I've Got Your Number

I've lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive!! :)

A couple of glasses of bubbly with the girls at a charity do and Poppy's life has gone into meltdown. Not only has she lost her engagement ring, but in the panic that followed, she's lost her phone too. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number with the hotel staff. It was meant to be!

Except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn't agree. He wants his phone back, and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, phone messages and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents, can things get any more tangled?

My opinion: This is the first Sophie Kinsella book I have read for a long time after being put off following reading a couple of books written under her real name, Madeleine Wickham, a few years ago.

I definitely won't leave it as long before reading one of her books again! I had this book for my birthday and was hooked into the story straight away. Poppy is at a charity bash with the girls and showing off her very expensive, family heirloom engagement ring given to her by her fiancé Magnus. When the fire alarm goes off, all hell breaks loose and the ring goes missing. In her panic to try and find her ring, Poppy has her phone stolen, but happens to find a phone in the bin. She takes the phone and ends up linked to it's previous owner's boss and she unofficially takes on the duties of his PA in exchange for use if the phone until she finds the ring. Sound straightforward? Well, as you can imagine, it's not!

The story is fast paced and had a number of twists and turns that you won't expect. Poppy is a fun character who feels that her fiancé's family look down on her. They are all geniuses (or is it geniuii?!) and she feels like they don't think that she is good enough (or clever enough) for their previous son. She works with her best friends and at times seem to have an interesting relationship. A few times when I was reading the book, I thought that Poppy could do much better and should get some new friends. But hey, that may just have been me!

I really enjoyed this book and looked forward to picking it up. There were some great characters and I loved Poppy's developing friendship with Sam. I'd really like to read more about the characters, so would welcome a sequel to this book. I will definitely seek out some more Sophie Kinsella books after reading this!

My rating: 5 stars!!

About A Girl

I’d lost my job. I’d lost the love of my life. My mum wasn’t talking to me. My best friend was epically pissed off. And my flatmate probably had a hit out on me by now. I never meant for things to get so out of hand…

Tess Brookes has always been a Girl with a Plan. But when her carefully constructed Plan goes belly up, she’s forced to reconsider.

After accidently answering her flatmate Vanessa’s phone, she decides that since being Tess isn’t going so well, why shouldn’t she try out being Vanessa? With nothing left to lose, she accepts Vanessa’s photography assignment to Hawaii – she used to be an amateur snapper, how hard can it be? Right?

But Tess is soon in big trouble – she isn’t a photographer, she isn’t Vanessa, and the gorgeous journalist on the shoot with her, who is making it very clear he’d like to get into her pants, is an egotistical monster.

Far from home and in someone else’s shoes, Tess must decide whether to fight on through, or ‘fess up and run…

My opinion: This is the first Lindsey Kelk book I've read, despite having a couple of her I Heart books on my TBR pile. I think this book was a fab place to start because I LOVED it!

The story is about a girl called Tess whose life has always gone to plan. Until now. Everything goes spectacularly wrong for Tess and after spending a few days dealing with it in the only way she can think of (under her duvet), she makes some drastic decisions that change her life and take her on adventures!

We follow Tess as she flies over to Hawaii and pretends to be Vanessa on a photography job. She is to be working on a fashion shoot which doesn't quite go to plan and has to keep up her alter ego whilst interacting with the journalist, art director and locals. She finds this quite difficult and you just know that adventure will ensue!

I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. I loved Tess and that she is a normal girl in extraordinary circumstances. The storyline kept me hooked and I just couldn't guess what was going to happen next. The characters were great and I really liked that there was a real mix of likeable and villain type characters (I'm thinking of the real Vanessa here!).

I would definitely recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more of Lindsey's books. I have to warn you though, this book has the biggest cliffhanger I have EVER read in a chick lit book and it will leave you with questions that need to be answered and a huge book hangover!!

My rating: A fantastic five stars

Kismetology

Finding the perfect man isn't easy. Especially when it's for your mother...

Mothers. Can't live with them, can't live without them, can't live three doors down the road without them interfering in every aspect of your life.

Mackenzie Atkinson's mother has meddled in her love life once too often and something has to be done. Mackenzie decides to turn the tables and find love for her lonely mother.
Her lonely and very fussy mother.
Surely finding an older gentleman looking for love won't be that hard, right?
Wrong.
If you've ever thought that boys grow up, here's the problem: They don't. Ever.
And Mackenzie is about to learn that the hard way.

Faced with a useless boyfriend, dressed up dogs, men who wear welly boots on dates, men who shouldn't be allowed out in public, and men who make reptiles seem like attractive company - will she ever find the perfect man for her neurotic mother?

My opinion: I read this book as it was written by an up and coming indie author and I liked the premise of the story. I have read a number of indie books and have to say that Jaimie is up there with the best of them!

I have to say that this book is extremely well written and is an impressive full length novel. This is particularly unusual for a first time self-published author. I would even go as far as saying that Jaimie has the potential to be up there with the great chick lit writers as I have read plenty of books by conventionally published chick lit authors that pale in comparison to this one.

The story is about a girl named Mackenzie who moves in with her boyfriend a few doors down from her meddling mother and sets out to find her a man to keep her occupied. The book is very funny and thoughtful and isn’t as predictable as a lot of chick lit. There are enough events in the book to keep you interested and it isn’t over complicated with too many characters as a lot of books can be. I also enjoyed the pace of the book and how the story unfolded.

I have to say that I think Jaimie is an indie author to keep an eye on. She has real talent and as the quality of her first book is so high then I am particularly excited about reading more of her work.

If you like authors such as Talli Roland, Jane Costello and Marian Keyes then this book is for you!

My rating: A fabulous four stars

I originally reviewed this book in 2012 over at Malibu Sunrise

Author interview: Holly Smale

Firstly I'd like to wish a very happy publication day to Holly Smale as the second book in the Geek Girl trilogy is published today! I've already got my copy preordered and can't wait to read it!! Holly has very kindly agreed to be interviewed by me to celebrate the publication of Model Misfit.

1. Hi Holly! Welcome to Sheli Reads. Can you tell us a bit about Geek Girl, and the latest book in the series, Model Misfit?

Geek Girl is essentially a modern, comedy fairytale: a kind of retelling of The Ugly Duckling crossed with Cinderella. It’s about a fifteen year old geek, Harriet Manners, who gets unexpectedly spotted on a school trip by a modelling agent and decides that this is her opportunity to reinvent herself. As she soon finds out: life doesn’t always work like that.

In Model Misfit, Harriet is still a model but there’s an entirely different set of challenges. She’s still finding her way, like most teenagers (actually, like most adults too), and she makes mistakes and chooses the wrong path more often that not. Hopefully those who loved her and her friends and family in the first book will enjoy seeing them again, although there are some new faces this time as well!


2. I felt that your main character, Harriet, was quite similar to me as a teenager (apart from bring beautiful and getting a modelling contract - I was average and got a job in a museum!). Did you base Harriet on your own teenage years?

I did, yes. We’re not identical – in my head she looks different, and we have subtly different temperaments (my temper is far worse) – but I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t largely based on me as a teenager. My agent has a terrible habit of calling me Harriet, which indicates I haven’t changed much since then!


3. Some of the situations that Harriet got into made me laugh out loud when reading the book. Were they based on real life events?

Yes and no. I tend to blend real life and imagination to the point where I’m not even sure what’s real or not anymore. Some of the really key narrative points did really happen – I was a geek, I was unpopular, I was spotted at the Clothes Show, and the Big Bullying scene was based on a real event – but the vast majority of it is a story I made up. I’m never sure if that’s what people want to hear or not!


4. What can we expect Harriet to get up to next in Model Misfit?

Model Misfit starts six months after Geek Girl finishes, which means there’s a whole new set of problems for Harriet to contend with: exams, a heavily pregnant stepmother, the prospect of a new sibling, a summer holiday without Nat… And Nick. As Harriet is still realising, things don’t always go according to plan - no matter how many you write to try and make them - and her love life is certainly no exception.

In an effort to run away from it all she takes a modelling job in Tokyo, and – in typical Harriet Manners style – only succeeds in getting into even more trouble.


5. What inspired you to put pen to paper and write the Geek Girl series?

I wanted to write a story about outsiders, about fairytales, about what it feels like to feel lonely and sad and lost and fit in nowhere. I wanted it to be funny, and I wanted it to be wholesome, and I wanted it to be warm and good-hearted. I guess the geek-turns-model seemed like a perfect twist on the Ugly Duckling story, and it felt right. It felt like a story I knew how to tell.


6. YA is a genre that seems to have exploded in recent years with some fantastic books being published. Have you got a favourite YA author?

What’s strange is that there have been amazing YA books for decades; it’s just our awareness and definition of them that has changed, because they have their own separate category now. To Kill a Mockingbird is largely from the perspective of a six year old narrator; in Catcher in the Rye, Holden is 17; Lord of the Flies is about a group of teenage boys. Lord of the Rings is YA, and so is The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe; Discworld; everything by Judy Blume; Adrian Mole. YA has always been some of the best fiction in the world: we just used to lump it in with adult fiction.

As a teenager I loved LM Montgomery, Sue Townsend, Harper Lee: they probably had the biggest impact on me, and I still reread them as an adult.


7. Do you have any writing tips for fellow geek girls who aspire to be an author one day?

I think writing is like anything: you have to learn the nuts and bolts before you can do anything really creative with it. You wouldn’t try to build a wardrobe without knowing how to make a finger-joint or use a plane, and the same goes for books: read as much as you can, of as many different types and genres as you can, and learn the basics of grammar and punctuation until they’re second nature. Then write and write, practice and practice, until you find a unique voice that’s yours.

That’s the key, really. The more you can be yourself in writing – using the tools you’ve learnt from others - the better the writing will be.


8. What is your favourite place to write? Do you have an office at home or do you like to be more creative with where you work?

My favourite place to write is on a laptop, in a comfy cushion, staring at a rice field or sea, surrounded by flowers and a light breeze and the smell of a delicious dinner cooking. Unfortunately more often than not I tend to write in my dark little bedroom overlooking a T junction in central London, surrounded by a pungent reminder of burnt toast and the sound of sirens from Elephant and Castle.


9. Do you have a favourite snack to eat when you are writing?

Almonds and apple green tea.


10. What is your first book related memory? Do you think that it inspired you to go on to be a writer?

When I was five, I was totally obsessed with The Faraway Tree and would carry it around with me everywhere like a teddy-bear: I was so deeply engrossed in the world it gave me that I couldn’t bear to physically put it down. I think I knew from that moment that I wanted to part of that magical process. I wanted to create worlds too.


11. And lastly, if you were an animal, what would you be?

A cat. I am disturbingly cat-like.

Thank you so much Holly for some great answers and for being a great sport. I too have always loved Sue Townsend and never thought of Adrian Mole as being YA! Also, I love the comparison to a cat!

Again, happy publication day and I hope to review here at Sheli Reads very soon!






Holly Smale fell in love with writing at the age of five, when she realised that books didn't grow on trees like apples. She completed her first rhyming couplet poem - "The Unicorn" - at the age of seven, and still brings it out for public readings at family dinner parties.

A passion for travel, adventure and wearing no shoes has since led her all over the world: she has visited 18 countries, spent two years working as an English teacher in Japan, volunteered in Nepal, been bartered for in Jamaica and had a number of bags, wallets and ear-plugs stolen in both Australia and India.

As a teenager, she also modelled (very badly) for a top London agency in the hope that eventually they would send her somewhere exciting.

They didn't.

Holly has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Shakespeare, and is currently a writer based in England.

Liebster Award

I'm pleased to day that I've been nominated for the Liebster Award by the lovely Cherelle over at Reading in Peace!

So what is the Liebster Award?

The idea behind the award is to give new and upcoming bloggers the opportunity to build their community and get to know one another. It’s the perfect way to meet new people and let them find out some interesting facts about you.

Here’s some rules:
1. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer;
2. Nominate some other bloggers!
3. Let them know!

I have also been nominated by Emma at Chicklit Vs Fantasy! I will answer her questions in a separate post, but will only make one set of nominations.

1. Who is your all time favourite book boyfriend?

It may be boring, but it has to be Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones! I can't explain why. It just is. Being played by Colin Firth obviously! ;-)

2. Have you ever started a book and not been able to finish it? If so what was it?

Oh there are loads that I haven't been able to finish. If I don't like a book I don't waste any time on it, I stop reading and move on! One of the most recent books I couldn't finish was The Casual Vacancy. It just wasn't for me!

3. Who is your role model/inspiration?

Ooh this is a hard one. I think overall it has to be Winston Churchill. He is the source of many inspirational quotes and led this country through what I find to be one of the most interesting times in history. There are many other people I find inspirational though, from authors, to politicians and even businessmen.

4. If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and why?

This is another really hard one! I'm not sure I could pin down just one! I think I'd like to meet any of the main characters from Jane Costello's books as they are always so down to earth and hilarious!

5. Where is your favourite place to read?

My ultimate favourite place is lying next to the pool in a luxury resort somewhere like Greece or the Canaries with a cocktail in my hand! I love reading lots of places though. Sat in the sun outside, sitting next to a real fire, cwtched up in bed, sat in a cafe or on a long train journey. More or less anywhere really!

6. If you were stuck on a desert island what 2 books would you take with you?

Does my Kindle count as one book?! If I had to choose two I think it would be a Five on a a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton as it's a childhood favourite that I just keep going back to and The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber as it's fantastic story telling and it's bloody massive!!

7. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I'm not particularly well travelled, but a place I really want to visit is Italy.

8. What is your favourite TV program?

It had to be Whitechapel. It's so spooky and scary and is brilliantly clever.

9. If you could choose, what book would you like to see made into a movie?

I'm not sure what I could answer for this. I generally find film adaptations pretty disappointing. There are some brilliant TV adaptations, but part of the magic for me is that the worlds only exist on the page and in my imagination. Everyone will imagine things differently when they read a book, and that unique world is one of the things I love the most.

10. What is your favourite genre to read?

I read quite a few genres, but at the moment I would say that it is chick lit. The books and writers have come on a lot in the last few years and there are some fantastic books out there. I just wish I had the time to read more of them!

Ok, so here are my questions!

1. If you could be any fictional character who would you be?
2. What is your favourite film/TV adaptation?
3. What was your favourite book as a child?
4. Do you read any non-fiction? If so, what topic do you read about?
5. What book are you going to read next?
6. What has been your favourite book of 2013 so far?
7. Who would play you in a movie about your life?
8. Can you read in more than one language?
9. Which author would you recommend readers follow on Twitter for entertainment purposes?
10. What book is at the top of your Christmas wishlist?

My nominees are:

Zoe at The Book Lovers

Sam at The Book Corner

Clare at A Book and a Tea

Kate at Books with Bunny

Have fun ladies!

I will post my answers to Emma's questions later in the week.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

Winner of the 2000 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award! Alex Award winner! Tracy Chevalier transports readers to a bygone time and place in this richly imagined portrait of the young woman who inspired one of Vermeer's most celebrated paintings. History and fiction merge seamlessly in this luminous novel about artistic vision and sensual awakening. Girl with a Pearl Earring tells the story of sixteen-year-old Griet, whose life is transformed by her brief encounter with genius...even as she herself is immortalized in canvas and oil.

My opinion: I downloaded this book to my Kindle after seeing it in one of the winter sales. I was a little bit apprehensive about whether I would get on with this book as I can struggle with historical fiction set in this period. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the book as it was a fantastic read!

It is set in 17th Century Holland, but it does not feel overly old fashioned in the way it is written and really drags you into the life of the main character, Griet. The author has based this story on a real painting by Johannes Vermeer and has built up an amazing fictional account of how the painting came to be created.

The language in the story is fantastic. It is not overly wordy, yet paints a vivid picture in the readers mind, bringing to life the painters art through the art of writing. I would definitely recommend this book and will go back to read it again at some point.

My rating: Five stars

Originally reviewed at Reading in Progress

It's Raining Men

Best friends May, Lara and Clare are desperate for a holiday. They have been dreaming of a little cottage away from it all, long walks in the country and just a bit of time away from it all. But when they arrive in Ren Dullem, a small Yorkshire seaside town, it seems it is not the place they thought it was...

May has never quite found her niche in life, or her Mr Right. Then in Dullem she falls hook line and sinker at first glance for one of the inhabitants - but he's already taken.

Lara is living with James and his awful step-children who taunt her with tales of his younger, prettier ex whom they adored. The woman who Lara walks in to find James in bed with despite all his protestations that he wouldn't touch her again with a barge pole. Reeling from the hurt, she needs the sea air of Dullem to heal her. What she doesn't need is to be constantly in battle with the owner of the holiday cottage - a man who is every bit as bitter and resentful and untrusting of the other sex as she is.

Clare's fiance Hugh wants her to go and live abroad with him for two years, but she's just been offered the promotion of a life-time. She needs some headspace to think about what she needs to do, but then she meets a very bad boy who is everything Hugh isn't - impulsive, wild and dangerous. Will this holiday be the break they all need?

Or will it bring them all to breaking point...?

My opinion: This is the first Milly Johnson book I've read, despite having had a few on my TBR for ages. I can't believe it's taken me so long to read one of Milly's books as I absolutely loved this book!

It's about a group of three friends with high powered London jobs who all have bad luck with men and no time to relax. They decide to go off on a spa break to relax and catch up, but things don't quite go to plan. They end up in Ren Dullem which seems like a seaside equivalent to Royston Vaysey! Despite initial reservations, they carry on with their holiday and adventures ensue.

Each of the characters in this book were well crafted and easy to visualise. I loved the way that he book was written and the detail was enough to ignite the readers imagination without being too heavy. The book has a sprinkling of fantasy, but just enough to make it a bit different without going into the realms of vampires and trolls.

I really enjoyed this book and looked forward to picking it up in any spare time, which is definitely the mark of a good book. If I could have I would have stayed up all night to read it! I won't leave it too long before picking up another of Milly's books!


My rating: A fabulous five stars!

Cupcakes at Carrington's

Georgie Hart loves her job – running the luxury handbag concession at Carrington's Department store in the pretty seaside town of Mulberry-On-Sea, and treating herself (once too often!) to a red velvet cupcake with buttercream icing in Carrington's café.

But Georgie is thrown into disarray when Carrington's is plunged into a recession-busting makeover, cueing the arrival of femme fatale Maxine, who wields the axe in her immaculately-manicured hands.

It spells a recipe for disaster for Georgie and soon she is fighting not only for her job, but also for the attentions of her gorgeous boss, James. And when hot newcomer Tom arrives, who may or may not be the best thing since sliced bread, Georgie must decide where her loyalties really lie…

My opinion: I have wanted to read this book since it was first published, and I have no idea what took me so long! Other than the fab sounding story I was attracted by the beautiful cover!

The main character Georgie is a hard working girl who really loves her job working in her local family owned department store. When a consultant is brought in to try and give the store a high end makeover, Georgie's life is thrown into disarray as she is unsure of the safety of her job. It also transpires that perhaps she isn't dealing with her past as well as she thought she was. And let's not get started on her complicated love life!

The descriptions of Carrington's brought back memories of the old family run department store that I visited when I was growing up, only with a lot more designer goods! The characters are really likeable, particularly Georgie and Eddie, and the author has done a brilliant job of keeping us in the dark about whether or not we can trust some of Georgie's colleagues. I really liked that Georgie was a very down to earth, normal girl (who has her fair share of embarrassing moments) and I could imagine being friends with her.

Some parts of the book are laugh out loud funny and I had tears in my eyes when reading others (you'll know which ones when you read it!). I really can't get over the fact that this book is Alexandra Brown's debut as it definitely had the feel of more accomplished chick lit writers. The book left me wanting more from the characters and I can't wait to read more about them and the adventures at Carrington's!

My rating: A fantastic five stars

Alexandra Brown has written a novella as part of the Carrington's series that will be published for the kindle on 10th October and is available to preorder on Amazon now

X

Fifteen-year-old X thinks she is going to die. Shacked up in the cellar of an old farmhouse, she starts a journal to document her last few days. Much less than a few days if the things outside manage to get in.

X is a best-selling short story from Jack Croxall, author of Tethers.

My opinion: I downloaded this short story on my Kindle as I was intrigued by the blurb. I also love a good short story so was looking forward to giving this a go!

I read this on the train to Bath, so it was a very quick read, but believe me it packed a punch! X is living in a cellar and knows that she is going to die, she just isn't sure when. We know something bad has happened, we just don't know exactly what or why. There are indications to what it may be, but we are never too for certain.

We follow the diary of X as she tries to survive and also remembers what life was like before, and those she has lost.

This is a really well written short story and reminded me of Brother in the Land by Robert Swindells. It wasn't a happy book by any means, but the writing dragged you in to make you want to know what happens next. If Jack writes more about this story I will definitely read it!

My rating: 4 stars

Not Pretty Enough

“New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Lloyd Layton will know I exist. He once said three whole words to me, so this is obviously progress. If I don’t get a proper conversation out of him soon, then I’ll take my top off and streak through the cafeteria, because nobody could fail to notice these boobs.
2. I will not get expelled for streaking through the cafeteria.”

Those are the words that begin her mission.
Chessie is fourteen, not pretty enough, and very much in love. Lloyd Layton is hot, popular, and unaware of Chessie’s existence.
Her goal is clear: to get Lloyd to love her as much as she loves him, and she has exactly one year to do it.
As Chessie’s obsession with Lloyd reaches boiling point and she starts to spin a web of lies that spiral out of control, Lloyd turns out to be not quite the prince she thought he was. Can Chessie avoid the gathering storm before things go too far?

-- -- -- -- --
Not Pretty Enough is a contemporary young adult comedy suitable for ages thirteen and over.

Book two in the series will be released early 2014.


My opinion: Jaimie Admans is my favourite self published author and I was very excited to be accepted as part of the blog tour for her latest book.

Not Pretty Enough centres around Chessie in her quest to make her crush Lloyd not only know that she is alive, but also to get him to like her in the right way. Well, she certainly gets Lloyd to notice her even if it's for all the wrong reasons!

Chessie reminded me a bit of myself when I was in high school, only I was a lot more geeky! Anything that could go wrong happens to her, and saying that she is accident prone old be something of an understatement!

The book is easy to read and extremely funny. Don't read it on public transport as you will laugh out loud and attract lots of funny looks! The story flows well and has some great characters and lots of cringe worthy moments. Even though it is a young adult story it is definitely something that can also be enjoyed by adults and will make you reminisce about how embarrassing your own high school days were!

I would definitely recommend this book and look forward to the next one in the series!

My rating: A well deserved five stars!

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the Not Pretty Enough blog tour


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The Funny Adventures of Little Nani

Little Nani is a little girl who likes helping people. However, when she helps people the results can be a bit unexpected. Why is that? Little Nani is a witch! Or at least she wants to be a witch. With her magic wand, she will try to cast different spells to help her friends, but she won't be successful all the time. Follow Little Nani in her funny adventures and meet her extraordinary friends. Funny ostriches, horses that love reading, super-fast turtles, grumpy zombies... Little Nani has lots of friends! You can also draw your own characters! Little Nani is willing to become a good witch. Will she manage to do it? Who knows? Read the stories and discover what happens next!

My opinion: I read this book hoping for a lovely children's book and wasn't disappointed!

We follow the adventures of Little Nani as she meets lots of new friends and tries out her magic that she has learnt online! The book is really a collection of short stories, each with a new adventure and new friends to meet. It is really well written and gives a modern take on some more traditional fables.

I think that I would have really enjoyed this as a child. It is suitable to be read with parents and includes drawing activities or children and is definitely a book that children who can read alone can also enjoy.

This is a really lovely children's book with brilliant illustrations that could easily go on to become a modern classic. I read the ebook version on my iPad and the illustrations and colours showed up really well.

My rating: A fabulous four stars





Giveaway

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About the author:

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa is a Spanish writer who has loved the written word since she discovered she was able to read books at age 5. Since then, she has become a bookworm and reads around 100 books every year. She also writes, every day, compulsively, even in the middle of the night. You cannot control when inspiration hits you, can you? She writes in English because she is convinced that in a previous life she was British, so writing in English feels more natural to her than writing in her native language. Yes, she is crazy like that. Cinta Garcia is the author of "The Funny Adventures of Little Nani", a collection of short stories for children, and "A Foreigner in London", a short story published on Smashwords.


Follow The Author:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CintaGarciaRosa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cinta-Garc%C3%ADa-de-la-Rosa-Author/333755993341596
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Tumblr: http://cintascorner.tumblr.com/
Blog: http://cintascorner.com
Website: http://www.cintagarciadelarosa.com

Book shelf clean up!

So it's a dull, cold and rainy Sunday. What better time to clean up my book shelves and TBR piles!

I have been ruthless and put some books aside for charity that I know I will never read again, or will just never get to. I've still got a pretty mammoth TBR though!

Here is my TBR and the smaller bedside pile for books I am currently reading or want to get to very soon!





And here are a selection of my book shelves! I have more with reference books, annuals, autobiographies, cookery books and books from when I was a child, so these are just a select few!











These books obviously don't include the huge number I've got on my kindle! I may have a problem with book buying...

My next job is to tidy my study where two of my book cases are to make it a nice cosy place to read! But I think I deserve a sit down with a cup of tea and a book first!

Author interview: M. Jonathan Lee

Over the summer I was very lucky to be contacted by the fabulous M. Jonathan Lee asking whether I would like to review his book The Radio. I was very glad I accepted as I loved the book and you can read my review here.

Jonathan has been kind enough to agree to be part of (or subject to, I'm not sure which!) my first author interview here at Sheli Reads.





1. Hi Jonathan, welcome to Sheli Reads. Firstly, I have to ask what inspired you to write The Radio?

The Radio had been in my mind for literally a decade. I wanted to write a story about someone who was downtrodden who finds a release in escaping from his day to day life by immersing himself in the radio. I also wanted the character to have a back-story that made him have an overwhelming need to escape every day life.

2. It takes real talent to get the right balance between humour and tragedy in a book and you have certainly managed it. How did you manage to think up the hilarious scenes in the book?

Thank you. I think that a lot of things in life bring humour even in the saddest moments. The Radio is semi-autobiographical and a lot of the humour has been a coping mechanism. The comedy scenes simply come from an amusing thought which may have popped into my mind and then I exaggerate and expand it to the nth degree!

3. Who is your favourite character in the book?

It would have to be George. Although I'm some thirty years younger, we do share a few traits. I am also extremely fond of Mollie. She is a close second to George and will develop in the second and third books in the trilogy.

4. Do you know any real life people like Auntie Lesley?

Ha! Absolutely right I do. Lesley's character is a mix of a number of people who I know pretty well, but obviously can't name here! I do remember one reviewer saying that she was just too unbelievable to be taken seriously. That is so untrue, that reviewer should move to my area...

5. What can we expect from you next?

The Radio ends with a twist, and is part of a trilogy. At the moment however, I am writing The Page, a thriller and another with a twist. The story goes...
Following a tragic car accident, Michael Sewell is alone and lost for the first time. The loss of his wife, Margaret after thirty years of marriage has left a hole far greater than Michael could have imagined.

Persuaded to go on holiday alone for the first time since this accident, by his daughter Jane, a page blown from a book crosses the pool and sticks to his chest.

The words from the page resonate with Michael, describing in detail the recent events in his own life.

Now, Michael must delve into his past and face his future, taking him and his family on a horrifying and tragic journey toward the truth.

6. What is your first book related memory?

That is a superb question and not one I've been asked before. My earliest memories involve a character called Bobby Brewster. These were short stories about a boy who bizarre things happened to; such as his wallpaper coming to life or an old vinyl record that he played which spoke to him. I think I was around 5 when I read them. They started my obsession with stories with a twist which carried on to my favourite - the master, Roald Dahl.

7. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Pretty much, yeah. When I realised by ten that footballer (too small) and rock star (no musical talent) were out of the question, I started writing. I self published my first magazine aged 11 and sold over 800 copies over 6 editions.

8. Which writers inspire you most?

Interesting question. I'm not sure that it is specifically writers, more the stories. There are so many fantastic stories to tell and so many ways to tell them. It's the imagination of the writer that appeals to me. I do love Stephen King, Mark Haddon, Iain Banks, A M Homes, Nick Hornby and of course, Roald Dahl to name a few.

9. What book do you wish you could have written?

The Life of Pi, perhaps my all time favourite book.

10. When I'm working I like to have a cup of tea, and sometimes a packet of crisps to keep me going. What food or drink do you enjoy when writing?

I'm not a big eater generally so there would be no food. Just can after can of full-fat Coca Cola.

11. And last but not least, if you were an animal, what would you be?

Hmm. Another good question, I'm not a huge animal fan, but absolutely love my bed so you can pick anything at all that hibernates.

Thank you Jonathan for letting me interview you and for being such a good sport!

You can find out more about Jonathan and his writing here.

The Wish List

There are six months left of Emma Reiss's twenties. . . and she has some unfinished business.

Emma and her friends are about to turn thirty, and for Emma it's a defining moment. Defined, that is, by her having achieved none of the things she'd imagined she would.

Her career is all wrong, her love life is a desert and that penthouse apartment she pictured herself in simply never materialised. Moreover, she's never jumped out of a plane, hasn't met the man she's going to marry, has never slept under the stars, or snogged anyone famous - just some of the aspirations on a list she and her friends compiled fifteen years ago.

As an endless round of birthday parties sees Emma hurtle towards her own thirtieth, she sets about addressing these issues. But, as she discovers with hilarious consequences, some of them are trickier to tick off than she'd thought…

My opinion: I absolutely love Jane Costello's books and was very exciting to hear that she had a new one coming out! I was very restrained and managed to save it to read on holiday and enjoy the thrill of it being a holiday book!

I wasn't disappointed! Emma is about to turn thirty when she finds a list that she made as a teenager detailing everything she wanted to do before she turns thirty. Much to Emma's dismay she finds that she hasn't completed one of them and sets out to change that! Her comfortable, predictable life soon gets turned on its head as she starts to live a little!

As can be expected from one of Jane Costello's books, The Wish List is filled with fabulous characters, madcap adventures and lots and lots of laughs! I enjoyed the storyline of this so much I often interrupted my boyfriend from his reading next to the pool to regale him with the plot of this book. The conversation usually started "You'll never guess what has happened" and by the time I had finished the book he was asking me how it ended!

Jane Costello's books are always well written with a strong storyline, and this one is no exception. Another fantastic book that will have you chuckling from one of my favourite authors.

My rating: A fabulous five stars!

My Husband Next Door

When Ella married the handsome, celebrated artist Sebastian Montclair at just nineteen she was madly in love. Now, those blissful years of marriage have turned into the very definition of an unconventional set-up. Separated in every way but distance, Sebastian resides in an outhouse across the lawn from Ella's ramshackle farmhouse.

With an ex-husband living under her nose and a home crowded by hostile teenaged children, gender-confused chickens - not to mention her hyper critical mother whose own marriage slips spectacularly off the rails - Ella finds comfort in the company of the very charming gardener, Ludo. But is he really the answer to her prayers?

Then out of the blue Sebastian decides he must move away, catching Ella horribly unawares. How much longer can she hide from what really destroyed her marriage . . . and the secret she continues to keep?

My opinion: I really liked that this book was a mystery as it meant I couldn't prejudge it. Despite the comparisons to Cathy Kelly and Katie Fforde I had no idea what to expect!

I had a lovely surprise as I loved this book! It was a lovely country tale and was also very very funny!

The characters were all well rounded and a good mix of the loveable, the infuriating and the eccentric. The mix of family, friends and neighbours gave me everything I like to have in a story set in a village.

The romantic side of this story was not what you would call a traditional romance, but was very touching and sweet and well thought through.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and thought it was really well written, well paced and brilliantly funny. I can't wait to find out who the author was to read more!

My rating: A lovely four stars

I was sent an advance copy of this book by Lovereading in exchange for an honest review. The copy I received was in a plain jacket, so I had no idea of the title or author of the book. My review was written before this information was revealed.

Birthday book haul

It was my birthday this week and I thought I would share with you my book haul!





As you can see I had lots of books! Around half of the books are presents of books that I haven't read yet, and the other half are books I bought myself for my birthday that I have read on my Kindle and just had to have a paperback copy of! Does anyone else do this?

The only problem is now, I have no space left on my bookshelves and this is even before you add my four TBR piles into the mix! Do you have book storage problems too?

Geek Girl

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things.

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did.

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?


"Smart, sassy, and very funny." - The Bookseller.

"There’s laughter and tears in this hilarious roller-coaster story." - Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian Children's Editor

My opinion: What can I say? I was drawn to this book by the cover, and we all love a geek (especially if you are one like me!) and had to give it a go.

It was a quick, fun read and had more substance to it than I was expecting. The main character Harriet reminded me of myself as a teenager as she was a social outcast who couldn't do or say the right thing at the right time, but was very brainy. Although I have to say that the similarities to my own youth stopped at the modelling contract!

Some parts of the book were laugh out loud funny, particularly when Harriet was getting into the world of modelling. I loved that it was a book about the geeky girl who did well in an unexpected way, and was a teeny bit jealous that I hadn't had the same opportunities!

I liked the style of writing for this book and hope that this isn't the last we see of Harriet Manners. I will also be seeking out more of Holly Smale's work in future.

A great book, for both adult and young adult readers.

My rating: A fantastic five stars!!

Originally reviewed at Reading in Progress

The next book in the series Model Misfit will be published on 26th September 2013 by HarperCollins Children's Books

Lying to Meet You

Does being in a relationship make you a hot commodity in the eyes of would-be suitors?

Chloe Lane is about to find out. When her childhood pal, Ethan Webster, asks her to play the part of his girlfriend in order to test this theory, she reluctantly agrees. As a work-crazed fashion designer, boutique owner and soon-to-be reality show judge, Chloe has no time for a real boyfriend, but being part of a faux pair will do just fine. Not that she has any intention of trying to attract someone else.

However…

Opportunity unexpectedly knocks when Chloe meets fellow reality judge, William Shannon. Super successful and super sexy, this high-powered entrepreneur inspires Chloe to test Ethan’s theory herself. Now, on top of keeping her fashion business productive, carving out a new role as a television personality, maintaining a fake relationship and attempting to lay the groundwork for a future relationship, she’s lying to William, lying to her friends, lying to her family and quite possibly lying to herself. Will Chloe be able to keep it all together, or are things about to explode?

My opinion: This book is about fashion designer Chloe and her quest to find a man whilst becoming a tv star on a new reality show.

The book is based in New York and has quite a Sex and the City feel, with lots of talk about fashion and men! I really enjoyed the book and immediately warmed to the characters.

Chloe has agreed to pretend to be her best friend Ethan's girlfriend. This is much to the delight of her friends and family who think they should have got together a long time ago. It's all going well until the god like William Shannon enters her life and makes things a whole lot messier!

The style of writing is easy to read and has a friendly feel, although it took me a while to get some of the American references (note to self, a blow out is a blow dry in the UK!). This was a really fun book and was humorous and romantic. Both qualities I love in a book.

Chloe has a little feel of Bridget Jones to her and I would compare the book to British writers such as Jane Costello.

My rating: A fantastic four stars.

I received an advance copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review

The London Train

The London Train is a novel in two parts, separate but wound together around a single moment, examining in vivid detail two lives stretched between two cities. Paul lives in the Welsh countryside with his wife Elise, and their two young children. The day after his mother dies he learns that his eldest daughter Pia, who was living with his ex-wife in London, has moved out from home and gone missing. He sets out in search of Pia, and when he eventually finds her, living with her lover in a chaotic flat in a tower block in King's Cross, he thinks at first he wants to rescue her. But the search for his daughter begins a period of unrest and indecision for Paul: he is drawn closer to the hub of London, to the excitements of a life lived in jeopardy, to Pia's fragile new family. Paul's a pessimist; when a heat wave scorches the capital week after week he fears that they are all 'sleep-walking to the edge of a great pit, like spoiled trusting children'.

In the opposite direction, Cora is moving back to Cardiff, to the house she has inherited from her parents. She is escaping her marriage, and the constrictions and disappointments of her life in London. At work in the local library, she is interrupted by a telephone call from her sister-in-law and best friend, to say that her husband has disappeared.

Connecting both stories is the London train, and a chance meeting that will have immediate and far-reaching consequences for both Paul and for Cora.

The London Train is a vivid and absorbing account of the impulses and accidents that can shape our lives, alongside our ideas; about loyalty, love, sex and the complicated bonds of friends and family. Penetrating, perceptive, and wholly absorbing, it is an extraordinary new novel from one of the best writers working in Britain today.

My opinion: I read this book for the book group I go to in the museum I used to work in. The group reads books that have Welsh links or an historical theme and this one was chosen as a lot of it was based in Wales, and I believe that Tessa Hadley lived in Cardiff until recently.

The book is split into two parts. The first is the story of Paul and the second, the story of Cora, and the two stories become interwoven. I enjoyed the first part of the book, even though Paul is a total pig of a man as I was more interested in reading about his family, including his daughter from his first marriage, Pia, who is living in London. I felt that Paul's character was that of a stereotypical chauvinistic male with no cares for his responsibilities or those around him. I would have liked to have read more about his poor wife though.

I really disliked the second part of the book. Cora was a boring and unlikeable character, but what I found worse than this was the lack of research done for this part. As this half of the book was based in my local area of Cardiff, and included a couple of other subjects that I knew well, I was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, incorrect detail and sloppy research really spoilt this part for me.

Overall, I didn't hate the book, but certainly wouldn't recommend it. I won't be rushing out to find more books from the author.

My rating: A disappointing three stars.