The Photographer's Wife by Nick Alexander follows the life of Barbara, a child of The Blitz and the wife of one of Britain's most famous photographers. Barbara's life story is juxtaposed with the present day struggles of her Daughter, Sophie, a photographer herself who is trying to propel her own career by organising a retrospective of her Father's work.
But as Sophie uncovers dusty images from the attic she slowly unravels family secrets, hidden by denial, fear and time to reveal a very different portrait of her family.
5 Comments
This week's book review is The Accident by C.L.Taylor which I picked up for my kindle app at the bargain price of 99p a few weeks ago.
After walking out in front of a bus Sue's 15yr old daughter Charlotte is in a coma. The doctors don't know why she hasn't woken up yet but Sue does. She has read Charlotte's diary and she knows she had a secret, a secret so bad it was killing her... Now Sue needs to find out what her daughter was keeping from her and how it links to her own past.
After You is JoJo Moyes much anticipated sequel to Me Before You, a book I read on holiday a few years ago and cried myself to sleep after I finished it. So I was expecting more of the same from the follow up.
Today is our first World Book Day! Little E has gone off to school as the Bear from Jez Alborough's Where's my Teddy? complete with her own little ted. I popped into school and read the book to Little E's class and they all loved it! We are big book fans in this house, World Book Day is a fantastic way to celebrate our love of books! Linking up to #mycapturedmoment and #readwithme
It has been ages since I posted a book review which is crazy as I've read so many books lately. One that really stands out is YOU by Caroline Kepnes.
When Guinivere Beck walks into Joe's book store he is smitten. With the aid of Twitter, Facebook and a stolen phone he is able to delve deep into Beck's life, what she likes, what she thinks, where she is, enough information to make himself into the man she needs.
The trouble is Beck's true colours are a little darker than Joe expected and he has to work harder to keep her attention. So hard the game takes on a deadly turn.
I have recently joined another book club with some of the mums from school. Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey was our first club read.
Maud is confused. More than confused. Her short term memory is failing her and she knows she has forgotten something important but can't remember what. The notes in her pocket give her clues but how can you solve a mystery when you can't remember eating toast for breakfast? When her best friend Elizabeth goes missing Maud sets out to find her, but in the process awakens memories of another disappearance which has haunted her for years. The past is very much alive.
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Lennie and Bailey are sisters so close they are also best friends. Raised by their Grandmother after their mother abandoned them as small children, exuberant Bailey is everything to Lennie. So when Bailey dies suddenly of a heart attack Lennie finds herself abruptly thrown out from behind her sisters shadow into the centre of attention. Somewhere she definitely does not want to be. Then two boys come along and love complicates things even further, afterall one of them is her dead sister's boyfriend. This story deals with loss and grief and the confusion that comes with being left behind. The writing style is excellent and I felt completely invested in Lennie's relationships and her future. The concept of feeling guilt for falling in love when you are mourning was handled particularly well. Having two girls myself the concept of two sisters being split up in such a brutal way resonated strongly. My only criticism is the slightly predictable ending. I'm not sure in reality things would have worked themselves out that well but I was pleased Lennie found happiness and closure. 4/5
I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
A retired spy. A jihadi fanatic. A deadly plan. Can Pilgrim stop The Saracen before America falls?
My Husband urged me to read this book after his Boss recommended it (No, he didn't read it himself, he'll wait for the film version!). Initially I struggled to get into it, the first hundred or so pages are a but waffly (it is a 600 page book!) and the spy novel genre is not really my thing but I persevered and (against my better judgement) the story really caught me and I genuinely felt tense as the plot unfolded.
There are several things you need to overlook in order to enjoy this book. The first is some of the plot leaps - there are moments which are pretty unbelievable, mainly relating to the way Pilgrim tracks Saracen. Also there is a distinct America vs Islam theme which I guess is unavoidable in a spy thriller based around a Jihadi terror plan but I find using 9/11 as a plot hook a bit lazy and obvious. And whilst I do not deny these fanatic groups exist I do have issues with the casual way Hayes makes broad generalisations about the Middle East. My final issue is that Pilgrim is a pretty vacant character, who just happens to inherit a fortune. As you do. I can easily compare this book to The Da Vinci Code - completely different subject matter of course but essentially the same completely implausible plot and somewhat void protagonist. But yet the writing style and plot keep you hooked as you race towards the finish line. 3.5/5
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini This book was our book club read. I was not impressed. Being set in war torn Afganistan I knew it was going to be depressing and as a general rule I tend to read books which catapult me away from reality. In short, I did not want to read this book. I was right it was depressing, more so shocking, and at times I had to put it down. But it was beautiful, incredibly moving and I loved it. The story follows the lives of two Afghan women; Mariam and Laila. Mariam is only 15 when she is sent to Kabul to marry Rasheed 20 years her senior. At first Rasheed is kind but a series of personal tragedies reveal Rasheed's brutal personality. Laila lives down the street. A young girl growing up in the shadow of her absent brothers who are away fighting with the Taliban. But the love of her modern thinking Father and her best friend Tariq are a shining light in the dusty city. As Kabul is devastated by mortar attacks an aging Mariam and young Laila are thrown together to live in an impossible situation under unimaginable conditions. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. The themes in the book are tough there's no getting away from it and I was surprised and shocked by the extent of the oppression of Afgan women under Sharia law. At times I simply couldn't believe what I was reading. But the writing is stunning. The character are so finely crafted you can almost feel them standing beside you. Despite the atrocities depicted you simply cannot stop reading, desperately hoping it will somehow work out ok in the end. Be warned, this is a book which will have you reaching for the tissues but it is worth it. Linking up to #read with me at mamamummymum.co.uk #triedtested at myfamilyfever.co.uk #allaboutyou at mama-andmore.com and #weekendbook club at trainingmummy.com December was a month of madness so as a result only one book was read. But boy was it a good one. Dead Man Walking by Paul Finch Ten years ago prolific serial killer, The Stranger, staked Dartmoor. Shot and believed dead he was never heard from again... When a brutal attack on two hikers shows startling resemblance to The Stranger's MO, DS Mark Hekenburg is drawn into a deadly game in which The Stranger holds all the cards. This is the 4th DS Heckenburg book but it is my introduction to the series. And after this book I'll certainly be reading the rest. I don't want to give too much away as this thriller really is an edge of your seat book which shocks at every turn and keeps you guessing constantly. I like Heck, he reminds me of Luther, and the character is very believable. The writing style is excellent and fast paced. If you like books which make you hold your breath this is for you. 4.5/5
I am currently reading:
Safe House by Chris Ewan A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Book Club) This post is linked to #ThisMonthIRead with mutteringmummy.wordpress.com #readwithme at mamamummymum.co.uk #triedtested with myfamilyfever.co.uk and goingonanadventure.co.uk #pocolo with vevivos.com and AllAboutYou with mama-andmore.com |
Welcome!Artist, Baker and Blogger. Mum to my two beautiful, cheeky girls. Muddling my way through parenthood with equally cheeky Husband. Categories
All
Archives
April 2023
|