A WEEK IN PARIS by RACHEL HORE...

A WEEK IN PARIS

BY RACHEL HORE

THE BLURB:-

The streets of Paris hide a dark past...

September, 1937. Kitty Travers enrols at the Conservatoire on the banks of the Seine to pursue her dream of becoming a concert pianist. But then war breaks out and the city of light falls into shadow.

Nearly twenty-five years later, Fay Knox, a talented young violinist, visits Paris on tour with her orchestra. She barely knows the city, so why does it feel so familiar? Soon touches of memory become something stronger, and she realises her connection with these streets runs deeper than she ever expected.

As Fay traces the past, with only an address in an old rucksack to help her, she discovers dark secrets hidden years ago, secrets that question who she is and where she belongs...

THE REALITY:-

It's really hard to find fault with this novel, as it drew me in and kept me there until the very end, eager to turn the pages as it reached its conclusion. And that's exactly what a story should do. This was not the first Rachel Hore book I've read, and whilst not as personally appealing as A Place of Secrets, this one certainly worked for me.

World War II was a harrowing time for so many millions of people, and it's the tales of individual strife that interest me the most- we all know and understand the basics, but it's the personal stories that matter supremely. There were so many layers to lives during wartime. Kitty's life in Paris under German occupation, her husband's work and death, her subsequent arrest and transportation to Vittel and harrowing mission to be reunited with her little girl were moving in the extreme. You rooted for her all the way! This was all brought to life by interesting perspectives from characters such as Natalie/ Therese (you feel for her whilst wanting to wallop her, all at the same time!) the other Parisian nuns, Serge and likeable, tragic figures like Mr. Zipper. The writer has certainly done her WW II research.

Rachel Hore uses a career within an orchestra as a backdrop for both Kitty and her daughter Fay. She did this in The Glass Painter's Daughter, so it makes me wonder if she has personal experience in this field herself? I did question whether it was believable that Fay would simply not be able to recall the first four years of her life, as happens here. I know childhood memories are fragmented at that age, but to remember NOTHING? But then maybe trauma does strange things to some people.

I loved the spooky deja vu from Fay that opened the novel and made me want to read more. Compelling reading!

ALL THAT GLITTERS ALSO DRAWS BLOOD...

These shoes were too gorgeous for words, and at £9.50 from Ebay, they just had to be mine.  I do think they're probably more pink than purple, although that's not immediately obvious from these photos (light can do strange things to colours in photography), or at least fuchsia.  They have ripped my big toe apart!  Had to peel a bright red plaster off my foot on Saturday night, but hopefully they're broken in now.

These red sparkly sandals were £6 from Ebay and are also painful, so will have to wear them around the house for a while, unless I want crucified feet.

I bought them to replace the red sequin Dorothy shoes (which are falling to pieces) below.  The Wizard of Oz was my favourite film as a child and I just couldn't resist them.  They cost me a  fiver, a few years back and came from a "here today, gone tomorrow" shop in Ilford.

I got the box home to realise that they had sold me two left feet, though!  I didn't need to wear them that night, so saw the funny side, and thankfully the shop existed long enough for me to go back and swap the rogue shoe!

BEAUTIFUL FAKE FUR COAT...

Bought this lovely cuddly coat from Quiz Clothing recently.  I already own a white and a leopard print fake fur but they are short, so this will keep me warmer.  The cut is fantastic, nicely shaped and it skims my curves without being clingy.  This is important as faux fur can make you look a bit of a fat buffer (mind you, I am that already, much that I care).





I would offer my services to Quiz Clothing as a designer as they are my favourite brand:- sexy, feminine, unsubtle and blingy!  But I believe that their head office is in Scotland, and that's a bit too long a commute for me!

THE FRAUD by BARBARA EWING

THE FRAUD

BY BARBARA EWING

THE BLURB:-

1763. As candles flicker in the falling dust along Pall Mall, Filipo de Vecellio, fêted portrait painter from Florence, and his beautiful wife Angelica entertain the cream of London's art world in their fashionable home, with Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough among the guests, and William Hogarth a disapproving observer.

Little is known of Filipo's past or his family- except in the shadows sits his sister, Francesca, who watches, and listens, and waits.

For beneath the opulence and success, the house conceals a swarm of dangerous secrets, corruption and lies. Filipo's ambition has meant numerous, terrible sacrifices for Francesca but he is not the only painter, nor the only one capable of fraud. And as the great wild city of trade and business expands its grasping, avid tentacles, a climax erupts involving love and passion- and the quiet sister who has waited so long...

THE REALITY:-

Art- tick- I studied art before studying fashion, and still hold a very big interest. London- tick- the city of my birth and residence, and the place I feel truly at home. History- tick- I always wished I had continued studying history after the third year at school as I love it, but the teacher I had at the time, in his mismatched outfits, bored me to death going over the Reformation time and time again, so I dropped it. Mystique, lies and corruption- tick- this book sounded like it ticked most of my boxes!

It didn't, however, do that much for me. It was so put-down-able that I actually managed to read another novel half way through this book, and then come back to it! Although I was able to pick up the thread very easily, I frequently speed-read parts, skimming through page after page, like an errant student, in the places where the story dragged (there were a lot of them). And I guess that was the problem- the book was just too damn long winded.

The characters and setting were believable, the style of writing original and enchanting and the writer has certainly done her art and history homework. I loved the parts where Grace/ Francesca spoke in the first person, and the fact that a change of font differentiated between her words and the main body of the story. I also felt emotionally connected to her, liked her immorality, felt for her frustration, and sometimes wanted to get into the novel and shake her, to try and force her to stand up for herself. But I suppose her slyness was the whole basis for the story, and I'm glad she kind of got a happy ending. I would certainly give this author another go, but perhaps with trepidation.

SPARKLY EMERALD SANDALS...

These cost me £13 from Ebay.  They are ex-display shoes from a fancy dress shop.

Fancy dress?  My dress is always fancy!!!!

The brand is called Funtasma- not a make I've ever heard of before- and they're very comfortable too.

DELIGHTS FROM THE DUSTBIN...

DELIGHTS FROM THE DUSTBIN!

Whilst putting the rubbish out the other day, I found this twinkly purple jewelled basked dumped by the bins.

Originally a hanging basket, I ripped the wire handle off, gave it a good scrub and now use it to stow my nail varnishes and body sparkles (I do live on the Essex bordeline darling, so have an obligation to try to fit in!) all for the princely sum of nought pence!

I'm not proud and free is the magic number!

BONES OF THE LOST, BY KATHY REICHS

BONES OF THE LOST

BY KATHY REICHS

THE BLURB:-

A teenage girl is found dead beside a desolate highway on the outskirts of Charlotte. Inside her purse is the ID card of a local businessman who died in a fire five months earlier.

But who is the girl, and was she murdered?

Dr. Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist, must work fast to reach the answers. Convinced that the girl's death was no accident, she soon uncovers a conspiracy that extends from South America to Afghanistan.

But to find justice for the dead, Tempe must be more courageous- and take more extreme action- than ever before.

THE REALITY:-

I have read every one of Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels; since that moment circa 1998 when my then-boyfriend found a copy of her first novel, Deja Dead, abandoned in a local betting shop! Although none of her other novels have been as good as her first, all of them (with the exception of Cross Bones, which I didn't manage to finish) have been highly readable.

Erudite in the extreme, each novel is a lesson in itself in the type of work Reichs carries out on a day to day basis. She also tackles everyday, newsworthy issues- in this case the war in Afghanistan- with glittering, first-hand experience.

With the correct amount of tension and the usual crescendo to a highly violent finish, this novel was certainly a page turner. I always find, however, that it is the study of Temperance Brennan as a woman that draws me in more, especially her on/off relationship with Detective Andrew Ryan (I so want them to sort it out and get together properly and permanently, although that would possibly make for a less interesting continuation of the series than the other option!)

This novel was bought from Sainsbury's, and also carried an “exclusive” short Temperance Brennan story as an addition, which was nice.

A great read but a word of warning- avoid the Virals series. The one book I read seemed too far fetched for me, although I suppose that's probably because they're aimed at a younger audience.