Here in Australia, it was still quite warm as we edged towards Autumn. As usual, my reading was a mixed bag of library finds Kindle downloads and serendipitous discoveries. I can’t fault our public library, they have a good selection of current books across genres. How do I pick which books to read? Randomly. A review, a recommendation, or a library display. Do I always get it right? No, but I am not here to bash books, these are books I’ve read and enjoyed.
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher.
The dramatic story of how a humble bookseller fought against incredible odds to bring one of the most important books of the 20th century to the world in this new novel from the author of The Girl in White Gloves.
When bookish young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself.
Shakespeare and Company is more than a bookstore and lending library: Many of the prominent writers of the Lost Generation, like Ernest Hemingway, consider it a second home. It’s where some of the most important literary friendships of the twentieth century are forged–none more so than the one between Irish writer James Joyce and Sylvia herself. When Joyce’s controversial novel Ulysses is banned, Beach takes a massive risk and publishes it under the auspices of Shakespeare and Company.
But the success and notoriety of publishing the most infamous and influential book of the century comes with steep costs. The future of her beloved store itself is threatened when Ulysses‘ success brings other publishers to woo Joyce away. Her most cherished relationships are put to the test as Paris is plunged deeper into the Depression and many expatriate friends return to America. As she faces painful personal and financial crises, Sylvia–a woman who has made it her mission to honor the life-changing impact of books–must decide what Shakespeare and Company truly means to her.
My Review.
As a reader and book lover, of course, I had heard of Paris’s famous Shakespeare and Company. What I hadn’t known, was the fascinating story behind the establishment of Paris’s first English language bookshop, and the woman behind it. Sylvia Beach was a woman of conviction and she believed passionately that James Joyce’s Ulysses‘ was a masterpiece that the world needed to read.
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn.
1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of East-End London poverty, works the legendary code-breaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.
1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter—the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger—and their true enemy—closer…
My Review.
You might think a 600+ page book would drag or be difficult to read. You’d be wrong. I read this book in a few days, becoming engrossed in the lives of these different women. Osla with a burgeoning romance with the dashing and handsome Prince Philip. Mab remaking her life after a false start and mousy and beleaguered Beth escaping her family. I’d watched The Bletchley Circle and The Imitation Game, but The Rose Code gave me a different perspective on the same events. I lived vicariously through these women, feeling their feelings, and understanding more about the strains and stresses of wartime. I thoroughly recommend this book.
A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy.
Are some white lies simply too big to forgive?
Eve and Leah are identical twins—but beyond that, they’re polar opposites. Struggling journalist Leah envies Eve’s seemingly perfect life—the loyal husband, the beautiful twin daughters, the stellar career—little knowing that what Eve longs for most is Leah’s independence.
When a shocking event upends their world, one woman seizes a split-second chance to change everything and follow her sister down a different life path. It’s a spontaneous choice, but there’s no going back. How will she deal with the fallout when covering up one untruth means lying to everyone—about everything?
One thing is clear: both twins have secrets, and both just want to be happy. But what price will they pay to live the life they’ve always wanted?
My Review.
I found this easy reading and raced through the book. It was always tempting to read ‘just one more page.’ Twins can look alike, but not think alike and that is evident here. The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, but what are the pitfalls? What do you do when one decision affects everything and everyone
Autumn Leaves At Mill Grange by Jenny Kane
At Mill Grange, the work – and the fun – never stops! As autumn brings coolness and colour, change is in the air for all at the manor…
Sam Philips’ time in the forces changed him forever. Supported by his friends, Sam is keen to help make beautiful Mill Grange a safe retreat for injured army personnel… but his crippling claustrophobia means Sam is living in a tent on the grounds! Enlisting the help of charming village stalwarts Bert and Mabel Hastings, Tina Martins is determined to find a way to help him conquer his fears. But why does she feel like he is keeping a secret?
After discovering evidence of a Roman fortlet on the manor’s grounds, Thea Thomas is thrilled at the chance to return to her archaeological roots and lead the excavation. She spent the summer with handsome celebrity archaeologist Shaun Cowlson – but now he’s off filming his Landscape Treasures show in Cornwall, and Thea can’t help but miss his company. Especially as someone else is vying for his attention…
Welcome back to Mill Grange and the beautiful village of Upwich, full of larger-than-life characters you can’t help but adore.
My Review.
This was an interesting read, picked up on a whim at my local library. The topic was unusual, and the cover appealed. Subsequently, I found that it was the second book in a series, and I hadn’t read the first book. The archaeology was perhaps a bit in-depth for a lay person, but overall, the characters and plot made it a good story. Sam’s claustrophobia was well conveyed and showed how limiting it could be.
Summer Intrigue by Linda Tyler.
SUMMER INTRIGUE
Summer, 1812, Scotland.
Invited to a house party, Lucinda Banbury soon discovers someone there is passing British secrets to the French. But who should she believe – her suave host or the enigmatic naval officer? It is important she finds out soon, as Lucy finds herself falling in love with Captain Nathaniel Lambert!
My Review.
A pleasant and easy-to-read Regency romance. No real surprises as the spirited heroine and the dashing naval captain hit it off. I read this in a paperback edition.
Bridgerton’s England by Antonia Hicks
My Review
A great pictorial reminder of all the iconic locations used in the series. At the back of the book are the details of where they are and when they are open to the public.
Under The Whispering Door by T.J.Klune.
A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place in Under the Whispering Door, a delightful queer love story from TJ Klune, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Welcome to Charon’s Crossing.
The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through.
When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead.
And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead.
But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.
Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.
My Review.
A slightly slow start but the book is so worth it. I laughed, I cried and more than anything else I marvelled that words on a page could convey so much. I read that T.J wrote this when he was grieving, and it felt like a warm and compassionate hug as I too was grieving. A joyous book
The Duchess in His Bed by Lorraine Heath.
(Sins for all Seasons Book 4).
For a duchess with practical desires, falling in love is an inconceivable part of her plan…
As owner of the Elysium Club which caters to women’s fantasies, Aiden Trewlove is accustomed to introducing adventurous ladies to sin and vice. But he is uncharacteristically intrigued by the mysterious beauty who visits his club one night, yearning to indulge in the forbidden—with him. Drawn to her indomitable spirit, he breaks his rule of never becoming personally involved with his clientele and is determined to fully awaken her desires.
A recent widow, Selena Sheffield, Duchess of Lushing, has never known passion, not until Aiden’s slow, sensual seduction leads her on a journey of discovery and incredible pleasure. But her reasons for visiting the notorious club are not all that they seem.
As Selena’s motives become complicated by love, she finds herself with a most unexpected choice: forge ahead with a secret plan that could secure her future—or follow her heart which could prove ruinous.
My Review.
It would be difficult not to sympathise with Selena, or to fall for Aiden. She is a recent widow, supposedly constrained by the rules of society. While he, as the proprietor of a scandalous ladies’ club, follows no rules at all. Both characters are appealing, and the sparks soon start to fly, with delicious conversations, and even more delicious love scenes.
This is the first book in the series that I’ve read. Luckily, there was sufficient information for me to pick up who the other characters were. I will be reading more of this series.
That brings me to the end of my May reading. Funnily enough, and for no particular reason, June sees me reading more crime and thrillers. I look forward to your company then. Meanwhile, if TV is boring, can I suggest you get lost in a good book?
Sonia Bellhouse- Author. 