Clear my name

Clear My Name by Paula Daly   292 pages

Miscarriage of justice or the perfect crime?  As the sole paid employee of the Innocence UK charity, it's up to Tess to determine if Carrie actually murdered her husband's lover years ago, or if Carrie is innocent. Three years into her 15-year sentence, Carrie is losing hope. However, Tess started to put together the clues and it does appear Carrie is innocent . . . but at the back of her mind, Tess still has some doubts.

This is a different take on the usual crime novel, and while the pacing is even, the story has enough ups and downs to make it a compelling page-turner of a read. It's an interesting way to tell the story, moving between the characters of Tess and Carrie, and moving back and forth in time. It's clear that both women have secrets, so you're kept a bit off balance with both of them, not knowing if they have ulterior motives or if their secrets will ultimately affect the case and whether or not Carrie is set free.  I've enjoyed other books by this author and this was another good read.

The Rook

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley   496 pages

"The body you are wearing used to be mine." So begins the letter Myfanwy Thomas is holding when she awakes in a London park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves. With no recollection of who she is, Myfanwy must follow the instructions her former self left behind to discover her identity and track down the agents who want to destroy her.   (summary from Goodreads)

This book was a re-read for me, but because I hadn't picked it up for a while, parts of the story felt completely new again. This is one of my favorite books, full of snarky, dark humor.  It's clever and engaging, with a main character that I enjoyed more and more as the story progressed. Myfanwy (pronounced Miffany ... like Tiffany but with an M) wakes up with no recollection of who she is. Luckily, her previous self has left her all kinds of notes, which tell her a bit about herself, and her work. I really loved this idea, that a character is discovering who they are, while we are, based on notes left by themselves. And the world O'Malley has created here is our world, with just that bit of a supernatural twist to make it fun. So there are plenty of things that are recognizable, and then new things thrown in (kind of like the show Supernatural... or Sanctuary). I liked how the author gave us this secret organization, full of its own odd characters (some likeable, some dangerous... some both), and a mystery to figure out. Going through it, I had my suspicions about who might have wanted Myfanwy dead.... and then would frequently change my mind and choose another person. Loved it.

And Myfanwy? She's a treat of a character -- practical, clever, a bit ruthless once she becomes comfortable with herself, and with a good sense of humor. It's obvious that the Myfanwy we meet at the beginning is not really the same woman she was before. It's almost like she's able to shed the somewhat timid person she was before, and just be a bit more confident --- after all, she doesn't have much to lose. As her previous self explains, she has risen to the top ranks in the organization by being a superior administrator ---- but it turns out that there is much more to Myfanwy than meets the eye. As she discovers things about herself (not just from the notes and letters and large binder of material she's left for herself), she really turns out to be quite extraordinary.

I think the author did a great job with not only the storyline, characters, and pacing .... but he also does an exceptional job of writing a female main character. What I mean is: I never stop believing her for a moment. What I sometimes find in stories, when authors write a main character of the opposite sex, that there is something that gives me pause, or gets me stuck momentarily. It is a fact that men and women use language differently (linguistics), and this is the kind of thing that can happen where I'm reading along and suddenly there's a trip ...... I think to myself, a woman (because I'm female), just wouldn't say that that way. The one example that always stands out in my mind is Robert Hellenga's book, The Sixteen Pleasure, where all was going swimmingly until the main character said something so ... male. This never happened in this story. That's one of the things that really made this a wonderful read for me.

Ghosted

Ghosted by Rosie Walsh   337 pages

"Seven perfect days. Then he disappeared. A love story with a secret at its heart."

Sarah's life has been in a sort of holding pattern until she meets Eddie and feels an instant connection to him. And it's mutual, as though Eddie has been waiting to meet her. Sarah's never been so certain of anything in her life so when Eddie leaves for a long-booked vacation and promises to call her, she doesn't doubt him. However, he doesn't call. In fact, it seems like he's dropped off the face of the earth. Sarah's friends are telling her to forget about him, but she can't --- she knows something must have happened to him.

As it turns out, something has happened. And it also turns out that some of the things that Sarah and Eddie didn't share with each other over those amazing seven days has something to do with what has happened.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a slow start and I found myself agreeing with Sarah's friends that maybe she should just forget about this guy. And then the pace started picking up and I found myself agreeing with Sarah that maybe there was something behind Eddie's lack of communication.  Before I knew it, I was hooked on the story and turning the pages nonstop.

That's not to say the book is not without flaws. There are a few threads running through the main storyline that could have been thinned out. Sarah's relationship with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend was played up a bit more than I felt necessary.  And, is the ending believable?  Well, does it matter?  I found this an enjoyable read and was satisfied by the end.

Bitter Orange

Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller   320 pages

This beautifully written book takes place (mostly) in an English mansion that's slowly falling apart. Frances Jellico has been sent to research the architecture in the surrounding gardens, a welcome change after years spent caring for her mother. Encountering Cara and Peter, she's enchanted by this couple and how easily they seem to embrace her into friendship. However, as the summer continues, Frances can sense things aren't quite rosy between Cara and Peter. Stories that Cara tells her don't quite add up, either. As Frances becomes more and more entangled in their lives, the boundaries between truth and lies start to waver and blur and a small crime leads to another so terrible that it will change all their lives forever.

Fuller tells this story through Frances' perspective, both in the present where Frances is much older, and then in the past, when it's the hedonistic summer of Cara and Peter. Is Frances a reliable narrator? It's hard to say, which means that no, she may not be a reliable narrator at all. Fuller brings the lush setting to life, so you feel immersed in the summer that the three people shared at this dilapidated place. I found Frances to be a sly storyteller at times, where you can't tell if she's quite giving you the real story or not. Her own perspectives on people and relationships are warped, to be sure.  I'd put this in the category of dark mystery, although it's much more than that, as it's a definite exploration of the human soul.

I let you go

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh   371 pages 

This story explores how lives can be changed in a split second. For Jenna Gray, that's all it takes to shatter her life, forcing her to leave her home and start fresh somewhere else. When she moves into a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, she's slowly starting to rebuild her life . . . until there's a knock at her door from the police.

I had read other books by this author and also liked this one.  There are multiple perspectives here - you have Jenna and you also have a police detective who is investigating a hit-and-run that resulted in a death.  You know Jenna is escaping from something, but when that was revealed, I was surprised --- I had thought she was, basically, someone else.  So, you have the "before" part of the story where Jenna is starting her life over, and then the second half, the "after" the police knock at her door.  From there, the story continues to unfold, complete with a few twists and turns.

I felt the characters were pretty realistic, to the point where I wanted to shake the guy who's the primary investigator.  He seriously doesn't seem to have a clue about how much his issues with his home life are his fault ---- but that's realistic.  There's a good pace and some good back-and-forth as the investigation continues and bits and pieces are revealed.  This was a quick read, but a satisfying one.

Our Kind of Cruelty

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall  273 pages  read a galley - due out May, 2018

Take the day off work. Or reserve your entire Saturday.  Because once you settle in with this book, you'll likely want to keep reading straight through until you finish.

This is a love story. Or is it? It's more a story of obsession and of a breakup so devastating that if you try to piece together the story, you get a jagged, not-quite-right picture.

Mike and Verity love each other so much that nothing will tear them apart. However, one stumble from Mike and Verity finds love in the arms of another man. But is it really love? The game that Mike and Verity have played over the years, "the crave," may not have stopped even though Verity is marrying her new man. Mike's sure that Verity is giving him signals, pushing him to bring the two of them together again . . . even if it means someone has to die.

I was seriously cranky the day that I had to go to work and leave this book waiting for me until I came home. I would have been more than happy to settle into my chair with my blanket and just read straight through until I finished, without interruption. This is the kind of story that makes you unsure if it's an unreliable narrator, or if you're reading more into things than are there, or if you're just completely off track. Each time you think Mike's reading non-existent signals from Verity, there's a hint or glimpse of something that makes you think, well, maybe not.  This is a fast-paced, addictive read.

And if all of this doesn't catch you, how about this blurb: ‘Simply one of the most disturbing thrillers I’ve read in years. In short I loved it, right down to the utterly chilling final line.’ GILLIAN FLYNN

The Blood Whisperer

The Blood Whisperer by Zoe Sharp  388 pages

Kelly Jacks in an expert in crime scenes, understanding how blood patterns can reveal a wealth of information.  She's at the top of her game . . . until six years ago, when she woke up next to a murdered man, and the knife in her hands. Unfortunately, she has no memory of the crime and while she trusted the evidence would prove her innocent, it didn't. Now, released after serving a sentence for involuntary manslaughter, Kelly must try to piece her life together. Working as a crime-scene cleaner, she happens upon a scene that seems to be suicide. However, her instincts tell her otherwise. When she follows those instincts, she winds up getting into something quite dangerous, and unable to know who to trust.

This is the first book by Zoe Sharp that I've read. I enjoyed her pacing and how she makes this story into a pretty thoughtful thriller. Kelly is an interesting character, and while the plot was sometimes a bit convoluted, Sharp kept me guessing until close to the end. While you have suspicions about what is happening, the real question is what's going to happen to Kelly. While she's obviously intelligent and street-smart, the fact that she winds up on the run, not knowing who to trust, makes her situation very precarious. The short chapters and tense pace made this one a pageturner.

Eggshells

Eggshells by Caitriona Lally.  256 pages.  due to be published in February, 2017.  I read an e-galley of this book.

Vivian doesn't feel like she fits in - and never has.  Apparently, she was odd enough as a child that her parents told her she was "left by fairies," and now, living alone in Dublin, people tend to treat her like she's crazy. Friendless, she puts up an ad for a friend, specifically a friend named Penelope.  In the meantime, Vivian wanders the city, mapping out a new area or neighborhood every day, seeking an escape to a better world, where there are fairies and where she will fit in.  When a woman named Penelope answers her ad, Vivian's life starts to change.

"Debut author Caitriona Lally offers readers an exhilaratingly fresh take on the Irish love for lyricism, humor, and inventive wordplay in a book that is, in itself, deeply charming, and deeply moving." This bit is from Goodreads.

This is the strangest book I have ever read.  Considering how many books I have read, that's saying something.  It's not that I didn't like the book; in fact, I found myself laughing out a loud a few times. However, there are parts of this story that are a little disturbing.  That bit about how Vivian's parents told her she was left by fairies?  That means they thought she was a changeling, and if you know anything about changelings, you know that humans think they are dangerous.  Vivian reveals something late in the story that ties directly into this.  However, there is a hint early on:  "I unfold the map. spread it on a patch of carpet and write in my notebook the names of places that contain fairytales and magic and portals to another world, a world my parents believed I came from and tried to send me back to, a world they never found but I will."  (p 6)

Reading this book is like reading a book written by Delirium, the Dream King's sister.  If you don't know who I'm talking about, try this:  you know how, when you were a child, you'd spin around and around, making yourself dizzy, and then stop suddenly and feel that the world was tilting and spinning around you?  That's what this book is like.

The narrative of this book wanders from one thing to the next, all with bits of connectivity to Vivian's desire to find herself entry into another world. She is constantly on the lookout for doors to another place, or evidence of fairies. Things make total sense to her, although to the people around her, she's a bit odd.  Actually, I revise that; she is odd and disturbing.  When Vivian speaks to other people, she has a tendency to ask questions that other people find strange, and as a result, people keep her at arms-length.  However, at the same time, I found her character to be kind of charming. I like how she makes lists of things she likes, or words she likes.  She has an unusual way of using language, and sometimes makes up words to suit her, or the situation.

Here's an example:

"I continue with my list: 'Donkey's Tufty Heads, Marshmallowed Silences, Butter Lumps, Elephants, Sooz in Winter, Pencils that Write Sootily, The NAme ALoysius, Anything Egg-Shaped, Mothes that Think They Are Butterflies....' " (p 20)

"I don't mind mice walking around my house - or maybe they think it's their house but I don't want to catch potential bubonic plague and have my own private Black Death."  (p 78)

I was frustrated by the ending of this book because I felt like I had been on a long, dizzying ride, and then finished, looked around me, and realized I hadn't gone anywhere at all.  However, I can't get this story out of my head, so perhaps it's the journey that's important, and not where you end up.

Stiletto

Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley.  583 pages.

"STILETTO is a novel of preternatural diplomacy, paranoia, and snide remarks."   It's also the sequel to one of my favorite books, The Rook.   

This is a sequel where I would definitely suggest that you read the first book because without the background from The Rook, many things in this story won't make sense.   In this sequel, the two deadly rivals from the first book are forced to make an alliance against a shared enemy.   We have Rook Myfanwy (rhymes with "Tiffany") Thomas again, but we also have two strong supporting characters, Pawn Felicity Clements and from the Grafters, Odette Liliefield.   Felicity and Odette don't like each other at all, and don't really trust each other, but when they are forced to work together to find who is behind recent horrendous attacks, they need to put old hatreds behind them.

I had been wondering if this book would be as enjoyable as the first one, and when I picked it up and noted how big it was, I was a little concerned.  However, from the very first chapter forward, I was hooked and enjoying myself immensely. I enjoy O'Malley's snarky sense of humor and dry wit, and how he writes things like, "Joe, meanwhile, had been so absorbed by the Curious Incident of the Sporadically Vaporous Asian Woman in the Alleyway that he's missed his friend's discommoding behind him."  I snickered to myself a few times, and found that I was frequently surprised by the story (which is nice, because I wasn't always able to predict what was going to happen).

So, if you haven't read The Rook and now you're curious, let me tell you a little bit.  The Rook begins with this quote, "The body you are wearing used to be mine," and a woman named Myfanwy Thomas who has woken up in a London park surrounded by bodies who are all wearing latex gloves.  Myfanwy has no recollection of who she is, but luckily, it appears that she has left notes for herself.  She soon discovers that she is a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organization called the Chequy that fights supernatural forces in Britain.  Most members of the Chequy have their own supernatural abilities, and Myfanwy soon discovers that she has powers of her own. However, at the same time she is trying to piece together just who she is (or was), she discovers someone within the Chequy is responsible for her memory loss . . . and this person (or people) are determined to take her out.  The Rook is a thriller of sorts, filled with quirky and compelling (and for me, unforgettable) characters, and an interesting plot that has a smoothly accelerating pace.   You can read my original review of The Rook here.

Did I say this was one of my favorite books?  Well, now I'd say these are two of my favorite books.

Beside Myself

Beside Myself by Ann Morgan.  313 pages.

This is a literary psychological thriller about two identical twins, Helen and Ellie, who swap places when they are six years old.  At first, it's a fun game, but when Ellie refuses to swap back, Helen is thrown into a lifelong tailspin.   As their lives sharply veer apart, it's uncertain if the truth will ever be revealed, and at what cost.

I found this book to be disturbing, very much so at times, and yet couldn't stop turning the pages.  I hadn't planned to sit down with it on a Sunday afternoon and read it all, but I just kept gulping down the pages.   You get the story from Helen's viewpoint, which at times becomes skewed, as it becomes apparent that she is suffering from mental illness.   When the twins swap identities for one day, it shouldn't be a big deal.  However, Helen is the favored child, the one who does well in school and whose behavior is always good.   Ellie, the daughter who seems troubled, and always a bit of a mess, obviously relishes the opportunity to play Helen for the day.  When Ellie refuses to reveal their swap to their mother, and their mother (awfully) can't tell the difference between them, Helen is thrown off track.  No one will believe her that she's the real Helen, and Ellie is starting to do such a convincing Helen impression that there's no going back.  Over the years, Helen (called Smudge when we begin the story, with her as an adult reflecting back) unravels, spiraling into dangerous, self-harming behavior as Ellie (or "Hellie" as Helen calls her) seems to be on a successful path.  

However, when Ellie has an accident and lapses into a coma, Helen finally is able to confront the awful truth of what happened.   However, it's unclear if this will really help anything.

I found Helen to be a very compelling character, even though I would read and cringe at the same time.  She gets caught up in an awful kind of life, and her mother is an absolute monster.  As the story progressed, I couldn't be sure what was going to happen next, but I liked that.   The book was strange, and disturbing . . . but I couldn't look away.   Is it a book for everyone?  Definitely not.  But if you're looking for a different kind of psychological thriller, with a potentially unreliable narrator, this is your kind of story.

Shades of Grey

Shades of Grey: the Road to High Saffron, by Jasper Fforde, 390 pages

In this world that is like our own, but far in the future and apparently in Wales, the population has limited ability to see the color spectrum.  The higher end of the spectrum that one can see, the higher their social status.  Young Eddie Russet is at the bottom of the spectrum- in the Reds- just barely higher than the Greys, who see the world only in shades of grey.  When a series of mishaps takes Eddie away from his home and to the fringes of society, he begins to question the system and realize that right and wrong is not as black and white as he thought, but really more like... shades of grey. (THAT'S THE NAME OF THIS BOOK, YOU GUYS!!)

This book was such a treat!  (But for reading, not eating.  Don't eat this book.) It's just that it was full of smart writing- the kind where you have to pause for a minute in order to go look things up.  It was also pretty hilarious.  I just loved lines like this:  "I'm not a big fact person," said Mr. Crimson, who was honest, even if a twit.  "Unproved speculation is more my thing."  (p. 221)  Eddie reminded me of a more likable Arthur Dent- he is caught up in a world that is so bizarre that it isn't even totally explained to the reader- you're just sort of taken along for the ride and you catch the bits of the scenery that you can.  I would say that this is primarily a work of world-building.  But when the world is this fascinating, it's a really fun place to hang out in for about 390 pages. Looking forward to the sequel that may or may not happen!  

Career Of Evil

Career Of Evil by Robert Galbraith, 497 pages

Ed W reviewed this recently so you can see his review for plot.  I'm going to say that I agreed with his assessment also, almost exactly.  I thought it was good and I really enjoy these characters and their development and I thought this was a great story.  I'm really looking forward to the next books in this series.

Smoke

Smoke by Dan Vyleta        448 pages   (due out May, 2016)  

"The laws of Smoke are complex. Not every lie will trigger it. A fleeting thought of evil may pass unseen; a fib, an excuse, a piece of flattery. Next thing you know its smell is in your nose. There is no more hateful smell in the world than the smell of Smoke."

In an imagined version of England, people who are wicked in thought and deed are marked by Smoke which pours forth from their bodies.  If you are a virtuous person, or a member of the aristocracy, you never Smoke (or do you?).   Three young people at an elite boarding school soon learn that everything they have been taught is a lie, putting their lives in danger.  Pursuing the truth, they discover secrets in attic rooms, in London, and in the relationships between daughter and mother, father and son.

This is an absolutely beautifully written book.  It's intense, and imaginative, and complex.   I found I would read a paragraph and then go back and savor it, because it was so thought-provoking or written in such a way that I wanted to linger over it.   I really enjoyed this book, and found that even though there were complexities in the plot, that I became immersed in the story.   Starting off, and learning about the rules of Smoke, it's complicated.  The fact that some people can lie and not trigger it at all, while others have a single thought and give themselves away lends an interesting element to the story.  So, the rules we are given are changeable, and this becomes more evident as the story progresses.

The setting, of an alternate-feeling London, lent itself well to the story.  Anyone familiar with the great smogs of London can easily imagine the London in this story.   The one thing that I occasionally found confusing was that you get viewpoints from many characters, and I would sometimes need to go back and figure out just who someone was (and how they might relate to another character).

The writing is descriptive, and the tone is atmospheric.  Similar authors that came to my mind were Neil Gaiman (although his stories aren't always quite this dark) and China Mieville (especially in the beautiful use of the written word).   Certain phrases also made me think of Ray Bradbury, who I often felt was a real artist in how he could craft a sentence or phrase.  

Here's an example: "The laws of Smoke are complex. Not every lie will trigger it.  A fleeting thought of evil may pass unseen; a fib, an excuse, a piece of flattery.  Sometimes you can lie quite outrageously and find yourself spared...At other times, the Smoke is conjured by transgressions so trifling you are hardly aware of them at all... There is no more hateful smell in the world than the smell of Smoke."  (p. 17)

This is the kind of dark tale that I enjoy, where it sticks in my mind and I keep coming back to it (and then want to re-read it again).


Note: I read an e-galley of this book, courtesy of Edelweiss.   A copy of this book has been ordered for the Library's collection in the Center for the Reader.  

What She Knew

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan.  467 pages.

This story opens with Rachel, reflecting on her life since her son, Ben, went missing.  "In the eyes of others, we're often not who we imagine ourselves to be . . . Should we trust or rely on somebody just because they're a figure of authority, or a family member?  Are any of our friendships and relationships really based on secure foundation?"     This book focuses on Ben's disappearance, and the search for him, but it explores not only Rachel's relationship with Ben, but with her family, her ex-husband, and even the relationship of two of the investigators to not only the search for Ben, but to each other.    As the media focuses on Rachel, sympathy quickly turns to suspicion, and Rachel soon realizes that nothing is as she thought it was.

In this book, you get a number of alternating viewpoints: Rachel and James Clemo (one of the investigators) mainly.  It's an interesting way to tell the story, because you're getting different viewpoints on the search for Ben, but you're also discovering things about the characters as you go along.   There are a lot of secrets that are revealed, and thus, a lot of suspicion back and forth between people.  So, it's hard to tell what might be the truth.  Combined with the search for the missing child, as a reader, you're kept off balance.  You don't know if you can trust what Rachel is revealing, or what's necessarily happening with the police investigation, either.   The pace is taut and steady, and I found this book to be a page-turner and difficult to put down.    And no spoilers here: I won't tell you what happens to Ben.   If you're a fan of suspense stories, this might be one to pick up (and find out what happens!).

The Uncommon Reader

The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett,  120 pages

The Queen of England is out for a walk, runs across a bookmobile, and realizes she has never really read.  So begins her discovery of books and literature, but can the world handle a Queen who is learning to think for herself?  I don't know about this book- novella, really; maybe it's witty, in a British way?  But it just felt like an endless string of name-dropping authors that sound good on paper to have read.  The ratio of corgis to pages was also dismally low.

Letters to the Lost

Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey   384 Pages

Forever is finally running out for Dan Rosinski. Now in his 90s, he has been given mere weeks to live. He has only one regret: he was never able to find the woman he fell in love with during World War II. Oh yes, he’s tried hard over the years to find Stella, but she seems to have vanished.

In a parallel story, it’s 2011. Jess Moran is running from her abusive, drug-user/seller boyfriend. She’s escaped and is running through London’s cold rain. She stumbles into a cul-de-sac that seems to have been mostly forgotten. One house in particular looks abandoned. She breaks in through the back.

The story jumps back to 1942 when Dan meets Stella Thorne, a unhappily married woman seeking refuge from the rain in a bombed church.

 Inside the abandoned home, Jess finds Dan’s latest letter, trying to locate Stella. With nothing to do since she’s all alone and on the lam, Jess tries to find Dan and Stella. The she discovers a trove of letters from Dan during what was left of the war. What the reader gets is two love stories. The one between Jess and the real-estate agent, Will, who eventually discovers her living there. Then there’s the one between Dan and Stella.

 Well written, although predictable, the story is a good one. I felt that Jess needed to be more complex that she was portrayed. While I enjoyed the story, I never that urge to hurry home to find out what was happening.

 

I give Letters to the Lost 4 out of 5 stars.  

Life After Life

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, 525 pages

Ursula Todd was born on February 11, 1910 in the outskirts of London. Unfortunately, she died at birth. Fortunately, she was again born on February 11, 1910, and this time she survived. But then, a few years later, she died again. But hey, she was again born on February 11, 1910 and survived a little while longer. In Life After Life, Atkinson tells and retells the story of Ursula's life as she lives it over and over again, with changes here and there resulting from different decisions. This book takes Ursula and the reader through the bulk of 20th-century British history, including the 1918 influenza epidemic (Ursula has a rough time that year) and various elements of World War II, especially the Blitz.

I won't lie: this book was more than a bit confusing. However, it is apparent that the confusion is intentional, and is shared by Ursula. As she lives life after life after life, bits of deja vu slip into Ursula's experiences, underscoring the fluidity of time, chance, destiny, and decisions. This tale, which I've described to friends as Groundhog Day meets Downton Abbey, could be horrible. But Atkinson has created a series of vignettes that create a cohesive, compelling story. Fans of historical fiction, British fiction, and The Time Traveler's Wife will enjoy this one. I highly recommend it.

One Plus One

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes, 368 pages

Ed had it pretty good with a successful tech business and money rolling in...until he inadvertently participated in insider trading. Jess never had it good: she's a single mom working two jobs (house cleaner and waitress at a dive bar), trying to support her math-genius daughter and mascara-wearing stepson in a rough part of town. As you might suspect, Ed and Jess are thrown together when Ed inexplicably volunteers to drive Jess's family (and their huge dog, Norman) to a math tournament in Scotland.

Let's address the big hurdle with this book: this would NEVER happen in real life. Insider trading? Yes. Overworked mom with two not-quite-normal kids? Absolutely. The whole wacky car trip that throws them together? Not a chance. That said, this was quite a charming book. Moyes does a wonderful job of creating very real, three-dimensional, relatable characters, and in this book, she also does a great job of illustrating the financial differences between the main characters. It wasn't as good as Me Before You, but it was definitely good. I'll certainly be picking up her other books.

The Taming of the Tights

The Taming Of the Tights by Louise Rennison, 306 pages

The next installment in the life of Tallulah Casey, this book is filled with jokes and snogging and horses and knees and tights. Tallulah is happy to be back at Dother Hall with her Tree Sisters, starting a new term. However, Dr. Lightower still hates her, Cain is still obnoxious, Charlie still has his tiny girlfriend, and the owlets have been shoved out of the nest. Will Tallulah ever find love? Or the Golden Slippers of Applause? Any teen girl who is a fan of British humor and likes books about relationships will love this series, although they are better read in order.

Thunderball

Thunderball by Ian Fleming, 262 pages

By this point Fleming, and through him Bond, has come along way from the sexist and nearly racist person we saw in Casino Royale into an almost decent human being. Gone are the days of him saying women belong in the kitchen and not in the field to actively recruiting one to spy for him. Fleming does however return to describing card games which only he can keep interesting.

The overall plot is SPECTRE, SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion, has stolen two nuclear bombs and will destroy both property and a city if their demands are not met. Their demands are of course large amounts of money, in the form of gold. The Queen of England and the President of the United States, as they are demanding ransom from them as well, task all their agencies to solve who is behind this extortion and stop it before there is any loss of life.

So of course Bond, with the help of Felix Leiter, catch a lucky break and stumble upon the plan and SPECTRE themselves.

Thunderball looks into more of the life of James Bond as well. His excessive drinking, smoking and the injuries he has taken are taking their toll on him. Not only is he an alcoholic but he is also smoking up to sixty cigarettes a day. Fleming goes out of his way to point out that these are a type of blended cigarettes that are stronger than regular cigarettes as well. With all of this combining against him, he fails his health and fitness evaluation and must get treatment at a wellness center.

This is a departure from the Bond we see in the movies, that despite everything he is always fit and can do anything that needs done. But I can't see any of the Bond characters from the movies being able to smoke sixty cigarettes a day and still be able to chase people though the city.