Top Ten Tuesday - Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2015

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they create a new bookish top ten list, this week it is books we're looking forward to reading in 2015. This has been the easiest list for me to create in sometime as there are loads of books looking good for next year, so here's my top ten:

 

1. The Women Who Gave Up Chocolate by Milly Johnson, released 18th June 2015

I am a huge Milly Johnson fan and have been waiting for this ever since I saw it pop up on Amazon. There's no cover picture yet but I'm sure it will be as lovely as all the others.

 

 

 

 

2. The Women Who Fell in Love for a Week by Fiona Walker, released 8th January 2015 in hardback

Again another author who I love and am always eagerly awaiting the next book from. They always end up making me feel really good.

 

3. Second Life by SJ Watson, released 12th February 2015

Before I Go To Sleep was a brilliant debut and his second book sounds as if it will be just as good, if not better. Definitely one which will be one my pre-order list for next year.

 

 

4. Creature Comforts by Trisha Ashley, released 18th June 2015

Another favourite author who's books always make me smile. How cute is the name Halfhidden for a village name?

 

5. The Cake Shop in the Garden by Carole Matthews, released 18th January 2015

I am determined in 2015 to read all the books in Carole's back catalogue that I haven't read and as there are 25 in total I have a few to go at. This is her newest one and the cover looks yummy!

 

 

 

6. The Dandelion Years by Erica James, released 26th February 2015

Erica James has a real talent for creating likable characters in a plotline which always has a little bit of mystery and I love reading her books. As this is set in a big country house I'm sure I will love it.

 

7. Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond, released 4th June 2015

Lucy Diamond is a recent discovery for me but I love the books of hers that I have read. This will be her second book to be released next year. I already have a proof copy of her first The Year of Taking Chances and I'm excited to start reading it straight after Christmas.

 

 

8. A Vintage Wedding by Katie Fforde, released 12th February 2015

I have a dream of one day having my own vintage style wedding so I can't wait to read this book to maybe pick up a few ideas.

 

 

9. The Life I Left Behind by Colette McBeth, released 1st January 2015

This is Colette's second novel and looks like it has a really intriguing plot which I can't wait to read, not long till release day.

 

10. One Small Act of Kindness by Lucy Dillon, released 24th April 2015

I love Lucy's books, they have a lovely magical quality to them which makes for a great read, cannot wait for this one to be released.

 

So that's my list of books I'm most looking forward to in 2015, I'm sure there will be many more books that I will add to this list as the year gets under way. What are you most looking forward to reading next year? Take a look at other people's lists here.

 

 

Book Review - Bewitched,Bothered and Bewildered

 

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Kerry Barrett

Published: 31st October 2013

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Part-time witch, full-time glamorous high-flyer Esme Mcleod rubs shoulders with celebrities for a living, has a sort-of-boyfriend …and just enough magic in her fingertips to solve life’s little irritations; why shouldn’t she cast a little spell to catch the busy barman’s attention, or to summon a latte to aid her all-nighters?

Called back to her small Scottish home town and meddling family, stiletto-clad Esme is way out of her comfort zone… But Esme must embrace her abilities as a witch, or watch her family lose their beloved café.

Except Esme has never claimed to be a whizz at witchcraft, and her charms are starting to go awry - she certainly never meant to cast a love spell on her ex-boyfriend Jamie! It’s time for urgent lessons in magic as well as love – it seems there’s only so much that muttering a few words over cupcake batter will fix…

 

Review

I was kindly sent the third book in the Could It Be Magic series by Kerry Barrett to review, having not read the first two I decided to start at the beginning of the story with Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered as it sounded like a series I would love.

 

Esme Mcleod is a witch who works as a family lawyer in London. She has been away from from her family up in Scotland since she was a teenager. She had a disagreement with her mother over the use of magic, which Esme is not a fan of, except for when that coffee cup just needs to come a bit nearer or the barman aren’t looking her way. Her family practise magic on a daily basis in their café, helping people whether they ask for it or not.  When her cousin Harry (Harmony) asks her to come home and her run the family business as her Aunt Suky is ill with cancer Esme has no choice but to return to the home she fled from years earlier.  Esme soon realises it’s not just Suky’s illness which is making the café business suffer and the only way she can help her family is to put her magic skills to good use.

I really liked the main character Esme; I loved the way that she defended her family from outsiders even though she didn’t completely agree with what they were up to herself. She also had a way of getting into scrapes with her magic which were quite funny, such as turning one of the villagers into a frog. My favourite scenes with Esme were when she got drunk in the pub with her old friend Chloe and tried to convince her old boyfriend to date the much younger barmaid, really funny!

This is a story filled with heart-warming characters full of family loyalty, a little romance and some quite sad parts with Suky’s storyline. The story moves at a fairly fast pace and is sprinkled with magic and humour throughout which will leave you, like me wanting to find out what happen next for Esme and her family.

Rating 4/5

 

Top Ten Tuesday (Wednesday) - My Winter TBR List

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week the list is Top Ten Winter TBR list, I've focused my list on books which are due for release in Dec and January. So these are the books I'm most looking forward to reading this winter.

 

 

The Snow Angel by Lulu Taylor

 

 

I'll Take New York by Miranda Dickinson

 

 

You Think You Know Me by Clare Chase

 

 

 

Red Rose, White Rose by Joanne Hickson

 

 

 

 

The Year of Taking Chances by Lucy Diamond

 

 

Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell

 

 

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

 

 

As Good As It Gets by Fiona Gibson

 

 

The Girl On The Train

 

 

 

A Trick of the Mind by Penny Hancock

 

So what I'm most looking forward to reading this winter, after I've finished all my Christmas books that is, what are you most forward to this winter?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My 100th Post!!!

So after just over five months in blogging I have written 100 posts, I'm quite proud of this as I wasn't sure blogging was really for me after two previous failed attempts, but this time I've found something which I want to write about and that's BOOKS!!!

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has visited my site over the past five months and I hope you found something which makes you want to come back. Also thank you to everyone who has lefts comments, I know I have not always replied and for that I am sorry and hopefully going forwards this is something I will get better at.

I also want to say thank you to all the publishers and authors who have been kind enough to send me copies of their books to review. Nothing makes me happy than receiving a new book through the post or that email that says you've been granted access to that book your longing to read on Net Galley. I just wish there were more hours in the day so I can read all these fantastic books quicker!

I hope to continue blogging, although please don't worry if I suddenly disappear sometime next year. I'm waiting for some surgery on my heart so may end up in hospital for a while, but I will definitely return and the thought of all the lovely books I can take with me is making me not dread hospital quite so much.

Best Wishes

Joanne xx

Release Day Round-Up #12

This week there are four books which have caught my eye and are due for release.

 

Stable Mates by Zara Stoneley

Published: 20th November 2014 (Paperback Copy)

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages: 336

Available on Kindle and now Paperbck

Order now from Amazon

 

Welcome to tranquil Tippermere, an idyllic village nestled deep in the Cheshire countryside. Home to lords and ladies, horsemen and farmers, and plenty of secrets and scandals…

Leaving a scumbag ex behind her, Lottie Brinkley has hotfooted it out of Spain and back home to the country in serious need of some flirtatious fun to soothe her aching heart.

Luckily for her she’s spoilt for choice with not one but three eligible bachelors offering a steamy romp in the hay! But faced with the attentions of roguish eventer Rory Steel, the smiling Irish eyes of hunky farrier Mick O’Neal, and mysterious newcomer Tom Strachan, how can she possibly choose?

When billionaire landowner Marcus James drops dead unexpectedly, his WAGish wife Amanda threatens to sell the heart of the village and sets her sights on Tom! It seems things are heating up for little Tippermere… both in and out of the saddle.

 

I reviewed this back in August when the e-book version came out and I will be purchasing a paperback copy for myself as I know its going to be one of those books I re-read often, I'm already starting to miss Lottie and the gang so hopefully over Christmas I'll get chance to have a re-read. This book is also special too me as it was the very first book I was accepted to read on NetGalley and made my blogging adventure a little more real. Check out my full review here. I definitely recommend this to anyone and I cannot wait for a follow to hit the shelves...hopefully soon.

 

 

Waiting for Doggo by Mark B. Mills

Published: 20th November 2014

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 224

Available in Hardback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

No-one ever called Dan a pushover. But then no-one ever called him fast-track either. He likes driving slowly, playing Sudoku on his iPhone, swapping one scruffy jumper for another. He's been with Clara for four years and he's been perfectly happy; but now she's left him, leaving nothing but a long letter filled with incriminations and a small, white, almost hairless dog, named Doggo. So now Dan is single, a man without any kind of partner whether working or in love. He's just one reluctant dog owner. Find a new home for him, that's the plan. Come on...everyone knows the old adage about the best laid plans and besides, Doggo is one special kind of a four legged friend...and an inspiration.

 

Think I was a bit slow on the uptake with this on as review copies seem to be floating round blogger land and I seemed to have missed the boat. When I went to see what the fuss was about I found a book which does like will be a winner. At least the wait for publication day is over and I can go buy myself a copy and judge for myself.

 

 

 

Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

Published: 20th November 2014

Publisher: Headline

Pages: 368

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award winning author Lisa Scottoline is loved by millions of readers for her suspenseful novels about family and justice. Scottoline delivers once again with Keep Quiet, an emotionally gripping and complex story about one man’s split-second decision to protect his son - and the devastating consequences that follow.Jake Buckman’s relationship with his sixteen-year-old son Ryan is not an easy one, so at the urging of his loving wife, Pam, Jake goes alone to pick up Ryan at their suburban movie theater.　 On the way home, Ryan asks to drive on a deserted road, and Jake sees it as a chance to make a connection. However, what starts as a father-son bonding opportunity instantly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes, and with Ryan’s entire future hanging in the balance, Jake is forced to make a split-second decision that plunges them both into a world of guilt and lies. Without ever meaning to, Jake and Ryan find themselves living under the crushing weight of their secret, which threatens to tear their family to shreds and ruin them all. Powerful and dramatic, Keep Quiet will have readers and book clubs debating what it means to be a parent and how far you can, and should, go to protect those you love.

 

This one has a brilliant premise for a thriller and already has me questioning would I would do in similar circumstances. I have the on my to review pile so check back soon to see what I thought about it.

 

Mr Miracle by Debbie Macomber

Published: 20th November 2014

Publisher: Arrow

Pages: 272

 Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

 

 Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help Addie Folsom to get her life back on track - and help her find love.

Creating a happy ending for Addie and her neighbour Erich doesn’t seem like much of a challenge. But soon after arriving in the town of Tacoma, Harry realises he might need some guidance. Addie and Erich can't stand each other; growing up he was popular and outgoing, while she was rebellious and headstrong. Addie would now rather avoid Erich entirely, especially at Christmas.

Harry is going to need all the help he can get, and a bit of divine inspiration, to help Addie and Erich find their Christmas miracle.  

 

To me you can't have Christmas without Debbie Macomber, the majority of those Christmas movies we all love will usually be based on one of Debbie's novels. This one looks to be another one where people in need get that special Christmas miracle, I love them and can't wait to read this one.

 

 

 

Blog Tour Book Review - The List by Joanna Bolouri

Welcome to the second to last stop of the blog tour for The List by Joanna Bolouri, organised by Emma Louise in conjunction with Quercus. If you want to find out more out Emma Louise, check out her blog here.

 

The List by Joanna Bolouri

Published: 10th April 2014 (first published 5th December 2013)

Publisher: Quercus

Pages: 400

Available in paperback and on kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Phoebe Henderson may be single but she sure doesn't feel fabulous. It's been a year since she found her boyfriend Alex in bed with another woman, and multiple cases of wine and extensive relationship analysis with best friend Lucy have done nothing to help. Faced with a new year but no new love, Phoebe concocts a different kind of resolution.

The List: ten things she's always wanted to do in bed but has never had the chance (or the courage!) to try. A bucket list for between the sheets. One year of pleasure, no strings attached. Simple, right?

Factor in meddlesome colleagues, friends with benefits, getting frisky al fresco and maybe, possibly, true love and Phoebe's got her work cut out for her.

 

Review

The List has been a book which has been on my radar to pick up since it first came out, so when Emma Louise organised this tour I took the opportunity to join in and finally read it and I’m so glad I did. The List is a hilarious book which talks honestly about sex and relationships in a way which is not too vulgar or sugary sweet.

It’s New Year’s Eve and Phoebe Henderson is nursing a broken heart after finding boyfriend Alex in bed with another woman. After numerous bottles of wine and relationship dissection with friend Lucy, Phoebe decides its time to find out what she really wants. So she sets herself a new resolution with a difference. Ten things she’s always wanted to experience in bed but hasn’t yet had the chance.  In order to complete her challenges Phoebe enlists the help of best friend Oliver for some no strings, sexual fun.  So begins Phoebe’s quest for sexual enlightenment, along the way she encounters a few obstacles and gets herself into a couple of compromising positions.  So does Phoebe complete her challenge? Well you’ll have to read the book and find out!

I was instantly drawn to Phoebe, she says exactly what comes into her head, even though at times she realises afterwards she could have worded things better and been a little less abrupt.  I loved her chats with Lucy, the way they were so honest about everything, including the sex and how good or bad it was. They talked like you would expect two friends to, nothing held back, anything goes, which made for some very funny conversations.  The thing I really liked about Phoebe was despite coming across as confident and sure of herself on the outside, on the inside she still had a vulnerability about her, with real insecurities about ending up all alone, which for me made her really endearing. She is a real heroine for women today, a woman who isn’t afraid to go out there and get what she wants, a woman who doesn’t care what she weighs, how much she drinks, or how much she swears…which is a LOT!

This book is written in a diary format from Phoebe’s point of view and I thought this worked extremely well.  The book is spread across the year and at 400 pages you would expect it to take a while to read, but you’ll get hooked on Joanna’s easy flowing writing style and be finished before you know it. I kept reading just a bit more as I wanted to find out how Phoebe’s next challenge would work out. Some challenges went fairly smoothly and some were more disastrous but they were all really FUNNY. Throughout her year Phoebe’s encounters a number of sexual partners and some of them are definitely more frog than prince.

Now I cannot write a review of this book without talking about the sex. The best word I have come up with to describe it is HONEST, sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad and sometimes it’s just downright funny. It is described in such a way that makes it believable. Yes there is a lot of it and yes it is fairly detailed in some parts, but not in a way that makes you throw the book across the room in disgust. It is written in a way that makes you curious, because let’s face it we’re all curious about having better sex whether we admit it or not. So whether you embark on your own LIST or just live through Phoebe just enjoy it!

As a debut novel I think Joanna Bolouri has done excellent job in providing us with an honest and hilarious look at sex and relationships and I cannot wait to read what she writes next. I’d love a follow on to find out what happens to Phoebe. I rate this book 5/5 as there is nothing I can think of which I didn’t really enjoy, if you are looking for a book to make you laugh then this is it.

I’d like to thank Emma Louise for organising this blog tour and also Quercus books for sending me a copy to review and lastly to thank Joanna for writing such a brilliant book. If you would like to find out more about the author then you can visit www.joannabolouri.wordpress.com or follow her on twitter @scribbles78 where you can see just how funny this lady really is.

 

 

Book Review - The Great Christmas Knit-Off by Alexandra Brown

 

The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown

Published: 6th November 2014

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 400

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Heartbroken after being jilted at the altar, Sybil has been saved from despair by her knitting obsession and now her home is filled to bursting with tea cosies, bobble hats, and jumpers. But, after discovering that she may have perpetrated the cock-up of the century at work, Sybil decides to make a hasty exit and, just weeks before Christmas, runs away to the picturesque village of Tindledale.

There, Sybil discovers Hettie’s House of Haberdashery, an emporium dedicated to the world of knitting and needle craft. But Hettie, the outspoken octogenarian owner, is struggling and now the shop is due for closure. And when Hettie decides that Sybil’s wonderfully wacky Christmas jumpers are just the thing to add a bit of excitement to her window display, something miraculous starts to happen…

 

Review

Firstly I would like to thank Harper Collins for sending me a digital copy of The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown, I actually squealed when I saw this little beauty land on my kindle, for a fan of Christmas and all things crafty it’s perfect for me.  If any of you have read her Carrington’s series you will know that Alexandra has such a way of creating a magical heart-warming sense of community and characters that you just can’t help but adore her books.  With The Great Christmas Knit Off she has done it again, will an added bit of Christmas sparkle.

In The Great Christmas Knit Off we meet Sybil and she’s having a pretty rough year. First she was jilted at the alter by love rat Luke, who then ran off with twin sister Sasha. Then her mother keeps trying to set her up with the neighbour’s son, finally she makes a BIG mistake at work which has cost literally thousands. Exhausted and in need to somewhere to hide Sybil heads off to the small village of Tindledale, hidden deep in the countryside to visit her friend Cher. After a brief encounter with a dishy gentleman on the train Sybil arrives in Tindledale to discover snow and no taxis.  Eventually she arrives at the village pub to find to electricity, no room at the inn and no Cher.  After she’s given somewhere to stay by  B & B owner Lawrence, Sybil finds herself in Hettie’s House of Haberdashery, somewhere where she can indulge in her favourite past time KNITTING.  In Hettie, Sybil finds a kindered spirit and the pair pour their hearts out to each other over the click-clack of the knitting needles.  As Sybil begins to knit a Christmas jumper for Hettie, word of the knitting spreads round the village and one by one the villagers join Sybil and Hettie knitting and the Tindledale Tappers are born and soon they have an extra special project to complete.

I just adored all the characters in this book. Sybil is so lovely the way she wants to help Hettie get herself back on her feet after only just meeting her. She seems a little fragile when she first arrives in Tindledale but with Lawrence’s help she begins to blossom and feel complete herself, like she’s finally found where she belongs.  Lawrence, is just, well he reminded of a fairy-godmother for Sybil, giving her shelter and a shoulder to cry on when she needed someone to listen. I just loved him. Hettie reminded me  little of my grandma, the way the knitting just brought a smile to her face even though her heart was aching on the inside and I just wanted to give her a hug and make everything alright for her again.  The little budding romance between the adorable Dr Darcy and Sybil was so cute, I was just longing for them to find a little alone time to see if there was real chemistry between them. Other characters I liked were Ruby, Marigold and Taylor as they all added a little depth and more background to the story.

Tindledale sounds like the perfect place to live, everything is centred on village life and the community spirit in this places oozes off the pages. I really loved the little map at the beginning of the book as it really helped me picture this quaint little village in my mind.  My favourite place was Hettie’s House of Haberdashery as I love anything crafty and can imagine spending hours in here browsing and perhaps hoping someone will be able to finally teach me to knit if I stayed long enough!

This book is the perfect Christmas read is it brimming with everything Christmas described in a lovely whimsical, slightly old fashioned way and I adored it, another visit to Tindledale and its inhabitants cannot come quick enough.  Alexandra Brown has another winner with this book and the only downside to it is…I’ve finished it!!

Rating 5/5