When I Fall in Love - Miranda Dickinson

Elsie Maynard never expected to be starting again...

...but eighteen months on from the biggest challenge of her life, she is doing just that –because she made a promise to the person who believed in her the most.

Determined to step into her uncertain future, Elsie meets handsome Oliver Hogarth, who seems intent on winning her heart; she inadvertently founds a choir, and overcomes obstacles – most of which involve arrogant Torin Stewart.

Then a heartfelt request brings her to Paris – and the final item on ‘The List’ that she never dared complete.

Review: I was so excited about Miranda Dickinson’s latest novel, having been lucky enough to receive a sneak-preview chapter from her in the post; I was desperate to read the rest! I so pleased to find that book number four from this lovely author delivered her usual mix of optimism, cake and of course romance, the perfect recipe! Although the cover might suggest a Christmasey or even a wintery novel, don’t be fooled, none of this book is set in December! When I fall in Love follows Elsie eighteen months on from the death of her husband and her dealings with her best friend Cher, a new choir project and two possible new love interests. Elsie is such a lovely character. She seems too innocent and open for someone who has lost their husband at such a young age… ‘I was loved by the most amazing guy in the world for eight wonderful years. Most people don’t get to enjoy that kind of love their whole lives. I count myself as one of the lucky few’. She has the typical optimism of one of Dickinson’s characters, and you find yourself willing her to open her heart and find love again, all the way through the book.

The story centres around Elsie’s dealings with a new choir she has started with a local, aging rocker. This was unchartered territory for me but I found it to be a really nice hook into the storyline, and it leads to the introduction of several new characters, each of whom add depth to the storyline and come with their own brand of love and sweetness. The addition of Elsie’s family is also really lovely because it makes the whole novel feel like a comfortable cosy night in surrounded by friends and family. The two male characters vying for Elsie’s attention are equally well-developed and seemingly couldn’t be more different from one another, and I think that this was vital for the structure of the storyline. ‘I want to make you feel cared for all the time…and I know were taking it slowly and you’ve had things you wanted to deal with, but I just want you to know that you only have to say the word and…I’ll be there’.

The setting of the novel was really well described, having never been to Brighton, I really felt like I got to know the town and was wandering through its streets with Elsie and the other characters, and of course, Paris was also as elaborately described, and given the level of romance befitting of Miranda Dickinson’s writing. Obviously the book deals in some part with death, and so I did shed a few tears, but there were also parts of the book that made me laugh, especially when Elsie and her sister take a trip to a Swedish furniture store in Croydon, ‘Croydon? Who goes to Croydon for anything?’ A lovely thing is that at the end of the book, the reader is given a bonus, a list of the messages that Elsie’s late husband left for her. I defy even the coldest of hearts not to be warmed by this list, and indeed the whole of the book for that matter. Even if you haven’t read any of Miranda Dickinson’s previous novels, you will be certain to enjoy this one, and most probably want to acquire her others as soon as you finish it. A truly lovely novel!

Review: Searching for a Silver Lining by Miranda Dickinson

It began with a promise . . .

Matilda Bell is left heartbroken when she falls out with her beloved grandfather just before he dies. Haunted by regret, she makes a promise that will soon change everything . . .

When spirited former singing star Reenie Silver enters her life, Mattie seizes the opportunity to make amends. Together, Mattie and Reenie embark on an incredible journey that will find lost friends, uncover secrets from the glamorous 1950s and put right a sixty-year wrong.

Touchingly funny, warm and life-affirming, this is a sparkling story of second chances. Perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Searching for a Silver Lining by Miranda Dickinson will take you on a trip you'll never forget.

Review: I love a Miranda Dickinson novel so I'm not sure why it took me to long to read this one! This book has 3 main storylines, all mingling amongst each other but I'd say that the three are very distinct. We have the story involving Mattie, Reenie and club owner Gill and their road trip to try and get the group The Silver Five back together for one very special performance. I would say that this was my favourite of the three storylines. The road trip takes in so many parts of the country and takes in some of my favourite places, including Barter Books, Beaconsfield Services and Soho! I really loved the situations they got themselves into and the travelling itself!

The other 2 storylines involve Mattie and her Grandad Joe. The novel begins with his funeral and we know straightaway that he and Mattie weren't talking when he died and so she feels like she needs to make it up to him. I wasn't as keen on this storyline, I'm not really sure why, perhaps I just didn't like how much of her life Mattie was dedicating to making it up to him, but the flashbacks to Grandad Joe's life ere very interesting and I liked them. The other storyline is, of course, a love story and what's not to like about that. I'm not going to go any further into that one because I don't want to give anything away!

In terms of the characters, I defy anyone not to love Reenie. She is a typical diva, but over 80 and living in a retirement community. I loved how bolshy she was and I loved her accent, it totally comes right off the page and whenever she is speaking or recalling something, you can hear this Cilla Black type matriarch right there in the room with you. Matilda, Mattie Bell is an interesting character. I didn't find myself warming to her quite as much. I think this again comes down to the fact that she lives her life so much in the past and dwells on things so much. I loved that she was so determined to help Reenie though and make things right for her, and I loved the relationship that she had with her sister, Jo and her cousin Jack. Gil, the club owner is another major character in the book and I liked him when he was in the club, doing his thing, but not as much when he was taken out of that setting and chatting to Mattie and Reenie.

Ultimately this is a story of hope and of second chances, but there are also some great insights into relationships of every kind, family, friends, lovers and enemies and I really liked that strong theme coming through. I always love a Miranda Dickinson book and, as with all her novels, you will leave this novel feeling heart warmed and having great faith in your fellow man!

To get your copy now, just click here.

Author Event with Lindsey Kelk and Miranda Dickinson

On Tuesday night I was lucky enough to snag tickets to the sold out event with Lindsey Kelk and Miranda Dickinson in Waterstones Birmingham. I was really pleased that I got my tickets well enough in advance and also really pleased that I was in the country when two of my favourite authors were doing an event within driving distance. My Mum and I drove down to Birmingham for the event (it was a very excited car I can tell you) and we loved every minute of it!

The event was a discussion between these two fabulous authors and saw them chatting about their writing spaces, the worst gifts they've ever been given, parties they have attended together  and of course, their books!

Once they had fully set the world to rights and amused us all greatly, they opened it up to questions. This is when things got really interesting with them discussing which of the characters from the I Heart series they would like to kill off, whether they have written revenge on anyone in their books and also covered things like how people react when they find out they're a writer. 

These two lovely authors stayed late into the night so that they could sign books and meet their fans and I got to give them both big hugs. The staff in Waterstones were so accommodating and stayed open late for this event. It was such a fun evening and if you haven't read anything by either of these authors then you should definitely make a point to go now and do that, I'll leave links below!

These are two of my favourite authors and it so was great to see them both again and have a bonus evening of entertainment from them. Thanks to everyone involved and now I'm going to go and finish reading my signed copy of I Heart Forever!

Click here to order your copy of I Heart Forever by Lindsey Kelk: UK or US

Click here to order your copy of Searching for a Silver Lining by Miranda Dickinson: UK or US

Click here to see my Miranda Dickinson reviews!

Click here to see my Lindsey Kelk reviews!

Write Foxy Inspiration Day with Miranda Dickinson

On Sunday I was lucky enough to attend a fabulous writers' inspiration day hosted by the wonderful Miranda Dickinson-Write Foxy. The structure of the day was various inspirational talks by some fabulous published authors with breaks for coffee, cake, writing, more cake, more food, maybe a bit more writing in between. 

The event took place in The Village hotel in Dudley and featured a group of writers hoping for some inspiration and to learn what it's means to Write Foxy. 

We were treated to goody bags as well which included notebooks and pens, of course, sweets, of course, and we were also given notes on the various speakers and notes from them too on things such a structure, plotting and editing. All very helpful stuff!  

The writers speaking to us are all fabulous ladies who each have a different style of writing and are all wonderful in their own writes. First up was Hannah Beckerman, author of the dead wife's handbook. She spoke to us about plotting and planning and definitely inspired me to get my plan out of my head and onto some paper, or perhaps a spreadsheet-no excuses not to write then! She gave us lots of other pearls of wisdom and was also a joy to chat to! 

Cally Taylor was next to speak, she spoke to us about the editing process. I found this very interesting as I haven't actually done any of this yet and her structured way of editing will prove to be very useful in the near future I am sure. Calmly has written in various different genres. One of her rom Coms is about to be made into a film, Home For Christmas and she also brought us copies of The Accident which was signed and is one of my very favourite books this year, as you will know! It was wonderful to meet Cally at last! 

Tamsyn Murray was next to speak to us. She spoke about the structure of novels and how to plan a structure and check the balance of tension in our writing. This was very interesting and she used a very familiar picture book in order to illustrate her point. Her session was fast-paced and really engaging. Her children's books are fab and she also writes Rom Coms under a different name! 

Finally Miranda Dickinson spoke to us. She talked about what write foxy is and what being a writer means. Her talk was very inspirational and you can totally see why she has 5 best-selling novels under her belt and an awesome new one coming out in December! 

I also got to meet lots of other lovely writers who, in themselves, were a real inspiration. It was great to se so many people at different stages of their writing career and people with different ideas and worries just like me! This was a great way to kick of NaNoWriMo for me and I'm sure the inspiration will help me hit the 50000 words and then some! 

Thank you to Miranda for organising the event and thanks to the other lovely authors for inspiring us with their words. The next Write Foxy event is in February and I couldn't recommend it strongly enough. Not matter what stage of your writing career you are at, this workshop is truly inspirational and an excellent way to spend the day! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/write-foxy-writers-inspiration-day-february-2015-tickets-11388516359?aff=eorg 

An evening with Miranda Dickinson...

On Wednesday night I was lucky enough to be invited to an intimate book launch with Miranda Dickinson, her publisher and publicists and three other readers. This fantastic afternoon/evening took place in a trendy Soho eatery and our bookish discussions were accompanied by mini burgers and deserts all washed down with Prosecco and iced tea!

Miranda talked to us about her book and the reviews that had been coming in so far (mine included) as well as her previous four novels and her exciting exciting plans for book 6-which I cannot reveal now but I'm sure she will be letting readers know soon-it's seriously good stuff! 

She told us about her writing process, how she feels about being a full time writer now, and of course the fabulous news of her pregnancy. It was such a lovely evening because it was intimate and casual but we were all really excited about the book and she was even kind enough to sign our very own copies for us. The food was delicious although I don't know how Miranda had any time to eat hers as she spent so much time chatting to us individually. 

Her novel was published yesterday and if you've read my review which was posted on Wednesday you'll know how much I loved it. Thanks to Avon and Miranda for such a fab evening and the great company! 

Miranda was lovely enough to sign an extra copy of Take A Look At Me Now for me, and you guys have the chance to win it! All you need to do is comment below which of Miranda's novels is your favourite and why. I will pick a winner next weekend and notify the winner at the start of November. 

Remember to keep your eyes peeled to the blog for those exciting revelations about Miranda's next novel! 

Review! Take a Look at Me Now by Miranda Dickinson

How far would you go to make a new start?

When Nell’s on-off boyfriend Aidan calls her into his office, losing her job is the last thing she expects.

Heartbroken and unemployed to boot, she makes a radical decision to blow her redundancy cheque and escape to the untested waters of San Francisco.

But is the glamour of the city too good to be true? And can Nell leave her past behind?

Review: I seriously couldn’t wait for the latest novel from wonderful writer Miranda Dickinson and this was well worth the wait. My absolute favourite thing about this book, aside from the fabulous characters and amazing storyline was the setting and so I’m going to gush about that particular feature first! I knew that this novel was going to be set in San Francisco, but I didn’t know just how wonderfully realistic and well described it was going to be! When Nell loses her job and decides to go and visit her cousin in San Fran, I thought we might have a few scenes of outdoor action, but that it would predominantly be her and her cousin hauled up in the flat talking boys and jobs and life in general. Boy was I wrong. San Francisco is definitely the supporting star of this novel. I need to go there now! The diners the streets, the parks, the Golden Gate Bridge, all described amazingly, I defy anyone to read this novel and not want to take a trip there immediately!

Nell is, of course, an equally wonderful character. In true Miranda Dickinson style, she is always optimistic, evidenced by the fact that she takes her redundancy money and plans a trip to San Francisco with it. When her cousin asks her to help out with baking at her after school club, she is all for it. When she meets a new man, she doesn’t question it, but decides to go for it head on! I loved her. I wanted to be her friend and I am so pleased with the ending that she gets!

Lizzie, Vicky, Annie, Max and the children from the after school club all play incredible supporting characters as well. Each of them is fully developed and all play realistic roles in real life. Ex-boyfriend Aiden I feel is not to be trusted; this author has cleverly made me hate a fictional character, whilst loving another-that’s just how fab the writing is!

The love story that flows through this novel is definitely painful to follow just because it is such a slow burn, there is a lot of will they won’t they, and you may loose hope that things are going to work out the way you want them to. It’s definitely worth sticking out the tantalising twists and turns, however because the ending is one you’re definitely not going to want to miss!

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it impossible to put down and completely swept up in the story from the minute I picked it up. I am so grateful that I received an advance copy because I think the wait would’ve been even more agonising if it had been even a minute longer! It had reality, it had romance it had friendship, it had San Francisco, it had diner food-it really was the complete package. If you haven’t secured yourself a copy yet, I urge you to do so now, definitely a great book to snuggle up with on a cold autumn evening, and definitely something anyone would enjoy!

To order your copy now, just click here

I had a really good reading week!

So this week has been a pretty good reading week for me. Lack of voice at the start of the week meant no phonecall distractions and I had a couple of days in bed too so I listened to an audiobook. 

The 24 hours readathon has just finished and I reached my goal of reading Fairytale Of New York and I'll Take New York both by Miranda Dickinson. I wanted to re-read Fairytale because I'll Take New York is a companion novel and I read Fairytale in 2009 so I needed to get back into that world again! 

I loved reading both of these and even finished with an hour to spare. I read 881 pages, listened to an hour of the Miniaturist on Audiobook, had 6 cups of tea, 3 cups of coffee, a beer, a diet coke and an iced tea (as well as meals and snacks!) and I really enjoyed being able to sit down and get back into Miranda Dickinson's world again. I'll take New York is released in December so look out for more news and my review of that soon! 

I also read some novellas this week. I read the August and Spetember episodes of The Arcade. These were really fun and I'm looking forward to the October episode coming out soon! 

 

I also read Real Elves by Helen Smith which is. Christmas short story with a bit of a twist. This was a really fun, short read! 

This leads nicely into the Sunday challenge which was to read a Chritmas book this week. Sunday Challenge is Arranged by This Chick Reads on Twitter and is a great way to get you motivated to get through your TBR each week! I read the short story mentioned above. The two books by Miranda Dickinson which born feature Christmas fairly heavily and I also read I Will Marry George Clooney (By Christmas) by Tracy Bloom-review coming soon! 

On top of these lovely books I started and finished listening to Billy and Me On Audiobook and also read Where She Went by Gayle Forman, the sequel to If I Stay which I LOVED reading this summer! 

 

I also finished reading Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and started reading Special Delivery by Clare Dowling (which also takes place at Xmas!) both are awesome books too! 

Altogether in terms of complete books this week, I read 2055 pages which is immense, I don't think I've read that much when I've actually been doing a week long readathon. The 24 hours of reading did help (I did sleep about 6 of those hours!) but still, am really pleased so have enjoyed so many books this week (and cups of tea).

I enjoyed the Sunday challenge, I enjoyed the readathon and now it's onto a new week. It's a busy one so I'm not expecting much from this week and I'll never be able to compete with my reading of the last 7 days! Look out for the reviews soon! 

Happy reading x

 

Miranda Mondays Exclusive Playlist from I'll Take New York by Miranda Dickinson

Its my turn to host a Miranda Monday this week and you guys are very lucky because I have an exclusive for you today. I have the songs that Miranda Dickinson used to inspire her as she wrote the fabulous I'll Take New York which is out on 4th December. I suggest you have a listen to these songs before, during or after reading the book and don't forget to click the link at the bottom to pre-order your book now!



For every book I write, I put together a playlist to inspire me. For I'll Take New York, these are the songs I listened to:

1.      World Spins Madly On - The Weepies
2.      Tourist - Athlete
3.      Fall for You (Single Mix) - The Whitlams
4.      Sing - Travis
5.      Amsterdam - Imagine Dragons
6.      Every Little Thing - Delirious?
7.      My Waltz - Bailey Tzuke
8.      U + Me = - Dan Black
9.      Stars - Dubstar
10.     Pulling Teeth - Newton Faulkner
11.     Audience of Souls - Emily Smith
12.     Caught Up In Circles - Chesney Hawkes
13.     Loud and Clear - Olly Murs
14.     Umbrella - Scott Simons
15.     Where to Go from Here - Teddy Thompson
16.     You Can Close Your Eyes - Carole King & James Taylor
17.     Someone You Need - Howard Jones
18.     Panic Cord - Gabrielle Aplin
19.     Ashes On Your Eyes - Deb Talan
20.     The Last Song (Acoustic) - Ben Carrigan

Thanks so much to Miranda for this playlist, I know I'll be heading to Spotify to give it a listen now. If you'd like to read Fairytale of New York (Miranda's first novel) before returning to that same world in I'll Take New York, I'm going to be doing a readalong leading up to the release date of I'll Take New York. So keep your eyes peeled for that. 

Click here to get your copy of I'll Take New York

Click here to grab a copy of her first novel Fairytale of New York

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!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Sequels I Can't Wait To Get My Hands On

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 know writing this post is going to get me super excited about books that are coming out so I'm just going to get right down to it! 

1. I heart Christmas by Lindsey Kelk. I love the adventures of Angela and I love Xmas books so for the two of them to come together like this is simply amazing! 

2. The sequel to About a Girl by Lindsey Kelk. Lindsey has been very busy writing sequels for bth her fabulous female heroines. I'm very much looking forward to this one next year, I can't wait to find out what happens to Tess next! 

3. Witchrise by Victoria Lamb. Witchfall and Witchstruck were both surprising loves of mine. I read them back to back so I can't wait to read their sequel when it comes out next summer! 

4. The next book in the Geek Girl series by Holly Smale. I am very excited to find out what happened to Harriet next! 

5. Christmas at Rosie Hopkins Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan. this was one of my favourite books of 2012 and so for there to be a Christmas sequel coming up-wow! 

6. Christmas at Carringtons by Alexandra Brown. Cupcakes at Carringtons was fabulous, The Christmas version is set to be lush! 

7. Book 6 by Miranda Dickinson. This is a very new announcement. The next book from this amazing author will be as close to a sequel to her first book Fairytale of New York as a sequel can be... I am so so excited for this one and was very honoured that Miranda told me all about this at the launch of her latest novel Take A Look At Me Now. 

8. The next instalment of The Arcade by Kitty Charles. I know this isn't strictly a sequel, but I always look forward to the next episode of this monthly serial by a group of fabulous authors. High drama in every batch! 

9. Book 4 by Scarlett Bailey, again not another sequel BUT I have hard fabulous things about it from Scarlet herself and also Miranda Dickinson and so we KNOW its going to be amazing! If only we didn't have to wait until next Xmas for it! 

10. The Golden Locket by Primula Bond. This is the second book in the untreatable theology beginning with The Silver chain. It's out at the end of this month and as I loved The silver Chain and loved interviewing Primula Bond on the blog in September, I'm very much looking forward to this one! 

So there you have my top ten! If there are any that I've missed please do let me know in the comments  below and leave me links to your top ten anticipated sequels! 

Review: Christmas in St Ives by Miranda Dickinson

A wonderfully festive ebook short that will get you excited for the Christmas season, by the author of the bestselling Fairytale of New York.

Heartbroken Cerrie Austin is doing her best to hold it together in the run up to Christmas. Not easy when her cheating ex works in the same school and everyone’s eyes are on her. The last thing she needs is a new teacher meddling in her beloved nativity play, even if he is charming, handsome and a talented musician. The Christmas performance is her pride and joy, and she won’t be undermined.

Seren McArthur has recently returned to her Cornish hometown and is enjoying being close to her family and her oldest friends again. St Ives is at its most magical at Christmas, with fairy lights and tinsel in every shop window, tempting locals and holidaymakers alike as they pick up gifts. But an exciting opportunity is just around the corner: will she stay or will she go? 

Meanwhile, the St Ives Christmas celebrations are in crisis: plans for a giant lantern parade through the starlit streets have ground to a halt. As the snow starts to fall, can Cerrie, Seren and their friends Kieran and Aggie rally around in time to save the big day? 

Christmas in St Ives is a charming novella that introduces you to the characters from Miranda Dickinson’s upcoming novel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Available for preorder now! Just click the link: UK or US

Review: ok this was just the perfect start to the festive season for me. I am now ready to drink peppermint mochas, mulled wine and snowballs, watch all the christmas films and wrap my presents. And all this from one novella. I decided not to gobble up this festive offering in one go but to take it in slowly and savour it so I read it in 3 sittings. I really feel like i got to know the characters this way and I can't wait to meet them again in Somewhere Beyond the Sea in June 2018!

I think that Cerrie was my favourite character but that is because she is a kick-ass teacher and just a kick-ass woman in general. Miranda did such a good job writing about what it is like to be a teacher putting on a christmas production and got all the little important details spot on! I loved Aggie too and I know I would loved to visit her coffee hut after a long day at school as well. Of course I know we are going to find out more about Seren in Somewhere Beyond The Sea, and I really hope I get to see all of these characters get their happy endings in that book next year. 

This works really well as a novella because it is getting us ready for christmas, but also getting us ready for this novel next year. I love the fact that we have been introduced to these characters, we know some of their back story and their relationships to each other. But also we get to know about their lives and their town. It was great getting to know how the community works so we candice right in when the novel is out next year. 

The Christmas level in this novel is on high and it really does celebrate all the little things that we take for granted during the festive season. there isn't so much talk pop christmas trees, christmas dinner and the presents, but the events like the school play and the shop windows being dressed. `the first festive drink of the season and people breaking up from school for the holidays. I know these things are so important to me and reading about them made me feel so ready for the holidays. 

This book was a bargain and could definitely be a quick read if you decided to devour it all at once. Whether you are planning to read the follow up novel or not, I would definitely recommend picking this one up to get you in the festive mood and make you feel all warm and sparkly this winter!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I really love but haven't talked about in a while 22.3.16

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!

Oh what a lovely top ten this week! Books I love but haven't talked about in a while, this just basically means an excuse to talk about my favourite books right? Well you know what that means.... No numbers this week, I don't want to be showing any favouritism! If you're going away over easter then you might find a few recommendations here for an easter read or two to brighten up your weekend...

The Yorkshire Pudding club by Milly Johnson, I saw a copy of this the other night and finally spoke about it again after ages. I'm hankering after a re-read of this one as it cheered me up so much when I read it, audible here I come!



Take a Look at Me Now by Miranda Dickinson (does anyone else sing as they read out that title?) I talk about Fairytale of New York and Meet me in Manhattan ALL the time, but I loved this read as well and this book meant that I met Miranda for the first time too!



Darcy Burdock series by Laura Dockrill. No I haven't read book four yet despite having purchased it as soon as it came out *searches Amazon to find the date* woops! Such a fun series and definitely something to keep you entertained as a whole family, my library has the audiobook, yours might too!

The Accident by CL Taylor. I think I read this around Easter time too as I remember my Dad's birthday (which is next week) I couldn't go out to dinner until this was finished as I had 17 pages left. If you haven't read this one yet-you must!

All the Single Ladies by Jane Costello. I pressed this one onto my Mum and it wasn't until then that I remembered what an awesome book this was, proper laugh-out-loud comedy as well!



Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding. I read the most recent instalment of this around my MUM's birthday (it's a good way of keeping track of where/when you read books) and I was reminded of how much I love Bridget. I must read this again soon!



I Heart New York by Lindsey Kelk. I love Angela and I really really want to read about her adventure to the Big Apple again soon especially since I've just booked a trip there!



The Baby Group by Rowan Coleman. This was one of the books I read the summer I was unemployed and literally down to my last few books, between Rowan, Lindsey Kelk, Miranda Dickinson, Milly Johnson and Sophie Kinsella, my summer was made. An awesome early novel!



How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. I recently downloaded the latest novel from Moran 'Moranifesto' and was reminded how much I loved this book. I read it on a return journey to Glasgow on a very hot and sticky train one July (near my friend's birthday-see again!) and I remeber gushing about it to her as I got off the train. The reading reminds me of being slightly tipsy and sunburnt, classic combination, and made me feel empowered!



A special mention to all jenny Colgan novels. I feel like I haven't spoken about this author in a while and I love her funny books. Hers was also the very first novel I blogged about on here just over 3 years ago (yes I missed my Blogaversary I know!) and so I want to mention all of her books!

Ok I'm feeling the need to re-read all of these books now-good job it's the Easter holidays coming up, school won't mind if I don't do any work right?