I am cautious about recommending this excellent book, due to very graphic scenes of violence perpetrated against women. I managed to skip them, maybe you can too. The intensity of the story carries the reader along as the characters become more and more controlled by the main criminal.
It is set in the UK, describing the lives of an up and coming group of girlfriends who live hard, party hard and don't have too many cares. The main protagonist is Catherine who is one of the most popular in this crowd. We read her story in two time-frames, one is set in 2003-4 and the other in 2007-8. There is a huge disparity between these two portraits drawn of the same woman and tension mounts until Haynes reveals what transformed the outgoing party animal into a reclusive woman suffering from acute OCD (Obsessive Compulsive disorder).
It seems to revolve around Catherine's chance encounter with Lee, the good looking guy everyone falls in love with.
We are definitively drawn into the nightmare that is her life. The tension mounts and it was hard to put the book down and involved a couple of nights reading into the wee small hours!
I really liked the way this book is written and will seek out more of Haynes' other thrillers.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Defending Jacob | William Landay
This is a well written family/court drama. Andy Barber was an assistant district attorney in his small New England town. He has a successful life, a nice family, a nice home. Nothing much seems to be able to go wrong, it's the American dream. But one day a student in his son Jacob's class is found murdered and Jacob is accused of perpetrating the crime. How could this happen in a small suburban town to a middle-of-the-road all-american family?
The community and the family implode. Andy is no longer able to work, the police investigators who were his friends for years separate themselves from the family and things start to unravel. Andy has to investigate and figure out who murdered Ben Rifkin before his son is taken to trial.
The story follows Andy and his wife Laurie's nightmare as they try to defend their son as evidence mounds against him. I thought this novel brings to life, in a very intense way, the feelings parents have when challenged about what exactly do they know about their own children. It's scary and a bit realistic, knowing that you could be called to account for your children's antisocial behaviour and it's dire consequences.
Well worth reading. I will seek out more of Landay's books as he writes extremely well.
The community and the family implode. Andy is no longer able to work, the police investigators who were his friends for years separate themselves from the family and things start to unravel. Andy has to investigate and figure out who murdered Ben Rifkin before his son is taken to trial.
The story follows Andy and his wife Laurie's nightmare as they try to defend their son as evidence mounds against him. I thought this novel brings to life, in a very intense way, the feelings parents have when challenged about what exactly do they know about their own children. It's scary and a bit realistic, knowing that you could be called to account for your children's antisocial behaviour and it's dire consequences.
Well worth reading. I will seek out more of Landay's books as he writes extremely well.
Waiting for Doggo | Mark B. Mills
What happens when relationships end, homes change..and you inherit the world's uglies dog? Not even a name can properly describe him, so he's called Doggo...
Dan is a middle of the road guy, in middle of the road life. His girlfriend finally gives up and moves out, leaving him Doggo. We are continually reminded of how ugly the dog is and how much of an unwanted responsibility he is for Dan.
Dan works in a small advertising agency with creative people trying to land big accounts. Due to Doggos foibles Dan has to take him to work and here the story begins in earnest. It's funny, clever and a good summer read. Well written and I can sense a sequel coming along.
In the same vein as The Rosie Project or The unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
Dan is a middle of the road guy, in middle of the road life. His girlfriend finally gives up and moves out, leaving him Doggo. We are continually reminded of how ugly the dog is and how much of an unwanted responsibility he is for Dan.
Dan works in a small advertising agency with creative people trying to land big accounts. Due to Doggos foibles Dan has to take him to work and here the story begins in earnest. It's funny, clever and a good summer read. Well written and I can sense a sequel coming along.
In the same vein as The Rosie Project or The unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
Little Princes| Conor Grennan
This book's tag line is "one man's promise to bring home the lost children of Nepal." Grennan was a privileged white middle class American, hard working in his chosen career and well supported by his family and friends. To spice up his life he decided to take a year off and backpack around the world. So as not to appear completely self-indulgent he volunteered to work in an orphanage in Nepal for three or four weeks, mostly to impress his friends.
He arrived at the Little Princes orphanage in Godawari, Nepal and his life changed completely. He had never had anything to do with kids, orphaned or not. But he decided what he could give them was his undivided attention and love.
This book is his account of what transpired in that year and the ones that followed. He learned that one of the terrible consequences of the raging civil war in Nepal was the trafficking of children from remote areas. Men would go into these impoverished villages and offer to take the children to safety out of harm's way. Parents in their ignorance did send their children away and never hear from them again. The children were enslaved in Kathmandu and traded, sold and abused and trained as child soldiers.
Once Conor found out he would not let it go. He has become one of the main, but not only, voices for these voiceless children. He and a French friend called Farid opened a house in Kathmandu specifically to rescue the children and try and reunite them with their families. Connor describes the first time he goes to the remote region of Humla searching for the children's' families. It was a harrowing physical journey in very high altitudes with no roads and few supplies. But the reuniting of families with their children was well worth it.
Eventually Grennan founded the Next Generation Nepal charity and is still active today in his mission.
I googled the foundation and am going to keep in touch with the amazing work they are all doing. A very inspiring read. Well worth supporting.
The Spark | Kristine Barnett
I must say, I was a bit sceptical when I picked up this book. Every mother thinks her kids are EXTRA-ordinary and when a mother writes a book about it...well, we've all been there. BUT. WOW.
I couldn't put this book down and will give it to my kids to read. This is an extraordinary story about a family living with autism and genius in their son Jacob.
Kristine is very candid, has an easy way of talking to the reader and showing the reader the journey that has been their life since 1998 when their son Jake was born. At two he was diagnosed with profound autism. Then their second son Wes was born with a rare neurological disorder. Kristine has been diagnosed with Lupus... But this is a good news story!
The basis for the family's success with Jake and other children with autism has been to concentrate on what the kids could do instead of what they couldn't. They started a training programme for the kids where they could learn about challenges ahead such as starting kindergarten in mainstream schools. As many autistic children are excluded from sporting clubs and activities the Barnetts started a rec centre called Jacob's Place for the children to experience sport, being part of a team, having a 'club house' to hang out in.
The tag line is "a mother's story of nurturing a genius" and this really is the underlying story. Jacob is a genius way beyond what has been previously measured. At 9 he was out of elementary school and at a post-grad college programme. He was developing original theories and theses in the fields of maths, astrophysics and astrology. His genius is apparent in a myriad of fields, which makes him incredibly unique.
After reading the book I googled him and watched him deliver a TedTalk. Knowing that at two years of age the experts said he would not talk and possibly not tie his shoelaces, I realised just how amazing this family's story is and how inspiring to all parents and teachers alike. In each child, there is a spark.
I couldn't put this book down and will give it to my kids to read. This is an extraordinary story about a family living with autism and genius in their son Jacob.
Kristine is very candid, has an easy way of talking to the reader and showing the reader the journey that has been their life since 1998 when their son Jake was born. At two he was diagnosed with profound autism. Then their second son Wes was born with a rare neurological disorder. Kristine has been diagnosed with Lupus... But this is a good news story!
The basis for the family's success with Jake and other children with autism has been to concentrate on what the kids could do instead of what they couldn't. They started a training programme for the kids where they could learn about challenges ahead such as starting kindergarten in mainstream schools. As many autistic children are excluded from sporting clubs and activities the Barnetts started a rec centre called Jacob's Place for the children to experience sport, being part of a team, having a 'club house' to hang out in.
The tag line is "a mother's story of nurturing a genius" and this really is the underlying story. Jacob is a genius way beyond what has been previously measured. At 9 he was out of elementary school and at a post-grad college programme. He was developing original theories and theses in the fields of maths, astrophysics and astrology. His genius is apparent in a myriad of fields, which makes him incredibly unique.
After reading the book I googled him and watched him deliver a TedTalk. Knowing that at two years of age the experts said he would not talk and possibly not tie his shoelaces, I realised just how amazing this family's story is and how inspiring to all parents and teachers alike. In each child, there is a spark.
Best of 2014
New Zealand is enjoying a wonderful summer and we've had 6 weeks of school holidays to enjoy it. I can look back on the lovely long days we have had reading at the beach, long evenings at the table sharing food and wine with friends, walks and time on the boat. Today is the first day back at school and the year is off with a hiss and a roar.
Last year I managed an all time high reading record, 98 books! This year it would be nice to crack 100.
I catalogue what I read and give each book a rating ranging from boring to excellent. Here is the list of the 34 excellent (by my reckoning) books I read in 2014. I have reviewed the majority, just click on the blue underlined titles to go to their reviews on my main blog. Wherever you are I hope you can also enjoy these books.
Most of them were read 10 minutes at a time as I wait outside school, beside sports fields and inside basketball gyms waiting for my kids. I hope you are able to read at least one more book this year than last. Enjoy.
Can it, bottle it, smoke it by Karen Solomon
Last year I managed an all time high reading record, 98 books! This year it would be nice to crack 100.
I catalogue what I read and give each book a rating ranging from boring to excellent. Here is the list of the 34 excellent (by my reckoning) books I read in 2014. I have reviewed the majority, just click on the blue underlined titles to go to their reviews on my main blog. Wherever you are I hope you can also enjoy these books.
Most of them were read 10 minutes at a time as I wait outside school, beside sports fields and inside basketball gyms waiting for my kids. I hope you are able to read at least one more book this year than last. Enjoy.
Can it, bottle it, smoke it by Karen Solomon
Lost , Stolen or Shredded by Rick Gerkosky
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna
A Fort of Nine Towers by Qais Akbar Omar
The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum
Burial Rights by Hannah Kent
The Son by Philipp Meyer
The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
Perfect by Rachel Joyce
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Traces of Red by Paddy Richardson
Cathedral of the Wild by Boyd Varty
The Town that Drowned by Riel Nason
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson
Ariel's Crossing by Bradford Morrow
The Most Beautiful Walk in the world:Paris by John Baxter
You're still Hot to Me by Jean Kittson
Carthage by Joyce Carol Oates
The Claimant by Janette Turner Hospital
The Rise and Fall of Great Powers by Tom Rachman
We are completely beside ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
Taking Pictures by Ransom Riggs
Orpheus Lost by Janette Turner Hospital
All Saints' Rising by Madison Smartt Bell
The Narrow Road to the Deeper North by Richard Flanagan
Due Preparation for the Plague by Janette Turner Hospital
The strange & beautiful sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
Off the Map by Fergus Fleming
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna
A Fort of Nine Towers by Qais Akbar Omar
The Poisoner's Handbook by Deborah Blum
Burial Rights by Hannah Kent
The Son by Philipp Meyer
The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan
Old Filth by Jane Gardam
Perfect by Rachel Joyce
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Traces of Red by Paddy Richardson
Cathedral of the Wild by Boyd Varty
The Town that Drowned by Riel Nason
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson
Ariel's Crossing by Bradford Morrow
The Most Beautiful Walk in the world:Paris by John Baxter
You're still Hot to Me by Jean Kittson
Carthage by Joyce Carol Oates
The Claimant by Janette Turner Hospital
The Rise and Fall of Great Powers by Tom Rachman
We are completely beside ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs
Taking Pictures by Ransom Riggs
Orpheus Lost by Janette Turner Hospital
All Saints' Rising by Madison Smartt Bell
The Narrow Road to the Deeper North by Richard Flanagan
Due Preparation for the Plague by Janette Turner Hospital
The strange & beautiful sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
Off the Map by Fergus Fleming
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