The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes

I’ve read her works ‘Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married’ (dire), ‘Rachel’s Holiday’ (good) and ‘Angels’ (dire). This is the story of three women involved in the world of publishing circa 2004 when kindles were something to do with firelighters.

Gemma is bitter about her former BFF Lily stealing her boyfriend Anton. Then her father walks out on her mother after 35 years to shack up with his secretary. Her mother has a breakdown. Her father does not care so Gemma becomes her mother’s carer, dates a younger man, has to juggle her events planner job and accidentally writes a novel.

Jojo is a book agent and a total cliché and is not very interesting. Lily is a successful writer. She is bothered by guilt for stealing feckless hipster Anton from Gemma. But now they have a daughter and no sense with money. This is an enjoyable tale of how these three lives intersect.

~
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The concluding chapter of the Hunger Games trilogy. The Hunger Games are over, now it is time for war. The rebels take on the Capital to decide the future of Panem. Katniss is the symbol of the great rebellion. But the war to remake Panem will exact a terrible cost.

This was not as good as ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Catching Fire’. It has plotting, Katniss having a breakdown, fighting, idiot death traps, Peeta being crazy, Katniss having a breakdown, violence, Katniss having a breakdown etc. The ending seems bleak, hollow and kind of pointless. This was mediocre.