September book club CHINESE WHISPERS

[claire]

Hi everyone

We had decided to change the book club to a Tuesday night so that Charlie could join us. But now we also have the on line interview with Judi. We'll go ahead with the book club and interview. It should be fun jumping from one to the other.


The book tonight is Chinese Whispers by Marissa Mackle.
If you can't make it tonight leave your comments below!

see you all later

[charlene]

That's brill Claire Thanks.. I'll be there

see you later.xx

[susanmay]

I probably wont be able to make it tonight but here goes anyway!! . . .

Thought this book was great and probably Marisa's best to date. It was very enjoyable I just couldn't put it down. Chinese Whispers reflected the whole famous for being famous persona which we have a lot of today. Some of the well know faces I see in magazines leaves me wondering what are these people actually famous for. So the theme of the book was a great idea.

My favorite character was Fiona and I'm sure there are a lot of women who can relate to her. There was a great array of characters from the hilarious to the real nasty! Fiona's friend Dervela was absolutely hilarious and the scene with the Peter Andre lookalike and his brother had me in stitches! Shaney was a nasty piece of work and I thought the sense were he confronted Fiona was written very well. I was beginning to like Angela-Jean as the book progressed but all that changed as the book ended.

If there was a character I disliked it was Ellie for some reason. I thought she was too quick to judge Fiona the night of the party.

This book was a fantastic read and I look forward to Marisa's next book!

[claire]

I too loved the book and couldn't wait to pick it up when I had a free moment. I flew through it.

Fiona was a great character and like you said Susan most people could relate to her. She hated her job, lost her best friend over something stupid, had to look for a new flat mate and then gets a job throwen into her lap. And yes it really does happen to some. I was dying to know where and when this Bunny girl was going to show up and at first didn't know what to make of her. When they ended up in the hospital the first night with her and knew nothing about her was quite funny. But it must be terrible to live in fear of a boyfriend/partner. that scene at the end, well I didn't see that coming. I felt like someone knocked the wind out of me.
As for AJ, like you Susan, I didn't know what to think in the begining and was also starting to like her. I couldn't believe she did what she did and kept expecting her to say sorry or something, try to make it up to fiona. I couldn't really believe she was like that.

It was a wonderful read and I would highly reconmend it.

[charlene]

I loved it , I didnt want to put it down and I loved the end what a change for a chick book it was so different and totally not expected,my fav character was Fiona I liked the way the story was told as if Fiona was talking to me over a coffee telling me all the events that were happening.

Brilliant book and I must get Marisa's other books, I didnt want it to end.

[claire]

Hi Charlie, great to see you tonight,love the bunny!

The book was so easy to read and like you said as if Fiona was telling the story over coffee. Nothing seemed too far fetched or unreal. I had talked to Marissa about Shane and how I felt afterwards and she even said that she found it hard to write. She got advice on that whole storyline.

[charlene]

sent chills down my spine, is it ok to give storylines away? don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasnt read it.

are all Marisa's book's wrote in that way I love book's wrote like that.

[claire]

No, but she does write a great story.
The Mile High Guy was funny all about behind the scenes with airhostesses. It would make you think twice about what goes on there.
Mr Right For The Night was about a girl looking for a man to take to a reunion party and some of the disasters of dates that she has.
So Long MR Wrong brilliant read all about reality tv. You love Big Brother and all that you will devour this one.
I would reconmed all of them. she gets better with each one

[charlene]

I'll get So Long Mr Wrong next sounds really good.

one bit in the book at the end when Ellie vists Fiona and Fiona tells her Bunny isnt speaking to her then Ellie goes in to see Bunny comes out and say's let's get you in the wheelchair Bunny is asking for you

what did she do or say I wonder to patch thigs up?

[claire]

It's Gemma that goes to see Bunny, i think

[Marisa]

HI folks, I haven't been on line in ages but just couldn't resist having a peek at the reviews. Yes that violent scene was very difficult to write. On the first draft I had Shaney get a warning and then he just went off. My sister who is a doctor and has worked in Accident and Emergency Unis in many hospitals told me to change it. She said Shaney would never go away with just a warning. She told me about some really upsetting cases about women being admitted with half their ear bitten off, still pretending that nothing was wrong. I knwo the scene was probably a bit shocking but I'm really glad I put it in. Normally I just stick to comedy because I can have with that but sometimes you just have to stretch yourself a bit. Thaks so much for the nice reviews. It means so much to me. I've just finished my fifth book Man Hunt which will be out this Easter. At the moment I'm editing a book called Party Animal. it is a great book of short stories with amazing writers such as Marian Keyes, Cathy Kelly, Melissa Hill, Claudia Carroll, Tracy Culleton, Alison Norrington, Julie Parsons, Anita Notaro, Gemma Enlish, Dawn Cairns, Sarah Webb, Suzanne Higgings, Jacinta McDeviitt, Catherine Daly, Mary Bond, Mary Malone, Andrea Semple, Sarah Ball etc., and it will be out for Christmas. All the proceeds will go to animal charities, I can't wait!

[charlene]

oh right Gemma sorry but I wonder how she get's Bunny to come round to speaking again.

[claire]

Marisa can you answer Charlie question??

[charlene]

Hi Marisa
loved Chinise Whispers and I'll defo be getting Party Animal

[claire]

And I'll be looking forward to Man Hunt!

[Marisa]

Oh Charlene, I know I shouldn't be in the book club when MY own book is being reviewed but can't help it...

Gemma is a doctor and probably spoke to Bunny matter of factly explaining that it wasn't Fiona's fault. I didn't put down the conversation because the book is being told from the first person point of view (ie Fiona's) and she wouldn't have knwon what was being said. I hope this is helpful. I think Gemma is a bit like my own sister and she she just tells it like it is.

[susanmay]

Hi girls

I can only stick my head in for a few minutes!

This months choice seemed to be a book everyone enjoyed. I hated finishing it! Shaney was awful and I really feel for anyone in that situation. The sense were written so well.

Charlie, your right it was a little different than the other chick books. Recently I read Tracy Culletons 'More Than Friends'. It dealt with mental abuse rather than physical but it made for harrowing reading all the same. Another well written book. Maybe chick bocks are taking a different route?

[charlene]

that's great thanks Marisa
I love book's wrote from the first person
and it's great to have you on line.

[charlene]

Hi Susan

I totally agree I love the way chick books are going at the moment I've ordered Tracy's book .

[Marisa]

Hi Charlene

I've just finished Tracy's book and it was great. When she first met Chris it just seemed to good to be true. I knew something had to go wrong. I think mental abuse can sometimes even be worse than physical abuse because the signs are not obvious - just think Coronation St story line at the mo... Men like that are very dangerous because they feed off women's insecurities *shudders*

Chick Lit books a fwe years ago were all about blodes in Jimmy Choo shoes getting drunk and meeting weirdos but now readers want something a bit more thought provoking... I really like Sinead Moriarty's book A perdect Match which was light hearted yet and funny, yet dealt with the serious issue of a childless couple looking to adopt. i couldn't put it down.

[susanmay]

Hi Charlie, I think it's great that there's a bit of action going on in these books. I'm a bit of a pessimist ! hate happy ever after endings!!!
You wont be disappointed with Tracy's book. I couldn't put it down. It's definitely food for thought for anybody out there on the internet dating scene. Cant wait until you read it, Charlie I'd love to have it one month for the book club.

Hi Marisa, looking forward to reading Man Hunt. Party Animal sounds great. Fantastic title! Count me in I'll always support animal charities. It must be fun to work on a charitable project like that. And again I loved Chinese Whispers. . .

[charlene]

I love perfect match, did you read Baby Trail that was great aswell?

[claire]

Hi Marisa, there was a question on one of the other threads about the write-up on the back of the book, something to do with it being all about Bunny and no mention of Fiona but Fiona was the main character or at least the one telling the story, was this done on purpose?

[susanmay]

I thank yourself, Marisa and Tracy for dragging us out of the Jimmy Choo era!!! It was starting to become a little tedious. The story lines are a lot more real now and it's what women can relate to. As you can guess I'm not a Mills and Boons type person!!!

I too got the shudders reading about, Chris. He was such a manipulative piece of work. My heart went out to, Sally.

PS Marisa, if you know any Conor's around Dublin just give me a shout!!!

[charlene]

susan my sisters friend started dating a guy of the internet and he came down a couple of times to stay he would stay for a week and just come in the clothes he was standing up in no over night bag no wash bag nothing pleased to say it didnt last long.

[charlene]

I hate happy ever after aswell it get's boring and I'm loving the newer books that are out that having you turning the pages to find out what happens next.

[susanmay]

I know internet dating can work for some people but really I wouldn't have the nerve to do it! It's just to dangerous.

[charlene]

night girls I've enjoyed our chat, Marisa I'm so glad you joined in and thank you for answering my questions ;D

catch you tomorrow.xx

[Marisa]

Oh my God Susan a few years ago I logged onto a dating site and started chatting to a guy who seemed to good to be true. Then I got my friend to log on under a different name and he contacted her too. He told is both 'you seem intriguing, intelligent and different, it would be nice to meet up with somebody who stands out from the crowd. '

Pass the sick bucket,

Then that same friend was contacted by another guy. They went for dinner to a cheap place and the bill came to 40 euro. He put 20 euro on the table. God, no wonder he was single!!!

Back to the other question though about blurb on the back. I didn't mention Fiona because I wanted Bunny to be the main focus of the book. Fiona was more the narrator and not, in my opinion the main character, even though she was the nicest.

I sometimes think if you write too much on the back it gets confusing. I often write the blurb about 50 times. But it's very helpful to get the interseting feedback. I hope I didn't confuse too many people.

[susanmay]

He certainly knew the term 'going Dutch'!