In 1950s NYC three women meet in a hotel exclusively for ladies. These ladies are in NYC for various employment in publishing agencies/houses, secretaIn 1950s NYC three women meet in a hotel exclusively for ladies. These ladies are in NYC for various employment in publishing agencies/houses, secretarial schools etc.
The three are there for employment but to also escape their strict upbringings, for new experiences and to find love. Each do meet someone they feel they love but they are to experience self-discovery, and their friendship would be pushed to the limits.
This was an enjoyable enough tale, and whilst there were love stories, there weren't any particularly happy endings....more
Heard so much about this book and saw a few quotes and thought it looked a good read. I did enjoy it for the most part - the character development of Heard so much about this book and saw a few quotes and thought it looked a good read. I did enjoy it for the most part - the character development of Eleanor was interesting - but I found her way of talking a little irritating and not that endearing, hence the 4* rating. ...more
When Anna is introduced to Dexter Styles, a mob leader, she has no idea how her life will change. Her father invites her along so she can spend time wWhen Anna is introduced to Dexter Styles, a mob leader, she has no idea how her life will change. Her father invites her along so she can spend time with Styles' daughter but Anna is more fascinated by the mob leader.
Set in NY during the 1930s-1940s this novel is an interesting reflection on pre war NY and the war effort. The naval yards are the key focus with Anna first working in parts manufacture and later qualifying to dive. During this time her father goes missing and she happens upon Dexter Styles again and is again fascinated. Styles is only too aware and is happy to be pursued. The relationship develops emotionally but Anna is also keen to establish what happened to her father.
This is part historical, part mystery. Whilst I enjoyed these aspects I was less keen on the detailed account of diving and shipwrecks. The societal aspects were much more interesting for me.
This was a perfect holiday read, probably best classed as women's fiction. There wasn't a romance read so much, rather it was an exploration of relatiThis was a perfect holiday read, probably best classed as women's fiction. There wasn't a romance read so much, rather it was an exploration of relationships and truths.
Neither of the main characters were particularly likable, and both were flawed. The story was told by their alternatively viewpoints - one character in the present, the other in the past. The basic plot was that a couple with not a lot of cash get lucky and buy an amazing house on an amazing street for a knockdown price. Of course they begin to question why. It becomes clear that the other people on the street are a little guarded and are not quite telling the truth about some mystery that has happened recently. The Frasers of the title were a rich couple who had renovated the house and then disappeared in mysterious circumstances. This is not a whodunnit though, there's no blood on the carpet or murders to solve. This is a story of manipulation, lies, half-truths, and betrayal.
I would read other books by the author and thank the publisher and Netgalley for this review copy. ...more
Doctor, liar, con-artist, fraudster and murderer - over a period of 18 years one French man managed to trick his wife, family and friends into believiDoctor, liar, con-artist, fraudster and murderer - over a period of 18 years one French man managed to trick his wife, family and friends into believing he was a Doctor at a prestigious medical organisation and defrauded family and friends out of a considerable sum in order to fund his seemingly ordinary life and his more extravagant life with his mistress. He murdered his wife, children and parents when it all started unraveling for him. I'm not generally a reader of true crime but have to say this was a quite fascinating account of this man's life and an interesting character analysis.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC....more
My mum always tells me about how hot the summer of my birthday was. And how long that summer lasted. Summer in the UK usually equals a few warm muggy My mum always tells me about how hot the summer of my birthday was. And how long that summer lasted. Summer in the UK usually equals a few warm muggy days followed by dull warm days, rainy days, and on the rare occasion hailstones. Some readers must wonder why this rare long hot summer in the 70s featured so strongly in this book and I can only imagine the author was usually it to explain why the characters of this novel acted out of character. Basically nothing was normal that summer.
On a suburban street in the West Midlands Mrs Creasey has gone missing and Grace along with her friend Tilly (who has a mysterious illness meaning she wears a sou'wester or cardie even in the heat) decide to investigate the disappearance. They turn to the Vicar to ask for help and he uses the idea of Goats and Sheep to describe the way people behave. There are other characters on the street, all with interesting personalities and, as becomes clear, stories to hide.
As the story develops we see how each individual interacts with the others and it builds to an explanation of Mrs Creasey's disappearance. We see characters change, mature, and develop. I liked the focus on the current story interspersed with look backs to 1967 when events on the street changed things forever. I liked the twist at the end.
I thought it a well written novel; I liked the comments on life in the 1970s, and I think these built up to an interesting portrayal of suburbia.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. ...more
Paul had just completed his training to be a neurosurgeon before his untimely death of lung cancer. He left behind his wife and a 9 month old daughterPaul had just completed his training to be a neurosurgeon before his untimely death of lung cancer. He left behind his wife and a 9 month old daughter.
This account documents his life and career (I'm impressed by his breadth of knowledge - a true polymath) and then charts his illness from diagnosis to death. He didn't finish his book (according to the epilogue from his wife) although I thought it neatly rounded off when his writing in the past tense reverts to the present and the fitting words he writes to his daughter.
This is of course a sad story, but it is beautifully written.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this review copy.
As soon as I saw this book advertised I wanted to read it. I really enjoyed her previous novThank you to Netgalley and publisher for this review copy.
As soon as I saw this book advertised I wanted to read it. I really enjoyed her previous novel A Song for Issy Bradley because of the storyline and local setting. I think I liked this novel even more.
At the heart of this book is a daughter and her father, both trying to deal with the death of their mother and wife. The daughter, Clover, is sensitive like her Father, and at age 12 wants to understand more about the death of her mother, Becky, who died when Clover was weeks old. After a visit to a museum she decides to build her own, mostly misguided and misunderstood and fantasised, image of her mother with mementoes her father has kept. He has struggled to deal with the death of his wife and has hoarded her possessions. It is these possessions that Clover uses to build what she thinks will be an exhibition to her mother's life.
Clover has a happy life and her father and family / friends love her and that was comforting. It was through her father's flashback memories that we begin to learn a little more about Becky and how she died. I think this was pieced together really well and the slow reveals made for an interesting story.
Again this book was set in Southport (old Lancashire, now Merseyside). A town I know very well and I was easily able and enjoyed piecing the locations together. For me the setting and even some of the side notes like putting the plastic charity bag out for collection, which for some might seem too colloquial, really added to the appeal of the novel.
I don't have much knowledge of Minecraft except that it's a computer games based on blocks and it's quite popular with pre-teens. In this novel I learI don't have much knowledge of Minecraft except that it's a computer games based on blocks and it's quite popular with pre-teens. In this novel I learned a lot about Minecraft and how it allowed for the relationship between a Dad and his autistic son to develop and grow through a shared interest.
In the novel the relationship between the boy's parents is struggling, partly because of their son's autism, and partly because the Dad is spending time working to support the family. The parents decide to have some time apart and when the Dad finds himself made redundant and with a lot more time on his hands he also finds himself in a position where he is in charge of his son, without the aid of his wife. An introduction to Minecraft is enough to unlock a world for his son, and for the Dad to find a shared passion.
This story is fictional but the author is a Dad of a son with autism and therefore has first hand experience of parenting a child on the spectrum. This is evident from the novel and the references to behaviour patterns. I found it a fascinating read from that point of view, but also a heartwarming read and a lovely portrayal of father and son relationships and shared passions.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing this review copy.
Gwen is a young British woman who set sails for Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where she'Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing this review copy.
Gwen is a young British woman who set sails for Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where she's meeting her husband, a widower who's family has owned a tea plantation for many years. She's filled with trepidation but meets a kind Sri Lankan man who directs her to the nearest colonial hotel. Her husband eventually arrives and after a romantic rendevous they travel to the plantation and she immerses herself in the life of a colonial wife.
This novel, set in the interwar years, is filled with wonderful imagery of life in Ceylon. Parties, visits to local markets, the smells and sounds of Asia fill the senses but the author also refers to some of the very real difficulties facing the "native" population. Workers from India and native Sri Lankans work the tea plantations, living destitute lives, and there are undercurrents of political uncertainty and the potential for things to change in an instant.
Against this backdrop Gwen meets other Westerners, including her husband's ex-lover, and his much younger sister who is a mixed up young woman, in love with the wrong person. Gwen's cousin visits and she too falls for the charms of a Sri Lankan man, but again this relationship is frowned up.
After scene setting we move the the main story - there was from the outset a mystery about the dead wife and we are given snippets of information. When Gwen falls pregnant after a party and gives birth to twins her world falls apart, and without revealing spoilers, family history rears it's head once again. She finds it a very difficult time, only consoled by the fact she has her precious son.
The resolution of the story is very interesting and the author provides notes in the back to explain a little how colonial life worked. This was a useful backdrop but best leaving until the book is read! Overall this was an enjoyable read and I'd read novels by the author again. ...more
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.
I very much enjoyed this novel - it was both amusing and educational. I'd not heard of Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.
I very much enjoyed this novel - it was both amusing and educational. I'd not heard of the author but reading the blurb and the idea that this novel focused on the author's upbringing, and some of the challenges along the way, interested me.
The author's parents arrived in Toronto, via Liverpool and Pakistan. As Muslims in Toronto they were part of an active and busy Mosque, and there was a real sense of community evidenced in her writing. She explains some of the challenges attending a non-Islamic school - her mum preferred her to wear more traditional hairstyles and clothing for example (plaits in her hair, courdroy trousers etc) whereas she was keen to dress similarly to her classmates, in short skirts and styled hair. Attending Mosque she felt more part of the community but quite clearly wanted to challenge attitudes, including the separation of men from women, and the subjects covered at Muslim Summer School.
When she finished school her Dad had been keen for her to become a Doctor but her grades weren't up to it. Her parents didn't resist when she got a place on a journalism course and again she persued important issues she felt worth challenging (this part of the story is set around the time of 9/11). Her mother was keen to see her married though. She'd avoided marriage earlier due to education, and despite her parents trying to find a suitable match, she engineered a meeting with her brother's friend who she deemed a more suitable husband.
With her husband she moved near her parents-in-law to their much smaller Muslim community. She was still perusing her journalism but began branching out to film media. Again she tackled important issues through her work, including her TV show. I've not heard of Little Mosque on the Prairie but this TV show ran on CBS for 6 seasons. It met with a mixed reception in her community, possibly because of the satirical elements.
Whilst part of the story is her journalism career there is much focus on the importance of family. Her Mum is a key figure in her life and she appears close to both parents, despite the general craziness (which felt very familar to me). She's quite an amazing woman managing her career and four children (four pregnancies in four years!). I liked her character and spirit - she was desperate to provide the feast at the end of Eid but her planning went a little awry with amusing consequences and this is just one example. In another example she's on the phone to a TV exec whilst she's feeding one child and breast-feeding another - she's a perfect example of a multi-tasking woman!
This book is amusing - the anecodotes are told in a light manner but you also get a good sense of how important Islam is to her. I was also fascinated by her explanations of Hajj, and the Five Pillars of Islam for example. I'd recommend this read, and I'd be interested to see the TV shows she made, if they ever aired in the UK (they may well have done without me realising).
Thanks for Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this prepublication.
I've yet to read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood but I'd seen a couple oThanks for Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this prepublication.
I've yet to read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood but I'd seen a couple of reviews comparing this novel to this well known dystiopian read so I thought I'd request the book despite my reservations towards YA books generally. Whilst this would probably be regarded as YA novel, I felt that it would appeal to a wider audience than some YA books that I've read, because there was a certain maturity to the topic which would appeal to readers of all ages.
Yes, this is certainly a dystopian novel - a look to the future, but not a very pleasant future as far as women are concerned. Bred to either breed to produce children, or bred to be a man's concubine, the women involved compete to be the prettiest, most eligible to win the hearts of the males. This is an unpleasant environment, with lots of back biting and generally unsavoury behaviour. Some aspects of this did read a bit like boarding school novels / school novels I read as a teen in late 80s / early 90s but the subject matter was more than just teen romance.
I thought the whole premise of the novel was interesting; perhaps a little over long for my liking, but I'm sure many would not be concerned about this. ...more
Thanks to Netgalley & publisher for access to this prepublication.
I really liked this short novel. Packed a lot in the 200 or so pages. Visited by heThanks to Netgalley & publisher for access to this prepublication.
I really liked this short novel. Packed a lot in the 200 or so pages. Visited by her mother when she was sick in hospital this is the story of Lucy Barton and her life. It flits from past to present, not uncomfortably so as in some novels, focusing on Lucy's poverty stricken background and her escape to college and her career as a novelist.
Her and her mother have an uneasy relationship in her childhood but despite this her mother stays with Lucy during a period of hospitalization and their relationship appears improved. Her mother leaves and I found it sad that they slipped back into how their relationship was previously. Maybe it's change of environment or social conditioning to blame? We see Lucy grapple with what it means to be an adult and I could see to an extent the how her childhood experiences had perhaps influenced her choices. Overall a very interesting and thought provoking novel.
I've yet to read any other novels by the author but looking forward to doing so in the future....more
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this review copy.
I see this book is a top seller in Germany and I can appreciate why, now I've read it. Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this review copy.
I see this book is a top seller in Germany and I can appreciate why, now I've read it. It is a very good attempt to make sense of the past, although I'm sure there were many who did not find the content funny or something to be laughed at.
Hitler wakes up in Berlin after being in a deep sleep. It is the 'real' Hitler making sense of the modern world and still believing he has power and control. He realises he is no longer Führer but esteems to regain power. He is spotted in full uniform by a comedy show and, for the comedy show, spoof events and speeches are constructed, which Hitler believes to be true and his way to regain leadership. He believes the production company supports his ideology.
I didn't get some of the German popular culture references but it didn't detract from the story. I was amused by the ridiculing that took place, and found the overall story concept interesting and thought provoking, and the book well written, if uncomfortable reading at times. ...more
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