27.9.12

Book Review: The Bride Stripped Bare by Nikki Gemmell plus 2 book GIVEAWAY!!

A woman finds her voice and leaves behind a book of lessons. It is the story of her secret self.
On honeymoon, in the heat and shadows of sultry Marrakech, a conventional young wife makes a shocking discovery. Although confused by her husband's betrayal , she finds it gives her the freedom to explore her deepest desires and rediscover the the true self she has kept hidden from view for so long.
But her new life is clouded by complication and the raw desire that threatens to overwhelm her. She finds herself torn between need for her husband and yearning for something more. The Bride Stripped Bare is the story of a woman whose powerful awakening is as erotic as it is dangerous.
The Bride Stripped Bare is the original Fifty Shades of Grey. Initially published anonymously, it caused a huge furore for its erotic content.
However, I did not find it overly shocking, as with Fifty Shades of Grey, there are many scenes of a sexual nature but that is very far removed from what this book is really about. Gemmell explores a woman finding her true self after she discovers her husband's infidelity. It's a very complex and thought provoking book, I think it leaves you with some particularly uncomfortable questions.
The idea is posed that everyone has a secret, hidden self, so do we ever truly know the person we love and commit to and what do we hide from those we love? This made me think a lot about peoples' hidden nature, is it just natural or is it because we feel that we have to conform to what society expects?
The Bride is never named and the book is written in the second person which is extremely clever as the Bride could be any woman, it could be you, the reader. The second person narration makes it feel slightly detached and it also made me feel uncomfortable in places as though I had accidentally found someone's diary.
Erotic fiction is everywhere at the moment so if you are intrigued then why not start with one of the originals? I think the term erotic fiction puts some people off as they are almost expecting literary porn. However this book is nothing like that, it is about women, relationships, love, fidelity, infidelity, expectations and of course sex is involved in nearly all of those!

Dot Scribbles Rating 4/5

Many thanks to the lovely people at Harper Collins for sending me a copy of the book to review.

I have a set of two books to give away, The Bride Stripped Bare and With My Body. To win, simply leave a comment by midnight on 4th October. Only open to UK residents. Good Luck!

26.9.12

Celebrating Fitzgerald Competition

The lovely people at Alma Classics are celebrating F. Scott Fitzgerald with a beautiful new collection of his books. They have been very generous in offering one reader of Dot Scribbles the collection of four books, which is made up of The Great Gatsby (one of my favourites!) Tender is the Night, The Beautiful and Damned and This Side of Paradise. 
These new editions are really beautiful, the front covers are stunning with details picked out in gold foil, the pictures don't do them justice I'm afraid!
If you would like to win this set of four books then please answer this question:

What year was F. Scott Fitzgerald born?

Please EMAIL your answers to dotscribbles@googlemail.com with Competition in the subject box. Do not put your answer in the comments section as they will be deleted and not counted as an entry otherwise everyone will be able to view each others answers! This competition is open to UK residents only and you have until midnight on Wednesday 3rd October to enter.

Good Luck and many thanks to Alma Classics for offering this fantastic prize! 






23.9.12

Book Review: Dearest Rose by Rowan Coleman

'You are a remarkable woman and you deserve all the happiness, contentment and love in the world. I, for one, know that I have never met anyone quite like you.'
When Rose Pritchard turns up on the doorstep of a Cumbrian B&B, it is her last resort. She and her seven-year-old daughter Maddie have come to the village of Millthwaitein search of the person who once offered Rose hope.
Almost immediately Rose wonders if she's made a terrible mistake- if she's chasing a dream- but she knows in her heart that she cannot go back. She's been given a second chance- at life, and love- but will she have the courage to take it?
Dearest Rose is an extremely emotional and interesting read. Rose Pritchard is running away from Richard, her abusive husband. She has taken Maddie, her seven-year-old away from everything she knows so Rose knows that she has to make the upheaval worth it.
Rose finds herself in the small village of Millthwaite in the Lake District. The only reason she has for coming here is an encounter with an art dealer who was looking for her father John, a famous artist. . Rose feels an instant connection to Frasier, the art dealer and she has carried the memory of him with her for years. Whilst she is looking for Frasier, Rose is shocked to discover that her father is living in the village. A father who abandoned Rose and her mother without a backward glance. What does she have to say to him and will he even acknowledge her as his daughter?
I was very impressed by just how much Rowan Coleman packs into this book. We have Rose's terrifying and damaged relationship with her husband; the strenuous relationship with her father and finally her interest in Frasier. It's so easy to become completely gripped by this book as the story lines weave in and out of each other and there is plenty to hold your interest throughout the book.
One of my favourite parts of the book was Maddie. She is a very complex child and highly entertaining. Maddie is the reason that Rose has run away and she is also the reason that she cannot go back to Richard. Maddie may also hold the key to Rose's relationship with her own father.
Rowan Coleman tackles the issue of domestic abuse head on. I felt like she really explored the whole situation. We discover Rose's early life and how she comes to be in such an awful marriage and why she stays for so long. Rose is determined to keep away from Richard and to keep Maddie safe but his presence is felt throughout the book and you gain a real insight into his controlling behaviour.
Dearest Rose is a really interesting book which I highly recommend. The story is absorbing and the characters believable. Rowan Coelman has a very inviting writing style and this had me starting a new chapter again and again in order to learn more of the story.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5


18.9.12

Book Review: Heart Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne

When Archway Young Offenders Institution is closed down, a notebook is found in one of the rooms.
'I have to start by saying that this isn't an apology. I'm not sorry. I'm not.'
This is that notebook.
'They say I'm evil and everyone believes it. Including you. But you don't know.'
It's pages reveal the dark and troubled mind of Emily Koll, Archway's most notorious inmate.
'Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever shake off my mistakes or if I'll just carry them round with me forever like a bunch of red balloons.'
This book is extraordinary, I have not been able to stop thinking about it since I finished it.
The book is effectively diary excerpts, so we get everything from Emily's perspective and she does not hold back at any point. Tanya Byrne uses Emily's character to explore revenge, its limits and its consequences. I felt extremely confused as I read the book as I seriously liked Emily but I felt as though I shouldn't. I think you feel as though you should sympathise with the victim but in this book I felt more empathy for the villain.
Heart Shaped Bruise is one of the most tense books that I have ever read. It is so clever, the reader knows that Emily has done something awful; we know she has been imprisoned for it but we do not find out right until the very end, exactly what it is. I made several guesses as the story unravelled but I honestly was not prepared for the ending.
Heart Shaped Bruise is a complex psychological thriller that will easily cross over from YA to adult fiction. I cannot recommend this book enough, Tanya Byrne is fantastic and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to Headline for sending me a copy of this book to review, Heart Shaped Bruise is out now!

13.9.12

Book Review: The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes

Helen Walsh doesn't believe in fear- it's just a thing invented by man to get all the money and good  jobs- and yet she's sinking . Her work as a private investigator has dried up, her flat has been repossessed and now some old demons have resurfaced.
Not least in the form of her charming but dodgy ex-boyfriend Jay Parker, who shows up with a missing person case/ Money is tight- so tight Helen's had to move back with her elderly parents- and Jay is awash with cash. The missing person is Wayne Diffney, the 'wacky one' from boyband Laddz.
He's vanished from his house in Mercy Close and it's vital that he's found- Laddz have a sell-out comeback gig in five days time.
Things ended messily with Jay. And she's never going back there. Besides she has a new boyfriend now, the very sexy detective Artie Devlin and it's all going well, even though his ex-wife isn't quite 'ex' enough and his teenage son hates her. But the reappearance of Jay is stirring up all kinds of stuff she thought she'd left behind.
Playing by her own rules, Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world, where her worst enemy is her own head and where increasingly she feels connected to Wayne, a man she's never even met. 
 Marian Keyes is back with a wonderful new book. The Mystery of Mercy Close is a Walsh family book, this time focusing on Helen. At the start of the book, Helen is pretty low, she has no work, no flat and her depression is rearing it's ugly head.She doesn't want to take anything from her ex-boyfriend Jay Parker but she is desperate, so when he offers her a missing person case, she simply can't say no. It's a pretty exciting case;. Wayne Diffney from huge Irish boyband Laddz has gone missing days before their big comeback gig. Helen can't stand to be around Jay, especially now she has found Artie. But can she deal with Artie's family baggage and can he deal with her depression?
The Mystery of Mercy Close struck so many chords with me. Marian Keyes writes honestly and in-depth about depression. Having suffered with depression myself, I greatly identified with Helen and the battle she faces on a daily basis. I think depression and the feelings it creates can be so hard to explain to others but there were so many times when I read this book when I thought yes it is exactly like that.
Whist The Mystery of Mercy Close has a serious side, it still has a huge amount of Marian Keyes humour. Marian Keyes always writes about the serious side of life but somehow manages to create a variety of laugh out loud moments with her characters and the situations she places them in.
I have always been a massive fan of Marian Keyes and I have read all of her books. Keyes truly is a fabulous writer and I do not think that anybody will be disappointed by The Mystery of Mercy Close.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to the lovely people at Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book to review, The Mystery of Mercy Close is published today!

6.9.12

Recipe Book Review: Peyton and Byrne British Baking by Oliver Peyton

I know that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but this book is seriously pretty. Split into ten sections, British Baking covers most things that you would want to try. There are extensive sections on fairy cakes and icing, tarts and pies plus my favourite section which is A Cup of Tea and a Bun.
I love the precise way in which the recipes are set out, each one has its own page. There is a clear list of ingredients plus it explains the preparation and cooking time and also the equipment needed. The recipes are broken down into numbered points and are extremely easy to follow. Most recipes have a full page photograph of the finished result which is great as I always think it is good to be able to see what you are attempting to make.
Some of my favourite things from this books are the Marshmallow Teacakes, they are very simple but create a lovely indulgent treat. The Treacle Tart recipe is also also excellent, it is such a classic dessert and this recipe gives beautiful results.
One of the chapters that I want to explore more is puddings. There's a very good variety of recipes which would suit all different times of the year. As we are coming into Autumn/Winter, I am really looking forward to trying the Welsh Rice Pudding and the Strawberry Jam Roly-Poly.
I think I was a little intimidated by the book when it arrived. I thought that it looked quite 'posh' and I was expecting overly complicated recipes. However, I think this book is one of my recent favourites as the recipes are so easy to follow. There are just so many things that I want to try, some baking classics but also some new and interesting ideas.


British Baking by Oliver Peyton is a beautiful book to have in your kitchen, you would always be able to find just the right recipe to suit the occasion.

3.9.12

Book Review: The Fall by Claire McGowan

What would you do if the man you love was accused of murder?
Bad things never happen to Charlotte. She's living the life she's always wanted and about to marry wealthy banker, Dan. But Dan's hiding a secret, and after he's arrested for the viscous killing of a nightclub owner, Charlotte's future is shattered.
Then she opens her door to Keisha,  an angry and frustrated stranger with a story to tell. But what Keisha knows threatens everyone she loves and puts her own life in danger.
DC Matthew Hegarty is finding it difficult to ignore his growing doubts as well as the beautiful and vulnerable Charlotte. Can he really risk it all for what's right?
Three stories. One truth. They all need to brace themselves for the fall.
I'm just beginning to get into crime books and The Fall by Claire McGowan is a great example of the genre. The book isn't overly long at 374 pages but I really took my time reading it as I enjoyed McGowan's story so much. Claire McGowan's writing style is extremely absorbing and vivid, it felt as though I was watching a gritty drama each time I picked the book up.
Charlotte is the central character, it is her fiance who is accused of murder and she is is the one left picking up the pieces. She is almost broken from the very beginning; over night she loses everything she has ever valued or known. However, as the book progresses, Charlotte has to find the strength in order to sort everything out. Nobody seems to want to fight for anything, including her fiance, so she quickly comes to the realisation that she is on her own.
Keisha, in many ways is the complete opposite to Charlotte; streetwise, uneducated and poor but the murder unexpectedly brings these two women together. I thought it was really interesting that both women are in the position they are because of the men they are with yet both know that only they can sort out the consequences.
The Fall is a dark and powerful book. Claire McGowan is not afraid to show the gritty and uncomfortable side of crime and the knock-on effects it has on peoples lives. It can take a long time to achieve something in life but it takes no time at all to fall to rock bottom.
This is Claire McGowan's debut book but I think she has a real talent an she will be an author to look out for in the future.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to Headline for sending me a copy of the book to review, The Fall 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...