Baxter's Requiem - Matthew Crow

Description

'The fact that this novel is so witty is incidental to how good it is - it has characters you care about deeply and a heart as big as a cathedral' Miles Jupp

'The finest love story I have read in years. Perfect I'd say.' Phyllida Shrimpton, author of Sunflowers in February

Mr Baxter is ninety-four years old when he falls down his staircase and finds himself resident at Melrose Gardens Retirement Home.

Baxter is many things - raconteur, retired music teacher, rabble-rouser, bon viveur; but 'good patient' he is not. Indeed, Melrose Gardens is his worst nightmare. Then he meets Gregory.

Greg is just nineteen years old, but he has already suffered a loss so heavy that he is in danger of giving up on life before he even gets going. Seeing the boy's pain, Baxter decides to take him under his wing.

Together they embark on a spirited journey to the war graves of Northern France, for Baxter to pay tribute to the love of his life; the man he waved off to fight in a senseless war; the man who never returned.

As Baxter shares his memories, Gregory starts to see that life need not be a matter of mere endurance; that the world is huge and beautiful; that kindness is strength; and that the only way to honour the dead, is to live every last second we have while we're here.

Review

This book had slipped down my TBR but once I rediscovered it I dived right in and loved it. I was laughing out loud in just a few pages and that carried on for most of the book. It takes a lot to make me actually vocalise my laughing rather than just a "ah that's funny" internal vocalisation.

The main character in the book is Mr Baxter, he's 94 and got the best sense of humour, although others in the book may not agree with that. To give you a little flavour - Mr Baxter asks "are you fond of music" and the reply is "I like Jazz". To which Mr Baxter replies "So that's a no then".

Apart from the wit of Mr Baxter and his exploits in the retirement home, the book has several other levels to it. Greg who works at the retirement home becomes a sidekick to Mr Baxter. At only 19 years old Greg has his own inner battles to fight but surprisingly finds an alliance with Mr Baxter.

The two of them take off to France and find out a lot more about each other and the loss they've both experienced gives them a bond. Whilst in France Mr Baxter opens up more about exactly why he wanted to visit the war graves and the story begins to be told from the perspective of the man he came to France to honour in a flashback to the second world war. At this point the book takes a very poignant turn, with no spoilers I will say no more about how that turns out.

All of the characters in the book are so vivid in their descriptions and actions that you begin to feel you've met all of them. It's a very amusing book, but with a deep message, it takes no effort to read. What appears on the surface to be a tale of every day life suddenly grabs you and makes you wish you could re write history. 

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

The Memory Police - Yoko Ogawa

Description

'A masterpiece' Guardian

A compelling speculative mystery by one of Japan's greatest writers.

Hat, ribbon, bird, rose. To the people on the island, a disappeared thing no longer has any meaning. It can be burned in the garden, thrown in the river or handed over to the Memory Police. Soon enough, the island forgets it ever existed.

When a young novelist discovers that her editor is in danger of being taken away by the Memory Police, she desperately wants to save him. For some reason, he doesn’t forget, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for him to hide his memories. Who knows what will vanish next?

The Memory Police is a beautiful, haunting and provocative fable about the power of memory and the trauma of loss, from one of Japan’s greatest writers.

'One of Japan’s most acclaimed authors explores truth, state surveillance and individual autonomy. Echoes 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and 100 Years of Solitude, but it has a voice and power all its own' Time Magazine

Review

I just loved this book, the writing is absolutely mesmerising, I just couldn't put it down. 

The book is set on an island in Japan. Things are disappearing from the island and once gone no one remembers they even existed - except for the few, and they must hide from the Memory Police.

Whilst I was reading this book it reminded me of so many other stories and experiences. The way the characters can't remember items once they disappear reminded me so much of someone with Alzheimer's. At first I thought that all the islanders must have Alzheimers disease. The people that go into hiding and are hunted down by the Memory Police reminded me of Anne Frank and the persecution as people were led away. 

The book is set in Winter and you can feel the chill as you read, both in the weather and the storytelling. I found it most atmospheric to be reading it at Winter time as the author is describes the snow scenes. Although you don't get to know the characters too well what you do get is their thoughts and feelings and their experiences of loss at a very deep level. 

There is also a book within the book. It's one that the novelist is writing and soon there are similarities between her writing and what is happening on the island. I loved the book within just as much as the main story especially as it brought back memories of typing school and the use of typewriters.

I really could just read it all over again as it was such a lovely experience.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley and Vintage Books for the ARC to review. 

The Sisters Grimm - Menna Van Praag

Description

'Absorbing and beautiful - a great achievement' Bridget Collins, bestselling author of The Binding

There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of sisters Grimm on Earth.
You may well be one of them, though you might never know it.

This is the story of four sisters Grimm – daughters born to different mothers on the same day, each born out of bright-white wishing and black-edged desire.

They found each other at eight years-old, were separated at thirteen and now, at nearly eighteen, it is imperative that they find each other once again.

In thirty-three days they will meet their father in Everwhere. Only then will they discover who they truly are, and what they can truly do. Then they must fight to save their lives and the lives of the ones they love. Three will live, one will die.

You’ll have to read on to find out who and why . . 

Review

I've previously read and reviewed two of the author's other books, and for me this book whilst an epic masterpiece deviated from what I was expecting. It's certainly more far reaching in terms of themes and the spectrum of the previous books I read. 

Some of the themes touched upon are child abuse, rape and self harming. Whilst the book is set both in the real world and a world called Everwhere the events in the real world could be a little alarming for some if not warned about.

The book features four sisters about to turn 18 years of age, and yet none of the know they have a sister. They had previously known one another but due to what happens to Grimm sisters they forgot each other as they turned 13 years old. Intriguing......

At first I got a little confused with which sister was which - although clearly labelled in the book,  I do like to keep track in my own head. Then the timeline jumped around and I got confused again. However, I did stick with it as I really wanted to know how this was all going to work out.

The last quarter of the book was really good and the sisters embraced the strong women they were but had maybe for one reason or another hidden. The story line became unputdownable and I was glad I had stuck with it. I was also surprised by the ending as it didn't turn out as I thought it would. 

Beautifully descriptive writing, but I do think it could have been edited down. There were long passages where I thought it repeated itself a little.

I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC for review. The book is out on 6 February 2020.

The Introvert Confounds Innocence - Michael Paul Michaud #Randomthingstours

Description

Finally, a book series for all of the weirdos of the world!

THE INTROVERT CONFOUNDS INNOCENCE continues the story of the eponymous anti-hero introduced in THE INTROVERT.

With his life disrupted by an unscrupulous work colleague and a bully at his son Toby's school, things go from bad to worse when his neighbor's abusive boyfriend goes missing, plunging the introvert into the center of a murder investigation.

Increasingly hounded by a meddlesome detective, and with his thoughts continually urging him to make people "red and open" and to "achieve it" with his girlfriend Donna, what follows is a sometimes brutal, oftentimes hilarious, and absurdist account of the life of one very anti-social and unexpected anti-hero

I'm delighted to be on the blog tour for this book today.

Review

This is a standalone book, but I think you'd enjoy it more if you read the first book, The Introvert. Because once you finish this one you are going to want even more.

In this book we meet again the vacuum salesman, who is now living with his girlfriend Donna and they have a son. Thinking the inclusion of the son would make this a very different book I was proved wrong as our anti-hero yet again delivers very dark humour and is still wanting to see people as "red and open".

This time he gets a new colleague at work - Gordon. Well, I just loved Gordon so much, he's the perfect foil to the introvert (whose name we never get to know!). The introvert himself reminds me a lot of the character Don in the "Rosie Project". He says it how it is and then when he sees others reactions he starts to replay what he's said and he still doesn't get it. The interactions with Gordon are just comedic genius.

A quirky read I don't think you will have read anything quite like this before. The dialogue reads like it's an Ellery Queen or written by Laurence Block, you are instantly transported to another time and place. In fact apart from the mention of a PC and spreadsheet this could be set at any time.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Random Things Tours for supplying me with the ARC to review and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

About Michael Paul Michaud:

Michaud is an American-Canadian citizen, an Assistant Crown Attorney in the Greater Toronto Area, and author of BILLY TABBS (& THE GLORIOUS DARROW) (bitingduckpress) and THE INTROVERT series (Black Opal Books). He holds a B.A. in English from McMaster University, an Honors B.A. in Political Science (summa cum laude) from McMaster University, a J.D. from The University of Western Ontario (with an international exchange completed at Washington & Lee), and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and International Thriller Writers. Michaud has won awards for both his work as a criminal prosecutor and for his work with the community. He has also made regular appearances on SiriusXM’s Canada Talks.

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelPaulMichaud/

The Introvert Confounds Innocence Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheIntrovertBook2

The Introvert Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheIntrovertBook

Twitter: MichaelPMichaud

Instagram: MichaelPMichaud

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-michaud-04439311/

Goodreads page for The Introvert Confounds Innocence: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44490433-the-introvert-confounds-innocence

Adults - Emma Jane Unsworth

Description

‘DAZZLING’ Marian Keyes, ‘HILARIOUS’ Dolly Alderton, ‘TENDER’ Jessie Burton, ‘MAGNIFICENT’ Daisy Buchanan, ‘INCREDIBLE’ Candice Carty Williams, ‘MOVING’ Laura Jane Williams, ‘BRILLIANT’ Nikesh Shukla, ‘I LOVED IT’ Sam Baker, ‘PAINFULLY TRUE’ Kate Davies

Jenny is unloved, unemployable and emotionally unfiltered. Her long-suffering friends seem sick of her and whilst her social media portrays her life as a bed of roses, it is more of a dying succulent.

Adults is what you want it to be. A misadventure of maturity, a satire on our age of self-promotion, a tender look at the impossibility of womanhood, a love story, a riot. And Emma Jane Unsworth is the only voice to hear it from. Adults is excruciating, a gut punch of hilarity and a book laden with truth that you will read again and again.

Review

I'm not in the demographic audience for this book, however, I could still really relate to it. I think if you aren't into social media or understand it's significance for so many people, then a lot of this book will be lost on you. 

As the book begins with Jenny agonising over a post for her Insta account - does she have the right filter?, has she got the #tag right? You may think this is going to be a lighthearted chick lit kind of aread, and you would be so wrong. 

Once we begin to get to know Jenny and her foibles, a whole deeper world is unearthed and actually at one point I did have a little cry; not only for the wonderfully evocative writing, but a memory it stirred in me. Yet at the next moment I was laughing out loud at the reference to The Scottish Restaurant - do not say its name!

There are some wonderful characters in the book. The author develops them so well and the interactions so wonderfully crafted that it felt like I was stood there watching it all happening. 

The story line does flip flop at times and not sequentially. However, it meanders around much like Jenny's mind and I really rather liked how it was all mapped out in a haphazard way. Although I realise now that the more painful memories were surfacing towards the end. 

I think the author has a unique voice and I look forward to reading more of her books. I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars.My thanks to netgalley and Harperfiction for inviting me to read and review this book.

Adults is out on 30 January 2020.

The Choice - Clare Wade

Description

Imagine a world where...

Everything you ate was monitored by the government.

Every step you took was counted.

Your children were weighed every day at school.

Neighbours reported on neighbours and no one was safe from judgement.

Sugar was illegal, and baking was a crime.

Imagine if that world was here... What would you do?

Toe the line or fight for your freedom...

Review

This is a novel set in England in a dystopian future where Sugar is a Class A substance and possession of it can get you into a lot of trouble. You may end up in the shame box which is a glass cube in a public place.

We meet Olivia who used to be a baker before baking was banned seven years previously. For this reason Olivia is extremely hurt by the sugar ban and the surrender of all of her cake making equipment. She tries her best to do everything the government (headed up by Mother Mason) requires of her and her family. 

There is some veiled humour in the book, such as when Olivia bakes a Mother Mason approved bake which her son describes as a cake in public. Olivia is distraught that she will be reported for them eating cake when it was in fact an approved "bake".

The book started out well but then for me it dragged on and I lost a bit of interest in it. I was also thinking it wasn't a bad thing that sugar was banned and that people had to exercise, worse things could happen to you. Thankfully about a third of the way through the book Olivia finds her inner fight and the plot took a very different turn. I was actually scared for Olivia on a couple of occasions and just as surprised as she was when she got arrested. 

Other than Olivia I didn't think that the characters were fully developed and we don't really get to know them. Towards the end I really did feel Olivia's pain and it did start a little train of though it my head of what if.....

I'm giving this book four out of five stars. My thanks to netgalley for the ARC to review.

Christmas at Liberty's - Fiona Ford

Description

The first novel in the Liberty Girls series will be loved by fans of Elaine Everest, Nancy Revell and Mr Selfridge.

September, 1941.

Mary arrives in war-torn London nursing a broken heart and a painful secret.

When she is offered her dream post as an assistant in the fabric department at Liberty store, she knows this is the fresh start she needs. Amid the store’s vibrant prints and sumptuous interiors, Mary finds a new family who can help her to heal.

But not everyone will give Mary such a warm welcome, and the trauma of her past will soon catch up with her.

As Mary and the Liberty Girls endure the heartache and uncertainty of war, it will take a steady heart to keep the magic of Christmas alive.

Review

I saved this book from my personal book shelf to read over the Christmas period, but really you could read it at any time of the year.

Liberty's is one of my favourite stores and I was a little nervous at how it was going to treated. I needn't have worried because the descriptions and details of the store where just spot on, I could see it all in my minds eye. I also love Liberty fabrics, so the fact that Mary gets to work in that department was a bonus for me. 

What I enjoyed the most about this book was the social history aspects. Set in 1941,  I learned quite a few things I hadn't known about before, especially some of the war time rationing. I loved how everyone in the book pulled together to make the most of what they had and each other. What wasn't so good was the way Mary was treated by society and her family- it really brought home to me the way society in general has changed in this respect.

One of the characters that was so vivid was Mrs Matravers, such a colourful and changing character who more than added to the varied story line. This certainly wasn't a saccharine read - it has warts and all.

I am a little behind in this series as there is already a follow up book and a third to be released in 2020.

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