Weekend Winnings: An Update on New and Current Giveaways

I'm always scouring the Net for the latest and greatest in free books being given away and last week’s response on the Fab Friday Freebies was great, I thought I’d continue in the spirit of sharing a good book with others. See below for some of the giveaways I scoped out this week!

Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

What would you do if your husband wanted to rewrite the rules of your relationship?

Julia Dunhill, a thirty-something party planner, seems to have it all: Married to her high school sweetheart and living in a gorgeous home in Washington D.C., she imagines her future unfolding very much as it has for the past few years, since she and her husband Michael successfully launched their companies. There will be dinner parties to attend, operas to dress up for, and weddings and benefits to organize for her growing list of clients.  There will be shopping sprees with her best friend, Isabelle, and inevitably those last five pounds to shed.  In her darker moments, she worries that her marriage has dissolved from a true partnership into a façade, but she convinces herself it’s due to the intensity of their careers and fast-paced lifestyle.

So as she arranges the molten chocolate cupcakes for the annual Opera benefit, how can she know that her carefully-constructed world is about to fall apart? That her husband will stand up from the head of the table in his company’s boardroom, open his mouth to speak, and crash to the carpeted floor… all in the amount of time it will take her to walk across a ballroom floor just a few miles away. Four minutes and eight seconds after his cardiac arrest, a portable defibrillator jump-starts Michael’s heart. But in those lost minutes he becomes a different man, with an altered perspective on the rarified life they’ve been living and a determination to regain the true intimacy they once shared.  Now it is up to Julia to decide — is it worth upending her comfortable world to try to find her way back to the husband she once adored, or should she walk away from this new Michael, who truthfully became a stranger to her long before his change of heart?

Released February 22, 2011

Provided by Bermudaonion; 1 Copy; Ends March 13, 2011 (TONIGHT!!)

http://bermudaonion.net/2011/03/01/review-and-giveaway-skipping-a-beat/

In Office Hours by Lucy Kellaway

IN OFFICE HOURS is the story of Stella and Bella, two intelligent working women who each fall for impossible lovers--at work. Kellaway's keen observations on the way in which affairs move from state to state are a sort of masterclass in office love, bringing to life both the excitement of illicit romance and the ridiculousness of business behavior and language with a sharp sense of humor.
Released February 7, 2011

Provided by The Review Broads; 5 Copies; Contest Ends March 15, 2011

http://www.thereviewbroads.com/2011/02/book-reviews-giveaway-in-office-hours.html

Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

What would you do if your husband wanted to rewrite the rules of your relationship?

Julia Dunhill, a thirty-something party planner, seems to have it all: Married to her high school sweetheart and living in a gorgeous home in Washington D.C., she imagines her future unfolding very much as it has for the past few years, since she and her husband Michael successfully launched their companies. There will be dinner parties to attend, operas to dress up for, and weddings and benefits to organize for her growing list of clients.  There will be shopping sprees with her best friend, Isabelle, and inevitably those last five pounds to shed.  In her darker moments, she worries that her marriage has dissolved from a true partnership into a façade, but she convinces herself it’s due to the intensity of their careers and fast-paced lifestyle.

So as she arranges the molten chocolate cupcakes for the annual Opera benefit, how can she know that her carefully-constructed world is about to fall apart? That her husband will stand up from the head of the table in his company’s boardroom, open his mouth to speak, and crash to the carpeted floor… all in the amount of time it will take her to walk across a ballroom floor just a few miles away. Four minutes and eight seconds after his cardiac arrest, a portable defibrillator jump-starts Michael’s heart. But in those lost minutes he becomes a different man, with an altered perspective on the rarified life they’ve been living and a determination to regain the true intimacy they once shared.  Now it is up to Julia to decide — is it worth upending her comfortable world to try to find her way back to the husband she once adored, or should she walk away from this new Michael, who truthfully became a stranger to her long before his change of heart?

Released February 22, 2011

Provided by Booking Mama; 1 Copy; Ends March 16, 2011

http://www.bookingmama.net/2011/03/giveaway-skipping-beat.html

The Frog Prince by Jane Porter

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE FAIRY TALE IS OVER?

Once upon a time, a lovely maiden from Fresno married the man of her dreams. After the honeymoon, she waited for the “happily ever after” part…until her Prince Charming turned out to be a toad.

Now Holly Bishop is about to write a new chapter in her life. She moves to San Francisco to become an event planner—only to find she is dealing with a gorgeous fairy godmother for a boss and corporate witches wicked enough to sabotage her future. Not to mention the egomaniacal frogs Holly finds lurking at the bottom of the dating pool. With no one to save her, will Holly slay the dragons herself and stand on her own for the very first time? Will the man behind the mask at her costume ball make her believe in love again? And will she risk giving up her dreams to become the heroine of her own story?

Released May 18, 2005

Provided by The Author; 1 Copy; Ends March 30, 2011

http://www.janeporter.com/contest.php

Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell (The Carrie Diaries #2)

Meet teenage Carrie Bradshaw as she hits the bright lights, big city of New York for the very first time! Find out how Carrie transforms from country girl to super-cool fashionista in the second explosive CARRIE DIARIES novel from the globally bestselling author of SEX AND THE CITY. Summer is a magical time in New York City and Carrie is in love with all of it -- the crazy characters in her neighborhood, the vintage-clothing boutiques, the wild parties and the glamorous man who has swept her off her feet. Best of all, she's finally in a real writing class, taking her first steps toward fulfilling her dream. This sequel to THE CARRIE DIARIES brings surprising revelations as Carrie learns to navigate her way around the Big Apple, going from being a country "sparrow" -- as Samantha Jones dubs her -- to the person she always wanted to be. But as it becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile her past with her future, Carrie realizes that making it in New York is much more complicated than she ever imagined. With her signature wit and sparkling humor, Candace Bushnell reveals the irresistible story of how Carrie met Samantha and Miranda, and what turned a small-town girl into one of the New York City's most unforgettable.

Release Date: August 8, 2011

Provided by Goodreads; 10 Copies; Ends: April 16

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/7778-summer-and-the-city

Book Giveaways still on going (announced in last Friday’s Post):

Sweet Valley Confidential: 10 Years Later by Francine Pascal

Now with this striking new adult novel from author and creator Francine Pascal, millions of devoted fans can finally return to the idyllic Sweet Valley, home of the phenomenally successful book series and franchise. Iconic and beloved identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield are back and all grown up, dealing with the complicated adult world of love, careers, betrayal, and sisterhood.

Release Date: March 29, 2011

Provided by Goodreads; 100 Copies; Ends March 14, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/8066-sweet-valley-confidential-ten-years-later

The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly

With her older sister planning a wedding and her younger sister launching a career on the London stage, Lulu can’t help but feel like the failure of the Atwater family. Lulu adores her sisters and wants nothing but the best for them, but finds herself in a rut, working dead-end jobs with no romantic prospects in sight. When her mother asks her to find a cache of family recipes in the attic, Lulu stumbles across a collection of letters written by her great-great grandmother, Josephine March. In her letters, Jo writes in delicious detail about love, life, and her beloved sisters: Amy’s many boyfriends, Meg’s new home and family, Beth’s illness and their shared grief over losing her too soon. As Lulu delves into the lives and secrets of the March sisters, she finds solace and guidance in the letters—but can the words of her great-great grandmother help Lulu find a place for herself in a world so different from the one that Jo knew? Although times have changed, the fierce—and often infuriating—bond of sisterhood links the Atwater women just as firmly as the March sisters.
As uplifting and essential as Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Gabrielle Donnelly’s The Little Women Letters will speak to anyone who’s ever fought with a sister, fallen in love with a fabulous pair of shoes, or wondered what on earth life had in store for them.

Release Date: June 7, 2011

Provided by Goodreads; 10 Copies; Ends March 15, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/8339-the-little-women-letters

Daughters-In-Law by Joanna Trollope

As Anthony and Rachel Brinkley welcome their third daughter-in-law to the family, they don’t quite realize the profound shift that is about to take place. For different reasons, the Brinkleys’ two previous daughters-in-law hadn’t been able to resist Rachel’s maternal control and Anthony’s gentle charm and had settled into their husbands’ family without rocking the boat.
But Charlotte—very young, very beautiful, and spoiled—has no intention of falling into step with the Brinkleys and wants to establish her own household. Soon Rachel’s sons begin to think of their own houses as home and of their mother’s house as simply the place where their parents live—a necessary and inevitable shift of loyalties that threatens Rachel’s sense of herself, breaks Anthony’s heart, and causes unexpected consequences in all the marriages. Then a crisis brings these changes to the surface, and everyone has to learn what family love means all over again.

Release Date: April 5, 2011

Provided by Goodreads; 10 Copies; Ends March 15, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/8342-daughters-in-law

Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst (Debut Author!) (US/Canada ONLY)

Cheating boyfriend aside, Everleigh Carlisle picks up the shattered pieces of her life, determined to put them back together. On a whim, Everleigh and her BFF Christina visit a voodoo priestess while celebrating Mardi Gras in the Big Easy, where an unspoken wish is granted, unknowingly altering the course of Everleigh's life. Two years later, her dreams are set to come true when she lands her dream job as a columnist for New York's premiere fashion magazine, Trés Magnifique. Everleigh's life quickly becomes complicated when her ex re-declares his love for her, and she meets Robert Cates, only to discover three things: 1)She is extremely attracted to him. 2) She has the bizarre ability to hear his thoughts. 3) He is her new boss. Everleigh takes a long awaited bite from the Big Apple, but are her eyes bigger than her appetite?

Released November 1, 2010

Provided by The Chicklit Club; 1 Copy; Ends March 17, 2011

http://chicklitclub.com/competitions.html

So Much Closer by Susan Colasanti

When Brooke's crush, Scott, moves from their suburban town to New York City, she decides to follow him there. Living with her formerly estranged dad and adapting to a new school are challenging, and things go from bad to worse when Brooke learns that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she builds her new life, Brooke begins to discover a side of herself she never knew existed. And as she finds out, in the city that never sleeps, love can appear around any corner...

Release Date: May 3, 2011

Provided by Goodreads; 1 Copy; Ends March 25, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/6429-so-much-closer

The American Heiress: A Novel by Daisy Goodwin

Beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, the wealthiest debutante in America, is spirited away from the glamour and comfort of her Park Avenue mansion and suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, mistress of Lulworth Castle, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. As Cora is soon to discover, nothing in this strange new world is quite as it seems. Her handsome new husband is withdrawn and secretive; the English social scene is stuffed with pitfalls and traps; and there are increasingly dangerous forces at work, people who wish she'd never met Ivo in the first place. THE AMERICAN HEIRESS is a dazzling debut novel from Daisy Goodwin, whose brilliant new voice is reminiscent of Henry James, Edith Wharton, and Kate Morton

Release Date: June 21, 2011

100 Copies; Ends March 30, 2011

http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/8064-the-american-heiress-a-novel

To all my beginning and newest followers, I will be holding another book giveaway on Lip Gloss and Literature in celebration of my 50^th follower. Hooray!! Thank you so much to everyone for reading. I’ve will always love writing, blogging and sharing my books with the world, but really, your feedback, responses, comments, suggestions and encouragement keep me going so Stay Tuned Tomorrow, Monday March 14, 2011 when I announce the details of this next Special Contest! Thanks, everyone and Good Luck if you choose to enter any of the above giveaways!

Winner Announced for Special Book Contest - Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst

            Thank you so much to Cathleen Holst for offering Lip Gloss & Literature a copy of her debut novel, Everleigh in NYC, to giveaway to its readers!! And another big thank you to everyone who participated in the contest! I was so thrilled to see so much response. As I said in the contest guidelines, I used Random.org to generate a winning number based on the number of responses in the comments section of the post for the special contest. Without further delay….the winner was….#7:

Jencey from Writer’s Corner

 

Congratulations!!!

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

**For everyone who participated (and anyone who didn’t), please stay tuned for ANOTHER Special Contest: Book Giveaway when I reach my 50^th follower. In celebration of everyone who has been so kind to read and respond to my blog, this next contest will be available to everyone across the world.**

Special Contest - Win a Copy of the Book Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst

Lip Gloss and Literature Presents…..

A fabulous BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst

This was a fabulous debut about Everleigh Carlisle, a southern belle who dreams of making it as a fashion writer in the illustrious city of New York. After a night of too much partying and maybe a few too many tequilas, Everleigh and bff Christina visit with a voodoo priestess who grants an unspoken wish. Before Everleigh even knows it, her whole life starts changing. She catches her longtime boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend; she gets the job she’s always wanted in New York; her family’s business is about to be bought out; and to top it all off she meets a gorgeous man with a lovely accent – only oddly enough, she can hear his thoughts and they seem to all be about her! Written by a true “Georgia Peach”, Cathleen Holst brings her own flair of magic, wit, romance and fun to the chick lit genre. You won’t be disappointed.

CONTEST will be held between MARCH 1^st and March 10^th

To enter please post a comment below with an email address that I may contact you at should you win. (I will not use your address for any other means other than to notify you if you win the contest. If you prefer, you may post your address like, cgraceh at gmail dot com.)

Please note: I will be using Random.org to select a winner from the entrants and the Winner will be announced Friday, March 11^th.

UPDATE: This contest is open to US and Canada residents only.

(Check back very soon for a contest open Worldwide when I celebrate my 50th follower!!)

Thanks to all for participating and Good Luck!!

To learn more about Cathleen Holst, her books and all her latest happenings,

visit her web site at:

http://www.cathleenholst.webs.com

or

view her Goodreads profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4397024.Cathleen_Holst

Also, check out past posts for my fabulous interview with Cathleen here: http://lipglossandliterature.blogspot.com/2011/01/special-guest-post-with-cathleen-holst.html

and my 4-Star review of her book:

http://lipglossandliterature.blogspot.com/2011/01/star-book-review-everleigh-in-nyc-by.html

**Author photo and book cover from Goodreads**

Star Book Review: Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst

Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst 

Have you ever dreamed that you had supernatural powers or abilities? I’m not talking about flying or being able to teleport or zap somebody (although, don’t get me wrong; if that stuff could happen, it’d be pretty out of this world!). No, I’m talking more about those supernatural talents that might be considered a little closer to the realm of our Earthly reality. How about predicting the future or mind reading? I mean, come on, you see them in the Yellow Pages, TV advertisements, commercials and around town all the time –psychics, fortune tellers, tarot card readers – so why not you? What if you woke up one day and crossed someone’s path and suddenly realized that you were “reading” that person’s mind? Ever think something like that could really happen? Well, that’s exactly what did happen to Everleigh Carlisle, lead heroine of Cathleen Holst’s debut novel, Everleigh in NYC.

On a sweltering night during Mardi Gras, after a few too many drinks, Everleigh and bff, Christina, decided to visit a high voodoo priestess to learn about Everleigh’s destiny. Unbeknownst to Everleigh, an unspoken wish is granted, and soon all kinds of events start happening that she never dreamed possible. Suddenly, Everleigh's whole world is turned upside down - she walks in to find her longtime boyfriend making out with her (old) best friend, gets hired by a prominent New York based Fashion magazine and meets Mr. Right. Trouble is, Mr. Right is also her boss and she can hear his thoughts; and those thoughts all seem to be about her! Always one to rise above the pressures of life, Everleigh doesn’t allow herself to get too flustered by any of this and dives headfirst into what she does best and she works, and works and works and works.

After the move of her life, from Atlanta, Georgia to the Big City of New York, will Everleigh ever figure out her place in the world? Or what (or who) it is exactly that she wants? Is it the high-speed, glossy lifestyle offered by NYC? The comfort, familiarity, and peacefulness of home in Atlanta? Will she ever find "the one"? Read the entire story to find out these answers and more as Everleigh embarks on a search for self and the adventure of her life.

Everleigh in NYC was an excellent debut novel from author Cathleen Holst. I am so happy that I bought this book. It's a definite keeper - a roller coaster ride of romance, business, drama, conflict, excitement, surprise and a whole lot more. So fun, you won't want to skip a single sentence.

You can find out more about what Cathleen Holst is up to on her web site at http://www.cathleenholst.webs.com or check out the wonderful Author Interview she did with me on my blog at http://lipglossandliterature.blogspot.com/2011/01/special-guest-post-with-cathleen-holst.html.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Special Guest Post with Cathleen Holst

Special Guest Posts are made possible by the generous, kind and voluntarily participation of women authors around the globe.

Cathleen Holst is the author of Everleigh in NYC, published in 2010. I met Cathleen Holst on Goodreads.com, a social networking sites for book lovers, like me, who want to share what they are reading with friends. Besides being a very talented writer, Cathleen is a mother, wife, owner of two dogs and friend to many. She is born and raised on Atlanta, Georgia.* Check out the trailer to her debut novel on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x1UfnFhjb8.

Say hi to Cathleen Holst at her own blog at http://www.fictionbycmholst.webs.com/.

Q. How did you get your start in writing?

A. The same as everyone, I guess. I wrote a book. Oh, you wanted a serious answer. Well, let me think…no, I think that’s really it. You have to plonk your butt in a chair and write.

Q. Was there anything or anyone that stood out as having an influential role in your becoming a writer?

A. Yes. Her name is Ms. Ray. She was my history teacher during my sophomore year in high school. The details are bit fuzzy, (10th grade was a long time ago) but one of our assignments was to write a story. I don’t remember if we were able to choose the topic or if it was given to us, but all I remember is basing my story around the Salem witch trials. When she returned our work, she’d written a note across the top of my paper. “Cathy, you’re an excellent writer.” For a fifteen year-old, maybe. But, I’ve never forgotten that. Ever.

Q. Where do you draw inspiration from for your novels?

A. Everywhere. As a writer you really have to pay attention to everything. I love writing dialogue so I tend to pay really close attention to people’s mannerisms, dialect, etc. As for the storyline, those come organically. I never know what a story is going to be about when I sit down to write. It all just happens. And I really like it that way. I’ll probably never be able to write a series because of that, though.

Q. What does a typical day look like for you? (If there is such a thing as routine or typical.)

A. Since I’m not under any kind of deadline at the moment, I don’t really have an ironclad schedule. But when I was working under one, I basically wrote all day every day. I stayed up late to write while everyone was sleeping, then woke up early before the rest of the house. Trust me, large doses of caffeine were involved.

Q. What does your writing space or room look like?

A. Usually write in the kitchen or in the living room. I like bright open spaces. There were a few times where I had to lock myself in the bedroom so I wouldn’t be disturbed. That’s not easy to do with a husband and three kids. Mom is always needed. No matter what she’s trying to accomplish.

Q. What are some of your favorite books? Authors? Genres?

A. This list could get quite lengthy. Let’s see…I loved the Harry Potter series. JK Rowling’s got one hell of an imagination. Pillars of the Earth and World Without End were amazing. Ken Follett’s historical fiction is nothing short of brilliant. Innocent Traitor by Allison Weir. I dare anyone to read that book and not have the utmost respect for the Lady Jane Grey. I was blown away by her poise and grace at such a young age.

I also really enjoyed the Twilight series. I’ll probably catch a lot of flack for that, but I really got sucked in to the story. I hear a lot of talk about Stephenie Meyer’s writing being mediocre, at best, but luckily I read her books before I really began studying the craft of writing so I didn’t focus (or even notice, really) the mistakes. Which, honestly, I’m really happy about. It was a great story, I thought. And at the end of the day, isn’t that really what matters most?

I’m a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella, but not so much of her Shopaholic series. I’m not really sure why, I just don’t really care for them. My all-time fave of hers would have to be Undomestic Goddess. Second, Twenties Girl. And let’s not forget Lindsey Kelk and her I Heart Series. I adore her writing and her as well. We follow each other on Twitter. She’s an amazing person. I love it when published authors take the time to actually talk to their fans.

Q. What are your interests/hobbies outside of writing?

A. I’m obsessed with all things Superman. Yes. I’m a geek. Go ahead, laugh it up. I’m not ashamed. Other than that, when I’m not watching television (which I do entirely too much of) I enjoy running and shopping—mostly for home décor items. Oddly, I’m not a big fan of shopping for clothes. Although, I do enjoy shoe shopping.

Q. What advice do you have for wannabe writers out there?

A. Don’t stop writing, and don’t listen to the naysayers. Follow your heart. Writing is not easy, but it’s so worth it. Also, do your homework when it comes time to query. Not querying properly can stop you before you even have a chance to start. Read up about the agency/agent you’re submitting to. Make sure you address the proper agent by name. Follow their submission guidelines to the letter. Because, honestly, just as much effort that when into writing your book also needs to go into writing the synopsis/query. It’s all very, very important.

Q. Is there anything you would change on the path that got you to where you are today?

A. Yes. I’ll just leave it at that, if that’s okay with you.

Q. What is something that most people wouldn't necessarily know about you (That you would be willing to share here of course)?

A. Hmm…I’m afraid of the dark. I don’t freak out over it, but let’s just say, I don’t sleep with all the lights off.

Everleigh in NYC by Cathleen Holst

While celebrating Mardi Gras in the big easy, Everleigh Carlisle and her BFF Christina share most things together; gossip, clothes, far too many drinks, and a visit with a voodoo priestess where an unspoken wish is granted, unknowingly altering the course of Everleigh’s life.

Two years later, her dreams are set to come true when she lands her dream job as a columnist for New York’s premiere fashion magazine, C'est Magnifique. Things become complicated when her cheating ex declares his love for her, and she meets Robert Cates, making three important discoveries: 1) Despite her best efforts, she is hopelessly attracted to Robert. 2) She has the bizarre ability to hear his thoughts. 3) He’s her new boss.*

Everleigh in NYC is available for purchase at all major bookstores nationwide and many online retailers, like Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com.

**Author info and synopsis provided by Goodreads.com.