Review: The State We're in by Adele Parks

What are the odds that the stranger sitting next to you on a plane is destined to change your life? Especially when they appear to be your opposite in every way.

She's a life-long optimist, looking for her soul mate in every man she meets; he's a resolute cynic - cruel experience has taught him never to put his faith in anyone.

People can surprise you. In the time it takes to fly from London to Chicago, each finds something in the other that they didn't even realise they needed.

Their pasts are such that they can never make one another happy and it's when they get off the plane, that their true journey begins...

Review: I will admit that I found this book a little difficult to get into at first, but when I did I literally couldn't stop. I actually ended up listening to this on audiobook. I knew that I liked the narrator of this particular audiobook, having listened to her on several other occasions reading some of my favourite books and I was intrigued by this title. I have a few Adele Parks sitting on my shelf, as yet unread, but this one seemed to draw me in more than the others. 

The story is told from multiple narratives. We have Jo, Dean, Eddie and Jo's mum. I found this a little confusing at first which was strange because I love a book from more than one point of view, but once I worked out who each character was and how they related to one another, I was away! This book had some serious funny moments when it was Dean or Jo's turn to narrate. The really great thing was that they sometimes went over an event that had already happened form both points of view and sometimes that change in view was used to move the story forwards. 

I loved the character of Jo, I thought she was so optimistic and became so outgoing and forward, whereas at the beginning of the book, she seemed a little self absorbed and introverted. She believes in love and I think that is admirable in this day and age. Dean, as well, has a character change ove the course of the book. He too is pretty self absorbed to begin with, and a little stuck p. once this exterior melts however, we see someone who is keen to do the right thing and is just as optimistic as Jo can be. The other two storylines kind of tie everything together and so I don't have any particularly strong feelings about these extra characters. 

The book is part set in London, part in Chicago which I found really interesting because there aren't too many books set here, and whilst it isn't my favourite place in the world, it was good being able to pinpoint landmarks the characters were going to. The main settings are a an and a hospital aside fom these cities and that leave plenty of room for all sorts of things to happen, which the do! The storyline was partly your typical storyline of boy meets girl but with all sorts of twists and turns along the way that will keep you guessing. Although I guessed how this book would end, it was by no means predictable and definitely didn't spoil it for me. 

Overall I really enjoyed this books and found myself makin excuses to listen to this, listening for four hours straight at one point! You will laugh, you may cry, but on the whole it is an extremely heart-warming tale that delivers a generous dose of optimism for today's cynical society that we live in. I will definitely be catching up on my other Adele Parks titles very soon! 

Review! Where Dreams Come True- A Year in The Arcade

I'm very excited about this review because I was so excited about this particular ebook. I was a massive fan of The Arcade this year as readers of the blog will be well aware! I did began to beg somewhat for an omnibus of all the arcade episodes and so when I got an email asking if I would like a copy of this fabulous book I literally squealed with excitement. I love having all the episodes in the one place and have done something I very rarely do which is re-read something! I had particular favourites this year and seeking them out in this anthology was brilliant! Thanks to 'Kitty' for sending me this lovely Christmas treat! 

As addictive as chocolate truffles from the Chocwaves boutique; as sexy as honeymoon lingerie from The Garden of Eden, and as scandalous as a night in Ernesto’s tango studio. And over the course of the first year in the Arcade you’ll soon find that it's a place where dreams really do come true.

Previously released once a month, all twelve episodes are compiled here to create the bubbliest of soap-opera style stories.

Written by six best-selling novelists under the name of Kitty Charles, WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE is a sexy, sassy tribute to the serials that kept readers turning the pages in Dickens’ times – with all the passion, the intrigue and the larger than life characters you could hope for.

So what are you waiting for? Time to sample the delights of Angell’s Arcade!

Step inside…

And if you want more drama, dilemmas and double-dealing, the great news is you can enjoy a bite-sized fix of sex and shopping every month in 2014, as your favourite shopkeepers open their doors for another year of business.

Review: it's so wonderful to have all of the arcade episodes in one place. Since I received this bumper omnibus of drama, comedy and romance, not to mention the scandalous gossip that goes on in this particular shopping arcade, I've been reliving my favourite episodes of the arcade from the last year. I still absolutely love the Gift Shop and The Bookshop, I'm sure these two were definitely written by the same author! But I also really love the way everything is introduced in January and wrapped up again in December. This was brilliantly written, and the fact that the whole thing is overseen by the 'ghost' of the former arcade owner, just ties everything together and makes for a wonderful Halloween feel to October as well. 

If its drama you're after, myouve come to the right place with this one! There is drama no end. This book features surprise babies, secret lesbians, cross dressing booksellers, attempted murder, robberies, infidelity, troublesome exes, death and of course romance. It is only inevitable that Pete work together in such close quarters are eventually going to get it on. Some people get the happy ending they are craving, others are not so lucky, but there really is something for everyone here! 

Normally with collections of shorter stories, you can dip in and out of them, but I wouldn't suggest that with this particular collection. Each episode is only about 50 pages long, however so you could literally pick this up at a bedtime treat for 12 days and have your fill of the drama and intrigue that way. I guarantee that if you haven't read any of the episodes yet, you'll absolutely fly through them, wanting to discover what happens next, this is more compelling than all the soaps put together. The stories are very cleverly written so that even though it is a different author every month, you can't tell the difference in voice, the on,y thing would be a slight change in storyline from the more romantic end of the spectrum, to a more dramatic end.

If you're already a fan of the arcade, this would be an excellent addition to your collection. Lets face it the cover is awesome and I've so enjoyed reliving my favourite Arcade moments. I will definitely be threading Decembers episode before I read the January episode for this year, to catch me up again and get in ready for what this years arcade has in store. This would be a great addition to anyone's bookshelf and if you're planning a holiday, a great little read to take with you, wherever you might be going! If you've not heard of this serial, this would be a great catch up for you before you delve back into the world of the Arcade 2014! 

Review: Away by Barbara Wolfe

This review is my stop on the New Adult book tour organised by Faye over at A Daydreamer's Thoughts  

Make sure you check down at the bottom of the page for your scavenger hunt code and rafflecopter entry.

What good is running AWAY when you only end up lost? 

Cassandra Pierce had her whole "perfect" life planned out by her parents. One night of pure weakness and lust has her running away from it all and seeking refuge in Alamosa with her best friend. But it seems life has other plans for her when she finds herself lost in the small town of Keaton. 

Jason Bradley is a charming country guy. He lives a simple life that’s nothing like what Cassandra is used to. A single moment in life changed everything he thought he once knew, leaving him with a broken heart and an unplanned future. 

What happens in Keaton is nothing Cassandra or her heart could have ever prepared for. The instant connection she shares with Jason is no secret, but what they're keeping hidden from one another is. Will these two be able to find a way to trust each other or will their secrets tear them apart?

Review: wow, there we no words to describe how I felt when I finished this novel. I had to save myself to write this review, I'm glad I didn't leave it until the last minute otherwise the page would be somewhat tear stained! I had no clue what to expect from this novel. I know I like the New Adult genre and this sounded like a cute story. The beginning of the book was definitely that. You are dropped right into the action which is the way I like to begin most good reads. We meet Casandra and learn that she is running away from something but we are not sure what yet. Suddenly everything changes,she is involved in a minor accident in a town she doesn't know and is helped by a lovely family she has never met before. 

The storyline continues beautifully from there. She gets to know People, goes out and discovers new things and we as readers get to know just some of her secrets and also the secrets of her new friend Jason. All the things she gets involved in sound really fun and I was just thinking what a lovely easy read it was, when BAM! Everything changed. You don't see it coming, it gets your from nowhere. I was literally sobbing for the last 10% of this book, not just weeping, not crying, sobbing. My advice would be not to read this in a public place or on your own, or when you have to look presentable at any stage, cos your eyes are going to be red/puffy! 

The characters in this story were just lovely. Casandra is the perfect mixture of mature and naive and so I never felt at any point that I wanted to shout at her to sort her life out and start running away. I defy anyone not to fall in love with Jason and his family, he is just unconditionally kind and loving and helps Cassie discover so much about herself as well as helping her after her accident. I love Cassie's friend Mel because she reminded me of my own best friend, she was so protective of Cassie and looked out for her, right up until the end of the book! 

If you're a fan of the New Adult genre then you will definitely enjoy this book. If you like reading books where cowboy boots are involved, you'll love this. And if you're looking for a book that'll let you have a good cry at the end then go for it! I really did enjoy this book but I'm still feeling emotionally scarred by the ending and so the book definitely does come with the warning that you will cry somewhere in the vein of One Day or The First Last Kiss (both of which definitely make it onto my favourite book list). So yes, a lovely novel with a killer twist, as must for new adult fans! 

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Review: A Beginner's Guide To Salad by Jennifer Joyce

Ruth loves nothing more than curling up in front of the telly with a family-sized bar of chocolate. She doesn’t do diets and she certainly doesn’t do exercise. But all that changes when she’s invited to her school reunion.

Bullied at school for being overweight, Ruth’s first reaction is to rip the invitation into a million pieces. But then Ruth hatches a plan. She’ll lose the weight and arrive at the reunion looking gorgeous and glamorous, leaving her old classmates in awe. Especially her former crush, Zack O’Connell.

With the help of her friends and a new, unbelievably hot colleague, Ruth begins her transformation. With six months until the reunion, losing weight will be a piece of cake, right?

Review: I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this gem of a debut novel and I am so glad I was given the chance to read this as I might not have discovered it otherwise! I was expecting a story about a woman's battle to loose weight, the feelings and emotions associated with this and the highs and lows we feel when we are dieting, especially for an occasion! What I got was a whole lot more, I actually found It really hard to put this book down and found myself wanting more when I finished it. 

The character of Ruth was a lot happier than I expected her to be and reminded me of myself, dressing in bright colours and fabulous shoes, therefore I felt an instant connection with her. I didn't like the fact that she was dieting to look good for someone who had made her life so miserable in the past. If she had just been dieting for the reunion, i would've had more respect for her. I loved her relationship with her brother and his friends her roommate. Their relationship is unlike those you'd find in most books and so I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel. The other character I really liked was Ruth's sort of love interest. There were some really funny moments where this guy was involved, I found myself laughing out loud. There were also some reality touching moments too, when we found of that there was more to him than meets the eye. 

The dieting in this book is almost more of a secondary storyline, this being a romantic comedy,the romance and funny moments kind of take over. I would've liked to have seen Ruth sticking to some of the diets for a bit longer, I thought there might have been other humourous moments when she was only eating salad, or gorging herself on meat and cheese on the Atkins diet. This is my only criticism of this book really thougg. It's a super fun read with plenty of substance, humour and romance and perfect reading for when you begin a January diet of your own. I can wait to see more from this author!

Jennifer will be dropping by next Sunday when she has a fabulous guest post for us, so keep your eyes peeled for that one next week!  

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm excited For 14/1/14

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!

I couldn't think of which debuts I'm looking forward to in 2014 so I thought I'd take a look back at debuts that I'd enjoyed in 2013, I actually read more debuts than is realised which is fab.

1. Geek Girl by Holly Smale. This made it into my top 10 2013 novels and the sequel was just as good!

2. Losing It by Cora Carmack. This was released as an ebook the year before but a debut paperback in 2013!

3. The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles. This was an amazing debut considering the fact that it was written by a 17 year old doing her a levels. A lovely YA contemporary!

4. The Life List by Lori Nelson Spielman. This was a truly lovely debut that I know everyone will have loved as much as I did!

5. The Arcade by Kitty Charles. This is a monthly serial that I have enjoyed immensely this year and a debut for this 'author' which is in fact a pseudonym for 6 other best selling authors...

6. Moody Not Broody by Kathryn Player. Loved this novel about modern day relationship expectations & teaching!

7. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simison. This book was so funny and entertaining and given the publicity it received, I'm obviously not the only one who thought so!

8. Cupcakes At Carringtons by Alexandra Brown. This is a fabulous debut and I'm so pleased it's turned into a series of 2 novels and a novella!

9. The Naughty Girls Book Club by Sophie Hart. An amazing book club book that has a fabulous spin off of an actual online Naughty Girls Book Club!

10. No One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday by Tracy Bloom. I loved this novel way more than I expected I would and yet I still have no read her second novel, despite preordering it!

So there you have it-10 of the 2013 debuts I loved last year. I'm sure I will enjoy tons more debuts this year as well as future novels from all if these authors. Leave me a comment with your top ten debuts you're looking forward to and I'll be back with another top 10 next week!

Bout of Books Readathon Wrap up

Ok so I've been very busy reading this week. It's been the first week back at school but I've managed to squeeze in some reading here at there, trying to read over my meals as well as listening to my audiobook on my commute and whilst doing other jobs around the house.

I finished the audiobook of Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope. This book went up for review on Friday. 

I also finished Sugar Spun Sister by Anna Garner and added my review of that on Thursday. Both of these books were at the 50% mark when the week began to that is two halves of a book towards my goal of four.

Next I picked up the audiobook of The State we're in by Adele Parks and I've just finished that as I write this on Sunday night. It took me a while to get into this one but I'll have a full review of it up very soon! 

I also read A Beginners Guide to Salad by Jennifer Joyce which is released this week. I loved this book and really hope to hear more from the characters soon, look for a review of that on the blog this week and a guest post from this author next Sunday as part of her blog tour! 

Finally I read Away by Barbara Wolfe. This will be reviewed on Thursday as part of The New Adult Blog Tour being run by Faye at A Daydreamer's thoughts. I really enjoyed this on too even though I found it a little hard to get into as well.

In addition to these whole books, I listened to three discs of 16 from the audiobook of At Home by Bill Bryson. I am 5 discs away from finishing this one and I also began to listen to The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton. This is a whopping 29 hours long so there was no way I was going to finish listening to this over the week. However I do hope to get some more listening time in after this week of mammoth book listening and so you should keep an eye out to hear my thoughts on that one! 

All in all I read 3 whole books, 2 half books and about a quarter of another book. As my goal was to read 4 books this week I think I've achieved my goal even though they weren't actually four whole books and I'm really pleased with what I've read during this readathon, I'd definitely like to participate in another readthon soon and I'll have more reviews for you later in the week! 

Letterbox Love #1

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've received a few books for review so far this year and also bought a few in the sales so I'm here to share these with you now.

For review I have received Diary of An Unsmug Married by Polly James and also Take Mum Out by Fiona Gibson. These books come out in February so you can look forward to reviews of these nearer to the time. Thanks to Lightbrigade/Avon for those!

I received some books directly from authors over the past couple of weeks too. The first was Love in Sight by Holly Gillatt. I loved 'til St Patricks Day last year so I'm looking forward to reading this one.

I also received In The Leaves by Pat Elliott. This sounds like a really fun read.

I have a review copy of Where Dreams Come True-A Year in The Arcade by Kitty Charles. I feel very honoured to have been sent a copy of this because I really really wanted to see an omnibus edition of all The Arcade episodes from this year and I can't wait to relive my favourite moments all in one place-this would make an awesome paperback!

I received 2 books by Helen Smith too, on from her and one from NetGalley. These were Naughty but Nice and Beyond Belief. Beyond belief is out towards the end of the month so expect a review of that soon.

Amongst my sale purchases were The Vincent Boys and The Vincent Brothers to add to my Abbi Glines collection on my shelf. The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence, Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, The Nearly Weds by Jane Costello and Fractured by Dani Atkins. 

I also did an order from The Book people that included some majorly reduced cookbooks and the gorgeous Hardback edition of The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E Smith. Now I can read both the hardbacks I have by her together!

I also got This Summer by Sarah Dessen and Happy Birthday by Danielle Steel in a charity shop for 99p each!

Phew-a few books to talk about there even though I got none for my birthday or Christmas! Let me know below what you got this week and if you've read any of the ones I have!