The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

 

I have two reading rules: firstly, to wait until the hype around a book has died down before picking it up. Secondly: to never read reviews until I've finished the book. Both rules have served me well, but this time, I sneaked a peek at the reviews and stumbled across some of the less favourable ones.

I know it would be a dull world if we all liked the same books, but I genuinely can’t understand how anyone could fail to like—no, absolutely love—this.

I fell for Nora from the beginning. Convinced life has dealt her one blow too many, she sees only one way out. Thank goodness for the library, the librarian...the wonderfully wise Mrs Elm...and the endless shelves of possibilities that help Nora realise what a terrible mistake that would be. (See About the Book below.)

Beautifully written, cleverly constructed and filled with heart, soul and emotion, this was an absolute joy from page one. Haig has shot straight to the top of my 'must read more of' list, and I fully intend to do just that.

Common Decency by Tom Allen

 

I didn’t need much persuasion to pick this* up. Allen is always hugely entertaining on TV, and his sharp observational humour comes through in his writing.

This was delightful and undemanding—ideal sun-lounger reading. The residents of Oak Drive are a wonderfully motley, but colourful, crew, each with their own little quirks, grudges and buried secrets. A majestic old oak tree becomes the catalyst for all those simmering tensions about to rise to the surface. (See About the Book below.)

I’ll be honest…it won’t win any literary awards; it’s a little bit silly and improbable, but it is warm, gentle and funny. It’s a story of suburban shenanigans.

Just one thing, Tom…you forgot to thank the readers in your acknowledgements. Do remember us—authors need readers just as much as readers need authors.

*Provided by Netgalley

The Coach Trip by Izzy Bromley

 

This had the potential to be the perfect beach/fireside read. (Despite the loathsome present-tense narrative.)  But it failed miserably. It didn't take long for me to be hugely irritated by the constant reference to 'the old people'.

The narrator, Emma, and her flatmate/best friend, Mel, find themselves accompanying Emma's grandmother on a coach trip. See About the Book below. They find themselves to be the youngest (at a decently adult 28), and therefore, everyone else is ancient. They're immature, childish and disrespectful. I began to wonder how they even managed to get dressed in the mornings without a manual. The assumption was that anyone a day into 70 was a fuddy-duddy, complaining, grumpy old fart who just goes on coach trips. This then turned into an ageist, anti-old-people rant.

I think the following summed up the unlikeability of the main character, and I quote: "She’s around his age and looks like a thousand other old people, sort of grey and plumpish." Seriously? I mean, seriously???

To the author: where's your respect, fictional or otherwise.

Mrs Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford

If you love GBBO, you'll love the story of Mrs Quinn, who, unbeknownst to her husband, enters a television cooking contest and does really rather well.

A pensioner finding fame and stardom on a cooking programme would be a bit of an empty plot, so of course, there is a bit more intrigue: a(nother) secret she has kept from her husband of fifty-nine years. See About the Book below.

It's a lovely snuggly book, as warm as comforting as Jenny Quinn's baking, without being too saccharine and sickly. The perfect feelgood book to immerse yourself in when you fancy a curl-up by the fire on a long wintry evening.

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

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You Are Here by David Nicholls

 

Not having read anything by this author, it probably took me no more than a handful of pages to ask myself, WHY have I not I read anything by this author?

It's a romance; it's an organic, down-to-earth romance with two very likeable main characters. With such witty, sharp and credible dialogue, I can't help thinking this author would be a very entertaining guest at one of those 'which ten people present or past would you invite to a dinner party'.

It's about two lonely people (Marnie and Michael) who meet on a challenging group walk. But, are they lonely or just alone? That's the beauty of Nicholls' writing…the question is cleverly and beautifully examined.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and loved being in Marnie and Michael's company. The minute I finished it, I headed straight to Amazon to seek out Nicholls' other books. He'll never be at my dinner party, of course, but I'll have many hours in his company.

Small Hours by Bobby Palmer

 

Palmer's debut novel, Isaac and the Egg was my book of 2022, so of course, I pounced on his second.

Palmer is a genius with words and has succeeded in following up his superb debut novel as poignantly and perceptively. Isaac and the Egg dealt with grief. This deals with regrets, unfulfilled dreams, disappointments, the missed opportunities of four members of a family and a devastating disease of one of them, which makes for a considerably more intense read. Jack doesn't talk to his father. Charlotte, his sister, doesn't talk to Jack. Why does his father have reminders all over the house, and where the heck is his mother? (Full synopsis here)

Yes. Intense. Oh, I forgot the fox. Who's surprisingly wise.

I have just one 'but'. Isaac's egg talked (well, grunted, really). Jack's fox was a good deal more talkative and intelligible. (You really do have to read these books to get it!) I think Mr P has covered talking animals and dairy products pretty well now.

Whatever he writes next, though, I'll be snapping it up!

See also:

Isaac and the Egg

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

 

I rarely enjoy translated books because many of them are translated by people for whom English is a second language, and the result is invariably a bit stilted. This, though, was extremely well translated and the prose flowed very fluidly.

However, I struggled a bit with the actual story. A father-and-daughter detective duo…food-detective duo, in fact…try to recreate dishes for their customers for whom a dish from their pasts is sentimentally significant.  (Full synopsis here)

Each of the six chapters focusses on a different client. Whilst each has a different memory and reason for recapturing the essence of the pertinent dish, the format of each chapter was the same. I found this a little tedious and repetitive. Maybe it's because I don't understand the Japanese food culture, but the endless description of every food that went into the dishes (do onions from different areas really matter? An onion is an onion to me).

It was quite a departure from my usual diet of crime thrillers, but it didn't really grab me. I was actually quite glad it was a short book. If you live to eat rather than, like me, eat to live, I reckon you'll find this a treat.

And Then There's Margaret by Carolyn Clarke

 

It's a bold move to banner a book with 'laugh-out-loud dramedy'. It really does have to live up to that, and that's always tricky because comedy is subjective.

Honestly? There's very little comedy, laugh-out or otherwise, in this: perhaps the odd wry phrase/remark, but that's about all. However, if you read this and forget the promised 'comedy' flavouring, you do actually get a very decent read.

It's a bit clichéd (mother-in-law from hell), but it's worth committing to it to see how Ally (the hard-done-by daughter-in-law) deals with her, and how (and why) the pair finds a middle ground. (Full synopsis here)

Very definitely five-star worthy but for the lack of promised comedy and many very naughty editorial oversights, for example: 'between Hank and I…' (dear oh dear), many apostrophe sins and the detention-worthy 'was sat'. It's a classy novel, so this was disappointing.

Nevertheless, highly recommended.

Summer's Runaway by Rebecca L. Marsh

 

After this, my fifth book by this author, I can safely say Marsh is most definitely in my 'favourite authors' list.

Apart from her immense skill in writing with emotion and conviction, Marsh brings you characters you can totally believe in and get wholly immersed in. Where Hope is Found's story continues here, its characters and their lives having moved on a couple of years. But a new one enters: runaway, twelve-year-old Hallie. And how brilliant Marsh is at getting into the head of a pre-teen. It's not an easy thing. Whilst you may remember what you were like at twelve (I don't), a generation (or two!) later, twelve-year-olds are quite different. It's a joy to be in the former characters' company again and Hallie is an added bonus.

Have the cast and their lives got legs for another book? I don't know. It would be lovely to meet up again, of course, but actually, I'll be happy with anything Marsh writes next.

I just hope it's not too long a wait.

Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer

I love it when an author crashes onto the literary scene with a debut novel and just blows your mind.

The book is indeed about Isaac. And an egg. No, not a chicken egg, or duck or goose egg, or even an ostrich egg. It's actually two-feet high and quite white and fluffy. And now everyone's going to think that this is either a children's story or something plucked from the sci-fi shelf.

Oh no, it isn't. Whilst this is a story of deep love, loss and the most intense grief, Palmer injects humour and wit and writes with perception and depth. He is without doubt an extremely talented author who manages to paint the most realistic picture with his words.

It is a most charming, poignant, tragic but heart-warming novel written with outstanding skill. I sincerely hope this exceptional writer is intending to write more, but in the meantime, someone has, just has to make a movie of this.

A phenomenal book. An excellent debut. A remarkable author.

Mum & Dad by Joanna Trollope

Joanna Trollope is ten years older than me, so she's been writing for about eighty percent of my reading life. This is the first of her books I've read, and I now I'm chastising myself for waiting this long.

Mum & Dad is a story of a fractured family, whose dysfunction is unravelled when Dad suffers a stroke in Spain, where he (and Mum) have lived for twenty-five years. Their three children, and their own children (ranging from toddlers to moody teenagers) have to disrupt their London lives to help.

Trollope writes thoughtfully, articulately, with emotion and compassion. Her characters are realistically imperfect: they're human and relatable. Their life stresses and pressures, their worries, their hopes are all recognisable.

Despite the slightly underwhelming ending, I found the story and the characters engaging and interesting, and as an introduction to this well-known author, it has propelled me into Trollope world! Many, many more to be read, very definitely!

The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle

 

Although I'd never heard of Mike Gayle, the title of this book caught my eye. A few pages in, and I was already wondering, what else has he written and why haven't I read anything by him till now!

I was hugely disappointed that it was written in the present-tense narrative, which is my literary pet hate, but notwithstanding, my enjoyment of the book was immense. Gayle is just brilliant. He's written a delightfully heart-warming story that hooks you from the start. And subtly topical: what happens to 'stuff' that has history, a meaning and emotion attached to it? Items, which appear ordinary and unspecial, that are found or can't be kept by their owners for whatever reason but that shouldn't be condemned to a hole in the ground to the detriment of our damaged environment? With luck, it'll find a home in the Museum of Ordinary People.

Beautifully composed with engaging characters, it's also quite thought-provoking. You find yourself wondering what, of all your possessions, would you like to have exhibited in such a wonderful place once you've popped your clogs!

Superb, and there's absolutely no question I'll be seeking out more by this author.

Something to Tell You by Lucy Diamond

 

This is a delightful story about family, its ups and downs, its secrets, its surprises and overall, its unbreakable bond.

I'm not familiar with Lucy Diamond's work, and this was my first encounter with her. Easy to read, you are drawn into the story and its characters from the start: the Mortimer family, comprising 50-years-married Mum and Dad, their four children and grandchildren. It's a large family, and most of the adults have their own narrative POV. They weave adeptly through the story, and it's not hard to become emotionally involved with them all. The characters are multi-faceted and likeable.

The ending is a little rushed and just a teeny weeny bit predictable, but this in no way affected my enjoyment. I'm certainly going to be reading more of this author. There's a cosiness and feel-good aura about her writing, and you can't help getting to the last page with an 'awww'. And we all need a dose of feel-good from time to time.

The Phone Box at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina

 

I feel a bit guilty that I didn't enjoy this as much as I feel I ought to have.

The pivot of the story is the 2011 tsunami in Japan and the grief from the appalling loss of life is what does a lot of the heavy lifting. The author writes articulately and with poignancy and compassion in that regard. No problem there.

It's very well written with depth and empathy and unusually, the translation is extremely competent. It's a shame, however, that neither the translator nor the editor know the difference between 'less' and 'few'. Ah well, it was the only blip.

It's sad but heart-warming and really quite charming in some ways. Alas, I got a bit…bored with the two main characters, Yui and Takeshi, both of whom are mourning the deaths of their loved ones, who meet at the site of the disused phone box. I just couldn't drum up interest in the pair's journey to recovery or in the development of their relationship.

It wasn't a book I was in a rush to pick up and finish, but I'm not a DNF person. I was rather miffed to find a glossary at the end: all those Japanese words and phrases explained. It would have been much more useful to either have them at the beginning, or at least refer to their location at the start.

A different read. Just a bit so-so.

The Things I Know by Amanda Prowse

I read The Art of Hiding by this author five years ago. When I sought out my review of it, I was reminded not only of how much I enjoyed it but also how much the story and its characters stayed with me long after reaching 'The End'. So I dived into this with great enthusiasm. And Prowse did it again. She left me with another wonderful story and characters that haven't yet vacated my head!

It's a marvellous story about two people who are very slightly disparate for different reasons, with no grand expectations about life or people—until they meet each other. It's a story about acceptance, hope and courage and I devoured every single word.

Prowse gives you a story heavy with emotion, empathy and characters you just can't help falling in love with.

This is a deliciously uplifting book that gives you hygge.

The Newcomer by Fern Britton

 

This is so lovely! I really enjoyed it. My first Fern Britton read and very definitely not my last. What a writer. Her characters are colourful, mysterious, passionate, compassionate, entertaining, and portrayed to make you feel that not only would you love to meet them but actually live in the community of which they're a part. Every scene is set with meticulous attention to detail.

You'd be forgiven for thinking this has a feint aura of The Vicar of Dibley: a stand-in female vicar has to prove herself to a village community. In the charming Cornish village of Pendruggan, most of the inhabitants welcome the new broom with her sweep of fresh and contemporary ideas, but of course, there's always one who doesn't!

Britton writes with warmth and compassion and gives you a delightfully easy and entertaining read that leaves you with a cosy glow inside. I hadn't realised she has a number of novels up her sleeve, which was a very pleasing discovery…more to be read by this author, very definitely!

The Rift Between Us by Rebecca L. Marsh

 

I've read two other books by this author. She has quite the knack of totally immersing you into her characters and their stories.

This is a wonderful family drama about three sisters who have drifted apart, much to their widower father's distress. He's unable to persuade them to mend the rift whilst alive, but after his sudden death, his will reveals a carefully constructed plan, a stipulation and condition, that forces the girls to reluctantly make an effort. Marsh takes us on their journey to break down the barriers of grudges, resentments, misunderstandings, grief. Each has a life-changing secret the others know nothing about.

The three books I've read by Marsh has confirmed to me her talent as a writer, but her skill is especially evident in her character portrayal: her characters are real, believable and likeable. They pull you in to their lives and their surroundings and are almost tangible. You know them and you feel them.

A lovely, beautiful story.

Needlemouse by Jane O'Connor

A story about a single middle-aged woman with an unrequited love for her boss isn't particularly original, but this is a well-told, well-written (debut) novel. I wasn't particularly enamoured by the protagonist, Sylvia, at the start…her boss obsession makes her an unpleasant, scheming person, one for whom you feel absolutely no sympathy or compassion. But O'Connor rather skilfully has you rooting for her towards the end. Bad decisions, misunderstandings and disappointments have moulded Sylvia and become her undoing. But her niece, old Jonas, an old boyfriend and…hedgehogs (or needlemice...you'll find out at the end!) transform her into quite a different, less-blinkered, nicer person.

There are some wonderful and wide-ranging characters, such as Jonas (who runs the hedgehog sanctuary), and the flamboyant Millie (Sylvia's sister). It's a heart-warming and uplifting story, written articulately and sensitively.

I would have given this five stars, but I couldn't overlook the tautologising nodding of heads, the 'leaving Lola and I (for heaven's sake '…and me'!), the 'lay low' (it's 'lie low'), and O'Connor should be aware that the proof is not in the pudding, it's in the eating of the pudding! I'm slightly alarmed that a primary (ex)teacher would blunder like this. And equally alarmed that an editor didn't pick these up.

But for that…a charming, entertaining and enjoyable debut novel. I hope there's more to come from this promising author.

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

 

Oh my goodness, what an achingly beautiful book. I absolutely loved it. And what a voice Adunni has…very louding indeed.

The story is written from Adunni's POV. She wants nothing more than an education, to go to school, to learn and ultimately to teach. To give girls a voice. But sold for marriage to an old man, then abused by a rich Big Madam in Lagos, an education seems beyond her reach.

You fall in love with Adunni from the minute you're introduced to her. She misses her dead mother deeply, and she has a wisdom beyond her years. But what grabs your heart and wrenches it is her determination and cemented resolve.

Adunni tells her story in broken English…which is so very poignant and charming at the same time.

What a kick-off to my reading year…but a hard act to follow.

The Castle by Anne Montgomery

 

Montgomery is no stranger to me: Wild Horses on the Salt was my very enjoyable introduction to her writing. This book had me equally enthralled. It deals with the very distressing subject of rape and, importantly, the impact it has on the victims, in this case, Maggie. 

 

A gang rape has left her depressed, and later, the death of her young son tips her over the edge. Eventually, she goes back to her job as park ranger at The Castle, a famous ancient Native American site. The scars of her ordeal and tragedy are still there, however, and she does her best to ease herself back into normality. But there is a man in her circle who wants Maggie for his 'prize'.

One of the four men in her entourage is a serial rapist. And this is where Montgomery keeps you turning the pages: I went from, "Oh, I know who it is!" to "Ah, no, it's him…or perhaps not, it's him!" Quite a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between the 'suspects' went on! And you're kept guessing till the very end. At the same time, the author digs deep into Maggie the victim and her distress and grief and gives you a compelling and pretty amazing character.

The story is peppered with some interesting facts, too…who knew scuba-diving for scientific research could be so fascinating, along with the Montezuma Castle's history.

Rape is a hideous crime with some alarming victim statistics, but in this well-rounded novel, Montgomery handles it brilliantly.