A Winters Tale * Trisha Ashley

A Winters Tale by Trisha Ashley

Sophy Winter is not your typical Lady of the Manor...

Unexpectedly inheriting Winters End - a vast mansion in the beautiful Lancashire countryside - seems like the answer to Sophy's prayers. She eagerly swaps life as an impoverished house keeper for running her own team of staff.

But Sophy quickly realises the challenge in her hands - the house is decrepit and its eccentric inhabitants are a nightmare. And once it is discovered that Winter's End played host to young Shakespeare, the village of Sticklepond becomes curious about Sophey's plans, especially charming Jack Lewis. But is he really smitten with Sophy - or her newly acquired cash?

Meanwhile, Sophy's gorgeous head gardener Seth is the strong and silent type. But does his passion blood for anything else other than horticultural?

As Sophy gets to grips with squabbling relatives, collapsing buildings and the ghostly presence of one of her ancestors, she wonders if Winter's End is not so much a gift from the gods, as a mixed blessing.

When Sophy Winter is greeted upon her little cottage doorstep baby the ever so handsome Jack Lewis, she knows things are about to change. So when the nephew of her late employer kicks her out of her cottage, she has nowhere to to. Though she didn't realise how soon and the  shock that would come with it. 

When Jack tells her that she is now the proud owner of an old stately home that she used to grow up in when she was younger, Sophy can't quite believe it. Much to Jack's disappointment she decided to come back to Winter's End and see what's in store for her. Jumping into the brightly coloured but battered VW Camper, she drives to Stickle Pond, where she's greeted by her distant family and a very grumpy Gardener. Who tires to force her off the premises and to take her "travelling gypsy friends" with her if they show up.  

It soon turns out that the house is much more worse than Sophy imagined, with rotting walls, caving in buildings, covered in dust from waist upwards and cobwebs in every corner in the house. It's going to need a big clean and plenty of hands, so it's a good thing that Sophy loves to clean and has worked in old stately homes before!

Though there is a slight problem, there is the gardener, Seth Greenwood. Who only has eyes for the restoration of the Gardens which his father always dreamt of completing. And nothing will get in his way of completing it, not even the new head of the house Sophy. But all hell breaks loose when she asks to borrow his staff for a couple of hours to do the handy work around the house, soon Seth and Sophy are in constant battle and cannot stand each other, but will this change? 

With Sophy's only daughter away and working abroad in Japan, Sophy feels lost with not having her wing man to help her make decisions. Especially with her grumpy and vicious Aunt Hebe, who only had eyes for her precious Jack. But he's not so glamorous and charming as everyone seems, and Seth knows it. But it's difficult to try and get this into Sophy's head. 

With a broody but handsome gardener, a charming but arrogant man of the hour, a prude of an aunt and also an eccentric one too! The cooks, the cleaners, a  new dog and a cat and a rehearsal in good old fashioned clothing. All to be done and in time for the big annual Christmas party, Sophy has a lot on her plate and her mind. 

Will she end up with her own Mr. Darcy? Will her daughter come home from Japan? And will the annoying but bitter Mel Christopher ever leave her alone? 

Hi all, sorry long time and no update! But I'm here now! A Winters Tale by Trisha Ashley was a different read for me I think. I picked this up from work whilst on my lunch break and took a shine to it. Though at first it took me a little while to get into it. 

I liked the idea on how Sophy got to go back to Winters end and I liked how her Aunt's we're portrayed. I knew Jack would be a snake in the grass from the word go and thought there could of been a bit more secretiveness to it. I loved Seth's character and could just picture him, I think ever romance needs a bit of a rough, rouged man at some point in the books. You just know there going to be a keeper if there handsome but gloomy, well I think so. 

This is the first book I have read by Ashley and I have already got some of her books on my shelf, that are still waiting to be read. I will be reading more of her books, though I do hope there a little bit different to this one. As much as I enjoyed it, I found it hard to concentrate or find the lack of effort to finish the book. In some stages I wanted to carry on and in others I just couldn't be bothered and wanted to read another book. 

Though all in all, I would say the book was okay, the story line was great but did think at some point that some of the characters could of been a little different. 

I will give this book 4 out of 10 

Happy New Year! 2014

Happy New Year all! 

Hope everyone is fine and dandy and going through their first month of 2014 with ease.

My New Year was a great one of what I can remember of it. I spent it with Sam which was lovely and also got to spend Christmas with him also as didn't get to last year. So technically it's like our first Christmas. 

Got lots of plans for this year so may get a little quiet at some point, plan to get on with my writing more and try to get a book written. I will all be getting ready for a crafts fair to do with mum next year which will be lovely to do! If anyone has done any craft fairs in the past, please let me know you're experiences so I can be prepared!

Going on quite a few trips this year, so there will be plenty of reading to be done and lots of reviews. I'm also going to start doing some cake decorating classes as well so that should be fun! I don't know how many people read this but I do love writing the posts, and I just love having a little blog that I can declare my own and "pimp it" out haha. 

In other news, Sam's album will be coming out this year in May. So be sure to snatch it up! :) Really proud of how well he's done and achieved, makes me so happy! 

Click the link below to have a listen and look at the band :) He's the one with the curly hair haha :) 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carnival-Of-Thieves/440834859313438?fref=ts

Or there's their website: 

http://carnivalofthieves.com/

Also, the site is currently under construction as I need to change it around a bit. Won't take long though. 

There will be a book review up soon and possibly one up tomorrow, so see you soon! Also Have a great 2014!

- Em xx

Christine * Stephen King

Christine by Stephen King

Evil is alive in Libertyville. It inhabits a custom-painted red and white 1958 Plymouth Fury and the teenage boy, Arnold Cunningham, who buys it from the strange Roland LeBay.

Helped by Arnold's girlfriend Leigh Cabot, Dennis Guilder embarks to find out the real truth behind Christine and finds more than he bargained for: from murder, to suicide, and a strange feeling that surrounds Christine - she gets even with anyone that crosses her! Can Dennis save Arnold from the evil that is Christine?

This is a story that has only been told four times and this, making it's fourth and hopefully the last for Dennis Guilder. Arnie Cunningham is Dennis's best friend, and a bit of a loner. There always has to be at least one of them in the whole High School and Arnie was one of them.

Being constantly bullied throughout primary school all the way up to high school, Arnie Cunningham was used to it, so long as he had his best friend Dennis by his side, his wing man and Savior. Everything would be fine, that is until a drive home from work changed everything. 

 For Dennis Guilder, he knew it was bad luck, that something could go wrong when Arnie first set her eyes on her, making Dennis reverse back so Arnie could get another look of her splendid view. Her beautiful curves, the bight colour of her, the way she sat on the side of the road peaceful and content. Though all Dennis saw was a rusty pile of junk. 

But Arnie saw through that and fell in love with a real beauty, a 1958 Plymouth Fury in cherry red and white, named Christine. Soon Arnie had got her up and running and working in perfect order. Her body was clean, smooth and Shiny. Free from scratches, rust and dents. Looking sleek and shine.
Until Buddy Repperton gets his hands on her and has his way alright, and soon Arnie is back to square one in the restoration process. 

Much to the happiness of his mother and father, Arnold becomes besotted with the beast and never leaves it alone. Even his new girlfriend Leigh cannot coax him out of his dreamlike state with the car. To Dennis this is very out of the norm for his pal Arnie and he starts to seek questions about what really happened with that Plymouth and what power it holds. As Arnie starts to become the boy he has never known and becomes dark and sinister.

Dennis starts to see less and less of his best friend and more of his mates girlfriend instead. Soon both Dennis and Leigh cannot see Arnie anymore, but the face of a dead man, the face of man who sold the car to Arnie in the first place. The rotting corpse of a man, Ronald D. Lebay. 

Soon after the change in Arine, a horrible pattern starts to rise as murders start piling up and so does the evidence around Arnold and his beloved Christine. Dennis and Leigh must work around the clock to find a way to get Arnie Cunningham back and to destroy the frightening Fury, before it's too late. 

Christine by Stephen King, is the second book I have read by him so far. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. I must admit from time to time I did feel a bit that it dragged and that I didn't understand some parts (mainly the car parts and what not haha) But I did enjoy it none the less. 

It had such an amazing story line and all the characters we're well written. I loved how Arnie was portrayed and how King manged to change his attitude in the character, Arnie turns into a nasty person, an evil person. And I think that he portrayed that change very well and the imagery it crated for me was amazing.

 I loved Dennis's character even more. To the fact how you could see how his and Arnie's friendship was. I think he captured friendship quite well in this book and how certain things and little changes can make a big difference in the way friendship goes and also changes. I was so shocked throughout the book! There we're so many things that I was not expecting! And the ending, I was sat on the tram on the way to work and there was a massive shocker at the end, and I was sat there on the tram with my mouth over shocked and the lady sat across from me was just staring at me! Haha.

All in all it was a great book, despise some of the time that I didn't understand certain things, but loved it none the less. Would definitely re-read it again. 

I will be giving this book an 8 out of 10

November Update

Hey all!

Hope your all well and keeping warm this coming winter, it's getting chilly up here now (Don't know where you all are, but wrap up and get a book going!) I know I haven't posted on here in a while, which I'm sorry for, it's taking me ages to read the book I'm reading at the moment, loving it to pieces. It's just trying to find the time, with work, family and my driving lessons and theory. Don't worry, I'll let you all know when I finally pass haha. 

I have LOADS of books that I still need to read and every day I find a new one I want to read, it's much easier having a Kobo as I have all the books with me and it's lighter, though it's still not the same as going out and buying a new book (something I still do though!) 

Anyway, just wanted to say and make a note of the amazing backgrounds and layouts this lovely lady does above. There so beautiful and there's a layout for everything and it's where I have got my layouts for the past 2 years. Her website it so cute and it's just wonderful! So yeah, just wanted to say if your in a bother of what to have as your layout, wanting a new one just for wanting a feel for your blog this Christmas, then look no further than Shabby Blogs! - See the link below!

http://www.shabbyblogsblog.blogspot.co.uk

- Carry on Reading! - Emma xx

Carrie * Stephen King

Carrie by Stephen King

The story of misfit high-school girl, Carrie White, who gradually discovers that she has telekinetic powers. Repressed by a domineering, ultra-religious mother and tormented by her peers at school, her efforts to fit in lead to a dramatic confrontation during the senior prom.

We've all been there bullied throughout the years at school or at some point in your life. But you can't possibly compare to a young girl that goes by the name of Carrie White. 

Carrie's been bullied throughout primary school, high school and even at church. She was never one of the popular children, the ones with all the best trends and fancy clothes. No make up, handbags or even real parents for that matter. 

Carrie has been brought up round religion and her mother has a very strong belief, though when Carrie does something even the slightest out of key, her mother raises hell. 
So when Carrie is sent home from school after Sue Snell and her 'followers' bully Carrie for having her first period at the age of seventeen, to which she is mortified, scared and horrified. It isn't any different and Carrie doesn't receive any motherly love or sympathy from it. Instead Sue and the gang laugh and through tampons and sanitary towels at her whilst she is in the shower crying and screaming. 

But when she finally gets home, her mother shouts, screams and abuses her distraught daughter, telling her that she is the spawn of the devil. To which Carrie is terrified and then thrown into the cupboard for hours on end to pray for her sins on what a terrible thing she has done today. 

As a new day passes, Carrie is forced to live by her mothers evil rules. Being forced into a religion she doesn't really want to be in, and constantly being abused by her mother. The slaps, choking, being forced into the dreaded cupboard to pray for 6 hours, with no food, drink or toilet breaks and having things thrown at her. 

Until one day, she snaps...

Carrie soon finds out that she has strange powers, being able to levitate things with her mind. Opening and closing doors without going near them, lifting tables, furniture and other things with her mind and also making a child fall off his bike. Soon Carrie starts to see potential in this and plans to get revenge. 

The day of the annual spring dance is coming to Carrie's High school and though she plans on not going, something changes when Tommy Ross asks her to prom. For once she is happy and will not let her momma stop her in going. But when her mother finds out that she's going with a boy, of all the sins, Carrie snaps. She starts to use her powers on her mother and she doesn't like it one bit. With her momma soon fleeing to the cupboard to pray for her life, not her daughters, but her own.

Carrie is happy for once and is having a swell of a time until some cruel and nasty people decide to pour something on her and ruin her night, her dress and every guest in that hall. Soon Carrie's little town is lost in amber as she walks the streets finding revenge on those who've hurt her, bodies lying in the streets, no help to be found. Blood everywhere.

One thing is for certain...
You will know her name.  

Carrie by Stephen King, is the first book that I have read of his and was amazed! I honestly never thought that I would get into his stuff, I tried reading one of his books a while ago and just couldn't get into it. But I loved Carrie so much. It has an amazing story line, I loved the way how it is done in the present and then also the past through different pages of different books that was wrote after the disaster in the book. 

If I'm honest, I did find Carrie's mother way to freaky, there's just something about the whole, getting to caught up in religion. I thing King portrayed her mother very well, she is a nasty piece of work and you could tell how he described her, really made me feel sorry for Carrie. I felt sorry for her anyway with all the bullying. 

This book is just based on getting revenge but in quite a big way, and how not all religious families are wonderful and nice. Well, that's what I think. Carrie's mother though, damn, she's creepy and horrid. 

I will be going to see the 2013 film next month but glad that I read the book first. 

I will give this book 10 out of 10!

October Update

Hey there everyone!

Thought I would do a Short update seeing as I haven't done one in a while. I have still got LOADS of books to read, both on the shelves and on the kobo so I need to get reading haha. I am only two books away from my 2013 goal this year! Hope to add an extra one onto the 14!!

I have recently posted two book reviews which I'm chuffed about, and also I have changed the background to make it more Octobery (I know that's not a word haha) But I'm loving the vintage Halloween style :) Then it will be changing again soon to Christmas! Oh how this year has flown by!

I'll be reading some horror books or Halloween ones this month (If I can get into the horror ones that is) So wish me luck! Don't want to be scared! If you have any recommendations, please fire away in the comments box, all would be appreciated!

On another note, it may quieten down a but on here as I have this lovely book to study upon!...

That's right I'm finally learning to drive haha! So wish me luck! :) 

But for now, goodnight! 

- Emma :)