K.I.A. - Alexander Charalambides

Description

Hildegard lives in a real-life dollhouse, surrounded by prop houses and actors who play friends, teachers and foster parents. Only one man ever seemed real, and after his disappearance, she’s had enough playing along. As Hildegard makes her final preparations to run away from home, a swarm of black clad soldiers appear, controlling the police and swarming across her home town. She can evade them for now, but after learning their mission, she decides to play along one last time, following them to Truman, a lonely military academy on a freezing aleutian island. Hildegard knows it for what it is: just another prop, but not everyone feels the same way. Through the hell of endless drills and marching, Hildegard befriends the stealthy Grace and bloodthirsty David, and enlists them in an effort to unravel the plan of the man called G and his monstrous menagerie of inhuman soldiers.

Review

This book is pitched as a YA novel, however don't let that fool you into thinking it is any less than a full on thriller, worthy of a read by any adult.

I was really drawn to the book from the description - and was intrigued to find out what it was all about. When we first meet the lead character Hildegard she has stopped taking medication and is aware that there is more to her adoption than meets the eye.

She plans to run away from home and find answers and avoid being enlisted into Truman, a military academy. But then on a routine visit to the hospital she sees from her window a group of people arrive with guns. Now while you would have thought her instinct would be to wonder what is happening, Hildegard pulls all the wires out of a fuse box - it's at that moment you realise this is not going to be a boring novel.

However, instead of eventually running away Hildegard actually submits to being enrolled into Truman. Again not being a shrinking violet she teams up with two fellow pupils Grace and David, getting into some very serious scrapes that James Bond would be proud of. Each time she went a little further my stomach was in knots - what was going to become of her.

The book is really well written and I enjoyed the writing style. There is just enough intrigue for you to wonder how is this all going to end. Then it did end - and I was left thinking what just happened. Did I miss a page? So I went back to the beginning thinking I had misread some of the "file" notes. Still trying to figure it out but maybe it's going to have a sequel?

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

My thanks to Alexander for supplying me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Attention Span - Pauline Wiles

Description

Revenge, rejection, resilience and revival: they’re all represented in this collection of fourteen short stories from author Pauline Wiles.

Ranging in length from just 99 words to long-enough-for-a-second-cup-of-tea, these stories feature locations from Switzerland to Seattle and the popular fictional English village of Saffron Sweeting in between. Some are light, several are quirky and one or two a little on the darker side. They explore the meaning of family, the search for true love, and the overwhelming importance of home.

Review

What a fabulous selection of short stories this is. I love Pauline's writing as she is able to capture the most mundane and everyday occurrences that has you thinking - yes! that's exactly what happens. Such as when Becky has the thin plastic handles cut into her fingers from the groceries she's carrying. 

Some stories are very short - just a page. Unlike some short stories where you turn that last page and are left wondering - "what just happened" or "is that it!" These stories have a satisfying ending and feel complete, with more depth than short stories usually have.

Two quirky stories are "On the Shelf" - the lives of items on a charity shop shelf and "Attention Span - the Facebook feed that comes to life. I just loved both of these for the unusual subject matter. Then there is the "Checking In" story another absolute gem. 

Do you know what an IFB is? You really need to find out by reading "Seating for Singles"!

I usually reserve short stories for reading in between other books. However I got so hooked on these that I read the last half all at once.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks to Pauline for my copy to review.

The last story is actually the beginning of  a full length novel by Pauline called "Saving Saffron Sweeting". You can read my review here for that book. This is also the first novel in a series the others being Sweet Pursuits and Secrets in the Sky. If you click the links you will go to my reviews of those books.

Bring Me Back - B A Paris

Description

The million-copy bestselling author returns with a breathtaking thriller – available to pre-order now

‘We’re in a new Golden Age of suspense writing now, because of amazing books like Bring Me Back, and I for one am loving it’ Lee Child

The Disappearance
Twelve years ago Finn’s girlfriend disappeared.

The Suspicion
He told the police the truth about that night.
Just not quite the whole truth.

The Fear
Now Finn has moved on.
But his past won’t stay buried…

Review

I thought B A Paris's first book was great, the second was ok and now I can't decide about this one. Yes, it kept me reading as I had to know what happened - but I am not sure that I didn't spot a huge glitch in the whole plot. 

However, there is nothing worse than a reviewer with the benefit of hindsight, and I have to say that I did read the whole thing in a couple of sittings, as there were a lot of twists and turns to keep me guessing and second guessing. 

It is really difficult to say what happens as I may unwittingly reveal something and spoil the book for you. The story flips between "before" when Finn's girlfriend Layla goes missing and "now" when he is living with his current girlfriend Ellen who happens to be Layla's sister. it also flips to when he first met his girlfriend, Layla - which is "before" but not in sequence. I didn't find the characters relate-able in any way  they all appeared to be very cold people and had little back story - but that is probably part of the plot.

I was taken aback by the final solution to what was going on - I found it a little improbable but really good reading.  I am giving the book four out of five stars. It is still an ingenious book plot.

My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an advanced copy of the book.

Surprise Me - Sophie Kinsella

Description

A witty and emotionally charged novel that delves into the heart of a marriage, and how those we love and think we know best can sometimes surprise us the most—from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella
 
After ten years together, Sylvie and Dan have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, and beautiful twin girls, and they communicate so seamlessly they finish each other’s sentences. They have a happy marriage and believe they know everything there is to know about each other. Until it’s casually mentioned to them that they could be together for another sixty-eight years . . . and panic sets in. 
            
They decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep it fresh and fun. But in their pursuit of Project Surprise Me—from unexpected gifts to restaurant dates to sexy photo shoots—mishaps arise, with disastrous and comical results. Gradually, surprises turn to shocking truths. And when a scandal from the past is uncovered, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.
            
With a colorful cast of eccentric characters, razor-sharp observations, and her signature wit and charm, Sophie Kinsella presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered.

Review

I have read all of Sophie's novels in her different genres and I was really looking forward to reading this book. So, imagine how disappointed I was when I began it and it was just different - can't put my finger on it but I didn't really like it. I wasn't keen on the what I thought the book was going to be about and felt a little disquieted by it.

However, that all changed - thank goodness! - as I got into the book and project "Surprise Me" began and some real laugh out loud moments were forthcoming. The other thing that happened is that we got introduced to Sylvie's workplace and it was divine. I loved the descriptions and really could see myself being there. The owner of Willoughby House where Sylvie works was a brilliant character and so enchanting if not a little eccentric. 

This book has a few different story threads to it beside the project "surprise me" so that kept my attention too. Tilda the hilarious neighbour and her son Toby (with his ingenious conspiracy theories) were well drawn characters and I could just imagine all the "secretive" exploits Tilda and Sylvie carried out together. I just loved the episode with the cardigan.

There is a thread in the book which is a little darker and not normally found in one of Sophie's books. It seems as if she has combined her different writing genres into this one book and very successfully too. My initial disquiet did disappear and I loved the book racing through it to find out what would happen.

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

Why we sleep - Matthew Walker

Description

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our life, health and longevity and yet it is increasingly neglected in twenty-first-century society, with devastating consequences: every major disease in the developed world - Alzheimer's, cancer, obesity, diabetes - has very strong causal links to deficient sleep. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why its absence is so damaging to our health. Compared to the other basic drives in life - eating, drinking, and reproducing - the purpose of sleep remained elusive.

Now, in this book, the first of its kind written by a scientific expert, Professor Matthew Walker explores twenty years of cutting-edge research to solve the mystery of why sleep matters. Looking at creatures from across the animal kingdom as well as major human studies, Why We Sleep delves in to everything from what really happens during REM sleep to how caffeine and alcohol affect sleep and why our sleep patterns change across a lifetime, transforming our appreciation of the extraordinary phenomenon that safeguards our existence.

Review 

Matthew Walker obviously knows his subject very well and is passionate about it, however, the level of this book is more that of a text book than for the average reader. He does say he will find it a compliment if anyone falls asleep reading his book and I have to say it did induce sleepiness in me more than once!

Despite it being a little hard to wade through there are some gems of advice worth mentioning. Like you cannot combat tiredness when driving. All those tips you think you have he warns - forget them - you cannot beat sleep. So the message is do not drive if you are feeling sleepy. 

I did find some of the findings repeated within the book from a very slightly different angle, to the academic it matters, to me a casual reader I got annoyed with the repetition. This isn't the first book I've read on sleep so a lot of the material I was aware of, apart from of course the authors own research.

The most interesting thing I learnt from this book is that there is a direct correlation between the rise of heart attacks and the commencement of daylight saving. There is also a reduction in heart attacks when daylight saving ends. Like a lot of very interesting statements in this book, especially regarding Alzheimers,  I was disappointed that there is seemingly no follow through for them - they are just research findings.

I'm giving this book four out of 5 stars purely because it is a little heavy going, however, if you are reading this for your studies I think you would give it 5 stars.

The Woman in the Window - A J Finn

Description

What did she see?

It’s been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside.

Anna’s lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers.

But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see. Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

Review

There are a lot of psychological thrillers around at the moment and as I began to read this one I did wonder what was going to be different - would I just work out what had happened.

I gave myself a pat on the back as I thought I had this book all sewn up - I had guessed the big reveal. Except that there were then more reveals, and more and I began to not know whether to believe what I was reading or not. 

It is difficult to belive this is a first book. I think this is just a genius plot. Anna plays old movies on a loop and at times the dialogue from those movies becomes intermixed with real life - or does it? Anna doesn't leave the house and the depth of writing about Anna's agoraphobic condition was outstanding and thought provoking. There were twists and turns which left me reeling as I had to re evaluate continually towards the end of the book what was happening.

I would love to say more - but it would really give the game away. So I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book to review.

Uncommon Type - Tom Hanks

Description

A collection of seventeen wonderful short stories showing that two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks is as talented a writer as he is an actor.

A hectic, funny sexual affair between two best friends. A World War II veteran dealing with his emotional and physical scars. A second-rate actor plunged into sudden stardom and a whirlwind press junket. A small-town newspaper columnist with old-fashioned views of the modern world. A woman adjusting to life in a new neighborhood after her divorce. Four friends going to the moon and back in a rocket ship constructed in the backyard. A teenage surfer stumbling into his father’s secret life.

These are just some of the people and situations that Tom Hanks explores in his first work of fiction, a collection of stories that dissects, with great affection, humour and insight, the human condition and all its foibles. The stories are linked by one thing: in each of them, a typewriter plays a part, sometimes minor, sometimes central. To many, typewriters represent a level of craftsmanship, beauty and individuality that is harder and harder to find in the modern world. In his stories, Mr Hanks gracefully reaches that typewriter-worthy level.

Known for his honesty and sensitivity as an actor, Mr Hanks brings both those characteristics to his writing. Alternatingly whimsical, moving and occasionally melancholy, Uncommon Type is a book that will delight as well as surprise his millions of fans. It also establishes him as a welcome and wonderful new voice in contemporary fiction, a voice that perceptively delves beneath the surface of friendships, families, love and normal, everyday behaviour.

Review

I'm going to have to admit upfront that I just love Tom Hanks - everything he does and he seems like a great guy too. I also love typewriters. So, unbiased review - really!

I did put this book at the top of my TBR pile and then read it in between another book. I don't like reading a whole set of short stories in one go, but I am a little sad now they are all read. BHowever, I've found out that the audio version of the book is read by Tom Hanks - I think I need to get it and hear them now too.

On that note, I did have Tom Hanks voice in my head whilst reading. Specifically his voice from "You've got Mail" (which also featured typewriters briefly) where he does read aloud a lot. This seemed to suit the timbre of the stories which are also very American, with some terms from way back that I have to admit I was not familiar with.

One character does crop up a couple of times, but otherwise each story is about a different person and situation. Some of them I found the typewriter connection to be a little tenuous and one I had to scan re read as I couldn't remember anything about a typewriter. 

I have two faves in this set of stories. One is a lady who buys an old typewriter for £5 bucks and her journey to get it fixed. The other combined into the mix another of my fave themes - time travel. I definitely could read this story over and over and it reminded me of Jack Finney's work.

In another story the typewriter takes the character back to recollections at hearing different parts of the typewriter, and as I read it, so did I - it was so spooky. Things I had not thought about for years - another one I would love to re-read. This book has got me hankering after getting an old typewriter - just like one I trained on years and years ago before my career went in another direction. I admit to having had a look online - oh Tom Hanks what have you started.........

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