My Top 10 of 2010

Now that 2010 is almost officially over, I decided I just had to make a list of my favorite books of the year. As I looked at my Excel spreadsheet that listed the 121 titles that I read during the past year, I got a little overwhelmed at picking my Favorites. Luckily, I realized that I had made this task a bit easier on myself by adding a Favorites section on my blog. That helped narrow down my choices, but it was still difficult coming up with my Favorite 10 of 2010. Here are the books I chose (in no particular order).

Go Small or Go Home by Heather Wardell- 4.5 stars

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff- 4 stars

Waxed by Robert Rave- 5 stars

Hook Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph- 4.5 stars

Good Things by Mia King- 4.5 stars

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella- 4.5 stars

Reunion by JL Penn- 5 stars

On Folly Beach by Karen White- 5 stars

Georgia’s Kitchen by Jenny Nelson- 5 stars

Life After Yes by Aidan Donnelley Rowley – 5 stars

Best Cover Nominees

The nominees for Best Cover:

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

Please vote for your favorite by commenting below. Everyone who votes is entered to win!

Chick Lit Plus Awards: Day 7 Nominations

Categories: Best Cover, Best Sequel, Best Mystery/Cozy Mystery

Prizes: 2 winners will receive a copy of Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger.

Winners will be announced August 23^rd.

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:

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella – Best Cover

Something Blue by Emily Giffin- Best Sequel

I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Watson –Best Mystery/Cozy Mystery

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Lara is having a problem: she is being haunted by her 105 year old great-aunt’s ghost. Sadie, who was a daring flapper back in her time of the Roaring 20’s, keeps appearing alongside Lara, but as a younger version of her deceased self. She has some unfinished business and needs Lara to help her find her necklace before she can pass on. At first Lara is frustrated and fed up with trying to help Sadie, who is making her wear ridiculous flapper clothes and makeup and go on dates with boring men just so Sadie can feel “alive” again through the only person that can see her. But as time goes on, Lara realizes how much she and Sadie have in common, and strangely, how Sadie can help with her floundering love life and equally dismal career as a headhunter.

Twenties Girl from Sophie Kinsella was a favorite of mine- which shocked me. Though I am a huge fan of Kinsella I was thinking this novel sounded too out there for me. A ghost haunting her great-niece? But I was proved wrong, and could not put it down! The novel was engaging, humorous, inspirational, and even had a few fun twists thrown in as well. I honestly think Kinsella is one of the few authors that could have pulled this plot off, and she did it with a comedic twist and a bit of mystery throw in. A must read!

New Book from Sophie Kinsella

I am excited to share that Sophie Kinsella is working on a new ‘Shopaholic’ novel! Kinsella posted the news on her website, not offering any details yet but saying she is excited to get into Becky’s world again. I will be sure to post any updates as soon as they come!

Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella, author of the popular Confessions of a Shopaholic books, parallels the front character, Becky Bloomwood, or at least in the career path. Like Becky, Kinsella was working as a financial journalist in London before finding her true calling. Kinsella (actual name Madeleine Wickham) published her first novel in 1995 under her married name, and began publishing under the name Sophie Kinsella in 2000 with the start of the Shopaholic series.

Kinsella grew up in Wimbledon, and was a talented pianist, even entering Oxford to study music. After time and learning that was not for her, she changed her focus to politics, philosophy, and economics. Kinsella admits that she never expected to become a novelist. She wrote fiction on the side, whenever she had any down time, and was shocked when she was offered a contract and large advance for three more books after her first, The Tennis Party.

Kinsella published her first six books under the name of Madeleine Wickham, and those titles are: The Tennis Party, A Desirable Residence, Swimming Pool Sunday, The Gatecrasher, The Wedding Girl, and Cocktails for Three. Under Sophie Kinsella, there are ten titles published; titles are: Confessions of a Shopaholic, Sleeping Arrangements, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Shopaholic Ties the Knot, Can You Keep a Secret?, Shopaholic and Sister, The Undomestic Goddess, Shopaholic & Baby, Remember Me, and Twenties Girl.

Confessions of a Shopaholic was released in February of 2009 in the movie form, with popular actress Isla Fisher taking on the lead role of Becky Bloomwood. There have been whispers of two other novels, Remember Me and Can You Keep a Secret? will also get film deals in the future.

In her personal life, Sophie Kinsella married Henry Wickham, whom she met at Oxford, in 1992. The couple has three sons, Freddy, Hugo, and Oxford. The family currently resides in Hertfordshire, England.

Official Website: http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/kinsella/