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Girl in a Spin by Clodagh Murphy
Chick Lit Review

Girl in a Spin by Clodagh Murphy

Girl in a Spin, the second novel from Irish author Clodagh Murphy is out the park good. This story has romance and betrayal, politics and scandal, and a delightful heroine who will not give up on love. I know some chick lit fans are wondering about the “politics” word I used, which isn’t so common for chick lit novels. Jenny Hannigan, the good-hearted and optimistic main character, falls for Richard Allam, a recently separated politician. Jenny thinks she has found true love with Richard. He is the complete package- charming, successful, wealthy- but Jenny also believes Richard has a kind heart and loves her back. When Richard’s publicist Dev Tennant gets involved for Richard’s upcoming election, his job is to “spin” Jenny into someone the public can support- the perfect politician wife. But while Jenny has a slightly wild past, Dev’s job turns out to be harder than he imagined- but he still can’t stop himself for beginning to fall for his boss’s girlfriend. While Jenny finds herself attracted to Dev, she remains loyal to Richard- until Richard’s real motives for leaving his wife are brought to light.
I think the main reason that I loved Girl in a Spin so much is because of Jenny’s character. She actually reminded me a lot of myself, which was fun to notice, but also because she is so darn loveable. I loved her optimism. Even though she came from a tough background and supported herself most of her life, she never gave up on thinking she could get a happy ending. Even though a lot of the book covered political topics- campaigns, speeches, appearances- I was never confused or bogged down by the political references. And the hilarity in many of the scenes! Jenny has quite an unconventional background, complete with a few stalkers that make for some laugh out loud lines, and Murphy does a spot-on job at mixing humor and more serious topics. I thought the politics and the scandal that goes along with Richard and his divorce is (unfortunately) quite a common occurrence nowadays, and that really kept me invested in the story. I liked how readers are able to get into different characters minds- from Jenny all the way to Richard’s estranged wife, Julie. I was hooked until the very last page, and Girl in a Spin will definitely be making it on my Favorites List!
[Rating: 5]

June 1, 2011
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Wherever Grace is Needed by Elizabeth Bass
Chick Lit Review

Wherever Grace is Needed by Elizabeth Bass

Wherever Grace is Needed by Elizabeth Bass isn’t a chick lit novel, but this story definitely won me over and deserves a five star review. The story centers around two very different families, neighbors living in Austin, Texas. Grace Oliver leaves behind her house, boyfriend, and business in Portland for a few weeks to help her father recuperate from a car accident. Grace loved her life in Texas, her father and her older half-brothers, but moved to Portland with her mother after the divorce. Feeling unsettled with her life, she jumps at the chance to go back to Austin. But while there, doctors discover that Lou, Grace’s father and usually a sharp as a tack retired college professor, is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. The family is devastated by the news, and the diagnosis opens up a lot more questions on caring for Lou, his house, and his possessions.
The family next door to the Oliver’s are suffering from their own tragedy. Ray West and his three young children are trying to cope with the loss of a mother and young daughter. While Ray moves around like a zombie, not sure how to get past grieving for his dead wife, his children suffer from being left on there own. Especially Jordan, who feels guilty for the accident that left her mother and twin sister dead. Grace realizes that the family needs help, and the children need their father back. She becomes a support system for the children, and eventually Ray as well, and tries to help the healing process after such a loss.
I thought Wherever Grace is Needed was an incredibly touching story. Even though most of the book is filled with sad topics, I thought it was more uplifting and inspirational than making me want to cry throughout. Grace’s character is one who wants to help everyone, but at the same time she is trying to bury her own problems beneath the surface. That made her very real while reading the story, and all the supporting characters were phenomenal. Even though there were quite a few, Grace’s family, the West family, the other neighbors in Austin, etc., I never felt overwhelmed by all the lives I was keeping track of, which can happen with large casts. The writing flowed smoothly along, pushing me deeper into their lives instead of making me pull away in frustration. There are great lessons about family, loss, friendships, and love, and I wish I could find more words to praise this beautiful story. Five stars from me and advice to put this on your to-read list.
[Rating: 5]

May 30, 2011
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The UnTied Kingdom by Kate Johnson
Chick Lit Review

The UnTied Kingdom by Kate Johnson

Eve Carpenter has a tarnished reputation in the public eye, a mother that ran off with all her money, debts to the tax man the she could never pay, and is working a dead end job. She didn’t think things could get much worse- until she falls through a hole that leads her into a parallel universe- where England is definitely not the England she knows. Practically no landline telephones- forget cell phones. No one knows what a computer is. Princess Diana is still alive. Eve doesn’t know what happened to her, but she needs to figure out a story, and quick. People think Eve is a spy, and they aren’t afraid to get rid of her- by killing her. She finds out that there is a civil war taking place, and she has luckily fallen in with the good guys- including Major Harker. Harker is dealing with his own set of baggage- including a divorce- and doesn’t take to Eve right away. But when a mission involving a mysterious technological gadget- a computer- is called for, Eve must go along for the ride. From there, Harker and Eve develop an awkward type of romance, since these two people are from very different worlds. But is Eve destined to stay in her new world? Or go back to her real life and leave Harker forever?
The UnTied Kingdom by Kate Johnson is a very unique and complex story. The synopsis was hard to decipher, and even harder to write one of my own for the above paragraph. If it confuses you, I say still go for it. I’m glad I did. I was first confused when reading the story, because I thought Eve actually went back in time. She was comparing the hospital and all the scenes to a war zone, so I figured she had stumbled back in the past, but that is not correct. This is where the title comes into play- it is the “untied kingdom” instead of the United Kingdom, nice play on words there. Though the year is still the same as the one Eve came from, she landed in a world that was without the British Empire, only had one World War, and more events that left England in a very different state that what we know now. It was thrilling to think about what the world would be like if certain events in the past never happened, or if the outcomes were different. Johnson clearly has a wild imagination, and to be able to capture such an interesting take on what the world could have been takes talent. Besides the plot being highly engaging and quite thrilling, the characters are also gems in their own ways. Besides Eve and Harker, readers will meet more soldiers in depth when the group goes on their mission, and each will shine. I had a lot of fun reading this novel, but I will warn you to read carefully. If you skip over a paragraph, you could become confused. There is a lot going on, a lot of characters, and an intricate plot. I would have given this book five stars, but the ending was a little disappointing. I won’t give any spoilers, but I just didn’t feel the ending was very believable- it seemed just a bit too easy for the situation that was happening. I know the whole book has a time traveler/unbelievable feel to it, but to wrap everything up so neatly and quickly was a little bit of a downfall for me. Other than that, great book and a definite recommendation.
[Rating: 4]

May 27, 2011
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Reinventing Mona by Jennifer Coburn
Chick Lit Review

Reinventing Mona by Jennifer Coburn

Mona Warren is 31, has a great job and lots of money, but no family and no husband. She is tired of who she has become, someone just fading into the light, going from her day to day activities with no enthusiasm and no spark. She needs to change. She needs to be reinvented. She decides she needs a makeover, and that is easy enough. She exercises, whitens her teeth, straightens her hair and buys a new wardrobe. But she needs more. She needs…a man. Specifically, Adam Ziegler, her accountant and dream man. But since her last real boyfriend had been when she was in her teens and died tragically, she needs help. So she hires male chauvinist/magazine writer Mike “The Dog” Dougherty to help her become irresistible to Adam. His outrageous and female degrading ways actually seem to be working…but somehow, Mona stars to develop feeling for Mike! How could this level headed woman fall for such a man?
Reinventing Mona is the second novel I read from Jennifer Coburn. The first book I read, Tales From the Crib, had me looking forward to another go-around with this comedic author. Unfortunately for me though, I didn’t think this one lived up to what I imagined it would be. Something was just off all the way through. Mona was a nice enough character, but she was someone who supposedly didn’t have a life and didn’t have any idea on how to dress nice or have a real care about her appearance. But pretty quickly, she was dropping designer names and it just didn’t feel real to me. And the background she has was a little strange. Mona lived in commune for the first part of her life, with hippie parents and a terrible tragedy that took away her family. Interesting…but I really didn’t feel that it meshed with the other half of the story- trying to get a man. I think those aspects, combined with a really flat Adam character and way too over-the-top chauvinist turned good boy Mike, just didn’t interest me. The comedic chops that I felt were so on point in Tales weren’t happening in this book either. I think maybe Coburn was trying to fit too many points into one story, and they just didn’t flow well together. I will still keep reading from this author, just because I loved Tales so darn much. I thought the writing was still good in this book, just not the comedy so much, and overall I could recommend Reinventing Mona because the main character was likeable and nice lesson is learned in the end. And there are cute moments along the way, and I didn’t get bored while reading. It just sometimes was a little too unbelievable. While I will say this isn’t her best work, Jennifer Coburn is still an obviously talented writer, and I will read The Queen Gene, which picks up where Tales left off.
[Rating: 3]

May 25, 2011
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Here Home Hope by Kaira Rouda
Chick Lit Review

Here Home Hope by Kaira Rouda

Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda is a five star worthy read! I was in love with this novel, from the first page and the hilarious dentist office scene, to the last page where I felt I was left with life lessons, and all the scenes in between. The story centers around Kelly Mills Johnson, a suburban wife who has become bored as her fortieth birthday nears. Her husband, a successful and supportive attorney, has a thriving career and love for golf, and her two young sons are active and away at camp for the summer. This leaves Kelly drumming her fingers, trying to figure out how to overcome her midlife crisis. Her two best friends appear perfect to an outsider- wealthy husbands, interesting careers, and Kelly decides to try to be more like them. She decides to act on her passion for decorating, but before she can even get started, life intervenes with the appearance of her friend’s anorexic daughter. And an affair that shakes the neighborhood. And a friendship that is on the rocks. Kelly tries to tackle many subjects- her start up business, her family, her friends and their problems, and by doing so, realizes what the important things in life are.
I absolutely adored Here, Home, Hope. What I found interesting is that I completely connected with Kelly, even though I am nothing like her being in my twenties, not married and have no children. But I think that shows the strength of a great writer and character that they create- anyone can relate to them, no matter how far off they are from your real life. And I loved that Kelly’s husband was one of the good guys. I will admit that I was almost waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for him to be having an affair because that is often how the story goes these days, but he was faithful and supportive through it all. The Things to Change List that Kelly makes along the way was also really inspiring. I thought of a few changes that I could make myself, and I think readers will take a lot away from that. But what really got me with this novel is how empowering it was to read as a women. Kaira Rouda says on her website that she has a particular interest in empowering women and children, it showed through her writing. I closed her first novel feeling like I could do anything, and that is special. Here, Home, Hope is only the first in a series that center around Grandville, the fictional town where Kelly Mills Johnson and friends reside, and I know the others will all be must reads for me.
[Rating: 5]

May 24, 2011
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Tales From the Crib by Jennifer Coburn
Chick Lit Review

Tales From the Crib by Jennifer Coburn

Lucy Klein is a suburban wife, leaving in the, well, suburbs, with her lovely husband Jack. She is getting ready to make a big announcement at the dinner table- she is pregnant. Jack is getting ready to make his own big announcement- he wants a divorce. Jack goes first. Lucy is stunned. Though she knew her marriage wasn’t exactly rock solid, she still is surprised at the D-word, and the timing couldn’t be worse. But Jack devises a plan, a co-parenting plan. They would live under the same roof and raise the baby as friends. Yes, friends. Friends who would also bring their girlfriends home while Lucy lay alone in bed at night. Friends who let their girlfriends take her adorable little son to the park. Lucy is still determined to be a great mom, and give her son everything he should have- including time with his father. But can she balance the stress of motherhood and the delicate situation with Jack? Or will it prove too tough to handle?
I absolutely adored Tales From the Crib by Jennifer Coburn. And I will say that knowing I was about to read a book that covered mostly talk about babies, birth, and breast-feeding, I really wasn’t looking forward to it. I am not a mom myself, so I wasn’t sure I would be able to relate to Lucy’s character, but I was proved very wrong. Even though we didn’t have much in common, Lucy’s slightly off-kilter personality kept my attention and more importantly- kept me laughing. This book is super funny! I was reading it in my break room at work one day and burst into laughter at one particular point, causing everyone to look at me like I was crazy. The supporting characters, especially Lucy’s mom, bring their own comedy to the story. Overall, I thought this was a funny book, but also very eye-opening on motherhood and the trials new moms go through. I know I will remember some of the lessons Lucy learns along the way if my time should ever come to start a family. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from the very funny Jennifer Coburn.
[Rating: 4]

May 23, 2011
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Love Struck by Chantel Simmons
Chick Lit Review

Love Struck by Chantel Simmons

I highly enjoyed Canadian author Chantel Simmons’s debut novel Stuck In Downward Facing Dog, so when Chantel contacted me about her second novel, I had to accept! This story follows twenty-seven year old image consultant Poppy Ross. Poppy finds out that her loving husband, Parker, has been having an affair with a co-worker. Poppy is devastated, but unsure how to proceed next. Before she can get her thoughts together, she receives a phone call- from the mistress herself! Parker had been struck by lightening while the two were out together, and was in the hospital. Parker had suffered amnesia, and can’t remember that last three months- including the affair. Poppy finds the mistress in the hospital, and becomes determined to give herself a makeover to be just like her. She figures this is the only way to save her marriage. But as Poppy’s efforts keep proving to be more and more disastrous, she begins to think her marriage is quite possibly over.
I thought Love Struck was comical, humorous, funny…need I go on? The charades that Poppy put herself through to try to transform into Parker’s mistresses were hilarious- from the talon fake nails that kept falling off, the stripper stiletto shoes, and especially the scene in the spray tan booth- I could not help but laugh my way through this book. There was a serious matter beneath all the comedy- that Poppy’s husband had an affair. I didn’t like that instead of just asking Parker straight out, the best option she could think of was transforming herself into someone she wasn’t. But it took that to help Poppy see who she really was, and in the end, help improve her marriage. Though I did kind of see how the affair accusation would work out, I loved the happy ending. Another definite recommendation from Chantel Simmons.
[Rating: 4.5]

May 19, 2011
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The Midwife’s Confession by Diane Chamberlain
Chick Lit Review

The Midwife’s Confession by Diane Chamberlain

I love giving five stars, and the latest novel by Diane Chamberlain earns them all. The Midwife’s Confession is a tangled story of friendship and love, secrets and betrayal, and realistic characters that will make you cry while you see their story unfold. Tara, Emerson, and Noelle have been friends for years, but when Noelle commits suicide, leaving behind only an unfinished note, Tara and Emerson find out they might not have truly known their friend. The complex mystery that surrounds not only Noelle’s death, but Noelle’s life before her suicide drives the woman to put the pieces together. But when Noelle’s secrets are finally revealed, Tara and Emerson are in for a heart-wrenching discovery.
This novel was near impossible to put down. I loved trying to figure out the mystery alongside Tara and Emerson, and there were several occasions that I thought I had it all pieced together. I was never even close. The compelling drama indeed made me cry, and left me a bit unsettled at the end, but I loved it all the same. I know I said something similar in my review of Chamberlain’s The Lies We Told, but I was unsettled for a different reason. I don’t want to give a lot away here, but it was because there was a mystery surrounding Noelle and Tara’s deceased husband. The story was so good I had to call my mom immediately after I finished it to talk her ear off about it, then send her out my copy so she could read it as well. Again- all five stars are earned in The Midwife’s Confession.
[Rating: 5]

May 18, 2011
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Voices on the Waves by Jessica Chambers
Chick Lit Review

Voices on the Waves by Jessica Chambers

Faye Wakefield runs a competition at her beautiful farmhouse in Cornwall, offering a two-week vacation for nine lucky guests. The guests don’t know they are in a competition, they think they have just won a lucky stay, but Faye has another plan up her sleeve. As the days go by and the nine guests begin to know each other, Faye keeps a sharp eye out on them. Who will she pick as the winner of her mysterious competition? Patrick O’Leary- the Irishmen who can’t seem to stop drinking whisky? Sweet mannered Leah Shaw, who is hiding behind her own pain and keeping a big secret?
Voices on the Waves by Jessica Chambers is a unique story about a large amount of people all trying to find their way. Each character has their own background and story, and it was fascinating watching them all unfold throughout the pages. I felt a bond with all ten characters, which is hard to achieve, but somehow Chamber’s makes each of them shine in their own light. The ending had me tearing me up a bit, but I found this story to be touching and inspirational. I hope there might be another book in the works so readers can meet up with some of the cast again!
[Rating: 4]

May 11, 2011
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