Tag: Book Blog

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Fiction Romance

Three’s A Crowd, Simon Booker

What happens when an estranged father and son unwittingly fall in love with the same woman?

That is exactly what happens to Harriet, who meets Tom, a regular customer at the café she works at, and his dad, radio presenter DJ Richard who she meets at ‘The Voice of London competition’.

Having just come out of a shambolic relationship, with cheating Damian aka ‘Cockweasel’. Harriet decides to take a chance on both men, not realising they are father and son, and by the time the truth is out, both Tom and Richard are deeply in love with Harriet, leaving her with an impossible choice.

Three’s A Crowd has a little bit of everything in there. As expected, it is a love triangle romance story, but with humour and mysteries thrown in. Themes in the book included relationships and breakups, career confidence, big life decisions and mental health illness.

Normally in novels with a triangular love story, I find myself having a favourite and see one lover as more worthy than another, but as the mysteries unravel throughout the book, it was very hard not to emphasise with everyone. I think this goes to show just how impeccable the way Simon Booker portrayed the characters was, and this does not only go for the main three protagonists, but also for the minor characters too. Nancy, Harriet’s hilarious Nan, and Gorgeous George, Richard’s runaway Dad, really added value to the story.

Overall, a light humourful read, which I would give 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Fiction

At First Sight, Hannah Sunderland

Trigger Warning: suicide, bereavement, mental health illnesses.

Nell is a telephone operator at a mental health charity. One lunch time chance leads Nell to meet Charlie in a cafe. They both feel a spark but regrettably don’t exchange numbers. After leaving the cafe and heading back to work Nell does a u-turn, as she rushes back to the cafe in hope that Charlie is still there. When she realises he is not,  she accepts she will not see him again.

Fate has a funny way of bringing people together and that is exactly what happens to Nell and Charlie when the next day Nell’s work phone rings and Charlie is at the other end of the line. He needs Nell’s help.

At First Sight is beautifully written and heartwarming but is like no other romance story I have ever read as it delves into some of life’s darkest moments as it centres around themes such as suicide, mental health, depression, grief and finding love after bereavement.

Having been recently bereaved by suicide myself, I thought that the book was written in the most sensitive way, with an aim to break surrounding stigmas and raise awareness, and you can tell that Hannah Sunderland had researched the themes very thoroughly.

The pace of the book felt right and I felt fully invested in all the characters. Whilst, as a reader you want Nell and Charlie to live happily ever after, I really appreciated that the author didn’t include romantic cliches. I found this emphasised the difficulties those who have been bereaved, and those who support them, face and that these things are never a straight line.

Overall, a really emotionally rewarding book, which is very different from anything I have read before.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

Surrogate, Susan Spindler

Ruth Furnival has a highly successful career as a television executive, lives in a beautiful London home with Adam, her lawyer husband, and has two grown up daughters. Sounds perfect right? However, at 54 years old Ruth finds herself feeling dissatisfied.

Lauren, Ruth’s eldest daughter, has had multiple rounds of IVF, and after her latest miscarriage she is told that the only way she will ever have her own child is through surrogacy. However, surrogacy laws in the UK can be complicated, which leads to Lauren unsure about letting a stranger carrying her baby. When Ruth realises that it is possible that she can reverse the menopause and carry Lauren’s baby, Lauren and her husband, whilst reluctant at first, agree out of desperation.

However, not is all as simple as it seems.

Surrogate is an extremely powerful read. It touches upon such a delicate topic yet Susan Spindler portrays it perfectly; delicately but authentically, as she shows all the realities which need to be considered, and the emotional turmoil it can cause to all involved. Aside from surrogacy and infertility other themes in the novel include relationships, identity and self-purpose.

The characterisation in this book was spot on. Every character had something to bring to the novel and I found it interesting to understand the impact of the surrogacy on each of their personalities. Sometimes when reading you like and dislike certain characters- with this book I liked and disliked them all during different times- as the author managed to bring out the worst and best in all of them, which showed the rollercoaster of emotions and feelings each of them faced.

I really enjoyed the pace of this book. There were lots of twists and turns and things which you don’t expect to happen. It was a topic which a lot of people may shy away from and therefore very much if anything similar to this before and overall found it a very powerful and emotionally charged read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

Stay Home, Ava Pierce

Stay Home is a mystery thriller which evolves around London during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic. It centres around two main characters; Caitlin a mother of two and wife, who has been having an affair with the victim Daniel, and Ali, a just-about-functioning, lonely alcoholic whose main hobby is neighbourhood watch.

When Caitlin discovers Daniel dead one morning when she is supposed to be on her ‘daily run’ she is reluctant to tell a soul. After all she is breaking the lockdown rules, not to even mention reporting the incident to the police will unlock the truth of her affair and therefore she risks losing her family as a result of her deceptive secret. However, little does Caitlin know she is being watched.

I was really excited to read this book as it was the first mystery I have read which centres around the pandemic we are living through. Although, I was nervous- was it a bit soon? I have to say the bravery of the author did pay off!

Admittedly, I did find the start slow. However, the pace of the storyline started to pick up and before I knew it I was racing through the book, finding it difficult to put down as twists and turns occurred. I have to say I particularly loved the character development of Ali, Ava Pierce led me to really emphasise with her pain, and I enjoyed the growth of Ali and Caitlin’s ‘chalk and cheese’ companionship throughout the novel and how ultimately they were not very different from each other at all.

Without giving any spoilers, I did find the ending a tad predictable. Perhaps I just read too many thrillers and my guessing game has got good? As a result of this, was Stay Home the best thriller I have read? Unfortunately, not. However, that does not undermine how much I enjoyed the journey of the novel and I would give it a solid 3 stars.

Overall, a very current read, relatable and full of twists and turns.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

Feel Better, No Matter What, Michael James

We’ve all read self-help books and they all tell us to eat healthy, exercise more and perhaps even to practice gratitude or meditate… right?

So you may be thinking oh no not another self-help book. However, this is much more than your average self-help book. Feel Better, No What holds all the secrets you need to change your mindset. It doesn’t just tell you to do certain practices, it teaches you how to do them!

In this book, Michael James guides us through a 4 week course. He teaches us how to do many techniques, which you may or may not have heard of before, explaining how we can fit these practices into everyday lives.

I didn’t actually do the course, which is why I would give this book 4/5 stars. If I were to follow through and saw an improvement in my life then I would have given it 5 stars. Nevertheless I found this book very helpful and am keen to keep referring to it to put some of the advice into practice.

Overall, a breath of fresh air. A self-help book which is relatable, understandable and practical.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Fiction

Ghosts, Dolly Alderton

Nina Dean is a 32 year old successful food writer. Following her break up with her ex, whom she is still on good terms with, it is just her and her consistently single friend Lola, who seem to have not settled down. With a little encouragement from Lola, Nina starts using a dating app called ‘Lynx’, where she meets Max. Things seem to spark between Nina and Max and he even tells her on date one that he will marry her.   

Whilst it appears Nina’s love life is blossoming, everything else feels like it is falling apart around her. Having moved into her new flat she discovers her downstairs neighbour is extremely inconsiderate playing music at all hours and trying to make everyone in the blocks life a living hell, her Dad is slowly vanishing to dementia which has spurred on her mum’s mid-life crisis as she is in denial, and all her friends are either getting married, having children or moving to the suburbs – or all three!

Ghosts is a contemporary novel which taps into the world of modern dating as it delves into what relationships have become and how quickly we dispose of other humans in this tech fueled world. In the story it is referred to how in the past, before technology if you told someone you would be somewhere; you would stick to that arrangement. Whereas in today’s world people just delete conversations, like it never happened, like you never existed. And whilst ghosting in the traditional dating form occurs in the book, Alderton’s narrative tackles a vast range of other ways Nina is ghosted- ghosted by her old friendships which appear to be hanging on by a silver thread, ghosted by the person her father once was as he becomes more and more distanced from the person he used to be, and ghosted by her childhood memories as she holds on to them for comfort.

Throughout this novel I feel like Alderton really shows growing up for what it is. So many people fear that they are not at the same stage as friends and inevitably friendships do stop serving the purpose they may have served in the past. Aside from growing up, other themes in the book included memory, identity, relationships, change and hope. I particularly enjoyed the avenue Alderton explores of memory and food as Nina serves her Dad foods he enjoyed from his childhood to help bring back memories to him. I found this really interesting and was determined to read up on this more upon completing the book.

The only reason I would give it four instead of five stars is because of something which happens near the end. Without giving away any spoilers, the thing which happens just seemed unrealistic and a bit misplaced. Aside from that I loved it!

Overall a brilliant first novel; relatable, moving and full of humour.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Whole Truth, Cara Hunter

A few years ago I read Close to Home by Cara Hunter and was so surprised at the end that I had to read the final chapter twice, so I was super excited to read The Whole Truth, and to see whether it was as good as I had remembered Close to Home had been.

The Whole Truth cleverly revolves around two mysteries. One involves an investigation of an alleged rape of a male student by a female professor, and the other the death of a woman, who is feared to have been killed by a serial rapist. Both storylines had me captured as they were full of twists and turns and led to unpredictable endings.

Themes touched upon in this book include sexism, power and gender politics. I thought Cara displayed these themes in a very thought-provoking way as she tied in real life examples such as the #MeToo movement.

Whilst this is book No. 5 in the DI Adam Fawley saga, the story stands alone. As I previously stated, I have read one other book in this series but did not find having not read the others to negatively impact the story. However, if you are still not convinced then the author does kindly include a rundown of all the characters at the start of the book. This is great for not only people who haven’t read the other books in the series, but also for those who may need a little refresher.

Overall, a really gripping read. Cara Hunter really does have a talent for ‘WhoDunIt’ storylines!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Non Fiction Politics

This Land, Owen Jones

This Land is a balanced review of British politics over the last five years, in which Owen Jones discusses the rise and fall of Corybnism.

In 2015, Jeremy Corbyn, found himself in a race he never expected to win. He was a backbencher who was passionate about foreign policy and hated the limelight and adversity hence why he never intended to become leader. He ran for leader to make a point yet accidently found himself leader of the Labour party. Jeremy offered hope and a completely different way of living. After years of austerity, he became popular particularly amongst the younger generation and won people over with his ‘For the many not the few’ campaign, which led to the Labour party getting the highest vote share since 2001 and was the first time the party had gained seats since 1997.

However, Corbyn’s success was short lived and when the next election came around in 2019, Labour faced their biggest defeat since 1935. Owen Jones explores why this was, noting Jeremy’s hatred of facing conflict, the poor handling of allegations of antisemitism within the party, and the poor organisation skills and lack of Communications strategy for the 2019 election. Whilst for those who did support Corbyn this can be hard hitting; through these insights Owen Jones hopes that Labour can learn from these lessons to avoid history repeating itself in future elections.    

Throughout this book I believe Jeremy Corbyn is presented in a fair way. Owen writes in a way which ensures Corbyn’s personality and passions shine through, showing him for the kindhearted and caring person that I believe he is, but Owen is not afraid to discuss his faults. The book is well written, showing both sides of the story.

Overall, I found this a very good insight into politics and what goes on behind the scenes. It showed the importance of everyone getting behind a campaign, and how easily the media can manipulate the public. We don’t always see who the real ‘bad guys’ are, or equally who are the real drivers of a campaign, but Owen picks the past five years apart into so much detail that we can really pinpoint where things went right and wrong. Whilst, parts of this book were tricky to read (I found myself rereading pages to fully comprehend everything), I believe it is a great read for anyone who wants a better understanding of what went wrong for the Labour party in the 2019 election.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Press UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Fiction

The Shock of the Fall, Nathan Filer

Whilst on holiday with their parents, Matthew Homes and his brother, Simon, sneak out in the middle of the night. However, only Matthew returns safely. Fast forward ten years and Matthew is in a mental institution. He feels guilty for his brother’s death and is living with Schizophrenia, frequently hearing and seeing visions of Simon.

What really intrigued me is that Schizophrenia is often a mental health illness, people are afraid to touch in comparison to more common illnesses, such as Depression. However, I thought Nathan Filer, portrayed the illness very well and realistically. As a result, it was no surprise that after finishing ‘The Shock of the Fall’, I discovered he has experiences of working as a Mental Health Nurse.

If I am honest, when I first began reading this book I wasn’t so sure at first. It took me a while to get into it. However, this is part of Matthew’s characterisation. He is not the most reliable storyteller and the switching between different periods of time reflects his thinking patterns. Whilst this can be hard to follow, it is worth it and really helps you to immerse yourself within the character.

Overall, whilst a difficult read, this book shares Matthew’s journey with you in the most honest way, whilst touching upon themes of grief, guilt, trauma and mental illness.

Categories
Non Fiction Self help

My Therapist Says… Advice You Should Probably (Not) Follow

I have to admit, I never did follow the @MyTherapistSays Instagram account before reading this book. I was just drawn in due to personal experiences with therapy, therefore I did not really know what to expect.

This book covers all types of life advice from relationship’s, to jobs, to self-care, and is brutally honest about life and the daily anxieties some of us face. It switches between the perspective of the writer and the opinions of her therapist. Some of the things which are mentioned in the book, I found a bit cringe and some of the things I assume people may see as common sense, but I thought it was very light hearted and a reminder that we all face the same struggles.

I really liked the graphics and the quotes throughout the book. Although, I have to say the mint green writing required me to strain my eyes (and that’s with glasses on!) but I am sure that would be fine in print format.

Overall I think this book was aimed at a younger audience than myself. I wasn’t overly keen on the whole book (I may have skipped the Astrology section). However, the open nature of this book and the honesty the anecdotes are told with, I believe will really help to destigmatise mental health and hopefully lead to people having more open conversations. Overall, a book all teenagers should read, especially when feeling like you’re on your own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group Rock Point for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.