2015 book awards: best seasonal stories (Summer & Christmas)

There's something really fun and comforting about reading a book about the season you're in. Over Christmas, I love settling down with a festive book to get me in the Christmas spirit and in the Summer, I enjoy reading books jam-packed with summery activities and good weather. These are my picks of the best Summer and Christmas-themed books from 2015. 

Summer

Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond

Lucy Diamond novels always bring a smile to my face. She manages to create a vivid fictional world that pulls you in and absorbs you from the first page until the very end and Summer at Shell Cottage is no exception. This story follows the Tarrant family on their annual trip to Devon. I loved the different situations the characters were in and finding out what the cottage meant to them. Setting the novel in Devon during the Summer was blissful and made for perfect Summer reading... pass me a cocktail please! You can read my full review here.

A Seaside Affair by Fern Britton

This was the first story by Fern Britton I've read and I really enjoyed it. Set in a seaside town, it was a fantastic location to be set in for this season and sent my imagination into overdrive. Filled with a variety of different characters all working together to save the local theatre that's set to be bought out by a high-street coffee chain, the plot for this story really resinated with me and felt very true to life. You can read my full review here.

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan 

I LOVED this story - absolutely everything about it was great... the characters, the setting, the plot. The seaside location of this book perfectly suited the season, which was so well described and brought to life by Jenny. With the gorgeous sounding food from the bakery and the beautiful location, this story was a perfect Summer read that I thoroughly enjoyed. You can read my full review here

Christmas

How to Stuff Up Christmas by Rosie Blake

First of all just look at that sparkly, festive cover. I knew from the offset this would be a brilliant book to get me in the festive spirit, and I wasn't wrong! This is a great book that I absolutely adored. Rosie Blake's writing style is fantastically unique and I can't wait to read more from her. It's a fun, festive read perfect for dark winter nights. You can read my full review here

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Lisa Dickenson

This story had me laughing out loud from the first page - it's a witty, hilarious read jam-packed with funny situations, likeable characters and lots and lots of festiveness. It's the prefect easy read for Christmas time and one that got me in the mood for celebrating. I'm already looking forward to reading it again next year! You can read my full review here.

Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin 

Romance writing at it's finest, Holly Martin once again creates an addictive story filled with romance and sexual tension. I was willing for the main characters, Penny and Henry to act on their feeling for each other and just get it to together already! Aside from that, there's lots of festive sparkle in the story too which I loved. A brilliant all-rounder that I thoroughly enjoyed. You can read my full review here. 

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: favourite fictional characters

A good book is often most memorable if it has stand-out characters that you remember for a long time after finishing the book. For me, this was one of the simplest book awards to decide, as these three characters mean a lot to me. I enjoyed reading their stories, fell for them as soon as I started reading the books they were in and still think about them now - some time after finishing the books. Also, they're all strong, female leads - girl power! 

Jessica Beam 

The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood 

This book is AMAZING. A-bloody-MAZING. One of the funniest and most special books of 2015- this story is absolutely brilliant. Kirsty Greenwood is an utter genius at bringing the characters of her stories to life. Jessica Beam isn't your typical female lead. She's feisty, unmotivated, clumsy and, at times, a little grose. Still, she's brilliant - funny, caring and just a little lost. I loved her from the offset and loved following her on her journey - I was rooting for things to work out for her. She is one of the funniest main characters in a long time (if not ever?!) and I still think about how brilliant she was now, nearly a year after reading. I can't wait for her next adventure. Read my full review here

Anna Browne

A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson 

A Parcel For Anna Browne is a magical story, one of my firm favourites by Miranda Dickinson. The story follows Anna, who leads a happy, yet unadventurous life. One day, she starts receiving parcels from a mystery sender. The parcels contain the most beautiful gifts which help Anna find out more about herself and grow in confidence. This is a wonderful story, but for me it was made by how lovely and sweet Anna is. She's the kind of person you can imagine easily being friends with and I really, really enjoyed watching her grow and develop throughout the book. Read my full review here 

Maddie

Always the Bridesmaid by Lindsey Kelk

Lindsey Kelk's writing is always absorbing and witty, and Always The Bridesmaid is no exception. This book had me laughing out loud and was a perfect, relaxing easy-read. I loved Maddie, there was just something about her that struck me. She seemed so real and relatable, the situations she found herself in and the way she reacted was so true to life that I felt like I knew her. Lindsey Kelk always writes characters that jump off a page and make you feel like you know them, and Maddie is certainly one of them. Read my full review here

2015 book awards: best series or serial

I love a great series... there's something comforting about returning back to a favourite set of characters and locations. It feels familiar and homely, especially when the book is based around characters you've really warmed to. A recent trend is 'serialising' stories, which is where one book is split into parts and released as numerous short stories, before being collated into one full story. You can see from my favourites that I'm a big fan of this idea, especially as it has produced some absolutely brilliant stories, but I will admit that I usually wait until the full novel is released as I struggle to wait so long between each novella! So, here you have my top 3 series of 2015... 

Ivy Lane by Cathy Bramley 

I firmly believe Cathy Bramley is the queen of serials - her Ivy Lane, Appleby Farm and Wickham Hall novellas have been hugely popular and as soon as you start reading you can see why. She has a fantastic way of drawing you into a story - you really warm to the characters, root for them to succeed and become absorbed in what's happening to them. I haven't read Wickham Hall yet (I'm waiting until the full novel is out in January) but I LOVED Ivy Lane and Appleby Farm. I've chosen Ivy Lane to go in this shortlist as it was the first story I'd read by Cathy Bramley and is the one that propelled her onto my list of favourite authors. The story is beautifully written, set on an allotment which is an usual and brilliant location and is just a genuinely lovely, heart-warming read. Read my full review here 

DCI Kim Stone Series - Angela Marsons

If you read my crime book award, you'll see I put Silent Scream as one of my favourite crime stories of the year. However, Angela Marsons is making a reappearence in this shortlist, as the books she's released this year are SO hard to pick between. Silent Scream, Evil Games and Lost Girls have all been released in 2015 and follow DCI Kim Stone as she solves various crimes or murders. All of the stories have been gripping, fast-paced and brilliantly written, which is why it is one of my favourite series of the year. I can't wait for more! Read my full reviews of Silent Scream, Evil Games and Lost Girls 

The Primrose Terrace series (full book: A Christmas Tail) by Cressida McLaughlin 

A christmas Tail was originally released as a 4-part E-book series, but I read the story as a whole over Christmas and I completely adored it. Despite it being focussed around dogs (and I'm not really a dog person - sorry!) it wasn't too much... the dogs provided some hilarious situations and also showed off the passions of the main character (ironically named Cat). The setting of a quiet residential street, Primrose Place, was cosy and wonderful and the story is filled with great characters. I really, really enjoyed this series (although I read it as the full novel - A Christmas Tail) and I am already excited for Cressida's next release. 

2015 book awards: the most shocking twists

There have been a few books I've read this year that have completely taken me by surprise by a shocking twist - whether at the end or part-way through a story. For me, a twist that shocks you and has you telling anyone and everyone you know about it (or, if you don't want to spoil the actual twist, just constantly talking about how twisty and shocking the book was!) is a sign of a great story. These three books below are ones that had me gasping in surprise and I still think about now as they were so good.

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

This is an absolutely sensational debut from Clare Mackintosh and has done so, so well. It's thoroughly deserved - this is a fast-paced, well written story that had me completely hooked. I still remember reading the end of the story and not quite believing it - I had to re-read it a few times to fully absorb what had just happened. Then, I bored my partner to death by talking to him over and over again by how shocking and unexpected the twist was (I think he was interested the first time, maybe not so much by the 55457th time!) If you haven't read this yet, then what are you waiting for?! Read my full review here 

The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson

Lucy Robinson is a master of emotion, writing stories that will have you holding back tears and laughing out loud all in one go. The Day We Disappeared is no exception and I was absorbed by the great plot and wonderful characters. The biggest thing about this is the amazing twist that I really didn't see coming at all. I was so shocked and surprised (in a good way) and the twist took this from being a great book to a truly excellent, tell-everyone-you-know-and-have-ever-met book. Read my full review here 

Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell 

I love Jill Mansell. She is one of my favourite authors and whatever she writes, I'll buy as I just KNOW I'll love it. I read Three Amazing Things About You this year and was completely blown away by it. It has the usual charm, intriguing characters and lovely locations that you come to expect from a Jill Mansell novel, but with another, more serious layer. One of the main characters in the story is Hallie, a girl waiting for a transplant. The story starts with her receiving a call to say she can have a transplant, so as a reader you realise that someone must have died to enable her to receive the set of lungs she so desperately needs. The rest of the story builds up to that moment and, I don't want to say anymore in case of spoiling it, but I was really shocked with how the story turned out. It was a clever conclusion which quickly propelled this into being one of my favourite-ever stories by Jill. Read my full review here

2015 book awards: best romance

I love a good romance storyline - whether it be centred around an already happy couple, or a long build-up into a budding romance. Either way, I enjoy stories that feature great couples and sweet, romantic storylines. The selection below have just that! 

Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley 

Cathy is brilliant at creating fantastic characters and even more fantastic couples. In Conditional Love, Sophie meets Nick when she asks him to do some architecture work on the house she has inherited. He's not your typical hunky male lead, but she likes his quirkiness (as did I!). As the story develops, so too does their relationship and there are many hints towards romance for the two of them. I was eager for them to get on with it and get together as they'd make a great couple - I loved watching their stories unfold separately and together. Read my full review here

The Love Shack by Jane Costello 

I absolutely loved this story, it had me smiling from ear to ear. Dan and Gemma are already a great, solid couple when we meet them and, as readers, we follow them as they start the process of trying to buy their first house together. As a couple they are brilliant, they play to each others strengths and I thought they were really cute. Their relationship is so realistic and true to life it made the story shine and I enjoyed seeing them go through the usual trials and tribulations of love, while supporting each other. (P.S. I really developed a soft spot for Dan - he was an absolutely wonderful main character.) Read my full review here 

Dear Darling by Ellen Faith 

I loved Dear Darling, the format of it being written as a diary was a unique twist that pulled me in. At the start of the story Sophie ends her relationship with her current idiot boyfriend, deciding to move onto better things. Cue us meeting Adam - sexy, caring and all-round drool-worthy, Adam is also Sophie's boss, so a crush is highly inappropriate but she just can't help it... and who could blame her, really?! I loved seeing them get to know each other and their relationship unfold. They are both great characters who you really root for. Read my full review here 

2015 book awards: favourite locations

To me, one of the main strengths of a story is a great location. Whether it be the full setting of a book or one or two places within the story, if it stands-out and is memorable, it means a lot to me. I love vivid descriptions and when a location is so well described by an author that you have no trouble imagining it. When you're fully absorbed and transported to a great location in a story, I think you're onto a winner. For me, these are some of the best locations in stories for 2015 - a very varied and perhaps surprising list! 

The Little Village Series by Gervase Phinn

This is a series that I really enjoy, mainly because of the fantastic location it's set in. I'm all for books that are set in small villages - I love the community feel and the way everyone knows everyone as it creates great drama, as well as feeling comfortable and warming. Barton-in-the-Dale, the village this series is based around, is one of my favourites. There is a great mix of personalities living there and it has a real country-vibe to it, which I absolutely love. 

Pleasure Island by Anna-Lou Weatherley

I was completely surprised and taken aback by this story. I'll admit, I'd pre-judged somewhat and thought it was going to be a story that centred around sex, but it is SO much more than that. It is a clever and twisty psychological thriller that I raced through as it is so, so good. The story follows a select group of individuals who are invited by a billionaire to a luxury island. They think they are just there for an indulgent, relaxing time but what they don't know is a different, select group have paid the billionaire to watch them... think Big Brother but with less viewers and them not knowing they are being watched. Not only was it a great plot and well written, but the island itself sounded amazing... (short of the secret cameras, of course) which is why I chose it as best location. The island sounded beautiful and a real luxurious place that I could easily picture and would love to visit - once the cameras were gone! Read my full review here 

Mile High by Rebecca Chance 

This story is set in a slightly unusual location, in that it is entirely set onboard a new luxury airliner. Only the most prestigious celebrities have been invited on board for it's first flight and so, as you'd expect, major drama ensues. This was a really enjoyable story and I loved that it was set on a plane, which was the driving force of the brilliant plot. The setting really heightened the drama and was also really well described - it sounds like a blumming amazing plane! Read my full review here 

2015 book awards: best foodie novels

Novels that revolve around food are one of my favourites. I love when food is the driving force of a story and there are many books that do this so well. Here are the three books that stand out to me for their fantastic food - I was drooling when reading these! 

The Dish by Stella Newman

This book is phenonomal. Seriously. I could have shortlisted it for many of my 2015 awards - humour, best main character, best romance etc as this book has it all. It is witty and brilliantly written and my only problem with it was how quickly it seemed to end! One of the stand-out features of The Dish though is the food. Oh, the food! The main character Laura is a food reviewer so is naturally passionate about food. There were so many mouth watering dishes featured in this story - Stella Newman is very talented writer and at writing delicious sounding food - have you ever thought of writing a cookbook next, Stella? The Dish is one of those books that sticks with you a long time after reading, and I would heartily recommend to anyone! Read my full review of The Dish, here

Chocolate Lover's Christmas by Carole Matthews

So. Much. Chocolate. Seriously, I have a sweet tooth but the ladies of the chocolate lover's club sure can knock back the sweet treats! This is a lovely festive story that is filled with relationships and strong friendships, but the stand-out factor for me had to be the chocolate. There were so many indulgent treats being consumed in this story that my stomach was grumbling throughout. Brownies, hot chocolates, cake... you name it, it's been given a delicious chocolatey twist. Yum! Read my full review here  

Game of Scones by Samantha Tonge

This story was the perfect summer read. Set in Greece, it transported me to warmer climates. The location and romantic storyline are excellent, but the food for me was a winner. Who knew there were so many types of scones?! seriously, I thought it would be all cream and jam, but I was so wrong! The main character, Pippa, frequently bakes gorgeous sounding scones and tops them with ingredients I'd never think to use - think Feta and Pepper, Lemon and Yogurt... the list goes on! This fab story gave me a craving for a scone, jam and clotted cream and I loved seeing all the different ideas and versions of this indulgent treat. Foodie reading at it's best! Read my full review here 

2015 bookish round-up

Hello Everyone! 

First of all, I hope you had a lovely Christmas. Mine was spent with family, friends and lots of delicious food... what more could you want! Now I have a few quiet days before New Year's Eve, which I plan to spend reading, baking and just generally chilling out before I start my new job this time next week (eek!) 

With the New Year fast approaching, I wanted to do something that summarised my year in books. Now, I'll admit that I've found the idea of collating my favourite books of this year slightly stressful. There has been some absolutely amazing books and, mainly thanks to blogging, I've been so happy to discover some fantastic new authors and genres! 

Many bloggers have compiled a top 10, 20 or even gone all-out and picked their favourite book of the year... but I'm struggling. My list keeps growing and I find it hard to choose between different genres. Therefore, I've decided to do something a little different. Over the next few days I am going to be running Little Northern Soul's 2015 book awards. 

Basically, there will be lots of different categories (things like 'best romance', 'best plot twist', best thriller' etc) and I will pick my favourite three books that fit into that category. They won't be in any particular order, just the three books from that topic that I enjoyed the most. I know this is quite a long way to do it, but I think it'll be fun and will let me share with you guys lots of fantastic books!

So, keep an eye out over the next few days as I'll be starting to post my selections. I'll be posting a few of the topics each day and will be tweeting about it too. I hope you like the idea and I look forward to sharing with you all! 

#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

Monthly round-up: November

I can't quite believe that the end of November is here and that tomorrow it is December... a.k.a a time when it is perfectly acceptable to be overly festive and stuff my face with mince pies everyday. 'Tis the season to be merry, after all.

November had absolutely zoomed past in comparison to what felt like a rather slow October. I've had a lovely month filled with family and friends. I love this time of year - cuddling up on the sofa with a film and a takeaway, bonfire night parties and just generally starting to wind-down as the end of the year approaches. As it's been a fairly quiet month socalising-wise, I've had plenty of time to read some fab books. (Click on the titles of the books I've read to read my reviews!)

Books I've received:
Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper, Debbie Johnson
It Started With a Snub, Bernadette Maycock
A Winter Wedding, Abby Clements 
The Boy Under the Mistletoe, Kate Beeden
Wish Upon a Christmas Cake, Darcie Boleyn

Books I've Won: 
Snowed in for Christmas, Claire Sandy
Gingerbread Cafe Christmas, Rebecca Raisin

Books I've Read:

24 Hours, Claire Seeber (4.5/5)

Lost Girls, Angela Marsons (5/5)

Billy and Me, Giovanna Fletcher (3/5)

The Leftovers, Stella Newman (5/5)
Follow Me, Angela Clarke (4.5/5)
Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper, Debbie Johnson (4/5)

Conditional Love, Cathy Bramley (5/5)

The Girl With No Past, Kathryn Croft (3/5)

November book of the month

As usual with my book of the month, it was really hard to make a decision. It's been a great month for reading, and some of the books, like Leftovers and Lost Girls, will really stick with me for some time as they were so brilliant. That's why I've decided it was a good idea to start a rating system for my round-up post. I don't use a rating in my reviews, as I think you can gauge from my review how much I liked the book. But for my round-up posts it's a quick and easy way for you to see how much I've enjoyed a book. So anyway, my book of the month for November has to go to Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley. I absolutely LOVED it - it's full of charm, hope and love. The definition of feel-good fiction. 

I also wrote a guest post for Lil'Novelist about my fave book covers of the year - you can read it here. 

I had loads of fun this month doing some more personal posts about me and my reading habits! There was the 11 Things You Didn't Know tag and  The Reading Habits tag. If you haven't already read them and are a nosy person (like I am!) then why not have a read :) 

So there you have it, my November round-up. I'm so excited for December.. I love the build-up to Christmas and getting all festive. I have loads of Christmas reading planned (I blogged my festive TBR pile here) and will be reviewing them in the run up to Christmas, so keep your eyes peeled! 

L xx

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesday's is a meme hosted by Sam over on her blog, Taking on a World of Words. It's a really fun way to share what you've been reading and what you plan to read, so I thought I'd give it a go! 

1. What are you currently reading?

Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley

I'm really, really enjoying this so far. It has all the magic and intrigue of a typical Cathy Bramley story. I love her writing style and engaging characters and can't wait to see how the story unfolds (I'm about half way through). Keep an eye out for a review once I'm finished! 

Blurb: 

What surprises might life have in store for you?

A takeaway, TV and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets for thirty-something Sophie Stone. Sophie’s life is safe and predictable, which is just the way she likes it, thank you very much.

But when a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance, Sophie has to accept that change is afoot. There is one big catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never seen.

Saying ‘yes’ means the chance to build her own dream home, but she’ll also have to face the past and hear some uncomfortable truths…

With interference from an evil boss, warring parents, an unreliable boyfriend and an architect who puts his foot in it every time he opens his mouth, will Sophie be able to build a future on her own terms - and maybe even find love along the way?

2. What did you recently finish reading?

Follow Me by Angela Clark 

I absolutely LOVED this book - a gripping, twisty thriller with a dynamic edge. Read my full review here 

Blurb: 

"LIKE. SHARE. FOLLOW . . . DIE

The ‘Hashtag Murderer’ posts chilling cryptic clues online, pointing to their next target. Taunting the police. Enthralling the press. Capturing the public’s imagination.

But this is no virtual threat.

As the number of his followers rises, so does the body count.

Eight years ago two young girls did something unforgivable. Now ambitious police officer Nasreen and investigative journalist Freddie are thrown together again in a desperate struggle to catch this cunning, fame-crazed killer. But can they stay one step ahead of him? And can they escape their own past?

Time's running out. Everyone is following the #Murderer. But what if he is following you?

ONLINE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM …"

3. What do you think you’ll read next?

I'm going to start reading my festive christmassy books next. I'm going to be doing a 'festive reads' blog post, outlining all the books I'll be reading in the build up to Christmas and over the festive period. I can't wait as I have loads of beautiful looking and brilliant sounding stories to dive into, but I think I'll start with The Winter Wedding by Abby Clements, which I was kindly sent recently by the publishers of the book, Simon & Schuster. 

Blurb: 

"Hazel never set out to be a wedding planner. She was just helping her stressed sister Lila with cakes and décor for her big day. But when Lila and Ollie's summer ceremony is a runaway success, with guests raving about the food and styling at the pretty venue, word about Hazel's expertise soon spreads.

But Hazel's clients expect the very best - she's promised lawyers Gemma and Eliot a snow-covered castle in the Scottish Highlands, and laidback couple Josh and Sarah a bohemian beach wedding in a Caribbean paradise. But as weather, in-laws and wilful brides conspire against her, can Hazel get two very different couples to walk up two very different aisles to say 'I do'? And will she find her own happy ending if she does?"

I hope you enjoyed this post, I'd love to hear what you're reading - let me know in the comments below! Also if you have any recommendations, feel free to share! :) 

Monthly round-up: October

October has been a really busy but fun month... I can't believe it's November already though!

At the start of the month one of our oldest friends came back to Yorkshire after a couple of years travelling in China and Australia. It's great to have him back so we had a 'welcome back' get together for him at ours and have since had a few nights out (and in), it's been great to catch up. 

In mid-October it was the OH's birthday. We took a week off work and had some fun on a road trip. We started at Chester Zoo (which I blogged about here), followed by a stay in Chester and then on to Manchester to catch up with a few friends - I'll be blogging more about this trip in the next few weeks. 

I also had a day trip to Nottingham to catch up with my uni friends. We went to uni in Nottingham, so heading back to the city brought back lots of fun memories! We spent the day shopping, eating and drinking all while catching up. It was a lovely day. 

The end of the month has been much more relaxed with plenty of cosy nights in, sleepovers with my best friend and film nights. A great start to Autumn... I love this time of year! 

So, onto books! 

Books I've bought: 

Netgalley requests: 

24 Hours, Claire Seeber

Lost Girls, Angela Marsons 
Bella's Christmas Bake Off, Sue Watson
The Twelve Dates of Christmas, Lisa Dickinson

Books I've Received:

Books I've read:

A Parcel for Anna Browne, Miranda Dickinson

Bad Sisters, Rebecca Chance

The Year I Met You, Cecilia Ahern

The Broken Hearts Book Club, Lynsey James

The Dead Dog Day, Jackie Kabler

One Wish in Manhattan, Mandy Baggot

The Boy at the Bookshop, Katey Lovell 

Book of the month:

October has been an amazing month for reading. I've loved every single book I've picked up and found it hard to pick a favourite. After a lot of thought my October Book of the Month had to go to A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson. I was so excited for this release and it really lived up to expectation. It is a truly magical story and confirmed to me why Miranda is one of my favourite authors. I loved the mystery, romance and friendships throughout the story and it is a story that will stick with me for a long time.