A few weeks ago I shared a very special post to celebrate Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by Siobhan Curham. Siobhan’s new book is all about empathy and seeing things from another person’s perspective and Walker Books organised a blogswap in which they invited bloggers to step into somebody else's shoes.

First, Kirsty from Books, Occupation... Magic, shared my post on Acts of Kindness in her blog (read it here) and then I welcomed Kirsty into my blog, with a very interesting post about women and fertility and how we need to talk more and be more open about it (read it here). And today I am sharing my thoughts on the book:

Title: Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

Author: Siobhan Curham

Published: August 1st 2018 by Walker Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: An uplifting story of friendship, unity and hope that highlights the important and topical issues surrounding young carers and young refugees.

Fourteen-year-old Stevie lives in Lewes with her beloved vinyl collection, her mum ... and her mum's depression. When Stevie's mum's disability benefits are cut, Stevie and her mother are plunged into a life of poverty. But irrepressible Stevie is determined not to be beaten and she takes inspiration from the lyrics of her father's 1980s record collection and dreams of a life as a musician. Then she meets Hafiz, a talented footballer and a Syrian refugee. Hafiz's parents gave their life savings to buy Hafiz a safe passage to Europe; his journey has been anything but easy. Then he meets Stevie... As Stevie and Hafiz's friendship grows, they encourage each other to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.

Review: This is a heartfelt and hopeful story about friendship that deals in a very gentle way with several serious issues that affect many young people nowadays. The book is narrated by Stevie and Hafiz in alternate chapters, which gives us readers an insight in both their lives, their struggles and their dreams. 

Both characters have a very difficult life and have had to grow up faster than their peers at school. After her dad's death, Stevie takes care of her mum, who suffers depression and is not able to leave the house. She worries constantly about their lack of money and tries to find solutions to their problems. Music is her only scape. She is a great musician and thanks to her dad's love of music she always has a song to make every situation better. I tried to listen to the same songs she was listening to while reading her chapters and I felt really connected to her. I would definitely recommend checking the songs, as it gives the story a very special touch.

Hafiz is a Syrian refugee. He had to leave his family and friends behind and leave the country with smugglers. After a very long and arduous journey through Europe, he is finally in the UK with his uncle and wife. He is new at Stevie's school and not exactly welcomed by her classmates. Somehow though Hafiz and Stevie gravitate towards each other and start a tentative friendship. Little by little, their bond grows stronger and they are able to share their stories with each other. 

I especially liked Stevie as a character, she was such a determined and inspiring young girl and I hope she inspires many readers. As I said, this story handles very important topics that don't get enough attention in books or media in general, which makes this book very special and especially recommended for readers looking for something different and heartfelt. It reminds us that every single person has a story and it's worth listening to it.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

Lisa Dickenson's new book is a feel-good, kick-ass novel about sisterhood and second chances. I love her her hilarious remarks and her strong and relatable characters so I am very excited today to share my review for her latest release: 

Title: My Sisters And Me

Author: Lisa Dickenson

Published: August 23rd 2018 by Little Brown

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: They're fixing up their childhood home. It's going to get messy.

When Willow Lake asks her daughters for help renovating the family home, each has a reason to hesitate about returning to Maplewood...

For quiet and bookish Emmy going back to the town that ridiculed her fills her with dread.

The youngest Noelle is perfectly comfortable in herself now, but once wanted to fit in so badly that she walked away from her first love. A first love who still lives in Maplewood.

And outspoken Rae is painfully aware of how much the townspeople hurt her little sisters growing up. She didn't protect them then, but there's no way she'll let history repeat itself.

The sisters agree to go home and make the best of it. After all if they've changed over the years, it's possible the townspeople have too... isn't it?

Review: The story revolves around three sisters, Rae, Emmy and Noelle. They didn't have the easiest of childhoods in their small village of Mapplewood, as they were bullied for being different. So since moving out to start their adult lives, they haven't been back that often. But when their mother asks them to re-do the whole house while she is away, they all agree to go back for three months. As you can imagine, when they arrive, they are not ready yet to face their past demons, but they soon realize that it is about time to show Mapplewood they are kick-ass women who don't care any more about what others think. Or do they?

I really loved the whole message in the story, how we need to embrace our own selves and be proud of who we are. It's not an easy task, but every little step forward counts. The sisters were always supportive of each other and had a very special bond. Eldest sister Rae was also very protective of her two younger sisters and was always on fight-mode, ready to defend them. It was great to see her character develop and how her sisters made her understand fight or flight are not always the only options.

In general, I think there was a very clear evolution in the main three characters. We really got to know them and we were able to understand them: we knew about their fears and their doubts but also about their strengths and their dreams. Also, there wasn't only hostility waiting for them in Mapplewood, some old flames and old friendships were also back in the village, ready to turn the sisters' lives upside-down. So we got to know some new sides of them because of that. 

If you have read Lisa Dickenson's previous books, you will know about her hilarious sense of humour. Maybe this story is not as funny as her previous ones, but there were some great moments that added the perfect fun spark to the more serious tone of this book. They had me giggling repeatedly and I had such a great team down memory-lane with the sisters. There were many nineties references and as I am the same age as youngest sister Noelle, I loved reminiscing with them about the best of the decade.

My Sisters And Me has a very autumnal and cosy feeling, it even has a Halloween party. So I would definitely recommend picking it up and spend a few evenings reading it with a nice blanket and a hot drink. Best cure for the colder months!

While I Was Sleeping by Dani Atkins is out now, a brand new and brilliant emotional family drama for fans of Jojo Moyes and Dorothy Koomson, from the bestselling author of Fractured.

Title: While I Was Sleeping 

Author: Dani Atkins

Published: August 23rd 2018 by Simon & Schuster

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: What if someone else was living your happy ever after? 

When Maddie wakes up in a hospital bed, she can't remember anything about what happened to her or what has changed.

She just remembers she was about to be married and had everything to look forward to.

But it seems life has become a lot more complicated while she has been asleep...

Review: Dani Atkins' stories should come with a warning: This book will break your heart. Every single one of her novels has stolen a tiny bit of mine. 

In While I Was Sleeping we meet Maddie, who is about to get married to the most wonderful guy. I liked her since page one and during the first part I really warmed to her character. But then, she had an accident and went into a coma. I really had no idea how the story was going to unfold after this but Dani Atkins had so many surprised in store for us that I was glued to the pages of this book for hours.

I felt so many emotions while reading Maddie's story. I went from rage to tears and from tears to joy and then back again to tears several times. I think I hadn't felt so strongly about a book in a long while. All the characters felt real, like the story was happening to close friends of mine, not to fictional characters. This story really got under my skin.

If by now you are wondering, why would I pick this if it is only going to make me suffer? Well, the story telling is beautiful and the character development is stunning. You are going to step in their shoes and your opinion about them will change. You are going to wonder, more than once, what would you do in their place? And above all, you are going to share all little joys and the tender moments with them. This book will make you cry, yes. But it will also bring you so much joy. 

If you have loved Dani Atkins' previous books, then you are in for a real treat, as this is, without a doubt, her best and most emotional story yet. If you are new to her stories, then grab some tissues, some comfort food and enjoy, you are in for quite an eventful ride!

Rating: 5 stars

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

Cathy Bramley is spoiling us this year. The lovely Hetty's Farmhouse Bakery came out earlier this year and now we have the serialized enovel A Match Made in Devon finally out as a whole. Here are my thoughts on her latest story:

Title: A Match Made in Devon

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: Published July 26th 2018 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: A Match Made in Devon was published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Sometimes you have to play a part to realise who you really are… 

Nina has always dreamed of being a star. Unfortunately her agent thinks she’s more girl-next-door than leading lady and her acting career isn't going quite as planned. Then, after a series of very public blunders and to escape a gathering storm of paparazzi, Nina is forced to flee from London.

Her plan is to lay low with a friend in Devon, in beautiful Brightside Cove. But soon Nina learns that more drama can be found in a small village than on a hectic television set.

And when a gorgeous man (and his adorable dog) catch her eye, it’s not long before London and showbiz start to lose their appeal. Will Nina choose to return to the bright lights or has she met her match in Brightside Cove?

Review: A Match Made in Devon is a gorgeous novel. I fell completely in love with the story, the characters, the location and with every little detail. I love Cathy Bramley's books but this one might be my new favorite. 

The story follows Nina, who is an actress in London, on her temporary move to Devon. After a few unfortunate events, she decides to escape the big city and lay low for a few weeks. She ends up in the beautiful Brightside Cove, helping a past love interest with his new business.

I liked Nina instantly and with every passing chapter, I liked her more and more. She was a box full of surprises, she was lively, had a great heart and always tried to find the funny side in everything. I loved her attitude towards life and how much she cared for what she loved. 

The cast of secondary characters was also delightful. They all had their own story and their own dreams and insecurities and I loved how they all added to the main plot. I definitely had a soft-spot for mermaid-to-be Eliza. I loved her energy and her crazy ideas. She was such a breath of fresh air and she definitely created some hilarious moments.

A Match Made in Devon is a great read that has a really positive vibe around it. I was grinning non-stop during the whole book and it left me in such a good mood. But the story also had some more serious issues, which really touched my heart. Definitely another winner by Cathy Bramley!