This was quite a strange little tale, but that is what we are reading the Peter Grant series for; right? The premise of a magical pottery sherd being used as a murder weapon was definitely out there and yet, somehow the author manages to weave a whole civilization out of this one, small sherd. To be honest I found it completely gripping and was nearly late for work twice reading this book.
Lesley May is finally back. She is still suffering from Mr Punch's devastating atack on her from Rivers Of London but it isn't swept aside, her injuries are front and centre in a very matter of fact way. To be honest, maybe that's why I like these books so very, very much, the Magical world is very matter of factly dealt with throughout and this gives it a real air of authenticity. There is also a lot more about Police procedure in this book and the juxtaposition of the two worlds meeting through Thomas Nightingale and Peter Grant is sublime. I really love the slightly ascerbic conversations with senior officers who are "in the know" about The Folly but don't particularly like that it exists.
This has everything you could wish for a book - high art (clearly Ryan Carroll is supposed to be a contemporary of Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin but just never made it), underground trains on not so underground tracks, the grand Victorian Sewers underpinning the City and those pesky River Goddesses and their underground raves. Throw in the Nazareth Market, a Goblin and a secret civilization and this book has just about everything you could want.
The same wit is present in this book as the previous two in the series and Peter grant is at his inept best. He really can be a bumbling idiot at times but he's all the better for it!
Thursday, 25 October 2018
Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
I put off reading the second book as long as I could as I figured it would be a complete let down after I enjoyed Rivers Of London so much; now I am kicking myself because this book is every bit as good - if not actually more so. The beauty of these books for me is the "voice" of Peter Grant - his narration is sublime and pulls me right in to the story and I think I could be half in love with him. I think it helps that my sense of humour mirrors his, so a tendency to the dark and profanity strewn then.
The world building is exceptionally well done with real places being given a supernatural overcoat. From the Jazz Clubs of Soho, where PC Grant has to face his father's past, to Dr Moreau's club (honestly I laughed like a drain when they called it that - mainly because it was already floating through my head and there is nothing like sharing the same headspace with an author as you read). Although I don't know London at all, except though the medium of TV (especially Alan Cumming's wonderful Urban series which spent a whole episode in Soho) it all feels so real that the little pieces of the "weird stuff" that are allowed to permeate them has an unsettling ring of authenticity.
The weird and not so wonderful denizens of London are starkly set against the realities of Police work and I enjoy those bits almost as much as the oddities. Even better are Peter's relationships with his fellow officers, his Master, Thomas Nightingale and the women in his life. The fact that Peter is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and get involved with someone who we can immediately see is "dubious" to say the least is quite refreshing and even the physicality of their relationship is deal with in such a matter of fact way that I didn't find offputting. I have an issue with "intimate" scenes on the page but somehow the author manages to bypass my inherent revulsion of those.
I am in severe danger of becoming a complete and utter fan girl for this series and I recommending it to everyone who I work with that has even a passing interest in reading Fantasy books. Honestly, so far this series is one of the best things I have read in years (and that includes Book Three that I have already demolished).
The world building is exceptionally well done with real places being given a supernatural overcoat. From the Jazz Clubs of Soho, where PC Grant has to face his father's past, to Dr Moreau's club (honestly I laughed like a drain when they called it that - mainly because it was already floating through my head and there is nothing like sharing the same headspace with an author as you read). Although I don't know London at all, except though the medium of TV (especially Alan Cumming's wonderful Urban series which spent a whole episode in Soho) it all feels so real that the little pieces of the "weird stuff" that are allowed to permeate them has an unsettling ring of authenticity.
The weird and not so wonderful denizens of London are starkly set against the realities of Police work and I enjoy those bits almost as much as the oddities. Even better are Peter's relationships with his fellow officers, his Master, Thomas Nightingale and the women in his life. The fact that Peter is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and get involved with someone who we can immediately see is "dubious" to say the least is quite refreshing and even the physicality of their relationship is deal with in such a matter of fact way that I didn't find offputting. I have an issue with "intimate" scenes on the page but somehow the author manages to bypass my inherent revulsion of those.
I am in severe danger of becoming a complete and utter fan girl for this series and I recommending it to everyone who I work with that has even a passing interest in reading Fantasy books. Honestly, so far this series is one of the best things I have read in years (and that includes Book Three that I have already demolished).
Time's Fool by Alys Earl
2.5 Stars
This is an attempt at resurrecting the Gothic in literature and the reader is continuously reminded of this fact through both the quotations (from the likes of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankensteins, Sheridan Le Fanu's Camille and Oscar Wilde's Picture Of Dorian Gray) that start each chapter. It is also further driven home as 2 of our 4 protagonists (Steven and Lucy) are studying literature at University in Barchester and, along with Sophia, seem to spend large chunks of the opening chapters discussing and dissecting literature. John is always sadly on the sidelines during these discussions, indeed he seems to be on the sidelines for much of the book.
Initially the writing isn't too bad with the dialogue between characters having a ring of authenticity and the settings and the characters being pared back so we can find out about them through their words and actions rather than being told in no uncertain terms by the author who everyone is and how we should perceive them. When they break in to a local abandoned mansion they meet the enigmatic Julian and now there is a fifth wheel to their friendship circle.
Everything is going swimmingly until about a third of the way through. I was captivated by the story and the characters and there was that frisson of the unknown running through where the reader knew far more than our protagonists but not as much as I thought I knew. From this point though it began to get a little bit bogged down with internal monologues from Sophia, Steven and Julian taking the place of conversations and actions and I started to lose a little interest.
Unfortunately, from the halfway point onwards this becomes in exercise in completely pointless prose - why use 5 words when I can use 25 to describe one single fleeting emotion? There is an almost desperate determination to emulate what is regarded, by some, as great Gothic literature but it is self-consciously executed and pulled me right out of the story. Sheer determination not to be beaten by a book kept me reading to the end and things improve slightly towards the end from the perspective of the writing style but from a plot point of view it descends further into ridiculous parody.
If you are looking for a Vampire Tale written in a Gothic style then please pick up Dracula and see how it should be done. Heck even pick up early Anne Rice books (Interview With The Vampire, Vampire Lestat and Queen Of The Damned may be over-flowery in their language but at least there is a discernible plot) for your vampire fix.
I'm sorry but this book was really not my cup of tea at all as it was style over substance and the style itself was flawed.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE
This is an attempt at resurrecting the Gothic in literature and the reader is continuously reminded of this fact through both the quotations (from the likes of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankensteins, Sheridan Le Fanu's Camille and Oscar Wilde's Picture Of Dorian Gray) that start each chapter. It is also further driven home as 2 of our 4 protagonists (Steven and Lucy) are studying literature at University in Barchester and, along with Sophia, seem to spend large chunks of the opening chapters discussing and dissecting literature. John is always sadly on the sidelines during these discussions, indeed he seems to be on the sidelines for much of the book.
Initially the writing isn't too bad with the dialogue between characters having a ring of authenticity and the settings and the characters being pared back so we can find out about them through their words and actions rather than being told in no uncertain terms by the author who everyone is and how we should perceive them. When they break in to a local abandoned mansion they meet the enigmatic Julian and now there is a fifth wheel to their friendship circle.
Everything is going swimmingly until about a third of the way through. I was captivated by the story and the characters and there was that frisson of the unknown running through where the reader knew far more than our protagonists but not as much as I thought I knew. From this point though it began to get a little bit bogged down with internal monologues from Sophia, Steven and Julian taking the place of conversations and actions and I started to lose a little interest.
Unfortunately, from the halfway point onwards this becomes in exercise in completely pointless prose - why use 5 words when I can use 25 to describe one single fleeting emotion? There is an almost desperate determination to emulate what is regarded, by some, as great Gothic literature but it is self-consciously executed and pulled me right out of the story. Sheer determination not to be beaten by a book kept me reading to the end and things improve slightly towards the end from the perspective of the writing style but from a plot point of view it descends further into ridiculous parody.
If you are looking for a Vampire Tale written in a Gothic style then please pick up Dracula and see how it should be done. Heck even pick up early Anne Rice books (Interview With The Vampire, Vampire Lestat and Queen Of The Damned may be over-flowery in their language but at least there is a discernible plot) for your vampire fix.
I'm sorry but this book was really not my cup of tea at all as it was style over substance and the style itself was flawed.
THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE
Million Love Songs by Carole Matthews
You need an awful lot of Patience to get through this book and no opportunity for a Take That song title pun is missed; somehow I guessed that would be the case from the title but I didn't realise going in how far that would be carried through in the book. To be entirely fair this isn't a bad book, it just isn't a great one. It is warm and surprisingly witty but it certainly didn't Relight My Fire (see, she's got me at it now!).
Ruby is a very relatable character. She makes mistakes, she readily admits she has no clue what she is actually doing in life and drifts along from disaster to ill-advised fumble to moments of heart warming friendship. She is startlingly normal for the heroine of this genre and I did find myself smirking at her antics. Fir the record though I think she would have been much better off with Mason - at least he made her laugh and Joe is far too weighed down by his emotional baggage to ever make a good life partner.
I did enjoy the strength of friendship in the book and Ruby's determination to try and make lemonade from every lemon life dealt her. She is not one of these relentlessly upbeat, perfect heroines either, she is deeply flawed and prone to emotional wallowing which made her all the more engaging to read about - simply because she is so "normal". That said I don't think I would particularly like a real life Ruby, she is one of those people best kept to a page I fear.
This is a nice un-challenging commuter read that entertains for a brief period of time but doesn't really make you ache to get to the next chapter.
Ruby is a very relatable character. She makes mistakes, she readily admits she has no clue what she is actually doing in life and drifts along from disaster to ill-advised fumble to moments of heart warming friendship. She is startlingly normal for the heroine of this genre and I did find myself smirking at her antics. Fir the record though I think she would have been much better off with Mason - at least he made her laugh and Joe is far too weighed down by his emotional baggage to ever make a good life partner.
I did enjoy the strength of friendship in the book and Ruby's determination to try and make lemonade from every lemon life dealt her. She is not one of these relentlessly upbeat, perfect heroines either, she is deeply flawed and prone to emotional wallowing which made her all the more engaging to read about - simply because she is so "normal". That said I don't think I would particularly like a real life Ruby, she is one of those people best kept to a page I fear.
This is a nice un-challenging commuter read that entertains for a brief period of time but doesn't really make you ache to get to the next chapter.
A Family Recipe by Veronica Henry
This book didn't seem to be able to make it's mind up about what it wanted to be - Was it the tale of Kanga and Ivy and their struggles during World War 2? Was it a more contemporary tale about empty-nester Laura? I just felt that two different books had been started by the author and then both had petered out so with a bit of juggling and sleight of the relationship hand they were melded in to one book. Unfortunately, there is such a sharp disconnect between the two that I just could not become invested in either story.
Of the two stories being told here Kanga's is far the best. From her first love, through her enduring friendship with the marvellous Ivy and all stops in between she is a wonderful character. Unfortunately, the end of her story is so odd and theatrical that it beggars belief and did ruin the integrity of the character more than a little.
Laura on the other hand is a disgrace. The character has no redeeming qualities and how everything she turns her hand to is such a success is beyond me. This is becoming a common theme in books at the moment - woman of a certain age starts her own business from home and is an instant success. It drives me absolutely insane, at least in this one the need for hygiene certificates for a food preparation business is addressed so I should be grateful for small mercies.
There is little to really recommend this book as far as I can tell. The only glimmer of hope is that the author can really write and the tale jogs along at a good pace without feeling rushed or dragging along interminably - this is some feat of literary merit when you realise how much the characters and their situations are beginning to grate. It was my first Veronica Henry book and I may give the author another go but from this experience it would have to be at a low, low price.
1 Star for the writing and 1 Star because at least the second world war portion of the plot is interesting and engaging.
Of the two stories being told here Kanga's is far the best. From her first love, through her enduring friendship with the marvellous Ivy and all stops in between she is a wonderful character. Unfortunately, the end of her story is so odd and theatrical that it beggars belief and did ruin the integrity of the character more than a little.
Laura on the other hand is a disgrace. The character has no redeeming qualities and how everything she turns her hand to is such a success is beyond me. This is becoming a common theme in books at the moment - woman of a certain age starts her own business from home and is an instant success. It drives me absolutely insane, at least in this one the need for hygiene certificates for a food preparation business is addressed so I should be grateful for small mercies.
There is little to really recommend this book as far as I can tell. The only glimmer of hope is that the author can really write and the tale jogs along at a good pace without feeling rushed or dragging along interminably - this is some feat of literary merit when you realise how much the characters and their situations are beginning to grate. It was my first Veronica Henry book and I may give the author another go but from this experience it would have to be at a low, low price.
1 Star for the writing and 1 Star because at least the second world war portion of the plot is interesting and engaging.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
First off I just have to say that I absolutely loved the character of Amy - she is bitter and exceptionally devious, yet somehow I found myself liking her. Not someone you could trust with anything but I bet she is a riot on a boozy night out. Nick I found to be far less likeable and although the author tries to manipulate us in to having sympathy for this man in the beginning he always came across to me as quite weak and personality-less. I think it helps that although I am late to reading the book I have not watched the film - in fact I actively avoided it as the book is usually better anyway. I am at a loss to see how this book could be made in to a film that captures every nuance and that can engender the same level of threat and anguish you feel from the book.
Although there is the theme of an investigation in to the missing Amy, the police seem to write her off as dead very early on and I did wonder if such a knee jerk reaction was typical - but this is fiction so I didn't dwell too closely on it. I did enjoy the way the investigation slithers through the tale as though it is another character in it's own right. This allows much more flexibility within the plot structure to misdirect the reader but also to enlighten them, quite a literary juggling act.
The plot and it's pacing were spot on for me, I just found that some of scenes in the Control Centre for co-ordinating the search for Amy where a little unnecessary and added a needless distraction from the central tale. It also felt strangely like an old-fashioned morality tale, the moral in this one being "everybody lies to others and, most of all, to themselves". It also felt a little unfinished, just tapering off to a nothing of an ending which, I suppose, gives scope for a follow up novel or just allows the reader to make their own mind up about what happens next.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and became absorbed by what these damaged people would do next - both to others and to themselves.
Although there is the theme of an investigation in to the missing Amy, the police seem to write her off as dead very early on and I did wonder if such a knee jerk reaction was typical - but this is fiction so I didn't dwell too closely on it. I did enjoy the way the investigation slithers through the tale as though it is another character in it's own right. This allows much more flexibility within the plot structure to misdirect the reader but also to enlighten them, quite a literary juggling act.
The plot and it's pacing were spot on for me, I just found that some of scenes in the Control Centre for co-ordinating the search for Amy where a little unnecessary and added a needless distraction from the central tale. It also felt strangely like an old-fashioned morality tale, the moral in this one being "everybody lies to others and, most of all, to themselves". It also felt a little unfinished, just tapering off to a nothing of an ending which, I suppose, gives scope for a follow up novel or just allows the reader to make their own mind up about what happens next.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and became absorbed by what these damaged people would do next - both to others and to themselves.
Soulbinder by Sebastien De Castell
I realised when reading this book that I don't actually like Kellen of The House Of Ke'. There I was thinking I had been enjoying the last 3 installments of his adventures when really I was enjoying the adventures of his "sidekicks" Reichis and Ferius Parfax - but especially Reichis. Seeing as the opening chapters of the book see Kellen being separated from both of them this made it the whole book a bit of a slog for this reader.
All the elements of the previous books are here, in fact much of the plotting from previous books is here as it follows the same over-arching plot as all 3 previous books just with different people and different locations. Kellen is under attack and is saved more by luck than good judgment, he then spends most of the book finding out about some huge conspiracy and ends it in triumph but on the road again.
The writing is taut and humorous and quite engaging - although it took me at least 100 pages to become engaged. The plotting is well executed with a strong tension building and the world building is excellent. Unfortunately, because I could not really sink into this book in the same way I did the others I soon realised that this was just a rehash of the earlier tales with one or two new spells and peoples thrown in. A shame really as instead of looking forward with anticipation to the fifth outing now I am far more blase about it.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
All the elements of the previous books are here, in fact much of the plotting from previous books is here as it follows the same over-arching plot as all 3 previous books just with different people and different locations. Kellen is under attack and is saved more by luck than good judgment, he then spends most of the book finding out about some huge conspiracy and ends it in triumph but on the road again.
The writing is taut and humorous and quite engaging - although it took me at least 100 pages to become engaged. The plotting is well executed with a strong tension building and the world building is excellent. Unfortunately, because I could not really sink into this book in the same way I did the others I soon realised that this was just a rehash of the earlier tales with one or two new spells and peoples thrown in. A shame really as instead of looking forward with anticipation to the fifth outing now I am far more blase about it.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Don't Close Your Eyes by Holly Seddon
2.5 Stars
In an attempt to enthrall the reader the author has turned what should have been a great in to a muddy confused mess. I read A LOT and from a lot of genres but this particular niche is one of my favourites so I am well versed in the perspective and timeline shifts throughout a book. Somehow in this one it all feels rather clunky and contrived and jolts you out of the story each time it happens.
It doesn't help that Robin and Sarah are completely unlikeable characters. I know the book is, in lots of ways, about mental health and the impact their childhood had on them has no doubt brought them to where they are. However, I did not find even a glimmer of humanity within either character that allowed me to empathise with their situation or make me want to make their lot better. This is unusual for a Holly Seddon book as all the other books of hers I have read had exceptional characters.
The plot itself is well crafted and you are never really 100% certain what is going on. There are some nice twists thrown in, for both sisters, but they are not enough to save the book. Intrinsically this is a book about people and if you don't like the characters, or feel anything for them, then you are probably going to find it tedious and hard going. Sad to say that is pretty much how I felt; the only reason this got more than 1 Star was because of the plotting and quality of the writing.
In an attempt to enthrall the reader the author has turned what should have been a great in to a muddy confused mess. I read A LOT and from a lot of genres but this particular niche is one of my favourites so I am well versed in the perspective and timeline shifts throughout a book. Somehow in this one it all feels rather clunky and contrived and jolts you out of the story each time it happens.
It doesn't help that Robin and Sarah are completely unlikeable characters. I know the book is, in lots of ways, about mental health and the impact their childhood had on them has no doubt brought them to where they are. However, I did not find even a glimmer of humanity within either character that allowed me to empathise with their situation or make me want to make their lot better. This is unusual for a Holly Seddon book as all the other books of hers I have read had exceptional characters.
The plot itself is well crafted and you are never really 100% certain what is going on. There are some nice twists thrown in, for both sisters, but they are not enough to save the book. Intrinsically this is a book about people and if you don't like the characters, or feel anything for them, then you are probably going to find it tedious and hard going. Sad to say that is pretty much how I felt; the only reason this got more than 1 Star was because of the plotting and quality of the writing.
The Turn Of Midnight by Minette Walters
3.5 Stars
I was actually quite disappointed by this book. After loving The Last Hours so much I was eager for the sequel and maybe I built it up in my mind far too much so was setting myself up for disappointment.
For me, rather than the sweeping story of the first book this was quite a tight little tale that really focused more on deception and artifice than actually rebuilding their fractured societies. There are some wonderful touches in the book but it really felt as though the action could have taken place at any time and not necessarily during the Plague of the 14th Century. There are some nice little historical facts dropped in here and there but the world building is somewhat lacking and if you haven't read the first book I fear it could become rather confusing and leave you floundering as to when we are supposed to be.
Surprisingly I also felt myself getting quite irate at the treatment of the Clergy in the book. To a man they are venal and corrupt. Now, I am aware that many were and that the self-serving and judgmental attitudes shown were fairly prevalent but surely not every cleric that Turkell's band come in to contact with are such. The change in character of Lady Anne's daughter was also quite problematic for me as it just did not ring true at all.
That the book is well written is not in doubt, I just don't think it was really necessary. The Last Hours is a long book but maybe extending that by another 100 pages and having it as a stand alone would have been better instead of spinning those hundred pages out in to a separate book. This would all suggest that I didn't enjoy the book at all, oddly, I did. It wasn't what I expected but it does tie things up whilst leaving the merest hint of a possibility of coming back to the Dorsetshire Demesnes to see how their rebuilding of society is going.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
I was actually quite disappointed by this book. After loving The Last Hours so much I was eager for the sequel and maybe I built it up in my mind far too much so was setting myself up for disappointment.
For me, rather than the sweeping story of the first book this was quite a tight little tale that really focused more on deception and artifice than actually rebuilding their fractured societies. There are some wonderful touches in the book but it really felt as though the action could have taken place at any time and not necessarily during the Plague of the 14th Century. There are some nice little historical facts dropped in here and there but the world building is somewhat lacking and if you haven't read the first book I fear it could become rather confusing and leave you floundering as to when we are supposed to be.
Surprisingly I also felt myself getting quite irate at the treatment of the Clergy in the book. To a man they are venal and corrupt. Now, I am aware that many were and that the self-serving and judgmental attitudes shown were fairly prevalent but surely not every cleric that Turkell's band come in to contact with are such. The change in character of Lady Anne's daughter was also quite problematic for me as it just did not ring true at all.
That the book is well written is not in doubt, I just don't think it was really necessary. The Last Hours is a long book but maybe extending that by another 100 pages and having it as a stand alone would have been better instead of spinning those hundred pages out in to a separate book. This would all suggest that I didn't enjoy the book at all, oddly, I did. It wasn't what I expected but it does tie things up whilst leaving the merest hint of a possibility of coming back to the Dorsetshire Demesnes to see how their rebuilding of society is going.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott
I just couldn't really click with this book and I don't know if it was the writing style, the story or what it was but it just didn't do "it" for me. It doesn't help that it is described as being full of twists and turns and yet these are all flagged in the text so never really come as a surprise and you figure out what is going on fairly early on. So much so I decided to disengage the old grey matter and just enjoy the story as it unfolded on the page rather than thinking about motives and what ifs.
My biggest problem is with the Stephanie King character. She is purely there as a tool for us to reach the denouement. I saw no value whatsoever in the asides to how she felt about the case, and certainly not in how she felt about her superior office. It all felt a little spurious and a way to get the page count up. Remove her from the book and you probably lose 50 or 60 pages and just have the core triumvirate of Mark, Cleo and Evie. To be honest this arrangement would have suited me just fine.
The core story of the murder of Mark North and the reasons behind it are actually a really good idea and, on the whole, dealt with quite well. The tension ratchets up nicely in the early chapters and you do wonder just what the truth is - for a brief moment. Sadly it all starts to disintegrate a little bit as you realise that it really isn't that complex and your gut instinct from the prologue is correct. I was all over this book initially and swept away with the whole what is truth thing but, I am sad to say, soon became fairly jaded and just wanted to get to the end to be proved right.
This is fairly standard fodder for the genre so it does pass the time without you feeling like you have completely wasted it. Unfortunately it doesn't enthrall and force you to keep turning the page.
THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE
My biggest problem is with the Stephanie King character. She is purely there as a tool for us to reach the denouement. I saw no value whatsoever in the asides to how she felt about the case, and certainly not in how she felt about her superior office. It all felt a little spurious and a way to get the page count up. Remove her from the book and you probably lose 50 or 60 pages and just have the core triumvirate of Mark, Cleo and Evie. To be honest this arrangement would have suited me just fine.
The core story of the murder of Mark North and the reasons behind it are actually a really good idea and, on the whole, dealt with quite well. The tension ratchets up nicely in the early chapters and you do wonder just what the truth is - for a brief moment. Sadly it all starts to disintegrate a little bit as you realise that it really isn't that complex and your gut instinct from the prologue is correct. I was all over this book initially and swept away with the whole what is truth thing but, I am sad to say, soon became fairly jaded and just wanted to get to the end to be proved right.
This is fairly standard fodder for the genre so it does pass the time without you feeling like you have completely wasted it. Unfortunately it doesn't enthrall and force you to keep turning the page.
THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA THE PIGEONHOLE
Monday, 8 October 2018
The Cosy Seaside Chocolate Shop by Caroline Roberts
I realised when reading this book that in any book set in a seaside location the tide is rarely in. No matter the time of day the characters can often be found walking on the beach and this holds true here. There seem to be no early morning or evening high tides in Warkton and during the day it is always a blissful stretch of sand. I have no real idea why this occurred to me or why it irritated me so much - actually, it may have been to do with the fact that I didn't really engage with the book or get engrossed in the tale.
We have been at The Chocolate Shop By The Sea with Emma in a previous book and although it was a while ago I soon remembered the various characters and got into the swing of things. Unfortunately the plot is largely similar to the first one - problems with the landlord of the premises Emma operates out of. Actually let's pause there for a moment. That raises another question if the premises are rented how does she get away with making so many alterations to the fabric of the building? There is little of that this time around but the events in this book made me hark back to the first one. Anyway back to the plot similarities - the on/off relationship with Max is still on/off, we are reminded of the death of her fiance every other chapter, lots of chocolate making described in loving detail.
Apart from a couple of set pieces this really could have been the first book all over again and although it felt comforting to be back in Warkton-On-Sea I was disappointed in the book as a whole. You could flag up exactly what was going to happen to the business from the first time The Eel makes his appearance in the shop. Unfortunately, the same could be said for Emma's romantic attachments.
I never really engaged with this book at all, despite my familiarity with the setting. It is inoffensive and passes the time nicely so a good holiday read if you're going to be busy but other than that nothing really to recommend this sequel.
We have been at The Chocolate Shop By The Sea with Emma in a previous book and although it was a while ago I soon remembered the various characters and got into the swing of things. Unfortunately the plot is largely similar to the first one - problems with the landlord of the premises Emma operates out of. Actually let's pause there for a moment. That raises another question if the premises are rented how does she get away with making so many alterations to the fabric of the building? There is little of that this time around but the events in this book made me hark back to the first one. Anyway back to the plot similarities - the on/off relationship with Max is still on/off, we are reminded of the death of her fiance every other chapter, lots of chocolate making described in loving detail.
Apart from a couple of set pieces this really could have been the first book all over again and although it felt comforting to be back in Warkton-On-Sea I was disappointed in the book as a whole. You could flag up exactly what was going to happen to the business from the first time The Eel makes his appearance in the shop. Unfortunately, the same could be said for Emma's romantic attachments.
I never really engaged with this book at all, despite my familiarity with the setting. It is inoffensive and passes the time nicely so a good holiday read if you're going to be busy but other than that nothing really to recommend this sequel.
Absolute Proof by Peter James
1.5 Stars
First things first I need to get a few things straight:
I am somewhat on the fence about the whole God/Intelligent Designer thing.
Organised Religion gives me the heebie jeebies and I think History bears me out as to why; not to mention modern day atrocities committed in the name of one God or another.
I genuinely enjoyed The Da Vinci Code.
I have no problem with fantastical novels - after all I gave 5 Stars to Michael Rutger's The Anomaly!
Now that is out of the way I am going to confess and say I hated this book. I did manage to read it all but it was a good job it was in the stave format from The Pigeonhole as I could portion out the ridiculousness. I was rather sceptically going along with it all (not because of the Religious aspects to the book but rather the main character, Ross Hunter's actions) and then the author showed a basic misunderstanding of Mitrochondrial DNA - numerous times he mentioned it was only in the female line - no it is passed intact through the female line but it is present in all creatures that have a cell structure. As soon as I hit that road bump I realised that the research done for this book was a little scant.
The only quotes from Religious texts we get are from the King James' version of the New Testament and only then from Matthew and Revelation. The Qu'Ran is dealt with in seeping statements and none of the other Abrahamic Religious texts (the Torah for example) even get a look in. Considering the subject matter and constant mention of all the different Religions that have broadly similar beliefs you would have thought there would be more from them - but no.
Using Glastonbury as a location is simply lazy. I understand that it is a mythologized location but really, that is done to death now and shows a simple lack of imagination. Even worse is how things pan out there, completely unbelievable (okay so The Da Vinci Code isn't exactly believable but it is tautly written and this really isn't).
The main character is supposed to be this high flying investigative journalist. Why then is he so credulous and naive? He seems intent to rehash what is going on to anyone that so much as looks at him when you would think he would be keeping his cards close to his chest. His deductive leaps that the finds at Glastonbury and in Egypt are remnants of Jesus Christ are farcical and that then becomes canonical for the remaining third or so of the book - all that is proven are that there is a genetic match. No caveat that with the age of the samples and natural degradation that so few alleles would be recovered that a match is tenuous at best. I am not even sure that DNA extraction from a single tooth of the supposed age of this one would reveal enough DNA to test but found that I couldn't even dig up the wherewithal to research the current advances in extraction technology.
In short avoid this book. It has a meandering and unconvincing plot, characters that are simply laughable (even the peripherals such as Ainsley Bloor, Big Tony - yes, REALLY, Harry F Cook and Wesley Wenceslas are all caricatures) and so many holes in the research that it is really a chore to read.
Apologies to you if you loved the book but there was so much I just couldn't get past with this one and we will have to agree to disagree.
THIS IS A REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK READ THROUGH THE PIGEONHOLE
First things first I need to get a few things straight:
I am somewhat on the fence about the whole God/Intelligent Designer thing.
Organised Religion gives me the heebie jeebies and I think History bears me out as to why; not to mention modern day atrocities committed in the name of one God or another.
I genuinely enjoyed The Da Vinci Code.
I have no problem with fantastical novels - after all I gave 5 Stars to Michael Rutger's The Anomaly!
Now that is out of the way I am going to confess and say I hated this book. I did manage to read it all but it was a good job it was in the stave format from The Pigeonhole as I could portion out the ridiculousness. I was rather sceptically going along with it all (not because of the Religious aspects to the book but rather the main character, Ross Hunter's actions) and then the author showed a basic misunderstanding of Mitrochondrial DNA - numerous times he mentioned it was only in the female line - no it is passed intact through the female line but it is present in all creatures that have a cell structure. As soon as I hit that road bump I realised that the research done for this book was a little scant.
The only quotes from Religious texts we get are from the King James' version of the New Testament and only then from Matthew and Revelation. The Qu'Ran is dealt with in seeping statements and none of the other Abrahamic Religious texts (the Torah for example) even get a look in. Considering the subject matter and constant mention of all the different Religions that have broadly similar beliefs you would have thought there would be more from them - but no.
Using Glastonbury as a location is simply lazy. I understand that it is a mythologized location but really, that is done to death now and shows a simple lack of imagination. Even worse is how things pan out there, completely unbelievable (okay so The Da Vinci Code isn't exactly believable but it is tautly written and this really isn't).
The main character is supposed to be this high flying investigative journalist. Why then is he so credulous and naive? He seems intent to rehash what is going on to anyone that so much as looks at him when you would think he would be keeping his cards close to his chest. His deductive leaps that the finds at Glastonbury and in Egypt are remnants of Jesus Christ are farcical and that then becomes canonical for the remaining third or so of the book - all that is proven are that there is a genetic match. No caveat that with the age of the samples and natural degradation that so few alleles would be recovered that a match is tenuous at best. I am not even sure that DNA extraction from a single tooth of the supposed age of this one would reveal enough DNA to test but found that I couldn't even dig up the wherewithal to research the current advances in extraction technology.
In short avoid this book. It has a meandering and unconvincing plot, characters that are simply laughable (even the peripherals such as Ainsley Bloor, Big Tony - yes, REALLY, Harry F Cook and Wesley Wenceslas are all caricatures) and so many holes in the research that it is really a chore to read.
Apologies to you if you loved the book but there was so much I just couldn't get past with this one and we will have to agree to disagree.
THIS IS A REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK READ THROUGH THE PIGEONHOLE
The Secrets You Hide by Kate Helm
Georgia Sage is a courtroom artist and she has a deep dark secret, a secret that makes her believe she can see evil in others. You see, Georgia is not who she pretends to be and her past is one of trauma and heartbreak and it has never let her go. Courtrooms at once terrify and enthrall her and maybe this is what has informed her decision to become a courtroom artist and have a "past" with a glittering defence lawyer. When she starts seeing children that nobody else can she is afraid she is spiralling in to madness but this doesn't stop her investigating a crime from her first foray in to the profession - determined to prove what really happened she puts herself at risk but nothing is what it first seems in creepy Ashdean.
Sounds pretty good when summed up like that doesn't it. Unfortunately, the book doesn't really live up to it's early promise. From the first few chapters you are sure you are going to devour this book and be sucked in to Georgia's deteriorating world. Unfortunately, there is no tautness to the writing and you can feel the threads slipping between your fingers and your interest waning as we dally down another alleyway of distraction.
For me there was little real depth to the characters in the book and I found them to be more caricatures than anything. In the case of some, like Jim and Ollie I can sort of understand it as we see them from Georgia's perspective only and she almost worships both men in different ways so their flaws are, by necessity, hidden. Unfortunately this also spreads to Georgia and she never really came to life on the page for me.
The plot itself meanders around and I understand the need to have a respite from murder and horror but somehow I found myself getting dragged out of the story by the minutiae of a train journey, or the description of a hotel room. The hallucinations that Georgia begins to suffer from are well described, I'm just not sure why they relate to the case she has decided to investigate - especially when one of them she has no prior knowledge of as being involved. Although they appear to have a rational explanation there is still that lingering doubt in my mind that she would have seen someone she had no knowledge of.
There are some good ideas here and some are explored very well. Unfortunately it is let down by the overall execution of the idea. Maybe some stronger editing could have tightened it all up and removed some, of what I found to be, needless filler.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Sounds pretty good when summed up like that doesn't it. Unfortunately, the book doesn't really live up to it's early promise. From the first few chapters you are sure you are going to devour this book and be sucked in to Georgia's deteriorating world. Unfortunately, there is no tautness to the writing and you can feel the threads slipping between your fingers and your interest waning as we dally down another alleyway of distraction.
For me there was little real depth to the characters in the book and I found them to be more caricatures than anything. In the case of some, like Jim and Ollie I can sort of understand it as we see them from Georgia's perspective only and she almost worships both men in different ways so their flaws are, by necessity, hidden. Unfortunately this also spreads to Georgia and she never really came to life on the page for me.
The plot itself meanders around and I understand the need to have a respite from murder and horror but somehow I found myself getting dragged out of the story by the minutiae of a train journey, or the description of a hotel room. The hallucinations that Georgia begins to suffer from are well described, I'm just not sure why they relate to the case she has decided to investigate - especially when one of them she has no prior knowledge of as being involved. Although they appear to have a rational explanation there is still that lingering doubt in my mind that she would have seen someone she had no knowledge of.
There are some good ideas here and some are explored very well. Unfortunately it is let down by the overall execution of the idea. Maybe some stronger editing could have tightened it all up and removed some, of what I found to be, needless filler.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Wilde About The Girl by Louise Pentland
4.5 Stars
Having not been particularly fond of the first book about Robin Wilde (Wilde Like Me) I am not really sure why I purchased the second - who am I kidding I spotted it on sale and thought "bargain". You know what, I am really glad that I did. This is a much more cohesive book than the first and the narrative flows much more easily and you just sink in to Robin's world.
This is a roller coaster for the emotions though. From the trials and tribulations of Robin's work life, romantic life and the joys (or otherwise of motherhood) to Lacey's obsession with getting pregnant and Aunt Kath's loneliness it is all covered. It didn't make me laugh out loud or cry but I can see how those overt emotions could be evoked by the words on the page. It does help to have read the first book as you know who the various characters are, their backstories and how we are where we are. There was little backstory detailed in the book so without this some of the characters may appear a little peculiar initially.
There are some quite stark themes dealt with here, more so than in the first book. Yes, I know the first book dealt with depression but somehow that felt like a surface treatment but this time it felt like real emotion.
**SPOILER ALERT**
It was, in some ways, quite shocking to come across the theme of miscarriage in the book. Yes, Robin did get pregnant accidentally by her "New York Man" and it did cause a major rift between her and Lacey. However, just as she has started to get excited about the pregnancy and decided that it isn't a bad thing she loses the child. Her emotional reactions in the aftermath felt real and your heart broke just a little for her. Couple this with Lacey's blooming pregnancy and the ensuing arguments between them and brought a real dynamism to the friendship which lifted the book.
I was also gratified to see Aunt Kath get a new beau in her life. I particularly enjoyed Lyla's reaction to this change in their family dynamic. None of us like change but small children seem particularly resistant to it and her tantrums about Kath's seeming abandonment of Derek were realistic.
**SPOILER ALERT**
This is a warm book that feels true to life - albeit a life that is slightly charmed. Despite whatever comes Robin's way she always seems to make it out on top - just a pity that real life never works out the way it does in novels!
Having not been particularly fond of the first book about Robin Wilde (Wilde Like Me) I am not really sure why I purchased the second - who am I kidding I spotted it on sale and thought "bargain". You know what, I am really glad that I did. This is a much more cohesive book than the first and the narrative flows much more easily and you just sink in to Robin's world.
This is a roller coaster for the emotions though. From the trials and tribulations of Robin's work life, romantic life and the joys (or otherwise of motherhood) to Lacey's obsession with getting pregnant and Aunt Kath's loneliness it is all covered. It didn't make me laugh out loud or cry but I can see how those overt emotions could be evoked by the words on the page. It does help to have read the first book as you know who the various characters are, their backstories and how we are where we are. There was little backstory detailed in the book so without this some of the characters may appear a little peculiar initially.
There are some quite stark themes dealt with here, more so than in the first book. Yes, I know the first book dealt with depression but somehow that felt like a surface treatment but this time it felt like real emotion.
**SPOILER ALERT**
It was, in some ways, quite shocking to come across the theme of miscarriage in the book. Yes, Robin did get pregnant accidentally by her "New York Man" and it did cause a major rift between her and Lacey. However, just as she has started to get excited about the pregnancy and decided that it isn't a bad thing she loses the child. Her emotional reactions in the aftermath felt real and your heart broke just a little for her. Couple this with Lacey's blooming pregnancy and the ensuing arguments between them and brought a real dynamism to the friendship which lifted the book.
I was also gratified to see Aunt Kath get a new beau in her life. I particularly enjoyed Lyla's reaction to this change in their family dynamic. None of us like change but small children seem particularly resistant to it and her tantrums about Kath's seeming abandonment of Derek were realistic.
**SPOILER ALERT**
This is a warm book that feels true to life - albeit a life that is slightly charmed. Despite whatever comes Robin's way she always seems to make it out on top - just a pity that real life never works out the way it does in novels!
Sunday, 7 October 2018
Try Not To Breathe by Holly Seddon
4.5 Stars
This is a claustrophobic book that draws you in to the world's of Alex, Amy and Jason and does not want to let you go. It explores the nature of relationships, the nature of addiction and the choices that we make; more importantly the things that we keep to ourselves and the power those secrets wield.
Amy is the linking factor here - before she was brutally attacked at the age of 15 she was Jason's girlfriend and seemed to have everything going for her. Jason has never been able to let her go and even though she is in a Persistent Vegetative State her doctors believe that she is still in the shell of her body and trying to communicate (the science behind this is strong with compelling evidence that PVS patients are still trying to communicate with their surroundings) and Jason is still visiting her despite being a married man with a pregnant wife.
Alex blew her marriage and her career as she descended into alcoholism. Even now her life is governed by that countdown to a 12Noon drink. When researching an article on PVS for a commissioned journalism piece she stumbles across Amy on the Bramble Ward and becomes fascinated by her case. As Alex's obsession with what happened to Amy takes hold she starts to reassess her own life and get to grips with her demons.
I thought I knew who Amy's attacker was and rather foolishly followed the bread crumb trail laid by the author. BIG mistake as there are multiple mis-directions in there and I was rather surprised when the attacker is unmasked and his history comes out. I was kicking myself as the clues and hints were there but I chose to go down the "obvious" route.
Superbly constructed plot that builds and dissipates tension in just the right balance to keep you reading. The characters are truly complex and have a complete believability to them, even when they are behaving in rather selfish and despicable ways it doesn't feel overdone; it just feels like human nature and human selfishness.
This is a claustrophobic book that draws you in to the world's of Alex, Amy and Jason and does not want to let you go. It explores the nature of relationships, the nature of addiction and the choices that we make; more importantly the things that we keep to ourselves and the power those secrets wield.
Amy is the linking factor here - before she was brutally attacked at the age of 15 she was Jason's girlfriend and seemed to have everything going for her. Jason has never been able to let her go and even though she is in a Persistent Vegetative State her doctors believe that she is still in the shell of her body and trying to communicate (the science behind this is strong with compelling evidence that PVS patients are still trying to communicate with their surroundings) and Jason is still visiting her despite being a married man with a pregnant wife.
Alex blew her marriage and her career as she descended into alcoholism. Even now her life is governed by that countdown to a 12Noon drink. When researching an article on PVS for a commissioned journalism piece she stumbles across Amy on the Bramble Ward and becomes fascinated by her case. As Alex's obsession with what happened to Amy takes hold she starts to reassess her own life and get to grips with her demons.
I thought I knew who Amy's attacker was and rather foolishly followed the bread crumb trail laid by the author. BIG mistake as there are multiple mis-directions in there and I was rather surprised when the attacker is unmasked and his history comes out. I was kicking myself as the clues and hints were there but I chose to go down the "obvious" route.
Superbly constructed plot that builds and dissipates tension in just the right balance to keep you reading. The characters are truly complex and have a complete believability to them, even when they are behaving in rather selfish and despicable ways it doesn't feel overdone; it just feels like human nature and human selfishness.
Summer Secrets At The Apple Blossom Deli by Portia MacIntosh
Maybe it was because I was on holiday when I read this but I really enjoyed this tale of a mis-placed Southerner trying to make a new life for herself in a small Northern Village for her and her son. You do have to suspend disbelief that a large deli chain would open a branch in a small seaside community like this one but seeing as they seem to be the hippy alternative to Whole Foods why not?
I loved the frosty reception from the majority of the locals, none of them want the new Deli and many fear it will affect their livelihoods so you can understand it. There is also the undercurrent of simply not liking strangers moving in to disrupt their community. Only Alfie, Clara and her husband are welcoming and they make a great contrast to the behaviour of everyone else - particularly the mums at the schoolgate. Whilst not something I have ever experienced having never moved far from my home town it does have a ring of authenticity to it.
There are all the expected trials, tribulations and false romantic starts that are beloved of the genre. However, the turning up of Frankie's dad (who is a real waste of skin) threw a rather fresh spanner in to the works and delivered some moments of genuine humour. Lily's parenting style is rather unrealistic though - she never seems to lose her temper with Frankie and talks everything through with him instead - whilst we would all love to be this perfect it just doesn't happen as situations overtake us.
Thoroughly enjoyable and I did find myself struggling to put it down.
I loved the frosty reception from the majority of the locals, none of them want the new Deli and many fear it will affect their livelihoods so you can understand it. There is also the undercurrent of simply not liking strangers moving in to disrupt their community. Only Alfie, Clara and her husband are welcoming and they make a great contrast to the behaviour of everyone else - particularly the mums at the schoolgate. Whilst not something I have ever experienced having never moved far from my home town it does have a ring of authenticity to it.
There are all the expected trials, tribulations and false romantic starts that are beloved of the genre. However, the turning up of Frankie's dad (who is a real waste of skin) threw a rather fresh spanner in to the works and delivered some moments of genuine humour. Lily's parenting style is rather unrealistic though - she never seems to lose her temper with Frankie and talks everything through with him instead - whilst we would all love to be this perfect it just doesn't happen as situations overtake us.
Thoroughly enjoyable and I did find myself struggling to put it down.
Half Seven On A Thursday by Roisin Meaney
3.5 Stars
Somehow this book just all felt a little confused and, in places, plain old confusing. There is a varied cast of characters that we are introduced to and the conceit is that they are all drawn together through their casting in an amateur production of an aspiring playwright's play Death By Dying. To be honest the snatches of the play that we see through the regular rehearsals (held, unsurprisingly, at half past seven on a Thursday evening) it is a rather dire attempt at an Agatha Christie style murder-mystery. The real miracle is that they manage to put on a full week's worth of performances after only 6 weeks of rehearsals - seriously not going to happen with only once a week rehearsals.
As with all Roisin Meaney books, and by now I have read a few, there is only the loosest of plots with the book really being about people. The charm of her books relies almost entirely on the people that populate them. Unfortunately there are just too many people to get to know here so each one is painted with the broadest of brushstrokes and I never really felt like any of them was given sufficient page space to develop them beyond one or maybe two overarching themes.
Edward Bull is irascible, a stickler for punctuality and is still reeling from his wife's affair. We do get to see glimpses of the kinder, nicer man behind the bluff and bluster but not enough to really care about the issues in his life or to really understand why he is so conflicted.
Thea De Courcy - Loud and brash and suffering from alopecia, she works as a waitress has two children many years apart and is struggling to keep everything together. At least that was the impression I came away with, she really is only a minor character and is almost exclusively defined by her bright clothing and pink wig.
Maria - Unhappily married with an autistic son. One of the few characters we get to know a substantial amount about, most of it is sadly unremittingly grim.
Ellen - Maria's sister and the only other major character in the book. Still grieving the death of her boyfriend/fiance - I was never really sure - she has a string of one night stands and appears to hate herself. We at least get a reasonable feel for her character and she is the one who shows some character progression and a positive light.
The others Robert, Henry and Janet(?) the retiring school teacher are all pretty much caricatures rather than characters and apart from the schoolteachers prodigal son issues not really noteworthy. Robert is particularly annoying when he decides he wants his wife back after he was the one catting around but as soon as she has a sniff of a new romance and a new life for her and their twin sons he realises it was her he needed all along - infuriating man.
Either the book needed to be longer to properly explore each character or it needed paring back so that we had only 2 or 3 voices throughout with the rest of the cast and their various partners, families and work acquaintances playing peripheral roles. As it stands there are too many voices vying for page space and this leads to none of them having enough depth to absorb you in the story.
Somehow this book just all felt a little confused and, in places, plain old confusing. There is a varied cast of characters that we are introduced to and the conceit is that they are all drawn together through their casting in an amateur production of an aspiring playwright's play Death By Dying. To be honest the snatches of the play that we see through the regular rehearsals (held, unsurprisingly, at half past seven on a Thursday evening) it is a rather dire attempt at an Agatha Christie style murder-mystery. The real miracle is that they manage to put on a full week's worth of performances after only 6 weeks of rehearsals - seriously not going to happen with only once a week rehearsals.
As with all Roisin Meaney books, and by now I have read a few, there is only the loosest of plots with the book really being about people. The charm of her books relies almost entirely on the people that populate them. Unfortunately there are just too many people to get to know here so each one is painted with the broadest of brushstrokes and I never really felt like any of them was given sufficient page space to develop them beyond one or maybe two overarching themes.
Edward Bull is irascible, a stickler for punctuality and is still reeling from his wife's affair. We do get to see glimpses of the kinder, nicer man behind the bluff and bluster but not enough to really care about the issues in his life or to really understand why he is so conflicted.
Thea De Courcy - Loud and brash and suffering from alopecia, she works as a waitress has two children many years apart and is struggling to keep everything together. At least that was the impression I came away with, she really is only a minor character and is almost exclusively defined by her bright clothing and pink wig.
Maria - Unhappily married with an autistic son. One of the few characters we get to know a substantial amount about, most of it is sadly unremittingly grim.
Ellen - Maria's sister and the only other major character in the book. Still grieving the death of her boyfriend/fiance - I was never really sure - she has a string of one night stands and appears to hate herself. We at least get a reasonable feel for her character and she is the one who shows some character progression and a positive light.
The others Robert, Henry and Janet(?) the retiring school teacher are all pretty much caricatures rather than characters and apart from the schoolteachers prodigal son issues not really noteworthy. Robert is particularly annoying when he decides he wants his wife back after he was the one catting around but as soon as she has a sniff of a new romance and a new life for her and their twin sons he realises it was her he needed all along - infuriating man.
Either the book needed to be longer to properly explore each character or it needed paring back so that we had only 2 or 3 voices throughout with the rest of the cast and their various partners, families and work acquaintances playing peripheral roles. As it stands there are too many voices vying for page space and this leads to none of them having enough depth to absorb you in the story.
Sunshine At The Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson
You know what you are getting with the Comfort Food Cafe books - a great big, warm hug and a sense that no matter what happens it is all going to work out okay so you can relax and enjoy the tale. This book follows the same formula as the others in the series so whilst there is the wider village out there and a real sense of a close, rural community it is really all about just a couple of characters. Cherie Moon and Farmer Frank are here but in very small doses, as are Becca, Laura, Zoe, Scrumpy Jack et al and it really does feel like dropping in to catch up on old friends.
This story really concentrates on the wonderful Willow, who we have met before but has been very much on the periphery of the stories. I found it really touching the way that her struggles looking after her mum, Lynnie, as she is swept away by Alzheimer's. The depictions of the good days and bad days with this disease and the sheer unpredictability of it were well wrought. Even more so where the sense of isolation that Willow felt and she was unable to let down her guard and let anyone in as she was simply so scared of failing her mum. Despite the awfulness of the situation Willow is in as primary carer (sole for a majority of the book) there is a lot of whimsy and joy to be found and Willow's outlook is refreshingly cheery no matter what befalls her.
The romance storyline is rather predictable but still manages to be cute and I did find myself mentally shouting at Willow to just fall at his feet and be done with it - Geeks are so worth it and getting your hands on his collection of T-Shirts is a must. I liked the tie-in with the flashback that opens the book (even if it is blatantly obvious who the new owner of Briarwood is from the moment he makes an appearance).
This is a good, solid book that champions the support networks of friends, family and the wider community. There is something almost nostalgic about the setting, the language and the people that inhabit Budbury. This is a million miles from most of our life experience whilst still managing to be rooted in firm reality - quite a feat when you think about it. The writing is taut and sucks you right in to Debbie Johnson's world and you find yourself not wanting it to end - you also will find yourself suffering from the Reader's Curse of "just one more chapter" until everyone else is asleep and you missed your favourite TV show.
This story really concentrates on the wonderful Willow, who we have met before but has been very much on the periphery of the stories. I found it really touching the way that her struggles looking after her mum, Lynnie, as she is swept away by Alzheimer's. The depictions of the good days and bad days with this disease and the sheer unpredictability of it were well wrought. Even more so where the sense of isolation that Willow felt and she was unable to let down her guard and let anyone in as she was simply so scared of failing her mum. Despite the awfulness of the situation Willow is in as primary carer (sole for a majority of the book) there is a lot of whimsy and joy to be found and Willow's outlook is refreshingly cheery no matter what befalls her.
The romance storyline is rather predictable but still manages to be cute and I did find myself mentally shouting at Willow to just fall at his feet and be done with it - Geeks are so worth it and getting your hands on his collection of T-Shirts is a must. I liked the tie-in with the flashback that opens the book (even if it is blatantly obvious who the new owner of Briarwood is from the moment he makes an appearance).
This is a good, solid book that champions the support networks of friends, family and the wider community. There is something almost nostalgic about the setting, the language and the people that inhabit Budbury. This is a million miles from most of our life experience whilst still managing to be rooted in firm reality - quite a feat when you think about it. The writing is taut and sucks you right in to Debbie Johnson's world and you find yourself not wanting it to end - you also will find yourself suffering from the Reader's Curse of "just one more chapter" until everyone else is asleep and you missed your favourite TV show.
The Bucket List To Mend A Broken Heart by Anna Bell
That is what infuriated me about this book - everything Abi does is to win the affection of her ex-boyfriend Joseph. Her behaviour is, not to put too fine a point on it, borderline obsessive and I found that to be actually quite disturbing; the fact she could only admit to a near stranger that she was only putting herself through this to rekindle his passion for her shows that the character knew it was wrong but still she behaved in this way. To be honest it creeped me out more than a little - next stop bunny boiling for sure.
There is some humour in the book but more of the wry observations of personal calamity so we are laughing at the characters rather than with them. The situations are a little contrived and don't really stand up to scrutiny but this is a novel after all so artistic license is allowed - this is never more obvious than in the detailing of Abi's work life and her attempts to keep her job.
The characters are all a little flat and never manage to fully inhabit their pages somehow. Abi in particular does at least grow through the course of the tale but I always felt like there was something missing, some detail of her character that was being held back and I never did find out what it was. When she meets her "bicycle-man" (see, I can't even remember his name) he is everything that is perfect about a partner without ever really seeming to have his own personality and Joseph is, ultimately, just a name of the page.
All that said, it is an enjoyable enough read if you don't want anything particularly challenging. I read this whilst on holiday and it was perfect for that - pick it up, browse through a couple of chapters in a leisurely manner and then put it back down again. No urgency to read one more chapter and no real investment in the characters - light, frothy fluff which is all you really need sometimes.
There is some humour in the book but more of the wry observations of personal calamity so we are laughing at the characters rather than with them. The situations are a little contrived and don't really stand up to scrutiny but this is a novel after all so artistic license is allowed - this is never more obvious than in the detailing of Abi's work life and her attempts to keep her job.
The characters are all a little flat and never manage to fully inhabit their pages somehow. Abi in particular does at least grow through the course of the tale but I always felt like there was something missing, some detail of her character that was being held back and I never did find out what it was. When she meets her "bicycle-man" (see, I can't even remember his name) he is everything that is perfect about a partner without ever really seeming to have his own personality and Joseph is, ultimately, just a name of the page.
All that said, it is an enjoyable enough read if you don't want anything particularly challenging. I read this whilst on holiday and it was perfect for that - pick it up, browse through a couple of chapters in a leisurely manner and then put it back down again. No urgency to read one more chapter and no real investment in the characters - light, frothy fluff which is all you really need sometimes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
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...
