Rating: 
Summary: Sara is Amazing
Review: Sara knows how to talk to all of us. She lets Charlotte do the talking this time. Frustration, hope, humor, it's all there. She makes you love her while you want to give her a little shake sometimes. If we could only see ourselves the way others see us. When you finish this book you will see the value in Sara, Charlotte and yes, the value in you.
Rating:
Summary: another gem from Sara Lewis
Review: Sara Lewis is an exceptional writer. Yes, her fans already know this. But I'm sure her newest book will garner a new batch of admirers. What I would like to see happen is a move away from simply thinking of Lewis' works as "women's fiction" (re: the review from the Publishers Weekly). I have always found Lewis' novels and short stories to reflect the trials and tribulations of both women AND men. In particular, she is so adept at evoking OUR everyday social and interpersonal communication (via her characters). Lewis' newest work will in particular touch both those who call teaching their profession (such as myself) and an eye-opener for those who dream of a writing career.
Rating:
Summary: Another favorite from my favorite author!
Review: Second Draft of my Life is another example of why Sara Lewis is my favorite author. When I finished this book I felt that I had found a new friend in Charlotte Dearborn. I love the way the book is written from Charlotte directly to me, as if she's letting me in on her most private thoughts. The characters are so real that we can see people we know in each one. Second Draft of my Life is a MUST read. It would be a shame to miss out on meeting such an interesting person.
Rating: 
Summary: sitcom tedium
Review: The best writing in this book appears at the beginning of each chapter, when Lewis depicts a crushing disappointment in the life of a writer. It's an effective narrative device. Otherwise, it's pure tedium. Most of the positive reviews seem to come from teachers, but for those of us who aren't teachers, the novel seems just a diary of sitcom situations in the classroom, most of which are entirely predictable and with repetition, become boring. Dialogue should move the plot forward, not simply function as an exchange. I read a lot of domestic reality/women's fiction, and almost never put a book down-- especially one I purchased, but this is one that went back on the shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: maybe the book needed another draft
Review: The book is insightful regarding the travails of being published as a professional writer. But the description of Charlotte's "new" life is dull, resulting from uninspired writing. The book lacks sparkle, and is plodding as it documents Charlotte's "out of school" life with her sister and her family, or with the boy she tutors and his parents, all of whose characters are undeveloped. Before the "light" goes on in Charlotte's head, she is trying to dress in the casual manner adopted by gradeschool teachers in California, with "fun" accessories such as book ear-rings (who wears book ear-rings?) The "before" Charlotte is middleaged, overweight and eats junk that is routinely available in the gradeschool (is the writer sending a message to her childrens' teachers?) How she changes is the plot of the book. I found it trite, and will forget it quickly. However, if you want a book that isn't demanding and only takes 3 hours to read on a wet afternoon, this will do.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended
Review: This is a great summer book. It carries you along and makes you think a bit too. I passed my copy on to my mother and you might do the same! Its a relatively light hearted journey of discovery that you want to share.
Rating:
Summary: Second Draft of My Life: A Review
Review: This was a wonderful book! I give it only four stars because I thought it was a little slow at the beginning. At first, I found it hard to identify with the main character, Charlotte. It seemed as though the author was making her out to be a pathetic figure. However, a few chapters into the book, her voice begins to develop, and I found myself cheering on this unlikely hero. I believe that there were a few too many mishaps regarding her career, but I believe that the author wanted to portray a realistic concept of the world of a writer and a teacher. Charlotte is a real character. I could truly imagine someone like her out there. Her interactions with the teachers at her school made me cringe. She's the type of person who never seems to catch a break, be it at work, in romance, or with the world she so desperately wants to sell her books to. When her moment to shine finally comes, I found myself feeling as though we'd come to her revelation together. Overall, this is an amazing story. It's funny enough to keep one interested, but filled with good lessons to remember about life.
Rating: 
Summary: An easy read, but I would not recommend it...
Review: While this plot of book was charming in its own way, I'd have to admit that I was greatly disappointed by the story itself. The author made teaching in a public school seem like an undesirable profession and that in the end, anyone could do it (as long as they put on "frumpy" clothes and took on a Martha Stewart-type persona). It does not seem like the author has ever had any classroom experience because her portrayal of this profession was both unrealistic and stereotypical. I would not recommend this book to anyone in the field of education.
| 
