Working Girl Chick Lit Special Duo: Holly's Inbox Review & 100th Follower Book Giveaway

In honor of working women everywhere, to wrap up the month of May and to celebrate the 100+ followers who’ve joined my book blog, I’ve got a specially paired post today, starting with my review of Holly’s Inbox and read on for details of my 100^th follower contest! Read on…

Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

Written under the pseudonym, Holly Denham, Bill Surie crafts an addictive novel full of gossip, scandal and all the office antics you could ever desire. Holly’s Inbox introduces readers to the world of one British receptionist and you won’t believe what goes on behind her desk. Told in a unique format, exclusively made up of emails between Holly, her coworkers, friends and family, you won’t miss a single juicy detail as there’s no one to censor Holly’s emails.

At the beginning of the novel, we meet Holly Denham who has just been hired as a receptionist at DK Huerst and Co., a banking company. Her first day is a nightmare, wrought with mean girls, tough tasks and frozen mice. Luckily by the end of the first month, Holly bonds with the other receptionist on the switchboard, Trish, which helps make the day go by much smoother, happier and faster. Still, an awful coworker, who they nickname Cruella, is out for Holly, constantly reporting her mistakes to management and looking for ways to get her in trouble. Things seem to be looking a little brighter when Holly starts dating a white collar business guy upstairs, James, but if old high school “pal”, Jennie, another coworker upstairs, can do anything about it, Holly’s relationship with him will be over before it even starts. To add fuel to the fire, Holly finds out an old flame of hers, Toby, will be starting work at DK Huerst and she couldn’t be more mortified. I was kept guessing til the very end what the big secret with Toby was and I think you won’t be disappointed.

Holly’s Inbox has a lot of the typical chick lit side stories going on, including the mean boss, Shella, the flamboyantly gay best friend, Jason, and the irresponsible, gorgeous, and very sexual best friend, Aisha. There’s a little something for everyone with other characters like a crazy Granny, an off-the-wall brother, Charlie and exotic animal lovers and friends, Alice and Matt. All in all, despite its common themes, Holly’s Inbox was able to maintain a mostly unpredictable story in the details of its plot and it was a really fun read. At 672 pages, it’s a little overwhelming to look at and a lot like carrying around a Bible, but with the email format, you’ll be amazed at how quick you can fly right through this novel. It was so good, I’m currently reading the sequel, Holly’s Inbox: Scandal in the City and it’s just as delicious. 

4/5 Stars

I read Holly’s Inbox as the book-of-the-month for my Goodreads’ group, the Chick Lit Book Club in honor of all the celebratory days and weeks in the month of May for working women. Some of the holidays celebrating women and their many careers included National Teacher Appreciation Month; National Health Administrator's, Nurses, Police & Emergency Medical Services Weeks; and Golfer's, Armed Forces & Memorial Day. Since I, too, am a working woman, juggling being a book blogger, a student and aspiring writer with my current day job as an administrative assistant, I thought what better theme to combine with my latest giveaway to celebrate my followers. I think most women these days, whether they work a traditional 9 to 5 job or do something else, are juggling many more tasks, activities, responsibilities and obligations than ever before. I don’t know about you, but reading chick lit novels has been one of my favorite releases and escapes from the reality of it all for some time. So in honor of working women, no matter what you might do, I have a fabulous collection of working girl chick lit novels to choose from in honor of my 100^th follower joining Lip Gloss and Literature. In the books below, you will get a taste of life working as a receptionist, image consultant, fashion assistant, psychologist, yoga instructor and a columnist. I hope you will find something from this list that you’ll like to try. See the links for my reviews.

***Working Girl Chick Lit 100^th Follower Contest***

1.      Open to followers Worldwide

2.      Must comment below with a valid email address where I can contact you if you win

3.      Must be a follower of Lip Gloss and Literature

4.      Winner will have their CHOICE of ONE of the below listed books.

5.      Contest will be open until June 8^th, 2011, 11:59PM.

6.      Winner will be chosen via Random.org and Announced Thursday, June 9^th, 2011.

7.      For extra entries: (Please post a separate comment and link to your blog or tweet.)

8.      Blog or Tweet about this contest (if you don’t have a blog or a Twitter account, you can post it on Goodreads, Book Blogs or another book related site.)

9.      Link to this giveaway on your blog.

10. Add this contest to another Sweeps or Giveaway Site.

11.   Follow me on Twitter or (at cgraceh)

12.  Follow my book reviews on Goodreads (cgraceh)

13.   Add a new comment for each extra entry.

Holly’s Inbox by Holly Denham

Love Struck by Chantel Simmons

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell

Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst

A BiG THANK YOU to EVERYONE who's followed my blog, new followers and anyone who might follow int he future. As always, this contest is for YOU! If you ever have any questions, suggestions, comments or otherwise, please feel free to contact me at cgraceh at gmail dot com. Good luck, everyone!!!

Guest Post: The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags by Natasha Burton, Julie Fishman and Meagan McCrary

What chick lit novel would be complete without a girl chasing boy story and a bunch of dating disasters along the way? Here Natasha Burton, Julie Fishman and Meagan McCrary, authors of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags share their take on one of the perils of dating men and give their advice on the woman who stands in the way of every woman getting her man!

What His Bond with His Mom Says About Him: Maternal Instincts

By Natasha Burton, Julie Fishman and Meagan McCrary,

Authors of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags

Ah, men and their mothers. It's a bond we may not fully understand until we birth sons ourselves. In the meantime, we'll keep busy by examining how the men in our lives interact with their mothers, in order to glean more info on their overall character. Here's a guide to help your guy analysis.

1. He Calls Her Daily. If your man and his mom are always chatting, then he likely tells her everything. . . including intimate details of your relationship. Not only will she be privy to your private moments with her son, but she probably also weighs in on every argument the two of you have. And guess whose side she'll be taking.

2. He Needs Her Input. There's something emasculating about a grown man who can't make a decision without his mother's guidance. Sure, we'd like him to respect her opinions, but when he uses his mom as a crutch, it's a sign that he's too insecure to stand on his own two feet. If he doesn't trust himself to make a decision, then how are you supposed to trust him to?

3. He's Not Appreciative. A guy who takes his mother -- the woman who gave him life -- for granted probably doesn't give props to any of the peeps in his life, including his girlfriend. This type of man typically has an inflated sense of self and feels entitled: He doesn't thank people, because he thinks they're just doing their required duty, whether it's as a lover, a mother or a friend.

4. They're Just Not Close. While there are legitimate reasons for a man to become estranged from his mother, some guys just don't have the patience, time or heart to stay close to their moms. If he doesn't value his relationship with the first woman to love him, then chances are that he won't make his relationship with his lover a priority. . . and the same goes for his eventual family.

5. He Bad-Mouths Her. While not all mothers deserve a Mom of the Year award, regardless of how terrible a guy's mom was or even still is, his propensity to diss the woman who birthed him is a poor reflection of his personality. A jab once in a while is understandable; constant bad-mouthing (or worse, whining) shows a lack of respect for women and a serious need to grow up.

6. He's Not Respectful. Even if she was pretty awful in the past, if your guy is nasty to his mother in front of you or other people, then he's tactless and insolent. And if he's capable of treating his mom with such blatant callousness, then chances are that he won't hesitate to berate you in public, either.

7. He Thinks She's His Maid. If he still expects his mom to clean up after him, then this over-coddled dude likely relies on other people to handle all his adult responsibilities, like filling out job applications and scheduling appointments. The fact that he hasn't taken ownership of these tasks shows that he's immature and lazy.

8. He Still Adheres to Her Rules. Men who live by their mother's edicts long after they've left the house don't have the cojones to establish their own set of values and standards. If every sentence out of his mouth is “my mom says,” then it's not only annoying, but also a signal that he's afraid to live his own life.

9. He Puts Her On A Pedestal. When Mom is god's gift to the world, whatever she says, does or thinks will always be superior to what you say, do or think. Even if you're brighter, prettier and kinder than his mother, you'll never quite measure up in his book.

10. He's Close With Her. A guy who's close with his mommy isn't necessarily a momma's boy. Actually, a man who has a good relationship with mom is generally more sensitive, communicative and understanding toward women's emotions than one who barely speaks to his mother.

© 2011 Natasha Burton, Julie Fishman and Meagan McCrary authors of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags

Author Bios

Natasha Burton, co-author of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags: Relationship Warning Signs You Totally Spotted . . .  But Chose to Ignore, is the Relationships Editor ofGlo, a women's website partnered with MSN.com. Her work has appeared in People, Glamour, WomansDay.com, FHMOnline, and Outblush.com. When she's not grilling her friends about the most intimate details of their love lives, she's most likely in the kitchen whipping up some Italian food.

Julie Fishman, co-author of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags: Relationship Warning Signs You Totally Spotted . . .  But Chose to Ignore, is a humor writer who works in screen, print, and web. She currently teaches at a college in Hollywood, pens a weekly cocktail column for Glo called "Hump Day Happy Hour," and dreams up irreverent sitcom ideas. Aside from writing, she's either hanging with her pooch and drinking wine, or talking about hanging with her pooch and drinking wine.

Meagan McCrary, co-author of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags: Relationship Warning Signs You Totally Spotted . . .  But Chose to Ignore, is an L.A.-based yoga teacher with an adventurous spirit for romance who has written about health and wellness for a variety of local lifestyles magazines. While she spends most of her days teaching Anusara yoga and giving private lessons to her various clients, she finds time to work on "being present" (and her tan) at the beach under the California sun.

Natasha, Julie, and Meagan are all Santa Monica -- dwelling Pisceans who met while earning their Master's of Professional Writing degrees at the University of Southern California.

For more information please visit http://www.BigRedFlags.com and follow the authors on Facebook and Twitter

Thank you so much to Natasha, Julie and Meaghan for their hilarious guest post and stopping by Lip Gloss and Literature. Also, I want to thank Rubyna and the people at FSB Media for sending me a copy of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags: Relationship Warning Signs You Totally Spotted . . .  But Chose to Ignore. Stay tuned later this summer when I review The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags and hopefully I will be well-versed enough to share more advice with you on how to avoid dating disasters like these.

The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags: Relationship Warning Signs You Totally Spotted . . .  But Chose to Ignore By Natasha Burton, Julie Fishman and Meagan McCrary will be Released June 18, 2011

Winner Announced: The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

     Thank you so much to FSB Media group for offering Lip Gloss & Literature a copy of Brunonia Barry’s second novel, The Map of True Places, to giveaway to our readers!! As always, a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the contest and continues to follow along with my posts! Using Random.org, a winner was generated this morning based on those who commented on the post for the book review. Without further delay….the winner was….#4:

Congratulations to Audra!!!

Please email me your contact info for where you would like to have the book mailed to you at cgraceh at gmail dot com.

If you’re still eager to learn more about The Map of True Places or Brunonia Barry, in general, please read my review or her fantastic guest post on the process of writing.

**For everyone who participated (and anyone who didn’t), please stay tuned for ANOTHER Special Contest. I am so excited that you all have helped me reach my 100^th follower (and still counting) and I want to celebrate you in a big way. Stay tuned this weekend for more details when I announce my 100^th Follower Contest.**

Special Guest Post & Book Review with Chantel Simmons, Author of Love Struck

10 Rules for Being an Author By Chantel Simmons, author of Love Struck

 

Have you always wanted to write a novel, but don’t know where to start? Having published two novels so far, I often get asked this question. Although I’m not the world’s leading expert on how to get the book in your head onto your computer screen, I have a few rules that I try to follow. One of them includes chocolate, so if that’s not a hook, I don’t know what is.

1.      Love your heroine – and others will love her too. Hate her? So will your readers. Who wants to read 300 pages about someone they hate? No one. So make sure your heroine is lovable…even if she’s full of flaws.

2.      Believe in your book. There’s always going to be someone – an agent, an editor, a reviewer or a reader – who doesn’t like your book. You can’t please everyone, (even Pulitzer Prize winners have haters), but you have to believe it’s the best book you can write. If it’s not the absolute best you can do, rewrite it until it is.

3.      Don’t give up. (Yes, it’s a cliché, but it’s true!) If you really want to be a writer, you have to write. More importantly, you have to keep writing. Revise, or start on a new book if the one you’ve written isn’t working. It takes 10,000 hours to become really good at anything., so even if your first book doesn’t sell, don’t get discouraged – writing it got you that much closer to your 10,000 hour goal.

4.      Be excited about what you’re writing. You should want to sit down and write the book in your head. If you find yourself wanting to mow the lawn instead, there’s a problem. Either scrap the idea and start fresh on something else, or figure out what isn’t keeping you engaged and rewrite so you’re enjoying it (what’s the point of writing something that bores you? Imagine how your readers will feel…).

5.      Treat writing like a job, not a hobby. Would you leave work to go home to do laundry or vacuum? Didn’t think so. (Although, if you said yes, there’s probably a good story right there!) If you said no, then don’t let chores get in the way of your writing time.

6.      Set a schedule for writing. It can be the same time every day (get up a half hour earlier so you can fit it in before the alarm goes off, the kids wake up, the dog needs walking…) or at different times – whenever you can fit it in. Put it in your calendar and when it’s time to write, treat it like an appointment and drop everything to get to it! (This helps keeping it separate from that looming load of laundry).

7.      Need inspiration? Pretend to be your character. Spend an afternoon doing what he or she would do. If you’re trying to write a scene but aren’t sure how it would play out – go do it. (For Love Struck, I spent a day with a personal shopper to see what it’s like to be one. I did a spinning class and got my teeth whitened. Aside from having fun, realizing I hate spinning, and get a gorgeous smile (until I had a glass of red wine), I gathered a ton of inspiration and concrete details that went into the book.)

8.      Ask your friends to read your work – others can see the problems with plot, characterization and dialogue that you may not be able to see yourself. Listen to their feedback, but don’t feel obligated to use it if you don’t feel the same way. It’s about getting a fresh perspective.

9.      Chocolate solves everything. Plot problem? Stuck in a scene? Eat chocolate. Then get back to writing. (Popcorn and jujubes work equally effectively.)

10.  Remember that writing a book is a process. Even though it may be your dream, it’s not always going to be easy. Just try to keep the end goal in sight (finish writing your book), and if you’re having a particularly bad day, refer to rules #1-9. (Though I recommend starting with #9).

And now, my review for Love Struck….

Love Struck took a classic chick lit story and twisted it into its own unpredictable saga of love, betrayal, forgiveness, self-discovery, respect and growth. It was my first endeavor into the writing of Canadian chick lit author, Chantel Simmons and I was very impressed, hooked by page one.

Poppy Ross seems to have it all; the perfect marriage, the perfect job; the perfect life. She has a successful business as an image consultant, which basically means she gets to shop and play dress up with friends, family and a laundry list of a-list clientele for a living. She is married to Parker, a good-looking and successful businessman. They share a fabulous home and lifestyle without being weighed down by any kids or pets. In love and free to do what they want, when they want, Poppy couldn’t be happier…until one day at the nail salon, she overhears the women next to her gossiping about their friend Sienna who’s been having an affair with a married man named Parker Ross!

          Poppy is sure her life is over. She doesn’t know what to do. She doesn’t know what to say to Parker. Should she confront him? Should she look for more clues and try to catch him in the act? And then, just when she thinks she’s heard it all, her cell phone rings and she’s told Parker and another woman have been struck by lightning and are in the hospital.

          Upon waking up, Parker is elated to see his wife and just to be alive. He has no recollection of the past few weeks, including the affair with Sienna and now Poppy is in even more of a bind about what to do. How can she tell Parker about the affair now? She doesn’t want to draw anymore attention to his drifting love for her or worse, risk pushing him back to Sienna. Poppy comes up with a plan for how to keep her man interested and keep him from straying. Using her prowess as an image consultant, Poppy decides to give herself the ultimate makeover – into the “other” woman – hoping to give Parker everything he went looking for elsewhere but so that he can find it right at home, with Poppy. Will Poppy’s transformation be able to keep Parker from straying back to Sienna? What if his memory comes back? What if Sienna looks for Parker? Poppy thinks she’s come up with the perfect plan to save her marriage but what if there’s more to Parker’s affair than just outward appearance? Poppy eventually discovers she will need to look deep within herself to figure out why Parker strayed in the first place? Maybe their marriage hasn’t been so perfect after all…then again, what is perfect?

I definitely recommend this novel as one of the summer’s top carry-alls. Bring it with you to the beach as you soak up the sun or take it indoors on one of those rainy, humid afternoons. Love Struck has a little something for everyone, taking readers on a roller coaster of emotions right up until the end. For all that was funny and light about this book, it also had a more serious, thought-provoking level to it, broaching on the topics of intimate relationships and how we project ourselves to others. Poppy endured one self-mutilating procedure after another to project what she thought Parker wanted in a wife, and I cringed, and cried, and laughed right along with her with each one; but eventually, this book showed how marriage, love, life – and self- is all about what’s on the inside. All in al, this book makes one think about just how much can change in a flash – quite literally, in Poppy’s case with that bolt of lightning. I will definitely be seeking out Chantel Simmons first novel, Stuck in Downward Dog and I hope there will be many more novels from her to come.

4/5 Stars

Thank you so much to Samantha at Chick Lit Plus for setting up today's blog tour with Chantel Simmons, and another big thank you to Chantel for stopping by my blog today and taking the time to share a guest post with us all. I know I’m sure going to be stocking up on chocolate now for those long days of writing! She is the author of Stuck in Downward Dog and Love Struck. Be sure to check out her web site for more information, http://www.chantelsimmons.com/.

Also, please check out all of Chantel's previous blog tours stops or find out where she's going next, visit her page at Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

Saturday Sensation! Reading Extravaganza: EVEN MORE Chick Lit Books and Special Contests

May 2011 has been one of the most exciting months in Chick Lit since I can remember. The Chicklit Club, Novelicious and Chick Lit is Not Dead teamed up for the inaugural International Chick Lit Month to celebrate women’s fiction and everyone seems to be jumping onboard. I kicked off the weekend with Friday Fiesta with freebies and fabulous book giveaway links galore. In continuing with a weekend of winnings, I’ve perused the web to find EVEN MORE chick lit novels being offered online plus an audio book library gift set, a writing prompt prize pack and a NOOK Color! It’s a Saturday Sensation at Lip Gloss and Literature. ENTER NOW TO WIN!

Beneath A Starlet Sky by Amanda Goldberg & Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (5 Copies)

Chick Lit Is Not Dead; Ends: May 22, 2011

http://chicklitisnotdead.com/2011/05/amanda-goldberg-ruthanna-khalighi-hoppers-5-dos-and-a-do-over/

Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax

Life in Review; Ends: May 23, 2011

http://lifeinreviewblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/tlc-book-tour-for-ten-beach-road-by-wendy-wax/

When God Was a Rabbit by Saran Winman

Life in Review; Ends: May 24, 2011

http://lifeinreviewblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/tlc-book-tour-giveaway-for-when-god-was-a-rabbit-by-sarah-winman/

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laura Viera Rigler (4 Copies) (US/Canada & UK/Ireland)

International Chick Lit Month; Chicklit Club; Ends: May 25, 2011

http://internationalchicklitmonth.com/giveaways/

Win a NOOK Color + a $1,000.00 B&N Gift Card

Barnes & Noble on Facebook; Ends: May 25, 2011

http://www.facebook.com/nookBN?sk=app_156563374406560&app_data=%2526utm_referrer%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fapps.facebook.com%25252Freadforever%25252F#!/nookBN?sk=app_156563374406560

The Scarlet Kimono by Christina Courtenay

Novelicious, Ends: May 26, 2011

http://www.novelicious.com/competitions/

Viola in the Spotlight by Adriana Trigiani (2 Copies) (US ONLY)

The Book Butterfly; Ends: May 28, 2011

http://thebookbutterfly.com/2011/05/win-copy-of-viola-in-spotlight-by.html

Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

A Cozy Reader’s Corner; Ends: May 30, 2011

http://acozyreaderscorner.blogspot.com/2011/05/friendship-bread.html

Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax

Reviews By Molly; Ends May 30, 2011

http://www.reviewsbymolly.com/2011/05/tlc-blog-tour-review-plus-bonus.html

Various Chick Lit Teen Books (Choice of Sarah Dessen’s The Truth About Forever, Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty, Maureen Johnson’s 13 Little Blue Envelopes and more) (2 Winners; One Book Each)

LC’s Adventures in Library Land; Ends: June 1, 2011

http://lcsadventuresinlibraryland.blogspot.com/2011/05/lcs-200-follower-giveaway.html

Summer in the South by Cathy Holton (3 Hardcover copies)

Bookin’ With Bingo; Ends: June 2, 2011

http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/2011/05/summer-in-south-author-interview-and.html

100 Personalized Writing Prompts + The Writing Sampler by Bryan Cohen; $50.00 Amazon Gift Card

Writing is a Blessing; Ends: June 2, 2011

http://writingisablessing.blogspot.com/2011/05/guest-post-and-giveaway-by-bryan-cohen.html

When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

Chick Lit Reviews; Ends: June 5, 2011

http://chicklitreviews.com/2011/05/21/aw-giveaway-when-god-was-a-rabbit-by-sarah-winman/

Abby MacDonald Audiobook Library! Sophomore Switch, The Anti-Prom & Boys, Bears and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots

Chick Lit Reviews; Ends: June 12, 2011

http://chicklitreviews.com/2011/05/20/aw-giveaway-abby-mcdonald-3-audiobook-library/

**Please Check Back to Friday's Post for a Fiesta of Free & Fabulous Finds in Chick Lit Books Across the Web!!**

Friday Free Fiesta!! Chick Lit Book Giveaways and Prize Packs Galore

TGIF and what better way to kick off the weekend but to promote  a few good (and free) book contests?! Check them out below, enter, good luck, have fun reading and come back to Lip Gloss and Literature and tell us all about your new books. Have fun. Happy Friday!

Sibel Hodge Pack: Fourteen Days Later; My Perfect Wedding; The Fashion Police; Be Careful What You Wish For (WORLDWIDE)

International Chick Lit Month; Chicklit Club; Ends: May 20, 2011

http://internationalchicklitmonth.com/giveaways/

Beautiful People by Wendy Holden (US/Canada ONLY)

International Chick Lit Month; Chicklit Club; Ends: May 21, 2011

http://internationalchicklitmonth.com/giveaways/

Sweet Valley: Confidential by Francine Pascal (WORLDWIDE)

International Chick Lit Month; Chicklit Club; Ends: May 22, 2011

http://internationalchicklitmonth.com/giveaways/

Destiny by Louise Bagshawe (UK ONLY)

International Chick Lit Month; Chicklit Club; Ends: May 23, 2011

http://internationalchicklitmonth.com/giveaways/

Born Under a Lucky Moon by Dana Precious

Goodreads; Ends: May 23, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/10576-born-under-a-lucky-moon

 

Paige Toon Pack: Lucy in the Sky, Johnny Be Good; Chasing Daisy; Pictures of Lily

(UK/Ireland ONLY)

International Chick Lit Month; Chicklit Club; Ends: May 24, 2011

http://internationalchicklitmonth.com/giveaways/

The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry (US/Canada ONLY)

Lip Gloss and Literature; Ends: May 25, 2011

http://lipglossandliterature.blogspot.com/2011/05/star-book-review-and-contest-map-of.html

Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

Goodreads; Ends: May 26, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/9930-girls-in-white-dresses

Special Blogoversery & International Chick Lit Month Giveaway

Prizes TBA; Enter by commenting on ANY blog post the month of May

Chick Lit Central: The Blog; Ends: May 31, 2011

http://chicklitcentraltheblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-blogoersary-to-us.html

The Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski

Goodreads; Ends: June 1, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9266810-ten-things-we-did

Thin, Rich, Pretty by Beth Harbison

St. Martins Press; Ends: June 1, 2011

http://us.macmillan.com/smp/promo/slhrthinrichpretty?utm_source=exacttarget&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_content=may2011&utm_campaign=slhr

The Midwife’s Confession by Diane Chamberlain

Chick Lit Plus; Ends: June 3, 2011

http://chicklitplus.com/giveaway-midwifes-confession-diane-chamberlain/

The Baby Planner by Josie Brown

Goodreads; Ends: June 18, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/8394-the-baby-planner

Third Sentence Thursday - Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

http://snifflykitty.blogspot.com/

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme brought to you every week by Sniffly Kitty which is fed by third sentence contraptions! Want to post your own Third Sentence? It’s simple! Just follow these three steps…

1) Take the book you are reading now and post the third sentence
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence here (in the comments) or if you don't have a blog, just post it in the comments!

I am so excited to finally post a little something from one of my current readings in progress! I belong to the Chick Lit Book Club on Goodreads and every month we choose a different chick lit novel to read based on a theme for the month, members’ suggestions and finally, a group vote.

With Teacher Appreciation month, National Health Administrator's, Nurses, Police & Emergency Medical Services weeks, Golfer's, Armed Forces & Memorial Days all occurring in May, we decided to celebrate women and their many careers. Holly’s Inbox was chosen from a group of “working Girl” Chick Lit books. Written entirely in email format, Holly’s Inbox is a quick, fun and unique read. Gossip, office romance, ex-boyfriends, parties with coworkers, evil bosses…working at the office has never been so fun!

Working Girl Chick Lit - Chick Lit Book Club's Pick for May

Sneak a peak at the third email from the current page I am on:

Subject: Sister needs dating advice

From: Holly

To: Charlie Denham

I go to lunch on top of the world, I come back, and suddenly, everything’s going wrong. I need your help. Did I tell you I’ve been dating someone at work? Actually, I know I haven’t told you, but there it is. I have, and he’s a really nice guy, but he’s just asked me who Toby is. What should I say (Toby only happens to work on the same floor)?

Holly

PS Don’t worry if you have no advice at all, I know you are a guy, and you find touchy-feely problems difficult.

X

Holly’s Inbox by Holly Denham

Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

System alert: Inbox full of scandal, romance, and office hilarity!

Meet Holly Denham. It's her first day as a receptionist at a London investment bank and inexperienced Holly is struggling. How's a working girl supposed to have a love life with a demanding job, crazy friends, a dysfunctional family, and gossipy colleagues? Not to mention that Holly's been keeping a secret from everyone - and the past is about to catch up with her.

An affair with a sexy VP heats things up at the office, but when Holly's first flame (who, she thinks, left her in the lurch) gets a job at the same company, complications abound and Holly's inbox becomes a daily source of drama, laughter and scandal.

Repeatedly compared to Bridget Jones' Diary, www.hollysinbox.com became a website phenomenon, with thousands of daily visitors from all over the world. This novel tells Holly's story in full, and also includes exclusive extra material not available on the site.

Synopsis provided by Goodreads