CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS BELOW.....
Rebecca 'Beckie' Mills
Holly 'McFly' Page
YOU HAVE EACH WON A COPY OF THE ABOVE BOOK....
Thank you very much to all that have entered this competition....
Best wishes
Debs :-)
16 May 2012
Waiting on Wednesday - The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long
Expected Release Date: 16th August 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)
Goodreads link is here.
The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.
Best wishes
Debs :-)
13 May 2012
Book Review - The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall
Inside is a letter informing her that her long-estranged mother has died, and a scrapbook Beth has never seen before. Entitled The Book of Summers, it's stuffed with photographs and mementos complied by her mother to record the seven glorious childhood summers Beth spent in rural Hungary.
It was a time when she trod the tightrope between separated parents and two very different countries; her bewitching but imperfect Hungarian mother and her gentle, reticent English father; the dazzling house of a Hungarian artist and an empty-feeling cottage in deepest Devon. And it was a time that came to the most brutal of ends the year Beth turned sixteen.
Since then, Beth hasn't allowed herself to think about those years of her childhood. But the arrival of The Book of Summers brings the past tumbling back into the present; as vivid, painful and vital as ever.
You can find the Goodreads page here.
My Review (Video review at the bottom of the post)
Words really cannot describe how much I loved this book. Even though when reading this book it was typical English weather outside (cloudy, rainy and cold), I felt warm and all summery on the inside. Not only does the cover and title scream out summer but the story just sweeps you away into this summery dream.
The characters in this story were so rich with life and turmoil, I just had to follow the story to find out more. At the beginning, we see Beth living far away from her father in Devon and her mother in Hungary. Her father comes for a visit and you can see that something has gone on in the past as their relationship is trained. He brings with him a package that had been delivered for Beth. She immediately knows that it is from Hungary. That is when she discovers the Book of Summers that record the childhood summers that she spent with her mother.
From glancing through the pages, we are transported back to a time when Beth looked forward to spending her summers in Hungary with her mother, her mother's boyfriend and new friends and as the story unfolds we see a bigger picture of what happened in that last fateful summer that was the downfall of the entire family.
I especially enjoyed the slow pace of the story, which meant that I could sit back, relax and enjoy the summer drama. If you like family drama and emotional summer reads, this is definitely one to pick up.
10 out of 10
Best wishes
Debs :-)
11 May 2012
Book Review - Persephone the Phony by Joan Holab and Suzanne Williams (Goddess Girls 2)
Flower goddess Persephone has always just gone along with the crowd, instead of doing what she really wants.But when she meets Hades, she finally feels she has found someone she can be herself with. She likes hanging out with him, despite the fact that the other goddess girls think he's bad news. Can she get her goddessgirl friends to accept her new godboy bud?
You can find the Goodreads page here
My Review
As I also said in my review of the first book in the series (review can be found here), although this book is aimed at Middle Grade readers, I am 31 and thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was so much fun to read.
One thing that is enjoyable about this series so far is that every book is from a different Goddess' perspective. In the first book, we follow the story of Athena and in this second book we are following Athena's friend Persephone. So we have the same world but from different perspectives.
This story is mainly a love story between Persephone and Hades. Persephone who is a goddess who can make flowers come back to life and Hades who is from the underworld. To Persephone's friends and her mother, Hades is a bad guy and they should protect their friend/daughter. To Persephone, Hades is someone that she can be herself with.
This is such a fun story fulled with romance and friendship. Such a fun read...
9 out of 10
Best wishes
Debs :-)
9 May 2012
BooK Review - Flutter by Gina Linko
All Emery Land wants is to be like any other seventeen year old—to go to school, hang out with her friends, and just be normal. But for as long as she can remember, she’s suffered from something akin to seizures. And in recent years they’ve consumed her life. To Emery they're much more than seizures, she calls them loops—moments when she travels through wormholes back and forth in time and to mysterious places. The loops are taking their toll on her physically. So she practically lives in the hospital where her scientist father and an ever-growing team of doctors monitor her every move. Although they don’t believe her claims of time travel, the doctors are extremely interested in the data they collect when Emery seizes – too interested. What is it they think she is capable of? Is she tapping into never-before-used parts of the brain? Is this clairvoyance of some sort? Telepathy? Or something else completely?
When Emery encounters a young boy—a guide of sorts who offers cryptic warnings—she intuitively knows she must decipher his clues to uncover what is really happening to her. Escaping from the hospital, she travels to Esperanza, the town from her loops in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where she meets a guarded and mysterious good Samaritan, Asher Clarke. A series of coincidences draw them together, and Emery quickly realizes that their individual mysteries – their singular secrets -- might not be so separate after all. With time running out for Emery, they must unravel their complicated connection before it's too late.
In her gorgeously crafted page-turning debut, Gina Linko offers readers a stunning blend of science fiction and romance.
You can find the Goodreads page here.
My Review
From the very start of this book, I really felt sorry for Emery, for many reasons. One reason is that she suffers from seizures that she cannot control and I can't imagine what kind of toll that would take on her. The other reason was that, because of these seizures, she has to stay at the hospital and it appears that her father would like to keep it that way.
The story really begins when we see what happens when Emery has her seizures because they are not normal seizures. Every time she blacks out, she is somewhere else completely. Gradually, over time and many seizures later, it seems as though she is visting the same place time and time again and, to make it more interesting, she meets a boy who is giving her clues that she must figure out.
I liked the strength of Emery and the fact that she has the courage to stand up for what she wants to do and when she knows what that is, she goes in search of the truth.
There was something different about this story and that was what drew me in and kept me reading until the very end. Putting the pieces of the this story together and figuring out what was going on at the same time as Emery certainly kept me on my toes...
Please see below for my video review
Best wishes
Debs :-)
8 May 2012
Waiting on Wednesday - The Thing about the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt
Expected Release Date: 10th July 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)
Goodreads link is here.
Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to stay put for a change.
When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to fall for each other. Kelsey’s happy for the first time in months, and Isaac’s never felt this way about anyone before...But nothing’s ever completely perfect. Everyone has secrets, and Isaac and Kelsey are no exceptions. These two may have fallen hard, but there’s one thing that can ruin it all: the truth.
Best wishes
Debs :-)
7 May 2012
6 May 2012
GIVEAWAY(NOW CLOSED) - The Camera Never Lies by Tess Daly
TO SEE RAFFLECOPTER FORM, PLEASE GO INTO POST BY CLICKING THE HEADING
So, a little while ago I did a review for The Camera Never Lies by Tess Day (review can be found here) and the Publisher has very kindly offered to give away two copies. For your chance to enter, please fill in the below. I am afraid I have to limit this giveaway to the UK only, sorry guys.
Britt Baxter is unaware
of the effect she has on people. A big-hearted, no nonsense northern
girl, she naturally looks for the best in everyone she meets, but in her
attempts to make it as model she finds she struggles against being
pinned down on the casting couch by the most unlikely people…
So when a happy accident lands her a career as a presenter on breakfast television, it looks as if she has made it out of the modelling world of close-ups and cattle calls and into the big time – or at least daytime TV. But scarcely has Britt had time to wonder at how far she has come, when backstage machinations propel her with ever increasing speed through a series of trapdoors and she soon realises that the drama backstage far eclipses anything that happens in front of the camera. Tess Daly has written a fast-paced novel with perfect comic timing and as many twists and turns in the plot as her heroine has costume changes.
So, a little while ago I did a review for The Camera Never Lies by Tess Day (review can be found here) and the Publisher has very kindly offered to give away two copies. For your chance to enter, please fill in the below. I am afraid I have to limit this giveaway to the UK only, sorry guys.
So when a happy accident lands her a career as a presenter on breakfast television, it looks as if she has made it out of the modelling world of close-ups and cattle calls and into the big time – or at least daytime TV. But scarcely has Britt had time to wonder at how far she has come, when backstage machinations propel her with ever increasing speed through a series of trapdoors and she soon realises that the drama backstage far eclipses anything that happens in front of the camera. Tess Daly has written a fast-paced novel with perfect comic timing and as many twists and turns in the plot as her heroine has costume changes.
5 May 2012
Book Review - Athena the Brain by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams (Goddess Girls 1)
Meet the girls of Mount Olympus Academy.Brainy Athena has never fit in at Triton School, but who would've guessed that's because she's actually a goddess? Zeus's daughter, to be exact.
So when she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks that she might fit in for the first time in her life. But school on Mount Olympus is not that different from down on earth. Will Athena be able to deal with Medusa, the baddest mean girl in history.
You can find the Goodreads page here
My Review
This was such a fun book to read. Even though this book is aimed at Middle Grade readers, I thoroughly enjoyed it and especially loved the banter between the characters, especially when Athena gets to her new school at Mount Olympus. I have to admit that I wanted to join this school and attend some of the lessons such as spell-ology, beauty-ology, hero-ology and especially revenge-ology.....
Athena is a normal girl in a world where the Gods are held up high on a pedestal and when she discovers that she is, in fact, a goddess, she cannot wait to travel to her new life even though that does mean she will have to leave her best friend behind.
This is such a fun book that I would recommend to not only to middle grade readers but to all.
8 out of 10
Best wishes
Debs :-)
1 May 2012
Waiting on Wednesday - One Moment by Kristina McBride
Expected Release Date: 26th June 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)
Goodreads link is here.
Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?
As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.
Best wishes
Debs :-)
29 Apr 2012
Book Review - Yesterday by CK Kelly Martin
NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy?
When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered.
Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from.
Goodreads Page is here.
My Review
5/10
The idea for this story is very interesting. It's a mix of political/futuristic/ya that I had not read before. I have to admit that this book was a little slow paced for me so it took me a little while to get into the story. I would have to say that the first 1/3 of this book was lead up to the action that was going to take place later on in the story and although enjoyable to read, this was the part that was slow for me as I was waiting for all the action to take place.
This story was also based half in the future and half in the 80s. Now, I was born in 1981 so a lot of the 80s is a bit of a blur for me as I was so young. In the parts of this story that were in the 80s, there were lots of references to 80s people, music etc that I could not relate to and I think that is probably why it took me a while to get into the story.
If I had to describe this story in a sentence, I would have to say that it is a puzzle that needs to be put back together. Every step you take, you are given a little bit more information to fit into the puzzle and that is what I really enjoyed about this book. It certainly kept me thinking all the way through trying to figure out what was going on.
For me, this was a mix of a very good storyline mixed with slow paced action. I am glad that I stuck it out to finish it because this story had a good ending.
Best wishes
Debs :-)
26 Apr 2012
Book Review - Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.
But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.
The Goodreads Page can be found here.
My Review
OMG what a great YA fiction story. I have to be honest and say, straight up, that the cover did draw me into this one. There's just something about an innocent rose covered in what looks like blood that makes me think, what on earth is this story is about, I just had to find out what that was about. I was so glad that I did.
This story is not like any story I have read before. It has a great mix of various fairytales intertwined with various characters that Mirabelle meets when she ends up in her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Mirabelle wants to find out more about her past and more about her parents who died when she was little so just before she turns sixteen she decides to go and find out. Little does she know that there are far more secrets in Beau Rivage than she could have ever expected.
Not only does this story have a great spin on fairytales but it does have that classic love triangle with Mirabelle being smack bang in the middle of. What will she choose.
I absolutely loved this story and for all those out there who love a bit of love triangle romance mixed with fairytale magic, this is the story for you....
My Video Review
Best wishes
Debs :-)
25 Apr 2012
Waiting on Wednesday - All These lives by Sarah Wylie
Expected Release Date: 5th June 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)
Goodreads link is here.
To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.
24 Apr 2012
Book Review - The Camera Never Lies by Tess Daly
So when a happy accident lands her a career as a presenter on breakfast television, it looks as if she has made it out of the modelling world of close-ups and cattle calls and into the big time – or at least daytime TV. But scarcely has Britt had time to wonder at how far she has come, when backstage machinations propel her with ever increasing speed through a series of trapdoors and she soon realises that the drama backstage far eclipses anything that happens in front of the camera. Tess Daly has written a fast-paced novel with perfect comic timing and as many twists and turns in the plot as her heroine has costume changes.
Goodreads Page - click here
Tess Daly Wikipedia Page - click here
My Review (video review at bottom of post)
10 out of 10
Right when I was feeling a bit overloaded with reading a lot of paranormal stories, here comes this utterly fantastic chicklit book that makes me laugh, cry, frown and cheer and sometimes all at once! I really cannot tell you how much I loved this story, oh wait... yes I can.... I LOVED IT!
Britt Baxter is a character that stands up for what is right and not afraid to take chances. We follow her at the start being a model and going for an absolutely shocking interview where it comes down to the fact that if she wants the job she will have to sleep with the interviewee. I felt that Britt made absolutely the right decision. She travels to Tokyo, on the advice of her agent, to try modelling out there but when something unexpected happens to a member of her family, she returns home.
Aside from her career, Britt has a lot on her plate to deal with in the love department. At the beginning of the story, she has a boyfriend although my feeling at the time was that it was a situation that was not working for either of them.
Poor Britt in this story has a lot of ups and downs but this is one tough character and I was completely rooting for her all the way through.
What made this story even more intriguing to me is the fact that the author Tess Daly was a model and also a presenter so that made me think about how much of this story was actually based on real life. I have popped a link to her Wikipedia page above if you want to learn more.
A great romance chicklit mixed with celebrity drama and mystery.
Video Review
Best wishes
Debs :-)
Book Review - Socialpunk by Monica Leonelle
Goodreads Page - click here.
My Review
7 out of 10
I have to admit that at the start of this story I was thinking what on earth is going to happen in this story but when the hooded characters came onto the scene, things became very interesting indeed!
I did find it confusing when halfway through the story, Ima decided to change her name to Cinder. Although I completely understand why she did it in the story, because she was becoming a new person and wanted a new identity, it took me a while to catch up and try and remember that every time I read the name Cinder, it was Ima..
What I thought was really enjoyable about this book was the fact that Ima/Cinder definitely has quite a few chaps wanting her attention (if you know what I mean ;-) and watching her reaction to those advances.
After Ima/Cinder learning that all may not be what she seems, she has to make some really tough decisions but I felt that she chose the right ones.
Things are definitely not what they seem in this story and there are a lot of secrets to be uncovered and not a lot of time to uncover them.
Without spoiling the ending, I will just say that there is a very surprising twist that I was completely not expecting...
Best wishes
Debs :-)
23 Apr 2012
BooK Review - Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.
A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.
You can find the Goodreads page here.
My Review
What a great futuristic story. This is a post apolcaliptic story of people who live in domes who communicate with each other via 'realms' on something like an internet that is connected to your body via a eye piece. This is definately a very interesting idea, with the thought that you could be sitting in your little dome room on the one hand but on the other you could be having drinks at a party in a medieval realm or something like that. But as we know with a lot of futuristic stories, things are not always what they seem. Who are the baddies and who are the heros?
Aria is the main character that we follow in this story. Her mother works in medicine in another part of the dome. One day she loses contact with her mother and desperate to find out what happens decides to take matters into her own hands. Things get very out of control and Aria finds herself out of her depth and fighting for survival.
This is such a great story with a great romance tucked in there as well. I did have to chuckle at a few comments as well between some of the characters especially the moment where Aria finds out that she is having her first period and she is comparing it to death, thinking that she is dying. Being a woman, I can completely relate to that lol!!!
My Video Review
Best wishes
Debs :-)
19 Apr 2012
Book Review - Immortal City by Scott Speer
He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.
Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.
Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat & and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.
My Review
What a great combination for a story - angels and celebrities. The thought of Angels being celebrities in the human world intrigued me so much I knew I had to read this story. Basically, the Angels have 'come out' to human kind, revealling their existence. Now people know they are there, they set about making money. They set up a 'service' where for a very very high price, you can be 'protected by an angel'.
We follow the story of Maddie who, after her parents died when she was very young, lives with her Uncle Kevin. Kevin runs a diner where Maddie works after school to help out. Things take a turn for Maddie when she meets Jackson Godspeed (who is the Justin Bieber of Angels) but does not really know who he is. There is also something special about Maddie that she cannot put her finger on.
Even though I felt the romance between Jackson and Maddie did happen a bit quick, I really did enjoy this story, the concept of Angels being celebrities and the added murder mystery that weaves through the story.
If you would like to see my video review, please see below
Best wishes
Debs :-)
18 Apr 2012
Book Review - From Fame to Shame by Veronica Blade
Despite the danger of tabloid drama if their identity swap is discovered, Maddie has to save her sister's butt. When Jackie’s ex-boyfriend shows up with a rekindled spark for “Jackie,” his deep gray eyes and sweet kisses make Maddie's heart thumpety thump. But dating the guy who dumped her sister is a no-no. Too bad Dallas isn’t used to girls saying no. What will happen when he discovers Maddie’s deception?
Link to Goodreads page here
My Review
This is such a great short story. Veronica Blade knows how to write great stories. The characters in this story had such depth that I really felt like I was going through all the feelings the characters were, especially Maddie who is the typical good girl who takes over and pretends to be her celebrity attention-seeking sister. I could also relate a lot to Maddie as she is comfortable with herself and is a reader who likes the comfort of her own home, which is very much like myself.
The only problem for Maddie is that when she is pretending to be her sister, she starts to really like the guy that her sister dated. It seems as though she has a choice to make.
This is a fantastic chick lit story with a great romantic build up and I would definately recommend it to all those who love a good dramatic romance.
My Video Review
Best wishes
Debs :-)
17 Apr 2012
16 Apr 2012
Book Review - The Stag and Hen Weekend by Mike Gayle
The Stag and Hen
Weekend is the story of Phil and Helen, a couple in their thirties about
to commit their lives to one another . . . that is of course if they
can just manage to get through their respective stag and hen weekends
(his: Amsterdam; hers: a country house and day spa in the Peak District)
without falling apart. Told in the unique form of two separate stories
that have common characters as well as themes and conclusion, The Stag
and Hen Weekend can be read from front to back or from back to front
putting the reader in the driver's seat as to which story they wish to
read first. Feisty, fun and thought provoking.
My Review
I enjoyed this book so much I don't know where to start in telling you how fantastic this is. I would have to say that this is more two stories that meet in the middle than one story and both equally as funny, sad and also romantic.
I started off reading the 'Stag' side of the story, which follows Phil and his mates as they head off to Amsterdam. It all starts out like a typical lads weekend until a few dramas unfold and things are not always what they seem. I loved the friendships between the lads and especially the friendship between Phil and his mate Simon who has some revellations of his own.
Moving over to the 'Hen' side of the story, which follows Helen as she heads off to a spa with her friends (and a future sister-in-law that she cannot stand). All goes well until she bumps into her ex who seems to be around every corner.
Although you could read the Hen side first and the Stag side second, I felt like I read this story the right way around with reading the Stag side first. In the Stag side of the story, there are a few questions that do get answered in Hen side.
This was such a great romantic and funny chick lit I could not put it down. Mike Gayle really knows how to write a really good chick lit story, especially when it comes to the woman's perspective.
To see my video review, please see below -
Best wishes
Debs :-)
11 Apr 2012
Waiting on Wednesday - This is not a Test by Courtney Summers
Expected Release Date: 19th June 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)
Goodreads link is here.
Best wishes
Debs :-)
Book Review - The Jane Austin Marriage Manual by Kim Izzo
Katherine Shaw is happy with her life. She has supportive friends, a glamorous magazine career, and a love of all things Jane Austen. So what if her boyfriend ran off with all her money? So what if she's about to turn forty? She'll move on.
But when she loses her job, when her beloved grandmother falls ill and her mother's gambling debts force a sale on the family home, Kate finds herself facing a crisis that would test even the most stalwart of Austen heroines. Friends rally round, connecting her to freelance gigs, and presenting her with a birthday gift-- title to land in Scotland--that's about to come in very handy.
Turns out that Kate's first freelance assignment is inspired by Jane Austen herself: is it possible, in these modern times, to marry for money? It's all hypothetical, of course, until Kate considers the venture a way to solve her family's financial woes. What begins as an article turns into an opportunity as Kate--now Lady Kate--pursues and is pursued, until at last she is forced to choose between Mr. Rich and Mr. Right.
My Review - 10 out of 10
If you are looking for a really fantastic chick lit book that makes you smile, laugh and almost cry (for all the good reasons), this is the book to pick up. I absolutely loved this book.
We follow Kate in this story who is giong to be turning 40, has not really committed herself to a permanent job and has not yet found the right man.
This story is very much about three things - Kate's family, friends and work. The most heartbreaking part of this story for me was the relationship between Kate and her grandmother. With Kate's mother unable to care for her and her sister, her grandmother brought her up.
As for her love life, there are a few characters that could be Kate's one and only but which one would she choose and will she make the right choice?
If you love a bit of romance, this is the book to pick up......
My Video Review
Best wishes
Debs
9 Apr 2012
Book Review - Twisted Heart by Eden Maguire (Book 2, Dark Angel)
Tania's heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart. Until the seduction begins in a flurry of glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerising Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains. And there Tania meets the dark side. Can she resist temptation?
My Review - 6 out of 10
I read this book pretty much straight after reading the first book in the series. The plot in this story is very similar to the plot on Dark Angel. In Dark Angel, you have the friend in trouble and the myterious charactrers and in Twisted Heart you have the same mix so there was an element of same old same old with this story. That being said, it was a very enjoyable story and I did want to find out how it paned out. I'm very intrigued to find out what happens in the third book in the series....
Best wishes
Debs :-)
Book Review - Dark Angel by Eden Maguire (Book 1, Dark Angel)
Check out the Goodreads page here.
My Review
This was a very interesting and confusing book for me. It had great suspense and build up even though I was not quite sure what it was building up to and some of the time not quite sure what the build up was.
Tanya lives with her mother and father in this remote place which had been rebuilt after a massive forest fire. She is plagued by nightmares of forest fires coming to get her and hearing strange voices. She is not sure what is happening to her.
Meanwhile, a rock star, Zoran, decides to build a ranch up in Black Rock Mountain but he is not what he seems. After one of Tanya's friends gets into trouble in the mountain, its a race against time to try and save her.
I would like to point out that there is a sensitive issue in this story that I would not recommend to younger readers. (I won't say what that it because I don't want to ruin the story, but if you would like to know, please do email me at debrasbookcafe@gmail.com and I will let you know what this is).
Video Review
Best wishes
Debs :-)
5 Apr 2012
Book Review - Shaken by Susan Hatler
Then, finding the missing girl leads to much more than Kylie’s prepared for. Like discovering that her dad has been lying to her. That she has a family she never knew about. That the girls have powers similar to hers. Oh yeah, and that someone is out to get her.
When the detective’s teenage wanna-be-cop cousin, Trip Williams, approaches Kylie at school insisting she help him solve the case, she discovers Trip might be the only one she can trust, and the only one to help her unravel the secrets behind her mysterious gift .
My Review: 9 out of 10
I really enjoyed reading this fast paced paranormal style story. Kylie seemed to come into her powers really quickly and probably based on instinct knew what she had to do, which I enjoyed the most about that character Being able to see someone's deepest thoughts must be quite a scary thing to deal with, but Kylie takes it in her stride.
I did have to feel sorry for her at some parts in the story as there is a guy at the school which she attends that she has a crush on and there goes her best friend flirting with him.. That is definitely not the kind of best friend I would want! But Kylie has much more important things to focus on, especially when it comes to Trip Williams.
Another powerful element to this story is Kylie's relationship with her mother, who unfortunately died when she was a young girl. Kylie keeps a journal and writes letters to her mother telling her all about what is happening.
There are a lot of elements to this story that keeps it fast paced until the very end - mind reading, secrets in the family, secrets surrounding the missing girl, secrets with other characters and so on.
If you like a bit of fast paced paranormal action, this is definitely one to pick up and place on your shelf.
Best wishes
Debs :-)
4 Apr 2012
3 Apr 2012
Waiting on Wednesday - The Princesses of Iowa by M Molly Backes
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog.
Expected Release Date: 8th May 2012
(Release date obtained from Goodreads)
Goodreads link is here.
Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash , everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is
her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear.
Best wishes
Debs :-)
Book Review - Starters by Lissa Price
Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.
He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . .
Check out the Goodreads page here.
My Review: 10 out of 10
For the video review, please see the bottom of this post....
OMG..... This story completely blew me away. First off, I have to say that the cover is absolutely amazing. Its pretty and creepy at the same time. Alluring but slightly frightening.
This story is original right down to the core for me. This is the first time I have read something that has the idea of renting out your body to another human being. Basically, its for people who are older in life but young in spirit and want to relive their youth. The only way they can do this is by, what it seems like to me, trading souls for an amount of days.
For Callie, she has come to the end of the line. With a brother to take care of and no parents or grandparents around, she is tired of having to live on the run. For the amount of money that Prime Destinations offers, Callie figures that she will be in and out in no time and will have plenty of cash to set her and her brother up with somewhere to stay and, most importantly safety and security. Unfortunately for Callie, things are not going to go according to her plan.
As part of the contract with Prime Destinations, she has to take part in three 'donations'. The first two go without a hitch but the third one goes wrong. She wakes up in her own body in a club with no knowledge of how she got there and what is happening. From then on, she has moment where she is back in her own body and there moments where the Elder who has rented her body comes back to take control.
Also, you have the added mystery of the Old Man who runs Prime Destinations. No one seems to know who he is. I have to admit that about three quarters of the way through I did figure out who it was but that certainly did not make the last half of the book any less AMAZING....
Best wishes
Debs :-)
2 Apr 2012
Book Review - Truth or Dare by P J Night
But Abby isn’t going to stay away from Jake, especially not after he asks her to the school dance.
As the night of the dance comes closer, some very creepy things start happening to Abby. Someone definitely wants to keep her away from Jake. Is it a jealous classmate or, as Abby begins to suspect, could it be a ghost?
My Review: 10 out of 10
If you would like to see the video review, please see the end of this post.
This is such a great creepy book. I believe it is a middle grade but definately a great creepy read for all ages.
This story is creepy right from the beginning when you have Abby who gets this feeling that someone is watching her but there's no one about. This is even before having her sleepover.
At the sleepover, her and her close friends Nora, Chloe and Lea play a game of truth and dare where Abby reveals that she likes Jake. After that, Abby receives frighening messages telling Abby to stay away from Jake and from then on its a guessing game as to who is behind the messages.
There is a great backstory to a year before the sleepover which adds to the mystery of who is sending Abby messages.
A great creepy story for all ages, I love this one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)