Book review: The Radleys

The Radleys by Matt Haig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up The Radleys as I always like to read about family life and how other families are dysfunctional as mine!

I had a very pleasant surprise when I started reading this book! I really enjoyed how from the outside, the Radleys looked like your average 2.4 children type family, but were actually hiding a dark secret, even from their own children. They are a family of abstaining vampires! This isn’t a spoiler as it says it on the back of the book, but I hadn’t read the blurb so had quite a shock when I realised what their secret was! I think this says more about me than the book!

The book is very much focussed around the revelation to the two teenage Radleys of the reason why they are so different to their peers and are so lethargic and have an aversion to garlic. An event in the story means that their parents can no longer keep it a secret from them that they are vampires and we follow them as they come to terms with their true background and meet with their uncle who is an outcast from the family.

I really liked that this book was so grounded in reality and as a reader I didn’t have to learn about a whole new world as vampirism just seemed normal. The story was well paced and a different take on the traditional dysfunctional family story. I also liked that this didn’t feel like a clichéd vampire story, but was very fresh and modern. I would describe it as reality with a hint of vampire. I also liked that there wasn’t too much emphasis on the supernatural and just allowed the reader to enjoy a very humorous view on family life.


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Book Review: Pear Shaped

Pear Shaped by Stella Newman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had read some good things about this book and managed to get it fairly cheap on the Kindle.

I enjoy chick lit as long as it's not too fluffy and has a good story. This was exactly this. It has a few underlying storylines which work well with the main plot of the romance. The main character is well formed and likeable, even when she was doing things that you knew wouldn't turn out too well.

The story is well paced and kept me wanting to read more. I believe Stella Newman is good enough to be up there with Marian Keyes, Jane Costello and the other chick lit greats.

I would definitely read more of her work as it has everything I like in a good piece of chick lit, humour, romance and a bit of a serious side.

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Book Review: Loose Connections

Loose Connections by Rachel Trezise
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book really quickly and really enjoyed it.

Rachel Tresize is a local writer and I thought this short story was the perfect opportunity to try her work.

I'm glad I did as this story was fast paced, witty and very dark. It is about a woman who has heen having issues with her internet connection and is a bit on the edge for reasons which unfold. These reasons become apparent when she has to deal with one repairman too many who has the unfortunate pleasure of being at the receiving end of her frustration.

Funny yet very dark, and very well written. I will definitely be reading more from this writer!

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Book Review: Small Man in a Book

Small Man In A Book by Rob Brydon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had this autobiography as a Christmas present and got into it as soon as I picked it up to read from my "to read" pile. It was like reading something written by a friend as Rob has a brilliant narrative voice.

I really enjoyed reading about his youth and was suprised that he had a fairly privileged upbringing compared to the majority in South Wales. I think it made it better for me as I knew a lot of the places he talked about in the book so it made it more personal for me.

The book itself only tells Rob's life story up until 2000, so pre Gavin and Stacey and basically pre fame! Rob's struggle to make it was pretty interesting, but the last 80 or so pages runined my enjoyment to be honest as he went into too much detail about the writing and making of Human Remains and Marion and Geoff. I understand that these are the shows that made him, but it just wasn't for me.

All in all a good read with an easy going style and packed with humour.

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