The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

This is the book I recommended for the Top Ten Books of 2015, which is posted on Tombola Times, the sponsors of ITV's Loose Women. Click here to read the rest of the list.
 

One afternoon, when I was eight years old, my class was told to write about what we wanted to be when we grew up.

To be published by David Fickling Books in January 2015

Pages - 368

Two boys. Two secrets.
David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth - David wants to be a girl.
On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal - to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.
When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…

******

This book had a rather topical subject to deal with and I can only say that the author did it with dignity and sensitivity, creating a cracking yet heartfelt story. This is the first transgender story I’ve ever read and I really hope it won’t be the last. If I am honest, I’m hoping for a time when transgender characters can be a norm in fiction rather than star as the story itself.  With diversification in YA surging forward, I really am excited to see what the future holds for YA.

I am definitely on the train that can’t wait to see everyone open their arms wide to accept that transgender people are just like everyone else and have exactly the same rights to happiness and acceptance in society. I am one of those people applauding Brad and Angelina Pitt as they support their child’s desire to be a boy. I really don’t think this book could have come out at a better time.

So back to the story itself. I found it completely  gripping from the very start. You cannot help but want to hug and comfort David as he struggles with his ever changing body, developing into the man he doesn’t want to be. He is one of the lucky ones though, as his parents are quite liberal and open to his choices, which becomes apparent as the story unfolds. I adored the growing friendship between Leo and David, as they learnt to trust in each other. Leo came across as a wise and protective brother figure, as he helped David to adjust.  Friendships like that are to be embraced and worn with pride.

The book is told from a dual perspective and both characters tell their story in first person. It was fascinating to see the different lifestyles of both characters and how their surroundings and the people close to them affected their decisions and their mind-set.

There is humour, there is sadness, but they are weaved so beautifully that you are never down for long in the story. The ending would have made John Hughes proud and I bet if he was around, he would be desperate to make this book into a film. I swear I could hear the music playing at one point during the final chapters.

I think this book will be talked about widely within the YA market. It will be the transgender book on everyone’s lips. There will be other books to follow, of that I am certain; but in my mind, this will be the book that heralded the change in people’s perception of transgender children. I can’t wait to see teenagers reading this and loving it as much as I did.  A huge congratulations to Lisa Williamson for writing such an amazing book and not forgetting,  a round of applause to David Fickling Books for bringing this story into the world.

 

Come Back To Me by Mila Grey

A whorl in the glass distorts the picture, like a thumbprint smear over a lens. I’m halfway down the stairs, gathering my hair into a ponytail, thoughts a million miles away, when a blur outside the window pulls me up short.

I take another step, the view clears, and when I realize what I’m seeing, who I’m seeing, my stomach plummets and the air leaves my lungs like a final exhalation.

Published by Macmillan in June 2014

Pages - 373

Book Summary

Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have.
But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms.
What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.
When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for.
Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

*****

Wow! What a scorching tale of romance mixed with a topical, contemporary situation. I loved this book from the beginning until the end. For those of you who don’t know, Mila Gray is the pseudonym for Sarah Alderson, an extremely talented YA author. Well,with this New Adult novel, Mila (Sarah) has shown she can turn her hand to anything.

The story is told from the dual perspectives of Jessa and Kit. Jessa lives under the strict eye of her military father. She can’t even breathe without his say so. She is fairly innocent when it comes to love and romance, but she can’t hide the feelings she has for Kit.

Unfortunately Kit just happens to be her older brother’s best friend and the least popular person on the plant, according to her father, so any kind of romance will be hidden from the prying eyes of her family. The element of forbidden love, really added to the spiciness of the novel. Kit was oozing with hotness and yet gentlemanly in every way.  The sparks  of electricity between these two characters almost melted my Kindle! They really are a  hot couple.

I loved the plot to this book. Both Kit and Riley, Jessa’s brother, are Marines and are due to be shipped out to a war zone very soon. In today’s society, this really is a topical subject and I felt the novel gave an insight into what it really is like to be in love with a soldier during such uncertain and dangerous times. Not knowing when your loved one will return, of if they ever will return, must be so hard to live with on a day to day basis. At times this novel is very gritty and realistic, reminding you of the unstable times we live in.

In this book, the title, Come Back To Me, really captures the theme of the book. Not only is Jessa praying for Kit to come back to her safely, there are times when Kit is hoping and praying that Jessa will return to him. Each character is yearning the return of someone into their lives and some are struggling to deal with the fact that their loved ones may never return to the person they once were.

I really loved Sarah’s first New Adult novel and I hope it will be something she will quickly be returning to again.

The Write Way with Christine Stovell

I am so pleased to welcome Choc Lit author, Christine Stovell, onto the blog to tell us all her writing secrets today.

1) Your new novel, Follow a Star has just been published. How do you feel?

Thrilled and fortunate! I feel as if my dream’s come true for a third time and I’m grateful to everyone at Choc Lit for making it possible.

2) Can you give me a one line pitch for Follow A Star, so my readers can get a feel for the story?

Jaunty romance with darker undercurrents

3) What made you set this novel at sea?

Like my debut novel, Turning the Tide it draws heavily on the days when I was a sailing ingénue who happened to fall deeply in love with a keen sailor. Sailing’s given me so many unique experiences, from shaking with fear in huge seas off Land’s End to watching basking sharks in flat calm seas, being accompanied by a pod of dolphins playing in the bow waves or seeing puffins skittering across the water. I’ve been challenged and inspired by every moment I’ve spent at sea, so I hope even those of you who think you don’t like boats might find something to enjoy.

With each book, do you find the writing process gets easier?

Only in the sense that it’s more familiar. I know, for example, that there’s always a point when fear and doubt make me want to delete every word I’ve written and start again. This was especially true for my second novel, Move Over Darling, but it was pushing through past that point of despair which made me a stronger more confident writer. I know that doubt is an integral part of my creative process and accepting that it happens enables me to come out the other side to the happy place.

5) Do you try and aim for a daily word target when writing?

At the start of each novel, I’m grateful if I can manage a couple of hundred words because this is the point when I’m still getting to know the characters.  My word count picks up as I move deeper into the story, especially towards the end, but 1500 is about my max. I’d like to write faster, but maybe this is the pace which suits me.

6) When is your ideal time to write? Morning, afternoon or evening?

I tend to edit in the mornings and write in the afternoons, but when I’m stuck there’s no substitute for some ‘freestyle’ writing first thing in the morning. Dorothea Brande’s classic book, ‘Becoming a Writer’ (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Becoming-Writer-Dorothea-Brande/dp/0874771641) isn’t my favourite, but she’s got a point about ‘harnessing the unconscious’. Waking up and writing down the first thoughts that come into my head has often shown me the way forwards when I’m stuck.

7) Do you edit as you go along or do you wait until the first draft is finished?

I edit as I go along which, I suspect, is why I’m a slow writer!

8) Are you a planner or a pantser?

Interesting! My novels always begin with a strong image in my mind’s eye, like a ‘still’ from a film. With Turning the Tide it was seeing Harry, a troubled young woman, sitting alone by the side of creek. Move Over Darling, started with Coralie, looking out of her workshop at the snow and Follow a Star, began with May, her rucksack slung over her shoulder, hoofing it down a lonely road.  From that initial image I construct a basic framework of where I think the novel’s going to go … but the characters always surprise me during the writing. For example, I had no idea that May was hiding a secret until I was about a third of the way through the first draft!

9) Who are your favourite authors? 

The one whose latest book has just blown me away - I’m fickle like that!  

10) Do you have any advice for unpublished authors?

Write because you love writing and write what you love - there’s too much competition out there and not enough money to do it for any other reason.

Blurb for Follow a Star: 

Sometimes your heart’s the only navigator you need

May Starling’s had enough of her demanding career and even more demanding ex. Responding to a ‘crew-wanted’ ad, she follows her dreams of escape only to find herself at sea with red-haired Bill Blythe.

Bill warns May that close-quartered living can create a boiling pot of emotions, but even May is surprised by the heat building up inside the vintage wooden boat. And when May and Bill tie up at Watling’s Boatyard in Little Spitmarsh, May’s determined to test her new-found feelings on dry land.

But May’s dream of escaping her former life is in danger of being swept away when several unwelcome blasts from the past follow her ashore, all seemingly hell-bent on reminding her it’s never that easy to clear the decks.

About the author: 

Winning a tin of chocolate in a national essay competition at primary school inspired Christine Stovell to become a writer! After graduating from the University of East Anglia, she took various jobs in the public sector writing research papers and policy notes by day and filling up her spare drawers with embryonic novels by night.  Losing her dad to cancer made her realise that if she was ever going to get a novel published she had to put her writing first. Setting off, with her husband, from a sleepy seaside resort on the east coast in a vintage wooden boat to sail halfway round Britain provided the inspiration for her debut novel

Turning the Tide and Follow a Star. Turning the Tide was a top 100 Bestseller with Amazon Kindle and spent months in the Top 10 Chart for Adult Contemporary Romance. Christine has also published numerous short stories and articles. Christine lives in Wales. Her novels include: Turning the Tide, Move Over Darling and Follow a Star. She also has a novella published with Choc Lit Lite called Only True in Fairy Tales. 

www.twitter.com/chrisstovell

www.facebook.com/christinestovellauthor

www.christinestovell.com

New Adult Tour-Finding It by Cora Cormack

As part of the New Adult tour, organised by Faye from Daydreamer’s Thoughts, I am reviewing Finding It, by Cora Cormack. At the end of the post, you will find details of the Scavenger post which is running alongside the tour.

Everyone deserves one grand adventure, that one time in life that we always get to point back to and say,’Then …then I was really living.’

Published by Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing which is a company of Random House in October 2013

Pages - 307

Kelsey Summers is looking for love in all the wrong places.
Spending a few months travelling around Europe - with no parents, no responsibilities and a no limit credit card - Kelsey's having the time of her life.
But when she completely embarrasses herself in front of the hottest guy she's ever seen, she soon realises there's more to life than the next party.
What she doesn't realise is that although she's on a journey to find herself, she will end up finding The One...

*****

This is the third book in the Losing It series, but like so many New Adult series, it doesn’t need to be read in order. This was my first book and I didn’t feel as though I had missed out in any way by not reading the first two books to begin with. It was clear that Kelsey had appeared in the previous two books but this one was completely about her and her journey into adulthood.

To be honest, I didn’t like Kelsey much to begin with. She came across as spoilt, brattish and immature. Though as the story unfolds, you start to realise why she acts the way she does. Events in her childhood, scarred her future and molded her into a person she didn’t really want to be. It was quite sad to see how little her parents actually cared about her; they were only interested in how they appeared to the outside world.

When Kelsey met Jackson, there was an instant attraction. And what a hottie he was. He practically slid off the page. I kept imagining the more recently buff, Zac Efron, taking the role, should the story ever reach the screen. He was ever so gentlemanly and as I always say, if a man can hold your hair up, while you barf down the toilet, then he’s a keeper.

The book sets off on an exploration of Europe as their relationship jumps continuously between hot and  cold. This got annoying in the end. I just wanted them to end up together and it just seemed to go on forever. I am not a patient person when it comes to true love! In the last third of the book, they finally get together, only to be ripped apart by the truth. Now I will be honest and admit, I did not see these events coming. I had my own ideas as to why Jackson kept pulling back, and they definitely did not match the real reason.

The book ends on a happy note, which pleased me. Although after reading this one, I’m not sure I want to read the first two. I just found the on and off monotony of the relationship dragged too much for me. The book had an extremely strong opening, but by the end I was losing interest.

*****

Your scavenger hunt clue is:

7

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Defy The Stars by Sophie McKenzie

Dad woke me in the middle of the night.

I opened my eyes to find the weather-beaten face looming anxiously over mine. The room was dark, though a faint light crept in through the window.

‘River?’'

I blinked, bleary-eyed at him. ‘What time is it? What’s wrong?’

Published by Simon and Schuster in January 2014

Pages - 266

Final book in the Flynn Quartet which also includes:

Falling Fast

Burning Bright

Casting Shadows

Book Summary

After months apart, everyone thinks that River is successfully building a future without Flynn. Indeed, she has almost convinced herself that she is moving on. And then, one day, Flynn is back, bringing with him tales of his glamorous new life. River suspects his lucrative new work involves some form of criminal activity, but will she let herself be drawn back into Flynn's world? Or is this, finally, the end of the line for them both?

*****
Seriously? Did this series have to end this way????

My heart is broken, shattered into a million pieces and now stamped into tiny molecules by everyone who has walked past me - that’s how I feel after reaching the end of this series! I loved Flynn and River. I loved their tempestuous, explosive relationship. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve known a Flynn in my past, so this series has always hit home with me. So the ending was a bit of a shock. The epilogue left me in tears.

I know, I shouldn’t be surprised, as the series has always been so closely linked to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It was laid out for me, right from the start, and an undercurrent has weaved it’s way throughout the series. However, I still wasn’t  prepared for the ending.

This has been one of the best YA contemporary romance series I have ever read. The intensity of the relationship between Flynn and River could be used to support a guide to dealing with teenage romance. These two were meant for each other, no matter how hard they tried to escape from it, destiny always drew them back to each other. Others saw it as destructive, I saw it as undying, eternal love. Sigh.

I want to return to the epilogue which I mentioned above. There was something about it that made me wonder if the author had experienced a relationship similar to this in her past. Perhaps it is the journey that River’s life takes in the following years that gave me the idea. I have always believed that to write about something so passionately, you have to have experienced it to some degree.

I do have a little niggle about this book. The cover. That isn’t Flynn on it! How do I know this? Flynn has dark, longish hair. If you don’t believe me, read on.

His dark hair was slicked back, the ends lost against the collar of the dark suit.

See? It has always been long and dark. That was something I loved about  him. He had that dark, mysterious, traveller feel about him. He didn’t have his head shaved. Sorry to moan about this one. *whines in a school girl voice* But I wanted him to look like the Flynn I had always imagined.

Anyway, enough about the cover. This book was a fitting ending to the series. Not the ending I would have liked and I am not sure I can forgive Sophie McKenzie for that just yet. But I understand why the series ended that way. *grumbles*

I really hope Sophie McKenzie writes more contemporary romance because she is extremely good at it. She writes about real romance, giving it the raw, gritty, honest emotions that actually surround it and doesn’t sugar coat it. A series I will be recommending for years to come.

Casting Shadows by Sophie McKenzie

Flynn and I sat at the table by the window, waiting. We were still at Cafe Yazmina, though my daytime shift had finished over an hour ago.

Pages - 279

Published by Simon and Schuster in July 2013

Goodreads Summary

Flynn is making every effort to stay in control of his hot temper, while River feels more content than she's ever been. Together the two of them make big plans for the future, but powerful secrets lurk in the shadows, ready to threaten their happiness.

******

If you haven’t heard me say it before, I will say it again - I LOVE THIS SERIES! I honestly can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book. With each book in the series I’ve grown more and more attached to Flynn and River and in some ways I’m now dreading the last book because I’m worried which way the story will go. Will Sophie McKenzie take the realistic route which will make me really really unhappy, or will she take the fictional route that will leave me sighing with happiness?

This book sees a drastic change in Flynn, who is normally better known for his hot temper and flying fists. Flynn has some serious issues, no one can deny that, but you can’t help but love him. He is trying so hard to deal with the burning issues that have plagued him his entire life. Flynn is a lot calmer and in control in the book; as to whether you are seeing the real Flynn, you’ll have to read the story to find out.

As with all the books in this series, there is an underlying theme. The theme in this one is definitely being truthful. Telling lies will inevitably bite you back in the near future, so it really pays to tell the truth straight away in a relationship. In this book we see what happens when you try to keep something secret…

The book leaves you with questions; even though the status of the relationship is very clear, you want to know what the characters intend to do in the future.  The second half of this book was rather an emotional read, where you easily sympathise with River over how she feels. I’ve been left rather desperate for the final book in the series now.

It very clear that Sophie McKenzie knows how to write about real teenage relationships, warts and all. She captures the passion and the intensity and shows how easily it can ignite and blow out of control. I think Sophie McKenzie could write an excellent non fiction guide to teenage relationships!

For an intensely realistic and  romantic teenage  read, buy this series!

Irresistible by Liz Bankes

Pages - 213

Published by Piccadilly Press in December 2012, paperback published in April 2013

‘Mia,’ she says, pronouncing it to rhyme with ‘higher’.

I think about correcting her, but then I chicken out. It’s fine. I’ll just have a new name.

Goodreads Summary

When Mia gets a job in a posh health/country club during her gap year, she is strikes up a friendship with the laconic and funny Dan. Dan is also working in the club and keeps Mia amused. However, she soon finds herself drawn to the wealthy bad boy, Jamie. Jamie is the beautiful and privileged Cleo’s boyfriend. Mia knows that her relationship with Jamie is wrong, but there’s something so dangerously exciting about Jamie that she just can’t stop

Review

I’m always intrigued by bloggers who have made the transition to authors so I really wanted to read this book.  This is definitely a promising start for Liz Bankes. The book has come out as the right time to capture the New Adult craze that is raging through the blogging world. This is the first British author to write in the New Adult market, and I am hoping a few more will follow suit.  Set in a hotel, I was quickly transported from the reality of winter to a sunny summer setting. This really took me back, as the main character had a very similar holiday job to the one I had as a teenager.

The main plot of the book is the romance between Mia and Jamie and it is interesting to see the changes in Jamie by the end of the book.

Mia is a little too innocent for my liking and I struggled with the way she was so easily  fooled. I wanted to shake some sense into her. She lies to everyone she knows and she couldn’t see that she was doing anything wrong. I didn’t warm to Jamie or Cleo either as I found them so shallow. They could have easily walked out of Cruel Intentions straight into this novel.

This book clearly shows the reality of the rich kids of today who have too much money and often not enough love from their families. The author has captured how spoilt and cruel they can be.

This book was like the English version of 90210.

Setting the Scene with Sophie Mckenzie

As part of the Burning Bright blog tour, I am really pleased to have Sophie McKenzie on the blog discussing where certain scenes of the book were set.

The Flynn (Falling Fast) series is set, like all my teen books, in the contemporary world. I don’t use actual place names for every story. Sometimes I make up names that sound like the sort of town you’d find in a particular area (such as Evanport in Connecticut for Girl, Missing or Norbourne on the South Coast for Sister, Missing) but that’s just so that I’m not tied to the geography of a particular location. However, when it comes to the Flynn series - set entirely in my home area of North London - I do often reference real places. For example, Flynn and his family live in a flat on Holloway Road and he and River meet in Priory Park. 

I find using places and brands that we are all familiar with means I have to do less work to orient readers in the world they inhabit. It also means I’m describing places from memory rather than making them up. (Less work for me!) Most books feature a mix of places I know and places which have developed out of my imagination. 

Burning Bright is no exception to this. The swimming baths featured at the start of the story is made up, as is Café Yazmina and all the house interiors. However, the Post Office where Flynn meets River in chapter 4 is based on my local branch, Siobhan’s hair salon looks just like the one I go to  (with sinks at the back of the room!) and the Catholic church where Caitlin makes her first Holy Communion is inspired by a local church, where I’ve been to a couple of First Holy Communion services.

Priory Park features in Burning Bright, just as it did in Falling Fast. In chapter 25 River strolls ‘across the concrete play area at the start of the park and onto the grassy square’, all of which exists in real life. 

Priory Park café and bench

Parks provide a brilliantly versatile backdrop to stories: on sunny, happy days they are friendly and sociable places. But when its cold and you feel lonely or miserable, an empty park can seem really desolate. River goes to the park to meet Flynn when she’s happy but it’s also the scene of some of their arguments, such as in chapter 8 of Burning Bright. And the same park is going to appear again in the next book in the series, Casting Shadows (out July 2013). 

Priory Park entrance



All of which means that Priory Park, where I’ve dreamed up so much of the Flynn stories, is also the place where River and Flynn keep coming back to work out the story of their relationship too.

Burning Bright is published by Simon and Schuster and available to buy now.

To find out more about Sophie McKenzie:

Website: http://www.sophiemckenziebooks.com/books

Twitter: @sophiemckenzie_

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Sophiemckenzieauthor

 

Burning Bright by Sophie McKenzie

Published on the 5th January 2013 by Simon & Schuster Children's Books

Pages -265

Emma banged on the door of my changing cubicle.

'River,'she yelled. 'Come on.'

I gritted my teeth and opened the door. Emmi stood in front of me, her hands on her hips. Tall, dark and impatient, the strings of her dark blue designer bikini were looped in artfully casual bows over her slim hips and tanned shoulders. Grace hovered beside her- all fragile and blonde - in a pretty, pink one-piece.

Goodreads Summary

Four months have passed and River and Flynn are still going strong. But things are not perfect. Flynn continues to fly into unprovoked rages, and when River tells her mum, she is banned from seeing him. Fighting to stay together, they end up being torn apart. Is it all over for River and Flynn?

********

This is the second book in Sophie McKenzie's four part romance series and I have to say that with each book this series just get better and better. Seriously, I was left feeling desperate for the third book, Casting Shadows. An unputdownable read. 

The emotional intensity of the relationship between River and Flynn is at times dazzling, as well as stifling. Flynn reminded me of a younger version of Travis from Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. Only Flynn is on the verge of complete melt down; his temper is finally taking its toll on all of his relationships, putting his romance with River on the edge of finishing. All around Flynn, life grows intolerable as rumours are spread. Yet River never stops loving him; her loyalty to him would win an award.

River changes in this book though. Her emotional arc leads her towards the first steps of maturity, as she realises she can no longer live with Flynn's volatile temper. It's like her eyes have been cleared and she sees sense for the first time. 

This book deals very heavily with teenage anger and the different ways to deal with it. Teenager's emotions are so complex and abundant that the least little thing can cause a major melt down. It is very rare for them to look at the situation from another person's angle, especially an adult, and I think the author captures that extremely well. This book shows that anger management isn't just for adults; I wonder sometimes whether it should be taught as an extra curricular activity in schools. 

The author has an uncanny knack of hitting on past events and situations that arose within my own teenage years. I find myself nodding at the story unfolds, remembering similar things happening. We were an angry bunch of teens who thought we knew better than the adults. It's quite funny when you reflect and look back.

This book is a very real look at love - nothing is made pretty and held back. Just a true relationship that occurs among the teenagers of today. The author has captured the intensity of teenager relationships as they cross the boundaries into adult territory. Sophie McKenzie knows how to write about real teenage lives. 

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Pages - 208

Published by Hot Key Books - Paperback January 2013, Ebook October 2013, Uncensored Ebook November 2013

Why couldn't I have just made it home without seeing them? I wasn't in the mood to play good freaking Samaritan to Beau and his trashy girlfriend. Although he wasn't here, Sawyer would expect me to stop. With a frustrated groan, I slowed down and pulled up beside Beau, who had put some distance between him and his vomiting girlfriend. Apparently throwing up wasn't a mating call for him. 

Goodreads Summary

Beau Vincent is rude, bad, and dangerous to know. So why can't good girl Ashton Gray keep away from him? She already has the perfect boyfriend - her town's local Prince Charming, Sawyer Vincent. But Sawyer is away for the summer, and in the meantime Ashton is bored, and the heat between her and Beau is undeniable - as well as irresistible. Ashton is about to unleash her bad girl - but what will she do when Sawyer comes home? And how will Sawyer react when he returns to find his girlfriend in the arms of his best friend - and cousin?

********

I wanted this book as soon as I heard about it! Seriously, I saw the front cover and the blurb on the Hot Key Books preview site and knew straight away I needed it. I trotted off to Amazon, just about to purchase the Ebook version when Hot Key Books whispered in my ear and told me I might want to wait for the uncensored version. That was a long week to wait, but as soon as they posted it, I bought it straight away and devoured it in one night. This is one of the most romantic yet sexy books I have read in ages. I can't remember the last time I read a book so quickly, yet I knew this book would be so good. 

The Vincent Brothers and it's sequel are classed as New Adult books, which for those of you who have been living with your fingers in your ears means  a book dealing with the new pressures brought on my adult life - when you have to take on the responsibilities of an adult - sex, alcohol and everything else that was taboo when you were younger, suddenly becomes available. Abbi Glines is one of a few authors presently leading the way in this genre and I am definitely hooked on the whole idea of New Adult. 

Ashton, the main female protagonist, has known Beau and Sawyer all her life. They had grown up together, Beau and Ashton would create havoc and Sawyer would bail them out of trouble. When they hit their teens, something changed in the group dynamics as soon as Sawyer started dating Ashton - her friendship with Beau came to an end. 

Now in their late teens and with Sawyer away for the whole of the summer, Beau and Ashton have the opportunity to rekindle their friendship, only they rekindle more than that. Beau has always loved Ashton and the way he treats her in this book is just beautiful. He may be the town bad boy but he would do anything to make Ashton happy. When she needs him, he is there for her, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Ashton goes through a really rough time and she needs someone, so I didn't feel disappointed in her reactions to Beau at all. 

Ashton had tried for so long to be someone she wasn't and Beau is incredibly good at bringing out the real Ashton. He doesn't like the fake person she has become. In turn, Ashton can see the real Beau and her involvement with him helps to bring his true character to the surface.

This book is about being who you really are. Everyone needs to embrace their true self and not worry about what other people think. Stop living a lie, celebrate your bad habits! 

This is the first book in the series and the second one, The Vincent Brothers will be published in its uncensored version in about three weeks. The second one gives us a better perspective of Sawyer. At the moment I am completely on Team Beau, Sawyer didn't even appear on my radar, but until I have read the second one, I can't say that for definite. Though at this moment in time, I will say Beau tops my list of sexiest male fictional characters, knocking Alex from Hunting Lila into second place!

If you love Sweet Home Alabama and Hart of Dixie, you will devour this book in a matter of hours. I began reading it in the morning and stayed up way to late to finish it. This book is like catnip for girls! At the heart of it, it's just a love story, but it is so addictive, you lose yourself in the romance of it. I can't praise this book enough. Abbi Glines just became my one of my favourite authors overnight. I want everyone to read this book!

 If buying for the teenager in your life, you might want to check you buy the censored version as the romance can get rather hot and heavy. Other than that, buy it for every female you know!

Piatkus Blogger Event

Normally when I go to these London events I am really good at taking pictures. I don't know what happened when I went to Piatkus but I only took three. I think I was too busy drooling at the books!

Before I went to there offices I met up with Sarah from Feeling Fictional for a walk. I didn't come to London during the jubilee celebrations, so I was really quite excited to see this up  on a building along the Thames. 

 You can't visit London with the obligatory picture of the London Eye...

 ...And the OXO Tower!

 On arriving at Piatkus, it was lovely to catch up with the ladies who keep us drooling. Donna  and Lucy, editors for Piatkus ran us through the books they were excited about which were coming out in the next year.

 Also in attendance were Carolyn from Book Chick City and Grete and Tracey from Bookthing_UK. We had a real giggle with these ladies afterwards. Unfortunately the conversation is unrepeatable!

 During the presentation we got to hear all about Piatkus Entice which was launched on Valentine's Day this year. Now folks, if you love a bit of romance, this is definitely the website for you. The books range from paranormal romance ot historical and not forgetting the a genre that has become popular in the last few months - erotica!
Piatkus Entice will publish up to 10 books a month for your Ereader and they will range in price from 99p to £2.99. A real bargain! And no one will be able to work out what you are reading on your Kindle when you start to blush!

So what else do Piatkus have to offer us over the next year then?

The Mark of the Vampire series hit out shores at the beginning of the year and appears to be doing rather well. These are suitable for fans of Charlene Harris and J.R. Ward and the band of warrior brothers appear to be really really hot!

Christine Feehan brings out a standalone in paperback later this year. Lair of the Lion will be released in October 2012, but I believe it is available from Piatkus Entice right now. 

For fans of the Dark-Hunter series, August sees the publication of the new book in this Sherrilyn Kenyon series. 

The first book in this series, Dragon Bound,  was released earlier in the year and was very popular. If you like dragons, wyrs and werewolves then this one is for you.

The second book Serpent's Kiss will be out in July. 

Steamy sex, gripping action and gorgeous heroes. Paranormal romance at its best! The fourth book in the Lords of Deliverance series will be out in November.

Romantic suspense. The author's first novel came out in December last year, entitled Shadow Woman.  I am really intrigued by this author and her second book Prey, which is due out in July  arrived in the post this week! 

I always feel bad when I see a Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb book as I have still to read one. I have heard such good things about  her books.  This woman is definitely a writing machine. In November the final book in her trilogy 'The Inn at Boonsboro' will be published. Next spring sees the publication of Whiskey Beach, a standalone romantic suspense novel set along the coast in Massachusetts. The latest 'In Death' book was published in February. 

For those who love a bit of historical romance. Eloisa James will be publishing the fourth book in her Regency fiction with a  fairytale twist. This one is 'The Ugly Duchess' based on 'The Ugly Duckling'.

Eloisa will also be involved with 'The Lady Most Likely' a novel written in three parts alongside Julia Quinn and Connie Brockway. 

Now I loved Charlotte's first novel 'The Apothecary's Daughter, so I was extremely excited to read that her second novel would be out later this year. This one is set 20 years on from her first novel, during the Glorious Revolution and  features Susannah's daughter, Beth. I can't wait for this book!

Dream Lake leads us into the contemporary fiction books that Piatkus publish. This is the third novel in the Friday Harbour series and I would definitely recommend it. I read the first one 'Christmas Eve at Friday Harbour' when it first came out and it was brilliant. Alongside Rainshadow Road, these books have a touch of magical realism to them. Dream Lake is published in August. 

The Guilty One is the new super lead title for 2012. This book is taking the world by storm and has already sold to 23 territories worldwide. It will be published in August. 

Mariah Stewart  is a name that caught my interest at the blogger event and I went straight home and loaded up the first book from her Chesapeake Diaries series onto my Kindle. Her books were part of the Piatkus Entice launch and will follow as paperbacks in September. Excellent choice for fans of Nora Roberts.

So as you can see Piatkus have some gorgeous books coming out over the next year and we were lucky to be given a goody bag with some of their titles. These are the books we were given. 

Thank you Piatkus for an awesome event. I honestly don't know what to read first!