Liz & Lisa's Book Club: Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

We adore Taylor Jenkins Reid and her novels. And her latest, Maybe in Another Life (out today, July 7th) is definitely her best yet. It was the obvious choice for our book club pick this month! (Can you imagine being able to live out two versions of your life? Such a great concept!) And because we love you guys, we have a copy of her book up for grabs! Just leave a comment here or on our Facebook page to be entered to #win. Contest closes Thursday, July 9th at 8pm PST.

The scoop: From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

Our thoughts: The movie, Sliding Doors, is such a great concept. Taylor translates this idea into book form in such a unique way. All we can say is we loved, loved, loved this book! And you need to read it ASAP if not sooner! :)

Liz & Lisa's Book Club: Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

We love the movie Sliding Doors and your book hits on that idea of what could happen if you'd made one single different choice in your day. Without giving anything away, we really appreciate how you handled it in your book. How did you come up with the idea? 

I have been preoccupied with the debate of fate vs. chance my entire life. I remember back in the 90s watching a trailer for Sliding Doors and deciding right then and there that it was my favorite movie even though I hadn't even seen it. I just loved the very concept. Personally, I wonder, "How different would my life be if..." on a regular basis. So, going into this book, I already knew exactly how I wanted everything to end.

We're curious about your writing process, especially with this novel and the dual storylines. Do you write your chapters in succession? Do you outline? Do you know the end before you begin?

I write everything in succession with no real outline. I start with where the character is at the beginning and I write toward how I want the book to end. Anything in the middle is up for grabs. It means that my first draft is excruciating. I wake up every day knowing I have to write a certain amount of pages and having no idea what they will be. But it also means I'm surprising myself sometimes with what the characters do and say -- which is the most fun part.

Congrats on FOREVER, INTERRUPTED being optioned for film. When you write your novels, do you picture the book as a movie? 

Thank you! Yeah, I think every book I write feels cinematic to me. I just see it all so clearly and because my first job out of college was in feature film casting, I often see characters as actors.

You also developed a show for HULU. Do you ever sleep? Ha. Tell us about how you juggle your day jobs!

Oh, my God. Sometimes I'm positively exhausted. It's not the 'hours in the day' problem so much as the creative energy. It can be hard to replenish once you feel like you've spent it all. I'm just now starting to really tap into what inspires me and learning how to harness that inspiration to fuel my work.

What's up next after MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE publishes?

Another book out next year and hopefully a few more project announcements! Every day I'm hustlin'.

Lisa's Best Books of 2014 + Giveaway!

What a great year for books! Yesterday, Liz shared her picks for the best books of 2014. And today, I'm adding mine. If you haven't yet read the titles we're highlighting, why not add them to your holiday wish list this year? Or buy them for someone you love? We think books (and wine) make the best gifts! And because we're in the holiday spirit, we're giving away TEN mystery books with this post! Just leave a comment to be entered. The contest closes on December 11th at 10am PST.

1. One Plus One by JoJo Moyes

If JoJo Moyes wrote the phone book, I'd read it! 'Nuff said.

The scoop: Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied, and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell—until an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.

2. After I do by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A wonderfully insightful look at the pitfalls of marriage, this fast-paced novel packed with witty lines and spot-on dialogue will have you turning the pages with vigor and will make you think about your own relationship--in a good way.

The scoop: When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

3. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This is one of the most suspenseful and surprising novels I've ever read. It's considered YA (which I admittedly don't read a lot of) but will appeal to all ages! 

The scoop: A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth.We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. Read it. And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

4. Tempting Fate by Jane Green

My favorite Jane Green novel so far, this book made my heart race and set my mind into overdrive. The powerful story jumped off the pages and gripped me tightly. Jane did a wonderful job of making me empathize with Gabby even though giving into her temptation caused her marriage and family to crumble around her. I couldn't put it down! 

Gabby and Elliott have been happily married for eighteen years. They have two teenaged daughters. They have built a life together. Forty-three year old Gabby is the last person to have an affair. She can’t relate to the way her friends desperately try to cling to the beauty and allure of their younger years…And yet, she too knows her youth is quickly slipping away. She could never imagine how good it would feel to have a handsome younger man show interest in her—until the night it happens. Matt makes Gabby feel sparkling, fascinating, alive—something she hasn't felt in years. What begins as a long-distance friendship soon develops into an emotional affair as Gabby discovers her limits and boundaries are not where she expects them to be. Intoxicated, Gabby has no choice but to step ever deeper into the allure of attraction and attention, never foreseeing the life-changing consequences that lie ahead. If she makes one wrong move she could lose everything—and find out what really matters most.Gabby and Elliott have been happily married for eighteen years. They have two teenaged daughters. They have built a life together. Forty-three year old Gabby is the last person to have an affair. She can’t relate to the way her friends desperately try to cling to the beauty and allure of their younger years…And yet, she too knows her youth is quickly slipping away. She could never imagine how good it would feel to have a handsome younger man show interest in her—until the night it happens. Matt makes Gabby feel sparkling, fascinating, alive—something she hasn't felt in years. What begins as a long-distance friendship soon develops into an emotional affair as Gabby discovers her limits and boundaries are not where she expects them to be. Intoxicated, Gabby has no choice but to step ever deeper into the allure of attraction and attention, never foreseeing the life-changing consequences that lie ahead. If she makes one wrong move she could lose everything—and find out what really matters most.

5. Don't Try to Find Me by Holly Brown

This thriller is Gone Girl meets The Good Girl. I was kept  in suspense from the first to the last line, I didn't know who or what to believe, and was met with a completely satisfying and shocking ending.

The scoop: When a fourteen-year-old runs away, her parents turn to social media to find her—launching a public campaign that will expose their darkest secrets and change their family forever, in this suspenseful and gripping debut for fans of Reconstructing Amelia and Gone Girl.

Don’t try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley’s hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.

As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband Paul are informed that the police have “limited resources.” If they want their fourteen-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter, and launches FindMarley.com.

But Marley isn’t the only one with secrets.

With public exposure comes scrutiny, and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now, the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It’s not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it’s discovered that she’s lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley’s disappearance.

Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse?

6. We'll Always Have Paris: A Mother Daughter Memoir by Jennifer Coburn

I love to travel, I love memoirs, I loved this book. It's funny, it warms your heart and it makes you want to pack a bag and see the world with someone you love! 

The scoop: Jennifer Coburn has always been terrified of dying young. So she decides to save up and drop everything to travel with her daughter, Katie, on a whirlwind European adventure before it's too late. Even though her husband can't join them, even though she's nervous about the journey, and even though she's perfectly healthy, Jennifer is determined to jam her daughter's mental photo album with memories—just in case.

From the cafés of Paris to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Jennifer and Katie take on Europe one city at a time, united by their desire to see the world and spend precious time together. In this heartwarming generational love story, Jennifer reveals how their adventures helped vanquish her fear of dying...for the sake of living.

You can also enter to win Jennifer's book on Goodreads here. 

7. Catching Air by Sarah Pekkanen

I loved this book from start to finish. It's an emotionally powerful story with rich characters, she nails the complexities of the relationships between women yet again.

The scoop: A chance to run a B&B in snowy, remote Vermont—it’s an offer Kira Danner can’t resist after six soul-crushing years of working as a lawyer in Florida. As Kira and her husband, Peter, step into a brand new life, she quells her fears about living with the B&B’s co-owners: Peter’s sexy, irresponsible brother Rand, and Rand’s wife, Alyssa…who is essentially a stranger.For her part, Alyssa sees taking over the B&B as the latest in a string of adventures. Plus, a quiet place might help her recover from the news that she can’t bear children. But the idyllic town proves to be anything but serene: Within weeks, the sisters-in-law are scrambling to prepare for their first big booking—a winter wedding—and soon a shy, mysterious woman comes to work for them. Dawn Zukoski is hiding something; that much is clear. But what the sisters-in-law don't realize is that Dawn is also hiding from someone…

2013 Club: Taylor Jenkins Reid's Forever Interrupted

Today's guest: Taylor Jenkins Reid Why we love her: When we heard Sarah Pekkanen raving, we knew Taylor Jenkins Reid had to be good. And, of course she is! Just read this book, you'll understand.

Her debut: Forever, Interrupted

The scoop: “Have you ever heard of supernovas? They shine brighter than anything else in the sky and then fade out really quickly, a short burst of extraordinary energy. I like to think you and Ben were like that . . . in that short time, you had more passion than some people have in a lifetime.”

Elsie Porter is an average twentysomething and yet what happens to her is anything but ordinary. On a rainy New Year’s Day, she heads out to pick up a pizza for one. She isn’t expecting to see anyone else in the shop, much less the adorable and charming Ben Ross. Their chemistry is instant and electric. Ben cannot even wait twenty-four hours before asking to see her again. Within weeks, the two are head over heels in love. By May, they’ve eloped.

Only nine days later, Ben is out riding his bike when he is hit by a truck and killed on impact. Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, he has already been whisked off to the emergency room. At the hospital, she must face Susan, the mother-in-law she has never met—and who doesn’t even know Elsie exists.

Interweaving Elsie and Ben’s charmed romance with Elsie and Susan’s healing process, Forever, Interrupted will remind you that there’s more than one way to find a happy ending.

Our thoughts: We fell in love with this love story.

Giveaway: Two copies. Just leave a comment to be entered to win. The winners will be chosen on Sunday, July 28th after 3pm PST.

Fun fact: Taylor signed a two book deal with Atria and has a second book coming out in the Summer of 2014. It's called After I Do. She also has a dog named Rabbit. Love that!

Where you can read more about Taylor: Her website, Facebook and Twitter.

CHICK LIT IS NOT DEAD PRESENTS...2013 CLUB: TAYLOR REID'S FOREVER INTERRUPTED

1. DO’S: 3 things every aspiring novelist should do

Read books, write books, and perfect the art of talking about yourself. You have to know what's being written about in order to figure out what you want to add, you have to train yourself to be a great writer, and then, once you have a book to sell, you have to sell it yourself to agents and, eventually, readers!

2. DON’TS: 3 things every aspiring novelist shouldn’t do

Take it Personally. Take it Personally. Take it Personally. It's worth stating three times because it is the most important thing to do and yet, the very, very hardest.

3. MUST HAVES: On your desk?

Iced Tea. Always.

On your Facebook feed?

Life! My Facebook news feed is where people tell me all about their day to day life and writing is nothing if not learning about life. So much inspiration (and needed distractions) there.

App on your phone? Instagram. I spend so much time communicating with words that it's nice to see people using pictures to do the work.

4. LASTS: Song you listened to on repeat?

I don't know exactly but you can bet it was by Beyonce.

Book you read? Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld. Loved it as I knew I would.

Time you laughed? I laugh so often it's hard to remember. I think that's a good sign.

5. HOW MANY: Agents did you query before you found “the one?”

I think I queried 22 people. I remember I had a little list with all of their names and codes for how they responded. I was very excited to put an exclamation point by Carly Watters' name. Hours do you write per day? Hours do you waste online when you should be writing? When I'm actively writing a book, I write 3-5,000 words a day. Sometimes that takes four hours. Sometimes it takes ten. If it takes ten, it's usually because I spent six wasting time online.

6. BESTS: Way to celebrate a book deal?

A nice dinner on the beach in Malibu.

Trick to overcome writer’s block?

I'm inclined to believe it doesn't actually exist. When I don't know what to write, I just give myself permission to write terribly, knowing I'll probably delete it. But once your fingers start moving, and you get the bad ideas out, usually the good ideas come forward. Way to think of a book idea? I tend to start with a small feeling or philosophy I want to explore and then grow out from there. It's always a great moment when you see a scene in your head, make a book idea out of it, start writing that book, and finally get to that scene that was the seed for the book in the first place.

7. NEXTS: Show you’ll DVR?

I'm very excited about Breaking Bad coming back in August. And in September, all the good network stuff is returning! Scandal, Nashville, and New Girl, my DVR awaits your premieres.

Book you’ll read? J. Courtney Sullivan's The Engagements. So excited to start.

Book you’ll write? My second book for Atria is finished. It's called After I Do and it's about a married couple that decides they need to take some time apart. I'm sitting down this week to start a third book and see where it takes me!

Thanks, Taylor!