Release Day Round Up #13

This week there are five books which have been released which have taken my interest:

 

You Think You Know Me by Clare Chase

Released: 3rd December 2014

Publisher: Choc Lit Uk

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Sometimes, it’s not easy to tell the good guys from the bad …

Freelance journalist, Anna Morris, is struggling to make a name for herself, so she’s delighted to attend a launch event for a hip, young artist at her friend Seb’s gallery.

But an exclusive interview isn’t all Anna comes away with. After an encounter with the enigmatic Darrick Farron, she is flung into the shady underground of the art scene – a world of underhand dealings, missing paintings and mysterious deaths …

Seb is intent on convincing Anna that Darrick is up to no good but, try as she might, she can’t seem to keep away from him. And as she becomes further embroiled, Anna begins to wonder – is Seb’s behaviour the well-intentioned concern of an old friend, or does he have something to hide?  

 

I am lucky enough to have a review copy of this sent from Choc Lit UK, I've only read a few chapters but so far it seems really good, look out for my review next week.

 

 

 

I'll Take New York by Miranda Dickinson

Released: 4th December 2014

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 416

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Have you ever given up on love?


When her boyfriend lets her down for the last time, Brooklyn bookshop owner Bea James makes a decision – no more. No more men, no more heartbreak, and no more pain.


Psychiatrist Jake Steinmann is making a new start too, leaving his broken marriage behind in San Francisco. From now on there'll just be one love in his life: New York.


At a party where they seem to be the only two singletons, Bea and Jake meet, and decide there’s just one thing for it. They will make a pact: no more relationships.

 

 

I haven't read many Miranda Dickinson novels but I don't think I can resist the cover of this one with it gold highlights, plus it seems a like a good plot line.

The Snow Angel by Lulu Taylor

Released: 4th December 2014

Publisher: Pan

Pages: 400

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

A forbidden passion. A lifetime of consequences.

Cressida Felbridge is living the high life as a debutante in 1960s London society when she is courted by a friend of her brother's and set to marry. Wishing only the best for his daughter, her father decrees that she must have her portrait painted to mark the occasion. But as soon as she meets the painter Ralph Few, Cressie knows her life will never be the same again. Soon, she is deeply in love with Ralph, but there is one problem: Ralph is still married to Catherine. As Cressie is drawn into a strange, triangular relationship, Catherine's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and Ralph and Cressie escape to Cressie's family home in Cumbria. But Catherine will not give up Ralph that easily . . .

In the present day, Emily Conway has everything she could wish for: a huge house in West London, two beautiful children and a successful husband, Will. But as Emily and Will drive to a party, Will reveals that he has been betrayed by his business partner. Steering the car off the road at high speed, their perfect life is abruptly ended. When she wakes from her injuries, Emily is told of a mysterious legacy: a house in Cumbria on the edge of an estate, left to her by a woman she has never met. Could this house provide the chance to start anew, or does it hold secrets that she must uncover before it can be at peace?

 

 

Lulu Taylor is one of my favourite authors and anything she writes will definitely end up on my bookshelf. I have a copy of this one on its way to me, so keep an eye out for my review in the next few weeks.

 

A Christmas Feast by Katie Fforde

Released: 4th December 2014

Publisher: Arrow

Pages: 240

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Add some extra sparkle to your Christmas by joining Katie Fforde for a perfect, romantic Christmas feast of short stories. Collected together for the first time and including one brand new story.


Make your Christmas wishes come true...

 

 

I have a review copy of this to read and I'm really looking forward to grabbing a few moments here and there the read a story all in one go. Look out for my review soon.

 

Red Rose, White Rose by Joanna Hickson

Released: 4th December 2014

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 400

Available in paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Richard, the thirteen-year-old Duke of York, England’s richest heir.
Told through the eyes of Cicely and her half-brother Cuthbert, Red Rose, White Rose is the story of one of the most powerful women in England during one of its most turbulent periods. Born of Lancaster and married to York, the willowy and wayward Cicely treads a hazardous path through love, loss and imprisonment and between the violent factions of Lancaster and York, as the Wars of the Roses tear England’s ruling families apart.
So nearly queen herself, Cicely Neville was the mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of kings – and her descendants still wear the crown.

 

I haven't read an historical fiction in ages, so when I came across this book it seemed perfect. I've not read anything by this author before and very little about the Neville family, so looking forward to getting a chance to read this sometime.

 

This will be my last Release Day Round for 2014. I hope you have enjoyed taking a look at my favourite releases and have found some interesting books to add to your tbr piles. I will be back on January 1st with the first Release Day Round Up of 2015.

 

 

 

Book Review - A Christmas Hope by Anne Perry

 

A Christmas Hope (Christmas Novellas #11) by Anne Perry

Published: October 23rd 2014 (Paperback)

Publisher: Headline

Pages: 165

Available in Hardback, Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

London, 1868. As the Christmas season begins, Claudine Burroughs feels little joy in its endless social calls and extravagant events. Working at a clinic for desperate women has opened her eyes to a different world.

Then her two worlds collide. A prostitute smuggled into a grandiose Christmas party is found brutally beaten. Poet Dai Tregarron stands accused. But Dai insists he was trying to protect her from the violence of three young men. Claudine believes him, but with society closing ranks against him, how can she prove his innocence without risking everything?

Review

This was my first experience with an Anne Perry Christmas novella and I found it to be a gritty look at Victorian England. The blurb sounded intriguing and I was hoping for a mystery set among the grandeur of a Victorian Christmas, instead I got a slightly depressing look at the morals of the Victorian upper classes, done in a way which I found slightly repetitive.

Claudine Burroughs is an outsider in her social circle and spends much of her time helping less fortunate women in a clinic. I wanted to feel something kind of empathy for her as she’s not happy in her marriage to her husband who clearly doesn’t love her but she just came across as a rather dull character.

There is no real mystery to the story as it’s obvious to the reader what happened to the poor young woman. This is more a story of Claudine trying to find a way to convince people to do the right thing and not let their social standing impact on their actions. It gives a very bleak view of the concept of marriage in Victorian England; love is not a factor often considered it seems, this for me made a quite bleak story. I’m someone who loves a little romance in a book, especially at Christmas.

If you are a fan of stories set in Victorian times you will probably enjoy the bleak realism this book portrays, for me it lacked depth in the mystery and was missing a little Christmas spirit.

Thank you to bookridgr for sending me a copy to review. Rating 2/5

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.