28.11.11

Book Review: The Night Before Christmas by Scarlett Bailey

All Lydia's ever wanted is a perfect Christmas...
So when her oldest friends invite her to spend the holidays with them, it seems like a dream come true. She's been promised log fires, roasted chestnuts, her own weight in mince pies- all in a setting that looks like a Christmas card.
But her winter wonderland is ruined with she finds herself snowed in with her current boyfriend, her old flame and a hunky stranger. Well, three (wise) men is traditional at this time of year...
I knew that this book was going to be good when it arrived in a pink box with chocolate and a bottle of Baileys! Scarlett Bailey has written a really lovely book that is perfect for curling up with at this time of year.
The Night Before Christmas revolves around the character of Lydia. She finds an engagement ring in her boyfriend Stephen's sock drawer so she knows about one of her Christmas surprises already. They are spending Christmas with Lydia's oldest friends and Lydia can't wait, she has always wanted a perfect Christmas with all the trimmings and this is exactly what she has been promised. But things do not get off to a good start; they become snowed in within hours of arriving, so Lydia is trapped with an ex-boyfriend, a rather gorgeous looking stranger and a boyfriend she perhaps doesn't want to marry.
This is Scarlett Bailey's debut novel but the writing just seems effortless, the story flows really well and she is not afraid to throw in the odd surprise along the way. Christmas is a great time of year to set a book, we are often thrown into situations with people who we don't spend a massive amount of time with and everyone makes the most of it as they don't want to be the one that spoils Christmas.Lydia is in a really difficult position; she does not want to hurt Stephen or ruin his Christmas but surely she can't accept a proposal from a man she no longer loves. Throw into that the ex-boyfriend with whom she had one of the most intense relationships of her life. Plus the gorgeous stranger snowed in with them, there is something about him that Lydia can't ignore so she is stuck with three men and no escape route in sight.
The Night Before Christmas will definitely get you in the festive mood and I can't wait to see what Scarlett Bailey has to offer in 2012.

Dot Scribbles Rating 4/5

Many thanks to Ebury Press for sending me a copy of the book to review, it is out now!

23.11.11

Book Review: Build A Man by Talli Roland

How far would you go to create the perfect partner?
Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in-between, giving Serenity a story no editor could resist.
With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.
Talli Roland has done it again! This is the third book that I have read by this author and I think she just gets better and better. Build A Man is very different from The Hating Game and Watching Willow Watts but you always know that you will get an entertaining story with this author.
Serenity is so determined to succeed as a journalist; she cannot believe her luck when Jeremy comes along; he is the perfect subject to write about. Yet as the story develops and Serenity gets to know Jeremy, she begins to question just how far she will go for success but the problem is, she may have already gone too far.
I really enjoyed the cosmetic surgery setting in this book, the clients that Serenity encountered brought a lot of humour to the story. I think that Talli Roland is extremely witty as a writer but I also enjoyed the fact that Build A Man felt a little bit deeper than Talli's previous books. I was really interested in the relationship that develops between Serenity and Jeremy and the way in which it makes her question what she is doing. .
If you have read any of Talli's other books then you already know that you're in for a treat. If not then I recommend that you give Build A Man a go, I don't think you will be disappointed!

Dot Scribbles Rating 4.5/5

Many thanks to Talli for sending me a copy of Build A Man, it is available for download on Amazon now!

21.11.11

Book Review: Vanish by Tess Gerritsen

The beautiful woman appears to be  just another corpse in the morgue. But when Dr Maura Isles looks down at the body, she gets the fright of her life. The corpse opens it's eyes. Now very much alive, the woman is rushed to hospital, where she murders a security guars and seizes hostages, one of whom is the heavily pregnant detective, Jane Rizzoli. But who is this woman and what does she want? Only Jane can solve the mystery- if she survives the night.
Another absolute cracker from Tess Gerritsen! Honestly, this author just gets better with each book in my humble opinion. I read Vanish in just over a day and a half and I just couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next.
I felt with this book, more than Gerritsen's others that you really got to know the victims, there are a lot of flashbacks and the story being told from the victim's perspective, I think this added another layer and made for a more interesting read.
Obviously Jane Rizzoli and Dr Isles feature heavily. Jane is actually in labour when she is taken hostage and Dr Isles is left feeling completely useless in helping her friend.
What follows is a seriously gripping plot, rape, blackmail, corrupt government officials and murder. I think that Vanish may be my favourite of the series so far, this book should come with a warning though, once you start it , you won't want to do anything else until you have reached the last page.

Dot Scribbles Rating 5/5

18.11.11

Little Weekend Meme

I saw this over at Verity's lovely blog this week so decided to do it myself! 


Age: 29 

Book Size: I like hardbacks to look at on my shelves but I am a paperback fan, mainly because I can fit them in my bag and they are easier to read in the bath! 

Chore that you hate: Cleaning but I have to admit that we have had a cleaner for the last two months and I LOVE her, she makes things much more sparkly and clean than I ever could! 

Dogs: Just the one, Alfie, he is a mischievous little shihtzu but I wouldn't be without him! Dr S would like a 'real' dog in the form of a labrador but I said we shall have the baby first, there's only so much toilet training I can handle at once!

Essential start to your day: Tea, I need at least two cups before I switch the computer on! 

Favorite colour: I have two, pink and blue. Good job I like pink as we have a very pink nursery now! 

Gold or Silver: Silver all the way! The sparklier the better!

.Height: 5' 7"

Instruments you play: I know how to play the piano but I would love to be able to sing. Obviously I can sing but it is painful for most people to listen to!

Job Title: I'm self-employed so don't really have one, company director sounds a bit silly when it's just me really! 

Kids: Expecting my first in January, can't explain how excited and terrified I am, keep worrying that she might not like me! 

Live: Leicester, UK. 

Milk: Is one of my favourite things at the moment, best cure for pregnancy heartburn that I have found! 

Nicknames: Dot 

Oldest living relative: Blimey, I'm not really sure about this one, husband's Grandma is about 86 so I think she qualifies as the oldest, she' great though, from Yorkshire and is not afraid to say what she thinks! 

Pet Peeves: Arrogance and lateness.

Quote from a movie: I never remember things from movies! 

Right or Left handed: Right.

Siblings: Yip, one older sister who is also my best friend! 

Time you wake up: About once every 2 hours at the moment, being 7 months pregnant does not make for a comfortable night's sleep.

Underwear:
Yes, rather large at the moment!


Vegetable you hate: All of them! I have to be guilt tripped into eating any of them by my husband.





What makes you run late: Usually Dr S, he is a get ready at the last minute type of person! 

X-Rays you’ve had: Hmmm, I've never broken anything so I think just boring dental ones. 


Yummy food that you make: I love cooking but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's yummy! 

Zoo animal: Giraffes all the way! 


17.11.11

Book Review: Velvet by Mary Hooper

Velvet is an orphan. She struggles to make ends meet by working in a steam laundry, where the work is back breaking and exhausting. So when she attracts the attention of the glamorous clairvoyant Madame Savoya, she cannot believe her good fortune.
Raised to the status of lady's maid, Velvet is given elegant clothes to wear and is brought to love in a grand house in London. But the longer she works for Madame Savoya, the more she discovers about the mysterious world of a spiritual medium.  Velvet soon realises that her employer is not quite what she seems and this knowledge could put her very life in danger...
I was so happy to receive Mary Hooper's latest book as I really enjoyed her last book Fallen Grace, you can read my review here.
Velvet is set in 1900, Velvet is an orphan, she is working in a steam laundry but she is always only a few steps away from the dreaded workhouse. She begins to look after the laundry of one of the special customers, Madame Savoya, one of the most famous clairvoyants in London. When Madame Savoya offers Velvet a position as a lady's maid, she jumps at the opportunity. She leaves the exhausting steam laundry for Darkling Villa, the home that Madame Savoya shares with her assistant George.
Velvet cannot believe her luck, suddenly she has her own room, beautiful clothes and a job that she actually enjoys. She is fascinated by Madame Savoya's job as a clairvoyant and wants to do everything she can to help her new mistress.
As the book progresses, Madame Savoya has to keep up with what the other famous mediums are doing. She asks more and more of Velvet in order to maintain her reputation and livelihood. Madame Savoya's desperation begins to make Velvet suspicious. Madame Savoya talks about giving the spirits a helping hand but when does this cross over to duplicity? Velvet's suspicions place her in incredible danger as Madame Savoya will not have her work questioned by anyone.
Velvet, like Fallen Grace is mesmerising. I love how Mary Hooper has the ability to immerse her readers into Victorian England. Her descriptions are so vivid and her attention to details shines throughout the book.
I loved reading about Victorian spiritualism, it was such a big part of the Victorian era and so many people from all walks of life were drawn into it, just as Velvet is completely taken with Madame Savoya.
I found Velvet's naivety a little annoying at times but it was understandable in some ways. Madame Savoya is the first person to offer her a real opportunity and some much needed comforts in life. It is not hard to understand why Velvet places her on a pedestal, it just makes it so much harder when she has to question Madame Savoya's motives.
Mary Hooper has once again written a brilliant YA story. Velvet is a very captivating story and it will be interesting to see what Mary Hooper has to offer next.

Dot Scribbles Rating 4/5

Many thanks to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of this book to review, it is out now!

14.11.11

Book Review: Already Gone by John Rector

Jake Reese is an ordinary guy with an ordinary job, trying to block out the memory of his violent past by planning for the future with his new wife, Diane. But the past has a habit of refusing to stay buried...
When two men attack Jake in a car park, he tries to dismiss it as an unlucky case of  being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when events take a more sinister turn and Diane goes missing, Jake knows he can no longer hide from the truth.
As he embarks on a mission to find Diane, Jake finds himself dragged back into the life he thought he had walked away from forever and the days ahead begin to unfold in terrifying ways...
This is the first  book that I have read by John Rector and he is certainly gripping. The action started straight away and the chapters are short and snappy, it only took me just over a day to finish this book.
Jake Reese is a good character in that he keeps the action and tension going but I have to say that I never really felt as though I got to know a lot about him. Events from his past are alluded to but nothing much is ever revealed.
The author does give a real sense of desperation, Jake is in a living nightmare when Diane goes missing and there are very few people who he can turn to for help.
If you like a good, fast paced thriller then I would recommend this one. Personally I felt that the ending was a little abrupt but the plot kept me entertained and there were several twists and turns along the way.

Dot Scribbles Rating 3/5

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book to review, it is published on 8th December.

10.11.11

Book Review: Wrapped up in You by Carole Matthews

Thirty-something hairdresser Janie Johnson's single status is a constant source of gossip for her friends and  clients. So after too many nights in with her cat, a blind date disaster and news that her ex is getting married, Janie realises it's time to do something dramatic with her life.
Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she's mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right... but then she falls head over heels for her tour guide and fully fledged Maasai Warrior Dominic. But can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him?

I have enjoyed all of the Carole Matthews books that I have read so far, so when her latest arrived, wrapped in a beautiful red ribbon, I was very excited.
The new cover is lovely and very festive. I personally love reading books with a Christmas feel at this time of year but I will say that this book is in no way based around Christmas as I know that puts some people off.
Janie Johnson is an extremely likable character, her love life is a little slow and the ex-boyfriend is getting married so Janie's life is in need of a little sparkle. One of her clients inspires her to use her holiday and go on an African adventure to the Maasai Mara.
I thought she was very brave and I do admit to being a little jealous as it is up there on my 'things to do' list! Anyway, Janie is just looking to get away from it all, she is certainly not looking for love. However, love is exactly what she finds in the form of Dominic. He is a true Maasai Warrior and Janie's tour guide, I warn you now that he is one of those male characters who you will quickly have a crush on!
It becomes clear that they have feelings for each other and Janie is devastated when she has to leave Dominic behind and return to the UK. She tries to get on with normal life but she can't stop thinking about Dominic, what if he really is the one? How will it work? She can't possibly live in Africa but what would Dominic make of the UK and would they be happy?
Wrapped up in You is a really enjoyable, feel-good book. I enjoyed reading about Janie's time in Africa and what happens when Dominic visits the UK. Carole Matthews shows how love can cross so many barriers and that all the matters is the two people involved.
Carole's writing is always witty and inviting and this book had me laughing out loud in several places. It's clear to see that Carole's trip to Africa has paid off as I really enjoyed her descriptions of the people and places that Janie visits. I would highly recommend this book and I think it would make a great Christmas present too.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to Sphere for sending me a copy of the book to review, Wrapped up in You is out now!

All change here!

I have made the decision to stop doing written reviews on here for a little while. I shall keep this page open but for the time being I sha...