The series finale of THE CHOCOLATE BOX GIRLS is here… six weeks after publication date, I've finally taken time out to tell you about FORTUNE COOKIE!
Cathy says:
FORTUNE COOKIE was not an easy book to write. It wasn't just the story of new character Jake Cooke, the long-lost half-brother of the Tanberry sisters, but the book that tied up all the loose ends for the other characters too, and it took a while to work out how to weave all of those story strands together to make a book that would be as addictive as the rest of the series.
To be fair, a part of me didn't want to let go of that whole Tanglewood world at all. I made countless false starts and played around with the plot until I wasn't just cutting it fine - I'd missed my deadline completely. Typically, it was at this point I knew exactly which storyline was the right one. I did something brave - and foolish - and very risky - and pressed 'delete' on the story I had so far. I started from scratch. It could have gone horribly wrong. I could have messed up and lost the plot completely, but with the help of lots of coffee and some very late nights, I got the book finished just in time to meet my new 'revised' deadline. My editor was relieved. I was even more relieved… phew.
FORTUNE COOKIE is the story of the long-lost half-brother of the Tanberry sisters, a boy whose life has been very different to theirs. He looks like them, fair haired and smiley, and he's a good person - he just happens to be seriously accident prone. When Cookie's latest escapade creates so much havoc it wrecks the flat where he and his family are living and infuriates their landlord, he is filled with remorse and guilt. And when a letter turns up from a girl claiming to be his half-sister, and enclosing a train ticket to Somerset, the temptation to run away and leave his troubles behind is just too much. At Tanglewood, Jake meets his new half-sisters and slots easily into a new world of beach bonfires, picnics and summer swims that couldn't be more of a contrast to his old life back in London. He is working on a plan to put things right back home, but before he can do that the past catches up with him…
If you haven't read FORTUNE COOKIE yet, make it top of your summer reading list. This book will answer all your questions about the series so far: will Summer ever get properly better and find a happy ending? Will Skye ever see Finch again? Will Coco and Lawrie ever be more than just good friends? Will Honey and Cherry ever make peace? And can there be a future for Honey and Ash? The reviews for FORTUNE COOKIE have been awesome so far… many readers say it is their favourite CHOCOLATE BOX book of all. Grab yourself a copy (it's on sale in all good indie bookshops, Waterstones, WH Smith, Tesco, Asda… and online, of course!) Pour yourself a cool drink, curl up in the sunshine and escape to Tanglewood one last time…
Have you read FORTUNE COOKIE already? COMMENT BELOW to share your views or arrange to send in a review for DREAMCATCHER!
FORTUNE COOKIE was not an easy book to write. It wasn't just the story of new character Jake Cooke, the long-lost half-brother of the Tanberry sisters, but the book that tied up all the loose ends for the other characters too, and it took a while to work out how to weave all of those story strands together to make a book that would be as addictive as the rest of the series.
To be fair, a part of me didn't want to let go of that whole Tanglewood world at all. I made countless false starts and played around with the plot until I wasn't just cutting it fine - I'd missed my deadline completely. Typically, it was at this point I knew exactly which storyline was the right one. I did something brave - and foolish - and very risky - and pressed 'delete' on the story I had so far. I started from scratch. It could have gone horribly wrong. I could have messed up and lost the plot completely, but with the help of lots of coffee and some very late nights, I got the book finished just in time to meet my new 'revised' deadline. My editor was relieved. I was even more relieved… phew.
Have you read FORTUNE COOKIE already? COMMENT BELOW to share your views or arrange to send in a review for DREAMCATCHER!
I liked fortune cookie, but I didn't quite feel like all the loose ends where tied up. It was a great novel, and Cathys talent shines through it, but I'm not sur if it was her best book.
ReplyDeleteAnd if anyone takes offence, Its a bit of constructive criticism. I don't have any grudges against Cathy herself!
~El
ouchee… well, I did ask! :o( xxx
DeleteSorry! I think my main one was that Skye and Finch ended so abruptly, although I think that was described in Moon and Stars. If so, then really it's MY fault for not reading It! And we never properly find out if Summer recovered from her anorexia, although I might not have looked close enough OR it could be the novellas again! I did love Fortune Cookie as a whole and was so happy for Summer in the end.
DeleteI think the novellas are an important part of the storyline; also an eating disorder can take a long time to properly recover from, and I wanted to show a realistic reflection of this rather than a 'magic' happy ending. :o) xxx
DeleteOf course! But it has been three years, so maybe thats enough time to recover? I have no clue as I've never had or researched eating disorders... I think I'm incorrect but I don't know! Also can you publish all the Novellas in a book? My mum doesn't encourage kindles so I just read sample snippets on my iPad!
DeleteKeep writing, you're awesome at it!
~El
It can be a year, it can be ten or twenty; some never recover, sadly. The e-book shorts will be published as a book in october, under the title Life Is Sweet. xxx
DeleteIt's SO good! I literally begged my Mum to come to WHSmiths with me to get it! Xxx
ReplyDeleteThis looks so good - I can't wait to read it! :) x
ReplyDeleteHere is my book review of Fortune Cookie (I loved it by the way)! I would love for my review to be featured on Dreamcatcher (I can send a picture of me holding the book if you want)
ReplyDeleteWhen you first see the title of this book, you are cleverly fooled into thinking it is another book about Cherry (or perhaps her mother) because of the Japanese link (fortune cookies are from Japan and China) however it is actually about Jake Cooke, a new character who was briefly introduced at the end of Sweet Honey-the previous book. Honey has discovered that she has a half brother (Jake) and immediately tries to get in touch with him which slowly but surely succeeds! At first Jake (known as Cookie) mistakes Honey Tanberry's letters as tricks to get his family's money, not that they are exactly rich, living in a flat above a restaurant in Chinatown. However, as more and more proof is sent amongst Honey's persuading words, Cookie's doubt begins to fade away. Jake's home life is tight enough so it's the last straw for Jake when another crisis happens in their little flat, it's at this tense moment that Jake turns to his half-sister Honey for help, he has a trick up his sleeve to save his Mum and siblings from certain doom.
I think that Fortune Cookie is a great way to complete the chocolate box series and answers some long awaited problems. I feel satisfied at the end of the series when all of the Tanberry-Costello sisters have a better outlook on life and have all of their hopes and dreams (no pun intended :) in front of them. Jake thought that his newly found half-sisters were going to help him but it seems like he helped them even more. Although I think the character development of Jake Cooke was brilliant, the arrival of this new character just made me more interested in what was happening in the sisters lives, in a good way. The story was definitely focused on Cherry and Honey (as well as Jake of course) which was great because they are 2 of my favourite sisters but I think it would have been even better if we saw more of the other 3 sisters (Skye, Summer and Coco) to resolve their problems and see what was happening in their lives as well as reading about the main event of the book. Overall I loved this book and would give it 8 stars out of 10. Cathy Cassidy did a fantastic job of finishing up the series and I was practically glued to this book for about a week. I'll really miss Tanglewood but I guess I'll just read the Chocolate Box Secrets! The only reason it is 8 stars out of ten is rather than 10, is because I prefer Cherry Crush and Marshmallow Skye slightly more than this final book. I would highly recommend this book as a Summer read for the school holidays as it is extremely gripping!
Um, you put an extra "his" instead of 'leave' ("his his troubles behind") and I think you meant to write 'many readers say it is their favourite' rather than "many readers say it their favourite". Also, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it Lawrie? Not Laurie? Sorry! On a brighter note, I loved the book.
ReplyDeleteMerci Ms Blue! xxx
DeleteI read it, and loved it! It was so well crafted, even though it sounds like it took a long time to write it... I think its good because of all the hard work put in it!
ReplyDeleteIt is my favourite ( apart from marshmallow Skye!) I could not get my head out of it... it was extremely additive!
I didn't want it to end, but I can still re-read the series :-)
thanks Cathy for a awesome series,
loved it!!
Read it and loved it! It was such a great book to end the series, but the one and only thing that bummed me out was finding out that Skye and Finch broke up! They were so perfect together... :( Nevertheless, great book. I would totally recommend it.
ReplyDeletei havent read it yet but does ash actually come to somerset and does cherry and shay break up
ReplyDelete