Summer Reading From Books2Door

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post. Books2Door referral scheme gives us both £5 off our orders by buying through this link

This year I have been concentrating on planning in some 'me time' during the day and I've found reading has really helped me relax especially after a challenging day at work. I have been whizzing through my books and was looking for a new author to try when I seen so many social posts recently about Colleen Hoover and her books. My go to for books is always Books2Door and I was pleased that they had a Colleen Hoover 8 book collection which will keep me going for a while.

The Colleen Hoover 8 books collection of fiction books offers readers the chance to read books from Colleens Hopeless Series, Maybe Someday Series and It Ends With Us series. 

The collections are aimed at readers age 17+.

If you are in the mood for some new books here are just a few reasons why I shop at Books2Door.

Why Choose Books2Door?

- A huge range of books from best selling authors and offering bestselling titles 

- Deals and discounts all year round with up to 80% off.

- A loyalty scheme earning book points every time you shop

- 18,000 customers giving a 5* rating

- A new delivery service 

Books2Door referral scheme gives us both £5 off our orders by buying through this link

Books2Door App

Head to Google Play or App Store and search Books2Door

Earn 10% off for installing the app.

Books2Door PLUS+

Books2Door PLUS+ is a unique delivery service offering you free delivery for 12 months, on every order.

With two options, Silver or Gold, customers can pay an annual fee, starting from only £6.95. It’s easy to get started, simply add the ‘PLUS+ Silver’ or ‘PLUS+ Gold’ delivery to your cart and your membership will be activated.

PLUS+ SILVER = Pay a £6.95 one-off fee and get all orders delivered for the next 12 months (standard shipping, 3-5 working days)

PLUS+ GOLD = Pay a £9.95 one-off fee and get all orders delivered for the next 12 months (express shipping, 1-2 working days)

I can't wait to start reading and will be sure to review the books in more detail once I have finished. So keep a look out for that. Have you shopped at Books2Door before?

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- If you enjoyed this post leave us a comment.

-  Like us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and follow us on our adventures.

- If you have visited any of the attractions mentioned in this post share photos with us on our socials. 

- If this post has helped you in anyway you can Buy Us A Virtual Coffee to say thanks.

- If you would like to work with us please visit on Work With Us page for more details

Michelle

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Five Years From Now By Paige Toon Book Review

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Disclosure - This post contains affiliate links. I am part of the Books2Door referral scheme. If you buy this book or any books through this link it gives us both £5 off our orders.

What if you met the right person at the wrong time? Nell and Van meet as children when their parents fall in love, but soon they are forced worlds apart. Five years later, they find each other.  Their bond is rekindled and new feelings take hold, but once again they must separate.

 

For the next two decades, fate brings Nell and Van together every five years, as life and circumstance continue to divide them. Will they ever find true happiness? And will it be together?

 

‘One day, maybe five years from now, you’ll look back and understand why this happened…’ Five Years From Now by Paige Toon

Five Years From Now tells the story of Nell and Van. Each chapter tells their story at a different age. Nell lives with her mum but heads to Cornwall every Summer to spend it with her dad. The first chapter is when Nell and Van are five and they have just met. They were born just days apart but brought together by Nells dad falling in love with Vans mum. 

Every chapter moves on five years and we read about Nell and Vans life at each age but also see a snippet of Nell and Vans past over the previous five years giving us hints of what they have been up to and why they are brought together at age ten. fifteen, twenty, twenty five, thirty, thirty five, forty and then forty three.

Five Years From Now will give you a warm fuzzy feeling but will also pull on your heartstrings and bring a tear to you eye. 

It's been a while since I picked up a book. As you may know I was part of a monthly book club up until spring this year and then I just felt like I didn't have the time to read anymore. It was such a shame as I really did enjoy reading and it was a lovely way for me to step away from the screen and just relax.  I was hoping to read over the Summer however that didn't happen but now Summer is over and we are all back to our normal routine of school and work, I needed to start making some time for myself again. I haven't read any other books by Paige Toon so I just closed my eyes and chose Five Years From Now from the small selection I own. I couldn't put it down and eager to read the rest of the books I have by Paige now. 

Have you read any of Paige Toons books?  If so I would love to know as I will definitely reading more so would love some recommendations. Do leave us a comment or message us on socials. 

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- If you enjoyed this post leave us a comment.

-  Like us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and follow us on our adventures.

- If you have visited any of the attractions mentioned in this post share photos with us on our socials. 

- If this post has helped you in anyway you can Buy Us A Virtual Coffee to say thanks.

- If you would like to work with us please visit on Work With Us page for more details

Michelle

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Keeping Busy This Summer With Books2Door

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post. Books2Door referral scheme gives us both £5 off our orders by buying through this link

Summer is almost here and like most we will be filling our Summer holiday days with day trips, short breaks, PJ days but most of all trying to keep our children entertained for the six weeks. Little J is now at the age where he doesn't play with toys anymore. He would much rather play games, football, do quizzes and word searches or read a book. He's getting older which means I have had to prepare for Summer Holidays a little differently this year. Luckily I found Books2Door last year as they have a large range of books for all ages and also lots of activity books that I know will keep him entertained. 

We are going to be travelling so I wanted to order books that could travel with us and keep him occupied whilst on the move. Usually he will ask me to make up quizzes, crosswords and word searches however I sometimes run out of ideas so activity books where definitely top of my list. 

There are lots of activity books to choose from however I opted for the Clever Kids Brain Games book Collection Set aimed at 6-12 year olds. Brain Games For Clever Kids, Word Searches for Clever Kids, Maths Games for Clever Kids, 10-Minute Brain Games for Clever Kids, Travel Puzzles for Clever Kids

and Logic Games for Clever Kids. The books are so handy and are roughly the size of an A5 piece of paper however they are packed with lot of different activities to keep the brain ticking over this Summer.

Brain Games For Clever Kids

Brain Games for Clever Kids proves that learning can be fun. The book is full of puzzles and also includes battleships and spot the differences. 

Word Searches for Clever Kids

Over 150 different themes of Word Searches to complete and four sections which all increase with difficulty.

Maths Games for Clever Kids

Anything maths related is popular in our house and this book has everything from times tables to mental arithmetic 

10-Minute Brain Games for Clever Kids

No doubt we will all enjoy these as we travel around. The books contains 90 ten-minute puzzles, to help train your brain. 

Travel Puzzles for Clever Kids

Airport mazes and round-the-world logic games to capital city conundrums and safari-themed sudoku, there's plenty of exciting puzzles to solve over the school holidays.

Logic Games for Clever Kids

This will really get the little ones thinking as they have to solve Logic puzzles and games. 

Each book has illustrations to make the books more appealing to children and I love the 'time' at the top of the book. This is for little ones who want to time themselves for each puzzle. 

So that's the kids sorted but if you want some 'me time' whilst the kids are busy, Books2Door also have a range of young adult and adult fiction. As many of you know I joined a book club last year and it has really helped me enjoy reading again and I love taking myself away from the screen. Instead of flicking through pointless social media posts before bed I now read and it has really helped me sleep better. 

Why Choose Books2Door?

- A huge range of books from best selling authors and offering bestselling titles 

- Deals and discounts all year round with up to 80% off.

- A loyalty scheme earning book points every time you shop

- 18,000 customers giving a 5* rating

- A new delivery service 

Books2Door PLUS+

Books2Door PLUS+ is a unique delivery service offering you free delivery for 12 months, on every order.

With two options, Silver or Gold, customers can pay an annual fee, starting from only £6.95. It’s easy to get started, simply add the ‘PLUS+ Silver’ or ‘PLUS+ Gold’ delivery to your cart and your membership will be activated.

PLUS+ SILVER = Pay a £6.95 one-off fee and get all orders delivered for the next 12 months (standard shipping, 3-5 working days)

PLUS+ GOLD = Pay a £9.95 one-off fee and get all orders delivered for the next 12 months (express shipping, 1-2 working days)

Have you shopped at Books2Door before?  Leave us a comment below and let us know.

 You can always keep up to date with us on our socials, give us a like on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or if this post has helped you you can Buy Us A Virtual Coffee to say thanks.

Michelle

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Christmas Stories At Books2Door

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Disclosure - We were gifted the books below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains an affiliate link. Click here to receive £5 off any order

It won’t be long before we will be getting all our Christmas decorations down, eating mince pies and preparing for the big day. Christmas is definitely our favourite time of year and to help us get into the Christmas spirit we have received some lovely Christmas stories to read each night.

We already own all of the Little Miss and Mr Men books so when I saw the Christmas Collection I knew this would be a great addition to our collection. 

The Mr Men Christmas Collection features 14 books based around the most wonderful time of the year. The books are similar size to the original collections and include

Mr. Men Meet Father Christmas

Mr. Men The Christmas Tree

Mr. Noisy and the Silent Night

Little Miss Christmas

Mr. Men A Christmas Carol

Mr. Men The Night Before Christmas

Mr. Men A Christmas Pantomime

Mr. Men A White Christmas

Mr. Men The Christmas Party

Mr. Men All Aboard for Christmas

Mr. Men Winter Sports

Mr. Men 12 Days of Christmas

Mr. Men Winter Wonderland

Mr. Men A Christmas Carol

Perfect stories for Little Miss and Mr Men fans this Christmas. 

The Big Christmas Collection of 10 Little Tiger books are a great choice this Christmas to read before bedtime. Each of the 10 books tell us a snowy tale including 

1) Waiting for Santa

2) When Granny Saved Christmas

3) When Will it Snow?

4) The Magical Snowman

5) Big Bear Little Bear

6) A Christmas Wish

7) A Long Way from Home

8) The Night Before Christmas

9) The Magic of Christmas

10) One Snowy Night

The collection will be very popular with younger readers as each book as beautiful illustrations. 

Each year we usually create our own book advent calendar for little J to enjoy on the run-up to Christmas. I usually choose 24 stories and wrap each one up in Christmas paper and number them 1-24. However this year we’ve received a Disney Advent Calendar filled with 24 books perfect for the festive season. Just like any other advent calendar there is a surprise behind every number door. Just open the doors from 1-24 each day in December and enjoy a Disney Christmas Story. We are really looking forward to opening these each day and having a new story to read. 

Books2Door are the perfect way to encourage reading amongst young children. It has an extensive range of books from different authors and genres and you are sure to find something suitable for every child. 

Standard delivery at Books2Door is only £2.99. Express delivery is available. However free shipping will be awarded for all spends over £35. You can also collect book points which offer you cash back on future purchases, 10% off multi buys and £5 each if you refer a friend so there are lots of incentives to get your young ones reading this Christmas.

Michelle

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Children's Bloomsbury Books Perfect For Autumn and Halloween

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Disclosure - We were sent the products below for the purpose of this post. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own unless stated. This post contains affiliate links. 

We love having a bedtime story and some nights little J likes us to read to him, other nights he reads to us and then he also likes to read to himself. We have a lovely selection of Bloomsbury books which suit his bedtime reading and are perfect for Autumn and Halloween too. 

When a wise old tree takes a tiny sapling into his care, they both learn what it means to make memories and put down roots. He keeps her sheltered from storms and shaded from the scorching sun, and supported by his love, she grows and grows.

There are so many things to see and to learn: how to appreciate the beauty of the world; how to be strong against the wind, but flexible enough to bend. Together, they make memories they'll hold on to forever.

But when the old tree's leaves begin to fall, it's time for the sapling to grow up and take her own place in the world - and to learn how to hold on to the memories that mean so much.

Filled with beautiful, luminous artwork, this beautiful picture book is a story for everyone - both young and old.

Long John has a whole crew of wild pirates in tow, and - for two intrepid children - he's about to transform a perfectly ordinary evening into a riotous adventure beneath a pirate moon. It's time to make some Pirate Stew.

Marvellously silly and gloriously entertaining, this tale of pirates, flying ships, donut feasts and some rather magical stew is perfect for all pirates, both young and old. With a deliciously rhyming text from master storyteller Neil Gaiman, and spellbinding illustrations by the supremely talented Chris Riddell, three-times-winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal, this is the picture book of the year! Joyful, quirky and action-packed, it makes a spectacular and magical gift.

The Little Witchling lives alone in her mountain top and more than anything else, she wishes for a friend. So, when her spell-book tells her that the secret ingredient is the fur from a little girl's favourite teddy, she knows what she must do.

But the teddy belongs to Lily, who can't bear to part with him. Will the Little Witchling give up her dream of a real friend? Or just maybe, is there a way for her and Lily to make the wish come true, together?

With a heartwarming rhyming text and breathtaking illustrations from Sarah Massini, this magical friendship story is perfect for little witches everywhere!

October and her dad live in the woods. They sleep in the house Dad built for them and eat the food they grow in the vegetable patches. They know the trees and the rocks and the lake and stars like best friends. They read the books they buy in town again and again until the pages are soft and yellow - until next year's town visit. They live in the woods and they are wild. 

And that's the way it is.

Until the year October turns 11. That's the year October rescues a baby owl. It's the year Dad falls out of the biggest tree in their woods. The year the woman who calls herself October's mother comes back. The year everything changes.

Written in Katya Balen's heart-stoppingly beautiful style, this book is a feast for the senses, filled with the woodsmoke smell of crisp autumn mornings and the sound of wellies squelching in river mud. And, as October fights to find the space to be wild in the whirling chaos of the world beyond the woods, it is also a feast for the soul.

From a mysterious traveller who leaves an injured horse with a stranger, to a garden plant that slowly creeps into a house during a thunderstorm and a man who comes across two angry forces in the middle of a forest, this chilling collection of stories will have readers jumping at bumps in the night.

Much-loved author Joan Aiken is best known for The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and the Arabel and Mortimer books. This brilliant collection has spooky black-and-white illustrations by Masha Ukhova and is perfect for children who are developing as readers. 

A wizard's house with coloured windows that look into worlds of treetops and deserts, cloud-castles and diamonds. Two riddles that, once solved, will stop Shock Forest from burning. A flute-playing bear and a boy who just wants to spread his wings and fly... These fantastical short stories will take readers on a journey; sometimes haunting, sometimes surreal but always enchanting.

This collection of brilliant stories from double Carnegie Medal winner Margaret Mahy has wonderful illustrations by Laura Borio and is perfect for children who are developing as readers.

There's a thing in the basement of Scott's new school and it's a thing only Mr Crawley can control. There's a thing in the basement of Scott's new school and it flashes and ROARS! There's a thing in the basement of Scott's new school and surely it can't be a dragon... or can it?

This mysterious adventure from Michaela Morgan has quirky black-and-white illustrations by Doffy Weir and is perfect for children who are developing as readers.

A ghost has been haunting Ben's grandpa's house with cobweb trails and the TAP-TAP-TAP of its heartbeat. So when the clock strikes twelve, Ben's brother dares him to go on a hunt for the ghost in the church graveyard. Will he be brave enough? 

This quirky story from Chris Powling has engaging black-and-white illustrations by Loretta Schauer and is perfect for children who are developing as readers. 

Can you hear the distant dragon's rumble of thunder? And smell the sweet swampy aroma of the ogre? Can you taste the tangy tarantula tarts? And see the girl who's really a wizard? From magic carpets and wands to unicorns, potions, creams and lotions, Paul Cookson's brewing a spell of fantastically magic poems.

On this tattered magic carpet

You can choose your destination

For nothing's quite as magical

As your imagination

Beautifully illustrated by Eilidh Muldoon, this enchanting anthology brings together work from a range of classic, established and rising poets. Whether you're in the mood for a haunting or a spell gone wrong, this collection of mesmerising poems will have you bewitched from beginning to end! 

You've probably heard the story of Cinderella; how her father married for the second time and how his wife was a nasty, mean woman. But did you know Cinderella had a friend called Perkin who worked in the garden? She wasn't the only one the fairy godmother helped. You see, it all started with seven, big seeds...

This magical retelling of a classic fairytale from bestselling author Patricia Cleveland-Peck is perfect for children who are learning to read by themselves and for Key Stage 1. It features magical illustrations from Hannah Marks and quirky characters young readers will find hard to resist.

What stories have you been reading this October?

Michelle

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The Stolen Ones by Vanessa Curtis Book Review

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This post contains affiliate links

Her name is Inge. She is sixteen. She lives with her Mama and Papa in Munich. Food is still rationed, though the war ended over ten years ago. Her boyfriend is Jewish. She has to hide this from her parents. She thinks they are hiding something from her, too. Letters arrive every year on her birthday, but they are not addressed to her. They are for a girl named Kasia. This is Kasia's story. 

A historical and interesting young adult fiction based ten years after World War II ended. The Stolen Ones by Vanessa Curtis.

This is now the fourth book I have read so far this year (which is a lot for me when by usual total is zero). The Stolen Ones wasn't the book I voted for in book club and I almost didn't join in. However I decided to take part last minute and I am glad I did. 

Inge is 16 years old. She lives in a nice home in a cul-de-sac with he Mama and Papa. She comes from a privileged home and although it is ten years post war in Munich when food is still hard to come by, they manage to get the best meat and the freshest of vegetables. Her life is a completely different to Wilf's. Wilf is her boyfriend. He lives in a small apartment with his Papa, Stefan. Money is tight, food is rationed although sometimes Inge feels more at home there and she does in her own home.  Wilf is Inge's secret. She does not think her Mama and Papa would approve. Wilf is a Jew. 

Inge seems to have everything she wants and needs except every night when she closes her eyes she has a nightmare. A nightmare she has had for years. Mama and Papa don't seem interested in her nightmares so Inge tries to forget about them until her nightmares start to reveal some truth about her past. 

Like I said earlier this isn't a book I would normally choose to read however the point of book club is to push you out of your comfort zone and encourage you to read genres you usually wouldn't. I really did like this though but it did take me the whole month to get through instead of just a few weeks like the previous months. 

Check out our other Book Club reviews

       

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways

Would you read The Stolen Ones? Is it the usual type of book for you? Leave us a comment below and let us know. 

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Michelle

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A Mole Like No Other Exclusive Giveaway

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Disclosure - This is a paid collaboration. This post contains affiliate links. 

A few months ago we found A Mole Like No Other children's book. After just a few pages we had all fell in love with Moley as he begins his journey from an unwanted stuffed toy for sale at an Easter fair to the home of a little boy called Ashley.

A Mole Like No Other tells the story of a stuffed mole. All he knows is that for as long as he can remember he has been been pressed up against a bright yellow tractor and has had a smelly old football boot near his over sensitive nose. Moley is in a box of unwanted toys. Moley can only dream that one day he will see the light of day again. 

You can imagine how Moley must have felt when one day he feels the box lift off the ground, Moley is sure his life is about to change and begin again. Moley soon hears a familiar voice, one he hasn't heard for a long time. His owner Lorna. Lorna has taken Moley to an Easter fair to sell him however she is sure no one will want an 'ugly old mole' so even offers him for free. Will Moley find a new owner that will love and care for him?

Luckily Moley is bought by a little boy called Ashley. Ashley decides to call him Moley and takes him home to be with the rest of his stuffed toy animals. 

Moley's new home is a beautiful English cottage surrounded by nature and animals. Follow Moley as he makes lots of new friends thanks to Ashley's stuffed animals and real animals on his adventures. 

Since reading A Mole Like No Other we have followed some of the adventures of Moley through Julia's socials. Julia B. Grantham is a children's author and created A Mole Like No Other. A Mole Like No Other is a lovely bedtime story which we read together. The book touches on emotions and friendships. It's beautiful written, the characters are funny and intriguing, a perfect choice book to read  alone or aloud. 

I have teamed up with Julia to offer one lucky Playdays and Runways follower the chance to win a copy of A Mole Like No Other signed by Julia B Grantham, an exclusive hand-knitted Moley (only 6 have been hand made by a lady from Brazil) and some Moley chocolates.

All you need to do is complete the entry form below and pop back daily for bonus chances to win. 

If you are not lucky enough to win then you can purchase A Mole Like No Other over on Amazon and also head to Julia's twitter for updates on Moley's adventures.

Good Luck

Win A Signed Copy of Mole Like No Other Children's Book, Exclusive hand-knitted Moley and Moley chocolates

Michelle

Terms

Competition closes on Sunday 17th October 2021

Entrants must have a valid UK address. 

Bulk, third party or any other entries using automated software will be disqualified. 

All entrants and entries are checked and verified. 

1 lucky winner will be chosen at random by the Gleam application. 

Playdays and Runways will contact the lucky winners within 7 days of the competition closing. 

The winners will be emailed to the email address given at the time of entering. 

The winners will not be announced on my blog or social media until they have agreed that their name can be displayed. 

The winners must respond within 28 days, if no response a new winner will be chosen. 

This prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative 

The Prize : A Mole Like No Other Children's Book signed by author, a hand knitted Moley and chocolates

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