That Part was True – Deborah McKinlay – Blog Tour

 

 

Back of the book : 

When Eve Petworth writes to Jackson Cooper to praise a scene in one of his books, they discover a mutual love of cookery and food. As their letters criss-cross the ocean that lies between them, friendship and then romance blossoms – despite Jackson’s colourful love-life and Eve’s tense relationship with her soon-to-married daughter.

Little by little, Eve and Jack begin to believe that they may have a chance to change their lives and possibly a second chance at happiness. They just need to actually meet …

 

What I think : 

The book has two main characters ;

Eve Petworth – She lives in a picture box house in the country here in England. She has one daughter, Izzy, who is getting married soon to Ollie. Eve has a very strained relationship with her daughter.

Eve’s mother Virginia, lived with her as she was ill and Eve was looking after her. Virginia has died a year earlier and she feels that she’s just getting her life back. Izzy unlike Eve had a very good relationship with her grandmother, but Eve, and everyone else, it seems, thought Virginia was a truly awful person.

Eve had a very short marriage to Simon, who left her for another woman when Izzy was just a tiny baby. Simon has now reappeared in their lives and Eve is having a lot of trouble coping with this fact.  She has started having panic attacks and is seeing a therapist.

The book starts as Eve has sent her first email to Jackson Cooper – ‘Jack’.

Jackson Cooper – Jack is a novelist who lives by the sea in America. His wife has just left him for another woman ! He has become a bit of a ladies man since the break up of his marriage. luckily he has a best friend, Dex who is an up and coming actor to keep him on the straight and narrow.

Jack is currently dating Adrienne, who is a vegetarian which doesn’t sit well with Jack, as he’s a lover of all food. Since Jack’s wife left he has been experiencing ‘writers block’

Jack really enjoys writing to Eve because she share’s his love of cooking.  He has invited Eve to Paris for a couple of days for his birthday. Will Eve be able to leave her family and woes behind long enough to do something for herself ? ….

When I first started to read this book I found it difficult to get in to it. However as I continued to read I really did begin to like it. I must admit though, I really didn’t warm to Jack to start with, I found him quite shallow and arrogant. As the book progressed however, I did start to like him. he turned out to be quite sweet really. I found Eve a lovely character who I could really relate to and identify with her problems, I did feel quite sorry for her when her awful daughter kept on going on about missing ‘gin gin’ the dead Grandmother, without a thought about what her mother was feeling.

After my initial problems with getting into this book I found it quite a pleasing read.

I give this sweet book about love and life  8/10.

Published on 15th January 2015 by Orion Books.

A very Big Thank you to Lucy Richardson at Orion for the Copy of the book to read and review.

 

To win a copy of this book all you have to do is comment below – GOOD LUCK !

The Comp is open until Sunday 1st Feb at 7pm.

 

 

 

 

Summertime – Vanessa LaFaye – Blog Tour.

 

 

Back of the book : 

Florida, 1935. Heron Key is a small town where the relationships are as tangled as the mangrove roots in the swamp. Everyone is preparing for the 4th of July barbeque, unaware that their world is about to change forever. Missy, the Kincaid family’s maid and Nanny, feels that she wasted her life pining for Henry, whom she has not seen since he went to fight on the battlefields of France in WW1. Now he has returned with a group of other desperate, destitute veterans, unsure of his future, ashamed of the past.

When a white woman is found beaten nearly to death in the early hours, suspicion falls on Henry. As the tensions rise, the barometer starts to plummet. Far out over the Atlantic, what will become one of history’s greatest storms is heading their way. In one night, Heron Key will change forever…

Based on real events Summertime  is a stunning debut novel, a glorious love story and a mesmerising account of survival.

 

What I think : 

The story is set in the fictional town of Heron Keys in Florida, the year is 1935. Its based on real events of the 1935 hurricane that ripped through the Florida keys and killed hundreds of people.

The Main character is Missy, she is a maid for the Kincaid family. She is also looks after Hilda and Nelson Kincaid’s son Nathan.

Selma is also a maid at the Kincaid’s. Her brother Henry is Missy’s lost love who went to war 18 years ago and didn’t return until now.

Henry has returned to Heron Key after being away for many years, however instead of going home to Selma’s he is living at the the camp for destitute war veterans.

Everyone in Heron Key is getting ready for the annual 4th of July Barbeque on the beach, where there will be fireworks and dancing, and as these are still the days of black/white segregation sadly trouble and fighting. On the same night as the 4th of July Barbeque, Hilda Kincaid is attacked as she is walking home. She was beaten so badly that she is close to death. Henry is put under suspicion as he was seen talkng to her at the Barbeque.

Then just a few short days after the attack, the worst hurricane that the Florida Keys has ever seen arrives …..

Will life ever be the same again ?

I have always really loved historical books that are written about events that really happened, this one being the awful hurricane that ripped through the Florida keys shortly after labour day in 1935. It was one of the worst hurricane’s that Florida has ever seen.

This book has some really strong characters, such as Missy and Selma, these are two women that wouldn’t be beaten, right up until the end.

The author was wonderfully descriptive and has really done her research, however it was quite difficult reading in places especially when reading about the hurricane and what happened to all the people in the town. There is such a undercurrent of sadness running throughout the book, it makes me so angry to think that something so simple as the colour of your skin could dictate where you were allowed to go and what you did.

I really recommend that you go out and buy this book, its so wonderfully powerful, it really made me stop and think.

I give this excellent, thought provoking book 9/10.

Published on 15 Jan 2015  by Orion Book.

A huge thank you to Lucy Richardson at Orion for the copy of the book to read and review.

 

Read an extract of the book here :

https://www.scribd.com/doc/247727561/Summertime-by-Vanessa-Lafaye-Extract

 

 

 

The Girl On The Train – Paula Hawkins. – Blog Tour.

 

 

Back of the Book :

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of gardens. She’s even started to feel like she know the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess’ and ‘Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she see’s it – seems 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 its 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 …..

 

What I Think : 

Rachel : She sits on the 8:04 train from Ashbury to Euston, and most days she does what we all do on the train, she looks out of the window and watches the world go by. However unlike you and me she has become fascinated with a row of houses just past where she used to live and where the train stops for the signal. if she is sitting in the right place she can see into No15 Blenhiem Road. She has even named the people who live in that house ‘Jess’ and ‘Jason’ and she has also has given them a ‘perfect’ life. A life she wishes she could have. Rachel’s life isn’t at all what she expected, her marriage to Tom has failed and she has lost her job because she has a drink problem.

Megan :  She lives at No 15 Blenhiem Road and is actually Rachel’s ‘Jess’ Her story starts a year before Rachel’s. She was made redundant from her job at an art gallery. She’s married to Scott, Rachel’s ‘Jason’. She sadly lost her brother to a motorbike accident when she was a teenager, she went a bit off the rails around that time. Everybody thinks she has a ‘wonderful life’  Then one day she just disappears ….

Anna : She is married to Tom, Rachels ex-husband. She is the person that Tom was having an affair with which obviously broke up their marriage. They have a daughter, Evie together. They still live in the same house as Rachel did when she was married to Tom.

All I can say is WOW ! if you only read one thriller this year then make it this one !

I really loved this book, it really keeps you on your toes, every time you think you know whats going on, there is another twist and it all goes on its head again.

I really warmed to some of the characters and in some ways I did feel quite sorry for Rachel, I really wanted to reach out to her and get her to the nearest AA meeting. The one character I really couldn’t warm to or even like much was Anna, she was quite an awful person really, she seemed to forget that she had caused Rachel and Toms marriage break up and was quite bitchy and selfish.

There is something really quite dark but yet sad throughout the book, you’re never quite certain of anybody. It certainly left me wanting more and had quite a bit of trouble putting it down !

I enjoyed this book enormously and will certainly be looking out for more from this brilliant author.

I give this book 10/10.

Published on 15/01/15 by Doubleday.

A huge Thank you to Naomi Mantin at Transworld books for the copy of the book to read and review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Weekly Round-Up … 18/01/14.

 

Hello Lovely Book people 🙂

Welcome to this weeks round-up.

Things this week have been a little less busy, I actually had time to read and review a book. Something as you all know has been impossible for me just lately, what with work and everything else that life throws at you !!

Anyway it was for the Blog Tour for ‘The Girl On The Train’.  My day is Wednesday 21st Jan, so look out for that 🙂

Well, less of my waffle, here’s the round-up for this week :

 

Books I’ve been sent this week :

That Part was True – Deborah McKinlay – Sent by the very lovely Lucy at Orion.

The Life I Left Behind – Colette McBeth. – Sent by the wonderful folk at Bookbridgr.

 

Books I’ve been accepted for this week :

None – As I didn’t request any.

 

Books I’ve purchased this week :

None.

 

Books I’m reading / read this week :

The Girl On the Train – Paula Hawkins – 10/10 – A really excellent read – My review (as part of the Blog Tour) will be on the Blog on the 21st Jan ’15.

Summertime – Vanessa LaFaye – Currently reading.

 

That’s all for this week folks !

Happy reading 🙂

xxx

 

 

 

 

My Weekly Round-Up. 11/01/15.

 

 

Hello lovely Book People, Welcome to my first Round-Up of the year 🙂

Things have calmed a bit at work and I actually had time to read and review a book this week ! However after having a month off I was a little out of practice and my brain didn’t want to work, but I managed to get there in the end 🙂

Anyway without further ado here’s this weeks round-up 🙂

 

 

Books I’ve been sent this week :

Three Amazing Things About You – Jill Mansell – Sent by the lovely folk at Bookbridgr.

Summertime – Vanessa LaFaye – Sent by The Lovely Lucy Richardson at Orion.

 

Books I was accepted for this week :

Dandelion Years – Erica James – NetGalley

 

Books I’ve purchased this week : 

None 🙂

 

Books I’m currently reading / read this week : 

The Year of Taking Chances – Lucy Diamond – A fab read -10/10. (Review on Blog)

The Girl on A Train – Paula Hawkins – Currently Reading

 

Thats all for this week folks !

Happy reading 🙂

xxx

 

 

 

The Year of Taking Chances – Lucy Diamond.

 

Back of the book : 

Its New Years’s Eve, and Gemma and Spencer Bailey are throwing a house party. There’s music, dancing, champagne and all their best friends under one roof. Its going to be a night to remember.

Also at the party is Caitlin, who has returned to the village to pack up her much – missed mum’s house and to figure out what to do with her life ; and Saffron, a PR executive who’s keeping a secret which no amount of spin can change. The three women bond over Gemma’s dodgy cocktails and fortune cookies, and vow to make this year their best one yet.

But as the following months unfold, Gemma Saffron and Caitlin find themselves tested to their limits by shocking new developments. Family, love, work, home – all thrown into disarray. Under pressure, they are each forced to rethink their lives and start over. But dare they take a chance on something new ?

 

What I Think : 

The story centres on three ordinary women, Gemma, Saffron and Caitlin, they all meet at the party that Gemma throws for the New Year.

Caitlin has come back to the village of Larkmead because her mother has died and she needs to get her house ready to be sold, she was also, many years ago Gemma’s husbands Girlfriend from school.

Saffron, has a job in the city, but she decides she needs a break away from it all, she has a little ‘secret’ that she really needs to think about, so she rents a cottage in Larkmead, that just so happens to be next-door to Gemma and Spencer’s house.

Gemma and Spencer have just bought the ‘gorgeous old farmhouse’ on the ‘expensive’ side of Larkmead village, so things are a little tight. When Spencer has a accident that prevents him from working things get even worse, will they be able to carry on as before ?

I really loved this book, it is only the second book of Lucy’s that I’ve read, but I can safely say that it wont be the last.

All the main characters are really easy to relate to, I honestly wished that I was friends with these women so I could help them out with all their problems. Its really nice to find a book that actually tells of normal, everyday life with trials and woes that could happen to anybody. I think my favourite character had to be Gemma because it seemed whatever life threw at her she just picked herself up and started again. Oh and lets not forget Bunty, the ‘client from hell’ she was hilarious, she may have started off awful but turned out to be a better person in the end. Caitlin’s mum’s house sounded absolutely gorgeous too, especially after she’d decorated for Gemma’s Business venture. I could quite imagine myself there curled up with a book.

This really is a lovely, heart warming book about friendships, family and everyday life. I had a lot of trouble putting it down and going to work, it was also the first thing I picked up again when I came back, as I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen.

I give this wonderful book 10/10.

Published on 1st January 2015 by Pan Macmillan.

A very big thank you to Becky Plunkett at Pan Macmillan for the review copy of the book.

 

 

My Top Ten Books of 2014.

Hello Lovely book people …

After having a month off reviewing to get myself settled into my new job, I’m really glad to be back 🙂

I didn’t think I would miss reading/reviewing and Blogging so much !

Anyway, I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas and a fab New Year, I certainly did 🙂

What I’m looking forward to most is all those wonderful new books that will be on the book shop shelves in the coming months. However there was some really excellent books in 2014 and here is my Top Ten 🙂

10.

The Long Fall – Julia Crouch.

9.

Little Lies – Liane Moriarty.

8.

It Started with Paris – Cathy Kelly.

7.

The Boy In the Cemetery – Seb Gregory.

6.

A Place for Us – Harriet Evans.

5.

Shopaholic to the Stars – Sophie Kinsella.

4.

The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy – Rachel Joyce.

3.

The Woman Who Stole My Life – Marian Keyes.

2.

Where Love Lies – Julie Cohen.

1.

The Unfinished Symphony of you and me – Lucy Robinson

and a very special mention for …..

The Memory book – Rowan Coleman.

This is the book that started it all for me, I won a comp to go to the book launch of the Memory Book by Rowan and that is how my Book Reviewing began 🙂

These are my picks for 2014. I have numbered them but they’re not really in any order. They are the 10 books that have stood out to me this year.

So that’s all folks 🙂

Happy New Year One and All !!!

Happy Reading

xxx