Read whatever, whenever, however.
In brief: Vivian is a switchboard operator in Wooster, Ohio in the 50s. She enjoys listening in on conversations until she hears something incredibly shocking about herself. How can she fix this and hold her head up high? The good: The 1950s are brilliantly portrayed. The not-so-good: Bit uneven and I had to concentrate to... Continue Reading →
In brief: The Central Line, told through statistics about the people who live there. The good: This is a great way to talk statistics. The not-so-good: It's a one sitting book. Why I chose it: Working my way through the Penguin Lines series celebrating 150 years of the Underground. Year: 2013 Pages: 164 Publisher: Penguin... Continue Reading →
In brief: Every year, Oona wakes up in a different period of her life. Sometimes she's 19 in a much older body, and some years are painful to bear. The good: Quirky idea handled very well. The not-so-good: I want to hear more about Oona's years! Why I chose it: Felt like something a bit... Continue Reading →
In brief: Trelawney Castle and its inhabitants have been an institution in Cornwall for centuries. But now the castle is falling down and the family has run out of money. How will they react? The good: Very detailed with unique characters. The not-so-good: Sometimes a little too much detail and not enough action. Why I... Continue Reading →
In brief: A story in three parts about a group of teenagers at a high school focusing on theatre. What is true? What has been omitted? And what are straight out lies? The good: Brilliant writing evokes great images. The not-so-good: The second part had me confused in places. Why I chose it: It won... Continue Reading →
In brief: The flu. Past, pandemic, present and future ideas for tracking and research. The good: Excellent points about the developments in medicine since the 1918 pandemic. The not-so-good: Bit scary reading this at the moment given what is going on. Why I chose it: I wanted information, not speculation from a credible source on... Continue Reading →
In brief: Hetty and Ness leave Melbourne for Toronto, but each experiences a completely different lifestyle to what they expected. Ness blooms, while Hetty isn't doing so well. The good: This story grabs you by both arms into its intense world. The not-so-good: I read it in less than 24 hours (it was that good).... Continue Reading →
In brief: The official book of the brilliant television series, looking at the first four series. The good: It's the Peaky Blinders! The not-so-good: Wish the photos were more detailed… Why I chose it: I love this show. Year: 2019 Pages: 223 Publisher: Michael O'Mara Books Setting: Birmingham and London, with a touch of the... Continue Reading →
In brief: Dannie has it all sorted for the perfect life plan. But a weird dream five years into the future has her questioning why it seems to have fallen apart… The good: Not the story you were expecting. The not-so-good: Initially I thought Dannie was going to be the most annoyingly perfect character in... Continue Reading →
