Just As Long As We’re Together by Judy Blume
Three pre-teen girls have girl drama over friendship, divorce, adoption and weight gain in this okay 1987 novel.
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First Class Murder by Robin Stevens
In this tiresome 3rd ‘Wells & Wong’ mystery, Daisy and Hazel are on the Orient Express and have the willingness and availability to look into a murder and spying. Daisy and Hazel shrug off allegations of arrogance to annoy, sneak, pry and bore. This is a blatant Agatha Christie rip-off. The realities of life in the 30s creep in but are quickly brushed off. This was utterly terrible.
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Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult
In this 2001 novel; Nice Guy ™ Jack moves to Salem Falls after getting out of jail. Immediately he begins being sanctimonious, lecturing and judgemental. Then he’s accused of a crime (again) and he pompously declares his innocence as the author writes about druggy lying sluts who need to be discredited as being false accusers. It’s a witch hunt against Jack despite a flashback revealing what he got up to in college. The ‘twist’ is insulting in that the obvious is overlooked and the author more or less implies that the victim was asking for it. Classy. This was disgusting.
Best Lines:
“A ring of keys that opened doors to places where Jack no longer was welcome.”
“Why were people in ski masks beating you up?”
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Alien Nation #3: Body and Soul by Peter David
This 1993 novelisation of an un-produced script from the cancelled show’s never made second season is sexist, unfunny and boring. The script was later made into a decent TV movie. But this novelisation is inept.
Best Line:
“It seems like only yesterday you got your droonal flanges,”
