Books

I love reading! I may be old school in that I love paper books rather than reading on a Kindle or an iPad (to the extent that books have really taken over our dining room and we now desperately need more bookcases to cope with the overflow of books from the ones that we already have), but I just love the feel of holding a proper book.

I read as often as I can, whether it be a few minutes in a quick break at work, waiting in the car while DD finishes work, late at night when DH is away, or basically any spare time I have (when I'm not working, shopping, doing housework or looking after the animals).

I'm going to try and put a bit about each book that I read once I've finished it.  It might encourage you to read that book too if you hadn't thought of it before.

Please feel free to recommend any books or give your own comments on the books I read.

The Shock of the Fall - Nathan Filer

A completely different style of book to the ones I usually read, but it seemed to have good reviews so I thought I'd give it a go.

It was a bit difficult to get in to to start with, and then it slowly draws you in and you start to understand a bit about the mind of the main character, Matthew. The story flits between the past and the present and goes in to some description of the events leading up to his brothers death - Simon - and how this has an affect on Matthew. With both the story line and the way the book is physically written - different styles of text and layout - it tries to show how events in our past can shape the way that we behave and think, and how, for some people, it can have a considerable impact on their mental health.

Even at the end of the book there is still room for thought on how this character is still coping with the death of his brother, so there is no real end - only ongoing survival.





The One Plus One - Jo Jo Moyes

I've read other book by Jo Jo Moyes and enjoyed each one, so I was really pleased when DD bought this book for me ages ago. I'm a bit behind with my book reviews you see.

I wasn't disappointed with this book either. The story centres round Jess, a single mum bringing up two children - Nicky and Tanzie. Tanzie is her own daughter and Nicky her stepson who now lives with her, not his dad. Jess is doing all she can to make ends meet and make sure that her children have enough to eat and clothes to wear. Even to the point of keeping a wallet from a stranger which has cash in it. The stranger happens to be the man she cleans for but has never met.

In walks Ed - the man she cleans for. He's in trouble at work and trying to keep a low profile and feels quite lonely. He sets out to help Jess as much as he can when he finds out Tanzie is due to take an important entrance exam for a school where she can excel in maths, her favourite subject. Ed offers to drive them to the exam hall, a journey of a few hundred miles and which will take them a few days.

Over the journey both Jess and Ed find that they get along better than they thought they would and Tanzie gets to take her entrance exam.

And then just as things are going well for Jess and Ed, Ed discovers his wallet as Jess's.

You'll have to read the book to find out what happens! You can buy it if you click on this link





What Alice Forgot - Liane Moriarty

This book is by the same author as The Husband's Secret which I've read and posted a review about, so  I was quite keen to read this.

And I wasn't disappointed. Alice comes round after falling over to find that she has just lost ten years of her life, and appears to have a life that she doesn't recognise or even believe is hers. The love of her life is no longer around, she's filing for a divorce, is a mother to three children that she doesn't remember giving birth to, and has a circle of friends that she no longer recognises. She's fallen out with her sister and doesn't know why when the last thing she remembers is being really close to her, and has no idea why her marriage broke down.

Bit by bit Alice starts to remember things about her past and starts to try and piece things together and change how people see her. She begins to get to know her sister again and is able to gradually build up a relationship with her husband again so that they can try and be a family again.

A lovely book.





Free Country - George Mahood

One of my holiday books while we were in Crete. This had been bought as a bit of fun to read.

It's tells the story of how two friends start off at Lands End with the intention of getting to John O"Groats by bicycle. Sounds simple? Except when they start at Lands End, the only things they have are the Union Jack boxer shorts that they are wearing and nothing else.

The idea is to rely on the generosity of people. They took a huge gamble on this adventure and it's a credit to their faith in human nature. It's well written and entertaining as the two friends end up with various items of clothing and how they manage to get food from different people and places.

It's nice to read about so many different places in Great Britain that they pass through, and the different characters that they befriend along the way.

The fact that this book has been written in the first place is testament to the goodwill of everyone who helped these two friends achieve their goal - to get from Lands End to John O'Groats for free, because they can, because people are generous enough and kind enough to want to help others.





Until I Say Goodbye - My year of living with joy - Susan Spencer-Wendel (sadly passed away 5 June 2014 -  https://www.facebook.com/UntilISayGoodbye)

I heard of this book months ago and waited until it came out in paperback this year to get it.

It's an amazing story of one woman who discovers she has ALS, an irreversible and incurable condition which means that slowly she will lose the ability to walk, talk, and eventually it will take her life.

It sounds like it's going to be a depressing book, but it's a wonderful book of how Susan copes with her discovery of her condition and what she decides to do to live with it. It really is about facing life head on and making the most of the time she has with her family, and not letting her condition beat her or stop her from doing what she wants (within her limits). The book tracks a year of her life and how she decides to make sure that all three of her children, and her husband, arrange special moments that they will never forget, while she has the time with them. They arrange trips and create memories that will remain with them long after Susan's condition takes over fully.

By the end of the book you realise that Susan is so positive about what she wants to do that you only have admiration for someone who can live life like this. And it makes you think that maybe it's only a person's mindset which holds them back from doing something that is important to them.

A really good book which I would highly recommend if you get chance to read it.





The Hidden Cottage - Erica James

A lovely book centred around Mia, mother to three children, and wife of Jeff. The story revolves around Mia and how she has arrived at a time in her life when things are about to change quite drastically.

Jeff, Mia's husband, is quite controlling and very much a larger than life character, always believing himself to be right about everything. However, when the family get together for their eldest son's 30th birthday, their world starts to turn upside down. Jensen, the birthday boy, announces that his American girlfriend has a nine year old daughter, and Daisy, the youngest daughter, announces that she is going to be moving to Australia with her boyfriend, who she intends to marry. Eliza, their middle daughter, also has feelings for her boyfriend, Greg, and is wondering how to tell him.

While all this is going on, Owen Fletcher has moved in to the Hidden Cottage, a secluded cottage set slightly apart from the village where Mia lives. As a newcomer to the village, some of Mia's friends, along with Mia, decide to pay Owen a visit to welcome him to the village. As soon as Owen sees Mia, however, things will never be the same again. The two of them meet on a regular basis and begin a brief affair. Until disaster strikes in Mia's life.

While Jeff is away working, Daisy is killed in a car crash. Jensen, who was also in the car, survives the crash. As Daisy was Jeff's favourite out of the three children, his grief consumes him and the distance between him and Mia widens even more. Mia cannot face Owen anymore as she blames herself for Daisy accident, thinking it is because of her affair that she is now being punished and Eliza finds out that her boyfriend is married with a young family and finds it difficult to cope.

It's a very well written book about how relationships change over time and that sometimes it's better to follow your heart and be happy rather, rather than to stay with somebody because you feel you have to, rather than because you want to.







The Shoestring Club - Sarah Webb

Not a book I chose myself this time, but one sent to me from The Willoughby Book Club as the second of my 6 month subscription (my birthday present off DH - a book a month, chosen for you and delivered at the beginning of each month - a fabulous present!).

The story is all about Julia (Jules), and her dealing with the knowledge that her best friend, Lainey, is now engaged to her ex boyfriend, Ed, and she's been invited to the wedding.  Jules's sister, Pandora, runs a clothes shop (a second-hand designer clothes shop), and it's there that the Faith Farenze dress appears. Wanting to look her best for the wedding, and determined to prove to everyone that she's over Ed (even though she isn't), Jules tries to find a way of affording the dress.

Arietty has a school reunion to attend and wants to look her best. However, working at the local zoo, taking care of the elephants, doesn't pay enough for her to buy the dress that will boost her confidence and show her old class mates that she's doing alright - the Faith Farenze dress. She can only afford a quarter of the cost.

So, when Jules finds out, and suggests to Arietty that they each own a share of the dress and find two other people who also want to wear the dress but can't afford the whole amount, the Shoestring Club is born.

Behind all this is Jules herself, and her reliance on alcohol, and the concern that her family have for the way she behaves. Throughout the story Jules denies having any problems at all and insists she can handle everything. Shortly before the wedding, however, she ends up having an accident when she falls out of her tree-house after her ex boyfriend turns up for a pre-wedding chat. Realising, finally, that she perhaps might have a problem, she agrees to counselling and confronts her past.

The dress is worn by Pandora first, on a first date with Declan, which ends up going well. Next is Arietty's turn for her school reunion, which also goes well. Then it Jules's turn, for the wedding, where she finally realises that she over Ed and can move on. And waiting in the background is her old friend Jamie………….

A lovely story.





A Hundred Pieces of Me - Lucy Dillon

Yet another good book and one which I highly recommend reading.

It's the story of Gina and how she manages to move on from battling cancer and a divorce, to finding love again and a whole new outlook on life. It sounds a bit cliche, and yes, for some it probably is. But it's written in a way that draws you in and even if the ending wasn't how it is, it's still a good book as you follow Gina's journey. The book moves between what's happening in the present, and what has happened in the past, moving between the two quite easily, giving the reader brief glimpses of the sequence of events which has brought Gina to where she is now.

With the man she loves, and enjoying life, Gina discovers she has breast cancer. Her fiancé, Stuart, brings their wedding forward and supports her while she undergoes surgery and chemotherapy. Later, once Gina has returned to work and they're settled in a new house and getting on with life, she discovers that he's been having an affair.

Before she met Stuart, Gina thought she was with the love of her, Kit. It isn't until late in the story that you find out what happened to end that relationship - a car crash which leaves Kit in a wheelchair, and his parents blame Gina and make it clear she is to have nothing to do with him ever again.

As Gina tries to move on from her divorce, making a fresh start in a new flat of her own, she makes a decision to only keep 100 things that are important to her and starts a list on the wall of her flat. The rest of her unwanted items are either sold or passed on to the local charity shops. Deciding which items to keep means that Gina has to face her past and all those memories and decide what is really important to her.

One item she tries to sell, her bicycle, ends up being stolen by a man who comes round to view the bicycle and leaves his dog, Buzz, with her while he says he's going to try the bicycle out. He doesn't return, having stolen the bicycle and abandoning the dog. Although Gina isn't really a dog lover, she becomes attached to Buzz and eventually makes the decision to adopt him, after other attempts to rehome Buzz and find space in the local rescue home fail.

Added to all this is the complication of Gina becoming attracted to one of her married clients who she is helping with the renovations to their newly bought house.

It's a lovely story about finding out what's really important, letting go of things that don't really matter and discovering a new future.

It's been described as 'as heart wrenching and inspirational as One Day or Me Before You', both of which I've also read.

An excellent book if you get chance to read it.





Seasons of My Life - Hannah Hauxwell with Barry Cockcroft

I've wanted to read about Hannah Hauxwell for some time. I don't know why. I just remember seeing a documentary about her many years ago and wondering if there was anything available to read about her life. The only memories I have of the documentary at the time are that there was this amazing lady, surviving on her own in the middle of nowhere, with no running water or electricity, and the difficulties she had to overcome in order to stay alive. And then I found this book.

After reading Island Wife and how inspiring Judy Fairbairns was, this was another book about an extremely inspiring and very humble lady. Barry Cockcroft is the man who 'found' Hannah Hauxwell and put together the documentary about her solitary life in the yorkshire dales, and how she survived in a small cottage. It's a world away from the civilisation that most of us know - no running water, no electricity, no main road to and from the cottage, no corner shop, no transport. Hannah Hauxwell lived on her own for many years, running her small farm and surviving on so little.

The book lets Hannah herself tell much of her story, about her childhood, and about the community support that survives in small rural areas. It's amazing to think how far society has come in such a few short years when you read that electricity only become a reality for Hannah after her documentary had been aired in public in the early 1970's.

A fantastic story, ending with Hannah leaving her home of many years in 1988 for a more comfortable life. I have no idea what happens after this but would be intrigued to find out if there are other books about this amazing lady.

Buy it here





Island Wife by Judy Fairbairns

I really liked this book. It's the story of Judy, how she meets and marries her husband, and how he takes her off to a life on a remote scottish island after successfully running a farm and building it up in to a profitable business.

The story describes what the house was first like when they moved to the island - no heating or hot water - and the plans to turn the house in to a hotel, and the additional cottages on the estate they have bought will be holiday cottages. It describes the work that has to be done to get the accommodation ready, and the emotional and physical struggle that Judy goes through to get everything done, and just how much she does to keep things going.

It's a real insight in to how she copes with the day to day struggles of not just dealing with the business and her family, but also of how she, herself, begins to realise that this isn't all that she wants in life, and her struggle with her own feelings.

It's well written and such an honest account of what Judy went through and how she finally manages to find her way in life.

For me, the fact that the story is about somebody who can make a living in a remote part of Scotland is always inspiring. We all have our dreams, but this is a story of how one woman had to cope with the realities of the dream, and how she survived.

Buy it by clicking on this link





Pennine Walkies by Mark Wallington

I read this book while we were on holiday. I haven't read any more of the Boogie's travels books, so this was a first for me. It's Mark Wallington's account of walking the Pennine Way with his dog, Boogie, as the title suggests.

As a walker myself I found it really interesting to read about the different stretches of the Pennine Way, especially when I found myself reading about different areas that I've been too - being able to picture where the journey was taking place made it really good to read. Even if you haven't been to any of the places mentioned in the book, it makes for good reading.

Along the way there are various characters which crop up more than once and there are some accounts of some fairly strange goings on - for instance, answering a call in a phone box and being told that if you see a skinhead walking around, get him to phone me. Who the caller is, is a mystery, and relaying the message to a likely candidate causes some mirth!

I found it a good read, very entertaining, and almost makes me want to walk the Pennine Way myself - just not yet I think……..

You can buy it by clicking on the link below.




The Red House by Mark Haddon

I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book to start with. Initially I was getting really confused with who was who with the characters, and who was related to who. It all seemed a bit disjointed as well, moving from the story with the main characters, to events in the past, then more recent events, how the characters feel, and then back to the present.

Basically it is about a brother and sister and ultimately their relationship, and the relationships within their respective families, now that their mother has died. They haven't seen each other for years and go and spend a week in a house in Herefordshire. Sounds simple enough. But each character goes with their own background ghosts.

While they are on holiday together they start to discover things about each other, and also about themselves. Some things they would rather not reveal, but the week gives them time to reflect on what has happened in the past, and how they can move on.

As I say, initially I found the book quite difficult, and even half-way through I was on the verge of giving up. But as you keep going it draws you in, bit by bit, and you start to see the characters more clearly. It doesn't have a particularly exciting ending, but that really ties in with the whole story I guess - more a case of ending in a very thought provoking way.

I wouldn't say it's a book that I would highly recommend overall. I guess it all depends on what books you enjoy reading yourself. For me, I found it tough keeping up, but that's only my own opinion.

If you fancy reading it for yourself, click on the link to buy it.





Looking for Fireworks by Holly Cavendish

I found this book a bit predictable really - city girl has to go to the country to look after sick father who runs a B & B where she finds the man of her dreams - but it was still a fun book to read.

Single girl Laney Barwell is a city girl who finds herself going to her father's rescue when he becomes ill. He lives in the country and runs a bed and breakfast and Laney finds herself moving in and helping to keep the business running. She is also looking for Mr Right to come along, and has been on numerous disastrous dates - she has told her best friend that she will know when she meets the right person because there will be sparks.

Although Laney thought that being in the country would mean no opportunity to meet anyone at all, she ends up torn between two. Martin, who she feels comfortable with, and who she can depend on,  and then Toby who, although distant and moody, makes her feel completely different.

Despite various set-backs and misunderstandings while trying to fit in to the village life, Laney discovers that country life isn't boring after all, and that, if anything, it can be quite exciting.

The story is about how Laney adapts to country life and how she starts to fit in to the community, and how she manages to find that one special person.

Click on the book if you want to buy it.



Before I go to Sleep by S J Watson

I've had this book on my pile of books to read for some time now - months in fact - but I wish I'd read it earlier. I've also not read a thriller book for months but I think I need to read more of them now after reading this one.

The main character, Christine, wakes up every morning not knowing who she really is, where she is, or who the man is who she wakes up next to. Each morning her husband, Ben, has to explain little things to her and remind her who he is and tell her everything will be ok.

And then she starts to keep a journal, encouraged by Dr Nash who she starts to see on a regular basis. Dr Nash tells her he's trying to help her regain her memory which has been lost after she had an accident years ago. Each day Christine is contacted by Dr Nash who reminds her that she is writing a journal and then tells her where to find it. Each day she writes in the journal and then hides it at night so that Ben doesn't find it. Each day she spends time reading the journal, trying to remember what has happened, and trying to rebuild her life back to how it used to be.

Throughout the book you are never quite sure who Christine should trust - her husband, or Dr Nash. Both of them are giving Christine slightly different information about what has happened to her and how her life used to be.

It's gripping right to the end as Christine slowly starts to remember little things about her past. As she remembers things she starts to test both Ben and Dr Nash to try and work out which one of them is really trying to help her. When she contacts her best friend from her past and they meet up, she is then told a slightly different story of events in her past and you are left wondering just who Christine can trust.

A brilliant book which I found very difficult to put down.

Buy it from Amazon by clicking on the link.



Take a Look at Me Now by Miranda Dickinson

Yet another feel good book, but one that I really enjoyed reading.

Nell Sullivan is in a steady job with an on-off relationship with Aiden who she works with. She knows where she wants to be and has been planning her life carefully. Then she gets the bomb-shell that she is being made redundant, immediately.

Suddenly she's faced with the prospect of either being unemployed or doing something different and exciting. She uses some of her redundancy money to take off to San Francisco for 8 weeks to stay with her cousin who she hasn't seen for years. Totally unlike anything she has ever done before, Nell finds that she's suddenly in a place where she feels at home and where she starts to think that maybe, just maybe, she might be able to find a way to live her dream.

While she's there she meets some colourful characters and it gives her time to think about what she really wants to do with her life. Her dream has always been to open up her own american-style diner in England and while she's in San Francisco she volunteers to help out in the local diner for 6 weeks. This is where she is introduced to the lovely Max Rossi, an artist, who very quickly becomes a big part of Nell's life.

Just as Nell is beginning to believe that her dreams may just come true, and it's time to return to England, she discovers something about Max which he's been hiding from her, and cuts all contact with him. On her return to England Nell ends up back in touch with Aiden who ends up helping her with her dream of running her own diner. Although it would mean working for Aiden's dad as a manager in a diner, Nell takes on the challenge of designing the interior and getting everything set up for opening day. The two of them work closely together, rediscovering things about each other, and become closer as the work on the diner progresses.

Just before the diner is due to open Nell gets a call from Max to say that he is in England for an exhibition and wants to see her to explain everything………..

Will Nell stay with Aiden and live out her dream with the Diner in England? or will she run off with Max, her holiday romance?

To find out, buy the book!







Here's Looking at You by Mhairi McFarlane

A lovely feel good book to read while I was on holiday.

The main character, Anna Alessi, has managed to put her humiliating school days behind her, is in a job she thoroughly enjoys, and is looking for Mr Right. Despite countless disastrous dates, she still believes there is somebody out there for her.

And then in comes James Fraser, the one person who humiliated her so much at school, who she has to work alongside, and who doesn't recognise her from their school days. All the terrible memories of what happened while she was at school start coming back to Anna, and despite finding James is now more mature and funny even, she can't get rid of the memories and finds herself not trusting James completely.

With Anna's sister getting married and things spiralling out of control for her, and James's so called best friend trying to upset things, James steps in to try and help and discovers who Anna really is, and what he did all those years ago to humiliate her.

Now all he has to do is try to work out what he can do to put things right, and Anna has to decide if people can really change.

A lovely, easy to read book.

Buy it from Amazon by clicking the link.



The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty 

This book had me hooked very early on, so it didn't take me long to read it at all.

Cecilia, whose life is so perfect to those around her - a good upstanding member of the community, 3 lovely daughters and husband, John-Paul - accidentally discovers a letter that John-Paul has written which states it has only to be opened in the event of his death. When she confronts John-Paul he asks her not to open the letter and to forget it exists, so the letter remains unopened for a short time before a series of events leads to Cecilia opening the letter and discovering a terrible secret that her husband has kept from her.

Once confronted with the contents of the letter, John-Paul confesses everything. But this then changes their lives as they try to work out whether they should live with his secret, or face the truth.

The story centres around the fact that if Cecilia exposes the secret she risks losing so much,  and it would also affect the lives of other people. But can she live with the guilt if she doesn't tell anyone?

You can buy this from Amazon by clicking on the book below.





The Rosie Projet by Graeme Simsion

Brilliantly written from the view of the main character, Don Tillman, a geneticist, who decides to try and find himself the perfect partner. From the first page of the book you know that it will not be straight forward when he refers to scheduling ninety-four minutes to clean his bathroom. This is his life - structured to the minute, with everything he does designed to either eliminate unnecessary physical or mental exertion, whether planning meals (his Standardised Meal System) or in discussions with anyone, everything has to be organised and relevant. He doesn't take part in social conversations unless he believes there is a rational and logical point to it and cannot understand why people apparently waste valuable time in social interaction which isn't necessary, i.e, fun.

So he puts together a questionnaire for his Wife Project, believing that by completing a questionnaire he will be able to eliminate all non-compatable women and find his perfect wife.

Then along comes Rosie, a PhD student, who is completely the opposite. Suddenly Don's life is taking a different turn and he doesn't quite know how to handle it or what is really happening. Initially spending time with Rosie to try to find out who her real father is by embarking on the Father Project, their time together affects Don more than he can process fully. He helps Rosie track down numerous likely father candidates and they set about getting DNA samples from them all by whatever means they can come up with, including Don learning how to make various cocktails and being offered a partnership in a new cocktail bar, and travelling to New York together where things start to become more emotionally involved.

Having never had feelings like this for anyone before, and realising that Rosie actually likes him, Don sets about 'reprogramming' his scheduled lifestyle in order to be with his perfect partner.

A very well written book and definitely worth a read.

Find it on Amazon by clicking on the book.





Step Back in Time by Ali McNamara

A good, easy read.

It's 2013, and Jo-Jo, the main character, appears to have her life all under control, running her own accountancy firm successfully and keeping herself so busy that she doesn't have time for, and doesn't think she needs, anyone to love. Until one day she steps out on to a zebra crossing and gets hit by a car which sends her back in time to 1963 where everything is different. As she tries to make sense of what's happened she has two of her friends from the future helping her along the way, Harry and Ellie, and also George, the owner of a second-hand music shop who guides her.

Just as Jo-Jo is trying to work out why she's been sent back to 1963, and what she needs to do to get back to 2013, the same thing happens again and she gets hit by a car as she steps out on to a zebra crossing and wakes up in 1970's. Again, the same friends are there again, in different jobs, different situations, but always there for Jo-Jo. George is always there as well, trying to help Jo-Jo make sense of everything. As Jo-Jo finds herself in the 1980's and then 1990's she slowly begins to understand that maybe her life in 2013 wasn't what she really wanted after all, and that there is more to life than just being on your own and running your own business.

It's a lovely story about a girl who realises she really does love somebody, and how it changes her during each decade.

Buy this book from Amazon by clicking on the book




The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

What a book! I could hardly put this down once I'd started it. The main character, Hazel, is living with cancer treatment and knows that it's terminal for her. Just as she thinks her life is just plodding along, along comes Augustus Waters, a cancer survivor, in one of her Support Group meetings, and changes her life. The story is sad, funny, tragic and thought provoking as these two young people discuss the meaning of life, fall in love, and help each other deal with how cancer is affecting both of them and those people around them.

It's a tragic love story with a twist at the end (which I won't give away as you have to read the book to find out), not the ending you expect all the way through the book. It's brilliantly written and grips you early on. It's funny in places, and sad in others, but all the way through is the underlying theme of determination to deal with life head on and not be beaten.

A must have book.

Buy from Amazon by clicking on the book.