Chick-LOL Awards 2014: Funniest Books of 2014

 

Everyone who reads this blog knows there’s one thing I never joke with! (Sadly, it’s not punctuation) It’s humour. I love a good laugh. And these books, trust me, start the rumble of laughter way below your belly (——half of the time I do not understand my own expressions so bear with me).

The Chick-Lol Awards celebrates the funniest titles of 2014. (Check out 2013’s winner).

Book Number T

Take Mom Outby Fiona Gibson.

Book Number I

Love andChaos by Gemma Burgess

Book Number L

The BestThing That Never Happened To Me by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice.

Book Number K

DoubleStrike by Gretchen Archer.

Book Number C

ShopaholicTo The Stars by Sophie Kinsella.

Book Number I

The List byJoanna Bolouri

Book Number H

CourtingTrouble by Kathy Lette.

As you can see, a letter is missing. Because I am down to only one chick-lit title of 2014 which all the reviews said was hilarious. So I am waiting to read it and see if I could include it on this list or pick another title that fell out of the shortlist.

BUT BY FAR, The Funniest, Rib-cracking entertaining Chick-Lit of 2014, goes to Kathy Lette’s Courting Trouble.

Blog Tour: 'As Good As It Gets?' by Fiona Gibson

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: You are now a mum of two. With your sometimes adorable, most times cold husband gainfully employed in your unkempt (referred as that by your neighbours) garden, planting, uprooting and mowing moodily early in the mornings. Your job as the publicist of a crisp company might not be bringing the big bucks in, but it’s sure putting food on the table, stacking your cabinets with rejected crisps and preventing you guys from taking a much-needed family holiday (thanks to the non-holiday permissible wages).

If only your hormonal teenage children would value what you offer and not stalk off right into their rooms when you ask them about their day. If only your husband would value you enough not to flinch when you touch him intimately in bed.

New neighbours come in. Your daughter’s curiosity sinks in——she wants to meet her real dad. The dad who run off right when you got pregnant and was so cowardly he let his mother write a letter to ditch you on his behalf.

You have suspicions your husband has a thing for the woman who’s just moved in with her family. An email from your ex drops in to shatter your world. But of course, your husband might be secretly nursing a crush on the new neighbour next door. And that is justification enough for you to reply your ex’s email after months of wondering what might have been. Then more emails come in.

Charlotte’s life summed up for your delight.

MY REVIEW

I was reading this book in a very public place on campus where students settle among trees, lawns and ringed benches to mostly embark on their romantic objectives for the semester. A guy walked up to my bench to start a conversation about a writing programme he was chairing ‘since he saw I was interested in books’. He said to me, “As Good As It Gets, what a funny title.” I glared daggers at him after he was done with his message. I certainly will not be going for his writing programme knowing he clearly hasn’t heard of chick-lit. (Oh, and before you judge he said it in a snobbish, deprecating way. As though he could teach me how to make better, boring titles.)

I liked this book.

The storyline isn’t fresh. But of course, penned with Fiona Gibson’s wit, intact comparisons and humour, it’s not hard for fans of Fiona to warm up to this. Girl is facing glitches in her married life. Girl is undergoing the stress of being a model mum. Girl is trying so hard to keep her family financially stable. Girl wonders if her husband might be having inappropriate thoughts about the saucy neighbour next door. Girl keeps wondering if her life would have been more perfect if her ex had stuck with her.── ★

Charlotte is a character to fall in love with. She’s what most mums out there call relatable. With her tendency to focus too much on details, her amazement at how her sex-life has petered out, her constant resolution to get out running and lose some weight, her appropriate comparisons of situations of parenting, middle-life, her lack of a sex life, to others you could nod your head to and just agree.── ★★

You would so love Ollie, Charlotte’s adorable son who loves to chat science and make light of every situation. You would love Sabrina, the saucy new neighbour who loves to give away sex tips for the middle-aged lacking a sex life. You would love Gloria, the mother-in-law always a phone away suggesting ridiculous job offers for her son.

Some ridiculous and gasping situations at work, home, and her daughter’s modelling agency, a few OMG moments, and a curiosity to find out what happens at the end, keep the reader absorbed in the tale.── ★★★

I enjoyed this book. But yet last year I wrote a glowing review of Fiona Gibson’s Take Mom Out because it was absolutely amazing (every centimetre of it!). This book falls short of the glory of her previous work. If it was pacey enough, it would have been marvellous like how Take Mom Out (which was highly pacey) had been.── ★★★★

So my rating: 3.5 stars.

Fiona Gibson’s latest could be purchased on amazon.

I recommend this book to any woman out there wondering what might have been if the love of their lives had remained or not, any woman wondering how she’d cope when her children stop doing stuff with her and turn grumpy or not, any woman who loves their chick-lit centred on relatable characters in relatable life situations. And just anybody who needs something not lacking in warmth, humour and depth.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.

Book Review: I'll Take New York by Miranda Dickinson

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: Your boyfriend, no matter how perfect, is known by your friends to stand you up. A LOT. Anniversary celebrations, he stands you up. Time with the girl pals, he stands you up. But you really do not mind, because even if all through your five years together he’s never been on-time to a single date (give or take three hours after), you overlook his flaws. I mean, isn’t that the essence of a long-(forget healthy)-relationship?

Until he’s known to stand you up by your family, one incident after inviting them all from England for something ‘special’ and he never shows. You are so furious you decide it’s over with him. But would he even show up for the breakup date?

So now you are single. In New York. Focusing on your bookstore. Becoming the successful woman you’ve always dreamed of. Putting love on the back-burner and having one only true love: New York City.

Then you meet a guy at an engagement party. You two are the only singles present. He’s recently divorced. After going on and on about how being in a relationship sucks, you two make a pact. The Pact: You would never be in a relationship again. Even if it’s with each other no matter the sizzling chemistry shared between you two. The beginning of a friendship and a three way with the city.

But except your friends do not believe you two could be friends by setting you up on blind dates. The city doesn’t believe two people who share as much chemistry could take on Wolman Rink and still be friends.

Heck, sometimes you don’t believe you two could be just friends. But there’s one thing keeping you guys apart, that is, even if you tried taking the next step: The Pact.

Bea James’ chaotic life summed up for your delight.

MY REVIEW

Have you noticed any tale about New York goes with you cheering, “Woo-hoo”s within reading intervals? Well, I have anyway, and I’ll Take New York is one of those.

Woo-hoo! Don’t you just love books set in New York? The city (and the sex), the rush, the people, the Alicia Keys’ Empire State of Mind. I am one of those unpatriotic fellas who wears an ‘I Heart NYC To Bits’ t-shirt on (my country’s) Independence Day. And can you ever go wrong with a chick-lit set in New York City with the city embodying a character on its own? Miranda Dickinson certainly didn’t. ── ★

Woo-hoo! Bea James and Jake Steinmann, the main characters in this tale were adorable. Bea James being your typical Brit who’s fallen in love with New York since arriving in Columbia. She loves books, loves Brooklyn, and owns a bookstore in Brooklyn. You would love Bea James for being a redhead (score one for the gingers!), you would love her for how often she loves to explore the city, and her emotional connection to the iconic Pond in Central Park. Jake Steinmann was also written well. I did love his point-of-view. Mostly, I hate contemporary romances because most writers portray their male leads as dark, broody, uptight, and very virile–––eek! I love that Jake’s POV wasn’t that dark, broody kind that made all men seem sexists and so into ourselves–––so refreshing! A star to both characters. ── ★★

Woo-hoo! Other characters you would love(to-hate) are Otis, Bea’s ex who never shows up for anything unless it’s something that has got cheap all over it; Desiree, Jake’s P.A who’s always missing the point; Russ, Bea’s co-owner of the bookshop and friend who has an aversion to men wearing suits in Brooklyn; Rosie and Ed, sister-in-law and brother of Jake who keep setting Bea and James on blind dates. Aunt Ruby, who’s so concerned about eating at home before attending an invite from Bea’s ex to dine for something ‘special’.  Grandma Dot, who always has a book popped in the mail to explain something significant (mostly about love and relationships and her first-true love) to Bea. ── ★★★

Woo-hoo! Humour in this book isn’t the laugh-out-loud, crack-a-rib kind, but the chuckling moments are constant. ── ★★★★

My rating: four-point-five stars (4.5/5 stars)

Miranda Dickinson’s latest, I’ll Take New York is available on amazon.

I recommend this book to any fan of Miranda Dickinson as she doesn’t disappoint in this title, anyone who loves romantic comedies, anyone who loves romantic comedies set in the City That Never Sleeps, and anyone who wants a book that would keep them awake (says my mum, who spent hours gazing at the stars on the cover and declaring them hypnotic).

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.

FESTIVE BOOK REVIEW: Coming Home For Christmas by Julia Williams

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: There’s an imminent construction of a hotel complex in your homely small town about to ruin everything your community stands for: love, neighbourliness and giving a helping hand to the mentally disturbed.

Of course, you would do anything to halt these construction works, call up town meetings, gather feisty senior citizens to line up for a protest, use unconventional methods that come to mind. Because, your farm is going down, and these planners want to rip you off your family land for their giant hotel complex. Never mind the idea of a spa is really far-removed from the mind of a farmer’s wife whose cuticles are constantly trapped with grit and bits of cow teats (for when they are getting uncooperative).

Except you are no more a farmer’s wife.

You and your husband are on the verge of a finalized divorce if only you can ever get around to mailing the untouched papers to his solicitor. At a time where you need him most, he just wants out and you are left with no option but to champion your protests, save the bankruptcy your farm is at the brink of lest you sell to the Hotel Complex Sharks, look for support from your boyfriend who thinks you’d be better off in London as a fundraiser ball organizer wife, deal with your daughter who has cerebral palsy and is against your current love interest.

At least, you have you have your friends to help. But not when they have problems of their own.

Cat’s been dropped off local television because she’s incapable of losing baby weight and is getting too old for camera retouching (on a cookery programme?!). Marianne’s husband’s ex is back in the picture with her mental disease that drives away her husband’s attention from her, Marianne, and just when things are looking up, there enters Marianne’s fiancée who jilted her on the day of their wedding. (Too many exes her life could qualify as extreme porn with a parental guidance notice).

Someone help save your town before the Yummy Mummies, who are just a different breed of farmer’s wives the sight of whom are so surprising, sell up the town just so they could have that much-needed massage and manicure they’d have to drive all the way to the cities to have. And really what about your personal problems? Oh, this Christmas…

Pippa Soon-To-Be-Not-Holliday’s dilemma summed for your entertainment.

MY REVIEW

I loved this book. So you know in my review, I’d be telling you to shove that Christmas Cake out the window and go get it! (Really, haven’t you had enough of calories already?)

The storyline is amazing. Three friends trying to stabilize their family, their love lives and prevent their town from being transformed into one of those places where filming of Real Housewives of You-Never-Mind-Naming-There takes place. Lovely. A star to the story-line.── ★

I adored the three main leads in this title. All strong women except for when they are worrying too much about ageing quickly, dealing with a divorce and being suspicious of a doting husband. You see now they are much like you? Beautiful characters! Marriane, Pippa and Cat. With different story-lines that appeal to readers immensely. No way you’d read the point-of-view of a character and doze off (... unless your family has driven you nuts on Christmas Day). I felt this book should have been titled Farmers’ Wives, because isn’t it a nice change to read about women very much settled in their country environs and helping out their husbands with cattle? Anyway, these are fab characters you can’t help but keep rooting for. A star to them.── ★★

You would find out this is a marvellous festive read. I did find out after this title, not all books you enjoy should put you at the edge of your (toilet) seat. Like this, they should be filled with warmth that helps you relax during these hectic Christmas preparations you’d be braving through. (If you are looking for a novel that would make you skid off your toilet seat… really, beware your head doesn’t crash against your tiled floor) Marvellous plot!

Other characters in this book made it special too. Miss Woods, a senior citizen with her guerrilla methods towards protesting. Batty Jack and his very commendable unconventional methods of driving away the hotel constructors. The (ex) husbands, Dan, Noel, Gabriel who were the rocks of our main characters. Luke Nicholas, Marriane’s ex, and his penchant to head every program that calls for the ruin of Hope Christmas. The children, Mel (Cat’s daughter juggling motherhood with education and a successful blog and book), Paige (Cat’s teenage daughter who’s more into snap-chatting that she’d snap at anyone who tries to make a degrading comment about her habit), Lou Lou (Cat’s year-old granddaughter who’s so adorable any reader would be tempted to stay off contraceptives), James (Cat’s son whose motto in life is to live like you are never writing any exams the following day), Lucy (Pippa’s cerebral palsy daughter who has so much attitude it’s a good thing she cannot talk. Ouch, bad thing to say, I know) Harry and Daisy (Marriane’s toddler twins who visit the loo so much you’d not be wise not to think they might end up with jobs that would make their visits more permanent). Oh, and Ralph Nicholas and Michael who are always at the right place at the right time to offer a helping hand. Angela, Cat’s mother-in-law], the Yummy-Mummies… oh, I could go on and on!── ★★★

I loved the presentation of this piece. From January to December and years in between that had a significant incident happening during one Christmas, Julia Williams wows readers with a portrait that isn’t too unfamiliar with their normal lives.── ★★★★

There were moments I guffawed so much. Especially during the final protest that led to senior citizens, and lots of mummies being apprehended by the cops.── ★★★★★

Did I love, love, this book? Yes, I did. But it had a bit of a shaky start. Though getting into the book so I could only push this thought to the back of my mind, I still have to slash one of its stars.

So my rating: 4.5 stars/five.

Julia Williams’ latest, Coming Home For Christmas (which I really wished it was titled Coming Hope For Christmas because the characters did need lots of hope to pull through) is available on amazon.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a festive read that champions a good cause, speaks on dense themes of loss, marital problems, mental illness you could relate to, and anyone who needs a miracle this Christmas (for Hope Christmas is the centre for all things miraculous). (Oh, plus if you are considering getting off that contraceptive, pick this title. Way too many adorable children).

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.

Book Review: On The Rocks by Erin Duffy

MY Synopsis.

I have wondered what wearing a $ 4000 Ivory strapless Vera Wang gown with a forty-foot train in all it's beautiful satin and lace glory, would feel like, No doubt it will feel like HEAVEN! But being dumped Via facebook was definitely not part of it, this is saying a lot with such a wild imagination as mine. Of all the worst ways to breakup with someone being dumped on the most popular social media while adorned in the most  gorgeous and expensive dress you would ever wear in your life has got to be right up there with being  jilted at the altar. It’s the worst. Can't Imagine.

You would know since your demented boyfriend of ten years decided that he would rather move to a desert half way around the world than spend the rest of his obviously pathetic life with you, after slipping a gorgeous emerald cut stone ring around her finger.

Six months later, still Thirty One with your maternity clock tick-tocking away and still fiancèless, you end up bitter, 30 pounds heavier, with a passionate relationship with the frozen section of the super market and the verbal communication skills of the kindergarten kids that you teach. Awesome right?

And I've not even mentioned, that your very psychotic Mum who is great at everything else especially being mean and annoying except being the Mum you always wanted,  would just not  burger off.  There’s a point in your life you wish mums could be dumped on Facebook too. Oh and your sister who has been trying to steal your shine like forever happens to be getting married when you are not. Apparently the world does not stop to grieve with you.

But it's good to know that with all the craziness going on in your life, you are brave enough to let your Godsend Bestfriend woo you into leaving your self-made prison and spending the summer at Rhode Island, which turns out to be just the thing you need to put your life back together. Enough to tell your jerk of an ex-fiance to go fuck himself, when he considered comparing you to a dog was the best way to convince you to give him a second chance, what a douche! And to make friends with the king of verbal sparring and a German hunk. Minus the bestfriend dating a married man drama and hideous fights, it turns out to be the best summer of your life. I guess magic does happen when you allow yourself to live again. Even though it involves kissing some frogs along the way. Yuck.

Story of Abby Wilkes life.

                               

                           MY Review


I was drawn in by this book from the get-go. Story line is on point, it gives great advice. Breakup is not the end of life,it wasn't for Abby and it should not be for anyone. Abby shows it as she gathers courage and moves on with her life. She allows herself to have fun again and explore the dating world out there. Such great advice to young ladies out there. This advice was not lost on me, and I am arming myself for the future. Lol. Am not hoping for a breakup, but breakups are a part of relationships, and you have to kiss some ugly, slimy frogs to find the one true prince. Hmmm sound advice, and all in Erin Duffy’s On the rocks.

Amazing characterisation in this book. I loved Abby the lead character soo much, and I am sure you would too.  Funny, interesting and awfully good at quipping and verbal sparring. I can’t mention sparring and forget Bobby the King of Verbal sparring, I fell in love with him. He is soo damn good, I found myself amused most of the time. Oh I was rooting for Abby to fall in love with him. Not forgetting Grace, who unfortunately falls in love with a married man, at least we get to see life from the point of the mistress of the married man. The book would not be complete if Abby's mum and sister were excluded. Gosh her mum, she is unbelievable, who wears a wedding gown to her daughter’s wedding? Not forgetting Wolf the German cutie. He is the best, he made me laugh soo hard my ribs hurt.

It's fun, hilarious and gives great advice. It's an amazing book. Just the thing for all ladies finding it hard to live after a horrible breakup. It's about time you lived your life! Start by reading this awesome book by Erin Duffy, I promise you would love it. Abby is in a better place than she would have been if she got married. She is happy and fulfilled, more importantly she is single and living her life.

I enjoyed reading this book soo much that more than once I went back to read an interesting part again and again. Nice work Erin. Thumps up.

Rate: four point five stars.

On The Rocks is available on Amazon.

Her work not done here. Off to make her post her review on Goodreads.

Review+Giveaway: Diary of an Unsmug Married by Polly James

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine this: Bridget Jones once said all married women should feel smug. Do you? If you have a husband who no longer fancies you enough, or doesn’t know what you are wearing to bed is a flashy new underwear you bought to impress him, or if he takes long business trips without giving you the hotel information. Should you feel smug then?

Or when you feel your job is the most shittiest job in the world, with no protection, attending some of the craziest constituents and getting backed up against the wall with a knife on your throat almost every time.

You married life, your professional life, and personal (with the super-sexy neighbor who keeps popping in for a cockscrew getting your husband’s attention for a few more seconds than you would) is in shambles. And proving you can still be fun and flirtatious and attractive to someone might mean emailing pictures of your butt to an old flame (or whatever he was you are failing to remember) over at Russia.

The crazy life of Molly Bennett summed up for your entertainment.

MY REVIEW

I liked this book.

The storyline was great. One woman married for long, husband hardly notices her anymore, children hormonal teenagers, shitty job in politics, offering wondering if she would be a happily-ever-after pensioner or one going to be stuck in a nursing home, recently sending pics of your butt to an old lover. Brilliant.── ★★

I loved Molly. Very relatable to all the mothers out there who feel they’ve lost some spark in their relationships, anyone with a super-annoying boss and husband and roughly all men in their lives being assholes.── ★★

The characters in the book are amazing. From Molly’s mum who’s worried about her painful backside, to Molly’s dad who loves a little hank-panky with his neighbors even though his hitting seventies, to Greg the annoying coworker, Andrew the dickhead MP who’s more than occasionally not sure what views he’s standing for. Josh, the skateboarding son with no talent (for skateboarding). Connie, the daughter who always, always tells the truth even during an interview for questions when you are supposed to give a static lies to earn the job. A star to these characters and the all the many others that made  reading this book a blast. (I could go on and on)── ★★★

The humor in this book is sick. Very hilarious, laugh-out-loud funny. And everyone knows I love my chick-lit hilarious. So more humor means more points for me. But at certain times I thought the author was trying too hard. Anyway, a star to the humor.── ★★★★

I liked this book. But I would have loved it if there was a particular direction to the story, some suspense something moving enough to keep me reading for a long time besides the humor.

So my rating: Four stars.

You can get The Diary of an Unsmug Married Married on amazon.

We are also giving away a paperback if you enter this rafflecopter.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants something funny this summer, all the mothers out there who feel there’s something wrong with their relationships with their husbands and children, anyone who feels their job or their bosses are shitty. And most importantly, anyone who’s receiving those emails from an old flame their itching to reply to (but for the sake of common sense—and a marriage they’d want to keep—don’t).

 
My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.