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elouisedouglas's Reviews (721)
It’s not often a book leaves you heartbroken – most books I read tend to have a fluffy ending where everyone lives happily ever after, but hopefully it’s not too much of a spoiler to say that I wanted to throw this book across the room and cry when I finished reading.
I’ve obviously heard of this book a lot in the past, but never really looked into what it’s about, I think I found this copy in a charity shop and was drawn in by the cover – but I had no idea what to expect, just that people said it was really good.
I think I personally found the start a little slow, and it took me a while to properly ‘get into’ the book – I think I was over a third of the way through when it really pulled me in and gave me an insatiable need to finish it as soon as possible.
I read the last two thirds of the book in one sitting, on a rather sunny Saturday afternoon in the garden. What’s black and white? The book. What’s red all over? Louise. The sunburn was worth it though.
I found the book so eye opening – a society where white people (the noughts) are weak, and the crosses have all the power. This shouldn’t be shocking, but everything in our history sadly points the other direction. A society where the noughts and the crosses are not supposed to intermingle, and doing so has devastating consequences.
“What was it about the differences in others that scared people so much?”
I feel like I could gush about this book and how much it broke me for days and days, but I don’t want to risk giving away any spoilers as I think if you’re reading this review and you haven’t read the book, you should immediately find yourself a copy.
The main characters Callum and Sephy were possibly one of my favourite parts of the book. I found that both of them at times were stupid teenagers that I just wanted to shake when I could see things going wrong, but their growing relationship was a lovely highlight against a dark backdrop of a plot.
As soon as I finished reading, I immediately ordered the next books in the series so that I can see what happens next – where the book ended was not okay with me!!
If I could rate just the last half of the book, I’d give it a full 5 stars, but because it took a while to really draw me in, I’ve settled on 4 – I get the feeling that the next book might be even better though!
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/04/25/malorie-blackman-noughts-and-crosses/
I’ve obviously heard of this book a lot in the past, but never really looked into what it’s about, I think I found this copy in a charity shop and was drawn in by the cover – but I had no idea what to expect, just that people said it was really good.
I think I personally found the start a little slow, and it took me a while to properly ‘get into’ the book – I think I was over a third of the way through when it really pulled me in and gave me an insatiable need to finish it as soon as possible.
I read the last two thirds of the book in one sitting, on a rather sunny Saturday afternoon in the garden. What’s black and white? The book. What’s red all over? Louise. The sunburn was worth it though.
I found the book so eye opening – a society where white people (the noughts) are weak, and the crosses have all the power. This shouldn’t be shocking, but everything in our history sadly points the other direction. A society where the noughts and the crosses are not supposed to intermingle, and doing so has devastating consequences.
“What was it about the differences in others that scared people so much?”
I feel like I could gush about this book and how much it broke me for days and days, but I don’t want to risk giving away any spoilers as I think if you’re reading this review and you haven’t read the book, you should immediately find yourself a copy.
The main characters Callum and Sephy were possibly one of my favourite parts of the book. I found that both of them at times were stupid teenagers that I just wanted to shake when I could see things going wrong, but their growing relationship was a lovely highlight against a dark backdrop of a plot.
As soon as I finished reading, I immediately ordered the next books in the series so that I can see what happens next – where the book ended was not okay with me!!
If I could rate just the last half of the book, I’d give it a full 5 stars, but because it took a while to really draw me in, I’ve settled on 4 – I get the feeling that the next book might be even better though!
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/04/25/malorie-blackman-noughts-and-crosses/
Following the cliffhanger at the end of Eve of Man, I’ve been waiting with baited breath for this to be released as I really needed to know what happened to Eve and Bram.
I was not disappointed, devouring this book in 2 sittings, unable to put it down as I was pulled into the dramatically unfolding story of Eve’s escape.
So Eve is free, but what is she going to do with her freedom? And what about all the people still looking for her? It seems like Eve might not be as safe as she thought she was going to be. And heading back into the tower may seem unthinkable, but what if it’s the only option?
Compared to the first book, I found this book was a bit more ‘adult’, certain parts had me in shock due to the brutality or viciousness of what I was reading – it was slightly unexpected, but not unwelcome. It was hard to read, but certainly kept me gripped.
I loved the different perspectives we got to read this book through. Not just Eve and Bram, but also Michael who is still inside the tower, giving us a unique perspective into what’s going on now that Eve has left.
One thing I struggled with in the first book was the lack of world-building compared to similar books I’ve read before, but I found this much better in this second book in the series, feeling like I was more immersed in Eve and Bram’s world and able to connect with where they were going and what they were doing.
Given it’s a trilogy, you probably won’t be surprised to find out that the book ended with a twist that made me immediately wish for the final book, but I guess I’ll just have to wait impatiently again.
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/04/26/giovanna-tom-fletcher-the-eve-illusion/
I was not disappointed, devouring this book in 2 sittings, unable to put it down as I was pulled into the dramatically unfolding story of Eve’s escape.
So Eve is free, but what is she going to do with her freedom? And what about all the people still looking for her? It seems like Eve might not be as safe as she thought she was going to be. And heading back into the tower may seem unthinkable, but what if it’s the only option?
Compared to the first book, I found this book was a bit more ‘adult’, certain parts had me in shock due to the brutality or viciousness of what I was reading – it was slightly unexpected, but not unwelcome. It was hard to read, but certainly kept me gripped.
I loved the different perspectives we got to read this book through. Not just Eve and Bram, but also Michael who is still inside the tower, giving us a unique perspective into what’s going on now that Eve has left.
One thing I struggled with in the first book was the lack of world-building compared to similar books I’ve read before, but I found this much better in this second book in the series, feeling like I was more immersed in Eve and Bram’s world and able to connect with where they were going and what they were doing.
Given it’s a trilogy, you probably won’t be surprised to find out that the book ended with a twist that made me immediately wish for the final book, but I guess I’ll just have to wait impatiently again.
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/04/26/giovanna-tom-fletcher-the-eve-illusion/
I received this book as an advance reading copy from NetGalley, and I’m so glad I requested it. I only wish that this book had been around for me a few years ago.
Although aimed primarily at teenagers who have experienced loss, I think this book is valuable for any age range, I certainly found it so helpful to think about the ways I’ve been experiencing and ‘dealing with’ my grief over the last few years, and I think it would be helpful for anyone else in that situation.
“We were not made for a life narrowed by fear, but one lived with courage, in the knowledge that ultimately, God has conquered every darkness it contains.”
The author has personal experience of the worst kind of loss, losing her mother as a young child, and along with her own experiences, she also talks to other people who have experienced losses of their own, whether sudden or expected, and while these stories are heartbreaking, they really help you to realise that you’re not alone and what you’re feeling is not unusual or wrong.
The writing style was very relatable, perfect for teenagers, but also full of emotion, not afraid to shy away from talking about the hard stuff, like most people do when talking about grief.
Written from a religious perspective, the book may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved how the author talked about how God sees us and is with us in our grief.
“God sees our bruises, even if others don’t, and doesn’t ask anything of us at this time. He doesn’t promise us that bad news will never come to our door, but he does promise to be with us, always.”
As well as people’s stories, the book is filled with practical tips for helping you find your way to a new normal after experiencing a loss, even though things feel like they may never be normal again.
This book is filled with comfort and hope and the reassurance that you’re not alone, even if you’re not experiencing your grief in the same way as everyone else.
“Only you can do your journey through grief”
Although aimed primarily at teenagers who have experienced loss, I think this book is valuable for any age range, I certainly found it so helpful to think about the ways I’ve been experiencing and ‘dealing with’ my grief over the last few years, and I think it would be helpful for anyone else in that situation.
“We were not made for a life narrowed by fear, but one lived with courage, in the knowledge that ultimately, God has conquered every darkness it contains.”
The author has personal experience of the worst kind of loss, losing her mother as a young child, and along with her own experiences, she also talks to other people who have experienced losses of their own, whether sudden or expected, and while these stories are heartbreaking, they really help you to realise that you’re not alone and what you’re feeling is not unusual or wrong.
The writing style was very relatable, perfect for teenagers, but also full of emotion, not afraid to shy away from talking about the hard stuff, like most people do when talking about grief.
Written from a religious perspective, the book may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved how the author talked about how God sees us and is with us in our grief.
“God sees our bruises, even if others don’t, and doesn’t ask anything of us at this time. He doesn’t promise us that bad news will never come to our door, but he does promise to be with us, always.”
As well as people’s stories, the book is filled with practical tips for helping you find your way to a new normal after experiencing a loss, even though things feel like they may never be normal again.
This book is filled with comfort and hope and the reassurance that you’re not alone, even if you’re not experiencing your grief in the same way as everyone else.
“Only you can do your journey through grief”
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I’ve just finished reading this book and I’m seriously in shock. It’s not okay to finish a book like that! I’m only glad that I’m so late to the party that the next 3 books are already released and I don’t have to wait, because the waiting would be unbearable.
This book was pretty much the polar opposite of Noughts and Crosses, which was basically the story of Callum and Sephy’s love. In contrast, this book was filled with so much hate and loathing and struggle.
Sephy is clearly finding it difficult to come to terms with not having Callum around anymore, and even though she loves Callie, having a constant reminder of Callum is not doing her good, especially when she thinks of the life that Callie will have.
We spend a lot of the book inside Sephy’s head, and she’s definitely not in a good place. I was just torn between wanting to give her a hug and wanting to shake her and tell her to pull herself together.
We also spend a lot of time with Callum’s brother Jude, who is thoroughly entrenched in the Liberation Militia and filled with hate for the world that killed his brother, and in particular the girl who he thinks caused it, Sephy.
At the same time, he’s dealing with feelings that he never imagined he would have, and that he’s finding it very hard to fight, until things come to a point that I never imagined.
I have to say, I found it very disturbing reading Jude’s chapters, they were so dark and he’s frankly an incredibly unlikeable person, and I found some of his chapters really hard to read.
And yeah, the ending. Without giving any spoilers, all I can say is that finishing a book like that is not okay. If you’ve read it, you know what I mean. And if you haven’t, you should.
Another amazing book, I’m looking forward to carrying on the series.
This book was pretty much the polar opposite of Noughts and Crosses, which was basically the story of Callum and Sephy’s love. In contrast, this book was filled with so much hate and loathing and struggle.
Sephy is clearly finding it difficult to come to terms with not having Callum around anymore, and even though she loves Callie, having a constant reminder of Callum is not doing her good, especially when she thinks of the life that Callie will have.
We spend a lot of the book inside Sephy’s head, and she’s definitely not in a good place. I was just torn between wanting to give her a hug and wanting to shake her and tell her to pull herself together.
We also spend a lot of time with Callum’s brother Jude, who is thoroughly entrenched in the Liberation Militia and filled with hate for the world that killed his brother, and in particular the girl who he thinks caused it, Sephy.
At the same time, he’s dealing with feelings that he never imagined he would have, and that he’s finding it very hard to fight, until things come to a point that I never imagined.
I have to say, I found it very disturbing reading Jude’s chapters, they were so dark and he’s frankly an incredibly unlikeable person, and I found some of his chapters really hard to read.
And yeah, the ending. Without giving any spoilers, all I can say is that finishing a book like that is not okay. If you’ve read it, you know what I mean. And if you haven’t, you should.
Another amazing book, I’m looking forward to carrying on the series.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book, because it opened my eyes to what life is like for some of the most oppressed people in the world.
The thing that shocked me the most was that if this was a fiction book, I would have been laughing and saying that the plot was just too far-fetched and unbelievable.
But this isn’t fiction. It’s someone’s life. And that’s terrifying.
I genuinely want to cry for all that one woman has been through, but then thinking about how many other people are in her same situation, it’s heart breaking.
I, as probably everyone else has, had only really heard bits of what life is like in North Korea, the things you see on the news when Kim Jong Un does something that the rest of the world thinks is unacceptable, but hearing what life is really like in that country was mind blowing. If you’d told me that perhaps that was what life was like 50-100 years ago, I wouldn’t have been so shocked, but it’s now. Right now.
I can’t keep dwelling on this right now, because it’s making it very hard not to get angry and upset, but all I will say is that this book was incredibly well written, the author is clearly very intelligent, and she’s not afraid to shy away from the truth that perhaps paints her in a negative light, because it’s part of her story.
Her story covers her early life, the loss of her father, then her subsequent illegal crossing into China and her seemingly never-ending quest to just be safe and happy. As I mentioned before, it does read like fiction, it’s fast paced and full of drama, but all grounded in the sadness that this is reality.
I loved the fact that the author was so honest, especially about the fact that life after leaving North Korea isn’t idyllicly happy, even when finally reaching a place she can rest. It was also quite unique in the fact that she didn’t initially even intend to leave her home for good, but it’s a sign of how brutal the regime is that her life ended up in this way.
I’d recommend this book to everyone, but in particular, I’d love to recommend it to some of the older teenagers that I know. It’s not an easy read for sure, but I think it would open their eyes to the fact that they are so lucky to be where they are and not have to fight to live in freedom.
The thing that shocked me the most was that if this was a fiction book, I would have been laughing and saying that the plot was just too far-fetched and unbelievable.
But this isn’t fiction. It’s someone’s life. And that’s terrifying.
I genuinely want to cry for all that one woman has been through, but then thinking about how many other people are in her same situation, it’s heart breaking.
I, as probably everyone else has, had only really heard bits of what life is like in North Korea, the things you see on the news when Kim Jong Un does something that the rest of the world thinks is unacceptable, but hearing what life is really like in that country was mind blowing. If you’d told me that perhaps that was what life was like 50-100 years ago, I wouldn’t have been so shocked, but it’s now. Right now.
I can’t keep dwelling on this right now, because it’s making it very hard not to get angry and upset, but all I will say is that this book was incredibly well written, the author is clearly very intelligent, and she’s not afraid to shy away from the truth that perhaps paints her in a negative light, because it’s part of her story.
Her story covers her early life, the loss of her father, then her subsequent illegal crossing into China and her seemingly never-ending quest to just be safe and happy. As I mentioned before, it does read like fiction, it’s fast paced and full of drama, but all grounded in the sadness that this is reality.
I loved the fact that the author was so honest, especially about the fact that life after leaving North Korea isn’t idyllicly happy, even when finally reaching a place she can rest. It was also quite unique in the fact that she didn’t initially even intend to leave her home for good, but it’s a sign of how brutal the regime is that her life ended up in this way.
I’d recommend this book to everyone, but in particular, I’d love to recommend it to some of the older teenagers that I know. It’s not an easy read for sure, but I think it would open their eyes to the fact that they are so lucky to be where they are and not have to fight to live in freedom.
This book was requested as an advance reading copy from NetGalley in exchange for this review.
I have to say that honestly, I have kinda mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the plot line sounds heavenly (a woman wins a bookshop and gets to make it her own), but on the other hand, there was a lot of times in the book where it felt a little cliche’d to me.
The main character Hallie was pretty likeable, but sometimes I found her a little stereotypical and two-dimensional. Although I related to her character very well, I felt like her and the other characters in the book could have been fleshed out a little more to bring them to life.
But on the other hand, the location of the book was beautifully described and I could definitely see myself in that beautiful village, walking down the high street and spending hours wandering around the bookshop.
And although the plot was slightly predictable, there were certain twists and turns over the course of the story that I just did not see coming.
I loved the blossoming relationship between Hallie and Dimitri and how perfect they seemed for each other. Like most romance books, I was just waiting for something to happen to throw a spanner in their relationship, but I was still surprised when it happened.
Aside from the relationship, the best thing for me about this book was that the author clearly loves books just as much as I do, and that was definitely reflected in this story. The love for books shines from the page almost as much as the love between Hallie and Dimitri.
“The world is endlessly big when you have books.”
Having reached the end, I was actually a little sad, I really hope that we get a second appearance of Hallie and Dimitri because I’d love to see how their future grows together in their perfect bookshop.
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/06/14/jaimie-adams-the-little-bookshop-of-love-stories/
I have to say that honestly, I have kinda mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the plot line sounds heavenly (a woman wins a bookshop and gets to make it her own), but on the other hand, there was a lot of times in the book where it felt a little cliche’d to me.
The main character Hallie was pretty likeable, but sometimes I found her a little stereotypical and two-dimensional. Although I related to her character very well, I felt like her and the other characters in the book could have been fleshed out a little more to bring them to life.
But on the other hand, the location of the book was beautifully described and I could definitely see myself in that beautiful village, walking down the high street and spending hours wandering around the bookshop.
And although the plot was slightly predictable, there were certain twists and turns over the course of the story that I just did not see coming.
I loved the blossoming relationship between Hallie and Dimitri and how perfect they seemed for each other. Like most romance books, I was just waiting for something to happen to throw a spanner in their relationship, but I was still surprised when it happened.
Aside from the relationship, the best thing for me about this book was that the author clearly loves books just as much as I do, and that was definitely reflected in this story. The love for books shines from the page almost as much as the love between Hallie and Dimitri.
“The world is endlessly big when you have books.”
Having reached the end, I was actually a little sad, I really hope that we get a second appearance of Hallie and Dimitri because I’d love to see how their future grows together in their perfect bookshop.
Posted on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/06/14/jaimie-adams-the-little-bookshop-of-love-stories/
This book felt like it was perfectly aimed at me, tying together two of my favourite things, faith and walking. I’ve got into walking a lot this year, but I never really considered that walking has a spiritual side (apart from giving me time to listen to podcast sermons while I’m out and about).
In this book, we start off with a chapter titled ‘Movement’, describing how walking works, the mechanics of it and how it evolved. I wasn’t really expecting this, but it was actually a really great intro to the book.
We then go into other chapters like ‘Thinking’, ‘Remembering’ and ‘Going’. all built around the same theme, but with a different focus.
I don’t want to say too much about this book because I think if it sounds like something that may interest you, you should go out and read it, if only for pearls of wisdom like this one:
“If we lack love in our walk with another, even though we offer presence and openness, we will appear cold. Walking-with involves caring for the other deeply. It means seeking common ground so that we can move together instead of one of us walking ahead or behind.”
But although it sounds like it might be a fairly pedestrian read (pardon the pun), it wasn’t the easy-going book I thought it would be. Some chapters, like ‘Fearing’, were challenging to read. I often had to stop reading because it made me feel quite emotional, but the challenge of those chapters was necessary for a complete look at the topic.
I’ve never read a book about walking before, or indeed a book like this, but I appreciated the author’s way with words, how he was able to bring the book to life and keep me enthralled throughout. I’m so glad I picked this up!
“Even as we glory in the beauty of nature; we find outselves companying with our three-mile-an-hour God.”
Published on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/06/07/graham-b-usher-the-way-under-our-feet/
In this book, we start off with a chapter titled ‘Movement’, describing how walking works, the mechanics of it and how it evolved. I wasn’t really expecting this, but it was actually a really great intro to the book.
We then go into other chapters like ‘Thinking’, ‘Remembering’ and ‘Going’. all built around the same theme, but with a different focus.
I don’t want to say too much about this book because I think if it sounds like something that may interest you, you should go out and read it, if only for pearls of wisdom like this one:
“If we lack love in our walk with another, even though we offer presence and openness, we will appear cold. Walking-with involves caring for the other deeply. It means seeking common ground so that we can move together instead of one of us walking ahead or behind.”
But although it sounds like it might be a fairly pedestrian read (pardon the pun), it wasn’t the easy-going book I thought it would be. Some chapters, like ‘Fearing’, were challenging to read. I often had to stop reading because it made me feel quite emotional, but the challenge of those chapters was necessary for a complete look at the topic.
I’ve never read a book about walking before, or indeed a book like this, but I appreciated the author’s way with words, how he was able to bring the book to life and keep me enthralled throughout. I’m so glad I picked this up!
“Even as we glory in the beauty of nature; we find outselves companying with our three-mile-an-hour God.”
Published on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/06/07/graham-b-usher-the-way-under-our-feet/
I picked this book up to educate myself as Black Lives Matter came to a more global stage in the last few weeks. I always thought that I was a good person, that I wasn’t racist, but I realised that may not be true. And even if it is true, it’s not enough. I needed to learn more about black experiences, so that I could be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
What I realised through reading this book, is that I have been blind to so much. Systematic racism that happens in the places that I hold dearest to my heart, in the places I would never expect there to be such hatred, and as a church (globally, not just locally), we need to do much better.
I appreciated how many people’s stories were weaved into this book, bringing different perspectives and experiences that we can and must learn from if we need to move forward into a society where your worth is not determined by the colour of your skin.
I also really appreciated the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. I read the book on my own, but I could see that this would be a great read as part of a house group or book club. The questions would definitely have been great springboards into meaningful discussion.
There are so many books on my list to read to educate myself more about race, but the fact that this one was British and with a Christian perspective definitely elevated it to the top of my list. And I’m so glad I did read it, because it opened my eyes to so much.
The book wasn’t an easy read in any way, in fact in places it was quite uncomfortable reading. But it was written in a way that made it quite easy to read.
I’d definitely recommend this book to everyone I know as a first step in education, and I’m glad that the author also recommends other things to read as I don’t want my learning to stop here.
Published on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/06/14/ben-lindsay-we-need-to-talk-about-race/
What I realised through reading this book, is that I have been blind to so much. Systematic racism that happens in the places that I hold dearest to my heart, in the places I would never expect there to be such hatred, and as a church (globally, not just locally), we need to do much better.
I appreciated how many people’s stories were weaved into this book, bringing different perspectives and experiences that we can and must learn from if we need to move forward into a society where your worth is not determined by the colour of your skin.
I also really appreciated the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. I read the book on my own, but I could see that this would be a great read as part of a house group or book club. The questions would definitely have been great springboards into meaningful discussion.
There are so many books on my list to read to educate myself more about race, but the fact that this one was British and with a Christian perspective definitely elevated it to the top of my list. And I’m so glad I did read it, because it opened my eyes to so much.
The book wasn’t an easy read in any way, in fact in places it was quite uncomfortable reading. But it was written in a way that made it quite easy to read.
I’d definitely recommend this book to everyone I know as a first step in education, and I’m glad that the author also recommends other things to read as I don’t want my learning to stop here.
Published on: https://emmaloui.se/2020/06/14/ben-lindsay-we-need-to-talk-about-race/
I always forget how much I love a good mystery thriller, and this was just what I needed to entertain me on a rainy saturday afternoon. So fast-paced that I couldn’t put it down and enough twists and turns that it wasn’t predictable (which I hate).
In fact, it was quite the opposite of predictable, the main twist coming about half way through the book and catching me completely by surprise.
The book centers around a hoity-toity street in the suburbs of London, the main characters were all so up themselves that I took an immediate dislike to the whole lot of them. But their perfect little bubble is shattered when ‘those people’ move in at the end of the street.
‘Those people’ are not like the rest of the street. ‘Those people’ are loud and brash and don’t abide by the rules. ‘Those people’ are a threat to the peace and tranquility that the rest of the street has tried so hard to cultivate. And ‘those people’ must be dealt with, because we couldn’t possibly have ‘those people’ living on our street.
I absolutely loved the format of the book. We know that someone has died because each chapter starts with a police interview with one of the residents of the street, but we don’t know who has died. As I read each chapter, my suspicions shifted. It seems like everyone on the street has a motive, but who is brave or crazy or desperate enough?
I swung quite wildly between sympathising with ‘those people’ because they seemed a lot more like me than the other residents of the street, but then hating them because they truly did seem like they were being obnoxious for the sake of it, and we would all hate to live next door to them.
I thought the author did a fantastic job exploring the hidden dark side of otherwise perfect looking people. The kind of people who put on such a shiny exterior but are actually pretty unpleasant.
Never mind not wanting to live next to ‘those people’, I wouldn’t want to live on this street full stop.
I’ll definitely be looking out for more books from this author!
https://emmaloui.se/2020/07/18/louise-candlish-those-people/
In fact, it was quite the opposite of predictable, the main twist coming about half way through the book and catching me completely by surprise.
The book centers around a hoity-toity street in the suburbs of London, the main characters were all so up themselves that I took an immediate dislike to the whole lot of them. But their perfect little bubble is shattered when ‘those people’ move in at the end of the street.
‘Those people’ are not like the rest of the street. ‘Those people’ are loud and brash and don’t abide by the rules. ‘Those people’ are a threat to the peace and tranquility that the rest of the street has tried so hard to cultivate. And ‘those people’ must be dealt with, because we couldn’t possibly have ‘those people’ living on our street.
I absolutely loved the format of the book. We know that someone has died because each chapter starts with a police interview with one of the residents of the street, but we don’t know who has died. As I read each chapter, my suspicions shifted. It seems like everyone on the street has a motive, but who is brave or crazy or desperate enough?
I swung quite wildly between sympathising with ‘those people’ because they seemed a lot more like me than the other residents of the street, but then hating them because they truly did seem like they were being obnoxious for the sake of it, and we would all hate to live next door to them.
I thought the author did a fantastic job exploring the hidden dark side of otherwise perfect looking people. The kind of people who put on such a shiny exterior but are actually pretty unpleasant.
Never mind not wanting to live next to ‘those people’, I wouldn’t want to live on this street full stop.
I’ll definitely be looking out for more books from this author!
https://emmaloui.se/2020/07/18/louise-candlish-those-people/
What a start to a book! 3 pages in and my heart was broken already. I don’t think that’s ever happened so early in a book before, but then we returned to the teashop on the corner and all was well in the world (well, kind of).
Both Pete and Laurie have lost their partners in tragic circumstances, and neither of them are coping well with the grief, they are both lost and unable to find their way forward.
They meet at Molly’s club, a place for bereaved people to meet and talk. And it’s an odd bunch of people, so much so that neither of them think they’ll return after their first week. But there’s something special about that bunch of people, and they begin to work their magic on both Pete and Laurie.
We can see straight away that Pete and Laurie are meant to be together, but they’re both going through an incredibly difficult time, and there are some twists and turns in the way which will completely derail the path of true love, but that didn’t stop me rooting for them!
I have to say, I though that I had the plot completely figured out, but Milly managed to throw me completely off and surprised me in a way I would never have guessed!
For me, this book was fabulous. Sensitively exploring the humanness of grief and the struggles that come with it, this topic could have been really tricky and traumatic. But in true Milly style, you come away with a warm heart and a smile on your face.
The different characters in Molly’s club show you how grief can exhibit itself in completely different ways for each person, but there’s no right way except your own way, and you will come out of the other side a stronger person, it may just take time.
I was so happy to be reunited with familiar places from previous books, and to have the Daily Trumpet featured so prominently really made me smile – I love the funny corrections that have threaded themselves into previous books, so to have this weaved into the plot was great.
I say this every time, but you can’t go wrong with a Milly Johnson, they’re guaranteed to make you smile, and a perfect way to lose yourself in another world for an afternoon.
Both Pete and Laurie have lost their partners in tragic circumstances, and neither of them are coping well with the grief, they are both lost and unable to find their way forward.
They meet at Molly’s club, a place for bereaved people to meet and talk. And it’s an odd bunch of people, so much so that neither of them think they’ll return after their first week. But there’s something special about that bunch of people, and they begin to work their magic on both Pete and Laurie.
We can see straight away that Pete and Laurie are meant to be together, but they’re both going through an incredibly difficult time, and there are some twists and turns in the way which will completely derail the path of true love, but that didn’t stop me rooting for them!
I have to say, I though that I had the plot completely figured out, but Milly managed to throw me completely off and surprised me in a way I would never have guessed!
For me, this book was fabulous. Sensitively exploring the humanness of grief and the struggles that come with it, this topic could have been really tricky and traumatic. But in true Milly style, you come away with a warm heart and a smile on your face.
The different characters in Molly’s club show you how grief can exhibit itself in completely different ways for each person, but there’s no right way except your own way, and you will come out of the other side a stronger person, it may just take time.
I was so happy to be reunited with familiar places from previous books, and to have the Daily Trumpet featured so prominently really made me smile – I love the funny corrections that have threaded themselves into previous books, so to have this weaved into the plot was great.
I say this every time, but you can’t go wrong with a Milly Johnson, they’re guaranteed to make you smile, and a perfect way to lose yourself in another world for an afternoon.