Like many readers I loved Hannah Kent's first novel Burial Rites (2013), so I had high expectations for The Good People. Like its predecessor it is set in the first half of the 19th century, this time in 1820s Ireland. Also like Burial Rites, it features unhappy women as its central characters. The blurb dedicates… Continue reading The Good People by Hannah Kent
The Ice Child by Camilla Lackberg
I have to admit this book was an impulse purchase. In Waitrose. But I just really felt like some slightly generic crime, and The Ice Child fulfilled that wish. It is part of a series of books about Detective Patrik Hedström and his wife Erica, who is a writer, who both just happen to get… Continue reading The Ice Child by Camilla Lackberg
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WWW Wednesday, 1st March 2017
I've only participated in WWW Wednesday once before, and that was ages ago, so I felt like giving it another try. The idea is to post three things: What you most recently finished reading What you are currently reading What you will read next Hence 'WWW'! So here goes: What I recently finished reading: The Handmaid's… Continue reading WWW Wednesday, 1st March 2017
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New affiliate: Blackwell’s
I am pleased to announce that I am now part of the affiliate programme for Blackwell's! Blackwell's are one of my favourite bookshops and the Oxford branch (just up the road from me) is an institution. The downstairs section, know as the Norrington Room, is the largest single room selling books in the world (!) and… Continue reading New affiliate: Blackwell’s
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In Which I Finally Read The Handmaid’s Tale
There are always books that one means to read, that 'should' be read - and for me one of them was The Handmaid's Tale. It was published before I was even born, so it has always been popular, always been revered in my experience. This book was always on my list, always something I thought… Continue reading In Which I Finally Read The Handmaid’s Tale
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Looking back on the books of 2016
This is another overdue blog post, but one that I've really been looking forward to writing. I read 31 books in 2016, of varying quality, but overall it was a good reading year. I tried to branch out, accepting a total of eight review copies from publishers - which is a lot for me these… Continue reading Looking back on the books of 2016
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Overdue update on Christmas and birthday books
As I said in my last post, life has rather gotten in the way of blogging over the last month or so (probably more than that), so I am only just getting around to organising posts I meant to write and publish a while ago... First I must ask you to cast your mind back… Continue reading Overdue update on Christmas and birthday books
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A little update!
Hello dear readers! My apologies for my absence. Life has been a wee bit crazy in the last month or so, but we have finally moved into our new house and things are evening out... I actually have the time to sit down and write a blog post! Yay! I'm sitting at the dining table… Continue reading A little update!
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The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson (1949)
I've read three of Shirley Jackson's novels, so it only felt right to try some of her short stories; and after all, The Lottery is heralded as one of the most brilliant (and controversial) in the genre. At first, some of these stories reminded me Truman Capote's with their edge of uncertainty and fear underlying… Continue reading The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson (1949)
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Blog tour: The Dark Circle by Linda Grant
I don't often agree to review brand new books anymore, or take part in blog tours - but The Dark Circle intrigued me. I had heard lots of good things about Linda Grant but never actually read her books, and the premise of this novel appealed to me. In 1949, twins Lenny and Miriam are both… Continue reading Blog tour: The Dark Circle by Linda Grant
These Little Words 