Trashionista: November 2008

« October 2008 | Main | December 2008 »

November 28, 2008 11:01 AM

BOOK NEWS: Rumour Has It

Here is a book to look forward to in the new year. Rumour Has It (not to be confused with the film of the same name) by Jill Mansell is out in February and has a gorgeous cover which I can't stop looking at.

When newly single Tilly Cole impulsively quits her London job for a fresh start in the small town of Roxborough she finds she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue and rampant rivalry for the most desirable men. Tilly has no intention of joining in – she's just happy with her new Girl Friday job. Then she meets Jack Lucas. Jack is irresistible… and he's got his eye on Tilly. But there are shocking rumours about his wicked reputation. Tilly doesn’t want to be just another notch on anyone's bedpost. But is she being mature and sensible – or is she running away from the love of her life?

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 28, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (5)

Leather Bound Penguin Classics

As Christmas is coming up I thought I'd give you another idea following the lovely diary of yesterday. These Penguin books, however, are a little more expensive being as they are leather bound. You can find them at Bill Amberg.

The collection consists of The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Room With A View, The Great Gatsby, The Big Sleep, Brideshead Revisited and Breakfast At Tiffany's.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 28, 2008 in Bookish products | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 27, 2008 12:09 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Spa Wars by Chris Manby

Spa Wars by Chris Manby is about waxing, reality TV stars and revenge. It starts out with a cracking pace and the brilliant writing sucks you into the story immediately. Emily Brown has always wanted to make others look good. Her goal in life is to open her own beauty salon and with some prudent saving she achieves the dream. Thanks to a name drop from Carina Lees, a reality TV star, bookings have to be made weeks in advance. She expands, takes on new staff. Then everything seems to go wrong.

The first half of this book was great and I zipped through it thinking, yup this one could be on for a five star rating. But then things started to go a little flat. Emily, as the heroine, was a strange character. I didn't know what to think of her but then she did something quite tactless and I thought, I don't care what happens to you anymore. All of a sudden I wasn't quite so desperate to reach the end. But then, surprisingly, the book changed pace again and I was drawn back into the plot.

This is a great book. Full of up to date cultural references and a behind the scenes look at how reality TV stars milk their fifteen minutes, despite the slowing in pace, I really enjoyed it.

In my dusty memory I don't think I've read any books by Chris Manby before, but I look forward to ploughing through her back catalogue.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 27, 2008 in Rating: 4/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

Book Diary 2009

I love, love, love the idea of this diary.

The Book Diary is a fabulous looking diary but with an added extra. It is, as the title suggests, "book themed". Included are reviews, booklists, reading suggestions, photographs, literary quotations and prizes plus space for your own thoughts and records of your own reading.

You can purchase it from Wise Dog Books.

Related posts: Ladybird Notebooks | Penguin Journal | Storybook Coasters

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 27, 2008 in Bookish products | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 26, 2008 10:13 AM

Bad Sex In Fiction Award 2008

Shire Hell by Rachel Johnson has won this year's Bad Sex in Fiction Award. Tom Fleming, deputy editor of Literary Review, said,

all the entries were equally awful this year, but Rachel Johnson had the worst metaphors, and the worst animal metaphors.

As an example she compared her male protagonists light fingers to a moth caught inside a lampshade. Rachel described her win as an absolute honour. [via The Guardian]

Related posts: Review: Notting Hell | The Bad Sex in Fiction Award

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 26, 2008 in Book related | Permalink | Comments (1)

Meg Cabot TV

We do tend to talk about Meg Cabot just a tiny bit here on Trashionista, so you may already be aware that the final book in the Princess Diaries series is out in January. If you need reminding of what happened in the previous book, number nine, then you can go to the Meg Cabot TV page on the HarperCollins site where Meg herself quickly brings you up to speed using Buffy action figures. Naturally.

If you have never ever read a Princess Diaries book, then those same publishers have also very kindly put the whole of the first book online.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 26, 2008 in Book related | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 25, 2008 10:53 AM

BOOK NEWS: The Secret Shopper's Revenge

The Secret Shopper's Revenge by Kate Harrison which, incidently, I loved - is out in glittery paperback this week.

According to her blog, if you buy your copy from Asda you will also get extras with special material from my three secret shoppers – a guide to luxury on a budget from Grazia, advice from Emily on how NOT to be treated like dirt by shop assistants, and a shopper’s guide to spotting the best stores by Sandie.

You can read an extract here.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 25, 2008 in Book News, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (0)

TV News: Dustbin Baby

Jaqueline Wilson's children's book, Dustbin Baby, has been made into a BBC1 family drama to be shown at Christmas time. It stars Juliet Stevenson, Dakota Blue Richards and David Haig. [via BBC Press Office]

The heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting story follows a young teenager called April whose troubled life began in a dustbin – a new-born baby, abandoned and alone, not celebrated, not wanted but discarded and left like so much rubbish in an industrial bin behind a pizza parlour.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 25, 2008 in Television, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 24, 2008 3:57 PM

Massive Opening Weekend for Twilight

Twilight has broken the record for the biggest opening weekend for a female directed film (Catherine Hardwicke). Opening in the US this weekend the film even beat James Bond by taking $70.6m.

Stephenie Meyer's second novel in the Twilight series, New Moon, has also been given the green light to go into production. [via BBC]

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 24, 2008 in Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

MORE ON MONDAY: Who Can Save Us Now? Ed. by Owen King and John McNally

I wrote about Who Can Save Us Now? back in July when Jennifer Weiner mentioned it on her blog. It is an anthology of short stories about super heroes and Jennifer has a story of her own in there. I was drawn to this book as I have my own little super heroine story I'm working on, plus of course, I'm a massive fan of Jennifer's. However, I'm not a big fan of the short story, don't know why, so it was going to be interesting how I got on with it.

There are twenty two writers who have taken part and written some very up to date and modern stories. Now I'm not one of these comic book superhero fans who can talk about genre, statistics and stuff with any degree of authority. In fact make that no degree of authority. Basically I don't have a clue. All I know is, I like a good story.

And in the anthology you will find good stories. But you will also find some mediocre ones. Some of them I started and struggled with, quickly moving on to the next one. But others had me gripped. (Obviously) Jennifer Weiner's was one of them. Her unusual superhero story had me intrigued and, indeed, gave me a few goosebumps along the spine.

It is difficult to rate an anthology as there is always going to be variations in quality. However I'll give this a three out of five on average, but please remember there are some fours and fives in there too. (As well as some ones and twos but that's by the by).

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try In Bed With...

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 24, 2008 in More On Monday, Rating: 3/5, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 21, 2008 2:23 PM

Jo Brand's Memoirs

Jo Brand has signed a two book deal with Headline for her memoirs. The comedian has already written a couple of novels, including It's Different For Girls, and has another novel, The More You Ignore Me, out in May next year.

Her autobiographies will cover her life working as a psychiatric nurse, before hitting the road as a burgeoning stand- up, as well as her marriage and children. The first one will be out in October 2009 with the second released the following year. [via The Bookseller]

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 21, 2008 in Celebrity Authors, Memoirs | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK NEWS: The Difference A Day Makes

Carole Matthews is one quick writer. Having just read and reviewed two of her books that were released this year (one admittedly in paperback) I've just noticed that she has another out early next year.

The Difference A Day Makes is about William and Amy Ashurst, who decide to make a go of it in the Yorkshire Moors. Kind of like The Good Life meets Wife In The North. Read more over the cut.

William and Amy Ashurst are typical townies, dedicated professionals at the top of their tree, with two adorable children and an au pair who cooks, cleans and cares for them all. Then one day Will collapses on his way into work and he decides he’s never going back. So it is that, three months later, Amy is standing outside Helmshill Grange, a sullen monstrosity of a house, deep in the Yorkshire moors, with their own land as far as the eye can see. It’s what William says he’s always wanted, which is slightly worrying as he couldn’t be bothered to do his own gardening in Notting Hill, and would rather pick up a book than a spade. Within days, Will’s traded in their brand new Audi for a clapped out Land Rover, and brought home chickens, goats, sheep, a serial-killer cat and a mad dog. Then tragedy strikes and Amy learns that it’s one thing living the dream, but when the dream’s not your own, how long can it last?

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 21, 2008 in New Releases | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 20, 2008 11:43 AM

BOOK NEWS: Going It Alone

I might be judging a book by it's cover (so to speak), but I've just seen the synopsis for Clare Dowling's new book and couldn't help but feel that a plot concerning a woman and her ticking biological clock is a little tired...

Millie's biological clock has been ticking for some time, and on the eve of her fortieth birthday the alarm bell starts ringing. She needs to have a baby and fast, but after months of fruitless trying, her husband Andrew is feeling like a walking sperm bank and their marriage is in crisis. Matters come to a head when Andrew's job relocates to London and Millie decides that if he won't stick around to get her pregnant, then she'll do it without him.

What do you think? Exciting plot or been there done that?

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 20, 2008 in Irish Authors, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (1)

BOOK REVIEW: Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

I turned to what is probably my favourite book of all time, when the book I was going to review today was so depressingly poor, I couldn't get past the first chapter. I have therefore decided to (re)read and review something of quality - just to remind myself that there are some cracking books out there.

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott follows Little Women and Good Wives and fascinatingly shows us what has happened to Jo, Meg, Amy, Laurie and indeed Plumfield.

In the first two books Louisa demonstrates her ability to write excellent female characters. There are some men in there, but it is mainly about the four girls. In Little Men we are given just as well drawn male characters (orphans, relatives, boarders and a firebrand), along with a feisty young girl called Nan and Jo's niece Daisy (Meg's daughter, along with her son Demi). They all live at Plumfield which is now a school.

Jo is now Mrs Bhaer, married to the professor, and they have a beautiful life in gorgeous countryside with Amy and Meg just down the road. Whenever I open the book I feel snug and secure as I read about the innocent goings on of the children and how Jo is teaching them manners, patience and lots of other life lessons. When everything is getting chaotic around me, Little Men is like the calm bit at the middle of a hurricane.

And I just love this invitation from Daisy and Nan to the boys. To me, this just sums up the whole book.

Mrs Shakespeare Smith would like to have Mr John Brooke, Mr Thomas Bangs, and Mr Nathaniel Blake to come to her ball at three o'clock today.

P.S Nat must bring his fiddle, so we can dance, and all the boys must be good, or they cannot have any of the nice things we have cooked.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott (the final one)

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 20, 2008 in American Authors, Classic Novels, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 19, 2008 1:14 PM

MOVIE NEWS: The Lucky One

It was only two months ago when I announced that, following the success of The Notebook, Dear John, a novel by Nicholas Sparks was going to be adapted into a film.

And still the love affair between Mr Sparks and Hollywood is not over. Yet another of his novels, The Lucky One, is now being adapted after Warner Bros. snapped up the rights. It was published just a few weeks ago. [via Empire] See over the cut to see what it is all about.

The Lucky One tells the story of Logan Thibault, a Marine who survives three tours in Iraq. He attributes his good fortune to a photograph he carried of a woman he has never met, and he sets out to meet his good-luck charm when he returns to North Carolina.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 19, 2008 in Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

MOVIE NEWS: The Twilight premiere

I probably shouldn't say again that I've no intention of reading the Twilight series of books, because every time I say that you try to convince me, but I might watch the film, okay?

So, in that spirit, our US sister site, ShinyStyle, has posted up a gallery of pics from the Twilight premier. Check it out here.

Related posts: Twilight trailer | Twilight sequels | Book review: Twilight

Posted by Keris on November 19, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK NEWS: Crossed Wires

I loved Rosy Thornton's More Than Love Letters and I love the sound of her third book, Crossed Wires.

This is the story of Mina, a girl at a Sheffield call centre whose next customer in the queue is Peter, a Cambridge geography don who has crashed his car into a tree stump when swerving to avoid a cat.

Despite their obvious differences, they’ve got a lot in common – both single, both parents, both looking for love. Could it be that they’ve just found it?

Crossed Wires is an old-fashioned fairy tale. It is about the small joys and tribulations of parenthood; about one-ness and two-ness; about symmetry and coincidence; about the things that separate us and the things that bring us together.

Rosy Thornton, you had me at "Old-fashioned fairy tale"!

Related: Rosy Thornton interview

Posted by Keris on November 19, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (0)

SPOTLIGHT: Katherine Center

Last month Keris raved about Katherine Center's debut novel, The Bright Side of Disaster, and also reported on her second novel, Everyone is Beautiful, which will be released early next year. Her books have some stunning covers, except the UK one naturally, we have a fab interview with her here and her website is lovely too. So with all this gushing, we have to know more. This week the spotlight is on Katherine Center.

On her website it says Katherine always intended to be a writer, and as you read through her biography you can see that is absolutely so. Her whole life appears to have centered around words and writing.

She started as a child with lists and journals, then moved on to write poems and a column for her school newspaper, along with short stories. At college she majored in English, continued to write her stories and won a prize for her novella. She then went on to win a fellowship with the University of Houston and their creative writing programme, teaching English and gaining an MA in Fiction. She also co-edited Gulf Coast.

Since then she has taught creative writing and worked in a book shop. See what I mean about being constantly surrounded by words?

Katherine has been named as one of seven new writers to watch by BookPage. Her third novel is to be called Get Lucky. Apparently she is now starting on her fourth. And she has two young children. I am seriously impressed.

More Spotlight

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 19, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK REVIEW: His Other Lover by Lucy Dawson

Reviewed by Amy Sheehan

His Other Lover is the debut novel by journalist Lucy Dawson, and tells the story of a relationship riddled with lies, deceit, and manipulation. It’s narrated in the first person by the main character, Mia, who discovers at the start of the book that her partner, Pete, has been having an affair with an actress named Liz.

From that moment, Mia is like a woman obsessed. Concealing her knowledge from Pete, she carries on the relationship like normal, while secretly plotting her revenge. She’s a woman on a mission, and is determined to fight to save her relationship, and will go to any lengths to do so.

I thought this book was fantastic, and definitely of the ‘can’t put it down’ variety. Dawson is a brilliant writer, she expertly manipulates the reader’s emotions so that our assumptions are constantly challenged and our sympathies never remain the same from one page to the next. As soon as you think you know what’s going on, something else happens and all your assumptions are cast in doubt once more.

None of the characters were really likeable; at the end I felt sorry for one person, and probably not who you would expect. Despite this, I could really relate to the characters and imagine myself in their position, especially Mia. Although her behaviour becomes more and more extreme - to the point that at times I began to question her sanity - it was amazing how much I could put myself in her shoes, and wonder what I would have done had I been in her situation.

The novel was very cleverly written, there are so many twists and turns and it didn’t lose pace for a moment. I was constantly engrossed and on the edge of my seat. The best thing was how it really raises some interesting ethical questions and I could imagine a book group sitting round for an hour discussing this.

It also had a cracker of an ending which cleverly left everything open for the reader to make their own judgement. Who’s telling the truth? Has Mia descended into madness, or is she just doing what she has to do to protect her relationship? I suspect everyone will have their own opinion, and it's this moral ambiguity that makes the novel so satisfying.

It’s not cute, it’s not heartwarming, but it will make you think and keep you up all night turning the pages. Highly recommended.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Got You Back by Jane Fallon

Posted by Aigua Media on November 19, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (3)

November 18, 2008 4:29 PM

Do you suffer from book amnesia?

Peter Robins wrote a piece for the Telegraph yesterday about buying a book only to get it home and find that you already own it.

At first I thought I could confidently say I'd never done this - sometimes if I see a favourite book with a new cover I really, really want to buy it again - but then I remembered, I did do it. Just a couple of weeks ago, in fact. With the first book in Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series. (I could have sworn I'd loaned it to someone and, since I wanted to re-read them all before the final instalment comes out, I had to buy it again!)

What about you? Are your shelves crammed with duplicates?

Posted by Keris on November 18, 2008 in Opinion | Permalink | Comments (5)

BOOK NEWS: 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love

Opinions of Linda Green's debut, I Did A Bad Thing, were mixed. Her follow-up, 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love, is out in January. What's it about?

Jo Gilroy is done with love. And who can blame her, after her partner Richard walked out on her on their son's first birthday? Richard, unfortunately also Jo's boss, is now happily ensconced with the station's stick-thin weather girl. And what's more, he's demoted Jo, an award-winning news reporter, to covering the fluffy 'And finally' stories at the end of the news. Can the humiliation get any worse? But then Jo meets Dan, a mysterious balloon sculptor, whose creations enchant her son Alfie. Jo is determined not to lose her heart again - but she may have just met her match...

Will you be reading it?

Posted by Keris on November 18, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (1)

MOVIE NEWS: House of Night

With the hype surrounding Twilight and the film that is being released any time soon, it is no surprise to see another series of Young Adult novels about vampires has been snapped up by Hollywood.

The House of Night series of books by P.C and Kristin Cast starts with Marked and, I believe, has just reached the fourth book in the series of nine in total. [via Empire]

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 18, 2008 in Movie News, Supernatural | Permalink | Comments (70)

BOOK REVIEW: It's A Kind Of Magic by Carole Matthews

What is it with Carole Matthews and her book titles recently? A few weeks ago I read All You Need Is Love (ta da da da daa) and now I have Freddie Mercury with his moustache and yellow jacket in my head. Not a bad image but quite distracting when you're trying to read and write.

As you may guess from the title, It's A Kind of Magic (gah! Every time I write this I'm doing the backing vocals) is a magical book. Chick lit with fairies. I am not averse to a bit of magical fantasy in any of the books I read, as long as it is done well. I loved Garden Spells where the magic and fantasy was applied in such a subtle way, it was still believable. With It's A Kind Of Magic, the magic was applied with a sledgehammer. Nevertheless I still found it entertaining.

Emma and Leo have been on and off for around five years. Emma is a neat and control freak whereas Leo is untidy, unreliable and, if I'm honest, a right, royal pain. On Emma's thirtieth birthday he rolls up over two hours late, drunk and falls into her birthday cake. Emma breaks it off and this time she means it.

Or does she?

Walking home that night Leo meets a woman on Tower Bridge. She comes home with him and turns his life upside down. For she is not human. She is a fairy - with a wand and everything.

And I can accept that, for it isn't the magic I have a problem with. What didn't quite ring true for me were the characters of Emma and Leo. Emma whines a lot about Leo, saying she loves him, but most of the time she just hates being on her own. Leo was meant to be cute, in a childlike way, but I just found him irritating and certainly not likable enough to root for him.

Despite all this I still found the book entertaining enough to want to finish it which is great as I have plenty that I am struggling to start at the moment. Carole has that great ability to suck you in and, by keeping her chapters short, with a mini cliffhanger at the end of each of them, you just have to carry on. She also made me laugh out loud a few times. Not something I am prone to do.

I would, however, have liked a different ending. I love romance and the bit where you finally see which people get it together. But when I finally closed the book I felt like I had eaten too much toffee (and I hadn't even had my breakfast yet). The words that popped into my mind were "sickly" and "sweet".

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try I much preferred Carole's latest one (out in hardback) All You Need Is Love

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 18, 2008 in Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 17, 2008 12:21 PM

BOOK NEWS: Love and Other Natural Disasters

Because I am an extremely lucky duck, I received a parcel of books last week and I got completely overexcited. Not just because they were matching proofs and the looked so pretty, but also because one of them was this book, Love and Other Natural Disasters by Holly Shumas.

I loved Holly's debut, Five Things I Can't Live Without and so I can't wait to read this. It's out in January. (I know I can read it sooner, but I have to read books in order, you know!) Read all about it here.

Posted by Keris on November 17, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (2)

MORE ON MONDAY: The Hermux Tantamoq Adventures series by Michael Hoeye

I was planning to simply review the latest book in this delightful series - Time to Smell the Roses - but then I realised that most of you will probably not have heard of the books at all, so instead, I thought I'd introduce them!

I discovered Hermux Tantamoq a few years ago when I worked at Waterstone's. I met the author, Michael Hoeye, at an event and I'd loved the first book, Time Stops for No Mouse, so much that I made an absolute arse of myself. (Okay, the free drink probably didn't help.)

The Hermux Tantamoq series began as emails Michael Hoeye sent to his wife while she was travelling and features the rodent residents of Pinchester. The hero is watchmaker and part-time detective, Hermux Tantamoq who an Amazon reviewer describes - quite brilliantly, in my opinion - as "Niles Crane as a mouse".

In the first book, we're introduced to Hermux's pet ladybird, Terfle, and also meet the soon-to-become love of Hermux's life: adventurer and aviatrix, Linka Perflinger. In this and further books, we meet mysterious chipmunks, a mouse supremicist group, genetically modified bees and more.

The books have been described as Indiana Jones meets Beatrix Potter and that does sum them up neatly. But I'm not sure it conveys how charming, funny and romantic they are. They're also, at times, quite genuinely tense, even for me who is about 30 years older than the target audience!

The characters are incredibly well-developed. So much so that you often forget that you're reading about rodents.

They'd be ideal books to read aloud at bedtime - particularly since each chapter is only about three pages long - but I think I've read each of the books in one sitting. A hot chocolate and a doughnut (or ten) would be the perfect accompaniment. Or maybe a dried aphid, if you're a ladybug.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try ... er, nothing we've reviewed. But I guess it's kind of similar to The Rescuers or Stuart Little!

Posted by Keris on November 17, 2008 in American Authors, More On Monday, Rating: 5/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (2)

BOOK NEWS: Fourth Jordan autobiography

Well she might be training for an olympic gold, the London Marathon and launching countless branded items, but Katie Price still has time to "write" her fourth autobiography. She is also penning her fourth novel as well as a style guide. [via The Sun]

There really is no stopping her. She even made it onto Meg Cabot's blog (near the bottom if you are looking).

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 17, 2008 in Book News, Celebrity Authors | Permalink | Comments (0)

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince - the trailer

It is that time of year when we should be looking forward to the next installment of Harry Potter at the cinema. Instead, *sigh* we have to wait until next summer. I can't wait to see it, especially now I've just watched the trailer. If you click on over the cut, you can see it too.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 17, 2008 in Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 14, 2008 3:09 PM

House of books!

No, I wouldn't want to live there, but sculptor Livio de Marchi's house made entirely of books - or wood shaped to look like books - is pretty cool, don't you think?

See more pictures of the project - Casa di Libri No. 1 - here. [via Jezebel]

Posted by Keris on November 14, 2008 in Bookish products | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK NEWS: Girls Are Best

I've seen this book by Sandi Toksvig in various places over the last few weeks, but have been put off by the title so didn't investigate further. Yes, even though I am a girl, I also have a son so I didn't like to think of one gender being *better* than another.

However, on closer inspection I actually really like the sound of what is inside. Women have played a huge part throughout history but their contribution has largely been ignored. For example, did you know that there were actually female Gladiators - Gladiatrices? No? Neither did I. See more over the cut.

For as long as history has been recorded, girls haven't had much of a look in amongst all the great men we remember. But that doesn't mean they weren't there. And it doesn't mean that they didn't achieve great things, come up with wonderful inventions or win battles. Lots of people have heard of Joan of Arc, Boadicea and Florence Nightingale, but...Did you know that Nimkasi was the Sumerian Goddess of Beer? Or that it was Mary Jacob Phelps who invented the bra? In this book, Sandi Toksvig shows that His-tory is actually Her-story. Though they're often ignored or overlooked, women have changed the world.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 14, 2008 in Non Fiction | Permalink | Comments (2)

BOOK COVER: Just Breathe

I love this cover. It makes me feel all free and summery, which is quite an achievement since I'm far from both (it's drizzly and I'm the size of a car).

You can read all about it on Susan Wiggs' website (I've never heard of her before - spotted this cover on GoodReads); it sounds great. Plus you can actually browse the book here.

Related: More Book Covers

Posted by Keris on November 14, 2008 in Book covers | Permalink | Comments (1)

BOOK REVIEW: Engaging Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn & My Mother's Wish by Jerry Camery-Hoggatt

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Two Christmas Stories You Can Believe In

I love Christmas. I love the lights, the tree, even the hustle and bustle. But, one of my most favorite things about Christmas is treating myself to a cup of cocoa and a good Christmas story. Some years I'm drawn back to the old standbys like A Christmas Carol or even How The Grinch Stole Christmas. But, this year I have two new Christmas favorites.

The first book, Engaging Father Christmas, is actually the second book in a series by Robin Jones Gunn. (The first book is Finding Father Christmas - my last year's favorite.)

Gunn's novellas are cozy. Set in London, they have everything I need for a heartwarming Christmastime read - love, intrigue and, of course, a happy ending. The books each stand alone, but my recommendation would be to read them together.

In Engaging Father Christmas, the main character, Miranda Carson, is headed to see her boyfriend whom she met the prior Christmas. She's unsure of exactly where they stand and running into a old flame at the train station makes things even more complicated. She's also in town to see her step-mother - a woman who hasn't been able (or willing) to accept her as a true member of the family. She's hoping this trip she'll be able to win her approval and finally have a real family. But, a serious of events casts a doubtful shadow over Miranda's trip and she's not sure she'll ever find a family to belong to.

The second story is My Mother's Wish: An American Christmas Carol by Jerry Camery-Hoggatt. The US is joining the ranks of the Christmas Carol producers and this YA novella is a sweet example. Ellee, a frustrated teenage girl, just doesn't see things the way the rest of the world does. Her controlling mother won't give her a break, even refusing to refer to her as anything but Eleanor (her grandmother and namesake) and comparing her every move to that of her perfect sister.

Ellee finally gets fed up and decides that running away from home is the only way to escape her mother's disappointment in her. She gets more than she bargained for when she finds herself at the Comeback Cafe with no money, no ride and not a friend in site. Lives interwoven is the theme of this book and it's a beautiful picture of how each of us can have an effect on those around us.

Rating: 4/5

Posted by Aigua Media on November 14, 2008 in American Authors, Inspirational, New Releases, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

MOVIE NEWS: Twilight Sequels

With the imminent release of Twilight - it opens in the UK on December 19th - news of the sequels has also been released. Summit Entertainment has optioned the three other books (New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) with a screenwriter already hired to adapt New Moon and Eclipse.

[via Empire]

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 14, 2008 in Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 13, 2008 5:48 PM

World's best paid authors

This info is actually over a month old, but I've only just seen it. I think the full list might have been overshadowed by the woman at the top...

So here is Forbes magazines list of the Top 10 best paid authors:

1. JK Rowling, $300m
2. James Patterson, $50m
3. Stephen King, $45m
4. Tom Clancy, $35m
5. Danielle Steel, $30m
6. (Tie) John Grisham, $25m
7. (Tie) Dean Koontz, $25m
8. Ken Follett, $20m
9. Janet Evanovich, $17m
10. Nicholas Sparks, $16m

Notice anything about that list? Yep, only three women. Seems a bit puzzling to me, since it's women who buy the majority of books and presumably they're not biased by the sex of the author. So it is simply that male authors garner bigger publishing advances and book deals? Or that male books will sell to both men and women, while books by women aren't bought by men? (Apart from JK Rowling's and, let's not forget, that's why she was "JK" - rather than Joanne - in the first place, because otherwise boys wouldn't have read her books.)

I also can't help noticing that many of the books by the male authors have been made into movies. Yes, of course, JK Rowling's have too, and Danielle Steele's have been made into mini-series and TV movies (which, I can only assume, don't bring in the big bucks like a proper blockbuster), but Janet Evanovich's, despite there being talk of movies for years now, have just not happened.

Of course, it's possible I'm being paranoid, but it just seems a bit... uneven. What do you think?

Posted by Keris on November 13, 2008 in Opinion | Permalink | Comments (1)

BOOK NEWS: Stick or Twist

Goodness, this book sounds so very, very chick litty it makes even me cringe a leetle. Check it out:

Name: Anna Christie Age: Very, very early thirties Marital status: Living with boyfriend Sex: It’s been a while. Maybe six weeks? Career: Crafting sparkling features for magazine Casual Chic such as ‘Man Boobs: Why No Marriage is Safe’ Current dilemma: What to do when your much loved boyfriend of ten years gets down on one knee and pops the question you’ve been secretly dreading?

Options: Stick – say yes, jump on the marriage bandwagon, accept that babies are now standard issue and always wonder if the grass is greener ... OR Twist – walk away, move onto your best friend’s sofa, pine for your ex but perk up once sexy and seemingly perfect Harry comes breezing into your life… Hilarious, romantic and painfully honest, Stick or Twist proves that sometimes the most unlikely man turns out to be the One.

What do you think? It sounds a bit more 1998 than 2008, no?

Posted by Keris on November 13, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lipstick Jungle Cancelled?

Just when I was getting into the series I find Lipstick Jungle, the programme based on Candace Bushnell's book, is being cancelled by NBC. In the UK we are coming to the end of the first season and the second season is well underway in the US.

Apparently it has struggled to find a widespread audience. NBC has yet to comment.[THR.com]

Related posts: Lipstick Jungle Coming to Living | The New SJP?

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 13, 2008 in Television | Permalink | Comments (5)

BOOK REVIEW: Always and Forever by Cathy Kelly

I have read a number of Cathy Kelly books in the past. Some I've liked and others I was frustrated with. She is, because she is Irish and writes about women in Ireland, compared, perhaps unfairly, with Maeve Binchy. However, she's a talented and bestselling author, and if you choose the right book you can really get sucked in. The thing is, was Always and Forever going to do that?

Based in the beautiful town of Carrickwell we have Mel, Daisy and Cleo. Mel is a high flying career woman and mother of two who is busy and stressed trying to keep all the balls in the air. Daisy is in a settled relationship with her boyfriend and longing for a child. Cleo, fresh from her hotel management degree, is frustrated with the way her family is running the family hotel. When Leah opens Clouds Hill spa (which, incidentally, makes me think of wine every time I read it) their lives are eventually thrown together, giving them the courage to find out what really matters.

Or at least that is what the blurb on the back of the book says.

What I found was we had three women, each with separate lives and with their own individual struggles they must battle against. They finally get to know each other well over two thirds into the book and by then two of them have already decided what it is they are going to do. This in no way detracts from the quality of the story, far from it, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. You know - three women getting together and putting the world to rights sort of thing.

Because of their individual stories we get to know the women really well and I could identify with each character. Leah, I found a little too good to be true, but by then I was well enough into the story not to care.

This is what is described as a feel good story. Warm, engaging, slightly formulaic and stereotypical perhaps, but a good yarn nevertheless.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Heart & Soul by Maeve Binchy

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 13, 2008 in Irish Authors, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 12, 2008 12:13 PM

Those SATC Sequel Rumours

I know, I know, I'm back again with more Sex And The City news...but I feel it is my job, no my duty, to let you all know what is happening as soon as I hear it myself. Last week I told you that Kim Cattrall had confirmed that a sequel will commence filming next summer. However...

SJP, busy with her Washingtonienne project, has poured a teeny tiny bit of cold water over Kim's comments. She has said, I’m thrilled to know Kim is excited but all the deals are not yet done. With ‘"the wind on our heels," we hope to make it a reality. [via Pop Sugar]

It's not a no, though.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 12, 2008 in Movie News | Permalink | Comments (1)

BOOK COVERS: Catriona McCloud

I've mentioned Catriona McCloud's disappointing covers before, but they were the covers of the hardback (or, more like, large format paperback). Look:

Completely blah, right? Well, check out the small paperback covers over the cut.

Much better, yes? I mean, I don't adore them, but they're a great improvement on the originals, don't you think?

Related posts: Growing Up Again review | Straight Up

Posted by Keris on November 12, 2008 in Book covers | Permalink | Comments (6)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Katherine Center

I've probably wittered on about Katherine Center (author of The Bright Side of Disaster) quite enough, so her interview needs no introduction (which is good, because I don't like writing 'em):

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

A love story about what happens after happily ever after.

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

In bed, baby! I try to do pretty much everything in bed.

Your favourite chick-lit book?

I read Marisa de los Santos's Love Walked In not too long ago and loved it. [Me too. And her second, Belong to Me, is even better - Keris]

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

Probably Elizabeth Bennett. I love how smart and steady she is, despite everything. The first time I read Pride & Prejudice was in school. My older sister found it in my backpack and said, "You're going to love this book." And then she sat down on my bed and read me the first chapter. And I was hooked.

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

Start a blog! It's such a great way to find readers--and other writers--and keep yourself in practice. Some blogs have truly breathtaking writing.

What are you reading at the moment?

Steve Martin's Born Standing Up.

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

I am finishing up my third novel, Get Lucky. It's a romantic comedy about a woman who offers to have a baby for her sister.

Do you have a theme song?

Right now I am loving the song "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" by Cake. The lyrics are so sharply written, and I love how feisty that girl in the song is. Plus the horn section totally rocks. Watch it here.

What question have you never been asked in an interview, but think you should have been? (Tell us the question and answer it too, if you like!)

My neighbor the other day asked, "How do you get it all done?"

And I had to tell her that I don't. I don't get it all done. I'm a terrible housewife, and there are piles papers everywhere. But there are only so many hours in the day. Spending time with my kids, writing as much as I can, and joking around with my husband are the only things that are vital every day. All the other stuff? I get to it when I can. (And that's not all that often!)

Thanks, Katherine!

Posted by Keris on November 12, 2008 in Interviews | Permalink | Comments (1)

SPOTLIGHT: Martina Cole

Now I know Martina Cole is not a chick lit author but she has come to my attention as I've been sent her new book, The Business, to review. Whilst I don't think I could read it at the moment, being pregnant my dreams are extremely vivid enough without reading about gangland crime, I will have a go once the baby pops out. I am, however, fascinated by Martina's own story on how she became a full time bestselling writer. So this week, the spotlight is on her.

The more I find out about Martina, the more inspired I get. She was born and raised in Essex in 1959. She has had what many people would call a hard life, her first boyfriend was a bank robber, her parents died when she was young and she became a single mother living in a carpet-less council flat at the age of nineteen. But she doesn't regret any of it.

She began writing her first novel, Dangerous Lady, at the age of twenty but put it in a drawer for a decade. The turning point came when the old lady she was nursing (Martina was an agency nurse by then) told her it wasn't the things she did but the things she didn't do that she'd regret. She immediately bought an electronic typewriter and, over the next six months, redrafted her story. She sent it to an agent and bam, received a phone call from him wanting to sign her up. This was 1992. Since then she has written a book almost every year.

Her books have been described as violent, but she reckons this wouldn't be such an issue if she was a man. She has also been accused of romanticising violence, but she begs to differ. My books show the causes of violence and its after-effects. You've got to talk to male authors about romanticising violence.

So besides not wanting to regret the things she didn't do, what else drives her? Simply that, like many other successful writers, I just write something that I'd want to read.

To read more I got much of my information from this interview in The Times and from Martina's website.

Martina Cole's books.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 12, 2008 in Crime / Mystery, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

BOOK REVIEW: Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch

I really enjoyed Allison Winn Scotch's debut, The Department of Lost and Found, and I'd been looking forward to her second book, Time of My Life for a while (particularly since I saw the beautiful cover).

It's another in a fairly long line of "what if" type books. Like Jenny Colgan's Do You Remember the First Time (in which a 30-year-old woman wakes up one day to find herself transported back to age 16). Or Catriona McCloud's almost-brilliant Growing Up Again, in which the main character also goes back in time to age 15.

Time of My Life has probably got the most in common with Mil Millington's Instructions For Living Someone Else's Life, in which Chris Mortimer goes to bed aged 25 in 1988 and wakes up aged 43 in 2006. But, you know, in the opposite direction.

Time of My Life's Jillian only goes back seven years, but they're an important seven years. In the present, she's married to Henry, living in the suburbs, a stay-at-home mom to eighteen month old Katie. She's not happy and more and more she finds herself thinking about her former life in New York, working as an advertising executive and living with the sexy Jackson.

And then - via a masseur unblocking her chi - she's back in her old life. At first, it's good. The sex is better than she remembered and, thanks to her future knowledge, she's kicking ass at work. But she misses her daughter. And, when she starts bumping into her future husband, Henry - and is able to directly compare him to Jackson - she's not sure which time she belongs in.

I enjoyed Time of My Life, but I found it a bit slow-going. Reviews on the back cover describe it as "a fabulous, madcap read". Also "funny" and "hilarious". I'm not sure they were reading the same book. I didn't find it funny at all and it's far from madcap. In fact, it's what I would call emotionally intelligent. Jillian looks deeply into the experiences that made her into the person she was (in the future, if you know what I mean). Her mother's abandonment at age 9. The death of her best friend. Her need to be popular.

Despite this, I never really felt I got to know Jillian as well as I would have liked. In fact, I was more interested in her friend Megan and I'd love to read a book from her point of view.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Growing Up Again by Catriona McCloud

Posted by Keris on November 12, 2008 in American Authors, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 11, 2008 12:52 PM

BOOK NEWS: Oscar Season

I love the Oscars. Everyone does, don't they? So when I saw this book - Oscar Season by Mary McNamara - I was surprised that there haven't been more chick lit books featuring the most glamorous awards show in the world.

The Pinnacle is the place to stay during the Oscars, and this year the pre-Awards crises have reached fever pitch: a very recognizable body is found in the pool, Hollywood's leading man is secretly holed up in the Presidential Suite, and the larger-than-life producer of the Oscars will stop at nothing for higher ratings.

A consummate professional, the hotel's PR manager Juliette Greyson must do a careful dance to save the hotel while somehow sparing herself and her famed clientele in the process. But first Juliette must figure out what is real and what is staged? Who is lying and who is acting? And when does murder stop being murder, and start becoming damn good publicity?

Sounds fab to me. (The cover's a bit disappointing though, isn't it?) What do you think?

Posted by Keris on November 11, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ways To Live Forever Wins Prize

Sally Nicholls' debut Ways To Live Forever which Keris found moving, but also sweet, charming and funny, has been awarded the Glen Dimplex New Writers Awards 2008. [via Booktrade]

The young adult book, about a boy dying of leukaemia, was written when Sally was 23. Her second novel, Season of Secrets, will be out in April next year.

More Book News

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 11, 2008 in Book News, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK NEWS: Fern - My Story

There are so many celeb autobiographies out this Christmas I can feel my eyes glazing over, but I saw Fern Britton on The One Show last night talking about her book and my eyes refocused slightly.

The queen of morning television, she is the sort of woman who keeps her private life private. (Not any more!) According to the show last night the book is not laugh a minute but talks about her struggles with post natal depression, a fibriod tumour and the breakdown of her marriage. She battles though all of the setbacks and emerges a contended person. Do you know, this is an autobiography I wouldn't mind reading.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 11, 2008 in Celebrity Authors | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK REVIEW: Crystal by Katie Price

Reviewed by Amy Sheehan

Crystal is the story of Crystal, Tahlia and Belle, who together make up the band Lost Angels. They’ve almost given up on getting their lucky break when they decide to enter the television contest Band Ambition - basically The X Factor for groups. Of course they win and the girls soon find themselves catapulted into the world of fame and stardom.

Unfortunately, though, the start of this new glittering career brings with it a whole host of problems for Crystal, and soon a secret of hers threatens to cost her everything…

I quite enjoyed Crystal - it’s a easy and relaxing read. My first introduction to Price’s work, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I feared. In actual fact, there’s a heck of a lot going on in Crystal, and one weakness would be that some of the plotlines weren’t nearly as developed as they could have been.

As mentioned, the idea of the TV show talent contest is a shameless rip off, and one of the judges, Dallas, even resembles Simon Cowell. However, this criticism pales in comparison to my main problem with the book: the hero. I couldn’t warm to him at all, he didn’t seem worthy of Crystal, and the final nail in the coffin for me was his treatment of Crystal after they finally got together.

Specifically, I took umbrage at a remark he made, in reference to Crystal’s ex, Max, who raped her. Jake and Crystal are in the kitchen canoodling and she says: “Save it for later, honey.” Jake replies: “I bet you never said that to him, did you? No? I bet you were open for business with him 24/7.” I was outraged, but Crystal, after storming off, is happily back with him within two more pages.

Less annoyingly, Jake is ridiculously blind to the fact that one of his female friends has a huge crush on him and is trying to break up him and Crystal, and he doesn’t support Crystal at all when she calls him out about this. I don’t know. He just wasn’t hero material for me. Also, some of the plotlines were a bit amateurish - Crystal is involved in a car crash that gets about a short paragraph devoted to it, for instance.

There was some good stuff, though. The interaction between the three girls was nicely done and very believable, and the portrayal of Tahlia in particular was very good. The novel also gave a very realistic portrait of media intrusion into the lives of celebrities and gave a good idea of what it must be like to have twisted versions of your personal life splashed all over the tabloids.

Because of the issues mentioned above and the fact that I found the second half of Crystal to be a bit slow, I would rate Crystal 2/5. However, it did have some promise and as I hear that Angel, Price’s first novel, is much better, I’d be very willing to read more of her books in the future.

Rating: 2/5

Like this? Try The Overnight Fame of Steffi McBride by AJ Crofts

Posted by Aigua Media on November 11, 2008 in British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Rating: 2/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 10, 2008 6:01 PM

Pretty Penguin classics

I spotted these gorgeous new Penguin Classics covers on US design blog, Design*Sponge.

Currently exclusive to Waterstone's, there are ten in the series, costing #12.99 each (why is my pound sign not working, does anyone know?).

Beautiful, aren't they?

Posted by Keris on November 10, 2008 in Book covers | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK NEWS: This Year It Will Be Different

If you have never read any Maeve Binchy before, but would like to, then this selection of short stories is an ideal introduction to her work. The book evokes the lives of wives, husbands, children, friends and lovers, all set during the one holiday when feelings cannot easily be hidden. Christmas.

I have got a copy and will review it soon. I've been warned however, that if you have read some of her short stories before in other collections they may be repeated in here.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 10, 2008 in Book News, Irish Authors | Permalink | Comments (2)

MORE ON MONDAY: Sense & Sensibility - The Diaries

With Lost in Austen still fresh in my mind, I was delighted when I found this little gem in the form of Emma Thompson's Sense & Sensibility diaries. Yes the diary was published in 1996 so I am a little behind here, but as Sense & Sensibility, along with Pride & Prejudice, is a timeless classic, then when it was written is irrelevant.

This isn't some huge celebrity tome however. Rather it is a slim one hundred or so pages full of Emma's warmth and honesty, giving you a fly on the wall account of how they put the film together.

It is written in diary form, i.e Little sleep. Left early to watch line up with Tom Wilkinson, which enhances the reading pleasure and Emma's humour is very apparent from the very first page. Lindsay goes around the table and introduces everyone - making it clear that I am present in the capacity of writer rather than actress, therefore no one has to be too nice to me.

I love this book. I found it fascinating and inspiring and if you are into the film or Emma Thompson then this is an absolute must.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try The Making of Pride & Prejudice by Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 10, 2008 in Celebrity Authors, More On Monday, Non Fiction, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

BOOK NEWS: What My Best Friend Did

I haven't read Lucy Dawson's debut, His Other Lover, but I do like her covers, despite the whole decapitation aspect. It's just nice to see a bold photo instead of a pastel illustration, don't you think? Anyway, her second book, What My Best Friend Did, is out in February.

When Alice meets Gretchen for the first time, it feels a bit like falling in love. Life's got a bit boringly grown-up of late: weekends at weddings and baby-showers, celebrating friends' transitions to a life she isn't quite up for yet, and, at home, a sweet-and-stable boyfriend she suspects she's outgrown. Gretchen Bartholomew, with her air of impulsiveness and intuitive style, is that rarest of things: a proper, new friend who knows how to have fun.

Even the added complication of Gretchen's gorgeous brother, Bailey, might actually be just what Alice needs. Before she knows what's hit her, Alice's brilliant new best friend is turning her world upside down. But Gretchen has a dark secret, which - like a grenade ticking in her hand - won't stay hidden for ever. The explosion may teach them both more than they ever wanted to know about how female friendships can go wrong.

Okay, glossing over the truly dreadful "a grenade ticking in her hand" simile (a grenade ticking in your hand is, in no way, hidden), it sounds interesting, don't you think?

Posted by Keris on November 10, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (1)

MOVIE NEWS: The Bright Side of Disaster

Katherine Center's debut is the best book I've read recently, so I was thrilled to see the movie rights have been optioned.

Have you read it? Any casting ideas? I'll have to think about it and get back to you.

Oh and I read it on Katherine's nearly new blog. I do love author blogs...

Posted by Keris on November 10, 2008 in Movie News | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 7, 2008 12:45 PM

Richard & Judy Christmas List

Eep, sorry, two Christmassy posts in a row, it wasn't deliberate, honest!

Richard & Judy, with their new programme Richard & Judy's New Position on the Watch channel, have revealed the first twenty books of their Richard & Judy Christmas Presents book strand.

The categories include Coffee Table Books, Cookery, Serious Non-Fiction, Stocking Fillers, Children's Books and Celebrity Autobiography. See over the cut for what is in each category. The feature begins on 19 November. [via The Bookseller]

Coffee table books:
The Half by Simon Annand
The Book of Islands by Philip Dodd/Ben Donald
Wisdom by Andrew Zuckerman
UltraLuxe Hotels

Cookery:
Cooking for Friends by Gordon Ramsay
Bake by Rachel Allen
Ripailles by Stephane Reynaud
Venezia by Tessa Kiros

Serious non-fiction:
Dr Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies/Benjamin Cook
Mckie's Gazetteer: A Local History of Britain by David McKie
Homework for Grown-ups by E Foley/B Coates
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

Stocking fillers:
Ladybird Pack For Boys
Harry Hill's Whopping Great Joke Book
The Mighty Book of Boosh
Love Letters of Great Men

Children's books:
Pink! by Lynne Rickards
This Dinosaur is So Big by Nick Sharratt
Spells by Emily Gravett
Dogfish by Gillian Shields

Celebrity Autobiographies: To be announced

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 7, 2008 in Book News, Richard and Judy | Permalink | Comments (0)

Emma Bridgewater Mug

So Christmas is coming up.

Boyfriend/husband/family asking you what you would like yet? (no? Mine aren't either.) I have found this however, which you may want to put on your list.

Happiness is a cup of coffee and a really good book. Quite. The mug that says it all can be found on Emma Bridgewater's website.

Related posts: Roald Dahl Mugs | Storybook Coasters | Ladybird Mugs

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 7, 2008 in Bookish products | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK NEWS: Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend

Goodness, Jenny Colgan seems to be very prolific lately, doesn't she? She's got yet another book - Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend - next year.

Sophie is a girl about town - living the party lifestyle with Daddy footing the bill. But when she gets embroiled in a scandalous affair, she is thrown out of home and left to fend for herself on the mean streets of London. Scraping a living as a cleaner in a photographic studio, living in a bedsit on the Old Kent Road, eating baked beans from the can - this is one spectacular fall from grace.

On top of that, she is papped by photographers every time she leaves the flat, with her so-called friends laughing at her downfall. But stepping in to solve a crisis at the studio, Sophie discovers that she is also quite handy with a camera, and a new career behind the lense is born. But when she is hired as the photographer for a society wedding, Sophie is thrust back into her old lifestyle, and discovers that perhaps money can't buy you happiness after all ...

Are you a Jenny Colgan fan? Will you be reading it?

Posted by Keris on November 7, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK REVIEW: The Overnight Fame of Steffi McBride

I wasn't exactly mad keen to read Andrew Crofts' debut novel, The Overnight Fame of Steffi McBride - I find it hard to maintain my interest in real dysfunctional soap stars, why would I want to read about a fictional one? But, despite that, I did find the premise intriguing and so I sat down to read...

... and I didn't get up again until I'd finished it. That makes it sound like a particularly gripping read and, while it *was* both gripping and entertaining, it was more that it was such an easy read. It would make a great holiday book.

Steffi wants to act, but her abusive father has told her in no uncertain terms that her doing so would bring shame on the family. So she has acting lessons in secret and it's at one of these lessons, when she gives a monologue describing her father beating her mother, that she is discovered by casting directors from Britain's biggest soap (which, unsuprisingly, sounds rather Eastenders-esque).

Steffi is thrown into the limelight and, despite basically playing a tart with a heart, apparently becomes enormously popular with the public. Next thing she's modelling for Elle (I found this a bit implausible - has anyone from Eastenders modelled for Elle?), being courted by a Max Clifford style PR guru and fixed up, both professionally and personally, with her childhood hero, former boy band singer, Luke.

Of course, her old life - her father's behaviour, the fact that she lived in a squat with her druggy boyfriend - is soon picked up on by the press who, as they do, take to hounding her pretty constantly. And then they get hold of an even bigger secret from her past - one that even Steffi's unaware of...

I really did enjoy this book. It found it convincing about the fake aspects of celebrity (although I found Steffi's mega-swift rise to fame a bit much) and how easily the people around you can change. What I didn't find entirely convincing was Steffi herself. I never really knew how she was coping with it all. I just didn't feel I'd really got under her skin. In fact, I didn't feel like I really knew any of the characters; they all could have been fleshed out so they felt more like real people.

Having said that, I'd quite like a sequel because I want to know what's next for Steffi!

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Secret Diaries of Abigail Titmuss by Abi Titmuss for a "real" version or The Truth About Ruby Valentine by Alison Bond for a fictional alternative

Posted by Keris on November 7, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 6, 2008 3:37 PM

MOVIE NEWS: Sex And The City - the sequel

Sex And The City - the sequel could begin filming as early as next year, if Kim Cattrall's remarks on The Paul O'Grady Show are to be believed. She has said we will do a sequel next summer but that it is difficult getting everybody who's so incredibly busy all together at the same time. [via BBC]

I would love to see another movie with all the girls, yet part of me also thinks they drew a line underneath it all with the last one. What do you think?

Related posts: The book of the movie | The DVD | Sex And The City review

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 6, 2008 in Movie News | Permalink | Comments (4)

BOOK REVIEW: Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

I have recently felt the urge to tidy my house (I think the official word for this part of my pregnancy is "nesting"). Whilst doing so I uncovered Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, a book I meant to review ages ago. I really enjoyed it and so did my mum when I passed it onto her, but it was only when I was researching it yesterday that I discovered this was a young adult book. I am, sadly, no longer a young adult, nor is my mother, proof, if proof were needed that Elsewhere (like many a young adult book) is a book that can be universally adored.

Like Lovely Bones, this is a book about the afterlife. Liz, who was in tenth grade, has been killed in a terrible hit and run accident and wakes up to find herself on a boat, traveling to Elsewhere. Whilst coming to terms with her death, she discovers that Elsewhere is a place very similar to earth - except for one thing. Everyone gets younger.

As I have already said, I adored this book, and I read it at a time when I was coming to terms with the unexpected death of someone in my own family. Whilst Elsewhere is obviously a figment of the author's imagination, I found it sad - yes, but also uplifting and inspiring. It wasn't a difficult read, unlike Lovely Bones, but is gentle, enchanting and beautifully written.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Memoirs of a Tennage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 6, 2008 in Rating: 5/5, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (1)

GUEST BLOG: Niamh Greene

Niamh Greene's new book, Confessions of a Demented Housewife, is out this month and so, to celebrate, she's written us a guest blog! Over to Niamh...

When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with Enid Blyton. I dreamt of going to a jolly hockey-sticks boarding school and having a tuck box. I longed to explore Kirrin Island and drink lashings of ginger beer. (I also made a friend pretend to be Timmy the dog – but that’s another story.) At night, I dug under the covers with my book and my torch (I could have just switched on my bedside lamp of course, but that wouldn’t have been a very Famous Five thing to do) and vowed that I was going to be an author when I grew up.

I was a very imaginative child and, cheered on by my encouraging parents, I filled countless green copybooks with flowery short stories of complicated capers a la Enid. My writing got deep and meaningful when I was a hormonal teenager - I even wore a beret in what I thought was a wildly creative way for a while (awful I know but, in my defence, Prince’s Raspberry Beret was big at the time). Then, thrilled to learn that an Arts degree meant I could legitimately lounge around reading for a few years, I went on to study English in university. But after graduation I wobbled. All my friends were pursuing business careers – maybe fantasizing about being a writer was pointless. Maybe I’d be far better off in an office doing spreadsheets – not that I knew what spreadsheets were or what they were used for, of course.

And so I buried my dream and kept busy in a series of unsatisfactory jobs, hell-bent on ignoring the annoying little voice inside that was goading me to write. But no matter how much I distracted myself, some nights I’d wake up with a story fully evolved in my mind and bolt out of bed to scribble it down – just so I could get back to sleep.

It was only when I had children that I really came back to writing. I doubted I’d forget the time the potty got stuck on my son’s head or the special occasion when my daughter asked a pregnant friend if her baby was cooked yet, but then again the sleep deprivation was terrible – I’d already forgotten my own name more than once so anything was possible. So I began writing down the hilarious things they did and said so I could embarrass them both when they were teenagers. It was while I was doing this that a germ of an idea came to me for what would be my first book – Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife. I did nothing with it of course – old habits die hard and I was too busy telling myself I couldn’t possibly try writing for real to even explore the idea. But when the children were older and out of the house until midday, I began writing in earnest. It was either that or tackle the housework and frankly I would have done almost anything to avoid emptying the dishwasher or starting the mountain of ironing that mocked me from across the kitchen.

So I sat at the computer and a strange thing began to happen – I remembered how much I loved to write. I found my voice and got carried away with the story – so carried away that sometimes I had to remind myself to pick up the kids at lunchtime. Now my second novel – Confessions of a Demented Housewife: The Celebrity Year – is on the shelves and I’m finally fulfilling my childhood dream. And yes, I’m still ignoring all the housework!

Thanks, Niamh!

Posted by Keris on November 6, 2008 in Guest blogs | Permalink | Comments (1)

BOOK NEWS: New Ellen Meister

I loved Ellen Meister's first novel, Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA and I'm currently enjoying her second, The Smart One. I've just read that she's moving to a new publisher for her third, The Silver Line, which tells the story of a suburban mom expecting her second child who discovers that she might be able to slip through a wrinkle in time and return to her single life.

It sounds great, but it also sounds uncannily like the book I plan to read next, Allison Winn Scotch's Time of my Life.

[via Publishers Weekly]

Posted by Keris on November 6, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 5, 2008 11:38 AM

More Meg Cabot

Sorry, but I just found this and had to share it. Meg talks about how she researches and plans her books... and how many books she's written that haven't been published (clue: it's a lot!).

Posted by Keris on November 5, 2008 in Book related | Permalink | Comments (1)

Romancing the Credit Crunch*

It may be that the country is sliding into negative equity and more and more of us are shopping at the cheaper supermarkets - but there is a company that is doing very well, thank you very much, during these dark and dismal times.

Mills & Boon. Yup, the publishers who are celebrating their centenary this year, could be having their best year yet. It appears that women are cheering themselves up and escaping the economic mess with titles such as The Italian's Captive Virgin and Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure (both by India Grey). [via Scotsman]

*Apologies for the use of this phrase, I know certain people hate it.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 5, 2008 in Book News, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

SPOTLIGHT: Andrea Levy

Andrea Levy and her book Small Island, published in 2004, has returned to our attention recently with the news that BBC One has commissioned an adaptation.

I haven't read the book, although it has been on my list for some time (and I must read it before next autumn which is when it will be screened), but it intrigues me, so this week I'm shining the spotlight on Andrea.

Born in Britain, Andrea Levy is the daughter of Jamaican parents who sailed over to England in 1948, searching for a better life. She grew up as a black child in a predominantly white country, so has an unusual perspective on the country of her birth. She neither felt totally included in society nor an outsider. It is this unique perspective which has been explored in her books.

Andrea, now living and working in London, began writing in her mid thirties. After attending writing workshops she, like many other people when they begin to write, wrote books that she wanted to read.

The awards she has won include the Arts Council Award, the Orange Prize for Fiction, Whitbread Novel Award and Commonwealth Writers Prize.

You can find more information on her website.

Bibliography

Every Light In The House Burnin' (1994)

Never Far From Nowhere (1996)

Fruit of The Lemon (1999)

Small Island (2004)

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 5, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK NEWS: Being Nikki

I LOVED Airhead, the first in Meg Cabot's, er, Airhead series.

The second, Being Nikki, isn't out until May 2009, but I thought I'd tell you about it anyway, because I'm excited. Are you? (Read more about it over the cut.)

Related posts: TV & Movie News: Meg Cabot | Meg Cabot interview

Things aren't pretty for Emerson Watts.

Em was sure there couldn't be anything worse than being a brainiac the body of a teenaged supermodel.

But it turned out she was wrong. Because that supermodel could turn out to have a mother who's gone mysteriously missing, a brother who's shown up on her doorstep demanding answers, a former best friend who's intent on destroying Stark Enterprises to avenge the death of his lost love, and a British heartthrob who's written a song about her that's topping the charts.

How can Em balance all that with school, runway shows, and weekend jaunts to St. Johns - especially when she's got ex-boyfriends crawling out of the woodwork who want more than just a photo op; a sister who is headed to the high school cheerleading championships; a company she represents that seems to be turning to the dark side...

Not to mention trying to convince the love of her life that models aren't really airheads after all...especially one model in particular.

But then, nobody said it was going to be easy being Nikki.

Posted by Keris on November 5, 2008 in American Authors, Book News, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (8)

BOOK REVIEW: The Babymoon by Melanie La`Brooy

Reviewed by Laura Rafter

As an Australian, I love it when I read a good book by an Aussie, especially when they are funny, insightful & of the chick-lit genre. Because what is not to love about that?

Melanie La'Brooy's fourth novel, The Babymoon, is the story of Isabelle and Dr Jack and their experiences of getting pregnant for the first time. It's filled with laugh-out-loud insights and situations that any girl can relate to, especially one that is a mum or one day wants to be one.

The story follows Isabelle's pregnancy from conception to birth and, while she was determined to be a calm earth mother-to-be, it doesn't exactly go according to plan. She spends most of her time worried that her child will be born with an exotic birth defect or come out a human/eel hybrid. Not to mention trying to figure out what the hell to do about her doctor as he also happens to be her boyfriends best friend and lets face it nobody wants their partners friend checking out their vagina.

The storyline is filled with mishaps and adventures and has an eclectic bunch of characters from the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart to the gay best friend with the ugly cardigan to the best friend who is scared of children.

Warning: This is not the kind of book to read on a crowded train or bus while drinking coffee because trust me you will laugh and spit your coffee on your skirt.

Rating: 4/5

Like this book? Try Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella

Posted by Aigua Media on November 5, 2008 in Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 4, 2008 1:58 PM

HELEN'S HEROINES: Josie Winter

I finally got around to reading Over You by Lucy Diamond last week. And I loved it. It is a simple story of infidelity and, as Keris says in the review, it's a domestic story (whilst also being extremely gripping). Quite possibly a story that could be told by many abandoned spouses with young children all over the world. For Josie, the wife who has been left to raise her four year old twin sons on her own whilst her husband prances around with his mistress, life is now sink or swim. She chooses to swim.

In the beginning the swimming was very much for the sake of her children, but as time goes on she regains her strength - even to the point of feeling forgiveness (though not necessarily for her husband!)

Even before Josie finds out about the affair, she doesn't have a tremendous amount of confidence. She feels her personality has disappeared at the same time her children popped into the world and can't help but compare her mundane life (her view, not mine) with that of her more glamorous friends. As time goes on however, she can see that everyone else's life is not always perfect either.

You can see what a strong woman she is. Fighting for survival and normality because of her children is completely selfless, especially when she really feels like soaking up a bottle of wine and lying on the bed all day. She learns to live on her own, to stop being scared at night, to deal with the day to day minutiae her husband would normally deal with. She becomes independent. And through this she gains confidence and embraces life. She even has the strength to deal with that so and so husband of hers.

What makes her a true heroine though, is that she learns. When she realised her life was mundane, she goes on to do something about it, even though it scared her senseless.

More Helen's Heroines

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 4, 2008 in Helen's Heroines | Permalink | Comments (0)

Who buys books?

Well, I know the answer to that question - overwhelmingly, it's women. But I'm asking because I noticed, in a recent issue of The Bookseller, that Matt Beaumont's novel, Small World (which we loved), has been given a new cover.

The reviewer, Sarah Broadhurst, says, "... it is a must-read across the genders and ages, despite its cover appealing only to a female readership."

It's the cover on the left she's referring to; the book was originally published with the cover on the right. Presumably it didn't do as well as expected and so the publishers have redesigned the cover purposely to appeal to a female audience. Because, you know, it's the women who buy the books.

I actually much prefer the new cover. The old one looks very old-fashioned to me. What do you think?

Posted by Keris on November 4, 2008 in Book covers | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK REVIEW: Honey Trap by Julie Cohen

When Julie Cohen's latest book, Honey Trap, fell onto my doormat a short while ago, I actually let out a short squeal. I had thoroughly enjoyed her previous novel, One Night Stand, but then, as I looked at it, I became a little nervous in case this one didn't match up. Despite this, on holiday last week I picked it up, and the first few chapters had me so engrossed I didn't even notice my brother in law setting a drink down in front of me or four boys (not all mine) running about the place.

Sophie Tennant is a private investigator. She crops up briefly in One Night Stand, but was such a vivid character to Julie, that she now has a book all of her own. She specialises in honey traps, employed on behalf of a suspicious wife to see if her husband is playing away from home. The honey trap she has set when the book opens however, appears to be one trap too many and Sophie is in real danger. Deciding enough is enough she retrains as an aromatherapist and is employed by a reunited rock band to go on tour with them. Sounds good. But her previous career doesn't seem to want to go away - especially when she sets eyes on the new bassist in the band. Dominick Steele. He was her first ever honey trap.

And that is a much as I'm going to tell you, as that is as much as I knew when I began reading the book and I don't want to inadvertently give anything away. You see, this book is part romance, part sass, part funny and part mystery. It is also incredibly sharp with both a tight plot and dialogue.

I was gripped from the first sentence, Sophie Tennant had never seen her date in real life, but she knew he was brown-eyed, brown-haired, slightly built, and a scumbag. I then couldn't put it down until the end. In fact I even tried to go to sleep but ended up switching the light back on to read more.

The plot evolved naturally, it wasn't contrived, and when something in particular happened...well I didn't see it coming and I love it when that happens. Sophie was a great character, as were the men in the band and Dominick Steele, the bassist, well, he was a great hero.

There was so much detail packed into the 340 pages, no mean feat to do I'm sure. But if I had one complaint, is would be that the book was longer!

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 4, 2008 in Rating: 5/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK COVERS: Cupcakes

Even though I'm not American, I am stressing about the election and, as a result, doing some stress eating. And so my mind turns to cupcakes (they're never actually that far from my thoughts) and then cupcakes on book covers...

Cupcake blog, Cupcakes Take the Cake, have a cupcake book cover master list. (Even though they're on it, I didn't pinch the above from there, honest; I thought of them myself!)

Related posts: Umbrella covers | What the frock?! | Pack up your troubles

Posted by Keris on November 4, 2008 in Book covers | Permalink | Comments (3)

BOOK NEWS: Very Valentine

We have very mixed feelings about Adriana Trigiani here at Trashionista. Two of our worst ever reviews were for her books, but her Lucia, Lucia is probably one of my top 10 novels of all time.

And she has a new book - Very Valentine - coming out (appropriately enough) in February 09 and I'm almost afraid to read it. It's the first of a trilogy featuring Valentine Roncalli, a contemporary New York shoe designer whose family company makes custom wedding shoes.

Posted by Keris on November 4, 2008 in Book News | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 3, 2008 12:02 PM

Coleen's style tips - a bestseller?

We reported a while back that Coleen (now wife of footballer Wayne Rooney) had a five book deal with HarperCollins for a reported £2 million. However, even though Welcome to My World went straight to number one, her follow up, Coleen's Real Style, about make up and stuff, has only sold fewer than 10,000 copies. [via Mail Online]

Could it be the trend for celebrity books is slowing down? (Or do we just not want make up tips from a footballer's wife?)

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 3, 2008 in Book News, Celebrity Authors | Permalink | Comments (2)

RNA on Eggheads

Ooh, this looks exciting. Eggheads, a BBC2 quiz show hosted by Jeremy Vine, will tonight play host to a collection of authors from the Romantic Novelists Association.

Phillipa Ashley, Julie Cohen, Kate Lace, Louise Allen, Judy Astley and Katie Fforde will be on BBC2 at 6pm.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 3, 2008 in Television | Permalink | Comments (0)

TELEVISION NEWS: Small Island

I thought we'd reviewed Andrea Levy's multi award-winning Small Island, but no. Still, I loved it and now I read that BBC One has commissioned an adaptation.

There will be two 90-minute episodes, it will star Naomie Harris and David Oyelowo (which sounds like perfect casting to me), and will be screened next autumn.

[via The Bookseller]

Posted by Keris on November 3, 2008 in Television | Permalink | Comments (0)

MORE ON MONDAY: Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

I was afraid to read Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl. I've loved her other books, but this was something completely different.

It's the story of “Alice” who was abducted, aged 10, by Ray. She's now 15 and constantly subjected to physical, mental and sexual abuse. Ray killed his previous “Alice” when she reached 15 so Alice is waiting until he kills her too. She's not afraid, she would welcom it. But Ray's got something different in mind – he wants her to help him kidnap his new "Alice".

This book is described on the back cover as “more than a novel... it is a visceral experience” and I would agree. I found it incredibly hard to read, in fact I had to scan it quickly because I wanted to find out what happened, but I wanted to avoid as much detail as possible.

Brilliantly written as it, it's the kind of book that could give you nightmares. Even if it doesn't, I guarantee you won't be able to stop thinking about it.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Dear Zoe by Philip Beard (or The Lovely Bones, which we haven't reviewed).

Posted by Keris on November 3, 2008 in American Authors, More On Monday, Rating: 5/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's NaNoWriMo time again!

A couple of years ago, we were all about NaNoWriMo, all through November (we called it "NaNovember" - ha!). This year, November has crept up on me and so, we're mentioning it a bit late.

In case you haven't heard of it before, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. During the month of November, you challenge yourself to write 50,000 words. So that's 1,666 per day for 30 days.

I know it sounds completely insane, but when it's going well it seems magical (as for when it's going badly... that's why caffeine was invented).

It's not too late to start (although you've got a leetle bit of catching up to do), so read more about it here.

Oh and, in case you need any more of an incentive, Meg Cabot's doing it, so you'll be in good company. (And, in case you care, I'm doing it too. My user name is half_squirrel if you want to "buddy" me.)

Good luck!

Posted by Keris on November 3, 2008 in NaNovember | Permalink | Comments (4)