Book-Mad-Mum

Why Mummy Swears by Gill Sims My rating: 5 of 5 stars It's the start of the summer holidays, and six long, expensive weeks stretch out ahead of Ellen as she struggles to think of cheap and stimulating ways to entertain her children Peter and Jane. Without much support from her husband Simon (who I didn't initially warm to!) who says things like "you expect me to look after the children?" she gets on with the job in hand, but slowly simmers with resentment. For anyone who has primary school age children this book will make you hold your sides with laughter as you will relate to countless stories. For me, it was the PTA (I didn't last as long on it as Ellen!) as I couldn't understand why people take the task of organising a school disco as seriously as if they were organising the next World Summit Meeting!! You are in complete danger of laughing out loud when reading this book, so beware in open spaces!!! I also found myself s...

Grace After Henry by Eithne Shortall My rating: 5 of 5 stars Grace and Henry are a couple, and are ready to buy their first home together in Dublin. One evening, after work, whilst cycling to a house viewing Henry is tragically killed by a lorry. Grace goes ahead with the purchase of "their house" but is left bereft and alone struggling to function with everyday tasks until a few months after his death, Grace starts to see Henry - in a graveyard, around town, and even in the restaurant where she works. One evening, "Henry" calls round to fix her boiler, and he then becomes part of her life. Except this isn't Henry, and Grace realistically knows that, but it is someone who looks exactly like him. Although the main plot of the book is about the death of a loved one, and a fair bit of it is placed in a graveyard, it isn't all doom and gloom. Yes, there are dark moments, when I wanted to lie next to Grace on the coats in the h...