Em to know that disaster would strike, changing her—and life as she’d known it—forever? One devastating accident later, and Em Watts, always the tomboy, never the party princess, is no longer herself. Literally.

Now getting her best friend Christopher to notice that she’s actually a girl is the least of Em’s problems.

But what Em’s pretty sure she’ll never be able to accept might just turn out to be the one thing that’s going to make her dream come true….

NIKKI HOWARD IS HERE TO STAY
It’s what’s outside that matters.

First Sentence: "Emerson Watts," called my first-period Public Speaking teacher, Mr. Greer, startling me from the light doze into which I'd drifted.

Last year I started my journey with reading Meg Cabot's young adult books. I had read several of her chick lit books (The Boy Next Door - highly recommend) and her Heather Wells mystery series. I read great reviews about her young adult novels and because I was reading more in this genre, I picked up The Princess Diaries and immediately was hooked. I became so engrossed in this series, that I found myself reading more of her stand-alone books. So when Airhead was released in hardcover last year, I added it to my TBR List.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to read it last year and it was pushed further down until recently when I learned book two was being released. I had no idea that Ms. Cabot had plans for making Airhead into a series. Upon learning this, Airhead moved to the top of the TBR List.

Emerson Watts is a plain high school girl. In fact, after meeting her, you will probably forget her. She's attending Tribeca Alternative High School in Manhattan and is secretly in love with her best friend, Christopher. Em isn't your typical high school girl: she's not into fashion, make-up or gossip. Instead she likes gaming and playing JourneyQuest with Christopher.

Em appears to be comfortable with her life until the fateful day when she goes to Stark grand opening. From that day forward, her life will forever be changed. Literally.

Also attending the grand opening, is Stark's face and teen model, Nikki Howard. Nikki is THE It Girl. She's famous, rich, beautiful and everything that Em despises. That is until one tragic event will bond these two girls forever.

What happens to Em and Nikki is a little far-fetched (ok, it is far-fetched), however Airhead is still an entertaining read. Em realizes that she's quick to judge based on her assumptions without checking to see if they are true or not. She quickly learns that not all is not what it appears to be as she becomes more involved with Nikki's life and has to let her former life slip away.

Airhead is a fun, light read. My only complaint is Ms. Cabot repeated herself a lot throughout the book. Having said that, a fan of Ms. Cabot's works will enjoy this one. I'm looking forward to reading Being Nikki.

Hollywood Car Wash

Title: Hollywood Car Wash
Author: Lori Culwell
ISBN-10: 1416587780
Pages: 307
Year Published: 2009
Genre: Chick Lit
Date Finished: June 7

From the back cover: College drama student Amy Spencer dreams of starring in independent films. When her roommate signs her up for a mysterious "television project" audition, she blows away the competition with her girl-next door looks and impressive acting chops, inadvertently getting a starring role on a major TV show and going from Michigan teen to Hollywood starlet overnight.

To keep the part she didn't even know she wanted, Amy finds herself taking a spin through the "Hollywood Car Wash" to make her more marketable. First, she'll have to lose twenty pounds (don't ask how). Then it's new clothes, new teeth, blonder hair, new friends, and a megastar, high-profile boyfriend (though hers comes with a big secret). Bombarded by jealous, two-faced colleagues, overeager plastic surgeons, and manipulative network executives, Amy slowly learns that the only way to survive in Hollywood is to lose her identity. Will Amy get too caught up by the glitz or will she get a grip on her life before it's too late?

First sentence: Really, if it hadn't been for my perky college roommate and her obsession with spinning class, none of this would have happened in the first place.

Hollywood Car Wash is about the overnight rise to fame of a University of Michigan student to a Golden Globe nominee TV actress. In a matter of an instant, Amy Spencer's life drastically changes. When her roommate signs her up for the audition, Amy reluctantly attends and to her surprise she is the "face" they have in mind for the part. Amy is whisked away to LA where she lands the lead role on Autumn Leaves.

Amy suddenly goes from poor college student to earning $500,000 by the end of season one. Amy feels very plain next to her co-workers and it's apparent they think the same about her. They are constantly commenting on her weight, not knowing the latest celebrity gossip and her lack of fashion sense. Amy succumbs to the pressure and slowly begins the "Hollywood Car Wash".

"I had been starved, my hair had been bleached and straightened, and my face had been injected, de-acned, and bronzed. My teeth had been shaved and capped, and I was eating less and smoking more than I ever had in my life. I was a rich and successful Hollywood Star. I was a Golden Globe nominee, and I had a killer wardrobe, two stylists, and a personal trainer. But. . . wasn't I still the same person inside?" (p. 142)

It's not until she signs a contract to be the girlfriend of an A-list movie star and her showdown with the paparazzi that she realizes maybe the Hollywood glam isn't worth it after all.

Recommended to readers: who enjoy a behind-the-scenes look on Hollywood. A chick lit fan will enjoy this quick, entertaining read. It's hard not to feel compassion for Amy as she finds herself swept away in the fast-lane.

Just Take My Heart by Mary Higgins Clark

Title: Just Take My Heart
Author: Mary Higgins Clark
ISBN-10: 1416570861
Pages: 322
Year Published: 2009
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Date Finished: April 28

From the dust jacket:

Natalie Raines, one of Broadway's brightest stars, accidentally discovers who killed her former roommate and sets in motion a series of shocking events that puts more than one life in extreme peril.

While Natalie and her roommate, Jamie Evans, were both struggling young actresses, Jamie had been involved with a mysterious married man to whom she referred only by nickname. Natalie comes face to face with him years later and inadvertently addresses him by the nickname Jamie had used. A few days later, Natalie is found in her home in Closter, New Jersey, dying from a gunshot wound.

Immediately the police suspect Natalie's theatrical agent and soon-to-be-ex-husband, Gregg Aldrich. He had long been a "person of interest" and was known to have stalked Natalie to find out if she was seeing another man. But no charges are brought against him until two years later, when Jimmy Easton, a career criminal, suddenly comes forward to claim that Aldrich had tried to hire him to kill his wife. Easton knows details about the Aldrich home that only someone who had been there -- to plan a murder, for instance -- could possibly know.

The case is a plum assignment for Emily Wallace, an attractive thirty-two-year-old assistant prosecutor. As she spends increasingly long hours preparing for the trial, a seemingly well-meaning neighbor offers to take care of her dog in her absence. Unaware of his violent past, she gives him a key to her home...

As Aldrich's trial is making headlines, her boss warns Emily that this high-profile case will reveal personal matters about her, such as the fact that she had a heart transplant. And, during the trial, Emily experiences sentiments that defy all reason and continue after Gregg Aldrich's fate is decided by the jury.

In the meantime, she does not realize that her own life is now at risk.

A compelling novel that probes the mysteries of the human heart and mind, Just Take My Heart is Mary Higgins Clark's most spellbinding tale.

My thoughts: Mary Higgins Clark has been my favorite author since high school. The Cradle Will Fall was the first book I read by her and I spent that summer reading all her books. Every April, I look forward to her new release.

Just Take My Heart is about a man who is accused of killing his famous ex-wife. Although it takes time for the case to come trial, the public has pretty much found him guilty. Emily is the assistant prosecutor assigned to the case. Emily is thrilled to take the case as she has suffered numerous losses and thinks this is a sign that things are finally moving forward in her life.

Emily knows her job is to convince the jury that Greg Aldrich killed his ex-wife out of anger over their divorce. However, as the trial progresses, Emily suddenly has doubts that the wrong man is on trial.

Natalie's real killer didn't come as a surprise. Despite the obvious, I still would recommend this book to all of Ms. Clark's fans.

Evil in Carnations by Kate Collins

Title: Evil in Carnations
Author: Kate Collins
Series: A Flower Shop Mystery #8
ISBN-13: 9780451226235
Pages: 313
Year Published: 2009
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Date Finished: March 7

From the back cover: What do you do when your best friend and roommate can't relate to your relationship bliss? I tried to help her get back her mojo. . .but I didn't know her first date would turn out to have cold feet—literally.

The dating scene can be a killer. Determined to hep her roommate, Nikki, out of her singles slump, Abby Knight encourages her to give speed dating a try. Of course Nikki wants the guy at the very bottom of Abby's list, Jonas Treat—aka Treat the Cheat—and figures one date with him can't hurt. Her lack of good judgment catches up with her when Jonas is found dead—and evidence points to Nikki as his killer.

To clear Nikki's name, Abby enlists the help of her hunky ex-Army Ranger boyfriend, Marco. But just when Nikki's situation looks dire and Abby needs Marco most, his rambunctious extended family descends, turning Abby's hectic life into a disaster zone. Abby's patience is seriously wilting, but with a killer on the loose, she can't throw in the trowel. She's determined to dig herself out of this mess—before someone buries her instead.

First sentence: "Isn't there a law that says public hallways have to be lighted?" Marco complained.

My review: Abby Knight is back for the eighth book of the series. Abby and Marco are trying to mend their relationship and decide to sneak to Key West for a weekend getaway. Abby empathizes with Nikki, her roommate, because her boyfriend just ended their relationship. To help heal Nikki's broken heart, Abby decides to attend a speed dating event with Nikki. Much to Abby's chagrin, Nikki chooses the one guy that Abby did not like. Breaking the "no contact" rule, Nikki exchanges phone numbers with Jonas Treat and agrees to go out with him, all the while keeping this a secret from Abby.

When Abby returns from her weekend with Marco, Nikki gets arrested for homicide. Abby agrees to help Nikki, however Nikki repeatedly sabotages the case by not being forthcoming with Abby. Soon Abby begins to doubt Nikki's innocence and questions how well does she really know her best friend.

While trying to figure out who killed Jonas, Abby is also trying to keep her weekend getaway a secret from her family, especially her mother. If her family knew about Key West, they would assume she and Marco were getting serious. . .which meant marriage. Abby is aware of her feelings for Marco, however she's not sure if she's ready for marriage.

Although the killer is easy to spot, this book is a great addition to the series. While it centers around solving the murder, the reader learns more about Abby's relationship with Marco. One can't help but to wonder what the future holds for them.

Forever Princess by Meg Cabot

Title: Forever Princess
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: The Princess Diaries v. 10
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-123292-3
Pages: 383
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Series)
Year Published: 2009
Date Finished: February 28

From the dust jacket: It's Mia's senior year, and things seem great. She aced her senior project, got accepted to her dream college(s), and has her birthday gala coming up. . .not to mention prom, graduation, and Genovia's first-ever elections.

What's not to love about her life? Well. . .

• Her senior project? It's a romance novel she secretly wrote, and no one wants to publish it.
• Prince Phillipe's campaign in the Genovian elections isn't going well, thanks to her totally loathsome cousin René, who decided to run against him.
• Her boyfriend, J.P., is so sweet and seemingly perfect. But is he the one?
• And her first love, Michael, is back from Japan. . .and back in her life.

With Genovia's and her own future hanging in the balance, Mia's got some decisions to make: Which college? Which guy? How can she choose? Especially when what she decides might determine not just the next four years, but. . .forever!

My thoughts: Princess Mia and her friends are back for their senior year. Finals, prom and graduation are days away and everyone has senioritis. As everyone is excited to leave AEHS and start college, Mia is struggling with being honest with herself and her friends. She's been dishonest about her college acceptance and her senior project. Michael's return from Japan sets in motion a chain of events that forces Mia to finally be honest and see what has been in front of her all these years.

Thoughts about the series: Overall, I enjoyed this book and the entire series. When I read The Princess Diaries for the Young Adult reading challenge last year, I didn't intend to read the entire series. However, the more I read, the more I liked the characters and wanted to know more about Mia's life. After finishing Forever Princess, I was sad to see the series end! Hopefully, Ms. Cabot will allow the readers a glimpse into Mia's life at college. We'll see. . . I highly recommend this series.

Shoots to Kill by Kate Collins

Title: Shoots to Kill
Author: Kate Collins
Series: A Flower Shop Mystery #7
ISBN-13: 9780451224743
Pages: 315
Year Published: 2008
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Date Finished: February 15

From the back cover: Last I heard, being a five-foot-two, green-eyed redhead wasn't a crime. But that's precisely why I, Abby Knight, was yanked out of my Corvette by a state trooper, handcuffed, and thrown in jail.

This isn't your average case of mistaken identity.

Eight years ago Abby babysat Elizabeth Blume, a teen who seemed intent on making Abby's life miserable. Elizabeth imitated Abby's dress, pored over her diary, and sabotaged her love life. Now Elizabeth is back in New Chapel, and she soon adopts a new look: Abby's. Elizabeth, now going by Libby, copies Abby's entire life-she even drives a bright yellow car and opens a nearly identical shop. But when Libby comes between Abby and her boyfriend, Marco, imitation becomes the sincerest form of trouble, and that's before Abby is accused of murder. Is Abby's devious double the real killer? Or is there a more sinister suspect in town who's using them both to cover his evil crime?

First sentence: As far as I knew, being a five-foot-two-inch green-eyed redhead wasn't a crime.

My review: Abby Knight is back for the seventh book of A Flower Shop Mystery Series. This time Abby finds herself involved with a former charge who gradually steals Abby's life. Right away Abby feels Libby is up to no good, however everyone else thinks Abby is overreacting. Things soon turn from bad to worse when Abby is mistakenly arrested for murder. Abby thinks Libby set her up, however Abby doesn't have any proof.

Libby comes between Abby's relationship with Marco which leaves Abby no choice but to end the relationship. As Abby starts her own investigation, she finds herself, unwillingly, working with Marco. Together they try to solve the murder, while trying to avoid their feelings for each other.

Random thoughts about the series: Shoots to Kill is a good addition to the series. Abby Knight is an amateur sleuth with common sense. She constantly finds herself in the middle of murder investigations (sometimes she's a suspect) due to her meddling, but she means well. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for a new cozy mystery with a hint of romance.

Princess Mia by Meg Cabot

Title: Princess Mia
Author: Meg Cabot
Series: The Princess Diaries v. 9
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 9780060724610
Date Finished: January 8
Pages: 274

What led me to read this book? I started reading this series last year for the Young Adult Challenge. At that time, I didn't think I would read the entire series. . . then I discovered the audio books read by Clea Lewis and was immediately hooked. Ms. Lewis does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life.

So, what's it about? Princess Mia immediately begins where volume 8, Princess on the Brink, leaves off. Mia is obsessed with hearing back from Michael, her one true love, as he just left NYC for a year in Japan. Mia said (and did) harsh things to him before he left and she wanted to take it all back and try to make their relationship work. He finally contacts her, only to tell her the dreaded words no woman wants to hear: "Maybe we should just be friends." Mia is devastated by this and begins a downward spiral.

Her parents are concerned for her and make an appointment (against her will) to see a therapist. Not only does she have to deal with the breakup of her first real relationship, her best friend accuses her of stealing her boyfriend and is not speaking to her and someone has created a website to torture her: www.ihatemiathermopolis.com. Just when things start to go from bad to worse, her nemesis wants to be friends with her. Are her intentions real or is there a secret agenda?

My thoughts: Overall, I thought Princess Mia was a good installment for the series, however it wasn't my favorite. Mia does a lot of self-reflecting during her therapy sessions. She's starting to understand her role in her friendships (and just maybe not having Lilly as her best friend isn't such a bad thing after all) and realizes that life can still be good after experiencing a loss.

Do you recommend any other books by this author? Well, because this is a young adult novel, I will list other young adult books to read:

• Teen Idol
• How to Be Popular
• Pants on Fire

More about Meg Cabot: The first book I read of hers was The Boy Next Door. I loved it! It was written in e-mails and I thought it was different. Not only does she write for teens, she's also famous for her chick lit books (Queen of Babble Series, The Boy Series) and cozy mysteries (Heather Wells series). If you haven't read anything by her, I think it's time that you did. . . don't you think?