Recent Reads: Friesner, Lynn, and Cohn

Non-Existent Person Asks: Sarah, since you're a writer, I bet you read a lot. Read anything good lately?

Sarah Answers: Thanks for dropping by! You're my very first imaginary blog reader -- congratulations! And yes, like most writers, I'm something of a book-o-holic. The five floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in my office reached capacity many months ago. Since then I've been sliding extra books on top of each row and building precariously-balanced book towers all around the room. And if you're ever hanging out with me and you have someplace to be, do not let me near a Barnes & Noble. It will NOT be a quick visit...

Anyway, I Just finished a very fun book: TEMPING FATE by Esther Friesner. It's about a girl with a self-professed attitude problem who takes a summer temp job filling in for Greek gods, specifically the Fates. Such a fabulous concept. Plus it's got the best talking spider since Charlotte. Very fun.

Also this week, I read SNOW by Tracy Lynn (aka Liz Braswell and Celia Thompson) from the Simon Pulse "Once Upon a Time" series. It's a retelling of Snow White set in Victorian England with lots of fabulous characters, such as a spellbound minstrel boy (as the magic mirror) and a pack of half-human and half-animal thieves from London (as the dwarves). Very inventive re-imagining of the traditional fairy-tale elements.

And lastly, POP PRINCESS by Rachel Cohn. No talking animals in this one. It's realistic contemporary fiction about a teenage girl who becomes the newest pop sensation. If you like American Idol and Behind the Music, you'll like this. Super-fun, plus there's some nice depth as she struggles with family issues and her own personality flaws.

Happy reading!