I is for Imogen #AtoZChallenge

I is for Imogen by Jilly Cooper, the first book I ever read by this amazingly talented British author. I must have been about 11 or 12 and boy did I learn a few things. Needless to say, the moment I finished it, I devoured pretty much every other book she'd ever written. Hilarious and touching, Jilly Cooper's books captivated me and I will always remember Imogen fondly...

Imogen by Jilly Cooper

This was the cover back in the 80s, but it's changed now to keep up with the times!

As a librarian, Imogen read a lot of books, but none of them covered real life on the Riviera. Her holiday with tennis ace, Nicky, and the whole glamorous coterie of journalist, playboy, photographer, was a revelation - and so was she. A prize worth winning. A wild Yorkshire rose among the thorny model girls, Cable and Yvonne, with a rare asset that they'd mislaid years ago... But the path of a jet-set virgin in that lovely wicked world was a hard one. Imogen began to wonder if virtue really was its own reward.

D is for Daisy Madigan's Paradise #AtoZChallenge

D is for Daisy Madigan's Paradise

So I'm going to blow my own trumpet today. Daisy Madigan's Paradise is one of my own YA novellas. It's actually the book that The Eye of Praxos is based upon (see tomorrow's post).

Daisy Madigan's Paradise

When tragedy falls upon 15 year old Daisy Madigan, she escapes to the only place she feels safe, the cemetery of Abney Park. There, in the company of the dearly departed, she realizes she is changing, growing stronger and faster by the day. But in the darkness lurks a terror even she can't imagine facing.

Daisy Madigan's Paradise is FREE. Grab your copy here.

˃˃˃ "A fantastically evocative YA novella perfect for both younger and older teens."

˃˃˃ "Wonderful addition to the Morgan Sisters series! I might suggest reading The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw first, but this should stand on its own even if you haven't. Such a lovely, well written story - I highly recommend it and all of her books."

C is for Cecelia Ahern #AtoZChallenge

C is for Cecelia Ahern

Her books are enchanting, combining a touch of the magical with chick lit at its best, you'll be left desperately wanting more. For me it all started with PS. I Love You - a book I devoured, devastated when it came to an end. I was thrilled with the movie (partly because it features the hot and sexy Gerard Butler, no doubt) and have watched it several times (naturally).
Then I found A Place Called Here and was utterly mesmerised. I mean, I couldn't put it down. It was a work of pure genius! This was swiftly followed by If You Could See Me Now and Thanks for the Memories. There are other books that I haven't got round to just yet but I know I will. She writes so beautifully. I highly recommend her books if you haven't read any. Visit http://www.cecelia-ahern.com

PS. I Love You

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.

A Place Called Here

How can I describe this place? It’s an in–between place. It’s like a grand hallway that leads you nowhere, it’s like a banquet dinner of left–overs, a sports team made up of the people never picked, a mother without her child, it’s a body without its heart. It’s almost there but not quite. It’s filled to the brim with personal items yet it’s empty because the people who own them aren’t here to love them.
Since Sandy Shortt’s childhood schoolmate disappeared twenty years ago, Sandy has been obsessed with missing things. Finding becomes her goal – whether it’s the odd sock that vanished in the washing machine, the car keys she misplaced in her rush to get to work or the graver issue of finding the people who vanish from their lives. Sandy dedicates her life to finding these missing people, offering devastated families a flicker of hope.
Jack Ruttle is one of those desperate people. It’s been a year since his brother Donal vanished into thin air and the sleepless nights and frantic days aren’t getting any easier. Thinking Sandy Shortt could well be the answer to his prayers, he embarks on a quest to find her.
But when Sandy goes missing too, her search ends when she stumbles upon the place – and people – she’s been looking for all of her life. A world away from her loved ones and the home she ran from for so long, Sandy soon resorts to her old habit again, searching. Though this time, she is desperately trying to find her way home...

If You Could See Me Now

Elizabeth Egan's life runs on order: Both her home and her emotions are arranged just so, with little room for spontaneity. It's how she counteracts the chaos of her family--an alcoholic mother who left when she was young, an emotionally distant father, and a free-spirited sister, who seems to be following in their mother's footsteps, leaving her own six-yearold son, Luke, in Elizabeth's care. When Ivan, Luke's mysterious new grown-up friend, enters the picture, Elizabeth doesnt know quite what to make of him. With his penchant for adventure and colorful take on things large and small, Ivan opens Elizabeth's eyes to a whole new way of living. But is it for real? Is Ivan for real? If You Could See Me Now is a love story with heart--and just a touch of magic.

B is for Belinda Jones #AtoZChallenge

B is for for Belinda Jones

One of my fave chick lit authors, Belinda's books are full of exciting travel, adventure and humour. I read her Divas Las Vegas around the time that I visited the stunning city in Nevada (my first ever visit to the States!).  Needless to say, I loved it! Actually, I've loved every one of her books, including...

Divas Las Vegas

Jamie and Izzy, friends for ever, have a dream: a spangly double wedding in Las Vegas. And, at twenty-seven, they decide they've had enough crap boyfriends and they're ready for crap husbands - all they have to do is find them. So where better than Las Vegas itself, where the air is 70% oxygen and 30% confetti?

On The Road To Mr. Right

Belinda loves America. Her best friend Emily loves men. So when they decide it's time to shake up their lives, they combine their two greatest passions in a fantastic road trip taking them from Eden to Valentine - via Climax - in pursuit of the American Dream Guy.
There's no shortage of men - a Casanova from Cazenovia, a male cheerleader from Darling and a tattooed trucker from Kissimmee. But is romance really the answer to their problems? And is two women in search of the perfect man such a great idea anyway?
Theirs is a journey of revelations and surprises, of cactus kisses and errant snowploughs, but above all it's a journey in seach of love. And you think Thelma and Louise had an eventful trip...

The California Club

After ten years of longing, Lara's finally going on holiday with the man she loves. Unfortunately, his brand new fiancee is coming too. But Lara is convinced she can rise above such minor irritations with her two best friends - Zoe and Sasha - along for the ride and the irresistible prospect of catching up with Annabel, the mutual friend who moved to San Diego six months ago. Their plans for the fortnight are simple: sunbathe, swim, surf and star-spot. But when Annabel greets them, utterly transformed from a clipboard-clasping, diet-crazy, calorie-counting emotional mess into a sun-streaked, relaxed model of happiness, they all want to know her secret. Delighted by their enthusiasm, Annabel introduces them to 'The California Club', a club which makes your dreams come true. But be careful what you wish for!

Belinda has written many more and they're all worth checkin out! Visit http://www.va-va-vacation.com for more information.

A is for Andrea Sachs #AtoZChallenge

I did the A to Z Challenge last year on my YA blog and had great fun so I figured I'd give it a go again this year on Fiction Dreams. Although I lacked a theme 12 months ago, this time I knew I'd have to stick to the fiction theme of the blog. So here's goes...

A is for Andrea (Andy) Sachs

One of my favourite chick lit books is The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger. It's one of the few movie adaptations that was as good as the book, in my opinion. Andrea Sachs is the main character, a university graduate who heads to New York and manages to nab a job for the uber cool Runway Magazine (edited by chief bitch Miranda Priestly). If you haven't read it, I recommend you do... it's fantastic! And if you haven't seen the 2006 movie, I suggest you go out and get it immediately. With a super cast including Anne Hathaway (another A!), Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt (oh and not to mention the sexy Simon Baker), this is one of the finest examples of chick lit out there!

To find out more about the A to Z Challenge, visit the main blog right here. To see the full list of participants, click here.
They also have a Facebook Page. Email address is infoatoz2014@gmail.com, The Twitter hashtag is #AtoZChallenge and Twitter id is @AprilA2Z