Bookish and Feint

By Tina Seskis An apparently happy marriage. A beautiful son. A lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life? How will she survive? And what is the date that looms, threatening to force her to confront her past? No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you? ------------- A terrible event causes an otherwise happily married mother to abandon her family and the reader is left to second guess the nature of the event almost to the end of the novel, which of course is the point: ' No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?'. It ’s an intriguing premise but one I felt that was ultimately under-developed, and whilst I found the book to be very readable I was left dissatisfied at its conclusion. I enjoyed the exploration of not only the main character’s (Emily/Cat’s) history, but also that of her wayward twin Caroline, and their parents. This meant that the reader is able not only able to see Emily’s family from her poi...

Most bookworms have to resign themselves at some stage to the excruciating anticipation that comes with awaiting a new book from  a favourite author or  series. If you're reading a  fairly prolific author you might be lucky and only have to wait a year before you'll get your next fix, regardless the  wait often seems  never-ending, but fortunately that's usually a trick of your over-eager bookish brain. Except of course when it's not (you have my deepest sympathy Game of Thrones fans).  In recent years my own wait has been for The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes. I received an advanced reading copy of Hayes' debut novel  I Am Pilgrim  -  I'm not sure how far in advance now but I'd hesitate a guess at 6 months and the book was due to be published in July, so let's say in early in 2013. At the time I didn't read much in the way of crime thrillers but I had just finished my current read and I Am Pilgrim was the closest book to hand,...

by  Cat Clarke   Jem Halliday is in love with her gay best friend.   Not exactly ideal, but she's learning to live with it. Then the unspeakable happens. Kai is outed online ...and he kills himself. Jem knows nothing she can say or do will bring him back. But she wants to know who was responsible. And she wants to take them down… ------------- First off, I think it prudent to mention that given of some of the themes that run throughout it may not be suitable for younger teens or more sensitive readers, although as ever use your own judgment. I absolutely fell in love with Jem - what a fantastic main character! Abandoned, broken and filled with a kind of Shakespearian vengeance, Jem had me simultaneously relishing the dark satisfaction of a dastardly scheme and weeping in frustration at the madness of it all. It was an emotional rollercoaster. I was completely unprepared for how engaged – how downright opini...