Book Loving: Holiday Reads (part 1)

As well as picking out a crafty project or two for my holidays I love having the opportunity to choose my holiday reads.  This year I read six, quite different, books but first I'm going to tell you about the book I read just before our holiday:

The Ice Cream Girls, by Dorothy Koomson

I've read a few of Dorothy Koomson's books and am not a massive fan.  I picked up The Ice Cream Girls in Tesco purely because I'd heard of the TV series and was disappointed to have missed it (plus Tesco had their usual multi-buy offer).  

However, once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down.  I loved it and stayed up until the wee hours (on a school night!) to finish it.  Don't you just love it when that happens?! 

Disguised as chick-lit, this book is undeniably a thriller.  The story starts in the 80s and is about a creepy, slimy teacher who separately, and subtly, seduces two of his teenage students until they each find themselves in abusive, destructive relationships with him.  For both of the impressionable teenagers, this man is their first love, their first sexual relationship, and they relish his apparent adoration and attention.  Very soon, though, they see the man for what he really is and both girls become trapped in abusive, destructive relationships with him.  Neither of the girls knows about the other until, one day, he introduces them and, cruelly, plays them off against each other.  An horrific event occurs and the teacher is murdered; the reader is then left to work out what actually happened.  The tale flits enticingly from the past (the 80s) to the present day and we hear both sides of the story from each of the girls.  The plot is believable and the girls are likeable - growing up in the 80s, I can relate to them.  The teacher is one of those men that you love to hate - the subtlety and slow pace of his abuse is entirely believable.  I was surprised to enjoy this so much.  Don't write it off; I urge you to give it a whirl.

Laura's Handmade Life, by Amanda Addison

Knit and read at the same time, it's not all bad.

The type of book that you don't have to concentrate on AT ALL.  I finished this in an afternoon.  It was OK, not one I'd recommend but if you find your hands on a copy then you may as well read it.  Bit of a cliche, not especially likeable characters and you could see the fire coming a mile off. (Couldn't you?  Oops, sorry.)  I didn't love the 'alluring' ex at all and was constantly irritated by him.  I did love the stitching references, however, and the book allowed me to indulge in my personal fantasies of staying home in my pretty little cottage and stitching all day instead of doing my boring office job. 

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly 

More easy-reading but I loved the way this was written.  It was my favourite read of the holiday.  Unfussy writing with bohemian characters I could relate to and admire (Biba = dislike, Rex = love).  A cool and believable story about a summer with a group of people I'd have loved to spend time with myself.  Friendship, romance, mystery and nostalgia make this a fantastic read. Another intriguing murder story with a highly satisfactory ending. I very much enjoyed this book and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. 

The Power Trip, by Jackie Collins 

Rich, over-sexed and obnoxious characters.  Loved it.

What's a holiday without a Jackie Collins novel?  The usual suspects appear in this book; billionaires, movie stars, supermodels, sports heros and the token gay boys.  This time, they all head out on an exclusive yacht for a luxury party to celebrate the supermodel's birthday and end up held hostage by a clan* of pirates (*unsure of the collective noun for pirates - must google it**).  Everyone's attractive.  They all have fantastic bodies; amusingly, they have either massive willies or huge boobs.  The characters have sex anywhere and everywhere.  There's a hot rough diamond of a man and a simpering politician who sounds like a right arse.  It's typical Jackie Collins and I loved it.  I especially loved reading the more explicit sections aloud to my [easily embarrased] husband, who couldn't believe the trash I was reading.  It made us laugh out loud.  Hugely entertaining and an absolute must-read.  Not one for the prudish but your grandma would secretly love it.

What have you read lately?  Anything I'd like?  Please let me know in the comments box below.

Nicki 

x

** Googled it; it's a crew of pirates. Or a mutiny.  Mutiny's my fave.