Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Cate Woods *GIVEAWAY*

Today I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Just Haven't Met You Yet by Cate Woods. Described as "witty, engaging, original, and with an unexpected twist" this sounds like a fabulous read, and I cannot wait to pick it up. And you can get your hands on the book too as for my stop on the tour the lovely folks at Quercus have given me a copy of the novel to give away to one lucky winner (UK only)!

Guest post: the original soundtrack to Break Up Club by Lorelei Mathias

It seems to be the season for blog tours, for me at least, and I am delighted that more publishers are starting to reach out to me with the question if I'd like to participate in them as they're always such as a joy. From giveaways to interviews and special guest content written by authors, there is a whole host of original ways in which I can have a tiny part in helping promote a fabulous new book and today it's with a guest post from Lorelei Mathias, author of Break Up Club (formerly known as Reader, I Dumped Him), in which she shares the original soundtrack for her novel. Enjoy!

Magical Lantern Festival at Chiswick House and Gardens

Earlier this month I stumbled upon pictures from the Magical Lantern Festival, celebrating the Chinese New Year right on my doorstep here in London. I hadn't heard of the event before then but the array of beautifully lit-up displays in the dark reminded me of the Electrical Light Parade at Disneyland and I was instantly sold. My first free night after seeing the photos was last Friday, so I made it my mission to venture over to Chiswick House and Gardens after work to check it out for myself – and it truly was a magical experience.

Book review: The Ballroom by Anna Hope + *GIVEAWAY*

I fell in love with The Ballroom as soon as I heard Anna Hope read from her upcoming novel at the Transworld's January-June 2016 Showcase last year. Not only did the proof cover look absolutely stunning, but her reading was beautiful and hugely intriguing, especially when the audience collectively gasped at the discovery of the location of the titular ballroom; inside an asylum at the start of the 20th century.

Book review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Young adult literature has been undergoing a massive positive change in the last few years. Where previously there was a heavy focus on sugary sweet high school romances with slim white girls at the core, after temporary hypes involving supernatural characters and dystopian worlds punctured through the unimaginative stories, the next wave in YA fiction seems to be all about character diversity. Dumplin' has a main protagonist that is a size (or two) up from the teenage average, but Will isn't the only thing 'big' within this novel, it's also packed with a big story and a very big heart.

Quick Reads 10th anniversary event at Foyles

Matt Haig, Rowan Coleman, Elizabeth Buchan & Fanny Blake
As an avid book-lover it can be so easy to forget that reading isn't an enjoyable or easy pastime for everyone. For a variety of reasons it can in fact be a struggle for people; those that have never learned how to read, or suffer from dyslexia, or for health reasons are unable to focus on any one book for a lengthy period, to name but a few. And this is where Quick Reads can provide a great alternative. I attended the 10th year anniversary event of this initiative at Foyles last week, hosted by Cathy Rentzenbrink, with special guests Veronica Henry, Fanny Blake, Elizabeth Buchan, Rowan Coleman and Matt Haig, which has made me appreciate the wonderful Quick Reads even more so than I did before.

Pan Macmillan's Women's Fiction Party 2016

Out of the many book events I had the joy to attend in 2015, Pan Macmillan's Women's Fiction Evening was one of my favourites and so I was thrilled to attend it again this year, this time with my Novelicious hat on. Held at the Oxo Tower on the South Bank, the event was filled to the brim with authors, agents and other fabulous publishing people. One of the highlights of the event is always wandering around the room to spot the new titles the Pan Mac team will be publishing (and of course picking up the most-anticipated ones to take home, though I was really restraining myself this year as my TBR pile is topping over so I kept it to a respectful four new books) while enjoying a glass of Prosecco and some tasty canapés.

Guest post: author Julie Murphy shares 5 things you may not know about Texas

I love the young adult releases from Harper360 (especially A Thousand Pieces of You and its sequel Ten Thousand Skies Above You, now my new favourite YA series!) and so when I received their latest email introducing me to Dumplin' by Julie Murphy (which sounded fabulous) I jumped at the opportunity to review the novel and take part in the blog tour. I loved the book, which feels a little like Grease for the 21st century, and I'll publish my review next week. But first, I'm delighted to share with you a guest post from the author with five things you may not yet know about the state the story takes place in: Texas.

The World Goes Round – The Songs of Kander & Ebb at St. James Theatre

Photo credit: Alex Murphy
While I have been to the St. James Theatre plenty of times before, most recently for revues You Won't Succeed on Broadway if You Don't Have Any Jews and Songs For a New World, I'd never actually visited the wonderfully intimate Studio – until this week that is. The World Goes Round perfectly fits inside this cosy space, bringing together some of the finest songs from Broadway songwriting duo Kander & Ebb with the immense talent of West End stars Oliver Tompsett and Debbie Kurup.

Book review: The Winter Wedding by Abby Clements

I love the heartwarming stories that come from the imagination of Abby Clements. From Meet Me Under the Mistletoe and Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream, right down to Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop and its tasty Mediterranean sequel, The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop. Each time when a new novel from this author is announced I feel a little flutter of excitement and receiving the title in the post is an utter joy. While I would love to return to the world of Amelia Grey one day, I admire how Abby Clements manages to always create a brand new cast of interesting characters and stories that still feel familiar and I quickly fall in love with, and with her latest endeavor, The Winter Wedding, she has done it again.