books

What I Read: April 2021

Published on May 11, 2021 by AnitaLeave a comment

Jeanine Cummings: American Dirt

Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same. Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

I had wanted to read this book for so long but before I started I discovered that it had received a lot of criticism. I’m not going to go into the full details, and you can find out more online if you are interested but one of the issues raised was the fact the author is white and has never lived in Mexico. As this is a fiction book that raised a serious issue, I decided to ignore that, finish the book and review it for what it was – a fiction book. In spite of everything said about the novel, I found it to be captivating, informative, suspenseful, heartbreaking and hard to put down . It’s 400 pages long and I read it in two days. All the criticism didn’t lower the importance or relevance of the story, at least not for me. If nothing else, hopefully it will start conversations and awareness about the issue of immigration. The only criticism I have is that it was a bit slow after the initial shocking start. Otherwise, I would recommend everyone to read this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

t.m. logan: Trust me

Ellen was just trying to help a stranger. That was how it started: giving a few minutes respite to a flustered young mother sitting opposite her on the train. A few minutes holding her baby while the mother makes an urgent call. The weight of the child in her arms making Ellen’s heart ache for what she can never have.
Five minutes pass. Ten. The train pulls into a station and Ellen is stunned to see the mother hurrying away down the platform, without looking back. Leaving her baby behind. Ellen is about to raise the alarm when she discovers a note in the baby’s bag, three desperate lines scrawled hastily on a piece of paper:”Please protect Mia.Don’t trust the police.Don’t trust anyone.” Why would a mother abandon her child to a stranger? Ellen is about to discover that the baby in her arms might hold the key to an unspeakable crime. And doing the right thing might just cost her everything . . .

After reading ‘The Holiday’ and ‘The Catch’ I was very excited to read this book and I wasn’t disappointed! There are many red herrings that change your opinion about who is behind all of this, as you really do not know who to trust. I couldn’t figure it out until very late! The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because at times it was a bit slow and I got frustrated because no one wanted to give ANY answers to Ellen but they kept showing up at her doors! But the short chapters made it easy to fly through and the style of writing made it easy to get hooked from the beginning without needing several chapters to get into the story. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a thriller with a unique storyline and some interesting characters to follow!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

tim weaver: missing pieces

Rebekah is trapped on Crow Island and is 101 miles from the US mainland. Much of the island was destroyed by Hurricane Gloria in 1987 and has few facilities. How and why is she trapped? Meanwhile, soon to be retired Detective Frank Travis is searching for missing artist Louise Mason. How do these seemingly disparate stories connect?

Tim Weaver is one of my favourite authors. I have read most of his books from the David Raker series but this is his first standalone book and the first one set in America. Despite being 500 pages long it felt much shorter because I was hooked and I ended up finishing it in less than 48 hours! The story unfolds through dual timelines of ‘before’ and ‘now’ which fit seamlessly together. As with the author’s previous books, Missing Pieces is a perfectly paced read with an addictive mystery that keeps you fully engaged throughout. The tension-filled claustrophobic atmosphere is palpable as Rebekah searches for answers and struggles to survive on the island alone. At times you really have to suspend the disbelief but twists and turns compensate for that. I never came even close to guessing what was going on and who the villain was.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lorraine Brown: Uncoupling

Hannah and Si are in love and on the same track – that is, until their train divides on the way to a wedding. The next morning, Hannah wakes up in Paris and realises that her boyfriend (and her ticket) are 300 miles away in Amsterdam!
But then Hannah meets Léo on the station platform, and he’s everything Si isn’t. Spending the day with him in Paris forces Hannah to question how well she really knows herself – and whether, sometimes, you need to go in the wrong direction to find everything you’ve been looking for…

This book is a bit corny and predictable but honestly that’s why I read these type of books and this book is exactly what I needed -a little bit of escapism. I loved the detailed description of the beautiful Paris, it really transported me there. The characters are likeable and the story flows. Although this is billed as a romance I think it’s more of a love story to finding yourself and being who you want to be instead of fitting into some pre planned mould that society has laid out. I really enjoyed it, not just because I got to escape to Paris but because it is a charming, joyful, and uplifting story that has been well written and plotted.Recommended for anyone who loves Paris and a bit of romance!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

megan goldin: the Night swim

On her way to Neapolis, North Carolina; podcast host Rachel Krall, finds a note on the dashboard of her car pleading for help. The writer of the note, Hannah, believes her sister was murdered 25 years ago and needs Rachel’s help to identify the murderer(s). Rachel is wary of helping Hannah, but soon gets pulled in to her story as she leaves more and more letters for Rachel to read about what happened to her sister, Jenny. At the same time, Rachel begins attending the trial of a famous swimmer accused of raping a 16-year-old girl. The two cases converge, leading to a sickening and sad revelation.

This book is not easy to read. The author spends a lot of time examining how a rape trial plays out in the courtroom. The rapes of two female characters are also shared. It is heavy, dark, and emotional to read but it’s also important to the story, one that gets into the heavy topic of rape culture and what that means for our generation versus previous ones. The chapters alternate between Hannah and Rachel’s point of view as well as episodes from the podcast. There are two mysteries in this book and the author blended their stories perfectly. The transitions between the past and present were flawless. Both stories were interesting, gut wrenching and intriguing. It was well-paced and I was hooked from the first page. I’m really hoping this will become a series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

mike Gayle: all the lonely people

In weekly phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun, friendship and fulfilment. But Hubert Bird is lying.The truth is day after day drags by without him seeing a single soul. Until, he receives some good news – good news that in one way turns out to be the worst news ever, news that will force him out again, into a world he has long since turned his back on. Now Hubert faces a seemingly impossible task: to make his real life resemble his fake life before the truth comes out. Along the way Hubert stumbles across a second chance at love, renews a cherished friendship and finds himself roped into an audacious community scheme that seeks to end loneliness once and for all . . .

A story of community, loneliness and unlikely friendships. The book successfully swaps between present day and London in the 50’s to tell the story about Hubert Bird. It successfully tackled themes like racism and loss but focuses on loneliness . It was very emotional at times but also very uplifting and inspirational. The only thing I didn’t like is that it wasn’t really ‘unputdownable’, and not as gripping as I hoped. There were some twists through the book but essentially this was a story about the power of community. Lots of different emotions are experienced but overall there is a sense of joy in this thought-provoking, delightful and very captivating read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

What I Read: August 2020

Published on September 9, 2020 by AnitaLeave a comment

D.S. Butler: House of Lies

During a week long study retreat at Chidlow House in Lincolnshire, one teacher falls from the roof in a suspected suicide or ‘accident’. A few days later two teenage girls, Cressida and Natasha go missing. Detective Karen Hart and the rest of the team are called to investigate. There they are faced with rumours that the old house is haunted as people, including Karen, can hear the sounds of whispering and dripping water. When they start speaking to everyone at the house they soon realise that several people might be keeping secrets. While they race against time to find the missing girls, Karen learns that not everything is as it seems.

Before I read this book, I had read the first book from this series “Bring Them Home” which I didn’t like so I was a bit reluctant to start this one. But… this one got me hooked from the first chapter! It really has everything that I love mystery, a creepy old house and a thrilling story that kept me guessing until the end! I suspected everyone at one point which is always a sign of a good thriller book. I took one star off just because at the times it could have been quicker.

This book is part of a series, but it can be read on its own. Even though I would suggest reading all of them if you are interested in DS Karen’s past and personal life as there is a bit of side story there. Overall, I would recommend this book, especially if you love British police dramas.

Thanks NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for advanced copy.

The book will be published on 29 September 2020.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lisa Jewell: Invisible Girl

Owen Pick’s life is falling apart. In his thirties, a virgin, and living in his aunt’s spare bedroom, he has just been suspended from his job as a geography teacher after accusations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. Searching for professional advice online, he is sucked into the dark world of incel—involuntary celibate—forums, where he meets the charismatic, mysterious, and sinister Bryn.Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family, headed by mom Cate, a physiotherapist, and dad Roan, a child psychologist. But the Fours family have a bad feeling about their neighbor Owen. He’s a bit creepy and their teenaged daughter swears he followed her home from the train station one night.Meanwhile, young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours. Feeling abandoned when their therapy ends, she searches for other ways to maintain her connection with him, following him in the shadows and learning more than she wanted to know about Roan and his family. Then, on Valentine’s night, Saffyre Maddox disappears—and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick.

Another dark, intense, creepy and twisty psychological thriller by Lisa Jewell. This was definitely one of those books that I did not want to put down because I wanted to know what was going to happen. The story is told through multiple POV’s (Cate, Owen and Saffyre) and that helps us to get into the minds of the characters and to keep the pace of the book moving . It was interesting reading the different points of view and then having all the stories come together to find out what happened in the end. The story itself tackles several difficult topics including sexual assault, the Incel community (which I was not at all familiar with prior to reading this book), and the various masks people wear in their everyday lives. But…the most important thing about this book is that it’s not just a classic thriller, it’s thought provoking, explores subjects like trauma, revenge, mental health, injustice, redemption and makes you think about all the times you misjudged someone just because he/she doesn’t fit into a social norm. Lisa showed us how societal misfits, outcasts and ”weirdos”, because they behave a little different to others, are perceived as being dangerous despite showing no such negative tendencies while real life monsters are walking among us unnoticed. Just as you should never judge a book by its cover, you should never judge a person by how they look.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Claire McGowan: The Push

The party should have been perfect: six couples from the same baby group, six newborns, a luxurious house. But not everything has gone to plan. When someone falls from the balcony of the house, the secrets and conflicts within the group begin to spill out. DS Alison Hegarty, is called in to investigate. She’s convinced the fall was not an accident, and finds the new parents have a lot to hide. Wealthy Ed and Monica show off their newborn while their teenage daughter is kept under virtual house arrest. Hazel and Cathy conceived their longed-for baby via an anonymous sperm donor. Anita and Jeremy planned to adopt from America, but there’s no sign of the child. Kelly, whose violent boyfriend disrupted previous group sessions, came to the party even though she lost her baby. And then there’s Jax, who’s been experiencing strange incidents for months—almost like someone’s out to get her. It’s a nightmare of a case and only one thing is clear: they all have something to hide.

There are a lot of POV’s, from different couples and Alison, from past and present so it took some time for me to memorise each character.
The victim’s identity is revealed half way through the book, which was interesting and kept me hooked. And that was the only mystery for me. There were two other plot twists but I managed to guess these quite early on.
I feel this book is more about portraying different types of motherhood and actually shows the real side of pregnancy through different ages, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, relationship statuses, even fertility differences (DS Alison is struggling with infertility). Overall, a classic whodunnit story and even though it is predictable its still a thought provoking and enjoyable quick read.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The book will be published on 12 November 2020.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

J.P. Delaney: Playing Nice

Pete Riley answers the door one morning and lets in a parent’s worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, a stranger who breaks the devastating news that Pete’s son, Theo, isn’t actually his son–he is the Lamberts’, switched at birth by an understaffed hospital while their real son was sent home with Miles and his wife, Lucy. For Pete, his partner Maddie, and the little boy they’ve been raising for the past two years, life will never be the same again. The two families, reeling from the shock, take comfort in shared good intentions, eagerly entwining their very different lives in the hope of becoming one unconventional modern family. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an official investigation that unearths some disturbing questions about the night their children were switched. How much can they trust the other parents–or even each other? What secrets are hidden behind the Lamberts’ glossy front door? Stretched to the breaking point, Pete and Maddie discover they will each stop at nothing to keep their family safe.

This is a disturbing story so well written that I was angry and frustrated together with the characters. It also makes you feel as if this can happen in real life which makes it even more stressful. I’m not a parent so I can only imagine how this book can be for someone who is. To be honest, I was a bit bored of domestic thrillers and family dramas because they all seem very similar but this one was very different because it was also thought-provoking, emotional and tense. It also raises the question, nurture vs nature when it comes to raising the children. The characters are very well written and the suspense builds and builds creating a psychological nightmare. Another great book by J.P. Delaney!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fredrik Backman: A Man Called Ove

At first sight, Ove is almost certainly the grumpiest man you will ever meet. He thinks himself surrounded by idiots – neighbours who can’t reverse a trailer properly, joggers, shop assistants who talk in code, and the perpetrators of the vicious coup d’etat that ousted him as Chairman of the Residents’ Association. He will persist in making his daily inspection rounds of the local streets.But isn’t it rare, these days, to find such old-fashioned clarity of belief and deed? Such unswerving conviction about what the world should be, and a lifelong dedication to making it just so? In the end, you will see, there is something about Ove that is quite irresistible.

A Man Called Ove is probably the loveliest and the most heart-warming story I’ve ever read. It’s a slow-burner, each chapter slowly describes Ove’s past and present. A series of comical and heart-warming events happen, which kept me laughing and smiling. Little by little, we are provided glimpses of Ove’s past, experiencing the love he has for his deceased wife and the events that shaped him into the man he became. Little did I know that after I finish this book I would end up crying for half an hour. This story highlights the power of living and the importance of human relationships and it’s a must read for everyone! I can’t believe it took me so long to read it but now I will make sure I spread the word.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jo Spain: Dirty Little Secret

Six neighbours, six secrets, six reasons to want Olive Collins dead.In the exclusive gated community of Withered Vale, people’s lives appear as perfect as their beautifully manicured lawns. Money, success, privilege – the residents have it all. Life is good.There’s just one problem. Olive Collins’ dead body has been rotting inside number four for the last three months. Her neighbours say they’re shocked at the discovery but nobody thought to check on her when she vanished from sight. The police start to ask questions and the seemingly flawless facade begins to crack. Because, when it comes to Olive’s neighbours, it seems each of them has something to hide, something to lose and everything to gain from her death.

There are nine narrators – the six neighbours mentioned above, Olive, Frank and Emma. Seems like a lot, but every POV was easily recognisable, essential to the plot, and added a fresh perspective to the overall picture. Intricate relationship issues, hidden quirks, affairs, possible criminal activity all in the mix as we learn more and more about what goes on behind closed doors. It’s written in such an engaging way that I just couldn’t stop reading it because I really wanted to know what happened to Olive and what those families were hiding. The ending was unexpected so that’s another plus! I haven’t read any Jo Spain novels before, but I’m so happy I have discovered her books and will deffinitely read more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What I Read: July 2020

Published on August 10, 2020August 17, 2020 by AnitaLeave a comment

Taylor Jenkins Reid: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. When she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one in the journalism community is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Regardless, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s Upper East Side apartment, Monique listens Evelyn’s story: from making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the late 80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way. As Evelyn’s life unfolds—revealing a ruthless ambition, an unexpected friendship, and a forbidden love—Monique begins to feel a very a real connection to the actress. But as Evelyn’s story catches up with the present, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

I feel this book is or will be life changing for everyone who reads it. It’s definitely one of the best books I’ve read in my life and I think it should be on every “Books you must read before you die” list. This book is about race, sexuality, sexism and confronting social norms but first and foremost about the fact that life is too short, too short to pretend you are someone who you’re not. Evelyn Hugo might just be the most complex character I ever read about. You either love or hate most characters but not Evelyn. With Evelyn you do both with the same passion. No matter how many terrible decisions she made I still admired her because she knew what she wanted and had the guts to do whatever it took to get it. The book is sort of written from two POVs. It’s mostly carried by Evelyn’s, spanning throughout multiple decades following her from age fourteen until well after she retired. Monique’s chapters are more like a break between different stages of Evelyn’s life. I didn’t care as much for Monique as I feel she’s an undeveloped character. I just rushed through her chapters to keep reading about Evelyn. In conclusion, I could rave about this book for days but I’m going to stop here. Just read it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Louise Candlish: Our House

When Fiona Lawson comes home to find strangers moving into her house, she’s sure there’s been a mistake. She and her estranged husband, Bram, have a modern co-parenting arrangement: bird’s nest custody, where each parent spends a few nights a week with their two sons at the prized family home to maintain stability for their children. But the system built to protect their family ends up putting them in terrible jeopardy. In a domino effect of crimes and misdemeanors, the nest comes tumbling down.Now Bram has disappeared and so have Fiona’s children. As events spiral well beyond her control, Fiona will discover just how many lies her husband was weaving and how little they truly knew each other. But Bram’s not the only one with things to hide, and some secrets are best kept to oneself, safe as houses.

I don’t remember the last time I suffered so much while reading a book! I just wanted it to finish. Unfortunately this book was very long, like 200 pages longer than it should be. First thing first, this shouldn’t be called a thriller, maybe a light domestic suspense? I understand some people like books like this but this is just not my cup of tea. It really hooked me at the beginning but then it didn’t go anywhere and just dragged on and on and on. Too many pointless conversations and irrelevant information. The only reason I continued reading this is because I don’t like leaving a book on DNT.

⭐️⭐️

J.S. Monroe: The Other You

Kate was a super recogniser working with the police, meaning she never forgot a face, picking criminals out of CCTV footage, until one night she had a car accident and suffered a brain injury. In the months since she has been working with a psychiatrist to try to get her former recognition skills back. Her new man Rob, who she met in the hospital while she was recuperating, has been nothing but supportive and loving. Plus he’s filthy rich! Then one day, when she’s on the mend, Rob comes home, except it isn’t Rob, but someone that’s his double…

As soon as I read the description I was intrigued! Essentially this is a psychological domestic thriller but I feel it’s much more than that. The story is original and creepy. I find the concept of doppelgänger’s and doubles quite unique. I enjoyed reading about super recognisers and facial recognition and the technology behind it. I was so invested that I actually googled the term super recognisers and found the test to find out if I could maybe be one of those. Guess what? I passed! so maybe this book will be life changing for me? Moving on! The Other You is written from three points of view-Kate’s, her ex Jake and her former boss’s Silas Hart. There was plenty of action and the descriptions of the places were engaging. I especially enjoyed that half of the book was set in beautiful Cornwall! The storyline had twists and turns and kept me guessing until end. The only thing I didn’t like is the side plot about detective Silas and his son Connor. I felt it was useless for the plot. Also it’s quite a long book and I feel it would be shorter if the detective and Jake compared notes a bit more. Otherwise I would recommend this as it’s well-written and impressively researched with the science and technology and a clever twist at the end. J.S. Monroe is an author I intend to read more of!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Clare Pooley: The Authenticity Project

“Everybody lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth?” This is the question that Julian Jessop, an eccentric, seventy-nine-year-old artist, poses within a pale green exercise book that he labels The Authenticity Project, before leaving it behind in Monica’s Café. When Monica discovers Julian’s abandoned notebook, not only does she add her own story to the book, she is determined to find a way to help Julian feel less lonely. And so it goes with the others who find the green notebook that will soon contain their deepest selves. It will also knit the group together In Real Life at Monica’s Cafe, where they’ll discover the thrill and sometime-risk of being completely honest–and, for some, find unexpected love.

This is such a charming, uplifting, feel good, thought-provoking and often relatable book that I needed right now. The characters are quirky and easy to relate to and the concept is really unique. It’s the classic ‘grass is always greener on the other side’ story, it shows how misleading appearances can be and the effect that each person can have on each other. Actions can have a larger impact than what anyone may expect. If you are looking for a book that will make you smile from start to finish, and possibly cause you to shed some happy tears along the way…then look no further!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Romy Hausmann: Dear Child

In a windowless shack in the woods, Lena’s life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: Meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure that his children will always have a mother to look after them. One day Lena manages to flee–but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him. And then there is the question whether she really is the woman called “Lena,” who disappeared without a trace 14 years ago. The police and Lena’s family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle which doesn’t quite seem to fit.

What a page-turner! I just couldn’t read this book fast enough! This is the first German thriller I’ve read so I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was everything I could’ve hoped for. It’s dark, tense and intriguing ,with a twist I didn’t see coming. The events are told from three points of view: Lena/Jasmin, Lana’s daughter Hannah and Lena’s father Matthias, who has never given up looking for her, as the police try to unravel the story and identify the abductor. All three have secrets and no one is telling the truth, least of all Hannah who is a very strange little girl. The victims of this tragic case all have very different reactions to the trauma, and demonstrate that there isn’t one way to try to ‘get over’ something like this. At times I got frustrated with every single one of them but of course, I’ve never been in their position. I would love to see this book made into a movie! I don’t want to give much else anyway, but can just say that this is a really intriguing, exciting debut from Romy Hausmann and I’m really excited to read more by her in the future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heather Morris: The Tattooist of Auschwitz

In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.Imprisoned for more than two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism—but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. Risking his own life, he uses his privileged position to exchange jewels and money from murdered Jews for food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.

I’ve been keeping this book on my TBR pile because I wanted to be in the right state of mind to read it. After all, it was a story about Auschwitz and I’m always a bit reluctant to read about that. That being said, Lale’s story is definitely one that needed to be told and to remember. His bravery, the risk he took, the will he had to help others and the way he survived and found love in one of the worst concertration camps. For such a beautiful story I feel a bit heartless for giving only 4 starts but I didn’t like the writing and the way the story was told. Heather Morris is a screenwriter and that’s visible in her writing. There is no build up, atmosphere, prose…it’s just “he did this and then he did this..”. There was no depth in any other characters except Lale. I feel this book is missing another 200 pages just to add more emotion. But I do love how at the end of the book the author lets the reader know what happened to some of the main people in this novel. Overall, I would recommend this book as there is so many valuable lessons on what it means to be human, how far one would go to survive, how love can be found anywhere, and most importantly, the power of hope.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What I Read: January 2020

Published on February 10, 2020February 10, 2020 by AnitaLeave a comment

Caroline Corcoran: Through The Wall

An apartment block in London. The neighbours do not know each other but they see and hear everything. Lexie and Tom are going through a rough patch in their marriage. They are trying to have a baby but things have not been easy. Harriet is next door who is alone and miserable after her boyfriend left her. She knows everything about her neighbours, and she wants what Lexie has… at any cost.

The book is based on a concept: The grass is always greener on the other side. In the beginning it was slow and a little confusing but once you get through the first part it does pick up. It got me thinking how we live next to our neighbours/friends with this picture already formed in our head, on how their lives are and how the photos we post on social media don’t actually say anything about who we are and what are we going through.

I found that the characters could become annoying at times, especially if you haven’t been in the situations they have, as it is hard to understand their actions, so you have to take that into account. The chapters are told alternately between Harriet and Lexie and the story covers issues like obsession, lies, jealously, secrets, controlling behaviour, mental health issues, stalking and fertility issues. It’s not a classic thriller with the big twist at the end and you can see where it’s going but I really enjoyed the psychological side of the characters.

4/5

Kiley Reid: Such a Fun Age

Alix Chamberlain is the textbook well-meaning rich white woman: She has black friends. She’s read everything Toni Morrison wrote. She’s trying to land a gig with Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Emira Tucker is the 25-year-old black woman who babysits Alix’s two young daughters. She’s aimlessly trying to figure out her life—preferably before she turns 26 and loses her parents’ health insurance.One night when Emira is at a grocery store with Alix’s daughter, she’s confronted by a security guard who accuses her of kidnapping the young girl. A white man named Kelley films the incident, and he and Emira begin dating. Horrified that this happened to Emira, Alix resolves to make things right, but as it turns out, Kelley is someone from Alix’s past, and things start to get messy.

This book is very thought provoking and gives a look at issues of class, race and privilege.I felt this was very much a cautionary tale; we all must be aware of who the people around us are and what purpose they think we serve in their lives. The two major characters going for one another in this book are both perfectly happy to use Emira as their sword – both trying to prove something to each other and neither are concerned that their battle does not involve Emira in the slightest. I loved the way the book was paced. I didn’t want to put it down and it made me angry, sad and happy all at the same time. I liked the setup of the last chapter where the writer gave us a glimpse into the future. Alix and Emira are very different characters and even though I liked Emira, I really disliked Alix. However, two very strong female voices and message of the book is also very important so I would definitely recommend this book.

5/5

Ruth Ware: The Turn of The Key

When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like an opportunity too good to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all the modern conveniences by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family. What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder. Now she’s in prison and she’s writing a letter to her lawyer, trying to explain what actually happened because even though she’s not innocent by any means, she’s definitely not guilty of murder.

I can’t remember the last time a book gave me chills. I was actually scared to read it at night when I was alone. The house is super creepy, every night thing keep happening, things that you could inteprert as supernatural but you know they are not so it makes it even more creepy. The fact I was a live in nanny made it even worse because I could imagine myself in the same situation. This story kept me on edge the whole time. I didn’t see some of the twists and the ending coming….it all caught me by surprise. The only thing I got annoyed about was the ending, I thought I was missing some pages. But overall, this book will definitely go my ‘Best’ bookshelf.

5/5

B A Paris: Dilemma

It’s Livia’s fortieth birthday and tonight she’s having a party, a party she’s been planning for a long time. The only person missing will be her daughter, Marnie. But Livia has a secret, a secret she’s been keeping from Adam, her husband, until the party is over. Because how can she tell him that although she loves Marnie, she’s glad their daughter won’t be there to celebrate with her? Adam is determined everything will be just right for Livia and the party is going to be perfect… until he learns something that will leave him facing an unbearable decision.

I loved the two previous books by B A Paris but I was a bit dissapointed with this one. The whole book is set over a period of 24 hours which seemed like ages for me. The characters become very irritating the more you read and I just couldn’t understand how and why they are not talking to each other. Liv was especially annoying just because I could’t understand this big need to replace the wedding she never had with her birthday party and making the whole day about her. Adam on the other hand was a frustrating character that I just wanted to shake until he wakes up. There is no mystery really, you find out after few chapters what’s Liv’s and what’s Adam’s secret and you just spend the rest of the book waiting for something to happen. Towards the end I just skim-read the pages because it was dragging so much, I found the whole thing painful.

2/5

Tim Weaver: Never Coming Back

Emily Kane arrives at her sister Carrie’s house to find the front door unlocked, dinner on the table, and the family nowhere to be found—Carrie, her husband, and two daughters have disappeared. When the police turn up no leads, Emily turns to her former boyfriend David Raker, a missing persons investigator, to track the family down. As Raker pursues the case, he discovers evidence of a sinister cover-up, decades in the making and with a long trail of bodies behind it.

This is the 4th David Raker book but it can be read as a standalone, even though I would recommend reading the 3rd one because otherwise the beginning and the relationship of the characters could be confusing. The story takes place in Devon and in Las Vegas. It initially starts in December 2007 in Las Vegas before quickly moving back to Devon and to November 2012. At first I found this very confusing and couldn’t understand how this brief chapter connected to the story. Stick with it though because the story that follows is a real rollercoaster of a read with twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I had my doubts about the ending but on the whole I found this to be a tension filled read. Is it my favourite David Raker book?- definitely not! Is it worth the read?- definitely yes.

4/5

Lucy Foley: The Hunting Party

During the languid days of the Christmas break, a group of thirtysomething friends from Oxford meet to welcome in the New Year together. For this vacation, they’ve chosen an idyllic and isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands—the perfect place to get away and unwind by themselves. They arrive on December 30th, just before a historic blizzard seals the lodge off from the outside world. Two days later, on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead.

The narrative alternates between Miranda, the Queen Bee, Katie, Miranda’s quiet and less attractive friend, Emma, the mousey new girl trying so hard to fit in, Doug, the Gamekeeper hiding a dark secret, and Heather, the lodge manager who is running from a tragedy. In addition to switching POV’s, the narrative also shifts between the past and the present. It’s a lot to keep up with! I was a little confused in the beginning about why we were only seeing these characters and I think that this could have been more interesting having only one character narrate. That being said, it became apparent pretty early who was killed even though it was revealed at the end so I was only waiting to find out who is the killer. If I’m being honest, in some parts it was really boring and it took me long to finish. I expected a classic whodunit – Agatha Christie book but instead I got a book that was focused on an old friends drama and betrayal of the past.

3/5

All Thriller Beach Reads

Published on August 4, 2016July 21, 2020 by AnitaLeave a comment

I’ve always been a bit of a bookworm, and usually read at least one book a month. But during the summer I step it up a gear and get through stacks of book. By books I mean thriller books. During the year I spend lots of time reading fashion and history books for my University work so during summer it’s all about my favourite genre.

With the Girl on the Train selling 6.5 million copies worldwide, the thriller’s never been bigger.

Here are the 5 more reason to sleep with your light on

Behind Closed Door by B.A. Paris

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The perfect marriage? Or the perfect lie?

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.
You’d like to get to know Grace better.
But it’s difficult because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.

Chilling and disturbingly brilliant, a story that will grip you right from the first chapter. This psychological thriller is a debut of B. A. Paris.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

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In this incredibly composed, thought-provoking debut you will follow Anne and Marco Conti, who went to the dinner party next door and left their 6 months old daughter Cora alone in the house.
They’ve been checking on her every half an hour, but once they came home for good, they found her crib empty.

Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they’ve kept for years.

Method 15/33 by Shannon Kirk

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Pregnant teen Lisa is kidnapped by sickos who want to sell her baby then bump her off. Poor girl, right? Well, kind of – she turns out to be a hyper-intelligent semi-sociopath who bides her time plotting audacious revenge.

Method 15/33 happens when the victim is just as cold as the captors.

As sleek and sharp as a razor, this is a must read for every thriller fan, particularly those who think they’ve seen it all.

Lie With Me by Sabine Durrant

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Lecherous failed novelist Paul tags along on holiday to an idyllic Greek village with his new girlfriend Alice and her gang of friends. It turns out not to be the most relaxing break when he ends up accused of rape and murder.

From the author of Under Your Skin and Remember Me This Way, Sabine Durrant. The dazzling new must-read for all fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl, and The Widow

Kill me Again by Rachel Abbot

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The fifth book from Rachel Abbot, equally gripping and intense.

When Maggie Taylor accepts a new job in Manchester, she is sure it is the right move for her family. The children have settled well although her husband, Duncan, doesn’t appear to be so convinced.

But nothing prepares her for the shock of coming home from work one night to find that Duncan has disappeared, leaving their children alone. His phone is dead, and she has no idea where he has gone.
When a woman who looks just like Maggie is brutally murdered and DCI Tom Douglas is brought in to investigate, Maggie realises how little she knows about Duncan’s past.