Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

Chick Lit Plus

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In My Mailbox: Week of December 2
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of December 2

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Mad World: Sanctuary

Author: Samaire Provost

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: The year is 2017, and the Black Plague infection has swept across most of the United States, leaving death and chaos in its wake. Martial law is the rule rather than the exception, with outbreaks cropping up when they’re least expected. Alyssa and her friends must not only battle outbreaks of the disease, but also find themselves pursued by government agents – men and women determined to track them down at any cost. Fleeing north to the fabled Sanctuary, Alyssa, Jacob, DeAndre, Caitlyn, Risa and Luke face disturbing ordeals and terrible tragedy as they encounter unbelievable situations in their struggle to reach safety. Using their skills and wits in their fight to survive against ever worsening odds, they weather hardship, betrayal, and the ever-present specter of death as they flee north, all the while vowing to protect one another – and most of all their precious 5-year-old Luke, from a world gone mad. Sanctuary, the second installment in the Mad World series, is a heart-rending adventure of astonishing revelations, tragic discoveries, agonizing separations and devastating losses that test these friends to their limits. With heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat suspense at every turn, this is a story you will not be able to put down. Find out what happens next.

Title: In Search of a Love Story

Author: Rachel Schurig

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Emily Donovan doesn’t have a romantic bone in her body.

At least, that’s what her friends Ryan and Ashley keep telling her. They’re convinced her bad luck with men is directly related to her life-long lack of interest in all things romantic. When Emily’s latest relationship crashes and burns, she decides to go along with her friends’ plans for a romance research project. Sure, the idea that she’ll have better luck if she learns about the great romances of literature and film seems a little silly, but Emily figures it can’t hurt.

In no time at all, Emily finds herself buried under a mountain of romance novels, chick flicks, and sappy love songs, hopeful that her hard work will pay off with true love. When she meets Greg, Ashley and Ryan are convinced she’s found prince charming—after all, he’s rich, handsome, and totally into Emily. What more could she want? And why does it seem that her friend Elliot isn’t exactly happy for her?

Faced with misunderstandings, miscommunications, and a seemingly endless string of missteps, she is nevertheless determined to give true love a try. In doing so, Emily will eventually find that true romance, the kind that lasts, has little to do with stereotypes or clichés, and everything to do with finding out what’s in her own heart.

This is book #1 of the Love Story series. Don’t miss the sequel, An Unexpected Love Story, out in December 2012!

Title: Totlandia, Book 1

Author: Josie Brown

Received: From Aimee @ Colioquy

Synopsis: The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city’s ultra-competitive elite, the club’s ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize.

But not everyone is PHM&TC material. The club’s founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules: Moms only. No single parents or working mothers allowed. Membership is an arduous commitment. And there’s no room in the club for scandal, bad behavior, or imperfection…from tots or their moms.

In a world of power and prestige, no one has more than Bettina. And as every mom in Pacific Heights knows, you simply cannot cross her. But this year’s admissions process is more rigorous than ever, pitting prospective members against each other to prove their mettle.

But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs… just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club.

Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames?

This is the first of four books that follow our heroines during “the Onesies,” their inaugural year in the club. Upcoming books—to be released in four episodes each year—will follow subsequent years: the Twosies, Threesies, Foursies, and Fivesies.

Friendship. Lies. Seduction. Betrayal. Welcome to Totlandia.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Tragedy Paper

Author: Elizabeth Laban

Received: Emily @ Engel Man & Co

Synopsis: Perfect for fans of Thirteen Reasons Why and Looking for Alaska, The Tragedy Paper has been called “a beguiling and beautifully written tale of first love and heartbreak,” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner.

It follows the story of Tim Macbeth, a seventeen-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is “Enter here to be and find a friend.” A friend is the last thing Tim expects or wants—he just hopes to get through his senior year unnoticed. Yet, despite his efforts to blend into the background, he finds himself falling for the quintessential “It” girl, Vanessa Sheller, girlfriend of Irving’s most popular boy. To Tim’s surprise, Vanessa is into him, too, but she can kiss her social status goodbye if anyone ever finds out. Tim and Vanessa begin a clandestine romance, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

Jumping between viewpoints of the love-struck Tim and Duncan, a current senior about to uncover the truth of Tim and Vanessa, The Tragedy Paper is a compelling tale of forbidden love and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets.

Title: Goodnight, Brian

Author: Steven Manchester

Received: Lou @ Story Plant

Synopsis: Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino – who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, GOODNIGHT, BRIAN is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.

December 2, 2012
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Beauty Review: Bed Head Control Freak Serum
Chick Lit Plus

Beauty Review: Bed Head Control Freak Serum

Yes, yes, frizzy hair, blah, blah, blah. I feel like when I start each beauty review that has to do with hair I state that I am a frizz-ball. A new product I have tried recently is from the Bed Head line. A girlfriend uses many of these products and swears by them, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I picked up the Control Freak serum. My first thought – this is a fairly inexpensive bottle when you realize how much product you are getting. I have been using this a few times a week for about two months now, and it looks like I’ve barely put a dent in it. My second thought – I really like this serum. It works best for me straight out of the shower and before I blow dry. The frizz is decreased and my hair is shiny, which is clearly fab. I’ve tried this before on dry hair (as instructions say can use on wet or dry hair) and the result is not as fab. It mostly just feels like glop in my hair and does not look good at all. This is one I would recommend for wet hair – and I like the smell too!
[Rating: 4]

December 1, 2012
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30 Day Shred Challenge: One Week Left
Health & Fitness

30 Day Shred Challenge: One Week Left

I am just about finished with Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred Challenge! Friday will mark Day 30, as I have yet to miss a day since November 1. As I write this, I am sitting at my fiancé’s parent’s house, where we have been staying the past three days for the Thanksgiving holiday. I was worried that I would have to miss a day (or two or three) because of our schedule, but I lugged home the DVD and weights with me and have completed the workout in the mornings. It makes me proud to say that I am so dedicated to something, and my body really is seeing changes. I have lost another half inch on my hips, and my abs have some serious definition. I have also noticed stronger-looking arms and shoulders. I don’t think I will make it to Level 3 in this 30 days, but hopefully the second time I give this challenge a go I will be able to. I’m looking forward to seeing my measurements at Day 30, and can definitely appreciate the sculpted body that has come from all the hard work. I am so super happy I purchased this DVD!

November 25, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of November 25
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of November 25

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Skinnytinis

Author: Teresa Marie Howes

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: More than 70 ways to enjoy cocktail hour–without worrying about the calories

For people watching their weight, enjoying the occasional cocktail can be a problem, since the average mixed drink contains over 300 calories. Now Teresa Howes comes to the rescue with scores of cocktail recipes that average only 142 calories each–but have the same great flavor and alcohol content as their full-calorie counterparts. From a Skinny Appletini and a Skinny Cosmopolitan to a Skinny Mojito and a Skinny Margarita, these guilt-free drinks feature low-sugar or sugar-free mixers, fresh fruit, and other clever ways to cut the calories. With 39 beautiful color photographs plus a section on diet-friendly drinks people can order at a bar or restaurant, SkinnyTinis is a must-have guide for weight-conscious social drinkers everywhere.

Title: A Girls Guide to Fairytales

Author: Laurey Buckland

Received: From Laurey Buckland

Synopsis: For daydreamer Maddie, obsessive compulsive Clare, over dramatic Isobel and happy-go-lucky Sophie, life is more a world of tragic than magic. For Maddie it’s a constant battle against the monotony of a job she hates while her heart aches to be somewhere else, for Clare it’s a perpetual struggle to vanquish her teenage insecurities and to see herself for the woman she really is, for Isobel it’s a refusal to reveal her true self for fear it’s not what everyone imagined her to be and for Sophie it’s a willingness to believe in a rumour that threatens to poison her perfect relationship.

But with the love and support of their friends and a little bit of luck, the girls soon realise that happy ever afters are not just reserved for fairy tale fiction – as long as they start believing in them.

Title: Married by Christmas

Author: Scarlett Bailey

Received: Unsolicited

Synopsis: All she wants is a perfect Christmas Eve wedding…

It’s been on Anna’s wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she’d ever experienced.

But now – only two weeks before her big day – her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell…

Only nothing’s going to stop Anna’s plans – not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Torn Together

Author: Emlyn Chand

Received: Emlyn @ Evolved Publishing

Synopsis: Evolved Publishing presents “Torn Together” by Emlyn Chand, a story about one woman’s search for love and acceptance, her troubled relationship with her mother, and her desperate desire to find the happiness for which she’s always yearned. LITERARY/WOMEN’S FICTION. ~~~~~ From her cheating boyfriend to her dead father and cold, judgmental mother, Daly knows she can’t trust others to be there when it counts. This cynicism begins to melt away when she meets Kashi, a light-hearted charmer from India, who decides he cares too much to let her fade into the background of her own life. After a series of false starts, their quirky romance carries them to India, where Daly must win the approval of Kashi’s family in order to seal their “forever.” Meanwhile, Laine struggles to cope with the pain of early widowhood, fleeing into the pages of her well-worn library and emerging only to perform her duties as a social worker at the crisis pregnancy center. Although her daughter wants nothing more than to work as an artist, Laine doesn’t know how to redirect Daly to a more suitable profession without further damaging their tenuous relationship. Can Laine look past her pain to learn from an unlikely mentor? Has Daly finally found someone whom she can trust? Will the women recognize their common bonds before the relationship is broken beyond repair? “Torn Together,” Emlyn Chand’s first sojourn into Literary/Women’s Fiction, illustrates how our similarities often drive us apart.

Title: Grace Unexpected

Author: Gale Martin

Received: Susan Ethridge @ Booktrope

Synopsis: This contemporary romantic comedy features thirty-something Grace Savage, who has slogged through crummy jobs and dead-end relationships with men who would rather go bald than say “I do”. In search of respite from her job, her mother, her humdrum life, she visits Shaker Village in New Hampshire. Instead of renewal, she’s unnerved to learn that Shaker men and women lived and worked side by side in complete celibacy.

When her longtime boyfriend dumps her instead of proposing, Grace avows the sexless Shaker ways. Resolved to stick to her new plan – dubbed the Shaker Plan – despite ovaries ticking like time bombs, she returns to her life in Pennsylvania. Almost immediately, she’s juggling two eligible bachelors: Addison, a young beat reporter; and True, a venerable anthropology professor. Both men have ample charms and soul mate potential to test her newfound Shaker-style self-control, and Grace appears to be on the fast track to a marriage proposal… until secrets revealed deliver a death rattle to the Shaker Plan.

Title: Married by Christmas

Author: Scarlett Bailey

Received: Unsolicited

Synopsis: All she wants is a perfect Christmas Eve wedding…

It’s been on Anna’s wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she’d ever experienced.

But now – only two weeks before her big day – her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell…

Only nothing’s going to stop Anna’s plans – not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

November 25, 2012
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30 Day Shred Challenge: Halfway Through
Health & Fitness

30 Day Shred Challenge: Halfway Through

I am just over the halfway point in the Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred Challenge. I moved up to Level 2 on Day 11, and my thought plan was to move to Level 3 after another 10 days. I do not think that will happen. Level 2 is hard. And I mean hard. It makes Level 1 look like I was napping during the workout. I’m afraid of Level 3. I was trying to explain to my fiancé why I thought it was so much harder, and I believe I figured it out. With Level 1, cardio was cardio – jumping jacks, jump rope, etc. Abs were abs – crunches. With Level 2, cardio is a mixture of cardio and abs or cardio and strength. Abs are also a mixture of the two. There are also a lot of plank moves, which are killers! There are plenty of exercises where I need to follow the beginner moves. When I would finish Level 1, I felt good and worked out, but when I finish Level 2 I feel like death. I don’t want to move on until I am able to complete the more challenging moves, and be able to finish the level strong. Looks like probably in this 30 days I will stay with Level 2, but hopefully when I try this again (I’m thinking maybe February) I can move up!

November 18, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of November 18
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of November 18

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Mad World: Epidemic

Author: Samaire Provost

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: The Black Plague is ancient history. It killed 100 million people nearly seven centuries ago, halfway around the world from the technologically advanced research center at Stanford University. Scientists there have recently begun examining samples of bone marrow from plague-infected corpses unearthed in Europe. All the necessary safeguards are in place. What could go wrong? Alyssa and Jake are away with their class on a highly anticipated year-end trip to Broadway with their senior acting class when all hell breaks loose at home. Traveling back, and trying to find their families, they encounter deadly results. Riots are breaking out. People are being evacuated. And they have no idea what’s happening to their families. Horrific ordeals, heart-pounding tragedy, and chance encounters harden them for what lies ahead. Faced with tormenting decisions, they’re forced to follow their instinct for survival at any cost – even when the cost is a heart-wrenching decision of life or death. A harrowing adventure of frightening discoveries, horrifying confrontations and narrow escapes in Epidemic, the first installment of the Mad World series. Find out what’s got everyone so terrified.

Title: Holding On

Author: Karen Stivali

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: When you have everything you’ve ever dreamed of, the hard part is Holding On.

British NYU professor Daniel Gardner thinks life can’t get better than the day his three-year-old stepdaughter, Ella, calls him Daddy for the first time. Then his wife Marienne tells him she’s pregnant. Daniel is thrilled, but worried about Marienne’s health. Not wanting to cause her stress he turns to writing to calm his nerves. He pens a screenplay, thinking it’s nothing more than a mental health exercise, but when a colleague reads it and hands it to a producer, it turns into a production contract. Daniel accepts the offer and transfers to a teaching position at Dartmouth, hoping that small town living and a shorter commute will simplify his life.

As he attempts to juggle his new responsibilities he gets an unexpected letter from Roger, the father he never knew. For the first time since they met, Daniel and Marienne are at odds; she wants him to give Roger a chance but Daniel wants nothing to do with the man he thinks abandoned his mother. As Daniel and Marienne struggle they must contend with interference from Daniel’s sexy ex-wife, who appears to want him back, and a handsome, all-too-helpful single dad who desires Marienne as more than a play-date pal. They must both confront deep-seated issues with trust and acceptance if they’re going to find a way to make their marriage work and hold on to the love they share.

Title: Mistletoe in Manhattan

Author: Talli Roland

Received: Via Talli Roland

Synopsis: As Little Missington’s first Christmas baby in fifty years and the daughter of ‘Christmas When You Like It’ party-planners, Holly West has been surrounded by the holiday spirit since birth. Trouble is, she’s not exactly filled with festive cheer. In fact, Holly can’t wait to ditch the tinsel and Santa suits for champagne and celebs, and become a party-planner to the stars.

When British film star Dean Layton hires her parents’ company to throw his holiday bash in Manhattan, Holly jumps at the chance to help, confident she can handle a little Christmas in exchange for access to Dean’s exclusive world.

But New York and Dean’s over-the-top demands are more than Holly bargained for. Can Holly deck the halls and make it a party to be proud of, or will this Christmas be one she’ll never forget . . . even if she wants to?

Note: Mistletoe in Manhattan is a novella.

Title: The Art Forger

Author: B.A. Shapiro

Received: Via SheReads

Synopsis: On March 18, 1990, thirteen works of art worth today over $500 million were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. It remains the largest unsolved art heist in history, and Claire Roth, a struggling young artist, is about to discover that there’s more to this crime than meets the eye.

Claire makes her living reproducing famous works of art for a popular online retailer. Desperate to improve her situation, she lets herself be lured into a Faustian bargain with Aiden Markel, a powerful gallery owner. She agrees to forge a painting—one of the Degas masterpieces stolen from the Gardner Museum—in exchange for a one-woman show in his renowned gallery. But when the long-missing Degas painting—the one that had been hanging for one hundred years at the Gardner—is delivered to Claire’s studio, she begins to suspect that it may itself be a forgery.

Claire’s search for the truth about the painting’s origins leads her into a labyrinth of deceit where secrets hidden since the late nineteenth century may be the only evidence that can now save her life. B. A. Shapiro’s razor-sharp writing and rich plot twists make The Art Forger an absorbing literary thriller that treats us to three centuries of forgers, art thieves, and obsessive collectors. it’s a dazzling novel about seeing—and not seeing—the secrets that lie beneath the canvas.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: The Bracelet

Author: Roberta Gately

Received: Roberta Gately

Synopsis: Newly heartbroken and searching for purpose in her life, Abby Monroe is determined to make her mark as a UN worker in one of the world’s most unstable cities: Peshawar, Pakistan. But after witnessing the brutal murder of a woman thrown from a building, she is haunted by the memory of an intricate and sparkling bracelet that adorned the victim’s wrist.

At a local women’s shelter, Abby meets former sex slaves who have miraculously escaped their captors. As she gains the girls’ trust and documents their horrifying accounts of unspeakable pain and betrayal, she joins forces with a dashing New York Times reporter who believes he can incriminate the shadowy leader of the vicious human trafficking ring. Inspired by the women’s remarkable bravery—and the mysterious reappearance of the bracelet— the duo traces evidence that spreads from remote villages of South Asia to the most powerful corners of the West, risking their lives to offer a voice to the countless innocents in bondage.

Title: Up Close

Author: Henriette Gyland

Received: Jane @ Choc Lit

Synopsis: When Dr. Lia Thompson’s grandmother dies unexpectedly, Lia is horrified to have to leave her life in America and return to a cold and creaky house in Norfolk. But as events unfold, she can’t help feeling that there is more to her grandmother’s death than meets the eye.

Too close for comfort…

Aidan Morrell is surprised to see Lia, his teenage crush, back in town. But Aidan’s accident when serving in the navy has scarred him in more ways than one, and he has other secrets which must stay hidden at all costs, even from Lia.

As Lia comes closer to uncovering the truth, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew. In a world of increasing danger, is Aidan someone she can trust?

November 18, 2012
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Drink Healthy: Dole Smoothie Shaker Review
Chick Lit Plus

Drink Healthy: Dole Smoothie Shaker Review

I am a big fan of smoothies, but sometimes I am not a fan of how long it takes (or how loud the blender is in the morning!) to make them. I decided to try Dole Smoothie Shakers, as it is basically a ready-set-drink smoothie. I did double check to make sure I wasn’t going backwards in the health department, as can be the case with some pre-made items. Dole’s website said “each 11 oz serving (prepared with 7oz of Juice) is under 200 calories, low in fat and trans fat-free.” Sounded good to me! I tried the Strawberry Banana first and mixed it with orange juice. I did like the smoothie, except the only thing I found was it was hard to get everything mixed properly. There were still some frozen fruit parts at the bottom that didn’t get mixed in when I was shaking it up. The smoothie was a bit chunky for me, but again I think that comes from the mixing part. I also wished I had a straw handy with me when I drank mine, but that might just be a personal preference. Overall I do like these smoothies and I know that it does save me time and hassle (washing blenders – ugh) but I haven’t seemed to master yet how to mix everything up, so sometimes I feel wasteful when I get to the end.
[Rating: 3.5]

November 17, 2012
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Beauty Review: Suave Keratin Infusion Smoothing Conditoner
Chick Lit Plus

Beauty Review: Suave Keratin Infusion Smoothing Conditoner

Yes, yes, I have frizzy hair. You guys hear me moan and complain and buy products for it all the time. Well, I have a new product to review today, and it’s from Suave! I thought since my man Clay Matthews uses it, I might as well give it a whirl. (Well, just the regular Suave – and the For Men stuff, but you get my drift.) So I purchased a bottle of their Keratin Infusion Smoothing Conditioner. I have heard a lot of about Keratin treatments at salons, but they are pricey and the bottle of this conditioner was only $5, so I decided to start small. My results? I do enjoy this product. When I first used it, I got out of the shower, sprayed detangler through my hair, then a daily treatment I add after showers, then a straightening agent. My hair felt incredibly weighted down and just gross. The second time I used it I put on only the detangler after getting out of the shower. Much better! My hair felt light, and after I blow-dried and straightened, my hair was almost totally frizz-free and looked shiny and healthy. I was very impressed! I will say that the conditioner doesn’t smell the best, definitely more chemical-y than yummy, but I think it works! I usually only use it once a week (towards the weekends) because I also noticed when I use it multiple times in a row my hair can get that limp, weighted down feeling.
[Rating: 4]

November 15, 2012
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Cleaning My Yoga Mat
Chick Lit Plus

Cleaning My Yoga Mat

I have been practicing Yoga for many years, and about two years ago my fiancé bought me my own pink Yoga mat. It was going great – until I was in downward facing dog and got a whiff of my mat – holy feet stench! I had never thought about cleaning my mat – duh! I researched around for a while on the best way to get rid of the stinky feet smell on Yoga mats, and this is what I have been using: dish soap and water. Pretty darn simple! I use about a tablespoon of whatever dish soap I have in the house, and mix that in with full spray bottle of tap water. I spray the mat and then wipe it down with a sponge and it’s as good as new! Does anyone else have a different remedy for their Yoga mat?

November 13, 2012
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