Three days later!

A Murder Is Announced...another Agatha Christie that I couldn't put down. I am on holiday, fortunately, otherwise I don't know how I would survive! It is quite amazing that a book, written in 1950, by a sweet-looking old lady, can scare me so much, that I can't sleep. That was last night! I had to wake my husband because I was scared. Pathetic really. It is just the way it is written...nothing graphic, just all left to you imagination. Not good! Actually, it was a really good read - great, complicated story with loveable characters and of course Miss Jane Marple - and I am looking forward to my next one, which has already educated me....I have never made the connection between the colour blue and cyanide...cyan...obvious now. Anyway, I will let you know how I get on.

The great criminal mind!

I have just finished my first Agatha Christie and it was superb! I guessed the true identity of the murderer incorrectly, thanks to the complicated story that was told. The investigator was Monsieur Hercule Poirot himself! Five Little Pigs was the story of a murder which had taken place 16 years earlier and the daughter of the convicted perpetrator was seeking to clear her of her guilt. It is a brilliant story, all the characters and scenes richly described so that you could imagine the whole scenario quite clearly. I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I can't believe it has taken me so long to discover this fabulous author.

World music and the Bulgarian influence

Yet another success from Laurie Graham and once again, quite different from her other books. Life According to Lubka is about a middle-aged career woman working in the music industry who is persuaded to go on tour with a group of Bulgarian grannies who sing folk songs. Her life completely changes, and although she is quite a potty-mouth, the book is very entertaining. She learns how to enjoy a simple life and the value of true friends. The characters are fabulous and the dialect that the author uses sounds believable - not having been to Bulgaria, however, I am probably not in a position to judge. But they all seemed really believable and it made me want to find out more.

Musical tales

Kazuo Ishiguro's latest book, Nocturnes has left me thinking, which isn't a bad thing. It is made up of five short stories, all following a musical theme, and although the tales were involved, and the characters were realistic, the endings were left for the reader to imagine. I suppose this is a clever way of writing and involves your reader, but sometimes, you just want to know what the author wants to happen. Anyway, I might try reading it again and find what I am missing.

Shoes and Italians

I do like books by Adriana Trigiani. Her latest, Very Valentine, is about a girl working in the family business making exquisite hand made shoes. The company was set up by her grandfather and the book describes traditional methods and traditions. Of course, there is romance, with a chef and the descriptions of his recipes are just sumptuous and had my mouth watering! As with all her stories, it is loosely based on her Italian family, and there is a wonderful visit back to Italy, which Valentine takes with her grandmother. It is such an enjoyable story, and I am really looking forward to the sequel. As usual, the author slips in recipes, which I think make the books that extra bit special, because you can bring the story to life in your kitchen. If you like, food, shoes, Italy, romance, drama, then this is the book for you.

Something new...

Having read some older books, rather than from modern authors, I thought I would continue on this theme. So, I bought Cranford: and Other Stories by Elizabeth Gaskell. I don't have a television, so I hadn't seen the series on the BBC. I loved the book; the characters were so believable and enjoyable, and it was quite unusual to have the females as the dominant characters. I read the omnibus edition, which includes the stories 'The Lady Ludlow', 'Mr Harrison's Confessions' and 'The Cage at Cranford'. The stories and the characters were so delightful, and the historical element was really interesting. A lovely Winter's read, which was followed by a book from one of my usual genres. Elinor Lipman's The Family Man follows her usual style of complicated family setups with strong characters, some of which from Jewish backgrounds. This book tells the story of Henry Archer, a gay man, who used to be married, and who meets the daughter he adopted and lost about 25 years ago. This was a complicated, but easy to read story, which had me giggling in my seat. I really like the way Elinor Lipman writes. She covers some sensitive topics, but with a perfect amount of humour. Really enjoyable!

Classics

I rarely read classics. I have always struggled with the long, complicated words. However, having read The Hidden Heart of Emily Hudson, where the author recommended additional reading, I read The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton and I was enchanted. The ending was, again perfect, although this time sad, but perhaps for the best...it leaves you wondering. It was really well written, with words I have never heard of, but they weren't intimidating as they have been in the past. I enjoyed this story very much, but will always wonder what would have happened. I wonder if it is something about that era, - well between 1850 and 1950, - I remember reading A Handful of Dust, and thinking that it was such a brilliant book, but such a sad ending...wasted love.

Most perfect ending

I have just finished reading The Hidden Heart of Emily Hudson, by Melissa Jones, and it was an absolute treasure to read. It is set in the 1860s, and is about a 17 year old orphan in the care of her uncle and his family. Unlike most women of her era, she ignores the social etiquette and speaks and behaves as she desires, much to the anger of her uncle. The story tells of her life and loves, and the possessive hold that the men in her life have over her. It is a beautiful story with wonderful descriptions of her trials, and also of her travels, as she travels from America to London to Europe. There is so much to this book, but I don't want to give anything away, because there is something key to Emily Hudson that explains the way she is. The book could have ended in several ways, all good, but the one chosen was the best, and it was done so well.

More Macomber

I am still enjoying Debbie Macomber's books. The latest one I have read is 311 Pelican Court, which focuses on an unusual divorce court ruling which sees the parents of two children moving between houses, instead of the children. All the books are set in a small town, Cedar Cove, where everyone knows each other. This book is full of misunderstandings, and unexpected solutions. They are gentle books, with happy endings, some sadness, and unusual twists.

New year, new posts!

I have just finished The Dream House by Rachel Hore. Like her other books, there was a lot of flashbacks, this time to the 1920s/30s. It was a good story, but my favourite bits were the historical ones. I became irritated with the modern day setting, because of the casualness of the relationships and the lack of respect. It was probably more evident, because they had such high standards in the past. Anyway, it was entertaining, although I do prefer her other books, such as The Memory Garden and the Glass Painters Daughter. In this book, I felt she ended up with the wrong man. Let me know what you think.

Fine just the way it is

Annie Proulx has such a distinct style, and her latest collection of short stories reflects this. Fine Just The Way It Is: Wyoming Stories, tells the stories of the lives of mainly cowboys, although there is one story about indians. She is quite blunt and covers topics including domestic violence and rape. But even when she is writing about these difficult subjects, she adds a strange sort of beauty. Her stories are really poetic and she has such a striking way with words. Even though the subject matter is hard to read about, her words are like a balm and her stories are an absolute pleasure to read.

Italian romance

Maeve Binchy's Evening Class, is set in Dublin and builds on existing characters from her previous books, and introducing new ones. The main character is Signora, a disgraced Irish lady who follows her true love to Italy and then watches him marry someone else. Rather than feeling sorry for herself, she manages to enchant and delight with her simple approach to life and love, and manages to transform the lives of the people around her, both in Italy and Ireland. It is a lovely story with great characters. There is one harsh scene, involving domestic violence, but she handles it well.

So, now all there is left for me to do is to wish you a Merry Christmas. Hope we all get lots of books to read. Let me know your recommendations.

More Debbie Macomber

I am really enjoying reading Debbie Macomber's books. They are heart-warming and have innovative plots, like the one I have just read. 16 Lighthouse Road, one of a series of books set in Cedar Cove, a small town, starts off with a scandal, where a young couple petitioning for a divorce, are refused by the Judge on the grounds that they haven't tried to make their marriage work. I know that sometimes marriages just don't work, but sometimes I do feel that it is too easy to just split up. Anyway, it is a good, easy-to-read story, with romance, sadness (not everyone gets a happy ending) and mystery. Debbie also has her own website where she shares knitting patterns and recipes.

Twenty wishes!!!

I have just finished a lovely story by Debbie Macomber called Twenty Wishes. It's about a group of widows, both young and old who, while 'celebrating' St Valentines Day together, decide to create lists of their twenty wishes - not things they should have or do, but things they have always wanted to have or do. Not only do they create their own lists but they also inspire others - including me - to write theirs. It is a simple story and demonstrates that when you get what you wish for, it might not be in the way that you expected. So my wish list (not necessarily in this order) starts as follows (because you don't have to compile the whole list immediately):

1. to learn how to make stained glass windows
2. to go cross-country skiing
3. to go to the Boon Lotte Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand - you can read the story of how it was created here -truly inspiring
4. to do something worthwhile
5. to swim with tropical fish in their natural environment (as long as I am not upsetting them)
6. to learn to knit properly
7. to learn falconry (as long as it is not distressing to the birds)
8. to make cakes
9. to open a bookshop
10. to become a photographer
11. to write a blog about how to find good quality patient information on the Internet

Christmas spirit

I have just finished Last Christmas by Julia Williams, and it was a great read, especially for Christmas. It is set around a small, rural village in Shropshire, called Hope Christmas, and describes the lives of people living in the village or associated with it. There are stories of highs and lows, and real-life issues are dealt with, including mental health, heartbreak, and redundancy. But thanks to a saintly character called Ralph Nicholas, the world is put to rights. It is a lovely story, which makes you feel good inside.

Christmas is coming...

Well, I finally managed to find a nice, romantic book to read. Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson is a lovely story, set in New York, about a broken-hearted, England-born florist and her friends. Although the main character is a little irritating - she refers to everyone as "mate" which kind of reminds me of Dick Van Dyke doing his cockney impression in Mary Poppins, and also, it is obvious who her true love is - you can't help but envy her life. There are wonderful descriptions of New York and the flower industry, and there are great characters, with some really beautiful, tender love scenes in it, which gave me goosebumps. It is a good book for the holiday period, just right for curling up in front of the firewith a box of chocolates and a glass of wine.

Misleading quotes on book covers!

I have just given up on a book, something I try to avoid. But I just wanted something lighthearted and magical, to get me in the mood for Christmas and this wasn't it. When I saw The Gift by Cecelia Ahern, described as 'A seasonal tale of love and friendship', 'A heavenly gift that speaks to the heart', 'Heart-warming, emotional, funny and filled with unexpected twists', I thought, perfect! I was so wrong. I persevered until page 176 of 305 pages, but I was just getting so irritated with the main character that I just decided I could not read any more. I found the story was so full of anger, betrayal, deceit, sadness, that I was just feeling depressed rather than uplifted. It was very disappointing. It does bother me when the quotes from reviewers on the book covers don't reflect the content of the book. But I guess that is my opinion. Other people might like it. I think, for me, my favourite Christmas book is still A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg. Now that has magic and kindness, and makes me feel good inside.You can read my original review here.

Host...a pleasant surprise

Those of you who know me will know that I am a HUGE fan of the Twilight series, written by Stephenie Meyer. Host is written for adults, whereas Twilight was aimed at teenagers, and i think that you can notice a difference. It has taken me a long time to consider reading Host, I guess, because I didn't want to be disappointed. Anyway, I finally succumbed and added it to my 3 for 2 purchases, and well, wow...I was very pleasantly surprised. It is different from the Twilight series and quite sci-fi, which is not my usual genre. However, it does tackle the related issue of inter-species relationships. I found it really thought-provoking and so imaginative as the author describes the populations on different planets, and the differences in emotions of each species. It was also very much a love story, and I really wondered how the author would work it out so that everyone would end up happy. The ending did not disappoint. I really recommend reading Host. It is unusual, a bit slow to start, but completely captivating.

Cook book

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the famous food writer and cook, Prue Leith, writes fictional novels too. Choral Society is about three women in their fifties who are going through different life challenges, and meet at a choir meeting. They are completely different from each other, but become great friends. It is a very empowering story, and good to read a book demonstrating that you don't have to have a man to be successful and that life doesn't end at 30. It was a good, easy read, and really interesting. I learnt so much about food-writing, and food photography. Made me want to have a go. Plus there was the bonus that the book was set in Yorkshire, Cotswolds, London and Cornwall, all wonderful places in England.

Witch trials!

Seemingly appropriate for Halloween, but this was no treat for those involved. I have just finished reading Kathleen Kent's The Heretic's Daughter. I was in two minds when I bought it, because there have been so many stories about the Salem witch. However, this one has been written by a direct descendent of one of the accused. It was brilliantly written; so hard to read in places, because of the treatment of the accused women and men. The bravery of the children - their horrific treatment was so vividly described, I felt in awe of their survival skills. They never gave up, they plead their innocence. You just cannot fathom how human beings can treat each other so cruelly. It was a harsh, but excellent read, and has inspired me to find out more about this tragic event.