Stacking The Shelves - October 2016

Stacking The Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week or in our case over the previous month. 

This was a bad month for us both for Stacking the shelves, Laura had just moved into her new house and Jen was preparing for a move too... I swear sometimes it is like we are the same person. Jen is still dealing with the move as is Laura but now Laura has a little less stress and a little more time, just a little more time to do such things... This stacking the shelves will only consist of the books that Laura has some how managed to afford this month, Jen will do a double Stacking next month... God help us all with the amount that she buys monthly!

I am surprised I have ended up with this many books this month I was expecting to buy none but you all probably understand how impossible that would be! I miss my old shelf for my photograph this one looks a little rubbish sorry but I am living in chaos right now.

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

The one below this Once upon a time came in on the delivery a few weeks ago and I instantly needed it in my life, I am a Disney fan through and through and it just didn't make sense not to buy this when I seen it in Tesco a few weeks later, I bought this along with The Beast within as part of the buy two for £7

Once Upon A Time by Liz Braswell

As mentioned above this book came into work on the delivery, I loved the look of the cover and the feel of the book as well as it being Disney related and bought it without hesitation

The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

I have blabbed on and on about this book since I read Me Before You  and After You that Jen so kindly bought me it as a house warming gift when I moved into my new house, what better way to war a house than to fill it with books, books and even more books... Thanks Jen!

Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige

When it comes to anything Shiny I am a magpie, if you seen me in the street you would know it was me from the amount of jewellery I have on that is so sparkly... same with books, a little bit of glitter or mirrored front covers and I will buy it no matter what it is about but this one looked pretty as well as sounding really interesting.

Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland

I don't know why all of a sudden I am buying books with fish in the title or on the cover, I don't mean to its a fluke but this month I have managed to buy two that have fish on, This book caught my attention because it was described as John Green meets Rainbow Rowell in this heartbreaking tale of bittersweet first love. John Green... Rainbow Rowell... it had to be a winner and I only have a few pages of it left and I have loved it so much!

The Beast Within By Serena Valentino

Everyone who knows me will know that I love Belle and Beauty and the Beast... I am considering a village Bella tattoo too... At first I thought this book was part of the other two Disney books I have bought this month but now looking at it I can see that it is not... Still cannot wait to read it though!

Silence Is A Goldfish by Annabel Pitcher

My other fish book from this months haul... I pointed this one out to Jen as soon as I spotted it and she had bought it and read it before I got a chance to but i've heard its good so I bought it anyway.

The Marble Collector - A Review By Laura

What is it about?

A forgotten childhood. A discovered life.
What if you only had one day to find out who you really were?
When Sabrina Boggs stumbles upon a mysterious collection of her father’s possessions, she discovers a truth where she never knew there was a lie. The familiar man she grew up with is suddenly a stranger to her.
An unexpected break in her monotonous daily routine leaves her just one day to unlock the secrets of the man she thought she knew. A day that unearths memories, stories and people she never knew existed. A day that changes her and those around her forever.
The Marble Collector is a thought-provoking novel about how the most ordinary decisions we make can have the most extraordinary consequences for how we live our lives. And how sometimes it’s only by shining on a light on someone else, that you can truly understand yourself.

Who is it for?
When reading the blurb I thought this book was going to be for older teenagers to younger adults but the issues you deal with throughout the book are a bit too deep for younger teenagers at least

Genre?
Adult Fiction

Is it any good?
The book is told from two different perspectives, we have Sabrina who is Fergus's daughter, talking about the present situation as she embarks on her journey for answers about her Dads past and who he actually is. Along with Sabrina we have Fergus's view on the past helping us as the reader to understand what is going on in Sabrina's journey throughout the book.
It took me a while to read the first few chapters, well when I say few I mean about 9 or something chapters, It takes a while to get the story rolling, I wasn't fully enjoying the book until I reached the ending. I don't know whether that was just because I could relate too much with Sabrina and the feeling of not knowing her fathers past. My own father is terminally ill and I only get to see him twice a week from the age of 11... I realised I don't actually know much about his past, for example where his tattoos came from, who his family was and it really hit home.

Was the ending satisfactory?
Usually its the ending that lets me down in books rather than the ending being the only thing I actually liked about about the book. It was a happy ending although I was dreading a different outcome and I think Cecila was trying to convey that the past will always come back and catch you up.

Would I recommend the book?
I would and I wouldn't... I think part of my problem though was that I related to the issues in the book a bit too much and it was a reality check

Read it if you like:
A Man Called Ove
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
One More Day

Thoughts For 50 - Pages 251 to 300 Of Falling By Jane Green

Eight years ago, Emma Montague left behind the strict confines—and rather dull boyfriend—of her upper-crust English life and moved to New York City, where she immediately found success in finance. But her soulless, cutthroat, all-consuming job was another life she didn’t want.

Answering an ad on Craigslist, Emma finds a tiny beach cottage in the small town of Westport, Connecticut. It needs work—lots of work. But it’s the perfect project to satisfy Emma’s passion for interior design and gardening, if her new landlord, Dominic, is agreeable to the small changes she yearns to make. 

To Emma, Dominic himself is somewhat of a fixer-upper. A local handyman with a six-year-old son, he’s a world away from the men she should be interested in, but he’s comfortable in his own skin, confident, quiet, and kind. And slowly, over a shared garden, time spent with his son, and late-night conversations, Emma finds herself falling for Dominic...

From friends to lovers happens as naturally as the changing seasons. But setting down roots doesn’t come easily when two lives as different as their own merge into one. And Emma will realize that the seeds of happiness must be nurtured and cherished to grow into something strong enough to shelter all their hopes and dreams...

Laura's Thoughts

At the rate this book is going I am surprised me and Jen haven't given up on this feature and just sat and read the whole book in one sitting, well I speak for myself I have a slight suspicion that Jen may have read more than she is supposed to or at least skim read to see what happens! But I wouldn't blame her this book is amazing.

Jane Green has a way with words that enables us to be able to picture the surroundings of the characters wherever they may be, every character we meet is such a good strong character with a different personality from the others in the book, I think that is part of why I am so engaged in this book I am yet to find a part where I am bored and not enjoying the book, I hope the ending is as good as all this build up... Only two weeks to go!

Laura Predicts

• A proposal from Dominic while they are in England
• A problem with Jesse that means Emma and Dominic need to cut their stay short and get back home as quick as possible
• A pregnancy 
• Jesse running away from his grandparents
• Stacy kidnapping Jesse

Jen's Thoughts
We are on the home stretch…just two weeks to go…this is killing me. I have would have finished this book weeks ago, naughty Laura making me do this. This book is amazing. I have decided that Dominic is the best dad in the world as well as the best boyfriend: Laura has her fiancé, Dominic is mine! Things haven’t gone as predicted, because Dominic is ‘that’ amazing. Still finding the narrative leans towards the female psyche, even though it’s written in the third person: most events are seen through Emma’s eyes. I have just finished a book were the book was split between the main protagonists, whilst still being written in third person and it worked.
Anyway less about that, Sophie appeared ‘via text message’ and Jeff was mentioned fleetingly. They may appear for the wedding, which is hopefully going to happen.
There was couple cuteness as Dominic and Emma made their way through the English countryside to the latter’s nephew’s engagement party. Very amusing, as there is a little divide between Americanisms and our English lingo; I won’t spoil it for you! But also there is a class divide: ‘you didn’t tell me you lived at Downton Abbey!’ Think Friends Season Four, were Ross marries Rachael Emily. Emma’s Mum is not very nice….bitch!
The whole Stacy thing has kind of been dealt with seemingly, but I think Jane Green has leaded us into a false sense of security.

Jen Predicts

• Stacy will be back at Dominics house, after his parents argue and she will come back to rescue Jesse or she will kidnap him as Laura said
• There has to be a wedding
• Henrietta/Henry will turn out to be a man and George will come out as gay
• Emma will slap her Mum
• Hobbes will appear for more cat cuteness
• Dominic will leave Emma for me

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Favourite TV Shows Of All Time

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week we are given a different top ten to complete. For more information and a list of past and future topics, go here.

We absolutely loved doing this weeks Top Ten it got us feeling all nostalgic and we cannot wait to look over everyone elses lists and see what other shows we loved that must have slipped our mind!

1. One Tree Hill
It's very possible that this might be the first series I have actually watched from the beginning to the very end. I miss it so much!

2. Pretty Little Liars
I even got my Fiance into watching this! I am gutted that series 7 has just been announced as the final season but at the same time I don't think there is much further that they could push the storyline.

3. Stranger Things
Does this even need an explanation, I'm sure you have probably watched it if you have Netflix and absolutely loved it, I can't wait for season two after the way season one ended!!

4. The Vampire Diaries
Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, Stephen Mcqueen just to name a few of the amazingly beautiful cast The Vampire Diaries consists of... I don't think there is even one ugly person in that series! Not even just saying it... I read the books before I started watching this and in one of the very rare occasions the series was just as good as the books!

5. New Girl
Zooey Deschanel is life, shes quirky and gorgeous I must admit I do have a slight girl crush on her! this series has me howling, I have even got my mother into it! If you haven't heard of it or just not watched it I suggest you do! You will not be disappointed.

6. Game Of Thrones
Pretty well explanatory, you have probably seen how special Game Of Thrones is to me on previous posts, it is the reason me and my Fiance are exactly that, Engaged and even together, we got talking because of the books and got together because of the tour in Belfast where we went to see the sets for his 30th, plus Jon Snow.

7. Sabrina The Teenage Witch
This was my ultimate favourite TV show whilst I went through school, I even collected the Sabrina Secrets magazine with the makeup set when I was younger! I do miss this I feel as though children these days are missing out on so much now that this has ended.

8. How I Met Your Mother
Absolutely love this show even though I forgot where I was up to around Barneys wedding and decided to start again... I will finish this series as if my life depends on it.

9. The Strain
Different to anything else i've watched really, it was down to James that I started watching it and got hooked, even though it does frighten me quite a bit, looking forward to season two.

10. Lost
The second series I managed to watch from the very beginning to the very end although I am still quite lost in terms of what actually happened... Heard so many different things. I still highly enjoyed it though.


1. Melrose Place
I loved this show and yes I am showing my age, by saying this. The whole bitch-fest was brilliant: the main reason I loved the show was the opening credits and the fact Heather Locklear was billed as Special Guest Star for six seasons which was pure genius. Plots included baby napping, numerous affairs and deaths, alcoholism, homosexuality, AIDs and Jake being topless.

2. Sunset Beach
Another one that shows my age, this show was bonkers and every scene was left with a cliff-hanger. The actors/actresses weren’t employed for the ability to portray human emotion, but their ability to pout. I want a DVD boxset and I want it now. The days lasted weeks around six weeks’ worth of episodes were technically the same day: that’s thirty episodes! Trash TV at its best!

3. Friends
One of the best sitcoms of all time, the will they/won’t they with Ross and Rachael lasted its whole run. I still wanted Chandler and Joey to get together; but admit Chandler and Monica was the better option. Loved the whole series, and no I can’t choose a favourite friend, but Phoebe is up there…just saying.

4. Dallas
This feuding oil family was just amazing, love the theme tune and opening credits…just wished there was a Special Guest Star billing. Plots included numerous shootings, pregnancies/miscarriages, numerous takings over of Ewing oil, affairs, and one whole season being a dream…

5. Prisoner: Cell Block H
The set was made up of cardboard boxes which wobbled, the women were rough and ready and came in all shape and sizes. From naughty prisoner wardens, to numerous schemes and escapes; this drama had me glued… I watched the repeats not the original broadcast! The re-imagining of this drama: Wentworth Prison is also worthy of Top Ten Status.

6. Queer as Folk
This LGBT drama was amazing, much better the ‘inspired by’ original English version, mainly because it was longer, and the characters were broadened and their storylines extended. The Brian/Justin on/off relationship spanned the whole run. It was just pure brilliance.

7. Doctor Who
How can one program re-invent itself with regenerations and keep on going? Pure imaginative thrills and frolics beyond our galaxy, but still manages to play with human emotions. It just manages to keep me glued and the boxsets have been watched and re-watched.

8. The Tudors
King Henry VIII was sexy? I don’t think I need to say any more… The series itself wasn’t always historically accurate, but it kept me glued as series by series wives were divorced, beheaded and died. Loved the opening credits, especially the final episode were four of the wives featured in the opening sequence.

9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Girl power, sexy vampires, plenty of angst and the odd demon with witches thrown in too. I had the boxsets on video, but still haven’t updated my DVD collection. This fantasy drama evolved from high school to a more grown up grounding. Throw in a musical episode and this series was sweet.

10. Wentworth Prison
This re-imagined version of Number Five, updated the whole series and evolved it, storylines were changed and characters were re-booted. It has managed to distance itself from the it’s predecessor post-season one, but fans of the original do not need be disappointed, it is one of the best re-boots in recent years.

Thoughts For 50 - Pages 201 to 250 Of Falling By Jane Green

Eight years ago, Emma Montague left behind the strict confines—and rather dull boyfriend—of her upper-crust English life and moved to New York City, where she immediately found success in finance. But her soulless, cutthroat, all-consuming job was another life she didn’t want.

Answering an ad on Craigslist, Emma finds a tiny beach cottage in the small town of Westport, Connecticut. It needs work—lots of work. But it’s the perfect project to satisfy Emma’s passion for interior design and gardening, if her new landlord, Dominic, is agreeable to the small changes she yearns to make. 

To Emma, Dominic himself is somewhat of a fixer-upper. A local handyman with a six-year-old son, he’s a world away from the men she should be interested in, but he’s comfortable in his own skin, confident, quiet, and kind. And slowly, over a shared garden, time spent with his son, and late-night conversations, Emma finds herself falling for Dominic...

From friends to lovers happens as naturally as the changing seasons. But setting down roots doesn’t come easily when two lives as different as their own merge into one. And Emma will realize that the seeds of happiness must be nurtured and cherished to grow into something strong enough to shelter all their hopes and dreams...

 

Laura's Thoughts

This books is like a rollercoaster, especially as we are reading it 50 pages at a time. Once again the book has reached its full potential in gripping me as tight as possible, I have been with my partner for over 3 years now but felt as though I was going through a break up today with Emma and Dominic, the feelings were real!

I predicted Stacy's return and was dreading it and I was right to, she is horrendous, even her name suits her well (no offence to any Stacy reading this, I just personally haven't had a good experience with anyone with that name).

 

Laura Predicts

• Stacy is going to kidnap Jesse
• Stacy and Emma will have a confrontation
• Emma will doubt her relationship with Dominic because of Stacy
• Trampoline accident
• Jesse will bond with Stacy and start to hate Emma more again
• Emma's ex will cause issues in Emma and Dominic going to her Mums in England.

Jen's Thoughts

That awkward moment when you are on you're first proper date with your boyfriend and the ex who mothered and abandoned his child walks in. OMG! yes I was overwhelmed by the last 50 pages but it was the calm before the storm. The bitch is back. One of mine and Laura's predictions has came true, it was expected that the path of love was not going to run smooth.

This week was very much about Emma, but I wanted Dominic's thoughts on stacy's return. In writing in the third person perspective these emotions are lost. More Dominic please. I want to know how he feels. I love first person in emotionally intense scenes, but the book is still good. Sophie has been very much sidelined as Emma confides in Cece the stranger. She only got a mention this week, and has been reduced to the role of babysitter. So much for being Emma's only friend in Westport.

Stacy's return is bound to cause ructions and I want to read on. Damn you thoughts for 50!

 

Jen Predicts

• Dominic will put obstacles in the way of Stacy getting to know her son
• Emma will encourage Dominic to allow Stacy to bond with her son, which will drive a wedge between her and Dominic
• Jesse will have an accident on the newly bought trampoline (Yes Laura predicted this last week but I will predict more) he will run to Emma for aid, which will upset Stacy as Jesse will call Emma Mum
• We have seen the last of Gina and Jeff

Giveaway Winner Announcement

So our first Giveaway ended 5 days ago now sorry for the delay in announcing the winner we have been very busy at our bookstore! Congratulations Autumn on winning Me Before You, The Marble Collector and The Girl With A Clock For A Heart. We will get them sent to you straight away!

Keep your eyes out for our next Giveaway! Who knows it might be even bigger and better than this one.