Month: June 2018

Book Review | The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid

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Hey Everyone,

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The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid

Up until now, the only serial killers Tony Hill ever encountered were behind bars. This one’s different – this one’s on the loose.

Four men have been found mutilated and tortured. As fear grips the city, the police turn to the clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill for a profile of the killer. His past makes him the perfect man to understand this psychopath’s motives. It also makes him the perfect victim.

Soon Tony becomes the unsuspecting target in a battle of wits and wills where he has to use every ounce of his personal nerve to survive.

Published: 1995
Published Edition: November 2015
Publishers: Harper Collins
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Pages: 464

Format of Reading: Paperback

Goodreads Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Review

I have been in a craving to read a crime novel, I don’t know how the beginning of the summer season I get the urge to read a crime book but somehow the lovely sunshine outside and a creepy mass murder novel really lifts up the mood. Am I the only one? Or does someone else feel like that?

I initially picked up this book because the psychologist Dr Tony Hill, it reminded me of Criminal Minds. Tony Hill is a known psychologist who learns to get into the mind of a serial killer. This serial killer targets Men, the police and Tony Hill believe it is someone who has a strong opinion about homosexuality by dumping the men in a district that is known for the Gay community, bear in mind this book did come out in 1995. A lot of things have changed since then.

I liked the dynamic between Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, they both are unappreciated by the other detectives in the investigation but they are both able to find an understanding of what the killer is like. They both keep each other in their own work and do admire one another but there is this sort of will they won’t they type of relationship as they are both attracted to one another.

I am interested in the rest of the series and I even found out that it did become a TV show called Wire In The Blood. The book is very good, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good crime book once in a while.

TTT – Top Ten Tuesday – Series I’ve Given Up/ Don’t Plan To Finish It

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Hey Everyone,

Sorry that I didn’t post anything last week, I wasn’t feeling the mood to do anything. I found out that I had lost my job since the day after I posted my previous post. So I wasn’t feeling up to write. But I am fine, I have got my old job (close to it) but it’s not full-time it’s part-time which is fine for me because the hours given to me is absolutely fine and it gives me more time for blogging and reading.

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and Bookish and has now been transferred to The Artsy Reader Girl.

This week’s topic is Series I’ve Given Up/ Don’t Plan To Finish It. I had to rifle through my old books and found many books that I owned that I haven’t read the entire series. Some I just neglected or didn’t really think much about it.

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Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

I think I mentioned in my DNF TTT post that I gave up on the book. I am looking forward to the final series 😦

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Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter

I read the series years ago but I never got to finish it and I didn’t even know that Hunter continued the series. But I was obsessed with Fireheart and Sandstorm.

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Diamond of Dury Lane by Julia Golding

I was obsessed with Cat Royal and her adventures. I just forgot about the series and didn’t pursue continuing the series.

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Ben Hope Series by Scott Mariani

I started the 6th book in the series which doesn’t matter about being in chronological order but I tried to read more of the series and I just gave up on it.

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Lady Grace Mysteries by Grace Cavendish

Much like Diamond of Dury Lane, I got very into the series and just forgot about it. I remember liking how each book was titled in alphabetical order.

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The Vampire Diaries by L.J.Smith

Wow, it has been a long time since I read this series. Obviously, I got the books because I was very much obsessed with the TV show but then I was getting more into the TV series than the books an gave up on them.

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The Girl At Midnight by Melissa Grey

I have read the first two books in the series and I have had the third on my TBR for a while but I tried reading the book the other day and I didn’t go back to it so I DNF’d it. I really loved the series but I think the reason for me to not get back to it, is that of how long it had been since I read the previous book.

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The Last Dragon Chronicles by Chris d’Lacey

I got very obsessed with this series when I was younger but I ended up forgetting about the series and never found out how it ended.

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Immortals After Dark Series by Kresley Cole

I remember I got the book Kiss from the Demon King from the Local Library and got very obsessed with the book. I have read a few other books in the series but wasn’t interested in some of the others.

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Soulless Series by Gail Carriger

I got very into the series too quickly, I was near to the end of the series when I might have got into another book and decided to give the book away. I have started the spinoff series with the daughter Prudence but I have yet to pick up the second book.

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Book Review | On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

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Hey Everyone,

How are you?

Life has gotten a bit complicated. As I may have mentioned before that I work in the Post Office, in recent events my Manager has left the company. Leaving us all in the dark about who will take over and when we’ll start work again. As of this post, we are still in the dark. Hopefully, it will happen soon because I just want to get back to work and not sit at home doing nothing.

Anyway, on to the book review…

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On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

It is July 1962. Edward and Florence, young innocents married that morning, arrive at a hotel on the Dorset coast. At dinner in their rooms they struggle to suppress their private fears of the wedding night to come and, unbeknownst t them both, the events of the evening will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Published: April 2007
Published Edition: May 2018
Publishers: Vintage
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Pages: 176

Format of Reading: Paperback

Goodreads Star Rating: 🌟🌟🌟

Review

I was first interested in this book mainly because of the movie. My first impression of the book and movie was that it was about a relationship between the two main characters and for the duration of the impending nuptials one of them was unsure of the relationship which left with a change of heart. It’s not what I thought it was but it was close.

I found the book to be hard to get into at the beginning, you start with them already married and on their way to the hotel and once your there, you learn more about Edward and Florence.

The book unfolds the awkward and insecurities between the characters on their consummation. Both are afraid of what the other one thinks and also afraid to open up about what they really feel. It comes down to the saying “you can never forget your first love” your first love is everything everyone goes through. You remember how they feel, how they talk and walk. You follow both of these characters before they meet each other and you do see how they both felt for one another.

But it is also about their first time which is something that both of these characters are unsure of. They both want to do it but one is even more afraid of leading it the wrong way. It’s on the scale of “I want to do it” or “can I do it?”. I honestly felt that the book should have opened the door a bit more of the relationship, I am a person that likes to see a relationship unfold.

It’s a good book but just not for me.

What do you think? Have you read this book? Seen the movie? Let me know.

TTT – Top Ten Tuesday | Books That Awaken The Travel Bug In Me

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Hey Everyone,

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and Bookish and has now been transferred to The Artsy Reader Girl.

This week’s theme is Books That Awaken The Travel Bug In Me. I think if you can look through this list, you’ll understand the ideal place I would like to go to. Most of these books are set in a place in small communities and homes in a very secluded area like a cabin in the woods type. I don’t know why it’s an ideal place but I have always wanted a home that is far away from people and surrounded by trees and animals.

Also sorry that some of the pictures are smaller than the other ones, I got them on Goodreads.

 

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Peasebrook Valley – The Forever House by Veronica Henry

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Orcas Island – The Search by Nora Roberts

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Ozarks – The Witness by Nora Roberts

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Illinois – Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen

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Sweden – Steig Larsson

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Norway – Jo Nesbo

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Rockton – The City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong

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Cotswold – Katie Fforde

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Cornwall – Poldark

 

TTT – Top Ten Tuesday | Books I Decided To DNF Too Quickly

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Hey everyone,

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and Bookish and has now been transferred to The Artsy Reader Girl.

This week is Books I Decided To DNF Too Quickly. I could only think of books that I couldn’t get into or ones that I have tried and failed.

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Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

I couldn’t find the plot interesting and while I was listening to the audiobook I got completely lost as to who is who.

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The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I found the book very hard to get into, I’m one of those people that want to give books a chance even when I’m not enjoying them but I could not find anything interesting and gave it up. I am selling it on my Depop if anyone is interested.

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11.22.63 by Stephen King

I have had this book for 7 YEARS. I can still remember getting it. This isn’t the only book by Stephen King that I have put down on this list. I remember picking up the book, reading a couple pages and gave up. LOL.

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A Game Of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

I love the TV Show but I can never get into the books. I started reading it last year but I could only get as far to the Baratheon/Lannister arrival to Winterfell. Much like Colour of Magic, I was listening to the Audiobook but I couldn’t get myself to enjoy it. Another year to go…

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Carrie by Stephen King

Another Stephen King novel, I thought it would be interesting but I wasn’t enjoying it and gave up.

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Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

I go into a phase where I would get a few of the books by a certain author in order to get myself to their work and hope to enjoy them but after reading The Rat series I wasn’t much interested in picking up the others and ended up selling it.

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The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo

Apart from Cockroaches and the two recent releases of the Harry Hole series, I have had this book for years and I could never get into this book. I could never get as far as the first chapter.

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Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I picked this book up back in 2015 on my trip to Thailand and I found the book to be very hard to get into, of course, I was sitting by the beach on Koh Samet enjoying the sunshine, the relaxation and the company. Check out my Instagram if you are interested in seeing it. I guess I got distracted from where I was than the book.

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Dracula by Bram Stoker

I borrowed the book from my school library and I remember getting very into it but I ended up giving it back to the library. I don’t remember why but I did.

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The 13 Problems by Agatha Christie

Or any Agatha Christie book. I have only read three of her books so far and I really enjoyed it but I haven’t found myself wanting to pick up more of her work. I have only read one chapter of The 13 Problems and haven’t returned since.

What are your answers? Let me know xx