Waiting on Wednesday (#19): My Sweet Revenge by Jane Fallon

wow

Waiting on Wendesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases we can’t wait to read.

This week I am eagerly anticipating:

my-sweet-revenge

My Sweet Revenge by Jane Fallon

Publisher: Penguin UK, Michael Joseph

Publication Date: January 12th, 2017

Summary:

I want to make my husband fall back in love with me.

Let me explain. This isn’t an exercise in 1950s wifeydom. I haven’t been reading articles in old women’s magazines. ‘Twenty ways to keep your man’. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

I want him to fall back in love with me so that when I tell him to get the hell out of my life he’ll care. He won’t just think, ‘Oh good’.

I want it to hurt.

Paula has had Robert’s back since they got together as drama students. She gave up her dreams so he could make it. Now he’s one of the nation’s most popular actors. And Paula’s just discovered he’s having an affair.

She’s going to remind Robert just what he’s sacrificing. And then she’s going to break his heart like he broke hers. It will be her greatest acting role ever.

Revenge is sweet. Isn’t it?

Why am I waiting?

It seems to me this story could go two ways: it could blow our minds with it’s greatness, or it could make us roll our eyes.
I have a feeling the first will be the case, and I simply can’t wait to read it.
Also, I am so curious to see how she’s going to make her husband fall in love with her!

Jane Fallon is pretty popular author, but I still haven’t read anything by her. I hope My Sweet Revenge will be my first encounter with her writing.

Waiting On Wednesday (#17): My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

wow

Waiting on Wendesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases we can’t wait to read.

This week I am eagerly anticipating:

my-not-so-perfect-life

My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Publisher: Bantam Press

Publication Date: February 9th, 2017

Summary:

Caz Brenner is living the dream – she has a flat in London, a job in creative branding, and her Instagram feed is full of all the amazing things London has to offer: delicious food and beautiful sights and lots of fun. Ok, so the crappy truth is that she rents a tiny room in Catford with no space for a wardrobe, spends most of her days engaged in tedious admin on the other side of the city, and posts photos of food she could never ever afford to eat. But it’s all just about worth it.

Until her bright and shiny life comes crashing down: her demanding boss Demeter gives her sack, and with no means to live in London any more, Caz has to move home to Somerset. Now she’s plain old Katie Brenner again, helping out her dad and her stepmum as they attempt to launch a glamping business on their farm. (They think she’s on sabbatical from her job, and she can’t quite bear to tell them the truth…)

With Katie’s creative branding experience, the glamping is soon a big success. So much so that Demeter and her family book in on holiday – and Katie sees her chance to get revenge on the woman who ruined her dream. So long as Demeter doesn’t see beyond her disguise and give the game away to her parents, of course.

It’s time to see who’s the boss…

Why am I waiting?

If you follow this blog for a while, you probably know that Sophie Kinsella is the one who got me into reading for pleasure. Her book Can You Keep a Secret showed me that reading can be fun, and her Shopaholic series made me eagerly going into library in a search for the new book.
After I ran out of all Kinsella’s books, I simply countinued reading other british chick lits.

It has been years since Sophie released her last standalone adult novel, and I really need my Kinsella fix, so I simply can’t wait to read this new story by her, that sounds like a lot of fun!

Book Review: My Map of You by Isabelle Broom

my map of you

Title: My Map of You
Author: Isabelle Broom
Publisher: Penguin
Date: April 21st, 2016
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: from Publisher for a review

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Holly Wright has had a difficult few years. After her mother’s death, she’s become expert at keeping people at a distance – including her boyfriend, Rupert.

But when Holly receives an unexpected letter explaining that an aunt she never met has left her a house on the Greek island of Zakynthos, the walls she has built begin to crumble. Arriving on the island, Holly meets the handsome Aidan and slowly begins to uncover the truth about the secret which tore her family apart.

But is the island where Holly really belongs? Or will her real life catch up with her first?

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Review:

It has been weeks since I first finished reading this book, and days sicne I finished it for the second time and still, I am trying to pull myself together and write the review that will make you see how much I love and appreciate this story.

I don’t have the recipe for the perfect novel (if I did, I’d become a best-selling novelist myself, or any kind of novelist in that matter), but I do know what kind of ingredients I like in my books.
And guess what?
This book has all of them.

I will try not to go into too many details because I don’t won’t for this review to have a lenght of a novella, but I will try to explain what I liked in the best way that I know.

Fist, and the best part of this book is the writer’s ability to describe the place in such a beautiful way.
Her writing style amazed me and the way she used words to express the beauty of Greece, landscape and all those little things that we see in our every-day life, was like she had the ability to transport us there, on those pages, or at least she awoked the desire of a reader to be there, in that story, and see the beauty for himself.

When Holly and Aiden were on the boat, looking at the stars, I wanted to be there with them, and see those stars with my own eyes, because I don’t believe the stars were ever that beautiful as they were in that moment.

Second, Broom described the chemistry between the two characters in very realistic and yet very passionate way. The tension was almost touchable and those swoon-worthy scenes were, in some way, compelling.

Third, the characters were gray. And when I say, I mean they are as gray as they can be. They have many flaws, they make mistakes that they are aware of, they do feel guilty, they do get lost, but they also have dozens of good qualities and everything boiled together in one pot make them realistic.

In one particular scene, our main character finds herself judging and deprecating the other character, but then it hits her she did even worse thing and the guilt washes over her and stops her from saying anything.
That is just one scene, but the book is full of similar situations that show us the nature of characters.

Also (really not key attribute but to me, personally, pretty important) Aiden, one of the main characters and love interest in some way, has ginger hair, which is so rare in books I read that I welcomed that little component whole-heartedly.
I feel like women’s fiction genre is full of dark macho men and every „diversity“ in that aspect I salute!

There’s one more thing I have to stress out: My Map of You is full od secondary characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with (her boyfriend Rupert especially).

Fourth (and now we come to the hardest part of expressing my feelings), this book covers some really important issues, and one in particular that coused all the emotions to arouse and come over me.
I am not sure how much can I tell without spoiling the story, so I will say that this story doesn’t follow only our main character, but also her deceased mother who’s story we learn, in some parts from Holly herself, and in some parts together with Holly.

Fifth, the way the story is written is amusing. In third person focussing on Holly’s POV, we follow chronological approach with with the glimpse of past, but we also get to read letters that were written by Holly’s mother, aimed for Holly’s aunt.

Overall, My Map of You is the best book I have read this year and I know I will be coming back to it many times in my life.
It is a realistic story presented in a beautiful way.
This book is an example of how a great novel should be done and, in my opinion, it wouldn’t hurt for aspiring authors to check it out.
Stephen King once said that every good (or maybe great) book demands to be read twice: first time to satisfy your curiousity and to enjoy the story, and the second time to analyse everything and see what you missed the first time you read it.

Now, after finishing this book for the second time, I can give it nothing but pure five stars rating because it deserves all the stars (any when I say stars, I refer to those beautiful stars Holly and Aiden were looking at).

5

Book Review: My Single Friend by Jane Costello

my single friend

Title: My Single Friend
Author: Jane Costello
Publisher: Znanje (Croatian publisher)
Date: 2010
Pages: 376
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads): At 28, Lucy is doing well for herself. She’s got a great job in PR, her boss loves her, and her best girlfriends Dominique and Erin think she’s great. More important than anyone’s opinion is that of her flatmate, and oldest friend in the world, Henry. For twenty years they’ve been inseparable: beauty and the geek. Henry thinks the world of Lucy. So why does she feel the need to lie outrageously on dates? From rock-climbing to Chekov: when it comes to prospective boyfriends, Lucy is compelled to embellish her C.V. with unlikely porkies that always backfire – with hilarious results. Henry can’t understand it. Lucy is so loveable: why can’t she just be herself? But when Lucy turns the spotlight on Henry, he wishes he’d never brought it up. With a penchant for jumpers and NHS-style specs, Lucy decides that Henry is in need of a makeover – big time. Enlisting the help of Dom and Erin, it’s not long before the girls have Henry out of the flat, and into the Topman changing rooms. A new haircut, contact lenses, a flirting master-class from Dom …poor Henry doesn’t know what’s hit him. But nothing can prepare them for the surprise results! Before long, Lucy realises that their lives will never be the same again.

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Review:

What a fun and quick read this book was!
Having read and loved more then few books by Jane Costello before, I kind of knew what to expect from this novel, and I am so glad to say I wasn’t disappointed.

This book was everything I wanted and everything I needed at time.

It follows a 28 years old Lucy who works in a PR agency and lives with her best friend Henry, whom she knows for 21 years.
Henry is a perfect example of freak and geak.
He has a massy, longish hair, wears weird clothes and acts even wierder when girls are around.

One night, after watching some tv show, Henry agrees for Lucy and two of her best friends, Erin and Dominique, to give Henry a new look. They will do their best to transform the mate into a best looking version of himself.

Boy, did they suceed!

After his makover, Henry looks so attractive that girs realise they were blind to his hotness.
The matter of fact is, Lucy finds out she maybe has some feelings for her best friend…

This book was written in first person, in Lucy’s POV.
She was an entertainig narrator: funny and smart, but still blind to some situations that were obvious to us as readers.

Henry was a guy every girl could wish for and if that kind of man exsists in real life, please someone introduce me to him. He is a dream guy.

Lucy’s friends were very likeable, and the situation at Lucy’s work, which was a side story in this novel, was intriguing to read about even though I kind of expected the revelation of the situation in the similar way as it was handled.

I think this book is perfect for curing reading slumps and to make you forget the world around you for a few hours you would need to devour it.

I would recommend it to every chick-lit reader and to lovers of Sophie Kinsella’s books.

4,5

Book Review: The Second Love of My Life by Victoria Walters

the second love

Title: The Second Love of My Life
Author: Victoria Walters
Publisher: Headline Review
Date: April 7th, 2016
Pages: 320
Format: paperback ARC
Source: Won in a giveaway

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads)Victoria Walters’ debut novel is a powerful tale of love, grief and survival, perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Lucy Dillon and Miranda Dickinson. ‘Brilliant and superior women’s fiction’Heat

In the Cornish town of Talting, everyone is famous for something.

Until recently Rose was known for many things: her infectious positivity; her unique artistic talent; and her devotion to childhood sweetheart Lucas.

But two years ago that changed in one unthinkable moment. Now, Rose is known for being the young woman who became a widow aged just twenty-four.

Though Rose knows that life must go on, the thought of carving out a new future for herself is one she can barely entertain. Until a newcomer, Robert, arrives in Talting for the summer…

Can Rose allow herself the chance to love again?

Get lost in Victoria Walters’ immensely touching debut novel, and discover a world that will capture your imagination and heart.

*Amazon RISING STAR*

Readers are falling in love with THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE:

‘A beautiful story – full of heart’ Giovanna Fletcher

‘A sobtastic story’ Red Online

‘Just darn brilliant’ Look

‘Brilliant and superior women’s fiction’ Heat

‘Heartbreaking and heart-awakening’ Lisa Dickenson

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Review:

„ But the problem with moments is when you know you won’t have any more of them, they become infinitely more significant.

I wish I had treasured the moments more at the time but that’s the problem with moments, you never know when you are about to have your last one.“

 

The Second Love of my Life is a story about a young woman named Rose who lost the man she supposed to spend her life with. Two years after the horrible accident that left her without her husband, she is still trying to pick up the pieces of herself.

Saying that I liked this book would feel like underrating it. Saying that I loved it would still feel like underrating it.
That is the problem when it comes to reviewing a book you feel like is one of the best pieces you have read in months.
No matter how hard you try to put your feelings out there, you just feel like there’s no review that could do it justice.

I am so grateful that I had an opportunity to read this book and to discover this amazing writer while she is still a debut author.
Victoria Walter’s writing style is so beautiful and I have a feeling we will read a lot of her work in the future. At least I hope we will.

She captured Rose‘s inner struggle in such a beautiful and yet realistic way, that I, as a reader, wanted to transform myself there, in an imaginary town called Talting, and be there for her.
It was hard at some parts reading how terrible Rose had felt, but at the same time, there was beauty in it.
Reading this book was a bautiful experiance.
Books like this one are the reason why I read.

I liked every character in this book, which is a rare thing for me.
I already read Walter’s short story The Summer I Met You (and I liked it) in which we follow Rose’s best friend Emma. Even though I liked her there, I can honestly say that I liked her here, as a side character, even more.

I loved the atmosphere in this book. Reading about small towns and it’s residents are what I usually enjoy and reading about Talting was no exception.

However, my favorite part in this book was the one that’s taking place in Scotland.
The reason for that is not the place, but the realisation that came to a certain character there.

Overall, reading The Second Love of My Life was an emotional ride I am glad I took.
I am so happy I discovered this author and I can’t wait to read her next book, even though I don’t know when that will be.
At this point, it doesn’t even matter, because this book convinced me that it will be worth waiting for it.
In the meantime, I am sure I will re-read The Second Love of My Life few times (or more).

4,75

Spring Reading: 10 books I want to read this Spring

Happy first day of Spring, everyone!!!

I did some blog hopping these days, and got an inspiration for this post.
I know this was a theme for TTT, but since I don’t do TTT and I still wanted to write about my Spring reads, I decided that first day of Spring would be a perfect day..

My main inspiration came from the post by Liv from curlyhairbibliophile .

Without further ado, these are 10 books I want to read this Spring:

 

  1. The Second Love of my Life by Victoria Walters

the second love

This book comes out on April 7th. I already read it’s short story prequel, The Summer I Met You (you can read my review here) and liked it very much, so I can’t wait to see what Walters cooked for us in her full-lenght debut.
I hear this women’s fiction story is a real tearjerker so I’ll make sure to prepare some tissues for myself.

 

2. The Winner’s Triology by Marie Rutkoski

winners

I want to read this series for some time now and, since the last book is coming out soon, I figured it would be the best to just marathon the whole series. I want to do it ASAP, so that’s the reason why I’m choosing to read it this Spring.

 

3. The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

the raven

Another series I want to marathon. First thing that bought me as a reader is the gorgeous cover for the last book in the series (yes, I know, I am shallow like that).
Second thing is, one of my favorite booktubers, Daniella from Pixie Tonic chanel said this is the best ya series outthere at this very moment, and I trust her opinion more they anyone’s.

 

4. Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel by Jane Costello

Summer Nights at Moonlight hotel

My favorite author is coming out with her new book on March 24th. This book is the first one from this list that I’ll be reading, and I plan to do that on it’s releasing day, if TBD delivers it on time. I am too excited for this one!

 

5. The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

the glittering court

Another book I plan to read on it’s releasing day, April 5th (if TBD delivers it on time, that is!). Richelle Mead is also one of my all-time favorite authors and I can’t wait to see what she prepared for us this time!

 

6. Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen

warrior witch

My favorite on-going series is coming to an end and I can’t wait to see how it all’s going to wrap up, but am also sad to say goodbye to this world and it’s characters.
I am sure this series will be the one I’ll re-read many times in my life.

 

7. I heart London by Lindsey Kelk

I heart london

I am the worst reader ever, because this is my favorite chick-lit series and I still haven’t finished it.
I just HEART Angela Clark and Jenny Lopez and can’t wait to hang out with them again this Spring.

 

8. The Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

girl against

I simply can’t wait for this ya contemporary to come out. It sounds like it is written for me and I hope it will live up to my expectations. This one comes out on May 17th.

 

9. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

anne

This classic is the one I want to read very soon. I never got the chance to read it in my native language, so I bought it in English. I can’t wait to see how I’ll like the book that is loved by so many people in the world.

 

10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

pride

Once again I am the worst reader ever. This book that is loved by so many people in the world is the one that is still not on my “read” list.
I plan to change that this Spring in a hope that I’ll like it.

 

What books do you plan to read this Spring?
Tell me all about it in comments. 🙂

Bullet Short Stoy Review: The Summer I Met You by Victoria Walters

the summer

Title: The Summer I Met You
Author: Victoria Walters
Publisher: Headline Review
Date: February 11th, 2016
Pages: 65
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Escape to Cornwall and meet the characters of Talting in this wonderful digital short story and prequel to Victoria Walters’ captivating debut novel, THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE.

This is a summer romance that will last a lifetime…

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Review:

„In that moment he made me as if we had lifted off from the ground and were dancing amongst the stars.“

What you need to know about this short story:

  • It is a prequel to Victoria Walter’s debut novel The Second Love of My Life, that comes out this April.
  • It is written in first person, from the perspective of a young girl called Emma.
  • Emma is telling the story in two different time periods: now and then, which are separated by the three months period.
  • The Summer I Met You is a story of falling in love.
  • Although Emma and her love interest, John, are main characters in this story, they are not main characters in the full-leight novel that follows this story.
  • Main character in The Secon Love of My Life is Rose, Emma’s best friend, and we get to meet her in this prequel.

What you should be warned about:the second love

  • It contains insta-love (which is not a bad thing, from my perspective).
  • Not all 65 pages of this ebook are an actual story, some of them are a part of an exclusive extract from The Second Love of My Life.

What I liked about this book:

  • The writing style is worth to be commended
  • The way the writer describes places is just so realistic and beautiful at the same time. I could’t help but imagine Emma’s room, the view to the sea and the smell of pigs and cows in the air, it was like being there partly.
  • Both setting were just amazing.
  • Characters were likeable, especially Rose and her husband Lucas.

What I’d like to change in this piece of work:

  • I only wish it was a bit longer so we could watch how Emma and John’s love was developing and how they spent time that Summer.

Overall, the purpose of this short story is to introduce us to characters from The Second Love of my Life. In that purpose, it succeeded.
When I say I can’t wait to read Walter’s debut novel, I mean it wholeheartedly. I really enjoyed this story and find the writing style so beautiful and appealing that I just can’t wait to see what the writer is going to present us in her full-leight book.

Even though this is a prequel, it can be read on it’s own and I think if you decide to give it a try, you will probably enjoy it. I know I did.

4