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.

White Teeth b y Zadie Smith

Yes, at the urging of Andi at Estella’s Revenge I’m attempting to read more of my own damn books, and this one has been sitting on my shelf for far too long. I mean who hasn’t read White Teeth by Zadie Smith by now? And yes, it was just as great as I thought it would be. The cultural melting pot of London and all that. But, I am a Zadie Smith fan.

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.

Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman

Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman is one of the books I’ve received as part of my monthly subscription to the Willoughby Book Club. They always send me the best books! But the reason I picked up Pigeon English now is because Kelman will be appearing at the Edinburgh International Books Festival this year. His new book, Man on Fire, looks amazing but isn’t out until August so I don’t know if I’ll get it read before seeing him.

The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

To start off, I am an unabashed fan of Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, aka the brains behind Go Fug Yourself. I am also intrigued by all things royal, a trait common among Canadians but not so much here in Scotland. So it should come as no surprise that I loved – LOVED – The Royal We.

The House of Hidden Mothers by Meera Syal

I have so many thoughts and feelings about The House of Hidden Mothers by Meera Syal that it is hard to know where to begin. First, I’ll say that I really enjoyed this novel, more than I expected to. It is a triumph that tackles so many different issues faced by women in today’s world. As always, Syal writes with humour and grace that never belittles the experiences of her characters.

The Last Treasure Hunt by Jane Alexander

The Last Treasure Hunt by Jane Alexander was pitched to me as “not my usual fare”, that is, it isn’t really literary fiction. But The Last Treasure Hunt has such a great premise that I couldn’t resist. Cam is thrown into the spotlight after reuniting with a childhood friend turned Hollywood starlet. The books is equal parts “getting the gang back together” and modern media cautionary tale.

Meeting the English by Kate Clanchy

I received a signed copy of Meeting the English by Kate Clanchy from Willoughby Book Club‘s wonderful book subscription service. As with many of the books I get from them, I had never heard of Meeting the English but it was another example of the types of books I want to be reading to expand my knowledge of contemporary British fiction now that I’m living in these fair Isles. It was nominated for the Costa First Novel Award, an award that truly identifies books I love.