Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Books I Want to Reread

'Top Ten Tuesday' is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. I love making lists, so this feature fits me perfectly! If you also take part in this feature or have any additions to my lists, please get in touch; I'd love to hear from you!  

  Top Ten Books I Want to Reread
This week's Top Ten Tuesday list is a great one, because there are tons of books I'd love to reread. However, there are simply too many amazing books out there which results in me hardly ever finding the time to actually reread a book. Just the Harry Potter series and Jane Austen's books could already fill this top 10, but I'm sure I can come up with many more titles to place on this week's list!

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1. J.K. Rowling - 'Harry Potter' series

Do I even have to explain myself here? I don't think I will ever get bored of rereading this series.

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2. Jane Austen's novels

Same goes for Jane Austen's novels. Each time I reread these books, I discover new things and I can't get enough of the stories.

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3. Stephanie Meyer - 'Twilight' series

I've read the entire series once and really enjoyed it, especially the first two books. I really want to reread the books again and see whether I will still enjoy them just as much.

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4. Lisa Dickenson - 'The Twelve Dates of Christmas'

This is one of my favourite Christmas books EVER; it's hilarious and it definitely gets me in a festive mood. I think I'm going to make it a tradition to read it every year to get into the Christmas mood!

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5. Hilary Duff - 'Elixir' series

I still haven't read the last part of Hilary Duff's book series, so I really need to reread the two other parts and finally pick up the last third book.

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6. Nicholas Sparks - 'The Best of Me'

I really want to see the film version of 'The Best of Me', but I really want to reread the book before I watch the film.

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7. Cecelia Ahern - 'P.S. I Love You'

It's been such a long time since I read this book for the first time, it's been years and years... Definitely time to pick it up again!

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8. Audrey Niffenegger - 'The Time Traveller's Wife'

I read this book, but I don't remember that much of it, if I'm completely honest. So many people are so enthusiastic about it; I really think I need to pick it up again and give it another chance.

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9. Charles Dickens - 'Great Expectations'

A true classic, one I want to continue on rereading because I think the older I'll get, the more I will be able to appreciate Charles Dickens.

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10. Louisa May Alcott - 'Little Women'

One of my childhood favourites and also a story I probably won't ever get enough of!

Review: 'Pieces of You' by Ella Harper (2014)

Lucy. I don’t even know how to start this letter.  Something happened. Something terrible . . .
Lucy was always sure of one thing – her future with husband and soulmate Luke. But after eight long, heartbreaking years trying to have a baby, that future is crumbling before her eyes. When a terrible accident puts Luke into a coma, Lucy is forced to reassess everything she thought she wanted. 
Then a woman arrives with a shocking secret that will force Lucy to make the hardest decision of her life.
On the 25th of September 2014, the paperback version of Ella Harper's debut novel 'Pieces of You' was released. I was really excited about this book, because I had already read many positive things on Twitter and other book blogs and I was lucky enough to be part of the blog tour for the novel in August (click here to see the blog post which includes an exclusive extract from the novel!). When I found a review copy on my doormat, I couldn't wait to finally sit down with it and be introduced to Ella Harper's writing, especially after the many positive things I had heard and read!
Lucy Harte works as a florist and is married to the love of her life, paramedic Luke. Everyone around them knows Lucy and Luke are soulmates, the real deal. However, after eight years of trying to have a baby together without any luck, things aren't going so well between the two of them. Lucy wants nothing more than to have a child of her own and, even after the numerous miscarriages, she secretly has high hopes for their last IVF treatment. But then, completely unexpected, Lucy's world comes crashing down and suddenly she is forced to rethink everything and make some decisions that will change her life for always.
This book was just as compelling and heartbreaking as other readers had told me it would be; what an incredible debut novel by Ella Harper (who is actually author Sasha Wagstaff who chick lit fans might be familiar with). The story is told from three different female perspectives: the main character Lucy, her sister-in-law Nell, and her mother-in-law. The characters are really well-rounded and each had their own interesting point of view to share and story to tell. If you ask me, the strongest aspect of this book is undoubtedly the amazing love between Lucy and Luke. It is so obvious that these two characters are meant to be together, but at the same time the book shows that even people madly in love with one another have to overcome struggles and fight for their relationship.
The blurb of the book gives away a large part of the plotline, but there were still a few twists in the story I did not see coming. This novel is so well-written and emotional; I didn't want to put it down before I knew what would eventually happen to Lucy and I felt all kinds of emotions while reading it; from happiness to anger to tears. Somehow, this book is incredibly real and my thoughts were still on the characters a couple of days after I'd finished it. It's a perfect read for book clubs, because there are so many aspects to discuss or think about. 'Pieces of You' is an incredibly compelling, powerful, heart-breaking novel; a great read and I personally can't wait to see what else Ella Harper has in store for us. 
Rating:

8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

November 2014 releases! (2/2)

Yesterday I already told you about some of the amazing books that will be released this November (click here to read all about them), but there are so many more great titles coming our way in the next couple of weeks! Therefore, I decided to dedicate another blog post today to some of the other releases I'm personally really looking forward to picking up!
Which releases can't you wait to pick up? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Mhairi McFarlane – 'It’s Not Me, It’s You' (6th November)

Delia Moss isn’t quite sure where she went wrong.

When she proposed and discovered her boyfriend was sleeping with someone else – she thought it was her fault.

When she realised life would never be the same again – she thought it was her fault.

And when he wanted her back life nothing had changed – Delia started to wonder if perhaps she was not to blame…

From Newcastle to London and back again, with dodgy jobs, eccentric bosses and annoyingly handsome journalists thrown in, Delia must find out where her old self went – and if she can ever get her back.

Why so excited? --> I really enjoyed Mhairi McFarlane's 'Here's Looking At You' and am looking forward to picking up another one of her novels. I've read some reviews online of 'It's Not Me, It's You' and everyone seems to love it, so I have my fingers crossed and hope I'll enjoy it just as much!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

 

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Chrissie Manby – 'A Proper Family Christmas' (6th November)

Annabel Buchanan has it all. A privileged life. Pots of cash. Looks and manners born of generations of fabulous breeding. At least, that's what she likes people to think. But Annabel's carefully created image is about to come crashing down.

With her beloved daughter Izzy in need of a kidney transplant, Annabel is desperate to find a suitable donor. That's how she comes to admit that before Annabel Buchanan there was Daisy Benson, given up for adoption by her teenage mum and dad.

Hoping her biological family will be able to help, Annabel traces the Bensons and is horrified by the embarrassing, chavvy bunch she discovers. They're definitely not her kind of people. And she is equally baffling to them.

But as Christmas approaches and Izzy's situation brings the Benson and the Buchanan families closer, will Annabel discover at last that blood is thicker than water?

Why so excited? --> 'A Proper Family Christmas' is the sequel to Chrissie Manby's 2014 release 'A Proper Family Holiday.' I haven't read the book myself, but the blurb promises a great and captivating story about family and I look forward to reading it!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

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Giovanna Fletcher – 'Christmas With Billy & Me' (6th November)

Christmas has come to Rosefont Hill and it's destined to be a particularly special festive season for Sophie May.

When a smitten stranger emails Sophie to ask her if he can propose to the woman he loves in her little teashop, the romantic in her finds it impossible to refuse. Even though Christmas is her busiest time of year she has her own sweetheart, Hollywood actor Billy Buskin, to lend a helping hand. How could she say no to making someone's dream come true?

As Sophie and Billy work together to plan the perfect fairytale proposal for this couple, excitement in Rosefont Hill is mounting. Who is this mysterious man? And who is the lucky lady he's about to get down on one knee for?

Why so excited? --> Giovanna Fletcher is one of my favourite chick lit authors of the moment and I loved both her novels 'Billy and Me' and 'You're the One That I Want'. I guess it's no surprise I'm really looking forward to this festive sequel to 'Billy and Me' and to find out what has been going on between Sophie and Billy!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

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Lucinda Riley – 'The Seven Sisters' (6th November)

Their future is written in the stars...

Maia D'Apliése and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, 'Atlantis' - a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva - having been told that their beloved father, the elusive billionaire they call Pa Salt, has died. Maia and her sisters were all adopted by him as babies and, discovering he has already been buried at sea, each of them is handed a tantalising clue to their true heritage - a clue which takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of where her story began...

Eighty years earlier, in the Belle Epoque of Rio, 1927, Izabela Bonifacio's father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is working on a statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to complete his vision. Izabela - passionate and longing to see the world - convinces her father to allow her to accompany him and his family to Europe before she is married. There, at Paul Landowski's studio and in the heady, vibrant cafés of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again.

Why so excited? --> I'm personally not familiar with Lucinda Riley's work, but I already am really intrigued by the sound of 'The Seven Sisters'! I've heard many people applaud Lucinda Riley's storytelling abilities, so I look forward to checking out one of her works for myself!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

 

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Julia Williams – 'Coming Home For Christmas' (6th November)

These three friends are dreading Christmas …

Cat needs to get off the ‘has-been’ heap and rescue her flagging TV career but the demands of her extended family are reaching fever pitch and she barely has time to breathe. Meanwhile, Pippa has got too many balls to juggle as a struggling single mum trying to hang on to her family farm. And Marianne’s marriage is looking distinctly rocky now her beloved husband’s ex is back on the scene.

Happy Christmas? Forget it.

But Christmas is a time for miracles, and when the villagers learn they must fight for what they love, it becomes clear that there is festive magic in the air.

Suddenly for Cat, Pippa and Marianne, it’s looking like it might just be a Christmas to remember …

Why so excited? --> 'Coming Home for Christmas' sounds like a lovely festive tale to get in the Christmas mood and I am lucky enough to have a review copy of the book waiting for me! I can't wait to pick it up and am keeping my fingers crossed for a great story!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

 

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Samantha Tonge - 'Mistletoe Mansion' (10th November)

Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts. When Kimmy’s Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn’t approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.

So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…

Kimmy is finally living the life she’s always wanted. But will her glimpse into the glittering lifestyle of the rich and famous be as glamorous as she’s always imagined…?

Why so excited? --> Mistletoe Mansion is an amazing name for a house, isn't it? Just the amazing title is already enough reason for me to want to pick up a copy of this promising Christmas read. I really like the sound of the blurb, so I definitely have high hopes for this one!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

 

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Fern Britton - 'A Cornish Carol' (13th November)

This will be one Christmas they’ll never forget…

Piran Ambrose is the epitome of brooding male. But Pendruggan’s Mr Rochester is in danger of becoming its Ebeneezer Scrooge when he is driven to distraction by the villager’s over-the-top Christmas celebrations. How could the cringeworthy amateur village production of Aladdin bring seasonal cheer to anyone, he wonders? And do the village children really have to arrive at his cottage door every single night in December with their terrible recorders and discordant singing?

But when Piran’s bad temper risks spoiling Christmas for everyone, something drastic needs to be done. So, over one Christmas Eve, three very special people pay Piran a visit, determined to show him what Christmas is really all about…

Why so excited? --> 'A witty short story filled with Christmas cheer' is how Fern Britton's 'A Cornish Carol' is described and I'm sure many readers are looking for just that this November to get into the Christmas mood. Fern Britton's stories are always a joy to read, so I already look forward to picking up this novella!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

 

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Kathy Jay - 'What If He's the One' (13th November)

The one that got away…

Super-hot actor Alex Wells is moving on from his role as TV’s sexiest vampire to do Shakespeare in London when his match-making twin sets him up with his old friend, and one-night-flop, turned London based fashion stylist, Magenta Plumtree.

After working together on a fashion shoot in Boston, bubbly Maggie and Hot Vampire Guy embark on a red-carpet-weekend/fling in New York. There’s a problem. Free spirited Maggie, not believing in The One, and set on having a family of her own, plans to have a sperm donor baby, whilst Alex, donor conceived himself, is appalled at the idea.

Why so excited? --> This sounds like quite a different but fun read! I've read some really great and entertaining Harper Impulse releases the past year, so I am quite curious to check out this particular release!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

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Dana Bate – 'The Stall of Second Chances' (20th November)

Sydney Strauss is obsessed with food.

Not just with eating it - though she loves that too - but with writing about it as an aspiring cookery reporter. But food journalism jobs are more coveted than cupcakes, and so Sydney is stuck working for one of TV's biggest egomaniacs - until she's left scrambling for shifts at the local farmers' market.

Selling muffins at the Wild Yeast Bakery is hardly going to make her the next Nigella. But soon Sydney is writing the market's weekly newsletter, and her quirky stories gain attention from a prominent food columnist. After years of being left on the shelf, she's even dating again. And then Sydney gets a shot at the story, one that could either make her career or burn it to a cinder - along with her relationship and her reputation.

Why so excited? --> I fell in love with the cover of 'The Stall of Second Chances' as soon as I saw it and I am really intrigued by the blurb as well. I'm not familiar with author Dana Bate, but this is definitely one of the November releases I am most excited about!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

 

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Jill Knapp - 'We've Always Got New York' (20th November)

The second book in Jill Knapp’s fabulous series about dating in New York picks up after Amalia Hastings returns to Manhattan from her trip to Brazil – and finds that life has indeed gone on without her.

Fresh off the plane, Amalia’s feeling anxious and unresolved; left alone to pick up the pieces and deal with the repercussions of choosing her own path over Michael.

Without an apartment, without a job, and starting to wonder if she’s even without a best friend, she finds herself holding on tightly to the one thing she is familiar with, New York City.

Sometimes you have to let go of who you were to become who you will be…

Why so excited? --> 'We've Always Got New York' is the second part of Jill Knapp's book series about dating in New York. I haven't read the first book yet, but I have to say I am quite intrigued by the book cover and the blurb... Definitely going to pick up a copy of one of Jill Knapp's books soon, if possible!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

 

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Lindsey Kelk - 'Jenny Lopez Saves Christmas' (20th November)

Jenny Lopez has had a crappy twelve months.

Determined to turn her festive frown upside down, she plans a super winter getaway for her nearest and dearest: ski cabin in Vermont, the best Christmas tree the world has ever seen and more bottles of champagne than is possibly legal to transport across state lines.

But nothing goes to plan and before she knows it, Jenny’s awesome super funtimes Christmas has turned into a dry, dull couples’ retreat. But this is Jenny Lopez. She’s going to have the best Christmas known to man and she’s not prepared to accept anything less, even if it means snowshoe-ing to the nearest store and dragging a turkey three miles in the snow. Even if it means chopping up her beloved Christmas tree to start a fire. Even if it means standing up a hot, wealthy doctor (a doctor, people!) to make sure everyone gets the holiday they deserve.

With her best friends, Angela and Erin, by her side Jenny Lopez is determined to save Christmas. Whether it likes it or not.

Why so excited? --> Yay, I am really really really excited about the fact that Lindsey Kelk is treating us to a special Jenny Lopez novella during this year's holiday season! I can't wait to read more about Jenny, Angela and Erin... So excited!

Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Happy November reading! :)