The day you saved my life by Louise Candlish

17 April , 201426 April , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 5 Comments

A child falls into the river. A stranger jumps in to rescue him. And four lives are changed forever.

On a perfect summer’s day in Paris, tourists on the river watch in shock as a small boy falls into the Seine and disappears below the surface. As his mother stands frozen, a stranger takes a breath and leaps….

My Thoughts:

I hadn’t read any of Louise Candlish books before, I really enjoyed this one as it was easy to make sense of, I liked the way the book was written as it jumps from future to the past so you can understand the family history. Joanna has a daughter called Holly who has post natal depression after having her son Mikey, Joanna takes them away to Paris and events take a dramatic turn and their paths cross with James and Alexa. This turn then alters their lives for ever.

This book is definitely a page turner and its true what it says on the front cover , I couldn’t put it down wondering what was going to happen next. The trip into Joanna’s past kept me intrigued. I wasn’t expecting the twist that happened near the end either it made me think why hadn’t i ever read a Louise Candlish book before. I will definitely be recommending this book.

Viven’s Heavenly Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements

10 April , 201426 April , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

When Imogen and Anna unexpectedly inherit their grandmother Vivien’s ice cream parlour, it turns both their lives upside down. Th abby clements e Brighton shop is a seafront institution, but though its big on retro charm its critically low on customers. If the sisters don’t turn things around quickly their grandmother’s legacy will disappear forever. With summer fast approaching, Imogen and Anna devise a plan. Rather than sell up, they will train up and make the parlour the newest destination on the south coast foodie map. While Imogen watches the shop and conjures new marketing ideas, her sister flies to Italy to attend a gourmet ice cream making course. But can their best laid plans survive their warring family, tempestuous love lives and the great British weather? one thing is for certain this summer will be like no other.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book a few of my favourite things wrapped into one ice cream, the seaside and Italy. This is a fantastic little summer read, it made me want to taste all the different flavours of ice cream and there is some very good recipes at the end of the book. I managed to read this book in a day i just couldn’t put it down. All the ice cream flavours sound amazing and I’m off out tomorrow to buy another Abby Clements book as she has left me wanting more.

Life after Life by Kate Atkinson

10 April , 201426 April , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

What if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right?

During a snowstorm in England in 1910, a baby is born and dies before she can take her first breath.

During a snowstorm in England in 1910, the same baby is born and lives to tell the tale.

What if there were second chances? and third chances? In fact an infinite number of chances to live your life? Would you eventually be able to save the world from its own inevitable destiny? and would you even want to?

What’s it all about:

On a chilly and snowy night in the 1910’s a baby girl called Ursula is born, unfortunately she dies even before she can take her first breath. On the same day a baby girl is born called Ursula lets out a hearty cry and embarks on a life a little out of the ordinary. As she becomes older she dies on many occasions in many different ways.

My thoughts:

I really wanted to like this book, it took me a while to get in it, I don’t read many books set back in 1910’s .The amount of time Ursula dies was tiring to get through. I had to read this book in pure concentration otherwise i was at fault in missing something which i occasionally did and would have to go back and re read the chapter.

Little Beach street bakery by Jenny Colgan

6 April , 201426 April , 2014 by Hannah ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

little-beach-street-bakery

What’s it all about:

Polly Waterford is recovering from a toxic relationship. Unable to afford their flat, she has to move miles away from everyone, to a sleepy little seaside resort in Cornwall where she lives alone above an abandoned shop.

And so Polly takes out her frustrations on her favourite hobby: making bread. But what was previously a weekend diversion suddenly becomes far more important as she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, and each loaf becomes better and better. With nuts and seeds, olives and chorizo, with local honey ( courtesy of local bee keeper, Huckle), and with reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she has, she bakes and bakes….. And people start to hear about it.

Sometimes , bread really is life …. And Polly is about to reclaim hers.

My Thoughts:

As soon as i picked up one of Jenny Colgans books a few years ago i was hooked. Her books are all food based such as Rosie Hopkins sweetshops, Meet me at the cupcake cafe and the loveliest chocolate shop in Paris, as with all her other books its best not to read it on an empty stomach as you will find yourself craving some sweet treats.

This book is about Polly who has just come out of a bad relationship, she moves to this sleepy seaside resort called Polbearne into a little flat above an abandoned shop. Polly has a hobby of making different kinds of bread. whilst reading this part i was imagining being in a bakery smelling all the comforting smells of baking bread.

Polly meets quite a few people who live in Polbearne. All the characters in Jenny Colgans books are great no exception to these ones. I loved the way Polly and Huckle ( the local bee keeper) relationship evolves and the way that when a drama happens that everybody pulls together and tries to help one another. I actually could imagine myself looking out to sea and being there admist it all.

You have to look out for Neil the puffin who features in this book, there are no words to describe the smile on my face when he and Polly strike up this unlikely friendship, he seems to want to become a pet rather than be a wild animal. I can see from his point hoovering up the crumbs and eating cake does seem like a lovely life.

This book made me smile, laugh, and even shed a few tears. It’s a book that you can’t put down as you need to find out what happens next. I cannot wait for the next Jenny Colgan book. I hope Jenny publishes a sequel to Little Beach Street Bakery.