My Sunday Photo 2021 #5

 

The Ghost Garden by Emma Carroll Book Review

 It has been a little while since I mentioned a lovely Barrington Stoke book.

Today I have a review for Emma Carroll's debut book with these fantastic publishers. The Ghost Garden is a tale of childhood on the brink of war. A delightful piece of historical fiction, perfect for young readers. 

My eight year old was going to be the one reading this and she chose to read it for her school reading book - see what she thought later in this post.

Summer 1914

When Fran uncovers a bone in the garden of Longbarrow House on the same afternoon that Leo breaks his leg, it is just the first in a series of strange and unsettling coincidences.

Leo is left wheelchair bound for the rest of the summer and Fran is roped into keep him company, forced to listen to his foolish theories about the looming threat of war.

Suddenly the garden she has loved all her life seems to hold threatening shadows of the future, and Fran starts to fear what she and Leo might find next ...

Reading Round Up 2021 #4

 Hello there lovely book worms, I hope you are all well.

Welcome to another reading round up, stick around if you'd like to see what novels I've had the pleasure of reading this week and which ones I'm recommended that you look at too.

My current pace of reading seems to be about 4 books a week. Not bad considering one of stories was over 600 pages long.

Quick shout out to Cynthia Murphy for sending me a copy of Last One to Die after I won a giveaway on Twitter - cannot wait to start reading this one this week!

Now onto the books that I've actually managed to devour....

My Sunday Photo 2021 #4

 

The House at the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes Book Review

 It's been a while since I lost myself in what would be described as a children's book. I say described as because really I think any book can be read by anybody. 

This year my reading has been rather up and down, I've found myself struggling to really get engaged at times, perhaps that is down to genre or maybe because of everything that we as a world have been through this year.

Whatever the cause, I can't tell you how glad I was to have the chance to peruse Amy Sparkes latest novel The House at the Edge of Magic. 

It may come as no surprise to you that I found this book truly magical.

Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures. When she steals a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman's purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge, higgledy-piggeldy house. Inside she finds a host of magical and brilliantly funny characters, including Flabberghast – a young wizard who’s particularly competitive at hopscotch – and a hideous troll housekeeper who’s emotionally attached to his feather duster. They have been placed under an extraordinary spell, which they are desperate for Nine to break. If she can, maybe they can offer her a new life in return…

Silver Linings by Jess Impiazzi Blog Tour

 When it comes to non-fiction books, I admit I tend not to read many of them. A lot of them these days seem to be more about making themselves look good and a play by play of all the celebrities they've met along the way.

But one book caught my eye just before Christmas last year, accidentally really when I began to follow the lovely Helen at Literally PR over on Twitter. She was working on promoting Jess Impiazzi's book Silver Linings.

Now all I knew of Jess is what I'd seen of her when she was on Celebrity Big Brother however her story even then captured me, she was definitely more than the media wanted to portray her as. This woman's journey has been less than straight forward and it is here in her book that she goes into depth about the struggles she (and others in her family) have faced.

When one door closes, and another plan is derailed, it’s time to seek out the ‘Silver Linings’ and step up to the challenge. Jess Impiazzi’s journey of self-discovery, hard lessons, heart-breaking moments, self-care and openness to transformation make for a raw, authentic and inspiring story about how to follow dreams, overcome challenges and celebrate kindness in many forms.

Dishonoured by Jem Tugwell Blog Tour

 I'm one of these people that when I've decided I like an author, I tend to make a point of reading any new novels that they might release.

One such author is Jem Tugwell. 

I've had the pleasure of reviewing his previous novels. These include Proximity and No Signal.

Jem's books come under the crime fiction genre (one that has become quite popular with me) and they deliver the perfect combinations of thrills and psychological drama within their pages.

His latest novel Dishonoured is no different and I was thrilled when I was given the chance to be a part of the blog tour.

WE’RE ALL ONE MISTAKE FROM RUIN… 

Dan has worked hard for the perfect life. He has a loving wife, beautiful kids, a fabulous home and is a successful businessman. 

One afternoon Dan steps onto his usual train and sees the waitress who served him an hour earlier. It all seemed so normal, but it was the most dreadful mistake. Four stops later, Dan is a criminal who has lost everything. He’d only just met her, so why did she destroy him—and why did she say 'Sorry'? 

Dan battles through a web of lies and deceit to clear his name and win his life back, but first, he needs to find out who plotted his downfall.

Dishonoured follows banker Dan as his life goes from near on perfect to hitting rock bottom in what seems like mere seconds. One minute he's brokering a successful deal to sell his business - making him a millionaire - in a blink of an eye he's lost it all.

Reading Round Up 2021 #3

 Here we are.

Another week gone.

More time spent reading (well not as much time as I'd like). Which of course means I must update you with another reading round up.

I haven't managed to read quite as much as past weeks as the book I've now started reading is over 600 pages long and I don't know about you but when I see a larger book, my reading speed seems to automatically decrease.

Anyway here are the books I did manage to read:

My Sunday Photo 2021 #3

 

Game Changer by Neal Shusterman Book Review

 Ok I'm going to say it, Game Changer by Neal Shusterman is an ambitious book that blends the genres of YA and dystopia oh so well.

I have to be honest, what first drew me to the book was the front cover. It instantly made me think of the Matrix,  is that everything falling into place as everything changes? Along with the story itself it is extremely original. 

All it takes is one hit on the football field, and suddenly Ash’s life doesn’t look quite the way he remembers it.

Impossible though it seems, he’s been hit into another dimension—and keeps on bouncing through worlds that are almost-but-not-really his own.

The changes start small, but they quickly spiral out of control as Ash slides into universes where he has everything he’s ever wanted, universes where society is stuck in the past…universes where he finds himself looking at life through entirely different eyes.

This novel follows protagonist Ash, a white high school student, American football player, all round good teenager - or so he likes to think. But with one (quite significant) bump to the head during a match, everything changes, well at least for him they do.

Reading Round Up 2021 #2

 Hello lovely readers.

Welcome to another weekly reading round up. I hope you're all coping in this ongoing lockdown. Reading has definitely been my saviour. Only being able to go out for one walk a day, I'm not sure what else I'd be doing if I wasn't such a book worm.

Having read a book almost every day of the week last week, I have already read 9 books so far this month. I think it is safe to say that I'm going to reach my Goodreads (give me a follow if you like) target of 100 books read this year.

I've tried to mix it up a little with my reading. Alternating between my Kindle and my phone as well as switching from proofs/ARCS I have been lucky enough to receive, my own personal book collection and novels sent via Netgalley.

My Sunday Photo 2021 #2

 

The Appeal by Janice Hallet #BuddyRead

 Until recently, I'd never attempted a buddy read before. The idea behind it is that you read a book at the same time as someone else and whilst (hopefully) enjoying the story, you can message one another with opinions, thoughts and perhaps all the emotions that the novel might be invoking - for me that is usually a vast amount.

My first buddy read came in the shape of Janice Hallet's novel The Appeal and boy what a corker to start with.

I was having a conversation with myself before I'd even started reading.

6th December 

8.55am   Myself: "What a cover"

13.30pm Myself again: "When would it be acceptable to start reading? Do I have to wait for my buddy?"

7th December

7.57am   Myself still waiting: "OK I can't wait any longer, I'm going in, wish me luck!"

Dear Reader,

Enclosed are documents relating to the events surrounding the Fairway Players' staging of All My Sons, and the tragic death of one of its members. Another member is currently in prison for the crime. We have reason to suspect that they are innocent, and that there were far darker secrets that have yet to be revealed.

We believe that the killer has given themselves away. It's there in writing, hidden in the emails, texts, and letters. In the events surrounding the charity appeal for little Poppy Reswick, and the question of whether that money was truly being used to fund her life-saving cancer treatment. Will you accept the challenge? Can you uncover the truth? Do you dare?

This is a book that appealed to me from the get go. From its genre of crime fiction, the front cover - a pink bow waiting to be opened, to the initial questions from the blurb beckoning me in.

Get a Grip, Love by Kate Lucey Book Review

 I can't claim to have ever been depressed.

What I will say though is that I get quite down sometimes and I definitely suffer from moments (many of them long) of anxiety. 

But I'm one of these people that looks fine on the outside.

Generally smiling so you wouldn't know that there is anything wrong. I definitely hide my feelings/moods well.

This doesn't mean that I don't want or desire a degree of help at times though. My median of choice, books. As a person that isn't a big talker, I find books can ease my worries and at least let me know that I am not alone in the way that I think sometimes.

Get a Grip, Love is a poignant and insightful book from Kate Lucey. 

Not your typical sort of self help book in my opinion, simply an honest and witty piece of writing that recognises that depression - and other mental health issues for that matter - quite frankly suck.

A record-breaking number of anti-depressants are being prescribed each year. While positive steps are being taken and we are speaking more about our problems, in this new age of having conversations about mental health, everyone and their neighbour has a ‘miracle cure’ to throw at those of us who are struggling. There’s an enormous gap in the knowledge and understanding of what depression is and isn’t – not least in that it doesn’t look the same on every person.

Exploring the science behind mental illness and its treatment, and including stories from a number of sufferers of depression and anxiety disorders, Get a Grip, Love provides a witty, razor-sharp exploration of mental health, and a no-nonsense guide that explains where the advice to ‘go for a run’, ’stay off social media’ or ‘make some new friends’ comes from. It separates the facts from the fiction about what could work, speaks openly about how it feels to live with a mental health disorder, and demonstrates that it’s ok to feel the way that we do when we’re struggling, and that we certainly don’t need to get a grip.

Kate writes in a way that put me as the reader at ease.

Reading Round Up 2021 #1

 For the past few years on my blog I have run a weekly reading linky where others could link up their various book posts and reviews.

But as the blogging community has changed, linkies have become less popular and the number of people linking up to Read With Me was dwindling so I made the decision at the end of last year to stop it and to instead just concentrate on my own reviews.

So instead, every Monday I've decided to write a post to compile all of the books I read in the previous week. 

Quick snippets along with the blurbs and a star rating to perhaps give you some reading inspiration.

Layla by Colleen Hoover 3.5 stars out of 5

When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences.

Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers puts him in direct conflict with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to make a choice because he can’t help both of them. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental for all of them.

                                                                                                                                                                          

Now I am a huge fan of Colleen Hoover, so much so that I'm willing to read all of her books without even looking at the blurb.

My Sunday Photo 2021 #1