Saving Sophie:a quintessential thriller

Saving Sophie: a quintessential thriller

 

Book Review of Thriller Saving Sophie by Sam Carrington

Last January I got a thriller novel Saving Sophie in my January book shook book subscription box and that too with signed plate:) , I got this box late in the end of January so I started this novel in the month of February as I am slow reader so just finished it today. Initially I wasn't happy to receive this novel as this genre is not much of my interest, I am more of Romance lover so I thought this read won't be pleasurable for me but this novel proved this wrong. I really enjoyed and got thrilled in real sense from beginning till end.!

The psychological thriller novel Saving Sophie is Sam Carrington's debut novel and as a debut novel it is quite outstanding! with amazingly strong and  absolutely thrilling which never let me lose my interest even for a single time. The characters of Karen and Sophie are well crafted and they seem believable. Usually what I have experienced for thriller or mystery novels is that they sometimes won't appear believable it seems like made up stories and even characters appears something like aliens well this is not the case with Saving Sophie here the whole story all the character seems believable even the murderer and the minor characters like Dan.

The setting was too one fascinating thing about this novel  Moors <3 and this seems autobiographical as the writer herself lives in Devon. So setting besides characters and plot is what I liked about this novel. The other thing is the style the diction, being a modern thriller novel about teenagers I don't get to witness excessive use of abusive words or slang's as many novelists do in Young adult literature which is a big turn off for me and I really appreciate Sam has used neat language in the novel :)  which is quite rare trait in contemporary novelists.

While reading this novel I get to keep in touch with the writer through twitter and she is such a humble soul she replies to all my tweets. Apart from being a thriller novel, Saving Sophie touched many touching issues particularly of marriage maintenance and the vanity that overcomes when the gap between husband and wife increase and how Karen escapes herself in an online relationship, all was beautifully portrayed. Its a MUST READ novel and a treat for thriller novels lovers and even for those who don't like this genre will find this novel interesting. I bet you! Wishing all the best to Sam Carrington for her upcoming ventures. More Power to You! Love you. 

   

                                                                                                                Rameeza Nasim

A Valentine Secret - Blog tour

Book Review

A Valentine Secret 

by Emily Murdoch 

Hello Fellow Bloggers! :)

Wishing you all Hello all the way from Karachi to all fellow bloggers, hoping you guys enjoying this blog tour, this is is my first blog for the readers club.

Its a mere humble try to pen down the book review  about the regency novella  " A Valentine Secret" by Emily Murdoch  which is a Regency Romance. The novella revolves around the love story of Jonathan Brodie, the only son of the Baron Sir Roger Brodie and Penelope the adopted girl who was raised by the local florists Mr and Mrs Baldwins. The novella was set in the village of  Maplebridge. A Valentine Secret is surely a treat for all Romance genre lovers.

"The course of true love never did run smooth…" ( A Midsummer Night's dream, William Shakespeare)

    

The plot of the novel was running smooth initially but then later hurdles appeared and the climax that occurred in chapter 9 and 10. Well the last chapter has the resolution as the ending. Ending is a fairy tale one with union of hero and heroine. If we imagine an alternative ending that won't be then what Jonathan and Penelope's love deserves. 

The basic theme on which the whole story is  based is of  Valentine on which the title of the novella too is based on. The spirit of Valentine runs through out the novella and it started right from the beginning o in Chapter 1 when Jonathan first puts his eyes on Penelope, it was love at first sight as if the arrow of Cupid is scouted and then the Valentine letter which actually saved Jonathan.

" I will be your Valentine every day of our lives" 

Apart from the basic themes of love and Valentine, Emily also pointed the social issues prevailing in the Regency period one of the most prominent is the strict class difference and the class conscious society of Maplebridge which was very much evident from  Mr Roger Brodie 's disapproval for Baldwins and of people's reaction when they see Penelope and Jonathan together in the ball.

Another aspect I find interesting in the novella is the resemblance of traits of Austen's novels. Yes the novella reminds me very much of my favorite novelist of Regency era Jane Austen. The novella is same like Jane Austen's fairy tale happy endings kind of, where all ends well and usually in form a marriage. Its love themed and class conscious society too ressembles with what Austen used to portray in her novels. Even the close knitted society of Maplebridge reminds one like the society of  Hartfield in Emma. The portrayal of the character of  Jonathan is similar like that of Austen's hero flawless and all good. Even the character of Penelope is also depicted as that of a strong  girl like that of Elizabeth or Emma. 

"I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control" (Emma, Jane Austen)

In short, the reading experience of the novella A Valentine Secret is  a pleasurable one, the story is calm one it depicts calmness the same which Jane Austen's novel " Emma" was, yes that novel depicts calmness it is pure from the choas of an Urban life. It will be loved by all Romance genre fans. I really like the setting of Maplebridge in which the novella is set and the regency era, seemed well researched and flawless. Well done! more power to you Emily ! 

Wishing  all Happy readings and happy blogging :)

#AValentineSecret

#BlogTour

#WritelyYours

                                                                                                                    Rameeza Nasim