APRIL 2024 READING ROUNDUP

Nothing much to report.  My best read, two  ongoing  dippers, were the Leon and the Maugham. Some months are like that.

FICTION  – All e books

A Grand Old Time – Judy  Leigh.  E-bk. It’s never too late to change your life, and make your last years truly golden. 74 year old Evie  runs away from a dismal old age home in Dublin, leaving behind her unhappy son and daughter-in-law. After some mild adventures, she lands up in France, buys a camper van and away she goes! A refreshing, uplifting story; well written and not saccharine sweet –  an enjoyable read.

Images on a Chinese Screen – W Somerset Maugham.  Short, vivid pen sketches of Life in China, during  his 1919 – 1920 trip along the Yangtze. Colourful, readable and a wonderful bedside ‘dipper’.  

Escape to the Rome Apartment – Kerry Fisher.  A British wife & Mum goes on a short trip to Italy that turns out to be life-changing. She stops being a domestic doormat, and turns her life around.  Viva independent women.

NON-FICTION

My Venice and Other Essays – Donna Leon. E-bk . Acerbic, witty, sharp observations  on life in Venice & life in general e.g. Animals, People, A joy to read such spare insightful prose, robustly and elegantly  expressed.  This one’s a keeper, I wish I owned a hardback copy.

MARCH 2024 READING ROUNDUP

Miss Benson’s Beetle – Rachel Joyce. A Re-Read. Hardcover. What a marvelous story. How the unloved and unlovable Miss Benson goes in search of the fabled gold flower beetle of New Caledonia,  hampered by her assistant, the exuberant Enid Pretty. Their lives are transformed during their search,  which becomes a struggle for survival. The story was as fresh and satisfying as the first time around.   Highly recommended.

All the following titles are e-books.

How to be the Best Damn Faery Godmother in the World (or Die Trying ) – Helen Harper. Which has got to be one of the longest sub-titles in publishing history.  I read the entire series: Wishful Thinking,  Wish List, As you Wish, and Best Wishes.  Contemporary grown-up  Fantasy: office politics, faery godmothers being abducted, who is behind the crimes? Plus human interest stories en route. Well written too; a refreshing change. Enjoyable.

A Collision of Calamities . Book #7 in the Gobbelino London series by Kim M Watt. An Action packed finale to the series; Good triumphs over Evil but only after a cataclysmic battle, that really is Armageddon.  Kim Watt manages to include  all the major characters from the preceding 6 books in the grand finale. My favourite characters are the fearsome sorcerer, Ms Jones, wearing Doc Martens and riding a motorcycle, not to be trifled with. And, of course,  Gobbelino, the talking cat . For fans of grown-up*, paranormal, urban  Fantasy, I can confidently recommend this  5* series. I loved it.

The Thin Woman – Dorothy Cannell.   A Rom-Com mystery.  Ellie, overweight and unhappy, hires Ben to pretend to be her boyfriend for a family reunion. After a slow start we finally get a feel-good ending. Engaging characters. A light read.

*grown-up – I hesitate to use the word adult-fantasy-fiction, because these days, the word ‘adult’ generally indicates a sex-fest on every page, which is not the case here. Hence my use of the term grown-up.

FEBRUARY 2024 READING ROUNDUP

Another triumph for Tan Twan Eng with his third Malaysian novel: The House of Doors.

I particularly enjoyed the evocative Malaysian setting, during British colonial times (1910 – 1920 ) and the lyrical prose  in some sections. Johnathan Lee writes: An amazingly transporting novel about love, desire and duty. It does what the very best stories do –  it draws us into many fascinating worlds at once: the British Empires’ incursions into South East Asia, the secret life of one of England’s best writers and a forgotten murder trial  playing out in the Kuala Lumpur courts a century ago.”

The novel will feature in my year-end Best Reads of the Year, and will appeal to fans of literary novels.  An outstanding read, both for content and style. Highly recommended.

FICTION

The House of Doors – Tan Twan Eng .  Outstanding literary novel.

Just One damn Thing after Another: the Chronicles of  St Mary’s  series #1 – Jodi Taylor. A jolly good, rollicking read. An original take on the old theme of time travel. History revisited (literally), plenty of action & Boys’ Own adventure, plus a dry wit. A happy discovery – I can’t wait to read the next one!

  A Symphony of Echoes: #2 The Chronicles of St Mary’s – Jodi Taylor. Another rollicking adventure: The hanging Gardens of Babylon, Elizabethan England, and the hilarious team building exercise in 1666 Mauritius, hunting dodos.  Priceless!

New York Valentine – Carmen Reid.  Annie Valentine  & daughter  Lauren hit NYC on a mission to save The Perfect Dress business set up by BFF Svetlana and her daughter Elena. More Fashion, fun, romance and a charming feel-good read.  Recommended

Lost on a Page – David E Scott. A glorious mish-mash of genres: SF, Historical Romance, Tolkienesque Fantasy and crime noir, plus input from the 3 baffled  authors whose books-in-progress start to write themselves. Loads of action and adventure. 100% fun and fast

NON-FICTION    

KEPT: A Househusband in Paris – Gregory E Buford.  Greg and the 3 kids tackle a 2 year stint in Paris, while Mom is working her day job at the US Embassy Paris.  He and the kids love Paris, and being part of French life. His Aunt Ethel, from Texas, comes for a visit and the ensuing Visitor from Hell chapter  was both funny and horrendous. An enjoyable read.

JANUARY 2024 READING ROUNDUP

My 2024  reading year  got off to a good start, with the Martin McInnes literary novel , followed  by the Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club novel.

Notable that two of my most enjoyable fiction reads were written by writers (Osman and Das) who have strong backgrounds in the world of  TV productions /writing and I think this is what makes their books so readable. There’s plenty of action, stuff happens and the plots whisk along. Yes, the books both have moments of introspection, moral dilemmas, poignant decisions so there is emotional depth to the stories. But, mainly, the narrative moves.

FICTION

In Ascension – Martin MacInnes. Stunning 3^rd novel from Scottish experimental writer, if you enjoy SF do not miss! And non-SF fans will also enjoy.  See my review 20 Jan, on this blog.

The Last Devil to Die. #4 Thursday Murder Club series.  – Richard Osman. Unputdownable comic mystery notable for endearing cast of characters, a lovable dog, plus a wild fox; the crime plot works, but I read the series for the characters. A cracking good read!

In the Time of our History – Susanne Pari. Another Americandiaspora novel; Persian/Iranian  culture give women short shrift. An autocratic patriarch versus his wayward daughter who refuses to bow to his traditional plans for her life, and opts for independence and a career. The family dynamics and insights into Persian culture made this an engrossing read. Recommended

Never Meant to Stay – Trisha Das. Insert a childhood friend into a dysfunctional Bombay family and watch the fireworks. Indian rom-com with a hilarious wedding debacle finale. Entertaining light read.

The Next to Last Stand – Craig Johnson. Walt Longmire rides again, tangles with art theft from an American veteran, and delivers chunks of history about Custer’s Last Stand. One for the fans and afficionados of History of the Old Wild West.

The Depth of Winter – Craig Johnson.  Walt Longmire rushes off to Mexico to rescue his daughter who’s been kidnapped by a particularly nasty Mexican drug cartel. The action does not stop but the ensuing challenges, fights and general mayhem nearly put an end to the heroic sheriff. Tough and wily he may be, but not indestructible.  Throughout all the mayhem, Walt doggedly sticks to his personal moral code which costs him dear. An excellent read.

NON-FICTION

The Anthropocene Reviewed – John Greene . I didn’t read all the essay, some were very America-centric, so I gave them a miss. But I read about 60 % of the book, and what I particularly enjoyed was the Writer’s long, long perspective ranging back millions of years, into primeval epochs , which certainly puts our confused, aggressive 21^st century into a calmer perspective.

  Reading  the electronic version of JG’s book, I realized that for me, essay collections work better in hardcover format. Many of the essays deserved a slow, thoughtful  read and would benefit from many re-reads, but the LIBBY clock was ticking and telling me I only had another 3 … 2   …. 1   days left to finish my loaned book. Fair enough,  others were queued up to read the book, so I dutifully returned it. However, if I can find a second hand copy, with large-ish print, I shall certainly buy it and have a slow, satisfying re-read.

NOVEMBER 2023 READING ROUNDUP

I finally read a paperback whodunnit from my TBR shelf: Vaseem Khan’s delightful Baby Ganesh Detective Agency and Bad Day at the Vulture Club. The delightful aspects were Ganesh, the baby elephant, the  morally upright Inspector Chopra retired from the Mumbai Police Force, the Indian setting; not so delightful was the crime  setting in the Parsee Tower of Silence and the vultures. But I’m a fan of Indian novels, and  Khan’s series in particular, so I bravely read on. A great read.

Remainder of my reads were all e-books.

A short Japanese novella, Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukagawa was another notable November read. What intrigued me was not the theme of what-is-the-meaning-of-life, but the background setting about the treatment of leprosy in Japan, which I found shocking. A quiet, poignant novel, very Japanese  in tone and story treatment. Very different.

And then, in much lighter vein, the wonderful, fantastical world of Kim M Watt’s  two PIs: Gobbelino, the snarky talking cat and his human partner, Callum plunged into umpteen dangerous chases, brawls and escapades (Kim W writes exciting  action sequences ). Mysteries, crimes, and a cast of fantastical creatures – a family of gentrified trolls, angry blue imps attacking like mozzies, the fearsome wizard Ms Jones, she of the Doc Maarten boots, a donkey ruminating on existentialism … to mention but a few of the glorious characters. Love the series, can’t wait to read more .

And finally, good old Sherlock Holmes – see further down under Re-Reads.  I enjoyed the solving of the crimes via Holmes extraordinary powers of deduction, but oh! all that Victorian melodrama as the background setting.  Conan Doyle’s version of women as frail, pale creatures given to frequent fainting when life’s little problems popped up …. that jarred.

FICTION

Bad Day at the Vulture Club – Vaseem Khan – see intro

Sweet Bean Paste – Durian Sukagawa, trans. Alice Watt  –  see intro

The House – Teresa Waugh. Post WWII Britain, gracious old houses & aristocrat owners struggle to survive the new world. Very Downton Abbey read, but enjoyable.

Cremains – Rob Johnson . Keystone Cop type criminals  v.s. Amateur ‘Tec Bunglers in the UK.  Meh .

Gobbelino London and a Scourge of Pleasantries – Kim M Watt – A splendid adventure, featuring a powerful female magician in search of her purloined grimoire. Chaos ensues.

Gobbelino London and a Complication of Unicorns – Kim M Watt – Not as pink & pretty as you might imagine. An introduction to mind-boggling reformed, gentrified trolls. Hilarious!

Gobbelino London and a Contagion of Zombies – Kim M Watt – scary! And unputdownable.

RE-READING

A Study in Scarlet – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle  – see intro

The Sign of the Four – – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – see intro

NON FICTION

Kept: An American Househusband in India – Gregory E Buford. A culture clash of note,   but good natured throughout. Enjoyable

Don’t Go There: From Chernobyl to North Korea – Adam Fletcher. Title says it all: DON’T GO THERE.  Short travel pieces from a Brit who should know better. A salutary read.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

SEPTEMBER 2023 READING ROUND-UP

This month’s top read is a thought provoking debut  novel: A Breath of Fresh Air by Amulya Malladi, an accomplished novelist with 9 published novels to her credit.

The trigger event is the historic Bopal gas leak of 1984, which killed nearly 4 000 people and permanently  disabled thousands more, including her fictional heroine Anjali, and her sickly son Amar.

21 year old Anjali is married off by her parents in an arranged marriage to Prakash, an  officer in the Indian Army. The marriage is unhappy from the start, due to Anjali’s immaturity  and romantic fantasies, and Prakash’s womanizing. Then Anjali does the unthinkable. She divorces Prakash. So what? you might be thinking. From a 21^st Western perspective, why not?

From a traditional, conservative Indian perspective this was  beyond shocking: the wife must always make a marriage work, no matter what the circumstances. And if there are problems within the marriage, it is automatically and unquestionably the woman’s fault. India may have entered the space race and the future, but social mores remain stubbornly traditional.

Anjali ultimately re-marries Sandeep, a calm, quiet professor. But: re-enter Prakash. Throw in her family, her ailing son Amar, Sandeep’s unpleasant sister and Prakash’s family,  and trouble ignites.

The novel  is a psychological and social exploration of the three main characters, and raised all sorts of questions in my mind en route. To describe it as a thought provoking read is an understatement. 

The title is skillfully chosen, and the finale of the story is poignant. Memorable, and recommended.

FICTION

A Breath of Fresh Air by Amulya Malladi.  E-bk. See above.   Not a very long novel, but the content is heavy weight. Those interested in women’s issues will thrive on the book; other readers will find it a memorable read. Recommended.

Serving Crazy with Curry – Amulya Malladi. E-bk.   Mother / daughter conflict through the decades, through the Indian diaspora; and then an unsuccessful suicide attempt  by the daughter  …  which is the catalyst. I enjoy modern Indian novels,  and  Amulya Malladi is not scared of tackling difficult subjects.  A good read.

Celebrity Shopper – Carmen Reid. E-bk. Annie Valentine, together with the fabulous Svetlana, conquer  Paris  Fashion Week, and a 10mile Charity Hill Walk in their Ladies Who Lunch outfits, including high heels – it Fun, Fashion, Family, Froth and Drama every feel-good page of the way.  Carmen Reid gets rom-com 110% right every time.  My fave Rom-com writer.

Understanding  the British – Adam Fletcher. E-bk.   Blurb says: A hilarious guide from Apologising to Wimbledon .Fletcher is a funny man, no doubt about it. I’m not sure all hi sfellow Brits would agree! But: If you need a super light and funny  read,  buy this one.

The Charity Shop Detective Agency – Peter Boland.  E-bk. Well written, with quite a twisty plot. A charming  fox terrier called Simon le Bon, and three older ladies who tackle the crimes. I’m looking forward to the next book.   An enjoyable cozy crime.

The Lost Bookshop- Evie Woods.  E-bk.  If you’re in the mood for a bookish Fantasy read, laced with incredible magic, a historical background, and Gothic undertones, you will adore the book.  If you tackle the book with a critical eye, then you will not enjoy the book. An enchanting (literally) Fantasy read.

NON- FICTION

The Crinkle Crankle Wall – Sabina Ostrowska. E-bk See my review, posted on  21 Sept 23. A candid, humorous account of moving to Andalusia, Spain,  in search of the perfect rustic life. Reality clashes with dreams and inexperience. An engaging, authentic read. Very enjoyable.

A hoopoe on the Nispero Tree – Sabina Ostrowska. E-bk. Book 2 in the ongoing saga of Sabina and Robert, in their new Andalusian life on their olive farm.  Ditto above.

Don’t Come Back – Weird Travel series #2 – Adam Fletcher. E-bk.  Winner of the Writer’s Digest Memoir Award. Fletcher tells us about his forays into South Africa, Cuba and Indonesia. Fairly lighthearted, somewhat stereotypical, but overall it was entertaining. I was going to quibble about the South African section, but in view of the author’s plea to promote his books, decided to err on the side of generosity. Enjoyable armchair travel.

AUGUST 2023 READING ROUND-UP

That one-man writing factory, Alexander McCall Smith has done it again. The novel The Second Worst Restaurant in France is packed with memorable characters, and oozes charm, both Gallic and Scottish. Food writer Paul Stuart, is invited by his Remarkable Cousin Chloe to join her for a two month summer stay in a small French village.  Paul is struggling to produce his next book, an ill-advised attempt to write the Philosophy of Food.  His work is  initially hampered by his girlfriend’s two Siamese cats, so a getaway to  the quiet French countryside seems idea. Until … but I won’t spoil the fun. Cousin Chloe is an absolute gem: eccentric, vivacious, magnetic (five former  husbands would you believe? Paul can’t decide if she’s for real or a fabulist). Chloe is one of McCall Smith’s best characters to date.

And yes, the restaurant in the title is truly dreadful, and plays its part in the unfolding dramatic antics. I loved every page.

FICTION

The Second Worst Restaurant in France – Alexander McCall Smith. E-bk A late-winter tonic. Filled with fun, philosophy, the French, food, and reflection on marriage and life. And a plot that cavorts along. A wonderful read.

The Scent of a Garden – Namrata Patel.  E-bk A career in the French perfume industry, life in Paris or connecting with family, friends and teen sweetheart in Napa Valley, CA? Grannies and mother pushed  Asha into the perfume industry, but Covid robbed her of her phenomenal sense of smell. Forcing Asha to finally choose between dynastic plans for her life, and her heart. An unusual premise and setting, both worked well for me.   Enjoyable.

The Wish List – Sophia Money-Coutts. E-bk.  A classy English rom-com, two of three sisters live happily ever after because they get rid of the horrible men in their lives, and sister #3 finds true love.  Plenty of comic set pieces, a charming cat called Marmalade; a re-read for me but it worked fine the second time around. A relaxing, fun read.

Jack Reacher: Night School – Lee Child.  Large print Library Loan.  Jack Reacher, with a little help from his friends, saves the world from a looming deadly jihadist plot. Well written, expertly  plotted and paced, but so violent.  Such is the nature of thrillers. Which is why I seldom read them. But that said: A real page turner. An exciting read which will satisfy Reacher fans.

And Then There’s Margaret – Carolyn Clarke. E-bk. If you’re working towards being the Mother-in-Law from Hell, then this novel is the essential handbook. Newly widowed Margaret continues, and escalates, her WWIII assault on her hapless daughter-in-law. Domestic drama in spades. A salutary read. My late m-i-l was delightful; what a lucky escape I had!

Tuk-tuk for Two:  An escape to India – Adam Fletcher. E-bk. Memoir/travel. Adam meets Evelyn in a bar, and agrees to partner her in a 1 000km race in India, over 5 days, in a tuk-tuk. Unsurprisingly, adventure and an immersive-wall-to-wall India up close and personal journey ensues. I loved that part of the story, but 30% of the tale  shared AF’s angst and insecurities – enough already. But an enjoyable read, & I’m reading another of his titles in his Weird Travels series.

JULY 2023 READING ROUNDUP

West with Giraffes – Lynda Rutledge. The quirky  title hooked me in the first instance and the event filled story in the second.

 Orphaned 1938 Dust-bowl Okie farm-boy survivor, Woody Nickel hitches to his cousin on the east coast, but then along comes a mammoth storm that uproots him all over again. He’s bewitched by the sight of two crated giraffes being unloaded on the dockside, and he follows them, clear across the country, from East to, California, in the fabled West.   I’m not a huge fan of Road Trip novels, but this one had me reading avidly.  Survival, disaster, adventure, romance – it’s all there. Young Woody’s cross-Continental trip is his coming of age odyssey too.

A great read.  I wish I had the book as a hard copy and not an e-book, because it’s a story that merits re-reading.

I’ve already tagged the novel to appear in my Top Five Reads for 2023.

FICTION

West with Giraffes – Lynda Rutledge . E-bk.   A road-trip novel, the title says it all. Literally.  A 5 star read: adventure, drama, history, romance, crime, tragedy, an eco-theme, this novel has it all. A 5* read – try not to miss it.   Book is available in other formats.

The Shepherd’s Crown – Terry Pratchett.  The very last book from the unique, inimitable Sir TP. Perhaps not his best, but a fitting  finale to a plethora of fantasy satire books set on the Discworld. Fans will relish it, and definitely shed a tear.        Recommended.

Shopping with the Enemy – Carmen Reid. E-bk. Fashion – Mothers v.s. Daughters.  Family – evil ex-husbands. Figures –  terrifying spa regime. Fun and fast. Great entertainment

So Shall you Reap – Donna Leon. Her Venetian crime novels, featuring Inspector Guido Brunetti, are one of my firm favourites. I read her books  for the characters and the authentic Venetian setting. I don’t much care Whodunnit, but I am invested in her stock characters, and the daily Venetian life which she so  faithfully portrays. A must for Brunetti/Leon fans.

The Mango Season – Amulya Malladi. E-bk. Oh! the agonies of choice:  Family or Fiancee? Live in India or the USA? Culture v s modern lifestyle? Thank goodness I’m thoroughly Western and don’t have to face such heart breaking choices.  Fans of  Indian novels will enjoy this one. I did.

Mr Monk is Miserable – Lee Goldberg. E-bk. The title says it all. Natalee foolishly bullies Monk into a Paris trip: bodies everywhere, many excursions into subterranean Paris. The highlight of Monk’s trip is being able to clean the Avenue des Champs- Élysées  on an automatic street cleaning machine. Obsessions rule. But hey! This is Mr Monk. Great fun.

Wild Fire – Ann Cleeves. An Inspector Jimmy Perez/Shetland Islands whodunnit.  A nuanced, well written novel. Ann Cleeves has written over 30 critically acclaimed novels, won awards for crime writing.  Life on a remote island is by no means the escape or paradise that people fondly imagine. Dark emotions, gossip,  and jealousy abound.  Crime fans will enjoy.

The Smart Woman’s Guide to Murder – Victoria Dowd. E-bk.  A country house setting for a classic whodunnit, taking place in current times.  Some very unpleasant characters try to establish who is  bumping them off, one by one. Well written and plotted, but not for me. Whodunnit fans will enjoy the convoluted plot.

JUNE 2023 READING ROUNDUP

I bought The Cloisters  because of the Tarot theme*, and also the enthusiastic reviews. But  I can’t nominate it as Read of the Month. Why?

I’m still not sure why I hesitate over my verdict. Did I finish the book? Yes. Did the plot move along? Yes. Did it delve into the Tarot? Sort of, from the historical perspective. And to be fair, there’s a detailed guide to the cards, at the end of the book. Do the cards really forecast the future? Or does fate or The Fates, pre-determine our lives. Again, ummm … in the case of the novel, more the dramatis personae rather than The Fates.

Did I relate to the Characters?  Ummm … perhaps this is the sticky patch. We’re in the obsessive world of museum collectors, plus the tight little world of professional academics, ambitious, unscrupulous and equally obsessive. Enigmatic, yes. Dangerous, yes. Amoral? Totally. Likeable? No.

The book ending provided two dramatic revelations, hitherto  hidden, which explained the motivations behind two of the main characters. Suddenly the story gained perspective and more credibility.

Did I enjoy the book? Again … ummm , not as much as I had hoped.

*I’ve been involved with the Tarot for over 30 years.

The Undomestic Goddess – Sophie Kinsella. This has been a difficult year, and winter is proving to be super-wet and horribly cold; and the disaster-laden news bulletins – Ukraine war – submersible catastrophe – South African politics – don’t help. So light relief is called for and Sophie Kinsella has it down to a tee. A high flying London lawyer bombs out of her career and flees to the country, finding employment as a housekeeper. Apart from the fact that she has zero housekeeping skills and can’t cook, no problem. And there‘s a hunky gardener.  Chaos, comedy and romance ensue. A wonderful feel-good read.

FICTION

The Cloisters –  Katy Hays. A contemporary mystery novel, set in NYC and the world of museums and academia.  A newly discovered Renaissance Tarot deck casts a dark influence.  

Mr Monk on the Couch – Lee Goldberg. A spin-off from the TV show, featuring the brilliant, deductive genius, germophobe Adrian Monk. Hugely entertaining crime story. Recommended.

A Cast of Falcons – Sarah Yarwood-Lovett. A Dr Nell Ward Mystery. This is Book 2 in the series and the focus is less on matters ecological and more on whodunnit, and family relationships. Although well written, I didn’t enjoy it as much as Book One.

The Undomestic Goddess – Sophie Kinsella. Rom-com at its best. As a light, feel-good read, this wins the prize.

2023 MAY READING ROUNDUP

This has been e-books month, due to my membership of Kindle Unlimited. I haven’t logged all my e-book reads, merely the highlights.

My highlight for the month is a series of cozy mysteries, written by Simon Brett, featuring the charming Mrs Pargeter, widow of a criminal kingpin, living in London. I’ve read all 8 titles with great enjoyment and much appreciation of the  ingenious plots, the colourful characters, and the general jokiness .  Set in the 1980s/90s they are a testament to the peculiar British sense of humour and non-PC approach to humorous writing. A real tonic!

Fans of British  comic writing will love this series.  I did!     E-books

Another happy discovery in the world of Kindle Unlimited is a British crime series , written by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, featuring Dr Nell Ward, an English ecologist. Inexplicably  listed under the Cozy Mystery Genre, there’s not a cupcake, kitten, candle or bookstore in sight. Instead, what you get is an intelligently written, impeccably researched combo of crime and eco conservation. Sure, there’s light sprinkling of mild romance, but the focus is on ecology and crime. I’ve read Book 1,  A Murder of Crows, and eagerly await download of Book 2. E-books.

The following writers gave me many happy hours of reading on my Kindle: Rhys Bowen, Ellery Adams and Carmen Reid.

  Carmen Reid  skilfully combines  the  exciting life of a Personal Shopper at a prestigious London store, set against the background of the hurly burly of family life – a happy blend of domestic disasters, designer fashion, all laced with a good coating of comedy. Lots of fun.

I

FICTION

The Book of Salt – Monique Truong.  A literary novel, written from the point of view of Binh, working in Paris and employed as a cook by the avant garde literary couple Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas. We learn about Binh’s Vietnamese background, and family history, as well as his five years in Paris. Beautifully written, in the most sensuous prose. Recommended.