One for the Boys!

All These Nearly Fights by Richard Cunliffe  

First off - I really enjoyed this book though I’ll admit is not the genre of novel I usually put in my ‘basket’, because it’s from the male PoV.  I’m not certain why I resist, because I have read and enjoyed Mike Gayle, Mark Haddon and Graeme Simsion;  perhaps my problem is I feel ‘a foreigner’ when I’m made privy to the male mindset.  What do they call this genre anyhow?  Bloke-lit maybe?

The central character, Jimmy Harris, is very likeable, so while he’d probably describe himself as ‘jack the lad’ there’s a heart of gold in that car salesman’s chest.  The reader gets an insight into the salesman’s mindset as Jimmy vies with his colleagues to win a monetary bonus for selling the most cars this month - the lead up to christmas.  Jimmy is a listener too, several of his co-workers come for advice on life and love and he’s considerate and savvy with his feedback.

Jimmy himself has been victim of a painful break-up, but is currently in a relationship with a wonderful woman yet, ever the perfectionist, Jimmy is fretting whether she’s ‘the one.’  This is a key factor because Jimmy’s cheerful, hardworking exterior hides a big, life changing secret … a big Lottery windfall which he’s not sure how best to use. It’s a dilemma we’d all love to be troubled with, but Jimmy is obsessive about getting his ducks in a row before he takes the big step of sharing this information - for the majority of the book only 1 of his friends knows his secret - let alone putting his winnings to work.

It seems life has a lot to teach Jimmy while he ponders how to take the next steps, he’s on a rollercoaster ride regarding his love life, his entrepreneurial plans and the loyalty and commitment of his friends.  The book had me gripped, second guessing what Jimmy would do, what he’d get right and wrong and whether he’d heed the good advice that comes at him from every angle.  Will he hook up with the girl he used to love, but who treated him so badly? Should he become a high roller? Or alternatively  help ‘underdogs’ with his good fortune?  

You can’t help thinking you’d do in Jimmy’s situation as you read, and I found myself charmed and entertained by our hero in equal parts.  My only criticism, and I have e-mailed the author with my disgruntlement, is that I must wait until book 2 to know exactly how it all pans out, because this book ends on a real (East Enders) duf duf moment!  However, I’m all the more keen to read what Jimmy does next!  I can’t think of any books about which I can say: if you enjoyed that, you’ll enjoy this, but I can suggest some TV shows: Channel 4’s White Gold (about the highs, lows and craziness of double glazing salesmen in the 80s) or From there to Here where Philip Glenister is a man  who survives an IRA bomb and consequently tries to live his life to the max (and embarks on a double life).  Fans of those shows will surely enjoy this book and see some similarities; but for a page turning, humorous read which keeps you guessing, this novel won’t disappoint.

If you read chick-lit as a general rule, I'd be interested to know who (author or character) or what style
of book tempts you out of this genre. For me I love vampire books and chiller/thrillers so Koontz, King, Peter James, Stephanie Meyer, Charlaine Harris, and If I want a knock-em-down beat em up but always on the side of the underdog hero you cant beat Jack Reacher (as written by Lee Child) or Harry Potter (J K Rowling). Let me know in your comments who's on your list.

Does Fame Inhibit Creativity?

The Muse : Jessie Burton

I imagine that having huge success, especially with the first thing you create, is very daunting.  It might prevent you creating anything again, as nothing feels as if it measures up to your stellar first effort.

Jessie Burton had international acclaim with her first novel The Miniaturist.  In her second venture into the literary world the author explores this challenge:  Odelle Bastien, with her dreams of becoming an author and Olive Schloss, who longs to be an artist and earn her art dealer father's recognition, both girls struggle with the challenge of creating for an audience which already has high expectations of their capability.

The voice and story of Odelle, who's made her way to cold, unforgiving British shores from Trinidad, is rich and colourful.  The passages of the novel which revolve around Odelle are rich and lively, with humour and mystery.  She takes prejudice in her stride, but is at her most relaxed alongside her best friend Cynthia who travelled with her from the West Indies.

Time spent in Spain with Olive and her parents seems less up-beat, partly because her parents' lives are fractured and because Olive feels so invisible.   The country is on the brink of war, but revolution is on the family's doorstep because Isaac & his sister Teresa, who help around the property are embroiled in right-wing activities.

Due to a misunderstanding (which starts as a mistake, but is soon purposefully encouraged)  Olive's vibrant, and unusual painting gets launched with Isaac as the front man, making a big noise in the art world.  Years later, at the Gallery in London where Odelle works, a painting surfaces which appears to be by Isaac - but in order to feature in an exhibition there must be an investigation into its provenance (remind you of The Girl You Left Behind?) and this mystery was, for me was the power that drove the novel forward.

I really enjoyed this book, perhaps the storyline around Odelle and the gallery more than Olive's development as an artist.  I can't deny being slightly disappointed by the speed at which the book was wrapped up.  It had surprises, it tied up loose ends, but it felt slightly rushed, in comparison with the languid speed at which the rest of the novel unfolded.

Elvis has Not left the Building : J R Rain

This book has a lot of comedy! I love the concept of Elvis Presley being alive and well, making a living as a Private Investigator. Aaron King has re-invented himself since he spectacularly faked his death in the 70s. He reinvented himself with plastic surgery, he has therapist, an on again/off again girlfriend (who is gossipy) a friend who's an attorney (and knows his true identity) - his life is full of conflict about what he can say and do around people. He also has huge guilt over abandoning his daughter, a yearning to perform again, while the battle with alcohol and prescription drugs is ever-present.

Mr King has is a PI specializing in finding missing persons (usually children). In this adventure he's tasked with locating a beautiful young starlet; A case which both the Police and other abandoned when the trail went cold.

I was first introduced to Aaron King in the Samantha Moon series, where the detective is a young mother, forced to work at night since being turned into a vampire. In American Vampire King is enlisted to track down a little girl who has been abducted by a very bad man, he and Samantha must follow a trail to 'Sin City' to rescue her before the unthinkable happens. I loved the elder statesman JR Rain created, trying to keep under the radar yet is still imbued with a big attractive personality and unmistakable southern charm. I resolved to read more about him, and this book did not disappoint!

Get Loved up for Valentines Day!  

Romantic Reads

Real life fellas have a lot to live up to if their partner is a bibliophile!  We may constantly compare them with the love-interests in the novels we read.  I have a full blown crush on Eric Northman (the sexy vampire who is Sookie Stackhouse's on/off boyfriend in Charlaine Harris' vampire novels), but I also nominate these page-turning hotties:  Try my favourite high-brow & dignified heroes like Fitzwilliam Darcy, Will Traynor, Jay Gatsby or some gritty action heroes who show no fear, like Jack Reacher, Matthew Clairmont or Ranger - it's no wonder our poor guys fall short.

Here's a list of some of the most romantic books I've read:

• Eleanor & Park :  Rainbow Rowell
• The Girl you Left Behind : Jojo Moyes
• The One You Really Want : Jill Mansell
• Sense & Sensibility : Jane Austen
• Twilight : Stephanie Meyer
• Love, Rosie (Where Rainbows End) : Celia Ahern
• Beautiful Creatures : Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
• Some Girls Do : Clodagh Murphy
• Shiver : Maggie Stiefvater
• Welcome to Temptation : Jennifer Crusie

Happy reading guys.  Let me know what you think of my suggestions, and any new romantic heroes that I ought to be looking up!

Reading is Ice Cream for the Soul

Do you agree? I find reading a great consolation or distraction for tough times (when I choose something easy so I can escape); at the other end of the scale, to reading enhances a good time/mood e.g. on holiday as I am now, so somehow that good book becomes woven into the fabric of the pleasant memories, making it vitally important to select quality reading matter!  So chickens, here are some suggestions for your holiday reading matter.

You & Me Always : Jill Mansell

Feelgood plot (Tick)

Laugh out loud moments (Tick)

Believable / Likable characters (Tick)

Drama / Plot twists (Tick)

Summery setting (Tick) this one's a bit personal, but I don't really like reading christmassy books or those with a cold backdrop when I am lazing in the sun!

The plot of this book is told from 6 different viewpoints – the main players in the story – so it is easy to understand their 'motivation' for actions they take, whilst being able to feel like an on-looker when there are misunderstandings, as there often are. The setting is a close knit village, where any new arrival is a 'big deal' and can change the dynamic.

A motherless girl looks for her real father, whilst hoping to find love; A hairdresser whose biological clock is ticking so loudly that she endures a horrible string of Internet dates; A widow and successful businesswoman thinks her life is complete – but is it? A local playboy nurses a potentially explosive secret; An A-list actor needs to keep a low profile while a property developer finds his past catching up with him.

If you have read 'The One You Really Want' also by JM, or watched Notting Hill (starring Hugh Grant) you might see some similarities, but you will enjoy this novel nonetheless. Jill Mansell is a solid writer of very enjoyable chick lit. Pick any one from her list of books, you wont be disappointed.

Paper Aeroplanes : Dawn O'Porter

This is a completely different style of book, it follows 2 teenage girls living on Guernsey Island in the 90s. Both girls struggle to survive in the dog eat dog world of school (in the lead up to their exams) and dating, despite both coming from 'broken' home backgrounds which offer their own challenges.

Renee is being brought up by her grandparents, her mother has recently died of cancer and her father escaped to live in Spain – nobody in her family can talk about their feelings surrounding the bereavement so Renee hides behind the persona of class clown who loves to break rules. She has burgeoning sex appeal which she struggles to understand, while her younger sister is filled with anger and may be developing an eating disorder.

Flo lives at home with her mother, brother and pre-schooler sister – for whom she provides primary care while her mother works. Flo's brother is the local Lothario and her father lives in squalor, having become depressed after the separation. Flo's troubles are increased by the very controlling Sally – who maintains she is her best friend –but uses Flo as a tool to make herself look cleverer, prettier, richer while taking every opportunity to attract the attention of Flo's brother.

What these girls need is understanding, support and most of all a 'guide' to help them through the shark-infested waters of growing up, understanding their bodies, their emotions and how to deal with boys and the pressures of life. Is it possible they could help each other? Or are they too broken?

This book is very well observed and grounded, there are real shots of humour and D O'P definitely writes from the heart – I would happily read other books she has written.

If you like this - you may also find this enjoyable : Hurry Up and Wait (recognise the Blondie lyrics?)  Isabel Ashdown's story unfolds around three 15 year old girls who are similarly blind-sided by exams, dysfunctional families and their sexual awakening, but this one is set in the 80s and the truth comes back in flashes at a school reunion.