2015 book awards: best debuts

2015 saw some truly wonderful debuts from authors that will remain firmly on my radar in the coming years. What's interesting is when I was compiling this list, I realised that all three of my top choices were from the same publisher, UK Carina! They are a fab publisher with some fantastic authors, including these three who joined the Carina party in 2015. 

Return to Bluebell Hill by Rebecca Pugh

Rebecca was one of the first bloggers I spoke to when I started Little Northern Soul and I class her as one of my good blogging friends. When I found out she was releasing her first novel in early 2015 I was so excited for her and couldn't wait to read it. Return to Bluebell Hill is a brilliant story - her writing is magical, she has such a great way of describing locations and characters that really brings them to life. Rebecca's second novel is out early this year and I can't wait - I just know I'm going to love it. Read my full review here

Just The Way You Are by Lynsey James 

I really enjoyed the format of this story, I thought the plot was original and entertaining. It follows Ava, an unlucky-in-love office worker who suspects the reason she's never had a successful relationship is because she's actually in love with someone she's never met. Her secret admirer (aka Mr Writer) used to write her letters and she realised she'd actually fallen for him. I loved watching the mystery unfold and was dying to know who Mr Writer was. A great story and a cracking debut. Read my full review here

The Lost Child by Ann Troup 

The Lost Child is a gripping, intriguing novel that I absolutely raced through when I got my hands on it. It is so well written it's hard to believe this was Ann Troup's debut and I'm eagerly awaiting her second novel, which will be released soon. The Lost Child is a fast-paced mystery novel packed with suspense and twists and turns. Read my Q&A with Ann Troup here 

2015 book awards: best crime novels

2015 was the year I discovered crime novels. This time last year, I was a Women's Fiction only reader. No crime or mystery for me, thank you very much. But, thanks to blogging, this year I've discovered a whole host of brilliant new authors and books, including new genres. I've really got into crime and mystery type novels and I feel these three were the best crime or murder mystery stories that were released this year. 

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

If I could have done, I'd have put all three of Angela Marson's DCI Kim Stone stories in this shortlist, but it wouldn't really be fair. Angela Marsons has taken the book world by storm this year, and it's so easy to see why. Not only has she released three (yes, three!) books in one year, but she has also now sold over one million copies of her books - an incredible achievement. I've loved all three of her books - they are jam-packed with grizzly murders, interesting characters and a gripping storyline. Kim Stone is a gritty, difficult main character who you still have a soft spot for because of her hardworking and (secretly) caring nature. I loved watching her develop over the course of the different stories. Silent Scream was the one that story that propelled Angela onto my radar, which is why it's one of my favourite crime stories of the year... a truly gripping, well-written and twisty crime novel. Read my review here 

Don't Turn Around by Caroline Mitchell 

Another Bookouture crime author that is doing exceptionally well. Caroline Mitchell has released two books this year - Don't Turn Around and Time to Die. Like Angela's books, I struggled to decide which to shortlist, but decided on Don't Turn Around as it was a story that absolutely absorbed me. DC Jennifer Knight is another strong female lead - feisty, determined and tough, I really enjoyed watching her solve the complex case that Don't Turn Around followed. There is a psychic, paranormal element to the story too, which provides a more unique approach to a crime story. Read my review here

The Dead Dog Day by Jackie Kabler 

This is a really interesting and different approach to a crime novel, as the genre itself is a mix of romance and crime. The story follows a murder at a TV station and I loved that aspect of it - you can clearly see that Jackie has first-hand experience in this industry and I enjoyed seeing how it linked into the crime aspect of the story. The genre mix didn't seem muddled, it actually helped drive the plot and peak my interest. This is a story I really, really liked and it kept me gripped - I was really surprised my the ending and who the killer was. Read my review here

2015 book awards: best thriller/mystery novels

Today I'm sharing the books from 2015 that I felt had the best mystery or thriller storyline. There were some amazing contenders, but these three were my firm favourites and I find myself still thinking about them now! 

 The Lie by C.L. Taylor 

This was the first book I'd read by C.L. Taylor and it's stuck with me for a long while. The story centres around Jane and flicks between present day, where she is clearly a changes person and dealing with her past, which focuses on the 'holiday of a lifetime' she was on with her close friends. Tension soon builds and you know the holiday isn't quite what they thought and I was eager to see what would unfold. I flew through this gripping story and found myself immersed in the mystery. A must read. 

Read my review here. 

The Broken by Tamar Cohen

I'll admit I was surprised by how much I loved this story. I'd picked it up in Waterstones without really knowing much about Tamar Cohen or the story, yet when I came to read it, it blew me away. It follows two couples who deal with the aftermath of one couple splitting and what really struck me is how this is a situation that could happen to anyone. The realistic yet tense outcome of their split hit home for me and was what really intrigued me. The Broken is a thrilling take on friendship and relationships and is full of twists and turns that leave you wondering right up until the last page exactly what is going on. I absolutely loved this story. 

Read my review here. 

Follow Me by Angela Clarke 

I only recently read Follow Me, but it is a firm favourite. Immaculately plotted, well written and gripping, this novel had me hooked. I loved the social media element of the story - the story revolves around the 'hashtag murderer', who uses social media to plot and conduct murders. It is a creepy and really unique way to portray murders and create suspense. 

Read my review here. 

#HarperXmas - Carmel Harrington's top 10 Christmas songs!

Today I'm delighted to welcome the fabulous Carmel Harrington back to Little Northern Soul, this time to talk all things festive! (You can read my previous interview with Carmel here). As part of #HarperXmas Carmel has shared with me her Top 10 Christmas songs... if these don't get you in the festive mood, I don't know what will! 

My Top 10 Christmas Songs

Here’s the thing, I’d love to be a broadway star. Or a popstar, a proper diva that would give Beyonce a run for her money. Maybe I could have been the 6th Spice Girl. Bookish Spice. Never mind girl power, it’s writerly power! One big problem though. My talents don’t quite back up my ambition. Now, I can hold a note or two, can even do the odd party piece which sounds decent, once a few drinks have been consumed by all listening. But I know my limits.

There’s no better time to practise your vocal acrobatics than at Christmas. I switch on Christmas FM and listen to it 24/7. Well, maybe not all night, but you get the drift. 

I adore classic anthems that make me feel warm and fuzzy and full of love for my fellow mankind. The lyrics and melodies tap into my memory bank and bang, I’m back in one of my happy places. Then there’s the big dance songs that make me jump up and throw my best moves around the kitchen table. Some of these are novelty songs, the sillier the better really, that should grate on my nerves, but somehow or other, at Christmas they work! And lastly, there’s the carols, those wonderful songs that make me feel the spirit of Christmas with every note.

Choosing my top ten for you all has been a horrendous task. I could have done a top 100. But I’ve taken it all very seriously. I’ve listened to my short list over and over, whittling it down to 19. I’ve had to drink wine and eat mince pies, to help get me through it all, but I’m ever the trooper.

Are you ready? Right, in no particular order ….

Last Christmas

I’ll admit it, I was a huge Wham fan when I was a young wan’! And this song, brings me right back to my teenage years, where I was crushing big time on Andrew Ridgely. Last Christmas is one that stands the test of time and sounds as good today as it did back then. I love that music video too, of them all frolicking in the snow. I have been a fan of the Christmas jumper and wooly festive hats and scarves ever since. Yesterday, Amelia was singing this very song at home. Another generation already a fan.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas

I don’t mind who sings this. Buble, Crosby, Bennett, Hastie, I’ll take any of them. When I hear it, I remember all the years I lived away from home. I counted down the days till Christmas Eve till I got to go home.

FairyTale Of New York

The lyrics are genius. The melody unforgettable. And the chorus one of those that everybody has to sing along to. When I hear this, I think of all the Christmas parties where at the end of the night, everyone is up on the dancefloor, arms wrapped around each other, swaying and bopping to this.

O Holy Night

I think that no matter what our religious beliefs, this carol just connects us in an emotional festive wave. Did you know that it was adapted from a French poem in 1855? I always well up when I hear this song. I’m an awful boohooer, won’t lie. So it doesn’t take much to set me off, but this song, moves me deeply. I love Mariah’s rendition. When I wrote Every Time A Bell Rings, EVERY DAY, before I started to write, I listened to this, to put me in the right frame of mind.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

For me, it has to be Judy Garland’s version. One note in, and I’m back to the 1980’s, in my sitting room, on a Sunday afternoon, with Mam, Dad and my brother and sisters, watching Meet Me in St Louis. Pure nostaliga.

The Christmas Shoes

Now I know that some will argue that this is one of the worst songs ever, but I say bah, humbug scrooge to those! It’s pure cheese on toast, sweet, smaltzy with over the top sentiment. But I ADORE it!

First time I heard it, I was in the car with Mr H and it came on and I literally went into the ugly cry. Now, okay, I was pregnant and hormonal at the time, but still, that little boy just wanted to buy shoes to make his dying mama look beautiful. Oh sweet divine, I am not able. Someone buy those sparkling shoes, someone hug that little boy, someone find a cure for that dying mama! Ah here, now I’m off boohooing again. You see? Told you, I’m a disaster!

Merry Christmas Everybody

Now come on, Slade = It’s Christmas! I can still remember watching Top of the Pops as a kid and seeing these guys belting this out. And in party season, it’s one of those songs that gets us all up on the dance floor, doesn’t it? (Not that I need an excuse. I love a good bop.)

Silver Bells

Ring aling, hear them sing … sigh, I’ll admit it, I could listen to Michael Buble singing Rock a Bye Baby and it would make me, well sigh, but I adore this song. I love Dean Martin’s version and Bing Crosby’s, as they were the ones that mam always played. This song is the one I sing the most at home, when I’m just mooching about.

Do They Know It’s Christmas

I still get chills when I hear this song. I know many versions have been tried, but the original Band Aid one is the ONLY one I’m interested in. I know all the lyrics by heart, can tell you who sang which part and can remember where I was and who I was with, the first time I heard it. Which incidentally was mam and dads sitting room with John, Fiona and Shelley, my siblings. I can still remember dad in the background telling us to turn that rubbish down. And mam telling him to be quiet! Ha!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

The only version of this I want to hear, is the one by this really cute double act called Amelia and Nate. Some might say I’m biased, but as far as I’m concerned it’s pure magic when they belt this number out. And by the way, I believe. Do you?

Wishing you all the merriest of Christmasses, full of love, joy and song!

Love,

Carmel

Blog tour: Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper by Debbie Johnson

Today I'm delighted to welcome the wonderful Debbie Johnson to Little Northern Soul as part of the Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper blog tour! It's a wonderful Christmas story filled with family, festivity and a will-they-wont-they romance. Well written, light hearted and brimming with great characters, this is the perfect story to curl up with on a winter evening! 

 1. Hi Debbie and welcome to Little Northern Soul! First of all can you tell us about your new festive story, Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper?

Thank you for having me! Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper has it all – white weddings, snow storms, inflatable Santa's, a likeable heroine, a hot hunky man, and some awful festive knitwear!

It’s about Maggie, a lone parent who is coming to terms with her first Christmas alone – she’s spent all year making dresses for other women’s weddings despite being single herself, and is looking forward to a relaxing family Christmas at her home in picturesque Oxford. But when both her teenaged daughter and her father announce they’re going away for the holidays, everything changes – and Maggie gets a serious case of the Christmas blues.

The down mood is pretty effectively chased away by the arrival of Marco Cavelli, who literally crashes into her life – he’s the kind of man who would cheer all of us up: not exactly whacked with the ugly stick, a great sense of humour, and a strong but caring nature. Maggie is private, self-sufficient, and set in her solitary ways. Things haven’t always been easy for her, and she prefers the quiet life – until Marco messes all of that up in the most delicious way possible! The rest of the story is about how the two of them get to know each other, explore their personalities, get a little bit steamy, and most definitely make the best of Christmas!

2. You always have such a wide range of different characters in your stories, all with stand-out personalities and realistic qualities. Do you base characters on real people or celebrities or do you imagine them?

Oh thank you – that’s very, very kind of you, one of the nicest things a writer can hear! I am lucky enough to have a wide range of friends, an interesting family, and to have worked in a fascinating job in a never-boring city (as a journalist in Liverpool!). I suppose that – mixed in with the crazy whirlpool that is my imagination – allows me to come up with distinct characters each time. I steal little aspects from people I know, things I overhear – I’m like a magpie, and often write down classic quotes in a little notebook! Those will be sparks that set me off – one of my very favourite things is imagining up a new character – that always comes before plot for me. The plot builds around the person, not the other way round. Maggie is very different from previous heroines, she’s quieter and a little on the shy side, which initially I had to work hard with – I had to get to know her myself, in the same way that Marco got to know her, which was a really interesting experience. To be honest she felt totally real by the end of it!

I hope all my characters do have realistic qualities – even if you’re reading a fantasy novel, or a crime thriller, or a fluffy romance, you need to be able to identify with your heroes and heroines – if you can’t, you won’t care what happens to them! Just because the circumstances are outrageously larger than life, it doesn’t mean your characters can’t have their flaws and challenges and quirks, just like we all have! It’s also essential to me to have humour in my characters, and particularly in their dialogue – it’s the amsuing banter between hero and heroine, mother and daughter, between friends and family, that makes this book come to life. There is always room for a bit of laughter!

In terms of celebs, I must confess I sometimes do have a celeb in mind when I’m describing a character, especially my heroes – my next book, The Birthday That Changed Everything, has a male lead called James Carver who is (physically at least) very much based on a celeb – you’ll have to read it and see if you can guess who!

3. You write in a lot of different genres for different publishers – how do you balance a busy work load and keep organised?

My main focus right now is on the romantic comedies, with both HarperImpulse and HarperCollins, which makes it a little easier! At one stage, I had three books out in a year – Dark Vision, the follow up to my urban fantasy Dark Touch (with Del Rey); Fear No Evil, a supernatural crime thriller (with Maze, part of Avon), and Cold Feet At Christmas , a romance with HarperImpulse. That was crazy! I’ve never been very good at limiting myself – I love all three genres, and still always have ideas about all three, which I store away for future use. The sheer demand on my time means that at least for the next few months, I’ll be concentrating on the women’s fiction, but I do have some killer crime ideas bubbling under as well...

In terms of workload, the words ‘balanced’ and ‘organised’ rarely have any relevance to what I do, I’m afraid! I live in chaos – three kids, two dogs, writing away like a mad person between school runs! I do make a lot of lists, just to keep myself vaguely on target! I end up with lists of lists...

4. Can you tell us about your journey to publication?

I’d always wanted to write fiction, but I’d been one of those people who talks about it, and never does it. Partly that was because I was busy being pregnant (for what felt like a very long time over the course of three kids...) and raising small kids and having the associated nervous breakdowns, but partly it was because I was working as a journalist and that writing style is very different. I had a crazy year where my dad died, I had a baby, and I took voluntary redundancy from my job – it was bonkers, now I look back! But it allowed me to start writing on a freelance basis, doing some journalism and some PR and marketing, and to fit in work around my family (there was another baby two years later, and a house move, and another bereavement, just to make it all feel extra insane!). It was only after I’d found a balance with all of that – in fact when I was 40 – that I really sat down and thought ‘come on now, no more excuses, just write!’. I entered a contest called the Harry Bowling Prize for New Writing in 2010 – and I won! It was judged by agents and publishers, and the ‘do’ was at the Romantic Novelists’ Association annual awards in London – it was all very glam, and it gave me the confidence I needed to continue.

That said, it wasn’t exactly an easy road from that point onwards. I got an agent – Laura Longrigg at MBA – and I finished two books; one was Fear No Evil, and one was a women’s fiction novel about a newly-single mum who copes with devastation in her life by going on a holiday that transforms her entire existence. That eventually became The Birthday That Changed Everything, which is being released by HarperCollins in January next year – so it took six years! In between, I got a deal with Del Rey for the Lily McCain books – urban fantasies about a Liverpool pop writer who gets sucked into a world of Gods and Goddesses and vampires and witches, but all set in modern day Scouseland. The first one of those – Dark Touch – came out in March 2013, and was the first book I had published.

The point of that long and tangled tale is this: there was no overnight success, it took years – and along the way I got rejected by pretty much every major (and some minor!) publishing houses in the UK! Seriously, I still have all my rejection emails – I could write a book just using those! You need a thick skin, and it’s still hard work – the JK Rowlings are few and far between, and anyone interested in writing should expect to slog their guts out for relatively little financial gain! You have to take solace in the other benefits as well!

5. What’s your favourite thing about being a published author?

I love losing myself in a character – there is always a moment, when you’re writing, when you just hit an absolute golden spot: where you come up with something so right, so lovely, that it makes you want to jump for joy! Creating strong female characters like Pippa in Pippa’s Cornish Dream, Leah from Cold Feet at Christmas, Maggie from Christmas Jumper, Jayne McCartney, my private eye in Fear No Evil, and my fantasy queen Lily – it’s an absolute pleasure. These are all women you’d like if you met them – and bringing them into existence has been a privilege! Also, hearing from people who have read your books can be very uplifting – you have to put up with terrible reviews, or nasty comments on Amazon, and just live with it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it makes you cry! But when people tell you how much they liked a character, or how much they enjoyed a book, it all feels worth it – knowing you’ve given somebody a little pleasure, a little escapism, maybe distracted them from a difficult situation, or just allowed them a little respite from real life – that is awesome!

6. Any top tips for aspiring authors?

Expect to work hard, and don’t expect glory – if it was easy everyone would be doing it! I’d also pass on a few tips that I was given myself that have helped me in practical terms. Firstly, always question the motivations of your characters – if something they say or do feels ‘off’, or contrived to fit a plot device, readers will notice. Their motivations have to feel real, and not just be convenient! Secondly, when you’ve finished, put your book away and leave it for a while – then go back to it with a fresh pair of eyes. What looked like a work of genius the week before might make you cringe, and before you show that book to anyone else, you want it to be the very best it can be!

7. What does your average writing day look like?

I get home from the school run at about 9am, and have my first cup of coffee. Then I have until about 2.30 to write until my keyboard is on fire before I go and pick them up again! My oldest is 18, so he sorts himself out, but the younger ones are still in Primary school, so very little in the way of creative genius gets achieved while they are around – although I am often found at least attempting to write while they watch Minecraft videas in the background! I also have other work to do – journalism, PR, copywriting etc. So I can have quite confusing days – writing romance one minute, and web copy about training courses the next! Hope I never get them mixed up and send my copywriting clients a steamy sex scene! You never know – they might pay me more!

8. This is your second Christmas story – Cold Feet at Christmas was published last year. What do you love about writing a festive-based story and how does it differ to writing a general romance story?

I think Christmas is a time of year when our emotions are very much heightened – there’s a reason all those emotional TV ads get us tearing up! Depending on your state of mind, or your circumstances, Christmas can be extra-wonderful, extra-sad, extra-exciting or extra-depressing...hopefully one of the nicer ones I’ve listed! But it is like no other time of year, and for a fiction writer, that’s an exciting thing to explore. Christmas makes you do things you’d never normally do – whether that’s spend a fortune on an extravagant gift, snog someone at a Christmas party, or drink yourself into a stupor! In Cold Feet, Leah and Rob might not have acted the way they did if they hadn’t ended up snowed in together at Christmas. And in Christmas Jumper, the fact that Marco essentially saves Maggie’s Christmas is one of the most beautiful things about it – she welcomes him into her home and her life at this very special time of year, which makes it even more significant. Plus, on the shallow side, you get to have lots of fun describing snow storms and Christmas trees and getting your characters dancing to Christmas songs!

9. How do you get yourself into the festive spirit to write a Christmassy story?

Songs! Listening to Christmas songs is definitely the way to do it – I’d say watching films as well, but I don’t have the time while I’m writing!

10. In January your new full-length novel, The Birthday That Changed Everything, is being released by Harper Impulse. Can you tell us a little about that?

You know, I love this book – partly because it’s the first one I ever finished! I identified with Sally, the lead character, so much. She’s about to hit 40; she has two teenaged kids who see her at best as an amusing irrelevance and at worst as the enemy, and her husband ups and leaves her for a woman half her age. She’s a mess – physically, emotionally – an absolute mess. But we meet her at one of those ‘the only way is up’ moments, and join her as she tries to rebuild her life with a family holiday to Turkey. She makes wonderful friends there, and goes back to the same resort at the same time for several years – with the same friends, the same more-than-friends, and the same hopes and dreams. It’s about what happens to all of them during those next few years – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the downright hilarious! I think a lot of women will ‘get’ Sally – she’s put so much into being a mum, being a wife, that she’s kind of lost sight of who she is as a person – the story is as much about Sally having a romance with herself as James, the man she meets in Turkey!

Seen as how we’re celebrating your festive story I thought it only right to end with some quick-fire Christmas questions!

Any festive traditions? Buying the tree together on Dec 1, and each of the kids chosing a new decoration – this results in a very uncoordinated tree!

Best part of a Christmas Dinner? Stuffing and roasties!

Favourite Christmas Song: Last Christmas by Wham!

Favourite Christmas book: Bridget Jones’s Diary

Favourite Christmas film: Bad Santa

How do you celebrate Christmas? We go to church on Christmas Eve, and spend Christmas afternoon with my in-laws, eating, drinking and generally being merry.

Organised shopper or Last minute frantic buyer? Very organised – I’m excellent at spending money, it’s one of my best skills!

Do you prefer being home or away for Christmas? At home or with family near home.

Most memorable present received? I can’t think of one...which must mean there haven’t been any that were memorable enough!

Any new year’s resolutions? I have the same resolutions every night when I go to bed, whether it’s New Year or not: to try and be more thankful, to try and worry less, and to treat my own body with a little more respect!

Thanks very much for talking to me Debbie, it’s been great :) 

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Cover Reveal: The Revenge (The Sentinel book 3) by Holly Martin

Here is the wonderful cover for The Revenge, the new book by Holly Martin and the third book in The Sentinel Series.

Blurb: 

"After the Oraculum orders Eve’s execution, she has to flee her home in the fort as those that have been guarding over her are forced to turn against her. Amongst the chaos, a new Sentinel is named. Adam, Eve’s half-brother. Adam has spent his life incarcerated by the Oraculum while Eve was allowed to grow up with a family and friends. Now he is hell bent on revenge. He rules over his Guardians and his new kingdom with arrogance and a cold heart, but his one ambition is to make Eve’s life a living hell. Nowhere is safe from him, not even her dreams. With the threat from the Putarians moving closer, her own Guardians betraying her, the survival of the world hinges in the balance. Above all else, Adam must be stopped. But when Eve has a prophecy of her and Adam saving the world together, she quickly realizes she needs to work with him not against him. But can Eve get through to Adam before it’s too late? Or will Adam’s evil heart result in the destruction of all?"

If you want to pre-order this book so it pops straight onto your kindle on December 1st then click the links below - it's only 99p/99c 

UK 

US 

And if you haven’t read the first two books in the series yet, then pop over here and get your copy, all three books are 99p/99c at the moment

The Sentinel UK / US 

The Prophecies UK / US 

Book review: The Dead Dog Day, Jackie Kabler

Blurb:
"When your Monday morning begins with a dead dog and ends with a dead boss, you know it's going to be one of those days. And breakfast TV reporter Cora Baxter has already had the weekend from hell, after the man she'd planned a fabulous future with unceremoniously dumped her. 


Now Cora's much-hated boss has been murdered - the list of suspects isn't exactly short, but as the enquiry continues the trail leads frighteningly close to home. Why is Cora's rival, glamorous, bitchy newsreader Alice Lomas, so devastated by their boss's death? What dark secrets are Cora's camera crew hiding? And why has her now ex-boyfriend vanished? 

The race to stop the killer striking again is on..."

When I received a copy of The Dead Dog Day I was immediately intrigued as to what this read would entail. It sounded like the perfect mix of rom-com and crime novel, and I'm pleased to say that's exactly what it was.

Cora Baxter works in TV as a reporter for a popular breakfast programme, which sees her traipsing up and down the country at an ungodly hour for different stories. I loved this insight into the TV world and found it so interesting... you can really tell Jackie has experience with this as it sounds so true to life. Cora is surrounded by a great crew who have become firm friends, and I loved the banter they shared, particularly with the camera crew when they are on location. They're a mixed bunch and their different personalities really compliment one another.

Things take a mysterious turn when the TV stations much-hated boss is murdered on one particularly stressful work day. Now, the start of this day is really funny and had me laughing out loud at the ludicrous requests of the director. It's no wonder she's so hated and that it's difficult to pinpoint who would want to kill her... as there's a long list! Once she's discovered dead, pushed out of a window, Cora and the rest of the crew begin to question things... who would actually act on their hatred in such a way? 

As ever in the world of TV, life moves on and Sam, Cora's best friend takes over the directing of the programme and the police come in to try and solve the murder. As a reader we follow Cora as she thrusts herself into her work, to not only avoid the murder of her boss, but also to avoid her rather messy personal life. She is a great main character and I loved watching her deal with the many difficult situations life throws at her. She is hard-working and supportive to her friends, whilst also dealing with the after-math of her break up.


She bumps into mega-famous TV star Benjamin Boland on a night out at a bar, and their initial meeting had me laughing out loud thanks to Cora's outgoing drunken comments. I liked watching their relationship develop throughout the story and really hoped she'd find happiness. Although Benjamin was a little self-absorbed for my liking, you can tell that in his own unusual way he really cared for Cora and I liked seeing her happy, although I wasn't convinced it would be a happy ever after.

While the murder is being investigated, handsome police officer DI Adam is in charge of the case. I developed a real soft spot for him as he was more wholesome than Benjamin and just an all round nice guy. I was willing for Cora to act on the spark between the two of them, as they had real chemistry, even when she was settled with Benjamin. I suppose this does highlight her slightly flitty personality - even when she's in a relationship with Benjamin she is thinking about DI Adam. She also gets with Benjamin pretty soon after her long-term relationship ends. I know this could be seen as a negative, but for me it was realistic, it shows her very real flaws and, I thought, was true to life.


The Dead Dog Day is mainly told  from Cora's viewpoint, although we do also delve into the mind of the killer on occasion. Hearing from the Killer built up suspense and always left you wanting more - questions were whirling in my mind after we'd heard from them and it was a great addition to the story. I kept changing my mind as to who the killer would be, but I never guessed who it actually was! It made for a great surprise and meant the suspense and build-up to the event was well worth it - especially when the identity of the killer was, for me, such a shocking twist!

The Dead Dog Day was an absorbing read that I raced through. It's one of those books that once you start it, you can't stop, so make sure you have a free afternoon to read this as you won't want to do anything else! This is Jackie Kabler's debut novel but it doesn't read like it - it's engaging, well written and a unique plot that I really, really enjoyed. There's a wonderful mixture of mystery, friendships (and ALOT of wine drinking!) dating and romance. I'd heartily recommend The Dead Dog Day to romance lovers wanting to delve into the crime genre as it is a wonderful blend of both. More writing please, Jackie!!

*A big thank you to Jackie Kabler and Accent Press for an advance copy of the story, in exchange for an honest review. 

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Bookouture Xmas: One Wish in Manhattan, Mandy Baggot

Blurb: 

"Christmas: it’s the most wonderful time of the year … to fall in love

The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading for New York with one wish … to start over.

With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for adventure. But there’s more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish – to find her real dad.

While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter’s wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there’s something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked.

Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might come true – could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever?

Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn’t just about filling the minutes … it’s about making every moment count."

I was first introduced to Mandy Baggot by reading Truly, Madly, Greekly over the Summer (you can read my review here). When I heard she had a Christmas story coming out, I couldn't wait to get my eager mitts on it, as I knew she would write something magical and festive. 

The story is told in a split viewpoint from the two main characters. The first is Hayley, who is taking her young Daughter Angel to New York for Christmas. Staying with her brother Daniel, she has kept the real reason behind the visit a secret... she wants to find Angel's dad, a man she had a one night stand with in New York ten years ago. We also follow billionaire New York business man Oliver Drummond, who is struggling with his health issues and worried they will result in a fatal heart attack like they did for his brother and Dad, who he is still grieving for. The worry is having an effect on the technology business he inherited from his father, and he struggles to lead the business to success. 

Firstly I loved the split viewpoint of the story. I always like it when you see things from both a man and woman's point of view, as the difference in thoughts is always really interesting. For the start of the story Hayley and Oliver are separate, but you just know that at some point they will cross paths and I was eager to find out what would happen and how they would connect (or not). Once they did, I liked that we got a sense of both their feelings of each other. 

Mandy has done an excellent at creating brilliant, likable characters that you really engage with from the beginning of the story. Oliver is a pretty complex character, portrayed by his colleagues as a ruthless businessman, caring only about profit and not much else. However when you delve into his feelings, you realise it's because he's still reeling from the loss of his brother and dad and is worried that he will be next to have a fatal heart attack. He acts like he has a death sentence and is constantly worried, partying away his troubles and doing anything he can to bury his fears. I actually warmed to him early on, knowing that deep down he was a lonely, confused man who had a big burden to bare. Hayley is also a great character- genuinely caring and funny. As well as trying to find Angel's father, she is worrying about money to support her and Angel as before their trip she quits her job at a dry cleaners. It's obvious from the start that she's really talented at fashion and design, and I was willing her on to follow her dreams and use her talents to create a life for her and Angel. Angel is a clever, loud girl who had me in stitches. She's a walking tour guide of facts, which she never keeps to herself and often shares loudly. 


One of my favourite aspects of the story was Hayley and Angels relationship, they get on so well and have a lovely bond. I also found Hayley and Oliver's interactions hilarious, the two of them seem to get on well and so easily, I loved watching their story unfold. 

Now, lets move on the the brilliant location of this book. As you can guess from the title, the story is set in New York (Manhattan), which creates a wintry, festive setting. There was so much attention to detail that I genuinely felt like I was there... Mandy well and truly transported me to the snowy streets of New York. 

The story isn't overly Christmassy, but does have that sparkle due to being set over the festive period. The location and time of year means there's elements of Christmas dotted throughout the story (roasted chestnuts, ice skating etc) but it wasn't so festive that I felt silly reading this in October, it was just the right amount and actually felt more wintery that Christmassy. 

Overall One Wish In Manhattan is a sparkly, festive story filled with family, friendship and romance.... the perfect story to curl up with during Christmas time. Mandy Baggot has done it again, creating an absorbing, lovely read that I thoroughly enjoyed. One of the main highlights? That despite being a festive read, it also delves into quite difficult and uneasy topics, while still maintaining that magical sparkle Mandy is skilled at creating.

*A big thank you to the publishers, Bookouture, for an advance copy of the story in exchange for an honest review. 

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Bookouture Xmas: Jenny Hale Q&A

As part of Bookouture Xmas, I'm delighted to welcome Jenny Hale to the blog to chat books, writing and Christmas. 
So grab a cuppa, put on some Christmas music and enjoy! 

1. Hi Jenny, a big welcome to Little Northern Soul! Can you tell us a little about your Christmas novel, Christmas Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses?
Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses is about single mother Abbey Fuller. She loves her family more than anything, but she’s had to put her dreams of being an interior designer on hold to raise her son Max. As a favor for a friend, she takes an interior design job where she meets Nick Sinclair. He needs his house decorated in time for his family’s festive visit – and money is no object. When Abbey pulls up to the huge Sinclair mansion, she has a feeling she might be out of her depth. And when she meets the gorgeous, brooding Nicholas Sinclair, she knows that she’s in real trouble… And so begins a little Christmas magic!

2. What was your favourite thing about writing a Christmas story?
Christmas is about family, love, and showing people we care about them—all the things that I like to put in my novels. There’s something so cozy about it, so romantic, that Christmas just fits for the type of story I like to write. It’s my favorite season.


3. How do you keep motivated to write a Christmas story when it's not Christmas time?
I don’t have any problem keeping motivated. Once I’m in my head, creating a story, the whole world outside fades away. I might put on Christmas music, but usually, I don’t need a thing.


4. In keeping with the Christmassy theme, how do you spend the festive season?
I spend it with my husband and my two boys. We make cookies for Santa and get up very early in the morning to find his loot. The rest of the day is spent lounging around the house.


5. You have such a wide range of brilliant stories - do you have a favourite?
My favorite used to be Love Me for Me. But that was until I wrote Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses. With this book, once I figured out who the characters were, I really connected with them and I could be a little more playful. I really enjoyed writing Nick and Abbey.


6. What was your journey to publication like? Any tips for aspiring authors?
I submitted stateside for a couple of years and I kept getting really good feedback so I continued to submit. I wondered what kind of feedback I’d get from the UK, so I submitted to Bookouture. I got a contract, and the rest is history.


7. Looking at your Twitter feed its clear you're busy - juggling a job, writing and raising a family! How do you find the time to write? Do you have a routine?
I don’t have a routine! (Eek!) Every day is different. I set a target of writing 1,000 words a day (or editing 4,000) and then it’s a mad scramble to reach that target. I rarely miss my goal.


8. When you're not busy doing all the above, how do you unwind and relax?
Writing is how I relax! (or reading) My favorite times are when the house is completely silent and I’m all by myself. The minute that happens (which is rare), I literally run for my computer.


9. What does it feel like to be a published author?
Surreal. I think the best way to capture the feeling is the thought that there’s a person somewhere, across the ocean from me, in another language, reading the words that were in my head, that I wrote while getting snack for my kids and doing laundry.


10. Do you have any plans for the next novel? Can you share anything about it?
It’s definitely at the beach—a summer book. I’m throwing around ideas at the moment. One idea has to do with a giant inn right on the water and sailboats…

That sounds fantastic, I can't wait to hear more! Thanks for coming on to the blog, Jenny. 

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses is out now

Blurb:
An uplifting, beautiful story about never letting go of your dreams, the special magic of a family Christmas… and the rush of falling in love under the mistletoe. 

Single mother Abbey Fuller loves her family more than anything, and doesn’t regret for a moment having had to put her dreams of being an interior designer on hold. But with her son, Max, growing up, when a friend recommends her for a small design job she jumps at the chance. How hard can it be? 

Nick Sinclair needs his house decorated in time for his family’s festive visit – and money is no object. What he doesn’t need is to be distracted from his multi-million dollar business – even if it is Christmas. 

When Abbey pulls up to the huge Sinclair mansion, she has a feeling she might be out of her depth. And when she meets the gorgeous, brooding Nicholas Sinclair, she knows that she’s in real trouble… 
With the snow falling all around, can Abbey take the chance to make her dreams of being a designer come true? And can she help Nick to finally enjoy the magic of Christmas?

Author interview: Liz Tipping

Today I'm delighted to invite Liz Tipping, author of Five Go Glamping to the blog for an interview! I read Five Go Glamping last month and it is a fun, quirky read - you can read my review here. 

So, without any more delay, welcome Liz! :) 

1. Hi Liz & welcome to Little Northern Soul! Your novel Five Go Glamping was published a few weeks ago by UK Carina. Can you tell us a little bit about it? 

Thank you for having me! It’s lovely to be here. Five Go Glamping is a romantic comedy. Our heroine, Fiona, is stuck in a bit of a rut career wise and romantically and she’s worried she’s going to end up a mad cat lady. When Juliet, the Wicked Witch of The West Midlands arrives on the scene at work, things get worse so Fiona and her friends think a glamping trip is just the thing they need to get away from it all. But it’s not the relaxing holiday they think it’s going to be!

2. Where did you get the idea for the story come from?

I wanted to write a book that had all the sense of adventure of my favourite children’s books but with a chick-lit spin on it. The title just popped into my head one day and I started writing! Plus, I had always wanted to go glamping and at that point hadn’t been, so I thought it would be fun to write about it!

3. I absolutely loved Five Go Glamping and a big part of that was because of the variety of different characters, who were all brilliant in their own right. Do you have a favourite?

I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I love all the characters in different ways. I can relate to Fiona not being happy in her office and feeling unable to follow her dreams and I think lots of people feel like that. Sinead is also a favourite as she’s one of those unintentionally funny friends that a few of us will know! I loved writing about Brian too, he’s one of my favourite characters in the book, even though he is canine and doesn’t say much!

4. When it comes to writing, do you like to plan things out or do you just get stuck in?

When I first started writing Glamping, I just got stuck in, but found myself having to stop and re-plan. With the second book, I planned it all out scene by scene and while it changed as it went along, I think planning is best for me. Knowing what’s about to happen makes me excited to write it!

5. What was your journey to publication like?
It was a bit odd, I think! I hadn’t written any fiction since I had left school twenty years ago and I just started writing one day. Once I had a few thousand words, I uploaded it onto the authonomy website which has recently closed and I was approached by an editor. But because she had a Hotmail address and I couldn’t believe an actual real editor would be interested in it, for realses, I thought it was someone trying to flog me editing services!
After that another couple of editors asked to see the manuscript, so I thought, hang on, I am onto something here. I contacted a few agents and finished the book and sent it off to a few publishers. It was all relatively pain – free and somehow I have managed to escape writing a dreaded synopsis.

6. Any writing tips for aspiring authors?

Try to see any rejections as positive and as a step closer to your goal. Set yourself a target of getting 100 rejections rather than getting a publishing contract- it will motivate you to get the work out there and you may receive some feedback on the way!

7. Do you like camping or would you prefer to go glamping? What’s been the best holiday you’ve ever been on?

I love camping and glamping and I do both. I love a caravan holiday too! I’ve had loads of holidays this year because I turned forty and also because my husband had a heart attack last year and we had to cancel a couple. It was really scary at the time and the holiday we went on when he was well again was my favourite. We went camping in Tenby in Wales, just for a couple of nights. It made me really appreciate us being well and healthy being able to go on holiday! It was while I was there that I heard from my editor at Carina about a publishing deal. I have a friend who teases me about going on so many holidays, but I’m very aware now that life is short and the more holidays, the better, I say!




8. On the topic of holidays, when you’re not busy writing, how do you relax? What do you like to do in your spare time?

As well as the all the holidays, I enjoy photography and love to share pictures I take. I did photography at University and since I started writing, I have an even greater love for taking pictures. Writing a book can feel like a long process and it’s nice to contrast that with something so immediate like photography.


9. What’s been the best thing about being a published author?

The best thing about writing has been all the lovely people I have met. Writers, bloggers and tweeters especially. It’s been so fun to get together with people who love stories, write stories and write about stories. It’s just fun to be in the world of books. I love taking part in features on book blogs- it’s such a nice collaborative thing to do.


10. Finally, do you have plans for a next book? Are you able to share anything about it?

I do and I’m quite excited about it! It’s a book which is very influenced by 80s teen movies but has a contemporary setting. It’s really funny ( if I do say so myself!) and really romantic and I’m hoping to be able to share more about it soon!

Ooh that sounds brilliant, I can't wait to hear more about it! Thanks for coming on Little Northern Soul, Liz, it's been great chatting to you :) 

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