Edgar Award-winning novelist Scottoline (scottoline.com), whose previous nonfiction work, Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog (2009), was informed by her weekly "Chick Wit" column for the Philadelphia Inquirer, here teams up with daughter Francesca in a sequel brimming with Scottoline's trademark humor, frankness, and self-deprecation. The brief vignettes are well paced and touch on universal themes that will resonate with audiences of all ages. Whether the topic is aging, dogs, house cleaning, family secrets, or buying a larger TV, listening to the book is like sitting with an old friend telling stories-you don't want the night to end and you want to be invited back again. Highly recommended for all audiences. [Includes a bonus interview with the author; see Prepub Exploded, BookSmack! 6/3/10.-Ed.]-Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Scottoline, a single mom and author of 17 New York Times bestselling novels, also writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer, where her "Chick Wit" column appears on Sundays and is occasionally written by her daughter Francesca. It has also served as fodder for two books, last year's Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, and this one, which contains 70 more essays that are by turns rueful, uplifting, sweet, kooky-and always amusing. Fans of her mystery and suspense fare will enjoy the opportunity for another warts-and-all peek into the author's daily life, including musings on what it's like to live (and sleep) with five dogs, an addiction to sunflower seeds, and fruitless yet hilarious attempts to communicate with her non sequitur-loving mother. Mother Mary, a spirited octogenarian, gets lots of ink, and rightly so: she's been an important role model for Scottoline and granddaughter. Francesca's writing complements her mother's, particularly in essays like "I Don't" and "Deadhead," in which the former reveals her fascination with the weddings section of the newspaper, the latter, the obituaries. Family photos add to the fun, as does the authors' focus on enjoying life, whether via the delights of a newly empty nest or remembering that, when it comes to women, "Our strength, our wit, and our hearts are more powerful than anybody ever could have imagined." It's a funny, uplifting read for women of any generation. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Popular mystery writer and author of Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog (2009) (an amusing collection drawn from her weekly newspaper column, Chick Lit ), Scottoline stirs up even more sassy fun this time bringing her daughter, Francesca, into the mix as cowriter. Building from the stories in her first collection, Scottoline teaches the art of choosing the perfect purse, how to survive deadlines (not to mention dirty dishwashers), and what to do (or not do) when visiting your adult child's apartment. All the usual suspects are in tow, including four loyal canines, two quirky cats, and one feisty Mother Mary with a few family photographs to boot. Echoing her mother's wit and charm, daughter Francesca muses on the life of a twentysomething and tackles apartment decor, first dates, finding the perfect gal pal, and starting out as a single girl in New York City. A clever compilation from two generations of women reflecting on family, love, dessert, and everything in between. Here's one for librarians to promote as book-club material (especially for girls-only clubs).--McCormick, Annie Copyright 2010 Booklist