Book Review - What Should I do with my life by P O Bronson

Hey guys,

Here is my review:



Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenneger

Hey guys,

Here is my review:






Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Deception Point by Dan Brown

Hey guys,

I have just finished the most amazing book, Deception Point by Dan Brown.  After reading The Lost Symbol a few months ago, I knew I had to pick up this book and give it a read....  

Here is my review:



Best wishes

Debs

After Christmas Sale Book Haul

Hey guys! 

With the Christmas money I was given, I headed into town today in search of........books.....   I managed to get most of what I wanted but will place an order for the ones I could not find..

Best wishes

Debs

True Blood Book Set (Movie Covers)

Hey guys!

I hope you have all had a great holiday...  I have had a request to show more of the True Blood book box set so below is a movie and pictures for anyone else who is interested to know more:

Christmas Day Haul

Hey guys! 

Hope you all had a great Christmas...   Here is a video of what I got:



Best wishes

Debs

Christmas Eve Book Haul - Charity ShopO

Hi guys!!!

OK, so I know I said I would not buy any more books but I can't help it lol!!  I found some books that I have are on my to buy list and they were really cheap!!! 

Best wishes and have a great christmas!

Debs

Happy holidays everyone!!!!!

Book Review - House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Hi guys,

Here is my next review:



I give this book a 10 out of 10.   I hope you enjoyed my review

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Hey guys! 

I have been off ill for a bit, so I am now catching up with my book stuff.  Here is my first review today:



I am giving this book at 9 out of 10.

Best wishes

Debs

Amazon book haul - The last of the book buying before Christmas (I promise!!!)

Hey guys,

My final book arrived this morning, whilst I was at work:



Best wishes

Debs

Book/DVD Haul

Hey guys,

I have had a couple of really exciting days of getting books and stuff and would like to share these with you in the two following videos:  







I hope you are all well and getting ready for Christmas.

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson

Hey guys,

Here is the blurb:

Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, a powerful Broadway producer, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany's. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He's perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can't stay forever, though. On Jane's ninth birthday he leaves, promising her that she'll soon forget him. Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright, she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. Then she meets someone-a handsome, comforting, funny man. He's perfect. His name is Michael . . . 

Here is my review:



I hope you enjoyed my review.

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hey guys,

Here is my second review for this week.

Here is the blurb:

The sequel to the New York Times Best selling phenomenon, Hush, Hush! 

Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home. 

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

Here is my review:



I hope you enjoyed my review!

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hi Guys!

This is the first of three reviews I have for you this week.  

Here is the blurb:

 Nora's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, she is drawn to him against her better judgement. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and knows more about her than her closest friends.And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of a centuries-old battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and sooner or later, she's going to have to pick sides...

Here is my review:

Best wishes

Debs

Book Haul - Charity Shop and Asda

Hey guys!

Yes, I know I have said that I would not buy any more books until after Christmas but I went into town yesterday and just happened to go into my favourite charity shop (it was calling to me, I promise!).  I was good though, I only got three books from town and one from Asda (grocery store).

Here are the books I got:

Books I got from the charity shop:

Sheer Mischief by Jill Mansell

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Great Expectations (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickins

Book I got from Asda:

Crescendo (Hush, Hush) by Becca Fitzpatrick (YEY!!  I am reading Hush Hush at the moment and am absolutely loving it!).

If you would like to see my video, please see below:

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Turning Thirty by Mike Gayle

Hi Guys,

This is am amazing book... It is so funny and it is refreshing to read a chick lit book that is written in the viewpoint of a bloke...

Here is the blurb:

What's the big deal?
Unlike a lot of people, Matt Beckford is actually looking forward to turning thirty. His twenties really weren't so great...and now he has his love life, his career, his finances -- even his record collection -- pretty much in order, like any good grown-up should. But when, out of the blue, Elaine announces she "can't do this anymore," Matt is left with the prospect of facing the big three-oh alone. Compounding his misery is the fact that he has to move back in with his parents.

What's it all about, Alfie? Mum and Dad immediately start driving Matt up the wall, and emails from Elaine and nights out with his old school chum Gershwin aren't enough to snap Matt out of his existential funk. So he decides to track down more old schoolmates and see how they're handling this thirty thing. One by one, he gets in touch with the rest of the magnificent seven -- Pete, Bev, Katrina, Elliot, and Ginny, his former on-off girlfriend -- and soon the old gang is back together. But they're a lot older and a lot has changed and, even if he and Ginny still seem attracted to each other, you can't have an on-off girlfriend when you're thirty. Can you?

Here is my review



Best wishes

Debs

New Writing Challenges for 2010

Hey guys!

I have decided that now is the time to start reading resolutions for next year and one resolution I plan to make is to broaden by horizon on the reading challenges front.  A blogging buddy of mine, Blair from Bitten by Book Lust Blog has details on a Chick Lit Challenge which I am going to take part in, for more details please see the link below:

Chick Lit Reading Challenge for 2011

I am really excited about this challenge as my favourite genre has to be romance and chicklit and I have quite a few chicklit books sitting on my to be read pile ready and waiting....  The trouble is now I want to read them but I can't until the beginning of 2011......  Hmm......

Also, this year I took part in the 50 Book Challenge (which I started around June) and I have now got into the mid-60s, so I am really proud of that...  Next year, I think I am going to push the boat out and try for a 100 Book Challenge.  I am not sure who started this challenge as I heard it from somewhere who heard it from somewhere else etc etc.  If you know who started this off, would you be able to let me know please..... 

So, what challenges are you going to take part in next year?

Best wishes

Debs

Writing Challenge - What Would You Take on a Deserted Island?

Hi guys,

So myself and my blogging buddy Blair from Bitten By Book Lust (Blog) and Bitten by Book Lust (You Tube Channel) have decided to become more proactive in writing and set ourselves targets (some small and some large).  Below is the prompt and what I chose to write about.  I hope you enjoy.  

If any of you would like to have a go, I would love to hear what you would do...

Lets play the old game 'what would you take on a deserted island? name five things you would take for a month and then write 5 things you'd take if you were stranded six months and why? What would you grow tired with? Swap? Need etc...

Ok, so I am stuck on a deserted island...  Would stuck be the right word?  Maybe, maybe not.  Let’s define the word ‘stuck’.  ‘Stuck’ by dictionary standards can mean trapped, caught and jammed but it could also mean baffled, mystified and puzzled.  Now, I have to say that if I was caught jam-trapped on a deserted island, I would definitely be baffled as to how I got there, mystified as to why I did not know how I got there and puzzled that I am confusing myself in such a way that I cannot remember the point I was making?!

So, I am on a desert island with no means of escape (let’s just forgot the fact that there could be trees and stuff that I could possibly make a boat and ride off into the distance – let’s pretend I don’t know how to do that.....).  I have with me a suitcase that has magically appeared beside me like a loose bit of loo roll that somehow manages to stick to the bottom of your shoe without realising and then tagging onto you for a ride half way down the street before you realise that it is there.  In my suitcase, I have chosen five items.  What are those items, I hear you cry. I know you are dying to find out what they are.... 

Well, firstly I have chosen a tent.   What would you do without a roof over your head?   If I am being honest, I have only really slept in a tent a couple of times and they were horrible....  Ok, so they were horrible but not as horrible as it would be if I slept under the stars.  At least the tent would keep the bugs away, hopefully!  Then again, would I not be able to make my own tent out of the nature that is already on the island but I suppose that pretty much depended on what was there in the first place.  Should I keep the tent as my first choice, sod it – its staying!  A tent is always handy no matter how long you stay on the island.

Now for my second choice.  Hmm...  I think I would take a guitar for entertainment.  So, I don’t know how to play a guitar but if I was stranded on a desert island for one to six months, I could teach myself how to play by just figuring out the different notes. 

Ok, now for the third choice.  It’s getting harder now.  It’s easy to come up with the first two but now I have to use my brain and come up with something a bit more ingenious.  I’ve got it.  The third item that I would take on a deserted island would be a knife, which is a very versatile tool.  I could use it to cut things such as leaves, branches and cut any wildlife that come my way that I could eat...   Also, I have just thought about this one, I could attach the knife to the end of a branch, go into the sea and hunt for fish.

I’m really struggling now.  It’s now time for the fourth choice.  Ouch, my brain is starting to hurt now.  Now I have to come up with something that is more ingenious than all the first three choices.  Ok, I’ve got it.  A book but not just any book it will have to be a book that makes me think, so it would have to be a classic and one that is really long that it would take be forever to read but also one that I would probably not understand on first reading so I would probably have to read it again to truly ‘get it’.  With one single book, I have now got months of entertainment.  Maybe I would choose War and Peace or something like that, I am not sure.   Couple that with the guitar and I will never be bored!!! 

Oh crap, now I have to choose my fifth and final thing and I think I have just used up my best idea on the fourth choice.   Let’s now have a little think and see what we can come up with.  I think I am going to have to get technical with you now.  If I define the word ‘thing’ in the thesaurus, it is defined as obsession, craze, object, point, idea etc – I could go on.  So, technically, I do not have to choose a particular item but I can choose, say, an obsession...  If we define the word ‘obsession’ you get the description ‘passion.  With that in mind, I would have to choose my partner, Geoffrey because he is, after all, my passion, without a doubt.  See, what an ingenious answer that was. 

There we have it, those are my five choices of things to take on a deserted island.  Whether I am on the island for one month or for six months, I would not change a thing...

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

Hey guys,

Here is my review -



Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Hey guys,

Here is my review of this truly spellbinding book -



Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Torment by Lauren Kate

Hey guys,

Here is my review for this amazing book:



Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Writers on Writing

Hey guys,

Here is my review:



Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

Hey guys!

Here is the blurb:

When Evie's father returned home from World War II, the family fell back into its normal life pretty quickly. But Joe Spooner brought more back with him than just good war stories. When movie-star handsome Peter Coleridge, a young ex-GI who served in Joe's company in postwar Austria, shows up, Evie is suddenly caught in a complicated web of lies that she only slowly recognizes. She finds herself falling for Peter, ignoring the secrets that surround him . . . until a tragedy occurs that shatters her family and breaks her life in two.

As she begins to realize that almost everything she believed to be a truth was really a lie, Evie must get to the heart of the deceptions and choose between her loyalty to her parents and her feelings for the man she loves. Someone will have to be betrayed. The question is . . . who? 

Here is my review:







Best wishes

Debs

Book Haul - Waterstones, W H Smiths and Charity Shop

Hey guys! 

So yes, I did go out and buy more books today but, in my defence, they were all on offer.  The ones from Waterstones were on 3 for 2, the ones from W H Smith were 3 for 2 and the ones from the charity shop were really cheap!!! 



Here is the list of books I got:

 Under the Dome: A Novel by Stephen King
Night World No. 1: Secret Vampire; Daughters of Darkness; Spellbinder by L J Smith
Night World No. 2: Dark Angel; The Chosen; Soulmate by L J Smith
Night World No. 3: Huntress, Black Dawn, Witchlight by L J Smith
Wicked: Witch & Curse  by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Wicked 2: Legacy & Spellbound by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Dark Visions: The Strange Power; The Possessed; The Passion by L J Smith
The Forbidden Game: The Hunter; The Chase; The Kill by L J Smith
13 Curses by Michelle Harrison
Goodnight, Beautiful: A Novel by Dorothy Koomson
I'm a Believer by Jessica Adams

Best wishes

Debs

My To Be Read Pile - The Final Chapter!!!

My To Be Read Pile - Part Three

My To Be Read Pile - Part Two

My To be Read Pile - Part One

My Top Ten Favourite Book Covers

My Bookcase and ramblings

Hey guys,

I hope you enjoy my video....  





Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Fallen by Lauren Kate

Hey guys,

Here is my review -



I gave this book a 10 out of 10

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

Hey guys,

Here is my review -



I gave this book a 6 out of 10

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - Babysitters' Summer Holiday by Ann M Martin (The Babysitters Club books)

Hey guys! 

Here is my review:



I gave this book a 10 out of 10

Best wishes

Debs

My Favourite Bookmark

Changes to my You tube Account

Hey guys,

I had the bright idea of wanting to coordinate my Blog with my You Tube account but found out that the only way to change the name on my You Tube account was to delete my old one and add a new account...  So, two and a half hours later, I have changed my You Tube account so my user name is Debrasbookcafe, subscribed to all the people I love to watch, sent messages to all those lovely people who subscribed to be before and am also in the process of adding the videos I could save from my old account onto my new account.... Phew!  I think I may need some sleep now! lol.....

If you are interested, please do check out my You Tube account (although I will be linking videos to my blog to all you wonderful people who follow my blog...  The link is below:

http://www.youtube.com/user/DebrasBookCafe

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review – Miles Away... Worlds Apart by Alan Sakowitz (ebook)

Alan Sakowitz, a whistleblower of a Madoff-like Ponzi scheme masterminded by Scott Rothstein, fraudster extraordinaire, tells the story of his decision to turn in Rothstein regardless of the possible dangerous ramifications of such a decision. The saga of Rothstein's rise and fall which included a Warren Yacht, two Bugattis, Governor Crist, the former Versace mansion, The Eagles, and even the murder of a law partner, is the stuff that Hollywood movies are made from.

Instead of the mere accounting of such a scandal, Sakowitz uses the Rothstein scheme as a cautionary tale in stark contrast to the stories of humble, ethical individuals living within Sakowitz's neighborhood in North Miami Beach, Florida. Sakowitz's neighbors are people who have spent their lives trying to assist others, not line their pockets, and through these stories Sakowitz creates a sharp dichotomy between the greed, of a Rothstein and its mainstream culture of consumption and the charity, kindness and selflessness of a principle-oriented community. Indeed, Sakowitz speaks to the symptoms of a culture that could create a Scott Rothstein, and, though acknowledging that the easy way out is not simple to dismiss, offers remedies to the growing ills of our entitlement society. The answer, Sakowitz says, lies in thinking first of others, and how one's actions should benefit the lives of friends, not one's short-term gratifications. – Description from GoodReads...



This story was definitely an eye opener for me. I have to be honest and say that this is not normally the type of genre that I would pick up and read but I was very kindly provided with a copy by the author, Alan Sakowitz. I am so happy that I have had the opportunity to read this book as it is definitely an eye opener into the world of financial corruption. I liked the style of writing and also the fact that when legal terms were used it is often followed by a description of what was meant, which helped me a lot in reading this story.

I would give this book a 10 out of 10.

Best wishes

Debs

Book Review - The Haunted by Jessica Verday

Hey guys!

Here is the blurb -

After a summer spent reclaiming her sanity and trying to forget the boy she fell in love with--the boy who must not exist, cannot exist, because she knows that he is dead--Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow, ready to leave the ghosts of her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, her perfume-making, and her friendship with Ben, her cute and funny lab partner, who just might be her ticket to getting over Caspian once and for all.
But Abbey can never get over Caspian, and Caspian has no choice but to return to her side, for Caspian is a Shade, and Abbey is his destiny. They are tied not only to each other, but also to the town of Sleepy Hollow, and to the famous legend that binds their fates--a legend whose dark truths they are only beginning to guess....


Here is the review -



I give this book a 100000000000 out of 10...

Best wishes

Book Review - The Hollow by Jessica Verday

Hey guys!

Here is the blurb -

Growing up in the town of Sleepy Hollow, the mystery and intrigue over Washington Irving's classic legend are all part of daily life for sixteen-year-old Abbey. But when her best friend, Kristen, vanishes at the bridge near Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Abbey's world is suddenly turned upside down. While everyone is all too quick to accept that Kristen is dead, Abbey refuses to believe that she is really gone. And when Abbey meets the gorgeous, but mysterious, Caspian at Kristen's memorial she starts to feel like she has something to hold on to for the first time since Kristen's disappearance. But when Abbey finds a diary hidden in Kristen's bedroom, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her best friend. How could Kristen have kept silent about so much? And could this secret have led to her disappearance or even her death? Hurt and angry at Kristen's betrayal, Abbey turns to Caspian for support...and uncovers a frightening truth about him that threatens both their emerging love and her sanity... 

Here is the review -



I give this 10000000000000000 out of 10....

Best wishes

Book Review - Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus by John Gray

Hey guys,

Here is the blurb -

The best-selling relationship book of all time- over seven million copies sold world wide to date- in a freshly designed new format. Learn how to create understanding and communication between the sexes from this classic and authoritative guide. First published in 1993, this book has become an international publishing phenomenon and is one of the most famous non-fiction publications of all time. A lively and accessible guide to successful communication between the sexes that has already helped many millions of readers from across the globe understand why members of the opposite sex behave the way they do, this new edition contains all the text of the original, including: / what makes members of the opposite sex tick / how to understand their verbal and non-verbal language / how to motivate the opposite sex and get what you want / how to avoid arguments and promote fruitful communication / how to score points with the opposite sex and impress your partner / the real emotional needs of the opposite sex and the behaviours associated with these needs / how to keep love alive and stay together long term This authoritative guide will help you reach a point of harmony and understanding where both sexes can live, work and love together. 

Here is my review -



I give this book a 10 out of 10

Best wishes

Book Review - The Gift by Cecelia Ahern

Hey guys!

Here is the blurb -

Step into the magical world of Cecelia Ahern If you could wish for one gift this Christmas, what would it be? Everyday Lou Suffern battled with the clock. He always had two places to be at the same time. He always had two things to do at once. When asleep he dreamed. In between dreams, he ran through the events of the day while making plans for the next. When at home with his wife and family, his mind was always someplace else. On his way into work one early winter morning, Lou meets Gabe, a homeless man sitting outside the office building. Intrigued by him and on discovering that he could also be very useful to have around, Lou gets Gabe a job in the post room. But soon Lou begins to regret helping Gabe. His very presence unsettles Lou and how does Gabe appear to be in two places at the same time? As Christmas draws closer, Lou starts to understand the value of time. He sees what is truly important in life yet at the same time he learns the harshest lesson of all. This is a story about people who not unlike parcels, hide secrets.They cover themselves in layers until the right person unwraps them and discovers what's inside. Sometimes you have to be unravelled in order to find out who you really are. For Lou Suffern, that took time.

Here is the review -



I give ths book a 10 out of 10

Best wishes

Book Review - Embers by Sandor Marai

Hey guys,

Here is the blurb -

A castle at the foot of the Carpathian mountains in the 1930s. Two men, inseparable in their youth, meet for the first time in forty-one years. They have spent their lives waiting for this moment. Four decades earlier a murky, traumatic event - something to do with a betrayal, and a woman - led to their sudden separation. Now, as their lives draw to a close, the devastating truth about that moment will be revealed. EMBERS is a masterpiece - an unforgettable story of passion, fidelity, truth and deception. 

Here is the review -



I give this book 4 out of 10.

Best wishes

Book Review - More Than Love Letters by Rosy Thornton

Hey guys!

Here is the blurb -

When Richard Slater receives a letter of complaint from one of his constituents, a Margaret Hayton, he merely responds with his standard letter of empty promises. Clearly, this woman is insane and must be avoided at all costs. But she will not be dismissed so easily, and when Richard finally sets eyes on the ‘twenty-something vision in stone-washed denim, with a cloud of dark ringlets and huge, serious eyes’ he risks losing his heart, his head and quite possibly his political career. 

Here is my review -



I give this book a 10 out of 10.

Best wishes

Book Review - Shadow by Karin Alvtegen

Hey guys!

Here is the blurb -

Gerda Persson has lain dead for three days. Her life seems to have been quite ordinary. Until the freezer in her home is opened. It is full of books, neatly stacked and wrapped in clingfilm, a thick layer of ice covering them - all by the same prize-winning author, all with handwritten dedications to Gerda. What story do these books have to tell? And what is their connection to a young boy found abandoned in an amusement park?

Here is the review -






I give this book a 9 out of 10


Best wishes

Book Haul/Win from Goodreads First Reads

Hey guys!  I hope you enjoy my video...



If you would like more detail on any information in this video, do let me know

Best wishes

Book Haul - Charity Shop

Hey guys!

Here is my second haul....   Is it possible to buy too many books????   Absolutely not!




The List

•  Divine Evil by Nora Roberts
• I Remember You by Harriet Evans
• Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
• Remember Me?: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella
• The Cupid Effect by Dorothy Koomson
• The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson
• Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson
• One Moment, One Morning by Sarah Rayner
• Open House by Jill Mansell
• MAKING YOUR MIND UP by Jill Mansell
• All the Things we didn't say by Sara Shepard
• More Than Love Letters by Rosy Thornton
• Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky
• Light On Snow by Anna Shreve
• Fortune's Rocks : A Novel by Anna Shreve
• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
• Garden Spells (Bantam Discovery) by Sarah Addison Allen
• The Sugar Queen (Random House Reader's Circle) by Sarah Addison Allen

Best wishes

Debs