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Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Release Date: 1st October 2011
Rating: 2/5
Source: Publisher, thank you!
Publishers Summary:

What if saying hello to an old friend meant saying good-bye to life as you know it?

It’s been six years since Pen Calloway watched her best friends walk out of her life. And through the birth of her daughter, the death of her father, and the vicissitudes of single motherhood, she has never stopped missing them.

Pen, Cat, and Will met on their first day of college and formed what seemed like a magical and lifelong bond, only to see their friendship break apart amid the realities of adulthood. When, after years of silence, Cat—the bewitching, charismatic center of their group—e-mails Pen and Will with an urgent request to meet at their college reunion, they can’t refuse. But instead of a happy reconciliation, what awaits is a collision of past and present that sends Pen and Will, with Pen’s five-year-old daughter and Cat’s hostile husband in tow, on a journey across the world.

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As I prepped the October releases for yesterday’s post I came across Claudia Carroll’s upcoming novel here in the US, If This is Paradise I Want My Money Back. Now, when I saw the US cover the last thing I thought was “Chick Lit”, but what I did think was that the publisher was trying to reach literary fiction fans as well. Maybe? This was all a bit odd considering her past covers for Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? and Personally, I Blame My Fairy Godmother as well as others. Obviously these other covers were with completely different publishers who have varying ideas on what the cover should represent.

Now, I need to say that I know Claudia has expressed her views on genre labels thanks to a fabulous interview with Leah that was posted a couple of months ago, but I’m wondering how Claudia and her readers feel about the sudden very different change of this cover in particular?

To me personally, though I’m not a huge fan of labels per se, I tend to think the cover seems more “serious” than the description. I’m also a bit thrown off by the headless dress with wings, but that could be entirely my own perception. This is exactly why I’m throwing this out there to our readers and loyal fans of Claudia’s. She no doubt writes fantastic books with wonderful characters, but does this cover one that you’d pick up?

Which do you prefer? The US version (on the left) or the UK version (on the right)?

Velva Jean Learns to Fly: A Novel by Jennifer Niven
Publisher: Plume
Release Date: 30th August 2011
Rating: 5/5
Source: Publisher via NetGalley, thank you!
Publishers Summary:

After Pearl Harbor, Velva Jean signs up for service and gets her wings, risking her life-and her heart.

Velva Jean Hart, the fiercely independent heroine of Jennifer Niven’s spectacular debut novel, Velva Jean Learns to Drive, returns in a captivating adventure that literally sends her soaring. Bristling at the limitations faced by a woman in rural Appalachia and fuelled by the memory of her late Mama telling her to “live out there,” Velva Jean hits the road to pursue her dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry. But after a string of auditions, she begins to lose hope- until her brother pays her a surprise visit and treats Velva Jean to a flying lesson that ignites a brand-new dream: to become a female pilot. Funny, poignant, and utterly unforgettable, Velva Jean Learns to Fly will have fans cheering all over again.

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Can you hear the Christmas carols starting? Just think… “Oh the weather outside is frightful. But the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go…” and I’ll end there because there is no chance it will ever snow where I am, but that’s okay. I’m still so eager for the holidays I can’t seem to help but get cheery at the mention of a nice warm fire & a good cup of cocoa. Of course I’d also add a good book to the mix! Thankfully, October is packed full of fantastic holiday releases as well as some wonderful Chick Lit novels I can’t wait to share with everyone. So, I’ll stop with the holiday talk and get to the books, for now.
(To learn more simply click on the cover to be taken to Goodreads for a synopsis!)

Of course I missed one or two, I’m positive, but I’ll leave it to my trusty co-editors and our readers to let me know! Also, I skipped the paperbacks this month because I simply didn’t have time with everything going on. Is this something you’d like to see return next month? I’m honestly curious!

Have a fantastic month of reading! I look forward to hearing about your favorites from the list!

Remember, these are new releases in the US exclusively. They may have been released elsewhere around the globe previously, or perhaps not yet at all. Make sure to check with your local bookseller or online to see if you can purchase a copy where ever you may live in the world! And, as I said, enjoy!

Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found by Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company, Inc
Release Date: 22nd September 2011
Rating: 5/5
Source: Purchased, and I’m so glad I did!
Publishers Summary:

Like a message in a bottle, a “missed connection” classified (usually posted on a website) is an attempt however far-fetched, by one stranger to reach another on the strength of a remembered glance, smile, or blue hat. The anonymous messages are hopeful and hopeless, funny and sad. Ms. Blackall, award-winning illustrator of Ruby’s Wish and Big Red Lollipop, has turned some of the most evocative (or hilarious) of them into exquisite paintings.

Missed Connections is a collection of illustrated love stories. There’s “We Shared a Bear Suit.” “If Not for Your Noisy Tambourine.” “Hairy Bearded Swimmer.” Each is told in the shorthand of a “missed connection,” and then illustrated in Chinese ink and watercolor. The paintings are extraordinary: delicate yet full of feeling, each springing from one little detail of the post into a fully imagined world. Each brings the voyeuristic pleasure of watching love at first sight, and the pleasure of watching an artist discover a fresh new way to tell a story. And not all the connections are missed. Hidden in the book are three pieces that conjure up the magic of love found.

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Occasionally I get the opportunity to brag about a friend or two of mine and what’s even better is when that friend also happens to be a fantastic writer! This week the very talented author and blogger, Anne R. Allen announced the release of her newest Chick Lit novel Food of Love. I’ll be reading and reviewing it in the very near future, but I wanted to let everyone know to run out and pick up a copy as soon as you possibly can!

Currently available in eBook format for Kindle in the US & UK for a stunningly low price and soon to be published in paperback from Popcorn Press.

In Anne’s own words, the general sum-up of Food of Love

It’s about the one thing that unites women of all races and backgrounds: the urge to diminish ourselves by dieting. (And the subsequent craving for chocolate.) I added a hot KGB agent, a sexy two-hundred pound rapper girl, a couple of Elvis impersonators and a small nuclear bomb.

Need a little more coaxing? Take a look at this recommendation from a favorite author of ours here at Chick Lit Reviews, Catherine Ryan Hyde:

“Anne Allen never behaves herself in fiction.… If you’re looking for a good time, trust Anne…to provide a fun and funny read.”
—Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Don’t Let Me Go and Second Hand Heart

Don’t miss out! This is one I’m eagerly looking forward to curling up with on a night when I have a good selection of chocolate nearby!

So, by now I know there are many of you eager to see the new movie based on Karyn Bosnak’s book, What’s Your Number? and I thought that you may also be interested in this little offer from Bookperk:

What’s Your Number? Book + Free Signed Poster From the Upcoming Movie in theaters everywhere 9/30
• Paperback copy of What’s Your Number? by Karyn Bosnak.
• Free Autographed What’s Your Number? movie poster, signed by Anna Faris.
• Free Ground shipping. Offer available in U.S. only.

Yes, you read that correctly! A free autographed poster signed by the star of the movie, Anna Faris, as well as a paperback copy of the book. Not too bad! So, for those of you still in need of a copy I’d definitely recommend picking this one up quickly. The offer is only good until October 4th so pick it up before it’s too late! Still need some convincing? Take a look at the movie trailer one more time…

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Release Date: 23rd August 2011
Rating: 5/5
Source: Received from the publisher, thank you!
Publishers Summary:

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, aster for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes that she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market inspires her to question what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

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