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The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere
Chick Lit Review

The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere

The Christmas Journey by Donna VanLiere relieves the story of Mary and Joseph and their journey to Bethlehem. It is a very thin book, with water colorings by Michael Storrings. It took me about an hour to read, and I found it interesting to find a story that made Mary and Joseph seem very real. The emotions were evident, the journey was heartwarming, and I think readers can enjoy the story, even not around the holiday times. VanLiere makes Mary and Joseph very human in the modern world, and lets us remember what the Christmas spirit is all about.

January 30, 2011
2 Comments
How I Learned to Love the Walrus by Beth Orsoff
Chick Lit Review

How I Learned to Love the Walrus by Beth Orsoff

Los Angeles publicist Sydney Green needs to save her job. With a few recent flubs and a bitch in waiting to steal her clients, Sydney makes a desperate plea with her boss. She gets the go ahead to produce a documentary filmed in Alaska for the Save the Walrus Foundation. She figures she’ll head up to Alaska for a few weeks- a month tops, enjoy a vacation, save her job, and make her client/boyfriend look like a celebrity activist. Everyone wins. But when Sydney gets to Alaska and realizes it will be no vacation for her (sleeping in tents and no modern conveniences) she starts to doubt her project- and herself.
How I Learned to Love the Walrus by Beth Orsoff is a light chick lit novel. There are some funny scenes while Sydney is trying to survive in Alaska, and the romance between two characters can be captivating at times. Orsoff can definitely write, there is no question of that, but I wasn’t sure what the point of the story was. I never got invested in the characters or the plot, but I did laugh a few times. If you are looking for a light read, I would recommend How I Learned to Love the Walrus, but if you prefer books with a bit more substance, I would pass.
Rating: 3.5

January 26, 2011
4 Comments
The Hating Game by Talli Roland
Chick Lit Review

The Hating Game by Talli Roland

Mattie Johns can really only be described as a man-eater. She is no nonsense, in control, yet has a sense of vulnerability that is rarely on display. She let herself succumb to love once, and that bit her in the ass. Now she is focused solely on her business and trying not to go bankrupt. All thanks her no good cheating ex-boyfriend, who stole all her clients away from her. When Mattie is tapped to appear on a reality dating show, she thinks it could be her only chance to avoid financial disaster. The money being promised is enough to get through a few dates with some loser guys. But the tables are turned on Mattie when the contestants turn out not to be strangers, but four ex-boyfriends, all with a very different motive to being on the dating show.
The Hating Game by Talli Roland has romance and scandal, along with likeable characters and fast plot points. The reality TV spin calls for some hilarious twists as the producers of the show try to inject more drama among the contestants. I liked the main character and the fact she wasn’t whining and complaining throughout about her love life. Instead she was a tough chick, not letting her ruined romance get in the way of her business and success. My only dislike is that I just read a story similar to this one not that long ago- reality TV contestant set up with a bunch of ex-boyfriends. So it didn’t make this story real original, but it was still funny and entertaining to read.
Rating: 4

January 24, 2011
4 Comments
Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros
Chick Lit Review

Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros

When I accepted to review an advance copy of Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros, I wasn’t sure what I was in store for. The story was told in almost all Twitter messages, or “Tweets” (meaning 140 characters or less, for those unsure), and I questioned how a meaningful novel could come from that. But during the first chapter, I realized I had nothing I needed to worry about. The story follows Abby, who is struggling to write her sophomore novel after the huge, albeit surprise, success of her debut novel. While stuck on chapter 5, Abby joins Twitter in order to help procrastinate, and immediately meets Mark. Mark offers her tips and advice on how to use Twitter, and they soon begin an easy virtual friendship, which leads to virtual dates, which leads to Abby wondering if she really found that special someone via the Web. But when Mark doesn’t turn out to be who Abby really thought he was, she is left questioning their virtual relationship, and wondering if she possibly lost her true love.
Yes, the book is written in a majority of tweets. But I had no problem becoming involved in the characters stories. If you are looking for a fast read, I would definitely suggest this book. I think it took me two sittings to finish the entire thing. The plot is fast moving thanks to the tweets, and the characters make it humorous and fun to read. I credit Medeiros and her exceptional writing for bringing this story to life with a modern twist that I know so many other readers will appreciate. I would have given Goodnight Tweetheart five stars if it hadn’t been for the ending. It just sort of…ends. I didn’t feel the characters got much of a resolution, and was hoping to find out a bit more about their lives before it ended so abruptly. But otherwise, a fantastic story and a definite recommendation!
Rating: 4.5/5

January 21, 2011
5 Comments
Welcome to My World by Miranda Dickinson
Chick Lit Review

Welcome to My World by Miranda Dickinson

Harriet Langton (Harri) is a travel agent because, why else, she wants to travel the world. Unfortunately for her, something always seems to get in the ways of her travel dreams. Her workaholic boyfriend, Rob, is often promising of a dream vacation, but constantly puts his work first, ruining all the romantic plans. Harri takes to living vicariously through Alex, an old childhood friend who has lived abroad and is filled with enough travel stories and memorabilia to keep Harri happy. But Alex’s mother is unhappy that Alex isn’t settled down with a nice wife yet, and strings Harri into entering Alex into a magazine contest, Bachelor style. Harri goes along with the plan, but has a feeling it could lead her best friendship into a disaster.
Welcome to My World by Miranda Dickinson is a cute romantic story. I related with Harri because I was once a travel agent as well, spurred by my love of travel, and the talks of the foreign lands in this novel was a big plus for me. But other than that aspect, the novel was a little too boring. For the first half of the book, the plot never went anywhere, and I started to get restless with the reading. After the first half, the drama started to pick up, and I started to enjoy the story much more. I wish most of the first half could have been cut out, because then I would have rated this book much higher. I did like the mystery surrounding the boyfriend Rob. I couldn’t figure him out, and when I finally thought I had, I was wrong! That aspect was probably one of my favorite parts of the entire story. I would recommend Welcome to My World, but I have to warn readers on the slow moving first half.
Rating: 3.5/5

January 19, 2011
2 Comments
Skipping A Beat by Sarah Pekkanen
Chick Lit Review

Skipping A Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

Julia and Michael Dunhill are high school sweethearts living the good life. Julia runs a successful party planning business, but Michael is the real bread winner, worth millions thanks to the launch of his company DrinkUp. But when Michael goes into cardiac arrest and his heart stops beating for four minutes and eight seconds until he is revived, something changes between the husband and wife. Julia’s marriage was based on love and commitment in the beginning, but once money got involved, that had changed. Julia and Michael were business partners and sometime lovers, but the fun loving marriage they once had was taken over by business deals and corporate events. Julia had become accustomed to rarely seeing her husband, plastering fake smiles on her face at fancy dinner parties, and going to the opera. Because on the flip side, she had a gorgeous house with heated floors, a brand new car, and a wardrobe to die for. The money seemed to make her dissolving marriage worth it.
But after Michael’s cardiac arrest episode, it seems he wants to change their relationship. He wants to be the old Michael, before he became so rich and famous. He wants to donate his money and the beautiful house with the heated floors and the news cars to charities. But does Julia? Can she handle giving everything up for Michael, after so many years in stale marriage?
Skipping A Beat, the sophomore novel from Sarah Pekkanen, is a masterful piece of writing. I cried multiple times while reading, because my connection with the characters felt so real. This is a modern novel at its best, making the beautiful heroine choose between money and true love. Even though Julia’s character wasn’t likable at all times, she was honest. She made me think. And the ending….well, you’ll just have to read that for yourself! Chick lit fans will fall in love with Pekkanen’s honest and complex writing all over again.
**Note: This novel is available for preorder, and will be released in February 2011.**
Rating:4.5/5

January 17, 2011
5 Comments
Celebrities for Breakfast by Shelley Stout
Chick Lit Review

Celebrities for Breakfast by Shelley Stout

Judith Collington needs to get out of LA. She spends her days as a personal shopper for celebrities, caving in to the demands of the rich and famous. With her seventh-grade daughter Shannon maturing by the minute, Judith makes the decision to move to Illinois. She has the opportunity to run a bed and breakfast, taking over after the elder owner steps down. But after uprooting her life and settling down in the Midwest, Judith loses the chance to purchase the B&B- and the new owner only reminds her of what she left behind in California.
Celebrities for Breakfast by Shelley Stout is a romantic comedy, and I thought it was interesting to get more than one view point from the characters. Even though the story is told through Judith’s voice, there are some of Shannon’s journal entries that prove pivotal, and even a third voice that pops up along the way. I did think the story was a bit too dull at times, and I think that’s because it was predictable. But if you like romance, I would give Celebrities for Breakfast a try and see what you think. There are some sweet moments and a lesson or two you can pull from the story.
Rating: 3

January 15, 2011
4 Comments
Falling Home by Karen White
Chick Lit Review

Falling Home by Karen White

Cassie Madison would rather forget her hometown. She has an envious high powered career in advertising in Manhattan, a fabulous apartment and clothes, and a rich successful fiancé. She has worked to get her Walton, Georgia accent to disappear, and hasn’t been back to see her family in fifteen years. Not since her sister Harriett ran off and eloped with her Cassie’s boyfriend. But when her ailing father is on his last breath, Cassie has no choice but head to down Walton to say goodbye. Cassie is reluctant to speak to Harriett, but as time passes and Cassie stays in Walton preparing for the funeral, she can’t help but reconnect with her sister and her sister’s children. She also unexpectedly develops feelings for Sam, the town doctor, who once was the class geek that Cassie ignored. But how can Cassie give up her high powered life and successful fiancé in New York?
I am a big fan of Karen White, but Falling Home just didn’t do it for me. This was a re-released novel of earlier work, and it fell short with me. The plot was good and there were a few suspenseful parts to it, but the characters were a bit boring and slow moving. I found myself unenthusiastic about picking the book back up to read. The story will probably make you cry, I certainly did during the tear-jerker scenes, but the romance was too predictable and uneasy for me to get into. On Folly Beach is still my favorite novel from Karen White.
Rating:3.5/5

January 14, 2011
2 Comments
Blue by Lou Aronica
Chick Lit Review

Blue by Lou Aronica

I don’t usually read fantasy novels, but I do like to give one a chance every so often. And I am sure glad I decided to take a chance on Blue, a novel by Lou Aronica. The story follows a family, Chris Astor and his fourteen year old daughter Becky. Becky has suffered through health conditions throughout her young life, and when times were at their worst, Chris helped Becky escape her pain by creating a magical world. Each night, father and daughter would revisit the Tamarisk Kingdom, and fill the land with their imaginations.
Queen Miea of Tamarisk is facing a great battle. Her land is suffering and on the verge of becoming extinct. No on can seem to find the answers she needs in order to save her community and the people along with it. But when Becky discovers that the fantasy world she created so many years ago is real, she becomes determined to save Tamarisk, and enlists her father to help. At first thinking his daughter is dreaming of the stories, Chris is hesitant to help. But once he sees for himself the magical land he created for his daughter during the worst moments of her life, Chris will do anything to save Tamarisk- and save his daughter.
This was such a well written novel, I couldn’t praise Aronica more for the beautiful way he intertwined characters and worlds. Every last detail in the fantasy world was creative and added more to the story. There were some heartbreaking scenes along the way that had me crying, but the love between father and daughter was extremely clear and quite emotional. I loved that I chose to read this book, because there wasn’t much romance or scandal to read about. The story focused solely on the love of a family, the painful journey some must take when losing a loved one, and the gift of believing. A recommendation to all readers.

January 12, 2011
3 Comments