Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Reading Level: Young Adult
(4 out of 5)

I'm not a sports fan so I'm not sure how I get sucked into these sports themed books I read. First it was the baseball books by Kate Angell and now this one is about football. I'm a girl and I was intrigued to read about a girl playing high school football. Not only does Jordan Woods play she is the captain of the team and the quarterback. She has the respect of her teammates and she is one fine player. But everything she has worked so hard for is threatened when Ty Green moves into to town. Not only is he an amazing quarterback but he has Jordan panting over him and she just doesn't do that. Throw in her hottie best friend Sam Henry and we have ourselves a love triangle. I love a good triangle but I have to tell you I'm cheering for Henry. I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and even though I don't know a thing about football I didn't feel left out. Ms. Kenneally's next book Stealing Parker, which she promises will have familiar faces, will be out in October. Yeah, I hope to see Jordan and her friends again. The next book is about baseball.

Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebo

"Definitely Not Mr. Darcy" is definitely an entertaining book, especially for fans of
Jane Austen novels. Karen Doornebos' premise is a mix of "Regency House
Party," a pathetic program that did not at all appeal to me, and the long-running
American television reality program, "The Bachelor," which I love. In the novel,
failing American business women Chloe Parker heads to England to take part in
a reality show based on life in Regency England, but this version seems much
more appealing than "Regency House Party," as the women there to capture
their Mr. Darcy are forced to learn the skills of an accomplished woman in those
olden days, and that's no easy task. They get dates with their bachelor,
Sebastian Wrightman, based on their accomplishment points. Perhaps that's a
trick "Bachelor" should try as well!

There is a villain, a catty aristocratic girl named Grace, and a twist, as the
bachelor the girls are trying to woe to win the prize money is not an actual
moneyed Brit (wasn't there a reality show with this twist as well?). Regardless,
the book is tremendously informative and entertaining as it leads the audience
into the less glamorousaspects of Regency living, like women being forced to do
needlepoint and ride side saddle. It also teaches an in depth lesson in Regency
fashion and manners, which provides this fan an education the real TV show did
NOT do.

The book loses my attention near the end, where. despite a little too much hand
wringing about which of the bachelors she truly has feelings for, Chloe chooses
the "Right Man" for herself after all. Sadly, she leaves England and returns to the
states before she can admit to herself that she wants that relationship with Henry
Wrightman, the supposedly poor brother who in fact is landed gentry and shares
nearly all of her interests, instead of the sexy actor playing his rakish brother.

I enjoyed reading most of the book, except for the end, which -seemed a little
contrived to me, as if it were altered to make it more of a feminist diatribe than
the normal ending to a piece of romantic fluff it should be. But I look forward to
reading more by Doornebos, and hope somebody chooses to turn this book into
a game show soon!

Submitted by Gerti

Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Patillo

This is the third book by Beth Pattillo that I have read, and I am glad it is her last!
While the other two books were lively and had aspects of the unpredictable, this
book was entirely predictable, if the reader is familiar with Pattillo's previous
works. Just like in her earlier books, she has a rivalry here between two men for
the affections of her heroine, named Emma Grant (not Douglas, as it says on the
back cover.) Adam is a friend from way before her failed marriage, and the other,
the sexy villain Barry, just keeps showing up whenever she has a task to
perform. In this book, Barry is also a professor who is eager to publish some lost
Austen letters. The last book of hers also had an evil publisher. Is she trying to
tell us something?

Another similarity to her previous novels, Emma is an American professor who
has come to England on Austen-related tasks. She meets with Gwendoleyn
Parrot, who is a member of a secret group called the Formidables, which is trying
to get Emma to solve a mystery about the great writer. Emma makes good
progress, and her travels around the country to some Austen novel locales like
Bath and Lyme, as well as the lively writing style of the author, are the highlights
of the book.

Emma's relationship angst is the weak link in this novel, however, and just as in a
previous book, the resolution to her man dilemma leaves the reader as frustrated
as the heroine must be. Emma realizes that she loves Adam in the end, but won't
stay with him. Why wouldn't a woman in love stay with the man she loves if he
loves her? I don't agree with Pattillo that the answer for the "modern woman" is to
move in with her parents to "find herself' first! It doesn't make sense, and that
weakness of character in the protagonist weakens the whole book. Yes, I like the
character of Emma Grant, but I think it may be Beth Pattillo's relationship angst
that comes out in the end. Any other woman with sense would realize the
marrying your best friend IS an Austen ending. So in summary, this book is an
easy read, but without a satisfying and charming ending, which I feel it needs.

Submitted by Gerti

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Patillo

Since this is the second Beth Pattillo novel that riffs on a Jane Austen theme I've read, I've become familiar with Pattillo's plots, which generally include a set of sisters in conflict. This is the theme behind "Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart", although men do play a part in the story, as the title might indicate. In this novel, Claire Prescott, laid off administrative assistant, is taking her college-educated sister Missy's place at a Jane Austen convention in England because of Missy's pregnancy. Back in the states, Claire leaves behind a boyfriend named Neil who is so wrapped up in sports that she doesn't even think he will notice her departure. While at Oxford, Claire meets a Darcy-like fellow named James who is handsome, arrogant, rich and well-connected. What she doesn't realize till the end is that he is also a scam artist.

It's a little more obvious to the reader what is going on, as Claire's charms are obviously not up to standard that Manhattan publisher James is used to encountering. But the surprise comes when Neil makes his way to England because he has turned off the TV and realized he does loy~ Claire.and.can't live without her. After a comedy of errors in which Neil catches Claire with James, Claire realizes that she too loves Neil and not her "Mr. Darcy" stand-in, and the original couple gets back together for their return flight to the states, plus one engagement ring.

The most interesting part of the book, however, is not this off-again, on-again romance between Neil and Claire, or even the conflict between hard-working Claire and her more intellectual sister. The real fun comes in when Claire helps a seemingly dotty old British woman back to her cottage, and discovers that this woman has an original copy of Jane Austen's "First Impressions" scattered around the house (and in the garden shed.) Any Austen fan knows that "First Impressions" was the original title of Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," from which the character Mr. Darcy emerges. But as the old woman lets Claire read through some of the pages, it becomes clear that in this faux original version (invented by Pattillo for the book), Elizabeth Bennet does not end up with Mr. Darcy at all, an ending which mirrors the real life scenario of Claire, Neil and James.

The original manuscript takes up a large part of the novel, and is in fact the most
interesting part, even though Pattillo's style of "writing Austen" does not have the
wit and charm of Austen. Still, it is fun to see Elizabeth Bennet end up withanother character than Darcy, and the various twists and turns Pattillo's version
of "Pride and Prejudice" takes make it a worthwhile read. I can't wait to read

Pattillo's third novel, "Jane Austen Ruined My Life."

Submitted by Gerti

Jeannie Out of the Bottle by Barbara Eden

This is a book by Barbara Eden and Wendy Leigh that cannot be put down. As a
kid growing up in the '60s, I saw Barbara Eden all the time in "I Dream of
Jeannie," but it was fascinating to hear about how her strong work ethic (and of
course stunning beauty!) led to her success in that series, and in other ventures
on stage and screen. Startling revelations included that Larry Hagman was
difficult to work with, which was a huge surprise, since it is rare to hear of stars
being so manipulative. But since he was the child of someone famous (Mary
Martin), it seems he felt very entitled to get his way, and certainly knew various
methods to accomplish that, much to the chagrin of other actors and visitors to
the set. Still, Barbara tells her tales in a matter-of-fact way, not bitter or seeking
retribution, and that makes the stories all the more believable.

Since this is a biography, there are those juicy details every fan looks for, like
who propositioned, dated and married Barbara, which other actresses she knew,
and her relationship with them. The book is entertaining because Barbara hands
out both curses and compliments to icons like Marilyn Monroe and Elvisfresl~y.
It's fun as a fan to see that side of celebrity, since it is rarely the backstage side
that comes out with a star's publicity.

The most amazing part of the book for me was the story of Barbara's son, who
had a drug problem, and ended up dying as a result. She mentions several other
personal tragedies like that in the book, which humanizes her. The only "clever"
part of the book which got annoying was her tendency to repeat the phrase
"Jeannie-blink," which smacks of the ghost-writer trying to inject personality into
transitions rather than the way Barbara would normally write or speak. The trick
worked at first, but on constant repetition became annoying, but that is fairly
minor.

In summary, the biography is worth reading because it is highly entertaining, as
well as enlightening about the person Barbara Eden is, and unlike other bio's I
have read, it portrays her as a very likeable, approachable person, which makes
it a joy to read and I highly recommend it if you have any interest in the actress at
all.

Submitted by Gerti

The Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Patillo

"The Dashwood Sisters Tell All" is the 1 st Beth Pattillo book I have read, and in it,
she very cleverly follows on the heels of such novels as "The Jane Austen Book
Club" by paralleling modern circumstances with a popular Jane Austen novel.
This book is a parallel for "Sense and Sensibility," and therefore the two main
characters are two sisters, just as in the Austen book. These sisters are named
Ellen and Mimi Dodge, after the eponymous Dashwood sisters, Elinor and
Marianne. The premise is that their mother, now deceased, was a huge Austen
fan, and her dying wish is for the 2 girts to head to England to take a walking tour
of famous Austen fan sites, like her childhood home, and the home in which she
died.

In this book, Ellen is the sensible sister, with Mimi being the one given over to
glamour and romance. They did not get along well in the States, and the trip over
the pond does nothing, at first, to draw them closer together. However, they
receive a mysterious book from their mother's estate, and together work to find
out whether it's really the diary of Cassandra Austen, Jane's less famous older
sister. When the book gets stolen, there are a number of suspects on the tour,
including one of Ellen's old boyfriends, one of the tour guides, and a sexy British
chap whom Mimi is trying to romance. Half Austen novel, half Nancy Drew
mystery, the book is always compelling, as we the audience try along with the
Dodge sisters to find out who the real villain is.

Like the novel on which it is loosely based, "Sense and Sensibility", both sisters
end up with significant others, although for Mimi it isn't the one she originally
expected. They also find a long lost aunt, and the lost diary of Jane Austen
herself. The discussion in the book of a secret Austen society that has many of
the authors keepsakes is an intriguing one, but I have to research whether or not
it is based on fact. That detail aside, the book is a charming modem take on an
old Austen favorite, and will appeal to many fans of the great 18^th century writer.
It has prompted me to request other Pattillo novels from the library, so I'm
keeping my fingers crossed that "Mr. Darcy broke My Heart" and U Jane Austen
Ruined My Life" will be similarly entertaining. Bravo!

Submitted by Gerti

Craps: Take the Money and Run by Henry Tamburin

This book is well written and has almost all the points of the game. Both pass and don't pass. Since this was written in 1995 or before is some what out of date. More competition among the casinos has prompted some changes. I won't go into this but they are several and significant. These changes favor the player.

Submitted by Emory Porter

Lydia Bennet's Story by Jane Odiwe

This is the 2^nd Jane Odiwe book I've read, and I must say, it is miles above the first. In
this novel, "Lydia Bennet's Story," Jane Austen fans like myselfwill find a believable
story told in a voice that seems very much to be Lydia Bennet's. For those unfamiliar
with "Pride and Prejudice", the Austen novel that gave birth to the Bennet family of
characters, Lydia is the youngest and silliest sister, whose dilemma causes Elizabeth
Bennet, the heroine, much shame and worry. In that novel, Lydia runs offwith a George
Wickham, who happens to be a boy who grew up with Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the
character with whom Elizabeth is in love. Wickham is a devious and devilish rake, who
has already tried to seduce Darcy's sister in order to get a bite of the Darcy fortune, to
which he feels he is entitled. In the original Austen novel, it is always confusing for
readers (at least for me), why Wickham would have run away with Lydia, since her
family is not wealthy and not well placed. This novel makes the circumstances clear.

Readers of Austen would expect that Lydia would have a very unhappy life married to
such a bad man, and Odiwe shows that to be the case here, as Mr. Wickham does not stop
his spendthrift or skirt-chasing ways, much to Lydia's shame. She leaves him to spend
time with her family, when who should turn up? Wickham, dressed like a bum, being
chased by a woman who is proven to be his first and hence legal wife. Although Lydia's
discomfort should increase, since she has been living with a man who was not her
husband despite their sham wedding. Instead, she is relieved to be rid of the bum, and in
the end, it is all happily resolved, as Lydia findSa suitor (a clergyman, yet!) who loves
her untamed nature and honesty.

This was an very enjoyable book to read, and I love the way Odiwe captures Lydia's
essence by writing in diary form as well as the usual narration. It gives a real voice to
Lydia, and shows the reader how the irrepressible girl finally is humbled and matured by
the events of her life. While I was not enchanted with Odiwe's take on Willoughby and
Marianne, characters from Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," here she is pitch perfect,
and I can't imagine a better telling of Lydia's life post-marriage. In this work, she is a
match for any of the best authors writing in the post-Austen novel space, including
Amanda Grange. Entertaining and well-written. Bravo!

Submitted by Gerti

Mr. Dracy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston

This is the 4th Aston book I have read, and once again she takes on the
antecedents of the Darcy family, made famous by the Jane Austen novel, "Pride
and Prejudice." In this book, Darcy's niece Phoebe finds herself retreating to
Pemberley in disgrace after she is involved in a scandal involving one particular
man. Also at the estate is her cousin Louisa Bingley, Jane's daughter, who
despite having her mother's good looks and having spent 3 seasons in London,
has failed to find a husband. At Pemberley, they find Mr. Drummond, the man
who has.be 0 hired to bril}flabout "Darcy's Dream" of redoing the old
greenhouses and landscaping there.

Also at the estate and taking care of the family's children is a governess who is a
French emigre, and who immediately gets on Phoebe's bad side for her
arrogance and severe attitude toward the youngsters. Things come to a head at
a ball given by the Darcy family which is attended by Mr. Stanhope, whom
Phoebe's father has refused to let her marry because of the Stanhope family's
political leanings and the man's own reputation. But the dance allows Mr
Stanhope to become a hero when he disgraces the French governess by
revealing her to be a spy. He is then allowed to explain his actions and love for
Phoebe, who agrees to marry him despite her families earlier objections.
Wallflower cousin Louisa has also found a match with Mr. Drummond, as they
share a love of flowers and nature.

This is one of Aston's better novels about the Darcy clan, as the action this time
does not seem contrived and predictable. Her writing style is a pleasure to read,
and lovers of Jane Austen will always enjoy hearing the name Darcy bandied
about, making this a perfect casual read for Regency fans.

Submitted by Gerti

Jane and the Damned by Janet Mullany

I was so excited when I found this book at the library, because I've made it a
point to read all the books I can find regarding Jane Austen and her various
fictional characters. This book follows in the current style, which combines
Austen (or one of her groups of characters) with other fictional constructs like
vampires or zombies, like the vastly popular "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies".
In this work by Janet Mullany, the "Damned "in the book's title refer to vampires
who are living in the town of Bath, England, at the time Jane goes there for her
health. It is amusingly true to life, because the real Jane Austen did go to Bath for
a short time, and according to her biographers, she was unable, while living
there, to do any writing. Author Mullany takes that nugget of information, and
gives us a back story for it - Jane couldn't write while she was staying in Bath,
because she had been turned into a vampire, and no longer had the ability to
write in the "Jane Austen" style.

Mullany peppers her time in Bath with gorgeously drawn characters, some
fictional, but some real, like the Prince of Wales, who has also been turned into a
vampire in order to keep him alive during an attack of French soldiers. Mullany
cleverly has Jane and the Prince becoming friends, with the Prince finally asking
Austen to dedicate one of her books to him, and it is beyond dispute that she
does (although she was said to dislike him). It is little mergings of fact and fiction
like that one that make this work so charming to read for true Austen fans.
Mullany has a few other factual gems in this book, throwing in some famous
quotes from Austen novels while allowing us (fiction) to peek into the origins of a
few of Jane's famous characters, and through the process, answering the
question for many fans, of how a single woman sheltered in smalltown rural
England could know so much about life and love in the broader world. She could,
Mullany tells us, because Austen lived a much more active and interesting life
than her fans ever imagined when she was vampire Jane.

Yes, there are historical inaccuracies aplenty, for my 11-year-old son tells me
that the French never attacked England, and certainly never took over the cities
of Bath and London, as seen in the book. But for true Austen fans, the joy of
imagining Jane fighting on the barricades (as a vampire) to protect the seaside
town of Bath more than makes up for the fact that such battles never took place
at all. But why should that bother the reader? Vampires don't exist either! This
book is a playful romp for Austen fans like myself who enjoy looking for signs of
Mr. Darcy (and Mr. Wickham!) in people Jane actually knew during her life. And it
is very gratifying for fans that Mullany's Jane turned down love and immortality as
a vampire in order to regain her writing skills and bring us the novels we love so
much. Excellent, escapist fun.

Submitted by Gerti