It's Time to Read!

Silas Marner by George Eliot

07/02/2012 | Author: Katie

REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Addition: Illustrated e-book
Genre: Classics
Rating: 3 out of 5
Synopsis:

Wrongly accused of theft and exiled from a religious community many years before, the embittered weaver Silas Marner lives alone in Raveloe, living only for work and his precious hoard of money. But when his money is stolen and an orphaned child finds her way into his house, Silas is given the chance to transform his life. His fate, and that of the little girl he adopts, is entwined with Godfrey Cass, son of the village Squire, who, like Silas, is trapped by his past. Silas Marner, George Eliot’s favourite of her novels, combines humour, rich symbolism and pointed social criticism to create an unsentimental but affectionate portrait of rural life.

This book was recommended to me by a friend – she described it as her “favourite book ever”. Of course, this added pressure to the book – along with the fact it is a classic, which I always find slow reads as the language is so different.

The story follows Silas Marner, a weaver who was accused of theft in his hometown, by his closest friend. Leaving the town, friend and love of his life behind, he moves to the countryside, to live a solitary life. He falls in love with money, which he hordes under a floorboard. But one fitful night he is robbed. His life is once again empty, until a toddler with gold hair wanders into his cottage and falls asleep on the hearth. The little girl, who he names Eppie, is believed to be an orphan, as her mother is found frozen and dead outside the cottage. What Silas and the village don’t realise is that Eppie is in fact the daughter of Godfrey Cass, one of the Squire’s son. Godfrey had been keeping his marriage to Eppie’s mother a secret as he was so ashamed of it and he sees this as a chance to give up that life – he senses freedom, until 16 years later he is married and childless, and wants nothing more than to have Eppie back from Silas Marner.

I have to be honest and say that this has taken me a long time to read. Partly that is because I have only be reading on my lunch break, and partly because I struggled with a lot of the story. This is a classic, 19th century literature, so the language is very different to most of the books I read. I found there were long sections of the story that I didn’t follow. I remember one whole chapter in a pub based around a cow! A big part of my problem with this book was that the one of the main characters, Eppie, didn’t appear in the story until I had read over half of it! I found the story got much more interesting after the arrival of Eppie and I read it a lot quicker after that point!

I found Silas Marner an interesting character. I felt sorry for him when things went wrong for him – being wrongly accused of theft and then being robbed. I also felt sorry for him that he sunk to a place where money was the most important thing in his life. He really came alive with Eppie, and it was a lovely read. I liked Eppie, she transformed Silas and she was full of love. My favourite moment was probably at the end when, faced with Godfrey’s revelation, she passed up the chance to live in luxury to stay with Silas.

Once Eppie arrived in the story this book picked up and I really enjoyed the second half of the book. If you like classics, you will probably like all of this book! I found the language a big barrier for me and to be honest I also felt the story was slow. However, with the arrival of Eppie all that changed, so I would give this 3 out of 5 because I didn’t think it was all bad!

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You Are Loved – Author Unknown

24/01/2012 | Author: Katie

Addition: Review e-book from Netgalley

Genre: Gift Book

Rating: 4 out 5

Synopsis:

Is there any greater gift than knowing you are loved?

Through quotes and Scriptures, You Are Loved explores the unfathomable love of God and the beauty of human love when it is modeled after the Creator’s. Each page will touch the hearts of the recipients with the assurance that they indeed are cherished—during the pleasant times and the difficult times.

Share the sentiment that “The one who is filled with love is filled with God Himself.” Or realize the depths of God’s love with such verses as 1 John 3:1: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (NKJV) The book’s clean and classic design lends itself to being a part of the décor as a daily reminder of a loved one’s affections.

This is a small, beautifully put together gift book that I think will encourage and uplift others. It is 64 pages long and full of quotes about love. There are quotes from the Bible, quotes from famous Christians and quotes from anonymous sources.

I received this as a review book from NetGalley. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I clicked on it, but I was drawn by the title because one of the things I want to grow in personally is God’s love, and I enjoy reading and learning about it, as well as experiencing it. The version I received as a review book I downloaded to my Kindle, but to be honest this doesn’t work as a Kindle book. The quotes are on beautiful backgrounds which just get lost on the Kindle. I read this on my computer and visually it was much more pleasing.

I enjoyed this little book. At first I thought, what is this going to be like? But as I kept reading the quotes I felt encouraged and I could think of others who would like and appreciate this little nugget of truth. I think this would make a lovely gift and I think this will really bless many people.

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Switched by Amanda Hocking

22/01/2012 | Author: Katie

THIS REVIEW CONTAINTS SPOILERS!
Addition: Review paperback

Genre: Young adult, fantasy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn’t until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might’ve been telling the truth.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed – and it’s one she’s not sure if she wants to be a part of.

This is the first book in The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking and the series has a been a great hit in America. I received this as a review book from Think Jam. The novel was released on 5th January 2012 in the UK and is available on Amazon as a paperback and in a Kindle version.

The story follows Wendy; a girl with a very traumatic past. At the age of 6 her mother tries to kill her, claiming that she is not her daughter and that she is evil and a monster. Her mother is taken away to a psychiatric hospital and Wendy is raised by her brother Matt and her aunt Maggie. Wendy has never really fitted in, has always caused trouble and never settled at school. She has recently changed schools and her world is turned upside down when the weird boy who keeps staring at her – Finn Holmes – appears outside her bedroom window at 3am. What is particularly strange about this is that her bedroom is not on the ground floor. Earlier that evening they had been at the school dance and whilst dancing together Finn had said some horrid things. Upset by him, she uses the mind control powers that she has to persuade another classmate to drive her home. Finn realises what Wendy has done so turns up in the night to confront her and take her home – to the land of Trylle. It seems her mother had been right, Wendy is not of this world. It turns out she is a troll – not the kind you imagine hiding under bridges, but a beautiful, powerful woman, who is remarkably like a human. She does not want to leave Matt and Maggie and does not believe Finn until a few nights later she is attacked by trolls from a different tribe, who want to kidnap her. Rescued by Finn, she agrees to leave and to set up life as a troll. What she finds when she gets there completely surprises her – life is not what she imagined. She is the Princess, switched at birth to a wealthy family so that she will get a good education and a trust fund. All seems to be going well, until at her debutant ball her home is attacked, and they are after her…

I really enjoyed this book, in fact I read all of it this morning, in one sitting! It is not a long book – only 280ish pages long. The story is easy to follow, and very enjoyable. My favourite character was probably Matt. I loved how much he loved Wendy. He named her when she was born as their parents didn’t want her, and he has spent his life protecting her. I found Wendy an interesting character – and depending with who she was with, depended on what I thought about her! I found myself feeling sorry for her when she was with the Queen – her real mother – but when she was with Finn or Rhys – the human she was swapped with, I wasn’t so keen on her as she seemed to lead them both on. Finn had to grow on me too, as he was so hot and cold. I found that very frustrating!

Switched reminds me of both The Iron Fey Series and the Twilight Series. It reminded me of Twilight because of the house Wendy was taken too. Although the house in Switched is a lot bigger it was very modern – not what you would expect in this sort of novel – like in Twilight. I was reminded of the Iron Fey series for a number of reasons: – the lead character growing up in the human world; – the tracker being at school, like Puck; – and the lead character falling for the wrong guy, like Meghan falling for Puck.

This book is full of adventure, tense moments – the sort of “what is going to happen next” moments, a romance and a great plot. This is a young adult book, but such an enjoyable read anyway. I wasn’t keen on the swearing, especially as this is a young adult novel, but fortunately there wasn’t too much of that. This is a great book – it kept me gripped, and I’m still reflecting on it later on in the day. I will definiately be looking out for the next book in the series! This is well worth reading – especially if you like series like The Iron Fey Series.

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A Perfect Proposal by Katie Fforde

22/01/2012 | Author: Katie

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Addition: Kindle e-book

Genre: Chick-lit

Rating: 4 out 5

Synopsis:

Sophie Apperly’s family has never taken her seriously. Fiercely academic, they see her more practical skills as frivolous whilst constantly taking advantage of her. So when her best friend Milly invites her over to New York, she jumps at the chance. It’ll do her ungrateful family good to do without her for a while. What s more, she’s on a quest America holds the key to solving her family’s financial woes, even if they don’t deserve her help.

From the moment Sophie hits the bright lights of Manhattan she’s determined to enjoy every minute of her big adventure. So when an evening at an art gallery throws her into the path of Matilda, a spirited old lady who invites her to Connecticut for Thanksgiving, Sophie willingly accepts, much to the dismay of Matilda’s grandson Luke. Undeniably attractive but infuriatingly arrogant, he is very protective of his grandmother and seems to doubt Sophie’s motives for befriending her. No match for the formidable Matilda, he eventually admits defeat, but first he has a proposal to make. He’ll help Sophie in her quest to save her family from financial ruin if she repays the favour. But just what does she have to do in return…?

I really enjoy Katie FForde books, and this one did not let me down. The story follows Sophie, a young woman who is bossed around and taken advantage of by her family. Although clever, she is the only member of her family that has not gone into further education so her family think less of her. She is expected to cook, clean and run around after them. Her family are gold-diggers, desperate to get their hands on more money. They have a rich uncle – an older man called Eric, affectionately known as “Evil Uncle Eric” to the family. They ship Sophie off to look after him in the hope to make it into his will, but when she gets there she discovers he isn’t evil at all. Before she goes makes the decision to go to New York afterwards, and while she is at Eric’s she discovers that the family might be intitled to money from drilling-rights, but that will mean she has to do some investigating in New York. When she gets to New York, she meets Matilda, an elderly lady originally from Cornwall. She befriends Matilda, who invites her to spend Thanksgiving with her and her family. The problem is her suspicious grandson Luke, who doesn’t trust Sophie as far as he can throw her. Yet Matilda has a little mission for Sophie when she gets back to England – to find a house she used to love as a child. Luke has to come across the Atlantic for some work so he helps Sophie look. sparks start to fly until Amy, Luke’s assistant turns up and whips him away with lies about Sophie’s love life. Sophie finds the house and spends several weeks emailing Matilda and trying to forget Luke, until she is summoned to Cornwall – along with him – to look at the house again. Matilda makes a surprise visit to Cornwall to ensure that her crafty plan of getting them together works!

This is a lovely book – well written and gripping. I couldn’t put this book down, and read most of it in a day! Katie Fforde is a brilliant author – she writes characters that you enjoy reading about, or get very angry at and she writes plots that keep you gripped. This is a typical chick-lit novel – the main characters start to fall for each other, something drives them apart, and then they make up and end up together. I didn’t mind that at all – once you have read enough chick-lit books I find it stops being about the fact they will end up together, it is more about how they get to that point. I like the lead up to the conclusion and this one was full of adventure and fun characters! Sometimes chick-lit can be bland, but this one had adventure – like flash floods and getting stranded in storms – events which increased the pace of the read to keep the reader on their toes and hooked to the story.

What I especially liked about this book is that I found myself getting emotionally involved. I liked Sophie – I felt for her as she pandered to her family’s demands and felt such sympathy when they were rude and condescending towards to her. I loved Uncle Eric! What a brilliant character! He was old and not politically correct – saying some outrageous things! He also had a soft side and loved Sophie, which was lovely to read. I loved Matilda as well – a strong-willed older lady, but so affectionate. I particularly loved that she was an old lady who used email! Luke had to grow on me, but by the end I liked him too. What I particularly liked about this book is that I found myself disliking some of the characters too! I really didn’t like Amy – I so wanted to shout at her!! I enjoy a book where I find myself involved and not always liking the characters – it feels more realistic.

I really enjoyed this book. I was gripped from the beginning and read this almost in one sitting. I was satisfied with the ending and liked the twists and turns that led up to it. I was surprised that the majority of the story was based in England, I was expecting it to mostly be in New York – but I didn’t mind that. This is a well written chick-lit novel – a really good read.

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The Secret History by Donna Tartt

03/01/2012 | Author: Katie

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Addition: Paperback, borrowed from friend

Genre: Mystery

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

A misfit at an exclusive New England college, Richard finds kindred spirits in the five eccentric students of his ancient Greek class. But his new friends have a horrific secret. When blackmail and violence threaten to blow their privileged lives apart, they drag Richard into the nightmare that engulfs them. And soon they enter a terrifying heart of darkness from which they may never return.

My friend lent this book to me, telling me it was her favourite book. This book therefore had a lot to live up too! My Mum has also read this book and although enjoyed it felt it was too long and by page 500 was ready for it to finish. I went into this book with mixed feelings – my main thoughts being “I hope I enjoy this as Emily loves it” and “man, this is a big book with small print!” I have to say, I did really enjoy this book!

The story follows Richard, a young man from California who is wanting to escape his family. He arrives at Hampton College – on the opposite Coast to his parents and is quickly seduced into a life with the Greek students – Henry, Francis, Charles, Camilla and Bunny. However, all is not as it seems. They are secretive and sometimes weird, hiding a dark secret. Henry, the leader of this group, finally opens up and tells Richard what has happened: whilst trying out an ancient experiment – to completely lose oneself – they accidently kill a farmer on his land. They keep this secret hidden, except from Bunny, another in the group, who is starting to really grate on their nerves. He jokes about it, makes reference to the murder, and eventually tells Richard, thinking he doesn’t know. This is the final straw for Henry, who plots Bunny’s death. All of them are there when Henry pushes Bunny over the edge of the cliff. The story follows the remaining 5, showing how this completely messes up their lives.

I found this book slow to begin with. The first 100 or so pages follow Richard in California and then the Greek lessons at Hampton College. I found this a struggle to read – I have never studied the Greek classics and often found what I was reading going completely over my head. I honestly couldn’t tell you what it had to do with the story as I didn’t get it at all! This book is one that I would call “an intelligent read”. You have to pay attention and it doesn’t read quickly. It is also long – the addition I read was 629 pages! Once I got past page 100 or so, I was hooked but I did find the beginning a challenge.

I thought this was a fascinating read. It gives a glimpse into a crazy college world – filled with drink and drugs. It shows how people can be influenced by teachers and what they are taught – and how friends can manipulate you too. Henry leads everything – from the experience in the woods which leads to the first murder, to keeping Bunny quiet, to how to hide what they had done to Bunny. I was undecided most of the way through the book about Henry – he cold and silent, and then nursed Richard back to health when he had pneumonia. He was messed up by what he spent his time reading and also fairly grumpy! By the end I didn’t like him much.

This is an interesting read. I didn’t really like the characters and I found the beginning tough, but I was intrigued by the prologue – commenting on Bunny’s death, and I desperately wanted to know what happened. I was mildly surprised by the ending. They were never found out, although we did see how murder completely destroyed their lives. Henry ends up committing suicide, Camilla and Charles stop speaking and Charles becomes an alcoholic, Francis is consumed by fear and anxiety and Richard takes too many pills, drinks a lot and hides away. I was surprised that they weren’t caught but this was a fascinating ending.

This is an exceptionally well written book and very enjoyable. I would highly reecommend this book – even if I did find the beginning hard!

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Six Geese A-Laying by Sophie Kinsella

01/01/2012 | Author: Katie

Addition: Free e-book from Amazon

Genre: Short stories, chick-lit

Rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis:

In Six Geese a-Laying, Christmas is approaching, and Ginny is looking forward to the birth of her first baby. It’s a pity her partner Dan is so useless, and she has to keep reminding him where he’s going wrong. Luckily she’s enrolled into the most exclusive antenatal class going – all the highest achieving, smartest mothers-to-be aspire to be taught by the legendary Petal Harmon. Like the other five women in the class, Ginny already knows exactly what she wants, and how she’s going to handle motherhood.But when they turn up for the final class it isn’t quite what they expect. As Ginny discovers what parenthood is really going to be like, she begins to realize the things that really matter…

I do enjoy Sophie Kinsella, and I like Christmas books – so this is a great combination! I’m not a huge fan of short stories, although I do like reading them quickly and adding them to my Read List!

This is an interesting read – a twist on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Ginny is one of a selective few chosen to attend Petal Harmon’s antinatal classes. There are 5 others in the class, and although she claims she doesn’t gloat – she does! There is someone in the group, Grace, who she can’t work out why is in the group as she is young and scared. In their final class they have an extraordinary experience – the Ghost of the Pregnancy Future. The Ghost teaches them a lot about themselves, with great outcomes.

It is hard to judge characters in short stories as the book isn’t long enough for their characters to form, but to be honest the only person I liked was Grace! She didn’t seem full of herself, didn’t have any plans and although scared, probably the wisest person in the room! I found Ginny annoying – she was arrogant about being in that class and always criticising her husband, which I didn’t like.

This is a nice Christmas story. It was a light, very quick, easy read. I liked the outcome of the story and although this is short – I enjoyed reading it!

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Look Back at 2011

31/12/2011 | Author: Katie

I haven’t blogged or read as much this year because in September 2010 I started a full time job so I haven’t had as much time to read and spend on the blog. In 2010 I read 126 books and in 2009 I read 145. A list of my past reading can be found here. This year, I have only read 57 – not at all bad, but not nearly as many as past years! Here are some of my favourites:

The Woods by Harlon Coben

Paul Copeland’s sister went missing twenty years ago. Now raising a daughter alone, Cope balances family life with a career as a prosecutor. But when a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to Cope, the well-buried secrets of the past are threatening everything. Is this body one of the campers who disappeared with his sister? Could his sister be alive…? Confronting his past, Cope must decide what is better left hidden in the dark and what truths can be brought to light…

I really enjoyed this thriller – was happy to give it 5 out of 5.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WWII. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it.

Morton once again enthralls readers with an atmospheric story featuring unforgettable characters beset by love and circumstance and haunted by memory, that reminds us of the rich power of storytelling

My review of this book is to come, but this was a gripping historical novel. It was long but very enjoyable. It was easy to give it 5/5.

The Summer House by Mary Nichols

A secret love that will haunt a family for ever England 1918. Lady Helen believes her parents when they say she will never find a better husband than Richard, but when he returns to the Front, she begins to wonder just who it is she has married. His letters home are cold and distant – and Helen realises that she has made a terrible mistake. Then Oliver Donovan enters her life and they begin an affair that leaves Helen pregnant and alone – she is forced to surrender her precious baby. Over twenty years pass and a second war is ravaging Europe, but that is not the only echo of the past to haunt the present. Laura Drummond is caught in a tragic love affair of her own and when she is forced to leave London during the Blitz, she turns to the mother she never knew.

This is another historical fiction novel that I really enjoyed! Set during both World Wars it follows two women who get caught in love affairs and fall pregnant, both outside of marriage. What they don’t realise is they are mother and daughter! I haven’t written this review yet but it will be rated 5/5 as I really enjoyed it!

The Glass Painters Daughter by Rachel Hore

A wonderful novel set in a hidden part of Westminster, steeped in the Victorian past, full of gothic churches and secret garden squares…

I was surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did. I really enjoy Rachel Hore novels but I’ve never rated any of them 5/5 until this one! The book is set in London, both in our time and in Victorian times, following the fortunes of one family and one shop. This is another historical novel and also a romance novel, and I loved it! Review is to come.

God Knows my Name by Beth Redman

In this powerful and deeply vulnerable book, Beth Redman writes to pass along a message that changed her life—that the God who made us also understands us intimately. He hears our cries and reaches out in love to help us and fight for us. He’s always at work shaping our character. And no matter what others do, He will never, ever leave or forget us. Drawing on Scripture and her own experience, Redman invites us to explore the revolutionary implications of being loved by a God who knows our name. And she invites us to call on His name as well—to respond to His heart and love Him as He has loved us from the beginning.

This book was given to me as a gift and I found it so helpful. I was facing something tough and this book was clear and helpful and let me see God and be comforted that He knows me and is looking out for me.I’m thankful for this present and can’t rate this book highly enough. The review is to come but I can easily rate this 5/5.

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan

Ever dreamed of starting over?

Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that – Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe’s bakery she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. So when she’s made redundant from her safe but dull City job, Issy decides to seize the moment and open up her own café. It should be a piece of cake, right?

Wrong. As her friends point out, she has trouble remembering where she left her house keys, let alone trying to run her own business. But Issy is determined. Armed with recipes posted to her from Grampa, and with her local bank manager fighting her corner, Issy attempts to prove everyone wrong. Following your dreams is never easy and this is no exception. Can Issy do it?

This is the first Jenny Colgan novel I have read and I loved it! I was drawn by the cover and the title and very glad I took this out the library. The book had a great storyline and it had recipes – bonus! The review is to come but it will be glowing – I really enjoyed this book. Another 5/5!

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Cake Days by The Hummingbird Bakery

26/12/2011 | Author: Katie

Addition: Hardback

Genre: Non-Fiction, Baking

Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis:

The second delectable baking book from cupcake king Tarek Malouf, The Hummingbird Bakery – Cake Days brings together all of his latest mouth-watering recipes. Beautifully designed and packed with lavish photographs, this hardback is pretty in pink and almost looks good enough to eat! Highly recommended following the astonishing success of the previous cookbook from The Hummingbird Bakery, this well-explained guide brings gorgeous treats to your fingertips, such as various cupcakes, loaves, layer cakes, whoopee pies, fruit pies and cookies. With some exciting and novel new cupcake combinations, this is one baking book that is not to be missed!

I’ve never reviewed a cookery book before but I felt I had to comment on this book! I received this as a gift from a lovely colleague and I have loved making the cupcakes in it! This book is by The Hummingbird Bakery – they have 4 bakeries in London, of which I really want to visit!

The book is beautifully presented, with gorgeous pictures of the cakes/puddings. The BookPeople brought this to work and everyone cooed over the pictures. The book is hardback, so durable for your kitchen and the pictures are high quality.

They have a lovely selection of recipes and all of them look delicious! The instructions are very easy to follow. They are simple and clear – for example, when you mix butter and castor sugar it explains what the mix should look like once completely mixed. I use a food processor to mix and although they suggest using a whisk I have found the food processor to be fine. I would say that there always seems to be a lot of frosting left over – maybe I don’t put enough on, although they do seem to have plenty on each cake – so I have started to half the mixture. However, this might not be a problem for you!

I have enjoyed making the cupcakes in this book. I have made a variety: caramel, walnut and apple, gingerbread, sticky toffee, banoffee and vanilla. Here are an example of some of them:

These have all tasted wonderful and they have gone down a treat in the office! I have also made Whoopie Pies, although finding Marshmallow Fluff was tough! This is a great recipe book, well worth getting your hands on! I think everyone would be able to follow the recipes and the cupcakes they produce are just wonderful. This easily gets top marks from me!

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A Gathering Storm by Rachel Hore

14/12/2011 | Author: Katie

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Addition: Paperback from the library

Genre: Historal Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

Photographer Lucy Cardwell has recently lost her troubled father, Tom. While sifting through his papers, she finds he’d been researching an uncle she never knew he’d had. Intrigued, she visits her father’s childhood home, the once beautiful Carlyon Manor. She meets an old woman named Beatrice who has an extraordinary story to tell …Growing up in the 1930s, Beatrice plays with the children of Carlyon Manor – especially pretty, blonde Angelina Wincanton, Lucy’s grandmother. Then, one summer at the age of fifteen, she falls in love with a young visitor to the town: Rafe Ashton, whom she rescues from a storm-tossed sea. But the dark clouds of war are gathering, and Beatrice, Rafe, and the Wincantons will all be swept up in the cataclysm of events that follow. Beatrice’s story is a powerful tale of courage and betrayal, spanning from Cornwall to London, and Occupied France, in which friendship and love are tested, and the ramifications reach down the generations. And, as Lucy listens to the tales of the past, she learns a secret that will change everything she has ever known…

Rachel Hore is one of my favourite authors and I was very excited to read this – and although I enjoyed it a lot, I don’t think this is her best work. The story is told from two viewpoints: Beatrice, an elderly lady with a surprising history, and Lucy, a twenty-something searching for answers. After Lucy’s grandmother died her Dad found some things about his past out and decided, without giving a reason, to divorce her Mum. After he dies, Lucy finds out he has discovered something about a man called Rafe. On a trip to Cornwall, she finds a lady who knows all about Rafe, and Lucy’s Dad Tom. Most of the book is told by Beatrice, who tells tales of her childhood spent with Lucy’s Grandmother, her adventures in the war, her history with Rafe, and ultimately about Tom.

I liked Beatrice. She is written as a warm girl, who suffers a far amount in her life. I wasn’t completely convinced by all of her story – mainly by her experiences in the war – how she happened to join the same spy group as Rafe and how she managed to escape. Lucy doesn’t feature too highly in this story, although again there were things she did I wasn’t convinced someone would do – such as going out on a boat with someone she has just met. But these things aside, this is a good read. I was gripped. I wanted to know who Rafe was, I wanted to know about Beatrice and what happened to her and I wanted to know about Angelina Wincanton – Lucy’s grandmother. By the end I had worked out who Rafe was, and who Tom was, but that didn’t spoil the story.

This is a well written book. It looks at life in the war, from two sides: the rich – Angelina going out dancing, messing with boys hearts, having coming-out parties and being spoilt; and the poor – Beatrice working hard for the war effort, falling in love and falling pregnant and the death of a fiancee. We spend time in occupied France, war-battered London and Cornwall. There were parts of the story that broke my heart and the whole thing kept me gripped.

I enjoy Rachel Hore’s books. I enjoyed this book. This is well worth reading! This is good quality historical fiction.

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Room by Emma Donoghue

03/12/2011 | Author: Katie

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Addition: Hardback library book

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It’s where he was born, it’s where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it’s the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack’s curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.

Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating–a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.

Room was recommended to me by a friend, who loved it, and I read it and recommended it to my Mum, who also loved it! This is the first book by Emma Donoghue I have read and I was a bit concerned that it wouldn’t be as good as I hoped due to all the hype surrounding the book, but honestly, I really enjoyed it.

This story is told by Jack – a five year old boy. It is written using the language a small boy would use, which took me a little while to get used too. I found the first 50 pages a bit slow as I worked out what he was describing and what was going on. However, once past those pages I was hooked. I got used to the language and how Jack describes things. This book is actually very well written – it is very clever.

The story is not a happy one. Jack and his Mum are locked in a room and controlled by a kidnapper. Poor Jack knows nothing but this home and doesn’t understand that it isn’t a good situation. When his Mum sets up an escape plan Jack doesn’t want to leave. Jack is very brave and goes through with the escape and it is fascinating reading about how he has to adjust to the world. They are things you would never consider – he has a bad immune system, the light is too bright and he can’t walk far. People scare him – in fact, the outside world scares him. It was a great read but if I’m honest I didn’t think the escape was very realistic. That aside, I enjoyed this book.

There are not many characters in this book to comment on! I thought Jack was sweet but maybe a little demanding. I found his Mum an interesting character. I liked that she tried to teach him and that she protects him from the kidnapper. However, I felt some things strange, like still breastfeeding him at five. I didn’t like that after she escaped she attempted suicide either. It seemed strange that after she had survived and escaped what happened that she would give up?!

This is a good book – a compelling read. This is well worth getting your reads on – it deserves the credit and attention it got. This isn’t a happy read but so well written and has a nice ending. This isn’t my usual read – or my Mum’s, I like chick-lit and she likes murders, but we both loved this book. Definitely read it!

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