The Twisted Vine

Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the works they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.  If you wish to add your own review to the conversation, please sign on to the link list by clicking this link

http://armchairsquid.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-cephalopod-coffeehouse-july-2015.html

 

Here is my choice for this month:

 

 

 

Book Description from Amazon

Every journey is an adventure.
Especially one into the unknown.

The Twisted Vine is set in the heart of France and is a deeply romantic but suspenseful tale. Roxanne Rudge escapes her cheating boyfriend by going grape-picking in France. She feels vulnerable and alone in such a big country where she can't speak the language and is befriended by Armand le Clair, a handsome Frenchman. Armand is not all he seems, however, and she discovers a darker side to him before uncovering a dreadful secret. She is aided and abetted by three new friends she has made, charming posh Peter, a gifted linguist, the beautiful and vivacious Italian, Yvane, and clever Henry of the deep brown eyes and the voice to match. Together they unravel a mystery centred around a beautiful chateau and play a part in its future.
Join Roxanne on her journey of self discovery, love and tragedy in rural France. Taste the wine, feel the sun, drive through the Provencal mountains with her, as her courage and resourcefulness are tested to the limit.

MY REVIEW 5*

 This novel is set in the 1980’s in France where Roxanne journeys with a friend to help heal a broken heart.  As her friend returns to England Roxanne decides to spend the summer travelling and working in France earning money by picking grapes.  She only has a smattering of the language, her sense of direction is not very good and she is naïve and gullible, an attractive young lady alone in a foreign country.

 

Roxanne is taken in by a handsome Frenchman and things go wrong.  She is shown the kindness of strangers from an unexpected quarter. 

 We follow her escapades as she meets other people who become friends but who also have their own ‘baggage’ to cope with.  As they travel together to different vineyards their last stay is one that impacts greatly on many people’s lives.

 

This is a wonderful tale told with compassion, emotion, thrills and excitement and some unexpected turns along the way.

 Oh and there may be the smattering of a romance in there as well!  Absolutely superb.

 

THE LIGHT

https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2015/07/29/31-july-2015/

 

 

The next photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Where does it take you? Can you tell us in a hundred words or less with a beginning, middle and end? Ready, set, write!

PHOTO PROMPT © G.L. MacMillan.

THE LIGHT

The light caught the glass

Memories of their past

Came crowding back

Ready to hijack

Coherent thought processes

Caught through many ages

Time encapsulated in nostalgia

Through tragedy and drama

She shook her head, cleared her mind

Stretched her neck, tried to unwind

As she looked through the prisms of glass

Knowing her life was at an impasse

Her thoughts strayed

Through a sparkling myriad

Shadows crisscrossed with colour

She thought she’d lost her honour

The shame was great

The disgrace would never abate

Then he came into view

A love so very new

Her tall, dark, handsome beau

Andrew.

 

Word count: 100

GERRY AND TOM

Mondays Finish the Story – July 27th, 2015

 

Welcome to Mondays Finish the Story!

Are you any good at games?

This is a unique flash fiction challenge where we provide you with a new photo each week, and the first sentence of a story. Your challenge is to finish the story using 100-150 words, not including the sentence provided. Don’t forget to use the opening sentence… This challenge runs from Monday to Sunday! Get creative and have fun finishing the story!

https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com/2015/07/27/mondays-finish-the-story-july-27th-2015/

 

Please include the photo with your bit of flash and a link back to this post. Do not forget to click on the blue frog and add your link so that others can enjoy your story too! Now let’s have some fun!

Photo credit: Barbara W. Beacham

Finish the story begins with:  “He thought he found the perfect hiding spot.”

 

 

Gerry and Tom

“He thought he found the perfect hiding spot.”

Gerry panted slightly as his green eyes peeked through the fabric.  He couldn’t see the little devil anywhere.  He would wait a few moments before emerging again. 

He didn’t know how much more he could take.  The screaming, throwing, slapping, pulling and pinching of his black fur had gone on for days and days.  It was a wonder he had any fur left or that his tail was still intact.

As far as he understood it Tom was going through the ‘terrible two’s’ stage.  Gerry wondered what on earth would happen at the next stage, providing he survived this stage.

Word count:100

 

 

THE DATE

https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/

The following photo is the PHOTO PROMPT, a cool picture for hot days, depending on your side of the globe. Where does it take you? Tell us in a hundred words or less. 

Photo credit: Dee Lovering

THE DATE

Why on earth had she agreed to meet Tom at the pavilion? 

It was so cold it was unbearable. Emily’s fingers and toes were numb.  She’d worn her fur lined boots, leather gloves over woollen gloves to try and look smart, a hat with ear muffs, a scarf she’d spent hours knitting herself, her thick coat caught some snowflakes, dirty white against the thick fabric.  Her nose was probably red and dripping. 

Then she spied Tom tramping over the snow. She saw his smile as he caught her eye. Now she knew why she had stood in the cold waiting. 

Word count: 100

 

THE SCHOOL TRIP

Mondays Finish the Story – July 20th, 2015

Welcome to Mondays Finish the Story!

This is a unique flash fiction challenge where we provide you with a new photo each week, and the first sentence of a story.  

Your challenge is to finish the story using 100-150 words, not including the sentence provided. Don’t forget to use the opening sentence… This challenge runs from Monday to Sunday! 

Get creative and have fun finishing the story!

Please include the photo with your bit of flash and a link back to this post and then you can  click on the blue frog and add your link or read other people's contributions. 

https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com/2015/07/20/mondays-finish-the-story-july-20th-2015/

Now let’s have some fun!

Photo credit: Barbara W. Beacham 

Finish the story begins with: “The petroglyphs told the story of an unusual event.”

THE SCHOOL TRIP 

“The petroglyphs told the story of an unusual event.”

Alicia read the above phrase in the guidebook.  Her parents were very proud of her ability to read difficult words, able to pronounce them correctly.  In her short life spanning just over ten years they had tried to imbue in her a sense of history, of the past, however long ago that might have been.  

Fred and Hetty sent her on every school trip they could possibly afford and some they couldn’t, going without food themselves to afford her education.  The happy ten year old girl stared in wonder at the markings on the rock, awed by the ability of cavemen to carve out a story. Lost in her imagination Alicia was oblivious to the huddled whispers of her teachers. 

They approached her with grim faces as they led her away to a quiet corner to impart the sad news of her parents’ accident. 

Word count: 144