I had the funniest feeling that I would love this book when it started appearing in Book Twitter mentions-one look at the synopsis and I was hooked.
FrI had the funniest feeling that I would love this book when it started appearing in Book Twitter mentions-one look at the synopsis and I was hooked.
From the spare and deliberate use of language, to the use of the present tense to create an atmosphere of immediacy, everything about this book is a wonder.
Told in alternate persepectives , that of almost 11 year old Lauren and her father Niall, this is a folklore and gothic inspired tale of a small Highland village bordered by pine forests. Not only do the pines provide an identifying feature for the village, they also appear as ancient watchers, holding the secrets of what happens under their canopy very closely indeed.
What makes this so clever, for me, is that when Lauren speaks, the descriptions used are so specific that you can hear Lauren in your head. Her voice starts the book, and as such, the reader has to work to piece together what she is seeing on the night of Halloween-or Samhain-when a young woman appears from out of the trees, and then in the morning is gone again.
Echoing the disappearance of Lauren's mother, when she was a baby, Lauren is full of questions, as is the reader, yet when the voice switches to Niall, no answers are forthcoming from him. Again,you are piecing together the details and hanging on every word. This drives the narrative forward whislt simultaneously creating a sense of foreboding and mystery.
It struck me, as I read, that the word 'pine' not only refers to the forests, but also is used as a verb which could define so many of the threads in this book-Lauren's yearning for a mother that she creates out of the tarot cards her mum left behind, Niall's hopes for a different life that he drowns in alcohol , all the easier to ignore the fact he is failing himself and Lauren.
The beauty in the use of words is there on every page for a reader to revel in. It's a wonderful thing as you visualise Lauren flying in her bin bag cape as vampire, or the impregnable toffee apples given as treats. The dialogue is the same, phone conversations and use of dialect really help to place it as Scottish and aids the creation of a sense of isolation which envelops the reader.
By the end of it, you feel that you have become a part of a story so much bigger than yourself, the mystery is just part of the story, the telling of the histories of these people, and their superstitions and local legends, is the over arching theme. 'Pine' is a remarkable debut , told with subtlety, nuance and skill. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am excited to see what Francine Toon writes next.
And can we just take a moment to appreciate the beautiful cover? It's absolutely stunning!...more
Huge thanks to publishers Endeavour Quill for the blogtour invite and gifted paperback copy of 'Dreamland' by Nancy Bilyeau which is out from 16th Jan
Huge thanks to publishers Endeavour Quill for the blogtour invite and gifted paperback copy of 'Dreamland' by Nancy Bilyeau which is out from 16th January in ebook and paperback formats!
Wow! My review summed up in one word... this is not the usual type of book that I read but I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and hello! Nice to see you here, fellow booklovers!
'Dreamland' held me in its grip so tightly, I was immediately swept away by a range of descriptive pieces which totally created an olfactory and audtory sensation of being at Coney Island, somewhere I have never been.
To capture such a sense of place and time is truly wonderful, through the eyes of protagonist, Peggy, whose familial obligations drag her away from her-and mine to be honest- ideal postion of working in a bookstore. Determined to make the best of things, plunged into a world where the vaues she holds are disrespected and patronised, this looks like being the worst summer of Peggy's life.
Stubborn, independent and free thinking in a time where women were frowned upon for having ideas of their own, this could have felt like a modern day woman, transplanted into the 1920's. However, the sensibilities and sense of family are very much of their time and superbly realised. I defy anyone not to read the passage where Peggy's uncle turns up to Moonrise Bookstore and takes Peggy away not to shudder. Her initial thought that she was being threatened with institutionalised if she did not do as asked, was horrifying, and that was the reality of the disposable female at that time.
Do as you are told, or we will lock you away until you do.
And when Peggy falls in love with someone from the 'wrong side of the streets',is she using that man as a rebellious act against her family,or is she really in love?
This was engrossing and thought provoking as Peggy wrestles with herself and her burgeoning feminist thinking, and the reader( ok, me, on a bus, and I did get some odd looks, but hey, got a seat to myself #winwin) shouts at the book wanting her to take her family to task for their insane privilege-but does this privilege extend to one of them murdering young women who are seen as disposable?
Loosely based on the history of the Guggenheim family, 'Dreamland' is about that place where dreams and reality intersect and decisions have to be made as to whether loyalty to family is more important than social responsibity.
Absolutely incredible, I was thoroughly swept away and thanks to the recommendations of other book bloggers and reviewers, Nancy's other novel, The Blue is now on my hit list!...more
'The Unlikely Escape Of Uriah Heep' is the breakout, debut novel by HG Parry, and is available now in paperback and ebook formats wherever great book'The Unlikely Escape Of Uriah Heep' is the breakout, debut novel by HG Parry, and is available now in paperback and ebook formats wherever great books are sold-but be aware, the characters in these books will not only have you writing lists of books to track down, they will also make you want to revisit well beloved classics.
Opening with a classic exchange between 2 brothers, one sensible and one not so much, a late night phone conversation takes a twist as Rob-older, sensible lawyer brother-is appealed to by his younger sibling Charley. Thanks to his ability to bring characters from books to life, Uriah Heep, the sycophantic law clerk from Charles Dickens 'David Copperfield' has escaped.
You might think that's not really a big deal, even amongst literary characters there could be many worse people to walk from one book into another, in Dickens ouevre, surely Bill Sikes would be a bigger case for concern. I have to confess to not having read 'David Copperfield' since my long buried GCSE studies so maybe the title didn't really immediately strike me as 'WHOA! NOT HIM!'
However, a quick internet search reveals just how reviled Uriah is and how him escaping into real of alternate fictional worlds would be a HUGE case for concern!
I was hooked from the concept of characters being able to move into other stories, being a long time fan of Jasper Fforde, but now, with an inkling of understanding, this late night call to arms took on a new relevance.
You are immediately placed within the sphere of the brothers relationship, and also how different Charley and Rob are,and as such, invested in whether Rob will actually help Charley, and whether Uriah, as well as other noted literaray characters will be returned to their rightful places between the page.
Rob and Charley are all of us, those who want to dream and believe that books could come to life, yet also well aware that they have their place in the need we humans have for escapism-you can close a book, but can you really leave characters you fall in love with, behind?
Doesn't a person like Jane Eyre take root into your soul? Or , conversely, a Mr Hyde?
And if there is a curious and frankly adorable character like Charley who is, lets face it, the voice of every reader who wished to step into the pages of a book, or bring one out and ask them questions, doesn't it follow that there is someone who is an exact opposite?
Someone who wants to cause uproar and chaos for their own nefarious reasons?
Suddenly, Charley and Rob are facing the prospect of fighting not only to put the book characters back where they belong but also another 'summoner'.
Don't we bring characters to life every time we open a book, and with rare exceptions-for me personally, I am thinking of R.P McMurphy from 'One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest'- that character becomes your own, to treasure, to villify and to use to escape from reality.
And this is what 'The Unlikely...' is all about-it is a love story to the books which have taken us away from the seemingly unending grind of modern day life. It's an ode to the power of fictional characters to take on a life of their own in a meta-fictional tale that is, itself, a homage to the love between siblings. No matter how they annoy, vex and frustrate you, when they ring and tell you they lost a major literary character, you have to help them.
A pure delight from start to finish, this does not require any fore knowledge of certain novels, but as someone who has read a lot of them name checked books and characters, I can say from my perspective, that H.G Parry has managed to create an alcehmical work where the characters are entirely the creation of their authors. She has not appropriated Victor Frankenstein, or Heathcliff, she has made them leap, exactly as they are expected to be, from the pages of their original texts. She manages to juggle this immense feat by balancing these with the brothers as they could quite easily take over the whole story! It's a wondrous novel, a beautiful and escapist fantasy novel which can be read and loved by anyone who longs for time away from the real world.
Just be careful , as not all characters stay within the realms of books like they are supposed to.......more
But Lainey's not the only one with a secret - it seems everyone has them! And they're all about to start unravelling...
Hugest of thanks to Anne Cater But Lainey's not the only one with a secret - it seems everyone has them! And they're all about to start unravelling...
Hugest of thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and publishers Headline for the chance to review ''It Started With A Secret' for the blogtour accompanying the ebook and harback release!
HURRAY FOR JILL MANSELL!!!
Honestly, she is a breath of fresh air, I cannot recommend her highly enough as a writer of sharply observed, well written characters set in the modern world, yet with an old fashioned charm (I mean that in the most complimentary way possible!).
Her humour is witty and observational,which juxtaposes perfectly with the heartbreaking scene that opens 'It Started With A Secret', and it is absolutely impossible not to fall in love with her characters, especially Kit and Lainey who, having being let go from their job managing a French chateau, are hired to take care of Majella and her unruly brood.
Twins Violet and India, step-son Seth and patriarch, Richard, are all swfitly drawn and their quirks fully displayed from the time we meet them, at Kit and Lainey's interview, and from there on in plays a game of cat and mouse as they try to hide the fact that they aren't a real couple.
How long will it be before they are found out, and whose hearts will be broken?
An absolutely smashing love story with twists, gasps and laughs for the most discerning reader, Jill has once again shown just how a writer at the top of their craft can continue to produce the most engaging fiction, without ever serving her readers anything less than a first class read.
What an absolute treat it was to read, it has blown away the January blues like nothing else!...more
I am here to add my voice to the rising swell of praise for this outstanding debut novel-thoroughly satisfying, big and bold in tone and narrative, 'FI am here to add my voice to the rising swell of praise for this outstanding debut novel-thoroughly satisfying, big and bold in tone and narrative, 'Firewatching' marks itself out the spark which ignites Russ Thompson's career.
It doesn't give up its secrets easily,this is a book which would be easy to devour very quickly indeed, however, I resisited my natural impulses to race through the first DS Adam Tyler Cold Case. He has a multi layered back story, as well as being used-against his full co-operation- as a poster boy for the police's aceeptance and tolerance of gay men.
This aside, his narrative alternates with that of Edna and Lily, elderly daughter and mother, who live in a trapped relationship of mutual dependence-except annoymous letters are arriving which Lily is intercepting and hiding from her mother, letters which say ' I know what you did'....
WHAT DID THEY DO?
How did disappearing businessman, Gerald Cartright, end up inside the walls of his home, finally discovered 6 years after he dropped out of sight?
What's the link with Tyler and the case and how far will he go to hide it in the attempt to solve it? Will reigniting his career supercede his professional responsibilities of disclosure?
A wayward policeman, a cold case and a new beginning for rookie Amina Rabbani is levied against a city which is slumbering , on the verge of ignition . Before long, the Cold Case team is up to their necks in death, suspicion, accusations and this probides the kindling that sets Sheffield aflame.
I loved the sense of place, too often in crime novels there is a lack of this so that it could be easily transplanted anywhere within the British isles. This very firm sense of place and time reminds me of the Ed McBain novels, where Isola was as much a part of the stories as the whodunnit nature of his mysteries.
And extremely satisfying read, I thoruoghly recommend snapping up a copy of this book-I would genuinely be surprised if it does not become a HUGE bestseller and it's a perfect vehicle for television.
Adam Tyler steps, fully formed, into the world of fictional detectives,and sets it smouldering....more
There is not a lot else I can articulate about this quite incredible story and how is it a debut novel, how?!
This is ,quite literally, an eleventhWOW!
There is not a lot else I can articulate about this quite incredible story and how is it a debut novel, how?!
This is ,quite literally, an eleventh hour review after someone thought she was having a lovely day off, writing blog posts and dreaming inside the pages of books.
However, dear reader, this was sadly not to be as a bemused phonecall from my boss at 7.20 asking where I was (eating porridge and reading about Victorian music halls) led to me rushing into the hospital and working a full day shift.
It was pretty challenging dragging myself out of ghosts and limelight, to the world of bedpans and drug charts, but hey, we did it, go team nurses!
Anyhow, I digress, and the book is the thing which I want to talk to you about, so gather closer....
Ghosts-how can you live both a haunted life and yet haunt others whilst still living?
Sold by a man who gave her his name when he married her mother, but was never a father let alone a dad, Lily Bell is handed over to Erasmus 'Ras' Salt, Professor of Ghosts.
Lily tries to make the best of this situation as her dreams of an actress could yet be springboarded by Ras' intentions to use her as a living ghost in his stage show.
But even when the debt of her step father is paid off, how can she leave or start her own life when, technically, she is dead?
Thanks to an obituary, a death certificate signed by the man who sold her , and a gravestone with her name on, Lily is a living ghost. Tormented and chaperoned by Ras' sister Faye, she lives a nightmare existence where she is not allowed outside in daylight, and is confined to the backstage area of The Tivoli theatre.
Will she ever break free and who is genuinely on her side?
As things go from bad to worse, it appears that Lily is aspiring to invisibility....and her enquiries into her predecessors, the previosu 'ghosts' bring her ever closer to danger....
This complex and satisfying plot is played out against a brilliant sea side backdrop where Lily wants to be swept out of the life she has been cornered into, whilst every night her feet tread the mausoleum of the Tivoli, a grand dame theatre that has seen better days.
The short chapters give a feeling of urgency and intensity to the almost soporific, dreamlike feel of the narrative. So much is packed into a relatively short book, and that is becuase of the deftly handled multiple narrators-Lily, Ras, Faye and Ruth Bell, alongside occasional interludes from actor Tom Ames who is determined to track Lily down.
You have your heart in your mouth as the pages spin ever quickly through your fingers, waiting and hoping for rescue and retribution-I could not wait to rub home and dive into the world of ghosts again. The level of detail and historical scene setting is so sublime, that the atmosphere is difficult to shift.
At once, the reader feels like a ghost inhabiting the pages, haunting the narrative and watching over Lily from afar. This deserves to be a modern classic!...more
This is labelled as a Y.A read, the protagonist is 17 year old Jess, but I think it is suitable for adults to read as well. There is a lot to engage wThis is labelled as a Y.A read, the protagonist is 17 year old Jess, but I think it is suitable for adults to read as well. There is a lot to engage with and mature plotlines. Jess' mother has been murdered when she was seven , and the killer never caught. The nature of trauma, grief and loss is explored in detail throughout.
Without her father''s knowledge, she applies for, and is accepted onto, a 'Big Brother' style television show where she and 4 other teens will compete to be filled for a full 3 months.
This means she has a narrow window to generate enough interest in her life, by wearing head and body cams to record her movements, to win the extra time.
The time will be crucial for her to try and link herself in the minds of the public and refocus attention on the killer who took her mother's life-and just as surely, took her father's, as he has never recovered from the loss.
Since the first murder he, 'The Magpie Man', has taken another 13 lives and has proven to be unstoppable. Will Jess manage to bring the killer out from hiding, and if so, will she be prepared to deal with the consequences?
My biggest issue with so many YA writers, especially male ones, si that they tend to write female protagonists as they think girls would act/talk/think. Not having the lived experience of a teen is understandable, but on many occasions they end up as parodies of gender stereotypes. With Jess, Vincent has truly captured the nuances and character so well, he really excels at making her a believable, and sympathetic character.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Jess is selfish, and headstrong, playing taunting games with a serial killer is never a great idea, but as the book progresses, she really comes into her own as a strong young woman who is trying to rescue her father whilst he still has time to live a life.
Jess lost both parents on the day her mother was murdered, her father has given up on life and the love she feels for her dad is achingly transparent. By being in the public eye, she is reminding others that her mother was a living, breathing person before she was cruelly snatched away.
What she does not expect, and struggles to deal with, is the attention she gets from the viewers , including text messages, being followed and articles about her mother appearing in places that very few people have access to...
Maybe The Magpie Man has always been a little closer than she ever realised? Suddenly, suspects are at every turn and reality begins to blur the line between wish fulfiment and viewing figures for a tv show...
This is a 5 star read, a mystery, I loved Jess and enjoyed 'seeing' a sense of growth and determination which escalates through short, sharp chapters which read like diary entries and helps create a sense of pace which I loved.
A whodunnit, a whydunnit and a gripping thriller, I recommend this unreservedly!...more
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