Sue's Book Reviews

Friday Nights (by Joanna Trollope)

2012-01-23T18:07:00.000+02:00

I've enjoyed the books by Joanna Trollope for many years now - some more than others, but her style is always good, and her characters interesting. So when she publishes a new novel, I usually put it on my wishlist.

I was given 'Friday Nights' for my birthday, nine months ago, but have had so many unread books on my shelves that I've only just finished it. It made good bedtime reading over the past week or so.

The story really revolves around Eleanor, a retired single woman, who decided to invite two young mothers - Paula and Lindsay - to hang out with her on Friday nights, along with their small children. Wanting something to do, they went along, sometimes joined by Lindsay's younger sister Jules. Eleanor's neighbour Blaise was invited, along with her business partner Karen.. and gradually, over a few years, strong friendships have formed.

Then Paula meets a new man, and wants to bring him to the group. Everyone is a little uncertain about this, but they welcome him for Paula's sake. Although he's a likeable guy who seems to get along with everyone, including Paula's son, this seems to be the catalyst for a lot of changes amongst the dynamics of the various group members.

There's not really a lot of plot, as such. It's a gentle character-driven book, delving into the different lives of these six diverse women and their relationships. I found it rather hard to remember who was whom, at first; Eleanor and Jules were easy enough, and Blaise (the only other woman without children) stood out, but I found the other three and their offspring rather too similar. By the end I had just about sorted them out in my mind, sufficiently so that I can remember them a day later.

There's really nothing special about this book - I didn't find it moving, or amusing, or even particularly thought-provoking. Nonetheless, scenes are recurring in my mind - so apparently it's at least somewhat memorable. Certainly, the writing is good, and it's a pleasant enough light read, if you like this kind of thing.

Not really recommended if you haven't previously read any Joanna Trollope, but if you like her style, it's not a bad book.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 23rd January 2012

A Very Special Delivery (by Linda Goodnight)

2012-01-11T17:34:00.000+02:00

Browsing around Amazon, as I do from time to time, I came across this Kindle book described as something like an 'inspirational romance'. I had never heard of Linda Goodnight, but am happy to try books of this nature, so - as it was on free special offer - I downloaded it.

The story opens in the middle of a terrible snowstorm. Molly, who lives alone, is interrupted by a delivery man called Ethan who needs to take some urgent medication further up the mountain - and leaves his infant daughter Laney to her care. Molly is terrified, for reasons which later become clear, but cannot refuse...

This highly unlikely scenario sets the scene for a story that didn't quite fit comfortably into any chronological genre. Much of the feel of it was mid-20th century, or even earlier, yet it was set firmly in the 21st century with mobile phones, disposable nappies and modern medications. It's overtly Christian, which is fine; I didn't feel that the references to God were over-done, and the book wasn't too preachy; indeed, some of the Christian characters were shown in rather a bad, unforgiving light.

The story continues as the main characters grow - inevitably - closer to each other, and begin to unwrap their past guilt and unhappiness over various circumstances. We learn how Ethan comes to be a single father, and why Molly is so afraid of being alone with Laney.

Unfortunately, a lot of the writing was rather introspective, switching at will between different viewpoints, and with far too many lengthy inner viewpoints, often repeated. Molly and Ethan's reluctance to talk about their pasts was not really believable in the circumstances. I did like Molly's aunt Patsy, a redoubtable elderly Christian lady of integrity, but then wondered why on earth Laney hadn't been left with her in the opening part of the book!

Most of the other characters were rather flat, however, and the conversation did not seem realistic; perhaps that's because there was a lot of American slang, but it's not as if I'm unfamiliar with that kind of writing. With Jan Karon, for instance, it feels real. In this book, most of the time, it didn't. I also found myself decidedly irritated towards the end of the book that Laney was given a bottle of milk with added cereal, despite Ethan being, in general, an exemplary father.

The ending is fairly good, after a thrilling - and oddly moving - climax which then leads to a lot of rather rapid tying of up ends, and happy (if not quite believable) reconciliation. But somehow, I doubt if I'll read this again.

Overall it's not a bad book, for light Christian fiction, but I felt could have done with some significant editing.

Note: links are to paperback versions of this story, the UK one being to an edition containing another books as well.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 11th January 2012

Falling for You (by Giselle Green)

2012-01-07T19:40:00.001+02:00

I first came across the writer Giselle Green a few years ago when I was asked to review her book 'Pandora's Box' for the Bookbag website. I was very impressed with the writing and the story. Nearly a year later I read 'Little Miracles', by the same author, and also liked it very much, while being a bit disappointed at the ending.

So when I was contacted and asked to review the Kindle edition of Giselle Green's latest book, 'Falling for You', I was delighted. I started reading it on Christmas Eve, and have been reading it in evenings since then.

The two main characters of this book are Rose - who is 18 - and Lawrence, who is a little older. Rose, when we first meet her, is full of worries and insecurities. Her father is frail, her mother died some years previously. Rose is desperately hoping for a letter offering her a place at the university of her dreams... but has no idea how her father will survive without her there to look after him.

Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, a young man called Lawrence hopes to find help for a nine-year-old boy who has been seriously injured. Lawrence clearly has a chequered past, and is afraid of something, but expends his energy in caring for those who are sick or injured.

Within a couple of days, after a series of events, Rose and Lawrence find themselves thrown together taking shelter in the midst of the worst snowstorm for many years. And it's there, when they tentatively get to know each other in an uncomfortable situation, that we gradually learn about their families and circumstances, and just what it is that each of them is running away from.

I found this book gripping at first. The writing in the early chapters is fast-paced and terse, piling on the stress for both Rose and Lawrence, switching viewpoints every few pages and leaving me wanting to find out what was going to happen next. There were plenty of hints which drew me into the story, making me intrigued to know what had happened to make each of them who they were.

Unfortunately, the middle section of the book is, to my mind, far too long. I lost track of how many days Rose and Lawrence spent in an old chapel, eating tuna and crackers, melting snow for tea. Their gradual friendship and inevitable attraction works well, as does the gradual unfolding of their personal histories until the dramatic denouement I had been expecting. But there is also a vast amount of reported thoughts and anxieties from each of them, sometimes repeated, which slows the story almost to a standstill.

However, the ending picks up the pace again, and is, thankfully, quite satisfying. I found it almost impossible to put down in the last few pages, a contrast to the middle section where I found myself drifting off all too easily.

Definitely recommended, if you don't mind skimming somewhat in the middle of the book. Note that the link is to the paperback version of this book rather than the Kindle edition.

You can also read my longer review of 'Falling for You' at the Bookbag site.

Life with Lucas (by Jeff Lucas)

2011-12-31T20:51:00.021+02:00

I have very much enjoyed the few books I have read so far by Jeff Lucas, a British writer and speaker who currently lives in the USA and travels internationally. So when, a little over a year ago, I spotted that he had written a 'daily readings' book, I decided to get hold of it.

'Life with Lucas' does exactly what it says on the front - well, almost. 'Daily readings throughout the year' is the sub-title, so I was a little surprised to find that while there are, indeed, Bible readings and commentaries for every weekday, there is only one set for each entire weekend. So there are not 365 sections, but about 312. Not that it is a problem.

The book is arranged in sections, covering different topics in varying amounts of detail. There's one extensive study of the book of Jonah over several weeks, for instance, which I found very interesting. One part has the fascinating title 'Stop looking for the will of God' - making the point that we should be looking for a relationship with God, rather than instructions or rules.

There's a section about various lesser-known heroes and heroines of the Bible at the end of the b ook, which covered a different person each week - useful, since by the time I reached this section I was rather behind in the year (having had a few weeks away), so I read one week's worth per day for the last week of the year.

It's not heavy or detailed in any way; each page has one or two short Bible passages to read and think about, and a brief commentary from Jeff Lucas's unique perspective. Some of what he wrote shed an interesting light on a familiar passage; some made me smile as he shared an anecdote or perhaps a perceived failing of his own; some made me pause, some was challenging or thought-provoking.

All in all, I thought it a good read, taking (on average) six sections per week over a year. It's undated so could be used in any year; there are a few references that may make it feel slightly dated (it was published in 2007) but so few that it hardly matters.

Recommended. I see on Amazon that there are further books of similar readings, so may get hold of another one in future.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 31st December 2011

Sophie's Lucky (by Dick King-Smith)

2011-12-30T20:04:00.000+02:00

I did enjoy Dick King Smith's stories when my sons were little, and am enjoying them all over again with some young friends. I was able to buy some of them in a charity shop a year ago, and have picked up others inexpensively online.

I did actually read 'Sophie's Lucky' to myself last Summer when I had bought it, and have just finished reading it out loud to a six-year-old friend. This volume is the last of the six children's books about the small but determined Sophie who wants to be a lady farmer when she grows up.

In this story, Sophie and her family go to stay with Sophie's Great-great Aunt Al in the Highlands. Seven-year-old Sophie, who has recently learned to ride, falls in love with a shaggy pony called Lucky. They have a wonderful holiday, and Sophie is all the more determined that she wants to live on a farm when she is older.

Then, a few weeks after returning home, they have some bad news. It was the kind of thing which I found a little surprising in a children's book - but it is sensitively handled, and leads to an unexpected and exciting surprise which gives a most satisfying conclusion to this series.

Although the Sophie books could be tackled by any reasonably confident reader of about six and above, there is quite a bit of satire and other humour that is all the better for being read aloud, and which might not be noticed or understood by a young child. The language is not dumbed down in any way, yet it's written in a fairly simple style that children seem to enjoy. I certainly did!

Best read as the last in the series, but it does stand alone.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 30th December 2011

Let's Get Real (by Dale and Jena Forehand)

2011-12-30T13:55:00.000+02:00

Every so often I browse the Kindle books which are available free at Amazon. In addition to many classics, there are often some books on special offer for a short period. One such, in the Christian lifestyle section, was by a couple I had never heard of: Dale and Jena Forehand.

The subtitle to 'Let's get real' is 'Bringing authenticity and wholeness to your marriage', a title which appealed on several levels. So I've read it, off and on, over the past month or two. I can't say I found it particularly great. The beginning of the book certainly drew me in, describing as it did the total breakdown of a marriage, followed by divorce... and then, soon after, a tentative reconciliation, gradual healing, and then a fulfilling remarriage. However, the book isn't necessary to read about that, since it's described fairly fully on the website linked to above.

The rest of the book, theoretically, shows couples how to keep their marriage strong, or recover from problems. Topics include the need for forgiveness, and what it means; having a safe place to express oneself; avoiding shame, and more. Nothing wrong with any of that, but it all seemed very basic to me - there really wasn't anything about enriching a marriage with new levels of wholeness or authenticity.

I don't think I read anything in this book which I hadn't already come across in various other books about marriage. There are plenty of Scripture references, which is fine as a basis; but I actually felt that there were too many mentioned in the text itself, rather than referenced with footnotes. That was only a minor gripe, and would not really have been a problem; far more annoying was that the book was peppered with questions - personal and for discussion - some at the end of chapters (which, at least, I could skip) and some in the middle. They were not even interesting questions, but the kind of comprehension busywork that children in primary school might be expected to do: 'match these four principles up with the four Scripture passages', or 'draw a ring around the correct answer'. Bad enough in a book, quite ridiculous in a Kindle edition.

Less of a problem - but also a bit annoying - is that the book was not correctly formatted for the Kindle. What would have been boxes, or perhaps highlighted text in the book form just appeared as extra text, which was very confusing until I realised what was going on.

As a free download, I really can't complain - and, to be fair, the advice given might be useful to anyone who has not read any other books about marriage. But I'm not entirely sure why yet another book on the topic is necessary; it would have been more interesting with more personal anecdotes and less 'teaching'.

Not really recommended, unless it becomes free to download again. Links are to the book versions since Kindle editions are country-specific; it seems to be out of print already in the UK.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 30th December 2011

The Reluctant Widow (by Georgette Heyer)

2011-12-28T15:58:00.000+02:00

Georgette Heyer is unquestionably my favourite historical fiction writer. Her characterisations are always superb, her dialogue excellent, and entirely believable, and her plots well-crafted with satisfactory endings. I have most of her novels on my shelves, and re-read them regularly, any time I want something that I know I will enjoy.

Wanting some 'comfort' reading after Christmas, I picked up 'The Reluctant Widow', which I last read in 2005. Despite having read it at least four other times prior to that, I had only the most general recollection of the plot.

The main character is Elinor, a young lady from impoverished circumstances who (at the opening of the book) arrives in a village, by stagecoach, hoping to be met and taken to the home of Mrs Macclesfield, where she is to become a governess. She is not at all looking forward to this, but really has no other choice..

However, after being collected from the coach stop, she finds herself increasingly puzzled... and rather shocked when she realises that she is in the wrong household, where she is asked to do something entirely different from what she was expecting.

Elinor is a lively person, a typical Heyer heroine, who speaks her mind and has strong opinions... yet she finds herself oddly overpowered by the handsome Lord Carlyon. She considers him rude and unfeeling, yet his calm, rational manner convinces her to do something completely contrary to her wishes.

There is, unsurprisingly, plenty of clever dialogue, developing the characters of those concerned. I particularly liked Nicky, Carlyon's youngest brother, who takes great pleasure in dangerous situations, and rapidly becomes fast friends with Elinor. The plot is rather unlikely, yet somehow it seems quite believable while reading. There's some suspense - with more than a hint of Heyer's other skill at mystery-writing - and some satirical humour. There's also a very low-key romance, inevitable given the genre, but hardly even alluded to until the final pages.

Even reading this book for the fifth or sixth time, although some of the story came back to me, I had not remembered exactly who the villains of the piece were. So the climax of the story was as surprising as it probably was last time I read it.

This is not my favourite Heyer novel; there's perhaps too much action for my tastes. But I do think that it would make a good introduction to this author. It would particularly appeal to those who like a fair amount of action rather than the character-driven society novels with more focus on the romances that Heyer tended to write in later years.

'The Reluctant Widow' is one of Georgette Heyer's earlier novels, originally published in 1946. I'm delighted to see that, as well as being widely available second-hand, it is still in print in both the UK and USA. There are Kindle editions too.

Definitely recommended.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 28th December 2011

Never Mind the Reversing Ducks (by Adrian Plass)

2011-12-26T16:21:00.000+02:00

I have very much enjoyed the writing of Adrian Plass over many years, particularly his brilliantly funny 'Sacred Diary' series. However, for some reason I never acquired this particular book. I discovered it about a year ago on my younger son's shelves, and decided to borrow it.

The sub-title to 'Never mind the reversing ducks' is 'a non-theologian encounters Jesus in the Gospel according to St Mark'. That's a pretty accurate description of the book. It's basically a gentle stroll through Mark's Gospel in 92 short readings, with commentary by Plass. There are personal anecdotes, confessions, and also plenty of wise and thought-provoking words. As promised, there is no deep theology; however, the author manages to inject some new ideas and interpretations into these familiar passages, causing me to stop and ponder more than once.

Adrian Plass's famous humour shines through now and again, mostly when he points the finger at himself and his foibles; but it's not intended to be an amusing book. It's the kind of thing to pick up and read a few pages at a time. I've used it over the past year, usually reading three or four sections each weekend. To be tidy, I decided to finish it before the end of this year, so read the last few this morning.

The intriguing title of the book is explained in one of the commentaries, so I won't explain it here.

Generally recommended to anyone (Christian or otherwise) looking for some light - but thought-provoking - brief meditations on familiar Scripture verses. Not for reading at one sitting, however.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 26th December 2011

The Wrong Chalet School (by Elinor M Brent-Dyer)

2011-12-24T20:12:00.000+02:00

From time to time I like to re-read my teenage favourites, which include Elinor M Brent-Dyer's lengthy 'Chalet School' series. I'm very slowly reading them all in order; the last one I read was 'Carola Storms the Chalet School', back in September. I have to admit, though, my primary reason for choosing something small and light was that I realised that I had read 99 books so far in 2011, and wanted to ensure that I finished at least one more, to make 100!

It's at least twelve years since I last read 'The Wrong Chalet School', which is 24th in the original Chalet School series for teenagers. I roughly remembered the plot... a likeable girl, Katharine Gordon, joins the school but finds several inconsistencies until eventually she discovers the reason.

I had, however, forgotten the details - that her name is not recorded quite correctly, for instance, and that two trunks arrive rather than one. She puts this kind of thing down to her scatty Aunt Luce who is an 'artistic' type, and settles down quickly. She makes some friends and is highly proficient on the tennis courts. There is concern about her parents who are abroad, working in dangerous circumstances, and an increasing mystery about Katherine's presence in the school at all...

The core of the plot relies on an extremely unlikely coincidence, but I'm sure that didn't worry me in the past, and I accepted it happily enough this time, too. I thought it basically a well-written book, for the genre; even the school parts are not too run-of-the-mill, although I admit to skipping rapidly through the inevitable end-of-term pageant at the end.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this book more interesting than I had expected - possibly due to the long gap since I last read it. My version is an elderly paperback one, which is somewhat falling to pieces, but I gather that this particular book has not been much abridged in the Armada version, so I have no real impetus to get hold of a new 'Girls Gone By' full edition.

All in all, I thought it a pleasant light read. It does stand alone as a story, but is much better read as part of the series.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 24th December 2011

My Best Friend's Girl (by Dorothy Koomson)

2011-12-21T17:28:00.000+02:00

I have very much enjoyed the novels I have read so far by Dorothy Koomson, so, as is my wont, I am gradually adding more of them to my wishlists. I received a copy of this one for my birthday, and have just read it in the past couple of weeks.

'My best friend's girl' is a novel related by Kamryn, a young and fairly successful business woman. We quickly learn that she is estranged both from her closest friend Adele, and her former fiancé Nate. The story opens on Kamryn's 32nd birthday. Amidst the flurry of excitement about her cards, she opens - by mistake - an envelope in Adele's handwriting, and finds a brief note asking her, urgently, to visit her friend in hospital.

Against her better judgemet, Kamryn goes to see Adele, and they begin a tentative reconciliation. They also have a discussion... which ends with Kamryn agreeing to do something she has grave doubts about, and which will unquestionably change her life forever.

It's impossible to say much more about the plot of this book without giving something away; even the blurb on the back contains some spoilers. Not that they matter too much; the novel is primarily character-based, with developing relationships through painful, sometimes tragic circumstances. I'm not surprised to learn that it was a best-seller, recommended as a Richard and Judy summer read back in 2006.

Overall, despite taking longer than usual to finish it, I found this book uplifting and encouraging. Kamryn is a very likeable young woman, who takes her responsibilities seriously. Adele's daughter Tegan is the 'best friend's girl' of the title; we meet her first when she is a scared, hurting five-year-old, terrified even to speak lest she get into trouble. Her heartbreaking circumstances move Kamryn as nothing else could have done; one of the things I enjoyed most about this book was seeing Tegan's gradual transformation into an outgoing, lively girl, who still has a deeply caring and thoughtful side.

There are not just one but two important men in the book, as well. One of them is Nate, who re-appears in Kamryn's life, causing a great deal of uncertainty. The other is her new boss Luke, who seems to dislike her on sight. Both of these guys develop special relationships with Tegan in different ways, and I enjoyed the contrast, as well as the uncertainty, really right the way through the book, about which one (if either) was going to end up with Kamryn.

There's some bad language; sufficient to make me slightly uncomfortable at times, though it wasn't really overdone. And there are the casual morals that seem compulsory in modern fiction - but, all in all, a very thought-provoking and powerful book.

Definitely recommended.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 21st December 2011

Indigo's Star (by Hilary McKay)

2011-12-03T16:58:00.001+02:00

Having thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Saffy's Angel' a few months ago, I was determined to read more by Hilary McKay. On a recent trip to the UK I was able to buy various books at the Amazon marketplace, and was particularly pleased to find the first sequel. It was a hardback edition, thankfully a British one, in very good condition.

'Indigo's Star' is a book for older children or younger teens, continuing the saga of the delightful and disorganised Casson family. Indigo, who is about thirteen, has been off school for some time with glandular fever. Although he is now recovered he doesn't want to go back to school at all, because he has been badly bullied. However, at last he must return... and to his surprise he meets a new boy, Tom, who does not seem to be worried by the bullies. Tom and Indigo do not click very well at first, but gradually become friendly.

The story isn't just about school, or about bullying. There's a strong underlying thread about family breakdowns, with a sad but not unexpected revelation towards the end of the book. It's about family loyalty, too; Rose, Indigo's small sister, takes up the cudgels on his behalf. She takes quite a shine to Tom, and he finds himself easily accepted and adopted into the extended Casson family chaos.

It's about maturity, too; about learning to deal with fears and worries, and about facing up to the worst that life can bring. There's nice irony in the book, and some light humour, and a great deal of warmth, as well as a bittersweet ending.

I didn't think that this book was quite as refreshing as 'Saffy's Angel', but still it was an engrossing and enjoyable book. It stands alone, so although more things make sense when read as a sequel, it's not necessary to have read that first.

Recommended to anyone of about eight or nine and older, including adults who want a light and relaxing read.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 3rd December 2011

Love as a Way of Life (by Gary Chapman)

2011-12-02T16:01:00.001+02:00

I've been generally quite impressed by books written by Gary Chapman. He's an American Christian author, known as an expert on relationships and family life, probably best known for 'The Five Love Languages'. I've enjoyed several of his books, so when I saw an inexpensive version of this one for the Kindle, I decided - for once - to pay a few pounds to download it.

'Love as a way of life' gives a solid foundation for the principles of expressing love to other people, both those we care for, and people we meet randomly. It's written from a Christian perspective, as our Chapman's other books, but in a fairly low-key way so that the theory and suggestions could be applicable to anyone.

The author proposes that the main methods of behaving in a loving way those around us include kindness, forgiveness, courtesy, and honesty. All rather obvious, yet it seems that most people display only one or two of these and need a refresher course in ways to show more love and acceptance to those around them. He gives plenty of anecdotes showing examples of love expressed - or, sometimes, not expressed - in various ways, and the consequences to those involved.

The first part of the book gives reasons why Gary Chapman believes that love in the most general sense is vitally important, and why we need more of it. He then takes one of his suggested methods at a time, and expands on what he believes they encompass. He gives scales of 'kindness' and 'honesty' and so on, asking the reader to evaluate themselves and their lives in the past week or two; I didn't find those particularly useful as they were very general. More helpful was various practical ways of going about showing each of these aspects of love.

I don't think there was anything new or life-changing in this book. It took me six weeks to read it, not because it was dull or difficult, but because a few pages at a time were sufficient to provoke a bit of thought - and also because it wasn't a page-turning kind of book. I suppose I was a bit disappointed, in comparison to other books of his that I have read where the theories were indeed relevant and inspiring. I'm not sure that I recall any specifics from it, although my overall feeling was that it was a fairly good read.

I think 'Love as a way of life' is probably worth reading if you can borrow it, or pick it up inexpensively, even if it doesn't offer anything particularly new.

(Links are to the paperback versions of the book; Kindle editions are also available in both the UK and the USA).

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 2nd December 2011

I Shall Wear Midnight (by Terry Pratchett)

2011-11-30T17:25:00.003+02:00

Having very much enjoyed the children's Discworld books about Tiffany Aching and the Nac Mac Feegle, I looked forward eagerly to the fourth in the series. Not quite enough to buy it in hardback, however, so I was pleased when an inexpensive paperback edition was published earlier in the year, and bought it immediately.

'I shall wear midnight' is a coming-of-age kind of book, nicely combined with a classic good vs evil story. Tiffany is sixteen now, and is working as the 'hag' of the Chalk. Most of her duties involve medical care of some kind, from binding up wounds and delivering babies, to sitting with the dying, and easing their pain. At sixteen, she has seen far more of the world than most girls her age.

I think this must be intended for rather older teenagers than the other books about Tiffany. Perhaps, like the later Harry Potter books, it is intended for people who were nine or ten when the first book in the series was published. Whereas 'The Wee Free Men' could be enjoyed by children of around eight or older, this latest book starts in rather a disturbing way with an episode about extreme domestic violence. There aren't too many gory details - it's not horrific - but equally, it's not the kind of subject matter that is appropriate for children.

This unpleasant episode is symptomatic of a change that seems to be coming over Tiffany's neighbourhood, where people are becoming more violent and less trustworthy, and where she herself appears to be more and more unpopular, blamed for everything that goes wrong.

The Nac Mac Feegle play a part in this book, as always, although they too seem rather more violent and less amusing than usual. Tiffany visits Ankh Morpork to get in touch with someone she needs to see, and meets a character from an earlier Discworld book as well as some extra folk. There she learns exactly why she keeps seeing strange visions and smelling horrible stinks, and why there is so much suspicion and unpleasantness in the Chalk.

Reading as an adult, I enjoyed the story, which has a satisfying ending to what is, I gather, the last of the Tiffany Aching books. However with the early unpleasant part of the book, and several sexual innuendoes throughout (though nothing explicit), I would not recommend this to anyone under the age of about fourteen.

The other books in the series are:
The Wee Free Men
A Hat Full of Sky
Wintersmith

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 30th November 2011

Sophie is Seven (by Dick King-Smith)

2011-11-29T15:24:00.003+02:00

I've enjoyed many books by the late Dick King-Smith since I first discovered them when my sons were little, twenty odd years ago. In many of them, his characters are anthropomorphic animals, but my favourite of his books are the series of six about Sophie, the small but determined girl who wants to be a 'lady farmer' when she grows up.

'Sophie is Seven' is fifth in the 'Sophie' series; a little confusingly she is six for the majority of the book, and only attains her seventh birthday in the final chapters. I have just finished reading this book to a six-year-old friend, who enjoyed it very much, as did I.

In this book, Sophie tries to start serious fund-raising for her future farm. She gets quite the wrong idea about doing a sponsored walk and becomes rather wet in the process. We also follow her at school where she tries to make her teacher better informed when the class topic is 'farming', goes on a field trip, stars unexpectedly in a school play... and eventually, due to the generosity of her great-great-aunt Al, she starts riding lessons.

The characterisation in these books is wonderful, with Sophie being easy to relate to, and very likeable. She has strong moral principles, although she is rather scathing about people she considers to be wimpy. Her twin brothers tease her but are fond of her deep down, and her parents must sometimes wonder just how they produced such a unique and intriguing small person....

Best read after the other Sophie books (the first three of which are contained in the omnibus Sophie's Adventures, and the fourth is 'Sophie in the Saddle'). However, this stands alone too and could be read by itself.

I would recommend this for any children from the age of about five upwards. Independent readers would not find it particularly difficult, but there is sufficient humour and irony that it makes an extremely enjoyable book to read aloud.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 29th November 2011

The Way of Jesus (by Dr Bruce Farnham)

2011-11-29T14:59:00.003+02:00

I don't know anything about Bruce Farnham, other than that - according to the blurb on the back of this book - he was a scientist by training, and lived for many years in the Middle East. I can't find anything about him on any website. Perhaps this is the only book he wrote.

I don't even know how we acquired 'The Way of Jesus' or how long we've had it; perhaps we picked it up at some random church bookstall, or even in a charity shop. In any case, I had not previously read it, so picked it up about three months ago to find out what it was about.

It's taken me that long to complete it, not because it's dull or difficult, but because we were away for three weeks, and because it didn't tell me anything new or particularly inspiring.

On the other hand, this book was clearly written, explaining who the historical Jesus was and what his followers believe. It doesn't state that it was written for people of Middle Eastern background, but it was fairly obvious to me that it was intended for them primarily. The author manages to avoid jargon and 'churchianity'; instead he focuses more on what the early Christian disciples believed, as well as looking at how modern gatherings of Jesus's followers might look, outside of the familiar Western culture.

The book includes chapters on topics such as social justice, the way Jesus clashed with false religion, and what Jesus actually taught (as opposed to what much of the Western church teaches). It looks, too, at historical evidence for the life and death of Jesus. The chapters are quite long, and I found my concentration waning if I read more than a few pages at a time, but it was interesting enough to persevere and - eventually - to finish the book.

It was undoubtedly somewhat long-winded in places, and I didn't agree with every single word, although most of it was standard Christian teaching from a contextual perspective .Overall I thought it was well presented, and could be of interest to anyone wanting to know about Jesus, whether in the Middle East or elsewhere, without having to wade through the layers of Western culture that permeate so many of his followers.

So, generally recommended to anyone.. if you can find it. It was originally published in 1986 and is long out of print, but is the kind of thing that turns up in charity shops and on church bookstalls.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 29th November 2011

Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After (by 14 authors)

2011-11-28T20:48:00.004+02:00

While I enjoy reading short stories in women's magazines, from time to time, it's rare for me to read an entire collection unless I am particularly keen on the author in question. Often books of short stories can be disappointing, particularly if written by several different people.

However, 'Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After' is a happy exception. I have just finished reading, on my Kindle, this delightful collection of 26 short stories produced by 14 different writers (most of them contributed two stories).

Right from the start, I found myself drawn into this book, which features a variety of heroines - and a few heroes - in a surprising number of different contemporary situations. Some more believable than others...

We start by meeting a guy who seems to have been stood up, then the next story features a girl who is meeting her internet boyfriend for the first time. I was particularly struck - and moved - by the third story, about a woman taking a beloved child out for the last time.

I didn't read the whole book at one sitting - I prefer to read just two or three short stories at a time. So, over the past week, I have also enjoyed meeting, among others, a young lady who bumps into an old flame, a guy who keeps bees, a wife wanting to impress her husband's boss, a woman who keeps getting the wrong end of the stick, a girl who seems to have got stuck in a past generation... and many more. The situations vary from the lightly amusing to the quirkily surreal. There are some tense moments and a few places that almost brought a tear to my eye. None of the endings were predictable.

Not all the stories were 'happy ever after', but many of them were surprisingly thought-provoking. It's not easy to create realistic people that the reader cares about in the space of a short story - and some of them are really quite short. But these writers all succeeded. I didn't feel that any of the characters were flat or dull, even though some were amusing caricatures rather than being real.

All in all, I thought these stories were very well written, creating an enjoyable anthology for anyone who likes women's magazines. Highly recommended, although currently I believe it is only available in Kindle form.

(And many thanks to Leigh Forbes, one of the writers concerned, who sent me a free copy for review. But that did not make the review any less objective!)

The Christmas Angel (by Abbie Farwell Brown)

2011-11-04T16:12:00.001+02:00

I had never heard of Abbie Farwell Brown; apparently she was an American writer of children's books who lived in the Victorian era. I came across her when looking for books to download for my Kindle, preferably free.

'The Christmas Angel' is long out of copyright, and available free on Project Gutenberg in various formats, as well as in Kindle editions on Amazon. I was not entirely sure what to expect when I started reading it; my first impression was that Miss Terry - the cantankerous and cynical elderly heroine of the book - was a reincarnation of Dickens' better known Ebenezer Scrooge. Miss Terry clearly considers Christmas - and any other celebrations or festivities - as humbug, and it is with some reluctance that she allows her young maid to go out to see the sights on Christmas Eve.

Miss Terry decides that the time has come to get rid of various children's toys from her past. Rather than burning them in her grate, as she initially plans, she determines to leave them out in the street to see what will happen. She is convinced that human nature is selfish and greedy... and, from what she observes, it appears that she is correct in her cynicism.

However, an unexpected visitor - who makes the book unexpectedly surreal - is able to show that events were not quite as Miss Terry had interpreted them. The alternative view of what happened is quite cleverly done, if somewhat predictable.

It was inevitably somewhat twee with rather too much soliloquising for my tastes, but given the era, it's quite a nice little morality story. My only slight disappointment was that there are evidently some line drawings, but they are not included in the free Kindle editions. I understand that there are some Kindle versions (not free) which may include the illustrations - please download a sample or check reviews before buying, if this is important to you.

Note that the Amazon links given are to paperback forms of this book.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 4th November 2011

Rain Song (by Alice J Wisler)

2011-11-03T15:29:00.001+02:00

I had never heard of Alice J Wisler, but in browsing through the 'free for Kindle' books on Amazon, I spotted her novel. It was evidently a light Christian romance of some kind, set in the USA. Just the thing, I thought, for a plane journey.

So I started reading 'Rain Song" shortly before a flight, and finished it while flying. It was a pleasant light read, narrated, mostly in the present tense, by Nicole. She is a young unmarried woman who is part of a nicely eccentric and loving extended family. We meet most of them in the first chapter discussing a family reunion, and quickly learn that Nicole has some deep-seated phobias about flying. She's quite a stressed person although she usually manages to hide it, and as the book progresses we learn why.

There is not a great deal of plot in this book; it is primarily character-based, with a good picture of life in small town USA. While many of the family members are caricatured, I found Nicole herself to be a likeable and believable person. I identified with her in some of her struggles, and was particularly moved by her growing relationship with her five-year-old relative Monet - a small girl with lots of energy who has family tensions of her own.

The Christian element of the book is low-key, not at all preachy; there's some humour, and plenty of references to food. My only slight disappointment was that the ending came so abruptly without really resolving anything. Still, overall I enjoyed the book which did, indeed, make a good choice for a fairly dull flight.

Note that Amazon links are to the paperback version of this book, although it may be out of print in the UK. The Kindle version is no longer free.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 3rd November 2011

Want to know a secret? (by Sue Moorcroft)

2011-10-24T10:35:00.000+02:00

It's over four years, now, since I first read a book by Sue Moorcroft: 'Uphill all the way'. I liked it very much indeed, and looked forward to reading more of her books. However I was less impressed by 'Starting Over', which I read a couple of years later, and her other books have not had a very high profile. I read Sue Moorcroft's blog and enjoy her writing advice, but by the time I looked for others of her published novels, they seemed to have gone out of print.

So I was delighted to discover three of them available inexpensively for the Kindle recently. I started reading 'Want to Know a Secret?' on a flight, and then found myself reading a bit more in every free moment I had.

This novel begins with what could have been rather a cliched scene: two large policeman are dominating Diane's kitchen, having just brought her some bad news. Her husband Gareth has been in an accident, although they think he will pull through. But the scene rapidly becomes almost surreal as Diane, in her shock, hears about an accident in circumstances which sound so unlikely that she wonders if it's a case of mistaken identity. Yet the man unconscious in hospital seems, beyond all reasonable doubt, to be indeed her husband.

When at last persuaded to go and visit Gareth, she meets some people who clearly know him well and who seem to know a great deal about her - but whom she has never even heard of. And their resulting conversations do nothing to clarify what is going on initially, although some shocking surprises gradually emerge.

Diane's situation feels almost like a terrible dream, at first. I felt drawn into the story quickly, and found myself empathising quite strongly with her confusion. She is clearly not deluded, or mentally unstable. She's a hard-working woman with a small clothes-making business who sometimes struggles to make ends meet. She is perhaps too trusting, almost naive at times, but she cares deeply for her family and is currently missing her daughter, who is working abroad for a charity.

The story gradually unfolds, and slowly things start to make sense. Issues of greed, depression, snobbery and selfishness arise, and I began to see how such a scenario could possibly happen. Diane is far from perfect, the daughter of over-protective, angry parents who pushed her into a marriage which made life often difficult for her. Yet she is immensely likeable, as are several of the other people whom she gets to know. Sue Moorcroft has a great gift for characterisation, and tells a good story; it's a pity - in my opinion - that her work is not more widely known, and that the printed versions of her books go out of print so quickly.

My only mild personal criticism of this book is that there are a couple of over-detailed intimate scenes. They don't quite descend into sordidity, but I felt they were unnecessary - and somehow, did not match well with the characters of the people involved. Perhaps this kind of scene was required by the publisher, but the book would have read rather better with just a hint - or, indeed, slightly more restraint from people who were normally generous and responsible.

Still, overall I enjoyed the book very much and would recommend it highly. 'Want to Know a Secret' is still in print in the UK, a year after publication, and available second-hand in the USA, so the Amazon links are to the paperback version, although the Kindle editions are somewhat cheaper.

review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 24th October 2011

Maid to Match (by Deeanne Gist)

2011-10-15T18:38:00.002+02:00

I had never heard of the American writer Deeanne Gist, but I'm always on the lookout for free downloads for my Kindle. The blurb about this book sounded interesting, so when it was available free recently, I collected it.

'Maid to Match' is light historical fiction which I enjoyed reading on my Kindle during a flight to the UK. The story is set in the USA in the 19th century, and features Tillie, head housemaid in a wealthy home. She - at the urging of her mother over many years - hopes in time to become personal maid to the lady of the household. Work is hard, but the prestige and pay seem enticing. If she is to take this role, she must shun all romance...

Then onto the scene arrives Mack, twin brother to Earl who is another of the servants in the household where Tillie works. Earl is rather a ladies' man but Mack is rougher, and at first clashes quite badly with Tillie - and others - until his humanitarian side is revealed. There's a plot involving an orphanage too, with a most unpleasant manager, and some quite shocking events. And there's the somewhat inevitable love story.

I thought that this book was interesting as social history; at the back the author explains that the setting is based on a real estate with some genuine historical characters, although the story itself - and the staff in the house - are all fictional. The writing is good, the characters believable, and the pace works well. It's listed as Christian fiction, but although there were a few references to church and God, it's so low-key (and in context for the period and location) that I would hardly have noticed.

All in all, this book made pleasant light reading that was ideal for a flight. Nothing special, but an enjoyable story. Note that Amazon links are to printed versions of this book as the Kindle versions not all available to everyone.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 15th October 2011

Dance while you can (by Susan Lewis)

2011-10-03T18:47:00.002+02:00

I've read a few of Susan Lewis's books in the past couple of years or so. I love her writing - I was particularly taken with her autobiography, 'Just One More Day', which I read in January 2009.

This book is the story of a forbidden, but passionate romance. Elizabeth, junior matron at a boys' private school, is surprisingly attractive.. and becomes a little too friendly with one of the older boys. She is only four years older than he is, but relatives and colleagues disapprove strongly, and they are forced to part.

Alexander, the young man concerned, tries to forget his first love, first at university, and then in London high society, with a string of other women. Elizabeth, too, tries to move on with her life. But neither can forget the other, and both wonder if, some day, they might meet again.

The writing in this novel is amazing, the pace fast, the scenarios - including some unlikely and obsessive crimes, with some shocking scenes - surprisingly believable. I found it difficult to put this book down once I had got a way into it; there are sections which alternate between Elizabeth and Alexander's viewpoints, both told in the first person, in a style almost reminiscent of Susan Howatch at times.

There was rather more bad language than I'm comfortable with in this book, but it's par for the course with women's fiction these days, and none of it was really inappopriate. What badly let the book down, in my opinion, was two overly explicit and entirely unnecessary scenes of intimacy early in the book. They did not fit with the otherwise excellent style, and (thankfully) later bedroom scenes in the book were merely implied, or mentioned in passing.

Still, I would rate the book highly and recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a couple of 'purple' passages.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 3rd October 2011

So you don't want to go to Church anymore? (by Jake Colsen)

2011-09-29T20:07:00.006+02:00

It was about five and a half years ago that I first heard of Jake Colsen (pseudonym for two writers: Dave Coleman and Wayne Jacobsen) and this amazing book.

I first read 'So you don't want to go to church anymore?' in April 2006; it was available to read online, or to print; some friends had downloaded, printed and laminated a version, which we were able to borrow. I was not sure what to expect, but found it profoundly moving and thought-provoking in the extreme.

While I had been happy enough with the church congregations we attended both in the UK and, later, in Cyprus, I was well aware of growing discontent with 'organised religion' and the dangers of institutions and structures swamping the spiritual life of many. We were beginning to see stresses locally, and this book was exactly what I needed to read at the time.

I even wrote some further thoughts about the book - called 'What is Church anyway?' - on another blog, and over the intervening years have thought, off and on, about the contents. I've read several other books on similar topic, but never quite managed to let go of the idea of attending a church service on Sunday mornings, even though it had become rather sporadic in the past couple of years.

Events transpired to make me want to read this again. I have it in printed book form now, bought from Amazon and have lent it to several people, all of whom have found it interesting and thought-provoking. After a frustrating morning last Sunday, I decided re-read the book for the theology rather than the story; I have to admit that, as a novel, it lacks much substance. The main plot is Jake's growing awareness of what it means to follow Jesus, alongside his increasing disillusionment with organised Christianity.

The story begins when Jake hears a slightly strange character called John talking about Jesus to a group of angry people. He is intrigued, and they chat awhile. Jake is an assistant pastor at a large and outwardly successful church, although he is not entirely comfortable with some of the things that are going on. And when John appears one Sunday morning and asks for a tour of the premises, Jake begins to see things through different eyes, realising the futility of much of what they do. He also becomes aware of how it can be all too easy to try and shame people into church attendance, rather than encouraging them to follow Jesus and care for each other.

The book does stress - through questioning and conversation, again - that there is nothing wrong with believers meeting together on Sunday mornings to sing, or pray, or even listen to talks, if it is what they feel to be right, if they find it helpful, and if it encourages them to walk with Jesus through the week. The book does not push different kinds of informal church services, or even house churches... it proposes a completely different model, more in line with that of the early New Testament, where the Church - as the Body of Christ - consisted of individual people caring for and walking alongside each other.

Jake goes through several difficult stages during the course of the book, and for a while blames John's radical outlook. But gradually he grows in trust and contentment, as he meets others on a similar journey. He begins to reach out in similar ways to others, and finds whole new meanings to words like 'fellowship' and 'gathering'.

I remembered most of the plot from before, so I read it this time for the theology and encouragement rather than for the story itself. And, once again, found the book extremely helpful and inspiring - so much so that I even jotted down a few sentences in a notebook for easy reference.

I would recommend it to anyone, with the caveat that we are all at different stages, walking slightly different paths, so it undoubtedly will not appeal to everyone in every situation.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 29th September 2011

Sophie in the Saddle (by Dick King-Smith)

2011-09-27T16:27:00.002+02:00

I've enjoyed Dick King-Smith's writing ever since I first discovered him when my sons were younger. So I'm delighted to have the opportunity to re-visit some of his books to read aloud to a current six-year-old friend.

I finished the omnibus 'Sophie's Adventures' a few weeks ago, and was immediately asked if I would continue with the next in the series, 'Sophie in the Saddle'. I was happy to oblige, and we finished it today.

Sophie is a small but determined girl - age six in this story - who wants to be a farmer when she grows up. In this book, Sophie's family acquire and name a dog, Sophie learns to swim, and the family go on holiday to Cornwall. Sophie is very excited to be staying on a farm, and has the opportunity to start learning to ride.

These books are intended for children of about five to ten, either as read-alouds, or for reasonably confident readers to read on their own. I happen to think they work better as read-alouds, as there is humour in the book which can be appreciated by adults - it's not all childish. We can probably all recognise a bit of Sophie in children we have known, as she's a realistic, stubborn and outspoken girl with great purpose in life, even at such a young age.

The stories are gentle, the chapters short, and the characterisation excellent. Definitely recommended for any child of about five and over. The book stands alone but is more fun when read after the earlier books in the series.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 27th September 2011

Shadow Child (by Libby Purves)

2011-09-26T18:52:00.002+02:00

I've very much enjoyed several novels by Libby Purves, over the past years. She is an incisive, hard-hitting writer who can nevertheless create believable characters that I care about and draw me right into her stories.

I was not entirely sure how I would feel about 'Shadow Child', having read the blurb and some reviews at Amazon. I knew it was about someone suffering from a tragedy which Purves herself had suffered, and which I felt might trigger nightmares. Still, I added it to my wishlist, and was unexpectedly given it recently.

I read it last week, and found it very moving. Marion, a fifty-something woman narrates this story, which begins several months after she and her husband Tom suffered a devastating tragedy which is still affecting them in many ways. Marion has a supportive friend called Sarah, and seems to be coming to terms with her loss gradually.

Out of the blue, Tom comes into contact with the miltant man-hating Djoolia in a disturbing encounter. That starts an amazing train of events that lead Marion into seeing lifestyles and living conditions she had never dreamed of, while Tom reacts in very different ways. It seems for a while as if the two are drifting further and further apart.

It's hard to say more without giving anything away; suffice it to say that this is a powerful and moving book, which delves into several controversial issues, revealing different attitudes and reactions in a realistic way. Most of all, though, it shows how there can be lovable, genuine people in unexpected places.

The main plot-line is perhaps too much of an ideal way forward and might even be considered as giving false hope to others in Marion's situation; a few unlikely coincidences happen too, and yet they are not impossible ones. In the context of this moving story, I didn't have a problem with them.

'Shadow Child' has a great writing style, with excellent pace, and I found it difficult to put down at times.

Definitely recommended to anyone who is able to be open-minded - there was a lot to make me ponder in this book. Oddly enough, it is currently out of print in the USA, despite only having been published a year ago.

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 26th September 2011

Stress-proof your life (by Elisabeth Wilson)

2011-09-20T07:20:00.001+02:00

I'd never heard of Elisabeth Wilson. I can't find any pages about her on the Internet, although there is another writer who spells her first name with a 'z', but I assume she's not the same one.

I probably never would have heard of her, but for a free offer from Amazon a month or two back, for the Kindle edition of 'Stress-proof your life'. It's not a title that would naturally have leapt out at me, but when I look for the free e-books, I tend to download any that look even remotely interesting.

I've been reading this e-book for the past ten days or so, usually while eating my breakfast. It's set out as fifty-two short chapters, each one containing an 'idea' for helping to reduce stress. Some of them were fairly obvious (delegate, eat more healthfully, get more rest...), some I had read before (try serious aromatherapy, spend an hour in a flotation tank...) and others were really quite inspiring, such as techniques to get through procrastination, and ways of prioritising.

Each 'idea' has a couple of pages with explanations, personal anecdotes, and practical suggestions. Then each one is followed by a couple of questions from people who have tried the suggestion and found it difficult, followed by advice. It made for quite interesting reading, as the style is light and friendly, even when the idea itself was not particularly relevant to me.

I don't think my life is particularly stressful at present; if it had been, I'm not sure I would have found the time to read this, so I suppose it's useful to have gone through it at a non-stressful time. While it wasn't the greatest book ever (and there were a few formatting errors and spelling mistakes in this Kindle version) it did contain some useful suggestions, one or two of which I have taken up - and I certainly can't complain about the price!

The paperback versions of this book seem to be out of print now. and the Kindle editions are no longer free; the price seems over-high for such a short book so I wouldn't particularly recommend it at the current price. But if you see a second-hand edition in a charity shop somewhere, or if it's offered free again for the Kindle, it's worth perusing.

(Amazon links are to the printed version in the marketplace, where prices seem extremely high for second-hand editions).

Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 20th September 2011