Month: August 2024

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Kate Atkinson is an author that I have always meant to read, but I think she is also an author that I have been a little intimidated by. I can not give you any reason for that, other than that she seems to have a huge and dedicated fan base, and I think I was probably a little worried that I may not be able to appreciate these books as much as so many people seem to.

However, these are the sort of thoughts that us readers need to stop having about books, as books are for everyone. A friend kindly lent me ‘Life After Life’ by Kate Atkinson and this finally gave me the prompt I needed to read a book by this author.

I am ever so grateful that I was encouraged to read this book, because it has become one that I wish I had read sooner. Now, interestingly, another reason I had put off reading this book is: I had started the TV drama series of it and I had not particularly enjoyed it – so this is definitely a case of: the book is better.

This story is a brilliant concept – what if we could live a life after our life, and we could changed the path of our future because we know what is coming, or at least have a sense of something that needs changing in the future? That is the experience of our main character, Ursula: she can live lives after lives and, although she does not entirely understand why, she knows that she has chances to make a difference to the future. After all, practice makes perfect.

I could not put this book down, as I was so fascinated by the lives that Ursula led and the moments that she may have made a decision to change. You may think that this idea for a book would make reading it repetitive, but it isn’t, as Kate Atkinson is a very skilled storyteller who makes each of Ursula’s lives a unique experience for the reader, even if some of it may have happened before. And Ursula is a fascinating character, as you see the moments that she makes choices to improve her future and that of others that she loves. It is quite a study of human nature and what makes us make the choices that we do – and how age and experience can really have an impact on us, even if we do not realise it at the time.

Ursula lives during the early to mid-twentieth century, dealing with two World Wars and the Cold War – these might be seen as some of the greatest moments of change in world and social history, and the way that she responds to these in her lives after lives is truly fascinating.

It is also a wonderful book about family – Ursula and the rest of the Todd family are fantastic characters who really come to life on the page. You are reading a family drama as you read this, as well as everything else it contains amongst its pages. There are some members of the Todd family who you learn to love and some that you understand may not be quite as loveable, but they are always united by family.

This is a book that I am going to be recommending to everyone, just as it was recommended to me. This is not a book to be seen as a threat, but a book that should be loved and treasured by readers, as I have not read anything quite like it before. So, if you are reading this and have not read ‘Life After Life’, please do and maybe even let me know what you think.

In A Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I am not sure how, but I had missed the publication of ‘In A Thousand Different Ways’ by Cecelia Ahern, and as she is one of my auto-buy authors, I knew I had to treat myself when I spotted it out in the world. It does of course also have a rather beautiful cover, so that was an additional reason it was definitely allowed to be purchased.

This is exactly what you come to expect from the pen of Cecelia Ahern: a little magical realism in the modern world, with a strong female lead who we can all admire for her strength. This is a simple but beautifully told story, as we meet Alice who can see everyone’s emotions; everyone carries colours that Alice can read. This seems like quite a gift that should make understanding people a doddle, but this could be a curse as well as a gift, as Alice has to learn how to live with it, and understand how to make it something that will not simply consume her.

This really is a journey of self-discovery for Alice as we follow her from childhood to adult life; we laugh with her and we cry with her. We see how lonely it can be for someone who does not fully understand who they are and how someone needs to be able to accept themselves and their skills before they are really able to understand others. Alice needs to understand that she cannot take on all the emotions of others, that she must learn to manage her gift and use it for good, but that she cannot fix and protect all of those around her. When she does this, can she find the happiness that seems to have been lacking for her for so long as she has tried to take care of everybody else?

This is such a beautiful book, and part of the reason I always return to Cecelia Ahern is because you know you will get a lovely story and characters that you will care about. I also really enjoy that they are almost like fairytales for adults – pure escapism, a touch of magic and fantastic characters. Cecelia Ahern writes beautifully and you are completely immersed in the world that she creates for her readers.

So, if you are looking for a lovely read this summer (or any time), then I would recommend this book. There are some slightly difficult issues about family relationships touched on in the story, but they are handled with care and they are all part of the complex tapestry of life that make us all who we are. And they make Alice who she is – and she becomes stronger for it.

I am hoping I do not miss the publication of any of Cecelia Ahern’s other books, as this has again confirmed why she has been an auto-buy author for me since the days of the beloved ‘P.S. I Love You’.

Before I Do by Sophie Cousens

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

A friend lent me this book as she wanted to see what I would think of it. Now, if I am honest, I would not have read this book without her passing it on to me. I think it would probably just have passed me by as not one of my first-choice picks. However, once I started reading ‘Before I Do’, I did find it rather hard to put down.

This is the story of Audrey, who is about to marry Josh. This should be the happiest day of her life, but the night before her wedding, in walks Fred, the photo booth guy, a blast from the past – and Audrey’s life is thrown into disarray. Are the signs telling her that she should call her wedding off, and maybe Fred is the real love of her life? Or is Fred just a memory of what was – and not what should be?

This book is a joy to read, there is so much warmth and humour in this book but with a rather serious undertone. It really explores the impact that the past can have on our future. Especially when the past becomes romanticised, and we have so many people around us telling us what we should think, what we should do and exactly how they think things should be.

The characters are beautifully created for the reader. They are really brought to life, and as the book is set around the day before and day of a wedding, you will definitely find someone you know amongst the characters. A personal favourite for me was Josh’s grandma, reading her Jilly Cooper novels, observing all that is going on and passing her cutting remarks about everything – but you know that she has a good heart underneath it all, just nobody is quite good enough for her grandson.

So, if you like a humorous story, with a heart and some serious observations, then this is a book for you.

Bad Tourists by Caro Carver

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This is definitely the summer of destination thrillers; I do not know if that is a real subgenre, but it certainly should be if it is not. ‘Bad Tourists’ is a book that I had seen getting a lot of love on Instagram, so I was definitely influenced to read it as soon as I could.

I am really going to struggle to talk about this book as I refuse to put spoilers in my reviews but this is an impressive thriller. Darcy, Camilla and Kate are on a luxury holiday together, celebrating a new chapter in their lives and trying to forget the past. However, once they have arrived, things are a little unsettling: a newly wed couple who are not all that they seem – and do the three best friends really know each other as well as they think they do?

I did not see the twist coming in this book; although it is cleverly hinted at throughout, you can never quite believe that this is what is going to be – so, you gloss over it as you read it, as I am not sure you really want to believe it. And, to me, that is a sign of an excellent story, as the author can take you down so many different paths, and you never know what you can or can not believe.

Caro Carver also does that brilliant thing of making an absolute paradise (in this case the Maldives) seem like such a small and enclosed place. When you are not in your own space, it is amazing how trapped you can feel, despite all the beauty and opportunities that surround you. A paradise island can so easily become a prison when you are uncertain about what is going on around you.

This may have to be a short review, other than to tell you to read this book, because it is a fantastic, slightly claustraphobic thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

If you have been around here a while then you know I am already a fan of Clare Pooley so when this proof copy of her newest novel landed on my doorstep I was over the moon. First of all, although we do not judge books by their cover, of course, the cover of this book is absolutely stunning and should make you all want to read it. But you should also all want to read it because, to put it bluntly, it is a fabulous book.

This is a book full of colourful characters, of capers, and simply of pure joy from beginning to end, and it was a book that just made you feel good when you picked it up to read it. In fact, I stayed up past my bedtime to finish reading it because, although I did not want it to end, I also had to know what was going to happen to this unlikely group of friends.

As with all of Clare Pooley’s novels, this is a book about community and friendship; this time, it is centred around a community centre, which is a lifeline for the locals and for the characters in our book. Our main focus is the newly formed group for the older members of the community, giving them somewhere to socialise (and keep warm), but not one of them is ready to settle for a few board games and a cup of tea. They are all ready to keep having adventures, and have some pasts that they need to deal with. And, for Ziggy, it provides the nursery he can take his little girl to, which means he may be able to finish his A-Levels and get to uni as he had always hoped.

When this community centre is under threat, however, it brings the young and old of the community together to do whatever they can to ensure it has a future. And, as you would expect with the novels of Clare Pooley, there are many laughs along the way as well as some tender moments that will no doubt bring a tear to your eye.

I absolutely adored this book and will be recommending it to anyone who will listen. This is a book with a heart and is a book that shows that getting older does not mean that you need to give up on life – in fact, you can have just as much fun as you may have done in your younger years. I think it is great that there are always inter-generational friendships in Clare Pooley’s books, which I think are so important because we should not let those who came before us become forgotten.

So, to conclude: Clare Pooley is one of my favourite authors, her books simply bring me joy, and I will be raving about this book for quite some time to come.

Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Bookstagram made me do it, as well as the fact that this book won the ‘Val McDermid Debut Award 2024’ at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival. And, oh my word, this book deserved this award – and it definitely deserves more hype than it seems to be getting. As you all know, I do not read blurbs, I go with what I think I will like based on what I see around, so I had no idea of the story I was about to read, but it absolutely blew me away.

This is not cosy crime; I have been describing it to people as more Taggart or Frost than Midsomer Murders, but this is a excellent crime writing. This is a story that has come from a great writer and plotter, and someone who has a brilliant creative mind. This is a story that is not about if you can work it out, but about how it is worked out on the page – and I loved it.

Ava is growing up just outside Birmingham in the 1980s. She has some slightly unusual interests, like the anatomy of animals, and keeps records and observation notes of the world around her. Ava has a great mind and, when a number of children are murdered in the local area, she gets drawn into the investigation, and becomes quite the support for the local police force.

I can not give any of this tale away, but please do not think that because a young girl becomes a support for the local police force, they are there as a bit of a joke. This is not true at all; this is about respect and support between the two. Ava can observe much of what the police can not ,as she is part of the community, and because observing and note taking is something that she likes doing.

I honestly thought this book was absolutely fantastic and well-deserving of its award. At points, it might not be for the faint-hearted, but things are not there to shock – they are there as part of the story, and it is all dealt with well.

I really hope that we will see more from the pen of Marie Tierney because I, for one, will be reading it immediately. If you like an excellent piece of crime fiction, maybe with a slightly chilling edge, then make sure you pick this book up immediately, because you will not be disappointed.

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

What. A. Thriller! I already knew that there was a chance that I was going to be a fan of this book as I have read other books by Clare Mackintosh. I knew I was going to get a well constructed thriller, with characters that you love, and that you love to hate – and a great twist or two. And I was not wrong with any of these predictions when I read ‘I Let You Go’.

Now, as this book has all the ingredients that you would expect from a good thriller, it does make it incredibly difficult to write a blog post about it, as I refuse to put spoilers in my posts. So, this may be a very short post that simply tells you that you should read this book.

Told as ‘Part One’ and ‘Part Two’, you know that a young boy called Jacob has been killed in a hit and run accident one rainy evening. And then you follow the police as they attempt to solve the case that seems to be impossible to solve and you follow some of those who have been impacted by this accident. Yet, you are not actually sure who you are reading about, which of course adds to all of the mystery of the story. There was one twist which I did not see coming and caused me to read past my bedtime. The other ‘big twist’ I think I had worked out as the story progressed, but I am not sure it was an intentionally hidden. Apologies for being mysterious, but that is the ongoing issue with the thriller genre: writing about it can be as difficult as trying to solve the mystery of the story.

This was very cleverly written and I especially enjoyed the importance of the characters in this book. This was as much a thriller as a study of people and relationships. And how shared experiences can impact the bonds and relationships you form with people – at home and at work – including how sometimes it is easy to be blind to the things that are right in front of you and sometimes you lose your way, but you can always find a way back.

I think this was also a successful book because this is a thriller you could believe in. Something that is not so far fetched that it is a simple work of fiction but something that was definitely rooted in the realms of possibility which probably made it even more addictive reading.

This book does need to come with some trigger warnings about relationships, so please do check that out before you read if it is something that you may find difficult to read. But, as a whole, if you like a well-constructed crime thriller then this is a book that you will enjoy (and I always like that an author has a backlist I can catch up on, so I do not have to wait for new publications).

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I am always happy when I see that Lucy Foley has published a new thriller, so when ‘The Midnight Feast’ started appearing all over the bookstagram community, I knew I needed to keep an eye out for it. So, it was a no-brainer when it appeared as a bit of a Kindle bargain, and it did not sit on my Kindle for long.

This was what I expected from the pen of Lucy Foley, a thrilling read with an added chill. This was another ideal summer thrilling read – set during the summer solstice, past and present. As readers, we are facing two mysteries, one from the past and one from the present. What happened in Tome in the past that has been haunting it ever since – and could now have an impact that nobody was expecting?

Francesca has turned her old family home into a exclusive new resort, to attract the creme de la creme of society, giving them the ideal place to relax and recharge. However, the rest of Tome are unhappy about this heiress and her development damaging the local economy and the local land. However, as we discover as we read the book, the conflict has existed for quite some time and has had a far-reaching impact on many in the community.

The local legend of ‘The Birds’ is also haunting the people of Tome – but will it stop Francesca and her business from being successful, or will revenge finally been achieved by those who have been wronged, in this life or another?

There is a chilling edge to this thriller when the superstitions are entwined with the the actions of those in Tome. (And it really makes you think about how you would pronounce the name of the village – it adds another edge to the tale.)

As a thriller, this is a well-constructed tale. Told from multiple points of view, and through the journal of ‘Bella’, we are well and truly drawn into this story – it is a real page-turner – especially as there are so many hidden secrets for so many of the characters. And Lucy Foley makes the landscape and the land a character in the story, too, which adds even more all-important atmosphere to the story.

This is a thriller that will be ideal in the summer months, but it will take you well into the spooky season too – and I will be recommending it to many of my thriller-reading friends.

The Summer Party by Kate Gray

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I was lucky enough to win a copy of ‘The Summer Party’ by Kate Gray from another wonderful book lover. I was so incredibly excited when I won this, as ‘The Honeymoon‘ was a fantastic thriller and has been passed round numerous friends who have also loved it (love being able to share books with friends), so I knew I was in for a treat with ‘The Summer Party’, and I was not wrong. And it was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, just in time for the summer break.

Kate Gray again takes us on quite the thrilling summer adventure. This book really reminded me of ‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Christie, it was a brilliant locked-room mystery and, to me, that is quite the compliment, as it shows that this is up there with one of our greatest mystery writers. When the Flavour’s Summer Party is at a new exclusive summer resort on the sourthern coast, the whole business is over the moon, and when some of the team are invited to spend the whole night on the resort, it seems like a dream. Of course, it is soon more like a nightmare, as they fight to find out exactly why the night is not going as they would hope – and does it have some connection to the death of a work colleague after the Christmas Party? (Parties are really not good news for this business).

There was a twist where I actually gasped out loud (good job I was reading at home) and there are so many red herrings and moments, where everything you think you know is turned completely on its head, that it is impossible to put this book down. In fact, I read it in two days, because I just had to know what was going to happen next.

The characters are an interesting bunch, especially when they are thrown together on the island overnight. It adds another dimension to the story when you are slowly figuring out why these ‘random’ colleagues have ended up in quite so sticky a situation.

This is an ideal summer read, especially if summertime is your time for a thriller. This is a claustrophobic, summer-heat, locked-room mystery – with more than one mystery amongst its pages. I will definitely be sharing this book with my friends and recommending it each time I am asked for a thriller. I hope that we have more thrillers from Kate Gray soon, as I will most definitely be reading them.