Fairytale of New York: Download Your Happily Ever After

     If you follow my blog, you might know that I’m a sucker for a good happy ending. And for me, what comes to mind first when I think of those happily ever after moments? Fairy tales. What a wonderful surprise I came across today, then, when I opened up my Twitter page to find that Miranda Dickinson’s debut novel, Fairytale of New York is now available for FREE (no catch!) on select e-book websites.

     My personal favorite ebook site where I’ve found it and it's easy to read the books on my desktop or upload to my iPod Touch is Kobo Books.

     Read more about Miranda Dickinson on her web page at www.miranda-dickinson.com, follow her on her blog at http://www.coffeeandroses.blogspot.com/. Finally,catch the reviews on this and Miranda Dickinson's other novels a two more of my personal favorite web sites:

Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6649757-fairytale-of-new-york

The Chick Lit Club:

http://chicklitclub.com/authorsd.html#mirandadickinson

Damsels Behind Books: Celebrate Reading! October is National Book Group Month!!

October is National Reading Group Month!

     In its Third Annual celebration of Reading Groups Across the Country, Women’s National Book Association is going strong with its National Reading Group Month (NRGM) in the month of October. See all the events, member benefits and fun here:

http://www.nationalreadinggroupmonth.org/

     I have always loved reading since I was a little girl and could pronounce the words I saw on a page and I have always envied other women when I hear they are part of a social, active book group because I have never found a live group that reads the kind of books that I want to read. Then, early this year, January 2010, I found Goodreads. I have never been big on social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace or the like, but since joining Goodreads, a social networking web site dedicated to linking people across the globe based on their love of reading and writing and books in general, I have been hooked! Finally, I have met so many women who share my love of Chick Lit. We read all kinds of different books each month, motivate each other with reading challenges and share the latest releases with each other, contributing to an ever growing to-be-read list and overflowing bookshelf at home. Since I have been more active in organizing the Chick Lit Book Club on Goodreads, I have also begun to notice more and more the high numbers of authors who include Reading Question Guides specifically for book groups either at the end of their novels or on their websites or both.

     

     I even found a web site where you can register your Book Group and search for reading guides from Tolstoy to Shakespeare to Stephen King and Jennifer Weiner…it just seems to be limitless and FREE! Not only does the site offer questions that might help your group converse with one another but it also gives suggestions and tips on how to run a successful group, whether you’re a novice group leader or a veteran.

http://www.readinggroupguides.com/content/index.asp

*** Just a note: I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH EITHER WEB SITE MENTIONED IN THIS POST. I just came across them in my search for books. ***

     No matter who you are or where you’re from, reading is an activity that can create bonds between people. It’s fun, healthy, enriching no matter what language you speak or read! I mean just look at all the novels that you like to read – have you ever noticed how many countries they get released in and the number of different languages and covers that get printed?

      Are you a member of any book groups? If so, what made you join it? What’s your favorite part of being involved in a book group? Please feel free to comment, vent or discuss anything else related to book groups or reading, in general.



One Dream Come True: Chick Lit Audio Book Reviews by Me

As you already know if you read my blog, one of my greatest loves of all is the Chick Lit or Women's Fiction genre. Since about 2000 or 2001 I have been reading these "candy covered books" full of stories of everything related to women's lives, tackling topics of love, passion and betrayal to weddings, babies and motherhood and even the hardships of moving to a new city, death and grief. To be fair, this is only a minute sampling of subjects that you will find upon opening one of these books.

One of my first experiences to finding out about these books was at a job I had in Boston. I worked at a Trade Show Company amongst many other women and we had a large book shelf where we swapped books with each other. A few of the women I befriended received books at least once a month, some even more frequently, from one of Harlequin Publisher's affiliates, Red Dress Ink, which solely produced books of the Chick Lit genre. I had instant access to new titles and authors and living in the city, the library provided a whole world of books that I'd learned of from these women. On my train ride to and from my apartment in Somerville everyday, I read and read and read. I probably read two to three books a week...and my love for Chick Lit grew.

Years later, since leaving that job and the city (and Red Dress Ink has since retired its production of books), I have actively sought out resources on the web more than ever. I began with my local library's website to see what books were available at the library close to my current place of work. To my pleasant surprise, in this age of ever-advancing technology that I live in, I came across a new online library called Overdrive Media. Ever since discovering this awesome site, full of e-books and audio books, I have been checking out books on my library card to the max! and listening to audio books in my car, while I cook, make dinner and anywhere else I can plug in my iPod.

Around the same time, I also became active on Goodreads, a wonderful social networking Web site that acts as a virtual book club and and a whole lot more. You can find any book or author ever published, including plot summaries and author bios, win free books in daily giveaways, start your own group (on any topic you want) and find friends who share common interests. This is only the beginning of it, too. If interested, you will have to scope it out for yourself.

I joined the Chick Lit Book Club and soon was asked to become co-leader of the group with the fabulous woman who started it all. I soon found many women (and even a few men) who shared my passion for reading, writing and Chick Lit in general. One day, while talking a lot about shared interests and dreams of penning our own Chick Lit novel, a fellow Book Club member suggested I create another group called the Chick Lit Writers group. I was elated to find people as eager as I was about the subject and activity of writing and even more excited that they specifically wanted to write Chick Lit.

Other than these two sites, I know have a long list of sites I go to that I consider to be real gems for all things related to chick lit. One of my all time Favorite Chick Lit websites is the Chick Lit Club. It originates in Australia and has everything you could ever possibly want to now about the genre, from author bios and interviews, to book reviews, plot summaries, top ten lists, books-made-into-movies news and so much more! Recently, I mentioned this site on one of the Chick Lit Writers discussion boards and one of our members mentioned to me that she had seen on the Site's contact page that its Founder and is always seeking out new contributors, reviewers and women, in general, from around the globe who are passionate about Chick Lit. Additionally, another woman who participates in the Chick Lit Club had shared with me some of her freelance work on various women's Web sites and magazines. It was really inspiring to see that such opportunities to write existed for women like myself. I was eager to seek out a similar opportunity to get my foot in the door into the world of writing (especially one that included a Web site that I fully supported). As an avid chick lit reader and aspiring writer, I jumped at the opportunity to contact the Chick Lit Club's leader to see if I might be granted permission to try my hand at writing for her Web site.

I noticed the Chick Lit Club had an overwhelming number of regular book reviewers from everywhere, but especially women from the U.S. In fact at the time, the site was trying to increase its diversity of women by adding a reviewer from India. I thought for sure I would never get the chance to write for this site as just another American woman who loved to read Chick Lit...so I began to brainstorm....how can I be different from the other women reviewers from the United States on this site? How can I contribute in a unique way to benefit both the Chick Lit Club and myself? And that's when I came up with my proposal to the site's creator....

Luckily, the Chick Lit Club's creator accepted my request!! And ever since, the Chick Lit Club Presents Audio Books by Cathy Herbert. Please click on the link to check out my exclusive page where I have been reviewing unabridged audio books. I listen to all the latest and classic Chick Lit books and rate them from 1-10. Click Here For Reviews on How I Hear It: http://www.chicklitclub.com/audio-books.html

Currently reviewed on the Site:

Baby Proof by Emily Giffin; Narrated by Christine Marshall (2006)

Bitter is the New Black: Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, or, Why You Should Never Carry a Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office by Jen Lancaster, Narrated by Jaime Heinlein (2006)

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad; Narrated by Lauren Conrad (2009)

Passion, Betrayal and Killer Highlights by Kyra Davis; Narrated by Gabra Zackman (2006)

Sex, Murder and a Double Latte by Kyra Davis; Narrated by Gabra Zackman (2005)

Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison; Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy (2007)

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger; Narrated by Bernadette Dunne (2002)

The First Assistant: A Continuing Tale From Behind the Hollywood Curtain by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare (2006)

Thyme Out/Second Thyme Around by Katie Fforde; Narrated by Davina Porter (1999)

And Many More To Come...

Note: I also review regular books at the Chick Lit Club, as often as I find the time to submit them. Because I am so focused on my exclusive audio book page, I have mostly been submitting those reviews, but who knows. As time goes by, and my review writing gets caught up tot he current book I'm listening to, I will probably spend my time more equally reviewing both new and classic paperback and audio books. Hopefully, this is a start of many new opportunities and writing prospects to come but for now, what more could a girl like me who loves to read and write Chick Lit ask for?

Bookinistas! 3 Months, 30 Books: The Spring/Summer Chick Lit Reading Challenge

I have been a member on Goodreads since late early 2010. It is a wonderful community to join and share with others your passion for books; reading, writing, collecting them; creating lists, adding TBR books to your pile, finding out which author is the latest and greatest, up-and-coming or hidden treasure. I co-moderate the Chick Lit Book Club with its founder, and I also started the Chick Lit Writers group, dedicated to women of all ages, aspiring to see their words in print, mainly of the Chick Lit genre but all are welcome. I typically read one book a month and discuss it with the others in Chick Lit Book Club and then I take part in challenges started by other groups.

So it's been a while since I've blogged (too many school and work responsibilities!) and since this site is my haven to share with my interests, passions, dreams and goals, I thought I'd set up a new section to include the Reading Challenges that I am taking part in. I will update them as I finish each book and try to include a review (or link to a review) and information on where to buy the book.

I hope this can become a resource to you for finding books and authors or trying out a new book or series. Please share or link your reading challenges with me. I always like to add new books to my ever growing pile! And, please join any of our groups on Goodreads. We are always welcoming new members.

This first challenge was created by the Goodreads' group, Red Dress Ink Fans. It is their To Be Read Spring/Summer Reading Challenge! (April 1st - June 30, 2010)

The goal of this challenge is to help us clean off our shelves and our TBR lists without acquiring any new books! The premise is simple: 30 Books, 3 months, as many as you can read!

I am in the middle of this challenge but please, read along with me or pick your own books based on the rules of the challenge!

The Rules:
1. For this challenge, you make three separate lists of 10 books each (plus up to 5 alternates if you so choose):
List A: Your Oldest 10 Goodreads TBR Books
List B: 10 Random TBR Books
List C: Any 10 TBR books – your choice
2. After the challenge starts (April 1), you can’t change the books on your lists. Up until then, shift whatever you’d like.
3. Each book can only count on one list for this challenge. So if one of your 10 Oldest TBR Books also ends up as one of your 10 Random choices, you need to pick a new book for one or the other.
4. You don’t have to go in order, and you can read off any list – but you can only count the book once.
5. You can select up to five alternate books for each list, and choose to substitute them for up to five books on each list. Alternate books have to be selected in the same method as the books on the list. (i.e. Your alternate books for list A will be books 11-15 on your GR TBR list)
6. Exception: If the book is in a series and you haven’t read up to that point yet, you may substitute an earlier book from the series (even if it’s not one of your oldest TBR or wasn’t randomly generated). Example: When I tried generating random numbers, I ended up with Janet Evanovich’s “To the Nines” as one of my choices, but I have only read the first book in that series. So I could use “Two for the Dough” in its place.
7. First one to cross off all their books wins!

Selecting your books:

List A: Your Oldest 10 Goodreads TBR Books
1. Go to your bookshelves and click on your “To Read” shelf
2. Sort this shelf in Edit view. This should number your books in the order in which you added them to your shelf.
3. Select books 1 – 10 on this shelf – these are the 10 oldest books on your GR TBR list. Books 11-15 may serve as your alternate choices.
4. If the books skip a number (i.e. if you have books 1-4, 7-10), then that means you’ve read or removed a few. So just select the first 10 (in the case above, I’d take 1-4, 7-12), and the next 5 as alternates.

List B: 10 Random TBR Books
1. Go to http://www.random.org
2. Using the Random Number Generator feature, type in 1 as the minimum number, and the total number of books on your To Read shelf as the maximum number. Click “generate” to generate 10 different random numbers.
3. Go to your To Read shelf in Edit view, and select the 10 books whose numbers correspond with the random numbers you generated.
4. You may generate 5 additional random numbers and use those books as alternates.
5. If you don’t have a book that matches a number that was generated, that means you have already read the book or removed it from your list. So, continue generating numbers until you find one that matches a book on your list.

List C: Any 10 TBR Books – Your Choice
1. Pick any 10 books out of your TBR stack. Any 10 books work – but you can’t change them once the challenge has started. The main goal is to not acquire any new books for this list!

To Post Points:

Each book read is worth 10 points (300 total points). To claim points, post the book you read and the list it is from. First person to read all the books on their lists is the winner!

Cathy's TBR Challenge Lists
List A: Oldest TBR Books:
1. Secrets of a Shoe Addict – Beth Harbison
2. Hope in a Jar - Beth Harbison 5/16/10
3. How to Sleep with a Movie Star - Kristin Harmel 04/06/10
4. The Art of French Kissing- Kristin Harmel 4/18/10
5. The Blonde Theory - Kristin Harmel
6. Baby Proof – Emily Giffin 4/18/10*
7. Citizen Girl – Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin
8. Nanny Returns - Kraus and Emma McLaughlin 5/2/10
9. Tales of A Drama Queen – Lee Nichols
10. True Lies of a Drama Queen - Lee Nichols

Alternates:

11. Hand Me Down - Lee Nichols

12. Wednesday Night Witches - Lee Nichols

13. Fashionistas – Lynn Messina

14. Trials of Tiffany Trott – Isabel Wolff

15. Rescuing Rose - Isabel Wolff

List B: 10 Random TBR Books

1. 144 – Slightly Single - Wendy Markham

2. 131 – Italian for Beginners – Kristin Harmel

3. 205 – Are you there Vodka, It’s Me Chelsea? – Chelsea Handler 4/2/10

4. 189 - The Chocolate Lovers’ Club – Carole Matthews

5. 167 – Such A Pretty Fat – Jen Lancaster 4/27/10

6. 133 - Secret Diary of a Demented Housewife – Niamh Greene

7. 121 - Second Thyme Around/Thyme Out – Katie Fforde 4/23/10*

8. 72 - The First Assistant – Mimi Hare & Clare Naylor 4/14/10*

9. 122 – Wild Designs – Katie Fforde

10. 183 – Tallulahland – Lynn Messina

Alternates:

11. 115 – The Importance of Being Married - Gemma Townley

12. 95 – Carrie Pilby - Carrie Lissner

13. 81 – The Accidental Virgin - Valerie Frankel

14. 218 – Sex as a Second Language – Alisa Kwitney

15. 154 – The Pact – Jennifer Sturman

List C: Any TBR Choice

1. Girl’s Guide to Witchcraft – Mindy Klasky 4/10/10

2. The Night I got Lucky – Laura Caldwell 4/13/10

3. The Year of Living Famously – Laura Caldwell 5/4/10

4. The Carrie Diaries – Candace Bushnell

5. Holly’s Inbox – Holly Denham

6. Pretty in Plaid – Jen Lancaster 5/6/10

7. Enchanted Inc – Shanna Swendson 4/22/10

8. A Total Waste of Makeup – Kim Gruenfelder

9. Sammy’s Hill – Kristin Gore 5/12/10
10. Diary of a Mad Bride – Laura Wolf

Alternates:
11. The Big Love – Sarah Dunn

12. The Wedding Girl – Madeleine Wickham 4/8/10

13. Monkey Business – Sarah Mlynowski

14. Rachel’s Holiday – Marian Keyes

15. One for the Money – Janet Evanovich 4/26/10

16/30 Books

160/300 Points

*Visit www.chicklitclub.com/audio-books.html for my very own Audio Book reviews of these books!

If you want a review of any of the books I've crossed off so far, please email me at cgraceh at gmail dot com and I will post them asap. (No spammers please:) Thanks!