Best of November 2020

November's here, the clocks have changed, and my 'Books of the Month' are....

#1 One By One by Ruth Ware (released 12 November 2020)
*****

Snow is falling in the ski resort of Saint Antoine, as the shareholders and directors of Snoop, the hottest new music app, gather for a make or break corporate retreat. At stake is a billion-dollar buyout. With the group irrevocably split, tensions are running high. When an avalanche cuts the chalet off, and one board member goes missing in the snow, the group is forced to ask - would someone resort to murder, to get what they want?

In my opinion: OMG I absolutely loved this. I knew I would because I have loved everyone of Ruth Ware's books but even so this somehow still managed to surpass my expectations. I loved the terrifyingly beautiful setting. I loved the cast of hip young Snoop employees, with job titles such as Chief Bean Counter (finance to me and you). They were all so quirky and different from driven CEO, Toph, to geeky Elliot or airhead Ani. At first the group seem little more than obnoxious, privileged, beautiful, play boys and girls but the author does well to add depth and a certain likability to almost all of these characters by the end. 

And, I loved the One By One concept - a conflicted group isolated together getting picked off one by one and knowing the murderer had to be one of them. Terrifying and captivating - waiting to see who'd be next.... My favourite bit however is difficult to talk about without spoiling it. So, I'll just say that it was so cleverly written that even when I started to suspect the eventual murderer I didn't believe it because the format suggested it was highly unlikely to be them.

#1 Forgive Me by Susan Lewis (released 12 November 2020)
*****

This is Claudia Winters’s last chance for a fresh start. Changing her name and leaving her old life behind, she has fled to the small town of Kesterly with her mother and daughter. But the past can’t stay hidden forever. And even as Claudia makes new friends and builds a new life, she can’t help feeling it’s all about to catch up with her… Until one disastrous night changes everything forever.

In my opinion: Having absolutely loved the author's previous book 'My lies Your Lies' I was looking forward to this one with nervous excitement - would it be as good? The answer is YES but it's really not comparable as it's completely different. Expecting another twisty, turny thriller I was a little disappointed at first that there was nothing to work out and as a result it felt a little slow. But, once I realised there wasn't meant to be and it was more of a psychological family drama than thriller, I realised it was just as good but just in a completely different way.

And, the reason it was just as good was Susan Lewis. Her writing is so powerful, so emotive, so descriptive and so well thought out and researched that it totally immerses you. Her characters are so well developed and relatable with both strengths and weaknesses, evoking strong feelings of anger and empathy for them. Once again I loved the multi-generational relationships and the way the characters support and forgive each other even those who've done some truly terrible things. I guess the moral of this one was that not everything is black and white, there's so many shades of grey.

#3 Just Between Friends by Rosie Nixon (released 12 November 2020)
***

Aisha Moore is eight months pregnant. Lucy is having her first child too. When the two women join the same baby group, they quickly become friends and before long they’re confiding in each other. Only there’s one thing Lucy hasn’t told Aisha. And while a baby may turn your life upside-down, a secret this big will change everything

In my opinion: I knew this was a new direction for author Rosie Nixon but not how different. One of the main characters Lucy acknowledges that before falling pregnant, she "found it difficult to engage with other people's pregnancies and births." Same for me. I mean I knew it was a story about new mums but I guess I thought there would be more to it than that ie the promised secret. But, the (fairly obvious) secret isn't revealed until the latter part of the book, with the first half of really about the strain of parenthood on relationships from the decision to have children and get pregnant through to caring for said baby. That said, Nixon has created an enjoyable, electric mix of characters in the baby group. But, sadly this just wasn't my thing whereas Nixon's previous #TheStylist books definitely are.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read these books prior to publication.

January 2021 releases

New year, new books!

Here's my pick of the best....

#1 Shiver by Allie Reynolds (21 Jan 2021)

When Milla is invited to a reunion in the French Alps resort that saw the peak of her snowboarding career, she drops everything to go. While she would rather forget the events of that winter, the invitation comes from Curtis, the one person she can't seem to let go. The five friends haven't seen each other for ten years, since the disappearance of the beautiful and enigmatic Saskia. But when an icebreaker game turns menacing, they realise they don't know who has really gathered them there and how far they will go to find the truth.

In my opinion: ★★★★★

I loved this! I loved the ski resort setting - beautifully terrifying already but then out-of-season made it even more chilling. As well as the vivid descriptions of the alpine environment, the author created so much atmosphere with her writing that it almost felt real. I felt the fear, isolation, silence and sense of dread - continually looking over my shoulder - as if I was there. I enjoyed the dual-time narrative that seamlessly weaved the past with the present. I loved the present because that's where the suspense and action was but I also loved the past and the fascinating insight into a professional sport; the training, the competitions, the rivalries, etc. The alternating timelines really helped develop the five characters too - all of whom I loved for their drive, fearlessness, confidence and camaraderie (although underneath it's clear that none of them trust each other). The only bit I didn't like was the prologue because up until that point I especially loved main character Milla.

Most of all, though, I loved the fast pace, action packed plot, and highly addictive nature of this whodunnit. I couldn't put it down. I also couldn't work it all out - some parts I did guess but there were so many layers it's unlikely you'd ever guess it all especially as the 'who' in whodunnit was genius. A brilliant debut and I can't wait for the next book from this author.

#2 New Arrivals at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland (7 Jan 2021)

Hedgehog Hollow is officially open for business. For Samantha, the proud owner of this beautiful rescue centre, life has never been busier. But with an influx of new hogs and hoglets to take care of, not to mention a full-time job and ongoing family issues, can she accept the possibility that she has taken on more than she can handle? Fortunately, she has the love of her life, Josh, by her side for support and encouragement. But Josh has his own family troubles to deal with. And soon he must decide if he's ready to do the one thing he swore he’d never do - forgive his father.

In my opinion: ★★★★★

This is the second book in the Hedgehog Hollow series and opened with a helpful introduction (or recap) to the characters and story so far which was a nice touch. These also really set the scene of what to expect as seemingly in the previous book main character, Sam's, boyfriend married her cousin, her current partner, Josh's, dad was having an affair with his then girlfriend and literally every other character was either blood related or coincidentally related to each other through circumstance. And, the drama continued in this one but the author writes with such charm and ease that it was still a light-hearted, feel-good tale. For example, the drama of Josh seeing his ex for the first time was somewhat diffused by the fact that he was wearing a hedgehog costume at the time. There's obviously going to be a part three but I liked that all the drama wasn't unrealistically wrapped up in a ridiculously short time frame, some things were left dealt with but open so to speak. It was also a great mix of human drama with animal cuteness - I particularly loved the hedgehog rescue element.

#3 Coming Home to Brightwater Bay by Holly Hepburn (21 Jan 2021)

Desperate to get her life back on track, Merry leaves London and escapes to the windswept Orkney Islands, locking herself away in a secluded clifftop cottage to try to heal her heart and rediscover her passion for writing. But can the beauty of the islands and the kindness of strangers help Merry to fool herself into believing in love again, if only long enough to finish her book? Or is it time for her to give up the career she’s always adored and find something new to set her soul alight?

In my opinion: ★★★★

I'm a massive fan of the author and the Star and Sixpence series, and this immediately reminded me why. I love all the little details Holly Hepburn includes such as the job advert, event posters, descriptions of real-life places and cultural references in this case to one of my favourite films 'The Holiday' - all of which really help bring her stories to life. I also love her characters, particularly the 'support acts' such as mischievous goat Gordon, formidable Sheila and hot librarian Niall. Once again this was a charmingly warm and witty read, with all my favourite ingredients - village setting, two very different love interests (Clark Kent like Niall and Viking warrior Magnus), strong female characters and community spirit. My reasoning for four stars rather than five is that it wasn't quite as good as my beloved Star and Sixpence......

#4 People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd (21 Jan 2021)

People like Emmy Jackson. Instagram sensation Mamabare, famous for always telling the unvarnished truth about modern parenthood. But Emmy isn’t as honest as she’d like the fans to believe. She may think she has her followers fooled, but someone out there knows the truth and plans to make her pay. Because people like her have no idea what pain careless words can cause. Because people like her need to learn what it feels like to lose everything.

In my opinion: ★★★★

I love a 'his & hers' story and how two people can view the same thing so differently. And, this was no exception as husband and wife, Dan and Emmy, have polar opposite views on their family and insta-celebrity life. I also found the whole influencer thing fascinating and thought-provoking - who knew people buy followers and have a 'pod' of other influencers to get the coveted likes and shares? I was also weirdly drawn to both Emmy and Dan, despite them both being really quite self-obsessed, unlikeable characters. And, I enjoyed the contemporary narration.

As a thriller, however, it was a bit lacking. First off it was a bit slow - apart from a few interspersed chapters from the point of view of an as yet unidentified third person clearly hellbent on revenge, the actual thing didn't get going until some way into the book. I also found the conclusion a bit unsatisfying and extreme (although sadly there are a lot of damaged minds out there and the author(s) portrayed this sensitively). But, I would still recommend this book because for all the reasons first mentioned it’s a compelling and enjoyable read.

 

#5 Murder on the Menu by Fiona Leitch (15 Jan 2021)

Having quit the Met Police, Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is glad to be back in the Cornish village she calls home. She can finally start her dream catering company and raise her daughter, Daisy, somewhere safer. But there’s nothing like your first job catering an ex-boyfriend’s wedding to remind you of just how small your village is. And when the bride, Cheryl, vanishes Jodie is drawn into the investigation, realising that life in the countryside might not be as quaint as she remembers…

In my opinion: ★★★★

This was exactly as described on the cover - "a cozy mystery novel". In terms of the 'mystery' there were no clues to solve, nothing to work out, no blood, no frenzy - it was a nice story with fun characters to just enjoy rather than participate in - exactly like it said. It was easy reading and light-hearted escapism done well. And, there was plenty to keep you attention in form of the characters and humour. I particularly loved the family dynamic between the three generations of Parker women, perhaps best summed up by this little extract where Jodie (Nosey) Parker's 12-yr old daughter, Daisy, asks if she can get her nose pierced as well as her ears. Too which Jodie replies "Of course! And one in your belly button. And a tattoo. And Nana'll get a nipple ring while we're there." Followed by Nana's "Ooh. Just imagine getting that caught on your cardie." I also loved the flirty banter, innuendo and love/hate dynamic between Jodie and DCI Withers.

#6 Asking for a Friend by Andi Osho (21 Jan 2021)

Forty-something Jemima’s life is on track – well, sort of, she just need to bat her niggly ex away for good. Twenty-something Meagan is in the midst of her five-phase plan and is nearly ready for phase three: a relationship. While thirty-something Simi has had more it’s not yous than any I dos. These best friends decide it’s time to ditch the dating apps and play the love game by their own rules. They’re going to ask people out in real life…but only for each other. What could possibly go wrong?

In my opinion: ★★★★

From the description -  comedian author, perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane (I am) and dating - I was looking forward to a funny catalogue of dating disasters ending in true love obviously (it is a romcom after all). Sadly though the book was more about the friends' relationships with themselves and each other than the dates themselves.

There were a few funny one-liners - one of my favourites being "she was as British as binge drinking and sarcasm" - but on the whole most of the 'comedy' came from the banter between the girls. I did love the dynamics between the three very different friends though, and the effortless way the author managed to capture how real friends tease, argue, champion and talk straight to each other.

I enjoyed this book for what it was; a light-hearted story about love and friendship. But, would probably have done so more had it itself.not promised more.

#7 The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell (7 Jan 2021)

At nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people, but when a fall lands her in a nursing home she struggles to cope with the loss of independence and privacy - and dreams of escape. Fellow 'inmate', the gregarious, would-be comedian Walter Clements also plans on returning home as soon as he is fit and able to take charge of his mobility scooter. They join forces - and very slowly, an unlikely, unexpected friendship begins to grow.

In my opinion: ★★★

Set in Australia (which I hadn't realised) this was a nice story focused entirely on the older generation to give a refreshingly honest (both fun and poignant) account of aging. There's plenty of scenes which show the vitality, passion, tenacity and mischievousness of the nursing home residents. For example, their great escape (obviously), scooter joy riding, and adding washing up liquid to the ornamental garden fountain. But, the author also sensitively draws attention to some of the inevitable realities such as death, illness, loss of independence and rigid (outdated) routines of life in a nursing home. As said, a nice story but sadly rather too long-winded and slow for me.

Best of Reality Shows

As much as I love reading, I watch a bit of television too and have to confess a love of reality TV. Having read a number of books recently that reminded me of some of my favorite shows including Married at First Sight, The Batchelorette, and Love Island, I thought I'd share the best of those in my opinion.

#1 The Shelf by Helly Acton (Jul-20)

www.hellyacton.com

When Amy's long-term boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday, she thinks he's going to finally pop the Big Question. But the dream turns into a nightmare when, instead, she finds herself on the set of a Big Brother-style reality television show, The Shelf. Along with five other women, Amy is brutaally dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks in the hope of being crowned 'The Keeper'.

In my opinion: I absolutely loved this and I knew I would right from the very first page when I read Amy's rant about "being force-subscribed to a daily update of dribble, snot and tears" after “Jane’s posted another close-up of the twins....smeared in a rank blend of banana and carrot.” I could totally relate. 

In fact this book could have been written for me. I totally agree with and share many of Amy’s (new) life goals after the show’s therapist, Dr Hicks’ (and the baby challenge) help Amy realise that “trying to find someone to do life with” doesn’t necessarily have to mean mortgages, marriage and kids but could be seeing things and having experiences, “maybe it’s a secret beach in Asia somewhere.”Although it’s Amy’s best friend Sarah (and not the celebrity life coaches) that best sum up my feelings ‘on doing life’ with the sentiment: “Live life for yourself....If you meet someone who wants what you want, great. If you don’t, those are the cards you’ve been dealt.”

It's not all life lessons or feminism, however, it’s light-hearted, deeply satirical and brilliantly hilarious. I was literally crying with laughter at the baby challenge when housemate Hattie reluctantly leaves her baby with Jackie who accidentally dislocates her arm, handing her back with the limb reattached the wrong way round and a near-detached head. Such a great cast of diverse characters too, particularly in the form of the housemates – Selfish Jackie, Distant Gemma, Boring Hattie, Bitter Kathy, Easy Lauren and of course Desperate Amy.

My rating: 5 stars

#2 One to Watch by Kate Stayman London (Jul-20)

www.katestaymanlondon.com

Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger. Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: hit reality show Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections.

In my opinion: Obviously based around reality show The Batchelor, this was a captivating plot as much like reality TV itself it quickly sucked you in with its superficial drama, love/hate characters and intrigue about who'd eventually be crowned the winner aka 'Main Squeeze'. I was hooked trying to work out, like Bea, if any of the guy's were genuine or not, vibing Sam, hating Jefferson and trying not to be charmed by bad boy Luc. Annoyingly though it was also quite repetitive with the constant reminders that Bea is a plus size girl and quite American with lots of references and words that I just didn't understand. Entertaining, trashy, escapism.

My rating: 4 stars

#3 Married at First Swipe by Claire Frost (Sep-20)

twitter.com/fabfrosty

Learning that her best friend’s online dating business has taken a hit, Hannah comes up with an idea that just might solve both of their problems: finding a man using Jess’s dating app and meeting him for the first time at the altar. 

In my opinion: Loosely based on one of my favourite TV shows 'Married at First Sight', sadly I was disappointed as it wasn't anywhere near as dramatic as the show nor as funny as other similar stories. The big problem for me was that this focused way too much on the pre-wedding and not enough on the wedding or marriage. I wanted more of their first impressions of each other, more of what happened on the honeymoon, more dates, more getting to know each other, more Toby - just more of everything really.  The other problem was main character Hannah - who I found slightly annoying and totally selfish.

My rating: 3 stars

Best of October

Autumn is here and my 'Book of the Month' is....

1. The Winter Garden by Heidi Swain (Released 1 October 2020)

When an opportunity to design a winter garden opens up in Nightingale Square, Freya jumps at the chance to make a fresh start. But while the majority of the residents are welcoming, local artist Finn seems determined to shut her out, and when Freya's family make a surprise appearance, it seems that her new life is about to come crashing down.

In my opinion - Heidi Swain is one of my all-time favourite authors and this, the third in the nightingale series, is a return to her best. This one once again focused fully on the square's residents and that's what I love most about Heidi's novels that sense of catching up with much loved friends. Don't worry though if you haven't read any of the others as each one focuses on a different lead character and story so it really won't matter.

Like the others though it's another heart-warming tale of new beginnings, love and friendships with delightful characters and a idyllic setting. A simple formula but one that works so well! With the author's trademark charm, effortless writing style and vivid descriptions, I could clearly picture the garden, square and every single character. Once again I fell in love with the place, wanting to up sticks and move there.