It's my 50th Birthday so let's celebrate with books

They say age is just a number and it's certainly a mantra I believe in the older I have become. But for me birthdays are also bittersweet as they are a reminder that my mum is no longer around as she died suddenly 3 days before my 29th birthday. And now that I've reached the big 5-0 milestone, it's also a reminder as to how young my mum was as I've now only got 2 more birthdays to go until I'll be the age she was when she died.

Sadly with the way life has been for us all in the last 10 months, birthdays, weddings and any other form of celebrations have been rather pared back and mainly celebrated with those in our households or social bubbles so we've certainly got a lot of catching up to do when it is safe to meet up again. Personally I wouldn't have liked a big party or anything but would have liked to have been able to arrange to go out with friends for afternoon tea, instead I'll be celebrating my birthday home alone although will be catching up with friends online. 

But not only is it a special day for me, but it's also a big new books day in the publishing world as there are a LOT of new books out today. Below are just a small selection of some of the books that have caught my eye and made it onto my wishlist. Which ones will you be buying?

Guest Book Review: Monica McInerney - Hello from the Gillespies

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

For the last thirty years, Angela Gillespie's annual Christmas letter has been full of her family's triumphs. But this year Angela surprises everyone, including herself - she tells the truth. 

Angela's husband is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Her grown-up daughters are more out of control than ever. And her youngest child spends all of his time talking to an imaginary friend. 

With fantasy thoughts of a life before marriage and motherhood becoming more than just an innocent daydream, Angela's real life is slowly slipping out of focus. 

But, as the repercussions of her ruthlessly honest letter begin to pile up, a shocking event takes Angela from her family, and she realises she should have been more careful of what she wished for. . .

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Books Read: Monica McInerney - The House of Memories

Sometimes the hardest lessons to learn are those that matter most...

Following a tragic accident, Ella O'Hanlon flees to the other side of the world in an attempt to escape her grief, leaving behind the two people she blames for her loss: Aidan, the love of her life, and Jess, her spoilt half-sister.  

In London Ella is taken in by her beloved uncle Lucas, whose extraordinary house holds many wonderful memories for her. Along with other members of the very colourful Fox family, Lucas helps Ella to see that she is not the only one still hurting, and that forgiveness can be the greatest healer in a family and in a marriage.

Books Read: Monica McInerney - Lola's Secret

Source - Received from PR company to review

Nestled in a picturesque corner of southern Australia, the Valley View Motel has been run by the Quinlans for years - and nobody adores the place more than Lola, the family's lovable and mischievous Irish-born matriarch.  So when she insists that her relatives spend their Christmas elsewhere, the close-knit bunch can't help but be a bit curious.  Lola has always had a knack for clever schemes; after all, she once shyly reunited her three feuding granddaugters, whom she nicknamed the Alphabet Sisters.  And with the holiday season fast approaching, Lola decides it's time to stir up some extra excitement.

Plotting in secret and online, Lola thinks it would be fun to invite a select group of strangers to stay at the motel for Christmas.  Will these guests become friends, ignite sparks, fall in love?  As she count s down the days until their arrival, Lola's own family dramas threaten to upend her best-laid plans.  Yet amid moments of humour, heartache, and unexpected twists of fate, Lola finds that she's the one who's in for the biggest surprise of all.

Book Link: Paperback