In the book house...

I'm a guest blogger today on Kirsty's blog The Love of a Good Book.

I was asked to imagine that I was going into the Book House (like the Big Brother House!) with six characters and that I needed to vote them out.  You can see exactly how it panned out here...

Big Book House!

Am I a blogger or a frustrated author?

I am studying for an Open University degree and today is officially the first day of my new module.  My degree is in Humanities, and this new module is a creative writing course. 

I've been thinking a lot about writing and blogging since signing up for the course.  Are bloggers really all frustrated authors, desperate for our writing to be viewed by the masses? Is this why we dedicate ourselves to our blogs, sharing our thoughts, feelings and viewpoints with people on the other side of the world to ourselves, people we will never meet?

When I first started Books with Bunny I did it purely to record my reading habits. Every book I read was recorded anyway on book forums and I'd often write reviews of the books I'd especially enjoyed, so it made sense to start a blog and keep everything in one place.  Occasionally I will write a small piece relating to blogging or reading in a more general sense, but my blog still remains a dedicated book blog rather than covering wider themes and other aspects of my life in detail. 

So am I writing in the hope of being published?  I know lots of bloggers who are also writing their own novels, but I don't necessarily aspire to that.  I blog to voice my opinions.  I also strongly feel that what we bloggers say isn't any less valuable just because it's not in a book- there are plenty of books out there that aren't my cup of tea and equally, many bloggers that make me laugh, cry and feel.  My vision was to blog about books to promote the novels and authors that I enjoy.  I would absolutely love to be able to take this further and have my book reviews reaching a wider audience, and this is why I also post my reviews to goodreads and Amazon.  I'm also fortunate enough to have been asked to review for other websites and blogs, most notably Making Them Readers and Mojomums.  However, I can't deny that my ultimate dream would be to have a regular review slot in a magazine or newspaper, and I would love to have my name in a by-line.  Maybe I'm a frustrated reviewer.  Although I do review, so maybe I'm just frustrated?

So do I really want to be an author?  Probably not.  I have explored creative writing on and off since school, predominantly poetry, although will admit to also attempting a novel a couple of times before becoming completely overwhelmed by the process.  Blogging is an extension of journaling and diary keeping, admittedly in a public domain, but still a different world to creative writing.  Yes, it is a case of juggling words, seeing where they best fit to convey the meanings you are aiming to impress, but that is not the same as actually writing a piece of fiction from scratch. 

I admit it, I'm scared about this course.  And I'm overthinking.  Never a good sign.

I'm going back to reading...

Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream- Abby Clements

Amelia Grey is a woman with a dream.  Desperate to escape city life, a poky flat and her stressful life as a secondary school teacher, Amelia persuades her husband Jack to bite the bullet and move to the countryside.  Buying a property in rural Kent in need of a complete facelift, Amelia and Jack soon realise that life in the country is not all roaring fires and Hunter willies.  Is village life everything they expected it to be?  Can they make the ramshackle, dated cottage a home? And will the previous owner ever be able to accept that Amelia and Jack are now living in 'her' house?

I was really excited to receive a review copy of Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream as Abby Clements has been one of the most talked about chicklit authors of the year.  I was told to expect a light, romantic read and a chatty, conversational writing style.  Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream is a simple tale of friendship, big dreams and the strains that everyday life can put on a marriage.  I mostly liked Amelia and admired her determination to create a cosy, welcoming home, and could relate to impact of distance between her and her closest friends.  The subplot surrounding the previous owner of Jack and Amelia's house was interesting and I would have liked it to have been explored in a more detail.

The storyline was predictable at times, but I don't mind that in a chicklit book.  Infact there is something quite reassuring about expecting a plot to go a certain way when you are reading a book specifically as a gentle, easy read to wind down after a day at work.

If you like Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes and Freya North, give Abby Clements a try.  A cosy read to warm your heart as you snuggle by your own fire. 

Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream is out now, published by Quercus.

7.5/10

With thanks to Abby's publicist for providing me with a review copy of this title in return for an honest review.

The Night Train- Sara Sheridan (Mirabelle Bevan short story)

I downloaded The Night Train as I have absolutely adored the two full length Mirabelle Bevan books.  I was thrilled to bits to realise I'd be able to get another dose of my favourite sleuth before the release of the next book early next year. 

 

 

I'm not always a fan of short stories and this really is very succinct- around the same length as a short chapter.  Whilst I had hoped it would be a bit longer because I am such a fan of the books, the writing was the usual fluid, perceptive style that I have come to expect from Sara Sheridan, and was a thought-provoking insight into the possibilities of a journey, especially a night train (going on a night train is on my Bucket List and I am even more keen to complete it now- I love the idea of the sun setting as you leave one place and rising as you arrive in another).

 

For fans of Mirabelle who are looking to get a peek at her softer side, The Night Train offers this opportunity. Brief, but wonderfully worded, I would love Sara Sheridan to compile a collection of Mirabelle short stories with snippets of her encounters, as this is one woman who leaves a lasting impression on everyone she meets.  A charming glimpse into a fleeting moment.

 

7/10

Incoming #5

Bought-

 

 

And 3 Persephone Books (the covers don't show up well on here)-

The Fortnight in September- RC Sheriff

Miss Buncle Married- DE Stevenson

Few Eggs and No Oranges- Vere Hodgson

 

Reviews-

 

 

And the two new Persephone titles released later this month-

The Two Mrs Abbotts- DE Stevenson

 

 

Won-

Isabella's Last Request- Laura Lawrence *guest review for Mojo Mums*

I am a guest reviewer for the lovely MojoMums website and am always delighted to see the titles I am sent.  Last month I was asked to review a copy of Isabella's Last Request by Laura Lawrence.  A book aimed at the NA audience (possibly also suitable for mature YA), it wouldn't have been one I would have chosen to read myself, but I did enjoy it.  A bucket list, two friends and one big world to explore...

Read my review here.

The Valentine Present and Other Diabolical Liberties-Lynda Renham

On arriving home after a friend s posh wedding, launderette worker Harriet, finds her life irrevocably changed when she discovers her flat ransacked and her boyfriend missing. In a matter of hours she is harassed by East End gangsters and upper crust aristocrats. Accepting an offer she can't refuse, Harriet, against her better judgment becomes the fiancée of the wealthy Hamilton Lancaster, with dire consequences. What she had not bargained on was meeting Doctor Brice Edmunds. The Valentine Present and Other Diabolical Liberties is Lynda Renham's funniest novel so far. A cocktail of misunderstandings, three unlikely gangsters, a monkey and a demented cat make this novel a hysterical read. Follow Harriet s adventure where every attempt to get out of trouble puts her deeper in it.

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Arriving home after a posh wedding do, Harriet finds her flat ransacked and her boyfriend AWOL.  Gangsters turn up on her doorstep demanding money and in a desperate attempt to raise much needed funds Harriet agrees to act as the fiancée of Hamilton Lancaster, a well-to-do gent set to inherit the family business.  When she meets Doctor Brice Edmonds, Harriet finds herself in a complicated situation, well out of her depth. 

 

I found The Valentine Present and Other Diabolical Liberties an easy read which didn't require much concentration.  The characters were caricatures and the plot entertaining, which meant it was fast paced.  This is very much a book which doesn't take itself too seriously, however, I felt it tried a bit too hard to be constantly funny and that was the main negative for me. I was amused by some sections of this book but found the constant jokes and one liners relentless, almost to a fault.  Personally, I would also have preferred less swearing as I felt it unnecessarily littered with expletives.  Saying that I know Lynda Renham has a large and loyal fan base and is held in high regard by readers, so maybe I am in a minority.

I would recommend this book to fans of the chicklit genre who like their romance with a large dose of comedy on the side. 

The Valentine Present and Other Diabolical Liberties is available in ebook and paperback, out now.

6.5/10

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