Review: How to be Famous by Caitlin Moran

When this book originally came out I assumed it was non-fiction. Yes, I somehow missed the words 'a novel' in bright yellow font on the front. I also hadn't realised this book is the sequel to Caitlin Moran's earlier novel, How to Build a Girl, which I haven't read (something I'm about to remedy very soon!), but it does work as a standalone.

How to be Famous is about a girl called Jo who has reinvented herself as Dolly Wilde and now works as a journalist in London. This is the the 1990s and Britpop is at its height. She is in love with her childhood friend, but as he's now a huge star no one quite believes she knows him. She left home to get away from her family, but now her father's moved in - and expects her to take him to gigs. Her best friend is a singer/songwriter with writer's block, she's fallen into a nasty feud with a famous comedian, and has accidentally made a sex tape. What else could possibly go wrong?

I really enjoyed How to be Famous, which reminded me of Jilly Cooper's early blockbusters, Riders and Polo. I adore books about celebrities and I think it helped that I'm old enough to remember the 90s and got all the references - normally I have to check this stuff with my kids. The story is chock full of brilliant one-liners but also has pertinent things to say about fame and celebrities. It's a coming-of-age story, following Dolly's adventures, from where she feels she has landed in Wonderland to the painful lesson that the unwary can and will be exploited by those who have power. Does she have the strength to fight back? What do you think!

I loved the characters, particularly Dolly. Her breezy self-confidence reminded me of Margo from The Durrells. John, Dolly's rockstar boyfriend, is also very sweet. In short, How to be Famous is brilliantly written, screamingly funny and exuberantly filthy! A five-star read for me!

Thank you to Caitlin Moran and Ebury for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: Tell Me Your Secret by Dorothy Koomson

I chose this book because I love Dorothy Koomson. The way she blends family drama and crime thriller ('emotional thrillers', the publisher calls them) is utterly brilliant!

Ten years ago Pieta (pronounced 'Peter') was kidnapped by someone calling himself The Blindfolder. If Pieta didn't keep her eyes closed for 48 hours, despite what he did to her, she'd be killed. Pieta survived, although she never told anyone what happened to her. But now The Blindfolder is killing off his past victims she may not have a choice.

Tell Me Your Secret is told from both Pieta's point of view and that of the police detective inspector (Jody) in charge of investigating the murders. There are also flashbacks to Pieta's experiences at the hands of The Blindfolder. Jody's chapters are told in a 'Dear Reader' kind of way, which I really liked. It gave a poignant edge to what could have been another 'flawed detective' character.

I loved the relationship between Pieta and her son, and I thought Pieta's monster boss was hugely entertaining. There's a couple of potential love interests too. Tell Me Your Secret has some great twists - they come thick and fast at the end, so pay attention! The book also makes a good point about how victims of crime are perceived - as 'victims' or 'fighters'.

Great cover, clever title, twisty emotional plot, terrific characters, edge-of-your-seat thrills, brilliant writing - have I missed anything out? Tell Me Your Secret is one of my favourite reads this year!

Thank you to Dorothy Koomson and Headline Review for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: Say No to the Duke (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #4) by Eloisa James

I adore Eloisa James's historical romances, so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Say No to the Duke.

Lady Betsy has always felt Society judges her for the scandal of her mother running away with a handsome Prussian, but she gets her revenge on the gossips by behaving like the perfect lady at all times. These bullies have also told Betsy that no respectable gentleman would ever want to marry her, so she is determined to receive more proposals than any of them - and does so, culminating in a proposal from the handsome duke considered the catch of the Season.

Lord Jeremy Roden, a friend of Betsy's elder brother, is currently living at Lindow Castle while Betsy and the Duke flirt with each other. Recently returned from the war in the Colonies, Jeremy is suffering from PTSD and trying to keep out of everyone's way by hiding in the billiards room. Unfortunately, this is where the Duke chooses to propose to Betsy.

As with all of Eloisa's books, the story is as much about the interaction between the characters as the plot. I loved the way Betsy and Jeremy bounced off each other, how the duke was sweet but completely bemused by the pair of them, and especially by the duke's mother, who is desperate to win Betsy for a daughter-in-law. Even Betsy's maid is conspiring against her, forcing Betsy into huge pink dresses to make a favourable impression on the duchess. Because Betsy has played the part of the perfect lady for so long, everyone believes this is what she's really like. The 'real' Betsy would love to be as wild as her brothers, play billiards, and stride around in breeches rather than big pink dresses. And the only person who realises she hides behind a mask is Jeremy - because he wears one too.

I won't tell you the outcome of their wager but the only bit involving breeches was right at the very end of the story. And while it was a clever twist, I was disappointed there was no scandalous road trip, as suggested by the blurb. Lord Jeremy Roden isn't rakish either; he's rather lovely and I adored him all the more for it.

Although this book is #4 in The Wildes of Lindow Castle series, you can easily read it as a standalone. It would suit readers who enjoy the 'fairy tale' kind of historical romance and authors such as Julia Quinn. I loved the characters, especially the banter between hero and heroine. Say No to the Duke is my favourite book of the series, and one of my favourite reads this year too.

Thank you to Eloisa James and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

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Wilde in Love (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1) by Eloisa James

Too Wilde to Wed (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #2) by Eloisa James

Born to be Wilde (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #3) by Eloisa James

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

Review: The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

I chose to read The Last House Guest because I love Megan Miranda's books - and this is my favourite so far! I think it's because her stories take me into a completely different world and lifestyle - in this case, the fictional harbour town of Littleport in Maine, USA.

Littleport is a popular holiday destination for the wealthy, some of whom stay for the entire summer. Once such family are the Lomans, who have also been buying houses to rent out, causing resentment amongst the locals. Friendships between these two very diverse communities are unheard of, yet Avery Greer and Sadie Loman have been friends for over a decade, fascinated by each other's life. Is there something more sinister behind their friendship? When Sadie is found dead, Avery is determined to find out the truth.

The clever thing about this story is that nothing is quite as it seems. The more Avery investigates, the more she discovers that her assumptions about people and events are quite wrong. And why, exactly did Sadie chose her for a friend?

I loved the contrast between the powerful Loman family, who employ Avery to manage their rentals, and the local families who are slowly being driven out of business - and understandably feel resentful. There are lots of young, attractive characters, all of whom seem to have something to hide. I think this was another reason I really enjoyed the book. Each clue is hiding in plain sight but it still drove me crazy trying to work out 'whodunit'. Even though I read lots of crime fiction, I didn't guess who it was! And I loved the epilogue!

This won't appeal to anyone looking for a gritty psychological thriller. It's more of a suspense/mystery and the tone is almost YA/New Adult in places - which is exactly what I liked about it! So if you're looking for a slice of holiday escapism, dished up with a fiendishly clever puzzle, this is the book for you. Thoroughly recommended! 

Thank you to Megan Miranda and Corvus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

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All The Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

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Review: Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro and Cornelia Funke

Pan's Labyrinth is one of my all-time favourite films, so I was thrilled to get my hands on this new collaboration between the film's original writer/director Guillermo del Toro and bestselling children's author Cornelia Funke (best known for her Inkheart trilogy). I usually avoid movie tie-ins, because the writing quality is never great, but this retelling was utterly brilliant. With the beautiful illustrations, it would make a lovely present.

The story is set in Spain in 1944, five years after the Civil War. Ofelia is a thirteen-year-old girl whose widowed mother has recently married Capitán Vidal - a sadistic psychopath desperate for a son. Vidal is deeply resentful of the generals who have stationed him in a remote mill house, far from possible military glory. He is determined to wipe out the few remaining rebels hiding in the forest - success being the best form of revenge. Ofelia, immersed in her world of fairy tales, is oblivious to this. She misses her real father, instinctively hates Vidal, and is worried about her mother, who is in the last few weeks of a difficult pregnancy. To escape from this, Ofelia takes refuge in the forest, where she discovers a centuries-old labyrinth, fairies, and a sinister faun. The Faun tells Ofelia she is a reincarnation of the lost Princess Moanna, and if she wants to return to her former life in the Underworld, she will have to complete three tasks...

I loved this book, especially the amazing world Guillermo del Toro has created. If you enjoy old-style, traditional fairy stories, you'll recognise all the well-loved tropes, such as the impossible task and the dangers of eating fairy food. But the sheer brilliance of Pan's Labyrinth is that right from the start it works on so many different levels, depending what you want to believe. It can be a straight-forward urban fairy tale or an alternative world that Ofelia has created to cope with the horrors of real life. It reminded me of a mash-up of The Wizard of Oz, David Bowie's Labyrinth, and The Life of Pi. The historical aspect, showing the reality of war, and that humans are far more capable of evil than mythical characters in a story, adds another dimension.

I loved that there are shorter tales woven throughout the text, explaining the grim stories behind some of the objects mentioned, such as Vidal's pocket watch, along with the history of the labyrinth and the mill pond. From a reader's point of view, it's like opening a present and finding another present inside, and then another one, and so on. The way all these stories are linked is pure genius!

Would you like it?  Well, Pan's Labyrinth is a dark fantasy/urban fairy tale with a sprinkling of horror. Despite the cover, this is a story best suited to adults or teenagers because there are several gory scenes. Fans of the film will love it, because the mini tales add another layer to the familiar story. Although there is no romance, I can also see it appealing to fans of urban fairy tale authors such as Holly Black.

One of my new, all-time favourite reads! I'd give this a hundred stars if I could!


Thank you to Guillermo del Toro, Cornelia Funke and Bloomsbury for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: Council (Helga Finnsdottir #2) by Snorri Kristjansson

I requested this book because I loved the first one in this Viking murder mystery series and was really looking forward to reading more about Helga. I wasn't disappointed!

Council is set about five years on from the first book, Kin. Helga has settled in Uppsala, near the court of King Erik. She is well regarded as a healer and is now in her first serious relationship. The King has summoned all who owe him fealty to a council and, with rumours of an imminent attack, tempers are fraying, even before the discovery of a body. Can Helga solve the murder before anyone else is killed? And can King Erik get everyone to work together to prevent a war?

I love the character of Helga and it is so refreshing to read a murder mystery set amongst the Vikings! I'm fascinated by history and I enjoyed the appearances of real-life vikings Harald Bluetooth and Styrbjorn the Strong! My favourite part of the story was when Helga joins a party of spies heading to Harald Bluetooth's court. Although I thought I'd worked out one of the twists I was completely wrong. The ending was extremely nail-biting and I also liked that there was a hint of the next adventure to come.

The pace is slow to start with, which didn't bother me, but I can appreciate some readers might not like this. There were also a lot of characters, which could be confusing at times. But I'm sure anyone who enjoys stories about vikings, or historical mysteries that are just a little bit different, would love reading Council.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book, which will be published on 16th May 2019.

Thank you to Snorri Kristjansson and Jo Fletcher Books (Quercus) for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

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Kin (Helga Finnsdottir #1) by Snorri Kristjansson

Review: A Chance on Love by Louise Allen

I'm a huge fan of Louise Allen and I've been catching up on the books of hers I haven't read.

A Chance on Love is a short story/novella of about 30 pages, that should only take about 30 minutes to read.

It is 1809 and Lady Johanna Holt arrives in Calcutta to escape from a scandal, with the full intention of turning right around and heading back home again. Instead of her cousin, she is met off the boat by Sir Alexander Darvell and persuades him to give her a tour of the city.

To say much more than that would spoil the story for you, but it's a sweet Regency romance, with engaging characters and a beautiful setting. Recommended!

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Marrying His Cinderella Countess by Louise Allen

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A Mistletoe Masquerade by Louise Allen

Once Upon a Regency Christmas by Louise Allen, Annie Burrows and Sophia James

Review: No One Home by Tim Weaver (David Raker Missing Persons #10)

Where has Tim Weaver been all my life? Not sure how (because I love the kind of mystery/thriller that he writes), but I'd never heard of him until now. I requested this book because the premise appealed to me: an entire village goes missing? How does that work? Well, the village in question is more of a hamlet but the story is a clever one and I really enjoyed it.

David Raker specialises in finding missing persons. He has been contacted by the relatives of nine missing villagers, who gathered together for a Halloween dinner party and then vanished. Their houses are immaculate, there is no evidence that anything happened and no clues to solve the mystery. Running alongside this is a story set in Los Angeles in 1985, about an American detective trying to solve a suicide that might be a murder. Are the two events connected?

No One Home is a completely gripping read, full of twists and genuine surprises. I particularly loved the character of Joline 'Jo' Kader, who has to battle against 1980s sexism and misogyny to solve her case. It did take me a few chapters to get into this story, because I hadn't appreciated that this is #10 in a series and I hadn't read any of the others! The only thing I didn't like was the long explanation at the end of the book as it seemed repetitive, but don't be tempted to skip it because there is a rather excellent twist following it!

I really enjoyed No One Home and plan to go back and read some of the earlier stories in this series. It's fast-paced, with lots of nail-biting moments, and I can see it appealing to fans of authors such as Harlan Coben and Lee Child.

No One Home is due to be published in the UK on the 16th May 2019

Thank you to Tim Weaver and Michael Joseph for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: The Boy Who Lived with the Dead (Albert Lincoln #2) by Kate Ellis

I love Kate Ellis! She's one of my all-time favourite authors, mainly because her plots are so fiendishly clever I can never work out 'whodunit'. Or if I do, my guess will be only a small part of the story. I don't know how she does it!

Kate Ellis is mainly known for her 'Wesley Peterson' archaeological mystery series - set in the present day but with a historical mystery threading through the stories. The Boy Who Lived with the Dead is the second in her 'Albert Lincoln' series and is set during the years following the First World War. This is not a time period I'm familiar with, and I found it fascinating to read how such a a horrific war continued to affect people, not only the soldiers.

If you've not read the first book in this series, A High Mortality of Doves, you do need to do so. The plot of that book is mentioned throughout this one, with huge spoilers. Having said that, you can read this one as a stand alone - just be aware of those spoilers!

The Boy Who Lived with the Dead starts in 1920. The title refers to a young boy called Peter, who lives in the lodge bordering the cemetery because his father is the gravedigger. A few years earlier, Peter's twin brother was murdered and left for dead in the local stone circle. Inspector Albert Lincoln was unable to solve this murder and it has haunted him ever since. Now he's back to investigate the murder of a woman and the disappearance of her baby. Are the two cases connected? Did Peter witness the murder from his bedroom window? Or is he lying about that, the way the entire village believes he lies about everything else?

The Boy Who Lived with the Dead is basically the perfect murder mystery! It's brilliantly plotted and I love the characters! Albert is traumatised from the events of the first book, not to mention the war and his unhappy marriage. Peter is suffering from the loss of his twin. He has no friends and most adults dismiss him as being a fantasist. I loved Peter's teacher, Gwen Davies, who tries to solve the murders herself, and I also enjoyed the way practically the entire village had a secret to hide!

If you love traditional/classic murder mysteries, you will adore this book. It's one of my favourite reads this year - I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to Kate Ellis and Piatkus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Posts:

The Mechanical Devil (Wesley Peterson #22) by Kate Ellis

The Mermaid's Scream (Wesley Peterson #21) by Kate Ellis

The Death Season (Wesley Peterson #19) by Kate Ellis

The Shroud Maker (Wesley Peterson #18) by Kate Ellis

The Shadow Collector (Wesley Peterson #17) by Kate Ellis

The Cadaver Game (Wesley Peterson #16) by Kate Ellis

Review: Final Girls by Riley Sager

This book caught my eye because of the cover and I'd heard lots of good things about it.

Quincy, Sam and Lisa are the sole survivors of three separate killing sprees, leading the press to nickname them 'the Final Girls'. Each one is beginning to rebuild their lives, when Lisa is unexpectedly found dead in mysterious circumstances. Should Quincy and Sam be worried? Has someone started targeting the Final Girls?  

I'm not reading as much crime as I used to because if you've read as many as I have, the plots begin to feel a little familiar! However, Final Girls is extremely well written, with very engaging characters, and I particularly enjoyed the modern writing style. I have to admit this kept me reading when I was convinced I'd worked out exactly what was going on. But it turned out Riley Sager had some excellent twists up his sleeve and the ending completely threw me. I do love books like that!

I think my favourite character was Sam, because of the way she kept pushing at Quincy to remember the night her friends were killed. And I loved the way Quincy's life began to unravel as her memory came back! I can't say much more because of spoilers, but I really enjoyed Final Girls and would recommend it to anyone who loves twisty thrillers, and references to those old-style horror movies where a bunch of teenagers head off to a cabin in the woods and get killed off one by one!