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08:30


After absolutely loving the first part of The Year of Saying Yes, I was really looking forward to follow Izzy in her new dares and I can already tell you that she did not disappoint at all:

Title: The Year of Saying Yes Part 2
Author: Hannah Doyle
Published: January 12th 2017 by Headline
Amazon | Amazon UK


Blurb: Join Izzy on her journey from January blues to joy. Hannah Doyle's THE YEAR OF SAYING YES will make you dirty-laugh, feel warm and fuzzy, and rediscover life's magic - all thanks to one little word: yes. Fans of Lindsey Kelk, Mhairi McFarlane and Lucy-Anne Holmes, you're in for a real treat.

The second of four exclusive part-serialisations of THE YEAR OF SAYING YES by Hannah Doyle. Izzy's one-in-a-million story continues...

Dear Readers

Welcome back! It's Izzy (or should I say New Izzy) reporting for duty. It's time for Part Two of my 'Year of Saying Yes'.

Thanks to your amazing challenges and fabulous feedback, I've been up to all sorts over the past few months. Drumroll please...

- I asked a total stranger for his number (what can I say, he was hot and wearing a pirate's hat)

- I modelled for a life drawing class (yes, starkers!)

- And somehow I performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury *gulp*

All this gallivanting around means that the new, improved me is in full flow. And guess what? For the first time in forever I have an actual LOVE LIFE, with a real-life man! But in between the fun and frolics there's been a whole lot of #drama.

Buckle up, guys, we're in for a bumpy ride...

Love

Izzy x

Review: Izzy's story has been such a great surprise! I first downloaded the first part because it was free and I had so much fun following her first dares that as I soon as I finished reading it, I immediately pre-ordered the other 3 parts. I was a bit afraid that the second part would not keep the fast paced and super fun writing of the first part but I had no reason to be afraid. The story progresses at the perfect pace with us getting to know the New Izzy and enjoying her latest adventures.

In this part, Izzy's love life gets a bit more complicated. She went from no men in three years to kind of juggling two at the same part. I definitely have a favourite on this combo but after the ending of this part I really have no idea how the story will go. And I cannot wait to discover it!

I really enjoy reading about Izzy and her group of friends. She is such a positive presence, with the perfect touch of naiveté, which makes her end up in the most hilarious situations. I also like how their friends support her with her challenges but also with her new more confident persona. It really inspires me to say yes to new things, you never know what's waiting for you around the corner. 

Rating: 5 stars

09:58



Today's is my stop for White Lies and Wishes, Cathy Bramley's latest book. A feel-good romantic comedy that's guaranteed to make you smile - perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.


Title: White Lies and Wishes
Author: Cathy Bramley
Published: January 26th 2017 by Corgi
Amazon | Amazon UK


Blurb: What happens when what you wish for is only half the story...?

Flirtatious, straight-talking Jo Gold says she’s got no time for love; she’s determined to save her family’s failing footwear business.

New mother Sarah Hudson has cut short her maternity leave to return to work. She says she’ll do whatever it takes to make partner at the accountancy firm.

Bored, over-eating housewife Carrie Radley says she just wants to shift the pounds – she’d love to finally wear a bikini in public.

The unlikely trio meet by chance one winter’s day, and in a moment of ‘Carpe Diem’ madness, embark on a mission to make their wishes come true by September.

Easy. At least it would be, if they hadn’t been just the teensiest bit stingy with the truth…

With hidden issues, hidden talents, and hidden demons to overcome, new friends Jo, Carrie and Sarah must admit to what they really, really want, if they are ever to get their happy endings.

Review: Cathy Bramley is one of my favourite authors and her stories are always something special, so I was really excited for White Lies and Wishes. The first thing I noticed with this novel is that, for the first time, the story had three main female characters instead of only one. So I was really curious to see how the author told their separate stories but also how she intertwined them. After reading it, I can tell you that this new concept worked really well. We got to know these three different women at the right pace and after a few chapters I became really involved with their lives and I also felt very inspired by their support of each other and their joie de vivre.

Basically we've got Jo, the business woman who doesn't have time for romance; Sarah, the workaholic new mum with a stay at home husband; and Carrie, the stay at home wife who feels inferior and unworthy for her husband. They all meet a bit by chance at a funeral and when they get talking, they realise they are not happy with their lives. So they decide to make a wish and then help each other to achieve it. The wishes are a bit silly but we soon realise that there's a real wish to completely change their lives behind them. I found it a really inspiring and up-lifting idea and it really made me thing about my own life and what wish I would make and how far I would go to make it come true.

At the beginning, it was a bit difficult to like these women as characters. Basically because they didn't really like them themselves. But as I got to know them and found out what made their hearts tick, it was difficult not to warm to them and root for them. I specially liked Jo, with her fighting and superwoman suit but with a huge heart in search for a bit of love. The one that took me the longest to like was Carrie. I could not really understand the dynamics with her husband, especially as we discovered more about him too.

One thing for sure though, Cathy Bramley managed to keep me glued to the pages of White Lies and Wishes for hours. The story is a big celebration of friendship and also about learning to love yourself. I also think that it will inspire many, included me, to dream and dream big and then, actually go for it. It might not be my favourite story by Cathy Bramley but it's a great and up-lifting story that I'm sure everyone will enjoy.


Rating: 4 stars

Follow the Blog Tour for more reviews and extra content:

            

09:01



Today is my stop on the a slightly unusual blog tour with WHSmith Fresh Talent author Ruth Hogan for the launch of her debut novel The Keeper of Lost Things.

The Keeper of Lost Things follows housekeeper Laura as she attempts to return her deceased employer’s collection of ‘lost things’ to their rightful owners, and atone for a broken promise from many years ago. The story explores the magic and mystery behind everyday objects, and was partly inspired by Ruth’s own habit of collecting ‘curiosities’.

For each stop of the Tour, Ruth is sharing pictures of her beloved ‘curiosities’ along with a description from her about what drew her to the object:

The Lost Home

I am intrigued by this little wooden house which was found by a friend of mine behind a wooden beam when he was renovating an old cottage in the Cotswolds. He knew what I was writing about and very kindly donated it to my collection. We have no idea what it is, and whether it was lost or placed there deliberately, but we speculated that it was perhaps put there as a talisman to protect the house. This little object inspired one of the darkest short stories in the book.

About the book:

Title: The Keeper of Lost Things
Author: Ruth
Published: January 26th 2017 by Two Roads
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.

Bone china cup and saucer—Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidently left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.

As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?

The Keeper of Lost Things is out now, priced £16.99, published by Two Roads books

Follow all the stops on the Blog Tour for more curiosities: 

                

08:37

Today I review Historical Fiction Tale, Before the Rains: a romantic, heart-wrenching tale of love against the odds from the Number One Sunday Times bestselling author Dinah Jefferies. 

Title: Before the Rains
Author: Dinah Jefferies
Published: February 23rd 2017 by Penguin
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: 1930, Rajputana, India. Since her husband's death, 28-year-old photojournalist Eliza's only companion has been her camera. When the British Government send her to an Indian princely state to photograph the royal family, she's determined to make a name for herself.

But when Eliza arrives at the palace she meets Jay, the Prince's handsome, brooding brother. While Eliza awakens Jay to the poverty of his people, he awakens her to the injustices of British rule. Soon Jay and Eliza find they have more in common than they think. But their families - and society - think otherwise. Eventually they will have to make a choice between doing what's expected, or following their hearts...

Review: Dinah Jefferies is one of my favourite historical fiction authors. Her stories are always so rich in detail and so interesting and thanks to her I always discover so much. With Before the Rains she takes us to India in the twenties. With her generous and mesmerising descriptions, it's easy to picture that era, with its rich royal families contrasting with the extreme poverty of its people. 

The story focuses on Eliza, a British photographer who is assigned by the British government to spend a year photographing one of the royal families for their archives. Eliza though is not new to India, she spent her childhood there until her father's death. So as soon as she arrives there, she instantly feels a connection to that land and tries to understand the people and its customs and traditions. Some of them are completely shocking and impossible to understand but it's difficult for her (and for us) not to fall in love with this place. 

The love story between Eliza and Jay, the younger brother of the Indian prince, plays a big role in the book. It's obvious from the beginning that there's something special between them but their fate is already decided by their different backgrounds and cultures. Nevertheless, you can't help but root for them. They both, as the other characters in the story, are complex and layered characters that I enjoyed getting to know immensely. Theirs is definitely a story I won't forget in a long time.

Before the Rains is not only a story about love though. There are many emotions key to the story and secrets and betrayals have a very important role in the story. The author certainly keeps some surprises in the store for us. 

As usual, I can only praise Dinah Jefferies' writing. The story unwraps at the right pace, giving us enough time to take all the little details in and keeps us wondering what is going to happen next. All in all, a very complete and mesmerising read.

Rating: 5 stars

I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a digital copy via NetGalley. This is my honest opinion. 

08:39


Today's review is for a really special novel: A Song for Tomorrow, Alice Peterson's new book. I love Alice Peterson and her books are always unforgetable, but this one is something else. Amazing story. Read my thoughts here: 


Title: A Song for Tomorrow
Author: Alice Peterson
Published: February 9th 2017 by Simon & Schuster
Amazon | Amazon UK


Blurb: Tom fell in love with Alice the moment he saw her. He realises that being with her will not be easy, but she is a force of nature, a burst of sunlight in his otherwise ordinary world. 

Some people might look at Alice and think she has everything, but Alice knows she is not like other women. Her life is complicated, unpredictable, difficult. Alice does not like pity. All she wants to do, has ever wanted to do, is sing.

Alice has been told not to follow her dreams. So has Tom. But when fate has already dealt a tough hand, it’s time to stop listening to everyone else and only follow their own hearts.

Review: Since discovering Alice Peterson a few years ago, I've fallen in love with every single book she has written. Her stories always make me cry but somehow, she always manages to make feel better about life. And A Song for Tomorrow is no different in this sense, an unforgettable heart-breaking and uplifting story. But it's also so much more. I'd might even say that A Song for Tomorrow is Alice Peterson at her best. 

As soon as I read the blurb, I knew this was a story like no other. It's based on the true story of Alice Martineau, whose biggest dream in life was to become a singer. Circumstances though were all against her and her dream: she had Cystic Fibrosis and a life expectancy of ten years when she was born. From the beginning of the book, you can tell how much research and care Alice Peterson put into this book. Alice is one of the most wonderful characters I have ever read and her story is definitely one not to be missed.

I really cannot imagine how hard it must be to live with CF but I do think that this book shows us a fair portrayal of it and I'm sure that it will raise awareness on this horrible disease. One thing that I found extremely inspirational and brave about the character of Alice, was how she did not let CF rule her life. It reminded me how important it is to live at the full, follow your dreams and keep fighting. 

But this story was not about Alice and her disease. Far from it. It was about Alice and her life, her family, her friends, the love of her life and her music. I loved how supportive her family was and how we got to read entries from her mother's diary; this gave us a great insight on the family dynamics and how it affected them all since the beginning. And the love story between Tom and Alice was perfectly imperfect. She really deserved a good worthy man and I think she found him. 

I could keep going on and on about how beautiful and amazing and up-lifting this story is but I'm gonna stop now and let you discover it for yourself. Let me tell you one last thing though, it's only January and I'm quite sure I've already found a firm contender to book of the year. Also, having read this story, I can easily understand why everyone who knew Alice Martineau was absolutely enchanted with her. What a woman, what a story!

Rating: 5 stars

I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book to review. This is my honest opinion. 

08:35


Today I review the first installment in the serialised enovel, The Year of Saying Yes by Hannah Dole: Join Izzy on her journey from January blues to joy. Fans of Lindsey Kelk, Mhairi McFarlane and Lucy-Anne Holmes, you're in for a real treat.

Title: The Year of Saying Yes Part 1: It Started with a Dare
Author: Hannah Doyle
Published: December 15th 2016 by Headline
Amazon | Amazon UK


Blurb: Dear Readers

It's drizzling outside, which totally matches my #currentmood. Pigs in blankets, all the mince pies and a festive Baileys or five are distant memories. You know the drill - it's January. Everyone's banning booze (terrible idea) or cutting carbs (impossible). To add to the misery pile, my plans to seduce the man of my dreams at the stroke of midnight flopped spectacularly.

I'm Izzy. I don't just need a New Year resolution, I need a whole new life. And I need YOU. My dreary life is about to get a total makeover - it's my 'Year of Saying Yes'. And this is where you come in. It's up to you to #DareIzzy. I'm saying yes to your challenges, no matter how nuts, adventurous or wild they are. The sky's the limit - I'm at your mercy, readers!

Wish me luck. I have a feeling I'm going to need it.

Love

Izzy x 

Don't miss Part 2 of Izzy's adventure, where Izzy is challenged to ask a total stranger for his number, pose naked for a life drawing class and, wait for it... perform at Glastonbury!

Review: 2017 started with a bit of a read slump for me, so when I spotted someone on Twitter talking about this story and saw that the first part was free on Amazon, I downloaded it and started reading it immediately. Gosh, I'm so glad that I did! I hadn't had so much fun with a book for a long time. As soon as I finished it, I pre-ordered the other 3 parts of the book and I'm already itching to keep reading Izzy's story. 

There's nothing I didn't like in this story. The writing was fast-paced and extremely funny, the characters were lovely and the whole idea behind it was warm and inspirational. Basically, Izzy is tired of New Year's resolutions that deprive you of good things (like chocolate) so she decides to say yes to new things. She even encourages the readers of her magazine to challenge her to do things she would never do. How extremely cool is this? This definitely made me want to say yes to more things myself, because who doesn't need originality and new adventures in their lives?

I highly encourage everyone to pick this story (say yes to it!) and be inspired by it, to laugh with (of) Issy, and basically have a great time. Perfect to beat the January blues! 

Rating: 5 stars

08:29

Wing Jones is the much anticipated debut novel from Katherine Webber, published on 5th January 2017 in the UK. With a grandmother from China and another from Ghana, fifteen-year-old Wing is often caught between worlds. But when tragedy strikes, Wing discovers a talent for running she never knew she had. Wing's speed could bring her family everything it needs. It could also stop Wing getting the one thing she wants…

Throughout January, over 40 bloggers are participating in the #WJphototour – a photo blog tour documenting Katherine’s path to publishing her debut novel. From childhood memories that inspired her writing to her time living in Atlanta and Asia that influenced the book to authors she’s met over the years right up to receiving her first finished copy of the book, follow along to see Katherine’s author life unfold! Keep an eye on the hashtag to see the latest photos!

Today is my stop on this mega Photo Tour. I've been following the tour and discovering many things about the publication path that brought Wing Jones to us, have you? If you haven't yet, you should totally check them all out here. But for now, here's today photo:

One of the people I met working at BookTrust was the wonderful Katherine Woodfine. Katherine took me under her wing, brought me to book launches and events with her, and became not only one of my dearest friends, but a mentor. Still, I was SUPER nervous when I went with her to my first UKYA Drinks event, organized by Jim Dean, who at that point I’d only ever met on Twitter. I was intimidated by everyone! All the awesome bloggers and amazing authors. But everyone was so nice. Jim, Daphne Lao Tonged, and Robin Stevens were especially welcoming, even though I wasn’t a blogger or an author or anything like that. This was when I started to realize what a fantastic community the UKYA community is, and started to desperately hope that I could be a part of it someday.

About the Book:

Title: Wing Jones
Author: Katherine Webber
Published: January 5th 2016 by Walker Books
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Jandy Nelson meets Friday Night Lights: a sweeping story about love and family from an exceptional new voice in YA. With a grandmother from China and another from Ghana, fifteen-year-old Wing Jones is often caught between worlds. But when tragedy strikes, Wing discovers a talent for running she never knew she had. Wing's speed could bring her family everything it needs. It could also stop Wing getting the one thing she wants.

About the author:

Katherine Webber was born in Southern California but has lived in Atlanta, Hawaii, Hong Kong and now in London. For several years she worked at the reading charity BookTrust, where she worked on projects such as The Letterbox Club which delivers parcels of books to children in care, and YALC, the Young Adult Literature Convention. You can find her on Twitter @kwebberwrites

09:19

New Book Review Today for The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak, a dazzling debut novel—at once a charming romance and a moving coming-of-age story—about what happens when a fourteen-year old boy pretends to seduce a girl to steal a copy of Playboy but then discovers she is his computer-loving soulmate.

Title: The Impossible Fortress
Author: Jason Rekulak
Published: February 7th 2017 by Simon & Schuster
Amazon | Amazon UK


Blurb: Billy Marvin’s first love was a computer. Then he met Mary Zelinsky.
Do you remember your first love?

The Impossible Fortress begins with a magazine…The year is 1987 and Playboy has just published scandalous photographs of Vanna White, from the popular TV game show Wheel of Fortune. For three teenage boys—Billy, Alf, and Clark—who are desperately uneducated in the ways of women, the magazine is somewhat of a Holy Grail: priceless beyond measure and impossible to attain. So, they hatch a plan to steal it.

The heist will be fraught with peril: a locked building, intrepid police officers, rusty fire escapes, leaps across rooftops, electronic alarm systems, and a hyperactive Shih Tzu named Arnold Schwarzenegger. Failed attempt after failed attempt leads them to a genius master plan—they’ll swipe the security code to Zelinsky’s convenience store by seducing the owner’s daughter, Mary Zelinsky. It becomes Billy’s mission to befriend her and get the information by any means necessary. But Mary isn’t your average teenage girl. She’s a computer loving, expert coder, already strides ahead of Billy in ability, with a wry sense of humor and a hidden, big heart. But what starts as a game to win Mary’s affection leaves Billy with a gut-wrenching choice: deceive the girl who may well be his first love or break a promise to his best friends.

At its heart, The Impossible Fortress is a tender exploration of young love, true friends, and the confusing realities of male adolescence—with a dash of old school computer programming.

Review: The Impossible Fortress turned out to be such a fun and cute story. I enjoyed it immensely and I think it has all the elements that make a story unique and special. It tells the story of a teenager, Billy, who is obsessed with computers and video games. But not video games as we know them now, it's set in 1987, and as you can imagine, computers back then were rare and exotic machines that very few understood and even less knew how to actually create with them.

The story starts with Billy and his two loyal friends scheming a plan to get a Playboy magazine, where you can see the prettiest woman in America naked. They need to see those photos, and they will go any length to get them. Their plans though, are not the most bulletproof ones and they end up in the most strange situations. But in the middle of their planning, executing, more planning and discussing, something happens. Billy meets Mary. Mary turns out to be even better than Billy with computers and video games. From then, we witness Billy and Mary getting closer and a beautiful friendship developing between them, something his friends don't really understand.

I really liked Billy as a character. He was naive and easily influenced, but he had a huge heart and tried really hard to always do the right thing, even if it was kind of uncool. I loved seeing him and Mary getting closer and how they shared their dreams. I also found Mary's father a very interesting character. He just seemed cold and rude at the beginning, but once you knew more and more about Mary and him, you could understand him better.

As I said, I had a lot of fun following Billy and his friends around. I think the story was clever and touching and the writing was good. It's a story you can fly through in a few hours but you will enjoy immensely. 

Rating: 5 stars

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

08:28

Today I review My Lady Jane, a book co-written by three YA adults that re-interprets the story of Lady Jane Grey, who reigned in England for 9 days. Read my thoughts about it here:


Title: My Lady Jane
Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows
Published: September 1st 2016 by Walker Books
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: A comical, fantastical and witty re-imagining of the Tudor world, perfect for fans of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Lady Jane Grey, sixteen, is about to be married to a total stranger - and caught up in an insidious plot to rob her cousin, King Edward, of his throne. But that's the least of Jane's problems. She's about to become Queen of England. Like that could go wrong.

Review: My Lady Jane is like nothing I've read before. When I first got it, I thought it might be some kind of historical fiction romance with humorous touches but imagine my surprise when I discovered a crazy story with tones of humor, magic that completely re-imagines a real event in the history of England.

For example, take our main character: Lady Jane Grey, a fifteen-year-old bookworm who ends up married to a horse and after his cousin's death, the then sixteen-year-old king, is crowned queen (and might or might lose her head a few days later). Yes, you've read that right, a horse. In the book, there are people who can transform into animals. And there's a bit of a war between the people who have this ability and those who don't. This might sound crazy but it actually works perfectly in the story. Everything makes a lot of sense and the narrators have the most hilarious way to explain it all. Their comments about the story are spot on and they make you feel part if it all. That might actually be my only complaint about the book: there are not enough ironic comments from the narrators.

I found My Lady Jane to be a really creative and original book. The characters were all complex and layered and I just wanted to keep learning more about them. Lady Jane herself was for me the star of the story, with her clever comments and her brave behaviour, I loved following her around. The authors even managed to include some love scenes and stories that complemented the main plot perfectly without taking centre stage.

All in all, I had a great time reading My Lady Jane. It was not at all what I was expecting but this turned out to be a good thing.

If you are looking for some laughs and some craziness that actually makes sense in the strangest way, My Lady Jane is the book for you. I am now curious to discover other work by these authors.


Rating: 4 stars

08:30


Today I review Midwinter by Fiona Melrose, a heart-breaking story about a farming family, set between Suffolk and Zambia. A story of grief, guilt and the weight of family love. 


Title: Midwinter
Author: Fiona Melrose
Published: November 2nd 2016 by Corsair
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Father and Son, Landyn and Vale Midwinter, are men of the land. Suffolk farmers. Times are hard and they struggle to sustain their property, their livelihood and their heritage in the face of competition from big business.

But an even bigger, more brutal fight is brewing: a fight between each other, about the horrible death of Cecelia, beloved wife and mother, in Zambia ten years earlier. A past they have both refused to confront until now.

Over the course of a particularly mauling Suffolk winter, Landyn and Vale grapple with their memories and their pain, raking over what remains of their fragile family unit, constantly at odds and under threat of falling apart forever. While Vale makes increasingly desperate decisions, Landyn retreats, finding solace in the land, his animals - and a fox who haunts the farm and seems to bring with her both comfort and protection.

Alive to language and nature, Midwinter is a novel about guilt, blame and lost opportunities. Ultimately it is a story about love and the lengths we will go to find our way home.

Review: Midwinter is like nothing I've read in a long while. It felt a bit like there was no beginning and no end to the story, more like the author chose a period of time in the life of the main characters and told their stories during that time. This is something I found really interesting at the beginning of the book: getting to know Vale, his father, and his best friend, trying to understand their actions and their feelings. But as the story progressed and you knew about their past, I kind of lost interest in them.

Midwinter has an undercurrent of sadness during the whole story that didn't help me warm up to the characters. I cared about them and wanted a better life for them but it was difficult to really connect with them. Probably because they didn't even know how to connect with each other themselves. The atmosphere between father and son was always weird, charged with guilt and resentment and I just wanted for them to sit with each other and talk.

One thing I found quite fascinating in this story though was its evocative power. The description of places, nature and its fauna, were generous and detailed. I could easily picture the plantations in Zambia and the farm in Suffolk. But as I said, I didn't really connected with the story itself. It's well crafted and interesting enough, and I really thing it conveys grief and guilt really well but I found it a bit boring at the end, so I have a bit of a mixed opinion on this one. 

Rating: 3 stars


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

08:35



Today I'm reviewing Skipping Midnight, the last installment in the Desperately Ever After Series by Laura Kenyon. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing her, if you want to check it out, you can find it here. 

Title: Skipping Midnight (Desperately Ever After #3)
Author: Laura Kenyon
Published: November 16th 2016
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: One part Sex and the City. Two parts Desperate Housewives. Three parts Brothers Grimm.

For the women of Marestam, “happily ever after" has always come with a grain of salt. Be it infidelity or aging, deferred dreams or lost love, or even the pressures of raising a family, they have always seen each other through life’s trials with laughter, wine, and a brand new take on old-fashioned chivalry. But when rage and treachery take over, everything they hold dear comes under attack. 

Suddenly, the monarchies are crumbling, Cinderella is missing, Belle is harboring the secret of all secrets, Rapunzel is facing the one dilemma she spent her whole life trying to avoid, and Dawn could lose everything she’s finally learned to love. In order to save everyone and unmask the wolf in their midst, this iconic group of friends must follow a dogmatic fairy no one trusts, invoke a magic no one understands, and face a past they thought they had buried long ago.

Rapunzel, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and the rest of Marestam’s favorite females return in this third and final novel in Laura Kenyon's Desperately Ever After series, which takes a whimsical look at our most beloved fairy tale princesses several years after true love’s kiss. 

At heart, it’s a tale of ordinary women coming to terms with how their lives have turned out. They just happen to live in castles.

Review: A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of reading Desperately Ever After, a super fun book that caught up with some of my favourite Disney princesses a few years after their happily ever after. I found the idea genius so I have been following the series and getting to know the princesses in their new roles ever since. With Skipping Midnight we reach the end of the series so all characters are getting a bit of closure in their stories.

It had been a long time since I had finished Damsels in Distress, the previous installment, but I remembered it had ended with a huge cliff-hanger, with pregnant Belle rushed to hospital. When I started Skipping Midnight, I was a bit lost though. So many things were happening at once and I wasn't sure who was who any more. But as I got to know the characters again, it all came back and I started enjoying the story again.

I think this one is the most ambitious book of the three. All stories are open and the author even manages to open a few more before we slowly start reading about the endings (and what endings!). But I think that this installment has lost the fun spark that I enjoyed so much in the other books, especially in the first one, and it's probably the one that dragged the most. However, it was great fun being back with the princesses again and I was really happy with most of the stories, it definitely makes for a very entertaining story.

If you are a Disney fan yourself and haven't picked this series yet, I'd highly recommend you do. There are so many surprises in store for you!


I would like to thank the author for sending a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

09:47



This past year, I've only heart great things about this story, so when I won a copy in a giveaway, I started reading it as soon as I got it. I love books sets in bookshops and this one sounded wonderful. Here are my final thoughts: 


Title: The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hears (Lonely Hearts Bookshop #1)
Author: Annie Darling
Published: May 19th 2016 by Harper
Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Where happy ever after is only a page away…

A delightful new series set in a quaint old bookshop, for fans of Lucy Diamond and Jenny Colgan

Once upon a time in a crumbling London bookshop, Posy Morland spent her life lost in the pages of her favourite romantic novels.

So when Bookend’s eccentric owner, Lavinia, dies and leaves the shop to Posy, she must put down her books and join the real world. Because Posy hasn’t just inherited an ailing business, but also the unwelcome attentions of Lavinia’s grandson, Sebastian, AKA The Rudest Man In London™.

Posy has a cunning plan and six months to transform Bookends into the bookshop of her dreams – if only Sebastian would leave her alone to get on with it. As Posy and her friends fight to save their beloved bookshop, Posy’s drawn into a battle of wills with Sebastian, about whom she’s started to have some rather feverish fantasies…

Like her favourite romantic heroines, will she get her happy ever after too?

Review: What a delightful read! It has all the ingredients I love in a novel: quirky and lovable characters, a love story with a tiny bit of craziness and the perfect setting, a bookshop. I had only heart great things about this story and I now I understand why, I had so much fun reading it.

This is the kind of read you can get lost in, especially if you are a lover of books yourself. Our main character, Posy Morland, is a real bookworm. She loves books, especially romance, and after a very difficult life, she lives cocooned in the flat above the bookshop where she works, surrounded by books. She shares the flat with her younger brother and I really liked their relationship, how they challenged each other and how they bantered, for example when she had to drag him shopping when his clothes no longer fitted.

So when the owner of the bookshop dies and leaves it to her, Posy has to face many huge decisions. First of all, how to actually save the bookshop. She gets the help of her coworkers, and the unexpected help of The Rudest Man In London, Sebastian. Posy and Sebastian has known in each other all their lives but they don't really like each other. Their interactions were the best, they even made me laugh more than once and I loved how their relationship slowly evolved.

In the novel, Posy finds an outlet for her feelings and tensions writing her own regency romance. This was a great addition to the story itself as you could really see how she was feeling, even if she refused to accept it herself.

All in all, I loved The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts and I'm already looking forward to the next book.

Rating: 5 stars


08:25



New year brings new books and this one starts with a bang! January comes full of amazing books. I am really excited that some of my all my favourite authors have books out this month, but also that some really interesting debuts are coming our way too. I love discovering new voices. Here are the new releases I am most looking forward to: 

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber - January 5th

Jandy Nelson meets Friday Night Lights: a sweeping story about love and family from an exceptional new voice in YA. With a grandmother from China and another from Ghana, fifteen-year-old Wing Jones is often caught between worlds. But when tragedy strikes, Wing discovers a talent for running she never knew she had. Wing's speed could bring her family everything it needs. It could also stop Wing getting the one thing she wants.

Why so excited: When I was offered this book to review, it instantly caught my attention. The story sounds unique and really interesting and I've only heart good things about it. It's on top of my tbr-pile. 

Pre-order now!

The Legacy of Lucy Harte by Emma Heatherington - January 12th 

‘Sometimes time is all we have with the people we love the most. I ask you to slow down in life. To take your time, but don’t waste it….’

Maggie O'Hara knows better than most that life can change in a heartbeat. Eighteen years ago she was given the most precious gift- a second-hand heart, and a second chance at life.

Always thankful, Maggie has never forgotten Lucy Harte – the little girl that saved her life. But as Maggie's own life begins to fall apart, and her heart is broken in love, she loses sight of everything she has to live for…

Until an unexpected letter changes everything and brings Maggie back into the life of Lucy Harte – and a chance for Maggie to get her life back on track once more.

Lucy's final gift to Maggie is much more than the heart that beats inside her. It's a legacy that Maggie must learn to live by. A chance to make her heart skip a beat with every new discovery she makes; a promise to live, laugh, fall in love and heal her broken heart for good.

Because as the keeper of a borrowed heart, Maggie's time is more precious than most and she must make every cherished second count…

Why so excited: This sounds like exactly my kind of book, full of emotion and amazing characters. Another debut author to discover. 

Pre-order now! 

The Secret Lives of the Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain - January 12th

The eagerly awaited debut novel from the much-loved winner of The Great British Bake Off

The four Amir sisters – Fatima, Farah, Bubblee and Mae – are the only young Muslims in the quaint English village of Wyvernage.

On the outside, despite not quite fitting in with their neighbours, the Amirs are happy. But on the inside, each sister is secretly struggling.

Fatima is trying to find out who she really is – and after fifteen attempts, finally pass her driving test. Farah is happy being a wife but longs to be a mother. Bubblee is determined to be an artist in London, away from family tradition, and Mae is coping with burgeoning Youtube stardom.

Yet when family tragedy strikes, it brings the Amir sisters closer together and forces them to learn more about life, love, faith and each other than they ever thought possible.

Why so excited: Who wasn't happy when Nadiya won the GBBO? I haven't read her recipe books yet, but I'm really curious to read her first full-length novel. The story sound really intriguing. 

Pre-order now!  

New York, Actually by Sarah Morgan - January 26th 

Meet Molly

New York’s most famous agony aunt, she considers herself an expert at relationships…as long as they’re other people’s. The only love of her life is her Dalmatian, Valentine.

Meet Daniel

A cynical divorce lawyer, he’s hardwired to think relationships are a bad idea. If you don’t get involved, no-one can get hurt. But then he finds himself borrowing a dog to meet the gorgeous woman he sees running in Central Park every morning…

Molly and Daniel think they know everything there is to know about relationships…until they meet each other that is…

Why so excited: the queen of romance is back! And she takes us to New York again! What else can you ask for? 

Pre-order now! 

White Lies and Wishes by Cathy Bramley - January 26th

What happens when what you wish for is only half the story...?

Flirtatious, straight-talking Jo Gold says she’s got no time for love; she’s determined to save her family’s failing footwear business.

New mother Sarah Hudson has cut short her maternity leave to return to work. She says she’ll do whatever it takes to make partner at the accountancy firm.

Bored, over-eating housewife Carrie Radley says she just wants to shift the pounds – she’d love to finally wear a bikini in public.

The unlikely trio meet by chance one winter’s day, and in a moment of ‘Carpe Diem’ madness, embark on a mission to make their wishes come true by September.

Easy. At least it would be, if they hadn’t been just the teensiest bit stingy with the truth…

With hidden issues, hidden talents, and hidden demons to overcome, new friends Jo, Carrie and Sarah must admit to what they really, really want, if they are ever to get their happy endings.

A feel-good romantic comedy that's guaranteed to make you smile - perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.

Why so excited: If you know me, you'll know that I love Cathy Bramley's books. Plus, this is my current read and I can tell you this one is special! 

Pre-order now! 


Honeymoon Suite by Wendy Holden - January 26th

Wendy Holden, the number one bestselling queen of romantic comedy, returns with a warm tale that is sure to charm her many fans and delight those who can't get enough of Kathy Lette and Jane Green.

'Wendy Holden on form is a thing to behold' Daily Mail

When Sophie is left at the altar, she decides to press ahead with the honeymoon regardless. So she and best friend Izzy head for the bridal suite at the Normanton Arms in Derbyshire. Sophie's heart is breaking and the idea of going home alone is simply too much and so, when fate conspires to keep her at the hotel, she doesn't object.

It's a long road to rehabilitation but Sophie finds the gentle folk of Derbyshire a welcome distraction and as she becomes tangled in their lives and weaves her way into their hearts, she realises there might just be a way to reach the rainbow's end after all.

Why so excited: Quite surprisingly, I haven't read any books by Wendy Holden yet, so I thought it was time to rectify that. I've only heart great things about her, I cannot wait to discover her writing myself.

Pre-order now! 

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