June/July Book Haul

I’ve acquired some fantastic books recently. My TBR pile has never looked so good. I wanted to share some of the titles with you.

Mount by Jilly Cooper (Bantam Press, 8th September 2016. Review copy received.) 

Rupert Campbell-Black is back!

I was so excited to receive this book in the post. Riders was such a guilty pleasure of mine and Rupert is the bad boy we all hate to love. He’s of course been in other novels but this is the first time he has taken centre stage for a while.

Mount sees an older Campbell-Black but is he wiser? This new book from Jilly brings together old and new characters and is set in the competitive world of flat racing.

Fans of Jilly Cooper… there is not long to wait.

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (MacMillan, May 2015) 

This book was recently a pick for one of the subscription boxes I subscribe to. The cover is so wonderfully atmospheric and almost gothic. The plot sounds so interesting I just couldn’t resist buying it.

Faith is searching through the belongings of her recently deceased father and discovers a strange tree. The tree only grows healthy fruit if you whisper a lie to it. In return, once the fruit is consumed, it will deliver a hidden truth to the person who has eaten it.

The bigger the lie, the bigger the truth and the more people believe it.

This book sounds so ace and right up my street. I am looking forward so much to reading it.

The Book of Dead Days by Marcus Sedgwick (Orion Children’s Book, May 2004.) 

The Book of dead Days is by the same author as The Book Thief and like The Lie Tree, I find the premise really intriguing even though it’s technically a children’s book.

The premise is that the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve are dead days; days in which spirits roam and magic shifts restlessly.

A magician must save his own life within those few days or pay the price for a deal he made with evil years previously.

Helping him is his servant, boy and the quick witted orphan, Willow.

The time between Christmas and New Year have always fascinated me. Time seems to almost stop and there is a different atmosphere around those days compared to the rest of the year. I think that’s why this book appeals.

Falling by Julie Cohen (Transworld, 28th July 2016. Review copy received.) 

This book is due for release on 28th July by Transworld and I was so pleased to receive a review copy.

A grandmother, a mother and a daughter. Honor has been holding onto a big secret. She’s been keeping it from everyone including the people she loves.

Jo’s secret could destroy the normal family life she has worked hard to get and Lydia’s secret could either bring huge love or incredible loss.

I am really a big fan of Julie’s novels so I will be pleased when this book makes it’s way to the top of my to be read pile.

Owl Song at Dawn by Emma Claire Sweeney (Legend Press, 1st July 2016.) 

I was also sent a review copy of this book; The cover feels so romantic to me. This is the debut novel from Emma and it sounds intriguing.

It tells the story of Maeve who despite nearing eighty years old keeps Sea View Lodge just as her parents did in its 50’s heyday.

Only her employees and regular guests know the heartbreak behind the prickly demeanour. That is until Vincent shows up.

Vincent is the last person she wants to see. He’s also the only other person alive who knew her twin sister, Edie.

Eligible bt Curtis Sittenfeld (The Borough Press, 21st April 2016. Review copy received.) 

There have been so many adaptations and variations of Jane Austen’s work that it is hard not to be a little dubious when another book based around one of her novels is released.

However, there was something about Eligible that made it stand out and made me think that it was definitely worth a read. It’s a modern telling of Pride & Prejudice.

Liz and Jane have flown the nest and have escaped to New York only to be summoned back home to help their father recover from a heart attack. It certainly sounds good.

The Muse by Jessie Burton (Picador, 30th June 2016. Review copy received.)

The cover for this book is absolutely stunning. It’s one of my favourites for 2016 if not ever. Here’s the blurb (which explains the premise far better than I can.)

A picture hides a thousand words . . .

On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn’t know she had, she remains a mystery – no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.

The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with explosive and devastating consequences . . .

Four Weddings and a Fiasco by Catherine Ferguson (Avon, 16th June 2016. Review copy received.) 

The final book in this haul is Four Weddings and a Fiasco by Catherine Ferguson. This is another book that has a beautiful cover. I love the colour.

Katy is a wedding photographer. She spends her days making other people smile. Her own life isn’t looking so rosy no thanks to her mum, her ex and her sister.

This book sounds like the perfect summer read.

What good books have you all received lately? Please do share in the comments below.

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.