Christmas For Beginners By Carole Matthews

31 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Christmas is fast approaching at the new Hope Farm. Owner Molly Baker has been convinced to organise an open day to raise some much-needed funds ahead of the New Year, but the nativity tableau is proving challenging. With anti-social sheep, awkward alpacas and a seriously sequined Santa Claus to assemble, Molly is feeling overwhelmed, and in desperate need of some Christmas spirit . . .

Despite the chaos of the farm getting in the way of her event planning, Molly is looking forward to spending the holidays with boyfriend Shelby and his son, Lucas, hopeful that a happy family Christmas is exactly what they need to draw them all together. But while she is busy making plans on the farm, Shelby, it seems, has ideas of his own.

As the nativity draws near, the team are working hard to pull off a spectacular festive fete – and make sure the animals and humans remain on their best behaviour.

Will this Christmas be merry and bright… or is there more than one surprise in store for Molly and Hope Farm?

My Thoughts:

What a treat, if you haven’t read Happiness for beginners then I suggest you start with that one first as you get to meet all the characters, in this story we return to Hope Farm and find out what Molly the owner has been getting up to. There are real issues that people can relate to, I admire Molly as she puts everyone before herself even her own feelings. It sounds like a wonderful place where kids can really get away from everything and have some time to be themselves. I would love a follow up to this story as I feel as though there should be. There are lots of cheeky animals to meet in this wonderful story.

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I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday By Milly Johnson

30 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

It’s nearly Christmas and it’s snowing, hard. Deep in the Yorkshire Moors nestles a tiny hamlet, with a pub at its heart. As the snow falls, the inn will become an unexpected haven for six people forced to seek shelter there…

Mary has been trying to get her boss Jack to notice her for four years, but he can only see the efficient PA she is at work. Will being holed up with him finally give her the chance she has been waiting for?

Bridge and Luke were meeting for five minutes to set their divorce in motion. But will getting trapped with each other reignite too many fond memories – and love?

Charlie and Robin were on their way to a luxury hotel in Scotland for a very special Christmas. But will the inn give them everything they were hoping to find – and much more besides?

A story of knowing when to hold on and when to let go, of pushing limits and acceptance, of friendship, love, laughter, mince pies and the magic of Christmas.

My Thoughts:

Being a big fan of Milly’s books I could not wait to get straight into this book. I have never met a Milly Johnson book that I didn’t like. This is the perfect festive read to snuggle up with on a cold and frosty morning. I found the story warm and comforting and felt as though I was there sharing the festivities with a bunch of such lovely people. I love how each character has their own story to tell as they are all taking refuge from a big snow storm that has ruined their plans for Christmas. A magical story that you wouldn’t want to put down. You may have a tear or two in your eyes at the end too.

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Taken By Lisa Stone

27 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

8-year-old Leila Smith has seen and heard things that no child should ever have to. On the Hawthorn Estate, where she lives, she often stays out after dark to avoid going home.

But what Leila doesn’t know is that someone has been watching her in the playground. One day, she disappears without a trace…

The police start a nationwide search but it’s as if Leila has vanished into thin air. Who kidnapped her? What do they want? Will she return home safely or is she lost forever?

My Thoughts:

I have read all of Lisa’s previous novels and loved them, this one was good but not as good as her books before. The storyline is a controversial storyline where a child goes missing but who has taken her? the book points the finger at a few people and us as readers find out who it is and how they go about after taking the child. The characters are well thought out and I don’t really know how I felt about the mother, I felt sorry for her but on the other hand I didn’t. It was a hard one to explain. Some people have said that there were faults with this book and there may be but at the end of the day it is a made up story so who cares. I found it a really good read and gripping. I look forward to Lisa’s next book.

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The Spiral By Iain Ryan

24 December , 202016 November , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Erma Bridges’ life is far from perfect, but entirely ordinary. So when she is shot twice in a targetted attack by a colleague, her quiet existence is shattered in an instant.

With her would-be murderer dead, no one can give Erma the answers she needs to move on from her trauma. Why her? Why now?

So begins Erma’s quest for the truth – and a dangerous, spiralling journey into the heart of darkness.

My Thoughts:

After hearing about this book for so long, I was finally able to read it, it certainly does not disappoint. It is a very original and unique way for a book to be written but it works so well, I have never seen it done before. The story is fast paced and engaging, there are quite a few twists but the reader is the one to choose which way the story goes. It is such a fun and interesting read, that I consumed it within a few hours and now want to read it all over again. I cannot wait to see what the author Iain brings to the plate with this next book.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review

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A Wedding at the Beach Hut By Veronica Henry

23 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 2 Comments

Escape to Everdene Sands, where the sun is shining – but is the tide about to turn?

Robyn and Jake are planning their dream wedding at the family beach hut in Devon. A picnic by the turquoise waves, endless sparkling rosé and dancing barefoot on the golden sand . . .

But Robyn is more unsettled than excited. She can’t stop thinking about the box she was given on her eighteenth birthday, and the secrets it contains. Will opening it reveal the truth about her history – and break the hearts of the people she loves most?

As the big day arrives, can everyone let go of the past and step into a bright new future?

My Thoughts:

Fall in love with this charming read, I know I did. Having read all of Veronica’s previous books I was looking forward to being whisked away to the beach huts again. The book is all about love and hope, with charming characters. Once you read one of Veronica’s books you wont want to put them down, they are just so good. I loved this read and the end is lovely.

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The Fragility of Bodies (Veronica Rosenthal 1) By Sergio Olguin

22 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Veronica Rosenthal is a young Buenos Aires journalist with a healthy appetite for bourbon and married men. When she hears about the suicide of a train driver who confessed to his responsibility for four fatal ‘accidents’ on the train tracks, she decides to investigate.

For Veronica it is the beginning of a journey that takes her into an unfamiliar world of grinding poverty and crime infested neighbourhoods, exposing a side of the city she has never seen. Aided by a train driver with whom she embarks on a dangerous love affair, Veronica discovers a group of criminals and corrupt politicians willing to gamble on the lives of others to satisfy their need for excitement.

My Thoughts:

This is book one in the Veronica Rosenthal series. I have not read a book set in Buenos Aires so that sparked my interest, finding out about the country was a fascinating insight. I liked the fact that the main character is a strong independent woman who doesn’t take no crap from anyone. The plot sounded exciting and I wonder how she was going to solve the mystery. Even though it was a slightly unusual story it worked well, I look forward to reading book two to see what Veronica gets up to.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. Thank you to Bitter Lemon Press for sending me a copy.

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Healer of My Heart By Sheila Turner Johnston

22 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Why are we so angry with each other? Because there is nothing else left to be. Intense and riveting, this is the powerful story of two lives that collide on a relentless path from an unforgiving past to a future to be grasped … or lost. Rookie teacher Robyn Daniels drives away everyone who tries to come close to her. Her emotions are locked in impenetrable ice until a flawed, charismatic and headstrong young man attacks the frozen layers of this woman who entrances him. From despair to delight, from trust to betrayal, will he be the healer of her heart? Or will even he walk away before his own is broken? Lyrical, thought-provoking, unforgettable, this remarkable novel will stay with you long after you have closed the last page. What leaves you with the fewest wounds? Making peace with the past? Or making war with it?

My Thoughts:

I love the cover of this book, it feels very poignant. Robyn is a English teacher that is newly qualified. She is independent and won’t let anyone get close to her until David comes along. She has had hurt in the past so you can see what she is the way she is. Can he help her to see that it is not all bad and can he help her heal her broken heart? I felt a connection with her, I felt sorry for how things were for her in her past though. I hoped David would help her and for her to have a happy life. I found the story moving and well written. It explores love and relationships.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Queenie By Candice Carty-Williams

18 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Queenie is a twenty-five-year-old Black woman living in south London, straddling Jamaican and British culture whilst slotting neatly into neither. She works at a national newspaper where she’s constantly forced to compare herself to her white, middle-class peers, and beg to write about Black Lives Matter. After a messy break up from her long-term white boyfriend, Queenie finds herself seeking comfort in all the wrong places.

As Queenie veers from one regrettable decision to another, she finds herself wondering, What are you doing? Why are you doing it? Who do you want to be? – the questions that every woman today must face in a world that keeps trying to provide the answers for them.

My Thoughts:

I am a bit late to the party for this book but it doesn’t matter as I have read it now. I was intrigued to see what all the hype was about regarding this book. The main character is a black woman so it was interesting to get her views and her experiences. There is a lot of sex and lots of details going into it which put me off slightly as it was a bit too much for me, everyone in this book felt familiar as in the way her friends, family and colleagues have been written. I did feel for Queenie on some occasions and seeing what she sees and hears every day was quite sad and hit me hard. I did find some bits funny too. I am glad I have read it and I look forward to reading more by Candice.

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Adventure By Chicken Bus By Janet LoSole

18 December , 202018 December , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 1 Comment

Embarking on a homeschooling field trip to Central America is stressful enough, but add in perilous bridge crossings, trips to the hospital, and a lack of women’s underwear, and you have the makings of an Adventure by Chicken Bus.
Buckling under a mountain of debt, Janet LoSole and her family are at their wits’ end. Determined to make a drastic change, they sell all worldly possessions and hit the road. With only a few items of clothing, a four-person tent, and little else, the family visits a sleepy island backwater in Costa Rica to save endangered sea turtles. In Panama, they bounce around like turnips in the back of a vegetable truck to reach an isolated monkey sanctuary.

In Guatemala, they scale the ancient Mayan temples of Tikal.
In between tales of begging rides from total strangers and sleeping overnight in the jungle with an indigenous family, Janet endorses community-based travel–supporting local businesses and favoring public transportation called chicken buses. She also writes candidly about what it takes to travel long-term with two little girls amid the chaos of border crossings, erratic drivers, and creepy crawlies lurking at the edge of the jungle.

My Thoughts:

Janet and her family are off on a adventure of a lifetime, I loved the way Janet has written this book as I feel as though I am the fifth person on this amazing adventure. I am sure her daughters will remember this for the rest of their lives, they are incredibly lucky to experience some of the things they did when on this trip. It was such an honest account of one family traveling, there are some highs and there are some lows, but you can tell and see that the family is a close knit one. Such an epic adventure, it certainly gave me the need to want to go away. I don’t think I would of had the guts to do the backpacking myself especially with two kids but good on them and I felt as though I could experience it on their behalf. I think this is a book you will come back to time an time again if you ever feel like you need some holiday inspiration.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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What I want to achieve next year on my blog?

17 December , 202030 November , 2020 by Hannah ♥ 3 Comments

I have had a really long hard think about what I want to achieve on my blog next year. I want to make my blog better but tweaking certain parts to it, and just making it stand out more. I have been very lucky to have had a couple of my review quotes in author’s books but would love to be in more next year. I need to make my review quotes stand out more. My main goal would be to be in Carole Matthews or Jenny Colgan’s books as they are my two favourite authors and Milly Johnson but I have been lucky enough to be in two of her books now. I would love to get more followers on my blog but also on my social media accounts too.

I have read some great books already for next year on Netgalley, if you are not signed up, then you are really missing out, I have read a fantastic selection of books on there already. I have also been contacted to have my review quote in a book that comes out in January and it is called The Island By C. L. Taylor, so keep your eyes peeled for that. I will have lots of reviews coming next year and they are brilliant.

Aslong as I keep enjoy what I am doing then I will be happy, I will also be working with another publisher which I am incredibly excited and grateful for.

What do you want to achieve next year for your blog?

let me know in the comments.