Out in March: Life After Life

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Synopsis

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? Life After Life follows Ursula Todd as she lives through the turbulent events of the last century again and again. With wit and compassion, Kate Atkinson finds warmth even in life's bleakest moments, and shows an extraordinary ability to evoke the past. Here she is at her most profound and inventive, in a novel that celebrates the best and worst of ourselves.

Out in March: Amity and Sorrow

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Synopsis

AMITY & SORROW is a story about God, sex, and farming. It's THE LOVELY BONES meets WITNESS: an unforgettable journey into the horrors a true believer can inflict upon his family, and what it is like to live when the end of the world doesn't come. In the wake of a suspicious fire, Amaranth gathers her children and flees from the cult where her children were born and raised. Now she is on the run with no one but her barely-teenage daughters, Amity and Sorrow, neither of whom have ever seen the outside world, to help her. 

After four days of driving without sleep, Amaranth crashes the car, leaving the family stranded at a gas station, unsure of what to do next. Rescue comes in the unlikely form of a downtrodden farmer, a man who offers sanctuary when the women need it most. AMITY & SORROW is the story of these remarkable women, their lives before the night they fled, and their heartbreaking, hopeful future. 

Over the course of a season Amaranth will test the limits of her faith, and her daughters will test the limits of her patience. While Amity blossoms in this new world, free from her father's forbidding rules and ecstatic worship, Sorrow will move heaven and earth trying to get back home... And, meanwhile, the outside world hasn't forgotten about the fire on the compound.

Champagne Toast

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Synopsis
Kate Armour and Evan Maxwell fell hard and fast for each other while attending college. Their once passionate and loving relationship ended when old scars eventually tore them apart. Two years after their breakup, they're each struggling to piece together what went wrong in an attempt to move forward.

Kate, a no-nonsense bartender, must face her past while attempting to focus on her future.

Evan is stifled by his bitter heart, which threatens each and every relationship he attempts after walking away from Kate.

Will life offer them a second chance at love or are old patterns simply too hard to break?

This Is Where I Leave You

Synopsis

Poor Judd Englander returns home early to find his wife in bed with his boss - in the act. He now faces the twin threats of both divorce and unemployment. His misery is compounded further with the sudden death of his father.

He is then asked to come and 'sit Shiva' for his newly deceased parent with his angry, screwed up and somewhat estranged brothers and sisters in his childhood home. It is there he must confront who he really is and - more importantly - who he can become.

These Things Hidden

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Synopsis
Imprisoned for a heinous crime when she was a just a teenager, Allison Glenn is now free. Desperate for a second chance, Allison discovers that the world has moved on without her… Shunned by those who once loved her, Allison is determined to make contact with her sister. But Brynn is trapped in her own world of regret and torment. Their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden…

Review: Olivia

Synopsis

Olivia Hanson has spent most of her twenty-five years staring wistfully across the tracks to the north side of town, longing for a white picket fence and normal—something she’s never known. Born in a prison and abandoned by her mother, Olivia was raised in South Juliette by her father, Eugene—a knee-bouncing, chain-smoking loner with a Cheeze Doodle addiction. Olivia drinks too much, loses her heart too easily, and works in a factory as quality control, a mundane job she’d sworn would only be temporary, not the permanent drudgery it has become. Her only joy in life comes in the form of late-night slow dances with hot bartender, George, who can set her body on fire with his kisses but is unwilling to go any further.

The day Olivia accidentally backs her Buick into a black Dodge pickup, she tumbles head-over-heels into what she believes is the happily-ever-after kind of love she has been longing for. But the road to happiness is not as easy as it looks. It’s a long, winding journey of self-discovery full of potholes, pregnancy tests, lobster tattoos, Walmart scooters, impromptu weddings, hump-happy Boston terriers, and a sexy, but oh-so-annoying police officer who pops up around every curve.

Review
This book is badly edited, chaotic and at times confusing. So why was I captivated till the end?  The quick answer is simply that there's something about Olivia. The longer answer lies somewhere witty dialogue and authenticity  Olivia lives on the wrong part of time, drinks too much, loves too quickly and works in a dead end job. Many books have presided on such facts. Many books have the damsel in distress wanting prince charming to carry her off into the sunset. This is not one of those books. Firstly the guy she thinks will save her ends up abusing her emotionally as well physically. Her charming prince is a devil in disguise. What makes this book unique is perhaps the fact the Olivia is not your typical damsel in distress.

Olivia is a great character, full of life, brave however she is also very childlike. Her thoughts are erratic and confusing. I wanted to hold her and drag onto the right path. I enjoyed her adventures, her self-discovery, her need for human contact. She reminded me of a lost child, abused yet she still wanted to live and enjoy life.  Her father Eugene is probably the best characters in the book, he's the silent type. He enjoys solitude. He's the complete opposite of Olivia but they work so well. Their relationship was the highlight of the book, a promise of unconditional love between a parent and a child. However I wasn't a big fan of George mainly because I didn't understand him. I was very uncomfortable with his relationship with Olivia and at times it was verging on abusive. He thought he toyed with her, disguised his own selfish needs with something similar to love. But my misgivings in regards to George could have been because there was a distinct lack of characterization.

Mitch for example is a cartoon character, one who isn't given any background. He's the villain  the guy who ruins someone's life. The first time he abuses Olivia, I felt like the scene was very rushed. Furthermore the concept of being born in prison should have been discussed more and developed further. I would have loved to learn about her mother and her history and how she came to fall in love with shy retiring guy like Eugene. She's painted as the devil's incarnate yet I felt like there was story that needed to told.

I would read books by this author again because she has potential. With good editing she really could be great. 

REST IN PEACE MR CHINUA ACHEBE 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013

                     

Chinua Achebe born Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013)^[2] was a Nigerian^[3] novelist, poet, professor, and critic. He was best known for his first novel and magnum opus,^[4]Things Fall Apart (1958), which is the most widely read book in modern African literature.^[5]

Thank you for bringing Africa to the rest of the world. All Things Fall apart will live on as a reminder that your talent was a gift from God. Rest in peace.

Promises of Love and good Behavior

Synopsis

This love story concerns a modern, self-assured and successful young couple who take personal risks in their relationship whilst making 'promises of love and good behaviour' to each other.

 In a surreal setting, the author explores the interaction and emotions of a man, his wife and a young woman caught in a love triangle. 

Through their curious encounter, from which they cannot escape, the characters travel back and forth in time, each expressing their experience and singular perception of particular events. 

They learn about each other as they convey their most intimate thoughts and feelings, shedding all artifice in the process. In time, they realise that, as in all games, when the rules are broken, there are no clear-cut winners or losers.

My Favorite Binchy: Night of Rain and Stars

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In a Greek taverna, high over the small village of Aghia Anna, four people meet for the first time: Fiona, an Irish nurse, Thomas, a Californian academic; Elsa, a German television presenter; and David a shy English boy. Along with Andreas, the old man who runs the taverna, they become close to each other after witnessing a tragedy when a pleasure steamer catches fire in the harbour. NIGHTS OF RAIN AND STARS is the story of one summer when Fiona, Thomas, Elsa and David all have to face the particular life crisis which first made them leave their homes and end up in Greece. With the help of Vonni, a middle-aged Irish woman who lives in the village and is now a near-native, they each find a solution - although not necessarily the one they anticipated...

My Favorite Books: Random Acts of Heroic Love

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CAN LOVE OUTWIT DEATH? 
1992: Leo Deakin wakes up in a hospital somewhere in South America. His girlfriend Eleni is dead and Leo doesn't know where he is or how she died. He blames himself for the tragedy and is sucked into a spiral of despair. But Leo is about to discover something that will change his life for ever. 

1917: Moritz Daniecki is a fugitive from a Siberian POW camp. Seven thousand kilometres over the Russian steppes separate him from his village and his sweetheart, whose memory has kept him alive through carnage and captivity. The Great War may be over, but Moritz now faces a perilous journey across a continent riven by civil war. When Moritz finally limps back into his village to claim the hand of the woman he left behind, will she still be waiting? 

Danny Scheinmann paints a dramatic portrait of two men sustaining their lives through the memory of love. Cinematic and brimming with raw emotions, it is the magnificent and emotive debut of a remarkable new writer.

My Favourite Books: THE DOCTOR AND THE DIVA

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Synopsis

Boston, 1903. Dr Ravell is a young obstetrician whose reputation for helping couples conceive has made him a rising star. He is flattered when a family of illustrious physicians turns to him to treat one of its own members. Erika von Kessler is a beautiful, ambitious - and married - opera singer who has struggled for years to become pregnant. As the young doctor's attraction to her increases, and his treatments prove ineffectual, Erika's despair worsens.

And when Dr Ravell takes a great risk that may imperil his promising career - a secret he can share with no one - it is a decision that will change their dreams and destinies. What ensues is an unforgettable love story that sweeps across snowy Boston, a lush island in the Caribbean to the graceful piazzas and opera stages of Italy.

Smooth Talking Stranger

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Synopsis
Jack Travis is a macho Houston businessman - rich, tough and always in control. So when a beautiful young woman approaches his office carrying a baby that she claims is his, he’s shaken more than he would ever let on. Stunned, Jack listens to Ella Varner as she explains that her sister recently gave birth and then abandoned her baby boy - and that enquiries have brought Ella to Jack’s door. He virtually has a seizure when she asks him to do a paternity test. But ultimately, will a paternity test set things right? If Jack is the father, will he be the one to care for the baby? Would Ella be prepared to let him go? And if not? Ella can’t bear to think of an answer...

Interesting Read: Olivia

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Synopsis
Olivia Hanson has spent most of her twenty-five years staring wistfully across the tracks to the north side of town, longing for a white picket fence and normal—something she’s never known. Born in a prison and abandoned by her mother, Olivia was raised in South Juliette by her father, Eugene—a knee-bouncing, chain-smoking loner with a Cheeze Doodle addiction. Olivia drinks too much, loses her heart too easily, and works in a factory as quality control, a mundane job she’d sworn would only be temporary, not the permanent drudgery it has become. Her only joy in life comes in the form of late-night slow dances with hot bartender, George, who can set her body on fire with his kisses but is unwilling to go any further.

The day Olivia accidentally backs her Buick into a black Dodge pickup, she tumbles head-over-heels into what she believes is the happily-ever-after kind of love she has been longing for. But the road to happiness is not as easy as it looks. It’s a long, winding journey of self-discovery full of potholes, pregnancy tests, lobster tattoos, Walmart scooters, impromptu weddings, hump-happy Boston terriers, and a sexy, but oh-so-annoying police officer who pops up around every curve.

The Good Doctor

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A powerful, taut and intense tale of a friendship overshadowed by betrayal, set against the tawdry hopes and disappointments of a post-apartheid South Africa. When Laurence Waters arrives at his new post at a deserted rural hospital, staff physician Frank Eloff is instantly suspicious. Laurence is everything Frank is not-young, optimistic, and full of big ideas. The whole town is beset with new arrivals and the return of old faces. Frank reestablishes a liaison with a woman, one that will have unexpected consequences. A self-made dictator from apartheid days is rumored to be active in cross-border smuggling, and a group of soldiers has moved in to track him, led by a man from Frank's own dark past. Laurence sees only possibilities-but in a world where the past is demanding restitution from the present, his ill-starred idealism cannot last.

Review: Why I love The Summer of Katya

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Synopsis

"In the summer of 1914 Jean-Marc Montjean, a recent graduate from medical school, arrives in the Basque village of Salies in the French Pyrenees to assist the village physician. His first assignment is to treat the louche brother of a beautiful young woman called Katya Treville. As he comes to know his patient's family, he begins to realise that they are haunted by an old, dark secret - but he can't help falling deeply in love with Katya. Jean-Marc is repeatedly warned away from any attempt at romantic involvement by Katya's family, but he is young, hopeful, in love, and certain that his feelings are reciprocated. When he learns that the Trevilles are planning to leave the village forever, he insists on a final meeting with Katya, one that transforms a heartrending love story into a shattering nightmare. The chilling denouement, reminiscent of Hitchcock at his best, will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned."

Review

The summer of Katya is the hardest book I've read. But it's also one the best books I've ever read. I bought it from my local library for a measly 20p. I wasn't particularly sold on the story but like every book lover, I find it hard to walk away from a cheap deal. Its a physiological thriller based in France in 1914. It's written by Rodney William Whitaker under his pen "The Travanian". 

 Its not a page turner, its dreary, overly descriptive and at times migraine inducing. But it's brilliant. Plain and simple. Why is it brilliant? This book is brilliant because the Travanian's use of color, suspense and vocabulary is outstanding. Why is it migraine inducing? Because its incredibly slow and draining. At times it was a struggle to get through one page. However I've never read an author whose transported me to a place so vivid and true that I felt like at times I was in 1914 during that hot summer on that bike with the beautiful Katya. This is a masterpiece, a lesson on how to build character and atmosphere, Hilary Mantel should read this book and weep. Unlike other somewhat highbrow reads such as WolfHall, the summer of Katya has attitude that once you get into the story you will find it hard to put it down.

 I'm not a big fan of books that are overly descriptive because to be honest I switch off and wander off onto another book. A reviewer once said to me that he couldn't get past the first 100 pages of Bring up the Bodies because he got so bored of the descriptions and the prose. He felt like the author was indulging in her own brilliance.   I'm sort of similar, if I cant get past the first 200 pages, I drop the book. Life's too short.  However Travanian isn't one to glow in the fact that he's created a beautiful sentence, he moves on flawlessly and with ease.  There's also a twist at the end that left me speechless and in awe of this author. I love this book but I'm also very weary of rereading it. 

Quick Review: More Than Memories Review

Synopsis
Can she love him if she can't remember him? Molly Anderson returns "home" to a town she doesn't remember, hoping it will spark a memory. She runs into Trent Williams, a Ridge City police detective, and something else definitely sparks. 

He wants to know why she left town, with her parents, but without a word to anyone. She doesn't remember that life. She can only tell him she knew her parents briefly before they died . . . or were murdered, she's not sure. She hopes regaining her memory will help answer that question. 

Trent has his own secrets, but they have a mystery to solve. As they work together and Molly meets their old friends, she realizes their relationship went deeper than memories. In fact, she grew up in Ridge City, even though her parents had said they lived there just a few years. How could she have forgotten her lifelong friend and love? Can she love him again if she doesn't remember him? There's also the possibility that she did something awful -- and maybe that's why she's afraid to remember her old life.

Molly knows she wants him now, but the truth might destroy their love.

Synopsis

I was put off initially by the cover of this book and the synopsis wasn't convincing either but I thought it was only 77p, why not? I read many quick reads such as this one every once in while to relax before I delve into a meaty literary read and the reason I've decided to review this book is because despite the cover and the okayish synopsis this book is surprising not bad. Yes there were may unnecessary red herrings that I could have done without and the ending was rushed but apart from that I enjoyed this book. The relationship between the two main characters is intriguing and genuine. This isn't a smug read about beautiful characters in a land far away, they seem genuine.

 I rarely read a novella which stays with me for sometime but More than Memories stayed with me long after I'd put the book down.  I kept thinking about these two characters while I was reading another book, I felt like I was cheating on an old boyfriend. This is nice read if you want something simple and nice. 

An Unexpected Gift

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Synopsis
Caitlin Quinn has just walked out of a miserable relationship with her abusive boyfriend and is finally starting to get her life back on track again.Walking home late on a cold, December night after a Christmas party at work, Caitlin is suddenly and brutally attacked.  Terrorised and frightened for her life she screams for help when suddenly a handsome stranger comes to her rescue and saves her.  Thrown together under the most horrific of circumstances, Caitlin and her rescuer must learn to deal with the effects of the attack as well as their existing relationships and the problems that each of them faces. The bigger problem, however, is that they are starting to become attracted to one another too.

Review: Never Deny You Heart and The Kellington Series

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Synopsis
William (Liam) Kellington, the Duke of Lynwood, loves Rosalind Carson, the sister of an impoverished viscount. But while Lynwood was still coming to terms with his feelings -- dukes can be particularly dim-witted when it comes to love -- Rosalind's brother sold her into a lucrative betrothal to another nobleman. Liam vows to save Rosalind from a marriage she does not want, while also convincing her to become the Duchess of Lynwood.  The lady, however, is not one to wait to be rescued. 

Rosalind has been in love with William Kellington much of her life. And it has been a rather one-sided romance. When her brother promises her to a man five decades her senior, Rosalind must find a way to live the life she wants and not the one that has been forced upon her.

Review
A few months ago, I was desperately waiting for the release of this book, biting my nails in anticipation, willing myself to exercise some patience. It was excruciating. Then finally I got my wish, the last installment in the Kellington series was published. The Kellingtons have been a source of entertainment for the last few months. I happened to come across Never a Mistress (the first book in the series) by chance while doing my daily browse of Amazon and there it was this freebie. I was intrigued by the title mainly because I didn't like it but then the synopsis sold me. Amazon is inundated  with every type of regency known to womankind. I'm a novice to this genre so I don't profess to know too much but when a book is good, the fact that its a regency doesn't matter.  I found Never a mistress, never a by chance, it was stuck between two other regency novels, both free, both as intriguing but there was something about that synopsis that begged me to read on. The books in the Kellington series are easy reads, they shouldn't take more than a two days depending on how speedy you are and they are Regency so expect loads of brooding males and beautiful female characters.

 This book took me by surprise because of the story telling, Maureen Driscoll knows how to tell a great story with great characters and explosive plots. My main problem with regency is that many regency authors have a tendency to create cartoon characters; characters that are half baked and under developed. Hence why when I started reading Never A Mistress where the author had attempted to inject some personality into her characters, I was impressed. I should talk about the dynamics between the characters, this family has great banter, cheesy as it may sound, they witty, intelligent and humorous. Its a credit to the author and her ability to perfect the dialogue so masterfully that she manages to create extremely good looking, flawed characters that are also likable.  She manages to maintain the plot as well as creating great dialogue.  Some reviewers are talking about the historical inaccuracies but to be honest, who reads regency to get a history lesson? If you do read regency for history lessons, I apologies in advance and please send me an email and I will point you towards the best historical reads which aim to be as accurate as possible. Regency to me is spicy romance with a little bit of dressing up. Regency if done well, you forget about the inaccuracies.

Having said all that I read Never Deny Your Heart with trepidation not sure how the author would seal off the series. This is the last book in the series (hopefully not the last from the author). I was looking forward to Rosalind and Liam's story, the author had been dropping snippets and hints in the previous books of what we should expect. At times I did doubt whether they would get together and without spoiling the ending for those of you who haven't read it yet, the ending is spicy and they do end up together. Liam's secret is far more interesting than I thought. There's quite a bit of rough and tumble than they were in the previous books and at time I wasn't sure I was a fan but I gave in towards the end. I got used to Liam's secret with trepidation I might add . 

Overall I would definitely recommend this books, they are well written and great fun. 

Homourous and Pregnant: 39 Weeks

Synopsis

To her utter dismay Judy discovers she is pregnant. She knows it’s the end of everything, sex, sleep, going out, and generally having a life. The father was a one night Bacardi induced mistake who’s now long gone, thank goodness. 

 She struggles with prenatal check-up’s and scans and copes with her first craving and leaky boobs, not to mention her ever increasing waistline, and say’s goodbye to size 10 dresses and pretty underwear, although who’s going to be seeing her in her underwear ever again pretty or not she has no idea, and resigns herself to ‘fat clothes’.

 All Judy wants is to not be pregnant and to be able to get on with her self-imposed never having another relationship life. ‘I mean who needs some bloke telling you how to do everything, or anything, while they consistently bollocks things up.’ Then to add to her quandary, on a last fling night out before the bump gets too noticeably big, she meets the gorgeous Rob who could have been her ‘The One’ if only she wasn’t pregnant.