A Dog for Christmas - W. Bruce Cameron

When his girlfriend Amanda leaves him, Josh Michaels is broken-hearted and miserable at the thought og spending Christmas alone. A surprise call from his neighbour, asking him to look after his dog Lucy, is the last thing he needs. But like it or not, Lucy bounds into his life. And soon Josh ralises that she is not only energetic, but also very pregnant. He suddenly finds himself looking after not just one dog, but five tiny adventurous puppoes too. 

Josh heads down to the local animal shelter to seek advice, where he meets the beautiful headstrong Kerri, who works to find homes for abandoned dogs. She says that it's Josh's responsibility to care for the puppies untul they can be adopted. As Christmas draws nearer, Josh can;t help but be won over by the jouous, unconditioned love of his unruly new family - he also finds himself falling for Kerri.

Soon Josh realises he wants nothing more than to give these dogs a home and not only for Christmas.... Can Lucy and her puppies help Josh get over Amanda, win Kerri's heart, and stay with him for longer than just the holidays?

Published By: Pan Macmillan - Fiction
Year 2013 - Paperback
Pages: 230
ISBN: 978-1-4472-6324-1


This is the first of my Christmas stories to help me get in the mood for the festive season.  'A Dog for Christmas' was a charming little book and a bit of a will the good guy get the girl type story.  You could imagine Hugh Grant or Colin Firth playing the character of Josh Michaels if it were to be made into a film. A very easy read I had read the first one hundred pages on Sunday, but then unfortunately had to go to work but could easily of continued reading if time had permitted and finished before today.  Contains all the usual, highs and lows, heartache and romance, tears and joy.

M x

The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom

'You must not become too friendly with them,' she said. 'They are not the same as us.'

'How?' I asked. 'How are they not the same?'

When seven-year-old Irish orphan Lavinia is transported to Virginia to work in the kitchen of a wealthy plantation owner, she is absorbed into the life of the kitchen house and becomes part of the family of black slaves whose fates are tied to the plantation.

But Lavinia's skin will always set her apart, whether she wishes it or not. And as she grows older, she will be torn between the life that awaits her as a white woman and the people she knows as kin.

A compelling, powerful and poignant coming-of-age story about the fragility of family,and where love and loyalty prevail.

Published by: Transworld Publishers -Fiction

Year: 2013 Paperback/Kindle Edition

Pages: 399

ISBN: 978 0552 779128/0857521543

The story begins in 1791 when Lavina is orphaned upon a ship. Captain James Pyke decides to take her back to his plantation to work in the kitchen with his black slaves.  Lavinia remains part of the slave population until adulthood when her life changes again but not necessarily for the better.  This was a full on book with many highs and lows.  Definitely a good read but has to be read when you can give your full and undivided attention in order to keep up with the never ending changes to the characters and their stories.   Would recommend as a good and compelling read. 

Kindle App

Now I may well be teaching you all to suck eggs here but I recently discovered something about Kindle and therefore thought I would share this little bit of info with you all.

I bought a Kindle HD back in August and have been enjoying it's rewards ever since. What I hadn't realised is that you don't have to have a Kindle in order to read Kindle Books.  It was whilst on amazon looking for a book for my son that I then saw in a little box how you can download the Kindle App to your ipad, tablet or even your phone.  This was really useful as I currently have a son serving out in Afghanistan and he is obviously limited to what he could take with him and what he would be able to bring back if we sent him anything.  He has downloaded the Kindle App and has been able to buy and download books to read in his down time and it has proved to be invaluable.  Since then my daughter and my other son have also downloaded the app and even D has now downloaded it to his ipad and is currently working his way through all the Jeffery Archers.  If you normally buy amazon vouchers as Christmas gifts you still can as when you purchase any books for your Kindle you still have the opportunity to use any vouchers you may have to purchase. 

If you would like to know more information then simply click here.

Happy reading one and all 

M x

Midwife On Call - Tales of Tiny Little Miracles - Agnes Light

Agnes Light trained as a  nurse in the 1960's and went on to become a midwife - helping to bring new lives into the world for over 30 years. After fainting from shock at the first birth she attended as a student, Agnes grew to adore her job and the lifelong friends that worked with her on the maternity ward. In her enchanting memoir she recalls how she struggled at first with the strict rules of hospital etiquette and the expectation that she would always know the right thing to do. - from dealing with hysterical fathers to miracle multiple births - Agnes quickly learnt she had to keep a cool head whatever the circumstances. This is a heartwarming portrait of a thoughtful and compassionate midwife. Funny, poignant and rich with period detail. Midwife on Call traces Agnes's touching journey from squeamish pupil to assured professional.  

Published  by: Hodder paperbacks - Memoir

Year: 2011

Pages: 288

ISBN: 9781444736120

I bought this enchanting book sometime ago and it has been residing on my to be read shelf ever since.  I suddenly spotted it last week whilst looking for something new  to read. Agnes Light describes the highs and lows of being a healthcare professional in an ever changing world.  She tells of her experiences of delivering miracle babies to both first time mums and to those delivering number 6. Each birthing story is unique and each one very special to Agnes and the families she supports.  A very easy read and if studying to be a Midwife or just showing an interest is well worth putting on your wish list. 

Book of the Month November

This month I have read three very different books but three very strong contenders for my Book of the Month. Philomena tells the heartfelt story of one mothers search for the son who was so cruelly taken from her.  Where as the film tells the story of Philomena's search for he son  the book concentrates much more on the life he had once he was adopted and his subsequent search for his mother.

The Night Rainbow tells the story of one little girls vivid imagination and you become easily wrapped up in her story.

The Daffodil Girls tells the true accounts of the wives and families of serving army personnel and has you laughing and crying in equal amounts.  

Whilst reading Philomena I really didn't think that anything else would match it but I was wrong.  Anyone of these three books could have been my book of the month but in the end for me there was only one winner and that had to be.

Book of the Month for November 2013

Daffodil Girls - Kitty Dimbleby

How do you have a relationship that is not only long distance,but with someone who is both out of contact and in danger on a daily basis? How do you deal with everyday life while he's away? And how do you cope if your worst nightmare comes true -he doesn't come back at all?

Format: Kindle Edition - Non Fiction
Print Length: 259 pages
ISBN: 0753539640
Publisher: Virgin Digital (31 Aug 2011) 

Ever wondered what it is like to support a loved one in the armed forces? Army wife and journalist Kitty Dimbleby reveals stories of life, love and loss from the women behind the front line.

For every brave soldier putting their life on the line for Queen and country, there is a second, more subtle sort of heroism at work back at base in Britain.  Daffodil Girls is the story of the women behind the soldiers of The 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh. Granted unprecedented access into this most private of communities, writer Kitty Dimbleby brilliantly brings to life the lot of a soldier's wife, as she follows these women through the cycle of a regiment's tour of duty: the preparation for departure, the six long months of action and the emotional reunion. Insightful, humorous and deeply moving in turn, Daffodil Girls captures the unique bond of friendship and indomitable spirit that is forged in such circumstances - the extraordinary world of the heroines behind our army heroes.

'This is a moving tribute to the wives and families who are left behind when Britain's soldiers go out to fight - the story of their courage in the face of separation, loneliness and fear for those they love. Kitty Dimbleby's message is that war breeds more than one kind of hero worthy of our admiration and support' 

Oh my goodness me this has been one of the most emotionally charged books I have read in a long time.  Not only are they the true and personal accounts of each of the families,  but for anyone who has a loved one currently serving no matter which of the services they belong you will know exactly how these families felt.

One word of caution do not read whilst travelling on public transport as you may encounter funny looks from people when you laugh out loud and even more so when you can't help but shed a tear when a family has suffered a loss.  I have gone on to buy the hardback book as gifts for Christmas.  It is well worth the money and all proceeds are going to Help The Heroes.

The Night Rainbow - Claire King

Under the sweltering heat of the summer sun, five-year old Pea - and her vivid imagination - run wild in the meadows behind her home on the edge of a small village in southern France.

Pea's father died in an accident, and now she only has her little sister, Margot for company. Their mother is too sad to take care of them and has withdrawn to a place where Pea cannot reach her, no matter how hard she tries.

When Pea meets Claude, a neighbour who seems to love the meadow as she foes, she wonders if he could be their new papa. But what secret is Claude keeping.



Published by: Bloomsbury 
Year:  - Paperback
Pages: 263
ISBN: 978-1-4088-4184-6

It was back on the 24th October that Jo over at Through the Keyhole mentioned she had been reading 'The Night Rainbow' by Claire King.  As I can't read my Kindle in the bath, especially after what happened to me at the beginning of the month, I tend to have a book on hand for such eventuality. Having just finished Beautiful Child by Torey Hayden I had started reading Philomena by Martin Sixsmith on my Kindle. Arriving home from work late one evening all I wanted was a long leisurely bath with a good book. I searched on the 'to be read shelf ' and pulled out a book that didn't appear to be as thick as War and Peace only to discover it was 'The Night Rainbow' by Claire King. I have really enjoyed reading this book  and  I have found it to be a very entertaining read.  The story is told through the eyes of a child and tells of her adventures during one hot summer.  Pea has recently lost her father in an accident and her mother is finding the loss hard to bare, especially as she is heavily pregnant. Pea and her little sister are pretty much left to their own devices throughout this time much to the concern of her friend and neighbour Claude.  Eventually events dictate a change in the life of Pea and her family. I would certainly recommend as one for the wish list for reading.