I have read loads of books and reviewed them via Goodreads since December 2015; however, I didn’t join NetGalley until 2020.
This page is to tidy up reviews that I posted in the pre-NetGalley days. Some of the reviews have been edited and some have been written retrospectively as only star ratings were left at the time.
Retrospective reviews will be clearly marked as such.
The reviews won’t necessarily follow in chronological order but will be in order of shelving on Goodreads.
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1459720561
I read this in one day on Kindle, and absolutely loved it, as I have all of Adriana Trigiani’s novels. The characters are drawn with a warmth and honesty that makes them feel instantly familiar, and you care about what happens to them. I also love the descriptions of family life, the friendships and landscapes that form the background to the story.
Without giving away the plot, it does have sadness in it, but there is affirmation and hope too. The ending is understated, but somehow that feels right.
There are historical errors and occasional “too good to be true” coincidences, but what matters to me is the story and this kept my attention from page one, hence the rating.
A thoroughly recommended read.
Reviewed by Alison Starnes, 4th December 2015 (edited)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1459720725
The first of a trilogy of books featuring Valentine Roncalli, an Italian-American woman who is an apprentice shoemaker with her grandmother in New York.
The family business, the Angelini Shoe Company, is in financial straits and Valentine enlists the help of her brother, Alfred, to turn things around. Valentine and her brother have very different ideas regarding what should happen and this causes a lot of tension.
Valentine is single and her romantic entanglements also form part of the narrative. By the end of the book, you sense that one of the guys she is attracted to could definitely be a keeper.
I particularly enjoyed the section of the book where Valentine goes to Tuscany and Capri to find inspiration for a design competition that could help secure the future of the family business.
Whilst this is a good read, I can appreciate some would find all the detail around clothes, food and buildings irritating after a while. Personally, I don’t mind it as it gives context – we are talking about shoes and therefore some description is needed.
If you enjoy family-based dramas with romance, fashion and Italy thrown in, this is a great book and would be an ideal holiday read.
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 5* on 4th December 2015
(Book is also titled Brava, Valentine.)
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1459720867
The second of a trilogy of books featuring Valentine Roncalli, an Italian-American woman who is a shoemaker with her grandmother in New York.
Valentine is now in partnership with her brother Alfred in running the Angelini Shoe Company, since their grandmother married and moved to Italy.
This instalment sees Valentine attempt to make sense of her romantic feelings for Gianluca, whilst a business opportunity sends her to Buenos Aires.
Making the trip isn’t just about business as a branch of Valentine’s family lives in the Argentine capital and long-buried secrets come to light.
Determined to hold her family together, Valentine has to face some uncomfortable home truths first, especially if her relationship with Gianluca is to survive.
I particularly loved the scene at the Thanksgiving dinner when Alfred’s wife, Pamela, is brutally honest with her in-laws, sick of the snarky comments being made behind her back.
If you enjoyed reading the first book, you will enjoy this just as much. Valentine is immature, but Gianluca genuinely cares for her and she realises what is really important.
There is a third book in the series that ties up Valentine’s story.
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 5* on 4th December 2015
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1459720757
In this final instalment of the Valentine Roncalli series, the shoe designer has married Gianluca and is living in New York.
The newlyweds don’t always see eye to eye, but there are important decisions to be made regarding the future of Angelini Shoes.
In the midst of everything, Valentine gives birth to a daughter. Then tragedy strikes and she is forced to re-evaluate everything she holds dear.
I am not convinced that this storyline was entirely necessary and wonder whether the same outcome might have been achieved without the shock factor.
For me, this was the least satisfying of the three books, perhaps because the ending of the second book was so perfect. The title is strange, although in the context of the story it makes a sort of sense.
Adriana Trigiani has taken Valentine from immature thirtysomething to a wife and mother, but her story will always be evolving.
I will return to the books as they are easy to read and will maybe change my mind about the third one!
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 4* on 4th December 2015
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1459721229
Malala Yousafzai was fifteen in October 2012 when she was shot by the Taliban after speaking up about education rights for girls.
The Taliban had taken over the valley in Pakistan where Malala lived with her family. The shooting left her critically injured, but Malala survived.
Malala moved to the UK with her family and became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner at the age of just sixteen. To this day, she continues to champion education rights for girls and women.
This book tells Malala’s early story and details the support of her family, especially her father.
Some of the political background to Malala’s story is included to give context to what happened.
Even now, this book still feels relevant. It is important to be informed and I am pleased that Malala has chosen to continue speaking up for what she believes in.
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 5* on 18th September 2017
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1459721378
Barack Obama became President of the United States in 2008. This memoir is a prequel to that office, and chronicles his early life as the son of a black African father and white American mother.
It is only when he learns of his father’s death that Barack Obama feels compelled to find out more about each of his parents and their journey, his mother’s family from Kansas to Hawaii and his father from Kenya. He makes a journey to Africa to meet with his father’s family and better understand his roots.
As you would expect from a man who is an eloquent public speaker, Barack Obama tells his story with dignity and grace. He acknowledges the difficulties along the path to reconciling his inheritance, particularly on his father’s side.
This is not a quick read. It tells us a lot about culture and ethnicity and the importance of knowing where you come from.
Barack Obama has succeeded in life and not least because he has been unafraid to face the truth of who he is and where he fits in. We can all learn from that.
I would encourage anyone with an interest in politics to read this book. You don’t have to agree with Barack Obama’s beliefs. His story is well worth spending time with.
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 4* on 1st December 2018
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1459723483
Born a free man, Solomon Northup was kidnapped and sold into slavery. This is his story.
He remained in captivity for twelve years at the hands of a brutal plantation owner but eventually found freedom.
This memoir is harrowing and not for the faint-hearted. It was made into an award-winning film, bringing Solomon Northup’s story to a much wider audience.
As a piece of social history, it is chastening to say the least. For any human being to undergo such inhumane treatment seems unthinkable, and yet slavery existed for decades.
I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book but will not be reading it again; however, it is a book that should be read.
Please be aware that some of the scenes in this book are extremely graphic in nature.
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 4* on 5th September 2017
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1461030813
Miranda Hart is the comedian and actor who came to prominence via her self-titled comedy. I found it an absolute joy but fully appreciate others may not share my opinion. My husband certainly didn’t!
Others may know Miranda from her appearance in the early series of ‘Call the Midwife’ and her ungainly bicycle riding.
Imagine as you read this that Miranda is sat across the table from you, and you would not be far from the reality. This is Miranda writ large. She is funny, self-deprecating and warm-hearted, but there is a serious message amongst the humour.
In the comedy, Miranda plays a lot on her propensity for physical humour, much of it related to her height and masculine looks (she is frequently called ‘sir’ by delivery drivers).
I feel the overriding message of Miranda’s book is that you should be proud to be you and learn to accept yourself. Easy enough to say, of course, when you do exactly the thing you swore you never would in front of a room full of people you desperately wanted to impress. I know because I have been there.
Part of the book is Miranda giving advice to her younger self and this works rather well.
Basically, if you are a Miranda fan, you will probably already have read this book, and if not or haven’t come across her, you should give it a read and watch the comedy series. It will make you chuckle – a lot.
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 4* on 5th December 2015
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1463716783
This is the story of Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Kidnapped by the Danes as a young boy, he becomes fascinated by their way of life and this causes problems for him further down the line.
In this first story, Uhtred’s father and elder brother are killed in battle and he is captured by Ragnar, who basically becomes a father figure to him.
The dichotomy between Uhtred, the pagan loving Saxon who ends up in the service of the deeply pious King Alfred, and the Uhtred who shares many of the characteristics of the men he finds himself fighting against, is never far from the surface.
These are fantastic books and the battle scenes are exhilaratingly drawn, although not for the faint-hearted. These were not little skirmishes but full-on bloody confrontations with very lethal weapons.
This first book sets the scene and we cannot be in doubt that Uhtred will have many more challenges to come.
If you enjoy the history of early England, then this is a series well worth reading.
Retrospectively reviewed by Alison Starnes – rated 5* on 8th December 2015
The Kindle Bookworm 