New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

I have had so many lovely books arrive recently so I thought I would share some with you. If you've read any or are looking forward to any of them in particular then just leave me a comment!

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway (Michael Joseph, 23rd May 2013) 1812: On a lonely battlefield in Spain, twenty-two year old Lord Nicholas Falcott is about to die... run through by a French Dragoon. But, the next moment, he inexplicably jumps forward in time, nearly two hundred years- very much alive. Taken under the wing of a mysterious organisation, The Guild, he receives everything he could ever need under the following conditions: He can't go back. He can't go home. He must tell no one. Resigned to his fate, Nicholas rebuilds his life in the twenty-first century, until ten years later, when an exquisite wax sealed envelope brings a summons from The Guild. It seems for a select few the rules can be broken and Nicholas is forced to return to and confront his nineteenth century past...
Back in 1815, Julia Percy's life has fallen apart. Her enigmatic grandfather, the Earl of Darchester, has died and left her with a closely guarded secret, one she is only now discovering- the manipulation of time.
Hiding dark secrets and facing danger from unknown enemies, Julia and Nicholas are drawn to each other, as together they start to realise how little Julia knew about her beloved grandfather and to understand his ominous last words... 'Pretend.'
I think this book sounds fascinating and I am completely in love with the front cover!

Things We Never Say by Sheila O'Flanagan (Headline Review, 20th June 2013) Abbey Anderson is the last person to go looking for change. Yes, it's tough that she barley sees her mother these days- but in San Francisco she has great friends, a steady relationship and a job she enjoys. When Abbey is contacted by Irish lawyer Ryan Gilligan she learns in an instant everything she believed about her roots is a lie. She must travel to Dublin to find out more- but she's scarcely off the plane when she's plunged into a new crisis. One that will change everything not just for Abbey but for the family in Ireland who had no idea that she even existed.
Now Abbey has to make a choice that will affect everything she knows. How can she be sure she makes the right one? And can life ever be quite the same again?
I have read and enjoyed Sheila O'Flanagan's books in the past, I love stories about family secrets so this should be a good read! 

The Resistance Man by Matin Walker (Quercus Books, 13th June 2013) In 1944 the French Resistance  carried out a legendary train robbery at Neuvic in the Perigord, stealing the reserves of the Banque de France. The money was never recovered.
In St Denis, Bruno, chef de police has uncovered a cache of old bank notes that may have links to Neuvic. He's also dealing with a wave of local burglaries, one of which has led to murder.
Meanwhile, the Mayor introduces Bruno to Jacqueline, a historian from the Sorbonne who's in town to research the missing Neuvic money from a different- and deadly- angle.
When Jacqueline's home is subsequently burgled it becomes clear that Jacqueline's work is political dynamite.
I've not read any books by Martin Walker, Bruno sounds like an interesting character and having it set in France will make a refreshing change. 

Wicked Ambition by Victoria Fox ( Mira, 6th June 2013) Some will do anything for fame. Others will do anything to bring the famous down. Robin might come across as feisty and full of attitude, but as the tale progresses the reader soon learns her tough exterior conceals a damaged heart, while American megastar Turquoise, has a shocking secret that belies a murderous past. And unbeknown to Californian Kristin, her boy-band beau is harboring a dark story that could destroy both their careers. As Wicked Ambition follows the lives of these three ambitious starlets, it soon becomes clear that their rise to the top will be anything but plain sailing.
As the creme de la creme of bonkbuster books and one of the most hotly anticipated authors of 2013, Wicked Ambition is Victoria Fox's third novel and set to be her steamiest yet. Based between London and LA, Wicked Ambition follows the lives of Robin, Turquoise and Kristin whose Hollywood white smiles and angelic good looks hide murky pasts and scandalous secrets a-plenty.
This sounds like a very entertaining read, makes me want to book a holiday so I can read it on the beach! 

Flora by Gail Godwin (Bloomsbury, 4th July 2013) Ten-year-old Helen and her summer guardian, Flora, are isolated together in Helen's decaying family house while her father is doing secret war work in Oak Ridge during the final months of World War II. At three Helen lost her mother and the beloved grandmother who raised her has just died. A fiercely imaginative child, Helen is desperate to keep her house intact with all its ghosts and stories. Flora, her late grandmother's twenty-two-year old first cousin, who cries at the drop of a hat, is ardently determined to do her best for Helen. Their relationship and its fallout, played against a backdrop of a lost America will haunt Helen for the rest of her life.
This one sounds intriguing, secrets, ghosts and a big house! 

New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

I haven't done one of these for ages so I thought that I would share some of the books that I have been fortunate enough to receive for review recently. These are the ones that I am planning to read in the next few weeks so do please tell me if you have read any already or are looking forward to any in particular.

Grace Grows  by Shelle Sumners (Allen and Unwin, 1st March 2013) Meet Grace Barnum. A very loveable but fallible, textbook editor from New York City who runs her life like a...well...a text book. A scarred child of divorce, Grace only meets her father sporadically to stop a proper paternal relationship developing and she prefers her mother slightly drunk because she is 'easier to handle' that way. Her lawyer boyfriend constantly travels for work, yet she relishes the alone time. 'Big Green' is the name of her enormous satchel, catering for her every possible want or need. are you getting the picture? Then in a split second, Tyler Wilkie ruins her life. An aspiring singer-song-writer from county Pennsylvania, Tyler meets Grace on his third day in the city. He also happens to be cute, sentimental, gorgeous and about a hundred other synonyms that describe a sexy musician. The two of them become friends, Ty's career takes off and Grace's perfect textbook existence comes crashing down. Eventually, but after a lot of tears, Grace begins to grow...

Don't Want to Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell (Headline Review, 7th February 2013) Dexter Yates loves his fun care-free London life, but everything changes overnight when his sister dies, leaving him in charge of her eight-month-old daughter Delphi. How is he going to cope leaving his hedonistic life behind for a new start in the Cotswolds?
Comic strip artist Molly Hayes lives in Briarwood, the village that Dexter moves to. She's not had a great history with men and even though there's a connection between them, it looks like this isn't going to change. But lots of the village residents have secrets to discover and it soon becomes clear that Dexter isn't the only one who is going to have to adapt once these are revealed.

Waiting for Sunrise by William Boyd (Bloomsbury, 24th January 2013) Vienna. 1913. It is a fine day in August when Lysander Rief, a young English actor, walks through the city to his first appointment with the eminent psychiatrist Dr Bensimon. Sitting in the waiting room, he is anxiously pondering the nature of his problem when an extraordinary woman enters. She is clearly in distress, but Lysander is immediately drawn to her strange, hazel eyes and her unusual, intense beauty. Later the same day they meet again, and a more composed Hettie Bull introduces herself as an artist and sculptor, and invites Lysander to a party hosted by her lover, the famous painter Udo Hoff. Compelled to attend and unable to resist her electric charm, they begin a passionate love affair. Life in Vienna becomes tinged with a frisson of excitement for Lysander. He meets Sigmund Freud in a cafe, begins to write a journal, enjoys secret trysts with Hettie and appears to have been cured.
London, 1914. War is stirring and events in Vienna have caught up with Lysander. Unable to live an ordinary life, he is plunged into the dangerous theatre of wartime intelligence- a world of sex- scandal and spies, where lines of truth and deception blur with every walking day. Lysander must now discover  the key to a secret code which is threatening Britain's safety, and use all his skills to keep the murky world of suspicion and betrayal from invading every corner of his own life.

A Passionate Love Affair With a Total Stranger (Penguin, January 31st 2013) Charley Lambert had worked hard a creating a pefect life. She has an aspirational flat, a job of international significance and a very good pair of legs, thanks to a rigorous health and fitness regime. Best of all, her boss has asked her out after seven years' hard flirting and a covert fumble in a mop cupboard.
Then she breaks her leg in three places, watches her boss propose to someone else and- horror- is forced to hand over her job to her nasty deputy. Charley, a certified workaholic, fears that she will go mad.
Dangerously bored, she starts helping people who are talentless at internet dating. Then William arrives in her inbox and rocks her world. Helpless, she watches herself fall in love with him and discovers she's not who she thought she was. But can she turn her back on her old life- all for a total stranger?

The Lies You Told Me by Jessica Ruston (Headline Review, 24th January 2013) When Klara Mortimer receives a letter from a mysteriously initialed N. R.  all the certainties of her existence are thrown into doubt. She's always believed everything that her father told her about her mother Sadie, a former model who disappeared from Klara's life when she was six years old. But the letter leads Klara to a garage, and a mysterious box of objects and her mother's diary.
As she begins to read the diary, the fragments of Sadie's life begin to come together and the image id her mother she now sees doesn't match the picture her father has painted. She begins to question her father's own motives for distorting the truth, can she trust anything that he has told her or is there a further layer to her mother's story?






The Heart Whisperer by Ella Griffin (Orion Books, February 2013) Claire Dillon still lives in the shadow of the past. On her thirty-third birthday, she gives herself a present. One year to change her future.
Claire's mother has everything to live for. A husband, two children, a successful medical practice. Then at thirty-three she died in a tragic accident. And it was Claire's fault.
Now Claire is the same age. A floundering actress with a broken heart, a collection of draft snakes, and a talent for self-sabotage. She is frittering her life away with the help of her oldest friend, the gorgeous ex-rock star, Ray Devine.
On her 33rd birthday she gives herself one last year to be more like her mother. But you should be careful what you wish for...
Her estranged brother Nick is back from America and keeping his distance from his clingy sister and his pathetic father while he reinvents himself as a daytime TV relationship guru. But Dublin is full of memories and Nick is already dreaming of escape. While his wife, Kelly has dreams of her own. Ones she isn't telling him about. What will happen when another accident throws the dysfunctional Dillons together and the secrets they have kept from themselves and one another finally begin to emerge?

New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

I have once again received some great books recently! Here's just a few, as usual, let me know your thoughts good or bad!

Love Virtually by Daniel Glattauer (Quercus, 21st June) While trying to cancel her subscription to a magazine, Emmi e-mails Leo by mistake. A few brief exchanges are all it takes to spark a mutual interest, and soon they are sharing their innermost secrets, desires and passions. It seems only a matter of time before they will meet in person. But they keep putting off the moment and after all, Emma is happily married...
I really like the sound of this and it was read on Radio 4 recently with David Tenant and Emilia Fox!


The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (Simon and Schuster) Meet Julia, an ordinary teenager living through extraordinary times. A time when the future became a thing of the past. One morning Julia and her parents wake up in their modest suburban home in California to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth is noticeably slowing. The enormity of this development is almost beyond comprehension. Some panic and try to flee but there is literally no where on Earth to escape to. Noticeable changes begin to occur. The birds start to fall from the sky. The whales become beached on the sand. The astronauts are stranded in space. And yet, even with the world appearing to come to an end, day-to-day life must go on. Julia, an eleven year old girl, experiencing the loneliness and despair of an awkward adolescence, witnesses and documents the impact of this phenomenon on the world, on the community, on her family and on herself.
This sounds so good, really looking forward to it.

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan (Canongate) For two centuries Jacob Marlowe has wondered the world, enslaved by his lunatic appetites and tormented by the memory of his first and most monstrous crime. Now, the last of his kind, he knows he can't go on. But as Jake counts down to suicide, a violent murder and an extraordinary meeting plunge him straight back into the desperate pursuit of life.
I read a review for this over at the wonderful Savidge Reads and thought it sounded brilliant!

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt (Piatkus, 26th June) When society widow Lady Isabel Beckinall, becomes involved with the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children, she soon clashes with its manager, Winter Makepeace, whom she finds severely monastic, terribly solemn...and quite distractingly intriguing. And Winter does have a secret: at night he transforms into the masked avenger, the Ghost of St Giles. After the infamous Ghost of St Giles is wounded while rescuing a notorious pirate from the gallows, Isabel has no choice but to hide him from a raging mob, though she doesn't discover his identity. Winter-for his part- is haunted by this glimpse of the tender- and sensuous- side of Lady Beckinall, though he knows that they are far too apart socially ever to be together. But when a relentless dragoon captain begins hunting the Ghost of St Giles, Winter must decide if he can trust his secret, his life- and his heart- to Isabel's hands?
I think this sounds very good and I haven't read any historical fiction for ages.

A Humble Companion by Laurie Graham (Quercus, 14th June) Meet Nellie Welche- companion to royalty and keeper of secrets... Nellie Welch is the daughter of a high-ranking steward in the household of Prinnie, Prince of Wales. In 1788, at the age of twelve, she's proposed as a suitably humble companion to Princess Sophia, one of George III's enourmous brood of children. Nellie and Sofy become friends for life. From the first rumblings of revolution in France to the exciting, modern times of gas light and steam trains, from poor mad George to safe and steady Victoria, Nellie is the sharp-penned narrator of a changing world and the unchanging, cloistered lives if of Princess Sofy and her sisters. Nellie proves to be a more hawk-eyed witness than a Humble Companion, as her memoir lifts the lid on the House of Hanover's secrets and lies.
This book says that it is for lovers of Jane Austen so hopefully it will be perfect for me! 

New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

Here's what's arrived with the postman this week, let me know your thoughts!

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (Penguin) On a summer's day in 1922 Cora Carlisle boards a train from Wichita, Kansas to New York City, leaving behind a marriage that's not as perfect as it seems and a past that she buried long ago. She is charged with the care of a stunning young girl with a jet-black fringe and eyes wild and wise beyond her fifteen years. The girl is hungry for stardom and Cora for something she doesn't yet know. Cora will be many things in her lifetime- an orphan, a mother, a wife, a mistress- but in New York she is chaperone and her life is about to change.

Perfect Strangers by Tasmina Perry (Headline Review, 19th July) Just an innocent invitation. When Sophie Ellis is asked to house-sit at a luxurious Knightsbridge townhouse, it appears to be the offer of a lifetime.Drawn into the glittering circle of the home's owner, she meets wealthy American businessman Nick Cooper and is swept up into a thrilling and passionate affair. But when Nick is found dead in his hotel suite, Sophie is suddenly the prime suspect for his murder, and soon realises that Nick was not the man he seemed. Racing to find the truth and clear her name, Sophie must elude not only the authorities but also a group of dangerous players who believe Sophie has something they want. And they won't stop until she's caught.

A Rural Affair by Catherine Alliott (Michael Joseph) Newly widowed Poppy Shilling should be feeling distraught at the death of her husband. Yet she isn't. She is sad for her children, yet she feels strangely relieved: no more tight lycra cycle wear, no more having to pretend that she was happily married. But as Poppy rises out of the embers of her loveless marriage and starts to pull her life back together, it appears that straight laced Phil had some secrets of his own. Secrets that threaten to turn Poppy's life upside down all over again. Determined her dead husband won't defeat her, Poppy grabs life with both hands and embraces all that village life has to offer. It is time for a new beginning, and a chance to discover what real love feels like...

Chocolate Shoes and Wedding Blues by Trisha Ashley (Avon) Desperate to escape London and an engagement that is sucking the life out of her, Tansy Poole inherits a run-down shoe shop tucked away in the village of Sticklepond. Tansy is determined to make the shop a success and opens up as Cinderella's Slippers- providing dream shoes for every bride-to-be. From a door bell that charmingly plays 'Here Comes the Bride' to delicious chocolate shoes, the shop soon earns a reputation far beyond the village for providing the perfect finishing touch to every fairy-tale wedding. Off the shop floor, however, Tansy is not having such a glamorous time. Troublesome step sisters, family relations and handsome but brooding actor, Ivo Hawksley, for a neighbour give her plenty to worry about out of hours. Ivo has come to the village to nurse a broken heart when he realises that he and Tansy have a link in their past. They are both set to find out how secrets shared can make a very strong bond indeed...


The Boy Who Could See Demons by Carolyn Jess-Cooke (Piatkus) Alex Broccoli is ten years old and likes onions on toast, and can balance on the back legs of his chair for fourteen minutes. His best friend is a 9000 year-old demon called Ruen. When his depressive mother attempts suicide yet again, Alex meets child psychiatrist Anya. Still bearing the scars of her daughter's battle with schizophrenia, Anya fears for Alex's mental health and attempts to convince him that Ruen doesn't exist. But as she runs out of medical proof for many of Alex's claims, she is faced with a question: does Alex really suffer from schizophrenia, or can he really see demons?


Dinner at Mine by Chris Smyth (Simon and Schuster) When Rosie decides to get her friends together for their very own version of Come Dine With Me she's bursting with excitement, even though her husband Stephen is less than keen. But Rosie is adamant. Four couples, each hosting a dinner party on a different night of the week, with a prize at the end for the best one. It'll be a good laugh, won't it? And a great way for everyone to get to know each other. What could possibly go wrong? What Rosie doesn't anticipate are the lengths that her fellow hosts might be prepared to go to in order to claim the prize- outlandish recipes, rare ingredients sourced from abroad, and a chocolate tart that looks just too good to be homemade... But perhaps she should be more worried about the mounting tension between the guests, as backbiting breaks out over the appetisers and a glass of wine too many leads to indiscreet flirtation. As the pressure in the kitchen rises, relationships begin to crack under strain, high-minded principles collide and the oven gloves come off...

Many thanks to the lovely publishers for sending me review copies.

New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

I have received so many great books recently! I only have a week to go until the baby is due so I am trying to read as quickly as possible and hopefully I will get back into it quite quickly once she has arrived. Anyway here are some of the books that I have received recently, let me know your thoughts on any of them:

Pear Shaped by Stella Newman (Avon, 26th January) Sophie Klein walks into a bar one Friday night and her life changes. She meets James Stephens; charismatic, elusive, and with a hosiery model ex who casts a long, thin shadow over their burgeoning relationship. He's clever, funny and shares her greatest pleasure in life: to eat and drink slightly too much and then have a little lie down. Sophie's instinct tells her James is too good to be true- and he is. An exploration of love, heartbreak and lots of food. Pear Shaped is in turns smart, laugh-out-loud funny and above all, recognizable to women everywhere.


All the Single Ladies by Jane Costello (Simon and Schuster, 2nd February) Samantha Brooks' boyfriend Janie is a loving , intelligent and, while he isn't perfect, he's perfect for her- in every way except one: he's a free spirit. And after six years in one place. doing a job he despises, he is compelled to do something that will tear apart his relationship with Same: book a one-way flight to South America. But Sam isn't giving up without a fight. She has three months to persuade him to do the right thing. So, with the help of her friends Ellie and Jen, she hatches a plan to make him realize what he's giving up. A plan that involves dirty tricks, plotting and a single aim: to win him back. But by the time the tortured Jamie finally wakes up to what he's lost, a gorgeous new pretender has entered Sam's life. Which begs the question... does she still want him back?

The Angel at No. 33 by Polly Williams (Headline Review, 2nd February) Sophie cannot leave the people she loves. Her husband, Ollie- a man who once watered a houseplant for a year before realising it was plastic- is lost without her. Their son Freddie is so little. And her friend Jenny? There's something she desperately needs to know before it's too late.


Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead (Bantam Books, 2nd February) The Otherworld, a mystic land inextricably linked to our own- and balanced precariously on one woman's desperate courage...
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markam strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld... The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy King Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape-shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't- or won't- reveal. And as a formidable force rises to threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon- and risk the ultimate sacrifice...


The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich (Ebury Press, 16th February) Hannah Levi is famed throughout Venice for her skills as a midwife but, as a Jew, the law forbids her from attending a Christian woman. However, when the Conti di Padovani appears at her door in the dead of the night to demand her services, Hannah's compassion is sorely tested. And with the handsome reward he is offering she could ransom back her imprisoned husband. But if she fails in her endeavours to save mother and child, will she be able to save herself, let alone her husband?

Between a Mother and her Child by Elizabeth Noble (Michael Joseph, 16th February) For Maggie and Bill it was love at first sight... One impulsive wedding later and with the arrival of three perfect children, Jake, Aly and Stan, the Barrett family seem to have it all. Until the day their world stops turning. When Jake dies suddenly, they're swept away on a tide of grief that fractures Maggie and Bill's marriage. She and the children are left clinging to the wreckage of their family. And they need help, because in her grief Maggie is in danger of losing Aly and Stan too. Enter Kate, housekeeper, companion and shoulder to cry on. She's here to pick up the pieces and fix what isn't completely broken. But can Maggie trust Kate? And why is Kate so keen to help? When Bill falls for another woman, Maggie realizes she will have to fight to put her family back together- but will they still want her?

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz (Harper Collins) The Pendleton stands on the summit of Shadow Hill, a palace built in the late 19th century as a tycoon's dream home. But its grandeur has been scarred by episodes of madness, suicide and mass murder. Since being converted into luxury apartments in the '70's, however, the Pendleton has been at peace. For it's fortunate residents- among them ex-marine Bailey Hawk, songwriter Twyla Trahern and her young son Winny- the Pendleton is a sanctuary, its dark past all but forgotten. But now inexplicable shadows caper across walls, security cameras relay impossible images, phantom voices mutter in strange tongues, not-quite human figures lurk in the basement, elevators plunge into unknown depths. It seems that whatever drove past occupants to their unspeakable fates is at work again. As nightmare visions become real, a group of extraordinary individuals hold the key to humanity's destiny.

New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

There have been some lovely books dropping through the letter box over the last couple of weeks. I have read 87 books so far this year and was hoping to get to 100 so we shall have to see! Some of these will hopefully help me on my way:


Trapped by Michael Northrop (Atom, 22nd December) The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. Scott and his friends are among the last seven kids at their school waiting to get picked up that day and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night there, especially when Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. Then the power goes out. Then the heat. The pipes freeze. The roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, the empty halls grow colder and darker and the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision...
I think I am going to read this next, it sounds ever so good!


Scissors Paper Stone by Elizabeth Day (Bloomsbury, 2nd February 2012) Charles Redfern is in a coma. As he lies motionless, his wife Anne and daughter Charlotte are forced to come together to confront their relationships with him- and with each other.
Anne, once regarded as beautiful and clever, has felt herself disappearing for years, paling besides her husband's harsh brilliance. Anxious to fit in with the expectations of the people around her, she keeps her disillusionment buried inside, mechanically attending the endless round of drinks parties and dinners in her keenly social neighbourhood, and trying to ignore the guilt that trails behind her like a shadow.
Charlotte, battling an inner darkness that threatens to overwhelm her, is desperate to prevent her relationship with not-yet-divorced Gabriel from disintegrating through her own self-sabotage.
As the full truth of Charles's  hold over them emerges into the light, both women must come to terms with the choices they have made, and the uncertainty of a future without the figure that has dominated them for so long.
This sounds so good, really looking forward to it. 


Rivals in the Tudor Court by Darcey Bonnette (Avon) As the daughter of the Duke of Buckingham, the future seems bright for Elizabeth Stafford. But when her father give her hand to Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, she must sacrifice all for duty. Yet Elizabeth is surprised by her passion for her powerful new husband. And when he takes on a mistress, she is determined to fight for her love and her honour...
Naive and vulnerable, Bess Holland is easily charmed by the Duke of Norfolk, succumbing to his every whim in exchange for gifts and adoration. For years, she and Elizabeth compete for his affections. But they are mere spectators to an obsession neither of them can rival: Norfolk's quest to weave the family name in to the royal bloodline.
This sounds fantastic, bit like the Tudors.

The Promise  by Lesley Pearse (Michael Joseph, 19th January 2012) London, 1914: Belle Reilly finally has the life she always dreamed of; a devoted husband in Jimmy and a hat-shop of her own. But as WW1 shatters peace and Jimmy enlists for the army, Belle realises she can no longer stand by but must volunteer to help the cause. Her work as a Red Cross ambulance driver in France throws her back into the path- and arms of Etienne, the enigmatic man who played such a significant role in her childhood and Belle finds herself torn between loyalty and passion. But the past returns to haunt her in other, more unpleasant ways and Belle's character is tested like never before. Can she survive this most brutal of wars with her spirit intact and will destiny finally lead her to lasting happiness?
I haven't read anything by this author so I am interested in giving her a  go. 


Postcards from the Heart by Ella Griffin (Orion) Saffy has a dream job at a top Dublin ad agency. She's got her high-maintenance, purple-boot wearing mother at a safe distance. And she thinks her actor boyfriend Greg- the next Colin Farrell- is finally going to propose. Conor worships the beautiful Jess. But after seven years and twins, she still won't marry him. He spends his days teaching terrifying teenagers and his nights writing the book he hopes will change everything- including her mind. But happy endings are playing hard to get...
I think this sounds really promising and Marian Keyes enjoyed it so I will be shocked if I don't!

The Two Week Wait by Sarah Rayner (Picador, 2nd February 2012) What if the one thing you most longed for was resting on a two week wait? After a health scare, Brighton-based Lou is forced to confront the fact that her time to have a baby is running out. She can't imagine a future without children, but her partner doesn't seem to feel the same way, and she's not sure whether she could go it alone. Meanwhile, up in Yorkshire, Cath is longing to start a family with her husband Rich. No one would be happier to have a child than Rich but Cath is infertile. Could these strangers help one another out?
I was really impressed by this author's last book One Moment, One Morning and this one looks just as interesting and thought provoking. 

If you have read any of these or heard anything good/ bad then let me know!

New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

There have been some lovely books arriving at Dot Scribbles this week, let me know your thoughts on any of them!

The Night Before Christmas by Scarlett Bailey ( Ebury Press, 27th October) All Lydia's ever wanted is a perfect Christmas... So when her oldest friends invite her to spend the holidays with them, it seems like a dream come true. She's been promised log fires, roasted chestnuts, her own weight in mince pies- all in a setting that looks something out of a Christmas card. But her winter wonderland is ruined when she finds herself snowed in with her current boyfriend, her old flame and a hunky stranger. Well, three (wise) men is traditional at this time of year.
I think this one looks ever so good, plus it arrived with chocolates and a bottle of Baileys so I can't complain!


Pure by Julianna Baggott (Headline Review, February 2nd, 2012) Pure is a dark, haunting and brilliantly written post-apocalyptic novel. It is a sweeping epic which transports the reader to a world which is nightmarish and alien, yet also poetic and beautiful. It is no surprise that Fox 2000 have snapped up the film rights and the motion picture will be produced by Karen Rosenfelt, who is lead producer on the Twilight Saga series.
After the detonation, the world is divided in two: The Pures and the Wretches. Those who were not selected to live a life inside the dome felt the full force of the detonations.- fused to whatever they were closest to- they cut a shocking image. Birds are fused to backs, groups of people fused together to created 'Groupies' and Pressia, holding a doll, now had a dolls head for a hand.
Pressia Belze has lived outside of the Dome ever since the detonations. Struggling for survival she dreams of life inside the safety of the Dome with the 'Pure'. Partridge, himself a Pure, knows that life inside the Dome, under the strict control of the leaders' regime, isn't as perfect as others think. Bound by a history that neither can clearly remember, Pressia and Partridge are destined to forge a new world.
This book sounds so different and interesting, really looking forward to giving it a go.


Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris (Simon and Schuster) For the past two years, Evie Taylor had lived an invisible existence in London, a city she hoped would bring sparkle to her life. But all that is about to change. For Winter has brought a flurry of snow and unexpected possibilities. Hidden away in the basement of Hardy's- once London's most elegant department store- Evie manages the stockroom of a shop whose glory days have long since passed. When Evie overhears that Hardy's is at risk if being sold, she secretly hatches a plan. If she can reverse the store's fortunes by December 26th- three weeks away- and transform it into a magical destination once again, she might just be able to save it. But she's going to need every ounce of talent and determination she has. In fact she's going to need a miracle.
I love the cover to this one and it sounds a bit like The Secret Shopper series which I really enjoyed reading. 


And Then it Happened by Linda Green (Headline Review, 14th October) Mel Taylor was thirteen years old when she found her Mr Right. Twenty years on they remain blissfully in love. She has the man she adores, a gorgeous daughter, a great job and a dream home. But Mel's seemingly perfect life is spoilt by a dark secret and a niggling fear that her good fortune can't last for ever. Despite her husband Adam telling her to live for the present and stop worrying about the future, Mel can't shake the feeling that someone is about to call time on their happiness.
I have read a couple of Linda Green's books before and they have been really good so I have high hopes for this one too! 

The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley (Penguin, 27th October) Why has a secret from 1914 caused a century of heartache? Troubled by recent loss, Grania Ryan has returned to Ireland and the arms of her loving family. And it is here, on a cliff edge, that she first meets a young girl, Aurora, who will profoundly change her life. Mysteriously drawn to Aurora, Grania discovers that the histories of their families are strangely and deeply entwined...
From a bittersweet romance in wartime London to a troubled relationship in contemporary New York, from devotion to a foundling child to forgotten memories of a lost brother, the Ryans and Lisles, past and present, have been entangled for a century. Ultimately, it will be Aurora whose intuition and remarkable spirit help break the spell and unlock the chains of the past. Haunting, uplifting and deeply moving, Aurora's story tells of the triumph of love over loss.
I read and loved Lucinda Riley's last book Hothouse Flower last year, I am lucky enough to chat to Lucinda via email and I know how excited she is about this book coming out and how hard she has worked on it, sounds great doesn't it! 

New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

I received four very good books this week, three of them are crime/thrillers which I really enjoy reading at this time of the year, let me know if you have heard anything about any of these or read them yourselves!


Covenant by Dean Crawford (Simon & Schuster, November 2011) Humanity has always believed it is the only intelligent species of life in the universe. But while excavating in Israel, an archaeologist unearths a tomb that has remained hidden for 7,000 years. Inside lies a secret of such magnitude that the story of mankind is instantly rewritten- and it's future thrown into terrible danger. Only one man can piece history back together again. Only one man will risk everything to prevent a catastrophe that could tear the world apart.
This sounds quite different to what I normally read but I shall give it a go!

Friday Night with the Girls by Shari Low (Piatkus, 13th October) Lou Cairney's life has never been dull. But through twenty years of ups, downs and really bad hairstyles, Lou has had the best friends a woman could hope for in Lizzy and Ginger. Growing up together, they shared their dreams and disasters, broken hearts and career crashes, and they survived it all thanks to love, hope and a large dollop of humour. And cocktails. Lots of cocktails. Until now. Lou needs her friends more than ever because her past has just caught up with her in the most shocking way...
I like the sound of this one, friendship and cocktails, what more could a girl want?

Already Gone by John Rector (Simon & Schuster, December 2011) Jake Reese is an ordinary guy with an ordinary job, trying to block out the memory of his violent past by planning for the future with his new wife, Diane. But the past has a habit of refusing to stay buried. When two men attack Jake in a car park and cut off his ring finger, he tries to dismiss it as an unlucky case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when events take a more sinister turn and Diane goes missing, Jake knows he can no longer hide from the truth. As he embarks on a mission to find Diane, Jake finds himself dragged back into the life he thought he had walked away from forever and the days ahead begin to unfold in terrifying ways...
This seems to be in a similar vein to Linwood Barclay whose books I have really enjoyed so should be good!


The Crowded Grave by Martin Walker (Quercus, 3rd November) Bruno's day has not started well. The Saint Denis Chief of Police is busy.  A French-Spanish summit to be held in a local chateau is being threatened by Basque separatists, and animal rights campaigners are causing havoc attacking local foie gras farms. Up to his ears with ETA and PETA, he's not even had time for lunch. And it's about to get worse. A local archaeological team, digging for evidence of prehistoric man, unearths a well-preserved skeleton. Yet it's a lot more recent than they'd hoped- boasting a Swatch on its wrist and a bullet-hole in its skull. Bruno suspects a link between the two activist groups and the mystery corpse. With an influx of visitors making Saint Denis as crowded as the excavation's grave, the key appears to lie with one of these outsiders. Bruno must think fast, and keep his wits about him. Especially as the answer may lie a little closer to home.
Intriguing, sounds like a good mystery! 

Let me know your thoughts on any of these!