How to be a cowboy by Alice V Lickens

The ultimate guide to becoming a cowboy. This activity book contains maps of the cowboys' favourite stomping grounds, a dress-your-own-cowboy paper doll (with cut-out clothes, colonial spurs, woollies and batwing chaps), a talk-like-a-cowboy guide, a sheet of super-cool stickers, and real-life cowboy recipes to try cooking at home. And for when you're ready to become a cowboy, you can pick and choose your own ranch name. Beautiful illustrations and fun activities from illustrator Alice Lickens, who was awarded the prestigious Sendak Fellowship in 2012, make this an exquisite gift book to treasure, ideal for aspiring cowboys and cowgirls of all ages from 3 to 83. 

Publisher: Pavilion Books
ISBN: 9781843652410

Firstly, I feel that I must make a confession, I love anything to do with cowboys! As a teenager I spent my weekends at Country and Western events and loved the history, the attire and regalia. And now back to the book - I loved it!

Lickens has created a fantastic book, filled with history, geography and fashion lowdown, teaching you how to walk, talk and dress like a cowboy and  all accompanied by lots of related craft activities. There is a good old fashioned paper cowboy doll to dress and recipes to try.

The book is interactive - there are paper dolls to pop out, stickers to decorate the pages or other media, pages to open out to discover hidden facts and lots of fun activities to try.

I really do love this book - it would be a great gift to give to a child but is also one that would be a good starting point for any school project on the Wild West. I hope that the author, Alice Lickens, continues with this fantastic format to publish more books on different topics in the future. The illustrations are briliant - Licken has a distinctive style which I think would be great on stationary or decor for walls (oh and I would love to own a pair of cowboy boots designed by Licken).

I received this book in return for an honest review from the publishers, Pavilion Books.

Happy by Pharrell Williams

Grammy Award winner Pharrell Williams' super-hit song "Happy" is now a picture book nominated for an Academy Award, "Happy" was the best-selling song of 2014 in the United Kingdom, and has topped the charts in more than seventy-five countries worldwide. Now Pharrell Williams brings his beloved song to the youngest of readers in photographs of children across cultures celebrating what it means to be happy. All the exuberance of the song pulses from these vibrant photographs of excited, happy kids. This is a picture book full of memorable, precious childhood moments that will move readers in the same way they were moved by the song. "Happy" has had the world dancing ever since it first hit the airwaves, and now the irresistibly cheerful tune will come to life on the page with Pharrell Williams' very first picture book! This is a keepsake and true classic in the making.

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN: 9780141365282

As soon as I picked up this book I couldn't help but start humming the song. It was one of those infectious songs of recent years and is still popular now.

The book is the song words and they are accompanied by photographs of children clapping and dancing along. The photographs have been cleverly selected, featuring children from all cultures and backgrounds and all with fantastic smiles.

Although I can't say this is one of those children books that I would give as a gift and that I would imagine being treasured and reread each night, and saved to pass on to their children in years to come, it is one that would be great for circle time in settings to assist discussion about feelings etc.

I received this book in return for an honest review fro the publishers, Puffin Books.

I love you more and more by Nicky Benson and Jonny Lambert

I Love You More and More is a touching celebration of the endless love and the very special relationship between a parent and child. With a lyrical, rhyming text, stunning illustrations by Jonny Lambert and a beautiful shiny silver title and trees on the cover, this sumptuous tall-format picture book would make the perfect gift for any child or new parent. Ideal for fans of Guess How Much I Love You and I Love You to the Moon and Back. As a bear leads his cub on a breathtaking journey through sparkling starlit nights, past misty blue mountains and gushing waterfalls, he shows him just how special and loved he is.

Publisher: Little Tiger Press Group
ISBN: 9781848692114

This book has it all - beautiful illustrations, fantastic rhyming verse and an enduring message throughout. 

Every parent or carer loves to tell their child how much they love them and there are many books on the market that reinforces this message and this book is one of them, however after reading this one I think this is perfect for a slightly older child with a love of nature.

The illustrator, Jonny Lambert, is very talented. I think his illustrations throughout the book are beautiful and have a unique style - they remind me of finnish scenery and I would love to have these prints on my walls.

This is one of those books that I would love to give to a child as a special gift and to think that it will be kept on their shelves to be passed on to their own children in years to come.

I received this book in return for an honest review from Little Tiger Press.

Dream a little Christmas dream by Giovanna Fletcher

Sarah's life is great.

Okay, her dreams might still be totally bananas, but her real life is definitely back on track. She's got a fantastic job, amazing friends and she’s planning on spending all Christmas wrapped up with Brett, her handsome boyfriend.

But after another night of increasingly bizarre dreams, Sarah wakes to find her lovely housemate suddenly announcing she's moving out. Then later that same day, Brett begins to act strangely. It’s clear he’s hiding something – but what?

Soon Sarah can't help but wonder if she's living out her own festive nightmare. Will any of her dreams come true in time for Christmas?

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

ISBN: 9781405925877

Giovanna Fletcher is back with a new novella which follows on from her summer novel, Dream a little Dream. Although it is a follow on, I am sure readers will love it if they pick it up as an introduction to Fletcher's fantastic reads. There are references to the novel and it is great to return to these characters and the plot is a great one. 

I love Fletcher's writing style. She is one of those authors who I have seen on the television and love her humour and she is able to capture this and weave it throughout her written work. There are definite laugh out loud moments within Dream a little Christmas dream, and add to those a few places where I may have shed a little tear and the book is complete. 

I am already looking forward to Giovanna's next release - although I know she is expecting a second child, so sending lots of good wishes for baby number two and I hope the next release will be out later in the year. 

Blog Tour - Murder on Sea - Julie Wassmer

It's not the season of good will to all men...The festive month is kicking off in style and Pearl is rushed off her feet with her restaurant, The Whitstable Pearl. She's also busy planning her own family Christmas and providing mulled wine for a charity church fundraiser when Christmas cards begin arriving all over town - filled with spiteful messages from an anonymous writer. Pearl's curiosity is piqued but having pledged not to take on a case at her detective agency before Christmas, she reluctantly agrees that Canterbury's DCI Mike McGuire should take over; poisoned pen cards are after all a matter for the police. And with only the church fundraiser now between Pearl and Christmas, she invites McGuire along as her guest. The event appears to be a great success; St Alfred's church hall is packed and Pearl happily finds herself standing close to McGuire beneath some mistletoe ...but then a guest suddenly collapses. Too much of Pearl's delicious mulled wine - or could it be something more sinister? The last thing Pearl expects for Christmas is murder but soon the bodies are piling up. Can Pearl possibly solve the mystery in time to make 25th December an unforgettable day - or will the murderer contrive to ensure her goose is well and truly cooked before then?

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
ISBN: 9781472119124

I am a big fan of Agatha Raisin and Rebecca Tope and the 'cosy crime' genre and so was excited when I was introduced to Julie Wassmer.

This is the second book in the new series featuring Pearl, a private investigator and after reading this book i will be finding the first book, The Whitstable Pearl Mystery, to be introduced properly to Pearl and her new business.

This is one of those books that the reader can curl up with on a lazy weekend and loose yourself in. It is well written and Wassmer drip feeds the reader with clues throughout the story before the concluding chapter revealing the completed crime. Quite often with this genre of books the author allows the reader to solve the crime before it is revealed, however this book kept me guessing until the last moment.

I really liked Pearl and there were a number of supporting characters who brought the story to life, including Pearl's mum adding humour and warmth to the story.

This was my first festive book of the year and it was a great one to start with, the setting and the descriptive writing has started my festive preparations perfectly.

I really enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to investigating another crime with Pearl soon.

Thank you to the publishers for the opportunity to take part in the tour and a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Don't Get Me Wrong by Marianne Kavanagh

For fans of Jojo Moyes, David Nicholls and Sophie Kinsella, here is a Pride and Prejudice for the modern era.

Londoners Kim and Harry can't see eye to eye…until the life of the person they both love most hangs in the balance. 

Kim has never grasped what her free-spirited big sister Eva sees in a stuck-up banker like Harry and has spent her childhood trying to keep him out, while Harry's favourite occupation is winding Kim up.

Both Harry and Kim are too trapped in their prejudices to care about what's really going on beneath the surface of each other's lives. They'll never understand each other—until the worst of all tragedy strikes.

Faced with the possibility of losing the person they both love most, long-buried secrets come to a head in ways that will change both Harry and Kim forever.

Marianne Kavanagh is a former deputy editor of Marie Claire and has contributed to a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including the Telegraph, Daily Mail, Guardian, My Daily, Easy Living and Red. Her debut novel, For Once in My Life, was published in 2014. She lives in London.

Praise for For Once in My Life

'Kavanagh’s novel is superior chick lit: beautifully written, enlivened by witty and wise observation.' Age/Sydney Morning Herald

'[A] witty, summer-fresh debut.' Independent

'This book is fantastic. It’s hilarious, poignant and profound by turns; most of all, it’s unpretentious. Unlike so many novels it just wants to tell you a lovely story. It’s not about how clever the author is nor is it all style over substance. But precisely because of that it’s both clever and stylish anyway... Adorable.' Daily Mail

'The charming and summery first novel from columnist Marianne Kavanagh. This human story of love’s near-misses centres around Tess and George, whose eventual (inevitable) meeting is cleverly delineated to call sentimental notions of soul mates into question.' Vogue

‘Kavanagh gives the reader plenty of humour…Her descriptive prose is wonderful.’ BookMooch

I found this book a slow starter. It  took me a number of chapters to 'get into' the book, however one I was a third into the book it suddenly captured my interest and I was hooked.

I found the characters believable and I was able to empathize with Kim from the start. Although the story-line was predictable, there were twists and turns littered throughout the book which kept me guessing to the end and made the story more enjoyable. 

I like Kavanagh's writing style - the prose is littered with humorous moments which are often used to describe scenes within the story. They fit in well within the story and add dimension to the scenes.

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a good, easy going read with great characters and a believable story-line.

Thank you to the publishers, Text Publishing and their marketing team for sending me the book to review.

Blog Tour - Sarah Hilary No Other Darkness

Today I am pleased  to welcome Sarah Hilary to my blog following the publiation of her second novel featuring DI Marnie Rome, her female lead detective character, No Other Darkness.

Hilary has worked as a bookseller, and with the Royal Navy. Her debut novel, SOMEONE ELSE'S SKIN, won the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2015. It was the Observer's Book of the Month ("superbly disturbing”), a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller and has been published worldwide. NO OTHER DARKNESS, the second in the series is out now. The Marnie Rome series is being developed for television. 

 I recently met Sarah Hilary at my local literary festival, Worcestershire LitFest and Fringe, where she took part in the Illustrious Crime Panel with fellow crime writers: Clare Mackintosh, Alex Marwood and Chair of the Panel, local girl, Cally Taylor, read my review here. While taking part in the panel, Sarah Hilary mentioned that has always found it difficult to write strong female characters but after the discovery of flash fiction she hit the mark with DI Marnie Rose, and so I asked Sarah how she created the men within Marnie's world.....

Writing the Men in Marnie Rome’s life

by Sarah Hilary

Patricia Highsmith was a great advocate for writing from the subconscious or unconscious mind. She took it to the extreme of being blind drunk or half-asleep before she sat down to write. Dreams, weirdness, monsters, fears—all the best stuff, Highsmith insisted, is lurking in our unconscious minds. This, I think is part of the reason why she wrote such convincing men. Because she was mainlining her id, keeping her ego in its place (and taking every chance she got to thumb her nose at the superego).

So it is with me when I’m writing Noah or Stephen or Welland. These characters — so removed from me and my reality — trip from my fingertips. Marnie comes more reluctantly, always guarding her secrets. But writing a nightclub scene with Noah and his boyfriend, Dan? Easiest thing in the world. Even nineteen-year-old Stephen Keele, his mouth lush with silence, comes more easily than Marnie.

So which of the men in Marnie’s life is the best fun to write? Here’s my top five.

Ed Belloc

Every story needs a resting place. Ed’s my version of the underground bunker with the tinned peaches from Cormac McCarthy’s The Road—but for that breathing space it would be impossible to continue. (Although readers of No Other Darkness will want to point out what I did with an underground bunker and peaches.)

Noah Jake

Noah is a joy to write. He’s smart and sensitive and no matter what I chuck at him, he comes back for more, usually after some well-earned downtime with Dan.

Tim Welland

Welland is Marnie’s boss, and father figure. Gruff as an old bear, I love the way he watches out for Marnie, knows her weak spots, keeps her on track.

Adam Fletcher

Adam makes his debut in No Other Darkness, but he’s been in Marnie’s life since she was sixteen. He’s a snarky son of a bitch. I’m not sure Ed would approve of the unholy kick I get out of writing Adam.

Stephen Keele

If Ed is the steady place in Marnie’s turning world then Stephen is the opposite. He became her bogeyman when he was fourteen, and shows every sign of becoming more frightening as the series progresses. In No Other Darkness he hands Marnie a reason for what he did that messes with her head, hugely.

Whether or not it’s my unconscious that serves up the men in my books, I do love writing them. I hope readers love (or love to hate) them too.

Thank you to Sarah for visiting my blog today. I am currently reading No Other Darkness, and loving it and my review will follow soon. I am enjoying it so much and didn't want to miss anything by rushing to the end to publish my review with this blog post.