Susan Buchanan's Blog, page 12

Chicklitpad features THE DATING GAME - review

Over the moon to be featured on Chicklitpad today. Loved her 5 star review. She also has a giveaway of 2 e-copies of THE DATING GAME, so if you haven't got it yet, here's your chance to win one.
http://chicklitpad.blogspot.nl/2014/01/blast-from-past-book-review-plus.html?m=1

Sooz's favourite indie authors

Happy Monday
Last week it was pointed out to me that there were no indie authors on my list of favourite authors. This isn't because there aren't indie authors I admire and whose works I will buy over and over, but rather it's down to two things 1) most of those I have read only have 1 or 2 books out and 2) the indie movement to me is still relatively new - I had never read any until 2012.
However, I thought this week I would identify those who have aroused my curiosity enough for me to buy more than one of their books and also those whose new releases I am hotly anticipating.

In no particular order
Tracie Banister - author of Blame It on the Fame (very appropriate for Oscars' night - get your copy now - you won't regret it!) and In Need of Therapy. Her next book, I hope will be out later this year.
Chick lit.

Samantha-Stroh Bailey - Finding Lucas -  I am impatiently awaiting her 2nd novel as this one had me laughing in the way Bridget Jones's diary did. Chick lit.

Meredith Schorr - I've loved Blogger Girl, her latest release and A State of Jane and I downloaded her earlier book, Just Friends With Benefits on Christmas Day, so I have that to read soon. If she releases any more this year, I'll be snapping them up.
Chick lit.

Terry Tyler - by far the indie author whose books I have read the most. I know she is working on a new novel at the minute, so I expect to see that later this year. She has had 6 novels and a collection of short stories which I've read and enjoyed. I now can't decide which my favourite is. For a long time it was Nobody's Fault, but I think it might actually be The Other Side. I did, however, particularly enjoy Dream On, the first in her stories about the rock band/TV talent show characters.
Women's fiction (generally - some of them are suitable for men, too)

E J Greenway - I am told the follow-up to Party Games will be out this year. Absolutely loved this book, so very keen to see how it's going to continue.
Political intrigue & relationships, set around Westminster.

Sarah Louise Smith - Amy & Zach & Izzy's Cold Feet - I'd fancied the first book for ages and bought them both at the end of last year. Writing The Christmas Spirit meant I haven't had as much time to read as I would like, so I haven't got around to reading them yet, but it's not often I buy 2 books at the same time, by an author I haven't read. I have a good feeling about these.
Chicklit.

N E David  - Feria, a comic novella, set in Spain; Carol's Christmas - another novella; and then Birds of the Nile: an Egyptian adventure - all fantastic works. His first novel, Birds of the Nile is my favourite and I would read anything else he writes.
Contemporary fiction

Francine Lasala - I loved The Girl, The Gold Tooth and Everything. It was a bit of a thriller and very sinister. I then downloaded, but haven't had a chance yet to read, her previous novel, Rita Hayworth's Shoes, which I believe is a romance/comedy/mystery.

Cat Lavoie - Breaking the Rules was the first of Cat's books I've read and it had me in stitches. Her recent release, Zoey & The Moment of Zen is on my wishlist.

Whilst not exhaustive, these are just a few of the indie authors who for me merited a second look and I either wasn't disappointed or don't expect to be!

Right, I'm off to read for a bit before the baby wakes up. Would love to hear all about your indie author discoveries.
Catch up soon
Sooz

This Would Have Been Our Song excerpt - NEW RELEASE

hi everyone
Hope you're enjoying the weekend. I don't often post on Saturdays, but as a special treat, I thought I'd bring you an excerpt from Danielle-Claude Ngontang's new novel. Enjoy!



THE WAIT IT IS OVER... 

This Would Have Been Our Song! Catchy tunes and dancers’ talesBy Danielle-Claude Ngontang Mba
Series – Coulda Woulda Shoulda Song Series - #2Genre – Contemporary RomancePublication Date – January 18, 2014

Marcus, Greg and Lucia are back in the second part of their journey to their perfect love song... will they finally find it?
Book Two:This would have been their perfect love song…It has been two years since Lucia Mpobo-Riddell has made her choice between the two men in her life. She and her beloved would have been perfectly happy if it wasn’t for… the constant distractions from her past, her sister Noor’s complicated life, her own doubts and fears. Maybe there wasn’t such a thing as perfection and this was a lesson that Lucia was going to learn the hard way. Greg McMullen and Marcus Grant’s lives had been affected by Lucia’s choice that day in Glasgow two years ago. Since then one had been fighting to keep her when the other had been relentlessly trying to get her back. It soon became apparent to them that she wasn’t the Lucia they met and fell in love with anymore. Her life and priorities had completely shifted. To even consider keeping her or just getting her back, they would have to accept it or they would have to let her go. But would they ever be able to do either?

GOODREADS ©AMAZON © KOBO© BN ©SMASHWORDS © ITUNES More online stores to come soon

Marcus - As Doddy Grant always says, carry on my wayward sons!   (R rated) I slowly take Lucia lips before deepening the kiss… so deep I’m not even sure how we’re breathing. But here we are in my bedroom, always in my bedroom, wrestling each over clothes off. I’ve missed her so much; I haven’t seen her in days. I push her on the bed but she takes me with her in her fall. “Naughty boy! Raising your lovely hand on a defenseless woman…” she whispers in my ear and licks it.I’m melting and getting so hard at the same time. I didn’t even know it was possible. “Temptress, you’re a lot of thing but you’re never defenseless. Right now you’re killing me,” I moan back. I hungrily start on her perfect luscious breasts before taking care of the rest of her. Her hands are scratching my back when they’re not pulling my hair. “I love you so much,” I let out against her mouth and she locks her legs around me.“You’re all talk, talk, talk… Prove it, Mercutio,” she grins back looking straight into my eyes. She masterfully wiggles and somehow I’m inside her, “That’s better.”“Luce, are you for real,” I moan and start moving.“You…tell…me,” she groans.  We move faster, deeper, in pure ecstasy but Temptress has decided to test my endurance. “Luce, please,” I beg, sweat dripping from my forehead. “It’s completely up to you,” she laughs back. She softly, tenderly, slowly kisses me and we come together. “I’m dreaming again, am I?” I ask her out of breath still in my own daze. She straddles me, her long straightened hair covering her breasts, “What do you think?” I’m thinking that Lucia is wearing her hair short and curly right now. I’m thinking– “I don’t care!” I lean up and bring her even closer. “As far as I’m concerned you’re here right now with me.”

It's all about the catchy tunes...





Book One is still... FREE EVERYWHERE
Amazon US Amazon UK Smashwords Kobo DieselBookstore Barnes&Noble IBookstore Sony ebookstore




Love can be such a “coulda, woulda, shoulda” song sometimes…When Lucia Mpobo-Riddell met Marcus Grant they instantly clicked. Like Fate intervened. Lucia soon discovered that it was Betrayal instead. But now whether they liked it or not they had to work together. But maybe things could still work out between them… All things considered, this could have been one heck of a love song!
The Coulda Woulda Shoulda Series will be having a blurb/review tour 
The Author
HER STALKER LINKS Website Author Facebook Page Danielle-Claude Indie Books ReviewsFacebook page Danielle-Claude Indie Books Reviews Goodreads profile Pinterest Twitter
The Giveaway Link a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can buy the book on Amazon here - http://myBook.to/cwssongseriestwo 

My favourite authors through the ages

Happy Monday everyone
I got to thinking the other day how my tastes have changed over the years and also how, where in the past I would have one favourite author whose books I would snap up at the first opportunity, over the years their number has grown considerably.
So, I decided to put pen to paper and note down who my favourite authors have been, starting with my earliest memories.

Topsy and Tim books - I had to look up who the authors were - I dare say at age 3-4 I wasn't caring - Jean Adamson & Belinda Worsley
Enid Blyton - yes, complete with Noddy, Big Ears, golliwogs and all. I particularly liked the Five Find-Outers and Dog series, as well as The Secret Seven, The Famous Five and the St Clare and Malory Towers boarding school books. I also have a particular penchant, still, for The Magic Faraway Tree and can't wait until I can read it to baby Antonia!

Elinor M Brent-Dyer - The Chalet School books

CS Lewis - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - I so wanted to be Lucy!

Carolyn Keene - Nancy Drew series
Franklin W Dixon - The Hardy boys series  - these, naturally, go hand in hand

For some reason I can't recall quite what I was reading for part of secondary school, and I pretty much read nothing during my whole time at university which wasn't a prescribed text. (I did a degree in Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese literature - as you can imagine, it left little time for anything else)
I think I read whatever my parents had at home, so Jeffrey Archer - Kane and Abel was the first, and I read all of his up until he went to prison and I haven't read any since!
Christine Marion Fraser - I know, random, but they were set in Scotland and my mum had them.
Sue Grafton - I think I got one of these out of the library and it appealed to me that each book was of the format, A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, etc.


But I know what I was reading the day after I left university - Agatha Christie and I then worked my way through at least 90% of her works.

Maeve Binchy - it started with Circle of Friends and ended with her last book. I have yet to read the stories from the Irish Times, which have been put together into a volume, but I've read everything else.

Then they all started to come together in droves, round about the time books became more affordable.
Jill Mansell - I still buy/read all of her books
Carole Matthews - ditto
Katie Fforde - still read most of Katie's stuff
Cathy Kelly - similar to Maeve Binchy, but slightly more modern
Patricia Scanlan - as above. Patricia and Cathy tend not to bring books out as often as Jill, Carole, etc and I've read almost all of both their works.
Jane Green - love her stuff. Read A Patchwork Marriage last year, but have been reading her for well over a decade.
John Grisham - I do love me a legal drama! Also loved Skipping Christmas, a very fun, short book. But Bleachers and a few of his other more recent books didn't inspire me. That said, I will be picking up Sycamore Row when it comes out in paperback.
Ian Rankin - love the whole Rebus series
James Patterson - I read all of James's books for years, but when it got to the silly stage of one coming out every 6-8 weeks and being co-written, I chucked him! I did, however, love the Maximum Ride children's series in particular. I remember those, whereas after the original Cross books, many of them became interchangeable. Who can recall the details?
Henning Mankell - Swedish crime writer - even saw him at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Didn't like his non-Wallander stuff so much.

Alexander McCall Smith - loved The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and the Scotland St books. He started bringing books out too often, too and it was costing me a fortune. Little Bertie's mother had started getting on my nerves, so I stopped parting with my cash! Fortunately I saw Alexander at the Edinburgh Book Festival too.
Sophie Kinsella - it started with Confessions of A Shopaholic, but the best one for me so far has been I've Got Your Number
Jodi Picoult - love her moral dilemma books, but Lone Wolf put me off, as it was just a bit odd.
Cecelia Ahern - another Irish writer whose books I always buy
Michael Connelly - the crime writer. I was so delighted when he tweeted me last year!
Dorothy Koomson - love her books - contemporary fiction, the later ones are rather dark
Victoria Hislop - love her books set in Greece and Spain.
Jo Nesbo - Norwegian crime writer. Read the first six books, but was having bad nightmares! Too dark!
Diane Chamberlain - have quite a few still to read, but downloaded a few the other day, too. Akin to Jodi P.
Carlos Ruiz Zafon - The Shadow of the Wind series and also his YA books like The Midnight Palace.
Latterly, Jenny Colgan - I read one of Jenny's books over a decade ago and didn't like it, but Rosie Hopkins Sweetshop of Dreams convinced me to try again and since then I've read quite a few more.
Sophie Hannah - her thrillers are so dark!
Emily Barr - again I read one of Emily's books about 15 years ago and didn't really like it. Last year I discovered I loved her other books. So glad have a few more to read this year.

Anyway, you get the picture and this list is not exhaustive - far from. I just need to get to bed!
I would love to hear about the authors you can't and couldn't live without. Recommendations gratefully received.

Tune in on Saturday for a surprise visit.
Sooz

Review of Birds of the Nile and an interview with its author, N E David

Happy Friday!
Well, a new year and new challenges. My reading challenge, as you will have seen on Monday is initially for 30 books this year, since I have a lot of other commitments - more of that in the coming weeks. However, in the meantime, I was absolutely delighted that the first book I chose to read this year, Birds of the Nile by N E David was so good, it achieved my top rating of 5 stars.
Intrigued? Well, here's the blurb:

When Michael Blake takes early retirement from the British Embassy in Cairo, he books a long–awaited birding trip. But halfway up the Nile he meets Lee Yong and things begin to change. Their tour guide Reda isn’t all he seems either and when the Egyptian revolution kicks off, Blake finds himself embroiled in a tangled web of love and intrigue. Set against the background of the events of January 2011, Birds of the Nile is a powerful story of loss and self-discovery as three disparate characters, each with their own agenda, seek to come to terms with change. Part political thriller, part love story, Birds of the Nile is N.E.David’s debut novel. Poignantly written, it reminds us of the complex nature of global cultural interaction and how, as individuals, we try to deal with it.

And now for my review!

I'd previously read two novellas by N E David and enjoyed them immensely and my only complaint had been that they weren't novels, as I would have liked them to continue. However, Birds of the Nile is quite a departure from the author's comedies, but as the subject was Egypt, a country I have visited and had long wanted to visit, I was even more excited at the prospect of reading this, his first novel. I wasn't disappointed. It gave the author the opportunity to show what he is capable of and the language used was wonderfully evocative. I felt as if I were back in Egypt. I could imagine the locals in their basic Egyptian clothing; the people carrying tourists' cases who wanted to be tipped; the feeling of mistrust of foreigners which the Westerners displayed; the Egyptians agreeing with their counterparts not to bother certain tourists - they had already been taken care of; the attitude towards women.

The romantic involvement is subtle and fittingly so. The novel contains a broad tapestry of characters. I liked the silent Ira, the larger than life Mrs Biltmore and the Britishness of David and Joan.
The subplot of the birding holiday was well considered and was woven seamlessly throughout the novel. I also enjoyed the Foreign Office sections and the personage of Carpenter, who was the epitome of officialdom - a penpusher who offloaded his workload elsewhere.
I was delighted to revisit through Birds of the Nile some of the historic monuments I visited myself whilst in Egypt and it refreshed my memory of the ways of the Egyptian people, whilst at the same time letting me view things from a different perspective - that of an Englishman who considers himself Egyptian.
All in all this novel is a triumph which I have already recommended to friends.



So what questions did I have to pose to the author? I've been to Egypt and although I don't really follow politics, I'm aware of what happened in 2011.  The book raised many questions for me, in much the same way as Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist did, despite the dissimilarity in genre.


This is a marked departure from your usual genre of comic novella. What sparked the desire to write a political/historical romance?The ‘comic’ novellas were only ever a bit of fun, a ‘starter for ten’ if you like, but it has always been my intention to write something serious. Birds of the Nileis actually my fourth novel - the other three still need a lot of work before they’re ready to see the light of day - and the advent of the revolution in Egypt gave me the impetus to make it the first.Was there a research trip for Birds of the Nile and or had you been to Egypt before? (I myself have visited some of the temples mentioned and Cairo, so loved it all being brought to life again)The idea originated from a holiday my wife and I made to Egypt in 2009. We travelled up and down the Nile and being a writer, I watched what went on around me and kept a diary. A plot occurred to me then and I did write it up but it wasn’t until the revolution came along that the whole thing really came to life in my head.Michael Blake seems to do an awful lot for a girl he only has a passing acquaintance of. What did he realistically envisage their future relationship to be?He daren’t admit it to himself but he’s in love with her! Which is why he wants to be as helpful as he can. As far as any long-term relationship is concerned, he knows in his heart that’s never going to be possible. The situation he finds himself in at the end of the book is as much as he could ever have hoped for.Reda, the Egyptian tour guide has a connection with Lee Yong from the very beginning. Blake must be a saint to give the level of help to Reda that he does.  Why does Lee Yong feel she can ask Michael for help, especially given the severity of the situation in which her friend, Reda, finds himself?This is the eternal triangle - Blake is in love with Lee Yong, Lee Yong is in love with Reda and Reda is in love with Egypt. Blake is also in love with Egypt, but from a different standpoint. Under these kinds of circumstances, people’s actions and motives become confused - which is why we find what our characters do so fascinating. When Lee Yong is driven to get Reda out of prison, Blake is the only person she can turn to. Her instincts also tell her that Blake has a soft spot for her - she’s a canny woman, remember!The scene outside the café, on the night they all go into town epitomised just how frightening it must have been to be in Egypt then. Do you think it had been obvious before the events of Jan 2011 that something was afoot? I ask as I wonder why no-one challenged Reda’s decision to stay put.I’m pleased to hear you say how that scene came across as frightening as I found it difficult to write. The scene in Tahrir Square later in the book was much easier although as people who have never had to endure events such as these I don’t think we can truly understand the significance of them. Reda was prepared to die to save his country - and how many of us can say that?As to whether Egypt, Jan 2011 was obviously going to happen, it’s hard to say. There were certainly signs beforehand and if our security services didn’t get wind of it, I’d be very surprised. But for us ordinary citizens in the West, quietly going about our business, it was definitely a shock. Which is probably why no-one challenged Reda’s decision - they simply weren’t prepared for anything else.Mistrust by each side is felt throughout the novel; from the Westerners in reference to the jewellery box , to the police asking why Blake would want to get involved. Why does Blake decide to trust Lee Yong and Reda?I think the answer is twofold. Firstly, as we already know Blake is in love with Lee Yong and he will do virtually anything to help her. Secondly, Blake is gradually coming to the conclusion that his life up until now has been meaningless and that this is an opportunity for him to redeem himself. I don’t think he asks himself whether he should trust them or not - he is more concerned with trusting himself to do the right thing and if that means taking a risk, so be it.   The characters evoked good memories of Egypt for me (prior to 2011, I hasten to add); from the bumbling, but eager to please hotel manager, to the Biltmores from Baltimore, to the constantly complaining Joan. Of the secondary characters, who did you most enjoy writing and why?This is a fairly easy one as I have always liked both Carpenter and Mrs Biltmore (I have no idea of her first name by the way). I just love how they initially come across as annoying non-entities but how their hidden inner strengths are crucial to the outcome of the story. My favourite piece about Carpenter is when he visits Blake in hospital after Blake has been blinded. He’s sent him a get-well card with a joke on it ridiculing Mubarak which he’s found particularly funny. The irony is that Blake can’t read it of course, a fact that’s escaped Carpenter’s notice. But despite his obvious failings, he’s unquestionable loyal and will go to great lengths to help his friend.Is there a lesson in the novel? If so, what?If there is, then it’s entirely unintentional. I never try to preach or moralise and my only aim is to tell a good story and entertain my reader. What I would most like people to take away with them from the book is an understanding of the character of Blake - if I haven’t conveyed that adequately then I will have failed.Given the sub-plot of the birding holiday, I have to ask, are you a twitcher yourself? ! My dad knows loads about birds, but I confess to being almost totally ignorant on the subject! If not, what was your particular interest in marrying this storyline to the others?Don’t call me a twitcher! It’s a sensitive point. Bird-watcher yes, twitcher no - there’s a big difference. And yes, I did take my telescope and binoculars up the Nile and I saw all the birds exactly as mentioned in the book. The boat tour round Elephantine Island and the First Cataract will stay with me for the rest of my life - it was fabulous.The loss of a sense and the compensation by others was a valid and interesting point. It being a blessing was something I had heard before. How did you choose which sense Blake would lose?Simple - it has to be eyesight because then he can no longer see his precious birds. That deprives him of what has hitherto been his greatest pleasure in life and gives the ending of the book so much poignancy. His compensation is the relationship he now enjoys with Lee Yong. Without his blindness, that probably wouldn’t have happened.You can keep track of N E David's writing via the following means:-Website - www.nedavid.comTwitter - @NEDavidAuthorand you can pick up your copy of Birds of the Nile here:-Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1eMBzMIAmazon US - http://amzn.to/1iCoudyCatch up next week! have a great weekend everyoneSooz  

Sooz's Book Challenge for 2014

Well, I started off 2013 saying I would read 30 books, which became 40 and then 50 - I got to 47 with 2 others partially read, so as I have set myself some other ambitious targets, both business and writing related this year, I am going to start at 30 again.
But I've made a decision. It was pointed out to me that my reading this year had largely favoured chicklit - it had, although there were still some crime/political/psychological thrillers and plenty contemporary fiction books too. So, this year I want to try and diversify a bit more.

I've checked out my recent Kindle purchases, had a glance around my home library and I've come up with the first ten reads of the year - in no particular order
Birds of the Nile by N E David  - contemporary fiction (paperback)
Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding ('cos you've just got to!) - chicklit (Kindle)
The Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier - contemporary fiction (paperback)
The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes - contemporary fiction (paperback)
Coming Home For Christmas by Jenny Hale - chicklit (Kindle)
The Carrier by Sophie Hannah - thriller  (paperback - on loan from my auntie!)
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan - chicklit (paperback)
The P45 Diaries by Ben Hatch - humour (Kindle)
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - classics (paperback)
Conditional Love by Cathy Bramley - chicklit (Kindle)

Three of these authors are new to me, so I continue the trend of reading new authors this year, with many more on my Kindle still to read!

So what have you set yourself to read this month? I'd love to hear your choices.
Tune in later this week for an interview with author N E David and my review of my first read of the year Birds of the Nile, which I can already tell you is fantastic!
Sooz

Sooz''s Book Awards 2013

Well, it's that time of year, folks - the end!
It's been a funny year, although clearly a good one for me, with the arrival of my baby daughter. I thought I would have no time to read, but I managed quite a few books still.

So, here are the books I enjoyed most this year by category.

Chicklit - Summer Daydreams by Carole Matthews. Runner Up - Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell. Third place - Ten Years On by Alice Peterson.

Christmas - With Love At Christmas by Carole Matthews. Runner Up - Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews. Third place - Carol's Christmas by N E David.

Contemporary fiction - By My Side by Alice Peterson. Runner Up - One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern. Third place - The Accidental Husband by Jane Green.

Political/legal - Party Games by E J Greenway. Runner Up - The Racketeer by John Grisham

Crime/thriller - The Sleeper by Emily Barr.  Runner Up - How The Other Half Lives by Sophie Hannah. Third place -  Baggage by Emily Barr.

Indie book - Party Games by E J Greenway. Runner Up - Blogger Girl by Meredith Schorr. Third place - Full Circle by Terry Tyler

and the authors
Best new discovery - R J Heald. Runner up - E J Greenway. Third place - Jaimie Admans

Best old favourite author - Jill Mansell, Runner up - Carole Matthews, Third place - Cecelia Ahern

And my top 10 overall were:-

Alice Peterson - By My Side
With Love At Christmas - Carole Matthews
Summer Daydreams - Carole Matthews
One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern
Jane Green - The Accidental Husband
The First Last Kiss - Ali Harris
Emily Barr - The Sleeper
R J Heald - 27
Alice Peterson - Ten Years On
Ali McNamara - From Notting Hill with Love Actually

Tune in next week to see what I'll be reading in 2014!

Sooz's 4th Quarter Reading RoundUp

Yep, it's that time - the end of the quarter - well almost and I know I won't get much reading done between now and the end of the year, although I'm hoping to finish my current read.

First of all, here's the list I set myself in January - http://www.susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/soozs-2013-reading-list.html
and here's how I had done against that in June - http://www.susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/soozs-half-yearly-reading-challenge.html
and September
http://susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/soozs-third-quarter-book-roundup.html

I haven't managed to read as much this quarter, what with writing, editing and releasing my own new book, The Christmas Spirit. But I have managed some.
In December I like to read mainly Christmas books, and I'm currently reading my first ever Lindsay Kelk book - I Heart Christmas - I'm enjoying it and find her sense of humour to my liking, so so far it's a 4 star from me.

Carole Matthews' Calling Mrs Christmas is a fantastic Christmas book - especially if you like the idea of going to Lapland and bizarrely features young offenders - not exactly what you would expect in a Christmas book and all the better for it. 4.5 stars from me.

Merry Chick Lit - reviewed on the blog last month, six festive short stories by some great authors - with all proceeds going to a New York cancer charity - solid 4 stars. Everyone will have their favourites - I had 3 that I preferred.

Carole Matthews' A Cottage by the Sea - I liked the story, although it wasn't my favourite, so only 3.5 stars.

The Accidental Husband by Jane Green - I've been reading Jane Green books, as I have Carole Matthews for over a decade. Loved this book - solid 5 stars.

Nine Lives by Terry Tyler - I'm not a fan of short stories, but I have to say I really enjoyed this collection. I guessed very few of the twists and was surprised.by the direction some of them took. 4.5 STARS

Don't Want to Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell  - again, I've been reading Jill's books for more than a decade and I adored this book. 5 stars

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn - loving this, but stopped reading it, as it's December and I want to read Christmas books. It was very difficult I assure you, as it's fantastic, worthy of all the hype.

And actually, that's all I've read this quarter, apart from about 15% of Modogamous by Karen E Martin, a YA rom com read. I've not read very much YA stuff, so this should be interesting.

I've apparently read 47 of my 50 book challenge on Goodreads (I'd revised it from 35 to 45, then up to 50 and now I'm going to fall short most likely)

But, what did I buy? (which I still haven't read)
Doubting Abbey - Samantha Tonge - her debut novel
Things We Never Say - Sheila O'Flanagan - have bought all of her books, why stop now?!
Izzy's Cold Feet - Sarah Louise Smith
Amy & Zach - Sarah Louise Smith
Actually, I was quite good last quarter!
I'd love to hear your recent book discoveries and recommendations.

Anyway, tune in next week for Sooz's Book Awards 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
Sooz

Modogamous by Karen E Martin - Final Stop on the blog tour and exclusive extract!

Happy Friday!
Glad to have author Karen E Martin here today with her debut novel, Modogamous. I am honoured to be the final stop on her blog tour and she's generously shared an exclusive extract of Modogamous. There are also lots of prizes up for grabs if you visit http://karenemartin.com/blog/contests/ 




Here's the blurb:-

Kate Adams has it all figured out. Five years out of college, she’s got a steady job, a home she loves in the big city, and good friends who always keep her laughing:  her stylish but nosy roommate Evette, happily-married Cecie, and of course, good old Mitch, her seriously cute co-worker who’s been stuck in the Friend Zone since the day they met.
Everything is going just fine—until the night Kate crosses the line with Mitch, and the boundaries between friendship and love begin to blur. Things get even more complicated when hunky JP enters the scene. What’s a girl to do? Add to the mix a spunky little pug Kate never expected to fall for, and her neatly-ordered life is starting to look more like a dog’s dinner.  Maybe her roommate has the right idea after all:  forget the men, and stick with a canine companion instead.  
It’s time for Kate to figure out what she really wants in life. But can she dig her way out of the mess she’s created before she ends up permanently in the doghouse? 


And now for the exclusive extract!

I work at The Pup is Up. You’ve probably heard of it:  mega-corporation catering to pampered  pooches nationwide. I never asked to be a sales rep at The Pup is Up. I’m not really even sure how I got here. No, I take that back. I know exactly how I got here. It started when I graduated college this spring. I had a degree in archaeology fresh in hand, but no idea where to start with this whole “career” thing. What I did know is that I wanted a break. After all, I’d spent my whole life toiling away in school. I’d earned the right to take a little time off and enjoy myself before figuring out the whole what-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life shebang, right? Well, that’s what I thought, anyway.Roomie and I decided to move off-campus—you know, break away from the old on this grand adventure known as post-college life. I knew I had to find a job eventually, but for the first month or two, well, I guess I was just basking in the glow of graduation, playing the grasshopper in the blazing rays of summer, somehow managing to willfully ignore the fact that things weren’t going to be just “taken care of” for me anymore. No academic advisors to nag me about what classes I had to take. No professors to tell me what I had to read and how I should regurgitate it on paper. And most willfully ignored of all, no more bills magically paid through the financial largesse of my ever-obliging parents.
Obliging, no more. On the day we graduated, Dad gave me a big bear hug, a pat on the back, and a check. For a hundred dollars. “The final installment of your college payment plan,” he laughed as he handed it to me. “Go out with your friends and have a nice dinner to celebrate,” he advised cheerily. Looking down at the check in a daze, it suddenly hit me. This was really it. The end of the mother lode. The gravy train had gone dry…as had my mouth in that moment. What could I say but “Thanks, Dad,” with a sickly smile and an effort to appear non-panicked. Don’t get me wrong; I was truly grateful for all my parents had done for me—especially footing the bill for college. Most of my friends were saddled with tens of thousands of dollars of debt already (talk about a rude awakening to the wide, wide world), and I was incredibly glad to have been spared that. Still, it was a shock to think about having to make it on my own—something I’d never given much thought to before.

So there I found myself in late July, lazing by the pool with Roomie on a Sunday afternoon.
She’s all like:  “Hey, before I forget, rent’s due next week.”And I’m all like:  “Rent?” Her:  “Yes, rent, dummy.”
Me:  “Oh right, rent.”

Her:   “You do have money for rent, don’t you?”
Me:  blank look
That day was the closest I’ve ever come to seeing Roomie have a hissy fit.



You can keep track of Karen below:-

https://www.facebook.com/karenmartina...https://twitter.com/KarenEMartin1
http://www.pinterest.com/karenemartin1/karen-e-martin-author/
http://www.karenemartin.com/blog/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/17856555-karen-e-martin
http://www.amazon.com/Karen-E.-Martin/e/B00GL664QG/

And Modogamous can be bought via Amazon  or Smashwords -
Amazon US -   http://tinyurl.com/qesto7k
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/18xnlAC
Smashwords - http://tinyurl.com/psvecy5


Thanks Karen for joining us and wishing you all the best with your debut novel .Since I'm not sure if I will be posting much between now and Christmas  - let me just take the opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas
Sooz x
 
 

 
 

Kindle Countdown Deal for SIGN OF THE TIMES

It's been a long time since I've done any marketing for Sign of the Times, but with the continuation coming up next year, I thought I'd pop it on one of those new Kindle Countdown Deal thingies, where basically a big digital clock on my Amazon page counts down the hours and minutes until it goes full price again. Usually £1.99, it's down to 99p and $2.99 down to $.99 until Boxing Day. Call it my Christmas present to  you!
If you fancy picking up a Love Actually type book, or if you've read and enjoyed either of my other books, here are the links -
http://amzn.to/GKqZGd (Amazon UK)
http://amzn.to/IYN0Fc (Amazon US)

Enjoy!