Review: The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd

Soon after upending her life to accompany her boyfriend Ryan to the Arctic, Maya realises it’s not all Northern Lights and husky sleigh rides. Instead, she’s facing sub-zero temperatures, 24-hour darkness, crippling anxiety – and a distant boyfriend as a result.

In her loneliest moment, Maya opens her late mother’s recipe book and cooks Indian food for the first time. Through this, her confidence unexpectedly grows – she makes friends, secures a job as a chef, and life in the Arctic no longer freezes her with fear.

But there’s a cost: the aromatic cuisine rekindles memories of her enigmatic mother and her childhood in Bangalore. Can Maya face the past and forge a future for herself in this new town? After all, there’s now high demand for a Curry Club in the Arctic, and just one person with the know-how to run it…

Review: What an interesting concept for a book! I don't think I've read anything predominantly set in the Arctic before, Polar bears and 24 hour darkness makes for an excellent dramatic melting pot. I loved the description of the scenery here and I was definitely feeling the cold as I was listening to the audiobook so the scene is set perfectly. We also have the juxtaposition with some of the scenes describing parts of India and the UK too so if anything that made it feel colder. make sure you've got a warm blanket or a fireplace around when you're reading this one!

Poor Maya is having a tough time, she hasn't had an easy run at life so far and this adventure is supposed to be the making of her but things don't always turn out the way we plan do they? Maya is a really interesting character because she seems pretty weak to begin with, someone who always plays second fiddle and is fine with that but we get to see her blossom and grow over the course of this novel. We learn that once she does start to take responsibility for herself and make her own choices and devisions, somme of her old anxieties come back to haunt her. 

This book deals with mental health really well. It shows how taking care of your mental health is something that we should all be doing, not just waiting until it becomes an issues. It shows that everyone can be affected by anxiety or depression, not matter their walk in life and that it is OK to ask for help and I find that commendable, especially in this genre that doesn't always take mental health into account. I liked seeing anxiety through Maya's eyes although it did end up making me feel quite anxious and often down for her at times so make sure you're in a good headspace when reading this book.

Overall this book was very different from what I expected. The writing is definitely excellent given the fact that it had the power to make me cold and anxious all at once but it was definitely a lot darker than I was prepared for. There are moments in the book that verge on scary they're so tense and so there's definitely a touch of the thrill about some scenes and you definitely have to prepare yourself for the depths that it discusses depression, anxiety and suicide. The setting is fabulous though and the food will definitely make you hungry!

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

Review: People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd

 People like Emmy Jackson. They always have. Especially online, where she is Instagram sensation Mamabare, famous for always telling the unvarnished truth about modern parenthood.

But Emmy isn’t as honest as she’d like the fans to believe. She may think she has her followers fooled, but someone out there knows the truth and plans to make her pay. Because people like her have no idea what pain careless words can cause. Because people like her need to learn what it feels like to lose everything.

A smart and thrilling debut that delves into the darkest aspects of influencer culture, Ellery Lloyd’s People Like Her is about what you risk losing when you don’t know who’s watching . . .

Review: I really loved the way this was a thriller but had a much slower pace and shallower incline than a lot of thrillers I've read. This novel lets you get to know the characters and their world fully before you jump to any sinister goings on and what a world that is. I love that we are getting more and more books about the dark side of social media and the dark side of the people behind those accounts now because you just don't realise how this world is until you are in it. 

Emmy and her family are intern et sensations. She is a queen mum influencer and her little pod on Instagram is equally big in the world of mum's online. She looks like she has it all on the surface because of the following, the merch and the everts she hosts and attends. She knows the world inside out and her manager makes sure that she maintains her spot at the top. But what about how her husband feels about ti all, what about the people she is influencing and what happens if all that world starts to crumble. 

Emmy really is just like any other mummy you know aside from the fact that she turned her experience in the magazine world around to help her build her online platform and her own personal brand. I think that is what is so compelling about this book, she could be just like you and me. I really loved getting to know Dan as well. He is in a really unique position of having his own life and career but being better known for being Emmy's husband and Coco and Bear's dad. Its a really unique position and I am glad that his perspective was included in the narrative. 

This book is structured in such a way that you really can't put it down, you have to keep turning the pages. We get to hear from Emmy, Dan and the follower. You never know who this follower is but you know their words are written in malice and so its just so easy to keep turning those pages because you have to find out what is going to happen next. 

This book really does get quite dark and definitely comes with care warnings for baby loss. At the same time though if you are a fan of contemporary novels that get a little bit darker I think this is a great transition book because it has the action and pace of a thriller but you aren't thrown in at the deep end and there is still plenty of characters and situations that are easy to relate to. I would compare this to The Wives or The Girls in The Garden by Lisa Jewell. I read this in 2 sittings and I loved it, I'm sure you will too!

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

 

Review: Wedding Bells at the Signal Box Cafe by Annette Hannah

Here comes the bride...

Lucy Woods has always dreamed of running her very own wedding venue. After moving her eight-year-old son to the countryside she's surprised to find the perfect location and her best friend, Abbie, eager to help make that dream a reality! Too bad Abbie's older brother Dominic isn't keen on Lucy or their big idea!

As a divorce lawyer Dominic doesn't believe in love at first sight or wedding vows, he's seen them broken more times than he can count. But when Lucy arrives back in town, his hardened heart begins to crack.

Making her dream come true is a huge undertaking, but Lucy knows that The Signal Box Café is her chance to finally make something of her life. If only the irritating (and oh-so-gorgeous) Dom didn't make her imagine wearing a white dress and walking down the aisle...

Can Lucy and Dominic find a way to each other this summer or will the wedding bells chime for another couple?

Review: Oh this book gave me some serious butterflies of my own. It is funny and romantic and provided some lovely escapism from the world right now. 

I loved getting to meet Lucy and her determination to follow her dreams. She is a guarded person except when it comes to her family, she will do anything for them. I loved her gumption but also the fact that she was a little bit scared to let people in. 

She moves into her grandfather’s cottage whilst he is recuperating in order to help him and he is such a character. There are some real laugh out loud moments when it comes to his care home and the other residents there. Take care you're not taking a sip of your coffee at that point because you will be spitting it out. 

Then there is the romance. I loved this enemies to lovers kind of trope we had going on and it was achingly slow getting to a point where anything was going to happen for Lucy, due to the prickliness of the man in question but also due to her own stubbornness. I really enjoyed reading these scenes and found myself racing through some of the signal box cafe moments in order to read more of the romance!

I enjoyed this book and enjoyed being able to read something from one of the nicest people in the blogger world. I can’t wait to see what Annette Hannah writes next!

To order your copy now, just click here!

Review: The Gravity of Us by Phil Stamper

As a successful social media journalist with half a million followers, seventeen-year-old Cal is used to sharing his life online. But when his pilot father is selected for a highly publicized NASA mission to Mars, Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus.

Amidst the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another "Astrokid," and finds himself falling head over heels--fast. As the frenzy around the mission grows, so does their connection. But when secrets about the program are uncovered, Cal must find a way to reveal the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.

Expertly capturing the thrill of first love and the self-doubt all teens feel, debut author Phil Stamper is a new talent to watch.

Review: I did this book on audio and i heartily recommend reading this book in that format if you can because you get real broadcasts from the reality TV show following the astronauts and their families which just brings the whole thing to life. 

I warmed to Cal and his story right from the beginning of the book. I loved the fact that he is a social media star but one with a difference. He not only uses his platform to show off neighborhoods in New York but also he uses his voice, one that so many people will be able to identify with for political good. Every aspect of social media is explored incredibly well in this novel through the reality TV show and through Cal and his online presence. 

I also love the relationship that Cal develops with Leon. This a friendship as well as a romance. This is own voices for queer representation and I love that Cal and Leon live their queerness in different ways. I like the fact that Cal has to handle making new friends in a new place when he has been so comfortable with his relationships in NYC. 

This book also deals with issues surrounding mental health and the power of science, two topics not normally found together in a novel, especially not a novel that has been marketed as a gay, young adult romance. I love that the writer has fitted so much into such a small space without ever compromising an engaging story line. All of these issues are dealt with so well through events and characters in the book, I am in awe of how these issues were included in such a natural and never forced way. 

This book is something that will stay with me for a while, I am still thinking about the characters and I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!

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

Review: Living My Best Li(f)e by Claire Frost

This heart-warming and funny novel is the perfect balm for the insta-weary mind – get ready to shatter the illusion that is #LivingMyBestLife

Bell never thought she’d be facing her 40th birthday single. Recently dumped by her boyfriend of ten years, Bell is struggling to move on with her life – and surrender the fleecy pyjamas she’s been living in since January. Sick of being bombarded by #blessed on social media and feeling like her life doesn’t live up to everyone else’s, she decides it’s time for a change; time to find out who she really is, not who she thinks she should be.

Enter Millie, a successful online influencer posting under the handle @mi_bestlife. But as a single mum trying to make ends meet and stay ahead of the younger generation snapping at her heels, her Instagram feed is far more #BestLiethan #BestLife. With the internet trolls continuing to bring her down and an ex who cares more about playing football than seeing their son, Millie begins to wish her life was more like her filters.

It isn’t until Millie and Bell’s paths cross that the two women begin to realise what they’re missing. Will Bell finally learn to live life for herself? And will Millie see that she needs to start living for the moment and not for the likes?

Review: Oh this book was just absolute perfection. It has all the feelings of those classic rom coms we love so much but with a fresh take that comes from a debut novelist especially when that someone is so wrapped up in the world of social media. 

Bell and Millie are great characters to spend this novel with. They have just the kind of flaws that I love to read about that make them so likable and so easy to relate to. Bell is struggling to get over a break up and also panicking about turning 40. She has a lack of confidence and a lack of joy for life. I loved watching her grow and develop over the course of this novel because she really is a lovely person and I wanted to see her literally living her best life. Millie is one of those people we really can't believe exists but it really is a job these days to be a social media influencer but it isn't as shiny and bright as it would seem as we are beginning to realise in the real world. You would think that she has it all, a beautiful son with a footballer for a dad and the chance to schmooze luxury brands at London parties all in the name of instagram. But Millie is also suffering from a lack of self-confidence that is only further fuelled by those online trolls. You can see you're going to be in for a treat with these two at the helm. 

I love the fact that this book is structured so that we switch back and forth between these two ladies and we also gain the ability to see some situations from both points of view... no spoilers of course. I love the fact that these two women approach social media from very different points of view but both are aware of its strengths and weaknesses. This is explored so well over the course of the book. The fact that social media can be used for great things but it can also cause pain and trauma and isn't always as glossy as it would be made out to be. Claire Frost really doesn't handle this issue well without this being an issues driven book, she examines the pros and cons of social media through the lives of her characters and this makes the events of the book just as easy to identify with as Bell and Millie themselves. 

There are also some brilliantly developed side characters in this novel. I absolutely loved Bell's friend Suze. She is so funny and brings a touch of diversity to the book as well which is never a bad things. I was discussing with a friend of mine that we would both love to be mates with Suze, I think she is a great person to have around and I really wouldn't mind seeing more from her in the future. 

Overall this is just a really great read for so many reasons. It is well paced and had me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next with Bell and Millie. It is easy to relate to and it does a great job of exploring the truth about social media without that being directly what the book is about. This feels like a classic romcom with a fresh new twist and I urge you to add it to your reading list now. 

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

Review: Bookshop Girl by Chole Coles

Bennett's Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen-year-old Paige Turner. It's a place where she can escape from her sleepy hometown, hang out with her best friend, Holly, and also earn some money. But, like so many bookshops, Bennett's has become a 'casualty of the high street' - it's strapped for cash and going to be torn down. Paige is determined to save it but mobilising a small town like Greysworth is no mean feat.

Time is ticking - but that's not the only problem Paige has. How is she going to fend off the attractions of beautiful fellow artist, Blaine? And, more importantly, will his anarchist ways make or break her bookshop campaign?

Written by debut author and Foyles bookseller Chloe Coles, this is the first in a new laugh-out-loud and sparky teen series that will make you want to rush out and start your own bookshop campaign!

Review: Firstly, let it be noted that I laughed out loud at this book so many time whilst in a crowded airport and sitting on a full plane, so safe to say I enjoyed it a lot! I love the premise behind this book, a casualty of the high street that we have all seen a thousand times before, the local bookshop being closed. But it really does mean so much more to people that just a shop and I love that the heroine of this story is Paige Turner. 

This book is also awesomely feminist, at every turn Paige and her friend Holly are able to drop in something about being powerful women and not allow themselves to be objectified as 16 year old girls, I thought this was great! Paige is just a great character to read about and I'm so pleased to hear that there are going to be more books featuring her coming soon! She is strong-minded and mature but has just the same sorts of thoughts that we all did when we were 16 and so i defy any reader not to fall in love with her. 

As I've mentioned this book made me laugh a lot, it really is hilarious. Just some of the scenes that made me chuckle were during life drawing classes, moments with Paige and her friend Holly and moments where Paige is trying to play it cool in front of a new crush. So if those sounds like the kinds of things that would make you laugh then I suggest reading this book immediately!

The synopsis states that this book will make you want to start your own bookshop campaign and that is so true. This book is so much more than just some giggles an crushes. It has the whole massively feminist thing going on and also it has the support for an independent bookshop. They are becoming rarer and rarer these days and so this book is definitely in support of them and the importance of these institutions in our community. I can't wait to read more from Chloe Coles, this definitely doesn't read like a debut and you should all put it in your summer reading lists right now!

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

Review: How Not to Fall in Love Actually by Catherine Benetto

Life is 10% planning, 10% design and 80% totally winging it... 

Join Emma as she guides you through How Not to become accidentally knocked up at the age of 27, How Not to unceremoniously dump the father of your child, and then How Not to lose the job that (even though you hate it) is the only thing between you and being homeless...

Hilarious and heart-warming, How Not to Fall in Love, Actually will make you laugh, make you cry, and will reassure you that perhaps your life is not that bad, actually...

Review: Oh my goodness this was such a fun read, I don't know how I waited as long as I did to read this one! I have a paperback copy of this book but I chose to download it on audiobook for a road trip I took with my Mum and we had such a fun journey listening to this one. 

I recently bemoaned the fact that I hadn't read a book recently where someone has a baby and then this one comes along as if I knew I was waiting for it-so perfect. I just loved the whole storyline of this one. Anything that could go wrong for Emma does go wrong for her. Part of the mishaps that happen to her could possibly be blamed on her hormones and certainly the comedic way she deals with some of those mishaps are definitely because of the hormones, but some of them just come along and take her completely by surprise. I really enjoyed reading about how she deals with all those mishaps though. Despite the fact that so much is going wrong in her life, Emma stays optimistic that things will all work out eventually and we loved her for that!

I loved the selection of supporting characters in this novel too. Joe comes into Emma's life as a lodger and turns out to be so much more important to her than either of them realised. I totally fell in love with Joe and I would like to keep him please because he is just such a Prince Charming. I also loved reading about Emma's friend and family, who are course are all so funny and quirky in their own individual ways. I loved her friend Helen, particularly her reaction to Emma's pregnancy and impending child birth. I also really liked Emma's mum and I really wished that I had a sister like Alex to be there for me. I don't want to pass comment on Emma's ex and father of her child because this author has written him to be such a scoundrel that I don't like him one bit, a good job well done there!

This book just has it all and anyone trying to make relationships and career work in today's society will be able to sympathise and empathise with Emma 100%. I think though, that anyone would be able to find the comedy in this book and picking up this book will definitely keep you entertained from cover to cover, I can definitely recommend picking up this beauty for your holidays now!

To order your copy, just click here!

Review: Doing It! by Hannah Witton

Sexting. Virginity. Consent. The Big O ... Let's face it, doing it can be tricksy. I don't know anyone (including myself) who has sex all figured out. So I've written a book full of honest, hilarious (and sometimes awkward) anecdotes, confessions and revelations. And because none of us have all the answers, I've invited some friends and fellow YouTubers to talk about their sexuality, too.

We talk about doing it safely. Doing it joyfully. Doing it when you're ready. Not doing it. Basically, doing it the way you want, when you want. So. Let's do this ...

Review: I was so excited about reading this book so when my friend gave me her proof copy, I set about reading it straight away! I read this book from cover to cover on a plane journey over the Atlantic and broadcast the phrase 'Let's Talk About Sex' to anyone who passed me in my aisle seat! I can definitely say that this is fast paced read and as this author says at the beginning of the book, you can dip in and out of various parts of it and pick out things that apply to you at that moment or skip over things your don't want to read about right now for one reason or another. 

As someone who has taught Sex and Relationship education, I think that this is a really great reference for young people. You can tell it is pitched at a younger audience than myself and yet at no pint did I feel it was patronising or sugar-coating anything. There are some frank discussions about consent, rape and other subjects which might be considered taboo for a teenage audience such as kink and porn but i like that fact that it gave the facts, and sometimes diagrams and didn't tell the reader that this was something they should go away and further research for themselves, it laid it all out there. I thought the inclusion of diagrams and the inclusion of personal accounts from Hannah were really important and made the book more than just a reference book. 

This book also has contributions from other people, people who can give examples of real life experiences and how sex and relationships play out in today's world. There are accounts of what it is like to be pan sexual, what sex is like when you're deaf and even a couple of sections written by a law professional about sex and the law, the age of consent and what it means. I really liked the fact that there are some first hand accounts in here and that this author admitted that she didn't know anything when it comes to sex and relationships. 

Overall I found this to be a really enjoyable read. I didn't learn anything from it myself but it was reassuring as an educator that this book is now out there for young people to pick up. The book itself has a great structure with illustrations, accounts from other people, facts and figures and tweets and personal accounts from Hannah herself. I thought it was well-balanced, a good example for books of it kind and it even managed to make me laugh out loud on a full plane!

To order your copy now, click here!

Review: Milkshakes and Heartbreaks at the Starlight Diner

Esther Knight is sharp, sarcastic – and hiding something. She waitresses at The Starlight Diner: a retro eatery where Fifties tunes stream out of the jukebox long into the night, and the tastiest milkshakes in New York are served.

Nobody at the diner knows why Esther left London for America – or why she repeatedly resists the charms of their newest regular, actor Jack Faber.

Esther is desperate to start a new life in the land of the free, but despite the warm welcome from the close-knit diner crowd, something from her past is holding her back. Can she ever learn to love and live again?

Review: This book was so much more than I was expecting. Yes this is a book about a diner in 1990s New Hork, which is cool in itself, but it is also a book with an element of mystery to it. It is also a book with a little bit of crime thrown in. But I would say that the overarching theme of this book is relationships. 

I really liked the character of Esther, and not just because she is a former teacher. She is a fab waitress who has come to the states to get away from everything she left back in the UK. She is incredibly brave and tough with it. She doesn't let that toughness stop her from persuading a lov,e interest, however and I really liked that about her. The other characters in the diner too, what a group of people. Bernie, the owner is a man of mystery himself and I really hope to find out more about him in future books! I loved meeting Mona, she is just fabulous and so are her family. Walt is a real character and the type of person who you know will always be there propping up the character. And then there are Jimmy and Jack, two very interesting men indeed. 

Of course I loved the setting of this novel, I loved the fact that it was set in New York but a New York which is not yet the kind of family friendly tourist attraction that it is today. Not the glamorous Sex And The City New York, and one cannot get in touch with ones family in the UK via Skye of Whatsapp, long distance phone calls still cost a bomb. I loved the description of the neighbourhood and couple picture it entirely, and the diner itself fits in so well with the setting too. It is like this is just  another aspect of this storyline. 

Overall, although this book wasn't what I expected it to be it was really enjoyable. I got really swept up in the storyline right from the word go and just devoured the pages from then on in. I loved meeting the characters, I really liked that the storyline was different to what I was expecting and I a really liked that there was tension to be had right up until the last page! If you're looking for a rom com with. Bit of a darker edge then this is definitely the one for you! 

To grab your copy, just click here!

Look out for a review of the second in the starlight diner series on Saturday! 

Review: The Summer Escape by Lilly Graham

Amongst the beautiful olive groves and sea-front tavernas, summer has arrived on the sun-drenched island of Crete. 

After losing the love of her life, Ria’s life has been on hold. So when her boss becomes completely unbearable she makes the snap decision to run away to the Greek island of Crete, armed only with her passport. 

When Ria finds herself working for eccentric novelist Caroline, she meets handsome vineyard owner Tom. He’s charming, mysterious and Ria starts to wonder if it’s not just the beautiful Greek island that she’s falling for. 

But as Ria gets to know Tom better, she uncovers a tangled web of secrets. What is he hiding? Ria has some secrets of her own. Can she open up to Tom and learn to live again? 

This summer, escape to the sun with this charming and emotional story about starting over and grabbing happiness with both hands. 

Review: Lily Graham is a new author to me, but I was keen to read this novel having had a look at the synopsis. The cover is also something to attract readers, with its lovely summery, Mediterranean feel. I wasn't drawn into the story immediately, but from chapter 2, when the actions of the heroine suddenly became a little bizarre, I was hooked and devoured the rest of the book as fast as I could. 

The main character is Ria (short for Ariadne, the name due to her father's being Greek). She is somewhat disillusioned with her job as an obituary writer for a newspaper, a job made all the more unsuitable for the young woman because of a tragedy in her recent past and also due to the attitude of her fellow workers and her boss towards her seemingly excellent writing, which they really don't appreciate.  Her life takes a turn when she does something completely out of character, gets on a plane and lands up on the beautiful Greek island of Crete. She is very lucky in the people she meets up with there who bring her out of the depression she has been suffering from  for so long. In addition to Ria, there are some other really strong and interesting characters in the story, including the local English newspaper editor, Nigel, a retired travel writer, Caroline, Tom and Tony, brothers connected with the wine business, and Iliana, Tony's wife. Ria ends up helping Caroline to write her memoirs, which lead to some amusing revelations. Caroline and Ria develop a lovely relationship; she's a much better boss than the one Ria left behind.

I really liked the fact that this is not a simple love story. There is some sleuthing entwined with a growing romance for Ria. There is a mystery to be solved, and she is not going to be happy until all the facts are revealed. I also liked most of the characters  Ria meets during her investigations, except of course for the wicked ones that we are not supposed to like at all! Although I was always fairly sure who she was going to fall for, I was not clear until the very end how the mystery would pan out. It was enjoyable watching the growing relationships between Ria and the rest of the characters and also the way in which the clues to the mystery were pieced together.

Lily Graham's writing really brings Crete to life on the pages of this book. You can almost smell the souvlaki and feel the sand between your toes and the sun on the back of your neck.  I'm not so sure about the Greek coffee though!  If you're looking for a summer escape for yourself, pop this one into your bag or suitcase.  I'm sure, like me, you will be transported off to the Greek islands and become immersed in the mystery Ria has found. 

Review: A Night in With Audrey Hepburn by Lucy Holliday

Unlucky in love, failed actress Libby Lomax has retreated into the world of classic movies, where the immortal lives of the screen goddesses offer so much more in the way of romance than her own life.
After a terrible day on the set of a cult TV sci-fi series where she has proved herself to be the antithesis of feminine poise and embarrassed herself in front of heartthrob actor Dillon O’Hara, she plonks herself down in front of her trillionth viewing of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Relaxing on her battered old couch, salvaged from the props department by her best friend Olly, Libby is gob smacked to find actual Screen Icon, Audrey Hepburn, sitting beside her. Dressed in her little black dress, wearing her trademark sunglasses, Audrey proffers advice to the hapless Libby between ladylike puffs on her vintage cigarette holder.
And so, Audrey becomes Libby’s confidante and friend – but has Libby got what it takes to turn her life from a Turkey to a Blockbuster? With a little bit of Audrey Hepburn magic, she might just pull it off…

A Night in With Audrey Hepburn is the first in a series of three books following the life and loves of Libby Lomax as she blossoms from Z-lister to A-lister and all of the stages in between with a little bit of help from some very special friends.

Read: I loved this book, I found it to be a very quick read because it was such a fun and light-hearted story and I enjoyed every moment of it. This novel reminds me of a cross between something by Lindsey Kelk and something by Alexandra Potter-you have to suspend your disbelief for the duration but there are some truly laugh out loud moments worthy of a Lindsey Kelk novel. There were also some really heart-warming moments as well as those every day life observations that we can all relate to...

I loved the main character of Libby so I can't wait to read about her again as the series progresses. She is literally your girl next door and someone who we can all relate to. She is trying to find herself to some extent and she does a really good job of doing that over the course of the novel. I love the fact that she falls into the trap of moving into a flat which turns out to be a bit of a nightmare flat but, like all of us, she has to put up with it because she's now tied into a contract. Of course there is a love interest or two and all sorts of fun ensues because of that. the other man character is the one and only Audrey Hepburn and I had great fun reading about her-the book must have been so much fun to research and this read inspired me to watch a couple of Audrey films myself!

Libby's family also plays a big part in the novel and she doesn't have the best relationship with them, I liked the fact that Lucy Holliday wrote about this because people sometimes don't have that family support there and have to strike out on their own, but Libby still has a loyaty to them which i thought was really sweet. 

Yes there is an element of magic about this story, someone who starts seeing Audrey Hepburn in their flat, there's going to be but I never really found it difficult to believe or hard to grasp the concept, I just liked the fact that Audrey was there for help and advice and like Libby's Nespresso machine-who wouldn't? So you will have to keep an open mind whilst reading this, its a bit like a Christmas Carol or Its a Wonderful life, just keep that in mind and you'll be fine!

I am currently reading the next in this series and would really recommend reading them back to back, when they're such quick, fun reads though, that's not a problem. This book comes highly recommended from me, it was a pleasure to read!

Monty and Me by Louisa Bennet Chapter 1 plus review!

    

Today I am luck enough to be part of the Monty and Me Blog Tour. Not only do I have a review for you, but I also have an extract from the first chapter! Here's the blurb...

The first book introducing loveable dog detective Monty!

You might think that dogs can’t understand us…but you’d be wrong. Apart from an obsession with cheese, Monty is a perfectly rational animal. So when his beloved master is stabbed to death, Monty decides to use his formidable nose to track the killer down.

Luckily he manages to find a home with Rose Sidebottom, the young policewoman who’s investigating the case. But with her colleagues turning against her, and the wrong man collared, she’s going to need a little help…

And now, for your delectation, the exclusive extract! My review is below if you want to see what I thought!

                                                   

Chapter One

I bound from the car and, nose to the ground, zig-zag around the front lawn of my new home. I hoover up downy feathers that stick to my wet nose and I sneeze, sending the feathers flying. As a pup, I once tore a cushion to shreds searching for the duck inside. I found loads of feathers but never found the duck. I’m still searching. Can’t be that many naked ducks about.

‘So, what do you think?’ Rose asks, smiling.

What do I think? I think those bitter white tablets the vet gave me were worth it after all. I can’t feel my stitches and my paws seem to float above the grass as if I’m dreaming. I run over to Rose, tail wagging like windscreen wipers in a downpour, and lick her hand. After being cooped up in a cage at the vet’s, I need the wind in my fur, big time. So I charge up and down, leaning into each turn like a motorcycle at Brands Hatch, almost tripping over a faded wooden sign on the over-grown grass that once welcomed visitors to Duckdown Cottage. It even has a white duck painted on it.

Duck!

I bolt down the side of the house to where the duck droppings are so potent it’s like fireworks going off in my head.

‘Monty!’ she calls. ‘Leave the ducks alone.’

She can’t be serious! Duck and pheasant retrieval is what I’m bred for. It’s a calling.

I go into selective hearing mode and charge for the pond, revelling in the glorious combination of mud, poultry poo and stagnant water. It’s the canine equivalent of Chanel No. 5. Most of the quack-pack sit serenely in the shade of a willow. A matronly mallard leads them in meditation.

‘Om shanti,’ the mallard intones.

‘Om shanti,’ they reply.

The others snooze, plump bodies balanced on one of their twig-like legs, eyes closed. It’s too much. I can’t resist. Time for a bit of duck toppling!

I charge at them, plumed tail held high like the battle flag of an invading army, and bark with excitement. The ducks panic, running around in circles, then scatter. Some head for the water, others bolt across the lawn, wings back. Before Rose can grab my collar, I dive for the pond, water splashing over me, cool and exhilarating.

‘Monty, stop! Your stitches!’

Mouth open, I pounce on a black and white tufted dowager and come up with her in my jaws.

‘Get off me, you slobbering fur-ball!’ she quacks and kicks me in the muzzle.

I can’t tell this squirming mass of feathers and webbed feet that I’m not going to hurt her, because I’ll drop her if I do. Sodden but proud, I trot out of the pond and deposit the ruffled bird, unhurt, at Rose’s feet. A gift. I am expecting praise, ears up, long pink tongue dangling, mouth turned up in what the big’uns – that’s our term for people – often think of as a smile.

‘Bad dog!’ she scolds, trying to catch her breath.

The duck quacks out ‘Tosser!’ as she waddles off, a little wobbly.

I watch her go, my ears flat, head lowered, tail tucked in, confused by Rose’s reaction. Not the duck’s. They never take it well.

‘This isn’t going to work if you eat the ducks. You have to leave them alone, Monty,’ she says, wagging her finger.

Review: This book was something totally unique for me! It felt like a children's book about talking animals and a police detective/mystery book for adults has been thrown into a blender together and this is what came out. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first but once i got through the first little chunk, I think I did like it! If you really can't suspend you disbelief that animals can talk and think and read and generally behave like humans, then this book definitely won't be for you. If you do think that your pets genuinely know what you're saying though, then you'll definitely get as into it as I did. 

I was worried that the mystery aspect of this book would be a little too much for me. I don't read a lot of crime fiction or mystery novels because I normally struggle to follow them, but because this book had sections told from the point of view of the police office (Rose) and then sections told from the dog's (Monty) perspective, it broke it up nicely and wasn't too mystery mystery or too much about he world of crime. I really liked the way the book was broke up in this way and, as well as the crime solving that went on, there were some really funny moments in the book too!

I liked the character of Rose, she is fairly insecure but trying to make it in her dream job, held back slightly by the fact that it is a man's world and also by the fact that she has family in the force, therefore she is thought to have got the job through nepotism! I defy anybody not to like Monty, he is just an ace character to read about and some of the moments with him are really touching as well as being totally believable and funny!

This is definitely a unique book, at some points where the dog was having a conversation with a lady bird or managing to break into someone's laptop, I did struggle a little bit to take it all in and remind myself that I was reading an adult book and not a children's book but I think the fact that I do read a bit of YA and middle grade because of my job really helped there. I think this is a nice, light hearted read which would be great for those transitioning from YA to adult books or those wanting to read something from the crime genre that is not too intense. 

Thanks again to Louisa for stopping by the blog today and sharing chapter one with all your lovely readers!

Review: Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements

When Imogen and Anna unexpectedly inherit their grandmother Vivien's ice cream parlour, it turns both their lives upside-down. The Brighton shop is a seafront institution, but while it's big on charm it's critically low on customers. If the sisters don't turn things around quickly, their grandmother's legacy will disappear forever. 

With summer looming, Imogen and Anna devise a plan to return Vivien's to its former glory. Rather than sell up, they will train up, and make the parlour the newest destination on the South Coast foodie map. 

While Imogen watches the shop, her sister flies to Italy to attend a gourmet ice cream-making course. But as she works shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best chefs in the industry, Anna finds that romance can bloom in the most unexpected of places...




Review: aww I definitely shouldn't have waited so long to read this book, it was just as delicious as I anticipated and then some! I loved the idea behind this, first of all, the idea of inheriting an ice cream shop and then having to work out what to do with it-love it! I really liked the setting as well because I could picture exactly what was going on at each point. I really didn't expect the extra sub plots that went along with the main story line, they were really interesting and its always good to have a bit of romance thrown into the mix as well. The book does come with a warning that it will have you craving ice cream or any kind of frozen sweetness really so have something in the freezer ready to accompany your reading!

I loved the balance of Anna and Imogen as characters, they really are ying and yang in terms of their personalities, one being an adventuring traveller, the other being a real home bod, but their contrast really worked for this novel. Imogen got into some real scrapes and some which affected the whole business whereas Anna had to be the sensible one to sort it out. I like Anna's sideline story line the best I think, I liked the journey that she went on over the course of the novel. There is another subplot about the girls' family as well and it thought this was a really interesting twist. It would be good to see if this comes up again in the sequel!

Obviously ice cream features heavily in this novel, which will make you hungry, but so does travel, particularly Italy, which will make you yearn to go there as well. I seriously need to go back to Sicily after reading this book, the description of all the settings was excellent though. I really felt like I was there with the girls (and boys!) and I'm sure every reader will have a similarly positive experience! Overall, just a great read with a good balance of plot, setting and characters. I can't wait for the next one!

Blog Tour: interview with Emma Hamilton author of The Greedily YoursSeries

There's a new series coming out readers, series klaxon! This one sounds fab and it's released twice a week so we don't even have to wait too long for the next book. This fab series is about a food blogger and is released every Monday and Thursday, want to read the blurb?

Mia Maxwell loves food. She loves it so much that she’s made it her career.

Everything in Mia’s life appears to be perfect. By day, she runs a food PR consultancy and by night she’s a busy food blogger, delving into new recipes and sharing delicious meals she’s enjoyed. Her boyfriend Paul is always whisking her away on fantastic holidays around the globe, helping her forget his daily comments about her weight and his businesslike approach to their life together. After all, no relationship is perfect, is it?

When Mia’s work takes her down to the countryside of Cornwall to manage a local food festival run by the kindly Lord Trelawney, she takes an instant dislike to his grumpy son Tom, who makes his aversion to ‘pushy Londoners’ very clear. But as the festival gets underway, Mia is surprised to find that he shares her passion for food and cooking. As her time in Cornwall turns out to be far more eventful than she could have imagined, Mia has no idea that her whole life is about to be cast adrift…

And the cover?

I've already reviewed this one for you but I'm really looking forward to episode 4 which by my calculation is out tomorrow, YEY! 

And now here's the lovely Emma Hamilton answering all of my probing questions... Don't forget to follow the link at the end to buy! 

First question-bit of a cliche-how did you get into writing?

I’ve kind of always enjoyed writing since I was a child.  I became a journalist so in that way I’ve been writing professionally for about 17 years but this is the first piece of fiction I’ve had published. I got into that through editing for the publisher, Bastei Luebbe.  I wanted to write for them, so I sent in some samples of my work and bits and pieces I had written and then a synopsis for what became Greedily Yoursand luckily for me it took off.

Do you write full time & if so, have you always done this?

I have been juggling Greedily Yours for the last year with my day job of freelance journalism.  So I’m always writing but for different people and in different forms. So I don’t get to sit all day and just write fiction from home which would be brilliant; but I also wonder whether I don’t need a bit of both to find inspiration for the fiction. So maybe it’s just right as it is.

Do you have a particular writing style or genre that you prefer?

I like writing both fact and fiction but I don’t know if I could do lots of different writing styles within fiction yet.  I think I favour romantic comedy as a style to read and write but actually comedy is really hard to pull off.  Authors like Sophie Kinsella make it read effortlessly and I’m laughing out loud all the way through but I found it really hard to maintain anything approaching that kind of style in this book, even though I’d love to be able to do it like her.

How do you develop your characters as you write, are any of them based on real people?

The central characters kind of came to me before I started the book, when I was in the process of convincing Bastei Luebbeto let me write the series.  They partly developed themselves as they really did evolve as I started to write them -they would appear to want to say or do things even if I hadn’t planned for them to do that.  Then I planned the other characters out around them, thinking about their back stories, what their relationships had been like, who they were friends with etc.  Lizzie for instance, Mia’s friend, just grew and grew as she was such a brilliant character in herself to write, much more sensible than Mia or me.  They are all fictional but inevitably there are certain foibles that I have lifted from people I have met along the way and quite a lot of the characters have bits of me in too because sometimes the line between what they are thinking and doing and what I would do gets a bit blurred so without meaning to, you refract yourself in lots of different ways in an attempt to make them more authentic.

What was the inspiration behind this series?

I knew that Bastei Luebbe were looking to write a romantic series about food bloggers.  I love food and cooking and romance and so I really wanted to be the one to write the series.  I took that as a starting point and as I was cycling to work one morning, I started to think about the idea and how it might work and that’s when Mia popped into my head, although she was initially called Hannah.  I imagined a woman in London who ran a blog in her spare time and who was incorrigibly romantic and it just took off from there.  The scenery along my bike ride is rural and green and lovely and it just reminded me of Cornwall and so the idea to set it between London and Cornwall was born.  

What is your writing process-do you map it out first? Write a bit at a time?

I had fairly fast deadlines with this series; one episode a month, so I mapped out the whole series first to try and make sure that the characters would go on a journey and evolve. I also mapped out all their biographies and relationships and drew up pictures in my head of how 

each character looks. After that I set to.  I worked out how many words I needed ideally to hit per day that I had allotted for writing each month and I tried my best to stick to that so that I could hit the deadlines.  Sometimes I had to work at weekends, in the evening after work or most often early mornings before work to get it done.  Sometimes I would get stuck at a particular point and need a day of messing around surfing the internet to think through how to get to the next point.  Other times an idea would come to me whilst running or walking and then I’d rush to get back so that I could start writing.  But mostly it was done a bit at a time throughout the month.

How much of you is reflected in your writing?

I think probably quite a lot of a younger me is reflected in my writing; I certainly drew on my own experiences and biography for the book. Perhaps that’s the case for all first books, I’m not sure but I think it was the case here.

What kind of research did you do before/during writing this series?

I researched as I went to check up on things but it helped that I had been to all the places I was writing about.  Then I would look at pictures of the places that I was writing about that day again, or read bits of history or geography or accounts of a certain place to refresh my memory.  Sometimes I would listen to music from the place to get inspired or to take me back to the time when I was there, as some of it was a fairly long time ago.

How much attention do you pay to the reviews that you get?

This is my first published fiction book so I have never had reviews before. I would imagine that everyone wants their book or work to be liked by people and when they don’t then it is upsetting because you have put so much work into writing it.  I read one author on the Bookaholic Confessionsblog who said she always approached reviews with screwed up eyes and I think I would do the same, not really wanting to read them for fear they would be bad. Of course when it is constructive criticism from peers or an editor then it is good to learn how you can improve but I’m a bit scared of how nasty some people can be on the internet, hiding behind domain names and not thinking that there are real people and their feelings behind the words on a page that you may or may not have liked. 

Are friends and family supportive of your writing?

Yes very.

How did you feel leading up to your publication day(s)?

I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen so I’m feeling a bit nervous about the books’ possible reception; but pleased that we’ve got here this far.  Last year, writing one book, let alone a series was just a dream that I hoped I might be able to fulfil one day.

Which other authors inspire you or are there any you particularly enjoy reading?

I love reading so lots of authors have inspired me over the years and lots more I enjoy.  In my type of genre, I think Sophie Kinsella has to be held up as just brilliant because she is so funny, sassy and creates such vivid characters. The level of farce is incredible but she makes it so believable that you start to think that Becky is right to have spent x amount on whatever thing she has just bought which then gets her into trouble.  I love books in general that somehow manage to portray the inner workings of a character’s mind, even the craziest things that you think or the weirdest ways of reasoning something out, when you read a character that has all that going on behind the plot and what she or he is saying and doing in the book then I think the book itself is really successful -Jonathan Franzen and Sarah Moss are brilliant at doing that.

Finally...what are you working on right now?

I’m actually working on the Christmas special for Greedily Yours so that’s a bit weird as I’m sitting in shorts, looking out at a light bright early summer’s evening and thinking about Christmas markets and hot chocolate and wrapping up warm.  But I’m excited about bringing Mia on a year from the end of the eight episodes and adding a little bit more to her journey, and I love Christmas so it’s nice to indulge in thinking about it, even if it is summertime at the moment!

To grab your copy of the first in the series now, click here: http://amzn.to/1FM57p4

Thanks so much to Emma for stopping by today!