I like how Emma was not forgotten in the book
583810
This continues the story of Emma and her cousins. I like how Emma was not forgotten in the book, but we were able to learn more about her cousin Jasper and how he finds his mates. The fact that the men match up and are sex partners first, then find a female was so cool. And yet there was no jealously between the characters. I liked seeing how Jasper was adjusting to the new situation. His partners also have great background stories that kept you wanting to read more. And of course, there was ton of sex scenes....HEHE
3862090
I didn't know much about this book prior to reading it, just that it was being turned into a movie and people liked it overall.  So I came into the book with few expectations, and although it took me awhile to get used to the format of it simply being a snapshot of the lives of Emma and Dexter on their "anniversary" every year, I quickly understood why people enjoy this book so much.  Because it's just a lovely, honest story.

Admittedly, I spent a lot of the book wondering why on earth Emma would put up with Dexter.  He is such a stereotypical, slightly famous jerk - alcohol, drugs, women.  A very frustrating guy to read about!  But I feel like he's someone we all know a variation of, which ultimately lends credibility to the real-feel of this story.

Emma, on the other hand, can be pretty endearing at times.  Like all of us, she makes mistakes and I definitely found myself shaking my head at her, but Emma is the kind of lady I'd like to know.  Why she maintains a lingering love for Dexter for so long is honestly beyond me, I don't think I could do it, yet I think we all know that person we are always there for despite their bad behavior.

The romance between the two of them is largely one-sided for much of the book, but I did find myself coming around to Emma's way of thinking as we watch Dexter grow throughout the course of their friendship.  As a reader, I found myself just wanting them both to be happy, regardless of how they necessarily get there.  I guess you could say that not too far in, they felt like friends of mine as well.

I was a bit taken back by the end of the book, but then again, much of this book wasn't what I expected.  To say the least, I adored the journey it took me on, the range of emotions I felt, and the way it seemed like this could maybe even be my own life.  I was very impressed with the author, in fact I went straight to my goodreads list and added his other novels to my list.  I can see myself becoming a devoted fan of David Nicholls as time goes on, and I hope you will be too.

Oh, and I'm rather disappointed that the movie isn't in my local theaters anymore, so I'll have to wait to see it when it's out on DVD!
155503
This updated version of Emma from the original by Jane Austen is a fun page turning read.  I understand that the characters in the modern version are the same as in Austen's Emma which I haven't yet read so I can't draw a comparison to the original.  On it's own the characters are mostly interesting and well drawn as to the extent the author wanted.  George Knightley is rather a minor character but I think that is the way McCall Smith wanted it to be.  None of the characters, save Harriet Smith, work which might have been authentic in Jane Austen's backdrop of upper class English life but seemed unrealistic for the 21st century for both the male and female characters. The explanation of how the piano which was mysteriously delivered upon Jane Fairfax's arrival was somewhat lame and did not fit with the story line as presented. There were some other clever twists though as the book concluded which altered our perception of some of the characters.
2503622
I always loved the character of Lord Peter and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was sad there weren't more books in the series. This continues the story and, to me, seems to capture the characters we know most satisfactorily.
Things are different, of course, now he and Harriet are married, also the book makes more reference to events in the news of the time, but it was still a good read and I'll be getting the next one.
4208415
Ever since reporter Emma Green wrote a piece about him, Jackson Stiles has begun questioning himself in his job as a private detective. Especially when a skip; a young man he caught for skipping his court date is murdered. Not knowing who to trust, Jackson has no choice but to team up with Emma. Can they figure out together who killed the victim before it's too late?

At the beginning of this story, I wasn't certain whether I was going to like it, because Jackson is a self-centered hero only looking out after himself. But once the murder occurs, and the hero realizes that the blame could possibly be placed on him, I really started to enjoy this story. However, it was the growing relationship between Emma and Jackson that had me hooked, because she's the one person that might be able to help him uncover the truth.

The dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the hero. He doesn't have the best relationship with his family, and his father is a real piece of work, so I couldn't help but empathize with his need to stay away. How could the man continue to blame Jackson for a death that was nothing more than a tragic accident? It wasn't fair, and I could understand why he was so driven to find the person responsible for murdering his skip. The guilt of not being able to save someone he could have possibly saved rode him hard.

I really liked both Emma and Jackson. Emma misjudged Jackson when she wrote her article on him, but she realizes while she's helping him how much of a mistake she made. Really, Emma is strong, brave, persistent and I liked how determined she is to help Jackson, even though she's in an impossible situation due to her own back story. She has some tough decisions to make, and is torn between being blackmailed by someone while finally coming to trust Jackson, so I was glad she made the right choices when it came to their lives being in jeopardy.

While Jackson, he likes to do things alone, and it isn't easy for him to work with Emma. Yet, the heroine is good for him. She gets him to open up about his past, and helps him to work through it. Moreover, the surprise Jackson's brother had for him during a family dinner had me laughing, as Jackson was so not expecting it. Then again, he and Emma were in a relationship -- fake or not. However, what I liked most about Jackson is that he was persistent to do the right thing by the victim. That he wasn't about to let the bad guys win, especially when the bad guys were supposed to be the good guys.

Overall, Ms. Richardson has penned a very good novel to start off this series, of which the growing relationship between Emma and Jackson was intense. Neither know whether they can trust the other, but they're going to have to, if they're to succeed in finding the truth. The way this story ended definitely sets things up for the next book in the series. Will Jackson return to the police force, or will he continue being a PI? Will Jackson continue to work with Emma to solve his cases since she's just as determined to see justice served as he is? I would recommend Jackson Stiles: Road to Redemption, if you enjoy romantic suspense, the fake relationship trope or a story with an intense storyline and characters willing to do the right thing to see justice served.
2930090
When Holly Newbury's mother died unexpectedly, Holly decided to move back into her family's home and help her father take care of her younger sisters. Now, a few years later, the family is in a better place and Holly decides it is time to finally start thinking about herself again and move on with her life. She likes her part-time job at the local gallery, but she's missing something to make her feel complete. When a film production for a new adaptation of Jane Austen's 'Emma' comes to the area, the whole town is excited, including Holly. She bumps into one of the American authors of the film script, Fletcher Hays, and they immediately get along. Holly's life is finally about to change, but will she be able to really choose herself and not just think about others in this particular instance...?

I just loved being back in Chilton Crosse in this second part of Traci Borum's series and if possible I loved this story even more than the first one! Traci managed to create a wonderful setting with the cosy village of Chilton Crosse and all its colourful inhabitants that each have a story of their own to tell. 'Finding the Rainbow' focuses on twenty-something Holly Newbury, a heroine whom is incredibly easy to like and warm to. Holly has taken care of her younger sisters the last couple of years after their mother's death and because of this she hasn't really managed to build up her own life. I was rooting for Holly from the start and really enjoyed reading her story. However, the novel doesn't solely focus on Holly; her sisters, father and other characters often make an appearance and also all have their own bit of storyline, which resulted in a thoroughly enjoyable tale in which all of that comes together.

While the book is the second part of a series, it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. It's nice to already be familiar with the village and its inhabitants, but it's not necessary to be able to follow the storyline. I personally loved the links to Jane Austen and her novel 'Emma' in this book. Each chapter starts with an Austen quote and the film adaptation of 'Emma' that's being filmed in the village adds a lovely Austen touch to the book. I just loved everything about this novel, from it's great characters to the entertaining storyline and the author's well-paced and enjoyable writing style. 'Finding the Rainbow' is an amazingly warm and simply lovely novel which I didn't want to ever end; a great second part of the 'Chilton Crosse' series and I already can't wait for the next one!
341365
I thought this series did am excellent job of developing characters that were accurate to the actual story of Emma.
4971380
I loved the fact that Emma made the female the stronger character in this book.  I loved the fact that Wren was a strong, intelligent and independent woman.  I loved Brady too, however you want to slap him silly through most of the book.  It was an amazing read.  I'm not giving away any spoilers.  This is a fast and entertaining story with great secondary characters.  This book will not disappoint.
131012
I didn't read this book with the hope of finding Elizabeth Smart a great author.  I wanted to find out what really happened and how she is doing after everything she endured.  I love that this story is not filled with self-pity or over-emotional.  Definitely shows the strength of this young survivor. I did sense that Elizabeth felt the need to keep explaining why she never spoke up when opportunities presented themselves.  We know she feared for her life and the lives of her family.  It only needed to be mentioned a couple of times, not tons.  Otherwise - it's a great read.
2765510
I truly enjoyed this book.  The author stayed true to the characters attitudes and behaviors.  The book almost takes on a mystery persona when the actions and situations around Frank Churchill's loss reaches its climax.  He still remains the scoundrel that Jane Austen made him out to be.  Emma's attitude got on my nerves a little more throughout the book.  She acted more of a child not getting her way than that of a young married woman. She seemed more insecure, unlike the strong, self-centered, and independent girl I read in Jane Austens' Emma.  I loved the ending and would love to see another book.  Hint, hint....:)
2651979
Emma Woodhouse is an atypical heroine for a Jane Austen novel. Usually, we see disadvantaged girls struggle to find happiness through marriage. In Emma's case, we see a girl who has everything in the world she could want. She is rich, pretty, and happy. She has no desire to be married, as it would interfere with the simple life she enjoys with her father and she knows it would break his heart to be parted from her. The story follows Emma's life beginning at 21 as she tries to help a young girl named Harriet Smith marry above her station. Emma also engages in a flirtation with a young man and generally makes a bit of a mess of things whenever she gets involved.

I have read that Jane Austen felt that Emma was a character only her creator could like. I would have to disagree with that. Emma is certainly flawed, but her heart is almost always in the right place. Pride has blinded her to her own limitations but she is also one who does not shrink from the responsibility of her mistakes and tries very hard to learn from them. I found this admirable and grew to like her more and more as the book progressed.

Aside from Emma, the rest of the cast was also very well written. Her father is a complete hypochondriac and often engages in behavior that would typically be considered highly rude. Yet, he is motivated so completely by a desire to be kind to others that his misguided application of that desire only endears him to the reader. Mr. Knightley, the no-nonsense friend of the family is admittedly not the most complex character in the world, but he is a very good one and his solidity is a great counterbalance to Emma's wishful thinking.

In summary, Emma is a nice change of pace from Jane Austen's other novels. It starts off well and grows more engaging as it continues. The characters are interesting and Emma herself grows considerably during the course of the novel.
556989
Even tho it is a retelling of a classic, it was fun to see how Emma would act in today's world.
3825085
Although this is not my favorite book in this series I still enjoy reading it for the pure and simple fact I seem to read something different when I do. I seem to understand the relationship s so much more. I also realize the movie didn't do this book justice. There was so much more to Bella and Jacobs relationship. I also believe Edward got off way too easy in the end.
3699039
Honestly, I have to admit up front, I am not a huge Jane Austen fan. I haven't read any of her books and haven't really felt a desire to. After I accepted this book to review, I wasn't really sure I would enjoy it - my only exposure to Austen's work was the Kiera Knightly Pride & Prejudice film. I am happy to admit that I really enjoyed this book and found myself interested in reading the actual Pride & Prejudice book.

One of the interesting aspects of this story was the premise that Claire finds a first draft of P & P that was nothing like what the published version was. Now of course I don't know what the real writing was like, but I felt like Pattillo did a great job of creating her own version of what the first draft might have been like. The story was definitely different than the final version.

My only problem with the story was that I didn't feel anything for the 2 men that Claire is forced to choose between. I really liked Claire and her felt for her, but the author didn't seem to develop the male characters enough for me to really feel the struggle.

Interestingly I found some connections between this book and another book I read last year, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. The story was set in an academic setting with the main character searching for a book that had been passed down and hidden from someone who wants it.  But Physick Book carried out it's mission with more success.

This was a quick and enjoyable read. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the original work so that I could compare the "first draft" to the real book, but still very enjoyable. I am thinking of picking up Jane Austen Ruined My Life by the same author.

This book was received from the publisher in exchange for a review and this was also posted on my blog.
2821707
I picked up The Lying Game from the store, not really expecting much. I wanted to choose a second book to read and the store was about to close, so I just grabbed it and checked out. I'm glad I did.

The Lying Game is about two long lost twins. Before you wrinkle your nose, thinking it's a huge cliche, you know you're in for a new twist on the cliche when Sara Shepard makes fun of it through the characters. I found this a nice little detail in an already great story.

The Lying Game follows the story of Emma and Sutton, as they try to piece together what happened before Sutton was killed and whodunnit. Only Emma can't hear or see Sutton, which I found actually kind of relieving. That would have been a whole other cliche. Instead, you feel Sutton's desperation as she realizes no one can see or hear her. This plays out rather badly as Sutton can only watch Emma, following her like a lost puppy wherever she goes, seeing only when Emma can see. I felt anxious for Sutton and Emma because at first, Emma doesn't know Sutton is dead. Emma thinks her twin is inviting her out to Arizona to reunite.

Emma then gets trapped in pretending to be Sutton, threatened by an unknown enemy that if she doesn't, there'll be severe consequences. The rest of the story slowly unfolds new memories for an amnesiac Sutton and new revelations for a terrified Emma. Emma finds out her twin wasn't what she hoped she'd be. She was actually kind of a witch.

Sutton was part of The Lying Game, a clique of four girls that got giggles from pranking people. Only they weren't your harmless jump-out-from-behind-something-and-go-boo! kind. They were far more harmful than that. But of course they had the code phrase 'Cross my heart, hope to die,' meant to be said if someone ever took the joke too far. So no one would ever take the joke too far.. right?

Overall, I found most of the characters felt quite real most of the time. Of course some parts of the book felt like filler, but I have yet to come across a book that doesn't have one single filler moment. The only characters that could have had a little more depth were the Twitter Twins and Garrett, although Garrett did grow a little throughout the story. There were also times that I wanted to reach in the book and smack Emma for not doing something I would have done. There were also some parts that didn't feel like they would play out quite like Sara Shepard wrote them.

All in all, though, I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment of what seems like a great book series. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Never Have I Ever and will definitely buy it when it comes out. If you enjoyed Pretty Little Liars or like books with catty girls, secrets, and lies, then I'd highly recommend this book as an addition to your collection.
730707
The one thing I remember from the first book in this series (Again, Alabama) was how intrigued I was by Emma, so I was delighted to get the chance to read her story, while revisiting this town and the Laroux family. And on the whole Im glad I did, because I really liked Emma, even if I was a little baffled by how shed not noticed how creepy Tad had manipulated her life for so long.

Emmas a great character. Shes about so much more than her beauty. Shes sassy and smart and strong and determined, and she doesnt date. She has exceedingly good reasons for this and some serious trust issues because of her past, but despite interference and pressure from her family, I liked that shed made peace with that. Well, mostly.

Until along came Matthew. I found him a little harder to pin down, and not just because hes keeping secrets. Hes a messed up guy. On the one hand he has understandable neuroses and issues, on the other he is determined to be manly at all times. I found some aspects of his character really hard to marry together. He is messed up and confusing, and although his romance with Emma is cute, he has some serious head work to do on himself.

The rest of the plot meanders about, with a family wedding to plan for (though just how many times did we need to know about Maeves different father? It came up every time Maeve or Maureen or the new husband was mentioned in the early chapters) and creepy Tad being super, super creepy. Emma also makes a few friends  which was nice because it showed that not all women are awful  and Matthew has some family stuff to deal with. Its slow at times and winds about in a seemingly aimless fashion, but it does have an end goal and the longer it went on the more intrigued I was to find out just how certain things would turn out.

Okay, if Im honest Emma kind of let me down at the end because I expected more fight from her, and Matthew let things go on way too long at times, but overall this was nice. Theres family drama, a cute romance and plenty of Southern charm to move things along. Ill admit the writing style doesnt always work for me (too much erroneous detail at times, and too many characters taking POV without a good reason), but on the whole its an easy read that can be enjoyed on summer evenings and lazy afternoons. Looks like little brother is up next. I suspect that one will be very interesting indeed.

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
2102222
Emma Cassidy is tough. Shes decided to find the man who raped her niece and killed her sisters housekeeper. Shes worked hard training to become a bounty hunter. Hard enough to impress even cynical, highly accomplished Luke Brodie. Its great that Martin had Emma take the time and effort to make herself capable of hunting down a monster. Its also impressive that Luke is attracted to Emmas capable handling of herself in tough situations.

Luke agrees to work together with Emma not only because they can help each other but because he finds her fascinating. Its no surprise the two end up together and I was glad to see it happen.

While the story was predictable, it was both entertaining and suspenseful with interesting characters and intrigue.