book data
76 ratings, 3.64 average rating, 16 reviews
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published
June 1st 2006
by Dutton Juvenile
binding
Hardcover, 256 pages
isbn
0525477306
(isbn13: 9780525477303)
description
Until she stumbled upon the Divine Relief Temp Agency, Ilana Newhouse was having a hard time finding a summer job. Apparently, a T-shirt that reads "...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 107)
Read in October, 2008
Fun, quirky, quick read that plays off Greek Mythology (with a smattering of Norse) nicely. Ilana may not be as bad as she seems, but that makes her all the more real and dealing with over achieving parents, a "perfect" older sister, and the family's upheaval over said sister's upcoming marriage, Ilana is desperate for a summer job--ANYTHING to get her out of the house and out of the "something" her parents have said they'd "come up with" if she couldn't find one. ...more
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Read in March, 2007
"Temping Fate" by Esther Friesner is, conventionally, what a chick lit novel usually looks like. The story has a misfit female protagonist, cute guys, and relationship-related mayhem. Happily, the story also fits into my more encompassing, feminist-informed, definition of chick lit in that the heroine of the novel is funny, smart and independent.
Ilana Newhouse is desperate for a summer job. Any summer job. So, she doesn't worry too much when the temp agency that hires her...more
Ilana Newhouse is desperate for a summer job. Any summer job. So, she doesn't worry too much when the temp agency that hires her...more
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After seeing this book in a library at which I was not a card-holding member, I was dying to read it. Took me over a year to get my hot little hands on it, and I was happy I did. The idea was fantastic, a new take on modern-mythological beings, and lots of it was executed well. However the ending seemed to fly against all the initial rules the author had set up, and though the story kept trying to climax (trying REALLY HARD) the orgasm was pretty run-of-the-mill.
I'd probably allow...more
I'd probably allow...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
Free Thinking Youngsters
So far so good. Not the most thought-provoking book on the planet, but a nice book with an original premise : A young girl spends her summer vacation working a temp job....for the fates : Clotho, Atropos, and Lachesis. The reason that this book appeals to me the most is that as a Pagan it is very hard to find fiction about the Goddesses that isn't totally insulting. While I acknowlage that my demographic is miniscule, it is often a pleasure stumble across titles like these. Fated perhaps?
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I was so excited for this book, the premise was just awesome, and yet it didn't do all that much for me. The protagonist, Ilana, spent a lot of time exchanging snarky comments with Arachne (yep, the Greek maiden turned into a spider), and also THINKING about how snarky she is and how everyone hates her attitude. I didn't think she was that bad, and her parents seemed pretty well oblivious to her behavior most of the time, so insisting on every page that she was a bad girl got old fast. If you...more
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I was simply thrilled to find a book that plays so cheerfully with mythology. None of my summer jobs were ever this cool: temping for the gods and Fates is just better. I love the idea of mythology coming to terms with bureaucracy: it make sense that with an overpopulated world the gods would eventually get overbooked. The central conflict isn't brilliant and is a bit chick-litty, but the characters are anything but.
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Read in May, 2007
An amusing books about a teen who has trouble securing a summer job because of "That Attitude Thing." She finds a business card for a temp agency in her "perfect" older sister's things and makes a call.
Little does she know that the agency specializes in seasonal help for overworked gods and goddesses...
A cute book, I can't wait to see how my kid likes it.
Little does she know that the agency specializes in seasonal help for overworked gods and goddesses...
A cute book, I can't wait to see how my kid likes it.
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Read in August, 2008
I enjoyed this immensely, especially considering my minor interest in deities and gods of all sorts. It's an entertaining novel about the most unusual temping angency on the planet, and something I enjoy revisiting if I need a laugh.
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Read in July, 2008
Trying too hard to be clever. I couldn't even finish it. I remember liking something of this author's when I was in middle school, but either I had bad taste or she's really gone downhill... probably the former, ha.
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Read in January, 2007
This is a light, fun book with a couple of laugh-out-loud moments. The lead character isn't always appealing, though, and there were some eyerolling moments as well. Still, it's a brisk read and won't take much time.
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Her last hope for a summer job is a temping agency, unbeknownst to her, that fills in for the gods. Her first assignment is working for the Fates, while her sister plans her wedding.
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Read in October, 2008
Normally I love "silly" but this book was just a little too silly and not quite enough clever. Maybe I'm just in the wrong mood. Who knows?
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This is a funny, quick read that should appeal to anyone who enjoys mythology and a main female character with an "Attitude Thing."
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Read in October, 2008
I liked this a lot better than Nobody's Princess. It was quirky and a good read.
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A fun YA novel about getting a summer job with the three fates.
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Read in March, 2008
Novel idea, brought me back to my temp days.
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currently-reading (on 4 people's shelves)
fiction (on 4 people's shelves)
fantasy (on 4 people's shelves)
young-adult (on 3 people's shelves)
urban-fantasy (on 2 people's shelves)
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childrens-mg-ya (on 1 person's shelf)
wishlist (on 1 person's shelf)
teens (on 1 person's shelf)
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