Ack. This book is horrific. How did this get printed? Can we give it a negative score rating?

My review.. ? A shallow, self-absorbed, overly self-important, "omg if it isn't NYC it's nowhere" protagonist who is more concerned with her shoes, clothes, and the latest trend (that only she is savvy enough to detect of course - why doesn't her editor worship her already?!) deigns to visit a medieval faire (re-enactment) under serious duress wearing Armani (WHAT KIND OF MORON WEARS ARMANI - and Manolo Blahnik high heels - TO A FAIRE?!) to "visit the freaks". Did I mention she abhors tech and thinks the internet is only for those not lucky enough to be amazing like her to manage having such a stellar life on their own? A gypsy (who she is very rude to - how utterly New York stereotype of her) tells her fortune and soon she's at Camelot. Still bitching and being a pita. I won't even go into her attitude on men - no wonder she's single.

I skimmed the rest of the book. It seemed more of the same tripe (and that's an insult to tripe) and bother. At the end she brings Guinevere and Lancelot "back to her time" only to discover she's landed in 2110 at Arthur's Camelot.com outside of Poughkeepsie. *shudders* The fact the author has only the barest grasp of actual history is all that can be said about the Camelot episode, what she does have of it is highly romanticized (I suspect she saw the play a few times and wrote based upon that).

While I admit I do not enjoy romance novels mostly for what I perceive as "lack of plot"* issues, (I selected this title because it sounded like it might be fun) and my comments above should be taken with that grain of salt. However the parts I actively read didn't involve any romance.. just a lot of really badly written, and self-serving, drivel.

Of course an avid romance reader might find this a rather good book. Mileage varies.

* I don't mind novels that are well written, have a plot, and contain romance that is consistent with the story. But it appears that romance books for the sake of "romance" just don't cut it for me. ( )

The Story: As the title says, a 21st century fashionista is sent back to the Middle Ages. King Arthur's court, to be specific. What happens when a cell-phone toting, Armani-wearing, back-talking city girl lands in the middle of the Knights of the Round Table? She gets thrown into the tower! Will Lancelot be her knight in shining armor, or is his heart already taken--by Queen Guenever?

My Thoughts: Definitely a fluff-read, but a diverting one at that. Silly and improbable with some good, clean fun. Kudos to Mancusi for writing a "behind the scenes" story in which Guenever does not come across as a vapid ho and Lancelot isn't a womanizing ninny. Up yours, Malory. I do have one gripe, though, with Mancusi's characterization. Kat Jones, our little time-traveler, is supposed to sophisticated yet not that bright. She talks about not paying attention back in school yet makes literary references and quotes FDR. I don't mind the author leaking into a character in principle, but since this is a first-person narrative a little consistency is necessary. No talking about The Odyssey if your character is supposed to be a flighty clotheshorse.

Recommendation: Good for killing time. ( )

Time-travel chick lit? What sounds like a recipe for disaster is actually a very fun and amusing read. Light and entertaining, poking fun at its own cliches. I loved the richness of the legend and the new twist she brought to it. It was nice to see chick lit away from New York fashion publishing, even if that meant going hundreds of years into the past. ( )

Time-travel chick lit? What sounds like a recipe for disaster is actually a very fun and amusing read. Light and entertaining, poking fun at its own cliches. I loved the richness of the legend and the new twist she brought to it. It was nice to see chick lit away from New York fashion publishing, even if that meant going hundreds of years into the past. ( )