This companion novel/sequel to DREAM GIRL does not disappoint at all: Claire and her eclectic group of friends and family are all here again, helping us enjoy the heck out of reading contemporary chick lit mystery with a twist of magic. Lauren Mechling proves once again that fluff reading can also be smart, and that smart girls can read fluff.
The most outstanding thing about this series is its gold medal-worthy characters. Claire is not your average teen chick lit heroine: she's smart, she's snarky, and she has a way of narrating that will leave us chuckling and wondering why we didn't think of it ourselves. Likewise, I'm flabbergasted at the way Lauren writes atypical supporting characters, ones whose existence lies beyond being merely a plot device, or the MC's loyal, opinion-less sidekick.
In fact, even though DREAM LIFE is at its core a gentle mystery novel, I loved the way everything didn't revolve around the mystery. As in real life, there is more than one issue in a person's life, and so it is with Claire. Lauren blends the mystery element with family eccentricities, friends' troubles, choppy romantic waters, and more, to create a well-rounded, enjoyable, yet utterly relatable tale.
Similar to DREAM GIRL, the mystery aspect of this novel requires a bit of suspension of disbelief in order to believe. Secret society novels are rather overdone, and the creed of the one in DREAM LIFE is, well, a little silly and ridiculous. Still, one cannot deny Lauren's skill at writing these novels. If you haven't yet read this series, I highly recommend you pick it up. As far as lighthearted yet intelligent fluffy mysteries go, you can't get much better than this.
The most outstanding thing about this series is its gold medal-worthy characters. Claire is not your average teen chick lit heroine: she's smart, she's snarky, and she has a way of narrating that will leave us chuckling and wondering why we didn't think of it ourselves. Likewise, I'm flabbergasted at the way Lauren writes atypical supporting characters, ones whose existence lies beyond being merely a plot device, or the MC's loyal, opinion-less sidekick.
In fact, even though DREAM LIFE is at its core a gentle mystery novel, I loved the way everything didn't revolve around the mystery. As in real life, there is more than one issue in a person's life, and so it is with Claire. Lauren blends the mystery element with family eccentricities, friends' troubles, choppy romantic waters, and more, to create a well-rounded, enjoyable, yet utterly relatable tale.
Similar to DREAM GIRL, the mystery aspect of this novel requires a bit of suspension of disbelief in order to believe. Secret society novels are rather overdone, and the creed of the one in DREAM LIFE is, well, a little silly and ridiculous. Still, one cannot deny Lauren's skill at writing these novels. If you haven't yet read this series, I highly recommend you pick it up. As far as lighthearted yet intelligent fluffy mysteries go, you can't get much better than this.
