Book Reviews August 2024

The post is my Book Reviews August 2024

Oh, dear! My Book Reviews August 2024 blog post is very late – it’s already the middle of September!

A contribution of hectic life stuff plus, if I’m honest, a lack of blogging motivation has caused the delay.

I have been creative in other areas of my life, but this has inevitably shrunk the time available for blogging.

I did make time in August for some fun book events, reading and my latest venture, creative writing.

So, first up, I attended a local library talk with Sandie Docker.

An established author of six books in the genre of contemporary women’s fiction. Sandie also co-runs the Northern Beaches Readers Festival in NSW, Australia. The library talk was to promote her latest book, The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir. I loaned a copy from my library. You can find my review below.

During the talk, Sandie shared so much about her writing process, how her ideas form and also why she thinks it is important for female authors to embrace and be proud of the genre title ‘Contemporary women’s fiction’. Some authors feel this term is somehow derogatory to the books that women write and read, but as Sandie pointed out, we should be proud of the term. She knows that she is writing books for women, about the issues and subjects that women are interested in and is happy to promote that.

She also believes that women who decide to be stay-at-home mums should be loud and proud about the work they do. So many women describe themselves as ‘just a mum’. Sandie says of all the jobs she has undertaken in her life, the one that she would never, ever give up, is being a full-time mum.

Second, purely by coincidence, I entered the Northern Beaches Readers Festival short story competition.

Imagine my excitement at finding out my story was long listed! I can’t tell you how amazing this result made me feel. Sadly, I didn’t make the final shortlist, but I was just so happy to have made the long list for such a prestigious event that this really didn’t matter.

Lastly, I have a confession. I am a book-a-holic!

My friend was having a clear out of her books and I ended up smuggling them all home to my house! I have such a huge pile of ‘to be read’ books I could fill a whole bookcase. Plus the ones waiting on my kindle – oops!

How about you? Can you pass a bookshop, or bargain shelf and resist buying another book?

Anyhow, here are my reviews of the books I read in August.

My Legendary Girlfriend – Mike Gayle (fiction)

This is Mike Gayle’s debut novel, published first in 1999. He has now completed some 17 books. I came across Gayle via a podcast where he described how his work was first described in Britain as Lad Lit in the late 1990’s. This then led to the term ‘Chick Lit’ attributed to feel good female stories. Both terms appear to have dropped out of fashion now, replaced by the title ‘contemporary fiction’. I think this is what has led to the phrase ‘contemporary women’s fiction’ and how it is viewed negatively by some.

Anyhow, this book is about the ups and downs of young love from a male viewpoint. It’s a bit like a twenty something Adrian Mole meets Bridget Jones.

Overall, it was an easy read with lots of 90’s references, which were quite nostalgic. I felt the middle was a little ‘saggy’ ie. slow, but the story picked up again towards the end.

To be honest, I am not sure I would read more of his books, but that’s just because of my own personal preference.

The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir – Sandie Docker (fiction)

This was a really enjoyable read whilst exploring some difficult and emotional subjects.

Set in Australia, after the death of her husband, Hannah and her son Leo have found themselves homeless.

Apparently, 3 in 4 homeless people seeking help in Australia are women or children, Homelessness in women over the age of fifty, is one of the fastest rising demographics.

The novel has a dual timeline, contemporary Australia (2019) and 1970’s Ireland.

The contrast in the lives of the young women in each period is stark, especially that of the strict Irish 1970’s Roman Catholic family.

Again, there is another big issue that the book addresses from the more recent past, which I can’t really elaborate on without spoiling the end of the book.

Overall, this was a heartwarming but thought-provoking book. I shall definitely lookout for more of Sandie’s books. She explores women’s issues in a deep, empathetic way whilst maintaining wonderful story telling.

None of this is True – Lisa Jewell (fiction)

I’m not sure why, but this is my first Lisa Jewell book, and I had not really heard of her before. She does, however, have an impressive back catalogue of books and is a well-established author.

With this book, you know as a reader, from the outset, that the story probably isn’t going to go well for someone. The two main characters are Alix Summer and Josie Fair. They appear to meet quite by chance in a restaurant and discover that they are birthday twins.

A few days later, they meet again. Alix is a successful and established podcaster with a young family and an executive husband, living in a beautiful suburb of London. She agrees to interview the rather unsettling Josie for her podcast. Josie hints to Alix that she has a strange and complex past, which Alix can’t resist digging deeper and deeper into.

Every page builds up a creeping doom, which conflicts with the familiar domestic settings of London suburbia.

As each character reveals a little more of themselves, the reader is kept guessing about the secrets they keep and where you think the story is going to end up.

There were some good twists and turns and whilst most of the threads were tied up at the end, I was still left mulling over the book once I had finished, wondering whether I had interpreted all the reveals in the right way.

Overall, this was a brilliant, immersive read which I would recommend.

Perfect Criminals – Jimmy Thomson (fiction)

I won this book in a raffle but reading the blub I thought I would probably enjoy it.

The blurb:

Danny Clay, a former army engineer in Afghanistan, is now a scriptwriter. His latest work is dead in the water and his agent is furious.

His best friend and editor, Zan, appears to be linked to a murder. Then more of their author friends start dying, and Clay is in a race to prevent himself and Zan from becoming the next victims.

This book is described as ‘a hilarious, action-packed romp’. Sadly, I just could not get into the author’s writing style. I think his audience is probably aimed more at a male reader and I found some of the jokes too ‘laddish’ for me.

In the past, I would have battled on to the end, but I have such a huge ‘to be read list’ that I abandoned this book fairly promptly.

Overall, not one for me, but it doesn’t mean it’s a bad book.

A Noise Downstairs – Linwood Barclay (fiction)

In complete contrast to my failure with the book above, I absolutely tore through this book. I love Barclay’s style of writing and was immediately immersed in the story.

The blurb:

Paul Davis forgets things. He has panic attacks and gets confused. But he wasn’t always like this.

Eight months ago, Paul found two dead bodies in the back of a co-worker’s car. He was then attacked, and very nearly died. He has been slowly recovering since. His wife does her best, but fears the worst.

At night he has begun hearing things, impossible things, that no one else hears. Is he losing his mind, or does someone want him to think he is?

The pace in this book was thrilling and kept me turning the page far too late into the night. The twist and turns were brilliant as always with Barclay’s books.

Definitely a winner for me.