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Book Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from SheReads
Summary:
France, 1916: Artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his young wife, Sophie, to fight at the front. When their small town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Edouard’s portrait of Sophie draws the eye of the new Kommandant. As the officer’s dangerous obsession deepens, Sophie will risk everything—her family, her reputation, and her life—to see her husband again.

Almost a century later, Sophie’s portrait is given to Liv Halston by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. A chance encounter reveals the painting’s true worth, and a battle begins for who its legitimate owner is—putting Liv’s belief in what is right to the ultimate test.

Like Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress and Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key, The Girl You Left Behind is a breathtaking story of love, loss, and sacrifice told with Moyes’s signature ability to capture our hearts with every turn of the page.
Review:
How did I describe this book to my mom? “OMG.” What an outstanding read, and I think this is not just a favorite of 2013, but my favorite of the year so far. I love how story starts out, giving us a big chunk of Sophie’s life in 1916 during the German occupation of France. From reading the synopsis I knew we would be getting both past and present, and most books like that give a chapter or two then switch for a chapter or two, then back. I thought this was great to give so much of the past storyline, because when we finally start reading about Liv Halston and how she comes across Sophie’s painting, my mind was always on Sophie. What happened to her? Did she find her husband? Or did she die? I was so hooked that I was bringing my Kindle everywhere with me so I didn’t have to stop reading. Towards the end of the novel I was walking on my treadmill (while reading, yes) and I remember goosebumps springing all over me when a new characters is introduced in the present – but someone from the past. I really don’t want to give anything away, because clearly it had quite the impact on me. From there, I started bawling – not crying, not sniffling, but full-out sobbing – when we finally learned of Sophie’s fate. And yes, I was still on the treadmill. What a magnificent book, and one I will recommend to everyone!
5 stars

October 15, 2013
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New Releases: October 2013
Chick Lit Plus

New Releases: October 2013

Contributor: Allie October is my favorite month.  The back-to-school routine has worked itself out and the holiday madness still seems like it’s months away.  Don’t…

October 14, 2013
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Book Review: Bargain Fever by Mark Ellwood
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Bargain Fever by Mark Ellwood

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Discounts are no longer the exception, they’re the norm. But is that bargain really a bargain?

Paying full price is so passé. A quarter of the population will only open their wallets if something is on sale. Everyone wants a deal, a steal, a hookup with a discount or a way to cut costs. People don’t only want a deep discount, they expect it and won’t settle for anything less.

They’re lucky, then, that almost half of everything sold in America is listed at some kind of promotional price. It’s a seismic shift that has made shoppers more savvy than ever, generating phenomena like extreme couponing, flash sales, and Groupon.

So there’s never been a better time to be a buyer, right? Perhaps. Sellers have developed their own tricks to protect profit margins amid such markdown mania—ones that include secret sales, shifting prices, and shredding perfectly good clothes.

In this playful, deeply researched book, journalist Mark Ellwood takes a trip into this new landscape. He shows how some people are, quite literally, born to be bargain junkies thanks to a quirk of their DNA, and uncovers the sales-driven sleights of hand that sellers employ to hoodwink unsuspecting buyers.

Ellwood takes us from the floor of upscale department store Bergdorf Goodman to the bustling aisles of a Turkish bazaar, from the outlet Disney world of rural Pennsylvania to a town in Florida that can claim to be couponing’s spiritual capital. We meet savvy buyers trying to wring value from every cent—stalking fashion editors’ tweets to learn about sample sales or camping out overnight for a cut-price computer.

Ellwood also uncovers the dark side of discounting: how organized crime steals coupons en masse and how certain boutiques limit discounts to VIPs,
running secret sticker promotions from which the ordinary shopper is excluded.

Bargain Fever is a manual for thriving in this new era, when deal hunting has gone from being a sign of indigence to one of intelligence. There’s never been a better time to be a buyer—at least if you know how the game works.
Review:
I thought this book offered a lot of good insight and explanation of the retail world – even touching on items such as airlines, hotels, and of course – the coupon craze that has birthed reality shows and the popularity of sites such as Groupon and Living Social. Sometimes I paged through quickly, my interest not being kept high enough to really get the background of past retail stores and the like. The sections that did interest me were the ones that pertained to me – Groupon, travel discounts when flying, even hotels. It was interesting to get a predication of the future of these coupon-like sites, and some background on them in general. While I didn’t really take away what I thought I would (firm tips on how to save while shopping) it was a unique take on the Bargain Fever our country seems to have.

October 14, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 13
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of October 13

Title: Casey’s Quest
Author: Tamara Lee Dorris
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: At her father’s death, Casey Anderson discovers she was adopted at age four. Not able to remember anything, she sets out on a quest to discover why her birth mother gave her up and, and why her adopted parent kept it such a secret. She embarks on a dangerous and spiritually enlightening journey that proves to her, nothing is what it seems.

Title: A Medical Affair
Author: Anne McCarthy Strauss
Received: Booktrope Publishing
Synopsis: While under the care of her pulmonologist after a life-threatening asthma attack, Heather Morrison enters into an affair with her doctor. This affair violates the state’s code of conduct and his medical treatment violates the Hippocratic oath. Heather’s life is shattered as a result. After the doctor terminates the relationship, Heather begins research for her own healing, and armed with this information, she initiates a civil lawsuit. Although it is a work of fiction, A Medical Affair was extensively researched. A Medical Affair is a critical book for women who want to make educated decisions regarding their relationships with their doctors.
Title: Obitchuary
Author: Stephanie Hayes
Received: Stephanie Hayes
Synopsis: Penny Perkins, journalist, upstanding citizen, dutiful bridesmaid, just killed her date. Smashed him on the head with a bottle of Misty Mangoberry Merlot.

She is tipsy and panicked. She is wearing a heinous pink bridesmaid dress that makes her irrational. Penny knows she should call the cops and explain her date’s grabby hands, his crazy eyes. She should cry self-defense. She should do a lot of things she doesn’t do.

Things are about to get real complicated for Penny, as her dead date’s life unravels into a mystery the deeper she investigates. Death just happens to be her job.

She’s the newspaper’s obituary writer.
Title: Coming Home For Christmas
Author: Jenny Hale
Received: Bookouture
Synopsis: Coming Home for Christmas is a beautifully observed story about the importance of family, themagic of Christmas, and falling in love one snowflake at a time.
Fans of Trisha Ashley, Susan Wiggs, Carole Matthews and Susan Mallery – and anyone who loves the sound of carols and the twinkling of lights on the Christmas tree – will adore Jenny Hale’s feel-good debut.
Christmas is a time for family… isn’t it?
Allie Richfield loves Christmas, so when she lands a job as House Manager for the amazing Ashford Estate—which includes organizing the Marley family festivities—she is in her element. With a budget bigger than her life savings and a team of staff, how hard can it be?
As one-by-one she meets the Marleys, she’s about to find out…
Allie’s new boss, Robert, might be gorgeous, but he’s also colder than the snow outside and refuses to come home for Christmas. Robert’s playboy brother, Kip, flirts with her relentlessly; and his sister, Sloane, arrives home with baggage—both the divorce-kind and the Louis Vuitton kind. Their ninety-two year old grandmother, Pippa, spends her day grumbling at them all from her mobility scooter.
With Robert intending to sell Ashford, it’s the Marley’s last chance to create some happy memories in their family home—and Allie is determined to make it happen… even if it takes a little Christmas magic! With the festive spirit in full swing, she might even discover a little happiness of her own…
Title: Hunting With Lawn Darts
Author: Geoffrey McKeel
Received: Geoffrey McKeel
Synopsis: Chad Jordan is a nice guy. Just one day removed from a split with his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie, he now must venture back into the obscenely unforgiving world of modern dating. Having spent the last four years sequestered from the single life and with an outlook on courtship that expired about half a century ago, Chad soon finds out that being such a gentle soul, with a preternatural connection to his emotional side, does not necessarily supply him an advantage in finding compatibility. Only the most unlikely of refuges may be guiding his monumental struggle to find that special someone…
Title: The Drake Equation
Author: Heather Walsh
Received: Heather Walsh
Synopsis: She’s a Democrat, he’s a Republican. She spends her days fighting global warming at an environmental non-profit, he makes his living doing PR for Bell Motors and their fleet of SUVs. But as soon as they meet, Emily Crossley and Robert Drake realize they have encountered their intellectual match. You’re never challenged, he tells her.
You’ve surrounded yourself in a cocoon of people who think exactly the same way you do. She hurls the same accusation back at him, and the fiery debates begin.

Despite both of their attempts to derail it, there is no denying that they are falling in love. But their relationship is threatened by political differences, Robert’s excessive work hours, and Emily’s fear of losing her identity as she falls deeper in love.

Can their love survive? The Drake Equation is a tale of modern love and all its complexities.

October 13, 2013
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Book Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington

Reviewer: Andrea I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Summary: Joclyn Despain has been marred by a brand on…

October 11, 2013
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CLP Blog Tours Book Review: The Unraveling of Bebe Jones by Roje Augustin
Chick Lit Review

CLP Blog Tours Book Review: The Unraveling of Bebe Jones …

Roje Augustin is now on tour with CLP Blog Tours and The Unraveling of Bebe Jones
Summary:
When Desiree Washington ventures into the darkly glittering world of legendary singer Bebe Jones, she gets more than just a job. She gets a family in crisis, a diva meltdown, and a head full of stitches…

The Unraveling of Bebe Jones revolves around the rich and famous Jones family and the people who work for them as they cope through an array of personal dramas. The story begins at the height of the Global Financial Crisis, when 23-year-old Desiree Washington lands a job with her idol, legendary R&B singer Bebe Jones. Desiree quickly discovers that the outwardly perfect Bebe is in fact a troubled and lonely diva reeling from a career in decline and a marriage in tatters, and that behind all the money, glamor and fame, there are skeletons in the family closet. Throughout all of this Desiree seeks support from her best friend Sean Minton, an aspiring music producer who hails from the insulated world of New York’s black elite burdened with secrets of his own. Rounding out the cast are Bebe’s husband, Magnus Chadwick, a British hedge fund manager who cares more about money than family; her disgruntled household staff — all with strange ties to Bebe; and her children, brave casualties of their mother’s nightmare.
Summary:
I found this book to be pretty fascinating. I stay up-to-date in the celebrity world, and I’ve ready plenty of books that takes readers behind the scenes into the “real” world the rich and famous lead. Some can be pretty bizarre, and it didn’t shock me (well, that much) to read about Bebe’s life. I felt empathy for her throughout the book. I understand that maybe she didn’t treat everyone the best (bit of an understatement there) but what a different life she lead at the end of her glory days. I’m not saying it’s right or that celebrities have it rough, but I found it difficult not to feel for Bebe at times. To have it all come crashing down around you had to be insanely difficult for her to adapt to. Her story was really the show here, but it was interesting to read about Desiree as well, and her interactions with the Jones family. It was clear to see she truly loved the children, and wanted to help protect them from the downward spiral their mother was on. Her friendship with Sean I did wonder about, he didn’t seem to be much of a friend really, and I thought he was more shady than anything. The ending was almost a little too rushed. I enjoyed reading the snippets about Bebe’s life, but the situation with Desiree didn’t seem to really get resolved. Really strong book other than that, and I one I found myself chatting about to friends.
4 stars
**Everyone who leaves a comment on the tour page will be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card! Anyone who purchases their copy of The Unraveling of Bebe Jones before October 21 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five bonus entries.**
Connect with Roje!
Website: rojeaugustin.com
Blog: onewomansmeat.wordpress.com
Facebook page:facebook.com/rojesbook

Twitter: @rojeaugustin

October 9, 2013
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Book Review: Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Hush Little Baby by Suzanne Redfearn

Reviewer: Samantha I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Summary: If I stay, he will kill me. If I…

October 8, 2013
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In My Mailbox: Week of October 6
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of October 6

Title: Diner Impossible
Author: Terri L Austin
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: After shunning her overbearing parents’ wealthy lifestyle, waitress and part-time college student, Rose Strickland, is drawn back into their world when she tries to prove the impossible: the innocence of the town’s crooked police chief. He’s suspected in the gruesome death of Delia Cummings, his secretary and mistress, and all the evidence points to him. While she tracks down clues with the aid of her anime-loving bestie, Rose’s pal, Axton, and his Klingon gang are feuding with their Starfleet rivals. Things get hairier than a pile of well-fed Tribbles, so Rose gets involved. In between interrogating Trekkies and quizzing socialites at high tea, she discovers the secrets Delia Cummings took to her grave. Suspects abound, but when Chief Mathers threatens to bring down Rose’s criminally mischievous and maybe boyfriend, Sullivan, she makes it her mission to find the real killer before Sullivan finds himself in prison. Part of the Henery Press Mystery Series Collection, if you like one, you’ll probably like them all! Diner Impossible is the third in the Rose Strickland humorous mystery series.

Title: Bitter Pill
Author: Stacey Kade
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: The truth is a bitter pill…

Rennie Harlow is having a bad year. She had a handsome husband, a good job, and a renovated condo in Chicago. Now, thanks to one “exotically beautiful” paralegal, she’s divorced, faking her way through a writing career, and living above her hypochondriac mother’s garage back in Morrisville, the small town she couldn’t leave fast enough at eighteen. On top of all of that, she just found Doc Hallacy, the local pharmacist, dead behind his counter. And the worst part is, he’s the third body she’s stumbled across this year.

Jake Bristol has lived in Morrisville his whole life. A former bad boy turned sheriff, he doesn’t believe it’s just Rennie’s luck or timing that’s the problem. He thinks she’s too nosy for her own good. The last thing he needs is her messing around with his murder investigation so that she can freelance for the Morrisville Gazette. But as they both delve deeper into Doc’s death, they find that things don’t add up. This isn’t a robbery gone wrong or the work of a desperate junkie. Someone has a secret they’re killing to keep. The only question is—who’s next?

Title: Won’t Last Long
Author: Heidi Joy Tretheway
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Can two people who are totally wrong for each other ever be right? She’s a feisty, sly marketing exec intent on hiding her small-town roots. He’s a laid-back engineer with a shaggy mutt and a pushy ex. When Joshua asks Melina out, she asks what kind of car he drives. She’ll do drinks, not dinner. She’s always in control. But with Joshua’s easy confidence and sharp wit, Melina is soon breaking the dating rules she made for herself. Opposites attract—but friends think Melina and Joshua can’t possibly last. When crisis throws their world off its axis, Melina must confront her childhood family, the people she’s come to care about, and the destruction of her pristine image.

Title: The Prostitute’s Daughter
Author: Juliet Philip
Received: Spark Point Studio
Synopsis: Kamada lives in a world of magic. A world of gremlins, fairies, and talking objects that shield her from a society where strange men act like they own the women walking down the street, and where her mother gives up her body in exchange for a life of luxury. The dirty streets of Bombay do not feel like home to Kamada. She knows she does not belong, and her mother’s house feels like a prison. To escape, Kamada wants to leave India and go study in America. Only her magical friends and a neighboring family know that her wish is getting closer to becoming a reality every day. Follow Kamada as she bucks tradition in her quest to pass the GRE and follow her dreams. Will she be able to leave the land of curries and rickshaws?

Title: The Paris Architect
Author: Charles Belfoure
Received: SourceBooks
Synopsis: In 1942 Paris, gifted architect Lucien Bernard accepts a commission that will bring him a great deal of money – and maybe get him killed. But if he’s clever enough, he’ll avoid any trouble. All he has to do is design a secret hiding place for a wealthy Jewish man, a space so invisible that even the most determined German officer won’t find it. He sorely needs the money, and outwitting the Nazis who have occupied his beloved city is a challenge he can’t resist.
But when one of his hiding spaces fails horribly, and the problem of where to hide a Jew becomes terribly personal, Lucien can no longer ignore what’s at stake. The Paris Architect asks us to consider what we owe each other, and just how far we’ll go to make things right.
Written by an architect whose knowledge imbues every page, this story becomes more gripping with every soul hidden and every life saved.

Title: Eat Your Heart Out
Author: Giulia Simolo
Received: Giulia Simolo
Synopsis: Why does death by spinning have to replace death by chocolate when the latter is so much more fun?

Last year Chloe Mackenzie was vibrant and skinny – and much to her chagrin, there’s a picture to prove it. This year she has put on weight and is desperate to lose it by the time she attends her boyfriend’s brother’s glamorous wedding where she’ll be meeting his parents for the first time.

No pressure. Bring on the cake!

But what’s really behind all that obsession with fitting into designer jeans and trying to be the woman she was last year?

October 6, 2013
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Book Review: Little Island by Katharine Britton
Chick Lit Review

Book Review: Little Island by Katharine Britton

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

Grace
Flowers
By the water
Have fun!

These are Joy’s grandmother’s last words—left behind on a note. A note that Joy’s mother, Grace, has interpreted as instructions for her memorial service. And so, the far-flung clan will gather at their inn on Little Island, Maine, to honor her.

Joy can’t help dreading the weekend. Twenty years ago, a tragedy nearly destroyed the family—and still defines them. Joy, Grace, her father Gar, and twins Roger and Tamar all have their parts to play. And now Joy, facing an empty nest and a nebulous future, feels more vulnerable than ever to the dangerous currents running through her family.

But this time, Joy will discover that there is more than pain and heartbreak that binds them together, when a few simple words lift the fog and reveal what truly matters…
Review:

I felt that the beginning of this book was a bit confusing and full of emotions. Joy is dealing with her empty nest syndrome, the family preparing for a memorial service, and there are lots of unresolved issues from the past. I wanted to put the book down and stop reading but I couldn’t. I had to know how this was going to be played out.

The book switches points of view as well as going from past to present. A few times I felt like my head was spinning and I was tense from the drama – and there was a lot of it.
The characters were real. Joy was a cutter, Roger an addict, and Tamar an unemotional mother with no connection to her daughters. I didn’t connect with any of the characters but as I said, I continued to read because I was intrigued by all the events of the past and curious to know how it would end.
As more and more was revealed about the accident, things start making sense. In the end, I was hopeful
that everyone would heal from the pain and hurt of 20 years ago.
I know I’ve said this before, I’m not a fan of drama but I did enjoy this book. I loved the setting; the description of the Maine coast sounded beautiful.

4 stars

October 4, 2013
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