Emma's Bookish Lifestyle

With a glorious summer being experienced here in the UK it has meant the ability to appreciate the fine weather and a good book, so here are the books I have read and reviewed this month have included: Those books I am part way through reading and hope to conclude in the early part of September are: Well August is almost at an end and September and the darker days draw ever nearer, with that comes fantastic book weather, sitting in your favourite reading spot with a warm drink and a snack.   For me that is generally curled up on my sofa under a blanket with one of my dogs, a warm glass of blackcurrant and some crisps with dip. So you may well ask what am I hoping to read in September:

I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to review this book and have rated this 5 stars.  I have never read anything by Paula McLain however, after reading this book I have added her title “The Paris Wife” about Ernest Hemingway’s first wife to my pile. This book is a work of historical fiction however, most of the characters are based around real people and both pictures and further information on them can be found on the internet and through other works of fiction and non-fiction. It is not necessary to have read “Out of Africa”to enjoy this book however, having read it, if you enjoyed this you may wish add this title to your list. "We must leave our mark on life while we have it in our power" - Karen Blixen The beginning of this book opens with beautifully atmospheric and descriptive writing on the main character Beryl’s preparations and take off for a record attempt at being the first women to fly the Europe to Atlantic route.  Before tra...

A stunning debut, so clearly a 5*, faster plot, more intensity and page turning than The Girl on the Train this thriller had me finding any spare minute to pick it up. How would you feel if your daughter is returned to you by policemen with no real explanation and no memory of what has happened? This story follows a weaving plot of twists involving interconnecting families and a group of friends so gripping, you just want to get the the conclusion. The writing is great and flows at a fast pace in short chapters following Sophie, her mother Karen and the introduction to DI Wade and DCI Mack (don't ever make them a love thang just saying dry wit and stealthy problem solving is all they need). For a first novel I am loathe to compare but found it hard not to with the praise of GotT. Unlike that book I didn't take an instant dislike to all the characters , at times your lulled into false security with some characters and with others you get a niggling feelin...

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko by Scott Stambach My Rating: 4 stars ** Please note that the Arc copy of this book was received through NetGalley for a true and honest review ** This book is written in the first person in regard to a 17 year old boy called Ivan who has grown up in an asylum for gravely ill children, it is implied that he and his fellow residents are all suffering from the after effects of Chernobyl which took place in 1986 and continued to effect this and near by villages with Radiation poisoning as this went into food and water supplies in that area. The catastrophic impact of this event although not eagerly confirmed by the Russian government is that there was an increase in both deformities, health issues and cancer in the people residing near this event. I would have liked this to have been fleshed out at the beginning of the book to give some explanation to those who may not be aware of this event (as I believe this is meant for a YA audience...

My rating: 4 stars This book was read as part of a YouTube readalong with Jen Campbell (@aeroplanegirl)  and is ongoing until the end of August 2016. Well I have just completed reading this and I have to say it is  far from the hearts and roses pastel Disney version most  readers grew up with as a child and would an ticipate.  To be honest at 41 you may be wondering  why I chose to  read this book and it is for two reasons,  primarily I wanted to extend my reading of classics and  secondly take part in my first YouTube readalong hosted by  Jen C ampbell during August 2016.  I am in no way literary far  from  it and trying to write this  review is somewhat reminiscent of my misplaced education. Despite both loving reading assignments and writing fiction  (of a loose sort) in my brain I am not a deep thinker to the  intricacies put before me in some writte...

My rating: 2 of 5 stars **I am providing a true and honest review for Creataspace as this book was received via NetGalley** This book is due to be published in e-book on 23rd November 2016. The premise of this book and the cover was what drew me initially to this book. The authors writing style is light and easy to read but I have differing thoughts on the storyline. The first half of this book was a quick read for me it introduced the character of Adbulla to us and how he lost his wife and unborn child due to a road accident, it also described well the idea of living on a family compound in Qatar and the restrictive nature or the way the Men and Women live and celebrate (often apart) as well as the Qatar method of marriage. When we are first introduced to Abdulla his life has been devastated with grief and survivors remorse. The loss of his wife Fatima not only impacts however on his life but also on that of his sister in law Luluwa whose father leaves her mother for ano...

Hi guys so here is my August TBR so far reviews will follow shortly. ARC Copies received for a true and honest review: Readalong with Jen Campbell on YouTube during August: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-0RXoExCKE Currently reading to be completed this month in readiness of 3rd book in trilogy: