The Cows - Dawn O'Porter

Description

COW [n.]
/kaʊ/

A piece of meat; born to breed; past its sell-by-date; one of the herd.

Women don’t have to fall into a stereotype.

Tara, Cam and Stella are strangers living their own lives as best they can – though when society’s screaming you should live life one way, it can be hard to like what you see in the mirror.

When an extraordinary event ties invisible bonds of friendship between them, one woman’s catastrophe becomes another’s inspiration, and a life lesson to all.

Sometimes it’s ok not to follow the herd.

The Cows is a powerful novel about three women – judging each other, but also themselves. In all the noise of modern life, they need to find their own voice.

Review

This book was a little different,  in that main characters didn't directly know one another, unlike most books of this type, where they are all friends. It took me a moment to realise that, but once I had each of them fixed in my mind it was easy to distinguish each character and their voice from the writing.

I did enjoy the book but was a little shocked and surprised by the incident on the train - which I won't reveal so as not to spoil the book. Maybe at 50+ I'm getting too old for this type of book, however apart from that one aspect I was able to relate to the rest of the book. 

What I really liked about the book were the strong women characters. The social media aspect and blogging was current and demonstrated the very different world that has been created online, even if we chose not to partake in it ourselves. The judgement that occurred on all levels was a little unsettling and gave me food for thought, and I'm sure some of it will stay with me. I certainly went through several different emotions reading this book and probably did a little judging of my own!

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for a review copy.

The Woman at Number 24 - Juliet Ashton

Description

Meet the residents of number 24 in the warm, witty and wonderful new novel from bestselling author Juliet Ashton.
 
When your marriage falls apart, the last place you'd want your husband to move to is downstairs. Unfortunately for Sarah, up in the eaves at number 24, her ex-husband now lives one floor beneath her with his new wife. Their happiness floats up through the floorboards, taunting her.

A child psychologist, Sarah has picked up great sadness from the little girl, Una, who lives with her careworn mother three floors below, but is Sarah emotionally equipped to reach out?

The Spring brings a new couple to the house. Jane and Tom's zest for life revives the flagging spirits, and Sarah can't deny the instant attraction to handsome Tom. Having seen at first hand what infidelity does to people, she'll never act on it ... but the air fizzes with potential.

The sunshine doesn't reach every corner of number 24, however. Elderly Mavis, tucked away in the basement, has kept the world at bay for decades. She's about to find out that she can't hide forever.

Juliet Ashton weaves a story of love, friendship and community that will move you to laughter and to tears. Think Cold Feet meets David Nicholls, with a dash of the joy of Jill Mansell added for good measure.

Review

Oh my goodness I was not expecting this book to be as outstanding as it turned out to be. I set myself up for a little lighthearted chick lit read when this book is so much more than that. 

I found myself thinking about this book when not reading it - wondering what was going to happen next, what the characters would be getting up to. I'm so sad to finish reading it as really I became enveloped in the world of Number 24.

When the book began I wasn't sure what I was reading could be right. Sarah had just been to the reception of her ex husband in the flat downstairs....... Then there are Sarah's friends:-

absent friend Smith - what part did she play in Number 24? 

unlikely new friend Mavis, tucked away in the basement flat with her foul mouthed Cockatoo Peck - named after his favourite pastime.

and the wonderful Jane - so much life and soul to her character and someone I would love to have as a friend. 

So many levels to this book from the dastardly Leo (I could have throttled him several times over!) and the doe eyed Sarah still in love with him. The career Sarah has which she feels unable to fulfil any longer and the children she has treated. Sarah's attempts at finding a new love interest and her involvement with all the other residents at Number 24. Not to mention her decorating sessions with her ex husband while his new wife is out. Not forgetting Smith and the part she played in Sarah's life.

So many twists and turns, one which made me gasp out loud and then be determined to finish the book in one go, as I had to know what was going to happen.

So many great memories of this book - I really feel like I was a fly on the wall at Number 24.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy for review. 

The Best of Adam Sharp - Graeme Simsion

Description

Would you risk everything for a second chance at first love?

At forty-nine-going-on-fifty, Adam Sharp likes his life. He works part-time in IT consulting, is a leading member of his local pub-quiz and has a stable relationship with his partner, Claire. But there's something he can't shake: a longing for the life he might have had with smart, strong-willed actress Angelina Brown.

Then, out of nowhere, Angelina walks back into his life. All the intensity of their affair twenty years ago resurfaces and Adam must make a decision.

Should he let her go again? Or does he dare to live dangerously? 

Review

Maybe it's unfair to expect an author to produce another book like The Rose Project - but I was at least expecting some of the same style of writing. Unfortunately I was disappointed. 

The book is told from the perspective of a 49 year old man - which I welcome as a lot of books these days don't cover this age group. Adam begins his story in the present day and then begins to relive his encounter with Angelina 20 years ago.

I really didn't see the point in going over the events of 20 years ago, but as the book progressed and he reunites with Angelina in the present day,  I began to see why the book had been written that way.

Maybe it was a mid life crisis Adam was having - the grass is always greener on the other side - I don't know - but it did nothing to engage me. I disliked  the character of Adam the book playing out like a badly directed movie, and when he becomes part of a menage a trois I lost a lot of interest in the book. 

The hook of the book is it is based around music - unfortunately I don't have a great knowledge of music and maybe that was why I also did not take to this book. Pages of music trivia did nothing to engage me.

All in all it is a book that is worth a read - just don't expect the wonderful writing shown in The Rosie Project and maybe your expectations will be met better than mine were.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book for review.

Sometimes I Lie - Alice Feeney

Description

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:

1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.

Review

This is a debut novel for Alice Feeney - I have to say that I want to be on the waiting list for her next book right now!

The terror of this novel had me from page one, as the thought of being in a coma where you can hear everyone speak, but no one know you are sentient is to me a living nightmare. That is exactly what is happening to Amber as we meet her in the hospital and the opening lines of 

My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:

1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.

I really should have paid more attention to number 3. The book is told from the perspective of Amber in the coma, flashbacks to just before she was in the coma and flashbacks to when she was a child.

I found the whole book so enticing. Sometimes when a book jumps around like this you long to be back to the present, but the writer managed to make you want to be at all three places at once! So many threads being woven. The writing is also so beautiful with lines like "you steal stolen seconds and gobble up misused minutes, sticking them all together to make a delicate chain of borrowed time, hoping it will stretch”.

I read it in one sitting as I just had to know what was happening. The author put one huge twist in which left me free falling - I had to put the book down for a minute and regroup my thoughts. 

Just when i thought I had it all straight in my head there is a huge final twist which I still don't know what to make of. I finished the book and I am still not sure what just happened. I think this book needs an online support group - I just need to talk with others about what I just experienced. Still I am thinking I should have paid more attention to point 3...........

You need to read this book - it's like nothing you've read before.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars - I wish I could give it more. My thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of the book for review.

The Idea Of You - Amanda Prowse

Description

With her fortieth birthday approaching, Lucy Carpenter dares to hope that she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

But the reality of becoming parents proves much harder than Lucy and Jonah imagined. Jonah’s love and support is unquestioning, but as Lucy struggles with work and her own failing dreams, the strain on their marriage increases. Suddenly it feels like Lucy is close to losing everything…

Heart-wrenching and poignant, this latest work by bestselling author Amanda Prowse asks the question: what does it mean to be a mother in today’s hectic world? And what if it’s asking too much to want it all?

Review

This is the first Amanda Prowse book I have read, and I find that it is her 16th novel, so I have a lot of catching up to do as I absolutely loved her style of writing. The book flowed beautifully and I couldn't wait to reconnect with it each time I put it down, it was like catching up with an old friend.

Although Lucy has a very successful career, her love life hasn't been so good. With an ex who is now married to her cousin and no suitable man on the horizon it seems she has no chance of a baby of her own. Until she meets Jonah.....

I felt so much for Lucy during this book, not only for her personal struggle but when Jonah's daughter arrives I think i would have walked out almost immediately. Seemingly pushed out of her own home and every kind gesture she makes turned against her. Throughout the book there are letters that Lucy has written which give another insight into her struggle. So much depth achieved by so few meaningful words - with fully rounded characters that you can identify with.

Although not a "happily every after novel" in lots of ways that satisfied me more as it was a real true to life tale. It would have been easy for the writer to do the usual tying up of loose ends - but I loved it even more for its raw honesty. So many difficult subjects are dealt with in this book with sensitively and honestly.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Negalley for an advance copy of the book for review.

Let The Dead Speak - Jane Casey

Description

In the chilling new crime novel from award-winning author Jane Casey, Detective Maeve Kerrigan and the murder squad must navigate a web of lies to discover the truth…

A murder without a body
Eighteen-year-old Chloe Emery returns to her West London home one day to find the house covered in blood and Kate, her mother, gone. There may not be a body, but everything else points to murder.

A girl too scared to talk
Maeve Kerrigan is young, ambitious and determined to prove she’s up to her new role as detective sergeant. She suspects Chloe is holding something back, but best friend Bethany Norris won’t let Maeve get close. What exactly is Bethany protecting Chloe from?

A detective with everything to prove
As the team dig deeper into the residents of Valerian Road, no one is above suspicion. All Maeve needs is one person to talk, but that’s not going to happen. Because even in a case of murder, some secrets are too terrible to share…

Review

This is the first Maeve Kerrigan story I have read and I hadn't realised that there were six previous books in this series. The book can however be read as a standalone as the story is completely contained within this book. The only thing I feel I missed out on is some of the history between two of the characters - but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. I don't do spoilers so it's difficult to comment on the storyline without giving too much away. 

I am always amazed at how writers come up with such good complex and compelling storylines - which this certainly is. I read it in two sittings as I just had to know what on earth was going on. It was also a very easy book to read - the writing is so good that was just effortless to read.

The book begins with Chloe arriving unexpectedly back at her home to find her mother gone, but lots of blood everywhere. I loved the strong Dectective character of Maeve Kerrigan and her new sidekick Georgia - a very entertaining side story running alongside the murder enquiry.

As the story unfolded there were so many twists and turns - at one point I thought it was all done and dusted but saw that there was still plenty of pages to read, and then it began again, more twists and turns - absolutely enthralling.

If this is the standard of Jane Casey's novels then I think I need to read the previous six as this is one of the best crime novels I have ever read.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 and my thanks go to Netgalley for an advance copy of the book for review.

The Bookshop Detective - Jan Ellis

Description

The Bookshop Detective – in which Eleanor ends up doing some sleuthing from her quiet corner of rural England.

Review
I first met Eleanor the owner of the Combemouth bookshop in Jan's book A Summer of Surprises and I was keen to find out what she was now up to. Although this book is a follow on you could easily read it without having any prior knowledge of Eleanor.

I read so many books and so it was no surprise that I didn't immediately remember everything about Eleanor and Combemouth, until Freya turned up - the ex-wife. I think Jan must have painted a very good picture of her, because I was instantly transported to the first book and how I saw her in my minds eye.

I loved getting back into the bookshop - my idea of heaven and it's beside the sea - idyllic. What I do like about Jan's writing is that she doesn't make Eleanor someone who knows everyone in the village, even though she has lived there for a few years. Why do some books make it sound like living in a village is one big family? So this is where the detective part comes in as Eleanor pieces together a story from an old newspaper with clues around the village.

I really got into this book, and was pleased I half guessed what was happening! - but not the biggest secret at all.

I'm giving this lovely book 5 out of 5. My thanks to Jan for an advance copy for review.