Review - The Good Liar by Laura Caldwell

This was a win from The Book Depository. It is from the wins as you would surmise that I get such a wide range of reading material as I would never have access to so many genres out here in Sri Lanka. For this I am eternally grateful.

Kate recently divorced, vulnerable and lonely is set up on a date by her best friend Liza. Michael is seventeen years older but from the first moment on the chemistry seems magical and within a short period Kate and Michael are married.Unbeknown to Kate, Michael has a rather colorful history. He is a spy, a professional marksmen, someone who has murdered for his country and all this is unknown to Kate.

The story unravels slowly - with many twists and turns. Michael wants to get out of the organization which has held him so tightly but finds it almost impossible to do so. The ramifications of getting out are as big as getting in and seem insurmountable. Kate is bewildered as she feels Michael has many secrets which she is unaware of but no amount of imagination prepares Kate for Michael's past.

Caldwell keeps the story at a high level of tension throughout. Though the story unravels slowly you unmistakably feel that every turn of the page is going to bring you something different and even more complicated than before. This was a nice Friday evening read which I really needed after a hard working week.

Review - The Last Christian by David Gregory

This was a win from Deb - I have said several times on this blog that I am not partial to paranormal, sci fiction, vampires so why I entered for this I wouldn't know. I am so very glad I did - it took me completely out of my comfort zone and plonked me in something totally alien to me (and I loved it). I finished this in record time once I got going on it last night and am delighted I got the opportunity to read this fascinating book.

Abby born and bred amongst the Inisi tribe in Papua New Guinea through complicated circumstances arrives in America to a land and people totally alien to her in every way. Born to missionary parents Abby is Christian to her core and comes to a land where religion is considered a rather quaint antique of times past. Humans integrate through a pattern of virtual reality rather than physically meeting up and the development of the first transhuman is taking place.

It sounded daunting at this point but I persevered. Abby feels that God has sent her to America to carry out the spirit of missionary work in a land where religion is alien. Abby is confused, angry and questioning of the American public and their refusal to accept God into their lives.

Add to this story twists where people try to eliminate Abby and all she stands for as she stands in the way of their own programmes.

The importance of eternal life as a human as against Abby's version of eternal life with God are the points which emerged from the story. Whether man's overwhelming need to extend the natural life of a human being with the aid of technology is going to override the need for spiritual salvation for human kind? A question we could also ponder over.

A very interesting read - one which held me enthralled from beginning to end. Nice to see which way humanity will go. The other good thing that emerged from this read is that it makes me much more partial to more of this genre in the future.

Review - Twelve Times Blessed by Jacquelyn Mitchard

The blurb talks about love the second time around and this was quite true of the story.

A young widow 43 years old, successful in business with a six year old son who is the apple of her eye, not looking actively for love and quite content meets a much younger man and in a whirlwind gets married to him all within a week!!

The story spread over one year and divided by chapters into the months of the year was charming. The story is romantic and also descriptive - the relationships that exist both on

True's side as well as Hank's are close, supportive and part of the story. This extended family both in real terms as well as True's business colleagues is something that is very often absent in stories set in the West. There is so much independence of spirit that is admired and flaunted that families tend to sometimes take a back seat. In this story the extended families are very evident and are very much the story as well.

I enjoyed this book - a simple, love story with a twist (as usual) of an unusual family.

Review - Lady of the Roses by Sandra Worth

The book having as its background the bloody War of the Roses is also a story of the House of Neville and the love story between Isobel and John Neville. At a time when marriages specially for the aristocracy was mainly one of convenience, and adding to a family's wealth Isobel was always aware that she was one of the lucky ones who was able to marry whom she loved.

In a period where little of the story can be authenticated, the story of Isobel is heart warming. A wife and a mother steadfast and supportive of her husband to the end, against difficult circumstances - the typical good times and in bad - form the bulk of the story. The background of the Warwicks and the role of Kingmaker that Warwick played is also part of the story. Isobel by her birth is central to the period - on every side she is related to both sides of the struggle and places her in difficult positions whenever there is a change of ruler.

A light novel of historical fiction, very well written which will appeal to all.

Mailbox Monday

My first book for this Mailbox was a win from Debbie at debs book bag. The Last Christian deals with futuristic scifi (2088) with combining mans quest for eternal life with God's gift of everlasting life.



I am not very keen on sci fiction type of reading but am looking forward to this book. I also think it is time I got out of my comfort zone reading wise and got into things which I am a bit hazy about . My reading has been almost zero on this type of subject so I am very keen to read this book and come back to you with a review.





Twelve Times Blessed by Jacquelyn Mitchard was a gift from my daughter. The blurb says "A warm and moving novel of love second time around". That would be interesting I am sure.


The story spread over one year deals with a woman trying to balance responsibilities of family with feelings of the heart. I have enjoyed stories which are compartmentalized into days or months before so will enjoy this book I am sure.







The last one Lady of the Roses (also from my daughter) by Sandra Worth is one I have been eyeing for some time. I like historical fiction very much but there is so much of it around and all good and getting the latest is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. This was a really lucky find for me. Her latest book looks wonderful but that will have to wait and I will have to be happy with this one.

The book dealing with the war of the roses and Isobel and John Neville whose enduring love carries them through a very tumultuous period of English history.




I am lucky that over the last couple of months I have had access to such varied reading. Some months are not so! I also like to mix genres - do other readers feel the way I do. Looking forward to everyone else's Mailboxes!

Review - Hot House Flower by Margot Berwin

This was a win from Raging Bibliomania and a very unusual read for me. Coming from the tropics some of the plants were a bit more familiar to me than it may be for other readers. Despite that it was an unusual read.

I do not go in for fantasy at all and this is bordering on it in a way in which an absolute novice to the fantasy game could appreciate. It may actually pave the way for me to pick up another book in a similar vein.

A 32 year old divorcee is looking for these rare plants in Mexico. She is also very susceptible to love and is very open to the idea of finding a new partner. She is lonely. Add to that plant robbers, the mysticism of plants and plant lore, the ideas that plants are living beings who actually feel and can scream (whilst being uprooted) and a wild goose chase across the Yucatan to find these missing plants and you have the gist of the story.

The story has mystery, murder, romance, sexual tensions galore all mixed into one book. A
light read not quite chick lit but fitting this into a category is hard.

On a non book note I am still trying to catch up on work - orphanage work still in arrears. I did a quick visit once again today taking with me stuff for six girls to start training in needlework and machine embroidery. There were all sorts of thread, needles, hoops, embroidery scissors, tapes and fabric. Then we started special English classes for the older girls and they needed a whiteboard and pens and papers. Managed to buy it all and I was determined to take it so that a start could be made on Monday itself. The sooner the girls are trained for the local job market the better life would be for all of them.

First day of the weekend gone!

Review - The Leopard Unleashed by Elizabeth Chadwick

This was a win from An ecletic reader.

Renard heir to Ravenstow comes back from Antioch with an exotic dancing girl Olwen whom he is addicted to. Coming back to an ailing father and strife in the Welsh land of his birth he is also faced with his long time fiancee Elene - an absolute contrast to the striking Olwen and someone whom he has to marry as it is more or less a political alliance. Something Renard does not look forward to.

The story revolves around the constant war for supremacy amongst the highlands with each clan trying to gain the upper hand and control of the land. The conflicts are constant and bloody. Interspersed with this is the relationships which Renard tries to keep separate - the one with his wife and the other with his mistress.

After being taken prisoner during a skirmish and being rescued subsequently Renard realises with pleasant surprise that his mild, timid Elene is stronger than she appears and that Olwen his magnificient mistress is malevolent and all the time only looking out for her self whereas his wife is protective of his own interests at anytime.

This is light historical fiction. It also dealt with a period of history which I was not familiar with and which unlike the Tudors or the Regency period has not been done over to death. It was fresh and interesting.