Book Review: Home Front

By Melissa Amster

I used to not think much about the effects of war on the people who have fought at the front lines or been involved in any other way. However, Kristin Hannah has given me a whole new perspective on what it’s really like for veterans thanks to her latest novel, "Home Front."

Jolene and Michael Zarkades have been through a lot in their marriage, which is quickly going downhill. Jolene is a soldier who has been trained to fly planes in the military. Michael is a workaholic defense lawyer who has never approved of the war. Then Jolene gets the call she’s been dreading. She is being deployed to Iraq, leaving Michael to care for their kids. Deployment isn’t easy for anyone; her younger daughter is scared all the time, her older daughter is teased at school about having a soldier mom and Michael is unable to replicate all she does around the house on a daily basis. While on the front lines, she tries to sugarcoat her life as to not worry her family, until the day something tragic happens to shake their dynamic to its core. Will her family be able to salvage what they once had, now that so much has changed for them all?

I love Kristin Hannah’s novels and "Home Front" was no exception. It was extremely poignant and eye-opening. Ms. Hannah’s research for this novel shows in her writing, but she gives it a realistic feel instead of just laying down facts. Jolene could be any of us, trying to protect our families and worried about leaving our loved ones behind. She’s so honest and compelling that it was heartbreaking to read her innermost thoughts. I also liked reading Michael’s side of the story, as we don’t usually get a glimpse into what a man is thinking. However, his thoughts were so realistic that I thought Ms. Hannah knew something I didn’t about the way men think. The story had a Jodi Picoult feel to it, without losing Ms. Hannah’s emotional touches. There was a nice blend of dramatic intensity and heartfelt love.

I would have liked to read the older daughter, Betsy’s side of the story though. I felt like I could only really experience her second-hand. Ms. Hannah has a flair for writing in the pre-teen or teen mindset and would have done a good job with this. I was interested in what she was really thinking since her emotions were all over the place and she was having such a tough time with her mom going off to war and her dad not being around when he should. However, Ms. Hannah got her point across and still allowed glimpses into Betsy’s life, showing how truly significant she was to the story.

Ms. Hannah never ceases to amaze me with her writing and “Home Front” really got to me more than I ever expected it to. Anytime I see something about war veterans, I think of Jolene and all she went through during the war. There was also another character in the book who was a war veteran and reading about what he went through was also very jarring. As a result of reading this novel, I’d like to share a few related links with our readers.

*The first is a video of Kristin talking about "Home Front."
*Here's an article about a crisis hotline for war veterans, as this issue was addressed in the novel.
*Here's a blog written by a mom who has been deployed and her feelings on the experience.
*Send a thank you note to a veteran or active duty soldier and Heinz will donate 57 cents per card to the Wounded Warriors project.
*Finally, you can wear a Band for Freedom and show your support for our troops. A portion of your purchase will go directly to help our troops through the Bands for Freedom Veterans Wellness Program (VWP), which is designed to provide the means for qualified Veterans who suffer from the unseen wounds of war, such as insomnia, anxiety, and Depression.

Special thanks to Wunderkind PR for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Kristin Hannah will be at Chick Lit Central in February and you'll have a chance to win this novel then.

More by Kristin Hannah:

Winners of "Unraveling Isobel"

To find our winners, we assigned a number to each entry and had random.org choose two numbers. It picked 21 and 30.

Congrats to Jeryl and Carl!

Here's a message from Eileen Cook:
Congrats to the winners! There is no better compliment for a writer than someone wanting to read our books. I know there are tons of great books out there to read (Trust me, I have a stack next to my bed, desk, sofa....) With so many good books to choose from, I appreciate you taking the time to read mine. I hope the book makes you laugh out loud at least once. See you on the shelves.

Reminder: If you have won a book, you have about 48 hours to claim it by sending your contact information. (You will be e-mailed if you have won, as well.) After that time, a new winner will be picked.

Thanks to everyone for participating. Thanks to Eileen for a fun and interesting interview and for sharing her book with our winners.

Check out our latest giveaways:

"Oh, Baby!" by Claire Matthews
Worldwide-Kindle only
Ends 1/29 at midnight EST


"The Puppy That Came for Christmas" by Megan Rix
US/Canada only
Ends 1/24 at midnight EST


"Unscripted" by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz (e-book)
Ends 1/23 at midnight EST

"One Pink Line" by Dina Silver
US only
Ends 1/23 at midnight EST

Book Review: The Last Blind Date

By Becky Gulc

"The Last Blind Date" is an upbeat, witty memoir about falling in love later on in life and uprooting your whole life for that love. It’s a book about taking risks, trusting someone with your heart enough to truly start over again.

Linda had married her first husband at a fairly early age and despite going on to divorce, the couple reconnected when he became seriously ill. Sadly, he passed away. Years later Linda is settled living in Chicago, working in advertising and ready to date again, but after a series of disastrous dates she’s not that hopeful of finding anyone of substance. Throw some good friends into the mix and suddenly Linda is fixed up with Randy, a New Yorker. They're not fixed up as in a dinner date, but nevertheless they call each other, they exchange photos, they eventually meet, they click!

The memoir details Linda and Randy’s relationship with one another. Linda has the patience of a saint; she waits over two years to meet Randy’s children despite flying back and forth to New York all the time. I guess she was really in love to put up with that! Linda tells us of her frustrations, her angst, her concerns and yet her trust in the relationship is always at the forefront. Eventually the pair marries, Linda moves to New York and the memoir then focuses much more on the trials and tribulations of moving between states and adapting to life in New York, as well as becoming a step-mother, being the second wife (‘the older, been-around the block, no false-illusions wife’), finding a new job and the search for new friends. She didn’t have it easy!

I’ll be honest, on paper I didn’t think I’d find this book particularly interesting. However, I’m pleased to say I really enjoyed it. The pace is fast and maintains your interest, Linda is spot on with the observations she makes about people and situations and the best thing was just how funny this book was all the way through. Being in the UK, I may not have grasped every cultural reference that was made but I always got the gist of it! I never felt like the book was building to a climax or any concrete outcome that you’d find with fiction but again that didn’t bother me, I was just happy to enjoy having a peek into someone else’s life and the smiles it brought me along the way.

At the end of the book I was interested to know what happened next in terms of how Linda’s relationship with her step-children has developed over recent years and whether Randy’s first wife went on to meet someone new. I guess that’s a good sign as I wanted more! I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light-hearted well-observed take on life.

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Claire Matthews keeps it short and sweet and has a novella to give away!

**Giveaway is now closed**


Claire Matthews caught the writing bug soon after her youngest daughter started school. She had all the time in the world to either write or seduce the FedEx guy. Since the FedEx guy was a woman, she decided to go the author route. After her first five stories were accepted for publication, Claire began to realize that this was more than just a hobby, and put together a writing studio in the attic using an old TV table, an ancient laptop and a well-worn thesaurus. Focusing on short contemporary romance, Claire balances her writing time with teaching political science at a nearby community college and taking care of her two demanding daughters, her slightly neglected husband and her antisocial dog.

She's here today to talk about her latest novella, "Oh, Baby," and has FIVE copies to give away to lucky readers worldwide (Kindle format only). If you can't wait till next week to get your hands on it, you can purchase it for 99 cents on Amazon.

You can find Claire at her blog and on Facebook.

What was most challenging about writing "Oh, Baby?"
Well, it’s always a challenge to write a novella, because you have to get all the information about the characters across to the reader in very few words. "Oh, Baby" is about 20k words, but there’s a lot going on, so brevity is essential.

In one sentence, what was road to publishing like?
Easier than I ever thought, actually. I subbed a few stories to on-line publishers, got them out in circulation, then decided to try my hand at self-publishing with "Oh, Baby." Oh wait—you said one sentence, didn’t you? What was I just saying about brevity?

What do you do when you’re not writing?
I read. I teach political science at a local community college. I nag my kids. I drink copious amounts of Diet Dr. Pepper. I would say that I volunteer my spare time at a homeless shelter, but I gave up lying as a New Year’s resolution.

What are your biggest motivations to write? What keeps you going?
It’s hard to say. I read a lot, and I think that’s my biggest motivation. I’ll finish a great book, and think to myself, “I want to write something that makes people feel like this.” My goal is for people to read my books and get that same happy feeling of discovery.

Characters really make the story for us. What 3 words would best describe your heroine & what about her called out to you to write her story?
I’d say Lainey is determined, conflicted, and a little clueless. Isn’t that the best part of any chick-lit book, though? The reader realizes early on what the heroine needs to learn, and then follows her journey towards self-awareness (aka, getting a clue).

If "Oh, Baby" were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
Hmm. For Lainey, I’d probably go with Emma Stone—I love her, and I think she’s a great actress. For Beck, I choose Matthew Morrison from Glee, because I have a highly inappropriate crush on him.

What do you think the key is to a successful chicklit novel? Lots of sexiness? A studly hero? Plenty of angst? (Something else?)
I think humor is key. If it makes me laugh, then it’s well on its way to being a success in my mind. And I’m a big fan of a beta hero—I’m way too old to find a dominant man attractive. Oh, and angst. Lots of lovely, lovely angst.

What is the best gift you ever gave or received?
We bought my seven year-old a new bike for Christmas, after warning her that Santa probably couldn’t swing a bike this year. The look on her face was priceless.

What TV series feels most like chick lit to you?
Cougar Town. Love that show. I like watching a group of friends with in-jokes and funny rapport.

What is the strangest or craziest date you have ever been on?
I guess that would be a blind date I went on in college. This guy took me to the river for a romantic stroll after dinner, and I fell off a stone landing and broke my ankle. Good times, good times.

Special thanks to Claire for sharing her sense of humor with us through her answers to our questions and for sharing her novella with our readers.

How to win "Oh, Baby":
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 or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is the cutest or funniest thing you've seen a baby (doesn't have to be your own) do recently?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

Giveaway ends January 29th at midnight EST.
**This is only for Kindle. If you are interested in entering, but don't have one, you can download Kindle for free to your PC.**

Book Review: The Other Life

By Melissa Amster

Imagine being able to choose between two different lifestyles, based on one decision. However, if you were forced to choose between one life or the other, which would you pick? Quinn has this special power, but also has to make a huge decision about it in "The Other Life" by Ellen Meister.

Quinn Braverman discovers a portal between the life she chose and the road not taken. She's a suburban housewife and mother with another baby on the way. In her other life, she's living with her previous boyfriend and hoping he won't pop the question. And then there's the matter of her mother still existing in that other life, as she killed herself in Quinn's reality. When Quinn is faced with devastating news, she starts to explore her options between her two lives until the portal starts to shrink, forcing her to choose one or the other. Will she make the right decision?

I had heard many good things about "The Other Life" and the concept reminded me of a cross between "Sliding Doors" and an Allison Winn Scotch novel. I just knew I had to read it and bought myself a copy. I am pleased with my choice to purchase it, as I was grabbed from the first page and still haven't been let go! It is such a compelling story, impossible to put down. It does have a feel similar to the movie and books mentioned above. It also reminds me of "The Time Traveler's Wife," another favorite of mine. I love books that explore surreal situations while also discussing real situations and emotions throughout. "The Other Life" definitely fits into that category. The characters felt so real and accessible, all of them being extremely interesting in their own ways. I especially loved her gay brother, Hayden and her sex-crazed neighbor, Georgette. I also liked the way she explored Quinn's relationship with her mother. The story was beautifully written, heartbreaking and suspenseful. I knew by the time I was halfway through that I would have to recommend it to anyone who wants a really good, thought-provoking story.

While I don't really have any criticisms, I will say that I wish it didn't end before letting us know where one of the situations was going. It made me want a sequel. However, I do want to warn pregnant women not to read this book until after they've given birth and gotten through the first few emotional months. If I had read it at this time last year (in my eighth month of pregnancy at the time), there's no way I would have been able to continue after the first few chapters. There are some sensitive subjects surrounding Quinn's pregnancy and they might scare a mom-to-be.

Overall, I think "The Other Life" really does a great job of exploring "what-if's" and would make a great discussion topic for book clubs. It's definitely a story that will stick with me for a long time. I also think it would make an amazing movie and that a lot could be done with it in order to bring the story to life on the big screen.

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Book Review: On Any Given Sundae

By Melissa Amster

There’s nothing better in the winter than being swept away into the summer and enjoying ice cream every day without the possibility of becoming even colder. And better yet, when the delicious treat is combined with a sweet love story, you wind up with "On Any Given Sundae" by Marilyn Brant.

Elizabeth Daniels was always the shy girl in school with her eyes on the popular jock, Rob Gabinarri. As an adult, she's still shy and hides behind her computer and her close group of friends. Then Elizabeth's and Rob's uncles make a trip out of town and leave their ice cream shop in Elizabeth and Rob's capable hands. Rob, anxious about the dating pressures from his mother makes Elizabeth a deal that will benefit them both in different ways. However, neither of them are prepared for what comes out of the deal.

I thought "On Any Given Sundae" was a fun story with a cute concept. It was light and entertaining, full of food and a side dish of steaminess that would make Sue Margolis blush! I enjoyed reading about all the characters and what they brought to the story. I thought switching between Elizabeth's and Rob's perspectives added to the entertainment value, especially when they had misunderstandings. The descriptions made everything easy to visualize and the conversations were natural and flowed nicely throughout the story. The whole time, I just wanted to go to Kilwin's for a double scoop waffle cone. Really, it just brought back some happy summer memories of getting delicious ice cream from Kilwin's with my husband.

What didn't work so well for me was Elizabeth's stuttering. I understand that it can be a real issue for some people. However, in the way the story was written, it sounded forced and inconsistent. For example, she'd say a whole coherent sentence and somehow stutter in the middle of it, just one time. I wish there had been another way to convey Elizabeth's shyness. The other thing was the name of the ice cream parlor...Tutti Frutti. It makes me think of fruit instead of ice cream. I also think the name was ruined for me a long time ago, when I heard that one song by Little Richard, which I find incredibly annoying. I guess this ice cream parlor was asking for a more dignified name. (If you put it side by side with Kilwin's and they had the same flavors and design, I'd still go for Kilwin's for the name alone.) However, neither factor took away from the enjoyment of the story, which kept me guessing until the very end!

Overall, "On Any Given Sundae" is a delectable treat any time of the year. If you're in the mood for something light and happy, definitely check it out! It's currently available for $2.99 on Kindle.

More by Marilyn Brant:

What's in the mail today?

Melissa A:

From the BookSparksPR Groupies program:



e-books:

Free deals on Amazon:






Amy:

From Simon and Schuster:



Melissa A. got this book, as well.

From Random House:




Becky:

Won these from Claudia Carroll:



"Rivals in the Tudor Court" by Darcey Bonnette



From Choc Lit Publishing:



From Hodder and Stoughton:

"The Stag and Hen Weekend" by Mike Gayle



From Transworld Publishers: