Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

How many friend do you have who request to borrow books from you after a lovely dinner? I don't have many. When I was younger we were always passing books around the classroom, borrowing a book from a friend was just normal - now, it feels out of the ordinary.

But this week, I had some good friends over for dinner, we cooked, ate, laughed, reminisced and caught up on recent events. When it was time for them to leave one of them turned to me and said, 'I need to borrow a book for the train.' and that was it - easy. Now, this is the fun bit (for me anyway), she was handing back the book she had just read to my other friend and in that moment, I snatched it from the air: 'Can I borrow this?' ...and here we are. That book was Purple Hibiscus, a book I have seen a million times in bookshops, on tubes, glimpsed it in bags of passersby and always wanted to read - but it was way down on my list (as so many great books are). So when this serendipitous moment happened I knew it was time.

Purple Hibiscus is enchanting, I say that because I could be sitting on a train or in a noisy coffee shop and all I could think about was this book. Somehow the world slowed down for me and I was able to sink deeper under Adichie's spell.

Kambili and Jaja are children of a great man, he is a man who offers money to strangers, who pays his neighbours children's school fees. He is never far away from offering help or resources to others, those less fortunate than himself - so long as they are Catholics that is. Kambili and Jaja have grown up knowing just what is a sin and what is not, they have schedules for every minute of every day, sleep, study, eat, pray and their fanatically religious father's constant presence. Even though Kambili is only fifteen-years-old she has no friends, does not even know what her own laughter sounds like.  That is until Jaja and Kambili go to stay with their aunt and cousins for one week - a week that in the end will transform everything they are, everything they know. Unveiling a universal truth that once realised can never be forgotten.

This is a haunting and beautiful book that has stayed with me long after finishing it. I have even bought Half of a Yellow Sun as I cannot quite get Adichie's haunting voice out of my head.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

So, I have no Internet, am just recovering from a hideous cold and have just moved home...all adds up to no blog posts but plenty of reading so on we go!

I had genuinely forgotten how incredible 'To Kill a Mockingbird' was. I suppose the last time I read it I was 13 and it was for English class. I remember enjoying it, but when I picked it up again all I could remember was Boo and the trial. I think that is all most of us remember, that and Gregory Peck (because, of course, we always remember Gregory Peck!). But the book is truly masterful.

Reading it as an adult (okay, a sort-of, nearly- adult, I'm pretty immature you know!) was a completely new experience. Scout was even more fantastic as I could actually understand nearly everything she said. I so wished I too had had a father like Atticus and a brother like Jem. If I had who knows how I would have turned out?! Most of all I just revelled in the brilliant use of language and literary style that made her children seem believable even though they spoke like adults. It managed to bring together so many different aspects of life in that small town you almost felt you were walking around in it.

I particularly loved the moments I had completely forgotten about; the dirt snowman, the flowers, the costume and the trip to church. All of which were glorious. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is high time for a second read or even a third or fourth. You will always find a new element to it, a new angle that breaths fresh life into a book you think you already know.

Go on, enter your local bookshop, library or even charity shop if you are that way inclined; they will hand you this wonderful book and trust me you will not regret it. Classic must-read stuff over here that is not just for children!!!

Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann

An evocative, frightening and insightful debut, Tiger in Red Weather is heart-breakingly breath-taking. Set just after the second world war, this is a story that delves into a family's lives, loves and truths. Nick (a lady) and Hughes are newly-weds, Helena (Nick's cousin) has married a second time and the world is new. But life is never quite like you imagined it to be and one incredibly honest line from Nick to her young daughter Daisy is: 'If there's one thing you can be sure about in this life, it's that you won't always be kissing the right person.'

Nick is like that. Always wanting to be interesting, different, never being ordinary or staid. She is always pushing at the world, pushing for life or something that makes her feel alive. It is almost as if she cannot see what is right in front of her. Her husband Hughes is beautiful, she is so in love with him she knows even if she left she wouldn't be able to stay away. It reminded me of a line from the movie Gigi where she says to Gaston: 'I would rather be miserable with you than without you.' I felt like Nick had made that decision but spent her whole life fighting it. She is a complex and fascinating character and I love that Liza Klaussmann based her on her grandmother. It shows how well she knew her grandmother, how much she loved her.
Hughes is incredibly gentle and sweet, but he is damaged. Damaged by a war and the 'world on fire'. He has a past that has almost driven him from Nick, to be a sleepwalker in his own life, existenting within a self he no longer knows. Change has come upon him, like everyone in this novel, as a surprise and he cannot find his way back to who he was before.

Liza gives us a glimpse into every main character's head (Nick, Hughes, Daisy, Helena and Ed), drawing us further into a family of complicated untruths and secrets that always lay beneath the surface. You feel so drawn in to this story you can hardly believe it isn't real. You are completely entrenched in their lives, in the world of Tiger House.

I really don't want to ruin this book for anyone, but forget everything you have ever known and then read this book. It will jolt your system and draw you into yourself like nothing I have ever read before. It is life, life in a book coiled and just waiting to spring.

With its chilling undercurrent and incomparable ability to create characters who are so real you can smell the martinis, it is the perfect summer read. Curl up with a cocktail shaker close to hand and get ready for the glitz, glamour and terrifying truths. You will not regret it. I, for one, will never be the same again.

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot

The brand new, hilarious and wonderful Heather Wells' mystery Size 12 and Ready to Rock! I was so excited to read it, but I had to start right from the beginning with Size 12 is not Fat, Size 14 is not Fat Either and Size Doesn't Matter (which is my favourite one!). It was a fantastic week and a bit, especially when I was able to finish one book and go straight to the next. No need to wait and agonise over Cooper (the hunkiest private investigator I have ever read about!) and Heather...did they get together? will they won't they? Etc.

Finally... Size 12 and Ready to Rock had arrived (in the post because it is not yet available in the UK - trust me, I rang publishers!!) and I was too excited! I got right to reading, seamlessly moving from Size Doesn't Matter, because Meg Cabot picked right up from where she left off... Oh okay, there was a gap of a few days, weeks, months maybe, but not the years I had to wait just to read this book! So...

Heather Wells is still at Death Dorm sorry, I mean Fisher Hall residence hall for the summer. Or at least she is working for the summer while the residence hall is closed for redecoration and painting. Hiring on some of her favourite students, or 'misfit toys' as Cooper calls them, she is pretty much enjoying her summer. Well, aside from Sarah's wild mood swings (which aren't anything new, but must get on the nerves eventually!). The best bit is that Heather is pretty much in charge now, since the death of her last boss (poor Oscar) the college has been frantically searching for a new director, but it turns out no one really wants to be the director of 'Death Dorm', so Heather is able to call all the shots! Which is a good thing, because she is awesome! But all good things must come to an end and Heather finds herself across town (okay like 10 blocks away - but they are really long blocks) when her new boss finally does show up: a perky cheerleader-type who already has Sarah's disapproval.

Then Tania Trace (Heather's arch-nemesis) becomes a target. Someone is trying to kill her and Cartwright of Cartwright Records hires his own son (black-sheep, Cooper) to be her bodyguard, apparently he is the only one Tania can trust. Of course all of this would be fine, but Tania has also decided to stick to Heather too and ends up moving her 'reality' show Tania Trace Rock Camp from it's palatial hotel venue to 'Death Dorm'. Who wouldn't love their summer to be crashed by a bunch of overly-competitive children and mums? Um, Heather Wells that's who!

It's like Toddlers In Tiaras and Murder She Wrote and The Golden Girls and so many other things all rolled into one. This is one amazing book people! It had me at 'Hello'! No seriously, the cover is so fantastic and the story is brilliant, I was completely hooked! Tania finally becomes a real character and you get to resolve all of those pent up issues you have against her, for treating Heather the way she did. Cooper comes a bit more to the forefront and Heather, as always, is a bad ass.

After this book everything pales in comparison. I shall have to hang on and wait for the next instalment...which isn't due out until 2013!!! How can I wait? How?

All I can say is read this book! READ IT! You will not regret it.

Size Doesn't Matter by Meg Cabot

As I believe I mentioned earlier, this was my favourite Heather Wells Mystery novel. It has the genius character's of Tad Tocco and Muffy Fowler (yep that is her name!). Also, one of the most disturbing murder mysteries yet.

It has the best start too...
Heather goes jogging - yep, you read it correctly, JOGGING! This is all Tad Tocco's idea, he thinks Heather should get a little more toned up, not that she is fat or anything! Well, Heather gets up at 6am (why would anyone do that out of choice?), goes to the park and runs around for about 1 minute. But then (wisely) she decides to save herself and her uterus (from jiggling free) and stops jogging. I mean, who would want to go jogging - Heather doesn't even like to shower, why stand up when you can sit down and bathe?
A question I am constantly mulling over...

So, once Heather has managed to walk around the park (Tad ran off easily in tiny shorts) and convinced Tad that really he wants to go get waffles for breakfast she is feeling pretty good about things. That is until she is rudely awoken by a fresh dead body at Death Dorm. But who would murder Heather's new boss, Owen? It's not like he was a saint, but he doesn't deserve to be shot in the head through an open window over his morning coffee. I mean no one should have to go like that!
Top it all off with a cute new boyfriend (Tad - her remedial maths assistant professor) and a little romance buzzing around the dorm (I mean residence hall) between two rather wonderful (and much loved) characters. This is actually one of the most romantic novels in this series. Everyone gets a glimpse at happiness, but I can hear you all saying: 'What about Cooper?!'

Well my friends, he isn't far away and hey, he needs to see that someone else might WANT to be Heather's rebound. Hilarious storyline coupled with a terrifying murder, especially if it wasn't caused by a stray bullet. Plus, lots of lovely family bonding going on between Heather and her dad. It really is an incredible read!

Now, onto the brand new and very shiny Size 12 and Ready to Rock...!

Size 14 is not Fat Either by Meg Cabot

We left Heather Wells happily living with Cooper after successfully catching the Death Dorm 'elevator surfing' murderer. All she needs now is a new boss and a new pair of jeans (after all the delicious Christmas and New Year dinners (and all those parties). No longer so cut up over vanity sizing, Heather is ready to take on this new year! She just didn't factor in her dad getting out of jail or Jordan wanting to invite her to his wedding to Tania Trace (like she even wanted to go!) or... finding a girl's head in a boiling pot on the stove!

Well, at least this time Heather isn't going to get involved...until she sees how little the police are doing that is. So armed with her street smarts and no-nonsense attitude, Heather starts to investigate. A girls gruesome death should not go un-avenged and Heather is the perfect person to go about this, especially with the help of Cooper and, a rather unexpected, Gavin.

If anything, this book is funnier and scarier than Size 12 is not Fat especially as you get a better introduction into Heather's family life. As always Magda and Pete form a dynamic work-family-duo keeping Heather sane while she attempts to navigate her newly complicated life. Lucy provides the cute-dog thing every ex-popstar needs to help her get up in the morning relief and Cooper - well, Cooper is the cute, but kind of off-limits, dream guy.

This series does just keep improving and I cannot wait to get started on Size Doesn't Matter which is my favourite! Because really who else could come up with a character like Tad Tocco and who could possibly start a third novel with a murder mystery quite like Meg Cabot?!

Go on, 'Read for Free' by borrowing from a library or even go out and show some independent bookshop some love by buying in store. You will not regret it!

Size 12 is not Fat by Meg Cabot

And so it begins...

Heather Wells, teen pop sensation, is now in her late twenties, no longer engaged to Easy Street dreamboat (yep it's a boyband - like The Backstreet Boys) Jordan Cartwright and dropped from her label (Jordan's dad's label to be exact). She has, also, put on a few pounds - but, she is NOT fat. Size 12 is the average size of a woman in America, so how can that be fat?

Heather has just started her job as assistant dorm (I mean, residence hall) director at Fisher Hall ( a residence hall for New York College). Handily it is only a short walk from her new digs, the top floor apartment of Cooper Cartwright's (you got that right - Jordan's older brother) brownstone. Thankfully she can stay there for free (so long as she does all of Cooper's accounting) and it doesn't hurt that she is completely head over heels in love with him and might catch a glimpse of Cooper in a towel (and nothing else)!

Heather is trying really hard at work and enjoys working with the very stylish (and rather size-ist) Rachel, who is the new director of Fisher Hall. Heather actually enjoys her job, that is until girls start being found at the bottom of the elevator shaft after "evaluator surfing". But Heather knows that a girl who likes Ziggy (a cartoon character) is not the type of girl who would go "elevator surfing" and she begins to investigate on her own. Oh, with Cooper's help every once in a while, what with him being a private investigator he is actually quite useful. If only he would confess his undying love for her, Heather would be completely happy... of course after they catch the killer!

I absolutely love this series, I have read it over and over again, because it is still fresh, funny and at points pretty terrifying. The perfect combination for a girl like me! I gasped, laughed and basically inhaled this book. Also, Meg Cabot is a lady after my own heart, she makes a reference to Rory Gilmore (from The Gilmore Girls TV show)!!

Size 12 is not Fat is a terrific read and I just cannot wait to get my teeth into the new book! Just two more to go and Size 14 is not Fat Either has already had me in stitches.


Look at Me by Jennifer Egan

One of Jennifer Egan's earlier novels delves into the fashion industry, it's obsession with beauty, youth and fame. It questions our thoughts and feelings on identity, reality and Western culture Look at Me is a haunting novel that stays with you long after you have finished it. Look at Me is perhaps not as accomplished as Egan's most recent novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad, but it does show the seedlings of her ideas on life, love and truth.

Charlotte was a model/party girl when she was horribly injured in a car accident. She had to have reconstructive surgery, on her face. Suddenly her calling card, her entire business was in jeopardy. By looking even slightly different she finds friends and colleagues walking right by her. They don't recognise this new Charlotte.

As Charlotte continues to fear for her career and lifestyle her identity comes into question: Who is she now? Who was she and is there anyway of getting it all back?
Overwhelmed with memories of her past, Charlotte is lost in her new reality. But when a gruff private investigator wants to question her in a missing persons case, can she really turn down a chance to be seen? Even if only by a PI.

Twinned with this narrative we are introduced to another Charlotte. A girl who lives in the first Charlotte's home town. Listing between childhood and adulthood, this second Charlotte feels lost in a world where childhood disappears so rapidly. Where trust is suddenly something rare and where questioning 'why?' is important.

I absolutely loved reading about these, while at different ages and circumstances, Charlotte's. They might be different people and yet what they are going through is incredibly similar. Who wouldn't give anything to feel special, different, to stand out from the millions of other people? It is hardly surprising that a teenager would do something reckless or that a grown woman would throw caution to the wind once she feels her life start to slip between her fingers.

The most incredible part of this book is Egan's prophecy. I don't want to ruin it for you, but it truly is brilliant!

A must-read for any Egan fan and for those starting out, this novel is very accessible and suits this modern age to a T!

The Travelling Matchmaker series part 2 by M.C. Beaton

So, here we are, back at the old M.C. Beaton. Here are my reviews of the rest of the series...


Beatrice Goes to Brighton
So our intrepid traveller, Miss Hannah Pym, former servant, now independent lady of means is off on her stagecoach adventures again. This time with her faithful servant Benjamin, a footman who takes a lot of pride in his appearance even if he also likes to get into a scrap or two (or play with the dice in his pocket). There is also Lady Beatrice, a cold woman well-known for her cruelty and dazzling beauty. Finally, escaping from a brutish husband, Lady Beatrice hopes to escape another horrendous match by taking the stagecoach (and not her carriage) to Bath.
Now, Miss Hannah Pym has never been able to resist matchmaking, especially when there is a beautiful young lady involved...but when Lady Beatrice takes a private carriage at one of the stagecoach stops (from Hannah's perspective: forced to, at gunpoint), Hannah has to act. Luckily she has stumbled upon a rather rakish Lord Alistair Munro, who is willing to help her...and maybe, Hannah can make another match!
Another great story from M.C. Beaton, Hannah is a brilliant protagonist, you can't help but love her. I also love the new addition of Benjamin the footman, he just shakes up the stories and adds an extra bit of excitement! Great read, perfect for gloomy rainy days.

Deborah Goes to Dover
Lady Deborah Western has no intention of being a lady, not for one moment does she want to simper and flirt. She would rather wear trousers and ride horses, go fishing and hunt with her twin brother and never attend balls. A determined tomboy and one Miss Pym has decided to make into her next success story, especially when she meets the rather dashing Earl of Ashton.
A lot of the action in this one takes place between Dover and London, staying at rather grand houses. It is also rather exciting if you are a fan of Benjamin, the footman (which I am!!). Deborah was also a pretty spunky lead, but I don't like how she had to change from who she was into a lady, just to be desirable...but still a pretty good book. Very exciting and an excellent scene involving the evil Lady Carsey and the Western twins.

Yvonne Goes to York
Yvonne is French, she has escaped The Terror and is now living in England, but is there any escape when a French agent of the Revolution is sitting next to her on the stagecoach? When Miss Pym is around, there most certainly is!
I don't want to give too much away about this, but it was a great final book for the series! It had adventure and historical information that I really enjoyed. The matchmaking was not so much a theme, but you do get a whole bunch of happy endings here and a great surprise. Worth reading the series just to get to this one. Definitely one of my favourites! I was glued to it from the first page and bitterly disappointed when it all ended...


Read them all! Great covers, perfect for reading on the train or at home, buy them or borrow them (from a library!), they are frothy, pretty, perfect little books to cheer up gloomy, grey days.

The Best Books to Read in the Sun

So, as it is absolutely lovely outside (sweltering inside) here is a list of some of my favourite books to read in the sunshine. That is if you have already finished (or have eschewed) Fifty Shades...

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is one of those perfect summer holiday reads. It is romantic and exciting, a book that spans many years of the most incredible (love her or hate her) protagonist, Scarlett O'Hara. If you are lucky enough to have some time off at the moment (student, clever person who booked off the right holiday week, or anyone else) and are looking for a fantastic (yes, it is long, but you've got a week in the sunshine) read, look no further!

If you aren't swooning for Rhett Butler by the end I will eat my hat!




This gorgeous bind-up from Mills & Boon was my top read last summer, as I sat tanning my legs in the rare beams of sunlight. Under Summer Skies by Nora Roberts is a combination of two classics: From This Day and Her Mother's Keeper. I can't tell you which one was better, they were both perfect for sitting around and daydreaming about being somewhere else!

A great book for when you can't bear anything too complicated, but are still looking for a bit of romance.

So, I have written about all the books in this series and I can highly recommend them! Incredibly well written by Meg Cabot, these books get better and better, ending with the incredible Missing You. 


Perfect for any teenage girl or anyone out there who enjoys teen fiction, these are fast-paced with a great heroine and a pretty hunky male lead! Being entertained while lying in the sun was never so easy!


Here Lies Bridget is another, for teens (but I am no longer a teen and I couldn't put it down) recommendation. It is funny, but also dark, poignant and desperately good. Bridget has always been popular, but when all of a sudden she starts to push things a little too far will her 'friends' stay by her side or has all of Bridget's bitchiness come back to haunt her?

By a fantastic new author Paige Harbison, MIRA totally know what they are doing and I am sure New Girl will be another firm favourite (was out in May 2012)!

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson is a real page-turner. I could hardly put the book down it was so addictive. When Christine wakes up every morning she thinks she is in her twenties, that she has gone home with some random older man and that she needs to sneak out before his wife finds out. That is until she looks into the mirror and sees herself, middle-aged and unfamiliar, but definitely still her. How did she get here? Every night her memories reset, Christine can only remember things for about 24 hours and then it is like nothing happened.

If you are looking for a crime thriller to keep you glued to the page then take this one out in the sun. I guarantee a fantastic suntan, just don't forget to put on sunscreen!

And finally, my favourite read in 2012: The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. It is absolutely the best thing! Read it anytime, but if you can, sit out all day with it, don't forget to hydrate! This is a book about books, a book about family, sisters, parents, your own life. It rolls everything is a book I wanted to fall into, a book I wanted to breath in!

Three very different sisters all end up home again to help their mother, but being all together again under one roof, the roles they used to play threaten to take over and the bonds of sisterhood are stretched...



So, those are my recommendations. If you want to add anything to this list or recommend something to me (I am always on the lookout for a great summer read!) please just let me know via twitter or comment below! Enjoy the British Summer...while it lasts!

Missing You by Meg Cabot

The final instalment in the incredible Missing series is absolutely brilliant. It is a little older than the previous novels, Jess is now living in New York (well, Hells Kitchen) with best friend Ruth. She is going to Julliard and working very hard to keep her place as first chair in the flute section. Jess is just a normal girl. And that's the problem, she is normal - her powers are gone.

Jess had gone to help in Afghanistan. What was she supposed to do? People needed her and they needed her there. So off she went leaving behind her sort-of boyfriend, Rob, and her whole life to find people for the US government. But now that she is back, she is having nightmares, she can't find people anymore and she sure as hell isn't sure what she is doing with her life.

That is... until Rob shows up on her doorstep.

I absolutely loved, loved, LOVED this book. Jess is older now, but just the same, if a little more grown-up. She is broken, or at least that is pretty easy to say when it comes to her powers, but she is even letting Skip take her out on dates!! She is letting her mother tell her who to be. Where has Jess gone?

The best parts of this book surrounded Jess's family (Mike, Douglas, Ruth, her dad) and Cabot's interesting portrait of post-traumatic stress in a teenage girl who went to war. She brings a little bit of reality to her stories that keep you reading, (hooked, really). This whole series has been one big discussion about the US government and their tactics, if you were a teenager would you really want to work for them?

There is also a pretty nice reference to the TV show based on this series, Missing that obviously changed quite a few plot points. One being her father (in the TV show he is dead). It is a cute reference and is a great benchmark to show her notoriety in her home town has not diminished.

I read this in one sitting, it is an absolutely brilliant book that straddles the teen and adult market perfectly. There are adult themes that didn't exist in the previous books, but Jess is older now. I only wish there were more of this series, but sadly this is the last. I hope you do read it. The whole series is well worth reading, especially now! Go out and buy them or even borrow from your local library. Let's show the books, and the incomparable Meg Cabot, some book-buying/borrowing love.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Jennifer Egan's brilliant (and Pulitzer Prize Winning) A Visit from the Goon Squad is simply fantastic. It is a novel about life, love, failure, success and the constant ups-and-downs of modern living. This book is so powerful it kept me glued to it's pages. I was unable to do anything else, except read.

I have heard many a story about the brilliance of this book, it was published in 2010 and has been snowballing those awards until it's grand finale in 2011 when the Pulitzer dropped its own hat and bowed down in amazement. All of a sudden this book was an international must-read and I kind of missed it, so here I am a few years later devouring it in one sitting.

I almost find it difficult to describe this book, but here goes:

Crudely you could say this is a book about the music industry, it does have many characters who work in the industry, but I would have to say that this is just a book about life, the music industry is just a handy tool to further illustrate Egan's point. There are many overlapping themes and repetitions about youth, anger, fear, growing up, cruelty and the desire to preserve ourselves, our lives, our past. Nostalgia is a sign of decline while moving with the times can be terrifying, you can feel yourself getting lost. Each character/chapter brings with it it's own insight into different characters, each trying to be 'the survivors'.

Sasha is the first character we meet, she is sitting on a couch talking to her therapist, trying desperately to work out her impulse control issues, while regaling the reader with a blind date story. The next chapter jumps back in time to Bennie (Sasha's old boss) and his fears of getting older, losing something he once had, not being able to connect with his son, looking back over his own failures and embarrassments.

This is just a brief introduction into the characters you meet in Egan's wonderfully crafted novel. They are flawed human beings, people who are going through something, people who feel like they will never succeed. With incredible skill Egan takes us on a wild ride, jumping between time periods, characters and even narrative styles (you have all heard about the PowerPoint slide chapter). What is astounding is that she doesn't lose her touch. She is just as convincing as a 10 year old girl as she is a 43 year old man. With each chapter Egan delves a little deeper into the collective character storyline, weaving an incredibly interconnected narrative.

I could go on and tell you all my favourite parts, but I feel that you should read it yourself. There is so much to say about this moving and brilliant book, so many points where I clutched the book or when I was so overcome I nearly couldn't keep reading. It was a book that made me laugh, gasp and nearly cry. An inherently wise and beautiful book that I most highly recommend.

'Sanctuary' by Meg Cabot

The fourth instalment of the fantastic Missing series starts with a Thanksgiving meal shared with neighbours and family. What a lot Jess has to be thankful for, like Rob inviting her over for another Thanksgiving dinner! But criminals don't seem to take holidays, not even on Thanksgiving. And when the neighbour's kid  turns up dead in a cornfield, well Jess can't ignore it. Especially when another kid goes missing the next day. Who is behind it and can Jess defeat them?

Jess Mastriani vs serious criminals in not a book you want to miss. This series just keeps getting better! Each story becomes more terrifying and I can see, at least a little, how Heather Wells came into the world. Murder, mystery and mayhem, but with a heroine who keeps you laughing and rooting for her way past the last page. Jess is someone I want to be friends with, she is gutsy and bold, never cruel and always fair. Meg Cabot had created a winning character and series with Missing!

Unfortunately all I wanted to do was download the final novel in the series, but it is not available on kindle. So had to order the book (was actually pleased!) which I will start reading 'Pronto Toronto'! But I will be sad to finish this series, even though I will then be rereading the Heather Wells' mysteries in order. So, I would advise you all to go out and get your hands on these books! These are incredible page-turners that will keep your beside lamp burning well into the night.

Safe House by Meg Cabot

Here we go again...

Jess Mastriani is feeling pretty good about things, she has a brand new wardrobe from Esprit and a little bit of money saved up from her summer job at a summer camp. The new year of school looks set to be pretty good and the weather still thinks it's summer. But when she returns for the first day of school she is suddenly the most hated person - why? Because Amber is dead. A perky cheerleader, who cared about the world around her, Amber had sat in front of Jess for 6 years in homeroom (not that that made them friends), until that first day back at school.

How is this Jess' fault? Well, Amber was missing before she was killed and Jess was no where to be found...so, ya the whole student body is blaming her and Jess has no escape. Except when  Amber's boyfriend (now ex), the star quarterback starts talking to her...well things might just turn out to be okay? Or at least that's what Jess starts to think...

Alright, I'm being a bit cryptic here, I just don't want to spoil anything for you guys. This is, in my opinion, the best 1-800-WHERE-R-U or 1-800-MISSING book yet. It was pretty scary stuff and full of twists I didn't see coming. I also really liked how Douglas comes more to the forefront of this novel and you see his relationship with his sister, which is really sweet. Rob also gets a good starring role, which just goes to show you that good guys can be found anywhere!

So, go on read this one next, it is amazing! Perfect for it's teenage audience, but with enough going on to draw in any reader. Two thumbs way up Miss Cabot! Now onto Sanctuary...

Code Name Cassandra by Meg Cabot

So, second in the 1-800-MISSING series from Meg Cabot and all I can say is: pretty exciting!!!! Jess has decided to work at a camp for musically gifted children for the summer, hopefully giving her time to get away from her house and the white van that has been parked across the street ever since she escaped from the FEDs in When Lightning Strikes. But where Jess goes adventure has to follow and while she is supposed to be keeping her abilities on the low-down it doesn't mean she can resist helping a father in need. Especially, if she can enlist the help of Rob Wilkes, who is now a graduate and working at his uncle's garage...maybe she will even convince him that she really isn't too young for him after all?

I love Jess as a character, she is fun and feisty with plenty of fight in her. She won't take anything lying down and isn't afraid to throw a few punches when necessary. I really like how Cabot manages to flip between a rather scary storyline and a potential romance (okay, massive crush that might not be returned...).

While this might not be as good a story as When Lightning Strikes, it does keep the series moving in a good direction and just wait until you start book 3 - what a terrific and rather terrifying plot that one is! Meg Cabot really knows how to toe the line between murder/crime and comedy. I was laughing along with Jess even while terrified for her and that is a talent not to be smirked at! Now go buy the book, (I would recommend getting as many as possible ASAP as these are page turners) and get acquainted with Jess Mastriani, the coolest psychic around!

When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot

Alright, so I don't really know what this series is called, it was: 1-800-Where R You, then Vanished, and then there was a TV show called 1-800-Missing (don't think this was very close to the book to be honest). Anyway, it is by Meg Cabot and as you know I have been getting rather excited about her new Heather Wells Mystery Size 12 and Ready to Rock which is just out in the US (I know, I am so upset). I have been delving through her backlist and reading everything I can get my hands on. Sadly, Mister Kindle won this time, as I had to fly on RyanAir which as you all know (or not, but I will tell you) means I can only carry one little bag and therefore couldn't carry all of these brilliant books. It was a tough time, but I am glad to be out of it now, thanks!

So onto the first in the Vanished series: When Lightning Strikes. Jess is a normal teenage girl, she protects her friends from bullies, plays the flute in orchestra and likes a boy who is too old for her (18, she's only 16) who drives a motorcycle (yep, he is the dream guy). So, here is Jess, all normal until she gets hit by lightning and when she wakes up the next day she knows exactly where the two kids on the back of the milk carton are. By 'exactly' I do mean addresses and zip codes and all of that. So what is a young girl supposed to do? If you are Jess then you convince the hot guy to drive you over to one of the addresses to make sure that kid really is there and then you call the Missing helpline (you got it: 1-800-WHERE-R-U).

Jess now has a superpower, but she's doing the right thing, finding these kids and returning them to their parents or loved ones - right? Well, sometimes doing the right thing is more complicated than that and Jess has to fight to right some wrongs. Who knew having a superpower would be so difficult!?

Anyway, this is a pretty exciting start to the series, there are FEDs and motorcycle gangs, but what really impressed me was the back story. Jess has an older brother called Douglas, he tried to commit suicide last year and is now living at home, on medication to help quiet the voices he hears in his head. While some of you might be like, 'Hey, that's depressing', I have to say, it is amazing. It brings depth to a novel that could just be a fun, flirty book about a girl who can find missing people and her way cool adventures, but it is so much more than that and definitely worth a read! So as always, I will beg you to visit your local bookstore, hunt around a library or, if you are super desperate like me and have to fly on RyanAir, buy it on Kindle. Just buy it, show the book-creating community some love and remember a book is pretty cheap compared to the cinema and you get to keep it forever and ever and ever!!!

Got the next one lined up and ready to go so watch this space - I will be filling it with awesome Meg Cabot books until I get my hands on her new Heather Wells!

Going Out by Scarlett Thomas

Can I really rave about this book? Will you let me? Because it is the only thing I can do under these circumstances. This book is really brilliant. It felt so original and fresh, especially when you remember that this book came out a good few years ago (2002) and it hasn't lost it's allure. I bought it from my trusty Waterstones so it had that new book smell and I read it while bombing around England on a high-speed train (which became rather terrifying).

Set in Essex in 2000/2001 Luke and Julie are next door neighbours and best friends (oh stop you, they are not secretly in love with each other), but they have never been outside together. They don't go to the pub or go for walks, eat ice cream in the sun, run inside from the rain; because Luke has never been outside (or at least not for a very long time). He is allergic to the sun and a whole lot of other things no one is very sure about. He has never felt the sun on his face and he lives his entire life through television and books. If you were telling him about how your friend had to go to hospital, Luke could only picture a hospital from a TV show or he would have to look it up on the internet.

Julie is a normal girl, well as normal as someone who loves maths and is afraid of death to the point where she is afraid to take fast trains, drive on motorways or A-roads and is so afraid of storms she has to sit in a closet until it passes. Julie also feels lost, like her life is stalled, but she doesn't want to go anywhere else. She just can't imagine ever leaving Luke and taking chances isn't really her thing.

The catalyst to the whole story, or modern day 20-somethings Wizard of Oz adventure (off to see the wizard....) is Charlotte who has told this Chinese healer all about Luke and now Wei says he could cure him...Yep, on they go to Wales of course - but will this bunch of misfits find what they are looking for? Well, you're just going to have to read the book to find out.

If you are looking for a quirky summer read, this is perfect. With it's brand new cover and the incredible reviews, I couldn't recommend it any higher. But of course you be the judge. Buy it from a bookshop (maybe even an independent?!) or visit your local library - let's try and keep Amazon out of this one for now...

Skin Deep by Nora Roberts

Chantel O'Hurley is the jaw-droppingly gorgeous movie star you have met in the other O'Hurley books. While she might not have come across so well in those, this book might answer some questions. I think all of her bluster and irritating moments that popped up in The Last Honest Woman and Dance to the Piper were all down to stress and fear - I mean who wouldn't be a little on edge with a stalker calling you in the middle of the night and making you fear for your own safety?!

When Chantel is forced to recognise that perhaps she does need protection in steps Quinn Doran, private investigator who is suddenly being pulled out of his office and back into the field. Protecting Chantel will be a full-time job, but can he really keep his hands off her or stop his heart from falling? Quinn doesn't trust himself around Chantel...

I actually quite enjoyed this book, Quinn was dark, broody and all things a hero should be. At points I wanted to strangle them both, as they keep assuming what the other was feeling and then not acting on their own desires - but hey the road to true love was never smooth. I really liked the stalker story-line, it isn't anywhere near as good as Nora's later work but shows you where she started out and how brilliant she is now.

So, onto the final one...Without a Trace all about that mysterious big brother we've heard so much about!

Dance to the Piper by Nora Roberts

Just look at that cover! Seriously amazing and now I wish I had that book in my possession and not just some boring cover (you saw it on the last Nora Roberts post, so dull compared to this one). Anyway, this is the story of Maddy O'Hurley, the middle triplet who has so much energy she can dance all night and all day - which is a good thing as she is a very talented Broadway actress.

Maddy is a quirky, free-spirit living her life for herself and no one else. She seems to relish making time for herself and going with the flow, even if that flow is taking her towards a rather high-strung, though seriously attractive music exec.

Reed's company is backing Maddy's new musical, a story about a stripper who meets the man of her dreams - but he thinks she is a librarian - what will happen? Reed however, is a pretty straight-laced, workaholic who is sure he knows what he wants and that it isn't Maddy. But, can he really resist her charms or will he end up head over heels for a woman he just can't believe would be good for him...?

All about assumptions and fear of commitment this book is a bit of a roller coaster. Maddy is quick to know what she wants and when she falls in love she knows it to be true, but Reed is a cynical, and at times, a bit of a jerk - who just needs to loosen up and believe that true love can be right in front of you.

I really enjoyed this, probably not as much as The Last Honest Woman, but it does give you a taste for the O'Hurley's high-flying, high-living lifestyle that will knock you over the head in Skin Deep. A quick read, perfect for a holiday and I have to say having them in 2-in-1 packs makes these books so easy to read one after the other!

Without a Trace by Nora Roberts

Okay, okay, this is the first cover I don't like, but hey-ho, here it is for you to make your own opinion. Trace O'Hurley has always been a bit of an enigma, throughout this series everyone is talking about him and yet you have to wait to the last book, just to meet him! Well he does not disappoint...

Trace left his travelling performing family to see the world, but not on good terms. His father was so hurt by his son's rejection of the family's lifestyle that they both said things they would live to regret. Now Trace is considering retiring from his job as an ISS agent (I know secret agents!!!) when Gillian Fitzpatrick tracks him down in a dingy bar.

She needs his help, her brother and his little girl have been captured by a terrorist ring who Trace knows are led by a mentally unstable man, who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants. But, Trace wants to retire, he doesn't want to get shot again or go undercover! For the first time in a long time he wants to go home, to America, to his family...if they'll have him.

Gillian was a character i could really get behind! Strong, loyal and, of course, beautiful she is a woman who you almost want to be best friends with. Her heart really helps soften up the story, as Trace often comes across (when he is speaking to her) as a bit of a jerk, but inside we all know he is actually really sweet and cares for her a lot. Anyway, this is the last O'Hurley story and it is high-octane stuff! The best bit is all the amazing places they travel to and Nora's descriptions of Trace's life as a secret agent.

Final opinion on the O'Hurley's series: As much as I would love to say it was incredible, I can't. It is a decent series from a top-notch writer, but all in all I prefer some of her others. But give it a go if you like Nora, each book had it's own gem of a character and as always there is the classic touch of Nora! Nothing she does is every not worth reading and when you are waiting for a new series to come out, it's great to delve back into her backlist. Perfect for duvet days!

Underworld by Meg Cabot

Oh my oh my! Pierce Oliviera is in the underworld once more, but this time the gorgeous lord of the dead (John - you remember him right?!) won't let her go! Not now he's finally found her!

Meg Cabot has a gift, a gift for writing incredible romances for teens, if I may say so, she is the Queen of Teen! Underworld is just another example of her ability, she is a maverick - twisting the Persephone story into a teen romance really tops it all. I hardly remembered the myth when I opened the book (Hardback from America - yep it's not even out in the UK yet), but Cabot easily weaves interesting insight into the myth (like the whole wasn't Persephone a demi-goddess or something and wouldn't she totally know all about the eating in the underworld thing?!) with true teen moments including, worrying about your hair, or what that guy is thinking! How does she do it?

Pierce is also definitely growing on me as a heroine, I almost wished I could step right through the book and become her best friend. But I still think Suze from the Mediator series is my favourite.

I also love John, he is the strong silent type but with all the power and sex appeal (ok in my head people) of Angel from Buffy (when he's not a vampire - obviously!). Sensitive and hiding some pain away beneath his rough exterior he is every teenage girls dream, oh and he is hunky too (did I say that already?)!

Oh to list all the wonderful things about this book would be far too difficult, but lets get down to it - you get to go to the Underworld and meet all kinds of wonderful people (Henry is adorable and I think I'm a little in love with Frank), but it is also an Abandon novel so there has to be a chase, some Furies and to top it all off a cliffhanger ending! If you have read any Cabot before you will know that she is a fantastic writer who pulls you straight into the story and this like her other novels takes place over a short period of time. I only wonder how I will manage to survive until the final book in the trilogy comes out?

The Man Who Rained by Ali Shaw

I recently read Ali Shaw's fantastic Costa Prize shortlisted novel The Girl with Glass Feet and I absolutely loved it, it was atmospheric and incredibly original. So, when I saw that Ali Shaw had a new book out, I couldn't resist and Kindle had it on offer, so even though the hardback cover was heavenly, I couldn't resist. To be honest, the first few pages were a little hard going, probably because I was tired and the train was bustling, but it does begin with a journey. Elsa Beletti leaves New York in search of something different, a change of pace after the death of her beloved father and takes a plane ride out to a place she only saw once in her life from out of a plane window, Thunderstown. It is a place that is riddled with superstition, a backward little place that Elsa finds it hard to understand, especially the taciturn Daniel Fossiter, the towns official animal-culler. But when Elsa is exploring the four mountains that surround this mystical place she discovers Finn, a man who is not a man, he is a giant-hairless-recluse who she watches turn into a cloud. It is only her own mournful plea for him to stay that brings Finn back to earth and gives Elsa and Finn the chance to grow and learn from one another.

As with The Girl with Glass Feet this novel is shrouded in mystery, but Shaw's message is clear: it is more about accepting yourself than how other people view you. The host of characters Shaw has collected are all brilliantly drawn and feel quite real, which makes the whole set up almost creepily possible. I think, living in the UK does give you a certain affection for the weather, sometimes I quite enjoy it's unpredictable howling or rain, or incredible heat that arrives in March after a frost. But I could see how you could view the weather as an enemy, how you could want to control it and how this could take over a towns mentality. Chocolat never seemed that far-fetched, religion was always something that could turn fanatical and now the next step could be the weather - who wouldn't give anything to control the weather?

I have to say, overall while I enjoyed this novel and loved some of Shaw's excellent phrases and beautiful - almost loving - descriptions of tornadoes, storms and clouds, I found it lacking. The Man who Rained was somehow missing the energy and off-beat realism that came out of The Girl with Glass Feet. By the end, I was already pretty sure I knew what was coming and I felt that Shaw had to pull a bit of a miracle off to create the ending, which made it all the more unbelievable and shattered the spell I had been under. For anyone who enjoys reading magical realism do give this a go, but to be completely honest I still prefer The Girl with Glass Feet - so go borrow it from the library or buy it from a bookshop you will not be sorry!

Comfort reads

I know, this is not a review, but it is a list, a list of books that no matter how terrible I feel always manage to cheer me up. Suffering from a cold I have been wallowing and reading an awful lot, so here are my favourite comfort reads. Ones that no matter how awful I feel, always perk me up and keep me going.

The Guy Next Door is one of my ultimate favourite reads. Every time I feel under the weather this book is pulled off my bookshelf and I curl up in bed knowing that I will have a satisfying read. Melissa Fuller is a gossip columnist for the New York Journal and her life is going along pretty well - well except for a boyfriend (her last boyfriend was a terrible example of what a boyfriend should be). All of a sudden her life is turned upside down when her next door neighbour is rushed to the hospital (after being attacked!!!!) and is now in a coma. Who will look after her pets, especially who will walk her Great Dane Paco while she is hospitalised? So Mel has to track down her next of kin - luckily he just happens to be a world-famous photographer, but when he shows up he's pretty darn gorgeous and Mel is almost swept away - but isn't he supposed to be some massive tool?
Anyway...this book is awesome and told completely in e-mails! I know, it is so 21st century! Also, Meg Cabot is amazing and just about the best author for when you are feeling under the weather. The whole "boy" series is great! So grab a copy and pour yourself a cup of tea, keep the tissues close and get ready for a hilarious romance.

Anne of Green Gables is a book I have written about before here - so not to bore you or anything - but if you still haven't got a copy Why NOT? If you ever felt down, read some Anne, not only will she have your frown turning upside down, but Montgomery's gorgeous descriptions of Prince Edward Island will make you feel like you are on holiday. With fantastic adventures and true friendships this book is perfect for when you need to curl up and forget all the pressures of life. It is also great to read a loud to a child who is sick, but I personally like to be alone with Anne and disappear into Avonlea. The story is lyrical and a magical read, but keep the tissues nearby and ready for use before you get to the end of the book. If you are far too ill for reading I must recommend the 1985 TV movies of Anne of Green Gables - they capture the whole thing perfectly and will keep you entertained for hours!

 Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - it is short, it is fun, it is brilliant, witty and all things Austen books should be! It might be one you haven't read before, but once you have you can recite the beginning by heart and falling in love with Mr Tilney never felt so good. He is one of Austen's most amiable gentleman heroes  who is not only a great guy, but forgives our near Catherine for all her foolish Gothic imaginings and truly loves her.
There is also a brilliant villain, horrible woman and rake! Can Catherine Morland survive her first time away from her family unscathed? A truly enchanted read and one for Austen fans to try out - it is her first book, so remember that we all have to learn!


A comfort read list would not be complete without Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. For anyone who hasn't read it, I beg of you to try - it is a children's classic for a reason and anyone who meets the March family will find it difficult to ever forget them. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are the heroines of this work, each of them very different and vivid in detail and descriptions. Beth is my favourite, a young girl who is so kind, so loving that no one in her family could ever be without her. She would always do the right thing and when reading it, I felt more like Amy or Jo (neither of whom are perfect) messing up a perfectly good day with selfishness. But all the sisters are wonderful and if you know anything about the story or have ever seen that episode of Friends you will know that tissues are a must, as is comfort chocolate and a warm cup of tea. For when you are feeling down, the March sisters can definitely bring you comfort!

Other such comforting reads include: Daphne Du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek, which is a gorgeous romance, swash-buckling adventure story! Meg Cabot's Heather Wells Mystery series: Size 12 is Not Fat is the first and is completely amazing, a perfect mystery series to curl up with in any situation! And now a fantasy series that I loved when I was young and will happily re-read when ill or not feeling my best: Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small series starting with First Test - completely captured my imagination and adventurous soul! Sorry, no space to add any more covers, but get thee to a library or bookshop and find your favourite comfort reads now! If you have any further suggestions comment, tweet and basically let me know! Everyone needs a list of perfect comfort reads!



Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

If you are looking for a stunning comfort read look no further than P.D. James' Death Comes to Pemberley! A completely brilliant story that picks up just a few years after Pride and Prejudice ends, Elizabeth and Darcy are very happy (who thought they wouldn't be?!), living at Pemberley with their two sons (yes, I know, I love how she had two boys - no idea why, except that Elizabeth is no longer at risk of turning into her mother with sons there is no fear of an entail or anything that had so plagued the Bennet household). The Bingleys reside very close and not a month goes by when there isn't a carriage making frequent journeys between the two families. All is set to be a wonderful book of rural happiness, the only slight worry is who shall marry Georgiana? A very bright, handsome young lawyer (don't worry he also has some land!) and Colonel Fitzwilliam (I know I thought it a bit creepy too, he was her guardian, is her cousin and older than Darcy!!!) appear to be vying for her attentions, but who shall she choose? Obviously Elizabeth believes that Georgiana should only marry for love, not for money, or title (which is why we all dearly love her).
But this rural simplicity is broken by the arrival of Lydia Wickham hysterical and panicked - Wickam and Denny went into the Pemberley woods and shots were heard, Lydia is sure that Wickham has been killed! Now, I must say, I wasn't so concerned about Wickham, but ... now I won't spoil it for the rest of you (as you shall have to buy the book to find out what happens next) I will say that I was unable to put the book down after Lydia's untimely arrival!
A compelling drama and mystery all rolled into one, P.D. James' love letter to Austen is beautiful. The whole book reads like fan-fiction (if only all fan-fiction was written so well and by such an accomplished author), with little asides and mentions of other Austen characters, giving you a glimpse into their new lives. While it does read a little modern, James knows these characters and is obviously very familiar with Austen's works, she has the language and character's voices almost perfect (we could not expect anyone other than Jane herself to get it completely right!). And any fan worth her/his salt will notice a few re-used phrases, but never do these feel out of place, rather they sit so pleasantly within the text that you could forget you had heard them before. James knows what she is doing and it truly felt in some moments as if Austen had come back to life!
A must read for any Austen fan and anyone who loves a good cosy crime story. It is the perfect antidote to the modern world and (as I have a very bad cold) the perfect medicine for any occasion. Just be warned - once you start you will not be able to stop!

The Travelling Matchmaker series part 1 by M.C. Beaton

I had never read an M.C. Beaton until this year. With such an enormous back list, vibrant covers and titles that show ingenuity and humour I am baffled why it took me so long. Now, the first one I picked up was because of a Kindle sale and it was 99p at Christmas: Emily Goes to Exeter. This is the first in the Travelling Matchmaker series and once I had read it, I could hardly resist buying or procuring the others, by any means necessary! So, I went to my trusty local library and low and behold they placed it on hold for me for a mere 80p - once someone returned the book, it was going to be all mine and they would e-mail me to let me know when to come in. A rather handy system and even cheaper than a Kindle daily deal! So once armed with my new book and seeing as the sun was shining that weekend (do you remember when the sun used to shine?). I braved the outdoors and devoured it in one delightful sitting. Anyway, here are my reviews of the first 3 Travelling Matchmaker books:

Emily Goes to Exeter is a brilliant start to the series. Hannah Pym is a housekeeper for a recluse who unexpectedly leave her a legacy of £5,000 on his death. Suddenly Miss Pym is no longer a servant, but a lady of independent means. The glory of that revelation means that Miss Pym can now do as she pleases and what she pleases to do is to travel! Having worked as a servant for most of her life, she has had very few experiences out of the house, her one joy is watching the stage coach (or Flying Machine as they were called) come speeding past the house. So, once the money is in her account, she has acquired a lovely little flat in Kensington (a place once cannot walk to at night, as it is a very dangerous area!) she goes off to fetch her first ticket on the stage coach to Exeter.
All at once the adventures begin, as a quite beautiful young boy is seated opposite Hannah on the coach and a mysterious handsome outside passenger proves to be very useful when snow drifts mean the passengers must shelter for a few days. Suddenly Hannah finds she is quite a wily matchmaker and is able to turn the rather spoilt Emily into the perfect match for the proud Lord Ranger Harley. But not only is there romance, but mysteries abound as it appears someone on the stage coach is trying to get away with murder - can clever Miss Pym, Harley and Emily find the would-be-killer?
A brilliant, face-paced novel for lovers of regency period and a glory good little read. I have to say Beaton had me in stitches of laughter at the oddest moments, with incredible wit and vivacity you will be captured by Hannah's adventures!

Belinda Goes to Bath
Belinda has been sent away in disgrace. Even though her aunt and uncle deliver her to the Flying Machine in a horse and carriage, she is forced to take the stage with the others. Miss Hannah Pym is at once interested in this girl and her odd arrival. Especially with her companion who seems fit to moral bursting! Hannah cannot resist finding out all and when she begins to uncover the story, Hannah is more determined to help. A 'lucky accident' of their drunk driver upsetting the coach into a river pushes the passengers into the house of a local mar guess who welcomes them into his home. What luck to stumble upon an attractive aristocratic bachelor, when Hannah has already set her sights on finding Belinda the perfect match!
Belinda is a wonderful character, with more vivacity than Emily and a lot easier to like on first meeting. The rest of the cast of characters are brilliantly drawn, especially the morally superior companion who ends up with a shaved head! Great historical detail fleshes out the story and makes this story a gorgeous read!

Penelope Goes to Portsmouth
Our indomitable Hannah Pym is ready for her next journey, armed with her successful matchmaking track-record she can hardly wait to see who should appear on her travel this time around. When a stunning young girl climbs into the coach Hannah is excited to notice a gorgeous lord is also in attendance, but can true love overcome class? While Hannah and her friends are attempting to save a deaf and dumb footman from the clutches of Lady Carey (rather a racy character here in her see-through gowns!) Hannah keeps on her meddling ways, even if she must do some rather out of character things.
Fantastic third instalment, but I must say the rather beautiful Penelope was a bit hard to like as quickly as Belinda, but you do quickly start rooting for her 'happy ending'!

So in conclusion, I have now downloaded the rest of the books from the Kindle website (how awful is that store on the Kindle - useless!) and will be devouring them on my journeys to work! Not the cheapest of Kindle books, but a rather lovely series I can see myself re-reading whenever I need a quick regency fix! Go on guys get out there and use your library, download a book or go see a real-life bookseller, because these books do have the most wonderful covers!

The Last Honest Woman by Nora Roberts

Now, after reading something so heavy (like Wolf Hall) and then something mad (like Fear and Loathing) I needed to give my brain a big break. So what did I choose? A sure thing - a Nora Roberts. The Last Honest Woman is the first in the O'Hurley series and follows the middle triplet (of the O'Hurley triplets) Abby. Abby is a race car driver's widow, with two young sons, struggling to get her horse breeding business up and running. But for reasons that aren't just to do with money, but her own sons' memories of their father, she agrees to an authorised biography of her ex. This also includes having the writer, Dylan, come to stay at her home for a few weeks. Harmless, she thinks, she hasn't felt anything for a man in a long time...

But, Abby wasn't prepared for Dylan. While in the beginning you quickly figure out that the race car driver was not only a terrible husband, but a negligent father and that Abby is only trying to protect her sons, Dylan is hardly like-able. I wanted to protect Abby from him, until Nora worked her magic and showed that true love (in Nora Robert World) can bring out any man's true kindness. Dylan goes from writer in residence to care-giver. Abby's character is one of the best Nora has crafted, being both strong-willed and inspiring, she is a woman who lives with her mistakes and focuses on how to make the world better for her children.

As with all Nora's this book has it's ups and downs and proves that honesty is always best, especially when two people fall in love.

Final verdict, if you love a bit of Nora have a look through her back catalogue, it is a foray of genius and you get to read the first of those recycled story-lines, which is always a bonus. A great book to cleanse the palate, before embarking on your next epic (War and Peace?) - but watch out, this is a quartet so try and resist the wonderful next book, about the youngest O'Hurley triplet and her adventures on and off the Broadway stage!

Also, a quick bit about the cover I have chosen: How brilliant is this? A classic cover that you hardly see anymore. The cover of my actual book (I must confess it was the 2-in-1 O'Hurley's Born) pales in comparison. Let's bring those old covers back! Whenever I review a Nora again I will include not only the cover of the book I am reading, but the vintage cover as well! Enjoy.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

Have you ever read this book? If not, get yourself a copy! Beg, borrow, buy and whatever you do do not bow to pressure from the others - those people who might not understand.

As a girl - yes I am a girl, well a woman, but let's not get hung up on labels - reading this book, I noticed many manly-looking men glance at me pityingly. It was as if they felt, I would not understand this book, this book about the American Dream, that I was far too simple to leap inside this book and the electric writing and come out with any understanding. Perhaps, I didn't. I would never claim to have understood this book, but I did feel. I felt an incredible rush of emotions crashing head-long into each other with every turn of the page.

If any book could ever conduct electricity, it would be 'Fear and Loathing'. From the first page, you feel the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. As you enter the Mint Hotel you find yourself dissolving into a particularly hairy paranoid delusion that drives you slightly insane, with words running into each other as if they're drunkenly charging down a corridor, crashing against the walls of convention. You are hooked. I felt like the hitchhiker, an innocent locked in a car with two crazy men, speeding along a desert highway desperate for escape - but did I leap out of a moving vehicle? Hell no! I grabbed hold of the door handle and went along for the ride.

If you have ever seen the movie, you will be able to envision the type of journey this book is taking you on, but it is so much more than that. I can't wait to re-read it. Next time, I will grab myself a litre of Wild Turkey, hunker down in a spot of sunlight and not move until I have read it cover to cover. I can only encourage you to do the same (except please, you know, drink responsibly and wear sunscreen, etc. Though, I suppose, Hunter S. Thompson would think that lame.)

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Just before 12 o'clock this morning (or I guess we are just entering the afternoon) I finished Wolf Hall. I had started it on my (early) summer holiday and had been getting very into it - but found it quite hard to read on a beach (probably the only person who had this problem). But since then, I haven't been able to put it down.

Waking up at 6am (by mistake - thank you sunshine and thin curtains) suddenly became a blessing, I was able to heft this tomb from my bedside table and read for an hour and a half before getting ready for work. I even read it on the train (crushed, at rush hour), but oh how much I adored reading it. It was worth all the tired mornings and the hand/arm aches, because this book is truly a tremendous, epic history of one man's journey to power.

Thomas Cromwell is a man we all know from our primary school history lessons. He was that guy who made the Church of England and helped Henry VIII get rid of his boring, old wife Katherine and get a new exciting one, Anne Boleyn. Now, check all of your school girl/guy history buff knowledge at the door. While the Tudor period of English history is one of the most exciting and baffling reigns you are allowed to study in school, we all remember the rhyme: Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. And if you have seen this episode of QI, you will know that the number of true wives Henry VIII had is still under debate - do you count the divorces, is his marriage to Anne a true one and on and on and on... For Hilary Mantel (and many other historical novelists) this is a period with such incredible richness it would almost be unkind not to dive right in.

Now, Thomas Cromwell, is a man we are taught well to hate, but as with Mantel's other fabulous novels, she takes an "evil" character and makes him human. I read Mantel's A Place of Greater Safety at university and sat for three days reading non-stop - it was truly a glorious book - and somehow I found myself close to tears when the inevitable happens. It is just the same here (though Mantel has cleverly eked it out to a trilogy - the publishing version of a hat trick) Cromwell is always cast as the villain and yet I found myself understanding him and his own actions.

The novel begins with Cromwell as a young boy, being beaten by his father in Putney, swiftly we are moved through the years and are now faced with a protagonist with a murky history who happens to work for Cardinal Wolsey. Here is another "evil" man were are told to hate from history, and yet we see him as Cromwell does: Yes, he is out for power, yes, he does believe himself to be the centre of the universe and yes, he's made some errors, but he was also a very nice to his servants. (Don't worry, dear reader if you fear I will launch into a History Boys-esque 'Hilter was a sweetie' essay - this is not that kind of review.) Then we see the fall of Wolsey and somehow begin to see that while Cromwell is Wolsey's man he is still moving up the ranks in court. When did a brewer's/blacksmith's son ever become a king's confident, the highest courtier and the most powerful man in England? The answer to all your questions rest within the pages of this book.

So, without giving too much away here is what I thought:
There are so many people called Thomas in this book, thankfully many of them are referred to by their last name - keeps things simple.
Mantel has written this book in a present tense style that can sometimes feel quite confusing as 'he' is normally Cromwell, but can also be any number of other male characters Cromwell happens to be in the same room with or thinking about.
Anne is exactly as I wanted her to be, a cruel malicious woman who has managed to scheme her way to the top and once there, can hope only to deliver an heir to the throne, or risk losing everything she fought so hard to achieve. I also loved Mary Carey (that's Anne's sister), while we have all learnt to pity and love her in Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl, she felt fresh and interesting.
Cromwell's character is so complex, you find yourself wondering constantly about the moments in his past (his secrets) that even the reader doesn't know about.
Also, there is a delicious peek at what is to come, with Jane Seymour growing up, while Anne is on the rise.

In total, this is a book anyone who loves/likes to read will love. It is elegantly written, compelling and rich in fantastic characters from a period we all have some knowledge of. As Mantel's follow-up is out now, Bring Up The Bodies, this is the perfect time to get into the series. A refreshing take on a much loved period of history, that is just as unputdownable as you could imagine.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka

I am little behind the times in reading this one, but I am so glad I waited. All the hype would have made me really dislike the book for not living up to my expectations or being asked by everyone and their mother whether I had read this part or that part yet?! So, I waited, patiently as this book never really grabbed my attention like it did millions of other readers, and when I was offered it in a trade (yes, I lent them my Caitlin Moran's How To Be a Woman) I thought why not, it's about time. And it was.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian is not really about tractors, though there is a bit of information about them and I have to say the only one I recognised was John Deere (felt slightly ashamed), it is about family. A family that has lost their mother two years before, two sisters who are not speaking to each other since the row over money at the funeral, and their father, the man with the Big Ideas. In his 80s, Father has become more and more peculiar since the death of his wife, and nothing makes Big Sis and Nadia (Nadezhda) realise this than when he informs them he is to marry a 36 year old Ukrainian woman.

I must say, I felt Nadia's intense pain when her father talks about Valentina's (that's the 36 year old slut) enormous breasts and his desire to have a child with her. It is a completely horrific thought, never ever ever does a child want to discuss anything of a sexual nature with their parents, my goodness, the 'talk' was hard enough, let's not go back there! There are some brilliant scenes of Nadia meeting the 'slut' Valentina in all her glory, the enormous bosom, the long painted nails, the dyed blonde hair, the outrageous fur coat and the awful way she seems to speak. I also, loved the relationship between Big Sis (Vera) and Nadia, their differences that seem to all stem from one of them being born in the Ukraine just before the war and Nadia being the peace baby. 10 years age gap and they seem to be completely different people, with entirely different childhoods. Nadia has only seen the good, the fair, she still believes (even as an adult) that things aren't just black and white; whereas Vera has known hunger, fear, terror, she has lived through it and come out the other side. To Vera England is a safe place, one not to be taken advantage of, to Nadia it is just home.

However, as much as I enjoyed the relationships and the humorous episodes, I never once found it funny, it wasn't hilarious, I didn't roll upon the floor laughing. I laughed out loud once, while reading the last chapter, but otherwise I just wanted to find out what was going to happen. It kept you in a trap of suspense and wonder, would Valentina ever leave, would Nadia and Vera maintain their truce, what was Valentina up to and many many more. The ending was of the satisfactory kind, with  an uplifting feel.

Final verdict, if you haven't read this book you probably should, it's pretty light and easy to read. Perfect for reading on the way to work or where ever, but it certainly won't change your life.

'Pure' by Andrew Miller

'Dazzling' Guardian
'Gripping' The Times
'Irresistibly compelling' The Sunday Telegraph

Now, I am quite tempted to leave my blog post about this book at that. It was so incredibly good that the plethora of quotes decorating the cover were so justified I almost feel unable to add my very small voice to the fire. But, I will anyway.

Jean-Baptiste Baratte has arrived at the palace of all palaces, Versailles. Here he sits, across from another silent man, waiting for a silent door to open. He is comfortable in his father's suit, he knows it's true worth and his own, or at least he believes he does. A well-educated farmer, an engineer who has built one bridge, well really it was more of a decoration over a small lake, but he engineered it. Jean-Baptiste is a man, just like every other man. He will follow orders from a minister and take money to do as he is told, because that is the only way to make something of yourself. Well of course, this is France, Paris to be exact in 1785, a world that appears to be endless in it's inequality.

Jean-Baptiste is welcomed into the belly of the Parisian beast, he is given a job he is hardly qualified for and has great distaste for and yet, he will take it. He will stay in a house neighbouring a graveyard, a graveyard he has been hired to 'purify'. For Baratte, this place appears unhealthy, there is a stench that seems to come from people's very breath, from inside, a stench that comes from the earth, the cemetery, known as les Innocents, overflowing with death. This unsavoury realisation comes upon him while eating in his new lodgings in the Monnard's house, there is Monsieur Monnard who has his own shop that sells blades, Madame discusses the weather and Ziguette (their rather attractive young daughter) plays the piano badly and enjoys watching people in the street. Their home borders the cemeteries walls and they breath the very breathe of death. For Barette, he must deal with his demons, rally a whole troop to dig up the bones and dispose of the corpses, though of course the minister must have thought of that?!

Now, I really could go on and on, there are so many incredible characters (Armand, the organist, Jeanne, the granddaughter of the sexton, Leceour, the idealistic miner, Jan Block, Lisa Sagent, Helouise, the literary prostitute, Dr Guillotine and many many more), shocking developments, Baratte's adventures around town, the market, the infamous suit... I really could go on and on. But I do warn you, do not read the back blurb too closely, do not turn your copy over, just sit down and read it from the first page. Andrew Miller has a true gift, he makes prose that dances off the page in true unbridled purity. He can make even the most horrific moments appear to be poetic and yet, it is so powerful you find yourself trapped within the moments, almost reliving the horrors as you dream (though of course these dreams are better scripted than anything you could come up with yourself).

I would encourage you all to go out and fetch this book, as always a plea to go to a real bookshop or library (they do the real thing there too, only free!) and then find yourself a quiet place to sit down, for you shall not be moving for a long time! Read it, love it, share it, enjoy the luxuriating wonders of it, for it is truly a monumentally wonderful book. Oh and the cover is great too!