Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella

Becky is settled in London, she is working in The Look which is a new fashion store. She and husband Luke are house hunting as they want to move out of their flat before the baby is born. 

Although Becky has told her sister Jess that she will economise and not buy lots of things for the baby, she just can't resist all the lovely designer items that are available.  

After hearing that all the celebs are going to Venetia Carter who has moved to London from Hollywood, she gives out goodie bags, holds tea parties and offers holistic water births with lotus flowers and Thai massage, Becky just has to get herself signed up.  But it turns out that Venetia is an old girlfriend of Luke from when they were at University.  Becky is convinced that Venetia is after Luke and she is determined to find out just what is going on.  

This is the next book in the Shopaholic series.  

Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Bloomwood, now Becky Brandon, is on honeymoon with husband Luke.  They have been traveling around the world for the last 10 months on their year long honeymoon.  When Becky receives an invitation to attend the christening of her best friend's twin babies that she has not yet met, she wishes that she was back at home.  They decide to cut the honeymoon short and return to London.  Becky expects her friends and family to be overjoyed to see her again, but things don't go quite how she imagines.  

Best friend Suze has found another friend with whom she seems to have much more in common.  Becky's mum and dad are acting a bit oddly and then tell Becky that whilst she has been away her dad has discovered that he has a daughter he didn't know about from a previous relationship.  

Becky is really excited to have a sister, she plans all sorts of things they can do together, and of course lots of shopping.  But when Jess comes to visit she and Becky don't really get along, they don't like any of the same things and Jess definitely does not like shopping.  

This is the fourth book in the Shopaholic series.  I have read the first two books in the series, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad.  I seems to have missed out the third book Shopaholic Ties the Knot, but do have the next one which is Shopaholic and Baby. 

Other books I have read by Sophie Kinsella are: 
The Undomestic Goddess
Remember Me? 
And I have these on my book shelf which I have yet to read: 
Can you Keep a Secret?
Wedding Night
I've Got Your Number
Twenties Girl

And books I have read by Madeleine Wickham (which are earlier books by Sophie Kinsella when writing under her real name) are: 
The Wedding Girl 
The Tennis Party
Cocktails for Three
Sleeping Arrangements 
Swimming Pool Sunday 
And I have A Desireable Residence on my book shelf 

They are all really easy reading chick lit stories.  

Katharine, the Virgin Widow by Jean Plaidy

Katharine of Aragon, the daughter of Queen Isabella, is brought to England to marry Prince Arthur, The Prince of Wales and heir to the throne.  On arrival in England half of her dowry is set aside to be paid to King Henry VII.  

Katharine and Arthur marry but due to their ages and Arthur's poor health the King decides that the marriage should not yet be consummated.  Within a few months Arthur dies and Katharine is left widowed.  She hopes that she will be allowed to return to her family in Spain but this does not happen.  She is left to live in London with no help from the King.  She slowly sells off and pawns items from her dowry to be able to live.  

When the Queen dies King Henry starts looking for a new wife for himself.  He considers Katharine and also one of her sisters as possible choices.  He is looking for a young bride who will produce more sons.  He also needs to consider his second son Henry who has now become his heir.  Young Henry and Katharine have a betrothal ceremony but King Henry keeps looking elsewhere for other possible brides for his son.  Katharine is again left to live in poverty.  The remainder of her dowry has not been paid and she feels trapped in London, but as her mother has now died and her father has re-married in Spain there doesn't seem to be anything for her to return to there either.  

This book is one of 'The Tudor' series.  I really enjoyed the story.  It is obviously set on historical facts and is very easy to read.  

Cruel Acts by Jane Casey

Leo Stone has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of two women.  One of the jurors on his case then self published a book giving details of the court case and admitting that he and other members of the jury had looked on-line and found details of Stone's previous crimes and had decided that he was guilty before the case had ended. Leo Stone is then released from prison, on appeal, pending a re-trial.  

DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent are given the task of going through all the previous investigation ready for the re-trial to find if anything had been missed and to make any further investigations. 

As they start digging into the details of the case DS Kerrigan is convinced that the disappearance of a third woman, whose body has not been found, is also related to the case.  The more they look into the crimes, the more likely it seems that Kelly Lambert, Leo's son, may have had something to do with the killings.  

I really enjoyed this story, there are a few twists and turns and doubts about who is and who isn't responsible for the murders.