Paige Rewritten: A Review

 

When we last saw Paige, her ex-boyfriend and long-lost sister had both suddenly popped back into her life. In this second book in the series, Paige is dealing with broken relationships, juggling her responsibilities, and debating a job change.

While nothing huge happens in the book, Mangum does a fantastic job of telling a fun, witty story with drops of spiritual truth. I love the characters, and the minor characters are just as great as the main ones.

As with her other series, Mangum gives hints of who Paige will end up with but also creates to guys worth rooting for!

I can't wait until the third one comes out....why did this one have to end on a cliffhanger?

Fans of Christian fiction about girls in the 20s figuring out adulthood will enjoy this book.

 

 

'

Paige Torn: A Review

Erynn Mangum is the only author I know who can write a great book without anything "big" happening. Paige is a twenty-something single girl who can't say no....whether it's doing more than what's required as a secretary, teaching the youth, or even folding the church bulletins for the week. Is she so busy serving God that she's  not spending any time with him?

The book takes us through a few months of Paige's life. While nothing major happens, this is a great book. The author has a knack for quick-witted dialogue and quirky situations that create a compelling story. Paige is an interesting character (although it would be nice if Mangum wrote a character who didn't like coffee---major trend with all her characters). The other characters are unique (more so than Paige). Layla is hilarious, and I find Tyler charming.

Overall, it's the start of a great series. As a long-time fan who has read all of Erynn's books, I'm eager to see what happens next. Paige Torn ends with a tease of what's to come that has me looking forward to October.

My Revised Christmas List: A Review

Chloe is just trying to finish nursing school and work enough hours to pay her rent since her roommate bailed on her. When she sets up her sister on a blind date, she finds herself falling for someone who wasn't at all what she was expecting but exactly what she needs.

Erynn Mangum is one of my favorite Christian Chick Lit authors. I love her voice and her fast dialogue makes for a fun read. This short novella is no exception. Although it was pretty clear how it would turn out, the characters are great, and the witty back-and-forth between Chloe and just about everyone she talks to makes this a great afternoon read. 

Chloe's story, although over way too quickly, will tide Mangum's fans over until her next series comes out. 

Identical Differences: A Review

All Alexia ever wanted to do was escape the small town she grew up in, so when her twin gets engaged, Alexia is happy for her but not so thrilled about coming back to the past she tried to leave behind. When she meets the best man, Justin, the guy she hated since junior high, Alexia is just ready for the festivities to be over, so she can escape back to her real life....before she realizes her heart never left.

This is a cute novella, but I never felt connected to the main character Alexia or understood her reasons for hating Justin. Erynn Mangum has written several of these novellas and was able to develop the characters well enough in the short story. However, Alexia has more layers that need more time development than just a novella. She's an intriguing character, but her change of heart felt rushed and her character stilted. In fact, I enjoyed her twin more than her and would have liked to read their story.

As usual, Mangum delivers a fun story with jolts of coffee, family dynamics, and spiritual truths. Although this isn't my favorite Mangum novella, it was a sweet read that would have been better as a full-length novel.

The Christmas Watch: A Review

Sometimes what you are searching for is right in front of you. Lindsey grew up hearing the story of how her grandparents met and for years has waited for the man of her dreams to walk through the door and change her world. When Marcus comes into the floral shop Lindsey's parents own, she thinks her fairy tale may be beginning. When the reality doesn't quite meet the dream, will Lindsey find that her true love has been walking through the door every day since she was a kid?

Erynn Mangum is one of my favorite authors, and this is why. The characters were fun and authentic, and there was a spiritual message without being preachy. I also love the family dynamics that Erynn includes in her books, and as a fan of her blog, I see the parallels to her own family.

Since it's a novella, the story is over much too soon, but this is a sweet read for any time of the year.

Sketchy Behavior: A Review

When Kate Carter's high school art teacher assigns the class to draw a picture based on a verbal description, no one could predict that Kate's drawing would help the police find a killer. Even though the killer is caught, Kate is thrown into the spotlight as a hero and as a target for the killer's partner.

While this book is different from Mangum's usual book, it's a fun read. I love suspense books, and I really enjoyed Mangum's light-hearted approach to a mystery. Kate is a great character, and I loved her relationship with her parents (who are as different as night and day) and her outlook as she went to church for the first time (hilarious scene).

Fans of YA will enjoy this book that is a perfect balance of funny and thrilling. I hope there is a sequel!

Fish and Chips

Before I say anything else, I would like to say that I am a HUGE Erynn Mangum fan. I have bought and loved everything she's written. Until now.
The storyline is cute. A girl buys fish from a guy. The fish keep dying, so she has to go back. She and the guy fall for each other.
However, the novella feels like the first draft of a story that was published with little editing. The myriad grammar mistakes and slow down the story. I'm not talking about a well-placed fragments. I'm talking about so many run-ons and comma splices that I stopped counting. I know most people don't care about grammar like I do, but even my sister, who read the book before me, said she felt the book had been written in a hurry.

Fans of Erynn Mangum will enjoy the storyline, but the grammar mistakes create a jumbled mess of words and distract from the story. :(

I finished this book a while ago, but I didn't have the heart to post a negative review for an author I love.

Easter Carats by Erynn Mangum

This sweet novella is made up of all the things that make Erynn Mangum one of my favorite authors: funny one liners, strong and well-developed characters, and a Biblical truth presented without being "preachy". Emilie is a by-the-books kind of girl while Blake is a relaxed guy. After a lifetime of avoiding each other, they are thrown together for a weekend with their families at a lake house, the two find that maybe they aren't so different.
Told in Erynn's unique voice, this short story is a quick, fun, summer read.

Random sidenote: this was the first book I read on my Kindle. I loved the story and reading on a Kindle. :)

Double Shot by Erynn Mangum



Double Shot starts where Latte Daze ends: Maya and Jack are engaged and now planning a life together. Maya must plan a wedding (planning not being her strong point) in just a few short months while figuring out what God has planned for her and Jack. A possible move away from her family and friends along with complications with Kate’s pregnancy (I won't spoil what happens) teach Maya to trust God even when His ways don’t make sense on her sticky notes.




One of the best things about this series is the relationships between characters. Maya’s family and friends are some of the best supporting characters I’ve read in a while, and this book left me wondering what will happen with Ethan, Andrew, and Jen. I hope these characters will pop up in later books. Erynn captures these relationships through her dialogue; the banter between characters feels authentic and makes the characters come alive.



Erynn Mangum ended the Maya Davis series with a burst of caffeine. This final book was the best in the series with Jack and Maya finally tying the knot. Erynn also accomplished what she does so well: writing a book that teaches a spiritual truth while still entertaining a reader with well-developed characters who are unique and funny.



**This book was given to me by NavPress for reviewing. (Thanks so much!)

Latte Daze by Erynn Mangum

Summary from back of book: Maya Davis already has many titles--Christian, barista, maid of honor (new), possible girlfriend (newer)--and her life is about to become even more complicated. Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, her ex-boyfriend proposes to her roommate and best friend, Jen. It's not long until their apartment becomes Wedding Central. As if that weren't enough, Jen's obnoxious mom moves in to help plan the wedding, and Maya's genius brother and sister-in-law announce that they're expecting. Then to top it off, there's the whole matter of Jack---is it love? Who wouldn't need a coffee break!

My thoughts: I am a huge Erynn Mangum fan. I've loved all of her books, and this one is no exception. Her writing voice is fun, and her characters are too. Erynn is also one of the best about including a spiritual concept or truth without sounding preachy. The new character of Ethan was a good addition to the cast, and I am eager to see what happens with him in book three. I also love that this book showed a little more depth in the relationship between Maya and her mom.
While I enjoyed the book (especially the development of Jen's mom), I felt this book moved a little slowly. There are a lot of subplots that could have been developed a little more instead of focusing on food/drink/movie details quite as much. The plot developed, but it didn't move as quickly as I would have liked until the end! The last chapter of the book was the best and left me excited about the release of the third book in the series.

Cool Beans by Erynn Mangum

Summary: Maya Davis is happy with her life as a barista. She has great friends and a solid family (even if she doesn't measure up to her doctor brother). Her life is turned upside down when her ex-boyfriend shows up in town, doesn't recognize her, and begins dating her roommate Jen! To further complicate things, her "perfect" brother moves back to town, and Jack, her best friend, seems to want more than friendship. Maya begins to struggle with the truth: that she may not be over the past relationship, which affects her relationship with Jesus and her roommate. Will Maya stick her head in the sand and ignore the past that is now glaring her in the face, or will she embrace the truth that God gives? Add coffee and sticky note lists to the mix, and you have a wonderful tale of love, friendship, and family.

What I loved: When you read as much as I do, it's hard to find an author who has a fresh, unique voice. Erynn Mangum has that voice. I loved her style in the Lauren Holbrook series, and that style was definitely in Cool Beans as well. Second, few authors can weave spiritual truths into their novels without sounding preachy. Erynn is good at this. She delved into the topic of honesty in this book, and I felt like I was learning with Maya, not hearing a lecture or sermon. Finally, the book is funny. While the topic of ex-boyfriends, first loves, and being honest are serious topics, this book is balanced with funny coffee jokes, an annoying Parrot, and the flirtations of a romance in the making.

What I didn't like: There was only one thing that I didn't like about this book. One night, Maya is at home waiting for Jen to get home. The book says Maya gets home from work at 11:03 p.m. She then gets annoyed on the next page because it's 10:30 and Jen isn't home. Then it's 12:07 (pm, should be am), and Jen isn't home. I was confused because then I thought Jen hadn't come home all night...then the next page mentions the morning. So, I think it was just typos, but it confused me. This is something an editor should have caught. Again, if this is the biggest problem in a book, then the book is great.

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who loves books like Kristin Billerbeck or Robin Jones Gunn. It's a fun read that also makes you think about the Bible some. I also think it's a great book for a high school or college aged girl.

I can't wait to read book two in this series.