Summer spent reading

Yet again, time has flown past. Work and holidays has interfered with my reading, but I have managed to find some gems as well as some favourites. Obviously, I read the final instalment of Harry Potter - the Deathly Hallows, and JK Rowling really could not have created a better ending. It was perfect, and I shall enjoy re-reading it in due course.

I have just finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club and it was wonderful, only the second book to make me cry (the first being Shadowlands - the true story of C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman). The whole book describes the lives of a group of women who attend a knitting club, which was set up quite spontaneously, and is not just focused on knitting, I might hasten to add. There are wonderful tips for people who are actually interested in knitting, but the majority of the book is about the differences between the women, but how they all complement each other. It is fun, serious, happy and sad, and completely brilliant. You can read more about it on their web-site. I cannot wait for Kate Jacob's next book.

At the moment, I am reading Jeffrey Archer's Cat O' Nine Tales, which are stories of some of the people he met while at Her Majesty's pleasure. I have read and enjoyed all his short stories, and from his novels, I have read Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less, A Matter Of Honour, and his most recent on A False Impression, and I have enjoyed the twists in all.

I also read over the Summer, Probable Future, by Alice Hoffman, and Digging to America by Anne Tyler. They definitely continue to be on my favourites list!

Finally, I read The Other Side of the Bridge, by Mary Lawson, which was about the turbulent relationship of two brothers in rural America. This was such a well-written story. I really felt all the conflicts and struggles, and I felt the love that was given throughout. It is a tremendous story with really strong characters. Crow Lake was written by the same author, and I found that story equally gripping. She is another wonderful storyteller to add to my collection.

So now you can see why I struggle to find time to blog. Until next time....

Pottermania!

Lots going on, and although time to read, no time to blog. I am currently re-reading old favourites, which includes the Harry Potter series. When they first came out, I just could not get into them, but about a year and a half ago, I started reading them, and couldn't stop. My least favourite is the Order of the Phoenix, not because it is a bad book, but because I find Professor Umbridge really disturbing, but then I am a bit of a scaredy cat! I really enjoyed the Half Blood Prince, but I think my favourite is the Goblet of Fire. JK Rowling has a great website, really well-designed.

On a sadder note, I read Alice Hoffman's book "At Risk" a story, written in the 1980's about an eleven year old girl who contracts AIDS after receiving a contaminated blood transfusion. It is so moving, and describes the stigma associated with AIDS.

So many books, so little time!

With all these bargains in the bookstore and all these new books coming out, it is a wonder I get anything done! So, where do I start? Well Brooklyn Follies is just brilliant, and I can't wait to read Paul Auster's other books. It is an inspirational book about an uncle and his nephew who have both reached a crossroads in their lives, for different reasons, and find their futures' defined when a little girl comes to live with them.

I have long been a fan of Adriana Trigiani, since here first book, Big Stone Gap and the whole series, that goes with it, to Queen of the Big Time, Lucia Lucia, and the wonderful Rococo! Her books follow the theme of Italian culture, often with strong female leads, and covering a span of generations. And, one of the best things about these books, is that the author provides delicious recipes to any of the dishes described in these stories.

Another book that enhances a beautiful story with tasty recipes is "Pomegranate Soup", a story about an Iranian family that sets up a restaurant in a small Irish town. It is a special tale about romance, friendship, and the meeting of different cultures.

The Mercy of Thin Air is an amazing book, which sensitively covers the subject of death, focusing on two main female characters, one living in the 1920s and one living in the 1990s, describing the role of women in both of these eras.

The Apothecary's House is a thriller set in the art world in Amsterdam. The story is set around the ownership of a painting, stolen by the Nazis. There is history, drama, and mystery, everything required for a gripping read!

So, that's it for now. I have another pile of books to get through, plus work to get to, so until next time....

The Shadow of the Wind

I spent my Christmas break engrossed in one of my presents. A work colleague bought me a copy of The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. What a fantastic book! It was so beautifully written, and I felt that I knew each character. The language was so descriptive, and the story completely gripping, that I didn't want it to end. It is a treasure that I enjoyed entirely.