I've been lucky recently, winning quite a few early reviewer copies of books through Librarything
Here's my first review - of Dr Hackenbush Gets a Job by Ginger Mayerson
Initially I found this book difficult to get into, but I'm glad I persisted as once I picked up the author's rhythm, the whole book flew. I became very involved in Dr H's life and found myself wishing that I knew a few like her in my life. I wanted to know what happened next in each chapter and the pages just kept turning.
I've deliberately left a few weeks between finishing the novel and writing my review so I can tell you what stuck in my mind. Dr H and her friends were well written - lively, appealing and well rounded characterisation abounded. I liked the descriptions of temping versus the world of entertainment - great contrast.
I found myself very distracted for a few chapters after spotting a spelling mistake as I wasn't sure if it was a sly joke - the Untied States of America..... and the very long descriptions of musical practice did nothing for me as a non musical person - they were just confusing and added nothing to my understanding of the character or plot. I found the political and AIDs polemics jarring against the lighthearted action of the novel. The points made were valid but I don't think they sat well within this setting.
I was convinced that this book was midway through a series and surprised that it is a first. I'm not sure that there was a key plot point in the story that the protagonist had to resolve, but the book served as a great introduction to the people involved and I would be very eager to read further novels with this cast of characters
