Review: The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter

/ beckireads / 2 Comments

The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter

Title: The Pleasures of Autumn (Pleasures #3)
Author: Evie Hunter
Genre: Contemporary, Crime, Erotica, Romance
Publisher: Penguin Ireland (31st October 2013)
Source: Penguin Ireland
Format: Finished Copy
Blurb:

Passion must have its way . . .

When Sinead O’Sullivan is charged with stealing the Fire of Autumn – a dazzling ruby with a notorious history – investigator Niall Moore is hired to stop her fleeing and to find the jewel. Though Sinead needs to convince Niall of her innocence, telling him everything she knows exposes secrets she is desperate to keep hidden.

Sinead and Niall may not trust each other an inch, but they find it impossible to ignore the fierce carnal heat between them. Niall, an expert interrogator, uses every trick of the trade – and every weapon in his erotic armoury – to get the truth. Sinead, a fast learner, counters his every move with one of her own. Thief and thief-taker fight for dominance and there can be only one winner.

But what happens in their red-hot game of cat-and-mouse when criminals chasing the precious jewel come after Sinead . . . and the stakes become deadly?

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

THE PLEASURES OF AUTUMN by Evie Hunter is the third book in the PLEASURES series. It tells the story of Sinead O’Sullivan a museum curator who stands accused of stealing the Fire of Autumn, and of Niall Moore who is charged with returning the ruby to the museum it was stolen from. From the beginning things do not look good for Sinead, although she continues to plead her innocence.

Continue reading →

Top Ten Tuesday (40)

/ beckireads / 4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They’d love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

*

*

*

*

This weeks Top Ten topic is …

Top Ten Eight Things I Am Thankful For (could be bookish or not — up to you)

This is going to be both bookish and non-bookish.

1. My parents

Without my parents I wouldn’t have this blog, or the many brilliant books that line my shelves. Plus they’re pretty awesome even without doing all that.

2. Lucky

My dog who, if you read my Sunday post you will know, was VERY ill over the weekend. I thought I was going to lose him. Thankfully he’s on the mend.

3. My MacBook Pro

Without it I would be hard pushed to keep on top of both my blog posts and emails. My phone is brilliant for Twitter, but I don’t really want to use it for anything more complicated.

4. My Books

Books are awesome 😉

5. The Book Blogging Community

You guys are unbelievably brilliant. I’ve really enjoyed being a member of you for the past two years. I know I’m one of the quieter members, but I do notice what’s going on – even if I don’t always participate.

6. WordPress

I don’t know a lot of HTML or CCS, so WordPress quite literally saves me and makes this blog look the way it does. I also find it, on the whole, quite user-friendly. I don’t know what I would do without it.

7. Chocolate

For the bad days. Need I say more?

8. Holidays

I don’t just mean vacations, but also things like Christmas. Either way I get to spend time with my family 🙂

Those were the Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For. What are you thankful for? Let me know in the comments below, or link back to your Top Ten post so I can see what makes your list.

Sunday Post (24) & Sunday Showcase (13)

/ beckireads / 4 Comments

*

*

*

*

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It was inspired in part by the In My Mailbox meme. It’s a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

*

*

*

*

So it’s been a while. Sorry about that. It has been a busy three weeks for me, and that’s been both good and bad. It’s scary to think December will begin this time next week – where has the year gone?!

On the 4th November I travelled down to Foyles in London to attend the Holly Black and Sarah Rees Brennan signing. I was also interested to hear them talk about gothic fiction. Unfortunately things did not go smoothly, as some of you who follow me on Twitter may remember. The train I was on became a crime scene as hit someone, so consequently it took me several hours to get to London. I missed the talk, BUT I did manage to arrive for the signing.

Mum received some good news on the 6th November, so we got to go on holiday. We stayed in a house just outside Lelant (which is near St. Ives [but closer to Hayle]) for a week. It was lovely being back down in Cornwall. Mum grew up down there, and I went to University College Falmouth. Lucky seemed to enjoy the holiday too, he was much more energetic than he had been for a while. We visited St Ives and Newquay, and stopped off a Trebah Gardens which is really beautiful all year round. We’ve been visiting there since I was young.

Mum and I left Dad in charge of Lucky on Friday, and we ventured into London for a day out. We had a fantastic day, ate some brilliant food, did a bit of shopping, and had a generally good time 🙂

Yesterday Lucky collapsed at around eleven in the morning. We’d been out doing the weekly shop (I’d tagged along for the breakfast ;)) and I’d gone in the house to open the back door. He’d followed me down the hall and into the kitchen where he just collapsed. We rushed him off to the vets, who were brilliant. It took them most of the day to find out what was wrong with him, and we got the call to let us know they had to operate on him just before Day of the Doctor started on BBC1. He’s fine now and home; they had to remove his spleen, and we’re awaiting the results of the biopsies.

Hopefully next week will be better. I’ve got a family meal to look forward to on the Saturday to celebrate my aunt’s birthday, and hopefully it will be fun.

Thee Last Three Weeks on The Flutterby Room

Next Week on The Flutterby Room

  • 28th November – The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter (adult)

Any New Books?

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits, and Tea. Its aim is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed from libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders each week.

This is three weeks worth of books 🙂

Top: Books I took to the event to get signed Bottom: Books I bought and got signed at event

My order from Amazon UK finally arrived whilst I was down in Cornwall. Typical.

Books I picked up on my London trip in Foyles

Books I picked up in London from Forbidden Planet

Eight books in three weeks isn’t bad, although with Christmas coming up I think this is the last of my spending.

  • The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black (signed)
  • Untold (The Lynburn Legacy Book 2) by Sarah Rees Brennan (signed)
  • Ever After (The Hollows #11) by Kim Harrison (adult)
  • Shadowlark (Skylark #2) by Meagan Spooner
  • The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead
  • The Hollows Insider by Kim Harrison (adult)
  • Archangel’s Legion (Guild Hunter #7) by Nalini Singh (adult)
  • Angel’s Flight (Guild Hunter #6) by Nalini Singh (adult)

That’s it from me this week. I hope you’ve had a good week; let me know how your week went in the comments below.

Sinéad Moriarty talks about her book This Child of Mine

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

This is the first author Q&A post I’ve had on the blog, so I’d like to thank Sinéad Moriarty and Penguin Ireland for offering me the chance to pose Sinéad some questions about her book THIS CHILD OF MINE. Please be aware that if you’ve not had the chance to read THIS CHILD OF MINE yet some of the questions and answers may be spoiler-ish, but I’ve tried not to spoil the book for anyone. To make it clear who is talking I’ve got my questions in italics and Sinéad’s responses in bold.

TFR: Hello Sinéad, thank you for stopping by The Flutterby Room. I hope you don’t mind but I’m going to jump straight into the questions.

At its heart THIS CHILD OF MINE deals with the relationship between mothers and daughters. What made you decide to explore this often complex relationship?

SM: I think the relationship between mothers and daughters is very complex generally.  They can be so close to each other and then fall out over one secret or a lie. I wanted to explore unconditional love and the roads it can lead to. Also I wanted to look at the possibility of not bonding with your child, of being too young to be a mother and how the responsibility can weigh you down.

TFR: Parenthood is another theme you explored in the novel. Did you find it hard to write Laura’s struggle to be a good parent to Mandy and to deal with her grief of the loss of her first child?

SM: Yes very. Laura was a very complicated character but someone I really came to care about, and feel for, as the book progressed. Her mistakes lead to such dramatic consequences and she spends half of her life in a state of guilt fuelled regret and sorrow. Her grief for the child she lost really affects her relationship with her other child. It was a moving and interesting storyline to write.

TFR: I really liked the fact that you balanced THIS CHILD OF MINE by including the point of view of the mother, the child, and the child’s abductor. What made you decide to give all three points of view a voice?

SM: I wanted the reader to sympathise with all of the characters. It was vital to me that both mothers are sympathetic and that the reader would understand why they acted the way they did and understands their reasons.

TFR: And as a follow up from that, which character’s voice did you find easiest to write?

SM: Anna’s initially and then Laura’s. It’s funny actually because my own sympathies kept switching from mother to mother as I wrote the book. I saw it as a good sign!

TFR: What (if anything) inspired you to write THIS CHILD OF MINE and deal with such a difficult and contentious subject?

SM: I have always been fascinated about the Nature versus Nurture debate. The book is really about the moral dilemma of: ‘Would you take a child if you thought its life was in danger’.

TFR: THIS CHILD OF MINE is your eighth novel; did you find it easier or more difficult to write than your previous ones?

SM: Every novel is more difficult because you strive to be better with each book. I must say though I really became immersed in this one. It took over my life and all of my head space when I was writing it. I wanted so badly for it to be balanced and for the characters to be sympathetic.

TFR: As you have lived in Dublin, Paris and London at various points in your life, I was wondering what made you place Dublin as the setting at the heart of the novel?

SM: Probably because I’m based here now. But I think the settings are very much just a background to the actual story. I think the plot and characters take up most of the book.

TFR: And finally, because it has to be asked, when you write do you have a specific routine you like to follow, or perhaps a favourite place, or drink that helps you settle into writing?

SM: I write at home in a small office when the children are at school and during any other hours that I can carve out at night (if I’m not falling asleep that is!). I’d love to drink wine while I write, but it just makes me sleepy which is not conducive to productivity!

My thanks again to Sinéad for stopping by, and for Penguin Ireland for offering me the opportunity to talk to her.

Sinéad Moriarty, image from Penguin Books.

Sinéad Moriarty was born and raised in Dublin where she grew up surrounded by books. Her mother is an author of children’s books. Growing up, Sinéad says she was inspired by watching her mother writing at the kitchen table and then being published. From that moment on, her childhood dream was to write a novel (Taken from her official biography on the Penguin Books website). You can find out more about Sinéad by visiting her page on the Penguin Book website, and seeing her booklist. You could also visit her website or Facebook page.

*

*

*

Anna and Laura, Sophie and Mandy – two mothers, two daughters and a story about the bond of motherly love.Anna is proud of the job she has done raising eighteen-year-old Sophie. It’s always been just the two of them, but that doesn’t matter because Sophie has everything she could ever need.

It’s a miracle that Laura’s daughter Mandy is as happy as she is, considering that Laura remains haunted by the loss of her first child before Mandy was born.

Both women carry painful secrets and can never forget the day their paths crossed. But a chance discovery is about to bring everything into the open, and mothers and daughters, love and lies, past and future, will spectacularly collide . . .

THIS CHILD OF MINE is Sinéad’s eighth novel. You can find my thoughts on it here. You can get hold of a copy of this book through the Penguin website, Amazon UK, and the Book Depository – as well as many other sources.

Review: This Child of Mine by Sinéad Moriarty

/ beckireads / 3 Comments

This Child of Mine by Sinéad Moriarty

Title: This Child of Mine
Author: Sinéad Moriarty
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Books (26th September 2013)
Source: Penguin Ireland
Format: Finished Copy
Blurb:

Anna and Laura, Sophie and Mandy – two mothers, two daughters and a story about the bond of motherly love.

Anna is proud of the job she has done raising eighteen-year-old Sophie. It’s always been just the two of them, but that doesn’t matter because Sophie has everything she could ever need.

It’s a miracle that Laura’s daughter Mandy is as happy as she is, considering that Laura remains haunted by the loss of her first child before Mandy was born.

Both women carry painful secrets and can never forget the day their paths crossed. But a chance discovery is about to bring everything into the open, and mothers and daughters, love and lies, past and future, will spectacularly collide . . .

Rating: ** (2 stars)
Review:

THIS CHILD OF MINE is the eighth novel by Sinéad Moriarty. It tells the story of two mothers and two daughters whose paths crossed once. Anna and Sophie are very close, but Sophie is eighteen and getting ready to go off to University. Laura and Mandy aren’t quite as lucky, and in different ways both are haunted by the loss of Laura’s first child. But things are about to change for both families, when a secret is revealed by chance.

Continue reading →

Top Ten Tuesday (39)

/ beckireads / 6 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They’d love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

*

*

*

*

This weeks Top Ten topic is …

Top Ten Books I’d Recommend To X Person (your choice — could be to your mom, to a reluctant male reader, to your teenage sister, to dog lover’s, to sports lovers, etc.)

*

Hmm… I’m thinking X Person is going to be People Who Aren’t Fond of Romance Books. All of the books listed below will contain romance, but it won’t be the be all and end all of the book.

1. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

…because Sydney is a very practical and realistic person. She doesn’t go into a situation without looking at the pros and cons, but don’t think that makes her risk averse and boring. She’s one of the bravest, most kick-ass characters I’ve read in YA fiction.

Also, because the romance of the series is very much on the back-burner. The same is true of the VAMPIRE ACADEMY series from which this is a spin-off, but I have a soft spot for this book and series.

2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

…because this book will break your heart, but it will also make you laugh and go ‘aww’. It feels very real. Green handles the topic with great compassion; he shows the highs and the lows.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

…because it will surprise you. If you’re not a fan of romance based books, and because of that you’ve been avoiding this book – stop. Seriously. This book is as much about learning who you are, and being braver than you think you are, as it is about teh romance.

4. The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter (Adult)

…because although sex scenes play a prominent role in this book, there is still an actual plot. For real. And it’s an interesting and complex one too.

5. Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

…because Alanna doesn’t let love stop her or define her. She wants to prove that she can be a knight, even though as a Lady she should be shipped off to the convent to learn how to be a wife. The romance doesn’t really kick in until later books though, as Alanna is twelve when we first meet her, but when it does make an appearance it adds something to the plot in my opinion.

6. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison (Adult)

…because love comes in many forms. Also, romance is never really a major plot point in this series, though it hums along happily in the background. This book and series focuses more on survival and friendship.

7. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

…because honestly life threatening situations don’t equal hearts and flowers. I know it’s a shock. This is one dystopian YA where the romance isn’t even a third thought. It’s very much about survival.

8. Falling to Ash by Karen Mahoney

…because you’re never quiet sure if (as the reader) your reading too much into the situation. There’s only one book published in this series so far (and a short story) so things are kind of up in the air, but Mahoney hints at interesting possibilities.

9. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne-Jones

…because love isn’t all hearts and flowers, despite what most romantic fiction would have us think. Romance doesn’t even occur to Sophie – that’s for her sisters, who she loves dearly. This book is also fun to read. Wynne-Jones creates a really interesting world and story.

10. White Cat by Holly Black

…because Cassel has to work for the romance. He’s made some mistakes in the past that have costs he doesn’t realise. The romance is on the whole on the back burner with this series, as it’s more about the mob but when it does make an appearance Black creates a good balance.

Those were my Top Ten Books for X Person. What books that contain romance would you recommend to those who aren’t fans of the romance genre? Let me know in the comments below, or link back to your Top Ten post so I can see what makes your list.

Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

/ beckireads / 3 Comments

The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa, UK edition cover.

Title: The Eternity Cure (A Blood of Eden Novel, #2)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: MIRA INK (3rd May 2013)
Blurb:

ALLISON SEKEMOTO DIED SO THAT SHE MIGHT LIVE.

AS A VAMPIRE, SHE FACES THE RISE OF A DEADLY NEW PLAGUE TO HER KIND.

ALLISON THOUGHT THAT IMMORTALITY WAS FOREVER.

NOW ETERNITY ITSELF HANGS IN THE BALANCE . . .

THE VIRUS MUST BE STOPPED

No matter what the cost

No matter what the sacrifice

Mankinds survival depends on us

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

THE ETERNITY CURE is the second book in Julie Kagawa’s magnificent vampire series BLOOD OF EDEN. The series follows the story of Allison Sekemoto a human resident of a vampire town who through a series of events ends up being turned into a vampire. In THE ETERNITY CURE Allison finds herself pursuing the vampire who changed her, while doing so she discovers that the virus that is destroying her world has mutated with terrible consequences.

Continue reading →

Top Ten Tuesday (38)

/ beckireads / 4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They’d love to share their lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

*

*

*

*

This weeks Top Ten topic is …

Top Ten Four Covers I Wish I Could Redesign

This isn’t really a topic I find particularly inspiring, because generally I don’t pick up books whose covers I don’t like/don’t interest me. I’m also not great with design. So I’m somewhat stumped by how to approach this topic… Oh well, here goes.

Unspoken US cover

Unspoken UK cover

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

The original US version of this book was absolutely gorgeous, and then I saw the UK cover… Yeah, not my cup of tea. There’s no real gothic feel to it, or anything. I do like that it shows an accurate representation of Kami though.

*

*

*

*

Seraphina US cover

Seraphina UK cover

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

When I first heard of this book, and saw the US cover I was sold. It looked amazing. Then I got a look at the UK cover, and it just didn’t work for me. The book felt entirely too modern.

*

*

*

*

*

Angel Dust by Sarah Mussi

I’m not totally sure what doesn’t work about this cover for me, but it just feels wrong. I think the girl on the cover is supposed to be the main character, but she doesn’t really fit with my image from the book. It would have been kinda cool to have an angelic figure with that background though.

*

*

*

*

Drink Deep by Chloe Neill

On the whole I think the covers of these books are quiet well done, but sometimes the cover model looks like she doesn’t quite know how to handle the swords she is holding. This cover is a case in point.

*

*

*

*

*

Those were my Top Ten Four Covers I Wish I Could Redesign. What books do you want to redesign the covers of? Let me know in the comments below, or link back to your Top Ten post so I can see what makes your list.

Review: Loki’s Wolves by K. L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr

/ beckireads / 7 Comments

Loki’s Wolves by K. L. Armstrong & M. A. Marr

Title: Loki’s Wolves (The Blackwell Pages, #1)
Authors: K. L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr
Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (7th May 2013)
Blurb:

Matt Thorsen knows every Norse myth, saga and god as if they were family history – because it is family history. Most people in the modern-day town of Blackwell, in fact, are direct descendants of either Thor or Loki, including Matt’s classmates Fen and Laurie Brekke. But knowing the legends and completely believing them are two different things. When the rune readers reveal that Ragnarök is coming and kids – led by Matt – must stand in for the gods in the final battle, Matt can hardly believe it.

Matt’s, Laurie’s and Fen’s lives will never be the same as they race to put together an unstoppable team to prevent the end of the world.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

LOKI’S WOLVES is the first book in an exciting new middle grade trilogy THE BLACKWELL PAGES by K. L. Armstrong and M. A. Marr (otherwise known as New York Times bestseller Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr). THE BLACKWELL PAGES trilogy tells the story of the descendants of the dead Norse gods, who must stand in for their ancestors – some of who know they are the descendants of gods, whilst others are in the dark – and prevent the coming of Ragnarök. LOKI’S WOLVES begins the adventure, and focuses on Matt Thorsen – a descendant of Thor – and Laurie and Fen Brekke – descendants of Loki.

Continue reading →