Monday, 13 June 2016

The Duchess - Amanda Foreman

Title - Georgiana The Duchess of Devonshire
Author - Amanda Foreman
ISBN - 9780007285754
Genre - Adult > Non Fiction
My Copy - Purchased
Format - Paperback
Where You Can Find It - Goodreads - Waterstones - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Amazon UK - Amazon US
Lady Georgiana Spencer was the great-great-great-great-aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales, and was nearly as famous in her day. In 1774, at the age of seventeen, Georgiana achieved immediate celebrity by marrying one of England's richest and most influential aristocrats, the Duke of Devonshire. Launched into a world of wealth and power, she quickly became the queen of fashionable society, adored by the Prince of Wales, a dear friend of Marie-Antoinette, and leader of the most important salon of her time. Not content with the role of society hostess, she used her connections to enter politics, eventually becoming more influential than most of the men who held office.
Her good works and social exploits made her loved by the multitudes, but Georgiana's public success, like Diana's, concealed a personal life that was fraught with suffering. The Duke of Devonshire was unimpressed by his wife's legendary charms, preferring instead those of her closest friend, a woman with whom Georgiana herself was rumoured to be on intimate terms. For over twenty years, the three lived together in a jealous and uneasy menage à trois, during which time both women bore the Duke's children—as well as those of other men.
Foreman's descriptions of Georgiana's uncontrollable gambling, all- night drinking, drug taking, and love affairs with the leading politicians of the day give us fascinating insight into the lives of the British aristocracy in the era of the madness of King George III, the American and French revolutions, and the defeat of Napoleon. 



Georgiana The Duchess of Devonshire, originally Georgiana Spencer an ancestor of Princess Diana, they unfortunately also had similar lives. from being loved by the masses, both had unfaithful Husbands and both were unfaithful themselves They were trendsetters and both were remarkable women of their respectable times. 

When i first brought this book i thought it was biographical fiction, and when i realised it was non fiction i wasn't too excited about it, because i haven't read many non fictions, but it was good, not the best i have read but also not the worst, it was a bit slow at times when not much was happening but at times it was so factual and i got sucked in and wanted more.

You could tell this book had so much thought and research put into it. I truly commend Foreman for that and bringing Georgiana to life on paper and she was written in a way that made you want to be a fly on the wall in all her era and watch all of her interactions, it made me want to go back to that time and live in that time period, and live how they lived

I will say that you have to have some patience with this book, it took me a couple months to read this book because it was so slow at times but you have to push through it because in the end in the end it is very informative and i learnt so much about the lives of of women in this time, as well as the political stand points as well. This was the first time i have ever read a book from the Georgian period that has true to life depictions of people and places and now i really want to read more.

Until Next Time
Happy Reading


Saturday, 4 June 2016

June TBR 2016

Hello, so i am in a reading slump so i have decided i am only going to plan to read 9 books this month... Four pre orders and the others are just from my shelf ...

Pre Orders 

Up In Flames - Abbi Glines - 28th


Branna - La Casey - 21st


Rocking Kin - Terri Anne Browning - 21st


Sunny Side Up - Holly Smale - 30th


Books

The Duchess - Amanda Foreman


The Plantagenets - Dan Jones

 
A Court of Mist & Fury - Sarah J Maas


One Hundred Names - Cecelia Ahern


The Angry Tide - Winston Graham


Until Next Time
Happy Reading
 

Friday, 3 June 2016

How To Fall In Love - Cecelia Ahern

Title - How To Fall In Love
Author - Cecelia Ahern
ISBN - 9780007350513
Genre - Adult > Romance
My Copy - Purchased
Format - Paperback
Where You Can Find It - Goodreads - Waterstones - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Amazon UK - Amazon US
Two weeks to save a life. When Christine stumbles upon Adam who is poised to jump of the Ha'penny bridge, she stops him but she only has two weeks until his 35th birthday and his deadline to show him he has something to live for. 


This was a tender, heart warming, beautiful book. I honestly could not see a happy ending going into this book, but like every other book i have read by this author it didn't leave me disappointed. 

Christine was a brilliant main character who has some unfortunate circumstances, but she tries to live her life by using self help books, and her character development was really good she grew so much from the start of the book. 
Adam at times was annoying but only because we read it from Christine's POV and it was just frustrating and i felt like screaming see whats in front of you. but at the same time his character development was phenomenal from when we first meet him to the very last scene he grows so much. 

The story line wasn't one i thought i would ever enjoy, but i devoured it in one sitting, it was such a heartbreaking novel, that made me feel happy and i had that sense of peace get when i finish a really good book.

Until Next Time
Happy Reading


Thursday, 2 June 2016

London Belongs To Us - Sarra Manning

Title - London Belongs To Us
Author - Sarrra Manning
ISBN - 9781471404610
Genre - YA > Contemporary
Release Date - 2nd June 2016
My Copy - E- ARC
Format - Kindle
Where You Can Find It - Goodreads - Waterstones - Barnes & Noble - Amazon UK - Amazon US
Twelve Hours, Two French Boys, and a trip around London. Sunny's boyfriend has cheated on her and she will have to go on a trip around London to confront him. Along the way she meets some interesting people and spends some time with two mysterious french guys. Along the way Sunny just might find who she truly is as well. 
When i finished this book i had the biggest smile on my face, it was one of those books that just make you feel happy and at peace with the world because it was just a really good book. From the characters to the storyline it was brilliant, and i love that it is a UKYA book since there really needs to be more. 

Every single character was amazing from Sunny and the Godard's (The French Boys) to the Australian guy on a rickshaw, and the drag queens in a chicken shop. Every one of them added to the experience Sunny's and ours. Sunny as a character grew so much in a book under 300 pgs there sure is a lot of character development, Sunny especially grew from when we first meet her till we leave her on the last page she has some amazing character Development. I don't want to spoil anything so I'm not going to talk much about the other characters because i loved the surprise i got when reading the characters for the first time.

The Story was one of those i wont forget in a while, nothing to do with the cheating aspect but more to do with the growth and all of the scenarios and situations she got herself in, as a Londoner i loved this book seeing London through a natives eyes it is one of those things that is so good because, of what it is and you see all of the different cultures in London from the posh people of Chelsea to the crazy people of East London and the colourful people of the Notting Hill carnival. It was truly amazing and i loved every page of this book, and i highly recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure, and different people and a strong female character who learns to be strong in front of your very eyes. 

Favourite Quotes

"It doesn't matter what side I see the skyline from; it always feels like home. It's London."

"Maybe its because I'm a Londoner that i love London Town"

" Back home we call you Le rosbif!" (The Roast Beef)

"The Fairest of all Fair cities"

"But somethings will always stay the same, London, I love you"

"One broken Heart. One heart mended."

Until Next Time
Happy Reading



Wednesday, 1 June 2016

Top 5 Wednesday - Book Theme Songs - 1st June 2016

Hello, so this weeks T5W is all about book Theme Songs it can be a song that reminds you of a book or just a song you were listening to while reading a book.... lets get started ....

5 - London Belongs To Us - Sarra Manning

London Calling - The Clash
 Pretty self explanatory


4. Until Friday Night - Abbi Glines

Friday Night - The Shires
 i was listening to this song on repeat when  reading this book


3. Me Before You - JoJo Moyes 

Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
 just a beautiful song for a beautiful book


2. The Summer I Turned Pretty - Jenny Han

19 You & Me - Dan & Shay
 i love this song it makes me think of summer when i listen to it, and reading this book also makes me think of summer


1. The White Princess - Philippa Gregory

Samson - Regina Specktor 
there is a line in this song that makes me think of Henry & Elizabeth and its, "and the history books forgot about us" now the history books didn't forget about them but they are heavily overshadowed by their son Henry VIII so not many people know of them and that is really sad considering the impact they had on our history.



Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey
Currently being run By  ThoughtsOnTomes
Here is the goodreads page

Here is the full list of participants - Wednesday-Ers

Until Next Time
Happy Reading


Thursday, 26 May 2016

Nina Is Not Ok - Shappi Khorsandi

Title - Nina Is Not OK
Author - Shappi Khorsani
ISBN - 9781785031366
Genre - New Adult > Humour > Serious Topic
Release Date - 28th July 2016 
My Copy - E-ARC
Format - Kindle
Where You Can Find It - Goodreads - Waterstones - Book Depository - Amazon UK - Amazon US
Nina is not an alcoholic, yes she likes a drink but what 17 year old doesn't? after being dumped by her boyfriend for another girl she deserves to go out and fun right?. But fun turns sour when you end up in a cab with your underwear in your hands, and you don't remember a thing. From that night everything is in a downward spiral Nina is drinking more having sex with random 40 year old men, and not to mention the guy she doesn't remember sleeping with went back into the club and is now in a relationship with her friend when the truth comes out she will have to deal with the backlash, and self hatred for something she isn't even sure happened and is 100% sure wasn't her fault.


I requested this book because i love stand up comedy and the author is one of my favourite female comedians and i had such high expectations for this book and it didn't disappoint. This books main theme is all about consent and alcoholism two subjects i personally haven't seen in fiction often enough. The way this book was written didn't make light of the situation even though it is a humorous book, it was as i said a very well written book that dealt with the topic in a  way that i truly commend the author for.

Nina was a very well written character at times cringe worthy, but with everything she was going through you understand what she does and why she does it. Every single other character in this book were all an integral part of the story every one of them brought something to the book even the 40 year old at the beginning to Katie her little sister every single person had an impact and that is an amazing feat to have in a book.

As i said this books main theme is about consent & at first i didn't really get where this was coming from, because there wasn't much in the beginning because we were reading it from Nina's POV and she doesn't remember what happened that night. It wasn't until near the end where you start to understand the extent that experience even if she doesn't remember it has changed her and towards the end it became a huge part of this story and it literally made me cry to read about her going through this and it was heartbreaking to watch her go through it not only with the consent situation but also with battling Alcoholism and Family and friend issues as well. This isn't a story of a 17 year old screw up who tries to get her life back on track like i originally thought going in, its a story about a 17 year old girl who makes some bad choices and ends up in a situation that she blames herself for and ends up drinking more and more until she realises that she is the only one who can make herself better again, but she also learns she has a very good support system and she doesn't have to do it all alone.

This was a heartbreaking, funny book that you can tell was written by a fantastic author and comedian. It was clever, sad & most importantly it didn't shy away from the truth of the situation to many women find themselves in today. It is one of the best book i have read so far this year, and was more than worth the tears and laughter reading it.

Until Next Time
Happy Reading
 


Thats What He Said Thursdays - Grant Carter - 26th May 2016

That's What He Said Thursdays was Created by Chapter Break and it is pretty much just a appreciation post for your favourite Male Protagonist's quotes to his girl.

So for this week i have chosen a character from one of my favourite series and i am slowly making my way through all off them...,

Grant Carter
Rosemary Beach - Abbi Glines




Until Next Time
Happy Reading