Time Off for Good Behavior

Rating:
Summary: Honest, entertaining and moving.
Review: As a survivor of some of the same troubles that haunt the protagonist, I can say with authority that Rich's portrayal of Wanda's emotional journey is eerily accurate. I laughed, I cried, I sobbed out loud. Rich is especially deft at black humor, a personal favorite of mine.

If you're looking for something a little edgier and deeper than the average chick lit read, this is it.

Rating:
Summary: Like Christmas Cookies....
Review: Hard to resist - impossible to put down. It was terrific from the get go. I found Wanda to be a very likeable character and no more litigious than the next person who was blown up in a gas leak and left in a coma from the cross examination of a "pencil faced" lawyer. I was rooting for her.

It's hilarious, like when Wanda looks like a matchstick after a haircut, and the storyline is fresh. For me, the story went from enjoyable to "must recommend to others" when Wanda discovers the music mystery - everything this author came up with - all the details mentioned are incorporated into the storyline, not just thrown in. It makes for a very satisfying ending. (There's no surprising last minute silly coincidences just to wrap up the story).


My only complaint is that it was over too soon. I'm anxious to read the next book from this author!


Rating:
Summary: extremely entertaining
Review: I love the characters, especially the heroine who is far from perfect. This book has some awsome funny moments, some truly touching passages, and sexual tension to spare :-) I read it in a single sitting. I will be looking forward to more from Ms. Rich. After I finished the book and thought about it, I felt that the relationships might be a little rushed with both the girlfriend and love interest. The declaration of love came pretty fast. But while I was reading, I didn't notice any of that. This is a highly enjoyable book for lovers of womens fiction.

Rating:
Summary: UGH!
Review: I was totally desperate for a chick lit read and picked up this book because it got such good reviews from other reviewers.

My question is - did we read the same book?

The lead character Wanda seemed to have serious anger management issues and sounded like some scotch-swigging, ranting lunatic. I mean, I really hated this character. I could not find one good thing about her. I am pretty sure that is not what the author had in mind.

She words "sue" appears at least 50 times in the first 50 pages and Wanda sounds like all she wants to do is get even with everyone (now that she can't beat the crap out of them).

I hated, hated this book. If there would have been a negative rating, I would have given it.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS ONE.

Rating:
Summary: Charming, Funny, and Satisfying
Review: The mouthy, flawed heroine of Time Off for Good Behavior captured my interest immediately. By the end of the book, she had captured my heart as well.

Wanda has spent her life so afraid of failure that she chose to sabatage herself on every level. At the beginning of the book, she's inches from rock bottom, but she's just met the guy that may make it worth her while to pull herself up by her bootstraps.

Underneath Wanda's protective crust, there's a a tough, funny, edgy woman with a heart big enough to match her mouth. Watching this person emerge as Wanda decides to put herself through a crash course in growing up (via post-it note therapy!) was a trip I plan to take again. A definite keeper and re-reader. If you like your Chicklit smart and double funny, then I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Very Good
Review: This was a fun read- Wanda had a brain, didn't work in fashion and wasn't a wimp-- how refreshing! Fun, lively, and a bit rough at times, I enjoyed it as much as another book called "Like a Hole in the Head"

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely wonderful!
Review: Time Off for Good Behavior is one of the most fun and lively books I have ever read. Lani Diane Rich has a wonderful sense of humor and an exquisite way of transmitting it to the reader through her dialogue and characters. I was so hooked, I stayed up until 1AM to read through the end. I love that you can really see Wanda's journey and I was able to go through it with her. What a wonderful protag and the secondary cast was compelling. The characters stayed true to themselves and their voices were so distinctive that I didn't have to even look at the tag lines to tell who was talking.

Lani Diane Rich has a witty and real way of writing that I loved. I will definitely be looking (impatiently) for her next book. The phantom music and sticky notes were inspired and thoroughly original. I encourage anyone looking for an excellent read to pick this up and make sure you have a whole day free and lots of microwave food because you won't want to put it down to take a shower much less cook a meal.

Rating:
Summary: Witty, real characters make for an engaging read
Review: What fun this book was! The dialogue and characters were genuine and charming, the situations true to life. The story pulled me through, like I was chained to a freight train.
Read it, and you'll know what I mean.

Rating:
Summary: I'd Like To Go Out Drinking With Wanda and Walter!
Review: What I liked most about Time Off For Good Behavior was how it was decidedly NOT a cliche, and that's not always true of "chick lit" books. Wanda swears like a sailor throughout, and while she grows in the novel, she doesn't really change her core personality. Instead, she finds herself again (or, rather, remembers who she is deep down, before she so disappointed her parents and herself by making some bad choices and acquiring the baggage that resulted.)

I so enjoyed how she forbid herself from seeing Walter before she'd worked through some difficult issues. She knew he'd accept her as she was, but she had to make some hard changes first. She may have thought of herself as weak, but I found her to be a strong character throughout.

Overall, a very fun read. I should have counted the number of times I laughed out loud. I know for sure I read with a grin on my face because my husband kept asking, "What is so funny?" as I read it. The hot pink cover caught my eye in the bookstore, and I'm glad it did!

Rating:
Summary: Bravura debut
Review: With her spare, take-no-prisoners style, Lani has crafted a gem of a story that sucks the reader right into the chaotic, combative, and ever-so-slightly crazed world of Wanda Lane. (And who among us hasn't even wanted to take a swing at a pain in the hind end lawyer?) With humor, pathos, and a definite elegance, she touches on a multitude of fears, both external and internal, that many of us can indentify with, even if we've never found ourselves in precisely the same situations.

And sticky notes as therapy? Can't hurt.