Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham

I really enjoyed Holly's Inbox, published in 2009, so when I saw there was a sequel, I knew I needed to read it.
Holly's still working at DK Huerst (the bank) as a receptionist, and she's still with Toby, though it's a bit awkward as he spends a great deal of time in France for work so Holly feels like she rarely sees him. It definitely causes a strain in their relationship.
The rest of the cast of characters have returned as well: Trisha, the veteran receptionist Holly sits next to but can't speak with; Marie, the switchboard operator; Claire, the slightly ditsy upper floor receptionist; friends Jason and Aisha; and family. Holly's also faced with new challenges, including Tanya Mason, head of catering services at the company, with whom things turn ugly when Tanya shows interest in Toby.
One of Holly's biggest challenges is when she's temporarily made Front of House manager (managing the room reservations and the receptionists). She's excited and nervous about this advancement, even though it could be only temporary, but does her best to ensure it becomes a permanent position. Nothing is ever as easy as she would like it to be (and it wouldn't make for interesting reading otherwise) but Holly handles it the best she can.
Holly matures a bit in this book; her relationship with Toby makes her excited about taking on the challenge of the new job and wanting to excel at it, and other changes in her personal life cause her to rethink much of what she's done and thought before.
I really enjoy how quickly the book moves, since it's written in all emails. It's fast, it's breezy reading, it's light and enjoyable. I wanted something different to read since I've been reading so many dystopian novels lately and Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City definitely fit that bill. I'm hoping there's another book to follow up with Holly's life because I'm really enjoying knowing her.

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

David Levithan has a way with words. I have felt that with every book of his I've read (which is really only 5, including this one, but still, it's the reason I fell in love with his books). He's amazing and brilliant and wonderful.
The Lover's Dictionary is a very brief book (I read it on my lunch hour & one 15 minute break) in which Levithan defines words that tell the story of a relationship. The entries are brief thoughts on a moment or relate an entire episode in their relationship. There's a quiet beauty to the entries, even the angry ones (which is interesting to see the anger pop out between different words, so you don't get the whole story at once), and Levithan brings you into this relationship and the mind of the narrator, and I found it very easy as a reader to identify with many of his entries.
I like how he had part of a conversation in one entry, then further on went back to that conversation, and included just a little more, enough to illustrate the word, teasing the reader to keep reading to find out the whole story. Like with all books that capture just moments of a character's life, The Lover's Dictionary has beautiful moments that build an image in your mind. The great thing about Levithan is that he does it with so few words. One of my favorites:

whet, v.
You kiss me when you get home, and when I kiss you back longer, harder, you say, "Later, dear. Later."

I simply love the image this creates in my mind with so few words. It's difficult to give a full description of the story of this book, but if you're patient, interested in words and imagery, pick up the book. It will not take very long to finish (or to suss out if you like it or not).