Tuesday, 25 February 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: Characters I'd Follow on Social Media 25/2/20
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Such a fun list to put together...
Jenny Lopez, obviously!
Harriet Manners
Robin Wilde
Becky Bloomwood
Alice
Annie Higgins
Fran/Dave
Ellen
Bell/Millie
Tiffy
Monday, 24 February 2020
Review: Grown Ups by Marian Keyes
They're a glamorous family, the Caseys.
Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together - birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weekends away. And they're a happy family. Johnny's wife, Jessie - who has the most money - insists on it.
Under the surface, though, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, other people like each other far too much . . .
Everything stays under control until Ed's wife Cara, gets concussion and can't keep her thoughts to herself. One careless remark at Johnny's birthday party, with the entire family present, starts Cara spilling out all their secrets.
In the subsequent unravelling, every one of the adults finds themselves wondering if it's time - finally - to grow up?
Review: I really wanted to love this book and even though I did make it all the way to the end, I really don't think this was the book for me. I really loved the opening chapters at the dinner party, but after that I struggled to engage with the characters and the story. I didn't find myself racing to pick this one up as I usually do with Marian Keyes's books.
I really loved getting to meet the Casey Family but there are an awful lot of characters to remember, and to workout how they fit into the story. The marriages, the businesses and children, it was just a bit overwhelming at times. I really liked Cara as character, I feel like I gelled with her most because I feel like she was flawed in a way I could relate to and so I found myself connecting with her scenes more than some of the others in the book. I also enjoyed the relationship that Johnny and Jessie had. I think I found their story arc easiest to follow.
One of the things I did like about this book was the strong family dynamics. This family spends so much time together. We have various birthdays and public holidays as well as trips away together when all the siblings and their children get a chance to mingle and interact. It is through some of these gatherings that we expose the intricacies of what it takes to be a grown up. This book also deals with infidelity, what happens when you struggle with a financial burden and also eating disorders. All of these things are dealt with incredibly well individually, it was just slightly difficult to keep track of things when more than one issues came to the fore at a gathering.
If you are a fan of an epic family saga then you will definitely enjoy the ins and outs of this plot. You will also be a fan of this book if you love a slowly revealing story line with multiple timelines and multiple families involved. Unfortunately this was just a step too far in that direction for my taste and just verges a little too much into the literary fiction territory. The writing was beautiful though and the characters really good fun getting to know. A solid offering from one of my favourites Marian Keyes but just not for me on this occasion.
Sunday, 23 February 2020
Friday, 21 February 2020
Review: Inside Out by Demi Moore
Famed American actress Demi Moore at last tells her own story in a surprisingly intimate and emotionally charged memoir.
For decades, Demi Moore has been synonymous with celebrity. From iconic film roles to high-profile relationships, Moore has never been far from the spotlight – or the headlines.
Even as Demi was becoming the highest paid actress in Hollywood, however, she was always outrunning her past, just one step ahead of the doubts and insecurities that defined her childhood. Throughout her rise to fame and during some of the most pivotal moments of her life, Demi battled addiction, body image issues, and childhood trauma that would follow her for years – all while juggling a skyrocketing career and at times negative public perception. As her success grew, Demi found herself questioning if she belonged in Hollywood, if she was a good mother, a good actress – and, always, if she was simply good enough.
As much as her story is about adversity, it is also about tremendous resilience. In this deeply candid and reflective memoir, Demi pulls back the curtain and opens up about her career and personal life – laying bare her tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with raising a family, and her journey toward open heartedness. Inside Out is a story of survival, success, and surrender – a wrenchingly honest portrayal of one woman’s at once ordinary and iconic life.
Review: Well this book was a really wild ride. It was intriguing and really gripped me from the first page. I had heard a lot of scandal about this one but I didn't know I was going to learn so much about a person I know very little about.
Obviously I have seen some of Demi Moore's films and I have read about her relationships in gossip magazines but it was really great to hear what she had to say and to learn an awful lot about her through this audio book. She narrates the book and it was wonderful spending the day listening to her tell me about her life.
This book really does go deep. You have heard that it contains scandalous confession, but to me this book was just a woman baring all for her memoir. I earned about the hard work she has put into her career and also what she has had to overcome from her past. She talks openly about relationships, good and bad. Health issues and the issues facing women today. She does recognise her privilege and you can tell that she values her children over all else. Demi Moore came off really well from reading this book. I liked the fact that her sense of humour came across and I feel like a learned a lot reading this book.
Thursday, 20 February 2020
Quick Reads 2020
Today is publication day for Quick Reads 2020 and I couldn't be more excited about the line up of authors that just hit my kindle after my pre-ordering frenzy after these titles were announced. I am such a huge fan of Quick Reads and wanted to share a bit more about this year's Quick Reads collection-you can learn more about Quick Reads as a whole at the bottom of the post...
I'll leave buy links for all of these in the post but you can of course also request them from your local library!
Reviews will be up for these very soon!
Welcome to the life of a junior doctor. You work 97 hours a week. You make life and death decisions. You are often covered in blood (or worse) from head to toe. And the hospital parking meter earns more money than you do. Adam Kay's diary was written in secret after long days, sleepless nights and missed weekends. It is funny, moving and sometimes shocking. This is everything you wanted to know -- and more than a few things you didn't -- about life on and off the hospital ward.
Adam Kay says: "Literacy and healthcare have much in common; they are among our fundamental rights as individuals. They both require sustained funding, governments who believe in the possibilities they offer, and outspoken champions. Quick Reads are the most wonderful champion for literacy."
Detective Inspector Harry Virdee has a lot on his plate. His team is facing government cuts, tensions are building between Bradford's two rival drugs gangs and his wife Saima is due to give birth any day now. So when bodies start turning up in the old industrial district, the pressure is on to get the case wrapped up as quickly as possible, or risk a full-scale gang war. But the man behind the murders is ruthless. And things are getting personal. Harry must think fast and bend the rules if he wants to keep his city, and his family, safe...
A.A. Dhand says: "I'm thrilled to be part of such a vital scheme as Quick Reads and hope to give readers a short, sharp burst of entertainment which brings literacy and fast-paced storytelling into their lives."
When Lizzie's daughter Meg is given a life-saving heart transplant, Lizzie feels hugely grateful to the nameless donor. Then she receives a letter from the donor's mother, Karen, asking to meet, and it seems like the least she can do. But as soon as Karen is welcomed into their lives, Lizzie feels something isn't right. And, before long, she can't help but worry that by inviting Karen in, she might have put Meg in danger.
Clare Mackintosh says: "Quick Reads addresses a very real need -- pacey, good-quality storytelling, in an accessible format -- and I'm honoured to be contributing to 2020's line-up with a story I've been wanting to write for several years."
Lara Cliffe and her three friends are off on a mini break for her hen party. It's three weeks before her wedding to 'Steady Freddie', one of the kindest men on the planet. But something is worrying Lara. Her friends say it's wedding jitters, but she isn't so sure. Fifteen years ago the love of her life, Danny Belfont, walked out on her three weeks before their wedding. And she has never been able to get him out of her heart. Then, on the overnight ferry, Lara finds that Danny is playing in the onboard band and he spots her in the crowd. Will she meet him the next night to talk? As the wonderful city of Amsterdam works its magic on Lara, she tries to sort out her thoughts. And if fate has brought Lara and Danny back together... is it really for love or for something quite different?
Milly Johnson says: "It [Quick Reads] opens the door and says 'come on in and fall in love with books'. Reading is the key to a life enriched."
Sapphire is the hot-headed leader of Red Roses in an area where gang loyalty is all that matters. But after a tragic event, Sapphire vows to leave her old life, friends and her gang behind. Life without the Red Roses and the violence that always followed them is certainly quieter to say the least. When she meets a boy called Apollo on her way to Notting Hill Carnival, she feels something she'd never felt before, and thinks he could be the one. That's until she discovers he's a member of rival gang. Will she ever escape her past with the Red Roses, and how many lives will be ruined until she does? Funny, emotional and raw, with Notting Hill Carnival acting as the backdrop of this retelling of West Side Story, by the Sunday Times bestselling author of Queenie.
Candice Carty-Williams says: "As someone who comes from a family of non-readers, and someone whose mum is dyslexic, Quick Reads is such an important resource."
Jojo Moyes, The Makeover
Following the end of her marriage, a woman finds herself in a department store where she agrees to have a makeover. She needs a fresh start. But the makeover doesn't go the way either she or the make-up girl expect.
Jojo Moyes says: "I've seen first-hand the real impact of Quick Reads and I believe these books are more important than ever."
Sophie Kinsella, Decluttering
When a couple set aside a day to unclutter their garage, they not only come across happy memories and fun secrets but also a painful family secret.
Sophie Kinsella says: "Simple, straightforward story-telling is a wonderful way to bring books to the widest possible readership, and I hope that a whole new tranche of readers will discover the power of words."
Ian Rankin, Easy Street
A woman darts back into her house to check everything is ready for her and her husband to go on holiday. As she is reminded of their life together he sits outside in the car. Full of surprises to the last gasp-inducing twist.
Ian Rankin says: "Writers need readers, which is why I'm such a fan of Quick Reads. An ability to read leads to a lifetime of enjoyment and opens up new worlds of knowledge."
Mari Hannah, Let No One In
Features the first outing for PC Kate Daniels from the bestselling DCI Kate Daniels series. She is on her first ever night shift, left to guard the crime scene, alone and unarmed. What happens next takes her completely by surprise.
Mari Hannah says: "Bravo to The Reading Agency for this wonderful initiative. Reading changes lives; it's a gateway to many opportunities."
Louise Candlish, Lock Up and Leave
On the day Clare and her cheating husband are due to go on holiday, she takes satisfying revenge on him and his mistress. It's payback time.
Louise Candlish says: "A recent discussion about crime fiction with inmates at a local prison confirmed what I'd first discovered as a bored child with a free public library on my doorstep - life is better with books. Much better."
Adele Parks, A Quiet Road
When a new neighbour raises the tone of the neighbourhood, Annie is only too pleased. The neighbour is divorced, comes with a big chest freezer and has a liking for night-time gardening. How can Annie have got her so very wrong?!
Adele Parks says: "I've met with hundreds of people who have told me that Quick Reads have changed their lives. Reluctant readers become confident ones."
Mahsuda Snaith, The Estate
Asmi and her mother know one kind of estate and it's not the glorious country pile they are invited to visit. On arrival, Asmi discovers she has inherited the house - but why? How does its history link with hers?
Mahsuda Snaith says: "As a dyslexic reader with a love for stories I absolutely support everything Quick Reads promotes; accessible reads by brilliant storytellers that not only leave you with the satisfaction of completing a whole piece of work but also take you on fantastic journeys."
Mike Gayle, You and Me
A poignant story of a newly single father taking his teenage daughter shopping for the first time.
Mike Gayle says: "Reading has always been so important to me, a gateway to other perspectives, worlds and times."
Keith Stuart, An Accidental Date
A spin-off from the bestselling A Boy Made of Blocks. 13-year-old Sam is on the autism spectrum. When he goes on his first date, his anxious father and mother decide to follow him - with surprising results.
Keith Stuart says: "I am incredibly proud to be involved with Quick Reads because literacy is such a vital life skill, not just practically but in terms of mental health and well-being."
Fanny Blake, Sisters
When two estranged sisters are brought together after their father's death, they find a letter that will change both their past and their future.
Fanny Blake says: "Reading can widen your horizons without your even having to leave home, and should be a pleasure that that is open to everyone at any age or stage of their lives."
Here's some more information from the Quick Reads site which you can visit here.
Quick Reads plays a vital role in addressing the UK's adult literacy crisis, engaging the one in three adults who do not regularly read for pleasure and the one in six adults who find reading difficult. Publishing on 20 February with a new brand identity by Here Design, the engaging and accessible books by best-selling authors will help bring the pleasures and benefits of reading to everyone, by inspiring emerging readers as well as those who have little time or have fallen out of the habit.
Showcasing the very best contemporary writing with everything on offer from comedy to crime, the standalone titles include a psychological thriller from Clare Mackintosh; Candice Carty-Williams' retelling of the West Side Story to a carnival backdrop; an adaptation of Adam Kay's hilarious and painfully honest memoir; a story of a life changing hen weekend from Milly Johnson; an introduction to DI Harry Virdee from A.A. Dhand; and an anthology edited by Fanny Blake, featuring everything from nosy neighbours to new-found family, with short stories from the likes of Adele Parks, Ian Rankin and Sophie Kinsella.
The titles are available for just £1 at bookshops and are free to borrow from libraries. They are used across the country in colleges, prisons, trade unions, hospitals and adult learning organisations.
Debbie Hicks, Creative Director at The Reading Agency said: "We are delighted that Quick Reads is returning with such an impressive list of titles. We are so grateful to all the authors who have given their words and time to support this life-changing programme, and of course to Jojo Moyes who has made this all possible. We look forward to sharing these brilliant stories by brilliant authors and to inspiring even more people to discover a love of reading."
Fanny Blake, Quick Reads Commissioning Editor and author of Sisters, in A Fresh Start said: "I have been involved with books and reading all my adult life, as a publisher, journalist, reviewer and novelist, and find it shocking that one in six adults in the UK find reading difficult. Quick Reads plays an invaluable part in changing this statistic, and I'm thrilled to have been involved with the programme for the last four years as an author and Commissioning Editor. Reading can widen your horizons without your even having to leave home, and should be a pleasure that that is open to everyone at any age or stage of their lives. Quick Reads can help make this happen, and I know that the extraordinary list of 2020 titles will bring pleasure to many more readers."
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