Review: Inside Out by Demi Moore

Famed American actress Demi Moore at last tells her own story in a surprisingly intimate and emotionally charged memoir.

For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight – or the headlines.

Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step ahead of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years – all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception.  As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress – and, always, if she was simply good enough.

As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life – laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness. Inside Out is a story of survival, success, and surrender – a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman’s at once ordinary and iconic life.

Review: Well this book was a really wild ride. It was intriguing and really gripped me from the first page. I had heard a lot of scandal about this one but I didn't know I was going to learn so much about a person I know very little about. 

Obviously I have seen some of Demi Moore's films and I have read about her relationships in gossip magazines but it was really great to hear what she had to say and to learn an awful lot about her through this audio book. She narrates the book and it was wonderful spending the day listening to her tell me about her life. 

This book really does go deep. You have heard that it contains scandalous confession, but to me this book was just a woman baring all for her memoir. I earned about the hard work she has put into her career and also what she has had to overcome from her past. She talks openly about relationships, good and bad. Health issues and the issues facing women today. She does recognise her privilege and you can tell that she values her children over all else. Demi Moore came off really well from reading this book. I liked the fact that her sense of humour came across and I feel like a learned a lot reading this book. 

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

Review: Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave

From Laura Dave—the author of the “addictive” (Us Weekly), “winning” (Publishers Weekly) and critically acclaimed bestsellerEight Hundred Grapes—comes a new novel about the secrets we keep…even from ourselves.

Sunshine Mackenzie truly is living the dream. A lifestyle guru for the modern age, Sunshine is beloved by millions of people who tune into her YouTube cooking show, and millions more scour her website for recipes, wisdom, and her enticing suggestions for how to curate a perfect life. She boasts a series of #1 New York Times bestselling cookbooks, a devoted architect husband, and a reputation for sincerity and kindness—Sunshine seems to have it all. But she’s hiding who she really is. And when her secret is revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. What Sunshine does in the ashes of destruction will save her in more ways than she can imagine.

In our modern world, where celebrity is a careful construct, Laura Dave’s compelling, enticing novel explores the devastating effect of the secrets we keep in public…and in private. Hello, Sunshine is a fresh, provocative look at a woman teetering between a scrupulously assembled life and the redemptive power of revealing the truth.

Review: This was a great read really bringing home the point that we can't always get what we want but that's ok. Its also a very fitting storyline for the society that we live in today dealing with issues from social media and Internet celebrities to cost of living and the break up of families because of moving far away to advance our careers. This is essentially about someone who has made a name for themselves online and how quickly the bottom can fall out of it all because their online persona is not who they actually are. I loved the idea of this all breaking down over twitter and YouTube and could really relate to the idea of the numbers game across social media. I really enjoyed getting my teeth into this storyline. 

The character of Sunshine is also relatable. She has formed this career for herself and now she is facing a life without this celebrity she has built for herself. She really doesn't have anyone to turn to because everyone in her life was wrapped up in her former celebrityness and so she has to do some serious soul searching. She is open with the reader form the start that she isn't the best person, that she isn't an honest person and I admired that in her, it also meant that she's not necessarily a character you're going to like but she is someone you will find yourself rooting for. 

There are some other interesting characters in this novel too. I enjoyed meeting the various people involved in Sunshine's publicity team and the other people in her little online cooking show world but I also really enjoyed meeting her family and I defy anyone not to fall in love with her niece Sammy. This books obviously has a lot of talk of food in it but not a whole lot of food featured so it's not one of those books about cooking that is going to make you hungry all the time-something which I was grateful for! There are family issues, friendship issues and loyalty issues explored in this book which will definitely make you think, but there are also moments that will make you laugh and a few emotional moments too. This was a good read and I am glad to have discovered this new author, I hope to read more from her soon!

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

Guest Review: A Night In With Grace Kelly by Lucy Holliday

Fate has got it in for Libby Lomax. She realised, far too late, that her best friend Olly, is the actual Love of Her Life. Now he’s in love with the so-nice-it-hurts, Tash, and it looks like her happy ending is completely out of reach.

Things start looking up when she, quite literally, runs into the completely gorgeous Joel. Libby discovers that there is more to Joel than his six-pack, not least, the incredible fact that he honestly believes he has found his fairy tale princess in her.

And if this wasn’t enough, an unwanted guest shows up on Libby’s enchanted sofa; Grace Kelly, wearing her iconic wedding dress and convinced that Libby is figment of her imagination. But Grace also believes that if you want something, then you’ve got to make it happen; words which give Libby hope that happy endings aren’t just for fairy tale princesses…

Review: This is the final part of a trilogy by Lucy Holliday, following on from A Night In With Audrey Hepburn and A Night In With Marilyn Monroe. The question with trilogies is always whether each part can be read as a standalone. In this case, I would suggest that it would be best to read all three in order, as there is a central story running through them; but then I would suggest that you should read them all just because they are so good. They are without doubt some of the funniest books I have read. It does help if you can suspend belief a bit, as magic forms the basis of the stories. 

The central character in all three stories is Libby Lomax, a lovely girl with a dreadful overpowering mother and an equally awful sister. It's just as well she has long time best friend Olly to look after her and keep her grounded. Having found somewhere to live, he is the one who helped her find some furniture, including a sofa which turns out to have some strange powers and play a big part in the story.  In this book, Libby, as the title suggests, has a  surprise meeting with long dead actress Grace Kelly, dressed in her fabulous and iconic wedding gown. As in previous parts of this series, Libby is given very good advice by her actor friend in an attempt to help her sort out both her love life and her future in general. 

I really loved this story and would highly recommend it to anyone. Libby Lomax is such an endearing character, persevering through all that befalls her. Her friend Olly is also lovely; you can't help feeling that they belong together. As I said at the beginning, the book is really funny; a cleverly written combination of romance and comedy with a little sprinkle of magic. 

To get your fabulous copy now, click here!

Review: Talking as Fast as I can by Lauren Graham

In her first work of nonfiction, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood recounts her experiences on Gilmore Girls - the first and second times - and shares stories about life, love, and working in Hollywood. This collection of essays is written in the intimate, hilarious, and down-to-earth voice that made her novel, Someday, Someday, Maybe, a New York Times best seller.
"This book contains some stories from my life: the awkward growing up years, the confusing dating years, the fulfilling working years, and what it was like to be asked to play one of my favorite characters again. You probably think I'm talking about my incredible achievement as Dolly in Hello, Dolly! as a Langley High School junior, a performance my dad called 'you're so much taller than the other kids.' But no! I'm talking about Lorelai Gilmore, who, back in 2008, I wasn't sure I'd ever see again. Also included: tales of living on a houseboat, meeting guys at awards shows, and that time I was asked to be a butt model. A hint: all three made me seasick." (Lauren Graham)

Review: I am currently working my way through all of Gilmore Girls and so as soon s I heard of this books release, I knew I had to read it. This book told me so much more about this actress that I only know as one character. It has given me interesting insights into life as a tall actress and life when a long running show ends and therefore you are out of a job for the first time in many many years. 

As with all celebrity memoirs, I appreciated the honesty of this book. I liked the fact that Lauren is obviously a little bit kooky and therefore goes off on a tangent and so it felt like listening to a book by Jenny Lawson, or having a really good chat with a friend. Yes, I listened to this book on audio download. Now, normally I feel like this is the best way to read a memoir of an autobiography, but I'm not sure it was the case with this on. Lauren would often say 'see picture 8' or 'see what I mean' referring to a picture on the pages she was reading. I have listened to a few audiobooks before that make mention of the pictures that I, as a listener, as missing out on and I would prefer there to be some sort of acknowledgement that I can't see the picture than just be left looking like a bit of a fool because I can't see what the reader is talking about. Therefore I would say that this is one of those books where you would be better of with the physical book, rather than the audio version. 

That being said, I really loved the fact that this book is read by Lauren herself and so you really do feel like she is imparting facts about her life to you, as she would do to a close friend. You feel like she is sharing secrets. I think it is interesting that she doesn't usually watch her own performances, but that she has had to for the resurrection of Gilmore Girls and therefore is able to give a break down of the best parts of each season. For any Gilmore Girls fan, this was hugely exiting because she talks about the outfits she had to wear and the actors reactions to the new story lines and developments in the series. 

Of course this book is not just about Gilmore Girls. As I have already mentioned, Lauren is completely honest about her life and so we get to hear about the various different jobs she had whilst trying to make it in the acting world. The pressures of having a relationship with a co-star and even the pressures of writing a book. This book peaked my interest and I want to find out more about this actress, her work and her writing and that is the way I like to be left having to finish a book. I am sure that, like me, this book will leave you wanting more because it is such a compelling read!

To get your copy, click here!

Review: Buffering by Hannah Hart

The wildly popular YouTube personality and author of the New York Times bestseller My Drunk Kitchen is back! This time, she’s stirring up memories and tales from her past.

By combing through the journals that Hannah has kept for much of her life, this collection of narrative essays deliver a fuller picture of her life, her experiences, and the things she’s figured out about family, faith, love, sexuality, self-worth, friendship and fame.

Revealing what makes Hannah tick, this sometimes cringe-worthy, poignant collection of stories is sure to deliver plenty of Hannah’s wit and wisdom, and hopefully encourage you to try your hand at her patented brand of reckless optimism.

Personal note:

Hello, my darlings! I am incredibly pleased to present BUFFERING: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded!

As a big fan of memoirs, I wanted to try my hand at writing about the events of my life that deserve a little more consideration than can be accomplished in 140-characters or a 6-minute vlog. Now on the cusp of turning 30, I'm ready to expose some parts of my life that I haven't shared before. Before, it was all about privacy, process and time. And now the time has come! I’m ready to put myself out there, for you.  

I'm a little nervous about all these vulnerable words going into the world, these tales about my love life, the wrestling I’ve done with faith, how I feel about sex and my family and myself. I’ve had a lot of trials, a lot of errors, but also a lot of passion. Here’s the thing--I've always found comfort in the stories shared by others, so I hope my stories, now that I feel ready to tell them, will bring you some comfort too.

And when you read this book please remember: Buffering is just the time it takes to process.

Enjoy!

Love,

Hannah 

Review: wow this book was so much more than I thought it was going to be. So I'm not a subscriber of Hannah Hart. I love some YouTube but I know other people who like her Drunk Kitchen show. I watched a couple of them, and since reading this book, I have subscribed to her channel but I wanted to read this book because of a recommendation from somebody else online. I am interested in the YouTube community, since I have a channel myself, and thought that this would provide some insight for me into one of its stars and hopefully the community along with it-I was wrong about this. 

This book certainly did give me insight into one of its stars but so much more of an insight than I was expecting, I guess that's why I loved it so much! This books covers so many issues and that's because these things all happened to this very special writer. The books doesn't labour on these issues though, it isn't going for the sympathy vote. They are dealt with in a matter of fact and also in some ways humorous manner and it is in spite of these issues that this creator is where they are today. I loved hearing tales of first houses and meeting new people, it really is a coming of age story but with that little bit extra. 

I also liked the pictures that were scattered throughout the book. Hannah has obviously been able to write about so many of the episodes within this book because she has some journals and other writing from throughout her early life and we get to see photos of these journals and their entries and I think that gives this book a much more authentic and genuine feel. This book does touch on the subject and YouTube and the other creators that Hannah mixes with regularly, but this really is the memoir of a creator and her struggle to get to the place that she is today. At no point did I feel that this book was asking me to feel sorry for the author, I enjoyed it for what it was and feel that I've got a lot more insight into this creator and the hard working 'YouTuber' that she is. 

To get your copy, just click here!

Review: Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

A collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the Academy Award-nominated actress and star of Up in the Air andPitch Perfect.

Even before she made a name for herself on the silver screen starring in films like Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air, Twilight, and Into the Woods, Anna Kendrick was unusually small, weird, and “10 percent defiant.”

At the ripe age of thirteen, she had already resolved to “keep the crazy inside my head where it belonged. Forever. But here’s the thing about crazy: It. Wants. Out.” In Scrappy Little Nobody, she invites readers inside her brain, sharing extraordinary and charmingly ordinary stories with candor and winningly wry observations.

With her razor-sharp wit, Anna recounts the absurdities she’s experienced on her way to and from the heart of pop culture as only she can—from her unusual path to the performing arts (Vanilla Ice and baggy neon pants may have played a role) to her double life as a middle-school student who also starred on Broadway to her initial “dating experiments” (including only liking boys who didn’t like her back) to reviewing a binder full of butt doubles to her struggle to live like an adult woman instead of a perpetual “man-child.”

Enter Anna’s world and follow her rise from “scrappy little nobody” to somebody who dazzles on the stage, the screen, and now the page—with an electric, singular voice, at once familiar and surprising, sharp and sweet, funny and serious (well, not that serious). 

Review: I absolutely loved this memoir. I listened to it on audibook but made sure that I had the beautiful hardback on hand to be able to see any pictures that might be talked about. I really enjoyed the audiobook experience because hearing Anna talk about her own experiences in her own way really made the book come alive.

This book is written in chronological order on the most part and so you really get to build up a picture of this actress from her roots in ameteur theatre, to commercials, to broadway and eventually the star of films we know today. She isn't shy to give her take on things, her opinions on the showbiz world and I think it was her honesty that I liked most about this book.

I think that even if you haven't seen many of her film, or seen her on stage, then this book will be an interesting read. We, as readers, are given as insight into award shows, just how awkward it is for even famous teenagers growing up and just how exciting the pull of the stage is. I think this is a valuable memoir and I do hope that she produces another one as her career continue to progress. I would highly recommend listening to this one but also getting a copy of the hardback to keep and treasure because it really is a beautiful book!

Review: All She Every Wished For by Claudia Carroll

If you're as excited about this book as I am, I took part in the blog tour on Monday so you can read an extract from the novel too-how fab is that?

One wet winter night, two women meet on a bridge. One is Tess Taylor, a personal trainer on the way to meet her boyfriend for date night. The other is Kate King, a celebrity married to a handsome billionaire who just happens to make her cry. In the cold dark evening, there is nothing to link them together but the bridge they shiver on. Little do they know they’ll both hold the key to each other’s future marriage…

All She Ever Wished For tells the story of what happens when your dream is about to come true. And what happens when that dream turns into a bit of a nightmare…

Review: This book was completely different from what I was expecting. I suppose that's why you should never judge a book by its cover and also why I should read blurbs before reading a book. I was expecting a love story in the snow but what I got was part fabulous gossip magazine and partly the story of so many people who have fallen out of a bad relationship and had to move back home with their parents (I know I've been there!). I really enjoyed this book. This was written from the perspective of Kate King, former supermodel and wife of a wealthy media mogul and Tess, a personal trainer who is weeks away from her wedding and suddenly finds her world turned upside down in more ways that one when she has to attend during duty. 

I really enjoyed the fact that this book was structured in this way. We got to see Tess in her life an the way she perceived the court case she was on and then we got to hear snippets from Kate's life through the medium of gossip columns or former gathering and parties that she had been involved in. It was always clear who we were talking about and which chapter was which and so the time shifts were not in any way confusing and were in fact the cohesion that held the story together. Loved this and it was part of the enjoyment of this book for me!

I really really identified with Tass. She was a little scatterbrained and couldn't seem to see the situations she was getting herself into as she went bumbling through her life but aren't those the best kind of heroines. I loved her honesty and I loved the way she dealt with everything that was thrown at her. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to be spoilery in anyway but she was just so real and I really enjoyed spending time in her world. We really get to know Kate through what is said about her more than her own thoughts and actions and this changes and evolves as the book goes on and so could have been a whole novel in itself. I really loved the way her character was crafted and felt myself warming to her as much as I did Tess. Because of the way this was written, I also felt like another member of the jury on this case-brilliant. 

Of course there are some fab supporting characters in this novel too. We have some love interests but to talk about them would b giving far to much away but the real stars for me in terms of secondary characters were the others members of the jury on the court case that Tess was on. They were absolutely hilarious and so well sketched out that I could picture meeting, sitting down and chatting to each and every one of them. I loved hearing this authors voice throughout the book and it was definitely a real change of storyline for me. This book was refreshing and riveting and had a real heart-warming ending, definitely a must-read!

To get your copy now, just click here

Guest Review: Nice Work (If You Can Get It) by Celia Imrie

The second novel from the well-loved actress and Sunday Times bestselling author of Not Quite Nice, Celia Imrie. 

Somewhere on the French Riviera, tucked between glitzy Monte Carlo and Cannes’ redcarpets, lies the town of Bellevue-Sur-Mer, home to an energetic band of expat retirees who have resolved to show it’s never too late to start afresh, and open a restaurant.

But as the razzmatazz of Cannes film festival penetrates Bellevue-Sur-Mer, its inhabitants become entangled in a complex pattern of love triangles and conflicting business interests, and something starts to feel distinctly oeuf… 

Review: This is the follow up to Celia Imrie’s last novel, Not Quite Nice, which told the story of a group of British ex-pats living in the small coastal village of Bellevue-sur-Mer, just outside Nice on the French Riviera. I really enjoyed Not Quite Nice, and so was delighted to find the audio version of this second book available to me.

In Nice Work (If You Can Get It), we find the same group of people, but after a little time has elapsed. They are looking for something to occupy their time and bring in some income, and hit on the idea of opening a restaurant. Not all of the group decide to join in the scheme though, one of them being drawn back into the glitzy world of acting and film production from whence she came.

What follows is a sometimes hilarious account of the trials and tribulations encountered by all of the protagonists as they try to succeed in their ventures. There are some glorious twists and turns to the story, and I found a surprise around every corner. It certainly kept my attention. I thought there was a great mix of characters. In addition to the ones we had met in Celia’s previous novel, several new people crept in to this tale, from film stars to gangsters. There was also a bit of love interest.

As with Celia’s last book, I really enjoyed this story, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of light reading. It is mostly highly amusing, with interesting characters, although there are some seriously scary parts for some of them. Once again, the descriptions of the village were so vivid that I could imagine myself sitting there on the sea wall watching the boats bobbing in the harbour.

Review: Killing Monica by Candace Bushnell

Pandy "PJ" Wallis is a renowned writer whose novels about a young woman making her way in Manhattan have spawned a series of blockbuster films. After the success of the Monica books and movies, Pandy wants to attempt something different: a historical novel based on her ancestor Lady Wallis. But Pandy's publishers and audience only want her to keep cranking out more Monica-as does her greedy husband, Jonny, who's gone deeply in debt to finance his new restaurant in Las Vegas.

When her marriage crumbles and the boathouse of her family home in Connecticut goes up in flames, Pandy suddenly realizes she has an opportunity to reinvent herself. But to do so, she will have to reconcile with her ex-best friend and former partner in crime, SondraBeth Schnowzer, who plays Monica on the big screen-and who may have her own reasons to derail Pandy's startling change of plan.

Review: having loved everything Candace Bushnell has written before I was really looking forward to this novel. The reader is dropped right into the action, a little disconcerting at first but definitely necessary after everything this book has to throw at you, you don't have time to stand around getting your bearings. PJ Wallace seems to have it all in New York so be prepared for fabulous scenes with New York socialites, clubs and shopping, very Liptstick Jungle, very Sex and the City, only it seems that Pandy isn't quite ready for all of this and so throughout the book we hear her kind of inner turmoil at all of this and get the sense that she would rather be rucked up somewhere much more relaxing on her own with her thoughts and her writing. 

Drama seems to find Pandy though and so there are moments in the novel where you literally will struggle to believes what is happening to this character. The storyline is definitely as fast paced as it is dramatic. This sometimes meant that I struggled to follow which character was which and then there the illusion character of Monica. Monica is a creation written by our main protagonist but she is also part of Pandy herself and is also played by Pandy's former best freind which gets really really confusing. The symbolism behind the real Monica and the fictions Monica is quite interesting and would be intriguing to track upon a reread of this novel I am sure. 

Obviously I loved the fact that a lot of this book is set in New York and it is really quite fun to have a book that is about a writer under pressure to write another book in a very successful series when she really really doesn't want to. The writing style is quite pacing and a little brief in parts leaving the reader to make up their own mind about what exactly is going in between two characters. The characters felt very realistic and so were easy to relate to and there is one big secret which  sure will keep many readers guessing towards the end. This book offered me a certain amount of escapism from the real world but definitely required my full attention when reading to keep track of who was who and what was what.