Tag: Reads Must

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 Self help

Failosophy, Elizabeth Day

Failosophy is a Elizabeth Day’s handbook on how to cope with failure. Drawing upon experiences from her podcast ‘How to Fail… With Elizabeth Day’, Elizabeth has come up with seven principles of failure, which she explains in this book using real examples and demonstrating how we can use failures as opportunities to learn from.  

This book was a very short read but nevertheless very powerful. You can either read it in one sitting or read the chapters which you feel appropriate to you. With the guide being categorised so clearly, it makes it easy for you to revisit relevant sections in times of need.  

In a time where we are scared to fail (shout out to social media and technology) Failosophy really is a mindset changer and allows you to see failure from a new perspective. I could not stop highlighting things I wanted to take from this book and believe everyone can learn something from it.

Thank you to NetGalley and 4th Estate 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.

Categories
Fiction Romance

Married at First Swipe, Claire Frost

‘Married at First Swipe’ centres around Hannah, who is passionate about travelling, grasps every adventure and likes to live life on the edge, and her best friend Jess, who settled down 20 years ago, has two children and is very much a perfectionist.

After the birth of her nephew, Hannah decides it is time to settle back down in Manchester and Jess gives her a job at her company, dating app ‘Save The Date’. Hannah yearns for someone to settle down with, and when she discovers that Save The Date is experiencing financial hardships, Hannah comes up with a plan which could solve everyone’s problems.

But is meeting a man for the first time at the alter really going to help both, Hannah and Jess?

To begin with I wasn’t 100% sure about this book. I thought the premise sounded unrealistic and in all honesty I feared it would be a bit cringe. However, I was drawn in by the modernity of the story line, put aside my preconceived opinions, and gave it a go.

Firstly I believe this is a very early edit as there were some paragraphs which jumped around a bit/a few grammar mistakes, but putting those aside it was a very well written book, with chapters jumping between Hannah and Jess, allowing us have insights into both their lives and hear things from both their views. I was really impressed with how realistic the characters were. Claire Frost really bought them to life and the challenges and hardships they face were really believable and relatable. I found myself warm to both, Hannah and Jess, and wanted happy endings for both of them.

I really enjoyed the themes touched upon in this book and think there are lessons we can all take from the story, such as the work you have to put into long-lasting relationships, how other people’s lives are not as always as perfect as they may seem, and the difficulties you may face to keep all the plates spinning in life and that to do that we must take care of ourselves from time to time.

Overall, an easy and warming feel-good read. Many thanks to NetGalley and to Simon & Schuster UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Categories
Fiction Thriller

The Perfect Sister, Zoe Miller

‘The Perfect Sister’ is told from the viewpoints of Alice and her sister, Holly. When Holly was born, Alice vowed to herself that she would look out for Holly enough to make up for their absent father who walked out before Holly was born. Alice lives up to her promise, however in recent years the two sisters, who were once very close, are driven apart by secrets and jealousy.

When a block of flats Holly used to live in is being demolished, she gets worried. She wants to talk to Alice about it.. but how can she? They are not that close anymore and Holly’s husband Luke barely gives her a second to herself when Alice is around.

Meanwhile Alice, gets a knock on the door with questions about Holly. Whilst Alice knows her sister is hiding something, there is no way that Alice believes Holly would have been involved in anything so sinister. Forced to dig through the past to uncover the truth- Alice uncovers years of Holly’s secrets and begins to doubt her innocence.

The Perfect Sister is a psychological thriller which keeps you on your toes guessing! The bond between the sisters was excellent and the book really showed that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, as both sister’s fought their own troubles. Zoe Miller, made it easy to relate to the emotions of the characters and the motives behind their actions. For example, Holly didn’t want to admit her debt to Alice, which led to a spiral of problems. Whilst it is easy to say ‘Well why didn’t you say so’, you can totally understand why she wouldn’t want to admit that and feel for her about how she got into the situation that she found herself in.

Overall, a really good read. Every time I thought I knew, something else came to light.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an advanced copy.