Month: September 2014

Book Review: The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop

On By cherylmahoneyIn Juvenile, Reviews2 Comments

The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop by Kate Saunders is a middle grade novel about magical chocolate—but it reminded me more of cotton candy, light and fluffy and insubstantial,

When Oz and Lily, eleven-year-old twins, and their family move into an abandoned chocolate factory, Lily is delighted to meet Demerara, a magical cat. Demerara tells them about the history of the chocolate factory, founded by three brothers who combined chocolate and magic. One of the brothers, by virtue of an immortality chocolate, is still alive and intent on stealing secrets his brothers left behind, to sell to a terrorist group. Demerara also happens to be a secret agent for the MI6, the British secret service, and needs Oz, Lily and their neighbor Caydon to use their latent magical ability to help on a secret mission.

This really is a cotton candy book, fun and entertaining with no real substance or depth. I don’t think it would have wide appeal for adults, but I can easily imagine middle grade readers loving it. Continue reading “Book Review: The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop” →

Imaginary Illustrations #1

On By cherylmahoneyIn Novel News3 Comments

“What is the use of a book, thought Alice, without pictures or conversations?'”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

My books have lots and lots of conversations–but no pictures.  I’ve been thinking about more ways to share bits and pieces of my novels on my blog, so this is the first post of what I plan to be a series: sharing a quote, with a picture that captures the spirit of the words…or that just seemed like fun!  Think of them as the illustrations the book might have had.

This first one comes from The Wanderers, and from Jasper’s firm belief that a wandering adventurer needs rules to survive–so he has a numbered list.

Good Fairies

Movie Review: Sleeping with the Enemy

On By cherylmahoneyIn Reviews2 Comments

Sleeping with the EnemyI have a regular movie night with some friends, and have encountered a lot wonderful movies that way. The most recent is Sleeping with the Enemy, an excellent but intense 1991 movie starring Julia Roberts.

Roberts plays Laura, a young woman trapped in an abusive marriage. She manages to escape and begin a new life—but it becomes quickly apparent that her husband Martin (Patrick Burgen) is on her trail.

Short plot summary, because I don’t want to give too much away! But also because it really is a simple plot, though a powerful one. This movie reminds me very much of Hitchcock, in that much of it is ordinary life…but with a deeply dangerous undertone. There’s brief violence and brief sex that are more overt than you’d be likely to see in Hitchcock, but the overall feel of the movie is very Hitchcockian. Continue reading “Movie Review: Sleeping with the Enemy” →

Quotable C. S. Lewis

On By cherylmahoneyIn Quotable3 Comments

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
― C.S. Lewis

Book Review: Peril at End House by Agatha Christie

On By cherylmahoneyIn Historical Fiction, Reviews2 Comments

I seem to have fallen into a habit of listening to British audiobooks (it’s the accent, I admit it!) and my most recent was no exception: Peril at End House by Agatha Christie, which besides giving me a nice accent to listen to, played into my general goal to “read” more of Dame Agatha.

This is a Hercule Poirot mystery, narrated by his friend Captain Hastings. The two encounter Miss Nick Barkley, owner of End House and recent survivor of several strange accidents. Poirot puts the pieces together, convinces Nick that someone is trying to kill her, and sets to work to prevent the murder, investigating all the people around Nick.

This is, I think, Christie in the classical style, with a big cast of suspects, frequent misdirection and re-direction, a final confrontation scene bringing all the suspects together and, of course, a final twist that I must admit I didn’t see coming. I’m going to have to try this one again one day, and watch how the clues fit together now that I know the ending! Continue reading “Book Review: Peril at End House by Agatha Christie” →