Posts Tagged ‘book reviews’
Book review: The Last Collection
I picked up this novel last summer because I was curious about one of the historical figures. This is the tale of two rival fashion designers that unfolds in pre- and post-World War II Paris. One of the designers was quite well known to me (and perhaps everyone): Coco Chanel. But the focus of the…
Read MoreBook review: Miss Iceland
I picked this novel up in a bookstore this past summer. I liked the cover and the book blurb, and I liked that it was translated from Icelandic. I’m always eager to discover good translated literature. Luckily, this was a great discovery. Miss Iceland is the sixth novel by Icelandic novelist Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir. Miss…
Read MoreBook review: Critical Incidents
I discovered UK author Lucie Whitehouse with her first novel, and have since read all the novels she’s published. I always enjoy her writing, although the qualty of the novels has varied, and at times I’ve felt it diffcult to really get into the mindset of her protagonists or to fully suspend disbelief for some…
Read MoreBook review: I leoni di Sicilia
We all know the old adage that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But when lockdown ended in Rome and I could walk around and visit bookshops (!!) when they were one of the first non-essential businesses to be allowed to open, I couldn’t resist the stunning cover of I leoni di Sicilia.…
Read MoreBook review: Park Avenue Summer
I enjoyed White Collar Girl, an earlier Renée Rosen novel I read, so I was interested when I saw Park Avenue Summer. This is the story of 1960s Manhattan, and a new generation of young women working to carve out lives and careers for themselves in the Big Apple. Alice Weiss is a young woman…
Read MoreBook review: Io e te
I decided to read Io e te (You and Me) by Italian author Niccolo’ Ammaniti after both of my sons read it and urged me to do the same. Years ago, I loved reading Ammaniti’s novel Io non ho paura (I’m not afraid). Unfortunately, I read other Ammaniti novels and his short story collection and…
Read MoreBook review: The Summer We Lost Her
I did not know this author or this novel. I picked it up mostly for its cover, and the storyline set in New York’s Adirondack Mountains – an area I know well. I enjoyed this dual storyline of an imploding marriage, set mostly in a grand but rustic cabin along the shores of Lake Placid.…
Read MoreBook review: Bear Town
Set in a small hamlet in Sweden, surrounded by wild forest land, Bear Town is a fast, enjoyable read examining various facets of this fading town and the odd assortment of residents who populate it. Bear Town has seen better days. Once a reasonably prosperous small town, Bear Town boasted factories and blue collar jobs…
Read MoreHoliday 2019 reading (Part 2)
Over the summer holidays, I was back in New York, and armed with my beloved library card. I managed to read lots of good books during my time there, and blogged about some of them last week. This week, I’ll wrap up the reviews of my holiday reading … also giving me a chance to…
Read MoreHoliday 2019 reading (Part 1)
Reading is always a big part of my holidays. Even more so when I return to New York armed with my fabulous library card. I took full advantage of that shiny red card this year. Here are the books I read on my time back in New York this summer: Donna Has Left The Building…
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