Those Faraday Girls - Monica McInerney

As a child, Maggie Faraday grew up in a lively, unconventional household in Tasmania, with her young mother, four very different aunts and eccentric grandfather. With her mother often away, all four aunts took turns looking after her – until, just weeks before Maggie’s sixth birthday, a shocking event changed everything.

Twenty years on, Maggie is living alone in New York City when a surprise visit from her grandfather brings a revelation and a proposition to reunite the family. As the Faradays gather in Ireland, Maggie begins to realise that the women she thought she knew so intimately all have something to hide…

Those Faraday Girls is a rich and complex story full of warmth, humour and unforgettable women. Spanning several countries and thirty years, it is a deeply moving novel about family secrets and lies – and how the memories that bind us together can also keep us apart.

There is a lot of story to get delightfully lost in here…McInerney does a lovely job of setting up a family as an outsider would see it and she does so in enormous, painstaking detail, so that by the time she starts revealing the true colours of the family’s dynamics, things become very interesting indeed.  And while the family dramas are deeply serious, McInerney always keeps her light and lovely humorous touch throughout this sprawling book, which truly typifies the tag “great holiday read”.

The conclusion is particularly satisfying and somewhat unexpected.  Overall, a great story and a great read: recommended for all women’s fiction collections.

The Courtesan and the Samurai - Lesley Downer

1868. In Japan’s exotic pleasure quarters, sex is for sale and the only forbidden fruit is love ...

Hana is just seventeen when her husband goes to war, leaving her alone and vulnerable. When enemy soldiers attack her house she flees across the shattered city of Tokyo and takes refuge in the Yoshiwara, its famous pleasure-quarters.There she is forced to become a courtesan.

Yozo, brave, loyal and a brilliant swordsman, is pledged to the embattled shogun. He sails to the frozen north to join his rebel comrades for a desperate last stand. Defeated, he makes his way south to the only place where a man is beyond the reach of the law - the Yoshiwara.

There in the Nightless City where three thousand courtesans mingle with geishas and jesters, the battered fugitive meets the beautiful courtesan. But each has a secret so terrible that once revealed it will threaten their very lives ...

This novel is historical romance at its best. Full of fact, fiction, fear and fantasy it had me staying up late in the night as I couldn't stop turning the pages!

I have read a few similar novels set around the Japanese  geisha and this one by Lesley Downer didn't disappoint. It was beautifully written an made me feel like I was transported to Japan.

A good book for any kind of reader!

Drop Dead Beautiful - Jackie Collins

Lucky Santangelo is back with a vengeance--still every bit as strong, sexy, and seductive as ever! But Lucky is older and wiser, and hot to reclaim her power position in Las Vegas. However, a deadly enemy from her past has resurfaced--a person determined to take everything from her, including the family she holds so dear: two sons and an out-of-control teenage daughter who is just as outrageous as Lucky herself. Like mother, like daughter. And if that old saying holds true, it's going to be one wild ride.

Drop Dead Beautiful is the 6^th instalment of the Lucky Santangelo ‘Vengeance’ series and it doesn’t disappoint!

True to Jackie Collins style there are many, many subplots, lots of tangential characters, and loads of steamy sex.

This book really surprised me. I thought I was in for a bland, casual read, but I soon found myself reading it at a rapid pace because it's so trashily addictive. There is something about her books that suck you in and get you hooked.

Another good thing about this book was that you didn’t necessarily have to read the previous 5 books to understand what was going on, although I would strongly recommend it if this latest one is anything to go off!

I will definitely read her next instalment in the future!

The Other Woman - Jane Green

What’s the only thing worse than a mother-in-law who can’t stand you? One who wants to be your best friend.

Ellie and Dan are living proof that opposites attract. She’s impulsive; he follows all the rules. He loves sports; she’s allergic to any form of exercise. Ellie doesn’t have a mother. Dan does — a very involved mother.

At first, Ellie is thrilled to be accepted into the loving Cooper clan and have Dan’s mom, Linda, as her “adopted” mother. But then Ellie starts to wonder, how has the intimate civil ceremony she always dreamed of turned into a black-tie affair? And what can Dan and his mother possibly have to talk about on the phone twice a day?

Ellie’s problems have just begun. When she discovers she’s pregnant, she realizes that Linda has only been rehearsing for the real takeover. Linda seems to want to live her life through Ellie and, in the words of the immortal Princess Diana, there are three of them in the marriage.

When a crisis strains family bonds, Ellie turns to her friends — glamorous Lisa, who always looks like she’s just stepped off a runway, and wonderfully frazzled Trish — and tries to rediscover the independence she once had and the man she still loves. But it seems that having a child and saving a marriage means growing up in ways she’d never imagined.
In The Other Woman, Jane Green delivers a warm, witty, and touching look at mothers-in-law and marriage and what they teach us about ourselves.

The Other Woman is the story of almost every married woman's nightmare: the Mother-In-Law. A tender, engrossing read about love, family, and friendship written with spark and humour. The characters were likeable and the story moved along at a good pace, but there was something lacking that would put it on my ‘must read’ list to recommend to friends. This one would be good to take away on holidays when you want something to read occasionally, not something you really want to get involved with.

The Witch of Portobello - Paulo Coelho

This is the story of Athena, or Sherine, to give her the name she was baptised with. Her life is pieced together through a series of recorded interviews with those people who knew her well or hardly at all -- parents, colleagues, teachers, friends, acquaintances, her ex-husband. The novel unravels Athena's mysterious beginnings, via an orphanage in Romania, to a childhood in Beirut. When war breaks out, her adoptive family move with her to London, where a dramatic turn of events occurs! Athena, who has been dubbed 'the Witch of Portobello' for her seeming powers of prophecy, disappears dramatically, leaving those who knew her to solve the mystery of her life and abrupt departure. Like The Alchemist, The Witch of Portobello is the kind of story that will transform the way readers think about love, passion, joy and sacrifice.

Paulo Coelho is an amazing writer. On reading the back of the book I immediately had an idea of what shape I thought the book would take, and as usual with his novels, is the exact opposite of how it really turned out.
This book tells the story of Athena through the point of view of her friends and family, and Coelho is so good at what he does that you never realise you don’t hear from Athena herself, even though by the end of the book you feel like you know her really well.

This book does not follow the usual path you would expect from a story of modern day witch craft, and it has subtle twists and turns that still keep you guess right until the  very last page, without being over dramatic about it.

Loved this book and Paulo Coelho is fastly moving up the list of my favourite authors.

Unsticky - Sarra Manning

High fashion, high art, high expectations – this is Pretty Woman for the twenty-first century. 

Money makes the world go round – that's what twenty-something Grace Reeves is learning. Stuck in a grind where everyone’s ahead apart from her, she’s partied out, disillusioned, and massively in debt. If she’s dumped by another rock-band wannabe, squashed by anyone else at her cut-throat fashion job, or chased by any more bailiffs, Grace suspects she’ll fall apart... So when older, sexy and above all, wealthy art-dealer Vaughn appears, she's intrigued against her will. Could she handle being a sugar daddy’s arm candy? Soon Grace is thrown into a world of money and privilege, at Vaughn’s beck and call in return for thousands of pounds in luxurious gifts, priceless clothes – and cash. She’s out of her depth. Where's the line between acting the trophy girlfriend, and selling yourself for money? And, more importantly: whatever happened to love?

I picked this book up from a second hand book shop in Mount Tambourine for a bargain and my expectations were not ridiculously high, so I was surprised when halfway through the second chapter I found myself really addicted to the story, even to the point where I thought about it during my work day and looked forward to the 1 hour train ride home so I could see if my predictions came true.

It was so easy to read and become involved with the characters – their bad choices and cringe-worthy situations. And I liked that the ending was not overly melodramatic or predictable.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a cheap laugh, a good giggle, and an unpredictable love story for the 21^st century girl. I will be looking out for more of Sarra Manning’s novels in future.

Amazon Beaming - Petru Popescu

This is the story of the fulfilment of a great dream - and the first public disclosure of an extraordinary experience.

In 1971, after years of searching, the photographer and writer Loren McIntyre flew deep into the Amazon interior to look for the source of the great river, and for the Mayoruna tribe. Never before contacted by the outside world, they were rumoured to be the only people who knew the true source of the Amazon. Lost in the jungle and kidnapped by the Mayoruna, McIntyre was at the mercy of the extraordinary war-painted "cat-people" with spines bristling out of their lips. He claims to have reached his goal by communicating telepathically with the tribe's head shaman. This is McIntyre's story, told by Petru Popescu.

I find this topic very interesting and love hearing about different cultures, but what happens in this book is so wild it's hard to believe.

This is a work of non-fiction, a sort of biography of Loren McIntyre and his experience with the Mayorunan tribe and his journeys through the Amazon, but it was at times very hard to be motivated to keep reading - and to be honest I only made it to page 265 (out of 398), not because I didn’t enjoy it, but towards the end it was like reading a text book journal and was quite hard to keep up with the different writing styles used.

I like to think that I have a somewhat open mind, but the idea that he could communicate with the tribe non-verbally leaves me a tad sceptical and I would need to experience something like this first hand before I was able to logically believe it.

And this may be picky but I found it unusual that McIntyre doesn’t mention being worried about never seeing his wife or children again at all during his ‘capture’, yet he is worried enough about his preconceptions of ‘time’ to contemplate this continually throughout his entire time along in the jungle (and at times his rantings about ‘time’ can get quite tedious). Maybe it is just me but if I was his wife I would find that really insulting!

Now that I have pointed of the things I didn’t so much enjoy, the best things about this book is that it strongly highlights the importance of conservation to preserve the precarious balance of flora and fauna - some that have still not been identified anywhere else in the world!

This book also gives a detailed insight in to an area of the world that I would love to visit and describes the amazing lifestyle of tribes that have not altered since the beginning of man thousands of years ago.

All in all I enjoyed reading this book (up to where I stopped) but would probably not read it again, or recommend it to anyone unless this is the sort of writing that they enjoy, otherwise like me, even with the best of intentions you may not be able to finish it.

The Coffin Dancer - Jeffery Deaver

Three witnesses to an military deal cover up could put a millionaire arms dealer behind bars for good. When one of them, the co-owner of Hudson Air, is blown up in a plane bombing with the Dancer's fingerprints all over it, the FBI takes the other witnesses into protective custody. Only Rhyme can decipher a crime scene, read the residue of a bombing, or identify a handful of dirt well enough to keep up with the killer before the 48 hour deadline arrives. Helped by Amelia Sachs, his brilliant and able-bodied assistant, Rhyme traces the Dancer through Manhattan streets, airports, and subways. The psychological tension builds rapidly from page one all the way to the stunning and unexpected end.

Jeffery Deaver is a master of suspense writing. There were so many twist and turns throughout this novel that it could easily become confusing and lose it’s impact, but he has it nailed down to a fine art and I was absorbed in the story from beginning to end.

The characters are rich and intense and 100% believable, and at times I felt that I was working alongside Rhyme and Amelia feeling their frustration, pain and excitement.

A book I would definitely recommend, even if you are not a fan of murder/mystery, this one is sure to hook you until the end.

Savages - Shirley Conran

When a group of Nexus executives brings their wives to the South Pacific paradise of Paui, vacation is not on their minds. Having found rare minerals on the island, they are determined to strike a swift deal for mining rights. But in their greedy rush to claim the prize, the men fail to take into account a rapacious general, who takes control of the island in a military coup and brutally executes all of them. Returning from a sail in time to see the massacre, the women escape into the jungle, where they painfully learn survival tricks from the ship's captain. His subsequent death leaves the once shy Annie in charge of the rest: Silvana, a wealthy, distant matron; the athletic, high-strung Patty; outspoken Carey; and Suzy, a sensuous, spoiled child. Although misfortune rains down on the group, opportunity also has a way of magically appearing as these castaways battle jungle, cannibalistic natives and their own frightening desires with a gritty determination that belies their pampered pasts.

Shirley Conran did a fantastic job of transporting me to a remote island of Paui, Papua New Guinea.
The characters were vivid and exciting and complemented each other. It was a large book but not once did I get bored, and that is a compliment to Conran that she kept the thrilling pace up for the entire book.

It helped make the long train ride to and from work bearable, and I would recommend it as a good read.

Kabul Beauty School - Deborah Rodriguez

“Afghan women have been held in the dark for so long and, during the darkest years, they suffered more than even I can imagine. They need the rest of the world to look, watch, and make sure nothing puts out that light again”

Deborah Rodriguez arrived in Afghanistan in 2002 with nothing but a desire to help and a beauty degree. In her first few weeks she learned that the once proud tradition of Afghan beauty salons had been all but destroyed by the Taliban.

With her knowledge of both beauty and enterprise, Rodriguez opened the first salon in Kabul that actually trained local women to become beauticians - one of the few ways in which a woman could support herself and her family, and gain some autonomy in a strictly patriarchal society.

Many of the students had alarming stories to tell, and within the sisterhood of the Kabul Beauty School, together with Rodriguez herself, they learn the art of perms, friendship and freedom.

When I started reading this book I didn’t realize it was a memoir, but this only pulled me further in to the story even more.

The first chapter sets a scene during the traditional preparations of an Afghan bride, which then jumps back in time to follow the highly emotional, impulsive and sympathetic Rodriguez as she struggles against financial and cultural odds to eventually set up the Kabul Beauty School.

The women in this story are real and strong and make me realise how lucky we are to have the opportunities we do in developed countries.

This book is a must read for any woman.

Thanks for the Memories - Cecelia Ahern

Joyce Conway remembers things she shouldn’t. She knows about tiny cobbled streets in Paris, which she has never visited. And every night she dreams about an unknown little girl with blonde hair.

Justin Hitchcock is divorced, lonely and restless. He arrives in Dublin to give a lecture on art and meets an attractive doctor, who persuades him to donate blood. It’s the first thing to come straight from his heart in a long time.

When Joyce leaves hospital after a terrible accident, with her life and her marriage in pieces, she moves back in with her elderly father. All the while, a strong sense of déjà vu is overwhelming her and she can’t figure out why…

I was a bit wary when I picked up this book upon seeing that it was by Cecelia Ahern, the same writer who wrote P.S I love you. I thought it might be too ‘mushy’ and over-the-top lovey-dovey like P.S I love you (although having said that about it, I do enjoy watching the movie in the right situation, I just don’t have the tolerance to read something like that!)

But I was pleasantly surprised. While I don’t think it wins the title of the best chick-lit book I have ever read, it definitely kept me interested enough to turn the pages, and even enjoy the predictably romantic ending.

The characters were unique, although a little monotonous at times, but I enjoyed watching them grow over throughout the book.

On a serious note, this book highlights the importance of blood donations. If you want to be a real hero and give blood (we don’t guarantee baskets of muffins and personal chauffeurs though!) contact the Red Cross Blood Service in your area!

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

The Book Thief takes place outside of Munich in Nazi Germany before and during World War II. Narrated by ‘Death’ who finds foster child Liesel Meminger (aka The Book Theif) to be very interesting, as she brushes Death three times in her life.

Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she discovers something she can't resist- books. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library, wherever they are to be found.

It follows Liesel’s young adult life, and her relationship with her foster parents, best friend Rudy, and Max, a Jewish fist-fighter who hides in her home during the escalation of World War II.

The blurb on the back of the book did not do this book justice. It is so cleverly written and has such character depth that it deserves every single award it has won (13 in total). I don’t want to give too much of the plot away as that will ruin the mystery and suspense (which is what makes the book so thrilling) so you’ll just have to trust my recommendation that you will not be disappointed when you pick this one up, it has instantly jumped to one of my Top 5 books ever.

House Rules - Jodi Picoult

They tell me I'm lucky to have a son who's so verbal, who is blisteringly intelligent, who can take apart the broken microwave and have it working again an hour later. They think there is no greater hell than having a son who is locked in his own world, unaware that there's a wider one to explore. But try having a son who is locked in his own world, and still wants to make a connection. A son who tries to be like everyone else, but truly doesn't know how.

Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject--in his case, forensic analysis. He's always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do...and he's usually right. But then his town is rocked by a terrible murder and, for a change, the police come to Jacob with questions. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger's--not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, flat affect--can look a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel. Suddenly, Jacob and his family, who only want to fit in, feel the spotlight shining directly on them. For his mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication of why nothing is normal because of Jacob. And over this small family the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?
Emotionally powerful from beginning to end, House Rules looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way--and fails those who don't.

Jodi Picoult is a sure thing, as yet I have never read a book written by her that I haven’t loved and this one is no exception! Her characters always have flaws and imperfection but she writes them so well that in the end you love for that just as much as their strength and humour.

There has been a bit of backlash from readers who have Asperger’s themselves, or family who are affected, saying that this book does a disservice to people living with this condition, but whatever way you look at it, from a fiction or non-fiction pint of view, this novel is an honest look in to a typical modern dysfunctional family with teenagers and is a gripping read from beginning to end (just make sure you have some tissue handy, unless you are completely cold hearted!)

Friday Night Cocktails - Allison Rushby

Friday Night Cocktails is a novel about Gemma and Sarah, who have been friends forever. Along with their friendship, a list has survived over the years – a list they fondly call “the bastard list.” This list is made up of the names of guys that had earned the name in one way or another. One night after a few too many cocktails, they decide to put the list up on the internet. Gemma not only puts up the list, but gets the word out to the virtual world about it. Before they know it, people all over the world are viewing the list, adding their own names and stories.  

This novel was a good light-hearted read for those who don’t want something too heavy. It got rave reviews from other chick lit book review sites, so I thought it would be a sure thing to help me survive the long flights and stopovers on my way to America, which it did, but it was really hard to get excited about reading it, and at times I actually preferred to ‘people watch’ than continue with the next chapter. The reason it took me a while to get in to the plot, is that the book is based in Australia (usually a sure thing for me to pick up and love) but the writer just didn’t get the language right and I felt tried too hard to make the characters sound like American or British.

But once I got over her terrible use of non-Australian slang about halfway through the book, I was able to enjoy the storyline and actually found myself chuckling to a few funny parts.

Overall, it was ok, but one I would probably only recommend to those die hard chick lit fans.