My First Blog Update

Well, what a month it has been since I started my Little Book Worm blog...

I have discovered a whole host of wonderful people within the publishing industry; authors, publishers, fellow bloggers and readers and I must say, what an amazing group they are! All filled with lovely and meaningful advice and always happy to help and promote each other, it really is a joy to be involved with these great people!

My most successful blog post is by far the absolutely amazing The Sister by Louise Jensen, what a flipping book... With over 600 views, I was blown away!

I've read some great books over the last couple of weeks, including:

• Silent Scream by Angela Marsons
• Mummy's Favourite by Sarah Flint
• The Fire Child by S.K Tremayne
• Local Missing Girl by Claire Douglas
• The Step Mother by Claire Seeber
• Willow Cottage (Sunshine & Secrets Part 1) by Bella Osborne

And I even had my first ever book banner quote by Aria Fiction with a quote taken from my review!

I've just added an email subscription option to my site (only just figured out how to do it!) so feel free to sign up!

Over the next few weeks you can expect reviews of the following:

• In the Wake of Death by Billy McLaughin
• The Good Husband by Christobel Kent
• The Lost Girls by Angela Marsons
• Evil Games by Angela Marsons
• Cut To The Bone by Alex Cann
• Play Dead by Angela Marsons

I am certain you may have noticed a theme running through my TBR pile... I read my first Ms Marsons book, Silent Scream last week and boy oh boy, what a book it is! I was gripped, totally and utterly adore the way she wrote and as such, I downloaded the rest of her books on my Kindle immediately, I have these to read for pleasure though as I have a few reviews to do for others first (which is obviously brilliant, but at the same time I want to read more D.I Stone!!)

I am also working on writing some retrospective reviews of the book s I have read in the past, this is taking a while though as I am reading and working on the current book reviews! One thing I have noticed since starting this blog is that I am never not reading, having recently given up a career in sales to start training as a proofreader, all I seem to do at the moment is read, read & read some more!!! I took a little part time job in customer services for a carpet manufacturer and as it's all phone based, I can read in-between calls - which is brilliant!

Well, I'm heading off to start another book, the lovely Shell Barker over at https://www.facebook.com/groups/CrimeBookClub/ has asked for a review so I best get started... Then next on the list is Christobel Kent's The Good Husband which I will be completing for www.TheBookBag.co.uk

Hope you all have a great week get in touch if you would like me to review a book or just to say hi!

Love & all that jazz

Emma x

 

Sunshine & Secrets (Willow Cottage part 1) by Bella Osborne

 Avon

7 July 2016

 The Blurb . . .

Beth is running away. With her young son Leo to protect, Willow Cottage is the lifeline she so desperately needs. Overlooking the village green in a beautiful Cotswolds idyll, Beth sees a safe place for little Leo.

When she finally uncovers the cottage from underneath the boughs of a weeping willow tree, Beth realises this is far more of a project than she bargained for and the locals are more than a little eccentric! A chance encounter with gruff Jack, who appears to be the only male in the village under thirty, leaves the two of them at odds but it’s not long before Beth realises that Jack has hidden talents that could help her repair more than just Willow Cottage.

Over the course of four seasons, Beth realises that broken hearts can be mended, and sometimes love can be right under your nose…

My thoughts . . .

I haven't read a proper chick lit book for years and I am so glad that I requested this! What a great book!

Having split up with her boyfriend, Beth is house hunting and has seen the perfect apartment at a local housing auction, however, whilst there, something makes Beth bid on a cottage, the beautiful Willow Cottage in the middle of the Cotswolds.

This is such a lovely read, really easy to get lost in, I found that Osbourne was easily able to take me away and make me wish I could go and buy a little cottage in a little village! The quirky characters and the relationships Beth is trying to both avoid and build are wonderful and I can totally imagine that these characters can be seen in almost every village in England.

I thought that Osbourne portrayed Beth brilliantly, the struggle she has with her decision to move to the sticks from the big city is really apparent and seeing her start to develop bonds with the villagers is lovely and eloquently written. I also found the relationship between Carly and Fergus absolutely hilarious and laughed out loud at some points!

I was shocked to find myself rather "upset" at the end of this part and I am really looking forward to reading the next instalment and finding out what happens to all these lovely people!

Thank you Net Galley and HarperCollins for sending me this copy in exchange for my honest review

About the author . . .

Bella has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full length novel.
In 2016, her debut novel, 'It Started At Sunset Cottage', was shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year and RNA Joan Hessayon New Writers Award.
Bella's stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She likes to find the humour in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. Bella believes that writing your own story really is the best fun ever, closely followed by talking, eating chocolate, drinking fizz and planning holidays.
She lives in The Midlands, UK with her lovely husband and wonderful daughter, who thankfully, both accept her as she is (with mad morning hair and a penchant for skipping).

For more about Bella, visit her website at www.bellaosborne.com or follow her on Twitter - @osborne_bella