Pearl and her mother Winnie have a difficult relationship, which has only grown worse since Pearl's father died years ago. But when Winnie's friend Helen thinks that she might have an uncurable illness, she forces Winnie to talk to her daughter about the secrets of their previous life in China in the 1930's. The biggest …
Category: book reviews
Property Of by Alice Hoffman
The story of a relationship between an unnamed 17 year old girl and the President of the Orphans gang in New York, a relationship marred by murder, violence and drug abuse. The young narrator has heard all about McKay, the dangerous but gorgeous man who runs the Orphans. Every girl has heard of him. After …
The Light Between Oceans by M L Stedman
After losing three children to stillbirth, a lighthouse keeper's wife convinces her husband to keep a child that washes up in a boat on their island. But have they done the right thing? Is someone missing their child? What appears to be the right choice is often not simple. Tom's wife, Isabel, has been torn …
Summer At Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
A warm, happy book, as cosy as the bakery it's main character runs, this book is a sequel in which Polly, who runs the Little Beach Street Bakery in Cornwall, has bought a lighthouse and lives in it with her gorgeous American boyfriend, Huckle, and a rescued puffin called Neil. Which is a great start …
Continue reading Summer At Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
Web Of Dreams – Virginia Andrews
Browsing the shelves of the local second hand stores, I came across loads of paperback copies of V C Andrews books. I read Flowers In The Attic as a teen, and thought it might be fun (if reading VC Andrews can be called fun) to dip into one or two of her books. Part of …
The River King by Alice Hoffman
A dark and charming story of friendship, love and social divides in small town America, this book is Alice Hoffman at her magical best. Carlin Leander, a beautiful swimmer, joins the Haddan school on a scholarship and makes friends with loner and social outcast August Pierce, who is secretly in love with her. When Carlin …
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle – Haruki Murakami
Perhaps rather than review this book, I should just launch into a rant? This year I created a reading list for myself of books that were my friends absolute favourites. I have some amazing books on this list, and many of them have already been reviewed. Two that forced their way onto the list are …
Continue reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle – Haruki Murakami
Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
In 17th century New England, a Native American boy called Caleb from what would later be known as Martha's Vineyard would become one of Harvard's earliest students. This book imagines his story, seen through the eyes of an imagined dear friend Bethia, using as much primary sources as were available to create the story of …
Peter & Max: A Fables Novel – Bill Willingham
Some of you might know of the Fables from the comic books, personally I came across them from the Tell Tale Games adaptation The Wolf Among Us. This novel with illustrations comes from the same world. In this arena, the characters from popular rhymes and fairy stories are characters that have fled their own world, …
Continue reading Peter & Max: A Fables Novel – Bill Willingham
The Heretic’s Daughter – Kathleen Kent
A family story retold by the descendent of one of the victims of the Salem Witch trials, this follows the story of the Carrier family, capturing the social and political milieu which fostered the conditions for witch hunting mania. The language is passionate and evocative, told through the eyes of the ten year old daughter …
CravenWild 