New Year Book Review: The Book of You. Various Contributors

Various contributors. (No copyright page or named editor in my edition) (Pub date: 31st December 2015, Penguin) Approx 400 pages.

The Book of You

I write this post during the last hour of 2015, with the intention of writing more reviews in 2016. Although, the irony of my repetition in saying so again is not lost on me! 

Yet this review is very fitting for this time year. The Book of You is made up of 365 daily micro-actions, aimed at getting its readers happier and healthier. There can't be a better New Year's Resolution than focussing on one's own healthy, happy, body, mind and soul, can there? 

OK, so perhaps it is a little cliched, but rather than committing yourself to an alcohol-free, twelve month gym membership, whilst employing the costly services of a spiritual guru and disposing of all your material possessions, this book may just be the answer to the old "new year, new me" cliche. 

To quote the book, "A micro-action is small, simple and achievable in a normal day. For anyone. 'Meditate for twenty minutes' isn't a micro-action but 'sit quietly for two minutes' is. 'Run a marathon' isn't a micro-action, but 'take the stairs' is. Simple, but they make all the difference". (p. 7).

So for each day of the year, there is a micro-action, which will be positive or beneficial, and each micro-action will fall into one of four categories; mind, food, move or love. Each category is helpfully colour-coded and written by an expert in that category. Contributors include, Jamie Oliver, Caroline Arnold, Dr Tara Swart, Darya Rose, Dani Stevens and Jamie Sawyer. The book includes beautiful inspiring photography, helpful suggestions and space to write what you hope to achieve. 

It is very much promoting small, manageable changes in order to live a healthier lifestyle. The book advises you to start with the micro-actions chronologically for the first few days, then it's up to you if you continue chronologically throughout the book or mix and match to suit you.

Here are some of the micro-actions featured inside:

So there you have it. A great little book, that enables you to be realistic in your goals for 2016, whilst still bringing the positivity we all crave around this time of year. I certainly plan to use it, and I hope to keep you updated on my results. Although you may need to give me a nudge from time to time.

And as I sit listening to fireworks, singing neighbours and car alarms, and watch the New Year's chaotic count down to 2016, all that is left for me to say is that I wish you all a wonderfully positive 2016.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016!

This book will be published in the UK on 31 December 2015 by Penguin. Mumsnet provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. No payment has been exchanged and all opinions are my own. 

Children's Book Review: Legs by Sarah J. Dodd, illustrated by Giusi Capizzi

Dodd, S.J. (Pub. 21 Aug 2015) 17 pages.

This is a beautifully illustrated tale of a young meerkat named Miki who inadvertently goes on an adventure in the big wide world outside of his zoo.

From Miki's point of view, it seems like the world is full of legs! Some legs frighten him so much that he finds himself outside of the zoo, only to be faced with even more legs. 
Thankfully, the friendly zookeeper rescues Miki, and shows him that the world is also full of faces, and eventually he finds his way back to his favourite face of all; Mama's!

My son (aged nearly 3) loves this story and we've read it again and again. He calls it his 'morning story' as we read it each morning. It certainly makes you appreciate how daunting the world can be for little ones.

This book will be published in the UK on 21 August 2015 by Lion Children's books. NetGalley provided with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. No payment has been exchanged and all opinions are my own. 

World Book Night.

Calling all reluctant readers! World Book Night is happening on 23 April 2015. 

What is World Book Night?

World Book Night (WBN) is an annual celebration of reading and books. It sees volunteers who are passionate about reading give out books in order to get those who are reluctant readers or unable to access books easily reading. WBN is run by The Reading Agency, a national charity that inspires people to become confident and enthusiastic readers to help give them an equal chance in life.

Volunteer.

As you know by now, I am an avid reader and a complete bibliophile, so of course I have become a volunteer for WBN. 
This means I'll have around 20 books to give out to friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, Tom, Dick or Harry; in fact anyone who I can physically hand one to. This year the book I am giving out is Dead Man Talking by Roddy Doyle. Who just so happens to be one of my favourite authors.
To become a volunteer for WBN, you need apply in advance. Applications for this year are now closed, but click here  if you want to find out more about volunteering for next year. When you apply, you get to choose your top three books from a list of twenty titles. If you are accepted as a volunteer, then WBN allocate you a particular title. Usually one from your top three depending on what is available. There is always a great selection of titles to choose from in a variety of genres. The selection of books is put together with the 35% of the UK's population who do not read regularly or own books in mind. 

What's the point?

A significant number of the UK's population- 35% do not read for pleasure or own books! I think that is quite a large proportion of us not enjoying the benefits, regular reading can bring. In this constantly developing technological world in which we live, the benefits of reading are easily overlooked. Stress-relief and relaxation, improved sleep, developing a more empathetic attitude are just a few of the bonuses of reading. Not to mention the latest research into links with reading and improved mental ability in later life.
WBN does make a positive difference to peoples lives. The details of which can be found in WBN's Evaluation Report 2014.

The books.

WBN give away 12,500 copies of each title and 250,000 books are printed for WBN. There is a great selection this year...

So, are you a reluctant reader or a complete book nerd like myself? Do any of the books on here take your fancy? I'd love to hear your thoughts on World Book Night or your reading habits. Feel free to drop me a line in the comments below.

Book Review: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

Flynn. Gillian, (Pub. 2013) 496 pages.

Ok, I know, I know, I'm a bit late to the party with this one. I've never been one to catch on immediately! It's usually around a year or so later that I catch on to a particular trend; and getting involved in the hype surrounding this brilliant novel, is the perfect example. However for those of you who haven't yet read Gone Girl then please do! From looking at the reviews on Goodreads, this is a bit of a Marmite novel. You either love it or hate it. I definitely fall into the former camp. 

The story begins when Nick's beautiful wife Amy disappears from their home after what looks like a struggle in their living room. Each chapter alternates between Nick and Amy's point of view, Nick's being narrated in the first person, in the present day. Amy's epistolary diary entries date back three years, giving the reader a background to the story of their marriage. 
The book is divided into two parts. The first part gives Nick's thoughts and actions as he deals with the fallout of Amy's disappearance. His increasingly strange behaviour and secretiveness, set alarm bells ringing, not only for the police, but also for Amy's parents and Nick's closet ally; his twin sister Margo. Nick slowly but surely becomes the number one suspect in Amy's disappearance. Yet through the voice of her journals, Amy comes across as the perfect wife, willing to do anything to make her marriage work. Why on earth would Nick want to hurt his beautiful, intelligent, adoring wife? As the story progresses, the reader is taken on a journey of Nick's infidelity with a young impressionable student, along with his resentment of Amy's lifestyle and wealth and the couple's increasing financial difficulties. But is Amy all as she appears to be? She is an American Sweetheart; a national treasure. Her parents were the authors of a series of books, based on their daughter, featuring 'Amazing Amy' as their protagonist. She is certainly the beautiful, intelligent girl that everyone looks up to, but is she really as perfect as everyone believes?
In part two, the reader discovers what exactly has happened to Amy. I will not reveal this, in case you've not read it, but what I will say is the characterisation of Amy in the second part of the book is brilliant. Simply brilliant. Amy is all of the things that everyone believes her to be but flawed by all the usual worries and concerns that trouble all modern women. The reader gets to delve deep into the psyche of Amy Dunne and it is a deeply scary place: psychologically and realistically chilling. I found myself identifying with some of the warped thoughts (but thankfully not actions!) that go through Amy's troubled mind. The extremes she is willing to go to, for both herself and her marriage evoke both disgust and sympathy in the reader.
There are some highly explicit sex scenes which are quite detailed in the book, and the language at times is very colourful, but it all adds to the realism, and isn't overused for sensational effect.
This book really made me question the reality of any relationship. Whether anyone is truly their self with another person, or if you always put on some form of 'mask' to ensure the highest chance of happiness possible. Nick and Amy, like all good characters are flawed, but it is how far one is willing to accept the other in spite of these flaws that really make this novel great and realistic. 
The day I finished this book, I watched the film. As always, the book was far better than the film, there were far more layers to the characters and many more twists and turns than what is portrayed in the film. For me the film was average, but the book was a winner. If you've seen the film and wasn't a fan, please don't let that put you off reading the book. 
Have you read or watched Gone Girl? If you have please let me know what you thought about it in the comments box.

Book Review: Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough

Mayhem. Sarah Pinborough. (Pub. 2013) 352 pages.

I've followed Sarah Pinborough on Twitter for a while and her witty, sarcastic tweets are what made me interested in her writing. 

Happily, I discovered a copy of Mayhem in my local library and I immediately knew it was my sort of book from the beautifully illustrated cover.

The story begins in late nineteenth century London, at a time when the city is gripped in the fear and hysteria surrounding Jack the Ripper. However when the headless, dismembered corpses of unidentified women start turning up in the Thames, Dr Thomas Bond (physician and police surgeon) immediately knows he is dealing with a very different, far darker murderer than Jack. 

These murders actually occurred, and were dubbed the Thames Torso murders, but were over-shadowed by Jack the Ripper's work. Dr Bond was also the real surgeon who performed the autopsies and is often referred to as the first criminal profiler. 

Set in three parts, the story is written in both third and first person and is also sprinkled with newspaper articles from the time. The dominant point of view, is that of Doctor Bond, and his personal struggle to deal with the gruesome murders and get to the truth. However you also get the point of view of the detectives, a couple of the victims and of course, the killer. The killer is revealed probably just over half way through the book, but the story continues to be intriguing despite this, due to the supernatural element of the story. 

I particularly like the atmosphere created by Pinborough's writing. The polluted, dank and dark environment is brought to life by the language and dialogue of the characters.  I found the seedy opium dens of the time that Dr. Bond frequents really interesting. Especially as I have since discovered that the real Dr. Bond used narcotics to help with insomnia, which is thought to have contributed to his suicide. 

The author has also captured the sense of fear and the heightened state of alert that a Victorian, East London must have felt. 

Characters such as Dr. Bond are well-rounded characters and realistically flawed, and because of this, as a reader, you can empathise with them.

When I first began reading, I was a bit concerned that the story would be all about the shock of the horrific crime scenes without a decent storyline, but I was soon proved wrong. I think the first part is perhaps on the long side, as it takes a while to piece all the different components and view points together, but once they start coming together, the pace of the narrative picks up. 

For me, Mayhem is great. I believe it takes an extremely talented writer to take on actual historical crimes and weave them with their own fictional plot. All the murders in the book did actually take place, and I believe they remain unsolved. Pinborough has managed to maintain respect for the victims yet at the same time create a compelling novel. 

I can't wait to read more of her work, in fact, I've just ordered a hardback copy of  her 2014 book 'Murder', which again features Dr. Bond. I'll keep you posted on it!

Latest Wins!

'Comping' has become a rather addictive hobby of mine. It started about 18 months ago, when my son was a baby and I had ceased employment and had some spare time. I began entering competitions on Twitter and the prizes began to roll in with very little effort. Encouraged by my success, I started to search for more competitions online and found there was a huge 'Comping Community', which I am proud to now be part of.

So, at the around the end of each month, I have decided to document any wins that I have had; partly because I want to share how easy it is to win prizes, and partly to keep track of the lovely prizes I have received. It will also act as an acknowledgement to the lovely companies who have provided the prizes.

Many of the prizes that I win are books, mainly because I love reading so much, I tend to focus on entering a lot of book competitions. Which is great for me and my blog, and the books also get reviewed by me, so hopefully, that goes some way towards a thank you to the company who provided the prize.  

So here are my wins for June and July! Not a bad few weeks, I'm sure you'll agree.

Book: His Father's Son by Tony Black from Black & White Publishing.

Book Bundle: Cat and Mouse, Four Blind Mice, Pop Goes the Weasel and Roses are Red, all by James Patterson from Headline Publishing Group.

Book: The Queen of the Tearling, by Erika Johansen from Transworld Publishing.

Trutex School Skirts: Not exactly a prize, but I was selected by Mumsnet to test and review the products.

Top to Toe Makeover at a hair and beauty salon in Sutton Coldfield. (Not yet redeemed.)

2x tickets to Drayton Manor from Days Out. Can't wait to use these during the summer holidays.

A video and still image camcorder from No.1 Brands 4 You!

Kiddylicious goodies from fellow blogger U, Me and the Kids. (Not yet received).

Tickets: Family tickets to Festival on the Farm, from baby/toddler food company Organix. (Not yet received).

Book: Simple Flower Arranging by Mark Welford & Stephen Wicks from Wordery.

Very cute mini alarm clock from Jones Clocks which my daughter has nabbed for her bedroom.

And finally more books: Two beautiful classic children's books- The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain and Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling from Mojo Mums.

Let me know if you've had any big wins this month, I'd love to hear about them. I look forward to telling you about future wins!

Book Review: The Fault in our Stars by John Green.

The Fault in our Stars. John Green. Pub. 2012. Audible Copy. Narrated by Kate Rudd.

Iconic cover of TFioS

When I signed up to Audible, Amazon's audio book service, I was offered a free trial with one free book. I chose The Fault in our Stars (TFioS) by John Green, mainly due to the hype surrounding the book and its upcoming movie release. It was free and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Now, I have made the mistake before of reading a book because of the media hype... (Yes, I'm looking at you Fifty Shades), and have been immensely disappointed by the poor quality of writing and subsequent reading experience, that I wasn't expecting much from the much media-hyped TFioS.

However, I found myself listening to this audio book at every available opportunity. My 4 hour ironing stint passed in no time at all thanks to TFioS. Now, I cannot be certain whether it was the content and quality of the book that excited me, or the novelty of being able to 'read' a book whilst doing household chores. Whichever it was though, I found this book to be an easy, enjoyable read.

The Audible version of this audio book is narrated by Kate Rudd, whose voice I found to be a little irritating at times. However, that's probably just me and my dislike for listening to someone else speak for a long period of time without letting me get a word in! The dialogue of the different characters voiced by Rudd was exceptional, so much so that I knew which character was speaking without the need of being told who it was.

The book itself is set in Indianapolis and is written from the point of view of sixteen year old Hazel Grace Lancaster, who has terminal thyroid cancer, which has metastasised to her lungs, leaving her permanently dependent on oxygen. Despite this, against the odds, Hazel has responded to a drugs trial which means her tumours whilst ever present are not growing or metastasising further.

Too ill to attend school, and having very few friends, Hazel's parents insist on her attending a support group for children living with cancer. There she meets Augustus Waters, a 'hot boy' who has survived osteosarcoma and is living now, with 'NEC', no evidence of cancer and a prosthetic leg. He has only attended support group to support Issac, whom Hazel has become friends with via the group.

Hazel and Augustus swap their favourite novels and appear to bond over a love of literature, which is recognisable in their dialogue. I love the language used by the teenagers, it's wonderfully descriptive and full of metaphors. It is however, far too advanced for their years, it gives me flashbacks to that late 1990s series Dawson's Creek! (Who remembers that?) This is especially evident, juxtaposed with their typical teenage strops and love and video games.

Hazel's favourite novel, 'An Imperial Affliction' written by the reclusive Peter Van Houten, forms a base for the story. Her favourite book ends without closure. Determined to find out what happened to the characters of the book, Augustus plans to use his 'wish', granted to children with cancer (Hazel has already used hers) to take Hazel to meet her literary hero in Holland. Hazel however becomes very ill and ends up in hospital, as her 'crappy lungs' fill up with fluid. Following this episode, Hazel makes up her mind not to get romantically involved with Augustus, as she doesn't want to leave him broken hearted when she dies.

Once recovered, and after much persuasion, her parents and doctors agree that she can travel to Holland. Hazel, her mother and Augustus arrive in Holland, where inevitably, Hazel and Augustus fall in love and begin their relationship. The trip doesn't go exactly as planned because her hero Van Houten, is certainly not the literary genius they expected. Instead they find an alcoholic, bitter cynical man, who refuses to answer how his book ends. Nonetheless the trip isn't entirely wasted as the couple's true feelings are revealed as they admit their love for each other. Augustus also reveals an ironic twist in the tale that changes the whole perspective of the story.
More is revealed as the story ends, about Hazel, Augustus and Van Houten.

I've not really mentioned, that throughout the story, cancer is a major character of the novel. The struggles of daily life and the perspective of a cancer sufferer is very evident and real. Not only Hazel's struggles, but also those of her parents and the other kids at the support group. The protagonist Hazel, is philosophical and realistic, but her vulnerability is also evident. She has a wonderful sense of humour and her sarcasm about how cancer sufferers are treated by society is refreshing. Augustus is also a well developed character, but I find him a little less believable. He appears to be the most perfect gentleman, which at the age of sixteen, having been through an ordeal that would leave most young men quite angry and bitter I find a bit idealistic. He is wildly romantic and talks in vivid descriptive metaphors, which I found to be a little bit pretentious for a teenager hooked on war role playing video games.

There are other characters that I would have liked to learnt more about. Lidewij, (Van Houten's assistant), Issac and Van Houten in particular. They definitely have interior lives that would be well worth exploring further. It is touched on briefly, which I suppose is adequate, given the focus of the book is on Hazel and Augustus. All of the characters in the book have been affected by cancer, making cancer the antagonist character of the story.
There are some flat characters of the story, such as Hazel's only friend outside of support group. A shallow British girl Kaitlyn, who finds it difficult to connect with Hazel other than on a superficial level.

It is important to remember that this book is written for young adults, it is not an adult book. That said, it is no less enjoyable to read. The hype surrounding this book is no doubt follows the rising popularity in young adult fiction, whilst I found the novel compelling and touching, I've not found it to be life changing, like so many have suggested. In spite of this opinion, I can see how it could be for a teenager, its target audience. It's certainly an uplifting book, despite its subject matter. It has a positive message and it's characters are well-rounded with beautiful dialogue. It's certainly a book I will be urging my daughter to read when she is a few years older. Well worth a read.

This week I'm loving...

So, I have decided to write a weekly account of products, experiences,technologies or just about anything that I have been enjoying over the past week. Just little things to remind me, that there is always something to smile about. Here goes... 

Audible.

Audible (part of Amazon), I believe, is fabulous! For those who've not heard about Audible, it is a service that offers download-able audio books. There are over 100,000 books available for immediate download. (This is very dangerous for those suffering from bibliophilia, such as myself!) Once you've downloaded your book, you can then listen to it on your laptop, smart phone, tablet or mp3 player. I signed up and received one free book. You can then choose to become a member or download future books as a one off purchase. I've not looked fully into the different membership options, but I'll definitely become a member. I get through so many books, and this is a great way of 'reading' one relatively quickly. My 4 hour ironing session yesterday, passed in the blink of an eye thanks to my audio book. I think you can exchange any books you do not like, which is great. 
Of course, nothing is as good as the real tangible thing in my opinion. So yes, I love my Kindle and yes I love this service, but nothing will replace actual books for me, which is a shame because I am running out of space to put them all!
For more information take a look at Audible now.



Muller Light Yoghurt.

I am a 'currently off the wagon' Slimming World member. Yet whilst I've been avoiding group and the salad bar, I have been keeping an eye on the latest weight loss friendly treats. It seems everyone has been talking about the Skinny Cappuccino flavour Muller Light yoghurt. How nice can a coffee flavoured yoghurt be? I pondered. 

I ponder no longer. They are just as good as everyone has been raving, and then some! I can see an obsession coming on!

Tinder.

Put simply, Tinder is a dating app. Having been single for quite some time now, many friends have urged me to start my search for a new 'special friend'. Whilst to be quite honest, when it comes to meeting someone new, I am not too concerned because I am really happy with my life at the moment. I'm of the opinion, 'if it happens, it happens'. However, I thought there'd be no harm in seeing what all the fuss was about. After all, several of my single friends had used it, with varying degrees of success.

It matches couples based on physical attraction, taking photo's and information (which you can edit) from your Facebook account. So you only get to 'converse' with someone whom you have 'liked' and they've 'liked' you back. Extremely superficial, but easy to use and fun, and who knows what could happen. Try it out here.

And there you have it. Three little things that have brought a smile to my face this week. I'd love to hear about your loves or great finds of the week. Let me know in the comments below.

Also, just to note that these are my opinions only, that have not been influenced by any payment or products.

My Reading List for June

Well, it's been a busy old time of late in my house. Over the past two weeks I have had two poorly children; one with a particularly nasty bout of tonsillitis, the other resulting in an ambulance call! Along with three major assignments/presentations for college. 

In addition there have been various social events; a friend's gig, indoor BBQs, movie nights... The list goes on. Not that I am complaining mind! Can't beat a full diary. Gives me less time to dwell and think!

With all of this excitement, I have had very little time for reading. :-( Don't get me wrong, I've still managed to squeeze some reading in on most days, but nowhere near on the scale I'd like.

Therefore I have decided to dedicate the month of June to reading. There's only one 'full' week left at college, which saddens me. I love college, but it will free up a lot of time for me, until university begins in September. There's a huge reading list to get through, made up of university texts and books I personally want to read.

I am reading this book for context. My final college assignment is a presentation on a novel of my choice, identifying its theme, and how well it conveys its theme through literary devices. This book is the sequel to the novel I have chosen: 'The Woman who Walked Into Doors'. Roddy Doyle.

I love Roddy Doyle's work. He creates wonderful working class protagonists. I am particularly taken with Paula, an ordinary working class wife, mother, sister, alcoholic and domestic violence survivor. She is such a rounded, authentic character and such a protagonist is rare to find, especially one created by a male writer. As is often the case, the first book is, in my opinion, a better read than the sequel, yet for me, this is still a page turner. Review to follow shortly...

Yes I know, literature student, and I've not read this before. One of the top 10 most read books in the world. I'm getting there...

Ok, so I've not read this either. Again, a bit controversial for a student of literature!

This one is being reviewed for Mumsnet Book Club. Adored Hosseini's previous work, so I'm sure this will be no different. 

Uni text, looks really interesting and will help me prepare for degree-level studies, but not exactly page turning excitement? We'll see, looking forward to getting stuck in.

I've followed Sarah Pinborough on Twitter for a while, not read any of her work before, so looking forward to reading and reviewing this, her tweets are witty and sarcastic. Can't really go wrong.

This is another recommended university text written by Francine Prose. Incidentally, I also have one of her novels to review. Not sure which order to read these in. Will reading one make me judge the other differently? I'll keep you posted.

And that, my friends, is what will be filling my head during the month of June! Does anyone else have a reading challenge that they have set for themselves? If so I'd love to hear about it.

How many books!?

New Years resolutions.... I don't smoke, I hardly drink, I do need to get fit and loose weight but I will most definitely break that one, so I have decided to set myself a goal to read and review 50 books this year. It is, for once a resolution that I will actually enjoy. I was going to go for a hundred, but lets face it, to read and review them... that's just under two books a week, and I'm a single Mummy to two, one of which is a baby, so one hundred read and reviewed, just is not going to happen.


No doubt there will be serious book bloggers out there who may laugh at my feeble effort. They could easily manage 100 books in a year and review them with pretentious language that scares away a large proportion of their readers. Oh well, middle finger to you lot! Hopefully there's not too many of those types about.


This is a personal goal for myself and if anyone decides to pick up a book after reading my blog then I will be very happy. I think it's extremely important to instill a love of books in our children from an early age. Too many people nowadays think books are boring and there are so many more exciting things out there. How wrong they are, there is nothing greater than getting lost in another world, caught up in the drama of characters lives and even learning other peoples views of the world in non-fictional texts.


I will not be reading just one particular genre of books, I adore so many, both fiction and non-fiction, biography and memoirs, crime, historical fiction, spirituality, chick lit, cookbooks, parenting, fantasy, horror, mystery, the list goes on. I'm not a literary snob (which I'm sure you've gathered) I enjoyed (hmm enjoyed may be too strong a word...) E.L.James, 50 Shades trilogy, but yes I could also see it wasn't exquisitely written. I love reading and I want to spend my spare time reading, learning and writing. This is just my starting point. Hopefully there will be something for everyone.


My reviews, I hope, will give a good overall view of the book, (without giving too much away) easy to read and most importantly honest! If anyone has any recommendations then feel free to share them with with me.


I have also set my eldest child a goal to read 10 books this year before bed, a challenge which is being enjoyed so far. Perhaps you may find some reviews of the books read by my eldest also!


Thank you for reading, I look forward to connecting with you all, and remember:

''The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.''
-Mark Twain