Frivolous Friday: As the days darken and the night sets in . . .

Happy Friday everyone! 

I hope it's frivolous and filled with fun.

I have always said I would like to live in New York City for a year. Why a year? So I can see the changing seasons. While Thurlby in Lincolnshire where I now live is hardly NYC, I'm still having a enthralling time watching the changing seasons in this new world. 

Bryonia berries

I arrived in the UK on the 15 August, right in the middle of one of the best summers the English have had in years. September continued warm and balmy, sliding gently into Autumn in October. As Autumns go, I think I have been a little disappointed. I'm surrounded by deciduous trees and expected a burst of jewel-like colours as the leaves turned. Not so. Apart from the fantastic red berries found in abundance on almost every tree or bush (slight exaggeration, but you get my drift) the Autumn has been unimpressive. 

But what I am watching with fascination is the shortening of the days. Obviously I had been warned of the strange phenomenon of night closing in at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, but to actually experience it is quite something else. Each day, I watch in awe as the clock's hands hit three and the light begins to fade - a pale, washed out sort of twilight. By four-fifteen it's almost dark. By five o'clock the stars are out. That was a surprise the first time I saw it. It was also the first time I really saw the stars since arriving here. I was having an afternoon kip on Saturday and awoke to the darkening sky. I lay captivated, watching the stars appear one by one through my bedroom window. A glance at the clock told me it was five o'clock. 

Like in so many other parts of the world, as November deepens Christmas also appears in the stores and high streets. It is no different here. The photo below was taken in the Church of John Baptists, a cathedral-like building (mini cathedral, I admit) in Stamford, close to where I live. They were selling charity Christmas cards. I thought the setting was amazing. Hope you enjoy the photo.

Church of John Baptist Christmas card sales

Until next time!
Cheers
Gwynn

P.S I'm almost as bad as the English, talking about the weather. It's an obsession here!

Book Blast! Siding with Plato by Michelle Manning

This is for all of us who love clean contemporary romances . . .

Siding with Plato: A Romantic Comedy Chick Lit About College Life, Love, and Chaos

Siding With Plato is a romantic laugh-out-loud chick lit novel about Being Young, Beautiful, and a Seriously Hot Mess! Brooke Aarons can’t get to college fast enough. Leaving behind her small town life, she intends to transform herself into a brilliant psychologist at the University of Texas, with no distractions to slow her down. But when a twist in her plans lands her on double date with the school’s star jock – and worse, enjoying it – Brooke has to wonder if she’s the one who needs her head examined. James Cartwright’s easy life, endless bucks, and long line of willing girls should make him a non-starter for Brooke, but as she learns, the psychology behind a bad crush is a whole lot messier of a subject.

 

Praise for the Book 

“This book hit home! Very funny and fast and fun read! I hope she makes this a series! LOVED IT!!!”

“I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an escape back into the best years of your life! A MUST READ.”

“Buy 2 copies of this relatable book – one for yourself and one for your best friend.”

“Siding With Plato is a must read for every girl who has gone away to college! It reminded me of my college years and the relationships between different boys, but most importantly the amazing friendships that were created. I could relate to all of the characters at one time or another. Siding With Plato is well written, funny, witty, and full of emotion. I definitely recommend reading this book!!”

Author Michelle Manning

Michelle Manning is a Southern California native who ventured over to Arizona State University in 2005, where she majored in journalism and met the friends who would later inspire her book series. After receiving her degree, she worked in the entertainment industry as an editor and red carpet reporter for a news outlet in Los Angeles until she moved to New York – shortly after releasing her debut novel, Siding With Plato!

      Like all of Kathy's bookblasts, there is a Rafflecopter giveaway 
Good luck!

$100 BookBlast Giveaway 

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/26/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cheers

Gwynn

The problem with moving countries . . .

For those of you wondering why my blog has gone so quiet for so long, the reason is simple. Since moving to the UK in August I am still without internet in my home. That means I'm using the public library, or the local coffee shop to get online while I wait for a service provider to actually provide the internet service promised. Very frustrating. I wish I could tell you when the problem will be solved, but sadly, the friendly staff at the company's call centre (the only people we can speak to) are unhelpful about such vital data. Crazy, but we had better internet service in South Africa - and that's Africa, folks.

So watch this space. Hopefully I will be able to spring back into the cyberworld sometime soon . . . 

cheers
Gwynn

Frivolous Friday: October is Birthday Month

Welcome to the weekend! I still have no internet (the less said about England's internet and cell phone service delivery the better), but I couldn't resist a quick Frivolous Friday post. 

This month we celebrate two birthdays. My daughter Kate turns sixteen. And my brother Tom hits an age too high to mention without having to wash my mouth out with soap and water. This means the birthday dinner is at our house. I always do a roast with spuds and all the trimming for birthdays. It's become an institution. Hopefully it tastes better, though.

All Kate wanted for her sixteenth was a cat. So, today we went to a real English farm, complete with a dozen farm cats and kittens. The owners filled a bowl with milk and we were swamped with felines. In the end I'm not sure who picked who . . .  Spot Lexie (the kitten's current name) hiding in Kate's hoodie! She climbed in there herself and didn't move until she got home. 

Kate and little Lexie

Being the kind sister she is, Erin made Kate a hippie truck birthday cake. Looks really cool. Tomorrow we are heading down to the Norfolk Broads to have some family fun. Pictures to follow.

Until next time, have a great weekend everyone. Chat soon - hopefully, if I ever get on line!!

Cheers
Gwynn

Lord Trowbridge's Angel by G.G. Vandergriff

Like so many of us, I'm a sucker for a good regency romance. So when I saw this book offered on a blog tour, I couldn't resist. But let me get all the technical details about Lord Trowbridge's Angel (Goodreads) out the way before tackling the review. 

Lord Trowbridge’s Angel

The very handsome and very bored Lord Trowbridge knows something is missing in his existence. When he is asked by a friend to escort the seemingly quiet Miss Sophie Edwards to her first ball, he has no idea she possesses the key that will unlock him. It is her secret weapon. Once he sees his own inner workings, his life unfolds in a different manner. He will do anything to capture the love of his “angel.” Unfortunately, his old life and the shibboleths of the ton stand in his way. As he wades through these afflictions, Sophie is courted by another man. Who will she choose? How can he possibly show his love for her in a way as original and unique as she is? What are Sophie’s feelings for him?

Okay . . . so what did I think? 

The book is definitely fun. A wonderful romp through the ton, following some interesting characters. I especially liked the heroine, Sophie. She has plenty of spunk, coupled with a fair dollop of naivety. Due to a disability that renders her unable to dance - and makes her the contempt of the ton - she is quite retiring. Her life has been spent in the country, mastering the violin. She's a pro. Now in London for her first season, she little expects to go home with a husband - and certainly not a hunk like Lord Trowbridge. Or one with as many skeletons in the cupboard as Lord Trowbridge has, either. Wading through the effects of his previously debauched life, she has a tough time securing her happy ever-after. 

For all that Lord Trowbridge is a London sophisticate, he's a bit of a dunce when it came to negotiating his way through the shark-infested waters of the ton. It made for some laughs - and a bit of eye rolling. But in the end the man got his girl.

This book is definitely worth a read if you like clean romances with a regency feel. 

Number of stars? 

Three happy ones.

There is a giveaway for this blogtour, so feel free to enter the Rafelcopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet the Author

Author G.G. Vandagriff

I realize that I am one of those rare people in the world who gets to live a life full of passion, romance, suspense, angst, fulfillment, humor, and mystery. I am a writer. Every day when I sit down at my computer, I enter into a world of my own making. I am in the head of a panoply of characters ranging from a nineteen-year-old Austrian debutante (The Last Waltz) to a raging psychopath (The Arthurian Omen) and four women at once in The Only Way to Paradise. Then there are the feisty heroines of my Regency romances . . .
I am a traditionally published,award-winning, best-selling writer who has recently gone Indie. I enjoy genre-hopping, having published a genealogical mystery series, two women’s fiction novels, an historical epic, two suspense novels, five Regency romances, and a couple of non-fiction offerings.
With a BA from Stanford and an MA from George Washington University in International Relations, I somehow stumbled into finance. But, once my husband was through law school, I never wanted to do anything but write and raise kids. Now the kids are gone, but (even better) there are four grandchildren who provide my rewards for finishing a manuscript.

Aside from the grandchildren, my favorite things include: Florence, Italy; snow storms; Oreos; real hot chocolate; sweaters; Sundance Resort; lilacs; and dachshunds.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter

Cheers
Gwynn

PS. I can only apologize for my lack of activity on my blog of late, but my internet problems persists. Blogging without the internet is an extraordinary challenge no mere mortal should have to contend with . . .

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Traitor (Goodreads)

Okay, let's the get the important stuff out the way . . .  this cover: it's GORGEOUS. Yes, in capitals. I would read this book just for the cover. And the title. Who would not want to find out who the traitor is: Ethan or Kerrian? Well, I'm not telling you. You have to read it to find out.

So after than fan rave, what did I think of this book? 

Better or worse than the The Lost Prince? 

Answer? Yes, it is, but then I only gave The Lost Prince three stars (you can see my review here) so that's not really difficult.

What makes The Iron Traitor better? 

It's hard to say. There were some things that really bugged me about it. Not to give away spoilers, but in places it felt as if Kagawa was running a bit short on imagination - a dramatic admission because she is The Imagination Queen - but I saw bits of other books and even a big steal from the movie Monsters Inc in it. 

Also, I was afraid after reading book one that the plot wasn't complex enough to fill a whole series, and I feel I was proved right. In this book Kagawa has fallen back on some well-known tropes to carry her story, for example: a prophecy now looms large. 

Those points definitely detracted from my enjoyment, but there was a lot that made up for it and most of that goes back to Ethan and Keirran.

Ethan and Keirran! 

Now there are two interesting male protagonists. I really enjoy being in Ethan's head and Keirran is a fascinatingly complex character. All the traits Ethan displayed in book one - loyalty, courage, determination - go into overdrive in this book. In a word, he's great. My only complaint is that he does a lot of fighting (yah, I love that) and gets multiple injuries in each fight, but still he keeps moving with nary a flinch.  I found that a bit implausible, enough so for me to start shaking my head after awhile. Still, Ethan is definitely one of my favourite male protags and I will happily read more books with him in it. 

Now for Keirran . . . wow. Julie Kagawa has a wild card here. At times I wanted to hug him and other times I could have kicked his butt all the way to Ash and demanded that Ash freeze his feet to the ground. (As an aside: I rather suspect that Ash feels the same way too. That said, Ethan also got up Meghan's and Ash's noses in this book. In fact he managed to annoy a lot of people. That's what makes him so much fun to be with)

The other characters? 

Kenzie and Annwyl strutted their stuff, but they are definitely not show stealers. I like Kenzie - a lot - but Annwyl really bugs me. I think she's weak and she allows Keirran to do some really crazy things for her without too much care for the consequences. But then, if she wasn't weak we wouldn't have a story. Razor the gremlin is back in force here, and I loved every page he was on.

The Ending - Urgh, No!!!

No review of this book would be complete without a comment on the ending. It sucks. There, I said it. It's a cliffhanger of note and, what can I say, it sucks! All I could do was roll my eyes and demand that Harlequin tell me how long they intend making me to wait to find out what happened. Obviously, no such answer was forthcoming. Oh well, this is me waiting at the edge of my seat . . .

Finally, the all-important question . . .

How many stars?

Humph . . . tough one. Definitely more than three but not quite four. So I guess that makes it's a three and a half. Still, I did enjoy it a lot and would recommend it to readers who love fey and intersting characters. Just a quick thank you to Harlequin for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Until next time

Cheers

Gwynn

Frivolous Friday - Everything from chewing gum to giant leeks!

Happy Friday all! 

It's been a hectic week so I'm pretty glad the weekend is upon us. Part of what I've been doing has been checking out the local shops, trying to get my head around the concept of high street shopping.

Back in South Africa, shopping tends to be divided along wealth lines. Those with cash tend to shop in plush indoor malls where the stores are very specialized. There, you are highly unlikely to find garden tools and hardware in the kitchen shop, like I've seen at a gorgeous store in Bourne, my closest town here in England.

And as for the high streets in most South African towns . . . well, they have largely been given over to open air street vendors, (know locally as spaza shops) catering to the poorer folk where you can buy anything from chewing gum to airtime to deodorant. So it has been quite an adjustment getting used to shopping here in England.

But one of the things that really struck me this week as I trawled the stores were the snippets of conversations I overhead. It seems harvest festivals are uppermost in people's mind. I guess that makes sense with it being Autumn and all. So, getting into the spirit of things, I decided to share some pics I took a few years ago when I came to England on holiday and visited a small town harvest festival with my brother Tom (long before living here had even hit the radar screen).

Some of the veggies had to be seen to be believed, like this giant leek, held by Tom, or the onions, almost as big as his hand . . .

How they get them that size is anybody's guess, although I'm told the recipes are highly guarded, almost subject to the special secrets act. I think it highly unlikely I'll ever need the info, but who knows? Stranger things have happened. You might just find me of an afternoon, digging over my allotment, tending giant cabbages . . .

It's never going to happen!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Cheers
Gwynn

The Lost Price by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince (Goodreads)

I have now read two series about the Chase siblings: The Iron Fey (reviews here and here ) and The Lost Prince, first book in The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series, and I have to confess that I liked Ethan way more than his whiney sister Meghan. Ethan is tough, loyal, self-deprecating and tortured. And he can fight like a demon with swords, sticks or fists. So what's not to like? I also enjoyed Kenzie, his friend, soon to be girlfriend. She's persistent, brave and equally as loyal. She's a great addition to the book.

So much for the two MCs, now what about the plot?

This is where my criticisms come in. For me, The Lost Prince felt a little 'been there, done that'. 

In The Iron Fey, Ethan is kidnapped by fey and taken to the Nevernever, prompting his sister Meghan and her friend Robbie (Puck) to rush off and rescue him. In The Lost Prince, Ethan's sort-of-friend Todd, a half half faerie, half human, is kidnapped, and guess what? Ethan and Kenzie rush to the Nevernever to rescue him. Okay, I admit they were driven there by the bad guys, but still, it all felt very familiar. And then once in the Nevernever, like Mehgan before him, Ethan discovers he's a prince of the fey. Or in Meghan's case, she discovers she's a queen, but you get my drift.

Also, I found that the secondary characters in The Lost Prince lacked the sparkle of The Iron Fey crew. It's hard to beat Puck and Ash for charm, wit and banter and Kierran, Annwyl and Todd - the Lost Prince bunch - just didn't have the same 'magic'. Grimalkin the talking cat also makes an appearance in this book, but I didn't enjoy him nearly as much as I did in The Iron Fey series (He was one of my favourite characters) This time round, he just seemed annoying. Sorry Grimalkin. Thankfully Razor the gremlin came to the rescue. He's a great little guy whom I have a very special spot for. I hope he stays around throughout the series. A character I did enjoy meeting again was Leanansidhe, the Exiled Queen. Every page she appeared on instantly came alive. Julie Kagawa has done an excellent job with her creation.

Now for the bad guys  . . . The Forgotten

I remember some mention of the fey who fade away in the first series, so I wasn't surprised when they turned up here, trying to regain their glamour by sucking the other fey dry. Although I figured out very early in the story who the bad guys were, it makes for an interesting plot line. I just don't know if it measures up to the pure originality of the first series. I'm not convinced this story has the legs to really go the distance they way The Iron Fey plot did. 

All this sounds as if I didn't enjoy The Lost Prince. 

No, not true. I did enjoy it and I'm now thoroughly invested in Ethan and Kenzie. I definitely want to see what happens with them, so I will be reading book two: The Iron Traitor. 

So how many stars?

I give this one three and a half stars, all attributed to Ethan, Kenzie, Razor and Leanansidhe. Would I recommend it? Yes, especially to those who already love The Iron Fey series. 

Until next time, cheers

Gwynn

PS: For those who like these details, I bought a copy of the book at my local bookstore.

The Transfer - A Divergent Story by Veronica Roth

The Transfer (Goodreads)

Oh boy, prepare yourself for a fan rave. . .

I saw this Ebook short story on a blog this week and HAD to have it because it's about one of my favourite book boyfriends of all time - Four AKA Tobias Eaton from the Divergent series.(Goodreads) A quick download from Amazon and it was mine.

The story opens prior to the Choosing Ceremony and it takes us up to Tobias's first night in his new faction, Dauntless. I'm thrilled to say it was amazing. I gulped it down, barely coming up for breath. It gives such good insight into his terrible home life with his Abnegation father - the motivation for his switch - and into his psyche. We also learn how he got his nickname - Four. After reading this, I love him even more now, if that's possible.

But the best news is that this is the first in a series of five short stories written from Four's perspective due to come out over the next year. I can't wait to read them. 

So how many stars for this little quicky? A full five five gleaming ones. If you love Divergent then you have to read this. 

Cheers

Gwynn

Frivolous Friday: Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks

Happy weekend all!

I am feeling particularly frivolous today because my dogs have finally arrived in England after a month-long separation. What a welcome we got yesterday at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre! Bella, my Toy Pom, was a trembling ball of fluff, but it wasn't joy that had her shivering. The poor things was terrified. She dived into my arms and it took a few minutes before I got a few kisses on the nose out of her. On the drive home, she lay in my arms, refusing to move. Thankfully, a good night sleep seems to have cured her. That said, she won't let me out of her sight for a second. Holley, my lab, couldn't have been more different. She was bouncing with joy and couldn't love us enough. Once in teh car, she promptly feel asleep until we got home. 

What a delight having them back. It has gone a long way to helping me settle. 

Now they're home and the challenges of a new life starts. Having lived in bungalow-style houses all their lives, neither of them know how to climb stairs. Oh dear, the stress when I vanish onto the top floor. Bella at least can be carried, but Holley . . .  all forty kilos of her? Not likely. So, any pointers on teaching old dogs new tricks?

Have a wondrous weekend.

Cheers

Gwynn