Searching for a Silver Lining - Miranda Dickinson

The Blurb
It began with a promise . . .

Matilda Bell is left heartbroken when she falls out with her beloved grandfather just before he dies. Haunted by regret, she makes a promise that will soon change everything . . .

When spirited former singing star Reenie Silver enters her life, Mattie seizes the opportunity to make amends. Together, Mattie and Reenie embark on an incredible journey that will find lost friends, uncover secrets from the glamorous 1950s and put right a sixty-year wrong.

Touchingly funny, warm and life-affirming, this is a sparkling story of second chances. Perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Searching for a Silver Lining will take you on a trip you'll never forget.

The Review
As a huge fan of Miranda Dickinson's writing, I was delighted to be sent an early copy of Searching for a Silver Lining to review.  I always love how Miranda is able to create warm characters that I root for from the off, and Mattie Bell is yet another wonderful protagonist - I immediately took her to my heart.

Mattie is grieving for her grandfather.  She throws herself headfirst into an adventure when she meets the wonderful livewire octogenarian Reenie Silver, a former starlet and performer with popular 50s band The Silver Five who were also a favourite of her grandfather 'back in the day'.  What follows is a crazy quest for one last hoorah which involves amongst other things a campervan, a memorable performance of Wheatus' Teenage Dirtbag and the rather lovely club owner Gil...

This book is a reminder that age is irrelevant when there's a bond between two people, and as positive friendships/relationships across the generations is something which is still relatively unexplored in fiction it was lovely to see this portrayed so well.  Reenie and Mattie were a perfect and believable duo and I was willing them on to their own happy endings.  Reenie's stories were an absolute highlight of this book, she was like Tom Jones on an episode of The Voice with her continual name dropping!

I also loved how each chapter was given a 'soundtrack', a song from the 1950s that linked into the themes explored in that section of the book.  It brings another element to the story and introduced me to some new tunes along the way.

Most of all Searching for a Silver Lining is heart-warming and charming and oozing with everything that makes friendship such a beautiful, beautiful gift. 

I can't recommend this book highly enough.  It's Miranda Dickinson's best yet.

Searching for a Silver Lining is out now in ebook and paperback format.

With thanks to Pan for providing me with a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Recently I've Read - August 2016

Searching for a Silver Lining - Miranda Dickinson

 

 

The Blurb
It began with a promise . . .

Matilda Bell is left heartbroken when she falls out with her beloved grandfather just before he dies. Haunted by regret, she makes a promise that will soon change everything . . .

When spirited former singing star Reenie Silver enters her life, Mattie seizes the opportunity to make amends. Together, Mattie and Reenie embark on an incredible journey that will find lost friends, uncover secrets from the glamorous 1950s and put right a sixty-year wrong.

Touchingly funny, warm and life-affirming, this is a sparkling story of second chances. Perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern, Searching for a Silver Lining will take you on a trip you'll never forget.

My review of this book will be posted on publication day on October 20th...but I loved it!



 

 

Aimee and the Heartthrob - Ophelia London

 

 

The Blurb

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains references to drug use, drinking, some sexual content, and lots and lots of kissing. Its swoonworthy hero may ruin all others for you. He never noticed her before, but now she's all he can see…

 

 Miles Carlisle is every teen girl’s fantasy. His rugged good looks and exotic British accent have helped catapult his boy band, Seconds to Juliet, to super-stardom. But after two disastrous and very public breakups, Miles isn’t interested in dating just any girl; he wants The One. And the only girl he’s interested in is not only his best friend’s little sister - and off-limits - but won’t even give him the time of day…

 

As a kid, Aimee Bingham had a huge thing for Miles…until he made fun of her for always tagging along. Now that she’s outgrown both him and her pigtails, the prospect of spending two weeks on tour with the childhood crush who broke her heart isn’t exactly enticing. Except now Miles seems interested. Very interested. And no matter how hard Aimee tries to resist him, her crush is definitely making a comeback.

 

But everyone knows that falling for a heartthrob is a backstage pass to heartbreak…

 

I blogged about this book in my post #Boybandlit which you can find here.

 

#PleaseRetweet - Emily Benet

 

 

The Blurb
Social media whizz kid, May Sparks has landed her dream job. Well, not quite, but the salary is great and all May has to do is handle the online profiles of C – list celebrities who have the tendency to say inappropriate things. Easy, right? #wrong

May’s clients include an ex big brother star (who she's definitely not going to sleep with #neversaynever), a disgraced TV presenter (who wants May to sort out his marriage as well as his Twitter account), and a woman who once flashed her boobs on X-factor. They're all relying on her to turn them into stars. But they're not going to make her job easy.

Sucked in to her virtual world, May loses grip on her real life. Friendships suffer and romance looks increasingly unlikely. If she doesn't log off soon, will there be any one real left?

I read this book as part of the #SummerImpulse reading challenge.  You can read my full review of it here.



 

A Library of Lemons - Jo Cotterill

 

 

The Blurb

A poignant story about dealing with grief through the magic of reading and friendship.

 

Calypso's mum died a few years ago and her emotionally incompetent Dad can't, or won't, talk about Mum at all. Instead he throws himself into writing his book A History of the Lemon. Meanwhile the house is dusty, there's never any food in the fridge, and Calypso retreats into her own world of books and fiction.

 

 When a new girl, Mae, arrives at school, the girls' shared love of reading and writing stories draws them together. Mae's friendship and her lively and chaotic home - where people argue and hug each other - make Calypso feel more normal than she has for a long time. But when Calypso finally plucks up the courage to invite Mae over to her own house, the girls discover the truth about her dad and his magnum opus - and Calypso's happiness starts to unravel.

 

My review of A Library of Lemons will be online soon.

 

Idol Dreams - Arina Tanemura*

 

 

The Blurb

At age 31, office worker Chikage Deguchi feels she missed her chances at love and success. When word gets out that she's a virgin, Chikage is humiliated and wishes she could turn back time to when she was still young and popular. She takes an experimental drug that changes her appearance back to when she was 15. Now Chikage is determined to pursue everything she missed out on all those years ago--including becoming a star!

 

For teen audiences.

 

You can read my thoughts on Idol Dreams in my post My Month in Manga - August, coming soon.

 

What have you been reading recently?  I'd love to know!

 

Take A Look at Me Now- Miranda Dickinson

 

I am a huge fan of Miranda Dickinson, and find her books comforting and inspiring.  Her characters are full of drive and verve and the settings are always described so evocatively that you can immerse yourself in a place that you have never actually been.  I also love how the importance of a supportive family is portrayed in her books.

 

Take a Look at Me Now has been highly anticipated by fans.  It was one of the books I have been most impatient for during 2013 and I desperately wanted to love it.  And love it I did.  Once I started I couldn't put it down, I was captivated.

 

Nell has a nightmare day-not only does she lose Aidan, the man who has captured her heart, but she is made redundant.  Yes, she had been wishing for change, but this wasn't what she was expecting! Nell decides to throw caution to the wind and spend her redundancy money visiting her cousin Lizzie in San Francisco.  Whilst there Nell finds herself surrounded by quirky, kooky people living their dreams- can she take inspiration from them and make her own dreams a reality?

 

Take A Look at Me Now is a read that makes you believe anything is possible.  San Francisco sounds amazing and I am even more keen to visit there than I was before after reading this book.  Most of all I found myself willing for Nell, rooting for her to strive for her dreams and find happiness.

 

Miranda Dickinson is an author bursting to the brim with talent.  She creates characters that readers care about and her writing is infused with humour and romance.  Fabulous.  You can follow her on twitter, @wurdsmyth.

 

Take A Look at Me Now is available as a paperback and ebook, published by Avon, and imprint of Harper Collins.

 

8.5/10

 

With thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

How long does it take to write a book?

As someone who is currently attempting to write their first novel, I can't stop thinking about how long this process might take.  The blank page is scary!  I asked some inspirational authors how long it took them to write their first book.  The variations between answers may surprise you...

Cally Taylor- It took me just under 4 months to write the first draft then another 6 months or so to edit it.

Lorraine Wilson- about 3 months for the first chalet girl novella, a lot longer for a full length because I had a brain injury mid book!

Lucy Dillon- Er, about five months? It is the re-writing, re-writing and editing that take the extra time!

Rowan Coleman- About nine months, delivered just before my first child!

Sara Sheridan- 14 weeks.

Kat French- Undertaking Love took about eight months I think.

Miranda Dickinson- I was writing it for fun over seven years and then when it was signed by Avon I spent another eight months editing it.

Rebecca Raisin- 2 months to write and about six months to rewrite!

Louise Douglas- The first took about six months working in the evenings.  It was the quickest!

Mandy Baggot- About a year.

Let's just say that these responses have really encouraged me and I am realising that it really is a 'how long is a piece of string?' type question!