Synopsis: When a young woman inherits the key to a safety deposit box in Siena, she is told it will lead to an old family treasure. But her mysterious inheritance leads her on a perilous journey into the past - and to the true history of her ancestor, Giulietta, whose legendary love for a young man named Romeo turned medieval Siena upside down. As she crosses paths with descendants of the families involved in the unforgettable blood feud that inspired Shakespeare's famous tale, it becomes clear that the notorious curse "A plague on both your houses" is still at work, and that she is the next target. Both an inspired reimagining of the greatest love story ever told and a romantic, heart-pumping thriller, Juliet intertwines the fates of two fascinating women who lived centuries apart into one unforgettable tale no true romantic will be able to resist. Already a bestseller in Italy and Germany, Juliet is set to win the hearts of readers in 30 other countries - and film rights have been snapped up by Universal.
Synopsis: Catriona has the life she's always dreamed of: a loving husband, a delightful step-daughter and her own precious little girl, Daisy. When Daisy begins to feel poorly, Catriona seeks help and in doing so, is forced to look to the past and her own traumatic and abusive childhood. When Cat is accused of harming eight-year-old Daisy through Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy, Cat begins to realise that the life she has now is more fragile than she could ever have imagined." Leroy says that the story evolved from a time when her younger daughter had been ill for two years. "Like Catriona in the book, I was told by the local paediatrician that my daughter's problem was psychological, and that I was a difficult mother because I kept interrupting and speaking for my child," she says.
About the Author:
As a child, Margaret Leroy, wrote elaborate fantasy stories that she never showed to anyone. But around the age of 12, she stopped writing, and didn't start again until her mid-twenties. Leroy went to Oxford to study music, at St. Hilda's College. In her twenties she tried all sorts of things - music therapy, play-leading with children with disabilities, work in a toy shop, teaching. Finally, Leroy found work she really enjoyed, as a social worker and qualified and worked in psychiatry and then in child protection. Leroy became a full-time(ish) writer after her younger daughter was born.
Jacqui's Review: I found myself relating to the mother's plight in this book. As a mother of child suffering from condition that took a years to diagnose, I could totally relate to the struggle and frustrations associated with having your concerns about your child taken seriously. There were many times when I questioned my own instincts. I am one of the lucky ones. My son was diagnosed 3 years ago and has lead a functional and stable life since. We still have our struggles but who doesn't? The key message I took from the book is never to give up were your child is concerned, but in some ways this storyline could frighten someone who is starting such a process because the case presented in the book is rather extreme. Also, the story surrounding the main theme seems excessive. A strained relationship between the mother and father in the book would be acceptable, but for added drama, the husband ends up having an affair and they end up separating. Personally I don't think the added drama was necessary. The central theme of the story, being the mother's struggle to have her child's illness diagnosed, had enough in it to carry the story. 3 out of 5.
Just finished reading ... What Doesn't Kill You by Leon Ford
Synopsis: "We stand in the front yard, looking at our marriage like it's a kangaroo we just hit on the highway. Is it dead? I don't know. Kick it."About the Author:
As a child, Margaret Leroy, wrote elaborate fantasy stories that she never showed to anyone. But around the age of 12, she stopped writing, and didn't start again until her mid-twenties. Leroy went to Oxford to study music, at St. Hilda's College. In her twenties she tried all sorts of things - music therapy, play-leading with children with disabilities, work in a toy shop, teaching. Finally, Leroy found work she really enjoyed, as a social worker and qualified and worked in psychiatry and then in child protection. Leroy became a full-time(ish) writer after her younger daughter was born.
Jacqui's Review: I found myself relating to the mother's plight in this book. As a mother of child suffering from condition that took a years to diagnose, I could totally relate to the struggle and frustrations associated with having your concerns about your child taken seriously. There were many times when I questioned my own instincts. I am one of the lucky ones. My son was diagnosed 3 years ago and has lead a functional and stable life since. We still have our struggles but who doesn't? The key message I took from the book is never to give up were your child is concerned, but in some ways this storyline could frighten someone who is starting such a process because the case presented in the book is rather extreme. Also, the story surrounding the main theme seems excessive. A strained relationship between the mother and father in the book would be acceptable, but for added drama, the husband ends up having an affair and they end up separating. Personally I don't think the added drama was necessary. The central theme of the story, being the mother's struggle to have her child's illness diagnosed, had enough in it to carry the story. 3 out of 5.
Just finished reading ... What Doesn't Kill You by Leon FordIf you'd asked Simon yesterday how he'd rate his life, he'd say better than perfect. He loves his wife and son, he enjoys his job, he lives in a great house and he's got good friends. But that was before the worst day of his life.
Today he woke up on a stranger's couch, hungover, having discovered his wife is not in love with him, his job has disappeared and one of his friends has betrayed him in the worst possible way. If his car hadn't exploded, he'd drive it into a wall. But you know what they say, what doesn't kill you...
About the Author:
Leon Ford is an actor, writer and director. He has played Hamlet on stage for the Bell Shakespeare company and starred in John Doyle's award winning series Changi. Most recently he completed filming the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks mini-series The Pacific for HBO. Leon has written a number of award-winning short films, including the AFI-nominated script for Katoomba and the multi-award winning The Mechanicals.Jacqui's Review: Written in a very entertaining way that made this book a quick and easy read. Have you ever had one of those days, from the minute you open your eyes everything seems to go wrong? Ford, captures this concept and is relentless in his pursuit of it. Poor Simon (the main character) looses everything and has a mid life crises to boot. But out of ashes, like a phoenix, he slowly but surely rises again. The birth of a new career and the rejuvenation of his marriage. And they live happily ever after. 2.5 out of 5.
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