I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You ~ Ally Carter

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You(Gallagher Girls Book 1) ~ Ally Carter

(Whoaa, such a long title)

 Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she manoeuvre a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?  

First of all, as I was finding a picture of this book cover (I have the book on kindle, not as a hard copy so it was necessary) I noticed the most amazing thing which I had never seen before. The girl on the cover - I think that is supposed to be Cammie- is holding some  uncooked spaghetti. Those of you who have already read this will know the significance of this. 

"Cammie Morgan is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti)."

Let's just say, that is as clear a hint as any that this is going to be a really good book. And it was.

 Cameron Morgan is an extraordinary girl who attends a school for spies, and although this book isn't very deep (but that was fine with me, I wasn't looking for an ethics lesson) it is filled to the brim with humour, great inner and outer dialogue and a super cute romance. Cammie is a witty and intelligent yet clueless when it comes to love. I really enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Bex, Liz and Macey, who are all relevant and well written. I thought that Josh was a bit of a fluffy character and I didn't really think he suited Cammie, but I did really enjoy the bad decisions and funny antics which accompany their romance, not least because Cammie and her friends have a whole hoard of gadgets and skills to help them.

 I would recommend this book to young teen but I also think it is just a fun, easy read for anyone. This series all have really good titles: 

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You   

Cross My Heart And Hope To Spy 

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover 

Only The Good Spy Young 

Out Of Sight, Out Of Time 

United We Spy

And I think they are really worth the read.

Please comment suggesting which books/ beauty products I should review next xXx And, starting on Tuesday, all my posts should be going back to normal because my mocks will have finished Tuesday (Beauty Edit), Thursday (Book) and Saturday (Book). xXx

Runaway ~ Marie-Louise Jensen

"Charlotte's life has been torn apart. She must flee the city, leaving behind everything she knows.
With no family left, Charlotte seeks solace in the horses around her. She understands them, and they understand her. None so much as Belle, a horse so beautiful and kind Charlotte almost forgets the disturbing events that forced her into hiding.
But once you stop running from the past, it can quickly catch up with you . . . how long will Charlotte be safe from a stranger who has sworn to find her - wherever she tries to hide . . ."

 Yes, I know, another historical fiction. I just love to read them because I find the history in them so interesting and it make the plot so much more exciting. *sigh* I think I must have been born in the wrong century... Only a few pages into this book, I realised it would be another good one. Having already read a few of Miss Jensen's books, the bar was set high for this one but it has well and truly met and over-reached my expectations. 
        Charlotte is a really likeable character and she is also determined and very brave; she does things that other girls at the time wouldn't dream of doing.  I was defiantly swooning over Mr. John Lawrence, who swiftly became my favourite character, and I adored the sweet romance between them. I particularly enjoyed when he found out that Charlotte wasn't a boy because his reaction to the discovery was hilarious (well to me it was). 

"This explains many things which were puzzling me: your need for privacy, your difference to the other boys, your tendency to blush and to cry... my... my strange attraction to you which I couldn't explain to myself."

I read this book in a night and couldn't put it down because I just kept wanting to know what happens next.     
    Runaway is gripping, faced-pace and funny and I would recommend it to any who like historical fictions or who just want a really good read.

P.S. I did some digging about the setting of this book (coming from Gloucestershire myself) and came across this, written by the author, explaining her choices and ideas:
http://the-history-girls.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/settings.html




I also found this a really good website:


http://marie-louisejensen.co.uk/wordpress/?page_id=200


Go and take a look...
As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next xXx

Christmas Present Ideas xXx

Is anyone else REALLY excited for Christmas already? I'm thinking of putting up my little tree for my room but I should probably leave that until 1st December. I had a think about it, an I came up with a few ideas for Christmas presents which I think would be perfect for Secret Santa or just as a general present. I hope you enjoy my suggestions and that they give you some inspiration as to what to get.

Firstly, I've had my eye on this for a while and have asked my brothers to get it for me:
                      

The Tanya Burr 'Deck the Halls' beauty calender. I think it just looks really pretty and inside has an assortment of 12 full-sized and miniature products from Tanya's range, two of which I think are limited edition...

It is really affordable (only £15 at Superdrug, down from £25) and it will give the receiver the joy of unveiling a new product either every other day until Christmas, 12 days before, all at once or whenever they choose to open a door.

Any book, in my opinion, is going to be a good idea for a present. This is the book from one of my favourite beauty Youtubers, Fleur de Force' and ,although I haven't read it yet, I think it would be perfect.
 And, at only £8 on Amazon, it is definitely budget friendly.





I got this book myself one Christmas from my nan. It is a book I have read many times and I think it would really appeal to any teens or young adults who enjoy reading historical fictions. It is by on of my favourite authors and is about a 15 year old Norwegian girl, Thora, in Viking times who finds herself travelling to the new land, Iceland, with a companion...

"Stolen from her family by Vikings, Thora's future looks bleak. Yet Thora has visions, and in one she foresees a daring escape with a new companion. The journey is dangerous, and a fateful encounter will change the course of their lives. Soon Thora will know hardship and bitterness of forbidden love. And all the while she and her companion fear their crimes may catch up with them..."

Who doesn't love a bit of Soap and Glory? The Relax Station not only contains a few of their most famous products, Hand Food, The Righteous Butter,  Clean On Me... but also a pair of comfy cotton socks to warm your feet on a chilly wintry night. And they are pink. 





 And Finally,
A home made Hot Chocolate Kit, Some Vintage Vanilla Fudge or a Cupcake Kit...
I think any of these would be perfect if you want to give something easy, heartfelt and cheap or you just love to cook.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/snow-globe-hot-chocolate

 

 

 

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/992645/triple-chocolate-cupcake-kit

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3148690/vintage-vanilla-fudge

 I hoped you liked my ideas and that the give you inspiration for Christmas
Please comment suggestions on how I can improve my posts or which books/ beauty products I should review next xXx 

Next post coming Saturday 

Forsaken: The Demon Trappers ~ Jana Oliver

"Riley has always wanted to be a Demon Trapper like her father, and she's already following in his footsteps as one of the best. But it's tough being the only girl in an all-guy world, especially when three of those guys start making her life more complicated: Simon, the angelic apprentice who has heaven on his side; Beck, the tough trapper who thinks he's God's gift, and Ori, the strikingly sexy stranger who keeps turning up to save her ass.
One thing’s for sure – if she doesn’t keep her wits about her there’ll be hell to pay . . ."

Forsaken is the first book in Jana Oliver's 'Demon Trappers' series, and I'm going to be honest, I only picked it up because the author shares the same name as me. However, a quick read of the synopsis and I was really intrigued about who Riley Blackthorne was and what her story would be.
         Riley is a tough girl in an all-man, demon-trapping world and she is fighting to follow in the footsteps of her father. But she faces opposition from not only Hell's demons, but the other trappers on the Guild who are against a woman joining their ranks. I think that Riley is a well-written, witty character. Her tragic background makes you want her to fight through all her troubles and you can see how much more powerful she has become because of what she has been though. I also love her frequent sarcastic comments.
      Beck is the good-looking guy, who was trapping partner to Riley's dad, but also happens to be completely infuriating in his stubbornness. However, throughout the series, you begin to see the other sides to him which make him a deeper character than your first impression. Beck was probably my favourite character out of all of them because of his flaws and his history.

“Here I am with a seriously hunky guy and I'm covered in demon pee. Why does the universe hate me?” 

I love the storyline of the entire Riley Blackthorne series and was hooked from beginning to end. It is fast-paced and has really good dialogue and world building which really do add to the story and make it so much more realistic. The demons are seriously scary and I hope never to meet on in a dark alley, or anywhere really. Especially those higher grade demons, although the kleptofiends are adorable.
         I liked how the books had dual narration, one side being Riley, the other being Beck because you could see the differences between the characters and how other people see them as well as being able to really get under their skin to see their true thoughts and feelings, not just what the main protagonist can read from their face. I found that this really made the story come to life for me as well as the memorable secondary characters such as Masters Harper and Steward, the klepto fiend/ housemate, Peter, Simi, Justine and even Brandy. Overall, Forsaken was a really good read, and much improved by the following books, which is uncommon for most series *cough* Hunger Games *cough*. I really recommend you read these books and I promise you won't regret it. I mean, who doesn't want cute guys, ass-kicking and demons? Did I mention the cute guys?

“What did ya learn from this dumbass stunt?”
Here's where she was supposed to apologize, promise to be a good little girl and never do anything like this again.
Screw that.
Riley locked eyes with him. “I learned that the Holy Water better be fresh, that I need practice throwing the spheres, and that someone has to watch my back so asshats don't steal my demons.”  
    
As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next. xXx
P.S. I'm really, really sorry about the lack of reviews this week. I had so much revision to do for mocks which still aren't over. I hope this review makes up for it and I will definitely post a Beauty Edit on Tuesday. xXx

The Other Countess ~ Eve Edwards

England, 1582

Ellie - Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime- is in possession of a gold-seeking father, a worthless title and a feisty spirit that captivates the elite of the Queen's court, and none other than the handsome new Earl of Dorset...

William Lacey has inherited his father's title and his financial ruin. Now the earl must seek a wealthy heiress and restore his family's fortune.

Will's head has been turned by the gorgeous Ellie, yet their union can never be. Will is destined to marry a lady worthy of his status, so the only question is - which one...?

One of my favourite books of all time, The Other Countess has it all for me;  a historical fiction set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, check, feisty protagonist, check, dashingly handsome love interest, check, a gripping storyline, check, and a love story which can give you butterflies, check.
       Ellie is a character whose personality and background makes you root for her from the very beginning. I like her feisty personality and the fact that "kneeing one lord in the groin and kicking another in the shin" doesn't bother her too much when they deserve it.
        One of my favourite things about Will was that you really see him grow as the book continues, from a boy who, in the beginning, is scornful of Ellie and her father to a man who later ,against his pride, apologises to her once he realised that his actions and words were spiteful. 

I could write so much more about how much I love this book and this author but I would be in danger of going too fan-girly, so I'll just leave it at this...
     This book has an unput-downable plot and amazingly written characters. I was hooked and couldn't stop thinking about it even after I'd finished it. I would really, really recommend you read it. I just love it sooo much. And one of the best parts about it, it is a series so you get to find out more about the other Lacey brothers xXx

As always, please leave comments suggesting how I could improve my reviews or which books I should review next. 'Beauty Edit' coming Tuesday xXx

Just letting you know, I finished Mortal Remains by Kathy Reichs, and although I am mainly sticking to my first review, I have to say I was hooked by the end and I did really enjoy it. I will pick up another of her books and hopefully be reviewing them soon.