Month: March 2021

The Existence of Amy – Lana Grace Riva

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Synopsis: At first glances Amy seems like a well-adjusted, perfectly functional woman. Yes, she constantly cancels on plans last minute, but that just makes her unreliable. In reality, however, Amy is trying desperately to seem ‘normal’ so that no one realises just how much she struggles with everyday actions. It is not that she is unreliable, she is just unable to do the things she wants to.

The Existence of Amy follows Amy as she deals with everyday actions – getting on the bus, interacting with friends, going on a work trip – and shows the difficulty of trying to maintain an appearance of normality when these everyday actions can be a source of great distress. Because Amy suffers from OCD, but she does not want her friends to know that. She would rather suffer alone than have them think any less of her.

Review: This book is so insightful and touching. It does a really good job of exploring difficult issues in a sensitive manner with a portrayal of OCD that is as heart-breaking as it is informative.

Although the plot was quite simplistic, I thought it was really effective in portraying Amy’s life and the struggles she faces. Not very much happens in the story itself but I feel like this book doesn’t need it. Being inside Amy’s head as she deals with work, friends and generally life is more than enough to help drive the story. I usually like my books fast paced and filled with excitement, tension and/or suspense, and yet I was never bored reading this book. Instead, the pace of it allows you to truly feel for Amy and invest in her character.

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Comeback – Chris Limb

~ Eden Haslam ~ 2 Comments

Genie has everything – a BRIT award, a singing career, the attention of the press and Oliver Fox, a pretty boy who looks good on her arm.

Until he dies.

His death brings Genie’s long buried feelings bubbling to the surface. Her grief over the death of her lover Wendi who introduced her to this world. Her self doubt and fear that she will be exposed as a fraud.

How far is she prepared to go to fix things? 

The afterlife isn’t the most comfortable of places for anyone who’s still alive, but Genie’s not going to take any crap from the dead – she’s got years of experience in the music business.

Sometimes going to Hell and back takes a lifetime…

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Review: I have found it pretty hard to put my feelings about this book into words because it is so twisted, strange and intriguing. You’re left with a slight feeling of confusion and bewilderment about what it is you have just read. And whilst it is these unusual aspects that make this book really interesting, it also makes it difficult to fully wrap your head around how you are feeling, and how these feelings can be articulated.

I enjoyed the clash between 21st century celebrity culture and Greek mythology and thought this book does a great job at showing that the rock n roll lifestyle is not as glamorous as it seems. Instead, there is a real sense of exploitation and loneliness that runs through this story, highlighting the vulnerabilities of someone who may seem untouchable. In a society that reveres celebrity, I think it is important how this book has shown the damage that the celebrity lifestyle can cause and the pressure these stars are under.

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The Favour – Laura Vaughan

~ Eden Haslam ~ Leave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Synopsis: Ada’s gap year trip to Italy on an art history course offers her the perfect opportunity to become friends with the type of people she feels she should be – wealthy, privileged, sophisticated. Obsessed with the loss of her grand home after her father’s death at aged 13, Ada is determined to get back to the life she could have had. All she has to do is prove herself.

Whilst in Venice, one of the group dies under mysterious circumstances, and Ada sees the chance to make herself indispensable to the people she aspires to be like.

Spanning over 10 years, the story follows Ada after the trip to Italy as she strives to maintain the connections to the people she met there. But, Ada is not the only one maintaining a deception and, sooner or later, the lies begins to unravel.

Review: This book was an enjoyable read. I raced through it in a matter of days and loved the sense of atmosphere and descriptions of Italy. It really did create a perfect background for a plot of deception and secrets.

I enjoyed the sense of mystery and intrigue, but based on the book’s description, I expected the death to play a larger part in the story than it did. I couldn’t help but spend the first section of the book waiting for the suspicious death to occur, and then the rest of the book waiting for it to really matter. That being said, the main plot which focused on Ada’s efforts to ‘get back’ to the social position she believed she deserved was interesting.

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