[review] Enchanted, Inc. (Enchanted, Inc. #1) by Shanna Swendson (2005)

Tags

book, book review, chick-lit, magic, paranormal, romance, wizards

Enchanted, Inc. (2005)
by Shanna Swendson (blog.)
Paperback Edition
Publication Date: May 31st, 2005
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Buy a copy via Amazon.
Synopsis from Goodreads.

Katie Chandler had always heard that New York is a weird and wonderful place, but this small-town Texas gal had no idea how weird until she moved there. Everywhere she goes, she sees something worth gawking at and Katie is afraid she’s a little too normal to make a splash in the big city. Working for an ogre of a boss doesn’t help.

Then, seemingly out of the blue, Katie gets a job offer from Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., a company that tricks of the trade to the magic community. For MSI, Katie’s ordinariness is an asset. Lacking any bit of magic, she can easily spot a fake spell, catch hidden clauses in competitor’s contracts, and detect magically disguised intruders. Suddenly, average Katie is very special indeed.

My Thoughts:
After reading a few dark novels about sociopaths and serial killers, I desperately needed a recovery book. So when Christina (A Reader of Fictions) mentioned recommended Enchanted Inc., I picked it up from the library immediately. It just sounded like oodles of fun with a dash of romance and magic thrown in…and that was exactly what it was. Although I adore a fun chick-lit novel any day, the last one I read was Sophie Kinsella’s I’ve Got Your Number about six months ago, and I didn’t realize how much I missed the genre until I devoured Enchanted Inc.

[review] I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (2012)

Tags

book, book review, books, chick-lit, funny, humor, kinsella. romance, sophie kinsella

I’ve Got Your Number (2012)
by Sophie Kinsella
Hardcover Edition
Publisher: The Dial Press
buy a copy via Amazon.
synopsis via Goodreads.

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her ‘happy ever after’ begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect! Well, perfect except the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

My Thoughts:
Since the day I picked up Sophie Kinsella’s Undomestic Goddess, I feel in love with her laugh-out-loud humor and went on to read all of her books (aside from the ones under her real name). I was highly anticipating I’ve Got Your Number, but I have to say I am getting disappointed in her last few novels. They are all fun, don’t get me wrong, the plots are getting more and more intriguing, but the “romance” are all the same. I must admit I am glad the “embarrassing” moments are getting mild, and I don’t have to put down the book and bury my face in a pillow out of vicarious embarrassment for characters.

At times I also get mad at her characters for being utterly stupid. The only time I winced was when Poppy (her name annoys me, for whatever reason, maybe because it’s childish?) started sending out Sam’s emails. I just felt so sorry for Sam, if I was him, I would be furious. Sam’s character is also unpredictable, whenever he seems to be unable to tolerate Poppy’s antics any longer…he still somehow sticks around to console her. Perhaps I am just jealous of Poppy, she isn’t a drop-dead beauty nor is she the sharpest tack in the drawer, but somehow she has dark, handsome men falling for her left and right. I didn’t care for all the “corporate” business since all that stuff sounded like some poor attempt at a climax or drama. I wanted Poppy to learn how to be strong-willed and confident, but she never gets there (maybe there will be a sequel?). There were other, deeper themes like the loss of parents, family that faded into oblivion. One of my least favorite Kinsella novels, but still very easy to read and addicting in the best possible way.

Rating: B-