"My Husband's Wife" Jane Corry

This book opens with a murder and then goes back in time by 15 years to introduce Lily, a 25 year old newly qualified lawyer, just back from her honeymoon with her new husband, artist Ed. The novel then continues with a story of secret, lies, revenge and murder told through the viewpoints of Lily and Carla - a young daughter from the neighbouring flat.

This opening section where the reader is presented with a situation then the story jumps back to another point in time, or another character's narrative, sets the precedent for the way the novel proceeds. Corry has a great talent for making a throwaway comment, dropping in a sudden clue, raising a half thought (or half answer!) and then leaving the reader dangling as she charges ahead with another part of the multilayered plot. This is such an effective technique and it totally ensured that I kept reading - rapidly! - all the way through the 528 pages of this debut thriller. The opening murder scene remains a mystery until almost the very last pages. The reader frequently thinks they may have solved the crime but then there will be another twist and you will find yourself having to re-evaluate all you thought about the characters.

The thing I enjoyed most about this novel was the creation of atmosphere and suspense. So many of the sentences have double meanings and I was never sure in which way I needed to interpret them. For example, in the first chapter, Lily announces "On my first day back from our honeymoon, I'm preparing to go to prison." Immediately the reader is full of questions. And even when these questions are answered, sometimes showing our worst conclusion to be way off line, Corry has still laid the foundations of a sense of foreboding, crime, danger, unfamiliarity. The mere repetition of "new" and all the new starts Lily is facing on her first day back - new job, new flat, new husband, new marriage - creates a sense of nervousness or unfamiliarity. Lily seems unsure of life and there is an implicit sense that things are not secure or strong - there is a definite sense that something will go wrong -that this marriage may be more fragile than Lily wants it to be. The description of "his taste of toothpaste that I haven't got used to", checking the lock on the door as "it's new to us both" and the sense of this couple entering new territory together raises real intrigue. Then Lily says "Two lies. Small white ones. Designed to make the other feel better. But that's how some lies start. Small. Well meaning. Until they get too big too handle." A fantastic opening. Already, the reader is posed for a story of lies and deceit.

Lily is a great character. I never quite knew how to feel about her. When she first meets the young Clara she says "It occurs to me that it would be very easy to take a child if the circumstances were favourable." And then later she comments, "How easy it would have been to let Ed choke to death. To pretend it was an accident." Corry is brilliant at these kind of statements and it means I never quite knew where I stood with Lily. Yes, she's a great lawyer, professional, diligent, seemingly ethical and honest yet......do we really know what she is capable of? She is also hiding a deep secret from her husband (and the reader!) and the mystery of her back story certainly left me wondering what she might have done or how she might be connected with the murder from the first page. For example, a couple of times she nearly "confesses" to Ed but reminds herself that if she does confess to whatever it is she is hiding, she will lose him forever. Is she guilty of something? What is so dreadful that she can't tell her husband? This is a book where you are empathetic and yet suspicious of the protagonist both at the same time!

Although Lily is really the main character, it is Carla who surely steals the show. Introduced as a solitary, odd, friendless 9 year old who craves attention from anyone as her mother frequently abandons her to spend time with her boyfriend, she then grows into a wonderfully manipulative, calculating, dedicated, vengeful young woman. Again, she is difficult to empathise with as she is at times quite unpleasant, even when the circumstances are pitiful. I found her captivating; a real study of the psychology of a young girl who isn't likeable, but is a product of circumstances of which you can be understanding and sympathetic, and how this affects the adult she becomes - how events from her childhood completely control her future.

I really wanted to see how the two story lines would become linked and what exactly would connect these two women. Part One ends with shattering revelations, lots of loose ends and many questions. There is a precarious sense of uncertainty and unease.

Part Two is 12 years later and Clara is now 23, returning to London from Italy. A clear agenda and purpose in mind. I liked Corry's way of listing "Sugar? Sellotape? Sharp implements? Crisps?" every time Lily enters a prison or police station. I felt so often that Corry was throwing me clues, or burying me deeper in secrets, and I never knew quite how to use the information I had been given. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something would happen leaving me unsure what to make of Lily and Clara yet again. This is shows real skill from the writer and an exceptional control over the structure and narrative. As Lily says "If....If.....If....." Who is telling the truth? Who has the biggest motive? Who is the better actress? Who can you trust?

This is a bit of a slow burner of a thriller if that's not too much of an oxymoron! There are cliffhangers, many moments of suspense and surprising revelations and the book moves at a reasonable pace, assisted with the alternating chapters from Lily and Clara. But there are several complex threads of story to follow. Each character has their own back story, motive and secret and all of these need resolution. The plots intertwine effectively but it is quite complex and these are fully developed characters with hidden depths.

I really wanted to finish reading this book because I just couldn't fill in all the blanks and I wanted to know what the truth behind the opening murder really was. I wanted to find out the truth behind the husband, the wife and the husband's wife. You will too. And you won't be disappointed by this intriguing novel of successive twists which span 15 years of secrets and revenge.

My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced review copy of this book.

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"These Shallow Graves" Jennifer Donnelly (YA)

I read Jennifer Donnelly's novel "A Gathering Light" over a decade ago and it made a real impression on me. I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of her latest novel "These Shallow Graves" from NetGalley and couldn't wait to lose myself in another historical story which I knew would captivate me with engaging characters and an intriguing storyline.

The opening is full of foreboding, mystery and atmosphere. Set in 1890 we meet our protagonist Josephine Montfort, a young girl from one of New York's most wealthy and respected families, in a graveyard digging up a grave. The narrator tells us: "There was no going back. Not to her old life of drawing rooms and dances. Not to Miss Sparkwell's School. Not to her friends or to Bram. It had all gone to far." This clearly shows the reader they are in for a story of adventure, crime and danger.

Josephine, or Jo as she likes to call herself, is a strong, confident, ambitious and intelligent character who wants more than marriage in her life. She wants to be a reporter and follow in the footsteps of Nellie Bly - a scandalous female reporter "who meddles in other people's business". "Need I remind you," chastises Jo's mother, "unlike Nellie Bly, who has no hope of marrying a decent man, you are a Montfort and Montfort's marry. Early and well. And that is all." The theme of marriage runs through the entire novel and the frustration that Jo feels about the confines of the society at this time and the limited role for women are repeatedly referred to. She wants to report stories about women who have no voice; for example, the women who are being exploited at the Fenton Textile Mill but her friend Trudy says to her "There's no one more unfortunate than we ourselves who are not engaged yet. We are spinsters. Pathetic nobodies, we can go nowhere on our own.....we are allowed no opinions." This won't particularly change once they are married, but this belief, that they really are unfortunate until married, that it is their only focus, goal and value, is reiterated by Donnelly and will interest all contemporary readers as they consider their current freedom and the opportunities that lie before them. Jo is so bound by convention and expectations that she struggles to breathe, feeling as restricted as her physical self which is bound tightly by her corset.

Then everything changes. Jo father is found dead. He appears to have shot himself by accident while cleaning his gun.

On a visit to the newsroom, Jo overhears Eddie Gallagher, a reporter, claiming Charles Montfort committed suicide. The gun was in his right hand, loaded. "Only a fool cleans a loaded gun and your father was no fool. It was suicide," he tells her when she chases him and demands an explanation of his wild claims. "Your uncle bribed the police captain and coroner and threatened to sue any paper that reported otherwise." Jo wants to uncover the truth, salvage her father's reputation, get to the bottom of something she just doesn't understand, but yet again she reminded by Eddie of her weak and fragile position as a woman. "Suicide is not only ugly but scandalous," Eddie patronises her, reminding that it carries difficult questions of why....money? women? mental health? And most importantly for Jo's future, "You'd be shunned. You need to be married to a Aldrich, Roosevelt or Livingston..." Once again, Jo's desires are abruptly curtailed by the fact that she is only seen destined for marriage and nothing else; she is dismissed and ignored. But the newsroom has made a huge impression on her. Riled by the memory that her mother told her that her name will only appear in the newspaper three times in her life (her birth, her marriage, her death - such a loaded observation and so effective in reflecting what a commodity women were at this time) Jo wishes that she could be the next Nellie Bly and see her name alongside the newspapers next front page headline. She is determined to find out the truth about her father's death and make sure the story is reported.

Jo returns and manages to get Eddie to let her tag along as a "new cub" and help him uncover the real story behind her father's death, which she refuses to accept as accidental or suicide. And so she is plunged into an underworld of crime- an eye opening introduction to a whole world that exists in the dark backstreets full of threatening and dangerous characters. Eddie tests Jo's resilience and strength, always expecting her to fail and return to her charmed, privileged life, but the more Jo learns about reporting, the more risks she takes-the more embroiled she becomes in solving the mystery of her father's death and the more time she spends with Eddie- the more vacuous, shallow and empty she finds her family and her time at home.

Donnelly has clearly researched the historical period in great detail and she is able to evoke a convincing and authentic setting. Using the scenery of the Wharf area and incorporating themes of slavery is hugely effective in creating more tension and drama as well as generating interesting historical detail. Her characters like the "Tailor" are exciting and well captured. Her novel has echoes of Dickens, Leon Garfield and Philip Pullman's "Ruby in the Smoke" series. The characters are all colourful, appealing, interesting and vivid. Josephine is a fantastic role model and strong female protagonist. Donnelly uses dialogue with great effect, making the story very alive and developing the characters personalities so they are well conceived and believable.

The chapters are very short which keep the novel moving at a good pace and each chapter ends with a cliffhanger. The writing is accessible and very readable. Donnelly is a gifted story teller. I found the huge contrast between Jo's wealthy family and home and the life of Eddie, his room, and then the criminal underworld very compelling. It made it a more exciting novel and also really highlighted the dilemma of Jo as she finds herself facing difficult questions and decisions. It emphasises the complexity of her choices between family and the truth, about risk and consequence, truth and pain, reputation, love and loss. This is a coming of age novel as much as a crime thriller. Jo's journey and her realisation of the impact her discoveries will have, the fact that it will change her life and the life of everyone around her forever, create tension and suspense. The resilience and growth of Jo as she uncovers secret after secret and faces the consequences, show her to be a brave, courageous and resilient young lady. The novel explores what it really means to take a stand, to make a change, to fight for freedom and justice.

This is a complex novel. A great crime thriller with all the features of a true detective book. It is full of converging plots, numerous twists and turns, secrets, revelations, adventure and edge of your seat moments of excitement and drama. The historical setting creates a dark and sinister atmosphere and the underlying themes of women, freedom and choice add a further interesting dimension. This book would be perfect for readers aged 13+.

I will leave you with the closing lines of the story, spoken to Josephine, which should resonate and inspire all readers, but particularly girls.

"You are set to write your own story now. Nothing is luckier than that."

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this novel in return for a fair review. For more recommendations and reviews follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK)

"A Library of Lemons" Jo Cotterill (YA Fiction)

Well you don't need to ask why I wanted to read this book! Of course, it was the word library in the title! The synopsis also really appealed. The story is about 10 year old Calypso whose mum has died a few years ago and her father, who is clearly emotionally struggling to cope with his grief, throws himself into writing his own book ("A History of the Lemon") leaving everything else to Calypso. As a passionate reader, she retreats into her own world of books and fiction. When she meets new girl Mae at school, the girls' shared love of reading and writing stories draws them together and shows Calypso a way to understand her world, feelings and family. It sounded right up my street.

I have not come across Jo Cotterill before but I have since learned she has written over 20 books for children which I am now looking forward to discovering. She describes this book as a story "about what it means to be human." It is a heart wrenching, moving, engrossing and exquisite book. I was totally taken with it and so loved spending time with Calypso and her painful struggle to realise the world around her; to gain the insight and "inner strength" to find happiness and rebuild a future for herself and her lost father.

The book opens with a series of very short, frank paragraphs where Cotterill effectively lets Calypso introduce herself through her own unwitting repetition of her dad's sayings. It is easy to build a picture of a lonely, isolated young girl who is full of questions she is unable to ask as "it's not the sort of thing I'd ask Dad and I can't ask Mum because she's dead." Her father seems to have embedded the idea that Calypso does not need friends  - "you should be your own best friend" and "you shouldn't need other people to make you happy." Although her teachers call her solitary, she tells us this is not a bad thing. You just need to have "inner strength'. Her dad is a firm believer in "inner strength". The sad innocence of Calypso's further comment that "it's not that he doesn't love me..." and "it's not that I don't like people. But I prefer books," speak volumes (excuse the pun!) and such subtle implications allow the reader to perceive a conflict within this ten year old even though she can't see it herself. There is a continued repetition of the words "inner strength" throughout the novel and they are powerfully used to explore the concept of friendship, parenting, happiness and love. It's also a bit of a mantra from both Dad and Calypso as they try to convince themselves they are fine, they are whole and they are happy. It's also used by the father as an excuse not to confront his emotions, mental state and more urgently, responsibilities towards Calypso. He is hidden away writing his book while Calypso finds the cupboards empty again and says silently "You didn't go shopping and you promised you would. You said Scout's Honour. And I'm trying so hard to find inner strength but I'm not sure where to look." This child is trying so fiercely to please her father; to cope, to follow in his example to not fail him. She is confused by the fact that she can't find her inner strength and what this might mean. This is a child desperately in need of a father. It is heart rendering but I did not find it sentimental. Using the perspective of a child and Calypso's blunt, honest, open voice saves the novel from becoming any kind of social services report or sob story. She's a thoughtful, reflective, very likeable and endearing child. This is a story about families, friendship and finding your inner strength.

New girl Mae then arrives at school. She is a warm, funny, articulate and imaginative child who immediately hits it off with Calypso. "I knew you were a kindred spirit," she tells Calypso who realises "we have become friends and I didn't even mean to." She didn't realise there were other people in the world who preferred the imaginary world to the real one.

Calypso begins to go to Mae's house - the first time she has really gone into another family. She watches the family interact together, fascinated and bemused. Mae's family row - Calypso's dad never argues, he just retreats and leaves her feeling like a "cloud, thundery and dark". She is perplexed by the way the arguments escalate and then diffuse or get forgotten as the family come back together. From watching Mae's family, from spending more time with them, Calypso begins to learn more about how a family should function and how humans relate and interact together. Following one particular incident, a crying Calypso finds herself being comforted by Mae's mum. She is "enveloped in warmth and security and strength and the tears stream even faster because it's almost like I'm borrowing a mother, something deep inside me bursts and my knees buckle but Mae's mum holds me up. Someone else is holding me up.....someone else is being strong for me. It's such a relief."

I loved the following contemplation from Calypso which comes later in the story:

"Maybe if you lock away the sadness for too long it all builds up. Like filling a tank. And one day the tank bursts and you have way more sadness than normal because it's all been stored away. Maybe it's important to let yourself be sad sometimes...to stop the tank filling up."

Calypso's pensive observations are naive and candid but simultaneously full of insight and revelation. I loved the way she began to interpret the world and her thoughts "exploded" and "collided" in her head; the "world slows down to settle into a new pattern."

There is a terribly powerful moment for Calypso where she finally realises what it means to have inner strength and why her dad is so sad and so frightened to love her. Her distinctive and strong voice tells us that "I think maybe you can be a family with just two people, one step at a time on our journey. But hopefully we're going the same way now." The final few pages repeat the words "lemon" and "yellow" for deliberate effect and to signify the journey both Calypso and her father have travelled. The final lines use the words "shine", "lemon," "glistening" and "light" which draw us back to her mother's painting and her father's writing but reinventing them in an image of optimism, hope and love.

There is much about the power of books and stories in this novel. Cotterill is clearly a passionate bibliomaniac and the references to other novels and the way the girls' enthuse about reading and talk about the fictional characters as if they are real, enhances Cotterill's own fictional characters, plot and atmosphere. The power of writing to heal (both adults and children), to say what can't be said aloud or face to face, to process, to confront and see clearly, is incredibly powerful. A strong case for the use writing therapy within mental health if ever there was one. I could not tear my eyes away from these passages, even when I had to feel around me for my discarded, already sodden, tissue.

I'm interested in how many children's books tackle the issue of grief, loneliness, solitude and mental illness at the moment. This is certainly a book which could be used to support children with difficult emotional lives. It would be a great read for any young adult as books are always a useful tool for empathy, curiosity and the start of a tricky conversation. There is a certain safety in exploring difficult feelings and ideas through the pages of fiction. But I would end by saying that above all this is a novel about a beautiful young girl and her empowering journey of self discovery. It is a book of warmth, friendship, love, hope and inner strength! I'll leave you with a final quote from Calypso:

"the strongest people are the ones who love others and let themselves be loved back. If you have inner strength but no one to love, what is it for?"

A 5* read.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in return for a fair and honest review.
For more recommendations and review follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK)

"Releasing my Jarred Dream!" YA author Camilla Chester

Through the silent, grey streets of Stanbridge he creeps, the Dream Thief who captures the joy of children's dreams and drains the colour from their lives. Until the day that 12-year-old Sade moves into town with her bright blonde curls and love of art.... She knows something is terribly wrong, but can she find out what it is before she loses everything she loves, including her own dreams? 

"Jarred Dreams" is an original and engaging story with elements of mystery and adventure; a story of dreams, memories, darkness and light by a new voice in children's fiction, Camilla Chester. The book was shortlisted for the National Literacy Trust New Author Prize 2015 and has been described by readers as "brilliant', "intriguing," "full of suspense," and "gripping."  It was published in April 2015 and will be officially launched on  Saturday 14th May in Harpenden. Please come along and say hello if you are in the area. Camilla will be signing books from 3-6 pm at The Oddfellows Arms, Harpenden AL5 2TG. There will be a real life board game about writing a book and a chance to dress up as the characters. Please come along and say hello!

Meet Camilla Chester. Mum, dog walker and children's author. Her debut YA novel was published on 28th April 2016 and is available via Amazon (Kindle and Paperback), Harpenden Books or direct from Camilla's website (http://www.camillachester.com). I met with her to learn more about her new life as a self published author and her inspiration for her part supernatural, part adventure and part magical story about the Dream Thief and 12 year old Sade.

Congratulations on the publication of your novel! How are you finding your new life as a writer? Can you tell me a little about your "journey"to this point?
Well, it's not really a "new" life! I've always been a writer - just now I'm a published writer! I've always wanted to write for the 8-11 year old market; I've experimented with other genres and age ranges but it's always this one that I feel most comfortable with and to which I keep reverting. I think it's a magical age as readers are beginning to move on to reading more independently and really embracing their own imagination and learning where the world of books can take them.

In about 2010 when we moved to Harpenden, I decided to take my writing seriously and properly dedicate some time and a more structured approach to see what I could achieve. I enrolled with the Open University for a Diploma in Creative Writing and Literacy course and spent two years focussing on honing my skills. The real benefit of this course was the networking opportunities and the chance to have your work continuously critiqued. My fellow students and I set up a Facebook page and regularly offered each other support and feedback. I also joined a local writing circle and SCWBI (an organisation for children's writers and illustrators) which has been amazing and invaluable.

"Jarred Dreams" came about from a conversation with my children. I am fascinated by dreams - ironically I am often writing to the soporific sound of my dog snoring at my feet! So, we were talking about a world without dreams, and out of our chat grew the concept for "Jarred Dreams". The book was initially a very linear tale focussing on the complete back story of the Dream Thief himself- much more sci fi with a scientific emphasis rather than magical.

The Dream Thief himself is a very dark character. Did that present any problems when writing for this age range?
He is dark! The descriptions of him are quite scary. That was how Sade came into existence. I needed a contrast and it had to be someone who was not frightened of anything, someone completely fearless, otherwise the story would never work. If Sade isn't scared, then the reader doesn't need to be scared - or as scared. I also made sure her chapters were longer and much more action packed. Although the narrative voice of the Dream Thief is more lyrical and slower than Sade's, it is much shorter so it's not overwhelming or distressing.

How did you go about getting published?
I entered a few competitions with various short stories which was great for getting a feel for how my writing might be received and then attended as many masterclasses, conferences and support groups as I could to get as much feedback as possible. When I was finally happy, through SCWBI, I organised a session with an agent and it was just amazing when they said they loved my manuscript! They also encouraged me to enter the National Literacy Trust New Author Prize Competition 2015 for which "Jarred Dreams" was shortlisted which was just amazing!

Of course, the journey to publication wasn't then that straightforward or easy, and I've actually ended up self publishing my novel, but it's been a great experience as well as a steep learning curve! There is so much more to being an author than just writing a book! I've learnt how to build a website, design a cover, produce and publish a book, arrange school visits, design marketing materials and now I'm learning about publicity and sales!

What's been the best thing that's happened to you since the book was released?
Walking in to the school playground and overhearing two students talking animatedly about my book! About my world! My characters! My creation! It's the best buzz ever!

What are your ambitions for the next 12 months?
I have only three ambitions in life. The first is to hold my book in my hand - tick! The second is to see my book in a bookshop that I don't know or I haven't arranged the order for and the third ambition is to see a stranger reading my book!

Thanks so much Camilla for meeting with me and telling me a bit more about your writing. I'm sure the book will be a huge success! See below for my review of "Jarred Dreams".

If you want to meet Camilla or hear more about her book, she is involved with Harpenden Library, and will be giving a few talks and visits in the near future. She is giving a talk and running a workshop at the St Albans Literary Festival on the 10th July and is also a judge for the Children's Writing Competition that's part of the festival. Her daughters have created a You Tube trailer for the book which can be found just by searching for Camilla Chester "Jarred Dreams". She also has a website: www.camillachester.com 

"JARRED DREAMS" CAMILLA CHESTER - REVIEWED BY BIBLIOMANIAC

The book opens with the chilling description of the Dream Thief. A creature with sickly yellow skin; deep set, hooded black eyes, a large hooked nose, a pointed chin, enlarged ears, gnarled feet and a melted skull. A hideous creature who prowls the streets of Stanbridge every night to "free the people from the torment of their dreams", to make them forget, to rob them of their joy and hope, to drain the world of colour. "To rid the world of dreams is his cause and there is nobody who has the power to stop him." He focusses into the tune of the dream, it will "beckon him to where a child must be having a vivid dream" and he'll catch it "before it changes to something mundane....he can enter at the tip of something and feel the energy of the child switch to one of fear." He stores the dreams in jars deep in his cellar. He fills the world with grey nothingness and mediocrity.

Twelve year old Sade arrives in Stanbridge with her father as it is near to the hospital where her mother lies in a coma, "sleeping". They visit her daily. Sade is brave, courageous, unafraid of anything. Immediately she is struck by the eeriness of the place; of the expressionless people that live here and don't engage. Something strange is going on and she refuses to become part of it. She wants to find out why the people and children are so odd, so forgetful, so subdued, so colourless and change it before both herself and her father end up succumbing to the same fate. Can she prevent the Dream Thief from his destructive agenda before he takes everything away from her?

This is a really unusual book which is a real fuse of several different genres. It is part ghost story, part thriller and mystery story, part supernatural and part magical. It has hints of dystopian novels and at times reminded me of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Philip Pullman's "Northern Lights" trilogy, Frances Hardinge's novels, and possibly something more ancient like "Paradise Lost".

Although the opening sounds quite frightening, it is more ethereal than that and the Dream Thief's chapters are shorter so they do not become overwhelming. His chapters are alternated with those following Sade's narrative which is modern, contemporary and suitably contrasting. The Dream Thief's passages are aptly dreamlike and bewitching; a malevolent voice and ghostly predator. He is a menacing presence but only as unsettling as many other "dark forces" existing in current Young Adult fiction and Chester writes his voice in a more lyrical and surreal style which ensures it doesn't become too dark. Alternating the two voices also gives Chester a real opportunity to show her ability to create different voices and construct a more complex story structure which will pull the reader in and sweep them up in the journey alongside Sade.

Sade could be likened to other contemporary strong female protagonists like Catniss from "The Hunger Games". She shows a resilience and determination from the outset. She wants to go home to her old life, "one with colour and smiles and noises......she will make it happen." She meets Seb who is also able to see that something very strange is occurring in their town and is willing to help her solve the mystery. During an art lesson, they learn more of the town's history from Maggie Farrant, their art teacher, and with her information they begin their quest to seek out the Dream Thief.

Sade is a character full of hope and goodness. She herself is struggling to come to terms with her own grief and unhappiness but she is constantly described with colour and brightness. The Dream Thief identifies her as the "golden girl of light" who "emits such brightness and flair" when she's awake that he can't imagine the "vibrancy of her dreams". She is a girl who seeks out adventure and challenge. The Dream Thief is determined to capture her dreams. She is a real threat to him. He talks about her moving as if she is gliding and repeatedly comments on her dazzling, blonde hair which "bounces around her like a golden light...like a halo." Sade almost becomes something much more metaphorical. It feels as if there is something more saviour like and celestial about her and therefore there is a great sense of anticipation.

I enjoyed Chester's use of colour and her contrasting imagery between grey and brightness which was also echoed in more subtle references to winter and summer, death and rebirth. This book embraces lots of interesting themes like art, self expression, dreams, memories, hope and grief. On a deeper level, older readers might pick up on ideas about renewal, redemption and restoration. There are some interesting suggestions about the role of the subconscious and the way our mind reveals things to us.

It is ambitious for a debut novel to tackle such concepts but Chester does so effectively and actually the novel has a very positive and uplifting finale. Sade's energy and her strong belief in the "colour" of life ensures her spirit cannot be beaten and this is the final message of the book. Where the adults have failed, Sade triumphs and everyone can once again not only dream but also live in a world which is a kaleidoscope of colour. I would suggest this book is suitable for ages 10 upwards.

For more recommendations and reviews, follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up to receive future posts via email.

"Everyone Brave is Forgiven" Chris Cleave

I was pleased to be approved for an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley as not only have I read Chris Cleave's other's books and enjoyed them, but the buzz about this one from Twitter and other Book Bloggers was too tantalising!

Cleave always picks interesting - sometimes controversial - issues to explore in his novels. I remember "Little Bee" to be particularly captivating and quite unputdownable - particularly the ending. I read it with a Book Group and it was a successful choice, popular with everyone and stimulating good conversation. If you haven't already read it, I would really recommend you do!

"Everyone Brave is Forgiven" is a little different from Cleave's previous work in the sense that it felt a more understated book. To me, there was nothing initially remarkable or outstanding about this Second World War novel; the plot is not new, the set up and events familiar to many stories set in this time period. However, there is something quietly powerful about it. There is something subtly captivating about it and the writing is a real treat. Cleave's prose appears simple and yet there are so many compelling descriptions and images, I found myself frequently rereading passages and sentences I was so taken by the use of language. It was a gently surprising read and the more I read, the more absorbed I became. This book really shows his capabilities and talents as an accomplished author. This novel uses the back drop of war to explore the effects of war on the ordinary; the courage, suffering and love of everyday people during a time of violence, loss and sacrifice. It is an unassuming novel that actually proffers much food for thought, unobtrusively and without pretension.

The book begins in 1939 with Mary North, a young socialite, who decides to sign up for the war effort within 45 minutes of it's declaration with the main purpose of shocking her family. She leaves her European Finishing School unfinished and rushes back to London anxious that "she may have missed a minute of war." She is immediately engaged as a teacher and there is a very entertaining section where Mary remains convinced this is a cover as she is secretly being vetted for her real vocation as a spy - surely she is destined for more dangerous and adventurous purpose rather than accompanying children on their evacuation to the countryside? I immediately took to Mary. She is a vivid and authentic character with a well defined identity. Cleave presents her through wry and ironic humour but she is likeable and appealing. I enjoyed her part of the story the most and her voice was always clear and confident.

We are then introduced to two other characters, Tom and Alistair; old friends who write letters to each other while Tom continues in his job as an Education Administer and Alistair enlists and is sent to fight. Tom first meets Mary through their work and then introduces her to Alistair. Both men fall in love with her and the tragic ensuing love triangle is then the main focus of the novel. This is what makes this novel remarkable. Not necessarily the wartime setting, but the definition of these characters and their journeys - physical and emotional.

Mary has never taught before but when the children have been sent away to a village far away "that London never called to mind unless some ominous thing happened", she feels bereft and misses them, particularly Zachary to whom she promised she would not leave. I found her surprise attachment to the children and the job very touching. When Tom creates a new position for her - to establish a new school for the "cripples and pariahs" left behind- she sees the "raindrops as champagne bubbles bursting on her skin" and is filled with a vitality, a mission and an anger about providing an education and a history for these young people. I absolutely loved it when she said "What good is it to teach a child to count if you don't show him that he counts for something?" A truly thought provoking statement which also illustrates the change in Mary and her beliefs and attitudes.

Interjected amongst and in contrast to the war torn London of Tom and Mary's lives, we follow Alistair; his training and then his travels abroad and his experiences of a fighting solider. The sergeant who trains him speaks ONLY IN CAPITALS which I thought was a really effective way of simply conveying character, tension and atmosphere. The men are a "chance agglomeration of greengrocers and machinists and accounting clerks." Alistair's sections are made up with juxtapositions between his attempts to process the terrible events he's witnessed and what he choose to write in his letters to Tom. It is again a simple, yet effective way of highlighting the discrepancy between the experience of those at "home" and those at the "front". Alistair's statements about war are blunt but carry resonance. His disaffectedness and disconnection from what is happening in front of him is unsentimental yet moving at the same time.

There were some lines that were just really beautiful writing. For example: "You could have lost your gloves in the fog and found them later still suspended in the air at waist height." And then: "Perhaps this was what love was like after all- not the lurch of going over a humpback bridge and not the incandescence of fireworks, just the quiet understanding that one should take a kind hand when it was offered, before all light has gone from the sea." As I said before, there were some passages that I had to reread in order to appreciate fully. Perhaps the most dramatic moment of Mary's story comes when she is trapped beneath some rubble. This was probably the best passage in the book.

Overall this was a good read. I thought the dialogue was particularly well written; it always felt real and believable. Cleave has created interesting and convincing characters whose lives intertwine in an intriguing and tragic way. The story arc is well controlled and well paced. The reader is held until the end and his writing is well observed and with insight. Within the book are some real gems of imagery and description - often hidden away and always catching you slightly unawares.

For more recommendations, reviews and bookish chat follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up to receive future posts by email.

Flamstead Book Festival 20 & 21 May 2016

Flamstead Book Festival 2016

   
The Flamstead Book Festival (Flamstead, Hertfordshire)– Books in the Belfry – ran for the first time in June 2014 and was judged by all to be a great success. It ran for the second time in June 2015, with the event featuring Jane Hawking a sell-out in advance. It has a fantastic line up for 2016 including a talk from the thrilling Renee Knight, a Writing Boot Camp Session and Story Telling for younger bibliomaniacs! There is a whole programme of events available from their website. 

http://www.flamsteadbookfestival.com

Come along to hear the author's discuss their books and maybe ask them a few questions, get your book signed, buy featured books from the Waterstones stand and also to enjoy the two best ingredients for a relaxing summer weekend - books and a pretty village surroundings!

The Flamstead Book Festival is run for the benefit of the Friends of St Leonard’s, Flamstead (FOSL) to raise funds for restoration and conservation of the village church and its surroundings. Funds are urgently needed to repair and conserve the church and its surroundings, in particular the roof above the North aisle, which was recently stripped of its lead and the unique mediaeval wall paintings, second in Hertfordshire only to St Albans Abbey. The building and its grounds are used for concerts and other events, and now for the Book Festival. For 800 years it has been the centre of Flamstead's community but now it needs help in order to maintain it's vital role within the village. 

The organisers also love books and want to enable others, young and old, to discover new books and to meet their authors in the beautiful surroundings of our historic church in the picturesque village of Flamstead. The main organisers are Vikki Orvice, Mary Jenkin and Mark Jenkin and the event is supported by Waterstones.

Here are some of the highlights of the weekend:

DEBI ALPER
Book Writing Boot Camp

Debi Alper is the author of six novels, the first two of which were published by Orion and are also available as e-books under her own Nirvana Publishing imprint. For the last ten years, she has been helping authors perfect their novels through critiques, mentoring, Book Doctor sessions and creative writing workshops, as well as running an online self-editing course. She edits in all genres and many authors she has worked with have gone on to be published.

RENÉE KNIGHT
Disclaimer

Renée Knight worked for the BBC directing arts documentaries before turning to writing.

She has had TV and film scripts commissioned by the BBC, Channel Four and Capital Films. In April 2013 she graduated from the Faber Academy “Writing a Novel” course, which is sponsored by the famous publisher and known for nurturing breakthrough talent.

Disclaimer, which catapulted into the top 10 best-selling fiction lists earlier this year, is Renée’s first novel and the film rights have already been sold to 20th Century Fox.

Likened to the domestic noir thrillers ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘Girl on a Train’ it has a brilliant central premise: Imagine you had a terrible secret that you’d never told a living soul. Then imagine casually picking up a novel and discovering that your terrible secret is the plot of the book in your hands. What would you do?

Renée is currently working on a second novel in her writing shed in the garden of the London home she shares with her husband and two children.

DERMOT TURING

Alan Turing: Decoded

Dermot Turing – or Sir John Dermot Turing to give him his full title – is the nephew of legendary mathematician, computer scientist and code-breaker Alan Turing.

Having followed his uncle to Sherborne and King’s College, Cambridge he spent his career in the legal profession, most recently as a partner of Clifford Chance.

As a family member and also a trustee of Bletchley Park, he had access to many previously unpublished papers and photographs for his biography “Prof: Alan Turing Decoded” including Alan’s own notebook and diaries.

The book which draws on personal insights and family sources explores the impact of Alan’s codebreaking work at Bletchley Park and the tragedy of his early death in the wake of his conviction for gross indecency in 1952. Along the way Dermot presents a portrait of Alan the man – his friendships, his loyalty and his extraordinary achievements.

CLIVE HAYWARD
Start the Day with a Story
With Great Pleasure

Clive Hayward trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, winning the Newton Blick Award.

His theatre work has involved numerous West End and National Theatre appearances including Horace Hardwick in Top Hat; Ted Punch in Ducktastic, directed by Kenneth Branagh; Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing, alongside David Tennant; Bernard Woolley in Yes Prime Minister; Aeschylus in Frogs and Earl Haig in Oh What A Lovely War.

Clive has just finished filming an episode of a new sitcom, The Windsors, playing George VI. Other TV credits include Eastenders, Silent Witness, Law and Order, Utopia, Prime Suspect VII, Doctors and Afterlife.

In 2014 he was a full-time member of the BBC’s Radio Repertory Company for which he recorded over 30 radio plays. He has voiced numerous factual programmes for Radio 4 and the World Service.

Clive has written an adaptation of Billy Budd with the composer, Paul Knight, and he has written and directed five traditional pantomimes for the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Clive lives in Flamstead, and with two youngsters of his own he is well-rehearsed in reading children’s stories.

Tickets and further information are available from the website: http://www.flamsteadbookfestival.com

"Stalker" Lars Kepler

I was delighted to win a copy of this from Killer Reads after entering a competition where you had to say which book had scared you so much you couldn't sleep. First I listed "You" by Caroline Kepnes  but then had to add that actually, it's "The Woman in Black" by Susan Hill- even writing the title makes me shiver!

This is the fifth book in the Joona Linna series. I have only read one other ("The Hypnotist") but for me, I don't think it detracted from the plot although from what other reviewers have said, I probably would have gained a little more had I been more familiar with some of the finer details of the back story and past events.

This novel is immediately intriguing and it is obvious from the very first page that this book is going to unsettle and disturb even the most fearless amongst us! The reason I entered the competition was because I thought the front cover was so sparse and so bleak, it was in itself scary enough to stop me from sleeping! It opens with a definition of a stalker:

"A stalker is someone who suffers from obsessive fixation disorder, an unlikely obsession with monitoring another individuals activities ........the pathological obsessiveness of the stalker brings with it a self generating potential for danger...can suddenly become extremely violent." 

The final words of the definition above show why stalking is always taken seriously by the police. The explanation of how an obsession can escalate into danger and violence sent another chill down my spine. It then states that 10% of the population will be subjected to some form of stalking in their lifetime and I think that is what makes this book so unnerving - it is a situation that any of us could find ourselves in. This crime is perhaps more easy to relate to than some of the other situations featured in crime fiction. It's possible lots of us have had slightly uncomfortable experiences of someone invading our "personal space" a little too much and surely the more imaginative (imaginative, not highly strung you understand!) amongst us have wondered that great questions all good authors start their writing with...."What if...."

The novel hurtles straight into the action with the police receiving a video clip of a woman who has secretly been filmed through her window. The next day she is found dead. Then they receive another clip but there is so little evidence about location, time, place and person on it that the Criminal Investigation Team feel helpless: "We can see right into her life but we can't find out who she is until she's dead and someone finds her body." This sense of foreboding failure and helplessness from the very people we rely on to keep us safe and solve the mysteries is a great way to open a book.

What is brilliant about the opening is that one moment we are with the investigation team watching a video of the woman - who is unaware of anyone filming her as she moves around her house-  and the next minute we find ourselves in the woman's house, living the moments again, knowing that she is being filmed by a potential murderer. This switch of narrative perspective was really clever and I must admit I read this whole section without remembering to breathe. It could have been me in my house, forgetting to shut the back door as it's a warm evening, walking around without drawing the curtains....scaring myself as I hear little noises which seem to be nothing....thinking I catch a glimpse of something in the window.... The use of lights, reflections and windows was very clever and definitely peppered the section with constant moments of high tension and unease. It was also very filmic and so well captured it must be one of the most nerve wracking passages I have ever read!

Tension is effectively created throughout the novel. Things are well described, characters very realistic and the various different threads of the story are woven together in a very controlled and satisfying way. The chapters are short, moving between different voices and characters so the reader is always wanting to read on. It is easy to lose track of time as you try to fit in "just one more bit." The novel is written with a lot of short sentences and short paragraphs. This creates further tension and suspense as well as making it a very readable and accessible novel although for me, I did find it a little jerky and jarring at times.

This is a very solid crime novel and will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy thrillers. It will have a wide appeal as the behaviour of stalkers always seems to interest people - maybe because it could happen to anyone and is something that can spiral out of control quickly. As the opening definition explains, is something that starts as an obsession, becomes fanatical and then dangerously violent.

I'm glad I had the chance to read this novel just as it was published (5th May 2016) as it would definitely have been on my "To Read" list! It was a great prize and my thanks to Killer Reads for sending it on! I will be looking out for future competitions as well as forthcoming recommendations from them! You can follow them on Twitter @KillerReads or Facebook.

For further recommendations and reviews from me, look me up on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or subscribe to receive future posts via email.