Well I need to brag about this book. I think I need to disclose that it was first a comedy,then it was pure chick lit. Jaime is my beloved main character and she was a hoot! The real star of the book is not really any one person but the idea of a “different kind of family“. The not-so-perfect couple Derek and Jaime open the book with a 5 year anniversary vacation. To be honest I felt bad for Jaime, she was in a five year relationship with a complete and total moron. When they first started dating he was normal and outgoing and then his job, a promotion, and money went to his head. The way the author describes him is so funny. (I want a celeb who can play Derek, but who??) He has more products, cremes and clothing than a Hollywood star. She has been feeling something off, lacking in every area, and the non existent sex life is wrecking poor daytime talk show producer Jaime. The things Derek says are so funny like “Jaime please hand me those Gucci loafers, and Jaime did you see my Armani suit?” The things Jaime thinks are also funny. BUT, yeah there is a but Jaime’s family is the real star of the book. I can not ruin it but I will say that her sister who is 18 Rachel is a typical girl, you can’t help but adore her. Her mom who is never Mom but Leah, and her live-in lover Katie are so warm, outgoing and crazy they will make you laugh out loud. Then there is her Dad, David (never called David, always Dad) who is remarried to Maureen, Mo. The four of them get along and accept each other so well and their dialogue is like wear a diaper sort of dialogue.

The supporting cast is Lucy,Hanna, Eva (the b****)co worker and Sue who is not there log aind is replaced by Andrew. So the premise is that Jaime gets a life, uses her tv show to find her long lost love Lucas, meets and moves in with a couple Amy and Chris (that is big diaper wearing!) When Hanna takes in Jaime I think he lines are too funny and for sure a high light!

So pretty much can’t say enough good things about this one. I will be having a chick lit event and I need to ask Samantha Stroh Bailey if Rachel can be the next book? I really think characters like these should be embraced. I think the worked needs and wants more Leah and Kate. I wish I could go to live with them for a while. Maybe they open a retreat where we get colonics and massages while cleansing our auras. Wishful thinking I guess. Maybe I can get my wish it doesn’t hurt to ask.

 Goodreads Page:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5832614.Samantha_Stroh_Bailey

Amazon page PLEASE go like it:http://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Stroh-Bailey/e/B007YAN1SC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1/183-8254377-2830531

BUY the book:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VIIU6A?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007VIIU6A&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Twitter: @perfectpen http://www.twitter.com/perfectpen

Authors blog: http://samanthastrohbailey.blogspot.ca

My quotes:

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At lunch, Derek had said, “That one is going places.” Yeah, straight to hell with my heel in her ass.

Give her a break. Jamie, did you guys have a good time in Montreal?” “Sure.” No need to mention that the best part was the shower head. I have a bad feeling that my family has a cache of sex toys hidden in their houses and would have no problem giving me a detailed demonstration.

==========
“I’m staying at Hanna’s. Did you know she has a 60 inch TV? And coffee. So, I’ll be okay. I feel like I’m inside the television. Have you ever seen one?” I think I’m a little drunk. “Have you been drinking? You sound like you’ve been drinking.

===

Even though it’s free, there is no way I want anyone from high school (crusty Claire, especially) to see my name on this reunion website. So I use her name instead. I type in Claire Howard, list her job as a stripper, and explain that she’s recently gotten out of prison after a prostitution arrest. Hee hee, this is fun. I add that she has four children from different fathers and is living in a rent by the minute hotel in Crack Town.

==========
It’s all sparkling clean because Hanna’s never cooked a meal in her life. The most useful tool in her kitchen is the phone. 

==========

Because if they are, then what’s the problem? This is their business, and they obviously enjoy it, so who are you to tell them what to do?” “But they’re porn stars.” Now it’s Andrew’s turn to shrug. “So?”

Silence. “Han, are you there?” I ask. Then I hear the laughter. “Oh, Jaim, ow, my stomach, that hurts, that’s so, ha ha, so funny. How do you get yourself in these situations? Ever since you broke up with Derek, your life has been crazy.”

“You must be so nervous.” I clutch the phone tighter in my hand. “So nervous that I’m almost sick. I’ve put so much energy into wanting him that I’m afraid I’ll be disappointed. And what if he sees me and doesn’t want me? What if he doesn’t even remember me?”

“Sure. Like he’s going to want anything to do with me after this.” “You never know. And it’s time you did something out of the ordinary, you know? Aren’t you tired of being safe all the time?” “Safe is easy.”

Chick Lit authors are “partying it up” with a shared promotion for book lovers!.

https://readingrenee.com/2012/11/29/chick-lit-authors-are-partying-it-up-with-a-shared-promotion-for-book-lovers/

I must say when I read something and do that little gasp and then a hand goes to my mouth like holy … this was that kind of book. The story had a few angles that I of course loved. I like Hollywood and love living in California so the scenery was perfect for me. Lauren Tate a Executive Producer is married to Alan an equally important Executive at the same company. So the beginning sets the fast pace and I mean buckle it up, at 30%o on my Kindle the think almost started smoking. It was Lauren and NO not the husband. You gotta read it.

The other best part was Justine! She was Lauren’s NYC BFF who has a mouth like a truck driver and an attitude to match it.  Hollywood is tough and TV is tougher sometimes, cable network is the toughest. The girl knows Lauren so well and although living across the country they are still in constant contact. She is the “tell it like it is” kind of girl.

So go ahead join the fun, and read about Alan (insert bad word for ex husband to be) and his fling Jennifer (insert tramp) who was Lauren’s assistant and Giles the all around “know it all” fashion man who loves to spa it up and shop. A great MUST read.

Here is the contact stuff I gathered like a little CSI and read the quotes too so you can get a sneak peak!

Twitter link:  https://twitter.com/LucieSimone @luciesimone

Website:http://www.luciesimone.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucie-Simone/276425887768

Amazon: buy this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0093H0326/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Her Amazon page:

http://www.amazon.com/Lucie-Simone/e/B0048U6D5Y/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Picture Perfect (Lucie Simone) Clippings:
I nod as he runs his fingers through my silky black hair (thanks due in no small part to the organic goat’s milk and berry extract shampoo my stylist charges me sixty-five dollars a bottle for). His hand pauses at my shoulder, and he rubs his thumb along my neck. Suddenly, every bit of saliva in my mouth is sucked dry.

==========

– Highlight Loc. 1565-68 | Added on Thursday, November 29, 2012, 08:12 PM

Whatever!    I throw the last of my Buttery Nipple (it’s a drink, not a sex-food fantasy) down my throat, an ire rapidly building within me. “Damn straight, Justine! Fuck them!” “Fuck them!” she says, lifting her mug to toast my now empty glass. “Let’s go get some pizza and find a couple of cute boys to snog.”
==========
I open the box and shake out a smooth, white object shaped similarly to a small bullet. I hold it between my fingers, inspecting it. “So, this is how you cope with failure?” I say to myself. “Sticking foreign objects up your butt.”

==========
But there was one text message that stopped my heart, and it was from Jack. I’m coming for you.

==========
“Look, there are innocent people being murdered in Darfur. Homeless living in filth on Fifth Avenue. Toxins in our food and water. Polar Bears are disappearing from the earth.” “What’s your point?”

==========
I look to her, the helplessness overwhelming me, and say, “I swear I didn’t do this. I didn’t kill Alan. That’s the honest truth.” “The truth doesn’t matter, Lauren. Appearances do.”

“What are you doing here?” “After you hung up on me this afternoon, I booked the earliest flight I could to LAX. I even had to take a middle seat. A middle seat, Lauren.”

==========
My iPhone glows brightly again, and a new message bubble pops up from Jack. I miss you. The corners of my mouth turn up slightly as that same cotton candy feeling swells in my chest. Then, suddenly I realize something truly horrific. I’m in love with him.

==========
“I’m your best friend. And what good is a BFF if she won’t contaminate a crime scene with you?”

==========
“When you’re true to yourself, Lauren, when you really listen to what your heart wants, nothing can keep you from your joy.”

Chick Lit authors are “partying it up” with a shared promotion for book lovers!.

In the spirit of coming together for the holidays, eight popular Chick Lit authors are “partying it up” with a shared promotion for book lovers! That means eight fun and fizzy e-books, each priced at $3.99 or less, that are packed with plenty of laughs and romance to keep you entertained on those long winter nights! 

Which books are featured in this festive promo?

Finding Lucas bySamantha Stroh Bailey – Daytime talk show producer Jamie Ross is beyond fed up with her toxic bad boy turned metrosexual boyfriend. Spurred on by her gang of quirky friends, she goes on a hilarious, at-times disastrous, and totally life-changing hunt to track down the “one who got away.” But are some loves best left behind? E-book and paperback available on Amazon. 

In Need of Therapy by Tracie Banister – Handling the problems of hysterical hypochondriacs, lovelorn neurotics, and compulsive man whores is all in a day’s work for super-shrink Pilar Alvarez. But can she deal with her crazy Cuban family, a trio of unsuitable suitors, and a threat to her practice without ending up on the couch herself? E-book available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon. 

What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard – Discovering what her dog ate turns Maggie Baxter’s world upside down. With her chocolate Lab, Kona, as her guide, can Maggie forego her overly analytical ways to find a new life filled with tail-wagging joy? E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

The Girl, the Gold Tooth, & Everythingby Francine LaSala – Suburban housewife Mina, beaten-down and struggling with amnesia, starts getting her memory and her mojo back. But she soon learns everything has a price in this fast-paced, richly layered, and darkly humorous satire! E-book and paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie – When Roxy Rule shares a passionate kiss with her lifelong best friend, she must come to terms with her feelings for him while dealing with two sisters in full crisis mode, a boss who makes her want to stab herself with a letter opener and a fiancé who can’t wait to walk down the aisle. Can she keep it together–or will she break under the pressure? E-book available on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble; paperback available on Amazon. 

Fashioning a Romance by Libby Mercer – Devastatingly handsome and deliciously weird, John Harrington is the man of Caitlyn Taylor’s dreams… and her nightmares. She has no use for a womanizer like him, and dodges his advances like a pro. But when they end up in Paris together, Caitlyn feels her resolve begin to slip. How will she ever be able to resist the irresistible in the most romantic city in the world? E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. 

A State of Jane by Meredith Schorr – Jane Frank is newly single after nine years and looking for a second chance at love. But when she dives head first into the NYC dating scene and finds it infested with flakes who are interested today and gone tomorrow, it may be time for Jane to turn the tables! E-book available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Picture Perfect by Lucie Simone – Lauren Tate’s perfectly planned life quickly unravels at the seams when a smear campaign threatens her career as a top TV executive, but she learns just how cutthroat showbiz can truly be when the hottest scandal in Tinsel Town turns deadly and the Hollywood hunk who’s stolen her heart goes missing. E-book available on Amazon; paperback available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

http://www.amazon.com/Heather-Huffman/e/B005J8DRE4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Please go and LIKE her page her book 5* Devil in Disguise I loved it and it is free today on Amazon Follow her on Twitter @heathers_mark

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth Laban @ElizabethLaBan.

This is hard to tell but the first word I have is PROFOUND. I know there isnt anyone who reads this that will not be completely blown away. The situations and the story is pretty complex and dare I say tragic. There is a part when Tim answers to Mr Simon, the English teacher, that he didn’t know id he meant tragic in the literary sense. That was like boom BIG reveal. You will get what happens next. They say you give five 5 yes 5 stars to a book that leaves you thinking, maybe laughing, maybe crying, but this left me hopeful! Sometimes even a senior can “get it” , really make a choice and understand what that choice means.

I feel so blessed to get ARC’s and blog, this is such an honor for me and I wish I could meet the author. I will say that the book description in my opinion is not accurate. I did my own edit. It is released in Jan and then I will come back and add my quotes from my clippings. Now if I did it would ruin it. Let me tell you I totally GOT it.

My version:
Tim Macbeth is a 17-year-old albino and a recent transfer to the prestigious Irving School, where the motto is, “Enter here to be and find a friend.” Tim has never been comfortable with his appearance and he really understands that people are staring and looking, but in a good way they are curious, not making fun or thinking he is a freak. When his Mom and Step Dad (who loves Tim like he is his own Son) decide that they will move to Italy and Tim will have one GREAT senior year at his Alma mater, Irving. There is a huge snow storm and at the airport he meet Vanessa. She treats him so totally normal that when he says he has a room, she goes across to the hotel with him and for the first time Tim is not albino, he is just Tim. She tells him she is going to Irving, he can’t bring himself to tell her he is going too. He knows she has a boyfriend, Patrick (not a fan of his) Tim and Vanessa enter into a clandestine relationship, but looming over them is the Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a senior year thesis, assigned by the school’s least forgiving teacher.

The story unfolds from two alternating viewpoints: Tim, the tragic, love-struck figure, and Duncan, a current senior, who uncovers the truth behind Tim’s story. Tim gave Duncan the story. As ritual and traditions are tested the story takes a few turns in the last 1/3 that blows my mind. Tim and Vanessa’s story is told and the entire truth is revealed. Can Duncan produce the greatest Tragedy Paper in Irving’s history? 

This is a MUST read 

The author has a twitter:

@ElizabethLaBan

Goodreads book is here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13628178-the-tragedy-paper

Buy it Pre-order on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tragedy-Paper-ebook/dp/B008LMEHH6/ref=tmm_kin_title_0 

@ElizabethLaBan I KNOW this is the next IT book for me and I am half done. No lies from the start I was hooked. The release is Jan 8th for Kindle and I am so gifting it

http://www.amazon.com/The-Tragedy-Paper-ebook/dp/B008LMEHH6/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1353868616&sr=1-2

Book Description