Tag Archive | Rachels Random Resources

Secrets Of A Winter Escape by Sue Moorcroft

Nov8

Christmas In A Book

Secrets Of A Winter Escape by Sue Moorcroft is a very charming festive offering. It really does feel like Christmas in a book – with snow falling, festive stalls and good food and drink, plus the company of family who love.

The setting is an Italian village on the shores of the sea. There is everything and more to make the reader want to jump inside the pages and experience a winter wonderland.

Various characters within the book face job loss. “Losing my job… Then I was rudderless.” We are more than our jobs. They do not have to define us. Though devastating, our identities are in our characters and the love and kindness that we spread.

We witness the power of the media to either build up or tear down. A character has been unfairly portrayed by bad publicity from his ex – but with the correct handling, social media can correctly, and fairly represent his true nature.

There is a physical injury within the novel, as well as those who are mentally scarred. Good, caring hearts help with the healing of those who fear letting others in. People can be trusted.

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Death On All Hallows Eve by Rita Mistry

Oct30

Amusing & Entertaining

Death On All Hallows Eve by Rita Mistry is an absolutely splendid debut novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the first book in The Four Tragedies Series and I cannot wait for the subsequent books.

Rita Mistry has constructed a unique plotline, and has well executed it. The reader is drawn in and engaged from the start.

The lead characters are friends who love nothing more than a chat – but one of them is dead and the other is ‘dreaming’!

Other departed people pop up in Bridget’s dreams, one with an unusual request.

The novel is light-hearted, amusing and fun. It could be classed as a comedy of errors.

All the characters were well drawn and believable – even the dead ones!

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Traces Of Alys by Sarah Reynolds

Oct29

A Complex Plotline

Traces Of Alys by Sarah Reynolds is a compelling dual timeline psychological suspense that gripped me from the start.

The novel is set in 1995 and 2015, alternating between voices and time periods. It is set in both Surrey and West Wales. At first, I found the action confusing (maybe because it was a kindle copy and not a paperback) and wasn’t sure of the connections – but by halfway through, I was totally invested, and read greedily to the end.

As I sped towards the final pages, my heart rate rose and my palms were sweaty, as the pieces all slotted together. The summing up of the action was superb – I believe that Traces Of Alys would make a marvellous television series.

The novel was partly in Welsh, with English translations. It celebrates the Welsh language. I imagine that Welsh speakers would enjoy the novel.

There were missing girls. And girls who were found. Just who was who is revealed at the end.

Within the book there were some hard to read scenes as some of the men in the book, were very unsavoury creatures.

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The Last Christmas by Liz Fenwick

Oct25

Waiting. Always.

The Last Christmas by Liz Fenwick is a very charming dual timeline novel that I absolutely adored.

Readers of the author’s The Secret Shore will remember lead character Meredith Tremayne who features in this book as the ninety-eight-year-old grandmother. She is returning to Cornwall for one last Christmas.

The novel is set in 2012 and 1946, both in December. In 1946 Meredith married Jake, the love of her life. In 2012 Meredith is returning to scatter Jake’s ashes after he had died eight years earlier. Her dearest wish is that her ashes would be scattered with his.

Meredith was a cartographer during World War II, and was crucial to the war effort. However, “when the war ended, they basically told us to hang up our coats and go back to the kitchen.” With war, came choices, after the war, Meredith still pursued her work with the blessing of new husband, Jake.

The pair settled in Massachusetts. It is only in 2012 that Meredith returns ‘home’ to Cornwall with her granddaughter Grace. “My grandmother had been important in the war effort, but no-one in the family ever said anything about it.” Here, in Cornwall, Grace really gets to ‘know’ her grandmother, who in turn, really ‘sees’ Grace.

Grace is dyslexic and has been dubbed ‘stupid’ by her own mother. It is in visiting her grandmother’s family home that Grace really discovers her passion and her gifting. She finally finds her place in life.

War changes people. “Everyone of us who lived through that time carried things which… could sink us. We had to find a way of living with what we had witnessed or experienced.” There were horrors that they could not ‘unsee’. They had to learn to live with them. After the war, “I needed to make every moment count.”

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