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Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans

My Rating: 3/5

I read a book by Harriet Evans earlier in the year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was looking forward to reading her latest book but wasn’t prepared for the bumper book that landed on my doorstep. At 420 pages it’s certainly a hefty book but that didn’t put me off at all.

The book starts off early in Elle’s life when she was a young girl and then quickly moves to her starting out her working life doing the one thing she loves; books! Elle is a character that if I am being honest I didn’t warm to straight away. Her life is made so complicate by her incessant need to worry about everything. She comes across as a very naïve girl trying to make her way amongst the other more glamorous women working in publishing.

Her boss Rory was also a character that I didn’t particularly like, although that didn’t change throughout the book. The story was interesting and Harriet Evans writing style is very easy to read. However, the first part of the book was set in 1997 and then there was a jump to a few years later as we literally see Elle grow up.

As each section of the book takes us to a point further in Elle’s life, I admit I liked her a little more, but her life itself left a lot to be desired. Some of the other characters in the book stuck around for longer than others but only one or two stuck out for me. Elle’s friend Tom was a nice guy, as was Sam her flatmate, but the rest just didn’t sit well with me.

The further into the book I got the more I enjoyed it, but towards the end which took place in 2008 over ten years later I felt like the story hadn’t quite taken the turn I expected. The story held interest for me, and I actually liked the fact that we see Elle grow up but by the time I finished I wasn’t quite sure how I felt. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Would I read more of Harriet Evans books? Yes, definitely? Well then why was I still unsure? That I don’t actually know, but can only say that maybe I felt something was missing. Overall a good read but certainly not a favourite for me.

Gone For Good by Harlan Coben

My Rating: 4/5

I have read one of Harlan Coben’s stand alone novels, albeit some time ago, and am slowly working my way through his back catalogue. In this book we meet Will Klein and I found that it didn’t take long for me to like him. What also became apparent pretty quickly was that Will Klein is an ordinary bloke. He isn’t somebody who can ruthlessly take down bad guys and he isn’t a brooding lead character that has an issue with authority. In other words, a welcome change from the ordinary leading male cop type character!

The story itself is quite interesting and before long you realise that the disappearance of Will’s girlfriend is far from ordinary. There is also the added plot thread that includes the disappearance of Wills brother who is trhe main suspect in the murder of Julie Miller 11 years prior.

One of the things that really struck me with the Myron Bolitar series of books was the great characters, this book was no different. Will Klein’s friend Squares is a brilliant added character and I found that I would have like to have actually seen more of him in the book. Even with that as a negative this book was still an absolutely brilliant read.

Towards the end I found myself reading even quicker and I must say that the last few chapters had many twists and surprises in store which I absolutely loved. All in all it was another winner from Harlan Coben.

Prima Donna by Karen Swan

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My Rating: 5/5

Well, well, well. Just what a fool I have been, as this book has been on my to read pile for an age and I was silly to have not picked it up sooner. I don’t know why, it looks like quite a hefty read and if I’m honest, reading the synopsis, the world of the ballerina didn’t quite seem `me’. Well, I am certainly paying for that mistake now! I have already ordered Karen Swan’s other two books and am looking forward to reading them.

Karen Swan’s debut novel entitled Players was released in 2010 and her follow up Prima Donna in 2011. I think you could say her genre was more Bonkbuster than Chick Lit and her front cover of this book certainly didn’t do the book justice.

We meet Pia Soto who is a world class ballerina and the sort of character you just love to hate. She is spoiled, wealthy, and a complete pain to work with. Her assistant Sophie is the plain but talented Irish PA to the star and her polar opposite.

When a tragedy occurs neither of them realise the extent their lives will change. Enter Will Silk, the smooth and very manipulative man who is determined to win over the famous Pia Soto. Will Silk was also another character I loved to loathe but these people were so absorbing that I literally couldn’t put the book down.

The story itself moves along at a brilliant pace with lots of drama and many other characters coming into play. The story is also taken to different parts of the world as each character deals with their own situation. At around the halfway mark things really start to hot up and I found that I read the second half of the book in one sitting.

The added bonus for me was the rather big plot twist towards the end (which I didn’t see coming) and the fact that I really did grow to like Pia by the end of the story. All in all I was shocked by just how absorbing this book was and I cannot recommend it highly enough. First class read!

I’m Watching You by Karen Rose (Chicago #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

One thing that tends to irritate me is people that read a book and then complain about the content, it’s either too romantic, or doesn’t have enough. Karen Rose writes romantic suspense, the giveaway is in the description! Having read most of Karen’s books, there are still a couple I haven’t got around to reading and this was one of them.

It doesn’t take long to get down to the nitty gritty of the crux of the story. We are introduced to Kristen Mayhew who has a chance meeting with Abe Reagan in a car park and discovers a gruesome find in the boot of her car. It becomes apparent pretty early on that this killer is intent of proving himself and Kristen is right in the middle of it.

The characters are easy to get to grips with and Kristen, although pretty tightly sprung was quite vulnerable and likeable early on. Abe Reagan was another matter, but after another few chapters I began to understand his background and warmed to him too.

The story was quite gripping and we see the killers’ perspective as he plots his next murder. However, having read most of her newer stuff, coming back to her second published book there was a marked difference. Karen Rose most definitely has some serious talent. However, I realised at the halfway point that my interest was leaning more towards the romantic side of the book; certainly not what I am used to when reading this sort of thing. I think that on reflection, in the early days the balance wasn’t quite there and in more recent books the balance is just right.

Having said all of that the book was definitely a page turner and kept me reading until the very end. I liked the fact that were a few plot twists and to be perfectly honest I thought the romantic side was brilliant (just not everybody’s cup of tea). The additional characters such as Mia (Abe’s partner) and the Reagan family added some much needed interest to the story as we see the interactions with everybody change. I especially liked the progression of Mia and Abe as partners and thought she was a great supporting character. This certainly wasn’t Karen Rose’s best work, but is definitely still a page turner and an enjoyable read.

Bad Moon Rising by Sheila Quigley (Seahills #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

Sheila Quigley is still a relatively new author to me and I only recently finished her first book in the series featuring Detective Inspector Lorraine Hunt. In the first book we meet Lorraine as well as some of her colleagues she works with such as Carter, Luke and Sara. We also see featured some of the Lumsdon family who were in the first book.

The one thing I liked about reading book two is that I already have a feel for the area and the characters and how they interact with each other. I know Lorraine’s feelings on certain people which makes me feel like I know the characters that little bit more. Having said that, it certainly isn’t necessary to read the first book as this book gives you adequate background.

The story itself sees Lorraine and her team tackling a series of murders at a time when the town is preparing for an annual event called Feast Week. There is also an interesting second thread concerning a missing young girl which made for an interesting take on all the things happening in the town.

The book, as with the first one, was very easy to read and there was plenty going on. However, this one was not as good as the first on, although I can tell you I will certainly be buying book 3! The one thing that irritated me in this book was Lorraine trying to deal with her feelings for a certain fella’. This is a woman who has numerous jobs to juggle and murders to solve, yet when it comes to a man, she seems to become a simpering wreck? That aside, the story was great and the writing style good enough to keep me turning the pages.

One thing that readers should know is that the book and characters are from the north of England, so Sheila Quigley has written the narrative exactly as the dialect is spoken. It certainly doesn’t bother me and I think adds to the realism of the people; however some may find it a little hard work. Although I didn’t think the story was as good as the first, Sheila Quigley has me hooked on these characters and I am looking forward to the third book in the series.

The Real Katie Lavender by Erica James

My Rating: 4/5

It has been a year since I read an Erica James book and was looking forward to her new offering. At 448 pages it certainly isn’t a short book but I settled myself down to what I hoped would be another great book.

We meet Katie Lavender very early on as we see her get some shocking news from her solicitor. Learning that her life as she knew it was not what she thought was a great opener for me and I was soon gripped by the turn of events her life was going to take. Katie is a really likeable girl without being too predictably weak. I liked the fact that she took the bull by the horns and sets about learning what her life and family are really all about.

The Nightingale family are from the outside the perfect family, but once Katie becomes involved she realises that there is more to them than meets the eye. She is then party to a number of crises that hit the family and before she knows it she is a part of their strange but interesting lives.

The Nightingale family made for an interesting read with the family members all having their own skeletons in the closet. Stirling Nightingale was interesting for me as I couldn’t decide whether I liked him or not, but it certainly kept me reading to find out what would happen to the whole family. The additional family member that really added some spark was Cecily, the grandmother, who seems to have more spark and get up and go than all of them put together.

Towards the end, I found that some characters grated on me but I think that was the whole point, and overall I liked the ending and the way that things turned out for all involved. It certainly wasn’t Erica’s best book ever, but it was a book that kept me turning the pages having the right mix of love, tears and laughter. An enjoyable read.

The Beach Hut by Veronica Henry

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My Rating: 4/5

I only picked up my first Veronica Henry book towards the end of 2010 which was the first book featured in the Honeycote series. That was quickly followed by the others the Honeycote Series, and following that I just haven’t picked up another. I really enjoyed the Honeycote books, but they weren’t books that left a lasting impression.

I started the book with an open mind and within a few pages, I was hooked. Jane Milton is the main focus of the story and before long we learn that her husband has died leaving her in serious debt. The Beach Hut in Everdene is the hut that her family have used for years, only this time she is visiting for the last time, before she is forced to sell up. Quite early on in the book, the reader is transported back to when Jane was younger, which I was instantly gripped with. However, just as I was getting my teeth into that, Veronica takes us to a new chapter, a new hut, and a glimpse into somebody else’s life.

There is a huge selection of characters built up around the Everdene Huts and to be quite honest although I was surprised, it made such a refreshing change to see glimpses of numerous characters, but with enough information to whet the appetite for the next character. Usually, so many people in one story would put me off, but this book does the opposite.

Although Jane and her family are the focal point, we get to witness many different situations and scenarios which are all playing out around the Milton family. The character of Jane Milton was a great one, a woman who has been there and seen it all before, but somehow is managing to take it in her stride and not become too bitter. Running parallel, we see Roy who has know Jane his whole life, and has grown up in Everdene having never set foot outside of the county, let alone out of the country.

We get such a mix of people that it keeps the book fresh right the way through. We follow Jane from a young teenage girl, with a storyline concerning an author she used to work for, and which I absolutely loved. I can explain this book as almost like 5 or 6 short stories thrown in with one main theme.

Overall, when I finished this book I couldn’t wait to see what else I had by VH. This book was a dream to read, it keeps you really interested right the way through and I would highly recommend it. Now I can look forward to reading the rest of her books.

Pray For Silence by Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

I was looking forward to reading Linda Castillo’s second book after enjoying her first so much. We see the return of both Kate Burkholder and John Tomasetti. Except this time around we are around a year after the setting for the book Sworn to Silence.

When the police arrive at the Amish farmstead in Painters Mill following the sound of screaming, they can’t imagine the horror that awaits them. An entire family slaughtered: the men shot, the young women tortured and killed. They need to work out if this is random or intentional and planned. Kate decides to call on John for help. Jon is having his own career crisis and finds that the call from Kate comes at the right time.

Linda Castillo’s writing was just as good the second time around. However, a few chapters in and I was getting the distinct feeling that I had been here and read this before. The story wasn’t as complex as the first and I found myself getting frustrated with the plot. I wasn’t however dissapointed with the characters. I like Kate Burkholder and John and think the dynamics of their friendship/relationship was the more interesting part of this book?!?!

I was over half way through and kept expecting there to be a big surprise or plot twist. Sadly, I was still expecting it right up to the end, only to be left feeling disappointed. Don’t get me wrong overall I enjoyed the book, but I wasn’t sure what the overwhelming dislike was. Was it the fact that the Amish angle to the story was now a little dull? Or was it the fact that the story just wasn’t as good as her first book? I don’t actually think I know the answer even having finished it.

As a summary, I would say that this is a read that will keep you reasonable entertained, but not gripped. Anybody looking to read another great book in this series may be left feeling a little cheated. All of that said, I will still buy and read the next book in the series which has already been released in the hope that this book was just a minor blip

An Autumn Crush by Milly Johnson

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My Rating: 4/5

I had never read a Milly Johnson but was looking forward to it after a combination of seeing the cover, reading the synopsis as well as the rave reviews on Amazon. It took me less than two chapters to absolutely fall in love with the brutally honest but loveable Juliet Miller. Her quest to find a flatmate works out well as we meet the second female character of the book Floz Cherrydale. Floz is the polar opposite to Juliet as she is quiet and a little bit withdrawn but a lovely girl.

We also meet Juliet’s twin brother Guy and his best friend Steve. Guy is a chef that is working for a pig of a man and in his spare time he wrestles with his friend Steve. Steve is a wrestler who would love to do his job all of the time but with the declining interest in the sport has to settle for plastering as well. Steve and Guy are fabulous characters and with the unusual nature of the wrestling in the story it made it that littler bit more interesting.

The book flows really well and at an easy pace where you become wrapped up in their normal world with a little bit of excitement added when the girls watch the wrestling matches that Guy and Steve take part in. After seeing Juliet and Steve’s disastrous night where they get drunk and end up in bed the story gets that little bit funnier too.

I loved the characters and the fact that this story was about four normal people who have different goals and their personalities make it very interesting. The one element of the story that surprised me was the one involving Floz and her secrets from her past, and this extra nugget of information made me read much quicker in an attempt to find out what it was all about.

When I reached the ending I was smiling from ear to ear as the book panned out exactly as I had hoped. I thoroughly enjoyed my first Milly Johnson book and have already got another couple waiting to be read. It reminded me slightly of Carole Matthews in her early days and I am really looking forward to the next one.

The Drought by Steven Scaffardi

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My Rating: 5/5

Occasionally I receive emails from authors asking if I would be interested in reading their debut novels. Steven was no different and to be honest when I checked out the bio of him I was a little shocked. Yes I had heard of `Lad Lit’ but to be honest had never really delved into the world of the Mike Gayle’s and the Nick Hornby’s. I figured that as I was being offered a chance to read it free, then why not. What I didn’t realise was that Lad Lit is the perfect combination of humour and reading for me and my dry and crude sense of humour!

When I read the synopsis I realised that Lad Lit really is just that; Lad lit! The stories regarding love and romance; albeit from a slightly different perspective than that of a woman! As soon as I started reading a few things became apparent. The first was that this author’s humour was right up my street. Brash, crude and direct but laugh out loud funny. Dan Hilles is a `typical’ bloke. In the beginning of the book we see him break up with his terrifying girlfriend (blimey, she was enough to give all us women a bad reputation). Dan was a likeable bloke though and it didn’t take me long to realise that Dan’s life was not going to be as easy as he thought.

The whole idea of the book is that we see Dan struggle through single life on a `drought’ meaning no sex and even less female interaction. I read a review on Amazon which said that the book was repetitive in its nature and that the reader knows that Dan is on a sex drought. Well I have to be honest and say I was confused by that statement. Yes we know he is on a drought, that’s what the whole book is about, and believe me it is very funny.

Yes, you certainly have to have a certain type of humour, but I cannot imagine one of my friends not liking this book. Obviously if you are somebody who prefers to read books that don’t involve swearing or sex, then maybe pass on this one. If not, do yourself a favour and give this book a chance.

I was reading this book on the train on my journey home and actually managed to spit my tea out where I was laughing so hard. The man opposite me was not impressed! As the story moves forward we see Dan’s attempts at getting some female attention becoming more and more daring, and to be honest more and more of a failure. This book had me cringing, laughing and smiling all the way home. I read it in a day and a half and have already started telling my friends about it. The women will (like I did) laugh at the shocking truths some of which will be close to home, and the men will laugh at the sheer truth of it all.

I can tell you now that I didn’t know an awful lot about the author until after I had read the book and I checked out his website. I was shocked to realise that he self-published. Maybe, having not read any other `Lad Lit’ I cannot compare his book to others in that genre but I honestly think this would be a fantastic author for a publisher to pick up! All I can say Steven, is I seriously hope that even if you don’t sign a publishing deal, you continue to self-publish because I will definitely be buying the next one. Overall, an absolutely cracking debut novel and I will be waiting for the next one. HIGHLY recommended!!!