Saturday, August 28, 2010

A Playdate With Death by Ayelet Waldman

I am not sure I have anything new to say about this series.  I liked this latest installment and I have to say the ending was not as predictable as the previous two.  It is a fun, light, cute little mystery. 

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The Big Nap

The second installment in Ayelet Waldman's Mommy Track Mysteries is another fun, *light*, mystery.  Juliet Applebaum is having trouble adjusting to a newborn and a very active two year old.  After breaking down at a Jewish Food Store, she decided to hire a mother's helper, a young Hasidic girl named Fraydle.  Unfortunately the mother's helper is a no show for her second visit and Juliet discovers that she has gone missing.  The books are moderately formulaic but they still managed to keep me entertained to the last page.  So onto the third book!

Friday, August 13, 2010

One Day by David Nichols

I loved, loved, loved this book.  I am not sure if it spoke to me because a) I would be around the same age as the main characters so I could really relate to the setting (except that it was in London and I, ya know, grew up in NY) or b) I have a friendship *similar* to the main characters. 

Apart from that I loved the structure - each chapter is on the same day a year apart.  So when the chapter ends on a cliff hanger you don't find out what immediately happens, you can surmise by where they are a year later but you don't get the full details - love that!  I have described it as a smarter chick lit novel.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Nursery Crimes by Ayelet Waldman

After bemoaning to a colleague of mine that I CANNOT FIND ANYTHING TO READ (yes I do work in a library and yes I do have no less than ten books on my end table right now but still nothing was grabbing me.)  She recommended this little gem of a book.  It was just what I was looking for - light, funny, beachy type read (though sadly no beaches were involved.) 

The story involves a stay-at-home mom, Juliet Appelbaum, who sometimes finds herself not so thrilled with the day to day life of staying at home with a small child.  I found this totally relateable because while I love my children I don't know what I would do if I didn't have my part-time job.  I did stay home when the triplets were young and there were days that I wanted to tear my hair out.  Juliet finds herself on the edge of a murder and cannot help but put her detective skills to the test (she was a public defender in her former life) and get to the bottom of the mystery.  And even though I did figure out whodunit two thirds through the book I still loved it.