Unleashing Mr. Darcy

Unleashing Mr. Darcy 
by Teri Wilson

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman teetering on the verge of thirty must be in want of a husband.

Not true for Manhattanite Elizabeth Scott. Instead of planning a walk down the aisle, she's crossing the pond with the only companion she needs; her darling dog, Bliss. Caring for a pack of show dogs in England seems the perfect distraction from the scandal that ruined her teaching career, and her reputation, in New York. What she doesn't count on is an unstoppable attraction to billionaire dog breeder Donovan Darcy. The London tycoon's a little bit arrogant, a whole lot sexy, and the chemistry between them is disarming. When passion is finally unleashed, might Elizabeth hope to take home more than a blue ribbon? (Description from Goodreads.com)

What a cute book! I first saw the description in this monthly publication, Bookpages, our library gets that talks about upcoming releases.  It just sounded too fun to pass up, so I requested the book through interlibrary loan.  

Set in modern times, with a very modern main character, I loved seeing the influence of Pride and Prejudice in these pages.  Sometimes it was tongue-in-cheek, like when Elizabeth's sister, Jenna, makes a comment about how of course the hot British guy she meets is named Darcy, why wouldn't he be?  Sometimes, it was more a direct rewrite of the characters or a plot scene.  In every case, Wilson does a bang up job and this book is a winner for fans of Austen rewrites.  

The plot makes sense, the characters shine, and the romance is stellar.  I adored this book and will probably be purchasing a copy for my collection.  Well done. 

Full disclosure: Borrowed through Interlibrary Loan

Gold Star Review: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line

The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line
Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham
Veronica Mars, book one

Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She’s traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.

Now it’s spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is no simple missing person’s case; the house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica’s past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined. (Description from Goodreads.com)

Picking up where the recently released movie left off (*Caution - This means Spoilers ahead!!*) this first book in the new Veronica Mars mystery series has all the smarts and sass of the original tv series.  Magic. 

Veronica has officially decided to become Neptune's next official PI. Unfortunately, Keith is none to happy about it. ..Delicious tension ensues.  Veronica gets herself into a few very sketchy spots, making everyone just a hair toohair nervous. .. she learns to use a gun and make slightly wiser choices. 

With Logan away and Veronica’s mom suddenly reentering her life,  her emotions are all over the map.  Every time she remembers why she's made this life choice,  a wrench in the works makes her doubt herself,  and yet. .. In true Veronica fashion,  by the end of the day (so to speak) she's kicking @ss, taking names,  and holding her own once again.  

I CANNOT wait for the next book.  I will follow Veronica wherever she leads!  

Gold Star. BAM.

Full disclosure:  Purchased for my Nook 

Movie Review: Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars
2014
Warner Bros.
Rated: PG-13
107 mins.

Years after walking away from her past as a teenage private eye, Veronica Mars gets pulled back to her hometown - just in time for her high school reunion - in order to help her old flame Logan Echolls, who's embroiled in a murder mystery. (Description from IMDB.com)

So, I'm pretty sure that I've mentioned at least once that Veronica Mars was my FAVORITE television show...ever. When I heard on twitter that Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell were running a Kickstarter to fund a movie...I jumped on that bandwagon so hard I was afraid I must bust a wheel off it. Well, you know what I mean.  I was one of those 91,585 backers that raised the required funds within 24 HOURS of the Kickstarter's launch.  :D  I do love me my Veronica...yes, yes I do.  

So...after months and months and months and months (basically a year) of getting behind the scenes updates and getting my t-shirt and other accoutrements supplied only to the backers, the time finally came for the MOVIE!! 

I was devastated to learn that it was only running in AMC theaters and the closest one to me was almost an hour away and in a shady-@ss town that I was NOT going to the movies in.  My heart broke.  Then I remembered that as a backer I actually received a digital copy of the movie the day it was released and I could watch it in the own comfort of my home...and my PJs, LOL.  

So, since my hubs is not a crazed fan like me and I wanted to watch without his commentary, at least the first time!, I actually watched the movie on my phone! First time for everything, right?  I worried it wouldn't be as great on such a teeny screen, but you know what I still laughed, cried, gasped, and cheered.  It was everything I'd hoped for and I cannot wait to watch it again on my big TV next time.  

SO without getting too spoilery... here's some things I loved:

Same bad-@ss Veronica.  When she comes back to Neptune to help Logan out of a bad situation, she falls back into both the P.I. habits and the witty sarcasm we all knew and loved.  

Veronica's amazing best friends, Mac and Wallace.  (Mac looks AH-MAZING now, btw...) All of the cast was truly necessary to make this work, but the scenes where these three fall back into the friendship fold just immediately drew me back in. I loved seeing them sit on the front stoop, drinking and laughing together.  

Ummm...and, yes, I will admit that all of the cast has, uh... aged well.  In fact, this particular scene where the men of Veronica Mars show off their male prowess and then somehow end up all soaking wet... well, there's a lot here for any fan to love. LOL.  Am I right?  

Basically, my overall review is OH MY GOD, GO SEE IT.  WHY HAVEN'T YOU SEEN IT YET??? 

Long-term fans of the show will love it.  There are little hints and quips and things that happen that are all shout-outs to those fans, but the best part of the movie is that you don't have to have been a fan in order to watch and enjoy this one on its own.  It is a fun, smart movie no matter if you have the background knowledge or not. 

Truly one of my favorites of all time now.  

BONUS: Check back on the blog on Friday for my review of the new Veronica Mars novel, The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line.