tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171378462024-03-19T16:39:20.618+13:00A Novelist SpeaksHave you ever noticed how the good things start with the letter S? Sex, scuba diving, sleep, single malt and Saturdays. This blog is all about the good things in life, of course. As a writer, however, I blog mostly about books.Yvonne Eve Walushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040752476245534744noreply@blogger.comBlogger809125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-7918170978239945512024-03-13T23:33:00.004+13:002024-03-13T23:33:52.446+13:00Book Trailer - The Wrong Girl Check it out here.Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-330459520582792382024-03-10T16:16:00.002+13:002024-03-10T16:16:24.340+13:00The Hidden Life of Cecily LarsonIf you don't know the work of Ellen Baker yet, you're in for a treat. "The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson" uses the author's signature prose to paint a powerful tale of love across four generations. Call it a family saga, call it historical fiction, as long as you also call it your next read.There's so much to love about this book! The words, the world, the warmth. This book might make you cry, it Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-78950349621506830952024-01-21T17:21:00.006+13:002024-01-21T17:21:32.595+13:00Cassandra Complex / Cassandra in Reverse by Holly SmaleThese are the things I didn't know before I started writing this blog:"Cassandra Complex" and "Cassandra in Reverse" by Holly Smale are the same book. I was hoping it was a series, but nope.Holly Smale, the author of said Cassandra books, is not the authour of "The Rosie Project" trilogy - that's Graeme Simsion. My mistake, but a fortuitous one."Cassandra Complex" is a Reese's Book Club Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-56351441511606850572024-01-21T17:06:00.006+13:002024-01-21T17:06:46.823+13:00Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett "Eye of the Needle" by Ken Follett is one of the best spy thrillers I've ever read. It's right up the with The Day of the Jackal" by Frederick Forsyth - which, okay, stricktly speaking doesn't feature spies. What's interesting in both these books is that the plot hinges on events that have already happened, and yet the books manage to keep you biting your nails through the night as you read Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-59978231248119307552024-01-21T16:54:00.005+13:002024-01-21T16:54:45.235+13:00Christmas Presents by Lisa UngerI love Lisa Unger's fiction, and her novella "Christmas Presents" was no exception. I read it just before Christmas (apologies I'm only blogging it now, but it's been a wonderful and busy holiday season), and can I just say to my favourite authors out there that writing an annual Christmas novella is an excellent idea....This one has a podcaster, a cold case, and beautiful Christmas presents thatYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-88932363290475310882024-01-21T16:46:00.004+13:002024-01-21T16:46:49.229+13:00A Stroke of the Pen by Terry Pratchett"A Stroke of the Pen" by Terry Pratchett is a collection of his early stories published under a pen name in various newspapers and magazines. They are full of magic trees and dragons, and while the style may not be as polished as in "Night Watch", the author's voice is definitely him.Speaking of voices, what makes the audio book extra special is that the stories are read by people like DavidYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-58740457566012406032024-01-21T16:00:00.001+13:002024-01-21T16:00:04.953+13:00Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult"Leaving Time" by Jodi Picoult is a novel about mourning, memories, mothers and - yes - elephants. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, it will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.Is it sad in parts? Yes. Is it uplifting? Yes.Is it enjoyable? Immensely. Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-964793655161715152023-11-19T20:54:00.004+13:002023-11-19T20:54:34.929+13:00Starter Villain by John ScalziI love John Scalzi's sci fi books, and "Starter Villain" is no exception. Expect Scalzi's on-brand humour, adventure, fast-moving twisty action, and characters you can't help but root for. In addition, you will find cats, dolphins, trillions of dollars, and an island of secrets. This book ticks all the boxes.Blurb:Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-34123875923234383102023-11-19T20:47:00.002+13:002023-11-19T20:47:13.626+13:00The Spy Coast by Tess GerritsenI love the premise of retired CIA operatives getting involved in solving crimes again. A bit like the movie RED, The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen is a rollercoaster - both fun and thrilling. There are two timelines (with the events in the past shedding light on what's happening in the present).Immensely readable, with quirky lovable characters. This is the first book in the Martini Club Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-59222429631793838362023-11-13T15:19:00.003+13:002023-11-13T15:19:30.064+13:00"The Secret" by Lee Child (kind of)"The Secret" is the latest Jack Reacher instalment by the brotherly Child duo. I must say, I'm really grateful to Andrew (real surname Grant) for continuing the series. I'm a true Reacher fan, and I love spending time in his company. The books are extremely well written and well plotted, and I can't help thinking that hey, I'm sure there are other brothers in that brood, maybe each and every one Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-83362033725416121802023-11-13T15:06:00.002+13:002023-11-13T15:06:32.778+13:00Small Great ThingsOkay, this post is about Jodi Picoult's books. It's also about "Small Great Things" in particular - which is fantastic, so please read it - but in context of all her books.Jodi Picoult's books are all topical and thought-provoking... and before you yawn and browse on, they are also immensely readable. You get invested in the characters, you get curious about the story, and when you turn the last Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-22702637384925751722023-11-13T14:51:00.004+13:002023-11-13T14:51:28.204+13:00What Remains by Wendy WalkerI truly enjoy this author's books. "What Remains" is no exception - you get a solid twisty plot, relatable characters, and prose that keeps you seamlessly engaged. This is my second Wendy Walker, and I'm diving deeper into the backlist.Blurb:Detective Elise Sutton is drawn to cold cases. Each crime is a puzzle to solve, pulled from the past. Elise looks for cracks in the surface and has become anYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-8662956464318615932023-09-17T22:03:00.003+12:002023-09-17T22:03:26.933+12:00A Game of Lies"A Game of Lies" by Clare Mackintosh is the second in her Walsh Detective Ffion Morgan series. I love Clare's writing style, I love the setting, I love her characters, and - most of all - I love this twisty plot.Blurb:Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they've signed up for.Each of these strangers has a secret. If another player can guess the truth, Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-48991680374098980042023-09-17T21:58:00.001+12:002023-09-17T21:58:19.041+12:00Titanium NoirSo, "Titanium Noir". Reading it I kept forgetting it's by Nick Harkaway, because the SF whodunnit flavour made me think of John Scalzi's "Locked In" series. This is what you need to know:It's really good.It's smaller than the author's "Gone away world" - also easier to figure out what's going on.It's a fun book.It'll make you think.BlurbCal Sounder is a detective working for the police on certainYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-57373397305976233742023-08-29T01:28:00.007+12:002023-08-29T01:28:46.921+12:00Ripper by Shelley BurrRipper by Shelley Burr is a worthy sequel to WAKE. Well written, twisty, a page turner almost impossible to put down. Lane Holland is fast becoming my favourite book person, I hope to continue getting to know him in future instalments. Blurb:Gemma Guillory knows her once-charming town is now remembered for one reason, and one reason only.That three innocent people died. That the last stop onYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-61892911394684415122023-08-24T23:41:00.004+12:002023-08-24T23:41:54.105+12:00"Klara and the Sun" by Kazuo Ishiguro"Klara and the Sun" by Kazuo Ishiguro is speculative fiction book that delves into the nuances of what near future could bring. Set in a future both familiar and fantastical, the story centers around Klara, an Artificial Friend designed with exceptional observational skills. Through her eyes we discover a world where technology meets human emotion in unexpected ways.Ishiguro's novel is a timely Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-13679686372684768682023-08-24T23:18:00.006+12:002023-08-24T23:18:31.220+12:00Only the Beautiful by Susan MeissnerI was captivated by the narrative created by Susan Meissner in "Only the Beautiful". The novel weaves together the lives of two women, separated by time and circumstance, yet bound by an unbreakable thread of courage and determination.Set against the backdrop of California in 1938 and Austria in 1947, the story introduces us to Rosanne, a young woman whose life takes a heart-wrenching turn. Her Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-74833264414596213202023-07-03T21:23:00.005+12:002023-07-03T21:23:44.496+12:00With My Little Eye I! Love! Joshilyn! Jackson! And! I! Love! Her! Books! More!That's all you really need to know. But okay, some of the things I valued about "With my little eye" were:the beautiful prosethe quirky, super-interesting charactersthe heart-tugging plotdid I mention the prose?Read it already :-)For those who need a blurb:It started with the letters…For actress Meribel Mills, disturbing fan mail isYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-87022698568565252542023-06-13T18:26:00.003+12:002023-06-13T18:26:27.159+12:00I asked Chat GPT to review one of my books...So I've been binging Chat GPT. No, not to write books (thanks to a super-informative workshop organised by International Thriller Writers I know what legal mess that would end up being), but to compose a corporate-speaky email that needs to be tactful when I need to be ranting, or to find a fresh new way of saying "thank you for inviting me to be bitten my mosquitos for three days while Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-5783998273973292922023-06-13T17:39:00.006+12:002023-06-13T17:39:52.631+12:00The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesI thought long and hard whether to read "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", the prequel to the Hunger Games Trilogy. Prequels are tricky. You have to maintain the voice and the mood, you have to offer something original but the same, you can't introduce inconsistencies or create paradoxes. So, I've just finished reading it, and really, really liked it. The voice. The mood. The originality Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-81459901252735060892023-06-13T17:23:00.007+12:002023-06-13T17:23:46.693+12:00The maid"The Maid" by Nita Prose is a delight. The protagonist is an even more endearing version of Eleanor Oliphant, the plot is a cosy murder mystery, and the prose elegant. What will keep you glued to the book till the very end is the compelling character journey. Her vulnerability and determination make the reader root for her as she navigates the treacherous waters of the neurotypicalYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-55353936440671931322023-03-24T13:00:00.001+13:002023-03-24T13:00:00.231+13:00Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan "Mad Honey" by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is the best thing I read in the first quarter of 2023. It's the type of book that you read fast but reflect on slowly. It's the type of book you want to start again as soon as you turn the last page.In equal measures a domestic suspense novel and high concept women's fiction, it's a winner in every category.Blurb:Olivia McAfee knows what it Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-29666608049699559882023-03-24T12:30:00.004+13:002023-03-24T12:30:00.221+13:00I will find you by Harlan Coben"I will find you", a domestic thriller by Harlan Coben, has it all: the characters, the plot, the pace, the heart. If it's your first Coben, it won't be the last. If you're a fan, you'll love the familiar author's voice spinning a totally brand-new story.@Harlan, you've delivered again. Thank you for the amazing read.Blurb:David Burroughs was once a devoted father to his three-year-old son Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-31739567996206562772023-03-23T16:22:00.004+13:002023-03-23T16:22:15.687+13:00This is how I lied"This is how I lied" by Heather Gudenkauf is a page-turner. Beautiful prose, complex characters, twisty plot. Or is it complext plot and twisty characters? You be the judge. Definitely a must-read.Blurb:Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. ThereYvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17137846.post-82427401477203440502023-01-23T15:16:00.002+13:002023-01-23T15:16:26.107+13:00Exiles by Jane HarperExiles is the third in the Aaron Falk series, and the fifth Jane Harper thriller. In a word: brilliant.If you need a few more words, glad to oblige. Jane's writing voice is both lyrically poetic (what I call "beautiful words") and able to carry the narrative forward. The plot is fricking AWESOME, and I loved the twists and turns of the story. Rich in characterisation and imagery, Exiles (Yvonne Evehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02346854382911332087noreply@blogger.com0