FOIL by Evan Klonsky #RBRT

 4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Human drama exploring many psychological issues of the current day.

At Penn Station, New York, a man called Sam sees what he believes to be a young man wearing a suicide vest, about to blow the place sky high.  Out of nowhere, Sam finds the courage to stop this from happening by wrestling the younger man, Xander, into submission, in a far more brutal fashion than was perhaps necessary.

The aftermath of these events forms the basis of the story, with stark illustration of how the actions of one can affect many.

The first thing that struck me about this book was how totally screwed up, self-absorbed and self-indulgent the characters are - I couldn't say I liked any of them.  Audrey came across as cold and selfish, Sam as rather sweet, childlike, almost, but alarmingly superficial, and poor Holly as an emotional mess, for good reason.  Maybe it's simply the world we live in these days.  This is not, incidentally, a criticism; the author portrayed all the characters so well, and I don't need to like a character to want to read about them.  I was particularly impressed by a minor player called Ainsley, who fancies himself as a Shaman - I loved the scene that comprised him, Sam and Sam's friend Gelb.  Excellent piece of writing.

The story is engaging and unusual, and I couldn't work out how it might develop.  Evan Klonsky is a jolly good writer, and this is a highly competent first novel in which he captures so well this current age.  I was a little disappointed by how the plot simmered down towards the end; I was expecting more 'events', but it's nothing if not realistic, and other readers may love the last ten per cent for this reason alone.

I'm sure this author has an interesting future ahead!

THE ENEMY'S WIFE by Deborah Swift @swiftstory

 5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book:  I have read every single book by only one author, and it's Deborah Swift, so I was waiting for it!

In a Nutshell: WWII drama, set mostly in Shanghai.  Book 2 of a series but completely stand-alone.

******

Blurb from Amazon

1941. When Zofia’s beloved husband Haru is conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, she is left to navigate Japanese-occupied Shanghai alone.

Far from home and surrounded by a country at war, Zofia finds unexpected comfort in a bond with Hilly, a spirited young refugee escaping Nazi-occupied Austria.

As violence tightens its grip on the city, they seek shelter with Theo, Zofia’s American employer. But with every passing day, the horrors of war and Haru’s absence begin to reshape Zofia’s world – and her heart.

Can she still love someone who has become the enemy?

******

My Review

I was as gripped by this book as I expected to be after reading its prequel, Last Train to Freedom.  The Enemy's Wife is completely stand-alone, as I, with the memory of a goldfish, can confirm.

I was particularly impressed by the structure and pacing - so smooth, and such an indication of the author's talent.  Getting it right is an art, and Deborah Swift is a maestro.

One aspect I found most interesting was the psychological effects of the horror of war.  That sounds a tad simplistic, but in this book the horror is all too real.  So many aspects came to life - the hell that changes the minds of men, the pointless and brutal loss of life, the erasure of communities, the lack of concern for ordinary people, the hunger, the restrictions, the constant sting of fear.

Most interesting of all, to me, was the stark illustration of the effects of the Japanese war machine on its own soldiers.  The swiftness with which fear changes the mindset into obedience, in itself an intended result of the psyop.  It made me think of much that is going on in the world now, and the escalation that is imminently possible.

On a lighter note, my favourite character was Theo until near the end, when it became Wu.  Hero!

If this genre is your thing, I highly recommend this book and its prequel.  

THE SIGNAL by Luke Voss #RBRT

 5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: The sinister reality of 'collaborating' with AI in the workplace...

This is such a good book. It's well written, the characters clearly defined, the plot intricate and convincing, and Luke Voss clearly knows his subject inside out, and uses some nice turns of phrase. 

At a company called Nexus Technologies, workers are being 'transitioned', as their roles are taken over by the AI system, ARIA.  It's been introduced gradually, stealthily, so at first the staff believe that ARIA will be used in a 'collaborative' sense, as a tool to help them.  The myth is that it will take over time-consuming tasks, in order that the human workforce may have more time to be creative, to use their individual skills.  Over time, though, ARIA's ever-expanding capabilities means these skills are becoming surplus to requirements.

Some customers, for whom those in Maya Chen's department create publicity and marketing strategies, believe that they are corresponding with human beings, when actually they're talking to AI.

Sound familiar?  We all know how frustrating it is to contact 'customer services' departments, only to find that it is impossible to either email, message or speak to an actual person.  This book is like a warning from the very near future, in which workers lives, education, experience and service to a company no longer matter, because AI can do it better.  Or can it?  This is what Maya and her former colleagues Marcus and Donna are determined to address.

As well as the replacement, The Signal shows how difficult (though not impossible) it is to maintain contact with anyone outside one's own home, without AI knowing all about it.  How everything we do online is tracked and stored.  How the only way to have a truly private conversation is face to face - that's if you can arrange it in the first place, without giving away your location.

As a thriller it's low-key, with a lot of technical information - however, this is necessary, as it is the author's knowledge of his subject that makes the story believable.

I look forward to what comes next!

We're Sinking But Not Tonight by Torgeir Higraff with Randy Green #RBRT

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: An account of Torgeir Higraff's Kon-Tiki 2 Expedition 

I enjoyed this book a great deal, having an endless fascination for real life adventures of this magnitude; I think it's something about getting away from 'normal' life and seeing what one is made of that appeals.  Torgeir Higraff's aim was to re-enact the famous voyage of Thor Heyerdahl's balsa raft Kon-Tiki, but this time to do the return journey as well: from Peru to Easter Island and back again.

Both Higraff and Heyerdahl were keen to discover the origins of the Polynesian population, who also travelled by balsa raft over a thousand years ago; the aim was to see if the journeys back and forth were possible.  In this book, Higraff gives much historical detail which is most absorbing; aside from the ancient, he also talks about other raft voyages - I very much enjoyed chapter sixteen.

The rest of the book addresses the birth of the idea, the struggle for sponsorship and necessary permits, the actual building of the raft, and, of course, the voyage itself.  The storms.  The loss of vital supplies and deterioration of the logs and ropes that plagued them throughout.  However, the book is cheerful in tone, and Higraff talks a lot about his fellow sailors, both on Tupac and the sister raft, Rahiti.  The relationships between, their vastly different personalities and skills.

It's a highly readable book and I enjoyed it throughout.  During the time I was reading it, I watched the 2012 film based on Heyerdahl's voyage, Kon-Tiki, partly to give me a better understanding of the mechanics of inhabiting and sailing via raft.  If you're interested, click HERE for more about it, including trailers and where to watch.  I also looked at Torgeir's site - click on any of the photos and you can flick through all of them, they're great!  It's HERE

THE LAST QUEEN by Gemma Lawrence @TudorTweep

 4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)

On   Goodreads

How I discovered this book: a favourite author

In a Nutshell: Book 1 of the Chronicles of Cleopatra

I was surprised by this new book by Gemma Lawrence, as at first glance it seems like a world away from her other historical fiction, which is, in the main, English, European, Tudor, Plantagenet, Saxon and Norman. 

Then I began to read it and saw that, of course, it's not a world away, at all.  Amongst those who rule kingdoms, the story will always be about manipulation, danger, betrayal, alliances and moral issues.  This book covers the early part of Cleopatra's life about which, as the author states in the notes at the end of the book, very little is known.  The way Ms Lawrence has imagined it was entirely convincing, and I liked reading all the factual information contained in the earlier part of the book, as it concerns a place, time and culture about which I knew nothing at all.

A fascinating start to what I'm sure will be another excellent series.

FOOTNOTES: The History behind the Novels by Judith Arnopp @juditharnopp

 5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Saw it on X, big fan of this author

In a Nutshell: A selection of articles that give background information about the subject matter of the author's novels

In the introduction Judith Arnopp apologises for any repetition in this collection of blog posts and articles from previous years, as her books were in progress.  Yes, there was some repetition, but it didn't matter to me, because so many of the articles were fascinating.  

The chapter about the Mary Rose made me think, 'I have to see this', to the extent that I've looked up the site and trains, and asked my sister if she fancies taking the trip with me.  The one about Harlech Castle and Owain Glyndŵr made me want to read a book about the subject.  'The Mysterious Death of King William II' ensured that The Forest Dwellers will be the next book of Ms Arnopp's that I read.  Even the chapters about people I already knew a lot about, like Margaret Beaufort and Henry VIII's wives, I still enjoyed reading.

And now I want to visit all those ancient Welsh churches, too - this book is a little gem!

MAKE HIM A SANDWICH by Candace Owens @realCandaceO

 5 GOLD stars

On Candace's website - Canada and US only
On Amazon.com - ships to UK

On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I saw it advertised on Candace's show.

In a Nutshell: 'Why real women don't need fake feminism'

My husband bought me this for Christmas; such was the demand for this elegant treatise of feminist culture that it didn't arrive until a few days ago.  Having just closed the book, I imagine most will agree with me that the wait was worth it.  MHAS is so well-written I became totally engrossed in every historical account, every 'celeb' incident, every aspect of the way in which the media and those who run it have manipulated young women to think that (for instance) getting your kit off on the internet for money is 'liberation'.

I particularly liked Chapter 4, Beyond the Pale, which outlines the origins of the movement, back as far mid 19th Century Russia.  So much I didn't know.  Oh, and don't miss Chapter 6: The Kardashian School of Plastic'.  Or #7, Along Came Hannah, about 'trad wife' Hannah Neeleman and her YouTube channel about life at her family home, Ballerina Farm. I was glued to the pages throughout!

MHAS compares the biology of men and women, the emotional differences, which made me think about aspects I hadn't previously considered.  The book is a light and 'easy read', wise, honest and straight to the point but always classy.  I watch Candace often, so I know how intricately she researches every detail, how careful she is before presenting facts.  She digs deeper than most, into both her subject matter and the motivations of others.

Something else I appreciated was the way the chapters themselves were structured - a masterclass in keeping the reader's attention.  I can't recommend this book highly enough.  It cuts through all the lies, myths,  hype and manipulation; the hows and whys about the overturning of Roe vs Wade was an eye-opener.

Make Him A Sandwich is informative, fascinating, funny, beautifully structured, and fears no man!  Or woman, of course.  😉