Review: "Nanny Returns" by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Wow...this is my last review of 2009. In fact, this is my last review of the entire decade! Pretty monumental, huh? I travelled several different avenues to try to get my hot little hands on an ARC copy of this book, but every avenue that I went down failed. Fortunately I managed to position myself as the first person in line to get this book once my library obtained their copies. Thanks to the library's efficiency in cataloguing this one, I got a call last week telling me that my copy had come in (thanks NCPL!).

The Nanny Returns takes place 12 years after Nanny has first left the Xes home and their employ: Nan has married Ryan (a.k.a. H.H. from The Nanny Diaries), they have travelled the world for Ryan's job while Nan got her Master's Degree, and now they are trying to settle back into the world of New York. They have purchased a fixer-upper home for themselves, which is turning out to be far more of a hassle than either of them had expected, and Nan is trying to round up clients for her new consulting business. To make things more complicated, Ryan has decided that he is ready to try to start a family with Nan. The timing is not great. Nan is trying to get her home repaired, her business started, and on top of it all she has serious unresolved feelings about what happened with the Xes 12 years ago. When Grayer X, now 16, shows up on Nan's doorstep one drunken night, Nan is sucked back in to the world that the Xes inhabit. She feels that she needs to make up for abandoning Grayer when he was so little, and channels much of her energy into helping both him and his adorable little brother, Stilton, as their parents battle through a bitter divorce. Nan feels that she must come to terms with what happened in the past, but she must also decide what parts of her current life she is willing to sacrifice to do so.

It has been a long time since I read The Nanny Diaries, but luckily most of it came back to me as I began to read this book (although now I wouldn't mind a re-read!). Once again, we as readers are thrust into the world of the culturally elite, and should consider ourselves lucky not to be a part of that, the way that this book portrays it. The way that these people treat their friends, their husbands and wives, and especially their children in this novel is absolutely appaling, and described beautifully by McLaughlin and Kraus. Their dialogue throughout the book was spot on, drawing me in to the scene unfolding, and even making me a part of it. The plot was compelling, and even I didn't know how things would turn out ahead of time. The ending wasn't at all what I expected, but I was satisfied with it nonetheless. There were just enough questions left at the end that I am now officially begging McLaughlin and Kraus to write a sequel. I'm not done reading about Nan yet!

Ultimately I found this to be a thoroughly satisfying read. I read through it in less than two days and didn't want to put it down once I had finished. What a great book to finish the year out with!

Wrapping Up 2009!

2009 has been a spectacular year for me, blogging wise. My blog has grown from a handful of (wonderful) followers in the beginning of the year to 111 (at last count), which just tickles me pink. I really feel that I'm starting to shape this blog into something that reflects who I am, at least who I am as a reader and consumer. Although I do this because I truly love books and reading, it is so great to be able to converse with fellow bloggers via their comments on my blog, as well as me being able to get to know them through theirs. Thank-you so much to everyone who takes time to stop by. I love reading what you have to say!

In 2009 I have also had the opportunity to work with some wonderful publishers, authors and promoters, who have introduced me to some fabulous books that I would not have found otherwise. A special thanks to HarperCollins Canada, Penguin, and The Hachette Book Group, all of whom have provided me with some spectacular blogging opportunities.

I didn't participate in any year-long challenges in 2009 (although I am signed up for 5 in 2010), so I don't have any wrap-up posts to do. I am going to (very randomly) list a few of my favourite reads from 2009. Not all of these were published in 2009, but all of them were read by me in 2009. These aren't in a particular order simply because I think that it would be impossible for me to "rank" one over the other, considering the variety of genres that I enjoy reading. How do you compare fiction with a memoir, etc? I'm just not sure how I could do that fairly, so here are my favourites from 2009:

The Gift by Cecelia Ahern
The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy by Emma Bowd
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
In a Perfect World by Laura Kasischke
The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum
The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes
After You by Julie Buxbaum
Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell
The Ice Chorus by Sarah Stonich
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
The Slap by Christopher Tsiolkas
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
Advice for Italian Boys by Anne Giardini
Fool by Christopher Moore
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

There you go- 17 books that I loved in 2009, and if you haven't had a chance to read them, I would strongly encourage you to!

Before I wrap up this wrap-up post, I would love to highlight a couple of bloggers who have made me laugh, or think, or just buy books in 2009! In no particular order:

Luanne at A Bookworm's World- Luanne always has something interesting to blog about, and she's a fellow Canadian as a bonus!

Kristen at BookNAround- I joke that Kristen is my "bookmate" (a soulmate, only about books!) because 9 times out of 10, if she's read something and loved it, I will too. In the same vein, if she's hated it, I won't even bother going there.

Mandy from Mandy's Life After 30- Mandy writes about her life as a mom and a wife and a woman and she never fails to make me smile with her entertaining posts.

Deanna from My Tragic Right Hip- Deanna writes the most insightful book reviews around, and I look forward to her updates.

Debbie from Suburb Sanity- Debbie can ALWAYS make me laugh- plus she keeps me up on all of the current events and celebrity gossip. :)

Meg from write meg!- Meg is another one of my "bookmates"- I adore reading her thoughtful reviews, and chances are, if she's liked something, I had better go and check it out myself. I look forward to reading more of her reviews in 2010.

I could go on and on (I really could!) but I think that I will leave it here for now. Sometimes it's best to know when to stop. I wish all of you- my fellow book bloggers, all of the fantastic publishers out there who encourage us to keep blogging, and all of the authors bringing us new stuff to chat about- a very happy New Year and a fantastic 2010!

New Author Challenge 2010

My final challenge for 2010 (whew, I'm getting tired just posting all of them!)! I chose to participate in this challenge this year because I thoroughly enjoy reading books by authors that I have never read before. I would actually venture to say that the majority of books I read are by authors who are new to me; they've been recommended by bloggers like you, or by friends who have enjoyed them. The New Author Challenge 2010 is hosted by Literary Escapism.

The rules:

1. The challenge will run from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.


2. Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels. Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.

3. I want this to be an easy challenge, so you can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors. It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be. For me, I’m trying another 50 new authors. If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop. Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky. We all want to know about your new experience.

4. After reading your new author, write your review and then come back here and add your link to Mr. Linky. Make sure you include your name and the author.

5. Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome.
 
That's it! My goal for this year will be 25 new-to-me authors, which I will list here as I go along.

1. After the Falls by Catherine Gildiner
2. Crossing the Bridge by Michael Baron
3. Where We Have to Go by Lauren Kirshner
4. Spin by Catherine McKenzie
5. Denise's Daily Dozen by Denise Austin
6. A Bad Bride's Tale by Polly Williams
7. In The Wake of Loss by Sheila James
8. Sex Dungeon For Sale by Patrick Wensick
9. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
10. Toby: A Man by Todd Babiak
11. Holly's Inbox by Bill Surie
12. The Last River Child by Lori Ann Bloomfield
13. The Parabolist by Nicholas Ruddick
14. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
15. The Way Home by George Pelecanos
16. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
17. The Heights by Peter Hedges
18. Balancing Acts by Zoe Fishman
19. Stolen by Lesley Pearse
20. A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer
21. Cool Water by Dianne Warren
22. The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen
23. My Own Personal Soap Opera by Libby Malin
24. Corked by Kathryn Borel
25. Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow
26. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
27. The One-Week Job Project by Sean Aiken
28. The Summer Before the Storm by Gabriele Wills
29. Love Nest by Julia Llewellyn
30. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
31. If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous
32. A Gift From Brittany by Marjorie Price
33. On Folly Beach by Karen White
34. The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
35. Either You're In or You're In The Way by Logan and Noah Miller
36. A Corner of Universe by Rebbie Macintyre
37. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
38. Small Change by Sheila Roberts
39. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
40. Pesto Packin' Mama by Nan D. Arnold
41. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
42. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
42. The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw
43. Promises to Keep by Jane Green
44. The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax
45. The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
46. The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
47. Jessica Z. by Shawn Klomparens
48. J'adore New York by Isabelle Lafleche
49. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
50. Finding Marco by Kenneth C. Cancellara
51. Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart
52. Cold Rock River by Jackie Lee Miles
53. The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier
54. A Thread of Sky by Deanna Fei
55. Girl Crazy by Russell Smith
56. Get Lucky by Katherine Center
57. My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster
58. Sand in My Eyes by Christine Lemmon
59. Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell
60. Seven Exes are Eight Too Many by Heather Wardell
61. Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook
62. Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker by Marla Martenson
63. All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins
64. Beach Week by Susan Coll
65. The Baby Trail by Sinead Moriarty
66. This Must Be The Place by Kate Racculia
67. Tuesday Tells It Slant by Holly Christine
68. The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
69. Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant
70. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
71. Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson
72. The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst
73. She's Gone Country by Jane Porter
74. Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright
75. Sima's Undergarments for Women by Ilana Stanger-Ross
76. Still the One by Robin Wells
77. Bridesmaids by Jane Costello
78. Queen Mum by Kate Long
79. The Recessionistas by Alexandra Lebenthal
80. Mothers & Other Liars by Amy Bourret
81. Life After Yes by Aidan D. Rowley
82. Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell
83. The Lovers by Vendela Vida
84. YOU comma Idiot by Doug Harris
85. Green Beauty Recipes by Julie Gabriel
86. Juliet by Anne Fortier
87. Star Island by Carl Hiaasen
88. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
89. Russell Wiley is Out To Lunch by Richard Hine
90. What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen
91. Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles
92. Perfection by Julie Metz
93. How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
94. She Tells All by Judah Lee Davis
95. Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky
96. Hollywood Ending by Lucy Simone
97. The Educated Heart by Janet Logan
98.  Dating Mr.December by Phillipa Ashley
99. The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook by Matt Dunn
100. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love by Linda Green
101. The Girls by Lori Lansens
102. A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French
103. The Other Family by Joanna Trollope
104. The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton
105. The Thin Pink Line by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
106. Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
107. The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond

RYOB (Read Your Own Books) Challenge 2010

The 2010 RYOB Challenge has one mail goal- to get you reading your own books that have been sadly sitting on the shelf waiting for you to pick them up! Through a combination of contest wins and my own purchases I have some of those waiting for me, so I decided to join the RYOB Challenge 2010 hosted by MizB.

The rules:

•Pick a number of books you’d like to read in one year

•Choose those books from your OWN collection
•Read them between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010

Since I have 30 of my won/purchased books now sitting on my shelves waiting to be read, 30 will be my goal! I will list those here as I read and review them.

1. A Bad Bride's Tale by Polly Williams
2. Holly's Inbox by Bill Surie
3. The Wedding Girl by Madeline Wickham
4. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
5. The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
6. Mixed Doubles by Jill Mansell
7. Beach Week by Susan Coll
8. The Baby Trail by Sinead Moriarty
9. Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant
10. Love in Translation by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
11. Bridesmaids by Jane Costello
12. Queen Mum by Kate Long
13. Conversations With the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer
14. Life After Yes by Aidan D. Rowley
15. Caroline's Sister by Sheila O'Flanagan
16. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
17. How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
18. Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch
19. The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate
20. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love by Linda Green
21. The Girls by Lori Lansens
22. The Other Family by Joanna Trollope
23. The Thin Pink Line by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
24. Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
25. The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond
26. Sleeping Arrangements by Madeleine Wickham
27. Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh

2010 Chick Lit Challenge

Completing this challenge should be pretty easy for me. I adore chick lit (or women's fiction, as I sometimes call it around here) and since the goal is to read only 8 books in the year, I should have that done by, oh, January? Kidding, I often get sidetracked by my review copies, so joining this challenge should give me the excuse I need to indulge here and there. This challenge is hosted by The Twiga Blog and the sign up post is here.

The rules:

The Chick Lit Challenge 2010 runs from January 1 - December 31st. The goal is to read at least 8 chick lit books during the year. Books can be listed ahead of time or as you go along. Books can also be used for multiple challenges.

I'm looking forward to this one, and will list my books below as I've read them.

1. Spin by Catherine McKenzie
2. A Bad Bride's Tale by Polly Williams
3. The Penny Pincher's Club by Sarah Strohmeyer
4. Love Struck by Chantel Simmons
5. Holly's Inbox by Bill Denham
6. My Own Personal Soap Opera by Libby Malin
7. The Wedding Girl by Madeline Wickham
8. Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow
9. Love Nest by Julia Llewellyn
10. The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
11. Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell
12. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
13. Pesto Packin' Mama by Nan D. Arnold
14. Promises to Keep by Jane Green
15. The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax
16. Farm Fatale by Wendy Holden
17. Mixed Doubles by Jill Mansell
18. The Baby Trail by Sinead Moriarty
19. Tuesday Tells It Slant by Holly Christine
20. Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham
21. Thin, Rich, Pretty by Beth Harbison
22. Bridesmaids by Jane Costello
23. Caroline's Sister by Sheila O'Flanagan
24. Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell
25. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

The second challenge that I will be joining this year is the 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge. I love my local library, and love to support them in any way that I can. They offer me a commitment-free way to try a variety of new books and authors, and if I don't love the book, I can just return it! This challenge is hosted by J. Kaye of J.Kaye's Book Blog. The sign-up post for this challenge is here.

The rules:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. There are four levels:
--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.
--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.
--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.
--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

(Aim high. As long as you read 25 by the end of 2010, you are a winner.)

3. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader – any book as long as it is checked out from the library count. Checked out like with a library card, not purchased at a library sale.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

6. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.

I have decided to sign up for "The Mini", and will list my books here as I read them!

1. The Penny Pincher's Club by Sarah Strohmeyer
2. Cleaving by Julie Powell
3. A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
6. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
7. Small Change by Sheila Roberts
8. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
9. The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw
10. Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart
11. Get Lucky by Katherine Center
12. Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook
13. The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center
14. The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
15. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
16. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
17. The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst
18. Thin, Rich, Pretty by Beth Harbison
19. Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
20. Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
21. The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart
22. Last Night At Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger
23. Mothers & Other Liars by Amy Bourett
24. Star Island by Carl Hiaasen
25. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
26. Room by Emma Donoghue

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

I'm so excited! This is the first year that I will be participating in any year-long reading challenges, and it was so incredibly difficult to narrow down my list to a number of challenges that I feel is manageable. One challenge that I have wanted to join since I heard about it mid-2009 is the 100+ Reading Challenge, hosted by J.Kaye's Book Blog! So, the first challenge that I am joining for 2010 is the 100+ Reading Challenge!

The rules:

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.
 
I haven't counted the number of books that I've read in the past year, but my blogging has definitely picked up in the last 6 months. I'm excited to see if I can reach my first- year goal of reading 100 books, and will list them here as I complete them.

1. After the Falls by Catherine Gildiner
2. Crossing the Bridge by Michael Baron
3. Where We Have to Go by Lauren Kirshner
4. Spin by Catherine McKenzie
5. Denise's Daily Dozen by Denise Austin
6. A Bad Bride's Tale by Polly Williams
7. In The Wake of Loss by Sheila James
8. Sex Dungeon For Sale by Patrick Wensick
9. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
10. The Penny Pincher's Club by Sarah Strohmeyer
11. Toby: A Man by Todd Babiak
12. Love Struck by Chantel Simmons
13. Holly's Inbox by Bill Surie
14. The Last River Child by Lori Ann Bloomfield
15. Cleaving by Julie Powell
16. The Parabolist by Nicholas Ruddick
17. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
18. The Way Home by George Pelecanos
19. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
20. The Heights by Peter Hedges
21. Balancing Acts by Zoe Fishman
22. Stolen by Lesley Pearse
23. A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents by Liza Palmer
24. Cool Water by Dianne Warren
25. The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen
26. My Own Personal Soap Opera by Libby Malin
27. Corked by Kathryn Borel
28. The Wedding Girl by Madeline Wickham
29. Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow
30. Read, Remember, Recommend: A Reading Journal For Book Lovers by Rachelle Rogers Knight
31. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
32. The One-Week Job Project by Sean Aiken
33. The Summer Before the Storm by Gabriele Wills
34. Love Nest by Julia Llewellyn
35. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
36. If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous
37. A Gift From Brittany by Marjorie Price
38. On Folly Beach by Karen White
39. The Icing on the Cupcake by Jennifer Ross
40. Rumor Has It by Jill Mansell
41. Either You're In or You're In The Way by Logan and Noah Miller
42. A Corner of Universe by Rebbie Macintyre
43. Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts
44. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
45. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
46. Small Change by Sheila Roberts
47. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
48. Pesto Packin' Mama by Nan D. Arnold
49. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
50. The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw
51. Promises to Keep by Jane Green
52. The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax
53. The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
54. The Journey Home by Michael Baron
55. The Opposite of Me by Sarah Pekkanen
56. Jessica Z. by Shawn Klomparens
57. J'adore New York by Isabelle Lafleche
58. My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
59. Finding Marco by Kenneth C. Cancellara
60. Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart
61. So Much For That by Lionel Shriver
62. Farm Fatale by Wendy Holden
63. Cold Rock River by Jackie Lee Miles
64. The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier
65. A Thread of Sky by Deanna Fei
66. Girl Crazy by Russell Smith
67. Get Lucky by Katherine Center
68. My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster
69. Sand in My Eyes by Christine Lemmon
70. Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell
71. Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many by Heather Wardell
72. Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook
73. Two Years, No Rain by Shawn Klomparens
74. The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center
75. Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker by Marla Martenson
76. All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins
77. Mixed Doubles by Jill Mansell
78. Beach Week by Susan Coll
79. The Baby Trail by Sinead Moriarty
80. This Must Be The Place by Kate Racculia
81. Tuesday Tells It Slant by Holly Christine
82. Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City by Holly Denham
83. The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
84. Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
85. The Truth About Delilah Blue by Tish Cohen
86. Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant
87. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
88. Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson
89. The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst
90. She's Gone Country by Jane Porter
91. Love in Mid Air by Kim Wright
92. Thin, Rich, Pretty by Beth Harbison
93. Sima's Undergarments for Women by Ilana Stanger-Ross
94. The Debutante by Kathleen Tessaro
95. Still the One by Robin Wells
96. Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
97. Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
98. The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart
99. Love in Translation by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
100. Bridesmaids by Jane Costello
101. Queen Mum by Kate Long
102. Conversations With the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer
103. Last Night At Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger
104. The Recessionistas by Alexandra Lebenthal
105. Mothers & Other Liars by Amy Bourett
106. Life After Yes by Aidan D. Rowley
107. Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe by Jenny Hollowell
108. Caroline's Sister by Sheila O'Flanagan
109. The Lovers by Vendela Vida
110. YOU comma Idiot by Doug Harris
111. Green Beauty Recipes by Julie Gabriel
112. Juliet by Anne Fortier
113. Star Island by Carl Hiaasen
114. Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell
115. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
116. Planning to Live by Heather Wardell
117. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
118. Russell Wiley is Out To Lunch by Richard Hine
119. Some Great Thing by Lawrence Hill
120. Falling Home by Karen White
121. Room by Emma Donoghue
122. What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen
123. Moonlight in Odessa by Janet Skeslien Charles
124. Perfection by Julie Metz
125. How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
126. She Tells All by Judah Lee Davis
127. Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch
128. Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky
129. Hollywood Ending by Lucy Simone
130. The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate
131. The Educated Heart by Janet Logan
132. Dating Mr.December by Phillipa Ashley
133. Elusive Dawn by Gabriele Wills
134. The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook by Matt Dunn
135. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love by Linda Green
136. The Girls by Lori Lansens
137. A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French
138. The Other Family by Joanna Trollope
139. The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton
140. The Thin Pink Line by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
141. Learn, Laugh, Cook by Mandy Fernandez
142. Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
143. The Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond
144. Sleeping Arrangements by Madeleine Wickham
145. Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh

Review: "Name and Address Withheld" by Jane Sigaloff

Name and Address Withheld has been sitting on my TBR shelves for far too long! I picked it up at the local bookstore a while ago when they were having a sale, but it has been taking the backseat to my review books. However, I picked up another Jane Sigaloff the other day when I was shopping on Boxing Day, so that inspired me to pick up my original purchase.

Lizzie Ford is single, in her early 30's, and enjoying a successful career as an "agony aunt", both in a magazine and on the radio. She meets Matt while at a Christmas office party, one of the radio stations copywriters, and it was attraction at first sight. The two chatted for the evening, went to their seperate homes, and then couldn't keep apart. The first couple of weeks of their relationship feet too good to be true, and in fact, they were because Matt was keeping a secret- he's married. Despite the fact that he is one of the men truly caught in a marriage that has been over for a long time, Lizzie insists that he goes home and tries to work out things with his wife once she finds out, because she has no intention of being a mistress. Matters are complicated when Lizzie inadvertently develops an online friendship with Rachel, Matt's wife, when Rachel e-mails the popular "agony aunt". Eventually it all comes out, and it's up to Lizzie and her best friend Clare to keep the whole world from crashing down around her.

Despite the fact that I feel very strongly that it is unacceptable for spouses to cheat on one another, it was interesting to read a story written from the mistress's point of view. In the case of this story, Lizzie was the mistress that we could feel sorry for- she didn't know the truth until she was head over heels for Matt, and at that point she summoned up all of her strength and sent him packing. There were a few liasons between the two once she knew, but we're all human, right? That was one of the points of this story- that no matter who we are, we are all human in the end. We may be agony aunts, lawyers, or doctors, but we all have a human side which makes us all the more likely to make a really big mistake. Lots of mistakes are made by the characters in this book, but somehow everyone manages to muddle their way through it until the end.

I disagree with the critics who found the characters in the story "flat"- in fact I found it to be quite the opposite. This is chick-lit, and it is unapologetic about it (as it should be!). This story isn't shallow or super-fluffy, but actually has a moral component thrown in there. I would recommend it to any chick-lit lovers out there, especially if you're a fan of Jill Mansell, Emily Giffin or Wendy Holden. It was a light, fun read!

Review: "We Are All Made of Glue" by Marina Lewycka

After Georgie Sinclair's husband walks out on her following an argument about a toothbrush holder, her life seems about to fall apart. Her daughter doesn't call her anymore, preferring instead to send brief texts here and there, her 16-year-old son, Ben, seems intent on surfing born-again websites on the Internet, and both her career and her social life have never seemed more boring. When her eccentric elderly neighbor, Mrs. Shapiro, rummages through Georgie's garbage one night the two strike up an unusual friendship. They bond over Mrs. Shapiro's odd collection of cats and discounted grocery store food, but when Mrs. Shapiro has a fall and ends up in the hospital Georgie is surprised to find out that she has been named as next of kin. Suddenly Georgie's time is occupied with trying to prevent dishonest social workers from putting Mrs. Shapiro into a home, as well as trying to keep her elderly neighbor's house from falling into complete disrepair. Georgie is also occupied with figuring out if she wants to make her marriage work and trying to keep her son out of the clutches of a persistent online cult. In addition, she must unravel the mystery that is Mrs. Shapiro, who is certainly not who she says that she is.

I thoroughly enjoyed this clever novel, which flawlessly combined the present-day troubles of Georgie with the rich history of wartime Europe and the Middle East. The characters are created in such a way that we come to care about them: especially Georgie, the energetic Mrs. Shapiro, and the innocent Ben. At one point in the novel we have no idea how this complex mess of problems, Georgie's, Ben's, Mrs. Shapiro's, can come to any kind of satisfying conclusion, yet it is at this point that Marina Lewycka gently starts steering us towards the end.

The only problem that I could say that I had with this novel was the gratuitous sex. I had absolutely no problem with Georgie going out and trying to feel like a woman again following the crumbling of her marriage, yet the sex seemed almost randomly inserted, "insert sex here". The man whom Georgie was sleeping with didn't seem to have feelings for her, and really she seemed to have no feelings for him beyond erotic ones. There seemed to be no connection between the two of them, and therefore no real reason to jump into bed with almost no warning.

Aside from that (and that really was just a minor problem that I had, the sex scenes certainly don't dominate the book), We Are All Made of Glue was both an entertaining and a thought-provoking book, leaving no doubt in my mind as to the talent of the author. I would highly recommend it to any contemporary or literary fiction fan. Thank-you to Penguin Canada for this complimentary review copy!

Winners!

Congratulations to the winners of my recent contests!

The winners of a copy of 7th Heaven by James Patterson:

Jessica
M
Linna
Wanda
Lynn




The winners of a copy of Exit Music by Ian Rankin:

Irene Yeates
rubynreba
booklover0226
Denny, Alaska
Marie

All of the winners have been e-mailed and have 72 hours to reply with their information, or I will have to draw another winner. If you didn't win this time, don't worry! I have several more exciting giveaways coming in 2010!

Review: "Seven" by Jacqueline Leo

From the Publisher's Website:

"What is it about the number seven that has such a hold on us? Why are there seven deadly sins? Seven days of the week? Seven wonders of the world, seven colors of the spectrum, seven ages of man, and seven sister colleges? Why can we hold seven numbers or words in our working memory--but no more? Author Jackie Leo explores everything about this mystical, magical, useful, and fun number in her new book."

My Review:

I thought that the premise of Seven was very interesting. I have a brother and sister-in-law who got married on 7/7/07 because of the luck that they thought that it would bring them. They even had to have their wedding at an earlier time than they had hoped because there was another wedding booked at the same church for that day. They certainly weren't the only ones getting married- papers reported record numbers of people tying the knot on July 7, 2007. This book even makes a brief mention of this, which I found interesting.

Unfortunately, the interesting facts dispersed randomly throughout this book were really the only things that made it interesting. Most of the book felt to me like they were actively looking for things that they could group into 7's, and that these groupings didn't always make sense. For example, there were lists that originally consisted of say, 10 points, that the author "summarized" in a convenient list of 7 points instead, stating that these were the most important principles. This didn't really make me sit up and take notice. Truthfully we could take any random number, write a book about it, and come up with things that "fit" wth our particular number. I may sound as if I'm being harsh, I just found that some of the facts has nothing to do with the number 7, and everything to do with the author molding them to fit into her book. This point alone made the whole thing a little unbelievable.

The book is grouped into three sections: 7 for happiness, 7 for love, and 7 for success, and if you're looking for a mildly entertaining self-help book focused on generalalities rather than a specific topic, then give this one a try. It just fell flat for me.

Thank-you to the Hachette Book Group for this review copy!

Mailbox Monday

It's the last Mailbox Monday of 2009! Whew- those holidays went fast! In fact, this entire year flew by for me! If you're new to Mailbox Monday, this is the place where we share what was in our mailboxes last week. E-books and audio books count, checked out library books do not. This is kindly hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

This week was stellar week in books for me. I received one book for an upcoming tour, as well as one book for review. On Christmas Eve I received a package from my book blogger secret santa containing three new-to-me books! I also went shopping on boxing day and was going to pick up two books marked down to $4.99 with a gift card that I had, but when I got to the cash they rang up at $0.99 each! So, back to the book bin I went and I picked out a total of 9, which came to under $10 with taxes! Although I didn't get those in the mail I'm going to post about them anyways, just because I love reading what other people have purchased in their posts. These are the books that I received:

For an upcoming book tour: Spin by Catherine McKenzie

For review: The Last River Child by Lori Ann Bloomfield

From my secret santa: Saul and Patsy: A Novel by Charles Baxter
Split-Levels by Thomas Rayfiel
The Biographer's Tale: A Novel by A.S. Byatt

And finally the books that I got while shopping on Boxing Day!:
Varieties of Disturbance by Lydia Davies
The Romancipation of Maggie Hunter by Jane Sigaloff
Without a Backward Glance by Kate Veitch
Step-Ball-Change by Jeanna Ray
The Only True Genius in the Family by Jennie Nash
The Professor's Wives Club by Joanne Rendell
The Debutante Divorcee by Plum Sykes
Baggage Claim by Tanya Michna
A Bad Bride's Tale by Polly Williams

That was my week in books- what was in your mailbox last week?

Book Blogger Secret Santa Gift Arrives!

I don't know how she did it, but somehow my Book Blogger secret santa managed to have my gift arrive on Christmas Eve! Although I was tempted, I summoned every ounce of my willpower and waited to open it until after Santa came for the kids. It was wrapped in gorgeous paper and I took a picture so that I could post it here, but we're stuck with dial-up out here and my computer just didn't want to upload the picture. My secret santa, Tracy, AKA Gentle Reader at Shelf Life, sent me three books that I can't wait to read, as well as a delicious pack of dark chocolate. The books that she sent me are:

Split-Levels by Thomas Rayfiel
The Biographers Tale: A Novel by A.S. Byatt
Saul and Patsy: A Novel by Charles Baxter

Thank-you so much, Tracy! I haven't heard of any of these fantastic books and I can't wait to read them!

Review: "The Gift" by Cecelia Ahern

I just realized that I haven't blogged in over a week, which is unusual for me! I guess that I've been caught up in the busyness of the season. With three young boys to buy presents for, not to mention countless family members on both my and my husband's side of the family (and of course, the fact that I've left everything until the last minute), I've been spending less time online and more time frantically shopping. Take my mother-in-law's gift, for example: my sister-in-law told me the name of a perfume that she said my MIL would love to have, her favourite. I went to three stores looking for it, and then finally discovered that it is no longer being manufactured. I came home and called my SIL again, who gave me the name of another perfume to look for. Three stores later, I finally found it, and then it cost twice what I was expecting! Oh, well, I came home, triumphant, with the world's most expensive perfume, considering how much gas I wasted looking for it. Next year I'm doing all of my shopping online, I swear.

It's not all about the gift buying, fortunately. I have some wonderful friends who have invited some combination of me, my husband, and our children over during the holidays. In fact, we're heading to a children's Christmas party in the next half hour. I am so thankful for all of the wonderful friends and family that we have been blessed with! I thought that before I left and officially got caught up in the rush of the season I would review one more book, appropriately my favourite Christmas book that I've read this year!

Cecelia Ahern's The Gift is the story of Lou Suffern. This is a guy who doesn't have his priorities straight. He has a wonderful wife and two beautiful children, yet he spends his time cheating on his wife and doing anything to get ahead at work. This all changes the morning that he meets Gabe, a homeless man camped out in front of his office building. For some reason Lou decides to chat with Gabe and ends up offering him a job in the mailroom downstairs. To Lou, Gabe is like the pesky neighborhood child who won't go away: suddenly Gabe is everywhere, even in two places at once! Lou is thoroughly confused but frankly too busy trying to get promoted to care. One night when the regular elevators don't work, Lou finds out that Gabe is sleeping in the basement of the office building and as a thanks for not telling on him, Gabe gives Lou several mysterious pills that have a strange side effect. Suddenly Lou is getting things accomplished at an alarming rate and has Gabe to thank. I really won't get into the remainder of the book, or of the ending, because it wasn't at all what I expected and it is far better to be a surprise.

I loved this book, I mean really, truly loved it. For me, this was more than just a book about Christmas, but a story that could be read at any time of the year. The Gift is about so many wonderful things: it is about finding out what is truly important in life and about making those moments with your loved ones count. It is also about it never being too late to change; even though you've made mistakes it is never too late to try to change and become a better person. If you're expecting a sappy novel, don't be. This book isn't sappy and in fact the end shocked me (okay, okay, and it made me cry a little!). I would highly recommend this one, not just for the holidays, but for all year. This is my final book for the 2009 Holiday Reading Challenge! *This book was purchased independently for my personal collection*

Interview with Emma Bowd, Author of "The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy"

I'm thrilled to have Emma Bowd, author of The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy visiting The Book Chick today! She kindly agreed to answer a few of my burning questions, despite the fact that the busy holiday season is well upon us now, giving us, oh, only about a million extra things to do. If you missed my review of this book yesterday, catch up on it here- it would make a great Christmas gift for the new mom, chick-lit lover, or shoe lover in your life, or just a fabulous present for yourself (c'mon, it's the holiday season, you know you deserve an extra present or two)!! So, without further ado, please welcome Emma Bowd!

The Book Chick: Shoe Princess is such an enjoyable read! How long did it take you to write it?
Emma Bowd: Firstly, thanks! I get a real thrill from connecting with people through my writing. And in the case of this novel, it has been mums, grannies, dads (especially first-time dads), granddads (a surprisingly big fan base!) and shoe-loving career girls who have given me lovely feedback - quite a cross-section of readers.

As for how long it took to write...far too long!! The vast majority of it was written at my kitchen table at night, while my two young children slept- over the past 6 years! (My kids are now 6yrs and 9 yrs) I also moved house from England to Australia in this time...so had a lot going on.

TBC: Do you have a favourite place to do your writing?
EB: As above...kitchen table is my favourite. I do like using a laptop and enjoyed taking it out into the garden or to a café, especially during the early 'creative phase'. However, I found the deeper I got into the story the more I needed to concentrate - it gets quite technical making everything slip seamlessly together - so I had to move into the dining room to avoid getting lost in a pile of congealed cornflakes!

TBC: Shoe Princess is your first foray into writing fiction, although you are the author of the non-fiction bestsellers A Passion for Shoes and A Passion for Handbags. How did the experience of writing fiction differ for you than the experience of writing non-fiction?
EB: Greatly! The non-fiction books took me very little time to write. As they were quite short, but also my pet hobbies - so I did not need to do any research or think too much about it!

As for the novel, I started off in a flurry of huge enthusiasm, but was not a trained writer, having worked as an Occupational Therapist for 12 yrs prior. I had much to learn about the 'craft' of writing (e.g. characters
and plotting) and was blessed to be under the tutelage of a brilliant editor. I basically learnt how to write my novel on-the-job, and found it hugely challenging and stimulating - especially because I was at home with
two young children, so it really was 'my time' away from the day-to-day grind of childcare (as much as I loved it too!).

TBC: Did the scenarios in "Shoe Princess" draw from your own experiences with motherhood, or were they purely fictional?
EB: The story is naturally fiction - and I have to say I had a LOT of fun with the characters and plot lines! The structure of the novel started with the Shoe Princess character and her website, and I then wove the narrative of Jane and first-time motherhood around it. I think the general theme of seeing and experiencing the world differently after your first child is quite common, and I'm certainly no exception to that. I did do a shoe-making course in London...though sadly no hunky Marco instructor (sob)! Oh yes, and I do loooove shoes! But again, have nothing remotely resembling the Shoe Princess's collection! I definitely lived my fantasy through her.

TBC: Finally, do you have plans to write more fiction novels in the future? Is there anything that you are working on now?
EB: I'd dearly love to write more fiction novels in the future! Am currently toying with the idea of a Shoe Princess sequel (having had many requests for one) or turning a short-story I wrote some years ago into a novel...I'm always scribbling down ideas on bits of paper!

At the moment I've teamed up with a lovely artist and am putting the finishing touches to a children's picture book called Je Ne Sais Quoi,about a little girl in Paris.

Thanks again to Emma Bowd for taking the time to stop by! If you would like to find out more about The Shoe Princess's Guide to the Galaxy, be sure to visit the publisher's website!