Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

Latest Youtube Videos

In My Mailbox: Week of March 6
Updates

In My Mailbox: Week of March 6

In My Mailbox: Week of March 6th

Title: Surf, Sea and Sexy Stranger
Author: Heidi Rice
Received: From Doug Miller @ Midas Public Relations
Synopsis: Honed, handsome, and needing the kiss of life! Millionaire entrepreneur Ryan King is mortified: he’s just been pulled from the ocean by a pretty female lifeguard! Why, after months recovering from a horrific motorbike accident, did he get back on his surfboard? For the same reason he wants a hot, wild woman back in his bed – to prove he’s the same man he was before… Maddy is shocked to find that this half-drowned, totally gorgeous surfer has her body humming! She always ends up getting used – maybe this time it’s her turn to do the using? It’s the short, sizzling affair they both need – until their dangerously addictive liaison careers out of control…

Title: Molly Cooper’s Dream Date
Author: Barbara Hannay
Received: From Doug Miller @ Midas Public Relations
Synopsis: Pacific islander Molly Cooper has house-swapped her way into London’s exclusive Chelsea. It’s her dream to explore Britain…and meet a perfect English gentleman!
Patrick Knight is finding Molly’s chatty emails strangely compelling. The onetime city banker thought swapping his London pad for Molly’s idyllic cottage would help him write his first novel—but it’s not quite working out…
What do you do when you realize the on you want is half a world away, living in your home, sleeping in your bed…?

Title: Here, Home, Hope
Author: Kaira Rouda
Received: From Crystal Patriarche @ Book Sparks PR
Synopsis: Kelly Mills Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her middling middle-American existence and her neighbors’ seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding. But Kelly’s own passions lie wasted. She eyes with envy the lives of her two best friends, Kathryn and Charlotte, both beautiful, successful businesswomen who seem to have it all. Kelly takes charge of her life, devising a midlife makeover plan.
From page one, Kelly’s witty reflections, self-deprecating humor, and clever tactics in executing that plan—she places Post-it notes all over her house and car—will have readers laughing out loud. The next instant, however, they might rant right along with Kelly as her commitment to a sullen, anorexic teenager left on her doorstep tries her patience or as she deflects the boozy advances of a divorced neighbor. Readers will need to keep the tissue box handy, too, as Kelly repairs the damage she inflicted on a high school friend; realizes how deeply her husband, Patrick, understands and loves her; and ultimately grows into a woman empowered by her own blend of home and career.

March 6, 2011
Leave a comment
Workout Wish List: Bosu Ball
Chick Lit Plus

Workout Wish List: Bosu Ball

I am one who enjoys a good workout, and I primarily like completing my workouts at home. While I need to go to the gym to use treadmills and ellipticals, I have quite an array of workout DVD’s and small equipment in my house. I have dumbbells, a kettleball, resistance bands, my pink yoga mat, but now I have a new want to add to my wish list: a BOSU Ball. I noticed this workout friend when Kelly Osbourne was spotlighted in Shape Magazine. The BOSU ball helps balance, while strengthening the core muscles around your abdominal and back. Kelly’s workout had her doing planks and pushups on the ball, as well as standing (balancing) while doing bicep curls and other moves with weights. The BOSU ball boasts that not only does it help trim and tone your body, but improves balance and coordination.
I found on Amazon the BOSU Ball Trainer Home Version- which includes the ball, pump, exercise manual, and a workout DVD. I think the BOSU ball would be a perfect addition to my at-home fitness room. It won’t take up a lot of space, and I can get a great workout while doing moves I normally would complete with the added challenge of balance. Does anyone own or have used the BOSU ball? Is this something you would recommend?

March 5, 2011
2 Comments
GIVEAWAY: Tales From the Crib by Jennifer Coburn
Updates

GIVEAWAY: Tales From the Crib by Jennifer Coburn

Talk about bad timing!

When Lucy Klein gets her positive pregnancy results, she’s overjoyed. She and her husband Jack have been trying to get pregnant for years throughout their rocky marriage. But before she can tell him the big news, Jack has something he needs to announce – he wants a divorce!
Rather than split up, Lucy and Jack decide to live together as friends. This way, they can share expenses and parenting responsibilities. Co-parenting is a fine deal for Jack who is back in the dating scene by Lucy’s third trimester of pregnancy, but is a frustrating one for Lucy who has unfulfilled sexual fantasies about every man from restaurant delivery boys to puppeteers.
Meanwhile, Lucy’s mother is taking over her life. The grand dame of Planet Earth, Anjoli frequently visits her daughter to share her own brand of maternal wisdom.

As Anjoli leaves her Drama Queen bookstore to “help” Lucy with baby Adam, the new grandmother has an affair with baby’s pediatrician, hosts two weddings (including cousin Kimmy’s wedding to herself), and constantly frets about which kind of pie to serve guests. With a cast of family and friends from Lucy’s Jewish aunts to Junior League neighbor, Candace, Tales From the Crib is the story of how one baby can bring people together – so they can drive each other nuts!

I have two copies of Tales From the Crib for giveaway! To enter, please send an email to Samantha(at)chicklitplus.com with your full mailing address. For bonus entries, comment on this post, comment on Facebook, or re-tweet on Twitter. Only those who email me their mailing address will be entered! Winners will be chosen on Wednesday March 9th. A big thank you to Jennifer Coburn for sponsoring this giveaway! Please check out her website for more great books, including her latest novel, The Queen Gene.

March 4, 2011
13 Comments
Challenge:Post Reviews:March
Updates

Challenge:Post Reviews:March

March Challenge Reviews January Reviews February Reviews Please note this is not the sign up page. To sign up, click here Only signed up challengers…

March 4, 2011
39 Comments
Stir Until Thoroughly Confused by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Stir Until Thoroughly Confused by Heather Wardell

Author Heather Wardell made it to the top of my Favorites List with her first novel, Life, Love and Polar Bear Tattoo¸ and I have been eagerly reading her books since. Her latest, Stir Until Thoroughly Confused, did not leave me disappointed. The story centers around Mary, who is struggling to break free from difficult divorce. She moves to Toronto to put behind her controlling ex-husband and mother, but is without a job. She is determined to follow her dream of working as a chef. Enter Kegan. Yes, the Kegan from some of Wardell’s past novels, that Kegan. Kegan appears to be a somewhat changed man, and it doesn’t take long for a romance to start quietly brewing between him and Mary. But with Kegan now Mary’s boss, his controlling attitude revolving around his restaurants lead to one too many fights between the new couple. Mary is smacked with an ultimatum: choose Kegan and the relationship, or her dream career.
I love revisiting the characters from Wardell’s previous novels. It is fun to catch up with them and see which direction their lives have taken. In Stir, readers not only get plenty of Kegan to keep them happy, but a handful of other characters make cameos as well. This book is filled with interesting characters and unique plot points, even though the main subject is a well known one: should a woman choose her career or a man? Wardell keeps her story fresh and fast-paced, engaging readers in the world she creates so well. The only part I disliked was I felt there should have been more showing the downfall of Mary and Kegan’s relationship. I felt that things went really well for them, then started to fall apart almost without any warning. It seemed as though the characters were just a half step ahead of where the story was going. But overall, another fantastic read and a definite recommendation from me! If you haven’t read anything yet by Heather Wardell, a highly suggest you do!
[Rating: 4]

March 3, 2011
Leave a comment
Christina Aguilera Arrested
Chick Lit Plus

Christina Aguilera Arrested

There have many people to go on the record and say that Christina Aguilera is the next celebrity to go off her rocker. While many are watching the Charlie Sheen fiasco implode, Christina has been slightly off-kilter as of lately. She divorced husband Jordan Bratman amidst infidelity rumors, started dating Matthew Rutler shortly after the divorce was finalized, seeming to confirm those rumors, fumbled during The National Anthem at the Superbowl, and nearly took a tumble at the Grammy’s.
Today, People.com reported that the singer was arrested early Tuesday morning for public intoxication. Aguilera, 30, was with boyfriend Rutler, who was reportedly arrested for driving under the influence. According to a report on TMZ, Aguilera was booked on a misdemeanor charge, was “extremely intoxicated” and “unable to take care of herself.” Uh-oh.

March 1, 2011
Leave a comment
Mascara Junkie: More Reviews
Chick Lit Plus

Mascara Junkie: More Reviews

As we all know, I am a mascara junkie. I have now come to buying multiple mascaras at a time, even when I still have five perfectly respectable wands in my makeup bag. As was the case a few weeks ago, when I bought Maybelline Big Lash and Maybelline Falsies. I bought the Falsies based off a raving recommendation, and decided to try the Big Lash not only because it was on sale, but because the pink and green Maybelline mascara had been a fave of mine when I first started wearing makeup. I was hoping this revamped version would be even better.
The Big Lash was a disappointment to me. I bought the blackest black shade, and while they do indeed make my eyelashes midnight black, it doesn’t do anything for length or volume. My lashes just look like really black stumps. It seems to wear off fairly easily too throughout the day. By the time bedtime comes and I am preparing to remove my makeup, I barely have to swipe at my eyelashes to remove the mascara. I would pass on this one. I give it 2 stars.
But the good news- I really enjoyed the Falsies! This mascara comes with a “spoon brush” which is a really flexible wand that I think works great on getting all my lashes and giving them a great curve. I thought it gave good length, not as much volume, but it is able to create a fairly decent dramatic look. It doesn’t stack up to some of my favorite mascaras, but I still enjoy using it. I saw some other reviews complaining about flaking and clumping, but I haven’t had any of those problems. And it stays on throughout the day and night, so I don’t have to worry about reapplying like I do with the Big Lash mascara. The Falsies get 3.5 stars.

March 1, 2011
3 Comments
You Are Invited!
Chick Lit Authors

You Are Invited!

Thank you to Tricia Carr for alerting me to this party! Sorry the picture is a bit small, if I make it bigger it doesn’t…

March 1, 2011
Leave a comment
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Chick Lit Review

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

The good news? Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer was my favorite of the first three. The bad news? I’m still not buying into the Twilight phenomenon. The story has a love triangle, which is interesting until it becomes a bit too boring and tepid. Jacob the wolf and Edward the vampire each vie for Bella’s love, but the two must learn to work together when Bella’s life is in great danger. Bella, worried about who is after her, thinks becoming a vampire herself will be the only way she can be safe again- and protect her family as well. I don’t think I’ll be spoiling this for anyone when I say that Bella chooses Edward as her soul mate, and they begin planning a wedding, to the happiness of the Cullen clan.
It took awhile (three very long books) but Bella finally begins to show some backbone in Eclipse. She stands up for herself again Jacob, and even is firm with Edward. That was nice to see. But she still lets Edward basically take her hostage during the weekend, and dismantle her truck so she can’t get away. I didn’t like that part. And honestly, there were a lot times where I was wishing she would end up with Jacob. He just seemed so much nicer than Edward, less controlling and moody. But what do I know about being seventeen and finding my “eternal love?” Not much I guess.
There were also a lot of things I did like about this book. It was much faster paced than the first two, which made me want to applaud. The action was there, making me more invested in the story and the characters. I liked the background Meyer provides on the other Cullen’s, which I do think was a bit overdue. I am not in any anticipation to read the fourth and final book. If it is offered to me, I will probably read it, but I will not buy it.
[Rating: 3.5]

February 28, 2011
6 Comments