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Sign of the Times
Twelve people. Twelve star signs.
Sagittarius - Holly, a travel writer, visits Tuscany to research her next book. Seeking help when her car breaks down, she gets more than assistance when Dario, a vineyard owner, puts temptation in her path. Disappearing without explanation, he proves elusive. Bruised, Holly tries to put it behind her until a chance encounter brings her feelings to the surface again.
Capricorn – Holly’s fiancé, Tom misses her while she is in Italy and turns to an internet chat room for solace. His construction business is under threat, but could foul play be at work?
Gemini - Holly’s sister, Lucy, a serial man-eater finally meets her match, which puts her long-term relationship and career in jeopardy. Cheating she discovers, can have devastating consequences.
Libra - Holly’s uncle Jack, an eminent prosecutor, juggles a difficult teenage son with his high profile career and finds himself lacking. When his son’s school work starts slipping, he decides he needs to take control, but it’s not long before the balls all come tumbling down and Jack finds his family on the wrong side of the law.
One event binds them all…
Sagittarius - Holly, a travel writer, visits Tuscany to research her next book. Seeking help when her car breaks down, she gets more than assistance when Dario, a vineyard owner, puts temptation in her path. Disappearing without explanation, he proves elusive. Bruised, Holly tries to put it behind her until a chance encounter brings her feelings to the surface again.
Capricorn – Holly’s fiancé, Tom misses her while she is in Italy and turns to an internet chat room for solace. His construction business is under threat, but could foul play be at work?
Gemini - Holly’s sister, Lucy, a serial man-eater finally meets her match, which puts her long-term relationship and career in jeopardy. Cheating she discovers, can have devastating consequences.
Libra - Holly’s uncle Jack, an eminent prosecutor, juggles a difficult teenage son with his high profile career and finds himself lacking. When his son’s school work starts slipping, he decides he needs to take control, but it’s not long before the balls all come tumbling down and Jack finds his family on the wrong side of the law.
One event binds them all…
373 pages, ebook
First published March 16, 2012
33 people are currently reading
280 people want to read
About the author
Susan Buchanan
18 books335 followersSusan Buchanan lives in Central Scotland with her husband and their two children. She is the author of 13 novels: The Boulangerie on the Corner, A Taste of Christmas Spirit, You Can't Hurry Love, The Leap Year Proposal, A Little Christmas Spirit, Just One Day - Winter, Just One Day - Spring, Just One Day - Summer, Just One Day - Autumn, Return of the Christmas Spirit, The Christmas Spirit, The Dating Game and Sign of the Times.
5.
Susan is also a proofreader and editor and when not working, writing or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows and eating out - not necessarily in that order!
5.
Susan is also a proofreader and editor and when not working, writing or caring for her two delightful cherubs, loves reading, the theatre, quiz shows and eating out - not necessarily in that order!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
December 2, 2012
What a cool idea for a book! I'm not an expert on these things, but it's clear that Susan Buchanan studied the astrological signs inside and out because as I was reading I would think "oh, that sounds exactly like what (insert Cancer friend) would do" or "that sounds just like what (insert Aries relative) would say." Not only that, she obviously studied a whole lot more than astrological signs - developing 12 different people with 12 different careers in 12 different industries is no small feat.
A thoroughly enjoyable read, I loved how the characters were all interconnected and I had a lot of fun trying to figure out exactly HOW they were linked before it was revealed. I know I must have read books with numerous narrative characters before, but for some reason the only examples I can think of are films. But if you enjoy movies like Short Cuts, Crash, Love Actually and Pulp Fiction, you'll love Sign of the Times. (Not that there's any violence or racism in Sign of the Times, mind you. I'm talking structure, not content.) As far as content goes, the conflict is so very relatable. Each of these twelve characters have their own issues and their own struggles. Some surprise twists and some outrageous characters really bring the story to life.
A thoroughly enjoyable read, I loved how the characters were all interconnected and I had a lot of fun trying to figure out exactly HOW they were linked before it was revealed. I know I must have read books with numerous narrative characters before, but for some reason the only examples I can think of are films. But if you enjoy movies like Short Cuts, Crash, Love Actually and Pulp Fiction, you'll love Sign of the Times. (Not that there's any violence or racism in Sign of the Times, mind you. I'm talking structure, not content.) As far as content goes, the conflict is so very relatable. Each of these twelve characters have their own issues and their own struggles. Some surprise twists and some outrageous characters really bring the story to life.
October 9, 2012
This story wraps and intertwines the lives of twelve very different characters. Holly is an accomplished author, who finds herself in a love tough of war between, Tom, her long-time Beau and Dario, the sexy, dark, and rich Italian. Tom, feeling lonely without Holly considers the unthinkable. Maggie, a courageous philanthropist, giggles when she discovered Jen budding romance with electric Ben, but will Ben tell Jen his secret. Oscar and Gaby hit a bump or should I say a baby bump? Sex craze Lucy causes havoc, does her relationship with Carl survive? Needless to say this books has so many turns, dips, and flips you have to hold on tight to not miss the action.
This book comes with no shortage of indiscretions, scandal and secrets. You really have to hold on to every page not to miss a character. Susan Buchanan does a good job of weaving lives, yet proving to the reader just how interconnected we are as people. With just enough scandal and sexuality without becoming lewd or indecent, this book is a nice read.
come see this review and mor eon juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
This book comes with no shortage of indiscretions, scandal and secrets. You really have to hold on to every page not to miss a character. Susan Buchanan does a good job of weaving lives, yet proving to the reader just how interconnected we are as people. With just enough scandal and sexuality without becoming lewd or indecent, this book is a nice read.
come see this review and mor eon juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
July 7, 2012
Unique in a very creative way, Sign of the Times by Susan Buchanan, brings twelve people together, all of them different signs of the zodiac, each with their own personalities and differing opinions. Holly, a Sagittarius, is a travel writer who begins our book with a journey to Italy to do research for her new book. During her trip she finds a love interest ... but that makes things complicated considering she has Tom, her fiance, back home. Tom, a Capricorn, isn't so innocent either while she is away, and embarks into the world of internet chatrooms. Lucy, a Gemini, is Holly's sister and she has her own relationship woes to deal with once she finally meets her match and risks losing her job. Her uncle Jack, a Libra, has issues taking managing his son and his high profile career as a prosecutor. We also meet Maggie, an Aquarius, and Jennifer, a Pisces, who are two best friends. Maggie is learning to live life post divorce and Jennifer is taking care of an ill family member. Obviously with one character per each zodiac sign, we end up with quite a slew of interesting stories being interwoven together. I found some characters more interesting than others, but most importantly, they were all unique in their own right. Some of them were cheaters, some faithful, some liars, some honest, some good, some bad, and a few sprinkled in between those lines ... but overall completely unique. Ultimately they are all just searching for their own happiness, but while reading, I wondered how relevant their zodiac signs were, and how all of the characters would end up connected.
Overall, this story was quite fun. I found the ending interesting but honestly was expecting more of a bang than what I got. Other than that, I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the places visited as well as the personal interactions that each of the characters faced. The writing was well done and the flow was steady throughout. The author did a good job of creating a very realistic story and found a unique way to tie in the zodiac signs to the story.
[Rating: 4/5]
Overall, this story was quite fun. I found the ending interesting but honestly was expecting more of a bang than what I got. Other than that, I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the places visited as well as the personal interactions that each of the characters faced. The writing was well done and the flow was steady throughout. The author did a good job of creating a very realistic story and found a unique way to tie in the zodiac signs to the story.
[Rating: 4/5]
July 10, 2012
This is an outstanding debut novel. Most first novels read like first novels, but Sign of the Times is obviously a labour of love that the author has worked on with passion. It is very well written, as if the author had been writing for years. I am interested in Astrology so was naturally curious to read this book. I wanted to see whether the Piscean character would be anything like me. However, once I got into reading the book, the matter of the Star Signs took a back seat for me; yes, it is a novelty and very well done by the author, but the storyline is far more gripping. There is so much going on in this novel; so many characters, so many lives, with all the twists and turns that go with everyday living and relationships. Buchanan certainly set herself a challenge when she set out to write Sign of the Times, creating 12 main characters and then giving them each the characteristics of a certain Star Sign. But she lived up to the challenge and has written a wonderful book. The characters seem like real people, their stories are such that many will be able to relate to them. The great thing about this book is how all the characters' lives are connected in some way. I found the 'cliffhangers' at the end of each character's section of the book, suspenseful and intriguing, and I couldn't wait to get the to the end to find out how all the issues would be resolved. All the stories fit together perfectly and the ending is rather like putting together the bits of a jigsaw puzzle. I am so pleased to have discovered Susan Buchanan's writing, she is a rising star in literature, definitely a name to look out for in the future. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes novels that contain realistic characters and gripping story-lines. At the end of the book the author states that there will be a sequel. I am very pleased about that because this is the type of book where you really get to know the characters and it leaves you wanting to read more about them.
December 17, 2012
SERENA'S REVIEW
3.5 Stars
As a romance writer, I love to read romances. I've been hooked on them for the last few years and having followed Susan on twitter for a while, I thought it would be pretty cool to review her book and see her writing style. I've given Susan's debut novel three and a half stars. There were aspects of the story construction that didn't gel well for me, repeated phrases and words which drove me around the bend and really short sentences too, which make it a three. But I enjoyed her characters and the story was pretty good, so that was the four. Plus, I think Susan was a miracle worker to wrap the stories of twelve people together and to actually make it work! To have pieced it all together- all I can say, I applaud you, Sooz!!
The premise is based around the twelve signs of the zodiac and each character depicts one sign. Susan does a really good job with the character development and even though there are so many characters and quite a few story lines going on, it´s all easy to follow without being boring. In fact, so much is going on that it´s a really great read and flows well. Holly takes the lead as the main protagonist for me. She´s a bit annoying at times, but in a weird way, it makes it very realistic. You can´t like someone all of the time. I think it was clever how Susan managed to add personality traits relating to their star sign to each individual character.
Some parts of the story were abrupt and you were left hanging at every chapter, which isn´t necessarily a bad thing- definite encouragement to read to the end. I´ll be honest and say it isn´t my most favourite book in the world, but it´s great chick-lit. Hope I´m not spoiling it by saying it doesn´t have my requisite HEA, but again, there´s a pleasant bluntness about the story. It´s very real. Down to earth. I liked that.
For me, 3.5 stars. Keep up the good work, Sooz and congratulations on your new book!
3.5 Stars
As a romance writer, I love to read romances. I've been hooked on them for the last few years and having followed Susan on twitter for a while, I thought it would be pretty cool to review her book and see her writing style. I've given Susan's debut novel three and a half stars. There were aspects of the story construction that didn't gel well for me, repeated phrases and words which drove me around the bend and really short sentences too, which make it a three. But I enjoyed her characters and the story was pretty good, so that was the four. Plus, I think Susan was a miracle worker to wrap the stories of twelve people together and to actually make it work! To have pieced it all together- all I can say, I applaud you, Sooz!!
The premise is based around the twelve signs of the zodiac and each character depicts one sign. Susan does a really good job with the character development and even though there are so many characters and quite a few story lines going on, it´s all easy to follow without being boring. In fact, so much is going on that it´s a really great read and flows well. Holly takes the lead as the main protagonist for me. She´s a bit annoying at times, but in a weird way, it makes it very realistic. You can´t like someone all of the time. I think it was clever how Susan managed to add personality traits relating to their star sign to each individual character.
Some parts of the story were abrupt and you were left hanging at every chapter, which isn´t necessarily a bad thing- definite encouragement to read to the end. I´ll be honest and say it isn´t my most favourite book in the world, but it´s great chick-lit. Hope I´m not spoiling it by saying it doesn´t have my requisite HEA, but again, there´s a pleasant bluntness about the story. It´s very real. Down to earth. I liked that.
For me, 3.5 stars. Keep up the good work, Sooz and congratulations on your new book!
July 4, 2012
I picked this up on Kindle as Sooz, the author, tweeted me along with a few others when she had a day that she was giving it away free on Amazon. (It’s now only £1.98 so wont break the bank!)
As it was free, I downloaded it without really looking at it, thinking that if it wasn’t my kind of thing, I could always delete it.
I’m not really one for chick-lit, and I’m definitely not into star-signs (but then that’s typical of Aquarians), but to be honest, I started reading it without even checking the blurb as I wanted something quite light. The star-sign thing probably would’ve put me off if I had realised, but I’m glad that I didn’t!
The book starts with Holly who is a kind of travel-writer. She’s Scottish, pretty, engaged and off to Italy alone to research her next book. Shortly after she arrives, she meets Dario – will she succumb to temptation?
I have to admit, after the first chapter, I wasn’t really feeling it, it felt oh so very chick-lit and formulaic, but when the chapter ended, it switched to a different character, which (having not read th eblurb) I wasn’t expecting.
This is what makes this book that little bit different. The twelve chapters are about twelve different people whose lives are intertwined somehow. A lot of the chapters overlap a bit, so you hear part of the story from one person’s point of view, and then from someone else’s. It was very clever in that way.
Having such a vast cast of characters was a little confusing at first, but when you finally saw how they all fit together, it all made sense.
With tales of love, passion, adultery, divorce, teenage pregnancy, disability, guilt and mourning among others, it really did cover all emotions.
Yeah, it’s chick-lit, but apart from the first chapter, I think it’s got a hell of a lot more going on for it than your average froth!
As it was free, I downloaded it without really looking at it, thinking that if it wasn’t my kind of thing, I could always delete it.
I’m not really one for chick-lit, and I’m definitely not into star-signs (but then that’s typical of Aquarians), but to be honest, I started reading it without even checking the blurb as I wanted something quite light. The star-sign thing probably would’ve put me off if I had realised, but I’m glad that I didn’t!
The book starts with Holly who is a kind of travel-writer. She’s Scottish, pretty, engaged and off to Italy alone to research her next book. Shortly after she arrives, she meets Dario – will she succumb to temptation?
I have to admit, after the first chapter, I wasn’t really feeling it, it felt oh so very chick-lit and formulaic, but when the chapter ended, it switched to a different character, which (having not read th eblurb) I wasn’t expecting.
This is what makes this book that little bit different. The twelve chapters are about twelve different people whose lives are intertwined somehow. A lot of the chapters overlap a bit, so you hear part of the story from one person’s point of view, and then from someone else’s. It was very clever in that way.
Having such a vast cast of characters was a little confusing at first, but when you finally saw how they all fit together, it all made sense.
With tales of love, passion, adultery, divorce, teenage pregnancy, disability, guilt and mourning among others, it really did cover all emotions.
Yeah, it’s chick-lit, but apart from the first chapter, I think it’s got a hell of a lot more going on for it than your average froth!
July 24, 2013
What makes the world go round? I am sure more than one person has pondered this question. I have always found astrology and forecasts for people born under a particular sign to be a very interesting concept.It seems the future of each of us might just be based on the relative positions of the stars and planets at the time of our birth.
I like how the author depicted the characters on different astrological signs, and then skillfully crafted and weaved the stories and characters together.
It is an easy read and a good read. Makes you wonder what happens in the future for the characters that we came to know through Sign of the Times.
Jeannie Walker Award Winning Author
I Saw the Light Fighting the Devil: A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder
The Rain Snake: A True Story of Love, Faith and Trust Thomas, The Friendly Ghost
I like how the author depicted the characters on different astrological signs, and then skillfully crafted and weaved the stories and characters together.
It is an easy read and a good read. Makes you wonder what happens in the future for the characters that we came to know through Sign of the Times.
Jeannie Walker Award Winning Author
I Saw the Light Fighting the Devil: A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder
The Rain Snake: A True Story of Love, Faith and Trust Thomas, The Friendly Ghost
July 5, 2012
As a big Chick Lit fan, I'm so glad to have discovered Susan Buchanan and her book Sign of the Times!
The story introduces a character with the characteristics of different zodiac signs, they all have something to do with each other either directly or indirectly. One thing I liked was the fact that none of the characters were evil, even the ones that were making mistakes were likable and I didn't want anything bad to happen to them.
What got me hooked was how the story was told. Each character was introduced, their story was told and each chapter ended in a cliffhanger. But I didn't have time to dwell on the cliffhanger because the next chapter brought another interesting character I wanted to know more about.
I will be honest and admit I was concerned as to how the story would wrap up, since it took over 3/4 of the book to introduce all twelve zodiac signs - which meant twelve cliffhangers! But the final chapters gave a very nice wrap up that didn't feel rushed and answered all the questions.
The story introduces a character with the characteristics of different zodiac signs, they all have something to do with each other either directly or indirectly. One thing I liked was the fact that none of the characters were evil, even the ones that were making mistakes were likable and I didn't want anything bad to happen to them.
What got me hooked was how the story was told. Each character was introduced, their story was told and each chapter ended in a cliffhanger. But I didn't have time to dwell on the cliffhanger because the next chapter brought another interesting character I wanted to know more about.
I will be honest and admit I was concerned as to how the story would wrap up, since it took over 3/4 of the book to introduce all twelve zodiac signs - which meant twelve cliffhangers! But the final chapters gave a very nice wrap up that didn't feel rushed and answered all the questions.
October 13, 2012
I really didn't like this book... I don't normally write reviews, but found this book extremely annoying and I am surprised there are so many great reviews? I must have missed something. To me it is written very abruptly with very short sentences and each chapter being a different person telling a different aspect of the same story. The stories came in pairs but characters "bled" across. It was if it was trying to be clever. Each story finished at a critical point so I had to continue reading to tie the ends up. I did wonder if this would actually happen as I got to 90% and still no catch up. Then it did. The plot for example finished following pages of anguish and will she wont she, then suddenly was an aside "and Freda wasn't here because Fred got another job abroad and she went with him"... Thanks... I had also forgotten who some of the characters where by the end so couldn't remember what they had done and I also found them unlikeable and sometimes annoying.
September 10, 2013
I was lured in by the premise of this book and I wasn't disappointed. The lives of twelve characters, each a different star sign, are skilfully woven together. I did find myself having to go back and check up on who was who from time to time but otherwise a clever book and a great read. Can recommend!
June 14, 2012
Not a book I'd normally read, but glad I listened to sense and did!
May 2, 2014
Story of 12 people and 12 star signs. I was hooked straight away...Tuscany, I was there!!! Dario...wow!!! Loved it.
April 20, 2014
A very good friend recommended Sign of the Times, giving it great reviews. I found Susan Buchanan's concept to use astrological data to drive her novel to be creative genius. All writers are looking for a unique approach to work with. I think she more than succeeded.
Each astrological profile creates a character in the book. We immediately meet and fall in love with Holly. Author of travel books, she is in Pisa, Italy, wending her way into the life and culture. She immediately meets Dario. He proves to be a very compelling male lead - tall, dark, handsome, kind, successful. How could her thoughts not stray back to him over and over... even though her fiancé, Tom, waits for her at home?
Each character and storyline we read is well-crafted and compelling. I kept reading, wondering how we could still be meeting new characters, but with less book and time to get to the resolutions. Ms. Buchanan did a wonderful job keeping me pulled in and interested.
We find ourselves at Holly's book release party and all the characters come into play. It is here that we find out how each subplot has resolved, but one. While making her speech, Holly's world goes helter-skelter when Dario appears. Considering she hasn't spoken to him in months, this is quite a shock.
What follows, the story of Holly, Tom, and Dario, left me in anguish. However, I've been told by the author that many of us felt that way and that a possible sequel is on its way.
Please put me out of my misery, Susan Buchanan.
Each astrological profile creates a character in the book. We immediately meet and fall in love with Holly. Author of travel books, she is in Pisa, Italy, wending her way into the life and culture. She immediately meets Dario. He proves to be a very compelling male lead - tall, dark, handsome, kind, successful. How could her thoughts not stray back to him over and over... even though her fiancé, Tom, waits for her at home?
Each character and storyline we read is well-crafted and compelling. I kept reading, wondering how we could still be meeting new characters, but with less book and time to get to the resolutions. Ms. Buchanan did a wonderful job keeping me pulled in and interested.
We find ourselves at Holly's book release party and all the characters come into play. It is here that we find out how each subplot has resolved, but one. While making her speech, Holly's world goes helter-skelter when Dario appears. Considering she hasn't spoken to him in months, this is quite a shock.
What follows, the story of Holly, Tom, and Dario, left me in anguish. However, I've been told by the author that many of us felt that way and that a possible sequel is on its way.
Please put me out of my misery, Susan Buchanan.
September 26, 2012
This took me awhile to get through. It was journey in more ways than one. At first I thought it was just a simple story about Holly and her relationships, but it really grew on me as the chapters flew by. I seemed to identify with each one. I took care of my mom when she was I'll, so that chapter was so touching for me, it brought up some memories that I had forgotten for a long time.
Then there were other chapters that became even more personal and spoke to me on a level that I wasn't prepared for at first. There was an intimacy to each of these chapters, that Susan has exposed to the readers, and it was fascinating to me how she wove all of these stories together.
In our lives we are connected to so many people and each decision that we make effects not just us personally but everyone that we come in contact with. That is what this book is all about. We are all interconnected and at one point it all comes together, and usually NOT in the way we want it to or in the way we want.
I found this to be a real slice of life, genuine and compelling on so many levels. Would you give up everything to be with someone you "love "? Is love just a concept, a feeling, or is more of a conscious choice.
Then there were other chapters that became even more personal and spoke to me on a level that I wasn't prepared for at first. There was an intimacy to each of these chapters, that Susan has exposed to the readers, and it was fascinating to me how she wove all of these stories together.
In our lives we are connected to so many people and each decision that we make effects not just us personally but everyone that we come in contact with. That is what this book is all about. We are all interconnected and at one point it all comes together, and usually NOT in the way we want it to or in the way we want.
I found this to be a real slice of life, genuine and compelling on so many levels. Would you give up everything to be with someone you "love "? Is love just a concept, a feeling, or is more of a conscious choice.
May 10, 2013
The concept of multiple characters, presented from multiple view points, is not a new one. However, Susan Buchanan gives it an unusual twist by assigning each person to a different star sign and then developing their characterisation accordingly in four or five consecutive chapters. The central thread is the story of travel writer Holly and her latest book, about Tuscany. Each character is connected in some way to Holly and many are also connected to each other. Occasionally, we see the same incident from different perspectives, which is an interesting approach. All twelve stories are brought to conclusion, or at least the reader is updated on their outcomes, at the book’s launch party. The level of detail at which Buchanan must have planned this book is impressive. There were no obvious plot holes or inconsistencies that I could spot.
I would have liked a contents list, which would have made checking back on details relatively easy; you can’t flick through the pages on a Kindle. There were occasional grammatical slips, but generally the editing was good.
This is not great literature, nor does it pretend to be, but as a light read on holiday, on the bus or in bed, it rattles along nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I would have liked a contents list, which would have made checking back on details relatively easy; you can’t flick through the pages on a Kindle. There were occasional grammatical slips, but generally the editing was good.
This is not great literature, nor does it pretend to be, but as a light read on holiday, on the bus or in bed, it rattles along nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 25, 2013
Another I have given up on. There were too many stupid punctuation errors annoying me. I only made it 7% in and I'd got cheesed off. I should have been tipped off in the table of contents as one of the starsigns was written around the wrong way to all other chapter headings which to me was pretty careless.
I kept going back to this passage too that made no sense to me. "She'd met Tom when she was looking for a new flat and had ended up moving into one not far from the town centre. It had been a real wrench to move, as she had great neighbours, but she was hardly ever there. She missed Jennifer and of course, proximity to town"......it seemed to totally contradict itself and I was utterly baffled by it yet kept going back to it to re-read it and still it made no sense !!
Another confusing sentence that didn't need to be but for a randomly added semicolon was-..."she heard several voices speaking; in what she was certain was Arabic"....again I kept re-reading then realised the punctuation there wasn't needed !!
There were lost speechmarks, commas randomly added, missed apostrophes and all in the 7% I read !! It didn't bode well and I don't have the patience to persevere.
I kept going back to this passage too that made no sense to me. "She'd met Tom when she was looking for a new flat and had ended up moving into one not far from the town centre. It had been a real wrench to move, as she had great neighbours, but she was hardly ever there. She missed Jennifer and of course, proximity to town"......it seemed to totally contradict itself and I was utterly baffled by it yet kept going back to it to re-read it and still it made no sense !!
Another confusing sentence that didn't need to be but for a randomly added semicolon was-..."she heard several voices speaking; in what she was certain was Arabic"....again I kept re-reading then realised the punctuation there wasn't needed !!
There were lost speechmarks, commas randomly added, missed apostrophes and all in the 7% I read !! It didn't bode well and I don't have the patience to persevere.
August 20, 2012
Taken from my blog @ http://rosiereview.wordpress.com/2012...
This book starts off with a fast pace which continues throughout the book. I love how a series of chapters are for each characters each woven into each other; quite intricately done. Cleverly written; Sign Of The Times has everything - happily married couple, not so happy married couple, a couple having second thoughts about getting married, a woman lonely having given up everything to look after her mum, cheaters, some faithful, some liars, some honest, some good, some bad. I like how each character’s story came through. Obviously very well researched as Italian places are quoted as well as medical terms. Susan manages to touch on some very current issues which give this book depth and takes it beyond the chick lit genre.
All in all I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it hard to put down and left wanting to read more when finished.
Read more reviews at rosiereview.wordpress.com or follow me on Twitter @rosiereview
This book starts off with a fast pace which continues throughout the book. I love how a series of chapters are for each characters each woven into each other; quite intricately done. Cleverly written; Sign Of The Times has everything - happily married couple, not so happy married couple, a couple having second thoughts about getting married, a woman lonely having given up everything to look after her mum, cheaters, some faithful, some liars, some honest, some good, some bad. I like how each character’s story came through. Obviously very well researched as Italian places are quoted as well as medical terms. Susan manages to touch on some very current issues which give this book depth and takes it beyond the chick lit genre.
All in all I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it hard to put down and left wanting to read more when finished.
Read more reviews at rosiereview.wordpress.com or follow me on Twitter @rosiereview
May 31, 2012
The idea of 12 star signs and 12 characters grabbed me immediately. Sign of the Times appeared to be a chicklit novel and I was stepping off my normal reading track; however Susan covers some very powerful issues. Issues we have either faced or are likely to. She presents them in an every day way which brings home the stark reality rather than romanticising; closer to real life. Her characters are whole, palpable and we can recognise them in ourselves and amongst our friends. It would make a great character-led TV series. My favourite character has to be Dario, the handsome, suave Italian - will she or won't she? Download to find out. This is a good comfy read and I look forward to watching Ms Buchanan's writing grow.
December 22, 2012
I loved the premise for this novel before I even started it; the idea of twelve characters based around the twelve signs of the zodiac. It's an original idea and one that Susan Buchanan manages to pull off with aplomb. The twelve characters are all interconnected but their stories are almost like short stories in their own right. Each chapter left me wanting to know what was going to happen next to such an extent that I couldn't put it down. Sign Of The Times is an easy read and I raced through it in a couple of sittings. The characters are believable and you will no doubt be looking out for how your own sign will fare. If you are looking for a fast paced engaging read then you can't go wrong with this one.
June 5, 2012
I loved this book and the original idea of basing each of the characters' personalities around a different sign of the zodiac.
The story starts off with Holly, a travel book writer, on her way to research her latest book in Italy. We then meet 11 other characters along the way, all with their own link to Holly, and their own problems.
I thought the characters were all well written and the situations they found themselves in were believable. I really enjoyed the writing style and found it easy to read. Perfect to sit down after a busy day with 3 kids and pick up where you left off.
I look forward to reading more from Susan Buchanan in the future.
The story starts off with Holly, a travel book writer, on her way to research her latest book in Italy. We then meet 11 other characters along the way, all with their own link to Holly, and their own problems.
I thought the characters were all well written and the situations they found themselves in were believable. I really enjoyed the writing style and found it easy to read. Perfect to sit down after a busy day with 3 kids and pick up where you left off.
I look forward to reading more from Susan Buchanan in the future.
August 29, 2012
I received this book from the author for which I'm very grateful. I started reading it straight away and was immediately drawn in to the story.
I liked the concept a lot, loved the different strands and the way that they were drawn together.
If there were improvements I could suggest I would say not so many character sub plots next time and continue their individual stories a little more. I really wanted to know more about the people and what happened to them because they were well described and gained my interest so I felt slightly short changed that I didn't get to read more about each of them.
I will definitely be looking out for more of Susan Buchanans books in the future
I liked the concept a lot, loved the different strands and the way that they were drawn together.
If there were improvements I could suggest I would say not so many character sub plots next time and continue their individual stories a little more. I really wanted to know more about the people and what happened to them because they were well described and gained my interest so I felt slightly short changed that I didn't get to read more about each of them.
I will definitely be looking out for more of Susan Buchanans books in the future
September 12, 2013
The sign of the Times is a very well written book and a lot of thought has been given to each of the characters.
This book has a lot of characters with a story of their own to tell. Just when you are getting into the story and WANTING to know what happens next, the story starts on to the next characters story. How frustrating.... But only because I found myself sitting up half of the night to read on to find out what happens.
Susan Buchanan could have written a separate book for each character in the book.
Holly is the main character of the book and the other characters are connected to her in some way. Holly is a likeable girl and I warmed to her straightaway.
This book has a lot of characters with a story of their own to tell. Just when you are getting into the story and WANTING to know what happens next, the story starts on to the next characters story. How frustrating.... But only because I found myself sitting up half of the night to read on to find out what happens.
Susan Buchanan could have written a separate book for each character in the book.
Holly is the main character of the book and the other characters are connected to her in some way. Holly is a likeable girl and I warmed to her straightaway.
June 30, 2013
I enjoyed this book overall, but did find some of the characters hit and miss. While some characters stories I raced through, I found others to frag a little and I lost a bit of interest. The idea of short stories each linking was a nice idea though it did mean I kept getting caught out when the story suddenly ended with a cliff hanger and moved onto the next, resulting in me shouting out loud at the book. It was nice seeing the stories concluded with a final chapter in which all the characters interlink and give their views on one another, but I would have liked to see a bit more of what would happen after the book ends.
August 27, 2012
Susan Buchanan is an incredible writer. Sign of the Times is a cleverly organised and brilliantly written novel, with exciting twists and turns all the way through. The 12 characters (one for each star sign) are well formed and extremely likeable, you find yourself easily emerged in all of their lives - separately and together.
Sign of the Times is culturally vibrant and contains a huge variety of different lifestyles and life events. It's a fantastic read and I would recommend it to everyone!
Enjoy!
Sign of the Times is culturally vibrant and contains a huge variety of different lifestyles and life events. It's a fantastic read and I would recommend it to everyone!
Enjoy!
January 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The fast pace, character changing and entwinning stories made me finish this book in just a couple of days.
I did feel that maybe the ending was rushed a bit but it didnt do any damage to the book overall.
Whilst reading about the areas - Glasgow, Falkirk and Kings River was (EXTREMELY) close to home and it actually made me warm more to the book.
Well done Susan for a great first book. I look forward to seeing the release for your second book. I will be definately downloading.
I did feel that maybe the ending was rushed a bit but it didnt do any damage to the book overall.
Whilst reading about the areas - Glasgow, Falkirk and Kings River was (EXTREMELY) close to home and it actually made me warm more to the book.
Well done Susan for a great first book. I look forward to seeing the release for your second book. I will be definately downloading.
February 21, 2013
Very neat idea to use zodiac signs to make characters and I do like the switching POV so the reader can see different aspects of the story. The only things I wish were done differently is the book actually be made into a series so I could know more about the characters and what happened! Also, keeping up with all 12 characters was hard by the end, though I loved trying to figure out how everyone was connected before it was told to me.
Overall I loved and definitely would recommend reading it. Can't wait to try another book by Susan Buchanan!
Overall I loved and definitely would recommend reading it. Can't wait to try another book by Susan Buchanan!
October 4, 2013
This book drew me right in - the style is engaging, the characters unique and well formed, and Ms. Buchanan obviously took the time to research each topic! One character rescues people who get stranded mountain climbing, another is a carer for her ailing mother, and yet another is a Polish immigrant struggling to learn English and adapt to Scottish culture. We learn about each person for two or three chapters and are left with a looming crisis... But not to worry - Ms. Buchanan wraps up all the characters' stories in the end, in a very satisfying way! Really enjoyable, original read!
October 26, 2012
The moment I started reading "Sign of the Times," I knew I was going to love it. To create 12 characters, cleverly based on their astrological signs, and keep the reader hooked on each one is incredibly difficult. I have the utmost admiration for Susan Buchanan and the amount of work that went into writing this novel. The intertwining of characters' lives reminded me of the beloved Maeve Binchy, and I was sad when I turned the last page. I cannot wait for "The Dating Game" to come out.
February 24, 2013
A great chick lit tale! I read reviews before I read the book, so I knew that it all came together in the end but couldn't work out the how's and why's! It worked a treat though and I am delighted to read there may be a sequel. I have always wanted to visit Italy but even more so after Susan's descriptions of the countryside. the locals and the food. A great book with great characters and one I totally recommend.
October 12, 2012
A clever entwining of peoples lives and attitudes, given the premise of their zodiac sign. I enjoyed reading this book - and as each character surfaced, I tried to work out how they would react and inter-react with each other.
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