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Archive for April, 2010

Book Review: My Single Friend by Jane Costello

Posted on Friday, April 9th, 2010 by Leah

At 28, Lucy Tyler has a good job in a PR firm, a fantastic and caring best friend in Henry and has two equally great friends in Erin and Dominique. However the only part of her life that doesn’t seem to be working for Lucy is her love life. Particularly since she feels she needs to embellish everything she tells the men she dates, leading to a lot of disasters.

Best friend Henry is equally as bad when it comes to dating and when he asks Lucy, Erin and Dominique to help him with an image makeover, something the girls begin with gusto. Henry emerges a completely new (and gorgeous) man and soon has girls practically falling at his feet. It’s fantastic news for Henry, but Lucy wonders just what she has unleashed by making over her best friend. What’s happened to the Henry she knew? And just what are these feelings she’s suddenly feeling for him?…

(more…)

Posted in 2010 releases, Book Reviews, Rating: 5/5 | 4 Comments »

Book Cover: Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Posted on Friday, April 9th, 2010 by Chloe

In some VERY exciting news, the book cover for the brand new and highly anticipiate new Sophie Kinsella book Mini Shopaholic has been released! I have to say I am a little disappointed as it’s not overly colourful and I don’t think it’ll stand out too much on a bookshelf, but then again it could be worse! What do you think of it?

“Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze – but it’s trickier than she thought. Two-year-old Minnie is a little tearaway who has created havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks to her own christening. She hires taxis at random, her favourite word is ‘Mine’, and she already has a penchant for Balenciaga bags. Becky is at her wits’ end.

On top of this, she and Luke are still living with her Mum and Dad, there’s a big financial crisis so everyone’s having to Cut Back – including all her personal shopping clients – and her husband Luke is feeling low after the death of his beloved stepmother. To cheer Luke up, Becky decides to throw him a surprise birthday party – on a budget – and that’s when things become really complicated. As Becky tries to keep the arrangements secret, misunderstandings and excuses sprout everywhere, and soon she’s told so many fibs she can’t keep track of them. Will Becky pull off the surprise? Will Minnie give everything away? Will Minnie’s godparents ever stop arguing? Who will end up on the naughty step and who will get a gold star? And what will happen when Becky discovers Luke is keeping a big secret too?”

Posted in 2010 releases, Book Cover | 18 Comments »

Book News: The Fame Factor by Polly Courtney

Posted on Friday, April 9th, 2010 by Chloe

Author Polly Courtney has her novel The Fame Factor due out this summer, and it sounds like a great read! I love books set within different industries, so this one sounds right up my street. It’s out on August 19th through Avon, and I’ll be looking out for this one. Here’s the synopsis:

“Have you got what it takes!? Does for the music industry what The Devil Wears Prada did for fashion. By day, Zoe Kidd lives a tedious existence, following orders and trying to appease her parents. By night, she’s the raucous lead singer of all-girl rock band, Dirty Money. For six years, Dirty Money has toured the London scene, playing pubs, clubs, shopping centres and the odd public toilet. They’re gifted, they’re beautiful and they’re determined to make it to the top. So when the American hit-maker Louis Castle appears at one of their gigs with talk of record deals and stadium tours, it seems as though their dreams are finally beginning to come true. But fame turns out to be more elusive and divisive than any of the girls could imagine! The Fame Factor is a fast-moving story of friendship, resilience and revelation, exposing the darker side to an industry obsessed with the limelight.”

Posted in 2010 releases, Book News | 1 Comment »

Chick Lit Classics: Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Posted on Thursday, April 8th, 2010 by Leah

Chick Lit Classics is a new feature on Chick Lit Reviews where we highlight the books we feel are classics of the chick lit genre. Feel free to discuss our choices in the comments section!

With Becky Bloomwood due to be back in the shops in September, we feel that now is the perfect time to tell you about one of the most classic chick lit reads you may ever come across: Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (originally titled The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic). It’s one of my all-time favourite novels and I just plain old love Becky Bloomwood and her crazy adventures always have me laughing out loud and I can’t wait to get back into her world! I’m going to be re-reading the entire series for our Sophie Kinsella week in August/September and I’m so looking forward to it! There’s also a film out starring Isla Fisher as Becky although, to be honest, I didn’t think it did the book justice at all so the less said about it the better!

Meet Rebecca Bloomwood. She’s a journalist. She spends her working life telling others how to manage their money. She spends her leisure time …shopping. Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can’t. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work. The stories she concocts become more and more fantastic as she tries to untangle her increasingly dire financial difficulties. Her only comfort is to buy herself something - just a little something …Can Becky ever escape from this dream world, find true love, and regain the use of her Switch card? Confessions of a Shopaholic …the perfect pick me up for when it’s all hanging in the (bank) balance.

Posted in Chick Lit Classics | 10 Comments »

Book Cover: Secrets To Happiness by Sarah Dunn

Posted on Thursday, April 8th, 2010 by Leah

I’ve heard some fab things about Sarah Dunn’s novel Secrets To Happiness so when I saw it was going to be released in the UK, I was thrilled. It’s due out on 25th November and I can’t wait for it’s release. One of the things I fell in love with about the novel was the American cover so I’m rather disappointed that the UK version is a bit… well, crap. Having a proper girl, dog and taxi against a fake backdrop looks horribly tacky and I much prefer the simple dog on it’s back USA cover. (I feel a Cover Wars coming on!) Here’s the synopsis, anyway:

Holly Frick just went through the worst kind of divorce: the one where you’re still in love with the person divorcing you. Facing up to life on her own, she needs a distraction to keep her mind off her own non-existent love life.

Like Jane Austen’s Emma Woodhouse, Holly is intimately involved in the lives of those closest to her, and now she feels compelled to give advice with unwavering moral certainty. And, like Emma, she is often completely off the mark. Soon she’s in over her head, advising her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend while at the same time falling for her married friend’s new lover. Until, happiness arrives from a very unexpected source . . .

With a contemporary twist on Woody Allen’s Manhattan, Secrets to Happiness is a hilarious look at the things people will do to be happy.

Posted in 2010 releases, Book News | 5 Comments »

Book Review: Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow

Posted on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 by Leah

Veronica Czaplicki hasn’t had the greatest start to the year particularly since her husband Hank told her he had found the love of his life and it turned out not to be her. Veronica’s life is made that much harder when everyone keeps mistaking her for new Hollywood starlet Haley Rush.

It comes as a surprise to Veronica when Haley’s manager, Jay, offers Veronica the chance of becoming Haley’s double - attending film premieres, a-list parties and constantly being papped - however after the shock wears off, Veronica immediately agrees. Pretty soon her life has turned into quite a whirlwind, particularly since she also has to balance her new life with looking after her son Ben. But when sparks fly with Haley’s alleged ex Brady, just what is a girl to do?

(more…)

Posted in 2010 releases, Book Reviews, Rating: 4/5 | No Comments »

Giveaway: Win a copy of Positively Yours by Amanda Hearty

Posted on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 by Leah

Amanda Hearty’s fab publishers Transworld have offered us FIVE copies of her new novel Positively Yours to give away to run in conjunction with our review of the book as well as our author interview with the lovely Amanda. We’re re-vamping the way in which we do competitions so instead of leaving a comment to enter, you now must email [email protected] to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Positively Yours (just a random email will do, feel free to include your postal address if you like as no one will see it). This giveaway is open to UK residents only and will close on Sunday 11th April. Good luck!

Beth Prendergast has fallen hook, line and sinker for her boss. But when Beth discovers she is pregnant he makes it clear that a baby was never part of his plan. Is Beth really ready to take on motherhood all on her own? Grace Miller’s life changed when fell in love with Ethan. A house in sunny San Diego is a far cry from where she grew up in North Dublin. But when Ethan’s firm offers a transfer to Ireland, Grace is unsure about moving back home. Erin Delaney has the perfect marriage, but still yearns for one thing - a child. Her husband John reassures her that this will happen in good time but Erin’s obsession is getting worse and soon puts a strain on their relationship. As Beth, Grace and Erin all face big choices and changes of the heart, they soon realize their lives will never be the same again.

Posted in Giveaways | Comments Off

Book Cover: From Notting Hill with Love… Actually by Ali McNamara

Posted on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 by Leah

Ali McNamara’s debut novel seems to be about movies… don’t you think? From Notting Hill, With Love… Actually is due for release on 25th November and I think it sounds utterly fantastic! I absolutely adore the cover and I can’t believe I have to wait ’til November to read it! Here’s the synopsis:

Scarlett O’Brien is in love . . . with the movies.

Utterly hooked on Hugh Grant, crazy about Richard Curtis, dying with lust for Johnny Depp, Scarlett spends her days with her head in the clouds and her nights with her hand in a huge tub of popcorn. Which is not exactly what her sensible, DIY-obsessed fiancé David has in mind for their future. So when Scarlett has the chance to house-sit an impossibly grand mansion in Notting Hill – the setting of one of her all-time favourite movies – she jumps at the chance to live out her film fantasies one last time. It’s just a shame that her new neighbour Sean is so irritating – and so irritatingly handsome, too. As a chaotic comedy of her very own erupts around Scarlett, she begins to realise there’s more to life than seating plans and putting up shelves. What sort of happy ending does she really want? Will it be a case of Runaway Bride or Happily Ever After? The big white wedding looms, and Scarlett is running out of time to decide . . .

Posted in 2010 releases, Book News | 5 Comments »

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Archive for April, 2010

Book Review: My Single Friend by Jane Costello

Book Cover: Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Book News: The Fame Factor by Polly Courtney

Chick Lit Classics: Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Book Cover: Secrets To Happiness by Sarah Dunn

Book Review: Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow

Giveaway: Win a copy of Positively Yours by Amanda Hearty

Book Cover: From Notting Hill with Love… Actually by Ali McNamara

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