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Sorority Sisters by Claudia Welch
Chick Lit Review

Sorority Sisters by Claudia Welch

The heartfelt and charming, Sorority Sisters by Claudia Welch, begins in 1975 and follows four young Beta Pi pledges (Karen, Ellen, Laurie, and Diane) who are trying to find their place in college. The story follows them through their four years at university … and although they start off as mere strangers, the four girls forge a friendship that follows them for the rest of their lives. Through thick and thin and the ups and downs of life, the four girls become like sisters, truly creating an unbreakable bond.

I absolutely adored Sorority Sisters by Claudia Welch and truly admire what the book stands for. It’s a story about true friendship, one that spans over many years, and those types of books don’t come along very often. I absolutely loved all four of the girls (each with their very own wit and charm) and often found myself thinking about my best girlfriends and all of the memories that we have shared over the years. I loved the altering view points of each chapter and how we really got to know the characters through EVERY aspect of their lives. All too often, stories are told during the best part of a characters life, but we get to really know these girls through it all. Honest and real, Sorority Girls is a wonderful piece of story telling. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a one of a kind book about love and friendship.

[Rating: 5/5]

July 3, 2012
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Down At The Golden Coin by Kim Strickland
Chick Lit Review

Down At The Golden Coin by Kim Strickland

Down at the Golden Coin by Kim Strickland follows former pilot Annie Mullard, as she sinks to a new low in life and must go to run-down Laundromat, conveniently named The Golden Coin, to do her laundry. As if her luck couldn’t get any worse, the washing machine breaks down. But, it is fate stepping in and it is here that she meets Violet, a Messiah of sorts.

Down at The Golden Coin by Kim Strickland was not at all what I expected when I first started reading it. In my opinion, the name gives it quite the spin and I can’t help but to think of it being about an adventure of some type. Well, don’t be fooled like me … this book is more along the lines of a self-help book and about improving your overall outlook on life. Now, don’t run away just yet. It isn’t your typical self help book- this book is filled with wit and humor and it makes you really ponder the life that you are living. Kim does a fabulous job of making you think and making you see things in a different light. Overall, a great read and I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a little pick me up.

[Rating: 4/5]

July 2, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of July 1
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of July 1

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: Rum Punch Regrets

Author: Anne Kemp

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: In just a few short weeks, thirty something Abby George has endured the death of her mother, was dumped by her fiancé, and got laid off from her job.

Stunned and seeking a shoulder to cry on, she turns to her perfect older sister, Leigh. But instead of comfort, Abby receives a surprise: Leigh needs her in the Caribbean to help with some mysterious personal business.

While assisting in the sale and repair of a bed-and-breakfast, Abby uncovers a few huge family secrets as she juggles an unexpected roommate, quirky locals, and nasty centipedes.

Abby’s world is further complicated when two potential suitors enter her life. Can Abby get beyond her own psycho drama long enough to open her heart to someone new? Or will she neurotically make her romantic life worse?

Packing nothing but her suitcases and a sense of humor, Abby George travels down an unfamiliar road, but it’s all she can do to hang on for the ride…

Or will she wake up with “Rum Punch Regrets?”

“Humor, mystery, romance and a beautiful island paradise. Throw in a lovable and spirited protagonist and you have Rum Punch Regrets, the perfect summer read.” – Kyra Davis, Women’s Fiction Author

Title: Haole Wood

Author: Dee DeTarsio

Received: From Dee DeTarsio

Synopsis: When San Diego weathercaster, Jaswinder Park, is mysteriously summoned to the island of Maui in Hawaii to help her grandmother, she ends up losing her job. This fair-haired, light-skinned foreigner, called haole by the natives, decides to stay in Maui for a couple of days until she can figure out what to do with her life. She realizes that her quick trip to Maui may not be all she’s hoping for when:

-She has to bail her Hawaiian/Korean grandmother out of jail for possession of pakalolo.

-The only thing she can understand her grandmother say is: “Not that.”

-She can’t decide which hurts worse, her sunburn, hangover, or memories of the night before.

-She’s labeled the “Liquor Licker” on the front page of the Maui News in a photo that shows
her doing a shot of tequila with a hunky Hawaiian who’s been found dead.

-It seems she’s had orgasms that have lasted longer than her career.

-She scrapes the bottom of the barrel to find her guardian angel.

Beautiful fabric found in her grandmother’s closet unfolds a future for Jaswinder as she designs sensuous silky wraps called sunshminas that provide sun protection. She tries for a Hollywood connection, but her company, Haole Wood, has some growing pains. From trying to find a killer, to selling her sunshminas, to lusting after Dr. Jac, the island dermatologist, to trying to ignore her so-called guardian angel, can Jaswinder learn to embrace the island way of life? Aloha!

Title: Don’t Let Me Go

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis:
Former Broadway dancer and current agoraphobic Billy Shine has not set foot outside his apartment in almost a decade. He has glimpsed his neighbors—beautiful manicurist Rayleen, lonely old Ms. Hinman, bigoted and angry Mr. Lafferty, kind-hearted Felipe, and 9-year-old Grace and her former addict mother Eileen.

But most of them have never seen Billy. Not until Grace begins to sit outside on the building’s front stoop for hours every day, inches from Billy’s patio. Troubled by this change in the natural order, Billy makes it far enough out onto his porch to ask Grace why she doesn’t sit inside where it’s safe. Her answer: “If I sit inside, then nobody will know I’m in trouble. And then nobody will help me.”

Her answer changes everything.

By the bestselling author of WHEN I FOUND YOU, SECOND HAND HEART, and PAY IT FORWARD, DON’T LET ME GO is the heart-breaking, funny, and life-affirming story of a building full of loners and misfits who come together to help a little girl survive—and thrive—against all odds.

Title: India’s Summer

Author: Thérèse

Received: From BookSparks PR

Synopsis: India Butler, single and about to turn forty, travels to LA in an attempt to reinvent her life.

In a world rarely illuminated by the flashbulbs of the paparazzi, she discovers the true meaning of “having it all.”

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Before I Met You

Author: Lisa Jewell

Received: Najma @Cornerstone Publicity

Synopsis: Having grown up on the quiet island of Guernsey, Elizabeth Dean can’t wait to start her new life in London. On a mission to find Clara Pickle – the mysterious beneficiary in her grandmother’s will – she arrives in bustling and grungy 1990s Soho, filled with hope, excitement and dreams. She has the world at her feet and is ready for whatever life has to throw at her. Or so she thinks…In 1920s bohemian London, Arlette – Elizabeth’s grandmother – is starting her new life in a time of post-war change. Beautiful and charismatic, Arlette is soon drawn into the hedonistic world of the Bright Young People. But less than two years later, tragedy strikes and she flees back to Guernsey for the rest of her life. As Elizabeth searches for Clara, she is taken on a journey through Arlette’s extraordinary time in London, uncovering a tale of love, loss and heartbreak. Will the secrets of Arlette’s past help Elizabeth on her path to happiness?

Title: Free Gift With Purchase

Author: Jackie Pilossoph

Received: CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Emma and Laura are about as different as two sisters can be. Emma’s always been the party girl, Laura, the hardworking doctor. But now, the two have something in common. Both are newly single and trying out the dating scene after marriage.

Emma’s a widow and a single mother with a guilty secret she can’t let go. Laura’s husband just dumped her for one of four women he’s been sleeping with. A dispute over the house forces Laura to move in with her sister and that’s when the fun begins.

Go on some dates with these 42 and 44 year-old adorable sisters who are both looking for love and your jaw will surely drop! Laura’s mixed bag includes Dan, a selfish womanizer, Ari, a stalker, and Tim, a compulsive liar. For Emma there’s gorgeous, sexy Preston, a self-proclaiming “fun guy,” beautiful Alice, who’s a lesbian, and a string of Matts who go from bad to worse. Then there’s separated, charismatic, wealthy Luke Sullivan. Luke’s carrying some baggage, but he makes Emma’s heart stop every time he appears. Free Gift With Purchase is a book about two sisters who have always seen things from an entirely different perspective, but who as women in need of each other learn to consider that instead of judging, looking through each other’s eyes might make their lives a lot richer. In other words, when you buy into opening your heart and believing in yourself, you might just end up with a Free Gift With Purchase.

July 1, 2012
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Clean Break by David Klein
Chick Lit Review

Clean Break by David Klein

The intense and sharply written novel, Clean Break by David Klein, follows Celeste Vanek as she asks her gambling husband for a divorce. She hopes to make a clean break (hence the title of the book) but that becomes a very unlikely scenario when her husband demands his family back … and does so in a very violent way. Jake Atwood witnesses the shockingly violent scene between the husband and wife, which ties in the second portion of the story. As if Jake hasn’t seen enough, we quickly learn that he has his own issues and is taking part in an affair with Sara, a married police detective. All of the characters and their story lines are interwoven together and they soon learn how that one crime will change their lives forever.

Psychological, suspenseful, engrossing, powerful, gripping …. there just aren’t enough words to describe Clean Break by David Klein. I was pulled in instantly from the opening paragraphs and read it in one day. David Klein creates very believable characters and very REAL emotions when describing a broken marriage and a family that has seen better days. There are several key moments throughout the book that make you question whether or not you would make the same choices and this book makes you think. Definitely not a happyily-ever-after kind of book, but overall, very thought provoking and a great, suspenseful read. I definitely finished the book grateful for my husband and our happy marriage.

[Rating: 4.5/5]

June 29, 2012
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Falling Uphill by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
Chick Lit Review

Falling Uphill by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

Falling Uphill by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga follows main character Candace Grey, an anthropology teacher at a small college in Michigan, as she receives an alarming message on her phone from San Francisco stating that “Ruth Fenton is dead.” Ironically, she is set to leave for California (Los Angeles) to conduct research on 1960’s TV star Pamela Parrish for her thesis at the same time. Instead she heads off to San Francisco after she discovers that Ruth Fenton is a long lost relative … only to meet a woman at the memorial service who claims that the subject of her thesis (Pamela Parrish) didn’t die quite like everyone claims, and that she was murdered instead of supposedly commiting suicide. This news invokes the inner mystery solver in Candace, and she knows that she must get to the bottom of it, plus, it would be a break through for her paper. While attempting to get to the bottom of the mystery, Candance begins to suspect her boyfriend back home of cheating, and also begins a small romance with a painter. What will happen with Candace? Will she be able to solve the mystery? Or will her life go up in flames?

Light hearted and moving, Falling Uphill is the perfect mix of romance and mystery. The whole time I felt like I was right there with Candace trying to solve the mystery, as well as live vicariously through her as she struggles in the romance department. Wendy Nelson Tokunaga does a good job at creating honest characters that go through the real ups and downs of love and life, whilst also uncovering a few shadows in the closet. My biggest complaint is that the book starts off a slow in the beginning. I almost gave up, but kept with it, and am glad that I did. Overall, a pretty good read.

[Rating: 3.5/5]

June 28, 2012
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Author Q&A: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Chick Lit Authors

Author Q&A: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

How do the two of you go about writing a book together? Is it a lot of back and forth, or more of a collaboration?

We only had our first taste of writing separately last year when we took our maternity leaves back-to-back. And it sucked—we share a creative brain and don’t take that for granted.

We stumbled onto a process with our first novel, The Nanny Diaries, that has essentially remained the same. We work together every week day, beginning with coffee like we’re on a talk-show. We catch each other up on what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. We talk about what’s capturing the Zeitgeist and are particularly interested in those aspects people are not talking about and why that is. The themes of our books are born in the conversations we find ourselves returning back to. Once we have the seed of an idea, we spend several weeks outlining the core elements of the story—primary and periphery characters, each of their arcs, A and B plots, and timeframe. We then break this outline into chapters, go off and generate them, edit them for each other and then string them into one document. Once we have this first draft we sit together and go over it line by line on the computer, on paper, and frequently out loud, until it is ready to go to print. And of course, our editor gets to weigh in at multiple junctures along the way.

How would you describe your book?

It’s our imagining of what it would be like to be in the passenger seat for a celebrity’s nervous breakdown. And that person isn’t just your boss, isn’t just your best friend, but is your family.

What was the hardest part of the writing process for each of you and what are your biggest distractions?

The two hardest parts are outlining, because we liken it to playing Barbies in the dark. Everything is in flux and it’s maddening. Then that phase of editing where you know something isn’t working but you have to bang your head into the carpet until you figure out what it is.

Our biggest distraction is YouTube. We can get sucked down a Sondheim portal until we’re watching sock puppets sing, “I Feel Pretty.”

What are your favorite genres to read?

Anything gripping. We have small children now so when we find time to read we need to be entertained with a capital E. The Hunger Games, One Day, It Happens Every Day. Give us a page-turning plot.

What do you want readers to take away from your story?

That the tabloids tell half the story, if that.

What is the one thing that you want readers to know about both of you as authors?

We think about our readers’ enjoyment to the point that would make them uncomfortable.

How important do you think social media is for authors these days?

It’s crucial. As book stores disappear it’s the only way to stay connected with readers. We love going on tour, but we only do that once a year. Facebook, Goodreads & Twitter allow us to talk to our readers every day.

What does your daily schedule look like?

We try to get our dogs, laundry, groceries, and children sorted by 11—grab coffee and muffins—and then keep our butts in the chair until 5, when we run to preschool pickup. Glam, right?

What would be your advice to aspiring writers?

Don’t edit yourself when you’re creating a first draft. If you do you’ll judge yourself straight to a blinking cursor. Just vomit it all down. Step away for a few weeks. Then come back, read it through, and start editing the ‘f’ out of it. Be open. There is ALWAYS more than one way to tell a story.

What advice would you give yourself ten years ago?

You really might want to write a sequel to The Nanny Diaries one day.

Any words of wisdom?

Everything is subjective. Nanny Diaries was rejected by 11 publishers and picked by 1. It just takes one.

Are either of you actually Britney Spears fans?

HUGE. We don’t work out without her.

What inspired you to model your book after her life?

She is a fully-functional mother of two who is legally controlled by her father—and now soon-to-be husband. How is this happening in this day and age?

What’s next for the two of you?


Our next YA novel, Over You, is out in August, about a teen breakup coach who can get anyone over anyone in four weeks—or less. Look for an excerpt in September’s Teen Vogue.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, EMMA AND NICOLE, FOR JOINING US ON CHICK LIT PLUS. PLEASE CHECK OUT THEIR LATEST MUST READ, BETWEEN YOU AND ME.

June 27, 2012
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Offbeat Love Stories and More by Jennifer Lafferty
Chick Lit Review

Offbeat Love Stories and More by Jennifer Lafferty

Offbeat Love Stories and More by Jennifer Lafferty is a collection of short stories, often times centered around love. The pieces are very, very different in comparison to one another and there is no common theme or characters to string them together, but they are fun nonetheless. The plot of each story is unique in its own way, and the characters are believable and real, struggling with the same types of issues that most people do. My favorite tale by far was “The Prom Date,” which is a cute tale about young people coming to age and trying to figure it all out.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading Offbeat Love Stories and More, but I am glad that I gave it a shot. I am so used to having short stories weave together and eventually incorporate the same few characters or so, but Lafferty has done something very unique here with hers. I also really enjoyed that each of the stories are told from a completely different point of view (whether it be age, gender, race, etc). Overall, I would recommend this to anyone looking for something a little different. The material is fresh and original. Well done Jennifer!

[Rating: 4/5]

June 26, 2012
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Kissing the Cotton Clouds by Michela O’Brien
Chick Lit Review

Kissing the Cotton Clouds by Michela O’Brien

Kissing the Cotton Clouds by Michaela O’Brien follows three friends: Livy, Seth and Aidan. The book follows the trio through twenty five years of life, starting when they were teenagers all the way deep into adulthood. Having gone through life and its successes, failures, heartaches, and great loves … they realize that life is rarely what you imagined, or what you hoped for at fifteen – and sometimes things don’t turn out quite like you think. As the author takes us through time, we witness how they each take on their own lives.

The novel is separated by year and I found the transition to be fairly easy to follow. Michela created characters that are well developed and you feel for each of them as they journey through life, but I felt that I was often times distracted from the main story by the backdrop of the issues of the times. While it definitely enhances the story and makes it feel more authentic, I felt like I never really got to know the characters because of it. My other major complaint is that I had a hard time relating to the language in the book because Michela uses a lot of British slang in the book, and although it feels very realistic, it is hard for an outsider like myself to understand. Other than that, the book as a whole was well written (besides these two minor points) and I enjoyed the book a fair amount. However, it did take me quite sometime to get through seeing as how I was often distracted by everything else going on instead of the story itself.

[Rating: 3/5]

June 25, 2012
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In My Mailbox: Week of June 24
Chick Lit Plus

In My Mailbox: Week of June 24

In Samantha’s Mailbox:

Title: The Undiscovered Novelist

Author: Sarah Bridgeton

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: Twenty-seven-year-old Jordyn Simmons has almost everything she’s ever wanted—a sexy live-in boyfriend, an adorable son, and a finished novel she plans to publish. The only two things missing from her life are a publisher for her book and a relationship with her estranged mother, Debra. As Jordyn pursues her novelist ambitions, her world collides with Debra’s, and both women are forced to make decisions that will change their lives forever.

Title: This Tangled Thing Called Love

Author: Marie Astor

Received: From Marie Astor

Synopsis: Claire Chatfield has everything a girl could possibly wish for: looks, a promising career, and an engagement ring from one of New York’s most eligible heir-bachelors! Life should be a dream and yet, it does not feel like one… When an enigmatic new neighbor, Alec Brunell, moves into an apartment above from Claire’s, Claire is surprised to find herself wondering whether the choices she has made in her life are worth following through.

In order to secure his place as his father’s successor, David Lawson must settle down with a wife befitting the future head of Lawson Enterprises – and who could fit the prerequisite better than lovely Claire Chatfield? There is just one glitch – David Lawson is in love with another woman.

Alec Brunell has never lacked for women’s attention, but he finds himself at a loss when faced with his downstairs neighbor, Claire Chatfield. Still, her iciness only adds fuel to his fire, as Alec is determined to change Claire’s view of him.

This Tangled Thing Called Love follows the story of four people searching for love – will they have the courage to find it?

Title: Dewitched

Author: EL Sarnoff

Received: Via CLP Blog Tours

Synopsis: After serving time for Snow White’s attempted murder, the Evil Queen is about to get a makeover. Just not the kind she expected. Thinking she’s being sent to a luxurious spa that will enable her to restore her beauty and recapture her title, Fairest of All, Jane Yvel instead finds herself at Faraway, a rehab center that caters to fairy-talelanders addicted to evil.

Upon confronting her love-hate relationship with her magic mirror, she is sent back to the world of happily-ever-after. Her goal: to discover the true meaning of beauty. Her assignment: to work for Marcella, a demanding Princess-In-Waiting. Jane finds herself irresistibly drawn to Marcella’s dashing fiancé, Prince Gallant, and his exquisite seven-year old daughter, Calla Rose. Will the Evil Queen who had no heart end up with a heart that’s broken?

Wickedly funny, darkly shocking, and deeply moving, DEWITCHED unravels the Snow White story as we know it and will make you see the evil legend in a new light as she rewrites her life.

Title: The Next Best Thing

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Received: From Emily @ Engelman & Co.

Synopsis: Actors aren’t the only ones trying to make it in Hollywood.…At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders left her childhood home in Massachusetts and headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to make it as a screenwriter. Six years later, she hits the jackpot when she gets The Call: the sitcom she wrote, The Next Best Thing, has gotten the green light, and Ruthie’s going to be the showrunner. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on her boss, and her grandmother’s impending nuptials.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of Los Angeles show business culture, with an insider’s ear for writer’s room showdowns and an eye for bad backstage behavior and set politics, Jennifer Weiner’s new novel is a rollicking ride on the Hollywood roller coaster, a heartfelt story about what it’s like for a young woman to love, and lose, in the land where dreams come true.

In Sara’s Mailbox:

Title: Clean Break

Author: David Klein

Received: Lisa @ Booksparkspr

Synopsis: A riveting tale of psychological suspense about a woman who finds herself in an impossible situation. Lured by the hope of a better life for herself and her son, Celeste Vanek must deal with the emotional and physical resistance of her compulsive gambler husband when she asks for a divorce. Though she hopes she is on the verge of making a clean break, her husband demands his family back, and things get violent. Jake Atwood, who witnesses the shocking scene between Celeste and her husband, struggles with his own emotional and ethical issues while attempting to help Celeste escape her marriage. At the same time, Jake is involved with Sara, a married and childless police detective who has a private agenda to pursue when a crime is committed that links all of these characters together and changes their lives forever. With heart-pounding suspense and brilliant psychological insight, CLEAN BREAK will leave readers breathless.

Title: Great Aunt Sophia’s Lessons for Bombshells

Author: Lisa Cach

Received:

Synopsis: Grace Cavanaugh is hell-bent on proving her Women’s Studies dissertation thesis that beauty only leads to misery. And what better research subject than her great-aunt Sophia, a former B-movie star? Now eighty-five and facing surgery, Sophia has asked Grace for company. . . .

Grace imagines a helpless, lonely old woman, forced to turn to a great-niece she barely knows. Instead she finds the aging diva holding court in a Pebble Beach mansion, oozing a bombshell-itude—arthritis and wrinkles be damned—that captivates every male in sight. To Grace’s dismay, her greataunt decides a perfect distraction would be transforming the frumpy feminist into a femme fatale who purrs for her suitors . . . or devours them. She ordains classes in everything from carb cutting to lingerie, culminating in a challenging final exam. The newly svelte Grace must test her wiles—on both devilishly handsome and morally corrupt Declan and sensitive but painfully awkward Dr. Andrew.

Newly unleashed desires—and the discovery of a closely held family secret— threaten the bookworm-turned-babe’s entire feminist upbringing. Her thesis gone sadly awry, Grace wonders if her great-aunt is right: Will trusting her heart lead her to find beauty in the most unexpected places?

June 24, 2012
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