Basing a book on a well-known Peter Sarstedt song was an
interesting idea. Time and time you are reminded of the song when Marie-Claire
does something or goes somewhere. It builds a familiarity with the character
that we wouldn’t otherwise have. After troubled and murky beginnings the young
orphan Marie-Claire is adopted by the Le Blancs and starts a new life. And what
a charmed life it is. Growing up in the plush surroundings of the French embassy
of Rome and then Athens and Moscow, Marie-Claire takes to her new life like a
duck to water. As we see her blossom into a young talented woman the action
moves to Paris and we get a taste of the early sixties and how the rich and
famous lived. The story gets a little repetitive as Marie-Claire’s life seems
to be an endless string of parties and holidays. Her past is the intriguing part
that hangs over the story like a dark cloud, and although it is resolved in an
original way, I think the writer could have done more with it. Well written and
a nice snapshot of 50’s and 60’s Europe.
Writing the books was the easy part....now the struggle to let the world know they're there....
Sunday, 14 July 2019
Where do you go to: The rags to riches tale inspired by the epic Peter Sarstedt song by Jean Cerfontaine
I picked this book for two reasons. A I thought it was an interesting idea to base a book on a song lyric. B. One of the locations mentioned in the song is Juan les pins. As this is only a few miles from here I wanted to read what the author had to say about my area. We get a nice snapshot of 1950's and 60's Europe and some well known names like Picasso and Yves Montand are woven into the story. I gave it 4 stars as it is hard to emphasise with a character who's life is just so fabulous.
Friday, 28 June 2019
Bad Neanderthal: All He Wants is Justice by Glen Batchelor
With some holidays and fine beach weather I got a lot of reading done. Now I just have to write up the reviews. This one was a fun read, but the humour or satire was not too subtle. I think if you liked 80's series 'The Young Ones', this one will be for you. 4 stars and currently only 99p/c.
Even though this world has Neanderthals in it, we firmly
recognise it as post-Margaret Thatcher Britain. It is a not so subtle satire of
that area, when the miners’ strike was brutally suppressed by police with the
full support of the conservative government. This police brutality is echoed in
the character of Sergeant Alf Hucker, a bad tempered, Neanderthal hating paedophile.
I like the character of Zeezee as we see his ‘growth’ from docile
Neanderthal, who is incapable of lying or violence. To a lying, murdering, well
almost homo-sapien in behaviour. But we remain endeared by our Zeezee as his
heart is in the right place and he has the welfare and liberation of his people
in mind. This book has a lot of humour in it, and most of it is not too subtle
either; for example the name of sex worker and Hucker’s daughter Lovely
Cox-Hucker. I enjoyed reading this and there was enough plot to make this a
well balanced mix of satire and crime.
Thursday, 20 June 2019
Tambula by Susan Wüthrich
This is the second book I reviewed by Susan Wüthrich. I like the fact that this writer sets her stories of love and loss in unusual settings and periods. Be it post war Britain or 1970's Africa as in this case. Her heroes are ordinary men and women just trying to make ends meet. I gave this 5 stars.
This book is set in the early seventies which had me
scratching my head as I recognised some of the places but not others. Tambula
is a fictional country but a reviewer kindly pointed out it would be located in
what is these days known as Eswatini and before 2018 as Swaziland. Also the
Capital of Mozambique is these days known as Maputo. Maybe the writer could add
some info about the locations used before the first part to set the scene. It
doesn’t detract however from the touching story of a young couple in 1970’s
Africa. What I liked was the fact that Liz and Dek are a very ordinary couple
with a young son that are just struggling to make ends meet. This sets them
apart from the other expats around them that are rich and their lives revolve
around the club. The story of this couple and their unravelling marriage could
have been set anywhere, but setting it in Africa adds another dimension and
adds a few interesting subplots that test this couple to breaking point.
Well written and kept me interested to the last page.
Friday, 14 June 2019
The Legacy of the Rhino: First Resistance by John Williamson
I see with horror that my last review was about 3 months ago. I kind of got stuck on a book that was so dreadful that I could not force myself to read on. I did not finish so I wont review it. I don't believe in leaving one or two star reviews as the writer must have put their soul into writing it.
Anyway, I had a few weeks holiday and it was beach weather, so the reviews will be coming thick and fast for a while. Here is the first, which I enjoyed and was happy to give 5 stars. Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.
Anyway, I had a few weeks holiday and it was beach weather, so the reviews will be coming thick and fast for a while. Here is the first, which I enjoyed and was happy to give 5 stars. Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.
This book taps nicely into the current mood and our concern
for the environment. It also echo’s the radicalisation and fanaticism of
certain groups in our society. Here a group called the returners have taken
their concern about the environment to an extreme level and have plunged
Britain back into the dark ages. In this first book of the series we learn how
the village of Dockling is coping with this new world where machines are
prohibited and any descent is harshly dealt with by the returners. We meet
Charlie, a former bus mechanic and a gruff no-nonsense character who is not
willing to give up on common sense and the greater good. His decision to build
a grain mill secures their survival for the winter but also plunges the village
in a heap of trouble. The villagers make a stand against the cruel Returners
and the first seeds of rebellion are sown.
I liked the character of Eliza. She plays rather cruel games
with the local village boys. She knows men and uses her charms as a weapon. But
she is also very courageous and seems to have the greater good at heart. Greg
is the young lad falling under her spell. But as he finds his own courage, she
begins to see him as more than an innocent boy to be toyed with. I look
forwards to finding out more about this young romance and how the village of Dockling
will fare. Well written and exciting start to a series.
Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Adam's Witness by J.C. Paulson
So not that lazy after all, managed to post another review. 😇
Adam's Witness by J.C. Paulson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This sizzling romance/crime thriller is set around Adam (a handsome police detective) and Grace (a reporter and witness to a murder). I like Grace the plucky reporter, it is someone we can like and admire as she bravely reports on the murder. I also like the fact that there are a number of gay characters that are thankfully not stereotyped. Adam as the tough cop with a soft heart is a bit more of a stereotype, but we don’t mind as he seems like the perfect guy for Grace and we are all rooting for the two to get together. Their attraction is clear and smoulders of the pages.
As a romance this works for me and as a who done it too. I was left guessing as to the motive and culprit. Good work.
View all my reviews
Adam's Witness by J.C. Paulson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This sizzling romance/crime thriller is set around Adam (a handsome police detective) and Grace (a reporter and witness to a murder). I like Grace the plucky reporter, it is someone we can like and admire as she bravely reports on the murder. I also like the fact that there are a number of gay characters that are thankfully not stereotyped. Adam as the tough cop with a soft heart is a bit more of a stereotype, but we don’t mind as he seems like the perfect guy for Grace and we are all rooting for the two to get together. Their attraction is clear and smoulders of the pages.
As a romance this works for me and as a who done it too. I was left guessing as to the motive and culprit. Good work.
View all my reviews
Happy for you by Luci Beach
Feeling a bit lazy today, so I've put my review on goodreads on my blog:) Work and other stuff taking most of my time, but still reading and reviewing.
Happy For You by Luci Beach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The concept of this romantic novel is great. To set a story over four seven year intervals is rather clever. A boy and a girl meet during an experiment that follows them from 7 year old children into adulthood. We see Ciara and Max grow from childhood friends into complicated adults. It is clear from the outset that Ciara and Max are attracted to each other, but love is never simple. Luci Beach has created in Ciara an at times frustrating heroine and I found myself shouting at my kindle for Ciara to get over herself and accept her feelings for Max. I could have done with a little less ‘will they, won’t they?’ However this is a well written book with a nice cast of supporting characters. I also liked the sub plot of Ciara creating a catalogue of unsold underwear. It added a good dose of humour.
View all my reviews
Happy For You by Luci Beach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The concept of this romantic novel is great. To set a story over four seven year intervals is rather clever. A boy and a girl meet during an experiment that follows them from 7 year old children into adulthood. We see Ciara and Max grow from childhood friends into complicated adults. It is clear from the outset that Ciara and Max are attracted to each other, but love is never simple. Luci Beach has created in Ciara an at times frustrating heroine and I found myself shouting at my kindle for Ciara to get over herself and accept her feelings for Max. I could have done with a little less ‘will they, won’t they?’ However this is a well written book with a nice cast of supporting characters. I also liked the sub plot of Ciara creating a catalogue of unsold underwear. It added a good dose of humour.
View all my reviews
Friday, 15 February 2019
The Haunting of Hattie Hastings Part Two by Audrey Davis
This is the second instalment in the Hattie Hastings series, and I would say it is as good as the first or even better. Comic and touching the story continues in the same style. Part one I reviewed a few weeks ago and I'm giving this 5 stars.
After reading the first part, I bought part two straight
away. I just bought the third and last part just now. If I have one quibble
with the book it’s that it is short. I hope the writer is thinking of releasing
the series as a box set now part 3 has been released.
This book is great fun as we follow Hattie and her loved
ones getting on with their lives. Finding new love for friends Hattie and Cat
is not easy. Hattie is not willing to let deceased husband Gary go,
understandable as he still drops in now and then. Cat seems to be on the path
to true romance, but will one stupid decision spoil it all. Gary knows he is
hanging about as there is still a mission to complete, but we don’t get much
closer to finding out what it is.
Part three therefore has plenty more loose ends to be tied
up and I can’t wait to get to the conclusion. Well written with plenty of
humour, but also some touching moments.
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