Hello and welcome to the latest Reading Roundup post. I haven’t been able to write one for ages and regular visitors to the blog will have seen the reasons why. Yes, we are still stuck here in bed together and I am writing this whilst Lovely Husband is resting next to me.

I have read quite a few books since I last uploaded one of these posts, but I have selected two of them to write about today. Please forgive the bare bones reviews. I cannot manage to write very much at the moment as I am also struggling with my health.

The first book was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V E Schwab. I am not sure what drew me to this book in the first place, but I am glad that I chose to read it. Here is the blurb:

“When Addie La Rue makes a pact with the devil, she trades her soul for immortality. But there’s always a price – the devil takes away her place in the world, cursing her to be forgotten by everyone.

Addie flees her tiny home town in 18th-Century France, beginning a journey that takes her across the world, learning to live a life where no one remembers her and everything she owns is lost and broken. Existing only as a muse for artists throughout history, she learns to fall in love anew every single day.

Her only companion on this journey is her dark devil with hypnotic green eyes, who visits her each year on the anniversary of their deal. Alone in the world, Addie has no choice but to confront him, to understand him, maybe to beat him.

Until one day, in a second hand bookshop in Manhattan, Addie meets someone who remembers her. Suddenly thrust back into a real, normal life, Addie realises she can’t escape her fate forever.”

This is my response on Goodreads:

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, that was a surprising delight! I chose the book at random with no real idea of what it was going to be like. The theme of memory loss was intriguing to me, suffering from my own melting memories, due to a stroke. My only criticism, which made me drop one star, was the length of the book. I found myself flagging at times. There was a lot of repetition that could have been edited out.

The book is definitely worth a look.

View all my reviews

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Such an unusual book!

Now for the second…

My next book is Lynda La Plante’s Buried, #01 in her DC Jack Warr series.

Here is the blurb:

“SOME THINGS SHOULD REMAIN BURIED . . .

DC Jack Warr and his girlfriend Maggie have just moved to London to start a new life together. Though charming, Jack can’t seem to find his place in the world – until he’s drawn into an investigation that turns his life upside down.

In the aftermath of a fire at an isolated cottage, a badly charred body is discovered, along with the burnt remains of millions of stolen, untraceable bank notes.

Jack’s search leads him deep into a murky criminal underworld – a world he finds himself surprisingly good at navigating. But as the line of the law becomes blurred, how far will Jack go to find the answers – and what will it cost him?

In BURIED, it’s time to meet DC Jack Warr as he digs up the deadly secrets of the past “

This is my review:

Buried by Lynda La Plante
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am reading this series the wrong way round! I tackled the third book before this one, but, to be honest, my feelings about both are very similar. La Plante creates interesting characters and plots, but her actual writing style is clunky. Many words and phrases are used repeatedly as if she is churning out her books.

Despite this, I found the book gripping enough and the characters were certainly engaging and, in some cases, quite intriguing. Very few of them are outright villains or “goodies”, which makes the series more interesting. I am not sure whether I will read further books in the series, maybe I will.

View all my reviews

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OK, I think this is enough to ease myself back in! All being well, I should be able to write about more books next week. I am struggling to find enough time (and peace) to read, but I have managed to finish some more books. LH is doing his best to give me some quiet time.

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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