Cheryl's Book Nook

Among the many unforgettable heroines in Jennifer Weiner’s stories, Ruth Saunders stands out as a reader’s favorite. Originally the subject of Weiner’s 2006 short story “Swim,” fans found the irrepressible heart of this young woman who was scarred by a car accident as a child uniquely inspiring. Years later, Weiner decided to return to her story in THE NEXT BEST THING (Washington Square Press; $16.00; April 30, 2013) to explore what would happen if Ruth’s dreams came true. Ruth and her grandmother have been a family of two ever since a car crash killed her parents when she was just three years old and left her with permanent facial scars. After college, Ruth pursued her dream of writing to Hollywood, heading west with her grandmother in tow, hoping to make it big in the world of TV. After years of failure and surviving a badly broken heart, Ruth gets The Call – her show has been green-lit. Working alongside her boss, the subject of her unrequited love, Ruth attempts to create an...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JENNIFER WEINER RELEASES HALLOWEEN-INSPIRED SHORT STORY E-BOOK: “A MEMOIR OF GRIEF (CONTINUED)” October 28, 2012, New York, New York --- This fall, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner is spooking readers with her latest work, an eerie tale entitled A Memoir of Grief (Continued) (Atria Books, ebook; $0.99), available for pre-order now on: Amazon.com, Apple iBooks, BarnesandNoble.com, and Simon & Schuster. A Memoir of Grief (Continued) continues in the now-annual tradition of Jennifer’s Halloween short stories, following last year’s bestselling Recalculating. Artists have their appetites. This is what Ellie King would tell herself when discovering lacy panties in the backseat of her husband Gerry’s Cadillac, when Gerry was too self-involved to embrace their only son, or when he insisted on summers in the Hamptons and bespoke suits from London when, in fact, as critics pointed out, his once thriving writing career was past...

Ruth Saunders lives with her grandma. Ruth is a writer. She has been writing a script for a television show titled The Next Best Thing. Ruth gets the call. The one that will either make or break her. Ruth scores! She and her grandma are moving to Hollywood. Ruth has gotten the green light to produce her television series. While Ruth is busy trying to make her dreams a reality, her grandma is getting paid as an extra. I was not one of the viewers that watched State of Georgia , Mrs. Weiner's short lived television series. However, after reading Mrs. Weiner's latest release, The Next Best Thing, I have to say that I do feel sorry for anyone who has written and piloted a television series to a major network. It is not an easy task. Us the viewers only see the finished product and don't really know all the grueling details that it takes to make and produce a television series. Only to have the network exectives want to mold the writer's vision into what they feel we...

The Next Best Thing, in the next few weeks. Hitting bookshelves on July 3rd, this is one of the most highly anticipated books of the summer and the perfect beach read. · Jen’s BOOK TOUR, July: The following is a link to Jen’s upcoming book tour schedule, celebrating the launch of The Next Best Thing: http://www.jenniferweiner.com/events.htm

My Review Jules Strauss goes to Princeton University. She is approached one day while at the mall. A man tells her about a opportunity where she can make a lot of money. The catch is, Jules would have to give away her eggs. The man he is from the Princeton Fertility Clinic. Jules agrees to sell her eggs. She is really doing it for her father. He is an alocohtic. The money would help pay for him to go to rehab. Annie Barrow is a mother of two boys and a wife. Her husband is in the military. They are struggling for money. Annie wants to help with the finances. That is why she signed up to be a surrogate mother. India is married to weathly Marcus Croft. They have been trying to have a child. After two miscarriages, they decide to use a surrogate. Everything is looking up for India and Marcus until Marcus's daughter, Bettina finds out the truth about who India really is. I felt the most connected to Annie. She is a good mother and wife. She was warm and friendly. The other ...

Recalculating: A Short Story By Jennifer Weiner Tommy had been dead for six months when Maureen found the box he’d left for her in the attic. She’d gone up there to retrieve the Halloween decorations, the glow-in-the-dark eyeballs and fake spiders that she’d twine around the front gate, the witch’s hat she’d perch on her head when she stood in the doorway, handing out candy to kids who looked less and less familiar each year, and the candy bowl itself, with a plastic claw perched on the edge (the claw would open and shut dramatically, grasping for a trick-or-treater’s hand when Maureen pressed a button underneath). The Halloween stuff was where she expected to find it, in a lidded plastic storage bin with the word Halloween written in Tom’s clear, firm handwriting on a sticker on top. The box was next to it, wrapped in silvery paper, tied with a gold bow. A small white envelope was slipped underneath the bow, and her name, again in Tommy’s handwriting, was on it. For Ma...

Sylvie Woodruff has the perfect life. Her husband, Richard is a successful senator and they have two grown daughters, Lizzie and Diana. Lizzie is the wild child and complete opposite of Diana. Diana is an emergency room physician. She is also married and has a cute son, Milo. Sylvie’e perfect life is turned upside down quickly, when the whole world including herself learns of her husband’s affair with one of his interns. Now Sylvie has a decision to make…stay with Richard or leave him? Sylvie issn’t the only one who will have their lifes changed forever. Lizzie will be starting a new chapter in her life…one where there is no going back. Also, Diana has a choice to make…stay with her husband or leave him for her lover, Doug. Sylvie, Lizzie and Diana will need the support of each other more then ever. I thought this was a pretty good book. The relationship that Sylvie shared with her daughters was a nice mother/daughters one. I liked that Sylvie didn’t just give up at the first sign of t...

PAPERBACK PUBLICATION ON MAY 4TH, 2010 The #1 New York Times Bestseller Best Friends Forever By JENNIFER WEINER Last summer Jennifer Weiner’s critically-acclaimed seventh book, Best Friends Forever, shot to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list… And this spring Weiner’s fans everywhere can enjoy the paperback edition hitting shelves on May 4th, 2010. In Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner introduces us to the unforgettable characters of Addie Downs and Valerie Adler, two girls who will remain best friends forever. That's what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they're both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school’s scapegoat, the butt of jokes and pranks. Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weathergirl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents’ house in the...

*Please note that Jennifer Weiner’s NEW YORK CITY book signing event on MAY 13TH (previously scheduled at Borders Columbus Circle) has CHANGED LOCATION to BORDERS PARK AVE. (461 Park Avenue at 57th street). Please make this location change in your calendar listings. New details are below. Thank you!! On Thursday, May 13th, best-selling author Jennifer Weiner will be in New York to promote the paperback launch of her New York Times #1 bestselling novel, Best Friends Forever. She will be speaking, answering questions, and signing books at BORDERS PARK AVE (461 Park Avenue at 57th st.) at 7:00PM. WHO: Best-selling author Jennifer Weiner WHAT: Jennifer Weiner will be speaking, answering questions and signing books from her New York Times #1 bestselling novel - Best Friends Forever WHERE: BORDERS Park Ave–461 Park Avenue at 57th street – NYC WHEN: Thursday, May 13th at 7:00PM

I want to thank Dana for sending me a copy of this book to review. Addie Downs and Valerie Adler have been best friends since they were nine years old. Addie and her mother moved into the house across from Valerie. They were inseparable. That all changed in high school. Addie became the popular one and Valerie got thrown to the side. Valerie's brother was in a terrible car accident that left him mentally in-stable. It was up to Valerie and her parents to care for him. Now flash forward to fifteen years later. Valerie has never left her hometown. In fact she still is living in her parents home, though her parents are are no longer alive. Where as on the other hand, Addie moved away. She is a famous weather girl for a television station. Late one night Valerie hears a knock on her door. There standing on her front porch is Addie with blood on her coat. Addie tells Valerie that she needs her help. What ensues next for these two friends is a road trip filled with memories and hopefully...