kellylacey's reviews
467 reviews

In The Trial, John Mayer masterfully recreates the atmosphere of Edinburgh’s old streets and halls as the backdrop to a gripping whodunnit. With short fast paced chapters, a glossary of legal terms and a plethora of characters with back stories the reader should be forgiven if their head is spinning by the end of part two but it is worth persevering. Using a cast of characters where class and honour are not necessarily related, truths, half-truths, and downright lies are woven together to keep the reader’s attention right to the end. Mayer’s characters have a tendency to be less than completely forthcoming and transparent in their encounters; this slightly pessimistic, though not necessarily unrealistic, a portrayal of the human condition certainly keeps things interesting. Elements of the story are at the same time utterly unbelievable and entirely plausible which allows the reader to draw on their own preconceptions and stereotypes. Only as the story develops will you find out if what you think you know and what you actually know are even loosely related. All in all, The Trial is an enjoyable read and I would recommend giving it a go. Three stars.
J.A.Warnock
Review on behalf of Love Books Group

Finished this last night and it was for sure a special read. It’s Hayley Mitchell’s debut novel with Red Door Publishing but it will not be her last. The first chapter had me sitting with my chin on my chest, scared to read the next page. The best opening to a book I have ever read. The intense build up has you screaming at Rachel!

The book is in two parts and I have to say there is a subtle change in theme between the two. Part two of the book threw me a little, I was expecting it to take a different route. So that was also a great play by Hayley Mitchell.

My favourite character was Julie. I felt incredibly sorry for her and would love to have taken her to lunch and say leave!!!

Hayley Mitchell has a great talent of setting the scene and mood without using unnecessary long-winded words. The pace of the book is super and you are always on your toes from beginning to end.

I would encourage you to snap this up and add Hayley to your watch list!

Buy your copy here ~ Amazon

Follow Hayley on Twitter@HayleyMitchellc

I’ve read all sorts of books but never one like The Confession Of Stella Moon. Shelley Day really sets the scene. You can taste and smell your surroundings. The chapters set in the boarding house were creepy and unnerving. I had to stop reading the book at the night because it gave me the jitters. But I couldn’t stop reading. A bit like Gareth and his attachment to Stella, she had me too under her spell. With a multitude of topics exhausted in the book you would think it would because complicated but no, it is so well written that you can keep up with ease.

Stella Moon as a character is strange, dangerous and fragile. I would have loved to hear more from and about Granny Ruby. Shelley Day did say during her talk if I recall correctly that Granny Ruby’s point of view was removed during the editing process.

I would love to see a movie of this book and would be curious to know who people would like to play the roles.

If you would like a book with a soul and a creepy undertone then buy The Confessions Of Stella Moon, you will not be disappointed.

You can see my full review here ~ https://lovebooksgroupblog.wordpress.com/

Even after just one chapter of the book I knew that my next few days reading were going to be enjoyable.
Alfred Warner’s life was certainly not your average. The book takes us over many years from when Alfred was just a little boy to when he is an elderly man. We are able to see where his life journey took him, we travel to many locations from Berlin to Ayr in Scotland and more. As he shares with us his life story it is heartbreaking at times and uplifting too. It touches on many heart-wrenching topics including the Holocaust, losing a child and death. The root of the book is loss and how Alfred copes. Alfred shows us how he deals with every important event in his life. We see how the different people that Alfred meets in life and the roads they chose for him, map out his future destination. How meeting one person for just a short while can have such an effect on Alfred’s life.
We also hear Brynja’s story. A young girl fighting an internal battle. Again she too deals with loss. A girl trapped and under control by “Others”. Can Alfred save her? Possibly, but not by himself.
A chance meeting on a train station platform engages one unsuspecting person into Alfred & Brynja’s lives. Her part in Alfred’s story being invaluable.
I didn’t want this book to end. It gripped my heart and held tight. Juliet Conlin writes the book in such a way that it is easy to flow from one character to the next with ease. The book is like a jigsaw all the pieces laid out and gently we got to put the whole thing together and the end result being you close the book, tears streaming down your face and you wish there was more.
I know that this book will be in my top ten reads of 2017, no questions asked. It’s in the same high esteem as The Book Thief by Mark Zusak and The Storyteller By Jodi Picoult. Both of which I continue to think of even all these years later. I know that I will think of Alfred fondly and remember the personal life lessons his story taught me. We learn that it’s so important that we communicate with people who mean something to us. To tell them their worth and that we love, like them it doesn’t matter which just so long as the people know they matter.
I recommend this book with my heart and soul. If you want to be taken on a journey then order it today. It’s life changing!

Check out my blog ~ https://lovebooksgroupblog.wordpress.com/

With 'The First Blast of the Trumpet' Marie Macpherson leads us on a rollicking romp through Scottish history. The book is set in Edinburgh and the Lothians (with short excursions to France and England) between the years 1511 and 1548; a very tumultuous time for Scotland. The book is a giddy roller coaster ride with murder and mayhem, treachery and torture, infanticide and regicide galore. The descriptive passages are extremely well written; you can smell sweet new mown hay, imagine the blood of dead soldiers on Flodden Fields and, at times, the blast of cold air sends a shiver down your spine.

The plot fair gallops along with old characters being killed off at an alarming rate but constantly being replaced with new and fresh ones. At times I for one was actually in those damp, dreich, pungent castles with spies and murderers watching my every step. I reached the end of the novel with a palpable sense of relief at still being alive. The author really does bring this whole world to life in a real and tangible way.

I also feel that the complicated situations, relationships and characters were brought to the page in an assured and straightforward way particularly the handling of the convoluted and self-serving politics of Jacobian Scotland which did not seem too complex to be understood. After a while, I found the constant use of coothy, auld Scots words and phrases a bit tiresome. I am old enough to know the meaning of most of them but younger or English readers may find a glossary a useful addition.

That said, maybe I am just a blethering, auld besom havering in my glaur! This is a book worth buying in paper form so you can get the benefit of the family trees and map which were all but invisible on my kindle.

With this first installment, Marie Macpherson has led us on an exciting journey through Scotland's murky past. I cannot wait to read the next.

Review By Sam Bain on behalf of https://lovebooksgroupblog.wordpress.com/

‘A House Divided’ is nicely paced and picks up the tale from the perspective of a variety of characters as the story progresses. This often puts the reader in the enviable position of knowing more about what is going on than the characters themselves and helps drive the narrative. Characters are split less by blood or family allegiance and more by their decency and moral code. I am trying, somewhat ineloquently to tell you there are baddies and goodies for whom the reader can boo or cheer! There is a real simplicity in the style of storytelling that belies the complexity of politics and plot in which it is set. In terms of context, pestilence, plague, spies, intrigue, witch trials, allegiances, succession and revenge make up only as a small proportion of the giddying mix. Each turn of the page brings a new calamity and once could, at times, be forgiven for thinking that, were it not for bad luck, the Munros would have no luck at all.

By making this essentially a story of a family that happens to be set within a historical context, Skea makes her novel all the more accessible. I would thoroughly recommend this novel so much I am off to find her first. Perhaps if I stand on my head after reading, the pieces will all fall into the right places. Four out of five stars from me.

If Shepherd is writing to a potential publisher with immortality in her mind, I suspect Klefstad is writing to a potential director or producer with the film rights in his foremost thoughts. There is a visual quality to this book which readers will either find compelling and appealing or deeply irritating. Cue Tarantino split screen; action, move on. It is quick. The novel reads with a level of fast-paced disjointedness that should be accompanied by a flashing images warning. It is short, sharp and straight to the point. The reader is expected to think, assemble the pieces and reach their own conclusions which is not necessarily a bad thing but does take a little getting used to.

The language is, I hesitate to use the word real but certainly, functional; it is correct for the time and place and seems so natural to the writer and characters that the reader can be easily swept along however unfamiliar it may be to them. The characters exist in a cynical and apathetic world which is, somewhat depressingly, not dissimilar to our own. This is a place I do not want to be but vaguely recognise; the benevolent and optimistic facets of my soul, still screaming, are running for cover I know not where. Fleeting references to politics, religion, banking, crime and modern malaise can be read as a latticework of implied cause and effect or interpreted as easy ammunition to hijack and drive the plot. Again, your interpretation will likely depend on your response to this scatter gun writing style.

At this point, I need to consider a star rating and will be honest I’m struggling. If you like your novels raw, disjointed and unconventional, you would probably baulk at anything less than five stars. If you find the style antagonistic and willfully complex, you would probably give one or two stars for a good idea let down in execution. Me? I would suggest you give the story a go and, in the keeping with the book’s philosophy, I will let you draw your own conclusions.
Thank you to Dan Klefstad for being on my blog today.

People tell stories. We always have and always will. It is as natural as breathing. In ‘A Fallen Friend’ Featherstone and Pape tackle an interesting question about the way we tell the stories of our lives. Don’t worry, they haven’t produced a how-to guide for writing your autobiography although I’m sure someone, somewhere will have done if you need a little shove in that direction. Rather they have taken a look at the way we sanitise and interpret events; the way we weave together a narrative, for ourselves and others that are generally grounded in truth but is palatable to our view of the world. They pick up the notion of there being several sides to every story and intricately weave together the personal narratives of the two main characters Teri and Lee to demonstrate how disparate those perspectives can be.
Chapters are written in the first person but switch between the two narrators. At first, I was a little disappointed by the characters; I felt they conformed to obnoxious, rich girl and Catholic, good girl stereotypes but as the novel progressed, I realised my stereotypical preconceptions were being challenged. Of course, the narrative gives us the action but we also learn what each character is thinking and what they hold back as well as what they say. Essentially we learn what drives each character which sometimes fitted with my expectations and sometimes surprised me. Misunderstanding and interpretation add depth to what is essentially a simple story about life and because the reader is party to both perspectives, they too can get in on the act…That isn’t what happened but I understand why you don’t want to admit it…. That isn’t her favourite wine but I see your heart is in the right place… She’s right but you’re not going to listen, are you? I found myself in conversation with the characters and, even when I didn’t agree with their thoughts and actions, felt I understood them which is a testament to the skill of the writers.
I identified with aspects of both personalities (all the good bits, obviously!) and I’m glad to know I am not the only person who says out loud things that I mean to say in my head. The story is a little slow but I think this is a symptom of the style which covers most events from multiple perspectives. On the whole, it is a good read so worth persevering. I am genuinely interested to find out what happens next for Teri, Lee and their shared cast of characters.

I read the book in one setting, I always go into a book without reading the back cover blurb. I like to be opened minded and ready for whatever journey the author wants me to go on and which lessons I can learn from each crisp new page.

With this book, the cover gives nothing away. But it is beautiful with the strong colours.

Beaufoy writes with such purity and honesty that the heinous topic that is the heart of this book is laid out in front of us in its raw naked state. Beaufoy does not try to sugar coat the struggle that millions of older Adults who are caring for their elderly relatives face each day. Having seen my own parents cope with the illness Dementia slowly stealing my Nana Alice. I could relate to the frustration and angst of the main character. It was a slap to my younger self as to what they went through.

I love the way the Little Mermaid and Charlottes Web are incorporated into the book. They play a very important role. I thought it was a beautifully creative way to relate to us important details of the story. So what did I learn from my journey of the book? It made me reflect on the past and I had the urge to immediately tell my friends about the book so I could talk about it and dissect ours and the Authors thoughts.

Although the journey is uncomfortable at times. It has perfectly times humour. On point and even made me laugh out loud at times.

The Joyce Girl By Annabel Abbs. The book is beautifully written. It’s very enjoyable to read and it flows easily. Actors say when they make movie biographies and they spend so long learning about the character they play that they get a special unique experience. If that’s the case then I hope it goes for writers too. Because I truly want to believe that the spirit of Lucia Joyce, was with Annabel Abbs as she wrote The Joyce Girl. Looking on with pride and love for Annabel’s wonderful work.

Normally, I start my book and I try to read as much as I can over two or three sittings. As I began the book I realised my normal reading practice of forming the characters in my head would not work. As Lucia and her family were real people. So I googled for some photos, then I found a voice recording of James Joyce and so I had it in my head. This is not necessary for the enjoyment of the book. It was just a person thing of mine.

The book takes us through the avant-garde Paris to London and Zurich. I have been to Paris and it is a City with a heartbeat of culture and love. It is captured exquisitely in the book.

As I turned each page, I grew more and more in love with Lucia Joyce and her passion for dance and love. The characters and their journey are brought to life. Her unusual family lifestyle and living in the shadows of Mr James Joyce.

The book would have taken a lot of research and you can tell it was written with care and attention to details. It covers an array of many topics. With so many strong characters. This is a must read, even if your TBR pile is so high. After finishing the book I wanted to learn much more about Miss Joyce. Lucky there are some wonderful links on Annabel Abb’s website.

Website ~ www.annabelabbs.com
Twitter ~ @annabelabbs

Please check out my blog ~ lovebooksgroup.blog