I love opening my maibox and finding books waiting for me, it puts a big smile on my face :-D.
This week I received these books from lots of lovely publishers:
Jackie Collins - Goddess of Vengence - sent by Ann Marie Neives
Jane Loverling - Starstruck - sent by Liz at Choc Lit
Vanessa Diffenbaugh - The Language Of Flowers - sent by Quinne Rogers at Ballantine
Lesley Lokko - A Private Affair - sent by Gabby Young at Orion
Belinda Jones - California Dreamers - sent by Jaime Frost at Hodder and Stoughton
Nina Bell - The Empty Nesters - sent by Hannah Hargreave at Sphere
When Was It Released?:5th July 2011 Where Did I Get It From?:From the library Who Published it?:Ballantine Books
From the minute French Lessons by Ellen Sussman was released last month this has been at the top of my to-read pile and as soon as a copy came in at my local library I had to grab it. Once I arrived home I had to start reading this delectable novel, and I could not put it down. French Lessons is as inviting as the smell of fresh espresso and pain au chocolat wafting out of a French café in Paris. I delved into this novel and couldn’t stop reading, feeling almost as if I was right there on the river Seine along with the characters.
French lessons takes a look at the lives of three American’s exploring Paris with their respective French tutors. Along the way they will learn about not only language but also love and loss. The storyline is split into sections focusing on each character separately. First up is Josie with her tutor Nico, who desperately wants to heal her broken heart. Then there is Riley with her tutor Philippe, who feels lost and alone in her own city, and even more lonely with her husband. And last but not least Jeremy with his tutor Chantal, who is accompanying his wife while she is shooting a film, yet he struggles to feel connected with her. As the three American’s take their respective journeys through the winding streets of Paris they succumb to passion, romance and may even find a hidden truths about themselves along the way.
I have always had a love affair with France and Paris in particular, being fascinated by its elegance, romance, and language. I have always wanted to be able to speak French, and lets be honest who hasn’t? (If you tell me you haven't I will either think you are lying or don't know enough about France to want to!) Well French Lessons brought all this back to me and much more. I am now desperate to return to Paris! I loved the descriptions of the landmarks, food and wine, and the city itself whitch are described in enticing detail. The novel is split into five sections, which I really liked as well, making it easy to read this novel savouring each story on their own. It is hard to choose which story I enjoyed the most, as each made me care about the characters in such a way, that I was wondering about what had happened to them all long after I had finished the novel . The character of Josie and her heartbreak will draw you in and have you feeling along with her through her entire story, while the character of Riley will have you laughing along with her charming wit and humour. And lets not forget Jeremy who you will grow to love too. Ellen Sussman deftly manages to change the tone and mood for each of these stories meaning there is no chance of you getting bored along the way.
French Lessons is a sexy and at times erotic novel, with an explicit sex scene around half way through the novel, which may not be to some readers tastes. If you are in any way offended by this, then maybe this is not the novel for you. Aside from this the only other thing I didn’t like about the novel was there was no real closure with any of the characters. Even though there is an ending with the tutors, I was left wondering what had happened with Josie, Riley and Jeremey's lives. An epilogue for each was perhaps needed to really close out the story.
French Lessons is a luscious, charming, romantic novel, with sexual tension rife with every turn of the page. Ellen succeeds in bringing each of her characters to life with her joie de vivre, French Lessons should be savoured and is a real treat for any reader.
Giveaway
Giveaway has now ended
Thanks to the wonderful Leah Johanson from Ballantine Publishing, a section of Random House Publishing I have two copies of French Lessons to giveaway to my lucky readers. So what do you have to do to win? Well for this one you need to be a GFC follower. Once you are just leave me a nice comment with your email address and you will be entered into the giveaway.
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Each week I will be reading and reviewing books for this blog. These will be mostly new releases with a few chick lit classics thrown in. This week I'm reading:
Jennifer Close - Girls In White Dresses
Darlene Fredette - Keeping Secrets - Darlene kindly sent this to me to review
Nicky Well's - Sophie's Turn When Was This Released?: July 9th 2011 Where Did I Get It From? The lovely Nicky Well's sent this copy to me. Thankyou Nicky :-D Who Published It? Nicky worked long and hard to publish this novel herself
Nicky Well’s is debut author, originally from Germany, now living in Bristol in England, with her husband and two sons. She has self published her first e- book Sophie’s Turn a classic chick lit novel. Nicky kindly sent me an e-book copy of her novel . Normally I don’t enjoy reading e-books, I’m pretty old fashioned and love the feel and smell of a reading a new book. After reading about Sophie’s Turn, however, I was excited to get started. I always enjoy reading novel’s by new and upcoming author’s and Sophie’s Turn was no exception.
Have you ever dreamed of being engaged to a man you have lusted after for many years who is also the lead singer of your all time favourite band? Well for Sophie Penhalligan, this isn’t just her dream its her reality. Dan the lead singer of Tusk has just proposed to her and she is over the moon. There’s just one issue she’s already engaged to her long term boyfriend Tim. You’re probably wondering how one girl can become engaged to two men at once, right? Well so was I when I read the prologue of Sophie’s Turn, after all its not the predicament you find yourself in every day. You’re also probably coming to many presumptions about Sophie already but wait, you have to read her story before you judge her. Once you start devouring the pages you will come to realise how Sophie has managed to land herself in this unlikely situation and along the way you will begin to not only fall in love with her but also perhaps envy her just a little bit. Not only do we come to realise that she has a conscience she also has many elements to her that we can all relate to.
Sophie’s Turn is split into three sections; Flashbacks, Playing With Fire and Showtime. The first looks at how Sophie managed to become engaged to two men at one time; reliable dependable Tim and roguish handsome Dan. The second looks at the progression of both of her relationships with both men, with the third leading us to how Sophie manages to get herself out of her predicament and the decisions she comes to make. I usually don’t enjoy flashbacks as a way of telling back stories, however in Sophie’s Turn Nicky Well’s manages to fit these flashbacks perfectly into the narration so that the novel does not become stilted but continues to flow. I loved the humour injected into this novel with the moment of Tim de-slugging his garden having me laughing out loud, leaving me receiving many strange looks from people around me. I also was thrilled to notice some British elements thrown in, resulting in much nostalgia for me with the mention of scotch eggs and sausage rolls, as I am originally from England and miss many of these elements about Britain. Many UK novelists tend to stay away from too many mentions of words and items only associated with England, fearing that they will isolate the American market, so I was delighted to see that Nicky Well’s had not shied away from this.
Will Sophie choose Tim or Dan? Well you’ll have to read the book to find that answer but let me tell you the ending might just surprise you.
In Sophie’s Turn Nicky Well’s mixes a style reminiscent of Lauren Weinberger’s ‘Last Night in Château Marmont’ with her unique British charm resulting in a honest, charming and slightly bitter sweet, romantic take on modern chick lit. Reading this novel feels as though you are hearing it directly from you’re best friend. I was able to devour this novel almost as fast as I tend to wolf down a chocolate bar when I‘m in need a sugar rush, even having to be literally dragged away from the novel at one point. Anyone who likes chick lit will love Sophie’s Turn just as much as I did.
Have you read this novel? Let me know what you thought.
Tyra Banks, model and presenter of America's Next Top Model has turned her hand to writing with the release of her debut novel "Modelland". This is set to be the first of a series of three young adult fantasy series books. "Modelland is set to be released in Septemeber and I will definatly be getting my copy as soon as it hits the shelves. Want to know more? :
No one gets in without being asked. And with her untamable hair, large forehead, and gawky body, Tookie De La Creme isn't expecting an invitation. Modelland - the exclusive, mysterious place on top of the mountain - never dares to make an appearance in her dreams. But someone has plans for Tookie. Before she can blink her mismatched eyes, Tookie finds herself in the very place every girl in the world obsesses about. And three unlikely girls have joined her. Only seven extraordinary young women become Intoxibellas each year. Famous. Worshipped. Magical. What happens to those who don't make it? Well, no one really speaks of that. Some things are better left unsaid. Thrown into a world where she doesn't seem to belong, Tookie glimpses a future that could be hers - if she survives the beastly Catwalk Corridor and terrifying Thigh-High Boot Camp. Or could it? Dark rumours like silken threads swirl around the question of why Tookie and her new friends were selected . . . and the shadows around Modelland hide sinister secrets
Tess Daly - The Camera Never Lies
The beautiful Tess Daly, British presenter of Strictly Come Dancing (The UK's version of Dancing With The Stars) has written her debut fiction novel "The Camera Never Lies." Her previous non-fiction is untitled the Baby Diaries, taking a look at motherhood. "The Camera Never Lies" is set to be released in October and I can't wait to get my hands on this. To get you excited about the novel here is the synopsis:
Britt Baxter is unaware of the effect she has on people. A big-hearted, no-nonsense northern girl, she naturally looks for the best in everyone she meets, but in her attempts to make it as model she finds she struggles against being pinned down on the casting couch by the most unlikely people... So when a happy accident lands her a career as a presenter on breakfast television, it looks as if she has made it out of the modelling world of close-ups and cattle calls and into the big time - or at least daytime TV. But scarcely has Britt had time to wonder at how far she has come, when backstage machinations propel her with ever increasing speed through a series of trapdoors and she soon realises that the drama backstage far eclipses anything that happens in front of the camera.
Each week I will be reading and reviewing books for this blog. These will be mostly new releases with a few chick lit classics thrown in. After a trip to the library, a books sent to me from a lovely author and a book that I won finally arriving this is what I will be reading:
Sophie's Turn by Nicky Wells (E Book) - Nicky Well's kindly sent me a copy of this to review
Beth Harbison - Always Something There To Remind Me
Sophie’s Turn is split into three sections; Flashbacks, Playing With Fire and Showtime. The first looks at how Sophie managed to become engaged to two men at one time; reliable dependable Tim and roguish handsome Dan. The second looks at the progression of both of her relationships with both men, with the third leading us to how Sophie manages to get herself out of her predicament and the decisions she comes to make. I usually don’t enjoy flashbacks as a way of telling back stories, however in Sophie’s Turn Nicky Well’s manages to fit these flashbacks perfectly into the narration so that the novel does not become stilted but continues to flow. I loved the humour injected into this novel with the moment of Tim de-slugging his garden having me laughing out loud, leaving me receiving many strange looks from people around me. I also was thrilled to notice some British elements thrown in, resulting in much nostalgia for me with the mention of scotch eggs and sausage rolls, as I am originally from England and miss many of these elements about Britain. Many UK novelists tend to stay away from too many mentions of words and items only associated with England, fearing that they will isolate the American market, so I was delighted to see that Nicky Well’s had not shied away from this. 
