MiriamSmith
Member Since: November 26, 2019Reviews
All the Wrong Places- Joy Fielding
After the unexpected reveal in the first chapter I was drawn into the story immediately and found it a fast, easy read both entertaining and undemanding. Highlighting the dangers of online dating and the emotional turmoil of choosing a date... +
After the unexpected reveal in the first chapter I was drawn into the story immediately and found it a fast, easy read both entertaining and undemanding.
Highlighting the dangers of online dating and the emotional turmoil of choosing a date, there’s enough in this book to put me off online dating websites for life, if I was so inclined. The fact that most profiles are nearly always fake or embellished with false detail, it really does make you stop and think, who it is you’re agreeing to meet in ‘real’ life after chatting through social media.
I liked how the chapters were written through the different perspectives of the women protagonists with the odd one interspersed from the killer, though I personally would have liked more from him and more detail of his actions. There were some chillingly tense and very unsettling moments scattered about but maybe not enough of them to say this story was full of tension and fear. I also felt there was maybe a touch too long between his chapters to keep the tension mounting.
I don’t think this story is meant to be a serious physiological thriller but a more of a lighthearted look at the dangers of online dating, the bitchiness of women and the arrogance of good looking men who are constantly depicted as players, incorporating a brutal serial killer into the story.
This is the second book I’ve read of late that have portrayed men in a very bad light along with the gullible and helpless women of said men. I’m not sure I took to any of the characters, Joan was perhaps the most realistic, venturing back onto the dating scene after the death of her husband, although I’m not sure I could picture a seventy year old woman with half her hair shaved off.
“All the Wrong Places” kept me entertained and turning the pages and I can’t ask for much more than that from a book, it was fun, satirical, at times tense and had an ending that was very apt. Joy Fielding is an excellent writer whose books I have enjoyed before and I would definitely seek out more by her again.
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The Titanic Sisters - Patricia Falvey
Set between Donegal-Ireland and America, “The Titanic Sisters” by author Patricia Falvey, is a tale of two sisters, who given the opportunity of a lifetime to live and work in America, set sail on the infamous Titanic to start their new life... +
Set between Donegal-Ireland and America, “The Titanic Sisters” by author Patricia Falvey, is a tale of two sisters, who given the opportunity of a lifetime to live and work in America, set sail on the infamous Titanic to start their new life. Since we all know what happens with the Titanic, tragedy ensues and the sisters think each other dead. After being rescued and taken to New York, they each start their new lives apart but not in the way they planned. However, when Nora realises her sister Delia is alive and working in the job she was supposed to be doing, she sets out on her revenge.
Nora and Delia couldn’t be any more different in appearance and personality and although it took me a long time to endear to them, by the end of the story I was rooting for them both. One character in particular that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about was Mayflower, with her southern American drawl and bubbling personality you couldn’t help but visualise her and hear her distinct voice when she spoke. As the story progresses it does become a very intriguing tale. I did find throughout the book, parts that were a little repetitive, dull and slow moving but by the end, certainly when the story moved to Texas (somewhere I’ve never read about before), it picked up immensely and I really couldn’t put it down. I would have liked to see a little more about the suffragette movement that the story touched on and think it could have been an exciting addition to the storyline but that is just my opinion and in no way affected the enjoyment of the story.
The events on the Titanic, when it was hit by the iceberg, were truly harrowing and knowing this was a true life event, it made it all the more sorrowful. What the passengers went through, trying to survive, the worry of loved ones left behind and the freezing conditions must have been horrendous. The author covered all this brilliantly and all through the book you could tell she had done an immense amount of research covering the numerous things mentioned including the oil drilling in Dallas, the towns the sisters encounter and the people and their conditions already living in America etc.
This historical saga is an easy, undemanding read that really does transport you to the early 1900’s and is both atmospheric and rich in detail. A slow build compared to other similar stories I’ve read but still very well written and I’d happily read more by this author again.
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Violet - S J I Holliday
After having read some fabulous reviews for “Violet” by Scottish author SJI Holliday I was over the moon to be able to read this book for myself. Having read Susi’s previous novels “The Banktoun Trilogy” and thoroughly enjoyed, I knew that... +
After having read some fabulous reviews for “Violet” by Scottish author SJI Holliday I was over the moon to be able to read this book for myself. Having read Susi’s previous novels “The Banktoun Trilogy” and thoroughly enjoyed, I knew that this book was going to be an entertaining read that would have me addicted from the very first page.
The premise of “Violet” has a “Single, White Female” feel to it and since Violet and Carrie meet on a journey whilst travelling alone abroad, there will be a lot of readers who can relate to chatting with strangers and forming a brief relationship with them. What can go wrong? Two young women, similar likes and dislikes, looking to enjoy their backpacking trip in each other’s company in remote countries? Well, lots apparently. And the tension throughout really does have you turning the pages quicker than you can read them. The author certainly knows how to captivate the reader and I for one could feel the tension emanating from the pages, as things start to spiral out of control.
I liked how the author opened the book with the prologue and then the narrative throughout using emails, to and from Carrie and her friend Laura back home. Very clever and an ingenious way of conveying the inner thoughts and feelings of Carrie as her intense relationship with Violet developed. The atmosphere of the countries the girls visited was picture perfect and the long train journeys were obviously well researched and you can tell the author drew on her own experiences of the Trans-Siberian Express to help write the scenes.
The ending and denouement was highly enjoyable and not one I saw coming.
I have to admit that ‘Violet’ really did get under my skin to a point by the end of the book, I felt I needed a long hot shower and a thorough detox! I didn’t want this story to end and devoured the whole book in a couple of days. Highly recommended and wish the author every success with this entertaining, modern, intense and classic psychological thriller focusing on toxic relationships and the perils of striking up friendships with strangers!
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A Ration Book Childhood - Jean Fullerton
Jean Fullerton is the bestselling author of many family saga novels and the ‘East End Ration’ books of which this “A Ration Book Childhood” is the third in the series. As soon as you start to read this book you get an immediate feel for the... +
Jean Fullerton is the bestselling author of many family saga novels and the ‘East End Ration’ books of which this “A Ration Book Childhood” is the third in the series.
As soon as you start to read this book you get an immediate feel for the setting and how life was like for families during WW2 and the blitz.
This was my first book by the author so I can’t compare it to the others but it was well written and atmospheric and covered every single thing about life back in the 1940’s and is really quite an eyeopener. You really don’t realise how much you take for granted these days until you read something like this. Daily life of just wondering whether there would be enough meat left to buy by the time you got to the front of the queue, whether you would be able to get new uniform for your children to go to school in or if you would be able to scrape enough luxuries together to be able to cook a Christmas Day dinner. All along with the worry of sons, brothers, dads and husbands who were fighting for their country abroad. The daily bombings and having to trek to shelters with your kids and enough supplies to see you through all night if necessary, must have been torturous, not knowing if when you left the shelter your house would still be standing. Without reminders of life back then, we truly can’t appreciate how easy we have things today and how readily food and utilities are available to us now.
However, without belittling what families went through during the blitz, I did find the book a little dull. Without Queenie’s regular outbursts of Irish banter and setting the cat among the pigeons when she disagreed with anything, the story would be all rather one dimensional and I found generally the whole plot rather ‘safe’ even though there was emotion and family betrayals etc in the storyline.
Saying that, I did enjoy reading it for the historical aspect and I can see there has been a huge amount of research done to convey such authenticity in the story. The older generation who lived through the blitz will enjoy this series immensely but I also feel the younger generation should read this, to understand just how hard life was for families during the World Wars.
3.5 stars
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Moonlight Over Mayfair - Anton Du Becke
“ Moonlight Over Mayfair” is the second novel written by Anton Du Beck and features the plush London based Buckingham Hotel and it’s Grand Ballroom. Set in 1937, I loved visiting this era and felt the author really captured the atmosphere of... +
“ Moonlight Over Mayfair” is the second novel written by Anton Du Beck and features the plush London based Buckingham Hotel and it’s Grand Ballroom. Set in 1937, I loved visiting this era and felt the author really captured the atmosphere of the time, politically and socially, absolutely perfectly.I particularly enjoyed reading Maynard Charles’ story with his arch enemy Abner Grant and Maynard’s partner Aubrey. Though this book does start off a lot slower than its previous counterpart, it does pick up towards the end and rollicks to a satisfying conclusion.
Anton is not just a talented, suave and debonair dancer and a respected television personality but is also now a very sophisticated, intelligent and creative author. I’m very impressed by his literary skills and I’m delighted to hear there will be more to come from him in this truly delightful and sassy series, suitable for all ages. I’ll be booking my suite again for next year at Buckingham Hotel and I can’t wait to catch up with Raymond De Guise, Nancy and all the other endearing and captivating characters.
Perfectly written, easy to follow and very addictive, I’m more than happy to recommend Anton and his fashionably historical romance sagas set during the 1930’s.
4 stars
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The Pact - Amy Heydenrych
After previously reading “Shame On You” by Amy Heydenrych and thoroughly enjoying, I was over the moon to be able to read this author’s latest novel “The Pact”. An exciting premise and enticing first few pages had me engrossed... +
After previously reading “Shame On You” by Amy Heydenrych and thoroughly enjoying, I was over the moon to be able to read this author’s latest novel “The Pact”. An exciting premise and enticing first few pages had me engrossed immediately.
Sadly though, as the book progressed it slowed down dramatically and didn’t seem to move anywhere. I didn’t take to any of the characters and lost all interest in who killed Nicole. They were all rather odd and I was quite dismayed to learn that all tech workers working in silicone valley, were so sexually deviant. The men in the story were all portrayed in a very bad light (apart from Detective Simon Cohen who himself was a strange vitamin promoter) and it was hard to believe that so many of the men were vindictive, misogynistic or troublesome sexual abusers even in the higher echelons of society. I appreciate the author was trying to convey a story relating to bullying in the workplace, especially female on female bullying and I agree it is more common and important than people first think but the amount of sexual harassment and bullying was very extreme for one company and a tad too unrealistic for me. Freya’s constant helplessness got me quite frustrated at times and if it had been me receiving abusive messages, I’d have left my phone at home switched off! The ending was also a disappointment for me but this was just a personal opinion, others may find the unexpected denouement to be very clever.
On a positive note, I did like how the author wrote quick chapters and the differing time lines between the characters perspectives. Although slow paced it did keep the momentum going for me and it was this that kept me reading on. “The Pact’ was an easy, undemanding read that can easily be read in a day if time allows and even though on this occasion the story didn’t hit the mark for me, I do like this author’s writing style and would read more by her again.
3 stars
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A Map of the Sky by Claire Wong
“A Map of the Sky” written by Claire Wong is a delightful, undemanding, uplifting read set in North Yorkshire that is both atmospheric and a pleasure to read in equal parts. Living by the sea in the grim ‘up North’ myself, I could relate to... +
“A Map of the Sky” written by Claire Wong is a delightful, undemanding, uplifting read set in North Yorkshire that is both atmospheric and a pleasure to read in equal parts.
Living by the sea in the grim ‘up North’ myself, I could relate to the atmospheric descriptions the author was portraying of the rugged coast and dramatic weather. Listening to the seagulls outside my house on a drizzly ‘dowly’ day, set the scene perfectly for me to read this story and although the conditions were a bit repetitive I would like to assure readers that we do get some beautiful warm weather too and it’s not all bleak and gloomy!
Christopher Shackleton Fisher (affectionately known as Kit) is eleven years old and is relocating with his sister Juliet and his mother Catherine to Utterscar in North Yorkshire after a sudden decision to leave their current home. When Kit’s father doesn’t join them, he can’t understand why and takes it upon himself to set quests to entice his dad to join them quicker.
Kit is such a lovely lad, knowledgable, keen to learn, polite and respectful and always on the lookout to help people. Juliet, who at first impression seems stand offish with obvious teenage angst, has a deep affection for her brother that’s not always shown but is a typical teenager with social anxieties and peer pressure to do well academically. All the characters were well portrayed and I particularly liked Maddie and her story of her pilgrimage to Whitby Abbey. The intrigue into why the Fisher’s left the south so suddenly and why Kit’s father hasn’t joined them, kept me turning the pages.
As parents we often forget children are a lot more tuned in and intelligent than we give them credit for and often if not told the truth from the start, will surmise everything wrong, which Kit did on many occasion, causing deep embarrassment and upset. I liked how the author included the themes of hope and guilt, using ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ as an example and also covered the issue of unseen depression and anxiety in young adults.
As light, easy reading goes, this is an excellent example and I very much like Claire Wong’s writing style and would definetly be interested in reading more by her in the future.
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