The Happy Home for Broken Hearts by Rowan Coleman
Ellie has to take in lodgers when her husband dies and leaves her in a financial mess. Her lodgers breathe new life into her and her young son. Felt a bit cheated at the end because there were unfinished threads but overall an entertaining if predictable read. 3.5***
Talking about Jane Austen in Baghdad by Bee Rowlatt & May Witwit
I don't often read non-fiction but I did enjoy this story in the form of email communications between a BBC journalist and an English lecturer in Baghdad after the fall of Saddam. Some really interesting bits about how the Iraqis viewed him - and the Americans - over the passing of time, as well as the horrors of everyday life, and May's determination to get out of the country. Those bits do get a bit boring - terrible thing to say when someone had to live that life but when repeated over and over then true, I'm afraid. Or perhaps it was just me. 4*
Mr Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
Now this is a really strange book. I suppose it's about the quest for the holy grail. A bit mystery, a bit love story, a few weird characters, lots of books, a great tale. 4*
Cover Your Eyes by Adele Geras
Megan, young journalist, interviews Eva, a once famous fashion designer who lives with her daughter and family in the house that has been her home for many years. The house is in need of repair and is too costly to keep so against the old woman's wishes it is put up for sale. In a twist Megan becomes nanny to the children and goes to live in the house where she gets to better know Eva. It's a story of ghosts and being free of the past. Ms Geras is a wonderful writer. 4*
4 comments:
I think the winner for Best Book Title is "The Happy Home for Broken Hearts."
I'm jealous. It's been a while since the library's had anything new in the English section.
It's a happy read too, Debra.
I could pack some of mine and send them to you if you want, Sonata?
That's very kind of you, Liz but it would be hideously expensive and there's no need. Now that we have lots of foreign students in town, there's a thriving secondhand market in English paperbacks. A few years ago you'd have been lucky to find any but now there's even a Book Swap shelf at the Irish bar!
I really just want an endless supply of free library books delivered to my door, preferably with an endless supply of biscuits!
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