lauraloves

Definitely want to read this book again at some point - so magical!

19) The Everything Machine - Ally Kennen Synopsis - Eleven year old Olly has a very special delivery - a 3D printing machine, stamped with PROPERTY OF M.O.D and BRITISH SPACE AGENCY. WARNING. DO NOT TAMPER, which has magical powers... It has a name, it speaks, and it can print ANYTHING Olly asks it to - a never-ending supply of sweets, a swimming pool in the shed - but what Olly really wants is... his dad, who has separated from his mum and moved out of the family home. Cue the creation of Dad-Bot - he looks just like Dad (on a good day) but is totally chaotic - and his antics tip Olly and co into a heart-racing and heart-warming adventure! My Thoughts - I brought this book in W H Smiths as it was on offer as there Kids book of the month and it sounded quite good. This book was ok - the sort of book that would appeal to my son in a good few years. It tells the story of Olly who manages to aquire a special 3D printer that could print anything and it has the message that if you could have anything you want would you really want it? It was good with a bit of modern plots in it like coding and things like that which was good. Rating - 3/5

18) The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern Synopsis - The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads: Opens at Nightfall Closes at Dawn As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears. Le Cirque des Rêves The Circus of Dreams. Now the circus is open. Now you may enter. My thoughts - I've had this on my shelf for a long time - maybe three years and I've just been putting it off as I didnt want to be disappointed by all the hype surrounding the book. This was brilliant. It was so beautifully written with brilliant descriptions of things and a lovely plot that I just didnt want to put it down. Its definitaly a book that will stay with me for a long time. The only thing I'm gutted about was that I didnt read it sooner! Rating - 5/5

17) The Taste of Summer - Kate Lord Brown Synopsis - Every summer, in a rambling castle in Kenmare, south west Ireland, the TV crews descend to film the nation's favourite cookery competition. For Diana, a celebrated TV chef, it's a way to keep her castle running. But this summer, it will be different. There's a lot more at stake than the perfect muffin. Bea, the cupcake queen, is determined to remind everyone why she deserves her own TV show, at whatever cost. Connor, the bad boy of the restaurant world, is determined to put his lurid past behind him and turn over a new leaf. And food blogger Darcy finds that returning home to the castle means stirring up some long-buried feelings for someone she'd never quite forgotten. My thoughts - I brought this in the Works as one of the three books for £5 offers as it sounded quite good! This book was ok - its a bit like Great British Bakeoff with a bit of scandal and it was fairly predictable at times however it was good for some light hearted escapism which is going down well with me at the minute! A good summer read. Rating - 3.5/5

I'm not too sure if we are going or staying at the minute hopefully we can stay I havent seen the show or the controvery so I'm going to have a little look into that!

Thank you - I'm not really reading too much as I've got a bit of change going on in my life at the minute - got to move house again

16)Samantha Smythes Modern Family Journal - Lucy Cavandish Synopsis - Very few women think they have the 'perfect' 21st-century family, and Samantha Smythe is no exception. Most of the time, she takes that in her stride -- unfazed by the amount of time Edward, 8, spends drawing pictures on his willy, Bonnie, 2, avoiding a potty and baby Jamie refusing to eat anything but butternut squash. Samantha and her husband, John, are holding it together and embracing the chaos. But sometimes she does wonder: is it possible, when your first son's father is entirely absent, and you are now the mother of two more boys by your second husband, to have a real family? The one you always dreamed you'd have? And then the absent ex-husband makes a dramatic reappearance and somehow ends up borrowing the spare room. This, of course, is enough to throw the family dynamic entirely off-course. With sanity and capacity for rational thought in short supply, can Samantha protect everything she holds dear, without disappearing out of sight herself...? My Thoughts - I've had this on my shelf for years as it was a magazine freebie and I thought I might as well give it a go. In this it tells the story of samantha Smythe who has 3 kids and a husband and also writes for the newspaper. Her eldest son has a different Dad to the younger two and this book deals with the first dad coming back on the scene. In all honestly I got halfway through the book and gave up. It really wasnt good at all and I ust couldnt get into it. I thought it might be along the lines of the unmumsy mum books but this just came across really false and not very enjoyable. Rating -1/5

I've not seen the shows but the first book was good so hoping this is as good I hope you enjoy them when you do get to read them Just brought another - 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Well I'm not doing too good on the whole reduce the TBR thing and not buy so many books - I've been buying books again! A Year in the Life of the Yorkshire Shepherdess - Amanda Owen Last Seen - Lucy Clarke Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare Moxie - Jennifer Mathieu Letters to the Lost - Brigid Kemmerer History is All you Left Me - Adam Silvera After the Fire - Will Hill The Start of Me and You - Emery Lord Girlhood - Cat Clarke The One Memory of Flora Banks - Emily Barr Orbiting Jupiter - Gary D Schmidt I've brought may more books this year than I've read

15) Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare Synopsis - Magic is dangerous – but love is more dangerous still... When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural fold stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all. My Thoughts - I loved the Mortal Instruments series so much it has become one of my favourite series so far that I've read so I thought it was about time that I started on this series. I have to say I enjoyed it loads almost as much as the Mortal Instruments series. It was so good to get back into the Shadowhunter world and I cant wait to see how all these characters all inter-link into the Mortal Instruments - I might even have to re-read them again! Rating - 5/5

14)The Unmumsy Mums Diary - Sarah Turner Synopsis - She's back! The Unmumsy Mum has put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard!) once more to bring you the next instalment of her life as mum to two young boys, documenting motherhood exactly as she finds it. Her words have made mums, dads and grandparents everywhere laugh and cry in equal measure. In The Unmumsy Mum Diary Sarah shares with us a year in her life as a mum, wife, blogger and bestselling author. With her trademark candour and wit, she documents the good days and the bad days, the giggles and the tantrums. She'll also share poignant, life-changing moments from her year, such as her older son heading off through the school gates for the first time. The Unmumsy Mum Diary is as honest as it is hilarious and a peek into Sarah's innermost thoughts will leave you in no doubt that, on those days when you feel you are not quite cut out for the job, you are most definitely not alone. My Thoughts - I've been a massive fan of Sarah Turners on her blog and Facebook/Instagram before she released her first book and since I became a parent. I was brought the book for my birthday as i enjoyed her first book so much. This is basically her year in the life book being a mum to two boys and also dealing with the fact she is now a best selling author. I did read a fair bit of critism as in some circles shes not classed as a 'normal' mum now she has had a book out and has to work from home however in my opinion I've never read a book more true to my life! I'm a stay at home mum while trying to run an engineering business and a farm and i really identified with the whole juggling act she has to do. A brilliant book that I will definitaly read again. Rating - 5/5

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 - it was ok but not as good as the first in my opinion!

I'm reading The Unmumsy Mums Diary - I love Sarah Turner and her blog it makes me feel like I'm a normal mum!

Petes Dragon - little one likes this film!

13)Girl Unknown - Karen Perry Synopsis - 'I think you might be my father . . .' When first-year student Zoë Barry walks into Professor David Connolly's office and tentatively says these words, he is left reeling. But it is the lives of his family - particularly his wife Caroline - which are turned upside down by the arrival of this stranger. A daughter, a sister, a friend . . . an enemy? Though no one knows quite who Zoë is, she is soon entangled in their lives. Yet her stories don't ring true and Caroline is determined to learn if the girl is the unlucky innocent she claims to be or someone with a far darker agenda. A deadly cuckoo in the nest . . .Because by letting Zoë in, David and Caroline aren't just leaving themselves vulnerable. They're risking the most precious thing in the world - the lives of their children . . . My Thoughts - I brought this book in the supermarket on the 2 for £7 offer as it did sound very good. I have to say I was a little disapointed as to me it wasnt that enthralling. This book is about Zoe, a young woman who thins that David is her father. She manages to get entwined with all of the family and its there reactions to her that make up the story. I have to say the plot didnt really suck me in too much and the twists and turns for me were a little bit easy to guess. I did start to read this on holiday and to be honest it would have made a goo beach read if nothing else! Rating - 2/5

Thank you I'm hoping my mojo returns now as I finished another book yesterday!

12

I've had a busy day today; Cleaned the house as we were away on holiday last week Done 4x loads of washing, dried and put away Cut the lawns Caught up on book reviews And I'm now about to cook tea on the BBQ! I'm getting prepared for what will be a mental week on the farm!

12) Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Mayer Synopsis - To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs. Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life - first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse - seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever? My Thoughts - This was a really good end to the series. Although I had already seen the films I was keen the read the books and I have to say I really enjoyed them. I know there is a lot of negativilty around the books but I just took them as teen fiction and fantasy and I really enjoyed them. Its been a while since I watched the films but as far as I can rembmer they are fairly close connected. I wish there was more books written about Bellas life after the main event happens but these were very good. Rating - 5/5

11 - Eclipse - Stephanie Mayer Synopsis - As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob - knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which? My thoughts - this is actually my favourite film out of them all and I have to say the book didnt disapoint either. This was a very enjoyable book and I really enjoyed the families acceptance of Bella in this book. I also liked how the stories of the other vampires like Jasper were explained in this book. A very good read. Rating - 5/5

10) New Moon - Stephanie Mayer Synopsis - For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella could ever have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning... My Thoughts - I read the first book in the series years ago but I never picked this up until now. This book focuses more on the Bella/Jacob side of the story rather than Edward. To be honest in the films I much prefered Jacob so this book was good for me. I do feel as though from what I remember the books are fairly true to the films which was good as I havent seen the films in such a long time that they are due a re-watch soon. I really enjoyed this book. Rating - 4/5

9)Larkswood - Valerie Mendes Synopsis - Larkswood House. The very name suggests birdsong, peace and elegance. It is home to the Hamilton children - Edward, Cynthia and Harriet - who enjoy the freedom and excitement of privilege. But in the glorious summer of 1896, with absent parents and a departed governess, disaster strikes the family, leaving it cruelly divided. More than forty years later, on the eve of the Second World War, Louisa Hamilton, newly presented at court but struck down with glandular fever, is sent to Larkswood to recuperate. There, for the first time, she meets her grandfather, Edward, home after decades in India. Haunted by terrible memories, the arrival of his granddaughter begins to gladden his heart. But as Louisa begins to fall under the spell of Larkswood, she realises it holds the key to the mystery that shattered her family two generations before. Will she find the courage to unravel the dark secrets of the past? And can Larkswood ever become home to happiness again? My Thoughts - I brought this a little while ago in a supermarket as I thought it sounded really good. I have to say I wasnt too excited by the book and I felt it was quite boring. The twists and turns in the book were quite easily guessed and to be honest the story didnt really go anywhere. It had so much promise though and that was what I was gutted about. Rating - 2.5/5

Oops I thought I hadnt been on here over the course of around a month or so but it turns out its been nearer 3 months! I've got a couple of reviews to catch up on and also a few books to add to the TBR but I've just been so busy I've hardly had time to read

8)Beswitched - Kate Saunders Synopsis - When Flora Fox's parents send their daughter off to boarding school, they have no idea that the train will take her back to 1935. On the journey Flora has a strange dream. She wakes up without her laptop or her phone, wearing a hideous uniform with ridiculous bloomers underneath. She is a new girl at St Winifred's, where the rules are mad, the food horrible, and the hairiness of the teachers unbelievable. Her 21st century manners will not be tolerated at strict St Win's - how will she ever survive and find her way back to her own time? But there is a special reason why Flora has been summoned to the past. It involves the tempestuous girl who becomes her best friend... BESWITCHED is a wonderfully funny, classic story from a popular and very talented children's author. My Thoughts - I brought this as the author had written one of my favourite books - Five Children on the Western Front and also it was a bit of a Mallory Towers type book. I really enjoyed this book as i enjoyed all the Enid Blyton type books when I was growing up with boarding school and this was a little bit like that with a modern twist. I would have definitaly enjoyed it when i was younger too! A really good childrens book. I'll definitaly be reading more of this author. Rating - 4/5

I like watching them on youtube too - i just wish i had the time to watch them properly now!