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Diane's Reading List - 2017


Inver

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I *always* check the typeface size now after being burnt too often in the past! :lol:  Even with reading glasses I can't cope when it's too small ... just makes me feel even older ;)

 

Having ordered it Claire I had no idea of the font size before hand....have to wear my most recent prescription specs for this one... :giggle2:

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'6 Ranier Drive' by Debbie Macomber

 

I wanted an easy read so this fitted the bill. One of the Cedar Cove series, #6. I think I have read another of this series so I remembered some of the characters. Good to have a who is who at the beginning of the book as I kept forgetting the relationships to the characters. It was an OK read based on who set fire to 'The Lighthouse' restaurant and interlinked with other storylines. Enjoyable enough but given there are a lot more in the series I won't go out of my way to read all the rest, even if there are a few storylines that will continue. If I come across another by accident, then so be it. I didn't dislike the book as I do enjoy Debbie Macomber reads.

 

3/5   (I can add this to the 'number' book in my reading challenge)

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Having ordered it Claire I had no idea of the font size before hand....have to wear my most recent prescription specs for this one... :giggle2:

Ah, what a pain! It's one of the things that puts me off using click and collect at Waterstone's, although I'm sure they would refund me, if I picked it up and found the typeface was too small, it's just a pain and a bit of a waste of time. I still prefer buying on impulse in bookshops. :)

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Oops...here I go again, not finishing one book before I start another, but I had to....you see I needed a thinner book to put in my bag to take in to town with me so I had something to read when I stopped for a coffee...!

 

'Life After You' by Lucie Brownlee

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'The Black House' by Peter May

 

This is a new author for me, but I bought my hubby this trilogy a few years ago and he enjoyed them and said worth a read. He was right I did enjoy it. It is a bit of a bleak read, but involves past and present chapters. I did wonder where it was all going at one point, but found it a page turner. Fin takes us on a journey through a difficult childhood, his friendships with Artair and Marsaili. Born on Lewis, he now returns as a Detective Inspector to investigate a murder, possibly related to one of similar description in Edinburgh. It can be a bit of a gloomy read but such is the setting for how the plot plays out. A well researched book about the tradition of going to 'An Ageir' for the birds....but what is the connection with the murder of 'Angel' Macritchie? Truths and secrets unfold in this gripping crime novel, but there is more to it, coming of age, first loves, friendships made and lost. I look forward to reading the other two 'The Lewis Man' and 'The Chess Men'.

 

4/5

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Glad you enjoyed it, Inver, it is bleak but I thought it was a bit different to the usual crime novels, and I loved the way in which the island was pretty much a character itself.  The next two books follow a similar structure, The Lewis Man focuses on Fin's teenage years, and The Chessmen (which is my personal favourite) goes onto his 20s, he's certainly had an eventful life!  Hope you like the other two books, I thought the Lewis Man was the weakest one but it still wasn't bad.

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'Life After You' by Lucie Brownlee

 

'Life after you'....the title says it all really. Lucie, the author, husband dies suddenly at 37. She is left with their young daughter. Family and friends are there for support. This is a very honest and heart breaking account of how she coped and came to terms with losing him. It takes us through all the emotions of grief and that there is no set time limit on how we deal with such a dramatic loss. She tells it like it is and often put questions in my mind as to how I would cope if put in this situation, which could happen to any one of us at any time. Not entirely a cheerful read but then again life isn't always like that. This is a 'real life' memoir.

 

3/5

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'The Black House' by Peter May

 

This is a new author for me, but I bought my hubby this trilogy a few years ago and he enjoyed them and said worth a read. He was right I did enjoy it. It is a bit of a bleak read, but involves past and present chapters. I did wonder where it was all going at one point, but found it a page turner. Fin takes us on a journey through a difficult childhood, his friendships with Artair and Marsaili. Born on Lewis, he now returns as a Detective Inspector to investigate a murder, possibly related to one of similar description in Edinburgh. It can be a bit of a gloomy read but such is the setting for how the plot plays out. A well researched book about the tradition of going to 'An Ageir' for the birds....but what is the connection with the murder of 'Angel' Macritchie? Truths and secrets unfold in this gripping crime novel, but there is more to it, coming of age, first loves, friendships made and lost. I look forward to reading the other two 'The Lewis Man' and 'The Chess Men'.

 

4/5

Great review! I read one of Peter May's books towards the end of last year - but not one of this trilogy. I was in two minds about that one at the time, but I did want to read more.

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'The Beachside Guest House' by Vanessa Greene

 

I've enjoyed all of Vanessa Greene's books and this was another easy enjoyable read. Bee and Rosa reminisce about a holiday they had with another friend Iona when they were teenagers, on the island of Paros. The two drifted apart from Iona, but want to try and rekindle the friendship. The 'windmill' comes up for sale and Rosa throws caution to the wind and decides to buy it...Bee eventually decides to join her when her upcoming wedding plans come to a halt. Iona is in a difficult relationship and is looking for a way out and eventually makes the escape to join her friends on Paros.

 

This takes us on the journey of rekindled friendships and making new ones. Setting up a guest house business and it's trials and tribulations. Friendships of close friends and decisions about each of there futures, whether it be together or apart, each finds their own path eventually.

 

3/5

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

'Reflection' by Diane Chamberlain

 

'Reflection'....a good title for this one. Rachel has returned to the town where a tragedy took place when she was teacher at the school and in a lot of folks eyes was blamed for what happened. She has returned to take care of her beloved grandmother, Helen, but she holds secrets of her own. Rachel's friend, Michael a Mennonite minister, becomes a big part of life once again. Helen, has the power to overturn a potential change in the community over the imminent destruction of a beloved part of the town, but she has always said she will never confess. Time for the past to catch up with her too.

 

Time for change and putting to rights, wrongs that have been done. Truths come out which have been hidden since the tragedy, which was a good twist I thought. The writing seemed a little different to books I've read from this author before, but still enjoyable.

 

3/5

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' Rough Music' by Patrick Gale

 

Enjoyable enough but had trouble keeping up with the past and present chapters and names at times. I didn't find there was really a plot as such, which kind of disappointed. A childhood summer holiday gone past and 'coming to terms with uncomfortable truths about parents and himself'. They are joined one summer by his Uncle and cousin and repercussions of what happened back then come to a head in the future chapters. Affairs happen within the family. Dementia is mentioned regarding his mother, which was a touch sad in places, but written with sensitivity.

 

3/5

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13 hours ago, Inver said:

' Rough Music' by Patrick Gale

 

Enjoyable enough but had trouble keeping up with the past and present chapters and names at times. I didn't find there was really a plot as such, which kind of disappointed. A childhood summer holiday gone past and 'coming to terms with uncomfortable truths about parents and himself'. They are joined one summer by his Uncle and cousin and repercussions of what happened back then come to a head in the future chapters. Affairs happen within the family. Dementia is mentioned regarding his mother, which was a touch sad in places, but written with sensitivity.

 

3/5

I remember giving his Notes from an Exhibition a resounding 1 star review!

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51 minutes ago, chaliepud said:

I remember giving his Notes from an Exhibition a resounding 1 star review!

Actually out of the 3 I have read that was the one I liked....:)

Edited by Inver
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