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Army Wives: From Crimea to Afghanistan: The Real Lives of the Women Behind the Men in Uniform
Book
Most families have an army wife somewhere in their past. Over the centuries they have followed their...
A Childhood
Jona Oberski, Ralph Manheim and Eleanor Crow
Book
An Irish Times Book of the Year A small boy grows up in Amsterdam, making sand pies, playing with...
Actress is the story of Katherine O’Dell, told by her daughter. She looks back on her mother’s career as Ireland’s darling, as she works her way up through Ireland’s bus-and-truck circuit, London’s West End , Broadway and finally Hollywood. Norah lives through the more successful period of her mothers life, and then has to deal with her fall from Grace after she commits a thoroughly bizarre crime. I really loved this book, and I had to keep reminding myself that it was in fact fiction. The author, Anne Enright, read her book, and she did it so well. It really sounded like someone who was telling their own life story, as opposed to telling ‘a’ story. It was really immersive and well told. I’m not surprised that it was on the long list for the Women’s Prize 2020.
I loved the way that we watched Katherine’s slide into mental health problems through the eyes of her daughter, juxtaposed with the life that she had lived before - the whole bohemian, free living, carelessness of it. And then the reveal that all was not as it seemed. I enjoy books that explore family relationships - in fiction the opportunities are endless.
I really liked the historical element as well: the troubles in Ireland and how they impacted on Katherine and Norah. Not that it’s an enjoyable topic, but I have family connections, and the history of this fascinates me. To be honest, a lot of things impact on the relationship of this mother and daughter. It must have been very difficult for Norah to grow up in the way that she did - and again, I have to remind myself that this isn’t a true story!
This is the first Anne Enright novel that I’ve read/ listened to, and I have another book of hers on my bookcase that I’ll be moving up the ‘to be read’ pile. I think she’s an author that I’ll also be adding to me ‘read everything by them’ list!
I loved the way that we watched Katherine’s slide into mental health problems through the eyes of her daughter, juxtaposed with the life that she had lived before - the whole bohemian, free living, carelessness of it. And then the reveal that all was not as it seemed. I enjoy books that explore family relationships - in fiction the opportunities are endless.
I really liked the historical element as well: the troubles in Ireland and how they impacted on Katherine and Norah. Not that it’s an enjoyable topic, but I have family connections, and the history of this fascinates me. To be honest, a lot of things impact on the relationship of this mother and daughter. It must have been very difficult for Norah to grow up in the way that she did - and again, I have to remind myself that this isn’t a true story!
This is the first Anne Enright novel that I’ve read/ listened to, and I have another book of hers on my bookcase that I’ll be moving up the ‘to be read’ pile. I think she’s an author that I’ll also be adding to me ‘read everything by them’ list!
Everything Beautiful In Its Time
Book
To the world, George and Barbara Bush were America’s powerful president and influential first...
If the Corncrake Calls
Ian Niall, Sheila Pehrson and Barbara Greg (Illustrator)
Book
When the Scottish writer John McNeillie died on the 24th June 2002 aged 85, he left behind a legacy...
Midge (525 KP) rated The Sheikh's Christmas Family in Books
Mar 7, 2019
An Adorable, Racy, Little Romance!
Leslie North has written another adorable, racy, little romance!
Leslie, the critically-acclaimed author, has written more than two hundred books across forty-six series’ in the Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction genres. Alluring from the very beginning, THE SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is Book Two in the ‘Christmas with the Yared Sheikhs’ series. Book One is entitled ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Fling’ and the title of the third book is ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Lover.’
Its Christmas-time in Maatkare and Maia must make sure the Sheikh’s palace is decorated for all the holiday festivities. The decorating is the easy part. Yonas Yared, the youngest son of the family, is a bit more of a challenge. Maia knows she’s in trouble when she sees how wonderful Yonas is with her young son. Protecting her heart from the one man who makes her think naughty thoughts she shouldn’t is proving more difficult than she ever imagined.
Yonas will go crazy if he has to spend the entire holiday season with his family. He’d much rather be partying the nights away than stuck in the palace helping their new irresistible decorator. As events transpire to keep him in the palace, he’s surprised to realise he’s glad to be home and equally surprised to find that getting his serious little decorator into his bed is becoming more and more important. The problem is, once she’s there, he doesn’t want her to leave. And nothing in his life has ever scared him more.
Leslie North is very good at developing her characters where opposites attract and this novel is no exception. The meeting of carefree, party animal Yonas and Maia, who is sensible, focused and responsible, was explosive.
The storyline is easy to follow, with plenty of emotion, angst and tension. The chemistry between Maia and Yonas was electric and what was also great was the laughter and fun enjoyed within the family.
The SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is an enjoyable and well-written romance with which to curl up on the sofa on a dark winter’s night or any time, really, with a mug of hot chocolate and it makes a fantastic holiday read.
{Thank you to #NetGalley, Relay Publishing and Leslie North for the free copy of this book and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Leslie, the critically-acclaimed author, has written more than two hundred books across forty-six series’ in the Romance, Contemporary Fiction and Women's Fiction genres. Alluring from the very beginning, THE SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is Book Two in the ‘Christmas with the Yared Sheikhs’ series. Book One is entitled ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Fling’ and the title of the third book is ‘The Sheikh’s Christmas Lover.’
Its Christmas-time in Maatkare and Maia must make sure the Sheikh’s palace is decorated for all the holiday festivities. The decorating is the easy part. Yonas Yared, the youngest son of the family, is a bit more of a challenge. Maia knows she’s in trouble when she sees how wonderful Yonas is with her young son. Protecting her heart from the one man who makes her think naughty thoughts she shouldn’t is proving more difficult than she ever imagined.
Yonas will go crazy if he has to spend the entire holiday season with his family. He’d much rather be partying the nights away than stuck in the palace helping their new irresistible decorator. As events transpire to keep him in the palace, he’s surprised to realise he’s glad to be home and equally surprised to find that getting his serious little decorator into his bed is becoming more and more important. The problem is, once she’s there, he doesn’t want her to leave. And nothing in his life has ever scared him more.
Leslie North is very good at developing her characters where opposites attract and this novel is no exception. The meeting of carefree, party animal Yonas and Maia, who is sensible, focused and responsible, was explosive.
The storyline is easy to follow, with plenty of emotion, angst and tension. The chemistry between Maia and Yonas was electric and what was also great was the laughter and fun enjoyed within the family.
The SHEIKH’S CHRISTMAS FAMILY is an enjoyable and well-written romance with which to curl up on the sofa on a dark winter’s night or any time, really, with a mug of hot chocolate and it makes a fantastic holiday read.
{Thank you to #NetGalley, Relay Publishing and Leslie North for the free copy of this book and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.}
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Handle With Care in Books
Sep 2, 2019
Wren has been hired by the Moorehead family to handle the youngest of the family, Armstrong who is a PR nightmare. When the patriarch of the family passes away suddenly, the older son, Lincoln returns for the funeral. What he's not expecting is for his grandmother and mother to ask him to take over the company. Being a CEO has never been in Lincoln's mind, but he made a promise that he would stay for 6 months. Wren is then tasked with helping Lincoln to become the face of the company, which will be difficult since he's covered in fur. When Lincoln first meets Wren, he thinks she nothing but a high paid babysitter, but there is something about her that has sparked his interest and finds that he enjoys her being around. Wren feels it too, but knows her job is more important. Will they be able to keep their feelings to themselves, or will it all be too much?
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I've read 3 of the books in this series and they are all hard to put down.
I love Wren in this book. She is a no-nonsense woman who knows how to handle difficult men. Armstrong is more than a handful to deal with and Wren hopes that Lincoln is not the same. She will soon come to realize that he is a totally different beast. This book was full of romance and suspense. The Moorehead family had secrets and Lincoln is determined to find them, not only for his sake, but for the sake of the entire family and the business. You don't want to be on the wrong side of this brother.
So far, I have loved everything Helena Hunting has written. The books are hard to put down. They have romance mixed with a little suspense. The characters are ones you can imagine yourself being friends with in real life and you want to spend time with them, well most of them, Armstrong can stay far away. If you have never read one of her books, I suggest you pick one up right away!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. Even though this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I've read 3 of the books in this series and they are all hard to put down.
I love Wren in this book. She is a no-nonsense woman who knows how to handle difficult men. Armstrong is more than a handful to deal with and Wren hopes that Lincoln is not the same. She will soon come to realize that he is a totally different beast. This book was full of romance and suspense. The Moorehead family had secrets and Lincoln is determined to find them, not only for his sake, but for the sake of the entire family and the business. You don't want to be on the wrong side of this brother.
So far, I have loved everything Helena Hunting has written. The books are hard to put down. They have romance mixed with a little suspense. The characters are ones you can imagine yourself being friends with in real life and you want to spend time with them, well most of them, Armstrong can stay far away. If you have never read one of her books, I suggest you pick one up right away!
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Christopher Robin (2018) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019 (Updated Jun 10, 2019)
A Future Classic
The characters of Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger are synonymous with the childhood of millions of adults across the globe. A.A. Milne’s classic creatures are etched into the memories of many, passed down through generations with tatty old story books and stuffed animals.
Their film history is a little more chequered. True box-office domination has eluded the little critters, until now at least. Rolling off the success of Paddington and its arguably even better sequel, Disney gets in on the action, the live-action that is, and brings Pooh and co to life in Christopher Robin. But does it work?
Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) – now a family man living in London – receives a surprise visit from his old childhood pal, Winnie-the-Pooh. With Christopher’s help, Pooh embarks on a journey to find his friends — Tigger, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo. Once reunited, the lovable bear and the gang travel to London to help Christopher rediscover the joy of life.
With Marc Forster’s name attached to directing duties, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’d been hired simply to get the job done. After all, this is the same Marc Forster that brought us the perfectly adequate Quantum of Solace and the enjoyable if undistinguished World War Z. These aren’t the directing credits you’d expect when looking at a film involving a honey-loving bear in a red jumper.
Nevertheless, Forster proves us wrong. Christopher Robin is a sumptuous tale, beautifully realised with a script that makes us stop and look at the little things in life. Much like the film itself as it happens. Ewan McGregor was the ideal choice to play a world-weary Robin. At the brink of exhaustion and close to losing the truly important things in life – his wife (Hayley Atwell) and daughter (Bronte Carmichael), McGregor plays the part beautifully. Watching his inner-child slowly but surely rise to the surface is wonderful to see.
Elsewhere, the entire cast of voices used to bring our cuddly cast to life are absolutely spot on. Jim Cummings’ return as Pooh and Tigger brings a warm familiarity to proceedings and this was a nice touch by Disney to have him back behind the microphone. Toby Jones and former Doctor Who Peter Capaldi are also great as Owl and Rabbit respectively. Brad Garrett’s turn as Eeyore really couldn’t be more perfect.
Christopher Robin…is sure to be a future classic that can be passed down for generations
To look at, Christopher Robin really is sublime. The spectacular Sussex countryside is brought to life in the Hundred Acre Wood and the post-war setting of London lives and breathes right before your eyes. This is a film that draws you in as the script moves our cast from 1940s London, rich with smoke and smog, to lush countryside, heavy with dew and dripping in colour.
The CGI to bring Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Rabbit to life is nothing short of astounding. The way their fur moves in the wind feels so real and it is this depth that proves to be the film’s strongest suit. Using Disney’s seemingly unending source of funds, Marc Foster and his team have managed to create something truly astonishing.
Above all though, this is a film about the importance of family, and on that level it succeeds, and then some. While brief, the moments in which we see McGregor and his family spending time together, with Pooh and company in tow, are Christopher Robin’s most poignant. In typical Disney fashion, the film tugs on the heartstrings on more than one occasion, just enough to wipe away a solitary tear, but not enough to dig out the Kleenex.
Christopher Robin is another success for Disney’s live-action arm. With understated performances, very much similar to 2016’s remake of Pete’s Dragon, the House of Mouse has achieved something rather extraordinary. Yes, they’ve brought these wonderful characters back to life, but in a way that honours the books and stuffed animals we will have all grown up with. Unlike this year’s Peter Rabbit that destroyed the legacy of a much-loved literary character, Christopher Robin builds on that and is sure to be a future classic that can be passed down for generations.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/08/18/christopher-robin-review-a-future-classic/
Their film history is a little more chequered. True box-office domination has eluded the little critters, until now at least. Rolling off the success of Paddington and its arguably even better sequel, Disney gets in on the action, the live-action that is, and brings Pooh and co to life in Christopher Robin. But does it work?
Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) – now a family man living in London – receives a surprise visit from his old childhood pal, Winnie-the-Pooh. With Christopher’s help, Pooh embarks on a journey to find his friends — Tigger, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo. Once reunited, the lovable bear and the gang travel to London to help Christopher rediscover the joy of life.
With Marc Forster’s name attached to directing duties, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’d been hired simply to get the job done. After all, this is the same Marc Forster that brought us the perfectly adequate Quantum of Solace and the enjoyable if undistinguished World War Z. These aren’t the directing credits you’d expect when looking at a film involving a honey-loving bear in a red jumper.
Nevertheless, Forster proves us wrong. Christopher Robin is a sumptuous tale, beautifully realised with a script that makes us stop and look at the little things in life. Much like the film itself as it happens. Ewan McGregor was the ideal choice to play a world-weary Robin. At the brink of exhaustion and close to losing the truly important things in life – his wife (Hayley Atwell) and daughter (Bronte Carmichael), McGregor plays the part beautifully. Watching his inner-child slowly but surely rise to the surface is wonderful to see.
Elsewhere, the entire cast of voices used to bring our cuddly cast to life are absolutely spot on. Jim Cummings’ return as Pooh and Tigger brings a warm familiarity to proceedings and this was a nice touch by Disney to have him back behind the microphone. Toby Jones and former Doctor Who Peter Capaldi are also great as Owl and Rabbit respectively. Brad Garrett’s turn as Eeyore really couldn’t be more perfect.
Christopher Robin…is sure to be a future classic that can be passed down for generations
To look at, Christopher Robin really is sublime. The spectacular Sussex countryside is brought to life in the Hundred Acre Wood and the post-war setting of London lives and breathes right before your eyes. This is a film that draws you in as the script moves our cast from 1940s London, rich with smoke and smog, to lush countryside, heavy with dew and dripping in colour.
The CGI to bring Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Rabbit to life is nothing short of astounding. The way their fur moves in the wind feels so real and it is this depth that proves to be the film’s strongest suit. Using Disney’s seemingly unending source of funds, Marc Foster and his team have managed to create something truly astonishing.
Above all though, this is a film about the importance of family, and on that level it succeeds, and then some. While brief, the moments in which we see McGregor and his family spending time together, with Pooh and company in tow, are Christopher Robin’s most poignant. In typical Disney fashion, the film tugs on the heartstrings on more than one occasion, just enough to wipe away a solitary tear, but not enough to dig out the Kleenex.
Christopher Robin is another success for Disney’s live-action arm. With understated performances, very much similar to 2016’s remake of Pete’s Dragon, the House of Mouse has achieved something rather extraordinary. Yes, they’ve brought these wonderful characters back to life, but in a way that honours the books and stuffed animals we will have all grown up with. Unlike this year’s Peter Rabbit that destroyed the legacy of a much-loved literary character, Christopher Robin builds on that and is sure to be a future classic that can be passed down for generations.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2018/08/18/christopher-robin-review-a-future-classic/
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated London Tides (MacDonald Family Trilogy, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
London Tides by Carla Laureano
Reviewed by Rachel Dixon
Radiant Lit Blog Tours
Genre: Romance
Publisher: David C. Cook
Date Published: June 1, 2015
Grace Brennan has seen the brutality of war first hand. Will she give up her identity in her career to build a new life with the man she loves?
Ian MacDonald has not seen Grace since she left him ten years ago. Grace has suffered very severe trauma with her job as a conflict photojournalist. As she searches for a place to call home, can she lay to rest the ghosts of her past? When their lives are thrown together again, they are different people than they were ten years ago. Will they be able to forge a new life together? Or will the past push them further apart then ever before?
London Tides had me biting my nails till the last page. There are a lot of ups and downs and I had no idea which direction Carla Laureano would take me next. The romance was a little more heated than in the first book, but it was still clean. Although I have never experienced PTSD, there was a side of Grace that I could completely relate to. That is the desire to know that our lives meant something. I think there is a piece inside all of us that wants to know that our lives made a difference in the world. We may not all be able to find a magic cure for a disease or personally finance an endeavor to put shoes on the feet of an entire village. But every life matters and every life makes a difference in the sphere we are placed in. Our friends, our co-workers, our children and our family. I have to believe that I have been called to where I am for a reason. I may never see the results of the impact my life has been, but God sees it. And He knows and cares about whatever challenges we are facing and if we let Him, He will guide and support us through it all. I have been swept away by the MacDonald family and can not wait for the finale Under Scottish Stars releasing Summer 2016.
Carla Laureano is the author of the RITA® award-winning romance Five Days in Skye as well as London Tides and the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.
I received a free copy of London Tides as part of a blog tour with Radiant Lit in exchange for my honest review. Review copy provided by David C Cook.
Reviewed by Rachel Dixon
Radiant Lit Blog Tours
Genre: Romance
Publisher: David C. Cook
Date Published: June 1, 2015
Grace Brennan has seen the brutality of war first hand. Will she give up her identity in her career to build a new life with the man she loves?
Ian MacDonald has not seen Grace since she left him ten years ago. Grace has suffered very severe trauma with her job as a conflict photojournalist. As she searches for a place to call home, can she lay to rest the ghosts of her past? When their lives are thrown together again, they are different people than they were ten years ago. Will they be able to forge a new life together? Or will the past push them further apart then ever before?
London Tides had me biting my nails till the last page. There are a lot of ups and downs and I had no idea which direction Carla Laureano would take me next. The romance was a little more heated than in the first book, but it was still clean. Although I have never experienced PTSD, there was a side of Grace that I could completely relate to. That is the desire to know that our lives meant something. I think there is a piece inside all of us that wants to know that our lives made a difference in the world. We may not all be able to find a magic cure for a disease or personally finance an endeavor to put shoes on the feet of an entire village. But every life matters and every life makes a difference in the sphere we are placed in. Our friends, our co-workers, our children and our family. I have to believe that I have been called to where I am for a reason. I may never see the results of the impact my life has been, but God sees it. And He knows and cares about whatever challenges we are facing and if we let Him, He will guide and support us through it all. I have been swept away by the MacDonald family and can not wait for the finale Under Scottish Stars releasing Summer 2016.
Carla Laureano is the author of the RITA® award-winning romance Five Days in Skye as well as London Tides and the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.
I received a free copy of London Tides as part of a blog tour with Radiant Lit in exchange for my honest review. Review copy provided by David C Cook.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Good as Gone in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Anna and Tom Whitaker's lives are irrevocably changed the night their thirteen-year-old daughter, Julie, disappears. The only witness to her kidnapping is her ten-year-old sister, Jane, who watches petrified from her closest as a man takes away her sister. The broken parents remain in their home, hoping against hope that someday their daughter will return. And then, amazingly, one night the doorbell rings and there she is: Julie. Now a young woman, with a harrowing tale to tell of abuse and horror, but otherwise unscathed. And just like that, the broken family is whole. But is it? Anna doesn't understand what her daughter is keeping from her, where she disappears when the family thinks she's at therapy. And when a Private Investigator shows up--a former detective who was involved in the early portions of Julie's case, with thoughts that Julie isn't really Julie--Anna is even more confused. She just wants her daughter back, but does she really have her?
This novel hooked me from the beginning, and I tore through it less than two days. It starts out with Julie (or the imposter, but I will say Julie for the sake of this review) arriving home and then we hear from Anna and some of the other characters as the family adjusts to Julie's homecoming. But we also delve into the past, which adds this amazing layer of suspense and intrigue and leaves you slightly befuddled, completely invested, and flipping pages like mad. When the point of view first switched from Anna to Julie early in the novel, I gasped a bit.
Gentry has created a book that is compulsively readable from a thriller standpoint, but also features emotionally damaged characters, struggling to survive after losing Julie for so many years. What I enjoyed so much about this book is that it's not only an excellent thriller, which keeps you guessing and wondering, but a nuanced portrait of a truly fractured family, who is still reeling from Julie's kidnapping. The interactions between Anna and her family is fascinating in itself -- Jane, for instance, has had her entire life basically formed around the disappearance of her sister. You don't always get explicit descriptions of their reactions, but you see it in every interaction and emotional attachment (or lack thereof) the family displays.
Overall, this is a great thriller: a fast-paced read, with a plot that will have you guessing (and gasping) and turning pages long into the night.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 7/26.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This novel hooked me from the beginning, and I tore through it less than two days. It starts out with Julie (or the imposter, but I will say Julie for the sake of this review) arriving home and then we hear from Anna and some of the other characters as the family adjusts to Julie's homecoming. But we also delve into the past, which adds this amazing layer of suspense and intrigue and leaves you slightly befuddled, completely invested, and flipping pages like mad. When the point of view first switched from Anna to Julie early in the novel, I gasped a bit.
Gentry has created a book that is compulsively readable from a thriller standpoint, but also features emotionally damaged characters, struggling to survive after losing Julie for so many years. What I enjoyed so much about this book is that it's not only an excellent thriller, which keeps you guessing and wondering, but a nuanced portrait of a truly fractured family, who is still reeling from Julie's kidnapping. The interactions between Anna and her family is fascinating in itself -- Jane, for instance, has had her entire life basically formed around the disappearance of her sister. You don't always get explicit descriptions of their reactions, but you see it in every interaction and emotional attachment (or lack thereof) the family displays.
Overall, this is a great thriller: a fast-paced read, with a plot that will have you guessing (and gasping) and turning pages long into the night.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!); it is available everywhere as of 7/26.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;