Review: A Story Of Like by Courtney Clark

Guest Reviewed by Samantha

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He's every woman's idea of the perfect man: a middle income job, a receding hair line that only Mr. Clean would envy, and a body fit for the beer Olympics. 

Who could resist? 

Meet Addison Anderson. Although Addy is happy with her life—she has a job she loves, family and friends who support her, and her very own sidekicks in her neurotic Superdog named Lola and a nefarious looking cat named Moustachio—she’s missing the one thing that every girl wants, a plus one to couple's game night. 

Enter Charlie. Not exactly the man of her romantic fantasies, Addy is quick to put him in the friend zone, but as he rapidly becomes an invaluable part of her life, Addy must make a big decision: which is more important, that elusive spark or someone to share her life with? 

Join Addy on her comic voyage as she discovers that not every story is a story of love, sometimes it's a story of like. 

This book is brilliant! 

It was funny from the very begining with Addy telling us her story. Her pets and family were what made this book!

It showed the real closeness of families and it made you want to be Addy. It was a book which showed love at first sight in a brilliant way. 

This book is very well written and it is one that I would highly recommend to anyone. It was quick to read and was a perfect read when you wanted to chill out. 

It made me laugh out loud and it was the perfect way to spend an evening after a long day. Everyone should have a read of this book. 

You will not be able to put it down and it will make you wish that you were in Addy's shoes! A entertaining and thrilling book which truly shows life which anyone can relate to it.

Review: See Me by Nicholas Sparks

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot.

At twenty eight, he's focused on getting his teaching degree and avoiding all the places and people that proved so destructive in his past. The last thing yes looking for is a serious relationship. But when he crosses paths with Maria Sanchez one rainswept night, his carefully structured life is turned upside down.

And when Maria, a hardworking lawyer meets Colin she begins to question every notion she has ever had about herself and her future - and what truly makes her happy.

Before the couple has a chance to envision a life together, menacing reminders from events in Maria's past begin to surface. And as the treats of violence begins to shadow her every step, she and Colin will be pushed to breaking point.

The stunning new love story from the multi million copy bestselling author, Nicholas Sparks, See Me is a story of obsession, reinvention and a love that defies every expectation.

"When it comes to tales about love,  Nicholas Sparks is one of the undisputed kings" ~ Heat Magazine

I'm going to start my review for See Me with a confession... this is my first Nicholas Sparks novel *hides head in complete shame*

Everyone in the bookish world has of course heard of the man dubbed as the kind of love stories, and whilst I'll admit to not reading his work before, I can confirm that I do have a few of his novels in my ever growing TBR and have seen the The Notebook and Dear John on the big screen.

I'm not sure why I've never read a Sparks book before and if it hadn't been for me winning a copy thanks to Maximum Pop Books on twitter I don't think I would have read See Me quite so soon either,  although I'm really glad I did.

See Me was a refreshing read, not only because I've been wrapped up in festive reads over the past few weeks but also because, for me it was a great, unique story with a strong male lead.

There was a great descriptive prologue which set up the book up brilliantly but without giving away too much of the plot.

Each chapter of the book was told by Colin and Maria in alternatively prospective views which kept the book flowing. Colin was the ultimate bad boy. He's covered in tattoos and has history with the law, being on his final chance he's decided to turn his life around and go back to school and learn to become a teacher. 

However he still battles at times with his anger and as a way of controlling this he's got an incredibly strict gym routine and has the occasional cage fight rather than uncontrolled bar brawl.

It's after one of his cage fights, when he is battered,  bloody and bruised that he meets Maria - she's stranded after getting a puncher and Colin offers to help, although obviously she is wary of the sight in front of her.

Maria is Colin's complete opposite - she's dainty and feminine, has true family values and a good job as a lawyer. On paper they should not go together but another chance meet set up by her sister Serena, egnites something neither of them were expecting.

As their whirlwind romance takes off, Maria starts to receive threats relating to a previous case she worked on and this angers and worries Colin to the point people question whether he really has changed... and as they race in time to save Serena it's clear what people will do for love even if it means risking their own lives.

See Me was a delightful story to ready, I adored the main characters and they way they came together. There was a strong sense of alliance between them, they way Colin would do anything for his friends and Maria even when his own life was in jeopardy, but there was also a great message about second chances and that first appearances aren't always a true account of individuals.

The book was a huge page turner that had twists and turns as the story unfolded, and despite the ending leaving me thinking and wondering about the aftermath and who survived, the epilogue wrapped it up will.

I generally rate the books I read and review on a 1-5 basis, however it was clear at only a few chapters in that this was way more than a 5.

Colin and Maria took over my life, whilst I wasn't able to read, my mind wondered over what had previously happened and where their story would go next, and when I did have the chance to grab a few pages I couldn't read them quick enough, which is why See Me is being awarded my rare  Super Flower Rating.

I cannot recommend this book high enough and I certainly won't be waiting this long to read another from Nicholas Sparks! !

I would like to thank the guys at Maximum Pop for running the competition and giving me the chance to read this amazing novel!

Blog Tour: Make A Christmas Wish by Julia Williams

Today is my stop on the Make A Christmas Wish blog tour and I love, love, LOVED this book! Its quite unusual, will to me anyway, to have a story told by someone no longer with us so at time you have to keep an open mind, but that doesn't take away the brilliantness (is that a word? I'm making it one!) of the story.

Below you will not only find the usual blurb and my review, but I also have something super special too- an audio excerpt!

 

Last Christmas, when Livvy was knocked down in the supermarket car park, she certainly wasn’t ready to actually be dead! For months now she’s floated on the edge of the afterlife, generally making a nuisance of herself.

And she’s not ready to go just yet! She’s furious about the new woman in her husband’s life and she’s worried about her beloved son who doesn’t seem to be adjusting to life without her at all.

This Christmas, Livvy is given one last magical chance to make everything right. Will she take it and give her family the perfect Christmas?

Perfect for fans of CAROLE MATTHEWS, TRISHA ASHLEY and JENNY COLGAN.

When I first started reading Make A Christmas Wish, I wont lie to you, my first thought was "What on earth am I reading?" swiftly followed by "A Ghost? I'm reading a book from the prospective of a ghost?!"

OK, so that sounds a little strange, granted, but bare with me.... because what we actually have here is an incredibly well thought out Christmas novel that had me gasping in places and moved to tears at the end. If your happy to keep an open mind about ghost's and afterlife and remember this is a book of fiction then it really is a true work of art.

There are four main characters to the book - Livvy, Adam, Emily and Joe, and the book is told in the 1st person from Livvy and Adam, the 3rd person with Emily and notebook form from Joe so instantly we have a great variation of reading style which is well balanced, keeping the story flowing without getting confusing or lost.

Even though the bulk of the book is set in this year, it is split into three sections as there are odd chapters which in part one looks back on Christmas's from Livvy's past, section two remains as now whilst three takes a look at future Christmas's.

Now I appreciate that all this seems a lot to take in, but when your actually reading the book it flows perfectly, I don't want to give away too many details and spoil the plot but I will give a bit of a summary which will help explain the past and future sections to an extent.

Livvy is knocked down by a learner driver at her local supermarket just prior to Christmas last year, leaving behind her husband Adam and son, Joe. She is aware of things going on around her but cant quite work it all out. It all becomes clear when she overhears Adam and Joe being told that she didn't survive the accident.

After a year she is approached by her spirit guide, Malaki, who explains that she has been left where she passed away as she wasn't ready to go over to the other side.

Despite being dead, Livvy believes that its not her time to go and want to make it her mission to rebuild her family, especially as just before the car hit her she had discovered Adam had been having an affair with Emily.

Livvy hates Emily with a passion, but with her and Adam getting closer and closer, she decides drastic action is needed to drive the couple apart and make Adam fall in love with her again.

Only both Adam and Emily don't believe in ghost.

Livvy starts to play tricks on them - gusts of wind, flickering lights and frozen computer screens and soon enough they start to wonder what is happening.

Joe in the meantime knows its his mum doing this yet isn't believed, however is thrilled to have her back - He has Asperger's and puts things simply... Mums gone, Emily's here, she's my new mum, mums back, Emily must go.... he doesn't quite get the complications involved but knows that his one Christmas wish would be to have his family together again,  which puts pressure on Adam as he wants Joe to be happy which will only be if Livvy stays, but of course him and Emily will be unhappy... its a love triangle at its best!

Over time, Malaki shows Livvy snapshots from her past and how much of a drinking problem she had, one of the main reasons her and Adam's relationship wasn't working.

Livvy confides in another spirit guide who says she can help bring her back to life and gives her 24 hours to make Adam fall for her again, and its only when he sticks to his feelings for Emily that Livvy realises that maybe it was her time to pass, that maybe her relationship was over a long time ago.

But does she do the right thing and leave her son and the man she loves for a second time or does she continue to drive a wedge between Emily and Adam?

Well..... you will just have to read the book as if I type anymore I think I will give the complete story away, and I really don't think that my over view has done the book justice so you are just going to have to trust me on how fantastic it is!

This is the first book of Julia William's I've read and I can say I was not disappointed. The book was a complete page turner and had me gripped from start to finish.

There were bits that made me chuckle out loud (who knew life after death could be such a ball?!) and bits that were pulling the heart strings and the whole concept of the book with the main character being a ghost gave me a completely different prospective and really makes you think about loved ones that you've lost and the process of them passing over.

It also leaves one question - if you could Make A Christmas Wish, what would you choose?

Click here to listen to an exclusive audio clip taken from the book!

I would like to thank HarperCollins and Avon for a review copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.