Gothic romances are hard to do. The first hurdle to overcome is the giggle factor — the bubble of laughter that suddenly arises as an emotionally over-wrought scene descends into melodrama. Then there is the fact that this is the genre of choice for both the novice novelist and the author who has been honing ...
Charlaine Harris is famous for writing the novels that True Blood is based on, but let’s not forget that she is a good writer with other books to enjoy. Harris’ interest in the supernatural continues with her series about Harper Connelly, a woman who has had the ability to find dead people and know how ...
There is a small nondescript village in England populated with charmingly sweet eccentrics and a dilapidated manor only a few miles away. In the house are two servants, three young girls and one widower. In the village a body has been discovered, and a murderer has not. It is 1950, and our heroine, Flavia de ...
A dwarf with a misshapen head waddles on stubby legs along-side his mistress, the most beautiful courtesan in all of Venice. He knows her more intimately than anyone and catches things others miss — and it is through his eyes that In the Company of the Courtesan is told. As the story begins the two ...
Bridget Jones has been my friend for close to 15 years now and I have loved every minute in her company. I thought I would introduce her to you this Christmas because she is always good for a laugh, to have a drink with, to help you when you’re feeling low, or to share funny ...
Amazon.com WidgetsThe Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, is the new poster-child for feminist fiction and, although I don’t think it lives up to the hype, it is still a great mystery novel. The original Swedish title was Män som hatar kvinnor which translates to “Men Who Hate Women” and every chapter does ...
Amazon.com WidgetsKill the Princess: Why Women Still Aren’t Free from the Quest for a Fairytale Life, has a title that created high expectations for me. I was hoping for a book designed to help women realize why they might mistakenly believe in a White Knight and teach them instead how to be self-sufficient and independent. ...
Tina Fey is not the only comedienne in America, she’s just the only one you could take home to meet your mother. There are other female comics out there — ones who might decide that crashing a black tie dinner after sharing a bottle of vodka would be a good idea. I’m referring to Chelsea ...
I’ve often wondered what the woman behind the birth control revolution in England was like in real life. It turns out that in addition to being a pioneer in the field of birth control, Dr. Marie Stopes was a famous biologist who was the first woman to accomplish many things, and her personal life was ...
The treatment of women in the Muslim world baffles many people in the West, who wonder: How could a culture which is so advanced in many ways be so backwards concerning women? Amazon.com WidgetsNine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women was an Austalian reporter’s attempts to tackle this political and moral minefield. ...
The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force...
Is the wage gap just caused by women picking the wrong career?
If you put your faith in popular media you’d assume that men drool at the mention of sex but...
We all know that toy advertisements use a lot of gender stereotypes in their commercials. Girls get Barbies, clothes,...
Don’t worry if you have bad sex the first time you are with someone. New partners can be awkward...
I like to give credit where it’s due and recently I found myself whooping with delight at Britain’s Got...
Dear Madame X, I’ve heard that taking prenatal vitamins can help your nails, hair and can even relieve some...
Anne Fine’s Fly in the Ointment takes me quickly through the life of Lois, whose son is dead after...
