On My Nightstand

Over Christmas break, I had quite a bit of time (and a large desire) to read. There were three books I knew I wanted to read by one of my all-time favorite authors, who never disappoints (me, at least.) They're by Sophie Kinsella/Madeleine Wickham, who are the same person. I'm still curious to know why she chose to write with a pen name and then later came out with her real name. Whatever the reason, she churns out books more often this way, so if having two aliases helps, then more power to her!

Out of these three, I think Mini-Shopaholic might be my favorite, just because I've read the entire series, so I know the characters better.

I really enjoyed Devil in the Junior League. It was funny with a little bit of mystery, plus I got a kick out of the whole Junior League element. And they're in Texas, so that made it very relatable. I thought the author did a good job of incorporating Texas language, truisms, and nuances through the characters. In summary: very entertaining!

I'm currently reading Downtown. It is not what I thought it was. But that's kind of my fault. I didn't bother to read the blurb, I just judged it by its cover (that's how I choose 99% of the books I read, unless it's a recommendation from others.) So I was a little surprised once I got into it. It's a mystery, but...light-hearted? The author definitely loves sarcasm and the characters are constantly engaged in some sort of repartee with one another. Depending on my mood while reading, sometimes I get annoyed by the constant back-and-forth dialogue. Mostly, I just want to have the mystery solved, so I keep reading.

I saved the best for last. I loved. loved. loved. this book. It has a little bit of everything: drama, romance, action, humor. Plus an elephant, which is my favorite animal. The movie is coming out in April and I can't wait to see it. I just hope they do it justice! I tried to write my own summary for you, but couldn't get it quite right, so here is the one from B&N:

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

Read it.