Archive for 2014

Two for the price of one this month, I read No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday really quick and really enjoyed it so went straight on to Tracy Bloom's second novel Single Woman Seeks Revenge. So here is what they are both about and why I like them.

No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday:

"Never has a one-night stand led to such chaos!
Childhood sweethearts Matthew and Katy agree they must never see each other again after they end up in bed together following a school re-union.
So all is forgotten... until eight months later when a shock meeting at an antenatal class forces them to confront the fact that Matthew could be the father of Katy's baby. Oblivious to the mayhem unfolding, Matthew's highly-strung wife frets over giving birth to twins and Katy’s much younger boyfriend refuses to take fatherhood seriously.
Love and life are messy but Katy and Matthew take things to a whole new level as deep emotions begin to resurface and hormones run riot.
How will they navigate their way through this almighty cock-up?"

If your looking for a good old bit of chick-lit, either to take on holiday if you're lucky enough to be going away, or just looking for a book that will make you laugh and nod to yourself as you think, yes I would probably do that, then this is perfect. I found all the characters to be pretty realistic which I think is something a lot of 'chick-lit' lacks, also throughout the book I couldn't decide who Katy would end up with Ben, (who I was routing for) or Matthew and I think Tracy has done a good job at keeping us readers guessing. Finally we can't forget Katy's gay best friend Daniel who even though being one of the most predictable characters, has some of the most funny lines and the ending really wouldn't have been the same without him.

Single Woman Seeks Revenge:

What do you do when you find your love-life in ruins? Get revenge on every man who ever broke your heart of course…Suzie Miller, a disillusioned agony aunt, can’t believe that she’s got dumped from a great height yet again (this time by text, straight after they’ve had sex…twice!). So she decides that the time is right to make every one of her exes feel the pain she felt when they carelessly cast her asideHer methods are unusual but humiliation on a grand scale is no less than they deserve.Euphoric that she’s finally stood up for herself she starts suggesting outrageous ways for her readers to deal with their relationship nightmares too. Suddenly everyone wants Suzie’s advice. Finally content with being single and enjoying her blossoming career its seems as though happiness is within her grasp. That is until a man gets in the way.

After loving Tracy Blooms first début novel No-One Has Sex On A Tuesday, I had to read her second offering, and I wasn't disappointed. Single Woman Seeks Revenge sees local newspaper agony aunt Suzie Miller seek revenge on her ex boyfriends after realising they never treated her that well. With a little help from her colleague at the Manchester Herald, she plans her revenge and tracks down her exes to get her revenge, maybe not realising she might be taking it to far.Just like Tracy's first novel Single Woman Seeks Revenge, has a great mix of humour, drama and romance with some proper laugh out loud moments. I also liked the way we got to see things from Drew's point of view, its always interesting to get a male perspective.

Let me know if you have read any of Tracy Bloom's novels and what you thought about them. You can read more about the author and both novels here on her website. Also let me know if there are any books you would recommend.When looking for links for these novels I noticed Tracy has another novel out I Will Marry George Clooney which I will definitely have to check out!

Thanks For Reading,

Sam x

With the film adaption of Before I Go To Sleep, starring Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, having just been released I thought I would share with you my thoughts on the book is was based on.

"Memories define us.

So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?

Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight.

And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.

Welcome to Christine's life."

Now the plot line to this book isn't exactly original, to put it plainly, a woman wakes up having forgotten everything and then spends the rest of the book trying to remember her life. Now I have read various books that follow the same plot such as What Alice Forgot (Liane Moriaty) and Remember Me (Sophie Kinsella), I'm sure I've read others but rather ironically I can't remember them.

Now I’m sure that my to the point summary hasn't exactly made you want to rush out and buy this book, but I have to stay this one really stood out from the crowd for me. S.J. Watson really manages to put an original spin on the story and you really feel for the main character Christine.

I don't want to give anything away but I will give you the basic points, Christine wakes up thinking she is the same 20ish year old woman she was when she went to sleep yet she doesn't recognise the room she is in or the man in bed beside her. Soon she realises everything isn't what it seems and she seems to have aged overnight. The man in her bed explains all to her and she realises that after a bad accident she has lead a whole life that she’s knows nothing about and will only know what she been told while she is awake because as soon as she goes to sleep she will forget everything again.

Now I have to say I rather pride myself on figuring books out and thinking I know what’s going to happen, but all through the book I kept changing my mind as to who was the ‘bad guy’ and I found the ending very unexpected. I really can't recommend this book it’s very good especially considering this is a debut novel.

Let me know if you have read this book and what you thought of it, also if you have seen the film was it any good?

Thanks For Reading,
Sam x

Now they say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but that’s exactly what I did, I have this what some might say is a slightly strange affinity for the weird/ strange/ peculiar so the the cover and the title of this book had me sold, and well if summer isn't the perfect time for reading a nice spooky book rather then well then I don't know what is. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar children is the début novel from Ransom Riggs.

Here’s the books synopsis:

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children", an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

The book has been a New York Times best seller. The movie rights were sold to 20th Century Fox, and Jane Goldman has been hired to adapt the story as a screenplay. I think that Jane Goldman is perfect for this book, I remember going to see the woman in Black which she adapted for the big screen (nothing to do with Daniel Radcliffe, honest), and I thought it was brilliant.

I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to the movie being made. Let me know if you have read it and what you thought. Also tell me of any books you can recommend.

Thanks for reading,

Sam x

Today I thought I would recommend to you a whole series of books. They are the Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde, so far there are seven books in the series with the 8th titled Dark Reading Matter due for publication in the future. Even though the books haven't had the mainstream success which books such as Hunger games and Harry Potter have enjoyed, and I think that The Thursday Next series deserves. They have developed a kind of cult status with dedicated readers.

Thursday Next novels in Chronological Order

Taking place in a parallel universe set in 1985, where George Formby is president, Thursday Next is a literary detective working for the Special Operations Network, based in Swindon who has the ability to 'jump' in and out of books, helping to stop book related crime. If you are a keen reader then you pick up on a lot of references to other books within the series, not surprising seems they are set in the Book World, however that doesn't mean you wouldn't enjoy them if you didn't pick up on some of these references The Thursday Next series are some of my all time favourite books, and they are books you can read again and again and always notice more details.

Here is the synopsis from the first Thursday Next novel The Eyre Affair:

There's another 1985, where London's criminal gangs have moved into the lucrative literary market, and Thursday Next is on the trail of the new crime wave's Mr Big.

Acheron Hades has been kidnapping characters from works of fiction and holding them to ransom. Jane Eyre is gone. Missing.

Thursday sets out to find a way into the book to repair the damage. But solving crimes against literature isn't easy when you also have to find time to halt the Crimean War, persuade the man you love to marry you, and figure out who really wrote Shakespeare's plays.

Perhaps today just isn't going to be Thursday's Day. Join her on a truly breathtaking adventure, and find out for yourself. Fiction will never be the same again....

If you have enjoyed reading the Thursday Next novels Jasper also has another 3 book series one is the nursery crime series which I also enjoyed as characters from the Thursday Next overlap with those in this series, the Shades of Grey series ( no connection to 'them' other shades of grey books) and finally the Dragonslayer series which is aimed towards a younger audience however that doesn't mean older readers wouldn't enjoy them.

Thanks for reading x

Sam x

"Kate Rokensmith's decision to go to the river changed the lives of many.

Her murder shocked the nation. Her husband, never charged, moved abroad under a cloud of suspicion. Her son, just four years old, grew up in a loveless boarding school. And Detective Inspector Darnell, vowing to leave no stone unturned in the search for her killer, began to lose his only daughter. The young Stella Darnell grew to resent the dead Kate Rokensmith. Her dad had never vowed to leave no leave no stone unturned for her.

Now, thirty years later, Stella is dutifully sorting for her father's attic after his sudden death. The Rokesmith case papers are in a corner, gathering dust: the case was never solved. Stella knows she should destroy them. Instead, she opens the box, and starts to read."

The book begins with us following D.I Darnell still searching for the killer 30 years after the case was closed. His daughter Stella feels her father always favoured his job and this case over her, and has now got to face her demons. After finding the case files whilst cleaning her fathers home she finds herself on the case trying to prove she could have been just a good of detective as him. After hiring Jack Harmon to work for her cleaning company Clean State, she finds herself working with him to solve the case.

I found he first quarter of this book to be quite slow and there was a point where i thought to myself should i just give up? However I'm very glad I didn't! The book is told from the perspective of different characters even though I didn't particularly connect to any characters I found myself wanting to know what happened. At first I thought I'd solved the case however it is full of twists and turns to keep you on your toes, and set against the wintery (is that a word?) backdrop of London certainly had its share of chilling moments. Overall I would certainly recommend this books and for just 59p is at least worth a try.

You can read more about author Lesley Thomson and other books she has written here, you can find The Detective's Daughter here on the kindle store for just 59p, for 98p on the Kobo store here, and for £1 on the Waterstone's here.

Let me know if you have read this book and what you thought, also let me know of any other books you would recommend.

Thanks For Reading,

Sam xx

"The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known. Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of these she loves. And once again Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choice about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love."

So here it is Allegiant the third and final installment of the Divergent series from Veronica Roth. Allegiant is told from the perspectives of both Tris and Tobias, whereas in both Divergent and Insuregent we se things from only Tris's perspective, I felt this added extra dynamic to the book as it was interesting to see how both Tris and Tobias interact with different characters and how they interpret and react differently to various events.

This book doesn't shy away from more adult themes such as Tris and Tobias's relationship problems, Tobias issues with his mother, Evelyn and the abuse they both suffered from the hands of his father Marcus, friendship problems and of course death.

As the story progresses you understand why it necessary to tell the story from both perspectives as different events separate them throughout the story, such as the rebellions rising up in the factionless as they want to fight and take over the city, as well as the formation of the Allegiant, who send a group of Divergent including Tris and Tobias past the fence and outside the city.

And that's where I'm going to stop I really don't want to spoil things for those of you who haven't read it yet. Except to say I.know the ending will divide fans, I have to say even thought I wasn't particularly happy about what happened, I did feel se got a sense of closure for the series, and most (not all!) my questions where answered.

So that's is, well except the four eBooks we have to look forward to, as we find out what happens to Tobias following the events of Allegiant, and of course we have the film to look forward too which will be released next year. Let me know if I you have read it mad especially what you thought of the ending.

Thanks for Reading,

Sam x