Growing up, sisters Elle and Lila are as close as they are different: one a mathematical genius with her own sense of style and quirkiness, the other a normal teen trying to fit in with her peers. When Lila is brutally murdered, Elle tries to get on with her life even after the man she […]
Interest tapers off during final chapters Read Post »
I picked up this book and was riveted from the first page. Sadly, by the third chapter the momentum was slowing. By the fifth chapter, my get-up-and-go had got up and gone. I’d lost interest in the book. It’s the story of Charlie Weir, a bloke who deals with other people’s demons for a living
Great read … to start with Read Post »
After moving to the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts with her husband Dean, Madeline Dare takes on a job as a teacher at an academy for troubled teens with wealthy families. At the academy, she discovers a disturbing world where the founder’s manipulative ways and “therapeutic regimen” leave Madeline feeling uneasy. She questions his methods but
Disturbing world uncovered Read Post »
Rose and Johnny are a pretty average, every day couple enjoying life and all it has to offer. However, all that changes when Johnny suddenly decides it’s time for more commitment, something more real and substantial in their lives. Rose agrees to starting a family but, as is a common theme these days with couples starting families
Story fell a little flat Read Post »
I’m not a fan of love stories, soppy things that they are. However, this one got my attention and managed to hold it for the duration. Jerry and Mary Newport are both self-described hopeless misfits, both born with Asperger’s Syndrome — a form of autism that was featured in the movie Rainman. Sufferers simply can’t process the sort
A love story that changed my mind Read Post »
There’s been quite a buzz both online and off about this book, which delves into the world of auction website Trade Me as a basis for its plot. A trader auctions off her father’s jacket, not knowing it contains something important. The story then follows the jacket’s travels as it is passed between traders and
Trade Me tale doesn’t quite hit the mark Read Post »
Continuing on her successful move from singer to writer, Louise Wener has come up with another delightful novel. The Half Life of Stars is the story of loss and impact. Claire’s older brother Daniel disappears one day — he leaves work one afternoon and vanishes into thin air. Married, rich and successful, his disappearance proves
Gently entertaining Read Post »
In need of a life makeover, Ally James allows her best friend to bully her into going to a dating seminar. There, American relationship guru Marina Body claims all you need is some shrewd self-marketing and a steady stream of trial men — or, to use her term, duck decoys. With that, she says, you’re
As six-year-old Kaitlyn’s family is torn apart and her life changed forever when she witnesses her alcoholic father almost kill her little brother Christopher. The toddler survives the attack and after being taken into care is eventually adopted by a wealthy family. Most of all, Kaitlyn dreams of being reunited with her brother. However, the
Tough childhood gives story depth Read Post »
Betsy Taylor has a shoe fetish, a fetish she retains even after dying and rising as the new Queen of the Vampires. However, being undead royalty doesn’t mean you can dodge paying your credit card bills so Betsy lands a job selling designer shoes. A string of vampire murders in town has Betsy enlisting the
Part gothic, part romance, and all fun Read Post »
