Guy Books VS Girl Books: A Book Review

It’s been a while since I just had time to write. It’s been a while since I’ve had time to make my own schedule where my ideas and plans made the priority. It’s been a while since I slept for 8 hours in a row; 10 months at least.

But now I find myself in a season where I have some “time off” from my regular list and I am insisting on making this a season that is purposefully devoid of obligations. Life won’t always be like this, and honestly, I’m not even sure how long I can stick to my newfound goal. But I think I need this, I think I need to have some recovery time, because it has been a long while since I was able to steer my own boat.

I have been able to read two whole novels recently. Can you believe it. I am as shocked as you. I love reading. No, wait, let me add a clause: I love reading good books. Sometimes I read a book that does not fit my style and I think, “Maybe I don’t like reading after all.” Each of us unique human beings has a bent toward a certain style of book or reading, of entertainment, and of mental stimulation. I also love going out to the movies. I also also love to lounge on the couch and watch fun television series. When I can do these activities with someone I love, I am in my element. When my oldest daughter was younger and I’d go visit my mom, around 4:00 PM we would sit down with coffee and watch Gilmore Girls or some other tv series or Hallmark Channel movie while the kiddo slept. For some reason, those are some of my favorite memories. I don’t know why, but they are. And the memories after my kiddoes were born, when my mom and I could sit down with coffee while the babies were sleeping, and watch a show or movie, those are just happy times.

But I digress.

Speaking of digressing, what’s up with the title of this little post. In having conversation with a person here or there, I’ve decided that books fall into two categories (and this can apply to movies as well): guy books and girl books.

Girl books are a bit flowery, lacy, and wordy. Girl books poof with allure, and wade into the story with a casual, jaunty air. There is some flirtation with disaster and intrigue, and often involve a soft, caressing nuzzle of souls searching for love. Girl books often use 100 words when 10-20 will suffice. Sometimes, girl, I ain’t got time for that.

Guy books are explosive with electricity and currents of mayhem. Guy books jump head first into action and mystery, clinging vehemently with a viable force to the writhing plotline. There are usually explosions, and guns, and action of epic proportions. And any friends can be the guys, just like, “Hey, guys, you should read this book.”

These two categories apply to most works of fiction, blogs, lifestyle, and even diet and nutrition books.

Which are you partial to? I usually prefer a guy-style narrative. Particularly with recipe posts on blogs or lifestyle or memoir-type narratives. Wham bam, thank you, man. Just let me get the crucial information and let me be on my way. I find highly annoying the recipe blog posts that begin with a story. Excuse me, I just googled, “Coffee cake,” I did not google, “Ancient and current historical accounts of bloggers who want to share their every memory of making and eating coffee cake for friends at holidays and events.” Girl, like I said, I ain’t got time for that. Gimme the recipe.

AND SO

I would like to share a quick book review on a quite enjoyable work of fiction. I am not a book reviewer, so I won’t have the fancy, snarky language that book and movie reviewers employ. And I will keep it quick, because that’s how I want to roll.

The Counterfeit Heiress by Tasha Alexander
A Book Review

I judged this book by its cover at the library the other day in the new release section. A female detective in the early 1900’s solves a murder with her husband. Here’s the official synopsis: “Lady Emily Hargreaves and her dashing husband Colin travel to Paris, where they struggle to unmask a murderer amid a case of assumed identities and shadowy figures.”

The language of the book was a little hard to adjust to at first, seeing as the most recent book I read was a Richard Castle book, which is a Guy’s Guy book full of explosions, wit, and current language that is full of imagery and a little too much French, if you get my drift. But that’s another book review for another time.

So traveling back to the “thithers” and “shant’s” was a jostle in the first few chapters. Like a proper Girl book, the beginning is a bit flowery and idealistic, with little description of the characters themselves, other than they are “dashing.” So those first couple of chapters I was hesitant of liking the book, and told myself, “Okay, let’s finish this so we can get to another book.” However, about four chapters in, I was intrigued. The dual plotline is carried out so the reader experiences two sides of a story, and those connect in a captivating climax. There is danger, there is a little murder, there is a lot of whodunit. There is a little flirtation, a little insight into the characters, and a lot of mention of tea, coffee and macaroons. It is a very good middle-of-the-road guy/girl book; enough action to keep the reader in suspense, and some witty repartee among the characters as they travel to foreign locales.

Apparently The Counterfeit Heiress is book 9 of the Lady Emily series, and I definitely want to read the rest of these books!

So, guys and girls, grab this book. It is a very enjoyable read. I assume more females will want to read it, because there are no explosions……….or are there?? Wink.