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Archive for August, 2010

Win a copy of Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella!

Posted on Saturday, August 14th, 2010 by Chloe

I saw this on Facebook today, and just had to share it with you because it’s quite an exciting opportunity! Sophie Kinsella is giving away 10 hardback copies of her new book Mini Shopaholic, which both Leah and I have been lucky enough to read, and it’s fantastic!

All you have to do is register on Sophie’s official website before AUGUST 19TH at midnight and all the entrants will be put into a draw.

“the 10 winners will be selected at random from separate territories (3 UK residents, 3 US residents, 2 Canadian residents and 2 rest of the world). Winners will receive their own copy of the book - prior to publication - in a Keep Calm and Carry on Shopping bag signed by Sophie.”

The book is out in the UK on September 2nd, and in the US on September 21st, so the winners will receive their prizes before it’s publication date, a nice treat for you! If you’ve already registered, fear not because you will automatically be entered into the draw! Good luck!

Posted in Admin | 1 Comment »

Giveaway: Win a copy of ‘Hothouse Flower’

Posted on Friday, August 13th, 2010 by Leah

Earlier today Danielle reviewed Hothouse Flower by Margot Berwin and thanks to the publishers we have one copy of the book to giveaway. All you need to do to enter is to complete the Google form below! The giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only and will end next Friday at midnight GMT. Good luck!

Lila Nova is a thirty-two year-old advertising copyrighter who lives alone in a plain, white box of an apartment. Recovering from a heartbreaking divorce, Lila’s mantra is simple: no pets, no plants, no people, no problems. But when Lila meets David Exley, a ruggedly handsome plant-seller, her lonely life blossoms into something far more colorful.

From the cold, harsh streets of Manhattan to the verdant jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula, Hothouse Flower is the story of a woman who must travel beyond the boundaries of sense and comfort to find what she truly wants .

This giveaway has now closed.

Posted in Giveaways | 3 Comments »

Book Review: Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin

Posted on Friday, August 13th, 2010 by Danielle

In the heart of New York City, hidden in the back room of an old Laundromat, are nine rare and valuable plants. Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire tells the story of this legendary garden, and the distance one woman must travel—from the cold, harsh streets of Manhattan to the lush jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula—to claim what is hers.

Lila Nova lives alone in a plain, white box of an apartment. Recovering from a heartbreaking divorce, Lila’s life is like her home: simple, new, and empty. But when she meets a handsome plant-seller named David Exley, an entire world opens up before her eyes. Late one night Lila stumbles across a strange Laundromat and sees ferns so highly-prized that a tiny cutting can fetch thousands of dollars. She learns about flowers with medicinal properties to rival anything found in drugstores. And she hears the legend of nine mystical plants that bring fame, fortune, immortality, and passion.

The owner of the Laundromat, Armand, presents Lila with a test: if she can make the cutting from a fire fern grow roots, he will show her the secret of his locked room. But Lila is too trusting, and with one terrible mistake she ruins her chance to see Armand’s plants. The only way to win it back is to travel, on her own, to the Yucatan.

Deep in the rain forests of Mexico, Lila enters a world of shamans and spirit animals, snake charmers, and sexy, heart-stopping Huichols. Alone in the jungle, Lila is forced to learn more than she ever wanted to know about nature—and about herself. An exhilarating journey of love and self-discovery, Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire brings together mystery, adventure, and heat, in every sense of the word.

(more…)

Posted in 2010 releases, American Saturday, Blog Tour, Book Reviews, Rating: 3/5 | 6 Comments »

Author Article: Becoming A Writer by Sasha Wagstaff

Posted on Friday, August 13th, 2010 by Leah

Sasha Wagstaff, author of Changing Grooms and Wicked Games, has written us a post on how she became a writer! Enjoy…

I first wanted to become a writer when I was a child…but I also fancied myself as an actress and a pop star so it wasn’t really something I worried about too much. My love of reading never waned, however, and when I eventually completed my degree and ended up working in the City in banking, I would devour novels on my commute into London. Out of the nowhere, an idea for a novel came to me and I started to jot down my ideas. I worked at home on an old lap top but I did most of my writing on the train to and from work and eventually, shaping this novel began to take over my life.

I was certain my banking background would count against me; the majority of authors I’d read out came from a writing environment in some way. They were usually journalists and they tended to have a degree in English Literature or Language. I felt really intimidated by my lack of writing ‘pedigree’ – I did have a degree in languages but as they were French and Russian, I wasn’t sure that mattered too much!

To cut a long story short, it seems that changing careers so dramatically makes me stand out in the crowd a bit. Odd, but true! I consider myself very lucky to be able to make stories up for a living and would encourage anyone who has a dream of becoming a published author to go for it…whatever job you do right now.

Posted in Author Article | 4 Comments »

iVillage needs your help with “The Help”!

Posted on Friday, August 13th, 2010 by Chloe

We’ve been contacted by I-Village to see if any of our readers can help with their latest competition. Dreamworks pictures are turning Kathryn Stockett’s hit novel ‘The Help’ into a movie, and to celebrate this, IVillage are running a contest asking people to tell them how The Help has inspired them by uploading a picture and then an audio or written statement alongside to express your answer.

The winning 5 entries get to win a visit to the set of the film (along with a guest) and to meet the cast of the film.

The competition is open from July 19th until August 15th, so if you’ve got any ideas get them in quick!

More competition details here.

Posted in Admin | No Comments »

Chick Lit Classic: Goodbye, Jimmy Choo by Annie Sanders

Posted on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 by Chloe

Chick Lit Classics is a regular 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!

I first came across Annie Sanders when I was leant this book by my nan back in 2004 when it came out. I certainly wasn’t aware that Annie Sanders was actually 2 people (Meg Sanders and Annie Ashworth), but the story sounded good so I was eager to read. Luckily for me, it was fabulous and certainly gave me something great to read on my lonely first few evenings when I had started University. It’s about an unlikely pair of best friends given the chance of a lifetime but then having to protect that lifestyle they’ve grown to love so much when the media realises what a great idea they have going. It’s incredibly readable with lovely characters you can relate to. The easy to read writing style makes the book all the more excellent, and if you haven’t yet read anything by Annie Sanders, I’d definitely recommend starting with Goodbye, Jimmy Choo!

“Under normal circumstances, Izzie and Maddy would never have met. Their lives are a million miles apart - Izzie is bohemian and skint, Maddy is Gucci-clad and loaded. But, thanks to their respective husbands’ careers, both have been dumped into the English countryside, fish out of water with five young children between them. Thrown together at a ghastly women’s lunch, they quickly discover a shared longing for mucky London streets and the residents’ parking permits they’ve left behind. When tragedy hits and Maddy’s world collapses, they have to make money fast. A chance discovery leads this unlikely partnership to launch a natural cosmetics company from the kitchen table, with consequences beyond their wildest imaginings. Then the media spotlight turns on them, and Maddy and Izzie have to give up all they hold dear to embrace a lifestyle they hate. But just how far are they prepared to go?”

Posted in Chick Lit Classics | 3 Comments »

Book Deal: Eleanor Moran moves to Sphere!

Posted on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 by Leah

Eleanor Moran has switched publishing houses from Penguin to Sphere after fiction publisher Joanne Dickinson won world rights to two books at auction.The books were bought from Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown for an undisclosed sum. Sphere plans to publish the first book, provisionally titled Marry in Haste, in August 2011.

Dickinson said: “I was the underbidder for Eleanor in the first auction and was very sad we didn’t acquire her then. When the chance came up a second time, we didn’t hesitate. I am really excited to be working with such a talented writer and the publication of Eleanor’s third novel will be a major publishing event for Sphere in 2011.”

Moran had two books published by Penguin, Stick or Twist and Mr Almost Right, which Sphere said has sold more than 40,000 copies since publication in March.

I really enjoyed Eleanor’s latest book Mr Almost Right and I’m definitely looking forward to her new one Marry In Haste, and can’t wait to see what it’s about and how Sphere design her cover!

Posted in Book Deals | 1 Comment »

Book Review: Forbidden Pleasures by Jo Rees

Posted on Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 by Chloe

Savannah, a British IT girl whose Daddy runs a rather successful casino in Las Vegas, is somewhat sick of being a boring socialite. She wants more, but she doesn’t want to be a good girl to get there. A horrible accident at home means Savannah is forced to take stock of her life, and re-evaluate a few things too. She’s sent to a remote island for rehab which her family hopes will bring Savannah back onto the straight and narrow. On the other side of the world, Lois, an ex FBI cop, is finding her feet working for some more casino bosses, and working out what exactly they want from her, and what she wants from her own life too. Just how are the paths of these women going to cross, and with what consequences?

(more…)

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

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Archive for August, 2010

Win a copy of Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella!

Giveaway: Win a copy of ‘Hothouse Flower’

Book Review: Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin

Author Article: Becoming A Writer by Sasha Wagstaff

iVillage needs your help with “The Help”!

Chick Lit Classic: Goodbye, Jimmy Choo by Annie Sanders

Book Deal: Eleanor Moran moves to Sphere!

Book Review: Forbidden Pleasures by Jo Rees

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