Two brothers are at the centre of Rooney's latest offering. Peter is a lawyer, thirty-two. Ivan is his younger brother, ten years his junior. Peter isTwo brothers are at the centre of Rooney's latest offering. Peter is a lawyer, thirty-two. Ivan is his younger brother, ten years his junior. Peter is a ladies' man, who parties hard. But he's also depressed and anxious. He doesn't get his chess genius brother. Ivan feels disdain and thinks Peter doesn't care about him. In short, their relationship is tenuous.
Rooney masterfully unpeels and unwraps personalities, human flaws, motivations and people's ineptitude when it comes to communication.
Despite not being that keen on the narrator, I ended up feeling invested in the brothers' lives and what happened to their relationships with each other and with others around them....more
I gave this twice a chance to impress me as so many people I know call this a favourite. My second time, I made it to 6 hrs but was in agony when I sawI gave this twice a chance to impress me as so many people I know call this a favourite. My second time, I made it to 6 hrs but was in agony when I saw I had 10 hrs to go, so I decided to call it quits.
To me, this is just too long and it's bogged down in too many technical and space details, I know, how dare it when it's about space, spaceships etc (Sarcasm), but I got bored.
I will chalk this down to "it's not you, it's me" and I tried, I truly did. :-)...more
This short story was my first taste of Anthony Marra's writing. The Lion's Den is excellent, even reluctant short story readers will find it satisfyingThis short story was my first taste of Anthony Marra's writing. The Lion's Den is excellent, even reluctant short story readers will find it satisfying, as it had enough detail, self-exploration and depth. I thought the ending was outstanding.
Highly recommended
Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories for the eARC.
Merged review:
This short story was my first taste of Anthony Marra's writing. The Lion's Den is excellent, even reluctant short story readers will find it satisfying, as it had enough detail, self-exploration and depth. I thought the ending was outstanding.
Highly recommended
Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories for the eARC....more
The Weddings was the fourth short story I read from the Amazon Original Stories.
It is a competently written short-story, albeit I didn't feel as i3.5
The Weddings was the fourth short story I read from the Amazon Original Stories.
It is a competently written short-story, albeit I didn't feel as invested or captivated by it as it was the case with the previous three short stories I read.
Fourty something Korean American gay man feels like a fish out of water, as many of his gay friends and acquaintances are getting married, following the relatively recent legalisation of same-sex marriage.
When he's invited to an old college friend's wedding, memories resurface from his twenties. Will a certain chapter in his past close and will he be able to move on?
While this was not my favourite story, it was still well worth my time.
I've received this via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
Merged review:
3.5
The Weddings was the fourth short story I read from the Amazon Original Stories.
It is a competently written short-story, albeit I didn't feel as invested or captivated by it as it was the case with the previous three short stories I read.
Fourty something Korean American gay man feels like a fish out of water, as many of his gay friends and acquaintances are getting married, following the relatively recent legalisation of same-sex marriage.
When he's invited to an old college friend's wedding, memories resurface from his twenties. Will a certain chapter in his past close and will he be able to move on?
While this was not my favourite story, it was still well worth my time.
I've received this via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review....more
I've received this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the opportunity to read aI've received this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review.
Some novels strike too close to home, and this was definitely one of those. Isabel is a 40 something-year-old teacher, who's grieving the loss of her best friend, Josie. Isabel finds it difficult to move on. Josie had been an important part of her life for the past 15 years. Meanwhile, her 15 year marriage to Chris is falling apart. Her pre-teen daughter, Hannah, suddenly can't stand the sight of her mum. Everything is disintegrating around Isabel.
This was an incredibly well-written, compelling, touching and extremely realistic novel. Lauren Fox's writing style is absolutely exquisite. The story is told in a non-linear way, with flashbacks that are seamlessly integrated.
The characters in this novel are very credible and fully formed. Isabel is a likeable and very relatable character.
I can't come up with a review to do justice to this little jewel. I dare say that women of a certain age will get Isabel. I certainly did.
Looking forward to reading more by Lauren Fox, because I just loved her writing style....more
Amy Wheeler is a young woman working as a private security officer, currently protecting a famous mysteRichard Osman's new series doesn't disappoint.
Amy Wheeler is a young woman working as a private security officer, currently protecting a famous mystery writer. Discovering that Amy herself is a target, she takes her protege, Rosio D'Antonio and they flee. Their adventures are only beginning.
The other main character is Steve Wheeler, Amy's father-in-law, a retired widowed policeman. Amy enlists his help as things become more complex.
While this new novel didn't make me guffaw like the first two in the Thursday Murder Club, I enjoyed the ride to different locations around the world and learnt a bit more about the world of money launderers.
The wonderful Nicola Walker narrated this audiobook. Truthfully, having a male voice narrating the male characters would have been nice, nevertheless, listening to this audiobook was quite enjoyable. Looking forward to the next one....more
4.5 Trying this new Myers novel was a last attempt to see if his writing will grow on me.
Rare Singles has at its centre Bucky Bronco, a seventy-year-ol4.5 Trying this new Myers novel was a last attempt to see if his writing will grow on me.
Rare Singles has at its centre Bucky Bronco, a seventy-year-old Chicago man, recently widowed, down on his luck, barely making it through the day. He was invited to Scarborough, United Kingdom, to sing songs he had composed and recorded when he was seventeen. He's got nothing better to do, he's paid for a week in England and this will be his first time on a plane and in another country.
Dinah is a middle-aged cashier at a supermarket, a huge fan of Bucky's and soul music in general. She's the one picking him up from the airport and getting him to places. She also explains to incredulous Bucky how important his singles are to her and not only.
Myers characterisations are masterful, with real, flawed people, but plenty is good about them.
This is a story about grief, second chances, and the power of music, with kindness at its centre. I was completely under this short novel's spell and became invested in the characters' lives.
I would be remiss not to mention Danny Sapani's masterful narration....more
Nosy Neighbours is about a bunch of neighbours coming together to fight a common enemy.
The two main characters are Kat, a twenty something, pink-haireNosy Neighbours is about a bunch of neighbours coming together to fight a common enemy.
The two main characters are Kat, a twenty something, pink-haired, tattooed young woman, ad Dorothy, a seventy-seven former English teacher who's unfriendly, outspoken and has lived in the building the longest.
It turns out, that nobody is as they seem, they all have baggage, have experienced grief and misfortune.
This is a novel about unlikely friendships, mending the past and starting over....more
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