Winner of "These Girls"

To find our winner, we assigned a number to each entry and asked Random.org to choose one number. It chose 46.

Congrats to GoGreen (Bonnie)!


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 and telling us what you want from chick lit novels!
Thanks to Sarah for visiting us for the third time and sharing her book with our winner!

Check out our latest giveaways and also enter ones from other blogs and websites on our giveaways page.

What's in the mail today?

Melissa A:

From HarperCollins UK:



Won from Chick Lit is Not Dead:



e-book:

Free on Amazon:


Amy:

From HarperCollins:




Cindy:

From Penguin:




e-book:

From Lisa Cheney and Lisa Craig:



It's currently 99 cents for Kindle.

Kathryn:

From M. Dickson:

Guest Blogger Book Review: Let's Pretend this Never Happened

By Tracey Meyers

Back in November 2011, I randomly stumbled upon this blog post by The Bloggess, Jenny Lawson.

I can't even begin to tell you much I laughed. I loved it so much that I forwarded it on to a friend who I just knew would enjoy it as much as I did. Since then, I have been a faithful follower of "The Bloggess." So, as you can imagine, when I saw she was coming out with a book, "Let's Pretend this Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir)," I was beyond THRILLED! Furthermore, when I got the chance to review the book, I LEAPED at the opportunity.

To say I LOVED this book is an understatement. Anyone, and everyone, I know has heard about this book and why they need to read it. (Even one of the security check individuals at the State of Illinois building was "highly encouraged" to pick up a copy after she laughed at the title of the book as my items made their way out of the scanner.) Often, I could be found smiling and laughing aloud while reading Jenny's recollection of her childhood in rural Texas or her struggles with various social situations. (Just to name a few things.)

As I made my way through the book, I began wondering which chapters my friends would find the most entertaining -- Yes, I have a list of friends whom I will insist read this book, and will then be encouraged after reading the book to tell me which chapter they liked the most. If I had to guess, I think my best friend will like the chapter titled, "And That's Why Neil Patrick Harris Would Be the Most Successful Mass Murderer Ever." Not that I think my best friend thinks that Neil Patrick Harris WOULD actually make a successful mass murderer; it's just we have a thing with "How I Met Your Mother," and the chapter has to do with how Jenny met her husband, Victor. Those two things alone have me convince this is my BFF’s favorite chapter. As for me, it is hard to decide which chapter I liked the most. I have to admit, I enjoyed reading about Jenny’s courtship with Victor and their unique engagement story; however, I also enjoyed her stories about growing up the child of a taxidermist, her adventures in Human Resources and the five-foot-tall chicken named Beyonce. (Again, just to name a few.) I guess what I’m trying to say is that below her sarcasm and tell-it-like-it-is rambling, are charming stories that I believe many can relate to.

After all this praise, I do have one small word of warning...
One of the things I love most about The Bloggess blog is Jenny's witty, conversational and rambling style of writing. However, it is this same style of writing that can become a little much after reading a few back-to-back chapters. It's not to say this takes away from the book (if that were the case I probably just wouldn’t have finished reading it). It just caused me to put down the book more frequently than I would have liked to.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Let's Pretend This Never Happened." As much as I enjoyed "pretending" with Jenny, I don’t want to pretend that I never read this book. Without a doubt I will surely pick up this book again sometime in the future because ultimately the greatest thing I got from this book is Jenny's unspoken message that being able to laugh at yourself, and the good, bad and ugly that the world throws at you, is key so you don't have to pretend they didn't happen.

P.S. I’d like to add that Jenny is now on my list of authors I hope to meet in person someday so I am *crossing my fingers* that Chicago is added to her book tour appearances! I can only imagine how much fun it would be to meet The Bloggess, Jenny Lawson, in real life someday.

Tracey Meyers lives in the Chicago suburbs and enjoys photography, running, roller derby, knitting and, of course, blogging. She is currently helping us with social media and blog stuff, so you may be seeing her around more often.You can find her at her personal blog. 

Books of the Week--April 12th

Thanks for checking out our newest feature...Books of the Week! There are seven of us and we can't keep up with the many review requests we receive, even though we'd love to read everything sent our way. Therefore, we have decided to give some books their time in the spotlight and introduce you to them through this new blog feature. We will be featuring two books a week. We hope you will take the time to check these books out. (Click the titles to find them on Amazon.) If you read them and want to write a guest blogger review for us, please e-mail us and we'll be glad to work with you!

Authors: We will let you know whether or not we'll be able to review your book upon your request, and hope you'll be interested in this feature as an alternative.

"Flings and Arrows"
By Debbie Viggiano

June is widowed. She might be 70 but that doesn't mean she's not up for romance. Good neighbour Steph has been married for 24 years. And she's not finished with romance either - even if husband Si has forgotten the meaning of the word. Meanwhile son Tom’s love life is utter chaos. Then June meets salsa squeeze Harry; Steph rekindles a childhood crush with Barry Hastings; Si unwittingly finds himself being seduced by barmaid Dawn; and Tom's latest strumpet impacts on all of them. Has Cupid's arrow missed its mark? There's only one way to find out....

"Flings and Arrows" is currently $2.99 for Kindle.

Follow Debbie Viggiano on Facebook and Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The Summer Garden"
By Sherryl Woods

Falling for “Maddening Moira” O’Malley was the unexpected highlight of Luke O’Brien’s Dublin holiday. When she pays a surprise visit to Chesapeake Shores, Luke is thrilled... at first. A fling with this wild Irish rose is one thing, but forever? Maybe someday, but not when he’s focused on establishing a business that will prove his mettle to his overachieving family.

Given Luke’s reaction, Moira has some soul-searching of her own to do. Scarred by her father’s abandonment, she wonders if Luke, with his playboy past, is truly the family man she longs for. Adding to her dilemma, she’s offered an amazing chance at a dream career of her own. Deep down, though, Moira knows home is the real prize, and that love can be every bit as enchanted as a summer garden.

"The Summer Garden" is currently $2.99 for Kindle.

Visit Sherryl Woods on Facebook.

Allison Winn Scotch is singing a new tune, plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Today we welcome back the fabulous Allison Winn Scotch and celebrate the release of her fourth novel (which is TODAY), "The Song Remains the Same" (reviewed here). Happy pub day, Allison!

Allison is the bestselling author of "The One that I Want," "Time of My Life" and "The Department of Lost and Found." Prior to delving into fiction, she was a frequent contributor to numerous magazines and websites including Cooking Light, Men's Health, Fitness, Glamour, and Redbook, and now focuses on celebrity profiles for a variety of magazines. She lives in New York with her family.

You can find Allison at her website, Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also check out her first interview at CLC right here!

Thanks to Penguin, we have THREE copies of "The Song Remains the Same" to give away to some lucky readers anywhere in US or Canada.

In one sentence, what was road to publishing like?
Much more out of my control, and much easier and much harder, than I'd ever have imagined.

Biggest addiction/vice?
Mindlessly surfing the web. I was just thinking last night that the way I surf the web is the way that some people snack: habitual, without thought, tuned-out. I'll stay up way too late reading some gossip site that I don't care about at all, simply because I don't have the willpower to look away. Don't get me wrong: it's all in good fun, but still...I need to get more sleep! So I'm trying to shut down five minutes earlier each night. I mean, really, I'm not missing out on anything if I skip a page or two!

I think authors are the best people to ask this question - What have you read and loved lately? Any newbie authors or books you would recommend?
Yes – I'm just finishing up Nichole Bernier's "The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D," which is her debut that is out in June, and I've totally, totally loved it. One of the only books in a long time that had me racing to bed (and away from that iPad) to get to the next chapter. I also really enjoyed Joshilyn Jackson's "A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty," and Sere Prince Halverson's "The Underside of Joy." These days, I find myself gravitating toward books that deal with weightier subjects but are still "easy" reads. I have two kids, I'm exhausted by bedtime...I don't want to have to re-read a sentence three times to get it. Give me a great plot, wonderful stories and lyrical writing, and I'm sold. I'm also really looking forward to Jill Smolinski's "Objects of My Affection." I loved her book, "The Next Thing On My List." (She'd be a great interview for you guys too!)


If "The Song Remains the Same" was made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?
Oh my gosh, would you believe me if I told you I sincerely couldn't give you any names? Trust me, I've thought about this! Amy Adams or Emily Blunt might be a good choice for Nell...you need someone pretty but approachable. And then her younger sister, Rory, is drop-dead good-looking, so I don't know who that is. I picture someone with red hair, lanky and sexy…and I just don't know! The one character I have cast in my mind is Anderson, the hot B-lister who also survives the crash: I'd give it to Garrett Hedlund or Taylor Kitsch. (And then I'd require many on-set visits.)

What five authors or people, past or present, have been important to your writing? What question or comment have you always wanted to say to them?
1) Laura Dave, who is a fantastic author in her own right, and my critique partner, so is also an invaluable part of my process and writing.
 2) My high school english teacher, Tom Doelger, who was one of the first people to really actively encourage me to be a writer.
3) My mother, who was an English teacher, and insisted that my brother and I become voracious readers.
4) Judy Blume, who helped foster my love of reading as a child.
5) Stephen King, who might seem out of place on my list, but he's there for good reason: I was OBSESSED with him from about age 12-19. He was once of the first authors who taught me about "voice." I'd read his books and my own thoughts would start to mimic the tone and voice of his characters. It was a good lesson in how voice is really everything: your characters have to nearly-literally speak to your readers and get so embedded in their heads that they think about these characters, even when they've stepped away from a book.

Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate. ALWAYS chocolate.

What’s the most interesting comment you’ve received about your books?
I get a lot of emails from readers who share how the books have affected them, and these emails are always my favorite part of the publishing process. When "The One That I Want" came out, I got an email from a reader who told me that she'd left college three decades earlier but that the book had inspired her to go back and complete her degree at the age of 56. I was so moved. I mean, that is a tangible impact that you've had on someone's life. I just…it was humbling. And made me truly grateful.

Favorite chick flick:
Toughie – a toss-up between Notting Hill and Never Been Kissed. With 27 Dresses coming in third. (I'd say Love, Actually, but I don't think that's a chick flick.)

Do you have a favorite travel destination?
Paris.

Can you share some advice to future writers?
Read. A lot. You'll see how you can raise the bar of your own work by learning from others. Also, take your ego out of the equation and never stop trying to get better. I've written four books, and honestly, I'm still learning. I think it's really easy to say, "Oh, well, I'm good at this now," or "This manuscript doesn't need further revisions," but when you fall into that sort of mentality, I think you also fall short. Constructive criticism is so important if you're going to get better and/or get published. Embrace those critiques and learn from them.

Special thanks to Allison for visiting with us today and to Penguin for sharing "The Song Remains the Same" with our readers.

How to win "The Song Remains the Same":
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. "The Song Remains the Same" is centered around music and features Nell's playlist. What is a must-have song on YOUR playlist?
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.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends April 17th at midnight EST.

Book Review: Firefly Lane

By Gail Allison

You know those magical books that grab you by the eyeballs and don’t let go? Welcome to the most recent one I’ve found. When I saw that Melissa A. and Cindy had both read and really connected with "Firefly Lane" by Kristin Hannah, I decided to hop on the bandwagon and read it too. Little did I know I’d lose an entire weekend to that book. Literally. I checked it out of my local library after my pilates class on Saturday at about 12:30 p.m. I was done it by 4 p.m. on Sunday, and promptly drove over to my Mom’s house, dropped it into her hands and said, "Here. Read this now."

A lot of books try to have a lasting message; something that will stick with you weeks after you’ve closed the back cover and put the book back on your shelf (or handed it reluctantly back in to the library). Kristin Hannah’s "Firefly Lane" really delivers. It’s so easy to get schlocky and sticky sweet with the "live each day to its fullest because you never know when it will be the last" message, but Hannah’s novel does it poignantly and carefully. She never gets to the saccharine stage, instead keeping the book moving along until the very end with real characters and situations that keep leaping off the page at you, forcing you to wonder if you’d react the same way as either Kate or Tully do in the book.

"Firefly Lane" opens with Kate Mularkey feeling like most eighth grade girls do at one point or another: like a loser. She’s accepted her status as the bottom of the great big pond that is middle school, and really wishes her mother wouldn’t push her to put herself out there and make some friends. She’s trying to be happy just the way she is. Then Tully moves in across the road. Tully is everything that Kate isn’t. She’s cool. She’s popular. She seems far older than her years. And eventually we learn that Tully has a secret that’s tearing her apart inside. After an awkward night of stilted confessions and whispered conversation, Kate is astounded to learn that Tully actually wants to be her friend. By the end of the summer, the two of them are TullyandKate: inseparable. This book is the journey of those two halves that make up so much more than a whole. It’s a story about growing up, finding your feet, and ultimately about the betrayal that blows apart a once seamless friendship.

This book is so much more than just a book about two girls growing up. It’s about trust, friendship, and why learning who you are is so important. It’s about the reason that you can’t stop smiling when your best friend phones you, no matter what’s happened in your life that day. It’s about knowing who you can lean on, no matter what, and discovering that no matter how accomplished you are, there will come a day when you can’t do it all yourself. Everybody needs someone. There’s no shame in saying, "Help me, please."

"Resounding" is the best word that I can think of to describe this book. I’ll be picking up a copy for myself very soon, and probably copies for my sisters and for some friends. It’s not often that a book has this kind of impact on me, and I, for one, would like to personally thank Ms. Hannah for getting this one down on paper. Amazing writing, smooth flow of words, and a phenomenal story that not only will stand the test of time, but that will definitely be re-readable, again and again.

More by Kristin Hannah:

Winner of "Already Home"

To find our winner, we assigned a number to each entry and asked Random.org to choose one number. It chose 3.

Congrats to Rebecca (gemini_babygurl)!

Here's a message from Susan Mallery:
Congratulations to the winner of ALREADY HOME, my 2011 women’s fiction novel! It’s a story filled with juicy, complicated family dynamics, and I think both mothers and daughters will find a lot to relate to in the book. I hope you’ll love the story of Jenna, her mom, and her birth mom.

My latest women’s fiction, BAREFOOT SEASON, explores another of the relationships that are so important to women – friendship and, in a way, sisterhood. We aren’t all lucky to be born into the family we deserve, so we need to create that family by surrounding ourselves with loving, supportive people who laugh at the same jokes. Thank you so much to Chick Lit Central for helping introduce your followers to my new Blackberry Island series, beginning with BAREFOOT SEASON! Read a free excerpt at www.blackberryisland.com.

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 and sharing your book club picks. :)
Thanks to Susan for her lovely blog post and for sharing her book with our winner!

Check out our latest giveaways and also enter ones from other blogs and websites on our giveaways page.