Just One Day - Gayle Forman

The Blurb

Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the “accidents” of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost. . . and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.

The first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

The Review

I bought this book from the incredible Books of Wonder in New York City on the recommendation of my friend Anne.  Anne's a librarian who loves YA, so being let lose in a children's bookshop with her was a dangerous but amazing experience.  It was like having my own personal shopper.

What sold the book to me was the contemporary romance element - in my opinion there's just not enough modern YA out there that focuses primarily on the connection between two people.  But the connection between American Allyson, who's on an organised tour of Europe before heading off to study medicine at university and Dutch Willem, who's part of an unconventional group of Shakespearean actors, literally sizzles from the start.  As the pair head off on an impromptu twenty-four hour visit to Paris, the ultimate city of love, Allyson discovers that maybe no one is ever just one person...including herself.

There's more to Just One Day than love or lust, although that element of the novel was written in a way that evokes so much emotion that it wouldn't have mattered to me if it was 300+ pages of purely love-riddled angst.  There's travel, the absolute beauty of exploring new places for the first time with both fear and wonder.  There's self-discovery, and the realisation that as humans it's in our very nature to change and develop and grow.  There's friendship, both old and new, and how those relationships can either blossom into something special or wither away. 

I suppose, in its more simple terms, Just One Day is a coming of age novel.  But with some of the most beautiful cities in the world as a backdrop, Forman's beautiful storytelling and a love story that had me in bits, for me that sells it short.

I'm sure that come December this will be in my reads of the year and can barely wait to get my hands on Willem's story in the second book in the series, Just One Year.

Just One Day is out now, published in the UK by Definitions.

Counting Stars- Keris Stainton HOT KEY BOOKS WEEK

The Blurb

A new life in a new city - would could possibly go wrong . . . ?

When eighteen-year-old Anna leaves school and moves to Liverpool, she feels like her life is finally beginning. She's landed her dream job at a theatre, and she's moving into an exciting (if not slightly run-down) houseshare on a buzzing street lined with shops, bars, and buskers. Best of all, her new flatmates are kind, welcoming and a lot of fun - what more could she ask for?

But her new life is also a little overwhelming. Anna's job quickly falls through, and then she realises that although her new friends are great, they're also a little mixed-up... and it's not long before Anna starts using her blog to talk about her experiences, from the hilarious to the ridiculous to the little-bit-scary. But when Anna spills a bigger secret than she can handle, suddenly the consequences are all too real. She'll have to prove she has the mettle to make it in the big city, or risk losing everything she thinks she wants.

The Review

I can't get enough of books about tight-knit friendship groups at the moment and newfound friendship is the basis for Counting Stars.  Anna excitedly leaves home to start afresh in Liverpool, and quickly settles into life in a shared house in the city centre.  Her housemates are her new best friends and she's open and honest with them about so many things- the fact the job she moved to Liverpool for has fallen through, that she's not used to drinking, that she's a virgin... but she doesn't mention her online alterego as vlogger Anna Sparks. As time goes on it seems harder to share this secret, but Anna can't stop vlogging, it's s deeply ingrained in her life. 

I thought the characters in this one were brilliant; all likable and believable for their age group.  Sean, who's hung up on a boy called Charlie who doesn't know he exists. Alfie, the sensible and sensitive one who knows he doesn't want to follow in his father's footsteps as a moneygrabbing businessman.  Molly, who's unreliable and flighty and lives in the moment without fear for the consequences. And finally Nina, who's dropped out of performing arts college and is chambermaiding at a hotel, although her and bootycall Jack find themselves on the job rather than doing their job pretty regularly.  Each bring something different to the book and they all have their own storylines and subplots, which I felt added depth to the book. 

There was always something happening which ensured there was never a dull moment, and as soon as one situation was resolved another challenge was laid down for the characters to overcome.  This did mean some parts felt a little bit hurried and I'd have gladly found out even more about the characters and their life and had a book double the length!  I was talking to my friend Laura at Blabbering About Books who said she'd have loved this to be a series, and I can understand what she means as it's so moreish and there's so much contained in the plot and subplots.  Ultimately, I think we both just longed for more!

This book took me back to the heady days soon after leaving home where freedom is both liberating and downright scary.  It's a challenging time and Counting Stars portrays that perfectly.  I can't say how much I loved it and I'm so glad I got my copy signed at YALC (you can read about that, and my meeting Keris here) as it's a definite 'keeper' for me.

Keris Stainton has come up trumps again!

Counting Stars is out today, published by Hot Key Books.

What Happens to Men when they Move to Manhattan- Jill Knapp

The Blurb

Life in the city gives 23 year old Amalia Hastings a ride she is not expecting. As she tries to find her way on the little island that never sleeps, she discovers she has a harder time navigating through life then she does the streets of Greenwich Village!

She thought she had everything she wanted – a new apartment in Manhattan, a first-rate education at NYU, a group of trusted friends and Nicholas, a boyfriend who she once believed was her soul-mate. But somehow, it isn’t enough.

Stumbling through her relationships, Amalia encounters Michael. An attractive classmate who quickly moves from being one of her close friends, to an inconsistent friend-with-benefits. After all, the only thing consistent about New York is its beauty.

Amalia is essentially torn between two men, and Michael is torn between two women. Her best friend Cassandra is being strung along by her “boyfriend”, Bryce, and even her friend Olivia is having a secret relationship!

After getting terribly lost searching for love in all the wrong places, Amalia finds herself asking – what happens to men when they move to Manhattan?!

The Review

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of romantic fiction, and an even bigger fan of New York City. When the two are combined I'm always excited to see what's in store, and when I heard about What Happens to Men when they Move to Manhattan I couldn't wait to get stuck in.

There's very definitely a Sex and the City type feel to this one!  Protagonist Amalia is one of the privileged girls, with a posh apartment, attractive boyfriend Nicholas and a group of stylish, well-to-do friends.  But then there's college mate Michael, throwing a spanner in the works...

At first I found her quite an irritating character, almost brattish.  But then she's a 23 year old trying to find her place in the world, so I cut her a bit of slack and although I didn't find her particularly likable, nor relatable, I felt I at least understood her.

When Amalia's dumped with no solid explanation, seeds of doubts about her future are sewn.  This is what made me warm to her slightly- when it was clear that although she had a lot of material goods and a seemingly perfect life, she actually still faced the same issues as many other girls her age- although she retained her strong attitude. 

There's quite a lot of socialising and a fair few petty disagreements, which I suppose is true for people in their early twenties!  Perhaps I'm a bit too far removed from this scene now to relate to this culture, but I imagine for readers in their late teens and early twenties, or fans of NA generally, there might be more connection to the characters which would have perhaps enhanced my enjoyment.

That said, it's an easy book to read- I was surprised when I reached the end because I didn't feel I'd been reading for that long!  That's a credit to Jill Knapp's voice; her chatty flow made me zoom through the book even though there were times when the subject matter didn't grab me.

Overall, by the time I reached the final pages and Amalia had followed the path of self discovery, I cared enough about her to want to know what happens next- which is a good thing because What Happens to Men when they Move to Manhattan is the first in a series!  If you like your heroine's feisty, then this could be one for you.

What Happens to Men when they Move to Manhattan is available now in ebook and paperback formats, published by Harper Impulse.

With thanks to the publisher who provided me with a review copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Chalet Girl Plays Cupid- Lorraine Wilson

The Blurb

A match made on the slopes…
After a messy break up that’s left her homeless, jobless and single, temporary chalet girl Emily needs a fresh start! So when best friend Holly asks her to help out before the start of the winter season at the exclusive Chalet Repos in Verbier, Emily jumps at the chance. What broken heart can’t be fixed by après ski cocktails?
Verbier seems like the perfect escape, until Emily meets super-sexy and darkly brooding winter athlete Jake. She’s meant to be avoiding men at all costs, but the spark between her and Jake is sizzling! As she finds herself increasingly left alone with Jake, Emily begins to wonder if Cupid has paid a visit to Chalet Repos…!

The Review

I'm a huge cheerleader for Lorraine Wilson and her Chalet Girl series, so I was really excited about the prospect of a free short story set in Verbier!

I don't want to give too much away, especially as it's only a bitesized version, but it gives a good flavour of Lorraine's writing style and the Chalet Girl books for anyone new to the series, and as freebies go it's one of the best!

It's a quick and easy read that can be read as a standalone, but for fans of the series there's more of familiar characters Holly and Scott-I must admit, that was probably the highlight for me, learning more about their relationship and their personalities. There's not the depth that there is in the other books, but then this is much shorter and full of fun.

A sweet tale for romantics everywhere!

Chalet Girl Plays Cupid is out now, published by Harper Impulse.
Download for FREE here.

Come back on Thursday 30th April for a review of Lorraine Wilson's Rebellion of a Chalet Girl and a fabulous giveaway!

And #HIFortnight is COMING!  Join in the fun...

After- Anna Todd BLOG TOUR

 

 

 

ORGASMIC AUTUMN IS HERE!!!  YIPPEEEEE!

 

This is a weird one for me to be writing about as it feels very close to home!  I'm friends with a lot of the other bloggers on the UK tour for After, but I don't think they were familiar with it until The Hot Bed, Simon and Schuster's raunchy side, started promoting it.  Whereas I knew all about After. 

 

If you've read my blog before, you'll have seen me talking of my love for One Direction-maybe even the 'celebrity crush' promo video for a book earlier in the year, where I'm holding a picture of Louis and the drool is almost visible.  That's the small scale side of the obsession.  Here comes the full on confession.  I saw them four times this summer-twice as VIP (absolutely amazing.  Niall did the Better than Words thrust practically IN MY FACE).  I went to support Louis and Niall in their charity games.  I've been tweeted by Anne, Ruth and Dan, and DMed by Keith.  Liam's car nearly ran me and my friend Svenja over at 1am on his way back from a late night trip to KFC to beat the munchies.  And I actually met Dan and nearly died with excitement (I'm a huge Dangirl Fangirl. Gotta love someone who strums that well.  Ahem).  

 

Basically, I'm just sharing a few credentials here so people who find my blog via Anna know I'm not a carrot ;) 

 



Any excuse to relive the 'meeting Dan' moment, even though my hair did look exceptionally shit that day

And if none of that made any sense to you, you're obviously one of the bookish visitors not a Directioner...

 

If you know me then you'll know I unashamedly read/write/champion fanfiction.  And One Direction fanfiction is my area of expertise.  I've read it all-the good, the bad, the ugly, the downright weird.

 

Anna Todd is the most well known writer of fanfic in our fandom.  She has an absolute 'Anna Army' clamouring for updates and there are people who've had 'Hessa' tattoos, make endless manips and are probably as obsessed with 'After Harry' (who has been renamed as Hardin for the print version) as they are with Harry himself.  And because Anna is so bloody lovely, answering hundreds of fans tweets daily, running an online reading group and aiming to meet as many fans as she can in person, it has grown, and grown, and grown.  It's like an After snowball running away down a hill, building up speed and bundling up new readers with each update.

 

I'll be honest.  I resisted After for a long time, partly because of the hype.  And also, I seriously struggle with any serialised fiction because I am the most impatient human on the entire planet, and waiting for updates on fanfics I read nigh on kills me.  It was only when I started interacting with Anna on twitter that I finally started reading it, but when that happened I was hooked.

 

This is quite a rambly opening for a blog post, I admit.  But I couldn't launch straight into a review without a bit of background, because it is the background which has brought us to this point-where After is on the verge of release to an unsuspecting public.  Fans will be slightly reluctant to share, because Hessa is part of our fandom and we are a very tight, loyal bunch (best fans in the world, eh Nialler?).  Yet in saying that, I think everyone that's enjoyed After on Wattpad will be thrilled for Anna and the success she is having. 

 

She's one of us, afterall. 

 

The Blurb

 

Anna Todd's After fan fiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the Internet's most talked-about book, now newly revised and expanded, for yourself! There was the time before Tessa met Hardin, and then there's everything AFTER...Life will never be the same. #Hessa

 

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She's got direction, ambition, and a mother who's intent on keeping her that way. But she's barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is undeniably hot! But he's also rude - to the point of cruelty, even.

 

For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does - until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she's never known before. He'll call her beautiful, then insist he isn't the one for her and disappear again and again.

 

Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper.

 

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin's prejudice about nice girls like her? Unless...could this be love?

 

The Review 

 

Here goes nothing... This is literally one of the most scary reviews I have ever had to write!

 

But before I start, I need to get the negative out of the way- I really don't like the name change to Hardin.  I understand why it had to be altered, but Hardin just sounds so unBritish. I did kind of get used to it after a while, and for anyone coming to After for the first time it wouldn't be an issue at all.  I guess he'll just always be Harry to me *shrugs*  The other major name changes are Liam/Landon, Louis/Logan, Niall/Nate, Zayn/Zed- I actually really like the last one, but the others not so much.  They're only names though, and I can get over that.

 

For those who don't know, the story itself is in classic New Adult frenemies territory- preppy girl (Tessa) goes off to college leaving her reliable-yet-unexciting boyfriend (Noah) back in her hometown.  Finding herself thrown into a group of alternative types with tattoos and piercings, Tessa wonders where she fits in.  It's her roommate Steph who really opens Tessa's eyes to how appearances can be deceptive, and I love her.  She's a strong female with a real sense of her own identity and is a good friend to Tessa-she's got that rebellious streak but a good heart.  I'd love a friend like her.

 

Hardin is a bit more complex.  He's troubled, and broody and at times downright rude.  But he's also sexy as hell and has a reputation for being pretty darn amazing in bed. Oh, and he likes reading the classics.  Which all in all makes for a lethal and undeniably attractive character.  In real life I look for devotion and honesty, but in fiction I like my men with a bit of attitude and Hardin has that in bundles. 

 

Hardin was physically based on this beautiful man. What's not to love?

 

Of course, I'm not giving anything away if I let slip Tessa and Hardin become 'involved'.  It's messy and toxic with some steamy sex thrown in for good measure, but mostly their story is of fraught arguments and a power struggle. 

 

This is where some people find After hard. 

 

Both Tessa and Hardin can be selfish, both Tessa and Hardin are stubborn.  There is a lot of game playing between them where they seemingly testing each other. Tessa does this through meddling in Hardin's fractured family life, whereas Hardin closes off, uses sex to control Tessa and for large parts of the book is pretty awful.  There are people who have said After glamorises abusive relationships and that it shouldn't be released, especially when teen girls are reading it.  Two points on this from me.  Firstly, I don't think it does.  Tessa goes into the relationship with her eyes wide open and builds enough confidence to leave if she so wished.  And After has always been more about infatuation than straightforward love.  Secondly, those who say 'teens shouldn't read after because it gives an unhealthy view of relationships'- would you let teens read Jane Eyre?  Because having a wife locked in an attic isn't really healthy either, but I don't think Bronte was advocating it just because she used it as a plot device...

 

The editing has definitely improved the quality of the writing.  Wattpad is a fabulous place to get down ideas but Anna and her editors have really added to the style and substance of the book.  It is really, really readable- one of those books where you settle down to read a few pages and BAM- half your day is gone because you have been suckered in.  Put simply, if you're a fan of new adult fiction, then you have got to read After. 

 

Overall, I am really, really proud to 'know' Anna.  She built up from writing updates on her phone to a publishing deal and the After series is going to be a huge global phenomenon, even moreso than it already is.  I'm glad to have found Hardin and Tessa before the explosion which is coming.  And although it makes me a bit sad to say it, it's time for the fandom to share Hessa *sob*

 

*******

 



And I am EXCEPTIONALLY fortunate to have a little video snippet of the gorgeous Anna that she made exclusively for Books with Bunny (see, told you she was lovely) thanking everyone for their support.  Mwah. xxx

 

 1D fanfic lovers, you can find me on Wattpad here .

 

AND IF YOU WANT TO PREORDER AFTER....

 

 

Ebook links:
Kindle: amzn.to/1D9Yj6w
Google Play: bit.ly/1pgjfOW
Kobo: bit.ly/1uzvUDc
iTunes: bit.ly/X5Dd87

Paperback links: Amazon: amzn.to/1Da0OWI
Waterstones: bit.ly/1oOrMt3
WHSmith: bit.ly/ZmpHPt
Foyles: bit.ly/1qYb27M

Upside Down- Lia Riley

Upside Down is a new adult novel by up and coming author Lia Riley.  I was grabbed by the promise of an all encompassing romance, and couldn't wait to devote an afternoon of reading to it.

I must admit that the opening didn't immediately grab me.  As with all novels there was all the character development, and it focussed on Talia's insecurities, her OCD and how she was coping with the death of her seemingly perfect older sister Pippa.  It all seemed a bit more serious than I'd been expecting.

However, that changes when Talia runs away to Australia and meets Bran Lockhart, a mysterious hunk with a playboy reputation.  They might not appear to be a match, but they open up to each other, sharing their thoughts and their fears.  Bran's perceptive nature counteracts Talia's insecurities and before long they are dependant on each other. 

It isn't all plain sailing.  There are bumps in the road, particularly when it transpires that maybe Bran hasn't been entirely honest when sharing his life story.  But I took this couple into my heart, and after the turmoil they experienced, they deserved it.

I fell a little bit in love with surferboy Bran.  He's not perfect, not by a long chalk, but there is something about him which lured me in.  He's the playboy every woman believes she can tame.  And yes, he can be a total idiot at times, and thoughtless, and self-obsessed, but he truly cares for Talia.  He sees her for what she is, and loves her as she is.  And that is why this works.  The characters are not airbrushed to perfection, they have the flaws and quirks that are within us all, which gives them relatability (is that a word?  If not it should be).

Lia Riley has written a corker of a debut here, and fans of the genre will be lapping this up.  Humorous and heartfelt, Upside Down is a winner in my book.

Upside Down is out now.

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

Ugly Love- Colleen Hoover

 

One girl throwing caution to the wind and one boy giving in to lust for the first time in six years...that's pretty much the plot of Colleen Hoover's latest release Ugly Love.  I'd heard so many fantastic things about Colleen's novels but this is the first one I have read- I can tell you now it won't be the last.

Airline pilot Miles is up front and honest.  He isn't open to love.   Sensible, reliable Tate convinces herself this doesn't matter, that she can handle a no-strings, purely physical relationship. They have two rules- don't ask about the past and don't expect a future.  But can Tate play by the rules?  And does she even want to?

I'm not going to lie, there are some pretty steamy scenes in this one.  And the amount of sexual tension that sizzles off the page...well, let's just say that Miles and Tate's story had me gripped.  Hoover uses a dual narrative to expose both the characters points of view which results in the reader feeling like they know a lot about them both.  From the moment they meet (a slumped, drunken Miles lying in the doorway to Tate's apartment) through to the emotional climax, I took them into my heart.

It is a great summer read, perfect for the beach.  I rattled through it at pace, keen to know where the story was going and if the secrets of the past would be revealed.  The only trouble is I'm now gagging for more!

Colleen Hoover has succeeded where many others have fallen short.  In Ugly Love she's written a book with an intense and sexy feel which also has a strong plot.  Hoorah!

Ugly Love is out now published by Simon and Schuster.