Sunday 4 October 2009

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.
I'm very excited to be on time this week with my In My Mailbox post! But unfortunately am very much less excited at how little books I got this week!
I only have two to show you!
31 Dream Street by Lisa Jewell is an old one, I picked up at a church sale! So It's not too exciting, but hey isn't every book
worth it :)! My camera's playing up so I'm afraid its not a picture of the actual book, but this is the cover (isn't it pretty!)

It reads - Leah and Toby have lived across the street from one another for years without meeting ... and Leah has been itching to peek behind the front door of Toby's eccentric house, always packed to the rafters with weird and wonderful tenants. When fate finally lets her in, Leah finds that Toby needs her as much as she is surprised to realize she might need him. Sometimes life needs a helping hand and with a sprinkle of romance and their own special magic, Toby and Leah's dreams show the glimmer of a chance of coming true.
Can't wait to get my teeth into it!

And the other one I got this week was one my friend gave to me :) she got it free with a magazine at the start of summer, and since she knows how much I love reading she thought I'd like it!
There's nothing I love more than a free book! So hopefully I'll enjoy this one!

It's called Pillow Talk - by Freya North, I'm not really keen on the cover, but I think this may be due to it being a freebie:

From Amazon - What keeps you up all night? They were high-school sweethearts who hadn't seen each other for seventeen years. And suddenly they're in front of each other - in a tiny sweet shop in the middle of nowhere. Neither can quite believe it. These days, Petra works in London as a jeweller while Arlo has left his rock-and-roll lifestyle for the wilds of North Yorkshire. Out of the blue, their paths have just crossed. But for first love to have a second chance both must put their pasts to bed. However, there are skeletons in Arlo's closet which keep him up at night. And just what is it that causes Petra to sleepwalk?

So that's me for this week! I'll do another post shortly about all the craziness of this week, and I'd quite like to do a getting to know you post, what do you guys think?

Also keep your eyes peeled for my review on Lock & Key - by Sarah Dessen, as I've finished that, and as soon as I have a chance I'll review it!

I hope you're all well :)

xxxx


Wednesday 30 September 2009

Competition :)!

Alaine @ Queen of Happy Endings - is running a fantastic competition for a copy of Marked - by PC and Kristen Cast (It's part of the House of the Night Series)!

I really really want to win it! But I thought I'd post a blog about it :) and hopefully wish some other people luck :)!
Click here to enter!
It ends on the 7th of October :)! So good luck!
Thanks Alaine for a great competition :) xxxxxx

Tuesday 29 September 2009

Happy Birthday!

So today's my blogs 1st month anniversary! I can't believe it's been a month already! I'm quite excited about this :) and I'm hoping to run a contest in the near future, as soon as I have some money I promise! I hope everyone is enjoying it as much as I do! And if you want to see anything else featured on dollysomewhere, just let me know and I'll do my best :)! Hope you're all well! xxx

Waiting on Wednesday (1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine it challenges bloggers to tell others what books they're currently waiting to be released!

The Sky Is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson
Release Date - 9th March 2010 Pages - 272 Genre - YA
Summary - Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.


This book has been on my wishlist for quite some time! I just think that it sounds so good! I like the fact that its got quite an easy story, but it sounds like it's going to be mysterious and problematic at the same time, and no doubt full of conflict! I'm not hugely keen on the cover, but I can overlook that, because the summaries so good!
Ohh I can't wait till March! What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Hope you're all well xx

Review of Thinking of You

Jill Mansell - Thinking of You

From Amazon - Ginny Holland’s daughter Jem has headed off to university, leaving single mum Ginny with a severe case of empty nest syndrome. To make matters worse, the first gorgeous man she's clapped eyes on in years has just accused Ginny of shoplifting. So Ginny decides to advertise for a lodger but what she gets is lovelorn Laurel, who can only talk about her ex-boyfriend. However Laurel has a dangerously charming brother, Perry, and add to that the offer of a great new job, and things are looking up...until Ginny realises that her potential boss is all too familiar.

Is it too late for Ginny to set right the first impression she made when Finn Penhaligon got quite the wrong end of the stick? And is either Finn or Perry quite what they seem?



_____________________________________________________________________________________

Jill Mansell's "Thinking of You," was such a great read! Once I started I couldn't put it down, it just drew me into it so easily! It had two stories running throughout it - the one of Ginny living at home in a seaside village and missing her daughter so much, but not being able to tell her daughter how she feels. And the other one of Jem - who has gone away to Bristol for university, and is experiencing hundreds of life altering changes and dramas. Both stories were utterly compelling, and I found myself wanting to know what was happening in the other one whilst reading the other!

I also enjoyed the way that the stories mirrored each other, but not in a boring obvious way! I like the idea in Jill Mansell's books that you don't have to be 20 and a stick insect in order to fall in love! Because love is blind after all!

Character-wise I loved them all again! Jill Mansell always seems to have this infinite ability to make me love her characters! There was Ginny, the protaganist who made me laugh, made me cry! And who I really wanted to find love more than anyone else, because she simply deserved it! And then there was the contrasting character of Carla, who despite being horrid in some ways, I couldn't help but think that it wasn't really her fault!

The male characters in the book were also really funny, and I couldn't help but develop a crush on Finn, even though he's practically old enough to be my father :)!

All in all it was a great book!
Another of Jill Mansell's books that was a delight to read :)!

Hope You're all Well!



In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

Hi all!

Sorry for being two days late with this post! I got back much later than I expected from Perth, so was unable to do it on Sunday! But less of the excuses :) Here's what you want to read!

This week was quite good for books, but mostly ones I got from the library due to lack of funds! But it still kind of counts as "In My Mailbox" doesn't it!

So Firstly by Library ones:


Got Four out this month, as I still have Two that I haven't read, and I didn't really have room for anymore!

They are:
- Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen
(Which is a bit YA for me, but I've read some of
her books before, and I've read some great reviews
lately about them, so I couldn't resist!)
- The Matchbreaker by Chris Manby
- Running away from Richard by Chris Manby
(These two were completely judged by their cover,
i'm ashamed to say! But they looked good.)
- Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella
(This one was because of how much I
enjoyed "The Undomestic Goddess")

The other book that I received this week, was one that I got sent from Radox! As part of their "be-selfish" campaign! They teamed up with author Katy Lette and produced this book called - All Steamed Up! It's a bath friendly book! And I really can't wait to read it!
It's in four parts incase you can't get enough relaxation time! And you can get your own free copy (as long as stocks last) right here!
Don't say I'm not good to you all :)!

Hope you all had a good week with your books! And you're all well :) xxx

Friday 25 September 2009

Just a Quickiee :)

Hi All :)
Got some exciting news!



I passed my driving test on Wednesday :D!
It was the best feeling in the world!
& I started back Uni today, as a 2nd year! Which was okay!
I've been reading my library books this week, and I'm going to Perth for the weekend, so I'm hoping to read lots up there :)
Anyway, I'll be back on Sunday night, with some great new posts hopefully :)
Hope you're all well :)
xxxx

Tuesday 22 September 2009

The Undomestic Goddess! (Not a Review!)

The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella

Samantha is a high powered lawyer in London. She works all hours, has no home life, and cares only about getting a partnership. She thrives on the pressure and adrenalin. Until one day....she makes a mistake. A mistake so huge it'll wreck her career.
She goes into meltdown, walks right out of the office, gets on the first train she sees, and finds herself in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she is mistaken for the interviewee housekeeper and finds herself being offered the job. They have no idea they've hired a Cambridge-educated lawyer with an IQ of 158 - and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven.
Disaster ensues. It's chaos as Samantha battles with the washing machine... the ironing board...and attempts to cook a cordon-bleu dinner... But maybe she's not as undomestic as she thought. Maybe, with some help, she can fake it? Will her employers ever discover their housekeeper is actually a top-flight lawyer? Will Samantha's old life ever catch up with her? And if it does...will she want it back?



This Book was honestly so good! I loved it so much & I wish there was a sequel to it, because the romance between Nathaniel and Samantha was so lovely! I actually loved the scene between them in the garden, it was beautifully written, and I'm not going to lie I was totally smitten on him by the end!
Only disappointment was the end - as I prefer when novels have a complete ending and when they're not like left out in the open for you to decide how you want it to end!
Despite this I LOVED it!
Everyone must read this book! :)
xxx

Monday 21 September 2009

Review of Good at Games

See I promised I'd be a more dedicated reviewer!

Jill Mansell - Good at Games
From Back - Suzy Curtis falls in love with Harry Fitzallan the moment she shows him her husband's sperm sample. Actually, it isn't her husband's, because she isn't married. It isn't a sperm sample either, it's a carton containing the dregs of her milkshake. (But when you're desperate to escape a speeding ticket you have to improvise, don't you?) Oh, and it isn't really love at first sight, it's a healthy case of lust.
Suzy is the girl with everything - dream job, red Rolls-Royce and ravishing rock-star ex. Then she meets Harry - and his deeply sceptical brother Leo - and before long finds herself with a whole lot more...

4/5 - I really enjoyed Good at Games by Jill Mansell, but have found myself being able to guess how her novels will work out, before having reached the end! Now I'm not saying that this is a critiscism, because to be honest, I quite enjoy the "glory" you feel at the end of the novel when you realise that you got it right, from the first page! But I think after reading this book, I may have a break from Mansell, and try other authors, before returning to my stack of unread Mansell books!
Suzy Curtis was possibly one of my favourite characters from all of Mansell's books! She was just so down to earth, and I liked the fact that Mansell, painted her as being beautiful and lust-worthy despite the fact that she was a size 14, and that Celeste (a character I didn't like) was a size 8 and was described as not being attractive at all! Suzy was a very caring character, and without giving to much away I liked that things appeared to work out for her :) she deserved it!
The opening of the novel, (about the "sperm sample") really sets the tone of it, as its funny, and I did find myself laughing at the utter genius of Suzy to think up such a plan! And the rest of the novel was no disappointment as it was funny, and full of stupid things that Suzy did throughout!
One thing I didn't really like about the novel, and this could be said about many films, and books I read, was that the characters always seem to fall in love and become engaged after only "dating" for a matter of days or weeks! This is not realistic in my eyes, but then I suppose that's the beauty of reading, things don't need to be "real"!
Anyway, Good at Games, was still another gem by Jill Mansell, and she's definitely on the way to becoming my author of the year :)!

Sunday 20 September 2009

Review of Open House

Firstly I need to apologise for how long its taken me to post this review! I've had a really busy week, but I've finally finished work (apart from Saturday's) and I'm determined to be more reliable with my posts! I go into 2nd year of Uni on Friday & I'm really looking forward to it! But I PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE I'll be better! (You can hold it against me at a later date if you like!)

From Back - Nell O'Driscoll's known Marcus Kilburton for years - according to her diary, she even had a crush on him as a teenager. When he decides to open Kilburton Castle to the public, Nell takes a job as his assistant - and soon sparks are flying between them. But is Nell free to pursue Marcus, when part of her past refuses to let go?
The world fell apart for Nell's best friend, Hetty Brewster, when her husband Tony abandoned Hetty and their teenage daughter for a bitchy but successful write. Now the press is full of stories about the frumpy, boring wife losing out to a younger, slimmer model. But Hetty's about to get her chance for sweet revenge - if she can stop being nice long enough to take it!

4/5 - Before reading this book, I had read some really good reviews of it, and I have to say that I hope mine is no exception to this! I always get really into Jill Mansell's books, and find myself acting as if I really care about all the characters, and wanting it to work out really well for them! And at the same time hating the ones that are horrible to my favourite characters, almost as though they're like my enemy!
The protaganist in Open House, Nell O'Driscoll is a character I really admired! She sounded like she was from - as we'd say in Glasgow- "down the scheme!" A real toughnut in all ways, but I found myself really liking her and all her secrets! The way she really cared about helpless Ben, even though she had already broken up with him despite his knowledge, showed her true heart, and I liked her for this. It got me wondering to myself, what would you do if your ex-boyfriend and first love, ended up unable to look after hiself and had to rely on nurses and care from others. Would you stand by him or would you walk away? I'd love to think I'd be like Nell, but the reality is always different from the hypothetical.
I LOVEDDD Hetty, she was by far my favourite character, and I loved the "romance" with Derry! It was very comical, and I loved Hetty's transformation throughout the novel!
My only disappointment with Open House, was the way that Ben was "dealt" with so that Nell and Marcus could be together. Without giving to much away, it seemed to me a far to easy way to deal with the situation! And personally I wanted Nell to be with Ben & Marcus! I couldn't make my mind up!
Despite this I'd thouroughly recommend Open House to everyone! I really really enjoyed it :)!
Hope you're all well xx

In My Mailbox (1)


IMM is hosted by Kristi, @ The Story Siren!
I only got one book this week, kind of disappointing, I won a book on the internet a few weeks ago but it still hasn't come :(!
I'll show you what I got anyway, see if it appeals to anyone else!

Jodi Picoult - Second Glance
From the moment Ross's fiancee Aimee was killed in a car accident, he's been trying to die too. But life won't let him go. His only hope now is that Aimee will come to him.
So when he hears of strange happenings at an ancient Indian burial ground near his sister's home, he heads to Comtosook - desperate for the rumours of a haunting to be true.
What he finds there is not Aimee's ghost, but Lia, a very real woman whose life is filled with as many troubled secrets as his own......

I've read Jodi Picoult's Mercy, and Change of Heart before and the reason I like her books, is that they're always a little bit different than the ones I usually read. Although on the surface there's a light story, she always deals with issues that others shy away from. Like in Mercy she deals with euthanasia, and in Change of Heart, the death penalty. Both of these topics are very current and I hope that Second Glance is no different.

I hope your week was a bit more successful bookwise as mine! Enjoy your Sunday! xxxx

Sunday 13 September 2009

This Weeks Shopping Bag!

Hi everyone :)
& Can I just say thank you to my little followers!
It always excites me to sign on and read the comments you lot leave me or to see i have new people that want to read the rubbish i write :)
So seriously thank you!

I've had quite a good week this week! Only worked 28 hours which is low for me, (quite often I do 44) and this week is my last week of work, before I go back to uni, so obviously I can't wait! However I will miss the money! I also think my manager has paid me wrongly, because he pays me below minimum wage (which I believe is £4.77, an hour) and taxes me :( so if anyone knows anything about this and will help me, id really appreciate it!

I spent the rest of my time with the lovely Craig, shopping, reading :) and drama-ing! And talking about Drama-ing I've just found out I'm maid marion in my groups christmas pantomime of Robin Hood :) so this is fairly exciting news for me! And probably the biggest part I've played!

So with all this going on I've not had so much time for reading! However I have finished my copy of Jill Mansell's "Open House" and those of you that are regular readers, will know that she is one of my favourites! So watch out for a review of that in the next few days!

Anyway back to my post!
In this week's shopping bag I had:

4 Blondes - Candace Bushnell
The Llama Parlour - Kathy Lette
(Both of which were bargains as I found them at a local church fete!)

And
The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
How nice is that cover! And I've wanted to read this one for a wee while, because my little sister saw the film and said it was a MUST SEE! But i'd rather read the book first :)

Today's been a nice quiet day, Craig stayed over so we had a nice long lie, and we were supposed to go to Ikea to search for my new desk and bookshelves, but unfortunately we've had to cancel that till tomorrow!

I hope you're all having a great sunday :) tell me what your up too! I love hearing from you :)
xxx

Wednesday 9 September 2009

Wednesday's Wishlist!

Decided it was time to do some wishing :D!

So on my wishlist this week I have:

1. Friends Like Us by Caitlin Davies, because the cover looks pretty, and the summary really appeals to me! I think I would really enjoy it :).
2. My Bookshelf! From Ikea & I Have the perfect place for it in my room! But due to lack of money its a no no! Still begging the bf for it!


3. A Sony E-Book! Because a few people I know have them, and I've been lusting after them ever since I first set my eyes on it! I think it'll have to wait till Christmas though! (Haha, I have to wait for everything!) I think it'll be really handy for when I go on holiday & the likes, because it means you don't have to carry the usual 20 books in my suitcase and have no room for clothes!

4. To pass my Driving Test! I have booked it for some time in the next few weeks, (this is my second time) and I really want to pass! Because I've been doing lessons for too long & I feel that its just using up all my money!

5. For my little cousins to come back! They moved to England just a few weeks ago, and I used to see them most days, so it's a big change to not have them around!

So that's my Wednesday Wishes! I hope you're all having a good week :) and that it continues well!

xxx

Monday 7 September 2009

My Marvellous Monday!

Today was such a good day for me :D!
I went to the library as I said earlier, but it was closed so I had to go back later, but i did manage to get these great books!


These ones to continue my Jill Mansell obsession! And don't you just love the way her covers are all quite similar (apart from the first one!).


And these ones as I love Marion Keyes, and have heard great things of Sophie Kinsella :)

And then when I came back home from the library I had a certificate for meritorius standard in my First Year of the mPharm course from the Dean of my university, waiting in my letterbox!! I didn't even know such a thing existed and it definitely brightened up my day!

I then spent the rest of the day at my lovely boyfriends house :) so it was a great day!
I'm sad I have to work tomorrow, but I have thursday off, so I can't wait till then :)!
Hope you're day was as good as mine!
xxxx

Happy Monday!

So I've woke up nice and early on this wet Monday morning!
And for once I'm not working!
So I've decided to take Imogen's @ http://writeaboutwhat.blogspot.com/ advice and visit the library for the first time in about 4 years!
I don't even know if i still have an account!
Wish me luck everybody, and I'll let you know how i get on when i come back!

Hope you're all well :) and enjoy your Monday's!
xxxxxxxxxxx

Sunday 6 September 2009

What I've Bought This Week!

So this week in my shopping bag I had the following:

Not a huge hawl but still I'm very excited about them all!
I had hoped to buy myself a new bookcase, as my shelfs are completely full and I can't bring myself to throw anything out! But due to lack of funds, I'm currently trying to hold off till my birthday, in November, as my lovely lovely boyfriend said he would buy one for me :D!
How do you all store all your pretty books?
Are you like me with them everywhere, or are you a super organised neat freak! :)

I hope you're all enjoying your sunday, I'm enjoying not having to work as I've worked non stop lately for hardly any money at all. RANT RANT!
I'm currently listening to my music, messing around on the internet, and burning my lovely Yankee Candles! (A nice little obsession of mine!)

Hope you're all well!
x

I Just LOVE..


Jill Mansell!

I only discovered her recently when my lovely boyfriend bought me "An Offer You Can't Refuse." But when I was trawling through a charity shop in Paisley, a town nearby where I live, I found two other ones! I was very excited, because being a student I never ever ever have any money, and these were a wee bargain!

This week I read "Rumour Has It," and I really really liked it! In fact at the end I said aloud "Oh What A Lovely Story!" much to my mothers disgust! But honestly it was just so feel goody and happy at the end and i really really liked it! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a nice romantic easy to read story!

Review
From Amazon - "When newly single Tilly Cole impulsively quits her London job for a fresh start in the small town of Roxborough she finds she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue and rampant rivalry for the most desirable men. Tilly has no intention of joining in – she's just happy with her new Girl Friday job. Then she meets Jack Lucas. Jack is irresistible... and he's got his eye on Tilly. But there are shocking rumours about his wicked reputation. Tilly doesn’t want to be just another notch on anyone's bedpost. But is she being mature and sensible – or is she running away from the love of her life?"

One of the reasons I like Jill Mansell, is that in her books she always has a main story going on, but the background characters always have their own drama's going on as well! And she always manages to draw you in, in such a way that you're intrigued about each character in their own way!
I immediately fell in love with Tilly, the lead character as she reminded me of myself, and equally of probably most girls with a little bit of conscience in them! When she talked of how she always distances herself from relationships and ends up making the boy break up with her because she doesn't want to hurt their feelings, i laughed out loud! I totally remember doing this when I was younger, because it seemed not so bad if they broke up with you! You can also tell from the start that she clearly likes Jack, as he does sound irresistable, but she doesnt want to be just another notch on his bedpost! And she doesn't truly believe that he'd change for her!
I liked the way that the outgoing character of Tilly, was contrasted with the niave and shy Erin, who has found love but doesnt want to hurt anybody elses feelings! My only disappointment with Erin was that I felt more could have been made out of the best friend relationship between Tilly and Erin. It was touched upon at the start, then it seemed a little forgotten.
The novel is really easy to read and get into, and Jill Mansell, manages to make us feel all the emotions the characters are feeling as well. For instance at the start I hated a character called "Stella" but by the end I felt sad for her (Don't want to say to much as I may ruin the novel for others!)
It really was my kind of book, where girl gets boy, and it all ends happy, and you lie in bed with a big smile on your face!
My review hasn't given too much away, but I hope it encourages you all to read it!
If anyone wants to know anything else just ask :D! And I'd love to hear what you all thought of it if you've read it :D!

Hope you're all well :)
xxxx

Monday 31 August 2009

Hello!

Okay, So I'm completely new too this scene! But I've decided to make a blog and see how it goes! I'm not quite sure what it'll all be about yet, probably just thoughts and reviews of books, films and the likes! We'll see how it goes!

I've always got my nose in a book, and I'm always searching for new authors to try out! I really enjoy romance novels, you know the sort where you can predict what will happen before you've even read it! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE happy endings!

I hate books that end with such an anticlimax and I hate scary books, (I'm always scared that the baddies will pop out at me if I read it - Yes I have a very strange imagination!).

When I was younger I always wanted to be an author, and I was always writing tales and diaries!
I still love writing diaries, and I'm always thinking up plots for books, but I don't think I'd ever be good enough to write one that people would want to buy!

Who knows though, maybe one day!

I'd like to hear from people that read the same styles of books as me and to get new author ideas!

Hope to hear from you soon!
xxxx