BOOK REVIEW IT STARTED WITH A TWEET BY ANNA BELL

Daisy Hobson lives her whole life online. But when her social media obsession causes her to make a catastrophic mistake at work, Daisy finds her life going into free-fall . . . 

Her sister Rosie thinks she has the answer to all of Daisy’s problems – a digital detox in a remote cottage in Cumbria. Soon, too, Daisy a welcome distraction there in Jack, the rugged man-next-door.

But can Daisy, a London girl, ever really settle into life in a tiny, isolated village? 

And, more importantly, can she survive without her phone? 

Firstly a huge thank you to Emily at bonnier books for my proof copy. I absolutely adore Annas books so I was over the moon .

Ironically the time I read this my phone had broken and I had limited access to the usual …social media etc… the things we don’t realise we are addicted to!!

So I could relate to daisy somewhat and on a more serious note for my own sanity I occasionally check out for a while to invest in myself without sharing to the world .

So with no phone and my son at his drama club I had the perfect opportunity to enjoy this book. You can get so much more reading done when not checking a phone every 10 min or so.

This has everything, wit, warmth, men and the bonds we have with others that make us who we are .

Daisy rediscovers who she is when she isn’t being her online persona she’s got so used to being. 

What are her dreams and goals? 

Where does she see herself in the future ?

These are all questions she wasn’t aware she had until she put her phone down .

I loved this book which as always is written with Anna’s fresh voice of fiction .

Great characters especially the men and the adventures that they present to daisy and her sister .

It’s a hilarious read with a dash of old fashioned romance in a modern world 

I wish Anna every success with this book !

Published e book 7th December and paperback 28th December 

BOOK REVIEW THE PLACE WE MET BY ISABELLE BROOM

Lake Como, Italy, New Year’s Eve. The perfect place to fall in love? Or the perfect place for everything to fall apart?

‘Utterly romantic’ Adele Parks, bestselling author of The Image of You

Lucy may have suffered her fair share of bad men, but now she has Pete. Finally, a man worth sharing her favourite place with, Lake Como. That’s if she can put mysterious phone calls and glamorous ex-girlfriends out of her mind.

Taggie is rushed off her feet, but distraction is exactly what she needs to forget why she fled England and the sadness she left behind. She certainly doesn’t have time for infuriating stranger Marco. A man is the last thing she needs right now.

Lucy and Taggie might not know it, but their lives are about to collide. The New Year might begin with fireworks – but how will it end

Firstly a huge thank you to Sarah at penguin for my proof copy especially as I didn’t know I was getting it!! 

I adore Isabelles books and each of her book reviews have ignited me to swoon and praise her.

With 4 books to her name and more to come she has quickly set her place as one of my favourite writers. I don’t need to know the title or the blurb to know I will LOVE it!

With each of her books we also get the added bonus of travelling as each one is set in different beautiful locations.

The place we met is located in Italy. .lake como to be precise.  So it’s like you get a vacation while reading …perfect escapism .

I devoured this in the bath which as a mum of 2 is as far as I manage to escape to but that’s the beauty of reading we get that luxury from turning pages.

A good writer manages to evoke all those feelings and senses from their use of language and really setting the scene.  Isabelle does this and so much more .

We have 2 leading ladies each very different but each finding who they are and to love themselves.

When life brings them together it’s not just the new year fireworks causing explosions.

I did see quite early on the direction it was going but this did not effect my enjoyment in any way.

Incredibly written and we’ll thought out .

Published on 30th November 

 

BOOK REVIEW THE FOSTER CHILD BY JENNY BLACKHURST

When child psychologist Imogen Reid takes on the case of 11-year-old Ellie Atkinson, she refuses to listen to warnings that the girl is dangerous.

Ellie was the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Imogen is convinced she’s just a sad and angry child struggling to cope with her loss.

But Ellie’s foster parents and teachers are starting to fear her. When she gets upset, bad things seem to happen. And as Imogen gets closer to Ellie, she may be putting herself in danger…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Firstly a huge thank you to the headline team at bookbridgr for sending me this amazing book. I did squeal as I love this authors books so much! 

This intrigued me straight away with it’s striking cover and title.

I was a foster child so immediately caught my eye!

What can a foster child have done thats so bad?

Told in alternate narratives one a child one a adult.

One the counsellor one the client .

Each with their own pasts and stories to tell .

We watch their lives weave together.

What can go wrong ?

Surely people are just scaremongering with their wicked tales of the young girl being evil? ?

But as the clock ticks on the time she had at the foster home will cracks show the real Ellie?

Are people in danger ?

This was very thought provoking and chilling as you don’t quite know what you believe and would to trust.

As always Jenny writes with such skill and makes each story as addictive as the previous.

I wish her every success with this book.

Published 16th November

 

BOOK REVIEW SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL BY GIOVANNA FLETCHER

Lizzy and Ian have been a couple since the first week of university. Now, after celebrating a decade together, everyone thinks they’re about to get engaged.

Instead, a romantic escape to Dubai leaves Lizzy with no ring, no fiancé and no future.

Lizzy is heartbroken – but through the tears, she sees an opportunity. This is her moment to discover what she’s been missing while playing Ian’s ideal ‘better half’.

But how much has Ian changed her, and who should she be without him?

Determined to discover who she is at heart, Lizzy sets out to rediscover the girl she was before – and, in the meantime, have a little fun . . .

 

I had preordered a signed copy of this which came a few days before its actual publication day . Read in one sitting and loved it! I personally think this is her best one yet .

They are a talented bunch the Fletcher family and pretty cool with it . Me and Lincoln are currently reading The creakers by Giovannas Husband Tom so its Fletchers galore in our house .

As with all excellently written books once I started I couldn’t put it down ,the words flow and before you know it your halfway through.

As with the design of the  book cover I felt the overall feel of this story was slightly different to her other ones .

It focuses on so much more than finding the one and all romantic .  It is more about finding who you are again and loving that with all of your flaws.

Funny ,heart warming and life affirming .It had a real sense of woman emopowerment to it . As a single woman and a mum to boot its easy to feel complacent and somewhat stuck and this book explores that.

What happens when the life we had planned out doesn’t happen?

Who are we ?

A story of self discovery ,hope ,friendship ,family and the beauty of possibilities .

This will fly off the shelf and will make a beautiful Christmas present .

It really is some kind of wonderful 🙂

Published 16th November

BLOG TOUR SHADOWS BY PAUL FINCH

As a female cop walking the mean streets of Manchester, life can be tough for PC Lucy Clayburn. But when one of the North West’s toughest gangsters is your father, things can be particularly difficult.

When Lucy’s patch is gripped by a spate of murder-robberies, the police are quick to action. Yet when it transpires that the targets are Manchester’s criminal underworld, attitudes change.

Lucy is soon faced with one of the toughest cases of her life – and one which will prove once and for all whether blood really is thicker than water…

 

 

 

 

Firstly thank you to Avon for my copy and having me on the blog tour .

I read Pauls previous book introducing us to to Lucy and loved it.

We rejoin Lucy on the streets of Manchester and it’s latest dark crimes.

Fast paced and gritty this is a dark read of the criminal world .

We get to know a bit more about Lucy and her past but also who she is a person. What makes her tick and why she feels so passionate about her job .

I personally didn’t connect as well to this book as the first , this could be due to a lot of storyline going on .

Still a excellently written book with fascinating charactars and most importantly who can we trust?

Read on for a extract and do check out the other blogs taking part .

As a female cop walking the mean streets of Manchester, life can be tough for PC Lucy Clayburn. But when one of the North West’s toughest gangsters is your father, things can be particularly difficult.

When Lucy’s patch is gripped by a spate of murder-robberies, the police are quick to action. Yet when it transpires that the targets are Manchester’s criminal underworld, attitudes change.

Lucy is soon faced with one of the toughest cases of her life – and one which will prove once and for all whether blood really is thicker than water…