Publisher: Ink As a mother to a young son I am always looking for good quality children’s books. There is so much out there it is sometimes difficult to chose what will be entertaining, educational and appropriate. Alice Chambers’ story ‘Bob The Bear’s Adventures’ was an instant success. A children’s writer for many years and … More Bob The Bear’s Adventures by Alice Chambers
Publisher: Borough Press Publication Date: February 2023 I was intrigued by the novel initially for its beautiful front cover but also because of the name of the book. ‘Weyward’ is such a loaded term, one that seems aimed more at females and attributing blame or scorn on individuals seen as not fitting the mould. Weyward … More Weyward by Emilia Hart
By Caro Giles Publisher: HarperNorth Publication Date: January 2023 Considering the moon phases over the course of the year is something I had never consciously done before. Every now and again I will be stopped in my tracks by a full moon, crisply white against the night sky, sometimes so big it inspires awe before … More Twelve Moons: A Year Under A Shared Sky
Whilst not a big reader of crime fiction, I found the central premise of this debut novel by Elisabeth Krauel extremely compelling. Whilst everyone is capable of committing a crime, I found the exploration of a female convict one that was quite novel to me and not an idea that I have experienced much in … More Forgive and Forget by Elisabeth Krauel
I always find the dynamics of family relationships in fiction really fascinating. How writers grapple with the complexities of love, rivalries and resentments very often makes for compelling reads. This was certainly the case with Colleen Hubbard’s novel ‘Housebreaking.’ Set during a harsh winter in New England, we follow Del a young woman ostracised by … More Housebreaking by Colleen Hubbard
I was excited to trial and review ‘Smorgasbowl’ by Caryn Carruthers as the principle behind the book was something that really appeals to me, particularly as someone who is always striving to fit more vegetables into my everyday diet! The notion of the four pillars was an interesting one, the idea that each bowl needed … More Smorgasbowl by Caryn Carruthers
Whilst reading Sophie Jai’s Wild Fires, I kept thinking of the line by Tolstoy in Anna Karenina, ‘All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.’ The unhappiness that pervades the pages of this book is centred round the loss of the narrator’s cousin Chevy whose funeral forms one of … More Wild Fires by Sophie Jai
Executive Editor of the National Geographic Dennis Dimick states in the foreword of Tor Eigeland’s memoir ‘Stuff Happens: The Far from Humdrum Life of a Photojournalist’ that ‘Tor had seen places and events I’d experienced vicariously through National Geographic and Life magazines as a youth.’ This resonated with me whilst reading through the pages of … More Stuff Happens: The Far from Humdrum Life of a Photojournalist by Tor Eigeland
I was initially drawn to the front cover of this novel which is probably not something you should admit to when writing a review. The implication of the title ‘Groundskeeping’ suggested ideas of potential unrest and disaster whilst trying to maintain order, authority and calm. In lots of ways this is exactly what it was … More Groundskeeping by Lee Cole
It is fascinating how landscapes and where we grow up as children can stay with us as we age. How these memories of home often draw us back whether with positive association or more traumatic ones. The idea of landscape imprinting and drawing individuals homeward seems to be a central preoccupation with Polly Crosby’s novel, … More The Unravelling by Polly Crosby
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