Review: 'Dark Horizons' by Jenny T. Colgan (2012)

"We need to reach out. We need to continue the line..."

On a windswept northern shore, the islanders believe the worst they have to fear is a Viking attack. Then the burning comes. Water will not stop it. It consumes everything in its path - yet the burned still speak.

The Doctor encounters a people under attack from a power they cannot possibly understand. They have no weapons, no strategy and no protection against a fire sent to engulf them all. The islanders must take on a ruthless alien force in a world without technology; but at least they have the Doctor on their side... Don't they?

My blog kind of gives away what kind of genre I enjoy reading the most: chick lit, anything romantic, women’s fiction. I definitely like to change it up a bit sometimes, with a bit of fantasy or crime. However, if I'm being honest, there’s one particular genre that has never really attracted my attention, and that’s science fiction. I don’t have a secret obsession with Star Wars, there's no Star Trek uniform hidden in my closet, and I never understood why people think The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy is so funny. So, when I was contacted by Random House in order to review a Doctor Who novel, I was already on the verge of saying ‘No, thank you.’ However, as a big chick lit fan, I constantly find myself trying to convince other people to set aside their prejudices and give a chick lit novel a chance. This means I also have to set an example and step away from my own thoughts on science fiction and actually pick up a novel and discover the genre myself. As a result, I found myself sitting in the train a few weeks later, with a Doctor Who novel in my hands, ready to step into the world of the Doctor and time travelling for the first time (okay, I admit, I was a bit excited about the time travel part)...

In ‘Dark Horizons’ the Doctor finds himself in the Dark Ages, stranded on a northern shore without a companion, looking for someone to play a game of chess with. Yet, this idea is quickly set aside when a fire that cannot be stopped by water destroys everything in its path, including a Viking ship with a princess on board who is on her way to an arranged marriage. Soon, the initially rather quiet shore is filled with scared local villagers and angry Vikings, and the Doctor has to not only find out how to stop this fire generated by an alien force, but also how to stop these two groups from not killing each other on the spot.

‘Dark Horizons’ is the 26th Doctor Who book in this series, so initially I was a bit afraid I would not be able to keep track of everything going on in the novel, since I had never read or seen anything Doctor Who related before. Yet, thankfully, no background knowledge is needed to understand the storyline and you could easily read ‘Dark Horizons’ as a stand-alone. I felt myself getting quite excited about the book after only a few pages, because I wanted to know what would happen (and what was up with this crazy fire!). I’m not particularly a big fan of Vikings, but the mix of characters next to the Doctor grabbed my attention, and I especially enjoyed reading about the rather feisty Princess Freydis and Viking Henrik, who both also become kind of the Doctor’s companions in the book. 

As I already said, before reading this novel I was not familiar with Doctor Who, so I had no idea what kind of character to expect. In ‘Dark Horizons’ the 11th Doctor (played by Matt Smith in the TV series) is portrayed, and I thought he was an easily likeable, slightly strange (but in a good way), funny character. I’m familiar with Jenny Colgan’s writing from her fabulous chick lit novels, and in this book it isn’t any different: a well-written and captivating story that flows easily. I can’t say that reading ‘Dark Horizons’ has turned me into a big science fiction fan, but I did really enjoy reading this novel, and it has opened my eyes to the fact that even though a particular genre might not be your favourite cup of tea, you should still give it a shot because it might turn out to be a nice surprise!

Rating:7,5/10 

Cover Reveal: 'Geli Voyante's Hot or Not' by Elle Field

From Elle Field, the author of 'Kept', 'Geli Voyante's Hot or Not' will be released on October 17th in Kindle and paperback formats. You can add it to your Goodreads shelf today!

 

'I think I will always be known as the Hot or Not girl, defined by it for the rest of my career. Even my tombstone will read: Angelica “Geli” Voyante, beloved trendsetter. Death? Not Hot.

Yet, it doesn’t sound right. Why won’t anyone realise that there is more to me than this fickle persona I have inadvertently become?'

Geli Voyante is bored of being the Hot or Not girl, even if it has the perk of sitting next to Theo, the newspaper's very Hot political columnist. She's also getting a little lonely being single.

When her arch-nemesis Tiggy Boodles gets engaged, and other loved ones start to settle down, it's time for Geli to convince Theo that she’s not as shallow as her column suggests and, more importantly, she’s the one for him. Geli should remember though that there are always two sides to every story, and that applies to people too...
 

I am so excited to be able to share the cover for Elle Field's fabulous upcoming release with all of you today! I personally love the blue, wintery, lovely look of this cover, and I can't wait to pick up a copy of the novel myself on the 17th of October!

Review: 'The Lies You Told Me' by Jessica Ruston (2013)

'I do not know what you have been told about your mother. But I know it cannot be the truth...' 

Klara Mortimer never really knew her mother, Sadie, a former model, who left when she was just six years old. All she has is a handful of stories, passed down from the father who raised her. Klara tells herself she has long ago come to terms with her mother's disappearance from her life, but then she receives a note and key from someone who calls themselves 'N.R.'. These lead her to a garage, full of the remnants of her mother's past, and to the diary she kept all those years ago. Within its pages, Klara discovers a woman who doesn't quite match the portrait her father has painstakingly painted for her, and a story that leads her to question everything she thought she knew...

Jessica Ruston’s August 2013 release ‘The Lies You Told Me’ is one of those novels that show why I love being a book blogger as much as I do. I hadn’t read anything by Jessica Ruston before, the cover of ‘The Lies You Told Me’ hadn’t particularly caught my attention, neither had the blurb, until I received a review copy of this novel, thanks to the lovely people at Headline. Sometimes you need to pick up books that might not have been part of your usual to-read list, but provide you with the opportunity to try something new, something different, something that reminds you to step out of your comfort zone every now and again in order to discover what you perhaps had simply looked over at first. 

Klara Mortimer was just a little girl when her mother suddenly disappeared out of her life, leaving her behind with only her father to take care of her. Now, as she is older, all Klara has left of her mother are her own memories and her father’s stories. Until she unexpectedly receives a key in the mail with a note that leads her to a storage room. In here, Klara finds several missing pieces of the puzzle that is her mother’s life, including her mother’s own personal diary. Klara doesn’t want to share her findings with anyone else, and slowly she becomes obsessed with discovering what kind of person her mother was and what truly happened to her all those years ago... 

The story is told from two perspectives: Klara in the modern day and age, and Sadie (Klara’s mother) in 1950s London. I was immediately captivated by Sadie and her story, which is centred around her dream to become a famous model. She is such a determined young woman, and I really felt myself going along with her rollercoaster of emotions. I loved switching between these two voices and finding out more about Sadie with every page I turned. Occasionally I found myself getting a bit frustrated by Klara’s behaviour, but at the same time I have never been in a situation like hers, and everyone reacts differently to certain events, sometimes in unexplainable ways, which is something that also comes back in the novel. One of the strengths of the novel is also that even though I did not particularly really warm to Klara, I was definitely interested by her story and wanted to find out what would happen to her and her search for her mother’s identity.

There’s definitely a mysterious side to this novel: who sends Klara the key to the storage room? What happened to Sadie? Why did she suddenly disappear? Will Klara be able to find all the pieces of the puzzle? All these questions made me want to keep on reading in order to find out more. The novel focuses on memories, secrets, lies, and what kind of effect these things can have on you, and this is something that really fascinated me. ‘The Lies You Told Me’ is a slightly mysterious and compelling novel that will have you hooked from the first page until the very last words, so make sure you have a couple of free hours before opening this book!

Review:8/10 

Review: 'A Heart Bent Out of Shape' by Emylia Hall (2013)

For Hadley Dunn, life so far has been uneventful - no great loves, no searing losses. But that's before she decides to spend a year studying in the glittering Swiss city of Lausanne, a place that feels alive with promise. Here Hadley meets Kristina, a beautiful but elusive Danish girl, and the two quickly form the strongest of bonds. Yet one November night, as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes.

 

Hadley, left reeling and guilt-stricken, beings to lean on the only other person to whom she feels close, her American Literature professor Joel Wilson. But as the pair try to uncover the truth of what happened that night, their tentative friendship heads into forbidden territory. And before long a line is irrevocably crossed, everything changes, and two already complicated lives take an even more dangerous course...

Thanks to the lovely Ben at Headline I received a review copy of Emylia Hall’s ‘A Heart Bent Out of Shape.’ This is Emylia Hall’s second novel, which judged by the blurb promises a mysterious and intriguing story set in Switserland. Her debut ‘The Book of Summers’ was picked as a Richard and Judy Summer Book Club read and I’ve only heard and read great things about it. So, needless to say, I was quite curious to discover Emylia Hall’s writing myself.

Hadley Dunn leads a normal and not too exciting life. One day, she decides it is time for something adventurous, a change, which results in her leaving home to go and study for a year in the city of Lausanne in Switserland. Lausanne is full of promise and Hadley quickly becomes close friends with the Danish girl who lives in the room next to hers, Kristina. Unexpectedly, tragedy strikes, and Hadley’s Swiss adventure is suddenly turned into a nightmare. The only person she feels she can trust is her American Literature professor, Joel Wilson, whom she forms a close relationship with. Hadley wants to discover what happened that cold November night when everything changed, but this turns out to be a more difficult and intriguing task than she initially thought.    

‘A Heart Bent Out of Shape’ is set in Lausanne, and Emylia Hall provides the reader with magnificent descriptions of this Swiss city. It almost felt like I was walking down the snow-covered streets myself, as if I could feel the cold and see the tops of the mountains in the distance. With her words, she manages to convey a very specific feeling and image, a particular atmosphere, which fits the story perfectly and made me curious to visit Lausanne myself someday. Next to the scene setting, I was straightaway intrigued by Hadley and I liked her as a character. A couple of years ago I was a student myself and I really wanted to study abroad for a couple of months, preferably in the UK, but I never dared to actually do it. Hadley takes the plunge, and I admire her for stepping out of her comfort zone. I also loved her friendship with Kristina and the relationship she builds up with Hugo, a retired crime author who spends his days drinking brandy at a fancy hotel in Lausanne.

It took a bit of time before the story really got going, but this provides the reader with a couple of chapters to get acquainted with Hadley as the protagonist of the story and the city of Lausanne; chapters that build up to the moment of tragedy which is what the rest of the novel focuses on. After that moment, I simply wanted to read on and on to discover more about the story. The novel includes a big twist at the end, which I personally had not expected. ‘A Heart Bent Out of Shape’ is a poignant and captivating read about hope, first love, and loss, which you will not want to put down until you’ve discovered all of it!

Rating:8/10    

The Book Blogger Confessions Tag!

The rules:

Answer these questions truthfully.

Once you’ve completed this tag, tag 5 other book bloggers to answer these questions next. 

My answers:

1) I always finish every single book I start reading; I personally can't stand not finishing something I started reading, so even if I really don't like it, I must finish it!

2) The Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin

3) Jonathan Safran Foer's 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'

4) 'Message in a Bottle' by Nicholas Sparks (not because it's awful; I'd wrap it in plastic, so the sea can bring it to another place where someone might pick it up and read this fabulous love story)

5) Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'

6) The Fifty Shades of Grey series

7) Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice'

8) 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' by J.K. Rowling

9) 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' by J.K. Rowling

10) I have absolutely no idea.

I tag:

Kevin @ I Heart... Chick Lit

Megan @ Reading in the Sunshine

Laura @ Laura's Little Book Blog

Hannah @ Once Upon a Time

Rea @ Rea Book Review

Interview with Sarah Webb & 'The Memory Box' giveaway!

This morning I posted my review of Sarah Webb's new novel 'The Memory Box' (click here to read it), which was released today! It's a lovely, warm read which I recommend to every chick lit fan, so definitely add this one to your to-read list! I was lucky enough to get the chance to ask Sarah some questions about her new release; you can read the short interview below!

 

 

Can you tell us something about your new novel, ‘The Memory Box’?

The Memory Box is the story of an Irish woman, Pandora Schuster who on the eve of her thirtieth birthday discovers that she may have her mum’s heredity cancer gene, Breast Cancer Gene 1. This sends her into a complete tail spin, and makes her question her life and also the future of her nine-year-old daughter, Iris. Pandora is a single mum and she has never told Olivier, her ex-boyfriend that he has a daughter. So she travels to Paris to find him, with disastrous consequences.

 

Where did you find the inspiration for the plotline of ‘The Memory Box’? Did you incorporate any of your own life experiences in the book?

I’m not sure where the story came from to be honest. I’d read about the breast cancer gene and it just fitted this story. The characters grew and developed as I wrote the book and some of their passions are also my passions – art, family, Paris.

I was a single mum for seven years, so I understood Pandora’s struggle to work and look after her daughter, Iris only too well.

 

Which character in the novel did you most enjoy writing about and why?

Pandora Schuster, the main character. She’s strong and runs her own business, while looking after her daughter and her sister at the same time. I like giving my characters a challenge.

 

You’re not just an author of novels for adults, but have also written children’s fiction. How and why did you decide to start writing fiction, and did you start with writing for children or for adults?

I started writing for children. My first book was called Kids Can Cook and was published in 1996. I’ve written 34 books since then, 10 novels for adults and many books for children. I love writing for all ages and in many different genres. I hope I can continue to do so for many years to come.

 

The Memory Box’ is the second novel that focuses on the Shoestring Club. Can you give us a tiny hint on whether we will be able to read more about Pandora, Jules and the other Shoestring ladies in the future?

I won’t be revisiting the characters for the foreseeable future, but never say never!

 

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Yes:

1. Read – all great writers are great readers. It teaches you so much about plotting, characters, structure and good writing.

2. Write. A lot of people say that they’d love to write if they had the time. Make the time. Stick your bum to the chair and get on with it!

3. Write as often as you can, that way the story stays fresh in your mind.

4. Finish your book. The world is full of half-finished novels.

5. Never give up. If you truly want to be a writer, don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way. And if you fail the first time around, if your first novel is rejected, learn from the experience and write another.

My favourite quotation is this: Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

It goes for all things in life, including writing.

 

And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘The Memory Box’ in just three words, which words would you pick?

It’s always hard to describe your own work but I’ll give it a go – how about honest, heart-felt and warm.

 

** GIVEAWAY of Sarah Webb's 'The Memory Box'***

 

I am very pleased to let you all know PanMacmillan has kindly provided me with 2 copies of 'The Memory Box' to give away to some lucky readers! This giveaway is open to UK & Ireland residents.

 

Check out the synopsis of 'The Memory Box' below:

 

Pandora Schuster is about to turn thirty but that’s the least of her worries. In Dublin she has just been tested for a hereditary family illness and, expecting the worst, is desperate for her ex-boyfriend and father of nine-year-old Iris to be a part of her daughter’s life. There are two major problems: Olivier Huppert lives in Paris and he has no idea that Iris even exists. So when Pandora secretly tries to find Olivier during her Parisian birthday weekend, it all ends in disaster.

 

As the agonising weeks until her test results crawl by, Pandora manages to find some distraction with her kind and sensible boyfriend, Declan, and with her fellow Shoestring Club members as they time-share a fabulous new designer dress. Yet matters of the heart are not easily forgotten and Pandora is determined for Iris to know the truth about her handsome, charismatic father. So she creates a memory box filled with photos, letters and mementoes of the magical time she spent with Olivier in Paris.

 

But when the past and the present start to collide Pandora finds herself having to choose between her head and her heart...

 

In order to be in with a chance, please comment on this post explaining for whom you would make a memory box and what kind of things you would put in it, while also leaving your name and e-mail address. 

 

This giveaway ends on the 20th of September 2013 at midnight (UK time). Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified the day after. Good luck! :)

 

Review: 'The Memory Box' by Sarah Webb (2013)

Pandora Schuster is about to turn thirty but that’s the least of her worries. In Dublin she has just been tested for a hereditary family illness and, expecting the worst, is desperate for her ex-boyfriend and father of nine-year-old Iris to be a part of her daughter’s life. There are two major problems: Olivier Huppert lives in Paris and he has no idea that Iris even exists. So when Pandora secretly tries to find Olivier during her Parisian birthday weekend, it all ends in disaster.

As the agonising weeks until her test results crawl by, Pandora manages to find some distraction with her kind and sensible boyfriend, Declan, and with her fellow Shoestring Club members as they time-share a fabulous new designer dress. Yet matters of the heart are not easily forgotten and Pandora is determined for Iris to know the truth about her handsome, charismatic father. So she creates a memory box filled with photos, letters and mementoes of the magical time she spent with Olivier in Paris.

But when the past and the present start to collide Pandora finds herself having to choose between her head and her heart...

One of the best things ever has to be book post. I love receiving packages with books in them; packages promising lovely new stories to get lost in! Several weeks ago I received a package I wasn’t expecting, and I pulled out a review copy of Sarah Webb’s latest release, ‘The Memory Box’ (thanks so much for sending me a copy, Lucie!). By simply looking at the title and the cover, I already had a feeling this would be a novel I’d definitely enjoy. Sarah Webb is not an unfamiliar name, but I had never read any of her novels before, so I was quite curious to start reading, hoping my expectations would match reality!

Pandora Schuster lost her mother to cancer when she was just a teenager, which resulted in Pandora and her sister growing up with their father and the help of their grandmother. Now, Pandora’s thirtieth birthday is nearing, when she is unexpectedly contacted by a former friend of her mother who happens to be a doctor. She tells Pandora about a breast cancer gene she might have, which would increase the risk of her getting the same disease that eventually ended her mother’s life. Pandora decides to take a test to see if she has the gene or not, while at the same time it makes her think about her daughter, Iris, and the father she never met, Olivier. Pandora plans a birthday weekend to Paris, to track down Olivier and convince him to play a role in Iris’ life. Yet, things don’t go exactly as planned, and Pandora soon finds herself back home, not only worrying about her test results, but also about her boyfriend Declan, the Shoestring club, and the question of whether to continue to make sensible decisions or to simply follow her heart...

I absolutely love the idea behind the Shoestring Club; a group of women who can’t afford expensive dresses, but in order to be able to wear them after all, they share. I think this is a brilliant idea, also one that brings people with a shared passion for beautiful clothes together, and I’d love to be part of a group like this. ‘The Shoestring Club’, which was released in 2012, is actually the first part of the Shoestring series, followed by ‘The Memory Box.’ I didn’t read the other novel, but this didn’t influence the reading experience in any way. Sarah Webb explains everything and there wasn’t any moment in the book when I felt like I was missing bits of the story. ‘The Memory Box’ includes some fabulous characters, like Pandora and her entire family (I especially loved her grandmother, Bird, and little Iris), and after reading this novel I am even more excited about being able to pick up a copy of ‘The Shoestring Club’, to discover more about some of these fascinating characters!

The idea of a memory box (in this case, Pandora’s box, which is of course a great play of words) immediately spoke to me. I’ve always been fascinated by memories and capturing events and emotions by saving little things that remind you of that particular moment in time. The novel deals with quite some heavy and emotional things, but Sarah Webb manages to keep the tone light and pleasant. I also loved how there were different storylines; especially Alex and Markham’s plotline was really enjoyable to read. Overall, ‘The Memory Box’ is a warm and touching novel, a perfect read to help ignore the wet and colder Autumn weather that is coming up!    
 
Rating:8,5/10

 

 Keep an eye on this blog for an interview with Sarah Webb and a chance to win a copy of 'The Memory Box'!

September 2013 release: 'Gifted and Talented' by Wendy Holden

It's the new university term among the dreaming spires. The start of a whole new life. 

 

Meet Isabel, beautiful, clever, shy - and leaving home for the first time. Meet Olly, recently graduated, idealistic and a little hopeless, a man whose heart leads his brain and for whom opportunity just hasn't come knocking - yet. Meet Amber, the It girl who is soon partying with the fast set - and no-one is faster than Jasper de Borchy, glamorous leader of the notorious Bullinger club. Meet the grown-ups: Diana, recently divorced mother-of-one, newly arrived in town to take up a post as college gardener - and Richard, the new college head, a widower, a scientist, and as lonely as some of the specimens he captures in his science lab. 

 

The rich, the poor, the shy, the extrovert, the givers, the takers. Meet the Gifted and Talented.

 It was love at first sight for me as soon as I saw the cover of Wendy Holden's September 2013 release 'Gifted and Talented' on Amazon. Isn't it stunning?! I almost wouldn't even care what the book is about with a cover like that and Wendy Holden's name on it! However, the blurb luckily doesn't disappoint either. I already love the sound of the mix of characters, both youngsters and grown-ups, and I'm curious to find out what will happen to them and how their stories are connected to one another. Can't wait to pick up my own copy!

Click here to pre-order this novel on Amazon now!

September 2013 release: 'A Heart Bent Out of Shape' by Emylia Hall

For Hadley Dunn, life so far has been uneventful - no great loves, no searing losses. But that's before she decides to spend a year studying in the glittering Swiss city of Lausanne, a place that feels alive with promise. Here Hadley meets Kristina, a beautiful but elusive Danish girl, and the two quickly form the strongest of bonds. Yet one November night, as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes.

 

Hadley, left reeling and guilt-stricken, beings to lean on the only other person to whom she feels close, her American Literature professor Joel Wilson. But as the pair try to uncover the truth of what happened that night, their tentative friendship heads into forbidden territory. And before long a line is irrevocably crossed, everything changes, and two already complicated lives take an even more dangerous course...

 

I'm one of the lucky people who received a review copy of Emylia Hall's 'A Heart Bent Out of Shape', which will be released on the 12th of September, and I'm really looking forward to reading it! The story sounds quite mysterious, and I'm already intrigued by the tragedy that has gripped Hadley. I really enjoy switching between genres every now and again, and I can't wait to get stuck into a bit of suspense like this novel promises! Are you looking forward to this particular September 2013 release?

Be sure to pre-order your own copy on Amazon now by clicking here!

Review: 'Myopia' by Jeff Gardiner (2013)

‘Here comes four-eyes!’

 

Jerry is bullied for wearing glasses. When he realises his short-sightedness is not a disability but a new way of perceiving and understanding the world around him, he begins to look at it from a new, unique perspective.

He even starts to believe he might have super-powers, but soon learns a great deal about himself and about the boy who is making his life such a misery.

Has Jerry discovered a new way of dealing with firmly held opinions?

Myopia is a novel about bullying, friendship and learning the hard way.

 

Several weeks ago I received a review request from author Jeff Gardiner to review his novel 'Myopia.' As all of you can read in the blurb, this novel does not sound like most of the books I usually review (chick lit, women's fiction, romance). However, 'Myopia' caught my interest because of the topic it focuses on: bullying. When I was younger I was bullied a lot at school, and it is something that has influenced my life and changed me as a person. It is a serious issue and something which I think deserves a lot of attention. Jeff Gardiner puts the spotlight on the issue of bullying in his novel, and by reviewing this novel I can hopefully raise some awareness for this topic as well!

At first glance, Jerry seems like a typical teenage boy with glasses. However, for the bullies at his school, Jerry’s glasses are enough of a reason to treat him differently from the others by calling him names, pushing him around, and basically making his life very difficult. Even though the teachers are aware of what is happening, it seems like Jerry is the only one who can make his own situation any better. When his glasses are broken, Jerry starts to look at his short-sightedness from a different angle, and suddenly he finds a way to feel special and perhaps a way to deal with everything that’s being thrown his way.

‘Myopia’ is a novel that focuses on bullying, and Jeff Gardiner managed to do this very realistically. Teenagers can be really harsh, and the things Jerry experiences aren’t sugar-coated. The character of Jerry goes through different phases: trying to ignore the bullying, feeling horrible about all of it, dreaming of having super powers so he can get rid of all the bullies. This novel deals with ordinary, every-day people and I think every reader will be able to recognise him- or herself in one character; whether it’s the person who’s being bullied, a bystander or the one who does the bullying. Different characters are introduced, such as Mindy (the girl whom Jerry develops a crush on) and Wayno (the biggest bully at Jerry’s school), each of them taking on a specific and important role in the bullying game. I specifically liked Mr. Quincy Finn, one of the teachers at Jerry’s school, who serves as a good example of what a teacher should be like, looking out for the kids and trying to stop the bullying in whatever way he can.

Even though the plotline developed rather quickly and there’s an interesting mix of characters, I somehow missed something in this book. I didn’t really connect with Jerry or any of the other characters; I wasn’t able to get into the story like I usually do with other novels. However, this is something personal, and I do think ‘Myopia’ would serve as a great read for pupils at secondary schools, for example as part of the reading list for English classes. It is a great starting point for a discussion about bullying, while at the same time an enjoyable and interesting read. I’d definitely recommend this book to teachers or grown-ups who have to deal with the issue of bullying, but at the same time I think every reader will be able to recognise bits of him- or herself in this story.

 

Rating:7/10

Help Rowan Coleman raise £10,000 for Refuge!

On September 10th Rowan Coleman is publishing her novella 'Woman Walks Into a Bar' as an ebook for the first time. And 100% of her proceeds will be donated to Refuge.

Her goal is to raise £10,000 and you can help. All you have to do is buy a book, or two, and get your friends to buy one too. You’ll get a funny, romantic and touching summer read and you’ll be helping women you’ve never even met at the same time and all for the price of £1.59!

 

The story behind the story

 

Every book Rowan has ever written has meant a lot to her, but with her latest book ‘Dearest Rose,’ something really special happened when the real world and the fiction she loves to write collided. It changed her as a person and a writer, forever.

She was getting ready to research her tenth novel, which with the help of her Facebook readers she decided should pivot around the theme of domestic abuse. It was a subject she’d touched on briefly once before, when she wrote a short novella as one of the first Quick Reads called Woman Walks into a Bar, which to this day remains one of the pieces of work of which she is most proud.

So she posted on her Facebook page asking if anyone had any personal experiences of domestic abuse, and any stories they might share with her in confidence.

 She was shocked and amazed by the response; there were more than 200 emails waiting in her inbox the next day. Each story she read was horrific and frightening in its own way, giving her an insight into the secret lives of many women; lives that all too often remain hidden. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone - well educated wealthy women are just as likely to suffer as women from a working class background - but the one thing all those women had in common was that they were survivors. After years of being mentally and physically beaten down, they had managed to find the emotional strength, somehow, to break free and start again.

Now Rowan wants to do something that will help other women find that inner courage, and change their lives.

 

 

‘Woman Walks into a Bar’ is the story of 28-year-old single mother Sam spends her days working in the local supermarket and her Friday nights out with her friends letting her hair down at the White Horse. Life hasn’t been easy for Sam and her daughter, Beth (who always looks on the bright side) but she’s always hoped that one day she’ll break free from her past and meet The One.

But after a series of terrible dates with men she’s met through an internet dating site, that have all been as awful as her daughter’s terrible jokes, she’s starting to lose heart - until her friends tell her they’ve set her up on a blind date. Sam’s horrified but finally she agrees to go. After all you never know when you might meet the man of your dreams; maybe Sam’s happy ending is just about to begin….

£1.59 Amazon Kindle UK

 

So, come on and join Rowan, and help to #supportafriend on September 10th. Every time you buy or pre-order ‘Woman Walks into a Bar’ you’ll be entered into a prize draw for fabulous prizes every week, while the #supportafriend #womanwalks campaign is running. On 10th September, tweet Rowan photos of you and your friends, tell her your ideas to support a friend, and why your friends mean so much to you.

You can be a best friend to someone you have never even met. You can help someone out there find the support they need to change their lives.

If you are a blogger or tweeter, spread the word using #supportafriend #womawalks. If you are a company who could offer a prize to drive book sales and thereby money for Refuge, please get in touch. If you are a woman in an abusive relationship, or if you have a friend about whom you are worried, please get in touch with Refuge and ask for help today. 

About Rowan

Rowan Coleman grew up in Hertfordshire secretly longing to be a writer despite battling with dyslexia. After graduating from university she worked in bookselling and publishing for seven years before winning Company Magazine Young Writer of the Year in 2001. Her first novel ‘Growing Up Twice’ was published in 2002.

Rowan has gone on to write eight novels for women including the bestseller ‘The Accidental Mother, The Baby Group’ and ‘The Accidental Wife‘ and eight novels for children and teens including the paranormal adventure novels Nearly Departed and Immortal Remains under the name Rook Hasting. Her books are published around the world. She now lives in Hertfordshire with her family.

Woman Walks into a Bar website

Rowan’s website

Twitter @rowancoleman

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Review: 'Forgive Me' by Lesley Pearse (2013)

Eva Patterson's life is forever altered by the devastating discovery of her mother, Flora, dead in the bath leaving only a note: 'Forgive Me'.

 

Until Flora's suicide, Eva's world had been secure - but overnight everything changes. For when Flora leaves Eva a London artist's studio in her will, she finds her mother had a secret past.

In the studio's attic are Flora's paintings and diaries, and Eva learns her mother was a popular artist in the swinging sixties. Eva's hunt for answers uncovers clues to a shocking crime which led Flora to hide her past.

But will discovering the truth destroy Eva's belief in everything she holds dear? And will this journey lead her and those she loves into danger?

Lesley Pearse is one of the UK’s bestselling female fiction authors and has released 21 novels up to this day. Even though I had heard of Lesley Pearse before, I had never read any of her novels. So, when the lovely Sophie from EDPR contacted me about a review copy of ‘Forgive Me’, Lesley Pearse’s latest novel which was released on the 15th of August, I immediately grabbed the chance to be introduced to this bestselling author’s work!

‘Forgive Me’ starts with Flora Patterson planning and executing her own death. Eva, Flora’s oldest daughter, finds her mother a few hours later, death in the bathtub, with just a simple note that says ‘Forgive me.’ This event turns Eva’s world upside down, but it seems it is just the beginning. Eva discovers the man she considered her father is not her father at all, and unexpectedly she inherits her mother’s secret artist’s studio in London. This is the start of Eva’s journey to not only find out what her mother was hiding from her family for all those years and why she eventually felt she couldn’t deal with it all any longer, but also to discover who she is and which people around her she can truly trust.

This novel was a very emotional, gripping and addictive read. From the first few pages, I was already absorbed by the story and especially wondering what could have driven Flora to take such a drastic decision as committing suicide, leaving her family and everything behind just like that. The story is set in the early 1990’s and told from the perspective of Eva, Flora’s oldest daughter; a character that goes through a lot and by the end of the book she has matured and transformed as a person. I really enjoyed reading about Eva’s journey, and everything she discovers in the places she visits (the novel is mainly set in Cheltenham, London and Scotland), not only about her mother, but also about herself. Next to Eva, Lesley Pearse introduces numerous other characters, but she manages to describe each and every single one of them in close detail (I had no trouble envisaging all of them in my head) and giving them a specific essential role in the story line.

The novel is incredibly fast-paced, which is something I personally really enjoyed. It made me want to keep on reading, because with every chapter something new and unexpected would happen, especially since the story includes quite a few twists and turns along the way! The book deals with some quite intense issues, and towards the end I have to admit some of the events were a bit too much drama for my personal liking. However, ‘Forgive Me’ is a thoroughly gripping, emotional and fast-paced novel which you will not want to put down, and a novel that shows why Lesley Pearse continues to be one of the UK’s bestselling female authors! 

 

Rating:8/10 
 

Interview with Emily Liebert!

I am absolutely delighted to welcome Emily Liebert to 'A Spoonful of Happy Endings' today! Emily's debut novel 'You Knew Me When' was released on the 3rd of September and it is a heart-warming, brilliant read which I recommend to every chick lit fan out there (click here to read my review)! 

1) Can you tell us something about your debut novel, ‘You Knew Me When’? 

It’s about best friends who were like sisters to each other. Katherine Hill left her small New England hometown in pursuit of a dream. Now, twelve years later, she’s a high-powered cosmetics executive in Manhattan and a much glossier version of her former self, unrecognizable to her family and old friends. Laney Marten always swore she’d never get “stuck” in Manchester, VT. Instead, she wound up a young wife and a mother. When Katherine receives word of an inheritance from former neighbor Luella Hancock, she reluctantly returns home to the people and places she left behind. Hoping for a second chance, she’s met by an unforgiving Laney, her former best friend. And there’s someone else who’s moved on without her. Someone she once loved. Tethered to their shared inheritance of Luella’s sprawling Victorian mansion, Katherine and Laney are forced to address their longstanding grudges. Through this, they will come to understand that, while life took them in different directions, ultimately the bonds of friendship and sisterhood still bind them together.

 

2) Where did you find the inspiration for the plotline of ‘You Knew Me When’? Did you incorporate any of your own life experiences in the book?

Which character in the novel did you most enjoy writing about and why? 

Yes! I most certainly found inspiration in my own life and the lives of my friends/family. I believe it’s important to write about what you know, at least it is for me. I think that’s the most organic method of bringing the characters to life. I definitely loved writing about Luella Hancock. In so many ways, she was inspired by my maternal grandmother, who’s a very important person in my life. I love that Luella is glamorous and stoic, while mysterious at the same time. I wanted readers to be intrigued by Luella and wonder what else there is to know about her.

3) This is your debut novel. How and why did you decide to start writing fiction? 

While my first book, Facebook Fairytales, was narrative non-fiction, I’ve always wanted to write fiction. I’ve long been an elaborate story teller. For example, I’d come home from summer camp and regale my parents with every last detail. I’m sure I “enhanced” the stories a bit even then!

 

4) I’ve read a second novel will be published in 2014. Can you already give us a tiny hint of what this next novel will be about? 

Yes! My second novel, The Love That Lies Ahead, is scheduled to publish in September 2014. It’s about a woman who lost her husband eleven years ago and found out she was pregnant with their son a week after he died. Now, over a decade later, she and her son are moving back to her hometown for a fresh start. Unbeknownst to her, her husband’s former best friend and his wife live there now…and that leads to lots of interesting plot twists!

 

5) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?  

Write about what you know. Write about what you’re passionate about. Even if you’re not “feeling it,” always at least try to sit down at the computer and write something. And, finally, develop a thick skin. You will have doors slammed in your face. All you have to do is kick them down!

 

6) And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘You Knew Me When’ in just three words, which words would you pick? 

Poignant, Wistful, Bestseller(!)

Thanks so much to Emily for taking the time to answer these questions! :)

Follow Emily on Twitter via @EmilyLiebert // Get 'You Knew Me When' on Amazon by clicking here!

Review: 'You Knew Me When' by Emily Liebert (2013)

Katherine Hill left her small New England hometown in pursuit of a dream. Now, twelve years later, she’s a high-powered cosmetics executive in Manhattan and a much glossier version of her former self, unrecognizable to her family and old friends. Not that she would know—she hasn’t been home in over a decade.

Laney Marten always swore she’d never get “stuck” in Manchester, Vermont. No, she was destined to live out her glamorous big-city dreams. Instead, she wound up a young wife and mother. That was when her best friend ran out.

When Katherine receives word of an inheritance from former neighbor Luella Hancock, she reluctantly returns home to the people and places she left behind. Hoping for a second chance, she’s met by an unforgiving Laney, her former best friend. And there’s someone else who’s moved on without her—someone she once loved.

Tethered to their shared inheritance of Luella’s sprawling Victorian mansion, Katherine and Laney are forced to address their long-standing grudges. Through this, they come to understand that while life has taken them in different directions, ultimately the bonds of friendship and sisterhood still bind them together. But are some wounds too old and deep to mend?

Next to my own blog, I’m also a book reviewer for Chick Lit Club (a website which I’m sure all chick lit fans are familiar with!), which is how I got into touch with Sarah Hall Productions, Inc. about reviewing Emily Liebert’s debut novel ‘You Knew Me When.’ I immediately loved the sound of this book and really looked forward to reading it. I’d heard of Emily Liebert’s other release, ‘Facebook Fairytales: Modern-Day Miracles to Inspire the Human Spirit’, which is a collection of true stories about people who experienced something surprising, touching, amusing through their Facebook account. ‘You Knew Me When’ is Emily’s first venture into the world of fiction, and I was quite curious to find out more about it!

After her mother’s unexpected death, Katherine and her dad move to a new neighbourhood in Manchester, Vermont, in order to start afresh. From the first second in this new town, Katherine becomes best friends with Laney, and the two are quickly inseparable. Over the years, they start planning their future: going to college, moving to New York, having glamorous and successful careers... All of it together, obviously. However, when the end of high school is near, suddenly everything changes. Fast-forward twelve years, and Laney and Katherine are no longer in touch. Until they both receive the same letter: their old neighbour and friend Luella has passed away and she has named both Laney and Katherine in her will. They are forced to work together again after all these years and everything that has happened. Will the girls be able to set aside their problems and differences, or is it true that some things can be forgiven, but never forgotten?

‘You Knew Me When’ is mainly written from Katherine’s perspective, with some chapters from Laney’s point of view as well, and numerous flashbacks to when the two girls were growing up together. The mixture of both Katherine and Laney’s voices, and the portrayal of the two characters as teenage girls and as grown-up women, is really well-done. Especially the flashbacks revealed the closeness of their friendship, and this really added a nostalgic layer to the story. I could easily relate to some of Laney and Katherine’s experiences growing up, and the feeling of having that one best friend who is basically your whole life at that moment, and I think most female readers will recognise this while reading. The tale even reminded me a bit of Emily Giffin’s ‘Something Borrowed’, which is also a brilliant novel about a friendship between two female characters, Rachel and Darcy. 

Emily Liebert’s writing is fantastic: easy to read, captivating, and she manages to capture certain emotions perfectly. The novel mainly focuses on the two primary characters, Laney and Katherine, and the other characters aren’t really worked out in close detail. However, this didn’t bother me in any way, because it is Katherine and Laney’s story that is central to the novel; two best friends trying to find their way back to one another, after life has come in the way. ‘You Knew Me When’ is a heart-warming, thoroughly enjoyable novel about the power of friendship and the trials of growing up, which any female reader will be able to relate to. I loved this novel and it is definitely one of my favourite 2013 releases; I can’t wait to read more of Emily Liebert’s work!  

Rating: 9,5/10

Keep an eye on this blog for an exclusive interview with author Emily Liebert!