Winning Wednesday--Last one for 2010!

I will only be posting giveaways on this blog from now on. If you have a giveaway that ends before Wednesday of a given week, please feel free to post it at Chick Lit Central on Facebook. You're also welcome to contact me about any giveaways you would like to have listed. (Chick Lit only, please, unless it is for a gift card or book related device.)
Finally, I am no longer going to seek out contests to post. If they happen to show up in my Facebook or Twitter news feed or on my blog reader, I'll be sure to post them. If you think I won't see your contest, please send it to me so I can include it in this blog.
Thank you!

Have a happy new year!

New giveaways:

It seems like we're not the only ones taking a break from giveaways this week, but here are a few to check out....

"Magnolia Wednesdays" and "The Accidental Bestseller" by Wendy Wax and "Falling Home" by Karen White
Wendy Wax's Facebook Page
Ends January 15th

"The Murderer's Daughters" by Randy Susan Meyers
Goodreads
US/Canada only
Ends January 3rd

"The Night Bookmobile" by Audrey Niffenegger
Regal Literary
US only
Ends December 31st at 12:01 am EST

"The Science of Kissing- What Our Lips Are Telling Us" by Sheril Kirshenbaum
Simply Stacie
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends January 11th at 11:59 pm EST

Previously posted (still going on):

"Rescue" by Anita Shreve (audio)
Redlady's Reading Room
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends January 15th

"Learn, Laugh, Cook" by Mandy Fernandez
The Book Chick
Ends January 5th

"The Map of True Places" by Brunonia Barry
Redlady's Reading Room
US only
Ends today

"The Science of Kissing- What Our Lips Are Telling Us" by Sheril Kirshenbaum
So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends January 7th at 11:59 pm EST

"What I Thought I Knew" by Alice Eve Cohen
A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends tonight at 6 pm EST

Win $250 and a $20 Amazon gift card
Simply Stacie
Ends Friday at 11:59 pm EST

Book Review: There's Cake in My Future

By Melissa Amster


What better way to end a year than to read a book about what could happen in the future. And Kim Gruenenfelder's latest novel really takes the "cake." All attempts at wittiness aside, I really had fun reading this novel.

"There's Cake in My Future" is about how Nicole, who is about to get married, rigs the charms in her cake at her bridal shower so that her friends pick the ones that will be significant for their future happiness. However, a mistake is made with the positioning of the cake and everyone gets charms that weren't intended for them. This especially puts things in a tailspin for Nic and her two best friends, Mel and Seema, when the symbolism in the charms proves to be true for their other friends. Soon they are navigating through uncertainties in their love lives and it leads to unexpected results.

This is my first experience reading one of Ms. Gruenenfelder's novels, and now that I have, I want to read her others. I really liked the distinct personalities she gave to each of her main characters. She kept me on my toes, wondering what was going to happen for them and hoping things would work out for the best. They were each sympathetic and easy to relate to in their own ways. The dialogue was smart, humorous and realistic. The supporting characters were easy to visualize and they added even more substance to the story. She even tossed in pop culture references, which I will never complain about. And having a main character named Melissa scores her some major bonus points, as well. The whole story had the feel of "Friends" combined with "Sex and the City."

Although the ending felt a little vague, I really liked everything about this story and could easily see her doing more with all three of the main characters in a future novel, should she choose to write one. Shall we say "There are more novels in Ms. Gruenenfelder's future?" In the meantime, I have been recommending this novel to my friends and want to recommend it to anyone in the mood for some good chick lit and entertainment.

Winners of "There's Cake in My Future"

To pick the winners, we assigned a number to each entry and asked Kim Gruenenfelder to pick four numbers at random. Here is what she picked:

13, 45, 73, and 1. :)

Congrats to Michele, ADR, Colleen and PoCoKat!

Hope you enjoy the book!

Thanks again to everyone for participating and to Kim for the interview and giveaway!

There will be one more chance to win this book when we kick off our 1000 member giveaway, so stay tuned for that, as well as for more interviews and giveaways in 2011!

Have a Happy New Year and keep on reading!
M & M :)

Mini-book Review: All is Bright

By Melissa Amster


I need to first say that I'm not normally into reading Christmas stories, being as Jewish as I am. However, when Sarah Pekkanen's name became attached to one, I couldn't resist.

"All is Bright" takes place during Christmas, but it really could take place during any time of year. It's about a woman who has second thoughts about her break-up with her boyfriend (because she wasn't ready to take the next step) and revisits these thoughts during a trip to her old neighborhood in Chicago during the winter holidays. Since this is a short story, I don't want to divulge any further, as to not ruin the plot for those of you who haven't had the opportunity to read it yet.

This story definitely shows Ms. Pekkanen's natural flair for storytelling. The dialogue was genuine and showed each character's personality, the background story and scenery were descriptive without being overwhelming, and the story itself had a nice arc and flow throughout. I do wish this were just a chapter in a longer book where she could elaborate even more and develop the characters further, but it was definitely a nice and quick treat on a cold winter's day. It warmed me and lifted my spirits in the same way a nice cup of hot cocoa (with marshmallows) tends to when it's dark and dreary outside.

Book Review: Twenties Girl

By Melissa Amster


I’m not normally a big fan of ghost stories, and maybe that is why I put off reading “Twenties Girl” for so long. When I started it, I questioned whether I’d even like it at that point. Before I knew it, I was completely drawn in and I gave myself over to the suspension of disbelief, along with Sophie Kinsella’s witty storytelling.

Lara Lington’s life isn’t much to smile about, which is why she lies to her parents about not stalking her ex-boyfriend and having her business partnership become a success (as neither are the case). Then her great-aunt Sadie passes away at the age of 105 and her spirit confronts Lara at her paltry funeral, asking her to stop the proceedings until she can find her treasured necklace. Soon, Lara is being followed everywhere by Sadie and her life becomes a giant roller coaster ride, as a result. However, this leads her to a new understanding about a great-aunt she never took the time to get to know when she actually was alive and she finds ways to take charge of her own life, as well as that of Sadie’s.

I really enjoyed this story more than I ever expected to. I found myself laughing out loud many times and also cringing in sympathy for Lara at others. Ms. Kinsella has a talent for writing about quirky characters and making them feel real, even when they are supernatural beings. The story also had a mystery feel to it (in a “Cold Case” way), which made me devour it to find out what was going to happen next. The dialogue was snappy and I enjoyed following the conversations between Lara and Sadie. The descriptions of the 1920’s fashion were fun to read about and imagine. Overall, it made me wish I had a ghost to help me run my life in some way, even if they were a nuisance at times. The only criticism I had was that she rushed the ending a bit. It seemed like things just happened without much of a back story. I would have loved to see some parts stretched out a bit more.

I applaud Ms. Kinsella on an enjoyable and entertaining story that kept me on my toes throughout. I look forward to seeing what she’ll come out with in 2011. I also hope that this story gets made into a movie. It would be fun to see the characters come to life on the big screen. It has a “Drop Dead Fred” feel to it in some ways, but I’m sure it would be even better than that movie. If you are like me and put off reading “Twenties Girl” for the same reason I did, I can assure you that it’s worth the time you waited and recommend that you pick it up today!

Winning Wednesday--December 22nd

I will only be posting giveaways on this blog from now on. If you have a giveaway that ends before Wednesday of a given week, please feel free to post it at Chick Lit Central on Facebook. You're also welcome to contact me about any giveaways you would like to have listed. (Chick Lit only, please, unless it is for a gift card or book related device.)
Finally, I am no longer going to seek out contests to post. If they happen to show up in my Facebook or Twitter news feed or on my blog reader, I'll be sure to post them. If you think I won't see your contest, please send it to me so I can include it in this blog.
Thank you!

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it!

New giveaways:

Brand new! "I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti: A Memoir of Good Food and Bad Boyfriends" by Giulia Melucci
Chick Lit is Not Dead
Ends Sunday at 6 pm PST


"There's Cake in My Future" by Kim Gruenenfelder:
*Chick Lit Central
US/Canada only
Ends Sunday at midnight EST

*Chick Lit is Not Dead
Ends tonight at 6 pm PST.

"Rescue" by Anita Shreve (audio)
Redlady's Reading Room
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends January 15th

"Learn, Laugh, Cook" by Mandy Fernandez
The Book Chick
Ends January 5th

Books, chocolates, charity donation and an eReader
Sarah Pekkanen
Ends on Christmas

"The Map of True Places" by Brunonia Barry
Redlady's Reading Room
US only
Ends December 29th

"The Science of Kissing- What Our Lips Are Telling Us" by Sheril Kirshenbaum
So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends January 7th,11:59 pm EST

Previously posted (still going on):

Win "What I Thought I Knew" by Alice Eve Cohen from:
* A Bookworm's World
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends December 29th at 6 pm EST

* Bookhounds
US Only
Ends December 26th

At Home with Books
US/Canada only
Ends December 26th at 11:59 pm PST

"Secret Santa": $50 gift card for your favorite bookstore
Josie Brown
Ends December 25th at midnight PST

"Sundays at Tiffany's" by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Books and Needlepoint
US/Canada only, no PO Boxes
Ends December 27th

Win $250 and a $20 Amazon gift card
Simply Stacie
Ends December 31st at 11:59 pm EST

How Kim Gruenenfelder celebrates the winter holidays...plus a book giveaway!

**Giveaway is now closed**

Kim Gruenenfelder lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son, and continues to avoid anything even remotely resembling a real job. Her acclaimed debut novel, "A Total Waste of Makeup," has been published in six languages and eight international editions to date. Her two other novels are "Misery Loves Cabernet" and "There’s Cake In My Future" (which is in bookstores today). She has also written feature films, episodic teleplays and two stage plays. She has made homes for herself on Facebook and Twitter.

Kim stopped by Chick Lit Central this week to tell us about how she celebrates the holidays. We also have four copies of "There's Cake in My Future" to give away to some lucky winners in the US or Canada.

Favorite winter holiday tradition: Going to my father’s and stepmother’s house on Christmas Eve. My parents are divorced, but they have always spent Christmas Eve together, and always gotten along well on that night (as has my mom and stepmom). I would find out later that there were Christmas Eves when no one was really getting along, but I never knew it. Mom and Dad made a rule when they got divorced: we will always love our daughters more than we hate each other.

Favorite winter holiday food: Champagne. That counts as a food.

Favorite winter holiday song: "Jingle Bells" as sung by dogs.

Favorite winter holiday movie: "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." The scenes with Max the dog still make me laugh out loud. I love watching it with my son now.


Favorite winter holiday memory: Too many to count. This year's favorite so far involves my husband - when I was decorating the house, I asked him at one point: "Okay, look around the house. Now there are two ways we could go: simple elegant, or completely over the top. Which do you think we should do?" He looked around our living room and said, "Depends. Which one am I looking at now?" (BTW, I would say he was looking at "simple elegant". He would probably beg to differ.)


Favorite winter holiday gift you've ever received: Is there candy under the tree right now? I could use some candy.


Favorite winter holiday gift you've ever given: A duck. Well, a picture of a duck - it's a long story.


Thing you're most looking forward to during the winter holidays this year: Watching my son open his presents Christmas morning.


Thing you wish there would be more of during winter holidays: Love. And cake. There should always be more cake.


Thing you wish there would be less of during winter holidays: Fruitcake. Seriously - has anyone ever munched on a good one?


Thanks to Kim for answering our questions and for the books to give away!


How to win "There's Cake in my Future":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: What do you wish there were more or less of during the winter holiday season?
2. Please tell us: Has a wish of yours ever come true? If so, what was it?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends Sunday, December 26th at midnight EST.

Check out Kim's bucket list at Chick Lit is Not Dead.