#50Books2013

This year I am linking up with Julie, Mama Owl for the #50books2013 challenge. You can link up here too, if you fancy a reading challenge.

Anyone who knows me will confirm I am an avid reader, Mr W used to complain when my holiday suitcase contained at least 14 books (one for everyday we were away!) Since having children though, it has been harder to maintain this hobby as I am usually too tired to read now!

So this will be a challenge, but a fun and hopefully relaxing one too!

Watch this space to see how I get on...

Book 1

I have read a few Carole Matthews books before and I do enjoy them.
This book is available as a free download on my Kobo.
It has three short stories and it is right up my street as it is easy reading!
The first story is "All I want for Christmas" which is about a girl called Maria who receives little presents every day through Advent until she eventually meets her mystery admirer!
The second story is called "Cold Turkey" and is about Tara who meets a man on Christmas day and they share Christmas dinner together.
The third story is "About Gardening" and is about a couple who have been married for a number of years but grown apart and try to develop their relationship again through the medium of gardening.
I really enjoyed these short stories, very easy to read, which is good for me as I usually start to read lateish at night so anything too heavy is out of the question.


Book 2

Letter From Chicago By Cathy Kelly

This was a book I downloaded onto my Kobo ages ago and never got round to reading.
Having now read it, it is right up my street. It is about an elderly lady called Elsie, who hasn't seen her sister for about 40 years as she moved to Chicago. During that time, they have wrote letters to one another, detailing their lives and families. What they both don't realise is that they have both been exaggerating the truth with regards to how successful everyone is. It all comes to light, but in a good way.
I really enjoyed this, but I do like Cathy Kelly books anyway.


Book 3

Another Kobo reader book!
This is a book of stories from Sheila O'Flannagan that have a range of different characters but that are all good, light hearted fun and easy to read. The stories are lovely and can be related to, with characters with young children, stresses of family life and work. At the end there is as sequel to Isobel's Wedding, for anyone who read that book.


Books 4 and 5

These are a couple of my favourite books ever! They are ones I have read loads of times and love re reading.
Some might find that strange, but if I have enjoyed a book I will re read it over and over again.
These books are about Venetia Summers and her family and follow a couple of years as she chaotically meanders through country life, following her husband running off with his masseuse. Her boys and baby daughter 'The Beauty' are so real they could be my friends!
If anyone has read these, I would love to know what you thought, and if not, give them a go, you might just love them as much as me!

Book 6

 The Day You Saved My Life by Louise Candlish.

I was really pleased to receive this book by this author as I have read one of Louise Candlish's books before, Since I Don't Have You, and really enjoyed it.
This book tells the story of Holly, her mum, Joanna and Holly's son Mikey. Holly is suffering from quite serious post natal depression and is heavily reliant on her mum for help with her son. Her mum feels a holiday may help all of them and arranges a trip to Paris. Whilst there, they visit different places but on a boat trip, disaster strikes as Mikey falls in to the water. Someone unknown to Holly and Joanna jump in to save him and this is where the story properly begins.... and Holly's life, and therefore Mikey's and Joanna's starts to change for the better. Without giving too much away, this man saves Holly and helps her recover, with lots of detailed twists and turns along the way.

A fantastic book, which has lots of detail, which has made me want to read more of Louise Candlish.



Book 7

Adventures in Love, Life and Infertility By Leah Campbell

I have been following Leah's blog Single Infertile Female in Alaska for about 6 months now. As with all good blogs, when you start to follow one, you have a delve back to previous posts, to find out a bit more about the person blogging. Leah's story and her struggle with infertility and the routes she had taken to try to overcome this, was one I wanted to find out about, so when she published her book I was really pleased for her. I was even more excited when it was put on Amazon, free to download to your kindle for the weekend! Not having a kindle though (I am a Kobo girl!) I looked in the play store for my phone and found I could download a free kindle app! Problem solved! I downloaded the app, downloaded the book and was away.

This years challenge to read #50booksin2013 is going quite badly.
I am really glad I am doing the challenge as it is reminding me to take more time to read, which is one of my most favourite things to do, but I just don't have enough time. Family time obviously comes first, I have been working a bit more than usual and everything else, pick ups from different places, governor meetings, PTA meetings, blogging and housework have gotten in the way of me reading!
However, I made a real effort to read this, and I am so glad I found the time to do so. It gave me a real insight into what Leah has had to cope with medically, personally and in the desire to become a mum. She tells her story truthfully and without frills and that is what makes is such a good read.
Anyone who follows Leah on Twitter,  Facebook or reads her blog will know that Leah has recently and very unexpectedly found herself to be a new mum to Cheeks. I am made up for her that her dream has come true, but so pleased that she published her book to highlight others who are going through the same thing, to give hope and to realise sometimes, without us realising it, our happy ever after is just around the corner.

Book 8

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

One of my best authors. I love Janet Evanovich books and especially the Stephanie Plum series. If you have never read one, please please read one. They never fail to make me howl with laughter and this was no exception.
Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter, who works for her cousin Vinnie. She gets her man (or woman) more by sheer luck than skill. She has two men in her life, Joe Morelli, the sexy cop and Ranger, a fellow bounty hunter and sexy Latino.
In Smokin' Seventeen Stephanie is trying to find a murderer before he strikes again, her mum is trying to convince her to dump both men and get together with someone more suitable and Morelli's crazy Grandma Bella has put a vordo curse on Stephanie and made her sex mad!
I loved it!
The first one in this series is called One For The Money. Go on, give it a go and let me know what you think...


Reading List

1. Winter Warmers by Carole Matthews (Kobo free download)
2. Letters From Chicago by Cathy Kelly (Kobo download)

3. From The Heart by Shelia O'Flanagan
4. Hens Dancing by Raffaella Barker
5. Summertime by Raffaella Barker
6. The Day You Saved My Life by Louise Candlish
7.Adventures in Love, Life and Infertility by Leah Campbell
8. Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich