Plum is an overweight, depressed woman living in New York city doing a job she hates, on a mission to shrink her super-sized body. I bought this book on a whim, not really paying any attention to the plot line. The bright bold front cover and title indicted a light-hearted story of a women’s journey through weight loss, which is exactly the opposite of this story. The story has dark twisted turns throughout, and has some very unexpected graphic pornographic references. This is most definitely a fantasy novel and I must admit at some points I struggled to keep up with the characters. However, I loved the underlying message in the story. A mother’s revenge & a feminist uprising. 3/5
I was drawn to this book after hearing the hype around the TV series. 13 reasons why is the story of the 13 tapes Hannah left behind before she killed herself. The tapes must be passed around each of the 13 people, who she calls the reasons for her suicide. I loved the format of the book. Each chapter is a tape, and each tape focuses on a different character. The story is written from the perspective of Clay who is currently listening to the tapes and obviously includes 1st person anecdotes from Hannah herself. I can’t help but feel like the very important issue of Hannah’s mental health was skimmed over throughout the novel; which is such a relevant topic for the teenage target audience of this book. Overall, a good read written from a unique viewpoint. 3.5/5
The forgotten women – Angela Marsons
I couldn’t resist this book after enjoying the other of Marsons’ novels so much. This story is set in an alcoholic anonymous club and shares the story of two of its members, Kit and Fran. Kit and Fran could not be further apart in their lifestyles, Kit being an ex-prostitute and Fran being a high-flying lawyer. The pair form an unlikely friendship as the story unfolds. I was especially drawn to the Kit’s story in the first half of the novel, and then Fran’s towards the end. The story is powerfully character focused and allows the reader to feel like they know the two protagonists. The book is emotional and realistic. As always, a brilliant read by Marsons. 5/5.
