The Longshot by Katie Kitamura

I like reading novels by new writers and that is one of the reasons why I chose this one, also it is out my comfort zone which usually consists of thrillers and chick lit.
The book is well written and flows nicely and is in the main a detailed character study of Cal and Riley as well as the ever present Rivera.
The plot is simple, Cal is facing a rematch against the legendary Rivera, four years in the making. UP until the moment he steps into the ring he is confident he will be alright, after all he is the only man whom Rivera has failed to knock out. He realises as soon as he steps into the ring that Rivera means business.

I know nothing about the world of fighting but the way the preparations are described are convincing and compelling, the weigh in and buzz from journalists, the crowd filling the arena ratchet up the tension before the fight begins. As a reader you certainly begin to share in Cal's emotions and will him on, the fight itself is brutal and described in detail.

On the surface the novel may seem to be just a description of a fighter preparing for the most crucial fight of his career but look deeper and you will see that the fight is how Cal and Rivera and Riley judge their own success and failures, what it means to have to let go of your dreams and how things change as we grow older.

A great debut novel that I would recommend.

Instructions Not Included by Charlotte Moerman

This book is a real gem. It talks about the adjustment many women make from a high flying career girl to a Mother, at first confronted with a bundle of joy which is a complete mystery.

Charlotte accurately captures the emotions many of us go through, the guilt we feel when we are trying to convince the children to eat something vaguely healthy and come away from the television. The warmth of the book reflects the love with which it has been written and the love shared within the family.

By turns this book made me laugh out loud, well up and cringe as I either recognised myself in the anecdotes, particularly the I will not shout, I am calm episodes or I had seen other mummies experiencing the things Charlotte describes.

This book will not tell you how to be a better mummy but it does highlight and capture what it is to be a mummy, how wonderful, frustrating but ultimately rewarding it can be. I found it inspirational, I also have three young children, currently all under the age of five and my husband often works late or has to travel all over the world, reading Charlotte's account made me realise that it is doable and I think I came to the same conclusion as Charlotte in the end that the work is worth it.

Perhaps the best thing about this book is its honesty. Charlotte doesn't hold back on the tears and tantrums, and not just from the children. If you want to know what it is like to be a Mother, warts and all, then this is the book to read.

I would recommend this book to anyone with children and even without as the book is so warm and well written it can be enjoyed by everyone. 5/5

Wedding Party by Sophie King

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had its emotional ups and downs but in the main left me smiling. The characters are all individual and very well drawn, no cardboard stereotypes among them! There is one here that everyone can identify whether it is the career woman struggling to juggle everything, the well meaning woman who still manages to get it wrong, the divorcee with regrets or the person struggling with a moral test.

There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot and I don't want to give too much away by telling you what happens but there was plenty of will they, won't they? moments and intrigue as to how personal problems would be resolved. The refreshing thing about the novel is that the characters are not all perfect, immaculate women, this novel takes real women and shows them how they are, the jealous thoughts and competition between them is well written and convincing.

Each chapters is narrated by one of the main characters and at first it was difficult to see how they would all come together but this becomes clear very soon, the ending was a real surprise and I think there is plenty of room for a sequel.