Month: July 2017

Book Review: Montana Snowfall by Caroline Fyffe

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Montana Snowfall

Book 21 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is Caroline Fyffe’s Montana Snowfall.

‘Y Knot, Montana Territory, 1886
When Roady Guthrie, longtime foreman for the McCutcheon ranch, takes time off to go bear hunting, he never expects to find a young woman asleep in his hunting cabin in the midst of a snowstorm. Worried what their unchaperoned situation will do to her reputation, Roady is uneasy when the snowfall keeps them stranded–just long enough for him to lose his heart.

Sally Stanford has a secret–one that sent her running from St. Louis to Y Knot and into arms of her sister. A secret that would shatter Roady’s high opinion of her, if he knew. When Sally realizes her plan is doomed to fail, she turns to the only man she trusts.’ (Thanks Amazon)

So, Montana Snowfall is the 7th in the McCutcheon Family series, but the first that I have read. Having not read the others, I couldn’t tell you if it was necessary, although I would say not – I didn’t feel as though I was missing any vital information about any of the other character, or any back stories.

Sally Stanford is a new character to the story, as we are introduced to her as she journeys to Y Knot to stay with her sister, carrying a secret that she feels no one must ever find out.  On her journey to Y Knot she meets Roady Guthrie, a foreman for the McCutcheon’s who is out bear hunting.

This novel is set is 1886 America, and as such, much of the story is set around morality, relationships and appropriateness.  It highlights how difficult it was for a woman at that time, but also that it wasn’t impossible to find a man to be compassionate and caring in times of need.  This novel is a delicate and enduring love story between two people who both have their own issues but are able to come together and help each other.

I did find myself racing through this novel a little at times; it was sometimes a little slow moving with maybe not enough drama for me.  However it was a lovely read with enjoyable, believable characters.  Whether I read another in the McCutcheon series remains to be seen, but as a stand alone novel I found Montana Snowfall to be an easy, pleasant read.

Rating: 📖 📖 📖

Book Review: Hiroshima by John Hersey

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Hiroshima

So i’ve made it to book 20 (only 30 left to go!) in my Goodreads Reading Challenge.  My latest review is of Hiroshima by John Hersey.

‘The room was filled with a blinding light. She was paralysed by fear, fixed still in her chair for a long moment. Everything fell.’

2015 is the 70th anniversary of Hiroshima, when, on 6 August at 8.15am, an atomic bomb was dropped over the Japanese city, killing one hundred thousand men, women and children in its white fury. John Hersey’s spare, devastating report on the attack was first published in the New Yorker in 1946. Written in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, it chronicles what happened through the eyes of six civilians who survived against the odds. It is a classic piece of journalism, and a defining moment of the nuclear age.’ (Thanks Amazon)

So for the first time this year, i’ve chosen a non-fiction book to read as part of my reading challenge, and what a hard hitting, amazing piece of writing I chose.  This should be vital reading for all, not just lovers of History (we all know I love a bit of WWII history, whether it be fact or fiction).  In fact I truly believe all budding scientists should be made to read this important piece of journalism.  Our advances in technology are mind boggling, particularly, if like me, you are not scientific in nature.  This essay really highlights what effect these technological advances can have.  The atomic bomb was hailed as one of the most important advances in science and warfare in the 20th century, however the aftermath for those innocent civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is horrifying.  John Hersey sought to bring clarity to the Allied countries as they celebrated their victory in bringing WWII to an end.  In an age where the news was only really accessible in newspapers, John Hersey wrote one of the most important articles of that time.  The New Yorker dedicated its entire issue on 31st August 1946 to his article, which follows six survivors in the aftermath of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

Instead of celebrating the Allies victory, he showed the world the cost of that victory.  Innocent men, women and children killed or severely injured, whole families wiped out, homes and businesses lost with no warning of what was coming.  He showed the world that the war was not won by wiping out an army, but by wiping out two cities filled with innocent people.

‘in general, survivors that day assisted only their relatives or immediate neighbours, for they could not comprehend or tolerate a wider circle of misery.’ (Hiroshima)

Thankfully the world has not had to witness the use of atomic warfare since that fateful day in 1945.  However, given that 70 years has passed and technology has moved on considerably, this article could not be more important right now.  As tensions rise across the world, I think it is vital that people have an awareness of the consequences of any action they may take.  The world lives in fear of a war breaking out that includes atomic warfare; this article shows that the world is right to be fearful.

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖 📖

Book Review: Robinson Crusoe 2244 by E.J. Robinson

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Robinson Crusoe 2244

Book number 19 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is Robinson Crusoe 2244 by E.J. Robinson.

‘Two centuries after mankind drove itself to the brink of extinction, a new civilization rises from the ashes of what was once Great Britain. But when deadly strife breaks out among their ranks, the teenage son of one prominent family finds himself fleeing in the dead of night only to wind up shipwrecked on the forbidden continent of America. Armed with only his wit and the most unexpected of allies, the teenager struggles to survive in a wasteland filled with unspeakable horrors and in the end must uncover the one secret that can save his own people or spell doom for mankind forever.’ (Thanks Amazon!)

The first in a trilogy, Robinson Crusoe 2244 is a post apocalyptic novel which focuses on Robinson Crusoe and his growth into a man as he finds himself fleeing his home and winding up in the desolate landscape of the forbidden continent of America.

Robinson Crusoe finds himself alone in a dangerous, empty landscape, having unexpectedly been betrayed and forced to flee his home.  He follows a trail left by his dead mother which takes him to America, a continent ravaged by a virus many years previously.

‘All his life he had been told the world was full of horrors, but he had never understood that the worst of them was man’ (Robinson Crusoe 2244)

This novel follows Robinson Crusoe as he fights to survive in a place that is constantly trying to kill him.  His only saving grace is the traces of his mother, along with meeting and saving Friday, a strong, independent woman who is also fighting her own battles.  Together they are able to help each other, and learn from one another as the push for their safety and freedom.

The novel ends ready for the next instalment, Robinson Crusoe 2245, to begin. Whilst I found some sections of the book a little hard going, overall I enjoyed the premise of the novel and it’s leading characters.  It was interesting to read a novel based on a story we all know, with a dystopian twist and I look forward to reading the second novel in this trilogy.

Rating: 📖 📖 📖

Book Review: A Vintage Wedding by Katie Fforde

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A Vintage Wedding

Book 18 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is A Vintage Wedding by Katie Fforde.

‘In a small Cotswold country town, Beth, Lindy and Rachel are looking for new beginnings.

So they set up in business, organising stylish and perfectly affordable vintage weddings.

Soon they are busy arranging other people’s Big Days.

What none of them know is that their own romances lie waiting, just around the corner…’ (Thanks Amazon!)

Beth, Lindy and Rachel are three very different women who are thrown together in the small village of Chippingford.

Beth has recently finished university, and finds herself in the village of Chippingford with the mammoth task of arranging her sisters wedding on a very small budget, whilst seeking some form of employment to enable her live more comfortably (and to stop accepting money from her Dad).

Lindy is a divorced mother of two, and a whizz on the sewing machine.  However, with a three and six year old, she has struggled making time to see friends and as a result has become quite lonely.

Rachel is a little older than Beth and Lindy, and definitely more cynical when it comes to matters of the heart.  She is efficient and organised in every way (useful, given that she is an accountant), with a touch of OCD thrown in for good measure.

Together the three of them form both a friendship and a business, as they create Vintage Weddings, not only to organise Beth’s sister Helena’s wedding but others too.  Like any good chick lit, we have some romance thrown in for good measure, as the girls get to know Angus, Raff and Finn.

As chick lits go, A Vintage Wedding has the right mix of love, friendship and drama.  It’s a great, easy read – perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon with a cheeky glass of wine!  Give it a go!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📗

Book Review: Lies by Michael Grant

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Lies

We’ve made it to book 17 in my 2017 Goodreads Reading Challenge: Lies by Michael Grant.

‘It’s been seven months since all the adults disappeared. Gone. It happens in one night: a girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most: Drake. But Drake is dead—or so they thought.

Perdido Beach burns and battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake, who is back from the dead and ready to finish where he and Sam left off. They say that death is a way to escape the FAYZ, but are the kids of Perdido Beach desperate enough to believe that death will set them free?’ (Thanks Amazon!)

So I have once again returned to Michael Grants Gone series, for his third instalment, Lies.  This series follows a group of children after the disappearance of any over the age of 15 from their town.  As the realisation sets in that the adults will not be returning, these children have to fight to live as they battle hunger and then, each other.  Lies join these children seven months after the disappearance of the adults.  Hunger is rife as all the food is gone and they are forced to forage, hunt and grow their own in order to survive.  Children are dying, and ‘lies’ start to circulate this young community as the number of children with mutations grows, which scares many.  A rumour starts to spread that death will set these children free, returning them to their parents and the inaccessible outside world.  Death also creates fear however, as no one knows for sure what happens as those left behind are forced to bury the dead.

I am really enjoying this dystopian series, which is based around the really interesting concept of children being forced to care for themselves when they find themselves trapped inside the FAYZ.  It brings out both the best and the worst in the older children, as they fight for power, food, order and an understanding of what is happening to them as mutant powers emerge.  It also very clearly highlights how vulnerable younger children really are when they are left with no one to care for them, which to me just shows how vulnerable we are as a human race.  Children are forced to make grown up decisions without any life experience or knowledge of what the consequences of those decisions may be.  I would advise that this is read as part of the series rather than as a stand alone book, but do give the series a go.  The characterisation is great and the plot is gripping.  The stage has been set for Plague, book four in the series and I look forward to reading it!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📗

Guest Book Review: Heroes of Olympus: Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

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So following the resounding success of his brothers blog, which culminated in Cressida Cowell reading it and sending him a little tweet, Ed has now decided that he too would like to contribute to my blog.  His latest read was Blood of Olympus from the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan.  Firstly, I cannot emphasise enough just how much Ed is enjoying Rick Riordans work.  He devoured the Percy Jackson series, loves the Heroes of Olympus and is planning on reading Magnus Chase.  He spends many a dinnertime teaching the entire family about mythology and Gods – I love how enthusiastic he is.  So, please enjoy his review.

Characters

The characters are Leo, Piper, Annabeth, Percy, Jason, Hazel and Frank.  I liked them all because they were dramatic, funny and crazy.  They all made the book good in their own way.

Plot

The plot is that Gaia plans to destroy the world.  She is the oldest Goddess and has been asleep for too many years.  Her children, the giants, plan to wake her but seven famous demigods stand in their way.

Your opinion

There wasn’t many scary bits but a lot of laughter.  I loved this book.  My favourite part was where Leo arrived at Ogygia for the second time when he face planted into the sand trying to make a heroic landing.

Recommend?

I would recommend this book to people who like small romance and huge comedy!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖 📖

Book Review: The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins

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Book number 16 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is The Kicking The Bucket List by Cathy Hopkins.

‘Meet the daughters of Iris Parker. Dee; sensitive and big-hearted; Rose uptight and controlled and Fleur the reckless free spirit.
At the reading of their mother’s will, the three estranged women are aghast to discover that their inheritance comes with strings attached. If they are to inherit her wealth, they must spend a series of weekends together over the course of a year and carry out their mother’s ‘bucket list’.

But one year doesn’t seem like nearly enough time for them to move past the decades-old layers of squabbles and misunderstandings. Can they grow up for once and see that Iris’ bucket list was about so much more than money…’ (Thanks Amazon!)

So I have a list – a bucket list – as I assume most people do.  A list of things we’d like to do, see and achieve within our lifetime.  What I enjoyed about The Kicking The Bucket List was the unusual twist on this concept.  Iris Parker had created her list, but rather than creating it for herself she had created it for her estranged daughters in the event of her death.  In order to receive their inheritance they have to spend the months following her death completing the tasks that she sets for them.

Iris’ list comprises of activities designed to bring her daughters together following her death, something she had sadly failed to do in life.  This fact comes across as both tragic and endearing: the fact that even her death wouldn’t stop her trying to bring them back together.

I really enjoyed reading about Dee, Fleur and Rose.  They were far more complex characters than I had expected when I first started reading this novel, and their back stories made me realise just why they were the way that they were.  As you move through the novel you can see why they have drifted apart, but also why they need to come back together.

This really is a lovely story that explores both life and death without any morbidity.  It’s a story of family relationships, both past and present, and shows us why we really do need the love of those closest to us.

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖

Guest Book Review: How To Train Your Dragon: How To Steal a Dragons Sword by Cressida Cowell

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So today is a special day…my 10 year old son has agreed (ok he was bribed!) to write a book review!  He is currently working his way through Cressida Cowell’s series, How To Train A Dragon.  It has taken me to book 9 to convince him to do this, so here goes!

‘The story continues in the ninth volume of Hiccup’s How to Train Your Dragon memoirs.

Bad times have come to the Archipelago. Ever since the woods of Berserk burned down, it is almost as if the world is cursed. Dragons are starting to revolt against their Masters. The waters have risen, flooding fields and washing whole villages away. But worse still, the wicked witch Excellinor has returned. Can Hiccup find the King’s Things and win the sword-fighting contest to stop Alvin the Treacherous from becoming King of the Wilderwest?’ (Thanks Amazon!)

Firstly I should say that of my two sons, it has taken me a really long time to convince Bill that reading is great.  He’s still very picky about what he reads, but Cressida Cowell has really captured his imagination for which I am very grateful.  Enjoy his review, all his own words!

Characters

The main characters in this book are Hiccup, Camacazi and Fishlegs.  They are all quite skinny and thought of as nerds.  The villains are Alvin the Treacherous and the Witch Excellinor.

Plot

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is about to become King of the Wilderwest, but his unpleasant cousin Snotlout threw a stone at his helmet revealing Hiccups biggest secret: the slave mark.  This causes everyone to turn their back on Hiccup, leaving him to fight for his place as King of the Wilderwest!

Your Opinion

I enjoyed the book as I thought it was quite extreme!

Recommend?

I would recommend this as I enjoyed it so other people might.

Rating: 📖 📖 📖 📖 📗

Book Review: Six Months in Montana by Pamela Kelley

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So book number 15 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is Six Months in Montana by Pamela Kelley.

‘Molly Bishop loves living in Manhattan and managing a boutique luxury hotel. She’s about to be promoted to her dream job of General Manager, the role she’s been striving for her entire career.

There’s only one thing standing in her way.

The will of her childhood friend, Christian Ford’s grandfather. She hasn’t even seen Christian in over ten years, but a recent run-in with his grandfather during a rare visit home, resulted in a new condition to the will. Christian will only inherit the ranch he’s been running and the real estate development business that he has expanded, if he marries Molly and stays married for at least six months.’ (Thanks Amazon!)

So this is a story about meddling family members if ever I saw one! Christian Ford’s grandfather seeks to push Christian into a more settled way of life as he creates a condition within his will, pushing Christian into an arranged marriage in order to inherit the ranch and business that he has worked so hard for.  Whilst his grandfather does not expect him to remain married, he does expect him to live as a married man for six months.  In addition to this stipulation within his will, Christian’s grandfather is very specific about who his grandson should marry: Molly Bishop.  Molly is a young woman with career aspirations in the hotel business.  In addition to this, she no longer lives in Beauville, Montana, her hometown.  Instead she lives in New York City, which she loves.

Christian and Molly, whom haven’t seen each other in over a decade, must work to find a way to coexist within a marriage that they find themselves part of.  This novel follows them as they navigate their way through the situation they find themselves in as they get to know each other all over again and they begin to assess what it is they are both looking for in life.

This is a really enjoyable, light read.  As previously mentioned, i’m really enjoying small town American novels at the moment and this is no exception – give it a try!

Rating: 📖 📖 📖