I read three pretty good examples of chic-lit while I was in Florida.
The first was "Baby Proof" by Emily Griffith. I borrowed this from my sister Margy, who's copy of "Something Borrowed", Ms. Griffith's first book, I read while I was visiting her two years ago. Baby Proof is not quite as good as Something Borrowed, or it's follow up, Something Blue, but I enjoyed it.
The second book was called "Darcy's Story". I don't recall who wrote it. It's simply "Pride and Prejudice" told from Mr. Darcy's point of view. I enjoyed this, as well but it's probably not as good as P&P, which I still have never read. I should probably get on that one.
The third book was one I found in the little green hut. It was called "Bet Me" by Jennifer Crusie, whom I had never heard of but my sister Katie has. I really liked it; it was laugh out loud funny. That hardly ever happens. Susan Elizabeth Phillips wrote a few really funny ones but then she fell victim to what I call 'Danielle Steele Syndrome'; it's when a writer stops trying and just cranks out the same book over and over, changing names and milieu. Bore, bore, bore. Bet Me was good enough for me to head off to Half Price Books and see if they have any more of Ms. Crusie's work. Any author that makes me laugh gets to sell me another book.
After three chic-lit works in a row I needed something completely different. Fortunately there was a copy of "Epicenter" by Joel Rosenberg. Wow!
Mr. Rosenberg is a novelist who's stories have an uncanny knack for coming true soon after publication. For instance, he was just finishing up his first book, The Last Jihad, on September 11, 2001. The Last Jihad begins with Islamoterrorists flying planes into U.S. buildings.
Naturally, people have noticed and asked Mr. Rosenberg where he gets his ideas and how can he possibly know all these geopolitical events are about to happen?
The book "Epicenter" is the answer to those questions and it should scare the flippin' burgers out of you.
His source material is the Bible. The book of Ezekiel in particular. Mr. R. writes from the point of view that Ezekiel's future is our present. Events make it pretty hard to argue with this point of view.
I'm not an alarmist and people have been predicting the end of the world for at least 3000 years but I do think I want to read Mr. R's novels; The Last Jihad, The Ezekiel Option, The Last Days and the Copper Scroll.
I really have to get to Half Price Books.
But first maybe I'll read the Book of Ezekiel.
