Free Download! A Box Of Pleasures by Evie Hunter

To celebrate the publication of A BOX OF PLEASURES - a complete box-set of all four of bestselling Irish author Evie Hunter's PLEASURES titles, together for the first time - Penguin are offering you a chance to experience Evie..

If you've never read Evie or even erotica before, this is your chance to try it. Go on, we won't tell anyone! And you might be pleasantly - or even pleasurably! - surprised... 

We are also having a #pleasuresunboxed event next Saturday 6th December where readers and fans can ask Evie anything. Follow@pleasureswinter on Twitter for more.

One Hundred Christmas Proposals Competition

One Hundred Christmas Proposals is out now, here’s the blurb

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to One Hundred Proposals.

If you thought Harry & Suzie’s life couldn't get anymore sweepingly romantic than Harry asking her to marry him at the end of One Hundred Proposals – think again!

It’s Christmas in a snow-kissed London, and the.PerfectProposal.com have vowed to carry out one hundred proposals in December. No easy task at the best of times - made even more complicated by Harry & Suzie trying to plan their first Christmas and a visit from the dreaded in-laws. But one hundred deliciously Christmassy proposals later they find themselves asking if everything is still perfect in their own relationship….

Welcome back to the divinely warm world of One Hundred Proposals – with a sprinkling of pure, joyful, festive magic.

Have yourself a very merry Christmas indeed with Holly Martin’s Christmas novella.

***

I love this story and I’m so excited about you guys reading it too.  I never thought I would write a sequel for any of my novels, but catching up with Harry and Suzie, two of my favourite characters, in London at Christmas was a story that was begging to be told.  What I love about this story is instead of Harry proposing to Suzie, we get to see some of the amazing proposals they organise for their clients and we learn a little about their clients lives too.  One of my favourite proposals in this story is the sightseeing flight over London with the proposal written in flowers on a boat on the Thames.

Now you can win a sightseeing flight over London too and experience some incredible views of our capital.

 

This experience gives you a unique perspective on the sights of London. After a short pre-flight briefing, you'll board a Piper Seneca twin-engine plane for a fantastic half hour sightseeing trip.

After taking off in Essex you'll follow the Thames west into the heart of the city, getting a unique view of the capital. You'll see the O2 arena, Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the towers at Canary Wharf, The London Eye, The Shard and the Houses of Parliament. Then turn north to fly over Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, before heading back east to land in Essex. You'll get an amazing perspective on the geography of the city and the beauty of its landmarks, so whether you're a tourist or a Londoner, you'll see the capital in a whole new way. And if flying isn’t your thing, this would make the perfect Christmas present for someone in your family.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is copy one of the pre-prepared tweets below, tweet it and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw to win this prize bundle.  The more you tweet, the more times you’ll be entered.

The competition will run until midnight (UK time) on Sunday 14th December so plenty of time for tweeting.  Every time you tweet, you’ll be entered into the draw.

Good Luck

Tweets

One Hundred Christmas Proposals by@hollymartin00 is out now, a gorgeous, sparkly story to curl up with this winter
http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**

Join Harry & Suzie as they celebrate Christmas in asnowkissed London,100 Christmas Proposals is 59p
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**

Celebrate Christmas in a sparkly,snowkissed London, a beautiful love story to curl up with this winter
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**

Christmas lights,overcooked turkey,plenty ofcake,glistening snow. 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**

What will Harry give Suzie this Christmas? 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p, a sparkly,snowysequel
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**

Harry & Suzie are back celebrating their first Christmas in a snowy London,100 Christmas Proposals.59p
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**

Fairy lights, candles, snow, flowers and beautiful music, how to create the perfect Christmas proposal
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

**

100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p,a gorgeously romantic snowkissed story to curl up with this winter
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

Review: Fairytale Of New York by Miranda Dickinson

Are happy-ever-afters made in Manhattan? Find out in this gorgeous debut, perfect for cold winter nights. Once upon a time an English girl went to New York to live out her very own fairytale! Florist Rosie Duncan's life couldn't be better, she has a flourishing business on New York's Upper West Side and fantastic friends. Moving to Manhattan feels like the best decision she ever made. Even though at the time, it was her escape route from heartbreak ...For the past six years Rosie has kept her heart under lock and key, despite the protests of her closest friends - charming, commitment-phobic Ed, unlucky in love Marnie and the one-woman tornado that is Celia. Then a blossoming friendship with publishing hot-shot Nate begins to shake Rosie's resolve at the same time as her brother arrives in the Big Apple, hiding a secret. But a chance meeting brings Rosie face to face with her past, unravelling the mystery behind her arrival in New York. Rosie is forced to confront questions she has long been trying to ignore, including will she ever get her very own happy-ever-after? A sparkling, romantic comedy about an English girl who finds herself in the city where dreams can come true - or so she thinks!

Review: it was only when I was reading this book for the second time that I realised that this is one of my all time favourite books and yet I've never actually reviewed it, having read it pre-blogging times! I love this book and it was amazing to read it again 5 years later and still love it. There were parts of the books I'd completely forgotten I loved and so it was amazing to recapture that joy from the very first time all over again! 

Obviously the setting of this book is amazing, I could've imagined that Miranda was a native New Yorker when I read this and indeed when I first read it, I assumed that she was. This lives out a lot of people's dreams, moving from the UK and ending up having a fabulous life I the big apple, every detail is described beautifully, you can smell the smells, see the sights and really feel all the action right there in the pages of the novel. 

The characters in thei book are what really make it come alive though. Rosie is lovely, completely believable and completely likeable. Her trust issues and her inability to let others in it totally relatable and yet I really love her for it. Ed is hilarious and a real player, but he really cares for his friends and I completely admire him for that. Celia and Marnie are just the perfect side kicks for Rosie. I want Marnie to be my best friend and I would totally love to read about her as well. Coffee is also a major player in the novel. The coffee machine in the florist, the coffee houses for New York and the healing cups of coffees that thing things into the open and heal emotional wounds-just fab, I can smell it now! 

The storyline of this novel is just so heartwarming and so compelling, it will have you turning pages at a rate and a half and I defy anyone not to audibly aww at at least one part in the novel, thank goodness I read this when I was alone in my house, that's also I can say. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to be there hanging out with all of them-just a lovely book and I just want so badly to find out what happens next! 

Review: The Making Of Us by Lisa Jewell

Lydia, Robyn and Dean don’t know each other – yet.

They live very different lives but each of them, independently, has always felt that something is missing.

What they don’t know is that a letter is about to arrive that will turn their lives upside down.

It is a letter containing a secret – one that will bind them together, and show them what love and family andfriendship really mean…

 

Review: I just love Lisa Jewell's writing. The way she phrases things, the comparisons she draws and the sentiments that she expresses through her writing are all just wonderful. I could list sentences I have enjoyed, phrases that have made me smile but that would be boring so I'll move on. I listened to this book on audiobook. I do have the lovely paperback with this very cover, not the other cover but i decided to go for the audiobook version as my eyes are very tired at the moment and I enjoy being read to! The audiobook was an excellent performance and so that really made this lovely writer's words come alive for me!

The premise behind this book is just wonderful and such a brave topic to cover,. This is another thing that this lovely author does so well, finds the topics that need exploring and explores them through her novels. I had never imagined children of donor parents actually finding each other and meeting up, discovering new brothers and sisters, such an original idea for a book and told in such a powerful way. Jewell is sensitive to what these children might be going through and really thinks about the ins and outs of the emotional roller coaster that they will all be riding throughout the novel. The ending is also well-written, not everything is wrapped up neatly and not everyone is happy but everyone feels they have moved forwards in some way and achieved something so the ending felt ultimately satisfying!

The Characters in this novel are real people and are a really nice mix. They could all be people you've met in your life, although I don't think I've ever come across someone who has become a millionaire through inventing odourless paint, but who knows-maybe someday! I think the character I liked most was Dean because he had the furthest journey to come through. He is real and he is measured but he was incredibly endearing and i found myself wanting to sit him down and tell him it was going to be OK. I liked the relationships between the main charaxcetrs and the minor characters and I really liked how Maggie brought everyone together. She was an understanding woman and someone i would love to meet in real life!

There are some sad moments in this book it is definitely an emotional read, although i didn't cry, but even if this is the first novel you've considered by this author, you should definitely give it a go. It is a book that makes you think, a book that teaches you something and a book that will leave you feeling satisfied and fulfilled. There are a few comedy moments but on the whole it is a thought-provoking serious read but one which is put across in a non-threatening way to make for a very enjoyable read. This writer's way with words is just a gift and so i would definitely recommend picking up this novel and giving it a go!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Winter TBR 25/11/14

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 over there at The Broke and the Bookish. I'd love to share my lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

There are sooooooo many books out this year with a Christmas theme and I want to read all of them all at once. I hope I get time to read at least most of them and definitely leave me some comments below if you think I've missed any! 

1. I'll take New York by Miranda Dickinson, probably my most anticipated release of the year since I learnt about it more than a year ago now! 

2. The Christmas Surprise by Jenny Colgan, been saving this to read in December! 

3. The Great Christmas Knit off by Alexandra Brown, having loved the cupcakes at Carringtons series, I know I'm going to love this one too! 

4. Jenny Lopez saves Christmas by Lindsey a Kelk. This novella will keep me warm one Sunday afternoon I'm sure! 

5. The French For Christmas by Fiona Valpy. I've had this book ages and I need to read it now but I'm saving it for Christmas time. 

6. My true Love Gave to Me collection of short stories. This book is just so beautiful to look at it's almost too hard to read! 

7. One hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin, I need to read the first one first but I'm sure that can be arranged! 

8. Yes Please by Amy Poehler. A different choice from those listed above but one I really want to read, I think ill  listen to it on audiobook...

9. It's not Me It's You by Mhairi Mcfarlane I'm part way through this one and would love to get it finished soon. 

10. The little Christmas Kitchen by Jenny Oliver. Even the title sounds warm and toasty! 

So this is my list of ten. There are TONS of other books that are out this winter that I want to read and it was a really hard job to narrow it down to ten but I think Ive chosen wisely. As I say, let me know if there's anything I've missed!  

Review: Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

n Not That Kind of Girl, Dunham illuminates the experiences that are part of making one’s way in the world: falling in love, feeling alone, being ten pounds overweight despite eating only health food, having to prove yourself in a room full of men twice your age, finding true love, and most of all, having the guts to believe that your story is one that deserves to be told.

“Take My Virginity (No Really, Take It)” is the account of Dunham’s first time, and how her expectations of sex didn’t quite live up to the actual event (“No floodgate had been opened, no vault of true womanhood unlocked”); “Girls & Jerks” explores her former attraction to less-than-nice guys—guys who had perfected the “dynamic of disrespect” she found so intriguing; “Is This Even Real?” is a meditation on her lifelong obsession with death and dying—what she calls her “genetically predestined morbidity.” And in “I Didn’t F*** Them, but They Yelled at Me,” she imagines the tell-all she will write when she is eighty and past caring, able to reflect honestly on the sexism and condescension she has encountered in Hollywood, where women are “treated like the paper thingies that protect glasses in hotel bathrooms—necessary but infinitely disposable.”

Exuberant, moving, and keenly observed, Not That Kind of Girl is a series of dispatches from the frontlines of the struggle that is growing up. “I’m already predicting my future shame at thinking I had anything to offer you,” Dunham writes. “But if I can take what I’ve learned and make one menial job easier for you, or prevent you from having the kind of sex where you feel you must keep your sneakers on in case you want to run away during the act, then every misstep of mine will have been worthwhile.”

Review: I listened to this bo on audiobook and it was read by the author. I always enjoy when books are read by their author because I think it makes them really come to life, being read exactly as they're meant to be read/heard. I did really enjoy this book, it was a nice quick read and the structure made it very easy to listen to. The book itself is made up up mainly anecdotes toed together with major life events and so that made it easier to listen to as well. 

I'm not a massive fan or this writer/actress especially but I knew I wanted to read this book because it contains real feminist thinking and total take control of your life honesty. This writer doesn't have it all, she's never had it all and so I really respect what she has to say. There are some absolutely hilarious moments in the book alongside some emotional moments. There was a low point in the book where basically  Lena Dunham is just reading out her food diary, the items and the calories they contain and I found this part a bit boring, I think I would definitely have skipped over this if I were reading it in paper form. 

I think this book isn't just for women, however. I think guys would enjoy the humour in this book and perhaps learn something about women and relationships as well! The book is frank and honest so if you are easily offended then you might not enjoy some of the full-on detail and crude language but I find that kind of honesty refreshing and I loved the no holds barred attitude. This isn't really a full-on autobiography, neither is it a novel, it's a collection of anecdotes thrown together with some life lessons and some very thought provoking points of view. If you like the sound of that then you will really enjoy this book but if you are looking for something that fits fully into a box then this might not be for you. In my opinion though, a great Christmas present and a great read! 

Marian Keyes event at Waterstones Piccadilly

On 5th November I was lucky enough to get tickets to the event with Marian Keyes at Waterstones Picccadilly. The tickets sold like hotcakes and the event was completely sold out. The excitement continued when I found out that India Knight was actually going to be the one interviewing Marian on the fabulous stage the had concocted. Marian read a passage from her book, something which i always enjoy at a book event, its great to hear authors reading from their books and, as I had already read the book, it was brilliant to hear it read how it was intended to come across to audiences. 

Marian was hilarious and answered questions on anything from writing to how she stole her Mammy's hall table to repaint it, We had a fab discussion about social media and she touched a little on the breakdown that she had five years ago. What was really lovely was that she was asked about the men in her books and how they're so lovely and wonderful and how did she make them up, in fact she has met him and her husband is all those guys in the book and couldn't be more perfect. This was so genuine and sweet coming from someone as much in the public eye as she is. Book Minx aka SJV from Simon and Schuster asked her about her nail varnish collection and a fabulous discussion ensued about make-up recommendations and Christian Loubiton polish.

Afterwards we were able to get our books signed and Marian was lovely to enough to agree to a picture with me. The special edition waterstones versions of the books were available to buy a day early. They have blue painted edges and i think you'll agree they look fabulous. The even was well-organised by Waterstones and both Marian and the book are great fun. If you haven't read my review yet, check that out and happy reading! Click on the picture of the book if you fancy ordering a copy for yourself.

Coming Home For Christmas Blog Tour

Today I am lucky enough to have an exclusive extract from Coming Home For Christmas by Julia Williams as part of her fabulous blog tour! Information about the book and the author is listed at the end so do take a look!

Cat Tinsall was standing by the window, stirring the Christmas pudding, looking out as dark clouds rolled over the hills, threatening a cold and rainy night. The kids would be in from school soon, and her granddaughter Lou Lou was upstairs having a nap. She was glad to be in her cosy warm kitchen, with a cup of tea, and her husband, Noel, who was working from home today, sitting at the table on his laptop.

‘Bugger!’ Noel was angrily staring at his computer screen as if by some miracle it could tell him some happier news.

            ‘Problem?’ Cat.

            ‘Not sure,’ said Noel. ‘But it looks like we’ve been gazumped again on some land to the north of Shrewsbury Ralph and I have been looking at. We were planning to build some affordable starter homes, but this firm, LK Holdings, seems to have got in there first. That’s the second time in the last few months. They seem to be acquiring a hell of a lot of land in the area. We’ll have to look for somewhere else. Damn. That was such a good spot, and so needed.’

            Cat smiled fondly at her husband, his fair hair might be greying now, but his eyes were the same dazzling blue, and thanks to a strict gym regime, Noel was still as attractive to her as the day they met. And bless him, he was always saying the same about her, though her figure wasn’t quite as trim as it once was, and her own fair hair was going to need some help from the hairdresser soon...

Releasing on 6 November 2014 by Avon,Coming Home For Christmas is the perfect book to sink into a cosy armchair next to a roaring fire, put your feet up, sip a steaming cup of tea, and enjoy a few precious moments of absolute peace!

Cat Tinsall is juggling her busy family life – a quintessential ‘sandwich generation’ woman, she’s responsible for the care of her kids, her mother-in-law, and her baby granddaughter.

Her TV career as ‘The Happy Homemaker’ is looking rocky – and she’ll do anything to resist the whispers that, as a woman over 40, she’s in danger of ‘fading to grey’. She’s got an awful lot on her plate …

Cat’s good friend Pippa Holliday is finding life as a single mum a challenge, especially now the farm her family have called home for generations is in dire financial straits.

And schoolteacher Marianne North, with her young twins and teenage stepson, is dismayed to find her increasingly absent husband calling on her to take his damaged and delicate ex-wife into their home – with no moving out date in sight.

As the close-knit village community of Hope Christmas pulls together to battle ruthless plans from local developers, it looks like each of these three women needs a miracle.

As Christmas approaches, bringing with it more than one surprising turn of events, it appears they might just find one …

About The Author

Julia has always made up stories in her head, and until recently she thought everyone else did too. She grew up in London, one of eight children, including a twin sister. She married Dave, a dentist, in 1989, and they have four daughters. After the birth of the second Julia decided to try her hand at writing. Since then she has written 8 hugely popular novels, selling over a quarter of a million copies in the UK alone, and hitting the Sunday Times bestseller list.

Review: The Arcade year 2 Episode 8 Secrets by Kitty Charles

Everyone has secrets, right? Small things they keep to themselves, like the special ingredient in their signature recipe or the life they lived before, and the tenants of Angell's Arcade have more skeletons in their cupboards than most. What they don't know is that someone is watching them, someone who is carefully noting everything little detail. Someone with an interest in revealing the things they'd rather keep hidden. 

Once the secrets are out, there'll be no going back. And then the biggest skeleton of them is uncovered and nothing will ever be the same again...



This Month's episode of the Arcade lets a lot more mysterious and a lot darker. There are some thoughts about one of the previous inhabitants of the Arcade and it turns out they didn't actually ever leave, i don't want to give any more away as it would spoil it for you, but this month follows how they came not to actually leave the arcade and the mysterious circumstances that around them. This involves people pointing fingers, people turning out to be something they're not, all normal in a day in the life of the arcade. 

This month really was much darker, these books seem to be taking on that form at the moment, perhaps brighter things will be on the horizon for this poor little shopping mall. Because there was such mystery though, it is still a very compelling read and i found myself flicking through it as fast as you could shout Joan Collins. 

This is another episode where all of the characters feature including some unwelcome guests, some totally briable policemen and the returning member of the arcade plays their part as well. I really enjoy catching up with these guys every months, because we get to drop in on them every four weeks they are well-developed and well rounded characters and your really do find yourself waiting and wondering what is going to happen to them next. Fans of the Arcade's usual dollop of drama will not be disappointed because there really is plenty in this month's episode and who knows what September will bring!

Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels I can't Wait To Get 18/11/14

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 over there at The Broke and the Bookish. I'd love to share my lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

I love a sequel, I love finding out what has happened to characters between when i left them and when I'm picking up a new book about them and there are certainly some exciting sequels coming out nhext year. 

1. Geek Girl 4 by Holly Smale. I love reading about Harriet Manners and so I can't wait for this one!

2. Darcy Burdock 4 by Laura Dockrill. This is basically the same reason as the one above!

3. Summer At The Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan. I can't wait to be reunited with Neil the Puffin! 

4. A Christmas surprise also by Jenny Colgan. This is the third in the Rosie Hopkins series and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into this one in a couple of weeks! 

5. I'll Take New York by Miran Dickinson, this is the sort of sequel to Fairytale of New York and it's a fab release coming out in December! 

6. Jenny Lopez Saves Christmas by Lindsey Kelk. We love Jenny Lopez, we Love Christmas, who could possibly wait for this one?

7. Christmas with Billy and Me by Giovanna Feltcher. A cute little novella sequel to Billy and Me.

8. One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin. Another novella style sequel to the previous novel with the same name but no Chritmas. 

9. I was here by Gayle Forman, not a sequel but still very excited about this 2015 release. 

10. Love Hurts by Malorie Blackman, a collection of short stories to wrap up with! 

Review: Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher

Sophie May has a secret.

One that she's successfully kept for years. It's meant that she's had to give up her dreams of going to university and travelling the world to stay in her little village, living with her mum and working in the local teashop.

But then she meets the gorgeous Billy - an actor with ambitions to make it to the top. And when they fall in love, Sophie is whisked away from the comfort of her life into Billy's glamorous - but ruthless - world.

Their relationship throws Sophie right into the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? And most of all, is she ready for her secret heartbreak to be discovered and shared with the nation?

Charming, heartwarming and utterly romantic, Billy and Me will completely capture your heart.

Review: aww this book was just so lovely and sweet and just such a good read. I listened to this novel on audiobook and it was such an enjoyable experience from start to finish. I normally only listen during the week on my way too and from work but I found myself listening anywhere and everywhere because I was just so into this book! It had all the elements of a good fairytale-girl meets a handsome (rich) man and is whisked off to live a glamorous lifestyle in the big city but things aren't all they're cracked up to be and of course there are secrets hidden in everyone's past!

I really liked Sophie as a character, just a normal girl doing her own thing. *I liked the fact that she was so independent and wanted to make things happen for herself, not just have everything given to her! I also loved the relationship that she had with her family and her friends. Billy is very cool too, although he is a celebrity he is grounded and he has such a sense of what is right and what is wrong, he's a real gentlemen when we are lacking so many in today's society! Molly is a wonderful character too. I wasn't as keen on the storyline that she had in this novel, but then the other characters all have great storylines so it's only fair really!

This novel has romance and tragedy but neither of this elements is rammed down your throat. I admit that I did cry but I also laughed and went aww at several moments. I have no idea where Giovanna Fletcher came up with the names of characters and films for this book, making them celebrities but not real celebrities, there is a hidden talent for thinking of glamorous sounding names right there! I literally don't have anything bad to say about this novel. If you don't lie sweet romantic storylines then perhaps this novel isn't for you but if you're l9ookin g for something to snuggle down with over these long winter nights, then this is definitely something you need to read now!

Plus there is the Christmas Billy and Me being released soon so... Giovanna Fletcher Marathon anyone?

Review: Anatomy of A Misfit by Andrea Portes

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?

Review: I'd heard a lot of hype about this book, always something that makes me wary, but this book wasn't actually over-hyped, I really enjoyed this novel and it was a fabulously quick read... This book for me was a cross between Mean Girls and Cruel Intentions, both films is loved so it was the perfect chill out at the end of the day. I also love when a book feels a bit like a movie as I'm reading it...

I was pretty surprised with the meanness of the girls in this book...they can be really harsh as crass and so this book definitely isn't for younger readers. The overall message of the novel though is good winning over evil, and people making the right choice and choosing the right thing to do so that's definitely a positive. There's also a strong theme of peer pressure here and also of girls trying to conform to what society deems them to be, this would make for brilliant discussion if you were reading it with someone else or sharing it as a group. 

The setting is rather generic but then I love books set in schools so it sat very well with me! The characters are completely those you would recognise from your own school experience, the popular girls, the independent girl, the tough guy, the geeky guy. They make for the perfect formula for this novel. I didn't always like the protagonist in this case because she made some pretty bad choices but i liked her character development as the novel went on and I enjoyed reading about her!

Overall this was a good read. It was a classic high-school novel and you really know where you are with this one. The hardback edition of this book is just ggorgeousand i love the symbolism of the odd chair out on either cover. If you're looking for a high-school read about the cliques and the social order then this is definitely right for you. If you';re looking for something truly profound and mind-blowing, maybe pick something else up. I enjoyed this book but it didn't stick with me over time and i probably wouldn't be reading this again.