Book reviews
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Book review: The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
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.
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Book review: I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald
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.
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Book review: 29 Seconds by T.M. Logan
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 . . .
When Sarah rescues a young girl in trouble, she expects nothing in return. But her act of bravery puts a powerful and dangerous man in her debt. He lives by his own brutal code, and all debts must be repaid – in the only way he knows how.
He offers Sarah a way to solve a desperate situation with her intolerable boss. A once-in-a-lifetime deal that will make all her problems disappear.
No consequences. No comeback. No chance of being found out.
All it takes is a 29 second phone call.
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.
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Book review: Year One by Nora Roberts
Title: Year One
Author: Nora Roberts
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Piatkus
Publication date: 5th December 2017
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Summary:
“They call it The Doom – a deadly pandemic that starts on a cold New Year’s Eve in the Scottish countryside. There’s something mysterious about the virus and the way it spreads. As billions fall sick and die, some survivors find themselves invested with strange, unexpected abilities.
Lana, a New York chef, has the power to move things and people with her will. Fred can summon light in the darkness. Jonah, a paramedic, sees snatches of the future in those he touches. Katie gives birth to twins, and suspects that she has brought fresh magic into the world, along with new life.
But The Doom affects people differently. Along with the light, a dark and terrifying magic will also rise. As the remaining authorities round up the immune and the ‘Uncannies’ for testing, Lana, Katie and others flee New York in search of a safe haven. The old world is over, and Year One has begun.“
My review:
Year One had been sitting on my shelf for a while and I finally decided to read it in March to try and distract myself from the surreal situation the world was suddenly thrown in. Unfortunately I had completely forgotten the premise of the book and didn’t recall that it revolves around a deadly pandemic until I was into the first chapter.
Luckily the writing style and atmosphere created in the first few chapters were enough to hold my attention and I realised that despite the stark similarities to the current situation in the world, I needed to know more about The Doom. This mysterious disease sweeps across the world with extraordinary speed and a few months into the New Year the world is in a dreamlike state where half the population has been wiped out and countries are run by tenth in line leaders. The knowledge that the pandemic we are experiencing in real life has lower repercussions and is not as deadly was slightly reassuring and actually made me feel safer so perhaps it wasn’t the worst idea to read this book during lockdown.
My struggles with Year One became apparent at the midpoint where too many characters are introduced and it becomes difficult to focus on each one. This diminished any possibility of character development although there were many opportunities. I struggled to remember the relationships and connections between the characters and none of them stood out. However, there was an ongoing sense of community and generosity as the group attempted to rebuild their life in a secluded area and decide on new laws to abide by.
In terms of the fantasy element, the author did an excellent job of incorporating this into the new post-pandemic reality. At first I enjoyed the mysterious nature of the characters’ powers, known as the Uncanny, but I was hoping that more details would be revealed on how and why they are gifted with these powers. Unfortunately even by the end it still wasn’t clear why some characters have these skills and others don’t and how they work exactly. This provides the perfect opportunity to a sequel but I would have preferred a deeper insight into the Uncanny as it seemed overlooked.
Nora Roberts dips into the Fantasy genre with confidence and I truly enjoyed reading a new and different style of books to her usual. Although certain aspects such as the characters and fantasy element could have been addressed better, Year One paves way to a solid start in the series and poses important questions related to the true meaning of humanity and solidarity. Many will enjoy reading this book and I can highly recommend it to anyone considering exploring the genre.
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Book review: What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
Title: What Lies Between Us
Author: John Marrs
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication date: 15th May 2020
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Summary:
“Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.
They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.
Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.
But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.
Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.“
My review:
What Lies Between Us is a riveting thriller filled with deceit, riddles and secrecy and built on the most twisted mother-daughter relationship one could possibly imagine. If you thought you have experienced dysfunctional relationships in other thrillers then brace yourselves because John Marrs brings out the anarchic and twisted side of Maggie and Nina’s bond and leaves the reader questioning all their actions and thoughts.
The storytelling in What Lies Between Us is flawless. The plot is divided in chapters with alternating POVs between Nina and Maggie and the first person narrative works extremely well in establishing a connection between the reader and the characters to help understand their actions. It has the perfect balance between character development and plot and keeps the reader guessing as both characters’ motives are slowly revealed through the multiple unanticipated twists.
I find relating to unlikable and unreliable characters extremely difficult in thrillers yet I was surprised to find that there were parts of both characters that I could connect with. They both make some difficult choices but with the intention to protect and help their loved ones. I was constantly undecided on which character was evil and unbalanced and with each twist I became more convinced that I had figured out their backstory until the shocking turn of events at the end which left me speechless. Looking back, I realise that it would have been impossible to guess the reasons behind their actions and figure out the ending as it is so twisted and unexpected.
After reading The Passengers by John Marrs, I was convinced that I had discovered a possible new favourite author and this book confirmed my suspicions. I was thrilled to hear that it has already sold TV rights and can already imagine some of the dark scenes from this book reproduced on the big screen. I highly recommend this book to all fans of the genre and cannot wait to read John Marrs’ previous books.
What Lies Between Us is now out to buy!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.