The Moon and Stars by Jenna Warren

I was kindly sent a copy of ‘The Moon and Stars’ by Jenna Warren, by Fairlight Books. And, when it arrived, I spotted it had a quote from the fabulous Matson Taylor on it, so I knew this was a book I was going to enjoy. I was correct.

‘The Moon and Stars’ tells the tale of Matthew Capes, a talented musician and singer, who has one thing standing between him and his dream caree:, stage fright. Stage fright so severe that he has taken a back seat in the theatre world, working for the Moon and Stars Theatre. When he is offered the chance to sing with an old friend from music college, Matthew may finally have the chance to come out of the shadows – or will he?

This is a wonderful book, that may evade being placed in a genre, as there are just so many fantastic threads running through it. It is a contemporary piece of fiction, with so much more to it. If you are fan of theatre, especially musical theatre, you will enjoy this book. If you are a fan of books that follow relationships (romantic and friendly), you will enjoy this book. If you are a fan of The Phantom of the Opera, you will enjoy this book. And, if you are fan of books that really centre around great characterisation, well, you will enjoy this book.

For me, as a musical theatre fan, this was almost a comfort read. It whisked me away to the theatre world with some fascinating characters that really showed what a challenge such a world is and, sometimes, the only thing that is in the way of any of us achieving our dreams is ourself.

So, as the dark nights draw in, why not be whisked away to the land of theatrical performance and visit ‘The Moon and Stars’?

Pages and Co: The Treehouse Library by Anna James

I was soooooooo excited when a copy of ‘Pages and Co: The Treehouse Library’ arrived on my doorstep. I had been lucky enough to gain a place on the Tandem Collective UK readalong of this beautiful book and been gifted a copy of the book from Harper Collins to allow me to join in.

Well, it is very simple: this book is fabulous. I am fully aware that I am not the target audience of these beautiful books, but they really are books for readers and book lovers of all ages. I challenge any of you not to wish that you had the skills to be a bookwanderer by the time you reach the end of this story (or any of the others in the series) – although I suppose we are all bookwanderers the minute we open any of our favourite books.

I do not want to give the plot away, especially if you are a fan who has been reading them all, but I can honestly say you will not be disappointed. Anna James creates such a wonderfully adventurous bookish world with the most brilliant characters. There is such a range of strong characters who younger readers would be able to look up to and take inspiration from – especially when times may be a little more difficult.

So, as we enter the autumnal months, why don’t you take a trip to Pages and Co? Because there really is no adventure like the adventures we find in books.

Also, I bet your reading wish list will grow…

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

I was kindly gifted a copy of ‘The American Roommate Experiment’ as part of a Tandem Collective UK readalong. As I have not read ‘The Spanish Love Deception’, I thought this was a great chance to be introduced to a new author, in a genre I do not always choose to read.

This is a piece of romantic fiction with all the comfort of the chickflick films of the late 90s and early 2000s – which is not a criticism, as we all know that they are some of the greatest films ever made… This is a classic strangers-to-friends-to-lovers story (I do not feel this is a spoiler, as it is a fairly obvious path as you read the book).

Rosie and Lucas are thrown together by fate when they both need somewhere to stay – their connection: Lina, Rosie’s best friend and Lucas’ cousin. Spending time together, friendship blossoms and they help each other to find their stride again after some bumps in the road. But, most importantly, they help each other to learn to love themselves – which helps them learn to really love someone else.

This is an interesting study of all sorts of relationships and how important they are to us. What a support they can be and, sometimes, how we need to ensure we support others.

If you like a slow burn classic friends-to-lovers romance (that can also be a little bit steamy), then this is the book for you. A perfect piece of escapism as we approach autumn.

Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North by Rachel Joyce

I have been very kindly gifted an uncorrected proof of ‘Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North’ by Rachel Joyce – which I was very excited about. However, I do have to confess that I have not read the two books that come before this, as my only encounter with the work of Rachel Joyce has been ‘Miss Benson’s Beetle‘, which was a book I really rather enjoyed.

So, I think maybe meeting Maureen Fry without meeting Harold Fry or Queenie was a slightly different way to read this book than maybe others will do. I had no preconceived ideas about any of the characters or the nature of the story, but I am certainly ready to read the others after finishing this, as I thought it was a delightful read.

Maureen is going to follow in the footsteps of her husband Harold, and go on a bit of a pilgrimage of her own. Maybe in not exactly the same way, but she and Harold have decided that she needs to make a journey north, by car, to visit Queenie’s garden. However, this is not an easy journey for Maureen, for all sorts of reasons (which I do not really want to go into, as I do not want to spoil it for anybody who is really looking forward to reading this book). But it is certainly a journey that Maureen does not entirely expect – even with the best-laid plans, it takes her further than she would ever have imagined in her own personal journey as she comes to terms with the past, present and future.

I read this book in one sitting, as I was so invested in Maureen and her story, and it certainly has me keen to meet Harold properly in his own tale. I also love that it is a book with a title that has so many different meanings throughout the narrative – it is a joy when you spot them or wonder if that is the moment that it is referring to. This is a beautiful and wonderfully emotional read about relationships of all kinds, and I am grateful I have been able to read this before its publication date.

Keep your eyes peeled if you would like to meet Maureen Fry, as she will be in bookshops in October.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

This is a book that I have seen around for quite some time – and as ‘The Maidens’ has also appeared to have taken the bookstagram world by storm too, I really wanted to give the books of Alex Michaelides a go.

And ‘The Silent Patient’ is a book that I think deserves the hype. It was a really fascinating and engaging thriller – told, I thought, in quite a unique style. Now, this is a really difficult book to try and write a blog post about, as I really do not want to give anything away, as this is a book that you need to read if you are a fan of a good thriller.

The tale is told from the point of view of Theo, the therapist who is determined to work out why Alicia carried out such an act of violence against her husband. And why, since that moment, she has not spoken a word or appeared to communicate in any way other than through one painting that she did after the violent and deadly attack on her husband. Theo sets out to find the truth and see if he can be the man who can get Alicia to speak – some would even say that he appears to be obsessed.

I know it is a cliche, but as a psychological thriller this is a real page-turner. I could not put this book down as I needed to know the outcome as we were drip fed snippets of information from Theo’s investigations and Alicia’s personal diary, which seems a surprise.

It has definitely got me keen to read ‘The Maidens’, as Alex Michaelides has proved that he has the skills to weave a chilling, thrilling read with quite the twist – or twists – throughout.

The Survivors by Jane Harper

When I spotted ‘The Survivors’ on the bookstagram grid, I was not sure how I had missed it – as I really enjoy Jane Harper’s books. So, when I spotted it in my favourite charity bookshop, I knew I had to pick it up, especially as I am still in a bit of a thriller mood with my reading. And another title that has multiple meanings which I think is great: survivors means so much in so many different ways in this book.

I was not disappointed by this novel at all. Jane Harper is the queen of creating an atmosphere, and she did it again with ‘The Survivors’. Although, this time, it was not about the Australian outback but about a coastal community, so this almost felt like a darker threat in some ways – this was not about the heat and the remoteness, but about the stormy nature of the sea and how that is reflected in the community after the murder of a young lady shakes the tight-knit community. And this also raises questions about the disappearence of a young girl over a decade before.

What keeps you reading is what always keeps you reading: the skeletons in the closets of all the characters you meet as the story unfolds. As you think that you have worked it all out, there is something else that leaves you suspicious of the people you are meeting.

Yet again, this book did not disappoint. I had a little bit of an idea who was probably to blame by the end, but only an inkling, and only just before the reveal. If you are a fan of a slow-burn, atmospheric thriller, then you need to read this – or any of Jane Harper’s books, really.

All About Evie by Matson Taylor

A year ago, I met Evie in the wonderful ‘Miseducation of Evie Epworth‘ by the equally wonderful Matson Taylor. And I was so excited to be reintroduced to Evie in ‘All About Evie’ – set ten years later, as Evie has established and is continuing to establish her life in London in the Seventies.

Now, I cannot spoil this book for anybody who may want to read it, which does make it a little hard to write a blog post about it. However, I will tell you that the fantastic humour we all loved in the first book is back and makes this story just as joyous as the first. I mean, I dare you not to laugh out loud through the very first chapter: if it can happen, then it will definitely happen to Evie.

Evie does have another journey of self-discovery when life reaches a crossroads she had not quite intended on (reference the rather funny incident at the very start of the book). Along the way, she encounters a colourful collection of characters – some who we know as old friends from the first book and some who are new – who lead her on all sorts of adventures and mishaps. Many of these will make you laugh, some may leave you with a little tear in your eye, but all of them will make you very pleased that you picked up the book.

And, this time, despite what the title may suggest, it is not all entirely about Evie. We find out a little more about some of our original friends from the first book, especially Mrs Scott-Pym and her family. And this strand is wound perfectly throughout the story.

So, basically, I loved it – it is that simple. It is beautifully written, full of humour and perfectly heartwarming.

The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery

This book is great fun to read. A fantastic piece of Middle Grade fiction with a heart. I am clearly not the target audience for this story, but I really enjoyed it as a great adventure yarn for younger readers, and I may be gifting it to a few readers I know.

Charlie does not think he is very brave; he does not stand up to bullies and tries to avoid being noticed by peers. He wishes he could be braver, like his friend Lippy, and answer some of the bullies back, like his friend Roo – and as for Dad, who is a firefighter, well that is a strength and bravery he can only imagine.

Yet, one day he meets Cando, the Last Firefox, and this sets him on a path of adventure he was never expecting. And one that proves that he does indeed have that fire inside him to be as brave as all the people he admires.

I do not want to give any spoilers away, as it is great fun to read, but it is wonderful again to see a book for younger readers that is so inclusive. Charlie has been adopted by his Dad and Pa and, for me, that was one of the greatest things about this story, as it covers so many key social issues in a heartwarming manner. I wish there had been so many more books like this around when I was younger, and although it is still not perfect, at least that change is happening.

So, if you like a good adventure story with a heart, then this is a book for you, whatever your age.

Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift

This is a book that was chosen as Bookstagram made me do it. In fact, one of my good bookstabuddies had raved about it so much that I knew I had to pick it up.

This book really reminded me of ‘I Am Legend’: one person’s fight to survive in a world that has been destroyed, alone and scared. These are not the same book, and by no means is Bethany Clift trying to make it the same, but it was nice to read something that had some similar themes, but with a much higher chance of becoming reality – and that almost makes it a more terrifying read.

However, what is great about this book is that it is told from the point of a view of a woman and not a man in this dystopian world. Seeing how a woman finds the strength to survive alone in the destroyed world is brilliant. And, to be honest, I think she has more strength than I could manage. But I also loved how, throughout the book, there was the reflection on the life that came before and how, maybe, this horror is the making of her.

Yet, I think what really makes this book is the ending – this is a book that is left for you to draw your own conclusions (in fact, I noticed the other day that there are posts out there in the world offering explanations to the ending) which means this book is with you even after you have read the final word. You are left thinking about the ending and wondering if what you have read was really the truth of the protagonist or if it was their interpretation of events – maybe some of it the truth they have chosen to believe.

Or, maybe I am overthinking this ending…

This is a fantastically written novel, leaving you with so much to think about and possibly a little bit of fear about the world that we live in. I really recommend that you pick this book up, as I think it is story that everyone should be reading and discussing.

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

I finally picked this book up off my shelf after one of my wonderful bookstagram buddies suggested that I would enjoy it. And like all good bookish buddies, they were not wrong – I absolutely loved it!

This book is just like a hug in book form, a colourful collection of characters, but it is not all ‘unicorns and rainbows’. This book tackles some really difficult themes along the way, but with care and attention that results in this book being the hug (and maybe the cathartic cry) we all need.

‘The Authenticity Project’ starts as a green notebook from Julian Jessop; he feels it is time to be authentic especially as he has been lonely for 15 years. He writes down his ‘truth’, hoping it will be read and inspire others to do the same. In fact, this innocent little notebook brings together a whole community of fantastic characters who all need to face up to their ‘truth’ and the path that their lives are taking. And this, in turn, becomes a truly wonderful book.

Clare Pooley’s writing is so fantastic, and there were a few moments that really struck a chord with me. For example, the description of the smell of Elnett hairspray and how emotive a scent can be reminded me of my Grandma, which gave me a few moments to remember her, and this really made me smile.

But, also, as I finished this book, I felt like I had left some friends and I needed to know what happened next;I mean, that was after I had finished crying, as the final pages are simply beautiful, if not a little sad but also in rather a happy way. (Wow, I suspect that makes no sense – but if you pick this book up and give it a read you will understand exactly what I mean.)

Yet, as I have finished this book, I am going to really think about asking for help if I need it and listening to those conversations I have – because maybe we all need to make sure we are a little more authentic.