POPSUAR Reading Challenge 2021

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Hi guy’s

I would like to wish you all a happy new year! So it’s that time again….I didn’t manage to complete last years prompts but having said that it hasn’t deterred me from trying it again!

Lets take a look at 2021’s POPSUGAR reading prompts:

1)A book that’s published in 2021

2)An Afrofuturist book

3)A book that has a heart, diamond, club or spade on the cover

4)A book by an author who shares your Zodiac sign

5)A dark academia book

6)A book with a gem, mineral or rock in the title

7)A book where the main character works at your current or dream job

8)A book that has won the Women’s Prize For Fiction

9)A book with a family tree

10)A bestseller from the 1990’s

11)A book about forgetting

12)A book you have seen on someone’s book shelf (in real life, on a zoom call, in a TV show etc)

13)A locked-room mystery

14)A book set in a restaurant

15)A book with a black and white cover

16)A book by an Indigenous author

17)A book that has the same title as a song

18)A book about a subject you are passionate about

19)A book that discusses body positivity

20)A book found on a Black Life’s Matter reading list

21)A genre hybrid

22)A book set mostly or entirely outdoors

23)A book with something broken on the cover

24)A book by a Muslim American author

25)A book that was published anonymously

26)A book with an Oxymoron in the title

27)A book about do-overs or fresh starts

28)A magical realism book

29)A book set in multiple countries

30)A book set somewhere you’d like to visit in 2021

31)A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality

32)A book whose title starts with Q, X or Z

33)A book featuring three generations (Grandparent, parent and child)

34)A book about a social justice issue

35)A book in a different format than what you normally read

36)A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads

37)A book you think your Best friend would like

38)A book about art or an artists

39)A book everyone seems to have read

40)Your favourite prompt from a past POPSUGAR reading challenge

Advanced

41)The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list

42)The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list

43)The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover

44)The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover

45)The book that’s been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time

46)A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn’t

47)A book from your TBR list you associate with a favourite person, place or thing

48)A book from your TBR list chosen at random

49)A DNF book from your TBR list

50)A free book from your TBR list (gifted, borrowed, library)

So that’s this years reading prompts! As always there is a great mixture of prompts which will surly have me reading book out of my comfort zone. I’m gonna do my very best to complete it this year!

Are you also taking part in this years POPSUGR reading challenge? Are there any prompts you think you might find easier or harder?

As always I love to read your comments and thoughts so feel free to comment.

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Results of my POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2020

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Hi guy’s

Well can you believe it’s that time of year again, gosh it seems to come round so quickly! So as some of you will know I like to try this challenge out every year, (even though I’m still yet to complete all the prompts. I’m happy as long as I beat the previous year. My POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Results )

Let’s see how I did shall we?……

1) A book that’s published in 2020 – The Eve Illusion by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher

2)A book by a trans or nonbinary author– Didn’t complete

3) A book with a great first line– Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

4) A book about a book club– Pure Fiction by Julie Highmore

5) A book set in a city that has hosted the Olympics– After You by Jojo Moyes

6) A bildungsroman– Didn’t complete

7) The first book you touched on a shelf with your eyes closed– The Letter by Katheyn Hughes

8) A book with an upside-down image on the cover– The Hidden Beach by Karen Swan

9) A book with a map– The Girl with the Dragon tattoo by Stieg Larsson

10) A book recommended by your favourite blog, vlog, podcast, or online book club– How to bullet Plan by Rachel Wilkenson Miller

11) An Anthology– Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks

12) A book that’s passes the Bechdel Test– Didn’t complete

13) A book with the same title as a movie or TV show but is unrelated– Didn’t complete

14) A book by an author with Flora or Fauna in their name– Didn’t complete

15) A book about or involving social media– Didn’t complete

16) A book that has a book on the cover– The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

17) A medical thriller– Didn’t complete

18) A book with a made-up language– Didn’t complete

19) A book set in a country beginning with ‘C’– Didn’t complete

20) A book you picked because the title caught your attention– Summer at Hope Medows by Lucy Daniels

21) A book published the month of your birthday– The Watcher by Monika Jephcott Thomas

22) A book about or by a woman in STEM– Didn’t complete

23) A book that won an award in 2019– Milkman by Anna Burns

24) A book on a subject you know nothing about– The Prison Doctor by Dr Amanda Brown

25) A book with only words on the cover, no images or graphics– Happy by Fearne Cotton

26) A book with a pun in the title– Storm in a C Cup by Caroline Flack

27) A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins– Beautiful Liars by Isabel Ashdown

28) A book with a robot, cyborg or AI characters– Eve of Man by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher

29) A book with a bird on the cover– Daisy’s Vintage Cornish Campervan by Ali Mc Namara

30) A fiction or non-fiction book about a world leader– Didn’t complete

31) A book with ‘gold’, ‘silver’, or ‘bronze’ in the title– Didn’t complete

32) A book by a WOC– The Good enough Mother by Anoushka Beazley

33) A book with at least a four star rating on Goodreads– A Summer Scandal by Kat French

34) A book you meant to read in 2019– The Holiday by T. M. Logan

35) A book with a three worded title– The Venetian House by Mary Nickson

36) A book with a pink cover– Vivien’s Heavenly Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements

37) A western– Didn’t complete

38) A book by or about a journalist– Still Me by Jojo Moyes

39) Read a book during Banned Books Week– The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

40) Your favourite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challange- From 2015– Hinch yourself Happy by Mrs Hinch

So as I didn’t complete the main section I couldn’t go on to do the advanced section. I managed a total of 27 prompts out of 40. I’m happy I got a few more than last year! I will still be doing the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge next year in the hope that, just maybe I will complete it all! But we will see!!!!!

Did you take part this year? How did you do?

As always feel free to comment and I will get back to you! I love to hear your thoughts!

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Book Review on: Harness The Power Of The Invincible Mind by Alex Neumann

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About the author (as seen in the book)

Alex Neumann is an author, engineer, corporate mentor, and technology investor. He is a member of The Independent Book Publishers Association.

He holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature. Also he holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science.

Alex lives with his wife, dog and cat. He enjoys good wine and catching sun rays with his lazy dog.

Ever since childhood, he has been interested in understanding how some people are able to thrive through challenging times in life, and he hopes that by sharing these hard-fought lessons with each other, we can make this world a better place.

Website: http://www.alexneumann.co

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/alexneumannco

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/alexneumannco

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/alexneumannco

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/alexneumannco

Publication date: 30th September 2020

Publisher: Pearson Press

ISBN: Hardback 978-1-7771790-0-7

Paperback 978-1-7771790-2-1

Ebook 978-1-9992794-7-9

Also available in Audiobook

Pages: 202 pages

Genre: Practical and motivation self help

Format reading: Hardback

Copy provided by: Author

Blurb (as seen on the back cover)

Alex Neuman makes a wonderful guiding principles for anyone attempting to create a productive and satisfying life. He reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of happiness and create needless suffering.

These incredibly profound, yet simple and practical techings will inspire you to ground new level of life clarity, confidence, purpose and passion.

An inspiring and practical roadmap with many great lessons to self-upliftment and to for fill your dreams.

My Review

A huge thank-you to the author Alex for kindly asking me to read and review his book Harness The Power Of The Invincible Mind. And for kindly gifting me a copy.

I’m super excited about this book because I really enjoy self-help and I’m always open to learning something practical that I could incorporate in my own life.

In this truly incredible book Alex Neumann covers everything you need to help you get the best out of yourself. He includes stories from well known people to illustrate and back up his thought prosses and I found this as the reader to be very insightful and helped me to understand fully. Alex I feel is giving readers the tools to go off and develop your mind and thought’s for a positive one’s. He suggests having a struggles in life rob us of that happiness and dreams (which I totally agree with!). And he suggests flipping negative thoughts on their head by turning them into something positive and therefor adding determination into your mind; which will lead to you developing your goal and happiness. Alex suggests that we can all learn from each other from our past experiences, as we all have wisdom to pass over.

There is so much I want to say about how very useful this book could be to people in general for it’s easiness to read, understand and is so very well written, but I would seriously go on all day!!!

Harness The Power Of The Invincible Mind is now going to be my bible that I turn to when I need a gentle nudge and wisdom to help me. I’ve read a few self-help books in my time but this one is something else! Very insightful and inspiring!

Alex Neumann you are a wise soul!!! Thank you for writing such a dam good book, that I’m sure will help many people.

Marie’s Book Boutique gives

Harness The Power Of The Invincible Mind by Alex Neumann

A Super 5 Sparkly Stars

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12 Days Of Clink Street Blog Tour Book Review On The Watcher by Monika Jephcott Thomas

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About the author (as seen on press release)

Monika Jephcott Thomas grew up in Dortmund Mengede, north-west Germany. She moved to the
UK in 1966, enjoying a thirty year career in education before retraining as a therapist. Along with her partner Jeff she
established the Academy of Play & Child Psychotherapy in order to support the twenty per cent of children who have
emotional, behavioural, social and mental health problems by using play and the creative Arts. A founder member of
Play Therapy UK, Jephcott Thomas was elected President of Play Therapy International in 2002. Fifteen Words by
Monika Jephcott Thomas (published by Clink Street Publishing, Late 2016

Website: http://www.monika-jephcott-thomas.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16019023.Monika_Jephcott_Thomas

Publication date: 10th October 2017

Publisher: Clink Street

http://www.bookpublishing.co.uk

ISBN: Paperback 978-1-912262-02-1

Ebook 978-1-912262-03-8

Pages: 240 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format reading: Paperback

Copy provided by: Faye- Authoright

Blurb (as seen on the back cover)

It’s 1949 when Netta’s father Max is released from a Siberian POW camp and returns to his home in occupied Germany. But he is not the man the little girl is expecting – the brave, handsome doctor her mother Erika told her stories of.

Erika too struggles to reconcile this withdrawn, volatile figure with the husband she knew and loved before, and, as she strives to break through the wall Max has built around himself, Netta is both frightened and jealous of this interloper in the previously cosy household she shared with her mother and doting grandparents.

Now, if family life isn’t tough enough, it is about to get even tougher, when a murder sparks a police investigation, which begins to unearth dark secrets they all hoped had been forgotten. 

My Review

I would just like to say a massive thank you to Faye from Authoright and Clink Street Publishing for kindly asking me to take part in this blog tour and for sending me a copy of The Watcher by Monika Jephcott Thomas to read and review!

As you will know from Monday this week I reviewed Fifteen words which you can check out here if you missed it! 12 Days Of Clink Street Publishing: Book Review On: Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas and I also read I love You Billy Langlay which you can reas here! https://mariesbookboutique.wordpress.com/2019/04/14/blog-tour-book-review-on-i-love-you-billy-langley-by-monika-jephcott-thomas

The Watcher by Monika Jephcott Thomas follows Fifteen words. Netta’s father Max has returned home after many years of being in a Siberian POW camp, only Netta has never met him. Netta’s mother Erika has told her all about him but the man who return’s doesn’t seem to match up. Her parent’s are both doctors, her mother has set up a practice in there home and Max starts work at a local hospital. There is a lot of adjustments they all have to make, and it’s not an easy road for them. Max struggles with flash backs of his time in the POW camp and keeps things from Erika. Erika struggles to understand her husband and his new volatile ways. Netta struggles with the intrusion of her father but want’s his attention.

Then suddenly the family’s housekeeper is killed and brings suspicions and the police to there door. But there are secrets that are being held by this family. Little do the family know that they are not only being watched by the police but by someone else too! Netta’s parent’s become very aware of her getting painfully thin and send her away to a children’s home to recover. Are people from Erika and Max’s past going to be brought to light? Can Max tell his wife and child of his flash backs and his time in the POW camp? Is Netta really ok? Will she return home recovered? Will Netta get time with her father rather than the person who has returned home to her? Who is watching the family? and what do they want? Who killed the housekeeper?

The Watcher by Monkia Jephcott Thomas does follow Fifteen words but Monika included bits of information through Max’s flash backs providing an enough insight to this although I strongly recommend you read it because it is so good! The Watcher was not just gripping I felt very intrigued by just who was watching the family and why. I did feel for Max, Erika and Netta because each of them were dealing with different feelings and the adjustment of their family dynamic. I’m glad I read Fifteen words before this one because it gave me the chance to really connect with Max and Erika in particular. I thought this book was very well written and has raw emotion and mystery woven through. I like the fact Monika is showing a different perspective on this time in history and adding her own fictional story within her books, I feel she has educated me a bit about this time!

Marie’s Book Boutique give’s

The Watcher by Monika Jephcott Thomas

4 Sparkly Stars

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12 Days Of Clink Street Publishing: Book Review On: Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas

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About the author (as seen on the press release)

Monika Jephcott Thomas grew up in Dortmund Mengede, north-west Germany. She moved to the
UK in 1966, enjoying a thirty year career in education before retraining as a therapist. Along with her partner Jeff she
established the Academy of Play & Child Psychotherapy in order to support the twenty per cent of children who have
emotional, behavioural, social and mental health problems by using play and the creative Arts. A founder member of
Play Therapy UK, Jephcott Thomas was elected President of Play Therapy International in 2002. Fifteen Words by
Monika Jephcott Thomas (published by Clink Street Publishing, Late 2016

Website: http://www.monika-jephcott-thomas.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16019023.Monika_Jephcott_Thomas

Publication Date: 22nd November 2016

Publisher: Clink Street Publishing

http://www.bookpublishing.co.uk

ISBN: Paperback: 978-1911110958

Also available in Ebook.

Pages: 290 pages

Genre: Historical Romance

Format reading: Paperback

Copy kindly provided by: Faye- Authoright / Clink Street Publishing

Blurb (as seen on the back cover)

Despite struggling to reconcile their different political and religious views in the 1930’s Nazi Germany, Erika and Max, two newly qualified doctors, fall in love.

But then World War Two engulfs Europe and rips the young lovers apart. For four years Max must endure the barren cruelty of a Siberian POW camp, whilst Erika watches her beloved Germany destroyed as she tries to raise their daughter alone. And it’s not just the physical dangers of war but also the temptations of new companins that threaten to keep them apart forever.

Max’s Catholic faith takes a battering on the gloomy edge of the Arctic as he loses friends to both the climate and his captors. Erika’s faith in the Fuhrer gets severely redefined as she witnesses the destruction her leader has brought to her country.

Will Max make it back to Erika and the daughter he’s never met? And, if so, will he be the same man Erika knew and loved when he left?

A rare World War Two novel in the English language with ordinary Germans at its centre, Fifteen Words is a love story, a war story, and a gripping human drama casting a fresh light on the plight of victims of war.

My Review

Before I get into my thoughts of Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas, I must say a massive thank-you to the lovely Faye from Athoright and Clink Street Publishing for kindly asking me to take part in #12DaysOfClinkStreet blog tour and allowing me to choose from their published books and kindly gifting me a copy.

After reading I Love You Billy Lanley https://mariesbookboutique.wordpress.com/2019/04/14/blog-tour-book-review-on-i-love-you-billy-langley-by-monika-jephcott-thomas last year I instantly wanted to read more of her work for the history intertwined with romance.

In Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas we meet newly wed’s Max and Erika; both newly qualified doctors. Both have different views on religion and political views; which cause a few heated discussions but their love feels so right for them.

Then the pair are ripped apart when World War Two starts, just when they are on the cusp of starting their life’s together. Max ends up in a Siberian POW camp enduring four years of harrowing cruelty. He’s only communication that he was allowed to have was a fifteen worded letter to his wife back home. He treats many patients with little equipment, and manages to do what he can for them. Max has temptation which crosses his path, but what dose he do?

Mean while Erika heavily pregnant makes her way to Max’s parent house to wait for her husband to be realised and retuned home to them. She watches a country she loves been brought to distruction before her very eye’s as she tries to bring up their daughter. But she also has temptation cross her path, what will she do? Will Max ever be realised and returned back to his wife and a daughter he hasn’t meet? How will he cope with life from POW to being at home? Will Erika be able to understand the husband that returns to her?

On starting Fifteen word’s I immediately felt rapped up into the history and Max and Erika’s story, to the point I found it hard to put down. I was intrigued by reading a story from a different perspective; which gave me more of an understanding of what happened in Germany at that time. As I’ve said in a previous review; I really like Monika’s writing style. The way she incorporates fiction and historical moment’s is exceptional! I really felt I learnt something after I finished reading this book. Max and Erika were characters I truly felt for, as they were ripped apart and learnt to live apart. I really was a harrowing time for all.

Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas is a very poignant and thought provoking book and I highly recommend it!!!

Marie’s Book Boutique Gives

Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas

5 Sparkly Stars

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Book Review On: 337 by M Jonathan Lee

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About the author (as seen in the book)

M Jonathan Lee was born in Yorkshire, England where he still lives to this day with his two children. He regularly dreams of writing an album, and wakes to realise that he can’t sing nor play an instruments.

His first novel, The Radio was nationally shortlisted in the Novel Prize 2012. 337 is his sixth novel.

Website: http://www.mjonathanlee.com

Publication Date: 30th November 2020

Publisher: Hideaway Fall

http://www.hideawayfall.com

ISBN: Hardback; Only available at UK booksellers.

Paperback: 978-0995492356

Also available in Ebook format.

Pages: 384 pages

Genre: Thriller/ Fiction

Format reading: Hardback

Copy provided by: Gifted by publishers

Blurb (as seen on amazon)

337 follows the life of Samuel Darte whose mother vanished when he was in his teens.

It was his brother, Tom who found her wedding ring on the kitchen table along with the note. While their father pays the price of his mother s disappearance, Sam learns that his long-estranged Gramma is living out her last days in a nursing home nearby.

Keen to learn about what really happened that day and realising the importance of how little time there is, he visits her to finally get the truth. Soon it’ll be too late and the family secrets will be lost forever. Reduced to ashes. But in a story like this, nothing is as it seems.

My Review:

Firstly I would very much like to thank the lovely team at Hidaway Fall for kindly asking me to read and review M Jonathan Lee’s next novel 337 and for kindly gifting me a copy.

Ever since I read Drift Stumble Fall. Review on: Drift Stumble Fall by M. Jonathan Lee I was hooked on his unique writing style and his characters feel so real!!!!! So of course I would be beyond excited to read M Jonathan Lee’s sixth novel!!!!!

In 337 the reader meets Sam; who’s mother dissapeared when he was a teenager, leaving in and his younger brother Tom with their father. Throwing the whole family life into turmoil and full of wondering! This also leads to a train of events which surely follows.

Sam is now a man and lives on his own in the family home, with minimal contact with his family and non with his Gramma. Working from home and living with the dream of his mother. Sam get’s a call from his father asking him to visit his Gramma who is the last stages of her life, bring all the old memories and feelings flooding back. He decides to go even though they haven’t spoken to each other in years as this might be his last chance to find out the truth about his mother. Sam has to contact his brother Tom who is more likely to be drunk or drug induced, about the news of his Gramma and try persuade him to visit. But Tom isn’t aware of his contact with their father! Will he get the answers he is has been searching for for years? Was everything Sam remembers how it really was? Can he persuade his brother to visit their Gramma in time? Was everything that happened as it seemed? Where is Sam and Tom’s father? Can Sam find out the truth on his mothers disappearance?

337 by M Jonathan Lee is simply fantastic! So much so I read it twice!!!! Not only is it a book with two covers; which you flip over and read from the back when you get to the end; which is unique in it’s self! (Please note the double- ended, upside down opening for this book is available in books ordered in hardback from UK booksellers Only)

The storyline and plot of 337 is so very good which of course kept me turning the pages to find out more of what happened to this broken family. The characters are seem so real you could almost touch them, and were so complex and interesting.

There are many interesting issue raised in 337 of mental heath and how a family tragedy can change the whole family’s life’s in a way nobody could have imagined. M Jonathan Lee is such a talented writer and I think this is his best work yet and should win some kind of award!!!!!! I love how the title of the book if you flip the cover upside down spells out Lee!!

I highly recommend 337 by M Jonathan Lee its really a fantastic book!!!!!

Marie’s Book Boutique give’s

337 by M Jonathan Lee

5 Sparkly Stars (I wish I could give more!)

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Book Review On: If I Could Say Goodbye by Emma Cooper

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About the author (as seen in the book)

Emma Cooper is a former teaching assistant, who lives in Shropshire with her partner and four children. She spends her spare time writing novels, drinking wine and watching box-sets with her partner of twenty-four years, who still makes her smile everyday.

Emma has always wanted to be a writer – ever since childhood, she’s been inventing characters (her favourite being her imaginary friend ‘Boot’) and is thrilled that she now gets to use this imagination to bring to life all of her creations.

Blog: emmacooperauthor.wordpress.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ItsEmmacooper

Instagram: www.instagram.com/itsemmacooper

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/14906595.Emma_Cooper

Publication date: 17th September 2020

Publisher: Headline www.headline.co.uk

ISBN: Paperback 978-1472265043

also available in audiobook.

Pages: 400 pages

Genre: Contemporary fiction

Format reading: paperback

Copy provided by: Amazon Vine

Blurb (as seen on the back cover)

Jennifer Jones’ life began when her little sister, Kerry, was born.

So when her sister dies in a tragic accident, nothing seems to make sense any more.

Despite the support of her husband, Ed, and their wonderful children, Jen can’t comprehend why she is still here, while bright, spirited Kerry is not.

When Jen starts to lose herself in her memories of her sister, she doesn’t realise that the closer she feels to Kerry, the further she gets from her family.

Jen was never able to say goodbye to her sister.

But what if she could?

Would you risk everything if you had the chance to say goodbye?

My review

The reader meets Jennifer who has a wonderful life with her husband Ed and their two children Hailey and Oscar. She has a great relationship with her adopted parents and their daughter Kerry. Jennifer and Kerry are inseparable and are very close even though they are so very different. Kerry is the adventure and risk taker and Jennifer is the safe and dependable.

So when tragedy Kerry get’s killed in an accident while saving her adopted sister; all their worlds come crashing down with grief.

Jennifer struggles with her grief; blaming herself for Kerry not being around any more. But then she believes that she can see and speak to Kerry still; much to the concern to her husband Ed. Jennifer’s odd behaviour doesn’t go un-noticed by her two worried children; who don’t understand why their mummy is being like this.

Can Ed and her family get the help Jennifer desperately needs? Will they be able to get her to see what’s happening? Can Jennifer let her sister go and get on with her life?

If I Could Say Goodbye by Emma Cooper is such an emotional read (I went through a box of tissues!!!) I think its a very relatable book to everyone who has ever lost a loved one, it certainly resonated with me for sure. Emma has written it in such a very beautifully way for such an emotional story. It’s a story that has stayed with me long after I’d finished reading it. I really connected with all the characters in the book for their individual grief ( it’s petty hard not to!) Emma has really captured each characters grief perfectly!

I really can’t recommend this book enough! I do however recommend that you have a box of tissues to hand because you will need them.

Marie’s Book Boutique gives

If I could Say Goodbye by Emma Cooper

An emotional 5 sparkly stars

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Book Review on: Hidden Truths by Muna Shehadi

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About the author (as seen in the book)

Muna Shehadi’s life long love of reading inspired her to become a writer. She got her start in romance but is excited to be making her debut now in women’s fiction.

Muna grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, lives in Wisconsin, and has a much- loved summer place on the beautiful coast of Maine, all of which she couldn’t resist featuring in her Fortune’s Daughters Trilogy.

Website: http://munashehadi.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/munashehadi2

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MunaShehadi

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/munashehadi

Publication date: 28th May 2020

Publisher: Headline Review

http://www.headline.co.uk

ISBN: Paperback 9781472258731

also available in Ebook format.

Pages: 400 pages

Genre: Romance Sagas

Format reading: Paperback

Copy provided by: Amazon Vine

Blurb (as seen on the back cover)

Eve Moore is in a rut.

Stuck in a steady, predictable relationship, and a job where she’s no longer challenged, Eve and her sisters are reeling from a recent discovery, years after their famous movie star mother’s death, that Jillian Croft could never have given birth to any of her daughters…

Embracing new horizons doesn’t come naturally, but when the chance falls into Eve’s lap to strike out on her own and test her architectural design skills, she sees it as the perfect opportunity for change – one that turns out to be further-reaching than she could have imagined.

Planning to lose herself in work on Washington Island, Eve keeps stumbling into unexpected and complicated secrets. But she also begins to forge close emotional connections to her new acquaintances, and discovers that by bringing another family back together, she might be able to heal her own long-concealed heartache, and step into the future she chooses – on her own terms.

My Review

The reader meet Eve one of three sisters (Olivia and Rosalind) and they are the daughters of famous movie star Jillian Croft. Eve is an architect and is stuck in a job that’s going no where and simply not letting her meet her potential. Then there’s her boyfriend Mike; who simply not what she needs right now. After the death of their mother the sister’s find out that Jillian Croft is not their birth mother. Olivia and Eve don’t want to really find out anymore about this, where as Rosalind does.

Eve has an offer of a new job’s to test her architectural abilities by going solo on Washington Island for her stepmothers friend Shelley and another client Clayton. So she gives up her job and her and her dog Marx take off much to the annoyance of Mike.

Eve see’s this as a chance to lose herself and ignore all the events of her past. However her past keeps popping her head out, she finds a friend in Clayton and they build a friendship. Out of nowhere young runaway teenager Abigail befriends Eve; telling her of how she came to the island and her parent issues. Can Eve complete her first two solo jobs? Will Eve’s past that she’s locked away make her deal with it? Why is Abigail here on Washington Island? Will Eve and Mike make their relationship work, or is it dead in the water? Is Clayton and Eve just good friends? Will the mysteries surrounding the sisters and their birth mother’s unravel?

Guy’s to say I loved reading this book would be an understatement! I simply couldn’t put it down. This is the second book in the Fortune’s Daughters Trilogy and I haven’t read the first book, but I don’t think it’s an issue as each book revolves around each sister. If anything reading Hidden Truths has made me what to read the two books!

Eve’s story rapped round me like a cosy blanket and made me want to find out where her story goes. The author Muna Shehadi has a truly beautiful writing style; full of description that you can visualise perfectly in your mind. This book is a must read in my eye’s. Its escapism at its best! I can’t wait now to read the other two books!!!!

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Hidden Truths by Muna Shehadi

5 Super Sparkly Stars

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Book Review On: The Lost Letter From Morocco by Adrienne Chinn

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The Lost Letter From Morocco

About the author (as seen in the book)

adrienne chinn

Adrienne Chinn was born in an old paper-making town in Newfoundland, and grew up in rural Quebec and  Montreal. She retraced her English father’s footsteps back to England, where she now lives and works as an interior designer.

When not writing or designing, she can normally be found in the queue at Gatwick heading off somewhere new: she travels all over the world, but most often to her beloved Morocco, which she has been visiting regularly for over ten years.

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Publication date: 7th March 2019

Publisher: Avon

ISBN: Paperback 978-0-00-831456-9

also available in Ebook

Pages: 416 pages

Genre: Historical Romance

Format reading: Review Proof

Copy provided by: Amazon Vine

Blurb (as seen on Amazon)

Morocco, 1984. High in the Atlas Mountains, Hanane’s love for Irishman Gus is forbidden. Forced to flee her home with the man she loves, Hanane is certain she’s running towards her destiny. But she has made a decision that will haunt her family for years to come.

London, 2009. When Addy discovers a mysterious letter in her late father’s belongings, she journeys to Morocco in search of answers. But instead, she finds secrets – and is quickly pulled into a world that she doesn’t understand.

And when history starts to repeat itself, it seems her journey might just change the person she is forever…

My Review

A massive thank-you to Amazon Vine for the opportunity to request this book to read, review and for sending me a proof copy. I was really excited by the blurb of The Lost Letter From Morocco; which lead me to want to read. I’ve never read any of Adrienne Chinn books before so was intrigued by that also.

The reader meets Addy who has just finished treatment for breast cancer and has another chance at life. She is a photographer and like her recently deceased father loves to travel. Her half sister visits and passes on some thing of their fathers, In it she finds a letter addressed to her but the other half is missing and there a photos of people she doesn’t know and one of her father with a lady only named as ‘H’ in 1984 when he travelled to Morocco.

Addy makes a bold decision to travel to Morocco to put together a book of photography and to try and find out more about her father’s time there. Just who is ‘H’? And why did he only leave her half a letter? Where is the other half? What will Addy manage to discover? Or will it turn out to be a wasted trip? Will she complete her photography project? Will she stumble on her own romance?

Firstly I must say what an amazing looking front cover… it really made me want to be the lady in the flowy dress!

The Lost Letter From Morocco by Adrienne Chinn  is a lovely read, full of mystery, secrets and romance. I did feel the story kind of plateaued in the middle, but then it pulled me in again. On the whole though I enjoyed the amazing description, you can tell the author has travelled there herself. She really made the country’s culture shine throughout the book and story; which is enlightening and I feel I learn a bit from reading it. I really felt invested in Addy as a character and very much wanted to see where she ended up, what she found out about her fathers passed and whether she found the other half of the letter.

                                                      Marie’s Book Boutique give’s

                                  The Lost Letter From Morocco by Adrienne Chinn

                                                                  4 Sparkly Stars

4 stars

 

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A Few POPSUGAR Prompts Explained

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popsugar reading challenge 2020

Hi guy’s,

Hope your well and keeping safe and well in these crazy times. In today’s blog post I will be explaining a few of this years POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Prompts. When I studied the prompts I don’t mind admitting there are a few I didn’t know there meaning. So I did a bit of research and here’s my findings!

6th prompt- A bildungsroman.

Bildung- stands for educational

roman-stands for novel

It a novel that deals with a persons troubled childhood and shows their moral growth through to adulthood. These types of books are usually written in the first person.

Some Examples:

Emma by Jane Austen

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

11th prompt- An Anthology

This is a collection of poems or other published pieces of writing.

 

12th prompt- A book that passes the Bechdel Test.

The Bechdel Test is also known as Bechdel- Wallace Test. It’s a representation of woman’s fiction in which two women are having a conversation about something other than men! It was introduced in 1985 by Alison Bechdel who was an American cartoonist creating friends Liz Wallace and Verginia Woolf.

 

22nd prompt- A book about or by a woman in STEM.

STEM stands for Sience, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Some Examples:

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science is Still a Boy’s Club by Eileen Pollack

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

 

32nd prompt- A book by a WOC.

WOC- stands for Woman Of Colour.

Some Examples:

Becoming by Michelle Obama

An American Marriage by Tayori Jones

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

 

And last but not least…

39th prompt- Read a band book during Band Book Week.

This is a yearly event in September and this year runs from 20th to 26th. This is a celebration for the freedom to read books that maybe seen as unorthodox or are unpopular.

Some Examples:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

 

I really hope this post was helpful in some way! I’ve certainly learnt a few things (Namely that I don’t get abbreviations!!!!!)

Thanks so much for stopping by I really apricate it!! Feel free to comment as always.

Stay safe guys!

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My Round Up Of 7Days Of Stationery 2020

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Hi Guy’s

What a great week it’s been not only was it National Stationery Week  it was also World Book Night  on Thursday night. What a treat!!!!! As you will know I’ve been taking part in #7DaysOfStationery this week, sharing my love of makers and brands over on my Instagram account.

Do you want to see what I got up too?…

Here goes…

*Monday was #MakeANoteMonday; where I share my hoard of sticky notes (Oh I do love a sticky note…don’t you?)

#MakeANoteMonday 2020

*Tuesday was #PencilDay; where I shared some of my many pencil’s. Some of them I’ve had since I was a kid and some were brought as souvenirs from places I’ve visited.

#PencilDay 2020

*Wednesday was #WorldStationeryDay; where I shared a selection of my favourite bits of stationery from notebooks, pens, sticky notes, book plates to paperclips.

#WorldStationeryDay 2020

*Thursday was #LetsGetCreativeDay; where I tried to make a neckerchief (which was the idea anyway) for my mum’s dog called Fogo. It didn’t turn out as I relized that I should have sown the cord to both corners of the triangle. So mum said it could be a bandana for her instead. Oh well I will know for next time!

#LetsGetCreativeDay 2020

*Friday was #FountainPenFriday; where I share my beautiful Kaweco fountain pen. This was a Christmas present from my mum last year and came in a set with a pen. And it’s funny because without my mum knowing I was actually looking at buying one myself!…how did she know? I guess she knows her daughter well!!!!!!!

#FountianPenFriday 2020

*Saturday was #StationeryShopSatuerday and due to lockdown so not able to visit a stationery shop, so I share my last purchase. The sticky notes I brought out of The Card Factory, the pink note book I got from Paperchase and finally the feather notebook was from The Range.

#StationeryShopSaturday 2020

*And today is #SendALetterDay; where I will be writing an over due letter to my pen friend in Greece (Who I’ve been writing to for nearly 20 years!) and notecards for family and friends because I miss them!

#SendALetterSundy 2020

So there you have it guy’s My 2020 7 days of stationery! And I’m looking forward to next year already!!!!!!!!

Did any of you also take part in National Stationery Week? What did you get up too? Did you also take part in 7 Days Of Stationery?

Well whatever you did I hope you had a blast like me!

As always feel free to comment I adore reading your thoughts and comments!

Stay safe guy’s

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World Book Night 2020

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world book night 2020

Hi fellow bookworm’s,

Sorry I’m a bit late to the party, as World Book Night was last night! I simply lost track of days at the moment! For those of you that don’t know World Book Night is a celebration of books for pure and utter pleasure. Usually book would be given out to organisations and groups, but because of Covid-19 and self isolation book giving has been put on hold till later this year. Last night instead of getting together the evening had to be modified by going digital. Still wanting people to engage and talk about books; there was a number of virtual parties, digital activities, author broadcast’s and Reading Hour. Reading Hour invites everyone to take time to read either together virtually or with people in your house hold or simply devouring a chapter to or two to yourself! There will also be a number of free audiobooks on offer to download and publisher will also be providing reading suggestions.

World Book Night has been running since 2011 and is run by The Reading Agency . Did you know that only 36% of the UK don’t actually regularly read for pleasure. I find these statistic’s really quite say as a reader myself. Don’t you? Each year there is a book list of the book that will be handed out, and is always something I look forward to discovering book’s that might not necessarily come across my radar!

Let’s have a look at this years book list:

*East of Hounslow by Khurrum Rahman (Thriller)

*The Spanish Promise by Karen Swan (Fiction)

*The Truth About Lies by Tracy Darnton (Young Adult/ Fiction)

*Somebody Give Heart A Plan by Sophia Thakur (Young Adult/Fiction)

*On The Come Up by Angie Thomas (Young Adult/Fiction)

*Bedtime Stories For Stressed Out Adults by various (Audiobook/ Short stories)

*One Of Us Is Next by Karen M McManus (Young Adult/Fiction)

*The Man I Think I Know by Mike Gayle (Fiction)

*Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (Comedy)

*Darkness Rising by A.A. Dhand (Quick Reads/Crime)

*The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (Non-Fiction)

*North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (Audiobook/Classic Fiction)

*A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee (Historical Crime)

*Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan (Fiction)

*The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Science Fiction)

*Things A Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls (Young Adult/Historical Fiction)

*The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Classic Fiction)

*The Dead Ex by Jane Corry (Crime)

*The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (Young Adult/Fiction)

*Diversify by June Sarpong (Non-Fiction)

*The Little Dream Of Lara Cliffe by Milly Johnson (Quick Reads/Romance)

*Death On The Nile by Agatha Christie (Detective Fiction)

*Double Crossed by Brian Wood (Audiobook/Non-Fiction)

*How To Be A Footballer by Peter Crouch (Non-Fiction)

*Practical Zen: Meditation and Beyond by Julian Daizan Skinner (Non-Fiction)

What a great selection of books this year! There are a few on the list I’d defiantly want to read an am adding them to my ever-growing list of books to read!!!!

Did you celebrate? What did you get up too? Have you read any of the book’s on the list for this year? If so would you recommend them?

As always I love reading you thought’ sand comments, so feel free to add a comment!

Hope you all had a awesome World Book Night under the circumstances!

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National Stationery Week 2020

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nat stat week- 2020

Hi guy’s

It’s that time of year again and one of my favourite’s I might add! It’s National Stationery Week from 20th-26th April in the UK. A celebration of all things stationery from the shops to makers and to celebrate the hand written word. Each year they run a Writing Matters campaign to put down the gadgets and pick up a pen! Writing is a way to express our self’s, and is very individual to each and every person. It vastly improves literacy, cognitive thinking and creativity. When writing your using minor hand movements to guide the  pen in to making the words.

For me writing is extremely important in my daily life. It’s not just something I do everyday it’s actually something I really enjoy doing.

Here’s some of the think’s I write by hand:

*Shopping lists and to-do lists.

*Up-dating diary or calendar.

*Letters to friends, family or pen friend.

*blog posts and review notes in notebooks.

*Filling in Mrs Hinch activity journal.

*writing stories/poems.

You see I’m always at it!!!!! I might seem old school when it comes to writing everything by hand but I’d much rather doing that than using an electronic device. I’ll always choose pen and paper! Give me a hand written letter over an email any day of the week, it’s much more personal. I adore writing so very much and will continue to do so until my hand can no longer do so! (which I hope isn’t any time soon!)

All this week over on National Stationery Week’s social media (Twitter,Instagramand Facebook) you’ll find a bunch of competitions and activities going on to take part in. One of the activities is #7DaysOfStationery; where each day this week has a prompt so people can share their love of favourite products and brands of stationery. I will be taking part as I did last year and the previous year, over on my Instagram account. So I will be rooting around in my stationery box to see what I can find to share with you guy’s.

nat stat week 2020

Here’s the #7DaysOfStationery prompts for this week:

Monday- #MakeANoteMonday

Tuesday-#PencilDay

Wednesday-#WorldStationeryDay

Thursday-#LetsGetCreativeDay

Friday-#FountainPenFriday

Saturday-#StationeryShopSaturday

Sunday-#SendALetterDay

If your also taking part be sure to use #NatStatWeek #WrittingMatters #StationeryAddict plus the relevant # for that day’s prompt.

As always I will be doing a round-up of my #7DaysOfStationery in a blog post at the end of the week to share what I got up too!

So come on guy’s lets put down our gadgets and start writing!!!!

Are you excited about National Stationery Week? Are you a stationery addict like me? Will you also be taking part in #7DaysOfStationery? What’s your favourite brand or shop you like to go too?

As always feel free to comment I really enjoy reading them guy’s!

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Book Review On: Pocket Book Of Love by Trigger Publishing

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pocket book of love

 

 

About the author (as provided by publisher)

Trigger Publishing is an independent publishing house specialising in books on mental health and wellbeing. Our aim is to open the conversation around mental health and to promote wellbeing.

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Publication date: 5th March 2020

Publisher: Trigger Publishing

ISBN: Hardback only- 9781789561838

Pocket Book Of Friendship-9781789561845

Pocket Book Of Happiness-9781789561852

Pocket Book Of Hope-9781789561821

pocket book of hope, Love etc

(Photo above provided by Publisher)

Pages: 160 pages

Genre: Motivational self help/ Mental health

Format reading: Hardback

Copy provided by: Trigger Publishing

Blurb (as seen on the back cover)

When life seems a little lonely and you need some love and nurturing, turn to this collection of inspirational quotes to rekindle a feeling of connection.

Filled with wisdom from some of the worlds most well-known minds, the Pocket Book Of Love offers thoughts and advice to restore, rest and revive you, day-by-day.

‘The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best part of a person’s life.’ William Wordsworth

MY Review

I would like to say a massive thank you to Beth from Trigger publishing and Trigger themselves for not just asking me to read and review but also for kindly sending me Pocket Book Of Love ( Pocket Book Of Hope )

Pocket Book Of Love is in a collection of book; Pocket book Of Hope, Friendship, happiness.

I have read a few of Trigger publishing books now:  Stand Tall Little Girl  and  Must Try Harder and have found them to be jolly good reads. I like Triggers ethos to promote mental health and wellbeing.

Pocket Book Of Love is a lovely collection of quote from well known faces from; Audrey Hepburn to Aristotle and many more. It a book you can put down and pick up whenever the need and is a nice size to be able to carry around. I thought that this book was really lovely and can see how it would give say a lonely person some love.

I’d like to share a couple of my favourite quotes from the book;

‘To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return.’ Madonna

‘Love may not make the world go round, but I must admit that it makes the ride worthwhile.’ Sean Connery

What lovely quotes that filled my heart with love in an instant and will you too. I defiantly recommend this little book and I can’t wait to read the others in the collection.

                                                      Marie’s Book Boutique gives

                                      Pocket Book Of Love by Trigger Publishing

                                                          A Lovey 5 Sparkly Stars

5stars

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Book Review On: Pocket Book Of Hope by Trigger Publishing

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pocket book of hope

About the author (as provided piblisher)

Trigger Publishing is an independent publishing house specialising in books on mental health and wellbeing. Our aim is to open the conversation around mental health and to promote wellbeing.

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Goodreads- publisher

Goodreads-book

Publication date: 5th March 2020

Publisher: Trigger Publishing

ISBN: Hardback only- 9781789561821

Pocket Book Of Friendship-9781789561845

Pocket Book Of Happiness-9781789561852

Pocket Book Of Love-9781789561838

Pages: 160 pages

Genre: Motivational Self help/ Mental health

Format reading: Hardback

Copy provided by: Trigger Publishing

Blurb (as seen on the back cover)

When things seem a little bleak, you can turn to this collection of inspirational quotes to bring some hope into your life. Filled with wisdom from some of the world’s most well-known minds, the Pocket Book Of Hope offers thoughts and advice to restore, rest, and revive you, day-by-day.

‘…history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.’ Michelle Obama

My Review

I would firstly like to offer my thanks to Beth at Trigger Publishing and Trigger for asking me to read and review Pocket Book Of Hope and kindly providing me with a review copy.

Pocket Book Of Hope is part of a series of books including Pocket Book Of Friendship, Love and happiness.

As soon as I was asked to read and review this book that for me it couldn’t come at a better time in my life; when I could do with a bit of hope myself! As I was reading I did feel a sense of calm and the quotes are really quite helpful. This book is one you can pick up and put down and it’s size made it easy to slip into my bag; for those reading opportune moments! I would definitely say this little book is helpful and each quote gave me a blast of hope every time!!!

I have a few quotes from the book that practically resonated with me that I’d like to share with you:

‘Make the most of moments that matter.’ Kate Middleton Duchess of Cambridge

‘Its not absence of fear, its overcoming it. Sometimes you’ve got to blast through and have faith.’ Emma Watson

This really is the perfect little book to give anyone a bit of hope!

 

                                                 Marie’s Book Boutique gives

                                  Pocket Book Of Hope by Trigger Publishing

                                                     A Hopeful 5 Sparkly Stars

5stars

 

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