25.11.13

Book Review: Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan

Rosie Hopkins is looking forward to Christmas in the little Derbyshire village of Lipton, buried under a thick blanket of snow. Her sweet shop is festooned with striped candy canes, large tempting piles of Turkish Delight, crinkling selection boxes and happy, sticky children. She's going to spend it with her boyfriend Stephen, and her family, who are flying in from Australia. She can't wait. But when a tragedy strikes at the heart of their little community, all of Rosie's plans for the future seem to be blown apart. Can she build a life in Liption? And what's best for the sweet shop, also what's best for Rosie?
This is Jenny Colgan's follow up to Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams but it is a stand-alone book. I hadn't read the first one but I thought that this was a delightful read.
Rosie gave up her life in London to run her aunt's sweetshop. It was only supposed to be a temporary measure but she's still there. Rosie is now living with Stephen, the heir of Lipton Hall; she is happy and content but when tragedy strikes, she begins to question what she wants. But before she can deal with it all, she has the small matter of her whole family arriving from Australia to celebrate Christmas.
Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop is a heart warming read. I loved the small village setting and I could easily imagine Rosie's beautiful sweet shop. In the main, I liked Rosie's character but there were a few instances where I thought she had a real chip on her shoulder.
There is a lot of humour in this book and I think that Jenny Colgan gets the balance right between warmth and wit.
Christmas at Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop is a lovely festive read; romance, humour, sweets and tinsel- perfect!

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5
Publisher: Sphere
Pages: 432

Many thanks to Jo at Sphere for sending me a copy of this book, it is out now! 

20.11.13

Book Review: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Aged thirteen, Theo Decker, son of a devoted mother and a reckless, largely absent father, survives an accident that otherwise tears his life apart. Alone and rudderless in New York, he is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. He is tormented by an unbearable longing for his mother, and down the years, clings to the thing that most reminds him of her: a small, strangely captivating painting that ultimately draws him into the criminal underworld. As he grows up, Theo learns to glide between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty antique store where he works. He is alienated and in love- and his talisman, the painting places him at the centre of a narrowing and ever more dangerous circle. 
This book was amazing. Donna Tartt's first book, The Secret History is one of my favourites but I didn't even finish her second, The Little Friend. However, she is an author that will always interest me and I know that The Goldfinch will stay with me forever.
At just under 800 pages, The Goldfinch is rather a challenging prospect. But at no point was I bored or waiting for something to happen. Donna Tartt fills every page with beautiful prose and mesmerising detail.
The story feels almost Dickensian, the characters are so well formed and intriguing. The story spans many years, with characters disappearing and popping up when you least expect them to.
I'm not going to say anymore as I don't want to give the plot away. Just read it, The Goldfinch is one of the most remarkable books that I have ever read.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5
Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 784

18.11.13

Book Review: Crow Blue by Adriana Lisboa

When her mother dies, thriteen-year-old Vanja is left with no family and no sense of who she is, where she belongs and what she should do. Determined to find her biological father, she decides to leave the volleyballs, empada vendors and crow-blue shells of Copacabana Beach behind, to live in Colorado with her stepfather, a former guerrilla notorious for his violent past. Living quietly with the laconic Fernando, two displaced Brazilians in exile, Vanja makes friends at school, discovers the public library, and gradually pieces together new parts of her mother's story.
Together, she and Fernando embark on a journey to find her biological father, an American from Alburquerquw, taking them across the New Mexico desert from one motel to the next, tracing her mothers footsteps and encountering vestiges of her life and friendships that remain. Lisboa deposits a tapestry of transient lives lived between borders, and  the ties that bind people across nations. Rendered in lyrical and passionate prose, Crow Blue is a sweeping literary road trip through Brazil and America, and through decades of family and political history. 
This book was a very interesting read. It is very much a coming-of-age tale but it is set against a tense and highly charged political backdrop.
Vanja goes to live with her step-father in Colorado when her mother dies. Her step0father had to leave Brazil as he was an Araguala guerrilla with a frightening reputation. She goes to live with him in order to find her biological father, making their relationship highly complex from the very beginning.
I did find it difficult to get into this book in parts but in the main I enjoyed Adriana Lisboa's book. It is a story that has been done over and over again but the author has made it her own with the cultural and political aspects. It was very interesting to see how both Vanja and her step-father are treated as foreigners and the impact this has on their lives.
I did really like Vanja and her story is particularly interesting, I think this book will cross easily between YA and adult audiences.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 3.75/5
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 240

Many thanks to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of Crow Blue, it is available now!

12.11.13

GUEST REVIEW: Me and Mr Jones by Lucy Diamond

The very lovely Linda from LindyLit has kindly reviewed Me and Mr Jones by Lucy Diamond, here's what she thought:

Meet the women in love with three very different brothers . . . Izzy’s determined to escape her troubled past with a new start by the sea – but flirtatious Charlie Jones is causing complications. Alicia’s been happily married to loyal Hugh for years but secretly craves excitement. Maybe it’s time to spice things up? Emma’s relationship with David was once fun and romantic but trying for a baby has taken its toll. Then temptation comes along . . . As the future of the family’s B&B becomes uncertain, Izzy, Alicia and Emma are thrown together unexpectedly. It seems that keeping up with the Joneses is harder than anyone thought . . .


A few weeks ago I offered to review another book for DotScribbles; I enjoyed reviewing the first book she sent me, Melting the Snow on Hester Street, so I was keen to volunteer again.  This time I received Me and Mr Jones by Lucy Diamond, a chick lit novel based on three very different brothers and the women who love/fall for them.

First the eldest brother, Hugh, whose wife Alicia is dreading the imminent approach of her fortieth birthday; she wants fun and excitement, a chance to spice up her happy, but somewhat plodding along, marriage.  Then there is David, who has been made redundant and seems slightly lost, none of this is helped by his wife, Emma's desperate quest to have a child.  And finally, the younger brother, Charlie, a bit of a ladies' man who, whilst charming, is hardly what one would call reliable, so it is with good reason that Izzy has her doubts about getting too close, especially considering her relationship history.  On top of this, the brothers' parents are contemplating selling the childhood home and B&B, leaving a chance for new and exciting business opportunities well and truly open...for anyone brave enough to win the admiration of the dreaded mother-in-law that is.

I love a good chick lit novel and I feel they have been slightly missing from my reading in recent months, and whilst I have not read any previous work by Lucy Diamond, I was eager to pick up Me and Mr Jones.  It came at a time where I was at a go slow with my personal reading; school had started to take over my life and the book I was attempting to read was far too dense, meaning I wasn't getting much enjoyment out of the limited time I had for reading.

And then I began Me and Mr Jones.  It was the perfect, relaxed, easy going read for those evenings where I just couldn't summon the energy to move too far, or concentrate too hard.  This is not to say it is a basic, easy read, but it is certainly an enjoyable, light hearted one.  There were times when I felt the plot was a tad too predictable (not that I minded) and then something completely unexpected would happen.  There was one particular incident when I actually exclaimed 'no way' out loud during my reading because I was so shocked, and no I am not going to spoil it by saying which part.  I loved how it ended on a cheerful and promising note and how Diamond successfully conveyed the message about first appearances being decieiving.

Overall this was an enjoyable, light hearted read that certainly landed through my letterbox at the right time and I look forward to reading more of Diamond's work in the future.


Publisher: Pan
Pages: 400

7.11.13

Book review: Mad about The Boy by Helen Fielding

What do you do when a girlfriend's 60th Birthday party is the same day as your boyfriend's 30th?Is it wrong to lie about your age when online dating?
Is it morally wrong to have a blow dry when one of your children has head lice?
Does the Dalai Lama actually tweet or is it his assistant?
Is technology now the fifth element or is that wood?
Is sleeping with someone after two dates and six weeks of texting the same as getting married after 2 meetings and 6 months of letter writing in Jane Austen's day?
Pondering these, and other modern dilemmas, Bridget Jones stumbles through the challenges of single motherhood, tweeting, texting and rediscovering her sexuality in what SOME people rudely and out datedly call 'middle age'.

I usually write my review as soon as I have finished a book so that it is all fresh in my mind. However, I have given myself a few days to think about Mad about The Boy. I love Helen Fielding's books and have a huge soft spot for Bridget so I wanted to be truly sure that I had enjoyed this book rather than simply enjoying meeting up with a much loved Mad about The Boy. It was fantastic to meet up with Bridget again but I also enjoyed the story that Helen Fielding has created.
character. But after much thought I have decided that I did very much enjoy
Mark Darcey is no more, I won't go into why but Bridget is  now a single mother to Mabel and Billy. She misses Mark every single day and there were several times where I had tears in my eyes. But Bridget's friends have decided that it is time to get back out there and online dating seems the best way. This is a mine field for Bridget as you can imagine but she does get a date so we get to go along for the ride as she gets to tackle modern day dating; will she ever get over Mark and is it really bad to lie about her age?
Helen Fielding has brought Bridget up to date and so quite a lot of the book involves Bridget texting and tweeting. At first this slightly irritated me but then I realised that it is actually very realistic.
I loved Bridget as a mother; there were so many situations that I identified with. Bridget is very much muddling along as well all do and she is terrified of getting it wrong. Mabel and Billy bring so much humour to the book but they also serve to highlight Bridget's situation. She is incredibly lonely and I just wanted someone to come along and help her out.
In some ways I would have liked Bridget and Mark's story to be left as it was with them living happily ever after. But life isn't like that and Mad about The Boy gives us another whole book's worth of Bridget so I'm not complaining!

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Pages: 400


4.11.13

GUEST BLOG- Donna Douglas, Author of The Nightingale Nurses Discusses her Writing Process PLUS GIVEAWAY!

Today we are joined by the very lovely author, Donna Douglas, her latest book, The Nightingale Nurses is available now. Here Donna is talking about the writing process which is a lovely insight, especially if, like me, you are incredibly nosey!!


Hello, I’m Donna Douglas, author of the Nightingale novels, a series of stories set in an East End hospital in the 1930s. My latest, The Nightingale Nurses, was recently published. Dot has kindly invited me to talk about my writing, and how I set about putting a book together from the first idea to deadline day. So here goes…
I love starting a new novel. It always reminds me of the first day in the new school year, when everything is a blank canvas, full of possibilities, not to mention lots of shiny new notebooks waiting to be filled!
But it’s not that blank a canvas. By the time I sit down to start a novel, the ideas have been bubbling away on the back burner of my brain for quite a while. I just have to decide whose story I want to tell!
In The Nightingale Nurses, I’m concentrating on Dora, Helen and Millie, the three trainee nurses I introduced in The Nightingale Girls and The Nightingale Sisters. I find three or four main viewpoints is just about right for a novel – too many more and readers start getting confused! I then roughly plan out their ‘journeys’ over the course of the novel, making sure I include lots of highlights and low points, twists and turns. I’m a great plotter. I know some people like to sit down at their screens and just wait to see what happens next, but to me that’s like setting off on a long journey without a map. Even if I do end up taking a few detours on the way, I like to have a rough idea of where I’m going to end up!
Once I’ve worked out each character’s story, I sketch out their major scenes on index cards, using a different coloured set of cards for each character. This means I can keep track of the characters easily, and also indulges my passion for stationery!
Then I start putting them all together. At this point I’m making sure that one character doesn’t hog the stage for too long, and also that their stories don’t all reach their crisis point at the same time. I always have the future reader in my mind when I’m planning – I want to keep them turning the pages, but without giving them a headache!
As soon as the plot is roughed out, I write my first draft. This is where I find out if my multi coloured scene order really works. Usually it doesn’t, and I find myself moving some scenes around and ditching others to make a more cohesive story.
Then it’s on to the second draft, which is where the story really takes shape. This is when the characters start taking on a life of their own and doing some surprising things! For instance, The Nightingale Nurses reaches its climax with the battle of Cable Street, a confrontation which took place in 1936 when the Eastenders took to the streets to prevent a march by Sir Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts. One of my characters, Dora, finds herself in the middle of the battle. I’d originally planned that she would try to stay out of it as much as possible, but Dora had other ideas. I should have known she wouldn’t be a girl  to stand on the sidelines!
The third and final draft is really just polishing and line editing to make sure it all makes sense, Unless, of course, I have another brainwave and decide to change the ending, which has been known! I reckon I could make this third draft stage last forever, but my editor drags the manuscript out of my hands on deadline day!
And then, of course, there’s time for a quick celebratory G & T before it’s out with another shiny new notebook and the whole thing starts again!

The Nightingale Nurses is published by Arrow. It’s available from bookshops and supermarkets, and also from Amazon –

You can find out more about Donna Douglas by visiting her website – www.donnadouglas.co.uk

Many thanks to Donna for this great guest post, I am really looking forward to reading The Nightingale Nurses!  I have an extra copy to give away so to win, simply leave a comment before midnight on Monday 11th November and I shall pick one out the hat! Only open to UK residents.

1.11.13

Book Review: Tempting Fate by Jane Green

When Gabby first met Elliot she knew he was the man for her. In twenty years  of marriage she has never doubted her love for him- even when he refused to give her the one thing she still wants most of all. But now their two daughters are growing up Gabby feels that time and her youth are slipping away.  For the first time in her life she is restless. And then she meets Matt...
Intoxicated by the way this young, handsome and successful man makes her feel, Gabby is momentarily blind to what she stands to lose on this dangerous path. And in one reckless moment she destroys all that she holds dear.
Consumed by regret, Gabby does everything she can to repair the home she has broken. But are some betrayals too great to forgive?
I loved, loved, loved this book! I have always enjoyed Jane Green's writing but I was completely taken with this one.
Tempting Fate is interesting from the very beginning but I was very much engrossed in the story and characters after the first third of the book; I really struggled to put it down.
Gabby risks everything for one night. Jane Green shows the consequences of Gabby's behaviour, she is still a likable character but it was refreshing to see that she didn't play the victim. Gabby knows that she was wrong, no one forced her and now she must face up to what she did.
Tempting Fate looks in great detail at family relationships. They take years to create yet they are so fragile; one betrayal and those ties and loyalties can be shattered. Gabby goes looking for a bit of excitement but in reality all she wants is the security and familiarity of her husband and their marriage.
Tempting Fate is an excellent read, the story and characters are well thought out, I would highly recommend this book and any others by Jane Green.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 416

Many thanks to Francesca at Penguin for sending me a copy of the book to review, Tempting Fate 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...