2 Minute Book Review: Along for the Ride

Reading time for this post: 1 minute, 33 seconds. Read it Later

Book: Along for the Ride
Author: Sarah Dessen
Audio book read by: Rachel Botchan


This book is a summer read that takes place the summer after high school graduation for the main character Auden, an 18 year old girl. I found myself relating closely with the main character whose family is split and father remarried. Set in a small town on the coast is definitely familiar to me, but the small town was surprisingly not used as a supporting character, thank goodness.

In fact the author did a remarkable job with creating likeable and believable characters, avoided annoying pitfalls of cliché teen dialog. Maggie was particularly likeable, and many of the characters grew on me. For a story that was a little predictable, I was sincerely grateful that there were a few surprises left for the reader.  It was a relief to have a teen romance that wasn’t wrought with drama and too much sex, it was simply a sweet love story.

I was disappointed that we didn’t get to learn more about some of the supporting characters, or for that matter, the lead love interest. The author spent a great deal of time describing Auden’s father but fails to resolve the conflict she creates, and for that I am also frustrated. At least we get to see her mother grow as an individual, her father seems to remain much the same.

What you will find in this book is some fun characters that you might have even known in your own high school years, and a charming love story with a happy ending. The title, “Along for the Ride” is used as a device to explain how when life knocks you down, you need to get back up and try again. Sometimes there are second chances.  This book was light enough and as a summer read it’s perfect. If you are looking for solid resolutions for all of the back stories, then you may be left hanging.

2 Minute Book Review: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies

Reading time for this post: 1 minute, 52 seconds. Read it Later

Book: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies
Author: Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith
Audio book read by: Katherine Kellgren


This book was exceedingly more exciting than the original story, but I should admit I have been a Pride and Prejudice fan since first reading the book nearly ten years ago (and watching subsequent films). Adding to the humor in the story, the reader Katherine Kellgren made all the characters more relatable. Her rendition of the story made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. The humor is subtle in some sections and is worth a second look. Not to worry, the love story did not get in the way of the zombies.  Zombies did nothing to detract from this story, and gratuitous scenes were made all the more hilarious with the matter of fact nature of the lead character Elizabeth Bennett. She certainly has the confidence, humor and sass to pull that off. Oh yeah, did I mention the ninjas?


For me, the book had plenty of gratuitous zombie sleighing scenes, and a particularly touching scene with mother and her zombie son, the last of her remaining family. Readers looking for more gore, blood, and death might be disappointed, since the book does try to add a hint of humanity as the story proceeds. I was also bummed that the book lacks even a hinted explanation of how the zombie epidemic began. I was disappointed when, at one point, attempts at medical or scientific cure for the plague were hinted at but nothing more than a mention. This is particularly distressing since it is used as a device in the story to explain a character’s behavior.

If I had to make a choice, the audio book probably makes this story more enjoyable than reading, only because this story should be presented with as much personality as possible. If you are not able to slog through the writing style of authors such as Jane Austen, reading this version of the story provides little relief. However, listening to the audio book may be the answer.

In my opinion, NOT A SUGGESTION, this zombie-filled book could be substituted for the original for the particularly immature (or the average joe). What better way to get the unwilling to read an Austen novel? I would recommend this book even to Austen fans, but only those with a sense of humor and are not afraid of the ridiculous premise.

Why am I Nervous?

The funny thing about interviewing someone is that I shouldn’t be the one who is nervous. This is the second time I have gone through an interview process where I was the interviewer as opposed to the interviewee.

The first time was almost a year and a half ago now, and it went terribly. It wasn’t that I was ill prepared, because I rarely go into anything unprepared. It was more the fact that I did not have a clear objective. I knew I needed some assistance in my department, and I was allowed to find an intern.

Great! I’ll take two! …or maybe not.

I had no idea what I expected from the new intern. I didn’t even know where my authority lay, or if my boss was in charge of them. It was a total mess, and totally unfair for that person. Granted, it was a poorly chosen candidate to begin with, I still won’t take all of the blame for the failed first attempt at hiring.

Now it’s time for some redemption. This intern won’t go home crying.

This time around, I not only looked closely at updating my job description, I also identified more fully, the projects I will be expecting the candidate complete. I recommend having a full list of projects you are willing to part with if you are looking to hire an assistant or intern.

This may be because of the first failed attempt, but I definitely have a better idea what skills the ideal candidate should possess. I may not be able to identify the personality traits to avoid, but I certainly know how to look for each candidate’s strengths. If you prioritize those key projects and figure out what skills will be needed to complete them, it will be so much easier to know if someone will fit the position and save yourself a lot of heartache.

My game plan went like this:
1.    Figure out what projects I needed the most help with, or projects that I was neglecting or behind in completing.

2.    Put this list in order of priority.

3.    Present the list to my boss, and convince them that no human could complete these tasks in addition to the other items in my workload. (I’m a department of one.)

4.    Identify the skills needed to complete the tasks.

5.    Base a detailed job description on the tasks and skills that a student might reasonably have, or quickly learn.

6.    I wanted a test of ability to help weed out the weakest candidates, and I chose to have each applicant create a sample marketing email from one of our products.

(This helps me on a few levels. I get to see a sample of their writing, and also their creativity and research aptitude. Most interns do not bring previous work samples even if they happen to have any.)

7.    If the job is an internship like this one was, I needed to have an evaluative plan in place in order to set realistic goals.

(Project time lines and learning objectives that the hired intern will have should be determined at the start of employment, but it’s always good to have some objectives ready before you hire someone.)

8.    This one is KEY. Post the job in as many appropriate places as possible.

(Besides the obvious places like Monster.com, college career centers, the state’s job employment services and the people in your own office are often very good ways of getting the word out about the job opening. If people can’t find the job listing, then your pool of candidates are going to be very slim indeed. I even used Twitter and Facebook, but this might not always be appropriate.)

I have found that lately, the people referred to us by our current employees have been particularly strong candidates, and are often the ones who are eventually hired.

I also learned that no matter how much prep work I put into each interview (an I didn’t even do the scheduling!) I am still a tiny bit nervous before each new person walks in the door.  I can read and select the perfect questions, but experience is the only way to strengthen that interviewing muscle. Ironically, I was equally nervous on the other side of the interview.

I wonder if that is true for all new interviewers or just people who are more on the shy side? I would be interested to hear other points of view, and also other tips or personal experiences on hiring.

As before, feel free to leave me your comments or drop me a line, just be sure to keep it clean!