Slowing down with a book or two

There’s no better way to slow life down than with a good book is there? After a busy few weeks, which has felt like it’s been at least a hundred miles per hour at times, it was nice to have some time over the Bank Holiday at home, with not much planned.

As is often the case though, when you slow down like this and the adrenaline stops, the bugs hit, and that’s just what happened. A week or so ago both MOH and I came home from work and headed straight to bed, which I said at the time was unusual. It seems we missed that warning, and after a slow and lovely, relaxing weekend, coupled with weather that’s a little bit too hot for me to function in properly, come Tuesday my body said slow down.

So I did, and I’ve had my nose in a book or two, well actually three.

Photo by James Tarbotton on Unsplash

1 Beneath the Surface, Fiona Neill

This is a story of a family, with two daughters and set in the Fens. The daughters are very different and there’s always something in the family, that’s beneath the surface, there always is, isn’t there? It was my first time reading Fiona Neill and I’m sure it won’t be my last. It’s about how the past informs the present, and a demonstration of how parents always want the best for the next generation. While I enjoyed the book, and I wanted to get to the end, the ending felt rushed and wasn’t satisfying - I kept flicking back, to see if there was something I’d missed, and flicking forward to check there wasn’t more to come, which was a shame really as otherwise I’d say read this one.

2 Rough Magic, Lara Prior-Palmer

This was an “out of my usual genre” book and one I’m still not sure about. It’s a first person account of Lara, a 19 year old on her experiences of a gruelling endurance horse race across Mongolia. I’m not into horses as you probably know if you read my blog, but I don’t think you need to be to read the book, at times though it all felt a bit distant.

The story explores her experiences of the race, comparing and contrasting them to growing up in England. There’s rivalry, obviously - it’s a race, and an unexpected outcome, even to the storyteller it seems, who seems to do things by chance, but then again she’s 19. The race is only seven days long, though that’s easy for me to say from my sunlounger, somehow though that’s lost as you’re caught up in the chase from station to station.

3 Ask Again, Yes, Mary Beth Keane

This is my must read recommendation. I read it in just over a day, which gives you an indication of how much it had me hooked. In fact, it was one of those books that when it ends, you have a smile on your face and a swell of pleasure in your chest, or I did anyway.

It’s a story of two generations of families, their tumultuous lives, which intertwine with twists and turns you wouldn’t expect. And importantly the ending is satisfying, I love it when a book ties up all the ends. It’s well written, and I cared for the main characters as their lives progress, and I wondered if they’ll repeat the mistakes or successes of their parents, and there’s a time when it could go either way.

There’s young love, a mother’s love, with hardship, heartbreak and devotion along the way too. It’s a book that satisfies, is true to life and I’ll be looking out for more titles from this author.

So there’s another three books, which adds to my reads from last month; two posts in two months, I really am spoiling myself with some good reads.

What I've read lately

Goodness, I’ve just looked back at my WIRL post and was shocked that it was last October. Slightly less shocking is that i was going to start this post in exactly the same way, saying it’s been a while etc. etc. and it turns out it has been again.

In other ways though it’s not surprising as while I enjoy reading, it’s one of those all consuming hobbies. When a book’s so well written that I feel like I know the characters, and care about what happens to them, then I have a compulsive need to find out, no matter what. I read plenty in Portugal on our recent trip, and then again earlier this week when I read a real, actual proper book rather than one on my kindle.

I’m actually like to read both, I know some people much prefer to read an actual book, but I’m easy. If I’ve found time to read, I can adapt to the format, but let’s see what I’ve been reading.

1 A Place of Hope, Anna Jacobs

As you can see from the photo above this is the actual paper-based novel that I read, mostly in the shade on the sunlounger on Tuesday when it was way too hot to do the gardening we’d planned. MOH went out on a long bike ride (yes, he’s bonkers at times, but said he managed to find some breeze down by the Thames) and so I settled in reading a bit more of the book I’d started earlier in the day.

It’s the first Anna Jacobs book that I’ve read and was passed to me by mum. It’s not a lengthy book, and I actually finished it later that day, or technically early the following day. So going by my criteria above on getting engrossed with the characters, you can tell I thought this was a good book.

The main character, Emily is an early retiree whose unscrupulous nephew George tries to take advantage after a near fatal accident as he learnt of an inheritance that had come Emily’s way. It’s a story of adventure with an escape from hospital, love and embezzlement which takes a few turns along the way.

This evening I’ve learnt that it’s the first of three books, and I’m pleased about that, as I’m keen to know what happens next in this trilogy. it’s peculiar really as mum gave me this book a while back, and it’s taken me a good while to start it, but now, I’m keen for the next one. If she doesn’t have it, then I think i’ll be passing this one her way when I’m done.

2 Dancing over the hill, Cathy Hopkins

This was a bit of a different genre for me, with a more comical lighthearted style, but one that worked well for a holiday read. The main characters are Cait and Matt, in their early sixties with a long marriage that’s, shall we say tired. The main storyline - but not the only one - is when an old flame of Cait’s gets in touch on Facebook, and she contemplates a life change with a mix of help and hindrance from her best friends which is hilarious and I’m sure many of us can relate to.

There’s a touching side too which shows in her relationship with her father, her son and his boyfriend and with the living arrangements that transpire too. If you’re after a read that’s engaging, realistic and amusing but with not overly deep meaning (although it has well thought out characters), then this could be one for you.

3 Moments of Time, Gloria Cook

This story is set after the Great War and is more usual of the book I’m attracted too, and I wasn’t disappointed. It follows Emilia and her husband Alec, and is the second book in the series (the first is Touch the Silence which I haven’t read) and her life on the farm and focuses on the family relationships, their friends and children and includes tragedy, love, intrigue and more. I want to tell you more, but I’m sure I’ll give the story away if I do but I really want you to read this one for yourself - I liked it that much, and I hope there’s another one to come.

4 The Things I Know, Amanda Prowse

The dedication in this book, on reflection, gives an inkling to this book and its purpose, yes purpose, perhaps an unusual way to describe a book, but I believe it does have a purpose. The book is dedicated to “all the people like me, who throughout their life have always felt that they didn’t quite fit” something I’m sure we’ve all felt at times, and even perhaps most of the time. It continues that “it only take one person to show you the magic” and that’s true too, and that’s in a nutshell the outline of this book.

Of course, it’s more than that. There’s chance, hard work, some breaking the rules when you wouldn’t expect it, family tensions (again), bravery and love. This was a story I very much enjoyed, and one that left me with one of those book hangovers as I continued the imaginary what happened next in my head. Perhaps I’m a little bit different in that respect too, who knows?

5 Needlemouse, Jane O’Connor

This was another of those books I couldn’t put down. it describes itself as an uplifting novel perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (I’ve not read, but feel like I should). The heroine, Sylvia has a secret, she’s in love with ‘Prof’ the thing is he has no idea, and he’s her boss. Sylvia lives for work, and ‘Prof’ but also for her volunteering at the hedgehog sanctuary and while you might not warm or even like Sylvia, you can’t fail to like this book, hedgehog fan or not.

And if you’re wondering why Needlemouse, that’s the Japanese translation of the name for hedgehogs, I think I want to call them that now rather than hedgehogs…

6 The Break, Marian Keyes

This was the book that I ended my last WIRL post with, and unbelievably my first Marian Keyes read, but definitely not my last. Amy’s husband Hugh is the one taking a break, to find himself, and then he’s gone. The book questions what and if he returns, how Amy’s feeling and how she copes and then the realisation that if Hugh’s on a break, then so is she and all this set with the backdrop of keeping a complicated family life going, as of course Amy (break or no break) can’t just drop everything and head to the other side of the world, getting to London is challenging enough.

Even just writing this post I’ve been transported back into these stories, and once again I’m wondering why I don’t make more time for reading. I really should.

Now, what would you recommend for me?

Also linking up with At home a lot.

What I've read lately, on holiday

It’s been a while since I’ve done a post like this, and mainly because while I want to read as much as I can it all comes down to time, and the amount available. And there hasn’t been much of that lately. But a slow week away in Italy last week provided some of that much needed time, and in that time I clocked up four books which is quite a few, even for me.

I’m the sort that once I get into a book it becomes all consuming and I’ll need to finish it and quite often I’m happy to forgo the routine of daily life, such as sleeping to make that happen, which is something else to be wary of in everyday life, or else I’m likely to re-enact the photo below at my desk.

Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

What I like about books, as well as the stories and adventure without moving, is the emotions they evoke, and one of the books in this post had tears rolling down my cheeks…

1 The Sapphire Widow, Dinah Jefferies

I’m a fan of Dinah Jefferies’ writing so it’s no surprise that this was the book I started on. I’d read, and loved, The Tea Planter’s Wife previously, and I was hoping for something equally as gripping, and I wasn’t disappointed - I’m not sure I ever will be with one of Dinah’s books if I’m honest. The story is once again set in Ceylon, but 1935 for this book. It’s a story of love and betrayal, but don’t worry I’m not about to share if there’s a happy ending, or not.

Louisa, the central character is the daughter of a successful jewel trader, and that’s the sapphire connection. The story starts to gather pace and (even more) grip-ability when her husband dies unexpectedly. As with all the best stories, there’s a tricky path to navigate, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one, whether you’re a Dinah Jefferies fan already or not.

2 The Mersey Daughter, Annie Groves

My other go to genre for reading is females in a war time setting, and this book has plenty of that. There’s Kitty who joins the WRENS and leaving Liverpool to do so, there’s Rita who’s sent her children to a farm outside of Liverpool. Rita’s also a nurse and her husband has gone AWOL with his latest fancy woman. There’s her mother-in-law too who has a secret daughter, and there’s the warmth of an extended Liverpool family, and the bombs that rain down on the city.

This is the first Annie Groves book I’ve read, and I’d certainly read more, as there’s definitely the emotional pull in these stories, but this wasn’t the book that had tears rolling down my cheeks as I read, but it came close.

3 The Plus One, Sophia Money-Coutts

It was obvious from the start of this book that it was yet another genre, and one that would easily fit into the chick-lit category. I’ve seen one review online which describes it as jolly, and that’s fair I think. I enjoy a good, upbeat, happy story and this one was more likely to have me in tears of laughter, so this wasn’t the one that made me cry either, but it was a quick and energetic read.

Polly, the main character works for the society magazine Posh! as a trainee journalist, and there’s a feel of Bridget Jones-ness to this book, so if that’s not your thing, this isn’t likely to be either. It is mine, and the writing evokes vivid pictures which I’m sure I’d replicate if I was in the same situations in real life, and I’m thinking the country visits rather than the adult entertainment, before you ask.

4 A Moment of Grace, Patrick Dillon

So if none of the other three on this list made me cry, it must be this one. And it was. This book is beautifully written, and full of the emotion I mentioned before, there’s love, much love in fact, but also raw emotion as it tells the story of Nicola’s last thirteen months; the day of diagnosis when their life changed forever, though to the decision Patrick and their children made to let her go. It’s a story with fight and realism, and tears, mostly mine. There’s also hope, and particularly how Patrick wanted the house to be right for when Nicola returned, truth of an everyday and ordinary life, and how quickly that can change.

Patrick Dillon is an award-winning architect and writer, his wife of 28 years Nicola Thorold was Executive Producer at London’s Roundhouse and awarded an OBE for services to the arts. It’s a compelling read, and more so I think because these are real people and real lives.

And that’s not all, I’ve started a fifth book which unbelievably could be my first Marian Keyes book. I’m hoping that I’ll have some time this week to finish this one, and who knows maybe there’ll be more - I hope so, reading is definitely good for the soul.