Jill's Book Blog

Blog Tour Review: The Things We Learn When We’re Dead

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Title: The Things We Learn When We’re Dead
Author: Charlie Laidlaw
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Accent Press
Source: Reads & Reels
Release Date: January 26, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

With elements of The Wizard of Oz, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and The Lovely Bones, The Things We Learn When We’re Dead shows how small decisions can have profound and unintended consequences, and how sometimes we can get a second chance.

On the way home from a dinner party, Lorna Love steps into the path of an oncoming car. When she wakes up she is in what appears to be a hospital – but a hospital in which her nurse looks like a young Sean Connery, she is served wine for supper, and everyone avoids her questions. It soon transpires that she is in Heaven, or on HVN. Because HVN is a lost, dysfunctional spaceship, and God the aging hippy captain. She seems to be there by accident… Or does God have a higher purpose after all?

At first Lorna can remember nothing. As her memories return – some good, some bad – she realises that she has decision to make and that maybe she needs to find a way home.

Review:

I really liked this story. It was a unique sci-fi twist on The Wizard of Oz.

At the beginning of the story, I had no idea what was going to happen. I didn’t understand where Lorna went, but I was so curious to see what would happen. I noticed that there were a lot of things from Lorna’s life appearing around her on the ship, including her pet hamster and actors like Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant.

In the second half of the story, I found there was too much about Lorna’s life on Earth. The story alternated between her life on the ship and her life on Earth, but there was less about the ship in the latter half. I wished there was more about the ship, because it was so unusual. However, by the end of the story, I could see that the end of her life on Earth was important to the story.

I really liked this story. It ended on a cliffhanger, so I would love to see what happens next!

About the Author:

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I was born in Paisley, central Scotland, which wasn’t my fault. That week, Eddie Calvert with Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra were Top of the Pops, with Oh, Mein Papa, as sung by a young German woman remembering her once-famous clown father. That gives a clue to my age, not my musical taste.

I was brought up in the west of Scotland and graduated from the University of Edinburgh. I still have the scroll, but it’s in Latin, so it could say anything.

I then worked briefly as a street actor, baby photographer, puppeteer and restaurant dogsbody before becoming a journalist. I started in Glasgow and ended up in London, covering news, features and politics. I interviewed motorbike ace Barry Sheene, Noel Edmonds threatened me with legal action and, because of a bureaucratic muddle, I was ordered out of Greece.

I then took a year to travel round the world, visiting 19 countries. Highlights included being threatened by a man with a gun in Dubai, being given an armed bodyguard by the PLO in Beirut (not the same person with a gun), and visiting Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave in Samoa. What I did for the rest of the year I can’t quite remember

Surprisingly, I was approached by a government agency to work in intelligence, which just shows how shoddy government recruitment was back then. However, it turned out to be very boring and I don’t like vodka martini.

Craving excitement and adventure, I ended up as a PR consultant, which is the fate of all journalists who haven’t won a Pulitzer Prize, and I’ve still to listen to Oh, Mein Papa.

I am married with two grown-up children and live in central Scotland. And that’s about it.

Tour Schedule:

May 14th

Reads & Reels (Guest Post) http://www.readsandreels.com

The Lit Cottage (Review) http://shellybajwa.wordpress.com/

Valerie’s Musings (Excerpt) http://valeriesmusings76.wordpress.com

Tranquil Dreams (Review) http://klling.wordpress.com

May 15th

Insights into Books (Review) http://insightsintobooks.wordpress.com/

The Cozy Pages (Review) http://thecozypages.wordpress.com/

Touch My Spine Book Reviews (Review) https://touchmyspinebookreviews.com

Midwestern Ladies Who Lit (Excerpt) http://mwladieswholit.wordpress.com/

May 16th

What Cathy Read Next (Review) https://whatcathyreadnext.wordpress.com/

Ali the Dragon Slayer (Review) http://www.alithedragonslayer.co.uk

Speedy Reader (Review) https://speedyreadercom.wordpress.com

May 17th

Jill’s Book Blog (Review) http://www.jilljemmett.com/

Where Dragon’s Reside (Excerpt) http://kernerangelina.wordpress.com/

May 18th

Didi Oviatt (Review) https://didioviatt.wordpress.com

Cover 2 Cover (Review) http://liisthinks.blog

Nesie’s Place (Excerpt) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

Bri’s Book Nook (Review) http://brisbooknook.wordpress.com

The Voluptuous Book Diva (Review) http://www.thevoluptuousbookdiva.com/

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Thank you to Reads & Reels for letting me participate in this blog tour.

TBR Thursday – May 17

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Blog Tour Review: The Development

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Title: The Development
Author: Jackie Kabler
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Accent Press
Source: Neverland Blog Tours
Release Date: May 10, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

After a stressful week, TV reporter Cora Baxter is ready for a quiet weekend. What she isn’t counting on is witnessing the shocking death of a young woman on her way home.

Cora discovers that seventeen-year-old Leanne has been protesting against a new housing development, angering the powerful establishment. Leanne’s death is ruled a suicide but, when puzzling information comes to light, Cora decides to investigate further.

She might not know what an unscrupulous businessman, a suspended police officer and hate-mail sending neighbours have to do with the case – but she does know there is a news story there.

With her eccentric camera crew on hand to help, can Cora work out what happened in the days before Leanne’s death? And was it really suicide after all?

Review:

I enjoyed this mystery!

I felt a personal connection to this story because the main character lives near Gloucestershire, which is home to my university, University of Gloucestershire. I’m currently doing my Master’s remotely, but I will be going to Gloucester to graduate in the fall, so I loved reading about the town!

This story really kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t predict what the clues would reveal. I also liked that Cora worked as a news reporter. She had a perfect position to explore the case, while also being removed from it. She also was able to get permission to work on it for the news, which was a bonus. Most of the time in books when someone who isn’t on the police force wants to investigate something, they get in trouble, but Cora was lucky.

I really enjoyed this crime filled mystery!

About the Author:

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Jackie Kabler is a journalist, TV presenter and author. She spent twenty years as a TV news reporter for GMTV, ITV and BBC news, and now works as a presenter for shopping channel QVC and is author of the Cora Baxter Mysteries, a series of murder mysteries set in a television newsroom. The Development is her third novel. Jackie lives in Gloucestershire with her husband, who is a GP.

Website jackiekabler.com

Twitter @jackiekabler

Facebook www.facebook.com/jackiekablerauthor

Instagram @officialjackiekabler

Thank you Neverland Blog Tours for letting me participate in this blog tour.

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – May 16

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you. Less

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: Dater’s Handbook

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Title: Dater’s Handbook
Author: Cara Lockwood
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Hallmark Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: May 15, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Cassandra Barber has a history of picking bad boyfriends…and she’s ready to change all that. She turns to Dater’s Handbook, the bestselling self-help book by relationship expert Dr. Susie, to improve her ailing love life. Surely, Dr. Susie’s advice will help her choose between her two new suitors: the laid-back, fun-loving Robert, and the sophisticated, dependable George.

The two men take her on very different kinds of dates, often with hilarious results. Cass juggles the opinions of her mother and her sister as well as Dr. Susie’s rules and checklists. But is she forgetting how to listen to her own heart?

This funny, feel-good novel contains an exclusive Hallmark recipe for Lemon Elderflower Mini Bundt Cakes.

Review:

I’ll admit, I chose this book because it has Meghan Markle on the cover. This is the book based on her Hallmark movie. Having her on the cover, especially with a release date during the same week as her royal wedding, is a huge selling point for this book.

I liked this cute romance. Cass has always had bad luck with guys, so her sister insists that she read a love guide by Dr. Susie. Cass follows Dr. Susie’s instruction and ends up with a choice between two guys. Robert is sweet, funny, and romantic. George is also romantic but he is more serious. Cass has to decide which guy is right for her.

Sometimes, when a book is written about a movie or TV show, it can sound flat and robotic. One book that I read based on a TV show read like the closed captions on the show. But this one sounded like an original story. It is told from Cass’s perspective which helped the narrative. She’s quirky and sometimes makes mistakes, but that made the story funny and entertaining.

I really liked this story. I’ll definitely have to look for the movie!

Top Ten Tuesday – Popular Books I Disliked

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Books I Disliked But Am Glad I Read, but I put my own spin on it with Popular Books I Disliked. For many of these books, I think they were just hyped too much and they didn’t live up to my expectations. Here’s my list:

1. The Giver

2. Longbourn

3. Life of Pi

4. The Animators

5. The Price Guide to the Occult

6. Wicked Charm

7. The Cuckoo’s Calling

8. Dead Girls Can’t Lie

9. Emergency Contact

10. The Woman in the Window

(all images taken from Goodreads)

Review: Rise of the Superheroes: Greatest Silver Age Comic Books and Characters

Title: Rise of the Superheroes: Greatest Silver Age Comic Books and Characters
Author: David Tosh
Genre: Non-Fiction, Graphic Novels
Publisher: F+W Media
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: May 8, 2018
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

They Could Be Heroes

Rise of the Superheroes–Greatest Silver Age Comic Books and Characters is a visual and entertaining adventure exploring one of the most popular and significant eras of comic book history. From 1956 to 1970, the era gave us Spider-Man, The Avengers, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and a flurry of other unforgettable and formidable characters.

The Silver Age redefined and immortalized superheroes as the massive pop culture titans they are today.

Lavishly illustrated with comic book covers and original art, the book chronicles:
The new frontier of DC Comics, with a revamped Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, and new characters including Hawkman
Marvel’s new comics featuring Thor and The Fantastic Four
The pop art years that saw Batman’s “new look” and the TV series
Independent characters, including Fat Fury and T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents
Spotlights new and re-imagined superheroes, like Wonder Woman, who have become central to modern pop culture
Includes values of these comics, which are popular with collectors
Thanks to the Silver Age, superheroes are bigger and badder than ever.

Review:

This is a great book about this history of superhero comics. It focuses on the art of comics and artists who created them. It is especially good for collectors, because some prices of vintage comics are listed.

I loved that there were many original comic covers in this book. Alongside the photos, the amounts that these original comics sold at auctions were listed. It’s fascinating to see how many thousands of dollars these comics can sell for today, when they originally cost only a few cents!

One funny thing about this book, and it proves that superheroes are still extremely popular, is that even though this book was just released, the movie rankings are already out of date. Avengers: Infinity War has surpassed not only the earnings of other superhero movies, but all other movies as well. Black Panther was also a huge hit, and would be listed high up on the movie rankings. This just proves the lasting effects of these characters that were created decades ago.

This is a great book about the rise of superheroes!

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading – May 14

It's Monday! What Are You Reading

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished Rise of the Superheroes: Greatest Silver Age Comic Books and Characters by David W. Tosh.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Dater’s Handbook by Cara Lockwood.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading The Development by Jackie Kabler.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments!

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – May 13

Here’s my weekly wrap up!

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

Tradition ★★★★
Lumberjanes: The Moon Is Up (Lumberjanes #2) ★★★★
Meghan: A Hollywood Princess ★★★★★
Tara Takes the Stage ★★★★
Come From Away ★★★★★
Still Mine ★★★★

I did 5 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… When Dimple Met Rishi

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I reading When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

What book are you in bed with today?