Review: Meet Me in Manhattan by Claudia Carroll

In a New York minute, everything can change …

Holly Johnson is at a crossroads in her life. She wants to make it as a real journalist, and she’s dreaming of falling in love.

She’s so close to getting her break at work, and she’s met a very special guy. Well, she hasn’t actually met him … not yet. But everyone knows most relationships start online these days. And she’s on to a winner with this one. Isn’t she?

But something is not quite right with Andy McCoy – and he’s about to learn you don’t mess with Holly Johnson. She decides to fly to New York to find the truth.

Holly is about to get the shock of her life.

What she finds in Manhattan swiftly turns into a nightmare.

But maybe – just maybe – if Holly is true to herself, she can turn this nightmare into a dream come true …

Review: this was such a good read, I wasn't expecting this to be what it was, this book dealt with so much and yet in such an enjoyable way. The main crux of the storyline is Internet dating. A large proportion of the people reading this book will have tried Internet dating and those who haven't, will be close to someone who has, therefore this is a highly relatable storyline and it certainly was for me. There were parts of the book where the main characters or the main character and her best freind were joking about rule for Internet dating and talking about the dating sites and I could have been having the same discussion with them, every word was totally true! There is a darker side to Internet dating and this book deals with that to some extent but in a totally comical and unimaginable way-brilliant! 

I have to say, I really loved Holly, the main character, she was so loveable and you just wanted to be feeinds with her and go on adventures with her. She was somewhat naive but that made her so optimistic and she really did want to see the good in everyone and everything and I loved that about her. I loved the events that she encountered over the course of the book and I loved the way she dealt with everything. Of course there are a couple of love interests in the book, this being a story about Internet dating and all and one guy in particular totally stole my heart, I loved him and when he was around old-fashioned romance was turned up high! 

A large proportion of the book is set in manhattan and it is so brilliantly described, all the locations can be visualised and are accurate (there seemed to be some issues with time difference but I let that one go) you really feel like you are there yourself, living the dream with Holly. There were some dramatic moments in the book, and some where you will find yourself gasping out loud, I know I did! Overall though, this is just a really great story that  could definitely happen to someone just like you and I loved it from beginning to end! 

Review: Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family. 

Review: I'm a massive Sophie Kinsella fan and so I was really looking forward to reading her latest work and I enjoy reading young adult almost as much as adult books so I was intrigued to see what this one was going to be like. I have to say I really enjoyed this, I knew that I would but it was much deeper than I was expecting it to be, dealing with issues that Kinsella has not dealt with in her shopaholic series and so this was quite a refreshing change. I would say that even if you are a fan of her adult novels, you won't necessarily be a fan of this one as it has a darker edge to it, but I am sure there are plenty of readers out there that will appreciate that darker edge as much as I did! 

I liked Audrey as a character, despite the fact that she has ahad a bit of a break down and now doesn't really deal with social situations at all she is still someone who won't give up. There are some really interesting interactions with her family and with her therapist that show that once she sets her mind to something, she really won't let it go and I like that attitude in my heroines! Her family and her brother's freind Linus are as much big characters in the novel as she is, in fact the beginning portion of the novel is very much dealing with her brother and his online gaming addiction! (I did wonder at that point why it was called finding Audrey when she didn't feature heavily to begin with!)

There are some really funny moments in this novel, Sophie Kinsella has such a way with words and writing dead pan lines it's unreal! I was laughing out loud at some points. Audrey's mum is definitely a comedy character and her addiction to what the daily mail says is seriously funny! Audrey is also a funny character and her humour really grows as the novel moves on. Linus is an essential character to Audrey's growth and towards her recovery and I would love to read something from his point of view or any kind of spin off novella, that would be great! 

Although this novel does deal with anxiety and depression and all that goes with it as well as general teen angst and the way all these things can out strain on a family, Kinsella has written the novel incredibly well. At no point did I feel the negativity seeping into my own mood and at no point did this seem like some sort of informative piece on teens in today's society. There was some comedy, some romance, some real life issues and a strong sense of family. I really enjoyed this book and hope that Sophie Kinsella does the YA novel again soon! 

Review: The Island Escape by Kerry Fisher

Can one woman’s marriage survive her best friend’s divorce? Fans of Veronica Henry and Erica James, this is the next book to add to your reading list.
It’s time to get back to where it all began…
Octavia Shelton thought she’d have a different life. One where she travelled the world with an exotic husband and free-spirited children in tow. But things didn’t turn out quite like that.

Married to safe, reliable Jonathan, her life now consists of packed lunches, school runs and more loads of dirty washing than she ever thought possible. She’s not unhappy. It’s just that she can barely recognise herself any longer.

So as Octavia watches her best friend’s marriage break up, it starts her thinking. What if life could be different? What if she could escape and get back to the person she used to be? Escape back to the island where she spent her summers? And what if the man she used to love was there waiting for her…?

Review: this book was a high-octane fast-paced romp of a novel with laughs and tears and everything in between. This book really did have it all, you want infidelity? You got it! You want messy divorces? You got it! You want questions about paternity? You go it! And yet this is nothing like an episode of Jeremy Kyle! No, this is a well woven story of two women, just like many of us out there going through the things that sometimes hit us in this life, just kind of all at once! 

I liked the characters in this book, I have to admit I liked Octavia a lot more because she was sensible and down to earth and knew exactly how to get things done. When she is summoned to get her freind out of jail, she's right there when she has issues in her own love life, she gets on a sorts it. She owns her own business, she takes care of her friends and family and in this novel, she realises that she needs time for herself as well-I loved it. The men in this novel are wholly unlikeable and jump to all sorts of silly conclusions but I loved reading about them and loved to hate them!

Despite all the things that do happen in this book, it didn't feel like a long drag at any point, it is fast paced because things are starting to sort themselves out and then something else hits these two women, one or other or both of them have something else on their plate to deal with, it's amazing what is thrown at them and how they manage to cope with it. There are moments where the whining goes on a little much for my liking,but on the whole it's a really great read with some humour and some sex and just enough of both to keep everything flowing nicely! 

Top Ten Tuesday: authors I've read the most books by 11/8/15

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 going to be fun, I'm going to have to take to Goodreads to see who I've read the most books by as it is a close call between some of my favourite authors that I've read EVERYTHING they've ever written-fun top ten! No pictures this week since there are so many-even I was surprised by some of these! 

1. Sophie Kinsella/Madeline Wickham- 23 books/novellas (everything she's written-yey!)

2. Judy Blume 16 novels (most of them when I was exactly 12)

3.  Rowan Coleman/Scarlet Bailey 15 books/novellas

4. Carmen Reid 12 Novels/Novellas (everything she's written)

5.Marian Keyes 11 Novels! 

5. Lindsey Kelk 11 novels/Novellas, 1 more to go (can't believe I haven't read that yet!)

6.  Milly Johnson 10 books/novellas, just a couple more to go! 

6. Alexandra Potter 10 Novels-lots back to back too! 

7.  Lisa Jewell 8 novels (I do own the rest and I must get round to reading them!)

7. Bill Bryson 8 books (can't wait for his new one!)

8. Miranda Dickinson 7 novels/short stories (everything she's written)

8. Jane Costello 7 novels/novellas (1 more on my shelf!)

8. Nicola May 7 Novels/Novellas (everything she's written)

8. Jenny Colgan 7 novels but I own the rest! 

9. Kate Harrison 6 books total but own the rest! 

9. Joss Stirling 6 novels/novellas (1 more to go!)

10.Holly Smale 5 novels/novellas (everything she's written)

10.Jane Green 5 novels (but I own more!)

10. Paige Toon 5 Novels

10. Lauren Wieseberger 5 novels 

Special mention: kitty Charles, a group of authors who wrote a serialisation over 2 years so 24 novellas and 1 bind up on year one so a total of 25 things but I wasn't sure how they would fit into the top ten (hehe) so they get into the special mention at the bottom! 

Blog Tour: Interview with Heidi Swain author of The Cherry Tree Cafe

You guys are very very lucky today because I am joined by the fabulous Heidi Swain author of the equally fabulous Cherry Tree Cafe. She has been answering my probing questions all about her writing & the book itself! 

Without further ado-here's Heidi...

 

Hello Catriona! Thank you so much for welcoming me to your wonderful blog as part of The Cherry Tree Cafe tour. It is a pleasure to be here today.

 

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

I’ve always been a writer, scribbling down notes and ideas as they come to me, but I was in my thirties before I actually plucked up the courage to look for ways to share my words with the world and discover whether I could actually write anything that was worth sharing of course! I joined variouscreative writing classes in Norwich and then an online short story writing community (Shortbread Stories), before I wrotemy first novel. 

 

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

No, I’ve never been a full time writer. I work three days a week as a teaching assistant and, like so many others, cram my writing into every spare minute in between. It’s the same old story – an hour before work, then another either freezing or boiling in my car during lunch and then a few more minutes squeezed in at the end of the day if I’m not too tired. 

My two ‘days off’ are for seriously upping the word count and to be honest I can’t imagine it any other way. I think I might struggle if it was just me and the keyboard every single day. It is hard trying to fit everything in, but totally worth it. 

 

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

My writing has been described as both chick-lit and commercial women’s fiction recently and I’m more than happy to fall into both those camps. I try to write the kind of stories that I love to read, the ones that jump off the shelveswhen I’m browsing in bookshops, which I do a lot! Clothes, no. Shoes, no. Books, yes!

 

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

I don’t think I purposefully set out to develop my characters. They seem to manage to do that all on their own. More often than not I’m the conduit rather than the puppet master. I’m just along for the ride and writing down what the characters are happy for the world to know about them.

Up until very recently I’ve never based a character on anyone I know, however, there is one who has popped up who very definitely shares too many personality traits with someone I know for me to deny they aren’t based on that person. All I’ll say is watch out for book number 3, or possibly 4!

 

What was the inspiration behind The Cherry Tree Cafe?

My lovely editor, Clare Hey, has been quoted as describing The Cherry Tree Café as ‘the lovechild of Mary Berry and Kirstie Allsopp’ and I absolutely love that description.

I’m mad about vintage, home-made, make do and mend and the simple pleasures in life so my inspiration, I guess, came from my own passions. I knew if I could convince Lizzie Dixon to share her story in a setting where all those things mattered most then the novel would become everything I hoped it would be. 

 

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

I do plan before I start writing but there is always room for manoeuvre. I know where the story will begin and end and have a rough idea of the problems the characters will face along the way, but I don’t like my ideas to be too fixed or formed. I think it stifles creativity and of course if your leading lady or man starts to pull in a different direction and you won’t let them go then you’ve got real problems! 

When I begin writing a novel I just keep going. It’s a real effort not looking back but pushing on is what counts. Just get that first draft down, warts and all. 

 

How much of you is reflected in your writing?

Probably more than I care to admit. Writing about things I love means that putting a bit of ‘me’ in there somewhere is inevitable I think. 

I could never place a character in a setting or landscape that didn’t inspire me and I certainly couldn’t convincingly write about a profession or situation that I couldn’t imagine findingmyself in. I need to feel that empathy. 

 

What kind of research did you do before/during writing the Cherry Tree Cafe?

Let’s just say I wasn’t carrying this extra half a stone (stone), before Lizzie and Jemma showed up and my little house had nowhere near as many cushions and heart-shaped lavender sachets!

 

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

Lots! Every time I read a new review I hold my breath until I reach the last full stop. I want readers to enjoy my stories and I always appreciate the time someone has taken to sit and compose a review.

We all lead busy lives so the fact that the last page has been reached and the reader felt passionately enough to rate and leave a comment should always be acknowledged and appreciated. The gift of a review is literally the cherry on the cupcake for me.

 

Are friends and family supportive of your writing?

Hugely. My husband has always been my number one fan and the fact that he works so hard means I have the luxury of two writing days a week. I’m incredibly grateful that he has given me that gift of time.

At home it’s the kids (now 20 and 15), who probably suffer most and have to cope with the TV being turned off and the sitting room being out of bounds until I’ve finished writing for the day. However, they rarely complain and have told me they are proud of everything I’ve achieved this year. *dries eyes*

My parents and friends at work are also hugely supportive and it an absolute joy knowing that they can now read for themselves the result of my endeavours!

 

How did you feel leading up to your publication day?

Extremely excited, but also terrified. Fortunately the fabulous blogging community and fellow authors are a hugely supportive bunch and I remember letting out a huge sigh of relief as those early reviews came in and I began to accept that there were readers out there who were going to love The Cherry Tree Café just as much as I do!

On publication day I spent literally hours on social media trying my best to thank everyone individually for their likes, faves, shares and rt’s. It was exhausting but also exhilarating. 

The launch party at the crafting café Arts Desire in Norwich was wonderful and I don’t think I’ll ever get over just how many people turned out to celebrate with me.

 

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

I’m going to answer that question with just one name, even though I could list many. Milly Johnson, or Dame Milly as I call her, has been an absolute inspiration to me. I am truly blessed to share the same publisher as the great lady and she has been nothing but kind, supportive and encouraging from the moment we met. I adore her writing and know that should I ever get in a pickle she would always be on hand to help me out. She’s just that kind of person.

 

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

I’m currently editing Novel Number 2 and have Numbers 3 and 4 clearly in my sights. They are all set around Wynbridge so readers can rest assured that Lizzie, Jemma and The Cherry Tree Café are never going to be too far away!

 

Thank you so much for taking part in The Cherry Tree Café blog tour Catriona and thank you all for reading!

And thank you Heidi-you can all rush out & buy thus fab debut novel now!

Harper Impulse Readathon

This week marks the second week in the Harper Impulse Readathon. I'm sorry I haven't blogged about this before but there's still plenty of time. You have until Friday to get involved with some fabulous Romance reads.

 I've had a little look through my shelves and here are some of the Harper Impulse reads that I have in paperback or kindle form that I might just pick up this week...

I would love to pick up a couple of these this week. I've had them away with me in my holiday bag and so I'm hoping to be able to get stuck in this week. 

So what are you reading? Or what have you be reading. If you're looking for suggestions then any of the books I've listed above would be a GREAT start! 

Letterbox Love #10

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.

So I've been away for a couple of weeks and in that time I've received a few books and come back to some books. I've been very good and only actually bought one physical book, although the last portion of this haul is an audio book spree! 

Firstly I received a copy of High Tide by Veronica Henry for review from Orion. This came with a very cute message in a bottle. My mum is. Very big Veronica Henry fan and she she snaffled this and has actually already read it as soon as it dropped through the letterbox so I'll be posting her review very soon! 

Orion also sent me The Secrets of Midwives by Sally Hepworth. I'm going to save this book for when I'm in the mood for a good cry because it looks like it's going to be a weepy. This is out later this month! 

Orion also sent me With a Friend Like you by fanny Blake and Between Sisters by Cathy Kelly. I've actually not read nothing by these authors but both sound intriguing so I'm definitely going to put them in my holiday book bag for the next couple of weeks! 

The lovely Isabelle Broom tweeted a stack of books that she was giving away the other day and very very kindly send me Off The Page by Jodi Picoult and Samatha Van leer. I've heard really good things about so that so looking forward to some Fairytale escapism there and I followed the Rules by Joanna Bolouri. I loved The List by this author, one of my favourites of last year and so I can't wait to get stuck into this! 

Very excitingly I also came home to A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson. This is Miranda's latest novel which I have been so so excited about reading for a very long time and I am literally going to pick it up as soon a a I post this! 

And finally, my audiobooks, this is a screen shot from my audible app which shows you that I have been busy listening to the audiobooks but also, that I have been busy buying them! I bought (and loved) Meet Me in Manhattan by Claudia Carroll, The Island Escape by Kerry Fisher and Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella. I am currently listening to Resistance is Futile by Jenny T Colgan, very different from what I was expecting but hope to finish this this week and will post my review soon. And finally, Shingaling by RJ Palacio. I bought the ebook of this Wonder spin off but decided to go for the audiobook too since I am spending a lot of the time in the car or the gym this summer! 

So there is my fabulous book haul, how delicious are all of these books? I am one lucky blogger. Thank you to the publishers for sending the books, thanks to Isabelle and thanks to my boyfriend who will now have to pay for us to eat since I spent all my remaining cash on audiobooks!