Recommend- The Fun in Funeral

(I'll add the book cover as soon as Blogger stops screwing the upload)

I don't know why I picked this book up. Maybe because I'm in the final stages of settling my late grandmother's estate, which brought up extremely bad memories of my late father's death and my step-bitch's post mortum behavior....

Anyway, I'm very glad that I did. Despite what I thought was a heroine who was a bit more innocent that was believable regarding her antagonist and quite a bit of repetition in the 3rd quarter, THE FUNERAL PLANNER by Lynn Isenberg is really a good read. I liked Maddy Banks and found myself rooting for her to succeed. I adored Maddy's Uncle Sam and her unexpected intern Eve. But, more than anything else, this book made me think. About my death, of course. But also about my life and how I want to live it and how I want it remembered.

The absolutely coolest thing, is that the author has actually created in real life the business she created in fiction. You can find out more about Lights Out Enterprises by clicking the link. The intention is to help the living celebrate, not mourn, those who have passed.

From the Back Cover-"An initial investment is all she needs…. The stereotype is "starving artist" not "starving entrepreneur." However, business-school grad Maddy Banks lives in her office, works 24/7 and hasn't shopped in so long that her closet has official historical status. Still, she's convinced that her manic drive, propensity for risk and dogged follow-through will make her millions. Someday. They have to. Right? When "death" gives Maddy a second chance at happiness, she quickly realizes that schmoozing and spreadsheeting her way through life isn't much of a life at all. Armed with an angel investor and a hot VC (um, that's venture capitalist), Maddy starts party planning for those who won't be attending…while she learns some hard lessons about trust, working with "friends" and mixing business with pleasure."

From Booklist-"Chick lit meets business savvy in the second novel from Isenberg (My Life Uncovered, 2003). .. Smart, perceptive Maddy is a welcome relief from the shoe-obsessed heroines of other chick-lit novels, and Isenberg's exploration of the business world is fresh and fascinating."