Seven Lies - Elizabeth Kay

Description

It all started with one little lie . . .

Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they were eleven years old. They have a lot in common. In their early twenties they both fell in love and married handsome young men.

But Jane never liked Marnie's husband. He was always so loud and obnoxious, so much larger than life. Which is rather ironic now, of course.

Because if Jane had been honest - if she hadn't lied - then perhaps her best friend's husband might still be alive . . .

This is Jane's opportunity to tell the truth, the question is:
Do you believe her?

Review

This book is so cleverly written, it puts me in mind of Fleabag with the audacious dialogue, and I did have that character in my head when I read about Jane. 

A very dark tale and yet because of the style and Jane's telling of the lies, it all seemed a little acceptable! You know from the blurb that Marnie's husband is dead - just how that comes to be felt a little drawn out to begin with. But the author is drawing you in a little at a time until bang! You are hooked.

Never knowing whether Jane is telling us the truth or not - she is all about telling us the lies - I didn't like her very much. Then we discover more about Jane and how she came to be where she is in life and it was all so sad.

My thoughts ran from fear to favour throughout the book for Jane and by the end when I got to the seventh lie, my heart was in my mouth. I hardly dare read it, a bit like watching a scary film through your fingers. It really was edge of the seat stuff. With the final twist revealed the scales fell from my eyes - but you need to read it without that advantage so I will say no more.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

My Lies, Your Lies - Susan Lewis

Description

His life was destroyed by a lie.

Her life will be ruined by the truth.

Joely tells other people’s secrets for a living. As a ghost writer, she’s used to scandal – but this just might be her strangest assignment yet.

Freda has never told her story to anyone before. But now she’s ready to set the record straight and to right a wrong that’s haunted her for forty years.

Freda’s memoir begins with a 15-year-old girl falling madly in love with her teacher. It ends in a way Joely could never possibly have imagined.

As the story unravels, Joely is spun deeper into a world of secrets and lies. Delving further into Freda’s past, Joely’s sure she can uncover the truth… But does she want to?

Review

The book begins with a flashback to a 15 year old girl at school, who along with all the girls at her school, has a crush on the music teacher.

The next part of the book introduces Joely who is a ghostwriter. She has just found out her husband is leaving her for her best friend. When a job comes up to write a memoir for Freda based at her home in Devon, it seems like the perfect escape from her unravelling life in London. 

What happens next is we find out the beginning of the book is part of the memoir that Joely has been asked to ghostwrite. Freda is a little strange and has a cook reminiscent of a character from Marnie and the whole thing turns into a page turner with some spooky goings on.

At the centre of this book is the affair between the music teacher and a fifteen year old girl. You may not find that part of the book a comfortable read.  As the book progresses we find out more about the lies different characters in the book have told and the repercussions of those lies.

One of the more light hearted characters in the book is Joely's daughter Holly, who is a breath of fresh air. After trying to second guess where the book was going and work out who told what lies she was a bit of a tonic.

Personally I thought the book could have ended slightly sooner than it did, with the last part of the book wrapping everything up a little too neatly for me; but maybe leaving the possibility of a sequel on the table?

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Pigeonhole for the daily staves and the chance to join the author and comment. 

My Pear-Shaped Life - Carmel Harrington

So pleased to be on the blog tour today for this fabulous book today.

Description 

Meet Greta.

She’s funny.

She’s flawed.

She’s hiding so much behind her big smile she’s forgotten who she is.

But Greta is about to discover that the key to being happy is…being you.

Greta Gale has played the part of the funny fat one her entire life, hiding her insecurities behind a big smile. But size doesn’t matter when you can laugh at yourself, right?
Until Greta realises she’s the only one not laughing. And deep down, she’s not sure if she’ll ever laugh again.

But with her world feeling like it’s falling down around her, Greta is about to discover she’s stronger than she feels. And that sometimes the best moments in life come when it’s all gone a bit pear-shaped…

Review

I was expecting a light hearted read but I got so much more. Having read one of the author's books before I should have known there would be a lot more to the book than the strap lines.

I don't think I am giving too much away to say that within the first few pages of the book Greta finds herself in rehab - I wasn't expecting this and began to re-evaluate just what the title of the book actually referred to.

Once Greta was in rehab I thought the book was going to be a little dour, but I began to love Greta and really routing for her to succeed. What followed in the rest of the book was surprise after surprise, really I didn't know where this book was going, and I doubt you could even second guess it. I got lost in the book and couldn't put it down. 

Revelations were flowing from all the characters in the book and each was such a unique story, enriching the book so much.  Towards the end of the book Greta fights a really big internal demon of hers and I was willing her to succeed so much. 

I'm not sure the ending was the one I was expecting but I was ok with it. Lets just say for once the cynics won't be able to say it's predictable chic lit!

I'm giving this book five out of five stars. My thanks to Random Things Tours for the blog tour invite and to Netgalley for the ARC.

The F*ck It List - John Niven

Delighted to be on the blog tour for this book today.

Description

You are dying. Who do you kill?

Set in a near-future America, an America that has borne two terms of Trump Presidency and is now in the first term of Donald’s daughter as president, Frank Brill, a retired small-town newspaper editor, lives in a world where the populist policies Trump is currently so keen to pursue have been a reality for some years and are getting even more extreme – an erosion of abortion rights, less and less gun control, xenophobic immigration policies.

Frank, a good man, has just been given a terminal diagnosis. Rather than compile a bucket list of all the things he’s ever wanted to do in his life, he instead has at the ready his ‘fuck-it list’. Because Frank has had to endure more than his fair share of personal misfortune. And he has the names of those who are to blame for the tragedies that have befallen him.

But eventually, as he becomes more accustomed to dishing out cold revenge and the stakes get higher and higher, and with a rogue county sheriff on his tail, there only remains one name left at the bottom of his fuck-it list.

Review

The book is set in 2026 in an imagined future that doesn't seem that far away. Ivanka Trump is now President of the USA and there are new laws. The Extreme Patriot Act gives the police wide ranging powers including detaining and using "illegals" as slave labour. 

Against this backdrop the main character of the book Frank Brill discovers he has a terminal cancer. He decides its time to settle some scores, and he already has a list of who they will be. Frank has had a hard life with his 3rd wife and son dying, which leads to him being reunited with his estranged daughter from his second marriage, only for her to die also.

 As Frank travels around America working his way through his list, rather than be appalled I actually was willing him on. Like a row of dominoes you started to see how each one affected the next. Frank has based his list on what he reflects as computations. Like the fork in the road, which one you take has a cause and an effect.

The book reminded me of the Michael Douglas film, Falling Down. I reference this not to detract from the book but to give an idea of the man Frank becomes. Although rather than being on the edge, Frank goes all the way over it. There is also a Cop, like in the film, that puts 2+2 together and is soon trailing Frank.

Towards the end of the book you suddenly realise where Frank is heading - who the last name on his list is. At this point the book becomes almost a farce with misconstrued actions and no one quite knowing what the hell is happening anymore.

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in two sittings, it would have been one but I started late at night and I couldn't keep my eyes open!

I just want to add that the book covers some subjects that people who are easily offended may rather not read. There is a lot of gun violence, a mass shooting description, child abuse and a graphic sex worker scene. There are homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic remarks made by the characters. At times it's very gritty and not in the least sanitised. None of this is gratuitous, but a part of life that goes on, even if we don't like it. 

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. The writing is just brilliant and makes me want to read everything else John Niven has written.

My thanks to random book tours for the blog tour invite and Netgalley for the ARC to review.

John Niven was born in Irvine, Ayrshire. He is the author of the novella Music from the Big Pink and the novels Kill Your Friends, The Amateurs, The Second Coming, Cold Hands, Straight White Male, The Sunshine Cruise Company, No Good Deed and Kill ‘Em All.

Act 3 the Art of Growing Older - Judy Reith and Adrian Reith

Thrilled to be on the blog tour for this book today.

Description

At last, the life you want . . . post 50.

We’re living longer, in better health, with higher expectations than any generation in human history. With an extra adult chapter to look forward to, what will you do? Who else could you be? How will you evolve the best plan for your life between 50 and 80?

Judy and Adrian Reith have decades of experience in helping people see hidden possibilities, clarify their goals and achieve life-changing results. In Act 3 they suggest practical steps to make your life more fulfilling as you age. From the ground up this book will help you identify and strengthen the four roots you’ll need for a happy and successful third act. It illustrates how your attitude, purpose, relationships and values are keystones to a life without regret.

Act 3 gives tools and tips to help you focus on what matters, with chapters on Work, Home, Money, Health, Play, the World and Friends. You’ll be inspired by original stories of those who have changed their lives after 50 and be able to re-imagine your future, and so get the life you want . . . at last.

Review

The book uses a tree as its framework, with branches and roots to cover the different areas of our lives after the age of 50. There's an illustration to refer back to as the book covers each area in turn. In fact one of the things I liked about the book were the little illustrations dotted throughout the book together with relevant quotes from famous people.

One of the first things the book asks you to do is write or draw in a journal alongside the book and I admit my heart sank a little, as I do not like doing this kind of thing. I carried on with the book and found it so useful even without doing this step - so don't be put off if you don't like the idea of a journal either.

I found the book to be full of useful and reassuring advice with a little parental feeling to it. It was good to read suggestions rather than feeling you have to have the answers all the time for the family. One of the key take aways for me was the advice in the relationships chapter. It talks about saying sorry without justification - even if you think you are right you can say "I'm sorry you're upset" - I just loved this.

There are also lots of references to other books and links for you to explore further things that particularly interest you. These are listed at the back of the book for easy reference.

In the health and science chapter there are some simple tests you can do to test how fit you are or how good your balance is. Another chapter I found really good was the one on Home. This asks you to look at your home and see if it is future proofed for you. It may be a little early for some but it's a great chapter to return to when you need it or to use now for your parents.

Dementia is also touched upon with some very useful advice for interacting for those that have dementia. Finally death is discussed in a practical down to earth way. Things to sort out now rather than leave your family to deal with.

There were lots of things I haven't found in a book like this before. It's certainly a book to be read and re read and to keep on hand for reference. Use of personal references by the author make the book less textbook like and the style of writing is so accessible.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars and my thanks to Random Things Tours for the blog tour invite and to the authors for a copy of the book to review.

    About the Authors

Judy Reith draws on her professional training in child development, counselling and parent education to help thousands of parents, some of whom are also entering Act 3. She is the author of 7 Secrets of Raising Girls Every Parent Must Know, Be a Great Mum and Transform Living with Teenagers. 

Aged fifty in 2006, Adrian Reith ditched a successful career as a writer and director in advertising to help people unscramble their mental spaghetti. He and Judy live together in Cambridge. 

Self Confident Sally - Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Self-Confident Sandy by Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino 

Sandy was full of self-confidence. Where did it come from? She could do anything, but why? Ah, she had a special mantra that she used to explain herself. “” You may ask me why I can do anything I try… and the only answer can be: all these things are inside me!’ Yes, I can do most anything. Once I set my mind and heart to it, I find that there is nothing to it. Still, I keep my mantra handy,” explained Self-Confident Sandy!

Buy Link

https://amzn.to/2USHPPd

Author/Illustrator Sally Huss creates children’s books to uplift the lives of children. She does this by giving them tools to overcome obstacles; by helping them value themselves and others; and by inspiring them to be the best that they can be. Her catalog of books now exceeds 100.

"Bright and happy," "light and whimsical" have been the catch phrases attached to the writings and art of Sally Huss for over 30 years. Sweet images dance across all of Sally's creations, whether in the form of children's books, paintings, wallpaper, ceramics, baby bibs, purses, clothing, or her King Features syndicated newspaper panel "Happy Musings."

Sally is a graduate of USC with a degree in Fine Art and through the years has had 26 of her own licensed art galleries throughout the world. sallyhuss.com.

Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino is one of America's foremost personal and corporate development consultants. She is the creator of The Best Ever You Network (or Best Ever You), a leading multimedia provider of lifestyle and self-help content. While participating in the Harvard Business School for Leadership program, Elizabeth serves as a Leadership Advisor for the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute.

In 2020 Elizabeth joined Sally Huss to create the best-selling children’s book A Lesson for Every Child: Learning About Food Allergies. Living with life-threatening food allergies for many years, Elizabeth added her personal experience and her expertise to the project. She also sits on several boards of organizations and foundations that bring awareness to this life-threatening condition.

Elizabeth is also the best-selling author of Percolate – Let Your Best Self Filter Through (Hay House Publishing). elizabethguarino.com.

84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff

Description

In 1949 Helene Hanff, a “poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books”, wrote to Marks & Co Booksellers of 84 Charing Cross Rd, in search of the rare editions she was unable to find in New York.

Her books were dispatched with polite but brisk efficiency. But, seeking further treasures, Helene soon found herself in regular correspondence with bookseller Frank Doel, laying siege to his English reserve with her warmth and wit. And as letters, books and quips crossed the ocean, a friendship flourished that would endure for twenty years 

Review

I've read this book before, many years ago, but this is the first time I have had an edition which includes the sequel book The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. I also hadn't realised how much the film changes the story (as usual!).

The first book consists purely of letters between Helene Hanff (yes, this really happened) and the staff at Marks & Co - in the main Frank Doel. Helene has that smart mouth New York way of writing and it is really so entertaining, I just loved it.

The second book is when Helene finally gets to London in the 60s and I loved this book even more. Maybe because she stays in Bloomsbury an area I know well and even the hotel I regularly used to stay in - which makes it seem all the more special to me now. 

She sees London and trips further afield through the eyes of a New Yorker and it is just so entertaining. These are the days before mobile phones and it was a joy to read of her receiving notes inviting her to be somewhere, sometimes at short notice and her then trying to find her way around London. It's a fantastic trip back into the past.

I've now ordered Helene Hanff's others books which include an autobiography - I want to go back to her world.

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