I Know You by Annabel Kantaria - A Review

That picture you just posted on Instagram? I’ve seen it.
The location you tagged? I’ve been there.

You haven’t been careful enough, have you?
Because I know all about you.

But when I meet you, I won’t tell you that.
I’ll pretend. Just like you do.

You’ll like me though. You’ll trust me enough to let me into your life.

And then I’ll destroy it.

I was buying some books for a birthday gift from The Works and they had on 3 books for £5 and I after reading the back of this I had to have it for myself. 2 books are enough for a birthday gift right? 

This book jumped straight to the top of my TBR list and I devoured it. I brought it because it reminded me a little of 'I see you by Clare Mackintosh'  The world in which we have become accustom too. We all hear the dangers of sharing too much online and tagging where we are etc as we never know who is watching. 

The start of the book had me a little on the back foot, the style was very different to what I am use to and I was unsure if I would continue, to be honest I thought I had it all figured out so was unsure where the tension would come from. I was SO WRONG! 

This book had me gripped and I was reading it when ever I could. I loved the characters and how it was so easy to slip into their world. The twists and turns had me at ever turn, if you will. I was just over the half way point when things started to slip into place for me and then a little further on I clicked. I read like a woman possessed at this point, it was a frenzy to the finish line. 

Honestly I loved it. However I did have a problem with the overall theme. I don't want to spoil it for anyone but I will say I was not happy with how a certain thing was portrayed. I am sure it could happen of course but it did leave a bitter taste in my mouth. If I push that aside (which is hard) I can say it was really enjoyable. 

I would recommend this book, 100% and I can't wait to read more of her books. 

Fated by Benedict Jacka - A review

Fated

By Benedict Jacka

An Alex Verus story

Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex's own powers aren't as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future--allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success

I like Alex Verus’s world a lot. Benedict brings to a life characters that big, fun and different. I was unsure if I would read the book, being one of three magical books that I brought when the mood caught me. Fated was the first one and I wasn’t disappointed. The book its self is easy to read and smooth. I finished it rather quickly.

We are introduced to a world of magic, dark mages and battles. We meet creatures and some serious James Bond Type villains. I would say I was reading a spy novel at time, the character of Alex is smooth as you like and has the gift of the gab.

I am ware this is a series of books so I imagine we will be propelled forward more into his world the more we read the books. This was a great introduction. A little of everything to wet your appetite.

I got a lot of enjoyment reading the book, having to know what was going to kick off next and I wouldn’t rule out reading the other books but now I have sat down to write about it, other than what I have stated above I can not seem to muster much more than that. Shame.

I would recommend it but then I am newish to the genera so maybe I know nothing at all!! :D

I see you by Clare Mackintosh - Review

  

When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it's there. There's no explanation: just a grainy image, a website address and a phone number. She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it's just someone who looks like Zoe. But the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that…..

Another score from the charity shop, oh they are so good to me. I was lucky enough or unlucky enough if you like to be ill during a week off. So on that day when it was at its height of making me ill. I sat on the sofa and did not leave again until this book was finished.

As you may know I am trying different books from what I would normally read and I am so glad that I am. This book was everything.

Clare’s style of writing had me hooked just as much as the multi-layer story telling.  The different perspectives told in the book was fantastic and I got a real sense of different Characters. They had enough about them to bring them to life and have you rooting for them. Their backstories where weaved in so well with the story nothing felt like exposition.

The real crowing gem of this book is the story. It is so chilling and so close to home for a lot of us and just when you think you have gotten your head around it, Clare goes and ups the ante on you! I found myself holding my breath at times. This is no doubt the reason I had to finish it in one sitting. I had to know.

The ending? Oh it pays off. This is not a story that is going to let you down at the end, the climax was so full of tension and played out beautifully.

Now I must track down her other books!

100% I would recommend.

The Miniaturist - Jessie Burton - A review

Petronella (Nella) Oortman, a poor 18-year-old girl from the Dutch countryside, arrives at the Golden Bend home in Amsterdam of the wealthy merchant Johannes Brandt, who married her a month earlier. Brandt gives her a wedding present of a dollhouse designed to look like their nine room home in miniature, and she engages the services of a local miniaturist to add realistic furnishings to it. The miniaturist, whom she never meets, begins sending her lifelike dolls and furnishings that are eerily accurate, and even seem to predict the future - Wiki 

I left this book last in my TBR for October. I had seen and heard good things about it and again when I found it for 99p I wasn't about to say no. I struggle with that word when buying books. So I was so excited to finally sit down and read it. Alas, I didn't like it. Please don't lynch me!

Without a doubt it is so well written. Jessie knows how to build a beautiful world but it left me so cold. I didn't like hardly any of the characters in the book, the story it self was dark and awful and shameful looking back at what people did to people (let's be honest still do) for who they were but I feel there was a depth missing and I have said this before I am not a published writer so I can't ever be too harsh on anyone that put themselves out there. This book was just not written for me. 

Nella is sulky and annoying and she does seem to come into her own but I'm not sure of her. Brandt is a knob but a kind man and I did warm to him. I couldn't quite wrap my head around the miniaturist and a page of so seems to 'explain all' I wasn't convinced. 

Well you can't win them all and as I said this one just wasn't for me, however the last quarter of the book really had me gripped so the story is there and it is good but not for me. A lot of people love this book so perhaps it's one for you too. 

I would still recommend it. It's too beautiful not too. 

The Green Mile by Stephen King - A Review

I said I would never read the The Green Mile. After watching the film many years ago and it still stays with me. I knew what would be in store for me and I said never. However when I saw a copy sat in my local favourite charity shop for 99p how could I say no? and it was with serious hesitation that I started to read it but I did and I am so glad that I did. 

I am not a stranger to Mr King's work and hand on heart I love nearly everything I have read from him. Firestarter being the first book I ever read and re-read (coming up 3 times now) so I knew I was in good hands but I also knew that he would hold nothing back and I would be so tightly bound in his grasp that I knew I could break at any moment and I did. 

The story it's self is "A first-person narrative told by Paul Edgecombe, the novel switches between Paul as an old man in the Georgia Pines nursing home sharing his story with fellow resident Elaine Connelly in 1996, and his time in 1932 as the block supervisor of the Cold Mountain Penitentiary death row, nicknamed "The Green Mile" for the color of the floor's linoleum. This year marks the arrival of John Coffey, a 6 ft 8 in powerfully built black man who has been convicted of raping and murdering two small white girls" Wiki 

I strapped myself in (bad choice of words!) and held on and let Mr King do his thing. It was tense, it was beautiful and as ever for Mr King it was seamless. I too took on traits of Paul Edgecombe and felt sorry for the inmates especially Eduard "Del" Delacroix when it was his turn to walk the mile and that was all Mr Kings writing because I doubt very much that in real life I could even feel a tiny bit of remorse for that man given what had led him to old sparky. 

of course for me this book is all about John Coffey like the the drink but not spelt the same way. His story was the reason I did not want to pick up the book. The injustice of it all, the Tom Robinson of it all. I was angry. The Novel showed me even more than the film (although that was a long time ago) that John was innocent and the evidence was right there but no one cared to look. Sigh. 

It's a tense story, it's a horrible story beautifully written and with love and care to each character. Mr King got me to care which you would think is a prerequisite for a novel but some people do miss that mark. 

100% I would recommend this book. 

Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan

 

Dear Amy the book I could not put down. I actuality sulked one day when I left it at home instead of bringing it to work to read in my lunch hour. 

I adored this book and was so happy to find out after reading it that Helen has in fact written another book which you know I will not rest until it is in my hands! 

Dear Amy is a heavy book, the subject matter is dense with darkness and Helen navigates through the darkness with care and respect for her subject matter.  From the first pages I was hooked. The story unravels at the perfect pace and much like our leading lady Margot you feel yourself falling into despair with her.  Margot is someone I fell in love with very quickly. The way she see's the world, the way she deals with the world around her and of course the things that start to happen and barrel down on her. She is a flawed woman, she is one us. 

The story as mentioned is not easy to read, I found my stomach turn a little in places but the care Helen takes is clear and makes me feel that I am in safe hands.  Helen I would say is a treasure and I am so pleased I took a punt at something new. 

The book does wrap the story up but not in a nice bow TA DA FINISHED! You come away knowing that yes, this is the real world. This is how it would end. I could imagine Hollywood if they made the story into a film making it all shiny and perfect and I for one am glad that it does not end that way. 

I would recommend this book highly! 

Charlotte Says by Alex Bell

Charlotte Says - Alex Bell 2017 RED EYE 

Following the death of her mother in a terrible fire, Jemima flees to the remote Isle of Skye, to take up a job at a school for girls. There she finds herself tormented by the mystery of what really happened that night. Then Jemima receives a box of Frozen Charlotte dolls from a mystery sender and she begins to remember  - The much-anticipated prequel to the bestselling FROZEN CHARLOTTE. 

I brought this from a charity shop after my delight at reading 'The Silent Companions'  I had not heard of it before nor had I read 'Frozen Charlotte' so of course maybe I needed to have read it to understand a lot about this book but it seemed to read well enough as a stand alone. 

Before starting this review I had a little google and noticed it had for the most part very good reviews so I feel I may be flogged for this review! Go gentle dear fans, it is one woman's opinion after all. 

The writing it self is easy to read, smooth and the addition I had the text was large and it didn't take too long to read however I did find myself waving a few times. It's just odd. 

I found that the story had way too many stories going on and it didn't feel that they jelled that well at all. I couldn't find a single thing that I liked about any of the characters including our main character Jemima. The author seemed to off people with little care, attention or love. I felt no sorrow for the deaths in the book. It felt rushed and clunky. There was little time to mourn and characters seemed to change who they were on the toss of a coin. 

While I did find it as explained about (hell I don't think I could write any better) I do think I like it to some degree otherwise I wouldn't have finished it. It was different and I admire Alex Bell, she clearly enjoys what she writes and others enjoy the books she gives the world. 

The book had a sample chapter of 'Frozen Charlotte' and I can say that no, that doesn't sound like my bag at all but I know it's been enjoyed by many so I'll leave that one alone. I wouldn't recommend this book and will be recycling it back to the charity shop soon.