Month: October 2020

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ 2 Comments

Happy Halloween !!!!

Illustration by Eva Crawford-McKee, found on Instagram @eva_c_mckee_

Halloween is the perfect time of year to read some classic novels, mystery, thriller and horror!! And with halloween being celebrated a little differently this year its a great time to delve into some other realities!.

Some great Halloween reads include;

  • Dracula by Bram Stoker. (You have probably dressed up at Dracula at some point but have you ever read the book?)
  • Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (another classic that should be on your tbr list!)
  • Monsters by Sharon Doger (a book based on the life of the above author Shelley, check out th)
  • The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (A popular series of the same name was based on this novel)
  • The Shining by Stephen King (or the majority of Stephen Kings books)
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman (a dark fantasy childrens novella)
  • The Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (A gothic novella)
  • The Witches by Roald Dahl (Childrens fantasy novel)
  • The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (Horror novel with a film of the same name)

Any of these books are a great choice and can be classed as classics or popular fiction. I would say that even if you don;t have/want to read these options any horror, mystery or crime books isn’t a bad choice!

Have a great halloween and stay safe !

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please feel free to like, comment and share! Don’t forget to check out Eva’s Instagram !)

SLEEP NO MORE by P.D James

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

SLEEP NO MORE by P.D James is a collection of 6 murderous short stories with a foreword by Peter Kemp.

I picked this book up at a local bookstore/café, The Book Nook, which sells preloved books. As I looked through the shelves I stumbled upon this book, and after having read another collection of P.D James Short Stories (The Mistletoe Murder and other stories) I had to read it.

I loved every one of the stories in this book, all 6 featured mystery, twists and turns and although only short feature some great developed characters.

As the six murderous tales unfold, bullying schoolmasters receive their comeuppance, unhappy marriages and childhoods are avenged, a murder in the small hours of Christmas Day puts an end to the vicious new lord of the manor, and, from the safety of his nursing home, an octogenarian exerts exquisite retribution.

https://pdjames.co.uk/book/sleep-no-more-2/

I really like the format of the book, I like having the 6 short stories so I can read a full story, start to finish, in one sitting with no need to wonder what is going to happen next. Saying that the books are full of twists and turns and keeps you engaged but no need to stop reading mid story.

I would highly recommend these books for someone who is wanting a quick read with the same suspense and mystery as a full novel. Perfect for the month of Halloween!

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please feel free to comment, like and share)

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ Leave a comment

I Found You by Lisa Jewell is a suspenseful fictional novel by Lisa Jewell.

Two women, twenty years of secrets and a man who can’t remember lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell’s brilliant new novel.

I Found You, Lisa Jewell

First of all I really enjoyed this book, it is a suspenseful, complex and intriguing must-read! I hadn’t heard of this author before reading this novel but I must say that this book really made me want to read more of her novels. The book was well written and although a complex plot it was an easy read.

The book is full of mystery and touches on some tough topics yet it is a fairly light read. For the majority of the book it is fairly slow paced yet holds your attention. It is quite unique in that way, and something I enjoyed to explore. I felt that this book focused on character development more that having loads f action. The characters in this book have all had some sort of traumatic event happen to them for them to be who they are in the present tense. I really likes the characters in this book and although not all are great people they all add something different to the story which added more intrigue and depth.

The book is in 4 parts each of which is split into various chapters. Those chapters have various viewpoints/timelines. One of which is looking at Lily viewpoint trying to find her husband, the other is from Alice viewpoint after finding the mysterious man on the beach and another is looking at a timeline from Gray and an event that happened in the past. I liked this structure as it split up the book and added some depth, seeing how these different viewpoints and storylines interact and come together at the end of the book. It wasn’t complicated or confusing to read and kept you engaged throughout.

With this book I continuously wanted to read on, see what happens next and where the story goes. I read this book quicker than I thought I would as it kept me engaged. The chapters were fairly small so it was a good way to keep engaged in the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it to others. I will definitely need to add more of Lisa Jewells books to my tbr list!

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(PS please feel free to comment, like and share)

The two lives of Louis and Louise, by Julie Cohan

~ Caitlin Marion Dermidy ~ 1 Comment

the two lives of Louis and Louise is a beautiful, moving novel by Julie Cohan which was first Published in 2019. To say I loved this book is almost an understatment.

This book is all about one life, lived twice. The book follows Louis Alder and Louise Alder, the same person in two different realities. These realities only separated by their gender.

“Both Louis and Louise grow up in the small paper mill town of Casablanca, Maine, with the same friends and family—but because of their gender, everything looks different.”

After a dramatic even happens to Lou (Louis and Louise) on the night of their high school graduation, they leave their hometown of Casablanca for good. When they return 12 years later, both to very different towns ad problems they discover id their destinies were ever the same.

The book explores gender in a way that I haven’t seen before, what would be different if you were born he opposite gender yet shared the same life. It makes you think about gender stereotypes and whether something happened to Louis or Louise due to their gender. The book never explicitly discusses this but you can’t help but to think about it due to the books unique concept.

I found this book to keep me continually wanting to read on and to be honest re-sparked my love for reading all over again. I never stopped reading but this book made me want to pick it up any chance I had.

I think that Julie Cohan did an amazing job writing this book, (not that any of her other books are any different, I just haven’t read them YET), its moving and engaging. For a book with two timelines and two viewpoints that are very similar at times, I never found the book to be a confusing read once. Each chapter is titles for the character, sometimes Louise or Louis, sometimes Louise and Louis.

We also meet Lou’s best friends as kids, Allie and Benny. Twins who often propel the events of the story. We see how the friendships change depending on what life we are looking at and how event that are similar can end so differently. I liked this aspect of the book and the introduction of twins with different genders to see the difference that Lou would interact with them depending whether they are Louis or Louise.

Overall, I loved this book, I can’t fault a single part of it. others reading this book may feel different but I felt it was beautiful, moving and subtly written by Cohen that seamlessly explored Lou’s life. There are dramatic events that take place but the book never necessarily focuses on them and more about the outcomes and results of them.

Would highly recommend!!!

Many thanks, Caitlin x

(Please feel free to comment or like and please share whether you have read this book or any other by Julie Cohan.