Thursday 24 December 2015

Ashley Bell - Dean Koontz


I don't know why, but Ashley Bell is the first Dean Koontz book I have ever read although I had heard of this author. I am in my early 60s and I don't know why it has taken me so long. I enjoyed it very much.

UK cover
The book is about Bibi, a young writer, who has been diagnosed with an incurable brain cancer and is told she has one year to live. While in hospital her condition deteriorates but something changes during the night and the next morning she feels her cancer has gone. Following tests her doctor then confirms that inexplicably she is free of cancer.

When she gets home she encounters a slightly strange, enigmatic woman named Calida Butterfly, whose visit has been arranged by Bibi's parents to welcome her home. Calida reveals that she is there to help her find out why she was spared from brain cancer. It would appear, after some divination, that Bibi has been spared to save the life of someone called Ashley Bell.

The book is then essentially about Bibi's search for Ashley Bell and the ordeals she has to face while she searches.

US cover
Bibi, is someone I felt I would like to have beside me in a crisis. She seemed very sensible and level headed but determined. Despite some horrifying incidents, and coming across forces that seem determined to harm her, she is completely focused on trying to find out about Ashley Bell and to locate him or her to save them.


I liked the writing style and found the short chapter format easy to read. The locations shift from the present, to events in the past when Bibi was a child, and to somewhere overseas where her fiancé Paxton, a Navy Seal, is on active operations. It is easy however to recognise the shifts in time and place.

Initially I wasn't sure where the book was going. Was this psychological thriller drawing us into the realms of the paranormal, supernatural or something else? I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did. (It was never really a chore to read it!)

I liked the characters – the good ones and the 'bad' ones. They were all relevant and held my interest to the end. The pace of the writing was maintained throughout and the ending didn't disappoint.                                



Author's website:   www.deankoontz.com
US Publication:      8 December 2015  (Bantam)
UK Publication:     14 January 2016    (HarperCollins)

I received a review copy of this book from the US publishers Bantam via NetGalley.





Sunday 20 December 2015

Not a new title, but it is a good read!

I'm afraid there has been a bit of a gap since my last blog post.  I have been reading books for review but most of the reviews can't be posted until the books are ready to be published in January and February.

I've also been catching up with other books I've bought or downloaded but I have been a bit distracted by the need to do Christmas shopping (which usually ends up with me panic buying the last few gifts a day or two before Christmas despite several trips into town).

In the meantime, although it's been available for over a year, here's one I would recommend.



The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

I recently bought the Kindle edition of this book (a) because I had read the Secret Life of Bees and liked it and (b) The Invention of Wings was available at a reduced price on Amazon.

It's a good book.  Great story telling, strong characters.

The story is set in the Deep South during the last days of slavery and it's the story of Hetty 'Handful' Grimke, a slave and Sarah Grimke, the middle daughter of the privileged white family.

Hetty is given to Sarah on her 11th birthday. Sarah is horrified at the thought of owning another human being and although she tries to 'free' Hetty her family prevent this happening. She is frustrated by the social conventions of the time.  She questions why she can't study law like her brother and that the family's expectation is that she will marry and raise a family.  Her independent way of thinking causes all sorts of problems.

Hetty  has an independent streak too.  In fact she's known as 'Handful'.  She has an answer for everything.  Handful's mother was the seamstress for the family but when she disappeared Hettie was expected to take over.

I liked how the story is told from the point of view of both characters in alternating chapters.

I liked the way the book deals with the relationships - between Sarah and Hetty;  Hetty and her mother; Sarah and her mother and younger sister.

I didn't realise until the end of the book that the Grimke sisters actually existed and were important figures in American history.  They were the first female abolition agents and among the early American feminist thinkers.  They also campaigned for racial equality and women's rights.

I enjoyed the book.  Although it is a fiction, it was inspired by the life of Sarah Grimke, and it does make you think about how it must have been not just for the slaves, but also to a certain extent for the females of the privileged classes who were in a way trapped in the social conventions of their time and place.

I believe the paperback was published in September 2014 and it's also available on Kindle.

If you haven't read The Secret Life of Bees (published 2004) it is also an excellent read.  I discovered it accidentally when it came as a magazine free gift a few years ago.  I wish I still had it - I would read it again - but it was passed on to a friend, then another friend etc.   It is a wonderful story.









Sunday 29 November 2015

A Mixed Bag of Books


It's been a while since I've added a new blog post.

I have a couple of book reviews ready to post but have to wait until nearer the publication date.  I have actually now read all the books on my NetGalley shelf!  It's difficult not to keep requesting books as there are so many with intriguing descriptions.  I really want to request them but I know I am likely to be busy between now and the Christmas holidays.

In the meantime I'll mention a few more books I've read - some for review and some simply for pleasure.


Thanksgiving by Mary R Arno

I very much enjoyed reading this beautifully written book although there are some heartbreaking and even shocking moments.

The book is set in Louisiana and begins in 1965 when the three principal characters are still girls, all from different backgrounds. We then get glimpses of them at various stages in their lives until an unexpected and shocking event decades later.

Mary R Arno cleverly shows how their lives and the lives of those around them all come to interconnect over the years and how the lies and deceits of the past lead to a shocking end.


The main events all take place around the Thanksgiving holiday.

I liked the (slightly) unusual device where the story is told in a third person narrative but then it changes to a first person voice so that we get the particular character's thoughts on the situation in more detail.

I found it easy to imagine the characters and locations and the believable dialogue flowed smoothly - a really well written book.

It's not a long book.  I read it immediately after struggling through the 900 + page book. Thanksgiving was the perfect antidote.

Author's website:   www.maryarno.com
Published:              26 November 2015



According to Yes by Dawn French

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Dawn French's new book from Good Housekeeping Book Room on Facebook.

It made a change having a physical hardcover book rather than a kindle edition.  Although it's nice to be able to turn pages it did take up more room in my bag (I like to read on bus journeys) and I think I appreciate the kindle app on my phone and tablet even more now.

This was quite a funny book.  You could definitely 'hear' Dawn French's voice.  I wasn't sure at first if I was going to like it, but it grew on me.

Rosie Kitto is a 38 year old primary school teacher who takes a job as nanny to a wealthy Manhattan Family.  The matriarch has very fixed ideas of what is acceptable and suitable and what is not.  Rosie proceeds to break all the rules and tries to bring some fun into the family's life.

The book is way over the top and into the realms of farce but it kept me entertained for a day!

More short reviews to follow ......




Tuesday 10 November 2015

My Sister's Grave - Robert Dugoni

Sometimes I inadvertently do things back to front.  In an earlier blog I mentioned Her Final Breath by Robert Dugoni.  That book was the second in a series of crime thrillers set in the Seattle area.  It was a good book that I enjoyed without having read the first in the series.

I have now managed to read the first book in the series,  My Sister's Grave.

This book was just as good.  I liked the characters (some of whom I had met in the second book of the series) and the pace of the story was good.  Like "Her Final Breath", there is no slow start - the action starts almost immediately and interest is maintained throughout.

Tracy Crosswhite is a homicide detective.  Her sister Sarah had disappeared, and was believed murdered 20 years previously.  Tracey has spent those years questioning the facts surrounding her sister's disappearance and the trial of Edmund House who was convicted of the murder.  She thinks they may have convicted the wrong person.

When human remains are found near the town where Tracy's family lived, they are identified as her sister's remains. Tracy decides to investigate further and to get the answers she has been seeking. There are a few twists and turns and shocks along the way.

The story is told in the present (after the remains are found) and in the past (the events leading up to and following her sister's disappearance) but the shifts in time are clear.

I actually don't read a lot of crime thrillers (I just happen to have read more of them recently).  I enjoyed this one, and once I had started reading it I found it hard to put down.

Apparently there is a third book in the series due out in May 2016.



Author website:    www.robertdugoni.com


Saturday 7 November 2015

The Secret Life and Curious Death of Miss Jean Milne



At last I've managed to clear my Netgalley reading list.  There are so many books I want to read and just not enough time. Two of the books will be published in December and February so I'll probably write about them in a future blog.

Since clearing that shelf I've managed to read a book that I bought from Amazon a couple of months ago and I'm halfway through another one.

The Secret Life & Curious Death of Miss Jean Milne by Andrew Nicoll is a gem of a book.  It's an Edwardian murder mystery set in the town of Broughty Ferry in Scotland.

October 1912.  The body of a wealthy spinster is found in a locked house.  She has shocking wounds and it seems obvious she has been brutally murdered in a frenzy.  Nothing seems to have been stolen however.

The characters in the book are well drawn -  from the rather pompous Chief Constable, the hard working local sergeant and the detective brought in from Glasgow to help track down the murderer to the local worthies.

It is written in such a way that you can easily imagine the characters and locations.

When I bought this book for kindle on Amazon about three months ago it cost 49 pence  (I think it is still that price).  It is probably the best 49 pence I have spent this year.

Apparently the book is based on fact.  There really was a murder in October 1912 in Broughty Ferry but the killer was never found.  Andrew Nicoll has created a wonderful work of fiction based on the known facts.

There are a few twists and turns along the way and a rather surprising ending that I hadn't suspected.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are a fan of Victorian/Edwardian murder mysteries.





Friday 16 October 2015

CITY ON FIRE - An Epic Novel



Well I finally finished this book.  Wow!  City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg is a sprawling, complex novel set in New York in the 1970s. It is pretty impressive for a debut novel but at 900+ pages it's a bit of a marathon read and not for the faint-hearted.

It begins in December 1976 when we are introduced to some of the characters. A pivotal event occurs on New Year's eve when a teenage girl is shot in Central Park. The book covers what happened afterwards and also what had gone before and slowly reveals the connections between the various characters in the book.  Things all come to a head on 13 July 1977 when all the lights go out in New York City.


There are a myriad of characters, many of whom are introduced in (or fall into) pairs: Charlie and Samantha, William and Mercer, Regan and Keith, Felicia Gould and her 'Demon Brother' Amory Gould, Richard and Jenny, Pulaski, Nicky Chaos and Solomon Grundy, Sewer Girl ….. and more.

The characters include a wealthy New York family and the two estranged heirs, a teacher recently arrived, two Long Island teenagers drawn to the New York punk scene, a re-formed punk band and the characters around them, a writer, the police officer investigating the shooting, a gallery owner.... and more.

I loved the way the author cleverly weaves the story to reveal the connections between the various characters (although they don't realise it at the time).

I also liked the fact that the story is told from the viewpoint of individual characters.  It also jumps backwards and forwards in time.

I thought the author described the locations really well. You could imagine yourself in these places. The characters are also very well formed and I feel you really get to know them, or at least some of them.

For all its brilliance, it's not a happy, uplifting story. It's a bit bleak in parts. It took me longer than usual to read and I came close on a couple of occasions to giving up simply because of the sheer length of the story but then the pace would change and I engaged with it again. I'm glad I read to the end and although for some characters there is a satisfactory ending for me there were still some unresolved issues.

Even as I'm drafting this review I can't decide how I feel about the book.  I suppose I could say it's brilliant in parts but the sheer length of the novel could turn it into a bit of a slog.  Overall I would say I'm glad I read it.

(Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a review copy - the book is due to be published in the UK on 22 October 2015).


Author website:               www.garthriskhallberg.com/
Author facebook page:    www.facebook.com/GarthRiskHallberg/

Wednesday 7 October 2015

MEANWHILE ....


I have a few books 'pending'.  Some I bought, and some were sent to me via NetGalley for review.  I desperately want to start reading them but I'm still working my way through a rather 'thick' book (I say thick, but it's an ebook so it's hard to tell - although it does say I'm 33% through it!) due to be published on 20 October.  Hopefully I'll have finished reading and posted a review by then.

It's long for a debut novel.  According to Amazon  the hardcover version has 944 pages so although I like a good 'meaty' read, I'm very glad I'm reading it in ebook format.


 Anyway I might have more to say about it in a week or two.

I love reading but sometimes you need a break so Sunday was spent at a Big Big Sing Day in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.  It was amazing - 5 hours (including breaks) singing with hundreds of other people.  It's good for the body and good for soul!

We learned to sing 5 songs on Sunday with harmony (some in 4 part harmony).  Big Big Sing days are for anyone, singers and non singers, old and young.  We were celebrating the 25th birthday of the Concert Hall so the songs kind of acknowledged the 90s or singers/bands who performed there in the 90s.


Stephen and Adey taught us the songs supported by a fantastic band and three wonderful singers on stage.

I've now got a couple of days free so it's back to reading!




MORE CRIME NOVELS!


I'm still on the crime novels!  I've been lucky enough to have been given advance copies via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

It might seem a bit strange that I'm really liking nearly all of them.  However that might just be that I am getting better at requesting books that I think I will enjoy. So here are another couple of short reviews.


The first one is The Lion and the Rose by Riccardo Bruni (author) and Aaron Maines (translator).  I loved this book (I was given an advance copy through Netgalley).  

The story is set in early 16th century Venice, a perfect setting for all the dark goings on.

There is something for everyone - gruesome murders, secrets, open secrets, political intrigue, secret societies, plots, conspiracies, torture, forbidden love and a scholarly German monk named Mathias (who has been questioning his faith) who has reluctantly been hired (or rather pressed) into investigating the murders.

Venice is the perfect setting for the book with its network of canals and dark alleyways. 

It seems to be a good translation of a well written book.  I loved this book even although initially I wasn't sure if it was my type of book (until the last month or so I seemed to be reading a lot of romance and 'chic lit' and enjoying these too).  It reminded me a little of the Brother Cadfael novels by Ellis Peters although these were set in an earlier century and not quite so 'dark'.  I would say The Lion and the Rose is perfect for those who like crime thrillers and mysteries, especially those in a historical setting.  


The second one is a bit different and maybe even a bit quirky.  It's not available until 20 October 2015. 

The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss by Max Wirestone involves a 'virtual' theft and a murder but it is a whodunnit with a twist.  Dahlia (not an experienced detective) gets herself involved in the virtual world of gamers.  

At the start Dahlia is given money to investigate the theft of a 'virtual' spear - "The Bejewelled Spear of Inifinite Piercing" but she soon becomes involved in a real murder.

To be honest I didn't dislike this book and I did read it to the end but it didn't quite catch my attention enough to keep me up to the small hours to finish it. 

It would probably appeal to someone a bit younger than myself.  I'm retired now and I've never really been involved in online virtual worlds so I might be a bit too old to be classed as a total geek.

I have to say I did like it very much in parts.  Towards the end it was pretty funny, especially at the convention.  In fact the more  I read, the better it got.  Dahlia certainly gets herself into some weird situations.

Sunday 27 September 2015

TRYING TO CATCH UP!


I've only just realised, I've read at least 5 books (possibly more) since I last posted here.

September has just galloped by.

I had a wonderful time singing with the Big Big Sing Community Choir at Glasgow Green for Proms in the Park (the last night of the Proms) and we even appeared live on BBC2 Scotland.

Two days after that I left for a week's holiday in Spain.  I did plenty of reading but no time for blogging!

I have recently been reading crime/thrillers/mysteries.  I enjoyed them all although they were all very different.  I was given advance copies via Netgalley but two of them have still to be published, one on 6 October and the other on 20 October so I'll put these in a separate post.


The first was The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan.

There are at least two stories going on here. On his last day at work Inspector Chopra encounters a distraught mother whose son has been found drowned and the body brought to the police station. No one seems to be investigating the matter. In fact Chopra's superior wants the case closed, saying the boy drowned. Chopra thinks the death could have been the result of foul play and wants to investigate.

On that same day Chopra had received word that he had inherited a baby elephant. When he arrives home from his last day at work the small baby elephant has been delivered. The problem is Inspector Chopra and his wife Poppy live on the 15th floor of a tower block in Mumbai. However Chopra is one of these people who seems to be able to deal with anything that comes along. His wife Poppy seems the strong quiet type. Although they have been married for a long time they have no children but they obviously love each other.

Naturally Inspector Chopra continues to investigate the boy's death unofficially and uncovers some terrible goings on. You don't know who can be trusted and who is 'on the take' and/or involved in criminal activities.

I love the way the various threads of the story are interwoven. While investigating the boy's death he is also trying to find out how to help the baby elephant, now named Ganesha. The little elephant has a part to play in the unfolding investigation.

Also, unknown to his wife Poppy, he has been preparing for his retirement. All she knows is he take regular phone calls from someone but doesn't speak to her about them. Then when his investigation starts and he leaves the house, sometimes for several hours, she starts to think he has another woman.

I like the Chopras. They seem a charming couple.  Although it is a stand alone book the story ends leaving a door open for further books.  I'll be looking out for the next book!

It reminded me a little of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency (only very slightly, not a copy) although that was set in Botswana and the protagonist was a strong, sensible young woman and not a hardworking retired police inspector. If you liked that series of books by Alexander McCall Smith then you would probably like this book.




Her Final Breath by Robert Dugoni is the second book in a series of three.

I haven't read the first book but that didn't prevent me getting drawn into this story. There are references in Her Final Breath to events and characters in the first book but Her Final Breath can stand alone.   I thought this was a great book right from the start and having read it, I now want to read My Sister's Grave.

Tracy Crosswhite has returned to work as a detective following the retrial of her sister's killer and becomes involved in the investigation of what turns out to be a number of murders of young women in the North Seattle area.

It would also appear someone is out to get Tracy.

The suspense begins almost immediately - no long drawn out introduction to the characters before anything happens - and the tension is maintained throughout.

Clues are pretty scarce but there may be a link to an older homicide in the area.  However Tracy's attempts to investigate this further are thwarted by her boss at every turn.  Does he have something to hide?

There are lots of suspects along the way (and red herrings) but I didn't manage to guess the identity of the serial killer.

This is definitely one of these books that keeps you reading through the night just to find out who the serial killer is and if Tracy will be targeted next.


Tuesday 1 September 2015

"GLUM" ISN'T SO GLUM

I'm a bit late with my latest "reviews".  I've been busy working my way through three very enjoyable books.

The first of these is Glum by Eilian J Richmond.

Although the book is called "Glum" it's not glum at all.  I thought it was a very enjoyable book. Sometimes sad, sometimes frustrating but overall funny and very entertaining.

Are you a fan of tv talent shows?  I watch them (sometimes) but with a degree of cynicism.  I intensely dislike the cringeworthy moments when they narrate the back story of the contestant, usually involving bereavement, unemployment, desertion or depression - sometimes all of them.

Well the main character, Andrew, is 30 and has gone back to  live with his mum.  He writes songs and plays the guitar.  He's recently been diagnosed with clinical depression.  When he tells his Mum she merely says "you're glum".  When he tells his best friend Sam (who I found irritating but in a good and necessary way for the story), Same thinks "that is so rock and roll" and suggests that he should apply for the tv talent show.

Andrew applies (without telling anyone) and the rest of the story is about Andrew's 'journey' on the show, during which he meets a girl he really likes but she is already with someone.

We encounter quite a few hilarious characters and also get glimpses into the past where we meet a younger Andrew.

Andrew's Mum is a lovely character too - she seems very soft and gentle, often gets her metaphors and her words mixed up, but is stronger than you realise and the love between her and Andrew is pretty obvious.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I thought it was very good.

There is a little bonus with the book.  There is a link to Andrew's songs which you can stream or download for free on Soundcloud.  (www.soundcloud.com/glumsongs).

Wednesday 26 August 2015

FREEBIES

Oops. Something went wrong here.  This post had reverted to draft.  It was written in the early part of August, certainly long before 25 August!

I've spent the past couple of weeks mainly reading 'free' downloads for Kindle.

I used to trawl through the Amazon 100 bestsellers (free) for Kindle.  I would 'buy' all sorts of books in the hope of finding a wee gem - and quite often there would be a book that was an excellent read.

There were others of course that were not so good, thankfully though not too many that were completely unreadable.

As I said before, nowadays I use Bookbub and The Book Hippo.  I get a daily email from each of those offering books that are either free or great bargains. Sometimes the 'bargain' is for a very limited time.   I set the criteria for books offered.  Both sites are easy to use, even my 80 year old mother can now download her Kindle books easily.

So this weeks's books were The Good Lawyer by Thomas Benigno.  A typical courtroom/crime story but a good read.  A young, ambitious lawyer, brought up with connections to the Mafia, serial rapist/murderer and the suicide of a young victim, family secrets - all cleverly connected.  I bought this book for free but I think you now have to pay.

I also read The Good Sister by Leanne Davis.  Also free when I bought it.  Again it was a good read. I suppose it is a romance but the main character is a victim of domestic abuse who is unable to escape  /leave her controlling husband.  Apparently it is the second book in a series but it was still enjoyable even although I hadn't read the first book.

Lindsay is the sister who seems to have the success: nice house, handsome husband who intends to run for state governor. Growing up she was her Father's favourite daughter and always tried her best to please him.   However she is basically a prisoner and can only do what her monster of a husband allows. She also suffers frequent vicious assaults at his hands.

Jessie on the other hand had a very troubled rebellious childhood and was hated by her father.  She now lives on the other side of the country with her husband and is expecting a baby.  She also works for a good looking vet.  Somehow her sister Lindsay is permitted to visit her sister.  Over a few weeks she blossoms and begins to find her voice.  Of course there is that good looking man.

It's a well written book, making it easy to read although the subject matter makes it quite difficult to read without feeling angry, sad, frustrated.

The book is also quite explicit so is really only suitable for adults.

I also managed to fit in another couple of books that I actully paid for.

One was The Shadow Wife by Diane Chamberlain.  I think this might be one of her earlier books but it was still enjoyable.  Her books tend to have some kind of moral dilemma.  I would say this was good romantic fiction with that dilemma.

The other book was Still Alice by Lisa Genova.  I loved this book. I haven't watched the film and I'm not sure if I will.  The book is well written and although you might think it would be depressing (it's about a Harvard Professor who is diagnosed with Alzheimers at the age of 50) I didn't find it so.  The diagnosis changes her relationships with her husband and grown children, she has to stop working sooner than she had planned,

Unfortunately Alzheimers is something that seems to be touching the lives of more and more people. I just found this book remarkable and I would definitely recommend it.

Sunday 9 August 2015

NOT MUCH WORK DONE TODAY!


I've been under the weather with a bit of a head cold but I did manage to finish an advance copy of The Tea Planter's Wife (Dinah Jefferies).  It's a great book.  In fact I sat up until 2 in the morning to finish it.  The book kept me interested right to the end.

It's set in Ceylon in the 1920s and 30s.  Gwen is a young bride who has just arrived in Ceylon to join her husband.

It a bit of a culture shock to say the least.  Her husband is occupied with plantation business and as he is often away he has an estate manager.  Gwen is told she is in charge of the household including the inside servants.  She is not to concern herself with the plantation workers.  She does.  She helps one who is injured and it is made very clear to her she must not interfere.  She is horrified by the racism she sees.

There are secrets.  Her husband was married before but his wife and child died.  No one will talk about this.

She soon falls pregnant and gives birth to a healthy son. Gwen has to make a very difficult choice. This gives rise to more secrets.  However her husband is happy he has a boy.  I'm not going to give any more away.

The books is really well written.  The author is very good at describing locations and giving you a sense of place.   It is complex enough to make it good story but not so complicated that you give up.  I think this is probably one of the most enjoyable books I have read this year.

Monday 3 August 2015

I NEED MORE TIME

I need more time!  I have 3 books waiting to be read, two via NetGalley and one that I bought on Amazon.

The one I am currently reading is Madeleine's Kiss by Peter Gilboy. The cover says "A love Story of Suspense" - and it certainly is.  The story is told in the first person and the storyteller is a professor of art history, Adam Snow.

He seems rather strange.  There is calmness about the book but it seems a false calm and there are underlying tensions.

We learn there has been an incident, possibly involving the disappearance of 'Madeleine'.  The book opens with Adam Snow writing his account of the events leading to his arrest and trial.  The Jury are out and he is waiting to hear their verdict. He hasn't taken the stand during the trial.

We can't be sure if Adam Snow is lying or not.  He gives an explanation for everything that has happened (not necessarily in chronological order) but is it the truth or something that he believes is true or a complete lie?  His explanations are plausible and could be the truth.  He suggests that witnesses didn't see what actually happened. There is no doubt they did see the events that have led to him appearing in court but perhaps they have somehow added details that didn't actually happen.

Is 'Madeleine' real, or imaginary, or a ghost.  She is also rather a strange character if we are to believe Adam Snow.   Or is he just completely off his head?

The book is certainly suspenseful.  I wanted to read to the end to find out what actually happened.  On   the other hand it wasn't one of those books that you just couldn't put down, (you know, the book you read until 2 or 3 in the morning just to finish it) not initially at least,  I was probably just over-tired last week.  I certainly enjoyed the story.

 I found it gripping (I think that's the word I want).  It's certainly different to the books I usually read and I would be happy to read more by this author.  The writing style was good - easy to read and easy to imagine the locations and even the 'action'.   The dialogue was believable in a crazy sort of way. The suspense is kept up all the way to the end. I really liked this book.

Saturday 11 July 2015

I'm back!

I last posted to this page in October 2014.  Oh where have the good intentions gone?

It has been a busy year and I have still been reading but I've also being doing other things.

I discovered I love acting.

Now I know I'll never be an 'actress' but acting classes are such good fun.  I've done 3 x 9 week classes and even managed to learn lines for end of class performances.

I've also learned I love to sing in a choir.

2014 was a great year to be in the Glasgow area.  The Commonwealth Games were held here and because of that there were also lots of cultural events.  One of these 'events' was the the Big Big Sing.

The first event I attended was a Big Big Sing day in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in February.  You didn't need to be in a choir or even be able to carry a tune - you just had to enjoy singing.  The main auditorium was almost full and we learned several songs (some in other languages) and in 3 or 4 part harmony.  I added my name to their mailing list and throughout the year I was invited to take part in workshops, flash mob choirs, even a specially formed community choir who recorded a song for one of the live events (Tin Forest East End) and sang at the opening of the Tin Forest.

During the Summer there was also a Big Big Big sing held at Glasgow Green and there were about 40,000 people there.  That was an amazing day.

The Big Big Sing suits me. I'm not committed to going to a choir every week.  I get invited, if I can take part in whatever they have organised, then I commit to that.

The latest (exciting!) project is a 100 voice choir performing at Glasgow Green at BBC Proms in the Park at Glasgow Green.  100 people who hadn't sung with each other before the first rehearsal will be performing on stage with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.  We have had 3 rehearsals and will have 4 more before the big day.

So, to go back to the subject of books... what have I been reading?

To be honest most of them have been free downloads for Kindle from Amazon. I use Bookbub and Book Hippo.  I get emails offering free or very low priced books.  I can set how often I get the email and what genres I like to read.  I think I've requested thriller, romance, family saga and historical.    Although quite a number of them are predictable romances some of these are actually very well written and an enjoyable read.  They're not usually thought provoking or life changing but they help pass a few hours.   It's very simple to register on these websites.  My mother is 80 and downloads books to her Kindle via Book Bub.

I also occasionally read books for a magazine Reader's Panel.  I've just finished one but have still to give feedback.  It is set around the Hollywood film industry. A work of fiction but based on real people - mainly Loretta Young, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, David Niven.  I found it a little bit slow going at the beginning but once I got into it, it began to flow and in the end I had enjoyed it.  It didn't help that the formatting was a bit out and some words and phrases weren't where they were supposed to be.  I wasn't to be concerned with proofreading but I think I would like the book better once its revised and the formatting fixed.

Watch this space.  Maybe another blog soon!