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emjay24's review against another edition
4.0
A woman is struck by lightening and wakes up in another woman's body and life, who also had been struck by lightening. every time she goes to sleep, she wakes up in the other life, while that body sleeps when she's not there. she was a single legal secretary, although embarking on a new relationship, and now she has to deal with a husband and four kids. i was really interested to see how she'd deal with living two lives at the same time, and the ending was a bit gift wrapped up, but i liked it anyway. i had the day off from work and it was a quick read, so i ended up reading it in just one day! cute, interesting book, check it out.
tillymint100's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this, great easy reading holiday read.
toastx2's review against another edition
4.0
A strange twist on the “freaky friday” body swapping idea, Life as I know it takes the standard bodyswap and turns it on it’s ear. Jessica Taylor is walking her dog in a park when a storm rolls in. she is unlucky enough to be struck by lightning, awakening in another womans body.
Lauren, her host, is a married mother of four, very contrasted against Jessica who is single, has a dog, and works long hours.
The twist is what makes this book so above par for the commonly Disneyfied plot process. When Jessica falls asleep, Lauren wakes up, reversing when Lauren passes out.
While slipping between locations/host bodies, Jessica is forced to play the mother role she is unprepared for, the wife role to a complete stranger, and balance it all with her original life.
Released in the US by Bantam Books (Random House), Melanie Rose’s Life as I know it turned out to be a very refreshing read. The novel was engrossing and as the last few chapters come closer, you will begin to wonder how the author will be able to close things out. She managed to do so with out rushing the plot, leaving you at the end with a torn feeling of both disbelief and happiness. The ambiguity suits the story well. It falls firmly into the standard fiction genre with a smattering of romance and scifi/fantasy mixed in.
In the UK, this book was originally released under the title Being Lauren in 2005 (Matador). Canadian TV fans will automatically think of “Being Erica” after reading the name, but make no comparison, there is a wit and charm to this that has a similar feel, but they are completely unrelated.
Later, prior to US release, the UK book was picked up by Harper Collins UK under the title Do you believe in Magic?.
The US cover is very housewife friendly, though will detract from the book by limiting interest of male readers… This could have partially been circumvented by using the ISIS “Audio Download” cover image. Maybe after it moves from Trade Paperback to Mass Market PB.
Authors website: http://www.melanierose.co.uk/
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xpost RawBlurb.com
Lauren, her host, is a married mother of four, very contrasted against Jessica who is single, has a dog, and works long hours.
The twist is what makes this book so above par for the commonly Disneyfied plot process. When Jessica falls asleep, Lauren wakes up, reversing when Lauren passes out.
While slipping between locations/host bodies, Jessica is forced to play the mother role she is unprepared for, the wife role to a complete stranger, and balance it all with her original life.
Released in the US by Bantam Books (Random House), Melanie Rose’s Life as I know it turned out to be a very refreshing read. The novel was engrossing and as the last few chapters come closer, you will begin to wonder how the author will be able to close things out. She managed to do so with out rushing the plot, leaving you at the end with a torn feeling of both disbelief and happiness. The ambiguity suits the story well. It falls firmly into the standard fiction genre with a smattering of romance and scifi/fantasy mixed in.
In the UK, this book was originally released under the title Being Lauren in 2005 (Matador). Canadian TV fans will automatically think of “Being Erica” after reading the name, but make no comparison, there is a wit and charm to this that has a similar feel, but they are completely unrelated.
Later, prior to US release, the UK book was picked up by Harper Collins UK under the title Do you believe in Magic?.
The US cover is very housewife friendly, though will detract from the book by limiting interest of male readers… This could have partially been circumvented by using the ISIS “Audio Download” cover image. Maybe after it moves from Trade Paperback to Mass Market PB.
Authors website: http://www.melanierose.co.uk/
--
xpost RawBlurb.com
meganreadsome's review against another edition
4.0
This plot has been done before, I will admit, but it was a fun read! It was written very well, with unexpected twists and characters that were easy to get attached to. I very much liked the ending!
brizmus's review
4.0
The story behind "Life As I Know It" is actually kind of cool. Apparently, it was originally self-published, but it got so much hype that Harper Collins eventually took notice, and now it's being published by a major publishing firm. Pretty neat, right?
After reading it, I can see what all the fuss was about. It starts off when a woman, Jessica, is struck by lightning. As a result, she finds herself leading two completely different lives in two separate bodies. While this premise isn't necessareily new or unique, Rose brings it to life in a fresh and fun kind of way that feels exciting and new.
Jessica takes her new double life in stride, and while she definitely struggles with it, I was duly impressed by her take-charge, "do the best that I can given the circumstances" attitude. She deals with things so well that it's hard to truly believe, which in the end made this book fun and easy-to-read while at the same time being slightly sad and slightly depressing. I was entranced/captivated as Rose seamlessly moved from one life to the other, and I found myself greedily turning page after page, wondering how events from one life would affect the other, extraordinarily curious about the outcome of things.
While this book was heartwarming and fun, I think I loved it so much for the sense of hopefulness it instilled in me and for the sense of comfort I felt from its predictability. Even though there was really no other way things could have turned out, I was still curious about the outcome and quite pleased when things turned out as they did.
The ONLY problem that I had with this book was that it sometimes took itself too seriously, trying to delve deeper than a book like this is capable of delving. And then it jumped over some of the more difficult topics that I wanted to hear more about, saying "don't even try thinking about it."
This chick-lit novel is a great, simple read for adults and teens alike. I think most readers, like me, will find it impossible to put down.
After reading it, I can see what all the fuss was about. It starts off when a woman, Jessica, is struck by lightning. As a result, she finds herself leading two completely different lives in two separate bodies. While this premise isn't necessareily new or unique, Rose brings it to life in a fresh and fun kind of way that feels exciting and new.
Jessica takes her new double life in stride, and while she definitely struggles with it, I was duly impressed by her take-charge, "do the best that I can given the circumstances" attitude. She deals with things so well that it's hard to truly believe, which in the end made this book fun and easy-to-read while at the same time being slightly sad and slightly depressing. I was entranced/captivated as Rose seamlessly moved from one life to the other, and I found myself greedily turning page after page, wondering how events from one life would affect the other, extraordinarily curious about the outcome of things.
While this book was heartwarming and fun, I think I loved it so much for the sense of hopefulness it instilled in me and for the sense of comfort I felt from its predictability. Even though there was really no other way things could have turned out, I was still curious about the outcome and quite pleased when things turned out as they did.
The ONLY problem that I had with this book was that it sometimes took itself too seriously, trying to delve deeper than a book like this is capable of delving. And then it jumped over some of the more difficult topics that I wanted to hear more about, saying "don't even try thinking about it."
This chick-lit novel is a great, simple read for adults and teens alike. I think most readers, like me, will find it impossible to put down.
leahmichelle_13's review
5.0
When Jessica Taylor is struck by lightning one afternoon whilst walking her dog, she has no idea how dramatically her life is going to change! Lucky to survive, Jessica wakes up in a hospital bed – but as someone else. Apparently she’s now Lauren Richardson, wife and mother of four young children. No one will believe her story – she can hardly believe it herself. Later that night, Jessica wakes up again – as herself. She quickly works out that when Lauren sleeps, she wakes up as Jessica. But when Lauren is awake, she must sleep – whatever the time of day. Needless to say, it plays havoc with her work and her blossoming relationship with Dan Brennan, the handsome stranger who saved her on the Downs that fateful day. Jessica has no idea what has happened to her and whether she can get back to life as she knows it. Meanwhile, she must quickly get the hang of looking after four demanding children, an even more demanding husband and also learn all about the woman in whose designer shoes she now stands. But as she digs deeper into Lauren’s life, she unearths some secrets, secrets which may tear the family apart...
Could It Be Magic? is the debut novel from Melanie Rose, which was originally published under the title of Being Lauren. It must have obviously have been a popular read as in 2009 it was re-published under a new title, with a new cover by AVON, an imprint of HarperCollins. I must admit, I’d never heard of the book before, until Chloe reviewed it and it immediately grabbed my attention. It’s billed as a perfect read for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Cecelia Ahern and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. It took me a while, but I finally managed to pick the book up for the bargain price of a euro and it’s the best euro I think I’ve ever spent (and that includes buying a Wispa – chocolate heaven as far as I’m concerned!).
As soon as I started Could It Be Magic? I was a bit worried it was going to be a carbon copy of the fabulous Kinsella novel Remember Me?. They both have the same elements of memory loss (albeit the memory loss happened for different reasons), and both books have the female character learning to get used to an entirely different life. But Could It Be Magic? is about so much more than that as lead character Jessica, after being struck by lightning, finds herself in another woman, Lauren’s, body. As it turns out, when Jessica is asleep, she awakens as Lauren and when Lauren is asleep, she becomes herself, Jessica, again. Not only does Jessica have to contend with being a completely different woman, but it turns out that Lauren has a husband and four children, so Jessica (as Lauren) has to be a mother and wife without knowing who the people are that purport to be her family. Honestly, it might sound complicated but it’s really not. The only complication is that Jessica has to divide her time between being herself and being Lauren equally so that her own, real life with a job, dog and prospective boyfriend, doesn’t end up going completely down the pan.
I mean, isn’t that just one of the best plot lines for a story you’ve ever heard about? It’s such a fascinating avenue for Melanie Rose to go down and for a first novel it’s even more fantastic. I absolutely adored every page of the book, and it was easy to flip between Jessica being Jessica and Jessica being Lauren, it all flowed so nicely that I just wanted to keep reading and keep reading and keep reading to see how it was all going to pan out. I thought both stories, as the book is essentially, two stories merged into one, were equally as interesting as Jessica frantically tries to keep both lives on the go, without arousing the suspicion that everything isn’t exactly as it seems. The book zig-zagged into all sorts of directions as the pages wore on and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough as both of Jessica’s worlds threatened to collapse in on themselves.
You would think that with essentially two different stories there would be tons of characters to keep up with, but it’s really not that difficult as they all have their own quirks and foibles. I warmed to Jessica immediately and she has raced up into my top 10 female characters ever. She just takes everything in her stride and I totally admired how she threw herself into being Lauren. Jessica’s personality stays pretty much the same throughout, which again, was another plus point. We don’t really know too much about the ‘real’ Lauren, but from what we do learn, I didn’t really know what to make of her. One of my favourite characters was Dan, who Jessica meets before her lightning strike. He was such a likeable character and I could see why Jessica fell for him! As for Lauren’s husband and children, I can’t say I liked Grant, the husband, very much, he seemed very smarmy but I adored Lauren’s four children. Teddy in particular was really lovely.
Melanie Rose deals with some difficult topics throughout the book, topics you might not expect from the beautiful orange cover, but all the subjects covered are handled sensibly and with great care. Could It Be Magic? is told entirely from Jessica’s point of view, switching between herself and Lauren, which made the book very easy to get in to. My main worry about the book was how it would end. It’s a completely unique storyline and the ending was either going to make or break the book. Thankfully, and much to my relief, I though the ending was very satisfactory. There’s no feel that the book was rushed to a conclusion and there was no convoluted explanation about what happened, all there was was a fantastic ending that had me in tears. Could It Be Magic? will appeal to many, many people and if you haven’t already read it, then I really do think you should pick this book up. Despite how cringe-worthy this may sound, it is a magical novel.
Could It Be Magic? is the debut novel from Melanie Rose, which was originally published under the title of Being Lauren. It must have obviously have been a popular read as in 2009 it was re-published under a new title, with a new cover by AVON, an imprint of HarperCollins. I must admit, I’d never heard of the book before, until Chloe reviewed it and it immediately grabbed my attention. It’s billed as a perfect read for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Cecelia Ahern and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. It took me a while, but I finally managed to pick the book up for the bargain price of a euro and it’s the best euro I think I’ve ever spent (and that includes buying a Wispa – chocolate heaven as far as I’m concerned!).
As soon as I started Could It Be Magic? I was a bit worried it was going to be a carbon copy of the fabulous Kinsella novel Remember Me?. They both have the same elements of memory loss (albeit the memory loss happened for different reasons), and both books have the female character learning to get used to an entirely different life. But Could It Be Magic? is about so much more than that as lead character Jessica, after being struck by lightning, finds herself in another woman, Lauren’s, body. As it turns out, when Jessica is asleep, she awakens as Lauren and when Lauren is asleep, she becomes herself, Jessica, again. Not only does Jessica have to contend with being a completely different woman, but it turns out that Lauren has a husband and four children, so Jessica (as Lauren) has to be a mother and wife without knowing who the people are that purport to be her family. Honestly, it might sound complicated but it’s really not. The only complication is that Jessica has to divide her time between being herself and being Lauren equally so that her own, real life with a job, dog and prospective boyfriend, doesn’t end up going completely down the pan.
I mean, isn’t that just one of the best plot lines for a story you’ve ever heard about? It’s such a fascinating avenue for Melanie Rose to go down and for a first novel it’s even more fantastic. I absolutely adored every page of the book, and it was easy to flip between Jessica being Jessica and Jessica being Lauren, it all flowed so nicely that I just wanted to keep reading and keep reading and keep reading to see how it was all going to pan out. I thought both stories, as the book is essentially, two stories merged into one, were equally as interesting as Jessica frantically tries to keep both lives on the go, without arousing the suspicion that everything isn’t exactly as it seems. The book zig-zagged into all sorts of directions as the pages wore on and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough as both of Jessica’s worlds threatened to collapse in on themselves.
You would think that with essentially two different stories there would be tons of characters to keep up with, but it’s really not that difficult as they all have their own quirks and foibles. I warmed to Jessica immediately and she has raced up into my top 10 female characters ever. She just takes everything in her stride and I totally admired how she threw herself into being Lauren. Jessica’s personality stays pretty much the same throughout, which again, was another plus point. We don’t really know too much about the ‘real’ Lauren, but from what we do learn, I didn’t really know what to make of her. One of my favourite characters was Dan, who Jessica meets before her lightning strike. He was such a likeable character and I could see why Jessica fell for him! As for Lauren’s husband and children, I can’t say I liked Grant, the husband, very much, he seemed very smarmy but I adored Lauren’s four children. Teddy in particular was really lovely.
Melanie Rose deals with some difficult topics throughout the book, topics you might not expect from the beautiful orange cover, but all the subjects covered are handled sensibly and with great care. Could It Be Magic? is told entirely from Jessica’s point of view, switching between herself and Lauren, which made the book very easy to get in to. My main worry about the book was how it would end. It’s a completely unique storyline and the ending was either going to make or break the book. Thankfully, and much to my relief, I though the ending was very satisfactory. There’s no feel that the book was rushed to a conclusion and there was no convoluted explanation about what happened, all there was was a fantastic ending that had me in tears. Could It Be Magic? will appeal to many, many people and if you haven’t already read it, then I really do think you should pick this book up. Despite how cringe-worthy this may sound, it is a magical novel.
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