The Shop On Blossom Street

I've been thoroughly enjoying the romance and chick lit genres of books lately. I think a lot of the reason is that I've been more stressed out and worried lately than usual. In high school, I read primarily memoirs and biographies. Before that, it was a lot of fairy tale inspired stuff. One of my favorite memories about high school was my involvement in a once a month book club. The book club helped me make sure I was reading in a variety of genres and really helped introduce me to a lot of great literature (and my best friend!). Now that I'm no longer involved, I've den finding it harder and harder to read anything other than fluff. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading fluff. I just miss reading books worth actual discussion.

All that being said, The Shop On Blossom Street was one of those fluffy, mindless books. I admit, I had never heard of the author before stumbling across this book. Judging by this book, there's a reason. While it wasn't terrible, the book definitely wasn't great.I wasn't engaged in any of the characters, and at thee d of the book, I was still either ambivalent or annoyed with them all. No sod the characters were given enough depth or realism to make them interesting. It was very much a token character ridden boom. Overall, it was very cliched and difficult to engage it. Each of the characters had their designated problems and resolutions- Jackie the snobby elitist, Alix the troubled punk, Carol the infertile workaholic, and Lydia the cancer survivor afraid of life- but it all seemed like a shell of character development.

I'm really rather apathetic as a whole about the entire experience. Like I said before, the book wasn't bad. I'm planning on reading the sequel, if only because I had already checked it out before I had finished The Shop On Blossom Street. I'm hoping that the characterization problems will improve.

(2/5 stars)