Blog Tour: The Coco Pinchard Box Set
Today I am part of the blog tour for The Coco Pinchard Box Set by Robert Bryndza. I will be sharing my reviews for the two Christmas novellas in this series. These were two enjoyable novellas and I look forward to reading the rest of the series! There is also an international giveaway going on to win signed copies of all the books in the series!!!
**For the first time, all 5 books in Robert Bryndza’s bestselling Coco Pinchard romantic comedy series are available in one! And this box set includes a new introduction by the author. They are currently on SALE:
Amazon UK 99p
Amazon US: $1.99
Amazon AU $0.99
Amazon EU stores €0.99
‘Coco Pinchard has to be one of my favorite female characters. If you love the Bridget Jones series, then you need to check this out!’ Kerensa, Amazon Reader
Book Descriptions:
Book 1: The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard
If you enjoyed flipping through Bridget Jones’s diary, you’ll love perusing Coco Pinchard’s emails! Coco confides in her quirky, supportive friends as she deals with her life falling apart. Read the emails that tell the heart warming and often hilarious tale of Coco picking up the pieces, in this fun, feel-good Romantic Comedy.
Book 2: Coco Pinchard’s Big Fat Tipsy Wedding
Coco thinks she’s on the road to happily ever after with Adam, until he inexplicably breaks up with her. Will one mistake cost them their whole future? Coco sets out to discover what has really happened, and uncovers a shocking secret Adam has been hiding from her… Full of hilarious twists and turns, Coco Pinchard’s Big Fat Tipsy Wedding is a witty, heart-warming, romantic comedy – the stand-alone sequel to no.1 bestselling, The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard.
Book 3: Coco Pinchard, the Consequences of Love and Sex
Coco Pinchard has a great life, a bestselling memoir, and a handsome second husband. Things are going exactly as planned — until her adult son runs into disaster, her ex’s mother butts back into her life, and she finds out she’s pregnant! Maybe life is more fun if you throw your plans out the window… The third book in Robert Bryndza’s bestselling Coco Pinchard series (which can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone story) is a hilarious diary with Coco’s trademark wit and honesty, tracing the raging hormones and extraordinary twists that take her to motherhood for the second time.
Book 4: A Very Coco Christmas
It’s 1985, and eighteen-year-old Coco Pinchard is home for Christmas after her first term at University. She’s fallen hopelessly in love with Daniel Pinchard, but Coco’s mother wants her to be with Kenneth, the son of posh friends Adrian and Yvonne Rosebury, who will be joining them for Christmas.
As snow falls softly over the city, and Coco tries to juggle a series of hilarious events, the stage is set for a Christmas lunch like no other. A Very Coco Christmas is a delicious, stand-alone prequel short story to Robert Bryndza’s smash-hit Coco Pinchard series.
Book 5: Coco Pinchard’s Must-Have Toy Story
A sparkling feel-good comedy, which asks the question – how far would you go to get your child the must-have Christmas toy?
It’s December 1992, and children are going crazy for the Tracy Island toy – almost as crazy as the parents! Christmas day is fast approaching and Coco Pinchard is desperately trying to track one down for her four-year-old son Rosencrantz.
From dodgy dealings in a motorway lay-by, to extreme shopping in Hamley’s with a Sylvanian Families fanatic, to having a go at the Blue Peter make-your-own Tracy Island, Coco tries everything in the hope that four-year-old Rosencrantz will open his must-have toy on Christmas morning.
Jessica’s Reviews:
Author: Robert Bryndza
Published: June 3, 2015
82 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: October 25-26, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Jessica’s Review:
This is a short novella that introduces us to Coco (AKA Karen). I knew Bryndza wrote crime thrillers (which I plan to read at some point!) but did not know he also wrote some chick-lit/romantic comedies! Needless to say I jumped at the chance to read it. This is my first Bryndza novel and I really enjoyed it!
A Very Coco Christmas is a great introduction to Coco or would be a great ‘look back’ at her earlier life if you already know her. I personally want to read the whole series now! I can tell Coco will be a character I will enjoy reading with the crazy adventures she is bound to go on!
This short story takes place in 1985 and she has just finished her first semester of college and goes back home for Christmas…. Christmas can be a crazy time of year for everyone and chaos ensues for Coco: She can really find herself in some ‘interesting’ situations! You will need to read this one to know what I mean! There is even a turkey in this story…. And he has a NAME!
If you are a fan of chick lit and fun yet crazy in a good way stories, give Coco a try! You will be sure to enjoy it!
Author: Robert Bryndza
Published: October 1 ,2015
144 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: November 2-6, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Jessica’s Review:
It is 1992 in the UK and the ‘must have’ toy of the year is the Tracy Island. Coco’s son wants one: The problem is that these toys are in very high demand and there is a limited supply! The Tracy Island is so popular that there are also directions available to make a ‘homemade version’!
This is the beginning of the novella and the many situations Coco finds herself in to locate a Tracy Island. Each time Coco is in a situation to procure one, things fall apart. Each situation is more outlandish (in an entertaining way) than the previous one.
I don’t have children, but I know parents will identify with this Christmas novella’s situation: How do you make your child happy when they want the most anticipated toy out there that is nearly impossible to get your hands on???? What extremes will a parent to go to get their child this particular toy?
This is an enjoyable novella that shows the chaos of Christmas and finding that certain gift. **What I did not realize until I started working on this review is that the Tracy Island was a real toy in 1992! I cannot help my ignorance in this: I am an American and have never heard of Tracy Island before this novella! I have no idea if this show even aired in the US! I wish I had known while I was reading the novella that it was a real toy!
These novellas are very enjoyable, and I plan on reading the rest of the series. Buy these books and get to know Coco; you won’t regret it. I look forward to reading more from Bryndza!
About the Author:
Robert Bryndza is the author of the international #1 bestseller The Girl in the Ice, which is the first in his Detective Erika Foster series. It has sold over one million copies.
The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath and Cold Blood are the second, third, fourth and fifth books in the series. The sixth book, Deadly Secrets, has just been published.
Robert’s books have sold over 2.5 million copies and have been translated into 28 languages.
In addition to writing crime fiction, Robert has published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels. He is British and lives in Slovakia.
You can find out more about the author at www.robertbryndza.com and on Twitter and Instagram @RobertBryndza
Sign up to Robert Bryndza‘s New Release Mailing List here: http://eepurl.com/UITxz
Contact Robert:
Website
Twitter: @RobertBrynd
Goodreads
Instagram
https://www.facebook.com/bryndzarobert
**International Giveaway!**
Enter to win signed copies of all the books in the series- You will read one and want to read them all: I do! And since the box set is currently on sale, I bought my copy!!
Check out the entire tour here:
Blog Tour: Till it Stops Beating
Today I share my review on the blog tour for Till it Stops Beating by Hannah R. Goodman. This one was published on July 5th!
Book Description:
Seventeen-year-old Maddie Hickman’s senior year begins with the good (the reemergence of The One That Got Away), the bad (a cancer diagnosis, not hers, but it might as well be) and the WTF (an anxiety attack that renders her writhing on the floor like an upside down crab).
Adding to her spiraling anxiety is Senior Project, in the form of I’ve Decided To Write A Book about The Other One That Got Away (And Crushed My Heart). Compounding it all is applying to college and keeping up with her friends. The ever mounting stress eventually rips her tight grip on all that she holds dear.
Her break down leads to an unexpected road trip where she is forced to listen to her wildly beating heart. It is only in the back of a convertible with pop music blasting, that she discovers she must risk everything in order to really live.
Author: Hannah R. Goodman
Published: July 5th, 2018
216 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: September 28-October 6, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Jessica’s Review:
I did not realize this was book four in The Maddie Chronicles when I started it. The first three in the series are:
My Sister’s Wedding
My Summer Vacation
Fear of Falling
When I found out it was the fourth then things made sense: I felt I was ‘missing’ pieces of information during the first part of the novel. I would advise you to read the others in the series before reading Till it Stops Beating.
OK, now that that is over…..
Till it Stops Beating is a coming of age novel for Maddie. She is transitioning from childhood to adulthood and along the way faces some difficult issues, among them anxiety and cancer. Hannah also deals with heartbreak in relationships, family issues and of course: jelly doughnuts. The first few chapters had me craving doughnuts!
Goodman did a good job capturing a teen dealing with anxiety and an unknown future that makes up one’s senior year of high school, which really is a year of change and big decisions. Then in addition to all of that, she has to deal with a relative’s cancer diagnosis and that unknown can be heartbreaking
I enjoyed the second part immensely; I felt I really got to know Maddie through the road trip she took with friends.
You will laugh and might tear up reading this one. The ending is a pleasant one with hope for the future. And the title just gives you all the feelings once you have finished the novel!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
About the Author:
Often referred to as “the teenage whisperer”, Hannah R. Goodman’s twenty-year career working with teenagers includes the titles teacher, tutor, coach, and, more recently, mental health counselor. Hannah has written essays about mental health for various online publications. Her work has appeared on MindBodyGreen, OC87 Recovery Diaries, Zencare.co, and The Mighty. Though she has previously earned the title author with her first three books, the last was released in 2009 and all were self-published. This time around, indie publisher Black Rose Writing released her novel Till It Stops Beating this summer.
Hannah’s first YA novel, My Sister’s Wedding, won the first place award for The Writer’s Digest International Self-Publishing Contest, 2004, children’s book division. She published the follow-up, My Summer Vacation, in May 2006, which went on to win a bronze IPPY in 2007. The third Maddie book, Fear of Falling, was released in the fall of 2009 and was praised by teachers and readers for tackling subjects like homophobia and coming out. She’s published young adult short stories on Amazon’s Shorts, in an anthology entitled Bound Is The Bewitching Lilith, and in the journal Balancing The Tides. She also has written columns for The Jewish Voice & Herald. Recent, previous projects include Sucker Literary, which features emerging YA authors and All The Way YA, a group blog of writers telling the real deal about writing and publishing YA fiction.
Hannah is a member of ARIA (Association of Rhode Island Authors) as well as a graduate of Pine Manor College’s Solstice Program in Creative Writing where she earned an MFA in Writing For Young People. She resides in Bristol, RI with her husband, two daughters, and black and white cat named Zoe.
Contact Hannah:
Website
Twitter @hannahrgoodman
Goodreads
Instagram
Amazon Author Central
Linkedin
https://www.facebook.com/tillitstopsbeatingnovel/
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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Authors: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Published: July 29, 2008
277 Pages
Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.”
January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb….
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
Kim’s Review:
There’s been a buzz around this book since Netflix announced that they would be turning it into a movie. I definitely wanted to read it before I watched. I really liked this book! It’s an easy read with a simple story and likable characters. I was a little hesitant with the letter format and it definitely isn’t my favorite, but by end, I had gotten used to it. The small issue of homosexuality was introduced and handled maturely but not historically. No one during that time would have been so open to a stranger about homosexuality when it was literally against the law. Thankfully, it wasn’t a major part of the story.
Juliet is a funny, passionate protagonist and I couldn’t wait to turn the page to find out what happened to her. Interestingly, one of the most potent characters didn’t even make an appearance! Most of the people on the island of Guernsey are spunky and fun. I had such a great time getting to know them! Even the nasty people on the island made me laugh! While there is a set story-line that was entertaining, this is definitely a character-centric book! If you don’t want to visit Guernsey to meet the people there, then you read the book wrong! A great one for lovers of historical fiction! A great book!!!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
