MONTH 2-The Girl You Left Behind by Jo Jo Moyes
started Friday 22nd February 2013 - Book 4 of 12 (1 per month)-FINISHED TUESDAY 26TH FEBRUARY
It's been a long time since a book has 'gripped' me sooo much! To the point where it becomes like a best friend and I take it everywhere with me, hoping to grab just a minute of peace to read another page.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Strong characterisation. It's quite ambitious in that it follows the modern trend of having a period story interwoven with a 21st century story. I am a lover of characterisation and I would have loved even more! But then the book would have been twice as long. My favourite characters: I liked Liv and Edouard the best, but other minor characters were also intriguing.
The story is fantastic! And really opened my eyes to a dark period in history that I knew nothing about. There are small contradictions in both tales but I can live with those.
Yes there are romances but the story is much more.
It was so easy to read, I finished it's 500 odd pages in 5 days (2 working) and just couldn't put it down.
SO I'M GOING TO AWARD IT 9.5 OUT OF 10!
And highly recommend it to you.
THE MEMORY GARDEN by Rachel Hore
Started 26th February 2013
Magical Cornwall, A Lost Garden, A Love Story from a long ago..
Lamorna Cove-a tiny bay in Cornwall, picturesque unspoilt. A hundred years ago it was the haunt, of a colony of artists. Today, Mel Pentreath hopes it is a place where she can escape the pain of her mother's death and a broken love affair, and gradually put her life back together.
Renting a cottage in the enchanting but overgrown grounds of Merryn Hall. Mel embraces her new surrounding and offers to help her landlord. Patrick Winterton, restore the garden. Soon she is daring to believe her life can be rebuilt. Then Patrick finds some old paintings in an attic, and as he and Mel investigate the identity of the artist, they are drawn into an extraordinary tale of illicit passion and thwarted ambition from a century ago, a tale that resonates in their own lives. But how long can Mel's idyll last before reality breaks in an everything is threatened?
Shifting imperceptibly from one generation to another. The Memory Garden vividly evokes the lives of 2 women, born a century apart, but who face the same challenges to their happiness and survival.
As always I'll let you know how I get on.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Strong characterisation. It's quite ambitious in that it follows the modern trend of having a period story interwoven with a 21st century story. I am a lover of characterisation and I would have loved even more! But then the book would have been twice as long. My favourite characters: I liked Liv and Edouard the best, but other minor characters were also intriguing.
The story is fantastic! And really opened my eyes to a dark period in history that I knew nothing about. There are small contradictions in both tales but I can live with those.
Yes there are romances but the story is much more.
It was so easy to read, I finished it's 500 odd pages in 5 days (2 working) and just couldn't put it down.
SO I'M GOING TO AWARD IT 9.5 OUT OF 10!
And highly recommend it to you.
THE MEMORY GARDEN by Rachel Hore
Started 26th February 2013
Magical Cornwall, A Lost Garden, A Love Story from a long ago..
Lamorna Cove-a tiny bay in Cornwall, picturesque unspoilt. A hundred years ago it was the haunt, of a colony of artists. Today, Mel Pentreath hopes it is a place where she can escape the pain of her mother's death and a broken love affair, and gradually put her life back together.
Renting a cottage in the enchanting but overgrown grounds of Merryn Hall. Mel embraces her new surrounding and offers to help her landlord. Patrick Winterton, restore the garden. Soon she is daring to believe her life can be rebuilt. Then Patrick finds some old paintings in an attic, and as he and Mel investigate the identity of the artist, they are drawn into an extraordinary tale of illicit passion and thwarted ambition from a century ago, a tale that resonates in their own lives. But how long can Mel's idyll last before reality breaks in an everything is threatened?
Shifting imperceptibly from one generation to another. The Memory Garden vividly evokes the lives of 2 women, born a century apart, but who face the same challenges to their happiness and survival.
As always I'll let you know how I get on.
Sft xx
I am trying to read 2 books a month. I have finished 3 and still have 800 pages in the Elizabeth George - A Traitor to Memory that I am currently reading. Not sure if I will make it this month!
ReplyDeleteI meant 3 this year so far. Cheers
DeleteThat's a long book!
DeleteI think about 500 pages is my limit.
I think you are doing great.
Sft x
It's great when a book grips you like that and you enjoy it so much. My mum is an avid reader, she reads anything she can get her hands on, but does like a good romance, so I've just ordered her a set of ten Katie Fforde books from The Book People for Mother's Day, they were only £7.99 for the whole ten books, less than £1 per book. You can't go wrong, can you? Especially when there's free delivery on today too with the offer code SAVER. I've never read any Katie Fforde books though, so I hope they're ok.
ReplyDeleteJo, your Mum needs to take a trip to the SFT library, I have SO many books to read!
DeleteThat sounds like a lovely Mothers' Day present. And such good value too.
I'm treating my Mum to the soundtrack of the King and I.
Sft x
Oh I love it when I get pulled into a book, it doesn't happen very often (well I'm reading a lot of non fiction at the moment) but when it does, WOW.
ReplyDeleteBoth your reads sounds really good.
Hi Sue,
DeleteNo it hasn't happened to me for a while.
I do enjoy non fiction too, particularly travel. I picked up a Bill Bryson book for 20p the other day which I'm looking forward to reading.
Sft x
It sounds every bit as good as You Before Me! I must make a point of reading some more of her books. I hope your new read is just as good :) Sx
ReplyDeleteThe Memory Garden has also been lent to me. I think I read something by the same author before which I enjoyed. Not sure it's up to the standard of The Girl You Left Before though.
DeleteSft x
This is the book I have just finished and it was BRILLIANT.
ReplyDeleteWait for me by Eliz naughton
I'll look it up! Thanks.
DeleteSft x
Hi SFT, sorry I've been away and catching up on your posts. Isn't it good when you find a great book you just can't put down?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! I'm really enjoying this author's books.
DeleteSft x
Ooh, 'The Girl You Left Behind' is on my 'to read' list. Glad you enjoyed it, I'm looking forward to reading it after seeing your review.
ReplyDeleteI read 'The Memory Garden' a while back and really enjoyed it. xx
Hi Lonestarsky,
DeleteIt's a lovely book. Have you read any of her others?
Still reading The Memory Garden.
Sft x
For February I read "Wisdom's Daughters" and did a review for a book club I'm in. It's posted here: http://teri-gonewalkabout2.blogspot.com/2013/02/artful-readers-club-review-wisdoms.html
ReplyDeleteThanks Teri.
DeleteSft x