Tag: book reviews

Categories
Biography Non Fiction Self help

Now is Not the Time for Flowers, Stacey Heale

When Stacey’s husband, Greg, is diagnosed with incurable cancer, Stacey’s life as she knew it comes to a halt. Confronted with this devastating reality, Stacey explores the profound differences between our expectations and reality in this part self-help, part memoir book.

Stacey takes readers on a journey through the complexities of grief in modern life, revealing the messy and unexpected realities of love, desire, motherhood, death, grief, identity, personal growth, and the challenges and questions that arise from our nuanced lives.

‘Now is Not the Time for Flowers’ is a truly honest reflection of grief and all its complexities. I found Stacey’s writing refreshing; her honesty resonated, and she articulates so well what many of us fail to put into words. Her words are comforting, and her perspectives on life are encouraging – I don’t think I have highlighted so many things in one book before.

I loved how the book had short chapters and jumped between topics. Many books on grief reflect on a few topics in great detail, but in doing so, they leave out so much and become repetitive. Grief is messy; it impacts many parts of our lives and can leave our minds jumping ferociously between different thoughts and emotions, and I felt this reflected in this book. No stone is left unturned, and Stacey doesn’t shy away from any thought, making it more authentic and relatable than most books on grief.

Other themes which come to light in the book, and which I found incredibly enlightening, include the power of social media networks, the relationship between grief and capitalism, the experiences of women and how we find ourselves playing roles throughout our lives, and the concept of a teenage bedroom as a site for identity construction.

This book is not only for those who have dealt with grief or know someone who is terminally ill but for everyone, as it serves as a poignant reminder of why we should find joy in every day. Thank you, Stacey, for sharing your and Greg’s story.

Categories
Biography Non Fiction Self help

Mad Woman, Bryony Gordon

Ten years after the release of her debut book, mental health advocate Bryony Gordon’s continues to offer us a raw and unfiltered glimpse into her ongoing battles with mental illness, in her latest book ‘Mad Woman’.

In this unique blend of autobiography and self-help, Bryony delves into her recent experiences of menopause, binge eating and the continuous battle she faces with OCD, personified as the notorious Jareth the Goblin King. Through her candid storytelling, she invites us as readers to emphasise with the challenges she faces each day as someone living with mental health illnesses including her recovery from alcoholism – has she broken her sobriety by taking cough medicine?

In addition to sharing the experiences she faced throughout the years of the pandemic, Bryony also reflects on many broader societal issues, including the dismissal of women’s health concerns, and damaging assumptions about body weight and fitness. Most groundbreakingly she reflects on what she has learnt about mental health illnesses throughout her journey – perhaps we aren’t the problem but existing in a world where we are constantly in a state of perma-crisis is, offering a poignant realisation that perhaps our brains are simply trying to keep us safe (the unveil of which is emotional).

What sets Bryony apart from other mental health advocates is that she tackles difficult subjects and infuses her narrative with a touch of humility and wit. Through moments of raw honesty and humour, she takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster, offering hope and most importantly making them feel less alone and united in mental illness struggles.

Raw, honest and hilarious, Bryony is the mental health bestie we all need. 5 stars.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

Laying Out The Bones, Kate Webb

Following flash floods, something sinister is brought to the ground’s surface; a human skeleton. Forensic tests soon reveal that the body belongs to Lee Geary, a man who went missing nine years earlier and the case is passed to DI Lockyer to solve.

As Lockyer digs into Geary’s past he unveils the fact that Geary was questioned during the same year he went missing in relation to another crime- the murder of Holly Gilbert.

Alongside DC Gemma Broad, Lockyer delves deeper and discovers a web of mysteries which he is left to untangle.

At last! The long awaited sequel to Stay Buried has arrived. Laying Out The Bones is the next in the DI Lockyer series. With such a high standard to follow I was relieved the second book in the series did disappoint!

Laying Out The Bones is another fast paced, multifaceted mystery about unsolved murders and buried secrets. The story spans over a long timeframe, and involves many characters with intertwining stories- the fact Kate Webb pulls this off is truly a testament to her writing skill. Very much like the first book – every character is well thought out, and despite there being so many you really gather an insight into each of their histories, struggles and motivations.

Similarly to its prequel the series continues to highlight themes surrounding inequalities, grief and injustice. I thought these were presented well and added substance to the story, evoking emotion beyond your typical crime mystery/thriller.

Overall, Laying Out The Bones is masterfully crafted, from compelling characters to intricate plot twists and with the book ending on a cliffhanger, I am very hopeful this is not the last of DI Lockyer. 5 stars.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

A Death at the Party, Amy Stuart

Nadine Walsh is hosting a party for her mother’s 60th birthday. As she prepares to welcome her guests, she appears distracted. Her husband is of little help, her teenage children are going through their own problems, and she has secrets of her own which threaten to destroy her perfect party.

By the end of the night, Nadine will be standing over a dead body in the basement, but how did it come to this and how far will Nadine go to keep her secrets buried?

A Death at the Party is a slow burning domestic thriller. Forget ‘whodunnit’. This is a ‘whydunnit’ and ‘whoisdun’, as the mystery surrounds which of the party attendees has met their demise, and why.

Some novels lose readers because they get off to a slow start. This is the complete opposite; Amy Stuart was not messing here as she starts with the ending.  Just reading those first few introductory pages had me gripped as I needed to know how we got there.  

Despite some flashbacks to past events which help us to understand the history of some of the characters, much of the book purely spans over the timeframe of just one day. Split into three parts; morning, afternoon and evening, with an undeniable amount of tension building throughout. Having a book written over such a short time span, and still managing to build the level of suspense which A Death at the Party does is a testament to the author.

I enjoyed the characters, particularly the main protagonist Nadine. She wasn’t overly likeable, but she was very real.  She came across as a good wife, mother, and daughter and yet she also made mistakes. Her suspicious nature added to the mystery for me, and many of her actions were unsurprising given what she had gone through as a child. In addition to Nadine, all the other characters were well thought out, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and many of whom have their own secrets.

Themes in the book include loyalty, grief, and family secrets. There was also a clear gender divide in the book, there was a lot of focus on the complexities of the lives of women, with many of the males coming across as mistrustful and having inappropriate intentions, representing some of the inequalities we see in society.  Overall, the focus on family bonds was powerful, reminding us just how complex families can be and the lengths which people may go to protect their loved ones.

Overall a thoroughly engaging domestic thriller with compelling characters and a gripping plot.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Girl in the Dark, Deirdre Palmer

Ellen Randall, chilled by the January wind at a train station, spots a red scarf and is startled by the wearer’s identity. Three weeks later, a man explores an abandoned station, finding Ellen in distress. She confesses to having intentionally killed someone, surprising him with her confession.

The Girl in the Dark is a riveting psychological thriller with a brilliantly crafted plot that constantly challenges your assumptions. Just when you think you have it figured out, the story takes a thrilling twist.

Deirdre Palmer skillfully employs a multi-narrative approach, allowing readers to reach into the minds of various characters and experience the story from their unique experiences. The characters were well-rounded, some more flawed than others but the psychological exploration of their unique struggles added depth and intrigue to the story.

Profound themes are explored in this gripping tale. These include but are not limited to grief, the influence of memories on our thought process, the enduring impact of early life experience, while also shedding light on the poignant issues of suicide and loneliness.

The author’s post-epilogue reflection on the inspiration behind the story, especially the exploration of London’s secret underground locations, was a unique and intriguing addition to the book’s conclusion. It not only added a fresh perspective but also offered a fascinating glimpse into the history of London’s underground network. It’s clear that the author invested a substantial amount of research to craft this captivating tale.

Overall a gripping psychological thriller which I enjoyed from start to finish.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. The Girl in the Dark is out now.

Categories
Non Fiction Politics

Politics, But Better, Tatton Spiller

From the founder of Simple Politics comes a guide on how we can rediscover the heart of our democracy, reshape our political system and make the UK a better place for all.

With all the issues we hear which occurs at No.10 and it’s surroundings (especially over the past few years!) it is no wonder so many have lost faith in politics! However, Tatton Spiller brings to light twenty six issues in this A-Z guide and makes suggestions on how we can deal with them putting humanity and respect at the very forefront.

Perhaps there is hope after all.

I have always had an interest in politics but in our twenty four hour always on world it can be so incredibly difficult to keep up – not to mention anxiety inducing! That is where Simple Politics is incredibly useful as if you visit their Instagram you will see you get the facts, which are always partial, and they explain things in a way which the average person can understand. As a result of following them for years- I was very excited to see this book which was written by the founder!

The book is split in an A-Z style- each letter representing a different issue which is present in politics. This was a brilliant way to touch on many different issues, which were discussed partially, drawing upon evidence, as well as suggestions being made on how we could approach certain issues.

Tatton presents his thoughts in a unbiased way and draws upon examples from both the left and right, which makes this book a decent read no matter where you sit on the political scale. My only slight draw back is that there was a chapter which explained the values of conservatism but we didn’t get a similar chapter on the left and I think that would have made a wonderful addition especially for a reader who may be completely new to politics and/or someone who may have never opened their mind to the other viewpoint.

When I finished this book the main thing I took was we need to do better. We live in a world where you do something wrong- you get cancelled. You have an opinion- it if it doesn’t suit the majority then you receive unwarranted abuse. Throughout the book we are encouraged to be able to have debates, to listen to each other and to respect different opinions which I thought was such an important message.

Overall, a very enlightening read. I really hope one day we can see respect at the heart of our government again – Tatton for PM?

Many thanks to the publishers Elliot & Thompson and to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Politics, But Better will be published on the 7th September 2023.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Lost Daughter, Jane Adams

Three years ago Ashley Summers watched the love of her life drop dead in a supermarket. She has no idea how to ever move on from this but then she meets Tim Bennett, who is kind and caring.

It all appears perfect, until one day Ashley is gone. The family turn to ex-detective Ray Flowers who quickly can confirm that Tim Bennett is not who he says he is – after all Tim Bennett is a good friend of his.

So who is Ashley’s boyfriend?

The Lost Daughter is book five in the Ray Flowers series. I personally have not read the first four, and whilst this didn’t hinder my experience, I think reading the others may have been beneficial in terms of understanding some of the characters a bit more.

The premise of the book starts with a missing woman but quickly develops to so much more than that! I thoroughly enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the book, there is a lot of action and many characters which meant the book had many layers too and kept it exciting. The only disappointing bit was the end felt a bit of anti-climax -having had so much action I expected something slightly more jaw-dropping.

Overall a fast paced, action thriller, four stars.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

Stay, Jane Bailey

Spending the summer travelling seemed like the perfect idea after flunking her exams, but when those closest to Caitlin betray her, she finds herself hitchhiking home alone, heartbroken and penniless.

A smiling family pull up on the roadside and offer her to stay with them for the night. One night soon turns into two and with the country being put into lockdown, it is impossible to turn down their offer to tutor their children, especially when they are so nice. It all seems perfect.

But then a member of the household warns Caitlin to leave, and then her phone suddenly goes missing, is this family perfect after all, but by the time she realises not all may be as it seems, it may be too difficult to leave.

Stay is a suspenseful psychological thriller which will have you turning the pages right until you reach the very end. The book is set around the Covid-19 lockdown which worked very well as it foreshadowed what it means to be trapped and added an extra layer of claustrophobia to the story.

The characters are depicted in believable way; Mimi and Marcus are manipulatively evil, Caitlin’s mother was motherly and warm and had put aside so much for her family and that is just touching the tip of the iceberg- Jane Bailey maintains this level of realistic characterisation through and through. Like many other readers was I screaming at Caitlin to not be so stupid? Absolutely yes! However, she was a naive nineteen year old in trouble so the storyline is absolutely plausible.

Overall a very startling read, I was totally engrossed.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

A Game of Lies, Clare Mackintosh

In the Welsh mountains, new reality series ‘Exposure’ is being filmed- but the seven reality show contestants have no idea what they truly signed up for. Once locked in the camp they discover they are competing to keep their secrets from being exposed live on air.

When one of the contestants escapes from the camp Detective Ffion Moran is called in but the stakes are raised when a murder- leaving the detective to uncover who’s secret was worth killing for?

A Game of Lies is the second book in the Ffion Morgan series. This time the plot surrounds a reality TV show which is very similar to I’m A Celebrity with the added twist of dark truths being exposed as people are eliminated. A Game of Lies could be read as a standalone book however I would suggest reading The Last Party if you want to fully understand the characters and their back stories- especially as Clare is a very thorough and detailed author.

In terms of characters, it was great to see how some of the characters and the relationships between them developed from the first novel- Ffion Morgan remains a strong protagonist! Equally it was interesting to meet some new faces – I was particularly interested in George, a new character who I believe we will be seeing and learning a lot more about in the next instalment.

As with all Clare Mackintosh books the detail is superb; the characters are multifaceted which makes them all the more interesting, the way Clare describes the scenes instantly bring the tight-knit community to life – despite me not knowing Wales very well, and despite being a work of fiction it brings to light some very real issues including the manipulation of the media, impacts of reality TV, misogyny, power and betrayal.

Whilst, A Game of Lies is a thriller, full of mystery and twists and turns, it also has an element of romance whilst Ffion’s attitude and Dave the Dog will have you laughing which make it a real all-rounder. All in all, 5 stars, already awaiting the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. A Game of lies will be published on the 20th July.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Couple in the Photo, Helen Cooper

Lucy and Adam do everything with their closest family friends Cora and Scott. They’ve even bought a beach house together to enjoy summers with their kids.

One day a colleague passes around photographs of her honeymoon in the Maldives and Lucy is stunned to see Scott in one of them, his arm is around another woman.

If that isn’t bad enough, the news then breaks and the woman from the photograph has mysteriously vanished.

As Lucy looks for answers first her life begins to unravel around her, just how much can you trust your best friends?

The Couple in the Photo is a compelling thriller, which keeps you guessing all the way through.  Just when you thought you had guessed it another twist would happen and ultimately, I did not see the ending coming.

At the heart of the book are two families, what seems to be an idyllic friendship is actually a masterful construction of lies. The characterisation is mostly believable, and I really enjoyed the dynamics of friendship between the two couple as well as the dysfunction of it.

I enjoyed the fact that photographs were a continuous theme throughout the book – how one photo can unravel lies and/or how one photo can be edited to create a whole other narrative. I thought this focus was very thought-provoking.

Overall, 4 stars, a compelling thriller based on friendship and deceit and will keep you guessing until the very end.

The Couple in the Photo is out on the 22nd June.