The Chick Lit Cook Book by Alicia de los Reyes

It’s a writing craft book.  And a delicious one at that.  What  aspiring women’s fiction author could ask for a more delicious treat than a writing craft book which treats the art of creating chick lit books to baking cupcakes?  It’s very inspiring and creative, crammed with useful tips for creating your magnum opus.  I felt all inspired and now I feel like giving fellow Irish woman Marian Keyes a run for her money.  Writing women’s fiction has never looked so appealing.

A perfect gift for yourself if you are an aspiring chick lit author.  Or for a friend who is one.

So when I clear my pending projects, I’ll be writing my chick lit novel.  And I shall dedicate it to Alicia de los Reyes.  Thanks for this super book, Alicia.  Would love to read more writing craft from you.

EXPECTED by Sarah England

Reviewed by Maria

This is a most enjoyable comic read from the wonderful Sarah England, which made me laugh out loud at times.  Fair dues to Sarah too, for providing humour on a topic which is actually no laughing matter at all.  The truth is, many people, women in particular, have the weight of expectations of others weighing them down and holding them back.

Take this novel's heroine, Samantha Sweet (don't you just love that name?). Sam is burdened by her mother's expectations of being a grandma.  That's why she's engaged to a particularly obnoxious specimen of manhood called Simon Bumper.  Simon's a mother's dream.  A doctor, no less.  And very smug he is too at the thought of marrying the working class Samantha and raising her social class a notch or two. He likes the way she picks up his dirty clothes and dishes and cooks his meals while he rubbishes her career as a beauty therapist.  What the heck does she want a career for, anyway? Is he not the centre of her universe?  Well, no, not really.  And poor Sam isn't having it so easy at work either.  Everything she touches seems to turn toxic and she's not sure exactly why. A couple of clients are suing the company over botched injections which were supposed to make their wrinkles disappear and made them look like the Bride of Frankenstein instead (my words, not Sarah's).  There's a man Sam likes at work, but she can't even go there because of the smug fiance.  Her retail therapy excursions have resulted in a credit card bill that's going through the roof - this girl has problems.  It's only when she takes back control of her life that the tide starts to turn in her favour.

Ever went to someone's house for dinner and instead of a three course repast with wine and all the trimmings you were served tea and a sandwich instead?  Ever went out for your Christmas dinner and instead of good cheer and bonhomie, you found yourself surrounded by screaming kids?  There are some hilarious scenes in this book which will have you laughing, even if they wouldn't be very funny to be actually in.  Sarah has a keen eye for the follies and foibles of human life and that's her unique talent.

This is a wickedly funny read and I highly recommend it.

Tick Tock We're 30 by Milan Vohra

Reviewed by Desere

Awesome book alert! This was an absolutely stunning read full of fun and laughter.

The read is about twelve friends, who grew up together and are now embarking on a little reunion of sorts. But each one has a little "secret" so to speak and very soon the reunion turns into one of hilarious events , confessions and just plain absolute craziness.

Because there are so many main characters I am not going to go into detail on each one, but I will say that you will be hooked on each and everyone.

All characters main and secondary were exceptionally well written and stunningly depicted by the author. I truly felt connected to them all, it was as if I could truly see the emotions playing off their faces and hear their giggles.

The backdrop settings were fun and inviting giving the book that full of life element that I truly adore when it comes to a good romantic comedy read, as very often it happens that the read is funny but the backdrop is a dull or gloomy one and that just completely ruins the atmosphere for me as reader.

The dialogue was fun and fresh and really upbeat, I found myself laughing so hard at times that had I been in a room with others they truly would have thought me mad, as I could not stop laughing and the more I read the more I laughed, excellent work Milan!

But I will also say that most of the Hindi terms were ones that I have never heard, and I more than once had to fire up Google for some advise as to what exactly I was reading, but it did not however spoil this read for me.

Kind of like when your watching a film with no subtitles, you have no idea what the characters are saying but by their actions you know what is happening, the author's words even with Hindi terms still put me as reader in the loop and I was very comfy whilst reading this one.

I adored how the author took the idea of a reunion weekend to a whole new level by incorporating more than one main character instead of having the main focus on just two, then blending in loads of humour and in the end packing a punch of a finish!

I highly recommend this read for any reader looking for a fun and fresh read, that will brighten up even the dullest of days!

5/5 star review
"Celebrating life the fun, crazy, wild and wacky way" 

Reviewed by Maria

This author needs no introduction to readers of Indian fiction. She is no less a person than the first Indian Mills & Boon author, Her debut novel was THE LOVE ASANA, the first M&B novel containing Indian characters and situations. It was an impressive debut indeed, although at the time I felt that although it worked as an Indian novel, it was way too close to reality to be the escapist type of reading that the M&B reader craves. But then that’s what was so Indian about the book. In India, the most contrasting situations are happily juxtaposed – the good, the bad, the happy and the sad all co-exist in spite of each other. Or maybe because even because of each other.

There’s no such problem with TICK TOCK WE’RE THIRTY (hereafter referred to as TTWT). This is a madcap romantic comedy of a novel. Pure hilarity from start to satisfying finish. To begin with, there are twelve main characters. The old school/college gang who all grew up in the same neighbourhood in Delhi (Sarva Niketan, a fictional name) and swore a pact that no matter what, they’d all reunite when the youngest one turned thirty. Lara is the youngest and she has more reason to worry than most – she swore an additional pact with Nishad, another member of the group, that if neither of them had got hitched before the reunion, they’d be each other’s fall-back-on marriage partner. Something which Lara definitely doesn’t want to happen. Working in a modeling agency, she has access to good looking models. She recruits a handsome Turk model to pose as her banker boyfriend. The Turk can’t resist a performance and in no time is showing the gang his juggling skills. Hilarity ensues and the results are beyond what anyone could have foreseen. 

It’s not too difficult to remember all the names, they were soon rolling off my tongue as I read – Sita (short for Sitaram) Sai, Pap, Pathak, Nishad and Daniel. Not to mention Lara, Nanhi, Maneka, Reeti, fat Riya and thin Riya. Didn’t even have to look those names up, they’re all in my head. But there’s a hilarious cast of sub-characters too. Like the ghastly caricature of a woman whom a besotted Sita(ram) almost ends up marrying. The driver and the baby minder who have a romance as the reunion progresses, in the rented Sarva Niketan house where the week long get together is going on. I actually laughed till I cried at some of the scenes that played out. For what it’s worth, Bollywood should pick this one up, it’d make one amazing movie,

If there is any drawback, I would love to whisper in the publisher’s ear that a glossary should be provided to explain the Hindi terms, especially for the benefit of overseas readers who aren’t familiar with Hindi phrases. As a native English speaker who has lived in India, I had no problems understanding the phrases, but it might not be so easy for overseas readers, in my humble opinion. 

Over the week, the gang break up, make up and go through growing pains all over again. TTWT is a hilarious slice of life which fulfilled all my expectations as a reader. Paisa vasool (value for money) as we say in India.

5/5


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Review by Nas

TICK-TOCK WE’RE 30 by author Milan Vohra is a March 2013 release by Westland Books Ltd.

This was a fun story incorporating a group of friends who made a pledge to meet for a reunion on one of the group, Lara’s thirtieth birthday. It was hilarious after that as they all had secrets, broke off and made up.

TICK –TOCK WE’RE 30 is written with warmth and charm. The story is full of fun and hilarity as we go on the journey with this group of friends. It hooked me in as a reader as it is an engrossing and fascinating tale that kept my interest riveted from beginning to end. I loved this book and author Milan Vohra’s story telling. Imagine if we could see this story as a movie? It would definitely be a chart-buster!

This is truly the whacky side of India’s first Mills & Boon author!

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Sister Pact by Ali Hearn and Ros Baxter

Review by Nas

SISTER PACT by authors Ali Ahearn and Ros Baxter is a May 2012 release by Harper Collins Publishers.

Frances and Joni’s grandmother dies leaving them one million pounds each in her will. But her condition is that they have to participate in a reality show- Endurance Island. She herself had been a game show addict.

Frances and Joni had been estranged for the last seven years. But why were these two sisters no longer on talking terms? Who had come between them?

They take part in the game show. The challenges are humiliating but they manage to survive it. And they begin to get on together for the first time in seven years, yet they don’t touch on the subject which split them in the first place. After getting through the grueling challenges at the Endurance Island, they face some surprises.

Will a surprise confession from Frances husband, Edward, bring these two sisters together?

SISTER PACT depicts the unique bond of sisters. How sisters would eventually forgive each other anything and how they unite if one is threatened. These authors, Ali Ahearn and Ros Baxter brought amazing atmospheric details to the story. It is liberally spiced with humor, pathos and heartfelt emotion. The two sisters facing the chalenges in the game show scenes are full of action, drama and danger. It makes for a fun and thrilling read!

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To Build a Man by Talli Roland

Review by Nas




 Build A Man

 BUILD A MAN is from author Talli Roland.

Serenity Holland works as a receptionist at a plastic surgeon's clinic and hates her job. She also loathes all the Botox receiving patients who look down on her.

Her dream job, for which she left US and came to London is to become a reporter for a large tabloid. But this job is not easy to come by. Then in walks Jeremy Ritchie, who was snubbed by a woman. He wants a complete changeover.

Serenity takes this as a stroke of luck and starts penning his story for an online column. To Build a Man column is born.

Readers take polls as to which shape Jeremy should change to. Without Jeremy's knowledge because Serenity is undercover. In a word, she lied to get Jeremy to spill his guts to her about his background. And she lies to her boyfriend, the surgeon, Peter. With whom she lives.

What will happen when all these lies catch up with Serenity? When Peter comes to know of her column about his clients? And what about when Jeremy finds out that she's been feeding a column about his personal background?

Jeremy goes to surgery but has allergic reaction to anesthetic and is in coma. Will he recover? Will Serenity go ahead and write about him in her column?
Build a Man was the first novel I read from author Talli Roland but it will definitely not be my last. I loved her writing style. It seemed she wrote about real people in real situation. I didn't like boring Peter right from the start and later find out that Serenity and her best friend Kirsty also don't like him. But Talli wrote Peter's character not to be liked. So it's a perfect example of good writing. It was fast paced. You will keep wanting to flip pages to find out what happens next. There are no boring parts which you'd want to skip.
 Build a Man is a quick, fast, entertaining read which I highly recommend. The premise is exciting and the plot keeps you involved.

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Craving Perfect by Liz Fichera

Review by Nas





CRAVING PERFECT by author Liz Fichera is a fantastic escape!

I was completely blown away by Grace Mill's run on the treadmill and she went to the gym just to ogle Max's hot body! Well a girl has to have an inspiration to lose weight.

Imagine a girl rewarding herself strawberry scones after a vigorous workout. But she was craving the perfect body and the perfect man.

And when she got her perfect body she found out that she could never eat enough. Her favourite occupation of baking was not of use to her after getting her perfect body.

Guess what? She also found out that Max was not so perfect after all.

Craving Perfect is a lovely story of sisterly love and responsibilities and of getting what you crave for.

Liz Fichera did a fascinating job with this story. It is liberally spiced with humor, pathos and heartfelt emotion. It is potrayed with vivid atmospheric details. I felt myself in the Java Cafe Grace ran with her sister Kathryn and could taste the coffee!

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