Saturday 23 August 2014

Guest Reviews ~ Emma Jones.

Thanks to Emma for sharing her reviews of the three summer reads below :)


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It’s nearly holiday time. Time to relax in the sunshine with a good book. Even if the sun is not playing ball these books will make you think of sunshine. I have chosen 3 summer reads of various genres – rude humour, physiological thriller, a children’s book so the whole family should be entertained. I love all 3 of these books and hope you will too. Enjoy and happy holidays.



Title: Is Harry on the Boat?
Author: Colin Butts.

You arrive at the airport to be greeted by a sun-tanned clipboard bearer, there to make your dream holiday come true. But behind the smiles, the badge and the suspect command of the native lingo, what really goes on? Are they a happy, celibate team working for the benefit of their clients, or are they at each other's throats to get their share of backhanders, drugs, and sleeping with holidaymakers (or each other!)? Exactly how low is resort manager Alison prepared to go to maximise her cash gains in her last season, and how low is first-year rep and none-too-bright former male model Mario prepared to go to win the infamous 'Competition'? Which reps will Alison get rid of? Shy Lorraine? Mickey, the first ever black rep? The clubbing-mad and girl-crazy Scouse Greg? Or will it be Brad, as we follow him from bedroom to beach, stumbling across company 'business' that he shouldn't?

My Review:

Is Harry on the boat is rude, crude and really funny. It follows an 18-30 style holiday company called Young, Free & Single (YFS) during a season in Ibiza. There are drugs, drink, sex, and embezzlement. I loved the characters they have very likable qualities except for Alison & Mario. It transports you to sunshine & makes you completely forget the day job & makes me glad I'm too old to go on an 18-30 trip. I seriously couldn't handle it anymore ha ha!! A brilliant summer read.


Title: Rush of Blood.
Author: Mark Billingham.

Perfect strangers.
A perfect holiday.
The perfect murder...

Three couples meet around the pool on their Florida holiday and become fast friends. But on their last night, their perfect holiday takes a tragic twist: the teenage daughter of another holidaymaker goes missing, and her body is later found floating in the mangroves.

When the shocked couples return home, they remain in contact, and over the course of three increasingly fraught dinner parties they come to know one another better. But they don't always like what they find: buried beneath these apparently normal exteriors are some dark secrets, hidden kinks, ugly vices...

Then, a second girl goes missing.

Could it be that one of these six has a secret far darker than anybody can imagine?


My Review:

The plot focuses on three British couples (Angie & Barry, Sue & Ed and Marina & Dave) who meet on holiday in sunny Florida. On the last day of their holiday a young girl with learning disabilities goes missing and is found murdered. The couples are all interviewed but allowed to return home.

The couples each exchange emails and end up arranging to meet up for dinner back in the UK. It’s over these dinners you learn more about each character. Some of the characters have a stereotypical feel e.g. –Loud salesman, timid wife but this adds to the twists and turns. As we learn more about the six holidaymaker’s it is clear they all have secrets to hide. The three dinner parties become more fraught especially when the couples are questioned further by the UK detective.

Suspicions are raised when a second girl from Kent disappears in similar circumstances and a young ambitious detective in the UK takes up the case.

I often guess the end of crime fiction but this one kept me guessing tell the end which I loved. I also liked the use of emails that broke the story up and added to the realistic feel of the situation. I think this is a perfect holiday read. It is clever and had me hooked.


Title: Daisy and the Trouble with Kittens.
Author: Kes Gray.

Daisy is going on holiday! In an actual plane to actual Spain! It's so exciting! She's never seen a palm tree before, or eaten octopus, or played zombie mermaids, or made so many new friends!

TROUBLE is, five of them are small and cute and furry kittens!!!! And guess who wants to be their new English Mum?!?




My Review:

My daughter absolutely loved this book. In fact she has loved the entire Daisy series and I can thoroughly recommend for children ages 5-8. It was very amusing to read and as a parent I really enjoyed the story too. It has funny, true to life scenarios which children will recognise. My daughter loved Daisy's mother’s reaction to some things and laughed out loud. I would highly recommend this book. We are now waiting for the sports day version to come out.

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Tomorrow is the last of my summer-themed guest posts, where the slightly crazy Mily will be taking over...

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