Safe Haven By Nicholas Sparks

23 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Love hurts. There is nothing as painful as heartbreak. But in order to learn to love again you must learn to trust again.
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet unassuming, Katie is determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships.
Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community. But even as Katie starts to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts her . . .

My Thoughts:

I really love Nicholas Sparks books, bearing in mind I have only read two of them, I just can’t get enough of them. I loved The Longest Ride which is his latest book but this book was brilliant too. Even though this book goes from the past to the present it is easy to keep up with it, there is a relaxed nature to reading one of Nicholas’s books. I loved the story and there is a lovely added twist at the end which will put a smile on your face. This is a bittersweet love story so grab a tissue and curl up you are in for a treat. I look forward to my next Nicholas Sparks book.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Safe-Haven-Nicholas-Sparks

Cradled Dreams By Beverly Hoffman

22 July , 201522 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

As her family gathers for Thanksgiving, Georgie’s heartbreak is hard to conceal. After years of pursuing her dreams of motherhood, she has recently learned that her last option to conceive has failed. Grim amid the festive holiday celebrations, Georgie feels that she has little reason to give thanks.

Her sister-in-law, Robin, desperate to ease Georgie’s suffering, struggles for a way to help. On loving impulse, she offers a solution—surrogacy.

Flush with excitement, neither woman can predict how her life will change. But each is comforted by the knowledge that her love for the other will guide the way. Soon, after in vitro using a relative’s sperm and her own egg, Robin shares the joyous news that she is pregnant. Every conversation sparkles with her private joy at the gift she could give her sister-in-law. But she encounters unexpected criticism when discussing the plan with others. She must now deal with judgment and questions about ethics. Relationships are strained. Both must pay emotional costs they never anticipated. Soon, questions they never asked begin to haunt them both.

Where do boundaries of possibility meet long-term responsibility? Under what circumstances does science need to pause to consider moral outcomes? When organs and tiny bones grow in spite of circumstances never seen in nature, where does motherhood begin and end?

And most haunting of all is the question Robin couldn’t ask herself on that first day: Will she really be able to give up the child for the sake of Georgie’s dream?

My Thoughts:

You will definitely need a tissue or two with this book. This is such a compelling and thought provoking story, is all about what one sister would do for her sister. You also get to meet the family members and see what they think of it all, I think this story is about the gift of love, there is emotion but lots of love from a difficult, controversial situation. Beverly has written it beautifully.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cradled-Dreams-Beverly-Hoffman-ebook

My First Book Tag

20 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Wow!!

Thank you so much Book bunny for tagging me to answer these fantastic questions. Please do take a look at her blog as it is brilliant.

http://bookbunny.net/2015/07/19/book-tag-reading-habits-tag/

Do you have certain places at home for reading?

Yes. I love to read on the sofa fully stretched out as I find it very relaxing.

Bookmark or random piece of paper?

I have a bookmark that I have had for a few years now, someone special who is no longer with us gave it to me, I would be so upset if I lost it.

Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/ a certain amount of pages?

I have to stop after a chapter, I hate to be disturbed inbetween a chapter, I find it easier to remember the story if I start a new chapter when I pick the book up again. I know that sounds weird! 🙂

Do you eat or drink while reading?

I will drink tea or hot chocolate when I am reading but I would never eat whilst reading as I hate reading a book when there are crumbs in it or marks from fingerprints.

Multi tasking: Music or TV while reading?

I can multi task whilst reading but I prefer not too, especially if the book is a really good one.

One book at a time or several at once?

I can only read one book at a time, I think I would find I would find it hard to concentrate reading two or more books but I do know people that do that. I just like to have one book to read.

Reading at home or everywhere?

I prefer to read at home, I have tried reading at the doctors, on the bus etc but I can’t seem to concentrate, I think it is because I am very nosey. 🙂

Reading out loud or silently in your head?

Definitely silently in my head.

Do you read ahead or even skip pages?

I read ahead, I think you don’t get a feel for the story or you are not obviously enjoying the book if you have to skip pages so I would rather read the whole book.

Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?

I love keeping a book like new.

Do you write in your books?

No, never have and never will.

Thank you so much Book Bunny for my questions. I have really enjoyed answering your questions.

The Twins By Saskia Sarginson

20 July , 201520 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Isolte and Viola are twins. Inseparable as children, they’ve grown into very different adults: Isolte, a successful features writer for a fashion magazine with a photographer boyfriend and a flat in London, and Viola, desperately unhappy and struggling with a lifelong eating disorder.

What happened all those years ago to set the twins on such different paths to adulthood? As both women start to unravel the escalating tragedies of a half-remembered summer, terrifying secrets from the past come rushing back — and threaten to overwhelm their adult lives . . .

My Thoughts:

I liked this book it had lots of very different characters and I enjoyed the plot but it is set in three different times of the girls lives and it sometimes switched between times but also in the middle of a paragraph which I did find slightly confusing. This is a book you would have to concentrate on, but the ending was good.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Twins-Saskia-Sarginson

Night Owls By Jenn Bennett

16 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 2 Comments

This title will be released on August 13, 2015.

Meeting Jack on the Owl – San Francisco’s night bus – turns Beatrix’s world upside down. Jack is charming, wildly attractive …and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists.

On midnight rides and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who this enigmatic boy really is. But Jack is hiding much more – and can she uncover the truth that leaves him so wounded?

My Thoughts:

I would like to say a thank you to lovereading who kindly sent me an advanced copy of this book. The story is about two young adults called Beatrix’s and Jack, who are both artists that live in San Francisco. Beatrix’s is into drawing pictures of bodies, so that side really interested me as I have studied forensic science. The story is all about first love, reading your dreams which I think many young adults will be able to relate to. I think the message it wants to put out to the reader is that you need to find yourself and who you are and want to be in the future, I found this a really engrossing read and it I read it in one sitting as it is only 294 pages long.

If you would like some more information about lovereading, please click on the link below:

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/

If you would like to purchase the book when it comes out, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Owls-Jenn-Bennett/

Fluence By Stephen Oram

14 July , 201514 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Amber is young and ambitious. Martin is burnt out by years of struggling. She cheats to get what she wants while he barely clings on to what he has. It’s the week before the annual Pay Day when strata positions are decided by the controlling corporations.

The social media feed is frenetic with people trying to boost their influence rating while those above the strata and those who’ve opted out pursue their own manipulative goals. Set in a dystopian London, ‘Fluence’ is a story of aspiration and desperation and of power seen and unseen.

It’s a story of control and consequence. It’s the story of the extremes to which Amber and Martin are prepared to go in these last ten thousand minutes before Pay Day.

My Thoughts:

This is a very interesting read, it is a story that really makes you think what you would do. I liked how Amber and Martin the two main characters work together. It makes for an exciting read, I wanted to read on to find out what happens to them. I liked the author’s writing style too, very descriptive.

The Other Side Of Town By Eleanor Smythe

13 July , 20152 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When tragedy strikes, the lives of two families are torn apart. Although they live on opposite sides of the town, both families experience the pain of grief, betrayal and deception.
Everything becomes clear when a specialist team of police officers are deployed from London to the town of Millbrook, investigating an international criminal who they suspect to be carrying out illegal activities in the area.

My Thoughts:

Even though this is not usually the kind of thing I read, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I did enjoy it. I liked how the author had different points of view from the characters. I was surprised to learn this is Eleanor’s first novel, I would like to read her next novel as I am sure it will be just as good as this one. Really good read.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-Town-Eleanor-Smythe-ebook

The Little Flower Shop by the Sea By Ali Mc Namara

11 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This title will be released on July 30, 2015.

The blossom is out in the little Cornish harbour town of St Felix

But Poppy Carmichael’s spirits aren’t lifted by the pretty West Country spring. Inheriting her grandmother’s flower shop has forced her to return to Cornwall, a place that holds too many memories.

Poppy is determined to do her best for the sake of her adored grandmother, but she struggles with the responsibility of the more-shabby-than-chic shop. And with the added complication of Jake, the gruff but gorgeous local flower grower, Poppy is very tempted to run away…

The pretty little town has a few surprises in store for Poppy. With new friends to help her and romance blooming, it’s time for Poppy to open her heart to St Felix and to the special magic of a little flower shop by the sea!

My Thoughts:

I haven’t read many of Ali’s books before but this one was a nice easy read perfect to take on holiday. The story was a nice little one maybe predictable but all the same very enjoyable. I liked reading about what all the different flowers mean it was very interesting. I thought Poppy the main character seemed lovely and I think her and Jake suited each other very well. It would be nice to have a follow up to see what happens in the future. The story is set in Cornwall which is just a lovely place, an enjoyable read.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Little-Flower-Shop-Sea ( Paperback not out until 30 th July )

I Am Pilgrim By Terry Hayes

9 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Can you commit the perfect crime?
Pilgrim is the codename for a man who doesn’t exist. The adopted son of a wealthy American family, he once headed up a secret espionage unit for US intelligence. Before he disappeared into anonymous retirement, he wrote the definitive book on forensic criminal investigation.
But that book will come back to haunt him. It will help NYPD detective Ben Bradley track him down. And it will take him to a rundown New York hotel room where the body of a woman is found facedown in a bath of acid, her features erased, her teeth missing, her fingerprints gone. It is a textbook murder – and Pilgrim wrote the book.
What begins as an unusual and challenging investigation will become a terrifying race-against-time to save America from oblivion. Pilgrim will have to make a journey from a public beheading in Mecca to a deserted ruins on the Turkish coast via a Nazi death camp in Alsace and the barren wilderness of the Hindu Kush in search of the faceless man who would commit an appalling act of mass murder in the name of his God.

My Thoughts:

I was given this book to read by my lovely neighbour. Not having read anything like this, I did wonder if I would like it. I have to say it was superbly written, it has everything you would want in a spy thriller. It is a big book but you will undoubtedly not realise this as you are reading as you will be hooked. There are some brilliant touches in this book but I don’t want to say too much as it may spoil it for those of you who haven’t read it yet. I found I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, I found the book very descriptive but really well written. This is a book I would happily read again and again.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Am-Pilgrim-Terry-Hayes

Monty & Me By Louisa Bennet

6 July , 20157 July , 2015 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The first book introducing loveable dog detective Monty!

You might think that dogs can’t understand us…but you’d be wrong.

Apart from an obsession with cheese, Monty is a perfectly rational animal. So when his beloved master is stabbed to death, Monty decides to use his formidable nose to track the killer down.

Luckily he manages to find a home with Rose Sidebottom, the young policewoman who’s investigating the case. But with her colleagues turning against her, and the wrong man collared, she’s going to need a little help…

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading this book, I loved the story and best of all I loved Monty. He is everything you would want from a dog and he has a really good nose which is helping him track down the killer of his beloved master. I thought all the characters were great I liked Rose who is the next person Monty goes to live with and he helps her too. Wonderful little story that you just wont want to miss out on.

If you would like to purchase this book, please click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monty-Me-Louisa-Bennet-ebook/

An average day for Monty, the dog detective in Monty And Me by Louisa Bennet

Hi there, I’m Monty, the furry, four-legged partner of the crime-busting duo in The Monty And Sidebottom Mysteries. Thanks so much for having me on your blog!

I thought I’d tell you about my average day, although I expect being both a dog and a detective is far from average. Of course, there’s my good mate Inspector Rex, that super cool German Shepherd who sinks his teeth into those nasty perps and gets the bad guys every time. Love that TV show! I always bark at the screen to cheer him on.

Anyway, my detecting career began when my beloved master, Paddy, was murdered. I resolved to hunt down his killer. I didn’t expect to be adopted by one of the detectives on the case, Rose Sidebottom, and I certainly didn’t expect to find we’d grow so close and become a formidable team. I had some help from a professional detective from the insect world. Yes, I did say insect. Celeste runs the Celestial PI Agency. As she says herself: she puts the ‘I’ back into PI. ‘I’ is for Insect Crime. But I don’t want to give too much of the story away, so I’ll say no more about Celeste. What I will say is that a magpie who is both thief and computer hacker, and a rat with connections to the criminal underworld, can be very helpful allies when trying to catch criminals.

My greatest asset is my sense of smell. My super sniffer. As long as I know the scent of the killer, I will find him. Dogs can follow scent trails for miles and we can also tell whether the person has been there recently or a long time ago, by the strength of their aroma. I’m a strong swimmer. So if the perp thinks he can get away across water, then he’s mistaken. I’m also a fast runner, but I can’t keep up with a car for long, so I need to catch them while they are still on foot. My teeth are sharp and can inflict a nasty bite although I will only use them as a last resort. Dogs have a formidable communications network in the form of wee-mails. They are like emails but their scent conveys are mood, such as elated or fearful. Ever wondered why your dog stops to sniff hedges and lamp post and corners so often? They’re reading the latest news and gossip on the wee-vine. News can spread far and fast that way, believe me, from countryside to the city and back again.

Being a dog detective requires a fair bit of patience and a lot of surveillance work. Watching and waiting. Some dogs find it hard to keep still but as long as I have something to chew, I’m happy. Sometimes I simply enjoy sniffing the breeze. People’s scents tell stories about their day: where they’ve been and who they’ve touched. That’s why your dog gives you a thorough sniff when you come home. They want to find out where you’ve been and who you met.

There’s one part of my day I have to keep very secret because us dogs aren’t supposed to know how to use computers, but if the heavy old telephone directory won’t give me the answer I need, then a very clever person called Mr Google who lives inside a computer, can often give me those answers. But please don’t tell anybody I do this. Just between us, okay? I am a bit slow tapping the keys, to be honest, because my paws are so big, but I manage, slowly.

Well, I hope you enjoy our adventures in Monty And Me. It’s been fun! Woof! If you’d like to stay in touch, please join me at:

https://twitter.com/montydogd blue paw