Edel's Book ,Beauty, Life Blog.: September 2014

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

No Safe House by Linwood Barclay. Review

When I started this book I only intended reading a few chapters.... Many hours later I finished it. Yes it is that good! This book is the sequel to No Time For Goodbye which was published in 2008 , in this book our favourite characters are back! Jane, Vince, Terry ,Grace and Cynthia ...although years have passed since they last met , a frightening night will see them all come back into each other's lives again. This book was just like its previous book in that you just cannot put it down , I was completely oblivious to the world around me when I was reading this and that is a sign of a great book, the mystery and suspense were awesome, the story was smart, tense , a bit grizzly and irresistible . Read this if you want a story that will hold your attention and leave you wanting more .

I received this book for review from the kind folks over at Lovereading.co.uk

If you would like to know more about this book you can follow the link below.

This book has been published and is available for purchase on Lovereading.co.uk and all other good bookstores now.

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/12551/No-Safe-House-by-Linwood-Barclay.html

Monday, September 29, 2014

Mr Collins's Last Supper by Shannon Winslow. Review

This was a delightful short story about the horrible gentleman we know as Mr Collins. We were first introduced to his character in Pride and Prejudice and Shannon has written a very satisfying story about this less then favourable character that Charlotte Lucas married. Mr Collins is a horror ! A sneaky ,creepy ,slimey character with not one redeeming feature. Personally I think Charlotte was coming down with something when she agreed to be Mrs Collins, her life is a tough one with this childish man who most of us love to hate. I don't want to give anything away but I will say this book was a very satisfying story with a real feel good ending ! ;)

Letters From Pemberley by Jane Dawkins. Review.

From the first chapter I knew I was going to love this book and I was right . The cover is very pretty and It does not stop there, the start of each letter is pretty and the entire book has a feminine feel to it.

For those of us who loved Pride and Prejudice this is the perfect continuation of that story. Jane and Elizabeth are now married ladies. Jane is living in Netherfield with her husband Mr Bingley and Elizabeth is living further afield in Pemberley with her husband Mr Darcy, the letters are told from Elizabeth's point of view, we never see Jane's replies but you do have a good idea about what she wrote going by what Elizabeth replies to it. This is a sweet book that I cannot rave enough about. Funny, touching and told very much in style of Jane Austen. Def a book for all the Jane and Elizabeth Bennett fans who can't get enough of these awesome sisters.

If you do read and enjoy this book then you might want to read the next book : More Letters From Pemberley, I can't wait to start that book and I am relieved now that I bought both these books at the same time.

Exciting Bookish Mail!!!!!!!

Today was one of those cool mail days.. No bills, just things that made me smile. First I opened a parcel from my friend Lisa ...wow . Check out all the bookish goodies she sent me. Lisa if you are reading this huge hugs coming your way you awesome lady!!! Xxxxx

I am still smiling at the thoughtful gifts above !

Below you will find a review book I was sent from the awesome Lovereading.co.uk. Can we take a moment to let sink in that I have an ARC of The Woman Who Stole My Life by the fabulous awesome Marian Keyes. I am a huge fan of Marian , if I ever met her I would be jabbering wreck. Great writer, inspiring woman all round cool lady!

I can't wait to read this!!!!!!!

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Reading Right Now

Below are the books I am reading and loving right now. A Mystery and some Austen inspired books..What's not to love about that !!!

Billionaire Blend by Cleo Coyle. Love this series so much!!!!!

Mr Collins's Last Supper by Shannon Winslow . This is a very satisfying read!

Letters From Pemberley by Jane Dawkins. Beautiful book! I am engrossed!

Austen and Austen Inspired Haul!

Hi guys! I am back with a book haul again. As soon as the weather starts to get colder I crave books like you would not believe , and at the moment I have been craving Austen as you might have guessed going by recent hauls here on my blog. Some people are firm Austen fans ....they only enjoy the books that Jane Austen wrote ....while others like myself enjoy those books but also quite a few others written by other authors who loved the books and decided to carry on the stories we know so well ,while giving them a little twist...

Check out the goodies!

Letters From Pemberley by Jane Dawkins

More letters from Pemberley by Jane Dawkins

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I love the feel of these Penguin editions. They are incredibly soft to the touch and a real joy to hold while reading.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Penguin edition.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. My third Penguin English library edition.

This version of Pride and Prejudice was published by Alma Classics.

The Darcy's of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow

Walking Jane Austen's London by Louise Allen.

Dying to Write by Mary Lydon Simonsen. Murder at a Jane Austen Conference.

I was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison

From This Day Forward by Joana Starnes

Charlotte by Karen Aminadra

Mr Collins's Last Supper by Shannon Winslow

For Myself Alone by Shannon Winslow

Return to Longbourn by Shannon Winslow

The Crimson Ribbon by Katherine Clements

This story is set in England in 1646 and is set amid the war and witch hunting of that time. The main character of the story is a young girl called Ruth Flowers. Ruth's mother is a healer and at this time in history this was a risky profession to practise as it was often confused with being a witch. As Ruth often helped her mother she learned a lot and became gifted at healing herself . The story begins with a horrific event in Ruth's life that will take her away from her home and all those she knew best. Finding a new life in London leads her to meet new people that help her in life and a very special woman with whom she forms a close special bond . But Ruth's past is trying to catch up with her all the time and she lives in fear for herself and those around her ,making this a very exciting read .

I really enjoyed this story, the historical aspects and the illicit relationship between Ruth and her friend Lizzie, it was fascinating reading about how women were treated back then. When I started this I did not put it down until I had it finished , it is one of those books that just don't let you stop reading! This is a must read for all fans of historical fiction .

I received this book for review from the lovely folks over at Lovereading.co.uk

This book is being published this month and will be available to buy from Lovereading.co.uk and all other good bookstores .

If you would like to know more about this book you can follow the link below.

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/12505/The-Crimson-Ribbon-by-Katherine-Clements.html

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. Review.

This was the first Nick Hornby book I have read and I am thrilled to say this was perfect. When I say it was perfect I mean it had everything I could want from a book. Excellent writing, original plot, intriguing characters and it made me feel something. The story begins with four depressed people on the top of Topper's Tower in London on New Years Eve. They don't know each other ,they have all just come up here on one of the most depressing nights of the year and decided to throw themselves off the building , none of them were expecting that there would be a queue!

The story is broken up into sections , told by each character. Martin the disgraced television presenter, Jess , the angry young woman. JJ , the ex band member who is now delivering pizza, Maureen, the mother raising a disabled son on her own . None of their lives have worked out how they hoped and all of them at the end of their rope( Pardon the pun) .

This was written so well , with paragraphs and sentences so spot on at times that you sit back and let it sink in as he managed to verbalise so clearly a moment or a feeling that it takes your breath away.

If you want a book about hope, unlikely friendship , new beginnings and yes depression then go read this as soon as you can . Now off I go to find every other book Mr Hornby has ever written.

I won this book through the giveaways on goodreads.

Published by Penguin.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Jane Austen Goodies

As you may know there was a Jane Austen festival in Bath recently and as I could not make it myself I got a few goodies on line instead.

Inside this pretty box is the Jane Austen Festival mug for 2014

A quote from the side of the box taken from Pride and Prejudice.

My first literary mug

I love it!

Even the bags were pretty. Inside this was the Regency Magazines I ordered.

If you would like to purchase some of these( I believe the mug has now sold out) then below you will find a link to the online shop. They post internationally and everything comes well packaged and looking beautiful.

http://www.janeausten.co.uk/

Have you been to Bath? Do you dream of going to the Festival like I do? Is Jane Austen a favourite author ? If so then which book is your favourite.

In My Mailbox

Below are the books I received in the mail today for review. I am really excited about both these books as the first book has a beautiful cover and intriguing synopsis and the second book by Linwood Barclay is a sequel to a book I had previously read and adored called No Time For Goodbye. The sequel is called No Safe House.

Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass. Review.

This is book 1 in the bookmobile cat mystery series with the main character Minnie Hamilton and the story is set in Chilson , Michigan . Minnie has recently moved to the area and has been given the job as librarian. When she is not in the library she is driving the bookmobile with her trusty side kick Eddie the cat. Eddie is not supposed to be on board the bookmobile but cats don't really care about rules.

Minnie is not long working at her new job when things take a sad turn and it's going to take a lot of guts and gumption for Minnie to find out what's going on while trying to remain calm and do her job when danger does not lurk too far away . This was a very enjoyable story and Minnie is a warm and very likeable character . I liked all the cozy aspects to the story, she has her pet cat, she lives on a house boat, drives a bookmobile... What's not to love about all that!!! This will be loved by anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries . Enjoy!

Book Clubbed by Lorna Barrett. Review.

This is book 8 in the Booktown mystery series.

It's great to be back with Trisha and Angelica again and in this book they are having to deal with a really horrid character called Betsy Dittmeyer. Oh she is a horror! They were obviously not the only ones who found her unlikeable as she is found murdered. It's up to Trisha and Angelica to dig a little deeper into what happened and in doing so they find a lot more then they bargained for. I loved this mystery and especially the digging around they did. Betsy was truly unlikeable in many ways ! My heart went out to Trisha in this book , I could have cried for her at the end, I literally held my breath to find out how it would end. I wanted to give her a big huge hug! I am hoping it won't be too long until the next book in the series is out. Loved every page of this book. Simply wonderful!

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Creepy Audiobooks To Listen To In the Dark

Do you like listening to someone tell a scary story.... Do you seek out scary books to read on dark stormy nights ........ Does a good thunder storm outside have you heading towards your horror books... Well if you answered yes to any of the above then you might want to check out these four audiobooks on Audible, they are guaranteed to make sure you don't sleep a wink.

NOS-4R2 by Joe Hill..... This book really gave me chills. The narrator for this book was exceptionally good and was able to do voices for all the characters seemingly effortlessly. The story is dark and frightening and the world the author built was terrifying . The evil monster at the center of the story was scary beyond belief and very haunting... This is one that you will remember long after finishing.

14 by Peter Clines. This book I recommend reading without learning too much about beforehand if you want to get the most from it. Things will make you very uncomfortable that you never knew possible.

Dracula by Bram Stoker is an oldie but a goodie. Travelling from the Carpathian Mountains to London and back again it is a dark and beautifully gothic horror story told very well . Madness and eternal love.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. I lay in bed listening to this , picturing a frightening woman creep out from the dark and the mist surrounding everything...... A darkly grim tale sure to keep you on edge to the very end.

Pumpkins in Paradise by Kathi Daley. Review.

This is the first book in the Tj Jenson Paradise Lake Mystery series with Tj as the lead character. I really enjoyed the setting of this book ! It is set in a Maggie's Hideaway resort in Serenity which is run by Tjs family . There is a very strong family feel to the story with family members helping each other out. Tj moved back here to look after her younger sisters after her mother died and she also volunteers at the school and helps at the resort so she is kept very busy. Things get a lot more busy for her when a friend is found dead and it looks like it was not a natural death and the police are not putting enough work into the case, Tj makes it top priority to find out what really happened! Almost all the characters are very likeable and if you enjoy a cosy mystery you can't fail to love this one. This is a series I will be continuing with ! This was wonderful!

My Secret Admirer by Carol Ellis

This was my favourite Point Horror book as a teenager and I remember saving up my gardening/babysitting money so that I could get it. I was not disappointed !
The story begins with a family moving to a new town , the main character of the story is a teenage girl called Jenny. Jenny's family are living in the outskirts of the town surrounded by nature and the beautiful if slightly eerie Rimrocks. Not long after arriving in town her parents are called back to where they previously lived leaving Jenny alone in their big house with her faithful dog Peaches.
It does not take Jenny long to make friends , but not everyone may be who they seem to be.....
I read this book many many years ago and it has stayed with me ... A girl alone in a house.... noises outside.... a secret admirer or someone more sinister..... danger , fear , and one gutsy teenage girl at the centre of the story. There is a lot of mention of the Rimrocks throughout the story,it is a rocky bluff near where Jenny lives and where the teenagers in the town like to climb and hang out, and it really sets the mood for the story.
I would love to see this book , and in fact the entire series made available on kindle and republished in paperback so a new generation of teens can get as much enjoyment as my generation of teens did reading these. A truly great series of books that did not lose any of the fear inducing moments in the years since I last read this. I will continue to read this again and again.

Waiting For Doggo by Mark B.Mills. Review.

Doggo ,recently out of batter sea dogs home finds the unlikeliest of owners in Daniel....Daniel has very recently separated from his girlfriend and now finds himself starting an entire new life with a small dog by his side that he is not even sure he wants. Daniel is very likeable character and at first comes off a little harder but I really warmed to him. We briefly get a glimpse of Daniels last relationship through a letter, and through this relationship Doggo comes into Daniels life. This is a charming witty story that is worth more then just one read. Hilarious , touching with some real tender moments and if you are a big fan of dogs this will leave you with a lovely warm feeling..and no it's not dog pee. Adorable!

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Kindle Book Haul

Hi guys I recently got some kindle books and I thought I would share them with you . I only bought a few of these as the rest were free on Amazon . There is also a review book included that I won from Penguin who had a giveaway on Goodreads.

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby is the book I won from Goodreads.

The Collected Works of A. J Fikry by Gabrielle Levin. This looks and sounds amazing . I love a book about books and bookish locations.

After reading Goodnight Mr Tom I could not resist getting this other book by Michelle Magorian. Just Henry.

The colder weather will be here soon and I will now be prepared with my soup cool book by Good Food 101

Some inspiration in the form of this slow cooker cook book by Good Food 101

Strangeville by Kenneth Tingle

I believe the book above and the books below were free on Amazon at the time I got them. It might be worth having a look to see if they are still free. Fingers crossed!