For Virtually Jules- Suggested Reads for a 9yr old Boy in Pictures

 


 

 

 


 


  


Good Websites:
Waterstones
Carnegie CLIP awards
the book people
Blue Peter
The Reading Agency

Previous posts which may be of interest:
"Book Advisor - Books to read to boys"
"Blue Peter Awards"
"Suggestions for the Mini Bibliomaniac"

Suggested Holiday Reads for this Easter

Here are some suggestions for books you may want to read over the holidays that I have reviewed on previous blog posts or read in the last six months or so. All are currently available on Kindle at very low prices.....

KINDLE PRICE £2.29
Unlucky in love once again after her possible-marriage-partner-to-be proves a little too close to his parents, Sofia Khan is ready to renounce men for good. Or at least she was, until her boss persuades her to write a tell-all expose about the Muslim dating scene. As her woes become her work, Sofia must lean on the support of her brilliant friends, baffled colleagues and baffling parents as she goes in search of stories for her book. In amongst the marriage-crazy relatives, racist tube passengers and decidedly odd online daters, could there be a a lingering possibility that she might just be falling in love . . . ?

This is such a fun, witty and enchanting novel! Malik is an intelligent author whose characters are well observed and her writing style will have you smiling and laughing as Sofia takes on the world of dating in the name of research. It is similar in style to "Bridget Jones" but feels fresher and a little more original. Perfect for a relaxing, light weight, undemanding read.

KINDLE PRICE 99p
An unsolved murder. A missing child. A lifetime of deception. In 1977, pregnant Genevieve Russell disappeared. Twenty years later, her remains are discovered and Timothy Gleason is charged with murder. But there is no sign of the unborn child. CeeCee Wilkes knows how Genevieve Russell died, because she was there. And she also knows what happened to the missing infant, because two decades ago she made the devastating choice to raise the baby as her own. Now Timothy Gleason is facing the death penalty, and she has another choice to make. Tell the truth and destroy her family. Or let an innocent man die to protect a lifetime of lies...

I always read a couple of Diane Chamberlain's novels on my holidays! They are my guilty pleasure! I just know where I am with this author - I'll get a well written story with good characters and a plot with mystery, emotion, dilemma and drama. If you like Jodi Picoult you'll enjoy this author - as with Picoult, there is often particular issue at the heart of the novel and a series of emotional journeys to go on before the ending is resolved. Reviews are very mixed but again, if you're after a decent holiday read, this will fit the bill. My other favourites of Chamberlain's titles are "Necessary Lies" (£2.99 Kindle) and "The Midwife's Confession" (£4.99).

KINDLE PRICE £4.99
Nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper steps off a steamer in Ceylon full of optimism, eager to join her new husband. But the man who greets her at the tea plantation is not the same one she fell in love with in London.Distant and brooding, Laurence spends long days wrapped up in his work, leaving his young bride to explore the plantation alone. It's a place filled with clues to the past - locked doors, a yellowed wedding dress in a dusty trunk, an overgrown grave hidden in the grounds, far too small for an adult...

Gwen soon falls pregnant and her husband is overjoyed, but she has little time to celebrate. In the delivery room the new mother is faced with a terrible choice, one she knows no one in her upper class set will understand - least of all Laurence. Forced to bury a secret at the heart of her marriage, Gwen is more isolated than ever. When the time comes, how will her husband ever understand what she has done?

A more expensive purchase but I would highly recommend any of Jefferies novels. She captures location, character and emotions with skill and the stories are engaging and enjoyable. They are all set in the past and in the East which creates a sense of escapism making them perfect to read while on a break."The Separation" is also available for £4.99 and the brand new "Silk Merchant's Daughter" is £7.99 as was only released last month.

KINDLE PRICE £3.99
Cornwall, 1947. Marvellous Ways is a ninety-year-old woman who's lived alone in a remote creek for nearly all her life. Recently she's taken to spending her days sitting on the steps of her caravan with a pair of binoculars. She's waiting for something - she's not sure what, but she'll know it when she sees it. Freddy Drake is a young soldier left reeling by the war. He's agreed to fulfil a dying friend's last wish and hand-deliver a letter to the boy's father in Cornwall.

This is a "Richard & Judy Bookclub" read this Spring. I found it an absorbing story of love and friendship, full of poetic prose and a magic- a real treat and from it I could quote endless sentences which struck me as beautiful writing. If you are looking for something mesmerising and enchanting, this is for you!

KINDLE PRICE £1.99
Lizzie—exasperated Mother of Cassie, Connor and Stepdaughter Maisy—is the frustrated voice of reason to her daughters’ teenage angst. She gets by with good friends, cheap wine and talking to herself—out loud.  16-year-old Cassie—the Facebook-Tweeting, Selfie-Taking, Music and Mobile Phone obsessed teen—hates everything about her life. She longs for the perfect world of Chelsea Divine and her 'undivorced' parents—and Joe, of course. However, the discovery of a terrible betrayal and a brutal attack throws the whole household into disarray. Lizzie and Cassie are forced to reassess the important things in life as they embark upon separate journeys of self-discovery—accepting some less than flattering home truths along the way. 

I read this one Sunday over the course of a lazy morning, an hour on the sofa and an early night - it was just what I had needed that day to help unwind and relax. It's witty, sharp and comical but also there is some pathos and seriousness as the story progresses. I'd recommend for a light, easy holiday read.

KINDLE PRICE £4.99, 2nd Hand Amazon from 1p
In ten powerful stories, Victoria Hislop takes us through the streets of Athens and into the tree-lined squares of Greek villages. As she evokes their distinct atmosphere, she brings vividly to life a host of unforgettable characters, from a lonesome priest to battling brothers, and from an unwanted stranger to a groom troubled by music and memory. These bittersweet tales of love and loyalty, of separation and reconciliation, captured in Victoria Hislop's unique voice, will stay with you long after you reach the end.

Short stories are a good option for a holiday if you feel like dipping in and out of something or trying something new. Hislops novels are good reads and these stories will bring a bit of sunshine if you are holidaying in the UK or taking a "staycation". Other short story collections I'd recommend would be Helen Ellis' "American Housewife", any Helen Simpson and any Katherine Mansfield.

KINDLE PRICE £1.99
When Oberleutnant Karin Müller is called to investigate a teenage girl's body at the foot of the wall, she imagines she's seen it all before. But when she arrives she realises this is a death like no other: the girl was trying to escape - but from the West. Müller is a member of the national police, but the case has Stasi written all over it. Karin is tasked with uncovering the identity of the girl, but her Stasi handlers assure her that the perpetrators are from the West ­- and strongly discourage her asking questions.
The evidence doesn't add up, and Muller soon realises the crime scene has been staged. But this is not a regime that tolerates a curious mind, and Muller doesn't realise that the trail she's following will lead her dangerously close to home . . . 

I really enjoyed this historical crime drama. It is set in 1976 East Germany which is a fascinating period to place a criminal investigation. You don't need to have any prior knowledge of German history and the story is accessible and easy to follow. It is full of suspense and drama and impressive attention to detail. I rated it 4.5/5 stars. If you've been watching "Deutschland 83" you'll love this! 

KINDLE PRICE 99p
Susan wakes up alone in a room she doesn’t recognise, with no memory of how she got there. She only knows that she is trapped, and her daughter is missing. The relief that engulfs her when she hears her daughter’s voice through the wall is quickly replaced by fear, knowing that whoever has imprisoned her has her daughter, too.

This is another psychological thriller but with a huge twist which I did not see coming! I had to totally revise my opinion of the characters, writing and plot! This is disturbing, compelling and clever.

KINDLE PRICE 99p
Sue Jackson has the perfect family but when her teenage daughter Charlotte deliberately steps in front of a bus and ends up in a coma she is forced to face a very dark reality. Retracing her daughter’s steps she finds a horrifying entry in Charlotte’s diary and is forced to head deep into Charlotte’s private world. In her hunt for evidence, Sue begins to mistrust everyone close to her daughter and she’s forced to look further, into the depths of her own past.

I rated this a 4/5 star read and perfect for the holidays - which is when I read it. I notice on Goodreads that it has received the same rating from my friends too so it comes well recommended. I would also recommend "The Lie" which I might slightly prefer more - but that's a huge £2.99 on Kindle so maybe give this one a whirl first! C L Taylor writes great page turning thrillers and I am looking forward to reading her brand new book "The Missing" - also £2.99 on Kindle at the moment. 

KINDLE PRICE 99p
Europe is in the grip of an extreme Arctic blast and at the mercy of a killer, who leaves no trace. His weapons of choice are razor-sharp icicles. This is Jack Frost. Now a fully qualified criminologist, Georgina McKenzie is called upon by the Dutch police to profile this cunning and brutal murderer. Are they looking for a hit man or a frenzied serial-killer? Could there be a link to a cold missing persons’ case that George had worked with Chief Inspector Paul van den Bergen – two abducted toddlers he could never quite give up on?

I really enjoyed this detective crime novel. If you like Jo Nesbo and Steig Larsson this will appeal to you. It is the third in a series although I read it without having read the previous instalments and it didn't affect my understanding or enjoyment. The other novels in the series, "The Girl who wouldn't Die" and "The Girl who Broke the Rules" are available for £2.99 and 99p on Kindle so you could buy the trilogy for a mere £5!

I hope you find something that suits you! Happy Easter Weekend and Happy Reading! Hope you enjoy cracking open a huge chocolate egg and settling down to a book at some point over the Bank Holiday!

For further recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

Ten Psychological Thrillers on my "To Read" this holidays

It's time to confess that my "To Read" list is out of control! As is the number of downloads on my Kindle and the pile of paperbacks by my bedside! There have been so many good recommendations this year and so many new releases, it has just been too tempting! I have an unrealistic view of how much I can get read over the next few weeks but here are the titles that I will be taking with me - at the expense of packing anything useful like clothes, food and children.

Psychological Thrillers on my "To Read" list - recommended by Twitter, Authors and Book Bloggers:

KINDLE PRICE 99p
They say every marriage has its secrets. But no one sees what happens behind closed doors. And sometimes those doors should never be opened … Sal and Charlie are married. They love each other. But they aren’t happy. Sal cannot leave, no matter what Charlie does – no matter how much it hurts.

The advice from bloggers is not to read any reviews about this book! All they seem to say is "WOW!" and exceptionally effusive comments about the twist! I'm intrigued.......
KINDLE PRICE 99p
Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice…She is not the only one. When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation. 

Game for anything with "Girl" in the title! This is highly recommended on Goodreads with positively gushing reviews from readers! Again, all the usual descriptors that accompany reviews of thrillers and murder mysteries so I am following the trend on Twitter and looking forward to reading

KINDLE PRICE 99p
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do. Though, you’d like to get to know Grace better. But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart. Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows. Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie

Absolutely desperate to read this!! Have seen so many blogs and tweets about it that I can't believe I've managed to hold off this long! It sounds fantastic and I am completely intrigued! 
KINDLE PRICE £1.49
A baby goes missing. But does her mother want her back? When Estelle’s baby daughter is taken from her cot, she doesn’t report her missing. Days later, Estelle is found in a wrecked car, with a wound to her head and no memory. Estelle knows she holds the key to what happened that night – but what she doesn’t know is whether she was responsible…

Despite it's rather pink and softer front cover than the other books here, this is described as stunning and unsettling. It sounds like it is suitably full of anguish and psychological thrills! I'm sure it will prevent me sleeping properly for a few days!
KINDLE £1.99
Eighteen years ago, Simone's six month old baby, Helen, was abducted. Out of the blue, Grace turns up on her doorstep claiming to have information about Helen. Simone lost her baby, will she lose her life trying to find her? 

Reviewed as a perfect thriller, full of twists and intrigue and gripping, this is highly recommended and comes from an author with several best-selling mystery titles to her name.
KINDLE PRICE £1.99
A searing and sinister thriller for readers who liked Gone Girl.What if your best friend's child disappears? And it was all your fault. This is exactly what happens to Lisa Kallisto, overwhelmed working mother of three, one freezing December in the English Lake District. She takes her eye off the ball for just a moment and her whole world descends into the stuff of nightmares. 

Well this already sounds like my worst nightmare and I can't resist it! I am very keen to get started on this one as the reviews are really good and it sounds like a deliciously uncomfortable gripping read!

KINDLE PRICE £1.99
A disappearance. A sudden death. A betrayal of the worst kind. Ella longs for a child of her own, but a gruesome find during an adoption process deepens the cracks in her marriage. A family visit starts off a horrifying chain of events, and Ella can only hope she won’t lose the person she loves most of all.

I read "The Attic Room" last year on holiday (available for £1.99) and it was a greatly satisfying psychological thriller so since then have marked out Huber as someone to look out for. I have also downloaded "The Cold Cold Sea" for £2.79 as I think they will both be good, fast paced, gripping and perfect for a holiday read.

 KINDLE PRICE £2.99
At 2am on the morning of her 40th Birthday, Sophie awakes to find an intruder in her room with a letter that she must read out at 8pm that evening at her party, in front of all her friends and family or those she loves will be in grave danger......

Reviewers have given very little about the plot away but describe this read as gripping, unpredictable, unputdownable and full of twists. It has scored highly with a general 4/5 rating.
KINDLE PRICE £3.49
This is a dark story of friendship gone wrong and regret, and how past mistakes can haunt us. It's a dual timeline narrative with alternating chapters. One thread is set in 1996 telling the story of two sixth formers at an exclusive boarding school and the disintegration of their friendship after a night out goes horribly wrong. The second follows one of the friends in present day as the past catches up with her. (Jackie, Goodreads)  "The Exclusives" is a gripping and emotional thriller that explores the power the past can have on our present and confronts how far we are willing to go when everything we prize is threatened.

Boarding school....intense friendships....a past trying to catch up with them.... Sounds like all the ingredients for a perfect holiday read!
KINDLE PRICE £3.49
Sarah is in a coma. Her memory is gone - she doesn't know how she got there. And she doesn't know how she might get out. But then she discovers that her injury wasn't an accident. And that the assailant hasn't been caught. Unable to speak, see or move, Sarah must use every clue that she overhears to piece together her own past. And work out who it is that keeps coming into her room.

A bit more of a pricey investment but I'm hoping it will be worth every penny! The concept sounds unusual and intriguing in itself and there have been so many reviews, blogs and tweets about this book there must be something a bit special behind all the hype! It has also been commended by other crime and thriller authors!

Happy Easter Reading! I hope you find something suitably terrifying and disturbing from the above list to keep you up all night!

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future blog posts.

My Review of "A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding"

This novel opens with a badly scarred man knocking on the door of 80 year old, widowed, Amaterasu Takahashi's front door claiming to be her grandson, who she knows died when the atomic bomb dropped on Nagaski. Is it a miracle or a cruel trick? The visit from this stranger forces her to revisit her past. Can she let go of the haunting secrets which consume her every waking moment and move forward to create a new future?

Hideo Watanabe was killed by the atomic bomb when he was 7 years old and Amaterasu chooses to remember him as a young school boy in his uniform, on their final walk to school. "This man was an aberration," she states firmly. "I had mourned Hideo for too many years to believe him resurrected." She sends the man away, dismissive of his claims. Left alone, her mind returns to thoughts of her daughter and she asks "Dear Daughter, the life I sought of you was not a bad one was it? Did you forgive me in those final moments?" Through these searching questions and Ama's obvious unease of the visitor's surprise appearance and declaration, Copleton implies that there is something more complex at play and suggests some mystery and intrigue about the truth surrounding Hideo's death and her relationship with her daughter.

Amaterasu's ability to hide from the truth and edit the version of her past becomes clearer as she recollects how her and her husband coped with the loss of Hideo and his mother, their daughter, Yuko. "I wanted to believe she was at peace when the clouds parted over Nagaski and the B-29 dropped its load.....we were adamant that she felt nothing...this gave us solace....she had not suffered on August 9th, 1945 at 11.02am." The fact that over 40 years on the date is so precisely recalled shows the depth of their grief. The theme of war and it's life lasting effects on people is one that echoes throughout the whole novel, as does the portrayal of the Japanese people's inability to ever fully come to terms with what happened and how they are haunted by "not how they died, but why?" The only way to endure their lives after 1945 is through lies and omissions until their memories become a completely intertwined fuse of fact and fiction. Amaterasu's fear is this man, claiming to be her grandson, will want the truth. But to "look back would bring neither forgiveness nor release." For me, Copleton created such a compelling character in this old woman. One fraught with dilemma and pain. One whose past I was desperate to hear more about and discover her deeper secrets buried in amongst these false memories.

The man has left her a letter which explains Hideo was rescued from the rubble of his school building and taken away for treatment. He was unidentifiable after the attack and sent to an orphanage from where he was adopted. He was adopted by Natsu and Jomei Sato - Nastu is the author of the explanatory letter. Intriguingly, Amaterasu appears to know this couple and the words "Why wait to take revenge?" immediately heighten our curiosity and create suspense and tension. Again her repeated plea that "no punishment could match all the years lived since that summer, that morning, that minute" further reinforce that something else clearly happened  - is the bomb the only thing that killed her daughter or did something else happen? Why is Ama so completely consumed with grief and regret? Why has she spent the last 40 years punishing herself?

The narrative continues by revisiting August 9th 1945 and the "Pikadon" (Pika = bright light, don= boom). The writing is poetic and beautifully lyrical. At the moment of devastation, Amaterasu has gone into a shop - which saves her life. Amidst the confusion about what has happened it is still clear that something immense has happened - "close enough to know what the end of existence sounds like......it felt as if the world's heart had exploded." I found the lines "may they never find the language for such an agony of noise.....the silence that followed...." incredibly moving. The next section of the book is hard to read but equally a wonderful example of evocative descriptive writing. I've refrained from quoting as it is upsetting and disturbing reading despite it's power. One line I did find particularly effective was when she visits Yuko's house to retrieve some personal belongings and says "how quickly a home can become a mausoleum". So poignant.

What really struck me was the sadness about how pointless they felt the deaths from the bomb had been. Although it hurries the surrender of Japan, there is a strong sense that it was not because of the horrific repercussions of the bomb but because America wanted to teach the world a lesson. No one cares about the personal loss of Yuko and Hideo. This causes further agony for Ama. They leave Japan for America in a bid to escape their pain.

Amaterasu pulls out her daughter's old diaries which she has not ever read. With the arrival of Hideo, she decides it is time to read them and extracts are then incorporated within Amaterasu's narrative. We move away from the shocking  aftermath of the bombing and instead focus on the love story of Yuko and her transition into adulthood and marriage. Yuko found first love with Jomei Sato. She is besotted, utterly in love. Amaterasu's disapproval is more than a mother's concern for the fragility and vulnerability of her daughter's heart. Frequent interjections about "duty as a mother", her need to "save" Yuko from this man, to wipe him out, to remove him from her daughter's life without her ever finding out why really intensify the tension and also add a more complex, more devious and dishonest side to Amaterasu's seemingly quiet and tender character. She has to divulge more and more of her back story in order for us to gain a full picture of why she was so against this match. It's for you to read these passages and experience the love story first hand without any further spoilers and again, I'd love to get carried away with the mesmerising imagery and symbolism used to illustrate the story but don't want to give anything away.

This is a poetic, elegant, poignant and tragic love story which explores themes of parenthood, choices, betrayal, secrets, forgiveness, redemption and family. It could be an overwhelming read because of the historical context but actually most of the novel is caught up with Amaterasu's emotional journey and attempts to reconcile herself with the past. There is more writing about love than death. It is somber and it does show the consequences and repercussions of the atrocities of war but it also focuses on the pain that can be caused by parenting and love.

I really liked the use of Japanese definitions at the start of each chapter. These subtly added meaning to the chapters as well as placing the reader within the Japanese culture. They were really interesting. My favourite was "Ai-ai-gasa". In feudal times, men and women were not allowed to be intimate in public or hold hands so in wet weather they would share an umbrella instead. Therefore, if a man offers you to share his umbrella, it is an expression of their love! I also like "Ninjo" - love, affection and compassion are the most important feelings to nurture.

I hadn't heard anything about this book - I took it on a whim, perhaps having just read several of Dinah Jefferies' novels which are set in the East and a fond recalling of "Memoirs of a Geisha" . I was really pleased that I had read it. I was very impressed with the cadence and nuances in the writing and the author's sensitive and lyrical evocation of character's, themes and locations. I will be looking out for this author and I will be awarding it 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

For further recommendations, reviews and bookish chat, please follow me on Twitter @katherinesund3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

My Review of "The Swimming Pool" by Louise Candlish

A good book needs to start with a good first line. Here's how the prologue for "The Swimming Pool" opens:
"I am running naked through the streets of Elm Hill."
Hooked? Of course you are!
It continues in an almost surreal style that had me wondering whether this was a nightmare or reality; a game or a threat. The imagery insinuates a malevolent presence and a foreboding sense of horror with descriptions of "streetlights burning synthetic holes in the darkening sky," the "hostile" air, "near silence" and "thunderous" atmosphere. And then the abrupt statements: "He had done this to me," and "It will never be over."
Quite deliberately, Candlish's prologue is confusing, but the reader is already pulled in, turning the page quickly to try and make sense of what is going on.

The main characters in this thriller are Natalie, her husband Ed, their daughter Molly and the Channing Family. It is set in London, during one hot summer holiday where teachers Natalie and Ed look forward to a long relaxing break. Lara Channing, "less queen bee than citizen queen", has led a project to renovate the local Lido and while visiting, Natalie becomes fixated with Lara and a friendship blossoms. But all is not as it seems..........

At first I found myself drawn to Natalie. She is human and ordinary. She is very distracted with concern for her 13 year old daughter who suffers from "hyper vigilance" and she can't escape the "rush of tenderness when Molly's fear becomes tangible." Her relationships with both Molly and Ed are filled with anxiety, guilt and blame. She is also wrapped up in the usual domestic concerns, a bit overprotective but essentially putting the emotional safety of her daughter above everything else. Her and her husband like order, efficiency and neatness. To me, this really does invite disaster!

Lara is the complete opposite. An ex-actress; wealthy, groomed and walking around with a "casual assumption that Natalie would know who she was and what she had done." After speaking with her, Natalie wonders "how much more arrogant complacency could one parent fit into a statement?" She both irritates and impresses Natalie in a way which takes us back to school and the politics of popularity and friendship. It also reveals Natalie's naivety and impressionable side - or a her need for something different and some sort of escape from the life she has. After one of their brief interactions at the poolside, Natalie says "our parting left me with the absurd sensation of having received the healing touch of Mother Teresa," such is Lara's magnetism and enchanting power. And here begins Natalie's obsession with Lara.

The narrative is interspersed with flashbacks and flash forwards. The flash forwards take us to the end of the summer holiday where it is clear some dreadful traumatic accident has taken place - although Candlish is very skilled at revealing mere snippets of dialogue and detail so that the reader is unable to fully put all the pieces of the jigsaw together. The flashbacks take us to the 1980s and Natalie's childhood friendship with Meg. Again, there is a sense of impeding danger and a dark secret but Candlish is not going to make it that easy - the reader has to listen to all the clues, hints and implications - holding on to all the different threads- as the tension and suspense mounts. The only thing she makes grippingly clear is that something sinister or disastrous is going to happen.

Meg is like Lara - a leader, someone who has a hold over Natalie. The flashbacks reveal more about Natalie's misconstrued ideas about friendship and perhaps go somewhere to explaining the issues she has with guilt and blame that are also mixed up with her relationship with her husband and daughter. Natalie is flawed and fallible. For me this usually makes characters more appealing, but with Natalie there is also a sense of frustration. Her blindness towards Lara and her desperateness to be accepted by her is a little cringeworthy and it is hard to maintain respect for someone who refers to their new friend as their "saviour from ordinariness," and glows with a "secret pride of how well things had worked out for her if she was my friend now!" As the novel progresses it is harder to sympathise with Natalie all the time. Her daughter has a serious phobia of the water, yet she insists on going to the pool daily in order to orchestrate meetings with Lara as she becomes more and more swept away by them, abandoning her older friends like Gaby with hurtful dismissiveness.

As one reviewer wrote; she is so "entranced by Lara, you want to pull her bak to reality, but at the same time you're desperate to see what happens next." I couldn't agree more. The relationship between them is well crafted with such effective use of cliffhangers and subtle suggestions that gradually an ever whelming sense of apprehension keeps you turning the pages at a rapid rate.

I really liked the writing style. There were some great - almost philosophical -one liners about friendship, relationships, motherhood and life. I particularly liked the reference to how a friendship with Lara was like striking gold and you could never go back to being penniless. I think this was hugely evocative and reminiscent of friendships we've all had at one time when we have craved the approval from the "queen bee" and sacrificed integrity and other relationships in the process.

At some points I found the constant switches between present day, the past and the future a little confusing, particularly as within these different time frames there were further divisions of time of day, but all in all it did help create tension, suspense and excitement. There are so many snippets and clues but never is the entire game given away. In fact, I had to reread the ending as it held so much resonance for each character and was such a defining moment for each one of them. Candlish cleverly pulls out a series of unguessable twists which although on the one hand neatly resolves things, on the other, leaves you full of questions.

It is a thought provoking read. It is full of psychological suspense and I enjoyed reading a slightly different variation of the psychological thriller genre. The novel was hugely evocative of a hot summer which obviously increased the atmosphere of intensity, obsession and danger. It would be the prefect book to take with you to the swimming pool this summer!

I would recommend this book to people who like thrillers, stories about friendship, bullying, women, revenge and dark hidden pasts. If you like a gripping read with "love to loath" type characters and a narrative sprinkled with teasing clues this is for you. Having finished the book a few days ago, the vision of the pool, Lara and Natalie are still very vivid in my mind - definitely a sign of a good read!

My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for a fair review. I was delighted to be approved having seen the flurry of excitement on Twitter as other readers confessed to being unable to put it down.

For recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up for email notifications of future posts.

Poetry Collections for Children

Here are some suggestions for Poetry Collections for children! Some of the collections are more recently published than others, but I think they are all collections that have been thoughtfully collated and designed to introduce children to a range of poets and styles as well as extending a wider enjoyment of the genre with those who are more familiar with it. It might also mean you can pick some of them up at a bargain price!

 
Poet Laureate and a prominent writer on the GCSE and A Level syllabus, Carol Ann Duffy is my absolute favourite poet. Her poems are imaginative, funny, clever, observational and memorable. They are dynamic, relevant and accessible. Her "New and Collected Poems for Children" is specifically for young people and as we would expect, it is full of wit and humour. It includes the voices of the Loch Ness Monster's husband, the oldest girl in the world and a heard of cows on a shopping trip to Manchester! A teacher reviewed this as the perfect collection for her class of 10 year olds as the poems were gritty, thought provoking, helped extend vocabulary and led to interesting discussions on a variety of topics. I think it would be a perfect starting place from which young people could discover poetry. The "100 Poems for Children" have been very thoughtfully selected by Carol Ann Duffy and include a broad and refreshing range of both classic and modern poems. This would suit older primary school aged children, encouraging both an enjoyment of poetry as well as extending wider reading amongst the more able.


Can't not include a Michael Rosen book in a list of poetry for children! Wacky, energetic Rosen writes poems which make children laugh as well as pause for thought. They are often great for reading aloud and my children seem to be able to recite them after only hearing a few times they are so memorable, rhythmical and sometimes a bit cheeky!


I haven't read this collection but I am a fan of Grace Nichols and have read a lot of her poems. I liked the concept of this book and feel a family visit to the Tate coming on to see if we can have a go ourselves! As the first Writer-in-Residence for the Tate, Nichols worked with London Schools running a project to help children respond to art through poetry. These are the poems she was inspired to write as a result, also inspired by works of art exhibited at the Tate. I would hope it could show children how poetry is versatile, diverse and a way to express your responses to everything and anything you discover in the world as well as you emotions and more standard, obvious muses.


I have used Judith Nichols' poetry a lot when I was an English Teacher. These collections focus on the environment and the planet. They include a range of poets and I found they were good for analysis, discussion and for inspiring children's own writing.


This would probably suit ages 7-9 more but Julia Donaldson's endorsement will encourage even the more reluctant poetry reader to take a look inside! And poetry, after all, is for performing! Have some fun with this collection and hopefully it will inspire reading, performance, a deeper understanding of language and poetic devices as well as enjoyment and creativity!


This collection is probably about 15 years old now and the "literacy hour" has greatly changed but this book is still a great resource as it includes every type of poem you can think of including chants, riddles, shape poems, epitaphs, limericks, raps and narrative verse to name a few. It also includes a huge range of classic and contemporary  poets. It is great for dipping in and out of and there should definitely be something in here for everyone!

I've popped this in as Benjamin Zephaniah is such a "cool guy" who isn't afraid to tackle issues and writes poems that shout from the pages. He is the best example of performance and rap poetry! It may be a bit dated - I confess to not having really looked at his poetry very recently but he used to be a very high profile author who could engage even the most disinterested student! His poems here address different cultures and diversity. Good for introducing discussions, for exploring raps and hip hop in poetry and for performance poetry.


Again, you can't have a list of poetry collections without referencing these "Kings of Poetry"! This is their selection of poems deliberately selected to appeal to children and to make it fresh and accessible. It introduces a wide range of poets and styles and should be a staple for any young person's poetry shelf.


I am a big fan of Sarah Crossan and this novel is unique as it is written in prose and can be read (by an adult) in about an hour. It may be worth skimming over before you share with your children and I would recommend it for aged 10/11+ as it deals with a few issues and might need a little explanation. The story is of 12 year old Kasienka and her mother arriving in England as immigrants. The writing is exceptional and I like the fact it will challenge reader's perceptions of poetry and novels. It will introduce them to a different way of using poetry and show them that there are no restrictions or conventions that cannot be broken with creativity and imagination.


I have to include this book as another novel written in verse even though it is more suitable for 11+ readers. The 14 yr old narrator meets a 17 year old single mum who needs a babysitter. I read this about a decade ago and it was the first YA "novel as verse" book I had come across. It really impressed me and I haven't ever forgotten it. I shared it with some pupils I was teaching at the time and one, who hated poetry, reluctantly took it and was completely converted -she began reading poetry quite vicariously! She had also previously argued that a poem was only a poem if it rhymed - this book changed her opinion. Therefore I have a soft spot for this book and the effect it had on my students!

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