tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61811563381945569562024-03-17T20:03:43.821-07:00Debra's Book CafeDebra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.comBlogger1960125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-75499723699725437752023-08-05T09:41:00.001-07:002023-08-08T01:17:41.718-07:00Review / The Long Walk by Richard Bachman aka Stephen King<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoqUXCGrR3c06Rm0wueAtWX4z5snPQiQeyEvrzO1Q9mrp9SJwnywaw2S55C1pZoWy_p6qV4LM3oFyLMtOzD6V0B9OM0lfTiWubwgxfE-mbF9lOZGSkzZikntVxyapcfTM2j_sjXBaczEOCaK8XFNzEekgFPn9BvRnt8xpQl8-CNQbJsrPSNqy-ccdO-c/s475/9014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoqUXCGrR3c06Rm0wueAtWX4z5snPQiQeyEvrzO1Q9mrp9SJwnywaw2S55C1pZoWy_p6qV4LM3oFyLMtOzD6V0B9OM0lfTiWubwgxfE-mbF9lOZGSkzZikntVxyapcfTM2j_sjXBaczEOCaK8XFNzEekgFPn9BvRnt8xpQl8-CNQbJsrPSNqy-ccdO-c/w378-h640/9014.jpg" width="378" /></a></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9014.The_Long_Walk" target="_blank"><b>Check out the Goodreads Link here...</b></a><br /> <p></p><p>This is my first Richard Bachman book (but not my first Stephen King book). I am very slowly making my way through Stephen King's backlog of books and thought I would give this a go to see what is so different about writing under this name to books written under the Stephen King name. </p><p>Honestly, I am not sure what the difference is but I really enjoyed this one. Am I sure why they were doing the Long Walk in the first place, no. Am I wondering if I have missed something in the novel that told me why, yes. Will I re-read it to find out, no. I think its better not knowing and just leaving it at that. Also, I really enjoyed the ending. I am not going to say why because I don't want to spoil this for anyone who hasn't read it yet but it was the perfect ending and the one I had been hoping for. </p><p>Would highly recommend...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-12113592785990365662023-08-05T09:35:00.002-07:002023-08-05T09:35:40.302-07:00Book Review / Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzYEr4i3M06nA5zAx7EOFRcH4UyT9TkK1XypOgSbGXo82xrw1115vsW02a4c1HgmH89hV63R-L7OxltaqgSbMijLiENbTjrrcNN5oNsTpTpLNz02dazB-oxH_YdceTGAtpBaOuGEqR9kYARO2t5VN_KOJUKE7vZR3EykhF3Xo23cjmn7VY6JpUnruwn8/s1500/59641216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzYEr4i3M06nA5zAx7EOFRcH4UyT9TkK1XypOgSbGXo82xrw1115vsW02a4c1HgmH89hV63R-L7OxltaqgSbMijLiENbTjrrcNN5oNsTpTpLNz02dazB-oxH_YdceTGAtpBaOuGEqR9kYARO2t5VN_KOJUKE7vZR3EykhF3Xo23cjmn7VY6JpUnruwn8/w426-h640/59641216.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59641216-friends-lovers-and-the-big-terrible-thing" target="_blank">Check it out on Goodreads here...</a></p><p></p><p>I can't tell you how long I have been waiting for this book to be both released and to be in my hands. I had mistakenly added it to my Christmas list so had to wait to receive it before I could read it!! Fool!</p><p>Matthew Perry has been one of my favourite actors since Friends. He is a firm favourite on that show for me and for every single project he has done since (my favourite being the movie Fools Rush In - I can't tell you how many times I have watched that movie!). </p><p>This book was definitely an eye opener. That's for sure. For someone to go through so much and still be standing today, is impressive. I can't imagine having to go through only one of the things that have happened let alone all of them!</p><p>This book doesn't follow a specific timeline but tends to go from one aspect of Matthew's life to another, past or present, randomly, and I really liked that. It put me right there is any moment I was reading at any given time. </p><p>Would highly recommend :-)</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-53239628077928716232023-04-16T10:10:00.000-07:002023-04-16T10:10:21.086-07:00Book Review / A Winter Memory by Lulu Taylor<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBSTD9OatXBYQZNKK4Wf-e9dn7mr0Puh693hD3jDjdlWRzGq7ASJVNpgNV2ahYLXDk9cXDP_1mlvIz6xqDg7hnaaOqkALDE8hdxckWmD6mFmcQAipxzT_T8LUWNKUsjrF9wnDRG3gH2RSlHl2bJxFG_4zyPFaqQTcIo9rJvj2HQLl0IBlJrRKsS8gF=s4160" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBSTD9OatXBYQZNKK4Wf-e9dn7mr0Puh693hD3jDjdlWRzGq7ASJVNpgNV2ahYLXDk9cXDP_1mlvIz6xqDg7hnaaOqkALDE8hdxckWmD6mFmcQAipxzT_T8LUWNKUsjrF9wnDRG3gH2RSlHl2bJxFG_4zyPFaqQTcIo9rJvj2HQLl0IBlJrRKsS8gF=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825">A house full of secrets
lies at the heart of this absorbing family drama that is perfect for the
winter months, from Sunday Times top ten bestselling author Lulu
Taylor.<br /><br />Where is Sylla? Why will no one tell me where she is?<br /><br />Helen
is married to Angus, the younger of the Ballintyre brothers. They met
as students and Helen fell in love, not just with Angus but with the
romantic Ballintyre family and their beautiful house on the edge of a
loch. But marriage to Angus has not proved happy.<br /><br />Now, years
later and with a family, Helen and Angus have been forced to move back
to live at Ballintyre with his older brother, Charlie. Helen is
surprised to find that Sylla, Charlie’s wife, has disappeared and no one
seems to know where she is. Helen is worried, not least because Charlie
and Sylla lost their teenage daughter, Rose, only a year before. Surely
someone should be looking for her . . .<br /><br />Sylla Ballintyre has
spent her life ministering to her husband, Charlie, and coping with the
presence of his overbearing mother, Josephine, until the tragedy of
losing Rose drained her happiness away. When she stumbles on the path to
freedom, she knows she must take it, whatever the cost.<br /><br />As Helen
struggles with the fallout of recent events and its effect on her life,
Ballintyre House becomes the setting for revelations of love, obsession
and betrayal that have resonated beyond the present and into the past,
affecting the lives of all those who have called it home.</span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText6761315334398491825">Published: 25th November 2021<br />Publisher: Pan<br />Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57638945-a-winter-memory?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=l3A5C45YdD&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br />Source: Bought</span></b></span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNO0ZL4FZccLxJnnNvRzFyy-8QA8zRZt2HFA2SSrCe6NIqwcd6cQW1G2Vwp33HS8hevbW0q8_ohGvse-FzDfheOKdfBgt9eetTJQrW6wd5e2X2lwZK7bZ_d4G_mY40ZOTmtjlWRUFg4hb78n-daFtEK7IVke7Lb69wR3wk0nIVPWFKGN-7UFNobVS8=s208" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="39" data-original-width="208" height="39" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNO0ZL4FZccLxJnnNvRzFyy-8QA8zRZt2HFA2SSrCe6NIqwcd6cQW1G2Vwp33HS8hevbW0q8_ohGvse-FzDfheOKdfBgt9eetTJQrW6wd5e2X2lwZK7bZ_d4G_mY40ZOTmtjlWRUFg4hb78n-daFtEK7IVke7Lb69wR3wk0nIVPWFKGN-7UFNobVS8" width="208" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span id="freeText6761315334398491825">MY REVIEW</span></b></u></span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825">One of the things that I love about this author is that she knows how to weave a story together that has the perfect amount of suspense and drama that keeps me hooked right to the very last page. This book was no different. </span></p><p>What I loved the most about this story is the family history of the Ballintyre family and the feeling that I had that there is more to the story than meets the eye. <span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> You have various characters appear throughout the story and all very important to the overall plot. As with most of this author's novels, we follow two timelines; Helen in the present day and Tiggs in the past. As the story slowly goes along, you get to see the two timelines slowly get closer and closer together until you get to plot twists that I really wasn't expecting.</span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825">Loved this story and could not recommend it highly enough!<br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> <br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> <br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText6761315334398491825"> </span><br /> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-68333848602713894852022-03-24T00:15:00.000-07:002022-03-24T00:15:47.261-07:00Book Review / The House at Riverton by Kate Morton<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7guzYJ00gNXacvia0UoIj2tOyaI8wRwOZwXf027ZQEprPjhnzV24rkkiow79QJUidrjOauf-rytiK21jCufPL9wYJkyCj33ut_TDKog6jZu2fwwY7R8KISL-yCdPCAMViGdmzlpOJOSj5nnkunknpfvMkbFTLsN7g5XWVevkijlOPCkH8Wb_eOjZV=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7guzYJ00gNXacvia0UoIj2tOyaI8wRwOZwXf027ZQEprPjhnzV24rkkiow79QJUidrjOauf-rytiK21jCufPL9wYJkyCj33ut_TDKog6jZu2fwwY7R8KISL-yCdPCAMViGdmzlpOJOSj5nnkunknpfvMkbFTLsN7g5XWVevkijlOPCkH8Wb_eOjZV=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br><p></p><p> <span id="freeText3267812166675084147"><i>The House at Riverton</i>
is a gorgeous debut novel set in England between the wars. Perfect for
fans of "Downton Abbey," it's the story of an aristocratic family, a
house, a mysterious death, and a way of life that vanished forever, told
in flashback by a woman who witnessed it all.<br><br>The novel is full
of secrets - some revealed, others hidden forever, reminiscent of the
romantic suspense of Daphne du Maurier. It's also a meditation on memory
and the devastation of war and a beautifully rendered window into a
fascinating time in history.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 15th June 2007<br>Publisher: Pan<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1278752.The_House_at_Riverton?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=FGQSBqOGRP&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought</b></span><br> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBqnzUwYa3ZGap2ZPZxmU8QsRhFfrh7InHu2JVE2Y5EWwa-VuQbtcx_nu1hXNYnYyTJaI5ZmjgmHMaMlEQg1-_P-akK0pnUGC9Ykp40oGSji5HodMG3JZoxrGzpCxATjzCKSITgXhzXEF7lwD0HEYe7ny3uotNb0VIaIxz-QbDjxa3eIxMVZ-xZeZp=s330" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="78" data-original-width="330" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBqnzUwYa3ZGap2ZPZxmU8QsRhFfrh7InHu2JVE2Y5EWwa-VuQbtcx_nu1hXNYnYyTJaI5ZmjgmHMaMlEQg1-_P-akK0pnUGC9Ykp40oGSji5HodMG3JZoxrGzpCxATjzCKSITgXhzXEF7lwD0HEYe7ny3uotNb0VIaIxz-QbDjxa3eIxMVZ-xZeZp=s320" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span> <br></p><p> </p><p>One of my missions this year is to read all of the novels written by Kate Morton. This novel I had read previously, so this was a re-read, and it was just as a good as what I remembered it to be. </p><p>What I loved about this book was the fact that the main character in this novel is not one of the rich people living at Riverton, but we follow a maid who joined after being recommended by her mother who had also worked at the house. This novel is split over two time periods. We have the past and what happened back then and we have the present where we see Grace, the maid, now an elderly lady in a nursing home remembering the past. </p><p>There's nothing better for me than a book with a lot of secrets that need to be revealed. This book certainly had its fair share of secrets! If I had to have one criticism, and it really is only a tiny criticism, is that the novel was quite long at 484 pages. It could have easily been 400 or a bit less and the story would have been just as good.</p><p>If you like a good novel with a lot of family history and secrets, this is the one to pick up. <br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-13091233190996173932022-03-21T23:03:00.000-07:002022-03-21T23:03:54.467-07:00Book Review / The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfQUo2Jf6_7IsVa39yP57T1sl0OvK9_NXQMzcyVvr4ohMaMVB36x62MwGFMyeM8z06zhAT6rfv-gMsT6j9ZoXpaMaJxg9bOoykV2hSkGpOlasn28eEbhO_nq0Wgp6Vdwk8r_SoN2-vw09tYE9C9wd8T5ZZtjpWRNlEy99eaVtb8yBxdTxdmq9cJLyg=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfQUo2Jf6_7IsVa39yP57T1sl0OvK9_NXQMzcyVvr4ohMaMVB36x62MwGFMyeM8z06zhAT6rfv-gMsT6j9ZoXpaMaJxg9bOoykV2hSkGpOlasn28eEbhO_nq0Wgp6Vdwk8r_SoN2-vw09tYE9C9wd8T5ZZtjpWRNlEy99eaVtb8yBxdTxdmq9cJLyg=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br> <p></p><p><span id="freeText8863817367882823491">The Vignes twin sisters
will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small,
southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just
the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's
everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities.
Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same
southern town she once tried to escape. The other passes for white, and
her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so
many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain
intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own
daughters' storylines intersect?<br><br>Weaving together multiple
strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to
California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story
that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant
exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond
issues of race, <i>The Vanishing Half</i> considers the lasting
influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and
expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in
which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their
origins.</span> </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 2nd June 2020<br>Publisher: Riverhead Books<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51791252-the-vanishing-half?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=2x0ayam6jB&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought<br></b></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAZby03hNECNMWkEfJJs3ceGoGyKKILQX58ZLlEgB8qlKUI7aMz26Z5LNdlpzkK0xLrefl4PXLv9XQRq4vxE82sNfCLy4MsVbi1doIvVNN2k-oRvndme6Xu8Rj733b-jlIHkmbC68fqnwkW0C8PdJqpiEPBiQDYjXTAUusDPPkOy4WkbUkiARusraA=s330" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="78" data-original-width="330" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAZby03hNECNMWkEfJJs3ceGoGyKKILQX58ZLlEgB8qlKUI7aMz26Z5LNdlpzkK0xLrefl4PXLv9XQRq4vxE82sNfCLy4MsVbi1doIvVNN2k-oRvndme6Xu8Rj733b-jlIHkmbC68fqnwkW0C8PdJqpiEPBiQDYjXTAUusDPPkOy4WkbUkiARusraA=s320" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span><br></p><p><br></p><p>I have to be honest and say that I bought this book purely because of the cover! I knew nothing about the book or the author, having not read her other book. I just knew that I had to buy it. Yes I know it is probably best to know a bit about the book before you buy it or want to read it but, for me, that takes the fun out of it a little bit. There's nothing better than picking up a book that you know nothing about and end up really enjoying the journey the author takes you on.</p><p>What I enjoyed the most about this story is that it shows that no two people are the same or have the same dreams. Here you have twins who, clearly, have very different interests. Life has also thrown some curve balls at them and has taken them down paths they really were not expecting. I found it fascinating following both Stella and Desiree as they navigate their paths. </p><p>For me, this was a slow paced read but with this type of story it fit perfectly. I could sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.</p><p>Would highly recommend. <br></p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-51879215079455303752022-03-18T00:16:00.000-07:002022-03-18T00:16:24.309-07:00Book Review / Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidxaxOtbJRXZDsQWZJRoNWN18pmbBGtZFV35DuJfxpRCDkgMdTb79VQulQsDvIlRxRQr0Px161RmcEG8O3S7ouGZqR8p4Nk21AgN-FbDBd3T4JjlFA8mkBozeWGeIPGnb-iMEBWfqCR-FPClbNivZecpRqoeVOw3wMVAhY9wAkQ3XdUsPa2fckqt7u=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidxaxOtbJRXZDsQWZJRoNWN18pmbBGtZFV35DuJfxpRCDkgMdTb79VQulQsDvIlRxRQr0Px161RmcEG8O3S7ouGZqR8p4Nk21AgN-FbDBd3T4JjlFA8mkBozeWGeIPGnb-iMEBWfqCR-FPClbNivZecpRqoeVOw3wMVAhY9wAkQ3XdUsPa2fckqt7u=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br> <span id="freeText5367514861857616707"><b>A fantasy series
about a kingdom divided by corruption, the prince desperately holding it
together, and the girl who will risk everything to bring it crashing
down.</b><br><br>The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster.
Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging
the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace
with a ruthless hand.<br><br>King Harristan was thrust into power after
his parents' shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick
to take on the brutal role of the King's Justice. The brothers have
learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion--it's the only way
to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only
known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely
limited.<br><br>Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is
tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the
unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes risk their
lives to steal Moonflower petals and distribute the elixir to those who
need it most--but it's still not enough.<br><br>As rumors spread that
the cure no longer works and sparks of rebellion begin to flare, a
particularly cruel act from the King's Justice makes Tessa desperate
enough to try the impossible: sneaking into the palace. But what she
finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it's even possible to fix
Kandala without destroying it first.</span> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 14th September 2021<br>Publisher: Bloomsbury <br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50022883-defy-the-night?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=cZjNUp5HEH&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Book 1, Defy the Night<br>Source: Bought</b></span></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0dGGz57q6hxxQBpwbZhPzUoky3cV6JQEbUkqyHflp-unh3tzECkux6fzjBQiDZvRyZrYOzWcvvGB0EkbNENz_FfCT5yjmrFV0Jq7tn8Ds2WVt07Hnl2EhGo3mGZO170IZVZvMXWfcyqOj5yQDe770MRFSntyff00xbslZ2SiSt5skeKldCazogXZH=s330" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="78" data-original-width="330" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0dGGz57q6hxxQBpwbZhPzUoky3cV6JQEbUkqyHflp-unh3tzECkux6fzjBQiDZvRyZrYOzWcvvGB0EkbNENz_FfCT5yjmrFV0Jq7tn8Ds2WVt07Hnl2EhGo3mGZO170IZVZvMXWfcyqOj5yQDe770MRFSntyff00xbslZ2SiSt5skeKldCazogXZH=s320" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span></p><p> </p><p>I have read and thoroughly enjoyed by the Cursebreakers trilogy and Letters to the Lost by this author, I knew that I had to check this out. There's just something about this author's writing that always draws me in.</p><p>This was a very interesting start to either a trilogy or series, whatever it is planned to be. With this first book, there is a lot to learn and a lot of characters introduced but there wasn't any point at which I thought it was too much that I couldn't retain the information or know all the characters when they pop up again. There is a really impressive reveal/twist in this story that I wasn't expecting, which I won't reveal as I don't want to spoil the story for those who haven't read it, and on top of that you have a problem in this world where there's a sickness and the only known cure is an elixir made from a rare flower. </p><p>I am now fully invested in finding out what on earth is going on and how are they going to save everyone from the sickness. Can't wait for the next one!<br></p><p><br></p><p> <br></p><p> <br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-60300520061360801692022-03-14T23:37:00.000-07:002022-03-14T23:37:39.756-07:00Book Review / Burning Girls by C J Tudor<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPxEd2Ha_CNuyQlySJTR77aKfzYfK7BhohqMlVi_Lci1RYyJKF2JnnAbtIt3JgjzXKUWI_-L_ZjtL9dkWxS0kVTtrnEXGz_8rQ3j0ZQhl2icbIifl24KED0BY_pjRqRhLConR4ge1c4g4vb1-669FXpB1aiT2PSJvf_Bs8Cz-wbK5XJvx8NedAj3WR=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPxEd2Ha_CNuyQlySJTR77aKfzYfK7BhohqMlVi_Lci1RYyJKF2JnnAbtIt3JgjzXKUWI_-L_ZjtL9dkWxS0kVTtrnEXGz_8rQ3j0ZQhl2icbIifl24KED0BY_pjRqRhLConR4ge1c4g4vb1-669FXpB1aiT2PSJvf_Bs8Cz-wbK5XJvx8NedAj3WR=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"><b>An unconventional
vicar moves to a remote corner of the English countryside, only to
discover a community haunted by death and disappearances both past and
present--and intent on keeping its dark secrets--in this explosive,
unsettling thriller from acclaimed author C. J. Tudor.</b><br><br>Welcome
to Chapel Croft. Five hundred years ago, eight protestant martyrs were
burned at the stake here. Thirty years ago, two teenage girls
disappeared without a trace. And two months ago, the vicar of the local
parish killed himself.<br><br>Reverend Jack Brooks, a single parent with
a fourteen-year-old daughter and a heavy conscience, arrives in the
village hoping to make a fresh start and find some peace. Instead, Jack
finds a town mired in secrecy and a strange welcome package: an old
exorcism kit and a note quoting scripture. "But there is nothing covered
up that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known."<br><br>The
more Jack and her daughter Flo get acquainted with the town and its
strange denizens, the deeper they are drawn into their rifts, mysteries,
and suspicions. And when Flo is troubled by strange sightings in the
old chapel, it becomes apparent that there are ghosts here that refuse
to be laid to rest.<br><br>But uncovering the truth can be deadly in a
village where everyone has something to protect, everyone has links with
the village's bloody past, and no one trusts an outsider.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText5931193269537264001">Published: 9th February 2021<br>Publisher: Doubleday<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53322008-the-burning-girls" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought<br> </span></b></span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjttiecegv9ZDAHHJduAOF-QGOZyPmM22eabXS-8YAOWJuNDqV2QwrwqbbIw8BMvl8XVQj5IsxMndLQAIzHzVDNJJMGcgF4h_es0KyiRY-n0v4IOCG53X2Ot3mwiGxJkRtWy5Ka4-3OFDOLvrBxapQrAi7b5IO7dSQwkvxWbG_sc03U_zsRxV0yf2Q6=s397" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjttiecegv9ZDAHHJduAOF-QGOZyPmM22eabXS-8YAOWJuNDqV2QwrwqbbIw8BMvl8XVQj5IsxMndLQAIzHzVDNJJMGcgF4h_es0KyiRY-n0v4IOCG53X2Ot3mwiGxJkRtWy5Ka4-3OFDOLvrBxapQrAi7b5IO7dSQwkvxWbG_sc03U_zsRxV0yf2Q6=s320" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span id="freeText5931193269537264001">MY REVIEW</span></b></u></span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001">Having read and thoroughly enjoyed The Other People last year, I was really excited to pick up another book by this author. There's nothing like finding a new author who you have the feeling it going to become one of your favourites. C J Tudor is fast becoming one of mine and I am slowly working through each novel.</span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001">One of my favourite aspects of a good book is a secret history of any kind, whether that is a family history or a history of a town etc. This book certainly has that! This book kept me on the edge of my seat right the way through to the very last page. </span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001">What I loved the most was finding out more of the village that Reverend Alex Brooks moves to and more about the villagers, some of whom are keeping secrets...</span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001">It is rarely the case that a thriller surprises me. More often than not I guess what is going to happen well before the ending. This novel kept it secrets right until the very end. I certainly did not guess that ending until it was right upon me and I loved it!</span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001">I would highly recommend this novel. If you haven't yet picked up a novel by this author, this one would be the perfect place to start!</span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"> <br></span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"> <br></span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText5931193269537264001"> </span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-52905302997969562892022-03-12T05:01:00.001-08:002023-05-05T08:02:01.574-07:00Book Review / Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxbAQo-i6Nmf0jp4cDiyt4tHQSG1WgaFCx3MRaLKvbS9ZQ9YOBWHNdIkhjHRvKF69RjGTzUx1vaEsAlhHESJrBt6G8AMNd20ymYesinbQhwkNTUJLXrPgH6kcarcvwdcqxh3GZQZGcEO3cvuqr7ZJgk18gjl9fqGlmddBR0GnXik6eK3MUIYoDz41q=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxbAQo-i6Nmf0jp4cDiyt4tHQSG1WgaFCx3MRaLKvbS9ZQ9YOBWHNdIkhjHRvKF69RjGTzUx1vaEsAlhHESJrBt6G8AMNd20ymYesinbQhwkNTUJLXrPgH6kcarcvwdcqxh3GZQZGcEO3cvuqr7ZJgk18gjl9fqGlmddBR0GnXik6eK3MUIYoDz41q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span id="freeText14503208265688671883">Diana O’Toole is
perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by
thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while
climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world.
She’s not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a
surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the
Galápagos—days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.<br /><br />But
then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the
eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at
the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures
her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go
to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.<br /><br />Almost immediately,
Diana’s dream vacation goes awry. The whole island is now under
quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely
isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves
out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens
up to Diana, despite her father’s suspicion of outsiders.<br /><br />Diana
finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself—and
wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone
completely different.</span><p></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 25th November 2021<br />Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton<br />Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60097040-wish-you-were-here" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br />Source: Bought<br /></b></span> </span></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcaq9wt5CyiBJZF5fNQbw45YrOBLyWMwn77sqO1sA1FiMMb4e1wWTfSPwaD9bIX-nNGcz2FeuUSIOpc1d0NAPai0Dt787KFCM2wNUbgELXQ8W_-qp9uZpYuvGmO8LvyEmViOvgB7zZ2rUbnmNVjBTnKJ8kV2ZyaAIwEY9lWECWQyByPfozVDh8RyHc=s397" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcaq9wt5CyiBJZF5fNQbw45YrOBLyWMwn77sqO1sA1FiMMb4e1wWTfSPwaD9bIX-nNGcz2FeuUSIOpc1d0NAPai0Dt787KFCM2wNUbgELXQ8W_-qp9uZpYuvGmO8LvyEmViOvgB7zZ2rUbnmNVjBTnKJ8kV2ZyaAIwEY9lWECWQyByPfozVDh8RyHc=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span id="freeText14503208265688671883">MY REVIEW</span></b></u></span></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883">The one thing that Jodi Picoult never fails to do for me is both surprise me and makes me think long after I have finished one of her books. This book is no exception.</span></p><p>The one recommendation I would make is to not read any reviews or know too much about this story before you go into it. Go into this book as blind as you can be and let the story take you on a journey. </p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883"> This is exactly what I did and boy was I thrown off my chair with surprise. There is a massive plot twist in this story that I didn't see coming and I loved it!</span></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883">I am not going to go into any more detail or give reasons to avoid spoilers completely but just to say you need to pick this book up immediately! This book is one of my favourites of both this year and of all time!<br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883"> <br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText14503208265688671883"> </span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-13617491243249751972022-03-10T00:06:00.000-08:002022-03-10T00:06:24.098-08:00Book Review / Cocktails for Three by Madeleine Wickham (aka Sopkie Kinsella)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXpZdNuVZplmPOxHVALIb406EbUieKZF-2RVL4VY6I9w_57zacLX3zmUdFxllr2g6zdHQ-NcjGozcAmdgqHnQBBYQrp9ehjPgQtwwKJ4RxQ9z2qvuDD3OUzX93znoqJvFOTTZlPpt7bteVw6qBEV2KgchnA-bNtg_eIdg2awkicno3_KkH33BmXu9M=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXpZdNuVZplmPOxHVALIb406EbUieKZF-2RVL4VY6I9w_57zacLX3zmUdFxllr2g6zdHQ-NcjGozcAmdgqHnQBBYQrp9ehjPgQtwwKJ4RxQ9z2qvuDD3OUzX93znoqJvFOTTZlPpt7bteVw6qBEV2KgchnA-bNtg_eIdg2awkicno3_KkH33BmXu9M=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br> <p></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452">Roxanne: glamorous, self-confident, with a secret lover -- a married man<br><br>Maggie: capable and high-achieving, until she finds the one thing she can't cope with -- motherhood<br><br>Candice: honest, decent, or so she believes -- until a ghost from her past turns up<br><br>At
the first of every month, when the office has reached its pinnacle of
hysteria, Maggie, Roxanne, and Candice meet at London's swankiest bar
for an evening of cocktails and gossip. Here, they chat about what's new
at <i>The Londoner</i>, the glossy fashion magazine where they all work, and everything else that's going on in their lives. Or <i>almost </i>everything.
Beneath the girl talk and the laughter, each of the three has a secret.
And when a chance encounter at the cocktail bar sets in motion an
extraordinary chain of events, each one will find their biggest secret
revealed.<br><br></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText11635325118858706452">Published: 19th August 2010<br>Publisher: Black Swan<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7961153-cocktails-for-three" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought.</span></b></span></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452"><br></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ5U7Vs9zs7ukMZCO-RdY1JWKnQ3bG8PONOrsnjGh8efAd_R7Hq0Ojj563-znAOrAO7dDIFbM44SNZSq45f7d1yi0p6oBykYhE8kE1vNu50zB23FrnQ5Uc0lGd-WiUE-IE6tEsxc54DJK5RZv9m3nOqIZjf2PrkgIldKnzzUcl8gygEsWVIfCpCuPl=s244" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="77" data-original-width="244" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ5U7Vs9zs7ukMZCO-RdY1JWKnQ3bG8PONOrsnjGh8efAd_R7Hq0Ojj563-znAOrAO7dDIFbM44SNZSq45f7d1yi0p6oBykYhE8kE1vNu50zB23FrnQ5Uc0lGd-WiUE-IE6tEsxc54DJK5RZv9m3nOqIZjf2PrkgIldKnzzUcl8gygEsWVIfCpCuPl" width="244"></a></div><br><span id="freeText11635325118858706452"><br></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText11635325118858706452"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span><br></span></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452">So I have finally made it to the last Madeleine Wickham book written. For those of you who have been following this journey, you know that I am not having the best of time with these novels and I am really sad about that. I am not sure if there are going to be any more novels written under this pen name, but this is the last one I am going to pick up.</span></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452">I am happy to say that we are ending on a good note though. I did enjoy this one. The cast of characters wasn't too great and I was invested enough to really want to follow the story and see what happens. You have the three main characters who each have their own secrets and we get to explore those and see those played out. </span></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452">I was hoping that this would be a good story that was also fun to read and it was that. Yes, it was predictable but that was ok.</span></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452">This is not a story that I would pick up again but did enjoy. </span><span id="freeText11635325118858706452"><br></span></p><p><span id="freeText11635325118858706452"> </span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-82739849064753510642022-03-07T22:21:00.000-08:002022-03-07T22:21:11.691-08:00Book Review / The Tennis Party by Madeleine Wickham (aka Sophie Kinsella)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipWzPR9koSFITZCmQFb3Sp_SvLjYGmLV64PV-DfC14pIp9Sr0HmvXK9Am48oD0EgvR7qR2NqIMihY-j_Q3GcyU3iLm-xfRm3WXlj_6ksuHmf4rITS2iryGrRCv6N1vNNjJiOBAQOlz_PHd0tCXDyv_JaYk6dDxA9ddgnyrv5pvGHRiqaQioPe3kl3k=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipWzPR9koSFITZCmQFb3Sp_SvLjYGmLV64PV-DfC14pIp9Sr0HmvXK9Am48oD0EgvR7qR2NqIMihY-j_Q3GcyU3iLm-xfRm3WXlj_6ksuHmf4rITS2iryGrRCv6N1vNNjJiOBAQOlz_PHd0tCXDyv_JaYk6dDxA9ddgnyrv5pvGHRiqaQioPe3kl3k=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br><span id="freeText14560587190197629049">It was Patrick's idea
that they should have the tennis party. After all, he has the perfect
setting -- the White House, bought out of his bonuses as an investment
banker. He hasn't actually told Caroline, his brash and beautiful wife,
what the real reason for the party is. She is glad to welcome Stephen
and Annie, their impoverished former neighbours, less glad to see newly
wealthy Charles and his aristocratic wife Cressida, and barely able to
tolerate the deadly competitive Don and Valerie.<br><br>But as the first
ball is served over the net it signals the start of two days of
tempers, shocks, revelations, the arrival of an uninvited guest, and the
realization that the weekend is about anything but tennis.</span><p></p><p><span id="freeText14560587190197629049"> </span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span id="freeText14560587190197629049">Published: 9th June 2011<br>Publisher: Black Swan<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10308500-the-tennis-party?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=xerucSRYHu&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought</span></span></b></p><p><span id="freeText14560587190197629049"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText14560587190197629049"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5hzgCaVNDRDz91zDHghJTYbR-ljxfkbiJaxUmZLdjgx8ypYpv4a1xvp03niZYSYG5Aix4uXcna4733D7OCilZdS-n2djeveSrkSkD9wjnDCKiQpsVj7pJlgINfD-JdmAAUeqj7pcmKHgvtRIPxbEhvKhXnvHy_btrG04Uu7QvgdVL0bLOP9k6KuMS=s169" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="74" data-original-width="169" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5hzgCaVNDRDz91zDHghJTYbR-ljxfkbiJaxUmZLdjgx8ypYpv4a1xvp03niZYSYG5Aix4uXcna4733D7OCilZdS-n2djeveSrkSkD9wjnDCKiQpsVj7pJlgINfD-JdmAAUeqj7pcmKHgvtRIPxbEhvKhXnvHy_btrG04Uu7QvgdVL0bLOP9k6KuMS" width="169"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText14560587190197629049"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u> </span><br></span></p><p><span id="freeText14560587190197629049"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText14560587190197629049">OK, so I am on a roll with these novels now. Since I am not really enjoying them as much as I thought I would I am just going to read them one after the other just to say that I have read them. I wouldn't normally continue if not for the fact that I absolutely love Sophie Kinsella's main novels and as one of my favourite authors I like to say that I have read all her novels, including those I don't necessary get on with.</span></p><p><span id="freeText14560587190197629049">Honestly, I didn't have a lot of fun with this one. There were far too many characters and of those many many characters that were in this novel I didn't really connect or care about any of them or their stories. There was a certain point in the middle of this book where I just was bored and my interest never really came back again. </span></p><p><span id="freeText14560587190197629049">I wish I had loved this more because I adore the author but this was just not for me. <br></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-47039565868588756412022-03-02T22:02:00.000-08:002022-03-02T22:02:57.335-08:00Book Review / A Desirable Residence by Madeleine Wickham (aka Sophie Kinsella)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL-vp6lRnwtpQaJ1T2-wCYEIGsNITkRi1w29DBq1aUDChtvTBDCnqwrs_bhx2ZJIc0hxSHn5Le7W_Z0-mRByHtahf9-nvKtGrhxOsovAxlX5fWgYGMVvC5S1cKFF8KhdnprELHlh5EM1HK6Ai11ehZEveviSfQQIEMK3wWMxdL-zPbw_ltP5pfgoAz=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL-vp6lRnwtpQaJ1T2-wCYEIGsNITkRi1w29DBq1aUDChtvTBDCnqwrs_bhx2ZJIc0hxSHn5Le7W_Z0-mRByHtahf9-nvKtGrhxOsovAxlX5fWgYGMVvC5S1cKFF8KhdnprELHlh5EM1HK6Ai11ehZEveviSfQQIEMK3wWMxdL-zPbw_ltP5pfgoAz=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br> <p></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750">Liz and Jonathan
Chambers were in trouble. Mortgage trouble. They'd stretched themselves
to busting with their new exciting project - well, Liz thought it
exciting - buying and managing the Silchester Tutorial College, and now
couldn't sell their old house. Here they were, stuck with two mortgages,
mounting debts and a miserable adolescent daughter who hadn't wanted to
move anyway.<br><br>Then Marcus Witherstone came into their lives - and
at first it seemed he would solve all their problems. Marcus, senior
partner in Silchester's leading estate agency, was large, assured, and
wore an expensive overcoat. He knew the perfect tenants from London who
would rent their old house - glamorous PR girl Ginny and almost-famous
Piers. Everything was going to be OK.<br><br>But soon Marcus found
himself involved with Liz in a way he'd never intended. Keeping his
adulterous trysts secret from Anthea was uncomfortably easy - most of
the time her head was firmly buried in Improve your Child's IQ.
Meanwhile, as Liz was lost in blissful dreams of Marcus, Jonathan was
left to run the tutorial college. Neither of them had time to notice
that teenage Alice was developing a desperate passion for the tenants,
Piers and Ginny.<br><br>Everyone seemed to be entangled with everyone
else, in the most awkward possible way. And as events closed in on him,
Marcus began to realise that some deceptions are just a bit too close to
home.</span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span id="freeText13030802121544859750">Published: 27th October 2011<br>Publisher: Black Swan<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10308507-a-desirable-residence" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought</span></b></span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGCYhitQa91AsUi7CT0Ob_urby0hEd7TYIUnUtQPOgHqYtryNQSa1E9EURj6o2oZ0liertVreho-bxAzoKZfNDs0UB1_L4UUjeoIZWX3-XgVyoC8unnhasMInBzV_mHHwOapdGvNjGDZ4zrBmZX646xf7CZB4AHnzcub12k53nxRrSAv3THTnDfRiw=s244" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="77" data-original-width="244" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGCYhitQa91AsUi7CT0Ob_urby0hEd7TYIUnUtQPOgHqYtryNQSa1E9EURj6o2oZ0liertVreho-bxAzoKZfNDs0UB1_L4UUjeoIZWX3-XgVyoC8unnhasMInBzV_mHHwOapdGvNjGDZ4zrBmZX646xf7CZB4AHnzcub12k53nxRrSAv3THTnDfRiw" width="244"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText13030802121544859750"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW </b></u></span><br></span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750">After reading Swimming Pool Sunday, I have to be honest and say that I didn't have high hopes for this novel. I had to say that, but its true. With Swimming Pool Sunday I had figured out that the usual sense of humour that I love with Sophie Kinsella novels would be missing from these novels written under the pen name. Knowing and expecting that, I did enjoy this novel a bit more.</span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750">What I enjoyed the most about this novel was that it wasn't concentrating necessarily on a whole cast of characters but a few. Mainly, we are following Liz and Jonathan as they navigate their financial troubles and try and find a way out of it. Of course things do not go according to plan and of course there are a lot more problems that crop up along the way.</span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750">I still didn't connect with any of the characters enough to be fully invested in the story.</span></p><p><span id="freeText13030802121544859750">This was an OK read but not one that I would pick up again. <br></span></p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-83897797101942866852022-03-01T05:15:00.000-08:002022-03-01T05:15:27.555-08:00Book Review / Swimming Pool Sunday by Madeleine Wickham (aka Sophie Kinsella)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgaTT0bK_sycECD5_C1qsbq8C9l7MQJ1VlmAbBZXY0HqLrZSqci9oqhn_WbolfoJ40XF6o5-41MZb_4FgpGFPnH0tHrNDbuHzkuWbYAyRt0ng99Askec8_FXnRvsoSzg75rPrYbifVfv2lV-LosbjytuswaMk94-bj_Mlkwcd8OBZVcnBEYQokNpCP=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgaTT0bK_sycECD5_C1qsbq8C9l7MQJ1VlmAbBZXY0HqLrZSqci9oqhn_WbolfoJ40XF6o5-41MZb_4FgpGFPnH0tHrNDbuHzkuWbYAyRt0ng99Askec8_FXnRvsoSzg75rPrYbifVfv2lV-LosbjytuswaMk94-bj_Mlkwcd8OBZVcnBEYQokNpCP=w640-h480" width="640"></a></div><br> <span id="freeText15083525536136421364">One shimmeringly hot
Sunday in May, the Delaneys open their pool to the whole village for
charity. Louise is there with her daughters, and while the children
splash and shriek in the cool blue waters, she basks in the sunshine,
attempting to ignore her estranged husband and dreaming of the new man
in her life, a charismatic lawyer. The day seems perfect. <br><br>Then a
sudden and shocking accident changes everyone's lives forever.
Recriminations start to fly. Whose fault was it? Louise's new lover
insists that she sues the Delaneys. Her ex-husband isn't so sure.
Opinion in the village is split. Old friendships start to crumble. New
ones are formed. Will the repercussions from the accident ever end?</span><p></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 3rd November 1997<br>Publisher: Corgi<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/306209.Swimming_Pool_Sunday?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=e2n2iTTd0d&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought </b></span><br></span></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq6a7riHeWrIBsdGXTmqXQsYY5IzHc6uT2jESrw0djeeRX-qauK1quFfv3sdtvVqxubv1lbI5XC4rTzkAY3jgDU5qRcIzsQglC70OO7rpLUBhT-ptiq0frx6eW2qb-ym8QghsQxPXdHP3VZMuk4xeiH5l95WJmOePL5IO2eqktuDtQdCv3wOyDMwcT=s244" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="77" data-original-width="244" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq6a7riHeWrIBsdGXTmqXQsYY5IzHc6uT2jESrw0djeeRX-qauK1quFfv3sdtvVqxubv1lbI5XC4rTzkAY3jgDU5qRcIzsQglC70OO7rpLUBhT-ptiq0frx6eW2qb-ym8QghsQxPXdHP3VZMuk4xeiH5l95WJmOePL5IO2eqktuDtQdCv3wOyDMwcT" width="244"></a></div><br> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span id="freeText15083525536136421364">MY REVIEW</span></b></u></span></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364">Sophie Kinsella is a firm favourite for me, having loved most of her novels and enjoy both her style of writing and her sense of humour. I had gone along for many years thinking that I had read most of her novels but then discovered in the past year or two that she had also written some novels, quite some time ago, under a pen name. I knew that I had to give them a go.</span></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364">I am not sure why she chose a pen name for this particular novel because it seems similar to her 'main' novels, the only difference I can see is that this has a cast of characters rather than a certain number of them and the sense of humor that I love in her main novels was missing from this. <br></span></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364">I really wanted to like this novel but, honestly, this was an OK story for me. I enjoyed following the story and seeing what would happen after the accident but I didn't connect with any of the characters, so, honestly, wasn't really bothered one way or another what happened (except for the children, which I did feel sorry for...). If this novel had a dose of the well known Kinsella sense of humour then maybe I would have enjoyed it more than I did. </span></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364">That said, this is not going to stop me from picking up the other novels written under this pen name because I am certainly intrigued to see what I think of them. <br></span></p><p><span id="freeText15083525536136421364"> <br></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-88642359648081183022022-02-27T10:01:00.002-08:002023-04-29T09:45:13.788-07:00Book Review / Doctor Sleep by Stephen King <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdtccsK8YEF4hj51TYlLaGPnzJbDfNQ8GZq1S3mDMKm5eun68TzGqOFG3epFLaUyI-vgh3sr_tXRvZdi3HYPU-D7jwCOzei2NkbaWY0UwiupVJ7hPSczKcX4c66mws0XyLqrr2cCPmwiuFLLNCHEf0wqeQjaaFmuUgQDmiUxx00S7qwMG1dmRrIeWE=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdtccsK8YEF4hj51TYlLaGPnzJbDfNQ8GZq1S3mDMKm5eun68TzGqOFG3epFLaUyI-vgh3sr_tXRvZdi3HYPU-D7jwCOzei2NkbaWY0UwiupVJ7hPSczKcX4c66mws0XyLqrr2cCPmwiuFLLNCHEf0wqeQjaaFmuUgQDmiUxx00S7qwMG1dmRrIeWE=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span id="freeText15536372747979134238">On highways across
America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of
sustenance. They look harmless - mostly old, lots of polyester, and
married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky 12-year-old
Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the
"steam" that children with the "shining" produce when they are slowly
tortured to death.<br /><br />Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook
Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting
for decades, desperate to shed his father's legacy of despair,
alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town,
an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his
remnant "shining" power provides the crucial final comfort to the
dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes "Doctor Sleep."<br /><br />Then
Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the
brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan's own demons and
summons him to a battle for Abra's soul and survival. This is an epic
war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the
millions of hyper-devoted fans of The Shining and wildly satisfy anyone
new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.</span><p></p><p><span id="freeText15536372747979134238"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 24th September 2013<br />Publisher: Scribner<br />Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16130549-doctor-sleep?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=bijzZh6wrT&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />Series or Stand-Alone: The Shining, Book 2<br />Source: Bought </b></span><br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText15536372747979134238"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7wvdaCgFLIcmeC5RtuqHDtDb9fYV8aF7eDTpQs1dkZe2tugvLGYmVw7wqKQmIVxigKp1jJMSgCKtfgXrURn1ykC2_lx-sbZPfmGGWrONN5InaD8OHGWN9Nae3aci3U1bEINVXKrTG6EPzxGImIJXrTkuavTG2JRCajPLzdrLrBYQwe5-ltYB_ePo2=s208" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="39" data-original-width="208" height="39" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7wvdaCgFLIcmeC5RtuqHDtDb9fYV8aF7eDTpQs1dkZe2tugvLGYmVw7wqKQmIVxigKp1jJMSgCKtfgXrURn1ykC2_lx-sbZPfmGGWrONN5InaD8OHGWN9Nae3aci3U1bEINVXKrTG6EPzxGImIJXrTkuavTG2JRCajPLzdrLrBYQwe5-ltYB_ePo2" width="208" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText15536372747979134238"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span> <br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText15536372747979134238"> </span></p><p>Having read and thoroughly enjoyed The Shining, I knew that I had to pick this one up pretty much straight away. I had to know what came next in this story. For obvious reasons, I am not going to go into any detail to avoid spoilers but as with reading the first book, I just couldn't put this down. This story is a bit longer than its first book but I just didn't want the story to end! It did take me longer than a day to read but no longer than a couple of days!</p><p>What I loved about this story is pretty much everything! Despite the fact that book 1 and book 2 were written years apart, it really didn't feel like it. Yes, time has moved on in the story but it really just felt like I had blinked and the time in story has just flown by. The atmosphere and suspense felt the same as what I had experienced in the first book, but even better! </p><p>And that ending was just perfect!</p><p>I did watch the movie not long after finishing the book and I really did enjoy that also. It was a lot better than I thought it would be (obviously not as good as the book!) and a lot better than the movie of The Shining, for me anyway.</p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-88385555526346873242022-02-27T09:47:00.000-08:002023-04-23T04:08:44.002-07:00Book Review / The Shining by Stephen King<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5KwMgr0DM-6d7SY5kCCBPDWYnhRiHpBQ_IklyIplpZOcQyW8FJHHUFOPntHEqm-9RqRRuUM0l3NypLtjeAcFOFfdljdUafRFtV4SKG4AG56dpLeFPqXpCbUGr5WXmryKf7ohw3y6YFmDCTGwqF4_VCLYnaVHmGyOtWNuzru8aeu8QdAQjuIgE62d3=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5KwMgr0DM-6d7SY5kCCBPDWYnhRiHpBQ_IklyIplpZOcQyW8FJHHUFOPntHEqm-9RqRRuUM0l3NypLtjeAcFOFfdljdUafRFtV4SKG4AG56dpLeFPqXpCbUGr5WXmryKf7ohw3y6YFmDCTGwqF4_VCLYnaVHmGyOtWNuzru8aeu8QdAQjuIgE62d3=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span id="freeText6904604136962635418">Danny is only five years
old but in the words of Old Mr Hallorann he is a ‘shiner,’ aglow with
psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker of the Overlook
hotel, Danny’s visions grow out of control.<br /><br />As winter closes in
and blizzards cut them off, the hotel seems to develop a life of its
own. It is meant to be empty. So who is the lady in Room 217 and who are
the masked guests going up and down the elevator? And why do the hedges
shaped like animals seem so alive?<br /><br />Somewhere, somehow, there is an evil force in the hotel – and that too is beginning to shine.</span><p></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 28th January 1977<br />Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton<br />Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12994515-the-shining" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />Series or Stand-Alone: Book 1, The Shining<br />Source: Bought</b></span> <br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPgTV72XMG9jXXQutTPo-xmQDuCeH_5HXBE24u1V5RQq1V3x1-_wY47S64dMQSZptT4RNBtK_fzxd7uYIFcfuljSAj63vQYDHd64zfAtW7iGgZZJkAJo1dXI4tqJK8bPVAV_WCxASLcGkUbUghQSAVRqV9opMNOKozF6Wip9oe1vrcg1lfN4Bm-peo=s330" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="78" data-original-width="330" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPgTV72XMG9jXXQutTPo-xmQDuCeH_5HXBE24u1V5RQq1V3x1-_wY47S64dMQSZptT4RNBtK_fzxd7uYIFcfuljSAj63vQYDHd64zfAtW7iGgZZJkAJo1dXI4tqJK8bPVAV_WCxASLcGkUbUghQSAVRqV9opMNOKozF6Wip9oe1vrcg1lfN4Bm-peo=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b><span id="freeText6904604136962635418">MY REVIEW</span></b></u></span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418">For me, this is one of those stories that I have heard more often because of the movie with Jack Nicholson, not that I had watched it before I read this novel, but that it is a very popular movie. Of Of course, the book is nearly always better than the movie so I knew I had to read this first before even attempting to watch the movie. </span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418">What I loved about this story was the suspense. There is so much of that in this novel it really did keep me on the edge of my seat and I have to admit that I read this book in one day because I just could not put it down! Because I had heard of the story I had thought that the main character would have been the dad of the story, but it wasn't. It was the son, Danny. I liked that we were viewing the story from his perspective especially as he is the character who is the 'shiner'. There are also nice moments between Danny and a new friend who is also a 'shiner' which I thought was a great additional level to the story. </span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418">I should also mention that this book also touches on some real aspects of family relationships such as alcoholism and a brief reference to the hitting of the son by the father. This just added another layer to the family dynamic which added to the chaos that follows. </span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418">I have also </span><span id="freeText6904604136962635418">watched the movie and boy is it different to the book! I am not saying the movie is bad or anything, I did enjoy it, but the book was better by a long mile!</span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418"><br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418"> <br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText6904604136962635418"> </span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-76867000126039562132022-02-09T21:29:00.000-08:002022-02-09T21:29:41.120-08:00Book Review / The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_c5ULbm6bjFTjLjceRqKnv0iCsH4AnA2ScHiOOMFsxLtJHMwoFSPUwWQVc3JFJcQojoFRIbzCeoEnIAewjaQ2RE16GDknuVCDIgngClmOC05JVjCps_zNRhFIqL3jyu0ZI-V0O1ZO8k/s2048/IMG_20210912_164946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_c5ULbm6bjFTjLjceRqKnv0iCsH4AnA2ScHiOOMFsxLtJHMwoFSPUwWQVc3JFJcQojoFRIbzCeoEnIAewjaQ2RE16GDknuVCDIgngClmOC05JVjCps_zNRhFIqL3jyu0ZI-V0O1ZO8k/w640-h480/IMG_20210912_164946.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br><p></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842"><b>A murder on the high seas. A detective duo. A demon who may or may not exist.</b><br><br>It's
1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being
transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not,
have committed. Traveling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes,
who is determined to prove his friend innocent.<br><br>But no sooner are
they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead
leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock
is slaughtered.<br><br>And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.<br><br>Could a demon be responsible for their misfortunes?<br><br>With
Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every
passenger onboard. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now
threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span id="freeText2150519330209147842">Published: 6th October 2020<br>Publisher: Sourcebooks<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51854625-the-devil-and-the-dark-water?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=OLkAuWH6Bw&rank=2" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought</span></b></span></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsstr2Yj2F_KBLjiFnV2oC2fXNmzKxh3xozMBiQ_LG-SpVIIlBK-XFQA-SB_JtmrEqr-BJ-S9SdclJYXbUNfwLMhHKESO4p2Y884EdSB6nbFQa3NBMxVCNID9lHzMbA4kBXi7PQv0ro5w/s397/Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsstr2Yj2F_KBLjiFnV2oC2fXNmzKxh3xozMBiQ_LG-SpVIIlBK-XFQA-SB_JtmrEqr-BJ-S9SdclJYXbUNfwLMhHKESO4p2Y884EdSB6nbFQa3NBMxVCNID9lHzMbA4kBXi7PQv0ro5w/s320/Stars.png" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText2150519330209147842"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MY REVIEW<u> </u></b></span><br></span></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842">After reading and thoroughly enjoying The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I couldn't wait to pick up this novel. Honestly, this story is not one that I would normally pick up as it is a 1600s mystery onboard a ship, but as I loved this author's writing from his first book I knew that I had to give this a go. </span></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842">I loved everything about this book, but to limit it to a few comments the first would be the characters and the mystery surrounding Old Tom. The mystery surrounding this kept me hooked right until the very end, having not figured out what was going on before then! The ending was very much a surprise. You also have a bit of a backstory with one of the main characters Arent. He has a past that we discover more of and is relevant to the story that is happening in this story.</span></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842">I would highly recommend this novel, even if you don't think this is something you would normally pick up. I wouldn't normally and this is now one of my favourite books of the year, and the author has been firmly placed on my favourite author list!<br></span></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText2150519330209147842"> </span> <br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-80067858019701285402022-02-07T22:26:00.000-08:002022-02-07T22:26:45.175-08:00Book Review / The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC66HKFb9JBrLgSza7quXNoyTpfyYN2xqtlMYSpN_0J5895PWSdRFZApXrWGqB8U4NKgyopHbNzZwpSxgeJtUC7qiPgV3J9QGUbIbJA8uL5elzZvkQJet_E-UPmh74lHHsOI0gW7S-6C8/s2048/IMG_20210912_164952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC66HKFb9JBrLgSza7quXNoyTpfyYN2xqtlMYSpN_0J5895PWSdRFZApXrWGqB8U4NKgyopHbNzZwpSxgeJtUC7qiPgV3J9QGUbIbJA8uL5elzZvkQJet_E-UPmh74lHHsOI0gW7S-6C8/w640-h480/IMG_20210912_164952.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br><p></p><p> </p><p><span id="freeText14887619626903123255">Aiden Bishop knows the
rules. Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her
killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden
wakes up in the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor. And some
of his hosts are more helpful than others. With a locked room mystery
that Agatha Christie would envy, Stuart Turton unfurls a breakneck novel
of intrigue and suspense.<br><br>For fans of Claire North, and Kate Atkinson, <i>The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle</i>
is a breathlessly addictive mystery that follows one man's race against
time to find a killer, with an astonishing time-turning twist that
means nothing and no one are quite what they seem.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span id="freeText14887619626903123255">Published: 1st October 2018<br>Publisher: Raven Books<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43242080-the-seven-deaths-of-evelyn-hardcastle" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone</span><span id="freeText14887619626903123255"><br>Source: Bought </span> <br></b></span></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQeEkGapAaZW2yD1AwmiQSyGqQcz7Qh8bBquaQQVRsJhnCOOrMCiem-ozXwxqb5Dgp8aGTxaJ9K6AfRJDXqqPwI2lTA-Ae0eOOrPuQJGSjAXSYz8KOOaJAgyEbgJok_-c8TFVejDug7Y/s330/Stars+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="78" data-original-width="330" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQeEkGapAaZW2yD1AwmiQSyGqQcz7Qh8bBquaQQVRsJhnCOOrMCiem-ozXwxqb5Dgp8aGTxaJ9K6AfRJDXqqPwI2lTA-Ae0eOOrPuQJGSjAXSYz8KOOaJAgyEbgJok_-c8TFVejDug7Y/s320/Stars+4.png" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span><br></p><p> </p><p>I can't tell you how much I have heard about this book and seen it literally everywhere! I knew that I had to pick it up. Even Goodreads says that it has over 200,000 ratings with a 3.88 average. With all that in mind, I was definately intrigued. I am always intrigued when I see high ratings like this, whether they are good or bad. </p><p>Despite the fact that I have seen this everywhere, I had been avoiding reviews and spoilers, successfully which surprised me! So, luckily, I went into this story pretty blind to what was going to happen. I didn't really read the description on the back. All I needed to know was that this character, Evelyn Hardcastle was going to die, seven times apparently!</p><p>There is a lot going on in this novel, with a lot of plot and a lot of characters. This is not a book that you can read lightly or take down the beach or wherever that might be in the winter. You need to concentrate and try and figure out the story at the same time as the main character who is jumping from host to host. </p><p>At 505 pages long, it is not a short book but I am actually glad about that because I, honestly, I did not want the story to end. I found this story a slow read also, because there is so many details, characters and plot it is almost impossible to speed ahead. But this did not put me off reading the story, not one little bit.</p><p>There were two things that I loved the most about this story; the first being the bigger picture plot. Obviously I can't tell you exactly what that is, because of spoilers, but let's just say that there's more to the story of Aiden than we lean for most of the book, until the very end. The second part that I loved was the twists in the story. There's a few and, to be honest, I wasn't expecting most of them. There's a very big twist at the end that really surprised me!</p><p>Would highly recommend if you like being kept at the edge of your seat but do bear in mind that this is a long story written at a slow pace. <br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-83090624091220652792022-01-31T22:53:00.000-08:002022-01-31T22:53:02.456-08:00Book Review / A Time for Mercy by John Grisham<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Fg_1PtuwLFbyr3hYbw_GHj__iNVb0AUwFnlsw3ikFlf45NzjEiwkOLWgIUWVWIa37MTVxkuhGJHoz83KsG8lIkmrZY2HD9VxLBsqOu82AmDvaC5JmlKotm8jNrG6HS_KBCaeJQy6FCc/s2048/IMG_20210912_164908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Fg_1PtuwLFbyr3hYbw_GHj__iNVb0AUwFnlsw3ikFlf45NzjEiwkOLWgIUWVWIa37MTVxkuhGJHoz83KsG8lIkmrZY2HD9VxLBsqOu82AmDvaC5JmlKotm8jNrG6HS_KBCaeJQy6FCc/w640-h480/IMG_20210912_164908.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br> <span id="freeText13299828463982972172">Jake Brigance, the
protagonist of A Time to Kill, John Grisham’s classic legal thriller is
back. This time he's at the epicenter of a sensational murder trial that
bitterly divides the citizens of Clanton, Mississippi.<br> <br>A Time
to Kill is one of the most popular novels of our time. It established
Jake as a classic American hero—a lawyer who seeks truth and justice at
all costs, even when his life and reputation are on the line.<br> <br>Brigance returned in 2013’s Sycamore Row, in which he once again found himself embroiled in a deeply divisive trial.<br> <br>Now,
in A Time for Mercy, Jake is the court-appointed lawyer for Drew
Gamble, a young man accused of murdering a local deputy. Many in Clanton
want a swift trial and the death penalty, but Brigance sees it another
way. Once he learns the details of the case, he realizes he has to do
everything he can to save Drew—who is sixteen. Jake’s commitment to the
truth puts his career and the safety of his family at risk.<br> <br>Filled
with all the courtroom machinations, small-town intrigues, and plot
twists that have become the hallmarks of the master of the legal
thriller, A Time for Mercy emphatically confirms John Grisham's
reputation as America's favorite storyteller.<br> <br>There is a time to kill, a time for justice, and A TIME FOR MERCY.</span><p></p><p><span id="freeText13299828463982972172"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Published: 13th October 2020<br>Publisher: Random House<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53529219-a-time-for-mercy" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Book 3, Jake Brigance<br>Source: Bought </b></span><br></span></p><p><span id="freeText13299828463982972172"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdwaqbsf-0cYu8dcLjrjdsOlFe16JdfO1QnveBaEtSOIyolgee28ndFeD_UD04U6f7pfo2OSbPdsQkqnD0gOWJGfkgAenpApd1IexCqCRB35MjuT0k9aVuY0wAyErs0mDg6gMcRxniMk/s397/Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdwaqbsf-0cYu8dcLjrjdsOlFe16JdfO1QnveBaEtSOIyolgee28ndFeD_UD04U6f7pfo2OSbPdsQkqnD0gOWJGfkgAenpApd1IexCqCRB35MjuT0k9aVuY0wAyErs0mDg6gMcRxniMk/s320/Stars.png" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText13299828463982972172"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MY REVIEW</b></span> <br></span></p><p><span id="freeText13299828463982972172"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText13299828463982972172">Having read both A Time to Kill (Book 1) and Sycamore Row (Book 2) immediately before picking up this novel, I was already fully immersed in this world, this town and familiar with the characters, which made it so much easier to get stuck in. Now, you don't have to have read the previous books to pick up this one as, technically, the story doesn't carry on with each book as the stories have different plot lines, but it certainly does help if you read them as if they were a series. I did and I certainly got the most out of these three books by doing that. </span></p><p><span id="freeText13299828463982972172">What I loved the most about this story was being in the court room and watching as both the lawyers, the judge and the jury played their part, along with other side characters. I find it fascinating seeing the court case unfold in the court room, lawyer against lawyer with the judge mostly in the middle. You also have the conflict between the police and the law, as the victim was a police officer, but not necessarily a good one...</span></p><p><span id="freeText13299828463982972172">Of course, once again, I would highly recommend. To get the best out of this world and the characters, I would recommend reading both A Time to Kill (book 1) and Sycamore Row (book 2) before this one, but you don't have to if you don't want to. <br></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-12739223069600842472022-01-26T23:06:00.000-08:002022-01-26T23:06:12.636-08:00Book Review / Sycamore Row by John Grisham<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36g3rh7C4ugvStQLe6nx4czcJUExnsUepnhKMtnzKoQClh1X5UhidFVpe_y9pnlLy93-v5yXg0f4KzLJkJp6v85FrS_TiNJr3o2EIqPTRUQlM3aP8EmkWxwj-ay3Iz74g8Nd_YlEeDyk/s2048/IMG_20210912_164916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36g3rh7C4ugvStQLe6nx4czcJUExnsUepnhKMtnzKoQClh1X5UhidFVpe_y9pnlLy93-v5yXg0f4KzLJkJp6v85FrS_TiNJr3o2EIqPTRUQlM3aP8EmkWxwj-ay3Iz74g8Nd_YlEeDyk/w640-h480/IMG_20210912_164916.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br> <span id="freeText12761843862426515152">Seth Hubbard is a
wealthy man dying of lung cancer. He trusts no one. Before he hangs
himself from a sycamore tree, Hubbard leaves a new, handwritten, will.
It is an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and Jake
into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made
Brigance one of Ford County's most notorious citizens, just three years
earlier. <br> <br>The second will raises far more questions than it
answers. Why would Hubbard leave nearly all of his fortune to his maid?
Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly?
And what does it all have to do with a piece of land once known as
Sycamore Row?</span><p></p><p><span id="freeText12761843862426515152"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Published: 22nd October 2013<br>Publisher: Doubleday<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17288661-sycamore-row" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Book 2, Jake Brigance<br>Source: Bought</b></span> <br></span></p><p><span id="freeText12761843862426515152"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPALdvTJGtq12AyGysfmWDHQ3Rc-K7lif1MtRsS322W5T6Ih95BTpBT-W-i88pBkX7h6rXkaV95kami8NUXHCn3ATkrB4B84JrMEBcGddBWek7kocxmXz3p5nByH9EtCvdsWK-_a2rg4/s397/Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPALdvTJGtq12AyGysfmWDHQ3Rc-K7lif1MtRsS322W5T6Ih95BTpBT-W-i88pBkX7h6rXkaV95kami8NUXHCn3ATkrB4B84JrMEBcGddBWek7kocxmXz3p5nByH9EtCvdsWK-_a2rg4/s320/Stars.png" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span id="freeText12761843862426515152">MY REVIEW</span></b></span></p><p><span id="freeText12761843862426515152"> I read this novel immediately after finishing A Time To Kill, which I would highly recommend doing even though, technically, the story does not follow on. You are in the same town with a lot of the same characters, so from A Time To Kill you know the history of what they have previously been through. With this story, we are moving forward in time a number of years and we see Jake Brigance as the lawyer in town again taking on a case (or being made to take a case by a local judge).</span></p><p><span id="freeText12761843862426515152">This story has a very different story to A Time to Kill. This story is mainly about a rich guy who dies and wants to leave all his money to his maid and at the time this novel is set this is very much frowned upon not only because she is a maid but because of her colour. This story takes a few turns that I was not expecting and the reveal near the end where we see why Seth Hubbard choose to leave what he did was perfect. </span></p><p><span id="freeText12761843862426515152">Of course I would highly recommend, but to get a better experience I would recommend reading A Time to Kill first, although you do not have to. <br></span></p><p><span id="freeText12761843862426515152"> <br></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-60752061236122946182022-01-24T23:20:00.000-08:002022-01-24T23:20:38.683-08:00Book Review / A Time to Kill by John Grisham<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcANRznLHlwmfjwFkOqSz7ieXUvLp4tXFC8Bx2Uk3RKZ37b6KAlm-1hClmDkFeqkX1oWOAlRQ7lHRfs2qwhkHqXgS5us7OnbrVqAi9sCQvts4gPflvxNNtN9zKxBs5lPCMtbbGFHatfRg/s2048/IMG_20210912_164933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcANRznLHlwmfjwFkOqSz7ieXUvLp4tXFC8Bx2Uk3RKZ37b6KAlm-1hClmDkFeqkX1oWOAlRQ7lHRfs2qwhkHqXgS5us7OnbrVqAi9sCQvts4gPflvxNNtN9zKxBs5lPCMtbbGFHatfRg/w640-h480/IMG_20210912_164933.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br> <span id="freeText16207507088901499648">Before "The Firm" and
"The Pelican Brief" made him a superstar, John Grisham wrote this
riveting story of retribution and justice. In this searing courtroom
drama, best-selling author John Grisham probes the savage depths of
racial violence, as he delivers a compelling tale of uncertain justice
in a small southern town, Clanton, Mississippi. <br><br>The life of a
ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless young men.
The mostly white town reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman
crime. That is, until her black father acquires an assault rifle and
takes matters into his hands.<br><br>For ten days, as burning crosses
and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the
nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles
to save his client's life, and then his own.</span> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Published: 1st November1993<br>Publisher: Doubleday<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1038927.A_Time_to_Kill" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Book 1, Jake Brigance<br>Source: Bought</b></span></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDYVjg97UA4Fww6_UhAAOQU8ZzeoUxuKyelQHXn20jvKteY28XQ19F4q-4DH9g_fqpI2Q5NqiMf77dV2qSoBfptnuT3iZUOE7vzSAh15QctemgQiFzUsnRrlkNyNtcS5UdcHz6GGq4KQ/s208/Stars+Small.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="39" data-original-width="208" height="39" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDYVjg97UA4Fww6_UhAAOQU8ZzeoUxuKyelQHXn20jvKteY28XQ19F4q-4DH9g_fqpI2Q5NqiMf77dV2qSoBfptnuT3iZUOE7vzSAh15QctemgQiFzUsnRrlkNyNtcS5UdcHz6GGq4KQ/s0/Stars+Small.png" width="208"></a></div><br><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b> </u></span><br></p><p> </p><p>I know I have only just read this in the past year or two but when I realised that A Time For Mercy was coming out and also that Sycamore Row was also featured in the same town with some of the same characters, I knew I had to re-read this to make sure I was fully immersed back into this world again.</p><p>Despite the difficult story line, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of re-reading this novel. This novel deals with a lot of sensitive issues including rape and racial inequality and its interesting to see how these are dealt with as the story goes along.</p><p>What I liked the most was the interactions between lawyer, police wardens and the judicial system. Its a delicate balance and each person plays their part with the lawyers playing against each other, whether that is fairly or not.</p><p>This is a must read for everyone!<br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-10470282727461554012022-01-19T23:06:00.000-08:002022-01-19T23:06:24.761-08:00Book Review / The Castaways by Lucy Clarke<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-LyXPZxGNdLJkCFABbJ2NvZIjKFL5apI0ot048pcaG7tmK_ePJLyU5DVTh7y0eigmc563kouZ781qNCNKymKZC9Z_Hn8spEswQzeUjRD4bjELK231tpDJiOvl0-W8-ciV6ejahUQuF8/s2048/IMG_20210912_164940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-LyXPZxGNdLJkCFABbJ2NvZIjKFL5apI0ot048pcaG7tmK_ePJLyU5DVTh7y0eigmc563kouZ781qNCNKymKZC9Z_Hn8spEswQzeUjRD4bjELK231tpDJiOvl0-W8-ciV6ejahUQuF8/w640-h480/IMG_20210912_164940.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br><span id="freeTextContainer3216535627321856694">A SECRET BEACH. A HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME.<br>WISH YOU WERE HERE?<br>THINK AGAIN…<br><br>It should be like any other holiday.<br><br>Beautiful beaches.<br>Golden sunsets.<br>Nothing for miles.<br><br>You’ll never want to leave.<br>Until you can’t…</span><p></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Published: 18th March 2021<br>Publisher: HarperCollins<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52779734-the-castaways?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Q4VrO7Pjni&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought</b></span> <br></p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQvk4KHShDvhQrqnk-N7DyjfppBaRQns72opvyGBUzij6wvqAjgRuc-Xjlv0eu0Vp7KBECaVj9xWGLWJoGtjQzQr8b7CnUnFgOYMo6nw3J9aKlxEjmmdmNb9ccMxX0HHfro5ItRSzLuw/s397/Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQvk4KHShDvhQrqnk-N7DyjfppBaRQns72opvyGBUzij6wvqAjgRuc-Xjlv0eu0Vp7KBECaVj9xWGLWJoGtjQzQr8b7CnUnFgOYMo6nw3J9aKlxEjmmdmNb9ccMxX0HHfro5ItRSzLuw/s320/Stars.png" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MY REVIEW</b></span></p><p> </p><p>Lucy Clarke has been on my favourite author list for a very long time now and I can't tell you how excited I was to read this one. Yes I did buy this when it first came out in paperback, but I can't tell you why it too me so long to read except for the fact that instead of putting this on my TBR cart it went on my bookshelf with all the other books I have for this author and over time I thought that I had already read it. Imagine my excitement all over again when I realised that I hadn't!</p><p>What I loved about this novel (and is the same for every one of her novels so far) is the suspense. A great build up, with twists and turns and a final reveal that more often than not I didn't see coming. This was no exception. What really made this a five star for me among many things was the final reveal at the end with a further twist right at the very last few pages. Loved it!</p><p>If you love a good thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you need to pick this one up!<br></p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-20348806491496581702022-01-17T22:47:00.000-08:002022-01-17T22:47:43.966-08:00Book Review / 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King<p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVluEsrngOAFLprEluzjw2hChrNw974b8VAABLBFwWLfav3qXqyBoL15Ado4srEeTRlIcxyWpdR3ZnMUnRrgtC8IOoOn9HY5sU4wAyJpUN7Ga_mjRoXje6U5RfYMCqO_VbWwBzKNMgg3M/s2048/IMG_20211025_124720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVluEsrngOAFLprEluzjw2hChrNw974b8VAABLBFwWLfav3qXqyBoL15Ado4srEeTRlIcxyWpdR3ZnMUnRrgtC8IOoOn9HY5sU4wAyJpUN7Ga_mjRoXje6U5RfYMCqO_VbWwBzKNMgg3M/w640-h480/IMG_20211025_124720.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span id="freeText2994194080544042012"><br />'Salem's Lot is a
small New England town with the usual quota of gossips, drinkers,
weirdos and respectable folk. Of course there are tales of strange
happenings—but not more than in any other town its size.<br /><br />Ben
Mears, a moderately successful writer, returns to the Lot to write a
novel based on his early years, and to exorcise the terrors that have
haunted him since childhood. The event he witnessed in the house now
rented by a new resident. A newcomer with a strange allure. A man who
causes Ben some unease as things start to happen: a child disappears, a
dog is brutally killed—nothing unusual, except the list starts to grow.<br /><br />Soon surprise will turn to bewilderment, bewilderment to confusion and finally to terror . . .</span></p><p><span id="freeText2994194080544042012"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Published: 17th October 1975 (this version 11th May 2021)<br />Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton<br />Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58192978-salem-s-lot" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br />Source: Bought</b></span> <br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQvk4KHShDvhQrqnk-N7DyjfppBaRQns72opvyGBUzij6wvqAjgRuc-Xjlv0eu0Vp7KBECaVj9xWGLWJoGtjQzQr8b7CnUnFgOYMo6nw3J9aKlxEjmmdmNb9ccMxX0HHfro5ItRSzLuw/s397/Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQvk4KHShDvhQrqnk-N7DyjfppBaRQns72opvyGBUzij6wvqAjgRuc-Xjlv0eu0Vp7KBECaVj9xWGLWJoGtjQzQr8b7CnUnFgOYMo6nw3J9aKlxEjmmdmNb9ccMxX0HHfro5ItRSzLuw/s320/Stars.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span id="freeText2994194080544042012"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText2994194080544042012"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MY REVIEW</b></span><br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText2994194080544042012">I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this novel. At 768 pages long, it took a while but I loved every minute! We follow not only the main character, Ben Mears, who returns to 'Salem's Lot (also known as Jerusalem's Lot) after an accident changed his life, with the memory of a traumatic experience in an old house in 'Salem's Lot when he was a kid, but also a lot of the characters in town as things change when newcomers come into town (other than Ben).</span></p><p><span id="freeText2994194080544042012">What I loved about this story was the suspense. It was a very slow build, but well worth sticking with it. I can't think of a single moment in this story where I was bored or didn't feel like I wanted to continue and that, for me, is a sign of an amazing 5 star read! With this novel first being published back in 1975 I really didn't feel like it had either aged badly or felt like it was set in the old days. For me, you could pick up this story and pop it down into any town anywhere in these times and it would mostly be relevant. I think that is what added to the suspense, the fact that this could literally happen anywhere, if you believe. </span></p><p><span id="freeText2994194080544042012">What I also loved, and I am not sure whether it was just the particular version of the book I bought, was when I I thought the story was over, there was an additional couple of short stories at the end going forward a bit in time and seeing how the town was after the events of the main story. <br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText2994194080544042012">This book kept me on the edge of my seat and would recommend for those who like a good vampire story or like to be spooked!<br /></span></p><p><span id="freeText2994194080544042012"> </span> <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-18103032785202036262022-01-17T11:11:00.000-08:002022-01-17T11:11:19.980-08:00Book Review / Tap to Tidy by Stacey Solomon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEpSnMqfvp1PfBNConq8eV4u2auC9aUOrkSEeJTggz9LpEkM4uxZqie7YN5EkLoAhAGic9frfzL7nn-LOexkeMOPn2Xjo5iD7MmfsQ4N-QyePFIazvesh4Y_0sMXhm9tG7hJubzJG_u8/s2048/IMG_20210912_164923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEpSnMqfvp1PfBNConq8eV4u2auC9aUOrkSEeJTggz9LpEkM4uxZqie7YN5EkLoAhAGic9frfzL7nn-LOexkeMOPn2Xjo5iD7MmfsQ4N-QyePFIazvesh4Y_0sMXhm9tG7hJubzJG_u8/w640-h480/IMG_20210912_164923.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br> <p></p><p><span id="freeText99864287399474853">If you're reading this,
then we have something in common .... Whether it's a love of getting
crafty, meticulously organising or making fun-shaped snacks!<br><br>I
find it hard to sit still, but losing myself in a craft project or
tidying a drawer is my form of meditation. It's a chance for me to
forget about the things going on in the world around me for a minute.<br><br>I
hope this book helps you to lose yourself for a moment, too - and that
you enjoy reading it and even, maybe, having a go at some of the bits
inside.</span> </p><p><br></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Published: 4th March 2021<br>Publisher: Ebury Publishing<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56881377-tap-to-tidy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=NaLxLTTR7w&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought</b></span><br></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtNhy50MyX751BTFduYJ3_DEM0nLYhGp3RK3YnwomUUO78fEEMxV7-n8niZIm-0Qeb5rD224JfWBiNqkH_CDoCDCzrqxLt3ppoa2uIOmtt2sSfqu7nrqKjx5DmJ6BBFpeuAgLU4x3BW4/s330/Stars+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="78" data-original-width="330" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtNhy50MyX751BTFduYJ3_DEM0nLYhGp3RK3YnwomUUO78fEEMxV7-n8niZIm-0Qeb5rD224JfWBiNqkH_CDoCDCzrqxLt3ppoa2uIOmtt2sSfqu7nrqKjx5DmJ6BBFpeuAgLU4x3BW4/s320/Stars+4.png" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>MY REVIEW</b></span></p><p> </p><p>I don't know about you but I love a bit of organising, whether that's tidying up your home (of course, including your bookshelves) or your life. I am always on the hunt for a good book with lots of great tips and hints. I was recommended this book from a friend.</p><p>Although a lot of the hints and tips I have come across before, I had so much fun reading this. It has a great combination of helpful tips and hints, recipes and a bit of biography of the author herself, which gave the book a personal touch. </p><p>This book would be ideal for those who are just starting out in their organisational process or those who find it hard to keep organised. <br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-17070663779966856202022-01-06T03:10:00.000-08:002022-01-06T03:10:34.408-08:00Book Review / Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQqb3NPPIa4xPWMjSUw2MEpTtb855QgavZd3Ie0p-dZaz-e3IPxSkp6ecnUg2s_zz8Mt8g4eP_ja1v8OEeK2-Nq-jdPaEgYYkDjPHSHRgdHcwMnFcRnRgdchiGsY3RlguuTQHoVIjMOs/s2048/0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQqb3NPPIa4xPWMjSUw2MEpTtb855QgavZd3Ie0p-dZaz-e3IPxSkp6ecnUg2s_zz8Mt8g4eP_ja1v8OEeK2-Nq-jdPaEgYYkDjPHSHRgdHcwMnFcRnRgdchiGsY3RlguuTQHoVIjMOs/w640-h480/0000.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br><span id="freeText48293474034456263">Something strange is
happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every
morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered
Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down,
security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.<br> <br>To
unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour
dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty
showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter
horrors that defy the imagination.<br> <br>A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, <i>Horrorstör</i>
is designed to retain its luster and natural appearance for a lifetime
of use. Pleasingly proportioned with generous French flaps and a
softcover binding, <i>Horrorstör</i> delivers the psychological terror you need in the elegant package you deserve.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Published: 23rd September 2014<br>Publisher: Quirk Books<br>Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13129925-horrorst-r?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kW6qZxeEEq&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br>Series or Stand-Alone: Stand-Alone<br>Source: Bought<br></b></span> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoIg-5Jov25j0KyBi4i02hyphenhyphenmVZ3v2Xcg6PyEPLsYvr_c_ruWF81-03exNHNlNzFilMaCKhhVYNwjaLvoi2AREyDPh5NHYdQE4syI7O2mle26cCE6ziZWoAUGaN5-Ejs9YfrNmLN8b334/s397/Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoIg-5Jov25j0KyBi4i02hyphenhyphenmVZ3v2Xcg6PyEPLsYvr_c_ruWF81-03exNHNlNzFilMaCKhhVYNwjaLvoi2AREyDPh5NHYdQE4syI7O2mle26cCE6ziZWoAUGaN5-Ejs9YfrNmLN8b334/s320/Stars.png" width="320"></a></div><br> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span> <br></p><p> </p><p>I can't tell you how much fun I had reading this book and I certainly won't tell you how much I bought this book purely for the cover art and art inside! </p><p>This is such an odd story but I just couldn't stop reading! It is certainly creepy at the beginning but when the day is done and three of the employees at Orsk are left to investigate what goes on after dark, that is when the fun begins!</p><p>What I loved the most about this story was simply how bizzare and fun it was. I can't tell you specific details, to avoid spoilers, but this story is pretty much like a downward spiral where the story slowly descends down it bit by bit, page by page.</p><p>The ending was what did it for me. I was wondering how such a bizarre story would end up and I did have some options that I was hoping might happen, but none of those came up. Instead I was given a completely different ending but it turned out that it was the ending I wanted but never knew I wanted!</p><p>This was such a creepy but fun novel that I would highly recommend!<br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-79978008475631075002022-01-04T00:11:00.000-08:002022-01-04T00:11:28.591-08:00Book Review / The Judge's List by John Grisham<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxNXkKX0YU50ZyL9adOY3aTZhRtpKaXt-Yc_h8ZLyGR1sGnSpmwkL0lPGp0OuE4fjWYSEuAqhKrSaiGxL_F1CCozoZcvcsdXZ8FDes1wC_uU9-E3eQYnZEJR67YPUv-OgI1VN78Gzm6U/s2048/IMG_20211108_143224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxNXkKX0YU50ZyL9adOY3aTZhRtpKaXt-Yc_h8ZLyGR1sGnSpmwkL0lPGp0OuE4fjWYSEuAqhKrSaiGxL_F1CCozoZcvcsdXZ8FDes1wC_uU9-E3eQYnZEJR67YPUv-OgI1VN78Gzm6U/w640-h480/IMG_20211108_143224.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I<span id="freeText3834443280402541710">n <i>The Whistler</i>,
Lacy Stoltz investigated a corrupt judge who was taking millions in
bribes from a crime syndicate. She put the criminals away, but only
after being attacked and nearly killed. Three years later, and
approaching forty, she is tired of her work for the Florida Board on
Judicial Conduct and ready for a change.<p>Then she meets a mysterious
woman who is so frightened she uses a number of aliases. Jeri Crosby’s
father was murdered twenty years earlier in a case that remains unsolved
and that has grown stone cold. But Jeri has a suspect whom she has
become obsessed with and has stalked for two decades. Along the way, she
has discovered other victims.</p><p>Suspicions are easy enough, but
proof seems impossible. The man is brilliant, patient, and always one
step ahead of law enforcement. He is the most cunning of all serial
killers. He knows forensics, police procedure, and most important: he
knows the law.</p><p>He is a judge, in Florida—under Lacy’s jurisdiction.</p><p>He
has a list, with the names of his victims and targets, all unsuspecting
people unlucky enough to have crossed his path and wronged him in some
way. How can Lacy pursue him, without becoming the next name on his
list.</p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Published: 19th October 2021<br />Publisher: Doubleday<br />Goodreads : <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57865158-the-judge-s-list?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=i2mbxZITcR&rank=1" target="_blank">Click here</a><br />Series or Stand-Alone: Book 2, The Whistler<br />Source: Bought</b></span><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsstr2Yj2F_KBLjiFnV2oC2fXNmzKxh3xozMBiQ_LG-SpVIIlBK-XFQA-SB_JtmrEqr-BJ-S9SdclJYXbUNfwLMhHKESO4p2Y884EdSB6nbFQa3NBMxVCNID9lHzMbA4kBXi7PQv0ro5w/s397/Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="397" height="58" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsstr2Yj2F_KBLjiFnV2oC2fXNmzKxh3xozMBiQ_LG-SpVIIlBK-XFQA-SB_JtmrEqr-BJ-S9SdclJYXbUNfwLMhHKESO4p2Y884EdSB6nbFQa3NBMxVCNID9lHzMbA4kBXi7PQv0ro5w/s320/Stars.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>This book has been on my to buy and read list for ages as knowing this was coming up. Having read The Whister reasonably recently I was very excited to read more about the character of Lacy and find out what she is up to next. </p><p>I would recommend that you read The Whistler before picking this up not only because it is an excellent book but also there are small spoilers in this book to what happened in the first and genuinely it does help to get a background of the characters and how the Judicial Conduct Authority works.</p><p>What I loved the most about this book was the fact that you see this story in, basically, three characters' eyes. Firstly you have Lacy who works at the Judicial Conduct Authority and is asked to look into this matter. Secondly, you have Jeri who comes forward suspecting a sitting Judge for not only killing her father but also a number of others. Lastly, you have the Judge himself and what is going on in his mind at various points in the story. Having these three perspectives gives so much more depth to the story than just having one viewpoint. You are seeing both good and evil with a race to find out who will win. </p><p>What I also enjoyed was the way the story ended. I won't go into too much detail here because of spoilers but I will say that although it may not be a satisfying ending for some it felt realistic and a very good twist that I wasn't expecting.</p><p>Do pick up The Whistler before picking this up but a great edge of your seat read you need to pick up. <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6181156338194556956.post-50785172659557520432021-12-27T23:45:00.000-08:002021-12-27T23:45:57.628-08:00Book Review / The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHauXqxqME8tz1LnLdujg5oI5u1WoiwQSAqvhQ29pzwvabubPRcqrKwADBsblrSq6zECTJCKkp521JXoFIdTSim-kJZ_bs6QnKNM6YW2BPwtK9GttHKLfrJ_X4HXIEz2Ycs9_Uu2jMgEo/s2048/IMG_20211028_135616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHauXqxqME8tz1LnLdujg5oI5u1WoiwQSAqvhQ29pzwvabubPRcqrKwADBsblrSq6zECTJCKkp521JXoFIdTSim-kJZ_bs6QnKNM6YW2BPwtK9GttHKLfrJ_X4HXIEz2Ycs9_Uu2jMgEo/w640-h480/IMG_20211028_135616.jpg" width="640"></a></div><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksjhOLvVtpJvqr0pPKIsylyFZVtc91W2Ol8W6JETYK_ts8Lj36WvGD7CCQAtG-CXZ4UotwJQ5BMxDQoNIxEX9gmkgENSu1w-QLpUNXJQliF2KKrh0nU8K3PzyQO3RFNo90L8Za9qkdu8/s2048/IMG_20210924_114427.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a></div><br><p></p><p><span id="freeText2767030236190192580">Everything's coming up
roses for Fleur Daxeny, as she goes through more rich men than she does
designer hats... if that's humanly possible. Beautiful, charming, and
utterly irresistible, her success at crashing funerals to find wealthy
men is remarkable. But behind Fleur's Harvey Nichols wardrobe, is a
woman with a mysterious past. <br><br>Fleur wastes no time in seducing
her latest conquest, the handsome and rich widower Richard Favour, and
she swoops into his life like a designer-clad tornado. His children are
caught up in a whirlwind as their father's new girlfriend descends on
the family estate leaving chaos and excitement in her perfume-scented
wake. Soon, more than one family member is suspicious of Fleur's true
intentions.<br> <br>Fleur is not one to wear her heart on her Chanel
sleeves, but she soon finds herself embracing Richard and his lovable
family. But just as Fleur contemplates jumping off the gold-digger train
for good and enjoying the ride of true love, a long-buried secret from
her past threatens to destroy her new family. Fleur is thrown into a
race against time to prove herself to Richard before it's too late. Can
she trust her heart or will she cut ties and run away as fast as her
Prada pumps can take her?</span></p><p><span id="freeText2767030236190192580"> </span></p><p><span id="freeText2767030236190192580">Published: 5th September 2017<br>Publisher: Piatkus Books<br>Goodreads : Click here<br>Series or Stand-Alone: Book 45, In Death<br>Source: Bought<br> </span></p><p><span id="freeText2767030236190192580"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzLnOaU_uZlcLmximZtsDK-E2clqUij30bFqCOvxdWmrMDU8FamJUiYRhPae4mxpTcrmmTDe06UIIRYkmNLezuGVobrUgqIJ22E0ZK6jjCouvGpXOT7iwrXNl48myPCZ2MIYYikaDh5U/s330/Stars+4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="78" data-original-width="330" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzLnOaU_uZlcLmximZtsDK-E2clqUij30bFqCOvxdWmrMDU8FamJUiYRhPae4mxpTcrmmTDe06UIIRYkmNLezuGVobrUgqIJ22E0ZK6jjCouvGpXOT7iwrXNl48myPCZ2MIYYikaDh5U/s320/Stars+4.png" width="320"></a></div><br><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span id="freeText2767030236190192580"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>MY REVIEW</b></u></span> </span> <br></p><p> </p><p>Having recently read and enjoyed The Wedding Girl, I was looking forward to picking this up. I was expecting a similar theme/plot where the main character either makes a mistake or has a bad character trait they can't get out of and the rest of the story is watching that play out, and I wasn't wrong. That didn't mean that I didn't enjoy it. This was just the type of story that I was looking for at the time and that is what I got. </p><p>What I loved about this story was the main character Fleur. You can obviously see that she has a problem and seemingly she is ok with it and carries on, irrespective of the people she hurts along the way and those people didn't seem to show that much distress from what I read in what she was doing. </p><p>There were not many characters I liked in this story, for many various reasons, but there was one character that I really disliked and that was Richard's son when he featured more nearer the end of the novel. He was very pushy and, to put it simply, very annoying. Now this may have been for good reasons and maybe he was concerned for his father, but the way this character came across I felt was completely unacceptable.</p><p>That said, I would highly recommend this if you are looking for a no frills story that keeps you entertained all the way through.<br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Debra's Book Cafehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13275914702339275834noreply@blogger.com0