Notes of Life

Author: Lisa Niemi Swayze
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-0-85720-838-5

Well, what can I say? This was never going to be an easy read. Patrick Swayze died in September 2009 having suffered from pancreatic cancer. After being diagnosed with the disease, Patrick had lived longer than anyone could have imagined. He wasn’t going without a fight…

Patrick Swayze’s autobiography (co-written with his wife, Lisa), released shortly after his death, detailed the ups & downs of his career and personal life. It was an honest book that was also gritty and inspiring.

Now, in Worth Fighting For, Lisa shares with us their fight of survival against this cruel disease – from diagnosis until the aftermath of his death. This is a story of love, illness, life, death and loss; of two people so in love and of the power of the human spirit.

This is a revealing story, a glimpse into the world of cancer, the patient and, maybe most importantly, the carer. Lisa went through everything with Patrick. Neither of them wanted to give in and so Lisa was there to do everything Patrick needed her to do and more. Lisa took notes of what medicines and procedures may help, and was in tune with Patrick’s body almost as much as he was himself. We’re taken through the ups (when results came back favourable) and downs (when infections set in or medication ceased to work), but most of all it is their love for each other that truly shines through.

Patrick and Lisa didn’t just have to endure the pain of cancer what what it does, but with Patrick’s status as a Hollywood actor came the tabloid hell once the news leaked out. Tabloids were writing him off long before Patrick was ready to go, but the pair raised above it. They’d got enough on their plates as it was.

While Worth Fighting For is, of course, an emotional read, Patrick’s humour shines through and on more than one occasion I found myself laughing out loud while reading the book. Even Patrick’s strength and determination shows as he filmed TV series The Beast without medication so as to be on top of his game. Patrick was a professional to the very end.

Then, Lisa shares with us perhaps the most personal of experiences, Patrick’s death. it was this chapter, and the immediate lead up to it, that I struggled to read. I got through it, with tears in my eyes. I can only imagine what Lisa and Patrick’s brother Donny (who also helped care for him) went through.

Lisa did everything she could for Patrick, so when that time came when he was gone, Lisa sunk to the ground. Nothing much mattered now. The epilogue tells of how Lisa is now dealing (or maybe not) with her grief, but she is working hard to get through it.

Worth Fighting For is a powerful, moving read that is honest and real. It’ll have you laughing and crying. Having read it in just a couple of sittings, I could barely put it down.

Read my review of The Time of My Life by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi.

Buy Worth Fighting For by Lisa Niemi Swayze.

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Please note: I received this book free from Simon & Schuster in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: Lloyd Shepherd
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-0-85720-535-3

1564 – A young Billy Ablass makes his way to Plymouth, hoping to join Captain John Hawkyns on a voyage. to earn money to take back to his love, Kate, in Oxford. Little does Billy know how his life will change forever on this cursed voyage of slavery.

1811 – A family is slaughtered in a house in riverside Wapping in what becomes known as the Ratcliffe Highway murders. Justice must be sought, but the local officials don’t seem to be doing a good job of things. John Harriott, magistrate of the new Thames River Police Office, and his senior officer, Charles Horton. take it upon themselves to investigate to make sure justice is delivered.

We’re taken on a journey through the centuries – from Billy’s departure from Plymouth in 1564 to the streets of 1811 London.

The English Monster is an intriguing book of fact and fiction. Lloyd Shepherd has creatively used historical events to make his own work of fiction. Even the people in his books once walked this earth, some more well-known than others, though Shepherd has made them all into his own 3D characters.

I found it pretty easy to follow the two time-lines of The English Monster (with the chapters alternating between the two), but I did find myself really getting into the story of one time-line only to have to switch to the other for the next chapter. I found it made the book feel longer than what it was. One thing that did jolt me was the quick switch from third-person narrative to first-person and back again, this begins to happen around half-way through the book. I really wasn’t expecting it, but, again, I did get used to it.

The English Monster is described as a crime thriller, but quite a twist occurs half-way through the book which makes the reader realise there’s yet another genre to this story.

The English Monster is Lloyd Shepherd’s debut historical, crime thriller and, despite my niggle with the switching of time-lines, I really think he’s done a good job with it. This story of greed, kidnap and slavery, murder and detection is dark, chilling, gruesome and very atmospheric. Whether the reader is a fan of crime thrillers or historical fiction (or maybe a mix of both), they will find this book interesting read.

The English Monster is due to be released in the UK on 1st March 2012 by Simon & Schuster. Pre-order your copy now!

This is the 5th book I’ve read for The British Books Challenge.

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Please note: I received this book free from Simon & Schuster in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

Author: R. J. Palacio
Publisher: Bodley Head
ISBN: 9780370332284

Wonder is the story of August Pullman. August, known to most as Auggie, is an ordinary ten-year-old boy who was born with a terrible facial abnormality. Until now, Auggie has been home-schooled by his mom, protected from the cruel world outside. Now it’s time for Auggie to go to a real school, to join all the other kids his age, but he’s dreading it. What will all the other kids say? Can he convince them to look past his face, to see that underneath it all he’s just like them?

Wonder is told through the voices of Auggie, his big sister Via and his friends. While I must admit to preferring reading Auggie’s parts, it was good to read how Auggie’s life impacted on those of his family and friends and how they dealt with it. Via being the protective big sister, but also feeling a little left out when her parents’ attention has a tendency to go to Auggie; Jack being torn between one friend and the others. Despite the narrative switching to different characters, the story of Wonder flows seamlessly  and it’s easy to follow.

I loved the character of Auggie. He might be a little shy and afraid of things at first, but then he just gets on with things. Over the school year, in which Wonder is told, Auggie grows and adapts. You really get to know and love the kid behind the face.

Wonder doesn’t just deal with what it’s like to grow up looking different, but it also looks at childhood relationships, family life, tolerance and more. I found myself able to relate to a number of characters and situations, and it’s a long time since I was in school!

This might be a book aimed at children, but I think it should be read by people of all ages. It just might change the way you see other people. Wonder has a powerful message and is honest, poignant, funny and with it’s short chapters, its very much a page-turner. Wonder is a book that had me laughing, smiling and crying. The title of this book really does reflect it’s contents. It truly is a wonder-ful book!

If there’s one book you’ll read this year then I’d recommend choosing Wonder.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio is due to be released in the UK by Bodley Head on 1st March 2012. Pre-order your copy now!

Check back here soon for a giveaway featuring this book!

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.

I can tell that 2012 is just going to fly by. It doesn’t seem that long ago since Christmas, but here we are at the end of January already! So what does the rest of 2012 hold for the website? Well, I’ve got some “Meet The Author” and Giveaway posts already lined up… I won’t tell you who the authors are though, you’ll have to keep checking back to find out!

So, here’s what I reviewed in January…

7th January – Something of the Night by Ian Marchant
Something of the Night is a semi-autobiographical book exploring Britain’s night time activities. It’s a good read and I was pleased to discover that the author lives somewhat local to me. It was also my first book for this year’s British Book Challenge.

8th January – Desert Angel by Charlie Price
Desert Angel is a tense and scary young adult thriller. I found it to be an exciting quick read that certainly packs a punch. Worth reading whether you’re young or old!

11th January – To Be A Cat by Matt Haig
Exciting, imaginative, wonderful, funny, thoughtful… What more can I say?! Most readers will relate to the main character in this children’s book. Recommended to both young readeres and cat-loving, older readers.

18th January – Finders Keepers by Belinda Bauer
Finders Keepers is Belinda Bauer’s third book set on Exmoor. It’s edgy, thrilling and creepy, but I’d advise reading Bauer’s first two books beforehand.

21st January – Fallen In Love by Lauren Kate
Lauren has give fans a collection of short stories, in time for Valentine’s, while they wait for the fourth book in the Fallen series to be released this summer. Call it book 3.5 of the series!

28th January – Advent by James Treadwell
Advent is a magical thriller full of mystery, darkness and tension. It’s the first book in what’s looking like an exciting trilogy! Definitely recommended.

So there you go. I think I managed a varied range of books during the month… thriller, fantasy, children’s, young adult, crime, factual.

As I’ve said, keep an eye out here for some upcoming “Meet The Author” posts and giveaways!

Author: Lauren Kate
Publisher: Doubleday
ISBN: 978-0-857-53164-3

Are you a Lauren Kate fan awaiting the final book in the Fallen series? If so, you’re in for a treat!

On 2nd February Doubleday release Fallen In Love in the UK, a book featuring four new love stories featuring the Fallen characters. Just perfect for this upcoming Valentine’s Day.

Everyone has their own love story and Fallen In Love gives us The Valentine of Shelby and Miles, The Valentine of Roland, The Valentine of Arriane and, finally, The Valentine of Daniel and Lucinda. The four love stories intertwine during a romantic Valentine’s Day in Medieval England to make, essentially, one story.

Fallen In Love is basically book 3.5 of the Fallen series. It happens during the same time-frame  as Passion (book 3), starting when Shelby and Miles land in Medieval England having arrived via an Announcer. Each of the stories is told from a different perspective and so we get to know some of the characters a bit better than we did in the novels of the series.

While Fallen In Love gives us more understanding and insight into the Fallen characters, I wouldn’t say it’s a necessary addition to the series, but it is a welcome one. I think it’s more of a bonus book and one I’m very grateful for! In fact, when I met Lauren Kate at the Passion book launch last year I’d asked her if she’d ever considered writing a book of short stories to go along side the series. Lauren had said that it was a good idea. It turned out that she was being cagey, for the very next day the publishers announced that Fallen In Love would be released this February!

At the end of Fallen In Love, fans are also treated to an exclusive first look at Rapture, the final Fallen book, due for release this summer. I was lucky enough to hear the lovely Lauren Kate read from this at the Passion book launch last year.

Fallen In Love is a must for any Lauren Kate fan!

P.S. – There is also a FALLEN BOOKS app to bring the cover to life, but I can’t yet find it on the Android Marketplace, only on the App Store for iPhones and iPads.

You can read my reviews of the books from the Fallen series via the links below:
1. Fallen
2. Torment
3. Passion

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Please note: I received this book free from Random House in return for a review. However, this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.