Reviews of Books
Posted in Fiction - Light on Mar 1st, 2011
I find it quite hard to categorize this book. On the one hand it is full of interesting historical detail and on the other it descends into a ‘mills and boon’ style romance. Having said that I found it a compelling read and I read it very quickly and I’m sure I will read the [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Feb 9th, 2011
This novel has been languishing in my pile for quite some time – at least 12 months. I am not sure why I didn’t read it earlier. I think it might be the browness of the cover. Here is the blurb … On a misty London afternoon in 1886, piano tuner Edgar Drake receives a [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Jan 19th, 2011
This month we planned to read Ulysses but halfway through the month we revolted and chose to read Below the Styx instead. Here is the description from the publisher… Martin Frobisher has been beating close family members about the head with an epergne. Frobisher, successful publisher and community leader, is in the City Remand Centre, [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Jan 13th, 2011
This novel is set during World War Two and it follows the adventures of a ‘lady’ trying to do the house work herself. She tries to maintain the same standard (to please her husband) as when she had two maids – there is many a comic mishap. Like when she is trying to set the [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Dec 28th, 2010
Above is an image of the end paper in the Persephone edition This is a novel very much of it’s time – 1930s England. It’s about women and education and the role of women of a particular class at a particular time. None of the women have been educated for anything but marriage and if [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Dec 15th, 2010
I bought this based on a recommendation by Cornflower and I bought it from here (I love the free-shipping). I did struggle a bit to get it finished and I wasn’t that taken with the romance thread of this story. I did like the idea of moving to France and starting a needlework business. Here’s [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Nov 10th, 2010
I seem to be hearing quite a bit about this book and when it was described as ‘chick lit’ for boys I thought I had to read it. Here’s the blurb … You can live your whole life not realising that what you’re looking for is right in front of you. 15th July 1988 Emma [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Oct 27th, 2010
This was just a light, easy read. Here is the blurb … Zeb Spaw is the contemporary artist of the year, even more so after his latest work Prostheseus Bound recently sold for £20 million, but will he be able to keep the masterpieces coming, or is it all downhill from there? Alice loves working [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light on Oct 13th, 2010
The above image is from the end papers from the Persephone edition. It was a very quick read, but I don’t think my mind was in the right place. Although I admire the writing, I didn’t enjoy this novel. Here is the blurb … This is a very small book but a very perfect one, [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Oct 10th, 2010
I’ve written before about being a Katie Fforde fan – I was disappointed with the last two novels. They just seemed a bit formulaic and I didn’t like the heroines. However, this one is a return to the Katie Fforde of old. Here’s the blurb … Sophie Apperly’s family has never taken her seriously. Fiercely [...]