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Book Review: Walking with Elephants by Karen S. Bell
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Walking with Elephants by Karen S. Bell

I received a copy of Walking With Elephants by Karen S. Bell in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

Suze Hall is at a crossroads. Her nemesis at work, Wanda, has been promoted and now will be her boss. Her husband, Bob, is leaving her and the three kids for a six-month sabbatical down under. To top it off, her best friend, Marcia, is missing in action—playing footsie with some new boyfriend!

Adding to this disaster stew, David, the gorgeous hunk who broke her young-girl’s heart has coincidentally popped back into her life and has something she desperately needs to keep her job.

Walking with Elephants, a lighthearted slice-of- life story, brings to the table the serious work/family issues facing women today. It explores the modern dichotomy of a workplace that is filled with homemakers who still must cook, clean, carpool on nights and weekends, shop for prom dresses, and “create” the holidays—such as Suze. But it also is filled with women who have the same drive as men, have no family responsibilities, and will do what ever it takes to get ahead.

So step into the shoes of Suze Hall and commiserate over workplace politics, titillate your sexual fantasies, ride the wave of a working mother, and fall-down laughing.

My Thoughts:

I really, really enjoyed this book and found the story very relatable and thought it was literally just like something that would happen to one of my girlfriends. Suze is a really great literary character that I was instantly drawn to and I really enjoyed watching her tackle every day tasks. Karen speaks from the heart and it is easy to see why so many people enjoy this book and why it is so highly rated on Amazon. If you are looking for a quick, light and enjoyable read, then this one is for you.
Rating: 4 stars

June 14, 2013
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Book Review: The Time Between by Karen White
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Time Between by Karen White

I received a copy of The Time Between by Karen White in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Eleanor Murray will always remember her childhood on Edisto Island, where her late father, a local shrimper, shared her passion for music. Now her memories of him are all that tempers the guilt she feels over the accident that put her sister in a wheelchair—and the feelings she harbors for her sister’s husband.

To help support her sister, Eleanor works at a Charleston investment firm during the day, but she escapes into her music, playing piano at a neighborhood bar. Until the night her enigmatic boss walks in and offers her a part-time job caring for his elderly aunt, Helena, back on Edisto. For Eleanor, it’s a chance to revisit the place where she was her happiest—and to share her love of music with grieving Helena, whose sister recently died under mysterious circumstances.

An island lush with sweetgrass and salt marshes, Edisto has been a peaceful refuge for Helena, who escaped with her sister from war-torn Hungary in 1944. The sisters were well-known on the island, where they volunteered in their church and community. But now Eleanor will finally learn the truth about their past: secrets that will help heal her relationship with her own sister—and set Eleanor free….
Review:
I highly enjoy and often recommend White’s titles because they bring that element I gush about so much – entwining the past and present. This book does exactly that, and also will give readers a history lesson; never a bad thing! The relationship between both set of sisters in this book is intriguing to read about. Since both sisters are alive and we can get both POV’s I was drawn more to Eleanor and Eve’s situation. It’s difficult to imagine the guilt that both sisters carried and for how many years they clung to it. Something that kept sticking out to me though while reading was a niggling feeling that I had already read this story, or else one extremely parallel to it. I’m not sure if I’m thinking of a past White title that involves sisters or a different author, but I kept finding it challenging to submerse myself into the book because of that. Still a solid read though, and I would continue to recommend her books!
4 stars

June 14, 2013
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Book Review: Tattered Innocence by Ann Lee Miller
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Tattered Innocence by Ann Lee Miller

I received a copy of Tattered Innocence by Ann Lee Miller in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

A tale of passions indulged, denied, and ultimately forgiven:

On the verge of bagging the two things he wants most—a sailing charter business and marrying old money—Jake Murray’s fiancée/sole crew member dumps him. Salvation comes in the form of dyslexic, basketball toting Rachel Martin, the only one to apply for the first mate position he slapped on craigslist.

On a dead run from an affair with a married man, Rachel’s salvation is shoving ocean between her and temptation.

Rapid fire dialogue and romantic tension sail Jake’s biker-chick of a boat through hurricanes, real and figurative. A cast of wannabe sailors, Rachel’s ex, Jake’s, a baby—go along for the ride.

The many-layered story weaves together disparate strands into a seamless cord. Mother and daughter look eerily alike—down to their lusts. Their symbiotic bond, forged in the blood of childbirth on the kitchen floor and cemented by their secrets, must be cracked open. A son must go home. Sin must be expunged.

Tattered Innocence is for anyone who’s ever woken up sealed in a fifty-gallon drum of their guilt.

My Thoughts:

Over the past year, I have become a big fan of Miller and her writing, and this book is no exception. In short, this book is about forgiveness and I absolutely loved the way the story conveyed such a powerful message to the reader. Jake is a torn character and I really enjoyed watching him grow and come to. This story is layered and complex and definitely isn’t as simple as you might imagine while reading the synopsis. I thoroughly enjoyed it and really appreciated the value of forgiveness that it conveys, especially because it is not only an aspect applied to others but to ourselves as well. Overall, very well done! I can’t wait to see what Ann Lee Miller comes out with next!
Rating: 4 stars

June 13, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Eleusis by Genevieve Fairbrother
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Eleusis by Genevieve Fairbrother

Genevieve Fairbrother is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Eleusis
Summary:
Macy needs a break to sort out her life. Her parents are dead and now a moody trespasser has set up camp on the property she has inherited. When the stranger confesses himself to be an ageless sea-god and tells Macy she has been guarding a secret she never knew existed, her simple life takes a drastic turn. Just when she thinks it can’t get any stranger, a back door to the Underworld opens up and it’s time to run like hell.

This fast-paced adventure romance novel explodes as the dark forces tracking Macy surface to capture her. In the transatlantic chase that follows, she learns of her forgotten past and an ancient connection to the sea-god who helps her escape.

As events challenge Macy, she must come to grips with her past, determine what she wants in life, and become a force in her own right. Family betrayal, sinister plot twists, and unlikely friends fill this exhilarating story of one woman’s journey to forge her own path as she learns her true identity.

She soon realizes that to gain real freedom and become legend, she must reject her assigned place in history and risk everything in the process.
Review:
I like stories that seem unique and original, and that is why I was drawn to Eleusis. Clearly there is a lot of plot points and story to work through, and I think if you read this book with an open mind you can really enjoy it. There are some beautiful descriptions in the book, along with an interesting love story, a fantasy twist, and a strong heroine with a chance to be a legend. Sometimes the dialogue was a bit choppy almost and there were parts I had to re-read to make sure I was understanding everything, but intriguing concept for a book overall!
4 stars

June 13, 2013
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Book Review: The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty

I received a copy of The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Liane Moriarty in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Ellen O’Farrell is an expert when it comes to human frailties. She’s a hypnotherapist who helps her clients deal with everything from addictions to life-long phobias. So when she falls in love with a man who is being stalked by his ex-girlfriend she’s more intrigued than frightened. What makes a supposedly smart, professional woman behave this way? She’d love to meet her!

What she doesn’t know is that she already has. Saskia has been masquerading as a client, and their lives are set to collide in ways Ellen could never have predicted.

This wonderfully perceptive new novel from Liane Moriarty is about the lines we’ll cross for love. It’s about the murky areas between right and wrong, and the complexities of modern relationships.
Review:
I was really intrigued by the synopsis of this book, and I’m happy to report that I wasn’t disappointed by the story. I liked learning about hypnosis, as I know a few people who have done it for reasons as to stop over-eating and quit smoking, that sort of thing. It was really the dynamics between the characters that made this book hard to put down. Saskia was truly fascinating to read about, as you are never quite sure what she will scheme up next. I think this is a unique storyline, and one that people could really enjoy!
4 stars

June 12, 2013
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Book Review: The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller

I received a copy of The Love Wars by L. Alison Heller in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Breaking up is hard to do. At least the first few times.

Even though Molly Grant has only a handful of relationships behind her, she’s already been through more divorces than she can count.

At the premier Manhattan law firm where she’s a matrimonial attorney, the hours are long, the bosses tyrannical, and the bonuses stratospheric. Her clients are rich, famous, and used to getting their way. Molly’s job—and primary concern in life—is to work as hard as possible to make sure they do. Until she meets the client who changes everything….

Fern Walker is the desperate former wife of a ruthless media mogul. Her powerful ex is slowly pushing her out of her young children’s lives, and she fears losing them forever. Molly—haunted by an incident from her own past—finds herself unable to walk away from Fern and sets out to help her. She just needs to do it without her bosses finding out.

Now, as complications both professional and personal stack up, Molly can only hope that her own wits, heart, and instincts are enough—both in and out of court.
Review:
What an incredible book! I love a smart chick lit book, and I think that is just what The Love Wars is. Molly Grant is a strong heroine, and her story was a blast to follow. It was interesting how much I learned from the book, mainly about law and the processes that go on during a divorce and the dynamics of a law firm. There’s a bit of romance thrown in between the pages, but that is not the focal part of the story, and I really enjoyed that. I zipped through this book in just over a day, and had to keep tweeting the author to let her know how much I was loving it. Another favorite to add to the list!
5 stars

June 12, 2013
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Book Review: Love Rehab by Jo Piazza
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Love Rehab by Jo Piazza

I received a copy of Love Rehab: A Novel in Twelve Steps in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Cyber-stalking, drive-bys, drunken text messaging, creating fake email accounts . . . gonna have to face it, you’re addicted to love.Sophie isn’t dealing with her breakup well.Dumped by her boyfriend, Eric, for his sexting, D-cupped, twenty-three-year-old Floozy McSecretary, Sophie lands back in her hometown, crushed and pajama-bound, blaming herself and begging her ex for a second chance. When her best friend, Annie, gets in trouble for driving drunk and is forced to go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, something clicks in Sophie’s strung-out mind. Women need rehab, love rehab, she realizes, to fix the craziness that comes along with falling for someone.If you start it, they will come. When Sophie opens up her home to the obsessed and lovelorn, she finds a way to help every woman out there who’s overdosed on the wrong man—and she saves herself in the process.Love is a drug and the only things that can save us are the steps, rules, and one another. Step one: Admit you have a problem, and keep the hell away from Facebook.
Review:
I was totally engrossed from start to finish! Love Rehab had some very believable, hilarious scenarios of heartbroken women doing things that I’m sure have been done in reality. I laughed out loud in the middle of the night since I couldn’t put the book down. There were situations that I could relate to and all of the characters were likeable, even Dave. This book is for anyone who has been wronged, dumped, cheated on, or had an addiction. Virtually everyone can relate to the problems of the lovely women of LAA. The concept of very different women living together and helping each other to heal and stay strong was nice.
There were terms in the book that I had never heard before that I found amusing.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good laugh or to know that they are not alone when it comes to needing love, feeling insecure and stalking an ex on social media sites!
5 stars.

June 11, 2013
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Book Review: Ctrl Z by Danika Stone
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Ctrl Z by Danika Stone

I received a copy of Ctrl Z by Danika Stone in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Indigo Sykes has spent years trying to forget where she came from. She has a degree, a new life, and a quiet existence. Everything she ever wanted… But all of this comes to a screeching halt when an unexpected meeting with computer hacker, Jude Alden, changes her plans. Romance blooms between the mismatched duo, even while entanglements from Indigo’s past threaten to pull the two of them apart.

Dogged by a history of running, Indigo’s hard-won security is shattered when Jude’s illegal activity drags both of them into a dangerous game. As the net of hacking and underworld crime tightens around Jude and Indigo’s dark history is exposed, the two of them must find a way out or risk bringing the consequences down on them both.
Review:
I was a little worried when I first started this book because I didn’t seem to be following the plot in the beginning. There’s a lot going on, a lot of lingo, and honestly…a lot of odd names to learn. But I’m so glad I stuck with it, because after about the fourth chapter I wasn’t able to put it down! It becomes extremely fast-paced, the mob plot-line had me chatting to my fiancé like I was a part of the organized crime, and the ending was awesome. There’s romance and mystery and intrigue and murder, and Ctrl Z was just so much fun to read. I definitely recommend to those who enjoy romantic suspense novels!
4.5 stars

June 11, 2013
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Book Review: Fire Country by David Estes
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Fire Country by David Estes

Summary:
In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer’s even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life’s hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

Review:
I really enjoyed this novel. It is the first David Estes’s novel that I have ever read, and I’m certainly glad that I started with it.
Siena’s character was very inspiring. She has the same insecurity in her appearance and abilities that most of us felt (and still feel!) as teenagers despite the futuristic wasteland setting. Her scrawny gawkiness makes her relatable while her fierce strength in the face of an abusive father makes her endearing. The love relationship with her best friend, Circ, is sweet and touching although I was a little frustrated that she couldn’t see how much he cared until it was nearly too late.

The novel might be a little long for young adult readers who aren’t already addicted to sci-fi, but the story is so engaging and action-packed, the pages fly by!

Five stars

June 10, 2013
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