As 2010 comes to a close, the Chick Lit Reviews Awards are back, and this year we have a new logo as well as a few extra categories so here are our winners!
Book of the Year: From Notting Hill With Love… Actually by Ali McNamara
Why: From the first page, I was hooked with FNHWLA and I just couldn’t put it down. It was by far and away my favourite book of 2010, everything about it was perfect and no other book blew me away that well.
Most Disappo
inting Book of the Year: Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
Why: With Heart of the Matter being Emily’s first novel in about two years I had a lot of expectations for the novel. I loved Emily’s first two novels, but wasn’t as big a fan of her other novels and was hoping this would be Emily back to her best. Unfortunately for me, it just wasn’t to be as it was frighteningly similar to Something Borrowed, but it just wasn’t anywhere as good.
Best Sequel: After The Party by Lisa Jewell
Why: I thought After The Party was an immense sequel, even better than Ralph’s Party it’s prequel. It was real and it was completely true to life. It didn’t gloss over Ralph and Jem’s marriage and their troubles, and I just adored catching up with Jem and Ralph again, 10 years later, to see how they had changed and grown in the intervening years. Even a few of the original characters popped up, rounding out the book nicely.
Funnie
st Book of the Year: Katy Carter Wants A Hero by Ruth Saberton
Why: Of all the books that made me laugh this year, the one I remember most of all was Ruth Saberton’s debut novel Katy Carter Wants A Hero. It was insanely funny, and the scene I remember most vividly was that dinner party scene with Pinchy the lobster. He completely stole the show during those scenes and I’ve never felt so much for a crab!
Tear-Jerker of the Year: Walking Back To Happiness by Lucy Dillon
Why: This book was only released a few weeks ago, yet easily takes the title of Tear-Jerker for me. It’s a story about Juliet, a widow who is trying to rebuild her life after her devastating loss, and it really does have its emotional moments. Despite Juliet’s sad circumstances, it is an uplifting and warm tale that had me welling up frequently, and I enjoyed every single page of it… it’s a tear-jerker but an uplifting one!
Best Debut Novel: Katy Carter Wants A Hero by Ruth Saberton
Why: I’ve read quite a few debut novels this year, and of the two I’d choose to make my final two for this award, Katy Carter won it for me because I was truly impressed with the book. It was the simpleness of the book that impressed me most, as it didn’t try too hard and it just made me happy whilst reading it.
Most Promising Author for the Future: Ali McNamara
Why: Ali’s debut novel From Notting Hill With Love… Actually has taken both Leah and I by storm, and rightfully so. It’s got a gorgeous story, it’s well written and it is will appeal to anyone who loves a proper love-story with a few movies thrown in along the way. If this is Ali’s debut novel, then we can certainly look forward to great things from her, and we can’t wait to see what she is going to offer us next, she’s certainly our one to watch!
Best Celebrity Novel: Envy by Coleen Nolan
Why: Usually I avoid celebrity novels like the plague, mainly because they don’t tend to write them themselves, instead getting a ghost writer to do the job. However, Coleen Nolan actually wrote this book herself and it’s really good! The story focused on a women’s chat show, not unlike Coleen’s show Loose Women (which cringingly appears in the book), but other than that, the characters were well written, it was well paced and a very enjoyable read that Leah and I both really liked. There is a sequel coming in 2011 called Denial, so we look forward to Coleen’s second offering!
Best Little Black Dress Novel: Take A Look At Me Now by Nell Dixon
Why: I only read Take A Look At Me Now a few weeks back, but I was completely sucked in to Tia’s story. It was a very easy read and one I managed to finish fairly quickly, as I was desperate to know if Tia’s secret would come out and what would happen as and when it did!
Women’s Fiction Book of the Year: The Affair by Santa Montefiore
Why: Santa Montefiore is an author who I haven’t heard of before, but is certainly on my radar after reading her 2010 release The Affair which is our Women’s Fiction Book of the Year award winner. Angelica is married, but not happily so and the book tells the tale of her illicit relationship with wine-maker Jack, but in a way which makes you feel very much for both parties. The book moves from Angelica’s oppulent life in London to the wine-making regions of South Africa, and is utterly charming. The writing pulls you in, the characters make you empathise and it is a fantastic read, and a deserving winner.
Book Cover of the Year: Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon
Why: Paige Toon has some of the most beautiful covers in the book world. They always stand out, and they all match each other nicely. Pictures of Lily takes Paige’s covers to another level as it even has sparkly bits. I mean, just look at the picture on the right. It’s even better in real life, and it is without a doubt the best of Paige’s covers so far and I can’t wait to see the cover for her next book Baby Be Mine!
Best Storyline: Swimming With Dolphins by Deborah Wright.
Why: As soon as I read the synopsis for Swimming With Dolphins I wanted to read the book. A woman writes a list of 10 things to do before she dies and ends up actually getting to do it after losing her job. I thought it was a fantastic storyline and I swallowed the book whole in a matter of hours. The exotic locations, the wonderful characters, the never knowing where it was going to end, all added up to a wonderful storyline.
Best Book Ending: From Notting Hill With Love… Actually by Ali McNamara
Why: You have absolutely no idea how happy this novel’s ending made me. It was ah-mah-zing. I will never, ever find a book ending so perfect. It summed up the book perfectly and if you’re the type of person to skip to the end of a book say just for a sneak peak I would heartily recommend with FNHWLA that you don’t do that, because you will completely ruin it for yourself!
Best Female Character: Scarlett from From Notting Hill With Love… Actually
Why: This was an easy decision for us, both Leah and I plumped for this character and rightfully so in our opinion! Scarlett is our leading lady and film fanatic from the brilliant From Notting Hill With Love… Actually, and she is so loveable, she’s just right for the book. Scarlett is somewhat obsessed with films, and wants her life to be happy like her fave movies, Notting Hill, Love Actually etc. McNamara has written a normal character in the form of Scarlett, one every female reader will love and be able to relate to, and she’s definitely our favourite female character of 2010!
Best Male Character: Ben from Pictures of Lily
Why: It was a bit tougher for us to pick the winner of the best male character in a book, but in the end we have plumped for Ben from Pictures of Lily. He’s the central male interest in the book, and Paige Toon has written him to be the hero every girl wants! He first meets young Lily at the zoo when she is 16, but it’s not until she is grown up that something can happen between the pair, and Ben is just perfect throughout!
Best Pet/Animal Character: Pinchy from Katy Carter Wants A Hero
Why: As soon as Pinchy the lobster appeared at the beginning of Katy Carter Wants A Hero, I fell in love with him. He’s the catalyst for one of my favourite scenes in the book that had me laughing out loud like a complete nutter.
Best Festive-Themed Book: All I Want for Christmas by Amy Silver
Why: There were a few contenders for this book but overall I chose Amy Silver’s novel simply because I adored it, and could not put it down. The heart-warming tale about Bea and her little cafe The Honey Pot, and getting her life back after losing her husband was really touching and emotional, and the other stories which were inter-linked made the book even better. The gorgeous cover makes the book all the more covetable, and it thoroughly deserves to be our Best Festive Themed book.
Readers Choice Award: Katy Carter Wants A Hero by Ruth Saberton
Why: We had a total of 227 votes between Katy Carter Wants A Hero, Men I’ve Loved Before and Mini Shopaholic. Katy Carter Wants A Hero got 116 votes, Men I’ve Loved Before received 63 votes and Mini Shopaholic got 37 votes!
Huge congratulations to all of our award winners, you deserve them!
Since November 2009
When routine driven box office assistant Samantha Smith meets the stars of ‘Skating on Broadway’ her life is turned upside down. Immediately attracted to lead skater Jimmy Lloyd, Samantha does her best to deny her feelings. But when all you can do is burst out laughing and hyperventilate every time you’re under pressure, keeping things under wraps is a hard task. When the future of her beloved Civic Hall is threatened Samantha must rise to the challenge to ensure its survival. Constantly scrutinised and criticised by her zany sister Cleo and her brogue wearing boyfriend Jeremy, can Samantha save her job, save the Civic Hall and stop her panic attacks just long enough to give away her heart?
Posted in 2010 releases, Book Reviews, Rating: 3/5 | No Comments »
