What started out as quite an enjoyable memoir, deteriorated into a rather self-indulgent meander of self-discovery, with the help of the works of J.D. Salinger. Rakoff writes of her year working for her ‘Boss’ at ‘The Agency’, but more about that later. She’s 23 and has drifted slightly from her planned life-path and having returned... Continue Reading →

I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review. It’s Emily’s birthday, and she has decided,  that it’s also the day she’s going to end her life! She’s taken one knock too many, from what she remembers as a dysfunctional upbringing, to her disastrous, abusive marriage, the loss of her baby,... Continue Reading →

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC I received in return for my honest review. As a teenager (many, many, many years ago!), I loved anything to do with the paranormal – movies, books … anything. As an adult I seem to have drifted away from this genre, but I am so pleased... Continue Reading →

I was sent a copy of this book in return for my honest review. Many thanks to Kim Nash at Bookouture. This is a beautifully constructed novel that alternates between the Pisa of 1999 and that of the 12th Century. 1999 - Sam has rushed to Pisa to be with her husband Michael who has... Continue Reading →

I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review. I found this book extremely upsetting and uncomfortable to read. Throughout the author’s life, through all of her achievements and triumphs, the underlying refrain continues to be the emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her own mother, practically from the... Continue Reading →

There’s no doubt about it – Lucinda Riley is the unrivalled Queen of the epic saga! This book marks the first in a highly ambitious undertaking of what promises to be a best-selling series of seven books, loosely based on the mythology of the star constellation, The Seven Sisters of the Pleiades. How does one... Continue Reading →

  I received a copy of this book through THE Book Club in return for my honest review. After my recent binge of psychological thrillers, this was a refreshing change. Pam Howes is a master at capturing the atmosphere of the sixties, and her consistent use of music throughout the book is inspired. You can... Continue Reading →

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture in return for my honest review. I struggled to get into this book, and found that I was reading it in fits and starts. Some parts were quite engaging but on the whole, I didn’t find it as enjoyable as many other books I’ve read recently.... Continue Reading →

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Bookouture (thank you Kim Nash) in return for my honest review. The Black Country is an area of the West Midlands in England, north and west of Birmingham. During the Industrial Revolution, it became one of the most industrialised parts of Britain with coal mines,... Continue Reading →

What is it like to lose yourself, piece by piece? What is it like for your loved ones to watch you disappear, knowing that there is virtually nothing they can do to stop the process? Watching the film Still Alice (based on the book by Lisa Genova) gives us some insight into the devastation that... Continue Reading →