The Wdding Party

The Wedding Party by Sophie King is one of a recent crop of chick lit whose title contains the word wedding. It seems as though the job of wedding planner is flavour of the month. This book is written from the point of view of several different characters - which was a little confusing at times.

Becky - magazine journalist - who thinks everyone should drop what they're doing and help her so that she can work her horrendously long hours. Geoff - her father who is marrying Monique who no one seems to like. Janie - wedding planner - who gets the sack for being incompetent and sets up her own wedding and funeral planning business with her elderly landlady Marjorie. Some of the best scenes in the book involve these two. In my opinion the most realistic character in the book was the vicar Mel who is struggling with putting her Christian faith into practice. The book also features Helen - Becky's divorced mother.

I found the ending of the book a little too neat and contrived with all the loose plot strands tied in a bow. I found Becky incredibly annoying and Helen a little unbelievable. Geoff was a little too good to be true. Mel whose job brings her into contact with all the other characters was well drawn and had much more depth than the others. Her Archdeacon - Tom - was also a fascinating person. Overall a good read but perhaps not up there with the best.

Second time lucky

I have now finished Sophie King's 'Second Time Lucky'. No, it's not about getting back with the husband you've just divorced, though that scenario does come into it at one point. All the characters live in a cover ted stately home, including Roddy whose childhood home it was. He is struggling to overcome alcoholism. Then there are Marcie and David who are trying for a baby, and Marcie is struggling with her stepchildren and her thesis. Mollie De May is a retired actress whose husband has just died, and is not getting on very well with her stuffy son. She is also being haunted by the ghost of her late husband. Louise has had to move out of her six bed roomed home because her husband has gone off with someone else, but there is nice kind dependable Guy waiting in the wings. All the children are characters in their own right, and if you add to this mix a pregnant actress - who is the father? - a chocolate Labrador called Hector and a burglar called Kevin, and a cleaning lady called Sally who is into alternative health, you have an incendiary mix. The book is funny and sad at times, but well worth reading if you want a relaxing few hours. It does have more weight than your average Aga Saga. I enjoyed it.

Sunday

What miserable weather! It's cold and wet and typical December. This is not my favourite month of the year even though it is my birthday month. I think I probably suffer from SAD as I never really feel normal again until February. That's not to say I'm down in the dumps all the time because I'm not. I just feel as though I have to try extra hard to get motivated. Most of the year I'm out of bed by 8.00am at the latest. The last two days I've not got up before 10.00!

I've only got this week to work and then I'm off until January 2nd. We're not doing anything for Christmas, just staying at home and relaxing. I really do not like the current trend of busy, busy, busy. Everyone needs time to sit and relax. Why put so much pressure on yourself to fit all sorts of things in if you don't enjoy them? I have days when I do fit lots in and enjoy it, but I can't do it all the time.

Once again I failed to take part in National Novel Writing Month. In case you haven't heard of it, it's all about aiming to complete 50,000 words of a novel in the month of November. Doesn't matter whether the writing is good or bad - just write and don't revise. I haven't looked at the web site recently, but I don't think there's a prize - just the satisfaction of achieving it. Some books which started in this way have gone on to be published.
Web site: http://www.nanowrimo.org/
Obviously this year's is over - but how about making a date for next November? I might just do that.

Off to finish Sophie Kings' 'Second Time Lucky.