Book Review – The Woman In Me by Britney Spears

BOOK REVIEW

The Woman In Me by Britney Spears.

3/5 ⭐️

As a teen, back in the late 90s, I adored Britney. I loved her music. So the inner teen in me was excited for her autobiography to come out as I wanted to know about her life, her singing career, and her experiences in the limelight. And, of course, what actually happened throughout the conservatorship. What Britney went through was horrendous and it hurts my heart that a person could ever be treated that way. I wanted to know her story.

For me, this book could have been so much more. She barely scratched the surface when talking about her life. She gives you a vague telling about things that happened but doesn’t go in to great detail. It felt disjointed at times and I didnt feel connected to what was going on because it was like she was just glossing over stuff. I wanted it to make me *feel* something. I wanted to feel what she felt, but sadly, apart from one incident involving her youngest child, it failed at that. From my understanding, Britney wrote this book along with the guidance of a writer. Sadly, it didn’t feel that way. The book lacked depth and the author needed to expand and delve deeper. Unfortunately, this book just missed the mark, which is a shame as I had high hopes for it.

#BookReview #BritneySpears #BritneySpearsBook #TheWomanInMe #autobiography #nonfiction #nonfictionbooks #BookObsessed #BookCommunity #ReadingTime #readinggoals #readersofinstagram #BookBlog #bookblurb

Book Review — Sociopath A Memoir by Patric Gagne

Book Review!

Sociopath – A Memoir by Patric Gagne.

Releasing 11th April 2024.

BLURB:

” ‘Your friends would probably describe me as nice. But guess what? I can’t stand your friends. I’m a liar. I’m a thief. I’m highly manipulative. I don’t care what other people think. I’m capable of almost anything.’

A Memoir is at once a mesmerizing tale of a life lived on the edge of the law, a redemptive love story and a moving account of one woman’s battle to create a place for herself and a deeper understanding of people who, like her, are sociopaths. Ever since she was a small child, Patric Gagne knew she was different. Although she felt intense love for her family and her best friend, David, these connections were never enough to make her be ‘good’, or to reduce her feelings of apathy and frustration. As she grew older, her behaviour escalated from petty theft through to breaking and entering, stalking, and worse. As an adult, Patric realized that she was a sociopath. “

Review:

5/5 ⭐️

I have always been interested in the human psyche; trying to understand what makes a person tick. So when the opportunity arose to review this book, I couldn’t pass it up. It immediately intrigued me. Patric’s memoir was so insightful and incredibly interesting. You’re taken on a journey throughout Patric’s childhood and onwards, learning about her sociopathy along with her. The fact she was able to understand it to some extent from such a young age astounds me. Her memoir was refreshingly honest about her life as a sociopath, about her traits, and about the things she needed to do in order to ease the pressure she felt from not *feeling* in order to feel *something*. A wonderful read that just makes me want to know more.
Thank you @bookbreakuk for sending me this fantastic book to review!

#bookbreakuk #sociopathamemoir #patricgagne #memoir #nonfictionbooks #gifted #bookreview #BookReviewers #ReadingList #BookRecommendation #BookCommunity #booksandcoffee

Book Review – The Final Hours of Muriel Hinchcliffe M.B.E by Claire Parkin

BOOK REVIEW!

The Final Hours of Muriel Hinchcliffe M.B.E by Claire Parkin. Releasing 21st March 2024.

BLURB:

“Muriel, a former bestselling romantic novelist, and Ruth, a journalist, are best friends. Inseparable since they were little, they’ve shared everything; unable to be without each other, even after the most vicious of fights.

Now fate has left them living together in a North London home, with Ruth caring for Muriel in her deteriorating health, playing Scrabble, arguing and making up, passing the days in monotony, ignoring the scars of their relationship. Then one afternoon, Muriel makes a shocking and sinister announcement, sending Ruth’s world into chaos. Only one thing is certain. Life, as she knows it, will never be the same again. . .”

REVIEW:

3/5 ⭐️

It took me a bit to get into the writing style, but once I did, I found it quite charming. It perfectly captures the way in which some of the older generation speak. Unfortunately, I found the book to be slow going, and it really didn’t pick up pace until the last 40 pages (out of 311). Both Muriel and Ruth were awful characters, both as toxic as the other, who absolutely deserved each other! There were lots of flashbacks and details of what happened then, but I felt what was happening in the present was only briefly written about. I wanted more. Particularly when Ruth eventually figures out what was going on. Sadly, that explanation was cut short (haha). There was a couple of good twists and turns that were shocking. That moment when Muriel was in the cab with Barney had me absolutely disgusted with her! On a whole, though, I just wanted a bit more depth to the story.

*Thank you to @bookbreakuk for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book*

#BookReview #BookRecommendation #BookBlog #BookWorm #ReadingCommunity #Bookish #MustRead #AmReading #Literary #NewBook #BookLovers #PageTurner #GreatRead #MysteryNovel #Suspenseful #Thriller #MurielHinchcliffe #BookReviewers #Bookstagram #ReadingList #FictionFriday #WeekendReads #BookAddict #BookNerd #Bestseller #BookObsessed #LiteratureLover #BookishCommunity #BookBlogger #gifted

Book Release – Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao.

Imagine Legally Blonde meets The Devil Wears Prada, but this time Elle Woods is tackling the cutthroat startup world. In Valley Verified, our heroine Zoe is forced to leave her fashion job in New York and move to Silicon Valley, where she joins an up-and-coming tech startup. Tasked with securing an eight-figure investment that could make or break the company, Zoe must tackle judgmental coworkers, eccentric tech billionaires and her own insecurities to prove she’s more than just a fashionista in a land of tech bros.

Purchase link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707160/valley-verified-by-kyla-zhao/

Signed & personalized copies: https://www.lindentreebooks.com/valley-verified.html

About Kyla

Kyla Zhao writes novels starring women of color in fun settings like high society, the fashion industry, and Silicon Valley. Her first book The Fraud Squad was a book pick by Good Morning America, a #1 new release in Asian-American literature on Kindle, and featured by media outlets such as Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Buzzfeed and so on. Kyla was also selected by Forbes for its 30 Under 30 list and Tatler as a Leader of Tomorrow. Her second novel Valley Verified comes out worldwide in January 2024.

Kyla now works in Silicon Valley after graduating from Stanford University in 2021.  She’s still trying to understand why Californians adore hiking and Patagonia fleeces so much.

Newsletter: kylazhao.substack.com

Instagram: @kylajzhao

TikTok: @kylazingaround

Twitter: @kylazhao_

Book Review – One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall

Blurb:

“Don’t ignore the warning signs!

If most men say they’re
one of the good guys, then
why are so many women
afraid to walk alone at night?

Cole is the perfect husband; a romantic, supportive of his wife, Mel’s career, keen to be a hands-on
dad, not a big drinker. A good guy.

So when Mel leaves him, he’s floored.
She was lucky to be with a man like him.

Lennie has made the same move for similar reasons.
She is living in a crumbling cottage on the edge of a nearby cliff. lt’s an undeniably scary location, but
sometimes you have to face your fears to get past them.

Craving solitude, he accepts a job on the coast and quickly settles into his new life where he meets reclusive artist Lennie.

As their relationship develops, two young women go missing while on a walk protesting gendered violence, right by where Cole and Lennie live. Finding themselves at the heart of a police investigation and media frenzy, it soon becomes clear that they don’t know each other very well at all.

This is what happens when
women have had enough …”

Book Review

4/5 ⭐️

One of The Good Guys is told in 3 parts with 3 very different narratives and different writing styles which I really enjoyed. There is quite the twist towards the end. It was one I saw coming but hoped it wasn’t going to be the case. Without giving too much away, I wanted it to go in one direction, which I guess is what the author wants you to believe, but in fact it goes in another.

I didn’t particularly like any of the characters. They are each kind of awful and manipulative in their own way (maybe with one exception). That isn’t a criticism, that’s just how they were written. The story is told from Col, Mel and Lennie’s POV. Lennie I just couldn’t warm to her from the very beginning. I knew straight away that there was more than meets the eye with her. Cole is “the nice guy”. He genuinely believes his actions come from a good place but he’s not all he seems and was a little disturbing at times (for those who have read the book and are reading this review… page 52! 😬 That’s all I’ll say). He was *too* nice. There was something about him that unsettled me in the beginning but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Mel gives you insight to her side of her relationship with Cole and boy what happens from her perspective angered and enraged me so much. I even hated the Dr. Neither him or Cole showed any empathy for what Mel was going through.

The ending of the book… yeah I still don’t know how I feel about it. I feel so conflicted. I think what happened in the concluding part was very manipulative in itself and it just didn’t sit well with me, but it shows what lengths some people are willing to go to avenge themselves or others when they feel they aren’t being listened to and just being ignored.

It was scary to me how real this all could actually be if people continue to be ignored and justice isn’t won. So many women and men go through this abuse everyday! If you’ve been through abuse or know of someone who is/has, I urge you to read One of The Good Guys! The book has had such an impact on me and I think it will resonate with many! It has you questioning everyone and trusting no one! Don’t ignore the warning signs! The book explores many types of red flags: manipulation, narcissism, controlling, victim blaming, coercion. To name a few, and it really opens your eyes.

I read this as part of a book break read-a-long with fellow book bloggers and it was absolutely wonderful to chat with them and share our thoughts on the book as we made our way through it. Can’t wait to do it again some time, it was so much fun!

#oneofthegoodguys #thriller #thrillerbooks #bookblog #bookreview

Product Review – Hisense 4K TV.

​🎁💜🎁💜🎁 Product Review 🎁💜🎁💜🎁

Hisense E7H QLED 4K TV.

Firstly, I’d like to thank both Influenster
and Hisense for sending us this TV to review and give our honest opinion.

This TV was definitely a step up from our previous TV which was also a 4K smart TV but is a few years old now. Both the colour and sound on the Hisense TV are immense. You have several options to choose from and there’s also the option to completely customise them to your preference. The colours are sharp and beautiful, the sound is so clear and, where we’d have the volume at the lowest of 25 and the loudest anywhere from 40-70 depending on the “background” noise in a film/show on our old TV, we only need it on max of 20.

On to the smart TV side of it. For quick access, there’s buttons on the remote for YouTube, Netflix and Prime TV, to name a few (see pic of remote below for more detail). 

There is also a home page on the TV to access your apps. The feature that we also liked was that you can choose a voice assistant (we went with Alexa). My little girls love pressing the little mic icon on the remote and asking her all sorts of questions. I, myself, have enjoyed listening to my favourite music via Alexa.

If there is one little niggley thing about the TV it’s that we’ve had to use a WiFi booster otherwise the Internet signal isn’t strong enough to use the apps for long periods of time (I’d recommend an ethernet cable instead of WiFi). My partner has noticed that the HDMI signal comes and goes when using his game consoles but that could be a simple fix such as the cables are loose or need changing (fingers crossed).

All in all, we are very impressed with this TV and would recommend.

#complimentary #hisensetv #gifted #tv #productphotography #productreview #productreviewer #gifts #newtv #4ktv #smarttechnology #smarttv #influenstervoxbox #influenster #voxbox #influencer #gaming #youtube

Book Review – Force of Nature by Skye Warren and Amelia Wilde

✈️🏝✈️🏝✈️ Book Review ✈️🏝✈️🏝✈️

Force of Nature by Skye Warren and Amelia Wilde.
BLURB:
“Carter Morelli survived a dark childhood and dangerous missions. But when he emergency lands a small aircraft on the ocean, he faces something worse: having someone depend on him. He has to keep innocent June Porter safe on the deserted island.

Except they aren’t alone here…

A man hides among the broad leaves. He’s almost feral.

There are secrets in his cabin. Desire, too.

Carter doesn’t want to care about beautiful June. He doesn’t want to care about the mysterious and sensual man who’s almost part of the wilderness.

Scorching chemistry draws all three of them deeper.

They already survived the plane crash, but will they survive the fall?”
REVIEW:
3/5 ⭐️
Following on from The Crash, which had me super excited to read this, Force of Nature is potentially a quick read. Having already read The Crash, I went in blind. It starts off really good with the MCs, June and Carter running for their lives after the plane they were on was sabotaged and crashed on a deserted island and them then being shot at by some mysterious bad guys. June then falls and is cut and infected by a poisonous plant sending her in to a dangerous fever. After that, the story kinda falls flat and I’m struggling to push through and read on. I was expecting action and to find out who Carter’s enemies are, what they want, and also find out more about who Carter actually is and why he sees himself as evil, the villian, the bad guy etc. but the story doesn’t really go anywhere in that respects. Instead, it takes a totally different turn when they encounter a character called Theo who, at first, poses as a possible threat. They don’t know whether he’s there to save them or kill them but he insists he has the antidote for June’s fever, so they follow him to his home on the island. Despite not knowing if Theo is the enemy, there is this instant attraction between him and Carter, and also with Theo and June. And before you know it, they all want to bed each other – and do!
The instant attraction just didn’t work for me, it just didn’t sit well. It was far too quick! The sex scenes I found uncomfortable. A sex scene just isn’t sexy when when the MMC has to instruct the very inexperienced virgin other male character step by step exactly how to pleasure a woman and then how to have sex with her. It just made me cringe and was super uncomfortable to read. I ever so nearly DNFd at that scene. I felt the introduction of a third love interest for a ménage à trois just didn’t work here. Not when for the majority of the book is centred around June and Carter and their feelings for each other. The introduction of Theo really threw a curveball.
The little twist at the end leading on to a cliff hanger left me feeling confused. I still don’t really know how to feel about it.
I’m so sad that I didn’t enjoy this book more because it really did have promise. I’m sure there’ll be others who will love it, it just wasn’t for me.
#bookreview #bookreviewer #forceofnature #skyewarren #ameliawilde #books #romancebooks

Book Review – God of Malice by Rina Kent.

​🎆✨🎆✨🎆 Book Review 🎆✨🎆✨🎆

God of Malice by Rina Kent

Blurb:

 “I caught the attention of a monster.

I didn’t ask for it. 

Didn’t even see it coming.

But the moment I do, it’s too late.

Killian Carson is a predator wrapped in sophisticated charm.

He’s cold-blooded, manipulative, and savage.

The worst part is that no one sees his devil side.

I do.

And that will cost me everything.

I run, but the thing about monsters?

They always chase.”

 My review:

3/5 ⭐

I really wanted to like this. It’s not that I didn’t, I just didn’t love it. I thought Killian was a fascinating and complex character. He just wasn’t as psycho as I was expecting. He was depicted as a psychopath but really he wasn’t. He was just a boy with daddy issues which later get resolved, and dark thoughts which are dampened when he meets Glyndon, the FMC. It’s not often I don’t like the FMC, but I found Glyndon to be quite tedious. I didn’t get Killian’s fascination with her.
There was an overuse of some phrases/habits which grated on me…
 “I’ll stuff you with my cum”

 “I’ll stuff this c*nt with my cum”

 that, or cock. – It got kinda cringey.
Glyndon rubbing her hands on her shorts. – I lost count how many times she did this.
The poetic gothic writing didn’t work for me. In fact, the only instance of it was on the cliff. Even then, I didn’t twig at the time that that’s what it was until I saw GoM listed as gothic romance on Amazon. I had to go back through the book to see why.
“The air frizzles my honey-colored hair that’s streaked with natural blonde balayage and stuffs it in my eyes.” Stuffs it in her eyes?? That quote made me chuckle.
I really liked the side characters. Although Remi was annoying. Landon is coming across as potentially more psycho than Killian so I’d love more Landon. Annie and Mia are absolute sweethearts! In fact, Mia was my favourite! I love her sass and style!
I didn’t see the Devlin twist coming. I probably should have, but I didn’t. And one thing I couldn’t understand, once finding out, is how Glyndon thought they were ever best friends! He practically tried to co-erce her into killing herself! He was a master manipulator, a narcissist, and far worse than what Killian was perceived to be. I was so shocked that she mourned him the way she did.
All in all it was ok. I did enjoy some parts. Killian and Landon working together was so funny! I’m interested to see what happens with the other characters.

#bookreview #bookreviewer #godofmalice #godofmalicereview #darkromance  #bullyromance #Bookaddict  #booklovers 

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review

Book Review: One For The Money by Skye Warren.

Blurb:

“Finn Hughes knows about secrets. His family is as wealthy as the Rockefellers. And as powerful as the Kennedys. No one knows that the men in his line have a debilitating, early-onset illness. He’s managed the business from a young age while his father served as the figurehead. All the while knowing there’s a ticking clock on his ability to lead.

Eva Morelli is the oldest daughter. The responsible one. The caring one. The one who doesn’t have time for her own interests.

Especially not her interest in the charismatic, mysterious Finn Hughes.

A fake relationship is the answer to both their problems.

It will keep the swarming society mothers from throwing their daughters at him.

And it will keep Eva’s mother from bothering her about marriage.

Then the fake relationship starts to feel real.

But there’s no chance for them. No hope for a woman who’s had her heart broken. And no future for a man whose fate was decided long ago.”

Book Review:
NOOOOO! NO! YOU CAN’T END IT THERE!! Was the first words to come out of my mouth when I unexpectedly got to the end of this book! What a bloody cliff hanger! I need to read “Two For the Show” like, right now!! This is the fastest I have read a book in a long time! Eva and Finn’s story kept me gripped from the first page and then broke my heart. They both come from wealthy families, both have responsibilities to their families, and both are heavily relied on and leant on by their families. It was no surprise really that they end up together, even if it is just a fake relationship to get their families off their backs about settling down. Despite them having their own secrets as to why they want to keep things as a fake relationship, it soon unexpectedly turns in to something more. Even if Finn does deny it in order to save Eva from a broken heart in years to come. I found myself shouting at the book telling them that surely there’s away around this! I was devastated for them. I’m hoping, so, so, hoping that in the next book they will somehow get their happy ever after.
This is my first time delving into the Midnight Dynasty series, also my first book by Skye Warren, and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. A family saga so rich in story and drama. You get a few glimpses here and there about what happens to Eva’s siblings in previous books which made me want to read them all the more.

Release Blitz & Review – Talk Flirty to Me by Livy Hart.

​✨✨✨✨ Release Blitz + Review! ✨✨✨✨

Talk Flirty to Me by Livy Hart is now live!

A little hate goes a long way…

I’ve got ninety-nine problems and my brother’s snarky, smart-mouthed best friend Sam is tangled up in every last one of them.

When it comes to firefighter Sam O’Shea, absence—and a regime of tactical avoidance—has been working for me juuust fine. But when the audition of a lifetime falls in my pathetically broke lap, and he’s the only one who can help me land the job, I’m willing to make a deal with the devil if it means I can kickstart my career as a narrator for audio books. 

The problem? We’d have to actually do the job. Together. And then we’re told it’s for an erotic romance. Narrating steamy lines in a tiny studio with a man who lights a fire under your skin? An occupational hazard. Accidentally inciting a town scandal when your erotic audiobook clips wind up on the radio? A crisis. And falling for the one man I promised my brother—and my heart—I wouldn’t touch?

A disaster—and temptation—I can’t resist.

Download today!

Amazon: http://mybook.to/tftm

Apple Books: https://apple.co/39zDtYh

Nook: https://bit.ly/3MT6P29

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3w0bcBO

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3MA2C3t

Meet Livy Hart

Romance author Livy Hart has two children, too many Funko Pops, and a husband who’s workin’ on the railroad—literally. She currently resides in Dallas, Texas where she enjoys long walks on the concrete and people-watching at malls so big they have their own zip codes. When she’s not writing, she’s bickering with her KitchenAid stand mixer, road-tripping to her sleepy Florida hometown, or sipping espresso on her Nonna’s porch.

 

Connect with Livy

Website | www.livyhart.com

Goodreads | https://bit.ly/3wqQpc2

Facebook | https://bit.ly/3G1kIco

Instagram | https://bit.ly/384bGPs

Twitter | https://bit.ly/3G2OcXh

REVIEW:

Sarcastic, witty cute girl? ✔
Hot fire fighter guy? ✔
Rom com? ✔
Angsty? ✔
Second chance romance? ✔
Brother’s best friend? ✔

This was my first time reading a book by Livy Hart and boy was this a treat! It was absolutely hilarious at times! The breast milk moment? Oh my god! I creased up laughing! Never trust a young child not to tattle hahaha!

The story itself was so easy to get in to and I loved all the characters! The Bellini family were a hoot. I loved them. I loved their family values. I loved how grounded they were and their closeness. We all need a Bellini family in our lives! The chemistry between Sam and Piper was fire! It was sizzling off the page (figuratively speaking). I have to say a character with a job as a voice actor was a first for me, and the story building around that was awesome! Ever find yourself wanting to now pursue a career that the character in a book has? Yeah that’s me right now! I live for the romcom in this but there was also a bit of angst too which had me biting my nails!

***** SPOILER ALERT *****

And that ending? Oh my god! Best. Proposal. Ever!!! I may or may not have had a tear or two in my eyes! Also, I didn’t want it to end there! It was too soon! I wanted more Sam and Piper! Following them on a journey of political campaigns and audio books! Please say we’ll get to read about them again??

This was a fantastic read! I’m looking forward to reading more from Livy Hart in the future!

#bookreview #books #romancebooks #bookish #bookblog