Tag Archives: book

Once Upon a Christmas By Sarah Morgan | Book Review

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Once Upon a Christmas By Sarah Morgan

Bryony’s daughter, Lizzie, wants a dad for Christmas and she’s determined to fulfil this Christmas wish. But when every date ends in disaster, Bryony fears she’ll need a Christmas miracle. Lizzie is trying to find love but her friend Helen is doing the opposite, trying to forget the white dress hanging in her wardrobe and her faithless rat of a fiancee. These are the two different stories in this enjoyable book.

Two of the characters in this book, Bryony and Jack, work as doctors and Sarah Morgan obviously knows what she is talking about. I found the medical facts in this book incredibly interesting. I also loved the character of Lizzie. Bryony’s daughter.

This book is split into two stories but with some of the same characters in each. Each one is a fun read. This is a very enjoyable book. A good way to spend a relaxing Sunday.

Once Upon a Christmas (Mills & Boon Special Releases)

Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe By Fiona Harper | Book Review

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Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe is a well written and fun book. Single mum Louise Thornton divorces her philandering movie star husband and buys an old movie stars house. Louise wants to escape the paparazzi and her vacuous former life as a trophy celebrities wife.

Louise is a great character. She has become hardened thanks to her life as a movie stars wife, believing that everyone wants something from her. She has built a barrier around herself but will she manage to grow and let love in?

I read this book at quite a fast pace. It is very readable and flows well. A fun way to spend an afternoon.

Is a second chance at love the best Christmas gift of all? Single Mum Louise Thornton’s waved goodbye to the red carpet and escaped for Christmas in the country. But she can’t avoid the mistletoe…

Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe (Mills & Boon Special Releases)

Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs | Book Review

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Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs is more than just a typical romance book. Sophie, the main character, is an international lawyer who works at The Hague. She puts bad people away but her personal life has suffered. She is now divorced and her children live with their father. On the day her ex-husband remarries something horrific happens and she decided to be more present in her childrens lives.

I really enjoyed this book. It is well-written and interesting. Sophie is a high achieving women. She is smart and has lived her life. She may have been absent from her childrens lives but if she was a man she would not have to defend the fact that she has a high powered job.

Although I really loved this book, It is a good read with characters that are likable, Then the other side of me hates that a women has to atone for having a job which means that maybe she did not see her children everyday or had a nanny. Women beat themselves up a lot, but no more so than other women do. This book brings up these issues and it is a good thing. At one sport event the character has to put up with the bitchiness of the other mothers, who attack her for living her own life, probably out of jealousy or regret.

I really liked this book. It is a triumph to its genre. Recommended.

Snowfall at Willow Lake is the story of what comes after a woman survives an unspeakable horror and finds her way home, to healing and redemption and a new chance at happiness.

Snowfall at Willow Lake (The Lakeshore Chronicles)

The Best Craft Books For Christmas

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Christmas is fast approaching and our wallets are bracing themselves for the onslaught. There is a more thoughtful and cost effective way to let people know how much they mean to you, and it is fun too: Craft. So Frost Magazine has gathered up some excellent craft books for hours of fun and brilliant, original gifts for the people in your life.

Clangers

An excellent knitting book on the incredibly popular and historical British Television show, Clangers. The Clangers have been around since the 1960s. You can make the Clangers and their entire universe in 15 fun step-by-step projects. The book has original Clanger knitting patterns. Clangers is a very well illustrated book full of imaginative ways to make the Clangers universe. A must buy for fans and interesting for those who are not acquainted.

This fantastic new book will allow you to knit your own Clanger. Choose from Major, Mother, Granny, Small and Tiny. Includes instructions on the Soup Dragon, Iron Chicken and of course the Froglets. There are insider tips and tricks to create your very own Clanger planet with step-by-step instructions for Tiny’s boat and Major’s rocket as well as sets and trees. Learn how to make scenery, backdrops and props, and perfect that distinctive Clanger whistle!

Clangers: Make the Clangers and Their Planet with 15 Easy Step-by-step Projects (Knitting)

Best in Show: 25 More Dogs to Knit

I love this book. It shows you how to knit dogs, actual dogs. Whether it is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shar Pei, Lurcher or Greyhound, your favourite breed of dog will probably be in here. And what an awesome present. Your sibling might get your mother something from Boots but imagine telling her you knitted her a DOG. It is an ace in sibling trump cards.

The book is separated into sections such as Toy, Utility, Working, Terriers, Gun Dogs. I think this is an excellent present. Full marks for coolness and imagination.

www.knityourowndog.com

The leading knitting books of 2010 and 2011, Best in Show Dogs & Cats have been outstanding global successes. Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne are back with 25 even more fabulous dog designs. You can knit your own precious pet, reproduce your favourite breed, or even knit the dog you have always desperately wanted.

Best In Show: 25 More Dogs to Knit

Mollie Makes Christmas

This book has over 20 projects to keep you entertained in the run up to Christmas and beyond. Buy this book and learn how to make Heirloom Stockings, Crochet a reindeer, make some festive stationary, knit an iPad cosy and make a Christmas Tree

You can make finger puppets to keep children entertained and cushions to pass out on when exhausted or when you have had too much wine. Fun for you and all the family. A great fun book.

If you’re hooked on crochet, hanker for handmade and would rather create your own unique Christmas than buy from a superstore, then this little book is for you. It perfectly captures the ‘living and loving handmade’ spirit of Mollie Makes magazine, celebrating the world of ‘granny chic’. Featuring over 20 new projects from Mollie Makes magazine’s favourite designers, Christmas showcases a passion for handmade. All the projects are easy to follow with clear step-by-step photographs and instructions, plus handy tips along the way. Many are suitable for beginners, but the Mollie Makes ethos is to give it a go and be proud of the end result. We positively embrace imperfection. Here’s to living and loving a handmade Christmas!

Mollie Makes Christmas: Living and Loving a Handmade Holiday

We Knit You a Merry Christmas

This book is as excellent as it’s name. This adorable book has 20 patterns for festive handmade gifts. A cool Turkey, ‘Let It Snow’ which is adorable snowballs on a sledge. Gingerbread men that look happy, Baa Humbug – cute sheep wearing Christmas hats. The most adorable deer. Santa and a polar bear. A Penguin, Three Wise Men, an Angel… It has everything to make your Christmas fun.

This book also has excellent and easy to follow knitting basics, sewing basics and conversions at the back which are really handy.

Christmas is a time for sharing, and hand-knitted gifts for friends and family are the perfect way to spread a little festive joy. We Knit You a Merry Christmas has something for everyone.

Traditional Christmas characters such as angels, choir boys, Father Christmas and the three kings make great decorations. Or add some fun and laughter to your Christmas celebrations this year with knitted animals such as sheep (‘Baa Humbug’), crocodiles (‘Snappy Christmas’) and Three French Hens, as well as quirkier items like chillies, sledging snowballs and of course the famous pea (‘Ha Pea Christmas’).

So forget gold, frankincense and myrrh and give the gift of knitting this Christmas.

We Knit You a Merry Christmas: 20 Patterns for Festive Handmade Gifts

The First Horseman by Clem Chambers | Book Review

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Clem Chambers book touches on news-worthy and relevant subjects as ageing, the possibility of living forever and the financial markets. A riveting and thrilling read, I got through this book quite fast. The way the book has been written flows beautifully. The First Horseman is fresh and interesting.

This book touches on the subject of what people would do to live forever. This is the fourth book in the Jim Evans series but you can still know what is happening and not get lost.

Jim Evans is a brilliant character and so is his butler, Stafford. Together they make a great team. Professor Christopher Cardini is a good character too. He has a sick and twisted mind, but is obviously a genius. Like all good books, The First Horseman has wonderful observations. I found myself turning the corners of the page to go back to certain parts.

I thought The First Horseman was great and I will now be catching up on the rest of the series, and the rest of Clem Chambers books. Clem Chambers is the CEO of ADVFN, so goodness knows when he finds the time to write books, but I for one am glad that he does.

The First Horseman by Clem Chambers

Some would give everything just to live one more year. To live another
hundred, some would destroy everything.

Jim Evans, retired super-rich trader, only wants to do good. He wants to
fund research that will save lives.

Professor Christopher Cardini has developed medical technology he says
will change the world. Through cell therapy, he can even rejuvenate the
dying.

Yet there’s something Jim will find even all his money can’t buy:
protection from a brilliant, but twisted, mind.

The First Horseman is the fourth book in the acclaimed ‘Jim Evans’
thriller series, by Clem Chambers. It focuses on what might happen if we
had the ability to turn the human body clock back?

If we were able to repair telomeres, the tiny proteins found at the end
of every strand of human DNA – we could live much longer, perhaps even
become immortal, like Hydra.

Yet when such a medicine would result in many more billions of people
fighting to live amongst ruins of an ecologically exhausted planet, what
would be the point?

Professor Cardini sees no point. He plans to deal with seething humanity
in a way that will both shock and horrify. Will he succeed in releasing
his tiny, but deadly ‘First Horseman’ and wreak bloody havoc on the world?

Not if Jim Evans can help it.

How to get the most out of that special meal, the best restaurant tips from toptable

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Eating out is always a treat, whether it be for a celebration such as a birthday or anniversary, a hot date or even just a catch-up with an old friend or family member. Special meals can be made even more memorable if you bag a hard to get reservation at an exclusive restaurant, secure the best table or even get more for your money by receiving money off your meal.

 

Lucy Taylor, head of restaurant relations at toptable, the leading consumer destination site for restaurant reservations in the UK, shares her top tips on how to ensure that you make the most of your dining experience:

 

Eat at a less popular time to bag a table: If you have always wanted to eat at that exclusive restaurant but have never been able to get a reservation why not to make a booking at a time that is less in demand such as dinner before 6pm, brunch or lunch.

 

The time of day and week that you go out can also have an impact on how much you spend with some restaurants offering mid-week or ‘early-bird’ special offers. Look out for toptable’s special 1,000 point booking slots at top restaurants that allows users to earn bonus points for booking at selected restaurants and times. Book two 1,000 point tables and receive a £10 dining cheque, which can be used at most restaurants on toptable

 

Don’t be afraid to make a special request: If you want to impress during your meal and make it a memorable experience, don’t be afraid to put in a special request upon booking. Are you celebrating? Tell the restaurant. Do you want that table by the window? Well why not go ahead and ask. It is however, important to arrive on time and be polite and well-mannered at all times as first impressions do count.

 

Special Offers: Look out for special offers and money off vouchers, these allow your money to stretch further when eating out. The toptable mobile site and app available for iPhone, iPad and Android, allows you to see a list of all restaurants that have special offers available within close vicinity of your current location.

 

Try something you wouldn’t try at home: When dining out, try dishes that you wouldn’t be able to make yourself at home. Instead of a pasta dish why try delicacies such as sashimi or monkfish and try deserts such as chocolate fondant or crème brulee to ensure a truly memorable experience.

 

Always read the reviews: If you are venturing somewhere a bit more lavish for that special meal, always ensure that you read up on the restaurant first to ensure that you are happy with your choice, that it works for your budget and that you like the menu it offers.

 

Diner reviews can often be deciding where to eat. toptable.co.uk features reviews that are written by people that have actually visited and eaten at the restaurants. These reviews can be filtered by categories such as ‘good for kids’ ‘good for romance’, ‘good for special occasions’ and help to ensure that you pick the right restaurant to suit what you are looking for.

 

 

Julian Ruck The Bent Brief | Book Review

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This legal thriller is full of unlikeable characters but I still enjoyed it. Like all good books it has brilliant observations on life and some good literary quotes. It’s author, Julian Ruck, has also worked as a lawyer so he knows what he is talking about. This book draws you in and also shows both sides of infidelity.

It has very good twists, some that I really did not see coming. My only complaint is that the main character, Edwin Hillyard is quite crude. Something that I don’t like. He is not a likable chap either, and is quite sexist, but the story still works. He is amusing even if you don’t like him.

Edwin Hillyard, a disillusioned Suffolk-based lawyer, spends his life dealing with inadequate clients who are constantly moaning about their self-esteem, or his even more inadequate ex-air stewardess wife, Claire, who believes life is all about make-up, mobile phones, trips to the shops – and of course Coronation Street. Feeling frustrated and abused, Hillyard finds diversion in the pursuit of a beautiful Sikh doctor, Jaspreet, whom he meets when called to the scene of a suicide in the London Underground. It is an inauspicious start to the relationship. But Hillyard is not the only one seeking a diversion; his wife Claire has fallen hopelessly in love with an old friend from her flying days, Jessica Howard, an ambitious sexual predator. As their affairs entwine and jealousy and resentment build on both sides, the ensuing hell starts to blow Hillyard’s life to pieces. When Claire is found dead in their bedroom, Hillyard finds himself on trial for murder. Was Jessica involved? Will Jaspreet stand by him? Did he kill her? It’s down to the defence and prosecution barristers to battle it out in court and readers will be on the edge of their seats until the very end to find out the truth.


Worth a read. Especially if you like legal dramas. The Bent Brief is very well-written.

You Are Awesome | Book Review

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Craft has had a huge resurgence in recent years. The craft industry is big business. In fact the U.S. craft and hobby industry was worth $29 billion in 2011. But to talk about money takes away the beauty of it. As pay packets dwindle and the cost of living keeps spiraling, people are finding out how joyful it is to make your own things. Whether that be jewellery, clothes or furniture. Which brings me to the book in question: You Are Awesome.

I love everything about the book. From the design, the craft projects, the weight, the author, the concept.

You Are Awesome is a collection of 21 simple craft projects for adults and children with a fresh, contemporary edge. It was written by Abbey Hendrickson who writes the excellent blog, Aesthetic Outburst. This book is hours of entertainment. The concept is that you are awesome (yes, you are) and that you should make the things in the book and give them to someone else who is just as awesome. The step-by-step craft projects are easy and range from a cross-stitched screendoor to a laptop toy made from a cardboard box.

This beautiful book makes a great present, for yourself or anyone else.

Following on from the well received State of Craft, published by Cicada in 2011, You Are Awesome is a beautifully packaged little book that will appeal to advanced hobbyists and curious craftnovices alike.

Buy You Are Awesome: 21 Crafts to Make You Happy

Abbey Hendrickson writes a blog called Aesthetic Outburst documenting her life in an old farmhouse in rural New York. In between DIY disasters, childcare catastrophes and cultural consumption, Abbey makes some fantastic and funky craft projects, which she sells through her Etsy shop. You Are Awesome is a collection of 21 clearly explained step-by-step craft ideas by Abbey Hendrickson. The projects are deceptively simple to make, but have a contemporary freshness that will appeal to seasoned crafters and novices alike. Each one captures the warmth and humour that Abbey herself radiates and which makes her blog so popular. There is nothing more rewarding than making things yourself. Things to live with and things to give to people you love. Let’s revel in the joy of handmade. Crafting is awesome!