"As I Descended" Robin Talley

Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school’s ultimate power couple—even if no one knows it but them.

Only one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey.

Delilah runs the school, and if she chose, she could blow up Maria and Lily’s whole world with a pointed look, or a carefully placed word.

But what Delilah doesn’t know is that Lily and Maria are willing to do anything—absolutely anything—to make their dreams come true......

This YA novel transcends so many genres I'm not quite sure how to begin my review! It is a story of love, gay relationships, power plays within a boarding school, murder and madness. It is a tale that is ghostly, magical, fantastical and supernatural. It is chilling, unsettling, gripping and highly original despite the fact that the story line is one of the most famous in literary history! 

Talley's novel is a reimagining of "Macbeth". It is refreshing. It is clever. It is well written; every word chosen as wisely and each piece of punctuation placed as carefully as Shakespeare did with his play. The passages are powerful, the characters are realistic, the dialogue is well constructed and it is a successful contemporary update of a timeless story. 

Some of the key ingredients in "Macbeth" are witchcraft, power, murder and madness. How brilliant to transfer these themes to the setting of a modern day, elite boarding school. It's inspired. It's effective. 

Talley shows huge creative and imaginative skill through her modernisation of the ancient story. The book opens with a Oujia board where the planchette takes on a life of its own as the characters watch, each convinced the other is moving it, as curious messages are spelt out. From here on, the story rapidly gains momentum, propelling you forward as the characters become more and more embroiled in a downward spiral of deadly games.

There are quite a few main characters to relate to and engage with. All have important roles within the plot and each are effectively developed through strong dialogue, description and narrative. Talley is able to draw characters that will both resonate with and be relatable to her YA audience. They are memorable characters; their emotional fragility well expressed. 

The location and setting of the haunted school create the feel of a gothic horror story and Talley exaggerates this gothic feel by adding ghostly sightings, communications with spirits, dreamlike experiences and a descent into chaos and madness which is palpable and consuming, making the novel a truly spine tingling read. 

I must confess, I have taught "Macbeth" numerous times and it is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays. I really enjoyed seeing what Talley did with it and how she reinterpreted characters, relationships and situations. I really enjoyed her incorporation of direct "borrows" from the original script and how she subtley wove in other key moments from the play to enhance her own very fresh retelling. Her new take on the dialogue, famous key speeches and supernatural aspects of the play are fresh, vivid and inspired. 

I would quote from the text but the passages I highlighted while reading are too long and too numerous. I was unable to whittle down the lines or select any key phrases without taking away some of their beauty and effect. I was particularly impressed with the way Talley's sentence and paragraph structure was able to mimic the internal dialogue of the key characters so well. 

I would recommend this book. It is different from a lot of other things I have read recently and also different from "Lies We Tell Ourselves" (which I rated 4/5). I don't think you need to have read Macbeth - or even like Shakespeare at all -to enjoy it as it definitely works as a stand alone story. 

I think it will really appeal to a YA audience as it is full of complicated relationships, peer group dynamics and dark spirits. It did not feel like a Literature lesson, it felt like watching an episode of something like "Pretty Little Liars" combined with Donna Tartt's "Secret History", a dose of Susan Hill and a dollop of Edgar Allen Poe. Well worth a read. And yes, if I was teaching "Macbeth", this book would also be a compulsory read for all students! 

My thanks to Harper Collins HQ and Net Galley for an ARC of this title in return for a fair and honest review. 

For more recommendations and reviews you can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) 

"The Bad Things" Mary Jane Riley

I enjoyed this a lot. For me, it started off as a very competent thriller with all the usual ingredients, but the last third really packed a punch and even when I thought I had it all worked out, Riley had a few last minute twists to throw in!

This is quite a harrowing story about loss, parenting, relationships and mental illness. There are some incredibly sad passages and deeply traumatised characters but Riley handles all these things with sensitivity and balance. The writing is emotive but this also ensures tension, suspense and a real engagement with the characters.

The main protagonist is Alex, sister to Sasha. Sasha's two young children disappeared 15 years ago - only the body of one of them found. Life has never been the same since and each sister still struggles to continue with every day life even after such a long period of time. Sasha's marriage has disintegrated and Alex finds it hard to commit to relationships, as well as juggling the parenting of her own son who has grown up in the shadow of the family's terrible history. Then Jackie Wood, the woman jailed as an accessory to the children's murder, is released from prison and Alex, a freelance journalist, decides to chase her for an interview........

As soon as I had read the blurb of this novel, I knew I wanted to read it. For any parent, it is unnerving to read about children who are taken as it has to be our worst nightmare, but at the same time, it always makes for a compelling, emotional read, particularly with recent memories of some of the more high profile cases reported in the news.

Riley expertly creates convincing characters in detail. Alex's character is consumed by the dilemma of meeting with Jackie Wood - her professional duty, her duty to her sister, her duty to her nephew and niece, her duty to her own son and to her own boyfriend. She struggles to deal with her own issues as well as the responsibility she feels towards her sister. Following an intense opening sequence, Alex's poor judgement and panic lead her into the very thick of the investigation following Jackie's release and this is exciting- I did question how convincing her behaviour was, but don't worry, Riley has it all worked out and as events continue to unspool, Alex's reticence to tell the truth become explained by the hints about the further darker secrets she is trying to hide.

Inspector Kate Todd, who was involved with the children's disappearance 15 years ago, is recalled to the case. She is an equally engaging character. Once again, haunted by the memories of finding the little boy's body all those years before and the repercussions of this trauma case still affecting her personal life today.

Crime writer Corrie Jackson appeared in an article recently about a top tips for writing. She quoted something she always tries to keep in mind when writing - every character, however big or small in the overall story arc, is the protagonist in their life. I thought this very fitting when I read "The Bad Things." There is quite a wide cast of characters but, like Agatha Christie also does, she encourages us to focus on a couple of main people, becoming absorbed in their narratives and not really taking that much notice of the people milling about in the background. Then as the book reaches its climatic ending, we realise that actually we have been looking at the wrong faces and listening to the wrong voices. Riley develops an intense backstory for each of her characters and the importance of this is increasingly obvious in the final stages of the story. The way the threads converge together and join up all the dots is exceptionally rewarding and gripping.

Although I had some inklings and suspicions about what I thought was going on, which were largely proved to be right, I enjoyed the fact that Riley allows you to do this. In fact, she leads you happily down this path- but then suddenly trips you up a few times just when the end is in sight; just enough to knock your breath out of your sails as you race through the final pages. She is the story teller here and she is in control of the story!

On a totally different note, the location and settings are also very visual. Set in Norfolk / Suffolk, the description is vivid and I enjoyed reading about places I could easily imagine while on holiday in the county.

"The Bad Things" is a good read. I am really keen to read the next book in the series now and will definitely be keeping track of anything Riley publishes. I'm pleased to have discovered her books!

For more recommendations and reviews follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

"You Belong To Me" Samantha Hayes

I am a Samantha Hayes fan and although I have only read a couple of her titles, I have bought more and am saving them up for when I need a "go to" thriller that I know will grip me and hold me in a suitable mode of suspense and tension for the duration of the pages.

This is the second in a series featuring DI Lorraine Fisher, but I haven't read the first book and it didn't affect my understanding - it seemed to work equally well as a standalone novel. It was interesting see read a police procedural thriller from Hayes as the other titles I have read by her do not have a detective as a protagonist. Hayes has obviously researched her writing and the all the details regarding the police investigation  are faultless.

Hayes doesn't hold back - the opening of the book feels like she's pulled a pin on a grenade and lobbed it straight into her reader's path. Several different plot lines erupt in the opening chapters and the repercussions continue to rise and ripple like a tsunami until the final pages - all 480 of them! I literally did not know what had hit me when I started reading!

The prologue and first chapter reminded me of Elizabeth Haynes "Into the Darkest Corner" as we meet a character clearly broken by a dangerously controlling relationship. Hayes establishes fear, tension and suspense immediately. Then, in Chapter 2, we meet DI Lorraine Fisher at an appointment with her Doctor where she confesses to suffering from anxiety. She seems very much under pressure following a murder case where she feels she failed the victims and thinks she did not do enough to save them. As well as her demanding job she is juggling a family of teenage girls and her husband also works on the force, which seems to provoke further tension between them. It seems to be very popular to have a troubled female detective as a protagonist who fights their own inner demons alongside the real ones, so this book really does include all the necessary ingredients for a gripping thriller and Hayes has created a compelling detective with whom we are invited to relate to and invest in. Although Fisher's situation is complicated and we become very involved in her emotional fragility, this is clearly justified as I'm guessing Hayes has plans for subsequent books and an ongoing series. Fisher has to be very three dimensional and intriguing enough to pull this off, which I think she is.

Isabel is equally demanding on the reader. Hearing of her parent's death while in India, she comes home with the assistance of an apparent stranger who then proceeds to offer her further hospitality. I was a little dubious about her willingness to accept so much from Owen and of some of her decisions, but I was hooked enough to want to read on and was happy to overlook a few slightly contrived moments for the greater good of a well paced read. Isabel is clearly devastated, upset, grieving and also hiding from a deep and dark past. Her narrative is confused and peppered with clues, hints, references which all come together at the end and clearly Hayes has done this deliberately to develop character and tension, but it does mean the book requires 100% of your concentration!

This is quite a long book at around 480 pages and there is a lot going on. Each character is significantly complex and battling many issues. Each has an intense back story and each story thread is absorbing and compelling. I did find that I had to concentrate quite a lot more on keeping up with everything that was happening and a few times had to be really clear which narrative I was involved in as the chapters alternate between Lorraine and Isabel and both are written in first person.

Ultimately I liked the incredible twists and turns that flung my mind around faster than a high speed carousel. The ending was suitably shocking and rewarding. I read it relatively quickly which helped me to keep track of everyone - particularly as the reliability of the character's narratives are discredited and truth behind their stories are quite intertwined. Some of the reviewers have criticised the plot for being a little too far fetched. Perhaps this is so. Hayes has been ambitious and has juggled a lot but I was happy to be carried along for the ride. I mean, it's fiction after all and for me, a bit of pure escapism.

I do have to say I preferred "Until You're Mine" and "In Too Deep" (which I gave 4/5 and 5/5 stars respectively) and they are both stand alone thrillers. I am looking forward to working my way through Hayes other titles as I think she is a good writer of contemporary psychological thrillers.

"You Belong To Me" was published in 2015 by Random House.

For more reviews and recommendations please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

"Can Anybody Help Me" Sinead Crowley

It was crazy really, she had never met the woman, had no idea of her real name but she thought of her as a friend. Or, at least, the closest thing she had to a friend in Dublin.

Struggling with a new baby, Yvonne turns to netmammy, an online forum for mothers, for support. Drawn into a world of new friends, she spends increasing amounts of time online and volunteers more and more information about herself.

When one of her new friends goes offline, Yvonne thinks something is wrong, but dismisses her fears. After all, does she really know this woman?

But when the body of a young woman with striking similarities to Yvonne’s missing friend is found, Yvonne realises that they’re all in terrifying danger. Can she persuade Sergeant Claire Boyle, herself about to go on maternity leave, to take her fears seriously?

I liked this thriller. It's a relatively easy read - although not light in content, the writing is fluent, effortless and not gratuitous. The main characters feel authentic with relationships, concerns and problems that will be recognisable to anyone with any experience of motherhood, marriage, extended family and social media. What is perhaps most refreshing about Crowley's novel, is the angle at which she decides to explore the risks of social media. Rather than focusing on how the misuse of social media can affect teens and younger children, she reveals how adults unwittingly expose themselves and make themselves vulnerable. How many of us have Twitter accounts, Facebook pages, instagram accounts? How much information could a stranger find out about you in a matter of clicks, however careful you think you've been? And how many hundreds of people do you communicate with daily based on a minute profile of less that 100 characters that could have been penned by anyone? *puts hand up sheepishly* 

The real appeal of this book is how Yvonne, a new mother, a new wife and new to the city, ends up becoming part of a group of mums who swap parenting advice, or gather to "whinge and moan" about the endless routine of changing nappies, feeding, husbands and sleepless nights. There is nothing unusual about this - in fact, how many of us have bonded with complete strangers during those early days of motherhood when you suddenly feel almost alienated from your single friends or colleagues; your world completely redrawn by the arrival of your new child? For Yvonne, this bonding takes place via an internet forum. Again, nothing unusual or untoward about this in today's current obsession with social media sites and our craving for an online presence. And for Yvonne, and some of the other members, it offers a chance to socialise without having to negotiate leaving the house or an opportunity to hide the real you behind an online nickname. 

Then one of her "friends" disappears from the conversations and fails to post anything for a while. This is when the suspense and mystery build and alongside a police inquiry, Crowley also raises questions about just how much we are revealing of ourselves online through our supposed coded statements. I can't say much more without spoiling it for those who have not read it, but I found the role of the online community in this police inquiry and crime thriller really interesting and enjoyed the interjection of the online threads in and amongst the main narrative sequence. It reflects how many of us process our news, feelings and friendships in this day and age. 

I also like the characters. Yvonne and Claire are well crafted. Both women want to embrace and enjoy motherhood but also find it tiring, demanding and exhausting. Sergeant Claire Boyle is particularly frustrated by how her pregnancy is affecting her ability to work as she is a diligent, committed police officer with an admirable drive to do her job the best way she can. They are fallible, they are not perfect but they are real and this makes them appealing and likeable. Crowley particularly captures the effect of tiredness and sleep deprivation on the rational and emotional disposition of a woman - as well as the loss of identity that can sometimes come with the initial period of being a stay at home mother - and how this can prove to be the downfall of some of the characters in this fast paced read. 

There are several different threads to hold on to tightly as Crowley develops the story line with two main protagonists and a colourful cast of many more- all mothers -whether of young children, newborns or expectant. The chapters are also broken up with "live" forum conversations from the website "netmammy" which initially seem a little random and indicative of the sort of comments to be found on these kind of sites, but as the story progresses the reader needs to scan these excerpts more carefully as the names, clues and comments become more significant to the dramatic finale. Even through these brief snippets of advice, comment, humour and despair, the character are very much alive and vivid and it is a credit to Crowley that she can make them so viable from such succinct and deft use of dialogue. 

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a modern, fast paced page turner with realistic characters who are not afraid to share their real feelings about motherhood and partners. Sergeant Claire is a determined character who captures the dilemma of many modern career women and Yvonne is an equally relatable character who finds herself struggling to function in the haze of early motherhood. Crowley evokes an atmosphere of exhaustion, blurriness and mental haze through her protagonists which also creates tension, suspense and empathy. The main plot line of a missing person has all the ingredients of a satisfying police procedural novel with the right amount of twists, turns, revelations, shocks and suspense. It is a solid crime read. 

I guessed the ending wrong. Twice. The last paragraph left me with a shudder. 

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) 

"In Her Wake" Amanda Jennings

I approached this book with slight trepidation as the back cover and first few pages are absolutely rammed with glowing reviews from all the best psychological thriller writers and bloggers. Words like "exquisite", "haunting", "mesmerising", "atmospheric" and "immersive" litter each of their quotes and I wondered how a book with such accolade would manage to match my expectations.

I had nothing to worry about!

Well, other than that it is impossible to find any new adjectives or succinct phrases to sum up my reaction to this novel!

I raced through this despite its 364 pages and small print! The chapters are very short and alternate between Bella's narrative- set in the present - and then the narrative of Henry Campbell, which jump backwards and forwards through the preceding years as the reader gradually puts together all the pieces in the jigsaw and finally sees the full heartrending and deeply chilling ending.

I enjoyed the fact that although this most defiantly is a psychological thriller, it is a little different. The main perpetrators of the crime are dead and Bella is haunted by ghosts, memories and secrets which are as threatening as any shadowy figure hiding in the dark alleyways. The characters are complicated, multi-layered, damaged and unsuspectingly terrifying.

Jennings takes her time developing the characters so that they are authentic; their motives, behaviour and emotional fragility presented with care and deliberation so that the story remains compelling rather than melodramatic. Jennings manages the complex web of threads with impressive control, revealing details, twists, conversations and feelings with a precision that ensures tension and suspense throughout the entire novel. Some of Jennings' description of Bella's memories of life in the "Old Vicarage" reminded me of Elizabeth Haynes thrillers and the sense of claustrophobia, control and duplicitous behaviour was palpable. I was desperate for Bella to see the parallels between her childhood and marriage as her new relationship with Alice and Dawn help her realise her capabilities and give her the self confidence of which she has stripped for so long.

The theme of abuse is really intriguing in this book. The reader is invited to really consider its different guises - from the obvious, to the menacingly stealthy.

The last chapters are extremely compelling. I was utterly hypnotised by Jennings' writing as I tried to keep up with the rapid revelations and final few twists. I loved the ghostly atmosphere of the book and how formidable and unnerving some of the characters were.

"In Her Wake" didn't feel like a "Grip Lit" read even though it clearly is. It felt more like a story about families, motherhood, love, and the lengths people can be driven to under extreme pressure and after suffering immense loss and trauma. There are plenty of fascinating questions to ask about the motives of some characters (can't be too specific without spoiling it for anyone who has not read it yet!) and how we decide to judge them. As one reviewer comments, Jennings' skill is in her ability to "put her character's motivations and behaviour under the microscope, magnify the darkest, most unpalatable workings of the human psyche whilst balancing a clever sympathy for the main characters."

This book reminded me a little of "The Light Between the Oceans" in terms of some of the emotional trauma, but is actually much more deeply twisted. It probably was not the right choice for an afternoon on the beach but I thoroughly enjoyed becoming lost in Bella's journey. I found myself immersed in her personal journey, fully involved in her attempts to reconcile what she knows with what she thought she knew and as afraid of the next blurred memory as she was herself.

Recommend!

For more reviews and recommendations follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

"Escape to the Riviera" Jules Wake

Gentle, comfortably predictable, undemanding, brimming with romance, comedy and a happy ever after ending -this book basically delivers exactly what it promises! It is a light hearted, playful summer holiday read that would fit nicely next to your chilled glass of wine as you recline in your sun lounger and take a break from a few lazy laps in the pool!

And if you can't get to the Riviera yourself this summer, let Wake transport you there! The location of this novel sets a perfect atmosphere for a satisfying chick lit / rom com read. The backdrop of the celebrity lifestyle of parties, posh restaurants and private beaches is obviously appealing to any day-dreaming reader. The contrast between protagonist Carrie's home life with Alan and the luxurious life of Richard is clearly going to engage readers - it's a bit like finding yourself on the film set of "Pretty Woman", and who doesn't hope to be served endless champagne while outfits for a cocktail party are flown in by a PA especially! Carrie's opportunity to remind herself of the person she was and consider the person she wants to become is attractive to all of us as we inevitably take stock of our own lives, away from the monotony from our usual routine.

There is plenty of humour surrounding Carrie's niece Jade as she can't help but WhatsApp her friends and the dialogue is suitably wry, sarcastic and witty throughout the novel, reflective of their relationship. Carrie's sister, Angela, is more restrained and conservative - again, showing the contrasts within the novel as Wake explores siblings, motherhood, love, responsibility and choice.

Wake writes well. Even the more cliched lines like when Carrie first sees Richard and reels at his "perfectly chiselled jawline, which she used to tease he'd borrowed from Action Man" don't feel overly saccharine. Wake's prose washes over you like the lull of lapping waves; light, calming and pleasantly relaxing.

Carrie has two weeks to see if Richard can win her back. Does she want to join him and be part of his celebrity lifestyle? Be spontaneous? Remember who she was and the ambitions she had for herself as a young actress? Or does the fact that she knows these two weeks are merely an escape for them both to be other people for a while - who doesn't want to escape their real life for a while?- mean that she can't seriously consider his proposal? And what of Alan? Jade? Angela? Her safe life; controlled and predictable?

Carrie's fear of further disappointment and bitterness keep resurfacing and Wake poses the dilemma between being choosing to be "content" or "happy", settling for "good" over "fun", throughout the novel in a very pleasing and amiable manner as we join Carrie on her meandering journey to find answers.

If you are looking for a light hearted, easy, summer read with affable characters, touches of charm and humour, something that will soothe your weary spirit as you relax on holiday, then this is the perfect book for you. To be honest, it's not my usual read and so I have only given it a 3/5 rating but I did enjoy it and I did feel transported to the Riviera through Wake's description. I was interested in finding out what happened and it made a refreshing change to read a book full of harmless, convivial, good humoured people and not to be too terrified to switch the light off at bedtime!

"Sweet Home" Carys Bray

Accomplished, moving and unnerving, Sweet Home is a small tour de force - The Independent

With psychological insight and a lightness of touch frequently found in fairy tales, Carys Bray delves under the surface of ordinary lives to explore loss, disappointment, frustrated expectations and regret. 

Shades of Angela Carter... that deceptively light touch delivers swift, hard punches to the solar plexus.
- The Guardian 

Suburbia in all its tarnished glory - Carys Bray teases at the cracks, and pulls at all the loose threads dangling, in short stories that are funny and sad and achingly true.
- Robert Shearman

They say there's no place like home. It's where the heart is...

Meet the little boy who believes in miracles.

Meet the mother who loves to bring babies home from the newborn aisle of her supermarket.

Meet the husband who carves a longed-for baby out of ice as a gift for his wife.

Meet the widow who is reminded of romance whilst standing at the kitchen sink

"Bray explores parenthood, loss, childhood and belonging with razor sharp prose....never afraid to epode the darkness that exists behind suburban front doors." Jenn Ashworth 

I have shamelessly borrowed lots of other quotes (largely taken from Bray's website www.carysbray.co.uk) as other reviewers have been able to capture the impact this book has on the reader much more eloquently than I ever will.

I adored this collection of 17 short stories.

Every now and again, usually when I am thinking about having a go at writing myself, I come across a book which shames me into screwing up every sheet of scribbled plot ideas I have as I stand humbled and in awe of the utter and complete skill of a seriously talented writer, realising I should never attempt to compete and just stick to reading! This book did just that.

This collection of short stories is only 180 pages long; each story ranges from very brief -almost flash fiction style- to three or four pages long, to six or seven pages maximum, so it can very easily be picked up and enjoyed whenever you have a spare minute. It's perfect for dipping in and out of -although you will not want to, as this is a book that needs to be truly savoured.

If like me, you try to read these tales without allowing for that ten minute period of stunned reflection after the last sentence has run like cold water down your spine, then you will end up burning dinner, letting your hundredth cup of tea go cold and come back to earth to find your children have quietly destroyed the house and eaten the entire secret supply of chocolate biscuits.

These stories are intense, powerful, emotionally and at times, heartbreaking. Above all, they are very original and show Bray to be an accomplished storyteller. They explore grief, motherhood, families and "home". It is a rich collection of dark, perceptively chilling tales.

Often in a collection of stories there are those that are stronger and weaker, but I did not find that here. I could quote endlessly from all of them. From the opening paragraph of the first story I knew I had discovered a real gem of a book of which I was going to love every sentence:

"She felt like an actress who has learned the wrong lines. She has rehearsed Mary Poppins only to find herself appearing in Night Mother." 

The opening story, "Everything a parent needs to know", sees a mother battling her way through a child's swimming lesson as words from her "hard-backed, hard-faced, hard-to-follow" parenting manuals haunt and taunt her. I loved the fictitious quotes which resonated deeply, as did their inappropriateness and smugness as the mother struggles through a trying situation. "Just in Case" left me with a shudder but also a sadness and "My burglar" was equally poignant.

"Sweet Home" is a fantastic retelling of "Hansel and Gretel" and also subtly shows the reader how these short stories could also be fables and fairy tales for a contemporary audience as they echo many of the traits and lure the reader into the same kind of hypnotic, mediative state.

Short stories are a real art form and I think, deceptively hard to write. This collection gives Bray a chance to flaunt the full range of her talent and her intelligent - and brave- insight into aspects of "home" which are sometimes considered taboo or highly emotive and sensitive. She handles them expertly. This is a very dark collection of tales but I did not find it depressing or oppressive. Bray's lyrical writing is captivating and a treads a well judged balance between heartbreak, shock and humour. Bray seems to have a wealth of experience and understanding of human nature beyond her years and I am impressed with her ability to write about a range of issues and themes with such conviction, acuteness and awareness. As The Times said, "Bray writes with clarity, intelligence and authenticity."

Bray is a talented writer - read everything she's written and cross your fingers for more.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk).