How to get a love life - Rosie Blake

Nicola Brown doesn't like to lose control. Her home is always meticulously tidy and her weekly meals carefully planned; Nicola keeps her life in order. When her carefree colleague Caroline challenges Nicola to find a date for Valentine's Day, it's a surprise to them both when Nicola agrees. As Nicola's search for a man begins, she is thrown in at the deep end—sometimes quite literally—of the dating scene. From men more likely to sell their mother than open their wallet, to those who are determined to find a girlfriend who shares their passion for extreme sports, Nicola has to run the full gamut of dodgy dates. But as the deadline looms closer, Nicola realizes it isn't so bad to lose control. It turns out that trying to get a love life can be rather a lot of fun.

My thoughts:

Nicola was a bit OCD about things. She likes to eat certain dinners on certain nights, that goes for all her meals. She plans, she cleans. But hey, I like organised, it's a good way to be.

Of course the book is not about her being organised, but about her coworker daring her to try to find a date for Valentine's. Double dare. Oh yes! You do not back out of a double dare. You would not even dare ;)

And poor girl, those are some lousy dates she tries. It's amusing and we have all been on them. Her friends sure know how to pick them. But I liked how she went for it, she had not been dating much in quite some time and she put herself out there. Lousy results, but hey it's the effort that counts.

And of course it has a HEA. I mean she has to meet someone right...right..right!? Yes someone is right for her and I was happy with what I got.

Conclusion:
Sweet and romantic.

Paperback, 320 pages
Published February 2nd 2017 by Corvus (first published January 28th 2014)
Romantic fiction
For review

Who's that girl - Mhairi McFarlane

What’s the one thing you DON’T do at a wedding?

When Edie is caught in a compromising position at her colleagues’ wedding, all the blame falls on her – turns out that personal popularity in the office is not that different from your schooldays. Shamed online and ostracised by everyone she knows, her boss suggests an extended sabbatical – ghostwriting an autobiography for hot new acting talent, Elliot Owen. Easy, right?

Wrong. Banished back to her home town of Nottingham, Edie is not only dealing with a man who probably hasn’t heard the word ‘no’ in a decade, but also suffering an excruciating regression to her teenage years as she moves back in with her widowed father and judgey, layabout sister.

When the world is asking who you are, it’s hard not to question yourself. Who’s that girl? Edie is ready to find out. 

My thoughts:

Edie is the happy funny one, but as I read along I find that much of that is a facade. But she will find her way too.

Sure it has humour, but it's not a funny book.

A bit of romance will show up in the last 50 pages, but before Edie knows herself how can she love someone else?

What the book does have is family that she argues with and has drifted away from.

Coworkers and friends that turn out not to be friends at all.

Social media that has turned into a hell.

Being more or less exiled from work to write the auto biography of a hot tvstar.

Getting over someone and yes learning a few truths along the way.

Conclusion:
It was good, and well people can be such assholes, I mean really, arghh, aholes! (

Paperback, 544 pages
Published April 7th 2016 by HarperCollins (first published November 19th 2015)
Women's fiction, Chic lit
Library

Talking to Addison - Jenny Colgan

The story opens with the modern-day heroine Holly trapped in the flatshare from hell with members of "Scary Clean Freaks Incorporated", ruled by the obnoxious Carol who "dispensed ... Robert de Niro-to-doomed gangster stares". Even when Holly escapes the suburban inquisition, life still isn't a bed of roses: she's an unemployed florist, in love with a recluse and she's being bullied. She's in good company though when she moves in with a bunch of equally maladjusted misfits: Josh, a terminally nice boy, has issues; Kate, the high-flying and no-nonsense career girl, wilts every time a married man comes along and then there's Addison--the drop-dead-gorgeous lodger ("Johnny Depp in geek form")--who never leaves his room, already has a girlfriend (albeit over the Internet) and is a certified Trekkie fan. 

My thoughts:

I liked it at first, but the last 100 pages were brutal. It just got weird and all wtf.

I liked Holly at first, but in the end..no. F no. She is flaky. She gets new roommates and falls in love with the nerd who does not talk. He has a girlfriend online, but does she care. No, because she knows better. He should be with her, even if he does not want to. She lies. She meets this great guy, but she is all in love with Addison, and trust me, she will still get a HEA: But in the end I did no think she deserved one.

I just wish those last 100 pages had not happened, it was some sort of trippy dream, it just went from a silly book to is everyone crazy? 

Also there is this one thing that happens, and most just laugh it off, but honestly, you could put someone in jail over that!

Conclusion:
It went from good to bad. So ok then

Paperback, 400 pages
Published August 1st 2009 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published January 1st 2001)
Chic-lit
Own

Carole's Sunday review: Fast Women - Jennifer Crusie

Author: Jennifer Crusie

Titles: Fast Women

Genre: Chick Lit & Mystery

Pages: 448

First Published: May 2001

Where I Got It: My shelf (Used Book Stores)

Nell Dysart's in trouble. Weighed down by an inexplicable divorce and a loss of appetite for everything, Nell is sleepwalking through life until her best friend finagles a job for her with a shabby little detective agency that has lots of potential and a boss who looks easy to manage. 

Gabe McKenna isn't doing too well, either. His detective agency is wasting time on a blackmail case, his partner has decided he hates watching cheating spouses for money, and his ex-wife has just dumped him...again. The only thing that's going his way is that his new secretary looks efficient, boring, and biddable. 

But looks can be deceiving and soon Nell and Gabe are squaring off over embezzlement, business cards, vandalism, dog-napping, blackmail, Chinese food, unprofessional sex, and really ugly office furniture, all of which turn out to be the least of their problems. Because soon, somebody starts killing people. And shortly after that, they start falling in love...

I had read and LOVED one of the author's other books, so I was excited to get my hands on another one. This was on the back-burner for a while and after moving and unpacking, I decided it was time to give this book a go.

The first couple of chapters were fun and had me laughing and feeling bad for Nell and Gabe. However....that is all the enjoyment I had. 

Nell turned into a fool. Nell's friends were idiots.

Gabe needed a kick in the face. Gabe's friends were idiots too.

Nell and Gabe together made me want to throw the book. 

I hated everyone by the end of the book. All the situations made me roll my eyes and want to slam the book down. These people are suppose to be 30-40s, however, they all acted like drunk 18 years olds in their first semester in college.  It was ridiculous and I was annoyed. Why did I keep reading? Well - I did a lot of skimming, but I am one for self-torture and I was hopeful I would fall in love like I did with the last book I had read by the author. Sadly, I need to start DNFing books. I skimmed so much, I might as well label this as a DNF. Sighs.

Besides for the first couple chapters, there was nothing redemable about this book. I am upset, because I do enjoy the author and her writing style. She is good, but this book was a total flop for me. I do not recommend this book if you want to start trying this author. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 1 star.

Last first kiss and Shopaholic to the rescue

Pinterest Perfect. Or so Annie Carson’s life appears on her popular blog. Reality is... messier. Especially when it lands her back in one-cow town, Brightwater, California, and back in the path of the gorgeous six-foot-four reason she left. Sawyer Kane may fill out those wranglers, but she won’t be distracted from her task. Annie just needs the summer to spruce up and sell her family’s farm so she and her young son can start a new life in the big city. Simple, easy, perfect.

Sawyer has always regretted letting the first girl he loved slip away. He won’t make the same mistake twice, but can he convince beautiful, wary Annie to trust her heart again when she’s been given every reason not to? And as a single kiss turns to so much more, can Annie give up her idea of perfect for a forever that’s blissfully real. 

My thoughts:

I do like small town romances, but this small town showed its ugly face too. I would not have gone back, those people were idiots! Except for people who were new in town. The old ones judged her for her parents, on how she was home schooled, on how she was a weirdo then. Judging much!? Idiots who have never took a step outside of town *mutters*

Annie is a mummy blogger who comes back to sell the farm. With her is her kid. She is having a blogger burnout, a troll is after her and she wants more.

Sawyer is from the neighboring farm and they had a thing that went down in flames. Oh and his grandma is a cruel witch. 

But Sawyer wants Annie, and does sweet things for her. He does the chasing, she does the hiding. I liked how he did not give up and told people to piss off. But I do hope the town changes cos asshats!

Cute. 

ebook, 352 pages
Published June 23rd 2015 by Avon Impulse
Brightwater #1
Contemporary romance
Own

Becky’s biggest ever challenge takes her to Las Vegas and beyond in a fast-paced, fun-filled, road-

trip adventure. Becky’s gone too far in the past - but now she's putting things right. She’s determined to track down her missing dad, help her best friend Suze, bond with her worst enemy Alicia Bitch Long-legs (maybe...) and work out how to play blackjack.

As she discovers quite how much her friends and family need help, she comes up with a brilliant plan. Becky is going to rescue everyone. But can she rescue herself? 

My thoughts:

Yes I enjoyed it this time. Yes I went on and on in the last one that Becky's problems are not funny, but, damn, I missed it in this one!

See Becky had come to realise that shipping is bad. But that made Becky not Becky! And everyone else in the book started to see it too. Without shopping she was a grey blob, so I found myself wishing she would shop a bit...in moderation!!!!! Cos she is still likely to go overboard and that poor kid will grow up like her. BUT, she was dull. Sigh. Yes the shopaholic needs to be a shopaholic.

In this one the drama is SO unnecessary. If they all would just talk to each other then this whole Vegas thing would not have happened. Silly people.

Still it was fun, but I wish this series would end because the books are starting to be fillers.

Cover

cute

Hardcover, 320 pages
Published October 22nd 2015 by Bantam Press
Shopaholic #8
Chic-lit
Library

Tricky twenty-two - Janet Evanovich

Something big is brewing in Trenton, N.J., and it could blow at any minute. 

Stephanie Plum might not be the world's greatest bounty hunter, but she knows when she's being played. Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), hailed as the Supreme Exalted Zookeeper of the animal house known as Zeta fraternity, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College. Gobbles has missed his court date and gone into hiding. People have seen him on campus, but no one will talk. Things just aren't adding up, and Stephanie can't shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college - and it's not just Zeta fraternity pranks. 

As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug Linken. When Linken is gunned down in his backyard it's good riddance, and the list of possible murder suspects is long. The only people who care about finding Linken's killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who was hired to protect Linken, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve. 

My thoughts:

The best one in a while. Srsly, when was the last good one?

Still, everything was the same.

Stephanie manage to blow up and destroy many cars.

Ranger called her babe

Morelli and her had a fight

Granny pulled out her gun

Lola was being Lola

They messed up with the skips.

But something was there, something that has been missing. The humour was back and not just the same old same old.

Still, why can I not quit these?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? But, BUT there was hope at the end, but knowing Steph she will F it up and we will be back to the same old stuff 

Paperback, 292 pages
Published November 17th 2015 by Bantam Books
Stephanie Plum #22
Library

Blog Tour Review: The Stylist - Rosie Nixon

When fashion boutique worker Amber Green is mistakenly offered a job as assistant to infamous, jet-setting 'stylist to the stars' Mona Armstrong, she hits the ground running, helping to style some of Hollywood's hottest (and craziest) starlets. As awards season spins into action Mona is in hot demand and Amber's life turned upside down. Suddenly she catching the attention of two very different suitors, TV producer Rob and Hollywood bad boy rising star Liam. How will Amber keep her head? And what the hell will everyone wear? The Stylist is a fast-paced, fun-packed rummage through the ultimate dressing up box. 

My thoughts:

A chic-lit style of book, I have missed those. The humour, the lightness, all fun you know. I need those kind of books. They make me happy.

To the story!
Amber does have a good eye, but she is not super into everything. I guess she is more the artistic type of person. She does like fashion, and gossip. And I did like her, she was normal.

And who could say no when a famous stylist asks you to help out! Money, glitz, glamour and Hollywood! Nope, even I could not say no, and I know nothing about fashion. Amber at least works in boutique and knows her labels.

The book is divided into 5 big events, Globes, Baftas, Oscars, and well you will see. We get to see how the world of styling is crazy and very stressful. And you certainly do not want your client to end up on the worst dressed list. That would break you. I would so never work in this world, insaaane.

But...Amber's boss is weird and the world might just be too stressful.

As for romance if you are wondering, well, there is not really any romance. I would more call it flirting, hey you meet a cute guy and you flirt. So that is that. She is too busy with anything else. But that is ok, I liked the focus where it was.

A nice book that I could read fast.

Conclusion:

Funny, fashion and fabulous. 

Hardcover, 416 pages
Published February 11th 2016 by Mira
Chic lit/women's fiction
For review

Author bio:

Rosie Nixon has been joint Editor of HELLO! magazine for the past five years where she relishes the role of hands-on editor with a love of all things celebrity, royal and fashion-related. She previously held senior positions at glossy women's magazines including Grazia, Glamour and Red. In her career she has been lucky enough to attend a multitude of glamorous award ceremonies, premieres and showbiz weddings all around the world. The Stylist is her debut novel.

Social info: 

@Rosie_Nixon

@Mira_BooksUK

#TheStylist

Amazon buy link:

Carole's Saturday review: Life after Joe - Ann Benjamin

Author: Ann Benjamin

Title: Life After Joe

Genre: Chick Lit

Pages: ebook

First Published: July 2015

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon freebie)

When the love of your life leaves, where do you go? 

When thirty-something Liz McNeil is unexpectedly widowed, she has no idea what to do with her life. After the initial shock of her husband's death wears off, she packs up her car and sets off on a tour of the country with Joe's urn in the passenger seat. Using social media to connect with a variety of friends and family, Liz works through her grief in a number of unpredictable methods. As she shares her experience via blog posts, on a road trip full of surprises, Liz takes what life has given her and makes the best of her situation. 

Liz just lost her husband and she is trying to move on and grieve. She decides to go on a roadtrip with her dog and her husbands urn. It is no normal roadtrip...shes on a mission to make a stop to key figures in both her and her late husband's life. 

Feelings. Lots and lots of feelings. Lots of sad moments, lots of funny moments, lots of angry moments, and so forth. This made me feel. I was worried it would just be full of sadness, but there is hope in this and it made me happy. I had many moments of blurting out exclamations and questions. "What would I do?" "You go girl." "So sad!" "Really? Weird!" And so forth. Poor Boyfriend had to deal with that and me asking what he would do if I died. hahaha. Gotta love when a book makes you think like that and can't help but blurt out emotions. 

I had a love-hate relationship with the way the story was told. Liz has a blog about her journey. It was certainly unique and a way to really get into the mind of the character. However, some posts seemed overly long and ranty. I would skim from time-to-time. I understand that the blog is acting as a personal diary and all that, but some of the long rants didn't really help progress the story. But yes - I loved it, but then at points I didn't.

I hated Joe's father....buttface. That is all.

Adrian?? I'm not sure how I feel about him and that whole situation. I had hopes elsewhere personally. Like maybe Will. Hmmm. Sorry to be vague...I can't explain much further....just not sure my feelings on that.

This certainly was a refresher for me especially in the Chick Lit arena. It made me think and feel. I read this in only a couple of sittings. I highly recommend it. Is it book of the year? No, but it was good. Some of Liz's choices surprised me especially in regards to Adrian. I liked the blog post set-up, but sometimes it annoyed me. 

In the end, I shall stamp this with 3 stars. 

Shopaholic to the stars - Sophie Kinsella

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) has stars in her eyes. She and her daughter, Minnie, have joined husband Luke in LA—city of herbal smoothies, multimillion-dollar yoga retreats, and the lure of celebrity. Luke is there to help manage the career of famous actress Sage Seymour—and Becky is convinced she is destined to be Sage’s personal stylist, and go from there to every A-list celebrity in Hollywood! But things become complicated when Becky joins the team of Sage’s archrival. How will charming and supportive Luke deal with this conflict? Is it possible that what Becky wants most will end up hurting those she loves most?

My thoughts:

Yes I enjoyed it, sadly I only laughed two times. But I enjoyed it, it was light, sort of funny, and I could read it fast. And now I have to tear the book apart.

Omg people! You call yourself friends?! Please some stage a real intervention and pack Becky off to rehab!!! If it was drugs she would be hooking in the streets by now. The poor girl needs help. Not just a stern look or a headshake, silly Becky spent too much money again. Omg the girl needs help!!! And she making her kid like her too, which we saw in an earlier book. This is horrible really.

REHAB!!!!!!!!!

Why Luke stays with her, god only knows. Seriously the stunts she pulls. I would be out of there. She can not change. He "tries" to help, try for real and put her in rehab. Or leave her.

The book were amusing at one point, but these last few, no. There comes a time when I only see the bad things. When the laughs die. Let the series end now, and get the woman some help.

Cover

cute

Paperback, 393 pages
Published September 25th 2014 by Bantam Press
Shopaholic #7
Chiclit
Library

Carole's Sunday Review: One of the money - Janet Evanovich

Author: Janet Evanovich

Title: One for the Money (Stephanie Plum #1)

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Comedy, Romance, & Action

Pages: ebook

First Published: 1994

Where I Got It: My shelf (Freebie)

Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash—fast—but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family.

Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bonding company. She's got no experience. But that doesn't matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants to the time Steph hit him with her father's Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water—wanted for murder.

Abject poverty is a great motivator for learning new skills, but being trained in the school of hard knocks by people like psycho prizefighter Benito Ramirez isn't. Still, if Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she'll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight—and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man.

I don't really read many genres like this, but it was picked for book club this month, so here we go!

Honestly, it was a lot better then I thought it would be. I read in a matter of a couple of days (I had a space in between due to sickness and starting a different book that I've dying to read for ages). It was really funny and I liked Stephanie Plum. I felt bad that she lost her job due to the owner's scam. So now no one really wants to hire her. However, she goes over to her cousin Vinnie and begs for anything....so he offers her a bounty hunter job. Her first assignment/test is bag Morelli, who is wanted to murder. Ugh...Morelli...a womanizing scumbag. >___> 

She willingly accepts, because Morelli used her twice: once when they were little kids and second when they were in there upper teens. Scum. I did not like him and if I had been Stephanie I would have gassed him and took him in the first time I caught him. Okay...maybe second time, because I would have been naive as well thinking just saying, "Hey, I'm here to take you in. Come with me" would work as well. Ha, he takes off and says he's innocent. I wouldn't have given a hoot about him saying he's innocent...not my problem....I'm just a bounty hunter. 

Anyways, the story was fun. I enjoyed seeing Stephanie grow into a pretty good bounty hunter (she bags a couple other people for extra money while hunting for Morelli). I loved Ranger. I honestly wish that they would end up together. *shakes my head* Why? I don't know. haha, because he was the first to really believe in her and take her under his wing? Perhaps. 

There were a few points were it did drag a little bit. I admit...I skimmed, because NOTHING was happening. There was a huge lull a couple of times. However, they both were calms before the storm, so it was probably on purpose to give the reader some air. However, I did not want the air. When it comes to a bounty hunter and action-y type books I like little lulls once in a great while (so like a couple pages at most). 

I have mixed feelings about the end. It was good, but I would have done it differently. I can't say what or I will spoil it. However, I do love the last line of the book, again, I cannot say without giving it away. I also have mixed feelings, because it seemed non-cliffhangerish (which is good), but it seemed cut off. Mmm. See? Odd and confusing feelings about it.

In the end, this was a fun book. I doubt I will continue the series on my own, however, if it is picked by one of the book club members, I will not complain. Just not something I will hunt down on my own. The characters were fun, I really liked Stephanie and Ranger. There were a few lulls that bored me and the ending left me unsure if I liked it or not. Hmmmm. Anyways, I totally recommend this to those that like action, mystery, and a touch of an odd romance. Would you even classify this AS romance? It seemed more like a lust not wanted. Huh. Well, I shall stamp this with 3 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Stephanie, Stephanie's grandma (hilarious old lady, who wears blue shorts to funerals), and Ranger

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Morelli, Rameriz (gah), and the main baddie (GAH! He got me...I did not expect it)

Review and Giveaway: Love by the book - Melissa Pimentel

An American living in London, Lauren is intelligent, beautiful and loves to party. So why can't she convince a man she isn't after something more serious than scrambled eggs and goodbye in the morning?

Determined to snare some regular male affection, she embarks on a project: each month she will follow the rules of a different dating guide - from refusing to pay the bill to chatting up every man in her path - and will switch seamlessly to the next book at the end of each month. 

Lauren's love life is about to get scientific . . 

My thoughts:

I have missed the more chic-lit kind of fiction. It's always so funny, cute, weird, and embarrassing.

Lauren is an American in London. She has a failed relationship behind her and she it not looking for anything big. Just a bit of fun. But man, guys are so serious and run if they think you want more. She was fun and we could totally have been friends. And that is all I want from my main character.

But right, the story. So after the latest guy runs out she decides on this experiment. To read relationship guides and follow them for a month at a time. Yes hilarious. Because some of those, ha. She follows one made for men, one written in the 19th century. Those poor guys (if she dates them for more than one month) must think she is schizophrenic. 

At the sidelines is her roommate, her on and off guy, and a few other minor parts. This is after all about her and the men she finds one way or another. That last way, ok, do not follow any more guides is all I have to say.

Conclusion:
Funny, and the kind of books that is just so light that the pages move on their own. Just what I needed. And hey it even has a happy ending for everyone. 

Cover

Nice

Paperback, 336 pages
Expected publication: February 3rd 2015 by Penguin Books
original title: Age, Sex, Location
Fiction
For review

Giveaway

1 copy of Love by the book, + wine charms

1. US only

2. Ends Feb 7th

3. Just comment  :)

The girls' guide to dating zombies - Lynn Messina

Hattie Cross knows what you're thinking: Zombie sex? Ewwwww. But she also knows that since a virus turned 99.9999 percent of human males into zombies, it's statistically impossible to meet-let alone date-the remaining 0.00001 percent. So she writes "The Girls' Guide to Dating Zombies" to help her fellow single women navigate the zombie-relationship waters. 

Her practical how-to impresses the CEO of the largest drug company in the world, and before she knows it, Hattie, a reporter for a downmarket tabloid that specializes in conspiracy theories, is sitting down with the woman who single-handedly invented the zombie-behavioral-modification market. Granted access to the inner sanctum of zombaceuticals, she meets an actual, living, breathing M-A-N. Now Hattie, the consummate professional, is acting like a single girl at the end of the twentieth century: self-conscious, klutzy and unable to form a coherent sentence without babbling. Worst of all, the human male appears to have impaired her ability to think clearly. Because all of a sudden she's convinced a conspiracy is afoot at the drug company and it seems to go all the way to the top! 

My thoughts:

This book was hilarious and totally gross.

In the future, after a zombie plague have killed 99.9% of all men, things are different. Women took over, men...well zombies, run around in the wild trying to eat squirrels. Thank goodness they do not eat humans brains, but other brains, yum. So what is a girl to do? The answer is to date zombies! Honestly, I would think that first, well try to date other women at least to see if that could work.

Right, so we got Hattie, a reporter who has written a book about dating zombies. I waited and waited for the good part to come, oh you know the part, the zombie sex part! Omg, LOL! With zombie viagra he will be on full alert and ready to go. Be weary of squishy bits, like his ribs caving in. Hilarious. It was very ewwwww. But, men are almost extinct, zombies may look funny, but there are chemicals to fix things and maybe you can learn to understand the grunts.

But the book is not only about zombie dating. Hattie does some serious reporting too and things heat up..oh and she meets a real MAN. Omg, they are so rare. She goes all MAAAAAAAAAAAAAN.

Conclusion:

A funny, but icky book too. 

Cover

Ok

Kindle Edition, 242 pages
Published November 13th 2013 by Potatoworks Press
Contemporary romance / Humour /zombies/chic-lit
Own

Book Blog Walkers: Weekly Check-in Nov 14 2014 and Top Secret twenty-one

This challenge is organized by Felicia over at the Geeky Blogger's Book Blog

Saturday 10 km bike

Sunday 1 hour walk

Monday 10 km bike and 45 min zumba toning

Tuesday 5 km bike, 30 min walk and 1 hour yoga

Wednesday 5 km bike and 1 hour walk

Thursday 10 km bike and 1 hour zumba

Friday 6 km bike and 30 min walk

-----------------

Catch a professional assassin: top priority. Find a failure-to-appear and collect big bucks: top score. How she’ll pull it all off: top secret.

Trenton, New Jersey’s favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he’s out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all too frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city’s hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer’s whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn’t want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti’s list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger—resident security expert and Stephanie’s greatest temptation—has been the target of an assassination plot. He’s dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he’ll have to enlist Stephanie’s help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Death threats, highly trained assassins, highly untrained assassins, and Stark Street being overrun by a pack of feral Chihuahuas are all in a day’s work for Stephanie Plum. The real challenge is dealing with her Grandma Mazur’s wild bucket list. A boob job and getting revenge on Joe Morelli’s Grandma Bella can barely hold a candle to what’s number one on the list—but that’s top secret. 

Hardcover, 305 pages
Published June 17th 2014 by Bantam (first published January 1st 2014)
Stephanie Plum #21
Mystery chic-lit

 library

GODS I hate these long blurbs.

You know what, I will say it with Gifs.

 

Takedown Twenty - Janet Evanovich

New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum knows better than to mess with family. But when powerful mobster Salvatore “Uncle Sunny” Sunucchi goes on the lam in Trenton, it’s up to Stephanie to find him. Uncle Sunny is charged with murder for running over a guy (twice), and nobody wants to turn him in—not his poker buddies, not his bimbo girlfriend, not his two right-hand men, Shorty and Moe. Even Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, has skin in the game, because—just Stephanie’s luck—the godfather is his actual godfather. And while Morelli understands that the law is the law, his old-world grandmother, Bella, is doing everything she can to throw Stephanie off the trail. 

It’s not just Uncle Sunny giving Stephanie the run-around. Security specialist Ranger needs her help to solve the bizarre death of a top client’s mother, a woman who happened to play bingo with Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur. Before Stephanie knows it, she’s working side by side with Ranger and Grandma at the senior center, trying to catch a killer on the loose—and the bingo balls are not rolling in their favor.  

With bullet holes in her car, henchmen on her tail, and a giraffe named Kevin running wild in the streets of Trenton, Stephanie will have to up her game for the ultimate takedown.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published November 19th 2013 by Headline Review (first published January 1st 2013)

Stephanie Plum #20
Library

My review:
I know some hate them, but this calls for GIFs

  

 Why do I keep doing this to myself?! Why do I read these books?! They never ever change.

   

 Do you want to know what the book is about?
 Ranger says Babe a LOT of times, and nothing else. And saves her sorry ass.
 Steph almost dies a LOT of times. And she is TSTL

 

Morelli is all over her, why I do not know as she is a cheater.
She does not choose a man.
Lola is being Lola and saying stuff like Ho.
Grandma is being spunky and grandma.
Step's mum irons and her dad says nothing.
There is a giraffe.
Cars get totaled and I lost count of how many she borrows.
Steph fails and fails with getting her skips.

   

The End

.

Review: Meet met at the Cupake café - Jenny Colgan

Having grown up in an apartment above her Grandpa Joe's little bakery, Issy Randal has always known how to make something sweet. She's much better at baking than she is at filing, so when she's laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open up her own little caf . But she soon learns that her piece-of-cake plan will take all her courage and confectionary talent to avert disaster. Funny and sharp, Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe is about how life might not always taste like what you expect, but there's always room for dessert!

Meet Me at The Cupcake Café #1
Chic-lit
Paperback, 432 pages
Published July 2nd 2013 by Sourcebooks Landmark (first published January 1st 2011)
For review

My thoughts:

Cute and fun is the word. But then I do adore British chic-lit. It made me want to drink tea and well.. eat cupcakes. Oh the cupcakes and recipes in this book made me drool. I would love do try them but they would be nowhere near as good.

So it's about Izzy who has a boring job and secretly dates the boss (who does not treat her right.) But the book is about a cupcake cafe so we know that she at one point will move on to better things and find her true calling. And I love that she went for it and the friends and more she found along the way.

There is a bit of romance (I will not say more). New friendships, bit of drama, and yes just about finding yourself. Sometimes you just have to start over and build a new life.

Conclusion:

A sweet book that will make you want cupcakes.

Cover

Cute I guess, but now wow

Review: Notorious Nineteen - Janet Evanovich

New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is certain of three truths: People don’t just vanish into thin air. Never anger old people. And don’t do what Tiki tells you to do. 

(minus 18 other lines in one epic blurb that was longer than my review)

My thoughts:

What can I say that I have not said before? Nothing, yes that's right nothing!

- Ranger said babe a lot, yawn

- Morelli said cupcake a lot, yawn

- A car blew up on page 5...surprise! More cars blew up, surprise!

- Lola said funny things and was hungry

- Grandma was a hoot

- Steph's parents sighed cos she is hopeless

- Her skips got away *headdesk*

- Someone failed to kill her more than once

- She lusts after Ranger and dates Morelli

Do any of these things sound familiar? Oh yes that is right, that is cos all 19 books have practically been the same book.

Conclusion:

Why do I read them? Well I am clearly an idiot. There was a time when I giggled and laugh. This time around my mouth did not even twitch for a second

Stephanie Plum #19
Chick-lit mystery
Hardcover, 302 pages
Published November 20th 2012 by Headline Book Publishing
Library

Review: Unsticky - Sarra Manning

STATE OF GRACE

Money makes the world go round - that's what twenty-something Grace Reeves is learning. Stuck in a grind where everyone's ahead apart from her, she's partied out, disillusioned, and massively in debt. If she's dumped by another rock-band wannabe, squashed by anyone else at her cut-throat fashion job, or chased by any more bailiffs, Grace suspects she'll fall apart...

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE

So when older, sexy and above all, wealthy art-dealer Vaughn appears, she's intrigued against her will. Could she handle being a sugar daddy's arm-candy?

SAVING GRACE

Soon Grace is thrown into a world of money and privilege, at Vaughn's beck and call in return for thousands of pounds in luxurious gifts, priceless clothes - and cash. She's out of her depth. Where's the line between acting the trophy girlfriend, and selling yourself for money? And, more importantly, whatever happened to love?

My thoughts:

What a sticky situation. What to even call this book? Kind of fancy prostitution and self delusion. 

Ok to the start then. Grace meets Vaughn, Vaughn suggests something, they sign the contract. The contract being she will sleep with him, he will pay her to be his mistress. Yes what to call that? I do wonder. But that is what I liked about this book. The grey areas. Because she does start to like him. It does feel like something else. But at the same it's not. He owns her. He shows this too and at times he is a complete ass towards her. That is where the book has dark areas, cos damn, I like him, I do not want too, but I slowly fall and it feels so wrong. I get that she has issues (so many!), but I should know better. At the end we learn more about him too and things do become clearer.

Grey and black. The book is not always pretty. She has her issues, he is demanding. She is in a new world of art, and rich people. But mostly I am just fascinated by this f*ed up "relationship" and wonder how it all will end.

Conclusion:

Interesting to say the least.

Cover

Eh

Contemporary romance / Chick-lit
Paperback, 576 pages
Published August 2nd 2012 by Corgi
Own

Review: A Royal Pain - Megan Mulry

Bronte Talbott follows all of the exploits of the British royals. After all, they're the world's most preeminent dysfunctional family. And who is she to judge? Bronte's own search for love isn't going all that well, especially after her smooth-talking Texan boyfriend abruptly leaves her in the dust.

Bronte keeps a lookout for a rebound to help mend her broken heart, and when she meets Max Heyworth, she's certain he's the perfect transition man. But when she discovers he's a duke, she has to decide if she wants to stay with him for the long haul and deal with the opportunities-- and challenges-- of becoming a royal.

My thoughts:

I do not where to put this book in a way, it's kind of chick-lit, meets contemporary romance meets romantic fiction meets neurotic New Yorkers (ok so not a genre but I could not think of anything else.) Sure it's funny at times, romantic at times, but there is much more too. 

The lovestory takes time, in all ways. It takes time for them to meet, to fall in love and more. I guess I was expecting instalove and a trip to England but no My Lord, that was not in the cards. There is drama, hardship and one woman that sure has a hard time believing in something. Which then makes it more than just a lovestory, it's about finding yourself so that you feel that you are worthy to be loved.

Oh and yes it's also about finding out if you are cut out to be nobility ;)

I do have to admit (it ends well, duh but..) that I did feel at the end that maybe they will have a few good years and then split up. I must be in a mood today.

Anyway, this was a funny and romantic story. Mix in lords and ladies, ad a couple that really want to be together, but have a hard time doing so.

Conclusion:

Royalty meets commoner, what is there not to like.

Cover

Cute

Genre: Romantic Fiction
Pages: 352
Published: November 1st 2012 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Source: For review

Sad Desk Salad - Jessica Grose

As a writer for Chick Habit, an increasingly popular women's website, Alex Lyons gets paid to be a bitch. She's churning out several posts a day, and she saves her juiciest ones for blog prime time, when working women eat their sad desk salads in their offices. Alex tells herself she's fulfilling her dream of being a professional writer; so what if it means being glued to her couch and her laptop from six a.m. to six p.m., scouring the web in search of the next big celebrity scandal? Since Chick Habit's parent company keeps close tabs on page views, Alex knows her job is always at risk.

So when an anonymous tipster sends her the year's most salacious story—a politico's squeaky-clean Ivy League daughter caught in a very R-rated activity—it's a no-brainer. But is Alex really willing to ruin the girl's life by igniting the next Internet feeding frenzy? And what she doesn't yet realize is how this big scoop is about to send her own life spiraling out of control.

My thoughts:

I needed something light and funny and this was the perfect book for that. Though it was not just happiness and sunshine, no this book did look at the internet a bit more closely too.

Alex the heroine gets up around 6 am and then works for almost 12 hours. She does not dress, take a shower and often forget to eat. She is obsessed with her work as the tempo is high and she needs to find and write several pieces a day and get a lot of traffic for the website. Is she happy? I think she is too busy to consider this. But I did like that she wanted more.

The book takes place during a hectic week as she gets an email with a video. Do post or not to post? Where does one draw the line? She already has angry comments on some post and this, this could be really bad, but also really good for the site. There is pressure and figuring out what really is the right thing to do. Not to mention, getting out of that disgusting muumuu she is wearing.

I liked the light was it was written, and there was a lightness in the air too. But it did not get too light thanks to the drama going on. And as a blogger I knew the situations that came up, I have seen the drama.

As for the title, when everyone is at lunch then is the best time for a good post. As women sit around their desks eating a salad.

Conclusion

A fun book that you can read in a heartbeat.

Cover thoughts:

It's both funny and kind of meh

Genre. Chic-lit, fiction
Pages: 304
Published: October 2nd 2012 by William Morrow
Source: For review