And, relax! I've just returned from a fantastic, relaxing holiday in the beautiful Greece. Travelling with my wonderful friend Kara, we spent a few days in Athens and then went on to the picturesque Santorini. In between all our many adventures - visiting the spectacular acropolis, wine tasting and watching the sunsets - we also … Continue reading 2019 Holiday Reads
The Dutch House is an absorbing and elegant family drama, spanning across several generations of the Conroy family. It contains the comforting and familiar elements of a generational family saga, as our narrator Danny takes us through his childhood: growing up with his sister Maeve, a formidable father, an absent mother, and an evil stepmother. … Continue reading Review: The Dutch House – Ann Patchett
A Single Thread is a moving historical novel, set in post-First World War England. It is 1932, and although it has been several years now since the end of the war, its lasting effects linger over everyone. The war particularly hangs over the life of our central character Violet, who tragically lost both her brother and … Continue reading Review: A Single Thread – Tracy Chevalier
Well, here we are - it's the end of August and coming towards the end of summer. While it seems pretty impossible that it is already this time of year and I'll be sad to see the long, light days go, Autumn is one of my favourite times of year! I'm looking forward to the … Continue reading August: That’s a Wrap!
One of the many things I love about fiction is its ability to show you somewhere you have never been before, somewhere you know nothing about. That is exactly what The Bead Collector, by Sefi Atta did for me. I knew very little about Nigeria before reading this book, but this book gave me a … Continue reading Review: The Bead Collector – Sefi Atta
When the 2019 Booker Prize longlist was announced, The Man Who Saw Everything was one of the books on the list that intrigued me most. It is a slim book, with this evocative cover bursting with hazy colours of late autumn. Deborah Levy is also an established author with a portfolio of well-regarded works, but … Continue reading Review: The Man Who Saw Everything – Deborah Levy
Shelf Life by Livia Franchini is a quirky novel structured around a shopping list written in the week our central character, Ruth, finds that her relationship of ten years has come to an end. Everyday shopping items like eggs, tomatoes, soup, pizza all take on significance and give us clues which gradually fill in the … Continue reading Review: Shelf Life – Livia Franchini
