Climbing Mount To Be Read with Kat 2012

[Lilywhite]

Meridon

Philippa Gregory

 

Meridon, a desolate Romany girl, is determined to escape the hard poverty of her childhood. Riding bareback in a travelling show, while her sister Dandy risks her life on the trapeze, Meridon dedicates herself to freeing them both from danger and want.

 

But Dandy, beautiful, impatient, thieving Dandy, grabs too much, too quickly. And Meridon finds herself alone, riding in bitter grief through the rich Sussex farmlands towards a house called Wideacre – which awaits the return of the last of the Laceys.

 

Started: 25/08/12

Finished: 09/09/2012

Rated: 3/5

Comments: Whilst this was not the best of the three books, I was still caught up in the story right from the start. As it was not wholly based at Wideacre Hall it almost felt like a different story altogether, however, there were always the familiar threads running though it and old characters popping up to keep it together. The book was almost in two halves with the adventures of Meridon and her travelling childhood, her work with the travelling circus and her ever present desire to find the home of "Wide" which she had never known. Then almost quite suddenly, Meridon becomes Sarah after stumbling across her beloved "Wide" (a little too conveniently for my liking, but it's something minor that I was happy to overlook almost immediately) and we are thrust back into the life of the "Quality" that we have known from the previous two installments. The thing I liked about all these books is that I've always got a soft spot for a ballsy woman who isn't afraid to speak up for herself and not be trodden on, (Can't think why ) and these books are fit to burst with them. Each generation a little more self assured and foreward than the last and above all, willing to fight for what is theirs! Any fans of Philippa Gregory will love these books anyway but if you haven't given her a go yet, I would recommend them immensely.

[Lilywhite]

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Rachel Joyce

 

When Harold Fry leaves home one morning to post a letter, with his wife hoovering upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other.

He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof or mobile phone.

All he knows is that he must keep walking.

To save someone else's life.

 

Started: 10/09/12

Finished: 14/09/12

Rated: 4/5

Comments: This is not a complicated book. It is not full of complex characters and plot twists, nor does it lead us on a fantastical journey. It is a simple story of a man making a journey, both physically and metaphorically. The story covers only 87 days in the life of Harold Fry who, after hearing of a terminally ill friend, decides to walk from his home at the very bottom of England, to be by her side in the very northernmost town of Northumberland. Along the way, he meets people from all walks of life and makes some very important discoveries about himself and the people he loves. Whilst it sometimes felt a bit slow going, it truly was a joy to read this book and when I turned that final page, I did so with a smile in my heart (and perhaps a tear in my eye )

[Lilywhite]

No One Left to Tell

Karen Rose

 

The thirteenth fantastic thriller from Sunday Times bestseller Karen Rose. It may be unlucky for some...Will anyone live to tell the tale?If one more woman should accidentally fall, there'll be no more women and... Ramon Muñoz has spent five years in prison, convicted of a murder his family is convinced he did not commit. Unable to get the courts to take them seriously, they turn to private investigator Paige Holden for help. Paige cannot resist the family's pleas. But when Ramon's wife, having just handed her the evidence that will help prove his innocence, is brutally executed in front of her eyes, Paige is thrown headlong into a case which will place her life into jeopardy. As Paige risks everything to prove Ramon was set up, she comes to realise that there is more at stake if Ramon is freed than she could have ever guessed. Can Paige stay alive long enough to unmask an unstoppable killer who will not rest until there's no one left to tell?

 

Started: 12/09/12

Finished: 03/10/12

Rated: 3/5

Comments: Although she follows the exact same formula for all her books, I still enjoy a Karen Rose read. She knows how to twist a plot and keep the reader on their toes. Having read all of her previous books, I enjoyed her subtle nods to past events and characters which, by no means, would alienate anyone who hadn't read them. Some find her stories too graphic, but I have read far worse and although she sticks to the same character formula, her crimes and perpetrators are constantly changing. I always look forward to her next intstallments and will no doubt, pick it up without hesitation.

[Lilywhite]

Split Second

Cath Staincliffe

 

A split second is all it takes to make a decision - but what if it is the wrong one? A winter's evening and a trio of unruly youths board a bus and gang up on teenager Luke Murray, hurling abuse and threatening to kill him. The bus is full but no one intervenes until Jason Barnes, a young student, challenges the youths with devastating consequences.Split Second tackles questions of bravery, fear and kindness and explores the real human impact of violent crime.

 

Started: 22/09/12

Finished: 23/09.12

Rated: 4/5

Comments: This book was straight forward, with no frills or plot twists. You are thrown straight into the middle of a frightening, nightmare scenario and all the way through, you find yourself asking what you would do? We are told the story of an incident on a bus with a group of youths. What starts out as being verbal abuse, quickly escalates until someone intervenes. From here we are taken on a roller-coaster of emotions, from a variety of different points of view. We have the witness on the bus who is constantly asking herself "what if". Could she have changed the outcome if she had been braver? Then we have the families of the victims, their grief and confusion over what happened and the journeys they each take, separately and together. Then we have the police and their investigation. Will they find the people involved and will they get justice? This book is not an easy read and at times made me feel quite uncomfortable, as if I was there watching the scenes unfold; but I guess that is the mark of a good book. This story will definitely stay with me for some time and for that I have rated it highly.

[Lilywhite]

Everything and Nothing

Araminta Hall

 

There’s no such thing as a safe house…

As children, we are told not to talk to strangers.

But as adults we welcome them into our homes.

So how do we know exactly who to trust?

On the surface, Ruth and Christian seem like an ordinary working couple with two kids – and a home in chaos. As the cracks in their marriage widen, they decide to get their very own super-nanny, Aggie. Quietly efficient, she brings calm and order, and the children adore her.

But why is Aggie so eager to gain their trust? Is there something sinister about her efforts to create the perfect family? And what is she really doing in their home?

Everything and Nothing builds to a mesmerising climax in a story that is, at its heart, about thwarted and damaged love

 

Started: 01/10/12

Finished:06/10/12

Rated: 4/5

Comments: Although this is a slow building story I really couldn't put it down. Everything seems quite normal at the start but as you keep reading, you realise that there is just something not quite right about Aggie. The way the book is written, your sympathies lie with Aggie at the start and you can see exactly where she is coming from regarding Ruth and Christian; always too busy to look after their children or clean the house. Slowly though, your opinions shift, and you are suddenly seeing things from another point of view. As things culminate on the youngest boys birthday, events take a very sinister turn which will leave you asking, just who can you trust?

[Lilywhite]

Lady Notorious

Jo Beverley

 

Experience the danger and decadence of aristocratic Georgian England. Desperate to help her widowed sister and baby escape a deadly pursuer, Lady Chastity Ware dresses as a highwayman and captures the first coach to travel down the road. Coming face-to-face with its occupant, the arrogant aristocratic Cyn Malloren, she orders him to drive her to a remote cottage. Little does Chastity realize that after long months of recovering from his war wounds, the handsome Cyn is looking for adventure, and being abducted by a brash, young highwayman obviously a lovely woman in disguise is even more than he had hoped for. Willingly, he is drawn into her devilishly reckless plan... and helplessly he is seduced by her wonderful wicked ways...

 

Started: 11/10/12

Finished: 21/10/12

Rated: 1/5

Comments: It's very rare that I really dislike a book but this one is one of those rare occasions. I had no interest in the characters whatsoever and unfortunately, the opportunity to explore "aristocratic Georgian England" is completely lost by the ridiculous (and at times, pathetic) flirting of the main characters. This was a random choice for me as it was my third pick in a 3 for 2 offer, so I went outside of my comfort zone and picked something a little different. This time, it has let me down and a small part of me is a little narked because I could have spent the last 10 days reading something I enjoy. But hey, you live and you learn.

[Lilywhite]

The Sealed Letter

Emma Donoghue

 

Helen Codrington is unhappily married. Emily ‘Fido’ Faithfull hasn’t seen her once-dear friend for years. Suddenly, after bumping into Helen on the streets of Victorian London, Fido finds herself reluctantly helping Helen to have an affair with a young army officer. The women’s friendship quickly unravels amid courtroom accusations of adultery, counter-accusations of cruelty and attempted rape, and the appearance of a mysterious ‘sealed letter’ that could destroy more than one life . . . Based on a real-life scandal that gripped England in 1864, The Sealed Letter is a delicious tale of secrets, betrayal, and forbidden love.

 

Started: 01/11/12

Finished: 02/12/12

Rated: 3/5

Comments: This was a different kind of book to her first one (Room) as it was historical not modern fiction. The story is a fictional telling of a real life event from 1864 where a navy Admiral attempts to divorce his wife in a time were divorce was practically unheard of. We are given the story from the viewpoints of the three main characters and are witness to the whole sordid story unfolding in the courtroom. The legal processes leave a lot to be desired, as it was more of a soap opera than a process of law and we are also given a major insight into the social make up of 1800's England. I was particularly interested in reading about the women's progression and the attitudes of those of the time and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

[~Andrea~]

Great review of Everything and Nothing, Kat. It sounds great!

[Lilywhite]

Thanks Andrea. It's a really well written book and very easy to get sucked into.

[Lilywhite]

Matchless (A Christmas Story)

Gregory Maguire

 

When the story was first translated from Danish and published in England in the mid-nineteenth century, the Little Match Girl's dying visions of lights and a grandmother in heaven were often interpreted as metaphors of religious salvation. In "Matchless", Maguire adds a different dimension to the story, intertwining the match girl's tale with that of a young boy, Frederik, whose own yearnings are the catalyst for a better future for himself and his family. Maguire uses his storytelling magic to rekindle Andersen's original intentions, and to suggest transcendence, the permanence of spirit, and the continuity that links the living and the dead.

 

Started: 02/12/12

Finished: 02/12/12

Rated: 5/5

Comments: This is such a lovely little story and whilst it is tinged with the sadness of the little matchstick girl's story, Gregory has brought a new lift to the tale by introducing us to Frederik. I don't always condone authors taking other peoples work and rewriting it, but time and time again, Gregory has brought to life an entirely different tale from the ashes of the old one.

[Lilywhite]

Harvesting the Heart

Jodi Picoult

 

Paige has only a few vivid memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was five. Now, having left home and her father for dreams of art school and marriage to an ambitious young doctor, Paige finds herself with a child of her own.

 

Emotionally and physically exhausted, overwhelmed by the demands of her family, Paige cannot forget her mother's absence or the shameful memories from her own past. Her next step would have been unthinkable before her doubts about her maternal ability crept into her mind. Is it possible Paige's baby would be better off without her?

 

Started: 09/12/12

Finished: 31/12/12

Rated: 4/5

Comments: Although it took me the best part of a month to read this book, I actually did it in 7 or 8 sittings as once I started reading it, I had to force myself to stop again. It's another typically Picoult story that has you torn in several directions and questioning your initial thoughts and feelings. I found myself feeling immensely sorry for Paige, right up until she started to consider leaving, however, after reading the story through, Picoult opened my eyes to her side of the story. I couldn't help but feel her husband was a pompous ass, and was not surprised in the least at his cavalier attitude to motherhood. I was pleased that he was taught the valuable lesson on parenting that he deserved.