ManicMammy's Blog

Reviews, news, family, wine and me

What you reading for? *

Saw these books on offer in the local newsagents, 2 for the price of 1 and decided to pick up a couple for Sibéal who is in Senior Infants. She enjoyed them so much, I returned the very next day to buy loads more. The series starts off very basically, adult reads left hand side [...]

Phonic Fun

My younger kids love this range of Usborne books. The characters and stories are straightforward and fun. Each books deals predominately with one character whether Big Pig or Fat Cat and more. Though often characters from the other books in the series make a guest appearance. The text is extremely simple and the kids love [...]

Riveting read

We’re just back from a few highly enjoyable days spent up north with my mother. Whilst there, it was almost impossible to tear Oscar away from this book. Its the first time in ages that he has been so engrossed in a novel. Fourteen years ago, scientist William Fox implanted four babies with the Medusa [...]

This Christmas I have been mostly reading…..

I read this autobiography over Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed it. Its merely part one and covers broadcaster, producer and media guru Chris Evans’ life till the 1990s, just after his majority shareholding purchase of Virgin radio. As I currently have the attention span of a goldfish and get constant interruptions whilst reading, its usually difficult [...]

Mr Stink

Having previously read and thoroughly enjoyed David Walliams’ The Boy in the Dress, Oscar (aged 10) was looking forward to reading Mr Stink. The story centres on 12 year old Chloe who has an annoying younger sister named Annabelle, a domineering mother and a sympathetic but ineffectual father. She’s unpopular at school and a bit [...]

David Walliams – The Boy in the Dress

I’m writing this review on behalf of Oscar, our 9 yr old son. He recieved this book as a Christmas pressie from his Auntie Fiona and he loved it. Its the first book in a good while that he has raced to finish, there are many about that have been started and discarded as they [...]

Double Fault by Lionel Shriver

So Wimbledon was in progress, I was in my local bookshop and this novel caught my eye. Its the story of Willy, a low ranking tennis professional on the way up when we first encounter her. She’s been playing tennis since aged four and is now in her mid twenties so time is running out [...]

My Favourite Wife by Tony Parsons

Having read and enjoyed “Man and Boy” and “One for my baby”, I was looking forward to reading this latest novel from Tony Parsons. Alas it was a major disappointment. Having just finished it, I am left with a sense of frustration and annoyance. The main character Bill, a hotshot lawyer begins the novel moving [...]

Review of In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods by Tana French My mother in law lent me this book a few weeks ago and it was a good read up to a point. My main gripe is its very disappointing ending which then tarred the whole novel as I wondered “why the hell did I bother reading that?” Its set [...]

Review of “Spilling the beans” by Clarissa Dickson Wright

“Spilling the beans” by Clarissa Dickson Wright “Interesting autobiography but lacking in emotion at times. “   I’ve just finished reading this book, the autobiography of Clarissa Dickson Wright, who I had just previously just known as one of the “Two Fat Ladies” cookery programme on BBC. There is no doubt Clarissa Dickson Wright has [...]

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