Top Ten Tuesday - Books for people who like character driven novels

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's list was top ten character driven novels, I have to admit I struggled with this one. Anyway here is my list for this week:

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Can there be two more inspiring characters than Augustus and Hazel Grace? Their journey is one which will definitely bring tears to your eyes and look at life in a whole new way.

 

2. Room by Emma Donoghue

Told from five year old Jack's perspective this book gives a haunting account of life trapped inside the "Room" which is home for Jack but a prison for his mother.

 

 

3. Appetite by Philip Kazan

This book follows the story of Nino Latini as he grows from an arrogant foolish young man into a sensible and humble man. The descriptive language of the food he creates in this book is mesmerising.

 

4. Before I go to Sleep by S J Watson

Follow Christine as she tries to work out who she is and what has happened to her.

 

5. The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans

Alix Gower longs to design her own haute couture designs. As she lands a job in one of Paris' top fashion houses she becomes entangled in a web of deceit which could make or break her dreams.

 

6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Follow the lives of Jane, Elizabeth, Lydia, Kitty and Mary Bennett as they struggle to find perfect matches, in this one of the most famous of character driven novels.

 

7. Saving Grace by Jane Green

Grace watches her life fall apart as Beth enters her life determined to take over.

 

8. The Time Traveller's Wife

The story of Henry and Clare is one of my all time favourite reads, its just beautiful

 

9. The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic

Love her or hate her Becky Bloomwood is certainly a very memorable character in the Shopaholic novels

 

10. Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda is probably still my favourite book of all time, she is such a great character  and one I'm sure many of us book bloggers relate to.

 

So that is my top ten for this week, what was on your list? Link with other blogs at The Broke and the bookish here.

 

Book Review - Fool's Gold by Zana Bell

 

Fool's Gold by Zana Bell

Released: 7th October 2014

Publisher: Choc Lit

Pages: 320

Available on Kindle and Paperback (on 7th)

Order from Amazon here

 

Blurb

It’s 1866 and the gold rush is on. Left to fend for herself in the wilds of New Zealand’s west coast, Lady Guinevere Stanhope is determined to do whatever it takes to rescue her ancestral home and restore her father’s good name.

Forced out of his native Ireland, Quinn O’Donnell dreams of striking gold. His fiercely held prejudices make him loath to help any English person, let alone a lady as haughty and obstinate as Guinevere. But when a flash flood hits, Quinn is compelled to rescue her, and pass. But and their paths become entwined in this uncharted new world.

Though an intense attraction forms between them, both remain single-minded in pursuit of their dreams. Will they realize in time that all that glitters in not gold?

 

Review

 

Fool’s Gold is a book which is completely different from anything I’ve read in a long time,  it is essentially a story of one woman’s journey from dependent rich daughter to headstrong independent woman which takes place on a gripping and enthralling adventure across New Zealand’ beautiful backdrop,  with a sprinkling of romance. It is written in such a way that the reader will be hooked from the very first page.

The story is based around Lady Guinevere Stanhope and Doctor Quinn O’Donnell. They first meet in the depths of the forest, Guinevere looking to photograph the long lost Moa bird and Quinn looking to find gold. Initially there is hostility between the two as Guinevere is looking to be self-reliant after the loss of her father and Quinn being a doctor wants to play the rescuer and keep her safe. So begins their adventure, sometimes together, sometimes apart until the eventually find the dreams they have been searching for.

Both Quinn and Guinevere are very likable characters and all the way through I wanted them to find the happiness and peace they were seeking. Guinevere first comes across as stubborn, fragile and a little self-important but as her adventure unravels we see her grow into a strong and feisty woman who carves her own way in the world. Quinn is perfect handsome hero who just can’t stop helping people in need, even though he keeps claiming he no longer wants to be a doctor. He does seem a little blinded by his need to have land and build a big house but I was glad when he was able to leave his past behind him.

Fool’s Gold is a book which captivated me right from the start and I was sad when it was finished. It was so good, one of my top reads of the year. I recommend this book to everyone; it’s an incredible read which captures the true essence of human spirit in the face of adversity.

Rating 5/5

 

Showcase Sunday #11

 

Showcase Sunday is a weekly event hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea where book bloggers share what books they have added to their collection in the previous week.  This week I have received two books from bookbridgr and two from Rebecca Raisin, so thank you to both of them.

 

 

The Heart of Winter by Emma Hannigan, released 9th October

A Special Delivery by Clare Dowling, released 23rd October

 

I am super excited to read both of these as I'm a huge Clare Dowling fan and am ready for her next book. I'm also looking forward to the Emma Hannigan book, I've not read anything by her before but this one and her previous book The Summer Guest really appeal.

 

 

 

 

I was super excited to receive these from Rebecca herself, these have been on my wish-list for a long time and I cannot wait to get stuck into Lily's story and aren't the covers just beautiful!!

 

So that is what has been added to my ever increasing bookcase this week, what have you added to yours? Check out Vicky's blog post here to link up with other blogs.

 

Book Review - The Love List by Eve Devon

 

The Love List by Eve Devon

Published: 2nd October 2014

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages: 182

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon here.

 

 

Blurb

 

Falling in love is just not on Nora King’s To Do List…
Neither is accidentally super-gluing her shoe to her hand right before the biggest presentation of her life!
With all the hard work she’d put into securing the family business after her father’s death, Nora has no choice but to accept help from a knight in shining armour.
Disaster relief worker Ethan Love is still haunted by his last deployment, and desperate for distraction. He’s in town to ask Nora for a major favour, and swooping in to save her presentation is a sure way to get her on side.
As Ethan sticks around and helps Nora through her grief, her barriers tumble down…but will she dare to swap her To Do lists for a How to Fall in Love list?


Review

Firstly I would like to thank Harper Impulse for allowing me to read this via NetGalley.

Meet Nora King, CEO of King Property Consultancy and workaholic with a to-do list as long as your arm with absolutely no room for distraction. Meet Ethan Love tall, sexy and impossible to resist, put the two together and watch the sparks fly.

This book begins with a really funny scene, Nora is getting ready for a make or break deal when she finds she has accidentally super-glued her best shoe to her hand, imagine her embarrassment when she goes to find her assistant for help and instead bumps into the hottest guy ever,  Mr Ethan Love, absolutely brilliant.

Ethan has come to ask workaholic Nora to help him with his brother Ryan, who just happens to be her sister’s love rat ex. He offers to help Nora out of her sticky situation, initially Nora who is burying her grief for her father in her work resists help from Ethan as she doesn’t want any distractions from keeping her company going, but eventually she gives in lets herself be helped and then  begins to let her attraction for Ethan show.   

I loved both the main characters in this book, both appear strong, confident and in control but underneath their exteriors their both quite vulnerable and I loved how as they got to know each other better they let their barriers down and show their insecurities, which I gave them a stronger bond and added to the romance in this book as it made them more realistic for me.

I thought the ending was really good and I was really glad that we got to find out what was in the letter from Nora’s father.  I would love a sequel to find out what happens between these two and also if the passion ever becomes reignited with Ethan’s brother Ryan and Nora’s sister Sephy.

I really enjoyed The Love List, for me it was a perfect mix of romance, lust and emotion to make a really great love story.

Rating 5/5



 

Release Day Round-Up #5

This week the Christmas books are starting to hit the shops which I is great for me because I LOVE Christmas so like to get into the festive spirit as soon as possible. So here are my favourite releases for this week:

 

Humbugs and Heartstrings by Catherine Ferguson

Released: 2nd October 2014

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 329

Available now on Kindle

Order a copy here.

 

This is a tale about love and friendships, complete with a sprinkling of Christmas magic. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan and Lucy Diamond.

Two ex-friends. One Christmas to remember …

Bobbie's boss Carol is a real misery-guts, dedicated to making the lives of everyone around her unhappy in pursuit of every last penny. What makes it worse is that the two women have history: once they were best friends.

When handsome hotelier Charlie steps into the frame the two women go to battle as one sees a romantic future ahead and the other a possible lifeboat for her business. With wonderful warmth and humour, and the odd mince pie fight, the women are forced to confront their shared past, the turbulent present and, most importantly, the potential of the future.

 

This looks like a really great debut from Catherine Ferguson and as I'm a huge Jenny Colgan fan I'm sure I will love it.

 

 

The Little Shop of Hopes and Dreams by Fiona Harper

Released: 3rd October 2014

Publisher: Harlequin/Mills and Boon

Pages: 400

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order a copy from Amazon now

 

Nicole Harrison is planning the proposal of the century. Too bad its not her own…
Nicole, a born organiser and true romantic, has created her dream job when she sets up the Hopes & Dreams proposal agency – staging YouTube worthy proposals…until she’s hired to plan a proposal by gorgeous photographer Alex Black’s girlfriend.

Alex is the New Year’s kiss that Nicole hasn’t been able to forget – and now she’s planning his wedding to someone else! But if she lets herself fall for Alex’s charms, her reputation and business will be ruined before it’s even got off the ground! Suddenly the girl whose always prepared is at a loss…and falling head over heels

 

Weddings are probably my second favourite thing to read about so a book with a proposal planner in is bound to interest me.

 

 

Maybe this Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Published: 3rd October 2014

Publisher: Harlequin/ Mills and Boon

Pages: 432

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order a copy now from Amazon

 

This winter, ex-skiing champion, reformed heartbreaker and single dad Tyler O'Neil has only one mission—making sure his daughter, Jess, has the best Christmas ever. The fact that his best friend, Brenna, is also temporarily moving into his chalet at the overbooked Snow Crystal resort is a delicious distraction he's simply going to have to ignore. Theirs is the one relationship he's never ruined, and he's not about to start now.

Ski pro Brenna Daniels knows all about the perils of unrequited love—she's been in love with Tyler for years. But living with him is absolute torture…how can she concentrate on being his friend when he's sleeping in the room next door? Then when Tyler kisses Brenna, suddenly the relationship she's always dreamed of feels so close she could almost touch it. Could this be the Christmas her dreams of a happy-ever-after finally come true?

 

This is the third book in the Snow Crystal Trilogy following Sleigh Bells in the Snow and Suddenly Last Summer. I've not read any of these but they all look like books I would enjoy and I'm sure readers are waiting to see how Tyler and Brenna's story ends.

 

 

The French for Christmas by Fiona Valpy

Released: 3rd October 2014

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 272

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

A year to forget. The perfect escape. And a little Christmas magic... Touching, uplifting, and filled with delicious French cooking, The French for Christmas is the perfect Christmas treat. Evie used to LOVE Christmas, but this year she can't wait for the tinsel and presents to be a distant memory. When her best friends offer the use of their cottage in the beautiful French countryside, Evie jumps at the chance. With her soon-to-be-ex-husband, celebrity chef Will Brooke, plastered over the news with his latest 'love interest', leaving the country seems like the perfect plan. Armed with her French grandmother's tattered notebook of recipes, Evie is determined to ignore Christmas altogether and bake herself back to happiness. And when Evie meets her next-door neighbour - the très gorgeous doctor Didier she finds a very willing taste-tester. But is it possible that he could be interested in more than just her Tarte Tatin? With snow falling, a special Réveillon dinner and a little Christmas magic in the air, could Didier even be the one to thaw Evie's heart? Or will a visit from the ghost of Christmas past change everything?

 

I've not heard of Fiona Valpy before I saw this book floating around on Twitter, it sounds similar to Trisha Ashley's Twelve Days of Christmas where the main character wants to avoid Christmas and just cook, I loved that book so hoping I will enjoy this one just as much.

 

 

The Love List by Eve Devon

Released: 2nd October 2014

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages: 182

Available on Kindle

Order from Amazon here

 

Falling in love is just not on Nora King’s To Do List…

Neither is accidentally super-gluing her shoe to her hand right before the biggest presentation of her life!

With all the hard work she’d put into securing the family business after her father’s death, Nora has no choice but to accept help from a knight in shining armour.

Disaster relief worker Ethan Love is still haunted by his last deployment, and desperate for distraction. He’s in town to ask Nora for a major favour, and swooping in to save her presentation is a sure way to get her on side.

As Ethan sticks around and helps Nora through her grief, her barriers tumble down…but will she dare to swap her To Do lists for a How to Fall in Love list?

 

My final pick this week is not Christmassy at all but does look like a fun read and one which I'm hoping to start this afternoon.

 

 

Book Review - Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

 

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Published: 2012

Publisher: Orion

Pages: 357

Available in Paperback and Kindle

 

 

 Blurb

It's 1999 and for the staff of one newspaper office, the internet is still a novelty. By day, two young women, Beth and Jennifer, spend their hours emailing each other, discussing in hilarious detail every aspect of their lives, from love troubles to family dramas. And by night, Lincoln, a shy, lonely IT guy spends his hours reading every exchange.

At first their emails offer a welcome diversion, but as Lincoln unwittingly becomes drawn into their lives, the more he reads, the more he finds himself falling for one of them. By the time Lincoln realizes just how head-over-heels he really is, it's way too late to introduce himself. What would he say to her? 'Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mails - and also, I think I love you'.

After a series of close encounters, Lincoln decides it's time to muster the courage to follow his heart, and find out whether there really is such a thing as love before first-sight.

 

Review

Attachments is the story of Lincoln, who works nights at The Courier newspaper as an internet security guy monitoring the company emails. He begins to read the emails between two co-workers Beth and Jennifer as they share their ups and downs with each other. Slowly Lincoln begins to have feelings for one of the girls and begins to feel uneasy about his job. Will Lincoln have the courage to embrace his feelings and find out if you can fall in love before first sight?

This book alternates in chapters between Lincoln’s story and the email dialogue between Beth and Jennifer, at first I wasn’t sure if I would like this but it worked really well. You get to know Beth and Jennifer without actually meeting them.  It highlighted really well they way that Lincoln almost meets his girl on more than one occasion and that he’s not the only one who has been admiring from afar, as he gets nick named “my cute guy” by one of the girls which made this story for me really adorable.

I loved Lincoln as a character, he was just so cute the way he fell for the real girl and not just her looks. He just appeared to be an all-round nice guy that had got himself stuck in a rut and needed a little inspiration to find his way out. I really enjoyed the way he handled his mother, you could tell he became frustrated with her sometimes but he was never disrespectful, he just gently ignored her and carried on.  His growing friendship with Doris the cleaner was also really cute and just made me want to hug him.

It was really refreshing to read a romantic tale from the male perspective as this is very rare in books, especially chick-lit type books (not that this is full on chick-lit) and think it is something which should be done more.

I loved this book and will definitely be reading more from Rainbow Rowell even though the majority of her work is Young Adult fiction which I don’t read much of.  I recommend this to anyone who wants a light hearted funny read with a very adorable male lead that will just make you feel warm and cosy inside.

Rating 5/5

Sunday Showcase #10

 

Showcase Sunday is a weekly event hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea where book bloggers share what books they have added to their collection in the previous week. This week I have been really lucky and received some great books to review and also collected a few freebies on my kindle.

 

 

I received the following all from bookbridgr and Headline

 

The Proposal by Tasmina Perry - already released

A Christmas Hope by Anne Perry - paperback released 23rd October 2014

A New York Christmas by Anne Perry released on kindle and hardback on 23rd October 2014

 

I am super excited about the Tasmina Perry book as I've wanted to read this for months but I'm not a huge fan of heavy hardbacks and that all I could find. I've not heard of Anne Perry before but chose these off bookbridgr as they both looked like really good Christmas reads. I like that they are short as can curl up with some hot chocolate and finish them in one night.

 

 

 

I also picked up these on Amazon for my kindle, they are currently free but please check price before you buy as might change. I've been very good and not bought any actual books in the last couple of weeks but I'm sure once we hit October that will change, so next week there may be more books to see.