Books and more books

The good thing about letting time elapse before you record the book in your journal/review it, is it helps you decide on star rating. If you remember you enjoyed it but nothing particular stands out then it's 3*. This is the way I'm going to do it in future: I've changed my ratings system a few times but this seems a good way. So three stars means it's fine, four stars will mean I highly recommend the book, and 5 stars mean you MUST read it. I am quite mean with my stars.

East of Croydon by Sue Perkins
Tells of the comedian's experiences in SE Asia while filming a travelogue. Some funny bits, some sad bits. 3*

The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton by Catherine Alliott
I've read a lot by this author but this one was a bit more serious in tone. I enjoyed it but can remember nothing. 3*

A Murder on London Bridge 
by Susanna Gregory
One in a series of historical mysteries. Very good depiction of London at the time although I did find it a bit confusing as I don't know anything about the immediate post-Cromwell era so I had to keep stopping and thinking when there was talk of extremists on both sides. I felt I learned a bit and good yarn. 4*

How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer
I complained about this book previously on my blog because I didn't realise until I was about halfway through that it was a collection of short stories not a novel. Stories about life as an adolescent Jewish girl in America. A bit samey but probably very authentic. 3*

Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood
A woman escapes from her past by pretending to have drowned but instead starts a new life in Italy. Story tells how she comes to this. Feel as it's Ms Atwood I should give it 4 but I'm giving it 3*

A Little Love by Amanda Prowse
A woman and her cousin run an exclusive bakery in London but they have a hidden past 3*

After Leaving the Village
by Helen Matthews
A young Albanian girl is tricked into thinking she's going to London to work as a model but ends up enslaved in a brothel. Gruesomely detailed and appalling to see how easily it happened. 5* unless you are of a sensitive nature, in which case 4*