Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding

 In the course of the year recorded in Bridget Jones's Diary, Bridget confides her hopes, her dreams, and her monstrously fluctuating poundage, not to mention her consumption of 5277 cigarettes and "Fat units 3457 (approx.) (hideous in every way)." In 365 days, she gains 74 pounds. On the other hand, she loses 72! There is also the unspoken New Year's resolution--the quest for the right man. Alas, here Bridget goes severely off course when she has an affair with her charming cad of a boss. But who would be without their e-mail flirtation focused on a short black skirt? The boss even contends that it is so short as to be nonexistent.

I've never been interested in Bridget Jones, even though the whole francise does seem to play a large role in modern feminist society. However when I found this novel for 50p in a charity shop I decided it was time to give it a go. Only a few pages in and I realised that I had been missing something fantastic. Luckily I've managed to sky+ the films which I can watch after each book.
The book itself is quite comical...I love how she weighs herself. counts calories, alcohol intake and cigarettes everyday amongst various other things. As she is quite a down to earth character it is extremely easy to empathise with her and in turn this led me to hoping for the best for her. I was extremely shocked when it turned out that Daniel was getting married but I was pleasently surprised by her Christmas day with Mark Darcy...as I definitely wasn't expecting anything to happen.
A fantastic chick lit novel with a hint of comedy - especially from Bridget's drunk diary extracts (which I find amusing to work out what it's supposed to say). I'm excited to read the next one and watch the films....I think I have found a new found love and it is one to recommend to all women (and men too if you like this sort of thing). it is pretty much a modern day classic so it's something that isn't to be missed out on.

Shopaholic & Baby - Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon is back - with a bump!
Becky's life is blooming. She's working at London's newest fashion store, The Look, house-hunting with husband Luke (her secret wish is a Shoe Room) ... and she's pregnant! She couldn't be more overjoyed - especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby: from the designer nursery...to the latest, coolest pram...to the celebrity, must-have obstetrician.
But when the celebrity obstetrician turns out to be her husband Luke's glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky's perfect world starts to crumble. 
She's shopping for two but are there three in her marriage?


As soon as I bought this book I knew I had to read it so I cast aside the book I was reading to make way for the next instalment from Kinsella and I have to say it did not disappoint. For some reason Becky is one of those characters that is easy for you to relate and empathise with. Her loveable nature often gets her in a lot of problems yet she always manages to dig her way out. As well as being a very amusing novel I have to admit that at some points I was nearly in tears because I have grown so fond of Becky. The part where Venetia tells Becky that her and Luke are having an affair made me feel so sorry for Becky and hope that it wasn't true.
Although the book is called Shopaholic and Baby, the majority of the novel is about Becky's pregnancy which I find to be fascinating as she's the sort of character who always tells it how it is. I love how even though she's pregnant she still manages to be a reckless spender.
The end of the story helps us to see Becky in a different light, living at home with her parents after having her baby (Minnie) she is quite far from the fashionista we have grown to love with her battered pram. It is especially amusing when she goes into the shop and informed that she is known as "The Girl with the Crappy Pram" which is a far cry from her usual title of "The Girl in the Green Scarf".
I really cannot wait for "Mini Shopaholic" to arrive as I'm sure Becky will be getting herself into a lot more problems when she has a child in tow and I'm interested to see if Minnie is similar to Becky in the shopping department.
This is one series I never want  to end, no matter how busy I am I seem to be able to finish each novel in a matter of hours as they are impossible to put down. This showcases just how fantastic a writer Kinsella is and once I'm finished with this series I am definitely going to have to try some of her other books out.

Gossip Girl - Cecily von Ziegesar

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live and go to school. We're smart, we've inherited classic good looks, and we know how to party. It's a luxe life, but someone's got to live it.
S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriend's hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely...
You know you love me,
Gossip Girl


As an avid Gossip Girl fan I knew it was the time to start to read the collection of books by Cecily von Ziegesar. Instantly I noticed a lot of differences from the TV show which helped me to get into the book as I wasn't aware what would happen as much as I would if the TV show had been a carbon copy of it. The way the novel is wrote with pages from the Gossip Girl website really helped to show what was happening between the characters as well as how much Gossip Girl knows about their goings on. As it is an omniscient narrator (Gossip Girl) we are able to look in on each character's lives as learn what they are feeling and doing which I find much more entertaining than if it was from one of the character's points of view.
The main thing I loved about this book was the amount of detail which can only been shown through a book (feelings etc) as you don't learn these on the TV show. I'm definitely hooked on this series so I better order some more of the books before I get withdrawal symptoms. This is the perfect way to occupy my time before Gossip Girl returns to the screens.
I would definitely recommend this to all fans of the Gossip Girl TV show, or even if you're not a fan...if you like chick lit then this is definitely for you. The only thing it is missing is the xoxo from Gossip Girl. "You know you love me, Gossip Girl" doesn't have as good a ring to it as "You know you love me, XOXO, Gossip Girl" but it's only a small part. I did love how Von Ziegesar managed to put the "you know you love me" quote in a few times in the characters dialogue which I think helped tie it all in as it appears to be a very "upper east side" thing to do in this novel.
XOXO

I Love You Beth Cooper - Larry Doyle

The hilarious first novel from Simpsons writer Larry Doyle.
For a straight A student, Denis still has a lot to learn...
Denis Cooverman wants to say something really important in his high school graduation speech. So, in front of 512 classmates and their 3000 relatives, he announces: 'I love you, Beth Cooper.'
It should have been such a sweet, romantic moment. Except that Beth, the school's head cheerleader, has only the vaguest idea who Denis is. And Denis, the captain of the debate team, is so not in her league that he is barely even of the same species. And then there's Kevin, Beth's remarkably large boyfriend, who's in town on leave from the US Army...

I came across this book in a charity shop and after seeing the film, which I loved, I knew I had to read it. I was never aware that the film was the adaptation of a book and was pleasantly surprised to find them both following the exact same story as with most adaptations there are as lot of changes. This isn't my usual sort of book but I loved it. It was funny and made me laugh as well as being able to empathise with Denis. The one difference from the film is that Denis is painted as an incredibly vile looking person, to be fair in the film he isn't a looker but compared to how Doyle portrays him he could be a model.
The main thing I love in this story is how ballsy Denis is, I know from seeing people similar to him at school that they're normally shy and withdrawn and would never announce that they love the head cheerleader in front of a large crowd. Nor would they take on her army boyfriend which I think adds to the excellence of this story as Denis seems almost to be a superhero.
I would definitely recommend the book and the film and I am looking forward to seeing if Doyle will release another novel as I've begun to branch out from my usual chick lit.

Legally Blonde - Amanda Brown

Elle Wood, University of Southern California sorority president and sociopolitical jewelry design major, is blonde, spoiled, creative and desperately in love with her college sweetheart, Warner Huntingdon III. But when Warner announces he's off to Stanford Law School, and that while there he aims to find a girl 'more serious' than Elle to be his wife, Elle and Underdog, her pet Bichon Frise, hatch a plan to follow him so that he will marry her like he's supposed to do. Elle's Stanford misadventures are distinctly unpromising from the outset, and it seems that the one place where blondes definitely don't have more fun is law school. But then she's made an intern on the Murder of Malibu case, defending one-time fitness queen and apricot blonde Brooke Vandermark from the charge of murdering her billionaire husband. In a courtroom triumph, Elle vindicates Brooke and all who are blonde at heart with a tip any Cosmo girl should know.


I didn't know what to expect from this as I haven't actually seen the film apart from the odd clip and I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unable to put it down I read it in less than a day which to me means that it is definitely a good book. I instantly became fond of Elle's character and felt empathetic towards her on several occasions. Towards the end of the novel I also began to like Sarah (Elle's rival) when she began to be nice to Elle. The tactics Elle uses to get Brooke off of her murder charge were fantastic, there's only a lawyer like Elle that would be able to use that sort of information to get somebody off of a serious crime. 
The way in which Brown wrote this book added to it's excellence, with the very short chapters making it easy to read without getting boring. At first I wasn't convinced by this technique but towards the end I realised it was working very well and the chapter's were telling us all we need to know without dragging on. 
As I enjoyed the book so much I am about to purchase the films as if they are anywhere near as good they'll be a winner. I'm definitely going to add some more Amanda Brown to my reading lists. 

The Fabulously Fashionable Life of Isabel Bookbinder - Holly McQueen

When aspiring designer Isabel Bookbinder bags a job with Nancy ‘Fashion Aristocracy’ Tavistock, she’s sure her career is finally on track. Dazzlingly glamorous, this is a career that she can feel truly passionate about – after all, she knows her Geiger from her Louboutin, her Primark from her Prada, and she’s always poring over fashion magazines. Well, ok, the fashion pages of heat. So, learning from the very best, the future’s looking bright for Isabel Bookbinder: Top International Fashion Designer. Within days she’s putting the final touches to her debut collection, has dreamt up a perfume line, Isabelissimo, and is very nearly a friend of John Galliano. And on top of that she might even have fallen in love. Yet nothing ever runs smoothly for Isabel, and fabulously fashionably as her life is, it soon seems to be spiralling a little out of her control …


I found this a bit similar to the previous Isabel Bookbinder instalment in that it seemed to be following the lead from Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series. Also it was once again, difficult to get into, and I actually felt forced to finish it. One of the thoroughly worst books I've ever read which isn't too difficult to achieve as I do enjoy most books I read. I have to admit that I felt a bit of empathy towards Isabel when I realised what Ben was doing but she shouldn't have really jumped to conclusions about Will. 
This is a bit of a poor review, due to how poor the book is. I wouldn't recommend reading it.

Shopaholic and Sister - Sophie Kinsella

Becky thought being married to Luke Brandon would be one big Tiffany box of happiness. But to be honest, it’s not quite as dreamy as she’d hoped. The trouble started on honeymoon, when she told Luke the tiniest little fib, about the teeniest little purchase. Now she’s on a strict budget, she doesn’t have a job – and worst of all her beloved Suze has a new best friend. Then she receives some incredible news. She has a long-lost sister! Becky has never been more excited. Finally, a real sister! They’ll have so much in common! They can go shopping together…choose shoes together…have manicures together…Until she meets her – and gets the shock of her life. It can’t be true. Surely Becky Bloomwood’s long-lost sister can’t…hate shopping? A sister, a soulmate, a skinflint?


I never know where to start when reviewing Kinsella's novels. I absolutely love them and always have so much to say. Becky's honeymoon sounded like heaven, and of course it wasn't without her secret spending. I had to laugh when two lorries turned up to deliver her purchases, in which she had two dining tables and 20 dining chairs. I felt empathetic towards Becky when she realised that Suze had replaced her and by the way Lulu acted towards her I think she knew deep down that she could never replace Becky as Suze's best friend. 
The main focus of the story is Becky's sister that she never knew about. The sister that she has high hopes of going shopping with and giving each other makeovers. Yet her sister is the exact opposite of Becky. She hates spending money and hates makeup and shoes. Her passion is rocks, and it isn't until Becky sees Jess' rock collection that she realises that they do have similarities with how passionate they are towards their loves. Jess rock collection is in a cupboard identical to Becky's shoe cupboard. In the end they end up sorting things out which is good and there is a surprise right at the end which has left me excited for the next book.
Kinsella has managed to create a series which leaves the readers wanting more. Normally I would have been bored of the series by now but I have been well and truly drawn into the world of Becky Bloomwood and her roller-coaster life. This book made me laugh and I have to admit I was quite upset when Becky thought her marriage was over (I'm glad it isn't though) and I feel not many authors manage to achieve it. She has kept to her theme using the banking letters and other letters in the middles of chapters and even incorporated some from her sister's bank which made me laugh. Bring on Shopaholic and Baby is all I can say! Well done Sophie Kinsella.

The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder - Holly McQueen

Isabel Bookbinder might not be leading the most glamorous life ever (measuring column inches at the Saturday Mercury isn't exactly the job of her dreams) but luckily she's developed a foolproof plan to change all that.


Reasons to become a bestselling author:
-Plentiful opportunities to swish new Super-hair
-Celeb-filled launch party at Claridge's
-Am bound to captivate the delicious Joe Madison
-Can finally prove to father that Really am Not a Water


Potential setbacks:
-Don't yet have Yoko bag, as carried by arch rival Gina D
-Hmm. Am inadvertently at the centre of a major political sex scandal
-Paparazzi are doorstepping my parents and boring boyfriend Russell
-Haven't actually got around to putting pen to paper yet


Admittedly some of the obstacles are a little daunting, but Isabel's sure that a woman of her ingenuity - and creativity - can find a way...




I have to admit that it did take me a while to get into this book, but once I did I was hooked and was determined to find out more about Isabel's life. The general storyline and style of writing reminded me of Sophie Kinsella's 'Shopaholic' series which may be part of why I enjoyed it. Never-the-less it is a fantastic book with a great storyline. The twist towards the end of the story left me in shock, I never expected it but then I realised it all made sense. The beginning of the book wasn't very shocking, I could see the political scandal coming as soon as Barry questioned her about the "article" so I wasn't surprised when it happened. Apart from the beginning the rest of the novel is excellent, however I don't find the letter's etc in between the chapters as amusing as the one's in Kinsella's books.
Actually come to think of it there are a lot of resemblances to the Shopaholic books. Not only the layout of the novel (with letter's in between chapters), but the lying to her parents. Also the character of Isabel's mum reminds me ever so slightly of Becky's mum in Kinsella's series. However do not let this detract from the book itself, if I hadn't read Kinsella's books I would have fallen in love with this one even more than I have now.
Definitely recommended for all chick lit fans.

13/11/2010

I found the most amazing cookbook in Marks and Spencer's today for only a fiver! It's called "Only 4 Ingredients" and well the title explains itself really. These are quick and simple recipes that hardly need any ingredients so don't end up too pricey either. As soon as I got home I made the Leek & Potato soup and I have to say it is gorgeous so I thought I'd share the recipe here.

Ingredients:
55g/2oz butter
4 leeks, trimmed and chopped
350g/12oz potatoes, diced
850ml/1 1/2 pints chicken or vegetable stock

Serves 4

1. Melt half the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minute. Increase the heat to medium, pour in the sock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the leeks and potatoes are tender.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining butter in small pieces at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Press the soup through a sieve or pass through a food mill into a warmed bowl. Alternatively ladle the soup straight into a bowl to leave it with a chunky texture. Serve immediately, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil (optional).

My changes:
I only used 3 leeks whilst using 400g of potatoes because I prefer the taste of potatoes to leeks. I also used a hand blender instead of pressing through a sieve or using a food mill as I felt this would give a smoother finish.

I really would recommend buying this fantastic book if you love cooking but want simple cheap recipes. I know I'm going to be using this book for a long time to come.

Shopaholic Ties The Knot - Sophie Kinsella

Rebecca Bloomwood has the dream job. She’s a personal shopper, so is able to spend other people’s money all day instead of her own. And she gets paid for doing it. The perfect job, the perfect man - gorgeous Luke Brandon – and now … the perfect wedding. Yes, Luke has proposed and wedding bells are in sight. No excuses are needed to start the shopping trip of all time. And Becky’s parents are just assuming that the wedding will be at home – a marquee in the garden and Becky in her mum’s wedding dress, which she’s been saving specially for the occasion. But Luke’s mother has very different ideas – a huge affair in New York in a forest glade setting – or perhaps a Venetian Ball, or a fin de siecle extravagance? Now Becky’s getting confused. She doesn’t want to say ‘no’ to anyone. The plans are going ahead, and soon it will be too late to turn back – from either wedding…



So even though in one of my previous posts I stated that I wouldn't allow myself to purchase the next shopaholic book and instead wait for Christmas, I couldn't resist. I have been well and truly sucked into Becky's world and everything involved in it.
Although I completely love all of Kinsella's work the one problem I find is that the title of each book gives away what's going to happen. If it wasn't called "Shopaholic Ties The Knot" Luke's proposal might have been a pleasant surprise instead of me waiting for it and constantly guessing when it was going to come up. Never the less it was very romantic and cute - something I would expect from the shopaholic series.
I was wondering whether now Becky and Luke were serious if she would still be spending mad, but then I realised it wouldn't be a shopaholic book without this erratic behaviour.Claiming that a miu miu skirt was a household item made me remember why I love Becky Bloomwood so much.
Becky's New York wedding sounded like every girls dream, and I was so happy that she finally had one up on Alicia Bitch Long Legs. I was so happy with the choices that Becky made with her wedding, and it worked out perfectly. Towards the end when Alicia was going to ruin it all for her I had an inkling that Becky might have offered her wedding to Alicia, but I'm very glad she didn't.
I think my favourite character in these series has got to be Becky's mum, she's so cute and a bit dippy and along with Janice from next door they add the comedy factor to these books.
Another fantastic offering from Kinsella...now I have to wait and see when I cave in and purchase the next installment.

Wags at the World Cup - Alison Kervin

It’s all systems go for ultimate WAG Tracie Martin. The boys are battling it out on the pitch to claim World Cup glory. But the girls are waging war where it really matters: in the pages of the tabloids.

However, Tracie has a knack of ending up in the papers for all the wrong reasons. And even more alarmingly, it seems it might just be down to our favourite footballer’s wife to deal with an evil crime syndicate who are threatening to ruin England’s chances. It’s time for serious tactics - not least which provides better protection: a Mulberry Alexa bag or killer Louboutin heels…

After reading the first two wag installments I instantly ordered Wags at the World Cup as soon as I saw it. Kervin has a knack to make you empathise with Tracie (the protagonist) whilst making you laugh along with her. Tracie’s love for all things pink, orange and tacky has carried on from the two previous novels. Along with her fellow wags Mich and Suse, Tracie heads for world domination at the World Cup. I am amazed by her obsession with the wags, from her underground wag den to her use of a telescope to spy on the other wags, I cannot help but laugh. Kervin doesn’t paint the best picture of the wag lifestyle, but it is easy to realise that Tracie isn’t actually like the other wags, as she is an alcoholic barbie - a complete contrast to the real wags but this is absolutely hilarious.

When she meets George - the charity worker, she seems excited by the fact that he is a recovering drug addict and an alcoholic which really makes you wonder “what goes on in Tracie’s head?” Everyone begins to love Tracie once she gets involved with this charity, although she does have her ups and downs. Stealing Coleen’s baby after a simple misunderstanding on Tracie’s part was one of her ultimate lows but she was welcomed with open arms by all the WAGS at the end of the novel. How times have changed. Tracie’s quest to become as thin as Abigail Clancy backfires when she becomes pregnant, although she doesn’t know this for quite a while. Although she does get described as malnourished by Coleen which causes her great delight. 

Tracie manages to save the day when George tells her about a betting scam against England. She manages to save the day when she calls her friend in the police and they bust the scam. England win the world cup and due to Dean’s amazing coaching, he gets knighted at the end.

I can’t wait to see what’s in store next for Lady Tracy and her unborn baby. Will it be a girl? One who may follow in her WAG footsteps…or will it be a boy? Who Paskia can teach all about football to.

I hope Kervin does carry on with the WAG series, they are extremely fun and entertaining to read.

Shopaholic Abroad - Sophie Kinsella

For Rebecca life is peachy. She has a job on morning TV, her bank manager is being nice to her, and the icing on the brioche is that she has been offered work in New York. The Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, and she does intend to visit them all, but first Saks, then Bloomingdales…

Well I have to say, I am well and truly hooked on the Shopaholic series, although I’m not allowing myself to purchase any more until I have read the rest of my books that are piling up in my room. I feel that in a slight way I can relate to Becky Bloomwood’s shopping addiction, although maybe not to her extent. Understanding the rush that she feels when she’s purchasing a new item allows me to empathise with the character and the problems she faces. I was rather upset for Becky when her and Luke split up after all the bad press she had due to her debt after Alicia Bitch Long Legs lived up to the name given by the protagonist. Embarrassed for Becky when Luke didn’t turn up to Tom’s wedding, I was pleasantly surprised when he finally did and everyone ate their words after accusing her of making the whole relationship up. I loved the part with the auction - as that was one of my favourite parts of the film adaptation. The shock ending and career change for Becky at the end of this instalment only makes me even more excited to read the next one!  

Another fantastically written novel from Sophie Kinsella, the pseudonym of Madeline Wickham. If you haven’t read any of this series yet I urge you to purchase them. Every single book I have read by Sophie Kinsella/Madeline Wickham I have been unable to put down therefore leading me to read them in less than a day which is a sign of a brilliant author. 

Fortune - Megan Cole

Step into the world of the mega-rich… and the mega-bitches.

Three girls. One life-changing fortune…

Madison is so over New York. Her mom won’t let her have botox and she can’t leave the city because her step-father is sick. Snoresville. So when she gets a mysterious invitation to a private party in Capri, held by billionaire music mogul Brad Masters, she’s determined to go.

Simonetta wants her mamma off her back. Of course she’s not going to give up modelling in Rome to go back to her fusty little village. When she gets her invitation, she sees the chance to lose her roots forever.

Sapphire just wants to write songs and hang out in the London record shop where she works. When she’s invited to Brad’s party, she doesn’t even want to go – but her mum seems strangely excited about it.

Madison, Simonetta and Sapphire: three girls from different worlds who are about to find out they have more in common than they think.

One look at the cover of this book and I feel it’s very similar to Katie Price’s covers. The main colour is very luxurious and with the name “Fortune” it gives connotations of rich and powerful people. After reading the blurb I was very intrigued as all the characters seem to be complete opposites of each other so I was very shocked to find out what they actually had in common and be warned it is a big twist! I had a slight feeling about Sapphire but never even thought that Madison and Simonetta could be in the same position. All throughout the novel there is a lot of competition between the girls leaving some hurt and others revelling in what they’ve done. Of course Cole allows the reader to empathise with Sapphire throughout the novel and Simonetta in parts. Madison is the typical rich,spoilt bitch who thinks that she can ruin other people and get ahead in life. A large contrast of characters makes this book excellent - as well as featuring beach front multi-million pound mansions, private jets, musicians and private islands making it the perfect girly read.

This is a really fantastic book although I think it may be better if it was not a Young Adult and was aimed at an older audience with a bit more of an adult theme just to make it slightly more realistic and intriguing. The ending of the book is a large twist which I really wasn’t expecting. Surprisingly I got through this book in a matter of hours despite its thickness - showing that it is good and I couldn’t put it down. I would definitely recommend this and I really can’t wait to see what Cole brings out next!

Confessions Of A Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella

Meet Rebecca Bloomwood. She’s a journalist. She spends her working life telling others how to manage their money. She spends her leisure time …shopping. Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can’t. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work. The stories she concocts become more and more fantastic as she tries to untangle her increasingly dire financial difficulties. Her only comfort is to buy herself something - just a little something…Can Becky ever escape from this dream world, find true love, and regain the use of her Switch card? “The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic” …is the perfect pick me up for when it’s all hanging in the (bank) balance.

After watching the film adaptation of this book I knew I had to read the book series, and the debut did not disappoint me. Kinsella allows the reader to enter the world of Becky Bloomwood, a serial spender and follow her as she attempts to regain control of her finances. I feel this book has more substance than the film going into detail about Becky’s love life or lack of it - i.e Tarquin. The different things Becky does for money vary from the film and I find the book version a lot funnier than the movie, although I do find the New York setting of the film more suitable than London. Her attempts to save money only lead to her spending more and losing even more control of her finances. The fact that she is a financial journalist is a bit of an oxymoron considering that she is in some serious financial difficulty. Kinsella prints various letters that Becky has received from banks, stores and credit card companies which allows you to empathise with Becky as well as cringe at the ridiculous excuses she has used to Derek Smeath. The fact that Becky carries on the Aunt Ermintrude lie throughout the story and to several different characters gave me the impression that Becky believes her own lies. 

Extremely impressed with the start of the series and I will most definitely read the rest to find out what Becky is going to do next. This was a book in which I couldn’t wait to read what was going to happen next and it’s full of surprises…especially at the end.

Cocktails For Three - Madeline Wickham

Three women, smart and successful, working in the fast and furious world of magazines, meet for cocktails and gossip once a month. Roxanne: glamorous, self-confident, with a secret lover – and hoping that one day he will leave his wife and marry her. Maggie: capable and high-achieving, until she finds the one thing she can’t cope with – motherhood. Candice: honest, decent, or so she believes – until a ghost from her past turns up, and almost ruins her life. A chance encounter in the cocktail bar sets in train an extraordinary set of events which upsets all their lives and almost destroys their friendship…

As soon as I saw this book whilst doing the supermarket shopping I knew it would be a winner. Having not read any of Sophie Kinsella’s books before I was impressed straight away. I managed to finish this book in one sitting which rarely happens. The way the story is written, showing the different lives and problems the three friends Maggie, Candice and Roxanne are leading. During the time in which I was reading this novel I felt empathy several times towards each of the characters as they overcome a difficulty. The main storyline for me was Candice and Heather - I was desperate to know what was going to happen or even if anything was going to happen. Roxanne’s secret man also shocked me, I wasn’t expecting it to be the character it was and I was especially shocked by the ending of their relationship and the reason why. 

Madeline Wickham has a brilliant writing style managing to mix comedy with a more sombre story. I’m definitely buying some more of both Madeline Wickham’s and Sophie Kinsella’s books as the writing style kept me engaged throughout. I would definitely recommend this novel.

The Girl Next Door - Elizabeth Noble

What makes a house a home?

For Eve Gallagher, home is miles away in England since she and her husband relocated to an apartment building on New York’s Upper East Side. And life isn’t remotely coming up roses.

What makes a neighbour a friend?

Violet has lived in the building for decades but she’s always kept herself apart, until Eve’s loneliness touches her heart and friendship blossoms.

What makes a wife a lover?

Jason Kramer in Apartment 6A is no longer sure he loves his wife, but he’s head-over-heels for Rachael Schulman in 6B.

What makes the girl next door the woman of your dreams?

Meeting Emily Mikanowski from 3A turns Trip Grayling’s world upside down. It’s love at first sight, but he needs help from Charlotte, the shy romance addict in 2A, if he’s going to win the girl.

Dreams come true, hearts are broken and no one is left unchanged when the secrets and desires hidden behind closed doors are finally brought into the light.

This was the first book I’ve read by Elizabeth Noble and it left me very impressed by her writing. She has the ability to keep the reader hooked throughout. Left wanting more. Through the little snippets of the different lives you learn everything that is going on in this apartment building. The main focus of the novel is on Ed and Eve - the two newest residents in the building. Noble allows you to observe several lives breaking down and fixing themselves but towards the end the book takes a turn and you know the characters affected will not be able to recover from what happens. A very moving and touching book - actually made me cry which rarely happens!

I would definitely recommend this book although at first it was difficult to get used to as soon as you get into it you won’t be able to put it down. Looks like I’ll be off on Amazon to purchase some more Elizabeth Noble novels.

Last Night At Chateau Marmont - Lauren Weisberger

Heartbreak, headlines and Hermes – welcome to Brooke’s new world… 

Brooke and Julian live a happy life in New York – she’s the breadwinner working two jobs and he’s the struggling musician husband. Then Julian is discovered by a Sony exec and becomes an overnight success – and their life changes for ever. 

Soon they are moving in exclusive circles, dining at the glitziest restaurants, attending the most outrageous parties in town and jetting off to the trendiest hotspots in LA. 

But Julian’s new-found fame means that Brooke must face the savage attentions of the ruthless paparazzi. And when a scandalous picture hits the front pages, Brooke’s world is turned upside down. Can her marriage survive the events of that fateful night at Chateau Marmont? It’s time for Brooke to decide if she’s going to sink or swim…

I had high expectations for the last novel from the author of The Devil Wears Prada and I can say I was not at all disappointed. Instantly drawn into Brooke’s whirlwind life, I couldn’t put the book down. Desperate to find out what had happened at Chateau Marmont. Desperate to find out what would happen. Weisberger knows exactly how to keep her readers interested and wanting more. 

I would definitely recommend this to any chick lit fan, regardless of if you have read any of Weisberger’s other novels.