If you didn't know this already I'm a pretty big book enthusiast. I love reading, especially on holiday. It is the best way to relax, soak up the sunshine and completely forget about life for a few hours. As you can imagine I can therefore get through quite a few novels whilst away. I can't say I am a huge fan of a kindle, as I prefer a real book. Weirdly I like breaking the spine - which I have been told by many friends it is a sin. Anyway whilst I was away I managed to get through 6 books, of which these were 2. Whilst away I like to have something light and easy to read, but also something with enough of a storyline that makes you want to read on. 

Shift - Em Bailey 4/5

Olive used to be popular and best friends with Katie (queen B) but this changes after her breakdown. The story begins as a new student joins the class, Miranda, who is accused of killing her parents. Miranda latches onto Katie, doing everything she does even dressing alike and Olive notices this. I'd really recommend this book as it was a real page turner with a lot of twists you didn't see coming. i also enjoyed the development of the characters, although there were points when you wanted to shout at the main character "What are you doing?!". Nonetheless, it was a really exciting and different read to anything I've tried before. 

I Knew You Were Trouble - Paige Toon 3/5

I picked this up in Asda whilst it was on offer as I liked the look of the cover - I know you're never supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I almost always do and more often than not I am never disappointed. As with this book, I was pretty taken by the young teen style writing. The story follows a girl called Jessie Jefferson who's just found out her real dad is a massive superstar and how she begins to cope with her new life, school and boys. Jessie as a character is very relatable but there are some points you wonder what she is thinking! This is the second in what appears to be a Jessie Jefferson collection, I didn't read the first and still understood this book completely. Don't expect to be completely taken by this, but it is a pretty good relaxing holiday read. 

What have you been reading lately?

If you've got any book reviews link them below. 

Blog soon little ones. 

January Books

Currently I am somewhere in the air between London and Texas Fort Worth so have scheduled this post to give you lovely people something to read. Recently I posted about my new years resolutions here - one of my resolutions included reading more books this year. I have always been an avid reader so really wanted the chance to finally get the chance to read some books that I have been meaning to read for ages. The first three for this month include We Were Liars, If I Stay and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.

We Are Completely Beside Ourselves

"Rosemary's young, just at college, and she's decided not to tell anyone a thing about her family. Rosemary is now an only child, but she used to have a sister the same age as her, and an older brother. Both are now gone - vanished from her life. There's something unique about Rosemary's sister, Fern. And it was this decision, made by her parents, to give Rosemary a sister like no other, that began all of Rosemary's trouble. So now she's telling her story: full of hilarious asides and brilliantly spiky lines, it's a looping narrative that begins towards the end, and then goes back to the beginning. Twice."

If I Stay

"The last normal moment that Mia, a talented cellist, can remember is being in the car with her family. Then she is standing outside her body beside their mangled Buick and her parents’ corpses, watching herself and her little brother being tended by paramedics. As she ponders her state (“Am I dead? I actually have to ask myself this”), Mia is whisked away to a hospital, where, her body in a coma, she reflects on the past and tries to decide whether to fight to live. Via Mia’s thoughts and flashbacks, her passion for classical music and her strong relationships with her family, friends and boyfriend, Adam are explored." 

We Were Liars

"We are the Liars. We are beautiful, privileged and live a life of carefree luxury. We are cracked and broken. A story of love and romance. A tale of tragedy. Which are lies? Which is truth?"

Have you read any of these? What do you think?

Blog soon little ones. 

Hush Giveaway

Recently my blog has received over 150 followers and I am so grateful for this, I love reading through all your comments and everyone's own blogs. I could spend hours of my day doing it. As a reward for my lovely followers I wanted to do a give-away, I want to do a another one to celebrate this. I am thinking a Christmas style one, what would you all like to see?

This is my very first give-away and I am super excited for you all, I have been planning this for a long time, and as some of you may have remembered wrote about something exciting happening to my blog - well this is it! Recently I reviewed a really awesome book called Hush, written by Stacey Campbell. If you still haven't gone out and read this, now is your chance, I urge you to do so because it is such a great book. You can find the book here.

"For small-town girl Blakely Henry, any hope of finding her biological parents died when she stopped believing in fairy tales and Disney princes. That is, until she spots her boarding school's new British exchange student, Max Ryder, staring at her.

Why would a boy who looks like he stepped out of the pages of a magazine be looking at her?

Because Max knows something Blakely doesn't."

The book follows a young eighteen year old and his fascination with reporting, it brings him on an exchange program in Canada where he meets the mesmerising, Blakely. The two are drawn to each other and not just because of a dark secret surrounding Blakely and her family.  

Because Stacey is such a fabulous author, she thought it would be a great idea to collaborate and give one lucky winner the chance to win a signed copy of Hush! Super exciting. She even agreed to answer some of my questions too.

Who is Blakely really?

The character of Blakely is loosely based on our oldest daughter. I wish there was a real Max for her, but at this point she is still looking.

Where did you get the idea for Hush?

Every night, we gather around the table for dinner. On one such evening, several years ago, we were discussing the British royal family. “Well, there’s both Tudor and Middleton on my side of the family,” my husband informed our girls.

“Does that mean I could be a princess?” a much younger Blakely asked. “Only if several hundred people died first,” I told her. “But what if that happened? What if there was some sort of big family reunion and they all died?”

And the idea was born...

Do you find it difficult making your characters so believable/ giving them depth?

First of all, THANK YOU!! What a great compliment. I try really hard to make my characters believable. I fashion them out of traits I see in real life, friends, people in coffee houses, my kids and their friends, etc.… No one is really safe around me. You never know when you might turn up on the pages of one of my books. 

How would you describe your own writing style?

Natural. I try to write simply. We all have so much going on in our lives. I really want to create books that feel like a fun mini vacation. Especially for students who have so much serious reading to do already. 

What is your own favourite book?

Wow, That is a really tough question for me. I’ll pick up around ninety books each year. If they catch me in the first 20 pages I’ll read them. If they don’t I’ll put them down and move on to something else. Life is too short for bad wine, bad chocolate and a book you just can’t get into.  Last night I finished my 72nd book of the year. I have shelves of favorite books. 

On your blog, which can be found here, you revealed that Hush is going to be made into a movie; do you have any preferences of who you would like to see playing your main characters, Blakely and Max?

No not really. The producer really wants actors and actresses who want to be part of Hush the Movie and not just in it for the paycheck. She has an amazing vision of what she wants to do. Every time I meet with her I have to pinch myself. Indieflix and Kanbar entertainment, the companies that picked up Hush, are pretty amazing companies. I have complete faith in their judgment. We are still very early in the process though.

I have definite ideas about what the characters look like, but I am always up for suggestions too. Check out my Pinterest page under Lakeview novels here. I am thinking of putting together boards for each of the main characters soon as well.

Personally being from Scotland, I loved the way the characters were linked to the country, is this something that will follow in the series?

Yes! My husband’s family is from Scotland. You guys live in the most amazing place. I swear there are plot lines behind every corner.  We just don’t have that kind of history here in the US. Every time I am in the UK I swear my brain goes into overload. I know I will mess up with phrases and descriptions but know it comes from the heart and I am doing my best. I am hoping to concentrate most of book four, Silence, in Scotland. I might have to get you and some of your readers to help me out with the first couple of drafts to make sure I get it right!

Did you imagine your novel could be so successful?

I am afraid to call myself successful. I am fairly superstitious. Everyday I face insecurities like everyone else. Will people like my stories? Will they sell? What else can I do to make my books better? I am truly thrilled that readers are enjoying what I’ve written and I hope I can continue entertaining them for years to come. I have three releases in 2014. Whisper; book two in the Lakeview series. Arrgh, a turn of the century swashbuckling pirate yarn for ages 7-10.  And Sock Monster, a picture book about what happens when you don’t pick up clothes when asked. So cross your fingers for me.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck guys, and don't forgot to tell your friends!
Blog soon little ones.

*Book Spotlight

Hush: A Lakeview Novel - Stacey R. Campbell.

I was really into this novel as soon as I read the blurb. I am self confessed new adult book addict. I swear I just cannot get enough of the genre! Something about fast paced, dystopian, or teenage star crossed lovers always gets the hopeless romantic in me. And this was no let down. 

"For small-town girl Blakely Henry, any hope of finding her biological parents died when she stopped believing in fairy tales and Disney princes. That is, until she spots her boarding school's new British exchange student, Max Ryder, staring at her.

Why would a boy who looks like he stepped out of the pages of a magazine be looking at her?

Because Max knows something Blakely doesn't."

Following a young eighteen and his fascination with reporting, it brings him on an exchange program in Canada where he meets the mesmerising, Blakely. The two are drawn to each other and not just because of a dark secret surrounding Blakely and her family.  

I really enjoyed Campbell's style of writing, and the way she wrote about both characters feelings, making their relationship much more believable than some other novels I have previously read. The surrounding characters around both protagonists are filled with much more substance and humour than I originally expected, which was so refreshing to read. I especially loved the character of North, his quick wit and the way he interacts with Blakely and Max, is much like I react with my own friends. 

Without being too short or too long, the novel was able to fully tell an exciting and page turning story which kept you wanting to read more about the evolving relationship between its two central characters. A will they or won't they question was posed for much of the novel.

The series are set to continue, with another three said to already be in motion. Set around the magnificent Lakeview school I think it makes a great grounding point for new and exciting characters to emerge and be explored other than the two protagonists of this book. I am really looking forward to reading more from Campbell, and hope the next few instalments in the series comes sooner rather than later.

I would really recommend this book if you get the chance to read it. And would love to hear your reviews on the novel if you did. 

Blog soon little ones! 

* Book courtesy of Netgalley. I therefore do not own the rights to the image, all credit is due to publishers.