This novel had me in stitches. Helen's lover of four years decides to leave his wife. Great most mistress's would think, but Helen was beginning to wonder if the relationship had run it's course. What she doesn't know is that Matthew is a serial monogamist, who likes to have his next "relationship" lined up, before leaping out of the previous one. The novel tells of Helen's attempts to untangle herself from Matthew, and she just ends up digging herself into more of a tangle. A good light read, with enough to keep your attention.
http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780141025292,00.html?sym=EXC
This one took me no time at all to read as I really do like Jodi Picoult's writing, and this one didn't disappoint.
Below is a link to Picoult's site, that describes the book very well, with a synopsis and an extract. http://www.jodipicoult.com/
click on books and select "Plain Truth".
I learnt some things about the Amish community in USA, which I will admit I knew nothing about, the closest we have here is "The Brethren" as far as I can see.
AD 79 and Agricola, the ruthless governor of Roman Britain, is turning his attentions to the last unconquered territory in Britain - Alba, Scotland. Rhiann is a courageous and beautiful Scottish princess and priestess scarred by her violent past. Of noble blood, she faces what for her is the ultimate sacrifice - a forced marriage - to protect the freedom of her people. Eremon is an enigmatic Irish prince, an exile, who must seek an alliance elsewhere to regain his throne. Will he prove himself the man who can unite the squabbling Celtic tribes against the more ominous threat of Rome? With war and chaos looming for her people, Rhiann finds herself drawn into an unexpected journey of the spirit and heart, which will reveal the true purpose of her life.
Though it's been a few months since I finished reading this beautiful epic tale, it's been difficult to find the right words to express my feelings about the book. I'm now only a fraction of the way into the second book, The Dawn Stag, and am enjoying it as much as the first.
Jules Watson does a masterful job of drawing you into the story and truly making you feel as though you are there. At least she did for me. At heart I am a first-rate Anglophile and want to devour every part of the history of this ancient land and this book opened up Scotland in a way I'd never dreamed possible.
While this story is not about a well-known historical figure, it is about a people who were very real and stood firm for what they believed in. They were one of the few who were able to stand against the mighty Roman Empire. If you want a glimpse into the lives of the Ancient Alban people, I highly recommend The White Mare as a good place to start.
You might also visit the author's website to learn more about her and her own passion for the history of Scotland. http://juleswatson.com/
Well, we're 10 days late in celebrating, but this blog has been around for a full year now. It's amazing that so much time has past and we've both read so many books. Of course Sea has read more than I have, but I've enjoyed every bit of what I've read. We hope those who have stumbled across our blog have found something good to read.
Here's to another year and another 100 (or more) posts!!
Meet Isabel "Izzy" Spellman, private investigator. This twenty-eight-year-old may have a checkered past littered with romantic mistakes, excessive drinking, and creative vandalism; she may be addicted to Get Smart reruns and prefer entering homes through windows rather than doors -- but the upshot is she's good at her job as a licensed private investigator with her family's firm, Spellman Investigations. Invading people's privacy comes naturally to Izzy. In fact, it comes naturally to all the Spellmans. If only they could leave their work at the office. To be a Spellman is to snoop on a Spellman; tail a Spellman; dig up dirt on, blackmail, and wiretap a Spellman.
Part Nancy Drew, part Dirty Harry, Izzy walks an indistinguishable line between Spellman family member and Spellman employee. Duties include: completing assignments from the bosses, aka Mom and Dad (preferably without scrutiny); appeasing her chronically perfect lawyer brother (often under duress); setting an example for her fourteen-year-old sister, Rae (who's become addicted to "recreational surveillance"); and tracking down her uncle (who randomly disappears on benders dubbed "Lost Weekends"). But when Izzy's parents hire Rae to follow her (for the purpose of ascertaining the identity of Izzy's new boyfriend), Izzy snaps and decides that the only way she will ever be normal is if she gets out of the family business. But there's a hitch: she must take one last job before they'll let her go -- a fifteen-year-old, ice-cold missing person case. She accepts, only to experience a disappearance far closer to home, which becomes the most important case of her life.
While I don't normally listen to audio books, I occasionally find myself listening to one on the way to and from work so I can have two books "going" at once. One I'm reading normally and one I listen to. Since I enjoyed this book so much, I thought I'd review it. I found it an enjoyable read, though Isabelle has far more patience with her family than I would! If you like Janet Evanovich's series featuring Stephanie Plum, you will definitely like this book. Lutz has infused the same sort of everyday-life humour into the plot that Evanovich has become so masterful at. I found myself laughing quite often at the absurdities of the situations Izzy got herself into and I think the actress they chose for the reading was an excellent choice as she sounded about the right age to tell Izzy's story as it is written from Izzy's point of view.
I've also noted that there's a follow-up book which I am looking forward to reading. Or perhaps listening to...
The whole premise of this book was spoiled for me because it was in epistolary format. I have read other books in this format, however, it did not enhance the story, but merely served to confuse me. This meant that it took me quite a while to read the book. To me it would have been better in normal format, with an omniscient narrator. I spent more time trying to figure out who the letter was t and from, and how much of the action they were aware of, spending plenty of time turning back a page or two to remind who the current letter was to/from.
However, I didn't give up reading as the plot was intriguing, with a very surprising twist at the end of it, reminding me of the saying "revenge is a dish best served cold", or something like that.
This book is very good, but not for the easily defeated reader.
The link below sums up the plot nicely
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/philippa-stockley/factory-of-cunning.htm
There is an interview with Stockley at the link below;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2005_07_fri_02.shtml
Although the book is classed as historical fiction, I would say there is little actual history in it, it is historically accurate, but just so that the settings, etc are accurate. It could quite have easily been set in the present day, apart from certain events towards the end, which would have led on to much deeper investigations.