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Showing posts with label Acting/Theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Acting/Theater. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Indistinctive Characters + Dull Plot + 150 Extra Pages = a Meh From Me
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
A legendary Hollywood agent and producer, Fritz Hudson amassed a fortune. When he dies, his three daughters come together for the first time ever for the reading of his will. Cara, Allie, and Des are shocked to learn that their father was married to two women at the same time and that he actually has three daughters, not two. They're even more stunned to discover that, while all of them are poised to receive a large portion of their father's money, the payouts hinge on the completion of a special project. The women are tasked with working together to restore a crumbling theater in Fritz's small hometown of Hidden Falls, Pennsylvania. If they fail to complete the job, none of them will receive a penny.
None of the three women are thrilled about putting their real lives on hold to spend months living in a tiny backwater with siblings they don't know and/or can't stand. Reluctantly, they dive into the project, vowing to get it over with as fast as possible. Working together becomes easier as they come to love the grand old theater, discover an intriguing mystery, and get to know each other in ways they haven't before. Can they keep up the camaraderie through their various challenges and dramas? Or will they come together only to be torn apart again?
The Last Chance Matinee—the first book in the Hudson Sisters series by Mariah Stewart—tells a gentle, heartwarming story about an unorthodox request that becomes a blessing in disguise. It's an uplifting, mostly clean novel that features a quaint, small-town setting and a group of likable characters. What it doesn't have a lot of is conflict. That, coupled with the fact that it has about 150 pages too many, makes The Last Chance Matinee feel very looonnnggg. I almost put it down numerous times. The fact that the spotlighted sisters lack both depth and distinctive personalities added to the novel's dullness. I did end up plowing through the lengthy novel, but it was definitely a slog. Needless to say, I'm not going to bother with the book's sequels. Oh, well.
(Readalikes: I'm sure there are a million novels out there with a similar plot, but I'm coming up empty. Suggestions?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs) and some sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
LDS Hollywood Romance Upbeat and Real (with a Giveaway!)
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When Evie Jennings eloped with her boyfriend two years ago, she thought she was making a fresh start with the man she loved. Then he abandoned her, divorcing her through the mail. Evie hasn't seen Q since their hurried nuptials. Her friends and family urge her to move on, but to what? It's humiliating enough to be a 24-year-old divorceé, let alone living with her parents and attending a Young Single Adult (YSA) ward. She's enrolled at UCAL, but she's not even sure what she wants to be when she grows up. Evie's confused—about past mistakes, present decisions, and what kind of future she could possibly have when she's so messed up and broken.
After receiving scathing reviews on his forthcoming movie, Hollywood golden boy Ridge Dashly is starting to worry about his future, too. With his career on the line, he reluctantly agrees to an image re-boot, which includes enrolling at UCAL. Surrounded by starry-eyed co-eds, Ridge longs for someone who can see past his Hollywood heartthrob image and appreciate his true self. A chance encounter with Evie Jennings convinces him that she could be a true friend, if not a whole lot more. Soon, the two are exchanging flirty texts, swapping secrets, and stirring up enough gossip in their singles ward that even the paparazzi takes notice.
It took me a minute to realize that Love Unscripted—Tiffany Odekirk's sophomore novel—is actually a companion novel to her debut, Love On Pointe. It's not a sequel but a story concerning the same family, just a different member. With Emmy Jennings' HEA on the horizon, it's her twin's turn to find love. Although Evie's constant wallowing bugs, she's a sympathetic heroine and likeable enough that I wanted a happy ending for her as well. Ridge is a little too perfect, but it's also easy to desire good things for him. Their story has a fun premise, unoriginal and predictable though it may be. The tale's got religious undertones, but it's not overly preachy or sappy which makes it an appealing read for anyone who enjoys clean, upbeat contemporary romance. What I appreciate most about Odekirk is that she presents members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a realistic way. Her characters make mistakes, treat each other in ways that aren't always kind, have doubts, struggle with their testimonies, question their Church leaders ... in short, they reflect real LDS people. Her story people—like IRL Mormons—are imperfect people striving to be better. Overall, then, I enjoyed Love Unscripted and will certainly read Odekirk's next effort (which I'm hoping will concern the mysterious Drew Jennings).
(Readalikes: Love On Pointe by Tiffany Odekirk; also reminds me of contemporary romances by Melanie Jacobson [especially Perfect Set], Brittany Larsen, and Jenny Proctor)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for discussions of subjects (pornography, spousal abandonment, premarital sex, etc.) that may not be appropriate for readers under 12
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Love Unscripted from Covenant in exchange for an honest review to be posted during the book's blog tour. Thank you!
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*Sept. 24th: http://mybookaday.com/
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*Sept. 26th: http://thoroughlyhere.
*Sept. 27th: http://
*Sept. 28th: https://whynotbecauseisaidso.
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Thursday, April 05, 2018
Atmospheric Cozy Entertains Without Making You Blush or Giving You Nightmares
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
With a decade of professional pastry-making experience and a shattered heart under her belt (apron?), Juliet "Jules" Capshaw is coming home to regroup. Not sure where to go from here, she returns to the one place that has always nurtured her soul—her family's bakery. Run by her mother, Torte is a warm, cozy shop where folks in Ashland, Oregon, can always find a welcoming smile, a listening ear, and delectable, homemade treats that fill more than just their empty stomachs. Being inside its walls, baking alongside her mother, is already helping to heal Jules' hurts.
Although Jules is trying to keep her personal drama on the down low, Ashland's filled to the brim with theater types preparing for the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Needless to say, smoke from a nearby wildfire isn't the only thing tainting the air. When Nancy Hudson—a wealthy snob who's made enemies all over town—is killed after a late-night meeting at Torte, the Capshaws are shocked and concerned, especially when it appears her murderer might be lurking a little too close to home. While police interview suspects, Jules launches her own clandestine investigation. In the midst of trying to catch a killer, she's also attempting to sort out the tangled feelings clogging up her heart and to convince her mother to spill the troubling secret she's obviously hiding. If she was hoping to chillax, Jules has another think coming ...
After enjoying Death on Tap, the first installment in Ellie Alexander's newest cozy mystery series, I wanted to read more by the author. Her Bakeshop Mysteries looked fun, so I grabbed Meet Your Baker from the library. As with Death on Tap, my favorite part of this novel is its atmospheric setting. Although I grew up in the PNW, I've never been to Ashland, which Alexander skillfully brings to life in Meet Your Baker. I also loved Torte—I could feel the warmth of the place as well as that between Jules and her mother. As far as the characters and the mystery at the book's center ... they're engaging enough, but nothing super special. Still, I liked this cozy more than most, so I definitely plan to continue with the series (in fact, I have the next two books on hold at the library). If you're looking for a light, entertaining mystery that won't make you blush or give you nightmares, be sure to give this one a go.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander as well as other books in her Bakeshop Mystery series, including A Batter of Life and Death; On Thin Icing; Caught Bread Handed; Fudge and Jury; A Crime of Passion Fruit; Another One Bites the Crust; and Till Death Do Us Tart)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and mild innuendo
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Not Enough Conflict Makes Celebrity, On-Set Romance Novel Surprisingly Blah
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
One of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood, Emma Taylor is used to life in the limelight. And that's before the 18-year-old is cast in a lead role on Coyote Hills, a new t.v. drama. The series also stars bad boy Brett Crawford, who's been Emma's crush for years. As if the thought of working with him isn't making her nervous enough, she also has to deal with snooty Kimmi Weston and Jake "The Bod" Elliott, a famous model who's so down-to-earth he's making Emma rethink her feelings for Brett. Although Emma's made a vow not to date another co-star (been there, done that), Brett's proving very hard to resist. Then there's Jake, whose humble kindness makes him even more attractive.
Try as she might, Emma can't seem to help falling for Jake. The more she does, the guiltier she feels, as she promised her childhood BFF that she'd set her up with The Bod. With the paparazzi recording her every move, Emma has to decide what—and who—she wants before the media spins its own story about her. At risk of hurting everyone she loves, Emma needs to straighten out her confusing life—and fast.
There's lots to love about Not in the Script, a debut novel by Amy Finnegan. The story's light and fun, with an interesting, behind-the-scenes peek at life on a t.v. set (Finnegan mined her brother's experiences working on-set for Fox to make the tale authentic). Minus a little violence and innuendo, it's a clean book that maintains a bright, upbeat tone. As a lover of teen books as well as a mother who worries about the content my 13-year-old daughter finds in popular YA offerings, I consider all these elements plusses.
Why, then, didn't I love Not in the Script? Let's start with Emma. I appreciate good girl heroines, but it annoys me when these fictional lasses have perfect little lives where nothing ever goes seriously wrong. Without conflict—real, tough, life-changing conflict—Emma doesn't have a story. Sure, she hits little bumps here and there, but overall, everything sails along smoothly for her. Because of this, I had trouble empathizing with Emma. I just didn't care that much. Since the other characters felt really cliché, I felt the same way about them. This ambivalence about the story people and their situations made Not in the Script seem like a really, really, really long book. Overall, I found the novel boring and, because it was really just a romance that worked from the start, kind of pointless. If I hadn't been reading Not in the Script for The Whitney Awards, I probably wouldn't have finished it.
To be fair, I seem to be in the minority on this one. Not in the Script gets mostly excellent reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads.
To be fair, I seem to be in the minority on this one. Not in the Script gets mostly excellent reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads.
(Readalikes: Not in the Script is part of Bloomsbury's If Only line; although the books are all standalones, presumably they're similar?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for sexual innuendo and violence
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Monday, March 24, 2014
It's Clean, Upbeat, Fun ... And I Still Gave It a D
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
(Note: Although this review will not contain spoilers for Chasing June, it might inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, Finding June. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)
For June Laurie, an 18-year-old actress from California, life is just about perfect. Her recurring role on a popular t.v. crime show has helped her launch a successful acting career, she's still very much in love with her best friend/boyfriend Joseph, and they're both about to embark on a whole new adventure as freshmen at Brigham Young University (BYU). June's never been to Utah, but as a devout Mormon, it's always been her dream to visit. Now, she'll be living in the state, studying theater at the well-known LDS college. As much as she'll miss her friends on Forensic Faculty, she can't wait to move on with her life.
June knew going off to college wouldn't be easy, but she didn't expect the transition to be this hard. Her new roommates already have their own lives and friends; Joseph is keeping his distance so he can focus on his upcoming mission; and the other theater majors aren't as welcoming as June expected them to be. Lonely and disappointed, she finds herself pining for her old life in California. Especially when an old friend makes a surprise appearance, reminding June that Joseph's not the only boy in the world. She hasn't experienced this much drama since her last t.v. taping. Caught up in all the turmoil of her strange, new life, June must decide—once and for all—who she is, what she wants and where she really belongs.
Finding June, the first book in Shannen Crane Camp's YA series about a young, LDS actress trying to find her way in the world, came to my attention last year when it was nominated for a Whitney Award. As much as I liked the premise of the book, I cared little for its heroine, its melodrama and its bumpy prose. It received a D from me. Considering that, I was a little surprised to find its sequel, Chasing June, nominated for an award in this year's competition. Hoping for a better-written novel this time around, I jumped right in—and came up empty. My main beefs? Plot, for one. An annoying love triangle formed the main conflict, which turned me off right from the beginning because I couldn't understand why one guy would like a girl as self-absorbed as June, let alone two. It would have worked much better as a subplot. Also, June. Ugh. She's not developed well enough to be sympathetic or particularly likable. Since she gets everything she wants without having to try very hard, she never grows as a character or as a person. With no interests outside of clothes, boys and acting, she comes off as superficial and snotty. Frankly, I can't stand her. My biggest beef with this series, though, is that it barely explores the part of its premise I find most interesting—that of an LDS actress trying to maintain her standards while also working to build a career in the cutthroat world of Hollywood stardom.
On the bright side, Finding June is a clean, upbeat read that straddles the fence between young adult and new adult, thus appealing to older teens who want more mature drama without graphic sex, language, etc. Although there are LDS themes in the book, it's really not preachy. Non-LDS readers should be able to enjoy it without too much confusion. Also, can I tell you how much I love the covers on these books? They're adorable.
So, let's recap: while Chasing June—like Finding June—offers a fun, uplifting, PG-rated story, it lacks too much in plot, characterization, and writing to earn more than a D from me. Ah, well.
(Readalikes: Finding June by Shannen Crane Camp)
Grade:
On the bright side, Finding June is a clean, upbeat read that straddles the fence between young adult and new adult, thus appealing to older teens who want more mature drama without graphic sex, language, etc. Although there are LDS themes in the book, it's really not preachy. Non-LDS readers should be able to enjoy it without too much confusion. Also, can I tell you how much I love the covers on these books? They're adorable.
So, let's recap: while Chasing June—like Finding June—offers a fun, uplifting, PG-rated story, it lacks too much in plot, characterization, and writing to earn more than a D from me. Ah, well.
(Readalikes: Finding June by Shannen Crane Camp)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-copy of Chasing June, provided by the Whitney Awards Committee, for use in judging contest finalists. Thank you!
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Finding June: Another Example of Why "Self-Centered Heroine" Is An Oxymoron
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
One of 16-year-old June Laurie's biggest dreams is about to come true—she's joining the cast of the most popular crime show on t.v. Sure, it's only for a few episodes, but who cares? She's in. Which means she'll be spending some serious on-screen time with the delicious Lukas Leighton. He's the star of every girl's fondest daydreams, including June's. She can hardly believe the opportunity has landed in her lap, but she's determined to make the most of it.
June's co-stars aren't sure what to make of the 16-year-old Mormon girl who won't drink coffee and balks at the skimpy costumes she's supposed to wear. She's not sure either. June wants this gig so badly she doesn't dare mess it up by asking the producer for something more modest to wear. Does she? It doesn't help matters that the Lukas Leighton seems to be falling for her. Are a part on a t.v. show and the attention of a gorgeous actor really worth compromising June's standards? As the pressure mounts, she'll have to decide how much she's willing to sacrifice to get what—and who—she wants.
There are several things I like about Finding June, a sweet YA romance by Shannen Crane Camp (there are lots of things I don't, but we'll get to that in a minute ...). The cover, for one. It's got a vintage feel to it that still somehow very clearly says contemporary YA. Eye-catching for sure. Also, the fact that Camp's writing about LDS teens without being overly preachy or trying too hard to teach some kind of lesson. In fact, I think she finds an almost perfect balance between church-y stuff and non-church-y stuff, if that makes any sense.
That being said, Finding June pretty much annoyed me from the first sentence to the last. Why, you ask? Well, it starts with the fact that this story has no central conflict. It sounds like it does with the whole compromising standards thing, but that's actually sort of a subplot. And not a very interesting one at that (although it definitely could have been). In truth, the story really doesn't have much conflict at all. It's pretty obvious how the book's going to turn out, since this premise/plotline's been done a bajillion times and Crane doesn't bother to throw in any surprises to make June's tale unique. Plus, June never really struggles with anything. At all. She's self-centered, insensitive, clueless and yet everyone loves her and gives her exactly what she wants? I don't buy it. For me to really get behind a heroine (or hero), I have to see her fight to attain her goals, I have to see her fail so she can pick herself up and continue to claw her way through her troubles, I have to see her care for someone (or something) beyond herself, I have to find something in her to admire. That didn't happen with June. She's too flat, too self-absorbed, too unrealistic.
I have more beefs with Finding June, but I think I'll stop there. Suffice it to say, I didn't care much for this one. Crane's got the right idea, IMHO, she just needs to work on creating deeper, more empathetic characters; plotlines that twist in surprising directions; and richer, more vivid prose. Piece of cake, right?
(Readalikes: Reminds me a lot of V is for Virgin by Kelly Oram and a teensy tiny bit of My Double Life by Janette Rallison)
Grade: D
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language (no F-bombs) and mild sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-copy of Finding June as part of my participation as a judge for the Whitney Awards. Thank you!
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