Tag Archives: Jilly Cooper

SISTER SCRIBES’ READING ROUND UP: MARCH

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Susanna:

A Cornish Inheritance is an excellent first book in a new saga series. Deceit, tragedy and emotion are the themes in Terri Nixon’s latest novel, set on the beautiful Cornish coast. The characters are drawn in depth and develop throughout the story as each one is tested to the limit. It’s a very twisty-turny plot and you definitely need to pay attention as you get towards the end, but, crikey, is it worth it. This is the first Terri Nixon book I’ve read and now I’m looking forward to reading her Oaklands Manor trilogy.

 

Kitty:

I have had a busy reading month, the perks of handing in one manuscript and having the luxury of a longer delivery date for the next so I’ve taken over almost all the reading round up this month.

I’ve been reading Christmas books to get me feeling Christmassy as I begin to write my next seasonal book. This has included re-reading the fabulous Jilly Cooper’s How to Survive Christmas. She can be relied upon to make me howl with laughter and certainly did so with this. This book was originally published in the seventies and updated in the eighties and made me realise how much society at large has changed – particularly as I was reading the tips on not getting too upset over your husband’s mistress – and how glad I am for it.

With the same aim, I raced through Sue Moorcrofts’s Let it Snow. This was a truly enjoyable Christmas read, and I loved reading about the choir as they headed to Switzerland, the country was beautifully described and created a detailed picture in my mind. I also really enjoyed the family dynamics within the story (a big plus for me to see ME mentioned empathetically) alongside the romance and this book gave me all the seasonal feels.

Finally, I have been so excited about talking about this book, I’ve been recommending it to anyone unfortunate enough to spend five minutes or more in my company.

You know how every now and again a book comes along and you fall utterly, utterly in love with it? That has happened to me this year with The Authenticity Project by Claire Pooley and I think it will remain on the top of my feelgood reads list for many years to come.

From the very first page the writing captivated me, and I knew this would be a book to steal my heart. It starts with Julian, an elderly gentlemen who is struggling with loneliness and the façade he uses to cover it. He writes his story in a notebook, leaving it for someone else to pick up and carry on.

The book gets passed from one person to the next and the truth is revealed about people’s real lives, their doubts and fears and how much they are at odds with the way others perceive them. It examines how people struggle regardless of age, class, lifestyle and that we all have burdens to carry. However, it also shows the power of positive human interaction and how small actions can mean so much. It is uplifting and rammed full of optimism, becoming a book about community and support, friendship and love and I defy anyone not to pick it up and be both transported and delighted.  If you get the chance to read it, then do. Feel free to shout at me if you don’t fall in love as much as I did.

Happy reading, Kitty x

 

 

Temptation Island by Victoria Fox | Book Review

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This book is the first ever ‘bonkbuster’ I have ever read. I am more of a serious sort when it comes to books. So what did the bonkbuster virgin (ahem) think of her first foray into the genre? I enjoyed it.

I read a lot of magazines and the more I read the more I though that Victoria Fox knew something I didn’t. The book is entertaining, glamorous and on the right side of believability. I still believed in the plausibility of the story within the context. The book follows the lives of three female superstars as they get caught up in the scandal of the century, with plenty of murder, celebrity backstabbing and salacious affairs, it epitomises pure escapism.

In the middle of the Indian Ocean, a secret island exists for the elite. Exclusive to the rich and famous and owned by one of the richest men on earth, it provides a sanctuary from the glare of the media spotlight to a lucky few. Three of the world’s most famous women, drawn by the luxury and glamour of its shores, are about to unearth a series of shocking secrets that will change them forever.

Aurora Nash is LA’s wildest teen tearaway. Riotous, hedonistic, self-seeking, she’s totally out of control. After rehab, therapy and a jail sentence achieve nothing, her desperate parents, America’s best-loved country and western stars, decide that a strict British boarding school is their last resort. They pray for change: the world can never know the truth behind their only daughter’s birth. But Aurora is set to learn the earth-shattering facts for herself, as soon as she sets foot on the Island.

British actress Stevie Speller is one half of Hollywood’s golden couple, who famously got her big-break by accident, whilst helping her flat-mate Bibi at a New York audition. Now Stevie’s the toast of Tinseltown and Bibi’s married to the film industry’s most sleazy and sordid magnate, Linus Posen. When Linus is found dead in Bibi’s bed, the press screams murder and Bibi is hounded out of town. Escaping with Bibi to the Island, Stevie will do whatever it takes to protect her friend, guilty or otherwise.

Lori Garcia is a world-famous supermodel, picked from obscurity by the darling of the fashion industry and married man Jean-Baptiste Moreau. After a devastating encounter between the two, Lori will stop at nothing in pursuit of his affections. But it’s not until she reaches the Island that Lori learns who Jean-Baptist truly is. Lori discovers he’s involved in a scandal more desperate than she could imagine – one that is spreading through Hollywood like wildfire.

Another thing the book did was trigger my memory about certain celebrity and stories. When I interviewed Victoria she mentioned the controversial theme and said she wanted to know what people thought. I don’t want to give too much away here but I definitely recommend this book. Although it is over 600 pages it is a fun and entertaining read. I found the book hard to put down and it also made me think.

The book is a bit of an eye-opener, true or not. Temptation Island is a worthy successor to Jilly Cooper and Jackie Collins: a bonkbusting fantastic read: pure escapism.

Temptation Island