Miranda's Big Mistake * Jill Mansell

Miranda is thrilled when she meets Greg at a cocktail party. He's gorgeous, he's funny - and he's very keen. Just what a girl needs to put some sparkle in her life. Heavens, he's practically perfect! Greg likes Miranda a lot. She's young, she's pretty, and she never talks about babies. 

Of course he hasn't told her everything about himself - even the sweetest girls can be a bit funny about a man who's just left his newly pregnant wife. But there's no way she's going to find out - or is there?

Miranda can't believe her luck when she gets stopped by a homeless man. She's already late for work, has forgotten her lunch and in desperate need of a sit down. But here she is promising a sandwich to the local man whilst standing in the pouring rain, could her day get any worse? 

Chloe is on cloud nine. She's madly in love with her husband Greg and she's about to tell him that they're expecting their first child. Greg isn't happy at all, in fact he's furious and is soon telling Chloe to leave...not only their home but their marriage.  Chloe's could is quickly turning grey. 

Though things aren't all bad, Miranda has found a new man at a local charity event, he's charming, handsome and incredibly funny - Greg seems like the perfect man to settle down with. With Chloe pregnant, homeless and nearly jobless, moving in with a new landlady seems like the best solution, she's just yet to meet the other tenant. 

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell, is one of her oldest books and is the seventh book I have read by the author. I can honestly tell that this is an old book and can see how her writing style has changed over the years. Both are not a bad thing, it's just clear to see how it's changed. 

I struggled to get into this one at first if I'm honest, but once I finally got sucked in I loved it. I really loved Miranda and Chloe, they were fab. Though I think I loved Florence the best. 

There was plenty of romance and drama, I found ti quite funny too! As always I shall be reading more of her books as I really do love them and find them the perfect, easy summer escape! However, I did read this when the sun wasn't shining and when we were in March! 

I will be giving this book 4 out of 5

Fen * Daisy Johnson

The Fen is a liminal land. Real people live their lives here. They wrestle with sex and desire, with everyday routine. But the wild is always close at hand, ready to erupt.

This is a place where animals and people commingle and fuse, where curious metamorphoses take place, where myth and dark magic still linger. So here a teenager may starve herself into the shape of an eel. A house might fall in love with a girl. A woman might give birth to a, well, what?

In a town, where a girl wastes away into something peculiar. A woman gives birth to something inhumane yet feral.

Where one woman wrestles with the conspiracy theories and prophecies of her fisherman husband, and where a young girl becomes infatuated with a wall - is anything reality for much longer?

Where hope, fear, love and sexual desire all become mingled into one. Where life ceases to live and hardly exist at the same time. Where chaos and beautiful, wonderful things come together as one, and then nothing all at the same time. 

There is only one place, one strip of land where it belongs. The Fenland.

Fen by Daisy Johnson, is the second novel from this wonderful and brilliantly talented young, man booker prize novelist.

You all know how much I loved and raved about Everything Under last year, and has since then become one of my favourite books of all time. 

Fen is a mixture of short, wonderful stories all of which seem to focus around main key points. I feel that these are strong female sexuality, head strong women, with a touch of anxiety and depression. The stories are all unique, though in someway attached to each other, but by only a small fraction. The imagination in the book is exceptional, the words alone manage to creep up and under your skin, pulling you in more and more.

At times I must admit I did feel a bit confused, going from one story to the next. Though I loved it non the less. I think my favourite story would be the one with the girl and the wall, or the very first one in the book. There's just something about the story telling that captured me and drew me in.

Johnson's books never fail to amaze me, there is something so strange and peculiar about them and her writing style is gorgeous. They're ever so quirky, magical and downright strange and that is precisely why I love them. Whilst I did love this book, I don't know if I loved it as much as Everything Under, but she has quickly become a favourite author of mine. 

I will be giving this book 9 out of 10 

Coming Home to Glendale Hall * Victoria Walters

No matter how far you go, home is where the heart is...

Beth Williams hasn’t been home for ten years. After falling pregnant at sixteen, she ran away from the imposing Scottish estate where she grew up rather than risk her family’s disapproval, working hard to build a life for herself and daughter Isabelle but now she’s finally returning to Glendale Hall. 

When Beth gets a call to say that her Grandmother has taken a turn for the worst, she knows within her heart that she must go back home, even though there are a million other things she would rather do. When she arrives, nothing has changed. The house is the same since she left it at sixteen and even her parents attitude towards her.  

Though when she finds out that the once loved village where she spent most of her time as a teen, will slowly come to an end, Beth must quickly think up a way on being able to restore the Glendale village and spirit back to its original self.  

Drew is struggling to help his brother hold the fort at their family farm and when Beth makes a surprising appearance (with his daughter he never knew existed in tow), things become even more complicated back in his home town.   

As Beth navigates her way through helping fix the town, her families different views on parenthood and her childhood sweetheart walking back into hers and Issy’s life, she has a few questions on her lips.  

Why had Drew never received her letter?  What is her Father & Grandmother keeping from her?  And most of all, will she be able to get a second chance? 

Coming Home to Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters, was such a lovely winter read, filled with lots of magic, family and love. At first I struggled to get into the book, though after I reach my usual DNF mark I actually started to really enjoy it.   

The characters are well written and I loved Beth and Drew’s characters so much, their relationship and how Drew is with Issy. I found that the story was more based around family rather than romance, which was lovely and it came across as to forgive your past problems and differences. Which is a fundamental thing to do at this time of year.  The story itself is lovely, though some places were a tad slow.   

Though I’m happy to say I will be reading more of her books in the near future. 

  

I will be giving this book an 8 out 10 

Everything Under * Daisy Johnson

It's been sixteen years since Gretel last saw her mother, half a lifetime to forget her childhood on the canals. 

But a phone call will soon reunite them, and bring those wild years flooding back: the secret language that she and her mother invented; the strange boy, Marcus, living on the boat that final winter; the creature said to be underwater, swimming ever closer. 

In the end there will be nothing for Gretel to do but wade deeper into their past, where family secrets and ages prophecies will all come tragically alive again.

Gretel knows how to light a fire, skin animals, make wind chimes and how to steer a boat. 

What she doesn't know is, how to commerce with people, how to live on her own or where her mother went. 

Her estranged, beautiful, wonderful, secretive mother. The one who would tell her stories of the creature in the murk, who would cook breakfast for her in the morning then let her camp out under the stars at night. Gretel was seven years old when she left her, not once did her mother look back, not even for the strange boy who went missing. 

Now an adult and on a mission to find her mother and bring her home, Gretel must navigate her way through society and deeper into her past than ever before. She must go back to The River, The Hut and The Cottage whilst speaking to people she never knew existed. Before it's too late and her fears consume her.

Everything Under by Daisy Johnson, is her second novel and I will most certainly be heading out to buy her first. 

I'll be honest, when I started reading the book I was thinking on just not finishing it, I was going to do the 'first fifty pages' and then put it aside, though I'm so happy that I reached that fifty page mark. 

This has easily become one of my favourite reads so far of 2019, I am quite surprised that I enjoyed it so much. The writing style is extremely clever, the storyline is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. I noticed whilst reading that the book itself is set out into three sections, however, you could quite easily read said sections in their own little way and it would still flow beautifully. 

I loved Gretel's character so much; strong, resilient and will not give up no matter what. The characters themselves are wonderfully unique, as is the story and I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I felt the book itself was a lot deeper than possibly intended, with themes of anxiety and depression, which was something that I admired.

If you have to read a new book this year, let it be this wonderful, clever read. You won't be disappointed.  

I will be giving this book 10 out of 10

Cape May * Chip Cheek

September 1957

Henry and Effie, young newlyweds from Georgia, arrive in Cape May, New Jersey, for their honeymoon. It's the end of the season and the town is deserted. 

As they tentatively discover each other, they begin to realize that everyday married life might be disappointingly different from their happily-ever-after fantasy.

Henry and Effie are the sweetest newlyweds going, when they travel to Cape May for a week for their honeymoon, they are happy to find they have the town to themselves, or so they thought. 

Carla is Effie's nemesis from childhood, when Effie learns that Carla is staying down the street with her lover Max, she isn't all too pleased.  

But when their invited round, Carla has no relocation of ever being this mean to Effie. With the drinks flowing, music playing and the elegant nights starting to set in, all is soon forgotten as the glamorous parties start to pull Henry and Effie in. 

Though will their marriage last when temptation is just around the corner? As truths are exchanged, lies are told and secrets are kept under lock and key...Can everything be as smooth sailing in their new life as the couple hoped? Especially on New Hampton Avenue.  

Cape May by Chip Cheek,  is the first novel written by the author. I liked the sound of the book as I felt it had the same feel as Tigers in Red Weather that I read a couple years back. 

Set in the 1950's I was drawn to the synopsis, I do love a book set in these eras and it was a good read. The story itself followed the lives of two newlyweds as they navigate through their first weeks of marriage and honeymoon on their own told by the young husband, Henry. 

The first section of the book I really loved, the plot flowed and it worked, there are a few moments where I got a little confused on who is who but then it started to make sense. However, towards the end of the book, and I'll be honest here and its just out of preference, I did get slightly annoyed with one of the characters and the story started to seem like you had picked up an entirely different book. 

With all that said though, I did enjoy the book and it was a quick enjoyable read. I would happily read more by this author in the near future. 

I will be giving this book a 6 out of 10

Cape May is Chip Cheek's debut novel and will be released on 30th April 2019 so be sure to check it out for yourselves and let me know what you think! Many thanks to NetGally and Orion Publishing Group for the advanced copy. 

The Art of Taxidermy * Sharon Kernot

Lottie collects dead creatures and lovingly cares for them, hoping to preserve them, to save them from disintegration. 

Her father understands—Lottie has a scientific mind, he thinks. Her aunt wants it to stop, and she goes to cruel lengths to make sure it does.

Little Lottie is at a loss without her Mother and Sister by her side. Stricken with grief, Lottie starts to find more creative ways to help ease her pain and memories, though not everyone in the family is keen on her new creative streak. 

This wonderful book is written in verse and is based around the 1980's. It's the first type of verse book that I have read, it did not disappoint. 

The story focuses around Lottie, who is silently struggling with the loss of her mother and older sister Annie, the book flits between the past and present whilst giving a glimpse at what her family were like when they were still alive. 

As Lottie begins to have a fascination with Taxidermy, family members try everything in their power to make the little girl she should be and not the girl Lottie wants to be.  The writing and story telling itself is in a way that I would say beautifully morbid, there's a love and sadness that grows within the book and the use of imagery is beautiful. 

I felt for Lottie as her family couldn't see what she was trying to do. It showed how each character portrayed different stages of grief and how they deal with their own sadness and loss which was a very interesting interpretation. 

The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot is a tremendous read and I can't wait for more of her work to follow. Without giving too much away, I thoroughly enjoyed this book more than I thought I would and I would highly recommend. Also, can I just point out that the cover works is absolutely gorgeous and  big thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for the ARC. However, if you are squeamish towards certain animal natures, then I would advise you to tread lightly. 

I will be giving this book a 9 out of 10

The book will be released in the UK by Text Publishing Company on the 23rd August 2019 and I would strongly suggest picking it up. 

Snowflakes and Cinnamon Swirls at the Winter Wonderland * Heidi Swain

After calling off her engagement, Hayley, the Wynthorpe Hall housekeeper, wants nothing more than to return to her no-strings fun-loving self, avoiding any chance of future heartbreak. Little does she know, Wynbridge’s latest arrival is about to throw her plan entirely off course . . .

Moving into Wynthorpe Hall to escape the town’s gossip, Hayley finds herself immersed in the eccentric Connelly family’s festive activities as they plan to host their first ever Winter Wonderland.

Hayley hasn't had the best of luck going for her in her life, but when she manages to bag herself the hunkiest man in town; Gavin,  as her husband to be, things finally start to turn around for her. 

Until once again, everything is ruined for her when she finds Gavin with his trousers round his ankles and a woman between his legs in the pub toilets. 

Keen to make a fresh start and to hide her troubled past, Hayley moves into Wynbridge Hall with the lovely Connolly family and best friend Anna by her side. Though when Gabe, the guardian angel sent from above turns up, Hayley can't help her heart from beating as fast as Angus can get the lights up.

Though if there's one thing that Gabe hates more than anything in the world, its Christmas and he'll go out of his way to avoid it at all costs. 

Can secrets really be kept at this time of year? 

Snowflakes and Cinnamon Swirls at the Winter Wonderland by Heidi Sawin, is the seventh instalment in the Wybridge collection and I absolutely loved it so much. Its the first book that I have ever ready by Swain and it certainly won't be the last. I thought that I had read them in the wrong order but the author lovingly got in touch and said they're stand alone novels that just blend in with each other. 

I bought this as one of three Christmas reads in 2018 and let me tell you I picked up a good one! I loved Hayley and Gabe's characters so much, they started with a love-hate relationship that eventually blossomed into something more. 

It was truly a feel good Christmas read, filled with love, baking, humour and even a bit of mystery. I felt that Hayley's character was lovely as she finally got to do what made her happy in the end, after being told for many years to just push her dream to one side. I loved Gabe so much and my heart just broke at the end. It really put a smile on my face all the way throughout the book and I can't wait to read more books by this wonderful author! 

I will be giving this book 9 out of 10

Caraval * Stephanie Garber

Once a year the infamous Master Legend hosts Caraval - open only to those who have been invited. 

This year the week long game is on Legend's glittering Isla de los Soenos, where the winding streets are an elaborate snow-covered maze and the people are never who they seem to be. 

At midnight on the first day, the show beings and the visitors become players. Each of them vying for the coveted prize: a single wish. 

Scarlett has only one wish in life, to finally be able to visit the legendary Caraval with her younger sister Donatella. So when Tella suddenly goes missing Scarlett knows there's only one place and once place only where she will have fled to. 

Caraval is the greatest mystery this side of Trisda, where anything goes and anything can happen. If you win all your dreams will come true with just one wish from Legend, the grand carnival master - the man who everyone knows but has never been seen. 

Though Scarlett can't do this alone, so when Julian decides to tag along, she can't believe her luck and not in the good way. He's stubborn and sometimes rude but as they go deeper into the game, not everyone appears to be who they really are. 

Soon Scarlett is on a bigger, more dangerous mission than she planned. Lives are at stake, a wish needs to be granted and lies start to unfold. But only one man can make all of these things happen and there's only one rule you need to remember...

It's only a game, right?

Caraval by Stephanie Garber, is the first instalment in the Caraval series and I have a few mixed feelings on it. I borrowed this book a while back from the local library (which I'm sad to say I had to pay a fine for the late returns) Anyway, it was picked up as the blurb sounded quite good. 

The story follows two sisters and their somewhat abusive father, their obsession with a Carnival that only comes into their town once a blue moon. Now, there are many things with this book that I enjoyed, and there are some which in someways irked me a bit - personal preference. 

For one, the story took a long time to actually start, though it started getting good about mid way through the book, which was a total game changer for me. The characters were well written but I found Scarlett to be on the irritating side a bit. Whilst I understand that she was worried about her sister, everything she did, even stuff to benefit her own happiness - had to be questioned as to whether Tella would approve or like it. At the end of the day I found Tella to be quite childish and selfish - Again, just a personal preference. 

The author has a great way of explaining scenes within the book, however, there are some sections where she may just go into it a bit too much. We know that an 'apple can be as red as a rose' but we possibly don't need the 'the apple was as red as a rose, dipped in blood and covered in...' you get my drift. 

Whilst it sounds like I'm slamming the author, by no means I'm not! It's just preference. Once I got further into the book I really started to enjoy it, there was more action, more deceit happening and Julian's character is just perfect and in the end I really did enjoy it! Thats what I was waiting for and what I needed and it delivered in the end - The ending, oh my goodness. Whilst I still think and feel all of these feelings, I will still read the next instalment Legendary and possibly Finale. 

All in all, it is a great YA book and I feel that many young people will quite enjoy this book and the whole whimsical feel behind it. I look forward to reading the next book and hope that it will have more action in. 

Legendary will be released in paperback in the UK on 21/02/19 
Finale will be released in the UK soon

I will be giving this book 6 out of 10

The Man Who Didn't Call * Rosie Walsh

The Man Who Didn't Call by Rosie Walsh 

Imagine you meet a man, spend six glorious days together, and fall in love. And it’s mutual: you’ve never been so certain of anything. 

So when he leaves for a long-booked holiday and promises to call from the airport, you have no cause to doubt him.
But he doesn’t call. 

Your friends tell you to forget him, but you know they're wrong: something must have happened; there must be a reason for his silence.

On the 2nd June, Sarah comes to the same spot, at the same time to remember the tragedy that ruined her life. What she didn't think would happen, was that she'd fall madly in love with a complete stranger, that she's only known for seven days. 

Seven wonderful, marvellous, days she'd spent cooped up with Eddie David's. Then out of nowhere, he just vanished without a trace or even a phone call. 

Sarah can't shake the feeling that something is wrong; they shared life stories, dreams and even a little wooden mouse! So where did he go? When did it all go wrong? 

As Sarah battles with a loss she never knew she had, a love so fierce it may send her into madness and heartbreak so strong, that it physically hurts. One things for certain, she has to find Eddie David's before its too late and who he really is.  

The Man Who Didn't Call by Rosie Walsh, is the first book that Walsh has written under her real name. Before, she has written under the pen name 'Lucy Robinson'. You can't begin to imagine my excitement when I realised this revelation and I couldn't wait for it to be released. I adore Rosie's writing, and her stories are just so beautiful. 

The story was nothing like I'd expected, I suppose I thought it would be like her other ones, but the story just took me by surprise and what a fabulous surprise it was! It's very well written, the plot is great and the ending, oh that ending. If there's one book you should read before the year is out, please go pick this one up and give it a read, you won't be disappointed! 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and seriously can't wait for more by Rosie.

I will be giving this book 10/10

**This book was read in June, this is a late review

A Spot of Bother * Mark Haddon

A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

At fifty-seven, George is settling down to a comfortable retirement, building a shed in his garden, reading historical novels, listening to a bit of light jazz.

Unnoticed in the uproar, George discovers a sinister lesion on his hip, and quietly begins to lose his mind.

George is a simple man, he enjoys the simple tasks in life such as; a hot cup of tea in the morning, a new book in the evening and spending time on his studio. 
So when he finds a small lesion on his side, his whole world is flipped upside down and everything  isn't that simple anymore.

As George battles with his mind, his family are in a current battle of their own and falling apart at the seams. Katie, his argumentative daughter is planning to marry Ray, the "safe" partner, but when they have an argument and he storms out, Katie starts to question is she really marrying him for love, or because of her son Jacob? 

Jamie, his uptight son is in love with Tony. It's that simple. Except its not and he's lost him for good and Tony doesn't want anything to do with him. Making a mess of things, all Jamie wants to do is win Tony back, not to be standing outside his flat at 4am covered in alcohol and vomit. Jamie just wants him to come to his sisters possible wedding and prove to Tony that he truly loves him. 

Jean on the other hand, George's doubtful wife is caught up in her own web between George and David and doesn't know when to quit. She loves them both dearly, one more so than the other but who to choose is the question? Surely she must choose her own happiness first? 

As everyone deals with their problems and a possible wedding to plan just around the corner. George chooses this exact moment to slip away and go quietly insane. 

Though is there really a sane member of any family? 

A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon is such a wonderful read and its the second novel I have read by this author and he did not disappoint. 

As you may remember I bought this in the new year with one of my many vouchers and gift cards that I received for Christmas last year.  I got this through my Kobo as I'm slowly starting to need more room on my book shelves. Though I am hoping to upgrade to a new Kobo once returned from my summer holiday in July so keep your eyes out. 

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and felt that there is a good message behind the book regarding mental illness. Haddon shows it in the a different light and adds some humour into it so it doesn't seem all dark and gloomy, though there is still the seriousness off the illness and how he describes it is very well written.  

There we're at times throughout the book where I may have wandered off the beaten track, but it picked back up again. The main character George is hilarious, I personally loved George, his son Jamie and his grandson Jacob (Simply because he reminded me of my little Jacob) The way George tackles his depression, anxiety and mental state is different but in ways I can understand what he was probably thinking and how he got to that stage. 

At the time I didn't know how I felt about the ending, but looking back on it now it makes sense. Not everything and everyone will last forever, so make the most of what you have.  

I will be reading more of Mark Haddon's work in the future and I'm sad to find that this didn't get enough hype as what it deserves. It may be different from his other books but I loved it and I understand the simplicity behind it. I am so glad i started with his other book 'The Red House' and not 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'. 

I will give this book 8 out of 10

The Forever House * Veronica Henry

The Forever House by Veronica Henry

Hunter's Moon is the ultimate 'forever' house. Nestled by a river in the Peasebrook valley, it has been the Willoughbys' home for over fifty years, and now estate agent Belinda Baxter is determined to find the perfect family to live there. 

But the sale of the house unlocks decades of family secrets - and brings Belinda face to face with her own troubled past.

Belinda Baxter loves her job, she loves seeing a houses potential and being able to sell to the right person. But when she gets a call about a local home, one she knows that will be snatched up as soon as it goes onto the market, Belinda can't wait to see what the house holds inside.  

Hunter's Moon as been in Sally and Alexanders life for as long as they can remember, but when Alex is diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease they both come to terms with the fact that they will have to sell their beloved home.  

Sally and Alexander soon start to go back in time and relive the memories they have shared throughout the house and their past, all the parties Alexander's mother had thrown to the time when they inherited the house.  

Belinda is lost for words when she finally steps inside the house, such a beautiful house and she feels a longing to do the Willoughby's proud as she tries to get the best offer but sometimes she can't always promise. As she is going through, she comes to terms with a few things herself and she starts to feel like she can enter into her old home and face the saddening truths that happened within the four walls of her beloved home.  

As we follow both Sally and Belinda, we are transported back through both lives and how both houses can have such an effect on our lives. Though sometimes, buying a house or trying to sell has a lot more meaning when you are completely in love. 

The Forever House by Veronica Henry is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read and I honestly mean that. I meant to do this book review last year and had it waiting, but I had completely forgot it was there.  

The book flits between the past and present and through both out the main characters lives, being Belinda and Sally. For Belinda, we find that the past wasn't so great to her and what really happened with her old home and how she will get over her past. 

Though with Sally, she reminisces on the times she met her now, ill husband Alexander. All the way back to when they we're young and the wild parties his mother used to host, to the time their got married and had their children. 

Both characters pasts are well written and they flow perfectly. At first, I'll be honest I was a bit confused as to what was happening but once I realised, I couldn't put the book down. It was such a joy to read, the way Henry has set the scene and the background on each character is just purely beautiful. 

I'm so happy that I picked this book up on a whim and I will be reading more of her stuff in the near future!

I will be giving this book a 10/10