UK Book Club discussion
A - Z Author Challenge
>
Linda's New 'n' Used Challenge 2020
NEW -
- 5 easy stars. I loved this story about someone realising their 'perfect' life isn't quite as perfect as she thought. Did not see that end coming.
NEW -
- another 5 easy stars. A look into a fictional 70's rock band - rivalries, relationships, ups and downs. Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll - what's not to love.
NEW -
- 5 easy stars again. This is an excellent psychological thriller. Not everyone is going to like Juliette - but I did ;) That song - 'What I did for love' could have been written for her!
- 3 stars. I have read the Lightning Girl series that she wrote, so I came to this with great expectations. There were partly fulfilled - it started ok, got a bit meh, ended pretty good. Would recommend.
NEW -
- 3 stars. This was ok, but somewhat more x-rated than I care for.
NEW - EXTRA -
- 5 stars. Although this is not part of my challenge I just want to say it is excellent and I recommend it.
- 5 stars. This is my seventh Thirkell. It is excellent. I love reading about how people just got on with it during the war - Mrs. Smith is hilarious.
NEW -
- 5 stars. I loved this adorable story. My favourite characters were Sugar and JoJo - and the humans weren't bad either. SO recommend.
- 5 sassy stars. I love, love, LOVE Stephanie Plum. Here she is in fine form as usual - ''If your hair is bad, shorten your skirt and add extra mascara.''
- 5 creeped out stars. This is thrilling. 4 narrators - how are they related? What binds them? Can you trust them. You will NOT guess.
- 5 stars. I really enjoyed this fun story as Blair realises it's time to break her rules.
EXTRA -
- 2 stars. Boring and depressing.
NEW -
- 3 stars. I quite liked this though, I have to say, I was shocked to discover that 'Lena Jones' does not exist. This book was written by a team of writers, like a soap. Maybe that why I found it hard to get into, and it did drag a bit.
- 4 stars. I really warmed to Annie and was rooting for her and Dot. Touching and funny - I recommend it.
NEW - EXTRA -
- great characters, great location. Recommened.
Mod
NEW -
- 3 stars. This was ok overall but there were some things that did not sit well with me. Sleeping with a bloke on the first date is a no-no in my book and when that date is some random found on Tinder it is a double no-no. Also her dad's novel - icky to send sexy novel he is writing to his DAUGHTERS!
EXTRA -
- 5 stars. My eighth Thirkell and a complete joy. Three years before the war, high spirited young people from three families get together - high jinks ensues ;)
- 3 stars. I've read two other collections by this author which I have loved, but this is ok.
- 5 stars. This is fab. I don't care for snow so I am not going to Iceland any time soon but I am interested to know what it is like and it sounds fab. This story is funny and heartwarming and romantic. I recommend it.
EXTRA -
4 stars. Another extra. Although I am not sure about a group write, I do like this series.
EXTRA -
- 5 stars. Heartbreaking and uplifting, real emotional depth. I totally recommend it.
NEW - EXTRA -
- 4 stars. When I opened this book I did nor know what to expect - the cover says football/chick-lit, but the blurb suggests literary fiction. It is literary ficion. I enjoyed the emotion depth to this story as Frankie Hart finally works out who she is and what she wants after five years of a not-so-happy marriage. You won't belive Ola!
NEW -
- 4stars. This story is a joy - happy, sad, funny, serious. You will love it. Would make a great movie.
- 4 stars. Love this story about a wife recovering after her husband leaves her for another woman. All about finding her feet with some good laughs along the way.
NEW -
- 3 stars. Not as great as I was first expecting - a couple of the twists were a bit obvious. I didn't like the ending.
- 4 stars. Really needed this after the one above. 3 stressed out mums go on holiday full of hope ... things don't quite go to plan ;)
Mod
Kate wrote: "You're doing really well Linda, only 7 to go now. Should be achievable by the end of the year as long as you can find those tricky letters Q, X and Z!"Thanks. Yes Q X Z will be tricky, and of course it will help if I get on with it and stop reading ''extras'' :D
NEW - EXTRA
- 2 stars. Considering Sean Yeager is the eponymous hero, he don't not have much of a part in this book. Also it is too fast and too furious. If you like action and not much character, then this might be for you. Not for me.
EXTRA -
- 5 stars. Lindsey Kelk is one of my favourite authors, and this one is a cracker - I hurt my ribs laughing. Here is an extract - 'I gave my head an aggressive toss to make my point and caught a passing pensioner in the eye with my ponytail.' ...
'I just had my cateracts done!' he wailed as I grabbed a handful of napkins of the bar.
- 3 stars. Quite good in parts, but Chanel's obsession with Billy wears a bit.
NEW -
- 5 stars. This is FUNNY, you won't want to put it down. Sam's great, Jake is lush, Liam is, well, Liam, but Harry - you will love Harry!
NEW -
- 5 stars. This is good, very, very good.Revenge is a dish best served cold... or warm with a little help from your friends ;)
Read it and laugh.
Mod
Kate wrote: "Only 3 left. Do you have ideas for Q, X & Y yet?"Hi Kate, Yes, well some, I have a ''Q'' in mind and I have just bought a ''Y'' - silly me I forgot I had done ''Z'' and just bought another doh!
Need help with X
NEW -
- 2 stars. Don't know what to say about this 'cept wasn't keen.
NEW -
- 4 stars. Right, historical novels are not usually my thing, but desperation for ''Y'' made me give this a go, and I am so glad that I did. I really enjoyed this, it had me from page 1 and kept me till the end. Jess is a lovely heroine and it was interesting to have a peek into life at that time up north.
NEW -
- 2stars. It was alright. A bit simplistic.
EXTRA -
- 4 stars. I would heve given this 5 stars but I deducted 1 because of the unsatifying ending. Shame as up until then this book was ace.
NEW -
- 2 stars. It was ok, a bit depressing. The ending was a bit better than I was expecting.
NEW -
- 2 stars. It was ok, a bit depressing. The ending was a bit better than I was expecting.
That's it, challenge successfully completed. Of the 26 authors 15 were new so I am pleased about that. It has been fun most of the time, and, as always I read things I would not have read. I will do a round up of my tops and bottoms later.
Here are my top of the pops and my not-so-much. Luckily there are only two that I really disliked.TOP 10
The Northern Lights Lodge - Julie Caplin
High Five - Janet Evanovich
The Perfect Girlfriend - Karen Hamilton
I Have Never - Camilla Isley
The Other Mrs - Mary Kubica
The Pets at Primrose Cottage - Sheila Norton
Daisy Jones and The Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Marling Hall - Angela Thirkell
The Wedding Date - Zara Stoneley
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl Stacy McAnulty
BOTTOM
Mosquitoland David Arnold
The Dilemma B.A. Paris
Mod
So what's on the cards for 2021?
Thanks. 2021? Right now, no idea. How about you?
UK Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
One Christmas Kiss in Notting Hill (other topics)One Christmas Kiss in Notting Hill (other topics)
The Dilemma (other topics)
Mosquitoland (other topics)
The Perfect Girlfriend (other topics)
More...
Completed - 26/26
A - Mosquitoland - David Arnold - 6.11.20 - 2 stars
B - Secrets of a Teenage Heiress - Katy Birchall - 11.2.20 - 3 stars
C - The Northern Lights Lodge - Julie Caplin - 10.6.20 - 5 stars
D - An Almost Perfect Holiday - Lucy Diamond - 17.8.20 - 4 stars
E - High Five - Janet Evanovich - 17.3.20 - 5 stars
F - Faking Friends - Jane Fallon - 26.10.20 - 5 stars
G - When Life Gives You Lemons - Fiona Gibson - 4.8.20 - 4 stars
H - The Perfect Girlfriend - Karen Hamilton - 6.2.20 - 5 stars
I - I Have Never - Camilla Isley - 1.4.20 - 5 stars
J - The Secret Key - Lena Jones - 27.4.20 - 3 stars
K - The Other Mrs - Mary Kubica - 26.3.20 - 5 stars
L - The Couple Next Door - Shari Lapena - 12.8.20 - 3 stars
M - Sleepless In Manhattan - Sarah Morgan - 11.2.20 - 3 stars
N - The Pets at Primrose Cottage - Sheila Norton - 12.3.20 - 5 stars
O - The Flatshare - Beth O'Leary - 23.7.20 - 4 stars
P - The Girl in the Corner - Amanda Prowse - 15.1.20 - 5 stars
Q - Miller's Valley - Anna Quindlen - 16.12.20 - 2 stars
R - Daisy Jones and The Six - Taylor Jenkins Reid - 22.1.20 - 5 stars
S - Conditions - Greg Schroeder - 1.6.20 - 3 stars
T- Marling Hall - Angela Thirkell - 3.3.20 - 5 stars
U - Billy - Donna Joy Usher - 29.9.20 - 3 stars
V - Hot Mess - Lucy Vine - 25.5.20 - 3 stars
W - More Than a Feeling - Cate Woods - 4.5.20 - 4 stars
X - On Her Own Two Wheels -Stacy Xavier - 26.11.20 - 2 stars
Y - The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon - Glenda Young - 18.11.20 - 4 stars
Z - The Wedding Date - Zara Stoneley - 16.10.20 - 5 stars
EXTRAS