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Book Review: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

I received a copy of Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Orphan Train is a gripping story of friendship and second chances from Christina Baker Kline, author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be.
Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to “aging out” out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse…
As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.
Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life – answers that will ultimately free them both.
Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.
Review:
I have been finding myself really enjoying stories that switch from past to present tense, and I’m glad my shelves are filling with them! I loved going back and learning about Vivian’s life in the early 1900’s, though of course I was also quite sad. She didn’t have a lucky situation when she was on the orphan train, and was bounced through a handful of families until she finally landed somewhere where she felt safe. While I still enjoyed Molly’s story and was entertained at how her life was similar to Vivian’s, it was really the older woman that took the cake for me. It was breathtaking at times to read how she survived not only the journey to America, becoming an orphan, traveling in the train with dozens of other orphaned children, but then finally the struggles she had with the families who took her in. The ending was so wonderful because readers get so much closure, not just for Vivian, but for other supporting characters as well. This is such a touching read, and a new favorite of mine for the year.
5 stars

May 31, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Identity Break by Stifyn Emrys
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Identity Break by Stifyn Emrys

Stifyn Emrys is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Identity Break Summary: How far would you go to find yourself? Imagine everything you…

May 22, 2013
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Book Review: Double Click by Lisa Becker
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Double Click by Lisa Becker

I received a copy of Double Click by Lisa Becker in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley, Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will Ashley’s judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends.
Review:
I was very excited once Becker got a hold of me to review Double Click, the sequel to the super-cute and enjoyable Click: An Online Love Story. I of course jumped at the chance – and not only because I knew a character was named after me thanks to a Facebook post while the story was being written. Side note – the Samantha character is a huge gossip with mismatched socks – me to a T 😉 Back to my review …I loved it! I’m actually not sure which book I loved more, but since I’m given them each a 5 star review, we’ll just call it even! It was great fun catching back up with the gang, seeing how they have changed and grown and matured (cough, Shelley!) and I whipped through this book in a day. The story is written entirely in emails, but I never felt cheated out of a “real” story or felt that anything was missing. I don’t think this style of writing can be easy, so that I love these books that much makes me enjoy them even more. I hope you can read these!
5 stars

May 16, 2013
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Book Review: The Life List by Chrissy Anderson
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Life List by Chrissy Anderson

I received a copy of The Life List by Chrissy Anderson in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
The Life List, part I of The List Trilogy, is the ultimate chick lit novel and most of the story is true. Chrissy Anderson, a twenty-eight year old fashion executive, created a seven-point life list at the age of sixteen and she’s been steadily checking off the boxes and mocking the style and life choices of everyone around her ever since. Her life begins to run amuck when she unexpectedly meets a much younger, Leo, who makes her question her “perfect life.”

Chrissy’s lifelong friendships and her marriage are put to the test as she tries to sort out her feelings for Leo. With the help of her brassy, no-nonsense therapist, Dr. Maria, Chrissy learns more about herself than she anticipates. But, it isn’t until the untimely death of her best friend that Chrissy is catapulted into long overdue authenticity and scrambles to correct the mistakes of her past….trying to figure out if it’s Kurt, Leo or both that she has to get rid of to make everything right.

Women of all kinds–twenty-somethings, housewives and superwomen wanna-bes–will all be able to relate to the pressure of constructing the ideal life, only to fall short. Not everyone will agree with Chrissy Anderson’s decisions, but all will pause as they follow along on her journey to ask, “What would I do if I were her?”
Review:
Whew. What a book. When you read this (not if, when) be prepared to be entertained, to learn, to question, to laugh, to cry. This book was hard to put down from the first page, and even though I think it was a little on the long side, it was worth ever moment. I finished this book last week and I’m still talking to people about it. The characters are still sticking with me, and I’m even still questioning some of life choices after reading this very thought-provoking novel. I’m not sure I can really list all the reasons why I loved this book so much. There was drama and heartbreak and betrayal and friendships and …. truth. The emotions are raw, the storyline is not pretty at times, and there is some deep stuff to be uncovered throughout the chapters. I am so excited that this is a trilogy, and after begging Anderson for the second novel, I am happy to say The Unexpected List is now on my Kindle. Truly not one to miss.
5 stars

May 14, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Unexpecting by Lori Verni-Fogarsi
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: Unexpecting by Lori Verni-Fogarsi

Lori Verni-Fogarsi is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and Unexpecting!
Summary:
Shelley and David are a couple of almost-empty-nesters preparing to embark on the next stage of their life. They’ve just ordered white furniture and are planning the vacation they’ve waited their entire lives to take.

Their lives are catapulted in a completely different direction when Alexandra, seventeen and pregnant, shows up on their doorstep and announces that she’s the daughter they never knew they had! Their life becomes filled with dilemmas as they add not only another child, but also a baby to a household that was just about to become serene.

Shelley feels like she no longer fits in anywhere and to top it off, having two teenaged girls suddenly plunged into being sisters and school mates is not exactly warm and fuzzy. When Alexandra’s behavior becomes erratic, the couple is faced with even tougher decisions to make.

Hold on for an emotional yet witty ride as you join this family of characters in a story of love, loyalty, heartbreak, and humor that will stay with you long after you turn the last page!
Review:
Wow, what a read. I adore books where I have pretty much zero in common with the main character but can wind up being best friends with her. I have also read Momnesia, which introduces us to Shelly, and I highly recommend both these novels. I actually ended up enjoying Unexpecting even more, not always a common occurrence with sequels, but this was just so hard to put down. I got emotional a few times throughout, I was surprised at times, shocked, dismayed, happy, confused…whew! But I loved every minute of it, and this is definitely worthy of a 5 star review!
5 stars

May 13, 2013
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Book Review: The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen

I received a copy of The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. Let’s be serious – how can you not love Pekkanen’s books? I was so excited to start reading her latest offering, and the synopsis had me practically panting. What a juicy, juicy little read! An all-expenses trip to Jamaica is the setting and we meet four women, all struggling with something in their own way. Pauline is the hostess, wife of Dwight, who surprises him by planning a trip to Jamaica to celebrate his birthday with some old college friends. Pauline loves her husband – and yes, his money – but she hasn’t filled him in on the biggest secret she’s keeping – the true story behind her disabled sister. Tina isn’t sure about accepting the invite when she receives it – she has four young children to mother and isn’t sure being away for so long is a good idea. Allie convinces her she needs the time off, but she is struggling herself with the news that a genetic condition runs in her biological family. And Savannah accepts the trip to try to help heal the wounds of her husband’s infidelity. The women and their husbands (minus Savannah’s) head to Jamaica to spend the week basking in luxury – until secrets are revealed and betrayals are made.
It just seems fitting that a hurricane also touches down while this group is on holiday, because all the swirling turmoil in that house just calls for it! Whew, what a bunch of fab little stories woven into one. I was hooked from the beginning, and highly enjoyed reading about each and every character. I did not expect some to act like they did. I was surprised at times, delighted at others, horrified even during a few moments, but my interest was always up. This story made me think a lot about marriages, friendships, love, even motherhood. A definite must-read!
5 stars

April 10, 2013
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Book Review: The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins

I received a copy of The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins in exchange for an honest review. This is a book that I can say made my spine tingle – tingle! – while reading. There was so much mystery, intrigue, suspense, emotion, that it was impossible to put down. I finished this within a day, and was telling all my friends about it at dinner. Majella is our main character, who is a new mom to daughter Emma, and struggling with her new role that she just can’t seem to connect with. She lives in Queens with her husband Leo, a chef, in the house that she grew up in. While restless one night, she discovers a diary in the attic from her ancestor Ginny – and is shocked when she reads that Ginny was murderer.
Majella wonders if perhaps she is a bad mother because of this Ginny, that maybe she is genetically programmed to fail at motherhood. After all, Majella and her mother don’t have a great relationship, so maybe she is she destined to have the same with Emma. But as Majella continues to unravel the mystery that is Ginny and her Irish family, she forms a new connection with her mother, forges a possible friendship with another new mother, and starts to regain some of her sanity.
There is so much to love about this novel. Readers get a taste of Majella’s life in New York, but also get to see Ginny’s life back in the late 1800’s during the terrible famine times in Ireland. It was fascinating to travel back in time, and so heartbreaking to read about the famine, the fever, and the pure anguish so many suffered during that time. Majella’s journey into motherhood actually scared me a bit (as someone who hopes to have babies within the next couple of years) because she really seemed to be suffering from post-partum depression, and it was incredibly difficult to read about. But the entire novel is so realistic, I could almost imagine myself right there along with Majella. As I mentioned above, this is a story that I talked to about with many of friends – either about the famine and those trying times, or about motherhood and the difficulties some of them faced after giving birth. This is one of my favorite books of the year by far, and one I highly recommend!
5 stars

March 29, 2013
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Book Review: Market Street by Anita Hughes
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Market Street by Anita Hughes

I received a copy of Market Street by Anita Hughes in exchange for an honest review. Whew, what a book! Cassie Blake is our leading lady, an heiress to San Francisco’s most exclusive department store and wife to UC Berkeley professor Aidan. She has a wonderful lifetime friend in Alexis, is madly in love with her husband, and overall feels pretty charmed in her life. When she finds out Aidan slept with one of his students her charmed existence shatters, and she runs to the safety of Alexis’s mansion to help her figure out if she can forgive Aidan and keep her marriage intact. While separated, she takes on a new project at the department store to keep her busy and that visits her first love – food. With the addition of a handsome architect at the store and consistently being away from her husband, Cassie knows she has some big decisions to make regarding her future.
Market Street is incredibly difficult to put down. I understood that Cassie loves Aidan and how tore up she is over his mistake, and I really wondered throughout the story how they would end up. I know you should cheer for the husband and wife to be together, but I just thought Aidan was slimy and overbearing from the get-go. I hate saying that I was pulling for architect James to come away the victor, but Cassie is a strong woman and knows what she wants, so she kept my interest piqued.
Since Cassie and her friend Alexis come from a world of wealth, Market Street is filled with fabulous designer clothes, posh parties, and rubbing elbows with San Fran’s elite. And I loved every minute of it! Alexis stole my heart with how deeply she cared for her friend, and her own unique drive and lifestyle that she brought to the pages. I really loved everything about the book, from the friendship dynamic, love story, and emotional decisions, this was a 5 star read for me!
5 stars

March 27, 2013
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Book Review: The Power Trip by Jackie Collins
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Power Trip by Jackie Collins

I received a copy of The Power Trip by Jackie Collins in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
A luxurious yacht in the Sea of Cortez, a birthday cruise for one of the world’s most beautiful women and an invitation no one can refuse. The Power Trip—take it if you dare.
From Hollywood icon and mega-seller Jackie Collins comes a thrilling new novel, The Power Trip, set on a state of the art luxury yacht off the coast of Cabo San Lucas. A tropical getaway with a cast of global power-hungry elites turns sour when they find out maybe they don’t control as much of the world as they thought . . .

In The Power Trip you will meet Aleksandr Kasianenko, a billionaire Russian oligarch, as he sets sail on The Bianca. You’ll meet his sexy supermodel girlfriend, whom The Bianca is named after, and five dynamic, powerful, and famous couples invited on the yacht’s maiden voyage: Hammond Patterson, a driven Senator, and his lovely but unhappy wife, Sierra; Cliff Baxter, a charming, never-married movie star, and his ex-waitress girlfriend, Lori; Taye Sherwin, a famous black UK footballer and his interior designer wife, Ashley; Luca Perez, a male Latin singing sensation with his older decadent English boyfriend, Jeromy; and Flynn, a maverick journalist with his Asian renegade female friend, Xuan.

You will also meet Russian mobster, Sergei Zukov, a man with a grudge against Aleksandr. And Sergei’s Mexican beauty queen girlfriend, Ina, whose brother, Cruz, is a master pirate with orders to hold The Bianca and its illustrious rota of guests for ransom.

The Power Trip explorers the decadent playgrounds of the super-rich . . . and leaves you hungry for more.
Review:
Oh, Jackie Collins is a naughty lady. I just can’t get enough of her books! While I was initially bummed out that I wasn’t going to be visiting Lucky in The Power Trip, I soon got over that qualm. What a juicy tale! There are so many characters and we get a POV from each of them, but in signature Collins style it’s effortless to keep them apart. You never know what one of them is thinking or what the next action is going to be. This is a seriously big book, but it took me less than two days to read. It’s impossible to put down, and the writing is so smooth yet captivating that you can’t help but devour it quickly.
5 stars

March 15, 2013
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