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American Dirt – Jeanine Cummings – (BOOKGROUP) – 27.09.20

This was the novel chosen by my book group for our next (zoom) meeting, and I probably wouldn’t have read it otherwise. It’s about a mother, Lydia, trying to escape from violent drug cartels in Mexico with her young son, Luca, after every other member of her family was brutally murdered. The positive I tookContinue reading “American Dirt – Jeanine Cummings – (BOOKGROUP) – 27.09.20”

Troubled Blood (Cormoran Strike 5) – Robert Galbraith (AUDIOBOOK) – 25.09.20

I just watched all the BBC adaptations of the previous Cormoran Strike novels, which I very much enjoyed and I couldn’t wait to get this new installment. I bought it as an audiobook, as this was the cheapest way for me to get it (using my monthly credit) and it was a long listen, overContinue reading “Troubled Blood (Cormoran Strike 5) – Robert Galbraith (AUDIOBOOK) – 25.09.20”

Why We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite – Andrew Jenkinson – 15.09.20

This book was the Kindle 99p deal one day, so I bought it, as I’m struggling to maintain my weight loss and it seemed to be a fairly rigorous scientific approach to obesity by a doctor who is an experienced obesity surgeon. The author himself admits that the title is a little misleading, as theContinue reading “Why We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite – Andrew Jenkinson – 15.09.20”

The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman – (AUDIOBOOK) – 15.09.20

I was pretty excited waiting for this book to come out, I pre-ordered it as an audiobook as this worked out as the cheapest way for me to buy it. I like Richard Osman, he seems like a nice and intelligent chap, and I guess I was expecting a more cerebral book than The ThursdayContinue reading “The Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman – (AUDIOBOOK) – 15.09.20”

Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead – Olga Tokarczuk and Antonia Lloyd-Jones – 13.09.20

I found this book strangely atmospheric and very readable. Written in Polish by Olga Tokarczuk and translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, it’s the story of an older woman, Janina, who is one of only a small number of people who live all year round in what is normally a Summer cabin in a forested region nearContinue reading “Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead – Olga Tokarczuk and Antonia Lloyd-Jones – 13.09.20”

Howard’s End – EM Forster – (AUDIOBOOK) – 10.09.20

Howards End was written in 1910 and set in that contemporary era. It’s a novel that made thoughts boil over in my head as I listened – about the English class system and imperialism and sexism – at times I was so angry with the characters, and not sure whether the writer was sympathetic withContinue reading “Howard’s End – EM Forster – (AUDIOBOOK) – 10.09.20”

From a Low and Quiet Sea – Donal Ryan – 08.09.20

Hmmm, what to say about this book… I have mixed feelings. It is clearly well written, with lyrical prose and a richness and depth of characters, but why are the characters all so angry and sad and broken?? My book group read The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan, and I was just looking back atContinue reading “From a Low and Quiet Sea – Donal Ryan – 08.09.20”

House of Many Ways – Diana Wynne Jones – 06.09.20

I’m still loving Diana Wynne Jones! I wish I could go back in time and introduce my childhood self to these books (not that I don’t love them as an adult, because I do!) because I feel like I should be nostalgic about them as if I did love them as a child. This thirdContinue reading “House of Many Ways – Diana Wynne Jones – 06.09.20”

Castle in the Air – Diana Wynne Jones – 04.09.20

This second book in the Ingary trilogy by Diana Wynne Jones initially felt a little different to the first book. If you’ve read C.S Lewis’s Narnia chronicles, then it was like The Horse and his Boy, in that it is set in the same world as the other books in the series, but at firstContinue reading “Castle in the Air – Diana Wynne Jones – 04.09.20”

Utopia Avenue – David Mitchell – (AUDIOBOOK) –03.09.20

Wow – this is a big book. I listened on Audiobook and it took just over 25 hours. It’s the story of a band in the 1960s and follows each of the four band members as well as their manager giving them all a rich and in depth backstory and character development journey. There areContinue reading “Utopia Avenue – David Mitchell – (AUDIOBOOK) –03.09.20”