Alba in bookland: London

Breathtaking sets, mind-blowing special effects, over 350 lavish costumes and a fabulous cast and orchestra bring the magic of Disney’s Aladdin to life on the West End stage. Featuring all the songs from the classic Academy Award®-winning film including ‘Friend Like Me’, ‘A Whole New World’ and ‘Arabian Nights’, prepare to experience the unmissable ‘theatrical magic’ (Daily Telegraph) that is Aladdin.

The first time I ever went to the cinema was to see the Disney movie Aladdin. I must have been 4 or 5 years old and I still remember sitting in those huge seats staring at that enormous screen, I loved every minute of it. After that, I must have re-watched the movie a hundred times, at least. It really was a magical story for me and I used to pretend I owned my own flying carpet. So when we got tickets for Aladdin the musical, I was a bit nervous. What if it is not as good as I remember? What if it is not magical? What if they don't have a flying carpet?

Well... I needn't have worried! What an amazing show! The stage is stunning and what they do with it... I can only describe it as magic. You feel like you are in Agrabah yourself, following Aladdin and his gang in the colorful market and streets. And how they created the cave where Aladdin finds the magic lamp was just stunning. This show is really impressive visually! Even better than other big shows like The Lion King.

Then, we have the songs. I was completely transfixed during some of the most famous ones and 5-year-old me would have been over the moon seeing the genie come to life! Now, let's talk about the flying carpet. I don't know how they did it but that carpet was actually flying. What a moment.

See more photos on https://aladdinthemusical.co.uk

For the actors, all my praise goes to Trevor Dion Nicholas, who plays the genie. He is definitely the star of the show and his sassy performance, smooth moves and incredible voice were mesmerizing. What a showman! I also liked a lot the performances of Aladdin and his three loyal friends. These are not in the movie but were a great addition to the story, creating mayhem when needed.

The only thing missing from this play adaptation were the two pets. Abu, Aladdin's kleptomaniac monkey, was one of my favorite characters but it's sadly not present in this show. But as I said, they give Aladdin a gang of friends so it's not too bad. And then, there's Lago, Jafar's sarcastic parrot. In this version, he is an actual person, which was quite a good compromise as he was just as annoying and talkative as the parrot.

But this little detail didn't stop me from enjoying this show immensely. I had such a blast! This is definitely on my top musicals and if you are a Disney fan, you cannot miss this one.

Aladdin is playing at the Prince Edward Theatre. Get you tickets now here.

Last Friday I had the pleasure of going to the Cambridge Theater to see Matilda the Musical and I absolutely loved it, so I thought I'd share my impressions with you.

As a kid, I was a huge fan of Matilda. I don't know how many times I must have seen the movie! I think she is one of the reasons I love books so much. She taught me that books are important, they can be comforting, a place you can escape to but they also give you strength and self confidence. So, as you can imagine, I was bit worried that I'd be a bit disappointed if the musical didn't deliver the magic in this story.

As soon as we entered the theater though, I could tell I was in for something special. The stage was beautifully decorated with blocks with letters. We spent several minutes trying to spot words, like Acrobat, Rage, Escape or Malice.

And once the lights went out and the show started I was completely mesmerized. I needn't have worried, they not only captured the magic of this story but made it even more magical and especial. The changing sets, from the library, to Matilda's house, to the school were simply perfect. With every change, you could feel the atmosphere in the theater changing too and the tension building.

All actors were amazing but I'd like to mention the fantastic job that the actor playing Agatha Trunchbull did. She was a character that I hated with all my heart and I thought it was not possible to hate her more. I was wrong, I hated this version of her even more. And I loved every minute. The actor captured the malice in her perfectly. He moved around the stage like he owned it. His mannerisms were spot on and I could have stayed there all night just looking at him.

And then the children! I didn't think it was possible to find so many talented children! Seriously, when I was that age, I was happy if I was able to sing the alphabet song. They were flawless, enthusiastic and all around amazing.

Finally, I take my hat off for the lights and sound team and the band. While I was in there, I felt like I was in a completely different universe. The music was intense and completely enveloped you. And the lightning helped even more with this feeling.

I really thing it is one of the best musicals I have ever seen (and I've seen a few), I'd say it's up there with the Lion King. An experience I highly recommend, especially if you are a fan of Matilda. But also if you are not, my husband had never read the book nor seen the movie and left the theater equally fascinated as me. I think he is a converted Matilda fan.

Check the show times and get your tickets here (or just check the Trunchbull's Insult Generator, it's great fun):

Matilda the Musical

The last story in the fun & flirty #LoveLondon series from exciting new chick lit author Nikki Moore is OUT today! The perfect novel for reading in the sunshine … and falling in love with London. And to celebrate, I have Nikki herself today on the blog. She's gonna answer some bookish questions for us:

Hi Nikki and welcome to Alba in Bookland.

Hi Alba, thanks for letting me pop in – it’s lovely to be here.

First of all, tell us a bit about yourself:

Well, I’m a Dorset girl and love living by the beach. I have a day job in Human Resources working in Employee Relations, two energetic kids and a lovely boyfriend (not to mention wonderful friends and family!) I was on the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Scheme for four years before being offered a publishing contract and becoming a full member. The NWS – where you submit a manuscript and receive a critique report from a published author, editor or agent – was absolutely invaluable in improving my writing and I would highly recommend it to aspiring authors (see this link for details http://www.romanticnovelistsassociation.org/join/new_writers_scheme).

I was a finalist in a few writing competitions between 2010 and 2012, and my first publication contract was for a short story called A Night to Remember in the RNA/Mills & Boon best selling anthology released in February 2014, Truly, madly, Deeply. Since then I have had my debut novel Crazy, Undercover, Love (later shortlisted for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award), two short stories and five novellas (the #LoveLondon series) all published by HarperImpulse, the digital first romance imprint of HarperCollins.

You've had a very busy year, the first short story of your #LoveLondon Series was published in December and after four more short stories, you’re finally about to publish the sixth and last part, Picnics in Hyde Park. How have you lived this year? Any special moments?

Yes, I can hardly believe it - the last eighteen months since first being published have been a real whirlwind J Looking back on it now, writing and releasing five novellas and a novel in nine months was probably a bit ambitious, and it was lots of hard work, but also totally exciting. It’s gone really fast, and when you ask how I’ve lived, the answer is frantically and by the skin of my teeth, with much less sleep than I used to get!

Every release day has been a special moment, especially because of the amount of support I’ve had from readers, reviewers, bloggers and fellow authors, but I must admit that release day for Picnics will probably be the most special given it’s the novel that finishes the series and has a scene where all the characters from the novellas appear together. I think it will probably be a very emotional day too, although I will have to hold the sniffles back as I’ll be at the day job! Other special moments have been when readers or reviewers have emailed me or tracked me down on Twitter to say how much they’ve enjoyed the #LoveLondon books or to chat about the characters or other stories. There’s nothing quite like the feeling when that happens, and it always puts a grin on my face.

How did you come up with the idea for this series?

The #LoveLondon series was born out of me pitching my second full length novel - a romance wholly set in London - to my lovely editor Charlotte at HarperImpulse, and her asking me to write a number of London based short romances leading up to the novel. The idea has evolved a number of times, but we eventually settled on a linked series that would start at Christmas - Skating at Somerset House - with a story to follow roughly once a month to capture key dates or events, with one character in each short related to / friends with one of the main characters, Matt or Zoe, from Picnics. And so New Year at The Ritz, Valentine’s on Primrose Hill, Cocktails in Chelsea and Strawberries at Wimbledon were created to follow on from Skating at Somerset House.

Do you have a favourite story in the series? Or a favourite character?

This might sound big headed but I like all of the #LoveLondon books (for different reasons) – however it’s more of a case of a mum loving all of her babies than thinking I’m the best author out there (which I’m not, by any stretch of the imagination).

If I had to pick favourites it would be Valentine’s on Primrose Hill because of its darker, more serious but deeply romantic edge and Picnics in Hyde Park, which was literally a labour of love and means a lot to me. I’ve ploughed so much energy and emotion into it and it touches on a number of underlying serious issues including recovering from grief, how your childhood shapes your present and what being a good parent means. I really hope that hard work and passion translates to readers.

In terms of favourite characters, I must admit I have a soft spot for Adam from Strawberries at Wimbledon because he’s a good boy who’s now a bit rough around the edges (I have a thing for bad boys) and Rayne from the same story, because of how individual and feisty she is. Of course, I also love Matt and Zoe from Picnics, who feel more like friends than characters I’ve created. That might sound a bit odd, but other authors usually understand what I’m on about ;)

I love how you have matched your stories with special spots in London. Any secret tips for people visiting London?

Take a map, wear flat shoes because you should be prepared to walk a lot, have a camera at the ready and be ready to soak up the atmosphere! It’s a thriving, diverse city and when I went back there for a meeting earlier in the week, I fell in love with it all over again when I walked along Notting Gate Hill and meandered through Hyde Park and had strawberries and cream by the lake.

How do you celebrate your publication days?

Sometimes I’m lucky enough to be off work, but most of the time I’m at the day job from nine to five so I get up early and spend a few hours on social media before work, dip in and out of twitter during my breaks, and then spend the evening catching up with everyone while the kids occupy themselves once I’ve thrown a quick dinner at them. I usually have a bottle of wine or cocktails to hand, along with some themed cakes.

I already have a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge to celebrate the release of Picnics and the end of the series, although we’ll be drinking it on the weekend rather than Thursday night, because I have work on Friday!

Are you already working on a new book or series?

I’m taking a short break from writing for a couple of months to concentrate on promoting the #LoveLondon series and to find an agent, but I have a half written women’s commercial fiction book in the works, along with ideas for three or four more novels, so watch this space!

Tell us, who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

Oh no, there are far too many to choose from! I’ve been reading a lot of crime thrillers lately too, so haven’t had crushes on many heroes from books recently either. One that springs to mind is Jack from The Story of Us by Dani Atkins. He is gorgeous, capable, complicated and kind. What’s not to love?

Your covers are so bright and colourful. Time to confess, do you judge a book by its cover?

Thank you – I was really lucky with the covers for the #LoveLondon series, which were designed by the very talented Steve Panton (on Twitter via @StevePanton). It shouldn’t be the case, but yes, I guess I do judge a book by its cover somewhat, but I also read the blurb and the opening scene to see what I think of the writing. If the cover isn’t that good but the writing is magical, I read the book!

What are you reading at the moment? Any summer reads recommendations?

As I said, I’m reading a lot of crime / thrillers and I’ve just discovered Amanda Brooke (her latest is The Missing Husband and was fantastic but Yesterday’s Sun was brilliant too) and Angie Marsons (the Kim Stone series) but I also love anything by C.L. Taylor (The Accident or The Lie) or Lucy Clarke (The Sea Sisters, A Single Breath and The Blue). I’ve just started reading a lot of romance novels for the HarperImpulse #HIReadathon (reading and reviewing as many HI titles as possible from 1 – 14 Aug) and have enjoyed it immensely. For summer reads I would recommend The Vintage Cinema Club by Jane Linfoot, and from what I’ve read so far, Somewhere Only We Know by Erin Lawless – a romance set in London, just like Picnics in Hyde Park.

Thanks so much, Alba – it’s been fun!

I hope people have enjoyed getting to know me and my books a bit better, and I’d love readers/reviewers/bloggers/aspiring authors to get in touch via Twitter @NikkiMoore_Auth or on Fb https://www.facebook.com/NikkiMooreWrites

About the book:

Blurb: Hot summer romance…or cold revenge?

Super nanny, Zoe Harper is mad! It was bad enough discovering her ex-fiancé Greg cheating on her just weeks before their wedding. But now she’s returned home to London to find her younger sister Melody has been left jobless, homeless, broke and dumped.

Zoe is determined to get revenge on the infamous Reilly brothers for her sister’s heartbreak. So when an unexpected opportunity gives Zoe a way in to uncaring—and dizzyingly gorgeous!—successful music producer Matt Reilly’s world, she jumps at the chance to make him pay.

But living with Matt as nanny to his two adorable, but complicated children, Zoe soon begins to suspect that not everything is as it seems… Matt insists on pushing everyone away including his children, but why? And if his delicious summer kisses are anything to go by, he can’t be that bad surely?

Can Zoe convince Matt to open up a little and help fix this family before she leaves…or worse, before Matt learns who she really is?

Out on 13th August as an ebook, paperback to follow. Get it from only £2.99!

Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1PJBlfi

Kobo at https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/picnics-in-hyde-park-love-london-series

Nook at http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/picnics-in-hyde-park-love-london-series-by-nikki-moore/9780007583249.

Today I would like to talk about one of my favourite books. I only read it a couple of months ago but once I started the book I found it very difficult to put down. It is the debut novel of Ali McNamara and let me tell you, what a debut! Here is the cover:

She was just a girl, standing in front of a boy... wishing he looked more like Hugh Grant

Our heroine is Scarlett (yes, from Gone With the Wind) who actually looks a lot like Vivien Leigh and loves movies. Well, let's say that she is quite obsessed with movies (minus the quite). Apart from that, she has a normal life, a fiancé, a wedding to prepare, a very good friend and a loving father. However she is not sure this is the life she had envisioned for herself. She would have liked more drama, more romantic scenes and of course a charming prince. So imagine her delight when she is offered to house-sit a mansion in Notting Hill, the setting of one of her all time favourite movies! From that moment, her life starts to look a lot like one of her movies: she meets new fantastic friends, she starts an international search for her long lost mother and she meets Sean who has no interest in romantic movies and drives her a little crazy, but maybe, just maybe, understands her better than her fiancé... What is Scarlett going to do? Live her own movie or finally realise that she has a real life to come back to?

My opinion

To give you my opinion about this book, first I have to admit that Notting Hill is probably my favourite movie (after Star Wars and Harry Potter, of course). I have watched it more than a hundred times and every time I feel the same positive vibe. So when I read the plot of this book I was already sold. I was expecting a good book but not a great book, because you know, it didn't stand a chance against the movie. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be not only a great book, but a fantastic book!

It's clear that its main focus is on the movies (Apart from Notting Hill, there are reference to a lot of romantic movies like Love Actually, Runaway Bride, Pretty Woman...) and I loved it because I got very excited every time I recognised a scene and I could picture Scarlett perfectly reliving them. But what Ali McNamara creates with this book is not only a list of cheesy scenes from movies but a great plot with a girl who isn't sure that she likes her current life and is just trying to decide if she can have a better life or if she should just settle down. A great plot with a lot of sub-plots like her search for her mother, her best friend getting married in Disneyland (yes, they close the park for them, where do I ask for that?), her new friends with their own problems and ambitions or even how she helps Sean Bond (whose father wanted to call James lol) to believe a little in romance.

Moreover, Ali McNamara's writing is engaging and infectious. I just wanted to keep reading to get to the end and what an end! Definitely one of the best endings in a Chick-lit novel! I have to admit Scarlett had me worrying until the last minute! But when I finished I couldn't stop grinning!

And the good news is that there is a second book following Scarlett's life! I finished a couple of days ago so I'll try to post a review for it this week!

My own obsession with Notting Hill

As I said I have watched that movie more than a hundred times and probably listened to the Elvis Costello's song She a thounsand times. Since watching it I also developed a kind of crush with Hugh Grant and I have watched all his movies. So everytime I have been in London I have spent at least one day in this neighborhood (I actually lived in London for more than a year and I think I went to that area at least twice or three time per month). I love it on weekends when all the antiques stalls get mixed with all the food stalls and the touristy stuff. I think it has a life of its own. Now I can't wait to go back again! Here is a small sample:

An antique stall in Notting Hill

Musical Review: Aladdin

Musical Review: Matilda

Author Interview: Nikki Moore

From Notting Hill with Love... Actually

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