28 Nov 2016

Book Review / Caitlyn's Christmas Wish by Laura L Walker

Just when former model and single mother Caitlyn Drevier Reel has finally put her life on track after a divorce and six-month stint in rehab, she is surprised to receive an invitation from her ex-in-laws to spend Christmas with the family. 

After all, she reasons, her ex-husband Grant is constantly on the road with his band and it's only fair to allow them to get to know her young son, Brody. What Caitlyn isn't prepared for, however, is the spark of attraction she feels toward Ridge, Grant's older brother, or the sense of belonging to their wonderful family once again. Ridge, who is recovering from his own personal heartache, seems to feel the same about her. 

As they work together to ensure the success of the Winter Festival his parents have organized for their small Wyoming town, Caitlyn begins to envision a bright future. But will Grant's unexpected arrival keep her Christmas wish from coming true? This inspirational novella will have you grabbing a cup of hot cocoa as you get in the holiday mood.

Published:     15th November 2016
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Review Copy





MY REVIEW

What a great read to pick for my first Christmas book of this year!  At 123 pages it is a quick easy read but it is sure packed with a lot of Christmas spirit with a few twists and turns along the way!  What I liked the most about this story is the fact that the main character Caitlyn was essentially split between two men; her former boyfriend and her former boyfriend's brother.  I liked that clash of characters and personalities.  

This was such a fun read and a great one to pick up at this time of year!

26 Nov 2016

Book Review / Haunt Me by Liz Kessler



Joe wakes up from a deep sleep to see his family leave in a removals van. Where they've gone, he has no idea. Erin moves house and instantly feels at home in her new room. Even if it appears she isn't the only one living in it. Bit by bit, Erin and Joe discover that they have somehow found a way across the ultimate divide - life and death. Bound by their backgrounds, a love of poetry and their growing feelings for each other, they are determined to find a way to be together.

Joe's brother, Olly, never cared much for poetry. He was always too busy being king of the school - but that all changed when Joe died. And when an encounter in the school corridor brings him face to face with Erin, he realises how different things really are - including the kind of girl he falls for.

Two brothers. Two choices. Will Erin's decision destroy her completely, or can she save herself before she is lost forever?



Published:     6th October 2016
Publisher:  Orion
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Review Copy by Publisher


 


MY REVIEW

Honestly, this story confused me.  I liked it but I didn't and I can't quite figure out the middle ground.  Basically, this is the story of a girl who falls in love with a ghost but meets the ghost's real life brother so she has a chance at normal but she is not sure what she wants to do.  The ghost being Olly who died in his bedroom and his ghost is stuck there despite the fact that his family moved away and a new family (including Erin) moved in.    Honestly, I wished there was more to the story than the paranormal love story type and I would have loved to have followed Olly and his family more, learning about the past etc.

This was an OK story to me but the writing was really good.  I had previously read Read Me Like A Book, Liz's previous book, and enjoyed that also.  I look forward to seeing what comes next from this author. 



25 Nov 2016

Blog Tour Author Interview / Amanda Brooke


A shocking story about a fifteen-year-old girl and the man who took advantage of her

“You might as well know from the start, I’m not going to tell on him and I don’t care how much trouble I get in. It’s not like it could get any worse than it already is.

I can’t. Don’t ask me why, I just can’t.”

When Nina finds out that her fifteen-year-old daughter, Scarlett, is pregnant, her world falls apart.

Because Scarlet won’t tell anyone who the father is. And Nina is scared that the answer will destroy everything.

As the suspects mount – from Scarlett’s teacher to Nina’s new husband of less than a year – Nina searches for the truth: no matter what the cost.







1. If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?
I must admit, I’ve never really considered the possibility of collaborating, but working on a joint project is a tempting idea. I think I’d want to try something different and because my books tend to be emotional reads, perhaps I’d venture into comedy. I’d definitely want to work with someone I could have a laugh with, so I think I’d pick Dawn French. I’ve heard she writes everything longhand, so maybe my job would be limited to typing up her notes and doing my best to absorb some of her talent.

2. What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?
The simple answer is that I don’t know what a typical writing day is anymore because I’ve only just started writing full time. I’ve worked in ‘waste,’ for the last thirty one years and spent the last five fitting in my writing around the day job. I do have a pretty good idea, however, of what my writing day should look like. I’ll get up early and spend the first hour writing on my treadmill. I know that must sound strange, but I was conscious of how sedentary my life could become so I’ve had a small desk fitted to my treadmill so I can write and walk at the same time. After breakfast, I’ll move to my study upstairs and if I can, I’ll aim to have most of my writing done by early afternoon, which gives me the rest of the day to mull over what I’ve written and come up with ideas about what should happen next.

3. What is the hardest part of the writing for you?
Up until recently, it was finding the time (see answer above!) Next on the list is finding the ideas as I’m now publishing two books a year – in fact because of the early release of The Affair as an ebook, I’ve managed to have three novels published in 2016. It means I’m constantly on the lookout for new ideas and it can be frustrating at times because inspiration can’t be forced. I’ve become adept at watching the world around me and constantly wondering ‘What if…’ Occasionally it pays off.

4. When and why did you first start writing?
I wasn’t someone who always wanted to be a writer, in fact I was in my late thirties before I took any real interest in writing and it was at a time when I was dealing with a nightmare rather than pursuing a dream. My son Nathan was twenty one months old when he was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2004, and I found writing poetry and keeping a journal helped me remain strong for both my son and his older sister Jessica. When he died in 2006, writing was a way for me to process my grief. At first I wrote about my son, but once all of those precious memories were committed to paper, I found I wanted to carry on writing. Yesterday’s Sun was my first attempt at women’s fiction and was inspired by my experiences of motherhood. The story not only secured my first book deal, but was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club in 2012. I’m slightly stunned to be publishing what will be my seventh novel, with another two in production, and all because of one little boy who has left such an amazing legacy.

5. How did you come up with the idea for your book?
With some of my books, I have a very clear memory of where I was when I had that first flash of inspiration but the idea for The Affair was one that developed slowly, then morphed into something completely different. I can remember visualising an opening scene where a young teacher walks out on her class and her career, leaving her students stunned. She was meant to be my main character but that all changed following some long and interesting chats with my editor. The Affair is almost unrecognisable from the synopsis I pitched originally, in fact the only element that has remained is the schoolgirl I had imagined watching her teacher’s life fall apart. That schoolgirl was Scarlett.

6. Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?
I think it’s incredibly important to read if you’re a writer, although I don’t consider it a chore and hopefully now that I’m giving up the day job, I’ll have more time to read. I’m currently reading Finding Martha by Caroline Wallace, partly because she’s another local author and partly because it’s a fabulous and quirky story set in 1970’s Liverpool. I’ve lived in Liverpool all my life and many of my books are based here because I know the place so well. I should quickly add that The Affair is based in a fictional town called Sedgefield, mainly because I didn’t want to scandalise a real school.

7. Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?
My advice to any aspiring writer would be that it’s never too late to start. If anything, age and experience can be a distinct advantage. That being said, if you do think you want to tackle a novel, make sure the story is something that you absolutely want to write. Don’t write because you want a book published but because you’re desperate to read this fantastic book that you’ve started to create in your mind. That way, when you’re ready to create your masterpiece, it will be a page turner for you too even though you’re the one putting in those long hours to fill the pages.







22 Nov 2016

Book Review / I Let You Go by Clare Macintosh






In a split second, Jenna Gray's world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.

Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . .







Published:     3rd May 2016
Publisher:  Berkley
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand Alone
Source:  Owned

 


MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  This story was such a rollercoaster of emotions for me, unfortunately the scale weighed on the negative side more than the positive side but I'll talk about the negative section below.  Now, some of the positives.  There were a few parts of this story that I found interesting to read.  I say interesting rather than good because of the nature of the story line (which I won't go into because of spoilers but let's just say that there is a very sensitive subject tackled as one of the main points in this story).  I also particularly liked following the police side of the story where they are investigating the main crime in question in this story.  Its not often that I come across a detective story where the detectives are down on their luck with investigating a particular story they may have to close the case without solving it.  I found that interesting to read about and follow the detectives on how they deal with that.  For me, the best part of the story was the last bit which was jam packed full of action. 

What I didn't like about this story... Unfortunately now for the parts of this story that I wasn't too keen on.  Firstly, the storyline.  This is one of those stories that takes a while for the story to build up before you get to something that really makes you perch on the edge of your seat.  For me, that point came about three quarters of the way through so I have to admit that I was getting a bit bored at the beginning of the story.  There was also the back story of the main detective on the case that  I didn't particularly enjoy.  At certain parts of the story we saw glimpses of his home life with his wife who he struggles to get on with because he works so much to his son who is clearly having a lot of issues and is acting up.  To me, that part of the story was completely unnecessary.  Apart from a pivotal point where something happens with his son which it makes the detective realise something about the case that he was working on, I didn't think that part was necessary.

21 Nov 2016

Author Interview / Miranda Sherry






Her mother destroyed her. The garden saved her.

Poppy was six years old when she was rescued from her abusive mother and taken to her grandparents' farm to recover. There, under a wide South African sky, Poppy succumbs to the magic of their garden. Slowly, her memories fade and her wounds began to heal.

But as Poppy grows up into a strange, fierce and beautiful young woman, her childhood memories start to surface. And then a love affair with a troubled older man explodes her world...









  1. If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?
    There are loads of authors that I admire, hugely, and would love just to be in the same room with, let alone write with. However, because I can’t actually imagine writing a book with someone else, my ideal writing partner would most likely be the master of the screenplay: Joss Whedon. Working together on the script of a TV series or a film would be an incredible experience, and I imagine I’d learn loads. Perhaps if I just hung around with him for a bit, some of his genius would fly off and glue itself onto me.
  1. What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?
    I start my day by writing. Before I even get out of bed. It’s a habit I got into when I was trying to fit my writing around a full-time job, and I discovered that committing to the work first thing, before all the other daily-life stuff had a chance to intrude, was the best way to ensure that my writing came first. I keep my laptop beside the bed, and pick it up as soon as I manage to switch my brain on (and sometimes before).

    For the rest of the day, I write in patches, in shortish sessions in between my other work (I freelance), any meetings I may have, or doing promotional stuff (like writing this very article). In the evenings, I try and end off my working day with another, solid writing session. I generally write in a comfy chair with the laptop balanced on an old foam yoga brick on my lap. Regardless of how the writing is going, I consume indecent amounts of Earl Grey tea whilst doing it.
  1. What is the hardest part of the writing for you?
    Keeping going, day after day, despite the fact that there are no guarantees that what I’m working on is worth anything. When I’m writing a book, it’s hard to step back far enough to gain any real kind of perspective on it.

I find writing action sequences easier than quiet scenes that deal with self-reflection or realisations. The action tends to carry me along, whereas it’s really difficult to explore the internal landscape of a character, to follow the flow of their dawning realisation, for example, without being dull. I find I have to work hard to ensure that I get the emotional truth of the character across without being repetitive, or ending up with a chunk of dead boring text.

  1. When and why did you first start writing?
    I’ve been writing since as far back as I can remember. I wrote stories in old school books that had empty pages left over at the back. Alongside the weird, rambling tales I was trying to tell, I wrote bad song lyrics and awful poetry. I stopped when I finished school, believing that I didn’t really have what it took to be a real writer. It took decades to drum up the courage to try again. I’m glad I did.
  1. How did you come up with the idea for your book?
    I kept being plagued by this image of a girl in an isolated garden. For some reason, I carried her around with me for years before I began to see her clearly enough to weave her into a story.

    I was drawn to the idea that a haven, a sanctuary of solace and healing, could ultimately become a kind of a trap, a landscape of nightmares. If you were utterly alone, would it be possible to look within for the tools and the strength to escape? That notion just fascinated me.
  1. Are you a big reader? If so, wßhat are you reading now?
    I am never without a book. I read constantly! Right now, I am reading
    Circles Around the Sun by Molly McCloskey. It’s a riveting non-fiction work about a boy who develops schizophrenia, and the journey his sister undertakes to try and understand what has happened to him.
  1. Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?
    Stephen King, in his book,
    On Writing, advises that you should never tell anyone the story you want to write, because if you do, you no longer NEED to write it. I agree. Actually finishing a book is so difficult that I find I need that sense of urgency in order to get it done.

    Finishing your work is essential, because without something complete, you’ve got nothing to sell. Finish it, and then rework it. I find that a piece is seldom ‘great’ unless a whole lot of editing and crafting has gone into it









18 Nov 2016

Interview / Elise Hahl


Life is tough, but so are you!

Learn how to work through life’s trials with advice from popular youth speakers who have endured a few challenges of their own. This encouraging book will help you see trials as essential stepping-stones to becoming the person you’re destined to be.


1.  If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?
David McCullough. I went to an event where he spoke about The Wright Brothers and it was awesome--so inspiring. He tells history by concentrating on characters, which makes his books so much fun to read. David McCullough also grew up in Pittsburgh (where I live now) so that's a bonus.

2.  What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?
I'm a stay-at-home mom to five young kids, but every once in a while, a writing project comes along that really excites me (like You've Got Thisand then I arrange for a cousin or nanny to come help me for a couple of months. Writing happens at my desk while the older kids are at school, and I take breaks during the day to do little things with the younger ones. When the older kids come back on the bus, my writing day is over. (Of course, sometimes my childcare runs out before the project is over, and then I have to work during the "graveyard shift" -- 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. That happened a few times with You've Got This. I don't recommend it!)

3.  What is the hardest part of the writing for you?
Staring at a blank screen at the beginning of a project is the hardest part for me. I find myself suddenly doing a lot of online shopping.

4.  When and why did you first start writing?
I think I realized how much I liked writing on my mission in Brazil. Writing in my journal became an opportunity to make myself laugh about the day, especially if it hadn't gone very well.

5.  How did you come up with the idea for your book?
I can't take credit for You've Got This; a publisher approached me with the idea of creating a book for youth about overcoming challenges. What cause could be better, though? I said yes. I wanted this book to be accessible and fun, but I also wanted it to teach profound lessons. The contributors to this book -- Al Carraway, Hank Smith, the "Sistas In Zion," Dallas Lloyd, Whitney Laycock, Chad Hymas -- they really came through. I couldn't have asked for more.

6.  Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?
With five kids, I'm a big reader of Dr. Seuss, for the most part. Still, I'm currently reading Ron Chernow's biography of Alexander Hamilton, which is fantastic. It helps that I've memorized most of the lines to the rap battles from the Broadway musical, of course.

7.  Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

Become a grammar expert. Learning how words and phrases work will empower you to create the effects you want with your writing. I recommend Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale for some light reading!

17 Nov 2016

Series Review / Hush Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick


A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE


Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. 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 she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Published:     2009
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Hush Hush Series
Source:  Owned


MY REVIEW

What I liked about this series...  It was back in 2010 when I first picked up this book and I remembered that I really loved it so I thought it was about time that I picked up the rest of the series and I am so that that I did.  Despite the fact that this series would probably still work if it was a duology, I found this series really fun to read, especially the interactions between Patch and Nora.

What I liked the most about this series was more the world-building and the aggravation between the different 'characters'.  I use that word loosely because I don't want to spoil the story for those who have not read this series yet.  You have a great good guys and bad guys storyline in this series and it was great fun trying to figure out who was who.  OK so there's nothing really complicated with this but I just went into this to have some fun and I most certainly did. 

What I didn't like about this series...    I would have loved to have had more surprise in this series.  I had already anticipated how the story would go before I got there at every turn.   I would have loved for something to have been unexpected to completely throw me off my place.  I had hoped it might happen but that hope did not come to much I am afraid.  There were times also that I got a bit frustrated with the main character Nora.  Despite the obvious actions that need to be taken at certain points, she seems to do the exact opposite and get herself in even more trouble than she was before and she could have avoided it completely if she had thought about what she was doing before she did it.












8 Nov 2016

Book Review / I was Saved by the Bell by Peter Engel

Peter Engel, one of the most prolific producers in television with more than 1,000 episodes produced under his banner, single handedly created the teen sitcom with Saved By The Bell, which he executive produced through all of its many incarnations, and which led to his many other teen series. As if defining and conquering the teen arena wasn't enough, Peter produced the iconic Last Comic Standing, enabling the discovery of an entirely new, fresh generation of comedians.

Peter’s work was inspired by his own personal journey that took him through the injustices of the 1950s; meeting JFK and working for his election in 1960, with the catastrophic letdown that followed; his dream in the 1970s of making “important” television; his loves, marriages, family, and faith; and, in the 1990s and 2000s, finding his greatest success where he least expected it. Along the way, Peter encountered some of the most iconic personalities of his times.

I Was Saved by the Bell is the chronicle of Peter’s amazing journey. His stories will make you laugh, cry, and want them never to end. Together, they are a master class on life from the perspective of a man who grew up during a time of great uncertainty and came of age in an era of hope and promise. With the ups and downs of the decades as a backdrop, Peter opens his heart and shares the experiences of his own good times, bad times, reflection, redemption, and, ultimately, joy and satisfaction of a life lived the only way he could—with passion.


Published:     15th November 2016
Publisher:  Top Hat Words
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand Alone, Non-Fiction
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

 



MY REVIEW

First of all I have to admit that I am completely bias when it comes to Peter Engel, not that I know him or have met him in any way but purely by the fact that two of my favourite TV shows of all time are Saved by the Bell and California Dreams, both of which I would have never known had it not have been for Peter Engel.

I always find it fascinating when reading about other people's lives that it never usually is how you  think it is.  I had thought that a big time producer would have had all the best luck and quite a happy live but sadly that was not always the case for Peter Engel.  There were parts of Peter's story that I found heartbreaking but equally I found parts to be really uplifting, especially when he has a change of perspective on life and religion.  I also liked the fact that even though the main reason I picked this up was because of Saved by the Bell this book didn't concentrate on it longer than it needed to be.  It was interesting to learn more about the producer of the show rather than the show itself. 

For fans of any of his shows including Saved by the Bell, California Dreams, Hang time, City Guys and many more, this is a book not to be missed.  



6 Nov 2016

Book Review / Tragidoodles by Ben Cameron


Ben Cameron’s tragidoodles have been hailed as “the most upsetting doodles in the world” (Mirror) and as the work of “an artist with a knack for pulling on the internet’s heartstrings” (Buzzfeed).

This first-ever printed collection brings together Ben’s most popular, heartbreaking, bittersweet and endlessly witty cartoons, combining his viral creations with brand new, never-before-shared illustrations. Flip through and witness the dinosaurs’ final moments on Earth, a melting candle facing its all but certain demise, a hedgehog who’s just looking for love, an existential bear and a host of other creatures who are just trying to make it through the day.

Packed with 101 illustrations that will make you sad, make you laugh, and then make you feel bad for laughing, Tragidoodles is a must-have collection and the perfect Christmas gift.



Published:     3rd November 2016
Publisher:  Unbound
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher


 



MY REVIEW

Despite the tragic nature of this book, it really was great fun to read and adore the doodles and the pictures are that, doodles.  There's nothing complicated about the pictures, I appreciated them for what they were and the messages they stood for.   For me, not all of the doodles were tragic.  Some were sad and some just made me laugh out loud.  

This would be a great book to pick up as a gift, especially for Christmas as it is just around the corner :-)










3 Nov 2016

Month in Review / October 2016

My reading for October has been a lot more relaxed than other months but with the books that I chose to read they really deserved to be read at a slower pace than I usually do.  If I had to pick a favourite for this month I would really struggle to choose just one.  For starters I finished the Ransom Canyon series, which I loved and can't believe that it's over! There needs to be more in that series!  Then there is The Day I Lost You which was truly heartbreaking with a very interesting twist to it.   The other favourite of mine was Apprentice in Death.  Even though I didn't start from book 1 in this series (which is something I nearly never do) I have loved every instalment I have been able to get my hands on.  One of these days I will start from book 1 but as this is a series that has over 43 books in it,  that may take a while!

BOOKS READ




BOOKS RECEIVED
 

GOOD PEOPLE
It's late 1938. Thomas Heiselberg has built a career in Berlin as a market researcher for an American advertising company.

In Leningrad, twenty-two-year-old Sasha Weissberg has grown up eavesdropping on the intellectual conversations in her parents' literary salon.

They each have grand plans for their lives. Neither of them thinks about politics too much, but after catastrophe strikes they will have no choice.

Thomas puts his research skills to work elaborating Nazi propaganda. Sasha persuades herself that working as a literary editor of confessions for Stalin's secret police is the only way to save her family.
When destiny brings them together, they will have to face the consequences of the decisions they have made.


EVERYWHERE I LOOK
Spanning fifteen years of work, Everywhere I Look is a book full of unexpected moments, sudden shafts of light, piercing intuition, flashes of anger and incidental humour. It takes us from backstage at the ballet to the trial of a woman for the murder of her newborn baby. It moves effortlessly from the significance of moving house to the pleasure of re-reading Pride and Prejudice.

Everywhere I Look includes Garner's famous and controversial essay on the insults of age, her deeply moving tribute to her mother and extracts from her diaries, which have been part of her working life for as long as she has been a writer. Everywhere I Look glows with insight. It is filled with the wisdom of life.



SAINT DEATH

A potent, powerful and timely thriller about migrants, drug lords and gang warfare set on the US/Mexican border by prize-winning novelist, Marcus Sedgwick.

Anapra is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in the Mexican city of Juarez - twenty metres outside town lies a fence - and beyond it - America - the dangerous goal of many a migrant. Faustino is one such trying to escape from the gang he's been working for. He's dipped into a pile of dollars he was supposed to be hiding and now he's on the run. He and his friend, Arturo, have only 36 hours to replace the missing money, or they're as good as dead. Watching over them is Saint Death. Saint Death (or Santissima Muerte) - she of pure bone and charcoal-black eye, she of absolute loyalty and neutral morality, holy patron to rich and poor, to prostitute and narco-lord, criminal and police-chief. A folk saint, a rebel angel, a sinister guardian.


HAUNT ME
Joe wakes up from a deep sleep to see his family leave in a removals van. Where they've gone, he has no idea. Erin moves house and instantly feels at home in her new room. Even if it appears she isn't the only one living in it. Bit by bit, Erin and Joe discover that they have somehow found a way across the ultimate divide - life and death. Bound by their backgrounds, a love of poetry and their growing feelings for each other, they are determined to find a way to be together.

Joe's brother, Olly, never cared much for poetry. He was always too busy being king of the school - but that all changed when Joe died. And when an encounter in the school corridor brings him face to face with Erin, he realises how different things really are - including the kind of girl he falls for.

Two brothers. Two choices. Will Erin's decision destroy her completely, or can she save herself before she is lost forever?





2 Nov 2016

Cover Reveal / The Beauty by Lindsay Mead


Can love thrive in a kingdom of secrets?

Rumors of King Aleksander abound, sowing seeds of fear and doubt among the populace. Worse, there’s only so much Belle can do to repair the damage caused by the former Bishop’s fear-mongering. With challenges and new enemies threatening, the couple will have to prove the strength of their love.

Of course, a cure for the king and his cursed people could solve everything. It may be as simple as reaching out to the right scientists, or maybe it’s all beyond the ingenuity of man. Tensions mount as old foes refuse to stay dead and unexpected revelations leave the future uncertain. But ultimately, it’s the half-truths that could lead to heartbreak.

The Beauty is the second book in The Hunter Legends, a re-imagining of the infamous love between a beauty and a beast.

1 Nov 2016

Book Review / IT by Stephen King



To the children, the town was their whole world. To the adults, knowing better, Derry, Maine was just their home town: familiar, well-ordered for the most part. A good place to live.

It was the children who saw - and felt - what made Derry so horribly different. In the storm drains, in the sewers, IT lurked, taking on the shape of every nightmare, each one's deepest dread. Sometimes IT reached up, seizing, tearing, killing . . .

The adults, knowing better, knew nothing.

Time passed and the children grew up, moved away. The horror of IT was deep-buried, wrapped in forgetfulness. Until they were called back, once more to confront IT as IT stirred and coiled in the sullen depths of their memories, reaching up again to make their past nightmares a terrible present reality.





Published:     15th September 1986
Publisher:  Hodder & Stoughton
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone
Source:  Owned

 


MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...   IT has been a story that I have loved for years but have only followed it by watching the movie.  I cannot tell you the amount of times I have watched it, it must be going into triple digits now.  The one thing I realised that I hadn't done is actually read the book and I know exactly why I haven't.  At 912 pages long, with the font smaller and closer together than usual, I found this book to be very daunting to read; not to mention heavy to hold for long periods of time.  I decided to pick this up as an audio book and I am so happy that I did.   The audio book was narrated by Steven Weber and although I am not an expert in audio books, Steven Weber by far was the best narrator I have ever listened to.

What I love and have loved since the very first time I watched the movie is the main characters, watching them form a bond when they were children and watching them coming back together after nearly 30 years apart but seeming like time has never flown by.  Friendship conquers all, including evil...

What I didn't like about this story...   What I didn't like is probably the very thing that stopped me from wanting to pick up the book to read it in the first place - the length of the book.  This story is incredibly long with masses of description in every scene.  I don't know whether the fact that I watched the movie first has affected by perspective on this but I just felt that a lot of the descriptions were really unnecessary.  If this book was cut down to a 500 page book, losing some of the description, it would still be fantastic, in my opinion. 


Book Review / Reckoning by Magda Szubanski


 Heartbreaking, joyous, traumatic, intimate and revelatory, Reckoning is the book where Magda Szubanski, one of Australia’s most beloved performers, tells her story.

In this extraordinary memoir, Magda describes her journey of self-discovery from a suburban childhood, haunted by the demons of her father’s espionage activities in wartime Poland and by her secret awareness of her sexuality, to the complex dramas of adulthood and her need to find out the truth about herself and her family. With courage and compassion she addresses her own frailties and fears, and asks the big questions about life, about the shadows we inherit and the gifts we pass on.

Honest, poignant, utterly captivating, Reckoning announces the arrival of a fearless writer and natural storyteller. It will touch the lives of its readers.





Published:     23rd September 2015
Publisher:  Text Publishing
Goodreads :  Click here
Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand Alone, Non-Fiction
Source:  Review Copy from Publisher

 
 MY REVIEW

I have to be honest and say that I had never heard of Magda until reading this book.  The main reason for wanting to read it was the description on the back.  It sounded like Magda was an interesting person to read about and I was right, she is.  

What I found the most fascinating is actually the story of her childhood and her family, especially her father's story.   I also liked the fact that despite Magda being a comedienne her story was not always told with a hint of humour, there are sad parts, happy parts etc..

This was an interesting read that I would highly recommend to both those who have heard of Magda and for those who haven't.  I am definitely going to be checking out more of her work.


Magda Szubanski is one of Australia’s best known and most loved performers. She began her career in university revues, then appeared in a number of sketch comedy shows before creating the iconic character of Sharon Strzelecki in ABC-TV’s Kath and Kim. She has also acted in films (Babe, Babe: Pig in the City, Happy Feet, The Golden Compass) and stage shows.

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In conversation about her new memoir Reckoning on:

Wednesday 2 November @ 19:00 Waterstones Brighton
Tickets: £5

Thursday 3 November @ 19:00
Tickets: £5

Saturday 5 November @ 16:00
In conversation with Georgina Godwin, Books Editor, Monocle 24
Tickets: £12-15

Monday 7 November @ 18:30
Tickets: £5