This book kept me company while I had COVID and it was just what the doctor ordered. It’s fast paced, has aBook 39: The Bomb Girls (The Bomb Girls #1)
This book kept me company while I had COVID and it was just what the doctor ordered. It’s fast paced, has a cast of thousands rotating around five bomb girls based in Pendle, Lancashire and is set in WWII. Each woman is loveable, beautiful on the in- and outside, quirky, and has their own troubles. All are focused on looking out for each other to get through the war. I cried at the end, because you can’t read a book set in WWII without crying…
Reasons to read this book: it’s set in WWII and shows the many ways in which women contributed to the war effort, it celebrates lifelong and new friendships, it’s romantic and hopeful, gives a really great sense of living in Lancashire during the war, and includes a sub plot featuring Churchill’s Secret Army. It also got some really laugh-out-loud funny scenes.
Compared to other historical fiction this book is jam-packed with story as well as historical facts. And the chapters are quite short, which makes for a slightly lighter (but still very emotional) read.
I can’t wait to read the second book - The Bomb Girls’ Secrets.
Gosh, I’m sorry to say I didn’t finish this book. I read about half - then decided it was truly not my cup of tea and have put Book 38: Love your life
Gosh, I’m sorry to say I didn’t finish this book. I read about half - then decided it was truly not my cup of tea and have put it aside. I listened to it, which may have impacted my experience.
The main characters aren’t likeable, in fact I found them annoying. The humour didn’t work for me. The scenes were a bit strained… and I found the secondary characters more interesting than the main ones. All up a very strange read. Has anyone else read this book?
I’d still like to know the ending, but not enough to finish the book!...more
A lovely book to read at this time of year, written by a natural born storyteller. Set a few hours outside Seattle, this book blendBook 37: Dear Santa
A lovely book to read at this time of year, written by a natural born storyteller. Set a few hours outside Seattle, this book blends childhood memories with modern day musings and is a great story of enduring friendships and crushes. It isn’t all rainbows and unicorns though, and that’s what makes it well balanced and relatable.
I read this while feeling run down and tired, so it felt like a warm snuggly blanket. I’ll read more by Debbie, for sure. This one was short and sweet.
After listening to Fiona give an author’s talk - see post from about a month ago - I really want to read one of her books. I cBook 36: The Tea Gardens
After listening to Fiona give an author’s talk - see post from about a month ago - I really want to read one of her books. I chose this one because it featured a love story, is historical fiction and gives insights into what life was like in Calcutta and Darjeeling in the mid 1930s.
I loved that the book starts and ends with the same scene - it felt like a perfectly wrapped Christmas present. And I loved learning more about Assam and Darjeeling tea, their heritage and how they’re made.
Most of all, I loved that it was both gentle but harsh - the heroine is a doctor with a deep interest in obstetrics and tropical diseases - and we’re invited in to a sweeping saga. It had a few heart stopping moments, filled with sorrow and terror, too. And lots of emotions, which I always love to unpack.
If you want to be swept away to Calcutta in 1933, and learn and love along the way, this book is for you!
I really enjoyed this romcom - it had excellent and often witty dialogue, great scenes and strong character arcs. It was alBook 35: Talk Bookish to Me
I really enjoyed this romcom - it had excellent and often witty dialogue, great scenes and strong character arcs. It was also fast paced and energetic, and followed great plot structures which fit perfectly like little jigsaw pieces, and… the main character is a book-loving, romance genre author. Ha! How great!
I was really invested in the love story and enjoyed the fact this was set in New York and Rome. And, there was a smaller book within the book. And then another. I just loved the layering.
I fancied a gentle read, and this certainly ticked that box! It’s a slow, feel-good, light touch romance set in thBook 33 – The Telephone Box Library
I fancied a gentle read, and this certainly ticked that box! It’s a slow, feel-good, light touch romance set in the Cotswolds. And the love and mutual appreciate isn’t just between two people, but between a woman and an entire village.
What I loved most about this book was that some WWII history facts, nuggets and memories were woven into the story, which is set close to the famous Bletchley Park (and the much less well known, likely fictional, Signal Hill).
I would have loved a bit more romance, and a bit more Bletchley Park insights, but all the same I really enjoyed it. I love friendships between unlikely people – inter-generational, or a man and woman being best friends (this book has both).
If you’re after a cosy read with some snippets of romance and WWII, this is just what the doctor ordered. And obviously, I chose it because of the cover!
I just read that there’s a second instalment set in the same village - The Village Green Bookshop - which I look forward to reading too!
Look, this was a lovely book to read a few chapters of each night. It’s set in Wembley and introduces us to an eclectic cast Book 34: The Reading List
Look, this was a lovely book to read a few chapters of each night. It’s set in Wembley and introduces us to an eclectic cast of characters who reluctantly become library lovers and, inadvertently, become steadfast friends.
It had some gentle intrigue involving a reading list of someone’s favourite books, which was strategically left behind so it would be found - ‘just in case you need it’. And our main characters do need it, though they just don’t realise until the end. Including us readers!
It’s quite sad in parts and touches on mental wellbeing, (and lack thereof). Broken families, a widower and what could have been a fitting first love…
There are some nice little lessons in this book - most of all that reading is good for everyone, no matter how old. When you dive into a story it can serve many purposes, ranging from pure joy, to heartbreak, to lessons in life or simply developing a better understanding of different people’s perspectives. All life affirming, and all good for you!
In case you’re wondering what the list is, it has eight books on it and starts with To Kill a Mockingbird and ends with A Suitable Boy, with lots of great books in between.
I finally read this book, the final in a trilogy set mostly in Alaska. It was a novella and therefore quite shorBook 30: Forever Wild by K. A. Tucker
I finally read this book, the final in a trilogy set mostly in Alaska. It was a novella and therefore quite short, and brings complete closure to what happens to the main characters, Calla and Jonah.
I read this really quickly and enjoyed reconnecting with the characters and their friends and family, especially the curmudgeon Roy and dulcet-toned Simon. One a grumpy old man (but I loved him) and the other a much kinder father-figure, and a total nerd (and I loved him too).
If you’re interested in Alaska and what it’s like to live and survive there, this is a really nice trilogy to immerse yourself in. It takes a certain type of person to live in these extreme conditions, but those who do share special bonds people in ‘the city’ could only every dream of.
Wow, this is a pretty special book… the world-building and descriptive language is incredible, palpable and vivid. Here is a quicBook 29: The Binding
Wow, this is a pretty special book… the world-building and descriptive language is incredible, palpable and vivid. Here is a quick example: “The moon itself beyond the latticed glass; a pearl caught in a net. I didn’t even know who I was any more. I was new, I was a stranger … When I woke in the morning I lay there, incredulous...” Just beautiful. I think I will read it again just to take a closer look at the writing style, and how Bridget writes such distinctly evocative scenes.
I could smell the sweat, the dirt, the frustration… and the rich aromas of living in a crowded, dirty city where the rich hide their stench with pomades and perfumes, and the poor don’t bathe much at all (but probably smell better after a hard day’s work). And when we’re taken to the country, you can smell the hay, horse manure and nature – polar opposites to life in the city.
The notion of binding was really interesting – spellbinding, ha ha. Although this story was a historical fantasy and not set at a particular point in time, I felt like the notion of binding was a believable trade, and a thing people did in the days it was set. It is a magical trade. Many are suspicious of its powers, others use the service regularly. Some treat it as a trusted artform, others to make money. Binding was used by those who are willing to have memories taken away from them and bound in a special book, which is locked away in a vault (by the honest binders, and sold by those less moral). After a visit to the binder, you can’t remember being bound, or what made you go there in the first place. Whether you were trying to forget something, or being told by someone else to acquiesce to be bound so the bad things that have happened to you can be forgotten…. Being bound changes people, but they don’t know or understand why they feel different, or emptier...
This book is also a love story – almost a love triangle – between two young men and one of their sisters. All is not what it seems, and when the truth comes out, everyone’s worlds are turned upside down.
I loved this book - it’s a tear jerker, imbued with love, friendship and misunderstandings - and has some really great characters in it. And the sisteI loved this book - it’s a tear jerker, imbued with love, friendship and misunderstandings - and has some really great characters in it. And the sisterhood was so heart warming. And the horses….
I especially loved learning more about Hawaii’s experience of WWII, and the rich multicultural nature of how people lived. The technical side of being Rascals (radar girls) was actually really interesting. Go girls!!
I would have loved to know a bit more about Nixon’s back story, and his emerging friendship with Daisy, and why Dunne did what he did… and what happened to her cat?
All in all, a wonderful read. It felt a little rushed at the end, I was so greedy for more!
I can’t believe this is a debut! It’s phenomenal. The main characters are painted so completely, so authentically, they feelBook 26 | The Paper Palace
I can’t believe this is a debut! It’s phenomenal. The main characters are painted so completely, so authentically, they feel instantly real and relatable. The dialogue is superb. Every personality is reflected in every spoken word. Their dilemmas are painful, and raw - to tell, or not to tell, and who to choose? Who is being protected, and by whom?
And the mothers - Elle, Wallace and Nanette - are each magnetic. Selfish but insecure, beautiful but needy, loving but heartbreaking…. So many opposites, I loved all three of them, though none of them were perfect. Perfectly normal, though, given the circumstances and the times. Elle and Anna were also so interesting to watch, these two blood sisters who always felt unchosen. Second best. What a way to grow up…
I especially loved Jonas and Peter, so different yet so loveable and caring to their loved one. What a great pair of men. Again, so clever to create two men who are so good, yet we know both of them will be desperately unhappy at different periods...
Anyway - I highly recommend this book. Its structure was very brave: hopping from today, to almost every year between 1966 and and the 70s, and back to today - repeatedly! Over two lain locations - New York apartments and the Back Woods, the family summer holiday destination. It could have been so confusing, but it worked for this story. Some timelines were a few short paras, whilst others were a few pages. So clever. And so original! The only thing stopping me from giving this a 10 is its length. I think it could have been a bit shorter here and there, especially towards the end.
Do yourself a favour and read this remarkable book! It’s hard to put down and deserves a big shout from the rooftops.
I loved listening to this book, and the author/Audible producer interview afterwards was an added bonus! TBook 21 | One two three by @laurie.frankel
I loved listening to this book, and the author/Audible producer interview afterwards was an added bonus! The curation of narrators was perfectly done, and it really added to my enjoyment.
Laurie Frankel has done it again: she has created a family, made us fall in love with every member, and shown their resilience in the face of terrible injustices. In this case, a chemical plant owner who keeps paying people off to hide or fake critical evidence. It’s frustrating, heart breaking, but mostly heart-warming.
It’s about one small town community, living an endless saga of loss and sadness – and the strong sense of loyalty they develop across generations to make the most of life.
Imagine an elderly neighbour being a 16-year old’s best friend ams confidante. And her 16-year old triplet sister being the town’s librarian, and who only wears and (mostly eats) yellow. Or the third sis who is the wisest of them all, but has special needs. Roles are upside down here and there, and they work perfectly.
Everyone gets to play to their strengths, all of which meets someone else’s need.
I loved that the mother is a strong, determined and loving woman who needs her daughters just as much as they need her. In fact they mother her as much as she mothers them. They fit, belong, and together are powerful women. They make the community of Bourne, the small town, whole.
If you enjoy stories about families that truly open your eyes – and celebrate accessibility and inclusion in a sweet and gentle way – read this. It’s food for the soul. It’s also a lesson to never give up on what you believe in, even if the odds are tiny. The dialogue in this book is also very well done, baked to perfection!
Simply put - original, educational, hopeful (not to mention very well written) and a great escape from lockdown.
I had to think about my review for this book for a few days… because it was quite an intense, emotional journey.
IBook 27 | The other side of beautiful
I had to think about my review for this book for a few days… because it was quite an intense, emotional journey.
In a nutshell, I really enjoyed this book - more and more as time went on, and the puzzle pieces started to come together to explain the extreme anxiety our protagonist, Mercy, suffers from. Some scenes really made the book, for me, more than others. And also getting that sense of free-spirited adventure, meeting amicable grey nomads on their way north. And learning to trust again, with hints of romance.
It’s also very funny in parts, hopeful and heartwarming.
And Wasabi the sausage dog. Mini hero, loyal and straightforwardly dog-like. Loved him and his name - revealing some of Mercy’s personality before her collapse. This is a great portrait of anxiety and its crippling power. I’m so glad Mercy was forced to go on this unlikely road trip - I encourage you to join her!! Travel through Australia, and the (somewhat bruised) human spirit.
I listened to this third and final instalment of this sweeping sage, which was mostly set in Burma. Really, it's a saga ofBook 28: The Heart Remembers
I listened to this third and final instalment of this sweeping sage, which was mostly set in Burma. Really, it's a saga of the heart; broken hearts, tender hearts, brave hearts, uncontrollable hearts, even angry and confused ones... The characterisation of the mother is incredible - almost like the details a psychiatrist would have on file, I imagine. You can't help but feel a bit sorry for her, though she is also quite difficult to understand or like. I found it interesting to spend so much time with someone who is a bit of a mystery, to herself and others. But that’s OK - I didn’t actually want to find out her deep seated issues.
Bo Bo, her son, is everything she's not: the sum of his parents' parts and then some. A wonderful young man who no doubt will live a great life. I love the deep respect and care he has for his uncle in particular, and his parents. What a character! So exhaustingly wise, but innocent. Lonely but loved. Thoughtful and needy - and most of all kind.
Of the three, I enjoyed this book the least, but it’s still a fitting end to a very special book series. Burma is an amazing place - where life is simpler, joy is easier to find, and war is equally sad and appalling.
The premise of this book is a beauty – hardened crims, enduring their varying prison terms in differBook 23 | The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison
The premise of this book is a beauty – hardened crims, enduring their varying prison terms in different, intimidating ways – and most importantly, the huge potential of an amateur sewing group, with the unlikely dream of creating a beautiful wedding dress (at short notice and with little budget). Our main protagonist, Derek, is a bit of a loser with misguided principles, and we watch him develop and come out of his shell. Although he isn’t that likeable, he is relatable. Humans can be flawed and weak.
A parallel sub plot involves the prison library, which also has the good intentions of relieving boredom and educating prisoners – and also hides a dark, but different secret. We meet some shady characters, some dodgy politicians and a scrabble-loving crim known as Doc. A mastermind plotter. He’s not up to much good, but I kinda liked him.
In this story, hearts are broken, love and hatred unlocked. Hopes dashed. We meet some nasty, unhappy people – inside and outside the prison walls. It didn’t grab me by the heartstrings, but in the midst of it all there was beauty in friendships, new love and hope. It’s a stark reminder that most people have a backstory, which usually explains where they’re coming from, but doesn’t always have to predict their future.
Gosh, my reading record has taken a hit this year. Thanks COVID-19! But 20 is better than 10, and thereBook 20 | Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Gosh, my reading record has taken a hit this year. Thanks COVID-19! But 20 is better than 10, and there are still five months left…
Nonetheless, this book was a lovely surprise for me, for several reasons.
1) It was my first Taylor Jenkins Reid book, and now I want to read more! 2) I loved the four main characters – the siblings – and the way they loved, lived, endured, worried and loved some more. The family dynamic was magnetic. 3) June was an amazing human being. She was relatable – brave but broken, loyal and fierce, exhausted but determined. There was something about her, and Taylor made me care 4) As a budding author, I loved how well written this book was: set across 24 hours, coupled with flash backs and reflections of key moments to help us better understand how characters are feeling and behaving during those 24 hours. I thought it was really well constructed, peppered with just the right amount of information each time you were pulled back out of the 24 hour saga that was gradually unfolding. Increasing gradual tension, and coming full circle at the end. It was so cleverly done, and so precisely written. Not a word too many.
Anyway – I highly recommend this book. If I wasn’t in lockdown, I would take a photo of this book carefully placed on the beach, where so much of this story unfolds.
We chose this 2015 book for bookclub (before realising it’s the first in a trilogy). For me, this book had soBook 17 – The Dust that Falls from Dreams
We chose this 2015 book for bookclub (before realising it’s the first in a trilogy). For me, this book had so much potential… but I kept being jarred out of the story by content that didn’t especially add to it (in my humble opinion, of course).
Some of the writing reminded me of Douglas Kennedy’s voice; you know, when a man can truly sound like and create worlds as if it was written by a woman? Pretty darn clever and empathetic.
And take this lovely revealing scene, from page 321 after a marriage has been lovingly, awkwardly consummated:
“He stood behind her and saw that she was studying the tiny motes that sparkled in the bright shaft of sunlight.
‘Look at all the little shiny specks, swirling around,’ said Sophie. ‘Do you know what they are?’
‘Do you? What are they?‘
‘The dust that falls from dreams.’ …
‘Yes,’ said Sophie. ‘This is the dust from last night’s dreams. I’m writing our names. I’m writing with my finger in the dust that falls from dreams.’
Exquisite.
And there are a few other equally small scenes and moments that made me pause and wonder. Such artistry.
Anyway, the premise of this book is great – four sisters who grow up with a gaggle of neighbouring brothers on either side. There’s some young, unrequited love – but most of all they’re ‘forever pals’.
We get to know some dear parents, and some mean ones. And some wonderful eccentric characters who infuse a sense of liveliness and joy, and those who bring sweet sorrow. I loved Gaskell who painted the dead horrors of war through her remarkable emerald green eyes… and Daniel’s letters to her are touching. I also loved witnessing how close unlikely people can become – in a completely platonic but deeply loving way. Like true friends Danial and Fairhead; Fairhead and Madame Valentine; Hutch and Ash; Rosie and her father; the ginger cat and the chauffeur… all touched by war differently, all needing the other.
If it weren’t for the ad hoc and quite lengthy descriptions of the cars, motorcycles and aeroplanes (and how they function, and how to get the best out of them) I’d be ‘flying’ (pun intended) straight in for round 2.
This Australian book was an interesting opportunity to find out more about our indigenous peopleBook 22 |
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams
This Australian book was an interesting opportunity to find out more about our indigenous people, and how they lived in the late 1800s: Respectful of the land, deeply steeped in family, tradition, culture and language and above all, misunderstood and treated badly by most white people. It’s sad but beautifully written - the main character has a broken heart because she has been torn from her family, and we see her become a grown woman - far away from all she loves and craves. There wasn’t much of a plot, and some milestones came quickly whilst others meandered for ages, but I still enjoyed it. What bothered me most was all the editorial errors - it felt like it hadn’t been proofread which jerked me out of the story countless times. Thanks you Anita Heiss for writing this warm story, sharing some of your people’s history and language, and shining the light on life back then. I valued this the most. ...more
Book 16 The Patterson Girls by @rachaeljohnsauthor
I needed to read something written for women, you know? And this did the trick. ❤️ Four sisters, all Book 16 The Patterson Girls by @rachaeljohnsauthor
I needed to read something written for women, you know? And this did the trick. ❤️ Four sisters, all grown up, used to living long miles apart without realising how much they actually need each other.
This book is very readable, funny, sad, shows human flaws but most of all - love. Broken love, misguided love, inevitable love, unexpected love, you name it.
I loved the sisters in this story - all so different, and desperate to make the others and their Dad proud. Stubborn, too.
I would have enjoyed a bit more on the mystery of the gypsy curse and its intrigue...
If you’re after an Aussie family saga in which almost every single develops and character grows, read this!