Modern Fiction Books > A Modern Fiction Books > C

Advantages: Romping good read!
Disadvantages: none

I am a big fan of Carole Matthews and have only just read this book. I've managed to find nearly all of her books in charity shops and this was well worth the £1.50 I paid! I took it on holiday with me in January to Australia and read it during the nights when I was suffering from jet lag. I read it in 2 days! Here's the description of the cover. Big "Carole Matthews" in blue writing at the top followed by big "A Minor Indiscretion" in red lettering ...
...side of the cover is a white mug with red hearts on, containing 2 red paint brushes which are linked, and the tips are barely touching at the top to make a heart shape. Finally it says "A tremedously funny tale of temptation, toy boys and tears". That's probably what took my eye! These books I describe as "fluffies" as they're easy to pick up and put down, there's always a storyline and they are like real life, the characters have their weaknesses ... Read review

Advantages: None
Disadvantages: unbelievable, boring

I had been promised a loan of PS I Love You and had heard lots of good things....so when deciding what to choose for my latest holiday ready I fell quite easily into selecting a Celcelia Ahern. Having now read PS I Love you and finding it superb, this book seems almost to be written by another author. I found it very strange, it did not flow very well and all in all I felt it was a bit of a dull read. The odd spark of humour is dotted here and there, ...
...Sandy Shortt, but that is about all. I do aknowledge that Cecelia's style can be 'fairy tale' and she provides 'escapism' however I stand by my comments on this one. NB - I have tried to review this finding the listing under 'books' but for some reason it is coming through as Audio Book, therefore please note my comments on the audio version are not applicable. ... Read review

Advantages: Unputdownable
Disadvantages: In some ways almost too short

Astonishing Splashes of Colour is the first novel by Clare Morrall and was shortlisted for the MAN Booker Prize 2003. The book itself is the first published book by its author, and I think it was the Astonishing Splashes of Colour that make up its cover that attracted me towards its purchase in the first place. The title itself is inspired by Peter Pan, “For the Neverland is always more or less an Island with astonishing splashes of colour here and ...
...character Kitty Wellington, and is set in a familiar part of Birmingham that is Edgbaston in the present time. Kitty herself is the youngest of six adult children, including a runaway elder sister who she does not remember, and four older brothers. Kitty does not remember her Mother either, as she died in a car accident when she was three years old. For the bulk of the book, Kitty herself speaks of a time as a 30 something married female who is ... Read review

Advantages: Great characters, situations familiar to all of us
Disadvantages: Slightly unsatisfying ending

I'm not a big fan of crime novels, but with Jasper Fforde and Christopher Brookmyre making such consistently brilliant efforts at subverting the genre, my resistance is being eroded fairly swiftly. Christopher Brookmyre has established a formidable reputation for Scottish crime thrillers. Full of bodily fluids and lurid characters, they're generally hilarious to read, but shot through with such extreme violence that there's no chance of them ever ...
...the progress through school of a group of Scottish children from their first day right through to their leaving 'dance', and a murder investigation about twenty years later. Brookmyre's previous works have often made a big deal about the characters' backgrounds and childhoods. The author seems to enjoy inventing detailed histories for his characters to shed light on their actions in the book. The idea of characters unable to let go of their schooldays ... Read review

Advantages: Good, credible story well told
Disadvantages: It takes several chapters to gather pace

...middle-age crisis. Guy Bromelow, a school headmaster, is increasingly uneasy about his neurotic wife Jane, who is tormented by Harriet, their demon of a small daughter, and worried about her sudden frigidity. Meanwhile Nina Osland, having brought up her son James on her own, fears that his girlfriend Kerry is leading him into bad ways and that drugs are going to disrupt his exams. Then things get even worse when an old university friend (the friend ...
...and another student, Martin, on a geography field trip to Africa during the summer of 1976. The venture was cut short by tragedy, but Nina could hardly put the memories behind her for once and for all, as by the time they returned to England she realised she was pregnant with James. Now Hugo, having spent some years in Australia, decides he is coming home for good, and rings Jane and Nina to suggest a get-together for old times sake on his return. ... Read review