Dominion by C.J Sansom

I never would have picked up Dominion by C.J Sansom if it weren’t for Willoughby Book Club, my book subscription service. But it landed on my doorstep and in this political climate, I’ve felt compelled to read it.

Warpaint by Alicia Foster

After reading a few books with weak female characters, Warpaint by Alicia Foster was a welcome change. Here are some women doing it for themselves, and what makes it even better is that the characters are based on real people.

Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave

This may be my first disappointing read of 2017. That’s not to say that Everyone Brave is Forgive isn’t good, just that it wasn’t as good as I had hoped it would be. It was on so many Best of 2016 lists that I had really built it up in my mind. Also, Chris Cleave is a well-respected best-selling author who I’d never read before, so a lot was riding on his reputation.

The Proof of Love by Catherine Hall

I should start by saying that I did not choose this book for myself. The Proof of Love by Catherine Hall wasn’t a book I was dying to read, or one I’d even heard of. Overall the writing is solid and the story is good, but it wasn’t my thing.

The Illuminations by Andrew O’Hagan

Andrew O’Hagan was a new-to-me author. I’d heard of him before, but never read him. I’m not quite sure why, as he seems to have gathered quite the accolades over the years. He seems to have been nominated or won just about every prize there is, he’s a contributor or editor of some of the best magazine. In short, he is a big name in write, at least in the UK. So I was thrilled when Willoughby Book Club sent me The Illuminations by him.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark is one of those iconic Edinburgh novels. I’ve been meaning to read it since moving to Edinburgh almost 5 years ago. It’s physically alive in the streets of the city.

One Long, Hot Summer

So it has been one long, hot summer of me not reading much, and reviewing even less. I’m going to try to rectify all that today with some super short reviews, followed by an afternoon of reading in the sun.

Sweet Caress by William Boyd. If you’re going to read a middle-aged, white male might i suggest Boyd? He’s always been a favorite of mine. I read this on a plane, and while I don’t really remember much about it, I do remember that I liked it. Not my favourite of Boyd’s work, but a strong read just the same.

Mr Fox by Helen Oyeyemi

I always get the feeling that there are certain writers out there who you’re supposed to love if you are truly a cutting-edge book person. Helen Oyeyemi is one of them. I’ve always read positive things about her books, yet there was something holding me back from diving in. That is, until I received Mr Fox as part of my Willoughby Book Club subscription. I almost always adore the books they send me, and out of all of Oyeyemi’s books, Mr Fox is the one that appeals to me the most.

The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota

Well, if The Year of Runaways isn’t a heart-breaking work of staggering genius, then I don’t know what is. To me, it was like a modern, immigrant follow-up to A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, which has long been one of my favorite books. 

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

Sometimes Ian McEwan works for me, sometimes he doesn’t. It’s kind of a crap shoot. With Sweet Tooth he works for me. That, no doubt, has to do with the setting – MI5 during the Cold War, 1970’s London, a young woman making her way in the big, bad city. And like the best of McEwan’s novels, it has a great ending.