Month: July 2024

Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I discovered the books of Andrea Mara thanks to ‘The Book Taster Book Club’, and so when I spotted that there was a chance to read her new book, I knew I had to give it a go.

This, like ‘No One Saw a Thing‘, manages to create a thrilling read from something that is probably a fear that many of us have in the back of our mind. Those strange noises in a house, that can send our imagination wild and inventing all sorts scenarios that you know are probably not true but, in that moment, feel incredibly real. As the title suggests, the fear here is the idea that there is someone in your attic watching everything you do, especially when it is dark and you feel at your most vulnerable. And there is a strong theme of never be too trusting or believe everything someone says and does; it can be so easy to be manipulated into believing a situation when there is fear involved, or the desire to protect those that mean the most to you.

I will not write a review with spoilers, so as always it makes the thrillers harder to write about. However, Andrea Mara enjoys sending her characters (and her readers) off on some misdirection, which has you constantly doubting what you are reading. There was one moment where I thought I had solved some of the mystery and was not sure how Julia (our main character) had missed it – but then it turned out I had not been quite as clever as I thought. Although, I had an idea that did end up being correct, so it wasn’t all a complete detective disaster on my part – some of my suspicions were confirmed.

I did feel the chill often at the idea that there may have been someone in Julia’s house, watching her and her family. I am not sure I want to be in the house on my own at night for a while, especially not when the house may be making all its noises to let you know it is here.

So, if you like a page-turner of a read, then this is the book for you – especially if you are in your thriller era.

A Love Letter to The Seven Sisters

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Last year a lovely bookish buddy suggested that we read ‘The Seven Sisters’ series by Lucinda Riley. As I am always willing to give most books I go, I knew I had to join in (I also knew that I have a habit of not finishing book series, so I thought this may encourage me to do so). Little did I know that in just over a year I would have read all eight of the books and be suffering from a little bit of a book hangover.

I have not written blog posts for each of these books, so I thought I would write a post that was an appreciation for them as a whole. Through this wonderful series, Lucinda Riley took us on seven incredible journeys as each of the seven sisters and Atlas’ adopted daughters find out about their pasts and their heritages. And then we have ‘Atlas – The Story of Pa Salt’, written by Harry Whittaker (Lucinda’s son) and inspired by his mother’s wonderful work; that final book that ties up all the loose ends and mysteries that have been created by each of the other books.

I think the joy of these books is that they are beautifully crafted stories, with the rich histories of many nations around the globe interwoven into the tales. But, also, these are stories that remind us that there is so much goodness and kindness in the world; even when things seem at their hardest, there is always someone who will help you find your way.

Also, they also inspire the reader to find out more about each of their historical settings (well, they did for me, anyway) or the fascinating countries that the stories of the sisters begin in. There is also a great respect for the cultures and traditions of the world – nothing is disrespected in the name of entertainment, which is incredibly important to me as a reader and a History teacher. (I have been known to find books with historical settings disappointing/difficult, when entertainment has been placed above the respect that some things should be shown).

The next paragraph may be a little bit of a spoiler (although not if you are an observant reader – which I am not) if you have not yet read ‘Atlas – The Story of Pa Salt’…

But something that is incredible about these books, is not just how well plotted they are, but how you realise that Pa Salt was there all along. In pretty much every book, Pa Salt had made an appearance and, as you read the final book, you realise where you have missed him. I found that an absolute joy, as I could remember moments of reading the original seven books and I felt transported back to those stories. And I have even heard myself saying that I will re-read the original stories. I may do it on audio this time to have a different reading experience, but I will be ready to spot Pa Salt in each of the books – a bit like a grown-up ‘Where’s Wally?’

So, I titled this post ‘A Love Letter to The Seven Sisters’, and I stand by that. This is a series of books that has offered me true escapism, characters that I have loved and cared about, and sent me on adventures that I would never imagine going on. They have also got me over my fear of chunky books; I will never let that put me off again, as I could be missing out on some stunning stories.

This is also a thank you to wonderful bookish buddies who have read along with me. It is thanks to them that I have entered this fabulous world of ‘The Seven Sisters’. When you can read along with a bunch of bookworms at your own pace, but have a space to share their ideas, always makes the reading a little more special and proves that reading does not have to be an antisocial or lonely pastime. And I have found a new set of books that will hold a special place in my heart for a long time to come.

Weirdo by Sara Pascoe

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

The July choice for ‘The Book Taster Book Club’ was ‘Weirdo’ by Sara Pascoe. This was a book that I had my eye on for some time, so it was a perfect excuse to pick it up and read it.

I can see why this book may be a Marmite book – and I definitely do not think that it is a book that will be for everyone, but I rather enjoyed it.

This story is told as a stream of consciousness, like we are living in the head of our main character, Sophie. And, for some, this may be a little jarring, but I rather enjoyed this as a reader. We all live in our heads sometimes, like Sophie, and we often have thoughts that may trigger other thoughts and cause us to jump around in our own heads. For me, this was really interesting, as little moments can often cause another memory or idea to be sparked – and this is what happens throughout the story. Sophie unpacks her past as she lives in her present, which takes her on a journey of self-discovery, as she realises that maybe there is not such a thing as perfection. But she also begins to understand why her present may have been impacted by her past…

Sophie also has a whole host of difficult and dysfunctional relationships to address in her life. These have certainly impacted the Sophie that she has become and need a bit of shaking off if she is going to move forward with her life.

So, as much as I appreciate that this book will not be everyone’s cup of tea, I think that there were a number of features that are probably quite relatable to many young women. The overthinking is definitely something that I could relate to, as was the way we jump around with our thoughts. This is especially true if we are feeling isolated or alone, which is how Sophie is feeling in this stage of her life. And I think there is an important lesson to us all that we should never let anyone dull our shine, or tell us that we are not worth being exactly what we want to be.

Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I think one of my reading red flags is that I do not always read some long-standing series in the correct order, and it would appear that is the stance that I have taken with the Eddie Flynn novels by Steve Cavanagh. And it has not impacted by enjoyment of these books – so, I guess it is not the end of the world.

I decided to pick up ‘Thirteen’ as I was in quite a thriller mood after some very busy work weeks, and I was certain that this book would not disappoint. And I was correct – this book did not disappoint and it was a joy to be back in the company of Eddie Flynn.

I absolutely cannot give any of this tale away, so all I am going to say is that Joshua Kane is very keen to make it on to the jury for the trial of a Hollywood star. A hero of the silver screen is charged with murder and Kane is keen to ensure he is found guilty. But, as Eddie Flynn is the defence lawyer, it may not all go to plan for Kane – so, how far will he go to ensure that his plan is a success?

This is such a brilliantly constructed thriller. You are on the edge of your seat at moments throughout this book. The dual perspective of the story, the antics of Kane and the experiences of Flynn definitely combine to inspire you to be an armchair detective – but the twists and turns of the narrative won’t guarantee that you get it right. Especially as it is a twisty page-turner of a novel, and it has reminded me that I need to make sure that I read even more about Eddie Flynn’s adventures.

In fact, I have another on my shelf – so, maybe I will have to pick it up sooner rather than later, especially as there is a new Eddie Flynn story out very soon…

The Good Samaritan by John Marrs

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I have been told several times that I should try to read a John Marrs novel. So, when I spotted that ‘The Good Samaritan’ was a bargain on Kindle, I decided it was time to take the advice.

And, what I learned immediately is that John Marrs can clearly write a chilling novel. I found the start of this novel rather unsettling (in a good thriller way) and knew that I would be reading all of this book, because I just had to know more. We have a fantastic, unreliable narrator in our lead character, Laura, who works for the charity helpline ‘End of the Line’ – we seem to be presented with a ‘Good Samaritan’ but, as the story unfolds, we doubt so much of what we have learned.

The majority of this story is told from two key perspectives: that of Laura and Ryan. Ryan, particularly, experiences intense grief when his wife commits suicide, apparently with the help of someone else. We follow him as he seeks his revenge – after all, an ‘eye for an eye’ – but that just results in him destroying his life even further as he takes matters into his own hands.

It is actually quite hard to review this book, as there is no way I can reveal spoilers. But I can tell you that this book has all the ingredients of an intense thriller. You have, as previously mentioned, your unreliable narrator; you have your complex characters, you have your secrets, your lies, and your twists and turns. I am not sure at any point you are actually sure what is going to happen next – and, just as you think you are not going to be shocked, something else takes your breath away. It is a truly addictive read.

I am not sure what else I can say about this book without giving too much away, but I will suggest you read it if you are a thriller fan, although please be clear that there are some difficult topics amongst its pages, so you may want to check those out first.

And now I am off to seek out my next John Marrs novel, because one of the best treats about stumbling across a new author is that it means you have a whole back-list of books to catch up on, which is always a treat.