Review: Collection of Harry Potter Colouring Books
I am Laura, and I am a Potter Head. I will never grow tired of these amazing stories. When I received these wonderful colouring books in the post for review, I was beyond excited. I love an adult colouring book. It’s an activity I’ve liked all my life and find relaxing (and can be for a lot of people especially if you have anxiety or have trouble relaxing.) I have found that people either do love them or hate them but I find colouring books can be really good for wellbeing and mental health.
I received the full size version of The Magical places edition, the compact edition of the Harry Potter colouring book as well as postcard editions. It was hard to decide which one to try first.
The illustrations in these books are beautiful and really capture the greatness of this incredible world. The details within them are great and a wide range of characters and places are represented.
I decided to try the Hogwarts crest first in the postcard edition. What is good about these is that you don’t have to have a good knowledge of the colours. You can choose how you want it to look or simply (as I did) look up an example and copy the colours.
by 
Review: The Christmas Promise by Sue Moorcroft
Avon, December 2016
I am now a Master Milliner…well, perhaps not, but I know a whole lot more about hat creation than I ever did before. They go on your head. Correct?
Here I am, fresh from having survived the new Sue Moorcroft novel, The Christmas Promise. Don’t get worried, by survived, I mean that Sue’s stories are always emotional roller-coasters, she’s that good.
Lucky enough to obtain an advance copy of this novel, I settled down to immerse myself, knowing that my attention would never be allowed to wander, no chance of skipping even a word here and I wasn’t disappointed.
All wrapped up in a snowy cover, don’t be fooled. Sue is a master of emotions and here, you’re going to be pulled left, right and centre before the conclusion; actually, afterwards too however, you’ll need to read the book for that little Easter egg.
Ava is to a degree, damaged emotionally, as are all good characters and we follow her in a journey of trust, who to trust, how much to trust them, learning to trust herself even. She dislikes Christmas due to her parents attitude to it when she was growing up and now finds herself caught up as the victim of Revenge Porn. Riding to her rescue is Sam. Ah, to have his qualities would be wonderful…I digress. Stumbling into each other, attraction is mutual but Sam is just as traumatised as Ava in his own way and so we watch them bond over his mother’s cancer struggle, Ava’s feelings of perceived guilt over those pictures, getting close but neither feeling able to make that final step that will enable them to become the couple we know they should be.
by Today’s New Releases: 8th September 2016
Hello, hello, hello. How is everyone? Thursday has rolled around again. This week has gone incredibly quickly I must say. Here on Novel Kicks, Thursday means a new list of new book releases.
Rupert Campbell-Black is back in Mount which is the latest novel by Jilly Cooper.. It has been released by Bantam Press in hardback and eBook today.
Rupert is the anti hero we all love to hate and hate to love. We find Rupert consumed with his grey horse, The Love Rat. He longs to beat Roberto’s Revenge, the horse owned by his rival Cosmo Rannaldini. This obsession means abandoning Penscombe and his wife, Taggie.
The fort at home is being held by Rupert’s assistant, Gav. Gala also arrived at Penscombe. Gav is attracted to her. The bad news for Gav is that a returning Rupert is also dangerously tempted.
Riders is so delicious and so it’s good to see Campbell-Black make his return.
If you’re a fan of Jilly’s novels, be sure to pick up a copy of Mount.
The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas has also been released today this time by Orion. From what I get from the blurb of this book, it sounds as though it would make a great book to take with you on holiday if you’re managing to escape the impending Autumn weather and the darker mornings that seem to be sneaking up on us.
People think they know Camille. They see her as a beautiful spoilt daddy’s girl who uses her father’s money to fund her lifestyle. Camille however is desperate to have a life free from his strings. She has fought hard for the happiness and independence she now has but she soon finds that her father’s ruthless business dealings threaten her new life.
Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. That is until she meets Jack. He is hired as her bodyguard but he has his own issues. Jack soon finds out that his perception of Camille is incorrect.
I’ve not read any of Jodi Ellen’s novels before but this one sounds very intriguing and a good place to start. This book feels as though it would be a good insight on first impressions and how incorrect they can initially be.
by News: Another Screenplay Release For JK Rowling
Little, Brown. November 2016
There has been so much divided opinion since Harry Potter and The Cursed Child was released at the end of July. For me, it was lovely to be back in the magical world that these wonderful characters inhabited. Yes, there were elements for me that didn’t quite add up but regardless, this was another piece of the world I love so much and that is better than nothing. It is for that reason that I am excited for the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them which is due to be released in cinemas on 18th November (it is starring Eddie Redmayne as main character, Newt Scamander.)
When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt’s fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone . . .
Inspired by the original Hogwart’s textbook by Newt Scamander, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original screenplay marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved and internationally bestselling Harry Potter books.
This film is based on the short book JK Rowling wrote especially for Comic Relief. That short book was based on the textbook that is required reading for students of Hogwarts.
At a recent trip to the cinema, I saw the trailer for this film. I’ve only got to hear that music and I am back to when I was reading all the Harry Potter books for the first time. It never fails to make me smile.
To carry on the trend of releasing screenplays in conjunction with their performance counterparts, the original screenplay is being released on the same day.
by Blog Tour: Out of Bounds by Val McDermid – Review
I’m pleased to be welcoming Val McDermid to Novel Kicks today and the blog tour for her new novel, Out of Bounds. This is the latest novel in the Inspector Karen Pirie series and has been released today by Little, Brown.
There were a lot of things that ran in families, but murder wasn’t one of them . . .’
When a teenage joyrider crashes a stolen car, a routine DNA test could be the key to unlocking the mystery of a twenty-year-old murder inquiry. Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is an expert at solving the unsolvable. With each cold case closed, justice is served. So, finding the answer should be straightforward, but it’s as twisted as the DNA helix itself.
Meanwhile, Karen finds herself irresistibly drawn to another case, one that she has no business investigating. And as she pieces together decades-old evidence, Karen discovers the most dangerous kind of secrets. Secrets that someone is willing to kill for . . .
Out Of Bounds is the latest instalment of McDermid’s successful Karan Pirie series of crime thriller novels. The story follows Inspector Karen Pirie of Police Scotland’s Historical Case Unit. When a teenage joy rider in a stolen car ends up in hospital his DNA casts new light upon a twenty two year old cold case, but finding the answers are never as simple as they should be and getting to the bottom of this problem is a complex and twisty task.
In the meantime Karen is drawn to another case, stepping on toes and winding people up in the progress as it is not her case, when an apparent suicide has her digging into a decades old bombing from the IRA era.
This is the first book from this series which I have read and I am pleased to say that it stands on its own very well, as relevant and concise backstory is provided as required in a subtle way unlikely to frustrate those already familiar with it.
by Latest Book Releases: 18th August 2016
Notting Hill Press, 18th August 2016.
Hello all. It’s another Thursday which means another load of book releases. I wanted to share a couple of them that I am looking forward to reading.
I love Michele Gorman’s style of writing and therefore have really enjoyed all the books I’ve managed to read so far. Life Change (which is due out on Kindle today,) is released by Notting Hill Press and sounds great (this book was originally released as Bella Summer Takes a Chance which is one of Michele’s books I’ve not read.)
Michele is really good at the feel good romantic comedy and this book sounds like it is no exception.
The general information on the story is that Bea has been through some big life changes recently (including loosing her job, her flat and finishing a long-term relationship over a takeaway.) With no boyfriend, no job and nowhere to live, things are very shaky for Bea for the first time in thirty-eight years.
Things are not made any easier but the fact that dating has moved on too. With online dating and apps she has no idea how to date anymore.
She used to dream of a music career but the best she can do is performing to drunks in pubs. She’s beginning to wonder whether anything is easy after all.
by Book Review: Smoke by Dan Vyleta
W&N, 7th July 2016
Smoke opens in a private boarding school near Oxford, but history has not followed the path known to us. In this other past, sin appears as smoke on the body and soot on the clothes. Children are born carrying the seeds of evil within them. The ruling elite have learned to control their desires and contain their sin. They are spotless. It is within the closeted world of this school that the sons of the wealthy and well-connected are trained as future leaders.
Among their number are two boys, Thomas and Charlie. On a trip to London, a forbidden city shrouded in smoke and darkness, the boys will witness an event that will make them question everything they have been told about the past. For there is more to the world of smoke, soot and ash than meets the eye and there are those who will stop at nothing to protect it . . .
Imagine a world where sin were rendered visible by smoke; where evidence of your deeds and intents was visible for all to see. Large cities like London are hives of sin and corruption, wrapped in smoke and stained with soot, where the common people are forced to live in the thick of it while the very wealthy move out into the countryside away from the corruption and into the fresh air where their own smoke can dissipate.
The children of the wealthy are schooled in how to be mindful of their thoughts and actions so as not to smoke and it is in once such school that the story starts.
Thomas is a young boy who until very recently was home schooled, until a powerful sponsor secured his place at a well-respected school outside of Oxford. On a school trip into London to observe the sinful city Thomas sees something which causes him to question the true nature of smoke.
by Latest Book Releases: 11th August 2016
Hodder and Stoughton, 11th August 2016.
Sphere, 11th August 2016.
It’s Thursday. It’s come around quickly this week. I hope everyone has enjoyed what sunshine we have had. As it is Thursday, it is time for another list of new book releases.
What have you all been reading this week?
The first book released today is Acts of Love by Talulah Riley. If the name sounds familiar that is because she is also an actress and has been in St Trinian’s and The Boat That Rocked. Acts of Love is her debut novel and is about a girl called Bernadette who can be liberal with the truth. She has built her journalism career on lulling men into a false sense of security then exposing them publically through her tell all articles.
However, she may have met her match in Radley Blake. Despite her charms, Radley seems to immediately see straight through her.
This book sounds like a winner and I definitely will give it a read.
The second book released today is Rules: Things are changing at the little school by the sea which is the latest book from one of my favourite authors, Jenny Colgan. This is the second book in the Maggie Adair series and has been described as a Malory Towers for grown ups. I did love that series as a kid.
The basic plot is that it is a new year and the girls are breaking the rules. Which one of them will come out the other side unscathed?
Maggie loves teaching at Downey House. She is maybe less keen on planning her wedding to Stan whilst trying to ignore the crush she has on David who teaches at a neighbouring school.
Simone and Fliss have become friends. Zelda arrives and upsets things.
This sounds like this has the makings of a great series.
Simon & Schuster, 9th August 2016.
Mantle, 11th August 2016.
The third book released today is Miss You by Kate Ebelen. This is the debut novel from Kate and I think this is my favourite cover this week. It’s so simple but so pretty at the same time. This is the story of Tess. The motto she can’t seem to forget is ‘This is the first day of the rest of your life.’ She is in Florence for a final holiday before she goes to university. Her life is about to change.
Gus is also in Italy with his parents. He is being the dutiful son but he wants more. The paths of these two characters cross before the book covers the next sixteen years of their lives.
This book sounds like something I would really like. It has a cross between David Nicholls’s One Day and Vince and Joy by Lisa Jewell feel to it.
by Book Review: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by J.K Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne
Little, Brown, 31st July 2016.
This is the review that I’ve titled ‘Harry Potter and the Underwhelmed Reviewer’
Hands up who amongst us have waited with baited breath for a new Harry Potter story? That’s pretty much every one of us. Now, hands up all those who think that this is that story…don’t be so hasty. Yes, this is Harry Potter, and at the same time, no it’s not.
I was so excited when I heard that they were releasing a script-book of the stage-play (I’ve tickets for this for May 2017) that I was determined to drop all my other reading as soon as it arrived. This I did and being a script, it didn’t take as long to read as one of the canon novels we’re used to. It didn’t help that I read it in two sittings, at least that’s no fault of the book itself.
To the bread and butter question; is it any good?
Not an easy thing to answer actually. After so long in between official releases, those of us fans who’ve taken to getting our fix from some of the excellent fan fiction out there were perhaps always going to be the most critical, I’m certainly one of those. I can only give this 3 stars as I think the problem the author(s) came up against was trying to please everyone and when you try and do that, you generally end up pleasing no-one. It’s not quite as bad as that seems, as I did enjoy it. I did come away dis-satisfied though.
Why? Because of the above. Now, I don’t go in for spoilers/telling about the story, if I can at all help it in my reviews, so I’ll do my best here. But some of the things that happen to drive the story along are so contrived, that I’d really like to know who came up with the story? Whose idea was it and who fleshed it out? Characters act out of well, character, to what we’ve come to know about them (except when not in the canon universe – nearest I’ll come to having to give a spoiler alert), things happen that (nothing to do with the capabilities of magic here) are obviously just devices to drive the story along and I found myself saying out loud, ‘Puleeese….’
by Latest Book Releases: 28th July 2016
Century, 20th July 2016
It’s Thursday again. Is it me or did that week go incredibly fast?! It does mean that it’s time for some more book releases…
The first book is The Moment She Left by Susan Lewis which has been released today in hardback. The e-book version is also available.
Here’s the blurb:
Kesterly-on-Sea is full of secrets.
Some are darker than others; many are shameful. One is even deadly.
Andee is an ex-detective whose marriage is breaking up. So when a young female student disappears without trace, she throws herself into the search.
Meanwhile, the town’s beloved Rowzee Cayne has just discovered that she is terminally ill, and doesn’t want to burden her family and friends with the news.
Andee and Rowzee don’t know it yet, but their journeys are going to help them uncover a secret. One that is going to affect them more than they could ever imagine.
This one sounds like I’d really enjoy it. It’s got a lot of mystery and sounds very compelling. I shall definitely be giving this one a read.
Sphere, 28th July 2016
I See You by Claire MacKintosh has also been released today. I think this cover is so pretty. I have to admit, I’ve not read I Let You Go which was Claire’s debut novel but reading the synopsis for I See You, it’s one I will definitely pick up at some point. What do you think?
When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it’s there. There’s no explanation, no website: just a grainy image and a phone number. She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it’s just someone who looks like Zoe. But the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that.
Is it a mistake? A coincidence? Or is someone keeping track of every move they make . . .
Truly Madly Guilty is the latest novel from the fantastic Liane Moriarty.
Michael Joseph, 28th July 2016
Despite their differences, Erika and Clementine have been best friends since they were children. So when Erika needs help, Clementine should be the obvious person to turn to. Or so you’d think.
For Clementine, as a mother of a two desperately trying to practise for the audition of a lifetime, the last thing she needs is Erika asking for something, again.
But the barbecue should be the perfect way to forget their problems for a while. Especially when their hosts, Vid and Tiffany, are only too happy to distract them.
Which is how it all spirals out of control…
It’s the week for suspense and thriller. There is something about Liane’s books that draw me in so I can’t wait to read this one.
by June/July Book Haul
I’ve acquired some fantastic books recently. My TBR pile has never looked so good. I wanted to share some of the titles with you.
Mount by Jilly Cooper (Bantam Press, 8th September 2016. Review copy received.)
Rupert Campbell-Black is back!
I was so excited to receive this book in the post. Riders was such a guilty pleasure of mine and Rupert is the bad boy we all hate to love. He’s of course been in other novels but this is the first time he has taken centre stage for a while.
Mount sees an older Campbell-Black but is he wiser? This new book from Jilly brings together old and new characters and is set in the competitive world of flat racing.
Fans of Jilly Cooper… there is not long to wait.
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (MacMillan, May 2015)
This book was recently a pick for one of the subscription boxes I subscribe to. The cover is so wonderfully atmospheric and almost gothic. The plot sounds so interesting I just couldn’t resist buying it.
Faith is searching through the belongings of her recently deceased father and discovers a strange tree. The tree only grows healthy fruit if you whisper a lie to it. In return, once the fruit is consumed, it will deliver a hidden truth to the person who has eaten it.
The bigger the lie, the bigger the truth and the more people believe it.
This book sounds so ace and right up my street. I am looking forward so much to reading it.
by Book Review: Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett
In 1960s London, Margaret’s fiancé, John is hospitalised for depression. At this point she has two choices; stay, get married and carry on with life together knowing what she knows, or leave to help prevent any heart ache and suffering, his condition may cause.
She decides to stay and this is where the story starts. The pair go on to have three children; Michael, who copes with life through his music and his use of parody; Alec; the smart son who is a high achiever and is devoted to looking out for his family and Celia, the daughter who lives to help other people succeed.
The story follows the highs and lows of this family from Michael’s struggle to cope in the real world to Margaret’s love and affection for her children and her willingness to do anything to help them, especially her eldest, Michael.
Imagine me gone is a wonderfully-written, at times heart breaking story of a family who are haunted by mental illness and their struggle to survive.
The topic of mental illness and especially depression is a difficult one to cover. For many it is such a sensitive issue and so is not written so much in books until recently. Adam Haslett has succeeded at an impossible task of portraying mental health in a sensitive, sombre way without completely lowering the morale of the whole book.
by Latest Book Releases: 14th July 2016
Yey it’s Thursday which means more book releases. This week is a great one too.
On The Other Side by Carrie Hope Fletcher (Sphere, 14th July 2016.)
The premise for this book sounds so brilliant (and I am kind of annoyed I didn’t think of it.) I’ve been looking forward to reading this book and so I am pleased it’s been released today. Plus this cover is just gorgeous.
Your soul is too heavy to pass through this door,
Leave the weight of the world in the world from before
Evie Snow is eighty-two when she quietly passes away in her sleep, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. It’s the way most people wish to leave the world but when Evie reaches the door of her own private heaven, she finds that she’s become her twenty seven- year-old self and the door won’t open. Evie’s soul must be light enough to pass through so she needs to get rid of whatever is making her soul heavy. For Evie, this means unburdening herself of the three secrets that have weighed her down for over fifty years, so she must find a way to reveal them before it’s too late. As Evie begins the journey of a lifetime, she learns more about life and love than she ever thought possible, and somehow , some way, she may also find her way back to her long lost love…
The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter (Century, 14th July 2016.)
The Kept Woman is the latest novel in the Will Trent series.
A body is discovered in an empty Atlanta warehouse. It’s the body of an ex-cop, and from the moment Special Agent Will Trent walks in he knows this could be the most devastating case of his career. Bloody footprints leading away from the scene reveal that another victim – a woman – has left the scene and vanished into thin air. And, worst of all, the warehouse belongs to the city’s biggest, most politically-connected, most high-profile athlete – a local hero protected by the world’s most expensive lawyers. A local hero Will has spent the last six months investigating on a brutal rape charge.
But for Will – and also for Dr Sara Linton, the GBI’s newest medical examiner – the case is about to get even worse. Because an unexpected discovery at the scene reveals a personal link to Will’s troubled past. The consequences will wreak havoc on his life and the lives of those he loves, those he works with, and those he pursues.
But Sara’s scene-of-the-crime diagnosis is that they only have a few hours to find the missing woman before she bleeds out . . .
by Latest Book Releases: 8th July 2016
It’s time for another set of great book releases. I am looking forward to reading pretty much all of these. How about you?
The Sister by Louise Jensen (Bookouture, 5th July 2016.)
This book sounds fantastic. I have already downloaded my copy and will be reading it as soon as possible. I like books with a twist.
‘I did something terrible Grace. I hope you can forgive me …’
Grace hasn’t been the same since the death of her best friend Charlie. She is haunted by Charlie’s words the last time she saw her, and in a bid for answers, opens an old memory box of Charlie’s. It soon becomes clear that there was a lot she didn’t know about her best friend.
When Grace starts a campaign to find Charlie’s father, Anna, a girl claiming to be Charlie’s sister steps forward. For Grace, finding Anna is like finding a new family and soon Anna has made herself very comfortable in Grace and boyfriend Dan’s home.
But something isn’t right. Things disappear, Dan’s acting strangely and Grace is sure that someone is following her. Is it all in Grace’s mind? Or as she gets closer to discovering the truth about both Charlie and Anna, is Grace in terrible danger?
There was nothing she could have done to save Charlie … Or was there?
Sunshine and Secrets (Book One of Willow Cottage) by Bella Osborne (Released on Kindle by Avon 7th July 2016.)
This has just got its Kindle release and is the second book to be released recently by Bella Osborne. I’ve got my copy and if it’s anything like A Family Holiday, it’s going to be fantastic.
Beth is running away. With her young son Leo to protect, Willow Cottage is the lifeline she so desperately needs. Overlooking the village green in a beautiful Cotswolds idyll, Beth sees a safe place for little Leo.
When she finally uncovers the cottage from underneath the boughs of a weeping willow tree, Beth realises this is far more of a project than she bargained for and the locals are more than a little eccentric! A chance encounter with gruff Jack, who appears to be the only male in the village under thirty, leaves the two of them at odds but it’s not long before Beth realises that Jack has hidden talents that could help her repair more than just Willow Cottage.
Over the course of four seasons, Beth realises that broken hearts can be mended, and sometimes love can be right under your nose…
by Latest Book Releases – 30th June 2016
It’s Thursday which means the release of some more fantastic titles.
Get Even by Martina Cole (Headline, 30th June 2016.)
Get Even is the latest from Martina Cole.
Playing grown-ups, the future is theirs for the taking.
Sharon Conway and Lenny Scott are childhood sweethearts. Everyone says they are too young, but nothing can keep them apart. Sharon doesn’t question Lenny’s business dealings and it isn’t long before his reputation as a hard man destined for the top means they are living the good life with their sons.
It leaves a stain on her heart for ever.
But one night Lenny doesn’t come home. It isn’t the first time he has gone AWOL. But it is his last. He is found murdered – beaten to death in an act of brutality that shocks even the police. And Sharon never knows why.
Old wounds will surface.
Now, twenty years later, Sharon is about to find out the truth. Such a crime cannot go unpunished. Revenge is long overdue. The time has come to…
GET EVEN.
The Plumbery School of Comfort Food by Cathy Bramley (Corgi, 30th June 2016.)
This book was originally published as a four-part serial but it’s now the complete series in one book and it gets its release today. This book had me at its title.
Verity Bloom hasn’t been interested in cooking anything more complicated than the perfect fish finger sandwich, ever since she lost her best friend and baking companion two years ago.
But an opportunity to help a friend lands her right back in the heart of the kitchen. The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is due to open in a few weeks’ time and needs the kind of great ideas that only Verity could cook up. And with new friendships bubbling and a sprinkling of romance in the mix, Verity finally begins to feel like she’s home.
But when tragedy strikes at the very heart of the cookery school, can Verity find the magic ingredient for Plumberry while still writing her own recipe for happiness?
The Singles Game by Lauren Weisberger (Harper, 30th June 2016.)
From the author of The Devil Wears Prada comes The Singles Game and with Wimbledon in full swing (see what I did there… I’ll get my coat), it is the perfect book for this time of year.
When Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Silver makes a pact with the devil, infamously brutal tennis coach Todd Feltner, she finds herself catapulted into a world of stylists, private parties and secret dates with Hollywood royalty.
Under Todd it’s no more good-girl attitude: he wants warrior princess Charlie all the way. After all, no-one ever won by being nice.
Celebrity mags and gossip blogs go wild for Charlie, chasing scandal as she jets around the globe. But as the warrior princess’s star rises, both on and off the court, it comes at a high price. Is the real Charlie Silver still inside?
Sweeping from Wimbledon to the Caribbean, from LA to mega yachts in the Med, The Singles Game is a brilliantly entertaining romp through a world where the stakes are high – and no-one plays by the rules.
by Books I’m Looking Forward To Reading in 2016: Part Two
2016 is shaping up to be a great year for book releases and I for one can’t wait for what’s to come (can anyone say Harry Potter and The Cursed Child?)
I wanted to share some more of the titles I am most looking forward to reading. What about you?
(Click here to read Books I’m Looking Forward to Reading in 2016: Part One.)
Falling by Jane Green (MacMillan, 14th July 2016.)
There is not long to wait for the latest novel by Jane Green (who is one of the most nicest women on the planet incidentally.) I’ve been a massive fan of Jane’s ever since a friend introduced me to her novels (I think the first one of hers I read was The Other Woman and since then, I’ve been a fan.) The sleeve for this book looks beautiful too.
Eight years ago, Emma Montague left behind the strict confines of her upper-crust English life – and rather dull boyfriend – and moved to New York City, where she immediately found success in the world of finance. But her soulless, cut-throat, all-consuming job has only led to another life she didn’t want.
Answering an online ad, Emma finds a tiny beach cottage to rent in the small town of Westport, Connecticut. It needs work – lots of work. But it’s the perfect project to satisfy Emma’s passion for interior design and gardening, if her new landlord, Dominic, is agreeable to the small changes she yearns to make.
To Emma, Dominic is also something of a fixer-upper. A local handyman with a six-year-old son, he’s a world away from the men she should be interested in, but he’s comfortable in his own skin, confident, quiet and kind. Slowly, over a shared garden, time spent with his son and late-night conversations, Emma finds herself falling for Dominic.
From friends to lovers happens as naturally as the changing seasons. But laying down roots doesn’t come easily when two lives as different as theirs merge into one. And Emma will realize that the seeds of happiness must be nurtured and cherished to grow into something strong enough to shelter all their hopes and dreams . . .
Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa Gregory (Simon & Schuster UK, 9th August 2016.)
I love history (especially the Tudor and Elizabethan era) and so this book looks right up my street. Also, just a heads up but The Other Boleyn Girl is going to be the book club title for July so keep an eye out for that.
“There is only one bond that I trust: between a woman and her sisters. We never take our eyes off each other. In love and in rivalry, we always think of each other.”
When Katherine of Aragon is brought to the Tudor court as a young bride, the oldest princess, Margaret, takes her measure. With one look, each knows the other for a rival, an ally, a pawn, destined – with Margaret’s younger sister Mary – to a sisterhood unique in all the world. The three sisters will become the queens of England, Scotland and France.
United by family loyalties and affections, the three queens find themselves set against each other. Katherine commands an army against Margaret and kills her husband James IV of Scotland. But Margaret’s boy becomes heir to the Tudor throne when Katherine loses her son. Mary steals the widowed Margaret’s proposed husband, but when Mary is widowed it is her secret marriage for love that is the envy of the others. As they experience betrayals, dangers, loss and passion, the three sisters find that the only constant in their perilous lives is their special bond, more powerful than any man, even a king.
by Wild Life Book Trailer by Liam Brown
Wild Life is the latest novel from Liam Brown, author of Real Monsters.
It’s been released today (13th June 2016) by Legend Press. Check out the great book trailer below.
‘When we moved into the wild, the wild moved into us.’
When a troubled advertising salesman loses his job, the fragile wall between his public and private personas comes tumbling down. Fleeing his debtors, Adam abandons his family and takes to sleeping rough in a local park, where a fraternity of homeless men befriend him.
As the months pass, Adam gradually learns to appreciate the tough new regime, until winter arrives early, threatening to turn his paradise into a nightmare.
Starving, exhausted and sick of the constant infighting, Adam decides to return to his family. The men, however, have other plans for him. With time running out, and the stakes raised unbearably high, Adam is forced to question whether any of us can truly escape the wildness within.
by Latest Book Releases
Happy Thursday everyone. It’s time for another round up of the recently released books. Any take your fancy?
End of Watch by Stephen King (Hodder & Stoughton, 7th June 2016.)
This had its hardcover and electronic release today. Although it is a standalone novel, it’s also the last in the Hodges Trilogy. I have to admit, I’ve never read any of Stephen King (his book ‘On Writing’ has been recommended to me so many times.) I might have to start though.
Retired Detective Bill Hodges now runs a two-person firm called Finders Keepers with his partner Holly Gibney. They met in the wake of the ‘Mercedes Massacre’ when a queue of people was run down by the diabolical killer Brady Hartsfield.
Brady is now confined to Room 217 of the Lakes Region Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, in an unresponsive state. But all is not what it seems: the evidence suggests that Brady is somehow awake, and in possession of deadly new powers that allow him to wreak unimaginable havoc without ever leaving his hospital room.
When Bill and Holly are called to a suicide scene with ties to the Mercedes Massacre, they find themselves pulled into their most dangerous case yet, one that will put their lives at risk, as well as those of Bill’s heroic young friend Jerome Robinson and his teenage sister, Barbara. Brady Hartsfield is back, and planning revenge not just on Hodges and his friends, but on an entire city.
The clock is ticking in unexpected ways …
The Fireman by Joe Hill (Gollancz, 7th June 2016.)
This book has been on my TBR pile for a few weeks and I’ve been trying to get to it. It looks so interesting. I am looking forward to reading.
Nobody knew where the virus came from.
FOX News said it had been set loose by ISIS, using spores that had been invented by the Russians in the 1980s.
MSNBC said sources indicated it might’ve been created by engineers at Halliburton and stolen by culty Christian types fixated on the Book of Revelation.
CNN reported both sides.
While every TV station debated the cause, the world burnt.
Pregnant school nurse, HARPER GRAYSON, had seen lots of people burn on TV, but the first person she saw burn for real was in the playground behind the school.
With the epic scope of THE PASSAGE and the emotional impact of THE ROAD, this is one woman’s story of survival at the end of the world.
by This Week’s Latest Releases
It’s Thursday which means another batch of new books. I love this time of the week. Here’s just a selection of new releases. Are there any new books you’re looking forward to reading?
Half Lost by Sally Green (Penguin, 31st March 2016.)
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love this book series. Half Lost is the last in the Half Bad trilogy and I am anxious and excited to know what becomes of Nathan who I see as a very relatable character. If you’re a fan of Red Queen, then you’ll love the Half Bad series. I’d say you’ll need to have read the first two books though before starting this one…
Nathan Byrn is running again. The Alliance of Free Witches has been all but destroyed. Scattered and demoralized, constantly pursued by the Council’s Hunters, only a bold new strategy can save the rebels from total defeat. They need the missing half of Gabriel’s amulet – an ancient artefact with the power to render its bearer invincible in battle.
But the amulet’s guardian – the reclusive and awesomely powerful witch Ledger – has her own agenda. To win her trust, Nathan must travel to America and persuade her to give him the amulet. Combined with his own Gifts, the amulet might just be enough to turn the tide for the Alliance and end the bloody civil war between Black and White witches once and for all…
One Stary Night by Tilly Tennant. (31st March 2016 on Kindle)
For fans of Tilly Tennant or for people new to her books, this is book four of the Once Upon a Winter series. This cover is so Christmassy. I love it.
They say the darkest hour is just before dawn, and for the first time Hannah is starting to truly understand what that means. With Gina’s husband misbehaving, Ross under attack, and bad news for Mitchell that only Hannah can tell him, things seem to be falling apart around her. How will she be the rock that everyone needs when she can’t control any part of her own life? It’s going to take a special kind of courage to see this dawn break, but when it does the future might just be the brighter for it. The problem is that Hannah’s not sure she can be that strong…
by This Week’s Current Book Releases
It’s that time of the week again. I wanted to share some of the new books that have been released today. All of them look great. Which ones are you excited to read?
The Night That Changed Everything by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice (Corgi, 24th March 2016.)
Laura and Jimmy’s book covers are always so pretty. This book sounds great and I can’t wait to read. It’s released today in Paperback.
Here’s the blurb….
Rebecca is the only girl she knows who didn’t cry at the end of Titanic. Ben is the only man he knows who did. Rebecca’s untidy but Ben doesn’t mind picking up her pieces. Ben is laid back by Rebecca keeps him on his toes. They’re a perfect match.
Nothing can come between them. Or so they think.
When a throwaway comment reveals a secret from the past, their love story is rewritten.
Can they recover from the night that changed everything? And how do you forgive when you can’t forget?
Gone Astray by Michelle Davis (MacMillan, 24th March 2016.)
I like a good thriller/mystery so this book looks up my street. Here’s the information…
When Lesley Kinnock buys a lottery ticket on a whim, it changes her life more than she could have imagined . . .
Lesley and her husband Mack are the sudden winners of a £15 million EuroMillions jackpot. They move with their 15-year-old daughter Rosie to an exclusive gated estate in Buckinghamshire, leaving behind their ordinary lives – and friends – as they are catapulted into wealth beyond their wildest dreams.
But it soon turns into their darkest nightmare when, one beautiful spring afternoon, Lesley returns to their house to find it empty: their daughter Rosie is gone.
DC Maggie Neville is assigned to be Family Liaison Officer to Lesley and Mack, supporting them while quietly trying to investigate the family. And she has a crisis threatening her own life – a secret from the past that could shatter everything she’s worked so hard to build.
As Lesley and Maggie desperately try to find Rosie, their fates hurtle together on a collision course that threatens to end in tragedy . . .
Money can’t buy you happiness.
The truth could hurt more than a lie.
One moment really can change your life forever.
by This Week’s Latest Releases
It’s Thursday and time for another week of new releases. I have three titles to share with you today. All of these sound so good and I can’t wait to read.
The Unforgotten by Laura Powell (Freight Books, 17th March 2016.)
This has been released today. This book feels as though it would be right up my street and yes, I am in love with the cover.
Summer, 1956. Fifteen-year-old Betty Broadbent has never left the Cornish fishing village of St Steele or ventured far beyond the walls of the boarding house run by her erratic mother. But when the London press pack descends on her village to report on a series of gruesome murders, Betty’s world changes. In particular, she is transfixed by mysterious and aloof reporter, Mr Gallagher.
As the death toll rises, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Betty and Gallagher. But as their bond deepens, they find themselves entangled with the murders and each is forced to make a devastating choice, one that will shape their own lives and the life of an innocent man forever.
Hold Still by Tim Adler (Urbane Publications, 17th March 2016.)
This book sounds like a fantastic read. Even from the blurb, it has me wondering what is going on and how I would react if I were the character. It would be devastating.
‘I photographed the moment of my husband’s death…’ So begins HOLD STILL, a nerve-twisting thriller from bestselling author Tim Adler. How much do we really know about those we love? Kate is visiting Albania with her husband Paul, a much-needed break from Paul’s stressful website business. ‘Hold still,’ says Kate, taking a picture as Paul steps onto the hotel room balcony. ‘We’ll always be together,’ Paul responds. Suddenly there is screaming below and a blaring car horn. Kate stares down from the balcony at the broken body of her husband lying lifeless in the street. Overcome with grief, Kate can’t accept the truth of Paul’s tragic death, and replays the incident over and over again, searching her pictures for a vital clue to what really happened. When she meets the enigmatic Priest at a grief support group, they journey together into a dangerous world of violence and secrets as Kate realises what Paul really meant when he said he would never leave her……
When I’m Gone by Emily Bleeker (Lake Union Publishing, 15th March 2016.)
This book was released in paperback on Monday and again, it’s a really gorgeous cover. I have this book on my TBR pile and am looking forward to reading although it does sound heartbreaking so I might need to have the tissues ready for crying purposes.
by Latest Book Releases
It’s time to share some of the new book releases this week. There is a nice mixture of genres and authors this week. Which one are you looking forward to reading?
Song of the Skylark by Erica James (Orion, 10th March 2016.)
I do have a thing for covers and this one is beautiful. This book sounds so interesting too.
Lizzie has always had an unfortunate knack of attracting bad luck, but this time she’s hit the jackpot. Losing her heart to her boss leads to her losing her job, and with no money in the bank, Lizzie finds herself forced to move back home with her parents. When she reluctantly takes another job, she meets Mrs Dallimore, a seemingly ordinary elderly woman with an astonishing past . . .
Now in her nineties, Mrs Dallimore is also coming to terms with her situation. Old age is finally catching up with her. As she and Lizzie form the bond of unexpected friendship, Mrs Dallimore tells the story of a young girl who left America before the outbreak of World War Two and, in crossing an ocean, found herself embarking on a new life she couldn’t have imagined.
As Lizzie listens to Mrs Dallimore, she begins to realise that she’s not the only person to attract bad luck, and that sometimes life has a way of surprising you . . .
Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan (Mira, 10th March 2016.)
I know I do go on about covers but again, this one is beautiful and very whimsical. It’s also based in New York which is one of my favourite cities. This sounds like a lovely romantic comedy.
Great friends. Amazing Apartment. An incredible job. Paige has ticked off every box on perfect New York life checklist. Until disaster strikes and instead of shimming further up the career ladder, Paige is packing up her desk.
Her brother’s best friend Jake might be the only person who can help her put her life back together. He also happens to be the boy she spent her teen years pining after, and Paige is determined not repeat her past mistakes. But the more time she spends with Jake, the more Paige realises the one thing that was missing from her world all along: The perfect New York love story…
by My Recent Book Haul (February and March)
I love me a good book haul. Buying new books is one of my favourite things to do. Recently, I have brought or received so many lovely books. It was hard to pick which ones to feature (I’ve managed to narrow it down to nine.) Here is my selection.
Room by Emma Donoghue (Picador, 2011.)
This book is not a new release but I am not sure why I haven’t got around to buying it until now. The premise sounds intriguing. Jack and his mother are prisoners in one room. I’m a few pages into this book and am already enjoying it. I am also wanting to see the film based on the book but I think I want to read the book first before I see it.
Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don’t have the key.
Jack and Ma are prisoners.
Room by Emma Donoghue is an extraordinarily powerful story of a mother and child kept in isolation, and the desire for, and price of, freedom.
Winter by Marissa Meyer (Puffin, 2015)
Winter is the fourth book in the Lunar Chronicles. These books are all based on well-known fairy tales. I have not read any of this series yet but having received this book for review by the publisher, I can’t wait to get started and Cinder is also here waiting to be read. The series sounds fantastic and right up my street.
Princess Winter is admired for her grace, kindness and beauty, despite the scars on her face. She’s said to be even more breath-taking than her stepmother, Queen Levana…
When Winter develops feelings for the handsome palace guard, Jacin, she fears the evil Queen will crush their romance before it has a chance to begin.
But there are stirrings against the Queen across the land. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even find the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter claim their happily ever afters by defeating Levana once and for all?
by This Week’s New Releases
There have been some great novels been released this week so some potentially great books to add to your collection. These include…
Last Night on Earth by Kevin Maher (Abacus, 3rd March 2016.)
The paperback edition for Last Night on Earth has been released today. The premise for this novel looks very interesting.
Jay adores his small daughter, Bonnie, and nothing matters more to him than being a good father. But Bonnie’s traumatic birth puts an unbearable strain on his marriage with Shauna and the couple eventually separate.
Despite this, London is the place to be: New Labour is in power and the city is buzzing with optimism. Jay is slowly putting his life back together, snagging a job on a TV documentary about the Millennium Dome and, crucially, spending time with his beloved three-year-old daughter, Bonnie.
Indeed, things might have even begun to look up. Until, that is, the arrival of The Clappers. Six foot tall, all muscle and plenty of heart, she insists on making the world right for Jay. But, inevitably, she makes it wrong…
You Sent Me A Letter by Lucy Dawson (Corvis, 3rd March 2016.)
Both the paperback and electronic versions of this book have been released today. Again this is another great sounding novel and I actually can’t wait to read this one.
At 2 a.m. on the morning of her fortieth birthday, Sophie wakes to find an intruder in her bedroom. The stranger hands Sophie a letter and issues a threat: open the letter at her party that evening, in front of family and friends, at exactly 8 p.m., or those she loves will be in grave danger.
What can the letter possibly contain?
This will be no ordinary party; Sophie is not the only person keeping a secret about the evening ahead. When the clock strikes eight, the course of several people’s lives will be altered for ever.
by Book Review: The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins
Doubleday, January 2015
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar. Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…
Have you ever looked out of the window of a train at the houses passing by and wondered what sort of people live in them and maybe even created fictional lives for them? Rachel does this everyday as she catches the same commuter train. However, simple curiosity turns into something much more and she must decide just how far she will go to get involved in these people’s lives, of which, in reality she knows very little about.
Rachel, a divorced alcoholic still thinks about her ex-husband who still lives in their old home with his new wife and child. This is probably not helped by the fact she passes the house every day whilst on the train. Her ex husband, Tom also happens to live a few doors down from the couple that she becomes enthralled with and soon starts making up stories about in her head. With plenty of time on her hands whilst commuting back and forth she becomes a bit too emotionally involved in the woman she names Jess. Then when she witnesses something out of the ordinary her curiosity overwhelms her and she forces her way into the couple’s life.
by Book News: Recent Releases
There have been some great titles released over the last week. Below is a selection. Let me know in the comments below which ones take your fancy.
Time to Say Goodbye by S.D. Robertson was released on 11th February 2016 by Avon.
I am looking forward to reading this book. I have a copy waiting to be read. The plot sounds compelling and the cover is beautiful.
HOW DO YOU LEAVE THE PERSON YOU LOVE THE MOST?
Will Curtis’s six-year-old daughter, Ella, knows her father will never leave her. After all, he promised her so when her mother died. And he’s going to do everything he can to keep his word.
What Will doesn’t know is that the promise he made to his little girl might be harder to keep than he imagined. When he’s faced with an impossible decision, Will finds that the most obvious choice might not be the right one.
But the future is full of unexpected surprises. And father and daughter are about to embark on an unforgettable journey together . . .
This House of Grief: The Story of a Murder Trial by Helen Garner was released on 11th February 2016 by Text Publishing Company.
Not completely fiction but this book sounds very interesting and one that I will definitely be reading at some point especially as it’s based on a real case and sounds similar to Making a Murderer on Netflix.
On the evening of September 4th 2005, Robert Farquharson, a separated husband, was driving his three sons home to their mother, Cindy, when his car left the road and plunged into a dam. The boys, aged ten, seven and two, all drowned. Was this an act of revenge or a tragic accident? In a tale reminiscent of In Cold Blood (1966), Helen Garner decided to reveal every aspect of this complicated and highly emotional case.
The case became Garner’s obsession; she followed it on its protracted course until the final verdict was delivered, and attended every day of the trial (and subsequent retrial). She was there alongside countless journalists and family members – exposing with great compassion the emotional complexity of a case that gripped the nation.
In this utterly compelling book, Helen Garner tells the story of a man with a broken life – she presents the courtroom as a theatre with its actors and audience, all gathered for the purpose of bearing witness to an often uncomfortable truth.
by October’s Book Club: Booktober Challenge
Book Corner is our monthly online book club. Anyone can join.
How it works…
We love books and we love chatting about them even more. Every month, we pick a new book for discussion. We will post a question to kick things off and then you can talk about any of your thoughts about the book in the comments box below. The best thing about our book club is that EVERYONE CAN TAKE PART.
This month, I am doing things a little differently. As it’s October, and also the launch month for Books are My Bag 2015, I am going to be doing the Booktober challenge. Four weeks, four books. I’ve picked four books that I will be reading over the next four weeks. You can either read along with me or pick four of your own. Please do let me know in the comments if you’d decided to read along and which books you’ve picked.
Also, to celebrate Booktober, anyone who takes part and comments on any of the books they are reading in the comments below will go into the draw to win a £10 Books Are My Bag gift card which is accepted in bookshops nationwide.
(Competition open to UK only. Draw will close on 31st October 2015 at midday and the winner will be drawn at random soon after and announced on the Novel Kicks blog.)
So, to the four books I’ve picked….. The Day we Disappeared by Lucy Robinson, The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, Us by David Nicholls and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.
by Book Haul: September (So Far…)
I do love buying books. I love it even more when friends give me books and that is what one friend did recently (I was a very happy girl.) I like the look of all these novels and I wanted to share these books with you.
The Last Honeytrap by Louise Lee (Headline, 4th June 2015)
The first one is The Last Honeytrap by Louise Lee. I really love the look of this book. This looks great – a good, old-fashioned romantic comedy and I am really looking forward to reading this.
Scot ‘Scat’ Delaney is a world famous jazz singer. He has ample opportunity to stray and his girlfriend, Alice, needs to know she can trust him. Introducing Florence Love, Private Investigator. Florence has just ten days to entrap an A-Lister. Whilst sticking to her cardinal rule: One kiss, with tongues, five seconds – case closed. A master of body language, evolutionary science and nifty disguises, her approach is unconventional, her success rate excellent. But targets are rarely as beautiful as Scat. Never fall for the target. That is very bad form indeed.
View at The Book Depository.
I Followed The Rules by Joanna Bolouri (Quercus, July 2015.)
The book cover for this one is so lovely. The plot for this book looks great and it sounds as though it will be a great read. I am looking forward to reading this.
Rule 1: Never ask him on a first date. Rule 2: Laugh admiringly at all his jokes. Rule 3: Always leave him wanting more.
. . . wtf?!
Have you heard of The Rules of Engagement? It’s a book that promises to teach you to find the man of your dreams in ten easy steps. Unsurprisingly, I don’t own a copy. What is it, 1892? But I’m a journalist, and I’ve promised to follow it to the letter and write about the results. Never-mind that my friends think I’m insane, I’m stalking men all over town and can’t keep my mouth shut at the best of times.
My name is Cat Buchanan. I’m thirty-six years old and live with my daughter in Glasgow. I’ve been single for six years, but that’s about to change. After all, I’m on a deadline. I Followed the Rules and this is what happened.
View at The Book Depository.
by Blog Tour: Ally Hughes has Sex Sometimes by Jules Moulin – Review
Life is a juggling act for single mother Ally Hughes. Between the classes she teaches at the local university, a monster of a boss, a home that’s falling apart at the seams and a young daughter who doesn’t miss a trick, there isn’t time for anything else in Ally’s life. Especially romance.
Then she meets Jake, and for one incredible, mind-blowing weekend, anything seems possible. But timing is everything and as the weekend draws to a close, fate is not on Ally’s side.
Ten years later, and fate has Jake knocking at Ally’s front door. Now the one that got away is back, and Ally has some serious decision-making to do…
Is there such a thing as perfect timing? Or is love always a game of chance?
The premise for this book intrigued me so I was excited when asked to be a part of the blog tour for Ally Hughes has Sex Sometimes. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel but the title is brilliant. I love it. I feel that this book is exploring the idea that it is never too late to seek a happy ending. You just need to have the courage to take it.
It took a while for me to get into this novel but once I got into my stride, I found myself falling into it in a big way. I couldn’t stop reading. I got involved with the characters specifically Ally and Jake (I really liked them as a couple. Jake, even at twenty-one seemed a mature voice.) Ally is now in her forties. She has spent most of her time either raising her daughter or looking after her ailing mother. At the beginning of the novel, her daughter is now twenty and her mother has passed away and she finds herself at a point where she doesn’t know what to do – a situation many people find themselves in at some point in their lives. She can’t quite let go of the responsibilities that don’t exist anymore.
by Book Haul: Six Books with Beautiful Covers
I can’t believe we are almost in the middle of August already. Time is really flying. I thought it was time for another book haul. I’ve been sent or brought some great books over the last month and here are six of the ones I am looking forward to reading and six books where I love the covers.
All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (Penguin, 8th January 2015.)
I have heard so many good things about this book. It’s been recommended on You Tube as well as friends who have read it and said that it’s good. It’s a book I’ve been looking at for a while and so I brought it. The premise of it sounds interesting and relatable in that it deals with mental health. I am really interested and itching to read this book. The cover is pretty too. It’s due to be made into a film so I want to read it before it’s released.
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the ‘natural wonders’ of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself – a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink. How far will Violet go to save the boy she has come to love?
by Blog Tour: Rembrandt’s Mirror by Kim Devereux
Kim Devereux
I’m very excited to be welcoming author, Kim Devereux to Novel Kicks. Her novel, Rembrandt’s Mirror was released on 6th August by Atlantic Books. As part of her blog tour to celebrate the release of her book, Kim talks to us about what drew her to write about Rembrandt and the challenges and research she faced. Over to you, Kim.
I remember seeing Rembrandt’s Self-portrait at the age of 63 in my early twenties. I remained standing in front of it in the National Gallery for a long time and tears came to my eyes. There is something so moving about Rembrandt’s relentless depiction of his own aging face and his steady gaze amidst the wrinkles and sagging flesh. All this he must have observed so carefully in a mirror. He has painted his own decay and yet it is somehow magnificent too, the pose full of dignity and strength.
Imagine what it must have felt like for Rembrandt to scrutinize his face for weeks or even months on end. This is how long it took to paint a large self-portrait. Throughout his lifetime he painted and drew himself at least seventy-seven times.
Who would take a selfie these days that highlights their own decrepitude and still manage to turn it into an absolute triumph? The late self-portraits do just that. I started to puzzled over the fact how, despite suffering heavy blows of fate towards the very end of his life, he still managed to paint breath-taking images full of love and beauty such as The Jewish Bride. It is this question – how he arrived at the late works – that drove me to write Rembrandt’s Mirror and what it would be like to see the world through his eyes. I feel he had an unconventional way of seeing. He was able to put pictorial conventions and prejudices to one side and see things afresh. I feel that he is able to home in on what it is that makes us human. He never objectifies anyone. You always get a sense of the person. He seems to empathize with his subject or he’s very good at painting a face in a way that makes us feel we can get a felt sense of the character on display.
by Blog Tour: The Hiding Place by John Burley – Review
We are happy to be welcoming back John Burley to Novel Kicks today and his blog tour for his novel, The Hiding Place. The e-book was released by Avon on 30th July 2015 with the paperback following on 27th August 2015. Here’s a little about the book:
Dr Lise Shields works alongside some of the most dangerous criminals in America. As a psychiatrist she goes further than many, trying to work out what motivates these depraved and deadly individuals. When she gets close to one patient, Jason, she realises that his story isn’t black and white, and perhaps they’ve got the wrong man. But in letting Jason in, and believing his story, Lise soon realises she has put herself in terrible danger as she uncovers secrets, lies and unanswered questions. Is Lise living on borrowed time? And when she reaches the point of no return – where will she hide?
The Hiding Place is set in a psychiatric hospital in the US which houses some of the most deadly prisoners in the country. It’s a dead-end where none of the patients ever leave as they are all guilty and incurable.
Dr Lise Shields works with some of the most difficult. One day a transfer patient arrives with no paperwork and no patient history. This patient, Jason Edwards, causes Lise to ask questions and seek answers to perceived injustices leading her further and further down the rabbit hole, into a web of concealed truths and covert observation.
Laura had read No Mercy, the previous novel by John Burley and had really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to reading The Hiding Place.
This book is a well written and throughly enjoyable psychological thriller. All the clues are there from the start but I didn’t see the end coming until a few pages from the end. It kept me turning the pages and drew me through the book, always tempting me on a page further. The mystery of the novel drew me in.
by Courses and Competitions: Mslexia Novel Competition 2015
Mslexia’s Women’s Novel Competition is still open. If you’re a previously unpublished woman’s novelist then you can submit your novel for the chance to win £5,000.
Mslexia are looking for novels of 50,000 words and over in any genre as long as it is written for adults or young adults.
The closing date is 21st September 2015. At this point, they are asking for the first 5,000 words by the closing date. The full manuscript will then be required in October if your novel makes the shortlist.
The fee to enter is £25 per novel.
Judging the competition this year is novelist, Marina Lewycka, literary agent, Juliet Mushens and Di Speirs, the Books Editor at BBC Radio & Music.
by Blog Tour: Masquerade by Joanna Taylor – Review
Masquerade by Joanna Taylor.
We’re happy to be a part of the blog tour for Masquerade, the latest release by author, Joanna Taylor. It’s due for release by Piatkus on 6th August 2015.
1786: Regency London. Everyone is hiding something. But someone is hiding everything.
Lizzy Ward never meant to end up working the streets of Piccadilly. So when a mysterious noble pursues her, it seems her luck is changing. But though Lord Hays offers to grow Lizzy’s fortunes, his price is unexpected. She must masquerade in the sumptuous gowns and social mask of a true lady.
With the stakes so high, love is out of the question. But as Lizzy navigates the fashion and faux-pas of the London elite, she finds her tough facade failing her. Lord Hayes wants to show her that nobility is more than skin deep . . . and as the connection between them grows, it’s no longer certain who’s wearing the mask. As the street-girl and the lord collide, Regency London is poised for scandal . . .
Lizzy is a country girl who never wanted to end up in Piccadilly. It’s something she has found herself doing and she doesn’t know how to escape her life. When she meets Lord Edward Hays, she sees him as nothing more than another customer. However, when Edward asks her to be his companion over the week he is in London, her life changes completely.
by Author Interview: Rosie Millard
Hello Rosie, thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us a little bit about your route to publication? Had you always wanted to write a novel?
I think every journalist longs to write a novel, not least because our work is fish and chip paper the next day! I signed up for a Fiction Writing course with the University of East Anglia which I did every Tuesday night in London for six months, and The Square came out of that.
Can you tell us a little about your book, The Square and how the idea originated?
I wanted to write a satirical novel based in the present day and the garden square where I live in London seemed to be a very fertile starting point! I also wanted to make it a bit racy and fun.
What’s your favourite word?
Babies.
If you were to enter a talent show, what would you perform?
I would sing Any Dream Can Do from Joseph.
What song best describes you?
You Never Feel Happy, Until You Try, by c2c.
If you were only allowed to own three books for the rest of your life, which three would you pick?
A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. Middlemarch, by George Eliot.
by Blog Tour: My Sister’s Secret by Tracy Buchanan
Tracy Buchanan
I am VERY excited to be part of the blog tour for Tracy Buchanan’s new novel, My Sister’s Secret. The e-book was released by Avon on 21st July 2015 and the paperback is due for release on 13th August 2015.
About My Sister’s Secret:
Willow’s memories of her parents are sun-drenched and full of smiles, love and laughter. But a mysterious invitation to a photographic exhibition exposes a secret that’s been buried since a tragic accident years ago.
Willow is forced to question everything she knew about her late mother, and the aunt she’s lived with since she was a child.
How was the enigmatic photographer connected to Willow’s parents? Why will her aunt not break her silence?
Willow cannot move forward in her life without answers. But who can she really trust? Because no one has been telling the truth for a very long time.
I’ve reviewed the book below but first, to celebrate the release of My Sister’s Secret, Tracy and Avon have shared an extract with us. Enjoy!
Chapter One
Willow
In the middle of the Aegean Sea, Greece
August 2016
My friend Ajay reckons the Aegean Sea is named after Aegea, queen of the Amazons. My aunt Hope disagrees. She says it’s named after a famous sea goat. I know which one I prefer. In fact, I feel like I’m channelling a female warrior when I do dives like this, all swaddled up in my diving ‘armour’, ready to do battle with the sea and unearth its treasures. I feel it now as the dive boat we’re on bounces over the waves, the sea spreading out around us, the island of Rhodes just a shimmer of land behind us.
by Review: A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher
Paris, 1832. A street girl lies alone in the darkness, clutching a letter to her heart.
Eponine remembers being a child: her swing and the peach tree, and the baby brother she loved. But mostly she remembers being miserable. Taught to lie and cheat, and to hate the one girl, Cosette, who might have been her friend.
Now, at sixteen, the two girls meet again and Eponine has one more chance. But what is the price of friendship – the love of a boy.
I am only familiar with Les Misérables as far as the Hollywood film version (with Hugh Jackman.) I know, I know. The book has been on my to read pile for so long and now, after reading A Little in Love, I might have to get around to reading it.
The story of A Little in Love begins when Eponine is sixteen and it then goes back to when she was a child. Out of all the characters in Les Misérables, Eponine is the character I have always been intrigued with the most. She wants to be a good person – decent and kind but the circumstances of her life conspire against her.
She does not have the best start in life and in trying to gain her mother’s love, she turns her back on the one girl who may have been her friend – Cosette. I found Eponine’s story so heartbreaking. Anyone who has an idea of the story knows what happens to her but that did not stop me from willing it to end differently.
by Book Haul: Five Books For June
It is time for another book haul. I have brought and been sent some great and interesting titles this month and I wanted to share five of them with you. The five books below have been sent via publishers. What books have you received/brought this month? I’d love to know in the comments box below.
The first book is The Astrologer’s Daughter by Rebecca Lim.
I am loving this cover. This is the first book I will have read by Rebecca Lim (she is the author of the Mercy series) and I am looking forward to reading this book. It sounds very interesting. It is published by Text Publishing on 25th June 2015. It’s available in paperback and also as an e-book. Here’s the blurb:
The Astrologer’s Daughter is the story of Avicenna Crowe, whose astrologer mother has suddenly gone missing. Avicenna Crowe’s mother, Joanne, is an astrologer with uncanny predictive powers and a history of being stalked. Now she is missing. The police are called, but they’re not asking the right questions. Like why Joanne lied about her past, and what she saw in her stars that made her so afraid.
The second novel is The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon.
This book is one I am particularly looking forward to reading. It sounds very intriguing and I very much like the sound of the premise. It was one of those ideas that, when I read the blurb, I said to myself ‘I wish I had thought of that idea.’ Available in paperback and electronically, it’s published by W&N (18th June 2015.)
by Review: Dream a Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher
Penguin, 18th June 2015
Dream a Little Dream is the third novel from Giovanna Fletcher. It’s released today (18th June) by Penguin and is available in paperback and as an e-book.
I have to say, I absolutely ADORE this cover. It reminds me very much of Lisa Jewell’s earlier covers – beautiful and romantic. Love, love, love!
Here’s the blurb for Dream a Little Dream:
Sarah is doing just fine. Sure she’s been single for the last five years, and has to spend an uncomfortable amount of time around her ex-boyfriend and their mutual friends, and the rest at her tediously mundane job, but it’s fine. She’s happy(ish).
But it’s not surprising that when Sarah starts dreaming about a handsome stranger, she begins looking forward to falling asleep at night. Reality isn’t nearly as exciting. That is until her dream-stranger makes an unexpected real-life appearance, leaving Sarah questioning everything she thought she wanted.
Because people never really find the person of their dreams… do they?
I was a big fan of Billy & Me and I recently read You’re The One That I Want and loved that too so I was really excited when the review copy of Dream a Little Dream got delivered.
by Events: The Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize
British writing will be celebrated later today when the winners of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize will be announced in London at the Jerwood Space.
Fifteen books in total have been long listed (this is the first year the list has been released prior to the winners being announced.) The prize, established in 2010 is now in its fifth year. The prize is unique and it aims to showcase great British fiction.
“With writers from Swansea, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bath, Brighton, Lancaster, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Glasgow and London, and publishers from Yorkshire, Wales, Scotland and Norfolk, this year’s longlist presents an exciting snapshot of contemporary British fiction writing and publishing,” said Founder and Director Sophie Rochester.
Later today, eight winners will each be awarded £5,000. WH Smith Travel will be running an eight-week summer promotion featuring all eight winning Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize titles. Titles will feature in stores across the UK from 25 June 2015.
The fifteen books in contention for the prize money are:
by Review: The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter (RIP) by Kate Winter
Falling in love is never simple. Especially when you’re dead.
When Rosie Potter wakes up one morning with what she assumes is the world’s worst hangover, the last thing she expects is to discover that she’s actually dead. With a frustrating case of amnesia, suspicious circumstances surrounding her untimely demise, and stuck wearing her ugliest flannel PJs, Rosie must figure out not only what happened last night, but why on earth she’s still here. (Warning: Small spoilers.)
The title for this book alone made me intrigued. It also made me laugh so I was looking forward to reading it. From the first page, I was pulled into the story. The writing style made it so easy to read and so before I knew it, I’d been reading for a while and not realised that time had passed (when I should have been sleeping. I blame this book for a want to snooze at work. Haha.)
I did think that the main character dying at the beginning would put a downer on the story but Kate Winter writes with such warmth and humour that I found myself laughing out loud in many places throughout the book.
Rosie is unusual in that from the offset, she’s dead. The point of view is quite unique in that respect. She is likeable, funny and relatable and I liked her from the beginning and this kept me turning the page as I wanted to find out what happened to her.
I loved Charles. He is a lovely hero and the story is so bittersweet as you know that, despite the fact that the promise of love is there with him, you know that it is too late. Jenny was a lovely best friend and, like with Rosie, I felt sorry for her and what she had been through prior to the story starting. I did not like Jack. He is a great character if you love to hate him.
by My Favourite Books: Harry Potter
Copyright: JK Rowling
I have always been a big reader. Even at a young age, you were more likely to find me reading than watching TV (the only rival to my reading would have been colouring books.)
I have loved going on different adventures, falling in love with characters and loving to hate the villains. I’ve been thinking back to the books that have stayed with me even years after I’ve stopped reading the last page and in this new feature, I wanted to share some of my favourites with you.
One of the books that has stayed with me, is Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling.
I was late coming to the Harry Potter series. I think the books came to my attention when browsing in a book shop one day around the same time that the first film had appeared in cinemas. As the film had just been released, I’d been hearing a lot about the series (or the books that had been released up to that point,) and I was intrigued so I picked up the first book in the series. Let’s just say, within three days, I had to buy the rest. One of the things I love about this book series in particular is that it appeals to all ages and covers a variety of themes. I am fascinated by how these seven books all interconnect – how a small piece of information in the first book, like the fact that the wands are brothers is the thing that ends up saving his life later on.
by Book Haul: Five Books I’m Excited To Read
I have a HUGE obsession with books. I have been sent some great books over the past few weeks and I have also brought a few new books too. Despite the fact that I have quite a large TBR pile, it doesn’t stop me from adding to it on an almost daily basis. You can never have enough books, right? It was hard to pick but I wanted to share five of them with you – five I am looking forward to reading and reviewing soon. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of the books below and what you thought? Do you have any more you’d recommend?
The first book is We Are All Made of Stars by Rowan Coleman.
I love Rowan Coleman. Simple. I am also adoring this cover for her upcoming novel. It’s beautiful. It is due to be released on 21st May 2015 by Ebury who were kind enough to send me a review copy. I can’t wait to get stuck into this book and going by the blurb, it sounds great.
The blurb… Do not miss me, because I will always be with you…I am the air, the moon, the stars. For we are all made of stars, my beloved… Wherever you look, I will be there. Stella Carey exists in a world of night. Married to a soldier who has returned from Afghanistan injured in body and mind, she leaves the house every evening as Vincent locks himself away, along with the secrets he brought home from the war. During her nursing shifts, Stella writes letters for her patients to their loved ones – some full of humour, love and practical advice, others steeped in regret or pain – and promises to post these messages after their deaths. Until one night Stella writes the letter that could give her patient one last chance at redemption, if she delivers it in time…
The second novel I wanted to share is Freedom’s Child by Jax Miller.
This book sounds like such a roller coaster and it sounds so intriguing. I like mysteries (if you’ve not already guessed.) This is the debut novel from Jax and it is due to be released by Harper Collins on 30th July. I love it when books arrive with little surprises from the publisher. This review copy arrived at my house with a mini bottle of Southern Comfort which the husband will enjoy immensely.
The blurb…A heart-stopping debut thriller about a woman named Freedom, who will stop at nothing to save the daughter she only knew for two minutes and seventeen seconds. Call me what you will: a murderer, a cop killer, a fugitive, a drunk…There’s a lot people don’t know about Freedom Oliver. They know she works at the local bar. They know she likes a drink or two. What they don’t know is that Freedom is not her real name. That she has spent the last eighteen years living under Witness Protection, after being arrested for her husband’s murder. They don’t know that she put her two children up for adoption, a decision that haunts her every day. Then Freedom’s daughter goes missing, and everything changes. Determined to find her, Freedom slips her handlers and heads to Kentucky where her kids were raised. No longer protected by the government, she is tracked by her husband’s sadistic family, who are thirsty for revenge. But as she gets closer to the truth, Freedom faces an even more dangerous threat. She just doesn’t know it yet.
by News: Barbara Taylor Bradford Launches Writing Competition
Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE has joined forces with The Sunday Times to help discover the next generation of young female writers.
Barbara is an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust, an independent UK charity that transforms lives through literacy.
The Write Stuff short story competition is aimed at girls aged 11-18 and who live in the UK. It was launched nationwide on Sunday (22nd March.)
The competition has been initiated following research by National Literacy Trust of more than 14,000 girls revealing that only one in four girls aged 14 to 16 (23%) see writing as cool, and almost half prefer watching TV to reading (49%).
“I feel it’s critical to reach out to girls and young women who want to share a story they have created and inspire a new generation of female writers and readers. It’s really important that female authors like myself take the lead as role models for girls and young women and encourage them to reach their full potential,” says author, Barbara Taylor Bradford who is due to release her 30th novel, The Cavendon Women on 26th March 2015.
by Book News: Upcoming Releases
Spring will soon be on its way. It is only two weeks until the clocks go forward and there is a promise of longer evenings and lighter mornings. It also means new books. I wanted to share with you five of the books that I am most looking forward to reading so far this year…
The Girls by Lisa Jewell.
I love Lisa’s books and so I can’t wait for this one to be released. This one sounds very intriguing. The cover is so pretty too. This is due to be released by Century on 2nd July 2015.
Dark secrets, a devastating mystery and the games people play. You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses. You’ve known your neighbours for years and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really?Midsummer night: a thirteen-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?
by Cover Reveal: The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die by Marnie Riches
We are very excited to be part of the cover reveal for The Girl Who Wouldn’t Die which is the new novel from author, Marnie Riches.
Ta-dah, here it is. It’s due to be published by HarperCollins on 2nd April 2015.
About the book:
HE’S WATCHING HER. SHE DOESN’T KNOW IT…YET
When a bomb explodes at the University of Amsterdam, aspiring criminologist Georgina McKenzie is asked by the police to help flush out the killer. But the bomb is part of a much bigger, more sinister plot that will have the entire city quaking in fear.
And the killer has a very special part for George to play…
A thrilling race against time with a heroine you’ll be rooting for, this book will keep you up all night! Continue reading
by News: JoJo Moyes announces book sequel
JoJo Moyes has announced that she is releasing a sequel to Me Before You. The new novel will be called After You and is due to be released in the autumn.
JoJo’s best selling novel, Me Before You is currently being adapted into a movie staring Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games, Love Rosie,) and Emila Clarke (Game of Thrones.)
On her website, JoJo said…
“I hadn’t planned to write a sequel to Me Before You. But working on the movie script, and reading the sheer volume of tweets and emails every day asking what Lou did with her life, meant that the characters never left me. It has been such a pleasure revisiting Lou and her family, and the Traynors, and confronting them with a whole new set of issues. As ever, they have made me laugh, and cry. I hope readers feel the same way at meeting them again.”
After You is due for release by Michael Joseph on 24th September 2015. I loved Me Before You and I can’t wait to find out what happens to Lou. If you can’t wait for the film or the book, Penguin have released a book trailer. Enjoy!
by Postbag: February
We’ve received some fantastic books already this month. We wanted to share a selection with you….
Polly and The Puffin by Jenny Colgan.
As well as her latest novel, Summer at the Little Beach Bakery coming out at the end of February, Jenny has her first children’s book coming out on 26th February. Illustrated by Thomas Docherty, it’s available in paperback and as an e-book. It arrived beautifully wrapped with a cuddy puffin too.
About the book:
Polly heard a CRASH downstairs. Was it a monster? NO! Was it a spider alien? NO!
It was a little puffin with a broken wing…
When Polly discovers an injured puffin, she and her mummy look after him in their cottage by the sea.
Slowly, Neil’s wing heals and Polly must prepare herself to say goodbye to her new friend. Will she ever see him again?
(Little Browns Books for Young Readers, February 2015.)
by Book News: Neil Gaiman
Great news for Neil Gaiman fans.
The author of Stardust and The Ocean at the End of the Lane is due to release the third collection of short fiction. It’s called Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances and it’s due for release on 3rd February 2015 in hardback and e-book formats.
Trigger Warning mixes horror, ghost stories, science fiction and fairy tales and this also includes a never before published American Gods story, Black Dog.
Here’s a bit of the blurb:
In this new volume, Neil Gaiman pierces the veil of reality to reveal the enigmatic, shadowy world that lies beneath. Trigger Warning includes previously published pieces of short fiction-stories, verse, and a very special Doctor Who story that was written for the fiftieth anniversary of the beloved series in 2013-as well as BLACK DOG, a new tale that revisits the world of American Gods. Continue reading
by Review: Dead Man Walking by Paul Finch
His worst nightmare is back… 
As a brutal winter takes hold of the Lake District, a prolific serial killer stalks the fells. ‘The Stranger’ has returned and for DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg, the signs are all too familiar. Last seen on Dartmoor ten years earlier, The Stranger murdered his victims in vicious, cold-blooded attacks – and when two young women go missing, Heck fears the worst. As The Stranger lays siege to a remote community, Heck watches helplessly as the killer plays his cruel game, picking off his victims one by one. And with no way to get word out of the valley, Heck must play ball…
When the review copy of this landed on my doormat and I read the blurb on the back I instantly decided that this would be the next book I would read. Although I have not read any of the other DS Heckenburg thrillers, I was not left in the dark as the book stands well on its own and the writer fills you in on any critical information from the other books in a very slick way that feels natural.
The story centres around a small village in the lake district and their two person police team including ex-big city police officer DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg who is looking for the quite life but ultimately fails to find it, as a serial killer starts picking off the villagers one by one. Continue reading
by Review: A Girl Walks into a Blind Date by Helena S. Paige
Internet dating is a tricky game to play, but you’ve done your homework and narrowed down your list to three international men of mystery. All that’s left to do now is meet them . . .
* Will you head to Amsterdam to get hands-on with a bohemian sculptor?
* Or does the idea of adventure in New York City with a heroic fireman light your fire?
* There’s also the impossibly handsome Italian count who sends you poetic praise from his palazzo in Venice . . .
Whichever way you decide to go, each twist and turn will lead to an unforgettable encounter. Can you choose the ultimate sensual experience? Remember: if your first choice doesn’t hit the spot, then start over and try something (and someone) new. The power is entirely yours in this fully interactive, choose your own destiny novel.
I have not read many Erotica novels. In-fact, I have only read two (both Sylvia Day,) and I’m also on the list of people who has not read Fifty Shades of Grey so it’s safe to say that Erotica isn’t my novel of choice. I am not sure why. It never normally appeals. What did intrigue me with this novel though, is the chance to be able to pick where I went in the story.
by Book News: Bella Osborne To Release Debut Novel
Bella Osborne
Harper Impulse, Feb 2015
I am so delighted that Bella Osborne (from our Bella’s Scribblings column,) has secured a two book deal with Harper Impulse (an imprint of Harper Collins.) The cover for her debut novel, It Started at Sunset Cottage has been revealed by Harper Impulse and I LOVE IT. So pretty.
It sounds fantastic and we want to say congratulations to Bella. Her novel is due for release in electronic form on 12th February 2015 followed by the paperback release on 23rd April 2015.
About It Started at Sunset Cottage:
Kate Marshall is slowly getting her life back on track after losing her fiancé. As an author she has been able to hide herself away from the world and its expectations – but now one of her books has been optioned for a film and Hollywood suddenly comes knocking on her door!
When Kate is given the opportunity to stay at a beautiful country retreat and concentrate on the screenplay, it’s an offer she can’t refuse. Encouraged by her best friend, sharp-tongued single mum Sarah, Kate sees it’s finally time to stop letting life pass her by.
Looking for confidence and inspiration in the idyllic Cotswolds countryside, the last thing Kate expects is for Timothy Calder, A-list actor and leading man in the movie adaptation of her book, to turn up on her doorstep, hoping to lie low after his latest tabloid scandal! But after a rocky start, with Tim narrowly avoiding death by watering can, they find they have a few things in common: a liking for Lady Grey tea, walnut whips and bad ‘knock knock’ jokes. Actually, the bad jokes are just Tim.
by Book News: Katie Fforde
I always look forward to anything by Katie Fforde and I can’t wait for her new release coming in February 2015.
Being released by Century on 12th February, it’s called A Vintage Wedding and I am totally in love with this cover. If you want to have a sneak peek of her new book, Katie is releasing a collection of Christmas short stories and there will be a preview of A Vintage Wedding inside. A Christmas Feast is being released by Arrow in paperback and electronically and is available to buy from 4th December 2014. Both books are available for pre-order from Amazon.
A little about A Vintage Wedding:
Beth, Rachel and Lindy are looking for new beginnings.
by Book News: Talli Roland
Talli is releasing two new books before Christmas and is also giving away a Kindle Fire.
Talli Roland’s previous novels include Build a Man and The No-Kids Club. She has two new book releases coming before Christmas and she has also announced a great giveaway too (details at the bottom of the post.)
The first book she has coming out is a novella called Married by Midnight: A Christmas Story. It’s due to be released by Notting Hill Press on 14th November 2014 and it’s currently priced at 89 pence* on Amazon UK (a bargain in our opinion,) and $1.49* on Amazon US (it’s already available on the US store.)
It’s a Christmas book so we can’t help but be excited.
Here’s the blurb:
Christmas is coming . . . and so is the biggest day of Kate’s life.
While choosing a vintage dress for her Christmas Eve wedding, Kate finds a cryptic note pinned to the inside of a 1930s gown. As doubts about her own ceremony loom, Kate is determined to track down the dress’ owner and determine what became of her – and the marriage.
Will Kate find the answers she’s seeking to propel her down the aisle, or will her discovery prompt her to call off the wedding for good?
If a Christmas novella wasn’t enough, Talli also has a new Serenity Holland book coming out (the third in the series – Build A Man and Construct a Couple being the first two.) It’s called Marriage to Measure, it’s due to also be released by Notting Hill Press and will be available to buy on 10th December 2014 (it’s available to pre-order at a special price of 99 pence* on Amazon UK and $1.61 on Amazon US.)
About Marriage to Measure:
When Serenity Holland proposes to her long-time boyfriend Jeremy, she’s certain ‘forever’ is a perfect fit. As the wedding train steams forward, though, Serenity starts to wonder if they really are an ideal match. From a crusty old ring to a dilapidated house she’s left to renovate on her own – not to mention the appearance of Jeremy’s clingy ex-fiancée – engagement feels more like disengagement.
Even worse, wedding planning’s like a bad hangover as Serenity juggles the wishes of family and friends with her bossy mother-in-law-to-be, resulting in a Frankenwedding nothing like the simple ceremony she envisioned.
Can Serenity knit her relationship back together and fashion a celebration that suits, or will ‘I do’ become ‘I don’t’?
To celebrate the release of her new book and novella, Talli is giving you the chance to win a Kindle Fire HD 8GB. It’s open to anyone living in the UK & Europe, Canada and the US. There are a few ways you can enter and you can also enter as many times as you like. Just follow this link to see how to enter. The contest closes on 10th December (the day Marriage to Measure is released.)
To find out more about Talli and her novels, visit her website at http://www.talliroland.com/
(*prices correct at the time of publication.)
by Book News: Festive Short Stories and Novellas
Happy Monday! It has not escaped my notice that a few more festive treats have appeared in the shops, christmas adverts are appearing on TV and I, for the first time in years, have firmly begun my christmas shopping early. Christmas is definitely in the air here (yes, I know it’s only November.) A few weeks ago we featured some great christmas short stories that were due to be released. As I am finding myself humming Christmas carols under my breath, I couldn’t resist letting you know about a few more…
Skating at Somerset House by Nikki Moore.
This one has such a pretty cover. It’s from new author, Nikki Moore and it’s due for release on e-book by Harper Impulse on 4th December 2014.
There’s nothing Holly Winterlake loves more than Christmas and skating, so working as an Ice Marshall at London’s Somerset House is a dream come true. Noel Summerford hates the festive season and is a disaster on the ice, so taking his godson to Somerset House is his idea of the nightmare before Christmas! Things are bound to get interesting when these two collide…With a forty foot Christmas tree, an assortment of well meaning friends and relatives, and a mad chocolate Labrador, will this festive season be one to remember … or forget?
by Cover Reveal: The Forgotten Holocaust by Scott Mariani
We are very excited to be taking part in the cover reveal for the new release by Scott Mariani.
Ta-dah!
The new book is called The Forgotten Holocaust. It’s due to be released by Avon on 29th January 2015. It’s the latest adventure starting Ben Hope and we are looking forward to reading it.
About the book:
A lost, aimless and hard-drinking Ben Hope has wandered back to his old haunt in Ireland. The ex-SAS soldier is searching for peace, but trouble soon appeared when Kirsten Hall, a young journalist, is brutally murdered right in front of him. Unable to prevent it, Ben is driven by guilt to hunt down the killers. All he has to go on is a handful of clues from Kirsten’s research – but how can the journals of Lady Stamford, the wife of an English lord during the time of the Irish Great Famine, have put Kirsten in mortal danger?
Ben’s quest for the truth leads him across the world and finally Oklahoma, USA, where a deadly secret awaits. What connects the journals, a wealthy American politician and an intrigue surrounding the Irish Famine?
by Cover Reveal: One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin
WE ARE LOVING THIS COVER. It’s beautiful and so sparkly. We can’t wait to read it. We are very excited to be helping to reveal the cover for Holly’s new book. It’s really put us in a festive mood.
You can pre-order an electronic edition of Holly’s new book from Amazon. It will be released by Carina on 3rd November 2014.
About One Hundred Christmas Proposals:
If you thought Harry & Suzie’s life couldn’t get anymore sweepingly romantic than Harry asking her to marry him at the end of One Hundred Proposals – think again!
It’s Christmas in a snow-kissed London, and the.PerfectProposal.com have vowed to carry out one hundred proposals in December. No easy task at the best of times – made even more complicated by Harry & Suzie trying to plan their first Christmas and a visit from the dreaded in-laws. But one hundred deliciously Christmassy proposals later they find themselves asking if everything is still perfect in their own relationship….
by News: Books Are My Bag 2014
This year’s Books are my Bag campaign launched on 9th October and there are plenty of ways to get involved.
There will be many bookshop parties tomorrow as well as the chance to pick up the Books are My Bag tote bags. Tracey Emin has designed a collector’s edition bag which will be available from tomorrow (11th October,) but be quick if you want to get your hands on one. Jen Campbell’s, The Bookshop Book is the official book for this year’s campaign and it looks fantastic.
Throughout October, Books are My Bag are also running #ThisBookshop. Just tweet what your favourite bookshop is or if you have your own blog, write a blog post and share on Twitter with that hashtag, #ThisBookshop. The idea is to put bookshops in the spotlight and at the end of October they will award somebody using that hashtag with some book tokens.
They are also hosting #bookadayuk (details in the banner to the right,) throughout October where there is a new subject to tweet about everyday -just some of the many ways you can get involved.
BOOKS ARE MY BAG, which originally launched in 2013, is a Continue reading
by Book News: Marian Keyes
Eeek! We are so excited for the imminent arrival of the latest novel from Marian Keyes. The Woman Who Stole My Life is due for release by Michael Joseph on 6th November (so just under a month to wait,) and it sounds great.
It’s available to pre-order in hardback and e-book.
Who else is excited? We are.
About the book:
‘Name: Stella Sweeney.
Height: average.
Recent life events: dramatic.’
One day, sitting in traffic, married Dublin mum Stella Sweeney attempts a good deed. The resulting car crash changes her life.
For she meets a man who wants her telephone number (for the insurance, it turns out). That’s okay. She doesn’t really like him much anyway (his Range Rover totally banjaxed her car).
by Book News: R.S Pateman
The Prophecy of Bees is the new book from the author of The Secret Life of Amy Archer.
I loved R.S.Pateman’s first novel and so I am looking forward to reading his second novel. It’s due for release by Orion in hardback and e-book on 20th November 2014 and then in paperback on 31st December 2015.
About The Prophecy of Bees.
Moving to Stagcote Manor was meant to be a fresh start for Lindy and her teenage daughter Izzy. A chance at a new life in the country after things went so wrong in London. But for Izzy it is a prison sentence.
There’s something about the house that she can’t quite put her finger on. Something strange and unnerving. As Izzy begins to explore the manor and the village beyond its walls, she discovers the locals have a lot of bizarre superstitions and beliefs. Many of them related to the manor . . . and those who live there.
When Izzy begins to investigate the history of the estate, her unease deepens to fear as the house’s chilling past finally comes to light.
The Prophecy of Bees is available for pre-order
Read our review of The Second Life of Amy Archer.
by Book Club
