JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Who Did You Tell? by Lesley Kara

You thought your darkest secret was safe.
You were wrong.

It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.

Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery. She’s going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she’s wronged.

But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won’t stop until she learns that some mistakes can’t be corrected.

Some mistakes, you have to pay for . . .

Lesley Kara’s Who Did You Tell? is a gripping psychological thriller about recovering addict Astrid and her attempt to escape past mistakes by returning home to live with her mother. Someone who knows her biggest secret has followed her to the small, seaside town of Flinstead, and intends to make her pay for what she did.

There are two POVs throughout the novel. The main storyline is written in first person by thirty-two-year-old Astrid, who is doing her best to recover from her alcoholism and mend her broken relationship with her mother. After fleeing London, she starts attending AA meetings in Flinstead where she meets Rosie and Helen, two older women who are also recovering alcoholics. She forms a close friendship with Helen, and the two bond of their broken relationships.

The other storyline is an anonymous character whose POV appears sporadically in the novel. That person is tailing Astrid, incredibly angry at her for what she did when she was an addict. That person wants revenge.

“She won’t hear me go out, but still, I can’t take any chances. If she knows I’ve gone, she’ll be on the lookout when I come back. She won’t have me in the house if I’ve been drinking — she’s made that patently clear — and I’ve nowhere else to go. Not any more. No more sofas to crash out on. No more favours to call in.”

Astrid is remorseful and full of regrets, but she’s also hopeful that she can recover from her addiction and steer her life back on the right path. She’s sheepish and lacking in self confidence, and the reader can sense how worried she is about falling off the wagon. A lot of the tension in the novel comes from the possibility of Astrid drinking again, and how that will affect her relationship with her mother.

Over time, Lesley drip feeds us information about Astrid’s past and how she came to be living with her mother in Flinstead. It’s clear that Astrid had alienated everyone in her life and her mother is the last remaining contact she has. Astrid’s past was full of pain and hurt, and she destroyed a lot of relationships and friendships along the way.

“It’s time-consuming, intricate work, but if it was good enough for the Old Masters, then it’s good enough for me, and Richard has already said that I must take as long as I need. He’s not after a rushed job, and neither am I. This house is a labour of love for him. He cares about aesthetics.”

Who Did You Tell? explores themes of guilt and remorse, but also forgiveness, trust and redemption. Astrid wants to get her life back on track, and in Flinstead she starts to build a support network full of people who want her to succeed.

Once Astrid learns to trust others, she can let go of the walls around her and let those people in. She starts to tell the truth, admit her wrongs, and move forward with the right people by her side.

“I wish I hadn’t started this now. It’s all coming out. The wreckage of my life, spilling out in a great ugly heap. I know if I’m going to do this Twelve Step thing properly, then at some point I’m going to have to confess all this anyway, and the rest of it.”

Admittedly, I did find the novel a little predictable. I guessed pretty quickly who the anonymous character was, and I think too many hints were given to the reader. Additionally, at times I found Astrid quite unlikeable — a little too weak and timid?

Suspenseful and fast-paced, Who Did You Tell? will have you desperate to complete. Recommended for fans of crime, thriller and psychological dramas.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Who Did You Tell?
Lesley Kara
January 2020
Penguin Random House Publishers

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain

North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher’s life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women’s Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold – until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.

North Carolina, 1940: Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey, wins a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. Alone in the world and desperate for work, she accepts. But what she doesn’t expect is to find herself immersed in a town where prejudices run deep, where people are hiding secrets behind closed doors, and where the price of being different might just end in murder.

What happened to Anna Dale? Are the clues hidden in the decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain tracks two white artists living in a small town in North Carolina, 78 years apart. The storyline pivots around a mural that was commissioned for the small town, but was mysteriously never installed.

In 1940, 22-year-old artist Anna Dale wins an art contest and is chosen to paint a mural for the Edenton post office. She travels from New Jersey and lives in the town while completing the work.

In 2018, 22-year-old artist Morgan Christopher is serving time in prison for a DUI that resulted in a car accident. She’s offered parole if she moves to Edenton to restore the mural that Anna Dale abandoned decades earlier. A mysterious African American artist called Jesse Jameson Williams —who Morgan has never met and has no connection to — recently died and outlined strictly in his will that Morgan be the artist to restore the work.

“Anna arrived in Edenton for her planned three-day visit late on the afternoon of December 4. She could have taken the overnight train, but at the last minute she decided to drive. The ’32 navy blue Ford V8 still held her mother’s scent — the spicy patchouli fragrance of the Tabu perfume she’d loved — and Anna needed that comfort as she set out on this new, very adult venture.”

Strong themes present in the book are addiction and illness — Morgan is estranged from her parents, who are dysfunctional, judgemental alcoholics, and Anna’s mother just recently committed suicide after years of manic illnesses.

Racism is thinly explored in the book as well. Jesse Jameson Williams meets Anna Dale when he’s a teenager, and begins helping her paint the mural. Soon, people in Edenton assume the two are engaged in a relationship, which would’ve been illegal at that time. Someone paints racial slurs on the wall of Anna’s workshop space, and people threaten to harm Anna because of her connection to Jesse. Admittedly, the racism seems a little too light for what it would’ve actually been like at that time.

The artistry is incredibly evocative in the book. Both Anna and Morgan are talented and enthusiastic about their work and it’s evident how much artistic research has gone into the writing of this book. Everything about the mural, the town and its inhabitants is richly detailed and captured clearly.

“They talked about the people they knew who might be willing to model for the mural. Muss Myrtle thought the mayor’s wife was a good choice, but the idea made Anna cringe as she remembered Pauline’s comments about Mayor Sykes’ treatment of his wife. She felt as if she knew far more than she should about the poor woman and her life.”

The book is enjoyable and will have readers turning the pages, but it’s not flawless. The turning point in Anna Dale’s story (and what results from it) is predictable and expected, as is Morgan’s discovered connection to Jesse and Anna in the final chapter of the book.

Additionally, Jesse’s will stipulated that his daughter Lisa wouldn’t inherit her childhood home if Morgan missed her mural restoration deadline. This stipulation…doesn’t fit the rest of Jesse’s characterisation and is never really explained in the book. It felt like a lazy plot point.

An engaging read recommended for fans of women’s fiction and historical fiction.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Big Lies In A Small Town
Diane Chamberlain
January 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Mini Mel and Timid Tom by Ben Hutchings

The feline overlord King Mog has set his loyal subject Tom an impossible task. Luckily, today is the day Tom’s owner insists on joining him.

After shrinking to the size of a mouse, the brave and resourceful Melanie is granted a cat’s-eye view of a fascinating hidden realm.

As they race through gardens, across rooftops and down hidden pathways, a familiar neighbourhood becomes the epic setting of danger and adventure, kindness and cruelty, courage and camaraderie.

Can Mel help Tom beat the King’s favourite, Sir Ronald, and gain the approval of the Court?

Ben Hutchings’ Mini Mel and Timid Tom is a graphic novel for children, filled with exciting adventures and interesting creatures that readers will love.

After shrinking to a small size, Melanie accompanies her cat Tom on a sprawling neighbourhood adventure to find a SPLAT and bring it to the Great King Mog.

Ultimately, the book explores the concept of competition amongst competitors, and also encourages readers to help others and be the bigger person. It’s not about who gets there first, but more importantly, playing fair.

“It’s the only way to sneak you into the cat world. That tree was a magic shrinking tree. You can always tell a magic shrinking tree. They’re magic. And they shrink you.”

Above all else, the book is incredibly fun. The strength lies within the vibrant illustrations and the comic art, with marvellously detailed drawings and comic strips that children will devour.

Mini Mel and Timid Tom is exciting and encouraging for young readers, but it also has some key messages at its core that parents will appreciate.

Some smaller lessons that the book explores include friendship, family, understanding the concept of rejection, and understanding that not everyone in this world is going to like you or pick you or choose you, and that’s okay.

“More like a great fathead. Why do you let them bully you like that?”

“Bully me? That’s just how strong cats talk! I can take it. I’m no kitten. If King Mog likes you, he can make your life wonderful.”

A fun, frolicking adventure perfect for reluctant readers. Recommended for children aged 8+

Thank you to the author for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Buy HERE.

Mini Mel and Timid Tom
Ben Hutchings
July 2019
Squishface Comic Studio

Nevertell by Katharine Orton

A gorgeous, snowy adventure, set in the wilds of Siberia, full of magic and wonder, for junior readers.

A world of magic is only a whisper away… Born in a Soviet prison camp, Lina has never seen the world outside until the night she escapes with her best friend, Bogdan. As the pair journey across a snowy wilderness, they are pursued by a vengeful sorceress and her pack of shadow wolves. The children will need every ounce of courage – and a whisper of magic – if they are to survive…

Nevertell by Katharine Orton is a debut children’s fantasy novel about two young kids who escape a prison camp, in search of freedom and family.

Written in third person, Lina and her best friend Bogdan escape a prison camp — the only home they’ve ever known — in search of safety with Lina’s grandmother in Moscow. The escape and subsequent journey is as treacherous as the prison camp itself, which was home to ruthless guards and horrid conditions.

Lina and Bogdan show incredible courage, determination and strength on their journey. Lina must also learn to trust her own magic and powers, and embrace them to fight off enemies.

“They found snowdrifts with the torch and dug shelters with their hands — under Gleb’s instruction. They started low and dug a tunnel upwards into the drift. The angle would help keep warmth in, apparently. Then they scooped out a hollow that could fit one or two people inside, as long as they crouched or lay flat.”

Set in Siberia, setting and atmosphere are the strongest elements of this novel. Nevertell is set during Winter and the reader can really feel the cold temperatures, the snow, the ice, the mist and the dangerous weather that threatens to harm.

Nevertell is also set during Stalin’s reign so at the beginning it feels like a children’s historical fiction novel, but magic is embedded throughout this book and the environment, and the reader is whisked off into an enchanting journey about survival, family and friendship.

Another strength is the pacing — it’s fast, quick, and moves between scenes seamlessly. Every chapter is necessary to the storyline, and I imagine children will love all the twists and turns they find in this book.

“Lina led the way, first of all inching along the dark corridor, then up the spiralling steps of frozen stone, clinging to the gold bannister. The way out ought to be just up these stairs and through the hallway. They were so close.”

Lina’s family history holds many secrets, and it isn’t far into the book that we discover Lina has the unique ability to grow food, which is incredibly helpful to her journey from prison camp to safety. Although, I found the magic in the book a little confusing and under-explained. I don’t know that I fully understood the magic system, just Lina’s special ability. I do think more attention should’ve been given when setting up the system, and explaining it to readers.

Additionally, some of the characters felt a little one-dimensional and stereotypical, with not much to add to the storyline except being a token ‘villain’. But other characters, such as Lina and Svetlana, are fantastic at drawing the reader in and keeping their focus.

“In the stories, Baby Yaga did sometimes help people. Other times, she tried to hurt them. Often, she tried to eat them. One thing was certain , though: Baby Yaga could never be trusted.”

Recommended for children aged 10+. There are some dark themes and plot points to be mindful of, but I don’t think this will deter young readers. If anything, it might just draw them in further.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nevertell
Katharine Orton
November 2019
Walker Books Australia

Do You Mind If I Cancel? by Gary Janetti

With over 800,000 followers on social media, Gary Janetti has quickly become a viral sensation, but here in Do You Mind If I Cancel?, the man behind the most wickedly funny memes on the Internet turns his attention away from the royal family, and squarely to the realm of everyday life.

He takes on the humiliations of applying for a job, the excitement of moving to New York, and reflects on growing up, and coming out. “These are essays from my childhood and young adulthood about things that still annoy me,” says Gary.

But the book is not just a laugh out loud riot. In the vein of David Sedaris, and Jenny Lawson, the collection is also a deeply felt work of literary nonfiction, exploring the complexities of family, frustrations of careers, and the paradox of life where sometimes everything is irritating, and also wonderful. Original, brazen, and laugh out loud funny, Do You Mind If I Cancel? marks the arrival of a remarkably exciting new voice in American humor.

Do You Mind I I Cancel? is a collection of personal essays from comedic TV writer Gary Janetti, known as one of the writers for Will and Grace and Family Guy.

The book is compact, funny and each chapter takes a different focus on Gary’s life — he reflects on things he’s learned, people he knew, and jobs he had. For most of the book, he talks about being in his late 20s, working low-paying jobs New York City and wanting to build a career as a writer and make it ‘big’ in the city.

“Working at the hotel is already giving me a lot of fodder for my novel, I decide. Too much to keep track of even. I intend to start carrying a little notebook around with me to write down all my thoughts and ideas. And then basically type that up and there you go.”

The essays aren’t ordered chronologically, and at times it’s hard to keep track of where we’re at but each story is funny enough to ease the reader into the chapter.

Many of the chapters also talk about Gary’s sexual orientation and about his younger self coming out as gay. The essays talk about past boyfriends, past crushes, and Gary’s reflection on his younger, gay self. This reflection is wise and insightful as well as funny.

“I audition and am accepted (anybody willing to write the check pretty much gets in, but I don’t know that — but deep down I do) to the twice-weekly three-hour classes.”

Gary’s writing is tonally perfect, whip-smart and will be quick to make reader’s laugh. I was worried that some of the humour or even some of the references would be very American, and therefore it’d be hard to relate, but I didn’t have an issue with this. Everything landed — a quick read and a good read.

“After hours of being barked at with a laundry list of increasingly labor-intensive, anally compulsive chores I begin to wonder if this guy is even gay. I’ve deliberately dusted all the highest shelves first in order to afford a glimpse of my midriff, but not even a glance.”

Gary is a well-known television writer but he doesn’t really touch on how he got his start in that field. A lot of the stories are from his teens and twenties, and then later in his forties. He must have some amazing stories from his early career as a writer, and building up his career and I would’ve liked it if more of that time was included in this book.

I didn’t know who Gary was before reading this book, and so I don’t think you have to in order to enjoy this read. Love comedic essays? Love reading about how successful people lived their life before they were successful? Then this book is for you.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Do You Mind If I Cancel? (Things That Still Annoy Me)
Gary Janetti
November 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

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