311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber

Synopsis from debbiemacomber.com:

Now divorced, Zach and Rosie Cox are struggling to adjust to Judge Olivia’s unusual custody agreement—and to the fact they’re thrown together more than they would have wished. The kids are staying in the family home, and it’s Rosie and Zach who have to do the coming and going. Having discovered the tragic fate of her husband, Grace tries to adjust to single living and to the attentions of another man.

But the really big gossip comes when a guest dies at Bob and Peggy Beldon’s Thyme and Tide Bed and Breakfast. Roy McAfee, the local private investigator, wants to know who the guy was, and why he showed up there, of all places, in the middle of the night.

This is the third book in Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove series, and the house that is the feature this time is the home of Zach and Rosie, who have recently divorced. Yet when fighting for parenting rights JudgeLockheart forces them to move between homes and not disrupt the children. This is one of the things I love about Macomber , she writes unusual solutions to everyday problems. Being chick-lit means that there is a pleasant outcome to this storyline but it is still a different solution to divorce proceedings.

As with the previous book there was an open end storyline, and in this novel the story continued is of the man who mysteriously died in the local Bed and Breakfast. As the book proceeds we discover who the man is, and his tenuous links to Cedar Cove, and one other thing – his death is suspicious. But that is left for the next book in the series.

As ever, Macomber writes believable characters. I read somewhere that she writes the most realistic characters, and for the most part I can agree with that. I found I liked some characters more than others, and some really bugged me – sparking an emotional reaction is important for me because it makes me feel like I have connected properly with the novel.

I am eager to read the next book in the series to find out where all these marriages will end up and to find out more about the mystery man. Macomber writes very well and she is easy to follow and so enjoyable. Every time I finish one of her books I find myself wanting to read another. This is just a great chick-lit book.

9/10

204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber

Waterstone’s Synopsis:

Welcome to Cedar Cove – a small town with a big heart! Grace Sherman’s life was happy and untroubled – until her husband just disappeared. She’s spent the last six months desperately searching for an answer. What could be so awful that a devoted husband and father would go without a note or a warning?But life can – and does – go on. Cedar Cove is abuzz with talk of weddings and babies. Justine – the only daughter of Grace’s best friend, Judge OliviaLockhart – recently eloped and is blissfully happy. Grace’s daughter, Kelly, just had a baby. And it looks like her older daughter, Maryellen, is seeing someone new, someone she’s keeping a secret…Then there’s Jack, who’s been pursuing a romance with Olivia, and Zach and Rosemary Cox, who’re having a few problems. And Grace’s own mystery – will she ever find out what happened to her husband?

This is the second novel in the Cedar Cove series by Debbie Macomber and as with her other work, I enjoyed this book. In this series Macomber has kept story lines open at the end of books and continued them on the in the next. In this particular novel the story of Grace and her missing husband is the main storyline continued. I like howMacomber doesn’t wrap everything up in one book, because I sometimes find this a bit rushed. Doing it this way allows Macomber to explore the story more.

That said, there were stories in the novel that I felt were not explored sufficiently enough. In 204 Rosewood Lane, Charlotte is taken ill with cancer. She has her surgery, and a few pages later is up and fine. For a big topic like cancer, it is breezed over and that bugged me. I felt more could have been made of it – the illness and its affects could have been looked at and included more than it was.

I was surprised by the reason of Dan’s disappearance. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I think Macomber hid that outcome well, and it really was sad. I felt Grace’s pain as she experienced it. With other Macomber novels, she has written some lovely characters – people I can relate too and believe in. This book was no exception and I really felt for Grace as she is so easy to like.

And of course, Macomber leaves the book with another mystery waiting to be solved…I found that made me want to read the next novel in the series straight after I had finished this one. I found this another enjoyableMacomber novel. She is my favourite chick-lit author, and I was not let down.

8/10

Tell Tale by Sam Hayes

A woman stands on a bridge, the water rushing below. In a few seconds she will jump, plunging more than two hundred feet to her death. Who is she? And what has driven her to take her own life?

Nina Kennedy, a wife and mother, is afraid. A man is following her, threatening her family, toying with her sanity. What does he want? And how long will it be before he strikes?

Eight-year-old Ava is waiting for her daddy. But, just like the others in the children’s home, her father never comes. The home is a place of whispers and shadows. But no one dare tell the truth. Until now…

It’s very difficult to discuss the plot of this book, without giving too much away – something I hate seeing in a review. The only thing to say is that it takes the three strands mentioned above, and blends them together, gradually bringing all the connections together.

If you’ve read Sam’s previous books, Blood Ties and Unspoken, you’ll have an idea of what to expect, both in style, and pace. Everything that I’ve enjoyed with those previous books carries on in this one, there was no disappointment.

Sam’s books are all thrillers – they are fast paced, and very difficult to put down. However, they don’t rely on being plot driven books – the characters within are always interesting and believable. As well as wanting to know where the story in general is going, I also find myself wanting to know what’s going to happen to the characters too.

If you have already enjoyed Sam’s previous books, I would strongly advise this one. If you haven’t, and you enjoy emotional thrillers, I would strongly advise that you give one a try!

Tell Tale is published by Headline

Buy at Amazon.co.uk

Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

Synopsis from www.terrypratchatt.co.uk:

Mightily Oats has not picked a good time to be priest. He thought he’d come to Lancre for a simple ceremony. Now he’s caught up in a war between vampires and witches.

There’s Young Agnes, who is really in two minds about everything. Magrat, who is trying to combine witchcraft and nappies, Nanny Ogg … and Granny Weatherwax, who is big trouble.

And the vampires are intelligent. They’ve got style and fancy waistcoats. They’re out of the casket and want a bite of the future. Mightily Oats knows he has a prayer, but he wishes he had an axe.

Carpe Jugulum is Terry Pratchett’s twenty-third Discworld novel – but the first to star vampires.

As the synopsis says, this is the 23rd book in the Discworld series, and the stars of this book are the Witches. In this adventure they are fighting vampires – or vampyres as they wanted to be known as. These are modern vampires, who want to fit in with the population, until they need to fed of course. Influencing people with mind tricks they are set on domination. Except they picked a fight with Granny Weatherwax. Seemingly old and weak, how will Granny fight back?

I love the Witches novels. Nanny Ogg is my favourite. She has a vast collection of rude jokes and carries everything she could possibly need in her knickers. She is practical, blunt and just hilarious. I had to laugh at Agnes as well, with her second mind.

There is a lot of humour in this book. Pratchett is very good at writing books which make me laugh. I loved the idea of modern vampires and them learning how to become immune to things such as garlic. The Count and his enthusiasm made me laugh. Pratchett also writes a good adventure and great fight scenes. This book had me gripped and I finished in within a couple of days. I loved it. I laughed and cringed, enjoyed the characters, loved having vampires in the book and alongside Death, the Witches are my favourite Discworld characters. I have no complaints about this book. Top marks from me.

10/10

Destinations by Sheila O’Flanagan

Waterstone’s Synopsis:

Two eavesdropping train passengers learn more than they bargained for about their own love lives; an office-party fling has unforeseen consequences for a young woman and for a marriage; a suburban housewife is forced to face her past when her estranged mother, famous and exotic, makes contact after many years; an office worker who imagines herself an undercover agent finds her commute to work livened up by the daily sightings of a handsome stranger…whose life she decides to investigate; an adopted woman journeys to meet the woman who gave her up all those years ago, and finds that all is not what she imagined!

This is a book full of short stories. Each story focuses on a passenger of the Dart. Some stories involved people from other stories, others were stand-alone stories. None were very long but I found them all readable, making this a quick read.

I have never read Sheila O’Flanagan and I will read her work again. I found the book enjoyable and easy to read. All the stories were gripping but I did find that some of them were not finished to my liking. There was one story about domestic violence and I thought that the resolution was too predictable and that the issue was not really looked into. There were other stories I would like to read as long stories too.

This is chick-lit and was enjoyable. I would have liked more depth in some of the stories but this was a quick book to read and I liked how O’Flanagan wrote. The stories are generally full of love and friendship and they were nice reads. If you want a quick, chick-lit book to read, this is for you.

8/10

The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett

Waterstone’s Synopsis:

It’s the Discworld’s last continent and it’s going to die in a few days, except…Who is this hero striding across the red desert? Sheep shearer, beer drinker, bush ranger, and someone who’ll even eat a Meat Pie Floater when he’s sober. A man in a hat whose luggage follows him on little legs. Yes, it’s Rincewind, the inept wizard who can’t even spell wizard. He’s the only hero left. Still…no worries, eh?

This has become one of my favourite Discworld books. It is number 22 in the series and features the Wizards – the Wizards on holiday in fact! While trying to find someone who knows about geography they stumble through an open window onto a hot island. This window closes and they are stuck. Meanwhile, Rincewind is loose and trying to escape from whatever it is he is expected to do, as usual.

I loved this book. There were moments in it that I was crying with laughter – such as when the wizards trying to explain sex to a god. The wizards just lack common sense and magic, and it was so funny reading about them on a desert island and their attempt to get back to Unseen University. And there is the fact that they are stuck on the island with a woman….they are like hormonal teenage boys – very funny. And of course Rincewind always makes me laugh. He manages to save everyone in all his adventures, but essentially he does this by running away and being scared; and drinking beer.

I really enjoyed this book and got through it very quickly. We get a visit from Death in the book too which always makes me laugh – his wit is hilarious. The book is full of adventure and humour, as well as gripping storylines – I really wanted to know if they wizards would make it back in an edible boat – and amazing descriptions. Without fail Pratchett always transports me to the Discworld with no trouble and I love it. This is highly recommended.

9/10

Jingo by Terry Pratchett

Waterstone’s Synopsis:

Discworld goes to war, with armies of sardines, warriors, fishermen, squid and at least one very camp follower. As two armies march, Commander Vimes of Ankh-Morpork City Watch faces unpleasant foes who are out to get him…and that’s just the people on his side. The enemy might be even worse. “Jingo”, the 21st in Terry Pratchett’s phenomenally successful “Discworld” series, makes the World Cup look like a friendly five-a-side.

This is book 21 in the Discworld series and features the Watch. After finding an unoccupied area of land, Ankh-Morpork finds itself at war to claim this land – even though it is deserted and not particularly impressive. Everyone seems to have their own agenda and different ways of conquering and taking the land as their own.

I much preferred this book to the previous Watch book, Feet of Clay. I found the storyline more gripping and the characters amused me a lot more. The Watch are an amusing group of individuals – not all human, and they have many different talents. Carrot, the human raised as a dwarf always cracks me up. He is so sensitive and literal, and Detritus the troll was hilarious. Listening to him going “I’m gunna be thick” just made me laugh. His approach to politics – intimidate to get results amused me a lot.

I found this book back to Pratchett’s high standard. His writing style whisked me off to the Discworld and took me on an adventure as the Watch fought for politics which I enjoyed. The book was funny, full of fantasy and adventure and an enjoyable read. I love this series and cannot get enough of it.

8/10

Old Boyfriends by Debbie Macomber

Waterstones Synopsis:

“She didn’t understand how she could lie beside him in bed night after night and dream about another man…”When Susannah Nelson turned eighteen, her parents sent her to school abroad. She said goodbye to her boyfriend, Jake – and never saw him again.Years later, Susannah finds herself regretting the paths not taken. Returning to her parents’ house and her girlhood friends, she also returns to the past – and discovers that things are not always as they once seemed…

This book is another in the Blossom Street series. In this book we are introduced to Susannah of Susannah’s Garden. The book is set before she buys the shop on Blossom Street. Her mission is to get her mother into assisted living accommodation and to go through the house of her parents. She is suffering from depression, which is leading her to regret things that happened in her life, such as losing the love of her life, Jake.

As ever, I enjoyed this book, but I do not think it is Macomber’s best, nor do I think it is the best in the Blossom Street series. I think Macomber deals with some hard issues, such as depression and the need to live in a nursing home, as well as dealing with past regrets and I think the storyline was good. However, there towards the end there was a twist I didn’t see coming, and to be honest, I didn’t believe. And that spoilt the story for me. The return of someone from her past was not believable at all. But because this occurred close to the end of the book I don’t think it ruined the book completely.

Macomber is very good at writing characters who I like and empathise with. I like Susannah. I didn’t always agree with her decisions but I understood where she came from and I felt for her with all the decisions she had to make. I think her mother was written well too – an elderly lady who was starting to suffer from memory loss. I think she sensitive and realistic. My favourite character however was Caroline – Susannah’s old school friend. She was focused and loyal and believable.

This is chick-lit, and for the most part a good read. It was easy to read and easy to get into, I was just disappointed with the ending.

7/10

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This rather beautiful books tells the story of three women, two of whom – Aibileen and Minny – are black maids working for white families in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960s, when racial segregation meant that black and white people could not mix socially, could not use the same restaurants, and could not go to the same hospitals or churches.  The third woman is a white girl named Skeeter, who comes home from college with dreams of becoming a writer.  She eventually decides to write a book about what it is like to be a black maid working for a white family, and she, Aibileen and Minny become embroiled in an exciting and potentially dangerous project. 

I’m not sure I can accurately put into words how much I enjoyed this book.  The three narrators’ voices (Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter) come through beautifully and each character is distinct and wholly believeable.  We see each character’s life through their own eyes, and watch as they cope with their own problems (Aibileen is still grieving over the death of her son, and trying hard to make the young child she looks after grow up to be a nice person; Minny lives with an abusive husband and several demanding children; Skeeter has an over-bearing mother who won’t explain the sudden disappearance of Skeeter’s beloved childhood maid).

As well as the three central characters, there are a multitude of other people of great importance to the storyline.  Hilly Holbrook is a long time friend of Skeeter’s, but the bond between them is pulled very taut as the hypocritical and bigoted Hilly dislikes Skeeter’s desire for awareness and change.  Their other best friend, Elizabeth Leefolt, is Aibileen’s boss and it is her daughter who Aibileen cares for (seemingly far more than Elizabeth does).  However, my favourite of the ‘supporting’ players is Celia Foote – Minny’s boss, who herself feels an outsider, as Hilly and her friends consider that she is not good enough to associate with them. 

Historical events such as the death of JFK and Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream” speech are covered here, adding to the already very real sense of the time in which this novel is set.

One of the things I most admired about the novel is that the author does not just show the characters as either good or bad.  She shows them as totally believable people.  Some of the nicer people sometimes do less-than-good things, and some of the not-so-nice characters in the book can show that they have a heart.

I loved this book, and would say it is definitely my favourite book out of all that I have read this year.  It’s thought-provoking, funny in places (look out for the scene with the toilets), and it made me cry in other places.  I was riveted throughout; my attention was grabbed on page one, and was held right through to the last page.

Utterly fantastic read, and very strongly recommended.  10/10

Influential Women by Wendy Virgo

Waterstones synopsis:

Wendy offers studies of key women in the New Testament as a starting point for a series of reflections on women’s roles in the church today. Some of these women were saints, full of good works; some were frankly poisonous and did considerable harm. From her long experience within New frontiers, Wendy offers a good deal of shrewd advice and writes candidly about her own struggles to fit into church structures. ‘Women can be powerful in a church and can be influential in changing it from a sick community to a healthy one. They can be a tremendous asset or a huge liability. They can influence the whole ambiance of a church…The pages of the New Testament contain a surprising number of references to women to whom we can relate as we seek to build good healthy churches in the twenty first century’.

In this book Wendy studies the women in the New Testament and shows how even though women are not meant to lead the church, they can still influence it, either in a good way or bad. I liked the way Wendy did this – she expands on Biblical story, adding fiction to make the stories substantial and for the point to be explained. There are explanations and examples to help us understand how we can function well in the church. Wendy also uses real life examples, from her own life and friend’s stories, so we can see the impact women can have.

I found this book really useful and will be holding onto it. I think this is an important read for women in church, so they know how they can help the men and wait to watch out for so that they do not cause problems. I for one know I don’t want to be a jezebel and now have an idea of what to be aware of.

This book is for women and does have some strong opinions, such as how women should not lead the church. I think this should be pointed out so people are prepared in case they might be offended/have a different view. I agreed with what Wendy wrote however and found this book incredibly well written, easy to read and very helpful. I have nothing bad to say about this book and highly recommend it.

10/10