Category Archives: Book Reviews

CARIADS’ CHOICE: MARCH BOOK REVIEWS

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Carmel Harrington’s My Pear Shaped Life, reviewed by Kitty Wilson

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of Greta Gale, the highs and lows of trying to learn to value yourself. The author wrote empathetically about addiction, body issues and familial relationships. As a reader I was willing Greta on and particularly loved her travels across The States. We could all do with an Uncle like Ray. The author weaves the story of The Wizard of Oz throughout which is exceptionally deftly done, beautifully illustrating the light and the dark within us all.

 

Christina Courtenay’s Echoes of the Runes, reviewed by Kitty Wilson

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, both narratives kept my attention and made me want to keep reading. It was fascinating reading the contemporary storyline and the archaeological detail. The romance kept me hooked and the little bit of jeopardy (no spoilers!) had me willing Mia and Haakon on.

However, it was Ceri and Haukr who captured my heart. I loved this storyline and could have read so much more about them. I rarely find a captive and captor romance convincing but Christina Courtenay writes these characters with such empathy it is impossible not to fall a little in love with them and their story. Am greatly looking forward to the next in the series.

 

Kate Johnson’s Death on the Aisle, reviewed by Evonne Wareham

This is the third book in the Molly Higgins amateur sleuth series from award winning author Kate Johnson, who confidently mixes romance with cosy crime. It can be read as a stand-alone but there are recurring characters and story lines so reading the series in order would be beneficial, and all are enjoyable. The first, Death Comes to Cornwall, was a recent nominee for the Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller of the Year Award. In this third book Kate takes some classic ingredients for romance – hunky hero, capable independent heroine, a Cornish fishing village and a cupcake café and mixes in a celebrity wedding, a film set, a virtual reality show, the wedding planner from hell and a couple of fairly gruesome murders. If you like romance with a hefty dash of crime and sleuthing, it’s an enjoyable read.

 

Carol Lovekin’s Ghostbird, reviewed by Jan Baynham

This is a magical tale that kept me spellbound until the end. I was able to marvel at the figurative language and poetic nature of the prose without it detracting from the pace of the story. The characters are very well drawn, displaying deep emotions, and I was particularly fond of Cadi. Secrets unravelled and the reader journeyed with all the characters to a satisfying conclusion. I loved the interaction between Cadi and the ghost. With its beautiful cover, Ghostbird is a book I thoroughly enjoyed, a book I kept returning to in my thoughts long after I’d finished reading it. Highly recommended.

 

Maisie Thomas’s Secrets of the Railway Girls, reviewed by Jane Cable

I loved the first Railways Girls saga, and the second book in the series did not disappoint. Set in World War Two in Manchester it vividly portrays the lives of women from vastly different backgrounds thrown together to help keep the country’s rail network running.

Although this book focuses on Dot, a working class forty-something grandmother, other stories are woven around hers so cleverly you just have to keep turning the pages. From the horrors of the Christmas blitz to cosy chats in the station tea room, all human nature is here and the writing is so wonderful it draws you in completely. I’m definitely having withdrawal symptoms having finished this one – luckily the next book is due out in April.

 

 

The Joy in You by Cat Deeley | Book Reviews.

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The Joy in You, Cat Deeley, children's book, review, book

I really loved this book. It has beautiful illustrations which are matched with lovely, inspiring words to let children know that it is okay to be themselves, and also go after their dreams. A great book from TV presenter Cat Deeley. My children loved it. Inspiring and positively affirming.

Encourage kids to live out loud and be their truest selves with this picture book from media personality, national treasure and mum, Cat Deeley.

Dream big, as big as the night sky full of stars.
When you discover the things you love, you’ll find true joy.

Journey through a magical world, filled with a colourful cast of animals, where readers have endless opportunities to be themselves and find freedom in expression. They will delight in the silly humour and undeniable spirit of this rhythmic and beautifully illustrated picture book-and take to heart the message that they are enough exactly as they are!

Cat Deeley’s debut is an ideal bedtime book that you can read to your little one over and over again and is the perfect gift for birthdays and baby showers.

The Joy in You is available here.

A Wedding in the Country By Katie Fforde Review

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Katie Fforde a wedding in a country

Katie Fforde is a writer who needs no introduction, such is the weight of her talent and accomplishments. She is a national institution. Each one of her books is eagerly awaited and I cannot pretend I was not excited to receive this one. A Wedding in the Country is the perfect novel for these times. It is set in the 1960s which is a decade I have always loved (despite being born a few decades later). It is the perfect book to get lost in. The book has so much depth and I felt like I had been transported to another time. I loved the character of Lizzie and I could not wait to follow her journey. Get your hands on a copy of this dazzling book now. It is like a hot bath at the end of a tough day,  perfect up-lifting escapism.

This book is the most autobiographical for Katie Fforde. The book follows Lizzie who has arrived in London to do a cooking course, which Katie herself did, and Lizzie meets two other girls who become her best friends and moves into a run-down house in Belgravia. Her mother is determined she should have a nice wedding in the country to a Suitable Man chosen by her. But Lizzie wants to have some fun first.

‘Thank goodness for Katie Fforde. The perfect author to bring comfort in difficult times. She really is the queen of uplifting, feel good romance.’ A.J. Pearce

 Katie Fforde lives in the beautiful Cotswold countryside with her family, and is a true country girl at heart. Each of her books explores a different profession or background and her research has helped her bring these to life. She’s been a porter in an auction house, tried her hand at pottery, refurbished furniture, delved behind the scenes of a dating website, and she’s even been on a Ray Mears survival course. She particularly enjoys writing love stories. She believes falling in love is the best thing in the world, and she wants all her characters to experience it, and her readers to share their stories.

A Wedding in the Country is available here.

 

YIELD – CLAIRE DYER’S MOVING AND DEEPLY PERSONAL POETRY COLLECTION ABOUT HER CHILD’S TRANSITION FROM SON TO DAUGHTER

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Reading Claire Dyer’s latest poetry collection, Yield, is to share an intimate journey told in a way very few people – if, indeed, anyone else – could tell it.

A collection of poems that tell a recognisable story is a rare and beautiful thing, but at times this story is not beautiful, although it does have a happy ending. As a mother, how do you feel when your son comes home and tells you that they are really your daughter? What does it mean to accompany them through their transition from one to the other?

The order of poems in any collection is key and Yield is punctuated by poems with the same name, but numbered; Yield, Clinic, Coming Out. They give the book unity and rhythm, and show the reader the key elements of the transition process, the ones that I guess everyone would go through.

Some readers find poetry difficult; I think because some poets consider their role is to obfuscate, but Claire Dyer’s style is very different. There is a clear communication of ideas, through a clever use of everyday language, for example the opening lines of Abroad:

“the waiters mistake us for sisters.
No, we say, laughing.

We know they know we’re not,
but we’re more than

who we seem.”

In this poem and in others there is a real sense of storytelling; vignettes from mother and child’s life before, during and after the transition process. Fireflies is about a sleepless winter night; the stunning Doing Cartwheels at the Ritz speaks for itself; Wardrobe the heartache of a mother clearing boyhood clothes – which has a truly joyful counterpoint in Shopping:

“Let us go then, you and I, to Primark, Zara, Reiss.
The sky’ll be brilliant and,

around us, shoppers will burst into song,
dance on the up escalators and the down

as we load our arms with gorgeousness,
lacework brushing our shins.”

I do wonder if one of the reasons I love this poem so much is because I know Claire to be an expert shopper; so elegant in her own dress, and generous in her time to help those less  ‘expert’, like me. I remember once we spent hours in Reading as she guided my choice of the perfect handbag, which I would point out that was no mean feat as I detest shopping and had multiple – and not always compatible – criteria, for even this simple requirement.

There are other moments depicted in Yield that, having been alongside Claire for at least some of this journey, I recognise. To have listened as Claire talked about her son becoming her daughter, inch by painstaking inch, was a privilege and I was proud to be confided in, but not being a mother myself there was so much I could not understand.

Not least was that for a long time we called Lucy ‘L’. Having read one short poem, I now get it completely. And that is what great poetry does; it increases our understanding.

“I wrote your names

                 with a knife on my heart and voiced them
in black ink and blue ink   I typed texted

and dreamt the names you were meant to pass on
that you’ve passed on now you have names

I can’t say because try as they might they’re not in my chest like
the rest that are still holding fast to the bones

in my back and my neck and my mouth is full
of dry grasses rivers and trees”

 

Yield is Claire Dyer’s third poetry collection and is published by Two Rivers Press.

 

 

 

CARIADS’ CHOICE: FEBRUARY BOOK REVIEWS

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Jill Barry The House Sitter, reviewed by Jessie Cahalin

Characters’ actions are measured with precision in this gripping psychological thriller. The house sitter, Ruth Morgan, is complex and plans to be an integral part of the Deacons’ lives.

‘A fledgling idea trembles in the dark recesses of Ruth’s imagination… Up went the hand to stroke her throat.’

Shadows of the past haunts Ruth. Lost in the tension at the midpoint of this novel, I fell into the abyss with Ruth and worried that I felt empathy for this dangerous character.

Bethan is Ruth’s counterfoil, and her investigation orchestrates intrigue. Love is in the air for Bethan and this adds a hopeful dimension in this thrilling narrative.

Clues and tension are skilfully woven into the characters’ viewpoints. Clever writing with an intricate narrative that will chill you to the bone.

 

Kate Ryder Beneath Cornish Skies, reviewed by Jane Cable

Beneath Cornish Skies tells the story of Cassandra Shaw, who leaves behind her outwardly perfect but soulless life in Sussex to work for a chaotic Cornish family. The contrasts between the two settings are sharp, but united by the author’s love of horses, nature, and the lore attaching to the natural world.

This book blends romance with new beginnings and a ghostly past. Don’t be put off by the fact it’s described as ‘book 3 of 3’ on Amazon, it is in fact a standalone novel and has achieved a bestseller flag in paranormal ghost romance.

 

Naomi Miller Imperfect Alchemist reviewed by Kitty Wilson

I adored this well-written tale of two women at opposite ends of the social spectrum in the sixteenth century coming together and working in tandem in herbalism and alchemy. Their story covers a myriad of themes from both lives, including the suspicion and misogyny behind witchcraft trials in the villages and their impact alongside the high arts represented by Mary Sidney’s renowned Wilton Circle. Although a fictional account of The Countess of Pembroke’s life, the author’s knowledge of history and the literature alongside her skill at writing makes this a novel that pulls you in utterly, making me as a reader willing to believe this is how it was. It certainly is a fitting tribute to a woman who was at the forefront of new thinking and intellectual debate in a time women were overlooked in every arena. I loved it and shall be looking for more books from this author.

 

Jan Baynham Her Sister’s Secret, reviewed by Imogen Martin

Jan Baynham’s second novel slips seamlessly between Rose in the 1940s and Jennifer in the 1960s. It opens in a mid-Wales village where Rose works at the Big House whilst Mam tries to keep the peace at home. When Rose meets Italian prisoner-of-war Marco, the sparks fly. I was fascinated, as I have a friend whose Italian father and Welsh mother met in exactly this way. Unlike my friend, there’s no happy ending for Rose when her domineering father finds out about the relationship.

In the 1960s, the family secret comes tumbling out after a chance discovery by Jennifer. Will she have the courage to travel to Sicily to find out the truth?

Jan Baynham captures the excitement of standing on the cusp of a new life in Cardiff, the big city, in contrast to the vivid portrayal of small Welsh village life.

Her Sister’s Secret is a cracking read with passion, hurt and wisdom intertwined.  Whilst it has parallels with Jan’s debut novel Her Mother’s Secret, this is a stand-alone saga.

 

 

 

 

THE SURPLUS GIRLS’ ORPHANS – POLLY HERON’S EXCEPTIONAL NEW SAGA

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Much as I enjoyed Polly Heron’s The Surplus Girls, I can honestly say that The Surplus Girls’ Orphans is the best saga I have read. The restricted lives of women in the inter-war period is captured perfectly, but with a fresh eye and brilliant story-telling that avoids the ‘grit and grim’ which I find makes some sagas less than a pleasure to read.

I know, as a writer, that the essential structure of a saga is to pour increasingly huge problems onto the heroine, twisting and turning the plot until she (apparently) has no way out. But of course, as a reader, you know she will find one. While all the time I find myself wondering how much more of the unremitting misery I can take.

Polly Heron’s books are not like that. There is joy and beauty in small things; in the orphans playing pirates on a wet evening, in the barley-sugar legs of a washstand, in children dancing around a maypole. And the plots and subplots are so beautifully drawn together than even when life is incredibly tough – which was, after all the reality of the time – as a reader you are led from one storyline to another without ever having time to get depressed. Angry, frightened, heart-warmed, amused… but never down right miserable.

Drawing on some of the characters in The Surplus Girls, and still wound into the story of the Miss Hesketh’s business school, The Surplus Girls’ Orphans is a standalone novel in its own right, although readers will get more out of the story having read the first book. As well as the Hesketh family, two of the Layton children feature, also as Mrs Atwood, and of course the backdrop is still the Chorlton area of Manchester.

However there is an entirely new main character in the form of Molly Watson, who is suffering perhaps the longest engagement ever, to a penny-pinching, controlling man. Deciding she would rather be a surplus girl, to the horror and shame of her family she breaks free to find work in an office, and then the orphanage, where she looks to change the lives of those around her and not just her own.

Her relationship with Aaron Abrams unfolds beautifully; the initial misunderstandings never overdone, the attraction between them perfectly paced. Nothing is sugar-coated and although the ending is perhaps inevitable (as it has to be to satisfy the genre) their journey feels unforced in a way all the best fictional romances do.

The subplots work perfectly too, in symmetry with the main story. A single thread connects Molly and the Hesketh household as secrets are revealed, with certainly some big surprises along the way. And Jacob Layton’s bullying at the hands of the inescapable thug Shirl brings an at times terrifying tension to the book.

Polly Heron has tremendous skill as a story-teller, but on top of that the quality of her writing shines through. She has a knack of wasting not a word on description, but of weaving detail into the action so the reader had a perfect mental image of a place and time as the story unfolds around them.

Overall, this is a brilliant book. I smiled when I read the acknowledgments, seeing that some of it had been written while we were on a retreat in Bath. I clearly remember Polly at the kitchen table, writing in longhand in a large notebook, and it is gratifying to think that as well as friendships, such a fabulous novel was forged at that time.

CARIADS’ CHOICE SAINT DWYNWEN’S DAY REVIEW SPECIAL

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Most people probably know that St Valentine is considered to be the patron saint of love, but did you know that Wales has its own equivalent? St Dwynwen’s day is celebrated on 25th January in the same sort of ways as her more famous counterpart – sending cards, giving flowers, having a special meal – anything in fact that says ‘I love you’. St Dwynwen’s own story is a sad one, told with an overlay of traditional folklore elements – beautiful princesses, thwarted lovers and people being turned into blocks of ice. Ill-fated in love, Dwynwen became a nun, founding a convent on Anglesey, and generously praying that true lovers should have better fortune. Frost magazine is marking her special day with some reviews from Welsh authors of romance books that have a Welsh connection.

Trisha Ashley A Leap of Faith, reviewed by Evonne Wareham

I’m an Ashley fan, and she has been one of my go-to feel-good reads in lockdown. That said, I had mixed feelings about this one. It has familiar ingredients – a slightly older heroine, with a biological clock ticking, a bit of mystery, some infuriatingly arrogant and entitled ex boyfriends and husbands, a supporting cast of eccentrics, crafts and baking and recipes. I loved the fact that it’s set in Wales, in an imaginary community on the Gower and has a rather gorgeous hero called Nye, who speaks with a Welsh lilt, although he was brought up in Manchester and his looks are more Viking than Celtic! On the down side, the book is twenty years old and has not been significantly updated and there are a couple of episodes of harm to animals that I found upsetting. With those caveats, I did enjoy the book. Probably one to choose if you have read her others and are completing your collection, as I was. If she is new to you, it may be better to begin with something more recent. Those involving chocolate are particularly scrumptious.

Sue McDonagh Escape to the Art Café, reviewed by Jan Baynham

The third in a series, Escape to the Art Café is another feel-good, uplifting novel that may also be read as a stand-alone. The author writes with pace and humour to keep the reader turning the pages. However, for me, her strength is in the characterisation. She creates multi-layered characters whom you care about. Both Flora and Jake are ones I really warmed to and as their backstories are revealed, I came to understand more about them. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Gower peninsular and with a great twist towards the end, the theme of strong community so often found in Wales runs through the whole novel. I enjoyed it immensely.

Tracy Rees The Hourglass, reviewed by Jill Barry

Two different eras spring to life in this poignant story of youthful dreams and cold reality. We meet the competent Nora in 2014 at an unhappy time for her. In 1953, schoolgirl Chloe lives for her annual visit to Tenby, a town to which the troubled Nora is also drawn. But the two are linked by more than the Welsh seaside resort which, as the novel progresses, is viewed in all its colourful splendour through the main characters’ eyes. You’ll relive simple pleasures and wonder about the power of love and positive thought.

Evonne Wareham A Wedding on the Riviera, reviewed by Jessie Cahalin

A Wedding on the Riviera is a smoking hot romance entangled with an intriguing mystery. The runaway groom hooked me from the outset. An intricately woven plot ensured I escaped to the Riviera, Cardiff, Bristol and Bath.  Wonderful writing took me into the heart and soul of Nadine and Ryan and made me yearn for their happiness. I absolutely loved the tension created by the dubious dealing of Thackery. Drama, romance and glamour are packed into the novel. Will the perfect plan to catch a thief be thwarted?

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I Have Been Reading By Catherine Balavage

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michael connelly the night fire

Michael Connelly The Night Fire. 

Michael Connelly is without doubt one of the best crime writers ever. He makes it look easy to write a crime novel because his books flow so well. More fool anyone who tries to imitate him. This one from his Harry Bosch series is a novel to really get your teeth into. An epic thriller. The prisoner's wife. maggie brookes

The Prisoner’s Wife by Maggie Brookes.

This is an absolute triumph of a book. It is based on a true story of a Czech woman who posed as a man in a Nazi prisoner of war camp to stay with her British husband. It is riveting and the stuff of Hollywood films. It is well-researched like all the best historical fiction. It can be heart-breaking, but it is also a story of courage and hope. michael connelly fair warning Fair Warning by Michael Connelly. 

Another Connelly novel. This one I loved more than the other. It was sleek, smart and just perfect. It throws up interesting questions about DNA ancestry sites too. Connelly is a master of his craft and his novels are absolute perfection.
when you see me lisa gardner,

When You See Me by Lisa Gardner.

This is the first book I have ever read by Lisa Gardner and now I am wondering if I have been living underneath a rock. Wow. Just wow. What a writer, what a novel. I don’t usually read crime novels – I am a of a nervous disposition- but I will be seeking out Lisa’s other books now. It is no surprise Lisa is a New York Times bestseller. She sets the scene perfectly and her characters have so much depth. I also love that the FBI agents are female and their husband, also FBI agents, are taking care of the kids at home. Lisa Gardner is a much needed female voice in the world of thriller writers.
this time next year sophie cousens,

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

This is a beautiful and brilliant novel. A romance novel with no hint of cliche. It has plenty to say and characters who are impossible to not fall in love with. Set in a 2020 where Covid 19 did not happen, this was the future we all deserved. I loved this book so much. It is so clever and pitch perfect. Sophie Cousens is one to watch.

a wish for the shipyard girls

A Christmas Wish for the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell. 

A perfect historical fiction saga novel. Like a warm hug on a Sunday evening. Make yourself a cocoa and dive in. Brilliant.
debbie macomber a walk along the beach,

A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber. 

Debbie Macomber is a New York Times bestseller and an author of over 100 books. There is a reason for her popularity, she is a master of her craft. This heart-warming tale of the love of two sisters has its sadness, but ultimately it is a story of love and beautiful rewards.

Alex Dahl, playdate

Playdate by Alex Dahl. 

Wow is what I want to say about this tightly wound thriller. The plot has you hooked all the way to the last page, your brain working the entire time. It is set in a sleepy Norwegian town, a perfect and atmospheric setting. I usually avoid books where a child goes missing like the plague, but this book is the perfect thriller. It captures the complexity of human behaviour so well. Sometimes you do not know who you should be rooting for.  Impossible to put down.

A Girl made of air, Nydia hetherington

A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington.

What an imagination Nydia Hetherington has. A Girl Made of Air is an outstanding novel. It has to hard know how a story about a circus funambulist is going to work and yet, it does. This is a vivid tale of regret and redemption weaved into a magical book of literary perfection. What a first novel, I cannot wait to see what Nydia Hetherington does next. She truly is one to watch. The unwanted dead by Chris LloydThe Unwanted Dead by Chris Lloyd. 

This is the first in a new WW2-set crime series. It is brilliant, rip-roaring stuff. Vividly written and pitch perfect. A great historical crime novel.

Books are available from waterstones.com, amazon.co.uk, dauntbooks.co.uk and independent book stores.