Beth's Books (and other bits and bobs)
Feel free to judge this book by its cover, it does what it says on the tin
NW leads the reader into the personal history of NW London through the lives of a colourful cast of characters. Their lives cross as neighbours, friends, lovers and enemies. Author: Zadie Smith Title: NW Press: Penguin Date of Publication: Date of Purchase: March 2019 RRP: £8.99 Price of Purchase: Thank you library card Reading Time: …
Johanna lives in Wolverhampton with her once upon a time musician father, post-natal depressed mother and her four brothers. She has to get out. She has to reinvent herself and build herself into a girl she thinks she’d like to be. This journey takes her into music criticism, sex, love and more sex. But once …
The year is 1900. The young ladies of Appleyard College, Australia set off on a picnic. Five young women disappear that day and only one is ever heard of again. The lives of those closest to these mysterious events are changed forever. The question remains… what happened? Author: Joan Lindsay Title: Picnic at Hanging Rock …
A girl is dead by the end of the year. This novel follows the childhood and middle age of its narrator, Eddie, as he comes to terms with his role in the mysterious murder of a seemingly innocent young woman and the persecution of the supposed killer. The fair marks the start of it the …
Grief is the Thing with Feathers: Max Porter (Faber and Faber) Photo by Tom Swinnen from Pexels A father, his two sons and the crow narrate the experience of grief after the sudden death of a wife and mother. This was beautiful, moving and only made my cry once… (ok twice). I’m in no way a poetry buff. In …
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Author: Michael Ondaatje Title: The English Patient Press: Bloomsbury Date of Publication: 1992 Prizes: Winner of the Man Booker Prize 1992 Date of Purchase: January 2019 RRP: £8.99 Price of Purchase: £2.50 Reading Time: 6 days Rating: 6 I probably didn’t read this correctly. I found myself distracted and skimming, having to go back and …
In light of last week's announcement that the Man Booker is back to plain old Booker after Man Group withdrew its sponsorship I thought it was a good time to share my thoughts on the steady decline of the UK's most prestigious literary prize. I wrote this as part of my studies at Kingston University …
Author: Maggie O’Farrell Title: The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Date of Publication: 2006 Press: Headline (Hachette) RRP: £7.99 Price of Purchase: (Library of Mum) Reading time: 4 days Rating: 7 This started well, hit a road bump and then recovered itself (although the pseudo incestuous relationship felt completely unnecessary to me I know it …
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Author: Stuart Turton Title: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Press: Raven Books (Bloomsbury) Date of Publication: 2018 Prizes: Winner of the Costa First Novel Award 2018 Date of Purchase: December 2018 RRP: £8.99 Price of Purchase: £2.50 Reading Time: 8 days Rating: 9 I needed to get my grubby mitts on this after all …
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Author: Edward St Aubyn Title: Dunbar Press: Vintage (PRH) Date of Publication: 2017 Date of Purchase: December 2018 RRP: £8.99 Price of Purchase: This was a lovely thoughtful gift from my class secret santa Reading Time: 4 days Rating: 2 It’s been a while since I read a ‘bad’ book but I think this might …
Beth's Books (and other bits and bobs) 