Celebrity Author Daniella Brodsky Guest Post for "Princess of Park Avenue"

Daniella Brodsky

Dear readers new and old,
I am thrilled to announce the re-launch of one of my favorite backlist titles:  PRINCESS OF PARK AVENUE, on sale NOW.  For those of you who have become fans later in the game, I am calling this launch series, My ‘Dirty Literary History.’  The name is tongue in cheek and only an attempt to let you know that it’s a bit more lighthearted and comedic than my current work.  But it’s got the same power to teach us something about ourselves that I believe all good art (if I may be so bold) does.  And I’m going to go out on a limb and toot my own horn here once again (I know! You don’t even recognize this Daniella, right?) . . . As I read through to re-edit PRINCESS (because I’m a perfectionist and love to see how much I’ve learned in the last decade, too), I laughed my ass off (figuratively; I still have an ass, so don’t worry).  The story is funny, and the observations about pop culture’s ugly side seem all too relevant today. 

For those of you who’ve been with me since THE GIRL’S GUIDE TO NEW YORK NIGHTLIFE days (or even the days when I wouldn’t go anywhere without my Minnie Mouse), and maybe even attended that fabulous launch party with all the free booze in the middle of a blizzard (maybe even won a ritzy prize to take home), I’d love to hear your thoughts on how this Brooklyn v Park Avenue love story fits into your view of Daniella Brodsky’s body of work.  To me, PRINCESS is about the stunning contradictions in each of us.  But no matter which way I look at it, Lorraine Machuchi was—and still is—one of my favorite characters, and I hope you enjoy spending some time with her in this revamped edition . . . as much as I have.  Any guesses on which real life personage the Pizza Boy may have been inspired by are totally welcome (and will most likely be denied).  As for who would play Lorraine in a film version, my vote goes to Anne Hathaway—she’s from Brooklyn!  If you’d like to make a pick, or just want to say hey, visit the PRINCESS OF PARK AVENUE facebook page.  For info on my other titles, visit my website.

The great thing about the democratization of the book industry is that we all have a voice—which means we have influence over the kinds of books that make it in today’s marketplace.  If you’ve enjoyed any of my books, please tell the world via a review or a “like” at any of my amazon book pages which can be found via my author page; you wouldn’t believe how influential one opinion can be today.  However you make your voice heard, it’s an exciting time!  Keep reading!

XO,
Daniella Brodsky

Book Review & Blog Tour: Princess of Park Avenue by Daniella Brodsky

You can take the girl out of Brooklyn, but can you take Brooklyn out of the girl? Lorraine Machuchi has held on tight to her Brooklyn home, and to Tommy, the neighborhood guy she's been pining over for years. But the very guy she tossed everything away for just told her he'll never wind up with her—a girl who's not going anywhere. That's the kick in the pants she needs to cross the bridge to Manhattan, where she starts coloring hair at a swank salon. There she meets a new and fascinating species: The Park Avenue Princess. Sure, their $400 cashmere sweaters, charity balls for poor girls with small boobs, and 'sexy' yoga are a bit over-the-top for someone like Lorraine, but sometimes even a Brooklyn girl can learn to love her own inner princess.

Have you ever had a book which you couldn't put down? No, seriously...you couldn't put it down for anything, not even traffic lights? Welcome to my experience reading Daniella Brodsky's 'Princess of Park Avenue'. Not only did I relate to Lorraine Machuchi being a Brooklyn girl, and someone who had settled for 3rd-rate treatment from the guy she loves, but I was totally wrapped up in the all the drama, and the faux-friendships that formed between Lorraine and the original 'Park Avenue Princess's'. I was also given the amazing opportunity to interview Ms. Brodsky regarding this underdog novel of a young woman trying to make her mark on New York City, and also find love in the man that has been in her life for so many years. You can purchase Daniella Brodsky's 'Princess of Park Avenue' on-line at such places as: Barnes & Nobel or Amazon.com in both paper or digital formats.

Rose Lucivero Interview’s Daniella Brodsky: Princess of Park Avenue

     Daniella, I’d like to kick this interview off with thanking you for taking the time to sit for this interview on “Princess of Park Avenue.” I have been a bibliophile since I was a young girl and there have been only a handful of novels which I have devoured, and considered a true treasure. “Princess of Park Avenue” is the first book in many years that I simply could not put down…taking it to work to read on my breaks and even reading it while stopped at traffic lights. (Readers do not attempt this at home.)

• I’m sure you must get this question a lot, but how much of yourself is actually poured in to the creation of the character Lorraine Machuchi?

DB:  First off, let me pick my jaw up from the ground.  That is the most wonderful compliment!  I’m so glad you devoured the book.  This is always my intention!  Lorraine Machuchi is nothing like me at all.  In many ways—her tough-cookie side, her audaciousness, and confidence are traits I wish I had more of!  But on the completely opposite side, we have her lack of self-confidence and self-awareness when it comes to men—and this contradiction, which I was floored to discover in some of the savviest businesswomen I know, was really what drew me to tell this story in the first place.  And those ladies must not be alone because you wouldn’t believe how many women have reached out to me about their own personal sagas with Mr. Wrong.

DB:  I chose Brooklyn because I knew it well.  My mother’s entire family hails from Brooklyn, and I’ve spent many a summer, weekend, and mid-week sleepover there!  After I graduated from NYU I lived in Bay Ridge (which I refer to as ‘old school Brooklyn’) and was really surprised to find it was a world away from NYC, though I only took one train to commute their every day.  It was refreshing and inspiring, unique and in many ways, steeped in tradition—all of which made it an interesting place to share via fiction.  In fact, I was riding the Q train home from my grandmother’s Brighton Beach apartment when I came up with the initial story sketch for PRINCESS OF PARK AVENUE.  I guess watching the skyline flash by got the creative juices flowing.

• Why did you pick Brooklyn, NY as the featured borough? Why not The Bronx or Queens? Do you feel that women in Bay Ridge, New York are stereo-typed in to the Italian-princess, gum-chomping, women who tolerate her guy cheating on her and driving a muscle car while they are stuck in the kitchen making gnocchi and homemade sauce?

• In the novel, Lorraine’s deceased grandmother pops in and pays visits to several characters, including Lorraine. Do you believe in the paranormal? And have you ever had your own paranormal experience? (I myself have had several dealings with paranormal energies, and am part of a paranormal investigative team.)

DB:  Look, I’m one of those people who’s always bawling her eyes out when those who claim to commune with the dead do so on morning radio.  That being said, I also ask my little crew up there for some good luck when I really need it.  They seem to listen!  But what do I really think?  I don’t know—which is a great place for a novelist to be:  we ask the questions.  It’s up to the readers—i.e., each of us—to ponder the answers according to our individual perspectives.  That interactivity is what makes novels so wonderful.

• What has been your biggest or most memorable fashion faux pas?
  

  
  

  DB:  Oh God.  You’re talking to a girl who mainly wears black tank tops and jeans and has done so for longer than she cares to admit (trends have come and gone but it remains my most flattering look).  Still, I’ve managed to embarrass myself plenty; I don’t know why but the one time that sticks out most was way back in the fifth grade around the time I first started wearing a bra.  I must have only been wearing the darned thing for a couple of months, but for whatever reason, that morning I forgot to put it on.  I was mortified the entire day and refused to take my jacket off—even in gym class.

• You have worked as a beauty editor as well as an author and I wonder, in the beauty world, is there one specific look that has made you cringe?
  

DB:  The great thing about most editors is that we always get excited about new looks, new trends, and new products.  Sure, there are days when you open your press releases and think, Great!  Another new pink frosty lipstick.  Puleaze.  But for the most part, the creativity of the beauty world—like the creativity of the literary world—is a collective conscience, and there’s always some new perspective an individual artist takes that seems to throw everything into a new, exciting light.  That said, no more celebrity copycatting, please!  That really makes me cringe.

• I think that most women who read “Princess of Park Avenue” have had their own “Tommy” in their life at some point of their life. But do you think that the length of time that Lorraine suffered with the Tommy scenario was realistic?

DB:  In fiction, we often have to dramatize events to get the point across in a way that makes for absorbing fiction.  Being Lorraine grew up on the same block as the undeserving object of her affection, she’s had it bad for a long time, longer than I would hope most people would take to move on, but the reality is whether we met him in middle school, high-school, university or after—from real women’s stories, there are those of us who can never forget, those of us who can’t move onto new, meaningful relationships even when it’s been so long we know that the “Tommy” in our heads doesn’t have anything to do with who the real Tommy is anymore, even when we’ve tried to move on and put our current relationships in jeopardy by pursuing “Tommy”.  And don’t most of these women know they’re making enormous mistakes?  This is the messy, fascinating, often painful stuff of love.  And that’s why we’re drawn to read about it over and over again.

• 
  

  Being a single girl in New York…I’ve had more than my share of unsavory guys I went on dates with. This brings me to the character “Matt”. Was Matt based on anyone specifically that you know? Do you think that Matt would have been so understanding and patient while trying to get Lorraine to give him a chance? And where can a single girl meet a real-life Matt?

• 
  

  When writing this story of a young woman, trying to make her mark on New York City, marching to her own beat…were you concerned with the character sounding too much like Candace Bushnell’s “Carrie Bradshaw”?

DB:  I’m trying to think back here… I don’t think I’d ever seen Sex and the City at the time I wrote this.  If I had, it wasn’t nearly as popular or prevalent as it later became.  And even if it were, this character’s personality was nothing like Carrie’s.  Lorraine would have looked down her nose at someone as trendy and fabulous as Carrie.  If I look back at it now, I guess the one commonality is the shared obsession with their perceived Mr. Wrongs.  The only thing this tells me is that it’s a common problem!  The other thing about the SATC/Daniella Brodsky parallel is that when the television show first came out, people kept telling me about it, and saying it was about me, since I was a freelance writer in Manhattan going to all the spots they visited in that show, and often running into the same professional problems.  When I first saw it, I thought someone must have been tapping my phone because her life was so much like mine (except for the Manolos!!!).  I couldn’t be further from that life now!

• Have you personally ever had a nightmarish horror story happen to you with your hairdresser? (High-lights turn purple? A razor shag go awry?) How would you suggest fixing a hairDON’T?

DB:  Where should we start:  the fourth grade feathered look?  The student trial highlights from hell?  The bob that everyone seemed to have in 1994 that took my lifetime long locks to a look that my boyfriend’s father described as “a kindergartener’s” in a matter of moments?  Haven’t chopped my hair since.  How do you fix a bad hairstyle?  It really depends what’s happened.  But stylists are so smart today, they really can do anything—color correction, extensions, straightening, curling, repairing, you name it.  This is one of the reasons I wanted to set the story in Park Avenue’s beauty world.  These stylists are expected to do the impossible every day.  And more often than not, they do it.

• In “Princess of Park Avenue” Lorraine’s on-again/off-again boyfriend Tommy has a major turn of character and seems to want to claim her mind, body, and soul. Do you feel that this turn about with this character is possible in real life or even realistic enough for a character?

DB:  When people face situations that they never could have imagined, this is when we are forced to change or get lost in the rubble.  This happens to everyone during the course of a lifetime.  And in the case of someone like Tommy, and Lorraine, too—people who’ve put off making changes for as long as humanly possible—when reality and change do hit, the results are often most dramatic.  The question of how people react to challenging circumstances is one that continually fascinates me; my most recent novel, Vivian Rising, explores this topic at great length.  It’s amazing the psychological, biological, and societal research that has gone into exploring what makes some of us capable of coping and adapting better than others.

One last final question Daniella, and then I’ll let you get back to the wonderful weather of Australia.

• It seems like you almost left “Princess of Park Avenue” open for a follow-up novel on Lorraine and her crazy group of friends. Do you think that there is room for more Brooklyn meets New York City shenanigans?

DB:  I love these characters, and I love to picture the way their lives unfold after all this drama.  I can’t see why I shouldn’t catch up with them at some point…

Once again, I’d like to thank you for taking the time and joining me for an interview. As it happens, I just realized that “Princess of Park Avenue” is actually the second of your books which I’ve read. I look forward to reading many more of your novels, and I am sure that success and accolades will be bestowed on you for many years to come.

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2011/12/princess-of-park-avenue-by-daniella.html

 

Interview by:

Rose Lucivero

DB:  It’s funny you ask where you can meet a real-life Matt.  I was once approached to update a book called “How to Meet a Mensch in Manhattan.”  At the time, I said I hadn’t a clue how this was done, or I would have found one for myself, and declined the offer.  Still, my Girl’s Guides turned me into somewhat of a reluctant single girl in the city guru, though my dating life may have said otherwise!  Although Matt was not based on any one man I knew, I’m sure in many ways he was a composite of lots of them.  The fact is, in fiction, our real life experiences are only the jumping-off point for the story.  The real magic happens when those characters come into their own and propel the story forward in a way that’s unique to only that particular character.  Would Matt be so patient in the real world?  That’s another great thing about fiction:  it allows us to ask these questions and consider the relevant issues in a way that goes beyond the page—and touches our lives in a personal way, often staying with us always; this is precisely what my current novel, The Book Code, is about.

Book Review & Blog Tour: A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis by Irene M. Woodbury

This darkly funny novel describes Wendy Sinclair’s spin-crazy life in Las Vegas after she impulsively decides to not return to Houston following a bizarre girls’ weekend in 2005.  The confused, unhappy 45-year-old newlywed soon rents a ramshackle apartment in a building filled with misfits; wallows in a blur of spas, malls and buffets, and, ultimately, becomes a designer of cocktail waitress uniforms and an Ann-Margret impersonator in a casino show with Elvis.
         She also hangs with some pretty colorful characters.  Paula’s her bold, brassy glamazon BFF who’s looser than a Casino Royale slot.  Maxine’s her saucy former-Tropicana-showgirl boss.  Paige and Serena are two twenty-something blackjack dealers she shops, gambles, and clubs up a storm with.  Major crushes on a hunky pilot and sexy former rock star are also part of the mix. The phone fights with Roger, Wendy’s workaholic husband waiting impatiently in Houston, are louder and more raucous than a hot craps table at Caesar’s!   Does she go back to him, or does her midlife crisis become a midlife makeover?
     A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis by Irene M. Woodbury is a novel which is 222 pages of Las Vegas drama, razzmatazz, girlie delights, and the roller coaster of self discovery and wild times that thousands of people travel to the actual city for. Having had the opportunity of doing the 'girl's weekend' with my bestest friend Michelle and our friend Tracy, and my Aunt Ida on two occasions over ten years ago I totally related to the allure that Las vegas wielded over the main character Wendy Sinclair. To this day my girls and I reminisce over who hugged a palm tree, and dancing our butts off in Studio 54, located at MGM hotel. (And yes readers...of my personal Sin City adventures, that's all I'm willing to share with you, because as we know what happens in Vegas...stays in Vegas.) Reading this novel which revolved about main character Wendy Sinclair and her reluctance to return to her mundane, traditional life beng micro managed by her husband's bosses wives made me long to return to this adult play land and get swept away in gambling and pampering.

     But Ms. Woodbury does not only focus on all the fun and debauchery which can take place in Las Vegas. Instead she tackles the tender and sensitive subject of discovering who you are, what you want, and how not to lose yourself when you are in a marriage (or relationship.) The characters Wendy and Richard appear to have been happily in a relationship for (7) seven years and decide to take the plunge and get married. Two successful careers, an extravagant honeymoon in England, they seem to be the golden couple that all us real-life people want to be with their partners. However, the book quickly uncovers for the reader that every one's idea of what a marriage is differs, even when you have been in a long-term relationship and believe that you 'really know' your partner.  Reading about Wendy living as 'single's' life in Vegas, but being married and true to her spouse made me want to both cheer for her resolve not to hurt her husband, but when you read what he puts her through it sets your teeth on edge. This is a character that if she was a real person I'd grab her by the shoulders and scream 'wake-up and stand up for yourself!'

     To be fair, although I truly enjoyed reading this book, A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis, was a tad difficult for me to get through at times. A self-proclaimed single girl, I often wonder if I am cut out for a long term relationship, and the institution of marriage. I worry about being tied down, and losing myself to someone who puts 'demands' and expects certain things from me...and this book truly made me relate to our protagonist Wendy Sinclair. I enjoyed reading about her escapades in Vegas, at the posh spas, and night clubs. But several times through the novel, Ms. Woodbury seems to get tied up in giving the reader so much detail and description of what our character is doing....that you lose sight and can't focus on the story itself. What Ms. Woodbury does succeed in is making the reader able to see the novel's story from different angles, and truly question each characters motives, scruples, and attitude.

     An enjoyable read, for any woman of any age, I strongly recommend reading A Slot Machine Ate My Midlife Crisis, by Irene M. Woodbury which is available in e-book format both from http://www.amazon.com/, and also www. A great gift to give your favorite reader for the upcoming holiday season! This is book review #8 for the Chick Lit Plus 2011 Challenge. Remember it's never to late to start to read. Authorsden.com

    

Book Review & Blog Tour: Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom by Elsie Love

Elaine Jackerson has found herself in quite a predicament. Her husband, Bob, is sleeping with his secretary, her daughter is experimenting in the backseat with random boys, and her eight year old wants nothing to do with her.
In an attempt to get herself out of her midlife rut, Elaine joins the Herschel Grammar School PTA. Little does she know, Suni Calverson, the current president has handpicked her to be the newest member of the group. As soon as the ink is dry on the signup sheet, Elaine is thrust into a world that she never knew existed. A world where the PTA gets things done with blackmail, bribes, threats and quite possibly guns.
After stumbling across her husband and his secretary humping in his office, Elaine turns to the only friends she has: Suni and her henchmen. They convince her to let them “take care” of Bob. Elaine agrees to the plan, as long as no one dies. Unfortunately for Elaine, Suni has other plans. Before Elaine can sleep off her Mojitos, her children have been kidnapped and Bob has disappeared. Afraid that Elaine will go back on her word, Suni forces her onto a plane to hide out in a posh suite in Las Vegas that belongs to the famous French landscape photographer Gerard Ilg.

I. Love. This. Book. I love Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom by Elsie Love. And what killed me that as I lay in bed every night with my Kobo, reading, I would drift off to sleep, when all I really wanted to do was scroll to the next page and see what would happen to our protagonist Elaine 'Lanie' Jackerson. When I first started reading this short novel, which is just perfect for summer reading at 208 pages, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to connect with the main character because of where she was in her life, and where I am in mine. However Elsie Love writes so smoothly and without effort that you can't help but get sucked in to the novel, and wrapped up in the characters lives.

Lanie Jackerson is nothing but a hot mess, under appreciated by her daughter, manipulated by her husband, and bullied by her new 'friends' in the PTA. You can't help but root for her, hoping that she'll morph from a Caterpillar to butterfly, and give her husband a swift kick in the balls, and the wallet, should she file for divorce. What makes this novel so delicious is that what appears to be your typical 'woa-is-me' story about a neglected housewife who has lost herself is that it is actually a cleverly disguised 'who-do-you-trust.' A smug husband and obnoxious teenage daughter makes you realize how difficult it can be to be a woman and mother, and not lose yourself in the role of wife and mother. The only bright spot in Lanie's life seems to be her young son whom is equally supportive of his mum as well as embarrassed of her appearance and the nickname she has graced him with.

What is friendship, and what is false friendship? How do you know someone likes you for you or is being a phony? When Lanie gets involved with the PTA ladies she quickly has to figure out who is friend and who is foe while staying true to herself. This is something we all have to deal with in our lives. With more than one love interest for Lanie once she's hiding out in Sin City...you can't help but wish for a happy ending for her...as you hope she never goes back to her loser and abusive husband.

Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom by Elsie Love is so fun I have informed my own mother she must read this novel now. And I urge you all to do the same. I very much look forward to Elsie Love's next books. You can purchase Confessions of a PTA Mafia Mom in either e-reader format of soft cover book at Amazon, Smashwords or on Elsie's own web site.This is book review # 7 for the Chick Lit Plus 2011 Challenge. Remember it's never to late to start to read.

Book review & Blog Tour: Little Miss Teacher by Cassandra O'Sullivan Sacher

Book review: Little Miss Teacher by Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar

 Told through the eyes of Candace Turner, a high school English teacher straight out of college, Little Miss Teacher details one woman’s struggles through the important initial stages of her career and her life as a grown-up. While teaching her students about writing and literature, Candace learns her own lessons about life.

            I am very excited having the opportunity of participating in the blog tour for author Ms. Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar. I have also become acquainted with the on-line book store SmashWords, which not only is another site to purchase e-books, but if you are a writer and do not have an agent or publisher, this is a site which is affordable to self publish.

            Little Miss Teacher is a short read, at only 199 pages, and as the story is told in the first person point-of-view it makes the novel a perfect length. Each chapter is titled with a quirky title which one can relate to in their own daily life. And what made reading this so enjoyable was that Ms. Sachar had us go through an entire school year, and covered a multitude of hot topics which have touched so many lives, both in the lives of young adults, and those of us who may be parents or have younger siblings. As you read, you are propelled back to your own school days, and what it felt like to be ‘trapped’ in a classroom and suffering through assignments. However it doesn’t just focus on the lives of students. It gives you food for thought as to what it’s like being a teacher, especially a first-year teacher…fresh out of college, and trying to make her mark on the world.

            Take a journey through a school year, with the protagonist Candace Turner who is a freshman English teacher who is passionate about the subject she teaches and passionate about her ‘secret-crush’ who may…or may not be equally interested in her. Candace is roommates with her best friend Megan, and although they are thick-as-thieves, their outlook on dating and random hook-ups is as different as night and day. And as you look at their friendship and their personal values, it makes you reflect on your own relationships with people and how you either are a realist, and don’t try to sugarcoat the facts, or if you tend to look through rose-tinted glasses. Candace faces everything from trying to make her lesson plans equally fun and educational, to the death of a student, to being both sexually harassed and accused of being a bigot by two different students, to dealing with the fact that even her personal life isn’t as perfect as she thought it was when she has to face the fact that her roommate has a very serious health issue.

            Little Miss teacher is one of those ‘it’ books. What I mean is that it’s one of those books, that as you’re reading what the main character, Candace Turner is dealing with, you say to yourself: ‘I’ve done that’, or ‘I knew someone who had to deal with…’, or “Oh my, when I was that age I had…happen to me.’ Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar is a rare author who presents to us real-life issues in this novel, without sounding too preachy or condescending. It makes us realize that in a world where more often than not, teachers who are abusing their students in one form or another are getting recognition, instead of the teachers who genuinely care about their students. Without giving too much of this novel away, I want to say that each of the topics handled in this book are covered with compassion, and makes the reader open their eyes to what we can face in our lives, regardless of age or profession. I highly recommend Little Miss teacher by Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar, which is available in e-book format at Smashwords.

It's never to late to start to read. This is book review # 6 for the ChickLit Plus 2011 Challenge.

Book review & Blog Tour: Voices on the Waves by Jessica Chambers

     Today marks a very special day for me. I have the honor of hosting author Jessica Chambers today, May 13th as she travles on her blog tour, promoting her latest novel Voices on the Waves. Having obtained a copy of this book early on I was intrigued by what this tale would bring me. Although the cover art is beautiful, had I been shopping for a book, this cover would not appeal to my eye, and I would have over-looked it. I am so glad that I did not judge this book by its cover...because hidden within these pages is a fascinating story.

When Faye Wakefield runs a competition offering nine lucky winners a two-week holiday at her beautiful farmhouse retreat in Cornwall, she promises an experience they will never forget. However, even Faye could not have imagined how bringing these people together would change their lives forever.

Just as she hoped, the competition yields a diverse mixture of characters: a shy young woman with troubled eyes, a womanizing business tycoon, an interior designer ruled by her need for independence, a retired nurse, and an Irishman with an affiliation for the whisky bottle. Yet, as sparks begin to fly and the guests share their long-suppressed secrets, only Faye knows of her ulterior motive for inviting them all under her roof.

     Ms. Chambers has created a potpourri of characters as complex and colorful as those in the real world. From the shallow, insecure Tiffany who is looking for love in all the wrong places, to the egomaniac Marcus who thinks that he is God's gift to women. Each character is creatively written, where you can empathize with their fragile and soft side, and yet want to confront and challenge their abrasive side. Cleverly written, you know that the protagonist has an ulterior motive for hosting this contest but yet, you can't help but wonder what it is, and why she is doing it, nor can you figure out who is going to be the 'winner'. You wonder if the prickly Mrs. Davis will find her heart, and give the ever-friendly Rx a chance at late-in-life romance. So many mysteries are wrapped up in this delightful tale set in the beautifully described Cornish countryside. And not to be written off as typical chic lit, this novel also touches on the sensative topic of how different cultures view homosexuality. I truly enjoyed Voices on the Waves, and can not wait to see more work from this author Jessica Chambers.

You can purchase this novel Voices on the Wave by Jessica Chambers in e-book format at several locations. Either through the author's web site or at Amazon.  This is book review # 5 for the Chic Lit 2011 Challenge Remember, it's never to early to start to read.
  

Book Review: Fear Of Driving by Daniella Brodsky

What is a family?   Can you escape the things that connect you to yours?  That's what Ruby Reynolds wants to know in ... FEAR OF DRIVING
Throughout Ruby's childhood her mother dragged her clear across the country and back, starting their life over and over again, without ever telling Ruby who her father was and what exactly they were running from. When she was old enough, Ruby moved to New York City and promised herself she'd stay put, at a comfortable distance from her Momma…and the moving vehicles Ruby learned to hate.  But now Ruby’s met someone she wants to marry, someone with whom she hopes to create the kind of normal life she’s always wanted.  The problem is, when she leaves city life behind her worst fears are stirred up.  She has to learn to drive, though this symbolizes so many frightening possibilities about her family history, and she has to learn to make peace with who she really is.  But as Ruby blossoms into life, both on the road and in her heart, creating a “family” of her own along the way, can she ever truly come to terms with herself?

Fear Of Driving by Daniella Brodsky was a bit of a difficult read for me, which led to it being a disappointing read for me. But all in all it was not a 'bad' book. I had selected this book to read because I felt that the protagonist Ruby and I were cut from the same cloth. Granted my mom did not uproot me from the home I knew and take me all over the country, nor was I ever afraid to drive a car. However I am estranged from my father, and in the past never seemed to date the right kind of guy...due to intimacy issues. This I know stems from my 'daddy issues'. And up until two years ago, my relationship with my mother would have been considered less than desirable. I am most grateful that that has changed for the better, and now have to consider my mom my best friend. Again...our main character Ruby in this novel comes from New York City, and there are mentions of Long Island in this book, all of which are part of my life. So when I decided tor read this book, think I was hoping to find some tools in the story which I can apply in my life to get me through the 'speed bumps and pot holes' of life.

Perhaps I am well past the recovery points that Ruby goes through in this tale of friendship, learning to trust her boyfriend, and most importantly, overcoming her fears. Because there was nothing that I can take from this book, and apply to my life. However I did find myself nodding my head and thinking to myself 'yep...been there, done that' when Ruby would cover up her actions or make up an excuse. I also found myself getting annoyed with our girl Ruby tot he point of punching her in the head when it came to her lack of sharing with her fiance, Ed. Here is the great guy (maybe the character was a little too perfect) who goes out of his way to be there for Ruby, being supportive and patient without fail and she just wouldn't let him in. But I also have to play devil's advocate and say that Ms. Brodsky created such a damaged and needy character that maybe Ruby irked me so much because I still see much of her in me, when it comes to trusting a man.

I thoroughly enjoyed the side stories of Ruby creating a new family of friends in her adult life, and the commodorie that the characters share. It was written with enough passions, snark, and empathy to ring true to the real world.

Although I would not read Fear Of Driving a second time, I would recommend it. But only if you want to read a Chick Lit book, and are not looking to maybe walk away with some tools to navigating your own life. I was impressed enough with the style of Ms. Brodsky's writing that I would give another pieces of her work a try.

You can enjoy Fear Of Driving by Daniella Brodsky by purchasing it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble when you visit her site. I know it is available in different formats for your reading pleasure.

This is book review # 4 for the Chick Lit Plus 2011 Challenge. Remember, it's never to late to start to read!

Book Review: Death By Chick Lit by Lynn Harris

SOMEONE IS KILLING ALL THE IT-GIRL AUTHORS. BUT LOLA’S STILL ALIVE, AND FRANKLY, SHE’S A LITTLE OFFENDED.
You’ve heard of Lola Somerville. Or not. Her first novel, much anticipated by her mother, was promptly eclipsed by…everyone else’s first novel. These days, seems no one Lola knows can write a letter to the editor without having it optioned for a major motion picture. Sure, Lola thinks, I have a great geek-hottie husband and a cool apartment in “up and coming” Brooklyn—but just once, can’t I write some random article and have Jodie Foster call me for the film rights? Or jeez, okay, Minnie Driver. Just *something?*Then one night at a swanky book party, Lola finds her frenemy Mimi McKee, author of Gay Best Friend, dead in the basement, throat slashed with a broken martini glass. And when the bodies of It-Girl writers begin to pile up, Lola starts asking dangerous questions: Are the murders connected? Am I next? If not, um, why not? If I solve the mystery, then will my agent remember my name? And as Lola digs deeper, the stakes get higher. Will getting her hands on the killer—and the book deal bound to follow—mean losing the people she loves most?

This book was a delicious read for me...everything the reviews promised and proclaimed. Witty, filled with satire, and a good old-fashioned murder mystery. Lynn Harris writes about Lola Somerville's life and her relationships with husband Doug and best friend Bella with such authenticity I felt like she was writing about me. (Ok, so I'm not married, nor living in Brooklyn any longer.) But being a frustrated writer, trying to get a book deal...I could relate to Lola's angst about her colleagues. All the characters seemed true-to-life, such as the geeky husband, and Lola's absorbing his love of Sci-fi and collectible knowledge. The relationship and genuine concern she has for her best friend was very genuine. And the worries and concerns which Lola faces (IE: Do I want to have a child? Am I ready to be a parent? Have I lost my identity since I've become a married woman? Should I settle down or play the field?) are what we face....especially when in our mid 30's.

As for the mystery portion of this novel, it keeps you wondering who in deed is the culprit. There are some obvious choices and some red-herrings. Will you guess who the killer is? I didn't see it coming, so was pleasantly surprised. I originally selected this book for several reasons: (a) the title was catchy, (b) I have a dog by the name Lola, (c) I am a writer myself, and (d) I'm taking this Chick Lit challenge.

Death By Chick Lit is an easy read of only 242 pages. And I will definitely be reading more of Lynn Harris's work. You can purchase Death By Chick Lit thru the author's web site by clicking on the link 'Lola Somerville' above, or online, at Amazon. This novel is available both in hard copy or for your e-reader.

This is book review # 3 for the Chick Lit Plus 2011 Challenge. Remember, it's never to late to start to read!

Book Review: The Perfect Manhattan by Tracey Toomey and Leanne Shear

Meet Cassie Ellis--a young college graduate with the world on a string, a yen for screenwriting, and a need for fast cash to pay off her student loans. Eager to avoid the lucrative snooze-fest of a reliable consulting job, she shocks everyone she knows by opting for a sexier, more flexible job: mixing drinks. Never mind that she doesn't know single-malt whiskey from Jack Daniel's: she's eager to learn. And under the tutelage of a sexy Soho bar owner, she's soon cranking out three-olive martinis with the city's glitterati fifteen-deep at the bar--all while angling for tips, fielding bad pick-up lines, and trying to keep up with the other bartenders who party as hard as their stylish clientele.
When Cassie accepts a summer gig bartending in the Hampton's, New York's most elite summer destination, she finds herself catapulted into a whirlwind of dazzling celebrity and over-the-top wealth unlike anything she's ever seen. Life behind the velvet rope is hard to resist, especially when she finds herself falling for a Hampton's hottie named James. But as the summer progresses, and she finds herself surrounded by playboys, moguls, spoiled rich kids, and Paris Hilton clones in strappy stilettos, she soon wonders if playing the ersatz socialite--while actually trying to make a living--is more than she bargained for.

Being a transplanted Brooklyn girl, to Long Island (and no...I do not pronounce it Long Guy-land) I never really got the allure of the Hampton's. I mean, yeah the richie-riches vacation out there in their summer homes, and during the summer the Hampton's is *the* place to be. But I never understood why your regular joes would shell out thousands of dollars for a share house, or drive over an hour to a nightclub all the way in the boonies to drink until their faces fell off. However I have *always* loved the bar scene....and always dreamt of mixing drinks behind a bar. There is something alluring to me about it, and believe me I do know the downside to being a mixologist although I never made a career of it. I would have to say I was a heavy party-girl from 20 years old until 24 or 25 years old. In a bar or night club 2 and even sometimes 3 nights a week as I had friends in the industry. I wound up even 'dating' a bartender for a short time. There were nights where I don't remember the drive home, and there were nights where the toilet was my best friend. There was the rush I got when I would work the bar for my boyfriend, and get strange guys to buy me drinks.The nightclub world can indeed be a very seductive force.  And I can honestly say that I am *so* glad to have walked away from that world and be way past that stage in my life.

The Perfect Manhattan by Tracey Toomey and Leanne Shear totally brought me back to my 'wild' days. Although I have only been out to the Hampton's on 2 occasions to play, from knowing of the clubs which are out there and reading this book, I felt like I was actually in the Hampton's. This book is drawn from experiences which these two women authors have had, while supporting themselves as bartenders, and I think they have captured the true grit of what it is like to live as a bartender, deromanticizing the profession. The caste system of the wealthy where old money looks down on new money has been in existence for several era's, and it was nice that it was brought up in the book too, to show that it still exists. And then you have the  'Pearl Girls' in this novel, which are the elite Hampton princesses, who look down on the working class, and refuse to allow an 'outsider' in to their world. This brought back many memories of the cliques from my childhood school years, up to when I would hang out in the nightclub where my boyfriend worked and his ex girlfriend would show up. It brought up past memories both good and bad...it had me cheering for the main character Cassie, as I related tot his young woman who was just looking to make some money to make it on her own. Do I think that 'The Perfect Manhattan' is an 'awesome' book which I will reread throughout my life? Absolutely not. I thought it was a fun read, as it takes place in my own 'backyard' and was very easy for me to connect with as I too was a party-girl. It made me reminisce about those days when I was carefree, and just looking for acceptance from my wealthier friends, so I allowed myself to get swept up in all the materialistic bullshit and drama. But it also made me realize that I had a blast int he last decade which made me who I am now...and that is not something I regret. I think this book is ideal for young women in their early 20's to read...as it will show them that bartending is not 'easy money', and that if you're looking to meet 'the man of your dreams' the club scene is not the place to do it. It will also remind you to stay true to yourself.

You can purchase 'The Perfect Manhattan' on-line....in your local book store as well.

This is book review # 2 for the Chick Lit Plus 2011 Challenge. http://chicklitplus.com/chick-lit-challenge-2/

Book Review: The Starter Wife by Gigi Levangie Grazer

Gracie Pollock seems to have it all. Her handsome, successful husband is president of Durango Studios, they have their usual corner table at the Ivy at the Shore, and they were dubbed “The Power Couple” in L.A. Confidential magazine. They live in a multi-million dollar mansion in Brentwood and have a beautiful daughter Jaden (named after Will Smith’s child to suck up to him and Jada). Although Gracie misses her career as a children’s book writer and sometimes questions the shallowness of their lifestyle, she’s fully absorbed in her life as “Wife of.” She never sees it coming when her husband dumps her – via Cingular Wireless no less – just shy of their ten-year anniversary (“I’ve been Cruised” – as in Tom Cruise – she says) and she finds herself living the worst fear of every Mrs. in Hollywood: Gracie has become a mere Starter Wife. She’s 41 and over the hill in a town that worships youth, beauty, and status. But when Gracie turns to her best friend Joan for some much-needed divorce therapy, she’s offered the chance to escape at her friend’s luxury condo in Malibu Colony. There, Gracie gets to know an unlikely cast of characters, including a mysterious hunk who saves her from drowning, the gated community’s security guard, and her ex-husband’s boss. Through her new relationships and time on her own, Gracie realizes that she has much more to offer than just being a Starter Wife.

 

This book is a mst-read for any woman over the age of 30 years old. Not because we're 'old', and not because this is a 'mature' or 'deep' book. But because once we (women) are 30 years old, we truly begin to realize that wedo need our girlfriends. We do need to remember that we do not need a man to define who we are, and that if we have a child that although we are a mommy, we are also a woman with her own needs. 

 

This book isn't just about the glitz and glam of Hollywood, and you won't be overly jealous that some people can afford to drop $300 dollars on  childs sweater. This book has women of all walks of life realize that we all have the same problems breathing down our necks: womanizing husbands, worrying about how we will pay the bills, will we ever find 'Mr. Right' and how will we know if we find him? Who are our true friends, and does i matter if our circle of true friends consist of only 3 people? How to forgive someone who had hurt you, and how to realize you don't need to stay with someone who is toxic. 'The Starter Wife' will have you laugh, cry, cringe,and relate to a lot of what our main character Gracie goes through.

 

You can purchase 'The Starter Wife' by Gigi Levangie Grazer at your local book store, for your E-Reader or on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Starter-Wife-Movie-Tie-/dp/1416544488/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294115372&sr=1-1#_

 

This is book review # 1 for the Chick Lit Plus 2011 Challenge. It's never to late to start to read....sign up now!