Sunday 19 February 2017

Linda's Closet by Mr. H. Eugene

This story really surprised me. I had some issues with the authors style and plausibility of some of the plot twists, but thought it was a very unusual book. I gave it four stars.
Linda's Closet by Mr.H.Eugene


Linda’s closet has many good ideas. Narrating the story from the point of view of a woman losing her sanity was original. It read at times is a little chaotic and trippy as we were trying to piece together the undoing of Linda’s marriage through her words. The writer has a very distinctive style, but I’m not keen on putting entire words and even sentences in all capitals. It gives the impression of the writer shouting at the reader. Linda’s story is now and then broken up by the notes of her psychiatrists. There are enough twists and turns to spur the reader to read on and find out what was really going on. Some of the plot twists were more plausible than others and in my opinion; I think the writer took it one twist too far. As a bonus there are a few alternative endings if you’re not happy with the first.  I did enjoy this book as the point of view was so unusual. I think this writer has a lively imagination which I wouldn’t mind discovering more of.
 


Sunday 12 February 2017

Competition time

I'm running a competion on my new Facebook page; Tomfoolery. If you haven't checked out the page of the star from Conversations with Tom, you can do this now via the following link:
Tomfoolery



Competition time.

Kindle and cat

One reader gave me a great idea when she posted a picture of herself reading my latest release, Conversations with Tom, with her own ginger cat on the book’s Facebook page. I thought it would be wonderful to have a competition where readers send in their photos of them reading with their pets. The prize will be a paperback copy of Conversations with Tom

Here are the rules:
1.       Go to my Facebook page and like. Tomfoolery
2.       Send me a PM with your email address and photo attached.
3.       The photo must feature a book or kindle and an animal. (Of course I like ginger cats and you get brownie points for featuring my book, but an international jury will pick the best picture and they love all sorts of animals. Although the Irish judge has said she doesn’t like toads and frogs.)
4.       Entries must be in before the 5th of March.

Here is my photo, but I'm sure you can do better than this.
 

Gone and Voopyre

This week you are getting two reviews, but two very different books. The first was quite a heavy read and one for people who like to savour beautiful descriptions and a slow pace. I gave this 4 stars. The second is a short story with its roots in Russian folklore.I gave this 5 stars.
Gone by Julie Elizabeth Powell on Amazon.com


This is a beautifully written book. The writer takes us to a place that is her vision of the after-life and she describes this wondrous place in great detail. Even though this is fiction, the tragic event of her daughter becoming brain damaged mirrors the story of Charley the main character. It is a very personal and emotional book when the writer wonders what happened to her daughter’s spirit as the body remained. I found my mind wander at times as we were introduced to a myriad of unusual characters who each tried to explain to Charley what was going on. (At times quite funny, like when she encounters a talking plant.) I think this book will be helpful and enjoyable to people who question what happens to our spirit after we die. It is also a book in the spirit of Alice in wonderland with its surreal and bizarre characters. Not a quick and easy read but one for people who like well-crafted prose.
 
Voopyre by N.C.Stow on Amazon.com

I liked this fairy tale very much. From the get go you got a sense of foreboding and doom. At one point one of the characters says ‘if you go looking for trouble, trouble will find you.’ I love the way the writer described the scenery, but I could have maybe done with a little more explanation as to what the Voopyre and the beast-master are. Maybe if you’re familiar with Russian folklore you will know what all the terms the writer uses are, but I am not. That said, with a bit of imagination you can fill in the blanks and enjoy this story. I certainly did.


Monday 6 February 2017

Emilia: The darkest days in history of Nazi Germany through a woman's eyes by Ellie Midwood

I had no trouble giving this book 5 stars. It held me engrossed from start to finish despite it's difficult subject matter.
Emilia the central character in this book is a complex one. She is a young woman who knows wrong from right, but takes a morally dubious decision to help her family to survive. A woman that survives because of her good looks is not a popular one with her fellow Jews. She finds out that camp life, rather than shape a common bond against the enemy, is poisoned by jealousy. Rather than facing sympathy, that her good looks are a curse as much as a blessing, she encounters hostility from every corner.
   I liked the fact that this book was not just about the Holocaust, it was also about what happened to Emilia after the war ended. It followed the story of Europe after the horrendous events of World War II. Soviet occupation, the release of prisoners of war and the big strive to rebuild cities and lives. It shows that the writer has done her research and knows a great deal about Poland during and after the war. The book is written in an engaging style and I read the book in a few days, even though the subject matter was very painful at times. The message that forgiveness is the first step to healing your wounds is a very hopeful one. It is also a timely reminder that we should have tolerance and not let racial hatred destroy us again.