Review: Match Made by Erynn Mangum

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Annie McKay is a perpetual loner who moves to town for a job and expects for life to pretty much stay the same as it's always been - until she meets Lauren Holbrook Palmer and her group of crazy, fun friends. Being alone has always been Annie's way of life, but with Jesus and Lauren at the helm, things are likely going to change.

My source for book: Personal Library

My Thoughts:
I just love Erynn Mangum's novels. She has such a fun and peppy way of writing that makes reading a pure joy. This one is much like her other novels in the fact that it's light, but it still manages to get across a good message while being extremely entertaining.

It's been a while since I read the first 3 Lauren Holbrook novels so I didn't remember everything, but that actually didn't matter. Laurie and her gang are just supporting characters (large ones) in this novel, while newcomer Annie is the main focus. I really liked the way Laurie and her gang sort of ambushed Annie and dragged her into their friend circle, and the visible changes that occurred in Annie as she got used to having friends were really cool to see.

Annie is quite a bit different from Laurie, but she does have a similar--though slightly less wacky--sense of humor, so it doesn't seem odd that the focus of the story has turned to Annie. I liked her right away, and my fondness for her continued to grow throughout the story. Oddly enough, she actually reminds me of myself in a lot of ways, which may be why I felt so connected to her.

Match Made is an e-book only at this point, and I do admit that it didn't seem quite as polished as the author's print books are. There's a fair amount of typos and some misplaced words, which I know can bother some people so I thought I would mention it. I don't count this against the author or story, and honestly I enjoyed the story so much that it didn't bother me much, though I did continually notice it. I imagine it's possible this may be fixed in a later release.

To sum things up: This is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in quite a while. The only sad thing is that the next book won't be released for several months, and this one ends on sort of a cliff-hanger. No doubt the intention was to get you hooked, and it surely worked for me. I will gladly be purchasing the next book as soon as it becomes available!

My Rating: 5 stars!

Review: Sketchy Behavior by Erynn Mangum

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Drawing conclusions or drafting disaster? 

Other than harboring a somewhat obsessive fondness for Crispix and completely swearing-off boys after a bad date (don't ask), sixteen-year-old Kate Carter is about as ordinary as they come, except for her two notable talents: art and sarcasm. 

After an introduction to forensic sketching in her elective art class, Kate discovers a third and most unexpected gift---criminal profiling. Her photo-quality sketch helps the police catch a wanted murderer and earns her celebrity status in South Woodhaven Falls. But when that murderer appears to be using his friends to exact revenge, Kate goes from local hero to possible target. Will she manage to survive? Will life ever be normal again? And will local news anchor Ted Deffle ever stop sending her flowers?

My Thoughts:
Sketchy Behavior covers more sober topics than Erynn Mangum's past novels have, but despite the serious situations the story is still infused with the traditional Erynn Mangum charm that I've come to love. Yes, the plot does revolve around various aspects of crime and the fear of criminals at large, but it's done in a rather lighthearted way so there's really no chance of being dragged down by the seriousness.... But there is a definite chance of being entertained!

Kate has a unique and humorous way of looking at things, and the first person writing puts you right inside her head, where you can see all of the amusing thoughts that run amuck in her mind. Unfortunately due to her circumstances she doesn't have many opportunities to actually say any of these thoughts out loud.... Still, some of her views are quite amusing, and several times I was helpless to keep the grin off my face!

There's one thing that struck me as rather odd, but I'm going to have to be fairly vague so as not to give spoilers. ;) Towards the end of the book there is a large twist involving one of the main characters, and the facts that are revealed struck me as quite out of character for this person. Yes, from a writing standpoint it was a great out-of-the-blue twist, but I was disappointed that there wasn't an explanation as to why this person did what they did, or what their motivation was. I wish one more chapter had been included to give a little more closure with this character's storyline, instead of leaving me hanging with a "what on earth!?" feeling.

While it's not my favorite of Erynn Mangum's works, I did enjoy the story overall. (Some of the scenes were so vivid that I began thinking this could make a really fun and amusing movie! Hint, hint, producers!!) Anyway, at this point I don't think there are plans for a sequel novel, but if there were, I would certainly pick it up so I could continue following Kate's adventures. She's got some extreme artistic talent that has the potential to put her in interesting situations, and I'd be quite curious to see what becomes of her as she graduates high school and starts off on her own.

My Rating: 4 stars

Review: Match Point by Erynn Mangum

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Matchmaker Lauren Holbrook is happy after putting together four successful couples. That is, until the tables are turned and she’s on the receiving end of the matchmaking!

Lauren and her boyfriend, Ryan, devise a plan to make it look as if they’ve broken up so people will get off their backs about marriage. No problem, right? That’s of course until Lauren realizes she’s in love.

My Thoughts:
Laurie and Ryan have been casually dating for over a year, and all the while Laurie has constantly been practicing her hobby of unwanted matchmaking on her friends and acquaintances. But she's in for a big surprise when her friends start giving her a taste of her own medicine!

I found it quite humorous that Laurie's friends turned her matchmaking habit around on her, and Ryan's plan to get "revenge" on the matchmakers was amazingly fun...however, sadly I felt that some of the magic between Laurie and Ryan was lost once everyone started pushing them together. Yes, it's obvious that they make a great couple... but I really liked the slow and steady pace their relationship was built on. Many parts of the plot were quite fun, but ultimately I think I would've preferred to see Laurie and Ryan find their own way, instead of everyone trying to speed up their relationship.

Something that really stood out to me, that I really loved, was how Laurie tends to freeze up when she finds herself in a romantic situation. She is always so happy when her friends are in mushy situations, but when it happens to her, she just about panics. I loved that! It's so "real" and down-to-earth. It certainly doesn't fit into the standard mold for novel romances, but then again, Laurie is anything but normal...which is why she is so awesome as a character.

Despite my small nitpicking in a few places on Match Point, I still say Erynn Mangum is the ultimate queen of Christian Chick-Lit, hands down. No one can match her off-the-wall banter and quirky, yet realistic characters. This is the end of the Lauren Holbrook series, but I am anxiously awaiting her next book release!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Rematch by Erynn Mangum

Book Cover and Synopsis:

With two matches under her belt, Lauren’s ready to get back to work. Lucky for her, her job at The Brandon Knox Photography Studio makes it even easier to work her magic on her best friend and boss, Brandon, and the adorable receptionist, Hannah. And since she’s at Shawn’s café every day anyway (a girl’s gotta feed her caffeine and chocolate addictions, doesn’t she?), why not look for his perfect match as well?

But with all her love-connection luck, Lauren’s thrown for a loop when her dad announces that he’s heading out of town for a singles’ retreat. And in the midst of panicking about her dad and potential future stepmom, there's also the matter of Ryan: Love interest or friend? Only time, vats of coffee, and pounds of chocolate will tell!

My Thoughts:
Erynn Mangum has delivered another winner! Lauren and all her friends are back in this second installment in the Lauren Holbrook trilogy. There's more banter, more coffee, more chocolate, and yes, of course there is more matchmaking to be done!

One (of the many) things I really enjoyed is the sibling relationships that are shown. There are several pairs of siblings in Lauren's circle of friends, and Lauren's two sisters also have a part in the story. All of these relationships translate so well onto paper, with all the craziness, care, and teasing of close brothers and sisters. It's this exact family dynamic that is missing from many books today, but thankfully this series has it in spades!

Being the middle book in the trilogy, it's becoming subtly obvious that Ryan's feelings for Lauren are the long-term kind, but ironically, Lauren, the matchmaker extraordinaire, simply can't see it. Though she likes hanging out with Ryan and dating in their somewhat casual way, she doesn't know exactly where they stand. Ryan is so sweet to her, and it's just so much fun to watch his efforts and her cluelessness.

As a Christian, I know that God is sovereign and is the author of any future relationships I may have, however, I sort of hope my happy ending is written in the style of an Erynn Mangum novel. :) There's just so much to like about her characters. If you like chick-lit and haven't yet read this series, what are you waiting for!?

My Rating: 5 stars

Review: Miss Match by Erynn Mangum

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Lauren Holbrook has found her life's calling: matchmaking for the romantically challenged. And with the eclectic cast of characters in her world, there's tons of potential to play "connect the friends." 

Inspired by the recent success of matching her sister and new husband, Lauren sets out to introduce Nick, her carefree singles' pastor, to Ruby, her neurotic coworker who plans every second of every day. What could possibly go wrong? Just about everything. 

When Lauren's foolproof plan begins to unravel, she learns that a simple introduction between friends can bring about complicated results. And as she reconsiders her new role as Cupid (as well as her vow to stay single forever), will Lauren finally decide that God's plan is always good enough?

My Thoughts:
Oh my word, this book is a riot! I love Lauren and her random thoughts, how she says whatever pops into her mind, and her chocolate and coffee addictions are tons of fun, too!

In many ways Lauren is just a big kid, though she's 23, she still has the fun and care-free attitude of someone a bit younger. This lets her get away with saying and doing some outlandishly crazy (funny!) things, and often no one reacts except to give her strange looks. Lauren's sisters and close friends are quirky enough to banter back and forth with her sarcastic comments, leading to some very humorous dialog.

As the book progresses I was able to see subtle changes in Lauren's maturity level, and at those times she often remarks that growing up stinks, which made me smile because at times I totally agree. :) It's fun and encouraging to see her grow in maturity, and at the same time she is maturing spiritually as well.

If you're a fan of the TV show Gilmore Girls, stop right now, and immediately purchase this book! Lauren's personality is quite similar to Lorelai Gilmore's in many ways, from her sarcastic comments and off-the-wall bantering, to her junk food and coffee additions. The family situation is different, but the personality and light-hearted tone is there. Best of all, Lauren Holbrook is a Christian, so the content of the novel stays very appropriate, all the while being fun and witty!

Erynn Mangum is high on my list of favorite authors, she just has a way with chick-lit that no one else can match. I wish I could reach into the pages and pull her characters into reality, because I want to be friends with them! :) I wholeheartedly recommend this book, and the rest of the series, as well.

My Rating: 5 stars

Review: Double Shot by Erynn Mangum

I've finished Erynn Mangum's Maya Davis trilogy. I totally loved it, although I'm bummed out that I've finished it... I've already got my mother reading the series; I raved over it so much that she wanted to check it out for herself! ;) Here's my review for the third (and last) book, Double Shot.

Maya's roommate Jen has just gotten married, and that in turn has forced the now roommate-less Maya to move into a smaller apartment for financial reasons. Change is not something that Maya handles well, and changing apartments is about to become the least of her concerns!

Maya is engaged to her long-time best friend Jack; their wedding is 3 months away and counting. It's a short engagement so they're cutting it close to get all the plans settled, and on top of that there's so many details Maya never imagined were involved in planning a wedding! Jack has given the wedding planning reigns to Maya, which is probably for the best considering that he works at a zoo. Uh, yeah, Maya is probably quite a bit more qualified to plan a wedding than a zookeeper...

We've already established that Maya doesn't deal well with change, so when Jack brings up a topic that could affect their effect their entire future and take them away from all they've ever known, Maya is utterly speechless. This could represent the largest and most unwelcome change in her entire life, and she is immediately opposed. While Maya is sure this thing is not God's will for them, Jack is equally sure that it IS God's will. Maya obviously still loves Jack, but is this issue enough to come between them?

Double Shot is a nice conclusion to the Maya Davis series, it wraps up most of the ongoing story lines and leaves just a bit up to your imagination. The story is chock-full of the wonderful Maya sense of humor that was established in the first two books. Several times I couldn't even believe what I was reading, because it was just so humorous! I love when everyday things can be turned into humorous situations and dialogue, it's just so entertaining! I could hardly keep the grin off my face!

I'm so glad I stumbled across the Maya Davis series, but I am sad that I've finished the trilogy. This was the most entertaining series I've read in a really long time, the characters are so full of life they simply jump off the pages and dare you not to like them. Erynn Mangum is definitely an author I'm going to be keeping an eye on, and I'm already planning on tracking down her Miss Match series. To sum things up, my advice is this: Do yourself a favor, buy Cool Beans, Latte Daze, and Double Shot. You'll be glad you did!

Review: Latte Daze by Erynn Mangum

Happy 4th of July, Independence Day to all of those in the USA! Here's my review of Latte Daze, which is the second book in Erynn Mangum's fabulous "Maya Davis" series:

It's official: I want to be friends with Maya Davis!

 

Four months have passed since we last saw Maya and her friends in Cool Beans (the first book in this series). Since then, she's started dating her best friend Jack, but things between them aren't much different than they've always been...their dates mostly just seem like two friends hanging-out. Jack was the one who confessed "more than friends" feelings, and Maya's still not sure what to think. Obviously she likes Jack, he's been her best friend for years....but more than that? Maya's just not sure... 

Then there's Jen, Maya's long-time roommate. She's dating Maya's ex-boyfriend (aka high school flame) Travis, and things are pretty serious between them. So serious, that when Travis pops the question to Jen, Maya is hardly surprised. But what catches Maya off guard is the intensity that the wedding plans take on. And when Jen's rude and impossible-to-please mother moves in and starts criticizing all of Jen's dream wedding plans, everyone's patience is put to the test.

Although I liked Cool Beans (the first book) just a little bit more, I still really enjoyed Latte Daze. I was kind of bummed to see Jack leave the coffee shop to start a new job since that meant there weren't as many opportunities for Maya/Jack banter. Although his new job at the zoo did end up providing quite a lot of opportunities for good-natured teasing and humorously cheesy jokes, I still missed his presence at the coffee shop. But as Maya is starting to find out: everything and everyone changes, and it's good if you can hold it together and not freak out about it. The best thing you can do is support the ones you love and not hold them back. (Even if it seems everyone around you is changing and growing while you remain stagnant!)

I said this in my review of the first book, and I'm going to say it again: if Maya was a real person I feel like I'd be friends with her! Sometimes I can't even believe how similar her thinking patterns are to mine, it's actually quite funny! :) But back to the review...Maya is still as spunky as ever, and she still has a love for movies, the food network, her dog Calvin, and of course coffee! Like the first book, this one is also loaded with great spiritual truths and applications for life. It's so awesome when you can be entertained and at the same time be learning things of value and not even realize you're learning, because it's all just woven together so nicely. I received (along with Maya) a great lesson on kindness: it's not a lack of action, such as simply keeping your mouth shut instead of mouthing off, but rather kindness is an action, an effort on your part. This is the type of stuff that we can all use reminders on.

If you've already read Cool Beans (the first book), I definitely recommend that you check out Latte Daze as well. And if you haven't already read the first book, Latte Daze does have enough of a recap that I guess you'd be okay to read it on its own... but Cool Beans is really a fun read too, so just make sure you don't miss out on it! These are some of the most lovable and entertaining characters I've run across in a long time, and it's just a pure joy to follow Maya's (or as Jack would say, "Nutkin's") story. This author has found a new fan in me, and I'm anxious to see what happens in the third book, Double Shot!

Review: Cool Beans by Erynn Mangum

I've found a new series to go on my list of favorites! Here's my review for "Cool Beans" by Erynn Mangum.

 

What do you do when your roommate unknowingly starts dating your ex-boyfriend....your ONLY ex-boyfriend, the one that you (a. dated for 4 years, (b. looked at rings with, and (c. thought you'd marry? And what happens when the guy doesn't even recognize you? Sure, you broke up 5 years ago, but before that you had dated for FOUR YEARS! Do you announce it to your friend and the guy, risking the demise of the relationship before it even begins, or do you keep your mouth shut and act normal? This is the beginning of Maya's super-fantastic-amazingly-awesome and story!

I have to admit: Before I started reading, I wasn't sure if I'd like Cool Beans or not. The synopsis on the back of the book makes it sound like just another take on an over-used sitcom plot. But to my incredible delight, as soon as I started reading I found that I was immediately hooked! The characters are so real and loveable, they truly became my friends, and I really felt for Maya and the awkward situation she got put in.

Maya in many ways reminded me of myself, at times I couldn't even believe it... she thinks so much like I do that if she were real, I feel like we'd be friends! Her sense of humor is awesome, and that allows her to have some amazingly great banter and dialogue with other characters. Jack is great as well; I couldn't help but be amused by his parrot problem! He is such a nice and fun guy, I loved his pet-names for Maya, and also the way he encourages her to do the right thing even when it's difficult. Of course I have to mention Maya's family: they are amusing and authentic, the dynamics between them all are realistically strange! Oh, and Calvin, Maya's pilates-loving beagle...I loved how she talked to him and he always responded with variations of "Roo?" or "Roo!" So funny!

If anyone saw me while I was reading Cool Beans, they must have wondered what was going on, because half the time I couldn't keep the grin off my face. It seems I have the same sense of humor that Erynn Mangum does, because Maya's banter with Jack, and also with Andrew (her pastor) had me cracking up; the fun-slightly-sarcastic tone is just awesome! There were several movies and tv shows mentioned, and I've seen almost all them so I was able to picture the exact scenes that were mentioned, which was really cool. (FYI: Don't worry, if you haven't seen any of the movies, it doesn't matter, it's just a bonus if you have. There were a couple mentioned that I hadn't seen, and I still thought Maya's comments about them were funny.) 

For some strange reason this series seems to be marketed towards teens. (I actually had to go to the children's floor of my library to find it, because it's classified as "Young Adult"!) I don't quite understand this, because it technically isn't much different from other Christian Chick-Lit books... the only thing I can figure is that Maya is 24, which is a bit younger than most Christian Chick-Lit heroines. I definitely think teen girls would enjoy it, but the appeal certainly doesn't stop there. I'm 24 and I loved it, and I'm certain that older gals would enjoy it, too. The writing, style, and dialogue do not seem young or simple, and honestly I really feel like it should be grouped with the rest of the Christian fiction in the main adult section. So, to the Teens: yes, you'll like this. And to the Adults: You'll like it too, don't let the "teen" marketing scare you away!

To wrap things up: This book is so fun, I loved it, and I'm anxious to find out what happens in the sequels. Another reviewer mentioned this, but I want to point it out again: As Maya goes through her difficulties and is seeking guidance, the spiritual truths she learns are embedded so masterfully that you actually learn these truths right along with Maya. Some of the stuff really does make you stop and think about things and the way you live your life. One thing in particular that stood out to me is that we are a witness "all" the time, not "only" when we are sharing the gospel, which is a reminder we all need. Yes, I'm serious, there's really some solid content here, and it's all contained in such an amusing and entertaining package. I highly, highly, highly recommend Cool Beans! It's just so "cool!"