Month: November 2018

TBR – The Chalk Man

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

The Chalk Man by CJ Tudor is a book I previously purchased and I am excited to read it.

The Chalk Man is a thriller that follows ‘Eddie’ as he relives his childhood after receiving a drawing of a chalk stick man. It takes him back 30 years to when a game he was playing went horribly wrong.

This book was originally published in January 2018 and had received many positive reviews. It has plenty of twists and turns and the use of flashbacks to help explain the events of previous years. It has a complex and intriguing storyline however although it has good reviews there is also some bad reviews. It’s rare to not receive any and they mainly said that some parts are a little unrealistic.

Saying this however I am excited to see what my opinion of this book will be and get to create my own views of the story.

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please comment if you have ever read this book or plan to)

‘Would You Rather’ Book Tag

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

1. Rather read only a series or stand-alone books?

I would rather only read series. I find that the characters are often more developed and the stories are more related to those character. I find that characters are one of the most important part of a book. 

 2. Rather read a book whose main character is male or female?

I wouldn’t really mind to be honest but as a female I like strong female leads. 

 3. Rather shop only at Barnes & Noble (or other actual bookstore) or Amazon?

Bookstores. Its much more enjoyable browsing the shelves and flicking through the pages of a book in a bookstore. It has an atmosphere as well as just buying books. 

 4. Rather all books become movies or tv shows?

Also a difficult one, I think that movies often have the budget and ability to explore these books but a TV show is better for a series as it can show a series of events throughout the books in a way that’s not rushed. 

 5. Rather read 5 pages per day or read 5 books per week?

I would rather read 5 pages per day. It would allow me to enjoy the book instead of racing through them. 

 6. Rather be a professional book reviewer or an author?

I would love to be an author however I don’t feel as though they would be very good 🙂 I enjoy reviewing books however. 

 7.  Rather only read the same 20 books over and over or get to read a new book every 6 months?

That’s a difficult one! I would love to reread my favourite books however I think that being able to read a new one is exciting.

 8. Rather be a librarian or own a book store?

I would rather own a bookstore I think. You would have more control over how and what you are selling and choose how to operate your business. 

9. Rather only read your favorite genre or your favorite author?

Favourite genre. I basically do this anyway! It would allow me to be able to read the different styles and structures of various authors.

 10. Rather only read physical books or eBooks?

Physical books. I find it much more enjoyable when I’m able to physically flick through the pages and get that new book scent!

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(please comment your ‘Would You Rather’ book tag !)

Book Box Club – November

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

Theme: Smugglers and Thieves

This months book box club subscription has the theme of smugglers and Thieves. It contains bookish goodies and a YA novel all related to this theme for those who subscribe to enjoy.

In the box, you received a multitude of goodies. There is a Captain Jack Bookmark from pirates of the Caribbean as well as a themed tea towel. There is a beautiful book bracelet to enjoy and a Neverland themes pin badge.

Also in the box is a print from the included YA book and a flag that relates to the same book.

The featured book this month is: Only the Ocean by Natasha Carthew.

“This book is a story of survival and courage in the midst of darkness. The two girls sat at opposite ends of the boat and Kel dug and stretched the oars into the ocean like her life depended upon it because it did.‘Just so you know,’ said Rose, ‘everything, and I mean everything, is your fault.’Kel Crow lives in a dead-end swamp with her deadbeat family and a damaged heart. But she has a plan to escape. It’s a one-two-three fortune story that goes: stow away on the ship, kidnap the girl, swap the girl to pay for passage to America and a life-saving operation.But the ocean is an untameable force, and wrecks ships and plans alike ...” ( Google books description)

I would highly recommend this subscription box as it allows you to explore new genres and books as well as giving you bookish goodies to enjoy!

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please comment your opinion on this box and if you have read this book)

Book Organisation

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

When it comes to my bookshelf there is very little order to it ! I have often tried to organise it into chronological, alphabetical or genre based order however it never seems to last. As soon as I finish a book I dump it on the bookshelf and pick up my next read. Saying that however I do like to have my books in size order but only for aesthetics.

Many people find that having an organised bookshelf allows them to see exactly all they books they have read and are easy to find on these shelf’s and I agree however I find that the time spent organising could be spend reading.

However if you do wish to organise your bookshelf there are different ways you could do this;

  1. Separate your paperbacks and hardbacks
  2. In order of when you read them
  3. In alphabetical order
  4. By colour
  5. By genre or subject
  6. Based on how much you liked the book
  7. By author
  8. By height and size
  9. Seperate fiction and nonfiction
  10. Sperate your to be read books

These are all useful and one day my bookshelf will be completely organised !

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please comment if you have any other tips or want to share how you organise your books)

‘No Time For Goodbye’ Linwood Barclay

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

‘No Time For Goodbye’ is a crime thriller novel by author Linwood Barclay that was published in 2007. The book centers around a woman named Cynthia and the disappearance of her family. She wakes up one day and her family is gone, no bodies, no crime scene, no evidence. What really happened to her family? It follows her journey trying to find out what happened to her family 25 years ago and the new clues that are appearing.

I really enjoyed this book as it wasn’t entirely based from a police procedural view and looked more and the view of Cynthia and her husbands. How they are coping with the new information and trying to figure out what happened to Cynthia’s family.

I found both Cynthia and her husband likable characters which made me more invested in finding out how it all ended. We see a flashback to the night Cynthia family went missing at the beginning of the novel which helped to show who she is today and how she has been shaped by these traumatic events. The guilt and sadness that came alongside the experience becomes apparent in her life with her husband and daughter now and how she has become more paranoid than ever. Her husband is also likable as we see how the events effect him and their daughter. We see him becoming more annoyed and suspicious which I think adds realism because if he was always positive and supportive would that be truthful to what would actually happen in that scenario.

I found that the book started off at an average pace but soon speeds up as more pieces of the jigsaw fits together and her husband becomes more and more involved in finding out the truth.

I think the ending of the book matches to the build up and is an exciting ending. There are more twists and turns up until the last page so it keeps you on the edge of your seat. You want to know what happened all those years ago and you want it to be a happy ending (as much as possible) for Cynthia and her family.

Overall, I would highly recommend this thriller as it keeps ypou on the edge of your seat throughout with a realistic story. I am excited to read the sequel ! ‘No Safe House’

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please feel free to comment your opinion on this book or any others by Linwood Barclay)

Why I Love to Read

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

There is no friends as loyal as a book

– Ernest Hemingway

If I’m completely honest I’m not sure when I first became interested in reading and began to love reading all different books. I think that I have just always loved it and I am aware that is unlikely the case but I am not sure when I first loved to read.

I enjoy escaping into another world and as I say on my home page, it isn’t to escape my own it’s just that I love to explore others. I like to delve into the world of other characters and people. Reading about other characters is probably one of my favourite parts of a book and can often be the most relatable aspect.

I tend to read a lot of crime novels and I don’t want to delve into the gruesome world of the crimes but rather the investigation and the people. I like seeing how the characters go about investigating these crimes and how they cope with the events happening around them.

Other people have so many reasons for why they read but mines is as simple as I enjoy to do so. It is something that I can relax into and enjoy much like watching the TV or watching a film. I find books much more detailed and hard hitting than anything on screen.

I like the quote above from Ernest Hemingway as I find it so truthful. If your ever feeling alone or are just relaxing you can read and be transported to another world at the drop of a hat. No need to plan or time everything just pick up a book and begin to flick through the pages.

I would like to think that reading is other people favourite oasstime as I love it so much but I understand it isn’t for everyone. I think if you can give it a try then do so but if you don’t like it at least you gave it a go. It doesn’t give people the same feelings and emotions that it does to me and some people prefer to have the imagery already available on a screen.

I hope you enjoyed this post and come back Friday for my next.

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please comment why you love to read books or if there is a reason that you don’t!)

My Favourite Book Covers

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment
  1. The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby

The other side of lost

I find the cover of this book and the illustrations within are so simplistic yet effective. They really give a representation of the book and how the character feels whilst she is on this trail – determined.

2. 1984 by George Orwel

1984 george

The design for this book cover was created by Shepard Fairey. A famous artist responsible for the Obey and Andre the Giant artwork. I studied his work as part of my art and design course and really liked his work and felt that his art was very powerful and for that reason I love this!

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

the great gatsby

There have been many covers for this book but this one in particular always catches my eyes. The use of a simple colour palette of whit, black and yellow with simple shapes to create the imagery is really intriguing. The use of the typography to add to the image is also fascinating as the Y is used as a cocktail glass. This cover reminds me of the works from artists such as A.M Cassandre which I love.

4. Jurassic Park by Micheal Crichton

jurassic park

The cover of this book is something that is so symbolic with the story and you can take one look at the imagery and know what book it represents. This is very interesting as it is such a simple imagery that is so powerful.

5.  The Break by Marian Keyes

the break

I like this book cover as it is simplistic. The use of the red is aesthetically pleasing as it eye catching and a colour synonymous with anger and danger. The way the ‘b’ is used to symbolize the breakage is a good way to address the title. The little suitcase is also cute!

6. Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

le petit prince

I like the muted colour palette in this and as it is a book aimed at kids I find this unusual. Generally, kids books are bright and bold and colourful however this book is different. It is pale and muted which adds to the beauty of this book. it features the prince himself in his world.

7.  Look Who’s Back  by Timur Vermes

look whos back

The use of negative space to make the cover powerful is really good. The way that the image of Hitler is created with simply the shape of his hair and the use of typography to create his famous mustache is very creative and simple.

8. The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami

the elephant vanishes

The use of the single focal point as a vanishing point is a great way to draw your eyes from teh elephant and follow the words out to the edges of the cover. It uses a monochrome palette which creates an easy to read cover.

9. Resistance by Barry Lopez

resistence

This book cover is original and looks at the symbolism of the rubber band. When you think of a rubber band the word resistance comes to mind which is great considering it is the title of the book !

10.  Jaws by Peter Benchley

jaws

This cover is recognized worldwide and for this reason people will automatically know the book it belongs to. This shows what a powerful image it is.

Overall, I think I like simplistic book covers 🙂 I like clear illustrations and imagery that symbolize the title or book!

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(Please comment what type of book covers you like and what your favourite book cover is!)

Perfect Silence Mini Review

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

Perfect Silence by Helen Fields is the forth installment of her DI Callanach series. Each book in this series currently has an over 4 star rating on good read and is one of my favourite series.

perfect silence

I have previously written about the previous 3 books as well as an Author Q&A with Helen Fields that you can check out before or after reading this.

I thought that this book was really good and I enjoyed reading it. It delved further into the lives of DI Callanach and DCI Ava Turner. I think that there friendship in this book carrying on from the previous booked created a ‘will they, won’t they’ sort of anticipation throughout which engaged me as a reader.

As with the previous book it is based upon a crime that has taken place and the ivestigation into these crimes. This is perfect for those interested in crime and police procedure books but in this novel there is extra depth and almost a second plot with the characters.

I find both of the main characters likable and having both been through tough times you see them develop and cope with these. In this book I believe that Ava Turner was a bit more unlikable due to the superiority in the book however the previous books really help to add to her character. In this novel she is a strong and determined Detective Chief Inspector who isn’t scared to stand her ground to ensure that the victims of these crimes are treated with the respect they deserve and find justice. I find this quite inspirational as a female also. DI Callanach is also still very likable and I think they way he has been written and interacts with the other characters really aids this. He has been through a trauma in his life and that wasn’t just forgotten about in this book so we were able to see how he has coped and progressed in his life after this. These two characters themselves make the books worth reading.

There were two main investigations in this book; one where the bodies of young females are being found alongside dolls made out of the victims skin and one where the letter ‘Z’ is being carved onto the drug users of the cities faces. Both these crimes are gruesome and gory which isn’t what everyone would want to read but I found that there was a good balance between the crimes themselves and the investigation. This made it a good read as we get to see what these police officers are doing to help these poor victims.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and upon reading other reviews people were saying that this installment was not as good as the other 3. I have to say I agree with this on a certain level as I feel that the characters developed less throughout the novel however I would let this stop you from reading this book. It is a great installment within a series and although you don’t necessarily need to read the previous books before you read this, I would highly recommend that you do as it gives background to why the characters are like how they are.

There is also a fifth installment of this series due to be released in April which I am so excited to read!

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please comment if you have ever read this series or would like to)