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Genre - Non-Fiction
Self help book with www support. I found it effective in overcoming negative recurrent thoughts.
---- Reviewed by Adrian, Guest
Friday, December 11, 2009
ACT with love by Russ Harris
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Genre - Non-Fiction
Self help book with www support. I found it effective in overcoming negative recurrent thoughts.
---- Reviewed by Adrian, Guest
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Noah's compass by Anne Tyler
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Genre - Fiction
This is a new novel from the prize winning author of “The Accidental tourist” and “Dinner at the homesick restaurant.” This story is also set in Baltimore and examines everyday life for recently retired teacher Liam Pennywell. He is widowed and divorced and has just been retrenched from his teaching position. When he decides to downsize his home and possessions he draws criticism and concern from his three adult daughters and his bossy ex wife. An assault by a stranger causes him to lose his memory of the first night in his new apartment and brings him more unwanted attention from the family. His youngest daughter, Kitty, decides to move in with him just as he begins a new relationship with an unusual woman called Eunice. This is a gentle story with some eccentric characters finding their way through family relationships.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave
Genre - Fiction
This is a new novel from the prize winning author of “The Accidental tourist” and “Dinner at the homesick restaurant.” This story is also set in Baltimore and examines everyday life for recently retired teacher Liam Pennywell. He is widowed and divorced and has just been retrenched from his teaching position. When he decides to downsize his home and possessions he draws criticism and concern from his three adult daughters and his bossy ex wife. An assault by a stranger causes him to lose his memory of the first night in his new apartment and brings him more unwanted attention from the family. His youngest daughter, Kitty, decides to move in with him just as he begins a new relationship with an unusual woman called Eunice. This is a gentle story with some eccentric characters finding their way through family relationships.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave
Remarkable creatures by Tracy Chevalier
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Genre - Historical fiction
This is the story of Mary Anning, an extraordinary fossil hunter who lived in the 1800’s. This is a fictional account of real people and events during this time of stimulating scientific debate. Fossil evidence from the English seaside town of Lyme Regis was of great interest to Natural History Museums and was also very challenging to the prevailing religious view of the times. Mary’s fossil discoveries came at a time when men dominated the field of science and she has to fight for recognition of her work. She is helped in many ways by her unusual friendships with the feisty and intelligent spinster Elizabeth Philpot . Despite their differences in age and background their relationship remains strong through their shared love of fossils. This novel has captured many of the details of daily life for women from both the working and upper classes and brought these characters together in an exciting quest beyond the limits and conventions of their world.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave
Genre - Historical fiction
This is the story of Mary Anning, an extraordinary fossil hunter who lived in the 1800’s. This is a fictional account of real people and events during this time of stimulating scientific debate. Fossil evidence from the English seaside town of Lyme Regis was of great interest to Natural History Museums and was also very challenging to the prevailing religious view of the times. Mary’s fossil discoveries came at a time when men dominated the field of science and she has to fight for recognition of her work. She is helped in many ways by her unusual friendships with the feisty and intelligent spinster Elizabeth Philpot . Despite their differences in age and background their relationship remains strong through their shared love of fossils. This novel has captured many of the details of daily life for women from both the working and upper classes and brought these characters together in an exciting quest beyond the limits and conventions of their world.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave
The paperbark shoe by Goldie Goldbloom
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Genre - Historical fiction
Set in Wyalkatchem in the West Australian wheat belt, this is a fictional tale about Gin and Toad and 2 Italian prisoners of war who came to work on their farm as labourers in 1944. She has captured the harshness of the country and the deprivation of the times and given us the character of Gin Toad. Married to Toad to escape a mental institution she survives the heat and dirt of the farm and gives up her ladylike ways as she becomes immune to the lack of music and lover in her outback life. Then she meets Antonio and becomes infamous as the traitor who helped an Italian POW to escape. This story is haunting, gritty and sad but it has a wonderful style of language which captures the atmosphere of the times and life on the land.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave
Genre - Historical fiction
Set in Wyalkatchem in the West Australian wheat belt, this is a fictional tale about Gin and Toad and 2 Italian prisoners of war who came to work on their farm as labourers in 1944. She has captured the harshness of the country and the deprivation of the times and given us the character of Gin Toad. Married to Toad to escape a mental institution she survives the heat and dirt of the farm and gives up her ladylike ways as she becomes immune to the lack of music and lover in her outback life. Then she meets Antonio and becomes infamous as the traitor who helped an Italian POW to escape. This story is haunting, gritty and sad but it has a wonderful style of language which captures the atmosphere of the times and life on the land.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave
Friday, October 23, 2009
Some tame gazelle by Barbara Pym
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Genre - Fiction
Belinda & Harriet Bede are sisters living in an English village in the 1950s. They’re happily unmarried, although Harriet has an admirer, Count Bianco, who proposes marriage at regular intervals. Belinda has been in love with Archdeacon Hoccleve since their University days but he married the very capable Agatha instead. This is a story of gentle irony & humour as village life brings challenges such as the church fete & what to give the local seamstress for lunch when she comes to make up the new curtains. When Archbishop Theodore Grote arrives for a visit from his African diocese, Belinda finds herself the object of attentions that she suspects Agatha might envy.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
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Genre - Fiction
Belinda & Harriet Bede are sisters living in an English village in the 1950s. They’re happily unmarried, although Harriet has an admirer, Count Bianco, who proposes marriage at regular intervals. Belinda has been in love with Archdeacon Hoccleve since their University days but he married the very capable Agatha instead. This is a story of gentle irony & humour as village life brings challenges such as the church fete & what to give the local seamstress for lunch when she comes to make up the new curtains. When Archbishop Theodore Grote arrives for a visit from his African diocese, Belinda finds herself the object of attentions that she suspects Agatha might envy.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
The monster in the box by Ruth Rendell
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Genre - Mystery
Inspector Reg Wexford is startled to see a face from the past, a man who he believes has committed at least two murders, but who he never expected to see again. This is the catalyst that takes Wexford back to his early days in the police force, when he was convinced that Eric Targo had murdered young mother, Elsie Carroll. He had no evidence & was too junior to influence the murder investigation, but he knew Targo was guilty, & Targo knew that Wexford knew. So, a strange game developed where Targo would walk his dog past Wexford’s house or stare up at the windows of the police station. Then, he would disappear for years before unexpectedly turning up again. As Wexford tells the story to his deputy, Mike Burden, the evidence becomes more compelling, especially when another murder occurs close to Wexford’s home. The Wexford series has been one of the best police procedurals for over 40 years & this is another great installment. It’s not one of the best, but interesting to see Wexford as a young man, starting his career & meeting his wife, Dora.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Read more reviews at NoveList
Genre - Mystery
Inspector Reg Wexford is startled to see a face from the past, a man who he believes has committed at least two murders, but who he never expected to see again. This is the catalyst that takes Wexford back to his early days in the police force, when he was convinced that Eric Targo had murdered young mother, Elsie Carroll. He had no evidence & was too junior to influence the murder investigation, but he knew Targo was guilty, & Targo knew that Wexford knew. So, a strange game developed where Targo would walk his dog past Wexford’s house or stare up at the windows of the police station. Then, he would disappear for years before unexpectedly turning up again. As Wexford tells the story to his deputy, Mike Burden, the evidence becomes more compelling, especially when another murder occurs close to Wexford’s home. The Wexford series has been one of the best police procedurals for over 40 years & this is another great installment. It’s not one of the best, but interesting to see Wexford as a young man, starting his career & meeting his wife, Dora.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
The pattern in the carpet by Margaret Drabble
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Genre - Non Fiction
The subtitle of this book is “A personal history with jigsaws”. Drabble reminisces about her childhood visits to her Auntie Phyl, who lived in a B&B on the Great North Road, the main route from London to Scotland. Assembling jigsaws became one of the pleasures of these childhood holidays & they continue to enjoy it on many later visits until Phyl’s death. Drabble intended to write a history of the jigsaw puzzle & she has done this, but the picture she draws of her childhood in the 40s & 50s & Phyl’s life as a schoolteacher & later helping her parents run the B&B is the most interesting part of the book. Jigsaws began as dissected maps that could be assembled as an aid to teaching children geography. It wasn’t until the 20th century that they became a pastime that everyone could afford. Drabble’s research into the history of art, mosaics & children’s toys is fascinating but the heart of the book is her relationship with Phyl & her memories of a happy childhood.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Read more reviews at NoveList
Genre - Non Fiction
The subtitle of this book is “A personal history with jigsaws”. Drabble reminisces about her childhood visits to her Auntie Phyl, who lived in a B&B on the Great North Road, the main route from London to Scotland. Assembling jigsaws became one of the pleasures of these childhood holidays & they continue to enjoy it on many later visits until Phyl’s death. Drabble intended to write a history of the jigsaw puzzle & she has done this, but the picture she draws of her childhood in the 40s & 50s & Phyl’s life as a schoolteacher & later helping her parents run the B&B is the most interesting part of the book. Jigsaws began as dissected maps that could be assembled as an aid to teaching children geography. It wasn’t until the 20th century that they became a pastime that everyone could afford. Drabble’s research into the history of art, mosaics & children’s toys is fascinating but the heart of the book is her relationship with Phyl & her memories of a happy childhood.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross
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I really enjoyed this book ... as a matter of fact, I found it hard to put down! The main character, Karen, is someone I instantly empathized with as the reader and throughout the story I felt how torn and courageous she was dealing with the "death" of her husband. The thing I liked most was that there was something I can take away from the fictional story to empower my own life (that's what makes a book especially good in my opinion). The story reinforced my belief that we are never really powerless, and we always have choices. Furthermore, we chose the life we live and the challenges our lives give us prove just how strong we are. These are lessons all of us, particularly divorcees, need to be reminded of often! I can't wait to begin my next book!
---- Reviewed by Linda, Guest
The Fault Tree by Louise Ure
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Genre - Mystery
A gutsy blind female motor mechanic is hit by a car on her way home from work. Several murders later, she is more battered and bruised and her friend is nearly killed. The police do not recognize her "blind " skills at first, until they realize she is telling the truth and someone is out to kill her also. A great read. Unputdownable!
---- Reviewed by Carol, Guest
Monday, September 7, 2009
Forbidden fruit by Kerry Greenwood
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Genre - Mystery
The latest Corinna Chapman mystery is set at the beginning of a hot summer in Melbourne. Corinna hates summer, hates Christmas & just wants December to be over so she can close her bakery & have a month’s holiday. Her lover, Daniel, has been hired to find two runaway teenagers, Manny & Brigid. Brigid’s parents, members of a strange religious group, locked her away when they discovered she was pregnant. Manny helps her escape & they’re now on the run, with the baby due any day. There are lots of echoes of the Christmas story in this fast-paced book – the race to the hospital with Brigid riding on a donkey called Serena is especially funny - & Greenwood uses traditional carols & Christmas music to great effect. As always in this series, the luscious descriptions of food & drink & the lives of the people & cats living in the Insula building are almost more important than the plot. This series is a treat for the senses, full of humour & a real feeling of life lived to the full.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Mystery
The latest Corinna Chapman mystery is set at the beginning of a hot summer in Melbourne. Corinna hates summer, hates Christmas & just wants December to be over so she can close her bakery & have a month’s holiday. Her lover, Daniel, has been hired to find two runaway teenagers, Manny & Brigid. Brigid’s parents, members of a strange religious group, locked her away when they discovered she was pregnant. Manny helps her escape & they’re now on the run, with the baby due any day. There are lots of echoes of the Christmas story in this fast-paced book – the race to the hospital with Brigid riding on a donkey called Serena is especially funny - & Greenwood uses traditional carols & Christmas music to great effect. As always in this series, the luscious descriptions of food & drink & the lives of the people & cats living in the Insula building are almost more important than the plot. This series is a treat for the senses, full of humour & a real feeling of life lived to the full.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
The last office by Geoffrey Moorhouse
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Genre - Non Fiction
This is the story of the monks of Durham Priory & their fate when Henry VIII split with Rome over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon & created the Church of England. The Dissolution of the Monasteries was a complete break with religious life as it had been lived for hundreds of years. Henry & his chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, were eager to get their hands on the riches of the Church & to have complete control on the religious life of the nation. Small monasteries & nunneries were broken up & the monks & nuns pensioned off or sent to other houses. Gradually it was time for the larger priories such as Durham to be transformed from Catholic communities into Anglican cathedrals with priests rather than monks. Moorhouse describes the life of the Priory before the Dissolution & how the Bishop of Durham & the Prior guided the monks in their care towards an accommodation with the new order.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Read more reviews at NoveList
Genre - Non Fiction
This is the story of the monks of Durham Priory & their fate when Henry VIII split with Rome over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon & created the Church of England. The Dissolution of the Monasteries was a complete break with religious life as it had been lived for hundreds of years. Henry & his chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, were eager to get their hands on the riches of the Church & to have complete control on the religious life of the nation. Small monasteries & nunneries were broken up & the monks & nuns pensioned off or sent to other houses. Gradually it was time for the larger priories such as Durham to be transformed from Catholic communities into Anglican cathedrals with priests rather than monks. Moorhouse describes the life of the Priory before the Dissolution & how the Bishop of Durham & the Prior guided the monks in their care towards an accommodation with the new order.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Jane Austen ruined my life by Beth Pattillo
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Genre - Fiction
I’m not a fan of the many Austen sequels, prequels & other novels cashing in on the popularity of one of my favourite authors. This novel is an exception as it uses Austen’s life & work in an intriguing way. Emma Grant is an American academic. Her life is falling apart. Her husband has been unfaithful & she’s lost her job due to an unfounded allegation of plagiarism. Emma has been contacted by Mrs Parrot, a mysterious woman who hints that she has access to over a thousand unpublished letters by Jane Austen. Emma sees publishing the letters as a way of regaining her academic reputation. So, she goes to England to meet Mrs Parrot. Emma is sent on a series of journeys to places associated with Jane – Bath, Lyme, Winchester - & must pass tests at each place to be allowed to read more of the letters & discover more about the secret at the heart of Austen’s life. Emma also meets up with Adam, an old friend who is also in London doing research. Is his interest in Emma altruistic or is he chasing the same prize? The plot has a few holes in it, but Emma is an engaging character & a tour of Jane Austen’s England is always a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Read more reviews at NoveList
Genre - Fiction
I’m not a fan of the many Austen sequels, prequels & other novels cashing in on the popularity of one of my favourite authors. This novel is an exception as it uses Austen’s life & work in an intriguing way. Emma Grant is an American academic. Her life is falling apart. Her husband has been unfaithful & she’s lost her job due to an unfounded allegation of plagiarism. Emma has been contacted by Mrs Parrot, a mysterious woman who hints that she has access to over a thousand unpublished letters by Jane Austen. Emma sees publishing the letters as a way of regaining her academic reputation. So, she goes to England to meet Mrs Parrot. Emma is sent on a series of journeys to places associated with Jane – Bath, Lyme, Winchester - & must pass tests at each place to be allowed to read more of the letters & discover more about the secret at the heart of Austen’s life. Emma also meets up with Adam, an old friend who is also in London doing research. Is his interest in Emma altruistic or is he chasing the same prize? The plot has a few holes in it, but Emma is an engaging character & a tour of Jane Austen’s England is always a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Sherlock Holmes was wrong by Pierre Bayard
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Genre - Non Fiction
What if Sherlock Holmes missed some vital clues in his investigation of the mystery of the Hound of the Baskervilles? Bayard reimagines the classic crime story from a new angle. He takes the story as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, & interprets the clues differently to come up with a different ending - & a different murderer. This is a lighthearted look at a classic story & an iconic figure of crime fiction. Bayard has previously written about Agatha Christie in Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? & does a great job of breathing new life into the Holmes legend.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Non Fiction
What if Sherlock Holmes missed some vital clues in his investigation of the mystery of the Hound of the Baskervilles? Bayard reimagines the classic crime story from a new angle. He takes the story as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, & interprets the clues differently to come up with a different ending - & a different murderer. This is a lighthearted look at a classic story & an iconic figure of crime fiction. Bayard has previously written about Agatha Christie in Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? & does a great job of breathing new life into the Holmes legend.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Mud, muck & dead things by Ann Granger
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Genre - Mystery
This is the first in a new series of mysteries by Granger, set in the Cotswolds. Lucas Burton, a shady businessman, is lured to a deserted farmhouse for a meeting. Instead of his business partner, he finds a dead girl in the barn. In his panic, he scrapes his silver Mercedes against a fencepost & is seen leaving the farm by Penny, who owns the livery stables nearby. Inspector Jess Campbell is called in to investigate the murder, &, as well as identifying the victim & coping with the eccentric old man who owns the farm, she has to deal with the expectations of her new boss, Superintendent Carter. No sooner has Jess & her team identified Lucas’ car & tracked him down, than he is found murdered in his garage. Granger sets up her characters nicely in this first novel, & the Cotswolds setting is a bit less attractive than usual – all that mud & muck. Great for fans of Midsomer Murders.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Mystery
This is the first in a new series of mysteries by Granger, set in the Cotswolds. Lucas Burton, a shady businessman, is lured to a deserted farmhouse for a meeting. Instead of his business partner, he finds a dead girl in the barn. In his panic, he scrapes his silver Mercedes against a fencepost & is seen leaving the farm by Penny, who owns the livery stables nearby. Inspector Jess Campbell is called in to investigate the murder, &, as well as identifying the victim & coping with the eccentric old man who owns the farm, she has to deal with the expectations of her new boss, Superintendent Carter. No sooner has Jess & her team identified Lucas’ car & tracked him down, than he is found murdered in his garage. Granger sets up her characters nicely in this first novel, & the Cotswolds setting is a bit less attractive than usual – all that mud & muck. Great for fans of Midsomer Murders.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Monday, August 10, 2009
What Alice forgot by Liane Moriarty
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Genre - Family
When Alice Love hits her head at the gym and loses her memory of the past 10 years, she wakes up knowing that something is wrong. She believes she is a happily married expectant mother and soon finds out otherwise. She meets 3 children she can’t remember having and discovers she is in the process of divorcing her beloved hubby. She is estranged from her best friend and has no knowledge of her sister’s struggles with fertility. It is interesting to follow her story with input from her grandmother’s blog and her sister’s journal and see her put the pieces of her life back together. This is a tender and true account of modern family life.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
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Genre - Science Fiction
Lou Arrendale is a high-functioning autistic man working for a pharmaceutical company doing patterns analysis. A new manager, who disagrees with the supportive environment given to Lou and the other autistic people in his section, threatens their jobs unless they sign up for an experimental treatment designed to cure their autism.
Speed of Dark challenges the ideas of what it is to be "normal" and societies attitudes to individuals who are different. The reader struggles with the difficult decision facing Lou and his colleagues. Mostly told from Lou's POV, it is an interesting insight into the autistic mind.
This won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 2003 and I highly recommend it.
---- Reviewed by webgurl, Admin
The Hungry Ghosts by Anne Berry
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"This then is how I come to stave off death, with nothing but my will for weaponry. And it is how, paradoxically, I find myself housed in a sepulchre of death.
My voice might be weaker but still it cries, ‘I am not ready yet. Not yet.’
Then one day the children come. Among them is Alice."
Anne Berry has written an accomplished tale of two beings entwined: one a ghost, one living a ghostlike existence. The Hungry Ghosts covers lives and time, from war ravished Hong Kong to modern day England and Paris. There are many weavings of individual stories, the impact each entity has on the whole, the complexities and levels every member of any group brings to the mix.
There is always a level of dysfunction in a family, but sometimes that dysfunction is more extreme than ‘average’. Such it is in Alice’s family and she, the youngest daughter and second youngest child, is the scapegoat, not only for her family but for her ghosts. She is haunted, but it comes to be her norm, her family, her true reality, one in which there is no place for her real family.
The writing and language in The Hungry Ghosts is almost ethereal at times, adding its own layering to the complex story being told. The descriptions are textured and highly defined, coloured with lyrical language that hypnotises and draws the reader on, deeper and deeper into the haunting and haunted world of Alice and Lin Shui.
Tragedy and pathos are ever present; darkness, despair and familial injustice; but there is humour and beauty, love and questing, and a final knowing of self that is as poignant as it is satisfying.
I would not hesitate to recommend this book for the lover of ghost stories and the lover of good, well told stories alike. I look forward to Anne Berry’s future books with wonder and expectation.
--- Reviewed by Hannah, Guest
Friday, July 24, 2009
Love and other secrets by Sarah Challis
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Genre - Family
Nothing can really prepare you for the terrible anxiety and overwhelming fatigue of having a baby. Florence is a first time mother at 35 and her carefully planned life is about to be rudely interrupted in ways she has never imagined. This pregnancy brings also back memories of her own birth for her mother Jane. Florence has never understood the reality of her mother’s life as an unmarried 18 year old struggling to keep her baby in the tumultuous 1960’s. Old resentments are stirred up and secrets are revealed with the birth of this new baby and ultimately the two women are brought closer together.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Genre - Family
Nothing can really prepare you for the terrible anxiety and overwhelming fatigue of having a baby. Florence is a first time mother at 35 and her carefully planned life is about to be rudely interrupted in ways she has never imagined. This pregnancy brings also back memories of her own birth for her mother Jane. Florence has never understood the reality of her mother’s life as an unmarried 18 year old struggling to keep her baby in the tumultuous 1960’s. Old resentments are stirred up and secrets are revealed with the birth of this new baby and ultimately the two women are brought closer together.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Sunshine on Sugar Hill by Angela Gilltrap
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Genre - Biography
Once upon a time, an Australian girl moved to Harlem. This is the true story of ABC “Strictly Dancing” presenter, Angela Gilltrap who grew up in sunny Queensland, shared a flat at beautiful Bondi Beach and chose to live on Sugar Hill in Harlem. Angela fell in love with an African American and went to live in his sixth floor apartment on one of the noisiest streets in Manhattan. She describes her adventures as the only white woman living in this part of the city with humour and tries to explain her attachment to her new home. I especially enjoyed the contrasts with life in Australia … “the trees, the silence, the absence of guys hanging out on my block”.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
While my sister sleeps by Barbara Delinsky
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Genre - Family saga
The latest book by this prolific author poses an ethical dilemma for the Snow family. Robin Snow is an Olympic level long distance runner who suffers a heart attack whilst out running one day. When it is determined she has suffered permanent brain damage from a lack of oxygen, the rest of her family deal with the tragedy in different ways. Molly has always lived in Robin’s shadow and feels terribly guilty that she wasn’t with her older sister when she collapsed. Her mother Kathryn wants to believe Robin will survive this prognosis, whilst Charlie is a strong silent supporter and her brother Chris is distracted by his own relationship problems. Family secrets are revealed as they struggle to find out what Robin would have wanted. They have to decide how much to tell her friends and supporters and reach a decision on the ethics of life support. A thought provoking novel.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
True Colors by Kristin Hannah
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Genre - Family saga
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Dark mirror by Barry Maitland
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Genre - Mystery
Marion Summers dies a painful death in the London Library. The autopsy reveals that she died of arsenic poisoning, a method of murder more suited to the murky 19th century world of the Pre-Raphaelite painters & poets she was researching. Detectives Brock & Kolla investigate secretive Marion’s background & discover that her research may have been the reason she was killed. Did her discoveries threaten the career of her academic supervisor? Or was it the fellow researcher who had been following her, taking photos on his mobile phone? Or her mysterious lover, who may have been the father of the child she lost just weeks before her death? This is a complex mystery with fascinating literary & historical elements. Brock & Kolla are sympathetic characters & it’s always good to catch up with them again.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Mystery
Marion Summers dies a painful death in the London Library. The autopsy reveals that she died of arsenic poisoning, a method of murder more suited to the murky 19th century world of the Pre-Raphaelite painters & poets she was researching. Detectives Brock & Kolla investigate secretive Marion’s background & discover that her research may have been the reason she was killed. Did her discoveries threaten the career of her academic supervisor? Or was it the fellow researcher who had been following her, taking photos on his mobile phone? Or her mysterious lover, who may have been the father of the child she lost just weeks before her death? This is a complex mystery with fascinating literary & historical elements. Brock & Kolla are sympathetic characters & it’s always good to catch up with them again.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Love letters by Katie Fforde
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Genre - Romance
Shy Laura is about to lose her dream job in a bookshop where she’s been responsible for organizing successful author events & bookclubs. She finds herself agreeing to help run a new literary festival at the stately home of Fenella & Rupert. When she reveals her admiration for the writing of reclusive Irish novelist, Dermot Flynn, she finds herself on the way to Ireland to convince him to appear at the festival. This is a lovely romantic comedy about first love, literature & friendship. Dermot is an engagingly scruffy, sexy hero & there’s a lot of humour in Laura & Dermot’s growing relationship.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Romance
Shy Laura is about to lose her dream job in a bookshop where she’s been responsible for organizing successful author events & bookclubs. She finds herself agreeing to help run a new literary festival at the stately home of Fenella & Rupert. When she reveals her admiration for the writing of reclusive Irish novelist, Dermot Flynn, she finds herself on the way to Ireland to convince him to appear at the festival. This is a lovely romantic comedy about first love, literature & friendship. Dermot is an engagingly scruffy, sexy hero & there’s a lot of humour in Laura & Dermot’s growing relationship.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Monday, July 6, 2009
Hater by David Moody
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Genre - Horror
It’s just another typical day, you are on your way to work when the person walking next to turns and murders an old woman in front of you, out of the blue, for no reason at all, what would you do? What would you think?
This is just the start of David Moody's Hater. An intriguing novel, I found it strangely fascinating even if I was not absorbed by the story, I kept reading because I needed to know why people were committing these seemingly random acts of violence towards strangers as well as loved ones.
With recommendations from the directors of the Orphanage and Pan's Labyrinth.I would not be surprised if this is turned into a movie.
I can recommend this novel if you are looking for something different to read.
'Kill or be killed. Hate or be hated.'
---- Reviewed by Megan, Knox
Friday, June 26, 2009
The City & the City by China Mieville
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Genre - Science Fiction Mystery
Mieville's latest offering could be read as a straight police procedural but the mean streets that his hero, Inspector Tyador Borlu, walks are twisted and tainted. Borlu belongs to the city of Beszel but his murder case leads his investigation to the city of Ul Qoma.... the only problem is that the two cities occupy the same place and the same time. The cities overlap, cross hatch and mingle. Their respective denizens have learnt to "unsee" each other in order to avoid being in "breach" of a harsh and severe higher law.
It is a fascinating concept and one that Mieville expertly plays with bringing to mind all of those cities divided by internecine conflict that currently exist in our strife torn world - think of Belfast, Beirut or Jerusalem.
I so enjoyed the book that I will now be tracking down more of this newly discovered author's work.
---- Reviewed by Paul, Headquarters
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The little stranger by Sarah Waters
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Genre - Literary fiction
This is an atmospheric ghost story set in England after WWII. Hundreds Hall is a crumbling stately home & the Ayres family are struggling to survive with dwindling income & only a couple of servants. Local GP, Dr Faraday is called in to attend the housemaid, Betty, & meets Mrs Ayres, her son, Roderick, who was badly injured in the war, & her daughter, Caroline. Dr Faraday was a working class boy who became a doctor & has never felt at home with the local gentry, but in the post-war world, he becomes a trusted friend of the family. The social changes of the period are obvious as the Ayres are forced to sell off their estate to property developers to survive. The strange happenings at the Hall - the running footsteps in the old nursery, the speaking tubes whistling for no reason, the fires that break out in Roderick’s room – unsettle everyone. Is a malevolent spirit haunting the family or are they tainted with madness? Echoes of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca are very effective in creating an atmosphere of menace & doom in this beautifully written story of a family in a time of change.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Read more reviews at NoveList
Genre - Literary fiction
This is an atmospheric ghost story set in England after WWII. Hundreds Hall is a crumbling stately home & the Ayres family are struggling to survive with dwindling income & only a couple of servants. Local GP, Dr Faraday is called in to attend the housemaid, Betty, & meets Mrs Ayres, her son, Roderick, who was badly injured in the war, & her daughter, Caroline. Dr Faraday was a working class boy who became a doctor & has never felt at home with the local gentry, but in the post-war world, he becomes a trusted friend of the family. The social changes of the period are obvious as the Ayres are forced to sell off their estate to property developers to survive. The strange happenings at the Hall - the running footsteps in the old nursery, the speaking tubes whistling for no reason, the fires that break out in Roderick’s room – unsettle everyone. Is a malevolent spirit haunting the family or are they tainted with madness? Echoes of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca are very effective in creating an atmosphere of menace & doom in this beautifully written story of a family in a time of change.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
The sisters who would be queen by Leanda De Lisle
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Genre - Non Fiction
Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen, is a well-known figure. Her two younger sisters are not so well-known. This excellent biography follows the three sisters as they are each caught up in the murky world of Tudor politics. Protestant Jane was declared heir to the throne by the dying Edward VI in preference to his Catholic half-sister Mary. Jane was less of a victim of powerful men than has been supposed, & De Lisle shows that she was determined to rule in her own right. However, Mary’s supporters deposed Jane & she was executed when she became a focus for rebellion. When Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1559, Katherine Grey was seen as her heir by the English nobility. She foolishly fell in love & secretly married without Elizabeth’s permission. When she then gave birth to two sons (the second child conceived while both parents were imprisoned in the Tower), the Queen’s anger was terrible, the couple were separated & Katherine died young. The youngest sister, Mary, also married without the Queen’s permission. Her choice was one of her jailers, Thomas Keyes, who was imprisoned in terrible conditions for falling in love with an heir to the throne. This is a fascinating look at the Tudor court & the perils of being too close to the throne.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Non Fiction
Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen, is a well-known figure. Her two younger sisters are not so well-known. This excellent biography follows the three sisters as they are each caught up in the murky world of Tudor politics. Protestant Jane was declared heir to the throne by the dying Edward VI in preference to his Catholic half-sister Mary. Jane was less of a victim of powerful men than has been supposed, & De Lisle shows that she was determined to rule in her own right. However, Mary’s supporters deposed Jane & she was executed when she became a focus for rebellion. When Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1559, Katherine Grey was seen as her heir by the English nobility. She foolishly fell in love & secretly married without Elizabeth’s permission. When she then gave birth to two sons (the second child conceived while both parents were imprisoned in the Tower), the Queen’s anger was terrible, the couple were separated & Katherine died young. The youngest sister, Mary, also married without the Queen’s permission. Her choice was one of her jailers, Thomas Keyes, who was imprisoned in terrible conditions for falling in love with an heir to the throne. This is a fascinating look at the Tudor court & the perils of being too close to the throne.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Pauline Bonaparte by Flora Fraser
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Genre - Non Fiction
Pauline was Napoleon’s favourite sister & lived a privileged life when her brother was First Consul & then Emperor of France. She was a beautiful woman who married twice – once for love & once for money - & had many lovers. Flora Fraser specializes in writing the lives of 18th century women. Her previous books have included biographies of the daughters of George III, Emma Hamilton and Caroline of Brunswick. Pauline Bonaparte is a less interesting character than these women, her life was essentially aimless. She was privileged & she created a lot of scandal but her life was purposeless. Her most attractive quality was her loyalty to Napoleon. She followed him into exile on Elba when the rest of their siblings had abandoned him.
---- Reviewed by Lyn Baines
Genre - Non Fiction
Pauline was Napoleon’s favourite sister & lived a privileged life when her brother was First Consul & then Emperor of France. She was a beautiful woman who married twice – once for love & once for money - & had many lovers. Flora Fraser specializes in writing the lives of 18th century women. Her previous books have included biographies of the daughters of George III, Emma Hamilton and Caroline of Brunswick. Pauline Bonaparte is a less interesting character than these women, her life was essentially aimless. She was privileged & she created a lot of scandal but her life was purposeless. Her most attractive quality was her loyalty to Napoleon. She followed him into exile on Elba when the rest of their siblings had abandoned him.
---- Reviewed by Lyn Baines
A perfect death by Kate Ellis
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Genre - Mystery
A woman is burnt alive in a deserted field in Devon. The murder has echoes in the past when a woman was burnt alive by her husband, who suspected her of being unfaithful, on the same spot in the 13th century. An archaeological dig has just begun on the site before a new housing estate is built, & the developer’s wife has received death threats. A group protesting about the influx of holiday home owners are suspected of being involved in arson attacks on holiday homes. D I Wesley Peterson investigates the links between these events & another archaeological dig on the same site 20 years before that ended with the mysterious deaths of two of the archeologists involved. This long-running detective series combines modern day mystery with a historical subplot. Fans of Time Team will also enjoy the archaeological plots which are a big part of the series.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Mystery
A woman is burnt alive in a deserted field in Devon. The murder has echoes in the past when a woman was burnt alive by her husband, who suspected her of being unfaithful, on the same spot in the 13th century. An archaeological dig has just begun on the site before a new housing estate is built, & the developer’s wife has received death threats. A group protesting about the influx of holiday home owners are suspected of being involved in arson attacks on holiday homes. D I Wesley Peterson investigates the links between these events & another archaeological dig on the same site 20 years before that ended with the mysterious deaths of two of the archeologists involved. This long-running detective series combines modern day mystery with a historical subplot. Fans of Time Team will also enjoy the archaeological plots which are a big part of the series.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
A Winter's tale by Trisha Ashley
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Genre - Romance
Sophy Winter unexpectedly inherits her grandfather’s crumbling stately home, Winter’s End. Along with the house, she inherits an eccentric family & a lot of debt. Sophy’s charming but shady cousin Jack thought he would inherit & sets about alternately trying to persuade Sophy to sell the estate to him at a knockdown price or marry him so they can live there happily ever after. Another distraction is gorgeous gardener, Seth, who plans to restore the Elizabethan gardens & doesn’t seem to have eyes for anything else. Then there’s the rumour that Shakespeare spent his lost years at Winter’s End & the discovery of a manuscript in the Bard’s hand. The grand opening of the house & garden to the public is the grand finale to this lovely romantic comedy.
Genre - Romance
Sophy Winter unexpectedly inherits her grandfather’s crumbling stately home, Winter’s End. Along with the house, she inherits an eccentric family & a lot of debt. Sophy’s charming but shady cousin Jack thought he would inherit & sets about alternately trying to persuade Sophy to sell the estate to him at a knockdown price or marry him so they can live there happily ever after. Another distraction is gorgeous gardener, Seth, who plans to restore the Elizabethan gardens & doesn’t seem to have eyes for anything else. Then there’s the rumour that Shakespeare spent his lost years at Winter’s End & the discovery of a manuscript in the Bard’s hand. The grand opening of the house & garden to the public is the grand finale to this lovely romantic comedy.
---- Reviewed Lyn, Headquarters
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - the classic Regency romance now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem! by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
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Genre - Comedy
As the last line of the blurb suggests this novel “transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you’d actually want to read.”
Now, I am not a fan of Jane Austen and I have never read or intend to read the original, but who among us can resist the appeal of the Zombie in search of brains. There is not a large amount of Zombie mayhem, not as much as I was hoping for, however Elizabeth and her sisters do spend a lot of time practicing the "deadly arts".
This is an enjoyable read, the pictures are amusing, the story from what I can remember of the movie contains all the important bits and even though it has two authors the writing flows well.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for some light hearted Zombie fun that is not to be taken seriously.
---- Reviewed by Megan, Guest Reviewer
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Vision in White by Nora Roberts
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Genre - Romance
This is book one of the Bride Quartet by prolific writer Nora Roberts. Childhood friends, Mackenzie, Parker, Laurel and Emmaline enjoyed playing Wedding day when they were eight years old and now they are all grown up and have created a successful wedding planning business called Vows. Set in the beautiful Brown Estate where they also all live together, this novel is full of flowers, food and friends. Unfortunately these four women are yet to discover their own true love. Mac is the main character in this book and she is the wedding photographer who has to fight the demons of her parent’s failed marriage when she finds herself falling for Carter Maguire. A light and entertaining read.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Gone Away World by Nick Harkaway
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Genre - Romantic Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Fantasy
A post-apocalyptic romp of a book that leaves you slack jawed and amazed at the coruscating brilliance of the author and the bravura of his writing. Any book that has ninjas, pirates, mimes, big trucks and even bigger things that go bang in it will always have my stamp of approval!! If you have a taste for the weird, the wonderful, the witty and the satiric this is the book for you. Enjoy!!
PS: If you are in the mood for more of Harkaway's writing check out his website for a sneak preview of his next writing venture - "The Hospitality of Doctor Franzavius".
---- Reviewed by Paul, Headquarters
Naked in Death by J. D. Robb
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Genre - Mystery
The first in the "...in Death" series, this book introduces us to our lead character Detective Eve Dallas. Whilst giving us a ripper crime mystery set in the not-to-distant future, it also gives us the beginning of an unusual love story between our gritty and damaged lead, and the refined billionaire Roarke.
Whilst Nora Roberts is an old hand at romance novels, she dips her toe into crime drama with a hint of her pet genre. Introducing us to several integral characters of the series and tantilising us with tidbits of the characters' pasts, she ties several seemingly unrelated threads together.
Ignoring the romance aspect (which may well turn people off from choosing this book)its well written and clever. There is never a dull moment and begs not to be put down. I would have liked for there to have been more time for the romance to develop but overall it is very believable.
Forget Nora Roberts' usual style of romance novels and give this series a try. It wont disappoint. And as the first in around 30 installments, "Naked in Death" is an enjoyable read with plot twists and personal dramas that only get better.
---- Reviewed by Eloise, Guest
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
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Genre - Biography
I have just discovered Frank McCourt and now on my 2nd book of his. I found Angela's ashes a great read that had me laughing and crying all the way through I could very easily read this wonderful book over and over again.
---- Reviewed by Angela, Guest
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Marriage Club by Kate Legge
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Genre - Fiction
“They could be madly in love. You just don’t know. You never do.” Leith Kremmer and her best friend Eva agree that you can never tell what is really going on in other people’s marriages. Even when you are close friends and have shared years of gossip and personal confessions you can still never know. When Leith’s book club meets in her comfortable home to discuss Ted Hughes’ “Birthday Letters”, they enjoy a night of champagne and an elaborate Spanish supper. They laugh hysterically at the sound of her husband George, an eminent family court judge, practicing his golf swing in the upstairs den. No one suspects that Leith has come to a momentous decision and is preparing to leave her marriage and change her life. No one is prepared for her sudden death and the questions that it raises about her marriage and the secrets she has kept from them all. This is an absorbing story about marriage and society that will appeal to women of all ages.
---- Sue, Knox
Genre - Fiction
“They could be madly in love. You just don’t know. You never do.” Leith Kremmer and her best friend Eva agree that you can never tell what is really going on in other people’s marriages. Even when you are close friends and have shared years of gossip and personal confessions you can still never know. When Leith’s book club meets in her comfortable home to discuss Ted Hughes’ “Birthday Letters”, they enjoy a night of champagne and an elaborate Spanish supper. They laugh hysterically at the sound of her husband George, an eminent family court judge, practicing his golf swing in the upstairs den. No one suspects that Leith has come to a momentous decision and is preparing to leave her marriage and change her life. No one is prepared for her sudden death and the questions that it raises about her marriage and the secrets she has kept from them all. This is an absorbing story about marriage and society that will appeal to women of all ages.
---- Sue, Knox
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The slap by Chris Tsiolkas
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Genre - Australian Fiction
Tsiolkas has written a uniquely middle class Australian tale that exposes the domestic life of a group of family and friends in everyday suburbia. He explores the consequences when a man slaps a friend’s child at a family barbeque. The story slips seamlessly between opposing viewpoints and reveals the strain this puts on all the people involved. An intriguing look behind the curtains of our lives with an emphasis on the racial differences simmering in our suburbs. It reminded me of the the social realism of the Melbourne novel "Monkey Grip" by Helen Garner.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Jane's fame by Claire Harman
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Genre - Non Fiction
This is a witty & informative account of Jane Austen’s reputation since her death in 1817. Although the recent TV & movie adaptations have made Austen one of the most famous authors in the world, her books were out of print for several years after her death. Her reputation was only revived with the publication of the first biography written by her nephew in the 1870s. That was when the cult of dear Aunt Jane, the refined, elegant spinster, began. Austen’s reputation in the 20th century was enhanced by the scholarly editions of the novels published by R W Chapman which was the beginning of the academic critics’ interest in her work. The explosion of popular interest which began with the BBC’s Pride & Prejudice in 1995 has led to hundreds of websites, blogs, movies, sequels & prequels of the novels. Harman explores everything from chick lit & the internet to serious academic works in this exploration of how Jane Austen conquered the world.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Non Fiction
This is a witty & informative account of Jane Austen’s reputation since her death in 1817. Although the recent TV & movie adaptations have made Austen one of the most famous authors in the world, her books were out of print for several years after her death. Her reputation was only revived with the publication of the first biography written by her nephew in the 1870s. That was when the cult of dear Aunt Jane, the refined, elegant spinster, began. Austen’s reputation in the 20th century was enhanced by the scholarly editions of the novels published by R W Chapman which was the beginning of the academic critics’ interest in her work. The explosion of popular interest which began with the BBC’s Pride & Prejudice in 1995 has led to hundreds of websites, blogs, movies, sequels & prequels of the novels. Harman explores everything from chick lit & the internet to serious academic works in this exploration of how Jane Austen conquered the world.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Monday, May 4, 2009
Handle with care by Jodi Picoult
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Genre - Family
From the opening pages we are swiftly involved in the harrowing life of a family with a child born with a brittle bone disease. Charlotte and Sean O’Keefe have coped with their daughter Willow’s numerous bone breaks and hospital visits despite the emotional and financial strain. Her older teenage sister Amelia successfully hides her suffering until Charlotte decides to sue her obstetrician, who is also best friend, for wrongful birth. The opposition to this lawsuit is strong and the pressure tears the family apart. Picoult is excellent at writing about family tragedy and gives an accurate voice to all sides of this ethical dilemma.
Insert review
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
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Genre - Family
Alice Howland is a fifty year old Harvard Linguistics professor with a successful husband and three adult children. Alice discovers she has early onset Alzheimer’s disease and she begins to lose control of her life. As she struggles with words and memories she feels she is losing the respect of her family and peers. She questions what is really important to her as she learns to accept the inevitable loss of herself. Without language and memory is she still Alice?
This is an engrossing story that is tragically real and makes you worry about everything you have to lose if you lose your mind.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
The lost recipe for happiness by Barbara O’Neal
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Genre - Love stories
This is a delicious celebration of life, love and food. It is filled with gorgeous descriptions of meals, people and places. Elena Alvarez is the lone survivor of a terrible car accident which takes the lives of four other teenagers. After recovering from her injuries and unable to stay with her family, Elena spends years learning her trade at restaurants around the world and ends up as executive chef at newly opened Aspen restaurant, the Orange Bear. After numerous failed love affairs she may finally have found lasting love with her boss Julian. A touching romance with a taste of magic.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Jane & Prudence by Barbara Pym
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Jane & Prudence met & became friends at Oxford. Jane was a tutor & Prudence her student. Now, years later, Jane is a happy but scatty vicar’s wife & Prudence a researcher in London unrequitedly in love with her dull boss. When Jane & her family move to a country parish, she is determined to find a suitable husband for Prudence. Unfortunately, the available men are a selfish widower who adorned his wife’s grave with a huge photo of himself; and a preoccupied MP who would rather complain about his busy life at Westminster than talk to Prudence at a garden party. When a new young man starts work at her office, Prudence looks set to embark on another unsuitable love affair. Barbara Pym’s novels are full of humour & so perceptive about love & relationships.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Jane & Prudence met & became friends at Oxford. Jane was a tutor & Prudence her student. Now, years later, Jane is a happy but scatty vicar’s wife & Prudence a researcher in London unrequitedly in love with her dull boss. When Jane & her family move to a country parish, she is determined to find a suitable husband for Prudence. Unfortunately, the available men are a selfish widower who adorned his wife’s grave with a huge photo of himself; and a preoccupied MP who would rather complain about his busy life at Westminster than talk to Prudence at a garden party. When a new young man starts work at her office, Prudence looks set to embark on another unsuitable love affair. Barbara Pym’s novels are full of humour & so perceptive about love & relationships.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
The diary of a provincial lady by E M Delafield
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This classic comic novel is the story of the Provincial Lady (we never know her name), her husband, Robert, children & servants, living in an English village between the wars. Our heroine has constant run-ins with the obnoxious Lady Boxe who lives at the Big House & is the sort of woman who always knows best. Cook is constantly threatening to hand in her notice, muttering darkly about the freshness of the fish & the vagaries of the Range. Robert spends the evenings falling asleep behind the newspaper. His only contribution to the household is to complain that his breakfast porridge is cold & the toast burnt. The Diary was originally published in a weekly magazine & the entries are in a breathless, witty style as the Lady rushes from one potential disaster to the next.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
This classic comic novel is the story of the Provincial Lady (we never know her name), her husband, Robert, children & servants, living in an English village between the wars. Our heroine has constant run-ins with the obnoxious Lady Boxe who lives at the Big House & is the sort of woman who always knows best. Cook is constantly threatening to hand in her notice, muttering darkly about the freshness of the fish & the vagaries of the Range. Robert spends the evenings falling asleep behind the newspaper. His only contribution to the household is to complain that his breakfast porridge is cold & the toast burnt. The Diary was originally published in a weekly magazine & the entries are in a breathless, witty style as the Lady rushes from one potential disaster to the next.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
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Genre - Romance
I had seen the movie & loved it, usually the book is better. In this instance the book is soooo much better. It's compelling even though I know the story. It was a beautifully written love story, you can only imagine that the author knew these people. Nicholas Sparks has a way of making you believe that his stories are true & that anything in life is possible if you have love.
I would recommend this book to anyone & look forward to the day my daughters are old enough to read it & enjoy it as I did.
---- Reviewed by Kim, Guest
Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
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Genre - Comedy/Mystery
Everyone's favourite female bounty hunter is back in Plum Spooky, a between the numbers novel. I haven't been a big fan of the Plum novels that come between the main series featuring Diesel, but with this one I've seriously changed my mind.
Diesel, a young bounty hunter with some questionable skills and special powers, drops back into Stephanie's life while he's on the trail of his cousin. His search collides with Stephanie's search for her latest FTA with some scary and hilarious results. There's monkeys, mud, rockets, trashed cars, explosions, food fights and the fire farter. Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.
It's not essential that you've read all of the previous novels. Evanovich is the master of catching you up on the history of the characters.
---- Reviewed by webgurl, Admin
Friday, March 27, 2009
Crossed wires by Rosy Thornton
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Genre - Romance
Peter Kendrick is a Cambridge lecturer, a widower with twin daughters. When he narrowly avoids running over the neighbour’s cat but doesn’t avoid a tree stump, he rings his insurance company & finds himself talking to Mina Hepponstall, a single mother living in Sheffield. There’s an immediate connection between these two lonely souls &, after Mina rings Peter at home to reassure him about his no-claim bonus, they become friends over several Sunday-night phone calls. This is a lovely, gentle romance, with the story moving between Peter’s life with his daughters, neighbours, research student & dog, & Mina’s worries over her younger sister, Jess & her daughter Sal’s lack of friends. The details of family life are beautifully observed, with lots of humour & just a hint of tragedy. A perfect Sunday afternoon read.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Romance
Peter Kendrick is a Cambridge lecturer, a widower with twin daughters. When he narrowly avoids running over the neighbour’s cat but doesn’t avoid a tree stump, he rings his insurance company & finds himself talking to Mina Hepponstall, a single mother living in Sheffield. There’s an immediate connection between these two lonely souls &, after Mina rings Peter at home to reassure him about his no-claim bonus, they become friends over several Sunday-night phone calls. This is a lovely, gentle romance, with the story moving between Peter’s life with his daughters, neighbours, research student & dog, & Mina’s worries over her younger sister, Jess & her daughter Sal’s lack of friends. The details of family life are beautifully observed, with lots of humour & just a hint of tragedy. A perfect Sunday afternoon read.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Added a feed of Soon to be Published lists
If you glance over to the sidebar you'll notice I've added a feed to the Library Journal lists of books being published in the coming months. It's a great way to keep up-to-date so you can get your holds in early and be at the top of the queue.
Cheers, webgurl
Cheers, webgurl
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Family Tree by Ilsa Evans
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Genre - Family
Kate is a writer – well she would be if she could just find the time and space to get started. A busy wife, mother and freelance editor, she seizes the opportunity to have a hiatus from home and spend six months sharing a unit with her cousin, Angie. When threatened with writers block she seeks inspiration for her writing from the unconventional story of her own family background. Evan’s is a local author, well known for her funny stories and light fiction but lately she has written about the more serious topics of domestic violence and euthanasia. Like her last novel, “Broken” this new book is a powerful picture of modern family life and presents us with a well crafted tale filled with familiar people and places.
---- Reviewed by Sue, Knox
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Lady Worsley's whim by Hallie Rubenhold
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Genre - Non Fiction
This story of an 18th century marriage is a cautionary tales about sex, scandal & divorce. Seymour Fleming was only eighteen when she married Richard Worsley. It was a marriage of convenience, & after the birth of a son & heir, Richard neglected his young wife, who ran wild with her friends & behaved indiscreetly with a number of young men. When Seymour fell in love with George Bisset, a friend of her husband, Richard seemed happy to accommodate the relationship & all three lived together. When the lovers eloped, however, Richard Worsley took his revenge. He sued his wife’s lover for criminal conversation, a legal way of separating from his wife without actually divorcing her & allowing her to remarry. The trial transfixed society, the newspapers & cartoonists of the day reporting on every scandalous detail. Neither party came out of the trial with their reputations intact. Richard escaped the gossip by travelling in Europe & Seymour dropped out of society altogether. This is a sad story of two young people hurried into marriage & suffering the consequences of incompatibility. Rubenhold has done a wonderful job piecing it together from contemporary documents & newspapers.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Genre - Non Fiction
This story of an 18th century marriage is a cautionary tales about sex, scandal & divorce. Seymour Fleming was only eighteen when she married Richard Worsley. It was a marriage of convenience, & after the birth of a son & heir, Richard neglected his young wife, who ran wild with her friends & behaved indiscreetly with a number of young men. When Seymour fell in love with George Bisset, a friend of her husband, Richard seemed happy to accommodate the relationship & all three lived together. When the lovers eloped, however, Richard Worsley took his revenge. He sued his wife’s lover for criminal conversation, a legal way of separating from his wife without actually divorcing her & allowing her to remarry. The trial transfixed society, the newspapers & cartoonists of the day reporting on every scandalous detail. Neither party came out of the trial with their reputations intact. Richard escaped the gossip by travelling in Europe & Seymour dropped out of society altogether. This is a sad story of two young people hurried into marriage & suffering the consequences of incompatibility. Rubenhold has done a wonderful job piecing it together from contemporary documents & newspapers.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Burn out by Marcia Muller
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Genre - Mystery
Sharon McCone is depressed & burnt out. She runs a successful private investigation agency in San Francisco, but her last job has left her wondering where her life is headed. She investigated sabotage at her husband’s private security, & was nearly blown up in the process. She heads to her ranch to heal her wounds & think about the future. While she’s there, she becomes involved in the search for a missing girl, the niece of Ramon Perez, who works at the ranch. The trail soon leads to murder & to a crime from the past, where her investigations frighten the murderer into trying to cover their tracks. Marcia Muller has created a great character in McCone, in a series which began in the late 1970s. Fast-paced action & lots of background about McCone, her family & friends, make this a good place to start in this long-running series.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
Read more reviews at NoveList
Genre - Mystery
Sharon McCone is depressed & burnt out. She runs a successful private investigation agency in San Francisco, but her last job has left her wondering where her life is headed. She investigated sabotage at her husband’s private security, & was nearly blown up in the process. She heads to her ranch to heal her wounds & think about the future. While she’s there, she becomes involved in the search for a missing girl, the niece of Ramon Perez, who works at the ranch. The trail soon leads to murder & to a crime from the past, where her investigations frighten the murderer into trying to cover their tracks. Marcia Muller has created a great character in McCone, in a series which began in the late 1970s. Fast-paced action & lots of background about McCone, her family & friends, make this a good place to start in this long-running series.
---- Reviewed by Lyn, Headquarters
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