By: Cindy of Hellodollface.com

After reading about Bossypants online and in magazines, I had to get my hands on it! I adore Tina from not only Saturday Night Live but 30 Rock and admire her comedy writing chops. I downloaded this book to my Kindle and began reading.

Tina takes us through her awkward years growing up in middle class America where she describes herself as a geek with bad hair. In typical Tina fashion, she is both self deprecating and hilarious. I liked her pre-fame days working low paying jobs that basically covered her rent and theater classes.

From attending a theater camp as a teen to her rise to success via Second City comedy and eventually gaining fame on Saturday Night Live, Tina regales the reader with her insights about the workplace and “having it all”. She talks about being a boss, a writer, a mother, and the constant juggling act to keep it all going.

Tina never pretends to be perfect nor is she preachy. Bossypants is an entertaining read with several laugh-out-loud moments.

By: Cindy of Hellodollface.com

Bethenny Frankel, natural chef and star of the Real Housewives of New York City and Bethenny Ever After, has written a book called A Place of Yes, 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life. And if anyone should know how to get a lot out of life, its her. Bethenny is slowly building a SkinnyGirl cocktail empire and will surely take over the world oneSkinnyGirl product at a time.

But life wasn’t always low-calorie drinks and best-selling books. Bethenny struggled throughout her life and I have to be honest, it’s when she’s candidly telling the reader about her ups and downs is when the book hits home. I liked reading about Bethenny’s tough times, not because I particularly like to read about people not doing well but because she overcame it all, never took No for an answer and is a super successful business woman now.
I breezed through the book and enjoyed it. Reading A Place of Yes makes you feel like you have your own little cheerleader beside you, telling you that you can do anything! And it’s just what I needed to keep going. That, and a SkinnyGirl margarita.

By: Cindy of hellodollface.com

Have you ever woken up with a terrible headache that causes you to reach for the Excedrin first thing in the morning, even before coffee? Author/blogger Jeanette Fulda woke up one day with a gripping headache that even the most potent medicine couldn’t cure.

In Chocolate & Vicodin, Jeanette documents her long and expensive quest to find an answer to why her painful headache persisted despite trying every alternative and expensive remedy available.

Jeannette succumbed to multiple scans, drugs, adjustments, even Botox, medical marijuana and acupuncture with no luck. There was no reasonable explanation to why her headache persisted even though her numerous blog readers tried to figure it out and offer their advice.

I really felt for Jeannette as she recounts her ordeal to find both answers and relief. I’ve had headaches lasting three or four days but Jeannette’s lasted for much, much longer. She is not totally pain-free even today.

This is a quick read despite the heavy subject. Chronic pain is not a laughing matter but Jeannette keeps things light and humorous.

By: Cindy of hellodollface.com

Annie Adams is a travel writer who is in love with her boyfriend of five years, Nick. Everything in her life is great until Nick suddenly breaks it off with Annie. Her happy world is turned upside down, not to mention her shattered heart.

After weeks of feeling sad and lonely, she heads out late one night and meets Griffin, a chef at a local restaurant. Annie and Griffin quickly fall for each other and get married only three months after they meet. She moves across the country and settles into a completely different lifestyle with her new husband.

But a change of scenery doesn’t quite heal Annie’s heart and when Nick unexpectedly reappears, she must make some very tough decisions about her past and future.

Laura Dave is such an amazing writer, the reader is always pulled into her stories and forms a bond with the main character. I rooted for Annie to make the right choice and in the end, I’m happy with how things worked out.