A seige of Bitterns - Steve Burrows

Description

Newly appointed police inspector Domenic Jejeune doesn’t mind ruffling a few feathers. Indeed his success has elevated him into a poster boy for the police. The problem is Jejeune doesn’t really want to be a detective at all; he much prefers watching birds.

Recently reassigned to the small Norfolk town of Saltmarsh, located in the heart of Britain’s premier birding country, Jejeune’s two worlds collide with the grisly murder of a prominent ecological activist. His ambitious police superintendent foresees a blaze of welcome publicity, although doubts soon emerge when Jejeune’s best theory involves a feud over birdwatching lists. A second murder does little to bolster confidence.

Jejeune must call on all his birding knowhow to solve the mystery and deal with unwelcome public acclaim, the mistrust of colleagues and his own insecurities. For, in the case of the Saltmarsh birder murders, the victims may not be the only casualties…

Review

The plot line of this book reminded me a lot of all those Agatha Christie books I used to read many years ago. But I out grew them and this is how I felt about this book. 

As the book cover tells us Jejeune doesn't want to be a detective, so that doesn't really endear you to him as he harps on about it through his internal dialogue. He likes watching birds and so too I feel does the author. To have this much knowledge of birds to this level the author has either researched so very deep or is already a birder himself. Yes there was a mystery in this book,  but it is so routed in the concept of birds that it just began to turn me off reading the book. At one point the main character Jejeune goes to visit a house and is admiring the garden and then he starts to think about the birds he sees. I found myself saying out loud "enough with the birds!" 

Don't get me wrong, to begin with I was totally fine with the concept of the plot being linked to birding, but this was too much for the average reader.Really the book is so very heavily routed in the birding culture that I doubt many people will make it to the end of this book. 

I got to page 188 and Jejeune announced he knew who the killer was - thank goodness for that I exclaimed - except the book is 344 pages in length, so what was going to take up the rest of the book........... a second murder!

There was some good exploration of the characters and the one that most intrigued me was Maik, I really enjoyed the parts of the book that his voice narrated. A lot of the other characters I found very flat and dull and they held no interest for me.

I don't do spoilers but the scribbled note that sets Jejeune off on his investigation - I just knew from the start wasn't what he thought it was - and I'm NO birder.

I understand the author now lives in Canada. But if you are going to set a novel in Norfolk, England then terms like cell phone and other transatlantic phrases need to be changed in the book. As a reader they just irked me.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

My thanks go to Real Readers for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The Astonishing Return of Norah Wells - Virginia MacGregor

Description

One ordinary morning, Norah walked out of her house on Willoughby Street and never looked back. Six years later, she returns to the home she walked away from only to find another woman in her place. Fay held Norah's family together after she disappeared, she shares a bed with Norah's husband and Norah's youngest daughter calls Fay 'Mummy'.

Now that Norah has returned, everyone has questions. Where has she been? Why did she leave? And why is she back? As each member of the family tries to find the answers they each need, they must also face up to the most pressing question of all - what happens to The Mother Who Stayed when The Mother Who Left comes back?

From the author of What Milo Saw, comes this powerful, emotional and perceptive novel about what it takes to hold a family together and what you're willing to sacrifice for the ones you love.

Review

This is the second book by Virginia MacGregory I have reviewed - the first was What Milo Saw. The book is in the same style, in that it is told from the perspective of a child, and how insightful that perspective is.

Right at the beginning of the book when Norah (The Mother who left) turns up and Willa asks who she is - she gets told by her sister Ella "it's no one". Willa's classic inward response is "She doesn't care what Ella says the woman definitely doesn't look like a no one". For me that line sets the rest of the book up as Willa spends the book trying to find out who the "no one woman is" and like all children just keeps asking questions, as it just doesn't all add up in her world.

Although I enjoyed the book it did get a little drawn out. The weekend that the book is mainly set across made me feel like I was living it in real time, a little like the TV series 24! Especially when the same scene was played out from a different characters perspective. Also there is a constant reference to foxes - which I can understand from a child's perspective, but did get a little too unbelievable towards the end especially when the dog was brought into this somewhat magical existence.

I kept reading as I wanted to understand why someone would return after walking out on her children six years previously. I really felt for Fay as the "Mother who stayed" who looked like she was destined to lose the life she had built overnight. It did get me thinking about what would that be like?...........what happens to The Mother Who Stayed when The Mother Who Left comes back?......

The plot line was helped by not only seeing the story through the eyes of Willa but also the grown ups. But then I got annoyed in equal measure with the characters of Norah and Fay as they both seemed to have no ability to stand up and fight for what they wanted. 

A good read overall and certainly a very different subject and perspective than I have read before.

I'm giving it 4 out of 5 stars mainly because of the foxes! and it was a little drawn out in places.

My thanks go to Netgalley for a free e copy of this book to review.

Behind Closed Doors - B A Paris

Description

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace.
He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.You’d like to get to know Grace better.But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of their bedroom windows.
Sometimes the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.

Those who promote their books as a "psychological thriller" would do well to study this book by B A Paris - although the cover does not shout this as some do, to me this was a true psychological thriller.

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but it was not what I got. I read it in one day which is not how I usually read a book, but I had to know what was going to happen. When I wasn't reading the book I was still thinking about it which to mean is the sign of a good book.

The book lulls you into a false sense of security at the beginning - much like what happens to Grace. Then the flashbacks begin and we start to realise what is behind the closed doors. I have in the past been a little confused by flashbacks in books - flipping between the past and the present. In this book I am so pleased that the author took the decision to label the parts "past" and "present" simples! You know exactly where you are all the time and for once it did add to the gripping storyline.

There was one piece in particular in the book that I had to skim read - as it was a truly horrible event. Most of the book doesn't make for comfortable reading but then that's why I class it a psychological thriller.

For me the heroine of this book is Millie, Grace's sister. Millie has Down's Syndrome and is such a delightful character - a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise drab world that the author has created for Grace. I won't spoil the plot but I gave out a little hooray at one point when Millie comes good.

I had a little tear in my eye at the end of the book - if you read it too, I think you will understand why.

A great first book from B A Paris and I look forward to more.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars - #unputdownable!

My thanks go to Netgalley for a free e copy of this book to review.

The Witches of Cambridge - Menna Van Praag

Description

For fans of Alice Hoffman, Sarah Addison Allen, and Adriana Trigiani, The Witches of Cambridge reveals an astonishing world where the heart's deepest secrets give way to the magic of life-changing love.Be careful what you wish for. If you're a witch, you might just get it.
 
Amandine Bisset has always had the power to feel the emotions of those around her. It's a secret she can share only with her friends—all professors, all witches—when they gather for the Cambridge University Society of Literature and Witchcraft. Amandine treasures these meetings but lately senses the ties among her colleagues beginning to unravel. If only she had her student Noa's power to hear the innermost thoughts of others, she might know how to patch things up. Unfortunately, Noa regards her gift as a curse. So when a seductive artist claims he can cure her, Noa jumps at the chance, no matter the cost.

Noa's not the only witch in over her head. Mathematics professor Kat has a serious case of unrequited love but refuses to cast spells to win anyone's heart. Her sister, Cosima, is not above using magic to get what she wants, sprinkling pastries in her bakery with equal parts sugar and enchantment. But when Cosima sets her sights on Kat's crush, she conjures up a dangerous love triangle.

As romance and longing swirl through every picturesque side street, the witches of Cambridge find their lives unexpectedly upended and changed in ways sometimes extraordinary, sometimes heartbreaking, but always enchanting.

I really liked Menna Van Praag's previous book The Dress Shop of Dreams (reviewed here) so I had high hopes for this book and it didn't disappoint.

In my opinion the book title and the cover do not do justice to the storyline.  I would never have chosen the book from either of these.

To say this is a tale of every day life is maybe stretching it a bit, as of course with witches there is magic about. However, the tale is very much of love, lost, found and unrequited albeit not by the same people. All the basic storytelling lines are there, the one that I loved most was the lady whose husband had died and her coming to terms with that and facing the world again.

The author has a lovely gentle guiding way with words whilst leading you through a tale that you really want to know what is going to happen next. At first I did feel there were too many threads and as they changed I got a little lost, but that soon settled down as I began to get to know the characters.

Noa has the main storyline and unfortunately I guessed a little early what might become of her wanting to give up her magic gift. I was really rooting for her to be able to get her gift back - did she? You will have to read to find out.

Near the end of the book something happens, which I really didn't think would and it did shock me a little - but as I don't do spoilers that is all that I will say. I think the ending might be open for a sequel - which would be nice.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars.

My thanks go to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book to review.

The Right Bite - Jackie Lynch

Description

It's easy to follow a healthy diet when you're in control of your shopping list, but as soon as you step outside the front door it gets complicated . . . 

Walk into any coffee shop, bar or cinema, and making the right decision becomes a challenge; The Right Bite is here to help. With accessible, practical advice for all those everyday occasions, you can make the smart choice even when healthy options are limited.

Each chapter focuses on a different eating environment – from breakfast on the go to a family barbecue. For each situation The Right Bite explores the type of foods likely to be available and compares them, explaining the main health pitfalls and highlighting top picks. 

   • Understanding Key Nutrients introduces you to the basics of a good diet 
   • Nutrition Numbers let you compare and weigh up your options instantly 
   • The Right Bite panel allows you to immediately pick the healthiest choice 
   • Fact Boxes scattered throughout give you extra tips and expert advice 

Written by an experienced nutritional therapist – so you know that you are getting savvy advice – and small enough to slip in your bag, this is the one-stop guide for anyone wanting to eat healthily in the real world.

Review

Something a little different from me today - a non fiction book. I requested this book to review as I thought it sounded like just the thing I needed and I was right!

The book is set out into eight sections covering several different food scenarios, such as -  take away, working lunch and at the movies.  With a general introduction covering lots of tips on understanding key nutrients.

It's easy to dip in and out of the book looking at the scenario you might find yourself in. I'm going to outline the main tips I've picked up in just a few quick reads of the book.

I've long thought that there is a lot of sugar in low fat yogurts and this the author confirmed. Whilst a natural full fat yogurt contains much less sugar and apparently not that much fat so in the long run probably the better buy. 

Doner kebabs my guilty pleasure are covered in the book and I think it is now finally time to say good bye to them and opt for a healthier Shish kebab. It really was a wake up call for me when I read exactly how much fat is in one - 65g and only 10g in a Shish. Yes, I suppose I should have known this, but so helpful to see it in print.

So many times I've stood in the queue at the coffee shop wondering what is the best option. I need a snack on the go, but don't want one high in fat or sugar. I usually opt for a blueberry muffin at the coffee shop thinking it is the best option. Apparently if I'm looking at sugar content then it is. However, the low fat version contains 2-3 teaspoons more sugar, so if it's an occasional treat the author advises having the full fat tastier version. There is also a "Right bite" on each page which gives you a quick tip. In this case the tip is to "opt for a higher fibre version (of muffin) as these tend to be lower in sugar and higher in fibre, keeping you going for longer and minimising the damage to our waistline".

I think this is a great little reference book and one I will be referring to again and again. As I mentioned the "Right Bite" on each page is a great overall tip to quickly refer to. 

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars as I would have liked it to have covered even more areas.

The Right Bite is published on 17 March 2016.

My thanks go to Netgalley for providing me with an e copy of this book to review ahead of publication.

A parcel for Anna Browne - Miranda Dickinson

Description

The gift of a lifetime? Anna Browne is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. Her day job as a receptionist in bustling London isn't exactly her dream, yet she has everything she wants. But someone thinks Anna Browne deserves more . . . When a parcel addressed to Anna Browne arrives, she has no idea who has sent it. Inside she finds a beautiful gift - one that is designed to be seen. And so begins a series of incredible deliveries, each one bringing Anna further out of the shadows and encouraging her to become the woman she was destined to be. As Anna grows in confidence, others begin to notice her - and her life starts to change. But who is sending the mysterious gifts, and why?

Review

I've read a few Miranda Dickinson books and really enjoyed them,  I was looking forward to this one too. So I started out with the book hoping for great things. 

To begin with I loved the character of Anna and the parcels she was receiving. She had a good cast of supporting characters who also interested me. For the first few parcels I was really intrigued about the sender and what it would mean for Anna. Even if her tenacity with waiting to open the parcels until she got home made me impatient. For one parcel she even went out after getting home and only opened it on her return - had my patience stretched to the limit to find out what was in it.

The changes in Anna after the first and second parcel were very plausible and I was carried along by it all. The brief change in Anna's role at work was interesting and enjoyable. However, the plot then began to be strung out a little too long for my liking. A character was thrown into the mix which I thought was going to be around until the end of the book, but I feel they were there to throw you off the scent regarding the sender of the parcels. Their absence from the remainder of the book was a little weird as all the other characters continued to be mentioned.

I began to grow a little tired of Anna - I felt she got a whiny and tiresome. A brief respite was when her Mother turned up and rekindled my interest.  

In my opinion the parcel plot line was drawn out for too long in the book. Towards the end it did start to feel more like a whodunnit than chicklit - which was fine by me. I admit to feeling a little let down when I discovered who the sender of the parcels was - but you need to read it yourself and find out if you agree.

I'm holding back from the full five stars for this one - I'm giving it 4 out of 5.

My thanks go to netgalley for a free ecopy of the book to review.

The Bette Davis Club - Jane Lotter

Description

The morning of her niece’s wedding, Margo Just drinks a double martini and contemplates the many mistakes she’s made in her fifty-odd years of life. Spending three decades in love with a wonderful but unattainable man is pretty high up on her list of missteps, as is a long line of unsuccessful love affairs accompanied by a seemingly endless supply of delicious cocktails.

When the young bride flees—taking with her a family heirloom and leaving behind six hundred bewildered guests—her mother offers Margo fifty grand to retrieve her spoiled brat of a daughter and the invaluable property she stole. So, together with the bride’s jilted and justifiably crabby fiancé, Margo sets out in a borrowed 1955 red MG on a cross-country chase. Along the way, none of what she discovers will be quite what she expected. But it might be exactly what she’s been seeking all along.

I was drawn to this book by the title and the fact that for once the main character was in my age bracket.

I wasn't sure when I began to read it  that I was going to like this book or even want to finish reading it. I kept on with it and wondered when the title of the book "The Bette Davis Club" was going to become apparent.

Then something happened - and I started to love this book. It has so many different levels to it and so many other facets than those in the synopsis. I think my turning point was when Margo pitched up in the middle of a Women's golfing tournament combined with a lesbian convention! Margo also becomes a rather clever sleuth which I loved.

The book could be seen as a light hearted one, but I felt there were some very serious subjects being broached just beneath the surface, and you could chose whether to contemplate them or just staying floating above.

Although the book did the "flipping back to past" thing - for once I was glad it did. Margo became a different person in my eyes once you saw where she had come from, and glimpsing the past that had shaped her and her friend Dottie.

Just to say that the Bette Davis Club does get explained - but don't count the pages - it takes some time to get to. 

It is sad that the author is no longer with us, I am sure she would have written some more wonderful books.

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars.

My thanks go to Netgalley for a free ecopy of this book to review.