Misery Loves Company by Rene Gutteridge Review

Title: Misery Loves Company

Author: Rene Gutteridge

My Rating: 3/5

Part of a series? No.

Genre(s): Christian fiction, Mystery, Thriller.

Description/Blurb:

Filled with grief, Jules Belleno rarely leaves the house since her husband’s death while on duty as a police officer. Other than the reviews Jules writes on her blog, she has little contact with the outside world.

But one day when she ventures out to the local grocery store, Jules bumps into a fellow customer . . . and recognizes him as her favorite author, Patrick Reagan. Jules gushes and thoroughly embarrasses herself before Regan graciously talks with her.

And that’s the last thing she remembers—until she wakes up in a strange room with a splitting headache. She’s been kidnapped. And what she discovers will change everything she believed about her husband’s death . . . her career . . . and her faith.

My review: 

This book threw me off for the first few chapters; a blogger who reviews the odd book gets kidnapped not long after posting a negative review… I really don’t want any authors who read my reviews to get inspired from that little idea. So yes, I was a little thrown off but luckily I don’t need to write a negative review for this book. I have tagged this book as a piece of Christian literature, mainly because a few characters in this book question their faith throughout the course of the plot leading to a few mentions of God, Jesus and Heaven. The references aren't too heavy though, I'm not a Christian myself and I didn't feel like the book was trying to preach to me which can sometimes happen when a book has characters who find faith important.

 I don’t want to go too deep in reviewing the plot as it would be so easy to give something away, the author keeps adding little points that may or may not be important to the main plot. For example; was Jules kidnapped because of that bad review or was there something else behind the kidnapper’s actions.

I’d like you to trust my judgement on this one rather than listen to me ramble on and on about the description and strength of the plot whilst trying not to give anything away.  I gave this book a 3/5, meaning that in my opinion this book was above average but was a fair way off being my perfect read. I found some of the switching between scenes a bit unnecessary and almost distracting at times, usually I seeing the story through the eyes of different characters but sometimes the writer changed character in a way that was far from smooth leaving me feeling like maybe I’d missed a paragraph out somewhere. That’s not to say that the book wasn't enjoyable, it was, there were interesting concepts and as a Psychology student I do enjoy looking at how authors take on mental health. Here Gutteridge takes on grief and shows us people reacting to it in different ways, we get to see how the characters’ development is affected by their mental state while still treating the matter delicately. 

The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler review

Title: The Bookstore

Author: Deborah Meyler

My Rating: 2/5

Part of a series? Not at the time of writing this. 

Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance, Chick lit, New York.

Description/Blurb:

Impressionable and idealistic, Esme Garland is a young British woman who finds herself studying art history in New York. She loves her apartment and is passionate about the city and her boyfriend; her future couldn’t look brighter. Until she finds out that she’s pregnant.

Esme’s boyfriend, Mitchell van Leuven, is old-money rich, handsome, successful, and irretrievably damaged. When he dumps Esme—just before she tries to tell him about the baby—she resolves to manage alone. She will keep the child and her scholarship, while finding a part-time job to make ends meet. But that is easier said than done, especially on a student visa.

The Owl is a shabby, second-hand bookstore on the Upper West Side, an all-day, all-night haven for a colorful crew of characters: handsome and taciturn guitar player Luke; Chester, who hyperventilates at the mention of Lolita; George, the owner, who lives on protein shakes and idealism; and a motley company of the timeless, the tactless, and the homeless. The Owl becomes a nexus of good in a difficult world for Esme—but will it be enough to sustain her? Even when Mitchell, repentant and charming, comes back on the scene?

My review: 

Warning this review may be a bit harsh.

This book made me feel seriously guilty for reading books on my ipad, the second hand bookshop in this story is built up so well, you can imagine the atmosphere and how the small number of staff care for and interact with each other really pulls on the heartstrings when you think of all the business they must have lost through eBooks and websites like Amazon.

Reading this left me quite frustrated at times, I lost count of the number of times I wanted to shout at Esme (the main character) or slap some sense into her. She makes bad decision after bad decision in her relationships; she could have got rid of the boyfriend to save herself all the games. The relationship with Mitchell didn't really make much sense anyway. The author puts Esme across as this intelligent women who’s independent enough to cross the Atlantic to further her education and then decide she’s capable of raising a baby on her own, yet she becomes completely dependent on the love/approval of a man who to be quite frank is a complete arse (not to mention not particularly well developed as a character). I know this is a trait that is fairly common amongst chick-lit romances but at least the author could give us a consistent character.

Another slight niggle I had with the book were the frequent literary and art references, some of them quite obscure. I don’t usually mind the odd reference, they’re one of the reasons why I found jasper fforde’s ‘Thursday Next’ books so enjoyable, however there is a point where they get too much. They didn't really add too much to the plot other than to verify Esme’s knowledge of Art History so the reader is able to just over look them and move on but if you are the curious type and not a literature or art buff you may find yourself having a sneaky Google every now and then.

The author appears to make the occasional attempt at social commentary in the book through the bookstore owner’s habit of paying a couple of homeless people to do odd jobs such as clean the windows and then through Esme’s thoughts on these people and the life they live (don’t want to give out too many spoilers).

While I do have to say that this book wasn't 100% to my own personal taste, I have to give this book 2/5 instead of say 1/5 is because I do believe that some people, particularly fans of chick-lit, might enjoy it. I didn't find any structural problems such as odd spelling or grammar which would make the book difficult to read, all my nit-picking was with the characters and story itself so I can see somebody picking this book for a slower paced holiday read.

The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti Review

Title:  The Almond Tree

Author: Michelle Cohen Corasanti

My Rating: 4/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): War, Contemporary, Recent History. 

Description/Blurb:

Gifted with a mind that continues to impress the elders in his village, Ichmad Hamid struggles with the knowledge that he can do nothing to save his Palestinian friends and family. Ruled by the Israeli military government, the entire village operates in fear of losing homes, jobs, and belongings. But more importantly, they fear losing each other. On Ichmad's twelfth birthday, that fear becomes a reality. With his father imprisoned, his family's home and possessions confiscated, and his siblings quickly succumbing to the dangers of war, Ichmad begins the endless struggle to use his intellect to save his poor and dying family and reclaim a love for others that was lost when the bombs first hit."The Almond Tree" capitalizes on the reader's desire to be picked up and dropped off in another part of the world. It tackles issues that many Americans only hear about on World News or read about at The Huffington Post, such as the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the scholasticide that is being imposed upon the Palestinians in Gaza and the current Gaza blockade. But even more, it offers hope.

My review: 

I was a little but wary of starting this book after how the children's play 'Child of the Divide' (by Sudha Bhuchar if anyone is interested) had me a bit over emotional in my English lit class a few years back but today while sunning myself in the garden I settled down to read the story of the young boy named Ichmad Hamid who struggled through poverty to become an accomplished man dreaming of peace. 

I could not put this book down so I managed to read it all in one day. The story is wonderfully crafted by Michelle Cohen Corasanti to the degree where you begin to question if this is really a work of fiction at all as the characters are so believable and the tragedies they face in their war torn Palestinian village leave the reader moved, and seeing it through the eyes of Ichmad makes it all that more touching because he carries the guilt for some of the events he has witnessed despite being s victim of circumstance. 

Though at times this novel contains brutal depictions of the atrocities in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict it is also an inspirational piece. It shows how education can improve quality of life and Ichmad's father's teaching of cooperation, friendship and acceptance is something we can learn from and aspire to in order to attain peace in our own lives.

One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis Review

Title: One Step Too Far

Author: Tina Seskis

My Rating: 4.5/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Suspense, Contemporary, Adult themes. 

Description/Blurb:

An apparently happy marriage. A beautiful son. A lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life to start all over again? Has she had a breakdown? Was it to escape her dysfunctional family - especially her flawed twin sister Caroline who always seemed to hate her? And what is the date that looms, threatening to force her to confront her past? No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?

My review: 

I ended up reading this book twice to try and look for clues to Emilys/Cat's secret which is revealed near the end, once at home and once on holiday and I have to say that this is a great holiday read. The characters are memorable so you can have a day or two off then pick it up again as you hit the sunbeds. 

Throughout the book Emily is in a massive state of denial I think over her past which is a little confusing at first but as you learn more and more about what happened both from Emilys point of view and that of other characters the reader can begin to understand why she might react that way, especially as her relationships with family members are quite strained particularly with her twin sister. One little bug bear I do have though is that so much could have been solved by Emily just talking to her husband instead of keeping quiet and presuming things! I just wanted to shake her at some points. However you don't have to completely adore the main character to enjoy a good story and this is one of those good stories. 

I've had this book stolen off me by my mother who got hooked after reading a couple of pages and couldn't put it down and if you read it you'll understand why. Everyone is so dysfunctional it leaves you wanting to find the cause of it and why they act that way still after everything that happens to them (Caroline is the main character I'm referring to here). 

However the ending did feel a bit rushed compared to the rest of the book where the plot was woven so delicately which is the reason I didn't feel comfortable giving this book a full 5/5.

Murder Most Fab: You'd Kill to be that Famous - Review

Title: Murder Most Fab: You'd Kill to be that Famous

Author: Julian Clary 

My Rating: 3/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Humour, Contemporary, Crime, Adult. 

Description/Blurb:

Hello, I'm Johnny Debonair and this is my book - Murder Most Fab. Buy it. You won't regret it. Everything that has happened so publicly is explained. Of course, I'd prefer it if you remember me as I was at my height, before the past caught up with me so spectacularly - TV's Mr Friday Night with an enviable lifestyle and the nation at my feet. My fame might have looked easy to you at the time, but getting to the top of the celebrity ladder is hard work. It took talent, beauty, commitment and, uniquely in my case, a number of unfortunate deaths. If we were being picky you might describe me as a serial killer, but I really don't see myself that way. It sounds trite to say 'one thing led to another' but it's true.

My review: 

This book is quite funny if you can have a twisted sense of humour at times. I started reading this book as something to read on the train without particularly high expectations but found it quite enjoyable despite not me being more of an urban fantasy fan. I managed to find myself sympathising with a murderer, and find myself seeing how one thing could lead to another. The sex scenes were probably the most intensely described scenes in the book, some of the other scenes/settings could have been more detailed in my opinion. However this book doesn't pretend to be a literary classic (though it does use some classic poetry in rather fitting moments in the boom through Johnny's love of poetry) so the lack of detail doesn't take away any enjoyment from what is essentially a light hearted novel.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick Review

Title: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

Author: Matthew Quick

My Rating: 4.5/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Contemporary fiction, Mental health, Bildungsroman. 

Description/Blurb: 

How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?

Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher.

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

My review: 

Although I didn't enjoy this book in the conventional sense, it didn't make me happy and it left me pretty much hating some aspects of the society we live in, I couldn't tear myself away from the book. I was touched by Leonard's struggle, by the relationships with the four people he wanted to give a gift to before he died and the fact that even out of those four, just two really cared about him and only one of those people could truly be called his friend.

After reading the book one particular quote from the final 'letter from the future' (the letters are sent from a place called Lighthouse 1) has really stayed with me. "We never see any boats. But you man the light anyway-just in case. And we got to see it-all these years. The great light. The beautiful sweeping beam! We were here to see it, and that was enough." I found that it really summed up what I took away from the book, your life is that beam, you might feel useless because the people you want to sit up and take notice never do but you shouldn't extinguish that light because other people appreciate it, there is always a reason to keep going.

Honestly, I don't think there's anyone I wouldn't recommend this book to. I can see it becoming one of the timeless coming of age books in the future. Not everybody will enjoy the book or connect with it but I'd tell anyone to give this a go. The first person narrative really allows the reader to get inside Leonard's mind, I admit there are a lot of footnotes to read but to me that made it seem more authentic after all what real person has thoughts that are perfectly linear? I know mine will sometimes flit to another train of thought completely. 

It was hard to watch everyone in Leonard's life ignore the warning signs but similar things happen all too often in real life too. I'm sure there are other parents who might brush off concerns as playing for attention. Quick really manages to address suicide in a way that everyone can understand and create a great book in the process.