Becoming! Michelle Obama...The First Lady from her perspective

Title: Becoming!
Author: Michelle Obama
ISBN: 978-0-241-33414-0
Rating: 6/10
Genre: Autobiography, Life, Fact
Type: Hardcover

"More intriguing was my early discovery that there was such a thing as an African Amerian elite. Most of my new high school friends were plack, but that didn't necessarily translate, it turned out, to any sort of uniformity in our experience. A number of them had parents who were lawyers or doctors and seemed to know one another through an African American social club called Jack and Jill. They'd been on ski vacations and trips that required passport. They talked about things that were foreign to me, like summer internships and historically black colleges. One of my black classmates, a nerdy boy who was always kind to everyone, had parents who'd founded a big beauty-supply company and lived in one of the ritziest high-rises downtown.
This was my new world. It's not to say that everyone at the school was rich or overly sophisticated, because that wasn't the case. There were plenty of kids who came from neighbourhoods just like mine, who struggled with far more than I ever would. But my first months at Whitney Young gave me a glimpse of something that had previously been invisible - the apparatus of privilege and connection, what seemed like a network of half-hidden ladders and guide ropes that lay suspended overhead, ready to connect some but not all of us to the sky."

To Find My Own...An amazing first book! Absolutely loved it

Title: To Find My Own
Author: Beth Cooper
Rating: 9/10
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Humour
Type: Kindle

I was scrolling through Facebook one day last summer and I am a member of several different and varied book clubs when I stumbled across a post by Beth Cooper asking if anyone would like to review her book. I jumped on the chance and sent her a message. We exchanged messages backwards and forwards for a little and then I went to Nice on my holidays for a week in summer 2019. I started this book whilst sat in the airport waiting to fly out and it did not disappoint. For the first book, it was absolutely amazing! I loved it from start to finish. I read it in 4 days whilst away. My boyfriend had to keep asking me to put it down so we could go somewhere for the day and I just didn't want to. As it was on my Kindle I was able to carry it with me all the time. I have a Kindle Paperwhite so used that when in the apartment.

Death By Curiosity...Armitage is at it again

Title: Death By Curiosity (formally Spellbound)
Author: Lisa Matthews (formally Laurie Elisabeth Ashcroft)
ASIN: B083C2HBLC
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Fiction, Crime, Murder, Mystery
Type: Kindle

"'Angie, just leave it' Hadaway told her flatly, taking a couple of steps after her as she scurried into the kitchen without waiting for either of us to say anything. 'I don't need any meat, I'm alright.'
'You are not alright,' I blurted out, staring at him incredulously. 'You're not.' I insisted when he turned and shot me a half-irritated, half-exasperated look. 'Have you seen the state of you?'
'It looks worse than it feels.'
'How can you say that if you haven't seen it...Look at it...Are you really telling us that doesn't hurt?'
His good eye slid towards me. 'Leave it. I'm fine.'
I shook my head at him in disbelief, crossing my arms at him and coming dangerously close to stamping my foot in frustration. Did he think I was blind? Did he think I hadn't seen the tiny wince he'd made when he saw the state of his face? Or did he think I was too deaf to pick p on the tiny halting note to his voice, the type that people only get when they're in a hell of a lot of pain?
Please
I've had cramps.
I've had toothache.
Sometimes I've been lucky enough to have them both together.
So, yeah.
I think I can tell when someone's in pain.
'Jesus, Hadaway. We get it, you've got big balls. Can you just take a break from the whole macho thing and admit that having your face smashed in bloody hurts?'"

The Writer...I have never cheered for a character, before now

Title: The Writer
Author: J. C. Maetis
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Holocaust, World War Two, Nazi, Jews
Type: E-Book (PDF)

"Then there was the minefield of what could be written about. People didn't want war stories, because it was too much of a reminder of what was going on outside their doors - no possible escapism. And it was perilous territory in any case because any Nazi had to be painted in a positive or sympathetic light. There were endless Nazi propaganda pamphlets, book and films for that - so no point in going into that territory. Same too for the perceived enemies of the Reich: the Jews, gypsies, Communists, Bolsheviks and dissidents; they had to be painted in a negative light. In the end, there was little safe ground in-between - so better to avoid the area altogether."

I Owe You One...Not the usual Sophie Kinsella that I love

Title: I Owe You One
Author: Sophie Kinsella
ISBN: 978-1784163570
Rating: 6/10
Genre: Chick Flick, Romance, Fiction
Type: Audiobook

"I learnt that failure doesn't mean you are a failure; it just means you're a human being...But what can you do about mistakes except thinking, Won't do that again, and move forward?... The trouble with me is, I can't let things go."

The Hunger Games Mockingjay...Finally finished the series

Title: Hunger Games Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins
ISBN: 978-1-407132-10-5

Rating: 6/10
Series Rating: 8/10 (first time seen on this blog)
Genre: Thriller, Young Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Drama
Type: Paperback

“I stare down at my shoes, watching as a fine layer of ash settles on the worn leather. This is where the bed I shared with my sister, Prim, stood. Over there was the kitchen table. The bricks of the chimney, which collapsed in a charred heap, provide a point of reference for the rest of the house. How else could I orient myself in this sea of grey?”

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine...What a let down

Title: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Author: Gail Honeyman
ISBN: 978-0-0081-7211-4
Rating: 6/10
Genre: Fiction, England, Grief
Type: Paperback

"I have always enjoyed reading, but I've never been sure how to select the appropriate material. There are so many books in the world - how do you tell them apart? How do you know which one will match your tastes and interests? That's why I just pick the first book I see. There's no point in trying to choose. The covers are of very little help, because they always say only good things, and I've found out to my cost that they are rarely accurate. Exhilarating. Dazzling. Hilarious. No!"

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows...A great read for a teenager

Title: Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows
Author: J. M. Bergen
ISBN: 978-1-732-45780-5
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Magic, Teen Fiction, Young Adult
Type: Paperback due for release on 2nd February

"Hey! Hey! Wait!' shouted Thomas. He rushed forward as the door swung shut. The lock clicked just as his fingers reached the doorknob. He pounded on the door, fiery anger flooding his body. 'HEY!!!! Let me out of here!'
Nothing. He hammered more and met with the same result. He hit the door with his fist. Pain shot through his hand and up his arm. He hit is again, harder than the first time. The jolt ached all the way to his shoulder. A trickle of blood escaped from a thin cut on the knuckle of his second finger. He leaned against the door, hurt and frustrated.
His stomach growled, loudly. He looked down, suddenly aware of the smells wafting into his nostrils. The domed lid lifted easily, revealing a plate of grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and seasoned green beans. A piece of chocolate cake with white frosting was resting on a side platter. The cake was loaded with chocolate chips and layers of fudge, just the way he liked it.
For a brief moment, Thomas forgot his surroundings. He had a drumstick in his hand and was about to take a bite when it hit him. Aside from the silver platter, it was the exact meal his mom cooked on special occasions. How was that possible? He stared suspiciously at the chicken. Was it laced with poison? A sleeping potion? Something worse?"

Pros and Cons of Physical book v digital book Jan

There has been a number of debates about what people prefer, a physical book or an electronic book? A traditional paper book or a Kindle? A hardback or reading your Ipad? It has been such a difficult decision since electronic readers became a thing. There has been a huge influx in people buying e-readers.

I do own a Kindle Paperwhite and I love it. I enjoy the ease of being able to travel with it. I love how simple it is to use and how I can just carry it from place to place without thinking. I am able to go anywhere and take a huge library of books with me. I can read an array of books in a short space of time because I can use the books I have already downloaded and just get lost in a world wherever I am.

Stockton Library Fright Night and Bryony Pearce

For the second year in a row, I went to the Fright Night at Stockton Library. This year we were lucky again! We visit to celebrate everything spooky and we were visited by fantastic young adult author Bryony Pearce. Bryony had visited the school I work at earlier that day and I had the pleasure of meeting her. For a horror writer, she is a lovely lady! By her own admission, "After meeting me people are often surprised about how dark my work is, I am deceptively happy." The kids loved her! Her outfit, her boots, her amazing outlook on life. There was definitely a buzz around the school coming from the Year 7s and 8s after they had met her. I was then invited to the Fright Night at Stockton Library and was able to meet Bryony again and buy her books for myself.

In the Name of Love...Just retelling her story

Title: In the Name of Love
Author: Katie Price
ISBN: 978-1-846-05961-2
Rating: 4/10
Genre: Adolescent, Romance, Love, Holiday, Teenager
Type: Hardback

"Charlie didn't have a chance to pursue this conversation as the doorbell rang then. It was Aidan, who had called round in a taxi to collect her. Zoe answered the door while Charlie grabbed her bag - a red satin clutch to match her dress - and a black feather bolero. Charlie grimaced as she draped the feathers round her shoulders. It was barely above freezing outside and there was no way this flimsy bolero was going to keep her warm. She'd have to smuggle her black leather jacket out of the flat, away from Zoe, aka the Style Police. But just as she was walking out of the flat, Zoe caught her redhanded and confiscated the jacket."

365 Days of Happiness...Such a pick me up

Title: 365 Days of Happiness
Author: Jacqueline Pirtle
ISBN: 9781732085107
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Happiness, lessons, quotes, self-help
Type: Paperback

"Day 111
You are a shiner! Shiners are people that shine their light bright no matter what is happening for them! I can spot them easily, because they are always striving to be and live as a happier being. They always share their bright light with everyone and everything around them. They light up the world!"

Blood Moon...The first in the series

Title: Blood Moon Part 1
Author: S Yurvati
ISBN:
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Thriller, mystery, sex, murder, fantasy  adult
Type: Paperback

"Many hours of his day are spent working in the lower regions of this grand home built by his love for me, He seems much pleased with his progress, though he never shares what that progress is and tells me it will be a most delightful surprise set forth for my pleasure. I hear sounds of sawing and hammering and cannot imagine what he is crafting for me.

Still, it is good to see him smile and at least be pleased with his daytime endeavours.

The heat is most uncomfortable today and I asked if he would take leisure for us to stroll along the waterfront and enjoy the southerly breeze. He faltered as though I had asked him to walk through Hell's fire. Vehemently he said to never ask such a thing again, as a riverfront is not a safe place for a female of worth."

Killer's Forest...Not like any book I have read before

Title: Killer's Forest
Author: Ellington Norris
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Thriller, Murder, Crime
Book: Kindle

"How is Al?' He asked in a hushed tone. Johnny stared and could not conjure an answer. 'Has he said anything to you? Anything about Smith, or the woods, or," Will paused to think, "Or anything strange?" Johnny had his chance - he could reveal Al's plan, his depravity, let Will know Al had tipped from daydreams to a course of action, but the words caught in Johnny's throat. Johnny could not risk losing his only true friend.
Johnny's mind and mouth stuttered a response to Will after a long pause. 'I believe he is fine.' Johnny sealed his fate. Will eyed Johnny but bid him a safe evening, noting he would return to the store after sunrise. Johnny nodded and watched Will walk in the dark towards his home. Before Johnny could shake the guilt from lying to Will, Al returned,
'Tomorrow.'
'Yes, tomorrow.'
'Before sunrise?'
Yes. Before sunrise."

Hooked on the Game...Easy read but not worth reading again

Title: Hooked on the Game - Book 1 of The Sterling Shore Series
Author: C. M. Owens
ISBN: 978-1-502-80085-5
Rating: 3/10
Genre: Romance, Fiction
Book: Kindle

"In my opinion, no saint goes without sinning, and no sinner goes without having some saintly qualities. You can judge one for their mistakes, or you can love them for the flaws they try to correct. I choose to love my father. That might make me stupid, but I'd prefer to be called stupid instead of cold. You only live once.
'I had a house once, with my father. It was nice. We were happy. But we lost it later on.'
'Did he leave you and your mom?'
I wish I could just tell him.
'Yes and no. He left because he had to; not because he wanted to. It's a long story I don't want to delve into tonight."

The Tattooist of Auschwitz...We need to know about this

Title: The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Author: Heather Morris
ISBN: 978-1-785-76364-9
Rating: 7/10
Genre: WWII, Nazi, Jewish, War, Thriller, Fact, True Story
Book: Kindle

"As the girls enter the women's camp, Dana and Ivana rush to Gita. 'Are you all right? Where did they take you? Why did they take you?' Dana demands, fear and relief on her face.
'I'm okay. They took me to work in the administration office.'
'How...?' Ivana asks.
'Lale. I think he somehow arranged it.'
'But you're alright. They didn't hurt you?'
'I'm fine. This is Cilka. I'm working with her.'
Dana and Ivana greet Cilka with a hug. Gita smiles, happy that he friends are so immediately accepting of another girl in their midst. All afternoon she had worried how they would react to her now working in relative comfort, without having to deal with the cold or any physical effort. She could hardly blame them if they were jealous of her new role and felt she was no longer one of them.
'I'd better go to my block,' says Cilka. 'I'll see you tomorrow, Gita.'
Cilka walks off and Ivana watches her go. 'Gosh, she's pretty. Even dressed in rags she's beautiful.
'Yes, she is. She's been throwing me little smiles all day, just enough to reassure me. Her beauty goes beyond the surface.'
Cilka turns back and smiles at the three of them. Then, with one hand, she removes the scarf from her head and waves it to them, revealing long dark hair cascading down her back. She moves with the grace of a swan, a young woman unaware of her own beauty and seemingly untouched by the horror around her.
'You must ask her how she has kept her hair,' Ivana says, scratching absently at her own headscarf.
Gita pulls her own scarf from her head and runs her hand over her short spiky stubble, knowing all too well that it will soon be removed again, shaved back to her scalp. Her smile disappears briefly. Then she replaces her scarf, links arms with Dana and Ivana and they walk towards the meal cart."

Wonder...A tear jerker

Title: Wonder
Author: R. J. Palacio
ISBN: 978-0-552-57695-6
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Adolescent, Disability, Young Adult
Book: Paperback 

"Mom knocked on my door after dinner. She looked drained, and I realized that between me and Auggie, today had been a tough day for her, too.
'So you want to tell me what's up?' she asked nicely, soft.
'Not now, okay?' I answered. I was reading. I was tired. Maybe later I'd be up to telling her about Miranda, but not now.
'I'll check in before you go to bed,' she said, and then she came over and kissed me on the top of my head.
'Can Daisy sleep with me tonight?'
'Sure, I'll bring her in later.'
'Don't forget to come back,' I said as she left.
'I promise.'
But she didn't come back that night. Dad did. He told me Auggie had had a bad first day and Mom was helping him through it."

The Hunger Games Catching Fire...The next instalment

Title: The Hunger Games Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
ISBN: 978-1-407109-36-7
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Thriller, Young Adult, Romance, Science Fiction, Drama
Book: Paperback

"Well, then this is your lucky day,' I say, dropping my game bag on the floor. People are starving all over the district and we still have more than enough. So I've been spreading things around a little. I have my own priorities: Gale's family, Greasy Sae, some of the other Hob traders who were shut down. My mother has other people, patients mostly, who she wants to help. This morning I purposely overstuffed my game bag with food, knowing my mother would see the depleted pantry and assume I was making my rounds to the hungry. I was actually buying time to go to the lake without her worrying. I intended to deliver the food this evening on my return, but now I can see that won't be happening."

Three Years and 2018's Bucket List

Happy New Year Everyone!

How did you spend your new year? What did you decide to do? We spent the evening with family playing games, eating lots of food and laughing. However, the start of 2018 has brought some change in our house. We have both decided a number of things. We have decided that we ate far too much over Christmas and needed to be healthier in the new year, we wanted to be more active and go for long walks in our local countryside and we want to go on more city breaks this year. So in order to see what we have achieved over the year and what we could do to achieve these things, I created a bucket list for the year. 

The Runaway...An Irish Tale

Title: The Runaway
Author: Katie Flynn
ISBN: 978-1-4079-2021-4
Rating: 5/10
Genre: Fiction, Irish, Women's Fiction
Book: Audiobook

Once again I am apologising for the length of time it has taken me to write about this book. I have finished the book on 30th November and have had such a rush with Christmas and everything going on. But, I am back and I am ready to write more reviews. I am going to make a New Years Resolution to write more on my blog. I feel I have slowed down on my writing and that is not how I want this blog to go.