John Bishop – How Did All This Happen?

I think this book frustrated me so much that it’s put me off writing slightly!!

John Bishop is a well known name in this household and I purchased this for my mum’s birthday back in December, it was one of many that has since sat in my unread pile.

It may be that because we know so much of John Bishop, and if you have read it my mum was one of the few people at his first Edinburgh fringe show, that this autobiography just didn’t hold my attention. It was that dull and slow running that my colleague said about a week and a half in ‘Are you still reading that?’ – which to be honest was the kick up the bum I needed to finish it. I think I spend on average a week reading a book.

John Bishop seems a lovely bloke with a now very happy family and decent life but as a comedian who uses his life as his material, I know most of his story. Maybe if he was to write another about the later comedic side of him it would be better.

This book has been donated to our local library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Missing One – Lucy Atkins

WOW.

This is a must read.

I haven’t said that one in a while. Lucy Atkins has provided a twisty novel with a gripping journey, try to predict the ending and you will no doubt get it wrong – my mum and I both did!

The novel focuses on the disjointed family life of Kali McKenzie (Halstrom) and the secrets slowly revealed by the death of her mother. Having had a tempestuous relationship with her mother throughout her life Kali craves further knowledge to get closure on her mother’s unknown and distant personality.

Prior to her mother’s death Kali finds texts on her husbands phone that leads her to believe he has been cheating on her – but all is not what it seems – with her world turned upside down she makes the impulsive decision to take herself and her little boy Finn halfway around the world in search of answers.

Kali soon finds out that what she believed is in fact true – she knew very little about her mother. Whilst we, the reader, know slightly more with the intertextuality provided by her mothers diary extracts  it is intriguing to learn further about her mothers Orca studies and why she abandoned them.

Whilst in Vancouver Kali meets her mothers long lost friend Susannah and suddenly her whole family history unravels in front of her. Not knowing Susannah is incredibly sick Kali pushes her for more and more information before she snaps and does the unthinkable – but I won’t divulge what happens, you will just have to read it yourself!

 

Pages: 569

To Buy: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Missing-One-Lucy-Atkins/dp/184866320X/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398198173&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=the+missing+onee £2 what a bargain!!

Author: http://www.lucyatkins.com/

The Shock of the Fall – Nathan Filer

WEIRD.

That was how I described this novel the entire way through reading it. Peculiar.

I felt similarly about this book as I did when I read Heart of Darkness, i’ve read the entire story but I am still unsure of what I have read.

The novel is the journey of schizophrenic protagonist Matt Homes (he isn’t named for quite some time!) whom introduces us to his brother first and foremost saying that whilst we will like little Simon Homes he will be dead in a few pages.

Filer focuses on the journey Matt goes through after losing his brother, a death he blames himself for, whilst it has an interesting element in terms of looking at a schizophrenic’s life it is a bizarre read. Sure a schizophrenic’s head is going to be all over the place and thus the novel follows this structure but I have to say I struggled to follow this story – thus I struggled to read it.

Saying that it won last years Costa Coffee Book Award so it cannot be all bad! Just my opinion it seems.

On to the next novel!!

My Animals and Other Family – Clare Balding

Clare Balding is quite a name in this house. We aren’t sports lovers (well I am but it’s motor racing), we wouldn’t avidly watch everything with Balding on it, but we adore the lady that is Clare Balding. One of the reasons for this – we have something in common with her – a naughty Tibetan Terrier.

I’ve encountered Clare Balding a couple of times in the past through events but never quite got the chance to speak to her, nonetheless I think she has got the most lovely personality given her background.

‘My Animals and Other Family’ is Balding’s autobiography. For me autobiographies are notoriously hard to read, for someone as nosy as I am I have to say I really struggling reading people’s life stories. However, Balding’s was different.

Based more on the animals than her family itself Balding gives a new take (to me anyway) on how to write autobiographies. Each animal comes with a personality and with that Balding introduces us first to the animals and then her family.

I think the first chapter ‘Candy’ was one of my favourites. Her mother’s dog was so incredibly in love with Balding that she jumped out of a window when she thought Clare was being abducted by her mother. It broke my heart when Balding later revealed she had died at the kennels when they had gone away.

It is clear in the book that it isn’t just Balding’s animals who have great personalities but also her family. Her dad might not be the best father in the world, far from it in fact, but his skills in the world of horse training sound incredible. He knows what he wants and how to get it. Although this makes her family sound tough and harsh I can’t help but wonder if Balding would be half the woman she is now without them.

I don’t think I’d like her grandmother l, I find it bizarre to read of a woman who quite frankly seems to hate her own gender. I’m far from a feminist but Balding’s grandmother seemed to think women were inept at most things in life.
The two slightly warmer family members were her mother and brother. Clare and Andrew seemed to have a brilliant relationship all things considered in their family and her mother seemed to warm as the tale went on. Balding’s mother seems like a less vicious version of her mother.

All in all it was excellent and an autobiography I read with fair speed. I would recommend it to both animal lovers and those who have ever liked any of Balding’s work. Enjoy!!

The Tennis Party – Madeleine Wickham (AKA Sophie Kinsella)

Sophie Kinsella is probably one of the most well known female writers in recent ‘chic lit’ history for her ‘Tales of a Shopaholic’ series.

However, Kinsella is a pseudonym for writer Madeleine Wickham. Wickham has produced a few books since becoming ‘known’ in the literary world prior to her choice of pseudonym.

I was quite a fan of Kinsella in the past yet her books written under the name ‘Wickham’ leave much to be desired. I bought a pack of three books on my first pay day and have only just finished the third as I have been distracted by better things!

The Tennis Party was possibly the most exciting of the three read which is why I have chosen to focus on this one – that and I have just finished it.

It focuses on a variable group of friends that are both wealthy and poor but the point stands that they all come from the same place which is near to rock bottom.

Patrick, Caroline and Georgina are the hosts of this delightful party and whilst they are not quite satisfied with their lot in life by the end of the novel it is clear that the love and adoration of the couple remains whilst striving for a good life for their only daughter. Patrick is a salesman in all his glory, although he now sells life policies he cannot knock off the sense of the salesman during his party and threatens to annihilate all friendships. Caroline is a fantastic character in a somewhat slow book, her sarcasm and bitterness did make me smile I have to admit.

Annie, Stephen, Nicola and Toby (Toby isn’t much of a character) were the loveable yet poor couple. The ones who stood to lose everything from Patrick’s underhanded salesmen tactics. The also have the added sympathy element as their daughter has had a stroke.

Charles and Cressida are the couple are on the way to nothing. Charles who appears to have married Cressida for her money is a vile creature that proceeds to cheat on her with the women he divorced. Cressida whilst being financially stupid becomes quite a warm character close to the end.

All in all it wasn’t awful but nor was it the best book i’ve ever read – i’m afraid this one is destined for the charity shop.

The Casual Vacancy – J K Rowling

I don’t know about those of you who read this but J K Rowling was responsible for my all time favourite childhood books. Harry Potter has got to be one of, if not the biggest, modern day franchise going. The stories were a fantastic way to get young children like myself using their imagination, they led to many games and many fond memories.

I do feel somewhat bad for Rowling as anything she does now HAS to reflect the success of Harry Potter, or rather it  is expected to. So when it was announced she was writing a novel for adults many were eagerly waiting.

Yet when the book came out the reviews were not kind, and now I have read it I can see why. The story is dull, it features a small town and it’s political system. However the political system is being undermined by the children of those who control it. And that is about it.

Whilst it attempts to touch on sensitive subjects like self harm, drug abuse and not quite pedophilia the messages fall far from the readers ear.

I am hoping that when I get my hands on it the one written under her pseudonym will be miles better!!

Forgive Me – Lesley Pearse

It’s been a while.

I’ve still been reading but I forget to update this every now and then, so i’ll have two updates to come.

 

The first is the wonderful Forgive Me which was, you guessed it, written by my current favourite author Lesley Pearse!

My mum has been buying the novels again and when she handed me this one deemed it the most predictable of those read. I have to say she has a point, and it isn’t a bad thing that a small (ok kind of rather large in this narrative) element can be seen ahead of time, but it’s there where it isn’t normally.

The story is set around a young girl who has her world turned upside down when her mother unexpectedly kills herself, and her stepfather commits one heinous crime after another – both emotionally and physically.

We follow Eva on her journey as she tries to discover her true family and the life that made her mother the woman she was. A secret apartment, jobs, boyfriends and family friends make the story all the more interesting.

Pearse sends you on another emotional rollarcoaster as revelations break the once solid family into numerous pieces, and of course you have the typical love story along the way!

Despite being predictable in it’s main element the novel was amazing and has been passed from mum to me to my sister… it will be interesting to see who it ends up with next.