Half memoir, half a collection of essays, this was heart-warming and comedic.

I hadn't read the books that come before this so I wasn't sure what I was expecting at all, but this is a fabulous book to pick up whimsically--the only context you need to know is that Lisa is Francesca's mother, so you don't figure that out a third of the way through and feel like an idiot as I did.

Though this is marketed more towards mother, I enjoyed it though I'm in my early twenties with no intention of ever having kids. There were still a lot of relatable experiences about growing old, about friendship, and about maintaining relationships with various people in your life.

I did enjoy Francesca's dating scenes the most of the book, but it would be quite easy to pick and choose any sections that appeal. From dealing with the aftermath of assault to making butternut squash soup, there's a bit of everything in here.

Though I normally prefer straight up memoirs when going for non-fiction, this essay collection was delightful and I recommend picking it up to anyone looking for something light, funny, and touching.

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

I really wish Goodreads would institute half stars. This one was a 3.5 for me. It was entertaining enough and fluffy but there was a lot of focus on weight and looks which tends to turn me off. ( )

If you're a follower of http://www.bookbarmy.com you may have surmised I'm not always a high-brow reader. Yes, I read important books and am working through several classics (Trollope you're killing me, buddy), but some evenings I just want to zone out, with some plain light-hearted fun.

You may know Lisa Scottoline as the Edgar-Award winning author of twenty plus NY Times bestselling crime novels. I've never read any of those, instead I know her for her series of humor books. I've Got Sand In All the Wrong Places marks the seventh in this very funny series.

I find it impressive that Ms. Scottoline can write both page-turning legal thrillers (she practiced as a lawyer before becoming a writer) as well as this series of hilarious and witty books. The material for these laugh-out-loud books derives from a Sunday column that Ms. Scottoline and her daughter, Francesca write for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Each short chapter is a column from the paper written separately by either mother or daughter and each year a new book is published from the year's columns. (Obviously Ms. Scottoline is not only a best-selling writer, she is also a canny business person.)

Ms's. Scottoline and Serritella are strong, funny women who take on the subjects of daily life: love, dating, sex, no sex, pets, food, clothes, writing, traveling, health, hair, and more. No subject is off limits.

Ms. Scottoline's love of family is apparent on every page and cause for humor as she describes her relationships with her mother, brother, and daughter. Mother Mary (her dearly departed mother) was often the funniest subject matter.

"Mother Mary is out of the hospital, and recovery lies ahead. -- For the hospital."

Her honest love of her menagerie of dogs was especially funny in her book Why My Third Husband with be a Dog ~ on her Golden Retrievers:

"Here is what the Goldens are like: fun, easy, friendly, happy, and loving, on a continuous loop. You could have three Goldens in the room and not know it. They love to sleep. They love everything. Honestly, I kept adding Goldens because I forgot they were there. You could be sitting in a roomful of Goldens and think to yourself, "You know, we need a dog".

However, I find the best thing about Ms. Scottoline's humor is her normal-ness and self depreciation. Graduating from a top law school with honors, she decided to become a crime novelist and succeeded. Got give that some respect.

"Anyway, my head was full of these thoughts the other afternoon, as I was hurrying in a downpour through the streets of New York City, there to take my author photo. I know that sounds glamorous and it would be if I were ten pounds lighter and ten years younger, but take it from me, the best fiction in my books is the author photo."

This latest volume again is both humorous and poignant as it deals with daughter Francesca's life in New York city which includes a brutal assault. But like the other books I found it funny, warm, down to earth, and, at times unpredictable

There's an essay on the holiday season and how in the past, Ms. Scottoline found it all too stressful, and resorted to holiday shopping on-line. The news of a bookstore closing, has her vowing to shop in actual stores -- especially bookstores (hail comrade!) - and that maybe it's supposed to be stressful.

The terrifying CNN storm predictions for New York City has Ms. Scottoline texted and calling her daughter in a panic - urging her to stock up on canned goods.

"But it had a happy ending. There was no epic winter monster blizzard storm. I apologized to Francesca for terrorizing her. Francesca apologized, happy that I loved her enough to terrorize her.Meteorologists apologized for their predictions. As for Wolf Blitzer, we're not speaking to him."

I highly recommend having this volume or any of the wonderfully-titled humor books by your bedside to dip into just before going to sleep.

Take it from Book Barmy, go to sleep with a loved one's kiss and, after a few life observations from Lisa and Francesca --- with a smile.
A digital review copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
See all my book reviews at http://www.bookbarmy.com ( )

I don't know why I even tried to read this. I'm not a short story fan, even if they're amusing essays and written by an author (and her mother) who I occasionally read. My fault for picking it up off the shelf, not the author's. ( )

Have you ever read a Lisa Scottoline novel? If not, you need to. I admit, I haven’t ventured into her two fictional series but I have read just about all of her stand alone fictional books and LOVE them. This is not one of those books though. This is a book from her non-fiction series that she has written with her daughter. They are just as wonderful but completely different than what she normally writes. They are a compilation of stories from their own personal lives, the majority of which are quite humorous with others that will warm your heart (and still make you laugh a little). You know how you need a light read after finishing a book with a very heavy and/or depressing topic (i.e. – the holocaust)? This is the perfect next book to read. Or if life is just too stressful and chaotic so you need a book that is easy to pick up but then put right back down after a very short period of a time? This is the book to read – the stories are short so you have lots of stopping points, if needed. They are also great to listen to in your car while sitting in traffic. And if you do choose the audio book route, they narrate the books themselves! I highly recommend listening to your first one and then as you read the others on your own, their voices and personalities shine through even more. Or you can just listen to all of them :) Either way, I highly recommend this book along with the others. I just know you will enjoy them.

Thank you very much to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced copy of the book in return for an honest review.
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