Tag Archive | book review

Carlos Sainz: A Legacy Of Champions by Carrera Publishing

Mar18

Getting To Know The Man Under The Helmet

Carlos Sainz: A Legacy Of Champions by Carrera Publishing is a great little book that looks at the life, both personal and professional, of the F1star. We glimpse the man under the helmet.

His father, Carlos Sainz senior, is a famous Spanish rally champion, meaning that Carlos Sainz junior grew up surrounded by cars and competitions. He began his own competitive journey in karts aged seven. “In karting, Carlos learned how to win without arrogance, and how to lose without drama.”

Progression into F1 came in 2015 with Torro Rosso.

Along the way, Carlos Sainz has had his father with him, analysing and supporting him, giving wise advice and lessons. “It doesn’t matter what’s happening around you. What matters is what you do with it.”

Moving to Maclaren, Carlos Sainz immediately bonded with the young Lando Norris. “CarLando. Their relationship, built on trust and mutual respect.” The pair knew how to support each other when driving, and also how to have fun.

Continue reading →

Five Go Off In A Caravan by Enid Blyton

Mar16

A Timeless Adventure

Five Go Off In A Caravan by Enid Blyton is an exciting children’s adventure. It is the fifth book in the Famous Five series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Written in 1946, the book has withstood the test of time, and is sure to entertain another generation of children. There are elements that ‘age’ the tale but some of them just add to the charm and nostalgia.

It was a quieter time. Children had the freedom to roam.

This time the famous five meet up with a travelling circus. They become friends with, and aid, a young boy and his ape.

Continue reading →

The War Orphan’s Courage by Jenna Ness

Mar13

The Heart Of Everything

The War Orphan’s Courage by Jenna Ness is a fabulous conclusion to the Orphans Of St Agnes trilogy. Although you could read this as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the books in numerical order as the books follow on in time. This is the story of three orphans during World War II in Paris – Jossette, Lucie and Margot.

In this book, we are approaching the end of the war and all the orphans have found their way back to Paris. They all want to fight with the resistance in order to disrupt the Nazi war machine, and one particularly nasty and cruel officer.

All the female characters are loyal and gutsy. Each one thinks of self-sacrifice for the good of the group. Together they are stronger.

The men of the resistance fight for justice. They support the women in attempting to bring down the evil Nazi officer.

Within war, love still blossoms. We see those who try to fight their feelings. In a previous book, we saw forbidden love – we hear what happened next in this book. The fruits of love bring hope for the next generation.

Continue reading →

The Haunting Of Hattie Hastings by Audrey Davis

Mar12

Squeeze The Day

The Haunting Of Hattie Hastings by Audrey Davis is a delightfully fun contemporary fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The action follows recently bereaved Hattie Hastings. Something is keeping her husband from completely crossing over. Like Clarence in It’s A Wonderful Life, there is something he must do in order to progress.

This is a very charming novel. It is highly amusing too, as the characters break up the sadness with witty one-liners.

We can feel the love shining through. “You and Hattie are my world, and I know it’s a world that’s a better place for you being in it.” The love lasts beyond the grave. We can ‘feel’ the devastation of Hattie Hastings after her beloved Gary dies. “Lost her husband? How he hated that phrase. As if she’d misplaced him.” Well-meaning platitudes are of no help at all, when your world has just collapsed.

Continue reading →