Book Reviews

Book Review: The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

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Book number 22 of my Goodreads Reading Challenge (and book number 3 of my holiday reading) is The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf.

‘  “Two little girls are missing. Both are seven years old and have been missing for at least sixteen hours.”

Calli Clark is a dreamer. A sweet, gentle girl, Callie suffers from selective mutism, brought on by a tragedy she experienced as a toddler. Her mother Antonia tries her best
to help, but is trapped in a marriage to a violent husband.

Petra Gregory is Calli’s best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli have been heard from since their disappearance was discovered.

Now Calli and Petra’s families are bound by the question of what has happened to their children. As support turns to suspicion, it seems the answers lie trapped in the silence of unspoken secrets.’ (Thanks to Amazon for the blurb)

This is a story about two seven year old best friends, Calli and Petra, who disappear from their beds one fateful night.

Firstly, this is not a light read.  This novel is about the traumatic experiences of two families when they realise that their beautiful daughters are missing.  You experience the horror of this discovery, their fears, anger and helplessness along with them.  Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of an involved character, which helps give a greater understanding of them as individuals, and the actions that they take throughout the course of the story.

You learn throughout the course of the novel of the close relationship Calli and Petra have, with Petra speaking on Calli’s behalf due to her selective muteness.  They know what each other thinks and feels, looking after each other as only best friends can.

As a mother this is a difficult read, with the concept being every parents worst nightmare. Heather Gudenkauf, writes with true feeling about the anxiety and fears of those closest to such a situation.

I definitely recommend this novel, please read!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie

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So the 21st book in my Goodreads Reading Challenge (and book number 2 on my Summer holidays) was Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie.

‘Emma Tupper is a dedicated lawyer with a bright future. But, shattered by her mother’s death, she fulfills her dying wish by embarking on a month-long trip to Africa. There she falls ill, and spends six months trapped in a remote village thanks to a devastating earthquake. On her eventual return home Emma discovers that her friends, boyfriend, and colleagues thought she was dead and that life has moved on without her.

As she struggles to recreate her old life, throwing herself into solving a big case for a client and trying to reclaim her beloved apartment from the handsome photographer who’s taken over her lease, everyone around her thinks she should take the opportunity to change. But is she willing to sacrifice the job, relationships and everything else she worked so hard to build?

Forgotten is the story of one young women’s life, broken down, reconstructed, and forever altered – a modern twist on the classic tale of discovering who we really are when everything that brings meaning to our lives is lost.’ (Synopsis provided by Amazon)

Emma Tupper is a successful lawyer who has worked hard to be within touching distance of a partnership at her law firm and she has the perfect boyfriend in Craig.  However, her world is crushed when she loses her mother, who has always been her rock.  Her mothers one dream was to travel to Africa, something she was unable to achieve.  She therefore leaves an Africa trip to Emma in her will, something that leaves her a little bewildered as she had never actually asked her mother why this was a dream of hers.  The story that follows is one of self discovery as Emma finds herself stranded in Africa and cut off from her friends, job and life.

This is a chick lit, but not a light and fluffy one as you might expect.  It explores what can happen if you go off the grid and disappear, just to re-emerge expecting life to be as it was when you left.

‘if everything in your life is fucked up, you can change whatever you want.’

Whilst elements of the novel are predictable as you might expect, I liked that not all of Emma’s choices were ones that I had anticipated.  This removed some of the predictability.  There is obviously a love story as you would expect, with both characters having their own issues to deal with before they can be together.

I had expected this book to be a little darker than it actually was.  I would not, however, say that I am disappointed that wasn’t having now read it.  It was a great holiday read that I am more than happy to recommend.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Book Review: Fade Out by Patrick Tilley

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Book number 20 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge (and book number 1 of operation summer holiday) was Fade Out by Patrick Tilley.

So I started my holiday with an old school sci-fi novel.  I wish I could tell you where I heard about this book – I know that I read about it on a blog somewhere, but it’s one of those books that I downloaded and then promptly forgot about.

‘Aliens have landed on this earth, and it is time for the human race to prepare itself. When an unidentified object of extra-terrestrial origins arrives on Earth, creating havoc and panic the world over, the question of whether we are alone in the universe is finally answered. But this realisation is only the beginning, for the object brings with it a whole host of questions that neither the world’s governments or military experts are equipped to answer. Is it a danger to humanity, or an innocent explorative device? Focusing on mankind’s reaction to this mysterious object, Tilley illustrates how ignorance can drive civilisation towards the brink of a devastating breakdown.

Fade-Out, a sci-fi novel first published in 1975, looks at the meltdown of society in the face of alien invasion.’ (thanks Amazon!)

The book loosely follows Bob Connors, Special Assistant to the President of the United States of America as he leads a top secret project looking at the reasons for a global ‘fade out’.  This fade out cripples global communications, leaving nations feeling vulnerable to nuclear war as the world loses the ability to track potential enemies.

As we follow Connors through this project, we learn more about him as a character, as his history influences his present.  In addition to character relationships, we also experience the relationship between science and the military.  Whilst this book was published over 40 years ago, these relationships are, I believe, still relevant today.  This is a science fiction novel, but there is very little in it that isn’t believable.  If the scenario in this novel were to happen, you believe that the same hopes and fears would be applicable, along with the same differences of opinion over the way forward.  The novel also highlights aspects of the Presidents role that I had never previously considered.  Firstly, that it can be quite superficial (with a dosage of manipulation thrown in for good measure).  Dinner with the Bodell’s is a great example of this.  In contrast to this, the novel also highlights just how powerful his position really is, as he makes decisions about what his people should and shouldn’t know about the top secret project, thereby controlling widespread panic, but also removing people’s choice when it comes to protecting themselves if necessary.

I am not your typical science fiction reader (although I do love a science fiction movie).  However I’m glad I put aside my reservations about reading a 40 year old science fiction novel.  It’s well worth a read, so give it a go.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Book Review: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

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Book nineteen in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is Wallbanger by Alice Clayton.  The synopsis is as follows;

‘Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a Kitchen Aid mixer to die for, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O. Adding insult to O-less, she also has an oversexed neighbour with the loudest late-night wallbanging she’s ever heard. Every moan, spank, and-was that a meow?-punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has-yep, you guessed it-no O. Enter Simon Parker. When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbour. Their late-night hallway encounter has…well…mixed results. Because with walls this thin, the tension’s gonna be thick. A delicious mix of silly and steamy, this is an irresistible tale of exasperation at first sight.’ (Thanks to Amazon!)

So, as you can tell, this is not a book to read if you don’t like a bit of naughtiness!  The title and the novel’s front cover are a bit of a giveaway!  It’s not the sort of book I choose to read regularly but I don’t mind a bit of sauciness now and then.   I enjoyed this book for what it was – a bit of light reading with a love story thrown in for good measure.  It is a little sex-obsessed if I’m honest – the entire story revolves around Caroline losing her ‘O’ which at times got a little much for me.  However, I enjoyed reading about Caroline and Simon’s ‘dislike to love’ story – in fact all the characters were likeable, and whilst the story was a little sex-crazed there was a plot to follow.  There are moments in this story that will make you laugh out loud, whilst others will make you cringe.  There are no hidden twists here, what you see is what you get, however sometimes a predictable read is just what you need.  If you enjoy naughty books about hot neighbours, then this is the novel for you!

Rating: 2 and a half out of 5 stars

Book Review: The Little French Guesthouse by Helen Pollard

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I have made it to book eighteen, and I chose to read Helen Pollard’s The Little French Guesthouse.  As you may be realising, I do love a novel set abroad and I have a soft spot for France.  So that’s my reason for choosing this novel explained! Here’s the synopsis;

‘When Emmy Jamieson arrives at La Cour des Roses, a beautiful guesthouse in the French countryside, she can’t wait to spend two weeks relaxing with boyfriend Nathan. Their relationship needs a little TLC and Emmy is certain this holiday will do the trick. But they’ve barely unpacked before he scarpers with Gloria, the guesthouse owner’s cougar wife.

Rupert, the ailing guesthouse owner, is shell-shocked. Feeling somewhat responsible, and rather generous after a bottle (or so) of wine, heartbroken Emmy offers to help. Changing sheets in the gîtes will help keep her mind off her misery.

Thrust into the heart of the local community, Emmy suddenly finds herself surrounded by new friends. And with sizzling hot gardener Ryan and the infuriating (if gorgeous) accountant Alain providing welcome distractions, Nathan is fast becoming a distant memory.

Fresh coffee and croissants for breakfast, feeding the hens in the warm evening light; Emmy starts to feel quite at home. But it would be madness to walk away from her friends, family, and everything she’s ever worked for, to take a chance on a place she fell for on holiday – wouldn’t it?’ (Thanks Amazon)

For someone who loves to be swept up in the romance of being in France, this is an ideal novel.  There’s sun, wine, croissants and not one, but two love stories! What marks this apart from other love stories is that this novel does not just include a romantic love story.  This one also includes a love story between two friends who help each other in their time of need.  It is that love story that I really enjoyed in this novel.  Emmy and Rupert’s budding relationship, which is formed when their partners run off with each other, is such a lovely story to follow.  They work together to ease each others pain, with their relationship turning from that of strangers to two close friends who truly love one another.  I also like the fact that this is not a story about a woman who has been wronged – Emmy is a strong, independent woman, who, with the help of her friends is able to find her way.  It is not a romantic love that saves her (although there is some romance!) – it is the love of her friends that helps her to follow the path right for her.

If you like romance and friendship set in beautiful surroundings, this is the perfect book for you.  Find yourself a comfy chair in the sunshine, a good glass of wine and enjoy!

Ratings: 3 and a half out of 5 stars

 

Book Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

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For book number seventeen I have finally read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  All I can say is – better late than never!  This has been on my ‘to be read’ list for quite some time and i’m sad to say that I saw the film first, which is a pet hate of mine!  Here’s the synopsis for those of you who have not yet read it;

‘Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to lose her job or that knowing what’s coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he’s going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn’t know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they’re going to change the other for all time.’ (Courtesy of Amazon)

I think it is fair to say that in 99% of examples, the book is better than the film.  This is one of those books.  Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the film and probably more so than if I had read the book first.  The actors chosen were perfect for their roles.  However, it wasn’t until I started reading this novel that I discovered just how much was missing from the film; details that really helped to shape Will and Lou, our main characters.  It is a mistake to believe that this novel is about Will Traynor, a strong man who loses everything in one single moment.  This novel is also about Lou and her journey away from her pain filled past, something she seeks to hide from with her strong (and sometimes questionable ) fashion sense!

This is a beautiful, albeit sometimes gut-wrenching story of how two people from two very different walks of life come together to save each other.  Together, they are able to find some joy once more out of the depths of their own private miseries to change their future paths forever.

There really is very little I can say about this book, except prepare yourself to laugh and cry.  Read this book!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Book Review: A Year of Being Single by Fiona Collins

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For my sixteenth book in the Goodreads Reading Challenge, I chose to read Fiona Collins A Year of Being Single.

‘Best friends Imogen, Frankie and Grace decide to test whether the grass really is greener on the single side of the fence…

Imogen is supposed to be on the most romantic weekend of her life and instead she’s quickly realised that her current boyfriend definitely isn’t ‘The One’ and actually One Big Mistake.

Frankie is fed up. Fed up of her good-for-nothing husband and her four, unappreciative children. Well, they hardly notice her anyway, maybe it’s time to shake it up a little…

Grace thought she had the perfect life. Gorgeous little boy and perfect, hardworking husband. Or rather, she did, until she realised her husband was shagging his ‘work’.

It’s time for a change – and to ditch the men who are dragging them down! It’s time for a year of being single. Swearing off men, these single ladies don’t need to put a ring on it…right?’ (Thanks Amazon for that synopsis!)

This is the story of how when you’re not looking for something, it will find you.

Imogen, Frankie and Grace are three women, each of whom have their own problems with men.  Single life draws these already best friends together, as they swear off men for a year to become the independent women they know they can be.  As can be expected however, once they choose not to find men those men come looking for them.  The story follows these three women as they explore their relationships and find out what they want from life.

There are no surprises here – everything you would expect to happen in a novel like this, does.  However the characters are well-rounded and endearing, particularly Grace who finds herself thrown into single life completely against her will.  Frankie is a put upon wife that all wives and mothers will be able to relate to at some point, who just gets fed up of being the family slave.  Finally Imogen is the typical career driven woman, who has been hurt in the past and so has never been able to settle down.  You will laugh and cry along with these women as they fail miserably at remaining single whilst desperately ensuring neither of the others find out about their indiscretions.  Despite the predictability of the story, this is a sweet chick-lit novel that is perfect for the beach or just a cozy Sunday afternoon on the sofa.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Book Review: The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman

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Book number 15 in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is Genevieve Cogman’s The Masked City.  Amazon provides the following synopsis;

‘Librarian-spy Irene is working undercover in an alternative London when her assistant Kai goes missing. She discovers he’s been kidnapped by the fae faction and the repercussions could be fatal. Not just for Kai, but for whole worlds.

Kai’s dragon heritage means he has powerful allies, but also powerful enemies in the form of the fae. With this act of aggression, the fae are determined to trigger a war between their people – and the forces of order and chaos themselves.

Irene’s mission to save Kai and avert Armageddon will take her to a dark, alternate Venice where it’s always Carnival. Here Irene will be forced to blackmail, fast talk, and fight. Or face death.‘

The Masked City is the second book in Cogman’s The Invisible Library series. I read The Invisible Library (follow the link for my review), Cogman’s debut novel last year and loved it so had to read her next novel in the series.  The second novel did not disappoint.  This series is set across a number of realms, all slightly different from the next and all linked by The Library.  Irene is the Librarian in Residence in the alternate London, working alongside her assistant Kai when he disappears.  Kai is a royal dragon who chose to work, in human form, for The Library.  However the Fae are aware of him and kidnap him, hoping to start a war between the Fae and Dragons which would have catastrophic consequences across all the alternative universes.  Irene finds herself in an alternate Venice where she must fight her way through the chaos to save her assistant and stop a war that would change everything.  Due to The Library’s neutrality, Irene must work alone to save her friend from certain death, whilst also saving the universes from war between these two very powerful factions.

Anything that combines fantasy with books is already a winning combination for me.  I really enjoy the premise of this series, as with each novel I learn a little more about the mysterious Library, about those who work for The Library and the inhabitants of the alternate realms.

Irene is a strong female lead character, but not so strong that she refuses assistance from her male colleagues.  Sometimes female lead characters are portrayed as hard and a little too tough, however Irene shows herself to be someone who can certainly hold her own and fight for what is right whilst also accepting help graciously when it is needed.

Whilst Kai does not feature in this book as much as he did in The Invisible Library, he shows himself once again to be a character of great strength.  Despite this, his deep respect for Irene is clear to see throughout the novel even though his royal roots would justify him playing on is superiority.

If you are a fan of Terry Pratchett, I would highly recommend that you try The Invisible Library series.  I look forward to reading The Burning Page, the next book in this series due to be released in December 2016.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

 

 

Book Review: War Brides

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The 14th novel I chose to read in the Goodreads Reading Challenge was Helen Bryan’s War Brides.

‘With war threatening to spread from Europe to England, the sleepy village of Crowmarsh Priors settles into a new sort of normal: Evacuees from London are billeted in local homes. Nightly air raids become grimly mundane. The tightening vice of rationing curtails every comfort. Men leave to fight and die. And five women forge an unlikely bond of friendship that will change their lives forever.

Alice Osbourne, the stolid daughter of the late vicar, is reeling from the news that Richard Fairfax broke their engagement to marry Evangeline Fontaine, an American girl from the Deep South. Evangeline’s arrival causes a stir in the village—but not the chaos that would ensue if they knew her motives for being there. Scrappy Elsie Pigeon is among the poor of London who see the evacuations as a chance to escape a life of destitution. Another new arrival is Tanni Zayman, a young Jewish girl who fled the horrors of Europe and now waits with her newborn son, certain that the rest of her family is safe and bound to show up any day. And then there’s Frances Falconleigh, a madcap, fearless debutante whose father is determined to keep her in the countryside and out of the papers.

As the war and its relentless hardships intensify around them, the same struggles that threaten to rip apart their lives also bring the five closer together. They draw strength from one another to defeat formidable enemies—hunger, falling bombs, the looming threat of a Nazi invasion, and a traitor in their midst—and find remarkable strength within themselves to help their friends. Theirs is a war-forged loyalty that will outlast the fiercest battle and endure years and distance.

When four of the women return to Crowmarsh Priors for a VE Day celebration fifty years later, television cameras focus on the heartwarming story of these old women as war brides of a bygone age, but miss the more newsworthy angle. The women’s mission is not to commemorate or remember—they’ve returned to settle a score and avenge one of their own.’ (synopsis taken from Amazon)

As I may already have mentioned I am a big fan of historical novels, particularly those set during World War II.  Women played a very important role during those turbulent years in the early 40’s and therefore, quite rightly, they often play a central role in novels set during this period.  This novels title, War Brides, clearly highlights that it is centred on a group of young women during this unsettled period as they support one another during times of love, loss and war.  The novel particularly follows five women; Alice, Evangeline, Elise, Tanni and Frances.  These five women all come from very different backgrounds, but find themselves thrown together in the small village of Crowmarsh Priors.  War brings these women together, as they find the men of the village slowly leave to join the war effort against an increasingly strong German force.  Left behind, these women find themselves fighting the battle on the Home Front as they, alongside women across the country, work hard to ensure their country is able to stay afloat, working the land, working in factories and protecting their homes.

I really enjoyed this novel, and can wholeheartedly recommend it.  My only criticism (if it can be called that) is the number of characters.  Whilst the book does centre on those five women, each has their own backstory and at times I found it difficult to keep track of who was related to who.  That could however be me trying to read the novel after particularly long days at work!  Do not let this put you off though, I found the back stories to be engaging and integral to the story as they showed you why each woman acted the way that she does.  This novel really does highlight the strength of women as they support one another whilst dealing with their own tragedies and losses, and it shows what a group of women can achieve under such traumatic circumstances.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Book Review: The Cherry Tree Cafe

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The 13th book in my Goodreads Reading Challenge is The Cherry Tree Cafe by Heidi Swain.  Amazon synopsis states;

‘Lizzie Dixon’s life feels as though it’s fallen apart. Instead of the marriage proposal she was hoping for from her boyfriend, she is unceremoniously dumped, and her job is about to go the same way. So, there’s only one option: to go back home to the village she grew up in and to try to start again.

Her best friend Jemma is delighted Lizzie has come back home. She has just bought a little cafe and needs help in getting it ready for the grand opening. And Lizzie’s sewing skills are just what she needs.
With a new venture and a new home, things are looking much brighter for Lizzie. But can she get over her broken heart, and will an old flame reignite a love from long ago…?’

The Cherry Tree Cafe follows the story of Lizzie Dixon, a young woman who at what she believes to be her happiest moment, is unceremoniously dumped.  Whilst dealing with her heartbreak she finds herself returning home at her best friend Jemma’s request where she starts the journey back to her true self as she slowly discovers what she really wants from life.

Lizzie’s story is sadly all too typical…a young girl falls in love and finds herself changing to please the man that she adores.  It’s only when he is removed from her life that she is able to realise who she truly is, and that she never needed to change herself for the love of a good man.

This is a really light, enjoyable read – perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon in the sunshine (preferably surrounded by a sewing machine, plenty of fabric and some crafty ideas).  My only criticism would be that the romance was slightly lacking.  I enjoyed following Lizzie’s journey, and watching her make mistakes as well as great decisions however I would have enjoyed a little more romance along the way.

If you want a nice easy-read, then this is the book for you.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5