So first off let me just say I'm a big fan of Tracy Bloom, as you can tell from
this blog post I thoroughly enjoyed her previous novels and this one was no exception. No-One ever has sex in the suburbs carries on Ben and Katy's story from after the events in No-One ever has sex on a Tuesday.
"Ben and Katy haven't had sex since Ben found out about her one-night stand with her childhood sweetheart, Matthew.
Not only that but the arrival of a new-born baby has blown their relationship apart like a hand grenade.
Drastic measures are required, so they swap roles hoping that everyone will be happier... Only it’s not as easy as they thought. When a desperate Ben starts secretly accepting help to solve his childcare disasters – from Matthew’s wife – it could mean the end of everything. Can their relationship survive the lies and suspicions and will they ever have sex again? "
I wouldn't say you had to read the first book in order to read this one, but I would recommend it purely because its a very good book. I found all of Tracy's novels have made me laugh out loud, and giggle a way to myself, gaining myself a few funny looks from others in the process. I think if your feeling a bit down or just generally want a bit of humour and warmth then give this book a try as i think its guaranteed to pick you up.
Thanks for Reading,
Sam x
"Maud, an aging grandmother, is slowly losing her memory—and her grip on everyday life. Yet she refuses to forget her best friend Elizabeth, whom she is convinced is missing and in terrible danger.
But no one will listen to Maud—not her frustrated daughter, Helen, not her caretakers, not the police, and especially not Elizabeth's mercurial son, Peter.
Armed with handwritten notes she leaves for herself and an overwhelming feeling that Elizabeth needs her help, Maud resolves to discover the truth and save her beloved friend.
This singular obsession forms a cornerstone of Maud's rapidly dissolving present. But the clues she discovers seem only to lead her deeper into her past, to another unsolved disappearance: her sister, Sukey, who vanished shortly after World War II.
As vivid memories of a tragedy that occurred more fifty years ago come flooding back, Maud discovers new momentum in her search for her friend. Could the mystery of Sukey's disappearance hold the key to finding Elizabeth?"
I read this book over a weekend a few weeks back and I personally enjoyed it. I read mixed reviews on-line about it, some like it other don't and others like its just a bit 'meh'. However I found it kept my attentions and the storyline kept me interested throughout. the story flicks back and forth between Maud, who the story revolves around who suffers from dementia, between her in the present day and she tries and solves the mystery of the missing Elizabeth and back to when she was younger remembering the time around when her sister Sukey vanished.
I found this to be a different take on a mystery novel, the way in which the novel switches between different eras is not in itself original but I found the fact the main character Maud suffered dementia gave the book an unusual spin and also helps in highlighting the illness, one which unfortunately a lot of people are currently suffering from.
Let me know if you've read this book and what your thoughts on it were, also let me know of any books you've read and would recommend.
Thanks for reading,
Sam x
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
"A seashell, a stork and an apple tree—modest beginnings for a story, but sometimes the greatest tales have the most unassuming starting points. In The Mermaid’s Sister, this opening sets the stage for a fantastical journey that extends far beyond its simple origins. Perhaps the most humble things are the easiest to fall in love with, because this book will weave its way into you and enchant you on every page.
The story follows sixteen-year-old Clara as she discovers shimmering, iridescent scales on her sister, Maren. Her sister is becoming a mermaid. Terrified by the implications—no mermaid can live away from the sea—Clara sets out on a journey to save Maren. During her travels, she soon realizes: if her sister is a mermaid, then what is she?
At the heart of that question lies the power of story—particularly, I would argue, the unique power of fantasy stories, which combine impossible worlds with very real questions: who am I? What am I to make of myself? How will I use what I’ve been given to become something in this world? From Frodo Baggins to Tristan Thorn, Westley the farm boy to Lyra Belacqua, these heroes offer us the opportunity to explore life’s essential questions in the most delightful, fascinating way: through the quests of beloved characters who must fight to find the answers that we, too, so desperately wish to know.
Luckily for you and me, we can sit securely in the safety of this world while Clara adventures through the perilous unknown to try to save her sister. Along the way you may come to realise, as Clara does, that sometimes the grandest adventure can begin with the most modest step, and sometimes the smallest wish can grant the heart’s greatest desire."
Somehow I only just noticed I had kindle unlimited as part of my Amazon student account, and have been taking full advantage of it! This is the first book I choose, to be honest I think it's probably aimed at a younger audience than me (I'm 23) but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it.
It's set in the 1870's and the story does have that olden days feel to it, I would say if your not into your magical worlds, and fairy creatures, mermaids, and witches for example the it's probably not for you, otherwise I would say its worth a read and its not too long so you can read it pretty quickly.
Sam x
"There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . .
On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist, whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways . . .
Nella is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?"
The Miniaturist
was very different from any other book I've read, and really wasn't what I was expecting it to be like. The book tells the story through the eyes of Nella, and she has just got married and has moved to a very different world from what she is used to. She is determined to be a good wife and can't understand why Johannes isn't interested.
For me the part of the story which I felt never got fully explained was about actual miniaturist, not that it took anything away from the story, I just felt I never fully understood it. Anyway don't let that out you off, its a really interesting novel and you get a good insight into what life would have been like in Amsterdam in the late 1600's.
Let me know if you have read this novel and what you thought about it and also let me know of any other books you would recommend.
Sam x
The are very few "chick lit" authors were I eagerly await their next book, and Mhairi (pronounced Vah-Ree) McFarlane is firmly in that category ( the only other author I can think of is Tracy Bloom). Not only do her books have romance at the centre, they are genuinely funny and the characters are genuinely relatable. Her latest release It's Not Me It's You is no exception, her first release in hardback, I got through the entire thing in less than 48 hours.
So after that introduction I better tell you what the book is actually about:
" Delia isn't sure when her life went wrong.
When she proposed and discovered her boyfriend was sleeping with someone else - she thought it was her fault.
When she realised life would never be the same again -she thought it was her fault.
But when he wanted her back like nothing had changed - Delia started to wonder if perhaps she wasn't to blame...
As life sends Delia hurtling in a new direction, will she be brave enough to say yes: it not me, it's you?"
I just have to say a quick shout for Mhairi for having a character (Steph) from the Wirral, is it just me who likes it when the place you live is mentioned in a book your reading? And for also noting how people who are from the Wirral can get very annoyed when people say you're from Liverpool!
Let me know if you have read this book and what you thought about it, and don't forget to leave your book recommendations in the comments?
Sam xx
