I was given a copy of Birth of a Hippie by JoDee Samuelson from Pownal Street Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Working in an officI was given a copy of Birth of a Hippie by JoDee Samuelson from Pownal Street Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Working in an office, a book like Birth of a Hippie is ideal for a break. The illustrations were excellent and the social-cultural historical leanings were varied. I certainly didn't feel like a hippie after, but it's very much to say that the hippie lifestyle is strong because people commit to its shared messaging. I also appreciated learning that paisley was an Iranian design concept that took off. That was a great of trivia. ...more
I was given a copy of Inside the Mind of Ted Bundy by Jeremy Daniel from Gemini Book Group & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bundy. A knownI was given a copy of Inside the Mind of Ted Bundy by Jeremy Daniel from Gemini Book Group & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bundy. A known name. Out of all the serial killers, the one that was deemed the normal one, albeit with the darkest, blackest eyes. I toss and turn with my thoughts on the True Crime genre, frequently discussing that the insights I glean on human nature are the payoff. Bundy was an - understatement - unbalanced individual who, as Daniel noted during the final chapter, was a perfect mix of psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism.
I read Inside the Mind of Rose West, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Some of the comments on that book were that there was no new information. The information - and its depravity speaks for itself. These books are, in a polite way, in the paint-by-numbers kind of format, which isn't in itself bad at all. The chapters are concise, motivations are explored and apt comparisons to then and now are given to explain the hopelessness of the killer hiding in plain sight.
Similar to Rose West and surely Dahmer and Sutcliffe, opportunities were squandered. Having a current girlfriend say that her lover, with the name Ted, a local, who had admitted to stalking the target victim's profile at a university campus and who had a slew of plaster casts, would, I say, be a particularly good clue. However, let's be thankful that Bundy wasn't all that good a driver...
Finally, several comments are about the writing not being up to scratch. I disagree. Technical words like ambit and phrases like cottage industry, I felt suitably fitted the bill to describe the other-worldly quality of this unique story. As a teacher of English, I frequently find that simple sentence structure mixed with some light, accessible technical terminology is the most effective way to galvanise your reading base. ...more
Be Here Now is a worthy addition to any summer beach read and any fan of Oasis. Let's see, I was given a copy from DreamEngine Publishing and NetGalleBe Here Now is a worthy addition to any summer beach read and any fan of Oasis. Let's see, I was given a copy from DreamEngine Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is within a yard's stretch of four stars. Paul Carroll could be Ben Elton or any similar author who can create a complete book with relatable characters, charming foibles, and small, relatable goals. I feel the story was a little messy. Let's get to that.
We have four Mancunian men aiming to relive their youth through Oasis. Two are okay, two are born-again losers. They're middle-aged, putting much of their youth and nostalgia into this gig. We also have two women going through a midlife crisis. They won a VIP pass and want this gig to leave a lasting impression. We then have top brass and a government minister, who organise this green-powered Oasis gig to showcase Britain's green credentials. Finally, we have eco/populist terrorists looking to upset this multimillion-pound one-off gig on an island off the North Sea.
Was it readable? Absolutely! Was it intelligent to wield all the chapters around an Oasis track? Absolutely! Was the story credible? Not particularly. Did I stay until the gig took place? For sure. Would I read another of Carroll's book? Definitely, maybe. ...more
I was given this audiobook of Karen, written and narrated by Kelsey Grammer, by NetGalley and publishers HarperCollins, in exchange for an honest reviI was given this audiobook of Karen, written and narrated by Kelsey Grammer, by NetGalley and publishers HarperCollins, in exchange for an honest review, which will be likely be my longest in quite a while.
Starting as honestly as possible with this honest review, this was a somewhat torturous audiobook, not for the faint-hearted. Grammer鈥檚 particularly tragic story is the kind of thing that you discover in passing; an article maybe or a post that has someone comment anecdotally that, for example, sharks killed Grammer鈥檚 half brothers. This audiobook was listening at times to pure, undistilled pain. Heartbreaking isn鈥檛 just a word here, it鈥檚 a visceral feeling of loss that stops you in your tracks and makes you want to call anyone you know and like and say, I appreciate you, or as the Grammers learned to say, I love you.
It's shattering, how senseless crimes leave scars and wounds that won't heal and at times, Kelsey writes impeccably.
However, this audiobook meanders wildly. Now, it may be time to list the problems I had with this.
鈥� Relevant information: How do we evaluate what goes in an autobiography and what is left edited on the Word document? An editor, usually. This book contains a great mound of information, which leads me to part 2.
鈥� Some of the anecdotes are in Grammer鈥檚 words, wrangling and in mine superfluous, hence the need for an editor. Grammer invites us, via Henry Fielding鈥檚 Tom Jones, to consider how he includes the audience in this process. I don鈥檛 like breaking the fourth wall in plays or films. I felt this technique should only have been included in the intro of this book. It takes you out of the narrative action.
鈥� He edits throughout the book. This is an investigation into the heart, mind, body and soul of Karen. As he discovers new things or inaccuracies, he lets the audience know. Couldn鈥檛 this be done more engagingly? Maybe a corrections section at the end. It feels like it was written and not revised, even though he tells us in his asides that there have been at least five or six drafts. It feels close to amateurish, even if these discoveries are being made in real time.
鈥� Confused narrative techniques. Karen is a focus, but so are many uncoordinated elements of Grammer鈥檚 life. He believes in truth, whether it鈥檚 commenting on women鈥檚 attractiveness or his love for Goose, the dog who is anecdotally referenced across many chapters. Btw, there are no headers, just chapters. The editor in this book evidently had no say, which weakens and dillutes the story, as we rehash various elements. Grammer should trust that the reader is listening and will retain the information. This non-linear story would have been better served by having chapter focuses on certain characters and other chapters that act as asides. He freely admits throughout asides, btw, that you may be confused. Well, disarm us of the confusion, Grammer.
鈥� Grammer is from a different generation, this I get, but the book expounds this. It functions at times as a Kelsey Knows Best or...
鈥� A Help Guide: The World According to Kelsey. Where the book most suffers, however, is that Grammer...
鈥� is obsessed with including his opinion in moments that don鈥檛 require it. For example, his righteous anger towards his sister鈥檚 assassins invites us to say that he feels that they need to stay in prison. He then says to us that if you disagree, then you have no heart. You see, I think if we鈥檇 picked up this book, we鈥檙e already connecting to the emotional substance of it all. It鈥檚 not helpful to have him leading, as he does several other times with other current issues. Trust that the readers can make their own takeaways without negotiating with us about how to think and feel.
In so many ways, this affected the book. I鈥檓 rounding up the whole thing to 3 stars (generously, I argue) partly because the end 鈥� about how Grammer鈥檚 faith had helped him reach a higher ground in dealing with this terrible tragedy 鈥� was profound, inspiring and a true step towards his healing.
Btw, if you were wondering if he referred to the negative connotations towards the name Karen, he covers that too. I agree that the term is an assault towards the Karens of this world (it turns out a Reddit post from an ex-husband ragging about his wife, Karen, was a significant factor but Grammer鈥檚 attempt to subvert this current more is unneeded, after all we had Karen Carpenter, who was known to be an Angel and a Saint of the Karen variety.
In conclusion, Grammer is a singular talent (he sang People beautifully, he tells us sometime in the 70s) with an incredible voice, a definition of bonhomie. For that reason, his lust for life and nostalgia for everything in his life also gave this some charm amongst so much tragedy....more
3.5 rounded up for this intense ride through Almod贸var-ville, or Almod贸var铆a.
Listen, I live in Spain and have worked pretty hard to explore the cultur3.5 rounded up for this intense ride through Almod贸var-ville, or Almod贸var铆a.
Listen, I live in Spain and have worked pretty hard to explore the culture as a guiri looking in. Naturally, Almod贸var is a big deal. Naturally, I have tried to watch as many as possible to watch his cannon. I have never really liked any of his work. I fell asleep in Dolor y gloria (one of the seven film covered here), am one of the seamingly few not to like Todo sobre mi madre.
This book felt like a good opportunity to get to grips with why Almod贸var is so lauded. And I guess I learned plenty. I have to say, I found the writing pretty advanced and overly philosophical - maybe it's a Colombia University Press (who kindly, along with NetGalley gave me a copy in exchange for an honest review) thing. That and the Cukor book went hard on film theory.
I was initially going to award this book 3 stars, but somewhere along the line, I guess La flor de mi secreto realised it's a 4 star kind of book. Even though, yet again, I don't like the movies. I thought it was intriging how James Miller tried to rationalise his obsession with rape and consent issues.
My take - not really a spoiler - is that Almod贸var was destined to become a director and used film as his therapy for self-evaluation. Forever a Manchego but a Madrile帽o in body and soul, everything that happened during his formative film years informed his later films - Los abrazos rotos y Dolor y gloria. Relationships for him are all or nothing, while his mercurial temperament revolves around wanting to be understood as someone who stands alone as a filmmaker.
As a result, when another Almod贸var pops on t'telly. I'll give it a go - with that knowledge to help me along. Thanks, Miller....more
I was given a copy of James Frey's Next to Heaven from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
Listening to Gina Gershon's audI was given a copy of James Frey's Next to Heaven from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
Listening to Gina Gershon's audio narration of Next to Heaven felt particularly inspired and she matched the sexually-charged activity of all the New Bethlehem players with real verve. It was fascinating that in her chat with the author, he referenced Jackie Collins' Hollywood Wives (I know who publishes it) and Danielle Steele as inspiration for this book. There are oceans of differences between the two authors, who I have signed autographs from, but that's a different story. Also, the chat was illuminating. I don't think Frey and I would be hockey buddies based on what he & GG discussed.
There were two powerful parts of this book. The backdrop to New Bethlehem was excellent - its moral rectitude followed by the sleaze-laced antics of its current cohort of residents- and the story of Katy, which was very much inspired by those exquisitely told backstories that Collins did so well. Its premise of being really trashy inspired me to request it. Collins really was an original - and even though nobody is close to replacing her, I do appreciate those who try.
Perhaps somewhat lacking from this book is that it's sleazy without much charm. It's a selection of characters who don't see much use in sex, who have everything, and who aren't particularly witty. Maybe it's more suited to Americans because American football doesn't translate all that well. Maybe it's the whole swingers party. Maybe it's Belle or Devon, both of which lack any real, fleshed-out characterisation. It could be the unfortunate use of yoghurt cannon as a euphemism. That's like a star lost there and then.
It's quite a long audiobook, 10 hours and some techniques were repeated, unsuccessfully. The gossip, Chinese whispers chapter, and the three very film-noir/pulp interrogation scenes. Everything was thrown at the wall and only some of it stuck. I would have recommended some cuts and some stronger characterisation. That said, I was pleased to receive a copy and listen to it. ...more
Last Night at the Disco, which I received from NetGalley and Regal House Publishing, is one of those novels that won't please everyoExceptional stuff.
Last Night at the Disco, which I received from NetGalley and Regal House Publishing, is one of those novels that won't please everyone; the lead character is either wildly delusional or the cleverest person in, at the very least, Keyhole, New Jersey.
Lynda is not exactly where she wants to be. She once lived in the East Village and was a poetry student. Somewhere along the line she moved in with her parents and ended up in Keyhole, New Jersey. But Lynda's not quite ready to throw in the towel yet. She dreams of being a poetic pioneer and being discovered, with the help of a gifted student in her class.
How do you channel the great Lynda Boyle (an excellently mundane name)? Well, you need to provide sexual favours liberally, be sexy, know how to dress, be ready to take drugs at the drop of a hat, have unlimited self-confidence, ensure that you have a boyfriend, two, possibly three at the same time in your pursuit of a #1, #2 and #3 kind of guy, love the East Village, continue to find inspiration and poetry and make sure to be on the guest list at Studio (if you need to say 54, you're probably from New Jersey). Obviously, loving disco is right up on the list based on that criteria.
Lynda is also a master of human psychology. She knows, she always knows. It's as fresh a catchphrase as Maree's - You're right, you're right, I know you're right. Borders writes her with great gusto, narrating her sequence of events with great comic patter. Her partnership with Patti is delightful, as is her relationship with Aurora's grandmother. I would make the error of summarising the story, but I think you have to sink into Lynda's delusional energy. She refers to Fleetwood Mac as the white noise of the '70s. Don't be delusional, love.
In a nutshell, she wants to leave Keyhole, her suburban parents, become a muse for an artist, party at 54. Live life vicariously. Have a read while listening to Donna Summer and shake your groove thing. ...more
Thanks, NetGalley and Gemini for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought that somebody said tInteresting.
Thanks, NetGalley and Gemini for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought that somebody said that you need the Bible and Shakespeare to be a great writer. Therefore, I'm always trying to get into Shakespeare. I expected this book to be more about Shakespeare. Instead, it's quiz-heavy, which inspires me nonetheless. It's asking you to get to the equivalent of a B2 in Shakespearean language. I will invest in Shakespeare over the coming month to up my level, complete the quizzes and secure my certificate. ...more
Thanks, NetGalley and Gemini, for gifting me an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
This perfect-length slip of a book takReally excellent.
Thanks, NetGalley and Gemini, for gifting me an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
This perfect-length slip of a book takes you to trivia town regarding all things Oasis. While one could while away a fair whack of time going over Oasis info on a site like Wikipedia, this book gives you plenty of takeaway pieces of info that you can share with people and appear knowledgable such as.
Did you know Liam Gallagher credits Madonna for getting him into music after someone hit him over the head with a hammer (!) in 1986? Did you know that Noel Gallagher had the arrogance to say upon receiving an award from INXS that "has-beens shouldn't be presenting awards to gonna-bes." Did you know that Liam lost his front teeth in a 2002 feud in Munich and that he's got a permanent ban from Cathay Pacific? (What's the Story) Morning Glory? hailed from Bye, Bye, Birdie.
I could go on and on. The quotes are pretty good, too. The pathos of Noel saying that fame wasn't as joyous as trying to make it, Liam's foresight amidst the expletives. There's also a Champagne Supernova recipe. I wasn't alive for the Oasis heyday, but you get an idea. And that's very worthwhile. ...more
Thanks so much to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this advance copy of the Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa by Jennifer Thanks so much to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this advance copy of the Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa by Jennifer Ussi.
Well, the title alone is an obvious five stars, and the content is pretty jolly and something I would have loved as a kid. Having visited a safari, I always feel a sense of ease reading about animals. This story, the second in the collection, relates to Casper (the aforementioned cat), who needs to get home but needs a little help from his (newfound) friends. Having not read the first, I'm unsure why he is in Africa. Still, we meet two elephants called Bugle and Hannah, who are happy to help Casper understand the circle of life (in this case, the importance of elephant waste in the ecosystem). Breezy in tone, with some excellent facts at the back, likely collated by the author for parents, this is a worthy addition to any young reader's collection....more
I was given a copy of After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell by NetGalley and Tinder Press in exchange for an honest review.
Around a 2.5 rounded down.
GeI was given a copy of After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell by NetGalley and Tinder Press in exchange for an honest review.
Around a 2.5 rounded down.
Gee, what a confusing read.
I read Instructions for a Summer Heatwave because of the idea (the summer heatwave of '76) and was slightly indifferent to it. However, this book had an interesting concept and I was ready to try another of her books.
I felt it was quite good in parts. However, it had a few elements that really ticked me off. Firstly, the book is divided into three unequal parts (non-lower, which confused me) and, therefore, has a messy structure, with the second part being extensive and with no real breaks; it's just a mass of text with line breaks. Second, it is also non-linear and multi-narrative (plus a combination between first and third person). Third, I did not find the protagonist enchanting; I found her brash and unrestrained. People like her exist, but I wasn't sure if she was strong enough to keep the story going.
This book could have been a lot shorter as its central mystery weaves in and out. The secondary stories, I don't think, landed particularly well. I guess it was like a light family saga. The scene in the restaurant was excellent nearing the end of part 2 was superb. In general, the book largely improved, although based on the themes, it was a depressing read.
I feel uncertain about giving this book two stars as O'Farrell can write, but I feel I'm just not her target audience, especially considering how loved this book is. However, with time, I'd try a third book from her. ...more
Years ago, when I was in Greece, I saw and read a Danielle Steel novel with the express intention of writing to you and requesting mail.
Many, many autYears ago, when I was in Greece, I saw and read a Danielle Steel novel with the express intention of writing to you and requesting mail.
Many, many authors ignored me, but Steel didn't, so having an Audible trial, I decided to listen to another of her books and this, scaling well over 4, felt like a safe bet.
I can understand the appeal somewhat and why she's sold X number of books. This is a book of very simple sentences, very simple concepts and plenty of telling, almost no showing.
We follow Meredith White, a famous actress, who - a bit like in Ransom, has a summary of her life up until this moment. She's a famous actress who has embraced seclusion due to a bad marital breakdown and a disaster that caused her to become depressed and withdrawn.
Jake and Debbie are her household managers. They're abusing Meredith's confidence by stealing from her and planning to skim X amount of money from her before absconding. Neither character was remotely realistic in action or dialogue.
We then go into Steel style, I imagine. We meet several of the neighbours, cue the title of the book to form an ensemble novel. There's an earthquake, which forces Meredith to embrace a new sense of responsibility.
The book weaved along, but I can't say I found the dialogue captivating. The narrative also was very repetitive. Characters were painted as good, sad, bad, or honest without any deep psychological offerings about their motivations. Someone wondered if the author was on drugs or alcohol or suffering from Covid when writing this. Another suggested this was one of the first novels written entirely by AI.
I was given a copy of Dave Ainsworth's When the Carry On Stopped from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Carry Ons are fast becoming part I was given a copy of Dave Ainsworth's When the Carry On Stopped from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Carry Ons are fast becoming part of the historical past. Although one or two stars remain, they fundamentally were of their time. This book, lovingly written by the witty Ainsworth, explores the lives of the ensemble cast in quite some detail. It's nostalgic and historic and about the tears of the clown mentality that so many of the Carry On cast suffered; only his love for them makes this a fitting tribute to one and all.
The first two chapters are excellent; they have great info and a wonderful zeitgeist of the Carry On stars in their daily lives. The following chapters focus a little too much on the receipts for the Carry On producers and why Carry On Screaming was a big moment for the series (the following films - Don't Lose Your Head and Follow That Camel were Carry On-less, sort of like being semi-naked really).
The writing is very zesty and showcases how Ainsworth is evidently a true fan of the series. He uses ! excessively to indicate to the reader that the Carry On universe, with its eccentric actors, petty squabbles, and trivia, is one of mirth and, at times, biting British wit. There could have been some slight edits along the way. It is UNFORGIVEABLE that he fails to mention Carry On Abroad, my absolute favourite, as he decides that in the mid-sixties, the series, as intelligent in its own absurd way, was dead forever after Carry on Doctor.
Still, there's a lot of joy to this book and I do recommend it for those intrigued by the Carry On world....more
My second Mary Wesley - and again, a bonkers read.
I'm not sure how I found out about the Camomile Lawn, but I did and, when I did, managed to snare a My second Mary Wesley - and again, a bonkers read.
I'm not sure how I found out about the Camomile Lawn, but I did and, when I did, managed to snare a copy, knowing full well that it was a wild ride into the upper-class misbehaving, sort of a More Sex, Please, We're British kind of mindset. For such a short book, it had a wild plot and a unique, unusual authorial tone. Unlike, say a, Jilly Cooper, this was a jaded voice who had too much beauty, too much of everything and reflected this in her characters.
Her characters are intelligent, bold, saucy and unashamedly upper class. This is meant to reflect Wesley's life, based on society relationships, sex and culture.
Here we have a generally weird story with a vast ensemble of characters but a protagonist, Flora. She's nine at the beginning of this book and is holidaying in France. There, she meets Cosmo (and his sisters), Hubert and Felix (and his sisters.) Her partners dislike her for entirely shallow and unbelievable reasons, so Flora must grow up as a child devoid of maternal and paternal love. As billed on the back, Flora becomes the object of affection for these three boys, who lust after her seemingly from the get-go but amp up their obsession with her at FOURTEEN. It's a genuinely odd arc for Wesley to go down. Later, her father, who is in India, is asked by his wife and the mother of Flora if he will also find her attractive and worthy with a roll in the hay, to which he replies, it'll be you who put incest in my head. Ummm, what?!
Some choice lines:
'We should have had the child adopted.' 'Denys,!' 'It's not as though she were a son. I know you feel the same.'
And later 'Don't do that,' Denys snapped. 'What about this, then,' she murmured. Presently Denys whispered, sweating, 'Where did you learn to do that?' 'I just did it. It came naturally' 'You've never done it before.' 'I have wanted to.' 'You would have made a wonderful tart,' he said. She knew the mood was over.
What odd odd writing. I think the reason I continued to the end - even though it's under 400 pages, it is a pretty long read- is just working on the mechanisms in Wesley's head.
The nearest way I can summarise this is Mamma Mia in reverse (instead of 3 lovers over a summer, three lovers over the extension of the novel.) A wild ride....more
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