Archive | November 2022

Just Say Yes by Maxine Morrey

Nov9

A Warm Welcome

Just Say Yes by Maxine Morrey is the most charming contemporary novel that will make you smile and warm your heart.

The book follows a wedding planner to Ireland as she teams up with a best man to plan a wedding. Their verbal exchanges are a delight to witness. They are playful and bouncy.

As the novel is written in the first person from the point of view of Maddie, the wedding planner, we become intimately acquainted with her.

I loved the inclusion of a small dog called Bod. He came to life with Maxine Morrey’s words and was very much a character in his own right.

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The Little Wooden Train by Mark O’Neill

Nov8

Enchanting

The Little Wooden Train by Mark O’Neill is an enchanting tale for children and the young at heart.

The story shows the importance of kindness and the power of traditional toys. We also see that craft and imagination is handed down from father to son.

The simplicity of traditional toys has much to recommend it.

I found the plotline to be totally charming. It was well executed as I hung on to every word. The whole story was magical.

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Child Of A Bygone Era by Peter Hunt

Nov8

Fascinating

Child Of A Bygone Era by Peter Hunt is a fascinating account of the author’s early life.

Born in 1940, Peter Hunt spent his early years in Britain before moving to Hong Kong after the war and then returning to Britain for boarding school.

The reader is treated to glimpses of the author’s life in these very different environments. We hear how he travelled on the Queen Mary as well as freight ships – very different modes of transport.

What particularly caught my attention was the mention of a newsagent called Stan Hawkins who was a Poole Pirates supporter. I have watched the Pirates race when I was on holiday. As a speedway supporter for over forty years, Peter Hunt’s mention of speedway and what it is, was a real treat for me.

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The Silent Child by M.J. White

Nov8

Horrifying, Heartbreaking & Powerful

The Silent Child by M.J White is a powerful and horrifying contemporary crime suspense that had me gripped from the start. It is the second book in the Cora Lael series but can be read as a stand-alone.

M.J. White has created an eclectic mix of characters from police to perpetrators to victims. As the novel progresses, we ‘hear’ the different voices as we ‘see’ events through alternating eyes.

The plotline is extremely well crafted and executed. We witness the damage that those who should protect, inflict on others. Actions have far-reaching consequences, both mental and physical.

There are characters who are physically weak but mentally strong.

A character is carrying a huge burden and wants to release it but there is the question of who to trust? Having been manipulated, events were not actually as the character believed. The line between truth and lies has been blurred.

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