The Funny Adventures of Little Nani

Little Nani is a little girl who likes helping people. However, when she helps people the results can be a bit unexpected. Why is that? Little Nani is a witch! Or at least she wants to be a witch. With her magic wand, she will try to cast different spells to help her friends, but she won’t be successful all the time. Follow Little Nani in her funny adventures and meet her extraordinary friends. Funny ostriches, horses that love reading, super-fast turtles, grumpy zombies… Little Nani has lots of friends! You can also draw your own characters! Little Nani is willing to become a good witch. Will she manage to do it? Who knows? Read the stories and discover what happens next!

My opinion: I read this book hoping for a lovely children’s book and wasn’t disappointed!

We follow the adventures of Little Nani as she meets lots of new friends and tries out her magic that she has learnt online! The book is really a collection of short stories, each with a new adventure and new friends to meet. It is really well written and gives a modern take on some more traditional fables.

I think that I would have really enjoyed this as a child. It is suitable to be read with parents and includes drawing activities or children and is definitely a book that children who can read alone can also enjoy.

This is a really lovely children’s book with brilliant illustrations that could easily go on to become a modern classic. I read the ebook version on my iPad and the illustrations and colours showed up really well.

My rating: A fabulous four stars

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About the author:

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa is a Spanish writer who has loved the written word since she discovered she was able to read books at age 5. Since then, she has become a bookworm and reads around 100 books every year. She also writes, every day, compulsively, even in the middle of the night. You cannot control when inspiration hits you, can you? She writes in English because she is convinced that in a previous life she was British, so writing in English feels more natural to her than writing in her native language. Yes, she is crazy like that. Cinta Garcia is the author of “The Funny Adventures of Little Nani”, a collection of short stories for children, and “A Foreigner in London”, a short story published on Smashwords.

Follow The Author:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CintaGarciaRosa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cinta-Garc%C3%ADa-de-la-Rosa-Author/333755993341596
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Tumblr: http://cintascorner.tumblr.com/
Blog: http://cintascorner.com
Website: http://www.cintagarciadelarosa.com

Book shelf clean up!

So it’s a dull, cold and rainy Sunday. What better time to clean up my book shelves and TBR piles!

I have been ruthless and put some books aside for charity that I know I will never read again, or will just never get to. I’ve still got a pretty mammoth TBR though!

Here is my TBR and the smaller bedside pile for books I am currently reading or want to get to very soon!

And here are a selection of my book shelves! I have more with reference books, annuals, autobiographies, cookery books and books from when I was a child, so these are just a select few!

These books obviously don’t include the huge number I’ve got on my kindle! I may have a problem with book buying…

My next job is to tidy my study where two of my book cases are to make it a nice cosy place to read! But I think I deserve a sit down with a cup of tea and a book first!

Author interview: M. Jonathan Lee

Over the summer I was very lucky to be contacted by the fabulous M. Jonathan Lee asking whether I would like to review his book The Radio. I was very glad I accepted as I loved the book and you can read my review here.

Jonathan has been kind enough to agree to be part of (or subject to, I’m not sure which!) my first author interview here at Sheli Reads.

1. Hi Jonathan, welcome to Sheli Reads. Firstly, I have to ask what inspired you to write The Radio?

The Radio had been in my mind for literally a decade. I wanted to write a story about someone who was downtrodden who finds a release in escaping from his day to day life by immersing himself in the radio. I also wanted the character to have a back-story that made him have an overwhelming need to escape every day life.

2. It takes real talent to get the right balance between humour and tragedy in a book and you have certainly managed it. How did you manage to think up the hilarious scenes in the book?

Thank you. I think that a lot of things in life bring humour even in the saddest moments. The Radio is semi-autobiographical and a lot of the humour has been a coping mechanism. The comedy scenes simply come from an amusing thought which may have popped into my mind and then I exaggerate and expand it to the nth degree!

3. Who is your favourite character in the book?

It would have to be George. Although I’m some thirty years younger, we do share a few traits. I am also extremely fond of Mollie. She is a close second to George and will develop in the second and third books in the trilogy.

4. Do you know any real life people like Auntie Lesley?

Ha! Absolutely right I do. Lesley’s character is a mix of a number of people who I know pretty well, but obviously can’t name here! I do remember one reviewer saying that she was just too unbelievable to be taken seriously. That is so untrue, that reviewer should move to my area…

5. What can we expect from you next?

The Radio ends with a twist, and is part of a trilogy. At the moment however, I am writing The Page, a thriller and another with a twist. The story goes…
Following a tragic car accident, Michael Sewell is alone and lost for the first time. The loss of his wife, Margaret after thirty years of marriage has left a hole far greater than Michael could have imagined.

Persuaded to go on holiday alone for the first time since this accident, by his daughter Jane, a page blown from a book crosses the pool and sticks to his chest.

The words from the page resonate with Michael, describing in detail the recent events in his own life.

Now, Michael must delve into his past and face his future, taking him and his family on a horrifying and tragic journey toward the truth.

6. What is your first book related memory?

That is a superb question and not one I’ve been asked before. My earliest memories involve a character called Bobby Brewster. These were short stories about a boy who bizarre things happened to; such as his wallpaper coming to life or an old vinyl record that he played which spoke to him. I think I was around 5 when I read them. They started my obsession with stories with a twist which carried on to my favourite – the master, Roald Dahl.

7. Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Pretty much, yeah. When I realised by ten that footballer (too small) and rock star (no musical talent) were out of the question, I started writing. I self published my first magazine aged 11 and sold over 800 copies over 6 editions.

8. Which writers inspire you most?

Interesting question. I’m not sure that it is specifically writers, more the stories. There are so many fantastic stories to tell and so many ways to tell them. It’s the imagination of the writer that appeals to me. I do love Stephen King, Mark Haddon, Iain Banks, A M Homes, Nick Hornby and of course, Roald Dahl to name a few.

9. What book do you wish you could have written?

The Life of Pi, perhaps my all time favourite book.

10. When I’m working I like to have a cup of tea, and sometimes a packet of crisps to keep me going. What food or drink do you enjoy when writing?

I’m not a big eater generally so there would be no food. Just can after can of full-fat Coca Cola.

11. And last but not least, if you were an animal, what would you be?

Hmm. Another good question, I’m not a huge animal fan, but absolutely love my bed so you can pick anything at all that hibernates.

Thank you Jonathan for letting me interview you and for being such a good sport!

You can find out more about Jonathan and his writing here.

The Wish List

There are six months left of Emma Reiss’s twenties. . . and she has some unfinished business.

Emma and her friends are about to turn thirty, and for Emma it’s a defining moment. Defined, that is, by her having achieved none of the things she’d imagined she would.

Her career is all wrong, her love life is a desert and that penthouse apartment she pictured herself in simply never materialised. Moreover, she’s never jumped out of a plane, hasn’t met the man she’s going to marry, has never slept under the stars, or snogged anyone famous – just some of the aspirations on a list she and her friends compiled fifteen years ago.

As an endless round of birthday parties sees Emma hurtle towards her own thirtieth, she sets about addressing these issues. But, as she discovers with hilarious consequences, some of them are trickier to tick off than she’d thought…

My opinion: I absolutely love Jane Costello’s books and was very exciting to hear that she had a new one coming out! I was very restrained and managed to save it to read on holiday and enjoy the thrill of it being a holiday book!

I wasn’t disappointed! Emma is about to turn thirty when she finds a list that she made as a teenager detailing everything she wanted to do before she turns thirty. Much to Emma’s dismay she finds that she hasn’t completed one of them and sets out to change that! Her comfortable, predictable life soon gets turned on its head as she starts to live a little!

As can be expected from one of Jane Costello’s books, The Wish List is filled with fabulous characters, madcap adventures and lots and lots of laughs! I enjoyed the storyline of this so much I often interrupted my boyfriend from his reading next to the pool to regale him with the plot of this book. The conversation usually started “You’ll never guess what has happened” and by the time I had finished the book he was asking me how it ended!

Jane Costello’s books are always well written with a strong storyline, and this one is no exception. Another fantastic book that will have you chuckling from one of my favourite authors.

My rating: A fabulous five stars!

My Husband Next Door

When Ella married the handsome, celebrated artist Sebastian Montclair at just nineteen she was madly in love. Now, those blissful years of marriage have turned into the very definition of an unconventional set-up. Separated in every way but distance, Sebastian resides in an outhouse across the lawn from Ella’s ramshackle farmhouse.

With an ex-husband living under her nose and a home crowded by hostile teenaged children, gender-confused chickens – not to mention her hyper critical mother whose own marriage slips spectacularly off the rails – Ella finds comfort in the company of the very charming gardener, Ludo. But is he really the answer to her prayers?

Then out of the blue Sebastian decides he must move away, catching Ella horribly unawares. How much longer can she hide from what really destroyed her marriage . . . and the secret she continues to keep?

My opinion: I really liked that this book was a mystery as it meant I couldn’t prejudge it. Despite the comparisons to Cathy Kelly and Katie Fforde I had no idea what to expect!

I had a lovely surprise as I loved this book! It was a lovely country tale and was also very very funny!

The characters were all well rounded and a good mix of the loveable, the infuriating and the eccentric. The mix of family, friends and neighbours gave me everything I like to have in a story set in a village.

The romantic side of this story was not what you would call a traditional romance, but was very touching and sweet and well thought through.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and thought it was really well written, well paced and brilliantly funny. I can’t wait to find out who the author was to read more!

My rating: A lovely four stars

I was sent an advance copy of this book by Lovereading in exchange for an honest review. The copy I received was in a plain jacket, so I had no idea of the title or author of the book. My review was written before this information was revealed.

Birthday book haul

It was my birthday this week and I thought I would share with you my book haul!

As you can see I had lots of books! Around half of the books are presents of books that I haven’t read yet, and the other half are books I bought myself for my birthday that I have read on my Kindle and just had to have a paperback copy of! Does anyone else do this?

The only problem is now, I have no space left on my bookshelves and this is even before you add my four TBR piles into the mix! Do you have book storage problems too?

Geek Girl

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things.

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a “jiffy” lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn’t quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she’s spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend’s dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn’t seem to like her any more than the real world did.

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

“Smart, sassy, and very funny.” – The Bookseller.

“There’s laughter and tears in this hilarious roller-coaster story.” – Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian Children’s Editor

My opinion: What can I say? I was drawn to this book by the cover, and we all love a geek (especially if you are one like me!) and had to give it a go.

It was a quick, fun read and had more substance to it than I was expecting. The main character Harriet reminded me of myself as a teenager as she was a social outcast who couldn’t do or say the right thing at the right time, but was very brainy. Although I have to say that the similarities to my own youth stopped at the modelling contract!

Some parts of the book were laugh out loud funny, particularly when Harriet was getting into the world of modelling. I loved that it was a book about the geeky girl who did well in an unexpected way, and was a teeny bit jealous that I hadn’t had the same opportunities!

I liked the style of writing for this book and hope that this isn’t the last we see of Harriet Manners. I will also be seeking out more of Holly Smale’s work in future.

A great book, for both adult and young adult readers.

My rating: A fantastic five stars!!

Originally reviewed at Reading in Progress

The next book in the series Model Misfit will be published on 26th September 2013 by HarperCollins Children’s Books

Lying to Meet You

Does being in a relationship make you a hot commodity in the eyes of would-be suitors?

Chloe Lane is about to find out. When her childhood pal, Ethan Webster, asks her to play the part of his girlfriend in order to test this theory, she reluctantly agrees. As a work-crazed fashion designer, boutique owner and soon-to-be reality show judge, Chloe has no time for a real boyfriend, but being part of a faux pair will do just fine. Not that she has any intention of trying to attract someone else.

However…

Opportunity unexpectedly knocks when Chloe meets fellow reality judge, William Shannon. Super successful and super sexy, this high-powered entrepreneur inspires Chloe to test Ethan’s theory herself. Now, on top of keeping her fashion business productive, carving out a new role as a television personality, maintaining a fake relationship and attempting to lay the groundwork for a future relationship, she’s lying to William, lying to her friends, lying to her family and quite possibly lying to herself. Will Chloe be able to keep it all together, or are things about to explode?

My opinion: This book is about fashion designer Chloe and her quest to find a man whilst becoming a tv star on a new reality show.

The book is based in New York and has quite a Sex and the City feel, with lots of talk about fashion and men! I really enjoyed the book and immediately warmed to the characters.

Chloe has agreed to pretend to be her best friend Ethan’s girlfriend. This is much to the delight of her friends and family who think they should have got together a long time ago. It’s all going well until the god like William Shannon enters her life and makes things a whole lot messier!

The style of writing is easy to read and has a friendly feel, although it took me a while to get some of the American references (note to self, a blow out is a blow dry in the UK!). This was a really fun book and was humorous and romantic. Both qualities I love in a book.

Chloe has a little feel of Bridget Jones to her and I would compare the book to British writers such as Jane Costello.

My rating: A fantastic four stars.

I received an advance copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review

The London Train

The London Train is a novel in two parts, separate but wound together around a single moment, examining in vivid detail two lives stretched between two cities. Paul lives in the Welsh countryside with his wife Elise, and their two young children. The day after his mother dies he learns that his eldest daughter Pia, who was living with his ex-wife in London, has moved out from home and gone missing. He sets out in search of Pia, and when he eventually finds her, living with her lover in a chaotic flat in a tower block in King’s Cross, he thinks at first he wants to rescue her. But the search for his daughter begins a period of unrest and indecision for Paul: he is drawn closer to the hub of London, to the excitements of a life lived in jeopardy, to Pia’s fragile new family. Paul’s a pessimist; when a heat wave scorches the capital week after week he fears that they are all ‘sleep-walking to the edge of a great pit, like spoiled trusting children’.

In the opposite direction, Cora is moving back to Cardiff, to the house she has inherited from her parents. She is escaping her marriage, and the constrictions and disappointments of her life in London. At work in the local library, she is interrupted by a telephone call from her sister-in-law and best friend, to say that her husband has disappeared.

Connecting both stories is the London train, and a chance meeting that will have immediate and far-reaching consequences for both Paul and for Cora.

The London Train is a vivid and absorbing account of the impulses and accidents that can shape our lives, alongside our ideas; about loyalty, love, sex and the complicated bonds of friends and family. Penetrating, perceptive, and wholly absorbing, it is an extraordinary new novel from one of the best writers working in Britain today.

My opinion: I read this book for the book group I go to in the museum I used to work in. The group reads books that have Welsh links or an historical theme and this one was chosen as a lot of it was based in Wales, and I believe that Tessa Hadley lived in Cardiff until recently.

The book is split into two parts. The first is the story of Paul and the second, the story of Cora, and the two stories become interwoven. I enjoyed the first part of the book, even though Paul is a total pig of a man as I was more interested in reading about his family, including his daughter from his first marriage, Pia, who is living in London. I felt that Paul’s character was that of a stereotypical chauvinistic male with no cares for his responsibilities or those around him. I would have liked to have read more about his poor wife though.

I really disliked the second part of the book. Cora was a boring and unlikeable character, but what I found worse than this was the lack of research done for this part. As this half of the book was based in my local area of Cardiff, and included a couple of other subjects that I knew well, I was looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, incorrect detail and sloppy research really spoilt this part for me.

Overall, I didn’t hate the book, but certainly wouldn’t recommend it. I won’t be rushing out to find more books from the author.

My rating: A disappointing three stars.