Archives

And The Wolf Shall Dwell by Joni Dee

Aug17

Waiting. Watching.

And The Wolf Shall Dwell by Joni Dee is a marvellous political thriller that will have you glued and guessing from the start. With the action twisting this way and that, backwards and forwards, the reader is in for a thrilling ride throughout the novel. This was not my usual genre But I really could not put it down. It’s great to explore something new that you then love.

And The Wolf Shall Dwell deals with spies, intelligence, counter intelligence, espionage and terrorism. It is a cleverly constructed plot that draws the reader in. I was questioning from the start.

Joni Dee’s style engages the reader in the novel. I ‘felt’ included in the action. As I ‘met’ the characters, I found myself mentally assessing them and wondering – who could be trusted?

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The Art Of Hiding by Amanda Prowse

Aug11

Foundations

The Art Of Hiding by Amanda Prowse – wow it’s a book that will blow your socks off! It will cause you to re-evaluate your life. It is a powerful contemporary read about grief and the resilience of the human spirit. I just could not put it down.

Lead character Nina was realistically drawn. Her emotions, following her loss, were spot on – grief brings tears, anger, a crushed spirit and shows you what you are really made of. I empathised with her character, recognising the conflict of tears versus anger. Her interactions with other characters were a joy to behold. She was the perfect mix of shy and vulnerable, and tough and gutsy. I loved her.

Grief hurts. It crushes spirits. Every day is a struggle. “Carrying on was what was required for all those who got left behind.” Grief brings our true spirit to the surface – do we crumble or survive?

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The Scandal by Fredrik Backman

Aug9

United And Divided

The Scandal by Fredrik Backman (translated by Neil Smith) is a contemporary novel about small town living in Sweden. It is a town both united and divided by ice hockey. Ice hockey dominates everything. It is the be-all and end-all.

The town revolves around ice hockey. You are either in the ‘in’ crowd or you are outside looking in. The novel shows this obsession can blur and warp people’s thinking.

There is the theme of family. Family sticks together. The ice hockey family demand loyalty. There is a high price to pay if you do not give it.

Friendships are important. Some have been forged in childhood.

Ice hockey makes heroes. Once placed on the pedestal, there is only one way to fall.

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The Choice by Samantha King

Aug5

Three Way Knot

The Choice By Samantha King is a marvellous psychological thriller that will have the reader puzzling and guessing throughout. Just when you think you know where you are heading, the action twists and turns, confusing you once more.

 My heart raced throughout, with audible gasps at times. I didn’t just read the novel. I ‘experienced’ the action through the eyes of lead character Maddie. Written in the first person, I ‘felt’ everything Maddie ‘felt’. I was Maddie for the duration of the novel.

As Samantha King presents the action, so the reader questions – what is real? Who can be trusted? Cleverly constructed, the reader wanders the novel in a confused state until the big reveal at the close. The reader mirrors Maddie at every twist and turn.

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