Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Review, Romance, Young Adult

Book Review: The Practice Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin

I can’t remember when I downloaded this book. It was just there on my Kindle, unread.  It was like finding a hidden treasure. It became the perfect companion to read during the late night feeds with Aria.

The Beginning

The novel quickly sets up the scene of the three main crowds.  It is told told from two points of view, Hannah’s and Cody’s.

Hannah attends a private school.  She is only able to go due to a scholarship she achieved thanks to her high grades.  She works hard to keep her place and never breaks the rules.

Then there is the ‘it’ crowd made up of the rich kids of the most influential families.  Cody was once part of this crowd but following the scandal where his pregnant high school sweet heart died in a drink driving accident, he is now an out cast.

Hannah realises she is going to finish school without ever doing anything wild or having a boyfriend. She sets her sights on Harrison, the high school king and famous for his exclusive parties.  To get invited you need to be given a key. 

The Middle

Considering that Cody knows the ‘it’ crowd but is no longer part of it, she singles him out to ask for his help.  Cody tries to talk her out of her plan.  He warns her the clique are not nice people but when Hannah resolves to blackmail him, he decides she might fit right in.

Hannah thinks Cody is a safe perfect practice boyfriend because there is no way she would fall for him.  Cody teaches her the rules of the elite and helps her practice her kissing.  Cody is rich and even pays for her to have a full makeover and wardrobe upgrade.

Cody pretends to be her boyfriend.  To keep up the pretence they have to spend a lot of time together.  They have their first kiss and more.  Cody continues to help Hannah to get noticed by the ‘it’ crowd and it works.

Now Hannah is being invited to hang out with the girls eager to gossip about Cody.  They want her to see the monster he is as they blame him for the death of their friend.  Being in the spotlight attracts the attention of Harrison and it looks like Hannah is going to get her wish.

The End

Hannah discovers that money, popularity and wealth isn’t as glamorous as she anticipated.  She discovers some ugly truths but is it too late to make things right?

Final Thoughts

I absolutely loved this book.  I wanted Aria to wake up in the night for her milk so I could read some more.  It was fast paced.  I loved the world building.  The twisted ‘it’ crowd reminded me of Cruel Intentions.  I love the misunderstandings and conflict between the two and the relationship was believable. 

Both characters were well developed and I really liked both of them – which is a tricky thing to do in dual points.   I would definitely be interested in reading more by Christina Benjamin,   

If you liked this, you will enjoy:

My Books

Why I love YALC

Book Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Book Review: The Gender Game by Bella Forrest

Click my link tree to discover more ways to connect with me

@Redfae

Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Contemporary, Fantasy, Future, High, LGBT, Review, Romance, Second Chance, Urban, Young Adult

Book Reviews of 2019

Do you write Book Reviews? If so, good for you. Reviews not only help readers make more informed choices on their next read but it also support authors.

I don’t get much time to read. I’m constantly surrounded by distractions. But, I wanted that to change. So last year, I set my target low at 6 books.

There were times I feared 6 books was ambitious and it highlighted how little time I get. As I actively tried to combat it, I found more time to read. By the end of 2019 I had exceeded my goal.

Here is the collection of 2019 reviews.

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

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Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

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Duet Rubato by Claerie Kavanaugh

copy of copy of copy of happily ever author

Envy by J D Groom

copy of copy of copy of copy of copy of happily ever author

You Stole My Heart… Do I have to take your name? By Sarah Neofield

copy of copy of copy of copy of happily ever author

Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst

copy of copy of copy of copy of copy of copy of happily ever author

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

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That’s not all. There are books I finished and have yet to write my review. But, I will post them. Look out for my upcoming reviews of the following:

Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S Weaver

Good Reads:  Trust me by Maddie James

I think I will look at making a book review page on my website to make finding these easier for readers.  

If you enjoyed this post you may also like:

My Books

Why I love YALC

I got to tour Ingram Spark’s print facility

Felixstowe Book Festival and My White Knight

Discover more ways to connect with me by clicking my link tree:

@Redfae

 

Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Fantasy, High, Library, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

I took my son to the library to exchange his books (or renewal and get more books).  Whilst he was struggling with the dilemma of  choosing his new books and returning books he loves, my husband pointed this book out to me.  I have always wanted to write a novel about faeries so this was to be a fun read and research into how someone else has done it.

The MC is a boy called Ethan Chase.  I don’t read many books with a male protagonist so this was a refreshing change and it was done well.   Skip to my final thoughts it you don’t want any spoilers.

Beginning

 Ethan is aware fae exist and has a troubled past with them.   In the opening chapters he shares how they are dangerous and the result of their interference in his life has lead to him being expelled from schools and blamed for a fire he didn’t cause. 

Ethan is starting another new school. On his first day, he stands up for a boy being bullied, Todd. Nobody else can see that Todd has long furry ears but it is because he is a half-fae.  Ethan doesn’t want to be friends with Todd as he distances himself from all fae.  He also doesn’t like Todd’s wee fairy companion.

Ethan also attracts the attention of Mackenzie, who wants to interview him for the school paper.  He tries to push Mackenzie away as anybody that gets close to him always gets hurt but she is persistent.  

Middle

A  deadly new type of fairy are consuming fae and half-fae.  Todd asks for Ethan’s help.  At first Ethan doesn’t want to get involved but he takes pity and agrees.  Unfortunately, Todd is taken and now the creatures are coming after Ethan.  Ethan is at a martial arts tournament where Mackenzie is trying to get his story but during the tournament the deadly fae come for him.  Nobody else can see them.  Ethan runs.  Mackenzie follows.  

Ethan needs to keep Mackenzie safe. He makes a choice to use a special object his sister gave him to transport into the fae world.  They are greeted by a cat, Grimalkin, who knows the way to the Iron Kingdom where his sister, Meghan, is queen.   The journey is dangerous but when they arrive his sister wants to keep him safe.  They are sent to a room to ‘rest’ but feels more like prison.  When Ethan and Mackenzie get the opportunity to escape with the help of Keirran. 

On their mission to rescue Todd, there are a lot of truths uncovered which I won’t go into.  Their are fights.  There were some very interesting characters along the way.  I liked Kierran’s love interest and the exiled queen and the cheeky little gremlin.  

They travel to the earth and are attacked again. They manage to escape to the in-between and learn how serious the problem is.  They visit Hyde Park to follow a lead but things get worse for the gang when the nephew is taken prisoner.

Something I really enjoyed was the slow burning romance between the Ethan and Mackenzie. There is plenty of conflict between them and good reasons why they hold back. I couldn’t wait for them to get together.  

The Ending

The build up to a battle where Ethan has to save his friends (and nephew) was worth it.  There were also some reveals that I hadn’t seen coming and I liked that the supporting characters were well developed too. 

Finally Thoughts…

There were a few times Ethan annoyed me.  He blames himself for Todd being kidnapped but I didn’t really see why it was his fault, after all, Todd was a fairy and hung around with the fae.  Ethan made it clear that doing that meant trouble was inevitable.  I got that he felt responsible for what happened to Mackenzie but she wouldn’t leave him alone.  She did bring it on herself too.  

What I loved was how all the characters were well developed.  You could easily tell who was speaking and they all had rich backstories.  There were plenty of magical creatures and I loved the world building especially the ‘in-between’ world.  

I hadn’t realised the book was part of a series (it’s book 5 in the Iron Fey series).  I was really pleased when I discovered that as I wanted to read more.  I wonder if some of the things that didn’t click with me is because I need to read the other books.  For example, I want to know more about Meghan and why she is the Iron Queen and why Ethan holds so much resentment for the Iron Fey.  

If you like this post, you will enjoy:

Why I love YALC

Book Review: Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst

Book Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Book Review:  Blind Tiger by Rachel Vincent

Click my Link Tree to discover more ways to follow me

@Redfae

 

 

 

 

Ally Aldridge Book Genre

World Indie Warriors Brochure

Who are World Indie Warriors

I love being part of World Indie Warriors.  They have been one of the highlights of my 2019.  The members are incredibly supportive and creative. They have encouraged me to push myself to try new things and above all, believe in myself.

We have been chatting online for a while.  We meet via video on Zoom.  And, some of us have even met up in person.  Together we are developing a community on Facebook to support more Indie Creatives.

The Indie Catalogue

One of the projects we are working on is to create a brochure with products by Indie Creatives.  We want to make discovering products and books by indie creatives easy.  The brochure can be downloaded or printed, and is accessible to anyone interested

We needed someone to create the brochure.  Guess who volunteered?  Me!

It was a bigger project than I anticipated. I had to juggle it around my other commitments and doing NaNoWriMo, but I pulled the first copy together in time for the deadline.

WIW Brochure (1)

The December edition is another great resource for gifts during the Holiday season.  You can discover the brochure on the World Indie Warriors website.  Please visit:  https://worldindiewarriors.wordpress.com.

Do you want to get involved?

Getting involved couldn’t be easier.  All you need to do is join the World Indie Warriors Members Facebook page or message us on Instagram (@worldindiewarriors).

We welcome all indie creatives and want to support each other.  If you are self-published, an artist, a musician or any type of creator, pop along and find out what we are all about.  You won’t be disappointed!

We also want to connect with small businesses that provide services to support indie creatives.  We love getting to know book bloggers and product reviewers.

I hope to see you there.

If you liked this, you will enjoy:

Gifts for writers

I got to tour Ingram Spark’s print facility

Why I Love World Indie Warriors

How was NaNoWriMo 2019

Book Review: Envy by J D Groom

Book Review: Duet Rubato

To discover more ways to connect with me, please click my link tree.

@Redfae

 

Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Fantasy, High, Review

Book Review: Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst

I picked this book up at YALC and had no idea what I was getting myself in for. I was attracted by the cover, the blurb and the offer of a free tote bag.

This book is set in a fantasy world where people live on Island and are plagued by dangerous spirits.

There are people with the ability to control the spirits but they hide their power. If you are found out you are given a choice – join the queens guards and lose your identity or go to a deadly island where if you manage to survive you become an heir to the throne.

Beginning

The story starts with the MC getting married but her wedding goes horribly wrong when the celebrations are over run by spirits killing her guests. It’s so bad that the MC can’t run and hide, she stands up to the spirits and fights, revealing her hidden power.

She knows the guards will come and take her but her fiancé convinces her to runaway with him. He doesn’t want her taken like her sister a few years before. If they get caught, he persuades her to choose to be a guard as he can’t bear to think of her being hunted and killed on the island.

Middle

The lovers are tracked and caught and the MC is forced to make her choice. In that moment, hating the guards for attacking her injured fiancé, she chooses the Island. She can’t stand the thought of being one of them.

After a brief training session, where she makes two friends, they are taken to the Island for the test. The last cohort all died casting fear and doubt in the women’s minds. As the first women reach the shore, the spirits instantly start killing them off.

The MC manages to escape and hide by swimming underwater (a special skill she has). Whilst surviving, she runs into one of her friends and they team up against the spirits. This isn’t encouraged as it will make them a greater target to the spirits.

Together they uncover a secret about the island that sheds light on why everyone died during the previous test. They decide they must escape the island to inform the Queen.

The Ending

I’ll try not to spoil it. All I’ll say is there were plot twists I didn’t see coming. I was really impressed with the ending and all the lose ends were tied up brilliantly.

Finally Thoughts…

I loved this book so much that it is my favourite book for 2019! It has set the bar high.

I had no idea it is part of a series as it is a complete story but now I know, I want to read the other titles.

The book is described as a Fantasy version of Hunger Games and that’s a pretty good summary.

I highly recommend this book. If you’ve not read it yet, you really are missing out. Go order it now!

If you like this post, you will enjoy:

Book Review: Red Queen

Book Review:  Blind Tiger by Rachel Vincent

Book Review: Who runs the world by Virginia Bergolt

Book Review: The Gender Game

Click my Link Tree to discover more ways to follow me

@Redfae

 

 

 

Ally Aldridge Book Genre, Resource, Review

Book Review: You stole my heart… Do I have to take your name?

This is a book I wouldn’t naturally pick up but Sarah Padfield-Neofitou sold it to me on the idea that it could help me with naming my characters. It certainly will make me think more about their surnames but there was more to this book than that.

What is it about?

The book is aimed at recently engaged, soon to be married couples. It addresses the different traditions and beliefs following marriage about names. It raises awareness that you don’t have to take your partners name and they don’t have to take yours and all the different options available to you both.

The book also has tips on how to announce your post-marriage surnames, things to watch out for like avoiding unfortunate initials.

The most eye opening part of the book was on how people judge others for their name decisions. You suddenly realise how many prejudices there are connected to a simple choice that doesn’t really affect anyone but the name bearer.

The real shocker I discovered is I have judged people for their choices and I’ve no idea where my ideals came from. I never thought I was a judgemental person until I saw myself in her words as that person.  I hadn’t expected to evolve as a person from reading this but I did and I’m a better person for it.  

Do I recommend it

I think this book would make a great engagement gift. When I got married I didn’t give a second thought to changing my name. It is what you do…

But now I realise how vast my choice was. I also think if I realised how difficult it is to officially change your name, I wouldn’t have bothered.  

I’m not sure I would have bought this book as a writing resource, although, now I have it in my collection I’m sure I will refer to it for inspiration when coming up with surnames.

If you liked this post you might enjoy:

Book Review: Save the Cat – Writes a Novel

Book Review: Envy by J D Groom

Tips on naming your character

Click my Link Tree to discover more ways to follow me

@Redfae

 

 

 

Ally Aldridge Festival

A local girls guide to Felixstowe Book Festival

If you have decided to attend Felixstowe Book Festival then you are sure to have a great time. The program will tell you about all the events taking place and ticket costs but I am going to tell you about how to make the most of your visit to Felixstowe!

Where to stay

There is a variety of accommodation in Felixstowe.

We have two caravan parks (Beach Holiday Park and Suffolk Sands). Look out for Sun Holiday deals to make your visit a very cheap holiday.

There is a large Premier Inn a few yards from the beach, pier and hill that leads into town. It’s a great budget option for short stays.

For Bed & Breakfast you may like to stay at Castle Lodge. This hotel starred in the TV Show Four in a Bed and was once home to award winning crime writer Ruth Dugdall. It is still owned by her mother.

If you want to be in the heart of the action then The Orwell Hotel will be your first choice as many of the events are split between here and the library. The next closest hotel to town is the Brook Hotel (Best Western).

If you want sea views then The Fludyers Hotel is an excellent choice. This Edwardian building has been beautifully renovated with modern amnesties.

 

Where to eat

All the places to stay serve food, with the best for sea views being The Fludyers.  In addition, both the Library & Orwell Hotel serve food so you could eat right where the action is taking place. However, here are some more worth checking out:

My first choice has got to be The Mad House (caters for vegan and gluten free diets). This is new to Felixstowe but  literary fans will adore The Alice in Wonderland themed decor and being so close to the library.

Another cafe by the Library is The Oaks Tearoom. This little cafe has a sweet country decor and often full of fresh flowers.

A lovely restaurant near The Orwell Hotel is Cafe Bencotto for sit down food or if you are in a rush get a healthy take away at Spud Hut (serves vegan food).

Whenever you visit a British seaside town you must eat ice-cream and chips on the beach and in Felixstowe you will find plenty of choice. For homemade ice-cream my favourite is The Little Icecream Co and for chips is The Regal Fish Bar and Restaurant.

For sea views you can’t rival Boardwalk Cafe on the pier with outdoor seating. Other hot spots is The Alex Cafe Bar & Brasserie that sells great food but also has an upstairs restaurant.

Or for a cafe on the sea front try One29 Bar at the bottom of Bent Hill. If you venture into the spa gardens you may find Cliff Top Cafe which is a hidden gem.

Where to eat your lunch

If you brought a packed lunch or bought a take away then you’ll be pleased to know there are some lovely spots close by to town to eat your lunch other than a bench at the Triangle (the island in the middle of town).

A short walk from the Orwell Hotel is the Grove. This is a little woodland area with paths through the forest or a big field to sit and eat your lunch.

Another option is the Spa gardens. At the end of town (towards the sea) turn left and go through the gardens. There are lots of steps but it is possible to avoid them if you have a pushchair or wheelchair, etc.

Of course, there is the beach with benches along the promenade or just find a spot on the beach. If you have transport, you may wish to go to Landguard Fort or the Ferry for a different experience.

Book Shops

You can buy books from Charity Shops, WHSmith or The Works but why not check out these local independent book shops:

Richards Books: Sells secondhand books.

Treasure Chest Books: Sells secondhand and antiquarian books

Stillwater Books: Sells new books and some are signed by the author.

Don’t forget the festival will be selling books. These are usually sold at The Orwell Hotel or after author talks (where they sign them).

Stationery shops

You can buy stationery from WHSmith, The Works or Poundland but I would encourage you to check out Pierrot, a small local stationery supplier.

A little maps of where to find these shops on the high street:

The Orwell Hotel

If you enjoyed this blog post, you will enjoy:

Planner Meet

Alwyn Hamilton at Felixstowe Book Festival

Making Books

Spotlight on Summer Literary Dates calendar

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Ally plus text

Ally Aldridge Review

Book Review: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Author: Alwyn Hamilton

Rebel of the Sands

This is the first book in a trilogy.

It is set in the Middle East, in the desert. There is a western feel to it with the guns but a fantasy element with the magic and mythical creatures.

This is my review.

What is the book about?

The story is set in the desert in a time when women are oppressed. Amani lives in a small town with her aunt and uncle as her parents are dead. It isn’t a happy home, they are poor and she is coming to an age where she must be married but doesn’t get to chose who. Her uncle thinks she should marry him and she can’t think of anything worse. So, she plans to escape.

Fortunately she is a good gun slinger and decides to dress up as a man and enter a shooting contest. She plans to runaway with her winnings.

Skip to ”What did I think” to avoid spoilers.

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How it starts

At the contest she earns the nickname Blue Eyed Bandit (her eye colour is unusual) and although she makes it to the final and is clearly the best shooter it turns out the contest is fixed and she is lucky to make it out alive.

The soldiers are looking for a criminal which turns out to be Jin, the guy she met at the contest and helped her escape. Amani helps him hide although Jin doesn’t recognise her without her disguise.

Later, when she captures a magical horse, worth a lot of money, she thinks her luck has changed. But, her uncle decides they must marry so he can take the money. The mine explodes and in the chaos, Jin helps her escape with the horse.

The middle

At first Amani and Jin are not travelling companions but as their paths keep crossing they end up helping each other. There are also a few almost kisses.

To avoid getting captured Jin suggests they join some travellers as hired help. Amani has to pretend to be a boy and is hired as a shooter as the route is dangerous.

During their travels they see some of what the army are doing and discover they have created some type of bomb and will use it on civilians and blame the rebels.

Whilst travelling, Jin is attacked by a creature that creates nightmare. The party want to leave him behind as he will slow them down and die but Amani stays with him. She is determined to get him across the desert in his fragile state. A creature is tracking them so Amani has to find somewhere safe, she finds a wall and says the secret phrase from the fairy tale Jin has been telling her and the hidden entrance opens.

This trip was a little tiresome for me and Amani didn’t have much purpose. Her family were long gone and she was running to a city where she thought her life would be better.

How it ends

Amani finds the rebels secret hideout. Whilst at the camp she meets Dijinnis and learns about how they all have a unique characteristic. She discovers her blue eyes are because she is a Dijinni. She also discovers Jin is the rebel prince. At first she is angry he hid this from her but later forgives him.

She joins the rebel’s and helps them to stop the bomb by figuring out her power in the nick of time. She also gets with Jin and they kiss.

What did I think

I like the magic and world building I’m just not a massive fan of travelling within stories. I also wanted the magic sooner but I guess that was the tease to hook me until the end. Amani is a strong fierce character which I enjoyed. The chemistry between Jin and Amani was subtle although it was obvious that he would be the love interest. I get the feeling the passion is being saved for a book later in the series.

I’ve got the next book to read but decided to read Red Queen instead. Rebel of the Sands is a good book and worth a read. There is a movie coming and I think the magic will look very exciting on the screen.

Have you read it? What did you think?

If you liked this, you may enjoy:

How to write a Trilogy – lunch with Alwyn Hamilton

Book review: Blind Tiger by Rachel Vincent

Literary dates calendar

Book Review: Who runs the world by Virginia Bergolt

        

Ally Aldridge Festival, Writing

Making Books

Making Books with Emily Rowe and Jeni Smith.

Originally, I hadn’t bought a ticket to this event, at Felixstowe Book Festival 2018, as I thought it was only for children and accompanying adults. When I discovered I could attend, I bought a last minute ticket and I am so glad I did.

This workshop covered different techniques for making books. We were given paper, pens, needle and thread.

We were shown three different techniques. First we created a simple folded book and they showed us how to use this technique to create a thin long book or a short wide book.

Then, we made a shaped book. The design they taught us was in the shape of a house. Inside we cut out doors.

We were encouraged to fill in our books. I choose to turn the ‘house’ book into Noah’s home with easy words for my son to read. Another attendee theirs into a row of beach huts, someone else had the house changing through the seasons and a girl drew each house belonging to her best friends. It was great to see how universal the design was for each person.

For the folded book, we were asked what our favourite word was. Mine is “banana”. We were then challenged to fill our books based on our favourite word. I decided to write about different colour bananas to the tune of “one potato”. Later, I gave the book to Noah to colour in. He was able to read the colours and word banana easily. As a minion fan, he found it funny that it was about bananas.

The final technique we were shown was a stitched book. They taught us how to gather a suitable number of pages and the right size cover. We were shown how to safely make the holes for binding and the pattern to use for the stitch using a waxed thread.

We then had time afterwards to try making any of the methods again or to continue decorating and filling in our books. I made another stitched book and used floral paper from their scraps box. I plan to use this as a notebook to records ideas for a best selling novel!

The scraps box was full of all sorts of different bits of paper ranging from left over card/paper to gift wrap and gift bags to wallpaper. For the cover you need something thicker than the paper used inside. It really demonstrates how creating your own books is very sustainable as you are repurposing stuff you may have otherwise thrown away.

Around the room were several books for anyone wanting to learn more about making books. They recommended:

The event was brilliant. Emily and Jeni worked well together to deliver an engaging and interactive workshop. I hope they continue to return to Felixstowe Book Festival to share their knowledge and enthusiasm of making books.

*****

I had planned to create a video to illustrate how to make these but haven’t had the time. Hopefully, I will one day.

Have you ever made a book – what style do you make and what did you use your creation for? I am hoping to do this with my son to encourage his writing. Please let me know if you’ve got any tips.