The Cave (Quick Read) by Kate Mosse

Synopsis from Amazon:

A QUICK READ – part of the WORLD BOOK DAY 2009 literacy initiative for emergent readers. March 1928. Freddie Smith is on a motoring holiday in the mountains of south west France. He is caught in a violent storm and his car crashes. He is forced to seek shelter in a boarding house in the nearby village of Axat. There he meets another guest in the tiny hotel, a pale and beautiful young woman called Marie. As the storm rages outside, she explains how the region was ripped apart by wars of religion in the 14th century. She tells how, one terrible night in March 1328, all the inhabitants of Axat were forced to flee from the soldiers into the mountains. The villagers took refuge in a cave, but when the fighting was over, no one came back. Their bodies were never found. Axat itself became a ghost town. When Freddie wakes the following morning, Marie has gone. Worse still, his car will take several days to repair and he has to stay at the boarding house for a few days more. To pass the time, he explores the mountains. Then he realises it is almost 600 years to the day since the villagers disappeared. He decides to go and look for the cave himself. Perhaps, he thinks, he might even find Marie? It is a decision he will live to regret.

This is a Quick Read book and only 97 pages. It is typical Mosse though, with secrets hidden in caves, disaster striking to keep Frank in this ghost town and someone from the past communicating to him so he finds the caves.

I found this book fairly predictable. When Frank met Marie you knew it was her ghost from the fourteenth century. And of course you knew he was going to head up the mountain to find the cave. There were a couple of surprises but it is such a short book that not a lot can happen in it.

Being so short, the characters didn’t have time to develop so I didn’t feel anything for them. It was an OK read but in hindsight it was nothing special. It was just so short and predictable. I enjoy Kate Mosse books and feel a bit let down by this book. It has left me unsatisfied really.

5/10

Dying Unfinished by Maria Espinosa

Synopsis taken from information given to: www.bookclubforum.co.uk

Using her own love-rage relationship with her mom as a catalyst, American Book Award winner Maria Espinosa weaves fact and fiction in her latest highly acclaimed novel Dying Unfinished. A novelist, poet, translator, and teacher, who has been reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, New York Review of Books, and The San Francisco Chronicle, Maria is featured in the Contemporary Authors Autobiography Series. This latest book is the follow-up to her critically acclaimed novel Longing.

“Dying Unfinished is a lyrical novel that takes place over three generations and that reminds us of the arduousness, and even desolation, of love relationships-between husband and wife, spouse and lover, mother and daughter…”–Kirkus Reviews–

Dying Unfinished is about a mother and daughter’s difficult relationship made more so by the mother’s affair with her daughter’s husband. Narrated by both women this tumultuous story coincides with a 70 year period where the world under went massive change.

This story is about Eleanor and her daughter Rosa. Both have problems – Eleanor finds it difficult to communicate and there is a deep sadness in her, and Rosa has mental health problems. The book recalls events in both their lives – flashing from the present to the past. Eleanor remembering her childhood, searching for her identity and happiness, raising three children and trying to love Rosa. Rosa, struggling with her schizophrenia, trying to find her identity and trying to please her mother. The book is narrated by both Eleanor and Rosa, giving an insight into how each is feeling.

I am not sure what to write about this book. I didn’t really enjoy it but wanted to keep reading. There is a lot of sex in this book – Eleanor has many affairs, and is raped – but sex seems to be how she gets enjoyment and how she connects with people. Rosa has tremendous mood swings, also likes sex, has a little girl who helps her find herself and places all the blame for her struggles on Eleanor.

I’m not sure I had a favourite character. I don’t think I liked anyone in the book particularly. There were those I definitely did not like – such as Rosa’s abusive and manipulative husband, nor Aaron, Eleanor’s husband, an artist who seemed very self-involved – life had to revolve around him.

I didn’t feel there was particularly a story – just lots of memories and experiences. And I didn’t feel that anything was really resolved by the end of the book.

Overall, I wasn’t particularly happy reading this book, but was hooked anyway. I have come away unsatisfied.

5/10

A Brighton Flirtation by Valerie King

Synopsis from Amazon:

Headstrong and independent Katherine Pamberley finds herself drawn despite herself to Captain Evan Ramsdell, a gentleman with old-fashioned ideas about women, but their growing feelings for each other must take a back seat when they stumble upon rumors of a plot to assassinate the Prince Regent.

This is your typical Regency novel. The star is Katharine Pamberley – an independent women who has recently moved from Berkshire, and her home’s stables, to Brighton, to become part of the Prince Regent’s close knit group of friends. Whilst in Sussex she starts to fall for Evan Ramsdell – or does she? As the story unravels we see them examining their feelings and friendship. Alongside this, there is the plot to assassinate the Prince Regent, which Ramsdell is investigating.

There was nothing spectacular about this book. It was an average read – maybe even a little dull. The “do I love him?”, “do I love her?” got old quickly. The exciting bits were the attempted assassinations. Aside from that, the book was unimpressive. I wonder if I would have bothered finishing this book had I not had too. Really it is fair to say that King’s writing technique was not spectacular and her characters were not particularly original.

There was one thing that really bugged me though: when writing about the Regent’s resident King refers to the Marine Pavilion, but when describing the building she describes the Royal Pavilion – the two buildings are in fact not the same thing. The Marine Pavilion was built before the Royal Pavilion, and then subsequently replaced by the Royal Pavilion – which is the building still standing today in Brighton. I feel that if you are going to write a historical novel, it should really be accurate.

Overall, besides my big complaint there is not an awful lot to say about this book. It really isn’t that good in my opinion.

4/10

Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella

Synopsis from Amazon:

Rebecca Bloomwood has the dream job. She’s a personal shopper, so is able to spend other people’s money all day instead of her own. And she gets paid for doing it. The perfect job, the perfect man – gorgeous Luke Brandon – and now…the perfect wedding. Yes, Luke has proposed and wedding bells are in sight. No excuses are needed to start the shopping trip of all time. And Becky’s parents are just assuming that the wedding will be at home – a marquee in the garden and Becky in her mum’s wedding dress, which she’s been saving specially for the occasion. But Luke’s mother has very different ideas – a huge affair in New York in a forest glade setting – or perhaps a Venetian Ball, or a fin de siecle extravagance? Now Becky’s getting confused. She doesn’t want to say ‘no’ to anyone. The plans are going ahead, and soon it will be too late to turn back – from either wedding…

This is the third book in the Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella. To be honest, this has been my least favourite so far. This book takes us through Becky’s struggles as she tries to decide where to get married, and how to get out of one of the already arranged weddings. We watch as Michael is taken ill and Luke has a mid-life crisis and Suze gets married and has a baby, and we see Becky getting wound tighter and tighter into her web of lies and confusion.

Although the other books are unrealistic and predictable, this book was the worst for that. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I have the others in the series. I found myself getting annoyed with Becky. In all the books she has been manipulative, but in the other stories I have felt for her, in this one I didn’t. I was intrigued, and finished the book, but wasn’t really drawn in and several times considered stopping.

There were people I did enjoy reading, such as Laurel, Michael and Suze. They made good reading – they were solid and honest, and many times Laurel and her grudges made me laugh. As always, Suze is a lovely friend and Michael is understanding and reliable. They make for enjoyable reading.

Overall, I wasn’t impressed by this book, I could take it or leave it. I really enjoyed Kinsella’s other works, but this to me was a let down.

6/10

Stick or Twist by Eleanor Moran

Synopsis from Google Books:

Name: Anna Christie
Age: Very, very early thirties
Marital status: Living with boyfriend
Sex: It’s been a while. Maybe six weeks?
Career: Crafting sparkling features for magazine Casual Chic such as ‘Man Boobs: Why No Marriage is Safe’
Current dilemma: What to do when your much loved boyfriend of ten years gets down on one knee and pops the question you’ve been secretly dreading?
Options: Stick – say yes, jump on the marriage bandwagon, accept that babies are now standard issue and always wonder if the grass is greener …
OR Twist – walk away, move onto your best friend’s sofa, pine for your ex but perk up once sexy and seemingly perfect Harry comes breezing into your life…
Hilarious, romantic and painfully honest, Stick or Twist proves that sometimes the most unlikely man turns out to be the One.

This is Eleanor Moran’s first novel, where she introduces us to Anna, a commitment-phobe 30-something, who runs when her boyfriend of 10 years proposes to her. She thinks she is clean and dry until her magazine asks her to prepare a piece on weddings. She is thrown into the deep end, planning a glitzy event, meeting couples about to tie the knot, and attempting to stay ahead of her colleague, who is all about marriage and babies. Through this event she meets Harry, a gorgeous photographer, several years her junior and tries a relationship with him while she attempts to piece her life together. However, she has told one-too-many lies and they all come out at once, leaving her once again scrabbling to pick up the pieces. She forms unlikely friendships and finds love with an unlikely soul…

To be honest, I didn’t really enjoy this book. It was just mediocre chick-lit. It wasn’t particularly grabbing and fairly predictible. There wasn’t anything original or outstanding about the storyline, it was just another bog-standard female fiction book.

I wasn’t overly impressed with the characters. None of them held my interest, least of all Anna, who was just a compulsive liar. I didn’t really feel sympathy for her. In fact I didn’t feel sympathy for any of the characters.

I was glad when I had finished the book, purely because it was over. There really wasn’t anything special about the book, which is a shame. Although not a dire book, it just didn’t jump out and hold my attention.

6/10

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

Synopsis:

‘I had a dream last night… large enough to fill the rest of my life.’ This retelling of John Bunyan’s classic story is filled with drama, excitement and adventure. On his journey of a life-time to the City of Gold, Christian meets an extraordinary cast of characters, such as the terrible Giant Despair and the monster Apollyon. Together with Hopeful, his steadfast companion, he survives the snipers and mantraps, the Great Bog, Vanity Fair, Lucre Hill and Castle Doubting. But will he find the courage to cross the final river to the City of Gold and his salvation?

I struggled with this book. Several times I considered stopping. I found it boring. I was not engaged with the story and no character stood out to me.

The story is split into two parts. The first follows Christian on his pilgrimage, and the second part follows his wife Christina on her pilgrimage. I found the second half of the book very similar to the first part as she is going along the same route as that which Christian walked. They met all sorts of people – very cleverly named, such as Hopeful, Faithful, Talkative etc. and some which attempted to prevent the pilgrims and some which enabled their mission. They face all sorts of struggles in their bid to get to the river. Giants and hobgoblins needed to be fought.

The book contains the Gospel story and is full of Bible verses. If you don’t like “being preached too” through books, this is not for you.

I just didn’t enjoy this book.

4/10

Heaven is Real by Don Piper

Synopsis
The author draws on his own near-death experience to describe the reality of heaven and to explain how it is possible, by relying on God’s love, to transform life challenges into blessings.

This is the follow up to the book: 90 Minutes in Heaven. Don Piper was killed in a car accident; an 18-wheel truck crushed the car he was in. He was pronounced dead at the scene – and the meds said he was dead for 90 minutes. He tells of how he went to heaven – well the gates, where he met his dead loved ones. He is adamant it was not a near-death experience – there was no white light; he says he instantly went to the gates of heaven.

This book talks of how to appreciate life on earth, but looking forward to heaven. There is the Gospel message in the book, and he teaches how to live in God’s grace, through suffering. The stories he use are extreme – of people who have attempted suicide, or people who have lost loved ones through illness, accidents or drugs. They are powerful stories, and it is moving to see how they have overcome their situation, worked through the pain and adjusted to the “new normal”.

Although the book is full of these stories, I did find myself getting annoyed with Piper. Firstly, he did not seem to grasp the idea of depression that occurs when nothing has happened – the chemical imbalance that causes the depression. He seemed to imply that it was our own fault, how we aren’t walking with God correctly, and that bugged me. Secondly, a lot of the book was about how his previous book and experience has helped other. He makes sure he states he is not boasting, but it does come across like that. And thirdly, he claims to be like Saint Paul. Now this really bugs me, because if he was, he would not state it.

Overall, this is a book with helpful stories for people who have suffered and are Christians who know they are going to heaven, however I missed a lot of the teaching because the way he wrote annoyed me.

5/10

Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman

Synopsis from Amazon:

Ethan and Jorie, the perfect couple, have been married for 13 years, and are still very much in love. But 13 years ago, Ethan committed a brutal rape and murder. A young girl’s phone call exposes him, and nothing will ever be the same for them again.

Well, to be honest, I didn’t enjoy this book. I found myself wanting more and this book just didn’t satisfy me.

The Ethan story was believable, but other strands I found myself disbelieving, such as the journey to Maryland. It was an interesting look at how a family and a small town deal with something like what Ethan did, taking sides in such a matter, but is that what would really happen? I don’t know.  However, I think Hoffman explores people’s characters well.

What I wanted out the book was to find out what happened to Ethan and his family, and the family of the girl, but it was a bit ambiguous. There were other storylines running along side the main story, which added depth to the book but I didn’t think were finished either.

My favourite character was Charlotte. I enjoyed watching her fall in love and stand by her best friend even through the challenges she was facing. There was something lovely about her.

Overall, this book did keep my attention right up to the last page, but I was not satisfied with this book.

5/10

Don’t Shout at the Guns by Lawrence Harris

Synopsis (taken from Amazon):

World War 2 veteren Hank Jensen leaves New York for a nostalgic trip back to the battlefields of northern France. With him go his grandchildren, Aaron and Esther. When they find a camcorder which has an amazing flashback mode they have a real adventure.

This was an interesting read which has left me stumped as to how to review it. It is clearly a young person’s book about WW1. The story follows Hank, his grandchildren Aaron and Esther and two young Britons Hank met at the battlefield’s memorial a few years before, Polly and Tommy. They go back to France to visit the sites of WW1 and the teenagers, with the help of the camcorder, travel back to 1918 and experience an adventure of their own. This book did keep me gripped and wanting to know what happens but I do have complaints about the book.

Firstly, I was not convinced by the storyline of Jenson, the WW1 fighter. Although a good, engaging story, I did not find it realistic, and actually was not particularly informative about the War.

Secondly, I was not convinced by any of the characters. None of them related to me, known of them touched me, I just wasn’t particularly interested in them.

And thirdly, I found it hard to believe that two teenagers would be allowed to travel to France with people they barely knew.

However, that said, I did not put the book down and was intrigued to know the ending.

This is a fictional, young adult book based around World War One.

5/10

Rogues and Rebels by Jo Field

I have to say I was disappointed with this book.

Synopsis:

BOOK 1 OF THE TAWFORD CHRONICLES: A STORY OF INTRIGUE, PASSION AND BETRAYAL IN THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR. Devon, September, 1642: Charles I has raised his standard and declared war on Parliament. The South West is in danger of being lost to his cause. It is imperative that the King’s men continue to fight on. On the Somerset marshes, Roundhead soldiers capture a vagrant carrying vital information, but he is not what he seems. He is ALEXANDER DYNAM of TAWFORD. Deadly with a blade, a master of disguise and a Royalist spy. Widely and wrongly believed to be the bastard son of his guardian, Viscount Westley, he has to cope with learning the truth of his parentage and accepting that he cannot reveal his feelings of love for Ellen, the woman everyone thinks is his aunt. As the country spirals into bloody civil war Tawford buries his frustration in acts of reckless courage and debauchery and faces dangers that go beyond the Royalists’ struggle for supremacy in the South West. Somebody wants him dead, but who? And why? What is the secret of his identity and does it hold the key? Seeking help from Cobb, leader of a band of outlawed Exmoor gypsies, and the lovely Arabella, an accomplished actress and spy, Tawford is drawn inexorably into a tangled web of intrigue, murder and deceit that carries him and his faithful band of followers from Exmoor to London, to Cornwall in service of the King.

There were a lot of characters, and I just could not remember who was who and who was fighting for which side. It was a descriptive book which made me laugh in places, but the story took a while to get going and sometimes it was too descriptive and graphic, leaving violent images in my mind. This book was a let down I’m afraid.