Book Review: A Night in with Marilyn Monroe by Lucy Holliday (Libby Lomax #2)

A Night in with Marilyn Monroe by Lucy Holliday
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I could not wait to get started on the second Libby Lomax novel! A Night in with Marilyn Monroe follows Libby throughout the highs and lows in her life, but this time, she is ably assisted by Marilyn Monroe.
As I am more familiar with Marilyn Monroe than I am Audrey Hepburn it was easier for me to picture her in my head. Lucy Holliday creates her character beautifully and the reader feels sorry for the troubled actress. Libby is more likeable in this book (although no less oblivious) and I still feel that the author tends to go overboard. A situation that would be really funny, then becomes ridiculous and unrealistic. I sympathised with many of Libby's thoughts and feelings, although she does have some flaws. But then, the character wouldn't be so relate-able if she didn't.
It took me just four days to tear through this book, I really couldn't put it down and I cannot wait for the next in the series.

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Book Review: Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of America's Most Elusive Serial Killer: The Shocking True Story of America's Most Bizarre Mass Murderer by Robert Graysmith

Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of America's Most Elusive Serial Killer: The Shocking True Story of America's Most Bizarre Mass Murderer by Robert Graysmith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'd seen the film before I read the book, which I think helped enormously. I love reading but I did struggle with this.
First of all, the good points. Graysmith writes in a way that is not dissimilar to a novel, he describes scenes well and there is frequent use of speech. It's not just 'he said, she said'. Also the detail is incredible. Many of the Zodiac Killer's letters are reproduced in the book and I found that really fascinating.
However, in some cases, the detail was overwhelming. We are told names and dates of absolutely everybody and that's hard to keep track of. In some cases, the information can be delivered quite dryly, although perhaps this should be expected in a factual book. I do appreciate that Graysmith was actually involved in the case at the time and it is clear how passionate he is about the case and finding the criminal. Serial killers have always been a fascinating area of interest for me and this case will be in my thoughts for a long time.

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Book Review: A Night in With Audrey Hepburn by Lucy Holliday (Libby Lomax #1)

A Night in with Audrey Hepburn by Lucy Holliday
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was in need of a light, girly read and A Night in with Audrey Hepburn was recommended to me by a friend. I'm not overly familiar with Audrey Hepburn's works, but I'm a big fan of that era, and I liked the concept of her turning up in Libby Lomax's living room.
I loved and hated this book almost simultaneously. Libby is funny, seems sweet and charming but regularly ends up in wildly ridiculous situations that always seem to be more and more extreme and unlikely. Although you will Libby to succeed, she never seems to really think much of herself and after a while this gets old and tiresome. The supporting characters in this novel aren't particularly friendly either. Libby's mum, sister and dad are frankly horrendous, and her best friend Olly is a bit of a drip. They're all a bit wishy-washy and you don't really want to support or root for any of them. The only exception to this is Bogdan, a gay hairdresser forced to work for his builder father. He provides much of the comic relief.
Lucy Holliday handles the scenes with Audrey Hepburn well. I could hear the actress' voice in my head and believed that Libby could see her. Audrey being obsessed with the coffee machine was also a nice touch.
A Night in with Audrey Hepburn is a page turner, and there are sections of this book that engross you. The reader cannot wait to find out what happens to Libby, but the ending is rather anti-climactic. Luckily I have the next in the series ready to go!

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Book Review: The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths (Ruth Galloway #7)

The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Elly Griffiths is my saviour! My heroine! I absolutely adore her characters, especially Ruth Galloway, Cathbad and Harry Nelson. Opening The Ghost Fields is like visiting a favourite family member: warm; comforting and you know exactly what to expect.
In this chapter of Ruth's life, a WWII plane is discovered buried under the local green, with the pilot still in the cockpit. What follows is an unravelling of family secrets, the invasion of a production crew and assaults left, right and centre.
As always, what makes the Ruth Galloway series are the characters and the trials and tribulations they go through. They are such an eclectic mix and with several love triangles developing it grows more and more interesting. The continuing development of Ruth and Nelson is the one thing that draws me back every time.
My only, small criticism, without giving too much away, is that like every other Ruth Galloway novel, she ends up having to be saved by somebody. It would be really nice for her to do the saving for a change!

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Book Review: Disclaimer by Renée Knight

Disclaimer by Renée Knight
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What originally drew me to Disclaimer by Renée Knight was the original concept. Catherine opens a book to discover that she is the main character and the author knows secrets that only she and one other person has knowledge of. Secrets that she has kept her whole life.
This was a real page turner. I couldn't wait to find out what happened to Catherine and her family and how the story would unfold. However my main criticism with this novel is the characters. They are well thought out and thoroughly developed but maybe that's the problem. I didn't like any of them and when there isn't one sympathetic character I tend to lose interest a bit. I cannot invest my emotions in people I don't like! Despite this, the twist at the end was well worth waiting for and after passing it on to a friend, they really liked it and didn't have the same issues that I did.

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Book Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many others struggled with the fact that Room is narrated by a little boy. I enjoyed Jack's point of view and I didn't find him irritating or repetitive. Although I work with children, so maybe
that helps.
Room is a rather desolate story of a little boy and his mum who live confined in a room. It is the only life Jack has ever known, although his mum makes it clear that she is here under another person's will. That other person is known as Old Nick, who brings them Sunday treats and regularly rapes Jack's mum.
Jack describes the room in innocent detail and his discovery of the real world is both funny and enjoyable.
The story gathers speed and interest after Jack escapes from the room, with his mum's guidance and planning. Discovering how they treat the world and how the world treats them is fascinating and Emma Donoghue thinks of so many things, such as the fact that Jack has never been in direct sunlight before.
All the characters we meet are well written and easily distinguishable and the story kept me intrigued right through to the end. My only criticism is that it ended suddenly and I wanted more. I hope Donoghue writes a second novel exploring where Jack's life has taken him.

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Book Review: Duma Key by Stephen King

Duma Key by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stephen King's Duma Key is the tale of Edgar Freemantle. After losing an arm and gaining a head injury in a work accident, Edgar's life turns upside down. He divorces his wife and takes a break to Duma Key, an island off the coast of Florida. While there a passion for art emerges, but with serious consequences.
King creates a range of eclectic characters, in Edgar; Elizabeth Eastlake, a local landowner; Wireman, her carer with a shady past and Jack, Edgar's helper and chauffeur. On Duma Key nothing is as it seems and everybody has their own secrets. Edgar's artistic skills develop with the support of Elizabeth, but he soon learns that through his art other talents are revealed.
As well as the characters, King's descriptions of the locations are detailed and impressive. He really paints a picture of the old Eastlake house and the supernatural occurrences. Flipping between the island's past and present is not a challenge and in fact, I could have read this book forever and ever. King writes beautifully and the images he creates stay in your head long after you've closed the book.

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