Friday Recommended...

Published in paperback by Harper Collins

6 December

Available for Kindle download now

What happens when the ONE that got away comes back?”

Rachel and Ben met at university in Manchester; they were best of friends and together with party nights and curry nights, they shared their hopes and fears for the future. They were always a gang of two, but when the time came to make their mark on the adult world, they went their separate ways and now after nearly a decade with no contact, they bump into each other again, and the years in-between just seem to disappear.

What then follows is a warm and witty look at what may happen when two people with a bucket load of unfinished business meet up again. Their shared history is ever present and even though their grown-up adult lives bear little resemblance to the people they once were, underneath the veneer, Rachel still nurses a broken heart and Ben, now married, must learn to face his own demons. Rachel and Ben’s story engulfs from the very beginning, and alongside some laugh out loud funny moments, there are some situations which really tug on the old heart strings.

There is nothing remotely contrived about this book, it is evident from the opening chapter that Mhairi McFarlane has a real skill with words. Her narrative is sharp and sassy and she infuses her characters with such an abundance of spirit that it is an absolute joy to read their story.

And only someone who is familiar with Manchester can write this sentence with absolute conviction.

“I get home slightly late, blown in the door by that special Manchester rain that manages to be both vertical and horizontal at the same time. I bring so much rain into the house it feels as if the tide goes out and leaves me draped across the stairs like a piece of seaweed.”

Without doubt, You Had Me At Hello is one of the best rom-com books I have read in a very long time and I look forward to reading more books by Mhairi McFarlane in the future.

5*****

My thanks to Harper Collins for an advance reading copy of this book.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wishlist Wednesday....

I am delighted to be part of wishlist Wednesday which is hosted by Dani at pen to paper

The idea is to post about one book each week that has been on your wishlist for some time, or maybe just added.

So what do you need to do to join in?

Follow Pen to Paper as host of the meme.

Pick a book from your wishlist that you are dying to get to put on your shelves.

Do a post telling your readers about the book and why it's on your wishlist.

Add your blog to the linky at the bottom of her post.

Put a link back to pen to paper (http://vogue-pentopaper.blogspot.com) somewhere in your post.

A Cat , a Hat and a Piece of String 

by 

Joanne Harris

Book blurb from Goodreads



A second short story collection from Joanne Harris, author of

Chocolat and Peaches for Monsieur le Cure.



'Stories are like Russian dolls; open them up, and in each one you'll find another story.'


Conjured from a wickedly imaginative pen, here is a new collection of short stories that showcases Joanne Harris's exceptional storytelling art. Sensuous, wicked, mischievous, uproarious and wry, here are tales that combine the everyday with the unexpected; wild fantasy with bittersweet reality.

From the house where it is Christmas all year round, to a ghost who lives on a Twitter timeline; from the Congo where a young girl braves the raging rapids to earn a crust of bread, to Norse gods battling for survival in Manhattan; and a newborn baby created with sugar, spice and lashings of cake, these stories will ensnare and delight you with their variety and inventiveness.

I've loved all of Joanne Harris's books and am so looking forward to reading this one . I am intrigued by the title and think the cover looks very appealing - Jaffa is particularly excited by the idea of the cat in the book....

Review - Crossing on the Paris by Dana Gynther

Published 13 November
Simon and Schuster

Crossing on the Paris

by

Dana Gynther

In 1921 when the transatlantic ocean liner, the Paris, leaves France bound for New York, three very different women are on board.

In first class, wealthy socialite Vera Sinclair, now gravely ill is returning home to die; she is struggling to cope with her memories of the past and yet finds comfort re-reading her written journals. In second class, dissatisfied wife and daughter Constance Stone has just made an unsuccessful journey to Paris to entice her younger sister to make the journey back to New York to spend time with their sick mother. Meanwhile in steerage, Julie Vernet is escaping post WW1 Paris and the loss of her three brothers, she is attempting to  make a new life for herself by working on board one of the ships she has watched from her home in the French port of Le Havre.

All too soon the class division on board ship is evident and as the story moves between women we are treated to a social commentary which explores not just class distinction but also what it means to be female in the early part of the twentieth century. The interesting comparison which emphasises the class differences between the three women is well observed, and both the unpleasantness and the glamour of life on board ship with its petty squabbles is believable and thought provoking. 

Whilst the women portrayed are all very different characters their shared experiences makes for a fascinating and sympathetic story and reveals much about life and society in the 1920’s.

My thanks to NetGalley and simon and Schuster for a copy of this book to read and review.

Review - Aris Returns by Devin Morgan

Published by Broadlit
October 2012

Aris Returns 

by 

Devin Morgan

I'm not a great fan of vampire novels but when this was offered and described as part historical, part vampire story,  I was interested enough to give the book a chance. Initially, the book starts off reasonably well, as psychologist Sara Hagan is given the opportunity to work with a troubled young man, Carlos, who is on parole for car theft. Using regression therapy in order to manage Carlos's anger management, Sara takes him back to his troubled past, where he becomes Aris,a two thousand year old vampire with some particularly angst ridden memories. The historical bit then takes us initially to the time of Alexander the Great, and then through time to the court of Henry VIII.
Overall, I'm not sure that the book works terribly well, or it could be that for me, this type of angst ridden vampire soon loses its charm,but either way the story really wasn't really something I enjoyed reading.

As this is book one in a proposed trilogy, I am sure that there are fans of this particular genre that are more than happy to commit to the series.

It's just not for me.

2**

My thanks to Netgalley and Broadlit for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Jaffa's Sunday Corner..

Cat Themed Reading for the discerning feline.

Published Redlake Farm
Ocober 2012

Solomon's Tale by Sheila Jeffries



Book Blurb from Goodreads
Solomon's Tale is a gripping story with strong emotion, humour, and gritty relationship themes. Sheila Jeffries has also woven a thread of spirituality throughout the tale, which focuses on reincarnation, angels, and how the soul survives death. Solomon, a cat who can see angels, who is chosen to be born again to help a family endure traumas of separation and poverty, narrates the quirky but heart warming adventure. Solomon embarks on a perilous journey to find his home. He falls in love with another cat, Jessica, whose outrageous behaviour brings life and humour into the challenging situations he must face, including the repossession of his family home, relocation to a cramped caravan, and a lonely, desperate time of surviving the wild. A tear-jerker with an interesting twist at the end, Solomon's Tale will make you laugh and cry and lift your spirits. It was inspired by two real cats and will appeal to fans of cats and spiritual fiction.

What did Jaffa think

This is a wise little story which focuses on the warmth and companionship between animals and their humans. Solomon was always meant to be with Ellen, and when he was in the spiritual world he was given the task of finding her. But the journey to find Ellen is a perilous one, and Solomon must face danger in order to find her again.Throughout the story, Solomon is as wise as he is beautiful and this story gladdened my heart and at last recognised the unbreakable bond between special animals and those who love them.

Beautifully written, this is not just a book for cats and cat lovers, but is also for those who like to believe in a world of angels, reincarnation and spiritual guidance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Redlake Farm for a digital copy of this book to review.

Review- World War One: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley

Harper Collins UK
March 2012

Continuing my reading theme of Remembrance for November, I was attracted to this concise history of World War One which aims to give enough historical information in the space of an hour's reading time.

And does it fulfil its aim - well yes, I think it does, although as always it depends on personal reading speeds, but overall, the concise nature of the book makes it interesting and informative without getting too intent on too much detail. It's also the type of book that you can refer back to if needed and would make a valuable extra resource for students covering this topic in history.

There will be those who suggest that you simply can't know all there is to know about WW1 in an hour's reading time, and I would wholeheartedly agree, but if like me you read historical fiction set in this time frame, then the book works well as a short aide memoir.

At time of writing this book is currently a free kindle download on Amazon UK

Friday Recommended...

Published March 2012
The History Press Ireland

A Parachute in the Lime Tree

by

Annemarie Neary


This beautifully written novel explores the lives of four young people whose stories intertwine during WW2. Oskar is a Luftwaffe conscript who finds his role in the war abhorrent, and as the dreams of his first love, Elsa, overshadows his hope for the future, he makes a dramatic and startling decision. Left behind in Berlin, Elsa faces a bleak future until she is safety moved to Ireland as part of the Kindertransport, where the dream of playing music carries her through the uncertainty of not knowing whether her parents remain alive. In rural Ireland, Kitty finds Oskar trapped in his parachute in one of the lime trees in her garden, and from the beginning is determined to keep him her own special secret. Meanwhile, Charlie, a young medical student, becomes enamoured of Elsa when he hears her play beautiful music on her piano.

I was completely drawn into the story from the beginning, the characterisation is truly excellent and thanks to some skilful storytelling we get to know Oskar, Elsa, Kitty and Charlie very well. The story moves adeptly through their lives, intertwining where it can, but also focusing on their individual stories, which I found deeply moving. From the sleepiness of rural Ireland, to the horrors of Berlin, the story captures time and place perfectly, where the indecision of youth is combined with the uncertainty of living through the horror of war.

Without doubt, Annemarie Neary has a real talent for writing; her ability to weave together all the strands of the story is evident in her thoughtful  narrative, and with meticulous care and attention she brings the story to a fitting and emotional conclusion, which saw me reaching for the tissue box. 

I loved it.

5*****