Me Before You - Jojo Moyes

I opened this book with great expectations.

My Mum had rated it 6/5, unheard of!

Firstly, do not be put off by the front cover of this book- if it hadn't been for my Mum's glowing recommendation and the fact that it was a Richard & Judy Book Club pick I would never have even let my eye linger.  The garish pink and black was not at all tempting, and having now read the book I still cannot understand where they were going with the front cover?!

It is a wonderful heartwarming story, focusing around the relationship between Lou and Will.

Lou looses her job after the cafe she has worked in since her early twenties closes down.  She is now nearly 30, and still living at home with her grandfather, parents, younger sister and her's sister baby boy.  They are not a well off family and every penny counts.  The job centre beckons but after a disastrous few weeks working in a chicken factory, Lou is totally dispirited…until that is a part-time carers position becomes available.

And who should Lou be caring for? None other than the rather delicious Will Traynor, who after being victim to a horrific road accident is a quadriplegic.

Moyes weaves a beautiful story, letting us be totally beguiled by these two souls that have lost their way in life.  What completely fascinated me was Lou's forever ending optimism.  There were fleeting moments when she let things get to her but more often than not she remained positive to the core, refreshing in these times.

A part of the book that really struck a cord was during Lou's birthday meal with her family, with Will as the invited guest (much to her boyfriend's annoyance) she opened their presents.  The smile that spread across my face as she opened Will's gift was a beaming one!  

Moyes manages to cram quite a lot into the book and considering it's not a particularly long book, this is testament to her succinct yet apt ability at creating an absorbing story that at no point drags.

This is a good read.  My expectations were duly satisfied.  Enjoy.

The Moment - Douglas Kennedy

I started reading this before going away skiing, I wanted a book that would keep me going on the flight and coach journey- having read all of Douglas Kennedy's previous books I thought I was in good hands.

I don't want to be negative, because this is an incredible book.  However, sadly to get to the incredible part of the book you have to trawl through the first 150 pages, which are particularly slow going.  Douglas goes into so much detail in the first part of the book, and although I can see how it might be necessary, I wouldn't be surprised if it puts some readers off.

However, I beg of you, do not stop reading.  It is all worth it.  I am so pleased I pushed through, the moment Thomas Nesbitt meets Petra Dussman this book picks up pace and is utterly overwhelming- I could not stop reading.

Douglas tells the story of Thomas Nesbitt- an solitary American travel writer- who ends up in Berlin during the reign of the wall and the conflict between the GDR and West Berlin.  Whilst in Berlin he writes travel pieces for the local radio station, and during his time at the station he meets translator Petra.  It is an all consuming love story, that warms the heart and ices the heart in equal capacity.

The majority of the book is told from Nesbitt's point of view, but near the end you read Petra's side of things which adds a whole new dimension that you did not even realise you needed.

Both characters are likeable and set in their ways.  Nesbitt is constantly searching for something, as to what that 'something' is I don't think even he knows but you are routing for him.  Petra is a strong determined striking woman, with a sad background that only becomes apparent as the story unfolds.

I've visited Berlin 2 years ago, a fantastic city, but having read this book now I have a whole new appreciation of the place.  The Berlin Wall came down when I was 5 years old, and although school taught me a bit about life during the walls reign, I never had the opportunity to study the history in depth.  Reading Douglas' latest book, was eye-opening.  I feel very naive and ignorant to admit that I had no real understanding of what life was really like; and now I just want to learn more and delve deeper.

I really want to recommend this book to everyone, but it's a tricky one when it takes so many pages to get into it.  But trust me when I say it is worth it, it is really worth it!

Before I Go To Sleep - SJ Watson

I rarely actually give a book a star rating, but for SJ Watson's debut I would give it 5/5.  It was excellent.  The back cover doesn't give much away, only giving one solitary sentence as to what the book is about, so you really aren't sure what to expect when you start reading.

The reason for my 5/5 rating is simple- it was a story that was just so unusually told.  And when really looking at it, what is interesting, is that a large chunk of the book repeats the same thing over and over again as Christine tries to remember her past each day.

SJ Watson held my imagination within moments of opening the book.  I had no idea what was going on, very much like the main character Christine.  It made me nervous as I read, I was chilled to the bone as Christine learnt more and more and dug even deeper into her past.

Nothing is as you first think and as I was reading I kept questioning Christine's actions, thinking that I would never do what she is doing.  That there were certain key questions that she was not asking...but that is what made the book.  How do we know how we would act/react if every morning you woke up with no memory of who you are, where you are, what age you are... knowing nothing about anything.

I cannot wait to read SJ Watson's next book.  Whether it'll be another crime story, or a different genre.  Either way I will make sure to grab it from the shelf.

The Shadow Wife - Diane Chamberlain

Another great story by Daine Chamberlain. It seems a lot of her past books are being republished so they are appearing on the book shelves pretty consistently at the moment.

The story fleets back and forth between the story of Joelle, in the present, and Carlynn, in the 50s/60s. Joelle's best friend Mara is in a nursing home having suffered an aneurysm whilst giving birth to her son. She has severe brain damage and is unlikely to recover. In her grief, Joelle becomes very close to Mara's husband, Liam. Their love for Mara almost binds them together and helps them heal during a time of utter sadness.

Alongside this we discover the lives of twin sisters Carlynn and Lisbeth back in the 1950's. We know that the two stories will combine but there is a dark secret hidden in the depths that suddenly jumps out at you about 3/4s of the way through.

There is only one point in the book that annoyed me slightly, only because it seemed a little over the top and over dramatic. Actually I've discovered this in a couple of Chamberlain's books- it's almost as if she knows where she wants certain characters to end up, and doesn't quite know how to get them there and so uses a gigantic leap that doesn't always ring true!

Having said that though, it is still a very sweet tale and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Diane writes with ease, and captures her reader by portraying such likeable characters. (Apart from Carlynn and Lisbeth's disgusting mother Delora, I just do not believe any mother would behave the way in which she did.... at least I hope not.)

If you pick up one of Chamberlain's books, you are guaranteed a good enjoyable yarn.

Safe House - film

In one word- disappointing.

Denzel Washington is arguably one of the best actors around. He has a massive movie repertoire and you can usually count on him to bring a film to life. If his name is on the film poster, I will go and see it.

However, sadly this did not ring true with the Safe House.

There just wasn't much to it. Denzel plays a rogue C.I.A agent who has been off the grid for a long time. He suddenly pops up on the C.I.A computers when he escapes into the American Embassy in Cape Town from some crazed gunman that are hot on his heels.

The rest of the film plays out like a cat and mouse chase- between Denzel and the gunman who, seem to know his every move. No shocker then to discover that they have an informant on the inside leaking intel. I think this was meant to be some big twist, but was glaringly obvious within the first 15 minutes.

Denzel is paired with Ryan Reynolds in this film, an interesting duo. I am a big Ryan Reynolds fan (although that could be down to purely aesthetic reasons!) Ryan's past films have been pretty light weight so to put him on screen with Denzel was an impressive feat. Ryan gives it a good shot, but it's the films plot that lets him down.

At no point did we learn much about Denzel's character Tobin Frost, which seemed a great big gapping hole in the film. As soon as the name Frost appears on the C.I.A's computers they go into overdrive- no one can believe Frost has reappeared. And this is everyone's reactions. But yet, we learn nothing about why he is this big enigma, how he got into this position, what went wrong years before etc... We are kept in the dark and are forced to paddle lightly into the shallow waters, never straying into the deep end.

At 115 minutes long, it wasn't the worst few hours by any means. Having Denzel in the film still kept me going and I was interested to see how it was going to end. I think the overall feeling as the credits rolled was just of disappointment. As a generic action film it was fine, but a waste to have the esteemed Denzel in it and for the producers not to take advantage.

*Since seeing Safe House I have watched Man on Fire again. Wow. Now that is a fantastic film with a epic performance by Denzel. Probably one of his best actually and it really does put Safe House to shame.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Whenever I can I try reading the books before they hit the big screen, The Hunger Games hits the big screen in March so I gave myself plenty of time to savour the book.

Not that it took long to savour, if I could’ve sat somewhere for 12 hours straight I could’ve devoured this book in one sitting! It was gripping. But strangely, when explaining to a friend how good it is, I found myself questioning why when the plot itself is a little barbaric.

Suzanne Collins sets the book in the future, although how far into the future we do not know. It is a future made up of 12 Districts, with the Capitol ruling over all of them. The Districts vary in wealth and riches, and each District is known for one main source of sustainability.

We follow Katniss Everdeen from District 12, a strong and determined girl who provides for her mother and little sister after her father tragically dies in a mining accident- and by providing I mean foraging in the woods, hunting, killing, bartering…District 12 is a poverty stricken place to live. Starvation is rife, as is death. It is the worst District to live in.

Once a year, The Hunger Games take place. A disgusting ritual that the Capitol put in place to stop any forms of rebellion. A boy and a girl from each District are chosen at random, put into a man-made arena and made to fight to the death. Each year the 'arena' changes, one year it was a desert, another year snow capped mountains. This year it is a forest. All this is televised to each District, and they have to watch as their own children fight it out. The victorious boy or girl brings great notoriety to their District, including an abundance of food for the year.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellack are picked for The Hunger Games from District 12. Only one person has ever won from District 12 before and that was decades ago. The odds are against them. Or are they? Each pair, from each District, has a team of experts from the Capitol to prepare them in the days leading up to the Games- with training, TV interviews etc... Collins must have had fun devising these colourful characters from the Capitol, particularly Effie Trinket.

The way in which Collins depicts this future world is with startling clarity, she adds just the right amount of detail that I could picture the desolate land that Katniss and Peeta come from without difficulty. And juxtaposed against this is the affluent Capitol, with its garish bright lights and void of any human emotion.

But considering the concept of this book is pretty grim, it was strangely absorbing. Katniss is a strong-minded girl with deep-rooted morals, she is torn between what she believes is the right thing to do and the restricted rules imposed upon her. It is an ongoing battle, not just within The Hunger Games arena itself, but against the ruling elite.

There is so much I want to say about this book but the best thing to do is to read it, tentatively step into Collins’ world and let the characters draw you in. You’ll find yourself inexplicably riveted and unable to stop yourself rapidly turning the pages.

Man On A Ledge - film

Having seen the trailer to this film months ago, I had not forgotten it. But not for the reason you may think. Yes, it looked like a good action film with a strong cast, but the reason I remembered it was because of the terrible film title! Could they not come up with anything a little bit more inventive?!!

But this did not totally put me off and I am glad it didn't. I am a big fan of Sam Worthington, before his Avatar days he was in a fantastic Australian TV drama called Love My Way and so seeing him making it on the big screen is very satisfying.

With him leading the cast, as Nick Cassidy, I felt happy that I was in safe hands watching this heist action movie.

It is exactly as the title suggests, a film about a man on a ledge threatening to jump. The majority of the film is set on this ledge, so if you are disposed to sweaty palms- like me- you don't stand a chance... Obviously early on you realise that all is not as it seems, he's a man trying to make a point, desperate to prove his innocence for a crime committed some years before.

As the news stations, police, fire brigade and public watch on, anticipating his next move we learn the truth behind what is really going on. Frustratingly I can say very little but suffice to say there's oodles of tension, mystery, deception and the odd subtle twist.

The film has an understated cast, including Jamie Bell playing Worthington's younger brother (it's been a long time since I've seen a film with him & I thought he was excellent), Elizabeth Banks cast as the police negotiator assigned to get Worthington off the ledge, and the esteemed Ed Harris as the smug wealthy business man who you instantly hate.

I wasn't sure how the film was going to end, which I always think is testament to a good plot. Yes, there was one moment that was a unnecessarily over the top, but luckily this didn't cast too much of a dark cloud over the film. As with most films in this genre, there were a few small twists at the end which made you smile as the credits rolled.

These days films have to stand out against each other, otherwise one heist movie is as much like the next. One main way to achieve this is to locate them in unusual places- a ledge certainly does that. This film isn't going to change the world, and I wouldn't imagine it'll reach your list of Top 5 greatest films, however it is certainly an enjoyable one to watch- it's a little bit different, due to 'the ledge', and I would recommend it.

Only Time Will Tell - Jeffrey Archer

This book will grip you from the moment you pick it up. Fantastic.

Having never read a Jeffrey Archer book before I did not know what to expect, but I was massively surprised.

The way in which he captures his characters and brings them to life is a talent. He writes beautifully, it was an effortless book to read & I did not want to get to the end.

There are apparently two more books to follow on, continuing on from where this book ends with the life and tales of Harry Clifton. I just cannot wait for them to hit the shops.

The book is made up of chapters each told from the individual characters perspectives. So, we start with Maisie Clifton's view, then her son Harry's, followed by Hugo Barrington's and so on. What is so clever is that each time you think you know what happened at a certain point, you read another characters viewpoint and realise their helping hand in the events that took place.

We follow young Harry from a young lad, right through to when he is 19 years old. He is the main focal point to the book and what a great character. You are willing Harry to succeed at every step and you feel invested in his progress.

He comes from a humble background with a predicted future working down the docks likes his father, but it is not until he opens his voice at a church service that his true talent shines. From here on in, his life changes- suddenly he has a bright future ahead of him- with a little secret help from those around him! But with the 2nd World War looming, time is of the essence.

I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen and just when you think you can guess, Archer pulls the rug from under you.

If you have a holiday coming up, I advise you to pick this up and devour it. Or, if you can, maybe wait until the 2nd book has hit the shelves in March and then you can relish the first two books together.

Like Crazy (film)

Did you know that Felicity Jones started off in Radio 4's The Archers? This is a little fact that I found out after seeing Like Crazy, and for some reason this makes me like her even more.

Like Crazy isn't your typical romantic comedy, in fact little of it can be deemed 'comedy.' It is certainly romantic, telling the tale of Anna (Felicity Jones) & Jacob (Anton Yelchin) falling madly in love whilst she is in L.A studying at uni. Their romance is beautifully depicted, it is real & gritty, and their all consuming love takes over their lives.

The sadness hits when Anna's visa is soon to run out and the thought of being parted from Jacob terrifies her. She does the worst thing possible & ignores her visa and stays on in L.A two months after it's expired. Suffice to say when she does eventually go back to UK, they won't let her return to America.

The rest of the film is played out in L.A & London, we slowly watch both Anna & Jacob try to get on with their lives but equally struggling. Trying to keep a long distance relationship going causes strain & stress for both of them and you can truly feel their plight.

I really had no idea how it was going to end, it was beautifully filmed with emotion entwined in every aspect, and this helped keep up the suspense of not knowing what would become of Anna & Jacob. I am loathe to say anything else as I would hate to ruin the conclusion.

There is some light relief in the form of Anna's parents- played by the fantastic Alex Kingston & Oliver Muirhead- they had some brilliant lines, that made you cringe in equal measure. They are only in a few scenes but these comedy elements were welcomed.

Jones & Yelchin are fantastic actors, they are in pretty much every scene and they are captivating. The film is shot with a basic camera and only cost £250,000 to make- so even with such basic means to work with they have produced a fantastic film that will resonate with me for a while yet.

*The script is completely improvised, which we learnt only after the film. This made so much sense- the dialogue is as real as it gets & at times you can really tell that Jones is thinking before speaking her next line. A sublime performance that deserves all the awards it's received.

Everything & Nothing - Araminta Hall

Being her debut novel, Hall clearly had a lot riding on her first book. It wasn't a bad effort either, that may sound harsh but it wasn't the best book I've read and neither was it the worst book I've read.

The story centres around Ruth & Christian, their two children Betty & Hal and the new nanny, Aggie. It is a family in turmoil- it is a depressing look at what modern life is like for a family loosing hope in the 'happy ending' - both Ruth & Christian seem unhappy in their marriage, but cannot voice this, Betty craves some attention, & Hal is still being bottle fed at 3 years old as he refuses to eat anything else. So, as the title suggests, they really do have everything & nothing.

In walks Aggie to save the day, so to speak. However all is not what it seems which comes across within the first few pages. She is too perfect, too efficient, too butter wouldn't melt... The kids love her, but almost too much. Sadly this all goes unnoticed by Ruth & Christian as they try and salvage their marriage.

Although I did enjoy reading this & Hall built up the necessary suspense to keep me reading, I just found it all a little miserable! It was just not very pleasant reading about the strife surrounding the family, you wanted to shake Ruth & Christian to just talk to each other, you wanted them to notice their children and you desperately wanted them to see the mentally unhinged side to Aggie.

So, I suppose that's it- the book made me frustrated. And I suppose you could say that if this was Hall's intention then she did a extremely good job. I'll be very interested to see what her 2nd book brings, hopefully a lighter subject matter.

All the Hopeful Lovers - William Nicholson

I perhaps shouldn't admit this but before picking this up I didn't pay much attention to the author & so it surprised me half way through to realise it was a a male author. The tone & style just seemed to echo a female mind - he writes from both the male & female perspectives, his characters are eclectic and very real.

(Although having discovered that it was in fact a male writer, this then became more apparent when reading about certain characters... particularly Belinda- her actions just did not ring true).

It's rather a sad story telling the tales of various characters & families in the weeks before Xmas. The stories are all entwined but are all themed around their discontentment with life.

Whether it's Alice's uncertainty about university life, Belinda's discovery that her marriage isn't as stable as she first thought or Meg, who you should dislike for being the 'other woman' but has had her heart broken.

The characters are all in limbo you could say, and that's what keeps you reading. You want them to find happiness and resolution.

There are sweet moments- teenager Carrie befriending the retired grumpy Alan, and Jack discovering in Alice what is blindingly obvious... The best line being, "when you really love someone you turn into a wally." Brilliant. (And oh so true)

There are many moments in this book to mention but what kept me reading was discovering them page by page. I beg anyone not to laugh out loud when we meet Kenny's "matey"....

The Help (film)

With eager anticipation I popped to the cinema last week to see the film adaptation of the massively popular book, The Help.

The cinema was packed out with other excitable female enthusiasts, all sitting there holding our breaths hoping that we would not be let down. Would it go down the path of Chocolat or the route of The Memory Keepers Daughter?

I can very happily say, and with huge relief, that it goes down the perfectly carved path of Chocolat!! Director, Tate Taylor, has done a fantastic job and I am so pleased. Kathryn Stocketts book deserved to be told on screen as brilliantly as the words on the page were told.

I will admit that part of me cannot help but think that the films success is down to the superb actresses- the casting for this film was first class. Emma Stone plays wishful writer Skeeter, Viola Davis thoughtful Aibileen and Octavia Spencer the fierce Minny. Although I was not familiar with either Davis or Spencer they were fantastic, they captured the books characters with such precision it was as if Stockett wrote the roles for them.

There are plenty of other great performances to savour- my favourite being Skeeters mother played by the sublime Allison Janney. I laughed every time she came on screen, her script was dry, heartful and most importantly real.

Having read the book I knew when the film was coming to end but I wasn't ready for it at all. I could've quite happily have carried on watching the goings on in Jackson, Mississippi for hours gone by. Especially with Minny and her wry humour!

*There were some perfectly poignant moments in the film, however the lady behind me was clearly overly moved as I have never experienced anyone sob that loudly in the cinema before!!!! It was unbelievable. There were 2 main moments in the film that spring to mind and in both these scenes her sobs escalated.... my friends and I looked at each other to check that we hadn't missed something, suddenly there was a sense of pressure to get the tears out!!!!!!!!

The last few months....

So, the last few months I have been off the radar a little. Apologies, the humdrums of London life took over a little bit!

However in the last few months I have read an eclectic array of books, so here is a snapshot to amuse and entertain....

Dorothy Koomson “The Woman He Loved Before”

Anyone out there who has yet to have Koomson in their life, go out and buy her books NOW.

She is a wonderful read, her books will never disappoint and they will suck you in and you will be absorbed from the first page- I guarantee it.

My mum was the first person to introduce me to her and I have never looked back. She writes beautifully and her stories truly grip your imagination and heart.

“The Woman He Loved Before” is a tale of love, fear and desperation. Any woman out there that has been in love will emphasise with the insecurities that come along with this love, however for Libby- the main protagonist- this is heightened by the fact that her husband Jack is a widow and never stopped loving his previous wife. Libby discovers what it is to live in this shadow and upon discovering the hidden diaries of Jack’s first wife suddenly things spiral out of control and all is not what she first thought.

I could not put this down, my only regret is that I was not on a beach somewhere and could not devour it in one sitting- hopping on and off the tube mid chapter isn’t quite the same!

Linwood Barclay “The Accident”

Sadly I have to admit this was a slight disappointment. I am loathe to say this because Barclay’s previous books have been outstanding, particularly his debut ‘No Time To Say Goodbye.’

But something was lacking for me in his latest tale, I cannot put my finger on it precisely but whether it was that I just did not care enough about the main characters, or that it seemed a bit contrived....who knows.

It was still a very easy read, included a few twists and turns and the book is slowly doing the rounds in the office so I would say it is still worth reading just don’t expect it to be as good as his previous books.

Glen’s normal everyday family life is suddenly turned upside down when his wife is killed in a car accident, although this is no normal accident- she was drunk behind the wheel and was responsible for a father and son being killed on impact.

Barclay delves into the lives of Glen, his family, friends and neighbours- hidden secrets are unveiled, bribes dealt and emotions erupt. A good entertaining read but missing something....

Erin Kelly “Poison Tree”

Excellent.

Not a particularly long book so easily something to polish off in a few days.

I will say very little for fear of saying too much, just trust me!

Robert Harris “The Fear Index”

As you may’ve read in a previous post, Robert Harris’ ‘The Ghost’ is in my top 10 all time best reads, so I couldn’t resist treating myself to his latest offer- it was half price in WHSmiths after all!!!

Definitely a little different, that’s for sure.

I cannot pretend to know anything about the financial markets, economics or how stocks, shares, liquidity ratio, NASDAQ and so on operate- so this book was certainly out of my comfort zone.

However it didn’t seem to matter too much. Yes, Harris goes into an incredible amount of detail concerning the world wide finance markets throughout the book, however he writes in such a way that I was still gripped and more than intrigued as to how things were going to turn out. In my mind I cannot understand how a computer programme can detect fear levels and therefore increase company profits (if you hadn’t guessed already, certain elements of the book are still a little over my head!) but I still wanted the good guys to win and the bad guys to loose, I was still rooting for Dr Alex Hoffman and his business partner to be triumphant....

The simple element of any book is that you need the reader to care about the people they are reading about and Harris achieved this, even if the subject was unusual to me.

It was refreshing to read a book that was a challenge, a book that made me think a bit more.

It was also mindboggling to read about the sums of money these guys were dealing with on a daily basis, more money than I could ever dream about!!

To The Moon & Back - Jill Mansell

To all Jill Mansell fans out there, her new book will not disappoint.

To all readers who have yet to read a Jill Mansell book, I recommend you do so. Especially if you are about to jet off to the beach for a holiday. Her books are perfect sun lounge material.

To The Moon & Back is an easy going read, full of ups and downs, laughs and sadness. You can’t deny there is a sense of severe predictability to Mansell’s books but I will eagerly put my hand up and admit that that is an element I love. It is sometimes refreshing to read a book knowing it will end happily ever after with all the loose ends tied neatly.

Her words flow effortlessly and she portrays her characters brilliantly. She introduces a mix of ages, all offering their own quirks and originality.

For your summer holiday, after packing the essentials head down to your nearest book store and purchase a Jill Mansell, whether it’s this recent book or one of her older ones- you won’t regret it.

Eleven - Mark Watson

Interestingly I ignored the Cosmopolitan quote on the front of Eleven - ‘If you loved One Day by David Nicholls, this is for you.’ I am one of few that did not run through the streets screaming with enthusiasm for Nicholls’ droning and depressing interpretation of unrequited love. And so there was a chance I would not like Watson’s Eleven, however his front cover reminded me of Ralphs Party, a popular 90s book by Lisa Jewell which I devoured many years ago.

Xavier Ireland is a DJ on a UK radio station; he entertains his audience in the quiet hours before the new day begins. He is popular among his listeners and at times acts as an agony aunt for a few of them. He is a normal guy, originally from Australia, and living in London for 5 years.

It is slow start, and tinged with melancholy- Xavier doesn’t seem totally satisfied with his lot and you realise early on that there is more to his move to the UK than meets the eye. His past hides a tragedy that brought him across our rainy shores and it is only once you learn of this that his current lifestyle makes sense.

Mark Watson’s main aim in his book is to portray how one person’s actions can affect those around you, without you even realising. Xavier’s lucky number is eleven, so Watson introduces eleven people whose lives are affected by one small action made by Xavier himself, and the chain of events that follow. It is cleverly written and works off the ‘6 degrees of separation’ theory although eleven degrees in this case.

It is sad, thoughtful, desperate, promising, humorous, and largely very engaging. I liked all the eclectic characters that Watson draws upon, particularly Xavier. He comes across as a genuine bloke desperate to move on with his life even with the dark cloud hovering overhead. But alongside Xavier we meet the troubled teen Julius, the stale mouthed estate agent Roger, the lonely teacher Clive and 7 other characters that make up the chosen 11.

At no point did I resent reading about one character compared to another, they all had their own stories or troubles to tell, and Watson cleverly focused just the right amount of attention on each one whilst still keeping Xavier at the centre.

Watson’s ending to the book was just perfect...I will say no more! (I would recommend reading the ‘authors notes’ at the back- Watson gives a good insight into where his ideas came from & his reason for the ending).

Afterwards - Rosamund Lupton

As soon as I saw this on the shelf I had to pick it up, Lupton’s previous debut novel Sister was fantastic and I was very excited to see her new book was already out.

In all honesty though, if it wasn’t for the fact that I had loved Sister I am not sure I would’ve gone for this book having read the back cover. The main characters are Grace and Jenny, and the narrative is told from their ghost forms looking down......hmmmmmm interesting.

So, in theory the book was not really my cup of tea - I’m not really a fan of spirits and ghosts (give me vampires and wizards any day though!) But I put my reservations to one side, Lupton has a great style of writing and so was convinced it would be a good follow up to Sister.

-Grace is at Sidley House primary school for her 8 year old son, Adam’s, Sports Day.
-Jenny, Grace’s elder 17 year old daughter, is acting as the stand in first aider for the event.
-Suddenly a fire breaks out in the school – with both Adam & Jenny inside.
-Grace & Jenny are badly injured and as they lie in hospital, their ghosts try and find out the truth to what really happened.

It was fantastic; I was glued from the first few pages. Lupton doesn’t draw things out, she gets straight into the nitty gritty- it is go go go from the first page. And although I was dubious about Grace and Jenny telling the story from their spiritual forms it was amazing how after a while you forget this and it almost comes across as normal and adds a new dimension.

It is an excellent beginning, to what turns into a suspense filled drama. It’s hard to know which genre to class this book in as it has elements of everything but I would actually say it’s bordering on a crime novel, with a balanced amount of twists and turns.

The only small criticism I have is that the narrative from Grace throughout the book is as if she is talking to her husband (& the father of her children). So, it's constantly 'I look at you talking to the police officer' and 'sitting next to my bedside you look so sad' and sometimes you forget that the 'you' is her husband. But this is only a small niggle.

Juxtaposed alongside the detective element is the sadness of Grace and Jenny’s injuries from the fire – their spiritual selves keep a watch over their bedsides throughout. Their spirits reassure and protect each other, the driving force keeping them going is to find out what and who caused the fire, and why.

It’s a real portrayal of a family in turmoil- a family that love each other unconditionally. The relationship between Adam and his father is heart-warming with tinges of sadness. Jenny’s relationship with her mother is oh so real, her mother wishing she’d take academia seriously whilst all she wants to do is live life to the full. (And that she would dress more sensibly and get rid of the short skirts!)

It jumps from the past to the present with ease, and as I got to the last few pages I just wanted to keep on reading...

When God Was a Rabbit – Sarah Winman

There were 2 things that made me pick this book up off the shelf, the unusual title being one of them and the fact I’d read a good review about the book in a magazine.

I am not particularly religious, the obligatory Christmas Church outing being my sole contribution to anything in that field (not that I am particularly proud of this) and so this was the only reason I may’ve hesitated when reaching for this book. With God being referenced in the title I wasn’t really up for a story that was largely on the holy side.

However, what an absolute breath of fresh air. This is Sarah Winman’s debut novel and I already cannot wait to see what she produces next!

The character at the centre is Elly and within a few pages I was already wholeheartedly her friend, she is a wonderful character. Her close relationship with her brother, Joe, is both refreshing & believable; none of the usual sibling bullying & bickering that you regularly read about & instead just all round love. But not in the sickening, cringing sense- just more in the sense that they have a deep respect for each other.

So, we follow the life of Elly, Joe, their parents, Aunt Nancy, Elly’s best friend Jenny Penny and of course God- the pet rabbit!! The book spans a few decades, from when Elly is a little girl to a mature lady in her late 20s. As in reality there are other characters that come in and out of their lives, some leaving lasting impressions impacting on the paths the family walk down.

This isn’t a warm and fuzzy story about a modern day family, quite the contrary- it has moments of utter sadness, disbelief, mystery, frustration, anger......and of course happiness but I would not say that is the most prominent of emotions running throughout. No, I would attribute that to hope. The strong sense of hope from chapter to chapter is captivating.

My favourite pages are those that centre around Cornwall and 'Trehaven' the family home. It is a beautiful setting and the image of a bustling (I use this term loosely!) guesthouse enchanted me- even more so with the arrival of a little boat moored up at the end of the garden & the fishing expenditions for dinner.

There is plenty of opportunity for laughter, in fact one such moment had me broadly smiling on the tube- I will say very little as I don’t want to spoil it but I will give you a clue- it involves a coconut!

Please please pick this book up and devour it. If, like me, you were unsure at first due to the title please ignore that, in fact the title makes more and more sense once you reach a few chapters in. This is a book to pass on to friends & family, I intend to do that right now....

Books I have struggled to finish…. Part 2

The second book I have struggled to finish- Over The Edge: A Regular Guy's Odyssey in Extreme Sports by Michael Bane. My friend Chris recommended this to me and as he only reads autobiographies I thought it must be a good shout. Bane has a pretty mundane life and one day he constructs a list of 12 extreme challenges that he decides to complete and conquer.

They range from bicycling the Rocky Mountains to kayaking off waterfalls, to name a few. Most of the challenges were official events, like Climbing Mount Denali or the marathon in Death Valley, so Bane had to research them and work out how he could get a place in the race. Considering he was unfit and had little experience in extreme sports this was harder then you’d think.

The book started off brilliantly, and I was thoroughly enjoying it- discovering all about the equipment that was required for some events, what criteria was desired to participate, the training needed etc…it was fascinating. Even more so when we learn that Bane cannot swim and is still determined to take part in the Alcatraz swimming triathlon!

But again, I became disappointed. I was half way through and I was starting to get annoyed. There was just not enough detail, Bane only seemed to offer a superficial view of what was happening. For instance, he’d take part in one of his challenges and once it was over we’d never hear about it again, there was no follow-up. In a number of the challenges he faced severe injury and yet we never learnt of the recovery or how his body was the day after. I wanted the nitty gritty, I wanted to really feel like I was alongside him during his struggles but there was just a lack of emotion.

In the end I had no choice but to put the book down, it grew tiring of always being dissatisfied at the end of each chapter.

Fingers crossed there won’t be a Part 3 to this post…..maybe that would be a sign that I need to start picking my non-fiction books with more care. Watch this space!

Books I have struggled to finish…. Part 1

So, recently I have struggled to finish two books! This is completely unheard of usually, I feel totally dissatisfied if I don’t manage to get to the end of a book so generally I persevere on and make myself get to the end. The sense of achievement is felt all the more.

However, in these 2 occasions I have had to give in. And what makes it worse is that this has happened within the last month. Whether it’s because I have other books on my shelf tempting me or because I lost my willpower I do not know. There is a common theme among these 2 books- they were both autobiographies.

I don’t read many non-fiction books but when I do I love them, and more often than not I finish them and ask myself why I don’t read more of them. So, it is even more of a disappointment that these 2 latest books have failed to live up to the rest.

The first one- Yes Man by Danny Wallace. I absolutely love this film and straight away I think that might be where the problem lies. Normally I try and read the book before the film comes out but in this instance I didn’t have time, I’ve watched Yes Man with Jim Carrey a handful of times and never tire of it- it is great. After having watched it I gain a new lease of life and I find myself saying yes to everything!!! Each week I pick up Shortlist and love reading Danny Wallace’s article, it consistently makes me laugh and is very observational.

But yet the book didn’t do it for me. It just took things a little too far and Wallace came across as looking rather stupid. It didn’t help that I kept comparing it to the film, which I was determined not to do but sadly it was perhaps inevitable. Wallace just didn’t seem to have any limits to his ‘yes’ antics and it just came across a little childish.

So, sadly after a good stab at it I had to concede and put the book down.

The Lies We Told - Diane Chamberlain

A recommendation from my Mum so I picked it up eagerly to get started on it. Chamberlain was new to me as an author but I have since discovered that she has a long back list.

The premise on the back cover sounded fantastic- 2 sisters, Rebecca and Maya, discovering family secrets that had been hidden for many years after the horrific murder of their parents. It sounded intriguing and after a few pages I already loved both the sisters.

Maya, the younger sister- shy and fragile, still haunted by her parents death. Married to the charming Adam. A successful doctor, well respected among her colleagues and patients.

Rebecca, the older sister- adventurous and bold, grew up quickly after bringing up Maya on her own. Determined to forget the awful night when her parents were taken from her. A relief doctor in disaster zones, anything to escape normality.

The sisters have a beautiful relationship and this comes across early on when Maya miscarries again and the first person she calls (even before Adam) is Rebecca. There are elements of jealousy between the 2 of them but this is only natural between siblings, there are times when you sense that Rebecca wishes Maya would be stronger and stand up for herself- which of course comes about at the end of the book!

Chamberlain writes with ease and the words flow off the page, she brings her audience in and knows how to create a link between them and her characters.

Sadly for me, 1/3 of the way in and the story went a little flat for me- this was by no means Chamberlain’s fault but my own as I misinterpreted the premise. I wasn’t at all expecting it to go in the direction it went. And I particularly disliked where I saw a thread of the story going between 2 of the characters. (It is hard for me to say too much without giving too much away).

Nevertheless I finished the book and it still gripped me all the way through. I’d definitely read another of Chamberlain’s books, what I liked more than anything was her style of writing- it was a pleasure to read even if the plot itself was a little disappointing.

Worth Dying For - Lee Child

So my other favourite male author brings us another gripping thriller – Jack Reacher is a force to be reckoned with and I love getting stuck into his adventures.

I think this is Child’s 15th book and Reacher doesn’t appear to be aging at all!

Somehow he gets himself into all sorts of trouble but like the days of Macgyver, he flawlessly gets out of every situation and usually with only a few scratches on him.

He is a machine, but Child is so good at portraying him with a human element, he is violent and scary but in every book you are 100% by his side willing him on. He is the real version of Superman or Spiderman, he does what they do but with no tricks, no super hero abilities, just muscle, skill and uncanny intelligence.

He can read people, which he obviously gets from being a nomad, travelling from place to place.

Worth Dying For is not that different from previous books by Child- Reacher travelling through a town stumbles across something strange, decides to investigate, realizes people are being hurt and decides to look deeper and find justice- even though the people & the town have absolutely nothing to do with him. He just cannot walk away….which is why we love him! His conscience makes the reader completely believe in him and what I like about his books is that at no point do we ever doubt the character of Reacher.

I have no idea how Child manages to describe the fight scenes in such detail, he literally does not miss out an angle, sometimes it’s almost too much detail & my mind can’t translate it into images as it is so complex but then that is trademark Child. I was squirming in my seat during the scene with Reacher and his nose…..

There are plenty of twists and turns, although I’d say in this book less twists then previous Child books- I think I’d worked out the dodgy Duncan family business early on- so it’s more of a cat and mouse chase from page to page. At times I did turn the pages hoping that Reacher would see sense and just walk away, I didn’t want him getting hurt – which is totally ridiculous as this is Reacher we are talking about, he has an uncanny ability of outsmarting the villains every time, and never disappoints.

This is a thoroughly good read, a real page turner.

The question I always ask myself after finishing a Reacher adventure- who would play him in the film version??

Sing You Home - Jodi Picoult

Taking it easy over the Easter Bank Holiday was definitely made easier with this book to get engrossed in. I started reading it on my train home on Saturday and finished it on my train back to London on Monday. It was excellent and I could not put it down. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to read a book from cover to cover with no distraction and I’d forgotten how good it feels.

Was it more special because I’d been to the booking reading night with Jodi Picoult? I’m not sure, but part of me couldn’t help but picture Picoult writing parts of it and particularly when I got to the extracts that she’d read out I could hear her voice as I reread these parts.

What I loved was that the chapters were divided into three narratives, and the book kept fleeting between them. Zoe, Vanessa and Max- all three of them holding very different narratives and I loved that one minute I could whole heartedly be on Zoe’s side and could not imagine seeing it any other way but then I’d read a chapter from Max and it’d shock me that I could relate to him at some small level and see his side of things.

Picoult’s uncanny ability to bring about twists and turns is what makes her a great writer. I think it was about half way through that I read a sentence and had to reread it a few times to be sure that I wasn’t reading it wrong. Surely not, surely that’s not going to happen or I’m interpreting what Picoult is saying wrong….but sure enough, a bit further on and shock shock horror…..it happens! She plants little seeds throughout her books that sometimes you miss or sometimes you don’t want to believe will actually grow but usually they do, which I love.

I particularly liked the relationship that Picoult painted of Zoe and her Mum. It seemed so natural, elements of comedy and love in perfect measure. The fact that her Mum was more than just a little eccentric made it even better- they both accepted each other, completely, regardless of anything else. Just how all mothers and daughters should be.

As always, Picoult’s books are full of research- unbelievable amounts of research. From IVF, to homosexual rights and freedoms, Christian worship, to the legal system….in this one book alone it was a minefield of research in so many subject areas. I do not know how she does it. But it is because of this that you trust what you are reading, that you really feel for the characters and what they are struggling through.

Even in the last few chapters I did not know how this was going to end, and what was surprising is that even though I had a preference to how it ended I was still torn between the two sides, as I said Picoult has an uncanny ability to have you routing for both sides.

Although at times I’d be screaming at Max to just grow some b*lls, at other times I’d wish Zoe would communicate with him and explain how she ended up in the position she was in.

I know I haven’t really said too much about the story itself but this is one to read without knowing too much about what is going to happen, it will make it that much more enjoyable!


*Oh also, during the book reading Picoult read out some extracts of the book and I was concerned that it might ruin it. Not at all. I should've trusted her! She did tell us that one of the chapters was called Sammy's Song, this I would rather not have known..........

An evening with Jodi Picoult

The other night some girlfriends and I walked into Cadagon Hall on Sloane Street to sample our very first booking reading soiree with the acclaimed author Jodi Picoult.

Being a big fan of Picoult’s books I was more than intrigued to learn a bit more about her, but having never been to a book reading before I did not know what to expect. For me it seems a very American thing to do, I know here in England there are lots of book signing events in book stores but sitting in a mini sized theatre whilst being entertained by an author seems far more akin to those across the Atlantic.

However, thank goodness I gave it a go. It was a thoroughly entertaining few hours, in fact I would have liked it to go for a least another hour if I had my way! The hall was packed full of women of all ages and all nationalities. Jodi Picoult was fascinating, I hung to her every word because she was just a joy to listen to. And also what struck me was just how normal she seemed. She writes these incredible stories that really tug at your heart, bring about controversial debate, shine a light on taboo subjects and generally grip you from start to finish that part of me thought she would be a little eccentric or perhaps a tad wacky…..but no, she is a normal lady married with 3 children.

After reading a small extract from her new book, Sing You Home (which we were given on arrival) she then introduced her friend Ellen Wilber who sings the soundtrack that accompanies the book. This is a new approach to writing, developing a soundtrack alongside the story to enhance the main character’s feelings and actions, almost adding a new dimension. Ellen sang a few of her songs with Jodi explaining at what point in the book the song made an entrance. It was beautiful.

We then had audience question time, with a stern warning from Jodi that ‘if anyone ruins the ending to any of my books I’ll kill you!’ I had so many questions I’d have liked to have asked, but nerves overtook me. Luckily some of my questions were posed by others- here is a brief snapshot:

- the hardest book Jodi has had to research is Sing You Home
- she always writes her books chronologically
- nearly all her books have a twist in the last few pages, before she starts Jodi always has this twist in mind
- if she ever had another of her books made into a film she’d think very carefully about it after the disaster that was My Sisters Keeper

I still would’ve liked to know a few more personal details- where does she find the time to write with 3 children? Does she suffer from writers block? Her books always involve so much research, which book has taken the longest to research? Her books tend to have 2 narratives from opposing sides- when writing does she find herself taking sides?

This was a cultural evening with a twist and I am so pleased I decided to give it a go. Jodi Picoult is an extremely captivating and articulate lady & it was a joy to learn more about the lady that brings us such absorbing & thought provoking novels.

*Review of Sing You Home to follow shortly!

My Top 10 reads....

With so many books out there, how do you pick which ones to read? Recommendations, the book cover, the storyline, your favourite author, what the critics say.....it's a minefield.

Here's a little helping hand, a condensed list of 10 memorable books that I've never forgotten- some of them are unlikely to change the world, but in some small way they changed mine.

It’s a real mix, but these are books that I would recommend without hesitation- depending on what mood you were in!

The Beach- Alex Garland
Chocolate- Julie Harris
The Pilots Wife- Anita Shreve
Girl With A Dragon Tattoo- Stieg Larsson
Holes- Louis Sachar
Swimming Pool Sunday- Madeline Wickham
The Big Picture- Douglas Kennedy
Without Fail- Lee Child
Birdsong- Sebastian Faulks
The Ghost- Robert Harris

And 2 that nearly made it on:
Accident- Danielle Steel – the first adult book I read when I was on holiday with my family, after finishing the latest Nancy Drew this was the only book left in the villa. It’s always stayed with me.
Jane Eyre- Jane Austen – this without doubt got me my A Level English Literature grade, a wonderful book to have to write my coursework on.

The Kids Are All Right (DVD, 2010)

The plot for this film is certainly a modern one, or rather a reflective take on society today. A married lesbian couple with 2 teenage children from an unknown sperm donor, the kids get intrigued by their origins and so get in touch with their biological Dad, where things start to go awry.

Moore and Benning play the married couple Jules & Nic, fantastic casting- the relationship dynamics between them seemed so real and honest. They both have a great relationship with their 2 kids, Joni and Laser, and again this refreshing relationship is echoed with their kids.

Being nominated for a number of awards during the awards season, I was interested to see why. On paper the plot seemed straightforward, so what made it Oscar worthy? Was it the ‘lesbian’ angle which is a little different or was it something more?

In my mind it was certainly the ‘something more.’ The acting was first class, I was totally sucked into their family within the first few scenes. I loved seeing the family together and how they acted and reacted around each other. I smiled each time either Joni or Laser referred to their parents as “our Mum’s” and when Mark Ruffalo entered, as Paul the biological father to Joni & Laser, it stepped up a notch. Playing the lackadaisical restaurant owner, who dropped out of college to make his own mark on the world, you could just see things were soon to spiral away from Jules & Nic.

Ruffalo is a great actor, although a number of his films has him playing the same character he plays it so well. There were times when you just wanted to slap him during this film, how could he not see what he was doing?

At only 1 hour 40 minutes, The Kids Are All Right provided a modern out look at family life in the 21st Century that we live in now. I think this will be the first of many films that has the parents being played by a gay couple, it adds a new twist to the ‘family dramas’ that have perhaps been played out time and time again.

I watched this film without really knowing how it was going to turn out, it could have gone in many different directions. I particularly loved how honest it was, there was no sugar coating or seeing things through rose tinted glasses- it was real and I liked that.

What I also liked was that it made me challenge my perception of certain things. If I didn’t like something that Nic & Jules did was it just because I didn’t believe two women would act that way? If a heterosexual couple acted in the same way to the same situation would I find it equally less believable? I realized the answer was no…. so it evidently came down to how I viewed 2 women bringing up kids and I realized that at the end of the day no matter who the parents are, married couples still fit into the same niches, straight or gay.