Review: A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson

The gift of a lifetime?


Anna Browne is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. Her day job as a receptionist in bustling London isn't exactly her dream, yet she has everything she wants. But someone thinks Anna Browne deserves more . . .

When a parcel addressed to Anna Browne arrives, she has no idea who has sent it. Inside she finds a beautiful gift - one that is designed to be seen. And so begins a series of incredible deliveries, each one bringing Anna further out of the shadows and encouraging her to become the woman she was destined to be. As Anna grows in confidence, others begin to notice her - and her life starts to change.

But who is sending the mysterious gifts, and why?

Review: everyone knows that I am a massive Miranda Dickinson fan so I'm really not sure why it took me so long to read this book. I actually ended up dipping in and out of it for about 3 months! In the end, I abandoned my paperback and downloaded the audiobook so I could enjoy Miranda's beautiful writing on my commute to and from work. there were a couple of issues with the audiobook repeating chunks of text but apart from that, I loved having this story read to me, it actually felt all the better that the mornings and evenings are a bit dark and miserable at the moment because I was cosy in my car with Anna Browne and her mysterious parcels!

I really warmed to Anna as a character. I loved watching her transformation over the course of the book, this was the best bit for me. She starts off as a shy and retiring character, happy with her lot in life but then she becomes so much more than this. Where she was at the beginning of the book and where she was at the end of the book are both totally relatable and that is definitely one thing I love about Miranda's characters. There are some fab friendships in this book as well, the Yorkshire guy who lives in her building, the friend at work who she gossips with and many more, so definitely something for everyone here. I did love the little Yorkshire additions to the book because of the Yorkshire friend, I have to say, but then I am biased!

I liked the fact that this book was set in London but also featured details about other places in the UK. Sometimes when books focus on London, they miss out the rest of this diverse country entirely and so I really liked that. And on to the mystery of the parcels. I have to say, i wasn't entirely convinced by the parcels, I did try to put on my whimsical head but I kept having this feeling that if I were on the reception desk of a major building in London and i received a mysterious package, I would assume it was dangerous. If the parcels continued, I think I would be calling the police. As time went on, however, I did warm to the mystery sender, and when that sender was revealed, everything made sense. I did love the big reveal i have to say-you're in for a treat there! My favourite package was obviously the shoes!

All in all this was an enjoyable read. It is a hefty book and so it was much easier when i switched to the audiobook version! If you're looking for something to snuggle up with this winter, this is definitely a heart warming read. if you're a fan of a shorter books then this one may be a bit much for you but if you're a Miranda fan already then you definitely have to give this a go. Now I have an overwhelming desire to send some parcels and make someone happy!

To order your copy, click here!

Review: Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence by Holly Hepburn

When sisters Nessie and Sam inherit a little pub in a beautiful country village they jump at the chance to escape their messy lives and start afresh. But when they arrive at the Star and Sixpence, it's not quite what they imagined - it's pretty much derelict, ruined by debts, and it's going to be a huge job to get it up and running again.

It's just before Christmas but they are determined to relaunch on New Year's Eve, to bring the new year in with a bang. But with nosy neighbours, miserable locals and no money to contend with, it's not going to be easy.

This is a nicely festive short story by a new author, or new to me at least. It is the first in a series, to be followed by two more short stories next year.

It tells the story of two sisters, Vanessa (Nessie) and Sam, who have inherited from their estranged father a country pub in a small village miles from anywhere. As well as renovating the rather rundown pub, they have to win over the locals, who are somewhat resistant to change. Luckily, there are a few who are on their side, and a bit of love interest as well. There are some interesting characters among the villagers, including ones that might be familiar to anyone who has experienced life in a small community.

I enjoyed the story in as far as it went, but there is a bit of mystery hinted at, which I expect is going to emerge in later parts. This makes the ending a little unsatisfactory for anyone as impatient as me. However, the story is well written and I am looking forward to finding out how the girls are faring in the next instalment. I'm sure it will be worth the wait! 

Review: What A Girl Wants by Lindsey Kelk

A summer bestseller from the immensely popular Lindsey Kelk Tess Brookes was the girl with a plan. Now she's the girl with a choice. Should she stay in London and start her own advertising agency with her best friend and potential boyfriend Charlie? Or should she head to exciting Milan to pursue both a new career as a photographer and a new man, the enigmatic and elusive (and highly irritating) Nick? For the first time, Tess has to choose between the life she always dreamed of and a future she never imagined possible. With her heart and her head pulling her in different directions, Tess has to make a life-changing decision about What a Girl Wants. 

Review: I wanted to get this one read because I know that A Girl's Best Friend has just come out. I read About a Girl  when it first came out and so I did find this one a little hard to get into because I couldn't remember what had happened with Tess in the previous novel so I definitely would recommend a re-read before getting into this one or else marathoning all three books that are out right now (sounds like great fun to me!) I love Lindsey Kelk as a writer, she did just so funny and says it how it is. No sugar coating, no using more appropriate words, if something is shitty, she says it's shitty-no questions! And this is something you can definitely look forward to in this book! 

I felt that Tess, as a character, was a little less strong and independent in this book than she was in the first novel. She seemed to be fairly indecisive and really relied upon the men in the novel and best freind Amy. Nevertheless I liked the fact that she wasn't willing to choose between her men in a rush, she didn't want to settle for what was in front of her at the time, she wanted to take her time and weigh up her options, much better I think. Of course I enjoyed the other characters in the novel but I don't remember disliking the men in this series as much as I did, perhaps they have got less likeable in this book, I didn't fancy either of them and didn't want Tess to be romantically involved with either. A character that I really did like in this book was Amy, she's great fun, just like Jenny in the I Heart series! 

I really enjoyed the setting, of course I did! There's a certain amount of glamour to Tess's career of choice, or not of choice as the case may be and there were some luxurious surroundings, which were well described in this novel, I just can't wait for her to go to  New York in the next book! I listened to this one on audiobook in the end even though I have the kindle edition. I think that was a bit of a mistake because Tess sounded a certain way in my head when I read the first book in the series and that wasn't how she sounded on audiobook, it kind of threw me a bit. I enjoyed this book but not as much as the first one but now I'm heading off to read book three so fingers crossed things pick up again there!

To order this now-click here!

Guest review: a Christmas Cracker by Trisha Ashley

This Christmas is about to go off with a bang!


Things can’t possibly get worse for Tabby. Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, she suddenly finds herself without a job. Then to make matters worse, Tabby’s boyfriend dumps her and gives her cat away to a shelter.


But rescue comes in the form of kindly Mercy. A master of saving waifs and strays, Mercy wants Tabby to breathe new flair into her ailing cracker business. Together, they’ll save Marwood’s Magical Christmas Crackers.


But someone has other ideas. Mercy’s nephew Randal thinks Tabby’s a fraudster. Stubborn, difficult and very attractive, her future depends upon winning him round. But it’s that time of the year when miracles really can happen. Standing under the mistletoe, Tabby’s Christmas is set to be one that she will never forget . . . 

When I heard that a new Christmas story from Trisha Ashley was on its way, I was itching to get my hands on it. This is my favourite time of the year, when there are so many festive books out there, but this one went to the top of the pile as soon as it arrived. It is indeed a cracking tale (forgive the pun), as I would have expected. As soon as I sat down to read it, I didn't want to put it down. Right from the first sentence of the first chapter it has you hooked. I also loved the fact that each chapter started with a Cracker joke! 

There is a host of interesting characters in this book; even the pets are unusual. The heroine, Tabby, is framed for a crime she didn't commit and ends up jobless, homeless and with an ex-fiancé. Luckily, she meets up with people who believe in her innocence, offer her a job and a home, and that's how she ends up trying to revive the fortunes of an ailing Christmas cracker factory. I instantly felt sorry for Tabby, but I needn't have worried since she has great strength of character and manages to maintain a positive outlook in the face of all her problems. I liked almost all of the characters in the book, with the possible exception of Tabby's ex-fiancé, Jeremy, and his friends. The owner of the cracker factory, Mercy, is an amazing person, who seems to display the true spirit of Christmas all year round. Then there is the workforce from the factory - all of them have interesting backgrounds. Mercy's nephew, Randal, is openly hostile to Tabby from the start, but I found myself liking him too, more so as the story progressed. It was nice to meet up with some familiar characters and place names from a few of Trisha's earlier books as well. You always encounter a few people that you know when you read one of her stories, just like bumping into old friends. She comes up with such interesting names for both people and villages too.

I would say that this book is well written with a strong story line that grabs you from the word go. I'm sure that I don't need to recommend it to Trisha Ashley fans, who will be setting out to read it as soon as possible anyway, but to anyone unfamiliar with this author it would make great Christmas reading!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'm Thankful For 24.11.15

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!

To me, this list of books I'm thank ful for is representative of books that have meant a lot to me. Either I've fallen in love with a book or a book has resonated with me or even if a book has helped me thorough a tricky situation! Enjoy! 

1. Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson. This book saw me through a really tough time and is one of the very few books I've read more than once! 

2. Dearest Rose by Rowan Coleman. This book just meant so much to me in what it said and how it was told. 

3. One Day by David Nicholls, this book broke me, I loved it! 

4. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, this book made me discover a genre of books that got me reading as a teenager! 

5. How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. This book made me a more honest, confident person. 

6. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates. Everybody needs to read this book, I am so thankful for it! 

7. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley, this book made me think, I am so thankful for that! 

8. One Summer: America 1927 I listened to this audiobook with my boyfriend, it was so much fun! 

9. The Accident by CL Taylor. This book took me out of my comfort zone! 

10. Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella, this book made me laugh so much and made me rediscover reading for the second time! 

Guest Review: Wellies and Westies (Primrose Terrace part 1) by Cressida McLaughlin

Catherine ‘Cat’ Palmer realises, too late, that bringing an adorable puppy into work at the local nursery was a bad idea, especially after the ensuing chaos gets her the sack.

Determined to turn a negative into a positive, Cat decides this is the perfect opportunity to get her dog-walking business off the ground with the help of her flatmates, Polly and Joe. After all, Primrose Terrace where she lives, is full of home-alone hounds…

Wellies and Westies is the first part of a serialized novel told in four parts – all set in Primrose Terrace

Review: This novella is the first of four, making up the 'Primrose Terrace' series. It tells the story of Catherine (Cat) Palmer, who has moved into one of the houses in Primrose Terrace, where she lives with a friend and the friend's brother. Forced to find a new occupation after losing her job, she embarks on a new career as a dog walker.

The story is full of lovely dogs and lively descriptions of the town where Primrose Terrace is set. As well as Cat, there are many other interesting characters who live in the terrace, and, of course, there is also some romantic interest. Cat herself seems rather naive to start with. The way in which she comes to lose her job in the first place is really a bit silly, if amusing to the outsider. However, she is brave to start up a totally new career. Fortunately for her, the immediate area is full of dog owners requiring a dog walking service, so it gets off the ground quickly.

I usually like short stories, but this one seemed too short for me.  It covered a lot of ground in its few pages, so nothing was covered in depth and the story moved very quickly. Of course, it is part one of four, so I'm sure that the story will develop more as the other parts are released. I would like to learn more about how Cat's business expands and her love life progresses. Perhaps reading all of the story at once when the other parts are available would be the best approach.

Blog Tour: Exclusive Extract from Christmas Cravings by Emma Hamilton

I am so excited today because the Christmas edition of the Greedily Yours series by Emma Hamilton that I loved so much earlier this year is here! You'll know from my reviews how much I enjoyed reading about Mia and her food blog and all her adventures, perfect escapism, well I've been stealing myself for today because I'm definitely going to be reading this on my flight up up Glasgow tonight.

Here's what it's all about: How could everything suddenly have gone so wrong for MiaMaxwell? She’s published her own foodie book, travelled around the world blogging her new recipes and has the perfect boyfriend in rugged, countryman Tom.

But since being spotted with her ex-boyfriend Paul, Tom has refused to even speak to her let alone see her for Christmas as planned. The warm, spiced wine of the German Christmas markets is little consolation for the hole in her heart.

Will Mia's Christmas turn out to be sugar and spice and all things nice – or a deflated soufflé of loneliness and regret?

However you guys, you lucky things, get this extract straight from the book right now! The best part about this as well is that it's only 99p and perfect for reading with a festive drink during a break in your holiday shopping! Happy reading! 

This isn’t how it was meant to be, thought Mia, looking up at the snow falling all around her from the dark sky. Tom should be standing next to me right now, and why isn’t he? Mia sighed. It had only been a few weeks since things had appeared to dissolve with Tom, but to Mia, it felt like forever. At that moment, Lizzie broke into her thoughts, exclaiming at how romantic the snow was and gave Mia a big excited hug. In spite of herself, Mia felt momentarily happy for the first time in a few weeks. Urged to by Lizzie, she breathed in; delighting in the snow on her tongue, just like when she was a little girl. What a lot has changed in a year! thought Mia wryly to herself — before turning her attention back to pushing her way through the crowded Christmas market in Cologne. She tried not to think of Tom. Lizzie was just ahead of her, making her way to the front of the queue for mulled wine. The bare trees were filled with lanterns and sparkling paper stars, fairy lights glistened and swayed in the breeze, and if it wasn’t for the distant hum of traffic, Mia would have imagined she had been transported back in time to some medieval village, Christmas circa 1450.

Mia couldn’t stop staring at the bright lights and breathing in the warm spicy smells coming from the tents serving hot, spiced wine. People were packed into the market, making it difficult to take in all the sights and sounds and smells and foods. Gradually the magic of being on holiday in the build-up to Christmas was working, and Mia was beginning to relax and forget about her troubles with Tom. Lizzie had been right; a trip away was just what she needed to take her mind off things. Mia smiled gratefully at Lizzie’s back, marvelling at how her friend was always right and always knew the best thing for her — even when she had been determined to lie on her bed and cry her eyes out at the dream that had turned so sour.

Mia tried to shake herself free of the negative spiral that seemed to overtake her constantly in the last few weeks. She concentrated on looking up at the brightly lit Ferris wheel that stood over the Christmas market, sedate and glittering in the cold night air. She made herself watch as it slowly turned. She let the jingly Christmas music that was blaring out of the brightly lit stalls sooth her as she concentrated on breathing — calmly and slowly. She tried not to cry and waited for Lizzie to show up with the next colourful mug of dark red, spicy mulled wine.

*

Mia mused, still cradling her cup of mulled wine to warm her fingers; I was so relaxed with him. How things just happened and seemed right — even when everything around us was not right at all. How comfortable we felt with each other. Gone were the days when I tried not to finish everything on my plate for fear of disapproval from Paul or another exacting past boyfriend. With Tom, I could wolf down half a plate of fish and chips and still kiss him. But more than that, I felt just happy to be with him and to be me — not playing a version of myself, not trying to balance what I got out of being with him with the downsides of how he may have made me feel. Happy to just be, be with him and be me. So how did it all go so wrong?

Emma Hamilton is the pen name for a food-loving journalist and writer. Once a staff producer and then freelance reporter for the BBC, CBC, and Deutsche Welle, she has also written for a number of magazines and newspapers, including The Guardian,BBC Magazines, The Mail on Sunday, Four Four Two and Italy Magazine. She has worked on a number of series and documentaries, including one about food and culture around the world. Emma spent six years reporting from Italy and has made radio programmes in many countries including Lebanon, Ethiopia, the USA, France, Germany, Russia, and Cameroon. When she’s not cooking, reading about food or eating it, she splits her time between presenting, producing and writing. She loves yoga, running, gardening and spending time with her husband, friends and family at home.

Christmas Cravings is published on 20th November, price £0.99in eBook. 

Greedily Yours Episode 1-8 are also all now available, price £1.49 each.