Review: The Girls by Lisa Jewell

Dark secrets, a devastating mystery and the games people play: the gripping new novel from the bestselling author of The House We Grew Up In and The Third Wife.

You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses.

You’ve known your neighbours for years and you trust them. Implicitly.

You think your children are safe.

But are they really?

Midsummer night: a thirteen-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?

Review: now everybody knows I am a massive Lisa Jewell fan, this novel has been marketed as being a bit different from the others, as her last novel was and so I did feel a bit of trepidation going into it. But, like all the others, once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down again! This is definitely very different to her other novels, a lot darker and much more of a mystery quality about it but it still has her wonderful writing, her detailed description and her way of unravelling the story in her own unique way, something which is utterly gripping! 

The plot of this one is definitely on the dark side and so don't go into this thinking that it will be a light and fluffy read, there are some shocking revelations in here and you find yourself assuming the worst in people just because of the way the novel has been constructed and so in that way, this novel is a bit of a psychosocial thriller, you imagine the worst but that's not necessarily what you get. In others though this is a story about a family trying to piece itself together again and other families trying to do a similar thing at the same time. 

The whole novels centres around a communal garden and the descriptions of the garden and the summer in which the novel takes place are seriously to notch. You really feel like you are there, can feel the grass beneath your feet and smells the roses of the Rose garden. You feel like you are part of the Han of children that are the main characters in this story. There is one moment in particular where two of the children are going from the garden out onto the street and you really can feel that harsh concrete beneath your feet as they step from the grass to the pavement, just like when you had to come off the field and go back to class at the end of playtime at school! 

It was interesting having children and teenagers as the sort of main characters in this novel, ever though they are obviously a lot younger than I am, I really could relate to them and sympathise with them as the story went on. I almost felt more of an allegiance to them than to the adults on the novel, such is the beauty of this writing. Of course I could feel for the adults in the story somewhat, Clare trying to find a place for herself and her girls, Adele trying to do the same thing and leo just trying to be liked by everyone and be happy, it was an interesting mix. 

This novel is definitely a summer read because of the description of the long days and light evenings, I think if I read this book again when it was cold and dark I would feel really down, missing summer. There is some dark content so reader should go into this one with an open mind. As always Lisa Jewell's writing gets under your skin and so I am sure that whenever you pick up this novel, like me, you won't be able to put it down again! 

Monty and Me by Louisa Bennet Chapter 1 plus review!

    

Today I am luck enough to be part of the Monty and Me Blog Tour. Not only do I have a review for you, but I also have an extract from the first chapter! Here's the blurb...

The first book introducing loveable dog detective Monty!

You might think that dogs can’t understand us…but you’d be wrong. Apart from an obsession with cheese, Monty is a perfectly rational animal. So when his beloved master is stabbed to death, Monty decides to use his formidable nose to track the killer down.

Luckily he manages to find a home with Rose Sidebottom, the young policewoman who’s investigating the case. But with her colleagues turning against her, and the wrong man collared, she’s going to need a little help…

And now, for your delectation, the exclusive extract! My review is below if you want to see what I thought!

                                                   

Chapter One

I bound from the car and, nose to the ground, zig-zag around the front lawn of my new home. I hoover up downy feathers that stick to my wet nose and I sneeze, sending the feathers flying. As a pup, I once tore a cushion to shreds searching for the duck inside. I found loads of feathers but never found the duck. I’m still searching. Can’t be that many naked ducks about.

‘So, what do you think?’ Rose asks, smiling.

What do I think? I think those bitter white tablets the vet gave me were worth it after all. I can’t feel my stitches and my paws seem to float above the grass as if I’m dreaming. I run over to Rose, tail wagging like windscreen wipers in a downpour, and lick her hand. After being cooped up in a cage at the vet’s, I need the wind in my fur, big time. So I charge up and down, leaning into each turn like a motorcycle at Brands Hatch, almost tripping over a faded wooden sign on the over-grown grass that once welcomed visitors to Duckdown Cottage. It even has a white duck painted on it.

Duck!

I bolt down the side of the house to where the duck droppings are so potent it’s like fireworks going off in my head.

‘Monty!’ she calls. ‘Leave the ducks alone.’

She can’t be serious! Duck and pheasant retrieval is what I’m bred for. It’s a calling.

I go into selective hearing mode and charge for the pond, revelling in the glorious combination of mud, poultry poo and stagnant water. It’s the canine equivalent of Chanel No. 5. Most of the quack-pack sit serenely in the shade of a willow. A matronly mallard leads them in meditation.

‘Om shanti,’ the mallard intones.

‘Om shanti,’ they reply.

The others snooze, plump bodies balanced on one of their twig-like legs, eyes closed. It’s too much. I can’t resist. Time for a bit of duck toppling!

I charge at them, plumed tail held high like the battle flag of an invading army, and bark with excitement. The ducks panic, running around in circles, then scatter. Some head for the water, others bolt across the lawn, wings back. Before Rose can grab my collar, I dive for the pond, water splashing over me, cool and exhilarating.

‘Monty, stop! Your stitches!’

Mouth open, I pounce on a black and white tufted dowager and come up with her in my jaws.

‘Get off me, you slobbering fur-ball!’ she quacks and kicks me in the muzzle.

I can’t tell this squirming mass of feathers and webbed feet that I’m not going to hurt her, because I’ll drop her if I do. Sodden but proud, I trot out of the pond and deposit the ruffled bird, unhurt, at Rose’s feet. A gift. I am expecting praise, ears up, long pink tongue dangling, mouth turned up in what the big’uns – that’s our term for people – often think of as a smile.

‘Bad dog!’ she scolds, trying to catch her breath.

The duck quacks out ‘Tosser!’ as she waddles off, a little wobbly.

I watch her go, my ears flat, head lowered, tail tucked in, confused by Rose’s reaction. Not the duck’s. They never take it well.

‘This isn’t going to work if you eat the ducks. You have to leave them alone, Monty,’ she says, wagging her finger.

Review: This book was something totally unique for me! It felt like a children's book about talking animals and a police detective/mystery book for adults has been thrown into a blender together and this is what came out. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it at first but once i got through the first little chunk, I think I did like it! If you really can't suspend you disbelief that animals can talk and think and read and generally behave like humans, then this book definitely won't be for you. If you do think that your pets genuinely know what you're saying though, then you'll definitely get as into it as I did. 

I was worried that the mystery aspect of this book would be a little too much for me. I don't read a lot of crime fiction or mystery novels because I normally struggle to follow them, but because this book had sections told from the point of view of the police office (Rose) and then sections told from the dog's (Monty) perspective, it broke it up nicely and wasn't too mystery mystery or too much about he world of crime. I really liked the way the book was broke up in this way and, as well as the crime solving that went on, there were some really funny moments in the book too!

I liked the character of Rose, she is fairly insecure but trying to make it in her dream job, held back slightly by the fact that it is a man's world and also by the fact that she has family in the force, therefore she is thought to have got the job through nepotism! I defy anybody not to like Monty, he is just an ace character to read about and some of the moments with him are really touching as well as being totally believable and funny!

This is definitely a unique book, at some points where the dog was having a conversation with a lady bird or managing to break into someone's laptop, I did struggle a little bit to take it all in and remind myself that I was reading an adult book and not a children's book but I think the fact that I do read a bit of YA and middle grade because of my job really helped there. I think this is a nice, light hearted read which would be great for those transitioning from YA to adult books or those wanting to read something from the crime genre that is not too intense. 

Thanks again to Louisa for stopping by the blog today and sharing chapter one with all your lovely readers!

Review: Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements

When Imogen and Anna unexpectedly inherit their grandmother Vivien's ice cream parlour, it turns both their lives upside-down. The Brighton shop is a seafront institution, but while it's big on charm it's critically low on customers. If the sisters don't turn things around quickly, their grandmother's legacy will disappear forever. 

With summer looming, Imogen and Anna devise a plan to return Vivien's to its former glory. Rather than sell up, they will train up, and make the parlour the newest destination on the South Coast foodie map. 

While Imogen watches the shop, her sister flies to Italy to attend a gourmet ice cream-making course. But as she works shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best chefs in the industry, Anna finds that romance can bloom in the most unexpected of places...




Review: aww I definitely shouldn't have waited so long to read this book, it was just as delicious as I anticipated and then some! I loved the idea behind this, first of all, the idea of inheriting an ice cream shop and then having to work out what to do with it-love it! I really liked the setting as well because I could picture exactly what was going on at each point. I really didn't expect the extra sub plots that went along with the main story line, they were really interesting and its always good to have a bit of romance thrown into the mix as well. The book does come with a warning that it will have you craving ice cream or any kind of frozen sweetness really so have something in the freezer ready to accompany your reading!

I loved the balance of Anna and Imogen as characters, they really are ying and yang in terms of their personalities, one being an adventuring traveller, the other being a real home bod, but their contrast really worked for this novel. Imogen got into some real scrapes and some which affected the whole business whereas Anna had to be the sensible one to sort it out. I like Anna's sideline story line the best I think, I liked the journey that she went on over the course of the novel. There is another subplot about the girls' family as well and it thought this was a really interesting twist. It would be good to see if this comes up again in the sequel!

Obviously ice cream features heavily in this novel, which will make you hungry, but so does travel, particularly Italy, which will make you yearn to go there as well. I seriously need to go back to Sicily after reading this book, the description of all the settings was excellent though. I really felt like I was there with the girls (and boys!) and I'm sure every reader will have a similarly positive experience! Overall, just a great read with a good balance of plot, setting and characters. I can't wait for the next one!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2015 30/6/15

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over there at The Broke and the Bookish. I'd love to share my lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

An easy one to think of books for but also a really hard one. This one makes me kind of glad that I am behind on my books read for the year so far because that means there are less to choose from! Here goes nothing...

1. The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood

2. The Day we Disappeared by Lucy Robinson

3. No-one Has Sex in The Suburbs by Tracy Bloom

4. Three Amazing Things About you by Jill Mansell

5. Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey

6. Always the Bridesmaid by Lindsey Kelk

7. Bossypants by Tina Fey

8. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

9. The Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

10. The Girls by Lisa Jewell

As always, these are in no particular order, I'm sure this list will help me when I come to do my top ten of the year. What have been your favourite books so far this year?

Afternoon Tea at the Sunflower Cafe by Milly Johnson Yorkshire Launch

Monday June 15th saw the grand launch of Milly Johnson's new novel, Afternoon Tea in the Sunflower Cafe. I was delighted to be able to procure a much sought-after ticket for the event, which was held in Mapplewell, a village just outside Barnsley, Milly's home town. 

There were about 130 of Milly's fans at the event, so she was kept busy signing copies of her new book, as well as some of her previous titles, throughout the evening. The event also included a raffle with an impressive number of prizes (I lost count), proceeds from which benefited Milly's charities, Yorkshire Cat Rescue and The Well. Contributors of prizes were listed in the programme and appear on Milly's blog. 

We were well entertained by a talk from Milly, principally about the background to her new book, including many amusing anecdotes covering diverse subjects from cleaners to husbands. As you might expect, sunflowers were represented everywhere, in the raffle prizes, the super goody bags, the sumptuous afternoon tea served at the end of the evening, and in Milly's lovely outfit. 

All in all, a really enjoyable evening - now to read the book.....

Independent Bookshop Crawl Book Haul

Yesterday the end of independent bookshop week was marked by a bookshop crawl where book lovers visited their favourite independent Bookshops. If you followed this on twitter at all, you'll have seen some people visited so many Bookshops and bought so many books! 

Unfortunately I was only able to visit one bookshop but that was my favourite independent bookshop, Chorleywood Bookshop! 

They had a fab independent bookshop week display inside and out...

The theme of this years indepednt bookshop week was #giveabook so the book that I bought had to be one to give to someone else. Now this week did fall with Father's Day at the start but my dad doesn't really read the books you buy him so instead I took my boyfriend along with me and he chose a book and so did I and I then bought the book and gave it to him! 

He got a book about canals: Great Waterways Journey by Derek Pratt-love the photos on the cover! And I got the fourth in Laura Dockrill's Darcy Burdock series: Oh Obviously! The nice thing about this book is that after I have read it, it will go on my bookshelves at school and so that will also be a book that I'm giving because it will mean that lots of the children I teach will get to read it as well! 

As you can see from the picture, the fab ladies at Chorleywood also gave me lots of IBW swap, bookmarks and the like so these will probably also be passed on! 

Independent Bookshop Week 20-27th June 2015

As you may or may not know, this week is independent bookshop week. This is a great week of events supporting independent bookshops all over the country and always ends with a bookshop crawl where people go and visit as many independent bookshops as they can over the course of the day. This year that day is Saturday 27th June.



Last year I only managed to visit one independent bookshop during the week but that was one of my favourite independent bookshop, I've talked about them before, Chorleywood Bookshop.

This bookshop, although it is a little out of the way for me, is a great little find, The shop itself is situated in the heart of the community. There is parking outside and the staff are always so freindly and helpful. The best thing about this bookshop though, is the events that they run. They do the most fantastic author events for kids and adults, having a literary festival for both. I've met authors such as Paula Hawkins, Bill Bryson and David Nicolls because of them.



Whenever I have an event at school with an author, they are the booksellers I go to to organise the singing afterwards because they are so organised, so good with the children at school and so good with the authors too. They also offer me authors to come and visit school who have contacted them as part of a publicity tour and so we've built up a great relationship over the past few years.

So this saturday, I'm going to try and do a bookshop crawl to Chorleywood Books and buy my book to give to someone. I'm not sure who I'm going to give a book to as yet, because I beleive you need to find the right book to fit the person. I'll do another post to show you what I got and who I gave it to and hopefully give you some pictures of my 'crawl' experience!