Colouring in by Nigel Stewart

There’s been a bit of a  gap between finishing this book and writing my review. Some of that delay is down to work, family, life etc. but it was also down to my need to process what I’d read. What at first seemed to be a simple, albeit entertaining, observation of a man’s life and loves, became something deeper, darker and completely captivating.

Most of us have dated, mated or been related to a person like James Clifton, someone whose glory days were in high school but who failed to translate that success into adult life.To call him a man-child is too simplistic, but at the beginning of the story James seems to be trapped in his adolescent self who didn’t pursue his artistic talents after leaving school. He has a well paid, but unsatisfying job, a girlfriend who’s just dumped him because she wanted a more grown up relationship and his social life still often revolves around his old school friends despite living elsewhere. So when he then starts dating Laura ,who had a crush on him in school, you fear that he will be doomed to repeat the cycle. He is self-absorbed, resistant to change and at times rather unlikeable in his attitude and actions. Yet you are drawn to him, and as the story unfolds and you get to see more of his psyche, you become protective, willing him to see what he needs to do to grow(up) and be happy. 

Laura certainly has an impact on James and the development of their relationship is a fascinating (& entertaining ) thing to follow. When life throws James a major curve ball is when this novel really takes off and is the reason I took some time before being able to write a review. The events that follow are exquisitely written and I defy you to be unmoved. How does James cope? Will he finally fulfil his potential? Will he find happiness? There’s only one way to find out! 

To sum this book up, if you like crawling inside someone’s mind to see what makes them tick, this will be right up your street. If you like keenly observed human behaviour, look no further. If you want pithy dialogue, you’ve got it. Need light relief, it’s peppered with humour. Enjoy strong, forthright female characters, read on. There’s something for everyone in this fantastic book.

 This is a book that I will read again because I know there are depths that I will have missed in my hurry to see what happens next. 

A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me. 

The Things That We Lost by Jyoti Patel

Where to begin with my review of this incredible book? 

I could talk about how quickly it drew me in…from the very 1st page.

Or how well it tackled the idea of identity from the viewpoint of a person of colour in Britain…brilliantly eye opening.

Maybe I could focus on the portrayal of family secrets and dynamics…devastatingly powerful at times.

Perhaps the coming of age element should be the central thrust…Nikhil’s journey is a rollercoaster ride! 

Should I explore Avani’s life and mothering choices…it’s complicated! 

Instead, I’m going to talk first about how it made me feel. This is a book that took me through the full gamut of emotions; nodding along in recognition, breathlessly waiting to see what would happen next, feeling sorrow for what might have been, sharing the grief of loss, anger at casual racism, disappointment when I felt characters let themselves or others down. You know it’s well written when you find yourself having heated discussions with the protagonists in your head. When you think you understand their reasons but violently disagree with the choices they made. I had a lot of these reading this book! 

The Things That We Lost is a gem of a story following the aftermath of the death of the family patriarch. Nikhil has always felt that he has only ever had a heavily curated and sanitised view of the father who died before he was born. He is preparing to leave for uni when his dying grandfather tells him where to find a key that will unlock some of the secrets of his past but warns him that his mother, Avani, won’t be happy about it. Will the discovery derail his plans? Will his mother finally give him the full story about his father and, more importantly, will he come to terms with the uncertainties  of the past? Needless to say, there are revelations, upsets and high drama moments along the way which will keep you turning those pages to the end. 

 The author uses a variety of timelines to drip feed the background to their stories, showing how the past colours the people we become and the decisions we make. It skilfully shows how relationships with families and friends change over the years and that we often don’t understand why our loved ones behave as they do. I talked about the heated discussions I had with characters earlier, well sometimes I felt the need to apologise for things I’d said. As the next episode from the past was uncovered, I realised how you don’t always have the full picture and should refrain from rushing to judgement or using harsh words when you haven’t walked in someone else’s shoes. I love a book that makes you reevaluate your stance. It also gave me cultural insight, I did find myself having to stop to check my understanding of some terms at times, but I loved the authenticity of the language used, pitch perfect for the era, the age of the speaker or their background. 

Jyoti Patel is going to be a name to watch out for. I won’t say that for a debut, this is an amazing book. It is an amazing book full stop & one any author would be proud to have published. In case you hadn’t already guessed it from my review, this is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. 

Thank you Anne Cater & Random Tours for my proof copy and to Jyoti Patel for a fantastic read. ☺️

Wishing everyone a happy year of reading!

 My first review of 2023 is The Secrets of Rochester Place by Iris Costello…

One of the gems from my Christmas stack that straddled the old and the new year. This book ticked all the right boxes for me, unusual premise, well developed characters to love (and hate!) and a narrative that teases and makes you think.

Corrine is a first responder who takes a call from Mary pleading for help rescuing a child. She duly sends emergency vehicles but, when they get there, there’s nothing to see, just a back alley. No house burning, no sign of anything but rubbish. Has Corrine been prank called, or has the past somehow reached out to her?

The story unfolds using snippets of the lives of 3 women spanning the period from the 1920s to the present day. Books which jump around in time can sometimes feel disjointed and be hard to follow, but the author deftly leads you through their lives, with each interlude revealing more and keeping you invested in the outcome.

For fans of historical fiction this book will score highly, it covers Ireland in the era of the Easter Rising , the impact of the Spanish Civil War and World War 2 and reveals parallels with life today.It is clearly well researched and the historical elements are introduced in a natural way. The characters all have a distinct voice that reflects their lived experiences and makes you see how the world around them impacts their lives. Bigotry in all its forms is a common thread in the lives of the three main protagonists. This could make you feel despair that nothing much has changed, but somehow this story made me feel uplifted, that people do have the capacity to become more tolerant and that the future is brighter. 

I don’t do spoilers, but suffice it to say that you won’t be disappointed in how the story resolves itself. I loved how this book made me feel, although I felt more than a little bereft afterwards in the way you are when something good is over! 

A resounding 👍 from me. 

Books I have loved in ‘22

Duckling by Eve Ainsworth

I wasn’t expecting to be as moved as I was by this book. What I thought would be a gentle, easy read turned out to be much more thought provoking. Lucy is a loner, keeps herself to herself, expecting little from life and giving the same back. That is until a neighbour asks her to look after her little girl for a short while. When far more than a couple of hours have past and there’s still no sign of her returning, Lucy realises that she’s got some choices to make. Does she contact the police or Social Services? Or does she continue to care for little Rubi until her mother reappears?

Up till  now, Lucy’s life has revolved around her cat, her job in a bookshop and the complicated relationship she has with her father, a recovering alcoholic. As the story progresses we learn more about Lucy’s past and the reasons for her self isolation. I found myself alternating between wanting to shake her and hug her as she does her best to do the right thing by Rubi. The plot is pacy and entertaining with plenty of humour peppering the dialogue, but it was Lucy’s voyage of self-discovery that I enjoyed the most. Lucy has been imprisoned by her perceptions of her past and the book makes you realise that long held beliefs can be completely and utterly wrong. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my final read of ‘22 and I think you will too! 😊

Books that I loved in ‘22

 The Lost Storyteller by Amanda Block

This was another recommendation from my Twitter friend Adam, and again he picked a corker. I don’t have enough superlatives to describe how this book made me feel. 

Captivating? Yes!

Evocative? Yes, Yes! 

Poignant? Yes, Yes, Yes!

The journey that Rebecca takes in trying to uncover the meaning of her father’s book of fairy tales is riveting. All of her childhood feelings of abandonment and hurt colour her adult life and only by exploring the past can she find peace of mind. It’s an interesting take on the father/daughter dynamic and one which will have you alternating between laughter and tears. It might also make you question things from your own past that you’ve taken as gospel up till now. All in all, a gem of a book. 

Books I have loved in ‘22

 Five Minds by Guy Morpuss

This was one of those books that, once started, you just want to keep on reading. Think you don’t like sci-fi or dystopian settings? Think again as this book deftly crosses multiple genres to create an utterly believable world and still manages to be a cracking murder mystery. 

I loved how easy it was to immerse yourself in this world & accept that the essence of 5 people inhabit a single body, each getting 4 hours allotted to them each day. Just as in a regular household, the individual minds behave badly & put the others in jeopardy or act altruistically for the greater good. They have disagreements about their future which add to the drama. 

All in all this is totally different from any other book I’ve read & am looking forward to reading the author’s next title,Black Lake Manor.

Books I have loved in ‘22

 Before the Coffee Gets Cold: tales from the cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

If you’re looking for something that’s just a bit different from your average book, then look no further. I was introduced to this by a Twitter friend who has exquisite taste in books and this is definitely up there in  my top 10 reads of ‘22.

A series of customers visit the Funiculi Funicula cafe for the express purpose of being able to travel in time to meet a loved one. But there’s a catch, you have to sit in the right seat, the person you want to revisit must have also been a customer at the cafe and you only have the time it takes for your coffee to grow cold to complete your quest. 

Each vignette is beautifully written, the characters are well drawn and relatable. It reminds you of the importance of not leaving things unsaid or undone. I’m going to be sure to read the others in this series and you would do well to do the same ☺️