New Releases, Free & Bargain Books Link-up Week 13 2017

How are you all this week?  It's Red Nose Day today so Caitlin and Ieuan have duly gone to school wearing their noses.  I'm not sure I'll be sitting through tonight's telethon although I know a lot of people are excited about seeing the cast of the film Love Actually back together again.

Happy Red Nose Day!

The clocks go forward on Sunday (just in time for Mother's Day) so lighter evenings are on their way. Time to get out in the garden and hose down the garden furniture in time for a little early evening reading with a glass of wine.

Did you catch my review of Into The Air by A.K. Downing?  It's a fabulous debut novel for young adults set in a post apocalyptic world with a feisty young female heroine searching for her lost father.

As usual, there are some great books on the linky - and don't forget you can always add your own to spread a bit of the book love.

Don't forget that I still have plenty to be won on my competitions page and don't forget my problem page here.

Happy bargain and freebie book hunting on this link.

Have a great week!

Sharing the Love of Books
Enjoy our selection of New Releases / Free & Bargain Books this week

Authors please feel free to add your own books
Readers please free to add your own finds
(any genre except erotica welcome)

This weekly link up is hosted by Beck Valley Books & these awesome book loving blogs...
Monday
 Life as Leels | IrishdaisylovesRomance | Book Babble | All Romance Reader
Tuesday
It's My Side of Life | Celticlady's Reviews | First Time Mommy Adventures 
Wednesday
Beck Valley Books | Cinnamon Hollow Reviews
Thursday
Miki's Hope | Nicki's Nook
Friday
Ebook Addicts | I Love Romance | Colorimetry | The Ultimate Fan Blog | Mother Distracted
Saturday
Totally Addicted to Reading | 3 Partners in Shopping | Angie's Angle | I Create Purty Thangs | Wishful Endings
Sunday
Lynchburg Mama | LibriAmoriMiei | Ali - The Dragon Slayer | Wondermom Wannabe | Deal Sharing Aunt | Rambling Reviews 

For Pre-orders post - PRE-ORDER / genre / title /author

For New Releases post - NEW / genre / title / author

For Free Books post - FREE / genre / title / author / end date 

For Bargain Books post - SALE / price / genre / title / author / end date
(Strictly no Erotica please.  Steamy romance is fine but watch those covers people, incase any underage child is viewing it!)

Click here for this weeks awesome selection!

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Problem Page Edition 12 2017

This week - your partner's cheating when you've just had a baby and jealousy when your friend makes it big and you feel left behind. Plus, can gift giving mean you're hitting on someone?

If you would like any advice, feel free to treat me as your agony aunt. Just message me or pop a comment in the comment box at the end of this post. I promise to be gentle.

Here are this week's questions.

Q: Would you date someone you’re not attracted to because they offer you financial security?

A: Interesting question. In the past, marriages were often made entirely to secure land and wealth but then women didn’t really have much option.

Personally I couldn’t marry someone I didn’t love - particularly if they didn’t know I didn’t love them. Big lies like that have a habit of coming back to bite us.

And seeking financial security from a man is still a little 19th century, don’t you think?

Wouldn’t you feel better about yourself if you made your own way, earned your own money and took control of your own destiny?

Rather than letting a well off bloke you don’t fancy all that much lock you in to a relationship with all the appeal of mud.

Q: If a female friend gives a guy a gift, do they automatically assume she has an ulterior motive? 

My friend got accepted to nursing school (he is the first college attendee in his family). I got him an antique book of medicine that we love. I am afraid if I give it to him, he will think I'm hitting on him. Anyone who knows me knows I am a giver- it is in congratulations for this big step.

A: It’s a lovely gesture you are considering, but there’s a chance he may wonder if it is a romantic overture.

I guess it depends what kind of relationship you have and whether you exchange gifts at any other time - Christmas, birthdays and so forth. If you don’t this may come a bit left field. 

Do you know his family? Have they met you? 

If you will get a lot of pleasure from giving the gift then just accept he may wonder about your motives and shrug it off. 

I think lots of people would say the gifts should be coming from his family though.

I would look for a new boyfriend I can actually spend time with on a regular basis - and closer to home.

Q: I have a best friend who made it to Harvard and I feel worthless when I see all of his achievements. How do I stop comparing myself to him?

A: You know that everyone has different talents and abilities. 

It does not make one person better than another, just different. It is natural to envy someone’s success and to compare their life with ours. 

Rather than wallow in self pity though, why not ask yourself a couple of questions like did your friend work his butt off to succeed? Are you as dedicated? Do you work as hard? Did your friend have a clear idea of his goal in life? Do you know what you want? 

My point is you can use these feelings to examine your own life and see whether you need to make changes. 

In this case comparison might be the impetus you need to take stock and then take action. 

I am entirely sure you are not worthless and even if he succeeds at Harvard that is not necessarily a golden ticket to a dream job, a dream family, a dream life. It’s just a very good starting block to run from. 

Why not make a list of your achievements and then ask yourself what you’d like to add to it in the next few years. 

And go for it.

Q: How bad is it that my boyfriend is very upset with me and I don't really care? 

He stormed out just now and I was just relieved that he was gone. Why? Now I don't have to hear him curse at me or listen to his angry rant about me going out while he does the exact same thing way more often. 

A: It does seem an extreme reaction from him if the only issue is that you go out without him and he goes out without you. Is there more to it than that? 

If not, your boyfriend is being a hypocrite. It sounds like there’s a battle for control going on here and it certainly doesn’t sound like a fun relationship to be in. It also sounds pretty immature. 

You sound as if you have had enough of him and you shouldn’t put up with anyone cursing you or ranting at you. 

I think the pair of you have to sit down and have an honest conversation about what is acceptable in a relationship to both of you - and whether there is enough to salvage to make it worth putting more effort in. 

Because for it to work, BOTH of you might have to change. 

And if you’re already too angry to care, it might be time to find a new boyfriend.

Q: I have just found out that the father of my 6-month-old daughter has been cheating on me with his female friend. What should I do?

A: I am really sorry if this is the case because when we have just had a baby our self confidence may sometimes be at an all time low as we adjust to the pressures of becoming a mum (whether for the first time or subsequently). 

I am sure you are torn between feeling awful and wanting to kick him to the kerb. 

Pregnancy is often a difficult time for fathers to be and affairs during this time are very common. 

Some men do not have the maturity to cope with lack of sex during their partners pregnancy or may feel pushed out of the new family unit as their partner is totally (and naturally) absorbed with the baby. 

This is no way excuses this behaviour and men like this need to grow up fast. It may, however, explain the reason for his wandering. 

Was everything OK before the baby? You have no doubt heard the term “sticking plaster baby” where a couple is having problems and decides that having a baby will make everything better. It very often doesn’t. 

Do you have proof of the affair? Make sure you have your facts straight and then sit down with him and ask him for an honest explanation. I would speak to him first before you speak to the ‘friend’. 

If he confesses then you either forgive him and gain his reassurance that this was a one-off or you tell him to leave. 

Either way the trust has been broken and it will be difficult to put it all behind you and move on. 

He may, however, be a useless partner but there is no reason why he can’t, in time, be a decent father.

Your initial job is to find out what happened and decide whether your relationship is worth saving. And the female ‘friend’ needs to go if that is to happen. 

I doubt very much that this was anything to do with you. Time for your partner to grow up and face his responsibilities. 

How would you have responded to these questions? I'd love to know. You can find more advice on my problem page.

Disclaimer: All materials included in this post are intended for informational purposes only. This post/information is not intended to and should not be used to replace medical or psychiatric advice offered by physicians or other health care providers. The author will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom. 

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Beck Valley Book Review: Into The Air by A. K. Downing

Like everyone else in the world, Mia Bryn lives in the dark. Buried in an underground compound, her life is spent in brief allotments of florescent light and dwindling food supplies. But when a letter arrives, Mia and her father are invited to embark on a journey that no one else has been allowed to take for over a hundred years. They are asked to leave the ground and travel into the air. But the outside world is more surprising and dangerous than Mia could have ever imagined. To survive, she must trust her instincts, learn about a world she knows nothing about, and accept her destiny.

Available to buy from....
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble    Kobo   Paperback

“Downing’s Into The Air is that fresh take on the YA post-apocalyptic vision we’ve all been waiting for. Mia Bryn is a wonderful character—one who starts out charmingly mortal but soon becomes the heroine we, and her people, need her to be. Can’t wait for the next Mia chapter!” Bruce McAllister, Author of the Cybils-nominated The Village Sang to the Sea: A Memoir of Magic

“There’s a new star in the Young Adult firmament—A. K. Downing’s series, beginning with Into The Air, is sure to be a reader favorite right up there with The Hunger Games and The 100 trilogy.” Richard Snodgrass , Author of There’s Something in the Back Yard

WHAT IF YOU ENTERED A WORLD YOU DIDN'T KNOW

“Did you ever feel so lost that you didn’t know if the ground was above your head or below your feet?”

My Review

Despite the fact that this is story is written for young adults, I have to say I barely noticed, I was so engrossed with this debut novel.  My resolution this year has been to read a wider range of fiction and I am enjoying the challenge immensely.  

Set in a post apocalyptic world where the air has been contaminated and the population forced to survive underground, change is afoot and whilst mutants roam the forests, the government has plans to rebuild and regenerate their world.  

The heroine, 17 year old Mia, is feisty, brave and determined to stand up for herself.  Let loose from the compound in which she has been forced to survive with her father Marshal, she finds herself a fugitive on the run from unseen forces, desperate to find him at any cost to her own safety.  

Her flight takes her deep into the forest where she rescues a little girl and joins forces with a band of renegade guards who find her more than a challenge.  Are they helping her or just waiting to hand her over to the authorities?

I loved that Mia is a well-drawn, modern female character and although the ending of the novel didn't answer all my questions, I suspect Mia's story may continue in further novels.  As the mother of a 9 year old daughter, I would be perfectly happy for Caitlin to read Mia's story.  There is a hint of romance but it is entirely appropriate to the story and not overdone.

I thought the novel was a refreshing change from many of the more saccharine and traditionally 'female' stories available for young adults. This one is certainly an adventure with a bit more bite.

About the author

A. K. Downing is the author of the young adult, adventure novel Into the Air. She grew up in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania and spent her summers exploring the fields, woods and orchards of her grandparents' farm. She studied graphic design at Kent State University and currently works as a Creative Director. She enjoys history, camping, and walking through fields of tall grass, and feels there is no better way to see the world than from the top of a horse. She currently lives in the woods with her husband, daughter, two cats and five chickens. Into the Air is her first novel.

Find the author on the following sites...

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Goodreads   Amazon author page

 

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I received this book through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

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8 Tips For Parents To Make Coping With The Clocks Going Forward Easier

This year the clocks go forward on Sunday 26th March at 1 am just in time for Mother's Day!

This is clearly bad news for the sleep deprived and if you have very young children you will probably find you'll be up as soon as they open their eyes.

Luckily, Caitlin and Ieuan are now at the age where we can negotiate with them (i.e. bribe them) to stay into their rooms till a vaguely decent hour (anything past 7 am).  It does get easier I promise you.

I remember though how tough it was when they were younger.

Whilst it is easier for us adults to adapt to the effect of the change to our body clocks, it's less simple for our kids.

I say easier for adults, although I once had a friend who would spend the entire day following a clock change asking "but what time is it really"?

Are there ways to make it easier on yourself?

Here are some things you could try.

Prepare yourself a few days before

You may find you cope better if you adjust your own sleep routine, starting a couple of days before.

You could try going to bed 10-15 minutes earlier each night and waking up 10-15 minutes earlier each morning. When Sunday arrives, you will already be adjusted and when the kids bound into your room at 5 am it won't be so much of a shock (hopefully!).

You could also try the same approach with the children's bedtime / wake-up time.

Watch what they eat close to bed time

We know that certain foods help us to feel sleepy.  For example, milk contains tryptophan which increases the amount of serotonin  - a natural sedative.  Eating a banana with milk also provides vitamin B6 which helps convert the tryptophan to serotonin. Needless to say, high sugar foods close to bedtime are a no-no!  

If your children haven't eaten much that day you could always try a small portion of porridge (not a high sugar cereal) to help settle little tums or even a couple of cubes of cheese.

Reduce nap times

If your children are still napping, consider reducing their nap time by a quarter of an hour or so the day before to ensure that they are a little more tired at bedtime. If you're extra brave, do away with the nap altogether, although this isn't a good long-term strategy because you may find their sleep patterns are disrupted because they get too tired. A one-off won't hurt.

Get busy the day before

Plan a few activities the day before so that you are out and about in the fresh air. It's hard to feel naturally tired if you are indoors all day. We are spoiled for places to visit near Cardiff and can be in the open countryside in about half an hour.

Stick to your usual bedtime routine

Make sure you stick to your usual bedtime routine so that the children are able to go to sleep easily. A warm bath, milk and a cosy story - all the usual weapons in your sleep armoury should be used!

Block out the sun

When the sunlight comes streaming through the curtains it's hard for anyone to sleep. Good blackout blinds or a blackout lining added to the curtains in your children's bedrooms will really help, as will something simple like a venetian or roller blind.

Change the clocks the night before

Get it over with I say!  If you don't change them till you wake up there's a risk you might forget the time has changed and be late for football/church/the pub (kidding!).

Don't forget to alter the clocks on anything that doesn't automatically update.

Make the most of the extra hour

If you're pretty sure you're going to be up extra early, why not prepare a special breakfast with one or two treats like some pastries and fresh orange juice.

You could even go for an early swim, cycle or walk.

Yes I know most of us will be slumped in an armchair clutching a mug of coffee but the thought is there ...

Go to bed a bit earlier on the Sunday

If all else fails, you can all have a slightly earlier night on Sunday, safe in the knowledge that at least you won't have to do the school run.

Here's hoping you all have a restful Saturday night.

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An Easy Simnel Cake Recipe Just In Time For Easter

Just in time for Easter, Executive Head Chef at Sopwell House, Gopi Chandran, has shared his fool-proof Simnel cake recipe.

Sopwell House is a stunning Georgian manor house located in the city of St. Albans deep within the Hertfordshire countryside. Located only 20 minutes from London St. Pancras, the hotel is the idyllic getaway just outside of the hustle and bustle of the capital.

The traditional Easter treat has been enjoyed since the Medieval times as a cake symbolic of the Easter story. Simnel cake is a light fruit cake with a hidden almond centre and is adorned with eleven almond paste balls to represent the disciples (minus Judas).

Sopwell House Executive Chef Gopi Chandran

Ingredients 

* 175 g soft butter or margarine
* 175 g light muscovado sugar
* 3 eggs
* 175 g self-raising flour
* 175 g sultanas
* 45 g dried apricots
* 45g dried apples
* 90 g glacé cherries, quartered, rinsed, and dried
* 30 g candied peel, roughly chopped
* Grated Lemon zest
* 1 tsp ground mixed spice

For decorating:

* 500g almond paste
* 2tbsp apricot jam
* 1 egg white

Equipment:

7 inch deep round loose bottom cake tin.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 165°C.

2. Roll out one-third of the almond paste. Using the base of the cake as a guide, cut out an 18cm disc.
3. Grease the cake tin, then line the bottom and side with greaseproof paper.

4. Combine all the cake ingredients in a bowl. Beat well until thoroughly blended. Spoon half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Top with the pre-cut disc of almond paste.

5. Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top of the disc and smooth the surface.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. If the cake is browning too quickly cover the top of the cake with greaseproof paper.

7. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin, and leave to cool fully.

8. Warm the apricot jam and brush on top of the cake.

9. To decorate the cake, roll out half of the remaining almond paste and use the tin to cut out another 18cm disc. Put it on top of the jam and crimp the edges. Roll the remaining almond paste into 11 even-sized balls. Place the balls evenly around the edge of the cake, attaching them with egg white. 

10. Brush the tops of the balls and the almond paste top with egg white. Place under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes until golden.

Enjoy!

Sopwell House

 

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Isn't Time The Ultimate Birthday Gift?

Readers of this blog will know that I am hopeless when it comes to choosing birthday gifts for myself.  This is largely because, once you're a parent, your first thought is more likely to be about replacing worn out kids' trainers than treating yourself to a manicure.

As you get older you also acquire an appreciation of craftsmanship and quality which become more important that the current fly-by-night brand or trend.

I've probably inherited a parsimonious streak from my dad whose prime consideration when buying anything is "whether it will see him out".  Not particularly cheerful, but eminently practical, as I'm sure you will agree.

Another consideration is the fact that by the time you get to your 50s, you have most things, in fact almost everything you need.  That doesn't stop us from longing for a little bit of luxury.

"Fashion passes, style remains" - Coco Chanel

There are, though, some things that have been on my personal wishlist for a long time.  I was lucky enough to be given a Louis Vuitton Alma bag for my 50th by the Husband, but I have always had a hankering for a Rolex watch.

My late grandmother, Jessie, had a Rolex dating from the 1930's which is one of my dad's treasured possessions, and a pretty special family heirloom.  I would be perfectly happy with a pre-owned Rolex from a company specialising in second hand watches to hand down to Caitlin in many years to come.

As you get older you certainly come to treasure your time and I think its natural to create special celebrations and little rituals to mark its passing. The years seem to pass quicker and quicker.

"I think the older I get, the more I realize that the ultimate luxury is time." -  Michael Kors

Time has a special resonance for me since I had my kids in my forties and am aware that I might not have as much time with them as younger mums.  I obviously wouldn't change them for the world but I do think the experience of an older mum is different somehow.

I also prefer a perfume which is a little out of the ordinary such as Guerlain's Mitsouko (which means mystery in Japanese) and was created in 1919 . It is a Chypre fragrance with notes of peach, jasmine, may rose, spices (cinnamon), oak moss, vetiver and wood. It is a world away from lots of the synthetic, me-too fragrances currently on the market.

And of course as a massive Agatha Christie fan, I'd love a full set of Agatha Christie novels and a trip to see her holiday home near Torquay - Greenway, now in the safe hands of the National Trust.  You can even get there by steam train or boat.  How romantic is that?  I will be hinting largely to the Husband.

Sometimes a cuppa in bed in the morning is all you want

But ultimately, whilst our things may give us pleasure, it is memorable experiences which stay with us and I am sure that for most mums a special snuggle from their kids and a cup of tea in bed means just much as a glitzy present.

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Review: I'm Wrecked This Is My Journal - The Alternative Baby Book For Frazzled Parents

If you're not a fan of cutesy pastel coloured baby books and fancy recording the real experiences and emotions you felt as a frazzled new parent, Shannon Cullen’s I’m Wrecked, This is My Journal is a unique diary which will allow you to do just that.

Mother-of-two Shannon who is the publishing director for children's books at Penguin Random House UK, has created an entertaining and honest journal. She has a new baby as well as a toddler and aspires to wake up naturally - without the aid of children - one morning.

It’s a book for parents to record their own experiences – both the highs and the lows – and to chart the extraordinary transition to parenthood.

Shannon says "I created this journal for new parents who are looking for a bit of downtime, which probably amounts to about 96 seconds per day. I wanted to reflect my experience of parenting, which is that everything is a balancing act - balancing your baby with one hand and a glass of wine with the other. But alongside the more frazzled moments there are all the wonderful memories that you think you’ll remember forever, vastly underestimating sleep deprivation. My journal is intended as a playful way for parents to remember the ups and downs of their parenting adventure."

The book is fully interactive with space alongside funny comments, quotes and activities for new parents to fill in, including pages to smudge your child’s fingerprints on, design parenting emojis and play baby bingo.

Inside you'll find  a wealth of fun ideas to do and doodle to take your mind off the fact that you're probably knackered and don't have a clue what you're doing (at least I didn't).

For example you can create your ideal playlist, do a dot-to-dot or challenge yourself to see how quickly you can get the baby into the babygrow.  Or how about this for a quote:-  "The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable".  Actually that one is STILL true almost 10 years later.

It's a fun way to record how you were feeling in the precious early days and to keep and feel slightly smug later on when you realise how far you've come and how well you adjusted (because you will).

I'm Wrecked, This Is My Journal would make a great present for a new parent, parent-to-be or just to cheer yourself up when you feel that your life will never be fully under your control again.

Looking back on your experiences you'll soon find that you've had more #parentingwins than #parentingfails even through the haze of sleep deprivation and pureed fruit.

I'm Wrecked, This Is My Journal is published by Michael O'Mara Books RRP £9.99.

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