The Guest List by Lucy Foley

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 330

Publisher - Harper Collins

Source - Gifted by a fellow bookworm

The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?



My Review

Everyone is pulled together for wedding extravaganza, that of Jules Keegan and Will Slater, money, fame, fortune and a small well chosen guest list. The location, a remote island on the Irish coast, the wedding everyone wants to be a part of - you would think!

Told from multiple points of view we have Jules the bride, Hannah the plus one, Aoife the wedding planner, Olivia the bridesmaid, Johnno the best man and Will the husband to be. Split between the wedding night when everything kicks off and pre wedding where we get to know all the guests and how they really feel about the others.

Lots of secrets, issues, feelings of unrest, upset, anger and unresolved pasts will finally be addressed, healed, excised and brought to the surface as is the way with weddings! I didn't find the multiple character jumps nor timeline an issue, the reader is teased as we get to know the characters and things revealed as we delve page after page. Maybe a tad frustrated as you would just get something from one character or timeline (pre and night of wedding) and the switch to another. The chapters are brief though so you visit them all for a wee bit and head on to the next.

Lots of drama, relationship issues and some very dodgy characters, especially the old boys club who may be adults now but as soon as they get together they have that pack mentality nonsense which we know to be true to life. I liked it, I have another by this author on my tbrm and looking to reading it, 3.5/5 for me this time.

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Some Girls Do by Clodagh Murphy

Some Girls Do by Clodagh Murphy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 6 hours

Pages - 408

Publisher - Hachette Books Ireland

Blurb from Goodreads

Claire Kennedy is NiceGirl, the anonymous author of steamy online blog 'Scenes of a Sexual Nature'. An internet sensation, she attracts the attention of Mark Bell, a hot London publisher. But when it becomes clear that Mark is interested in more than just a book deal, Claire has to act fast. Because little does Mark know that NiceGirl is a lot more experienced in the bedroom than real-life Claire Kennedy.

Mark is offering Claire the life she's always dreamed of - a steady relationship, the literary world of London and a posh Highgate apartment.

But when Claire hires the services of struggling artist and commitment-phobe Luca to brush up on her sex skills, things get more complicated...

Great sex, friendship AND love ... can't a girl have it all?



My Review

Claire Kennedy lives a relatively quiet life, working in a book store, living with and looking after her mother. She lives through her online blog and Twitter as NiceGirl, author of a steamy sex blog. When she is offered a book deal and hits it off with the publisher Mark, Claire realises she needs someone to make her online exploits a reality and teach her the sexual expertise she has been claiming to have before she is exposed and loses it all.

Aw Claire is such a sweet girl, devoted to her mum who is a card, really funny lady although not a huge character she brings warmth and humour to the book. Luca is a friend of a friend, struggling artist but a Lothario with the girls and the answer to Claire's problem. They enter an agreement, Luca will give Claire private lessons to be everything she wants for Mark and Claire will pay Luca for the education.

A book that covers a sexual education, graphically written sex scenes in some parts, a budding friendship, humour, family and of course entries of the online blog Claire keeps. The book isn't just about sex, it also examines family values, love and a sister in law from hell, she is subtly portrayed but irritated me in just about every scene she appeared in. Claire's mum Espie is one of those wee diamond characters that whilst she doesn't feature hugely overall I love what her character brings to the story and how devoted Claire is to her. This was my first time reading this author, I would read her again, 4/5 for me!

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Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 341

Blurb from Goodreads

All Harry Potter wants is to get away from the Dursleys and go back to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby - who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockheart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone--or something--starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects... Harry Potter himself.


My Review

This is the second book in the series, I would recommend reading the first, whilst you can pick this up and read it by itself, you would enjoy it more knowing the 1st story. Harry can't wait to get back to Hogwarts, the Dursley's are being their usual horrible selves & a wee house Elf warns Harry he can't go back to Hogwart's. Lots of things seem to go wrong as Dobby predicted, Snape seems to really hate Harry, their new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher is fame loving nightmare and something horrendous is loose in Hogwarts. A monster that was once loose before & a student died is back, suspicion falls on Hagrid and Harry needs to find out who or what is responsible.

This year we also meet Ginny, Ron's little sister and her first year at Hogwart's, Malfoy's father features a bit more and we see where young Draco gets his attitude from. Another tale of friendship, boundaries, secrets, love & bravery as the youngsters try to piece together more of the history and happenings at the school.

I love these books, this is a re read for me, if I could shut off the adult world for a week I would read these back to back. If you haven't read Potter before I would certainly recommend, if you have I would tell you to re read it. A great story with ups and downs, as much for the mature reader as the young adult, 5/5 for me this time!

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Out Of The Darkness by Katy Hogan

Out of the Darkness: A Tale of Love, Loss and Life After Death by Katy Hogan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - on and off for 4 days

Pages - 292

Publisher - Illumine

Blurb from Goodreads

Out of the Darkness is a haunting, sometimes heart-breaking, contemporary novel with a supernatural twist. A tale of friendship and redemption, of love and loss, and life after death. Set in the lively coastal town of Brighton, Out of the Darkness tells the moving story of three women, complete strangers, each burdened by their own secrets, fears and emotional baggage. Their lives are changed irrevocably when they are brought together by one remarkable connection: someone who wants to help them.....from beyond the grave.


My Review

Jessica Gibson is our main character, struggling to deal with her mothers sudden death and keep her life going. With no real friends and a job grating on her Jessica finds herself unexpectedly running into an old friend and opening up to a stranger. What follows changes Jessica's life as she knew it, doors open, psychics, friendships, ghosts, secrets and love.

This book took me a good bit to get into, I think it was about 100 pages in before I settled and got a feel for all of the characters. Alex & Hannah are the other main characters we get to know, each with their own issues and seeking solace and finding friendship. The three bond over loss and new beginnings, soon finding themselves at a psychic event discovering more than friendship is bringing them together.

It is a lovely story that I think some people will take comfort in and some who have experience recent bereavement it may conjure a roller coaster of emotions. There are quite a few themes addressed, rather sensitively I thought, throughout the tale. A few unexpected surprises and maybe one or two I anticipated although I was also wrong about a few which is always a good thing. I am always interested in reading anything about the supernatural so this did give the book an extra perk for me personally. 4/5 for me this time thanks to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review, I would certainly read this author again and watch out for their next venture!

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Review - All I Want For Christmas by Amy Silver

All I Want for Christmas by Amy Silver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 days

Pages - 325

Blurb from Goodreads


Twelve days and counting...


It's Bea's first Christmas with her baby son, and this year she's determined to do everything right. But there is still so much to do: the Christmas menu needs refining; her café, The Honey Pot, needs decorating; and she's invited the whole neighbourhood to a party on Christmas Day. She really doesn't have time to get involved in two new people's lives, let alone fall in love...

When Olivia gets knocked over in the street, however, Bea can't help bringing her into The Honey Pot and getting to know her. Olivia's life is even more hectic than her own, and with her fiancé's entire family over from Ireland for Christmas, she shouldn't be lingering in the cosy warmth of Bea's café. Chloe, on the other hand, has nowhere else to go. Her affair with a married man has alienated her friends, and left her lonelier than ever.


But Christmas is a magical time, and in the fragrant atmosphere of The Honey Pot, anything can happen: new friends can be made, hearts can heal, and romance can finally blossom...


My Review

It's 11 days until Christmas, we open on Tuesday the 14th of December with Bea. Bea has a wee cafe that is popular, more so in the rush to Christmas, its not decorated and she needs to sort her Christmas menu. She is having a big party on Christmas for the people at a loose end and this year is her first with her wee boy. Bea is coming to terms with everything that has happened, it has been a rough year for her but she is getting on her feet and keeping busy.

Olivia meets Bea after being knocked over outside the shop, Olivia is distracted and distressed. She is recently engaged and has some major reservations, her fiance's family is coming to her for Christmas, she could do with a friend right about now.

Chloe, beautiful, slim, self obsessed and rude meets Bea and Chloe, starting off on the wrong foot. The trio are the main focus for the book, split into small chapters, labeled clearly so you know whose story you are following which is not only nice but makes for easy reading. As the story progresses we peel back some of the layers and get a better understanding of the ladies and where they are in life. There is some personal growth, romance, sadness, friendship, love and family themes to name just a few. It is a nice wee read for Christmas, quick to get through - I had to dip in and out as course work allowed, I could have read it easily in one sitting.

It is my first dance with this author, I would certainly read her again, 3/5 for me this time. Pleasant enough read with enough going on to keep you engaged.

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