Posted on June 20th, 2010 by Chloe
In My Mailbox was created by The Story Siren and let’s us show off the books we’ve acquired this week (in the post, from the library, bought). We’ll post the titles of our books and, in brackets, where they’re from and we’ll post the picture below!
Chloe’s Books this week: I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk (Harper), The Final Hitch by Samantha Scott Jeffries (LBD), My Sister’s Voice by Mary Carter (LBD), Men I’ve Loved Before by Adele Parks (Headline Review - finished version).
Posted in In Our Mailbox | 2 Comments »
Posted on June 19th, 2010 by Leah
Yesterday Danielle reviewed Allison Winn Scotch’s new book The One That I Want and today we have a copy of the book to giveaway! We’ve decided to change the way we run our Competitions (again, and for the final time) and all you have to do to enter is fill in the Google document below. All fields must be entered (as marked by the red star). The giveaway is open to USA and Canada residents only and closes on Friday 2nd July.
Believing she has the life she always wanted, 32-year-old guidance counselor Tilly Farmer is devastated when unsettling facts about her personal life, from her father’s alcoholism to her husband’s insensitive plan to relocate, are revealed to her by an old friend in a fortune-teller’s tent.
Posted in American Saturday | 7 Comments »
Posted on June 19th, 2010 by Leah
Isabel Wolff’s latest book, A Vintage Affair, was released in the UK early in 2009 but is only just reaching US shores on 29th June 2010. I, for one, can vouch for how fantastic it is and hopefully when Danielle reviews it soon, she will enjoy it too! I also think the American cover is so beautiful. The dresses really look vintage (not that I would know) and it’s just so lovely. Here’s the synopsis:
Every dress has a history. And so does every woman. In Isabel Wolff’s captivating A Vintage Affair, a treasured child’s coat becomes a thread of hope connecting two very different women.
Her friends are stunned when Phoebe Swift abruptly leaves a plum job at the prestigious Sotheby’s auction house to open her own vintage clothing shop in London—but to Phoebe, it’s the fulfillment of a dream. In the sunlight-flooded interior of Village Vintage, surrounded by Yves Saint Laurent silk scarves, Vivienne Westwood bustle skirts, cupcake dresses, and satin gowns, Phoebe hopes to make her store the hot new place to shop, even as she deals with two ardent suitors, her increasingly difficult mother, and a secret from her past that casts a shadow over her new venture.
For Phoebe, each vintage garment carries its own precious history. Digging for finds in attics and wardrobes, Phoebe is rewarded whenever she finds something truly unique, for she knows that when you buy a piece of vintage clothing, you’re not just buying fabric and thread—you’re buying a piece of someone’s past. But one particular article of clothing will soon unexpectedly change her life.
Thérèse Bell, an elderly Frenchwoman, has an impressive clothing collection. But among the array of smart suits and couture gowns, Phoebe finds a child’s sky-blue coat—an item with which Bell is stubbornly reluctant to part. As the two women become friends, Phoebe will learn the tale of that little blue coat. And she will discover an astonishing connection between herself and Thérèse Bell—one that will help her heal the pain of her own past and allow her to love again.
Posted in American Saturday | No Comments »
Posted on June 18th, 2010 by Danielle
What do you do when suddenly your perfect life is turned completely upside down? When everything you once treasured and cherished is swept away from before your eyes. This is what Tilly finds after a quick visit with an old friend, who’s now turned to a life of fortune telling, gifts her an incredible ability to see the future. The friends, the love, the town, her job, it all suddenly lacks the luster of years past and she’s left wondering if it’s her who’s changing or if it’s always been this way.
We all come to realizations in our lives, some sooner and others later in life. Unfortunately for Tilly it came at a point when she was finally settling into things, feeling like life was progressing happily and with very few bumps in the road. Yes, her best friends were separating and having their own marital problems, but her own marriage was going wonderfully. Tilly was walking around with “blinders” on so-to-speak. Her husband was upset with their current situation, her father was suffering a relapse of alcoholism and there were a number of other problems including her lack of ability to get pregnant. All of these things (and more) finally contribute to her slow descent into a more realistic outlook on life, something I’m not entirely sold on.
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Posted in 2010 releases, Book Reviews, Rating: 3/5 | 6 Comments »
Posted on June 18th, 2010 by Leah
With two months to go before the release of Jo Rees’s new book Forbidden Pleasures, her publishers have re-designed the cover. I think it looks much better than the old cover. The book is out on August 5th and here’s the synopsis:
From Las Vegas to Dubai, from Shanghai to London, the fatal pull of the gambling world stretches…Savannah, pleasure-loving It Girl, wants to prove herself to her powerful, ruthless father Michael Hudson - until a terrible tragedy forces her to re-think her life. Lois, an ex-cop from the wrong side of the tracks, is now running the gambling business of Michael’s greatest rival, Roberto Enzo - and torn between the glamour and wealth of the casinos and the needs of her vulnerable young daughter. Both women have to confront their pasts, discover new loves, and find out the really important things in life before the greed and corruption of their worlds consume them.
Posted in 2010 releases, Book News | 2 Comments »
Posted on June 17th, 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!
This week I’ve chosen Melissa Nathan’s book The Nanny as our Chick Lit Classic. It was actually the Melissa Nathan Awards for Comedy & Romance this week which helped inspire my pick and remember just how fantastic The Nanny is. And it truly is a fantastic read which I absolutely loved. When I read it, I’d read none of Melissa’s other books but after reading it, I eagerly went looking for her other books. There’s an incredibly sad tale to Melissa’s books; all were written whilst she fought breast cancer and Melissa unfortunately lost her battle in 2006. Melissa was a fab writer and I think the award they set up in her name is a fantastic way to honour her life. If you have yet to read any of Melissa’s books then I urge you to do so. Picking The Nanny is not a bad way to start!
When Jo Green takes a nannying job in London to escape her small-town routine, complicated family, and perfect-on-paper boyfriend Shaun, culture shock doesn’t even begin to describe it. Dick and Vanessa Fitzgerald are the most incompatible pair since Tom and Jerry, and their children - glittery warrior pixie Cassandra, bloodthirsty Zak and shy little Tallulah - are downright mystifying. Suddenly, village life seems terribly appealing. Then, just as Jo’s getting the hang of their designer lifestyle, the Fitzgeralds acquire a new lodger and suddenly she’s sharing her nanny flat with the distractingly good-looking but inexplicably moody Josh. So when Shaun turns up, things get even trickier…
Posted in Chick Lit Classics | 3 Comments »
Posted on June 17th, 2010 by Leah
Erin Kaye’s latest book The Art of Friendship was released earlier this year and has two separate covers: One for the Irish readers and one for it’s UK release. I just got myself a copy a couple of days ago and although mine is the Irish cover (left), I prefer the UK cover (right). How about you?
Chance brought Kirsty, Clare, Janice and Patsy together fifteen years ago. But friendship has bound them through time. Until now. Over the years, In the small town of Ballyfergus, these four women have shared tears of joy and sorrow, countless glasses of wine and cups of tea. Men have come and gone, children been born and left home. Life has taken them down paths they never expected, but through it all their relationship has endured. But all that’s about to change - this year their friendship will be tested as never before as: • Widowed Kirsty falls in love with someone she shouldn’t. • Patsy struggles to cope with her beloved husband’s redundancy and a shocking revelation from her daughter. • Janice is forced to address ghosts from her past. • Clare takes control of her life, only to discover that her new-found independence comes at a high price. Can the sisterhood survive the strains placed upon it and come through it unscathed? Find out in this warm, emotive tale from a hot new talent, perfect for fans of Cathy Kelly and Maeve Binchy.
Posted in Cover Wars | 6 Comments »
Posted on June 17th, 2010 by Leah
Sarah Rayner’s third book One Moment, One Morning is due out on 2nd July 2010 and seems as if it’s a bit different to her previous novels, not to mention the fact it’s her first book in a number of years! It sounds like an incredibly interesting read and I have a bit of a soft spot for the cover! Here’s the synopsis:
The Brighton to London line. The 07:44 train. Carriages packed with commuters. A woman applies her make-up. Another occupies her time observing the people around her. A husband and wife share an affectionate gesture. Further along, a woman flicks through a glossy magazine. Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man has a heart attack, and can’t be resuscitated; the train is stopped, an ambulance called. For at least three passengers on the 07:44 on that particular morning, life will never be the same again. Lou witnesses the man’s final moments. Anna and Lou share a cab when they realise the train is going nowhere fast. Anna is Karen’s best friend. And Karen? Karen’s husband is the man who dies. Telling the story of the week following that fateful train journey, One Moment, One Morning is a stunning novel about love and loss, about family and – above all – friendship. A stark reminder that, sometimes, one moment is all it takes, it also reminds us that somehow, and despite everything, life can and does go on.
Posted in 2010 releases, Book News | 1 Comment »
