#BookReview: By the Numbers by Jen Lancaster
Reviewer: Samantha I received a review copy Summary: Actuary Penny Sinclair has a head for business, and she always makes rational decisions. Knowing that 60%…
New Book Releases: May 2015
Contributor: Allie Dear Carolina by Kristy Woodson Harvey – May 5, 2015. This debut novel is set in the south and told in two voices…
#BookReview: I Regret Nothing by Jen Lancaster
Reviewer: Samantha I received a review copy Summary: New York Times bestselling author Jen Lancaster has lived a life based on re-invention and self-improvement. From Bitter Is…
New Book Releases: February 2014
Ah February, the month of groundhogs, Valentines and presidents. I don’t know about your weather, but where I live it’s been very, very chilly. As a consequence, I’ve been indulging in quite a few books and I’m ready for some new material. Here’s a sample of the fun chick lit books that will be published this month.
Twisted Sisters by Jen Lancaster – February 4, 2014. Lancaster is one of the funniest authors I’ve ever read. Her latest fiction book is a humorous and sometimes sarcastic story of Reagan Bishop, a successful psychologist with her own cable show. Despite all her success, Reagan feels as though she never measures up to her younger sister, Geri, who is her parents’ favorite. When her show gets picked up by a network, the pressure of prime time proves to be too much. With the help of a New Age healer, and a Freaky Friday-like plot twist, Reagan finds herself addressing her sibling rivalry issues once and for all.
The Curl Up & Dye by Sharon Sala – February 4, 2014. Once upon a time LilyAnn Bronte was her high school’s Homecoming Queen, with a quarterback boyfriend and a bright future in front for her. Then her boyfriend was killed in Iraq and she spent the next eleven years mourning his loss. During this time, LilyAnn’s childhood friend, TJ, supports her, while harboring his unrequited love for her. When a handsome stranger comes to town, LilyAnn begins to reawaken, which doesn’t go unnoticed by TJ. After she gets a makeover that TJ realizes isn’t for him, he pulls away. Will LilyAnn pursue a new life or realize that she had love all along?
The Dream Dress by Janice Thompson – February 19, 2014. Gabi Delgado is a seamstress at a fancy bridal salon in Texas who dreams of being the next Vera Wang. After she’s fired from her job, in front of a reporter for Texas Bride magazine, she must decide if the time is right to pursue her dreams. The reporter who witnessed her humiliation is surprisingly helpful, and handsome. Gabi may have to take a chance on love, too.
A Questionable Friendship by Samantha March – February 18, 2014. Brynne and Portland have been best friends since college. Now both twenty-five, married and living in Maine, they find their friendship strained. Brynn is happy with her fulfilling marriage and the small café and bookshop she owns. She’s also excited about her plans for motherhood. The problem is Brynne is having trouble getting pregnant. Portland, whose marriage is falling apart, envies her friend’s apparently perfect life. This novel explores what really makes someone a true friend, a support system, a sister.
Evening Stars by Susan Mallery – February 25, 2014. This is another book about sisters. Nina took care of her younger sister Averil, practically raised her, because their mother lived her life so recklessly. Nina sacrificed her dreams, so that Averil could break free from their home on Blackberry Island. When Averil returns with her husband, Nina is none too happy, because that’s not what she envisioned for her sister. Since Nina is also juggling two different admirers and dealing with their mother, Averil’s return leads Nina to wonder if it’s time for her to reach for the stars.
In My Mailbox: Week of January 27
Title: Envelope: Red
Author: K Baskett
Received: CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Unemployed with no prospects, Dorian Wells is a young man trying desperately to stay afloat and be a good father to his toddler son. While already struggling to pay the bills and earn proper visitation with his child, Dorian’s tumultuous life is thrown into further upheaval when his mother is suddenly hospitalized.
On the verge of losing everything, it seems Dorian finally has a stroke of luck when he inadvertently learns of a potential opportunity with Jakkaru, a decadent, cut-throat organization that pays handsomely by the body count. Dorian’s lifelong friend, Rafe Ibadiah, is his ticket into Jakkaru and soon Dorian is training to be a professional hitman. But learning how to properly kill for a living is not as easy as it seems, and he quickly discovers the short arms of theory are a far reach from reality as the harrowing journey makes him question everything he believes.
The final test before full acceptance into Jakkaru is a contract Dorian must complete alone. Delivered to him via a small red envelope, the name inside propels the stakes of this dangerous game higher than ever before. Dorian will sacrifice anything for his son, but it’s not until he is ordered to do the unthinkable that he grasps the horrific depth of his commitment.
Award-winning author, K. Baskett, expertly weaves a chilling tale of suspense in Envelope: Red that culminates in a shocking look at the prickly nuances of loyalty. Gritty and authentic, Dorian’s story is ultimately a poignant examination of the human condition – what lies within the heart of us all.
Title: Twisted Sisters
Author: Jen Lancaster
Received: Penguin Group
Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Jen Lancaster is “as adept at fiction as she is at telling her own stories” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). And now in her new novel, reality gets an unreal makeover…
Reagan Bishop is a pusher. A licensed psychologist who stars on the Wendy Winsberg cable breakout show I Need a Push, Reagan helps participants become their best selves by urging them to overcome obstacles and change behaviors. An overachiever, Reagan is used to delivering results.
Despite her overwhelming professional success, Reagan never seems to earn her family’s respect. Her younger sister, Geri, is and always will be the Bishop family favorite. When a national network buys Reagan’s show, the pressures for unreasonably quick results and higher ratings mount. But Reagan’s a clinician, not a magician, and fears witnessing her own personal failings in prime time. (And seriously? Her family will never let her hear the end of it.) Desperate to make the show work and keep her family at bay, Reagan actually listens when the show’s New Age healer offers an unconventional solution…
Record Nielsen ratings follow. But when Reagan decides to use her newfound power to teach everyone a lesson about sibling rivalry, she’s the one who will be schooled…
Title: While Beauty Slept
Author: Elizabeth Blackwell
Received: Penguin Group
Synopsis: Historical fiction at its best — The Brothers Grimm meets The Thirteenth Tale
I am not the sort of person about whom stories are told.
And so begins Elise Dalriss’s story. When she hears her great-granddaughter recount a minstrel’s tale about a beautiful princess asleep in a tower, it pushes open a door to the past, a door Elise has long kept locked. For Elise was the companion to the real princess who slumbered—and she is the only one left who knows what actually happened so many years ago. Her story unveils a labyrinth where secrets connect to an inconceivable evil. As only Elise understands all too well, the truth is no fairy tale.
Title: Bring Me Sunshine
Author: Janet Gover
Received: Choc Lit
Synopsis: Sometimes, you’ve just got to take the plunge …
When marine biologist, Jenny Payne, agrees to spend Christmas working on the Cape Adare cruise ship to escape a disastrous love affair, she envisions a few weeks of sunny climes, cocktails and bronzed men …
What she gets is an Antarctic expedition, extreme weather, and a couple of close shaves with death. And then there’s her fellow passengers; Vera, the eccentric, elderly crime writer and Lian, a young runaway in pursuit of forbidden love …
There’s also Kit Walker; the mysterious and handsome man who is renting the most luxurious cabin on the ship, but who nobody ever sees.
As the expedition progresses, Jenny finds herself becoming increasingly obsessed with the enigmatic Kit and the secrets he hides. Will she crack the code before the return journey or is she bound for another disappointment?
Chick Lit Plus Awards
And the Chick Lit Plus Award goes to……
BEST LOL NOVEL
Nominees:
Not Ready for Mom Jeans by Maureen Lipinski
Lowcountry Summer by Dorothea Benton Frank
Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner
Winner: The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
BEST ROMANCE NOVEL
Nominees:
Summer of Two Wishes by Julia London
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Anyone for Seconds? by Fiona Cassidy
Winner: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
BEST BFF NOVEL
Nominees:
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Second Time Around by Beth Kendrick
Winner: Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
BEST VILLAIN IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Miranda, The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Olga, Moonlight in Odessa, by Janet Skeslein Charles
Cici, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Patty, The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Valerie, Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Cici, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
BEST SCANDAL IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Perfect Blend by Sue Margolis
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
Still Thinking of You by Adele Parks
Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins
Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell’
Winner: Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
BEST TEAR-JERKER NOVEL
Nominees:
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
Promises to Keep by Jane Green
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
On Folly Beach by Karen White
Winner: Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah
BEST NOVEL FROM A DEBUT AUTHOR
Nominees:
The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
I’ll Have Who She’s Having by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Reunion by JL Penn
Hook Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph
Perfect on Paper by Maria Murnane
Winner: I’ll Have Who She’s Having by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
BEST NOVL WRITTEN BY A CELEBRITY
Nominees:
LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie
Sweet Little Lies by Lauren Conrad
Star by Pamela Anderson
Winner: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
MOST INTRIGUING CONCEPT
Nominees:
The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch
Tuesday Tells it Slant by Holly Christine
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
Espressologist by Kristina Springer
Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Espressologist by Kristina Springer
BEST FEMALE
Nominees:
Willa, Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
Darcy, Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Rachel, Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Sammy, Sammy’s Hill by Kristin Gore
Winner: Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
BEST MALE
Nominees:
Luc, See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson
Ethan, Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Luke, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Alex, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Dan, A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
Winner: Alex, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
BEST SERIES
Nominees:
Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich
Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Heather Wells Series by Meg Cabot
I Heart Series by Lindsey Kelk
Enchanted Series by Shanna Swendson
Winner: I Heart Series by Lindsey Kelk
NOVEL THAT SHOULD BE A MOVIE
Nominees:
A Total Waste of Makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder
I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk
Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Hook Line and Sink Him by Jackie Pilossoph
Winner: I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk
BEST NOVEL MADE INTO A MOVIE
Nominees:
Flirty With Forty by Jane Porter
My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Winner: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
CHARACTER WITH THE BEST JOB
Nominees:
Sophie, Sophie Katz Series by Kyra Davis
Lydia, The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
Becky, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Heather, Heather Wells Series by Meg Cabot
Marla, Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker by Marla Martenson
Winner: Sophie, Sophie Katz Series by Kyra Davis
BEST WEDDING IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
Wedding Season by Katie Fforde
Scot on the Rocks by Brenda Janowitz
For Better, For Worse by Carole Matthews
I Do, But I Don’t by Cara Lockwood
Winner: Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
BEST SUPPORTING CHARACTER IN A NOVEL
Nominees:
Suze, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
Kelly, Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright
Dot, The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
Jessica, Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella
Candace, Reunion by JL Penn
Winner: Suze, Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
BEST COUGAR NOVEL
Nominees:
Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter
The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
The Infidelity Pact by Carrie Karasyov
Winner: The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
BEST COVER
Nominees:
Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Misery Loves Cabernet by Kim Gruenenfelder
Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr
Winner: Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
BEST SEQUEL
Nominees:
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
The First Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare
Slightly Settled by Wendy Markham
Killer Cocktails by Sheryl J Anderson
Winner: Something Blue by Emily Giffin
BEST MYSTERY
Nominees:
I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson
Killer Heels by Sheryl J Anderson
Looks to Die For by Janice Kaplan
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Winner: Bulletproof Mascara by Bethany Maines
Best Cover Nominees
The nominees for Best Cover:
Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Misery Loves Cabernet by Kim Gruenenfelder
Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr
Please vote for your favorite by commenting below. Everyone who votes is entered to win!
Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
Jen Lancaster keeps her humorous bit alive with her third novel, Pretty In Plaid. Lancaster takes readers on the ultimate flashback in time, traveling back through the ‘80s and ‘90s and revealing her journey to show just how she got to where she is now. I enjoyed reading about the disastrous birthday dinner when Lancaster was eight and realized how to eat a lobster, her Greek years in college and how she struggled to fit in, and how she came to meet her future husband, Fletch.
Pretty in Plaid was a fun read, mainly because I was learning even more about one of my favorite authors. I like how Lancaster lets readers into her life, and her humor and honesty through each saga keeps me laughing throughout the novel. I do have to be honest and say this wasn’t my favorite novel from Jen Lancaster; it just didn’t give me the same pull as the others I have read. I think maybe because there was not really a “true” plot, it was just basically story-telling and I wasn’t sure where the story would stop. Still an entertaining read and I would recommend to all chick lit fans, just not a personal favorite of mine.
Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
Such a Pretty Fat from hilarious author Jen Lancaster will keep you laughing throughout. Lancaster pens her journey to try to lose those extra fifty pounds, get healthier, and maybe stop getting called a “fat bitch.” Bitch she can handle, but maybe it wouldn’t kill her to hit the gym, work up a sweat….
Or maybe it will. She joins Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers, starts using her gym membership and hires a personal trainer. So while eating tiny portions of cardboard food and being worked to her workout death, Lancaster gets the idea to track her journey and turn her experiences into her next novel. The money from getting published is the best motivation to keep her going back to Barbie, her perky personal trainer that pushes her to the extreme each time she steps foot in the gym.
After realizing that paying attention to her diet and exercising is actually helping her lose weight, Lancaster becomes more motivated to keep it up, and Such a Pretty Fat turns out not to be only a hilarious memoir of one’s struggles with body image, health, and weight loss, but an inspiration as well. A must read on the chick lit lists.
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