Am I Normal Yet by Holly Bourne . Review

Meet Evie, friendly , happy, normal , whatever that is! Evie has OCD and hides it from her friends so they don't think of her as being different to them , but by hiding it she is making it hard on herself to cope when she is stressed out . A therapist and medication is her current routine on the road to recovery but unless she starts to become honest with herself she could start back down a slippery slope . Depression , anxiety , feminism are all important topics that are covered in the book while making you burst out laughing as Evie has a really good wicked  sense of humour as the narrator . Seeing anxiety disorders through her eyes was raw and at times heartbreaking, but it is that way , and it was great reading a good  representation of what it is really like to have. 

I received this book for review from the lovely folks over at Lovereading4kids.co.uk .

This book is being published August 2015 and will be available from Livereading4kids.co.uk and all other good book stores then.

Below please find a link to this book on the website.

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/11554/Am-I-Normal-Yet--by-Holly-Bourne.html

Drop by Katie Everson . Review

Carla has just moved to a new place and is not looking forward to making friends in a new school , but she need not have worried as she quickly makes friends with some cool people . Other people who notice her are not as nice as they seem but Carla can't help but be drawn to them much to the disappointment of the nicer friends she first met. Finn and almost all of his cool friends make her welcome in their gang, this is not ideal as they like to take risks and are constantly pushing their limits and luck. Finn's older brother Issac is the one guy looking out for her but she likes the bad guys and keeps letting Finn drag her down as everything else in her life starts to slide downwards she needs to pull herself together or she will sink so low she will ruin her entire future. 

I received this book for review from the kind people over at Lovereading4kids.co.uk. This book is going to be published August 2015 and will be available from Lovereading4kids and all other good bookstores then. 

Below please find a link to the Lovereading4kids website. 

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten . Review

This is the story about two teens , June and Delia. Once best friends they grew apart and we see the story in the present and past. June is just a normal girl but we don't know the history between her and Delia until a huge tragedy unfolds and the more June digs to find out what happened the more confusing it gets for her. The story is a dark one filled with manipulative characters and unnerving scenes made all the worse by how unpredictable and unreliable the narrators are so I was constantly trying to figure out what the outcome was going to be and if someone was lying then who was it. If you like a book with twists and turns then this is the book for you. 

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading4kids.co.uk . This book is due to be published July 2015 and will be available from Lovereading4kids and all other good bookstores then. 

This is a YA book.

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading4kids website: 

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/11584/Suicide-Notes-from-Beautiful-Girls-by-Lynn-Weingarten.html

Happy Mail

Sticker Haul from #ohhellostationeryco on etsy.

Below are some of the stickers close up. 

Below is a link to Kayla's shop on Etsy. 

https://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/OhHelloStationeryCo

My Sunday

Hi guys , it was a warm and dull day here with us today but the perfect temperature to get out for a walk and do some gardening. Not forgetting when all that is over to get some reading in before bedtime.

Bread rolls and Turkey and salad filling. Yum! I can't think of a better place to eat it!

The books I am reading today are:

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

Drop by Katie Everson 

The audiobook I am listening to is :

The podcasts I have been listening to and loving today are by :

Yep, it's The Joy The Baker Podcast! 

Sorting through my on the go planner because I have a head like a sieve and need constant reminders !

The inside looks like this:

Some cute paper clips, washi, dividers. 

The heat and rain is making the garden thrive! Including the weeds!!! 

Well guys it's been a quiet but great day with me and I hope you had a great day 

too! Xxxxxx

Erin Condren Weekly Spread x 2

I have two Erin Condren life planners and here is my weekly spread for both before I start filling in the pages. 

First up is the Rose Gold life planner 

The second half of the week looks like this. I am going for an animal and underwater theme this week.

My other Erin Condren planner week looks like this:

Book Loving Bloggers Q&A

Today guys I want to introduce you to my friend and blogger/ writer Kelly Florentia . 

Kelly thank you so much for being here! 

Hi Edel, thank you for asking me to take part in this bookish Questions and Answers session. Here are my answers. 

 

1. Library, bookshop, shop on line- which is your favourite place to buy books. 

 

I must admit, I don’t often borrow from the library. I’m a bookaholic. I can’t stop buying, which is why my TBR pile is always heaving. I like to buy books both online and at a bookshop. What I love about buying from abookshop is the browsing. I feel like a child in a sweetshop amid all those beautiful, colourful, enticing books neatly stacked on the shelf crying ‘Read me, read me.’ I rarely walk out with one book.

 

 

2. If you had to pick a place to read away from home where would you pick and why. 

One of my favourite reading places is by the beach. I love listening to the waves of the sea, the distant squeal of excitement from kids playing in the sand, chasing each other along the shore; inhaling the warm, salty air as I turn the pages. It all adds to the experience, especially if it’s a summer read.

3. Do you have other hobbies apart from reading? 

Yes, I love running, well, jogging really. I also love a good, long stroll, and the occasional bike ride. As a writer, I need to stretch my legs regularly. I’ve often created plots and twists during one of my runs. It’s a very inspirational activity. 

4. Do you have a set reading style, place, drink, snacks, time of day. 

Unlike watching T.V., where I consume half a dozen chocolates and several packets of crisps, I don’t eat whileI’m reading. I just get lost in the story. Perhaps it’s because reading requires more of your attention. Or maybe it’s because I usually read at bedtime. 

 

5. Last book you bought? 

A Stitch in Time by Amanda James. I’m three chapters in and hooked. This is my first Amanda James book. I know I’m going to read more of her novels because I love her style and storytelling. I’m now a fan!

6. What fictional world do you wish existed so you could visit? 

It’s got to be Bridget Jones’ Diary. I think I’d have lots of fun hanging out with Bridget. I know she’d make me laugh, and I do love people who have a good, sharp wit. 

7. Have you ever sat down and read a book from start to finish? 

No, I’m a slow reader. The fastest I’ve read a full length novel is two weeks.

8. Do you give books as presents? 

 

Only if I know the person well enough. Reading is so subjective, which is why some people rave about a book while others don’t like it at all. I sometimes buy my husband books – some he loves and others never see the light of day. But he’s always too polite to tell me that he doesn’t really like it, so pretends he hasn’t got round to reading it yet. I then sneakily slip the book into the charity bag.

 

9. Favourite genre?

I read across a broad range of genres but my favourite is women’s fiction. 

 

10. Top five favourite non book related things in life? 

 

Running. Music. Nattering. Good food. Wine.  

 

Kelly Florentia is an author of women’s fiction. Her debut novel will be published by Accent Press in 2016. 

Website: http://www.kellyflorentia.co.uk

Twitter: @kellyflorentia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelly.florentia

To Tell A Tale Or Two…A collection of short stories with a Twist by Kelly Florentia is available for download from Amazon.

BBC World Service , Over To You

Hi guys I got interviewed this week from the BBC talking about podcasts. Below is a link to the show where you can hear me at the beginning with Hello from Ireland and at about 4.56 minutes into the show . 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02v4y98

In My Mailbox

Nelly Dean by Alison Case

The Last Kiss Goodbye by Tasmina Perry

Lorali by Laura Dockrill . Review

This is the story about a teenager called Rory who one day finds a naked girl he first thinks is dead . This girl does not seem like regular girls at all and he takes it upon himself to help her. Her name is Lorali and she is a Mer Princess. The story is told on land through Rory's eyes and underwater through Lorali's mother , Queen Keppel. 

Lorali was not supposed to go on land and now that she has her mother wants her back so she needs to send one of her own kind to the surface to bring her daughter back .

My favourite characters were Rory and Lorali . I loved how kind he was to her and I loved how the world looked through   her eyes. All the things we take for granted were amazing to her! This was my first book about Mermaids and I really enjoyed it!

I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading4kids.co.uk. This book will be published July 2015 and will be available from Lovereading4kids.co.uk and all other bookstores then. 

Below lease find a link to this book on their website.

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/11537/Lorali-by-Laura-Dockrill.html

Happy Mail

Hi guys today my beautiful Erin Condren Rose Gold 18 Month 2015/2016 Life Planner arrived as well as my beautiful order from Pigtails and pockets on Etsy. I will leave links below to my YouTube page where I show you inside my new planner as well as links to Erin Condren and Pigtailsandpockets.

And so the adventure begins!

 

My YouTube channel 

http://youtu.be/2yolinQ7yS0

Erin Condren

https://www.erincondren.com/

Pigtailsandpockets

https://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/PigtailsandPockets

The Art Of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan

This story is told in two ways , through entries by Mrs Kathleen Eaden in the past and through the eyes of five people in the future. These five keen amateur bakers  were picked from many to compete in a baking competition . Kathleen was the baker and woman in the past who was thought very highly of. Her business and that of her husband excelled because of how great she was and relatable to the ordinary person trying to learn how to cook. Now a new Mrs Eaden is needed and these five are competing to be it. Through the competition they learn a lot about themselves and those who surround them and not all of it is pleasant and by the end there will be a lot of change in their lives. My favourite character was Kathleen , I felt real empathy for her character as I went through a lot of similar health issues so my heart went out to her and I was drawn to her. This is a beautifully written book full of charm and elegance like the character Kathleen. Add this to your summer reading list!

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

This book is due to be published in July.

This will then be available to buy from Lovereading and all other good bookstores. 

Please find a link to this book below.

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/11821/The-Art-of-Baking-Blind-by-Sarah-Vaughan.html

Lost & Found by Brooke Davis . Review

This is the story about a young girl called Millie ,who's mother abandons her one day out of the blue. This young girls life is completely altered and she is both scared and confused. Millie is the main character but we meet an equally lost widow called Agatha who is a neighbour of Millie and thus young girl coming into her life is both a blessing and a curse . Agatha has not left her home since her husband died so she hits a big dilemma when this young girl needs help. Along with these two characters we meet Karl , Karl was a touch typist and is a bit lost in the world. These three manage to get together and go on an adventure where they are all in search of something after losing those they once loved most.

I received this book for review from Lovereading.co.uk. 

This book is due to be published August 2015 and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then.

Below please find a link to this book on their website .

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/14631/Lost-and-Found-by-Brooke-Davis.html

Sunday Evening

Hi guys, the weather is really all over the place here right now so if you go outside you will either get some sun, be soaked to the skin or add some wind to that and end up with wet frizzy hair resembling something electrocuted.  Everything is growing like crazy including the weeds..... Must do something about that!!!!! ......later 

Anyway today started with kisses from my little guy and gal  who got their first hair cut this week. They are Yorkies and I am hoping now that they did get a hair cut they will get to enjoy some sun at some point so they can play outside. 

Before above

After

Toby before 

After 

Breakfast was healthy .....

I had such fun with my friend Lisa doing the Q&A for here , Lisa is a great friend and someone who loves cozy mysteries as much as I do and that's a lot ! 

I am finishing up some books today that I have been loving!!!! You know their good when you read a few pages of each just so you can hop back between the three of them. Jeeze I love books! 

In other news I posted my first video this year yesterday on my YouTube channel ,it had been almost a year since I had uploaded any content due to personal reasons and it was super weird being back doing it again but I felt great having done it. 

I have been trying to figure out makeup that won't melt of my face in this weird weather we are having so I have been playing out with a few brands, if I come up with something reliable I will post pics and the items used. 

It's been a weird old day .

There has been a good few hospital / doctor visits recently and I keep wondering is it all worth this. 

I see my nieces and nephews and I love them dearly but after losing four babies and fertility drugs etc trust me when I say it's tough going . Some days I don't know if I want to keep going.... Time will tell I guess.

I hope you guys are having a great day and that the sun is shining in your part of the world. 

Book Loving Bloggers Q&A

Hi guys today I am introducing you to a friend of mine and fellow blogger Lisa . I got the idea for to do this book quiz after reading many blogs and being curious about how the bloggers feel about books and all things bookish. Most are used to interviewing authors, meeting authors but not being interviewed themselves so I thought I would change that! So I asked my friend Lisa to join me as we ask some of our favourite book bloggers/writers about their book love. I picked 30 questions , 10 of which I wanted them to pick from. So first up is my friend Lisa. Welcome Lisa!!!!! Glad to have you here 

Q1-WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD BOOK OR BOOKS.

Lisa- That's easy. Nancy Drew. When I was reading a Nancy Drew book, the world around me completely dissapeared . At a younger age, I don't remember my favourite book. My memory isn't very sharp when it comes to my very young years.

Q2-WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM READING

Lisa- Wow, so many things. A love for things I would never have had if not for reading. I've seen so much of the world through reading. I've learned now to love new hobbies , and professions. I've learned to be more open minded , and I've learned better punctuation ;0)

Q3-LIBRARY, BOOKSHOP, SHOP ON LINE , WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO BUY BOOKS.

Lisa- I order a lot on line simply because the closest bookstore is over an hour away. But I completely prefer a bookstore. I managed one for four years and would love to own one now. When my sister and I make a trip to the bookstore, we actually head to Barnes and Noble , an hour and a half away because we like it better then the one slightly closer. So , we make a day of it. We get there when they open at 10.00 am , claim a table at the in store cafe , and stay all day. Sometimes it's close to 3.00pm before we leave. LOL we're lucky they don't kick us out.

Q4-IF YOU HAD TO PICK A PLACE TO READ AWAY FROM HOME WHERE WOULD YOU PICK AND WHY?

LIsa- I love reading in the car. When I take my sisters to appointments , I stay in the car and read . I also leave early for my own appointments so I have a little car reading time. 

Q5-DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE A BLOGGER/ REVIEWER ?

Lisa- it's not something I ever thought about doing. I would leave reviews from time to time . But it wasn't until I started reading Cozy Mysteries around three years ago and started researching titles and sites , and authors that I knew I wanted to do more. The cozy communities I found on Facebook are so friendly , and the authors are kind and very approachable . Then I started reading just how much reviews mean for the and the continuation of the series they write. I wanted to do something for them . Give something back for all the hours of joy they bring me when I read their books . So one day, without any thought, I started a blog. The rest as it is said, is history!

Q6- WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT THE BOOK COMMUNITY

Lisa- The people! Readers, authors, reviewers. Everyone is so friendly. I've made some wonderful new friends. Including you! 

Q7-WHAT BOOK RELATED PLACE IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO TO

Lisa- Oh my, let me think. I can't pick just one. I would love to live in one of the small cozy southern or coastal towns . There's also a fictional town called Snowflake VT that would be fun to live in because I adore snow! There are so many cozy mysteries that I read , that when the book I almost over I'm sad because I know it will be at least a year before I can visit again.

Q8- DO YOU HAVE OTHER HOBBIES APART FROM READING

Lisa- Since starting the blog, most if my time goes into that and I love it. But I love love to bake cupcakes. I also collect all things cupcakes and my kitchen is decorated in a cupcake theme. I also like to wrote letters  and cards. I miss old fashioned snail mail. There's something so wonderful out getting a note in the mail from someone to make me smile. I hope my notes do the same for them. 

Q9-HAVE YOU EVER SAT DOWN AND READ A BOOK FROM START TO FINISH

Lisa- Yes, I have, and it's a joy. Even if my eyes do hurt after. LOL, but I love being able to have that time to get lost in a wonderful story. Everything feels right when I have a book in my hands .

Q10- DO YOU GIVE BOOKS AS PRESENTS

Lisa- I do as a matter of fact, after a conversation with author Laura Bradford where she mentioned there should be a holiday where people buy each other books , I invented , BUY A FRIEND A BOOK DAY. It took off like crazy! This was in 2013, so this August 31st, 2015 will be the third annual BUY A FRIEND A BOOK DAY! So make sure to buy someone you love a book on August 31st.

.............................................................................................................................................................

Edel , thank you so much. This has been fun. I'm used to being on the other end of the questions!

Lisa , it's been great having you stop by and getting to know the woman behind the blogger and some of the bookish loves in your life! 

Below please find a link to Lisa's social media pages where she regularly posts awesome content ! 

Lisa's blog

http://lisaksbookthoughts.blogspot.ie/

Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/lisaksbkreviews

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/lisaksbookreview

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer . Review

This is book 1 in this series. There is a place called Area X . It is mostly avoided but still monitored closely but the authorities . It looks like a jungle in there and teams that were sent in to it in the past have not had a very successful outcome. This story begins with the 12th journey into this place . The crew are all women and the main narrator is an unnamed biologist . They have to take samples while there and give reports on what they find , but they are not long there before an unnerving feeling sets in and it is very eerie and dream like , or should I say nightmarish ! Although they were told to a certain degree what to expect when they got there , it soon becomes apparent that they have no real idea what danger faces them and they are like innocent lambs to the slaughter . It also becomes difficult to know who to trust in her own team.  

I really enjoyed this book as it has a dreamlike quality to it so you are constantly wondering what is going to happen next . We get glimpses into the past too which give us hints as to what the outcome could be like for this crew making it hard to put down as you want this few to do well and get the hell out of there! 

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

This edition is being  published in July with the other books in this series, and available on Lovereading.co.uk and all other good bookstores.

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website. 

http://www.barleans.com252.lovereading.co.uk/book/9780008139100/isbn/Annihilation-by-Jeff-VanderMeer.html

Reading this week

 

Hi guys I have lots of books going on right now , I have planned my night time reading already for the week so I have quite the stack built up! Hayfever and asthma are fun right now so although its dry out ,until the pollen settles a bit I am staying indoors with antihistamines and lots of water and books !

Precocious by Joanna Barnard . Review

If you have read and loved Lolita in the past them I think you will really appreciate this story with a more modern feel to it . The main character is a woman who comes across a man she had a relationship with when she was a young teen. The big difference with the relationship she had was that she was a student and he was a teacher. Many years later they meet by accident and she is married to a sensible reliable guy and her ex teacher is single . Meeting again brings back memories and she innocently agrees to meet up again with him. Does a leopard change his spots with age and could they make a go off their relationship now. The story is deeply disturbing on many levels .. abuse of power in all forms and you can't look away when reading this as you need  to know what is going to happen by the end. While not explicit it still causes unease.

If you loved Lolita you will likely enjoy this tale too. Fascinating reading!!!!

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

This book is due to be published in July and will be available from Lovereading and all other good bookstores then.

Below please find a link to this book on the Lovereading website. 

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/14517/Precocious-by-Joanna-Barnard.html

In My Mailbox!

Monster by C J Skuse. I love whe quote from Kevin Brooks! Man this must be one awesome book then !!! Love it! :0)

The Thirty List Blog Tour!!!!!

Never has divorce been so funny and spot on , and I know I have been there! 

Meet Rachel, thirty something , newly divorced , homeless , trying to find her way in life with the support of her friends ,sad music and tea and biscuits...realising she never really knew her husband at all!

It's not long before the housing situation is sorted , Insert another person going through a divorce , a dog , a kid , and you have yourselves a really fun ,anything can happen read!

Rachel and her friends are witty and little rays of sunshine ,reading about their scenes together is often hilarious as they often open their mouth without editing it first...insert plenty of comic banter here....

Rachel may think that divorce is the worst thing that could possibly happen to her but little does she know it could be leading her on all the right paths in life but not without a few large hurdles first.

If you have ever lost your way, been through a divorce/ breakup , needed a hand in life ,then this is the book for you! This will lift your spirits and help you regain your faith in humanity . 

Eva Woods lives in London, where she writes and teaches creative writing. She likes wine, pop music, and holidays, and thinks online dating is like the worst board game ever invented.

You can find Eva through all the social media links below.

www.ink-stains.co.uk
twitter.com/inkstainsclaire
facebook.com/pages/Claire-McGowan

Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine. Review

This is the story about a teenager called Iris who's father she has not had contact with her entire life. Iris lives with her mother Hannah and her stepfather. Her real dad Ernest is dying and wants to meet her before he dies and so they all make the trip to see him and the story really begins then. Iris seems like a regular girl until we get glimpses into her past through others eyes, Iris likes to do things that have caused huge harm in the past so that really threw me as I was sympathetic to her character until that point then I wavered . Iris has had a lot to cope with and I think she was expressing her hurt through what she did even though it was the wrong way to go about it. Ernest was  a very likeable character and I instantly warmed to him , he had gumption and was smart and I loved that about him as he could see right through his ex. I would recommend this to everyone. 

I received this book from the lovely people over at Lovereading4kids.co.uk

This book is being published July 2015

And will be available from Lovereading4Kids.co.uk and all other good bookstores then. 

Below please find a link to this book:

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/9780007512362/isbn/Fire-Colour-One-by-Jenny-Valentine.html

In My Mailbox

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

Am I Normal Yet by Holly Bourne

Sophie Someone by Hayley Long