Recently I Read... Spring 2016 (part one)

I've had a bit of a blogging hiatus due to life getting busier and busier of late, and I've made a decision that rather than giving full reviews of every book I've read I'm going to review most of the books in 100 words or less in a series of posts 'Recently I Read...)  The stand-out books I read during this time will get full reviews soon as I have to recommend them to you properly!

Here's the first batch of books I read -

The Cricket in Times Square - George Selden
A classic children's book about a cat, a mouse, a cricket and a boy.  Set mainly in Times Square subway station, George Selden's gentle tale gives the reader a flavour of New York life, and even though it was written in 1960 it's still charming and relatable.  Garth Williams accompanying illustrations are gorgeous.

The Thing about Jellyfish - Ali Benjamin
Suzy is grieving her best friend Franny who died by drowning in the sea.  Convincing herself that Franny was stung by a jellyfish and that's the cause of death, Suzy makes it her mission to learn all she can about them.  An interesting idea but I found myself switching off during the fact-dropping sections in this YA book.

Miss Brill - Katherine Mansfield
This collection of short stories in the Penguin Little Black Classics collection interested me as I have been meaning to read Mansfield's work for a while.  That's the great thing about the series - it's a brilliant way to try new authors.  The story of the title was my favourite, an examination of loneliness, whilst the other two were both centred around relationships.  Whilst I admire Mansfield's writing and ability to capture character and setting so well in a short word count, it hasn't made me buy any more of her works as yet.

D is for Dahl - Wendy Cooling
Non-fiction book of facts about Roald Dahl that my son got out of the library.  Both of us enjoyed dipping into this book and finding out more about Dahl's stories, writing process and life. 

Recently I Read...Spring 2016 will return!

My Month in Manga - April 2016

I think of myself as a pretty diverse reader.  I read fiction and non-fiction aplenty across a variety of genres and with differing target audiences.  I read poetry, fan fiction and flash fiction.  And occasionally I've read graphic novels - over recent years I've reread some of the Tintin stories and reviewed a graphic novel adaptation of Peter Pan last year.

But I'd never tried manga before, despite its popularity.  I can't say why really, other than that a lot of the titles bloggers raved about didn't hold any appeal for me.  I either didn't like the style of the art, or it looked like it was too far towards fantasy/gore for my taste.

Last week I had a bit of spare time after meeting friends at Meadowhall and so naturally I drifted to the bookshop (actually I drifted to a few - Waterstone's and WH Smith).  It was in the latter that I browsed the surprisingly large manga section and found a book I couldn't resist taking away with me.  That book was the first omnibus volume of Princess Jellyfish.  I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Tsukimi and her friends and it's encouraged me to try more manga, mainly josei (aimed at ladies) or shojo/shoujo (aimed at teen girls). 

Here's the manga I read in April.

Princess Jellyfish - vol.1

 

The Blurb

 

Tsukimi Kurashita has a strange fascination with jellyfish. She's loved them from a young age and has carried that love with her to her new life in the big city of Tokyo.

There, she resides in Amamizukan, a safe-haven for girl geeks who regularly gush over a range of things from trains to Japanese dolls. However, a chance meeting at a pet shop has Tsukimi crossing paths with one of the things that the residents of Amamizukan have been desperately trying to avoid - a fashionable socialite!

But there's much more to this woman than her trendy clothes. Their odd encounter is only the beginning of a new and unexpected path for Tsukimi and her friends.

 

The Review

 

Fangirls and romance are an irresistible combination and Princess Jellyfish absolutely nails it.  From the moment I was introduced to Tsukimi I knew this was a young woman I could relate to.  Her and her friends the Amars are socially awkward and devote their lives to their passions in trains, manga and kimonos.  They're disinterested in fashion and no real desire to fit in.  So when a beautiful woman bursts into their life and shows no sign of taking the hint to leave, everything changes. 

 

Princess Jellyfish was a perfect introduction to manga.  Firstly, the art is absolutely gorgeous.  When I finished reading I started again so I could really appreciate it in its own right.  And it was also really, really helpful that the characters were visually different.  I wasn't ever wondering which character was which because they all had individual styles.  The story was compelling - familiar enough because it followed the trope of the misfit, yet with a new twist.  It was humorous and light hearted yet still dealt with issues such as societal expectations, politics (on an accessible level!) and grief.  I'd urge anyone keen to try manga to start with Princess Jellyfish - I can't wait for volume 2 to be released in June!

 

Princess Jellyfish is published by Kodansha Comics.  It is available in ebook and paperback form.

 

Hot Gimmick vol.1

 

 

The Blurb

 



In company-owned rabbit-hutch apartments live tenants who can't afford to live anywhere else, and the apartment complex in which high-school girl Hatsumi Narita lives is ruled over by the rumour mongering, self-righteous Mrs. Tachibana. Get on Tachibana's bad side, and life becomes hell. When Hatsumi has to buy a pregnancy test because her popular sister Akane is late, Mrs. Tachibana's son, Ryoki, who used to bully Hatsumi as a kid, promises not to tell the world about Hatsumi's secret if she becomes his slave. Suddenly Azusa, Hatsumi's protector in their youth, reappears to save her again! He's moving back into the neighbourhood! Despite the budding romance between Hatsumi and Azusa, Ryoki has control over her through the secret that could ruin the lives of everyone in Hatsumi's family, and he hasn't forgotten who his slave is!

 

The Review

 

I picked up Hot Gimmick at the library because I was drawn to the cover.  I loved the style of the art especially the wide-eyed characters and the simplicity in the strong lines.  The cover is typical of the style throughout this manga.

 

The actual plot of Hot Gimmick made uncomfortable reading at times as Ryoki's bullying of nervous Hatsumi is sexual - he's pressurising her to try and make her do things she doesn't want to do.  This didn't sit well with me at all and at one point I almost put it down because I found it so disturbing - probably worse than in other fictions that cover similar topics because it's visually played out through the artwork.

 

However, I did keep reading because I cared enough to know what would happen next and I hoped that with the return of Hatsumi's friend Azusa she'd become more confident and stop giving in to Ryoki's blackmailing. 

 

I was so irate with this book for a number of reasons but I will go and get volume 2 from the library because I'm curious enough to find out what happens next.

 

Hot Gimmick is published by Viz Media in ebook and paperback format.

 

Kiss Him, Not Me! vol.1

 

 

The Blurb

 



Kae is a secret fujoshi (female manga/anime nerd) who spends all day fantasizing about her male classmates making out with… each other.

However, her fervent passion for manga and anime causes an accident that comes with surprising results.

The once homely and overweight fangirl has become an overwhelmingly cute girl who now turns heads everywhere she goes. With her new looks, Kae has caught the attention of a group of handsome boys who all want to date her. But in the end Kae is still a fujoshi at heart, and rather than receive kisses from them, she would get much more enjoyment out of seeing those boys make out with each other.

 

The Review

 

Kiss Him, Not Me! is one of the most popular shojo manga series at the moment.  When Kae's favourite anime character dies, she's bereft - so bereft that she goes from plain and overweight into the hottest girl around in a fortnight.  It soon becomes the typical ugly duckling/'fat girl loses weight and becomes desirable' story when four boys are suddenly interested in Kae and are willing to overlook her obsession with manga to get her to choose them over the others.

 

It's an entertaining read and I can see why it's done so well, I just wish the story didn't revolve around Kae's weight/transformation.  On a personal level, that touched a nerve.

 

The other thing I found slightly confusing was how the male characters looked similar - it made it hard at times to differentiate between them.  There were a few times I had to break my stride to refer back to previous boxes to work out which boy was which.

 

However, I'll definitely be reading volume 2 and just wish this volume had been a double/omnibus!

 

Kiss Him, Not Me! is published by Kodansha in ebook and paperback format.

 

That was my month in manga!



Down Dorset Way... A Guest Post by Debbie Johnson

Today I'm welcoming Debbie Johnson to Books with Bunny.  Her new release Summer at the Comfort Food Café was published by Harper Impulse last Friday, and Debbie was keen to share exactly why she so loves Dorset in this guest post today.

Over to Debbie!

I must admit that when I booked our first holiday in Dorset, I actually secretly wanted to go to Cornwall, one of my favourite places on earth.

But with three kids and two dogs in the car, and the prospect of a lengthy drive from Liverpool, it seemed like a good compromise – a similar vibe, but with less time swearing on the motorway.

We headed off to our cottages near the village of Maiden Newton half expecting it to be a poor man’s Poldark country.

We couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead, we found a rich and varied county full of rolling hills, stunning countryside and of course a world-renowned coastline. We found pretty villages and wonderful pubs and gorgeous food. We found welcoming people, friendly faces, and heaven on earth for both the children and the dogs.

This is the land of Thomas Hardy and Tess of the d’Urbervilles; it’s Far from the Madding Crowd and it’s the French Lieutenant’s Woman and it’s Broadchurch. It’s absolutely bloody gorgeous, and I deny anybody looking down at Durdle Door in the morning not to fall in love with it.

We stay at Lancombe Country Cottages, a dog-friendly, family-friendly haven set between coast and country. Like Cherie’s properties at the Rockery, they’re wonderfully located – but unlike the Rockery, they are beautifully decorated inside as well!

Just a short drive away from there, you can find the resorts of Weymouth and Poole; Lyme Regis and West Bay, the Jurassic Coast and areas of outstanding natural beauty. Like Laura and her family, we never want to leave – but real life isn’t fiction, so we always have to!

It’s been wonderful creating a whole Dorset world for my characters to inhabit, and I hope you have enjoyed sharing their stories.

Sadly, the Comfort Food Cafe is entirely fictional – but the kind of beautiful view from its clifftop location are not. If you’re tempted to go and see for yourself, my friends at Visit Dorset have provided us with their list of the area’s Top Ten Views to Fall in Love With – and seeing is believing! 

1) Gold Hill, Shaftesbury – this steep cobbled street is famous for its picturesque appearance; the view looking down from the top of the street has been described as “one of the most romantic sights in England” and was made famous in the 1970s Hovis advert.

2) Hengistbury Head – this headland south-east of Christchurch was an important trading port even from the Iron Age but is now a Nature Reserve; stand on top of the plateau and you will see views of Christchurch Harbour, Mudeford, Isle of Wight and Bournemouth beach

3) Hambledon Hill – standing on top of this prehistoric hillfort situated near Blandford Forum gives glorious views across the Blackmore Vale. Nearby Fontmell Down offers similarly spectacular views.

 

 

4) Ballard Down – One of Dorset’s most attractive hills, Ballard Down offers fantastic views of the Dorset heaths, Poole Harbour and Old Harry Rocks.

5) Chesil Beach view near Abbotsbury – the coastal road from from Bridport to Abbotsbury (the B3157) offers wonderful views along the Jurassic Coast and just before you arrive in the picturesque village of Abbotsbury, Chesil Beach stretches before you with views to Portland.

6) Golden Cap –this is the highest point along the south coast of England and on a clear day, you can see to Dartmoor in Devon.

7) Hardy’s Monument, Portesham – erected in 1844, a monument to Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy who captained Nelson’s ship HMS Victory at the battle of Trafalgar and was born in Dorset; views across both heathland and the coast.

 

 

8) Swyre Head – the highest spot in the Purbeck hills near Swanage; the hill commands extensive views from the Isle of Wight to Portland.

10) Pilsdon Pen – Pilsdon Pen is an Iron Age Hillfort on the highest hill in Dorset and is only 30 metres short of a mountain! The hill offers sweeping views across the hedged landscape of the Marshwood Vale and is a perfect spot for a picnic.

You can find out more at www.visit-dorset.com, or connect with them via twitter @dorsettourism, https://www.facebook.com/VisitDorset/, or https://www.instagram.com/‌visitdorsetofficial/.

Cover reveal for Phillipa Ashley's Summer at the Cornish Cafe

I was very excited to hear that Phillipa Ashley was writing a new series and I'm thrilled to be able to share the cover for book one, Summer at the Cornish Café, today!

 

The book, the first in the Penwith trilogy, is due to be published by Avon on May 5th.  I can't wait!  It promises to be the perfect slice of summertime reading.

Cover reveal for Perfume and Promises by Ellen Faith

It's cover reveal day for Ellen Faith!




Perfume and Promises by Ellen Faith Published by Self-Published on 21st May 2016 Genres: Chicklit, Humour, Love & Romance Goodreads

Chloe Richards is a small town girl with a big heart. At least, that’s what the local folk of Rosehip Village think. But when her parents turn up on her doorstep asking for help, her secret past is about to be revealed. Being the daughter of Hollywood royalty was never going to be easy, but at 19, Chloe Richards managed to leave that life behind along with the scandals that almost destroyed her. A fresh start was all she needed, and a fresh start was what she got in Rosehip. Girlfriend of a local bookshop owner, best friends with fiercely loyal café owner and owner of a perfume business herself, Chloe has a happy life. But her parents are about to turn her perfect life on its head. Again. What do you do when you’re torn between loyalty and protecting yourself? Should you trust your heart when your head is telling you not to?

About Ellen Faith

Ellen lives in the wonderful county of Yorkshire, England where she spends most of her time baking, eating, baking, and eating. Occasionally she does leave the house to go to the cinema or do some food shopping though. After spending years with an overactive imagination, she decided to put all the magic in her head to some good use and put finger to laptop where The Story of Us was born and became her debut novel. She loves to travel, her favourite destinations so far have all been in America, hence the love of all things, and all people, American. The food rocks pretty hard too, she ate until her jeans begged her to stop whilst she was there. True fact. Aside from day dreaming and eating, Ellen is a sucker for a lolcat, penguins and monkeys - she has never claimed to be normal.

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

The Night that Changed Everything - Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice

The Blurb
Rebecca is the only girl she knows who didn't cry at the end of Titanic. Ben is the only man he knows who did. Rebecca’s untidy but Ben doesn’t mind picking up her pieces. Ben is laid back by Rebecca keeps him on his toes. They're a perfect match.

Nothing can come between them. Or so they think.

When a throwaway comment reveals a secret from the past, their love story is rewritten.

Can they recover from the night that changed everything? And how do you forgive when you can’t forget?

The Night That Changed Everything is a funny, feel-good and bittersweet story, told in alternate chapters by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice.

The Review
Following on from the success of The Best Thing that Never Happened to Me (which I still haven't managed to read yet, despite all my good intentions) Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice are celebrating publication of another emotion and humour filled story of love and friendship in The Night that Changed Everything. 

Told through the eyes of both Rebecca and Ben as their relationship unravels, this story had me hooked - I can absolutely see where the comparisons to Richard Curtis films come from.  Everything about this novel is so absolutely British in nature, from the London setting to the typically blunt banter, to the way it walks the fine line between laughter and despair.

Although this could be marketed as a romance, I'd say this is as much about the love between friends as the love between couples, particularly how the ripples of interactions between pairings within a larger friendship group can affect others.  There were times I wanted to scream at varying members of the group (including both Ben and Rebecca!) for their behaviour and the justifications they made for it, and if it weren't for the touching and genuine bonds between the friends this could have been a very bleak read indeed as Tait and Rice don't shy away from painful storylines.

I absolutely loved this one, it's just what I look for in a book and Laura and Jimmy are also inspirations in terms of my own writing - any writers who can strike the balance between laugh out loud funny and total tearjerker in just a few sentences are.

If you've enjoyed books by Erin Lawless, Giovanna Fletcher or Jenny Colgan, I'd recommend you give this a try.

The Night that Changed Everything is out now, published by Transworld.

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

True Face - Siobhan Curham

The Blurb
We are living in the age of the image - the perfect image. From the constant bombardment of air-brushed photos, to the dubious lifestyle choices promoted by celebrities and the obsession with social media, young women are under pressure as never before to project a persona of perfection. And this is having a catastrophic effect, with girls as young as seven developing eating disorders and female self-loathing reaching epidemic proportions.

True Face shows you how to resist the pressure from the 'perfection police' and take off the masks you wear to proudly reveal your true self to the world. In chapters dealing with body image, bullying, social media, love, sex and more, Siobhan Curham encourages young women and girls to be honest, dream big, and create lives that are happy and fulfilling. Keep Calm and Carry On is replaced by a new mantra: Forget the Fake and Keep it Real. This book is a breath of fresh air. Perfect for ages 13+ - and for the Girls fan in her 20s/30s too!

The Review
I first heard about True Face in the summer of 2015.  I've spent my whole life feeling uncomfortable about my body and how I look, and a lovely blogger friend recommended that this book might be helpful.  Off the back of her recommendation, I asked for this for Christmas from my sister in law.

I have to admit that I was initially a bit sceptical.  I don't read a lot of self-help books, I'm not really in the target market for this teen book and my issues are so deeply ingrained that it was hard to think it might benefit me.  On that count, I've got to hold my hands up and say I was wrong.  It really made me consider what I could do to make myself as happy as I could be, in terms of changing and accepting my body and making time for the things that are important to me.

The strength of this book is Siobhan Curham's honesty.  Through sharing her own experiences she conveys how it is possible to take control and change your own life for the better - sometimes through small adjustments, sometimes through larger ones, but all through learning to accept and then love your true self. 

There are reflective activities throughout the book, such as thinking about the things that made you happy as a child - would those things still make you happy now?  Do you still do them?  If not, why not?  As someone who often says I've not changed much in terms of my hobbies and interests, it was a useful exercise and I've changed my routine to make time for more of what makes me happy. 

I'm never going to be an extrovert and I'm probably always going to be one of life's worriers, but taking time to consider what makes me who I am helped me develop a confidence and self-belief that enabled me to push myself in numerous aspects of my life - my work at pre-school, my writing, and yes, my weight loss. 

Recommended for anyone who needs reminding of their own self worth.

True Face is out now.