Saturday 25 July 2015

Author Shoutout: Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell, born in London in 1968 wrote her first book 'Ralphs Party' for a bet, it later went on to become the best selling debut of 1998. Since then Lisa has wrote tweleve other books, with her latest 'The Girls' which came out this month.

I first got into Lisa's books by chance, a friend of mine sent me their copy of 'One Hit Wonder' and I just fell in love with it. Then whilst at the airport travelling to see said friend I brought 'Thirty Nothing' and the rest is history. I love the fact Lisa's books are easy to read, they're addictive, you can't help but want to continue reading them.

My favourite book of Lisas and I have two are 'Thirty Nothing' and '31 Dream Street'. I can relate alot to 'Thirty Nothing' even now years after it was released, it makes me smile and i love re-reading it. 31 Dream Street is just as great, it makes you believe you can achieve anythng you wish.

If I know Lisa is due a book out, its pre-ordered, then I'll enter every competition to win advanced copies. I just adore Lisa, I love the fact she writes from the heart. One day I do hope, for the next book maybe, a signing will happen in Birmingham and I can go thank Lisa for being wonderful!

Lisa's Books:
- Ralphs Party
- Thirty Nothing
- One Hit Wonder
- A Friend of the Family
- Vince & Joy
- 31 Dream Street
- The Truth About Melody Browne
- After The Party
- The Making of Us
- Before I Met You
- The House We Grew Up In
- The Third Wife
- The Girls

If you've never picked up a book by Lisa Jewell, then do so now. You're missing out on so much. Do it!

 




More about Lisa: @LisaJewellUK | www.lisa-jewell.co.uk | Official Lisa Jewell 
Get the Books: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones

Tuesday 14 July 2015

The Last Honeytrap

Title: The Last Honeytrap - Florence Love #1
Author: Louise Lee
Type: Paperback
Read: 28th June - 14th July
Rating: 3/5
Published: 4th June 2015 by Headline


Scott 'Scat' Delaney is a world famous jazz singer. He has ample opportunity to stray and his girlfriend Alice, needs to know she cant trust him. Introducing Florence Love, Private Investigator. Florence has just ten days to entrap an A-Lister. Whilst sticking to her cardinal rule: One Kiss, With Tongues, Five Seconds - Case Closed. A master of body language, evolutionary science and nifty disguises, her approach is unconventional, her sucess rate excellent. But targets are rarely as beautiful as Scat. Never fall for the target. That is very bad form indeed. 

I requested a copy of this book from Bookbridgr as it seemed lighthearted and fun. I also adored the cover, it's cute and catchy.

The book is about Florence who is a private investigator, who works along side her brother to entrap people, for anything. She has one rule, one kiss, with tounges, five seconds, then case is closed. Never fall for anyone whilst on the case. Sounds pretty good, and it is really.

The case we are presented with is that of a famous jazz singer, one who Florence believes near impossible to get anything on. His 'girlfriend' Alice is due to go public and wants to ensure that she has nothing to worry about. He's not like all other famous folk and strays at the first chance. It does make for a good story.

My only gripe with this book, was it seemed at times cahotic, sometime there was too much going on, too many stories interwoven. We're often brought back in time to when Florence was a little girl and find out her mother aparently died when she was young. Florence at the young age accepted this, but now a personal investigator with what seems like someone following her, she beings to question her mothers disappearence.

Towards the back end of the book, the story at times seems like crazy. It went so many different ways. I found some of the medical jargon very hard to understand but I'm sure it worked with the overall story. The ending, I was disappointed with, but there is to be a sequal to this book and I'm sure answers will be given there.

Throughout the book, there are quirky little personal investigator tips. Which are interesting.
Overall a good debut by Louise Lee. I'll never knock anyone who manages to get a book published as it is their baby. Probably not something I would have chosen, had the cover not been so pretty!


Go get it from: Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones 

Monday 13 July 2015

Concert: Bette Midler


Artist: Bette Midler
Tour: Divine Intervention
Location: Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham
Date: 9th July 2015

Bette Midler has never in my lifetime toured the UK. EVER. She's never even had to really. So when I found out last winter that there was going to be a tour, with a few dates in the UK, I was over the moon. The fact that one of those dates ended up being in Birmingham, was just awesome. Actually it was opening night of the UK leg of this tour. I just had to go.
The thing with tickets and me, is that they usually go on sale whilst I'm at work. This isn't a good mix. This time, it also co-insided with me going away for 10 days. But have and behold I got me two fantastic tickets. I grew up knowing who Bette Midler was, I loved her music and every year Hocus Pocus was watched at Halloween. So getting the chance to even be in the same arena as this icon was just amazing.

There was no support act. It's Bette Midler, a diva doesn't need anyone else to get the crowd going. The show was due to start at 8pm, and for unknown reasons, it was delayed until 8.30 ish give/take. But we didn't mind waiting. There was some impropt mexican waves, claps and the cheering to get people going. Lets just note, this wasn't a crowd of golden oldies, this was a mixture of all ages. But I think nearing the half hour delay people were getting impatient, so a few rows in front of where I was sitting, a lady randomly jumped up from her seat and started playing a ukuele (they were being sold, signed by Bette for £250!).. and singing a song, I couldn't quiet make out. But the crowd were loving this unknown person and she certainly made a few laugh. Then lights out.

Bette Midler is tiny. That was my first thought on seeing her on stage. Like I'm tiny (3ft8!) but she's adorable tiny, she's stunning. I also firmly believe Bette doesn't want to grow old ever. She wore the most lush pink dress, short, and looked amazing. But it's totally not something I would have thought she'd wear. But what do I know of glamour. The stage was simple, a live band and three back up singers/ dancers.

Bette has great stage presents, she knows how to work the crowd and pulls some cracking moves. If I can be like that at 69 I'd be bloody happy! There were mixtures of recent songs from her latest album 'It's the Girls' where Bette reinvents a number of wonderful songs by girl groups of late. It's a great album. And then during the second half of the show, Bette brings out the classics, the songs she is known and loved for.

One of my favourite parts of the show and as I've mentioned about Hocus Pocus is my favourite Halloween film, is a small section where Bette comes out in full costume of Winnie. The character she had played in Hocus Pocus, with a book of spells that she's hiding behind. And voila we have the performance of 'I Put A Spell On You'.... which i lost it. I love love love that film and the song is just oh-my-gosh. To get to see that performed live, is just surreal.

There is lots of interaction with the crowd, Bette doesn't deny herself a Diva, whilst she went on to sing 'The Rose' she had jokingly said to the crowd not to sing along as there was only room for one Diva in birmingham. Fun things about the show is that Bette tailors stuff to the cities/countries she's visiting. There was some jokes about Jamie Oliver, Jeremey Clarkson and Maggie Thatcher.. more so when we were introduced to Sofia and her jokes!

From seeing this show, watching and listening to Bette, she's probably one of the most loveliest singers I've ever had the chance to watch. I love how she came across as extremely grateful for the chance to perform and how her songs have insipred people, how they've used them to mark parts of their lives. This being very true for my family. The song 'Wind Beneath My Wings' was played at my Grandads funeral, 18years ago and its a very hard song for my mother to listen to. So when Bette sung it, my mother was in bits, its just a beautiful song.

Overall a cracking two hour show by someone who is stunning, fantastic and just utterly amazing. I wish I could see this show again, I wish i went a little crazy and booked meet and greet. But I got to see Bette Midler. I'll never be able to do that again, so I'm forever thankful for her to include us Brits on this tour.

Set Listing:
  1. Divine Intervention
  2. I Look Good
  3. I've Still Got My Health
  4. Do You Wanna Dance?
  5. Throw It Away
  6. Tell Him
  7. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon 
  8. Waterfalls
  9. Everybody Knows
  10. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
  11. I Put A Spell On You
  12. Yakety Sax
  13. Bird In The Hand
  14. A Visit From Soph
    1. RIP Delores
  15.  Beast of Burden
  16. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
  17. The Rose
  18. From A Distance
  19. Stay With Me
  20. Encore
    1. Wind Beneath My Wings
    2. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Some great merchandise on sale too. Reasonably priced too. There was a signed Ukuele up there for £250.00 - and they were selling! I got the traditional Programme, Teeshirt and a lovely Candle.


My only downer on the night was that we couldn't take photos, and all night the stewards had nothing better to do that to annoy people by shining torches into their faces. I think they eventually gave up, but I think for all shows, this isn't the first I've been to thats banned them. We're paying the money, its only fair we get to take a photo or two, nine times out of ten, they'll never come out great as we're so far back. But it's nice to try right?

These beauties below were borrowed off their relevent webpages...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/11728451/Bette-Midler-Birmingham-Barclaycard-Arena-review-The-comic-timing-of-Joan-Rivers-the-singing-voice-sass-of-Tina-Turner.html

Wednesday 1 July 2015

Books I'm Excited About

So we are offically half way through the year, it's going stupidly fast. But what about in the book world. Well there have been many good books released so far this year, but there are loads i'm really excited for due out the second half!

The Girls. I love Lisa Jewell as a writer, she is now branching out away from the teen fiction i loved so much. But her new book, is darker than all others. A thirteen year old girl is found unconscious, what has happened. It's not what I expect from Lisa, which is why I really can't wait to get my hands on it!

Due for release: 2nd July 2015


Do Not Disturb. The sequal to 'The Girl in 6E' the second book in the Deanna Madden series. I really loved the first. It was a completly new genre for me to read and it was just amazing. I'm hoping this will be equal parts thriller and erotica. Now Deanna has left her apartment, what can happen? There is also rumor of a third book for this series to be released in November!

Due for release: 30th July 2015




Survivor. It's the third book to be released by Tom Hoyle (that's not even his real name!) and if the first two are anything to go by, this one will be amazing. If anything I'm also very excited to see what the pages look like. From the picture, i'm going with green. I love books with coloured pages.

Due for release: 13th August 2015





A Parcel for Anna Brown. I love Miranda Dickinson. There is no cover yet for this book. But I read two of Miranda's books last year and two so far this year. She's fast becoming one of my favourite british authors (also helps she's a midlander too). So this new release is a tale of mysterious parcels delivered to Anna, who doesn't know who's sending them. It sounds so sweet and romantic!

Due for release: 24th September 2015


Carry On. Rainbow Rowell was one of the best finds I had last year through reading. I even got the chance to meet her. But this book, which was a made up story within 'Fangirl' is something short of a mircale to be release. Who else would write a fanfiction, within a book about fanfiction and then manage to get the actual fanfiction story released. Rainbow. That's who. I can't wait to read the adventures of Simon Snow!

Due for release: 6th October 2015



 
Playing With Fire. It's another standalone book from the amazingly talented Tess Gerritsen. I get so freaked out reading these. But i love them. I can't wait to get my hands on this one. A three year old goes crazy.. a mother scared of her child. What could go wrong??

Due for release: 22nd October 2015


The Marble Collector. This isn't the offical cover, it's yet to be shown. But it's Cecelia Ahern. I have every book of her's and she's never disapointed yet. I can't wait to find out more about this. I think its a slight mystery, discover your family kinda story.

Due for release: 5th November 2015





There are many many other wonderful books due out, that it would take me forever to list who i'm looking out for. Most of these are already on pre-order.