Review- Dear Coca Cola

Dear Coca Cola
by Terry Ravenscroft


Kindle Edition (i bought this).
Published (first published May 26th 2011)

No description on 'goodreads' or 'amazon' so i have tried to discuss this in my review.

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My review...
My review on goodreads is the same as this; and someone liked my review so i felt good!!

Dear Coca Cola by Terry Ravenscroft is a series of letters to food and drink industry companies and then the replies; often there would be several letters set back and forward to the same company. There were recognisable companies such as Heinz, Coca Cola, Aunt Bessie's, Tesco, Ryvita and many more. It is amazing how many try and 'buy the writer off' with money/vouchers etc.

Intitally i found this book really interesting and humourous, it was definitely a laugh out loud kind of book. But sadly, this didn't last long, i got bored of the childish wit because letters and 'comments/complaints' just got stupid. Unbelievably stupid! I found myself scan reading it because i wanted something interesting and funny again and wasn't getting it.

I understand that it was a series of letters but i got sick of seeing the address of the author over and over again, as well as the company! Maybe this adds something to the paperback version but if so it was definite lost in the kindle version.

It is def a book that you dip in and out and i would say to people to read it but not as a sit down and read book. I would say just to read the companies you are interested in and don't read too much at once.

I gave this book 2 out of 5 stars.

**

Failure.......

I have being a complete failure with reading, blogging and just keeping upto date really.  I have been slightly pre-occupied with illnesses, births in the family, upcoming birthdays etc, but still that should leave time for reading and blogging right? Umm well no, i come on the laptop with good intentions! but i get into watching YouTube and fb, twitter and before i know it hours have passed and i have not read any blogs or done any blogging or even read some of my books.  
I am desperately trying to get into the book blogging 'world' because i LOVE to read, i love meeting new people and since i'm pretty much housebound with my illness, i thought perfect chance!  Previously i would have had no chance! Working shifts as a midwife, doing 30hrs with an hrs drive either way, a 90mile round trip!! Plus i'm a mum of 2.  So since i am a 'newbie', i need to spend time sorting out my very basic (embarrassing) blog, but saying that i have done this for me, i'm not trying to wow anyone.  
However, early days and i am already failing!?!? i should be really enthusiast surely, i think i am daunted  by how many review books i have to read on the kindle and ones i have bought in paperback over the last month. /i should do a book haul soon but it might scare me lol. Oh and i have about another 100 books on My kindle unread.....oh dear.  I do not pressure myself though, i just read when i can and do bit by bit. 
I want to get some themes going for posts so I'm not just doing reviews but with all the carry on recently i don't know what to do, people are boycotting doing 'in my mailbox' so i may do an alternative.  We shall see, I'm dying to finish reading this book (almost done) and then i can get onto the next one but I'm desperate to read my 'The Hunger Games' trilogy and my Twilight saga.....i am a late comer with Twilight i know, but i gave in after saying nope not reading it hehe.


right lets get something done hehe.....

Early review-Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Publisher: Angry Robot/April 24th, 2012

Urban Fantasy/Noir

Many thanks to the Angry Robot Army for providing a review copy via net gally. It was very much appreciated!

Book description.

Miriam Black knows when you will die.

Still in her early twenties, she’s foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, suicides, and slow deaths by cancer. But when Miriam hitches a ride with truck driver Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be gruesomely murdered while he calls her name.

Miriam has given up trying to save people; that only makes their deaths happen. But Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim. No matter what she does she can’t save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to try.

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My Review.

Firstly, many kind thanks to Angry Robots for allowing me to have a review copy via Netgalley. This is not usually a genre i read but needed to give this a go.

Secondly, the cover of this book is just absolutely amazing, once you have read the book you see how it definitely links to the lead character Miriam. The look on the face gives shows the attitude that Miriam has and her messy hair which she dyes in the colour 'blackbird!

Onto the actual book. I LOVED this book!! Just loved it. I was hooked within the first chapter and i couldn't put it down. I was instantly drawn in by the description as i am obsessed with the whole psychic thing and i liked the idea of the dark element with seeing when someone dies/murdered. The whole idea of fate and whether we can have any control, can we change it, this book questions and challenge this. I loved the descriptions of what Miriam saw even with people she touches accidently who weren't a character in the story. There's even a bit of a love story there which is interesting based on the fact that Miriam struggles with making connections and relationships due to her past.

In the first chapter i was weary of Miriam's character and not what i expected from the description of the book, but that may have been my interpretation. However, very quickly, i grew to love her. Despite the foul language (didn't bother me at all!) she is one strong kick ass b*tch and it's easy to understand why she has being shaped into this person with this attitude due to her past and current lifestyle. I felt quite protective over her because she left herself so open in vulnerable situation but my gosh she can look after herself. No surprising with the horrid nasty men she has to deal with.

The dark humour and foul language definitely added an essence to the book and enriches the story, without this, it would be a very different read. Yet from this, it will go to grotesque, sick situations with descriptions of brutal beatings/fights that are so well told you can picture it and hear the noises....eww!! Nothing is held back at all, but it is so well told. It is set in the present tense so there is this sense of urgency and fascination of what is going to happen and it makes you just keep reading and reading. It also goes into dreams/interludes which takes you away from the present but by doing so will give you information about an event/person that will add an understanding to the situation that was occurring at that time or an individual. It is just an absolute rollercoaster but one you don't want to get off.

Roll on the sequel, Mockingbird that in released in June.

I give this book 5/5 stars!!! impressive and recommend!!!

*****

Review: Amy's Diary.

Amy's Diary.

by Maureen Lee.

Paperback

Published by Orion (first published January 1st 2012)

112pages: Quick read.

Book Description.

Set during the Second World War in Liverpool, .

On 3rd September 1939, Amy Browning decided to start writing a diary. It was a momentous day for so many reasons: it was Amy's 18th birthday; her sister had just given birth to a baby boy; and on the radio it was announced that Great Britain was now at war with Germany. For a while, life didn't change very much for Amy. Living with her family in Opal Street, Liverpool, Amy and her friend both got jobs at a factory, and spent their free time looking round the shops, or watching the ships being loaded at the docks. But as the months went by, things began to change. The bombing started, and Amy's fears grew for her brother, fighting in France, and her boyfriend Ian, in the RAF...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------My Review.

Readers of Maureen Lee would be accustomed to her books set within Liverpool in the war torn eras or eras from post-war times. This book is no different and is set from 1939 to 1944, it is a quick read with approx 112pgs. The font is on the larger side so could have been much more reduced than this. I read this within about 90 minutes.

The book is meant to be undertaken in a diary format but turns into a story as such with 'chapters', no official dates for entries and isn't written in a diary format. It is written in first person but more like a story which fits the chapter-like layout.

The book is read very quickly given the length but covering such a large span of time it feels like so much is missed out. This book could have easily have been made into a longer read with more time spent on life events that occur in the read. There is so much happening in this book and gives an insight into living through the war but because of the lack of depth, there seems to be little emotion and emotive language. The language seems quite basic and at times the author 'skips' explaining 'situations' because of "it's a diary and i do not want people to find this". If this was a diary so much is missing that an individual would include, personal thought at time of entry, questions etc.....not looking back and thinking. It just doesn't feel very personal like a diary would which is a shame really.

But for what it is, it's a nice little read with a loving family and a character 'Amy' you can take too straightaway, just such a shame it's not a full read with more depth

. I've given this 3/5 but i was leading more towards 2/5.

***

Book review- Gypsy Princess

Read at the start of April.

Gypsy Princess

By Violet Cannon.

Paperback, 372 pages

Published 2011 by Headline

Product description-

A true blooded Gypsy, Violet Cannon grew up the Romany way. Life was tough at times, living in a cramped one-roomed trailer, but, unbound by strict routines, Violet spent her days learning to keep home, playing and roaming the fields with a sense of freedom long lost to the rest of modern society.

Immersed in the Gypsy way of life, her childhood set her apart from other children. Bullied by classmates, and segregated from 'gorgia' kids (all non-Gypsies), Violet eventually left school at the age of nine to live a life of travel, play and learning under generations-old Gypsy rules on the fringes of society.

With traditional values at the heart of her childhood, the pressure of conforming and marrying young was intense. Gypsy Princess is a searingly honest account of what life is really like for travelling communities, for girls in particular, and captures a way of life that is slowly fading away.

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My Review-

Really enjoyed this book- such an insight into the Romany gypsy life from the past. The book covers Violet's life (pre-conception as in parents meeting n marriage) until present, therefore a lot of subjects are briefly mentioned and no depth is given. Lots more detail would have added to the insight and given the reader a fuller experience of gypsy life rather than 'snippits'. This would have made the book longer, yet, i feel the reader would not have minded due to the depth of the story and since there was lots of repetition throughout the chapters-these could have being altered/deleted.

Again, really enjoyed it, it took me a while to get into too but at the end i wanted more and felt like i would miss Violet. Sadly the image on the front isn't Violet as a young girl....there is just one baby photo on the back cover; having some pages of photos would have helped put faces to names and added to the fulfilment of the book.

I gave this book 3/5 stars

* * *

The beginning.......

This is the beginning of my book blog, something i have being contemplating for months. It all started with Youtube and watching book related videos, from this it led to book blogs. Since i LOVE books and have so many different genres that i like, plus i have kindle and a kobo reader on my iphone which has opened up a whole new world for me.

I plan to use this blog to record what is happening in 'my' world of books; new releases i am interested, booh hauls, 'in my mailbox', book tags from blogs' and book reviews. I plan to add my reviews from my blog to other useful book sources for book readers. I am not saying or hoping that my reviews are going to change the world or even add anything but this for me, to look back on, to record AND if anyone is interested then it will be a bonus.

Now i have read hundreds of books over the years and loads recently but i am not going to do 'back' reviewing where i try and review all books i have already read. What i will do is any book i read from now on will be reviewed or just mentioned. Oh i will review the one just read.

so currently i am reading-

Twilight-paperback

kindle-

dear coca-cola

shannon matthews-

netgalley

The summer it all began/