All Good Things by Amanda Prowse

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

My monthly buddy read pick with the lovely Christine was ‘All Good Things’ by Amanda Prowse.

Since discovering Amanda Prowse’s books earlier this year, and having been lucky enough to meet her and have a great big hug, this is the third one I have read and the third one I have loved.

Amanda is brilliant at writing about families and relationships. I do not know how she does it, but she creates the most fantastic characters (even if you do not like them all) and tells their story with such warmth and humour that you are hooked from the moment you start reading. And, even if you do not like them very much, you do seem to find yourself hoping for the best for all of them by the end.

‘All Good Things’ tells the story of two families, who are neighbours. They appear to have two very different lives; on the one side is the family that appears to have it all, and on the other, a family that appears to be losing its way. However, as our story unfolds, we realise that maybe these families should be viewed the other way round – as the most important thing in any family is love and understanding. Maybe your worth should be measured in the amount of love that you have, and not the possessions you own or the people you know.

I absolutely adored this book, and I loved the way that each chapter was told from a different POV. This really made you think about the way someone may view themselves or a situation compared to what is really going on. And that is an idea I think about a lot, especially in the world of growing social media influence. The perception we may have of someone is probably very rarely the truth.

I can not wait to keep reading more of Amanda Prowse’s books, as I am pretty sure I am never going to meet an Amanda Prowse book I do not love. Especially as I think she is one of the most wonderful people I have ever met.

The Love of Our Lives by Emma Steele

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I was very lucky that Emma Steele reached out and asked me if I would like to read her novel, ‘The Love of Our Lives’ and I, of course, said ‘Yes, please’. And, that is how I ended up with a beautiful signed copy of this fabulous book.

Maggie has a second chance at life, not just because she has had a heart transplant, but because she wakes up one day and finds out that she is living the life of the donor. As she realises she has to accept the experience that is happening to her, it gives her a second chance at life and teaches her some life lessons along the way. Especially about love.

This wonderful book is set in Edinburgh, which means this story unfolds in a beautiful part of the world too, and I rather enjoyed that, from the few visits that I have made, I could picture some of the scenes as they unfold in our story.

This is a wonderful love story, but I would say also a life story. There are some real life lessons in this book about taking the chance to embrace the chances that life gives you. And how easy it is for us to let life pass us by, and to get stuck in a rut. Or isolate ourselves completely from the support that there might be out there…

I will not deny that I cried at moments in this book. I loved the characters and really felt for them at moments in the story. And I am always going to cry when there is a grumpy old man who starts to realise that he is letting life pass him by, often with the help of a lovely neighbour.

I am very grateful that Emma thought of me as someone who would like to read her book, because she was right – and I already have some people in mind who I think will enjoy it too. And you will too, if you enjoy contemporary fiction with a romantic twist, that has a heart and a cast of loveable characters.

Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

As I love the idea of reading a book that is set somewhere that I am visiting, I finally picked up my first Donna Leon book when I visited The Aldeburgh Bookshop. The aim was to read this when I was in-visit, however, I ended up reading it when we had moved on to Florence – at least we were in the same country…

And, as I read it, I decided that I have left it far too long to pick up a book by Donna Leon. I absolutely loved this piece of crime fiction: a police procedural in style. It took me to the classic crime genre, reminding me of my favourites, like Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse. However, it was quite nice to read about a detective who does not seem (so far) to have a particular demon haunting him, other than his potential dislike for social hierarchy. He definitely seemed to lean to the left.

By he, I of course mean Commissario Brunetti. A likeable main character who loves his city of Venice. Especially as Venice becomes not just the setting but almost a character in the book. After all, it is a city that can steal your heart and it is full of fascinating stories everywhere you look.

In this story, I solved it just slightly ahead of Commissario Brunetti, and I am okay with that, as this is a traditional crime story, and I enjoyed following the clues to find a solution. This does not mean that this is a simple story, as there are some quite complex characters, but it means that it is a book that wants to be a crime story, and you follow Brunetti as she solves his crime.

There are twists as the case unfolds, and some dark themes, but this is not a thriller – this is a true crime story, and that was exactly why I enjoyed it. It has not been written to shock, it has been written to be a good story. And that story has stood the test of time, as I did not realise how long ago this book had actually been published (1992) – the bonus of that, of course, is that I have so many Donna Leon books to read – and that makes me very happy.

To Love A Liar by L.V. Matthews

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

As we have clearly spotted, I love a thriller or crime story. So, when ‘The Book Taster’ picked ‘To Love A Liar’ by L.V. Matthews, I knew I was likely to be thrown into a book I would love. And…I was.

This is a brilliant thriller which reveals surprise after surprise and, just as you think you have got to grips with the story, another curve-ball comes out of nowhere and smacks you in the face. To the point that I had to message a friend and ensure that I had correctly understood the series of events. This is not a criticism of the narrative but, in fact, praise of it, because it was just a rollercoaster of a read.

I am honestly stumped in how to review this book, as the joy for me was that I actually did not know anything about this novel, which meant that every single moment was a surprise – and I think that is how it should be read. In fact, I am hoping that my words will just make you pick it up without the blurb, so you can simply experience the joy of reading this book.

There was also the clever use of mixed media to tell the story. There was the use of social media posts to add to the story, and I think this was a very clever way to additionally engage readers with the narrative. But it also shows how the way that news and information is shared has changed so much – how quickly fake or false ideas can spread, and how much people are willing to have an opinion when they think they can hide behind a screen. I think this also causes the reader to reflect on the significance of this to the story, and how the narrative can be changed.

This is a book that I will be recommending to anyone who is listening – especially those readers I know who are fans of the thriller and crime novels – the twistier the better.

Human Remains by Jo Callaghan

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

‘Human Remains’ is the third time that we meet Kat and Locke, our Warwickshire murder-solving duo. And it did not disappoint – in fact, far from it. I was not expecting to have quite so many feels as I read this book – but it happened.

As my posts have to be spoiler free, I cannot possibly reveal how a police procedural novel about solving murders could create quite so much of an emotional reaction, but it happens and you are just going to have to read it to find out why. But you also should read it because it is just as brilliant as the two books that came before it.

This time we catch up with Kat and Locke as a body is discovered by a local fisherman. A body that has been there for quite some time. As Kat (I love that I am on first-name terms with this character) and her team investigate who the victim may be, they uncover a whole host of local history, which leads them to solve another, much older mystery along the way. However, as you can imagine, nothing about this story is quite so straightforward as it would seem, and Kat is soon forced to face up to her past – rightly or wrongly.

This is just a page-turner of a read, because you feel like you are back amongst old friends as they work their next case. Even Locke feels like a friend, even though he is AI and we all know he can not work or express himself as a human. However, Jo Callaghan very cleverly deals with him learning to be that little bit more human and the questions that could raise as he does so. A fascinating debate for the modern age – and a real moral debate you will have with yourself as the book develops.

I think it is just fair to say that I absolutely loved this book; I read past my bedtime to make sure I finished it, and a learned a little bit of Warwickshire history too. I really can’t wait for the next time we will be in the company of Kat, Locke and the team; even though we know it will be the last, it just means I will have to go back to the beginning and start again.

Such Charming Liars by Karen M McManus

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Although I am not the target audience for Karen M. McManus’ YA thriller fiction, I always find myself purchasing each one. They are also very satisfying on the shelf next to each other, and the latest, ‘Such Charming Liars’, is a rather wonderful shade of purple on the shelf.

In ‘Such Charming Liars’, we meet Kat and Liam, who are step-siblings who appear to be reunited by chance as Kat’s mum, Jamie, is sent to carry out a mission for her ’employer’, Gem. They find themselves on the rather impressive Sutherland estate. Neither of them is there for totally honest reasons; however, things take a turn that neither of them could have predicted.

As we all know, this site needs to be spoiler-free, which is never easy when I am trying to share thoughts about titles such as this one. However, what I can say is that returning to a Karen M. McManus novel in autumn is like returning to an old friend. They are quite a comfort read, despite being a YA thriller. They are always full of great characters, and strong female characters, which I think is something that is important for YA novels in the modern age. Alongside this, she is a pro at planting red herrings that can send you off on the wrong path, only for you to suddenly be thrown onto a different path altogether. Alongside this, the final quarter of this book comes at quite a pace, with a twist that I did not see coming as it hit. Which, surely, is always a sign of a good read?

So, if you are looking for a thriller that is great escapism for these autumn evenings, then Karen M. McManus is always a good idea. And if you have a YA reader in your life, maybe this is a set of books you can introduce them to.

This Motherless Land by Nikki May

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

If you have been here a while you will know that I absolutely loved ‘Wahala‘ – to the point that I know where I was when I read it. I even remember telling Nikki May herself (thanks to The Book Taster) that she had created one of the best villains of all time and I still stand by that.

So, I am sure you have worked out that I absolutely loved ‘This Motherless Land’, too. And, I do not know why I left it on my shelf for so long. Well, in fact, I do know why, because I did not want to finish it and then know that I would not be able to read it for the first time again.

This book, inspired by ‘Mansfield Park’, was everything that I hoped it would be and probably a little more. Nikki May has a skill of creating the most wonderful characters who you can visualise from the moment you start reading, and seems to have a particular skill of creating characters you quite like to dislike. However, this book touched on some really important issues. ‘Mansfield Park’ may have addressed the prejudice of the rich-poor divide; ‘This Motherless Land’ also addresses this, but also the racial prejudice faced by our wonderful central character Funke. Funke is Anglo-Nigerian, and fabulous; however, some of her family members in England do not seem to be willing to accept her with the love and acceptance that they should. However, she does form a bond with her cousin, until the day that an accident tears them apart and they lead two different lives, and we reflect on the paths their lives take.

I genuinely adored this book, just as I have so much admiration for Nikki May, especially as I was lucky enough to meet her at a ‘The Book Taster Live’ event. She really writes stories we want to read, but does not shy away from topics that we should probably all be thinking about and reflecting on, on a regular basis. This retelling brings the story bang up to date and becomes the story we need in this time, and just like ‘Wahala’ has brilliantly strong female lead characters, putting women right in the middle of the action. I am pretty sure that Jane Austen would throughly approve of this book, as it brings a social issue to the attention of readers, and gives women a loud and proud voice in the modern age.

I will be recommending this book to everyone – a modern classic in the making. Thank you Nikki May, and I can’t wait to see what other stories you will be sharing with us.

The Names by Florence Knapp

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

‘The Names’ is a book that had started to make a few appearences on Bookstagram, so of course it caught my eye, because a title like that just sounds like it is going to be a fascinating read. In fact, the first time it truly came to my attention was thanks to ‘The Book Taster’, as there was a little teaser of the book in our wonderful goody bags.

This book is beautiful. This book is fascinating. This is a book that I could not put down. And, it is a book that I cannot really review because I think you need to read it, almost with no idea what it is about (other than names). I did not know what it was about as, surprise, I did not read the blurb, and I think that actually increased my enjoyment of the book.

All I feel I can share is that this book is beautifully written. The characters are conjured up for you so wonderfully that you feel you know them. And, it is okay not to like them if they are not a very nice character. It also touches your heart almost immediately as you begin your journey with the collection of characters. I just needed to know what was going to happen; was everyone going to end up on the path they deserved? And are our paths determined from the moment we are born?

Also, I am over the moon that Florence Knapp will be at the next ‘Book Taster Live’ event (which I am, of course, hoping I will be grabbing a ticket for) and I can’t wait to hear what inspired her to write this rather beautiful book.

If you really want to know what this book is about, please pick up a copy, because I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed. And if you do manage to read it, please let me know, because I would absolutely love to know what you think about it – because I think it is a wonderful read.

The Two Loves of Sophie Strom by Sam Taylor

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Isn’t it funny how sometimes you read two books with similar themes in quick succession, without even planning to? This has happened to me this month, as I have read ‘The Names’ and ‘The Two Loves of Sophie Strom’, both of which have a little of a ‘sliding doors’ theme to them – the whole idea of ‘what if?’

‘The Two Loves of Sophie Strom’ is a book I have absolutely loved. I appreciate that some readers may find the start of the book a little confusing, but it is a slow burn that is absolutely worth sticking with as it is a great story. We meet Max, a Jew living in Austria, at the start of the build-up of nationalism and the success of Hitler’s Nazi Party; one night, his life is changed for ever as his family’s business is attacked.

However, this attack creates a sliding-door moment, as we also meet Hans, who leads the life that Max could have lived if the outcome of the attack on his family’s music shop was different. Both of these boys, and later men, appear to be leading parallel lives, with very different experiences through the war years. But they are both in love with Sophie Strom, and will do all they can to protect her.

This is a fantastic piece of historical fiction, which investigates human nature in the time of war-torn Europe (specifically, occupied Paris). It really makes you think about the decisions that people have to make to survive – you really consider the light and dark of human nature in difficult times. Is Hans someone who really exists within Max, or is Max someone who really exists within Hans?

I thought this book was very skilfully written, with the dual narrative; it really takes some skill to write this story and keep it entwined. The novel also tells a beautiful story about love, survival, human nature and what it means to exist in even the darkest times. The characters are beautifully created, and they become very vivid for the reader (Karl is one of the most hateful characters I have ever read about, everything wrong with humans, especially in difficult times).

I am already ready to pass this book onto another reader, because I am pretty sure they will enjoy it. I think it is a book that will be with me for quite some time, and it has really made me think about the human experience, not only in World War Two, but in all situations of war. It is a unique idea for a book, and I hope that it finds many readers who will enjoy it as much as I did.

Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Reader, Banjo and Finlay have stolen my heart – in a way I do not think any characters have stolen my heart before (apart from possibly Charlie and Nick from Heartstopper). These two ‘Glasgow Boys’ deserve all the love in the world, as well as the life that neither of them has managed to experience yet – and that you hope they will experience by the end of the book.

Banjo and Finlay have grown up in the care system, they have had different paths that get them there but sadly they both do not understand that it is the adults and the system that have let them down. And, they are not to blame for the sort of life they have sadly ended up living – in fact, Finlay has managed to get himself to university, which is an achievement he does not seem to think he deserves. As we read their story, first separately and then as a pair, as we realise they were once friends, but what tore them apart? And we see what they really both need is people to love them and for them to love, and an understanding that they deserve this – and any success that they have in life.

This book made me ugly cry, and I am not afraid to admit it. The story is beautifully told, with sensitivity and emotion. The characters are well-rounded and you believe in every moment, incident and conversation on the page. The chapters alternate between Banjo and Finlay’s viewpoint, and I think that brings you closer to the characters, as you see how they are feeling, what they are thinking and what makes them who they are.

Margaret McDonald is a very talented writer and it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel, but it is definitely one that deserved to win the ‘Carnegie Medal for Writing’. It is clear that she loves her characters as much as the readers do. I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me. It may be a YA novel, but it can be enjoyed and loved by adult readers also – and rightfully so.

If you have seen this book around and ever been tempted to read it, take this as your sign that you should, because you will not be disappointed.