CoWorkers by Jade Lane.

 Jade got a job in a call centre and kept a journal of her CoWorkers. In this short 32 page book, Jade shares how she found the people she worked alongside.

I found CoWorkers to be a light, jolly read with a nice dry sense of humour. It was not a glamorous job as Jade explains…

My very first impression was that I didn’t feel like I was at an office. I felt like I had arrived at the Biggest Loser Ranch. Yes. They were all overweight.

… Jade makes colourful descriptions of her CoWorkers personalities and all the things they did that wound Jade up. This all makes for an amusing read and has the same vibe as the popular Netflix television series called Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I found CoWorkers to be OKAY 3 star read and I am pleased that Jade has put her workplace memories in the public domain. Readers can enjoy it for what it is, a glimpse behind closed doors and Jade can call up anecdotes to use in parties for years to come. The best bit of this short book is rather funny and I can imagine a stand up comedian using something like this in their set…

Becky was undeniably frumpy. I’m not sure if it was the frizzy hair that was down to her butt, the lady mustache, or the floral dresses that she paired with athletic sneakers that made her so. But this is exactly what 

she was. She was the quintessential example of someone who was obsessed with clearance racks, bought whatever the heck was on sale, but had absolutely zero fashion sense.

… I could not read this section out aloud to my wife of 29 years because she only wears flat shoes and is the queen of the clearance rack.

CoWorkers was written in 2014 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.

Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake #1) by Rachel Caine.

 Gina Royal returns home to discover her husband has an unusual hobby. The police are called and her husband ends up in prison. Gina tries to make a new life for herself and her children but with the power of the internet, trolls and vigilantes want to track her down.

Stillhouse Lake is a modern tale of stalking and trolls. This novel is from the point of view of an innocent victim of internet and telephone abuse. This is a serious global problem and Rachel has made a thriller out of it.

I enjoyed reading Stillhouse Lake and loved its format, a first person narrative with a linear time frame. I loved the strong character development of Gina and her two children. I loved the rural setting and all the steps Gina took to hide her past. I liked the plot and how it made suspicions about all the people living close to Stillhouse Lake.

I found this novel an entertaining and interesting read. It is similar to many “cabin-by-the-lake” films but is still a solid GOOD 4 star read.

Stillhouse Lake was written in 2017 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.

How to manipulate your mind and kill anxiety by Sergio C. Brown.

This book explores how the mind works and how a reader could manipulate their mind to help anxiety and depression.

I found this book a little disappointing as I feel it lacks focus. Sergio knows his stuff but I did not feel this was an empowering read. I liked his comments on food and chocolate in particular! It kept my interest and I hoped it would get better towards the end. Sadly I found it was a long trip around the houses to get his core ideas across.

I did enjoy his insights into different ways of thinking and understanding how your whole body functions. He was also careful with his language in case a reader may be suicidal. Sergio has lots of ideas to move forward and this could help readers who are at risk,

I found this book an interesting introduction to different ways of thinking but it lacked any WOW! Factor and it’s lack of depth made it a POOR 2 star read.

How to manipulate your mind and kill anxiety is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2020. 

Mind in Depression by Jeugene John.

 This is a short, 14 page book about depression. It is written in an easy going essay style that gets the reader thinking about the problem of depression and how our brains work.

Jeugene has grouped and explored depression into six attitudes that can result in this mental health problem. The Perfectionist, The Worst is yet to come, It’s my fault, Weight on my shoulders, I forgive but don’t forget and Addicted to love. Read through these six triggers of depression and you will gain a quick insight to this condition.

I found this short book a quick and clear read that was very easy to follow and understand. I think Mind in Depression is an OKAY read that gives the reader an introduction to the condition, so gets 3 stars from me.

I think Jeugene has hit the nail on the head when he writes…

There may be many cases or situations, but our brain can find solutions even in the darkest corners of the psyche.

Mind in Depression was written in 2020 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.

Before I Go by Marie Reyes.

 Michael takes a trip to Mexico with one thing on his mind. Josie also takes a trip to Mexico with one thing on her mind. These two young people meet in a bar and they are not your usual tourist or traveller. Anyway they get talking and become involved in each other’s lives.

I found this thriller very different from the usual boy meets girl. Before I Go is very dark in places and is full of tension, all the way to the end. The character development is good and I loved how Marie got the atmosphere and impressions that visitors form when staying in Mexico. I liked how she explored the “ships that pass in the night” and “passing through” themes that holiday makers share with each other.

I found it very easy to engage with Michael and Josie as they moved around Mexico where everything was new and unexplored to them. The plot was fine and very different from run-of-the-mill thrillers. Where Before I Go really shines is the relationship that developed between Michael and Josie. This is not a tale of a glamorous romantic affair between head turning good looking people but a camaraderie often found between foreigners holidaying abroad, a shared experience.

Although Before I Go is basically a crime thriller, I prefer to consider it as a character driven novel. Michael and Josie both have a very strong purpose to be in Mexico. I was impressed with the quality of Marie’s storytelling and surprised to discover that Before I Go is her debut novel. Marie crafted a great suspense into her novel that lasted to the end. I think Before I Go is a GOOD 4 star read which demonstrates Marie has the talent to become a successful author.

Before I Go is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2020.

Rogue (Marc Dane #5) by James Swallow.

 Follow Marc Dane in another quest against some bad guys with this fifth novel in the series. 

This can be read as a stand-alone simply because characters and incidents from the previous four books are mentioned time and time again throughout Rogue. If you have read the other books, then the repetitive repeating of the back stories is tiresome. 

Many of the old characters return in Rogue and they are looking to cause more trouble. While the previous novels have a good central plot, Rogue is a tale not unlike a turf war between rival drug gangs. There was no hacking or terrorist plot in Rogue and nothing really clever. I was very disappointed that Rogue lacked a unique plot and had no technical WOW! Factor. There was lots of fighting and guns discharged which made for a boring read. Even members of the AK-47 fan club would stifle a yawn. What is a gun first produced over 70 years ago doing in a modern day 2020 thriller?

Previous novels in this series have seen the relationship between Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes develop, slowly but surely. However, in Rogue their relationship does not move on from when they left off in Shadow.

I was disappointed with Rogue and I feel James Swallow has damaged his Marc Dane brand by having reduced character development and a shallow plot. If Rogue had been the first novel in the series, I would not have bought and read the others. James plans to publish book 6 next year but I shall not bother as we get enough bangs in the UK from fireworks, I do not wish to read about more discharges from an Avtomat Kalashnikova AK-47. I think Rogue is a POOR read, so it gets 2 stars from me.

Rogue was written in 2020 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.

Those People by Louise Candlish.

 Number 1 Lowland Way in South London has new people moving in and the other householders along Lowland Way wonder how the newcomers will fit in. 

This British tale of urban life is a character driven drama which could so easily transfer onto television. Each chapter is from the point of view of the existing householders, Sissy at number 2, Ant and Em at number 3, Finn and Tess at number 5 plus Ralph and Naomi at number 7.

I liked the shock the established residents experienced when newbies Jodie and Darren Booth moved into number 1. The newcomers were a little rough, at the lower end of the housing market and openly displayed some anti-social behaviour with no regard for the other households along Lowland Way.

I liked how Louise detailed British culture making the reader feel at home, for example…

Em tailed off, glancing at her phone. It was in her hand, as everyone’s was these days, as if phones were dialysis machines that could not be out of reach without life-threatening consequences.

...Louise developed all her characters with great skill. Every person had their good and bad points. Together each neighbour got on each other’s nerves, for example…

‘Ralph, you open the wine,’ Naomi ordered. ‘I’m going to sit with Libs for a couple of minutes, she’s still a bit queasy. Finn, just walk Daisy home, will you?’ Tired and scratchy, Tess finally lost her cool. ‘Can you please not tell my husband what to do, Naomi! He’s not staff!’

...Those People is a catalogue of neighbourhood friction which builds and builds until tragedy strikes. From the comfort of my own home I found Those People to be a pleasant read as the residents plotted against the newcomers. As the story grew, I could see when it was going. Nice detail concerning the gas cooker taps. The suspense was there and everything unfolded for the residents and the reader. I found Those People to be a GOOD 4 star read that was let down by a poor and unfinished ending.

Those People was written in 2019 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.