Review; Always and Forever by Karla J. Nellenbach

Mia's first reaction is outright disbelief. Obviously, a mistake has been made. Sixteen-year-old girls don't die. But, when the diagnosis is confirmed, she dives headlong into anger. If she has to die, why should it be of cancer? In fact, anything would be preferable to cancer. Better for her to say when, where, and especially how.

Determined to meet death on her own terms, Mia devises scheme after scheme to get the job done. A “fall” down the basement stairs, driving her car off a bridge, and even a dance with a train all end in her survival. 

And through it all, Mia keeps her family and friends at arms' length with her destructive and hurtful behavior. With each failed suicide attempt and burned relationship, she slowly realizes that it’s not the dying that she’s afraid of, but the life she’ll be leaving behind. Now, that life is in a shambles. As time begins to slip through her fingers and death is upon her, Mia fights to rebuild the bridges she has destroyed, but can she do it before the clock runs out?


My thoughts
This book had me laughing, shouting angry but most of all crying.... a lot. even as I write this review the day after I have finished the book I could cry.
As I read this book I really got to know the characters and felt they where part of my life, when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about them and would sneak reading it in where ever I could, At work, in the school grounds etc. I would have loved to have been friends with these guys when I was in school. Kal was my favourite character in this book he was just so lovable and his feelings for Mia were beautiful, the way every girl wants to be loved, he would do anything for her.
I really liked Mia's voice in the story and to see and understand how the cancer affected her, and although I got to understand why she pushed people away I still wanted to slap her and tell her to let them cherish her.
Despite the books main storyline there where moments of humour that broke up the tension, especially from Mia's cat Horcrux. I loved that cat. 
I loved the story. Moving, touching  heartbreakingly beautiful but above all, told really well.

ADVICE: don't read just before you leave the house, I had to go pick up my son from school with red rimmed eyes and a red patchy face not a good look for the school grounds

You can find Karla J. Nellenbach and her books on Goodreads Amazon, Twitter and her Website

Review: Crossroads by Chandler McGrew

It isn’t just our world the Empty-Eyed Man covets, and the only one who can stop him is a young girl named Kira Graves. When Kira’s family and everyone else in their carnival are murdered by unearthly creatures called Grigs, Kira and her constant invisible companion, Jenn, flee toward a half-mythical place of safety called Graves Island, but they fail to reach it when Kira is drawn through the looking glass to another world. The planet of the Creators is swiftly deteriorating from a world of dreams into one of nightmares, and the only way to stop the Empty-Eyed Man from turning the entire universe into chaos is for Kira to destroy the tool he most desires, but what she must sacrifice to do so may be worth more to her than the prize.

My thoughts
This was I slow burner for me. I enjoyed it but it took me a while to get into it. As it drew nearer to the climax though I was hooked. There was a lot of mystery surrounding the story and I often felt the answers were right there on the page I was just missing them.

The story was told from different perspectives and were quite a few mini cliff hangers that had me reading on to see what would happen next.

It was filled with suspense and horror although not so scary I couldn't sleep. A good read 

Interview and giveaway with Robert Bryndza

I am so pleased to be able to share this Interview and give away with you all.

Robert is the author of The Not so secret Emails of Coco Pinchard And Bitch Hollywod. 

You have travelled around quite a bit where is your favourite place?

Right now, it’s Slovakia. It is a beautiful place and the town we live in is magical. I loved the ten years I was in London and the year in America, but Nitra is a mix of everything I love. It has one of the best theatres in the country, parks, restaurants, a cinema and the old town and castle, which we love to visit. It’s only a short drive to the capital Bratislava and Vienna for anything work related, and an even shorter drive and you are in mountainous wilderness.

How much of your writing is based on your own experiences?

Quite a bit, but I find you have to take the essence of an experience and make something new out of it. You can’t just write down real life or it would be rather dull! My first novel The Not So Secret Emails Of Coco Pinchard had a great deal of me in it, my experiences as a writer. Also, the finale of the book is set at the Edinburgh Festival. I’ve performed three times at the festival– the last time in a play I had written and I wanted to capture the agony and the fun of being there.

My second novel Bitch Hollywood is based on a lot of what actually happened to myself and my partner Ján when we lived in Hollywood – when came back from America and took stock of our year we realised what a crazy time we’d had and what a great story it would make.

You wrote Bitch Hollywood with your partner, how did you find that. Did you get along easily while in the writing process?

We got on better than I thought we would! Writing can be stressful at the best of times and we gave ourselves a crazy deadline when we wrote. I think we began in September last year and we wanted it done by Christmas – we were also writing two books, as the English version took shape Ján was translating it into Slovak. Overall, it was fun – but we often worked fourteen hours a day. It was cold and snowy outside for most of it and there was something very cosy about working together in the warm. We took over Ján’s mum’s living room and sat at opposite ends writing whilst she cooked for us. It was made even more exciting when we sold the Slovak version to a publishing house in early January. The Slovak version came out last February as Mrcha Hollywood and has been a big hit.

What made you decide to be a writer?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, but I think it was a few years ago when I realised I was constantly thinking about writing, how to describe something I’ve seen or develop an idea. I always thought I wanted to be an actor, and I went to drama school and acted for six or seven years, but nothing tops being a writer.

What advice have you got for other wannabe writers?

Keep writing. Never stop wanting to learn more about your craft, read just as much as you write, and don’t talk about it- do it!

You have released two books The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard and most recently Bitch Hollywood. What's next?

I’ve just started writing the sequel to The Not So Secret Emails Of Coco Pinchard, Ján has just finished its Slovak translation and it will be published in Slovakia in February next year. Also, we’re just finalising the print-on-demand editions of Bitch Hollywood and The Not So Secret Emails.

Finish this sentence. When I am not writing I am....

Reading and daydreaming.

Robert Bryndza is a British born writer. His books include The Not So Secret Emails Of Coco Pinchard and Bitch Hollywood.

He currently lives in Slovakia with his Slovak partner Ján. They have been lucky enough to go on many adventures. Their year spent living and working in Los Angeles was the inspiration for Bitch Hollywood which was also a best seller in Slovakia as Mrcha Hollywood.

When he’s not writing or learning Slovak, Rob enjoys rollerblading, cooking, going to the movies and planning the next adventure.

He also writes a blog; A British Guy In Slovakia at www.teambryndzabooks.com

Thank you so much Robert for the interview. Slovakia sounds so beautiful.

Robert as also offered to do a give away of a Kindle edition of Bitch Hollywood to enter just comment below before the 19th september and leave your email address so we can contact the winner. :)

                                             Bitch Hollywood Blurb
Filip, a young Eastern European guy arrives in Los Angeles to follow his dream and become a Stylist to the stars. At first Hollywood is a shock, moving from a down to earth comfortable life in London into the cut-throat world of Tinseltown.

A stroke of luck first meeting leads to a job with fading movie star Veronica Madison. Soon Filip is pulled into the dark and hilarious world she inhabits, surrounded by the famous (and infamous) residents of the Hollywood Hills.

Filip faces a dilemma, should he leave his morals behind and become one of them; rich, successful, corrupt? Or should he choose happiness and return to the love of his life he left back home in London.

Remember, you always have a choice…

See my Review

Review, An Illegal President: A Novel by Pat Lawrence

“Strolling toward his minivan with eight-year-old Jack and six-year-old Denise in tow, Congressman Paul Garrett suddenly felt the uncomfortable pressure of something hard being shoved into the small of his back. As he jerked his head to figure out—what the hell—the pressure intensified, and he knew it was hard steel; probably a gun.”

So begins the strangest and most bizarre escapade of Paul Garrett’s life. His mysterious kidnapping triggers an adventure that ultimately catapults him to the brink of capturing the pinnacle of political power: the Presidency of the United States of America.

A powerful and sinister world-wide force is responsible for the diabolical plot that thrusts Paul Garrett into the sweepstakes of presidential politics; but, can he ever hope to uncover who or what is behind the fantastic conspiracy, or even more inexplicably—why? Should he dare dream he can unseat a corrupt, incumbent President determined to be reelected at all costs?

With his life threatened, his children endangered, and his wife terrified, Paul is forced to make life-altering decisions which will forever change his future, his marriage, indeed, his entire existence; and the political future of America hangs in the balance.

My Thoughts

Not my usual choice in Genre but I did enjoy an illegal president and found myself drawn in by the author. Paul Garrett was a likeable character who along side is children Jack and Denise are kidnapped. scared for his life and that of his children he finds himself having to met the kidnappers demands or risk the life of his children.

As Paul finds himself at the heart of the presidential election he is drawn deeper into the sinister political world, as conspiracy's deepen and truths are revealed.

His wife Wendy hates all things to do with politics and this proves to her how dangerous a world politics are.
Who can you really trust when politics are involved?

Review: Bitch Hollywood By Robert Bryndza and Ján Bryndza

Filip, a young Eastern European guy arrives in Los Angeles to follow his dream and become a Stylist to the stars. At first Hollywood is a shock, moving from a down to earth comfortable life in London into the cut-throat world of Tinseltown.

A stroke of luck first meeting leads to a job with fading movie star Veronica Madison. Soon Filip is pulled into the dark and hilarious world she inhabits, surrounded by the famous (and infamous) residents of the Hollywood Hills.

Filip faces a dilemma, should he leave his morals behind and become one of them; rich, successful, corrupt? Or should he choose happiness and return to the love of his life he left back home in London.

Remember, you always have a choice…

My Thoughts
Bitch Hollywood as got to be one of the funniest books I have read but amongst the humour there is some very touching scenes that have my tears of laugthter becoming tears of a different kind.
Filip moves to Hollywood to become a stylist to the stars and meets Hillary and Derek. Hillary's character had me laughing so much at his antics and desperation to sell his beauty line also at he was so self absorbed  in his own importance he couldn't see how his actions made him look I wont give anything away but there is a . toilet scene that had me laughing so hard my stomach felt like I had just finished five hundred sit ups.
Filip was a great character as he tried to find work and settle into Hollywood life. He seemed like too nice a guy to fit into Hollywood lifestyle, I loved his sarcasm and how nobody in Hollywood understood it.
Filip first job in Hollywood comes when Veronica offers him the job as her stylist, the washed up star is looking for momentum that will lead her back into the spotlight and she will step on whoever she as to to get her there Filip can even stand by her side and go along for the ride or he can leave. Again Veronica had me laughting determined to be back in the spotlight her actions sometimes lead to hilarious consequence.

I really enjoed reading this book. I laughed so hard and would highly recommend it.

Writing update

I have been concentrating a lot on my Graffiti Story lately. I just feel the words flow much better and I am enjoying writing it so much. I have outlined twenty two chapters although these are likely to change. It isn't often I ever stick to an outline but it helps to have a starting point.

I now have a very good author friend who is critique all my work and I have just got the first chapter back *Bites nails*

I am so happy she is so honest and doesn't just say, "yay, that's great" because she doest want to upset me. the points she made have helped a great deal and she pointed out all my grammar mistakes. So I am very happy to have her helping me out. I believe every writer needs a good critique partner there is so much I would probably have missed so now I best go and make some changes and straighten out all my grammar