Author: Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Goose by Dawn O’Porter

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

It has been a little while since I read a book in a day but that is exactly what I did with ‘Goose’ by Dawn O’Porter. And, I must be hooked, as, after never having read any books by Dawn O’Porter, I have read two in a month.

‘Goose’ is the sequel to ‘Paper Aeroplanes‘ and it was lovely to be reunited with Renee and Flo, and see how the time after Secondary School is going for each of them. It will be no surprise that it is not all smooth sailing for our duo and there are challenges thrown in their way – and there is a rather worrying moment when it appears that their friendship may be on the rocks (not a spoiler as we all know the trials and tribulations that come with teenage years and friendship) – but we know our pair will find their way eventually. Allthough, it is not always the path that they thought they would be following, and sometimes you have to be willing to change your path as you go – after all, nothing is ever set in stone.

I do not want to share too much about the year they seem to have as they work towards their A-Levels, but you will become fully invested in hoping that Renee and Flo both find their way as they face the year. I think it is a little bit of a story that shows how opposites can attract and create some of the strongest bonds that can be formed. And just like in ‘Paper Aeroplanes’, Dawn O’Porter does not shy away from tackling some tough issues, but it is always done well, with sensitivity and care, and not to shock.

I do have to reinforce that I do not think that these are books that should be categorised as YA – or at least not as much older YA, anyway. Although it is wonderful that so many important issues are tackled in these stories, I feel that these are books that can be read to be reflective. To, possibly, remind us what it was like to be a teenager, and not what it is to be a teenager.

I am certainly looking forward to finding out more about Renee and Flo in ‘Honeybee’, which has been released this year.

Nosy Neighbours by Freya Sampson

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I spotted ‘Nosy Neighbours’ on bookstagram, and thought it looked like something that I would enjoy, especially as I enjoyed ‘The Last Library’, when we read it at The Book Taster Book Club.

However, interestingly, I am not sure that the cover of this book does it justice. This book is a story with a heart, and a message. This is a book that highlights so many key issues – like loneliness, community, grief, and many more – but in a story that is a joy to read.

This is a story about the inhabitants of Shelly House; some, like Dorothy, have lived there for a very long time. But now it is under threat from developers, and the community may be torn apart – so, it is time for action.

Kat has just joined this community after renting a room from Joseph, and swiftly gets caught up in all the goings-on, rather reluctantly as she has her own past to deal with. Yet, it is not long before the residents of Shelly House all realise that maybe they all have more in common than they realise (especially the common enemy in the local developer), and perhaps it is time to move on, build a future and leave the ghosts of the past behind.

Freya Sampson writes brilliant books that centre around fantastic characters. She really understands the range of relationships that we all have in our lives, and the importance of friendship to all of us. And no character is too small: Reggie and Princess (the two dogs in this tale) are just as significant as their human counterparts. These characters are all people who will stay with you for a long time, and will leave a footprint in your heart.

I have, accidentally, read a lot of books recently with cross-generational relationships, and I have to say that there is something heartwarming about them. And it makes you realise how important it is to us to cherish friendships of all kinds, and that we can all learn from each other, older and younger. I would love to hang out with each of these characters from Shelly – even the dark horse who brings quite a revelation at the end.

So, if you want to spend some time with colourful and fascinating characters – this is the book for you.

Frank and Red by Matt Coyne

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

For my IRL book club, ‘Frank and Red’ by Matt Coyne had been picked for September. And I was over the moon, as ‘Frank and Red’ had been on my shelf since ‘The Book Taster Live’ earlier this year (when I was also lucky enough to meet Matt Coyne).

This is a book that is a rather rare thing, this is a book that made me laugh out loud (and repeat the funny lines to Mr Bookwormandtheatremouse) and cry (and when I say cry, I mean ugly cry). This is a book that is full of two wonderful characters in Frank and Red who I will carry around in my heart forever.

Frank is a rather grumpy old man who is stuck in his ways, his wife Marcie has died, he has lost contact with his son and he never leaves the safety of his house and garden. Red is a rather chatty six year old, who likes to make friends and who has had to move to new area after his parents separated, and his new home with his mum is next door to Frank. And, as you may not be surprised to learn, much to Frank’s despair, as he rather likes (or so he thinks) the quiet life.

However, over time, these two very different characters become the friends that maybe neither of them realised that they needed. There are quite some adventures and misadventures along the way, but together they help each other learn a little more about themselves and the people that both of them can become.

Matt Coyne writes in such a humourous way but with real moments of tenderness – and has obviously written from the heart. This book is truly a page-turner, I was reading past my bedtime because I just kept wanting to stay in the company of this wonderful story. I hope that we will be treated to more books from Matt Coyne because this one is has definitely cemented itself as one of my favourite reads of the year. So, if you have not picked it up yet, do yourself a favour and make sure you do.

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I put a call out to the lovely ‘Book Taster’ community, to ask for a book that was about books.

I mean, a dedicated bookworm like me should be able to come up with a book about books, but there are almost too many, so I hoped that I would get some great recommendations from the lovely readers on the ‘Book Taster’ community. And my cunning plan worked, as I was recommended ‘The Reading List’ by Sara Nisha Adams.

Now, I admit that I would not have picked this book up without it being a recommendation. And I know I should not admit this, but the cover may well have put me off to begin with – however, now I absolutely love the cover, and it gives me ‘Only Murders in the Building’ vibes. Which, despite this book having nothing to do with the crime genre, hints that it does have something in common with that classic TV show: a beautiful and heartwarming cross-generational friendship, between Aliesha and Mukesh.

This book has so many things about it that make it an absolute joy to read, but one of the absolute best things about this book is that it is about the importance of libraries and books. Both of which we, as readers, know are incredibly important in so many different ways. In this story, they bring together Aleisha, a librarian in the local library, and Mukesh, a widower who is slowly realising that maybe he needs to make some changes to his life – and he is about to embark on a friendship that is going to do just that, with the help of the power of books.

The story is told in eight parts; each part is dedicated to one of the books on the reading list. During each part, Aleisha and Mukesh are both reading the book on the list, and each of these books is teaching them some important lessons about life. These books bring them together but also give them some insight into how to tackle the hand that life has dealt them. It brings them closer to their families but also supports them in moments of grief and struggle.

I am not sure I can do this book justice – it was just a really wonderful read that I will be thinking about and recommending for a long time to come. Although, there is the risk that you will be adding books to your tbr pile – I have read four of the books referenced in the story, which means that there are four more on the wishlist to be added to the tbr pile (although I admit they are probably books that I should have read by now). And I am pretty sure this book may make you visit your local library, too, as it is true how important they are to the community for so many different reasons.

So, if you are a bookworm, you will love this book – the characters, the story and the love letter it really is to books and libraries. Just beautiful.

Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O’Porter

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I had not read any of the books of Dawn O’Porter, but when I heard that this series was a YA novel, I thought I would give it a go, especially as she had been inspired by the friendships and girls she knew in her younger years. A friend of mine had a copy, so I asked if I could borrow it and give it a go.

Now, before I go too much into my thoughts, I do have to say that I am surprised that this is presented as YA fiction. I am not sure I would be recommending it to that age group – or, if I did, it would be the older end of the YA age range. It definitely tackles some topics that I am not sure are appropriate to the younger end of the YA age range.

However, I enjoyed this book. Although, that never seems quite like the correct word when there are some difficult topics tackled amongst is pages, but it is a good read. We meet Renee and Flo, both 15 years old and both facing the end of their secondary school education. They have not been friends and there are those in their peer group that would not consider that they are meant to be friends – they are just two very different teenagers, having very different experiences in their teenage years. Yet, they are actually more alike than they realise: they are both lonely, they both have some complex family relationships and they both are not really totally sure who they really are. They both face some real struggles as we read their stories, and at moments it is incredibly difficult for both of our characters and their families.

I absolutely loved meeting Flo and Renee, and could see in them so many of the teenage girls I knew when I was at school. But the novel handled the complexity of being a teenager beautifully – especially that idea of not really knowing what your true identity is, or those friendships that maybe are not the correct ones but, at the time, they are the ones that you feel you should work on, sometimes for little return. And, the moment at the end of the book when Flo and Renee are really honest that maybe they are the friends for each other, and it does not really matter what anybody else thinks, is rather wonderful.

I am really glad that there are more stories of Flo and Renee for me to discover, as ‘Goose’ is the second book and ‘Honeybee’ is coming out this month. I would really like to see what happens to our two wonderful characters.

This, of course, does mean that I may try more of the books of Dawn O’Porter because this one was a very good starting point.

Handle with Care by Louisa Reid

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I feel so lucky to have been gifted a copy of ‘Handle with Care’ by Louisa Reid. Louisa Reid is an author that I really admire and I am always excited if I know there is a new book on the way. And it is safe to say that, yet again, she has given us an incredible read, that does not shy away from tough topics – and will in fact make you cry.

In this latest offering we are introduced to Ruby and Ash, best friends – but Ruby has been keeping a secret: she is pregnant. And when Hero makes a dramatic entrance to the world during a History lesson, both of their lives change forever, as does their friendship. Ruby has to deal with a world that thinks it knows best, and Ash has to deal with a revelation that throws a whole different light on what has led to this very moment.

I love that Ruby’s chapters are told in Louisa Reid’s usual wonderful free verse. This allows us to really be on the journey with Ruby as she comes to terms with becoming a mother and all that means for her. It conveys all the emotions that Ruby is experiencing beautifully, and the real feeling of confusion as she has to deal with becoming a mum – and the relationship she has with her own mother.

Ash’s chapters are told in prose, almost suggesting that her life is almost just carrying on as normal, as she tries to understand the experiences of Ruby. It works so well to show the distance which appears between the two friends, but how much Ash still loves her friend, yet just does not know how to help, as they are now living what seem to be very different lives.

I do not want to give any spoilers of what happens in this beautiful book, but I will say that it is an emotional rollercoaster. You will feel joy, sadness, anger and hope, sometimes all at the same time. Most importantly, though, Ruby, Ash and Hope will stay with you even when you have read the last word – and you may surprise yourself as you find yourself thinking about them when you least expect it.

Just like ‘Wrecked’ and ‘Gloves Off’, I will be recommending this book to everyone – and, of course, ‘The Poet’ (although this one is not YA). What reading this has also reminded me is that I must make sure I pick up a copy of ‘Activist’, because I know it is going to be a book that I will enjoy.

So, the important questions is, have you read any Louisa Reid yet? And if the answer is no, then make sure you give them a go soon – because you will not be disappointed.

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.