Title: Red at the Bone

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Genre: Literary Fiction

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Publication date: 17th September 2019

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Summary:

“It’s 2001, the evening of sixteen-year-old Melody’s coming of age ceremony in her grandparents’ Brooklyn brownstone. Watched lovingly by her relatives and friends, making her entrance to the music of Prince, she wears a special custom-made dress. But the event is not without poignancy. Sixteen years earlier, that very dress was measured and sewn for a different wearer, Melody’s mother, for her own ceremony – a celebration that ultimately never took place. Unfurling the history of Melody’s parents and grandparents to show how they all arrived at this moment, Woodson considers not just their ambitions and successes but also the costs, the tolls they’ve paid for striving to overcome expectations and escape the pull of history. As it explores sexual desire and identity, ambition, gentrification, education, class and status, and the life-altering facts of parenthood, Red at the Bone most strikingly looks at the ways in which young people must so often make long-lasting decisions about their lives – even before they have begun to figure out who they are and what they want to be. “

My review:

Red at the Bone illustrates the struggles of an African American family through reflections of sixteen year old Melody and other members of her family. As Melody is about to walk down the stairs at her coming of age ceremony, she contemplates the events that have led up to this day, giving way to a deeper look into her family’s history. The alternating POVs in the following chapters, each focusing on a particular family member, analyses the difficulties the family faced and highlights many important controversies.

Jacqueline Woodson is a master at telling a powerful and compelling story and this book was no exception. The language is vivid and fierce without being too flowery or overbearing. I could have easily highlighted half the book with quotes to look back on as the writing felt fresh and different. This positively influenced the dynamic change in voices in each chapter as each character had their own way of communicating and it was refreshing to see their own version of the events.

Some of the most critical themes in this book were further empowered by the splendid characterisation of Melody’s mother, father, grandmother and grandfather. Her mother, Iris, had Melody at only sixteen years old, mirroring yet also differentiating between both characters’s paths beautifully. We learn more about how the family dealt with the news or Iris’ pregnancy through their POVs where themes such as race, religion and class are explored with an unusual level of intimacy and harshness which I really admired.

Red at the Bone has the ability to prompt many emotions through the combination of impressive storytelling and realistic and fleshed out characters. I would have preferred to see a deeper look into some of the character’s feelings and decisions but nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be reading many more of Jacqueline Woodson’s books.

Title: Sometimes I Lie

Author: Alice Feeney

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Publisher: HQ

Publication date: 23rd March 2017

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Summary:

“My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:
1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.

Amber wakes up in a hospital. She can’t move. She can’t speak. She can’t open her eyes. She can hear everyone around her, but they have no idea. Amber doesn’t remember what happened, but she has a suspicion her husband had something to do with it. Alternating between her paralyzed present, the week before her accident, and a series of childhood diaries from twenty years ago, this brilliant psychological thriller asks: Is something really a lie if you believe it’s the truth? “

My review:

Sometimes I Lie tests the boundaries of what is real and what isn’t through the powerful voice of Amber, a victim who recently woke up from a coma but cannot communicate. Stuck in limbo without being able to speak, Amber tries to trace her steps and understand whose fault it is that she is in a coma. It had me questioning if Amber was really the victim and if some of the parts were segments of her imagination or did happen. Although I am not usually a fan of the unreliable female main character trope, the author developed this so skillfully that I found myself enjoying the uncertainty and trying to understand her intentions.

As the plot progresses several other characters are introduced, all part of Amber’s life and therefore possibly capable of harming her and putting her into a coma. None of the characters were portrayed as likable or reliable, another aspect which I usually would not like but worked well in this book, and I questioned their purpose several times. The relationship she has with both her husband and sister is complex and a lot of the interactions were either in diary format or happened in the hospital room through Amber’s point of view, encouraging the reader to take a neutral position and treat each character as a possible suspect.

The plot was filled with twists and turns and never stopped to give the reader a break. Some of the twists I had already guessed but there were several which shocked me and made me see the characters in a different light only to deliver another mind blowing twist soon after. I could already see a big twist coming several chapters before the end but was left confused, almost as if I had missed a huge piece of the puzzle. Needless to say, the ending leaves a lot to interpretation and I would have preferred a neat closed ending with all lose ends tied as I think it suits the story more.

If you are seeking a rollercoaster of a read, Sometimes I Lie may be just the book for you. The exciting plot and dark premise of the main character’s situation were enough to hold my attention. Although the ending left me feeling a little disappointed, the preceding twists were sharp and had me turning the pages. I would recommend this book to all Thriller fans and am already looking forward to reading more by this author.

Title: Mrs Everything

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Piatkus

Publication date: 11th June 2019

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Summary:

“Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise.

Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect ‘Dick and Jane’ house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life.

But the truth ends up looking differently than what the girls imagined. Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and Women’s Lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture, and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, or has a life that feels authentic, or brings her joy. Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after? “

My review:

Sisters Jo and Bethie could not be more different. Jo gets by through her early childhood and teenage years with short bursts of rebellion, convinced that her mother is ashamed of her. In contrast Bethie grows up as the favourite daughter until a tragedy turns her world upside down and she confides in her sister thereby changing both their futures. The bond the sisters share grows even deeper as the girls mature and face many difficulties that life throws at them.

The storytelling in Mrs Everything was superb and the plot progression kept me swiftly turning the pages from beginning to end. The author is very skilled at making the reader feel like a part of the story and I truly felt like I followed Jo and Bethie from their reckless and difficult teenage years through to adulthood. I experienced a wide range of emotions as I encountered the obstacles the girls faced, some more frightful than others, and found myself contemplating on many of these emotions after finishing the book.

As far as character growth goes, Jennifer Weiner presented two very believable and realistic characters. It was easy to relate to both Jo and Bethie and the struggles they faced as women who stood out from the rest of society in 1950s Detroit were incredibly well interlaced in their character development. I found it particularly interesting how Jo and Bethie “switched” as they grew and how in adulthood Bethie ultimately followed a more traditional path despite her past.

The pace in Mrs Everything felt somewhat too slow towards the middle of the book where several other characters were introduced. Nevertheless, the intensity of many tough themes such as sexuality, family relationships and the role of women in society was enough to keep me invested until the end and I found myself wishing the book would never end. A gem that is bound to capture the hearts of many readers, Mrs Everything is the perfect representation of what it means to be a woman in this complex world.

Title: The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man

Author: Jonas Jonasson

Genre: Humor/Contemporary Fiction

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication date: 7th August 2018

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Summary:

“It all begins with a hot air balloon trip and three bottles of champagne. Allan and Julius are ready for some spectacular views, but they’re not expecting to land in the sea and be rescued by a North Korean ship, and they could never have imagined that the captain of the ship would be harbouring a suitcase full of contraband uranium, on a nuclear weapons mission for Kim Jong-un …

Soon Allan and Julius are at the centre of a complex diplomatic crisis involving world figures from the Swedish foreign minister to Angela Merkel and President Trump. Things are about to get very complicated …“

My review:

After following Allan Karlsson in The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of The Window And Disappeared, I was eager to find out what other  troubles and adventures he would spontaneously throw himself into. He is by far one of the most fascinating and stubborn characters I have had the pleasure of discovering and I was hoping for an equally whimsical and daring set of events in this sequel.

This book starts with a lot of promise as Allan and his companion Julius find themselves facing a tricky dilemma which ultimately leads to a domino effect chain of events. I was reminded of and quickly warmed to the author’s satiric style of humour and was keen to see how the story line develops despite the borderline unrealistic events.

My main concern with this book was that there was too much focus on current politics and although I enjoyed the light banter, it became tiring after the first few puns. I applaud the author for his courage in implementing these delicate aspects but would have preferred just a few jokes about world leaders thrown in instead of constant reminders.

Allan and Julius’ adventure was delightful to follow and their antics were similar to those in the first book. However, it felt like there was something missing and the character development was not as sharp as I would have expected. Nevertheless, I am happy to have read this addition to Allan’s adventures and I would gladly read any other book by this author.

Title: A Woman is No Man

Author: Etaf Rum

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Harper

Publication date: 5th March 2019

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Summary:

“Palestine, 1990. Seventeen-year-old Isra prefers reading books to entertaining the suitors her father has chosen for her. Over the course of a week, the naïve and dreamy girl finds herself quickly betrothed and married, and is soon living in Brooklyn. There Isra struggles to adapt to the expectations of her oppressive mother-in-law Fareeda and strange new husband Adam, a pressure that intensifies as she begins to have children – four daughters instead of the sons Fareeda tells Isra she must bear.

Brooklyn, 2008. Eighteen-year-old Deya, Isra’s oldest daughter, must meet with potential husbands at her grandmother Fareeda’s insistence, though her only desire is to go to college. Deya can’t help but wonder if her options would have been different had her parents survived the car crash that killed them when Deya was only eight. But her grandmother is firm on the matter: the only way to secure a worthy future for Deya is through marriage to the right man.

But fate has a will of its own, and soon Deya will find herself on an unexpected path that leads her to shocking truths about her family – knowledge that will force her to question everything she thought she knew about her parents, the past, and her own future.

Set in an America at once foreign to many and staggeringly close at hand, A Woman Is No Man is a story of culture and honour, secrets and betrayals, love and violence. It is an intimate glimpse into a controlling and closed cultural world, and a universal tale about family and the ways silence and shame can destroy those we have sworn to protect.“

My review:

“I was born without a voice, one cold, overcast day in Brooklyn, New York. No one ever spoke of my condition. I did not know I was mute until years later, when I opened my mouth to ask for what I wanted and realized no one could hear me.”

A Woman is No Man explores the controversies and hardships in Muslim women’s lives spanning three generations and two continents. The contrast between the two timelines is surprisingly negligible as the differences between Isra’s life in the Palestine and her daughter Deya’s life in New York 18 years later are not so conflicting as one would imagine. Although Isra hoped for change and the possibility to voice her desires, she discovers soon after her marriage and move to New York that little has changed from her life in Palestine. This is a running theme which becomes more sombre as the story line develops and I had to stop reading at several particularly harrowing moments which were too difficult to endure.

I was completely taken aback at some of the scenes. The mere fact that thousands of women across the world still live without even thinking about the possibility of breaking their traditions and dreaming of lives different to those of their ancestors was too much. It was poignant and distressing how each woman ultimately yearned for the same basic needs in life despite growing up in different places. Some were more determined to stick to their traditions than others but they all wished for freedom of speech and respect.

“A daughter was only a temporary guest, quietly awaiting another man to scoop her away, along with all her financial burden.”

The characters in A Woman is No Man were all extremely well developed and it was easy to form a bond with each of them. By the end I found myself sympathising with Fareeda, wishing that Isra could escape in search for a better life and hoping that Deya would follow her dreams. The ending hit hard and left me numb and for a long time afterwards I struggled to concentrate on any other book. It was a perfect representation of these women’s struggles and painfully illustrated how precious and fragile life is.

Beautifully told with passion and care, A Woman is No Man captured my attention from the first word and left me experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions until the end. I am sure that this book has touched many readers and can only hope with this review that I encourage more people to read it.

“It took more than one woman to do things differently. It took a world of them.”

Title: The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

Author: Josie Silver

Genre: Romance

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: 30th January 2020

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Summary:

“Lydia and Freddie. Freddie and Lydia. They’ve been together for almost a decade, and Lydia thinks their love is indestructible.

But she’s wrong. Because on her 27th birthday, Freddie dies in a car accident.

So now it’s just Lydia, and all she wants to do is hide indoors and sob ’til her eyes fall out. But Lydia knows that Freddie would want her to live her life well. So, enlisting the help of his best friend and her sister Elle, she takes her first tentative steps into the world and starts to live – perhaps even to love – again.

But then something inexplicable happens, which gives her another chance at her old life with Freddie. A life where none of the tragic events of the past few months have happened. But what if there’s someone in in her new life who wants her to stay? “

My review:

Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her fiancé, Freddie, is killed in a car accident. This book follows her feelings ranging from grief, despair and disbelief as she struggles to come to terms with the unexpected turn of events and losing the love of her life so suddenly. The beautiful and raw storyline captured my attention right from the start and I liked how the focus never strayed far from the emotions Lydia felt and her attempt to pick herself up. I quickly warmed to her character and wished that she would eventually find happiness again.

An interesting and fitting storytelling element in The Two Lives of Lydia Bird is the dual story lines as Lydia drifts from reality to a dreamlike state where Freddie is still alive. Although she is somewhat aware that she is dreaming, she yearns to stay in her dreams to avoid facing the harsh reality. This was a powerful writing tool and one which allowed for the reader to  get to know Freddie while also connecting with Lydia.

At around the halfway mark Lydia knows that she must find her way back to reality and her struggles and worries become real. I liked the introduction of the minor characters, from her family members to her coworkers, and was sincerely hoping that they would be enough to help her through her hardships. The pacing felt just right as the author takes us on an emotional journey over several months as Lydia connects with the outside world and deals with her grief using various coping mechanisms.

There were only a few ways that this book could end in order to both please the reader and give closure to Lydia and I guessed it correctly from the beginning which ultimately left me a little disappointed. Nevertheless, it was perhaps the only satisfactory ending and I understand the author’s decision to follow this path. Josie Silver has delivered another heartbreaking and tender novel with a set of beautifully complex characters. I thoroughly enjoyed her previous novel, One Day in December, and feel the same way about The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. I can’t recommend her writing enough to readers who seek emotional and powerful books which explore life’s burdens with sensitivity and compassion.

Title: I Know Your Secret

Author: Ruth Heald

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication date: 10th June 2020

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Summary:

“You’re not who you say you are. Neither is she.

She thinks she’s got away with it. She thinks she’s turned over a new leaf, that the past is in the past.

She thinks she’s finally safe, with her perfect son, her devoted husband, and her immaculate suburban house.

She believes the memories of what she did all those years ago are confined to her bedside drawer, tucked carefully away.

She believes she deserves a second chance.

I have to know, how can she live with herself? Isn’t she haunted by the wail of the alarm, the smoke in her lungs, the echoing scream? Doesn’t she lose sleep over the way the flames licked the walls, devouring everything they touched? Why hasn’t the guilt eaten her alive?

So how can I forget? How can I forgive?

Because I know her secret. And I’m not letting her get away with it.“

My review:

I devoured this book in only a few sittings. It was incredibly gripping and enticing and I was left swiftly turning the pages, eager to find out if my suspicions about the two main characters were right.

Danielle and Beth play a neverending guessing game as both are convinced that the other wants something sinister. Beth, a marriage counselor looking for more work, is struggling in her own relationship and hopes to distract herself by taking on more work. She warms to Danielle at first but after her past and relationship with her husband are slowly revealed Beth starts to wonder if her therapy sessions with Danielle are doing more harm than good. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse game between these two characters and how the author developed an array of complex personality traits in both of them.

The plot was filled with deceitful schemes and mysteries and took several unexpected twists. There were plenty of lies and secrets and many complex family relationships which I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed nevertheless. The transitions between the two characters’ points of view in each chapter were smooth and allowed the reader to get to know both characters without removing the element of suspense.

Although I couldn’t guess the big twist, I believe that it could have been extended for a few more chapters as the ending felt rushed. However, the satisfying epilogue was enough to convince me that I had read an absorbing and memorable thriller with brilliant character development and unexpected twists. I highly recommend I Know Your Secret to anyone itching to read a suspenseful thriller and I am excited to read more by Ruth Heald.

I Know Your Secret is out to buy today!

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Title: 29 Seconds

Author: T.M. Logan

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication date: 25th January 2018

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Summary:

“Give me one name. One person. And I will make them disappear . . .

Because everyone has a name to give. Don’t they? “

My review:

From the blurb I was expecting a typical thriller where the main character is frantically trying to find a missing person and several other characters hope he stays missing. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the premise of 29 Seconds is much more intricate and involves a range of complex and sensitive themes which were boldly developed.

Sarah is an interesting main character although some of her actions are certainly questionable. Faced with a difficult decision of making one person in her life disappear after witnessing and preventing a possible crime, she weighs up her options carefully and picks the one person who she knows she won’t miss. Her decision making assumes a considerable chunk of the book from which I understood that she was careful and calculating in her actions. However, I was somewhat disappointed that these qualities slowly disappeared and she became uncertain and reckless, a common and overdone trait in main characters of the genre.

The remaining characters in 29 Seconds all played an important role in developing the story line and dipped in and out with intention. In particular, the portrayal of her boss, Alan Hawthorne, was courageous in both motive and execution. It is revealed from the beginning that he has misogynistic tendencies in the work place and I liked how the author didn’t hold back on developing this scandalous side of him.

Several hard-hitting topics, such as sexual harassment, were introduced in a tasteful manner without ever feeling too overwhelming or insensitive. Sarah’s thoughts echo many women who face similar situations and the portrayal of this topic through the main character was expertly done. It also broaches several important and controversial questions about how we react in the work place and the efforts we would undertake to expose injustice.

The pace seemed just right and even though the plot spans a relatively short amount of time, the chain of events develop quickly. The twist in the end was unexpected although it felt a little unbelievable and did not tie in completely with Sarah’s personality. Nevertheless, it seemed fitting and a solid end to her troubles.

29 Seconds is an exciting thriller which managed to capture my attention from the start. The characters and plot worked well in sync and I was positively surprised by the ending. This is a noble addition to T.M. Logan’s books and I highly encourage other fans of the genre to read it.