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The Dumpster by Becky Due
Chick Lit Review

The Dumpster by Becky Due

This story had me baffled from the first few pages. The story starts where main character Nicole is getting ready for a Valentine’s party and a romantic evening with her boyfriend. He will finally meet her best friends, I’m thinking he might propose¬¬––until I find out he is merely Nicole’s sex-buddy of two weeks. Um, what? And that’s when I knew I was going to be in for a ride––a very unpleasant ride. This book desperately needed an editor, there were scenes that were crammed in for reasons I couldn’t figure out, the characters were immature (think peeing on sidewalks) and Nicole just came off as a big slut. I think Becky Due was trying to show an insecure woman, but I didn’t make the connection. The writing was crass (too many bathroom trips and bodily functions for me to handle) and I was basically bewildered throughout the book. And slightly horrified. I did some research on Due and her website says her books are “inspiring novels” for women, and that she is “the new voice of women’s fiction.” I’m a little scared. The reviews and ratings are scattered from a 1-5, but this truly is not a book or genre for me. Though I’m not exactly what genre it should fall under. I can’t recommend The Dumpster in good faith. It left me depressed, and I think it portrayed women badly. The main character wants a man so badly (hello, do we need a man to complete us?) that she would jump in bed with anyone. I’m not sure how that is supposed to be inspiring or leave me with confidence. I actually felt a little dirty reading the book. I will not be trying any further novels from Becky Due.
[Rating: 1.5]

November 18, 2011
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Future Tour: Year of the Chick by Romi Moondi
CLP Blog Tours

Future Tour: Year of the Chick by Romi Moondi

Romi will be on tour January 16-February 6 with her novel Year of the Chick An awkward family homecoming at Christmas. A humiliating public weigh-in,…

November 17, 2011
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Mid-Week Mailbox- November 16
Chick Lit Plus

Mid-Week Mailbox- November 16

In My Mailbox: Mid-Week of November 13

Title: Year of the Chick
Author: Romi Moondi
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: An awkward family homecoming at Christmas.

A humiliating public weigh-in, with two judging parents as the audience.

The announcement of a deadline for arranged marriage doom.

And that’s just the first two chapters.

In “Year of the Chick,” Romi Narindra must find love before her parents find her a husband. This is a difficult task in a world where self-consciousness is at an-all-time high, and dating experience at an all-time low.

Severely lacking in seductive skills and uninspired by her corporate job, Romi turns to what she loves, by writing about her quest to find love on her brand new blog.

From whiskey-breath scum bags to uni-browed creeps and everything in between, Romi and her wingmen come up empty time after time. But hope floats again when she meets a fellow writer unexpectedly.

On the Internet.

So will it be arranged marriage doom, or an Internet affair that’s not as creepy as “To Catch a Predator?”

Time will tell in the “year of the chick,” a twelve-month quest to find love.

Tick-tock.

Title: Here
Author: Denise Grover Swank
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before.

Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can’t ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from.

Title: Build a Man
Author: Talli Roland
Received: From Talli Roland
Synopsis: How far would you go to create the perfect partner?

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she’s a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients’ liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie — the hang-dog man determined to be Britain’s Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between — giving Serenity a story no editor could resist.

With London’s biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy’s progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy’s life. But when Jeremy’s surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

Title: Stay Tuned
Author: Lauren Clark
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: What happens when a #1 news team becomes the top story instead of reporting it? For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or can’t handle. But no one—including Melissa—expects a fistfight during the ten o’clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor’s face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She’s determined that WSGA’s reputation won’t be destroyed on her watch. Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in—but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa’s husband is away more than he’s home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother’s antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target. What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out…

Title: Blue Straggler
Author: Kathy Lynn Harris
Received: By Laura Pepper Wu
Synopsis: A blue straggler is a star that has an anomalous blue color and appears to be disconnected from those stars that surround it.

But this is not a story about astronomy.

Bailey Miller is “disconnected” from the cluster of her rural south Texas family. She has never quite fit in and now in her early 30s, she finds herself struggling with inner turmoil and a series of bad choices in her life.

November 17, 2011
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The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore
Chick Lit Review

The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore

The Arrivals is the debut novel from Meg Mitchell Moore, and I was truly impressed by her writing style. The story follows Ginny and William Moore, whose grown children suddenly start appearing at their Vermont home with all their troubles. Oldest child Lillian comes with her two young children after finding out her husband was unfaithful. Stephen comes with his pregnant wife Jane, whose pregnancy complications put her on bed rest at the Moore’s home. The youngest, twenty-nine year old Rachel, flees from New York after a painful breakup and even more devastating miscarriage. Ginny and William are suddenly overwhelmed with their children and their problems, and must figure out how to help each individual through their issues. The story, which is told through multiple points of views along the way, teaches lessons of love and family, of strength and forgiveness, and that the job of a parent is never over.
I really enjoyed The Arrivals. Like I stated earlier, I was impressed with the writing style Meg brings to the book. There are scenes where she abruptly stops one story, switches to another, then goes back to the original. I found these mini-cliffhangers delectable and they kept me on edge. I couldn’t help but think of my own mother when I read this book. Not too long ago she told me how much she still worries about each of her kids’ happiness, even though we all are grown now. It made me think about how much goes into being a mom or dad, and the unconditional love some are so lucky to receive. The only real issue I had is that I kept feeling that Ginny was so put out with Lillian, but would give her right arm for Rachel. I didn’t fully understand why it seemed to come off that way, and was the only thing holding me back from really getting immersed in the full story and all the characters. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book, I would recommend it, and I’m grateful for the SheKnows Book Club that has provided me so many great reads throughout the year.
**Please join us on Thursday, November 17th from 5-8pm PST at the SheKnows Book Club to chat live with Meg Mitchell Moore!**
[Rating: 4]

November 16, 2011
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Interview with Kathleen Kole
Chick Lit Authors

Interview with Kathleen Kole

First I’d like to say “thank you!” to Samantha for hosting my blog tour and having me here as a guest on Chick Lit Plus. …

November 15, 2011
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Future Tour: Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark
CLP Blog Tours

Future Tour: Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark

Lauren will be on tour January 2-20 with her novel Stay Tuned What happens when a #1 news team becomes the top story instead of…

November 15, 2011
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Blog Tour Sign Up: The Eco-Chain of Dating by Courtney Hamilton
CLP Blog Tours

Blog Tour Sign Up: The Eco-Chain of Dating by Courtney …

The Eco-Chain of Dating: Life in LA”, is a novel about four female “Civilian” friends (non-celebrities) who attempt to enter ‘A Level” Los Angeles Society, the Royalty Level, by climbing their way up the LA Eco-Chain of Dating. However, to enter A-Level Los Angeles Royalty, the four friends– Courtney, Marcie, Bettina, and Jennifer- will first need to shape, revise, and erase themselves and their pasts to “fit” into A Level LA. And once that’s accomplished they’ will need to use every bit of their urban-warrior skills to gain admission to the private schools, book groups, therapist’s offices, hair salons and restaurants of the feral Royalty of Los Angeles: the Celebrities

November 15, 2011
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A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis by Irene Woodbury
Chick Lit Review

A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis by Irene Woodbury

Irene Woodbury is on tour with CLP Blog Tours and A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis. This book is described as a “darkly funny novel” and I could definitely see that. The humor is there, right from the get go. The main character is Wendy Sinclair, a forty-five year old newly-wed who starts to suffer from a mid-life crisis. She moves from LA to Houston for her husband’s job, loses her own job, and starts to feel the strains way too quickly in her new house. She heads off to Vegas for an extended weekend with her self-absorbed gal pal Paula––and doesn’t come back. The draw of Sin City makes Wendy wonder if she made a mistake with marrying Roger. Can she handle the stuck up wives of his colleagues? Does she want to go back to no job and sleeping in a separate bedroom from her new husband? How will Wendy’s Las Vegas adventure end?
I enjoyed the humor, the descriptions of Las Vegas (almost like reading a tourist guide!) and the positive attitude Wendy brings to making the life she wants to live. Her friendship with Paula reminds me of a typical LA friendship/frenemy type, but made me laugh many times. I did think the book was a bit too long though. My editor nose was sniffing out scenes that could have been deleted to help keep the book at a quicker pace. And I sometimes wondered why it was taking so long for Wendy or Roger to stick a fork in their marriage. Over a two year time span, you could almost count the number of times they saw each other on one hand. That part had me a little perplexed. Overall though, A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis gave me plenty of laughs, and really spoke to my travel-loving self, and let me see Vegas through different eyes.
[Rating: 3.5]

November 14, 2011
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In My Mailbox: Week of November 13
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of November 13

In My Mailbox: Week of November 13

Title: Unscripted
Authors: Natalie Aaron & Marla Schwartz
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: As a producer on a reality dating show, Abby Edwards knows that true love is a myth. Her career and her friends are all she needs. Right?
When her screenwriter ex makes a hit movie based on their relationship, Abby’s faults are projected on screens across the country. Suddenly the fact that her job depends on orchestrating hot tub hook-ups doesn’t seem so impressive.
Her friends rally to help. Zoë thinks she needs to meet a guy. Stephanie suggests an attitude adjustment. Nancy wants her to get in touch with her inner Goddess. Abby knows they mean well, but she prefers to focus on her work. Unfortunately, she’s already embarrassed herself in front of her new boss, Will Harper, who she would find totally crush-worthy if he weren’t so irritating.
Abby’s about to be reminded that life doesn’t follow a script—and good things happen when you least expect it…

Title: Good-Bye to All That
Author: Margo Candela
Received: From Margo Candela
Synopsis: Raquel Azorian has worked her way from temp to executive assistant and is this close to a promotion to junior marketing exec at Belmore Corporation, the media behemoth she’s devoted herself to. She’s learned to play the Hollywood game—navigate office politics, schmooze the right people, avoid the wrong ones, and maintain a sense of decorum even in the craziest of times. All she needs is for her boss to sign her promotion memo. Instead of putting pen to paper, he suffers a very public meltdown that puts not only his professional future but also Raquel’s on the line.
Getting to the next rung on the Belmore ladder will require every ounce of focus, but that’s not going to be easy. Raquel’s mom has decided to leave her husband and move into Raquel’s apartment, and her older brother seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into depression. Raquel has to keep her job, stop her parents from divorcing, and save her brother. In the chaos of juggling so much, she finally reaches a breaking point: there’s just not enough time for everything or for everyone. She’s going to have to choose—success at work or happiness at home. But then a chance encounter at a bookstore café leads Raquel to start planning her own Hollywood ending . . . on her own terms.
Title: Mad About the Boy
Author: Suzan Battah
Received: From Suzan Battah/Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Julia Mendoza is driven by the success of her business. Since her husband Carlos passed away at such a young age, her business By Design is her number one priority. In her late twenties she works too hard and doesn’t take time out for fun. Annoyance with a pesky ex-friend has her begging one of the local surfer’s with a cheeky smile in the grocery store to pretend he’s her boyfriend. Suddenly, life takes a sudden detour from her business plan; much to the delight of her boisterous Latin American family. Christophe Augustine is groomed to take over his father’s successful chain of luxurious hotels. With a wealthy French-American background, Chris has been given privileges that not many have. He works hard, plays harder but seeks approval and recognition above all else. Family is a top priority for him as he fights for custody of his young brother. His parent’s divorce has not diminished his faith in romance. When a gorgeous Latino woman changes one boring morning into an interesting game of role play, though reluctant to help at first, he soon realises she’s not like the string of other women he’s known. A romantic first date ending dramatically doesn’t stop Chris from wanting to know Julia more. And for Julia, she’s all for a bit of fun but when things get too serious she’s running the other way. Too alike, in some ways and complete opposites, in other ways, Julia and Chris fumble through fun moments, annoying confrontations, passionate times and heartbreaking revelations. Love has no boundaries when soul-mates meet but when one is ready to love and the other one isn’t….

Title: One Pink Line
Author: Dina Silver
Received: From Dina Silver/Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Can the love of a lifetime be forever changed by one pink line? Dina Silver’s tender, absorbing novel, One Pink Line, is the warmhearted, wry story of love, loss and family, as seen through the prism of one singular, spirited young couple who find themselves in a predicament that changes the course of their lives, and those closest to them. With heart, humor and compassion, this debut work of women’s fiction is certain to stir anyone who relishes a good laugh, can stand a good cry, and, above all believes in the redemptive power of love. This unique, contemporary story gives readers a dual perspective. Sydney Shephard, a sweet-tempered, strong-natured college senior is young, in love with an exceptional man, and unexpectedly pregnant. Faced with a child she never planned for, she is forced to relay this news to her neurotic mother, relinquish her youth, and risk losing the love of her life. Then there’s Grace, a daughter, who believed she was a product of this great love, grows to realize her existence is not what she assumed, and is left with profound and puzzling questions about who she really is. Spanning generations and every imaginable emotion, One Pink Line reveals how two points of view can be dramatically at odds, and perhaps ultimately reconciled. Simultaneously deeply felt and lighthearted, One Pink Line deftly mines how the choices we make are able to alter so many lives, and how doing the right thing and living honestly can bring unexpected, hard-won happiness. It’s a must-read for anyone who craves a great love story, absorbing characters, and plenty of laughs along the way.

November 14, 2011
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