In 2012, Natasha Lester was my guest at one of my early Stories on Stage events. Few of the audience had heard of her; I was the only one who had read her two books. She was polished and professional; in fact, she was so well prepared that audience members were left open-mouthed at the end of her talk. Fast…
What if The Breakfast Club characters had to work on a yearbook project together instead of just talking? Reading Sarah Ayoub’s latest book, The Yearbook Committee, I was instantly reminded of the aforementioned movie (a favourite of mine) because of the way it dealt with timeless issues facing young people. Here’s the blurb: Five teenagers. Five lives. One…
A front cover endorsement recommending this to fans of Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne piqued my interest, and a review from Carol at Reading, Writing and Riesling piqued it further. I do enjoy reading thrillers, so these two things made sure I put Ben Sanders’ debut American Blood on my reading list. Was it a…
Dominique Wilson’s first novel The Yellow Papers was an outstanding read, and the same can be said of That Devil’s Madness. Her writing is finely crafted, her prose poetic and subtle, and a joy to read. That Devil’s Madness takes readers from Australia to Algeria, following the dual and interconnected stories of Nicolette, an Australian photojournalist in the 1970s, and…
I have read a couple of Tami Hoag books but none in the Kovac and Lista series. Sometimes starting a series when it’s well established can be an issue, but I didn’t have a problem at all with The Bitter Season. Instead, I found myself caught up as the two detectives, former partners and now assigned to…
If you like books that warm your heart, make you cry and want to read it all over again, Our Song by Dani Atkins might just hit the spot. Here’s the blurb: This is the story of Ally and Charlotte, whose paths have intersected over the years though they’ve never really been close friends. Charlotte…
I was a fan of the UK television series Cold Feet, so when I received this book written by the creator of that series, I was intrigued. Here’s the blurb: ‘Trust wasn’t something you could have in degrees; it was all or nothing…’ When one bad decision sends a happy couple into turmoil and turns…
A story of forbidden love, societal pressures and a quest for knowledge, Guinevere Glasfurd’s debut novel, The Words in my Hand, is reminiscent of The Miniaturist, one of my favourite books of 2014. Here’s the blurb: The Words in my Hand is the reimagined true story of Helena Jans, a Dutch maid in 17th century Amsterdam,…
It’s not altogether surprising that Good Charlotte’s song “Lifestyles of the rich and the famous” is in my head as I type this review. Harrison Young’s novel Nantucket describes a lifestyle most of us can only imagine – private jet planes, unlimited money, beautiful holiday houses on exclusive beaches … It’s a world where the stakes are…
The first time I picked up Isabel Allende’s The Japanese Lover I wasn’t in the mood for it – probably needed something light. I am so glad I listened to a good friend’s advice: “You must read it. It’s beautiful.” She was right. Second time around I was in the headspace to appreciate Allende’s writing,…
