The Remains of the day is told from the perspective of Mr Stevens, a butler at Darlington Hall for many years. On a rare few days away from work, and a trip south to meet an old friend, Mr Stevens recalls key moments from his career and brings insight into some complex and curious relationships.... Continue Reading →
Things My Son Needs To Know About The World by Fredrik Backman
Things My Son Needs To Know About The World is a great read for anyone who is a fan of Fredrik Backman. An easy lighthearted look at parenthood which is easy to dip in and out of, or devour in one sitting. The ending turns it around with a look into a very personal experience... Continue Reading →
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Being an adult is hard work when you stop to think about all the things we have to deal with just to keep the family ticking over. It only takes one bad decision to turn it around. Anxious people is about that one bad decision; A bank robbery gone wrong, a hostage situation, a leap... Continue Reading →
The Glass Hotel by Emily St John Mandel
The Glass Hotel follows Paul and Vincent, brother and half sister, from their time as teenagers through to adulthood. Vincent and Paul didn’t have the easiest teenage years. Vincent lost her mother, and suffered from years of resentment from Paul for the collapse of his parent’s marriage. Both find themselves back living and working together... Continue Reading →
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee 60th Anniversary Edition
To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic book that is as relevant today as it always has been. Written from a young girls perspective, “Scout” is a wonderful character. She sees the best in people and isn’t afraid to be her own person. Jem, her older brother is never far from her side and getting... Continue Reading →
Tennis Lessons by Susannah Dickey
Tennis Lessons is a coming of age story. A young woman recounts short clips from her childhood through to her adult life. There are no filters on this, no rose tinted recollections or awkward parts removed, but the story is told in such an endearing style that you somehow need to be a witness to... Continue Reading →
Instructions for the British People During The Emergency by Jason Hazeley and Nico Tatarowicz
As someone who regularly reads dystopian fiction, finding myself in the depths of a global pandemic while working and homeschooling two kids meant a very swift change of genre was needed. Instructions for the British People During The Emergency seemed like the perfect thing to read. A quick and hilarious handbook for surviving an emergency.... Continue Reading →
Quick Read: How Not To Worry by Paul McGee
I don’t normally read self help books, but in a time of high uncertainty this looked to be something that may be useful and practical. It is a very simple and clear introduction to the psychology and evolutionary reasons for worry. The reader learns of how worry comes about, when it can be useful, and... Continue Reading →
I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney
Aimee Sinclair, the actress, is under suspicion after her husband, Ben, goes missing. She is just finishing up her latest film when she is forced to call the police as her husband has seeming vanished without a trace. The police investigation brings up unexplainable events and Aimee is left trying to work out who may... Continue Reading →
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
When I first heard there was a new book from Margaret Atwood my first question was, What happened to Offred? I couldn’t wait to read it to discover the truth and expected it to be a continuation of her story. The Testaments isn’t a direct follow on from Offred’s tale, and it is so much... Continue Reading →