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serendipity_viv's reviews
762 reviews
Comfort & Joy by India Knight
4.0
Clara is a harassed mother of three children from two different dads. Every year she goes out of her way to create the best Christmas with hilarious results. The book covers three different years. It starts with 2009 and ends with 2011. Each Christmas sees her going all out to cater for up to fifteen different people, all with differing tastes. The best Christmas they have is the last one, when she decides to book a trip for the whole family in Marrakesh.
This book was absolutely hilarious to begin with. The first chapter nearly gave me an asthma attack as I just couldn't stop laughing. Hubby thought there was something seriously wrong with me. The way Clara speaks to her audience reminds me of how I normally refer to Christmas. Every year I walk a fine line between trying to create the ultimate Christmas and loathing it intensely. Clara is exactly the same. She goes totally over the top with all her preparations and never finds time to actually enjoy it until the last Christmas when she finally relaxes and lets someone else take the reins. I loved Clara's mother Kate, as she reminded me of one of my aunts. Though most people who have read the book were quite put off by her character, yet I found her comfortable to be around, like a pair of old slippers.
This book has received quite a lot of bad reviews, especially on Amazon. However, I got India Knight's humour completely. I could relate to her sarcasm with ease. I am known to actually talk in a similar manner, so it definitely was an interesting read for me. I could almost hear myself within her words.
The book really is only funny in the first couple of chapters, but definitely worth reading to the end. It was a wonderful read to accompany my journey through the madness of December. If you suffer from anxiety attacks during Christmas and normally run around like a headless chicken, then this book will make you feel much better. I would definitely recommend looking out for it for next year.
This book was absolutely hilarious to begin with. The first chapter nearly gave me an asthma attack as I just couldn't stop laughing. Hubby thought there was something seriously wrong with me. The way Clara speaks to her audience reminds me of how I normally refer to Christmas. Every year I walk a fine line between trying to create the ultimate Christmas and loathing it intensely. Clara is exactly the same. She goes totally over the top with all her preparations and never finds time to actually enjoy it until the last Christmas when she finally relaxes and lets someone else take the reins. I loved Clara's mother Kate, as she reminded me of one of my aunts. Though most people who have read the book were quite put off by her character, yet I found her comfortable to be around, like a pair of old slippers.
This book has received quite a lot of bad reviews, especially on Amazon. However, I got India Knight's humour completely. I could relate to her sarcasm with ease. I am known to actually talk in a similar manner, so it definitely was an interesting read for me. I could almost hear myself within her words.
The book really is only funny in the first couple of chapters, but definitely worth reading to the end. It was a wonderful read to accompany my journey through the madness of December. If you suffer from anxiety attacks during Christmas and normally run around like a headless chicken, then this book will make you feel much better. I would definitely recommend looking out for it for next year.
A Christmas Guest by Anne Perry
4.0
I had imagined Anne Perry to be from the Catherine Cookson brigade, who I avoid like jellied eels. Alas I admit to be so wrong. Anne Perry writes a brilliant Victorian crime novella in the style of Agatha Christie. I really enjoyed reading this book and watching as the main character followed the clues to work out who committed the crime.
Mariah Ellison has been forced to spend Christmas with ex daughter in law and new husband, whilst her granddaughter goes to France for Christmas. She is not at all happy about the situation and makes herself the most inhospitable guest that she can be. Until another unexpected guest is forced upon the couple which changes everything. Mariah dislikes her straight away and only really begins to see what a wonderful person she was after she is found dead the following morning. Mariah is convinced that she was given some kind of poison and sets off to the house of her relatives who rejected her at Christmas to tell them the sad news and secretly find out who killed her.
Anne Perry draws upon the hidden lives of many Victorians as they try to keep their secrets away from scrutiny. Mariah herself suffered intensely during her marriage, but has never let anyone know the truth. It was not the way to create a scandal. Whilst searching for the killer and helping the family come to terms with their loss, she finds a way of coming to terms with her own past and finds herself mellowing with time.
From what I can gather Anne Perry uses a lot of the same characters in her other books. Mariah is the grandmother to Charlotte from the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mysteries which I might just have to investigate. Mariah comes across as a stuffy, prudish old boor to begin with but by the end she has blossomed through my rose tinted glasses into a rather lovable and cuddly grandmother.
It was a lovely Christmas read, especially being able to view how the Victorians seem to wholeheartedly throw themselves into the Christmas preparations. Perry has done a remarkable job of bringing the Victorian traditions to life. I will definitely be including another one of Anne Perry's Victorian Christmas novellas in my reading pile next December.
Mariah Ellison has been forced to spend Christmas with ex daughter in law and new husband, whilst her granddaughter goes to France for Christmas. She is not at all happy about the situation and makes herself the most inhospitable guest that she can be. Until another unexpected guest is forced upon the couple which changes everything. Mariah dislikes her straight away and only really begins to see what a wonderful person she was after she is found dead the following morning. Mariah is convinced that she was given some kind of poison and sets off to the house of her relatives who rejected her at Christmas to tell them the sad news and secretly find out who killed her.
Anne Perry draws upon the hidden lives of many Victorians as they try to keep their secrets away from scrutiny. Mariah herself suffered intensely during her marriage, but has never let anyone know the truth. It was not the way to create a scandal. Whilst searching for the killer and helping the family come to terms with their loss, she finds a way of coming to terms with her own past and finds herself mellowing with time.
From what I can gather Anne Perry uses a lot of the same characters in her other books. Mariah is the grandmother to Charlotte from the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mysteries which I might just have to investigate. Mariah comes across as a stuffy, prudish old boor to begin with but by the end she has blossomed through my rose tinted glasses into a rather lovable and cuddly grandmother.
It was a lovely Christmas read, especially being able to view how the Victorians seem to wholeheartedly throw themselves into the Christmas preparations. Perry has done a remarkable job of bringing the Victorian traditions to life. I will definitely be including another one of Anne Perry's Victorian Christmas novellas in my reading pile next December.
All I Want for Christmas by Amy Silver
4.0
This was a delightful book set out in a diary format covering the two weeks leading up to Christmas. It follows the lives of three different women as they cope with the stresses and strains of Christmas. First up, you have Bea, the owner of the The Honey Pot, a local coffee shop / deli, who is determined to make this first Christmas for her son a happy one. Bea was widowed before her son was born and has been through a lot. She has struggled to come to terms with her loss as anyone would.
Then you have Olivia, a girl born into a very rich family. She gets knocked down outside Bea's cafe and they eventually become good friends. Olivia is struggling to cope with catering for Christmas with her boyfriend's family as they all descend upon her. She also doesn't know how to cope with her boyfriend's marriage proposal and goes a little bit off the rails.
Lastly you have Chloe, the most cold hearted character I have met since Heathcliff. She does not give a hoot about who she tramples on and doesn't understand why her married lover doesn't want to spend Christmas with her. She is the Ice Queen and gets banned from the coffee shop. A few twists and turns later and Bea and Olivia go out of their way to melt the Ice Queen's heart.
I really enjoyed this book. It was realistic but heartwarming at the same time. Don't expect lots of gushing romance and snow filled wonderlands, because you won't get it here. What you will get is real life, real problems buut with a happy ending. Bea was the strongest character in the book and you cannot help but feel a little sorry for her as she came to terms with her alcoholism. It was very much an easy read and one that happily saw me through my congested days from Christmas to New Year.
Then you have Olivia, a girl born into a very rich family. She gets knocked down outside Bea's cafe and they eventually become good friends. Olivia is struggling to cope with catering for Christmas with her boyfriend's family as they all descend upon her. She also doesn't know how to cope with her boyfriend's marriage proposal and goes a little bit off the rails.
Lastly you have Chloe, the most cold hearted character I have met since Heathcliff. She does not give a hoot about who she tramples on and doesn't understand why her married lover doesn't want to spend Christmas with her. She is the Ice Queen and gets banned from the coffee shop. A few twists and turns later and Bea and Olivia go out of their way to melt the Ice Queen's heart.
I really enjoyed this book. It was realistic but heartwarming at the same time. Don't expect lots of gushing romance and snow filled wonderlands, because you won't get it here. What you will get is real life, real problems buut with a happy ending. Bea was the strongest character in the book and you cannot help but feel a little sorry for her as she came to terms with her alcoholism. It was very much an easy read and one that happily saw me through my congested days from Christmas to New Year.
Three Men in a Boat & Three Men on the Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome
2.0
Now I know this is a worldwide classic that has been published many many times over the years and is loved by a wide majority, but it didn't really do a lot for me. I found it funny and entertaining to begin with, but then I found myself getting bored with it and to be honest I struggled helplessly to the end. I felt like an untrained marathon runner, crawling to the end of a very long race.
The book follows the adventures of three men and a dog as they travel along the River Thames by rowing boat, camping out in the evenings. Each chapter deals with another part of I their journey and seems to be full of facts about each area of London they pass. There is absolutely no plot to this book what so ever and I think that is why I struggled to get into it, it just didn't seem to be going anywhere for me. I think the only parts of this book I actually really enjoyed were the chapter summaries at the beginning of each chapter, which seemed to go into great detail about each one's content.
I almost feel that there must be something wrong with my sense of humour, because after that first chapter, it did absolutely nothing for me, where as others have cried with laughter at it. So I really wouldn't pay too much attention to my opinion of this book as I seem to be in a minority.
The book follows the adventures of three men and a dog as they travel along the River Thames by rowing boat, camping out in the evenings. Each chapter deals with another part of I their journey and seems to be full of facts about each area of London they pass. There is absolutely no plot to this book what so ever and I think that is why I struggled to get into it, it just didn't seem to be going anywhere for me. I think the only parts of this book I actually really enjoyed were the chapter summaries at the beginning of each chapter, which seemed to go into great detail about each one's content.
I almost feel that there must be something wrong with my sense of humour, because after that first chapter, it did absolutely nothing for me, where as others have cried with laughter at it. So I really wouldn't pay too much attention to my opinion of this book as I seem to be in a minority.
The Haunting by Margaret Mahy
5.0
The book is written from the point of view of Barney, who I guess is about 10 or 11 years old and feels that he is being haunted by his mysterious Great Uncle Cole, whom he has never met. He is frightened as any child would be and Mahy really manages to convey his fear with ease. I actually felt like a child whilst reading it and it took me back to the ghost stories of my childhood, such as The Haunting of Cassie Palmer by Vivien Alcock.
Barney confides in his sister, Tabitha, who is shocked by the changes occurring in Barney. She makes it her business to try and solve why this is happening to Barney by approaching her Great Uncles to see if they can help. The book takes a surprising turn which I really didn't see coming, even though I know it wouldn't be a straightforward ending.
Mahy is excellent at providing the reader with a real understanding of family life. Her writing is thoughtful and she shows the children of today as they really are. You could easily step into Barney's shoes and understand why he behaved the way he did. I loved this modern family and I found myself easily able to picture them in their home.
This may be a children's book, but I would definitely recommend adult's reading it. Such a thin book, yet packed full to the brim with suspense, mystery and fear.
Barney confides in his sister, Tabitha, who is shocked by the changes occurring in Barney. She makes it her business to try and solve why this is happening to Barney by approaching her Great Uncles to see if they can help. The book takes a surprising turn which I really didn't see coming, even though I know it wouldn't be a straightforward ending.
Mahy is excellent at providing the reader with a real understanding of family life. Her writing is thoughtful and she shows the children of today as they really are. You could easily step into Barney's shoes and understand why he behaved the way he did. I loved this modern family and I found myself easily able to picture them in their home.
This may be a children's book, but I would definitely recommend adult's reading it. Such a thin book, yet packed full to the brim with suspense, mystery and fear.
White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick
5.0
I loved this book. It was dark, it was creepy and it really was a modern Gothic thriller. The story appears fresh and original and full of the unexpected.
The story is told in three parts which are all intertwined as the book progresses, each revealing a little more as you read it. In the first part you have the narrative told from the point of view of Ferelith, a young elfish looking girl who takes an uneasy interest in the lonely Rebecca. Ferelith is rather fixated upon Rebecca and you can't help but wonder whether she is in love with her. Yet the way she treats her, is strange and frightening. One evening with Ferelith and you would want to be put in a straitjacket. She really is scary or perhaps misunderstood.
The second part is written in diary format but in third person, so you view the story from Rebecca's viewpoint. This shows you how Rebecca deals with her sudden exile to the seaside and how she copes with the uneasy friendship that blossoms between Ferelith and herself.
The last part dates back to the 17th Century and is the diary of the local rector who lived in the house where Ferelith now resides. He talks about his involvement with the new arrival and the sinister turn their friendship takes.
This story is breathtaking. The characters are so well written and so believable, each conjuring up a past that shows exactly why they ended up in the situations they did.
No book has scared me this much, since The Little Stranger which I read last year. There was one part in it, where I made my husband stay up with me until I had finished it, because I was really quite scared and I couldn't work out which way the story would go. One of the later settings in the book has the most macabre feel towards it and you wonder how Rebecca didn't leave the book a gibbering wreck. It was darker than Du Maurier's Rebecca, much darker, but had that eerie quality to it. It isn't a horror book, but it is definitely creepy. The ending was a shock, but if I had really thought about it I should have seen it coming. Sedgwick really is a master of disguise when it comes to setting up clues. They were there, I just didn't see them.
The book takes a deep dark exploration into the existence of God and you cannot help but feel that the characters carry out an experimental if not macabre investigation. I dare you to follow their investigation to find the truth.
The story is told in three parts which are all intertwined as the book progresses, each revealing a little more as you read it. In the first part you have the narrative told from the point of view of Ferelith, a young elfish looking girl who takes an uneasy interest in the lonely Rebecca. Ferelith is rather fixated upon Rebecca and you can't help but wonder whether she is in love with her. Yet the way she treats her, is strange and frightening. One evening with Ferelith and you would want to be put in a straitjacket. She really is scary or perhaps misunderstood.
The second part is written in diary format but in third person, so you view the story from Rebecca's viewpoint. This shows you how Rebecca deals with her sudden exile to the seaside and how she copes with the uneasy friendship that blossoms between Ferelith and herself.
The last part dates back to the 17th Century and is the diary of the local rector who lived in the house where Ferelith now resides. He talks about his involvement with the new arrival and the sinister turn their friendship takes.
This story is breathtaking. The characters are so well written and so believable, each conjuring up a past that shows exactly why they ended up in the situations they did.
No book has scared me this much, since The Little Stranger which I read last year. There was one part in it, where I made my husband stay up with me until I had finished it, because I was really quite scared and I couldn't work out which way the story would go. One of the later settings in the book has the most macabre feel towards it and you wonder how Rebecca didn't leave the book a gibbering wreck. It was darker than Du Maurier's Rebecca, much darker, but had that eerie quality to it. It isn't a horror book, but it is definitely creepy. The ending was a shock, but if I had really thought about it I should have seen it coming. Sedgwick really is a master of disguise when it comes to setting up clues. They were there, I just didn't see them.
The book takes a deep dark exploration into the existence of God and you cannot help but feel that the characters carry out an experimental if not macabre investigation. I dare you to follow their investigation to find the truth.