Customer Reviews

Holly's Inbox

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Okay, get out your pen out and add Holly's Inbox to your must read chick lit list!

Holly Denham begins work as a receptionist at the banking firm of Huerst and Wright. It's a busy place, requiring two receptionists. Policy also forbids conversation unless it is business related. The next best thing? E-mail! The entire book is a series of emails from Holly's Inbox! We meet Holly's two best friends who both work at her last job - reception at a large hotel. Jason is incredibly funny, Aisha is a bit of a runaround. We get to live Holly's life vicariously through the corresponcence of these three. And really, doesn't everyone have a bit of peeping tom in them? We meet her meddling mother, her siblings (one who wants her to deliver some frozen rats to Spain) and her gran, who has just discovered the world wide web. She helps Holly out by signing her up for cheap flights and dating services.

But Holly doesn't seem to need the dating services. She begins to date one of the traders from the bank. But then.....

And that's where I'm going to stop. I don't want to spoil the story. And I could go on and on, as I couldn't put the book down. Devoured in two days! Reading it was eating a bag of candy, one more piece, one more page until sadly the whole thing was done. Mind you, at almost 700 pages, it was satisfying!

This is an charming, amusing, entertaining read. One of the best chick lit books of the year for me. Holly's Inbox covers the first five months at her new job. I can only hope that it continues! If you'd like to check out Holly's Inbox online you can - at www.HollysInbox.com. Really - it's her email account.

When I first saw this 650 page book, I thought "oh boy, this is gonna take a while to read, especially with how long its been taking me to read books lately." But I was wrong--really wrong! I read 400 pages the first time I sat down and opened it. Not only is it quick to read because its written in email format, but because its also so entertaining! I found myself laughing at alot of things in the emails. I think maybe I partly enjoyed it so much because I a pretty nosy person and have to admit that there are a few people's emails I would love to read. I could identify with Holly and her friends (in fact, I have some friends that are just like Trisha, Jason and Aisha!) I want to read more--I hope there is a sequel!

In a story told completely by email we get a glimpse into the life and loves of Holly Denham. From her first day as a receptionist in a London investment bank we go share the ups and downs during five months worth of Holly's interactions with friends, family, co-workers and of course the men in her life.

Being fed bits and pieces with each email keeps the pages turning. Holly's conversations jump from family arguments to flirting with the hot VP of Corporate Finance to snarky conversations with the office know-it-all. Throw in backstabbers, sluts and long lost loves and you have the makings of a hilarious adventure.

This book was so unique. In first glancing at the book you might be put off or overwhelmed by the heft of 665 pages but they fly by so quickly you're left wondering why there isn't any more. The only down side to the book is that the emails jump from one sender to another with just a change in subject and sometimes I got caught up in the story so much that I frequently skimmed over the subject in my haste to continue reading and got thrown off by the changes.

If you're a fan of chick lit then this is a must read for you and don't forget to visit HollysInbox.com to catch up on Holly's most current inbox revelations.

Reviewed for IJustFinished.com

Amazon has these under the same book. There are actually TWO books, so here ya go:



Holly's Inbox (Book 1):
Have you ever wanted to snoop through someone's email inbox? Now's your chance! Holly's life is pretty crazy and much more interesting than mine. She's quirky and fun and her friends are all endearing. I first found this through the website a couple of years ago and grabbed the book so I'd find out what happened and it got lost in the fray. I was looking for something recently to read that was light and easy to read and ran across this again. Happy day!

It's written in email format so it's easy to pick up and put down. It also sucks you in because while you know it's fictional chicklit, you just HAVE to know what's going to happen and keep reading the emails waiting for the next thing. The author does a great job of writing in email format and letting Holly tell the story "to her friends" after the fact.

Definitely worth a read. On the beach. At home on a lazy Saturday... etc.



Holly's Inbox (Book 2): Scandal In The City:
It was interesting to read the 2nd book right after the first (which is what I did). Holly has grown as a person and into her career path - as well as learning who she is and what she wants. Oh, she still screws a few things up and makes you laugh.

It's pretty much like the first one. In email format so easy to read and put down (although it's hard to do that because you really want to know what happens next!). I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but I think I actually enjoyed the 2nd book more than the first. I knew the characters and Holly's backstory (along with her friend's back stories!) so I felt more at "home" in her email. Give it a read!

When I opened the package containing HOLLY'S INBOX by Holly Denham, my first reaction was "This book is huge!" -- it's actually over 660 pages. My second reaction, which came pretty quickly after my first one, was "It better be good because it's a really big book." However, when I opened the book and saw that the story was written entirely in the form of e-mail messages, I realized that it wasn't that intimidating. Plus this book was already a huge hit in the U.K. and has been translated into six languages; so I knew lots of people had already enjoyed this book!

I packed up HOLLY'S INBOX to read at the shore because I figured it would be a light and funny book, and I really didn't want to concentrate too much on my vacation; however, I actually started the book on the way to the beach. It took me about 25 pages to get into the swing of things -- I had a few problems following the e-mails going back and forth and keeping track of who the characters were. But after I figured things out, I couldn't put the book down. I was shocked by how quickly the book moved and by how much I enjoyed it! I took the book with me to the beach later in the day and finished it within a few hours. It was just a perfect read for my vacation!

HOLLY'S INBOX is actually written by Bill Surie, not Holly Denham -- Holly is just the main characters in the story/e-mails. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about a chick-lit book being written by a man. I mean...how can a 40 year old guy really "get" women and their issues? Well, it's been awhile since I was working in an office and dealing with co-workers, but I swear Mr. Surie nailed it. All the office gossip and pettiness that I remember were incorporated into this novel (but they were a lot funnier to me now that I'm removed from all of that.) I read an interview with Mr. Surie in the New York Post, and I learned that he got the idea for this book from the e-mails of a woman he had just fired. For some reason, I thought this was just hilarious!

Before there was a book, there was a very popular website devoted to "Holly's Inbox." If you are interested in this book, then you have to check it out. The site looks just like an e-mail inbox with contacts and e-mails. The site has had thousands of people from 120 countries visiting it. You can definitely learn more about Holly and her friends/co-workers/family/etc. as well as the author's writing style. I think it's a great way to preview the book before you buy it.

I thoroughly enjoyed HOLLY'S INBOX and I definitely recommend it to all of you who are fans of the chick lit genre (especially Brit Chick Lit.) It is a very funny story with lots of cute storylines and even a little romance thrown in. I think it's a perfect summer getaway book -- whether you read it while you're away on vacation or just when you want to escape from everyday life!

When I discovered this book at Barnes & Noble, I immediately added it to my TBR List. I was quite surprised to learn my library owned a copy and was first on the wait list. I couldn't wait to begin reading Holly's e-mails.

I was looking forward to reading this as I read so many glowing reviews. I have to admit, around page 200 or so, I lost interest in Holly and her friends. I really wanted to know Holly's back-story with Toby. It took awhile for Holly to disclose to Trisha, her co-worker.

I do have to say, the secondary characters were quite interesting and added to the story. Around page 415 (the reader was able to peek inside Trisha's inbox), I found myself glued to the story and couldn't put it down.

Yes, it's a long book (665 pages of e-mails), but worth reading on a lazy afternoon. Even though I thought it was sluggish in the middle, I do hope there's a sequel in the works. I would like an update on Holly and her friends.

3.5 Stars

I could not put this book down! My friend gifted me this book for my birthday (1 of 3 books). I'm a fan of chick lit every now and then, and boy this book did not disappoint! The format is great, compilation of emails between Holly the receptionist and protagonist, her hilarious friends and family. There is a wide array of colorful characters in this book--ones you just love and ones you absolutely hate! So many twists and turns...AND incredibly funny! I don't think any book I've read has made me laugh this hard! This is a MUST read! Have fun and happy reading!

Have you ever wanted to feel what it is like in someone else's shoes? Well you can in Holly's Inbox. Holly Denham has decided to open her inbox to readers. So come take a wild and crazy ride into Holly's world.

Holly Denham has just gotten herself a new job working as a receptionist for Huerst and Wright. A huge financial institution. As if the first day of a new job wasn't hard enough, having your friends and family emailing you every second of every day can be really stressful. You can bet through that there is never a dull moment when you have friends like Aisha and Jason to keep you company or a brother who wants to name you as owner of his sex nightclub. Alisha asks Holly for help getting a job. Holly finds Alisha the perfect job working at a hotel with her friend Jason. Now if only Alisha would only stop playing housekeeper with the hotel guests. Alisha and men equals trouble with a capital "T". But you have got to love Aisha even if she is a major drama queen.

Then there is Jason who on the other hand is the type of friend ever woman needs. He makes sure you are kept up to date on the latest celebrity gossip and he always has some piece of advice to share. Some of it is pretty good. Now if only Holly would listen to it. Jason is the ultimate perfect gay best friend. My favorite person of all has got to be Holly's granny. I have one questions...What do you get when your granny gets introduced to the wonderful world known as the world wide web? The answer is...a hilarious good time.

I want to thank Holly for letting me into her world and specifically her email inbox. What a hoot. I started this book on a Sunday morning and b evening I had finished it. I couldn't put it down. With Holly's Inbox this is the first time that I have read a whole book, where it was composed up of just emails. Holly has some of the greatest friends. Her family makes me glad mine is normal compared to her's. I can't wait to read more of Holly's adventures. I mean come one who hasn't waited to read someone else's emails. Now you can without getting in trouble. So the next time you are looking for a good laugh then you have to read Holly's Inbox.

I was a bit aprehensive about reading a book written entirely in email, but then I remembered my fondess for Brigett Jones' Diary and decided to give it a whirl. I loved it! I found Holly to be quite funny and she gets herself into some interesting situations at her new job and throughout the book you find out about her past. My primary concern was getting to know characters through emails alone but it worked!

I read the reviews, decided to take a chance, and must say, I really enjoyed the book. Even with the unusual format, entirely in emails, the story flows along. When I was about half way through, my husband asked if I was getting anything out of it. Yes, there is still a story there with so many crazy characters, I had to see how it played out. Don't be intimidated by the large page count - 665. It moves quickly and easily. Highly recommend for a fun, different read. I was captivated by Holly. You may be, too.