Lex Croucher - Trouble

Lex Croucher - Trouble 

3⭐

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQIA+

Pages: 349

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Zaffre

Date Published: 20th August  2023

Huge thank you to Zaffre books for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

 

Book Blurb: 

There's a new governess at Fairmont House, and she's going to be nothing but trouble.

Emily Laurence is a liar. She is not polite, she's not polished, and she has never taught a child in her life. This position was meant to be her sister's - brilliant, kind Amy, who isn't perpetually angry, dangerously reckless, and who does (inexplicably) like children.

But Amy is unwell and needs a doctor, their father is gone and their mother is useless, so here Emily is, pretending to be something she's not.

If she can get away with her deception for long enough to earn a few months' wages and slip some expensive trinkets into her pockets along the way, perhaps they'll be all right.

That is, as long as she doesn't get involved with the Edwards family's dramas. Emily refuses to care about her charges - Grace, who talks too much and loves too hard, and Aster, who is frankly terrifying but might just be the wittiest sixteen-year-old Emily has ever met - or the servants, who insist on acting as if they're each other's family. And she certainly hasn't noticed her employer, the brooding, taciturn Captain Edwards, no matter how good he might look without a shirt on . . .

As Fairmont House draws her in, Emily's lies start to come undone. Can she fix her mistakes before it's too late?

My Review: 

Quick, witty and funny little rom-com set in regency times. Definitely, for me, it was a palette cleanser in between harder books. That said, parts of this book do cover in-depth topics and some parts were quite heavy to read. However, the balance between the funny witty and serious is very good. It also had an excellent LGBTQIA+ rep, which I haven’t come across much in other regency rom-coms.

The story follows Emily who swaps with her ill sister Amy to become a governess at Fairmount House. Emily is not a governess, she is rude, and impolite, uses bad language, doesn’t have any lady-like manners, is a thief, and hates children. She wants to keep her good appearance going for a few months and then swap back with her sister once she becomes better, so for Emily, there shouldn’t be any need to get herself into the Edwards family’s dramas…Or so she thought…

I enjoyed the dynamics between the different characters in this book. The highlight for me was the development of Emily’s relationship with Grace and Aster, as it was so wholesome. What I missed though, and the reason why this book isn’t 5 stars for me is the lack of chemistry between Emily and Captain Edwards. The romance for me wasn’t believable and developed way too quickly, especially as in the first half of the book they both only interacted with one another a couple of times, yet in the second half of the book the romance happened in a few chapters. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between them, even though their interactions were funny and entertaining to read.

Overall: Very witty, funny and at times rather serious rom-com with a great set of characters and character development. Recommend if you like books set in the Regency period or want a palette cleanser in your TBR. 

About the Author: 

Lex Croucher grew up in Surrey, reading a lot of books and making friends with strangers on the internet, and now lives in London with an elderly cat. With a background in social media for NGOs, Lex now writes historical-ish rom coms for adults (REPUTATION, INFAMOUS) and historical fantasy rom coms for teenagers. GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE is their YA debut.

https://www.lexcroucher.co.uk/

Zoe Disigny - The Art of Travelling Strangers

Zoe Disigny - The Art of Travelling Strangers

2⭐

Genre:  Fiction, Travelling, Historical Fiction

Pages: 288

Format: Netgalley/ Ebook

Publisher:  Subplot Publishing 

Date Published: 22nd February 2022

 

Book Blurb: 

It’s the 1980s, and art historian Claire Markham reels from a series of heartbreaking losses. Desperate to escape her shattered reality, she becomes an art guide in Europe for quirky stranger Viv Chancey and embarks on a life-changing journey through the art-filled cities of Milan, Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Siena, Rome, and Paris.

Once abroad, Claire tries to hide her woes by focusing on Viv’s art education, but Viv—who is not who she seems—has a different learning experience in mind. Frustrated and wanting to reimagine her life, Claire embraces the idea of reality as illusion and finds herself slipping into the tales of art and history.

When threatened with one more crushing loss, Claire must learn from the spirit of her eccentric companion and the lessons from the art they encounter to take charge of her life or lose the most precious thing in it. 

My Review: 

I loved the blurb of this book, as it included many things that I love, travelling, Italy, culture, fashion and art…Yet, this book was a real disappointment. The only good thing about this book was that it was a quick read and took me only a few days to consume.

The story follows Claire who is in the middle of divorce and is also lost, since her summer job to be an art guide is cancelled. However, when a rich lady Viv approaches Claire and asks her to be Viv’s art guide across Italy. Once abroad Claire tries to concentrate only on educating Viv, however, all the art makes Claire slowly reimagine and look differently at her life, whilst also getting to know Viv and realising that both aren’t so different after all.

Firstly, I didn’t like Claire. She was so insufferable and naïve throughout this book. Also, she didn’t grow much throughout the book, but suddenly in the last 20 pages went through an epiphany on how to solve all her life problems. It just wasn’t really believable. Secondly, we learn everything about Claire during the first five chapters of this book in a very boring and dry manner, which is then followed by her exploring art and comparing it with her own life…Thirdly, the ending is so rushed and anticlimactic, making me question the purpose of this book.

I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters, as they were so two-dimensional with no growth until the last 20 pages. I at least had high hopes for the art and fashion descriptions as Claire and Viv are travelling through Italy. Yet, I was wrong there too. All of the descriptions were so dry and lecture-like that I wanted just to skip it all.

Overall: A book that was supposed to be about travelling, art, fashion, Italy, as well as relationships and their complexities. However, it didn’t do any complex dive into relationships or main characters. It just compared those with art on a very surface level. It was also so hard to understand the purpose of this book as it seemed like it wanted to be all but just fell flat. One of the most disappointing books I have read in a while, although I had so much hope.

This review was first published on Netgalley: 

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/244856/review/959200

 

About the Author:

Zoe Disigny holds a master’s degree in art history and taught college courses for thirty years. She also worked as an art gallery director, a lecturer for The Norton Simon Museum of Art, and a lecturer for Road Scholar—an educational travel organization for adults. Zoe has led numerous art tours in Europe and established a business in Paris offering art history adventures for American tourists. Ms. Disigny has published articles in Art in Fiction, The Potato Soup Literary Journal, and The California Writers Club Literary Review. Her debut novel, The Art of Traveling Strangers , was released February 22nd, 2022, and was the #1 New Release in European Art History on Amazon! In 2023, The Art of Traveling Strangers was honored as a finalist in the New Generation Indie Book Awards.

https://zoedisigny.com/

Taylor Jenkins Reid - Malibu Rising

Taylor Jenkins Reid - Malibu Rising 

3.5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Chick Lit 

Pages: 351

Format: Paperback

Publisher:  Hutchinson 

Date Published: 5th March 2019

 

Book Blurb: 

Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of twenty-four hours, their lives will change forever.

Malibu: August, 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.

My Review: 

Ok, so unpopular opinion but this book was the worst TJR book that I have read. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. I still loved the writing and scene setting, short and snappy chapters, as well as the premise of this book, but it could have been executed better.

The book follows the famous annual Riva family party in Malibu. It is August 1983 and well over 24 hours we learn about Mick Riva and his four kids, whilst also getting a glimpse into Hollywood glamour and drama. The book also includes the background story of Mick Riva and his wife.

Firstly, there were so many different characters in this book that I actually lost count and lost track of some of them. Honestly, if the book was just about Riva's kids then it would have been so much better. All those other side characters weren’t really necessary. Secondly, Mick Riva…Omg! Although the only thing I loved about this book was the background story of how Mick met his first wife and the mother of the kids, I hated how Mick treated her and his kids. Honestly, he’s the only fictional character that I hate with all my heart. Thirdly, it just felt that although Riva kids were well fleshed out characters, it was something missing about some of them. I wanted more chapters on some of the siblings, to get to know them and for book to make sense as to why they are the way they are.

Overall: I expected so much more, especially after reading Carrie Soto is Back and Daisy Jones and the Six. This book was such a letdown, although it had such a great premise and set of main characters (Riva kids) but was not well executed. 

About the Author:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as four other novels. She lives in Los Angeles.

https://taylorjenkinsreid.com/

Erin Litteken - The Lost Daughters of Ukraine

Erin Litteken - The Lost Daughters of Ukraine  

5⭐

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Fiction, War, WW2

Pages: 422

Format: Digital (Kindle) Netgalley 

Publisher: Boldwood Books  

Date Published: 24th April 2023

 

Book Blurb: 

A story of the strength of the human spirit, the personal cost of conflict and how love can be found even in the darkest times.

Summer 1941. War rages in Europe. The Germans march towards Ukraine. Halya, Liliya and Vika are no strangers to sorrow. They lost family during the Holodomor, loved ones in Stalin's purges, and war looms once more on the horizon.

Vika lives in fear for her children. She and her sister survived the terror famine by leaving their whole family behind. Now, years later, many believe the Germans will free them from the Soviets, but she’s not so sure. Should they stay in Volhynia or flee the approaching Eastern front?

Liliya has lost too much in her 17 years. As those around her join the resistance, Liliya wonders how she can fight for her friends, family, and country. When the choice is made for her, can she find the will to survive and protect those still with her?

Twelve-year-old Halya is struggling to discover who she is. But as the war escalates, can her mother Katya’s tactics keep her safe from the Nazi soldiers rounding up slave laborers? How can a child survive the horrors of war on her own?

These daughters of Ukraine will face devastation and loss as they fight to survive and protect the ones they love.

My Review: 

I loved The Memory Keeper of Kyiv when I read it last year, so when I saw that Litteken is releasing a new book, I just knew I had to read it. Honestly, The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is one of the most heart-wrenching yet very moving, powerful and beautifully written book.

The story follows the lives of three women, Vika, Lilya and Halya. All three of them are trying to do their best to survive WW2 and their lives are all intertwined during the most tragic moments of the war. All three women and their stories were filled with love, resilience, compassion, and strength, even though their everyday life during the war was filled with hunger, death, loss, cruelty and terror from both the Soviets and Nazis.

The writing of this book was just superb, especially the way each chapter portrayed a different POV and made the story so rich and full. At times, it is very hard to read as Litteken doesn’t shy away from displaying these three women's hardships and tragic realities. Although heart-wrenching to read, this book has quite a few beautiful moments when the generosity of people and selflessness are shown too. The author also shows how important those little acts of resistance are and people from different countries and backgrounds support each other in the face of evil.  Every character in this book was so well written that I felt like I wasn’t reading a fiction book but a true-life account.

Overall: Brilliant book! Amazing writing! Such an eye-opener and very emotional. It displays the atrocities of Nazis and Soviets during WW2 yet shows how strong Ukrainians were and always will be. Can’t wait to see what Litteken writes next, but I am sure it will be as brilliant as her last two books.

This review was first published on NetGalley: 

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/284738/review/959200

About the Author:

Erin Litteken is a debut novelist with a degree in history and a passion for research. At a young age, she was enthralled by stories of her family’s harrowing experiences in Ukraine before, during and after World War II. She lives in Illinois, USA with her husband and children.

http://www.erinlitteken.com/

Wiz Wharton - Ghost Girl, Banana

Wiz Wharton - Ghost Girl, Banana 

5⭐

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Asian Literature, China, Literary Fiction 

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher:  Hodder & Stoughton 

Date Published: 18th May 2023

Huge thank you to the author, Wiz Wharton and Hodder Books for sending me this book to read and review.

 

Book Blurb: 

Set between the last years of the "Chinese Windrush" in 1966 and Hong Kong's Handover to China in 1997, a mysterious inheritance sees a young woman from London uncovering buried secrets in her late mother's homeland in this captivating, wry debut about family, identity, and the price of belonging.

Hong Kong, 1966. Sook-Yin is exiled from Kowloon to London with orders to restore honor to her family. But as she trains to become a nurse in cold and wet England, Sook-Yin realizes that, like so many transplants, she must carve out a destiny of her own to survive.

Thirty years later in London, having lost her mother as a small child, biracial misfit Lily can only remember what Maya, her preternaturally perfect older sister, has told her about Sook-Yin. Unexpectedly named in the will of a powerful Chinese stranger, Lily embarks on a secret pilgrimage across the world to discover the lost side of her identity and claim the reward. But just as change is coming to Hong Kong, so Lily learns Maya's secrecy about their past has deep roots, and that good fortune comes at a price.

Heartfelt, wry and achingly real, Ghost Girl, Banana marks the stunning debut of a writer-to-watch.

My Review: 

Ghost Girl, Banana is my new favourite book, being one of my top 5 books ever and the only book that I ever related to so much. Such a beautifully written story about family, belonging, heritage and finding yourself. I loved Wiz Wharton’s poetic writing, detailed descriptions and complex yet, relatable characters. I also adored the alternative POVs, as it allowed us to get a glimpse into both Lily’s and Sook-Yin’s lives, the similarities and differences between them. This book also kept me on my toes, as I wanted to know what happened to Sook-Yin and loved the strong development of all the characters throughout the book.

The story is split between two timelines. One follows Lily in 1997 and one follows her mum Sook-Yin in 1966 onwards. In Sook-Yin’s timeline, we follow her coming to the UK from Hong Kong, her struggles, her adapting and her fighting for her family. In Lily’s timeline, we follow her trying to find herself and where she belongs, whilst finding out more about her mother and her heritage.

I adored both Lily and Sook-Yin. Reading this book, I just wanted to hug them both and hated people that hurt them or made them feel less than enough. Also, I found so much of myself in both Lily and Sook-Yin, especially the want to belong in a culture that isn’t yours but at the same time hiding parts of your true self just to belong. I was also inspired by how both heroines are so strong and brave and I loved them for that so much.

Overall: Without spoiling anything and rambling about how amazing this book is and how everyone should read it…If you love historical fiction, complicated family relationships, beautiful descriptions of Hong Kong, suspense, complicated yet so relatable characters and brilliant writing then you should read this book. For me, it will always hold a special place in my heart as it made me cry and laugh, poked my heartstrings, and then put all that back together and taught me so much too. I cannot wait to see what Wiz Wharton will write next and can’t wait to read it! 

About the Author:

Wiz Wharton was born in London of Chinese-European heritage. She is a prize-winning graduate of the National Film and Television school, where she studied screenwriting under the filmmakers Mike Leigh, Stephen Frears and Kenith Trodd. Her debut novel Ghost Girl, Banana - a dual narrative set in 1960s London and 1990s Hong Kong on the cusp of its handover to China - will be published by Hodder and Stoughton (UK) and HarperVia (US) in May 2023 with translated editions to follow. Adaptation rights have also been optioned by a leading UK production company. She lives in the Scottish Highlands.

https://twitter.com/Chomsky1

Taylor Jenkins Reid - Daisy Jones and The Six

 

Taylor Jenkins Reid - Daisy Jones and The Six

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

Pages: 351

Format: Paperback

Publisher:  Hutchinson 

Date Published: 5th March 2019

 

Book Blurb: 

In 1979, Daisy Jones and The Six split up. Together, they had redefined the 70’s music scene, creating an iconic sound that rocked the world. Apart, they baffled a world that had hung on their every verse.

This book is an attempt to piece together a clear portrait of the band’s rise to fame and their abrupt and infamous split. The following oral history is a compilation of interviews, emails, transcripts, and lyrics, all pertaining to the personal and professional lives of the members of the band The Six and singer Daisy Jones.

While I have aimed for a comprehensive and exhaustive approach, I must acknowledge that full and complete accounts from all parties involved has proved impossible. Some people were easier to track down than others, some were more willing to talk than others, and some, unfortunately, have passed on.

All of which is to say that while this is the first and only authorised account from all represented perspectives, it should be noted that, in matters both big and small, reasonable people disagree.

The truth often lies, unclaimed, in the middle.

My Review: 

Honestly! What a book! It is definitely my second favourite TJR book, after Carrie Soto. I loved TJR's writing and character portrayal. It felt like I was reading a biography of a real band and not a fictional one. The writing style and the fact that the book is set like a documentary interview is just brilliant. It makes each of the characters sound so authentic and the story more real.

The book follows Daisy Jones the ‘It Girl’ of the 60s and 70s. She has a beautiful voice, her looks are mesmerising and she is such a strong and fierce female taking over the LA glamour and life by storm. On the other hand, we have a band called The Six, led by Billy Dunne. The band slowly rose to fame in the late 60s and the beginning of the 70s. However, one day their producer decides that if he combines the talents of The Six and Daisy Jones, something legendary will come out. He wasn’t wrong! Daisy Jones and the Six came in with a storm in the late 70s, especially after their album Aurora sells millions and their Aurora tour sold out stadiums all across the world. To everyone’s surprise, the band calls quits just as their fame rose to the highest peaks and no one knows the reason why…Well until now…

I loved this book so much! Especially the way TJR managed to develop these characters in such a multi-dimensional way it felt that I am not only reading about a real band but also knowing those people my whole life. TJR also doesn’t shy in exploring toxic relationships as well as discusses and portrays drug/ alcohol abuse. This book is a fabulous character study of a group of complex, flawed, talented and famous people, who rose (and fell) from fame.

The only thing I wished this book had, is a stronger ending. For me, the actual ending felt a bit rushed and could have been done with extra few chapters. I also wanted more drama mixed in with all that character development and exploration, but even without the extra drama book was brilliant.

Overall: Definitely one of the top TJR books! Left me emotionally damaged for a few days and took me a while to recover. So many amazing topics and complex, yet flawed characters explored. I would like to listen to it on the audiobook too, as I heard it’s even more engrossing than reading the physical version. Now onto the TV show (and the rest of TJR books that I need to read). 

About the Author:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as four other novels. She lives in Los Angeles.

https://taylorjenkinsreid.com/

Donal Ryan - The Queen of Dirt Island

Donal Ryan - The Queen of Dirt Island 

3.5⭐

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Irish Literature

Pages: 256 

Format: Hardback Proof 

Publisher:  Double Day, Transworld Books 

Date Published: 18th August 2022 

 Huge thank you to Transworld and Double Day Books for sending me a proof copy of this book to read and review. 

 

Book Blurb: 

The Aylward women of Nenagh, Tipperary, are mad about each other, but you wouldn't always think it. You'd have to know them to know - in spite of what the neighbours might say about raised voices and dramatic scenes - that their house is a place of peace, filled with love, a refuge from the sadness and cruelty of the world.

Their story begins at an end and ends at a beginning. It involves wives and widows, gunrunners and gougers, sinners and saints. It's a story of terrible betrayals and fierce loyalties, of isolation and togetherness, of transgression, forgiveness, desire, and love. About all the things family can be and all the things it sometimes isn't. From the prize-winning author of Strange Flowers and The Spinning Heart, The Queen of Dirt Island is an uplifting celebration of fierce, loyal love and the powerful stories that bind generations together.

My Review: 

It was a very interesting and different kind of story. Especially the way it was written, with beautiful language that captures each of the character and their personalities, as well as actions, so well. I also really liked the short chapters that each portray one story, but together those chapters merge and make up this amazing life journey that each of the characters goes through. I loved the writing. However, the story itself, although started very strong, the ending was a bit disappointing.

The story follows four generations of Aylward women of Nenagh in Tipperary. It's about their life stories, filled with love, hate, anger, passion, peace, war, sins, forgiveness and desire. This book is about family, their connections and love, sometimes deep and sometimes not. It is a story about strong women, their strength, love, sacrifice and life with and without each other.

I loved the strong female characters in this book. Each of them was so well written, with strong personalities, voices and strengths. Their growth through the book was brilliantly written and explored.

Although I liked the short chapters and the story that they all merge into, some of them felt a bit unnecessary to the overall story. So as some of the characters that were explored. Apart from the main female characters, I couldn’t connect with any others, as they weren’t explored as much or just appeared for a little while, not giving enough time to get to know them. I much rather read more about the females in the story.

Overall: I liked the writing; it just flew and was so easy to get into the story. I loved the exploration of different generations of women, their strengths, growth, love…However, I was quite disappointed by the abrupt ending. 

About the Author:

Donal Ryan is the author of the novels The Spinning Heart, The Thing About December, the short-story collection A Slanting of the Sun, and the forthcoming novel All We Shall Know. He holds a degree in Law from the University of Limerick, and worked for the National Employment Rights Authority before the success of his first two novels allowed him to pursue writing as a full-time career.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6521880.Donal_Ryan

Paula Greenlees - The Forgotten Promise

Paula Greenlees - The Forgotten Promise 

4.5⭐

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, WW2 

Pages: 400

Format: e-book

Publisher:  Penguin Books

Date Published: 1st September 2022 (e-book), 29th December 2022 (Paperback) 

 

Big thanks to the author Paula Greenlees and Penguin Books for sending me an e-book copy of this book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

Malaya, 1920: Two girls make a promise in the shadows of the jungle. A promise that life won't let them easily keep.

Malaya, 1941: Ella is running her late father's tin mine in the Kledang hills, while Noor works as her cook.
When the war that felt so far away suddenly arrives on their doorstep, Ella is torn apart from her family. Her daughter Grace is left in Noor's care as Japanese soldiers seize the mine.

Ella is forced to make an impossible choice that takes her to England, thousands of miles from home. She is desperate to be reunited with her loved ones. But will the life she returns to be anything like the life she left behind?

My Review: 

Paula Greenlees did it again! Such a beautifully written book about a war-torn family. I loved this book even more than I loved Journey to Paradise! Greenlees writes in such a vivid and beautiful way that not only shows the beauty of the book setting but also makes the reader easily fall in love with the characters and their personalities. Each of the characters is so perfectly crafted and developed. Honestly, I was so sad when I finished this book and it took me a few days to pick another one. Also, it’s not only the characters but also the horrible reality of war and the captivating storyline with strong female leads that makes this book stand out for me.

The story follows Ella and her family in Malaya. We first see her as a little girl in the 1920s, when she makes a friendship pact with her then-best friend Noor to always look out for each other. Fast forward to 1940 and Ella is married with two children, as well as has inherited a large property and a mine. Her life is very comfortable, she has kids that she adores and a husband that loves her very much. Noor’s life, however, has not changed much, she is a cook at Ella’s house and looks after Ella’s children. They aren’t best friends anymore and basically, they are worlds apart.  

However, soon Ella’s life is turned upside down. WW2 breaks out in Asia when the Japanese bombs Pearl Harbour and subsequently take control of Malaya and Singapore. Ella managed to escape Malaya with her newborn son but has to reluctantly leave her husband and daughter behind. Ella comes back to the UK, to Oxfordshire, where her husband’s parents take her in. All connections with a home in Malaya are lost and Ella doesn’t know what happened to her husband and daughter. Thus, she tries to build a life in England, whilst holding onto hope that both of her loved ones are alive. In Malaya, however, the Japanese move into Ella’s house and take over control. Ella’s husband disappeared and Noor does everything she can to protect Ella’s daughter from the Japanese. Both women are fighting their own battles at opposite ends of the world, only remembering a promise they had made to each other years ago.

I loved Noor. She is so strong and brave. She takes in Ella’s daughter and looks after her like she is her own. She also stands up for herself after the war, even though she is tired and drained and lost everything. Noor fights for what is right and she fights for both her and Ella’s daughter. She grew so much in this book. I liked Ella’s character too, but I felt that at times she could have coped better, but I guess it is because of her upbringing. She was used to a very privileged life before the war and it was quite hard for her to adjust. Even at the end of the book, I didn’t feel like Ella grew as much as Noor.

For me, the only thing that was missing between these two main characters, was them having a conversation and talking about everything, especially their friendship at the end of the book. It felt like their friendship and promise were supposed to be one of the main messages of this book but at the very end, I didn’t feel like their friendship was discussed or displayed enough.

I liked the storyline and all the very human emotions that each of the characters has gone through in this book. I also enjoyed that this book touched upon very important subjects, such as belonging, especially in the case of Ella feeling like she doesn’t belong in England. Also, themes of loss and grief, being in the unknown and at the same time trying to build your life back together. All of these were included in the book so well.

Overall: I loved this book. Paula Greenlees's writing is brilliant. She makes her characters so strong and likeable, as well as her storylines, hook you in straight away. If you love historical fiction and historical fiction that is set in WW2 with strong female leads, this book is a perfect choice. Can’t wait to see what Paula writes next! 

About the Author:

Paula Greenlees has lived in various places, including Singapore, where she was based for three years. It was while living in Singapore that the first seeds of her debut novel, Journey to Paradise developed. The crumbling buildings and the modern high-rises popping up almost overnight seemed to be a metaphor for the social diversity and change in Singapore at that time. However, as a young mother living there, she wondered what it must have been like as a post-war colonial wife living miles away from the familiarity of home. Despite the gloss and glamour of colonial living, women were frequently stuck in unhappy marriages, often unable to follow careers or have the independence to divorce if things went wrong – which they inevitably did.

Her writing, although set against exotic backgrounds, is set on the cusp of change – the shift from colonial dominance to independence. She likes to dig into a variety of issues, and her main protagonist is, in many ways, a metaphor for the events surrounding her at that time. It isn’t always an easy journey, but in the end, success comes her way.

https://www.paulagreenlees.com/

Matt Haig - How To Stop Time

Matt Haig - How To Stop Time 

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Pages: 345

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Canongate 

Date Published: 6th July 2017 

Huge thank you to Canongate for sending me a copy of this book and for inviting me to be a part of #CanongateReadalong on Instagram

Book Blurb: 

A love story across the ages – and for the ages – about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to learn how to live

"The first rule is that you don't fall in love,' he said... 'There are other rules too, but that is the main one. No falling in love. No staying in love. No daydreaming of love. If you stick to this you will just about be okay.'"

Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old, but owing to a rare condition, he's been alive for centuries. Tom has lived history – performing with Shakespeare, exploring the high seas with Captain Cook, and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants an ordinary life.

So Tom moves back to London, his old home, to become a high school history teacher – the perfect job for someone who has witnessed the city's history first-hand. Better yet, a captivating French teacher at his school seems fascinated by him. But the Albatross Society, the secretive group which protects people like Tom, has one rule: never fall in love. As painful memories of his past and the erratic behaviour of the Society's watchful leader threaten to derail his new life and romance, the one thing he can't have just happens to be the one thing that might save him. Tom will have to decide once and for all whether to remain stuck in the past or finally begin living in the present.

How to Stop Time is a bighearted, wildly original novel about losing and finding yourself, the inevitability of change, and how with enough time to learn, we just might find happiness.

My Review: 

How to Stop Time has a very interesting premise and explores the meaning of life through someone who ages but doesn’t age as quickly as an average person. Very enjoyable writing and narrative, especially the alternating chapters that explore the main characters' lives throughout the last 400 years and now. Very original and interesting book!

The story follows Tom, who has this very rare condition that makes him age at a much slower rate than a normal person would age. Although he only looks like a forty-year-old, in reality, he is over 400 years old. Being alive since the late 1500s means that he needs to be constantly on the move, changing his identity. This also means that he can’t fall in love, connect with people, stay long in one place, or have a home or a family. Even though over the years he met famous people, travelled all over the world, saw the world change, and had loads of amazing adventures, he just wants to stop running and wants to have a quiet life. However, the secret society, Albatross Society, which looks after people like Tom is not convinced that Tom should have a simple human life but allows him to have a go for eight years. That’s when Tom goes back to London and starts working as a history teacher in one of the secondary schools. There he meets a beautiful French teacher who reminds him of the love of his life, but also recaps his memory that somewhere out there is his daughter that needs to be found and who Tom hasn’t seen for more than 300 years…

I loved the writing of this book, especially the beautiful inner monologues Tom has about life and what it means to him. He also explores the pros and cons of living for so long, including loss, grief, adventures, chance to see the change and history playing out in front of him. I liked how Tom compared places and societies together from different historical periods, highlighting similarities and differences in personalities, beliefs, traditions and cultures. The book itself explores the best and worst of life and displays to us that we should live for this moment and enjoy ourselves as much as we can because the world and we are constantly changing and that the time never stops no matter what.

This book was quite a slow burner and although I enjoyed this story, I hoped for more action and romance. Especially I hoped for more romance as the first rule of Tom’s was not to fall in love and this premise would have made a great forbidden love story together with things that are already explored in this book. I also think some of the chapters were unnecessary, especially one where Tom meets F Scott Fitzgerald or goes on a boat to Tahiti…These chapters didn’t add much to the overall story of this book.

Overall: It was my first Matt Haig book and I really enjoyed reading it. It was a book with a very unique and interesting concept, exploring the purpose of life from a very different perspective. The writing also is very good. My only downside of this book was the fact that there was an amazing opportunity and premise for exploring a forbidden romance but it was not taken. However, it is a very unique book and I would be definitely interested in reading other Matt Haig books to see whether I would enjoy those, too. 

About the Author:

Matt Haig is an author for children and adults. His memoir Reasons to Stay Alive was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46 weeks. His children’s book A Boy Called Christmas was a runaway hit and is translated in over 40 languages. It is being made into a film starring Maggie Smith, Sally Hawkins and Jim Broadbent and The Guardian called it an ‘instant classic’. His novels for adults include  the award-winning How To Stop Time, The Radleys, The Humans and the number one bestseller The Midnight Library.He has sold over three million books worldwide.

http://www.matthaig.com/

Taylor Jenkins Reid - Carrie Soto Is Back

Taylor Jenkins Reid - Carrie Soto Is Back 

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary, Sports, Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Hardback

Publisher: Hutchinson Heinemann 

Date Published: 30th August 2022 

Book Blurb: 

In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime—from the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising.

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

My Review: 

This is my first TJR book and oh boy it did not disappoint. I loved it so much that now this book is definitely a contender for my top 2022 book. Also, thanks to this book and its insight into tennis, I am now invested in tennis and want to watch all the Grand Slams in the foreseeable future. Now after this book, I am definitely going to read more TJR, as her writing and premises of the story, as well as characters, are all superb.

The story follows a tennis player Carrie Soto who in the 70s and 80s was the best female tennis player in the world, winning twenty Slam titles and breaking numerous records from a young age. She retired from the game in the late 80s due to a knee injury, however, she is determined to come back to the game in 1995 to have one last season of tennis. Carrie wants to do that because her record of twenty Slams is in danger, since Nicki Chan, a British tennis player is about to smash that record very soon. Carrie can’t allow it, as it will mean her hard work was all for nothing, and being the best is all she had and have. So, in 1995, Carrie Soto comes back for one last season to prove that she is the best tennis player in the world and keep her record legacy going.

I loved how the first half of the book was written in biography/autobiography format and explored how Carrie Soto grew to be the best tennis player. This part portrays her growing up, training with her father, who was also a tennis player, winning and losing first matches and tours, and how she slowly turned that around to wins and records. In this part of the book, we get to know Carrie as a person, her character and her personality, which builds the reader up for what is to come in the second part of the book. I also adored the contrast between the first and second parts of the book, as in the second part readers see Carrie’s determination to win back her records, as well as her matches and relationships with other players from up close. Readers get to know how she is in the limelight and how she is with other opponents.

However, this book is so much more than just a tennis player wanting to win her records back and be the best at tennis. It also explores Carrie’s sometimes complicated but at most very heartwarming relationship with her father, who is also her coach. It explores the topic of Carrie being and feeling lonely as from a young age she is told to look at any other female tennis players as rivals and not become friends with them. This story also explores and portrays the pressures to be the best and how quickly fame can be taken away from someone as perfect as Carrie. All of these topics not only made the story more real but also showed a glimpse into what is like to be the best athlete in the world, with all the advantages and disadvantages that comes with that fame and record-breaking. It also displays how much someone has to sacrifice to become the best at something and what things and parts of life they have to sacrifice. This all is explored in the book through Carrie's personality, character and life.

I loved Carrie too. She is fierce, unapologetic, ambitious and loud. She is everything that in women’s tennis would be labelled as bad. Other players and sports pundits don’t like her but all of that makes her unique and original. I loved that until the very end she stays her true self.

Overall: Loved this book so much and can't wait to read more TJR books, especially Malibu Rising as I heard that it links to this book. I will be definitely talking about this book for a while, as it is just brilliant. 

About the Author:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as four other novels. She lives in Los Angeles.

https://taylorjenkinsreid.com/

Charles Lambert - The Bone Flower

Charles Lambert - The Bone Flower 

5⭐

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Gothic, Paranormal 

Pages:  255

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher: Gallic Books 

Date Published: 22nd September 2022

Huge thank you to Gallic Books for sending me a proof copy of The Bone Flower to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

On a November evening in Victorian London, the moneyed but listless Edward Monteith stokes the fire at his local gentlemen’s club, listening to stories of supernatural experiences and theories of life after death. His curiosity leads him to a séance, where he falls under the spell of a beautiful flower seller. But Victorian society does not look kindly on love between a gentleman of means and a Romani girl, and when he faces being cut off by his family, Edward makes a decision with horrifying consequences.

Two years later Edward is married and anticipating the birth of his first child, in a beautiful house lined with orange blossom trees. But the wrongs of the past are not so easily forgotten, and the boundary between the living and the dead begins to thin… A deliciously chilling Gothic novel, The Bone Flower is a deeply human story about guilt, betrayal and the cruelty of social expectations.

A dark, uncanny love story from the author of Polari prize-shortlisted Prodigal and The Children's Home, The Bone Flower will delight fans of Edward Carey and Essie Fox.

My Review: 

When I started reading The Bone Flower, I thought it was going to be a simple Gothic love story but…Wow! It was so much more than that! It had mystery, a spooky atmosphere, forbidden love, betrayal…All of that and set in Victorian London. This book ticked all the boxes and is honestly a perfect read for this upcoming spooky season!

The book follows young gentleman Edward Monteith who is still a bachelor and without a passion in life, although from a wealthy(ish) family. He joins a gentlemen’s club where explorers, scientists and other wealthy men discuss the meaning of life and death, including supernatural, spirits and life after death. After one of the evenings in the club, Edward is invited to a séance to experience the supernatural with his own eyes. Reluctantly but with an open mind, he agrees to this adventure. In the séance, he meets a beautiful young lady Settie and falls head over heels for her. They begin their secret romance, but since she is a Gypsy Traveller and he is from a reputable family and Edward is afraid that his father will take away all of his money if Edward introduces Settie to his family. However, Settie feels that Edward is ashamed of her and gives him an ultimatum, either she leaves him or he marries her. With one horrible decision, Edward’s life is turned upside down…

I loved how much was explored in this book and how much detail was put into this story, even though the book itself is not that long. Lambert uses such beautiful language and scene setting that I felt I was transported into Victorian London. Although the book started quite slowly, from the very beginning it just grips the reader with the mystery and atmosphere. I really didn’t want it to end and wished it was longer.

I also adored how Lambert explored the topics of societal expectations and class differences of that time and adds them to the story in such a subtle manner. The forbidden love story and then the betrayal just added to that even more, making The Bone Flower such a powerful read.

Overall: Loved this book so much! The setting, the plot and the writing are all fantastic. I loved how topics of love and betrayal, as well as, societal classes were explored together with the supernatural, curses, traditions and ghosts. This book is a must-read during the upcoming spooky season as its atmosphere makes this book a perfect read for long autumn nights. It was my first book by Lambert but it definitely won’t be the last I read of his. 

About the Author:

Charles Lambert was born in the United Kingdom but has lived in Italy for most of his adult life. His most recent novel, The Bone Flower, is a Gothic love story with a sinister edge, set in Victorian London. His previous novel, Prodigal, shortlisted for the Polari Prize in 2019, was described by the Gay & Lesbian Review as "Powerful… an artful hybrid of parable (as the title signifies), a Freudian family romance, a Gothic tale, and a Künstlerroman in the tradition of James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.” For the Kirkus Review, The Children's Home, published in 2016, was 'a one-of-a-kind literary horror story', while Two Dark Tales, published in October 2017, continues to disturb. Earlier books include three novels, a collection of prize-winning short stories and a memoir, With a Zero at its Heart, selected by the Guardian as one of its top ten books from 2014.

https://charleslambert.wordpress.com/about/