Star Book Review: In Office Hours by Lucy Kellaway

     In Office Hours was a great book full of juicy gossip and serious scandal. Lucy Kellaway’s writing was clad full of all the kinds of details meant for watercooler banter - quite literally, as this novel took place inside a fictional 9-5 office environment in London. IOH wove together two stories about two British women, Stella and Bella, who were on opposite ends of the corporate ladder but who found themselves walking in the same shoes, when each one embarked on a love affair with a coworker that brought nonstop drama into both their personal and work lives. Caught up in romance and debauchery, Stella and Bella rode a rollercoaster with fate and what seemed like everlasting excitement quickly turned into turmoil and disappointment.



Working Girl illustration by Bella Pilar



British author, Lucy Kellaway did a fabulous job exploring the inner thoughts of two very different women and the feelings they are left with after entering an illicit love affair. They differed in everything from their ranks in the corporate world to their roles in family life and marital status and even differed in the men they went after. However, their differences almost evaporated when both were met with a personal and public humiliation as they were outed for their forbidden relationships at the workplace and at home. Having narrated the story in first-person, by alternating between the each woman's voice, In Office Hours truly allowed the reader to hear two very separate perspectives on what it means to be and feel like "the other woman".

****4 STARS ****

This is one of the few books I sincerely hope to see a movie made of in the next few years. Stella and Bella and the scandal that surrounds them would be more than ideal for the big screen. I’m thinking a gorgeous yet believably established woman, like Kelly Rutherford-type for Stella and for young yet naive mom, Bella, a pretty Leighton Meister-type. (I’m a huge Gossip Girl fan if you couldn’t tell.)

**What book would you like to see at the movies? And who would star in it?

Star Book Review: Confessions of a Call Center Gal by Lisa Lim

I was very excited to read the new release and debut from Lisa Lim, Confessions of a Call Center Gal. Having worked on a community phone line for a corporation with a large customer base for the past 5 year, I could relate to the setting of the novel and the job of the main character.

Madison (Maddy) Lee is just out of college and living in Pocatello, Idaho. With the economy in shambles and everyone fighting for jobs, she and her best friend Karsynn (Kars) have had no luck finding a job. When an advertisement comes out for phone service work at Lightning Speed Calling Center, the two girls jump at the opportunity and both are hired.

The working conditions at the Lightning Speed Call Center in Idaho are trying, to say the least. First, Maddy and Kars must undergo a month long training program in order to become qualified to assist customers calling in about everything from billing questions to Internet connection problems. At the training, they meet Mika, a gorgeous Russian about their same age, who becomes Maddy’s major crush. Unfortunately, Mika is already tied to the gorgeous Bulgarian, Ingeborg, who is just too nice to hate and they, too, quickly become friends. After the four friends complete training, they have a little graduation ceremony and are ready to begin work.

Work at the Lightning Speed Call Center is definitely not your typical office job. The callers seem to be a breed all their own. One such character calls in to seek assistance with his Internet service and instead of directly asking for help, he spells everything out – literally. Other callers are so irate by the time they get through to Maddy that they are not even willing to go through the mandated verification process and a manager must get involved. Other callers are more chipper, more upbeat and in general, nice to deal with, but they are almost completely computer illiterate, making for a challenging exchange. All in all, Maddy must learn to deal with a difficult boss, frustrated customers and of course, the normal day-to-day, life stuff, relationship issues, and family drama.

Confessions of a Call Center Gal was a fun chick lit book that I would categorize as part of a subgenre of “working girl” books, as it mainly focused on Maddy’s job  and the rest of the story, characters, relationships and events revolved around it. Aside from her job, however, prevalent themes include friendship, love and growing up. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has worked in any customer service field before. I think you’ll really get a kick out of some of the incidents and humor. Also, I’d recommend it to anyone not in the customer service industry because I think they will get a taste for how it is on the other side of the phone.   

3 STARS

**Thank you so much to Lisa Lim who provided me with a review e-copy of Confessions of a Call Center Gal. I really appreciated the opportunity and hope to read more books by her in the future. For more information on Lisa Lim, her books, love of Anthropologie or just find out what else she’s been up to, visit her blog, http://confessionsofacallcentergal.blogspot.com/, where you will find all things loved by her, from fashion to food, fiction and more!**

100th Follower Book Giveaway Winner: Announced

100th Follower Contest WINNER Announced!!!

Thank you so very much to everyone who participated in my 100^th follower book giveaway. The winner was chosen from the entries on the original post’s comments via Random.org.

I’m so pleased to announce the winner:

Donna from My Life In Stories

Congratulations, Donna!!! She will have her pick from one of 6 Working Girl Chick Lit books, which are all among my personal favorites.

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

For links to the books' synopses and reviews, please visit the original post:

 http://lipglossandliterature.blogspot.com/2011/05/working-girl-chick-lit-special-duo.html

Donna, Please contact me at cgraceh at gmail dot com to let me know which book you’d like me to send, I will send the winner an email to contact her about her winnings. I hope she enjoys her new book!!

And thank you again to everyone who continues to follow my blog.

 I hope to have many more fun and exciting book giveaways in the future…wanna help me get to 200?? For an even bigger and better giveaway?? I’m already brainstorming ideas…if interested, please follow me. I’ve got Kaira Rouda, author of Here, Home, Hope visiting me today so stick around for a Special Author Interview and Book Review of her debut.

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