Athena Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I hadn't heard of The Snow Rose but I've got a couple of other books by Lulu Taylor on my TBR. Nice to see a nice review for one of her books. I don't really know much about her nor have I heard any reviews of her books, I just came across a couple of her books a couple of years ago and bought them. Have you read anything else by her, or was The Snow Rose your first book by the author? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 I read The Winter Folly a few years ago, it was Ok but I wasn't that impressed by it, I thought the Snow Rose was much better, and quite different, although there a few similarities - big house, family secrets etc. Which ones do you have? I've also got the Winter Children but haven't read it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I've got Heiresses, Beautiful Creatures, Midnight Girls and Outrageous Fortune. I think they are her earlier works? I quite like the covers of her four newer works, very wintery. I shall put The Snow Rose on my recommendations list . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Yes the covers are lovely aren't they. I haven't got those others you mention, I think they might be a bit more "romantically" themed and as you say earlier books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 Went on a bit of a spree at the weekend: Tricky 22 by Janet Evanovich I found You by Lisa Jewell The Velvet Fountain by Victoria Fox 3 books by Marsali Taylor, crime stories set on Shetland (will check the titles) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 I haven't read I Found You by Lisa Jewell but I read 31 Dream Street and The Truth About Melody Browne and I enjoyed both of those. I hope you like all your new books ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share Posted March 14, 2017 I've read a couple of her older books and really enjoyed them, glad you liked the ones you've read (haven't read those, think I have Dream Street somewhere!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 Just collected All the little Liars by Charlaine Harris, and A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 (edited) Last night I finished "Some Veil Did Fall" by Kirsty Ferry, a dual time frame novel set in Whitby, alternating between the present day and the 1860s. Becky is a journalist and is covering one of the regular Goth Weekends held in Whitby, and whilst there she bumps into (literally) a young man who is the brother of her best friend; they go for a coffee together and she finds he's now working as a photographer in the town. He invites her back to his studio for a look around and she can't resist trying on a gorgeous Victorian dress, but whilst she's wearing it and he's taking a couple of photos of her, she starts to feel she isn't alone. Then she discovers some antiques which he uses for props, and when she returns to her hotel, a former large house, she keeps getting that same feeling again. She starts to find out who originally owned the antiques, and as she does so we start to get the story of what happened 150 years ago, as a historical love triangle mirrors Becky's own situation, for as things start to develop nicely with Jonathan, her former boyfriend Seb turns up, and he won't accept that their relationship is over. I enjoyed this, it's a bit predictable but I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the historical story became more engrossing as it went on. Seb was, as usual in these books, a pretty bog standard villain, but there were a few twists, and I found Jonathan and Becky likeable, as well as their pre-decessors back in the 1860s. Apart from a few Americanisms which jarred (funny as we've been discussing this on another thread), I liked it and would recommend it to anyone who likes a dual time frame novel. I've added this to my English Counties challenge for North Yorkshire, as it's set in Whitby and around the surrounding moors. 8/10 Edited March 16, 2017 by Madeleine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 I've just got "The Waters of Eternal Youth" by Donna Leon, and also indulged in the 30th anniversary edition of Barbara Erskine's "Lady of Hay". Shouldn't have I know but hey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share Posted March 21, 2017 I recently finished "The Trysting Tree" by Linda Gillard, another beautifully written story, this time set in Somerset, and centring around Ann and her mother Phoebe, and a young man, Connor, who with the help of the women sets about finding out the truth about his family. Ann, who is coming to terms with the break-up of her marriage, moves in with Phoebe who, following successful treatment for cancer, is becoming rather frail and not very good at looking after herself. So Ann takes charge, and finally persuades Phoebe to sell her house, in the grounds of a country estate, and move somewhere more practical for hr. During a storm, an ancient beech tree is felled, and a box of strange letters, written on old seed packets, is found concealed in it's trunk. Meanwhile, Connor turns up, ostensibly to view the house, but he eventually admits that he has a personal interest, for his great-grandmother, Ivy, used to live there - she died recently, but a large contributor to her death was the fire which she accidentally started whilst burning all the family records, letters, photos etc - what was she trying to hide? So we get a voyage of discovery, as Connor tries to find out about his family, and Ann tries to find out why her father really left when she was 5, and why he's never attempted to contact her. This was very enjoyable, with a nice, dry sense of humour, and the admittedly predictable romance between Ann and Connor is well-handled. 8/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 I've just got "The Venetian Game" by Philip Gwynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 Bought yesterday: The house on Sunset Lake by Tasmina Perry Ordeal by fire by Sarah Hawkswood A Date with Death by Julia Chapman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 27, 2017 Author Share Posted March 27, 2017 Last night I ditched The Book Thief, sorry but I'd struggled through 240 pages and couldn't face another 300! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) The Body on the Beach by A J Mackenzie - first in a new historical crime series set in late 18th century Kent - when a young man collapses on his doorstep with a fatal gunshot wound, Reverend Hardcastle feels compelled to find out what happened to the stranger, or to at least find out who he was. His death seems to be linked to the local smuggling gangs - everyone knows that low level smuggling goes on, and most, including himself, turn a blind eye, but this seems to be something bigger than a few bottles of illicit brandy or port (to which our hero is very partial!). With the help of young widow Amelia Chaytor, who's recently moved to the village, he starts to find out what exactly is going on in his parish, especially when yet another body turns up, this time in the churchyard, and just how many people are involved in the smuggling chain, including, it would seem, some of the higher standing members of the community. I enjoyed this, the Reverend and Amelia are likeable characters and there were lots of twists and turns, with some great atmosphere and also a nice sense of humour, and a supporting role for a young artist called Turner.... A promising start to a new series. 8/10 Edited April 3, 2017 by Madeleine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) Last night I ditched The Book Thief, sorry but I'd struggled through 240 pages and couldn't face another 300! Wow - that's a shame. I loved The Book Thief! Did you find it boring, or just not your kind of book? Edited March 30, 2017 by bobblybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) Last night I ditched The Book Thief, sorry but I'd struggled through 240 pages and couldn't face another 300! Can't remember precisely why, but that was pretty much my reaction - but I don't think I lasted more than 80 pages or so. Certainly not enough for it to count as a proper attempt (I need myself to reach a quarter of the way through to do that). Edited March 31, 2017 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 I got nearly halfway through before I gave up - I found it boring and too whimsical for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More reading time required Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Wow - that's a shame. I loved The Book Thief! Did you find it boring, or just not your kind of book? Yeah, I thought it was brilliant too. Its funny how wildly different our tastes in books can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 I think it's what you call a Marmite book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 7, 2017 Author Share Posted April 7, 2017 Yesterday I bought: Sleeper's Castle (at last!) - Barbara Erskine Well of the Winds - Denzil Meyrick A siege of Bitterns - Steve Burrows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 7, 2017 Author Share Posted April 7, 2017 I recently finished "To Catch a Rabbit" by Helen Cadbury, the first in a new crime series set in Doncaster (and a bit in York) and seen from the point of view of a Community Police Officer, Sean Denton, new to the job and finding that that the full police don't seem to like PCSOs (as they're called in the UK) very much. However he does befriend a couple of other PCSOs and civilian colleague, as well as Lizzie, a forensics investigator. His first case involves the death of a young woman, found in a caravan on farmland after an overdose, and initially she is catalogued as an accidental overdose. But Sean has his suspicions, and gradually a sad, sordid case of human trafficking, drugs and general exploitation is uncovered. I found it, not surprisingly, rather depressing, and these themes, although sadly topical, are becoming a bit over-used I think, but it's quite well-written and Sean is likeable, and some of his colleague are doing their best to try to help people, including another main character, Karen, who works for a Human Trafficking organisation, and who gets involved when her brother goes missing. A promising start to a new series, but I hope next time the author tackles a different subject matter. 7.5/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 I've just bought: The Plague Charmer by Karen Maitland Pushing up Daisies by M C Beaton Rat Stone Serenade by Denzil Meyrick and last night I finished "The House of Eyes" by Kate Ellis, the latest in the Wesley Peterson detective series which was enjoyable but a little bit dry, very readable but not the most engrossing of the series, perhaps because the detective's wife has a health scare which gives the book a subdued feel to it. There's some nice description of the old castle, now a luxury spa hotel, which features prominently as the murder scene, with links to a hideous painting from Sicily, and stories of the family who originally owned the castle. 7.5/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeleine Posted April 14, 2017 Author Share Posted April 14, 2017 Finally managed to get the final book in Charlaine Harris's "Midnight Texas" trilogy, "Night Shift". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 29 minutes ago, Madeleine said: Finally managed to get the final book in Charlaine Harris's "Midnight Texas" trilogy, "Night Shift". Is that a new series of Harris' Madeleine? How were the first two books in the series? I haven't read any Harris since I finished the big True Blood series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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