Sara and Melissa Talk About...Things We Love

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are finishing up our fifth year!

This month, we are keeping it fun and positive, by just talking about the things we love, which can refer to people, places, objects, experiences, etc. A great way to close out the year!

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them. 

Melissa Amster:

There are plenty of things that I love, so I will try not to make this into an entire novel and just narrow it down to ten. I'm taking books out of the equation, since that's a given or this blog wouldn't be here right now!

1. My husband. We've been married almost 21 years and are thankfully still happy together.

2. My kids. I love them equally and could never, ever pick a favorite. They each have traits that make them special and it's been amazing seeing them grow into the remarkable teenagers they are. They also get along with each other, which is so wonderful!

July 2024

3. My family, as in my parents, sister, and nephew, as well as my aunt, uncle, and cousins. Even though we live far apart, we find ways to stay close.

4. My in-laws. I'm lucky to have in-laws I get along with. I'm especially close with my mother-in-law. 

5. My friends. I don't know where I'd be without them, whether I've known them all my life or just met them a few years ago. I treasure the friendships I have!

6. Musical theater. I love seeing shows on Broadway, on tour, and in local professional productions. I obviously love seeing my kids perform in musicals at school and camp. (They all love musicals, so it's really nice to share that with them.) I primarily listen to show tunes when I'm driving or doing chores.

7. Being Jewish. While it's been harder to be Jewish over the past year or so, it's also made me love it even more, if that makes sense. There are ways to find Jewish joy and I've seen a lot of it around. I will be participating in the #JewishBookstagramTour later this month (@mel_thebookfairy) and am excited to talk about what brings me #JewishJoy over there!

8. Humor. Give me a reason to laugh and it just brightens my day. I love seeing funny videos and memes, hearing a good joke (or pun), sharing inside jokes with my family and friends, watching comedic TV shows and films, etc.

9. My job. I've been doing book publicity work for the past few years and I'm really enjoying it. I've taken on some new responsibilities that go along with my job and have learned so much. I really feel like I'm in my groove. I also like the people I work with and feel valued there.

10. Baking challah and desserts. Enough said, right?!? Obviously, getting to eat the final product is the best part! I have been trying out some new recipes that I found to keep things interesting, too. 

Round challahs I made for Rosh Hashanah

Sara Steven:

Some of the things that I love:

1. My family–but, that is a given. This photo is from my older son's high school graduation last year. My parents and mother-in-law are there too.

2. Being outdoors: I love the great outdoors, even if that means going for a long walk around my neighborhood, running on the wash trail by my house, or gardening in my backyard. I don’t feel like I’ve had a good day if I haven’t managed to get outside at some point. 

3. The smell of the desert after it rains: This ties in with being outdoors–there is a specific smell that comes from cacti and sagebrush after it rains in the desert. I’m sure the sandy terrain and gravel comes into play, too, creating the perfect aroma.

4. Theaters with dine-in options: I love the Majestic theater in Gilbert, Arizona. What can be better than getting to watch a movie in the theater, recline the seat, and have food delivered to you–not just popcorn and boxes of candy and hot dogs but an actual meal! When I saw Barbie at the Majestic, they had the most delicious Barbie bites offered up for an appetizer. It was this cream cheese corn thing and I couldn’t get enough of them, and the best thing of all–I didn’t have to cook or prepare anything.

5. Inside jokes: Sharing inside jokes with family and friends is a lot of fun. Melissa and I have a lot of inside jokes, too, which often shows in the gifts we give one another for birthdays and holidays. This one is a tie back to our 90 Day Fiancé viewing days:

6. Yoga: Yoga centers me. I’ve been doing it for the last decade and it’s become an integral part of my life. Lately, I do yoga as a means of physical therapy, to help with some issues I have with compressed discs and neck and back pain, and it really helps a lot. Hot yoga is my go-to.

7. Starbucks: I’ve had friends who were super into Starbucks and I remember scoffing when they’d pull up their Starbucks apps, but now I’m that person with the app. My husband has the app on his phone, too, for me. I love (I’m obsessed) with Starbucks. My day doesn’t feel complete without a tall hot chai, or after hot yoga, I indulge with a venti strawberry acai refresher. When I’m feeling a little saucy and need some caffeine, I’ll add a shot of blonde to my chai to make a dirty chai–something I’ve recently discovered and I swear it tastes like a slice of tiramisu.  

What are some things that YOU love?

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2022 Top Picks

There were so many great books published in 2022 that it was very hard to choose between the ones we read. Here are some of the books that topped our lists. (We limited ourselves to five each.) However, any book we gave glowing reviews and five stars to this year is definitely recommended for your TBR! 

Links are to reviews. 

Melissa:

The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman

Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club by Roselle Lim

The Personal Assistant by Kimberly Belle

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron

Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer

I read over 100 books this year, most being contenders for these top five spots. I am featuring some other top picks for the year at my personal blog (those picks include YA reads and books published in other years).

Sara:

The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland

Bad Penny by Michele Gorman

The House Sitter by Ellery Kane

The Two Lives of Sara by Catherine Adel West

Driven by Kerena Swan

Jami:

The Love of My Life, Rosie Walsh – “Not all lying spouses are hiding murder or mafia ties in their past. Sometimes the secrets are about sadness, loss, and love.”

Home or Away, Kathleen West -- “These hockey parents hold up a mirror to modern parenting, which treats the successes and failures of children as life or death. Childhood is over way too quickly, and these sports obsessions make it even shorter.”

Take My Hand, Dolen Perkins-Valdez – “Take My Hand is an important work, the type of novel that could be taught in high school English classes. Because of that, in the south, it will probably be banned.”  

The German Wife, Kelly Rimmer – “Rimmer’s work does what great fiction always does: Makes us question our world and our actions in it.”

The Displacements, Bruce Holsinger – “The scariest things aren’t events that can’t happen. They’re the events that can.”

What were your top picks for 2022?

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Sara and Melissa talk about...Movies

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. This month we're talking about movies.

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:

My first day of Spring semester at Arizona State University starts today, and one of the “fun” courses I decided to enroll in had been an American Film Musicals class. Given the heavy workload of the other three classes I’m enrolled in, I figured watching musicals wouldn’t be too difficult. I enjoy them immensely, so it wouldn’t be torture, and summarizing or giving my opinion on the dance moves of Fred Astaire or trying to decipher Audrey Hepburn’s quirkiness in My Fair Lady would be a pretty easy task. 

Well, lesson learned: a three credit college course is still a three credit college course. There will be two MLA-formatted papers in my future, as well as a research paper and summaries/reviews of every movie we see this semester--eighteen in total! But, if I had to do it for any genre, I can’t think of a more fun genre. 

The first musical ever for me had been Gigi. It’s still a favorite of mine. My grandmother introduced me to it when I was in elementary school, and to this day, if I ever encounter a dress like the one Leslie Caron wore as Gigi to Maxim’s, it will be mine! 

It’s more than the dress, though. I love all the outfits. I love the Parisian backdrop. I know all of the songs by heart, even now, and just the other day I thought of the legendary Maurice Chevalier remarking on the fact that he’s “glad he’s not young anymore” when I heard my children fighting over something that consequently, didn’t matter too much and would quickly blow over if given another minute or two. 

Gigi opened the door to so many other musicals, and I’ve discovered that while I’ve seen quite a few that are required viewing for my class, there are still quite a few I haven’t seen! 

Some of my favorite film musicals:

Gypsy: Who wouldn’t love Natalie Wood, who goes from tomboy to sexpot while dealing with deep mommy issues with her momager mother?

Mary Poppins: This was a constant while growing up, and I’ve seen it recently after we acquired Disney + for our Roku. While I love Julie Andrews, my favorite character is Bert, played wonderfully by Dick Van Dyke.

The Sound of Music: Another Julie Andrews classic. My favorite song is “So Long, Farewell.”   

Xanadu: Admittedly, it has been nearly four decades since I’ve seen Olivia Newton-John in roller skates. My young parents brought me with them to the movie theater when I was only three, and I can barely remember much of it, other than vibrant colors and the music. I still remember “Magic,” and I get to reacquaint myself with it all this semester, since it’s one of the musicals we’ll be working with.

The Wizard of Oz: I made it a point to watch it every single holiday for several years, when it would air on television.

Grease: Another classic that I have seen several times over the course of my life. Friend and relatives at odd times over the years will break into famous lines and song and phrases, out of the blue. It wasn’t until later in life when I realized what Rizzo meant when she said, “I feel like a defective typewriter. I skipped a period.”    

(Links above are to trailers.)

What are some of your favorite film musicals?

Melissa Amster:

Today I am sharing ten of my favorite movies. Please note that these are just ten movies I love out of many, many more. It's hard to just pick only ten, which is why I don't want to say that these are my only favorites. (Links are to trailers.)

1. Where the Heart Is: I read the book (by Billie Letts) in 1999 and loved it. Then the movie came out in the spring of 2000 and I was excited to see it. The first time, I enjoyed it enough. Then I watched it again when it came out on video (yes, I said video) and fell in love with it. After that, I couldn't stop watching it and it became one of my all time favorite movies. I love James Frain as Forney, with all the curls. 

2. Sing!: I am talking about the film that came out in 1989 (not the animated animal movie). I had read a book called Sing in middle school about a musical competition and someone told me it was a movie, so I knew I just had to watch it. The first time I saw it, I started in the middle where this girl was auditioning for a show by singing "Like a Virgin" really bad. Then I kept watching and knew I had to see it again from the very beginning. After that, I saw it more times than I can even count. I still love it and it makes me smile (and cry) every time I see it. 

3. The Princess Bride: It is inconceivable to me that anyone has NOT seen this movie by now. It's such a classic! Oddly enough, I didn't like it the first time I saw it, when I was eleven years old. I thought some parts were scary. Then I saw it in college and fell in love with it. I watched it all the time and still quote from it a lot. I even have a Westley Funko pop and I read Cary Elwes' movie memoir As You Wish a while back and loved that too. 

4. Girls Just Want to Have Fun: I basically grew up on this movie. My sister and I watched it countless times. We always thought it was hilarious when they were giving everyone invitations to Natalie's party and then all these random people showed up and ruined everything for her. (Natalie was mean to them, so I don't feel guilty about that.) I also thought Jeff was so cute and I was sad that he wasn't in anything else. I will still watch this movie as an adult and I listen to the soundtrack in my car.

5. Dirty Dancing: I fell in love with Dirty Dancing when I first saw it during the summer I turned eleven. I was obsessed after that and watched it all the time. I got the soundtracks, posters, etc. I had such a crush on Patrick Swayze at the time. I still think I look like Jennifer Grey did in that movie. 

6. Wreck-It Ralph: You may be wondering why this is the Disney movie that made it to my list. It's just so funny and clever, with great characters and an interesting plot. I love it every time I see it and I always get teary-eyed at the end. My daughter dressed as Vanellope for Purim one year and I had fun putting together her costume.

7. Ten Things I Hate About You: One of the best teen movies from the nineties. I didn't know what to expect with this one and ended up adoring it the whole way through. I cry every time Kat reads her poem. This was also an introduction to Heath Ledger, who was fabulous as Patrick, not to mention hot! I also enjoyed Bianca's part of the story. 

8. Legally Blonde: Elle Woods was so inspiring to me in this movie and I am not ashamed to admit how much I cried at the end. I also love the Broadway musical version of this movie. Great lines too!

9. 50 First Dates: Find someone who will treat you the way Adam Sandler treats Drew Barrymore in this movie. While it's goofy at times, it's so completely romantic that it's impossible to have dry eyes by the end. 

(Yes, I like movies that make me cry when I least expect them to...)

10. The Shawshank Redemption: Another movie where I'm shocked if someone tells me they haven't seen it yet. I saw it freshman year of college and was so moved by Andy's resolve to escape prison and the lives he impacts while he is there. It's just so well told and the casting is fantastic. I never read the book, but I don't really need to after seeing the movie so many times. 

Tell us about your favorite movies!

2020 Favorites

There were so many great books published in 2020 that it was very hard to choose between the ones we read. Here are some of the books that topped our lists. (We limited ourselves to five each.) However, any book we gave glowing reviews and five stars to this year is definitely recommended for your TBR! 

Melissa:

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore
What You Wish For by Katherine Center

Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

A Little Bit of Grace by Phoebe Fox

Links are to reviews.

Sara:

Poll Dancer by Laura Heffernan

The Dream by Whitney Dineen

The Detour - a Road Trip with My Mom, Her Pug & a 1986 Volvo by Jennifer Ammoscato

A Million Little Lies by Bette Lee Crosby

Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team by Elise Hooper

Links are to reviews.

Jami:

In the weirdest year that most of us can remember, it’s wonderful that we still had the escape of reading…

Links are to Amazon:

Rodham, Curtis Sittenfeld’s reimagination of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s life if she’d never married Bill. Written in first person, the voice sounds so amazingly like Hillary, it will make her fans ache all over again for what might have been.

In Five Years, Rebecca Serle. The day after accepting her boyfriend’s proposal, Dannie wakes up five years in the future with a different man and a different ring. An hour later, she’s back in the present. Just a dream? Then why does Dannie’s BFF Bella show up with this same man on her arm? The plot sounds familiar, but the book goes in a completely different direction. It’s moving and heartbreaking and stayed with me for a long time after I put it down.

Links are to reviews:

Pretending, Holly Bourne. The opening chapter of Pretending had me laughing out loud, bringing back happy memories of the first Bridget Jones book. But April is not Bridget, and Pretending is a much harder read than Bridget.

Lainey Cameron’s debut novel, The Exit Strategy. In a genre that often hints that the most important thing a woman can do in her life is choose the right man, it’s a relief to read a book where the women put themselves first.

Lian Dolan’s The Sweeney Sisters. If you miss those great Nancy Meyers rich people rom-coms, with the beach settings and the clothes and the houses with amazing kitchens, this book may be right up your alley.

2019 Favorites

There were so many great books published in 2019 that it was very hard to choose between them. Here are some of the books that topped our lists. However, any book we gave glowing reviews and five stars to this year is definitely recommended for your TBR!

*Links are to reviews, unless indicated otherwise.

Melissa A:
1. Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
2. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
3. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
4. Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey (review coming soon)
5. The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Amy: 
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle
Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald
(All links are for Amazon.)

Jami:
I sweated over this list… it’s not easy picking five favorites for the year when you read two or three books a week! Nevertheless, here’s my best shot:
My favorite overall book of 2019: Candace Bushnell’s Is There Still Sex in The City? The writer whose book launched my favorite TV series released this follow-up, which was enormously comforting in the wake of my divorce and showed me that it was possible to find new love after 50. And I did.
Favorite Mystery/Thriller: Lady in the Lake, Laura Lippman. Since the debut of her Baltimore-based female PI Tess Monaghan series in the 1990s, Lippman has gotten better with every book. It’ll be hard to top this one, though, which wraps an intriguing mystery around racism, sexism, and other isms in 1960s Baltimore. (Runner up: The Turn of the Key, Ruth Ware)

Favorite Historical Fiction: The Things We Cannot Say, Kelly Rimmer. A triumph for an author who excels in different genres. (runner up: Lost Roses, Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac Girls prequel)
Favorite Sci-Fi: Recursion, Blake Crouch. (Link is to Amazon.) If all you know about this author is that he wrote the Wayward Pines trilogy on which the 2015 series was based, you don’t know the full story. Read this amazing look at parallel universes… then go back and read everything else on his back list.
Favorite Non-Fiction: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori Gottlieb. (Link is to Amazon.) This memoir from The Atlantic’s resident therapist is almost as good as going to therapy yourself. (Runner up: Once More We Saw Stars, Jayson Greene.)

Sara:
1. The Year Marjorie Moore Learned to Live by Christie Grotheim
2. Have You Seen Luis Velez? by Catherine Ryan Hyde
3. Emily, Gone by Bette Lee Crosby
4. Starfish: A Rockstar Romance by Lisa Becker
5. Twine by Monica Duncan

Becky:
The Lives We Touch by Eva Woods - moving, thought-provoking and memorable, Eva makes my annual favourites list for the second year running. (US title: The Inbetween Days.)

The Day We Met by Roxie Cooper - reflecting back on the novels I’ve read this year this was one that remains memorable. Frustrating, moving, the story and characters have stayed with me and I’d read this one all over again.

The Girl at the Window by Rowan Coleman - just an exquisite novel that ticks all the boxes.

2018 Favorites

There were so many great books published in 2018 that it was very hard to choose between them! Here are some of the books that topped our lists.

Melissa A:
1. The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain (Review)
2. How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (Review)
3. Limelight by Amy Poeppel (Review)
4. One Day in December by Josie Silver (Such a sweet story that would be a perfect rom com flick.)
5. Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins (review) and The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson (It's a tie...too hard to choose between them! They both made me smile and get teary-eyed.)

Jami:
Favorite Short Story Collection: You Think It, I’ll Say It – Curtis Sittenfeld
Favorite Book about my Adoptive Home State: Florida – Lauren Groff
Favorite Social Justice Novel: An American Marriage – Tayari Jones
Favorite Campaign Novel: Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win -- Jo Piazza (read my review here)
Favorite “You Don’t Know Who Your Husband Really Is” Novel: Our House -- Louise Candlish (read my review here)

Becky:
Miss You by Kate Eberlen (Review)
My favourite of the year, this novel has everything and it will be a rare book I keep to read again one day.

An Island Christmas (Christmas on the Island) by Jenny Colgan
One I've recently finished but just loved. I'm mad at myself for somehow missing Jenny's prequel to this novel as the characters are so engaging, i'll just have to go backwards!

How to be Happy by Eva Woods (Review)
I loved this book when I read it back in spring. What I didn't know then was how much more meaning it would have for me by the end of the year. In the past six months two family members have faced cancer, my Grandma is sadly no longer with us, my treasured mum is fighting it. I've looked back at this book over the past few months with fresh eyes and I try and carry the book's positivity with me during these difficult times.

It Started with a Tweet by Anna Bell (Review)
One of my favourite authors for delivering my kind of book each and every time. This book felt like a much needed digital detox in itself!

Sara:
1. Anything from the Kinney Brothers book series from Kelsey Kingsley. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I will never say no to Last Chance to Fall. (Review)
2. The Port Elspeth Jewelry Making Club by Holly Tierney-Bedord. There are so many twists and turns to this story, it was a fun read! (Review)
3. I appreciated the unique story line to One in a Million by Lindsey Kelk. A little bit of My Fair Lady, mixed in with She's All That, with a twist. (Review)
4. In a Jam by Cindy Dorminy. I loved the characters and the small-town nostalgia, along with the remarkable friendships formed. (Review)

These are a few of our favorite things

Since we were asking authors to present their favorite things "Oprah style," we thought we'd do the same. Some of us have favorite things in common with each other. Do we have any in common with YOU?

Melissa A:

I did a post about my favorite things at my personal blog a few years ago. While some items changed, many stayed the same and I'm sharing a few of them here. I am not listing books here because they're the main reason I'm here at this blog to begin with.

I love Vanilla Almond Special K so much that I  practically hoard it. I buy it whenever it's on sale. I would give someone else a year's supply of this delicious morning treat so they too could experience a good breakfast!


I love movies, so I would share a DVD pack of my favorite movies, including Where the Heart is, Sing, 50 First Dates, and The Princess Bride, along with a box of my favorite movie candy (Raisinets) and a box of popcorn. (All links are to the trailers.)

I also love Broadway musicals and would give everyone vouchers to see whichever Broadway show they desired.

I'm a big fan of mint tea. The best is Tazo Refresh. I stock up on it when it goes on sale at Target. I would give someone a year's supply of Tazo Refresh tea. It's just that good!

Finally, since I'm all about country music, I'd give a country sampler pack of CDs that had all my favorite singers and groups, including Luke Bryan, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Sugarland, etc.

Amy:

Once Upon a Time has been my favorite show since it went on air. Therefore I'd give someone the first three seasons on DVD.

I LOVE country music. That being said I'd make them a mix of some of my favorite country songs, including ones by Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker and many more.

I'm a makeup junkie, so what I think would be fun is take someone to some of the departments stores on 5th Avenue in NYC and have a blast shopping at the makeup counters.

Of course I have to include books in this list. That being said, I'd give them a gift certificate to their indie bookstore of choice.

And last, but not least, I'm a chocoholic. Because Harry & David makes the best chocolate truffles, I'd send them a Henry & David gift card.

Melissa P:

This was hard because I had WAY more than five!

Wearing my
favorite scarf

I love anything Lilly Pulitzer, but specifically the Murfee scarves. They are super soft and gauzy and have the signature brightly colored
patterns that Lilly is so famous for. I would give everyone the choice to pick their favorite pattern to suit their personality.

Kate Spade handbags. Although these can be pretty pricey, you can sometimes find them at nordstrom rack or on Rue la la for a fraction of the price. I got my favorite one a few years ago and it has held up really well. They are worth the investment for the incredible quality.

The show Sex and the City. It got me through my twenties and the witty banter and sarcastic comments always made me laugh. I love shows about the power of female friendship and I don't think any show has ever come close. Boxed sets for everyone!

Red Berries Special K bars. I carry one with me at all times. Sometimes I'm out running around all day and don't get a chance to stop and eat for a while, so those tasty little bars come in handy!

Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco. It's inexpensive but delicious whether in a mimosa or on it's own. It's my "go-to" wine to bring when I'm having brunch or dinner at a friends house. I would give everyone a case of this tasty bubbly.

Gail:

Okay, probably my favorite thing that I'd want to share with everyone is my giant fuzzy zebra blanket. This time of year everyone needs one of these, and it's AMAZING to curl up under because it's really heavy and so warm. If we put this on the bed I don't move at all while I'm sleeping, which is almost never happens. If I could I would want to give everyone one of these to snuggle up with on chilly days.
download (4).jpg

My next favorite thing is a sports bra. I'm not even kidding. The Knockout bra by Victoria's Secret has done ridiculous things for my workout. It's basically 2 bras in one...it has one underneath that clasps in the front and has 2 separate cups, and then a sports layer that you close over top of that and zip up. I've been searching for a good sports bra forever, it feels like, and I can't say enough about this one. I'd give everyone a gift card for $100 to Victoria's Secret, with the stipulation that half of it be spent on one of their sports bras. I'm a fan for life!

Next up would be David's Tea. I cannot get enough of that store: the adorable cups! The delicious teas! The flavored agave nectar! I'd want to give everyone a gift card for $200 just so they could try a bunch of teas, get some cool accessories, and find their perfect mug. Also? One of the girls at David's taught me about the magic that is made from combining different flavours of tea. SO amazing! Current flavour favorites of mine: Cold 911 (intense peppermint and juniper berry), Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait (sweet and tart and delicious), and Chocolate Chili Chai (the sweetness of chocolate, the heat of chilies, and the smoothness of chai).

I would also want to share DVDs with everyone of some of my favorite TV shows and movies. Definite inclusions: all available seasons of Suits, American Horror Story, Friends, and Nurse Jackie. Also: Million Dollar Baby, Pretty Woman, Mean Girls, Blades of Glory (don't judge me!), Happy Gilmore, and a documentary mini-series about the Royal Winnipeg Ballet called Ballet Girls.

My last favorite thing I would want to share with everyone would be books. I love reading, and I LOVE my Kindle, so I think it would be super cool if I could give everyone a brand new Kindle, pre-loaded with a $500 credit to fill it up to their hearts' content. Oh, and a nice cover. Don't want to scratch it up!


Jami:

One piece of advice new writers are given in trying to describe a scene is to use all five senses. What does the main character see, hear, taste, smell and touch? I decided to use this list to narrow down my five favorites. Otherwise, I’d be here all day.

See. There are plenty of fun things to look at – art, TV, movies, but since this is a book blog, I’ll keep it in the realm of books. And rather than choose just one favorite, I’ll give the device that completely changed the way I read – A Kindle.

Hear. Music has charms to sooth the savage breast, and there’s nothing more soothing than your favorite music. For me, it’s the soundtrack to my favorite movie, Dirty Dancing. Did you carry a watermelon? "Cry to me."

Taste. Hershey’s Kisses. The original, classic kind. Sure, the caramel and cookies-and-crème ones are fun, but nothing beats that thumb-sized chunk of pure chocolate.

Touch. Is there anything better on your skin than a pair of cozy flannel pajamas? Everyone’s getting a pair!

Smell. Good smells make a cold day feel warmer, and nothing’s better for that than a Yankee Candle. Right now I’m burning Salted Caramel, but I would also give away Mountain Lodge and Autumn Leaves.




Becky:

I love tulips, my favourite flower. To be honest I rarely buy flowers so when i do have some it's a special treat. I bought myself some 'Christmas flowers' last year for the first time and these were lovely to have in the house for a week or so.

I love a good pampering and enjoy a lovely spa day every so often. If I had a magic wand I'd give everyone I know a relaxing spa day for themselves to just chill out and enjoy some time out from the day to day worries of life.

Never underestimate the power of a toasted teacake. I adore these. I like to test ones at different cafes with my mum, the more butter the better! So I'd give everyone a toasted teacake to enjoy with a nice cup of tea!

Cadbury's chocolate. Nothing comes close, it doesn't matter what kind of cadbury's chocolate, it's all good, and the bigger the bar the better!

A good book! I love it when I've enjoyed a book so much I have to tell everyone about it and pass my copy on and say "you have to read this."

Chick Lit Cheerleader: Things and Stuff...plus a giveaway

Jen with one of her close friends

Introduction by Melissa Amster

When our Chick Lit Cheerleader, Jen Tucker, sent me her column for "Favorite Things" month, she gave me some food for thought. "Things" don't have to be about the material goods. She differentiated this by calling it "stuff." She got me thinking about what I enjoy that money can't buy. Since I'm sharing a top five list of favorite material things tomorrow, I'm also going to list a few concepts/activities that always make me happy.

1. Shabbat: I enjoy the quality family time, as well as getting to unplug for a day. The rituals are really nice and there's good food to be had.
2. Google Hangouts with my BFF. We do them once a week and it's like we're in each other's living rooms. Our chats have brought us even closer and we have a fun way of ending them each time, as well.
3. Hearing someone sing really well. It always brings tears to my eyes. You should have seen my reaction to Ariel's voice at a local production of Disney's The Little Mermaid musical this past year.
4. Blogging: Whether it's for CLC or my personal blog, I love when a post just comes together and even enjoy looking back on posts from past years.
5. Laughter: If a day goes by where I didn't laugh at all, it never happened. I love finding things to laugh about.  My husband and kids usually make me laugh the most.

Check out Jen's favorite things and stuff and then enter to win her giveaway!

Just Enough Stuff

If you’re a fan of The Sound of Music, and maybe an up-and-coming talk show host named Oprah, you might know they have something in common; favorite things. While Julie Andrews crooned about visions and experiences that made her feel not so bad, Oprah gifted tangible goodies audience members could wear, drive, or sell on eBay. Favorite things recognized and shared in very different ways.

When Melissa asked me to share my favorite things with you, the “stuff” I love versus the “things” I love clashed for my attention. Never fear! Since I couldn’t decide whether to focus on the happy thoughts or the happy stuff, you get both! Just as fun as finding new car keys under your audience seat, right?

Jen’s Favorite Stuff
1. Hope in a Jar- My favorite Philosophy brand skincare product. It’s going with me on a desert island.
2. Dark Chocolate- It completes me. Milk chocolate is okay in a pinch. White chocolate? Is that even chocolate?
3. Cozy Socks- I have chronic cold feet, yet a warm heart. There’s nothing like toasty socks to cover my popsicle toes.
4. Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss-I’m nondenominational when it comes to color. I love them all!
5. English Breakfast Tea- A devoted morning tea drinker, this is my favorite brew. I’m not a coffee drinker, which surprises people since I run on high octane. Leaded tea is my morning caffeine fix.

Tracey made these socks!
And my photo with Seal is here too...

Jen’s Favorite Things
1. Just Enough- Just enough gas in the tank, just enough milk for a recipe, just enough time to make it to the movies before the previews air. I’m a huge fan of having just enough.
2. Happy Accidents- Loose change in the bottom of the washer, finding the cardigan you haven’t seen in ages, bumping into a friend you haven’t seen in ages who’s been on your mind.
3. Quiet- Like Depeche Mode recommended, “enjoy the silence.”
4. Love- I can’t hear it enough nor say it enough.
5. Cuddles- Snuggles with my children, affection from my hubby, golden retrievers who warm my feet fill all my heart.

My daughter and our dogs, the latter not normally allowed on the bed!

In honor of a new year, and my thankfulness that CLC decided to let me hang around for another year, I’m so excited to send one lucky reader in the continental U.S. some of my favorite stuff! Simply share with us some of the "things" that make you smile for your chance to win. I promise I won’t be regifting my Christmas haul to you.

May 2015 bring you sweet blessings and moments to appreciate the things, rather than the stuff, life brings your way.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Continental US only. Giveaway ends February 3rd at midnight EST.


Jen Tucker is the author of the funny and true stories, The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out and The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt. In September 2012, she had her children's book, Little Pumpkin published as an e-book. She also blogs monthly for Survival for Blondes. She currently lives in Indiana with her husband, three kids and two dogs. You can find her at Twitter, Facebook, her blog and on her website. And in case you missed them. check out her previous Chick Lit Cheerleader posts here.

The world according to Mike Greenberg...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Pamela Einarsen

We're pleased to have Mike Greenberg back at CLC to promote his sophomore novel, My Father's Wives. He was here almost two years ago with the soundtrack to his debut novel, All You Could Ask For (reviewed here). This time, he's talking about his favorite things.

Mike Greenberg is the cohost of ESPN's Mike and Mike, the highest-rated sports talk program in the United States, and the author of the New York Times bestselling books All You Could Ask For, Why My Wife Thinks I'm an Idiot, and Mike and Mike's Rules for Sports and Life. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and a native of New York City. He currently lives in Connecticut with his wife and two children. Follow him on Twitter.

Thanks to HarperCollins, we have THREE copies of My Father's Wives for some lucky US readers!

Synopsis of My Father's Wives:
Jonathan Sweetwater has been blessed with money, a fulfilling career, great kids and Claire, his smart, gorgeous, sophisticated wife. But there is one thing Jonathan never had: a relationship with his father.

Percival Sweetwater III has been absent from his son’s life since Jonathan was nine years old. A five-term U.S. senator, now dead, Percy was beloved by presidents, his constituents, and women alike, especially the five women who married him after Jonathan’s mother.

Jonathan hasn’t thought about Percy or the hole he left in his life for years. Dedicated to Claire and his family, he’s nothing like his serial monogamist father. But then Jonathan discovers evidence that everything in his marriage may not be as perfect as he thought. Hurt and uncertain what to do, he knows that the only way to move forward is to go back.

On this quest for understanding—about himself, about manhood, about marriage—Jonathan decides to track down his father’s five ex-wives. His journey will take him from cosmopolitan cities to the mile-high mountains to a tropical island—and ultimately back to confront the one thing Jonathan has that his father never did: home.

If Mike Greenberg did his own "Favorite Things" show...

1 - Everyone would get a copy of The World According To Garp, by John Irving. It changed my life. And it might change others' too. I find it the most accessible, readable, easily devourable work of great fiction I have ever read. In my case, it inspired me to write. When I finished "Garp," I thought to myself I was either going to be a writer or I was going to be nothing at all.

2 - Everyone would get a copy of the Paul Simon album, Graceland. A quarter of a century after it was released, every song still sounds like you are hearing it for the first time. I am a fan of poets and lyricists, and Paul Simon is both. The imagery in the writing on Graceland is epic. "The way we look to a distant constellation that's dying in the corner of the sky..." He's a genius.

3 - Everyone would get an iPad. I genuinely have no idea how I lived without mine, which, by the way, I am using right now to write this. And when I am done I can use it to listen to Graceland and read Garp, along with about a trillion other uses.

4 - Golf clubs. I love golf about as much as I love anything or anyone I am not related to. And the game is struggling in our country, fewer people are playing, courses are closing left and right. To me this is a tragedy. Golf provides fresh air, green grass and a lesson in patience: three things all of us surely need.

5 - A new car. Doesn't even really matter which kind. It's just that I was raised on game shows, and there was never anything more exciting than when a prize was revealed and the announcer would shout: "It's a new car!!!!" Just once in my life, I'd like to do that.

Thanks to Mike for sharing his favorite things with us and to HarperCollins for sharing his book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here



a Rafflecopter giveaway


US only. Giveaway ends February 2nd at midnight EST.

Tracie Banister has "piqued" our interest...plus a special giveaway

I have a confession to make (I have these a lot)...I haven't read a book by Tracie Banister until now. And, of course, I had no idea what I was missing either! I have only heard good things about Tracie's previous novels, Blame it on the Fame and In Need of Therapy (links are to past reviews), so I decided to dig in with Twin Piques, her latest novel. I am more than halfway done and enjoying it a lot so far. I keep finding posts, articles, and videos that are related to what Tracie mentions in the story and sending them to her.

This past year, Tracie started watching The Mindy Project and then convinced me to watch Jane the Virgin, so we dish often about such fun, chick-lit themed shows. And in doing this post, I sent her an example of what I did a few years ago and we found out that we share a love for Broadway musicals too!

Tracie was recently at CLC to help us celebrate celebrity month. Her fun answers to our themed questions were enjoyable to read. This time around, she's sharing her favorite things and we think you'll enjoy what she has to say.

In honor of Twin Piques taking place in San Francisco, Tracie is giving away one of our favorite things to a lucky US reader... CHOCOLATE! She will send a Cable Car Gift Tin w/17 Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares to the winner of our giveaway.

You can find Tracie at her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Synopsis of Twin Piques:

Forensic accountant Sloane Tobin and kooky pet psychic Willa may have the same face, but that’s the only thing these identical twins have in common.

How she can read the hearts and minds of animals has always been a mystery to Willa, and her rotten luck with men is equally baffling. Although she’s been looking for “The One” for what feels like forever (A teenage marriage to a French mime and dating a guy named Spider seemed like good ideas at the time!), optimistic Willa refuses to give up on love. When she meets Brody, the handsome rose expert hired to save her grandmother’s garden, she’s instantly smitten, but why does he keep sending her mixed signals? Does he return her feelings, or is their attraction all in her fanciful head?

Unlike her twin, Sloane has zero interest in romance. Her passion is her job, where she uses her gift for numbers to take down slimy embezzlers and asset-hiding spouses. When she’s assigned two high profile cases, Sloane feels confident the promotion she’s been angling for is within her grasp. But will her plan to climb the corporate ladder be thwarted by difficult clients, her co-worker-with-benefits, or – most surprisingly of all – her own sister? And how’s she supposed to stay focused on the drama at work when her childhood friend, Gav, moves in next door and the spark between them becomes impossible to ignore?

To get what they both want, can Willa and Sloane band together and rely on each other’s strengths? Or will their differences drive them apart once and for all?

Playing Oprah on Chick Lit Central today feels like a strange sort of kismet as it was O’s “Favorite Things” show back in 2008 that introduced me to the Kindle, the clever, little device that would go on to change my life as both a reader and a writer! I don’t know if I’ll be setting any trends with the items on my Favorite Things list, but all these goodies have certainly brought joy to my life!

Kate Spade Shanghai Deco Dot Scarf – Having been obsessed with polka dots since I was a child, my eyes lit up like a pinball machine when I saw this scarf. It’s black with white dots, which is très chic, and I love that Kate Spade New York is spelled out on the scarf with pink stitching. So fun, so girly; it’s the perfect fashion accessory for this winter.

The Mindy Project S1/S2 DVDs & Mindy’s Book – The Mindy Project is TV Chick Lit, and I can’t get enough of it! I want everyone to watch this show and love it and quote it as must as I do, so I am giving my faux audience the first two seasons on DVD, which I recommend you marathon in one weekend. And since money is no object in this scenario, I’m flying Mindy Kaling in to sign copies of her very funny book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, for all of you.

Fitbit – We all start out the new year making resolutions to lose weight and get on a regular exercise routine, right? The Fitbit can be a big help with that as it tracks your steps, distance, and calories burned all day long. I absolutely love the one I received this Christmas. It helps me to set different exercise goals for myself every day, and it’s super motivating to see those stats on my wrist. Bonus: The Fitbit comes in ten different colors, so you can choose the one that suits your style best. Mine is classic black, and I love how sleek it looks.

Coconut Body Butter by The Body Shop – This smell of this product is divine; it always makes me think of suntan lotion and the beach. I have super dry skin (as most of us do at this time of year), but this body butter keeps my skin soft and hydrated all day long. Love! Since this is a fantasy giveaway that will cost me nothing, I’m giving you all a year’s supply of this yummy body butter, which made Nylon’s 2014 Beauty Hit List.

Tiara – I am of the firm belief that every woman should own one of these so that she can feel like a queen at all times. I received a beautiful, rhinestone-encrusted tiara with a heart design from a dear friend of mine, author Kathleen Irene Paterka, who shares my love of royal-watching. She actually works at a castle (Castle Farms in Charlevoix, MI) and my tiara came from the gift shop there, so it’s legit! I like to wear it when I’m writing, taking a bubble bath, even when I’m doing chores around the house. I would gift everyone with their own tiara and then conduct a class on how to do a proper royal wave (As you can see from the picture, I practice mine on my neighbors quite a bit.)

Thanks to Tracie for sharing her favorite things with us and giving our readers a chance to win chocolate!

~Introduction by Melissa Amster

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


US only. Giveaway ends January 27th at midnight EST.