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She reads, she watches and sometimes she goes outside
I read as often as I can. I watch a lot of movies and I love to walk and cycle. Most of my reading is fluff for relaxation.
Currently reading
The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?
15th Affair
Love on the Range: A Looking Glass Lake Prequel (Looking Glass Lake Series Book 0)
Robot Coconut Trees: Break Through Writer's Block, Unleash Your Creative Voice, and Become the Writer You Already Are
The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel
One Summer In France
Two Are Better: Midlife Newlyweds Bicycle Coast to Coast
The Misinterpretation of Tara Jupp
Nashville by Heart
Good pace, good characters, nothing mind blowingThis is a tidy little story which is lovely if you like tidy little stories of living happily ever after. There are no shock, twists or sudden upsets. I liked this as I was expecting that from other reviews and it delivered a well written clear novel. I found the characters plausible and engaging. There were a bit simplistic but it suited the style well. This is not for the reader looking to be challenged but if you want some nice fluff to pick up and read in small breaks its ideal
Rev My Engine
I don't know if I was expecting the high quality of the writing in this book. I have read a bunch of erotica that has varied in quality and skill. I was pleasantly surprised at this book. My only complaint would have to be how short it was. It really is a short story and might have worked better as part of a compilation rather than standalone. I was just getting into the story and it was all over.I felt the descriptive writing was not too overblown and silly. Not too much use of "shaft/rod" jokes given he is a mechanic. I was surprised at how few characters were introduced but it kept it sharp just to focus on the couple. I recommend this for a cold wet afternoon or a stormy weekend :-)
I will definitely read more of Maggie Kane
A Christmas Kerril
Short sweet and well constructed - not too super sweet though. I enjoyed the simplicity of this story of a youth coming to terms with her past, her present and her future. It was not a cheesy story that was overly simplistic with buckets of Christmas-ness but more a reflection on the dramas of a teenager trying to come to terms with not loving her life or Christmas. The characters were a little brief in their descriptions but it was a short read that was easy going so it was fine. I liked that she had dramas but nothing too gritty. I liked the parallels with A Christmas Carol - it wasn't too heavy handed and it was a lovely read over the Christmas season.
Getting Even
I enjoyed this simple and well written story. It was a good bunch of characters that were easy to relate to. I don't think this book is going to change the world but it was a nice distraction
Along Came a Spider
I was expecting good things from this as I had chosen specifically to go back to the beginning of the James Patterson craze. I had struggled (am still struggling) to get through a later James Patterson so this was me trying to kick off a writer I had not enjoyed in past.I liked the book. A lot. It was a great summer read - light and quick moving. I am liking the main character which was the point of reading this book so I can get to know an evolving character (much like why I enjoy tv characters who develop over movie heroes who get one shot). Alex Cross is being carefully unveiled which I am enjoying.
Once I got used to the style which I liken to Stephen King in that the ideas are amazing but the descriptive language can be a bit boring at times. This doesn't make it hard to read it just makes it feel a bit like a teenager writing you a letter that they have just unloaded everything in their head rather than carefully chosen prose. It is however a snappy story and doesn't drag. Not entirely the ending I was expecting but not a disappointment at all. I would recommend this and I am now off to read "Kiss the Girls"
Starting Now
A warm and uplifting light read.I enjoyed the style of this book but amusingly one of the only issues I had was with name confusion occasionally between similar named characters - a minor but worth mentioning issue.
I loved the range of characters and enjoyed the simple interactions. It was not a complex story but it didn't bill itself as such so a great well crafted read.
Fat Girl
I think I was the target market for this novel, right age, right body shape, right history and still it just did not wow me. It took longer to read than I expected and it was just missing the humour I hoped to find - just a bit too self deprecating for my tastes.I thought the characters were good but not great - original but not weird but somehow it just didn't quite hang together for me. I don't know if it just read too much like a blog and less like a novel or I just wasn't quite "getting it"
I couldn't fault the writing. It moved along at a good pace and was descriptive enough but also didn't really wow me. I don't know if I can identify what was missing at all but it might just be that I am done with the reinvent/love genre for a bit. If you like the description and these sorts of stories I don't think this is a bad example but for me it didn't quite hit the spot. It might just be me though.
Leaving Eva (The Eva Series Book 1)
This book is surprisingly gripping and blunt. I looked and the cover and description and thought it would be a much lighter read. It is written from a number of different perspectives and all of them ring with strong truths. The characters are sketchy but very consistent. I enjoyed the simplicity of the language and the descriptions were vivid without being overly wordy. I was surprised by how graphic and harsh the truths were in parts but overall it was a gripping read I would recommend to those with a thicker than average skin. This story doesn't pull its punches
 - Jennifer Sivec)
The Girls
This a another great delivery from a great writer. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the characters - there were so many they needed to be kept clear. I found it an easy read with a great storyline. The ending was probably the weak point for me but I think I could have continued to read about these characters for a long time and it may just have been the disappointment of it being over.The story starts quite small with a new family in the neighbourhood but stretches over lots of individuals and situations and timeframes in the end. A great read I totally recommend. It does not delve as deep as you would like into a number of threads but to keep in contained is also a skill that is clearly shown in the end.
Finding Cinderella (Hopeless, #2.5)
Note: I have not read anything else in this series or by this author.I loved the descriptions of teenage love in this novella but that is about all. The writing was ok but not very good characters or settings or story for me. I understand others might love this simpleness but for me it was just not enough. I am not sure I will persevere with others in the series. Maybe given some time and the right holiday I might give it a go but not sure there was quite enough to entertain me - on the plus side it was a very quick read on a flight and in the airport and it did keep my interest and boredom at bay.
 - Colleen Hoover)
Someday, Someday, Maybe
a great little read - not particularly short but very easy to read. The book follows the start of the career of an actor as she tries to "make it". I found the writing clear and very descriptive. I liked that it was set back in time about 20 years which gave it a nice surreal feeling (not a cellphone in sight) but in other ways its very topical and a great read about how life is different for those in the performing arts.I would totally recommend this as a great read.
Consolation Prize
This one was not for me. I think it moved just far too quickly from "she looks nice" to "she is the love of my life" and I just couldn't move that quickly without a bit more buildup and information. The writing was vivid and descriptive but sometimes a little clumsy and obvious for me - I think if you were very stressed/distracted it would be an easy read but I found it just a bit too in your face and not subtle enough in the descriptions or the storyline.
It is a simple story, girl and boy meet, like each other, have dramas, ends. There was nothing particularly engaging about either of the main characters as they seemed a bit bland and simple and not very aware of others. Not for me but I can see how it might appeal to others. I will say it was short which was good as I started to want to have it done pretty early on and I don't like to not finish a book.
The Former Chief Executive
I received this book to review but took some time to actually get around to reading it. Surprisingly the cover sort of put me off thinking it would be about the life after having power. I guess this was covered in this short novel but it might have been more apt to call it the retired widow. The fact of the past worklife is not as relevant to the story as the current relationships and the imprint of some past events. I don't think I was expecting quite such a lot of "british suburban detail" as it struck me from the description there might be more corporate/NHS/media or similar societal factors.
I thought the writing was clear and descriptive and the range of characters was broad and I think it would appeal to a wide audience. For me the end was quite abrupt and although the climax was definitely being worked up to for some time it felt a bit blunt in the end and the ins and outs could have definitely had more exploration. The revelations were well handled throughout the novel and definitely had a few surprises. I did not think there was much that was not relevant to the story included which made it a nice tight story. I will definitely try something else by the same author again.
Made for Me
a well written light story with a good pace. Predictable but that is ok. Lots of good details and descriptions. A great read if you like fashion