Posted on June 8th, 2010 by Danielle
Chick Flick Tuesday highlights the best chick flicks in the movie world as well as bringing you news on upcoming chick flick releases as well as letting you all know about which chick lit books are being made into chick flick movies!
An Ideal Husband is by far my favorite Chick Flick and oddly enough it was originally presented to me by my husband who was studying the book in one of his literature classes at the time. To begin with I should say that I am a huge fan of almost anything Oscar Wilde has written, including, An Ideal Husband. The book version of what Wilde wrote is perfect and it’s hard to imagine anything being able to improve on what he put forth in the book, but the movie truly is incredible. What more can I say than Rupert Everett? His character alone makes the movie worth watching, not to mention the supporting cast that includes some very big names in the business. Everything about this movie makes you 
laugh and giggle from the snarky commentary to the tremendous one-liners delivered by Everett. But by the end you are absolutely in love. Perfect.
“Sexy leading man Rupert Everett heads an acclaimed all-star cast in this wonderfully witty story of decadence, romance, and scandal! Sir Robert is a highly respected politician whose spotless reputation is the pride of his beautiful wife (Cate Blanchett ) and adoring sister (Minnie Driver). But when an old acquaintance (Julianne Moore) threatens to reveal a dark secret from Robert’s past, only his womanizing party-loving best friend Goring (Everett) is scheming and dishonest enough to come to his aid.”
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Posted on June 8th, 2010 by Leah
Belinda Jones is one of my favourite authors. I’ve read and loved Divas Las Vegas, The California Club, Cafe Tropicana and Out of the Blue. So I was thrilled when I received a proof of Belinda’s new one Living La Vida Loca a few months ago. I really enjoyed it and you can see what I thought of it tomorrow when my review goes up! I asked Belinda’s publishers if we could do an interview with her and I was so pleased when I was told yes. It is one of the best interviews I’ve done and it’s a fantastic read so I hope you enjoy it!
1. Tell us about your latest novel Living La Vida Loca.
A reality TV crew follow two best friends - Carmen and Beth - to Argentina, Spain and Cuba on a dance odyssey. As well as the sultry gauchos, proud matadors and rum-flavoured Cubans who provide the romance, there is a very special cameo from one of the original cast members of Dirty Dancing: Miranda Garrison who played Bungalow Bunny Vivian gave me a private dance lesson while I was observing the filming of Living TV’s dance show searching for a new Johnny & Baby in Virginia and she made such a big impression on me that I created a character entirely around her!
2. Why did you decide to make Living La Vida Loca all about dancing?
I’ve always been entranced by dancers, ever since my mum took me to my first ballet age six, and watching Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing With The Stars just fuelled my obsession. When I was going through a really horrible time in my life, watching all those novices in their gorgeous glitzy costumes giving it their all and bonding so beautifully with their professional partners really captured my imagination and I wanted to put myself in their shoes. So I did - literally! But as well as taking classes I wanted to find out more about the real essence of the dance - hence the trips to their countries of origin!
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Posted on June 8th, 2010 by Leah
The start of another month means one thing: Fiona Cassidy’s next installment about what it takes to become a published author. If you’ve missed Fiona’s previous entries you can read them here: Where It All Began and What’s The Story? and Agent Provocauthor and You’ve Got Mail and The Write Factor. We now present to you the sixth article of twelve… enjoy! We’ve also moved the series to Tuesday mornings due to Saturday’s being American Saturdays. We’re hoping the new day will get us a bigger response because this is a fab series. Our thanks, as ever, go to Fionnuala for writing this series for us!
It was the summer of 2007 when I decided to totally change my writing style and pen a brand new novel! We were on holiday in rainy, windy Donegal at the time and the children were all driving me nuts as they moaned, fought and slowly sent me drifting closer to a home for the bewildered as I wondered how the hell I was going to keep them entertained and myself sane (not necessarily in that order!) I made a flippant comment to my beloved that I should write a book about it because you couldn’t make it up and he matter of factly answered and told me that that was exactly what I should do. He also handed me a twenty euro note and told me to go and get my hair done and chill out. I obliged (naturally) and can say that as I sat in the hairdressers that day and let the young girl at the sink massage my scalp and ease my tension that at that moment Anyone for Seconds? was born! It didn’t get its title until much later but it was where the bones of the story formed in my head!
I’ve already talked about how frustrating it can be to get so close to something only to be let down at the last minute and it had been happening quite a lot so after I had picked myself up and dusted myself off I adopted a new approach. I took a deep breath and put the book, I had been writing, in a cupboard in my kitchen where it would remain untouched for a long time, turned on my laptop and put the idea that had flourished over a sink on a dismal wet summer’s day into practice. I had received quite a bit of feedback as a result of my fervent ache for an agent and publisher and every single review of my work that had been written had said the same thing…I was funny…I had excellent comedy timing…and my writing was warm and witty so I thought I’d exploit the fact and write a romantic comedy. My writing before this had had funny moments and a series of one-liners but was probably a lot more serious and written in a more literary vein. I had always enjoyed reading funny books that made me laugh out loud but supposed I had never explored the idea that I would have the skills to write one myself!
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Posted on June 7th, 2010 by Chloe
Behind every great musician is a great wife… or is there? Marny has been in love with her rock star boyfriend Sly since they first met, and nothing has changed now Sly has become a global superstar. Is Marny going to be able to handle the attention that her boyfriend gets, or will it push their relationship to breaking point? Coco has always dreamed of running away from her stifled life, and decides being a groupie is the best thing. She quickly attaches herself to the band and into their hearts, but what is Coco running away from? Finally, there’s Lori, the band’s manager. She’s determined to succeed in an industry dominated by men - and she isn’t afraid of it either. Will these Rock Chicks stand by their men whatever comes their way, or is the rock lifestyle too much for some?
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Posted in 2010 releases, Book Reviews, Rating: 3/5 | No Comments »
Posted on June 7th, 2010 by Leah
Roisin Meaney’s latest book Love In The Making was released in February this year and I thought the cover was lovely (right). However, for the paperback release due out in October, there’s been a cover change, one I think is even better (left). I’m certainly going to be looking out for the book as it sounds fantastic!
Hannah Robinson is just about to open the doors to her new shop Cupcakes on the Corner when out of the blue her boyfriend Patrick announces that he’s leaving her for another woman. Faced with starting a business on her own, Hannah begins to wonder if her life-long dream has just turned into a nightmare. So her best friend Adam sets his birthday as a deadline - seven months to make her shop a success, or walk away from it all. And as Hannah immerses herself in early-morning icing, she soon discovers that she’s too busy to think about Patrick and his now pregnant girlfriend . . . or to notice an increasingly regular customer who has recently developed a sweet tooth for all things cupcake . . . But while Hannah is slowly piecing her life back together, family friend Alice’s is falling apart. Her husband Tom’s drinking is getting out of control and things are about to get a whole lot worse. As the seven-month milestone approaches, Hannah must decide her future. And while she’s figuring out what’s really important, it becomes clear to everyone that happiness in life, and in love, is all in the making.
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Posted on June 7th, 2010 by Leah
We told you about Cathy Kelly’s latest book a while back and we can finally reveal the cover to you all. Homecoming is due out on 30th September 2010 and is bound to be just as magical as Cathy’s previous books. Plus, as a bonus, the cover looks rather beautiful! Here’s the synopsis:
Eleanor Levine left Ireland seventy years ago with little more than a suitcase and her mother’s handwritten recipe book. Now, a lifetime later, she’s returning from New York with hard won wisdom and memories of her own. A renowned psychoanalyst, Eleanor knows there’s one final journey she has to make… Lovely young actress Megan Bouchier didn’t have to chase success – it arrived effortlessly. Fame was what she always wanted until a disastrous affair made her the wrong kind of headlines – now Megan needs a place to hide… Darkly beautiful Rae is a wonderful wife, a loyal friend and a dedicated community carer. From Titania’s Tea Rooms she dispenses tea and sympathy to everyone – until a painful secret from her past threatens everything she holds dear. Big-hearted teacher Connie O’Callaghan has given up on love. She’s cheerfully approaching forty and besides, why does no man ever match the heroes in her beloved romantic novels? As Eleanor re-reads her mother’s comforting words and watches life unfold from her window in Dublin’s pretty Golden Square, she slowly becomes drawn into the lives of Megan, Rae and Connie. But can treasured wisdom handed down from mother to daughter really be relevant today? And what are the ingredients for a life well lived?
Posted in 2010 releases, Book News | 4 Comments »
Posted on June 6th, 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! All links go to GoodReads, with summaries & things!
Chloe’s Books this week: Getting Over Mr Right by Chrissie Manby (not pictured), Men I’ve Loved Before by Adele Parks, Scandalous by Tilly Bagshawe, Pictures of Lily by Paige Toon, Envy by Coleen Nolan, Encore Valentine by Adriana Trigiani, The Many Conditions of Love by Farahad Zama, and My Dangerous Duke by Gaelen Foley.
Leah’s books this week: A Perfect Proposal by Katie Fforde, The Beach Hut by Veronica Henry.
Posted in In Our Mailbox | 4 Comments »
Posted on June 5th, 2010 by Danielle
Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has “the memory”, the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he’s previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.
Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel’s unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now “Lucy” in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.
A magical, suspenseful, heartbreaking story of true love, My Name is Memory proves the power and endurance of a union that was meant to be.
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Posted in 2010 releases, American Saturday, Book Reviews, Rating: 3/5 | 9 Comments »
laugh and giggle from the snarky commentary to the tremendous one-liners delivered by Everett. But by the end you are absolutely in love. Perfect.
