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I thought I’d share some of the books I’m planning to add to my shelves during August.

Top of my must buy list for next month is The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory. I absolutely loved the first book in the trilogy, The White Queen which came out last summer and can’t wait to get my hands on this. I haven’t read anything historical for a while so it will make a nice change. It’s released on 19th August and the synopsis is:

The second book in Philippa’s stunning new trilogy, The Cousins War, brings to life the story of Margaret Beaufort, a shadowy and mysterious character in the first book of the series – The White Queen – but who now takes centre stage in the bitter struggle of The War of the Roses.

The Red Queen tells the story of the child-bride of Edmund Tudor, who, although widowed in her early teens, uses her determination of character and wily plotting to infiltrate the house of York under the guise of loyal friend and servant, undermine the support for Richard III and ultimately ensure that her only son, Henry Tudor, triumphs as King of England. Through collaboration with the dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret agrees a betrothal between Henry and Elizabeth’s daughter, thereby uniting the families and resolving the Cousins War once and for all by founding of the Tudor dynasty.

Famous Last Words by Annie Sanders

I read The Xmas Factor by Annie Sanders (actually two authors Annie Ashworth and Meg Sanders) last Christmas and have been looking forward to reading more by them. Their latest book sounds fab and is out on 19th August.

Lucy spends her days beavering away at her sewing machine, making divine, flamboyant clothes that express all the passion and flair that she cannot, and at night she sits alone with her latest creations, fretting over her struggling business. Her life is one of unfulfilled ambitions and missed opportunities. Then one evening Lucy meets the beautiful, fey and enigmatic Micah, who has an uncanny knack for foretelling fortunes, and manages to convince even the cynical Lucy. So when Micah tells her that her future isn’t looking too rosy – in fact she doesn’t have one – Lucy embarks on a spree of ‘what the hell and why not’. She faces her demons, confronts those that have annoyed her, and takes risks for the first time in her life, convinced that the accident he predicts will befall her. When the day of her prophesied demise comes – and goes – Lucy storms round to challenge Micah, who sheepishly admits he must have got it wrong this time. The appalled and angry Lucy has a hell of a mess to put right now, and demands that Micah help her do some damage control. So begins an edge-of-the-seat, race-against-time to repair Lucy’s reckless actions. But halfway through Lucy asks herself if everything is worth mending? Has she inadvertently improved her life just as she thought it was about to end? And why is Micah so reluctant to help her untangle her biggest gaffe of all?

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen.

I read and really enjoyed Sarah Addison Allen’s first book Garden Spells and have her second, The Sugar Queen on my ‘to read’ pile. I love the magical element to her books and have read lots of excellent reviews of her new release which is out next week on 5th August.

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother`s life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew, she realises that mysteries aren`t solved in Mullaby, they`re a way of life. Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor, Julia Winterson, bakes hope in the form of cakes, offering them to satisfy the town`s sweet tooth – but also in the hope of rekindling a love she fears might be lost forever. Can a humminbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily`s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Strictly speaking, this isn’t a new release as it came out in hardback last summer but Atom are releasing it in papaerback with a new cover design on 5th August together with the next book in the series Guardian of the Gate.

Without the Keys, something terrible will happen. Something that cannot be undone. And with them, I might bring an end to the riddle of the Prophecy and my strange part in it. If Alice and I are on conflicting sides of the Prophecy, the Keys would be dangerous in her hands. Which means I have to find them. And I have to do it before my sister. This is the story of sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe’s quest to discover her role and her twin sister’s in a powerful prophecy that has affected twin sisters for generations. But nothing can prepare her for what she discovers – about herself, about her family, and about the danger that goes from haunting her dreams to becoming her reality.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I’ve heard a lot of good things about this one but I wasn’t sure it was really my thing until I read the extract over on the Penguin site. Now I just have to decide which cover to go for!

John Smith is not your average teenager. He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot tell anyone who or what he really is. If he stops moving those who hunt him will find and kill him. But you can’t run forever. So when he stops in Paradise, Ohio, John decides to try and settle down. To fit in. And for the first time he makes some real friends. People he cares about – and who care about him. Never in John’s short life has there been space for friendship, or even love. But it’s just a matter of time before John’s secret is revealed. He was once one of nine. Three of them have been killed. John is Number Four. He knows that he is next . . .

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger

I’ve read all of Lauren Weisberger’s books and she is one of my favourite authors so I can’t wait to get my hands on this. It is due to be released on 19th August

Heartbreak, headlines and Hermes – welcome to Brooke’s new world…

Brooke and Julian live a happy life in New York – she’s the breadwinner working two jobs and he’s the struggling musician husband. Then Julian is discovered by a Sony exec and becomes an overnight success – and their life changes for ever.

Soon they are moving in exclusive circles, dining at the glitziest restaurants, attending the most outrageous parties in town and jetting off to the trendiest hotspots in LA.

But Julian’s new-found fame means that Brooke must face the savage attentions of the ruthless paparazzi. And when a scandalous picture hits the front pages, Brooke’s world is turned upside down. Can her marriage survive the events of that fateful night at Chateau Marmont? It’s time for Brooke to decide if she’s going to sink or swim…

Lot’s of great books! What are you most looking forward to reading in August?

I have a confession to make …  despite being a great fan of chick lit I haven’t read any of Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic books. In fact, I’ve never read a book by Sophie Kinsella! I do have almost all of her books on my ‘to read’ pile though and I’m fairly convinced that I will love the Shopaholic series (it is about one of my favourite hobbies after all!).

As I was reading excited Tweets anticipating the publication of Mini Shopaholic in September, I realised this is the perfect time to set myself a challenge and review the series for those who haven’t read it.

So, starting this week I’ll be aiming to read and review all of the books in the series so far before the release of Mini Shopaholic on 2nd September!  I’ve already started Confessions of a Shopaholic (originally The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic) and am really enjoying it.  If you fancy joining me in my challenge, leave a link to your reviews in the comments section below and I’ll add links to my reviews as I go along.

Confessions of a Shopaholic/Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic Review

Shopaholic Abroad/Shopaholic Takes Manhatten Review

Shopaholic Ties the Knot Review

Shopaholic and Sister Review

Shopaholic and Baby Review

(From the cover) Countless teenage girls have been brutally murdered … and Scarlett and Rosie March know how they died; torn apart by werewolves. For Scarlett, the memories of a similar attack have left not just emotional scars, but physical ones. The sisters fight side by side to save others from the same fate.

When the mysterious and brooding Silas arrives he inadvertently causes a series of events that could endanger them all. As passion grows between Rosie and Silas, Scarlett uncovers some shocking secrets about Silas’s family history that could tear the sisters apart – one way or another …

As with many of the books I read, I was drawn to this one by the cover. It’s very cleverly drawn (not to mention shiny!) and at first I didn’t even notice the wolf lurking at the bottom of the picture.

Sisters Red has it’s foundations in the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale but with a modern twist; telling the story of two sisters who hunt and slay werewolves to protect the lives of young girls.  The books starts ‘seven years ago’ with a young Scarlett and Rosie being attacked and their grandmother killed by a Fenris (werewolf). We then find ourselves in the here and now with Scarlett as she lures a Fenris to his death on a typical night out hunting. I liked the way this book drew you straight in to the action and the contrast of the March girls going from hunted to hunters. The fight scenes in the book are quite detailed and graphic at times and I enjoyed the fact that this wasn’t book about ‘pretty’ werewolves.

I love the names of the two main characters and the fact that they are both ‘red’ names. They suit the characters really well. The story is told in alternating chapters by Scarlett and Rosie and it was really interesting to get inside both of their heads. Whilst I really sympathised with Scarlett who is trying to come to terms with the disfigurement she suffered as a result of protecting her younger sister from the Fenris attack that killed their grandmother and feels a strong duty to protect other girls from the same fate, I was immediately drawn to Rosie and of the two sisters she was my favourite! Both are great characters though and strong in their own ways. As well as being an action packed wolf slaying adventure, Sisters Red is very much a story of two sisters and their relationship as they become adults.

This is also a love story and I was gripped more by the budding romance between Rosie and Silas than by the quest to find the ‘Potential’ (a boy or man who has specific characteristics which make it possible for the Fenris to make him part of their pack). I found the first part of the story quite slow but was glad I stuck with it as when the romance element and the hunt for the potential hot up, the book really gains pace and for the last third of it I was reading as fast as I could to find out what would happen next!

I will definitely be adding Jackson Pearce’s next book ‘Sweetly’ (a companion novel to Sister’s Red based on the Hansel and Gretal Fairy Tale) to my wish list for next year.

You can find out more about Jackson Pearce and her books at: http://watchmebe.livejournal.com/

4/5

In My Mailbox is hosted by the Story Siren to highlight new books bought or received each week and is a great way to find lots of new ideas for books to read.

I’ve been very good this week and only bought one book which is:

The Beach Hut by Veronica Henry

(From the back cover)

For Sale: A rare opportunity to purchase a beach hut on the spectacular Everdene Sands.

The Beach Hut follows the stories of the families who come to Everdene each year, people who fall in – or out – of love, remembering their pasts or trying to forget them…

There’s Jane Milton, left only debts by her husband, and forced to sell the beloved beach hut that holds so many happy memories; Sarah, for whom fidelity has lost its appeal; and Harry, suffering from all the anguish of first love when he falls for Florence – who has grown up to be far more alluring than she ever used to be.

I’d love my own beach hut so this really appealed to me and it is WH Smith’s half price book of the week at the moment so I thought I’d treat myself. I’m halfway through it already and really enjoying it. Look out for my review soon!

I know this site is just a baby but today is one month since ‘One More Page’ launched so I thought I’d review my blogging experiences so far.

In its first month One More Page had 323 visits and 745 page views which I think it absolutely amazing. I’ve become a little bit obsessed with checking my Google stats and watching the little graph go up and down (I’m a geek and proud!). So I want to say a huge thank you to the people who have stopped by to read a review or leave a comment. I love books and reading and  have wanted to set up my own book blog for a long time. Now I’ve actually done it I wonder why I waited so long. I’m totally addicted and really enjoying myself. I just wish I had more time to read!

I’ve posted 9 reviews in the last month and am almost half way through the Summer Reading Challenge that I set myself. The top three most popular reviews were: Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz, I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk and Like Bees to Honey by Caroline Smailes.

I’ve been chuffed and flattered by the lovely feedback I’ve had on the site and my reviews so far and want to thank  my husband Dave who helped me set it up and gave me a crash course in WordPress. I’d also like to thank the 6 other lovely people who are following me in that little box on the right.  I’m very grateful to you all for making me feel welcome and for signing up to my ramblings. To Rhiana Reads especially – thank you for being the first to notice my blog and for tweeting about it! And to Bookalicius Ramblings for adding me to your blog role – I’ve had loads of visits because of you

I now have 93 brilliant Twitter followers.  I could seriously spend most of my time on Twitter just chatting about books! When I’ve not been on Twitter, I’ve been trying to get around to other blogs to comment and follow and have started taking part in the ‘In My Mailbox’ meme hosted by The Story Siren.

So what’s coming next month? Well, next week I’ll be posting my August book release preview with details of the books I can’t wait to get my hands on. I’ll hopefully be completing my Summer Reading Challenge and will be setting myself a new challenge! I may even have a giveaway at some point

So have a great weekend and keep dropping by!

xxx

(From the back cover) Fashion historian Holly Ross often wishes she lived in a simpler time when the clothes were glamorous, the men debonair and the endings happy. But, about to be married and with a big promotion promised, her own happily-ever-after seems assured.

So where does it all go wrong? How, is it that in one day Holly finds herself homeless, jobless, penniless – and fiance-less? Why is she cruising on the ultra-luxurious Tiffany Star in pursuit of  dashing property tycoon Denis King? And how come she’s trying to track down a suitcase full of priceless Audrey Hepburn gowns before Interpol tracks her down?

With the sparkling Mediterranean and the eternal city of Rome as the backdrop, this romantic fashion caper starring calamity-prone Holly is filled with intrigue, comedy and plot twists galore. But it takes a major crisis for Holly to realize that a real-life dream can be more exciting than any fairytale.

Before I write anything about this book you should know that I am a very big fan of Audrey Hepburn and Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of my favourite films (and very good book) to the extent that I walked down the aisle at my wedding to ‘Moon River’! So the cover illustration of a Holly Golightly style figure coupled with the promise of fashion history, Audrey Hepburn gowns and Mediterranean locations had me almost guaranteed to enjoy Holly Would Dream before I’d even read a page.

And enjoy it I did!  If you are a fan of classic movies (particularly those starring Audrey Hepburn or Carry Grant) this is a must read for you. The story is packed full of references to their films and I had great fun spotting them. Holly is a fashion historian and there are lots of interesting fashion and film facts throughout the book.  I also loved that the chapter titles are all songs from the 50’s and 60’s and cleverly help to set the tone of the book – I found I had the songs going through my head as I was reading.

The plot is whimsical and funny and captures the feel of those old romantic movies where the leading lady has to deal with no end of mishaps, confusion and setbacks before all is put right in the world and she gets her man. Holly certainly has to face an ever increasing mountain of setbacks and failures throughout the book and I have to admit to wondering at one point what more could be thrown at the poor girl. Her fiance dumps her, she doesn’t get the promotion she was promised, she goes on a cruise as guest lecturer with a caseload of priceless Audrey Hepburn costumes and loses them, she almost gets arrested and when she does finally track down the final gown something unimaginable has happened to it! The plot twists and turns go on and on but Holly deals with it all with calamitous hilarity. This isn’t a realistic book – it’s not meant to be. It is 420 pages of pure escapism and fun. Karen Quinn creates a sparkling glamorous world with lots of larger than life characters. Holly’s Dad ‘Pops’ and uber-rich high-society Texan widow Carleen Panthollow with their inappropriate comments were my favourite characters and really made me laugh.

Holly Would Dream was released in 2008 and is the first of Karen Quinn’s books that I’ve read. I will now be adding her others to my wish-list. Fun and lighthearted, it is an ideal choice for reading on the beach or by the pool and as the majority of it is set on a luxurious Mediterranean cruise it will definitely put you in the holiday mood!

You can find out more about Karen Quinn and her other novels at http://karenquinn.net/

4/5

Nina, her son Christopher in tow, flies to Malta for one last visit with her aging parents.

Her previous attempt to see them ended in tears. Disowned for falling pregnant while at university in England, she was not allowed into the house.

This will be her final chance to make her peace with them.

But Malta holds more secrets and surprises than Nina could possibly imagine. What she finds is not the land of her youth, a place full of memories and happiness. Instead she meets dead people. Lots of them.

Malta, it transpires, is a transit lounge for recently deceased spirits and somehow Christopher enables her to see them, speak with them and help them.

And, in return, they help Nina come to terms with her own loss. One so great that she has yet to admit it to herself.

Like Bees to Honey is a story of family, redemption and ghosts. It is a magical tale that will live with you long after you finish reading.

I first heard about Like Bees to Honey on Twitter and thought I might give it a go but it was when I saw it in the bookshop that I knew I had to read it. The cover is just lovely and with its muted colours and scrapbook style illustrations it really stood out as something different. The layout of the book is also part of the story and gives the book a really poetic feel at times.

Like Bees to Honey tells the story of Nina – a mum of two who is battling overwhelming grief and guilt and trying to come to terms with the loss of her identity and family after she was disowned by her parents for leaving Malta and falling pregnant at university. Nina travels to Malta to heal her wounds and try to reconcile with her family. In Malta, Nina finds that she can see spirits and discovers that the island is where spirits go to heal as they make their journey onwards. Nina meets a number of ghosts and with their help begins to come to terms with her losses.

As you can see from my brief summary, the book has a number of dark themes and Caroline Smailes is not afraid to tackle them head on. I’ll admit that at first I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or if it would be too upsetting and harrowing. I’m pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The thoughts and actions of the characters are at times shocking but as the threads of the book weave together I understood why characters took the actions they did and wanted them to forgive themselves.

Like Bees is an amazing story, beautifully written and although it made me cry, it was in a good way. I particularly liked the perspective this book gave on the afterlife – it certainly challenged the way I think and the explanations of life and death put forward appealed to me and were comforting. The story weaves Nina’s journey with those of the ghosts she meets but each ghost also has their own story to tell. Elena and Tilly in particular were so touching.

I’d really like to visit Malta now – Smailes seems to have captured the spirit of the island, its traditions, history and customs. This is a beautiful book that will really make you think but is easy to read and flows effortlessly. It is story about ghosts but it is equally a story about living and making the most of the life we have and I would definitely recommend it.

You can find out more about Caroline and her other books at: http://www.carolinesmailes.co.uk/

5/5

In My Mailbox is hosted by the Story Siren to highlight new books bought or received each week. This is my first IMM and I’m posting it a bit late in the day but better late than never!  I’ve been a bit of a book-shopaholic this week – I couldn’t refuse a good BOGOF offer and I totally blame Lyndsey at Heaven Hell and Purgatory for mentioning it in her IMM last week

House of the Night Series
Books 1-6 by P C and Kristen Cast

I’ve had my eye on these for a while – especially since the editions with the coloured page edges came out. I think the people in the bookshop thought I was a bit mad as they’d mixed them all up with the plain versions and had split them into three different places in the shop so I was wandering around for ages trying to find the purple one!

For those who aren’t already familiar, the synopsis for the first book Marked is:

When sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird gets Marked as a fledgling vampire she must join the House of Night school where she will train to become an adult vampire. That is, if she makes it through the Change. But Zoe is no ordinary fledgling. She has been chosen as special by the Goddess Nyx and discovers her amazing new power to conjure the elements: earth, air, fire, water and spirit. When Zoey discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite group, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look within herself to embrace her destiny – with a little help from her new vampire friends.

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

The story of Scarlett and Rosie March, two highly-skilled sisters who have been hunting Fenris (werewolves) – who prey on teen girls – since Scarlett lost her eye years ago while defending Rosie in an attack. Scarlett lives to destroy the Fenris, and she and Rosie lure them in with red cloaks (a colour the wolves can’t resist), though Rosie hunts more out of debt to her sister than drive.

But things seem to be changing. The wolves are getting stronger and harder to fight, and there has been a rash of news reports about countless teenage girls being brutally murdered in the city. Scarlett and Rosie soon discover the truth: wolves are banding together in search of a Potential Fenris – a man tainted by the pack but not yet fully changed. Desperate to find the Potential to use him as bait for a massive werewolf extermination, the sisters move to the city with Silas, a young woodsman and long time family friend who is deadly with an axe. Meanwhile, Rosie finds herself drawn to Silas and the bond they share not only drives the sisters apart, but could destroy all they’ve worked for.

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Teenager Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is renowned. But his whole world is suddenly turned upside down on the night his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters – immortal vampire-slayers who risk everything to save humanity – and he quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one that’s filled with all kinds of evil. However, before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students start turning into flesh-eating members of the undead. Nick knows he’s in real danger and he soon has a lot more to deal with than starting high school: he’s under pressure to hide his new friends from his mother and his chainsaw from the principal while trying to impress the girl he has a crush on ? all without getting grounded, suspended…or killed.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

I read this three years ago while I was on holiday and I left my copy behind because my bags were too full! It’s one of my favourite books so I was chuffed when I found a lovely pristine copy in my local charity shop this week!

‘Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies …’

A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific in 1850; a disinherited composer blagging a precarious livelihood in between-the-wars Belgium; a high-minded journalist in Governor Reagans California; a vanity publisher fleeing his gangland creditors; a genetically modified dinery server on death-row; and Zachry, a young Pacific Islander witnessing the nightfall of science and civilisation the narrators of CLOUD ATLAS hear each others echoes down the corridor of history, and their destinies are changed in ways great and small.

And because it’s so cute … my new bookmark

I found this in a new shop that opened near me this week and couldn’t resist!

So that’s my first IMM – let me know what you think!

Della’s over the moon when she kisses her long-standing crush at a party – but then she discovers her diary has disappeared…

When scans of embarrassing pages are sent to her mobile and appear on Facebook, Della’s distraught – how can she enjoy her first proper romance when someone, somewhere, knows all her deepest, darkest secrets?

A couple of things drew me to this book before I’d even read a page. The first was the cover – the black background with the pink and green detail is very eye catching. Secondly, at the bottom of the cover there is a quote from Meg Cabot saying that Della Says is, “A fun delicious treat you’ll want to eat up in a single bite?” As a huge fan of Meg’s books, what better recommendation could there be?!

This is Keris Stainton’s debut novel.  It tells of Della’s summer as she works at her parent’s deli, hangs out with friends, starts her first relationship (with the boy she’s had a crush on since she was five!) and deals with someone trying to spoil it all for her by publishing extracts from her diary. I kept a diary all through my teenage years and I have to say, the thought of having parts of it out in the big wide world horrifies me so it was interesting to see how Della dealt with the situation … I think she was a lot more sensible than I would have been!

Although the diary storyline keeps the plot moving, for me, this book is really about first love and the Della and Dan relationship is written brilliantly. The story is written from Della’s perspective giving us her thoughts and experiences first hand and Keris has really captured what it feels like to be a teenager – all those questions and new feelings! Della’s character is really ‘normal’ and I mean this as the biggest compliment. I think it’s incredibly hard to write a character that so many teenage girls will absolutely identify with and Keris has got it spot on.  The supporting characters, especially Della’s parents (who I loved) are also completely believable and the relationships between the friends are very real.

Della is a brilliant role model for teenage girls and if I ever have a daughter I’ll be passing my copy on to her. Not only does Della get the message across that it’s OK to be who you are and that ‘good’ does not mean ‘boring’ – it is also ‘laugh out loud’ funny. True to Meg’s words, I did read Della in a single sitting and it is a yummy read! I’m looking forward to Keris Stainton’s next book already.

You can find out more about Keris Stainton and read an excerpt from Della at: http://www.keris-stainton.com

4/5

Angela is in the city of love – but romance is taking a nose-dive…

When Angela Clark’s boyfriend Alex suggests a trip to Paris at the same time as hip fashion mag Belle asks her to write a piece, she jumps at the chance.

But even as she’s falling for the joie de vivre of Paris, someone’s conspiring to sabotage her big break. And when she spots Alex having a tête-à-tête with his ex in a local bar, Angela’s dreams of Parisian passion all start crashing down around her.

With London and her old life only a train journey away, Angela can’t decide if should stay and face the music or run away home…

Lindsey Kelk is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.  Her two previous novels in the  ‘I Heart…’ series have been brilliant chick lit reads and Paris continues the trend – I’d even go as far as to say it’s her best book yet. But before I get any further into this review, I have to take a moment to say how much I love the cover of this book – it is gorgeous and sums the book up perfectly.

I Heart Paris is the third book in the series, but I don’t think you need to have read the other two to enjoy it, although if you haven’t read I Heart New York or I Heart Hollywood yet I’d highly recommend them too. (For those of you on the look out for a bargain, there is a free copy of I Heart New York with the August edition of Glamour Magazine.)

The series follows Brit chick Angela Clarke as she creates a new life for herself in New York and tells of her adventures as she writes her blog for ‘The Look’ magazine.  Angela is hugely likeable and her antics often make me laugh out loud as I’m reading. I’m having trouble deciding if she is the luckiest or unluckiest character I’ve ever met – on the one hand, she has a fab job, lives in my favourite city, has a sexy indie band boyfriend and one of her best friends is a stylist; on the other, she’s clumsy, can’t let things go, attracts bad luck and seems to get herself into the most awkward situations imaginable. All of this just makes her character more enjoyable but my favourite thing about Angela? She shares my love of Marc Jacobs bags!

I Heart Paris sees Angela’s boyfriend Alex invite her to Paris for a week. At the same time Angela is offered the opportunity to write for the uber-cool Belle magazine (see what I mean about being lucky?!). Angela clearly loves Paris and as with the other books in the series, this is part novel, part insider travel guide. There is a section at the back called ‘Angela’s Guide to Paris’ which lists recommendations for hotels, bars, restaurants and shops. It’s a long time since I’ve been to Paris but the descriptions of people and places seemed very real and the book made me want to hop on the Eurostar and do some serious shopping!

In true Angela style, all is going swimmingly until she gets off the plane in Paris. Someone tries to sabotage her article for Belle and things go from bad to worse as Alex’s ex-girlfriend appears on the scene and makes it clear that she doesn’t just want to be friends with him. The book is full of snappy dialogue and it moves at such a pace that you just have to keep turning the pages. As everything falls apart, Angela finds herself, one year on from her move to New York, questioning all of her decisions so far. I loved the way the book put Angela in a similar situation to the original plot in I Heart New York and seeing how she reacts compared to a year ago. This novel has a very sweet message about where ‘home’ really is and I’d highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

You can read more about Angela and her adventures at: www.iheartparis.co.uk

5/5