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In My Mailbox: Week of February 12
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of February 12

In My Mailbox: Week of February 12

Title: Trashy Chick
Author: Cathy Lubenski
Received: From Hannah @ Vantage Point Books
Synopsis: Reporter Bertie Mallowan has drifted away from hard news stories and into the shallows of “fluff” features, the kind you find buried in the back of the newspaper. Writing about preschool fashion shows and the latest in designer garbage bags bores her so she amuses herself by inventing naughty passwords for her computer and pushing the envelope when it comes to creative lying to management types.

When she interviews greedy, nasty Robert Bellingham, the king of must-have luxury items for the rich of Southern California – like monogrammed airbags for “The Crash with Panache” and mink coats pre-streaked with red paint to foil PETA kamikazes. Over the years, his products have become de rigueur for the class that has two of everything and is seeking the one and only of something else. He’s made a lot of money and a lot of enemies.

Two days after Bertie’s interview, Bellingham’s body is found on the floor of the foyer in the family mansion; someone has aerated his skull with the stereotypical blunt object. Thanks to her interview, Bertie has inside information about the life and times of a rich and powerful murder victim and is thrust into a big story again.

Bertie is convinced that the family’s bizarre emotional ticks make them all uniquely capable of committing murder. A second murder and an attack on Bertie herself brings her face-to-face with the kind of danger she’s only ever written about, never experienced first-hand.

Title: The Baby Planner
Author: Josie Brown
Received: From Josie Brown
Synopsis: Katie Johnson may make her living consulting with new moms on the latest greatest baby gadgets no parent should be without, or which mommy meet-ups are the most socially desirable, or whether melon truly is the new black, but the success of her marriage to her husband, Alex, depends on controlling her own urges toward motherhood.
He’s adamant that they stay childless. Sure, Katie understands that he’s upset over the fact that his out-of-town ex-wife rarely lets him see their ten-year-old son, Peter. But living vicariously through her anxious clients and her twin sisters’ precocious children only makes Katie resent his stance more deeply.
While helping a new client—Seth Harris, a high tech entrepreneur who must raise Sadie, his newborn daughter, as a single parent after the tragic death of his wife in childbirth—maneuver the bittersweet journey from mourning husband and reticent father to loving dad, Katie’s own ideals about love, marriage, and motherhood are put to the test as she learns ones very important lesson about family: How we nurture is the true nature of love.
Title: A Year to Remember
Author: Shelly Bell
Received: From Shelly Bell
Synopsis: When her younger brother marries on her twenty-ninth birthday, food addict Sara Friedman drunkenly vows to three hundred wedding guests to find and marry her soul mate within the year.

After her humiliating toast becomes a YouTube sensation, she permits a national morning show to chronicle her search. With the help of best friend, Missy, she plunges head first into the shallow end of the dating pool.

Her journey leads her to question the true meaning of soul mates, as she decides between fulfilling her vow to marry before her thirtieth birthday and following her heart’s desire. But before she can make the biggest decision of her life, Sara must begin to take her first steps toward recovery from her addiction to food.

Title: Sugarfiend
Author: Caroline Burau
Received: From Caroline Burau
Synopsis: If her life is a box of chocolates, acid-tongued, sugar-obsessed Estelle Brown should learn how to pick them better. Her boyfriend’s left her for a bulimic hand model, her roommate’s skipped town, and her boss is in love with her.

In the middle of her latest of a lifetime of doomed diet attempts – cutting sugar cold turkey – Estelle decides to quit quitting for good, pack her bags, and lose herself on a 7-day Caribbean cruise.
But even on a floating monument to binge eating, the diet industry follows her. Across from every buffet is a studio full of treadmills. Next to every plate of fried calamari is a large diet Coke.

As a ship full of wary passengers ducks for cover, Hurricane Estelle wages her own personal war against moderation. But the consequences land her in the belly of the beast: broke, alone, and forced to take a job as –of all things– a detox consultant for the ship.

Is Skinny the answer to Happy? Is Sweet ‘n Low the new black? Is that Denise Austin chick … for real? No, no, and yes . . . oddly. But for a Sugarfiend, it’s not the destination that matters, it’s all the cupcakes you get to eat along the way.

February 12, 2012
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Thank You For Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell
Chick Lit Review

Thank You For Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell

I got real excited when Erik Atwell approached me about doing a blog tour for his chick lit novel Thank You For Flying Air Zoe. A male writing chick lit? I had given this a shot before with Robert Rave and his novel Waxed and had a blast with it. So I was excited to give this book a try. Apart from completely befriending new-Dad Erik, I had such a fun time with his book! The story begins with Zoe Tisdale about dying in a plane crash. That might be a bit dramatic, but it scared the crap out of Zoe, who begins to think about her life choices. Once in an all-girl garage band with aspirations of becoming a rock star, Zoe, now in her forties, is selling butter. Yes, her life did not pan out the way she expected. After her near plane-crash, she decides she is going to chase her dreams again. She wants to reunite the band, The Flip-Flops. This proves to be a challenge, as two members of the band aren’t speaking to each other (and are sisters) and the third is the over-the-top environmentalist that lives in a tree. But Zoe refuses to give up hope when it comes gaining her youth back. So buckle up, and get ready to fly Air Zoe!
I tried to make my synopsis as fun as Erik’s writing, but I don’t think it worked. Seriously, he just has a way with words that will keep you laughing as you read this story. Zoe was such a fun main character, someone who is so confused at how her high hopes of winning a Grammy turned into her selling butter. The supporting cast is a whole other story, and I loved all the ladies and their stories. I think Ginger was my favorite, just an off-the-wall high society wife and mother whose every scene had me snorting with giggles. If you are a fan of eighties music, you want to read this book. Or if you just appreciate a fun, light-hearted book that will make you smile, check out Thank You For Flying Air Zoe.
[Rating: 4]

February 10, 2012
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Author Profile: Lennie Ross
Chick Lit Authors

Author Profile: Lennie Ross

Author Name: Lennie Ross
Website: http://www.lennieross.com/
Blog: http://www.lennierosswrites.com/
Bio: Lennie Ross writes a blog on dating in Los Angeles called Lennie Ross Writes and works as a researcher, story editor, and story consultant for other screenwriters. Under a pseudonym, she wrote several screenplays for Playboy’s now defunct film division, Indigo Entertainment. She has also written several romantic comedy and suspense thriller feature film scripts. Her screenwriting credits include: writing and hosting a documentary on asthma; writing, producing, and starring in her own sitcom pilot, and writing and starring in her own play, I Think I’m Falling In Love With You. Lennie wrote two episodes of the Japan-Canada co-production animation series, Cyber- Six, and has had several TV movies optioned.
While pursuing a screenwriting career, Lennie has worked as a producer, talent agent and assistant casting director for roughly ten years. Prior to her adventures in the screen trade, Lennie wrote advertising copy for print and television, and fashion and travel articles for regional, national, and international publications including Beautiful B.C., Canadian Inflight, Adventure West, Pacific Northwest, Western Living and Vancouver Magazine.

Title: Blow Me
See my review for Blow Me
Bio retrieved from lennieross.com

February 7, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of February 5
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of February 5

In My Mailbox: Week of February 5

Title: These Girls
Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Received: From Kortney @ Sparkpoint Studio
Synopsis: Family secrets may shape us all, but it’s the rich, complicated layers of friendship that can save us.
Cate, Renee, and Abby have come to New York for very different reasons, and in a bustling city of millions, they are linked together through circumstance and chance.
Cate has just been named the features editor of Gloss, a high-end lifestyle magazine. It’s a professional coup, but her new job comes with more complications than Cate ever anticipated.
Her roommate Renee will do anything to nab the plum job of beauty editor at Gloss. But snide comments about Renee’s weight send her into an emotional tailspin. Soon she is taking black market diet pills—despite the racing heartbeat and trembling hands that signal she’s heading for real danger.
Then there’s Abby, whom they take in as a third roommate. Once a joyful graduate student working as a nanny part time, she abruptly fled a seemingly happy life in the D.C. suburbs. No one knows what shattered Abby—or why she left everything she once loved behind.
Pekkanen’s most compelling, true-to-life novel yet tells the story of three very different women as they navigate the complications of careers and love—and find the lifeline they need in each other.
Title: Diary of a Mad Fat Girl
Author: Stephanie McAfee
Received: From Jessica @ Penguin Group
Synopsis: Graciela “Ace” Jones is mad-mad at her best friend Lilly who cancels their annual trip to Panama City for mysterious reasons; at her boss Catherine for “riding her ass like a fat lady on a Rascal scooter;” at her friend Chloe’s abusive husband; and especially at Mason McKenzie, the love of her life, who has shown up with a marriage proposal three years too late. Ace is never mad, though, at her near-constant companion, an adorable chiweenie dog named Buster Loo.
Ace’s anger begins to dissipate as she takes matters into her own hands to take down Chloe’s philandering husband-and to get to the bottom of a multitude of other scandals plaguing Bugtussle, Mississippi. Then, she starts to realize that maybe Mason deserves a second chance after all.
With a sharp and distinctive voice, Stephanie McAfee delivers a hilarious and fast-paced tale about Ace Jones and her two best friends-thick as thieves and tough as nails-navigating Southern small-town politics and prejudices, finding love, and standing up for each other all the way.
Title: Nine Uses for an Ex-Boyfriend
Author: Sara Manning
Received: From Transworld Publishers
Synopsis: Hope Delafield hasn’t always had an easy life.
She has red hair and a temper to match, as her mother is constantly reminding her. She can’t wear heels, is terrified of heights and being a primary school teacher isn’t exactly the job she dreamed of doing, especially when her class are stuck on the two times table.
At least Hope has Jack, and Jack is the God of boyfriends. He’s sweet, kind, funny, has a killer smile, a cool job on a fashion magazine and he’s pretty (but in a manly way). Hope knew that Jack was The One ever since their first kiss after the Youth Club Disco and thirteen years later, they’re still totally in love. Totally. They’re even officially pre-engaged. And then Hope catches Jack kissing her best friend Susie…
Does true love forgive and forget? Or does it get mad… and get even?

February 5, 2012
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Scotland by Starlight by Nancy Volkers
Chick Lit Review

Scotland by Starlight by Nancy Volkers

Cassie Wrentham is moving to Scotland. She will finally be with Ralph Macnair, the (much) older but charismatic Scotsman she fell for on her first visit to the country. Cassie hopes she is finally ready to settle down and start a great life, but her doubts start crowding her way. She worries about finding a job, affording rent, making new friends, and if she should marry Ralph. Would it only be for convenience and a Visa? Or were she and Ralph truly meant to be?
Scotland by Starlight is the sequel to A Scottish Ferry Tale by Nancy Volkers. I actually liked this more than the first novel, and quickly became enchanted by the characters and their story. Cassie was very relatable in her reluctance to get married, and Ralph practically had me swooning for him throughout the pages. One thing I would change would be the heavy Scottish dialogue. Sometimes I couldn’t understand what he was saying and that snapped me out of my trance. One other thing too would be giving just a bit of information that reader’s learned in the first novel. Some characters and situations were brought up in Starlight that I couldn’t exactly remember. It’s hard to balance between saying too much and boring readers with facts they already know, and giving away the right amount of information to help jog the memories. But let’s talk about the ending that you will never see coming. I sure didn’t. I don’t want to give away too much here, but you will cry. And cry some more. Be prepared for a shocking conclusion.
[Rating: 3.5]

February 5, 2012
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Interview with Nancy Volkers
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Interview with Nancy Volkers

Q: Have you always known you wanted to write?
A: Definitely… writing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

Q: What was the first piece of “real” writing you did?
A: I wrote an illustrated Halloween story in kindergarten – one long run-on sentence! It started out “There once was a witch and she had a black pot and one day a pumpkin came and stole the pot….” I don’t remember the rest, but I remember that the witch and pumpkin reconciled in the end.

Q: How long did it take you to write A Scottish Ferry Tale?
A: It took about six months to complete. But the first draft was done in a month — I wrote it as part of National Novel Writing Month, in November 2008. Then I went back and added more to the story.

Q: Can you describe your novel to readers in 20 words or less?
A: Young woman grapples with issues of head vs heart, fairy tales, love and chocolate cake. A handsome Scot helps.

Q: What do you find to be the most challenging part of editing?
A: Flow. I want the story to flow, but I’m very much a “day in the life” writer — I want people to see the characters as people, doing things that real people do. Sometimes that means spending five chapters on a two-week period of time, and then skipping ahead months into the future. It’s tough to strike a balance between recounting too much and leaving out important bits.

Q: How did you celebrate once A Scottish Ferry Tale was published?
A: When the first proof arrived, I screamed – a happy scream. 😉 I didn’t have any specific celebration, really. But I celebrate a little bit almost every day — when I get an email from someone who’s been touched by it, when I see people purchasing it, when aspiring novelists ask for advice.

Q: Are you working on a sequel?
A: I’m dealing with formatting issues, back/front matter and the cover, but the sequel is finished. It’s called Scotland by Starlight, and should be available in early 2011.

Q: You live in Vermont, a state that has been on my travel wish list for years. Why do you enjoy living there?
A: It’s gorgeous, and I love the four distinct seasons (five, if you count “mud season” between winter and spring). Being outside in nature is important to me. The state is like one big small town — people are tough and independent, yet always willing to lend a hand. And there’s a sense of community here that’s invigorating; people still trust one another. Add in local foods, beer, wines, and art — it’s just a wonderful place to live. (And billboards are against the law, so when you drive on the interstate, you can see the mountains!)

Q: Where would be your dream vacation?
A: I’ve always wanted to visit New Zealand.

Q: What is your advice for aspiring writers?
A: Get messy. Don’t expect perfection in the first draft, or even the twentieth. There’s a great essay by Katherine Patterson (Bridge to Terabithia) – she lives in Barre, Vermont, which is known for granite quarrying. She says that the first draft is akin to quarrying the granite – you’re just trying to get something out of the ground. It won’t be pretty, so don’t expect it to be. Once you’ve done that hard work, the grunt work, you can start sculpting and turn your lump of granite into something amazing.

Also, seek out people who can provide constructive criticism, not just pats on the back. We all love to hear kudos, but your writing will change and improve if you are willing to consider other points of view.

February 3, 2012
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Live Out Loud by Heather Wardell
Chick Lit Review

Live Out Loud by Heather Wardell

Ah, another Heather Wardell book on the blog. I’m happy to announce I have read and reviewed all of her books, and she is at the top of my Favorite Authors list. Live Out Loud captures the story of Amy, hobbyist songwriter with a heavy goal on her mind – honor the memory of her late childhood friend. Amy thinks the way to do this is to start a support center for teenage girls, but when Amy suddenly catapults to fame thanks to a video of her singings blows up the internet, Amy is faced to realize that maybe the center isn’t meant to be. Amy – now posing as Misty Will, hit pop star – has fame at her door and teenage girls following her every move. Can Amy really give up being Misty – or is the call of fame too strong for her to ignore?
Another book I highly enjoyed from Wardell. Amy is such a confused character, so sure that she knows what she wants just unsure how to reach it, but at the same time – she’s hopelessly lost. She knows she wants to honor her friend, but it’s fairly obvious that she has no idea how to go about the center. I loved the pop culture twist in the book – how to become an overnight sensation with just an uploaded video, the pressures celebrities have on them when their considered to be role models, and the great content that gets delivered in each book from Wardell. There are some hard hitting topics discussed – from teen death to abortions – but the story is very touching and I would definitely recommend Live Out Loud.
[Rating: 4]

February 3, 2012
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Challenge 2012:Post Reviews:February
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Challenge 2012:Post Reviews:February

February Reviews See past reviews January Reviews  Please note this is not the sign up page. To sign up, click here To see what challengers…

February 2, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of January 29 Part 2
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of January 29 Part 2

In My Mailbox: Week of January 29 Part 2

Title: Point Click Love
Author: Molly Shapiro
Received: From Molly Shapiro
Synopsis: In Molly Shapiro’s fun and sexy debut novel, four women try to sort through the wild and complicated world of text messaging, status updates, and other high-speed connections.

Best friends and fellow midwesterners Katie, Annie, Maxine, and Claudia are no strangers to dealing with love and relationships, but with online dating and social networking now in the mix, they all have the feeling they’re not in Kansas anymore. Katie, a divorced mother of two, secretly seeks companionship through the Internet only to discover that the rules of the dating game have drastically changed. Annie, a high-powered East Coast transplant, longs for a baby, yet her online search for a sperm donor is not as easy—or anonymous—as she anticipates. Maxine, a successful artist with a seemingly perfect husband, turns to celebrity gossip sites to distract herself from her less-than-ideal marriage. And Claudia, tired of her husband’s obsession with Facebook, finds herself irresistibly drawn to a handsome co-worker. As these women navigate the new highs and lows of the digital age, they each find that their wrong turns lead surprisingly to the right click and, ultimately, the connection they were seeking.

Title: Blame it on the Fame
Author: Tracie Banister
Received: From Tracie Banister
Synopsis: A power-trippin’ bitch, a has-been, a skanky ex-model, a press-shy indie queen, and a British stage actress no one knows – that’s how the Best Actress hopefuls in this year’s too-close-to-call Oscar race cattily describe each other. Which of them will win the much-coveted gold statue and what price will they be forced to pay as they travel the red carpeted-path to Hollywood glory?

Amidst all the press-schmoozing and angsting over which designer gown to wear, these Oscar contenders feud, commiserate, and face a succession of personal crises – scandalous secrets come to light, marriages implode, accidents land two nominees in the hospital while another receives news that could derail her career, all culminating on Tinsel Town’s biggest night when anything can happen, and does.

BLAME IT ON THE FAME is the debut novel of author Tracie Banister whose writing is similar in tone (sexy, humorous) to the works of Lauren Weisberger and Candace Bushnell.

Title: Losing Clementine
Author: Ashley Ream
Received: From Lauren @ Harper Collins for SheKnows Book Lounge Review
Synopsis: In thirty days Clementine Pritchard will be finished with her last painting and her life.
World-renowned artist and sharp-tongued wit Clementine Pritchard has decided that she’s done. After flushing away a medicine cabinet full of prescriptions, she gives herself thirty days to tie up loose ends—finish one last painting, make nice with her ex-husband, and find a home for her cat. Clementine plans to spend the month she has left in a swirl of art-world parties, manic work sessions, and outrageous acts—but what she doesn’t expect is to uncover secrets surrounding the tragedy that befell her mother and sister. In an ending no one sees coming, will we lose Clementine or will we find her?
A bold debut from an exciting new voice, Losing Clementine is a wonderfully entertaining and poignant novel about unanticipated self-discovery that features one of the most irresistible, if deeply flawed, characters to grace contemporary fiction in years.

Title: Another Piece of My Heart
Author: Jane Green
Received: From Stephanie @ St. Martin’s Press for SheKnows Book Lounge Review
Synopsis: Andi has spent much of her adult life looking for the perfect man, and at thirty-seven, she’s finally found him. Ethan–divorced with two daughters, Emily and Sophia–is a devoted father and even better husband. Always hoping one day she would be a mother, Andi embraces the girls like they were her own. But in Emily’s eyes, Andi is an obstacle to her father’s love, and Emily will do whatever it takes to break her down. When the dynamics between the two escalate, they threaten everything Andi believes about love, family, and motherhood—leaving both women standing at a crossroad in their lives…and in their hearts.
ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART is a novel that illuminates the nuances and truths about relationships and is Jane Green at her absolute best.

February 2, 2012
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