Friday 31 May 2019

Review: Jack of Hearts and Other Parts by LC Rosen


Meet Jack Rothman. He's seventeen and loves partying, makeup and boys - sometimes all at the same time. His sex life makes him the hot topic for the high school gossip machine. But who cares? Like Jack always says, 'it could be worse'.



He doesn't actually expect that to come true.

But after Jack starts writing an online sex advice column, the mysterious love letters he's been getting take a turn for the creepy. Jack's secret admirer knows everything: where he's hanging out, who he's sleeping with, who his mum is dating. They claim they love Jack, but not his unashamedly queer lifestyle. They need him to curb his sexuality, or they'll force him.

As the pressure mounts, Jack must unmask his stalker before their obsession becomes genuinely dangerous... 




Review: I absolutely loved this book right from the word go. I listened to this one on audio and would try and sneak in a listen whenever possible until it was finished. Now a word of warning before I start gushing about how much I loved this book. This book does feature a sex column giving no holds barred sex advice from a gay teen and therefore it is graphic and features a lot of sexually explicit content and a lot of different sexual language so if that isn't your thing or you are buying this for a teen who might not want that in their life right now, take heed. 

Jack is a fabulous character because he is just so outwardly confident happy to discuss anything with anyone. He is confident of what he wants from a relationship right now whether that is a romantic relationship or a friendship. But Jack isn't quite a self-confident on the inside, he has the same kind of doubts as the rest of us but he definitely isn't going to admit that to anyone. 

One of the things I loved most about this book apart from Jack himself was how realistic his high school was. His school and the people in it were totally believable. I could picture the gossip going on in any school just like this one, I could definitely picture the principal being seen to be liberal but actually being incredibly judgemental verging on the homophobic. This whole story is totally believable. 

Another thing that this book does well is deals with the issue of harassment that isn't always physical. It exposes the fact that people are not believed when they report cases of harassment. That that persons sexual history comes into play when the question of how series harassment is arises. The fact that men can be harassed by women or other men just as much as women can receive this kind of harassment from men especially those in positions of power. 

Although this is a young adult novel I found myself completely drawn into the story and worried for our main character there is so much depth and so much going on in the book that I could relate to despite not being a teen myself anymore. I definitely recommend this one as long as you are ready for all the sexual details of Jack's life. I just loved it so much and I hope you will to!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Thursday 30 May 2019

Review: Cinders and Sparks: Magic at Midnight by Lindsey Kelk

She will go to the ball. But nothing will go to plan… 

A magic girl.
A talking dog.
Let’s get this party started . . .

Cinders lives a boring life with her selfish stepsisters and mean stepmother. So when her wishes start magically coming true it’s a surprise to say the least.
Then Cinders meets her fairy godmother: she’s magic, she can fly, and she’s called . . . Brian.
Soon, Cinders finds herself heading to the glamorous ball at the King’s palace. But Brian is NOT very reliable and Cinders is NOT very good at magic. Now her life isn’t boring at all – it’s total chaos!


Review: Oh i absolutely loved this book, it was so much fun and such a great retelling! If you're looking for a Cinderella retelling that give you the answers to what happens to Cinderella AFTER the prince finds out that she's the one who fits the glass slipper then this, my friend, has all the answers. 

Cinders is such a great character because she is such an awesome rebel. She is the cinders that we need for this modern era/ She pretends she has done the washing up when she hasn't. She really doesn't hate her sisters as much as she might and she loves to eat. I love that she is really someone we can all relate to. 

And then there is the magic, this book is full of magic, including Sparks and his powers. I love all the little powerful things that the two of them can accomplish with their magic and through the use of their magical friends and I can't wait to find out how this will affect future books in the series. 

You might start reading this book thinking that you've heard the Cinderella story before but really, you haven't you need to keep reading. And the ending of this book is way way apart from the beginning and sets up for the second and third book in this series that I am already excited about reading. Cinders and Sparks are headed out on more adventures and I can't wait to find out where they head to next!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Wednesday 29 May 2019

Blog Tour: Spotlight on The Girl Before You by Nicola Rayner


It is my stop on the The Girl Before You blog tour. I have a spotlight post today telling you all about this book which I am super excited for. The Kindle edition is out now and the paperback is out 22nd August. You can click here to order the ebook now...

I will have a review coming up for you soon but in the mean time don't foeget to check out the other blogs on the tour for more exclusive content and reviews!

Here's what it's all about:

She was his.
She was perfect.
And then, she was gone.

An addictive and twisting psychological suspense, perfect for summer. If you liked My Lovely Wife, you’ll love this.
Alice has always been haunted by the women from her husband’s past. As an MP and now a TV personality, George Bell’s reputation as a ladies’ man precedes him. But when Alice falls pregnant, her unease becomes an obsession.
And there’s one ex in particular she can’t get out of her head: a beautiful student George dated in his first year, who went missing before they finished university. Ruth.
When Alice sees a woman who looks just like Ruth, she can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to her disappearance than George has been telling her. But does she really want to know what her husband has been getting up to behind her back all these years?


Thanks to Nicola for stopping by today and make sure you stop by the other stops on the tour!



Blog Tour: Guest Review of A Summer to Remember by Sue Moorcroft



WANTED! A caretaker for Roundhouse Row holiday cottages.
WHERE? Nelson’s Bar is the perfect little village. Nestled away on the Norfolk coast we can offer you no signal, no Wi-Fi and – most importantly – no problems!
WHO? The ideal candidate will be looking for an escape from their cheating scumbag ex-fiancĂ©, a diversion from their entitled cousin, and a break from their traitorous friends.
WHAT YOU’LL GET! Accommodation in a chocolate-box cottage, plus a summer filled with blue skies and beachside walks. Oh, and a reunion with the man of your dreams.
PLEASE NOTE: We take no responsibility for any of the above scumbags, passengers and/or traitors walking back into your life…
GET IN TOUCH NOW TO MAKE THIS A SUMMER TO REMEMBER!




Review: I can honestly say that I have not read a Sue Moorcroft novel that I did not love. As a confirmed fan of her work, I was eagerly looking forward to this new book, and I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed. I devoured it in just a couple of sittings, the story holding my attention throughout. It has a wonderful setting of a small seaside village in Norfolk, where you could literally get away from it all, as technology has not reached it as yet, still an attractive quality for some of us.

The story revolves around Clancy, let down by her fiancĂ© and work colleagues and forced to find both a new job and new home. She moves from London to sleepy Nelson’s Bar, where she takes over as caretaker for a few holiday cottages owned by her cousin, Alice. The job comes with a lovely cottage where I would love to live, even without mobile phone signal. Although it’s many years since she was there, Clancy has a connection with Nelson’s Bar and soon encounters some familiar faces. However, her reception isn’t friendly in all cases, especially from Aaron and his family, who are still struggling to recover from a wrong done to them by Alice. As time goes on, Clancy settles into life in the village and becomes entangled in village affairs. It also looks as though she may have found romance from an unexpected direction, but stuff seems always to be getting in the way. Are things going to work out for her in Nelson’s Bar, or is she going to have to find refuge elsewhere?

This is just such a good story. It is filled to the brim with interesting characters experiencing everyday problems we can all identify with. Although Clancy and her struggle to come to terms with what has happened to her are central to the story, there is so much more going on. This little Norfolk village is hiding all sorts behind its sleepy facade, just like any village you might come upon. There is literally never a dull moment in the story. Just when you think that it will all be tied up in the next chapter, something else turns up. Although we are taken down lots of side roads, I think this adds to the overall story and its believability. I can definitely recommend this book to Sue Moorcroft fans and as a wonderful introduction for those unfamiliar with her writing. 


To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Tuesday 28 May 2019

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite books released in the last ten years 28/5/19


Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Oh my goodness, what are you trying to do to me with this topic? This will be so hard to pick but I will try my best with each of the years...

2018


2017


2016


2015


2014


2013


2012


2011


2010


2009


Monday 27 May 2019

Review: There's Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon


The irresistible companion novel to the New York Times bestseller When Dimple Met Rishi, which follows Rishi’s brother, Ashish, and a confident, self-proclaimed fat athlete named Sweetie as they both discover what love means to them.


Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After being dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?



Review: I was always going to love this book, I mean it is a Sandhya Menon novel with a fat main character and lots of lovely romance what's not to love? Let me tell you exactly what I loved about it though...

Sweetie is just the best character to spend time with. I love the fact that she is fat but she is also an athlete and also a kick-ass singer! She doesn't let her being fat hold her back or stop her enjoying life but it does cause a lot of tension between her and her parents. I love that she decides she wants to be a sassy woman and go for what she deserves out of life. She really grows as a character over the course of the novel because of the things she experiences and events that happen to her and her family. I loved watching that journey and I would LOVE to hear more from her in the future!

Ashish is our other main character and he also goes on a bit of a journey over the course of the novel. He is just as independent at Sweetie is, or so he thinks. He has experienced some heartbreak (we met him in When Dimple Met Rishi) and now he is struggling to get his mojo back. He realises just how much his family especially his parents can actually be there for him. I loved watching his relationship with his friends develop over this novel too-I think friendship is often reserved for female characters in YA fiction and it was great to read about male friendships and the ups and downs in this novel. 

There are some great date suggestions in this book. I really enjoyed watching as Ashish's parents send him in four allocated dates, the first of which is at the temple. They provide some real comedy moments but they also provide an emotional backdrop for some of the deeper character revelations during the storyline. They were definitely great fun. 

I think that my favourite thing about this book was the fact that Sweetie realises she may have some fat phobia inside of herself and is actually missing out on some experiences or holding back in others because deep down she does believe her fatness is holding her back somehow. This is something I have definitely experienced as a fat person and something which just doesn't get talked about enough in novels in any genre. I love that fact that Sadhya Menon expose this and the fact that Sweetie shines a light in this herself, it was a great way to explore what it means to be fat. 

We met Ashish in When Dimple Met Rishi and so there are some cameos of characters from that novel. If you don't want to be spoiled for that book the  definitely read it first, you won't regret it. But no matter what you do, I definitely recommend picking up There's Something About Sweetie and diving in right away. 

To order your copy just click the link: UK or US

Sunday 26 May 2019

Movie Reviews: May 19th-25th 2019

Another Sunday, another lot of movie reviews. As always, I go into more detailed thoughts on my movie reviews video over on my BookTube channel which I will leave at the bottom of this post once it is live so if you want a little more detail, give that a watch please and thank you!


OK so I walked out of this one which obviously tells you that I do not recommend it. It just fell too airy and had no substance and I really don't recall laughing at all-avoid!


I loved this, I was concerned going into it that they were about to ruin my favourite Disney film BUT it was great. So funny and the songs really were whole productions. See my video for more gushing on this one. Definitely go and check it out. 


This one just ticked all the boxes for me, I loved it and it had that real end of school feeling which was great since I was seeing it on the last day of school as well. It was hilarious and had some real thought and feeling in it as well as an epic female director-definitely go and see it!



Friday 24 May 2019

Review: I Heart Hawaii by Lindsey Kelk

Join Angela and Jenny in the series finale of the bestselling I Heart books, on the balmy beaches of Hawaii

When you’re running away from real life, there’s only one place to go…
When Angela Clark’s best friend Jenny invites her to join a press trip to Hawaii, three days of sun, sea and sleep sounds like the perfect antidote to her crazed life.

At work in New York, she’s supposed to be the face of Having It All. But the only thing Angela feels she excels at is hiding in the printer cupboard, eating Mini Cheddars and watching Netflix on her phone and if this is living the dream, she's more than ready to wake up.
A few days away with Jenny sounds like exactly what she needs but Angela’s talent for getting into a scrape guarantees nothing goes to plan – and not even the most beautiful beaches, blue skies and daiquiris will get her off the hook…



Review: I was so excited to read this book and let me tell you, it did not let me down! This book was very much bittersweet because I knew it was going to be the last in the series but it was just full of cheerfully nostalgic moments as well as classic Jenny and Angela japes and it was just everything I wanted it to be and more!

Angela is very far removed from the person that we met in I heart New York. She is a married woman now with a daughter and a very different career plan from dating around New York and blogging about it. But we still love her just as much as we did back then. The way she has grown and evolved over the years, because she has been written so well, she is just as easy to identify with and relate to as she was when she was having her first adventures in The Union. I love that we see her dropping her phone in the loo almost as soon as we open the book as well, it wouldn't be an I heart book without a phone falling into a body of water. 

The wonderful thing about this book is that even though I am a die hard fan of the whole series (and re-read the books again before picking up this one) the beginning of the book as well as all the memories we see throughout the book are all written in such a way that if you are new to the books or if you have forgotten what Angela and Alex have been up to, you're all caught up. I don't know how she does it but Lindsey Kelk has written this book with everybody in mind. 

You all know by now that I am a massive fan of Jenny and wish that she was my best friend and she has a great part to play in this, being a little older than Angela and all. Their friendship has just been so wonderful to watch and read about over the years and reading about them makes me miss my bestie and makes me text her just because I love and relate to their friendship so much. 

The joys of mother hood are of course explored in the most comical way in the novel and certainly ring true with the stories that friends have told me about having a baby and then a toddler and what being with them and then subsequently away from them can be like. I love the fact that Angela now has a daughter that Alex has to come and bail out just as much as he has had to bail Angela out over the years. 

We get to catch up with the whole gang in this book and there is just the perfect balance of new experiences and nostalgia to keep the new and the uber i heart fans alike happy and turning the pages. I read this book in one big wonderful gulp and I just loved every single chapter. I really hope you add this to your reading list whether you are meeting Angela for the first time or saying goodbye to her after 10 years I know you're going to love I Heart Hawaii!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Thursday 23 May 2019

Review: If You Could Go Anywhere by Paige Toon


HOW DO YOU FIND WHERE YOU'RE GOING, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE FROM . . . 


Angie has always wanted to travel. But at twenty-seven, she has barely stepped outside the small mining town where she was born. Instead, she discovers the world through stories told to her by passing travellers, dreaming that one day she'll see it all for herself.

When her grandmother passes away, leaving Angie with no remaining family, she is ready to start her own adventures. Then she finds a letter revealing the address of the father she never knew, and realises instantly where her journey must begin: Italy.
As Angie sets out to find the truth – about her family, her past and who she really is – will mysterious and reckless Italian Alessandro help guide the way?



Review: As always this novel from Paige Toon has some of my favourite elements that I love to read about. It has travel, it has romance and it has our main character finding a sense of independence-definitely the kind of things I like to read about. If you're thinking of picking up this novel looking for the usual kind of escapism that you normally find in a Paige Toon novel then you are definitely in the right place. This book has awesome scenes of Italy., the food the fun and the awesome scenery. I loved being in Denver and being transported from the snow away and into the warm sunshine of Ital. 

Angie is an interesting character and it took me a while to work her out. I couldn't decide whether she was independent or not. I think she has been the big fish in her little world and now she has been thrown into the big bad world in another country for that matter, she does seem to flounder a little initially. I like the premise behind the fact that she hasn't really travelled and hasn't really left her comfort zone and now she REALLY has. I loved her sense of adventure and also her fearlessness. She chases what she wants even if that means facing her fears. 

The two male characters in this novel were definitely less easy to warm to. I initially got them confused with each other I think this might have been because I was listening on audiobook and I would have been better acquainted with them had I seen them written down.  Alessandro seems like a bad boy and don't get me wrong I love to read about a rebel without a cause but I sometimes felt like he might be just a bit too much of a risk for our Angie. 

There are plenty of moments in this book that will give you that same adventurous thrill that Angie is feeling, there are also romantic moments and a little bit of heartbreak. I loved escaping to Italy with Angie and I liked the personal journey that she went on as the novel progressed. Another wonderful dose of escapism from Paige Toon!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Wednesday 22 May 2019

Guest Review: Heavenfield: A DCI Ryan Mystery by L J Ross


The hunter becomes the hunted…



When a man is found dead at the remote church of Heavenfield, DCI Ryan is the only other person for miles around. The police have no weapon, no motive and no other suspects.

Already suspended from Northumbria CID, Ryan must fight to clear his name. But soon, more than his career is at stake when prominent members of the mysterious ‘Circle’ begin to die. Somebody wants Ryan’s name to be next on the coroner’s list and to survive he must unmask the devil who walks among them – before it is too late. 

Unfortunately for Ryan, the devil looks just like everybody else…

Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit from LJ Ross, set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape. 







This is the third book in the DCI Ryan mysteries series from this author. Having read the first two books in the series, I was keen to find out what was happening to DCI Ryan and his colleagues following the dramatic events at the end of the previous story, Sycamore Gap. Once again, I would not recommend this as a stand-alone novel; it very much carries on from the first two in the series and frequent mention is made of characters and incidents in these books. As I found with the previous books, I was completely hooked by this story from the very first page and was eager to return to it at each sitting.

This story finds DCI Ryan in deep trouble when a man is found murdered in the ancient and remote Heavenfield church deep in the Northumbrian countryside. Suspicion immediately falls on him as he is the only person in the vicinity at the time; his superior officer sees this as an ideal opportunity to get rid of him. The ensuing investigation soon becomes complicated by several other murders involving suspected members of the mysterious ‘circle’ of Satan worshippers that Ryan and his team have been looking into since the initial events on Holy Island. As one death follows another, the reader wonders who will be next and, indeed,  who can be trusted.

I thoroughly enjoyed this third book in the series. It is always good to meet up with familiar faces and learn a little more about them. DCI Ryan is an interesting character with his gruff exterior and soft centre; you really wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of the law in one of his investigations. In this particular story, I once again found myself worrying for all of his loyal team, and also his girlfriend Anna, as someone was methodically disposing of members of the murderous ‘circle’ and anyone else who got in their way. Ryan knows that he must find the leader of the group but this is complicated by the fact that that person could be just about anyone; their evil seems to have penetrated the whole police force. The book has been skilfully written, with clues leading the reader as well as the investigators down many dead ends in an attempt to identify the guilty parties, danger lurking round every corner. As light relief from the tense investigation, there are also moments of humour and romance within the story. I highly recommend this book as a fast moving murder mystery, but definitely suggest reading the first two books in the series first.

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Tuesday 21 May 2019

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch 21/5/19


Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Now I'm not normally the kind of person that won't lend their books out. There have only been a couple of occasions where a book has come back damaged or hasn't come back at all (and I just don't speak to those people anymore) so this list doesn't really have anything on it... BUT I do have some books that are very very special to me because the author who signed it is no longer with us, they are annotated by the author or they are a special edition of some kind so here are some books that are special to me...


This one has a cool dedication in and I loved the event where I got it signed!


My copy of this one has a really cool dedication in...


This was my first signed copy of a Lindsey Kelk book (I think)


I was just so so excited to meet these authors finally!


Laura Dockrill annotated the first couple of pages of this one!


I have a numbered proof of this one


I am in this one


I am also in this one


 I have a couple of special edition of this one!

Monday 20 May 2019

Bout of Books Wrap Up & Day 7 Update


Day 7 was a great day for reading because I basically just sat down and dived into a book I received in the mail and is one of my most anticipated books so that's all good. I also got some gym time in so I started a new audiobook. I knew I was going to be able to finish this one but I was really wanting to start it either way and it meant I could carry on reading-yey! I also did today's instagram challenge and my vlog of the week will be up on my booktube channel next week!


I read all of this book (and loved it) it was 400 pages. 


This is the audiobook I started. I read 119 pages and I will continue it today.


Books I Read this Week

This week has been a blast. I did all the challenges except the emoji challenge, remembered to link up all but one of my blog updates. Did an update every day and joined in both Twitter chats. As a bout of books expert I also hosted some twitter reading sprints on Friday/Saturday/Sunday and those helped me get a sprint on in my own reading. 

Here are the books i read this week with their page count....


Audiobook: 400 pages


Audiobook: 369 pages


Ebook: 144 pages


Audiobook: 384 pages


Hardcover: 32 pages


Hardcover: 32 Pages


Audiobook: 400 pages


Paperback: 400 pages


Audiobook: 400 pages


Hardcover: 384 pages


Paperback: 400 pages

Part Books


Ebook: 118 pages

Pages Read Today: 518

Pages Read This Week: 3463

Complete Books Finished: 11

Part Books Finished: 1