Shopaholic Ties The Knot by Sophie Kinsella.

Author: Sophie Kinsella
ISBN: 0552999571
Genre: Chick Lit
Publisher: Black Swan.

"Rebecca Bloomwood has the dream job. She's a personal shopper, so is able to spend other people's money all day instead of her own. And she gets paid for doing it. The perfect job, the perfect man - gorgeous Luke Brandon - and now...the perfect wedding. Yes, Luke has proposed and wedding bells are in sight. No excuses are needed to start the shopping trip of all time. And Becky's parents are just assuming that the wedding will be at home - a marquee in the garden and Becky in her mum's wedding dress, which she's been saving specially for the occasion. But Luke's mother has very different ideas - a huge affair in New York in a forest glade setting - or perhaps a Venetian Ball, or a fin de siecle extravagance? Now Becky's getting confused. She doesn't want to say 'no' to anyone. The plans are going ahead, and soon it will be too late to turn back - from either wedding... "

I really liked this installment of the Shopaholic series. It was fun to read and exciting and yes as usual, you find yourself shouting down to Becky in the book trying to make her see sense! LOL.

Delicous Luke is as gorgeous as ever, but in my opinion he's not in it enough!
I loved how the story kept you gripped, you really want Becky to do the right thing, but being Becky she's always going to talk herself out of it! Hmmmm.

If you have an interfering Mother inlaw, I think you'll be able to relate to Becky in this one, at times you'll feel frustrated and at others times you'll be shouting "Go Beck, you go girl!!!"

I laughed loads throughout this book, it made me happy, sad and anxious. All my emotions were being brought to the surface.

This was for me the best installment of the series so far.

My Verdict: Fabulous!

The Great and Secret Show by Clive Barker.

Author: Clive Barker
ISBN: 0-00-772461-6
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Grafton

"In the small Californian town of Palomo Grove several children are born, the offspring of the Jaff, a man-spirit obsessed with darkness and depravity, and of Fletcher, a force for light, who has fought the Jaff across America. Their Prize is the Art, the greatest power known to mankind, a doorway to the dream-life of the species. To possess it, the two men intend to fight through their children. Until their children fall in love. Then all hell breaks loose. This time, they will fight to the death, gathering their armies from the souls of palomo Grove. Nightmares will walk the streets. Dreams will be made real. At last, the Grove will see the Great and Secret Show."


I haven't read many fantasy books, and I got this one because my hubby had bought me Everville and I found it it was the Sequel to 'The Great and Secret Show'. So I went out and got that first.

From the first page of reading this book I was hooked, I really enjoyed it. I found it to be fast paced and exciting to read. There was one character in the book I was expecting to be stronger, but I have to read Everville yet so I may be suprised when I read it. There are some sexual related topics in this book which were a bit ewww! But they help you to get a better opinion and learn more of the character.

I felt attached to some of the characters and I loved Raul.
I'm really looking forward to reading Everville to find out how the story ends.


My Verdict: A Great Read.

Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris.

Author: Joanne Harris
ISBN: 0-552-99800-1
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Black Swan

"Jay Mackintosh is trapped by memory in the old familiar landscapes of his childhood, more enticing than the present, and to which he longs to return. A bottle of home-brewed wine left to him by a long-vanished friend seems to provide both the key to an old mystery and a doorway into another world."


Being a Joanne Harris fan I was really looking forward to reading this book, and I am so pleased I did. Being a wine drinker myself it had me wanting to open up a bottle, and I have even started to call mine 'Specials!' LOL.

The book is about friendship between an old man Joe Cox and a teenage boy Jay Mackintosh. How Jay looks up to Joe and he learns about the magic in Joes life, and how Joe lives. Joe is connected to the magic of nature. and this facinates Jay.

Joe loves to make wine, and in later life Jay has some of these 'Specials', as he drinks them memories of the past rise and a journey begins. I won't go on about the story more than I have, as this story truly is magical.

In the book a bottle of wine begins to tell the story, this I felt was a great way to start the book. I have no problem with reading about an inanimate object talking, and I found it to be interesting and original. I have read that it put a small minority of other people off the book, but don't let other peoples opinions sway you. I highly recommend this book.

I could relate to some of the things in this book, with me being someone who respects nature and also believes in magic. Another thing I loved about this book, is some of the charaters from Joanne's book 'Chocolat' are in this book too, as some of this book is set in the French town of Lansquenet.

For me the book was a wonderful read, it tugged at my emotions, and I felt as though I was looking through Jays eyes, feeling his happiness, and his sadness.

A fabulous book to sit down and unwind with, the sort of book you sit down snuggled up on your bed, or by the fire and read.

My Verdict: Magical and inspring!

The Shining by Stephen King

Author: Stephen King
ISBN: 0-450-04018-6
Genre: Supernatrual Fiction
Publisher: nel

"Danny is only five years old, but he is a "shiner", aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker of an old hotel, his visions grow out of control. Cut off by blizzards, the hotel seems to develop an evil force, and who are the mysterious guests in the supposedly empty hotel?"

I had seen the movie of this book ages ago, and as I've just recently become a fan of Stephen King's books, I just had to have this one.

The book is pretty much like the movie (we must remember the book came first), howevever there were a few things that were changed in the movie. I also have to say I do agree with the changes that were in the movie.

Whilst the book was exciting and thrilling to read, it would have been a bit corny if the movie was true to the book. Sounds crazy hey? But I was trying to picture this and that from the book and trying to imagine it in the movie and I just couldn't. The weird thing is I am one of those people who hate it when movie's aren't true to the book, but with this one it worked.

However, I'm here to talk about the book.

The Book is about how little Danny a 5 year old boy is brought up by his mother and father, his father is a recovering alcoholic and so although he loves his daddy dearly there have been some terrible times. Danny has a gift called the Shine, and this enables him to be able to see things from the future, mostly by his invisible friend Tony paying him a visit. When his father takes up a postion in a Hotel as caretaker, they uproot with him and things begin to go wrong. I won't say anymore about the story as I don't want to give anything away.

It took half of the book to get anything really started, you know the real stuff you can bite into. But it was a great read. Pretty scary in places, which sometimes I had chills going up and down my spine and the hairs of my neck were standing up, so scary that I wouldn't read parts of it on my own! LOL. One of my favourite Stephen King's book!

My Verdict: Brillianty Spooky!