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Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: 'The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.'
From the first page of Piranesi , by Susanna Clarke, the reader is plunged into a fascinating, labyrinthine world that is both ancient...

Christine Southern
Jun 192 min read


Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus: 'ladies, design your own future'
A funny, thought-provoking story of 1960s chemistry, cookery and chauvinism told through unwitting trailblazer and resolute, Elizabeth Zott.

Christine Southern
Feb 24, 20233 min read


Should you finish a book club pick you're not enjoying?
It's up there with Marmite and cats versus dogs; should you finish a book club pick you're not enjoying?

Christine Southern
Feb 10, 20233 min read


What is a good audiobook series? The compelling Rivers of London
What makes a good audiobook series?
A highly accomplished narrator reading compelling stories of appealing characters in evocative setting

Christine Southern
Feb 3, 20232 min read


Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: a quest for love and acceptance
A young girl is abandoned in a shack on a marsh in North Carolina. A murder investigation takes place in the nearest town 15 years later....

Annette Peppis
Apr 7, 20222 min read


The Maid by Nita Prose: people are a mystery that can never be solved
Ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world you cannot fully decipher? One where you struggle to interpret people’s motives...

Christine Southern
Feb 27, 20223 min read


All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews: dark and funny
All My Puny Sorrows is a funny but tragic tale of two bright, sharp, witty sisters, Elf and Yoli, who are very different.

Annette Peppis
Oct 22, 20211 min read


In The Name Of by Ben Dunn: unforeseen revenge and redemption
A woman bent on revenge for her husband's death. An old flame endures brutality and unrequited love. Together they face a terrifying ordeal.

Christine Southern
Oct 12, 20212 min read


The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman: the classic innocent abroad
An unwitting actor plunged into the harsh world of Hollywood. Her dogged determination to resolve a puzzling disappearance. The dangerous...

Christine Southern
Jun 14, 20212 min read


Unexpected Companions by Nicole Stout : to give these women a voice
A teenager struggling to be accepted by toxic social peers. The ghostly reappearance of ancestors offering guidance and perspective.

Christine Southern
Jun 2, 20212 min read


Kololo Hill by Neema Shah: I'm alone, I'm alone
Compelled to forsake your homeland in just 90 days. Plunged into a strange, unwelcoming country of weird food, weather and customs.

Christine Southern
May 20, 20213 min read


The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell: the questions were not whether or why but how soon
The Sparrow, a thought-provoking, beautifully written good read that explores faith and humanity through compelling events and characters.

Christine Southern
Apr 30, 20213 min read


Nighthawking by Russ Thomas: what was lost will always be found
A detectorist’s grisly find uncovered in Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens. A cold case detective searching for long-awaited answers. An...

Christine Southern
Apr 21, 20212 min read


Book club good reads blogger roundup
Here is a selection of good book recommendations from the book club I belong to, with a roundup of reviews by fellow book bloggers. Let...

Christine Southern
Apr 13, 20212 min read


Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed: a riveting read, jam-packed with interesting facts
Rebel Ideas is jam-packed with interesting facts and reading it has made me think deeply about unconscious bias and how necessary diversity.

Annette Peppis
Apr 7, 20212 min read


Confessions of an African Safari Guide by Lloyd Camp: ‘out of Africa there is always something new’
Want the authentic inside story on what really happens on an African safari by someone who’s genuinely lived the life? I first met Lloyd...

Christine Southern
Mar 7, 20212 min read


The Weeping Pussy Willow by Tamara Frankel: childhood memories
The Weeping Pussy Willow evokes wistful childhood memories mingled with an adult realisation of a deeper meaning. Recently our family...

Christine Southern
Mar 5, 20212 min read


Bad Blood by John Carreyrou: folie à deux?
From a valuation of $10 billion to zero, how did Elizabeth Holmes’ health tech company, Theranos, collapse into agonising disgrace so...

Christine Southern
Mar 4, 20212 min read


English Passengers by Matthew Kneale: Inventive, witty, and moving
An oblivious Reverend searching for the mystical Garden of Eden. A Manx crew compelled by dubious circumstance to accept despised English...

Christine Southern
Mar 3, 20212 min read


Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel: truly worth it
I know what you’re thinking. What else could possibly be said about Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall (and Bring up the Bodies) that hasn’t...

Christine Southern
Mar 2, 20212 min read