Finding My Happy Pace – Heather Wardell

“If thirty-year-old Megan were any more of a doormat, she’d have footprints on her back. She helps anyone and everyone, no matter the cost to herself, and she’s always been that way. Even the thought of withholding her assistance makes her feel sick. Worse, it makes her feel like she’s a bad person, selfish and unkind.

She takes up running purely to avoid gaining weight, but as she trains with her cute but heartbroken coach Andrew she becomes more able to do things she’d never thought she could, both physically and emotionally.

The day before she runs her first marathon, though, her best friend’s demands result in the biggest challenge yet to her developing assertiveness and Megan must decide: cave in as she always has before or stick to her new-found ‘happy pace’ in running and life.”

Firstly I’d like to thank Heather Wardell for sending me this eBook to read and review.

I loved the sound of the synopsis and couldn’t wait to get started because I really enjoyed Heather’s other books that I have previously read - Life, Love and a Polar Bear Tattoo and Blank Slate Kate.

This book was no different, I quickly became absorbed in the story and it’s characters.  I found I could relate to Megan really well as, like me, she found it hard to say no to people and constantly tried to make everyone happy (except herself!).  The whole running idea seemed to be a real learning curve for her as she began to change her way of life to suit herself instead of everyone else.  I found this really inspiring as it made me think of changes I could make in my own life.

I don’t often have a serious dislike to characters but Amanda and James really got that reaction out of me, I know they were probably supposed to make the reader feel like that and they were vital to the story but I found myself complaining at my Kindle every time one of them opened their mouth!

Jeanine, Tosca and Andrew had the opposite effect on me, I really liked them and enjoyed watching them change throughout the book.  I liked how Andrew came across as being very strong but once you dug beneath the surface he had a few hidden weaknesses.  Also his relationship with Megan was fun to read, I enjoyed following them as they got to know each other better and essentially helped each other out with some difficult choices.

The running side of the story was my favourite part – it just made me want to run, I actually got on our treadmill for the first time in ages while reading this and hopefully I will be able to continue now I’ve finished the book!  I really loved reading about the marathon itself, it’s not something I would ever do so this made me feel like I had some idea of what it would be like.

This is a fun, fast paced, feel-good story and on top of all that it has inspired me to get fit, so it gets a big thumbs up from me!

Finding My Happy Pace can be purchased from Smashwords or Amazon UK and US.

To find out more about Heather Wardell visit her website here.

Women of a Dangerous Age – Fanny Blake

“Lou and Ali are at that dangerous age when a woman considers what she already has, and decides what she really wants.

Lou has realised that she is married to a man who no longer loves her.  Now that their children are grown, is it too late for her to make a fresh start and set up the business she has always wanted?

Ali is a serial mistress.  But when her latest lover suggests that they move in together, she realises she wants more.  But can she trust him to make that permanent commitment?

When Lou and Ali become friends on a life-changing holiday in India they begin to learn just how much they have in common.  But when a revelation shakes the growing bond between them, their courage and friendship is tested to the limit.”

Firstly I’d like to thank HarperCollins (@fictionpubteam on Twitter) for sending me this paperback to read and review.

It took me a while to really get into this story but once I did it was difficult to put down.  From the synopsis I had expected more of the book to be based in India but there was only a small section at the beginning.  This small section was written beautifully though and the descriptions made me feel like I was there with them.

There were some funny moments in the book that had me laughing out loud, in particular the scene at the airport when Lou and Ali were on their way home from India, and an evening out for Lou that involved an authentic curry in London, make sure you watch out for those if you read this book!

I loved the characters, they were all very real and I found myself relating them to people in my own life (although I wont say who).  I really liked Lou’s courage in following her dream and learning to live for herself after so many years, this was really empowering to read.  I had mixed feelings towards Ali at the start because of her life as a serial mistress, I think as a married woman it’s always difficult to read about characters like that, but as I read through the book I really warmed to her which surprised me. She seemed to have lots of things from her past that she hadn’t managed to resolve and I enjoyed following her story as she tried to finally settle everything.

It was great to see Lou and Ali’s friendship blossom from the moment they met and I was really worried when a huge bombshell threatened this.  They were both at the start of their new lives and there were many ups and downs for them to overcome, this was interesting to read and a couple of the revelations that came along literally made me gasp in shock!

Something that I really liked about this story was following Lou and Ali as they embarked on a new business venture, I’ve always wanted a shop of my own so I found it really fascinating to follow their progress.

The end of this book was perfect in my opinion, I had tears in my eyes as I read the last few pages.

This is an enjoyable book, a perfect curl up on the sofa read.

Women of a Dangerous Age can be purchased here or from most good book retailers.

Fanny Blake is the author of What Women Want, and is currently Books Editor for Woman and Home Magazine.  She worked in publishing for over twenty years and held a number of senior editorial positions.  More recently she has written bestselling non-fiction titles to accompany Channel 4 television series including A Place in the Sun, Location, Location, Location and Grand Designs. Women of a Dangerous Age is her second novel.

Taking Charge – Mandy Baggot – Blog Tour

Today I am taking part in my very first blog tour!

I’m excited to be a part of Mandy Baggot’s tour for her latest novel Taking Charge which is published by Sapphire Star Publishing.  Thank you to Mandy for sending me an ARC for review.

“Is going back Robyn’s only way forward?

American-born Robyn Matthers is going home. With her dad in hospital, his roadhouse in ruins and the ice hockey team slipping down the league, she needs to take charge. But does she have the strength to do it? 

Cole Ryan is a hockey player on a personal mission. He’s tall, dark, hot and Robyn’s noticed! But can she trust her feelings – or his? And what will Cole do when he finds out the truth about her?

Robyn returns to Michigan and things aren’t quite the same. Her best friend has grown up and is thinking about marriage and babies, the ice hockey team is no longer the life blood of the community and her father is engaged!

When Robyn’s twin cousins drag up past events that hold painful memories for her, she and Cole are forced together. But are either of them ready to start something new?

With an ill father, a trailer trash almost step-mom and ex-boyfriend Brad desperate for another chance, does Robyn have time to contemplate a relationship? Does she really want one? And is it physically possible for two people to fall in love in just three days?”

I was so looking forward to reading this, I love the cover and I have to admit that the photo of a certain ice-hockey player did raise my interest just a little bit! I loved having an image of the character in mind while I read the book, it made everything seem more real.

The start of this book was fantastic, it was intense and exciting – there was definitely a chemistry between Robyn and Cole right from the beginning!

I really loved Robyn, she has to be one of the best female characters I’ve read and I found myself completely caught up in her life.  I liked how confident and random she was, she talked a lot and was extremely determined to get what she wanted. Underneath all that though you could tell that she was vulnerable and had some personal issues that she was dealing with.

Cole was perfect, well maybe he also had some issues but who doesn’t?  He was gorgeous (just look at his photo, no further comment necessary), protective and despite having his own problems to handle he was always there for Robyn.  Mandy says she writes characters you’ll fall in love with and I totally agree – I loved every single character in this story.

I also really took to Eddie and Max, they had me laughing out loud with their hospital antics, I could easily picture them behaving like cheeky schoolboys when they were supposed to be ill and taking better care of themselves.

There were so many great moments in this story that I really enjoyed – random kissing, crazy shopping trips, an interesting changing room shower scene, the list just goes on and on.  There were also lots of secrets and some serious issues that I feel were dealt with accurately and honestly.  My eyes welled up with tears on quite a few occasions whilst reading this book as those secrets were revealed and trusts were broken.

I absolutely couldn’t stop reading this, I was so completely involved in what was going on and just had to know what was going to happen next.

This is a romantic, fun story with a perfect ending – I would recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Taking Charge can be purchased from Amazon UK and US. 

Mandy writes strong contemporary romance and characters you’ll fall in love with. Previously self-published, she was signed by US publishing house Sapphire Star Publishing in January 2012. Shortly afterwards she became a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.  Mandy is a self-confessed Twitter addict who also likes to show off her singing talents on You Tube – check out Lady Gaga! She has auditioned for X Factor, appeared on ITV1s Who Dares Sings and longs to duet with Bryan Adams. She also has a fondness for white wine, mashed potato, country music and World’s Strongest Man. Mandy lives near Salisbury in Wiltshire, UK with her husband, two daughters and two cats called Kravitz and Springsteen.

You can find out more on Mandy’s website or check out her author page at Sapphire Star Publishing.

There are still some more stops on the blog tour so be sure to visit them too:

• Monday 21 May  Jessica (Peace Loves Books)
• Tuesday 22 May  Kim Nash (Kim the Bookworm)
• Wednesday 23 May  Erin (Hook of a Book)
• Thursday 24 May  Lindsay Healy (The Little Reader Library) and Black Hippie Chick
• Friday 25 May  Nikki (Close Encounters with the Night Kind)
• Monday 28 May  Mandy (Twimom101)
• Tuesday 29 May  Mandy (Twimom101)
• Wednesday 30 May  Linn Halton and Harlie’s Books
• Wednesday 6 June  Chick Lit Central

 

Chloe’s Corner – Dork Diaries – Rachel Renee Russell

“Nikki Maxwell is not popular, in fact Nikki Maxwell is the opposite of popular; she’s a total dork! But Nikki’s hoping that by moving to a new school she might just stand a chance of making some friends and leaving her old lame-ways in the past. But life is never that simple!

Follow Nikki’s life through sketches, doodles and diary entries as she starts her new school, battles with her mum for an iPhone and meets her arch-nemisis, the school’s queen bee, Mackenzie. Enter Nikki’s world through her sketches, doodles and diary entries.”

I have chosen to read this book because of the simple yet colourful front cover, also because of the small ‘manga’ sketches.

The storyline of this book was a regular girl going to school, running into the most ‘popular’ girls who seem to bully her throughout trying to embarrass her every chance they can get, even though she has done nothing wrong to them. This made me feel sympathy towards her.

I loved the layout of this book because it looks like an actual diary with the ‘scribbled’ font and funny sketches.

My favourite character had to be ‘Nikki Maxwell’, she played a main role in this book, I liked her because she seemed natural, not fake like the ‘popular girls’ were portrayed. Also I liked her humour and bubbly personality, like being embarrassed of her own Dads car…. but trust me…. it was embarrassing!  I thought that the cliffhanger was great aswell because it kept me waiting for the next book.

I enjoyed this book because of the Genre → Diary, I love reading about everyday life and I liked the range of characters that the book had, from the ‘popular’ people to the quieter personalities. I felt that this book relates to the school that I go to because you have the people who everyone knows, but then there are people who are more quiet and blend into the background.

I really got into this book because as soon as I turned and read that first page….. I was hooked! I wouldn’t change anything about this book!

I would recommend this to 9-12 year olds, mostly girls, this is because it is a girl writing the diary so she would have a girl’s point of view, also it is about subjects that some boys may find boring like a small amount of romance and a girls everyday lifestyle.

Overall view, an interesting read, definitely recommended!

Dork Diaries can be purchased here or from most good book retailers.

Summer of Love – Katie Fforde

“Sian Bishop has left behind the hustle and bustle of the city and thrown herself into a new life in the country.

With her young son, her picture-postcard garden and her small thriving business, she’s happy and very busy.  She is not – repeat not – looking for love.

And then, one glorious summer evening, Gus Berresford arrives.  One-time explorer, full-time heartbreaker, Gus is ridiculously exciting, wonderfully glamorous – and, Sian tells herself, completely wrong for a romantically cautious single woman like her.

But she and Gus have met before.  And, despite Sian’s best intentions, it isn’t long before she’s falling for him all over again …”

I had previously read and enjoyed Living Dangerously by Katie Fforde (review here) and I was keen to read more of her books, so here we are.

With all the rain outside this story was just what I needed, it was a lovely summery read that made me want to go for long woodland walks in the sunshine (obviously not possible what with the weather situation but a very nice thought nonetheless).  What I’m trying to say is that it was comforting and easy to read, there was nothing too taxing on the brain and overall it was just a very enjoyable book.

I always love a story with a good coincidence or two in it and this certainly had one of those!  I realised after things were revealed that I probably should have seen it coming but sometimes it’s more fun not to guess what’s about to happen.

The characters all felt real and very relatable, I found myself getting completely involved in their lives and quite often ended up talking to the book giving my opinion on what I thought should be done (I seem to be doing this a lot lately, is this normal?).  I enjoyed reading about Fiona’s experiences with internet dating, particularly the strange date to the garden centre which really made my heart pound!

I loved that Gus and Sian’s son Rory had a great relationship from the start, Rory seemed like such a lovely little boy so it was no wonder everyone took to him so quickly.  Gorgeous Gus was actually a favourite of mine, and not just for obvious reasons, he came across as a bit of a jack the lad but I liked how loyal he was to those he cared about and while I understood Sian’s misgivings about him, especially as she had her son to think about, I felt annoyed with all the secrets she kept from him and everyone else.

There were some funny parts to the story too – a very important meeting near the end of the book had me giggling as I pictured the scene.  The events at Rory’s birthday party seemed to turn the whole story on its head and once I got to that part there was no way I could stop reading.

A heart-warming, romantic story that ticked all the boxes for me.

Summer of Love can be purchased here or from most good book retailers.

To find out more about Katie Fforde visit her website here.

The Magic Warble – Victoria Simcox – Winners!

The three winners of this giveaway are:

@baggiesbabe69

@gohsherlyn

@bethpslamin

Congratulations to you all, I will contact you via Twitter to arrange receipt of your prize.

Thank you to everyone who entered, there will be more giveaways to come so watch this space!

                

Airel – Aaron Patterson & Chris White

“All Airel ever wanted was to be normal, to disappear into the crowd. But bloodlines can produce surprises, like an incredible ability to heal.

Then there’s Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous…and captivated by her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written. It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything.

Airel knew change would be an inevitable part of life. But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves? Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed?”

I got this eBook when it was available as a free download from Amazon, I had heard good things about it, loved the cover and wanted to find out for myself what it was like.

I’m sorry to say that I was disappointed, although there were some parts that I enjoyed there just wasn’t enough of them and on the whole I found it really difficult to stay interested.  Normally when I’m reading nothing can distract me from the book but with this I was very easily distracted and didn’t feel the urgent need to carry on to find out what happens next.

I did like the idea for the story and some of the parts I enjoyed were: Airel’s reaction when she first saw Michael, the cinema scene that got my heart pounding and raised lots of questions, and the final battle where everything seemed to happen so quickly.

This book jumps back and forth from the present day to 1250 B.C. and while this history was vital to the rest of the story I think this was one of the problems for me, I found myself rushing through the 1250 B.C. parts because it just didn’t interest me, there was too much of it.

Towards the end of the book there were a few unexpected twists which piqued my interest for a while and I felt that the characters were finally who they should be, they seemed to be much more confident in themselves.

This is a dark story with some surprising twists that I’m sure plenty of people would really enjoy with its battles and history, unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

 

Someone Else’s Fairytale – E.M. Tippetts

“Jason Vanderholt, Hollywood’s hottest actor, falls head over heels for everygirl, Chloe Winters, who hasn’t gotten around to watching most of his movies. She becomes the woman every other woman in America is dying to be, but it just isn’t her fairytale.”

I got this eBook when it was available as a free download on Amazon because it sounded like a good read.

Although I liked the sound of the synopsis I now feel like it doesn’t do the book justice because it was so much more than just a girl getting involved with a Hollywood superstar.  I was expecting a standard modern fairytale but this had so many extra factors that made it completely unputdownable for me.  As well as the romantic side there were some deep and serious moments and it also holds a good message with regards to the sexual side of relationships.

From the very start I took a liking to Chloe because she seemed strong and knew her own mind, she did seem quite secretive about her past and the mysterious scars on her leg, the reason for all this is revealed as I got further into the story.  Chloe’s friend Lori was another favourite of mine – she was fun, bubbly and completely into the whole celebrity scene, in fact she was the opposite of Chloe which I think is why their friendship was so much fun to read about.

I enjoyed the interesting insight into the crazy world of a movie star, Jason is gorgeous, rich and hard to resist except Chloe does resist him, she wasn’t at all star-struck and that seemed to make Jason want her more.  I liked their Skype chats, Jason was really sweet and honest with her and I couldn’t figure out why Chloe wasn’t more interested in him.

I got really involved with Chloe’s life so towards the end when things started to get confusing I was genuinely worried for her, when the reason for all the confusion was revealed I was shocked because I hadn’t even thought of that happening!  This was something else I liked about the story – all the unexpected twists, I couldn’t predict what was going to happen next and I liked that.

I found myself not wanting the story to end, I was enjoying it so much and I still would like to know what happens next in Chloe’s life.

A surprising and wonderfully enjoyable book.

To find out more about E.M. Tippetts visit her blog here.

Dark Heart Surrender – Lee Monroe

“One girl.  Two worlds. Shattered.

Jane’s world has changed now that Luca inhabits it, and she’s happier than she ever thought she could be.  But can an immortal in the human world survive on love alone?

When Jane and Luca are befriended by intriguing siblings, Ade and Polly, they are swept into a destructive chain of events that will test everything.”

I had read the first two books in this series (Dark Heart Forever and Dark Heart Rising) and thought they were fab so I was looking forward to reading this one.  Part of the reason I love this series is because they are not just based on one supernatural creature but lots of them – werewolves, vampires, witches, angels and shapeshifters.

I definitely enjoyed this book as much as the previous two, it was written in such a way that I just couldn’t stop reading.  Every page kept me interested and left me wanting more so I ended up reading it in one day.

This story followed on from book two where Luca had gone back to the human world to live with Jane and this book sees them trying to adapt to their new life but somehow they end up facing yet another danger that threatens to tear them apart.  It seems that trouble follows them wherever they go and I get the feeling that they may never be able to have a normal life together which is a shame because I really want things to work out for them.

I found this book to be exciting and intriguing, there were so many questions raised like who was the mystery girl who lost her necklace, and who or what the mysterious Polly and Ade might be.

The only negative thing I would say about this book is that I found Jane’s reaction to something Luca did quite unbelievable.  I don’t want to give away what he actually did so I won’t say too much but I felt that she would have questioned him more about it – I found myself waiting for the moment that she would ask him more about what had happened, but that moment never came and this just didn’t ring true for me because Jane seemed like the kind of girl who would want to know all the details.

This exciting and dark story had me engrossed from start to finish and I’m hoping for more from this series.

Dark Heart Surrender can be purchased here or from most good book retailers.

The Magic Warble – Victoria Simcox & International Giveaway

“Twelve-year-old Kristina Kingsly feels like the most unpopular girl in her school. The kids all tease her, and she never seems to fit in. But when Kristina receives an unusual Christmas gift, she suddenly finds herself magically transported to the land of Bernovem, home of dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals and the evil Queen Sentiz.

In Bernovem, Kristina not only fits in, she’s honored as “the chosen one” the only one who can release the land from Queen Sentiz’s control. But it’s not as simple as it seems. To save Bernovem, she must place the gift she was given, the famous “Magic Warble,” in its final resting place. And she must travel through the deep forest, climb a treacherous mountain, and risk capture by the queen’s “zelbocks” before she reaches her destination. Guided by her new fairy friends, Clover and Looper and by Prince Werrien, a teenage boy, as well as an assortment of other characters, Kristina sets off on a perilous journey that not only tests her strength but her heart.”

I was lucky enough to win this eBook from a giveaway on Jera’s Jamboree.

This is a marvellous idea for a story and although it is listed as a middle-grade read for children aged 9-13 I still enjoyed it.  If you have an interest in magical fantasy stories then this is one for you no matter what age you are.

Kristina is a girl who doesn’t quite fit in, throw in a mysterious hatbox and a fun laundry chute ride, and she is suddenly thrust into a position of being a hugely important person to many in a whole new world. This strange new world is filled with fantasy creatures, animals that can talk, magic fairy blossom and so many more interesting magical ideas!

I loved the beautiful illustrations that were dotted throughout the book, they helped me visualise everything more easily and I found myself really looking forward to the next one appearing.  My six-year-old daughter also grew very interested in mummy’s Kindle once she knew there were pictures on it and she wanted to be informed whenever I got to an illustrated page.

There were lots of twists and turns in the story including a few pleasant surprises towards the end.  The action just kept on coming and there was never a dull moment.

This is a lovely magical story that was a pleasure to read.

The Magic Warble is available to buy from Amazon at the great price of £1.95 (price correct at the time of writing this review). 

Victoria was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now lives in Western Washington with her husband, Russ and their three children, Toby, Kristina, and William. Her other family members are a Chihuahua, named Pipsy and two cats, named Frodo and Fritz. Besides being an author, Victoria is a home-schooling mother of twelve years and an elementary school art teacher of eleven years. In her spare time, Victoria enjoys managing her two older children’s Celtic band. She also loves writing, reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and just simply hanging out with her family and friends.

 GIVEAWAY

The author has kindly offered 3 eBooks of The Magic Warble to give away to readers of Me, My Books and I.

It is very easy to enter, you can either:

• Follow the authors blog.
• Like The Magic Warble Facebook page.
• Follow the author on Twitter.

Each of these will give you a separate entry so make sure you leave a comment below to let me know how you’ve entered.

The giveaway is international and will run for one week ending at 10am GMT on Monday 14 May 2012, any entries received after that time will not be counted.  The winners will be chosen using random.org.

Good luck!