All I Want for Christmas by Joanna Bolouri

 About the Book

Title: All I Want for Christmas

Author: Joanna Bolouri

Publication: Quercus (1 Oct. 2020)

Summary (taken from the back cover):

What if the love of your life was your best friend's girlfriend... and you were the one to set them up?

When Nick loses his job and is dumped by his glamorous but demanding girlfriend, he is forced to grudgingly accept work as a Santa at a local Christmas grotto. As his friends are getting married or promoted, Nick spends his days being terrorised by unfriendly elves and cried on by snotty, spoiled children.

Then he meets 4-year-old Alfie. All Alfie wants for Christmas is for his mum, Sarah, to be happy again. Moved by the boy's selfless wish, Nick arranges a date between Sarah and his best friend, Matt. But as Sarah and Alfie become part of all their lives, Nick realises that happiness for Sarah and Matt might mean heartbreak for himself.

What I Think

Joanna Bolouri throws her readers straight into Christmas and with it Nick's dire situation as we join him in the dressing room putting on his outfit for his first shift as Southview Shopping Centre's Father Christmas. Only in subsequent chapters do we find out which events led up to his donning of the festive Santa suit. 

Nick and Matt's banter in the early chapters belied their deep friendship and I wasn't sure that I was going to like either of them. However, as the book progressed and more details of their pasts were revealed, I liked them both more and more, which is what made the book so compelling and difficult to put down, because although I was rooting for Nick, I didn't want Matt to get hurt either. 

All I Want for Christmas is a lovely festive novel with a wonderful cast of characters. If you're looking for something to read on a dark evening in the run up to Christmas, look no further than Joanna Bolouri's latest novel. 

Thank you to Katya Ellis at Quercus books for my ARC in return for an honest review. 

About the Author

Joanna Bolouri worked in sales before she began writing professionally at the age of thirty. Winning a BBC comedy script competition allowed her to work and write with stand-up comedians, comedy scriptwriters and actors from across the UK. She's had articles and reviews published in The Skinny, the Scottish Sun, the Huffington Post and HecklerSpray. She lives in Glasgow with her daughter. 

Website: joannabolouri.wordpress.com/

Year of Fire Dragons: An American Woman's Story of Coming of Age in Hong Kong by Shannon Young

Title: Year of Fire Dragons: An American Woman's Story of Coming of Age in Hong Kong
Author: Shannon Young
Publication: Blacksmith Books (15 Jun. 2015)  
Summary: In 2010, bookish 22-year-old Shannon follows her Eurasian boyfriend to Hong Kong, eager to forge a new love story in his hometown. But when work sends him to London a month later, Shannon embarks on a wide-eyed newcomer's journey through Hong Kong – alone.

She teaches in a local school as the only foreigner, explores Asia with other young expats and discovers family history in Hong Kong, all while trying to hold on to her thwarted romance. The city enchants her, forcing her to question her plans. Soon, she must make a choice between her new life and the love that first brought her to Asia.

What I Think

Living in Hong Kong I have a particular interest in reading books set in this little pocket of Asia and it's an extra special treat to read a book that reminds me what a vibrant and exciting city this is. Hong Kong is multifaceted and each morning Shannon Young leaves "behind one world and enter[s] an entirely different, more Chinese one." 

"The time was right for an international long distance relationship," writes Young about her relationship with Ben, managing to stay in daily contact via Skype, phone, email and instant messaging. This is in stark contrast to the annual letters Young's grandmother sent back to the U.S. She had also moved abroad to teach, met her husband, got married and started a family. In the 1950s they were stationed in Hong Kong. Including fragments of these letters evokes not only the feeling of a different world, but draws comparisons with the physical changes in Hong Kong. 

Living abroad isn't always easy. "Friendship is fast, cheap, and interchangeable in the expat world." Young's writing is full of such insights as she delves further into the Chinese culture, language, her teaching position as the only Native English Teacher and whether she wants to stay in Hong Kong without Ben, or move to yet another foreign place to be with him.  

Shannon Young's writing is as full of life as this city and I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in travel, living abroad, teaching or a good old-fashioned love story. 

About the Author

Shannon Young is an American writer currently living in Hong Kong. She is the author of a coming of age travel memoir called Year of Fire Dragons (Blacksmith Books) and a Kindle Single on student debt. She has edited an anthology of creative non-fiction by expat women in Asia and written e-books including a mini travel memoir, The Olympics Beat, and a novella, The Art of Escalator Jumping.

A graduate of Colgate University in New York, Shannon's writing has appeared in the Hong Kong Women in Publishing Society's anthology, on numerous websites, and on an iPhone travel app. She writes a blog called A Kindle in Hong Kong and likes to spy on other people's books on the train.


You can follow Shannon's work and join her email list at the following sites:

Website: shannonyoungwriter.com
Blog: akindleinhongkong.blogspot.com
Twitter: @ShannonYoungHK

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

Title: This Is Where I Leave You
Author: Jonathan Tropper
Publication: Orion (21 Jan. 2010)
Summary: Poor Judd Foxman returns home early to find his wife in bed with his boss - in the act. He now faces the twin threats of both divorce and unemployment. His misery is compounded further with the sudden death of his father. He is then asked to come and 'sit Shiva' for his newly deceased parent with his angry, screwed-up and somewhat estranged brothers and sisters in his childhood home. It is there he must confront who he really is and - more importantly - who he can become.

What I Think

There's no point writing about an ordinary family with no problems. The Foxman family in Johnathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You is anything but normal. In fact, it's almost farcical. Every issue you can imagine arises; from adultery to death to struggling with fertility to unwanted pregnancy to you-name-it. It's a psychiatrist's dream family. But despite the struggles of this family, the book is extremely funny. It's been a long time since a book has made me laugh this much. A bittersweet novel about a man trying to find his way and I would highly recommend it. 

About the Author

Jonathan Tropper is the internationally bestselling author of six novels: Plan B, The Book of Joe, Everything Changes, How To Talk to a Widower, This Is Where I Leave You, and One Last Thing Before I Go. His books have been translated into over twenty languages. He recently adapted This Is Where I Leave You as a feature film for Warner Bros. Studios, starring Jason Bateman and Tina Fey, and is currently adapting One Last Thing Before I Go for Paramount. Jonathan is also the co-creator and executive producer of the television show Banshee, which premiered on Cinemax in January 2013 and is currently shooting its third season. He lives in Westchester, NY with his three children.

The Truth About Ellen by Sarah Louise Smith

Title: The Truth About Ellen
Author: Sarah Louise Smith
Publication: Crooked Cat Publishing Ltd. (19 May 2015)
Summary: When Ellen starts dating Tom, a member of the band she adored as a teenager, she can’t believe how lucky she is. She neglects to mention that she's a huge fan because that just wouldn’t be cool, would it? Ellen also keeps quiet about how she once spent an evening with Tom’s ex-bandmate/ex-best friend Jasper, her long-term celebrity crush. Tom doesn’t need to know about that, it’s all in the past. That is until Tom and Jasper get back in touch… and the truth threatens to ruin everything Ellen has ever dreamed of... 

What I Think

Most of us have, at some point in our lives, had a celebrity crush. I was not really a boy band fan, but my celebrity crushes were/are Colin Firth and Richard Armitage. Therefore I can, to an extent, relate to how Ellen feels when she meets Tom Green, "who wrote the lyrics and played the bass in Four Ape"; a mixture of awe and feeling lucky, but also wanting to hide how big a fan she was and play it cool. Unfortunately for Ellen, playing it cool isn't really her thing. 

Ellen is an extremely likable character and the thing that I possibly liked the most about her was her sense of independence. In a lot of chick lit novels the main characters can get so caught up in the moment that they lose their sense of self. This is not the case in The Truth About Ellen. 

I've read all of Sarah Louise Smith's previous novels and didn't hesitate when I noticed that a new one was being released. I even started reading it without reading the back cover. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. I sped through it and was surprised - but in a good way - at the ending. How does it end? You'll just have to read it to find out!

About the Author

Sarah Louise Smith lives in Milton Keynes, UK, with her husband, two cute cats and a loopy golden retriever. She has an extremely lovely step-daughter and spends most of her free time writing, reading, cooking, and taking long walks.


She’s the author of four chick-lit novels: Amy & Zach, Izzy’s Cold Feet, Independent Jenny and The Truth About Ellen, all published by Crooked Cat Publishing Ltd. 

Snow White Must Die by Nele Neuhaus

Title: Snow White Must Die
Author: Nele Neuhaus
Publication: Pan (4 July 2013)
Summary: In a trial based on circumstantial evidence 20-year-old Tobias Sartorius was convicted and imprisoned for the murder of his childhood friend Laura and his beautiful girlfriend Stefanie – otherwise known as Snow White. After serving his sentence, Tobias returns home. When the Sartorius family is subjected to a number of attacks, Detective Inspector Pia Kirchhoff and DS Oliver von Bodenstein are tasked with monitoring the tense atmosphere in the tight-knit community. As the village inhabitants close ranks it becomes apparent the disappearance of Snow White and her friend was far more complex than imagined. Then history starts to repeat itself in a disastrous manner when another pretty girl goes missing. The police are thrown into a race against time. Can they solve the mystery before it’s too late?

What I Think

I nearly gave up on this book because quite frankly the writing is a little dire in places. At times sentences were unclear, cliches have been used, there's a dramatic over-use of adverbs and the dialogue was occasionally implausible. I appreciate that some of this may be due to translation errors, but I still would not expect this is in a published novel. 

However, despite all this, I plowed on and I'm pleased I did. The story is excellent with an unpredictable plot and there is a vast array of fleshed-out characters (one or two unnecessary). It was a good thriller and I enjoyed reading a book set in Germany, but I would only recommend it to people who are willing to be a little lenient and read over its imperfections. 

About the Author

Cornelia Neuhaus (born 20 June 1967 in Münster) is a German writer. She is best known for her crime thrillers.

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

Title: The Last Anniversary
Author: Liane Moriarty
Publication: Penguin (23 Oct. 2014)
Summary: One abandoned baby. Two sisters with a secret. One chance to rewrite the past. Over seventy years have passed since sisters Rose and Connie Doughty found an abandoned baby near their home on the island Scribbly Gum. With no one to take care of it, Rose and Connie took the baby in as their own. Since then the 'Munro Baby Mystery' has brought fame and fortune, putting Scribbly Gum on the tourist map, especially for the island's annual celebration. But now, with Connie dead and outsider Sophie Honeywell about to move into her home, Rose begins to wonder if they made the right decision all those years ago. How much longer can they cover up the lie that has sustained their community for generations? And what other secrets are about to be revealed?

What I Think

I think I may have found another great (not merely good) chick lit author. Up until now my favourites are Jojo Moyes and Mhairi McFarlane and, although they remain my favourites, Liane Moriarty might be joining them. I'll have to read another book of hers to make my final decision. Previously by Moriary I read The Husband's Secret and despite thoroughly enjoying The Last Anniversary it wasn't as good. It was a little too 'chick litty'. You see, even though I like chick lit books occasionally, they do have to meet certain criteria. I class this as sophisticated chick lit, i.e. not too obvious, the female characters should not be pathetic, the male characters should not be too 'hot', there should be a 'deeper' story-line than just 'finding The One'. Yes, I'm picky, but it's worth it when you find the right fit! 

And unfortunately The Last Anniversary had some of the criteria I don't like in chick lit. Only fleetingly, but enough to make me say: only read this if you actively want to choose a lighter book to read. Otherwise, read The Husband's Secret because that is a truly excellent book of lies, loyalty and secrets. 

About the Author

Liane Moriarty is the Australian author of six internationally best-selling novels, including Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist's Love Story and the number 1 New York Times bestsellers, The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies.

The Husband's Secret has sold over 2 million copies worldwide and is set to be translated into over 35 languages. CBS Films has acquired the film rights.

With the launch of her most recent novel, Big Little Lies, Liane became the first Australian author to have a novel debut at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. Film and television rights have already been snapped up by Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.

Writing as L.M.Moriarty,Liane has also written a series of books for children.

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Title: The Kitchen House
Author: Kathleen Grissom
Publication: Transworld Digital (14 Mar. 2013)
Summary: When seven-year-old Irish orphan Lavinia is transported to Virginia to work in the kitchen of a wealthy plantation owner, she is absorbed into the life of the kitchen house and becomes part of the family of black slaves whose fates are tied to the plantation.

But Lavinia’s skin will always set her apart, whether she wishes it or not. And as she grows older, she will be torn between the life that awaits her as a white woman and the people she knows as kin…

What I Think

Set between the years of 1791 and 1810 The Kitchen House tells the story of Lavinia, a young white orphan who is intentured to a wealthy landowner in Virginia. It's the story of 'what ifs'. What if her parents hadn't died on the passage from Ireland to America. What if she and her brother Cardigan hadn't been separated. What if she'd known the truth... This novel weaves layers and layers of secrets, some which Lavinia is too young to understand and and some which she makes up her own truth for. This, ultimately, is her downfall. 

Lavinia is but one of a large cast of characters in this novel. She is naive, but likable, however not my favourite. Out of all of them Mama Mae is my favourite character. 'I work for Mrs. Pyke like I don't know what tired mean. Nothing' that I won't do. "Yes, Mrs. Pyke, you right, Mrs. Pyke," that all I say. You girls watch me close. I act like I don't have no mind of my own, except how to make every body in the big house happy. That because I mean to stay up there, and I tryin' hard to keep you girls with me.' 

I found this to be a real page-turner; I really couldn't wait to see how the story would unfold. It was exciting up until the very end. 

About the Author

Over the past ten years, Kathleen Grissom and her husband have been restoring an old plantation tavern in Virginia. While researching the plantation's past, Kathleen found an old map on which, not far from their home, was the notation, 'Negro Hill'. Unable to determine the story of its origin, local historians suggested that it most likely represented a tragedy. This became the inspiration behind The Kitchen House. 

This is Kathleen Grissom's first novel. 

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead

Title: Seating Arrangements
Author: Maggie Shipstead
Publication: Blue Door (24 May 2012)
Summary: The Van Meters have gathered at their family retreat on the New England island of Waskeke to celebrate the marriage of daughter Daphne to an impeccably appropriate young man. The weekend is full of lobster and champagne, salt air and practiced bonhomie, but long-buried discontent and simmering lust seep through the cracks in the revelry.

Winn Van Meter, father-of-the-bride, has spent his life following the rules of the east coast upper crust, but now, just shy of his sixtieth birthday, he must finally confront his failings, his desires, and his own humanity.

What I Think

Maggie Shipstead's Seating Arrangements takes place over three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, in the lead-up to and the day of Daphne and Greyson's wedding. Despite Winn, Daphne's father, being the main character, the story is told from multiple points of view. This gives the reader an insight into how everyone - not just the main character - feels and interprets the various events which happen over these three days. 

Shipstead's writing and imagery is beautiful. "The farm might have been the end of the earth. A thin seam of ocean sealed its fields to the sky, all of it coppered by the sun." And not only is she able to capture these scenes perfectly, but she interjects these long, languid sentences with short snappy dialogue which makes for varied and interesting reading. 

Various characters offer us an insight into relationships, both romantic and otherwise. "Female friendship was one-tenth prevention and nine-tenths cleanup." "Because it turns out to be a choice, commitment - not some done deal."

Overall this is not a fast-paced thrill of a book, but it's not supposed to be. It's a gentle unraveling of a family, their friends and (soon to be) in-laws and the secrets that they all hold. I really enjoyed it. 

About the Author

Maggie Shipstead is the author of two novels: Astonish Me and Seating Arrangements, which won the Dylan Thomas Prize and the L.A. Times Book Prize for First Fiction. She is a graduate of Harvard and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a former Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford. Her writing has appeared in many publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, The New Republic, Tin House, and The Best American Short Stories. “La Moretta,” a story published in VQR, was a National Magazine Award finalist. She lives in Los Angeles.

The Two of Us by Andy Jones

About the Book

Title: The two of Us
Author: Andy Jones
Publication: Simon & Schuster UK (12 Feb. 2015)
Summary: Falling in love is the easy part. What matters most is what happens next...
Fisher and Ivy have been an item for a whole nineteen days. And they just know they are meant to be together. The fact that they know little else about each other is a minor detail. Over the course of twelve months, in which their lives will change forever, Fisher and Ivy discover that falling in love is one thing, but staying there is an entirely different story. The Two of Us is a charming, honest and heart-breaking novel about life, love, and the importance of taking neither one for granted.

What I Think

William Fisher can be very annoying. Not only is he constantly trying to have sex with his pregnant girlfriend, but he flirts outrageously with a colleague and you keep hoping that he's not going to be an idiot. On the flip side he's wonderfully endearing too. He is kind and patient with his best friend, El, who is dying of Huntingdon's and El's partner as well as having a close relationship with his family. 

The Two of Us reads a chick lit book for men (bloke lit - is that a thing?). However, it's not a flighty version of chick lit, but it's of the weightier end, like a Jojo Moyes (in fact it's not dissimilar in certain ways to Me Before You). As the book progresses it tackles increasingly heavier themes culminating in a true tragedy at the end which William struggles to deal with. 

This book made me laugh, made me cringe and brought tears to my eyes. It is well-written and pacy with strong characters and heart-warming relationships. 

About the Author

Andy Jones lives in London with his wife and two little girls. During the day he works in an advertising agency; at weekends and horribly early in the mornings, he writes fiction. 

Follow Andy on Twitter & Facebook:
@andyjonesauthor

facebook.com/andyjonesauthor

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

About the Book

Title: Wide Sargasso Sea
Author: Jean Rhys
Publication: Penguin Classics; New Edition (30 March 2000) 
Summary: Born into the oppressive, colonialist society of 1930s Jamaica, white Creole heiress Antoinette Cosway meets a young Englishman who is drawn to her innocent beauty and sensuality. After their marriage, however, disturbing rumours begin to circulate which poison her husband against her. Caught between his demands and her own precarious sense of belonging, Antoinette is inexorably driven towards madness, and her husband into the arms of another novel's heroine. This classic study of betrayal, a seminal work of postcolonial literature, is Jean Rhys's brief, beautiful masterpiece.

What I Think

Wide Sargasso Sea is a  prequel to Jane Eyre. However, it's written by a different author, in a different time and with (mainly) different characters. It (supposedly) tells the story of Mr Rochester and Bertha Mason, Mr Rochester's mad first wife who lives in the attic. I say 'supposedly' because I don't feel that this book really sheds any more light on the story and found a lot of the plot to be full of holes and confusing. I was disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but unfortunately I just didn't. 

About the Author

Jean Rhys (1894-1979) was born in Dominica. Coming to England aged 16, she drifted into various jobs before moving to Paris, where she began writing and was 'discovered' by Ford Madox Ford. Her novels, often portraying women as underdogs out to exploit their sexualities, were ahead of their time and only modestly successful. From 1939 (when Good Morning, Midnight was written) onwards she lived reclusively, and was largely forgotten when she made a sensational comeback with her account of Jane Eyre's Bertha Rochester, Wide Sargasso Sea, in 1966.

Ghost Cave: A Novel of Sarawak by Elsie Sze

About the Book

Title: Ghost Cave: A novel of Sarawak
Author: Elsie Sze
Publication: Hong Kong Women in Publishing Society (26 Feb 2014)
Summary: Ah Min, a young Chinese immigrant, follows his best friend to seek his fortune in Sarawak in the mid-19th century. They labour in the mines alongside fellow Hakka and some native Dayak. Ah Min explores a humid land of beguiling women, of fragrant spices and of ghosts. But the oppression of the English White Rajah draws the men into a rebellion that will have catastrophic consequences.
Over 100 years later, Ah Min’s descendant Ka Ming joins communist guerrillas in the jungles of Sarawak. Facing danger at every turn, he and his friends must fight for their ideologies against British and Malaysian troops. The stories of Ah Min and Ka Ming are told through the eyes of a modern young woman, Therese. A tattered journal, a mysterious stranger and the voice of Ka Ming ultimately reveal that the two men are connected by more than blood.

What I Think

I was very interested in reading this book as I enjoy books about people, places and cultures. Living in Hong Kong I know a little about Chinese culture, but previous to reading this book knew nothing about the area in which this book is set (Sarawak, Borneo) or its history. Spanning roughly 150 years, this novel, through three different perspectives, gives a good overall picture of what it was like living in Sarawak from mid-19th century until the present. 

There are three different stories in this novel: Ah Min, a Chinese immigrant who moves to Sarawak temporarily to earn money to provide for his family; Ka Ming, a communist guerrilla and Therese, a young woman interested in her family history. Therese, who we learn very little about, has Ah Min's journal and she talks to Ka Ming to get his story. I think I would have preferred to have Ah Min's story in journal format. This would have made the different voices more distinguishable and added variety to the different perspectives. 

Overall this was an informative and interesting novel and I feel that I learned a lot about the setting and the time in which it took place. I would recommend this to people interesting in reading historical fiction. 

About the Author

ELSIE SZE grew up in Hong Kong and currently lives in Toronto with her husband, Michael. They have three sons, Benjamin, Samuel and Timothy. A former teacher and librarian, she is an avid traveller, often to remote places which form the settings for her stories. Her first novel, Hui Gui: a Chinese story, was nominated for Foreword magazine’s Book of the Year Award in Fiction, 2006. Her second novel, The Heart of the Buddha, was published in the United States in 2009 and was shortlisted for the Foreword Magazine 2009 Multicultural Fiction Book of the Year Award. In 2013, Elsie’s manuscript “Ghost Cave” won the inaugural Saphira Prize, a literary prize offered by Women in Publishing Society, Hong Kong, for unpublished writing.

Language in the Blood by Angela Lockwood

About the Book

Title: Language in the Blood
Author: Angela Lockwood
Publication: angela lockwood (16 Aug 2013)
Summary: Until the outbreak of the First World War, young Cameron Blair would have liked nothing better than to stay in Edinburgh and marry his childhood sweetheart. As the call to arms goes out, Cameron and his pals sign up to fight for their country. They are soon delivered into the nightmare of war, and there Cameron more than meets his maker. 
The story follows Cameron as he comes to terms with his new ‘life’, from his first days as a hapless vampire in war-torn France to the glamorous modern day setting of the Côte d’Azur. Along the way, he develops a distinctive taste for the finer things in life: jewels, yachts, small dogs and champagne-infused human... 

What I Think

Until now I have avoided the 'vampire genre' and Language in the Blood is, therefore, the first vampire book that I've ever read. I was more than happy to give it a try thinking that maybe I was missing out on something and you shouldn't knock something until you've tried it (except maybe for Fifty Shades of Grey). 

Cameron, the main character in the book, was born in the early 20th century and spends the better part of it being a vampire after he is turned into one during World War I. He initially struggles to adapt to his new way of living, especially how to find 'food', but within a couple of years starts to feel more comfortable. The main changes in his character take place very early on and after that he remains fairly stable, albeit cold distant and ruthless. I would have preferred to see more of his early development as this is where the biggest changes happen. 

This is an easy to read novel divided into bite-sized chapters which relate to the people Cameron meets during his life. I would recommend this to people who are interested in vampire fiction. 

About the Author

Angela Lockwood-van der Klauw was born in the Netherlands. She learned her trade as a jeweller and gemmologist at the Vakschool Schoonhoven before moving to Edinburgh as an apprentice jeweller. There she met and later married her husband Adam. Angela ran her own jeweller’s shop in Edinburgh for ten years before she and her husband moved to the south of France in 2011. Like Cameron, Angela prefers the climate there, but often thinks about the town she left behind and its people. 

follow language in the blood on: 
http://www.cruftslover.adzl.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/CruftsloverAkaCameronBlair

On the Edge by Dick Hannah

About the Book

Title: On the Edge
Author: Dick Hannah
Publication: Amazon kindle (2013)
Summary: On the Edge takes Joe Malone, a disgraced and psychologically scarred Iraq War Marine veteran, to the canyons and deserts of West Texas to face his biggest fears and confront a dangerous enemy while racing in a three day adventure race. 

What I Think

On the Edge is almost two books for the price of one: present Joe and past Joe. As the book progresses we learn more about Joe's past life as a Marine and why this has led him to be the way that he is in his present life. These two threads of the story are cleverly woven together and feed into the ever-building climax at the end. 

Despite not knowing much, or indeed anything, about adventure races, there is enough detail in the book to follow what is going on. Joe works for his father's adventure fitness company as an instructor and the battle of fitness is also played out in the tumultuous relationship with his father. This relationship is tested further when one of their clients is murdered whilst Joe is leading the training session. 

Overall this is an enjoyable thriller and is recommended for people who enjoy murder mysteries. 

About the Author

Dick Hannah grew up loving to read and write. His first story, written in first grade, read like a Rex Stout pulp thriller but with less direction and absolutely no structure. He has since progressed and enjoys writing thrillers in the mould of Dick Francis and Diane Mott Davidson, but with adventure racing as a theme instead of horse racing or catering. He hopes to eventually develop into a techno/thriller writer and leverage his background in the Airborne Ranger Special Operations units. 

He is the author of Toe the Line and On the Edge. 

I have read & reviewed Dick Hannah's previous novel, Toe the Line, and he very kindly did an author interview for my blog. Click here for the link. 

Are We All Having a Lovely Time? by Neil Saunders

About the Book

Title: Are We All Having a Lovely Time?
Author: Neil Saunders
Publication: I Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again Publishing; 1st edition (10 Nov 2013)
Summary: Ben Cashew really thinks he's something special! Being the cruise director of the Ocean Explorer gives him ample opportunity to show himself off as the natural performer he is. Since childhood he dreamed of being a professional entertainer, so considers that he has done very well for himself. But when a drunken séance causes the boy he bullied at school, and committed suicide 20 years before, to come back to Earth, he is confronted by his bitter victim as to whether or not he really is a success. He is forced to re-evaluate his life and perhaps both bully and victim, through each other, can even find redemption.

What I Think

I have previously read and reviewed Neil Saunders' first publication, Al Qaeda Broke my Suitcase and other short stories, a collection which I enjoyed immensely. I was therefore looking forward to reading his first novel, Are We All Having a Lovely Time?. Both publications have a great cover, which I think immediately appeals to the reader. 

Set on a cruise ship with a small cast of characters Are We All Having a Lovely Time? has strong political themes, both British and international, a similarity that can be drawn with Saunders' first publication. The characters discuss Montenegro, former Yugoslavia and Serbia; the European Union; "the first cruise holidays available to ordinary people were provided by Hitler". 

Another strong theme is education, and everything that falls under that from being good at sports to bullying to the state of the education system and how funding is raised for schools. Ben Cashew, the main character in the book, bullied Rhys at school which led to Rhys' suicide. Until the drunken séance he hasn't given Rhys a second thought. But by reconnecting, both characters stand to change and maybe gain something. 

Saunders' second publication doesn't disappoint. The writing flows well and the characters are believable. As an author Saunders has a strong voice and writes convincingly on subjects he is clearly passionate about. Are We All Having a Lovely Time? is a good read. 

About the Author

When Neil Saunders arrived at primary school he could already read, his mother having taught him from a cartoon strip in the Daily Mirror. School was dangerously easy, and he achieved with little effort, making him rather lazy. He didn't enjoy school and was obsessed, not with reading, but with pop music.

Having spent years in factories and finally managing to get a permanent position as an admin officer in an office, he took a short story writing course. He discovered that he could write. And that is how he came to write Al Qaeda Broke My Suitcase and other stories. 


Are We All Having A Lovely Time? is his first novel. 

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor

About the Book

Title: if nobody speaks of remarkable things
Author: jon mcgregor
Publication: Bloomsbury, 2002
Summary: On a street in a town in the North of England, perfectly ordinary people are doing totally normal things - children play cricket, window-frames are painted, a couple argues, students pack up their belongings and nameless people pass each other like every other day, interweaving yet never connecting. But a terrible event shatters the quiet of the summer evening and no-one who witnesses it will ever be the same again. (Bloomsbury)

What I Think

This book was hard work, but I'm pleased I persevered. The writing style was quite unusual and in the beginning it was hard to determine who the characters were. No one is given a name, they are merely identified by which number house they live at (all the characters live in the same street). One character is written in the first person and this turns out to be the main character. 

Also the dialogue is a little difficult to follow, until you get into the rhythm of it. Here is a short extract: 

When I open the door I say oh hello, and I look at him and we're both embarrassed. 
He's holding a bunch of flowers, thick-stemmed white lilies with bright yellow centres and shiny green leaves. 
I look at them, he looks at them, and water drops from the bottom of the wrapping onto his shoe. 
Oh, I don't know what to say I tell him, and I don't. 
(If nobody speaks of remarkable things, Jon McGregor, pg. 201)

[I]f nobody speaks of remarkable things, how can they be called remarkable? (pg. 239). This book is a collection of seemingly unremarkable things, which turn out to have a stronger significance than initially thought. Also, one big thing happens which shapes the lives of those living on this street. 

A great book. I would recommend it. 

About the Author



Jon McGregor is the author of the critically acclaimed If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, So Many Ways to Begin and Even the Dogs. He is the winner of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the Betty Trask Prize and the Somerset Maugham Award, and has been twice long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. He was runner-up for the BBC National Short Story Award in both 2010 and 2011, with 'If It Keeps on Raining' and 'Wires' respectively. He was born in Bermuda in 1976. He grew up in Norfolk and now lives in Nottingham.

things you should know by a m homes

About the Book

Title: things you should know
Author: a.m. homes
Publication: Granta, 2002
Summary: A collection of short stories. 

What I Think 

I picked this book up off my bookshelf by mistake (I thought it was if nobody speaks of remarkable things by jon mcgregor) and my friend who had left it in my house by accident said "it was okay." I therefore had very low expectations. However, I really enjoyed it. 

This collection of eleven short stories is extremely varied; in length, subject matter, style and genre. I didn't read them in order, but that's one of the joys of a collection of short stories. The story THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW, about a so-called mysterious and magical list, is only three pages long, but one of my favourites. Another favourite is ROCKETS AROUND THE MOON which is about a boy who stays with his father in the summers but actually spends more time with the family next door. He is equally devastated when disaster strikes for the family. THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS SUNNY AND BRIGHT reminded me a little of Black Swan, the 2010 Oscar winning film starring Natalie Portman.  

If you enjoy reading short stories, some a little on the bizarre side, some more about the mundanities of life, you should try this collection. 

About the Author

A.M.Homes is the author of the novels May We Be Forgiven, This Book Will Save Your Life, Music for Torching, The End of Alice, In a Country of Mothers and Jack, a previous collection of short stories, The Safety of Objects, and the highly acclaimed memoir The Mistress's Daughter, as well as the travel memoir Los Angeles: People, Places and the Castle on the Hill. She is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and writes frequently on arts and culture for numerous magazines and newspapers. She lives in New York City. 

Keep Your Life, Family and Career Intact While Living Abroad by Cathy Tsang-Feign, PhD

About the Book

Title: Keep Your Life, Family and Career Intact While Living Abroad
Author: Cathy Tsang-Feign
Publication: Pomelo Publishers; 3 edition (19 Sep 2013)
Summary: The challenges of living in a foreign country don't begin and end with culture shock. If you're planning a move abroad, you need to prepare yourself for the unique pressures, anxieties and personal and family problems common to all expatriates, which are often difficult to anticipate and a challenge to overcome. 
This expanded new edition contains new information on expatriate relationships and marriage, third culture kids, and a thorough guide to finding help abroad. (amazon)

What I Think

The first paragraph of Dr. Cathy Tsang-Feign's Keep Your Life, Family and Career Intact While Living Abroad (third edition, revised and expanded) is as concise, true and informative as the rest of her book: 

"There is a lot of romance associated with living abroad. It is often seen as a life of glamour, of white suits and high tea on palm-shaded verandas, chauffeurs and servants and dinners with diplomats, with no problems in store other than a touch of culture shock." (Foreword) 

Culture Shock, Dr. Tsang-Feign says is "better defined as acculturation, [...] a process which can last from six months to more than a year." The process is broken up into four easy-to-understand steps: 

• Elation - "When first in a foreign country, one finds it quite stimulating that most things are so unlike back home." 
• Resistance - "Frequent comparisons between home and the host country make everything back home seem so much better." 
• Transformation - "Individuals feel more familiar with the environment and begin to see the good side of the host country."
• Integration - "Cultural barriers are bridged." 

Having lived abroad for many years, both as a child and as an adult, I found this theory to be completely accurate. In my experience I have found some countries easier to settle into than others, but the overall process is the same, just slower or faster. 

This book is extremely insightful; it explains theories, shows real life examples and offers helpful advice and tips. I certainly wish I'd read it twenty years ago! However, I know that I can dip back in it as and when I need to. The book covers and broad range of topics, such as: 'Problems of Moving', 'Third Culture Kids', 'Stress at Work and Home' and 'All Alone and Far From Home'. I cannot recommend this book more for people living, or thinking about, living abroad. 

About the Author

Dr. Cathy Tsang-Feign is a leading expert in the field of expatriate and cross-cultural psychology, based on decades of experience working with international executives and diplomats and their families in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. 

She holds Master's Degrees in Counseling and Family Therapy and a PhD in Psychology. She has practised professionally in Los Angeles and Atlanta, as well as London's Harley Street, and currently runs a private practice in Hong Kong. She travels extensively to provide training and assessments for international corporations and government organizations. 

She is a former columnist on family psychology for the South China Morning Post and American in Britain. 

She is married with two children and is an avid gardener and beekeeper in her spare time. 

For more information, visit her website: www.cathyfeign.com

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

About the Book

Title: Sweet Tooth
Author: Ian McEwan
Publication: Jonathan Cape, London, 2012
Summary: The year is 1972. The Cold War is far from over. Britain is being torn apart by industrial unrest and terrorism. Serena Frome, in her final year at Cambridge, is being groomed for MI5. Serena is sent on a secret mission - Operation Sweet Tooth - which brings her into the world of Tom Haley, a promising young writer. First she loves his stories, then she begins to love the man. Can she maintain the fiction of her undercover life? And who is inventing whom? To answer these questions, Serena must abandon the first rule of espionage - trust no one. 

What I Think

The best thing about Ian McEwan's spy novel, Sweet Tooth, is the ending. The last line (I won't give the game away!) changes the whole feel, perspective and shape of the book. This is clever as there are virtually no clues along the way, yet it doesn't feel contrived, nor do you feel tricked. Hats off to McEwan for a little bit of genius. 

Having said all that I don't think this is his best book. I haven't read everything by McEwan, not by a long stretch, but I've read enough to know that some of his books I love (Atonement, Chesil Beach) and some I don't (Enduring Love). 

In the first paragraph he tells us the entire story. 

My name is Serena Frome (rhymes with plume) and almost forty years ago I was sent on a secret mission for the British security service. I didn't return safely. Within eighteen months of joining I was sacked, having disgraced myself and ruined my lover, though he certainly had a hand in his own undoing. 

This is a risk; a risk that the reader will switch off, or lose interest altogether. Or, hopefully, have the counter effect that you really want to know how it all unfolds. This was how I viewed it, although I have to say that Sweet Tooth was similar to Waiting for Sunrise (a book by William Boyd that I read recently) in the sense that the first half was mediocre and only the second half thrilling. Both Boyd and McEwan are great, highly-skilled authors and in both cases it was worth persevering, but I don't think that makes for a great book. Only a good one. 

About the Author

Ian McEwan is the author of two collections of stories and twelve previous novels, including Enduring Love, Amsterdam, for which he won the Booker Prize in 1998, Atonement and, most recently, Solar.