I found this a difficult book to review because it is so far outside my personal experience that it did make me question my choices. Was I saying I had really enjoyed the book to appear "politically correct" and to show that I wasn't racist or was it a genuinely well told story? In this multi-media age we are told how we should think and feel as never before and that to think otherwise is heresy. Does that mean if I didn't like this book I am inherently racist or if I really loved this book am I a "good person"? You see the dichotomy of books like this that open us up to thinking about reading of what are potentially real world situations.
Having taken a deep breath and giving myself I good talking to I decided that I enjoyed this book not because it would mean I somehow fit the best possible stereotype but because it is a genuinely good story that has been told with vivacity, humour and honesty.
Maya is just a normal teenaged girl, she has crushes, she struggles with her parent's expectations and she has ambition. We are introduced to her extended family early on in the book and although somewhat stereotyped on the outside you soon realise that no, the stereotype is there because, guess what folks, it really is true. Her interactions with her parents feels true to life, especially the lying by omission that I am sure we all indulged in. The fact she is the only Indian Muslim at her school and her family are the only ones in the small town outside of Chicago is belaboured a little bit but you get the feeling the intention of this is to show how integrated with the community they are and how their faith and skin colour just isn't an issue on either side.
The weaving in of the terrorist's tale is well done and leads you down a few blind alleys. I will not go into that here as it is a major spoiler but I was impressed by the misdirection and sleight of hand exhibited by the author.
The reaction to the terrorist attack is shocking in the extreme and you can fully understand the panic of Maya's parents. Indeed Maya's own response seems overly dramatic but she is a teenaged girl and high drama is only to be expected. I really enjoyed her romantic exploits and they were portrayed realistically within the book; even though I fully expected her to end up with the All-American Football Hero I was actually pleased when the relationship fizzled out as this is what happens to so many, intense, high school romances once College beckons.
This is a book that makes you think about preconceptions; Maya's filter for the world is her camera and she makes no bones about it. We all have a filter for making life more palatable to us or us more palatable to the world but are we brave enough it to acknowledge it so blatantly? The topic of extremism is handled sensitively and reminds us that it is a minority that perpetrate such crimes and that they are not who we always expect them to be.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READER'S FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
**Review originally published January 7th, 2018**
Saturday, 10 February 2018
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Where to start with this one. Amber is a completely unlikeable character and yet I fell in love with her almost instantly. She is that despicable, envious part of us that most of us manage to quash but Amber doesn't she revels in it. Her manipulations are so carefully planned and so devious that you should be gunning for her to get her comeuppance but the writing is such that I did find myself wanting her to actually get what she wanted; after all she worked so darned hard at it.
Not all is what it seems in Daphne and Jackson's seemingly perfect life and marriage and you don't even realise how carefully constructed their appearence to the outside world actually is until you get to hear Daphne's side. She really isn't the doormat that Amber's tale makes you think she is. Yes, she is cowed by her situation but the true horror of that takes some time to unfold and you are left reeling at her revelations.
This is a carefully crafted book that lulls you in to false sense of security with it's delicate characterisations and deliciously slow unfolding of the plot. It is a reminder that all is never what it seems on the surface and that no matter how perfect someone's life appears there may well be darkness and tragedy beneath that thin veneer. At first you think this going to be all about how to win a wealthy man and more suited to a Chick Lit genre than a thriller and, really, the thriller doesn't come out until just over halfway through but it is worth sticking with.
I could easily have given this book a 5 star review but although my tuts of disbelief at how gullible Daphne seems in the first section of the book did cause me to mark it down. Even though these are all addressed they sometimes do feel a little glib and certainly the breakdown of her relationship with her mother reads very unbelievably. Overall it is a very strong book and the twists keep you reading way past bedtime.
**Review originally published January 7th, 2018**
Not all is what it seems in Daphne and Jackson's seemingly perfect life and marriage and you don't even realise how carefully constructed their appearence to the outside world actually is until you get to hear Daphne's side. She really isn't the doormat that Amber's tale makes you think she is. Yes, she is cowed by her situation but the true horror of that takes some time to unfold and you are left reeling at her revelations.
This is a carefully crafted book that lulls you in to false sense of security with it's delicate characterisations and deliciously slow unfolding of the plot. It is a reminder that all is never what it seems on the surface and that no matter how perfect someone's life appears there may well be darkness and tragedy beneath that thin veneer. At first you think this going to be all about how to win a wealthy man and more suited to a Chick Lit genre than a thriller and, really, the thriller doesn't come out until just over halfway through but it is worth sticking with.
I could easily have given this book a 5 star review but although my tuts of disbelief at how gullible Daphne seems in the first section of the book did cause me to mark it down. Even though these are all addressed they sometimes do feel a little glib and certainly the breakdown of her relationship with her mother reads very unbelievably. Overall it is a very strong book and the twists keep you reading way past bedtime.
**Review originally published January 7th, 2018**
Love In The Making by Roisin Meaney
This is my first Roisin Meaney novel and I am so glad I didn't just pick the one up on my greedy book acquiring spree. I feel that Ms Meaney could well end up on my favourites list if this particular book is anything to go by.
Set in Eire during the recession this is a tale of multiple characters going on with their daily lives - loving, losing, surviving - as every ordinary person must. Although a disparate bunch they are linked by the central Hannah, be they her friends, a friend of her parent's, sister to her best friend or simply a customer at work.
This book reminded me in no small way of Maeve Binchy's books. Stories of real people doing real things and something extraordinary can happen in a split second - be that for good or ill. This is very definitely not a criticism as it takes talent to weave so many disparate tales together and make even the minutiae of going to work even vaguely enjoyable to read. Enjoyable is very definitely what this book is and you do find yourself thinking "well, a couple more pages won't hurt - this next bit is about Leah/Alice/Whoever and I want to know what they are up to now". This is not helped by the book being split in to months and not chapters so it is way harder than you would think to put down.
There is no overt characterisation here, the story starts and you just have to hold the wuthor's hand and follow her in to these complex lives. Strangely by the time you get to the end of January you already have a good feel for who everyone is and what their personal strengths and weaknesses are. You are taken on an emotional roller coaster in every section and the major incident about halfway through is shocking and its aftermath is far reaching and feels entirely realistic and heartrending. I am sure there was a plot arc written down for this book but somehow it doesn't feel plotted, it feels like that is just the way the days unfolded and this is what happened so we'll go with the flow.
I will admit that I had to do a quick internet search for a couple of things when reading - being neither from Eire or a Catholic - I had no idea what Chocolate Kimberley Biscuits were (no I wish I didn't know because I am craving them!) or a Month's Mind. See, even a novel that is firmly categorised as Chick Lit can teach you something!
Wonderful story telling with warmth and doesn't shy away from the nastiness of human nature. Looking forward to opening my next Roisin Meaney novel!
**Review originally published January 7th, 2018**
Set in Eire during the recession this is a tale of multiple characters going on with their daily lives - loving, losing, surviving - as every ordinary person must. Although a disparate bunch they are linked by the central Hannah, be they her friends, a friend of her parent's, sister to her best friend or simply a customer at work.
This book reminded me in no small way of Maeve Binchy's books. Stories of real people doing real things and something extraordinary can happen in a split second - be that for good or ill. This is very definitely not a criticism as it takes talent to weave so many disparate tales together and make even the minutiae of going to work even vaguely enjoyable to read. Enjoyable is very definitely what this book is and you do find yourself thinking "well, a couple more pages won't hurt - this next bit is about Leah/Alice/Whoever and I want to know what they are up to now". This is not helped by the book being split in to months and not chapters so it is way harder than you would think to put down.
There is no overt characterisation here, the story starts and you just have to hold the wuthor's hand and follow her in to these complex lives. Strangely by the time you get to the end of January you already have a good feel for who everyone is and what their personal strengths and weaknesses are. You are taken on an emotional roller coaster in every section and the major incident about halfway through is shocking and its aftermath is far reaching and feels entirely realistic and heartrending. I am sure there was a plot arc written down for this book but somehow it doesn't feel plotted, it feels like that is just the way the days unfolded and this is what happened so we'll go with the flow.
I will admit that I had to do a quick internet search for a couple of things when reading - being neither from Eire or a Catholic - I had no idea what Chocolate Kimberley Biscuits were (no I wish I didn't know because I am craving them!) or a Month's Mind. See, even a novel that is firmly categorised as Chick Lit can teach you something!
Wonderful story telling with warmth and doesn't shy away from the nastiness of human nature. Looking forward to opening my next Roisin Meaney novel!
**Review originally published January 7th, 2018**
Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge
This book started off so promisingly and in the proscribed way with a detailing of a Serial Killer's capture and ultimate desecration of their victim. This killer is different though they have two people at once and only they can decide who can live or die. Traces of the Saw films in the premise of having two people held captive and they have to battle each other for life. Still, I can overlook that as at least these weren't strangers to each other so there is an added element of emotion to the crime. Indeed the first crime is handled well and the writing is claustrophobic and tense sucking you in the depraved web of the killer's psyche.
Unfortunately, once you are past this bit the tale begins to wilt under a plethora of stale old tropes. We have the ambitious policewoman who has been fast tracked to Detective Inspector who hates herself and has no time for anything but her job. The "good copper" who is crippled by his broken marriage and subsequent turn to alcohol as an amelioration and crutch. Cue much mental eye-rolling when reading these sections.
The abductions also become much less intriguing and even verge on the downright silly in places. Believability is not the key here, in fact a healthy suspension of belief is required to get more than halfway through this book.
Some of the peripheral characters are just downright unlikeable and fall in to the pit of being completely unbelievable as people. The journalist and the psychotherapist are two such that have no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. Unfortunately, they are both supposed to be strong women, like our intrepid DI Grace, but just come across as bitter and callous.
The sidestep in to police corruption and mishandling of evidence and interview tapes is tedious and seems to have been thrown in to pad the book to a decent length. Whilst I understand the need to undermine the head of the team to juxtapose the "old force" and it's mainly old boy's club feeling and the bright dawn of the "new force" which is inclusive it is handled clumsily. Certainly if this is what you want to read then you would be far better picking up a book from Lynda La Plante's Jane Tennyson series.
Now you would think from the above that I would have only given this book 1 or 2 stars; yet I gave it 3. The simple reason for this is that there are sparks of brilliance in this book. You definitely don't know who could be possibly committing these atrocities and feel as clueless as the MIT investigating them. The information is drip fed in such a way that you are forced to jump to the same conclusions as the officers and the final reveal is a nasty little twist in the tale. It is the plot arc that makes the book, just a pity that the writing is very often not up to it.
I'm not entirely sure I would read any more of the Helen Grace series but I certainly won't write them, or their author, off yet.
**Review originally published January 7th, 2018**
Unfortunately, once you are past this bit the tale begins to wilt under a plethora of stale old tropes. We have the ambitious policewoman who has been fast tracked to Detective Inspector who hates herself and has no time for anything but her job. The "good copper" who is crippled by his broken marriage and subsequent turn to alcohol as an amelioration and crutch. Cue much mental eye-rolling when reading these sections.
The abductions also become much less intriguing and even verge on the downright silly in places. Believability is not the key here, in fact a healthy suspension of belief is required to get more than halfway through this book.
Some of the peripheral characters are just downright unlikeable and fall in to the pit of being completely unbelievable as people. The journalist and the psychotherapist are two such that have no redeeming characteristics whatsoever. Unfortunately, they are both supposed to be strong women, like our intrepid DI Grace, but just come across as bitter and callous.
The sidestep in to police corruption and mishandling of evidence and interview tapes is tedious and seems to have been thrown in to pad the book to a decent length. Whilst I understand the need to undermine the head of the team to juxtapose the "old force" and it's mainly old boy's club feeling and the bright dawn of the "new force" which is inclusive it is handled clumsily. Certainly if this is what you want to read then you would be far better picking up a book from Lynda La Plante's Jane Tennyson series.
Now you would think from the above that I would have only given this book 1 or 2 stars; yet I gave it 3. The simple reason for this is that there are sparks of brilliance in this book. You definitely don't know who could be possibly committing these atrocities and feel as clueless as the MIT investigating them. The information is drip fed in such a way that you are forced to jump to the same conclusions as the officers and the final reveal is a nasty little twist in the tale. It is the plot arc that makes the book, just a pity that the writing is very often not up to it.
I'm not entirely sure I would read any more of the Helen Grace series but I certainly won't write them, or their author, off yet.
**Review originally published January 7th, 2018**
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
This is a book that grips you and won't let go. I sat and read it from cover to cover without a break and even a couple of hours later it is still haunting me. You would think that some 70+ years on from World War II we would become innured to the tragedies that befell the Human Race at that time but this novel brings this home to us.
Never forget that this is, first and foremost, a novel. Based upon the life of Lale and Gita Sokolov it is only based on their experiences in Birkenau and it never purports to be a true retelling of their story.
The brutality of the camps is set against the basic need for Human closeness and shows how love can flourish in even the most dire circumstances. Circumstances that none of us, in the "First World" can truely begin to imagine. This novel gives only a glimpse of that world but a glimpse is all we need, the desperation seeps off the page.
Whilst it is true that Lale and Gita may be seen as collaborating with their captors they did what they had to to survive. Perhaps the most tragic tale is that of Cilka who was night after night forced to share a bed with the oppressors and then was jailed after the war for collaboration. All she did was survive at massive personal cost but she was vilified for that desire to survive.
Although Lale and Gita survived, everything they endured most definitely changed them as people. Yet, the afterword by their Son shows that if anything their experiences made them in to "better" people. Loving and forgiving they carried on with life with a dignity that is both astonishing and inspiring.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it wholeheartedly.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READER'S FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
**Review originally published January 1st, 2018**
Never forget that this is, first and foremost, a novel. Based upon the life of Lale and Gita Sokolov it is only based on their experiences in Birkenau and it never purports to be a true retelling of their story.
The brutality of the camps is set against the basic need for Human closeness and shows how love can flourish in even the most dire circumstances. Circumstances that none of us, in the "First World" can truely begin to imagine. This novel gives only a glimpse of that world but a glimpse is all we need, the desperation seeps off the page.
Whilst it is true that Lale and Gita may be seen as collaborating with their captors they did what they had to to survive. Perhaps the most tragic tale is that of Cilka who was night after night forced to share a bed with the oppressors and then was jailed after the war for collaboration. All she did was survive at massive personal cost but she was vilified for that desire to survive.
Although Lale and Gita survived, everything they endured most definitely changed them as people. Yet, the afterword by their Son shows that if anything their experiences made them in to "better" people. Loving and forgiving they carried on with life with a dignity that is both astonishing and inspiring.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it wholeheartedly.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READER'S FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
**Review originally published January 1st, 2018**
Christmas At The Dancing Duck by Daisy James
The Dancing Duck is that perfect country pub that we all wish we could find. Filled with warmth and extraordinarily good food, courtesy of Leon and Michel, it is the hub of the community but it is sadly losing money and the Harrison daughters have no real option but to sell and avoid bankruptcy - especially as Olivia is married to the local magistrate. But this tale isn't about Olivia it is about the other sister, Kirsty, and her terror of facing up to her parent's death at Christmas 2 years ago. This leads her to make some unfortunate comments caught by the sound man of her morning cookery segment and it soon goes viral on You Tube and that's it, she runs home to lick her wounds. For, despite it all, The Dancing Duck is home.
Okay, so the plot is rather predictable. Will Kirsty get back together with her old flame Josh? Will they really sell The Dancing Duck? I'm sure without reading the book you can already guess the answers to these questions.
What saves this book is the characters within it. Kirsty is fun and although fond of melancholic "episodes" when she sees everything as doom and gloom and enjoys a good old pity party she reads so well you feel as though you know her. Josh is vaguely enigmatic but his personality shines through in the little things he does that are passed over slickly without rubbing our noses in what a jolly good bloke he is. Even Miles, the undoubted villain of the piece, is cast in a good light even if he turns out to be a double-crossing swine.
Could have done with a little more stringent editing though. For one whole chapter Michel (Leon's sous chef at the brasserie within the Dancing Duck) is referred to as Marcel, which infuriated me no end.
A wonderfully charming tale that I thoroughly enjoyed. Yes, I knew what was going to happen and the mechanism by which it would happen but it was told so well I got completely sucked in and desperately wanted to take part in the Craft and Baking Competitions, never mind sampling that wonderful Christmas feast.
**Review originally published December 31st, 2017**
Okay, so the plot is rather predictable. Will Kirsty get back together with her old flame Josh? Will they really sell The Dancing Duck? I'm sure without reading the book you can already guess the answers to these questions.
What saves this book is the characters within it. Kirsty is fun and although fond of melancholic "episodes" when she sees everything as doom and gloom and enjoys a good old pity party she reads so well you feel as though you know her. Josh is vaguely enigmatic but his personality shines through in the little things he does that are passed over slickly without rubbing our noses in what a jolly good bloke he is. Even Miles, the undoubted villain of the piece, is cast in a good light even if he turns out to be a double-crossing swine.
Could have done with a little more stringent editing though. For one whole chapter Michel (Leon's sous chef at the brasserie within the Dancing Duck) is referred to as Marcel, which infuriated me no end.
A wonderfully charming tale that I thoroughly enjoyed. Yes, I knew what was going to happen and the mechanism by which it would happen but it was told so well I got completely sucked in and desperately wanted to take part in the Craft and Baking Competitions, never mind sampling that wonderful Christmas feast.
**Review originally published December 31st, 2017**
The Immolation Of Eve by Helen Fields
I purchased this book because I fell in love with Ms Fields' writing from her DI Callanach series and thought I would try some of her earlier works. Sadly, this is not a taut thriller with believable characters but, rather, a fantasy novel. I don't read very much fantasy unless it is meant for a YA audience as somehow the worlds created in those are more believable.
Unfortunately that is the case here. Whilst the premise of a parallel world operating alongside ours and just being a shift of the senses away is an intriguing one, it has been used as a plot device before so not entirely original. The world and it's peoples are not really introduced to us so much as we have to guess at what they are like from Eve's blinkered view and understanding. There is an attempt to explain more through Jack, Perun and Ellette but this falls sadly flat.
What saved this book for me was the first half of the book dealing with "real world" Eve and her friendships and burgeoning relationship. The details of her daily life and work are told clearly and concisely and it gives us a good idea of who she is. Following her meeting of the mysterious Perun in Krakow she finds out that her life is not what she thought and this leads her to San Francisco to find out about her birth mother. That's were the writing and the tale go off the rails somewhat.
Having just checked the e-book was published in 2011 so as a first publication it isn't too bad and I think the fact that it is not one of my preferred genres of writing hasn't helped. However, you can see the beginnings of Ms Fields undoubted talents in the real-world opening to this book and that was thoroughly enjoyable.
**Review originally published December 31st, 2017**
Unfortunately that is the case here. Whilst the premise of a parallel world operating alongside ours and just being a shift of the senses away is an intriguing one, it has been used as a plot device before so not entirely original. The world and it's peoples are not really introduced to us so much as we have to guess at what they are like from Eve's blinkered view and understanding. There is an attempt to explain more through Jack, Perun and Ellette but this falls sadly flat.
What saved this book for me was the first half of the book dealing with "real world" Eve and her friendships and burgeoning relationship. The details of her daily life and work are told clearly and concisely and it gives us a good idea of who she is. Following her meeting of the mysterious Perun in Krakow she finds out that her life is not what she thought and this leads her to San Francisco to find out about her birth mother. That's were the writing and the tale go off the rails somewhat.
Having just checked the e-book was published in 2011 so as a first publication it isn't too bad and I think the fact that it is not one of my preferred genres of writing hasn't helped. However, you can see the beginnings of Ms Fields undoubted talents in the real-world opening to this book and that was thoroughly enjoyable.
**Review originally published December 31st, 2017**
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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...
