Book Review - Kismetology

Kismetology by Jaimie Admans

Released 14th September 2012

Kindle edition 

Self-Published

Rating 4/5

Source Sent a copy by Jaimie.

Summary…

Finding the perfect man isn't easy. Especially when it's for your mother... 

Mothers. Can't live with them, can't live without them, can't live three doors down the road without them interfering in every aspect of your life.

Mackenzie Atkinson's mother has meddled in her love life once too often and something has to be done. Mackenzie decides to turn the tables and find love for her lonely mother.  

Her lonely and very fussy mother. 

Surely finding an older gentleman looking for love won't be that hard, right?
Wrong. 
If you've ever thought that boys grow up, here's the problem: They don't. Ever.
And Mackenzie is about to learn that the hard way.

Faced with a useless boyfriend, dressed up dogs, men who wear welly boots on dates, men who shouldn't be allowed out in public, and men who make reptiles seem like attractive company - will she ever find the perfect man for her neurotic mother?

My thoughts…

Since I began blogging Jaimie has been a constant support and friend to me, so what she emailed to ask if I could review her book I was thrilled. Knowing Jaimie already, I knew she has very similar taste in books to me; therefore I knew I was getting a book that would suit me.

Kismetology has a lovely cover, and I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but I saw this on a shelf I would definitely pick it up. The book fits neatly into the ‘Chick Lit’ genre and would appeal to anyone who is a fan of these types of stories. The title Kismetology didn’t mean anything to me at the beginning, I spent the first few days telling people I was reading kiss-me-tology! After reading the book I now know that it is to do with Kismet, the Arabic word for fate or destiny. Knowing this, the title suits this book to perfection.

As a reader you are taken on a journey from the view point of a 20-something who is fed up with her mother, Eleanor, interfering in her life and her house, much to the annoyance of her boyfriend Dan. Mackenzie Atkinson therefore takes it upon herself to find love for her mother so that she can get her life back. Her approach – to date the men, make sure they are suitable and then set them up on a date.

Mackenzie’s journey takes you from her being a happy nail technician who just wants her mother to watch Coronation Street at her own house, to her realising that there is more to life and that the love she thought she had for Dan isn’t what she thought it was.

Jaimie has a wonderful way or writing- she is witty, imaginative and manages to create characters that you didn’t think ever existed but at the same time making you believe that these strange men are out there somewhere.  Knowing how much Jaimie likes her “research” I could just imagine her sitting in a town hall somewhere speed dating 50-year-old men to provide material for her book.

If I was to criticise one little thing with this book, and I hope Jaimie doesn’t take offense to this because I really did enjoy the book, I would just say that in a few places I felt the story was a little repetitive. When Mackenzie was arguing with Dan, I felt that the argument went round and round with the same statements repeat – I suppose how a real argument is! Other than that I think that Kismetology is a brilliant debut novel from an author that I am very excited to see what else has in for us.

If you are a Chick Lit fan then I would definitely recommend this fantastic, easy read to you.

Short Story Review - From Man to Man

From Man to Man by David Emrys

Released 14th October 2012

PDF 20 pages

Publisher Four Branches Publishing

Rating 4/5

Source Sent a copy by David.

Summary…

‘ I've traded my old enemies for just this one…’ The axe thundered home. ‘I miss the old ones.’

Every man has a past, none more so than Draven Reinhardt. Abandoning his old life to settle down as a villager, he struggles to fit in, let alone hold down a job. When opportunity offers the much needed coin, Draven is torn between a promise and a purpose. 

But, what’s one last job if you've already got blood on your hands?

My thoughts…

From Man to Man is the debut short story from author David Emrys. This was another book that was sent to me via links from Twitter, so I started the book completely blind – with no idea what the book was about and certainly no expectations.

The book title and the cover suggested a Robin Hood themed/type story, fitting into the adult fiction genre, with a view at targeting men. While the book does actually tick all of those boxes, I think women will enjoy the book as equally as men.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Draven, a mysterious man with a past. He lives with his wife and young child, but seems to have a tendency to get into fights with the villagers while trying to run away from his past, until he is set a task that brings his old life in to his new life.

The story is quite fast paced, with a few reflective periods throughout that give you the opportunity to explore Draven’s character a little more. One thing I love about this book is the way that everything is described in intricate detail. People, surroundings, tools and even sounds are described in such a way that you can vividly picture it all in your mind and almost hear the twigs snapping.

At this point I would usually complain about the lack of answers to things that happened within the book, but I know that this is just a taster for the novel, so all is forgiven. David has been very clever and has written a brilliant short story to pull you in to the world of Draven and just when you get into it, he stops and tells you to wait for the novel. I for one will now be patiently waiting to read ‘It Began with Ashes’.

Short Story Review - Stephen C Spencer

I have never really given much thought to short stories, I just dismissed them as stories for people who don't have time to read proper books... Then I became a book reviewer and came across Ellie Darkins on Twitter, she posted a link to a short story that she had written and posted on her blog... from the very beginning I was hooked, everything happened to quickly and then it was over leaving my wanting more.

So I decided to explore more short stories and put a hit out on Twitter. This is where the lovely Stephen Spencer comes in.. He very kindly sent me two of his short stories to read Role Reversal and Window of Opportunity. So here is what I thought...

Window of Opportunity

Released 6th March 2012

PDF 12

Publisher Self Published

Rating 2/5

Source Sent by Stephen

My thoughts…

Window of Opportunity was the first short story that I read by Stephen, it is about Paul Mallory, a journalist who is trying to track down a Russian criminal that tried to kill him.

The story does exactly what it needs to do as a short story and that is to move at a fast pace. For me a thriller works really well as a short story as you get to move the story along so quickly, engaging the reader to read on and want more at the end of it, as well as getting to the point quickly as opposed to dragging it out.

With this being said, as much as I liked the pace in which this story moved, I felt it left out a lot of detail. This is the first book that I have read by Stephen and from the Paul Mallory series, so maybe that is why I didn’t really connect with the book because there are so many before this that would have helped me understand the characters more.

I am not saying that this is a terrible book, but I would recommend maybe readying the Paul Mallory series in order, which is what I should have done!

Role Reversal

Released 9th September 2012

PDF 11

Publisher Self Published

Rating 4/5

Source Sent by Stephen

My thoughts…

Role Reversal was the second short story that I ready by Stephen, from the cover I saw that this was also part of the Paul Mallory series so I wasn't holding out much hope for it. However I am pleased to say that this was completely different to my first experience.

The story revolves around two women who live together and work for the same man as Paul Mallory, they have been invited to mark the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic by going on a cruise of the Titanic route. Both Marie and Fliss are looking forward to the trip, but then Fliss starts to get nightmares. Not remembering what the nightmares are Marie orders her to a hypnotherapy session to get to the bottom of it, with her hunch that it is something to do the Titanic.

As someone who is extremely interested in the Titanic, I love reading, watching documentaries, films and stories about it, and Role Reversal fits in perfectly with one of my interests. For me, this story could be expanded into a novel – exploring the history on both Marie and Fliss’s families and exploring the history of the Titanic.

This isn't really a thriller, like the first, but I still found myself reading at a record speed to get to the end and find out what the outcome would be. If you are looking for something quick to read, then I would definitely recommend this.

Book Review - First, I Love You

First, I Love You by Genevieve Dewey

Released 27th September 2012

Paperback 300 pages

Publisher Smashbox

Rating 5/5

Source Sent a copy by Genevieve.

Summary…

'First, I Love You' is the first novel in the Downey Trilogy exploring the powerful bonds of family, friendship, and love. After having spent most of his life avoiding his father, Omaha Detective Tommy Gates takes an opportunity to work his first big Federal case in Chicago, the same city where his father, retired mobster Mickey Downey now lives. While battling the increasing meddling of his sister Kiki Downey and his co-workers, Tommy struggles with taking the risk of letting his father into his heart when his world-view is everything Tommy stands against. Just as he is beginning to navigate these issues of family, loyalty and trust, his personal and professional lives collide in a way that could threaten them all.

My thoughts…

The title suggests a love story to me, First, I Love You reminded me so much of Cecelia Ahern’s PS I Love You. However, reading about Genevieve’s passion for organised crime, I figured I was in for a very different kind of story in the first instalment of the Downey trilogy.

The book doesn't quite follow the rules of any specific genre – while the main theme is organised crime intertwined is a story of hatred, love and regret, which pleased me greatly. Some may say that you cannot have a story about warring Mafia families, crime and murder with stories of love thrown in, but I think in this instance it really worked.

The story is told from the viewpoint of six main characters: Tommy, Mickey, Mark, Kiki, James and Ginny. Each chapter is told from the view of a different character with each one following on from where the previous have left off. Each character is introduced at a steady pace allowing you to get to know one before another is added into the mix, instead of just throwing them all in at the beginning. For me all of this worked perfectly, as each character plays a highly important role within the story and by constantly changing the narrative, the story is allowed to move at a much faster pace.

The story is completely believable. You have Mickey, a famous gangster who has an affair which results in the birth of his first son, Tommy. Mary loves Mickey dearly but wants the complete family so she does what she believes is the only way to do this and turns to the FBI. Mickey wants nothing more than to be a part of Tommy’s life, but he must do everything possible to keep his two loves safe and that is to let them go. 20 years later and a “retired” Mickey also have Kiki and Joey to keep safe now while Tommy is a Detective working to bring down one of his father’s associates. With so much history, it is no surprise that things don’t go quite to plan.

I am a huge fan of chick lits and crime thrillers and this book brought my two loves together. On one hand you have two new loves beginning, you have an old one rekindled and you have the love between a father and a son – you then have the nitty gritty child sex ring, gangland murder and Mafia feuds.

One thing that Mary says really stuck with my throughout the whole book, “why did no one never know the answer to these things until after the milk had been spilt?” The book poses so many questions, with some being answered and the others leaving you on the biggest cliff-hanger dying to find out how it will all end.

If you are a fan of Harlan Coben that I would definitely recommend First, I Love You. Such a fantastic debut novel from Genevieve Dewey, I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us.

You can buy the book from Amazon now. 

Book Review - This Charming Man

This Charming Man by Marian Keyes
Released 5th March 2009
Paperback 912 pages
Publisher Penguin
Rating 4/5
Source Borrowed

Summary...

Lola has just found out that her boyfriend - charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy - is getting married. To someone else. Heartbroken, Lola flees the city for a cottage by the sea. But will Lola's retreat prove as idyllic as she hopes?

Journalist Grace wants the inside story on Paddy de Courcy's engagement and thinks Lola holds the key to it. Grace knew Paddy a long time ago. But why can't she forget him?

Grace's sister, Marnie, might have the answer but she also has issues with the past. Her loving loving husband and beautiful daughters are wonderful, but they can't take away memories of her first love: a certain Paddy de Courcy. What will it take for Marnie to be able to move on?

Alicia Thornton is Paddy's wife-to-be. Determined to be the perfect wife, Alicia would do anything for her fiancé. But does she know the real Paddy?

Four very different women. One awfully charming man. And the dark secret that binds them all...

My thoughts...

Marian Keyes is one of best selling female authors and is the person who inspired me to write. I heard her say once "Everyone has it in them to write a least one novel." However, in all these years I had never got around to reading any of her books until a friend let me borrow This Charming Man. 

Given her reputation I expected a classic 'chick lit' story, and I am pleased to say that I wasn't disappointed.

The story focuses around four very different women and their relationships with Paddy de Courcy. Lola, Grace, Marnie and Alicia have all been captured by politician Paddy's charm, only to be tossed aside when he got bored leaving them all scarred and tormented. For each of the women, Marian took on a different writing style, if that is the right way to put it. You could instantly tell which character was currently narrating the story by the way in which it was being written. 

So many different authors tell a story from different character angles, but very few will change the writing style so dramatically. For me, this is a skill that so few have and one that really made this book work.

I will admit, that I did struggle to get into the book at the beginning. I can't quite put my finger on why, it could just have been me, but once I sat down and concentrated I literally couldn't put it down. 

The story has so many twists and turns, that it is impossible to even attempt a guess at how it will end. Anyone who follows me on Twitter will know that even I had it completely wrong as at one point I likened Paddy to Christian Grey from the Fifty Shades trilogy. With his obvious sex appeal, charming mannerisms and interest in kinky sex, how could you not link them? As the story develops there is more to Paddy than meets the eye and I will guarantee that you will be left shocked, and thats without even mentioning the "trannies"!

If you are looking for a page turning chick lit book, then this is for you. I am so pleased that I have been introduced to Marian Keyes and I cannot wait to read more of her books, from what I can see, I have missed a lot.

Until next time, keep reading x

Book Review - Caught

Caught by Harlan Coben
Released 17th February 2011
Paperback 400 pages
Rating 4/5
Source Purchased

Summary

Seventeen-year-old Haley McWaid never gave her parents a moment's worry. Until one morning her mother wakes to find that Haley didn't come home the night before. Three months quickly pass without a word, and everyone assumes the worst.


Wendy Tynes is a reporter on a mission: to identify and bring down sexual predators via televised sting operations. Her latest target is Dan Mercer, a social worker known as a friend to troubled teens. But his story soon becomes more complicated than Wendy could have imagined.


CAUGHT tells the story of a missing girl, the community stunned by her loss, the predator who may have taken her, and the reporter who suddenly realises she can't trust her own instincts about this story - or the motives of the people around her...

My thoughts...

I have read a few Harlan Coben books in the past and have always thoroughly enjoyed them. My Mum is a huge fan and is constantly pushing his books onto me so when I saw this I thought I'd give it a go, especially since I had been reading a teary love story and lots of erotic fiction.

Scandal, suspicion, murder is the tagline, and Caught is full of it all. From the very beginning the story grips you and pulls you in.

From the beginning I was left hoping that Dan wasn't the monster that he was made out to be, but the more I read on, the harder it became for me to believe it and the more I doubted myself. Dan was made out to be this amazingly gentle and giving man, but as the story moved on everything seemed to change and he started to appear to be the man that the reporters had made him out to be.

The story is told from Wendy's point of view, after revealing Dan as a pedophile, ruining his reputation and life she gets a gut feeling that she may have been wrong about him. Out of the blue he calls her asking her to meet him, in a trailer in the middle of no-where she witnesses him being murdered. From that moment, everything that she thought she knew came tumbling down around her and she could no longer trust anyone.

Caught is everything that you want from a thriller, every chapter leaves you wanting more, you are on the edge of your seat and it has so many unexpected twists that it is impossible for you to guess where the story is going to end up.

This is probably one of the hardest books that I have reviewed so far, with so many unexpected events it is hard to put into words how incredibly thrilling this book is without giving anything away.

Until next time, keep reading x