Book Review / The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies

 

Dinah Jefferies' stunning new novel is a gripping, unforgettable tale of a woman torn between two worlds...

1952, French Indochina. Since her mother's death, eighteen-year-old half-French, half-Vietnamese Nicole has been living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Sylvie. When Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business, Nicole is given an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. But the area is teeming with militant rebels who want to end French rule, by any means possible. For the first time, Nicole is awakened to the corruption of colonial rule - and her own family's involvement shocks her to the core...

Tran, a notorious Vietnamese insurgent, seems to offer the perfect escape from her troubles, while Mark, a charming American trader, is the man she's always dreamed of. But who can she trust in this world where no one is what they seem?

The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial era Vietnam.

Published:   1st January 2016

Publisher:   Penguin

Goodreads :   Click here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

Genres:     Historical Fictional and Romance 

Pages:   400 pages, Hardcover 

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  Yet another absolutely beautifully written story by Dinah Jefferies.  At the fear of repeating myself too much with this author but what draws me in each and every time is the beautifully written descriptions of locations and characters.  This time we are in Vietnam, a place that I have not visited but certainly feel like I have now with the way this book was written!  A wonderful story about family dynamics and love amongst the backdrop of the lead up to the Vietnam war...

Would I recommend...  100%  If you love historical fiction or would like to try - get this in your hands now!

Continue reading Book Review / The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jefferies

Book Review / Cujo by Stephen King

 

Librarian note: An alternative cover for this ISBN can be found here.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine . . . He was not a werewolf, vampire, ghoul, or unnameable creature from the enchanted forest or snow wastes; he was only a cop . . .

Cujo is a huge Saint Bernard dog, the best friend Brett Camber has ever had. Then one day Cujo chases a rabbit into a bolt-hole. Except it isn't a rabbit warren any more. It is a cave inhabited by rabid bats.

And Cujo falls sick. Very sick. And the gentle giant who once protected the family becomes a vortex of horror inexorably drawing in all the people around him . .

Published:  1st January 1981

Publisher:  Hodder & Stoughton

Goodreads :   Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

Genres:     Horror, Fiction, Thriller and Suspense

Pages:  432 pages, Paperback

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this book...  I am going to be completely honest here, I am not a big fan of dogs.  It's not that I don't like animals, I do, but I've never gravitated towards dogs that much ever since I was a kid and having been constantly chased down by the neighbour's dog!  So, with that in mind, I wasn't too hyped about picking up this book and reading about dogs but it's Stephen King so I completely trusted his writing to not let me down and he didn't!  I felt all the emotions for this poor dog - happy, sad, frustrated and horrified.   If ever I was tempted to put a book in the freezer because it was too creepy and scary, this one was it for me.  That said, I didn't want to put this down and at a reasonable size of 432 pages for Stephen King I nearly did that had it not been for the fact that I needed sleep!

Would I recommend...  Absolutely!  Very sad, creepy and horrific in places (and sometimes all at the same time)!

Continue reading Book Review / Cujo by Stephen King

Waiting on Wednesday / This is Why We Lied by Karen Slaughter

Waiting on Wednesday was a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog that I really enjoyed blogging about in the post, so I thought I would bring it back!  Below is this week's pick!

The next thrilling suspense featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton from Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Girls and After That Night!

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer…

A secluded cabin retreat

For GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, McAlpine Lodge seems like the ideal getaway to celebrate their honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous, off-the-grid mountaintop property, it’s the perfect place to unplug and reconnect. Until a bone-chilling scream cuts through the night.

A murderer in their midst

Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge, is dead. With a vicious storm raging and the one access road to the property washed out, the murderer must be someone on the mountain. But as Will and Sara investigate the McAlpine family and the other guests, they realize that everyone here is lying….Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.

Who killed Mercy McAlpine?

It soon becomes clear that normal rules don’t apply at McAlpine Lodge, and Will and Sara are going to have to watch their step at every turn. Trapped on the resort, they must untangle a decades-old web of secrets to discover what happened to Mercy. And with the killer poised to strike again, the trip of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…

Expected Publication Date:  20th August 2024 (UK)

Publisher:  William Morrow

Pages:   464 pages, Hardcover

Genres;  Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense and Crime

 

Continue reading Waiting on Wednesday / This is Why We Lied by Karen Slaughter

Book Review / Memories of the Lost by Barbara O'Neal

 

An unsuspecting artist uncovers her late mother’s secrets and unravels her own hidden past in a beguiling novel by the USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids.

Months after her mother passes away, artist Tillie Morrisey sees a painting in a gallery that leaves her inexplicably lightheaded and unsteady. When a handsome stranger comes to her aid, their connection is so immediate it seems fated, though Liam is only visiting for a few days.

Working on her own art has always been a refuge, but after discovering a document among her mother’s belongings that suggests Tillie’s life has been a lie, she begins to suffer from a series of fugue states, with memories surfacing that she isn’t even sure are her own. As her confusion and grief mount, and prompted by a lead on the painting that started it all, Tillie heads to a seaside village in England. There, she hopes to discover the source of her uncanny inspirations, sort out her feelings about Liam, and unravel truths that her mother kept hidden for decades.

The fluidity of memory, empowering strength of character, beauty of nature, and love of family braid together in this artful tapestry of a novel.

Publication Date:  30th July 2024

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Netgalley Review Copy 

Genres:     Fiction, Contemporary

Pages:  279 Pages, Ebook

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...  I had to read this novel in one sitting.  I could not put it down.  An excellent start with introducing all of the characters both in the US and in England and the twists in this story truly surprised me both in following Tillie as she discovers a secret that had long been buried and the way the story ended in the last few chapters.  I loved every part of this novel.

What I didn't love about this story...  This is more than likely something that I have missed in the story but there's something that is mentioned at the beginning about discovering something buried but I don't remember hearing the outcome of that.  It may be that there was no outcome and nothing further mentioned apart from the discovery but I think I missed the part where we found out what happened.  I may have to re-read this at some point to figure out what I missed...

Would I recommend... Most definately!  If you are a fan of Kate Morton and Lulu Taylor do pick this up and give it a go.  Although this does not have a split story between past and present, it does have a split story between characters that I would highly recommend.  I will absolutely be picking up more books by this author.

Continue reading Book Review / Memories of the Lost by Barbara O'Neal

Book Review / Yellowface by R F Kuang

 Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena's a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn't even get a paperback release. Nobody wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.

So when June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena's just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena's novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song--complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn't this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That's what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.

But June can't get away from Athena's shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June's (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface takes on questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation not only in the publishing industry but the persistent erasure of Asian-American voices and history by Western white society. R. F. Kuang's novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable.

Published:  16th May 2023 

Publisher:  William Morrow

Goodreads :  Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

Genres:     Thriller, Contemporary and Mystery

Pages:  336 pages, Hardcover 

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  This was such a fun quick read.  I read this in one sitting, in one afternoon.  I don't think I've come across many novels where I both really dislike and like a main character, at the same time.  Although June knows what she is doing is morally wrong, she does it anyway, so when things start to not go so well she kind of deserves it to be honest but that doesn't mean I don't want things to work out well for her.  There were not a lot of surprises in this book but I still had a really great time.  

Would I recommend...  A fun thriller to read on a rainy afternoon.  Nothing complicated but great.  

Continue reading Book Review / Yellowface by R F Kuang

Book Review / The Thousand Lights Hotel by Emylia Hall

 

The Thousand Lights Hotel is the gorgeous new novel from Emylia Hall, author of Richard & Judy Summer Pick The Book Of Summers. Set in idyllic Italy, it's the perfect holiday read, for fans of Louise Douglas and Hannah Richell.

When Kit loses her mother in tragic circumstances, she feels drawn to finally connect with the father she has never met. That search brings her to the Thousand Lights Hotel, the perfect holiday escape perched upon a cliff on the island of Elba. Within this idyllic setting a devastating truth is brought to light: shaking the foundations upon which the hotel is built, and shattering the lives of the people within it.

A heartbreaking story of loss, betrayal, and redemption, told with all the warmth and beauty of an Italian summer.

Published:   1st January 2017

Publisher:   Headline Review

Goodreads :   Click here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

Genres:     Romance

Pages:   304 pages, Paperback

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...  The description of both the location and the characters that transported me directly to Italy and want to stay there.  Such a beautifully written story.  There's just something about a family drama or mystery that always draws me in and this story was no different.

What I didn't like about this story...  This was one of those stories that immediately when I finished it I couldn't quite remember what I had just read.  There was no staying power with the story with this one.  If I picked this up to read again I probably wouldn't have remembered much.  This may be a me thing rather than the story, though.  Also, at 304 pages I would have loved to have more of the story and follow the main character for a bit longer...

Would I recommend...  This was an ok read.  If this is your thing, do pick it up.

Continue reading Book Review / The Thousand Lights Hotel by Emylia Hall

Waiting on Wednesday / By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Waiting on Wednesday was a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog that I really enjoyed blogging about in the post, so I thought I would bring it back!  Below is this week's pick!

Two women, centuries apart--one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare's plays--are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.

In 1581, Emilia Bassano--like most young women of her day--is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain's mistress, she has access to all theater in England, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world's greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history.

In the present, playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theater. Would Melina--like Emilia--be willing to forfeit her credit as author, just for a chance to see her work performed?

Told in intertwining narratives, this sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire asks what price each woman is willing to pay to see their work live on--even if it means they will be forgotten.

Expected Publication Date:  20th August 2024 (UK)

Pages:  544 Pages, Hardcover

Publisher:  Ballantine Books

Continue reading Waiting on Wednesday / By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Book Review / Song of the West by Nora Roberts

 

Former Olympic gymnast Samantha Evans and her twin sister Sabrina have chosen very different directions in life, but they are still as close as sisters can be. So when Sabrina begs her twin to help out during her pregnancy, Sam leaves her big city life behind for the countryside.

Sam thought she knew what to expect on her sister's ranch. But she wasn't expecting to find gorgeous but infuriating Jake Tanner - or have to deal with his teasing. Sam tries to keep her distance, something keeps pulling her back. Perhaps there's more to Jake than meets the eye . . .

Published:  1st April 1982 (republished 4th March 2021)

Publisher:  Piatkus

Pages:  141 Pages, Paperback

Genre:  Romance, Contemporary, Westerns and Fiction

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  The romance.  Full stop.  There's just something about a Nora Roberts romance that always get me, every single time.  Even though this story is only 141 pages, it still packs a punch in the romance department.  For me, this story was all about the characters.  You have sisters and then you have the introduction of Jake Tanner...

What I didn't like about this story...  I would have loved for this story to have been longer with the relationships and romance being drawn out longer, or even if this was a series of books following each character, that would be amazing.

Would I recommend...  Highly!  A great romance ideal for a rainy Sunday afternoon (or any other day of the week that takes your fancy!)

Continue reading Book Review / Song of the West by Nora Roberts

Book Review / The Kind Worth Saving by Peter Swanson

 

Book 2 in the Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner Series

In this spectacularly devious novel by New York Times bestselling author Peter Swanson—featuring the smart and complex Lily Kintner from his acclaimed novel, The Kind Worth Killing—a private eye starts to follow a possibly adulterous husband, but little does he know that the twisted trail will lead back to the woman who hired him.

There was always something slightly dangerous about Joan. So, when she turns up at private investigator Henry Kimball’s office asking him to investigate her husband, he can’t help feeling ill at ease. Just the sight of her stirs up a chilling memory: he knew Joan in his previous life as a high school English teacher, when he was at the center of a tragedy.

Now Joan needs his help in proving that her husband is cheating. But what should be a simple case of infidelity becomes much more complicated when Kimball finds two bodies in an uninhabited suburban home with a “for sale” sign out front. Suddenly it feels like the past is repeating itself, and Henry must go back to one of the worst days of his life to uncover the truth.

Is it possible that Joan knows something about that day, something she’s hidden all these years? Could there still be a killer out there, someone who believes they have gotten away with murder? Henry is determined to find out, but as he steps closer to the truth, a murderer is getting closer to him, and in this hair-raising game of cat and mouse only one of them will survive.

Published:  7th March 2023

Genres:  Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense and Crime

Pages:  303 pages, Hardcover

Publisher:  William Morrow

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...    Peter Swanson is one of those authors that I get so excited about a new book coming out and an author that I will always buy his books to read irrespective of whether or not I know what the book is or not.  As with most of Peter's novels, I could not put this down and needed to know what would happen next.  The best part of this novel was following the characters and seeing how they dealt with the roadblocks thrown into their path on their journeys.    

What I didn't like with this story...   I went into this story pretty blind and without having re-read the first book in this series, A Kind Worth Killing.  Although I don't think that you necessary need to read that first book to appreciate this second one but, from my experience, I would recommend it.  I felt that since it had been a while since reading the first book I had forgotten a lot about it and the main characters, so would have probably enjoyed this story a lot more if I had.  That's not to say there isn't a really good 'summary' in this book to catch you up but, for me, its not the same as actually reading the books together.  I do play to re-read both at some point. 

Would I recommend...   This is a great novel, but I would strongly recommend reading book 1 first before delving into this one.  

Continue reading Book Review / The Kind Worth Saving by Peter Swanson

Book Review / The Hike by Lucy Clarke

 

Wish you were here?
Think again . . .

Maggie, Liz, Helena & Joni. Old friends bound by history, adventures, old secrets.

And now, bound by murder.

They lace up their hiking boots for the adventure of a lifetime in the Norwegian wilderness: a place of towering mountains, glass-like lakes, log cabins and forests stolen from a fairytale.

It’s the perfect place to lose yourself – until a broken body is found at the bottom of a ravine.

Somewhere out there, someone knows exactly why a woman has died. And in this deep, dark wilderness, there’s a killer on the trail . . .

Published:   27th April 2023

Pages:  384 pages, Hardcover

Genre:  Thriller, Mystery, Suspense and Crime

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...   For me, the suspense was the best part of this book.  What were the old secrets between the friends?  What was going to happen on the hike?  Had something else already happened?  Just could not put this down.  Honestly, I read this in one sitting!  There's something about this author's writing that makes me just not want to stop reading!

What I didn't like about this story...  Despite being extremely addicting and the fact that I had so many questions, there were no real surprises for me in this story.  What I had suspected turned out to be right.  

Would I recommend...  This was a great story.  I would recommend picking this up with no knowledge of the story before going in like I did.  

Continue reading Book Review / The Hike by Lucy Clarke

Book Review / Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.

Published:  31st March 2022

Publisher:  Doubleday

Genres:  Historical Fiction, Romance and Feminism

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  There's something about a historical fiction novel that keeps drawing me in and attracting my curiosity.  This was such a fascinating book to read.    I wasn't sure what to expect when I first went into this but this story is so much more than just a woman who wants to work in Science and Chemistry and because of circumstances out of her control she ends up working in a cooking show applying science to cooking.  For me, the most fascinating part of this book is the interactions between the characters and how men in that time period perceived what women should be (seen and not heard) and that they should not be in the work place.  Of course, this book made me very angry reading about the main character being treated this way but loved how Elizabeth dealt with this.

Would I recommend...  A very serious subject dealt with in a very light hearted and humorous way.  Would highly recommend.

 

Continue reading Book Review / Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Book Review / Happy Place by Emily Henry

 Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

MY REVIEW

Published:   25th April 2023

Publisher:  Berkley

Genres:   Romance, Contemporary and Chicklit

Pages:   400 pages (Hardcover)

What I loved about this story... This story was so much fun to read.  I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting on a cloudy and rainy English summer afternoon.  What I am loving the most about the majority of the books by Emily Henry, including this one, is the fact that she makes me feel.  Feel for the characters and the situations.  I was so invested in both the main characters and the other characters that were along for the ride also I really wanted to see things work out in the end.  

What I didn't like about this story...  Honestly, there's nothing.  I loved this book.

Would I recommend...  Yes!!  If you are looking for a fun non-complicated read about romance and drama this is one to pick up.   If you haven't tried a Emily Henry book before, honestly I would recommend you try Book Lovers first as that one is an excellent introduction to her writing, but read this one straight afterwards!

Continue reading Book Review / Happy Place by Emily Henry

Book Review / Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda

 

Welcome to Hollow’s Edge, where you can find secrets, scandal, and a suspected killer—all on one street.

Hollow’s Edge use to be a quiet place. A private and idyllic neighborhood where neighbors dropped in on neighbors, celebrated graduation and holiday parties together, and looked out for one another. But then came the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. A year and a half later, Hollow’s Edge is simmering. The residents are trapped, unable to sell their homes, confronted daily by the empty Truett house, and suffocated by their trial testimonies that implicated one of their own. Ruby Fletcher. And now, Ruby’s back.

With her conviction overturned, Ruby waltzes right back to Hollow’s Edge, and into the home she shared with Harper Nash. Harper, five years older, has always treated Ruby like a wayward younger sister. But now she’s terrified. What possible good could come of Ruby returning to the scene of the crime? And how can she possibly turn her away, when she knows Ruby has nowhere to go?

Within days, suspicion spreads like a virus across Hollow’s Edge. It’s increasingly clear that not everyone told the truth about the night of the Truetts’ murders. And when Harper begins receiving threatening notes, she realizes she has to uncover the truth before someone else becomes the killer’s next victim.

Goodreads Link:-   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55711642-such-a-quiet-place

Genres:-  Mystery, Thriller and Suspense

Publisher:-  Simon & Schuster

Pages:  337 pages (Hardcover)

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...  The best part of this story would have to be the suspense build up for me.  So many questions going on that I needed to have the answer to, which made it very difficult to put the book down!  Just following all the drama with Ruby and what she was going to do next, or finding out all about her strange behaviour...

What I didn't love about this story...  Honestly, this was such a slow reading book I did find it frustrating at times when I wanted the plot to move faster (as most thrillers usually do to pick up the pace) it just didn't go any faster.  It may be me and not the book but also it may be the book and not me.  

Would I recommend...  This was good fun and definately worth a pick up, but do be aware of the slow pacing which may distract from the plot at times.  

Continue reading Book Review / Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda

Book Review / The Dead Zone by Stephen King

 

Stephen King's fan-favourite thriller. Also available in audio for the first time, read by Academy Award nominee James Franco.

The two things that conjured up that horrible night, were his run of luck at the Wheel of Fortune, and the mask...

Meet Johnny Smith. A young man whose streak of luck ends dramatically in a major car crash. Followed by blackness. A long, long time in cold limbo.

When he wakes up life has been turned upside down. His fiancée has met someone else. And Johnny is cursed with the power to perceive evil in men's souls. He's had these hunches since he had an ice-skating accident as a child. Now he has an ability to see into the future. An ability which will bring him into a terrifying confrontation with a charismatic, power-hungry and dangerous man...

Goodreads Link:-   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11356787-the-dead-zone

Genres:-  Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal and Mystery

Publisher:-  Hodder & Stoughton

Pages:  530 pages - Kindle Edition

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...   I just could not put this book down.  The plot sucked me in right from the beginning when we meet Johnny and everything was going right, when he went on a date to the crash right the way through to the very last page.  The suspense in this story, for me, was everything.  I needed to know what was going to happen next and whether Johnny was going to get back the luck he had at the start.  At 530 pages it was certainly a challenge but I managed to read this in 2 sittings over 2 days and that's an achievement for me!  

What I didn't like about this story...  Absolutely nothing.  Loved this from the first page to the very last

Would I recommend... Yes 100%  For those who are not so keen on the style of graphic horror you get with Misery, this is an ideal one to pick up.  I would call this more of a triller, science fiction mystery rather than a horror to be honest.  

Continue reading Book Review / The Dead Zone by Stephen King

Book Review / Misery by Stephen King

 

The #1 national bestseller about a famous novelist held hostage by his “number one fan” and suffering a frightening case of writer’s block—that could prove fatal. One of “Stephen King’s best…genuinely scary” (USA TODAY).

Paul Sheldon is a bestselling novelist who has finally met his number one fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes, and she is more than a rabid reader—she is Paul’s nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also furious that the author has killed off her favorite character in his latest book. Annie becomes his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house.

Annie wants Paul to write a book that brings Misery back to life—just for her. She has a lot of ways to spur him on. One is a needle. Another is an axe. And if they don’t work, she can get really nasty.

“Terrifying” (San Francisco Chronicle), “dazzlingly well-written” (The Indianapolis Star), and “truly gripping” (Publishers Weekly), Misery is “classic Stephen King...full of twists and turns and mounting suspense” (The Boston Globe).

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...  It has to be the way that this story made me feel so uncomfortable all the way through the book was, wierdly enough, the best part of my experience of this book.  Right from the moment that Paul was found in the snow and from then on everything was so uncomfortable to read and follow it was the feeling that I really didn't want to read it because of what was happening but I really did because the story and the writing was excellently carried out.  Its such an odd thing to have to try and explain but hopefully it makes sense!   Also, what an ending.  Loved that part the most!

What I didn't like about this story...  This story definitely reached the upper limit of what I can bear when I read horror.   Quite a lot of what Paul had to go through really made my stomach churn, but that's just a personal preference rather than there's something wrong with the book.  

Would I recommend...  Yes but with the caveat that this book is not for the faint-hearted!  If you do decide to read this book know that its very graphic and a lot to take in for a lot of the book!

Continue reading Book Review / Misery by Stephen King