Hello all!! We have made it to the halfway point in 2018 – how scary is that??!! And another week of hot and sunny weather here in the UK! This should be a good thing but when it’s TOO hot to do anything what is the point?!! At least the heat seems to have brought the butterflies to life in the garden so I’m pleased to see those! If only they’d all sit nicely on my flowers and pose for me more often!!
On the book front I have big news to share……..7 days into July and ZERO books have been purchased!!!!!!!! That is right … ZERO!!!! Maybe this is a consequence of the heat?! Or maybe I’ve just been extremely well behaved and realistic whilst looking at piles of unread books and realised I needed to show more control!!! I’m sure this book buying blip won’t last very long but it’s a good start for the month!
On the reading front things are going well too! 5 books read this week! Falling a little behind on the reviews front though so need to sort that! The heat has scrambled my brain!!
There has been bookpost as I’ve been lucky to have won a few books – yay for the internet! – as well as a proof arriving and a subscription box too! So here’s a look back at my week!
BOOKS FINISHED
The Madonna of Bolton by Matt Cain – 4 stars
Loved this fun and touching story of a boy who doesn’t fit in and his love affair with Madonna! Lots of fab retro mentions!
Old Baggage by Lissa Evans – 5 stars
A fabulous story of Mattie and her fight to find meaning to life after being a suffragete.
The Light Between Us by Katie Khan – 4 stars
Another enjoyable book with a sci-fi /time travel twist!
The Rules of Seeing by Joe Heap – 5 stars
Publication date – 6th August 2018
Loved this! The story of Nova who was blind but now can see after an operation and it’s made her life more complicated than ever!
Here comes the Best Man by Angela Britnell – 5 stars
Swoonsome story that I was lucky enough to read as a manuscript as part of the Choc Lit taste panel, and it’s full of all the feels!!
BOOK HAUL
Was a very happy bunny when I won this set via a Twitter giveaway last week! I have read the first in this series – Strange Magic – and loved that so am excited to read more of the Essex Witch Mysteries!
Strange Fascination by Syd Moore
And another win was this e-book via a Blog giveaway!
Just by Jenny Morton Potts
On golden Mediterranean sands, maverick doctor Scott Langbrook falls wrecklessly in love with his team leader, Fiyori Maziq. If only that was the extent of his falling, but Scott descends into the hellish clutches of someone much more sinister.
‘Just’ is a story of love and loss, of terror and triumph. Set in idyllic Cambridge and on the shores of the Med and Cornwall, our characters fight for their very lives on land and at sea.
An unforgettable novel which goes to the heart of our catastrophic times, and seeks salvation.
And this proof arrived ahead of a future blog tour!
The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway by Rhys Thomas
Publication Date – 9th August 2018
A feel-good novel that will make you laugh and cry. The perfect book club read for fans of The Rosie Project, A Man Called Ove, and The Keeper of Lost Things . Charming, quirky, and bursting with heart.
Sam Holloway has survived the worst that life can throw at you. But he’s not really living. His meticulous routines keep everything nice and safe – with just one exception . . .
Three nights a week, Sam dons his superhero costume and patrols the streets. It makes him feel invincible – but his unlikely heroics are getting him into some sticky situations.
Then a girl comes along and starts to shatter the walls Sam has built around himself. Now, he needs to decide if he’s brave enough to take off the mask, and to confront the grief he’s been avoiding for so long . . .
Hilarious and heart-warming, this is a story about grief, loneliness, and the life-changing power of kindness.
CURRENTLY READING
THE POSSIBLE WORLD by Liese O’Halloran Schwarz
Reading this courtesy of The Pigeonhole app and I’m already in love!!! A stunning story so far!
Ben is the sole survivor of a crime that claims his mother and countless others. He is just six years old, and already he must find a new place for himself in the world.
Lucy, the doctor who tends to Ben, is grappling with a personal upheaval of her own. She feels a profound connection to the little boy who has lived through the unthinkable. Will recovering his memory heal him, or damage him further?
Clare has long believed that the lifetime of secrets she’s been keeping don’t matter to anyone anymore, until an unexpected encounter prompts her to tell her story.
As they each struggle to confront the events – past and present – that have defined their lives, something stronger than fate is working to bring them together…
The Summer Seaside Kitchen by Jenny Colgan
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
And how has your reading week been? Would love to hear about it in the comments below! Have you been good and not bought any books either?!
happy reading!!!
Books and Me! 
Well done on the no new books this week, are you feeling alright? I’m loving The Possible World as well, such beautiful writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! It feels very weird not buying any!! That’s why I know it won’t last haha! TPW is a stunner already isn’t it?!! I just want more sooner!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person