‘The Fear’ by C L Taylor #BookReview #FridayReads

Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com

Sometimes your first love won’t let you go…

When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he was the love of her life. But Mike wasn’t what he seemed and he left her life in pieces.

Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he’s caused.

But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it’s clear that she could once again become his prey…

The million copy Sunday Times bestseller returns with a gripping psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

This is the first of C L Taylor’s books that I have read so I wasn’t sure what to expect, although I had read a lot of good things about the book on Twitter.

The story is told from three points of view, Lou, Chloe and Wendy – this is a tricky thing to pull off, but the author does it seamlessly and each character has a distinct voice. The opening chapter works so well, really drawing you in. And straight away you’re invested in Lou, and her story. It was very easy to become very quickly engrossed.

Lou is understandably damaged, but her strength is obvious, even when she makes some pretty terrible decisions. Chloe is heart-breaking. All that teenage angst and isolation is so well portrayed here. And Wendy’s bitterness is well-drawn too, so authentic, and the little details about her garden and her beloved dog make her fully formed and believable.

There are some aspects of the plot where you do have to suspend reality, but the pace is so good and the story so compelling that it doesn’t really matter. And you want to get Mike as much as Lou does. My only gripe is that the ending seemed a little rushed, and perhaps a little too neat. But this is a great example of the genre – I’ll definitely be reading more books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy for review.

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‘The Break’ by Marian Keyes #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

 

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Amy’s husband Hugh has run away to ‘find himself’. But will he ever come back?‘Myself and Hugh . . . We’re taking a break.’
‘A city-with-fancy-food sort of break?’

If only.

Amy’s husband Hugh says he isn’t leaving her.

He still loves her, he’s just taking a break – from their marriage, their children and, most of all, from their life together. Six months to lose himself in South East Asia. And there is nothing Amy can say or do about it.

Yes, it’s a mid-life crisis, but let’s be clear: a break isn’t a break up – yet . . .

However, for Amy it’s enough to send her – along with her extended family of gossips, misfits and troublemakers – teetering over the edge.

For a lot can happen in six-months. When Hugh returns, if he returns, will he be the same man she married? Will Amy be the same woman?

Because if Hugh is on a break from their marriage, then so is she . . .

The Break is a story about the choices we make and how those choices help to make us. It is Marian Keyes at her funniest, wisest and brilliant best.

I’ve read a lot of books by this author but not for a few years. I’m not sure why – they just haven’t been on my radar for some reason. So I was really looking forward to reading this. I remember from previous books lots of funny, real women, with real lives and believable problems. And this does deliver – some of the time. But it just misses the mark for me.

I really like Amy, and really enjoyed the antics of her Irish family – something that Keyes always writes so well. I thought Amy was well-drawn and her reactions to Hugh’s bombshell were very realistic. I felt so angry with him, but as the narrative progressed, I began to feel a little bit of sympathy. And I think it’s a real strength of the book that Amy isn’t completely blameless.

There are some great characters here, and lots of really interesting and entertaining side plots. And Amy’s relationship with her daughters and niece, and their relationships with each other bring a real warmth to the story.

I see that the author has been criticised by some reviewers for the storyline around abortion. I thought this was really well done – sensitively handled and not at all preachy. Travelling to England for an abortion is the reality for many women in Ireland – it actually happens, and the consequences can be dreadful. Well done to the author for showing what this is like. Novels should highlight the social and political issues of the time and place in which they are set – and any story set in Dublin that has female characters of child-bearing age surely is the place to show what this can be like. There has always been an edge to Marian Keyes’ work that lifts it above other novels in the genre – and that is what she has done here.

So great characters, great storylines and lots of fun and drama, but it was just a bot too long. And I really didn’t like the epilogue. It was too much, and I think the book would have been stronger without it.

It is definitely worth a read though, and I do recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

‘Afterlife’ by Marcus Sakey #FridayReads #BookReview

 

Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com

Between life and death lies an epic war, a relentless manhunt through two worlds…and an unforgettable love story.

The last thing FBI agent Will Brody remembers is the explosion—a thousand shards of glass surfing a lethal shock wave.

He wakes without a scratch.

The building is in ruins. His team is gone. Outside, Chicago is dark. Cars lie abandoned. No planes cross the sky. He’s relieved to spot other people—until he sees they’re carrying machetes.

Welcome to the afterlife.

Claire McCoy stands over the body of Will Brody. As head of an FBI task force, she hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks. A terrorist has claimed eighteen lives and thrown the nation into panic.

Against this horror, something reckless and beautiful happened. She fell in love…with Will Brody.

But the line between life and death is narrower than any of us suspect—and all that matters to Will and Claire is getting back to each other.

From the author of the million-copy bestselling Brilliance Trilogy comes a mind-bending thriller that explores our most haunting and fundamental question: What if death is just the beginning?

This is such an interesting and unusual book. It begins the way many detective and crime thrillers begin and then it changes into something that seems to transcend genres. This is crime and fantasy and horror and romance all rolled into one.

At its heart is the relationship between Will and Claire, and how refreshing to have a strong, intelligent and realistic female lead. The reader is in their corner from the beginning, and when they lose each other, the grief and the sense of loss is beautifully and poignantly portrayed.

The writing is excellent, a joy to read. There is quite a lot of violence here, but, in my opinion, it isn’t gratuitous.  And the book is so clever and compelling. As someone with no belief in an afterlife, this is an interesting take.

My only criticism is that it felt overlong. But it’s an intelligent, different, imaginative and unusual book. Definitely recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

‘Living in Italy: The Real Deal – Hilarious Expat Adventures’ by Stef Smulders @italie_verhalen #tuesdaybookblog #RBRT #bookreview

I reviewed ‘Living in Italy: The Real Deal’ for Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team.

Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com

Would you dare to follow your dream and move or retire to Italy?

Stef & Nico did, although their dog Sara had her doubts. Now from your comfortable armchair you can share in the hilarious & horrendous adventures they experienced when they moved to Italy to start a bed and breakfast.

For lovers of amusing travelogue memoirs who like a good laugh. And for those interested in practical advice on how to buy a house in Italy there is useful information along the way, pleasantly presented within the short stories.

I have long harboured a dream to move to France, though Brexit may well scupper that. Italy or Portugal are next on the list, even though my own experience of driving in Italy was utterly terrifying (they literally have no rules – at least not any that anyone follows). So I was very interested to read the story of a couple relocating to Italy, especially as they bought a house that needed renovation and which has now been turned into a holiday rental (I am so tempted to book!).

Well, I now know that I will have to buy something that needs no work at all – I know I couldn’t bear the stress and upheaval that Stef and Nico went through. If you thought stories about unscrupulous tradesmen, a lackadaisical attitude to working times and deadlines, and a system where everything is done through a friend of a friend were exaggerated, then you should read this book. Everything you think and fear is true.

Stef and Nico come across as endlessly patient, hugely pragmatic and very nice indeed! The stories included here are so interesting and so funny at times. The portrayals of neighbours and friends, tradesman, agents and architects are delivered with a wry humour and a real eye for the little details that sum someone up in a few words or actions.

The only let down for me was that the translation isn’t great, which sometimes made things a bit hard-going. That isn’t really the fault of the author, but it does mean a lower rating than I would have given otherwise. If you can overlook that, and read it with an open-mind, then you’ll really enjoy it.

Three and a half out of five stars.

Editing and proofreading services – new prices #editing #proofreading #writingservices #selfpublishing

Special introductory offer – 20% off bookings made in April and May!

I have been running my editing business for several years now and have just finished my three-hundredth project! I’ve worked with some wonderful authors and writers and have felt extremely privileged to be part of their writing journey.

I have learnt an awful lot too about running a business and a lot about how much time and effort is involved in editing and proofreading and how much this can vary from manuscript to manuscript. I previously charged clients on a rate per thousand words. However, experience has shown me that this isn’t always fair on the client. The time involved can vary enormously and I have had manuscripts of 80,000 words that have taken three to four days to edit and others that have taken twice that.

I’ve decided that it is much fairer to charge an hourly rate. Of course, I’ll provide an estimate so that clients can have an idea of the total cost, and if it looks as though things are going to take a lot longer than expected, then I’ll let clients know as early in the process as possible.

My prices are based on the amount of experience I have, my qualifications (I have a first degree in English, a master’s degree in creative writing and a journalism qualification), and the amount of feedback and advice I provide. My rates are competitive, and I do provide a fast turnaround. I have excellent testimonials – you can read them here. Most of my business comes from word of mouth recommendations and authors who come back to me with subsequent books.

The services I offer are:

Proofreading – correction of spelling, grammar and any minor issues with sentence structure and plot inconsistencies.

Editing – a note on editing: as I work mainly with authors who are planning to self-publish, or who want to have their work edited prior to seeking representation, my editing service works in a slightly different way to the editing process that happens in traditional publishing, which would usually involve a developmental edit, followed by a line edit and then a proofread. Most writers are on a restricted budget and so would find it difficult to pay for all these different stages of editing. There is also always some overlap in these editing stages.
So, my editing service comprises of an edit for spelling, grammar, sentence structure, flow, characterisation, continuity, plot consistency and style. I use the track changes facility in Word and will provide you with two copies of the edit: Edit 1 shows all changes made so you can trace what I have done, Edit 2 is a clean copy with all changes accepted – this will show you how the manuscript will read if you accepted all the changes that I’ve made. Having both copies means that you can easily see the difference the changes will make, while still having the option to choose whether or not you want to make those changes. You can go through Edit 1 accepting or rejecting each change as you see fit. As well as the edits, I will write a detailed report focusing on plot, structure, characterisation, pace, setting and style, making suggestions for any changes.

*** If you book an edit followed by a proofread, then the cost of the proofread will be reduced by 10% ***

Beta Reading – general feedback on elements such as plot, characterisation, setting, story flow, continuity and any grammar/spelling issues. Please note that this is not a proofread and I will only give general advice on spelling and grammar, not a line-by-line edit. I do not fact check.

Help with introductory letters, synopses, evaluation of first chapters for submission, blurbs, evaluation of published work.

When you make a booking, I’ll give you an estimate of cost based on word count. I’ll then ask for a 50% payment based on this figure to secure the booking. When your edit/proofread is complete, I’ll invoice you for the remaining balance due.

If you already have an edit scheduled in with me then the agreed rate still stands.

I’m very excited to be developing my business and working with more fabulous authors and writers. I know it can be an expensive business and I believe that my rates offer excellent value for money.

Please contact me for current rates and special offers via the contact page, drop me an email at alisonewilliams@sky.com or call me on 07891065012.