5-Star Book Review: THE BIRD HOTEL by Joyce Maynard

 

Title: The Bird Hotel

Author:  Joyce Maynard

Read: June 2023

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: all the stars!

 

Book Description:

 

After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene, a talented artist, finds herself in a small Central American village where she checks into a beautiful but decaying lakefront hotel called La Llorona at the base of a volcano. 
 
The Bird Hotel tells the story of this young American who, after suffering tragedy, restores and runs La Llorona. Along the way we meet a rich assortment of characters who live in the village or come to stay at the hotel. With a mystery at its center and filled with warmth, drama, romance, humor, pop culture, and a little magic realism, The Bird Hotel has all the hallmarks of a Joyce Maynard novel that have made her a a leading voice of her generation. 

My musings:

 

What a beautiful, atmospheric books this was, full of the lyrical language, keen observations and magic that makes Maynard one of my favourite authors. I was hooked as soon as I met Irene, a young woman who has had to endure more than her fair share of tragedy and death. Desolate, and without much hope for the future, she boards a bus into the unknown and finds herself in a little Central American village at the edge of a large lake and at the foot of a volcano.

 

During Irene’s stay at La Llorona she comes not contact with a wide range of people, whose fate has brought them to this remote place, and whose lives will be forever changed after leaving here. As La Llorona becomes home for her, Irene slowly shakes off the layers of her grief and hopelessness that have ruled her life. But there are still some surprises in store for her …

 

Told through the eyes of Irene and flicking back and forth between the 1960s and the present, THE BIRD HOTEL was a heartwarming and magical story about loss, grief and starting afresh, peppered with a rich cast of unforgettable side characters. With her unflinching eye for detail and innate understanding of the human psyche, Maynard delivers us protagonists that are as flesh and blood as the people we have known all our lives, set against an atmospheric backdrop of a small Mayan village. Whilst Maynard clarifies that she has written the novel purely from the perspective of an expat, her rich details about Mayan life and culture were fascinating and made for wonderful armchair travel. I dare you not to be touched by at least one of the human tales in this story – I know that I shed a few tears along the way.

 

THE BIRD HOTEL is the type of immersive, enchanting story that makes Maynard such a great writer and sent this book straight to my favourites list. I loved every minute of it and thought about its characters long after finishing it. All the stars from me!

Book Review: THE WAY FROM HERE by Jane Cockram

 

Title: THE WAY FROM HERE

Author:  Jane Cockram

Publisher:  Harlequin Australia HQ

Read: January 2022

Expected publication: 2 March 2022

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Book Description:

 

Three generations of women. Three generations worth of secrets. Will a cache of letters from beyond the grave hold the key to unravelling them all? The answer to that question lies at the heart of this addictive and atmospheric novel from the author of The House of Brides.

Growing up, the Anderson sisters could not have been more different. Susie, the wild one, had an adventurous life while Camilla— Mills—followed a safer path. When Susie suddenly dies, Mills falls apart. Until she receives a bundle of mysterious letters from her estranged sister to be read in the case of her death. Each letter instructs her to visit a place special to Susie, both to spread her ashes but also to uncover some truths Susie has long kept hidden from her family.

What attracted me to this book:

 

I love sister mysteries, and family secrets, so THE WAY FROM HERE was the perfect book for me, as it spun both themes into a suspenseful story that touched my heart.

My musings:

 

Camilla has always been the sensible, rational Anderson sister, whilst Susie was the wild, spontaneous, rebellious one. When Susie dies tragically just before her 40^th birthday, Camilla is left with just a bundle of letters from her sister, urging her to go overseas and visit places from Susie’s past that changed her life and put a distance between the sisters that Camilla could never fully explain. Intrigued, Camilla sets off to France to walk in her sister’s footsteps and solve the mystery of what happened to her that long ago summer that had such a lasting effect on Susie’s life ....

 

I loved the way Cockram portrayed Camilla and Susie’s sister relationship, a bond that seems tenuous at times and yet draws the siblings together time and time again, despite the differences in their personalities. Camilla’s quest to find out about her sister’s past was as touching as it was intriguing, and I was instantly hooked and fully invested in finding out the answers for myself. It certainly also helped that Cockram sets her story on a picturesque little French island, adding some delicious armchair travel to the mix. The more clues Camilla uncovered, the clearer it became that this was one family mystery that would go deeper than just your average misstep on a youthful backpacking adventure. We learn how all the women’s fates in the family are connected, from the sisters to their mother and grandmother, each of their decisions affecting the rest of their lives as well as future generations.

 

 

Summary:

 

THE WAY FROM HERE is a story about three generations of women bound by a secret that will have far-reaching effects on all of their lives. All relationships are wonderfully drawn, dipping into a well of emotions that touched my heart and made me connect to each character on a visceral level until I felt like a participant in the story rather than just a casual observer. Nellie, Margaret, Susie and Camilla each have unique voices that tell their side of the story as we gradually uncover the dark shadow that has lain over the family for generations. Intriguing and bittersweet, this book will appeal to readers who love a good character driven sister mystery.

 

 

 

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia HQ for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE ROME AFFAIR by Karen Swan

 

Title: THE ROME AFFAIR

Author:  Karen Swan

Read: June 2021

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

1974 and Elena Damiani lives a gilded life. Born to wealth and a noted beauty, no door is closed to her, no man can resist her. At twenty-six, she is already onto her third husband when she meets her love match. But he is the one man she can never have, and all the beauty and money in the world can't change it.

2017 and Francesca Hackett is living la dolce vita in Rome, leading tourist groups around the Eternal City and forgetting the ghosts she left behind in London. When she finds a stolen designer handbag in her dustbin and returns it, she is brought into the orbit of her grand neighbour who lives across the piazza - famed socialite Viscontessa Elena dei Damiani Pignatelli della Mirandola. Though the purse is stolen, Elena greets the return of the bag with exultation for it contains an unopened letter written by her husband on his deathbed, twelve years earlier.

Mutually intrigued by each other, the two women agree to collaborate on a project, with Cesca interviewing Elena for her memoirs. As summer unfurls, Elena tells her sensational stories, leaving Cesca in her thrall. But when a priceless diamond ring found in an ancient tunnel below the city streets is ascribed to Elena, Cesca begins to suspect a shocking secret at the heart of Elena's life.

 

My musings:

 

THE ROME AFFAIR was another bit of wonderful escapism through the pen of Karen Swan, a new go-to author for me when the travel bug strikes. And what could be better than exploring the “eternal city” through the eyes of a rich cast of characters who are all full of life – and secrets!

 

I have come to value Swan’s ability to conjure up locations with a sense of time and place that instantly transports the reader into another world. As a former fashion journalist, Swan is familiar with the glitz and glamour (as well as the dark side) of Europe’s rich and elite, which she pens in rich and varied detail. Elena, the “principessa” living in her spacious Roman palazzo was a truly intriguing character to get close to – even more so because she had so much to hide!

 

Swan’s stories are always multi-layered. There is romance, yes, but it’s so much more. A young, enigmatic heroine who is hired by the rich countess to write her biography – and unearth an old family mystery. A city where secrets are buried, where underground passages lead to unpalatable truths, where gilded facades may hide ugly realities. But also a city full of joy, of love, of life. And of course there is the Italian heartthrob whose smouldering dark eyes will make one character (and the reader) swoon.

 

Swan strikes the perfect balance with THE ROME AFFAIR, delivering escapism spiced with mystery and intrigue and plenty of food for thought and reflection. Each character is so richly drawn that the story rolled out almost movie like in front of my eyes, evoking the sight, sounds and smells of Italy. This is armchair travel at its best! I was thoroughly intrigued by the truths young Cesca discovers about her employer, and the tragedies that lay behind the rich facades of the city’s most prominent houses. It was one of those rare dual timeline books where both stories were equally compelling to me, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

 

If you enjoy great armchair travel and also want some pleasant escapism that still offers a rich and intriguing storyline, then I highly recommend picking up THE ROME AFFAIR.

Book Review: MISS BENSON'S BEETLE by Rachel Joyce

 

Title: MISS BENSON’S BEETLE

Author:  Rachel Joyce

Read: February 2021

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

It is 1950. London is still reeling from World War II, and Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and spinster, is trying to get through life, surviving on scraps. One day, she reaches her breaking point, abandoning her job and small existence to set out on an expedition to the other side of the world in search of her childhood obsession: an insect that may or may not exist--the golden beetle of New Caledonia.

 

When she advertises for an assistant to accompany her, the woman she ends up with is the last person she had in mind. Fun-loving Enid Pretty in her tight-fitting pink suit and pom-pom sandals seems to attract trouble wherever she goes. But together these two British women find themselves drawn into a cross-ocean adventure that exceeds all expectations and delivers something neither of them expected to find: the transformative power of friendship.

 

 

What attracted me to this book:

 

At the beginning of the year, I asked some of my bookstagram friends to recommend an all-time favourite book of theirs to read in 2021. MISS BENSON’S BEETLE was Helen’s (@bestbookforward) choice, and I am happy to report that it was perfect! I loved losing myself in Margery and Enid’s travels, and the story really tugged on my heartstrings. I am so glad that I read it!

My musings:

 

I think I have probably told you a hundred times or more how much I love armchair travel, and in these times it is even more precious. Initially, Margery doesn’t seem the travelling type at all: a middle aged, unmarried schoolteacher who has held down the same job all her life and has never moved out of her comfort zone, her future is destined to be as drab and loveless as her brown, sensible clothes.  Until one day, Margery finally snaps. Taunted once too often by her cruel students, she impulsively and dramatically leaves her job behind and decides to pursue a long time dream – to travel to New Caledonia in search of the a golden beetle her father had told her about as a child. Not being a natural traveller, Margery knows that she will need help, and she places an advertisement for an assistant to accompany her on her journey. From here on, little of Margery’s plans work out the way she had planned, but the end result is as touching as it is often hilarious, and I loved every minute of it!

 

Both Margery and Enid are intriguing, enigmatic and full-of-life characters I fell in love with. The author has a way of describing these two very different women that brought them to life in my mind, and I could vividly picture them both. They swept me along on their journey and I felt fully emotionally invested in all their adventures. As the two women form an unlikely friendship, we not only learn more about their pasts but also see them grow into their fierce, brave, independent selves. Who has never dreamed of leaving everything behind and starting anew, totally reinventing themselves? If you think this is difficult now, imagine what it would have been like for women in the 1950’s. Joyce manages not only to evoke the landscape but also the era to perfection, which made this book a real treat to read.

 

As Margery and Enid stumble from one misadventure to another, there is of course the wonderful backdrop of an untamed New Caledonia, which sees our two hapless characters battle a wilderness they are totally ill prepared for. But as they face the obstacles nature puts in their way – such as the heat, the insects, tropical storms, floods and disease – they will also discover their inner strengths and the healing power of the natural environment. 

 

Summary:

 

All in all, MISS BENSON’S BEETLE was the perfect book to lose myself in. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Tackling topics such as self-discovery, female friendship and the courage to step out of your comfort zone, this was both a fun as well as a reflective read, and I thoroughly enjoyed every step of the journey. 

Book Review: THE MISSING ONE by Lucy Atkins

Title: THE MISSING ONE

Author: Lucy Atkins
Publisher: Quercus Books
Read: March 2020

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

Book Description:

The loss of her mother has left Kali McKenzie with too many unanswered questions. But while clearing out Elena’s art studio, she finds a drawer packed with postcards, each bearing an identical one-line message a Canadian gallery owner called Susannah Gillespie: thinking of you. Who is this woman and what does she know about Elena’s hidden past?

Desperate to find out, Kali travels with her toddler, Finn, to Susannah’s isolated home on a remote British Columbian island, a place of killer whales and storms. But as bad weather closes in, Kali quickly realises she has made a big mistake. The handsome and enigmatic Susannah refuses to talk about the past, and as Kali struggles to piece together what happened back in the 1970s, Susannah’s behaviour grows more and more erratic. Most worrying of all, Susannah is becoming increasingly preoccupied with little Finn . . .

A tense, thrilling novel about a family divided by secrets, and the lengths a mother will go to protect her child.

What attracted me to this book:

I absolutely adored Lucy Atkins’ latest book MAGPIE LANE, so it was a no-brainer that I wanted to devour more of her writing. With a premise of family secrets and an atmospheric coastal Canadian setting, this one sounded very much up my alley!

My musings:

I am happy to say that THE MISSING ONE was a winner for me from beginning to end. I immediately connected to the main character Kali, a young mum whose own mother Elena has just died of breast cancer. Kali and her mother had a distant, trouble relationship, so when Kali clears out some of Elena’s things and comes across some mysterious postcards and letters from a woman she has never heard of, she realises how little she knows about Elena’s life before marriage and children. Kali’s father is no help, so Kali travels to Canada to track down one of her mother’s old friends in the hope of getting an answer to some of her questions.

This all rang so true for me! My mother died as a child, so I could relate to Kali’s frustration of not ever knowing her mother as a person, her hopes, her dreams, her history. I also related to Kali’s travels with a small toddler, and some of the scenes made me laugh and cringe in turn. Her misadventures, her fears, her anxieties – it read like my own story in parts. I too have relied on the kindness of strangers to take me in when I missed public transport and found myself stranded in a foreign country with a toddler. I was LIVING this story!

Even thought the middle of book was a bit slow in parts and perhaps bogged down with detail, the last 1/3 of the story really picked up pace and was quite nerve-wrecking. Suzanne, the woman Kali is staying with in British Columbia, was such a mysterious, fascinating and disturbed character that I literally had to hold my breath as the full extent of past secrets unfolded.

Apart from the mystery, the armchair travel component of this story was exquisite. I now simply HAVE TO go to Vancouver Island to see the rugged coastline and perhaps also the orcas, about which I learned so much by reading this story. As far as armchair travel goes, it doesn’t get much better than this, so if you are a fan of wild and remote settings this should definitely be on your list.

Summary:

In summary, THE MISSING ONE ticked all the right boxes for me. With a main character who seemed to share so much emotional baggage with me and an atmospheric setting, the heart-pounding finale to the mystery capped off an all-around good story. I want to read more from this author!

Book Review: INTO THE JUNGLE by Erica Ferencik

Title: INTO THE JUNGLE

Author: Erica Ferencik
Publisher: Gallery / Scout Press
Read: July 2019

Expected publication: out now

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2

Book Description:

Lily Bushwold thought she’d found the antidote to endless foster care and group homes: a teaching job in Cochabamba, Bolivia. As soon as she could steal enough cash for the plane, she was on it.

When the gig falls through and Lily stays in Bolivia, she finds bonding with other broke, rudderless girls at the local hostel isn’t the life she wants either. Tired of hustling and already world-weary, crazy love finds her in the form she least expected: Omar, a savvy, handsome local man who’d abandoned his life as a hunter in Ayachero—a remote jungle village—to try his hand at city life.

When Omar learns that a jaguar has killed his four-year-old nephew in Ayachero, he gives Lily a choice: Stay alone in the unforgiving city, or travel to the last in a string of ever-more-isolated river towns in the jungles of Bolivia. Thirty-foot anaconda? Puppy-sized spiders? Vengeful shamans with unspeakable powers? Love-struck Lily is oblivious. She follows Omar to this ruthless new world of lawless poachers, bullheaded missionaries, and desperate indigenous tribes driven to the brink of extinction. To survive, Lily must navigate the jungle--its wonders as well as its terrors—using only her wits and resilience.

My musings:

Oh how I wish there were more writers like Erica Ferencik out there! Fast paced and addictive adventure & survival thrillers featuring wild and remote places and plucky women protagonists are so hard to come by, and Ferencik has really perfected the art. I loved THE RIVER AT NIGHT, and although this one was completely different, I devoured it just as greedily.

I was intrigued to read that the author loosely based this story on a real-life account of one of her friend’s experiences living in the Amazon jungle. It really added depth and meaning to the story and made the character of Lily come even more to life for me. Lily was a wonderful character – as an orphan growing up in the foster home system, she is both troubled as well as tough. She is a survivor who will fight to the very end. She is feisty and driven, and made for the perfect lead role in this story of survival against the odds. I loved her gradual coming of age as she forms relationships and matures into a woman and wife, embracing her new life’s challenges. She definitely is a character you cannot help but root for all the way.

And that setting – have I said that I looooove wild and remote settings? Only a 100 times or so? Well, let me say it again. It doesn’t get much better than this: a small village in the middle of the jungle cut off from civilisation and surrounded by a harsh and hostile environment. There was wildlife galore, including some of your worst nightmares, like giant snakes and hairy spiders as big as dinner plates, man-eating jaguars, poison ants, razor toothed piranhas and parasites that eat you alive from the inside out. Who wouldn’t want to live there? So here we have Lily Bushwold, a nineteen year old American girl who may know how to survive in an urban jungle but has never had to hunt for food, wash clothes in a river, sleep in a spider infested hut or live off food gathered in the jungle. But when she falls in love with Omar, a young man from a remote tribe in the Bolivian forest, she will soon experience a life she could have never dreamed of.

My nineteen-year-old self may have found Lily’s story terribly romantic and signed up for the trip. But even living in the land of Oz, were apparently every creature is set to kill you, I could not envisage surviving long in those conditions – and at my age I prefer my own creature comforts too much to envy Lily her great adventure. With good reason, as you will find out when you read this book.

Apart from Lily, the story is brimming with interesting and eclectic characters, from For God’s Sake, the crippled riverboat driver, to the “Frannies”, the two missionaries who have settled in the jungle in an effort of converting the tribes to Christianity. There is also Baya, a shaman living alone in the bush and shunned by the villagers, who has a strange affinity to Lily. And because every good adventure story needs some baddies, there are the poachers, out to rape and pillage and strip the jungle of its treasures. In all this, Omar and Lily’s love endures.

Yes, there may have been a few scenes that stretched the boundaries of believability a bit, but never too far to spoil my enjoyment. And what good adventure tale is not prone to some slight exaggeration? You know that every good fishing story has a bit of journalistic license thrown in. I loved the way Ferencik built the tension to the action packed finale, where Lily really must prove her worth. 

Summary:

If you love a good action thriller featuring a plucky female heroine, then this one should definitely be on your TBR pile. It certainly made for a great armchair adventure! Apparently Erica Ferencik is planning another action packed book, this time somewhere “very cold”. Alaska? Antarctica? Greenland? Wherever, I am certain it will be another fantastic adventure and I can’t wait to read it! 

Read an interview with Erica Ferencik about her latest book here

Book Review: PETRA'S GHOST by C.S. O'Cinneide

Title: PETRA'S GHOST

Author: C.S. O'Cinneide
Publisher: Dundurn
Read: May 2019

Expected publication: 13 August 2019

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Book Description:

A woman has vanished on the Camino de Santiago, the ancient five-hundred-mile pilgrimage that crosses northern Spain. Daniel, an Irish expat, walks the lonely trail carrying his wife, Petra’s, ashes, along with the damning secret of how she really died.

When he teams up to walk with sporty California girl Ginny, she seems like the perfect antidote for his grieving heart. But a nightmare figure begins to stalk them, and his mind starts to unravel from the horror of things he cannot explain.

Unexpected twists and turns echo the path of the ancient trail they walk upon. The lines start to blur between reality and madness, between truth and the lies we tell ourselves.

My musings:

Two things immediately attracted me to this book: 1) The setting – I have walked a part of the Camino de Santiago myself and was eager to revisit this wonderful place through a book; and 2) The part of the blurb that reads “The lines start to blur between reality and madness, between truth and the lies we tell ourselves.” I’m a bit of a sucker for books that straddle the thin line between reality and madness, and when it also involves some ghostly activity I am sold!

I’m happy to say that the book delivered on all its promises and more. It starts off innocently enough. Daniel, an Irish expat now living in the US is walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail in Northern Spain to find a place to spread the ashes of his wife Petra, who died of cancer the previous year. They had wanted to make this trip together, so he thinks it will be a fitting journey to honour Petra, reflect on their marriage and come to terms with his loss before he has to go back to Ireland to take over the family farm. On a lonely mountain pass, Daniel meets another pilgrim, a mysterious young woman called Ginny, who asks if she can walk part of the trail with him. A hiker has recently disappeared on the trail, and young single females have been warned of the dangers of walking alone, so the request is not unreasonable. It is common on the Camino to make acquaintances and join in with others for part of the journey, then lose sight of them only to meet up again later. So even though neither Daniel nor Ginny don’t seem particularly eager for company, they end up teaming up for some stretches of The Way.

At this point you may think that the story sounds very much like the famous movie THE WAY with Martin Sheen, but be assured that this is where the similarity ends. Because very soon after their first meeting, Daniel and Ginny have a horrific encounter with a frightful creature that lurks in a deserted cornfield in the dark. Daniel is sure they are being followed. But by whom? Person or ghost? Or the demons that haunt him after Petra’s death?

This was such a great read! Having walked some of the Camino, I could vividly picture the scenery and relate to the hardships of the long lonely hikes, but also the sometimes mystical atmosphere of this ancient countryside. Many of Daniel’s experiences (luckily not the scary ones) reflected my own feelings on the trail, and I thought how rare it is to find a book that so honestly describes the joys and woes of hiking, right down to the blisters and the reality of sharing a hostel room with fifty other smelly travellers. The author has totally nailed this setting, and even if you have never set foot on Spanish soil or hiked a mile in your life, you will soon be swept away on this great adventure.

I loved the way the novel soon turns dark and more sinister, and unexplained things start happening. With Daniel grieving and in a state of emotional unrest, I was never sure if the air of danger and menace was purely in his imagination, or if there was indeed something evil afoot. The ancient, spiritual path combined with this ever- present aura of evil made for some tense reading, and I could not tear myself away! There were parts of the book were I felt trapped in a nightmare, my own mind unravelling just like Daniel’s. It was all so brilliantly done. One minute there was the bright side of the journey, the sunshine, the beautiful landscape, the quiet reflection and the social aspect of connecting with other pilgrims. And then there was the dark side, the eerie sightings, the sense of danger and menace, the personal demons that come out in the dark and the quiet to torment the unaware traveller. Yes, the trail does have that effect, that soporific meditative monotony of walking that can clear the stage for all the suppressed emotions to bubble to the surface. I loved it, and it was obvious that the author had walked the walk in order to talk the talk.

Summary:

PETRA’S GHOST is an original, authentic and heartfelt book that both tugged on my heartstrings and threw everything into disarray I had considered reality. It is dark and scary at times, and the mystery at the heart of it had me eagerly turning the pages. This is one book I could not put down! It’s not easy to find books that feature hiking as the backdrop to a mystery (combining two of my favourite things), especially where the author manages to paint so realistic a picture, so I am thrilled to have come across this one. Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a compelling mystery with a ghostly element that will mess with your mind but also tug at your heartstrings. I loved it and hope to read more from this author in future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: THE SUSPECT by Fiona Barton

Title: The Suspect

Author: Fiona Barton
Publisher: Random House UK, Transworld Publishers
Read: January 2019

Expected publication: 24 January 2019

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Book Description:

When two eighteen-year-old girls go missing on their gap year in Thailand, their families are thrust into the international spotlight: desperate, bereft and frantic with worry.

Journalist Kate Waters always does everything she can to be first to the story, first with the exclusive, first to discover the truth – and this time is no exception. But she can’t help but think of her own son, who she hasn’t seen in two years since he left home to go traveling. This time it’s personal.

And as the case of the missing girls unfolds, they will all find that even this far away, danger can lie closer to home than you might think . . .

My musings:

The Suspect was my first book by Fiona Barton, and I’m hooked! I really enjoyed the story, the characters and the way the author managed to engage not only my interest, but also my emotional connection to events playing out on the pages.

The Suspect tackles one of a parent’s worst nightmares: for two families, it means the death of their teenage daughters in tragic circumstances whilst on an overseas trip to Thailand. For another, it means facing up to the fact that their son could be linked to the girls’ final moments. How well do we really know our children? This is a theme that dominates this latest offering by Barton, who doesn’t shy away from addressing some dark and scary premises that made me shudder! Like Alex and Rosie, I packed my bags and went travelling in my gap year between school and university, hitchhiking with barely a thought to any potential dangers out there. It wasn’t until my own children embarked on their own independent travel that I visualised all the disasters that could befall them, from minor catastrophes like lost luggage to missed planes, illness or accidents in faraway lands.  The helpless feeling of not being able to protect your children is beautifully portrayed here, in the tragic aftermath of the two girls’ deaths, when their parents have to travel to Thailand to claim their daughters’ bodies, looking for answers how they died – all of which was not easy reading.

Barton uses several POVs to tell the story, which worked very well for me here. One (heartbreaking) aspect is told through the eyes of Lesley, Alex’s mother, who has just found out that her daughter has died in a fire in a Bangkok hostel. We also hear from Kate, a journalist covering  the story, and DI Sparkes, the detective sent to investigate. One thread, which starts when the girls first set off for Thailand, tells of the events leading up to the girls’ deaths, containing some of Alex’s reflections and emails to her best friend. I found the dynamics between Alex and Rosie particularly interesting, as they reflected some of my own experiences of backpacking in my youth, when you first discover that your travel companion may not be as compatible as you originally thought. I will not go any further into the story for fear of giving something away, other than to say that journalist Kate soon finds herself drawn into the story in a very personal manner that will also push a lot of buttons for parent readers.

Barton vividly evokes not only the atmosphere of the Bangkok hotel the girls find themselves stranded in, but also of the nightmare of parents trying to find answers to their questions in a foreign country and a culture very different to their own. I found all her characters authentic and believable, and particularly enjoyed Kate, who I discovered has featured in two previous novels (which I will certainly read now). Whilst some aspects of the mystery did not come as a total surprise, the final reveal still packed some punch and gave a lot of food for thought. I read this book as a group read with the Traveling Friends group and found that it made for a great discussion and further enhanced my reading experience. Even though this is part 3 of a series featuring Kate Waters and DI Sparkes, it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. Highly recommended to lovers of mysteries, and those looking for a new book club read that will raise some great talking points.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

Book Review: I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

Title: I Remember You

Author: Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Read: December 2018

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 all the stars!

Book Description:

In this terrifying tale, three friends set to work renovating a rundown house in a remote, totally isolated location. But they soon realize they are not as alone as they thought. Something wants them to leave. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, a young doctor investigating the suicide of an elderly woman discovers that she was obsessed with his vanished son. When the two stories collide, the shocking truth becomes horribly clear.

In the vein of Stephen King and John Ajvide Lindqvist, this horrifying thriller, partly based on a true story, is the scariest novel yet from Yrsa Sigurdardóttir, who has captivated the attention of readers around the world with her mystery series featuring attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir. Now, Yrsa will stun readers once again with this out-of-this-world ghost story that will leave you shivering.

My musings:

Let me just start this review by warning you that I still have goosebumps whilst sitting here writing this, with all the lights in my house blazing and the knowledge that I will be terrified of venturing out in the dark for some time to come! I Remember You was by far the creepiest book I have read all year, and the choice to listen to this on audio on my commute to and from night shift was both a blessing and a curse: a blessing, because it kept me terrified and awake even after a looong busy shift, and a curse because I was terrified of getting out of my car in the dark!

Let’s start with the setting, which was simply perfect. A creepy old house in a remote spot on the Icelandic coast which can only be reached by boat. No phone reception. No electricity. Not another living soul in sight. Would YOU go there in winter to work on a house you have never even laid eyes on? After reading this book, the answer will be a definite: “No way!” However, our three main characters Garðar, Katrín and Líf (plus their little dog) think it is a great idea to spend a week away from the rat-race of their busy jobs in Reykjavik to restore the cottage they hope will bring them some money as a holiday rental come summer, when the remote village of Hesteyri will be brimming with tourists. Perhaps the first inkling they get of the foolhardiness of their plan is when the skipper of the boat they chartered to get them there warns them of the fate of the house’s previous owner, who disappeared without a trace before he could complete renovations himself. Or perhaps at the very moment he hands them the key to another house in the village, just in case they need a safe shelter. Or was it when he tells them that there is no phone signal, and no electricity, so they will need to keep their phones charged in case they have to call for help from a nearby mountain? Perhaps they should have heeded the warnings, because some of the group may not make it out alive ...

I have only just discovered Yrsa Sigurdardottir this year, and I am already addicted to her writing. Rarely has an author been able to evoke such a perfect setting and an atmosphere of suspense as Sigurdardottir  has created here. Iceland, with its remoteness, its inclement weather and long winter nights really provides the perfect setting for a spooky thriller with some supernatural themes that made this an outstanding creepy read for me.

The story plays out in two separate POV’s: one exploring the fate of the three friends in Hesteyri, the other from the POV of Freyr, a psychologist helping the police with the investigation into the strange suicide of a woman in a local church. A woman who seems to have information regarding the mysterious unsolved disappearance of Freyr’s little son three years earlier. Sigurdardottir  manages to cram a lot into this spooky read, from the mystery surrounding the women’s death, to the case of little Benni’s disappearance, to the fate of the three friends in Heseyri – and more! 

Summary:

I just adored everything about this book, the supernatural element adding just the right amount of goosebumps to a clever, multi-faceted mystery. These type of books are as rare as hen’s teeth, which is why I Remember You is one of my most exciting discoveries of 2018. Very highly recommended to lovers of the genre and all readers looking for a creepy, atmospheric read by a master of suspense.

Book Review: THE ITALIAN PARTY by Christina Lynch

Title: The Italian Party

Author: Christina Lynch
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Read: March 2018

Expected publication: 20 March 2018

My Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

“American tourists come here and they see only the happy, beautiful Italy they want to see, and that the Italians want them to see. The party. They don’t see the scars. The ongoing struggles. Why would they? They don’t see them at home, either.”

Book Description:

A delicious and sharply funny page-turner about "innocent" Americans abroad in 1950s Siena, Italy. Newly married, Scottie and Michael are seduced by Tuscany's famous beauty. But the secrets they are keeping from each other force them beneath the splendid surface to a more complex view of ltaly, America and each other.

When Scottie's Italian teacher--a teenager with secrets of his own--disappears, her search for him leads her to discover other, darker truths about herself, her husband and her country. Michael's dedication to saving the world from communism crumbles as he begins to see that he is a pawn in a much different game. Driven apart by lies, Michael and Scottie must find their way through a maze of history, memory, hate and love to a new kind of complicated truth.

Half glamorous fun, half an examination of America's role in the world, and filled with sun-dappled pasta lunches, prosecco, charming spies and horse racing, The Italian Party is a smart pleasure.

My musings:

I am finding it hard to put into words how much I loved this book! It is one of those rare gems that you accidentally stumble across and which ends up being your favourite book of the year. It has a bit of everything: deception, lies, a mystery (of sorts), humour, adventure, history, romance, and unforgettable, heart-warming characters that will stay with you long after the last page has been turned. Feel-good, charming and utterly captivating are just a few terms that instantly come to mind.

The book starts with newlyweds Scottie and Michael Messina arriving in Siena fresh off the boat from America and getting into a bit of a pickle as soon as they drive their Ford Fairlane into town. The way they react to the situation will set the tone for their actions for the rest of the story: Scottie laughs and waves to the people who stare at them from doorways, whilst Michael is angry of having embarrassed himself. Although husband and wife, the couple are virtual strangers, each carrying secrets which have the potential to destroy their marriage in a heartbeat. How will they be able to make a life for themselves here, without coming unstuck?

I simply adored Scottie. Her youthful, innocent and positive approach to every situation and everyone she encountered on her journey was faintly reminiscent of my own twenty year old self setting off full of excitement and optimism to the other side of the world to start a new life in a new land. Scottie drove this story for me. It is impossible not to be touched by her zest and joy for life, the way she embraces Italy, its culture and its people. Life would be simple if everyone had her can-do attitude and joyful nature. As soon as they arrive, Scottie is happy to embrace everything about their new home and immerse herself in the Italian culture and language.  Unlike Michael, whose parents are emigrants from Sicily and who is able to speak Italian, but clings desperately to his American roots and customs, forcing Scottie to serve up American meals every night even though the Italian cuisine described in this book sounds to die for (don’t read this whilst you’re hungry!).

“She laughed a little, surprised. “Do you really see me as one of those corporate wives who lives in an English-only bubble and looks down on the ‘natives’? Bridge, shopping, tea, art history lectures, a barbecue on the Fourth of July and a turkey at Thanksgiving to keep the American spirit alive?”“Yes”, he said, looking confused. “What’s wrong with that?”“Nothing”, she said. Everything, she thought.

But then, Michael has not been completely truthful about his mission here, and has an altogether different agenda than just selling Ford tractors. He is sure that Scottie doesn’t suspect anything, which is another reason he feels so lucky to have married her:

“And the best part was, she wasn’t that smart. Because that’s what Michael wanted. What he needed. Someone who wasn’t too curious. Someone who would mistake his version of things for the truth.”

With her rich and atmospheric descriptions of Tuscany and the Sienese people, the author brings Italy to life for the reader. I wasn’t surprised to learn that she lived in Tuscany for four years, because her love for Italy, its people and its culture shines through every page and each one of the unforgettable characters she has created. This is armchair travel of the best kind, and one journey you don’t want to end. If you like books where a setting is so rich it is almost another character, then this is a must-read. I was sad when the book ended, and almost feel like I have a holiday hangover at the moment! Set in the 1950’s, during the period of the cold war, the historical background was interesting and lent additional depth to the book that will appeal to lovers of historical fiction but was introduced in a way that never bogged the story down.

Most of all, this book was such an all-around pleasure to read! If I had expected a light-hearted escapist travel story, I was in for a real treat, because it turned out to be so much more than that. There is a deeper message in Scottie and Michael’s story, which gives hope that love can prevail even in adversity. May I also briefly mention Ecco the dog, who added such humour to the story for me. We have a scruffy terrier just like him (even with Italian parentage) and some of the mannerisms and character were just so much like our dog it made me laugh out loud. 

Summary:

The Italian Party is a charming, delightful story of two young people who are trying to find their way in the world whilst staying true to themselves. The atmospheric Italian setting, the historical background and richly drawn characters make this a journey you will not want to end. It will easily make it on my all-time favourites list, to be revisited as a comfort read in the future. If you need a holiday, but don’t have the money or the time, do yourself a favour and pick up this wonderful read. I can’t wait to read more from this author! 

Thank you to Netgalley and St, Martin's Press for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.