Monday, June 9, 2008

I Heart Bloomberg by Melody Carlson


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

I Heart Bloomberg

David C. Cook (April 1, 2008)

by

Melody Carlson



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melody Carlson is the best-selling author of more than 100 books for adults, children, and teens, including three of her latest, These Boots Weren't Made For Walking, A Mile In My Flip-Flops, and Mixed Bags. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, make their home near the Cascade Mountains in Central Oregon. Melody is a full-time writer as well as an avid gardener, biker, skier, and hiker.

Favorite Bible verse: John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." It’s the “whosoever” part that gets me. That’s who I write for – “whosoever” and to me that means everyone and anyone.

Carlson, author of more than 100 books, begins her 86 Bloomberg Place series with I Heart Bloomberg that functions mostly to set up future storylines. Three women rent rooms at 86Bloomberg Place:


ABOUT THE BOOK

Kendall's managed to wrangle her grandmother's house-free and clear-except for the rules. No male roommates. But that's ok, with the right ad she'll pull in some girls, their rent and if she's lucky, she won't have to go to work any time soon.

For their part, Anna, Lelani, and Megan all have their reasons for wanting to move in: Anna has got to get out from under her overprotective parents; Lelani can't take another day in her aunt's tiny crackerbox house overflowing with toddlers and Megan needs a place free of her current roommate from Hades.

Though they come with assorted extra baggage filled with broken hearts and dreams, they will discover they also have a vast array of hidden strengths. And they struggle to become the women they want to be, they'll find new hope and maybe even Kendall will learn a thing or two about life, love and the true meaning of friendship.

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE


MY REVIEW:

The Carter House Girls grow up and move to 86 Bloomberg Place. If you will look back a few weeks in my blog, you will find that I recently reviewed 2 of the books in Melody Carlson’s Carter House Girls series. When I heart Bloomberg arrived in the mail, I was anxious to see how Carlson handled adults in her writing. Well, she moved on to women in their early twenties who are as spoiled, self-centered and immature as the teens in her Carter House Girls series.

Maybe it’s a matter of perspective since I am in the process of mothering teens. My years of being forced to share my living arrangements with total strangers are some 20 years in my past. Granted, sharing a house with spoiled, rich, self-absorbed women is not pleasant. As a graduate of a women’s college who attended on a work-study program, I lived with similar types of women found in Carlson’s Bloomberg book. I had little tolerance for these types of people then, and I apparently don’t enjoy reading about them now. Carlson once again gave me a cast of characters whose immaturity and lack of responsibility left me wanting to tell them to grow up! I guess I’m too old to read Carlson’s books. I can relate. Been there. Done that. Moved on. But make up your own mind. This book may be your cup of tea even if it isn't mine. Buy a copy here today.

3 comments:

Edgy Inspirational Author said...

LOL! I love this review even though it has a negative tone. It's honest and it will gain the trust of your readers. Not everything is wonderful, ya know! So this review will be a finalist for this book (for the blog spotlight) and I will decide on the featured blog in a few weeks!

Scrambled Dregs said...

Good review, Chickie. I haven't read her teen books and this is only the second one of her books I've ever read. My 16 y.o. loves her. Kendall needed a spanking a very long time ago. The others...well, I was a little more tolerant...

Scrambled Dregs said...

No, I didn't mean more tolerant than you...if that's what you thought. You're review was great...really. I meant I was more tolerant of the other characters compared to Kendall.
I've brushed shoulders with a few Kendall's and Carlson got that type nailed down. I was a little more sympathetic (in comparison to my feelings for Kendall) toward Lelani, Megan (loss made them more tragic) and Anna, in that order.

Lelani was my favorite and seemed the most multi-faceted. Tell me you didn't take my comment in a way I didn't mean...