New About Me Page

Hey chaps!  Just a little post to say that I have added a new page which has information all about me on there.  Please do check it out.... 

Debra's About Me Page

Thanks!

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.

In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.

The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again?

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

This book is amazing!  I started this book yesterday morning and finished it about 10 minutes ago...  This has fast become one of my favourite reads this year!  I loved following Ginny through opening the different envelopes and seeing what she had to do and where she had to go. 

I also loved the fact that the chapters were quite short..  I like that in a book because it makes me feel like I am getting through the book faster...

For all of you chaps out there who want to buy it and read it or for those who already have it and it is on your to read pile, do not delay...  This is an amazingly funny book that you will not be able to put down!

LOVED IT!!!   10000000000000000000000000000 out of 10

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The #1 New York Times bestseller is available for the first time in a mass market paperback edition, featuring a striking movie tie-in cover.

Bella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.

For a while now I have escaped 'Twilight fever', until last week when my sister lent me her DVDs of Twilight and New Moon.  My sister kept raving about it so I thought I would give it a go.  Watching Twilight, I was immediately hooked.  I could not look away.  For the entire length of the movie I was glued to my seat trying hard not to blink at the screen and miss anything.  Immediately after, I watched New Moon and loved that too. 

The very next day, I went and bought Twilight, the first book and I have now just finished it and it was amazing!  I was expecting the book to be different from the movie but, apart from some slight details changed and more description, it was practically the same. 

This book took me completely out of my comfort zone as I usually read chick-lit, romance, thriller type stories and certainly not ones that feature vampires but I loved it....

1000 out of 10

Charity/Thrift Shop Book Haul

Hey there!  This is my second post today.  Before going in Waterstones and realising that they had a fantastic sale on, I had a wander around a couple of charity/thrift shops and these are what I bought:

Sinatra: The Untold Story by Michael Munn.  Ever since I was a teenager I have had an obsession with the Rat Pack era (have a large framed picture of the Rat Pack in front of a pool table in front of me right now!) and I just had to buy this book to find out more!

The Forbidden Temple by Patrick Woodhead.  I love books that have secrets or places that are forbidden so this book was a must for me to pick up!

Losing You by Nicci French.  This was a hardback that I bought for 99p (about $1)....  BARGAIN!

The Girls: A Novel by Lori Lansens.  This book is all about sisters and relationships....  The read up on the back sounded great....

13 Little Blue Envelopes (rpkg) by Maureen Johnson.  The idea for this story is brilliant.  Similar to PS I love you by Cecelia Ahern but at the same time seems different...  Looking forward to reading this one..  Definitely going to push this up to the top of the 'to read' pile....

16 Lighthouse Road (Cedar Cove) by Debbie Macomber.  This is the only book that I could find written by her in the store but I loved the idea that she has written stories relating to where people live...

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham.  Another John Grisham to add to my collection.  On reading the back of this one it does seem a little different to the type of books that he usually writes so this one will definitely be interesting...

I hope you enjoyed my hauls (I definitely did!!)...  I can definitely say that I won't be buying any more books for a while until my to read pile gets a little lower!

I hope you chaps are having a great week so far... 

Best wishes.

Waterstones Book Haul

Hey!  So, in little over two weeks time I will be moving house.  At the moment, I am living in a one bedroom flat but soon I will be in a small two bedroom house and I can't wait!  Deposit has been paid and, thankfully, it cost less than I had budgeted for so me and Geoffrey went out today to do a little shopping.  Geoffrey bought some models of cars that he wanted and I, of course, bought some books.  I went to two places; firstly I went to Waterstones and then went to a bunch of charity/thrift shops...

Here are the books that I bought.  At Waterstones at the moment they are doing a great offer of 3 for 2 on all paperbacks.....  LOVE IT!!!

There is one erroneous book in there which is Inside My Heart: Choosing to Live with Passion and Purpose by Robin McGraw, which was one that I saw for £4 (about $6) on Amazon and I could not resist!

The other books I bought were:

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert (I have her first book Eat Pray Love and I have a weird thing where if there is a series of books, I cannot start reading them until I have all of them ready...

The Children's Book (Vintage International) by A S Byatt.  This book looked truly magical.  I hope it lives up to the expectation!

The Associate: A Novel by John Grisham.  Despite being a fan of John Grisham I have not read a lot of his books and one of my aims for this year is to read more of his...

Leaving the World: A Novel by Douglas Kennedy.  This one just grabbed me by the cover and once I read the back I knew I had to have this book...!!

Girl Friday by Jane Green.  I have a few books written by Jane Green that I had bought from a charity shop a little while back and thought it would be a nice idea that I had a few waiting to be read and then read them one after the other, keeping the 'feeling of the writing' for the author going throughout....  From reading the blurb, her books sound so funny!

What Should I Do with My Life?: The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question by P O Bronson.  I love watching real live dramas about people who turn their lives upside down and survive...  This book sounds amazing and, hopefully, is going to be inspirational...

A Special Relationship: A Novel by Douglas Kennedy.  I had already picked up 'Leaving the World', mentioned above, and was reading the other books that he had wrote (not having heard from him before) and this one sounds beautiful...

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty.  This book I had wanted to for a while but never bought it as I did not want to buy it at full price.....  The link here is to the UK Amazon as I could not find a link to the US Amazon for this one....

Chicken Soup for the Soul.  This book is a classic.  I remember reading this when I was younger and I am not sure what I done with the copy I had.

I can't wait to read them all now!

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

As with nearly all books that come out by Nicholas Sparks, as soon as I heard that this book was on sale, I marched down to the book shop to buy it immediately!  This book was (and I probably say this about nearly every book written by Nicholas Sparks) beautiful.....  The relationships between the main characters and even the side characters were so compelling... 

I watched the movie at the cinema and thought it was good, although I still prefer the book as it gives more detail of the story...

10 out of 10

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. 

My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.

This is a great book and a amazing story.  I loved reading this book and following Anna and her thoughts and her wishes for the future.  I have read the book and watched the movie and I have to be honest and say that I definitely prefer the book.  The movie was good but I definitely did not like the ending....

8 out of 10

 

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

From the bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper comes the riveting story of a murder that shatters the picturesque calm of Amish country -- and tests the heart and soul of the lawyer defending the woman at the center of the storm.

The discovery of a dead infant in an Amish barn shakes Lancaster County to its core. But the police investigation leads to a more shocking disclosure: circumstantial evidence suggests that eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher, an unmarried Amish woman believed to be the newborn's mother, took the child's life. When Ellie Hathaway, a disillusioned big-city attorney, comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania, to defend Katie, two cultures collide -- and for the first time in her high-profile career, Ellie faces a system of justice very different from her own. Delving deep inside the world of those who live "plain," Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms. And as she unravels a tangled murder case, Ellie also looks deep within -- to confront her own fears and desires when a man from her past reenters her life. 

For me, this has to be one of the more shocking and sad stories that I have read, written by Jodi Picoult.  I have to say that any story that involves an infant or child that has been abused or killed, I do have great difficulty reading and this one was no exception. 

A great story and I really felt for the main character, Katie Fisher, and the situation she was in.  A truly emotional story from start to finish and I was truly shocked by the ending...  I was not expecting it.....

For me, this book is by far one of my favourites, of all time. 


1000000000000 out of 10

Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks

 
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks comes a tender story of hope and joy, of sacrifice and forgiveness-a moving reminder that love is possible at any age, at any time, and often comes when we least expect it. At forty-five, Adrienne Willis must rethink her entire life when her husband abandons her for a younger woman. Reeling with heartache and in search of a respite, she flees to the small coastal town of Rodanthe, North Carolina, to tend to a friend's inn for the weekend. But when a major storm starts moving in, it appears that Adrienne's perfect getaway will be ruined-until a guest named Paul Flanner arrives. At fifty-four, Paul has just sold his medical practice and come to Rodanthe to escape his own shattered past. Now, with the storm closing in, two wounded people will turn to each other for comfort-and in one weekend set in motion feelings that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

I have both read the book and watched the movie.  I have to say that this book was a little slow paced but did not deflect from the absolutely beautiful storyline and the relationships the the main characters have with themselves and their families.  I loved the ending... It was perfect......

10 out of 10

A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks

Miles Ryans life seemed to end the day his wife was killed in a hit-and-run accident two years ago. As deputy sheriff of New Bern, North Carolina, he not only grieves for her and worries about their young son Jonah but longs to bring the unknown driver to justice. Then Miles meets Sarah Andrews, Jonahs second-grade teacher. A young woman recovering from a difficult divorce, Sarah moved to New Bern hoping to start over. Tentatively, Miles and Sarah reach out to each other...and soon they are falling in love. But what neither realizes is that they are also bound together by a shocking secret, one that will force them to reexamine everything they believe inincluding their love.

This is such a beautiful story....  Another story written by Nicholas Sparks that grabs you from the very first page and never lets go until the very last page...  I loved this story and (as with nearly all the other books written by Nicholas Sparks) this definately made  me cry a few times...

100 out of 10

 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

It's 1946 and author Juliet Ashton can't think what to write next.  Out of the blue, she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams of Guernsey - by chance, he's acquired a book that once belonged to her - and, spurred on by their mutual love of reading, they begin a correspondence.  When Dawsey reveals that he is a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet's curiosity is piqued and it's not long before she begins to hear from other members.  As letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under German Occupation, Juliet soon realises that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name. 

This book was amazing!  For starters, doesn't it have just the best and most funniest title for a book ever!  That was the main reason why I bought it.  I saw the title and giggled (to myself of course and not out aloud thus allowing everyone around me to think I was some kind of crazy person!).  Normally, I don't tend to go for books that are about the war and anything during the 1940s period but this one just sucked me right in.  What I liked (and had a little trouble at the beginning trying to follow the story) was the fact that the whole book was written in a series of letters.  Juliet would write to various members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and vice versa.  It was just like you were sitting there reading the letters as they were being send. 

I loved this book. It is truly fantastic and for anyone who loves a good story about the relationships between friends and potential suitors, I would most definitely recommend this one to you.

100000000 out of 10!

New Design Layout Problems - Hopefuly fixed

Hey!  Its me again!  I have, hopefully, fixed the issue with people not being able to leave comments...  If you do experience any further problems using this, do let me know.

A very big thank you to Karen and/or Gerard from Grab a Book from our Stack blog for pointing this out to me.

Thanks

Debs

New Design Layout Problems

Hey!  I am experiencing a little difficulty with comments at the end of my posts at the moment.  If you do have any comments, please drop me an email - debrasbookcafe@aol.com

Thank you and I hope to get this sorted soon..

New Design

Hey!  I finally have a few days off so relax, read books and generally just get up to no good! 

I had set this blog up with the basic template picture and style and thought that I could find something that was a bit more me!!  I love love love pink and love books, so how does this look!!!  Its like feng shui for my blog...  Of course, what's left now is applying the same feng shui method to my flat!  I must do housework I must do housework, but this is more fun!  Maybe do the housework later?

Anyways!  I hope you guys like the new design!  I am fairly new to this so if you experience any technical problems using this blog, do let me know...

I hope you guys are having a fantastic weekend!

I Miss Mummy by Cathy Glass

Alice, aged four, is snatched by her mother the day she is due to arrive at Cathy's house. Drug-dependent and mentally ill, but desperate to keep hold of her daughter, Alice's mother takes her from her parents' house and disappears. Cathy spends three anxious days worrying about her whereabouts before Alice is found safe, but traumatized. Alice is like a little doll, so young and vulnerable, and she immediately finds her place in the heart of Cathy's family. She talks openly about her mummy, who she dearly loves, and how happy she was living with her maternal grandparents before she was put into care. Alice has clearly been very well looked after and Cathy can't understand why she couldn't stay with her grandparents. It emerges that Alice's grandparents are considered too old (they are in their early sixties) and that the plan is that Alice will stay with Cathy for a month before moving to live with her father and his new wife. The grandparents are distraught—Alice has never known her father, and her grandparents claim he is a violent drug dealer. Desperate to help Alice find the happy home she deserves, Cathy's parenting skills are tested in many new ways. Finally questions are asked about Alice's father suitability, and his true colors begin to emerge.

I am a massive fan of Cathy Glass and have read all of books so far...  I do find her books very difficult to read, not becuase they are bad (they defintely are not bad, they are brilliant) but because of the way the children that she has looked after had been treated before being taken into care.  This particular story, although it was a very long winded slow paced story, I enjoyed all the way through because Alice was a child who was not abused physically or anything horrible like that.  I loved this story and the ending was perfect.

9 out of 10

 

Charity Shop/Thrift Shop Book Haul

My addiction took me over in my lunch break today!  I had the urge to go and buy books....    I may have bought a few!!!!  Here is what i bought:

Hmmm....  I think I will add them to the pile 'to be read' that is growing bigger and bigger....  Maybe I should stop buying books?   Nah!