Birthday Giveaway!
I wanted to do something special to help celebrate my birthday week, and what better way than a giveaway? I have been wanting to host a giveaway to help clear some of my ARC’s from my bookshelf, and this seems like the perfect opportunity. I have six books that are up for grabs, with six different winners!
Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick- Tiffany Drew
The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganek- Emily Wolff
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner-Nancye Davis
Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber-Michelle Bell
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods-Kathy Shrum
Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane- Marianne Morales
**This contest is now closed***
To enter:
1. Send an email with your full mailing address to Samantha(at)chicklitplus.com. You will not be entered unless I have this email! When you send the email, please also include if there are specific books you would like to win. Or if you would like a chance at all of them, just say so!
2. Post a comment below and let us know one of your favorite birthday memories.
3. For bonus entries, spread the word! Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter.
That’s it! The contest will close the day after my birthday, on Thursday March 24. Please note that I will be choosing a different winner for each book. This contest is open for US residents only.
Chick Lit Plus Awards
And the Chick Lit Plus Award goes to……
BEST LOL NOVEL
Nominees:
Not Ready for Mom Jeans by Maureen Lipinski
Lowcountry Summer by Dorothea Benton Frank
Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner
Winner: The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
BEST ROMANCE NOVEL
Nominees:
Summer of Two Wishes by Julia London
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Anyone for Seconds? by Fiona Cassidy
Winner: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
BEST BFF NOVEL
Nominees:
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick
Winner: Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
BEST VILLAIN IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Miranda, The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Olga, Moonlight in Odessa, by Janet Skeslein Charles
Cici, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Patty, The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Valerie, Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Cici, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
BEST SCANDAL IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Perfect Blend by Sue Margolis
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
Still Thinking of You by Adele Parks
Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins
Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell’
Winner: Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
BEST TEAR-JERKER NOVEL
Nominees:
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Promises to Keep by Jane Green
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
On Folly Beach by Karen White
Winner: Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
BEST NOVEL FROM A DEBUT AUTHOR
Nominees:
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
I’ll Have Who She’s Having by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Reunion by JL Penn
Hook Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph
Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane
Winner: I’ll Have Who She’s Having by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
BEST NOVL WRITTEN BY A CELEBRITY
Nominees:
LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie
Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad
Star by Pamela Anderson
Winner: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
MOST INTRIGUING CONCEPT
Nominees:
The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch
Tuesday Tells it Slant by Holly Christine
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
Espressologist by Kristina Springer
Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Espressologist by Kristina Springer
BEST FEMALE
Nominees:
Willa, Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
Darcy, Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Rachel, Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Sammy, Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore
Winner: Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
BEST MALE
Nominees:
Luc, See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson
Ethan, Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Luke, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Alex, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Dan, A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
Winner: Alex, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
BEST SERIES
Nominees:
Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich
Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Heather Wells Series by Meg Cabot
I Heart Series by Lindsey Kelk
Enchanted Series by Shanna Swendson
Winner: I Heart Series by Lindsey Kelk
NOVEL THAT SHOULD BE A MOVIE
Nominees:
A Total Waste of Makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder
I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk
Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Hook Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph
Winner: I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk
BEST NOVEL MADE INTO A MOVIE
Nominees:
Flirty With Forty by Jane Porter
My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Winner: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
CHARACTER WITH THE BEST JOB
Nominees:
Sophie, Sophie Katz Series by Kyra Davis
Lydia, The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Heather, Heather Wells Series by Meg Cabot
Marla, Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker by Marla Martenson
Winner: Sophie, Sophie Katz Series by Kyra Davis
BEST WEDDING IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
Wedding Season by Katie Fforde
Scot on the Rocks by Brenda Janowitz
For Better, For Worse by Carole Matthews
I Do, But I Don’t by Cara Lockwood
Winner: Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
BEST SUPPORTING CHARACTER IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Suze, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Kelly, Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright
Dot, The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Jessica, Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella
Candace, Reunion by JL Penn
Winner: Suze, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
BEST COUGAR NOVEL
Nominees:
Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter
The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
The Infidelity Pact by Carrie Karasyov
Winner: The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
BEST COVER
Nominees:
Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Misery Loves Cabernet by Kim Gruenenfelder
Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr
Winner: Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
BEST SEQUEL
Nominees:
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
The First Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare
Slightly Settled by Wendy Markham
Killer Cocktails by Sheryl J Anderson
Winner: Something Blue by Emily Giffin
BEST MYSTERY
Nominees:
I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson
Killer Heels by Sheryl J Anderson
Looks to Die For by Janice Kaplan
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
THANKS TO ALL WHO VOTED AND THE AUTHORS WHO DONATED THEIR NOVELS!
Best Scandal Nominees
The nominees for Best Scandal in a Novel:
Perfect Blend by Sue Margolis
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
Still Thinking of You- Adele Parks
Poor Little Bitch Girl- Jackie Collins
Pieces of Happily Ever After- Irene Zutell
***I didn’t want to post the scandals for each novel, some come as a surprise and I wouldn’t want to give anything away!***
Please vote for your favorite by commenting below. Everyone who votes is entered to win!
Best BFF Nominees
The nominees for best BFF Novel (Best Friends Forever):
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick
Please vote for your favorite by commenting below. Everyone who votes is entered to win!
Chick Lit Plus Awards: Day 2 Nominations
Categories: Best Villain in a Novel, Best Scandal in a Novel, Best Tear Jerker Novel
Prizes: 2 winners will receive both novels from Micheline McAllister- Welcome To My Life and Love You, Love Your Work, Let’s Do Lunch!
Winners will be announced August 23rd.
Please post below to enter your nominations, or email me directly at Samantha@chicklitplus.com. The top 5 from each category will go on to the final voting process.
Some early nomination votes for these categories include:
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner- politician’s affair- Best Scandal
I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk- Cici- Best Villain
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen- Best Tear Jerker
Click here to see Day 1 Nominations
Chick Lit Plus Awards: Day 1 Nominations
Categories: Best Laugh Out Loud Novel, Best Romance Novel, and Best BFF Novel (Best Friends Forever.)
Prizes: Starting off big! One lucky winner will win a copy of all THREE of Marla Martenson’s novels: Excuse Me, Your Soul Mate is Waiting, Good Date, Bad Date, and Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker.
Winners will be announced August 23rd.
Please post below to enter your nominations, or email me directly at Samantha@chicklitplus.com. The top 5 from each category will go on to the final voting process.
Some early nomination votes for these categories include:
Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Hander- Best LOL Novel
Hook, Line, and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph- Best LOL Novel
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner- Best BFF Novel
GIVEAWAY: Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
Sometimes all you can do is fly away home . . .
When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wife—her hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. At fifty-seven, she ruefully acknowledges that her job is staying twenty pounds thinner than she was in her twenties and tending to her husband, the senator.
Lizzie, the Woodruffs’ younger daughter, is at twenty-four a recovering addict, whose mantra HALT (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) helps her keep her life under control. Still, trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achieve—a husband, a young son, the perfect home—and yet she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. With temptation waiting in one of the ER’s exam rooms, she finds herself craving more.
After Richard’s extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be.
Written with an irresistible blend of heartbreak and hilarity, Fly Away Home is an unforgettable story of a mother and two daughters who after a lifetime of distance finally learn to find refuge in one another.
I have one copy of this excellent Jennifer Weiner novel to give away! Comment on this post, RT on Twitter, or comment on Facebook to win your copy! The winner will be chosen Tuesday July 20th.
UPDATE:
The winner has been chosen. Congratulations to Jana! Please email me your mailing address at Samantha@chicklitplus.com. Thanks to all those who participated!
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
July 9, 2010 by Samantha
Filed under Chick Lit Review
Best selling author Jennifer Weiner showcases her talents with her latest page turner Fly Away Home. Tackling infidelity goes a step further with her newest characters, Sylvie and Richard Woodruff. Both in their late fifties, Sylvie and Richard seem to have a fantastic marriage- he is the senator of New York and she is his lovingly doting wife. Sylvie has gotten accustomed to standing beside her husband, attending workouts with her personal trainer, and always wearing the right outfits to public events. But when Sylvie learns that her husband has been cheating- with his much younger intern- her world starts spinning out of control.
Sylvie and Richard’s daughters are also struggling to cope with the news of their father’s infidelity. Diana, an emergency room physician, finds herself in a similar position. Though it appears she has everything- a career, a husband, son- she has strayed outside her marriage with a medical student. Lizzie, the younger sister, is a recovering addict trying desperately to stay clean. When yet another pollical scandal hits the national media, all three women are thrust into the unwanted spotlight.
Fly Away Home is written from three different perspectives- Sylvie, Diana, and Lizzie. I loved that Weiner took on a topic that has been so popular as of lately- the cheating politicians and the wives that do or don’t stay with them. Getting inside the head of the wife and trying to work through her dissolving marriage made me unable to put this book down. An added bonus was hearing from the daughters, and I enjoyed that both girls were struggling with even bigger problems in their personal lives. I think all women will enjoy this book that revolves around empowering the female, love, and above all, family.
Rating: 4/5
In My Mailbox: Week of June 20
In My Mailbox: Week of June 20, 2010
Title: Fly Away Home
Author: Jennifer Weiner
Received: From Artemis Azima- Engelman & co.
Synopsis: Sometimes all you can do is fly away home . . .When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wifeher hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. At fifty-seven, she ruefully acknowledges that her job is staying twenty pounds thinner than she was in her twenties and tending to her husband, the senator.Lizzie, the Woodruffs’ younger daughter, is at twenty-four a recovering addict, whose mantra HALT (Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired?) helps her keep her life under control. Still, trouble always seems to find her. Her older sister, Diana, an emergency room physician, has everything Lizzie failed to achievea husband, a young son, the perfect homeand yet she’s trapped in a loveless marriage. With temptation waiting in one of the ER’s exam rooms, she finds herself craving more.After Richard’s extramarital affair makes headlines, the three women are drawn into the painful glare of the national spotlight. Once the press conference is over, each is forced to reconsider her life, who she is and who she is meant to be.Written with an irresistible blend of heartbreak and hilarity,Fly Away Homeis an unforgettable story of a mother and two daughters who after a lifetime of distance finally learn to find refuge in one another.
Title: Anyone for Seconds?
Author: Fiona Cassidy
Received: From Fiona Cassidy
Synopsis: Frankie has recently met the man of her dreams, Owen, at the college where she is temping as a public relations officer. The lecturer was abandoned by his wife Jane when their daughter Angelica was only seven. Frankie has a lot in common with her new boyfriend as her husband Tony also dumped her and then headed off to the US with his stick-insect lover. He hasn’t seen his kids Ben and Carly since. But if the path of true love never runs smooth, then the road to Frankie’s second chance at love and a united family is definitely littered with potholes. Not only does she have to deal with one very moody and insolent teenager who isn’t keen on another woman entering her dad’s life, she also has to face off against two spiteful in-laws in the form of her ex’s grandmother “Nebby Peg” and Owen’s sister-in-law Brenda. But on her side she has her sister Ella, back from Scotland for a visit with an upsetting secret, and her wild-haired friend Ruby. Frankie is a feisty character who will resonate with those who have walked in her shoes. A promising debut – I’ll be back for seconds.
Title: Swallow
Author: Tonya Plank
Received: From Tonya Plank
Synopsis: Sophie Hegel is a shy New York lawyer from small-town Florence Arizona, known not for the Renaissance but for housing a large prison. She’s just graduated from Yale Law School and landed her first job when, one evening she feels a fist-like ball form at the base of her throat. Diagnosed with the psychological condition Globus Sensate, this “fist-ball” wreaks havoc on her life, causing difficulty eating, speaking, and eventually breathing. With a cast of characters that includes a pornographer father, a sister with a knack for getting knocked up by denizens of the town pen, a tough-talking fashion maven, a painter of male nudes, an eccentric Sing Sing-residing client and a bevy of privileged Manhattan attorneys and judges, Swallow is a dark comedy about the distance that can separate fathers and daughters, and about a young woman’s struggle to survive in a world of pedigreed professionals for which she has no preparation.
Guest Post: Smart Chick Lit
I’ve been asked in the past why I read chick lit, as if it isn’t “real” fiction. I get that it isn’t the genre for everyone, but I like it. But, why do I like it? Why do any of us read what we read? I thought about it, and polled friends who read chick lit to see what they thought.
What makes you like it, I asked them? Overwhelmingly, we all said it is the heroine that draws us to the genre. When we read women’s fiction, we want to feel like we’re having coffee with a girl friend. More than that, we want someone who isn’t perfect, because we know we certainly are not perfect. But we don’t want our heroine to be an idiot. As my friend Katherine said “You like a heroine who has faults, but you don’t want one who makes the same mistakes over and over again.”
We want a heroine with gumption, who can find the happy ending but who can also get through things without relying on her man. We want clever, witty heroines who may get themselves into a mess, but also have the ability to also get themselves out of it, preferably with an appropriately acerbic comeback. We want a heroine who lives in the real world. My friend Lisa, a working mother of three, said “One of my biggest pet peeves in books is when the heroine has kids and she’s out every night, never the mention of having to get a babysitter or fix dinner – makes me think what the heck am I doing wrong?”
I like heroines who struggle with the same mundane things my girl friends and I all talk about, like wanting to lose weight, wondering if that perfect guy really exists, fearing we’re not quite a good enough mother/wife/daughter/sister/friend/employee. I look for complex characters, perhaps who are facing fallout from their unpopular or unconventional choices. Mostly, I want to root for my heroine, that whatever her happiness is, she is able to find it.
We like heroines who aren’t a cliche. Unique heroines are so much more interesting and believable. In fact, it is when we recognize so much of ourselves in our heroines that we are completely drawn in to a novel. It is what brings us to laughter or tears, what really makes us cheer for her. After all, when we like our heroine that much, we feel like we’re cheering for ourselves, too.
So who writes the heroines we like the most? Jennifer Weiner is brilliant at writing a real, identifiable character, placing her in realistic situations, and providing the right amount of drama and humor as the heroine figures out her life. Emily Giffin gives us very well drawn, complex heroines who may take an unconventional path, but still have us rooting for them. Meg Cabot and Jane Green write heroines we like to read. I also love Marian Keyes. Ireland, and Irish heroines are at the heart of most of her novels, but I adore them. The heroines are quirky yet endearing, and Keyes is great at slipping in an unexpected plot twist.
Smart Chick Lit, that’s what I think most of us are looking for, and the plucky, clever heroines written by these fabulous authors keep us coming back for more.
Guest Post by Ashley Williams from My Book Fetish. Visit her webiste here!
