This year I decided to read some spooky reads for Halloween (something I hardly ever do). After enjoying more than I expected my first read, The Boy in the Cemetery by Sebastian Gregory, I decided to go for a short story by an author I love, Ruth Saberton.

Title: Hobb's Cottage

Author: Ruth Saberton

Published: September 1st 2014 by Notting Hill Press

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: When Phoebe Summers moves to an idyllic Cornish cottage, dark deeds from the past quickly begin to cast sinister shadows across the present...

Review: I really enjoyed this short story. It's only 36 pages long but packed with action and beautifully written.  Ruth connects a past where burning witches was the normal norm and the actual present perfectly thanks to a place: Hobb's Cottage, a very special place where things appear and disappear.

This story actually gave me shivers and it demonstrates Ruth's talent with words, she can achieve so many emotions in so little pages... If you are feeling like a spooky read for this halloween weekend, I highly recommend this story. And the author notes at the end are very interesting too, I would love to visit a museum of witchcraft.

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This Friday is Halloween, here in Catalonia, it's not a tradition to celebrate it. In fact, when I was a kid, I didn't even know what it was but in recent years, schools started celebrating it, especially to promote English language and culture, and obviously the kids love it (I mean what is there not to love? The dressing up or the sweets?) so nowadays you see spiders, witches and jackolanterns everywhere. This year, I decided to add some spooky reads to the celebration. I have to admit that I never watch horror films because I get scared easily and I think I had never read a horror book so I was both very excited and scared at the same time. Now I'll tell about my first spooky read:

Title: The Boy in the Cemetery

Author: Sebastian Gregory

Published: October 29th 2014 by Carina UK
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: This is the story of a girl who didn’t want to live...
Carrie Anne is desperately unhappy. Tangled in a web of abuse, she seeks solace in the cemetery that backs onto her garden. But something creeps between the gravestones. Carrie Anne is not alone

...and a boy who cannot die.
The cemetery is home to a boy. He has guarded these forgotten bones since meeting a gruesome end two hundred years ago. Neither dead nor alive, he has been watching for a long time. And now, he finally has the visitor he’s been waiting for...

 *First of all I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: I don't read horror books for one reason: I scare easily, plus I don't like -more like hate- spiders, rats, snakes or anything half terrifying). So when I decided to pick this book I was worried that I would have to leave it unfinished or that I would just not enjoy it. And nothing further from the truth. This story is just beautiful. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are rats, decomposing corpses and gore a plenty but the story of the boy and the girl is so uniquely beautiful that I just couldn't stop reading.

Sebastian Gregory's style is very unique too. His descriptions are vivid and he transports you to another time and another place easily with his words. And his characters, even if the main ones are just kids, are really deep and complex and awaken really strong emotions in oneself. I instantly felt for the two kids, surrounded by detestable humans and an unfair world. I hated with all my heart the girl's parents though. 

This is the perfect Halloween read, not only does it have all the death and gore details but it also has a strong beautiful story that will have you gripped to its pages. Even if I could have done with less rats, I really enjoying this book more than I expected and I will be checking for sure Sebastian's other books as I found his writting very enthralling. So if you have a couple of hours this weekend, go and get this book, totally worth it!

Rating:

Blurb: Will and Harmony's seemingly idyllic marriage is left shattered after she loses a baby she didn't realise she wanted. While at a friend's party, she raises the subject of trying again, and Will s reaction leaves her hurt and confused.

Removing herself from the crowd, she encounters an enigmatic stranger whose advances she rejects, only to later discover that the handsome man is Will's childhood friend from boarding school, Luke.

When Will, struggling to confront the culture of bullying that marred his childhood, reveals a secret too painful for her to bear, Harmony is left caught between the husband she loves and the promises made by an obsessive stranger...

Review:  I had heart great things about this book so when I won a signed copy on Sophie's blog Reviewed the Book (check it out, it's a great blog), I was over the moon. And now that I have read it, even more. It is definitely one of the best books I have read this year. The prologue took my breath away and from that moment I was totally hooked to its pages, discovering bit by bit Will and Harmony's story.

Will and Harmony are in a difficult moment, after agreeing on not having children, Harmony fell pregnant and felt somehow complete, with a joy inside her like nothing before, so when she suffers a miscarriage, her world falls apart and Will, with still troubled by demons of the past, is not there to give her the support she needs. Now add Luke to this cocktail, charming, determined, even obsessive. He comes from Will's buried past and is not afraid of unveil it and take Will's present from him. 

Through these characters, Amanda Jennings handles serious topics like bullying and abuse in a very sensitive way but without avoiding the darkness that always surrounds them. There are some twists and revealed secrets that make you wonder where some humans have lost their humanity. One thing for sure, this book awakens strong emotions in oneself. You won't be left indifferent.

And what an ending. Once I finished, I felt numb. Like I had so many thoughts and feelings and my brain wasn't able to process them, questions kept popping into my mind and little bits of the book kept coming back to me. I am sure this book is going to stay with me for a long while. Plus, I reccommend that you read the author's notes because Amanda explains where she came up with this idea and it just reminds you that this might be a work of fiction but it's not far from the truth of this world. The Judas Scar is a must read and I can't wait to read more from Amanda.

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Scandalous Stable Mates by best-selling author Zara Stoneley is cantering its way through the bloggersphere. Get ready for lust, love and outrageous goings-on as we bring you romping reviews, exciting excerpts, galloping guest posts and a tip-top giveaway!

What they say: 'Secrets and scandals, love and lust – when the ‘Cheshire Set’ are up against the ‘Footballer’s Wives’ the only common ground is carnal… Flirting and fun seem the perfect antidote for Lottie's battered heart, and where better to find them than back in tranquil Tippermere, home of sexy eventer Rory Steel, the smiling Irish eyes of hunky farrier Mick O'Neal, and mysterious newcomer, model Tom Strachan? But when landowner Marcus James drops dead unexpectedly, and the threat of his waggish wife Amanda selling the heart of the village out from under them looms large, things look like they're about to heat up in and out of the saddle. With tensions running high, and the champagne flowing as freely as the adrenalin, is it any wonder that love catches more than one of them unawares?'    

REVIEW: I think that the cover of this book fits perfectly with the story: romance, saucy encounters, glamour and, especially, horses. And after living for a while in a ranch in the USA where everyone lived and breathed for horses, I was really looking forward to read this novel. One thing for sure, Zara Stoneley knows what she is talking about, you could feel her love for these animals and it was very interesting to learn all about events, competitions and riding in general.

I have to admit though that I was a bit overwhelmed at the begining with the quantity of characters having a role in this story. I'm crap with nouns and it took me a while to understand who was who and what was going on, but once I got more into the story, I enjoyed it. There were some really lovely characters, like the know-it-all Elisabeth, this old lady that subtly controled everyone like puppets, or the gorgeous Irish man.

Let me assure you, this book is packed with so much drama, romance, betrayals, secrets and twists that you will definitely not get bored reading it!

  Click Here To Buy This Book - UK 

  Click Here To Buy This Book - US    

Author Bio: Bestselling author Zara Stoneley lives in deepest Cheshire surrounded by horses, dogs, cats and amazing countryside. When she's not visiting wine bars, artisan markets or admiring the scenery in her sexy high heels or green wellies, she can be found in flip flops on the beach in Barcelona, or more likely sampling the tapas! Zara writes hot romance and bonkbusters. Her latest novel, 'Stable Mates', is a fun romp through the Cheshire countryside and combines some of her greatest loves - horses, dogs, hot men and strong women (and not forgetting champagne and fast cars)! She writes for Harper Collins and Accent Press.

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Enter via the Rafflecopter below to win a £20 Amazon voucher and signed paperback of Stable Mates:

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Giveaway UK only. Paperback copy of Stable Mates will be sent upon its 20th November 2014 release. CandleLit Author Services and Zara Stoneley reserve the right to cancel and/or amend the giveaway at anytime, without prior notification.

Title: The Woman Who Stole My Life

Author: Marian Keyes

Published: November 6th 2014 by Penguin UK

Amazon | Amazon UK  

Blurb: Stella Sweeney is back in Dublin. After living the dream in New York for a year - touring her self-help book, appearing on talk shows all over the USA and living it up in her 10-room duplex on the Upper West Side - she's back to normality with a bang. And she's got writer's block.

Stella wants a clean break as she didn't exactly leave New York on a high. Why is she back in Ireland so soon? Who is it who keeps calling? Stella wants to get back to being the woman she used to be. But can she? And should she?

I am very happy to announce that my Etsy shop: Books and Butterflies is now open! 

To celebrate the opening of my shop, I have prepared a fantastic giveaway for you all (it's international). An there will be 2 winners! Enter to win the first prize : this fantastic lot of bookish goodies and the bag with the quote: Reading gives us someplce to go when we have to stay where we are. Perfect for bookworms! 

Blurb: At thirty, Claudia's life is stale and the romance with long-term boyfriend, Seth, has disappeared. Determined to inject some festive spark back into their love life, Claudia and Seth go on their first date in a very long time. But when the night ends in disaster, Claudia suddenly finds herself facing life - and Christmas - alone.

Life alone is exciting, scary and full of soon-forgotten exercise regimes and ill-advised attempts at crafting sexy underwear. It's also filling up with dates, surprisingly. With best friends Penny and Nick at her side, a surplus of festive markets, mulled wine and Christmas tunes, Claudia attempts to face all this change with gusto. One thing's for certain: this year, Christmas is going to be very different . . .

This is the story of Claudia and her twelve dates of Christmas. Hilarious, uplifting and romantic, it's a story about losing love, finding love, and discovering what's been there all along. Expect Christmas sparkle, butterflies-in-your-stomach romance and a lot of very funny moments in The Twelve Dates of Christmas.

*First of all I would like to thank Clara, at Little, Brown for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Review: Since I read You Had Me at Merlot, Lisa's second novel, last summer, I had been dying to get my hands on her serialised debut novel so when I was offered to review it to celebrate its publication as a complete novel, I was over the moon. I can trully say that I enjoyed every lovely page of this book. What a fabulous story!

Claudia is lovely and really funny. She is quite happy with her boring life until she realises that maybe life isn't supposed to be this boring. With the help of her friends (I don't know who I loved most... well yes... I fell a bit in love with Nick) she is more or less convinced that she deserves the best and she starts changing her life going to 12 dates. Some of the dates are just hilarious, like the guy who appears with his parents, and others are just perfect. 

But what makes this book so perfect is its atmosphere. It describes christmas at London so perfectly! And all this christmassy elements (snow, Winter Wonderland, the Nutcracker, gingerbread lattes... all you can ask for is there) make the story even more sweet and lovely. In fact, I have been eyeing the website of Ryanair to check the flight prices, I also want a Christmas in London! 

But this book only confirms a suspition of mine: Lisa Dickenson is a very talented writer that takes you to beautiful locations with her perfect descriptions and makes you giggle, dream and hug your kindle non-stop. This Christmas, you can't miss The Twelve Dates of Christmas, it is a must read!

Rating: 5 stars and the christmas special badge, meaning that it's the perfect Christmas read! 

 

Joy Cartier has been to some of the most beautiful places in the world – but none of them have ever felt like home. So moving into a tiny cottage in the idyllic village of Bramble Hill, walking distance from her childhood home, seems like the perfect plan.

That is, until she gets there. The surly inhabitants of Britain’s Friendliest Village are anything but welcoming. Even her neighbour, reclusive Hollywood star Finn Mackenzie, takes one look at her and walks in the other direction.

But when the village animosity steps up a gear, it is the infuriatingly brooding Finn who keeps coming to her rescue. Slowly Joy begins to realise that maybe a happy home isn’t about where you live, but who you’re with…

Review: I am delighted to take part on this tour because I enjoyed this book so much that I have been dying  to spread the love since I finished it! Beneath the Moon and the Stars is the debut novel of Amelia Thorne and if her future books are as good as this one, she is going to have a great career ahead of her. This story was unique, intriguing and so romantic! 

Joy has travelled all around the world to improve her chainsaw carving techniques but now that she is a talented artist she is looking for a place to call home. The village of Bramble Hill looks like a great place but her new neighbours aren't happy to have her there and have decided to make her life hell. And when I say hell, I mean it. God, they were a nasty bunch. Luckily there are some residents that are willing to be her friends and some other who are willing to get into her pants...

I really liked Joy, she was all goodness but so funny too. She was an optimist, always seeing the best of a situation. And her chemistry with Finn was electric. I loved reading their scenes and I couldn't get enough of them. And what can I say of Finn? I fell in love with him, how he was always there, even without wanting to, how he held her when she was going through a difficult moment... Perfect bookboyfriend material! 

I highly recommend this book. I am sure you will fall in love with the story too (or with a certain big guy...)!

Rating: 

Today I am vere pleased to reveal the cover of One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin. This is the sequel of One Hundred Proposals, one of my favourite reads of the year so I am really looking forward to read this title.

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to One Hundred Proposals.

Beneath the Moon and the Stars by Amelia Thorne is out now. Here’s the blurb:

Home, sweet home…

Joy Cartier has been to some of the most beautiful places in the world – but none of them have ever felt like home. So moving into a tiny cottage in the idyllic village of Bramble Hill, walking distance from her childhood home, seems like the perfect plan.

That is, until she gets there. The surly inhabitants of Britain’s Friendliest Village are anything but welcoming. Even her neighbour, reclusive Hollywood star Finn Mackenzie, takes one look at her and walks in the other direction.

But when the village animosity steps up a gear, it is the infuriatingly brooding Finn who keeps coming to her rescue. Slowly Joy begins to realise that maybe a happy home isn’t about where you live, but who you’re with…

To celebrate the launch Amelia has a fab prize bundle to giveaway. You could win these gorgeous hand carved wooden necklaces, a £15 iTunes voucher and a £50 theatre ticket voucher.

All you have to do is copy one of the pre-prepared tweets below, tweet it and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw to win this prize bundle. The more you tweet, the more times you’ll be entered.

You can even make up your own tweet about the book, just as long as it has the book link to amazon, (http://amzn.to/1sdZ0rw) the hashtag #BeneathTheMoon and Amelia’s Twitter name @Amelia_Writes in the tweet you’ll be entered into the draw. 

The competition will run until midnight (UK time) on Sunday 26th October and the winner will be announced on Tuesday 28th October so plenty of time for tweeting. Every time you tweet, you’ll be entered into the draw.

Blurb: Cinderella meets Falling Down in this wickedly funny tale about having it all.

Carol is perfect… at least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality she’s sinking fast – her family treats her like their personal assistant and her boyfriend is so busy with work that he’s got her single-handedly running their relationship. Not that her job is any easier. As the only woman on the bank’s trading floor she spends twelve-hour days trying not to get sworn at or felt up by colleagues who put the "W" in banker.

How long can she go on pleasing everyone else before she snaps and loses it all?

With humor and empathy, Perfect Girl lays bare the balancing act that working women face in a man's world.

Review: This is the first book I have read by Michelle Gorman, but I am sure that it won't be the last one. I really enjoyed her style and the story was fast paced, full for drama and witty. Plus it was very interesting to see how the trading floor of a bank works. I totally pictured it like The Wolf of Wall Street movie, everyone shouting on the phone, making fun of each other, making dirty jokes... and in the middle of it all there was Carol, probably smarter than anyone else but belittled for being a woman. It makes you think how many women are in a similar situation in a man ruled world.

There was also her family. I found them quite hilarious, even if they made Carol's life even more difficult, they were quite a colourful bunch, especially the free spirit Zoe. They added a spark of humour to the story. And then her best friend, who was helpless picking men. Even to the point that Carol had to go her online dates to meet the men and decide if they were good enough for her. That was a bit too much for me, I would never ever go on a date for somebody else. Oh! And don't forget the boyfriend! I could tell he was hiding something from the beginning and I'm quite happy how it all ended, great idea Carol! 

So all these people used Carol as an assistant and they made her do everything and she just compiled. I got a bit frustated here, I just wanted to shout at Carol "have some dignity and tell them where to go". But I must admit the situations where she found herself were real fun to read. All in all, I'd say this is a very entertaining read with some unexpected twists that will have you glued to its pages. 

Sex therapist Annie Hall helps couples put the fizz back into their relationships. It’s a shame her own love life is non-existent. When Jamie who works next door catches her eye, she can’t ignore the spark of chemistry.

Most men would jump at the chance to skive off work for an afternoon quickie with their gorgeous wife, but Nick knows Julia is after only one thing – a baby. Sex shouldn’t be a chore. Can Annie help Julia see that?

Newly engaged Zoe and Simon can’t keep their hands off each other. They’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night. Will Annie help them stick to it? 

Roy and Linda have been married for over thirty years but she’s more interested in the family business than getting intimate with him. Can Annie convince Linda to rediscover her passion for Roy after all this time?

While Annie begins to work her magic with the three couples, she soon discovers that she’ll need to take some of her own advice if she’s going to let a new man into her life.

If you’re a fan of Tracy Bloom’s No one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday and Lindsey Kelk, kick your feet up, turn off your phone, and sink into Sophie’s novel.

Review: This is the first book I read by Sophie Hart, I had heard really good things about her debut novel and when I saw the beautiful cover and interesting blurb of her second one on Net Galley, I couldn't resist. And I glad that I didn't because I fould this story highly entertaining and quite different from your usual romantic story. 

Annie is a sex therapist and we get to know her and some of her clients through the story. Annie is very successful on her job but not so much on her personal life. I found her blind dates quite amusing and her not blind one even more, she even pours a glass of red wine on a guy, who has never thought about doing that? And then her clients: Nick and Julia who are trying to have a baby and have become quite obsessed completely losing the romance of their relationship (they were my least favourite couple and I didn't really warm to them), Roy and Linda who after years of marriage have lost their passion (they were really cute, especially Roy) and Simon and Zoe, two nearly weds who have decided not to have sex until the wedding (they were the best for me, their scenes together were beautiful and they had so much chemistry!).

I enjoyed this book, I found Sophie's style very interesting. I think it was a great idea that the story was not told only by Annie's point of view, because we got to know and understand all the couples better. I loved the group sessions, Annie's ideas for the activities were great and also see all the couple interact with each other. You could tell there was a great atmosphere and Sophie described it perfectly. One thing for sure, I am checking her debut novel soon as I was left wanting more.