Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Covers I Wish I Could Redesign

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over there at The Broke and the Bookish. I'd love to share my lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This is an interesting one because a lot of these would probably be quite similar to covers I found scary from a couple of weeks go. Bear with me...

1. lord of the flies by William Golding, I hate this cover and it strikes fear into me, not just because I had to study it at secondary school and hated it. 

2. All the new covers in the Abi Glines series. I really liked the cover of fallen too far and think that it represented the new adult genre better than the new ones. These seem like an imitation of 50 shades of grey to me...

3. Lying to meet young Ana Garner. I did a cover reveal for this and thought the cover was really fun. Having read the book, however, I think this doesn't fit the book. I think a photographic cover would suit better! 

4. The early Jenny Colgan novels. I really like the new covers that have been redesigned for all of Jenny Colgan's novels, but this means that my existing Jenny Colgan novels don't match! 

5. In the same way, I love the new design of Paige Toon's novels. I've stopped by Paige Toon Marathon for the moment but as she has a new one out, I will be picking this up again soon! I'd like them all to match so a brilliant box set of them all would be amazing! 

6. Ok so I loved this book and I do really really like the cover but I like the US cover so much more! So I'd like to redesign it so I can have both! Witchfall by Victoria lamb. 

7. Teardrop by Lauren Kate. Now I've nothing against this cover BUT I received a lovely proof copy of this novel and I much prefer the cover of the proof, it's super shiny and we like that! 

8. Forever by Judy Blume. This is a favourite novel of mine but I really don't like the cover, it kind of makes me cringe, I much prefer the newer editions of this... 

9. Riders by Jilly Cooper, I think because this book is a bit of a cliche. I'm not sure if it can be a cliche if its the original but it does make me cringe rather! 

10. Finally anything with a film cover. I like the original covers and so I'd rather buy that than the film version. 

Not too many surprises there I don't think and in many cases its just a case of preferring the original cover or the new cover. Let me know what made your top ten or just leave me a comment, I love to hear from you! 

Review! Secret Shared by L. Marie Adeline

"I, Cassie Robichaud, solemnly swear to serve S.E.C.R.E.T. to the best of my abilities. I will do what is necessary, what is right and what is within my power to assist in the execution of sexual fantasies for our participant(s)..."

And so begins S.E.C.R.E.T. II, which opens with Cassie's initiation into this mysterious organization, one that helps women experience their most potent sexual fantasies. Cassie spends the next year as a "S.E.C.R.E.T. member-at-large," not quite a guide, she'll assist Committee members (including two new ones, Kit DeMarco and Angela Rejean) in recruiting men and helping to execute a new inductee's fantasies. 

After a false start with the first potential inductee, Cassie makes the acquaintance of Dauphine Gray, a 31-year old who works at the Funky Monkey vintage clothing store on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Geeky, gawky and easily distracted, Dauphine has no idea how attractive she really is because her face is forever in a book. Reading is her passion, music is her pleasure, and Dauphine's all but given up on sex, especially after a painful rejection that still haunts her. Then Cassie and the women from S.E.C.R.E.T. show her it's possible to reignite that flame.

Meanwhile, Cassie must work through her resentment over losing Will to Tracina and their future baby. But when paternity questions surface, Tracina threatens to expose Cassie's S.E.C.R.E.T. membership to the one man both women love. Will Tracina expose Cassie to Will, and if she does, what will he make of his secret love's S.E.C.R.E.T. life?

Review: I'd been really looking forward to reading this sequel and right from the first page I was hooked back into these characters again. The story picks up right where it left off and I think this was a great intro to begin with. This is definitely a sequel where you have to have read the first one, however, so please be warned of this! This book carries on where it left off with Cassie, but also introduces new character Dauphine, who is a welcome addition to the S.E.C.R.E.T family! 

The plot of this book is very similar to the first book, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The plot of the first book really worked for me and so I was actually really pleased that the storyline was pretty much the same. I really liked the character f Cassie before, and she becomes even more confident and even more sassy in this book. She knows what she wants now and she goes for it, thanks to SECRET! I began to really dislike Will in this book, having liked him in the previous novel, however, I did think that he was really well written-displaying the kind of characteristics a man displays when he wants to avoid something or someone.

New character Dauphine was also lovely. I really loved the fact that she worked in a vintage shop. The shop was really well-described and I found myself wanting to go in there and have a look around! I loved the fact that underneath the surface-Dauphine was really bold and open to any new concepts, this was really entertaining! During this novel we got to revisit some of the other SECRET characters and the SECRET mansion just a little bit more than last time, this was a welcome feature that I really enjoyed.

The sex scenes in this book were just as hot as in the last novel. There were some wonderful new fantasies for Dauphine and Cassie also got plenty of action. There was a particularly well-described scene in a Brazilian night club that I thought was brilliantly written and must have come from an exceptional imagination! I completely raced through this book, just like I did with the first novel, and that is because the pace and action was just so full on. If you've read the first novel then this is a must-read for you, and if you've not read the fist novel-I highly recommend you pick both of them up now! 

To grab your copy of this fab sequel, click here

To see what I thought of the first book click here to go to my review

This Child Of Mine Giveaway Winner

Ok, it's been up on the blog for a week but I only have five people comment on my giveaway for a copy of This Child of Mine by Sinead Moriarty. Its a fab book so I urge you to go and get yourself a copy even if you didn't win. Thanks to all those that entered. 

I put all the names into the draw...

Then selected the winner...

And the winner was... 

Please get in touch with your address so I can arrange for the lovely people at Penguin to send you your copy. Keep your eyes peeled to the blog and twitter for another giveaway soon! 

Happy reading! 

Letterbox Love #11

Welcome to Letterbox Love, this is a UK meme, hosted by the lovely Lynsey at Narratively Speaking and inspired by The Story Siren's In My Mailbox. This post is a means by which to highlight the books we get in the post and beyond, and especially to bring attention to those books which may be sat on our shelves for a little while yet that we love all the same.

I came back from holiday to some lovely books in the post. I've also done a bit of shopping so I'll get right into it...

I received a copy of Wish Upon a Star by Trisha Ashley. Having read the sample chapters of this, I'm really looking forward to carrying on with the whole thing. The cover is gorgeous and glittery too which is a massive bonus. 

I also received a copy of Caitlin Moran's book The Chronicles of Narmo which she wrote when she was 15. This looks like it's going to be quite a quick read so I'm looking forward to having a Sunday morning to get into this one! 

I got a lovely bound proof of the second in Primula Bond's Unbreakable trilogy The Olden Locket. I really enjoyed the Silver Chain and of course interviewed The author afterwards so I'm really looking forward to reading this one which is out in a couple of weeks...

I got a few novels in Netgally this week too. These included I Heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk which I seriously want to clear a whole day to read! I was also approved for the new Sarra Manning which is out next year and Melting Ms Frost by Kat Black. Melting Ms Frost is out at the end of this month so expect a review of that soon! 

There were tons of awesome books released this Thursday and so I had a special shopping trip after work. I came home with Christmas at Claridges by Karen Swan, Just For Christmas by Scarlet Bailey and Step Back in Time by Ali Macnamara. All of these novels are ones I've been lying forward to for ages, if only my holidays were next week and not last week, then I could sit down and read them all! 

I also downloaded Jenny Colgan's new book Christmas as Rosie Hopkins Sweetshop. Another one I really just want to clear my schedule and read! The cover is lovely and Christmassy by I couldn't resist having it then and there on my kindle! 

Tons of awesome books this week. If there's anything you're dying to see a review of, just let me know in the comments below. I'd also love to see what you bought/received this week,hopefully I'll have lots more reviews for you soon! 

Netgalley November

This month is NaNoWriMo which, yes, I am taking part in. My word count isn't brilliant so far but I'm planning on a couple of marathon writing sessions soon which is how I write best anyway so I'm optimist and finding this particular work in progress particularly cathartic.

Faye over at daydreamersthoughts.co.uk has declared November to also be Netgalley November! The idea behind this is that we clear our Netgalley backlogs-we know we all have them. I think this is a brilliant idea and got off to a great start on my holiday too!

Already this month I have read Christmas at Carringtons by Alexandra Brown which I reviewed on the blog and put on Netgally also. 

I am currently reading Time After Time by Tamara Irelamd Stone which I got from Netgalley.

Shortly I will be reading I Heart Christmas By Lindsey Kelk. This too is from Netgally.

I reakon I could squeeze in another 2 and that would bring my total up to 5 books that I've read and reviewed from Netgally this month. It would probably be more had I not gone out and bought virtually all the paperbacks that came out this Thursday, but I think that 5 is a good target to have!

I'll let you know how I'm getting on & keep your eyes peeled for those reviews very soon!

Review: The Proposal by Tasmina Perry

Just say yes to this unforgettable read and take a spellbinding, romantic journey from the dazzling days of the debutantes in 1950s London to glamorous modern Manhattan.

When Amy Carrell's wealthy boyfriend ends their relationship just before Christmas, she's left to nurse her broken heart alone. With nothing to lose, she replies to an advertisement requesting a companion for a mysterious 'Manhattan adventure'. 

Whisked off to New York with eccentric British aristocrat Georgia Hamilton, Amy experiences a glamorous side of the city that she's never seen before. Along the way, Georgia initiates her protegee in the arts of old-school elegance. 

But as Georgia shares her life lessons, Amy discovers a painful secret in her mentor's past. A secret that shattered her future. A story of love and betrayal that only Amy has the power to put right.

Review: this was a bit of a mixed one for me. I was lucky enough to receive an advance proof copy of this which was present beautifully and tied with a blue ribbon. I love the cover of the book, I love the concept but the inside just didn't really wow me. The book was split into two time zones, 1958 and 2012. I found myself rushing thought he 1958 sections to try and find out what was going to happen in the 2012 sections...

I thought the concept of the book, the American younger dancer, Amy, becoming a companion to older, wiser Georgia and them going on a trip to New York together. I really liked this aspect but I was disappointed that more wasn't made of their time in New York, I expected a brilliant description of the setting, or their outings, and whilst there was definitely some of this, there just wasn't enough for my liking. I really liked then storyline with Amy and her old fiends and old boyfriend and would've liked to have seen more made of this. The storyline with Georgia in the 1958 had a lot more description. I liked reading about her time in Oxford, being able to spot places she was visiting in modern day Oxford, her relationship with Edward also received a lot more detail, I just didn't enjoy these sections as much as the modern day sections. 

I thought the idea of Georgia having a secret in her past and this only being released at the end of the novel was a really good idea, however I felt that after her secret was revealed, the novel just ended. We didn't really get to find out what happened to Amy and her potential romances. This novel had. Great potential and was a really lovely concept but it was just lacking in a couple of parts for me. It was any enjoyable read and one I sped through really quickly, but I definitely want to find out what happened to Amy and whether she got her proposal or not!

To order a copy for yourself, just click here

Review: Christmas at Carrington's by Alexandra Brown

Carrington’s Department store is thrown into a spin when the staff learn that a hot new reality TV show is to be filmed in-store, featuring the formidable retail guru, Kelly Cooper. Georgie Hart, in charge of Luxury Handbags, is reluctant, but quickly realises that the show could give Carrington’s a new lease of life. With Christmas around the corner, she’s also hoping that the season will deliver her the perfect Christmas present, in the form of Tom, the store’s dishy boss.

When the film crew arrive, things start to go wrong. One of Tom’s old flames, Zara, is working on the show and then, to top things off, Tom and Zara are sent off to Paris and New York for a spot of extra filming. When Georgie settles down in front of the box to watch the first show, worse it to come – Georgie is shown in a far from flattering light and she is horrified to learn what Tom has been up to.

Georgie fears this is turning out to be the worst Christmas ever, but Santa might have a got a little surprise in store for her stocking this year – but she’ll just have to wait until Christmas to find out!

Review: wow! What a sequel! In fact, i think i loved this even more than the original! I was lucky enough to get an advanced review copy of this novel and so i was able to marathon all of Alexandra Brown's writing in one go. I am so pleased I read her novels this way,  but i definitely saved the best until last! This novel isn't the MOST Christmasy novel I've ever read so fans looking for tons of snow and Xmas trees, be warned there is simply a hint of Christmas in the air, this novel relies much more on the storyline of the reality TV show which is going on within Carrington's. The storyline also features a delicious amount of romantic angst between new couple Georgie and Tom which I loved but I found myself incredibly frustrated by, as if it were me involved in the angst and not them-amazing!

I really enjoyed all of the reality TV aspect of this novel. Characters Eddie and Annie really become your typical reality TV contestants and the storyline allows for much more mention of fabulous designer clobber, fabulous shoes and handbags and wrap dresses! Readers be warned, there is one storyline that runs through the novel and comes to a head about two thirds of the way through that had me in tears. I don't want to spoil it but just be warned. I could see it coming and so there was a certain amount of tension as well as tears, didn't spoilt the book in any way for me though!

Like any good sequel, its always fun to revisit old characters, its like catching up with old Friends really and it was really nice to catch up with Georgie, Sam and Tom. These characters haven't really changed at all, although i did find myself disliking Tom in some parts of this book, something which didn't happen with its predecessors... Georgie still has a tendency to put two and two together and make five hundred, but that is what's so lovable about her. She has a fabulous storyline reuniting her with her Dad, it was really nice to see the two of them building up their relationship again and i loved this part of the plot.

All in all this was a truly heartwarming sequel. I loved all the fun of the reality TV show, the plot twists and i really really liked the ending, everything turned out the way i wanted with a few surprises thrown in there too. At the end there are even some recipes from Sam which i am definitely going to have a go at making (whether they are diet friendly or not). If you are a fan of Alexandra Brown's or not, this should definitely be on your Xmas list and don't worry, this novel would work equally well as a standalone, although i do highly recommend reading them both together as I did!

To order your own copy, click here

Thus ends my Alexandra Brown Marathon for now...