BOOK REVIEW // THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS

The Runaway Princess is the latest novel by Hester Browne who has also written bestselling novels Swept Off Her Feet, The Little Lady Agency in the Big-Apple and The Finishing Touches. Despite being the author of so many best selling books, I'd never read any of Hester Browne's stories before so I was eager to discover her writing style and get stuck into her latest book, The Runaway Princess.

The story follows Amy Wilde who is married to her less than glamorous job as a top gardener. Despite her flatmate Jo (who is the complete opposite of Amy) continually trying to set her up, it just doesn't happen. Amy is comfortable with her life - it might not be glossy but she's happy. However her life is turned upside down when she a meets mysterious and handsome man called Leo and experiences an immediate mutual connection. Imagine her surprise however when she discovers that he's a prince and his life is everything hers is not!

The blurb reads -

Amy Wilde is tired of the idiots her glamorous flatmate Jo tries to set her up with - she'd much rather be landscaping a garden with her dog Badger at her side than trying to find the man of her dreams. That is, until she meets Leo Wolfsburg. Handsome, polite, funny, intriguing - Leo is everything Amy could want in a man. Best of all, the attraction seems mutual.

But Leo's lifestyle is a world away from her own. Private planes, charity balls, exclusive members' clubs - Amy begins to realise that her simple existance has been turned upside down. And just where is Leo's home country of Nirona, anyway? Is this all too good to be true?

This book deals with exactly what happens after the 'happy ever after' - something we don't often get to read about in books. It's a much more realistic example of a fairytale - as much as we'd all like to be swept off our feet by a handsome man who turns out to be a prince, there's a lot more to it than that. For example, Amy isn't too happy that Leo lied to her about who he actually was and then she's more than convinced she's not cut out to be a princess. Then there's family members - those who want the crown for themselves and those who don't think Amy could fill the role of a princess. It's refreshing to know that not everyone lives happily ever after without their fair share of pressure, especially when it comes to marrying a prince. I'd like to think should any ordinary girl meet a prince, this book is an accurate representation of how it would all play out. And I love that. I really, really love how this book manages to stay realistic but also inspiring at the same time.

I thought Hester Browne's writing was really witty and found myself giggling along constantly. The story was just right ; it was heartwarming and uplifting but it also had it's fair share of moments that made you stop and think which I liked. It definitely made me laugh a lot more than other stories too.

I loved Amy's character because I think we can all relate to her in someway. She's slightly shy around people she doesn't know - worrying about saying the wrong thing or giving off the wrong impression and prefers staying in the kitchen eating foods at parties instead of socialising. But she's also head strong and determined, especially when it comes to her career. Sure, she could definitely do with glamming herself up a bit, but at the end of the day she's just a normal lady like any of us.

My favourite character would hands down have to be womaniser Rolf. He's absolutely hilarious - he has no clue about woman (but manages to bag them all somehow anyway?) and is devilishly handsome. In fact, is it wrong that before I fell in love with Leo's character, I kind of wanted to explore things further between Amy and Rolf and wanted to know what would happen if she'd given him a chance? What can I say, I always did prefer a bad boy womaniser over a romantic prince any day..

Overall this book was really witty and inspiring and I loved how long it was. It started from when Amy and Leo met, but didn't stop when they fell in love. We found out exactly what happened when Amy struggled to fit in with their royal family. This seems like a lot, the book covering their relationship from the very beginning but it felt just right - it wasn't rushed but the writing didn't seem forced either.

And as a final note, I'd also like to add that the book cover is SO cute. It's very girly and sophisticated, which is a perfect reflection of the story.

You can purchase Hester Browne's The Runaway Princess on Amazon now.

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P.S Check out the Book Reviews tag for more book reviews! Also, please do visit Hanging On Every Word - another blog I'm part of. It's a collaborative book review blog between myself and some other bloggers and there are some great reviews on there! Please do check it out!

*Please note, this post contains a PR sample.

BOOK REVIEW // VIVIEN'S HEAVENLY ICE CREAM SHOP

Imagine my surprise when I arrived home from work recently to find this book waiting for me at home! I love reviewing books and have been very thankful to be able to read and review this one - for a start, look how cute the cover is! Doesn't it just make you want to get a giant ice cream and sit reading on the beach at Brighton or somewhere?

Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop is the second novel by Abby Clements and you can read my review of her first book, Meet Me Under The Mistletoe, here. I loved her first novel and already thought Abby Clements was a talented writer so as soon as I realized this book was her second novel, I knew I'd enjoy it.

This story is all about two sisters trying to run their late grandma's ice cream shop together, despite the fact that it's looking a little run down and the sisters are the complete opposite of each other. Anna is settled in her life having just moved in with her long term boyfriend whereas Imogen is constantly jetting off around the world to travel. But when they unexpectedly inherit the ice cream parlour they struggle to keep their grandmothers legacy afloat, even though running an ice cream shop was the last thing either of them expected to be doing that summer.

The blurb reads -

When Imogen and Anna unexpectedly inherit their grandmother Vivien's ice cream parlour, it turns their lives upside down. The Brighton shop is a seafront instuition, but though it's big on retro charm it's critically low on customers. If the sisters don't turn things around quickly, their grandmother's legacy will dissapear forever.

With summer fast approaching, Imogen and Anna devise a plan. Rather than sell up, they will train up, and make the parlour the newest destination on the South Coast foodie map.

While Imogen watches the shop and conjures new marketing ideas, her sister flies to Italy to attend a gourmet ice cream-making course. But can their best-laid plans survive their warring family, tempestuous love lives - and the great British weather? One thing is for certain - this summer will be like no other...

I loved this book because it was the perfect summer holiday read. It just reminded me of days spent on the beach when I was younger and used to go on caravan holidays down south with my parents, eating giant ice creams and lazing out under the sun. Do people still go on those types of holidays anymore? It's all about going abroad these days, isn't it..anyway, this book definitely reminded me of those times and put a big smile on my face and I'm sure it'll have the same effect on you. The whole book is about re-creating the vintage charm memories have, bringing old memories up to date and helping keep them alive. 

My favourite part of this book was that it had two main characters - sisters Imogen and Anna. Both were lovely characters but complete opposites of each other so that if you couldn't relate to one, you'd almost certainly relate to the other. I loved that their different personalities clashed in a number of different ways - at points they found it hard to run the shop together because of it, but at other times they balanced each other out which was great. I also liked how almost half way through the story they pretty much swapped lives - Anna jetted off to Italy for an adventure whilst Imogen was stuck at home running the shop.

It was also interesting to read as it dealt with some of the inevitable issues you have to deal with when you 'grow up'. The sisters worried as their dad fell into depression once his mum had passed away, and then there were arguments within the family about who should get the shop. It's a sad thing to know that these type of issues will one day crop up, but I thought it kept the book realistic and grounded.

Despite these side storylines, the story was very much lighthearted otherwise. It was funny, inspiring and even had a bit of romance in it. It was just the perfect book to read on a lazy day and it was easy to come back to time and time again. 

It taught me that sometimes life will throw you challenges which will literally turn your life upside down - but this isn't always a bad thing. It changed the sisters' lives in a good way and was a blessing in disguise - I think it was a challenge they definitely needed to overcome without even realizing it themselves.

I also loved the recipes at the back of the book! I've definitely been inspired to have a go at making my own ice cream now...

You can purchase Abby Clements Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop on Amazon now.

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P.S Check out the Book Reviews tag for more book reviews! Also, please do visit Hanging On Every Word - another blog I'm part of. It's a collaborative book review blog between myself and some other bloggers and there are some great reviews on there! Please do check it out!

*Please note, this post contains a PR sample.

BOOK REVIEW // NICK & NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST

I actually did the whole thing backwards and watched (and reviewed!) the film before I read the book, but never mind. I loved the film and thought it was so quirky, so figured the book would be just as amazing. Thankfully I was right.

Image taken from Google

In case you haven't read my review of the film (go do it!), it's generally about a pair of teenagers, Nick & Norah, who clash together and basically have this infinite night/adventure together. I say they clash together, not in a bad way but in the way in that it's the start of something big, as opposed to clashing together in the fighting sense. The film storyline actually defers a little from the book, but overall it's themed around music, love and one long infinite night filled with adventures. What more could you want?

The blurb reads;

Nick's just seen the girl who dumped him walk in...with a new guy. What else can he do but ask the strange girl next to him to be his girlfriend for the next five minutes?

Norah would do anything to avoid conversation with the not not-friend girl who dumped Nick...and to get over the Evil Ex whom Norah never really totally dumped. What else can she do but answer Nick's question by making out with him?

With one electric, unexpected kiss, the five-minute couple of Nick and Norah set off on an uncharted adventure called the "first date" that will turn into an infinite night of falling in and out (and in and out, and maybe in and maybe out) of love. Theirs is a first date of music, laughter, heartache, confusion, passion, taxi driver wisdom, and a jacket named Salvatore. And if course a killer soundtrack.

As Nick and Norah wander through the middle-of-the-night mystic maze of Manhattan, they share the kind of night you never want to end, where every minute counts and every moment flickers between love and disaster.

First of all, I love the cover of this book. It's so simple yet eye-catching. It's a beautiful colour and I love how the iPod earphones make a heart shape, as well as the cool fonts of the title. The cover is actually so predictable because it covers exactly everything that the book is about ; music, love, the characters of Nick & Norah, and their infinite night. 

The story is co-written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Rachel writing Norah's chapters and David's writing Nick's. The book alternates between each characters point of view which is less common, but even more so for me because I've never really read a book that uses this concept. I really enjoyed the way it was written, it was nice to get into both characters head and see the way they were both dissecting situations differently. It made it easier to really capture the way the two characters (and men and woman in general) see things, think about things and analyze things so differently when it comes to love and dating. It also helped understand their slight awkwardness a bit better, which again, I loved in this book. Their characters were very off and on; at points Nick seemed really into Norah where she was backing off a little and at other times it was the other way around. It was extremely realistic in this sense and I loved that it didn't follow the typical storyline of the couple clicking immediately and that being that. It was refreshing to see that not everything went to plan; things Norah was constantly second guessing Nick's actions and words when really he's just struggling to juggle getting over his ex and liking Norah at the same time. 

Whilst inititally Nick's character annoyed me a little bit in the film with his inability to move on from his ex, in this book I loved him right away. Perhaps it was because I was getting right in his head and understanding how he actually felt and still hurt a little. His character was a lot more deep too and I loved that.

Norah was witty and so much cooler in the book than in the film (not that she wasn't cool in the film!) and I loved her character even more when reading the book. The way she talks and just some of the random phrases she uses to explain things are hilarious. She's just like any other girl; scared to fall for this guy in case she gets hurt, even calling herself a loser when what she says or does doesn't go to plan and she feels stupid for initiating it. It was great reading about her own second thoughts because though we've all moved on and aren't teenagers anymore dealing with these insecurities or double guessing so severely, they're always still there when it comes to being with someone we like, no matter how grown up we are.

There were quite a few differences between the book and the film, but none so major that the storyline was effected. For example, Tris's character is a little nicer and we come to understand that she dumped Nick because she didn't love him enough and didn't want to continue hurting him when he could instead be happy with someone else. In the end she somewhat gives the couple their blessing. In the film, Tris and Norah do have a heart to heart moment, suggesting that they sometimes forget that they're better friends then they realize, but in the book they get on a little better and this is shown more. The night in the book isn't about finding Norah's drunk friend either. Although they are still kind of pushed together in the book, the outcome is still the same.

Overall it was just a great story and I loved everything about it. After reading the story, it was so obvious that no one other than Michael Cera and Kat Dennings could have played these characters. The book was great because it just captured the whole story a lot better, everything was just that more deep and the characters were so easy to understand. 

I would suggest this book to anyone; regardless of whether you've seen the film or not. It's a short book and despite the fact that it's quite deep, it's easy to read. It's funny and passionate and makes you want to go on your own infinite adventure, if even just to capture that feeling of a first love again. I also loved The Acknowledgements Playlist which was a cute idea.

This book effortlessly captured the innocence and clumsiness of a first love, and most definitely the  anticipation and excitement of the adventures we experience on those random seemingly neverending nights.

And here are some of my favourite quotes from the book!

When is a night over? Is it the start of sunrise or the end of it? Is it when you finally go to sleep or simply when you realize you have to? When the club closes or when everyone leaves? Normally, I keep these kinds of questions to myself. But this time, I ask Norah.

"It's over when you decide it's over," she says. "When you call it a night. The rest is just a matter of where the sun is in the sky. That has nothing to do with us."

"So what do you have to confess now?"

I don't know why I'm saying any of this, except that it's the truth.

"I'm confessing that I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"What is 'this'?"

Being open. Being hurt. Liking. Not being liked. Seeing the flicker on. Seeing the flicker off. Leaping. Falling. Crashing.

"Norah. I don't know if I'm ready for Norah."

I feel like I could drown in this, in him. He's lit by the machine he's leaning against, but I have fallen into darkness, not the darkness of the deranged or the depressed, but the darkness of the consumed, where all I can see, hear, taste, feel, is the probe of our mouths and hands, the warmth of our bodies pressed against each other, the urgency of his wanting, my wanting. It's like nothing else exists in the world right now except him, me, touching, exploring, longing, needing, sharing, having. So much for my straight-edge vow, because I am drunk on our ing's. If Nick's part of 'em, I want 'em, they're mine.

If I do this, it will be jumping into the middle of the mosh pit. Dangerous. Exhilarating. Terrifying. It's only a fucking turnstile, but what if I don't make it to the other side. Some people never make it out of the mosh alive.
The deafening screech of a train brakes announces the train is in the station.
Nick says, "Are we in this or not?"
To throw myself into the breach of our great divide will be a leap of faith.
I grab hold of his warm hand. Deep breath.
Ready.
Set.
Jump.

P.S Check out the Book Reviews tag for more book reviews! Also, please do visit Hanging On Every Word - another blog I'm part of. It's a collaborative book review blog between myself and some other bloggers and there are some great reviews on there! Please do check it out!

Book Review of Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Back in September I finally got to read Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. I'd heard rave reviews about it, a lot of people had been discussing it and talking about the issues raised within the books pages. Not long after reading it, I discovered it was being made into a film - which is out at the cinema now. So if you haven't heard of the book the chances are you've probably heard about or watched the film! The film is actually a rom-com, whereas the book is a lot more darker and thought provoking, and I hope to see and review the film too. I'm interested to see how it compares to the book, although I would have loved to see the film being made within that darker genre as I feel being a rom-com it may not do the book as much justice.

The blurb reads -

'R' is a zombie. He has no name, no memories and no pulse, but he has dreams. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

Amongst the ruins of an abandoned city, R meets a girl. Her name is Julie and she is the opposite of everything he knows - warm and bright and very much alive, she is a burst of colour in a dreary grey landscape. For reasons he can't understand, R chooses to save Julie instead of eating her, and a tense yet strangely tender relationship begins.

This has never happened before. It breaks the rules and defies logic, but R is no longer content with life in the grave. He wants to breathe again, he wants to live, and Julie wants to help him. But their grim, rotting world won't be changed without a fight...

It took me a good few weeks to read this book which is actually kind of odd for me as normally I'll read a book within days or a week. It wasn't that I didn't like it - I actually really enjoyed this book - but it was more the fact that it was so deep and dark that it was something I found I had to take a break from every so often. I found it was the type of book that needed your full attention - I couldn't read it whilst on the bus on the way to work for example or whilst half watching TV. It was very heavy if that makes sense.

I generally thought the idea behind the storyline was fantastic. I've not really seen a book (or many other things for that matter) covering the idea/issues both after a zombie apocaylpse or by focusing on the zombie. This book focuses on R who is a zombie and is written from his point of view which is so interesting simply because it's so different. I imagine the author would have struggled with this quite a bit, but honestly massive props to him for not only attempting it but managing to do it very well!

Despite the fact that R is a zombie, it's very easy to sympathize with him and feel sorry for him. I doubt many people have actually imagined what it must be like to be a zombie from a more neutral point of view - the fact that zombies need to eat human flesh to survive and that it's not really their choice to become monsters. None the less, a lot of the issues raised in this book are thought provoking.

I thought it was oddly romantic too, in a very weird sense. The blurb reads that Julie is a 'burst of colour in a dreary grey landscape' - and at the end of the day, isn't that love exactly? When the world is okay, not amazing but not horrible either, but when you meet someone special it just becomes that little bit better and brighter?

I found some parts of this book actually quite depressing, especially when it forced me to think about the lifestyle and purpose of a zombie and things from their point of view. When I stopped to think about the fact that these zombies were once actual people and now didn't even live properly - both in the sense that they didn't 'live' their live and in the sense that they're technically 'undead' - well it was quite sad. The idea that they had no purpose whatsoever and just...wandered absolutely terrified me to no end. No memories. No names. No persona. They just...are.

There isn't much I can say about this book without ruining the plot line apart from the fact I'd definitely suggest reading it. It's not for everyone, but it is very different, and the type of story I could re-read a few times over even though I know how it ends. I'm very intrigued to see how the film compares to it and I have a lot of respect for the book, simply for how tough it must have been to write and just how interesting it is to see Isaac Marion push the boundaries and write about this type of subject.

P.S Check out the Book Reviews tag for more book reviews! Also, please do visit Hanging On Every Word - another blog I'm part of. It's a collaborative book review blog between myself and some other bloggers and there are some great reviews on there! Please do check it out!

Book Review - Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

Recently I reviewed the film Whip It, a story all about roller derby, being an outcast and struggling to fit in. I raved about how much I loved the film and how quirky it was and recently read the book which the film was based upon. 

There's not much I can say about the story line of this book that I haven't already said in my film review post, because surprisingly the film stuck very close to what happens in the book - therefore I'll keep this review short and sweet!

I could only name one or two minor differences between the book and film, neither of which were extremely important to the story line. I found Bliss's character to be a little bit more sassy and awesome in the book, but I really loved the tone of voice Shauna Cross uses in the book. It's very informal and different, making it so easy to get inside the characters head.

The chapters are short and straight to the point, and apart from the first couple of chapters, the author doesn't tend to dwell on Bliss's feelings about not fitting in. This worked well though because she didn't really need to ; throughout the book it's obvious to see without having to be constantly reminded.

I did think Oliver's character was a tad more of a douche-bag in the book than opposed to in the movie, but again, we saw learned more about his character in the book overall, so he also seemed like a really nice character at some parts.

The book made me laugh out loud and made me feel inspired, and I thought it was just a really great light hearted read. I loved the book as much as the film - if not more - and despite being a book that was fairly short, it's one I'd re-read over and over. It's an ideal book to just pick up and read through in one go because it's not too heavy.

It's not deep and perhaps not moving but it is inspiring and laugh out loud funny.

Book Review of Rock Me by Cherrie Lynn

I ordered this book with my free £50 Amazon voucher (thank you Daxon!) and as soon as I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It arrived yesterday morning and I'd finished yesterday night!

The blurb reads -

Candace Andrews has had enough of pleasing others. In an act of birthday rebellion, she sets out to please herself - by walking into the tattoo parlor owned by her cousin's ex-boyfriend. All she wants is a little ink, and Brian's just the guy to give it to her.

As soon as she submits to his masterful hands, though, the forbidden attraction she's always felt for him resurfaces...and she realizes the devilishly sexy artist could give her so much more.

Sweet, innocent Candace is the last person Brian expected to see again. She's everything he's not, and her family despises him. He doesn't need the hassle, but he needs her, and this time no one is taking her away. Not even those who threaten to make his life a living hell.

Backed into a corner, Candace faces the worst kind of choice. Cave in to those who think Brian is a living nightmare...or hold her ground and risk it all for the one man that rocks her world.

Warning: This book contains explicit sex, naughty language, tattoos aplenty, family drama, a hot rock concert...and a bad boy hero who's pierced in all the right places.

I loved the whole premise of the story - the idea that she was quite innocent and grew as a person, discovering new things with him. I think anyone would love this premise, but me especially because I kind of enjoy that sort of 'different side' if you will - tattoos, piercings, rock music and concerts etc. It was nice to see that in a modern and successful book! I loved that he was the one to show her - he was her first in so many different ways, and the fact that he shared her passions with her which she went on to enjoy was kind of beautiful in a way and is really a reflection of what most relationships are about. You meet people and discover their world, they recommend books, bands, TV shows - all sorts of different things to you, some of which you go on to love yourself. It's such a simple and prominent part of life but not really something I see in books quite often.

I LOVED Brian's character, and not just because of how refreshing it was to read about an 'alternative' guy in such a popular book. To this day I'm constantly surprised when a book refers to an alternative guy or has a rock star or rocker guy as a character - it's something I'm really not used to. Growing up, all the heros and or main male characters in books were always the typical tall, dark and handsome, type, and I'd never read about a male character with sexy tattoo's or awesome piercings. Whereas to me, nothing is hotter than an alternative guy, and I'd pick an alternative guy over a 'classically handsome' guy any day. So to begin with, just reading about a character who had that whole look and attitude going on was such a pleasant surprise. He was definitely portrayed as a kind of alternative hero which was really cool. His character was just so different as well - he was such a gentlemen but also so passionate as a person which made him seem like the ideal guy. He was protective but gave Candice space when she needed it and just had the right qualities that in reality guys just don't seem to have. Hmm, surely I'm not the only lady who wishes fictional men were real am I?

This book was quite hot and saucy ('saucy' is a much nicer word to use than dirty, isn't it?), but rather than cringing at these parts, I thought they were quite good, even though they were very descriptive. I think when you write smut into a story, it's so easy for it to become too dirty that it's off putting and just seems quite vulgar. This probably should have been the case here, judging by how descriptive the author was, but actually I think it worked pretty well. For example, with 50 Shades of Grey - although I enjoyed that book, I felt that some of the love scenes were put in just for the sake of it. I thought that parts of the story were just put in to be dirty just because it was considered as erotica, and that some scenes of that nature were just put in to get the reader off! However with Rock Me, I thought that the love scenes were definitely supposed to be very erotic, but more so to the point that instead of being put in just for the sake of it, the scenes were there to help portray the passion between the two characters. The nature of the writing seemed to so easily suggest just how strong the connection between the characters were, and perhaps thats why it worked so well. Admittedly, it was very, very hot.

Parents can be so bloody over protective and annoying, and I thank my lucky stars that my parents really couldn't care less who I dated. I don't know how I'd cope if my parents were judgmental and looked down upon 'alternative' guys. However. Just this once, this story made me actually think how cool it would be if my parents were like that, because it kind of worked in the books favour, making the whole 'it's wrong and they shouldn't but they're going to anyway' theme a lot more hotter and passionate. Normally I find that type of thing far too predictable, but it actually really drew me in in this story and I could see how it added to Brian and Candice's passion.

I will admit though that by the end, I thought the theme was becoming a bit tiring, just because of how often Candice changed her mind. I couldn't count exactly how many times she changed her mind - it may only actually have been twice - but to me it seemed like she was doing it constantly. I just felt the 'will they/wont they' theme was used a tad too many times throughout the story.

I really loved everything about this book really. Apart from the on again/off again card being used just that little bit too much, and the cover of the book which I thought was a bit corny, I couldn't fault a thing. I really loved it because I love alternative guys full stop, but I don't believe that anyone can read this without thinking what it would be like to date an alternative bad guy or finding a new found attraction to them. I definitely wouldn't mind my next boyfriend being a tattoo artist! I know I've always said my future husband is without a doubt going to be a rock star, but perhaps if that fails, a tattoo artist will be the next best thing...

The ending was great too, and actually not at all what I expected, which is saying something. Throughout the book, I really didn't know how it would end. It was nice that the ending wasn't so predictable. I would also love to see a sequel to this book!

I'd recommend this book to anyone, it's such an eye opener to someone who isn't really used to the idea of rock music/tattoos/piercings. It might be a bit much for someone who finds erotica disgusting because as stated before, even though I felt it was necessary and thought it was written quite tastefully, the erotica was very descriptive. Overall though I do think it was an amazing read - it's gripping and I read the whole thing within 24 hours. It is now a favourite of mine and even the type of book I can see me reading again within the future.

P.S Check out the Book Reviews tag for more book reviews! Also, please do visit Hanging On Every Word - another blog I'm part of. It's a collaborative book review blog between myself and some other bloggers and there are some great reviews on there! Please do check it out!

Book Review of How I Came to Sparkle Again by Kaya McLaren

I was recently offered the opportunity to review Kaya McLaren's 'How I Came to Sparkle Again' and couldn't wait to start reading it. I knew it was the perfect Christmas story - even the title sounded lovely and Christmassy - so as soon as it arrived I wasted no time in getting stuck in.

The story focus's around three characters/storylines that all take place in the sleepy ski town of Sparkle. Each character is extremely different and diverse than the rest - each with their own individual storyline and issues - but they are all linked in different ways. First of all there is Jill Anthony, a heartbroken woman who returns to Sparkle - her childhood town - after suffering deep heartbreak with her husband. There's also the confident Lisa Carlucci who gets what she wants but decides that maybe it's time to stop playing around and instead settle down into a relationship. Finally there's Cassie Jones - and her father - who are suffering from a family loss and are trying to find ways to cope.

The blurb reads -

Meet the residents of Sparkle...

Jill Anthony spent her childhood in the ski town of Sparkle, Colorado. But more than a decade has passed since she left and when her husband betrays her, she feels Austin, Texas for the town she knows: Sparkle.

Lisa Carlucci no longer wants to treat her body like a Holiday Inn. She's going to hold out for love. The only problem is, love might come in the form of her ski bum best friend.

Cassie Jones, at age ten, has lost her mother to cancer and doesn't believe in anything anymore. She knows her father is worried and she constantly looks for messages from her deceased mother through the heart-shaped rocks they once collected in the streams of Sparkle.

When you give yourself a second chance, it can spark a lifetime of love...

As depressing as the different storylines sound, this story was actually very uplifting! With having three different main characters/storylines I found it refreshing to read about so many different issues - it was a nice change and managed to break up the book a bit to avoid any parts becoming boring or too drawn out. Each character was intertwined with each other in their own way and each bounced off each other with different personality types and issues so I found this affect really cool.

I loved the different messages within this book, such as sometimes you can find love in the most unexpected places when you least expect it - sometimes with a friend! - and that life goes on - things don't always get easier but you can still be happy after heartache. Each storyline was quite unique in it's own way, for example Cassie's storyline about losing her mother to cancer was really moving and not something I'd read about in a story before, so I found it very interesting. Lisa's storyline wasn't so original - finding love with your best friend is a common theme among books but I found that Kaya put her own twist on the storyline, introducing more characters so you really didn't know who she'd settle down with or even if she would at all. Similarily this was the storyline I enjoyed the most, simply because it's probably something I have more experience with than the other issues in the book.

The setting of the story was perfect too - the fact that it was set in a forever snowy ski town which off course was ajourned with various Christmas decorations and traditions was really lovely and put me in the Christmas spirit. Kaya was great at setting the scene and just by reading her words I could easily imagine the different settings around me.

Finally I also really loved the cover of this book - being that it's a Christmas book I was surprised to find it shied away from typical Christmas cover art like Christmas tree's and the use of red & green too much. Instead it was a really sweet nod to the Christmas season and intrigued me too.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a moving, strong book this Christmas. It's quite long so it lasts ages too and the use of different storylines and characters really breaks it all up and keeps it fresh.

P.S Check out the Book Reviews tag for more book reviews! Also, please do visit Hanging On Every Word - a new book blog specifically for book reviews! On the website you can find more reviews by me and some other great bloggers, so please check it out! It's a fairly new project but I'm very excited!

Book Review of Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Abby Clements

I was recently given the opportunity to review Abby Clements debut novel, Meet Me Under the Mistletoe. As soon as the book arrived I knew it would be my type of read - I fell in love with the modern Christmassy cover immediately. I love the various sparkly snowflakes on the cover and the beautiful hanging baubles from the top - it really is the type of book you just can't wait to read snuggled up with a hot chocolate in front of the fire this Christmas.

The story is about two childhood friends - Laurie and Rachel - how different their lives are now and how differently they will both be spending their Christmas this year. Laurie is a glamorous and typical London girl - her career always comes first and she's your typical London business woman. On the other hand, Rachel is a settled down mother of two, living in a beautiful Yorkshire village. The two ladies couldn't be more different but Christmas brings a number of different surprises for them when they agree to house swap over the festive time of year.

The blurb reads -

Childhood friends Laurie and Rachel used to be inseparable - but their lives have taken very different paths since they picked up their A-level results together. Now thirty-five, they have all but fallen out of touch; glamorous single girl Laurie is based in London and dedicated to her career in fashion; Rachel seemingly living the family idyll in Yorkshire.

But when Rachel's mother-in-law needs urgent treatment in London, and disasters at work and in her love life mean Laurie needs to flee, a house swap falls into place. Soon gentle Rachel is far from the village bake sales, braving the city's mean streets while trying to keep her marriage and family together; while Laurie attempts to work an Aga, befriend the wary village locals - and forget the man who seems intent on breaking her heart. Will their relationships survive this test? And will the make it home for Christmas?

First of all I loved how different the two main characters were. It was as if there were two very separate storylines within this book - each with different themes and issues that intertwined and I loved this. It was nice to read about things from both ends of the spectrum - how a single hard working career woman was dealing with Christmas in relation to how a settled down mother was dealing with it. It made a nice change and the two different characters and storylines really complimented each other in that sense. It kept the story fresh and exciting and really meant that this book is more acceptable for a wider audience - both young and old people would enjoy reading this story.

I really loved the setting within this book as well especially the parts that took place in Yorkshire. As a close to London girl myself, I love London at Christmas but the setting of Yorkshire really drew me in. Abby wrote these parts so well that I could really imagine myself in the beautiful snowy village - delicate Christmas lights everywhere and such. It really got me in the Christmas spirit and complimented the story well. 

I loved the character of Laurie because I felt I could relate to her - I'm a world away from being settled down but deep down I know I'd love the idea of spending Christmas in an idyll cottage in the middle of a picture perfect village. Both characters were very likeable but it seemed to me that the character of Rachel represented Laurie's future which was a really nice touch. Rachel was a very likeable character too - I thought that although herself and Rachel were the same age she had a very mothering feel to her. Both characters seemed like the type of people you'd love to be friends with - going to Laurie for dating advice and Rachel for cooking tips!

The story was very easy to read as well - it was funny, inspiring and light hearted but it also had a few twists which surprised me within it's pages too. It was an easy read in that I could put it down and come back to it later on and immediately fall back into the story. Finally I loved the messages behind the story - most importantly the one that sometimes you just need a bit of space and time away from a situation to fix it. Overall it was a really lovely feel good book which was the perfect Christmas read.

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe will be released on the 8th November.

To find out more about Abby and her books click here.

P.S Check out the Book Reviews tag for more book reviews!

Book review of Johnny Be Good by Paige Toon

I recently decided I needed some new reading material, so put a huge order in at Amazon. Among my ordered books were zombie books, vampire books, and drama books but of course I need a couple of light hearted, easy to read chick-lit books. Johnny Be Good was one of them. Before reading this I'd never read anything by Paige Toon before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect but now I am a definite converted fan! I'm quite surprised it's taken me this long to read Johnny Be Good also, as clearly it's about a rock star romance and we all know how much I love my rock stars ;)

I guess when I heard what it was about I wasn't too sure at first as I thought it would end up being a bit unrealistic, but I'm glad I finally purchased the book and gave it a go. It tells the story of Meg Stiles who suddenly gets the job of being rock star Johnny Jefferson's PA. Her life is changed almost in a flash as she packs up and moves to LA and into his house, suddenly surrounded by a showbiz lifestyle where she is completely out of her depth.

The blurb reads -

I'm Meg Stiles. This is my leaving party. And that song we're making a mockery of? That's written by one of the biggest rock stars in the world. And I'm moving in with him tomorrow.

Seriously! I am not even joking.

Well, maybe I'm misleading you a little bit. You see, I haven't actually met him yet...

No, I'm not a stalker. I'm his new PA. His Personal Assistant. And I am off to La-La Land. Los Angeles. The City of Angels - whatever you want to call it - and I can't bloody believe it!

Celebrity PA to wild boy of rock Johnny Jefferson, Meg's glam new life in sun-drenched LA is a whirlwind of showbiz parties and backstage passes. Cool, calm Christian, in town to write his famous friend's biography, helps keeps Meg's feet firmly on the ground. But with Johnny's piercing green eyes and a body Brad Pitt would kill for, how long will it be before she's swept right off them again?

I really loved this story and it wasn't at all what I was expecting! It was light hearted but surprisingly drew upon some serious issues - such as drugs and alcohol - what you might expect from a story about a rock stars life - which made it much more realistic. Paige Toon did a perfect job of keeping the suspension in the story without boring me as a reader - it was a long book, which I loved, but not once did I feel like it dragged or got boring. I couldn't put the book down and it really drew me in - with each page I turned I almost felt like I myself was living in LA, falling for a hot rock star!

What I loved most about this book however was I really had no idea who Meg was going to end up with. I definitely know who I was rooting for, but I find with most books you can generally tell how its going to end - this wasn't the case with this book. It also ended on a very big cliffhanger and I almost cried when I realized that was the end - till I frantically searched on Google and found out there was a sequel luckily! I'll also do a review of that when I get the chance.

Paige Toon is a fantastic writer and this book was ideal for something very light hearted and easy to read - it was easy to put down and come back to and wasn't too heavy but I also felt it accurately addressed some darker issues without actually being too dark. This book was funny, romantic and heart warming so I would definitely recommend it!

Book Review ; I Heart London by Lindsey Kelk

I actually bought and read this book months ago now but was wary of putting up a review because normally I adore this series and I didn't want to write anything negative against it! However, what writer would I be if I only wrote about the good stuff?!

Lindsey Kelk, if you're reading this sorry in advance...

(I still love your writing though!)

I Heart London picks up where I Heart Vegas left of - Angela and Alex are engaged and it's finally time for Angela to come home and pick up the pieces she left two years ago. The story centers around planning their wedding and Angela dealing with all the things that have changed since she left - as well as the things that haven't changed and she'd forgotten about when leaving.

The blurb reads -

Home is where the heart is. Right?

Angela Clark has fallen in love with New York - and it's starting to love her back. But when she's summoned home to England, she's at risk of losing her shiny new life to rain, warm beer and bad memories. Talk about stepping back in time.

There's Mark, the ex-boyfriend - who she ran to New York to get away from.

There's Louisa, her best friend, with her terrifying new baby.

And there's her mum, still talking to her as though she's fifteen.

Now there's a wedding in the offing - and everyone remembers how well Angela behaved at the last one...Can the arrival of boyfriend Alex and new best friend Jenny save her from a re-run of her old self?

I was really looking forward to I Heart London, not only because I love the I Heart series but also because it was the last book in the series so I was really eager (and sad!) to find out how the story would end.

I thought this book was good - as always, Lindsey Kelk proved that she's still a brilliant writer - but personally I felt this book didn't really have that extra something special that the other books did. The other books always left me feeling inspired and more so passionate about my own life and making something out of myself, but this one did not. This book WASN'T bad. I still thought it was good, just definitely not as good as the other I Heart books.

I felt disappointed with quite a few things in the story. I thought the ending was a bit standard - I expected it to end on more of an inspiring or romantic note and it didn't end as special as it could have done. Although I thought the ending was sweet, as I've read all of the books and come to love the characters of Angela and Alex, I definitely expected a bit more.

I also felt a lot of the story lines were left unfinished. Without wanting to spoil this book for anyone who hasn't yet read it - there is a prominent side storyline throughout the book and I definitely felt this was left at a loose end - in fact when I put the book down when I was finished reading the story, I'm not even quite sure what the final verdict/end was regarding that story line and definitely felt there should have been a more defining end to that. Other story lines I thought were left unfinished included that of Jenny's - although she ended up happy, I would have loved to find out more in regards to the issues surrounding her and Jeff as I thought that particular storyline ended quite abruptly without much explanation. Finally, I felt the return of some characters such as Cici and Taylor were a bit pointless and put in for the sake of the book. Although the brief return of Taylor made sense, the small return of Cici was definitely pointless and I think it was easy to see it was just put in for the sake of it. Although we've come to love the story lines such as Angela finding herself in trouble and having to fix things, I didn't think this particular situation was necessary.

However, over all I did really love the book, just perhaps not as the last book in the series. Understandably there was a lot of pressure being that this is the 5th and final book, but I think Lindsey tried just that little bit too hard. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it wasn't the final one or if it was revealed that a following one would be written, simply because I felt there were too many loose ends and that the characters of Angela and Alex didn't get the impressive ending that they deserved.

Interview with Kathryn Harvey, author of Butterfly

Yesterday I wrote a review of the fab and gripping Butterfly, by Barbara Wood, written under the name Kathryn Harvey. I absolutely loved this book so I was so ecstatic to have the chance to interview her about the story and the issues mentioned within it. I couldn't wait to have some of my questions answered!

1. Butterfly is the ultimate story of revenge – what would you say is the best form of revenge?

Kathryn Harvey: The best form of revenge is to achieve the perfect moment and perfect means for exacting that revenge, letting the object of that revenge be well aware that you have that power over him or her, and then not going through with it.  I think that would be absolutely delicious.  And it gives one the high road, doesn’t it?

2. Have you ever gotten revenge on anyone? 

Kathryn Harvey: No, I haven’t.  While revenge works well in a novel, and can be quite satisfying, in real life revenge (and plotting it) is counterproductive.  We are on this earth with a finite amount of time.  I would not want to waste it on something as petty and fleeting and unprofitable as revenge.  Fictional characters live forever and have the luxury of using their time however they wish.

3. Butterfly can be quite racy in places – as can your book Stars which is previewed at the back. Along with other books, women’s erotica is becoming more and more popular. Why do you think this is? 

Kathryn Harvey: I think it’s because women are finally allowed to read such books.  Yes, allowed.  We have come a long way from the days when ladies had to retire to another room after dinner while the men drank whiskey and smoked cigars and no doubt talked about sex and taboo subjects.  Despite Women’s Lib back in the seventies, a lot of old standards have stayed with us.  It was “unseemly” for women to read erotica, or even to want to!  There was very little available back then.  The double standard held.  But times are changing, and the younger generation of women is more open and vocal about what they want.  I love it!

4. Do you think it is causing women to become more open minded – both in the bedroom and in terms of their reading material? 

Kathryn Harvey: Definitely.  As I stated above, the old standards are being shattered every day.  There was a time when the word “vagina” was whispered.  Old taboos are going the way of the whale-bone corset.

5. When reading Butterfly, I immediately picked up on some of the underlining issues drawn upon such as neglect, rejection and self-esteem. What are some other issues you’ve written into the book? 

Kathryn Harvey: Self-reliance, courage, and the power of Sisterhood.

6. When creating characters for Butterfly, did you base any of their qualities – or the characters as a whole – on yourself or on anyone you knew? 

Kathryn Harvey: I based Beverly Highland on myself – or rather, the heroic woman I wish I could be.  She is my personal fantasy.  I would like to think that if I went through what she did, I would have the chutzpah to launch her plan of revenge and have the courage and strength of will to stick with it and carry it out.  I’m not sure I could!  Trudie is based on a dear friend and she sees herself in there.  The others are amalgams of ladies that I know or have met. 

7. Within the story you addressed the two very different sides of prostitution – the darker side where girls were forced into unsafe sex and living in horrible conditions – and at the other end of the spectrum, a more upper class, glamorous, exclusive and very safe side of it. Did you feel that it was necessary to explore both sides of paying for sex? 

Kathryn Harvey: When it comes to sex for sale, all you hear about is the men’s side of it (and by the way, prostitution is NOT the oldest profession, but that’s for another book).  When you do hear about women paying for sex, it’s in a sad and pathetic way, like lonely women hiring handsome gigolos to escort them places.  Since I wanted to show what women really want and what they can really achieve when they put their minds and their libidos together (honestly, men’s whorehouses are SO unimaginative!), I needed to contrast it with the profession as it has been known for centuries.  I’m kind of asking the reader: which would YOU prefer?

8. I noticed that the darker side of prostitution was generally dominated by men – men were the ones paying for sex and also the ones finding girls and taking advantage of them, forcing them into prostitution. But women were the ones who later on paid for sex in a much more safer and exclusive way – as well as women being the ones who launched the business idea. Is there a particular reason why you had women portrayed as the ones to go about with paying for sex in a more glamorous way, as opposed to men kind of doing the opposite? 

Kathryn Harvey: Let’s face it, men and women are definitely wired differently.  Men are very basic when it comes to sex.  Women want more.  This is why Butterfly is about costumes, characters, storylines – the patrons of the private establishment can request elaborate fantasies, or simple sexual encounters – in other words, Butterfly caters to every taste.  For the most part, women aren’t as basic as men when it comes to sex.  We tend to like interesting settings and men who are more characters than just men (e.g. a swashbuckling pirate or a dusty cowboy).  In other words, exotic sexual encounters that we would never encounter in our daily lives.  Something to transport us to another world.  It isn’t just about orgasm.

9. We don’t often think of women being the ones to pay for sex – is this something you particularly wanted to bring up in the story? 

Kathryn Harvey: I don’t think of the members of Butterfly as paying for sex per se.  It’s the ambience, the settings, the costumes, paying for a safe and discreet environment and the guarantee of having a sexual partner who won’t suddenly turn into a creep or a murderer.  Men don’t mind sex in the backseat of a car.  Women like fantasy and role-playing.  That can be costly.

10. Do you personally feel that somewhere like Butterfly should – if it doesn’t already! – exist? For example, do you think it’s necessary to have a more safe way to do this, since the wrong way like sex trafficking and girls being forced into it exists anyway? Or do you feel it will only add to the problem?

Kathryn Harvey: I have always thought prostitution should be legalized.  Unfortunately, the trafficking in girls who are kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery has existed for millennia and I doubt will go away soon.  But I think we are talking apples and oranges here.  That awful trade has to do with a more sinister and darker side of the human psyche whereas an establishment like Butterfly is about free-will and the exploration of human pleasure between willing participants.

11. What gave you inspiration for this story? 

Kathryn Harvey: The idea for my book came from a board game friends and I had invented for our personal amusement.  We designed a board with squares, we had little movers, we rolled dice and we drew cards.  The game was about women’s sexual fantasies, and we each contributed fantasies on the cards, plus “men.”(mostly in the form of movie stars).  Some of the fantasies were basic, but most were elaborate and sounded like romance novels.  One evening in the middle of a game, one of my friends said, “How come men have such easy access to sex?  They can buy it whenever they want.  But what’s out there for women?”  Another player said, “Wow, a really neat bordello for women.”  And I added, “I’d be there in a flash.”  Mind you, we were all happily married and just speculating.  But the idea had been planted.

12. How long did it take for you to write it? 

Kathryn Harvey: Eight weeks.  I was very inspired!

13. Finally, what advice or tips would you give to other writers? 

Kathryn Harvey: To aspiring writers I say just do it.  Sit down and write one page a day and at the end of the year you have a novel.  Don’t let anyone discourage you or say it can’t be done.  And don’t spend a lot of time sitting in classes on creative writing, or going to those expensive writing weekends.  Just do it.  And to established writers interested in getting into erotica, I say don’t get overly anatomical and think it’s sexy.  Remember that the brain is just as powerful a sex organ as those others.  So leave a few things out for the reader to fill in.  Leave something to the imagination.  Not all women like to read graphic or explicit sex scenes.  For many, it can be a turn-off.

A big thanks to Barbara/Kathryn for answering my questions, all of which were extremely interesting and made me realize even more issues addressed in the story! Butterfly can be purchased on Amazon or other popular book retailers and you can find out more about Barbara Wood and her books here.