28.11.12

Book Review: Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard

Gabriel Emerson is a man tortured by his dark past. A highly respected university professor, Gabriel uses his notorious good looks and charm to lead a secret life of pleasure where nothing is out of bounds.
Sweet and innocent Julia Mitchell enrols as Gabriel's graduate student and his immediate attraction to her, and their powerful and strange connection, threatens to derail his career.
I'm not really sure where to begin with this book but I did enjoy it. As I have said before I read and enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey but I wasn't that interested in reading many others in the genre. However, I was intrigued by Gabriel's Inferno, mainly because it was written by a man and most books written in this vein are by women.
As with Fifty Shades of Grey, Gabriel's Inferno is ultimately a love story but I wouldn't say that Gabriel  is as dark as Christian Grey. He certainly has a past but he has relatively normal sexual desires. There are very few sex scenes in this book, it is more about the developing tension and relationship between Gabriel and Julia.
The problem is that Julia is his student so their relationship is effectively forbidden. They must try and keep away from each other or not be caught until the end of the semester when Gabriel ceases to be her teacher. They cannot ignore their desire for each other though but there is a lot for them each to learn. Gabriel is not proud of his past and Julia is also running away from events that she would rather forget.
If they are entirely honest with each other then will they still feel the same?
Sylvain Reynard delivers a really interesting story and I didn't feel as though he focused solely on the male perspective which I thought he might. In the main I enjoyed this book and read it very quickly. But there were things which I found annoying which I think is why I don't read a huge amount of books in this genre. I found Gabriel's behaviour towards Julia suffocating at times. I struggled to see how she would find that attractive but that is obviously just my personal opinion. Also I didn't feel that the secrets that Julia and Gabriel were keeping were actually that bad given how much they had been built up.
Gabriel's Inferno is a very addictive read, I find this genre really difficult, I can't stop turning the pages but yet there are things about the books that I don't like. You can't always like a character though nor can you always understand them.
Gabriel's Inferno is a more gentlemanly read than Fifty Shades of Grey and I think that I will probably read the rest of the trilogy.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to Penguin for sending me a copy of the book to review, Gabriel's Inferno is out now.

24.11.12

Book Review: Never Tell by Alafair Burke

When high school student Julia Whitmire is found dead in the bathtub of her family's Greenwich Village townhouse, her left wrist slashed  and a suicide note resting on her bed, Ellie Hatcher and her partner J.J. Rogan, initially write the case off as a suicide. Julia's parents insist that their daughter would never take her own life, but Ellie knows all too well that family members can be the last to accept the truth.
But when Julia's mother appeals to her with the evidence- including the hand-written suicide note she believes her daughter would never have composed- Ellie is confronted with the possibility of a troubled young girl's murder. 
This is the second book that I have read by Alafair Burke and it was just as good as the first. I particularly like how she presents you with the crime scene and the bare facts only; it feels like you almost go along collecting the clues with the detectives.
It appears that Julia Whitmire has slit her wrists in the bath, Detective Ellie Hatcher and her partner Rogan see it as a clear-cut suicide but Julia's mother is adamant that her daughter would not have taken her own life and would never have written the suicide note left behind.
The Whitmires have a lot of money and this means power, Ellie and Rogan have to investigate even though it goes against their instincts. They begin to discover that Julia may not have been as sweet and innocent as her parents believed but does this mean that she was murdered?
Alafair Burke writes with quite a fast pace and you are given a lot of information to take in and analyse. If you can keep up with it then it does add to the reading experience. You are only given a little bit of time to think about something before Burke is hitting you with something else. 
Never Tell is a good, solid thriller. I really enjoyed how the author set the story up, she has you intrigued from the very beginning to end and I look forward to reading more from Alafair Burke in the future.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to Avon for sending me a copy of the book, Never Tell is out now.

18.11.12

Book Review: Married by Christmas by Scarlett Bailey

All she wants is a perfect Christmas Eve wedding...
It's been on Anna's wish list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she'd ever experienced.
Only now-two weeks before the big day- her perfect husband-to-be drops a  bombshell...
But nothing's going to stop Anna's plans- not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!
Scarlett Bailey's last book The Night Before Christmas was fantastic so I was particularly excited when her new book arrived.
The cover is gorgeous and extremely festive so it would make a fab Christmas present.
Anna had a really tough childhood which resulted in her being taken into care. She does not want to make the same mistakes as her mother so she has a plan. This includes marriage, a house, children and so on. The marriage in particular means that Anna will have the perfect Christmas eve wedding. However, her fiance Tom throws a huge spanner in the works when he reveals that he is actually already married and can't find his wife in order to get a divorce. Anna cannot believe this is happening but she is not going to have her plan ruined. She sets off to New York to hunt down this mystery wife but what if she fails and what if her life plan isn't actually the right one?
Married by Christmas is a really festive adventure. I loved the New York setting as it is exactly the time of year when I would like to visit. Anna is a very determined young woman and it is very interesting to watch how she works. She gradually begins to question her plan for life, has she created a life simply to fit the plan? Does she actually love Tom or has he chosen him because he fits into her idealistic future?
I think that Scarlett Bailey is a very entertaining writer. Married by Christmas is the perfect feel good read for this time of year. Once you have read about Anna's adventures in New York, you will be reaching for the milled wine and mince pies.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to Ebury for sending me a copy of the book to review, Married by Christmas is out now!

13.11.12

Book Review: The School Gates by Nicola May

At 3.10pm every weekday, parents gather at Featherstone Primary in Denbury to collect their children. For a special few, the friendships forged at the school gates will see them through lives filled with drama, secrets and sorrows.
When Yummy Mummy Alana reveals the identity of her love-child's father, she doesn't expect the consequences to be quite so extreme. Ex-Czech au-pair Earth Mummy Dana finds happiness in her secret sideline, but really all she longs for is another child. Slummy Mummy Mo's wife-beating husband leads her down a path she never thought possible, and Super Mummy Joan has to cope when life deals her a devastating blow. And what of Gay Daddy Gordon? Will he be able to juggle parenthood and cope with his broken heart at the same time?
Four very different mothers. One adorable dad. And the intertwining trials and tribulations that a year at the primary school gates brings. 
I had read and enjoyed Nicola May's first book Working it Out so I was very pleased when Nicola offered me the opportunity to review her latest book.
I have yet to enjoy the real-life experience of the school run but I think that Nicola May is extremely clever to bring her characters together in such a way. These characters see each other every day but what do they really know about each other and what are they all saying behind each other's backs?
Alana is not a natural mother, she gains more pleasure from business meetings. However, when she reveals the identity of her daughter's father she cannot foresee how things will change. Her life and those of others will not be the same again.
Dana has the perfect life to anyone looking in from the outside. Beautiful son, loving and hardworking husband and a stunning house. But Dana is far from fulfilled but what would her husband say if he knew what she really wants?
Mo and Joan are good friends away from the school gates. Mo does not know how to escape her abusive husband and Joan has a large family to juggle plus whatever life has to throw at her.
Gordon is gay and a father of twins; not out of choice but out of love and loyalty to his sister who was tragically killed. Learning to be a parent is not easy but neither is entering the dating game when your long term partner has a wobble.
The School Gates is an entertaining read, because of all the characters there is a lot going on. Nicola May brings all of the story lines together and the book has a good pace. I didn't find it predictable, there were a good few twists and turns. I recommend The School Gates, it has good story lines and realistic characters.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

7.11.12

Book Review: With Love at Christmas by Carole Matthews PLUS Author Interview

Can the imperfect family really have the perfect Christmas?
Juliet Joyce adores Christmas. She loves the presents, the tree, the turkey, the tinsel...just everything! Already the festive season is upon her, which is just as well as this Christmas things are just starting to get a little out of hand.
Her son Tom is out of work and bringing home a slew of unsuitable partners; pregnant daughter Chloe and her little boy have moved back in; Juliet's father, Frank, is getting over a heartbreak of his own and Rita, her eccentric mother, is behaving more erratically each day. And has the chaos got too much for Juliet's husband Rick?
With the big day fast approaching. Juliet hopes that she can stop everything spiralling out of control, because the only thing she wants is her family all around her and her home to be filled... With Love at Christmas.
I've been looking forward to starting my festive reading and Carole Matthews' latest book was an excellent way to begin. With Love at Christmas is such an enjoyable read. Carole Matthews has captured a quintessentially British Christmas; family, sprouts, shop bought Christmas pudding and advocat.
Juliet Joyce is a legend. Matriarch of the Joyce family, she has so many different things to juggle on a day to day basis. Her ageing mother, her heartbroken father, wayward son, selfish daughter, demading grandchild, preoccupied husband and the perfect family Christmas to plan.
It is such a busy time of year and we put so much pressure on ourselves for it to be amazing, With Love at Christmas highlights the fact that all that matters really is each other. Not presents or Christmas pudding or a beautifully decorated tree but friends and family instead.
Juliet and her husband Rick go out of their way constantly to help others but they seem to have forgotten to look after each other. When Juliet finds some suspicious texts on Rick's phone, she worries that maybe her husband has been at the bottom of the list of priorities for too long.
With Love at Christmas has many funny moments and I found it to be a very entertaining and heart warming read. It is the perfect book to get you in the mood for the impending festive season and as a reminder of the important things in life.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

I have been lucky enough to be able to ask the lovely Carole Matthews some questions, here's what she had to say:


1. I'm really excited about your new book With Love at Christmas, can you tell us a little bit about it? 
I’m really excited about it too and am already in the Christmas mood! Lovely Kev is refusing to put the tree up yet though and he’s quite alarmed about the amount of glittery products making their way into Matthews’ Towers!
With Love at Christmas is about a chaotic family Christmas featuring the Joyce family - the same family that featured in That Loving Feeling, a book which I wrote about 3 years ago. When I decided to do a Christmas book about a family-based Christmas, it was lovely to pick up with them again. It’s not a sequel. We pick up with the Joyce family 2 years later, just as they approach Christmas.
Juliet Joyce is a mad, keen Christmas fan and has been loving forward to this Christmas since the last one! This year, however, she’s juggling all kinds of problems. Her children have both come home and need her help. On the other hand, her elderly parents are having issues and need her to be with them. Juliet is pulled in a dozen different directions. Then she discovers mystery texts on her husband’s phone and wonders if she’s neglecting him just too much. All Juliet wants is everyone to be happy and her home to be filled With Love at Christmas, but can the imperfect family ever have the perfect Christmas?
It’s a funny, touching story that I hope will make readers laugh out loud and shed a tear.

2. When did you start writing this book and how did you manage to get into the festive spirit?
I wrote it during last summer, so I had to make sure I had lots of mince pies to hand when I started it! The nice thing about writing a Christmas book is that it gets you in the mood for Christmas really early and now I think about it virtually all year round.

 3. At this time of year I like a good cosy read or something with a bit of mystery! Do your reading habits change in the winter?
Well, now I read lots of Christmas books, which I love. But I also love a good ghost story during the winter months. I’m looking for something really scary this year. A book that’s quite a bit darker. I also like an historical novel filled with intrigue.

 4. Obviously, we're not far from Christmas now, what's your favourite thing about the festive season?
I just love being chilled out at home with family and friends. Nothing too exotic. A bottle of fizz,  a big box of chocs and a cheesy, sentimental film and that’s me sorted. I love it when friends drop in unexpectedly and I get cracking on the turkey butties. That’s what Christmas is all about.

 5. Have you started on the next book and if so can you give us any details?
In the new year my next book, A Cottage by the Sea is out. This is about what happens when three old friends go on holiday together and, of course, not everything turns out as they’d planned.

5.11.12

Book Review: Oh Dear Silvia by Dawn French


Who is in Coma Suite Number 5?
A matchless lover? A supreme egotist? A selfless martyr? A bad mother? A cherished sister? A selfish wife?
All of these. For this is Silvia Shute who has always done exactly what she wants. Until now, when her life suddenly, shockingly stops/
Her past holds a dark and terrible secret, and now that she is unconscious in a hospital bed, her constant stream of visitors are set to uncover the mystery of her broken life. And she must lie there, victim of  the beloveds, the babblings and the plain bonkers.
Like it or not, the truth is about to pay Silvia a visit. Again and again and again...
I missed Dawn French's first book A Tiny Bit Marvellous so I wasn't really sure what to expect from Oh Dear Silvia. It was such a good read though, exceptionally witty and observant  with a very poignant edge.
Silvia Shute fell off her balcony and is now deep within a coma. Obviously Silvia is unconscious so the only way we get to know her is through her visitors and in the main it is not that favourable. There are the children who won't even visit and the ex-husband who is still looking for answers as to what happened to their marriage.
I think my favourite character was Winnie who is Silvia's nurse. Whatever she has going on in her own life, she goes out of her way to care for and protect Silvia. It is easy for coma victims to be treated like objects but Winnie is always striving to make Silvia comfortable and dignified.
I think that Dawn French has been extremely clever in setting up the book as she does. Each chapter is from the individual characters' perspectives but we do  not get a chapter from Silvia until the very end. Therefore you have to interpret what each character is saying about Silvia as she is not able to contradict them. The chapters are almost like streams of consciousness and this allows for a great deal of honesty. Silvia's sister Jo is particularly interesting; she almost only wants Silvia to wake up in her presence so that she can take the praise, she is not too bothered about her sister's well-being.
You are very aware of Silvia's presence as people make their visits. I found myself wondering what she would think about what they were saying. Would she be angry, embarrassed, remorseful, content?
Oh Dear Silvia is a very interesting book. Dawn French, as you would expect, writes with plenty of humour but I loved how observant she clearly is about people and their ways.

Dot Scribbles Rating:  4/5

Many thanks to the lovely people at Penguin for sending me a copy of this book to review, Oh Dear Silvia 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...