3.5 Stars
I only purchased this book because of the title - it intrigued me - then shortly after purchasing I saw a trailer for the movie so figured I'd better move it up my "to be read" list. I wasn't aware that this was an epistolary novel on purchasing and this did throw up a couple of issues for me - not the nature of the reading or the layout of the book, but rather the fact that the only distinct voice was that of Juliet. The letters to her from all other sources do not have a sufficiently distinct "voice" to make the book really work; the one exception being Adelaide Addison and even then you can still feel the author(s) beneath the words.
What the format does do very well is give you a sense of time and place that the events are unfolding in. It also allows multiple threads to unfold at the same time without ever really blurring them in to each other. I did feel in places that 21st Century morality had been superimposed on to the year immediately post the second world war (this was particularly true in the case of how one character's homosexuality was dealt with). On the whole the time period did feel generally realistic and Juliet Ashton makes for an exceptionally likeable protagonist.
What the authors have done well is to gently introduce us to themes and ideas without beating us over the head with them. The overarching thread is one that deals with the German Occupation of Guernsey and the privations suffered by the Islanders at the time. This gently unfolds in the form of letters to Juliet from first Dawsey Adams and then a complete avalanche from the other members of the Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society, each giving their experience of the Occupation and how the books they read helped them through and brought them together as a community.
It is a rich book that I enjoyed but somehow I felt a little let down by it all in the end. I would recommend it to another reader but it doesn't make my re-read list.
Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Confessions Of A Reluctant Recessionista by Amy Silver
Whether it's because I have been through the redundancy thing I don't know but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Cassie's life is a world away from mine but that didn't stop me cheering her on from the sidelines. Being sidelined by work and then your boyfriend is no fun but when they both happen within days of each other Cassie does the only thing she knows how - she spends, and spends and shops some more until her flatmate and her best friend stage an intervention.
There were some genuinely funny moments in the book and Cassie herself is completely relatable. Okay, not completely, but there is enough normality to her for you to feel complete empathy towards her and to be on her side even when she is being rather deluded and selfish. The only thing that really spoilt the book for me was the tales of her new job at the Wine Start Up company, from singlehandedly remodelling the office to a mad dash across France to save a business deal it was a little forced and unbelievable. Fortunately, the characters save the book and you can forgive the more fantastical aspects.
I am happy to admit that I bought this book because it was on sale and it reminded me of the Sophie Kinsella Shop-a-holic series. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the writing within it's covers as I think I was mentally expecting some sort of cash-in homage to that series but it really isn't that. Instead you have a very relatable central character with a strong narrator's voice in Cassie and a cast of secondary characters that provide a great foil for our erstwhile heroine. I particularly liked her flatmate Jude and am really crossing my fingers for a spin off about her.
This is a fun read that I did find hard to put down between chapters and as my first experience of the author I am looking forward to trying some of her other books.
There were some genuinely funny moments in the book and Cassie herself is completely relatable. Okay, not completely, but there is enough normality to her for you to feel complete empathy towards her and to be on her side even when she is being rather deluded and selfish. The only thing that really spoilt the book for me was the tales of her new job at the Wine Start Up company, from singlehandedly remodelling the office to a mad dash across France to save a business deal it was a little forced and unbelievable. Fortunately, the characters save the book and you can forgive the more fantastical aspects.
I am happy to admit that I bought this book because it was on sale and it reminded me of the Sophie Kinsella Shop-a-holic series. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the writing within it's covers as I think I was mentally expecting some sort of cash-in homage to that series but it really isn't that. Instead you have a very relatable central character with a strong narrator's voice in Cassie and a cast of secondary characters that provide a great foil for our erstwhile heroine. I particularly liked her flatmate Jude and am really crossing my fingers for a spin off about her.
This is a fun read that I did find hard to put down between chapters and as my first experience of the author I am looking forward to trying some of her other books.
Amy Maxwell & The Seven Deadly Sins by Heather Balog
2.5 Stars
Amy Maxwell has decided that trying to corral her 4 kids just isn't challenge enough and now she is going back to College to study Criminal Justice. The only problem is her organisational skills really aren't up to it. Not only that but she is a magnet for trouble and this time around it is not her snooping that lands her in hot water but it is all the fault of her "perfect" older sister.
I found the first book to be witty and rather charming. Amy's home life may have been chaotic but her heart was clearly in the right place and she was more or less winning at the motherhood thing. This time around I simply found her infuriating and wanted nothing more than to give her a good slap, which was a huge disappointment as I was looking forward to a fun read with a bit of a thriller thrown in. Whilst I "get it" that juggling being a mother of 4 has it's own unique set of challenges Amy's consistent failure to produce anything resembling a life of her own away from the family slave is frustrating and pretty unrealistic. The supposed thriller aspect of the tale is not well planned out and pretty fantastical if I'm being honest.
The writing - despite the plot gaps and personal annoyances - is actually pretty good. Amy has a strong voice and works well as our narrator. The tale jogs along at a rapid pace and it is the writing alone that kept me turning the pages as there is a fair amount of dark humour seeded through the book. My real problem was not with the unreality of the various situations that Amy finds herself in but with the character development from the first book - if anything Amy has gone backwards not forwards. This is a shame as Heather Balog can Write.
Not a bad book really but leave the series after Book One.
Amy Maxwell has decided that trying to corral her 4 kids just isn't challenge enough and now she is going back to College to study Criminal Justice. The only problem is her organisational skills really aren't up to it. Not only that but she is a magnet for trouble and this time around it is not her snooping that lands her in hot water but it is all the fault of her "perfect" older sister.
I found the first book to be witty and rather charming. Amy's home life may have been chaotic but her heart was clearly in the right place and she was more or less winning at the motherhood thing. This time around I simply found her infuriating and wanted nothing more than to give her a good slap, which was a huge disappointment as I was looking forward to a fun read with a bit of a thriller thrown in. Whilst I "get it" that juggling being a mother of 4 has it's own unique set of challenges Amy's consistent failure to produce anything resembling a life of her own away from the family slave is frustrating and pretty unrealistic. The supposed thriller aspect of the tale is not well planned out and pretty fantastical if I'm being honest.
The writing - despite the plot gaps and personal annoyances - is actually pretty good. Amy has a strong voice and works well as our narrator. The tale jogs along at a rapid pace and it is the writing alone that kept me turning the pages as there is a fair amount of dark humour seeded through the book. My real problem was not with the unreality of the various situations that Amy finds herself in but with the character development from the first book - if anything Amy has gone backwards not forwards. This is a shame as Heather Balog can Write.
Not a bad book really but leave the series after Book One.
Toxic by Nicci Cloke
3.5 Stars
The secret to this book is the characters. We only really get to know Hope, Logan and Daisy properly in the book but each of the 3 has a strong and individual voice which carries their section well. I did have issues separating a couple of the characters from each other (Zach and Nate) as they both seemed pretty much interchangeable throughout. Whilst there is a lot happening here, most of it is of the rather mundane teenage life version of drama - so mountains out of molehills - but that is fine because that is what the book is about. I hesitate to call it a coming of age novel but really that is what it is all about.
From reading the blurb you could be forgiven for thinking that this is all about a disastrous event befalling Hope when on a "lads holiday" to Crete. Indeed, I kept waiting for the calamitous event that never really arrives; this did rather spoil the first half of the book for me as I kept wondering if this was "it" we were building to. So, if you've read the blurb then put it out of your mind and think of it this way - it is a book about the changing nature of friendship.
There is plenty of drama here from the more overt ones of the dangers of alcohol and how they can leave you at the mercy of more predatory people and how it can turn you in to the predator. It runs through homophobia, the trials of wanting to fit in, depression, cyber bullying, and family/peer pressure. The writing is fun and pacy and you never really get chance to get bored with one situation or one character - although some of them can be incredibly infuriating (Dev I am looking at you!).
Whilst marketed as a YA read, it really does work just as well for those of us who have long ago left those teenage years behind. It does have a lot of content that is very relevant to life for a teenager today and could be a good gift book - if you can get your teen to read this it *could* open up lines of communication between you a little bit (especially if you both read it). Even if it doesn't it is a fun read about characters that feel wholly human and real, so much so I did feel a little bit fly-on-the-wall when reading it.
The secret to this book is the characters. We only really get to know Hope, Logan and Daisy properly in the book but each of the 3 has a strong and individual voice which carries their section well. I did have issues separating a couple of the characters from each other (Zach and Nate) as they both seemed pretty much interchangeable throughout. Whilst there is a lot happening here, most of it is of the rather mundane teenage life version of drama - so mountains out of molehills - but that is fine because that is what the book is about. I hesitate to call it a coming of age novel but really that is what it is all about.
From reading the blurb you could be forgiven for thinking that this is all about a disastrous event befalling Hope when on a "lads holiday" to Crete. Indeed, I kept waiting for the calamitous event that never really arrives; this did rather spoil the first half of the book for me as I kept wondering if this was "it" we were building to. So, if you've read the blurb then put it out of your mind and think of it this way - it is a book about the changing nature of friendship.
There is plenty of drama here from the more overt ones of the dangers of alcohol and how they can leave you at the mercy of more predatory people and how it can turn you in to the predator. It runs through homophobia, the trials of wanting to fit in, depression, cyber bullying, and family/peer pressure. The writing is fun and pacy and you never really get chance to get bored with one situation or one character - although some of them can be incredibly infuriating (Dev I am looking at you!).
Whilst marketed as a YA read, it really does work just as well for those of us who have long ago left those teenage years behind. It does have a lot of content that is very relevant to life for a teenager today and could be a good gift book - if you can get your teen to read this it *could* open up lines of communication between you a little bit (especially if you both read it). Even if it doesn't it is a fun read about characters that feel wholly human and real, so much so I did feel a little bit fly-on-the-wall when reading it.
The Wanderer by Michael Ridpath
2.5 Stars
The best bit of this book for me was the Viking Sagas and the little dollops of history served out at the beginning of the book. The story of the Vikings and their exploration to unknown territories is endlessly interesting and I think there is little doubt they discovered the land now known as America long before the accepted discovery in the 15th Century. The only problem with that is there is no hard archaelogical evidence to support the theory.
In this book Michael Ridpath takes that and runs with it - a letter from Columbus to his brother is found in the Vatican Secret archives appearing to detail information from Icelandic Sagas that leads him to America. Couple this with the finding of wampum shells at a Nordic settlement in Greenland and it would seem that the proof finally exists. Unfortunately for the team making a documentary about the wanderings of Gudrid and her family this leads them to discover the brutal murder of a young archaeologist at a site closely linked to Gudrid and they could all be in danger.
Sadly for this reader it all then falls apart somewhat. I found there to be little in the way of sympathetic characters in the book and there are a lot of loose ends left untied at the end. As this is just one of a series of books around Magnus Ragnarsson then I can understand that but it does mean it loses a little as a stand alone read; this is a pity as knowledge of the previous books in the series is not necessary to read this one - indeed we are told so much of Magnus' history that it may be of a detriment to have read earlier books.
The thriller aspect of the tale is pretty standard fare but I found that I could not really become interested in the who or why; it was all just a little bit flat. The writing itself is good and does evoke Iceland and Greenland very nicely and actually makes them seem like a great destination to visit. What it doesn't do is immerse you in the characters so you care about what is happening, or the who or the why.
Pretty standard fare that is an easy read but doesn't really involve you as more than an observer.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
The best bit of this book for me was the Viking Sagas and the little dollops of history served out at the beginning of the book. The story of the Vikings and their exploration to unknown territories is endlessly interesting and I think there is little doubt they discovered the land now known as America long before the accepted discovery in the 15th Century. The only problem with that is there is no hard archaelogical evidence to support the theory.
In this book Michael Ridpath takes that and runs with it - a letter from Columbus to his brother is found in the Vatican Secret archives appearing to detail information from Icelandic Sagas that leads him to America. Couple this with the finding of wampum shells at a Nordic settlement in Greenland and it would seem that the proof finally exists. Unfortunately for the team making a documentary about the wanderings of Gudrid and her family this leads them to discover the brutal murder of a young archaeologist at a site closely linked to Gudrid and they could all be in danger.
Sadly for this reader it all then falls apart somewhat. I found there to be little in the way of sympathetic characters in the book and there are a lot of loose ends left untied at the end. As this is just one of a series of books around Magnus Ragnarsson then I can understand that but it does mean it loses a little as a stand alone read; this is a pity as knowledge of the previous books in the series is not necessary to read this one - indeed we are told so much of Magnus' history that it may be of a detriment to have read earlier books.
The thriller aspect of the tale is pretty standard fare but I found that I could not really become interested in the who or why; it was all just a little bit flat. The writing itself is good and does evoke Iceland and Greenland very nicely and actually makes them seem like a great destination to visit. What it doesn't do is immerse you in the characters so you care about what is happening, or the who or the why.
Pretty standard fare that is an easy read but doesn't really involve you as more than an observer.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Thursday, 23 August 2018
Bookshop Girl by Chloe Coles
This is such a joyful book I found myself portioning out my reading time so that I could spend just a little more time in the company of Paige and Holly. Our narrator is Paige and her voice is warm, funny and one of a natural storyteller. You get sucked right in to her world and can't help but want to stay there.
This book focuses around the closure of the Bennetts Bookshop in Paige's home town, which just happens to be where she and Holly work part time. Like many town centres regeneration is pushing the smaller retailer out and leaving huge swathes empty apart from low cost chain stores, mobile phone shops, charity shops and the uniquitous pound shop. Paige is determined that this is not going to happen to Bennetts and she only has 4 weeks to stop it.
Whilst the thread of the protest is the over-arcing storyline there is a lot more going on here. From her determination to get to University and study Art, to her slightly bizarre family and her teenage girl hang-ups. This is a book full of warmth that feels so realistic - so much so I now feel guilty for buying few real books and mainly reading via an e-reader. My excuse is our town bookshop closed down more than 10 years ago now and not even a chain bookstore would open in such a small town.
The tale of the protest is actually quite believable - no extreme action that would render it implausible. Instead a considered protest involving a petition and publicity - not quite slacktivism but not far off. The only characters we really get to know are Paige and Holly but they are lifelike and fun, girls you wish your daughters (if you have them) would become.
I may be way outside the YA market age wise but I can appreciate a good story and masterful storytelling and this has both in abundance. A wonderfully fun read that gives you a big hug and lets you know that you are not alone in loving a great book - Paige's speech to Blaine almost had me cheering her on!
This book focuses around the closure of the Bennetts Bookshop in Paige's home town, which just happens to be where she and Holly work part time. Like many town centres regeneration is pushing the smaller retailer out and leaving huge swathes empty apart from low cost chain stores, mobile phone shops, charity shops and the uniquitous pound shop. Paige is determined that this is not going to happen to Bennetts and she only has 4 weeks to stop it.
Whilst the thread of the protest is the over-arcing storyline there is a lot more going on here. From her determination to get to University and study Art, to her slightly bizarre family and her teenage girl hang-ups. This is a book full of warmth that feels so realistic - so much so I now feel guilty for buying few real books and mainly reading via an e-reader. My excuse is our town bookshop closed down more than 10 years ago now and not even a chain bookstore would open in such a small town.
The tale of the protest is actually quite believable - no extreme action that would render it implausible. Instead a considered protest involving a petition and publicity - not quite slacktivism but not far off. The only characters we really get to know are Paige and Holly but they are lifelike and fun, girls you wish your daughters (if you have them) would become.
I may be way outside the YA market age wise but I can appreciate a good story and masterful storytelling and this has both in abundance. A wonderfully fun read that gives you a big hug and lets you know that you are not alone in loving a great book - Paige's speech to Blaine almost had me cheering her on!
Before Her Eyes by Jack Jordan
You don't have to suspend disbelief to read this book, you have to completely forget everything you know about how the world works and how people generally behave - not just one person but every single one. The premise is a good one to be honest - murders are being committed in a sleepy town and the murderer appears to be taunting the one witness that cannot identify them; Naomi Hannah who just so happens to be blind.
Unfortunately the good stops at the basic idea and the story rapidly devolves in to unbelievability. Every member of the local Police Force is displayed as at best incompetent and at worst downright corrupt. They are dismissive of everyone and if something doesn't fit their preconceived notions then it is actively ignored. There is only one ray of light and that is Marcus Campbell but he appears to have anger management issues, but at least he listens to the evidence and is led by that. This is in no way a spoiler as the first time we meet members of the local plod we are treated to the winsome Lisa and that sets the benchmark for the rest of the team.
One of my biggest issues is the treatment of the lead character Naomi. She is a mess of contradictions which I suppose is fairly realistic. However, we are constantly reminded of her ethnicity which has no bearing whatsoever on the story and seems a pointless inclusion. Even worse is that the author seems to have no idea about life as a blind person. The tale starts off so promisingly with descriptions of how Naomi senses her surroundings but soon deteriorates into complete and utter tosh. The character is clearly profoundly blind and yet works as a waitress in a local greasy spoon? She answers the door even when she doesn't recognise the knock of her caller; she continues to do this even after her first taunting run in with the murderer. In certain sections of the book the author seems to have forgotten that Naomi is blind as she achieves feats that even the sighted would struggle with.
I did manage to complete the book through sheer force of will but it was completely unbelievable with no redeeming traits. My best advice is to avoid this book if you like a little reality with your thriller - if you like a more fantastical world view then you may get more from this than I.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE.
Unfortunately the good stops at the basic idea and the story rapidly devolves in to unbelievability. Every member of the local Police Force is displayed as at best incompetent and at worst downright corrupt. They are dismissive of everyone and if something doesn't fit their preconceived notions then it is actively ignored. There is only one ray of light and that is Marcus Campbell but he appears to have anger management issues, but at least he listens to the evidence and is led by that. This is in no way a spoiler as the first time we meet members of the local plod we are treated to the winsome Lisa and that sets the benchmark for the rest of the team.
One of my biggest issues is the treatment of the lead character Naomi. She is a mess of contradictions which I suppose is fairly realistic. However, we are constantly reminded of her ethnicity which has no bearing whatsoever on the story and seems a pointless inclusion. Even worse is that the author seems to have no idea about life as a blind person. The tale starts off so promisingly with descriptions of how Naomi senses her surroundings but soon deteriorates into complete and utter tosh. The character is clearly profoundly blind and yet works as a waitress in a local greasy spoon? She answers the door even when she doesn't recognise the knock of her caller; she continues to do this even after her first taunting run in with the murderer. In certain sections of the book the author seems to have forgotten that Naomi is blind as she achieves feats that even the sighted would struggle with.
I did manage to complete the book through sheer force of will but it was completely unbelievable with no redeeming traits. My best advice is to avoid this book if you like a little reality with your thriller - if you like a more fantastical world view then you may get more from this than I.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE.
Wednesday, 22 August 2018
Murder Mile by Lynda La Plante
3.5 Stars
I'm beginning to think that Jane Tennison is rather an unpalatable character; with her overweaning ambition that leaves no room for humility or for deference to her superiors. Multiple times through the book she directly challenges superior officers and in places completely undermines them. No wonder she's been moved off the Dip Squad to yet another posting - this time in Peckham - to be honest I'm surprised she hasn't been pushed back to uniform for the rest of her career.
The main plot of this book deals with a series of murders that take place during the Winter Of Discontent of 1979. The setting is well evoked and it did bring back memories of that time, so maybe they coloured what I was reading and made it all richer than it really was. It starts with the finding of a young woman who has been murdered and dumped in an alleyway, as the bodies start to stack up it is up to DS Tennison, DI Moran and DI Gibbs to find the killer or killers - after all they can't all be linked, or can they?
The character development is good, as you would expect, but these are all deeply flawed characters. The only one who comes out of the pages as being a "decent person" is the Forensics chap Paul Lawrence. The best that can be said of everyone else is that they feel like real people with their own prejudices and peculiar little foibles that help inform their characters. I did find that in this book I was becoming very exasperated with Jane Tennison and her obvious reluctance to follow procedure despite it being there for good reason. There was also a little too much made of hunches in solving the crimes which I find to be a frustrating and lazy plot device.
What did spoil this book for me was the denouement. The killer(s)'s reasons for murder are all a little bit fuzzy and read to me like they were not really responsible for the atrocities but liked the idea of the infamy. Admittedly to kill another there has to be something not lining up as it does for the majority of the population but this is just so far fetched it did spoil the rest of the book for me. It is left there and the assumption seems to be that their confession is to be believed but it left me with far more questions than answers.
There is a good amount of time spent on procedural work and the inner workings of the investigation make for good reading and do propel the story along nicely. We are given little glimpses in to the private lives of Gibbs and Moran and a little more about Tennison. These are only fleeting snatches of time though and don't really serve to move the story or the characters along very much.
I did sort of enjoy this book but I preferred it's predecessor Good Friday inordinately more.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
I'm beginning to think that Jane Tennison is rather an unpalatable character; with her overweaning ambition that leaves no room for humility or for deference to her superiors. Multiple times through the book she directly challenges superior officers and in places completely undermines them. No wonder she's been moved off the Dip Squad to yet another posting - this time in Peckham - to be honest I'm surprised she hasn't been pushed back to uniform for the rest of her career.
The main plot of this book deals with a series of murders that take place during the Winter Of Discontent of 1979. The setting is well evoked and it did bring back memories of that time, so maybe they coloured what I was reading and made it all richer than it really was. It starts with the finding of a young woman who has been murdered and dumped in an alleyway, as the bodies start to stack up it is up to DS Tennison, DI Moran and DI Gibbs to find the killer or killers - after all they can't all be linked, or can they?
The character development is good, as you would expect, but these are all deeply flawed characters. The only one who comes out of the pages as being a "decent person" is the Forensics chap Paul Lawrence. The best that can be said of everyone else is that they feel like real people with their own prejudices and peculiar little foibles that help inform their characters. I did find that in this book I was becoming very exasperated with Jane Tennison and her obvious reluctance to follow procedure despite it being there for good reason. There was also a little too much made of hunches in solving the crimes which I find to be a frustrating and lazy plot device.
What did spoil this book for me was the denouement. The killer(s)'s reasons for murder are all a little bit fuzzy and read to me like they were not really responsible for the atrocities but liked the idea of the infamy. Admittedly to kill another there has to be something not lining up as it does for the majority of the population but this is just so far fetched it did spoil the rest of the book for me. It is left there and the assumption seems to be that their confession is to be believed but it left me with far more questions than answers.
There is a good amount of time spent on procedural work and the inner workings of the investigation make for good reading and do propel the story along nicely. We are given little glimpses in to the private lives of Gibbs and Moran and a little more about Tennison. These are only fleeting snatches of time though and don't really serve to move the story or the characters along very much.
I did sort of enjoy this book but I preferred it's predecessor Good Friday inordinately more.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
The People Next Door by Roisin Meaney
Roisin Meaney has done it again, taken the trivialities and mundanity of life and made them in to an interesting read. Miller's Avenue may only have 3 houses on it now but there is a rich seam to be mined in these resident's lives. It did feel almost voyeuristic at times as we pop in to Numbers 7, 8 and 9 to see just what they are up to. Really, nothing out of the ordinary happens to any of the protagonists in the book. When you stop and think about it these are kitchen sink dramas that are likely happening just next door to us every day without us realising. What makes this so enticing to read I don't know.
As I have come to expect from Ms Meaney's books there is no overt characterisation of anyone in the book and we are left to make up our own minds about who these people are. We learn about them from their conversations with friends, colleagues and neighbours; from their internal dialogues and from their little snippets of backstory that are eked on to the page rather frugally. This means that it is like getting to know someone at work or the new neighbour that has just moved in.
The plot is very gentle and really meanders on to the page rather than being overt. There is a very definite story arc about reaching for your happiness and overcoming the obstacles that life thrusts in to your path but it is a slow build and doesn't slap you around the face. In some ways it was like reading a diary written by each of the characters but one which draws you in and makes you eager to find out what happens in 3 weeks time and if what they did 2 days ago will affect them now.
This book is a celebration of everyday life and shows how no matter how work-a-day and pedestrian life feels it is full of drama if only we know how to acknowledge the small events that really mean so much.
As I have come to expect from Ms Meaney's books there is no overt characterisation of anyone in the book and we are left to make up our own minds about who these people are. We learn about them from their conversations with friends, colleagues and neighbours; from their internal dialogues and from their little snippets of backstory that are eked on to the page rather frugally. This means that it is like getting to know someone at work or the new neighbour that has just moved in.
The plot is very gentle and really meanders on to the page rather than being overt. There is a very definite story arc about reaching for your happiness and overcoming the obstacles that life thrusts in to your path but it is a slow build and doesn't slap you around the face. In some ways it was like reading a diary written by each of the characters but one which draws you in and makes you eager to find out what happens in 3 weeks time and if what they did 2 days ago will affect them now.
This book is a celebration of everyday life and shows how no matter how work-a-day and pedestrian life feels it is full of drama if only we know how to acknowledge the small events that really mean so much.
The Little Perfume Shop Off The Champs-Elysee by Rebecca Raisin
Initially I thought I was going to really dislike this book as it does take a while to really suck you in. Once I was around 50 pages in I found that I was becoming more and more absorbed by Del's story and was racing through the pages. Although this is basically a love story, and a rather cliched obvious one the setting is evoked well (I now feel I've been to Paris) and the background of the competition works well - although, it's obvious that Del will get to the Grand Finale or else there wouldn't be much of a book.
The supporting cast are well drawn and I particularly enjoyed the character of Lex. Although, I did feel that he was a bit of a mole planted there by the perfume house to report back on how the contestants were behaving behind the scenes as it were. Sadly this theory didn't pan out but I still think it would have made a nice twist. Clementine and Lila are also quite strong characters within the book although a little two dimensional i their niche of, respectively, femme fatale and mouse.
There are little nods to previous books as we visit Once Upon A Time and also Anouk's Antique Shop. It was nice to drop in on old characters and locations, however briefly. There is, of course, plenty of information about the blending of perfume and it can become a little wearying in places as you get whole sentences that are nothing more than a list of ingredients.
I have still given this 4 Stars as I did enjoy the story very much despite having some major niggles with what appeared to be filler. I now know why the publication date was pushed back again and again (yes, it was on my shopping list for an inordinate amount of time); it simply wasn't ready for publication and I do feel like it was compromised slightly to finally get the book out. Sadly, this makes me wonder if we will see any further novels from Ms Raisin as it seems clear that she had issues fulfilling her Publishing Contract with this one.
The supporting cast are well drawn and I particularly enjoyed the character of Lex. Although, I did feel that he was a bit of a mole planted there by the perfume house to report back on how the contestants were behaving behind the scenes as it were. Sadly this theory didn't pan out but I still think it would have made a nice twist. Clementine and Lila are also quite strong characters within the book although a little two dimensional i their niche of, respectively, femme fatale and mouse.
There are little nods to previous books as we visit Once Upon A Time and also Anouk's Antique Shop. It was nice to drop in on old characters and locations, however briefly. There is, of course, plenty of information about the blending of perfume and it can become a little wearying in places as you get whole sentences that are nothing more than a list of ingredients.
I have still given this 4 Stars as I did enjoy the story very much despite having some major niggles with what appeared to be filler. I now know why the publication date was pushed back again and again (yes, it was on my shopping list for an inordinate amount of time); it simply wasn't ready for publication and I do feel like it was compromised slightly to finally get the book out. Sadly, this makes me wonder if we will see any further novels from Ms Raisin as it seems clear that she had issues fulfilling her Publishing Contract with this one.
Her Majesty's Necromance by C.J. Archer
I found this book to be a bit of a let down after the first in the series. There is not much that really happens between the pages of this slim volume apart from listening to Charlie moan on and on about how conflicted she is by Lincoln Fitzroy and her feelings towards him. We learn little else about any of the supporting cast either - although it becomes apparent that Seth has an eye for the ladies and that they seem to appreciate him too.
Once you get past all the fluff there is a tale of body snatchers and the removal of what appear to be selected corpses from various graveyards around London. This is the perfect opportunity for Charlie to flex her talents and, indeed, she does to varying degrees of success. At least when she gets in to trouble this time she manages to rescue herself rather than waiting around for someone else to.
Overall there is little character development here and the main story could probably have been told within 100 pages and has been padded out with interminable tales of sponge cake and tea. Add a dash of "forbidden" but reciprocated love in to the mix and you can spin it out to fill the book - sadly that is what it feels like. This is a shame because the writing itself is good and Ms Archer does evoke the scenes exceptionally well and her hand with dialogue is deft and sure.
I have the third book already but I am not as excited about reading that as I was to get to this after the exceptional first book in the series.
Once you get past all the fluff there is a tale of body snatchers and the removal of what appear to be selected corpses from various graveyards around London. This is the perfect opportunity for Charlie to flex her talents and, indeed, she does to varying degrees of success. At least when she gets in to trouble this time she manages to rescue herself rather than waiting around for someone else to.
Overall there is little character development here and the main story could probably have been told within 100 pages and has been padded out with interminable tales of sponge cake and tea. Add a dash of "forbidden" but reciprocated love in to the mix and you can spin it out to fill the book - sadly that is what it feels like. This is a shame because the writing itself is good and Ms Archer does evoke the scenes exceptionally well and her hand with dialogue is deft and sure.
I have the third book already but I am not as excited about reading that as I was to get to this after the exceptional first book in the series.
Tuesday, 21 August 2018
Kurtain Motel by A.I. Nasser
I found this to be a bit of a confused mess of a book. There is a sound idea behind the tale - everyone has a dark secret that they don't want anyone to know and there are entities out there that feed upon the depravity and to feed they just need to make you confess. Unfortunately the author hops about all over the place with the idea and it felt like the reason for the various hallucinations and nightmares experienced by the residents of the Motel were the be all and end all of the tale and then they realised that there had to be a reason for it and a balance for it (in the form of Tara and her little boy).
There is little exploration of the personality of the characters in the book, they are merely there as a showcase for their particular "crime"; abortion, fraud (possibly a ponsi scheme but it is not clearly explained), murder, drug use and plagarism. Each one is haunted by something that reminds them of what they did - although the spiders for the plagarist are never really explained. There is a sense of terror for a couple of the manifestations but only a couple and not enough to keep you interested in the story.
I did slog through to the end which is almost an apocalyptic escape from the Motel and I was relieved to get there. Unfortunately there are further tales in the series and although I am sure the author has worked hard to improve their craft after this one I am not likely to pick up another one to find out.
There is little exploration of the personality of the characters in the book, they are merely there as a showcase for their particular "crime"; abortion, fraud (possibly a ponsi scheme but it is not clearly explained), murder, drug use and plagarism. Each one is haunted by something that reminds them of what they did - although the spiders for the plagarist are never really explained. There is a sense of terror for a couple of the manifestations but only a couple and not enough to keep you interested in the story.
I did slog through to the end which is almost an apocalyptic escape from the Motel and I was relieved to get there. Unfortunately there are further tales in the series and although I am sure the author has worked hard to improve their craft after this one I am not likely to pick up another one to find out.
Love Handles by Gretchen Galway
The book actually didn't start out too badly, reasonable introduction to the characters and we get to see Beverley being a wreck at the end of the school year saying goodbye to her pre-schoolers. Unfortunately, from the moment she moves out to take her place at the helm of Fite Fitness it all deteriorates rather rapidly in to quite a dull read with nothing to really recommend it.
The romance angle is over wrought, initially it had legs with the push and pull between Bev and Liam(?) but then it falls quickly in to soul searching cliche on both sides which just becomes annoying. The housebreaking and sabotage of the presentation by an unknown perpetrator is just there with no building of tension about why it is happening and who is responsible; even worse the characters seem to shrug it off as being no big deal. As for Bev she is quite simply too nice to be true. I suppose that's why she was a pre-school educator because only really, really sweet and nice people can work with children - she certainly seems to use bribery to get her own way which is more manipulative than nice but whatever.
The inner workings of a fashion house were quite interesting but little time is spent on this which is a pity as they were the best bits of the book. Overall it is just a series of set pieces and woe-is-me moments stapled together until we can get to the Happy Ending where Bev completely changes herself from Couch Potato to Fitness and Business Guru to get her man - bleuurrrgghhh.
The romance angle is over wrought, initially it had legs with the push and pull between Bev and Liam(?) but then it falls quickly in to soul searching cliche on both sides which just becomes annoying. The housebreaking and sabotage of the presentation by an unknown perpetrator is just there with no building of tension about why it is happening and who is responsible; even worse the characters seem to shrug it off as being no big deal. As for Bev she is quite simply too nice to be true. I suppose that's why she was a pre-school educator because only really, really sweet and nice people can work with children - she certainly seems to use bribery to get her own way which is more manipulative than nice but whatever.
The inner workings of a fashion house were quite interesting but little time is spent on this which is a pity as they were the best bits of the book. Overall it is just a series of set pieces and woe-is-me moments stapled together until we can get to the Happy Ending where Bev completely changes herself from Couch Potato to Fitness and Business Guru to get her man - bleuurrrgghhh.
In The Dark by Cara Hunter
I was pleased to see that the format of the previous book in the DI Adam Fawley series followed the format of the first with no clear chapters but rather broken in to descriptive prose of the events and the investigation with snippets of the media surrounding the case and excerpts from transcripts of interviews with various suspects and witnesses. Somehow the author manages to bring the investigative side to the fore and thoroughly absorbs you in it - sadly I see a whole slew of copycats emulating her style and, likely, failing.
Nothing is what it seems in this tale. It seems so cut and dried in the beginning - young woman and her child locked in a cellar, the owner of the house has Alzheimer's and his responsibility is severely impaired. The only real question is how long has he kept her prisoner and why. The investigation takes a darker turn when the police realise that the garden is overlooked by the former home of a local reporter who went missing 2 years ago and is presumed dead. When a body is found in the garden it soon looks like this is far darker than kidnapping and imprisonment.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and a large cast of civilian characters. Like their Constabulary counterparts the characters are drawn sparingly but still manage to exist on the page as fully fleshed people. However. this is not a tale about the people - even the lead character has only sparing detail about his personality and home life (although, we do find out much more about him in this book) - this is all about the investigation and the little things that can make or break the case for the team. The things they miss, the things they notice all bring about a cohesive whole.
This is a gripping read that is hard to put down with twists and turns being crafted rather than just appearing by some deductive leap. For me, being able to figure things out based on logic and reasoning makes it a far better read than the denouement being reached by some miraculous deductive leap (even Sherlock Holmes always had a sound reason for his leaps of deductive prowess) which seems to be all to prevalent in the genre these days. I am looking forward to the third book being published and hopeful that Ms Hunter can continue in the same vein.
Nothing is what it seems in this tale. It seems so cut and dried in the beginning - young woman and her child locked in a cellar, the owner of the house has Alzheimer's and his responsibility is severely impaired. The only real question is how long has he kept her prisoner and why. The investigation takes a darker turn when the police realise that the garden is overlooked by the former home of a local reporter who went missing 2 years ago and is presumed dead. When a body is found in the garden it soon looks like this is far darker than kidnapping and imprisonment.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and a large cast of civilian characters. Like their Constabulary counterparts the characters are drawn sparingly but still manage to exist on the page as fully fleshed people. However. this is not a tale about the people - even the lead character has only sparing detail about his personality and home life (although, we do find out much more about him in this book) - this is all about the investigation and the little things that can make or break the case for the team. The things they miss, the things they notice all bring about a cohesive whole.
This is a gripping read that is hard to put down with twists and turns being crafted rather than just appearing by some deductive leap. For me, being able to figure things out based on logic and reasoning makes it a far better read than the denouement being reached by some miraculous deductive leap (even Sherlock Holmes always had a sound reason for his leaps of deductive prowess) which seems to be all to prevalent in the genre these days. I am looking forward to the third book being published and hopeful that Ms Hunter can continue in the same vein.
Sunshine And Sweet Peas In Nightingale Square by Heidi Swain
3.5 Stars
This is a fairly charming tale of starting over after your Happily Ever After becomes a Fairy Curse. The problem for me was that I found Kate to be quite an unlikeable character who was quick to judge others and rather inflexible in her opinions and life. I know that part of that was to serve the plot but that didn't stop me from finding her unpleasant and as the tale is told from her viewpoint that did spoil my enjoyment of it.
The secondary characters of Lisa and Harriet(?) are wonderfully written and had that breath of reality infusing them that I have come to expect from Ms Swain. I would love to know more about both of them but suspect that this is unlikely. Although, there is much more to Nightingale Square than the 3 ladies,there are a host of supporting characters that live and breathe on the page - more importantly they garden together and party together too. I did find the battle for a community allotment to be a great plot device to absorb newly arrived Kate in to the Nightingale Square crew and a good way of introducing everyone to us. Sadly, I think communities of this type only exist within book pages these days.
The romance angle of the book is quite pronounced but from the unusual perspective of Kate refusing to have anything to do with it as she has blown her chance after separating from her husband. The real reason why is dragged out through the book and I did find that infuriating as it became this big "thing" that Kate would not reveal and turned out to be fairly pedestrian in the end. The resolution to all this is that of course she does realise that there is more than one love out there for her and it is who you suspect it is going to be from the moment they first meet.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre of fiction. There is a warmth to Ms Swain's writing that invites you in and she has a real knack with drawing a great character on the page. Unfortunately for me I did not like her main character so I have marked the book accordingly but the story arc is well paced and the people believable - trust me if you want a hug from a book this will provide it.
This is a fairly charming tale of starting over after your Happily Ever After becomes a Fairy Curse. The problem for me was that I found Kate to be quite an unlikeable character who was quick to judge others and rather inflexible in her opinions and life. I know that part of that was to serve the plot but that didn't stop me from finding her unpleasant and as the tale is told from her viewpoint that did spoil my enjoyment of it.
The secondary characters of Lisa and Harriet(?) are wonderfully written and had that breath of reality infusing them that I have come to expect from Ms Swain. I would love to know more about both of them but suspect that this is unlikely. Although, there is much more to Nightingale Square than the 3 ladies,there are a host of supporting characters that live and breathe on the page - more importantly they garden together and party together too. I did find the battle for a community allotment to be a great plot device to absorb newly arrived Kate in to the Nightingale Square crew and a good way of introducing everyone to us. Sadly, I think communities of this type only exist within book pages these days.
The romance angle of the book is quite pronounced but from the unusual perspective of Kate refusing to have anything to do with it as she has blown her chance after separating from her husband. The real reason why is dragged out through the book and I did find that infuriating as it became this big "thing" that Kate would not reveal and turned out to be fairly pedestrian in the end. The resolution to all this is that of course she does realise that there is more than one love out there for her and it is who you suspect it is going to be from the moment they first meet.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre of fiction. There is a warmth to Ms Swain's writing that invites you in and she has a real knack with drawing a great character on the page. Unfortunately for me I did not like her main character so I have marked the book accordingly but the story arc is well paced and the people believable - trust me if you want a hug from a book this will provide it.
Monday, 20 August 2018
Killman Creek by Rachel Caine
This was a very patchy book, with sections leaving you almost breathless as you raced to find out what happened next and others leaving you shaking your head and tutting with impatience at how farfetched some of the scenarios were.
Picking up where Stillhouse Lake leaves off, Melvin Royal is still at large having escaped prison; Gwen/Gina is still running; Absalom is still pulling the strings. This time she has help from Sam Cade and support from the local gun range owner and his policewoman girlfriend - even better Sam has friends in high places and maybe, just maybe he can call in a few favours.
My biggest problem with this was second book was that you could actually see the plot wheels turning on the page - there was little to no suspense built up for the majority of the read. This was largely due to everything being flagged up a few pages before it happened, there were a few exceptions (the cabin in the woods, the side story of the attempted abduction) but everything else felt the story arc wheel had been spun so we had to move on to the next cliche.
The saving grace is the characterisation, especially Gwen/Gina's emotional state. Personal reactions to situations are fairly realistic (for unrealistic situations) and give you a good insight in to each character. This is particularly true with the children and how they are coping with the various revelations of what their father did and how their mother was (seemingly?) involved. It is these moments that elevated the book from 1.5 Star to 3 Star, certainly not the almost Bourne-like tales of cross and double cross and dark web ne'er do wells.
That said I would struggle, in all good conscience, to recommend this book to another reader. A shame as I thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series and I am now unlikely to bother with the next installment when it is published.
Picking up where Stillhouse Lake leaves off, Melvin Royal is still at large having escaped prison; Gwen/Gina is still running; Absalom is still pulling the strings. This time she has help from Sam Cade and support from the local gun range owner and his policewoman girlfriend - even better Sam has friends in high places and maybe, just maybe he can call in a few favours.
My biggest problem with this was second book was that you could actually see the plot wheels turning on the page - there was little to no suspense built up for the majority of the read. This was largely due to everything being flagged up a few pages before it happened, there were a few exceptions (the cabin in the woods, the side story of the attempted abduction) but everything else felt the story arc wheel had been spun so we had to move on to the next cliche.
The saving grace is the characterisation, especially Gwen/Gina's emotional state. Personal reactions to situations are fairly realistic (for unrealistic situations) and give you a good insight in to each character. This is particularly true with the children and how they are coping with the various revelations of what their father did and how their mother was (seemingly?) involved. It is these moments that elevated the book from 1.5 Star to 3 Star, certainly not the almost Bourne-like tales of cross and double cross and dark web ne'er do wells.
That said I would struggle, in all good conscience, to recommend this book to another reader. A shame as I thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series and I am now unlikely to bother with the next installment when it is published.
The Finishing Touches by Hester Browne
I was actually quite disappointed with this book as it lacked some of the warmth of the previous Hester Browne novels I have read. I'm not sure why really as all the ingredients are there for a comforting romantic comedy but I just felt like I was reading all the time rather than living vicariously through the pages of the book. This could quite likely be because I just could not take the heroine of this book, Betsy, seriously as a character. She lacked a certain depth somehow and everything seemed to be just about her surface veneer.
The tale itself is actually quite a decent one, just don't expect any surprises or real tension. Betsy's love interest is flagged up early and from the first few chapters you know exactly who she is going to end up with. There is a real possibility for interest with her search for her birth mother but that didn't really work for me that well as I wasn't really invested in the character. Many of the supporting characters, especially the handful of girls at Treadwell's Academy, are caricatures rather than real people - particularly noticeable with the headmistress of the Academy.
Of course the setting is a rather rarefied atmosphere of the Finishing School and one that is firmly set in he 1950s with it's attention to dining etiquette and how to greet various echelons of Society. To be honest I kept comparing it to the finishing school in Shirley Conran's Lace (I love that book) and found it coming up short. The thread that deals with Betsy's ideas to bring the school up to date is well plotted and fairly realistic; to be honest I left the book wishing there was somewhere you could go that would teach you how to deal with the Modern World- but the world in the book is a stratosphere away from the one I inhabit so knowing how to get papped without looking like you have had major plastic surgery that failed wouldn't be high on my list of priorities.
In short it is an enjoyable, fluffy read that didn't suck me to another world or really involve me in the life of the characters. Ideal coffee break read really as you can pick it up and put it down without feeling ike you just have to read one ore chapter.
The tale itself is actually quite a decent one, just don't expect any surprises or real tension. Betsy's love interest is flagged up early and from the first few chapters you know exactly who she is going to end up with. There is a real possibility for interest with her search for her birth mother but that didn't really work for me that well as I wasn't really invested in the character. Many of the supporting characters, especially the handful of girls at Treadwell's Academy, are caricatures rather than real people - particularly noticeable with the headmistress of the Academy.
Of course the setting is a rather rarefied atmosphere of the Finishing School and one that is firmly set in he 1950s with it's attention to dining etiquette and how to greet various echelons of Society. To be honest I kept comparing it to the finishing school in Shirley Conran's Lace (I love that book) and found it coming up short. The thread that deals with Betsy's ideas to bring the school up to date is well plotted and fairly realistic; to be honest I left the book wishing there was somewhere you could go that would teach you how to deal with the Modern World- but the world in the book is a stratosphere away from the one I inhabit so knowing how to get papped without looking like you have had major plastic surgery that failed wouldn't be high on my list of priorities.
In short it is an enjoyable, fluffy read that didn't suck me to another world or really involve me in the life of the characters. Ideal coffee break read really as you can pick it up and put it down without feeling ike you just have to read one ore chapter.
Tuesday, 7 August 2018
A Good Heart Is Hard To Find by Trisha Ashley
I think Ms Ashley missed her calling, whilst her romantic comedies are actually pretty good I think her Gothic horror could be even better - judging by the excerpts in this book attributed to our heroine Cass Leigh. They certainly have the ring of authenticity of the genre and,in some cases I was more interested in how that story worked out than in Cass's story.
It did feel a little odd to be reading a Trisha Ashley novel not set in or around The Mosses if I'm being honest. However, as this is one of her early books (Singled Out) titivated up a little and released under a new name maybe The Mosses just don't exist in her literary orbit yet - although there was a nod to another book tucked discretely in there (Wish Upon A Star). As I have come to expect from her books the tale is told with a gentle humour by a self-aware narrator who you instantly feel you have known for ever.
This is a warm hug of a book that will leave you with a smile on your face and a slight sense of unease relating to graveyards.
It did feel a little odd to be reading a Trisha Ashley novel not set in or around The Mosses if I'm being honest. However, as this is one of her early books (Singled Out) titivated up a little and released under a new name maybe The Mosses just don't exist in her literary orbit yet - although there was a nod to another book tucked discretely in there (Wish Upon A Star). As I have come to expect from her books the tale is told with a gentle humour by a self-aware narrator who you instantly feel you have known for ever.
This is a warm hug of a book that will leave you with a smile on your face and a slight sense of unease relating to graveyards.
Monday, 6 August 2018
Killing It by Asia Mackay
When I started reading this book I wasn't really too sure what to expect from it. What I got was a totally unexpected spy thriller that romps along at a great pace and keeps you turning pages just to find out exactly how the Rats of Unicorn are going to get their guy. From the initial set up you can be excused for being lulled into a false sense of security that this is just another new mum struggling in the workplace book. Trust me it really isn't that.
Lex is a highly trained, government sponsored assassin and she loves her job. She is also a wife and new mother who loves her family and is struggling to mesh the two sides of her life together. After all, it's one thing killing for a living but it is quite another getting through teething.
There is a great deal of humour within these pages and I did find myself snorting quite a lot whilst reading it. Even better is all the machinations and inner workings of Eight as they go about trying to bring Dimitri down and so save the world from Russian technological domination. The twist, when it comes, is from a really unexpected angle and one I genuinely didn't see coming. I also thoroughly enjoyed the juxtaposition between mummy Lex and Rat Lex.
The supplementary characters in the book, Will, Jake, Dasha and even the barely touched on ones of the "Yummy Mummies" are all well fleshed and come to life well on the page. The pacing is just right with the hectic, task oriented segments mellowed by the mundanity of bringing up a child. To some extent you can even get under Lex's skin as she battles with infant-induced self deprivation.
This book is a lot of fun and I really, really hope there will be a follow up.
Lex is a highly trained, government sponsored assassin and she loves her job. She is also a wife and new mother who loves her family and is struggling to mesh the two sides of her life together. After all, it's one thing killing for a living but it is quite another getting through teething.
There is a great deal of humour within these pages and I did find myself snorting quite a lot whilst reading it. Even better is all the machinations and inner workings of Eight as they go about trying to bring Dimitri down and so save the world from Russian technological domination. The twist, when it comes, is from a really unexpected angle and one I genuinely didn't see coming. I also thoroughly enjoyed the juxtaposition between mummy Lex and Rat Lex.
The supplementary characters in the book, Will, Jake, Dasha and even the barely touched on ones of the "Yummy Mummies" are all well fleshed and come to life well on the page. The pacing is just right with the hectic, task oriented segments mellowed by the mundanity of bringing up a child. To some extent you can even get under Lex's skin as she battles with infant-induced self deprivation.
This book is a lot of fun and I really, really hope there will be a follow up.
Everless by Sara Holland
I wasn't particularly sure that I was going to enjoy the book from the first couple of chapters. However, once I had settled in to it I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. Although, it must be said right up front that Jules is a very frustrating character and I did spend a lot of time tutting and mentally shaking my finger at her as she continued to make silly assumptions and not see what was right in front of her face. Don't you hate it when characters do dumb things!
The world building here is exceptionally good and it is not just the blood-iron coins and how the whole upper classes rely on "stealing" time from the lower (although this has been meticulously thought through) but the actual places in this world are rich and real. Although, they do have a sort of Sherwoodesque Medieval feel to them this is nto necessarily a bad thing. At the very least it means that we are in a fantasy world that looks and functions much as ours does, this makes it easier to slip in to the story without pesky details about what would seem anomalous features yanking us back out.
The basic tale here is of Jules and her attempts to earn some blood coin to save her father having to donate his last time to keep a roof over their heads. Unfortunately this means a return to Everless, where she was brought up and from where her and her father where exiled. Backed in to a corner Jules has no choice but to try and become a servant at Everless now The Queen is coming to visit for the celebration of her ward to one of the Gerling Princes of Everless. A Gerling Prince that Jules knows all too well.
The plot itself moves along at a good pace and is full of quirky little details and odd little coincidences that point the reader in the direction of the truth whilst leaving the characters themselves in the metaphotical dark. I was quite pleased to have guessed at most of the major plot points before their big reveal but it may have been more fun to find them out with Jules. I did have a great deal of fun reading this book though and I am looking forward to Evermore being released.
The world building here is exceptionally good and it is not just the blood-iron coins and how the whole upper classes rely on "stealing" time from the lower (although this has been meticulously thought through) but the actual places in this world are rich and real. Although, they do have a sort of Sherwoodesque Medieval feel to them this is nto necessarily a bad thing. At the very least it means that we are in a fantasy world that looks and functions much as ours does, this makes it easier to slip in to the story without pesky details about what would seem anomalous features yanking us back out.
The basic tale here is of Jules and her attempts to earn some blood coin to save her father having to donate his last time to keep a roof over their heads. Unfortunately this means a return to Everless, where she was brought up and from where her and her father where exiled. Backed in to a corner Jules has no choice but to try and become a servant at Everless now The Queen is coming to visit for the celebration of her ward to one of the Gerling Princes of Everless. A Gerling Prince that Jules knows all too well.
The plot itself moves along at a good pace and is full of quirky little details and odd little coincidences that point the reader in the direction of the truth whilst leaving the characters themselves in the metaphotical dark. I was quite pleased to have guessed at most of the major plot points before their big reveal but it may have been more fun to find them out with Jules. I did have a great deal of fun reading this book though and I am looking forward to Evermore being released.
The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic
From the title you automatically know that everything you read is to be taken with a pinch of salt, after all everything has the potential to be a lie between these pages. Maybe it is that fact alone that sets you in to the right frame of mind to forensically examine every single interchange, every casual observation as you are reading. I certainly felt my brain cells being given a good workout throughout the book.
We start off with Susanna who has become a counsellor after some trauma in her past - initially we aren't entirely sure what it is except that it revolves somehow around her family life. We know she is estranged from her husband and lives with their, now teenage, daughter Emily and that there was a son, Jacob. We also know that she has some big secret, something that she psychologically tortures herself with every day. Today she has 2 new patients at her counselling practice, maybe it will be a good day?
Then we meet Adam, new patient number one. Adam is a bit of an enigma at first and we struggle to understand what he is doing at Susanna's offices at all, he isn't exactly forthcoming in his reasons. As he begins to tell Susanna about his reasons for being there even she suspects that all is not what seems and that he is spinning her a line. Adam soon shows his hand, a hand wrapped around a knife blade, as he confesses he has her teenage daughter and that Susanna better answer his questions "or else..."
The beauty of this tale is not really in the characters, it is in the atmosphere and the plotting. Really we only have Adam and Susanna for the majority of the book and it is clear that neither of them can be trusted in what they say. Mr Lelic knows how to create tension on the page, tension so think that you can feel your breath catching in your throat and the sweat leaping in to your palms. The plotting is so well constructed that just when you have formulated a theory some tiny, insignificant fact is revealed that causes you to curse and stomp moodily back to your mental drawing board.
The claustrophobia of the meeting between Susanna and Adam is occassionally lightened by snippets from Emily's diary, brief forays in to Ruth's (the dentist that Susanna shares the building with and who is her best (although really only) friend) view of what is happening from the outside. There are also the off flashback to life with Jacob and Neil and what exactly happened to Jacob. In some ways these dissipate the tension but you are always aware of that lurking menace around the corner - this is particularly the case with the sections dealing with Jacob and the build up of little incidents that led to "the thing".
This is a real page turner of a book and I found myself becoming completely absorbed in the plot. To be honest I couldn't really tell you much about the characters as people or how they develop on the page. The plot is the characater and the character is the plot, so to describe one is to spoil the other. Hard, hard book to review without spoilers and as there are so many misdirects thanks to the lies our 2 protagonists tell it is very important not to spoil the plot.
A terrifically engaging read that you need to clear your schedule to read because it will suck hours from you as you keep turning the pages just to find out how your latest theory stacks up - it won't, although I did get a plot point fairly early on it was just a lucky guess.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED FROM THE PIGEONHOLE.
We start off with Susanna who has become a counsellor after some trauma in her past - initially we aren't entirely sure what it is except that it revolves somehow around her family life. We know she is estranged from her husband and lives with their, now teenage, daughter Emily and that there was a son, Jacob. We also know that she has some big secret, something that she psychologically tortures herself with every day. Today she has 2 new patients at her counselling practice, maybe it will be a good day?
Then we meet Adam, new patient number one. Adam is a bit of an enigma at first and we struggle to understand what he is doing at Susanna's offices at all, he isn't exactly forthcoming in his reasons. As he begins to tell Susanna about his reasons for being there even she suspects that all is not what seems and that he is spinning her a line. Adam soon shows his hand, a hand wrapped around a knife blade, as he confesses he has her teenage daughter and that Susanna better answer his questions "or else..."
The beauty of this tale is not really in the characters, it is in the atmosphere and the plotting. Really we only have Adam and Susanna for the majority of the book and it is clear that neither of them can be trusted in what they say. Mr Lelic knows how to create tension on the page, tension so think that you can feel your breath catching in your throat and the sweat leaping in to your palms. The plotting is so well constructed that just when you have formulated a theory some tiny, insignificant fact is revealed that causes you to curse and stomp moodily back to your mental drawing board.
The claustrophobia of the meeting between Susanna and Adam is occassionally lightened by snippets from Emily's diary, brief forays in to Ruth's (the dentist that Susanna shares the building with and who is her best (although really only) friend) view of what is happening from the outside. There are also the off flashback to life with Jacob and Neil and what exactly happened to Jacob. In some ways these dissipate the tension but you are always aware of that lurking menace around the corner - this is particularly the case with the sections dealing with Jacob and the build up of little incidents that led to "the thing".
This is a real page turner of a book and I found myself becoming completely absorbed in the plot. To be honest I couldn't really tell you much about the characters as people or how they develop on the page. The plot is the characater and the character is the plot, so to describe one is to spoil the other. Hard, hard book to review without spoilers and as there are so many misdirects thanks to the lies our 2 protagonists tell it is very important not to spoil the plot.
A terrifically engaging read that you need to clear your schedule to read because it will suck hours from you as you keep turning the pages just to find out how your latest theory stacks up - it won't, although I did get a plot point fairly early on it was just a lucky guess.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED FROM THE PIGEONHOLE.
You Only Live Once by Jess Vallance
3.5 Stars
Grace Dart is 16 and a bit of a hypochondriac - after a week in Southern Spain she is convinced that she has some rare tropical disease (ah the curse of googling symptoms!) and she admits to having her local doctor's surgery on speed dial. What we also need to know about Grace is that she is all about the future - everything is geared to that magical point in the future when she will have the perfect job and the perfect life to go with it. So you can imagine how cheated she feels when she thinks she is going to die just after taking her GCSEs - all that time wasted revising when she could have been living.
That, in a nutshell, is why Grace's very reason for living becomes all about seizing the moment. Admittedly, she still wants to plan her spontaneity but it's a start - right?
Told entirely from Grace's point of view the author gets a teenaged girls voice spot on. From the insecurities of what she is doing with her life and the dogged self deception to the wry humour. It perfectly captures family life and does make you grin along the way. From cutting friends out of your life because a "better offer" comes along to realising that what you see isn't necessarily the truth of someone else life and how to deal with loss it is all there and over the course of only 1 summer.
I genuinely enjoyed this novel, it did make me laugh as I could see some of my 16 year old self in Grace (sadly, not the studious bit). I'm not too sure how the 16 year olds would feel about the character but as someone who was 16 year and raised a child past 16 it certainly rang very true. I have to give a nod to the way Grace's coming out was handled - her parents going "yeah, we know" - was such an accepting way to handle the subject and one I only wish more LGBTQ people got to have as an experience.
Fun, frivolous and will happily fill a wet and rainy afternoon!
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Grace Dart is 16 and a bit of a hypochondriac - after a week in Southern Spain she is convinced that she has some rare tropical disease (ah the curse of googling symptoms!) and she admits to having her local doctor's surgery on speed dial. What we also need to know about Grace is that she is all about the future - everything is geared to that magical point in the future when she will have the perfect job and the perfect life to go with it. So you can imagine how cheated she feels when she thinks she is going to die just after taking her GCSEs - all that time wasted revising when she could have been living.
That, in a nutshell, is why Grace's very reason for living becomes all about seizing the moment. Admittedly, she still wants to plan her spontaneity but it's a start - right?
Told entirely from Grace's point of view the author gets a teenaged girls voice spot on. From the insecurities of what she is doing with her life and the dogged self deception to the wry humour. It perfectly captures family life and does make you grin along the way. From cutting friends out of your life because a "better offer" comes along to realising that what you see isn't necessarily the truth of someone else life and how to deal with loss it is all there and over the course of only 1 summer.
I genuinely enjoyed this novel, it did make me laugh as I could see some of my 16 year old self in Grace (sadly, not the studious bit). I'm not too sure how the 16 year olds would feel about the character but as someone who was 16 year and raised a child past 16 it certainly rang very true. I have to give a nod to the way Grace's coming out was handled - her parents going "yeah, we know" - was such an accepting way to handle the subject and one I only wish more LGBTQ people got to have as an experience.
Fun, frivolous and will happily fill a wet and rainy afternoon!
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
Having travelled to the remote Mitchell's Inn for a weekend getaway our cast of characters get far more than they baragained for as the wether closes in and cuts all connections with the "civilised" world. On arriving they already note there is no wifi and no mobile phone signal but after the ice storm of their first night there is no way to get away from the luxurious hotel. Thus is the setting for an old-fashioned murder mystery.
We are introduced relatively slowly to the main protagonists:
Gwen & Riley - Best friends and Riley has been having a very tough time of late so Gwen is treating her to a relaxing weekend away.
Lauren & Ian - Young couple on a romantic weekend break.
Dana & Matthew - Engaged couple having a pre-wedding honeymoon.
Beverly & Henry - Older couple with marital problems
James & Bradley - Owners of the family run hotel (father and son).
Candice - Author on a break to be able to finish her latest novel.
David - Single attorney taking a much needed break.
I don't think I've missed anyone out.
What you soon come to realise is that everyone has a secret and that some of them are really very large secrets to be keeping. The problem is that none of the secrets really tie in to the murders that have begun to happen in this remote getaway. I happened to guess who the culprit was more by a process of we know so little about this character it must be them rather than any deductive work based on the text - somehow this makes the whole murder mystery more frustrating than enjoyable.
My main issue with the story was the number of inconsistencies with the plot. admittedly none of these made a difference to who the perpetrator was or their reasons for it but they did feel to me like they were simply there to further the claustrophobia of the setting and felt completely unrealistic. First off this is a remote hotel in an area that suffers frequent snowfall - one of it's big draws apparently seems to be skiing - and yet they have no snowmobiles there that someone could have gone for help on. They also have some oil lamps for when the electricity goes off - we are told by James and Bradley that this is a fairly regular occurence - and yet they only have the oil that is already in them with no reserves to top them up; similarly no spare batteries for the torches. The hotel is freezing during the power outtage but surely in a property this old and remote the furnace would be oil or gas fired so why is there no heating or hot water? The worse crime for me - a sitting room appears on the second floor that isn;t there when the guests are doing a walkthrough of the hotel but then becomes a permanent fixture.
I know this all sounds a little bit petty and nit-picky but these inconsistencies genuinely spoilt the story for me. It was clear that they were only there to serve the plot but they made the whole thing vaguely ridiculous. This is a pity as there is some good tension building throughout and the play between characters is well drawn. Unfortunately, this led me to feeling so frustrated I would not be interested in reading any of this author's other works.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED THROUGH THE PIGEONHOLE.
We are introduced relatively slowly to the main protagonists:
Gwen & Riley - Best friends and Riley has been having a very tough time of late so Gwen is treating her to a relaxing weekend away.
Lauren & Ian - Young couple on a romantic weekend break.
Dana & Matthew - Engaged couple having a pre-wedding honeymoon.
Beverly & Henry - Older couple with marital problems
James & Bradley - Owners of the family run hotel (father and son).
Candice - Author on a break to be able to finish her latest novel.
David - Single attorney taking a much needed break.
I don't think I've missed anyone out.
What you soon come to realise is that everyone has a secret and that some of them are really very large secrets to be keeping. The problem is that none of the secrets really tie in to the murders that have begun to happen in this remote getaway. I happened to guess who the culprit was more by a process of we know so little about this character it must be them rather than any deductive work based on the text - somehow this makes the whole murder mystery more frustrating than enjoyable.
My main issue with the story was the number of inconsistencies with the plot. admittedly none of these made a difference to who the perpetrator was or their reasons for it but they did feel to me like they were simply there to further the claustrophobia of the setting and felt completely unrealistic. First off this is a remote hotel in an area that suffers frequent snowfall - one of it's big draws apparently seems to be skiing - and yet they have no snowmobiles there that someone could have gone for help on. They also have some oil lamps for when the electricity goes off - we are told by James and Bradley that this is a fairly regular occurence - and yet they only have the oil that is already in them with no reserves to top them up; similarly no spare batteries for the torches. The hotel is freezing during the power outtage but surely in a property this old and remote the furnace would be oil or gas fired so why is there no heating or hot water? The worse crime for me - a sitting room appears on the second floor that isn;t there when the guests are doing a walkthrough of the hotel but then becomes a permanent fixture.
I know this all sounds a little bit petty and nit-picky but these inconsistencies genuinely spoilt the story for me. It was clear that they were only there to serve the plot but they made the whole thing vaguely ridiculous. This is a pity as there is some good tension building throughout and the play between characters is well drawn. Unfortunately, this led me to feeling so frustrated I would not be interested in reading any of this author's other works.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED THROUGH THE PIGEONHOLE.
The 8 Mistakes Of Amy Maxwell by Heather Balog
This was actually quite a fun read with a good dose of humour; although if you don't have children a lot of that may pass you by. There is something about being a parent that makes your humour turn to the dark side and this book definitely taps in to that.
The first half of the tale is really just scene setting and letting us get to know Amy and her mildly disfunctional family. From a husband who disappears in to his mancave at every opportunity, a teenage daughter just about to move from Middle School to High School who has a major attitude problem, a second daughter who has no off switch, a 6 year old son who has a water aversion and a toddler who is obsessed with phones of all types. Amy may be a SAHM but she is always on the move. The situations she finds herself in are all perfectly normal, run of the mill daily things but Amy suffers from an overactive imagination and certainly overthinks things.
It is this that leads her to make all of her 8 mistakes that lead to her being tied to a chair in a remote cabin. No spoiler there, that is where we actually start the story. I did like that the it is the small things she latches on to as potential problems and the real big red warning light situations that just slip past her. Probably because I am a bit that way myself - ignore the big stuff and get all bent out of shape about the minutiae.
This was a pretty good read with an ensemble cast that is lively and even the bad guys have their warm moments. It doesn't grab you plot wise and keep you turning the pages but you do find an hour or so slipping by effortlessly as you read. I already have the second book in the series and I am quite looking forward to reading it - if for nothing else than to read about Amy's family.
The first half of the tale is really just scene setting and letting us get to know Amy and her mildly disfunctional family. From a husband who disappears in to his mancave at every opportunity, a teenage daughter just about to move from Middle School to High School who has a major attitude problem, a second daughter who has no off switch, a 6 year old son who has a water aversion and a toddler who is obsessed with phones of all types. Amy may be a SAHM but she is always on the move. The situations she finds herself in are all perfectly normal, run of the mill daily things but Amy suffers from an overactive imagination and certainly overthinks things.
It is this that leads her to make all of her 8 mistakes that lead to her being tied to a chair in a remote cabin. No spoiler there, that is where we actually start the story. I did like that the it is the small things she latches on to as potential problems and the real big red warning light situations that just slip past her. Probably because I am a bit that way myself - ignore the big stuff and get all bent out of shape about the minutiae.
This was a pretty good read with an ensemble cast that is lively and even the bad guys have their warm moments. It doesn't grab you plot wise and keep you turning the pages but you do find an hour or so slipping by effortlessly as you read. I already have the second book in the series and I am quite looking forward to reading it - if for nothing else than to read about Amy's family.
Sunday, 5 August 2018
The Island by M.A. Bennett
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book, the only let down for me was I figured out fairly on what was really going on and became a touch mad that the characters themselves hadn't cottoned on to it. I think if I hadn't figured that out until they did then this would have been a 5 Star book for me.
Our main protagonist is Lincoln Selkirk, Link to his family and friends - but wait, he doesn't have any of those. The character himself is warm, funny and endearingly nerdy and his voice is strong throughout the book. I particularly liked his self-deprecating humour and was more than happy to go along with world viewpoint and his assessment of his fellow schoolmates at Osney.
The device of using Desert Island Discs as a recurrent theme through the book works well as even if you've never listened to it (I haven't) you are still aware of it's existence and the general premise of the programme. Combine this with Link's love of The Count Of Monte Cristo, Lost and anything else that could be Robinsonade and you just know he is going to come good when they find themselves stranded on a desert island after a plane crash.
It works in the book's favour that Link is an honest narrator, even when he is behaving in a less than salubrious way - which even he admits - he is honest about what he is doing; even if his motives are rather murky at times. Somehow you still want him to win, to overcome and prove that sports are not all and that sometimes brain is better than brawn. Even if everything is not what it seems you still root for him.
The cast of supporting characters are well executed and come across well on the page, never quite slipping in to parody of type. It is even acknowledged by the characters themselves that they each fit a specific type a la The Breakfast Club (all hail John Hughes). Ultimately though, this doesn't really matter - what matters is it is a rippingly good yarn that keeps you entertained and reaching for that next chapter in a race against the clock.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Our main protagonist is Lincoln Selkirk, Link to his family and friends - but wait, he doesn't have any of those. The character himself is warm, funny and endearingly nerdy and his voice is strong throughout the book. I particularly liked his self-deprecating humour and was more than happy to go along with world viewpoint and his assessment of his fellow schoolmates at Osney.
The device of using Desert Island Discs as a recurrent theme through the book works well as even if you've never listened to it (I haven't) you are still aware of it's existence and the general premise of the programme. Combine this with Link's love of The Count Of Monte Cristo, Lost and anything else that could be Robinsonade and you just know he is going to come good when they find themselves stranded on a desert island after a plane crash.
It works in the book's favour that Link is an honest narrator, even when he is behaving in a less than salubrious way - which even he admits - he is honest about what he is doing; even if his motives are rather murky at times. Somehow you still want him to win, to overcome and prove that sports are not all and that sometimes brain is better than brawn. Even if everything is not what it seems you still root for him.
The cast of supporting characters are well executed and come across well on the page, never quite slipping in to parody of type. It is even acknowledged by the characters themselves that they each fit a specific type a la The Breakfast Club (all hail John Hughes). Ultimately though, this doesn't really matter - what matters is it is a rippingly good yarn that keeps you entertained and reaching for that next chapter in a race against the clock.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Supernova Hangover by Emma Jones
Set in the late 1990s and early 2000s this is a book about one young woman Toots Silver (really, it says Toots on your Birth Certificate?) who moves to London in the hopes of getting that big career break. There are a few characters that revolve around her:
Rachel - Her flatmate whom she met on the train to London and they decided to stick together to face the best and the worst that London could offer.
Roddy - Owner/Editor (I was never clear which) of the magazine that gives Toots her big break.
Adam - Photographer for said magazine.
Simon - Bon Viveur in the South Of France
Clay Allison - Movie Star
Now, here is the problem - with the exception of Adam they are all horrible people in one way or another. Hardly a redeeming feature between the lot of them. This is a huge problem because the story really relies on you getting behind Toots and hoping that it is all going to work out for her and she will make the right decisions when it counts. Instead I found myself hoping that she would fall under the nearest passing Routemaster.
The character of Roddy particularly annoys, he is such a stereotype that it is actually laughable. Yes, I am aware that a stereotype is there for a reason but nobody actually inhabits one 100% but he does. To some extent Rachel does too - she is so completely subsumed by the need to be seen as fashionable, on trend and to feel loved that she ticks every shallow, narcissistic box that there is. Similarly you never get the feeling that Clay is anything other than a two-dimensional poster of himself hung on Toots' wall that she has imagined in to being.
Now, I understand that the media world of this time period wasn't particularly salubrious and all sorts of dodgy dealings went on. What I don't understand is why everyone has to be so venal and dislikeable. I have read many a book with this sort of character in them and yet there has always been something that endears you to them, a sheen of literary charisma if you like but that is completely missing here. Maybe I just didn't get the memo about this book, but I really struggled to find much to enjoy about it.
I did flirt with a One Star review but there were some bits that I enjoyed in the book, just not very many of them.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE BOOK FROM THE PIGEONHOLE.
Rachel - Her flatmate whom she met on the train to London and they decided to stick together to face the best and the worst that London could offer.
Roddy - Owner/Editor (I was never clear which) of the magazine that gives Toots her big break.
Adam - Photographer for said magazine.
Simon - Bon Viveur in the South Of France
Clay Allison - Movie Star
Now, here is the problem - with the exception of Adam they are all horrible people in one way or another. Hardly a redeeming feature between the lot of them. This is a huge problem because the story really relies on you getting behind Toots and hoping that it is all going to work out for her and she will make the right decisions when it counts. Instead I found myself hoping that she would fall under the nearest passing Routemaster.
The character of Roddy particularly annoys, he is such a stereotype that it is actually laughable. Yes, I am aware that a stereotype is there for a reason but nobody actually inhabits one 100% but he does. To some extent Rachel does too - she is so completely subsumed by the need to be seen as fashionable, on trend and to feel loved that she ticks every shallow, narcissistic box that there is. Similarly you never get the feeling that Clay is anything other than a two-dimensional poster of himself hung on Toots' wall that she has imagined in to being.
Now, I understand that the media world of this time period wasn't particularly salubrious and all sorts of dodgy dealings went on. What I don't understand is why everyone has to be so venal and dislikeable. I have read many a book with this sort of character in them and yet there has always been something that endears you to them, a sheen of literary charisma if you like but that is completely missing here. Maybe I just didn't get the memo about this book, but I really struggled to find much to enjoy about it.
I did flirt with a One Star review but there were some bits that I enjoyed in the book, just not very many of them.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE BOOK FROM THE PIGEONHOLE.
The Woman On The Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
I have an uneasy relationship with books of this nature - you take a real person and a real event or two and then smoosh them up with fabricated emotions and events. All too often they feel, at the bare minimum, strangely voyeuristic. Somehow the author has managed to weave the reality and the fantasy together in a completely compelling way that keeps you turning the pages eagerly.
The main thrust of the novel takes place after the well-publicised "Harrogate Incident" and follows Agatha Christie on a solo trip abroad on the magnificent Orient Express. A rail journey that she is both looking forward too immensely and dreading in no small measure. What starts off as an exploration of Ms Christie's state of mind after her divorce soon explodes in to a tale of female friendship and the rebuilding of three women's lives. There is also a little mystery thrown in for good measure - how could there not be with the Orient Express and Agatha Christie involved.
The descriptions of the scenery are lush and inviting. I am not one for travelling but the landscapes and the smells are so evocative within the pages that I did find myself somewhat tempted to experience them for myself. In particular the scenes at Ur really helped you feel the oppressive heat, the grit of the sand getting in to every nook and cranny and the thrill of new discoveries - in more ways than one for Agatha.
It is not all about Agatha Christie and the landscapes, or even the train. It is about her travelling companions Nancy and Katherine too. Their stories are just as compelling and Agatha's and, in many ways, much more tragic. Although not everyone featured was a real person who definitely knew Agatha Christie or was certainly in the same social circle so could be postulated to have known her there is such a taut blend between fact and fiction that even the genuinely fictional characters and events feel real. This particularly applies to Nancy and her rather shocking, for the times, predicament.
I also enjoyed the tiny section at the end where the author takes the time to recommend further reading for the "true" story of what happened during those years and also to lay out what liberties she had taken with both the timeline of certain meetings and events in Agatha Christie's life. I have never read any Agatha Christie novels or really knew much more about her than her disappearing off to Harrogate - having read this book it has made me somewhat intrigued to learn more about her and maybe read some of her books.
The main thrust of the novel takes place after the well-publicised "Harrogate Incident" and follows Agatha Christie on a solo trip abroad on the magnificent Orient Express. A rail journey that she is both looking forward too immensely and dreading in no small measure. What starts off as an exploration of Ms Christie's state of mind after her divorce soon explodes in to a tale of female friendship and the rebuilding of three women's lives. There is also a little mystery thrown in for good measure - how could there not be with the Orient Express and Agatha Christie involved.
The descriptions of the scenery are lush and inviting. I am not one for travelling but the landscapes and the smells are so evocative within the pages that I did find myself somewhat tempted to experience them for myself. In particular the scenes at Ur really helped you feel the oppressive heat, the grit of the sand getting in to every nook and cranny and the thrill of new discoveries - in more ways than one for Agatha.
It is not all about Agatha Christie and the landscapes, or even the train. It is about her travelling companions Nancy and Katherine too. Their stories are just as compelling and Agatha's and, in many ways, much more tragic. Although not everyone featured was a real person who definitely knew Agatha Christie or was certainly in the same social circle so could be postulated to have known her there is such a taut blend between fact and fiction that even the genuinely fictional characters and events feel real. This particularly applies to Nancy and her rather shocking, for the times, predicament.
I also enjoyed the tiny section at the end where the author takes the time to recommend further reading for the "true" story of what happened during those years and also to lay out what liberties she had taken with both the timeline of certain meetings and events in Agatha Christie's life. I have never read any Agatha Christie novels or really knew much more about her than her disappearing off to Harrogate - having read this book it has made me somewhat intrigued to learn more about her and maybe read some of her books.
Munmun by Jesse Andrews
This is a peculiar tale, the blurb describes it as warm and funny but that isn't what I took from it. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy it but for me it was rather dystopian and downright chilling in places - maybe I was overthinking things and putting a far more literary bent on it than was intended by the author. For me this was more than just the face-of-it tale but it was about the barely hidden parallels to modern society and constantly whilst reading those would jump out at me so I was unable to seperate them from the tale.
Munmun takes place in a world similar to ours but with some striking differences. On the whole your size denotes your net worth, your wealth and the whole process of how that is figured out is quite daunting and it is explained to us in a manageable way. Our main protagonist is Warner, littlepoor, rat sized Warner with a dead father and a crippled mother and an annoying sister, Prayer. The tale centres around their adventures as Prayer moves to Sand Dreamough (accompanied by Warner and his best friend stuttering, limping Usher) to besiege the Middlerich bastion of learning and snare a husband that can scale her up. Not the best plan but it is all they have.
What follows is a treatise on how life seems to be, how your place in the world determines the treatment you receive from others and how "bettering yourself" is not as easy as those who already have much, much more than you would have you believe. The story takes place between the rather depressing Lifeanddeathworld and the psychedelic Dreamworld - on the whole, I think I would take Dreamworld if I was Warner.
It is definitely an unsettling read and one that I feel sure will creep on to school syllabuses as there is a lot to discuss here and lots of symbolism. Heck, you can even argue about the place names and who the Bigrich are supposed to represent - although that will depend on the times the book is read in and who people perceive to be the uber-wealthy. Normally this is the sort of book that I struggle to complete, finding that all the things I perceive behind the words on the page cause the story to be lost. Somehow this didn't happen here and I found that I was existing in my own parallels of Lifeanddeathworld and Dreamworld where part of me was enjoying Warner's life story and another part was analysing for all it was worth.
On the whole an enjoyable story that does make you think - even when you don't want to!
Munmun takes place in a world similar to ours but with some striking differences. On the whole your size denotes your net worth, your wealth and the whole process of how that is figured out is quite daunting and it is explained to us in a manageable way. Our main protagonist is Warner, littlepoor, rat sized Warner with a dead father and a crippled mother and an annoying sister, Prayer. The tale centres around their adventures as Prayer moves to Sand Dreamough (accompanied by Warner and his best friend stuttering, limping Usher) to besiege the Middlerich bastion of learning and snare a husband that can scale her up. Not the best plan but it is all they have.
What follows is a treatise on how life seems to be, how your place in the world determines the treatment you receive from others and how "bettering yourself" is not as easy as those who already have much, much more than you would have you believe. The story takes place between the rather depressing Lifeanddeathworld and the psychedelic Dreamworld - on the whole, I think I would take Dreamworld if I was Warner.
It is definitely an unsettling read and one that I feel sure will creep on to school syllabuses as there is a lot to discuss here and lots of symbolism. Heck, you can even argue about the place names and who the Bigrich are supposed to represent - although that will depend on the times the book is read in and who people perceive to be the uber-wealthy. Normally this is the sort of book that I struggle to complete, finding that all the things I perceive behind the words on the page cause the story to be lost. Somehow this didn't happen here and I found that I was existing in my own parallels of Lifeanddeathworld and Dreamworld where part of me was enjoying Warner's life story and another part was analysing for all it was worth.
On the whole an enjoyable story that does make you think - even when you don't want to!
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Lego Tony Stark's Sakaarian Iron Man 76194
I know nothing about the "What If" TV show but what I do know is that I absolutely LOVE Mechs and Lego always manage to put somet...
