Humour

"How I Came to Sparkle Again" was a Magic Bookcase selection - I have mentioned the Magic Bookcase in other reviews. It is completely owned and curated only by me; but I constantly find books that I swear I've never seen before.

As I was reading it, I kept having delusions of being a movie producer, because if this wouldn't make an adorable, guaranteed hit movie, I don't know what would. If there are any Hollywood people reading this review - you're welcome.

The novel takes place in the ski town of Sparkle, CO. Jill grew up there and has returned to lick her wounds and heal after the double trauma of a miscarriage, and then catching her husband in bed with another woman. Her best friend Lisa still lives in Sparkle, and she welcomes Jill with open arms. Lisa lives next store to the Kennel - a collection of trailers inhabited by lovable, womanizing ski bums and their dogs, all of whom are named after types of beer.

The other main characters are Mike, who has recently lost his wife to cancer, and his daughter Cassie. Since Jill needs a job to make ends meet until her divorce comes through, she becomes Cassie's babysitter.

Everyone in Sparkle works and skis and hangs out and has fun and tries to find friendship, sex and love. That's pretty much it. The relationships are foregone conclusions from the first page, there aren't many surprises. It's not a deep story, or especially original, but it was great fun to read, with likable characters, and many moments both funny and heartwarming sprinkled throughout.

( )

Chick lit -- but kind of fun...setting is in Colorado Rockies, so a bit like Roslyn. Includes positive reference to an immigrant child and family. ( )

I won this book through the fantastic First-Reads program!

While the title may inspire all sorts of [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1307515757s/41865.jpg|3212258] related snickering, the book bears little in common with [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1307515757s/41865.jpg|3212258]. It is written by a woman, and it does take place where the weather is cold and the sun somewhat optional... but that's about it. Sparkle is the name of the Colorado town that the protagonist, Jill, finds herself returning to when her marriage goes sour. Thus it begins.

I adored this book, personally, and a lot of that comes from the fact that the Montana town I lived in resembled the Colorado town in this book. [b:How I Came to Sparkle Again|13538927|How I Came to Sparkle Again|Kaya McLaren|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338565701s/13538927.jpg|19101279] is a very good depiction of the small ski resort town philosophy, and how different life can be when lived within the confines of the jagged Rocky Mountains. Uncle Howard is the incarnation of what many longtime Montanans I've known have become, and the Kennel boys... well, I've eaten more than one turkey that was roasted in a garbage can.

[b:How I Came to Sparkle Again|13538927|How I Came to Sparkle Again|Kaya McLaren|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338565701s/13538927.jpg|19101279] can be seen as a different way to live ones life, and of course, skiing is a reflection of that life. You surrender to the storm, and you survive - you fight it, and you end up hurt. You might end up hurt anyway, but that's just because that's life. Montana and Colorado are both states that tend to subscribe to zen life philosophies...

Well, when the Church of Stuff Happens opens up you'll see me sitting in the pews. ( )

Love the title of the book; it sounds like it should be an inspirational story. I don't know anything about skiing but this was an ok background in spite of my ignorance of the sport. The skiing stuff was kept simple enough for it to make sense to me. Rather a large cast of characters and it was definitely difficult to keep some of them straight. Especially since many of them didn't really add to the story. While I probably wouldn't deliberately seek out this author again, I would consider reading additional books after reading their descriptions.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )