Review: 'Poet of the Wrong Generation' by Lonnie Ostrow (2016)

“It’s not that I don’t love you, and my tears are yet to dry. But you can’t go back and forth forever and we’ve already said goodbye.”
Through these words, a young poet unearths his musical soul while severing ties with the woman he loves after her stunning betrayal. Unknowingly, in writing this ballad of liberation, he will soon evolve as one of the fastest rising stars on the pop music landscape.
The year is 1991; the place, New York City. Here we meet Johnny Elias, a college student from Brooklyn with boundless adoration for two things in life: timeless popular music, and the heart of a sweet, complicated young woman who is clearly out of his league.
Megan Price not only is the object of Johnny’s affection, but also the only daughter of New York’s most powerful PR woman: the indomitable Katherine Price.
Projecting that her daughter’s boyfriend will never live up to the family standard, Katherine cleverly perpetrates a series of duplicitous schemes to rid Johnny from her high-class world. But in her callous disregard, she inadvertently sets him on a determined course to his improbable musical destiny - while sending her own daughter spiraling down a path of devastation.
In November 2016 author Lonnie Ostrow’s debut novel, ‘Poet of the Wrong Generation’, was released. Shortly afterwards I was contacted by Lonnie himself to see whether I’d be interested in reviewing his novel. I liked the promising sound of the book and how the story almost sounded like a kind of ‘saga’ I couldn’t possibly miss out on. It took me a bit of time to finally pick up the novel, but before I did I was almost blown away by the numerous five-star reviews I found on Goodreads while doing some initial research. These reviews and positive words only made me more curious and eager to check out this read, so I was glad when I finally took the time to sit down with it several weeks ago….!
Set in New York in the early 1990s, ‘Poet of the Wrong Generation’ tells the story of college student Johnny Elias who lives in Brooklyn and has a big dream of performing his own songs to a large audience someday. With the heart and support of his girlfriend Megan Price, Johnny feels he doesn’t need much more, until Megan’s powerhouse mother Katherine decides Johnny is definitely not right for her daughter. With her efforts she manages to separate Megan and Johnny, but this also happens to be the start of Johnny’s promising music career… The question is, will music and fame really bring Johnny what he wants from life, or does it all mean nothing without the love of his life by his side?
Wow; you really don’t find a lot of books like this one anymore. At least I don’t! I don’t know exactly what Lonnie Ostrow did in his previous life, but he was obviously born to be a storyteller and his debut novel ‘Poet of the Wrong Generation’ is a wonderful example of this. The book tells the story of college student and musician Johnny Elias who dreams of becoming a famous star someday, especially with his girlfriend Megan by his side. However, different obstacles block their path to happiness, and as a reader we get to join Johnny on his way to stardom. I loved how this book seemed to combine it all; there’s a clear storyline focusing on the music industry and building up a music career, but at the same time there is also a great romance at the core of this book, and a focus on themes such as family, friendship and following your dreams.
The book has some great and fascinating characters at its centre. Main man Johnny is definitely the kind of guy you find yourself rooting for, and there’s also a good group of secondary characters that complement the story, especially Johnny’s best friend Andy and his girlfriend Jacqui. If I’m completely honest I did feel the book was really quite long (it has over 450 pages), and slightly too slow-paced at times. However, the fantastic writing definitely made up for this. All in all, ‘Poet of the Wrong Generation’ is an engaging and memorable novel about the ups and downs of the music business, family, love, friendship, finding yourself… Life in general, really. There’s something in this book for everyone, and it’s an incredibly promising debut novel. Lonnie Ostrow is a name to look out for, without a doubt.

Rating:9/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'The Killing of Polly Carter' by Robert Thorogood (2016)

When famous supermodel Polly Carter is found dead at the bottom of a cliff all signs point to suicide, but as the evidence continues to mount DI Richard Poole declares it to be a murder. Now, with a houseful of suspects Richard has to narrow the field and discover who the murderer is before it’s too late. At the same time his mother is arriving from England and throwing his whole perfectly ordered life into turmoil. Not only does she want to be involved in island life, but all signs are beginning to point to not all being right in Richard’s own family…something he cannot help but attempt to fix.

Several months ago I was part of quite a special blog tour. Some of you might be familiar with the BBC TV series 'Death in Paradise', which had a lot of viewers and has been quite the success. Robert Thorogood, the creator and writer of the series, decided to write several murder mystery novels based on the TV show and the first book, 'A Meditation on Murder' was released last year. Today I've got a repost of my review of the new second part of the series, 'The Killing of Polly Carter', to celebrate the paperback release of this great read!

The 'Death in Paradise' novels focus on Richard Poole, an English detective who is sent to the sunny Caribbean to lead a team of police people and solve murder cases over there. When famous supermodel Polly Carter is found dead at the bottom of a cliff, Richard and his team are asked to investigate whether it was a suicide or a murder. There are quite a number of suspects who might or not might have anything to do with Polly's suspicious death and it's up to Richard to make sense of it all. However, this turns out to be quite a challenge, especially when his mother decides to pay a visit to the Caribbean at the same time...

What a fantastic read! I straight away want to go out and buy the first part of this book series and want to watch all episodes of the BBC show, because this was a thoroughly convincing read and one I enjoyed so much more than I initially expected. Robert Thorogood is a great author with a distinctive writing style that held my attention throughout the whole book. I was taken in by the story from the first few pages and it really had me guessing until the very end, which is a great thing when reading a detective/murder mystery novel. It often happens that you can at least guess who did it or find out as the end nears, but this really still managed to surprise me until the last few chapters. 

I particularly liked the characters in the book. Main character Richard Poole is a true Englishman who loves tea and cold weather, and it was interesting to see how he adapts to life in the Caribbean, and how he deals with everything, like the murder case but also an unexpected visit from his mother. Richard has a great time with different personalities in the form of Camille, Dwayne, and Fidel, who all complement each other. The novel can definitely be read as a stand-alone, so even if you're not familiar with the other novel in this series or the TV show, it's still definitely worth picking up. This book made me wonder, guess, laugh, and I already can't wait for the next one. 'The Killing of Polly Carter' is a fantastic, well-written, gripping 'whodunnit'; a truly entertaining puzzle which I wanted to solve but also didn't want to end!
Rating:9,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Tour: 'Time to Say Goodbye' by S.D. Robertson (2016)

HOW DO YOU LEAVE THE PERSON YOU LOVE THE MOST?
Will Curtis's six-year-old daughter, Ella, knows her father will never leave her. After all, he promised her so when her mother died. And he's going to do everything he can to keep his word.
What Will doesn't know is that the promise he made to his little girl might be harder to keep than he imagined. When he's faced with an impossible decision, Will finds that the most obvious choice might not be the right one.
But the future is full of unexpected surprises. And father and daughter are about to embark on an unforgettable journey together…
I am really excited to be part of the wonderful blog tour for Avon's latest release, 'Time to Say Goodbye' written by S.D. Robertson, today! I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of the novel and after all the buzz created around this release, I was really curious to see whether the novel would manage to live up to expectations. There was one thing I knew for sure: I'd probably need some tissues while reading because the title, cover and blurb alone already almost made me shed a few tears! If you want to know more about this great new release, be sure to also visit some of the other stops on the blog tour in the upcoming days, starting with Laura's Little Book Blog tomorrow!
*The blurb of the book does not give too much away about the story inside. If you want to read the book without knowing much more about the story, it might be better to not read further, because my review already includes some more info on what happens in the book!*
'Time to Say Goodbye' tells the story of single father Will who would do anything to keep his six-year-old daughter Ella safe. After the death of his wife shortly after she gave birth to Ella, Will has tried to do everything on his own, promising Ella he will always be there for her, no matter what. But this soon turns out to be a promise Will can't possibly keep as he is hit by a car while on his way to pick up Ella from school; an accident Will doesn't survive. Will soon discovers he is now a spirit; he can't be seen by Ella or any other family members and the spirit realm expects him to pass over as soon as possible. But Will can't break his promise to be there for Ella that easily, so he's not quite ready yet to end his time on earth.
This was definitely an emotional read that made me tear up more than once! The plotline of the book reminded me at first of Hannah Beckermann's 'The Dead Wife's Handbook', which I read some time ago, but author S.D. Robertson certainly managed to give the storyline its own touch with twists I did not see coming. It was interesting to, for a change, read a book that's told from a male perspective; I immediately liked Will and his love for his daughter Ella was just heart-warming. I do not want to give too much away about the story, but it was fascinating, held my attention throughout, and quite surprising at times as well. 
The author's writing style was well-paced and really easy to fall into. There was something going on at all times and I didn't get bored by the story. There aren't too many characters in the novel, but the ones that are there, mainly Will and his family (particularly his cute daughter Ella, Will's parents and his sister), formed an interesting bunch. The relationship between a father and daughter is at the heart of this novel and it is quite simply a beautiful story. 'Time to Say Goodbye' is an engaging, heartfelt and stunning read; a book that deals with quite a heavy and emotional topic, but in a heart-warming and captivating way.

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'Six Months to Get a Life' by Ben Adams (2015)

Graham Hope had it all - a wife, two perfect children, a detached house in the suburbs and a huge TV. Until today. He now has an ex-wife, lives in his parents' spare room and gets the kids and the dog at weekends. He might be lost and lonely, but Graham is not a victim. Six months from today he will be forty-three. He vows to sort this mess out by his birthday. He gives himself six months to get a life. Will Graham play a meaningful role in his boys' lives? Will his mates take him under their wing? Will he move out of his childhood home? More importantly, will he ever have sex again? For Graham, failure is not an option.
I love chick lit. I love women's fiction. And I don't think I will ever get enough of these two genres. However, I do think it's important to switch it up a bit every now and again; try something new (as long as it won't make me feel all horrible and depressed, that's where I draw the line!). So, when I received an e-mail about 'Six Months to Get a Life', author Ben Adams' debut novel, I was straight away excited to check out a novel written by a male author and also told from a male perspective. I really liked the sound of the novel and looked forward to picking it up and giving it a chance.
Graham Hope is a newly divorced 42-year-old with two teenage sons who is trying to pick up his life now he is once again single and living with his parents. While he enjoys nothing more than spending time with his sons Jack and Sean, Graham knows he has to get back in the game and make something of his new life. He decides to give himself six months, until his 43rd birthday, to cross off several things on his to-do list, such as finding his own place to live and a job that he actually enjoys. He also decides to keep a diary during these six months, writing about his life and the changes he hopes to make before his next birthday.
I've seen some other readers labelling this novel as 'lad lit', which is a label I can definitely understand. Yet, with or without a label, 'Six Months to Get a Life' is a great read which I really enjoyed and definitely a promising debut by author Ben Adams. I really like the diary format for books; it provides the reader with a personal look into the protagonists life and in this case it's an easily likeable protagonist in the form of Graham Hope. I straight away warmed to Graham and his mission to change his life around within just six months (quite ambitious, if you ask me!) held my interest from start to finish. 
Ben Adams' writing style is really easy to read and flows well, with the occasional funny remark that managed to make me laugh out loud. The diary format of the book results in numerous relatively short entries/chapters, which makes this a great and easy read to pick up, whether you have only 10 minutes to read or an hour. Next to a great main character, the secondary characters all add something essential to the story as well, such as Graham's teenage sons Sean and Jack, his ex-wife, and his friends. Overall, 'Six Months to Get a Life' is a fun, entertaining and realistic story about a forty-something man trying to turn his life around in just six months; a promising debut novel that's worth picking up!

Rating:9/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'The Two of Us' by Andy Jones (2015)

Falling in love is the easy part. What matters most is what happens next...
Fisher and Ivy have been an item for a whole nineteen days. And they just know they are meant to be together. The fact that they know little else about each other is a minor detail. Over the course of twelve months, in which their lives will change forever, Fisher and Ivy discover that falling in love is one thing, but staying there is an entirely different story.
I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy of Andy Jones’ promising novel ‘The Two of Us’ a few months ago. The Kindle edition of the book was released by Simon & Schuster in February 2015 and the paperback version will follow on the 7th of May, and I think this is a release lots of people are quite excited about, including me! I mostly read fiction written by female authors, so I looked forward to picking up this one, a romantic novel written by a male author and with a male perspective! Since the Kindle release of 'The Two of Us' I've only heard positive things, so I definitely had my fingers crossed for an entertaining read!
Will Fisher and Ivy Lee have only known each other for a few weeks, but they find themselves in the middle of a whirlwind romance; completely crazy about each other and not really caring about anything else that's happening in the world around them. But then the excitement is suddenly taken away when, to Fisher's surprise, Ivy seems to lose interest. This is, however, just the start of twelve months in the lives of William and Ivy; filled with big changes, for the both of them, in which they will have to decide whether they want to tackle things together or go their separate ways.
I actually ended up starting and finishing this book in one day and that hardly ever happens to me. I instantly fell in love with Andy Jones' writing style, which is well-paced, flows easily and managed to hit me with the right emotions over and over again, from laughter to tears. I really enjoyed experiencing things from the perspective of the main male character, Fisher. He's a great guy; down-to-earth, crazy about a girl and trying to figure out what it is she wants and what he himself wants. All characters were really well-drawn, though, and realistic. I personally didn't particularly warm to Ivy, who is quite a complex character, but this definitely didn't stop me from enjoying the book. 
I liked the fact that there was a focus on the romance side of the story, but also a focus on the friendship between Fisher and his best friend El, who is suffering from Huntington's disease. This part of the book was incredibly touching to read and just heart-breaking in places. I don't want to give too much away about what happens in the book, but it deals with some contemporary and realistic topics in a moving and convincing way. This novel is actually a follow-up to Andy Jones' 'Girl 99', but can undoubtedly be read as a stand-alone. Overall, 'The Two of Us' is a touching, addictive and honest love story that will make you both laugh out loud and shed a few tears; a truly enjoyable read that is certainly worth picking up!

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'One Night in Winter' by Simon Sebag Montefiore (2014)

If your children were forced to testify against you, what terrible secrets would they reveal?
Moscow 1945. As Stalin and his courtiers celebrate victory over Hitler, shots ring out. On a nearby bridge, a teenage boy and girl lie dead.
But this is no ordinary tragedy and these are no ordinary teenagers, but the children of Russia's most important leaders who attend the most exclusive school in Moscow.
Is it murder? A suicide pact? Or a conspiracy against the state?
Directed by Stalin himself, an investigation begins as children are arrested and forced to testify against their friends - and their parents. This terrifying witch-hunt soon unveils illicit love affairs and family secrets in a hidden world where the smallest mistakes will be punished with death.
Thanks to the lovely Najma at Random House I received the opportunity to read and review Simon Sebag Montefiore’s latest release, ‘One Night in Winter.’ The book definitely does not fit into the genre chick lit, but occasionally it’s good to step away from what you know and try new genres! Besides, Simon Sebag Montefiore’s non-fiction works have been incredibly well-received and as an author he has received numerous awards over the past few years. Enough reasons to get me curious and excited about picking up ‘One Night in Winter’!
It’s 1945, the Second World War has ended, and Andrei Kurbsky and his mother have returned from their exile in Stalinabad, ready to build up a new life in Moscow. Andrei has earned himself a spot at School 801, the top school of Russia where the children of present and future leaders go. It doesn’t take long before Andrei starts making friends. He develops a crush on the most popular girl in school named Serafima, and is asked to join the Fatal Romantics Club, a group of students who like to re-enact plays by famous Russian author Eugene Onegin. However, when two of the students who were part of this club are found dead, the lives of both Andrei and Serafima are turned upside down. The investigation into the murders shows that whatever you say or do might be used against you, your family, and your friends, and no one can be trusted...
‘One Night in Winter’ is based on actual events, namely the Children’s Case of 1943 when two children of high-ranked Russian officials died during a shooting. This makes the book a fascinating mix of both non-fictional and fictional elements, and since the author clearly knows a tremendous amount about Russian history he manages to convey these images of the past onto paper in an amazingly captivating way. The story focuses on a range of characters from different backgrounds and different ages, both teenagers and their parents, each of them with their own story to tell. I personally especially enjoyed Serafima’s tale, but the entire mix of storylines was really fascinating and made me want to keep on reading.
I didn’t know much about 1945 Russia, but this didn’t stop me from understanding and enjoying the story. Enough background information is given and the central aspects in the novel: love, friendship, literature, ideals; those are all universal and readers will be able to relate to them. ‘One Night in Winter’ is a captivating, intense and compelling read and an intriguing combination of historical fiction, thriller, and romance. A book that managed to surprise me, and one I will remember for quite some time to come! Rating:

        7,5/10
For more information about this book: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads    Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'Forgive Me' by Lesley Pearse (2013)

Eva Patterson's life is forever altered by the devastating discovery of her mother, Flora, dead in the bath leaving only a note: 'Forgive Me'.

 

Until Flora's suicide, Eva's world had been secure - but overnight everything changes. For when Flora leaves Eva a London artist's studio in her will, she finds her mother had a secret past.

In the studio's attic are Flora's paintings and diaries, and Eva learns her mother was a popular artist in the swinging sixties. Eva's hunt for answers uncovers clues to a shocking crime which led Flora to hide her past.

But will discovering the truth destroy Eva's belief in everything she holds dear? And will this journey lead her and those she loves into danger?

Lesley Pearse is one of the UK’s bestselling female fiction authors and has released 21 novels up to this day. Even though I had heard of Lesley Pearse before, I had never read any of her novels. So, when the lovely Sophie from EDPR contacted me about a review copy of ‘Forgive Me’, Lesley Pearse’s latest novel which was released on the 15th of August, I immediately grabbed the chance to be introduced to this bestselling author’s work!

‘Forgive Me’ starts with Flora Patterson planning and executing her own death. Eva, Flora’s oldest daughter, finds her mother a few hours later, death in the bathtub, with just a simple note that says ‘Forgive me.’ This event turns Eva’s world upside down, but it seems it is just the beginning. Eva discovers the man she considered her father is not her father at all, and unexpectedly she inherits her mother’s secret artist’s studio in London. This is the start of Eva’s journey to not only find out what her mother was hiding from her family for all those years and why she eventually felt she couldn’t deal with it all any longer, but also to discover who she is and which people around her she can truly trust.

This novel was a very emotional, gripping and addictive read. From the first few pages, I was already absorbed by the story and especially wondering what could have driven Flora to take such a drastic decision as committing suicide, leaving her family and everything behind just like that. The story is set in the early 1990’s and told from the perspective of Eva, Flora’s oldest daughter; a character that goes through a lot and by the end of the book she has matured and transformed as a person. I really enjoyed reading about Eva’s journey, and everything she discovers in the places she visits (the novel is mainly set in Cheltenham, London and Scotland), not only about her mother, but also about herself. Next to Eva, Lesley Pearse introduces numerous other characters, but she manages to describe each and every single one of them in close detail (I had no trouble envisaging all of them in my head) and giving them a specific essential role in the story line.

The novel is incredibly fast-paced, which is something I personally really enjoyed. It made me want to keep on reading, because with every chapter something new and unexpected would happen, especially since the story includes quite a few twists and turns along the way! The book deals with some quite intense issues, and towards the end I have to admit some of the events were a bit too much drama for my personal liking. However, ‘Forgive Me’ is a thoroughly gripping, emotional and fast-paced novel which you will not want to put down, and a novel that shows why Lesley Pearse continues to be one of the UK’s bestselling female authors! 

 

Rating:8/10