November Round Up

 I managed five books this month and two of those Library books and one was a book that was lent to me. It pains me to say it but I'm actively trying not to acquire so many books. I'm getting old. And I don't know what will happen to them when I put my clogs. So I've been giving some away. I'm not finding easy but I'm trying to be sensible. Five books is quite low for me, but the Philip Pullman was over 600 pages but that's a pathetic excuse. Bottom line is I didn't read as much this month as I've done in previous months. Does it matter? Of course not.

This book was one of those rare things nowadays - a copy from a publisher to read, review and blog about. I did all of those things. Here.   https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-bookbinders-secret-adbell.html

One of life's little coincidences. I had a free trial of the streaming platform from Paramount. And one of the films they had on offer was called The Substance. I remembered that it had been up for several awards. I didn't actually enjoy the film to be honest. It was pretty gory. And then in my local library I saw this autobiography from one of the film's stars, Demi Moore. I remembered her Work from earlier decades and there was always a hint of controversy about some of them. So I thought the book might be worth a read. It was okay. I quite enjoyed it but as an autobiography, it didn't stand out as anything special.

A long wait for the final part of the story. Was it worth it? Was it worth the wait? For me, it was. I've been enthralled by the whole saga and story of Lyra. I felt very sad that this is it. The end. And if I'm honest, I was a little disappointed by the conclusion. For it didn't seem conclusive, but maybe it never could be. It feels as if all the stories is now converge in this final volume. There's some nailbiting moments and the final denouement is a white knuckle ride. But I guess there's an element that even though our journey is at an end, the characters will endure and go forward and go forth with their lives and we can only imagine how that would be.

A friend lent this to me. The same friend that lent me the Susan Lewis book I read in July! This one was much longer and more convoluted. I regarded it as a bit of light relief after the 600+ pages of the Philip Pullman.

And my month rounds itself out with a Library book and a booker prize winner no less. Book awards always puzzle me to a degree. I like to try and read the winner and I often find myself wondering why it is this particular book that has gone at such an accolade. What is it that makes this book better than all the others. I don't know. I did enjoy it. I thought it was well written. I found it a very dispassionate exploration of one man's life, his rise and fall. But it's very clever, for the economy of words conveys as much as a verbose tale. It's all paired down to a minimum.

This Small Moment's Shelter - Imogen Scott

 

I always read poetry aloud. To me it seems the most natural way to enjoy the medium. I’ve even been known to record myself reading poetry aloud to listen to at a later date. But I don’t like hearing the sound of my own voice played back, so I don’t do it that often! Sometimes it can be quite hard to read a poem aloud the first time that you see it. However, with this absolutely delightful and thought-provoking collection from Imogen Scott I found it unbelievably easy. The words just flowed, and I found as I read them out loud (only to myself) the meaning and the intention behind these words became so much more than if I had simply read them from the printed page.

 

As with many collections of poetry interpretation lies very much in the hands of the reader. Words, phrases resonate and draw you further in to join the poet who has laid their soul bare to share with you their take on living and life.

 

The collection is something of a meditation upon the fragility and transience of life and invites us to take a moment to shelter beneath a canopy of intricate words. It’s a collection for those of us worn raw by the shifts all around us who long for some stasis.

 

The language is tender yet uncompromising, fierce yet delicate. 

 

‘It’s on the tip of your tongue,

the promise of a life where each moment bleeds,

screaming to be seen, 

like a pressure on your chest.

 

There’ll be plenty more days, 

but there will never be enough.

 

There’s a perception and astuteness to the rhythms of life within a natural world and that intrinsic ability to philosophise that seems to exist within folk of certain sensibilities.

 

We do not know of the gods,

except the laws that make up

the world in which we inhabit,

immediate or otherwise.

 

Who’s to say that the magic of it

doesn’t live up in the trees,

sketched into the underbelly

of roots that reach to one another

like hands under the earth.

 

That the mushroom does not bear witness.

to the greater folds of universes,

trapped inside one another

like the curves of a seashell.

I could continue to quote great swathes of the book. But I think it would be much better if you were to seek out a copy for yourself! But perhaps I’ll end with one last, shorter poem, in its entirety, entitled Divided.

 

I feel my time is limited,

and sometimes feel the brush of it behind me,

like a hand reaching across a divide.

I was told it was a thin veil,

a sheet in the wind, hung up to dry,

and you are standing behind it.

 

Apparently, this is a debut collection. It doesn’t read like a debut collection, it reads like an experienced poet. I 

absolutely love it.

 

My thanks to the author and to Librarything for a gifted copy.

 

 

The Bookbinder's Secret - A.D.Bell

 When you’re a book lover and you get an historical fiction book that’s about books which is also a mystery and a story with a story then you’ve hit the jackpot!

The Bookbinder’s Secret is all of those things. I was absorbed from the first word to the last full stop. It also allowed me into a world I had not encountered before – bookbinding. In fact, the book world in general and it seems that the world of books at the turn of the century had its darker side. Although the book begins in 1901, I did find there was quite a Victorian feel to the story.

Enter Lillian, Lily, daughter of a book seller and an apprentice bookbinder. Not a run of the mill profession back then and another compelling aspect of this story is the place of the women in a professional world and the attitudes they encountered. Sometimes, sadly, it feels that not everything has changed. 

Lily is an interesting character. Strong, stubborn maybe, very resourceful. But possessed of an indomitable spirit. There were times when I found her hard to like but overall, I celebrated her resilience and her perseverance. There are some other really great characters in the book. I couldn’t help feeling such affection for Mr Caxton. And I loved Ambrose Fane, he did provide a little light relief for me certainly. 

The catalyst for the story is Lily’s acquisition of a burned book. Hidden underneath the binding of that book she finds a letter that hints of romance and homicide. Intrigued by her find Lily wants to know more. And it is this curiosity that sends her spiralling into a mystery that threatens her and those she loves. And I’m reluctant to give too much more away!

 

Well researched, well-paced and plotted ,it is a dark story that somehow seems perfect for autumn and winter days. The ending is largely redemptive and whether it is the author’s intention or not there was a strong hint that there may be more stories of Lily and the world of books to follow. Unless that’s just wishful thinking on my part! My understanding is that this is the first book by this writer. I fervently hope that it is not the last.

 

My thanks to HQ stories for a gifted copy. 

 

First Dawn Breaks - L.G.Jenkins

 

Dystopian fiction as a genre seems to lend itself to series of books rather than standalone fictions. That can be extremely enjoyable. When a whole new world has been created with characters who almost start to become your friends.(I know, I need to get out more!), a dictatorial,  totalitarian regime dominates that world and you long for those opposing it to win you hungrily, feverishly, turn the pages and bemoan the ending of one book but you know there’s going to be another!T Even if you have to wait a while for it. The anticipation is there.The problem arises when you come to the final book in a series. You’ve longed for it. You’ve got it, you’ve read it and then ……..that’s it. There’s that sense of loss when you’ve turned that last page.

I’ve just finished First Dawn Breaks, the fourth and final book in the Merit Hunter series. I’ve been with this series since the beginning. The honour I have bestowed upon this author is that I have read it as an online PDF. The reason that is an honour is because I LOATHE e-reading! But I just couldn’t wait to find out what happened. I have ordered a signed hardcopy of the book, but it has yet to arrive.

I have written about all three books on my blog. I’ll put the links here. Please note, though that the titles of the first two have been changed.  Crown Worthy is now Sun of Endless Days. Stolen Crowns is now Storm at Dusk.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2021/04/crowned-worthy-lg-jenkins-blog-tour.html

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2022/01/stolen-crowns-lgjenkins.html

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2024/12/quiet-echoes-at-night-lgjenkins.html

So what is it about this particular series that so attracts my loyalty? All books embody, that fundamental essence of dystopian fiction - an oppressive regime that exerts an unreasonable control over the population. There's usually some sense of freedom and individuality being lost. People live in fear and anxiety. Technology often plays a large part. It does here in the form of a Watch that records each wearers merit and actions. In this series citizens must earn merit through all of their actions and they are judged on how much merit they have. The setting is the fictional city of Tulo. In the effort to be more productive citizens take drugs to skip sleep.

The two main characters are Ajay Amber's and Genni. There are a couple in the first book but whether that endures in the next three I'll leave you to read and find out! Both of them attempt to steer their way through the system uncovering anomalies along the way. They are both from different backgrounds and perspectives and as the series progresses they both begin to question the ultimate meaning of merit and worth beyond standings and accomplishments, albeit in different ways.

This final book in the series is an explosive conclusion that follows organically from the previous three books. Friendships, family bonds, civil unrest and civic responsibility all play a part as characters we've previously met all seem to come together in one crescendo of rebellion as the seemingly inviolable system collapses. Questions are answered and ends are tied up but not necessarily in a "they all live happily ever after" way. There's room for conjecture. For the most part, it was a satisfying conclusion, but I still feel a sense of loss that there will be no more in the series.

Ultimately, I think the series  invites comparisons with others such as The Hunger Games or the Divergent trilogy. So if you love those worlds and you want to enter a new one, this series is for you.

For me, I also like to see how a writer progresses throughout a series. Can they maintain what they've created in the first book? Can they develop their characters in a believable and relatable way? And the answers to both those questions here or a resounding yes. I think the writing this book is the tightest and most assured of all the books. And I can't wait for my signed copy to arrive so that I can read it again! When it does, I can add my trademark photo with spectacles to this post! (Just done it today!)

My thanks to the author for an advanced PDF copy of the book.

October Round Up

 Well, here we are again! Another monthly roundup of books I've read. I keep this blog going. Sometimes I'm not sure why. Blogging seems to have gone out the window. It's all about reels and videos and stuff nowadays, isn't it. Don't think anybody wants to read reviews. Or maybe it's just my reviews nobody wants to read! I don't blog about every book I read like I used to, it can be a bit random. Nevertheless, I carry on because it's in my nature to do so. Never give up. Never surrender!

First up this month was Syd Moores The Great Deception. Syd Moore is a local author and she visits my local bookshop. And I love it that she remembers me! Since I see myself as an instantly forgettable sort of person, it does do my self-esteem good. This is the second book in a trilogy about the Nazis's obsession with the occult.  The first one was called The Grand Illusion and I blogged about it here.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-grand-illusion-syd-moore.html

I've also blogged about the second book here

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-great-deception-syd-moore.html

This month seems to have been a good month for Library books. (I've read 4 so far!) The trouble is when I reserve a book and go in and collect it I usually find something else that takes my fancy. But I reserved this one of Holly Seddon's the moment I saw the publication date. I love her books and this latest called 59 Minutes is quite something. The premise is and I'm hopefully offering no spoilers, if you had just 59 minutes until a nuclear bomb impacted, what would you do with that time? But the incredible thing was that a couple of weeks ago she came to my local bookshop! I couldn't believe my eyes. So I went to the event and I was sitting there minding my own business waiting for it to start when another author, Fiona Cummins, came in recognised me (perhaps I'm not as forgettable as I thought!), sat at my table and we chatted. Fiona and Holly are friends. Then Holly Seddon and Kit Conway came in, made my table their base so there I was sitting surrounded by three incredible writers! It was fascinating to hear Holly talk about the book and her writing processes.

Eden, The Final Solution by Pascal Bouquillard was a book that I won in a Librarything giveaway. And I really enjoyed it. It's a dystopian novel It was very thought-provoking and I blogged about it here.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/10/eden-final-solution-pascal-bouquillard.html

Amanda James and The Midnight Bookshop kept popping into my Instagram feed and I popped in a. request for it at my library. It's a good book for book lovers. Full of magic. And if like me books are your salvation then you'll understand this story which suggests how healing and consoling books can be. 

One of those books that I picked up from the library without any real intent but I suppose because  Ozzy Osbourne has been in the news lately it resonated with me. I have to say I did enjoy it. I think there has been previous autobiographies of his but this one seems to focus on his later years and all his health issues. It's as frank and candid and as irreverent as Ozzy was. I enjoyed reading it. It's called Last Rites. It suggests he knew he didn't have long left.

And yet another Library book – When Gavin Met Stacey – by, not surprisingly, James Corden and Ruth Jones. I think you have to be a Gavin and Stacey fan to enjoy this book. But if you are, you've probably heard some of the anecdotes before. But it didn't really distract from the enjoyment of the book. Which really is two friends chatting in print about this journey they've been on.

Just finished this one and I've yet to blog about it. It's the final part of the Merit Hunters series by L.G.Jenkins. Having read all the others I just had to read this one. And I was invited by the author to sign up to a little group of people who enjoy the books.  Lydia sent me an advance reading copy. It was an e-book which I loathe. But when you really want to read something and you can't wait for the book to be published you have to take yourself out of your comfort zone! My eyes don't enjoy reading. And I can't do it at night so I could only read it in daylight which took me much longer than usual. No photo until I receive my signed copy. I will be blogging about it in the next few days. So watch this space!😂

Eden The Final Solution - Pascal Bouquillard

 The most chilling dystopian fictions are those that offer us a timeline that is not so far removed from our own. A timeline that we can see in the distance approaching ominously. When you add to that a main character called Winston and some supporting characters called Julia, Emmanuel, O Brien and Catherine (does the ‘C’ or ‘K’ matter?) the reader is catapulted into an Orwellian frame of mind. Oh, and much of the narrative takes place in 2084. Homage to Cormac McCarthy and maybe Philip K Dick too sneak into the plot of Pascal Bouquillard’s mesmerizing novel. But most chilling of all, once you are immersed fully into the fiction, is ‘The Final Solution’ which is surely there to echo the Nazi euphemism for genocide. I apologize if that may be construed as a spoiler. It won’t be for many, but I appreciate that perhaps younger readers may not be familiar with the ‘Final Solution’.

Good dystopian fiction takes a current reality or realities and pushes them forward to  boundaries or beyond. But to work there must be a logic to the pushing of these boundaries. Is there a logic in Eden? I should say so. And how!

A common theme in the world of dystopia is some kind of dictator, some all-powerful, all-knowing individual, whose obsessions carry them over the brink of normalcy. Here it is an unendearing character, Nucleus, who is running the show. He names his children, Christ, and Electra J! That gives you plenty to conjure with!

We can see how issues such as genetic modification, our enslavement  to wealth, our embracing of recreational substances can create an apocalypse of sorts. And something that the novel suggested to me was that you take everything to extremes and ask the question whether there’s any redemption or way back from the devastation. I won’t go down the spoiler route to enlighten you, you need to read the book for yourself!

This appears to be a first novel. But it doesn’t read like one. It reads like an experienced author comfortable in his writing skin. It’s a powerful, muscular almost, narrative that draws the reader willingly along. Whilst much of it is dark, and I’ve mentioned chilling before, there are some lighter moments. I loved the writers use of Pear and Androgene instead of Apple and Android! And there are some passages that could’ve come straight out of Henry Miller. 

None of us know what is ahead. We can hazard a guess. We can almost see the way. some things are headed. When you get old like I am, there’s a fear for the younger generations. The technological age may well be our downfall, if it isn’t already. That and money…….

If you enjoy dystopian fiction. If you revere Orwell and other writers of his ilk.And if you philosophize about what lies ahead for this planet, and for mankind then this book is perfect for you.

My thanks to the author for an inscribed copy via Library thing.

The Great Deception - Syd Moore

 

 

Did you know that the British invaded Iceland during World War II? No, I didn’t. And I still wouldn’t if it hadn’t been for Syd Moore’s latest book, The Grand Deception. I think we owe a huge debt to authors like Syd who bring to our wider consciousness events that we know little or nothing about yet have some significant impact on the passage of history.

 

The Grand Deception is the second part of a trilogy, Section W, which looks at how British Intelligence attempted to thwart the course of the war by exploiting the Third Reich’s obsession with the occult. 

 

Syd Moore doesn’t just do research, she lives it, breathes it and experiences it and as such allows her readers an enriching experience that is the essence of good historical fiction. She’s also happy to share the fruits of her labours with her readers. If you ever have the opportunity to attend one of her talks, then I urge you to do so. Because you learn so much, in an entertaining way, and it does so much to enhance your reading of her books.

 

The Grand Deception is set in Iceland where Daphne Devine has the task of locating a clairvoyant who is suspected of collaborating with the Nazis. The essence and magic of Iceland is palpably created, and the sense of magic, superstition and folklore imbibe their way fully into the narrative so that the country becomes another character almost.

But as well as being a work of historical fiction, it’s also a thriller. Syd Moore skilfully creates a seamless fusion between the historical facts and the creativity of fiction. Daphne and those who associate with her find themselves in some perilous situations. There are secrets to be uncovered if Daphne can overcome the threats from those who seek to outwit and outrun her. All her efforts are hampered by the need to survive in an, often, hostile environment. There are some twists, the impact of one will depend on you having read the first book in the series The Grand Illusion for full effect. There is some sadness and there are some breath holding moments. But I’ve never been Queen of the Spoilers and I’m not about to start yet! And the closing pages of the book make it clear that the story is far from over. 

 

Daphne is an interesting character. Having read the previous book, I was curious to see how she developed. There’s something harder, more ruthless, slightly less compassionate about her in this story. Which I guess would happen to somebody who’s been thrust into life as an undercover operative in the middle of WWII! She remains feisty and self-analytical. I am keen to see what happens to her next. There are a couple of other recurring characters, but they don’t play such a big part. We see the Icelandic characters through Daphne’s eyes, that element of incomprehensibility when two cultures collide and both sides are making the effort to understand the other. I particularly liked the character of Anna; there was something enigmatic about her. 

 

So, if you’re a fan of historical fiction, if you enjoy a good thriller, if you like war stories, if you’re into spiritualism and the occult, if you like your female characters strong then this is the book for you. Bring on Book Three!

The Water That May Come – Amy Lilwall

A writer new to me, always an exciting prospect and I quickly found myself completely engrossed in this book. It’s very pertinent in terms of global warming and the environmental crisis that our country, and indeed the world, faces. Here the threat is from the rising seas that threaten to flood the country. So, in a sense it is a dystopian novel, but it’s not so far removed from our current reality. And that makes it quite a chilling read in many respects. The characters, as diverse as they are, all needing to make plans for an exodus from the UK as they fear that most of it will soon be underwater. And I found myself wondering what I would do if faced with this situation, this environmental catastrophe.

 

The writing is tight and assured with a narrative that flows as imposingly as the flooding it predicts. The characters are well defined, believable and relatable. Their mix gives the story a balance that broadens its appeal. These characters find themselves in situations that would be thought provoking and challenging even without the added provocation of a Biblical type of deluge!

 

Escape seems the only option, and many seek to flee to Europe but immigration poses its issues, as well we know, so a new law is passed, The Intimacy Law. I don’t want to go down the spoiler route but creatively and imaginatively this was genius, I thought! Morally disturbing though.

 

Amy Lilwall writes with astute compassion, yet she doesn’t flinch from the harsher aspects of life. I enjoyed the way the book encouraged me to think and ponder. There were several unanswered questions and room for the reader to allow their own imaginations into play. The dynamic between all the characters, with their quirks and personalities, their motivations and the quest for survival render the fiction a fascinating exercise in literary people watching.

 

I found the conclusion a tad anti-climactic if I’m honest. That may be because I didn’t really want the book to end! Or because it also made me confront some uncomfortable truths about our world and our environment?

My thanks to Isabelle Kenyon and Fly on the Wall Press for a gifted copy.

September Round Up

A leaner month, this month, because I’ve only managed six books. No particular reason, just the way it’s panned out. However, four of them have been Library books which I find very pleasing. There was a time when I was getting numerous books from publishers to review that I found it hard to fit in Library books. But because I don’t get quite so many now, it does mean I can use my Library more. Another reason I’m using my Library more is because I have just got so many books, I’ve had to consciously curb my book buying. That sounds sacrilege, doesn’t it? But I’m getting old and when I finally pop my clogs, somebody’s got to clear all these books out and find somewhere for them. I feel it’s irresponsible for me to keep adding to them. So, a lot of books that I might previously have bought, I am reserving at the Library. I’m also glad that authors do benefit from my borrowing. I know that the Public Lending Right scheme provides direct payment to authors for each loan and I’m sure there must be a host of other benefits to for both author and publisher so I don’t feel quite so bad about doing it. But I’m wittering on so without further ado let’s get to the roundup.

 

A friend of mine mentioned that she'd found a Dawn French book at a charity shop and she was really enjoying it. It reminded me that somewhere on my TBR shelves I had a Dawn French book that’s been languishing there for years. I used to belong to a website community called Read It Swap It. Basically, you offered up your superfluous books and swapped them with one of the other members for one of their superfluous books. And that was how I came about this Dawn French book. It’s called According to Yes. I found it to be an engaging story about British Rosie quitting the UK for a job as a nanny to a somewhat privileged American family. Rosie challenges the regime of the house somewhat and there is a rather unlikely premise that I’m unwilling to divulge because it would be a spoiler yet it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the book as much it could possibly have done. The book had an easy narrative flow to it, and I quite liked Rosie as a character. Plus, there was something satisfying about relieving my TBR shelf of one of its probably oldest residents.

 

Next up is a library book – R.F.Kuang’s Katabasis. I was delighted to snaffle a copy of this so soon after publication, although I had put in my request a while back. I think I may even have got a pristine unread copy. I just can’t make up my mind about this author. I read Babel and Yellowface. I enjoyed them both although I thought Babel was perhaps over long. I think Yellowface suffered from a lot of social media hype and whilst I enjoyed its savage satire, I’m not sure it lived up to the hype. Katabasis though is hell to read! Pun Intended. It’s complex and ambitious. Pure fantasy. Yet it offers some thoughts about the world of academia. How the pursuit of the mind and intellectual activities take precedence over the health of the body. It’s also a love story. But probably not anything along the lines of Mills and Boon. It’s a complex plot, an intelligent one. I would say though that the main female character, Alice Law, did get on my nerves a bit. Am I allowed to say that? Well, I have. So there.

 

My third book this month was that unusual thing nowadays a book from a publisher and a place upon a block tour! I was disproportionately over the moon. The book in  question is Appointment in Paris by Jane Thynne.I wrote about it on my blog.

 

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/09/appointment-in-paris-jane-thynne.html

 

Another Library book which I was really interested to read. Ova Ceren’s debut novel The Book of Heartbreak. I think at one point many years ago over she may have been a blogger like myself. I think she moved on to becoming an ‘influencer’ on TikTok and Instagram. But whilst most bloggers and influencers stay on their social media sidelines Ova has only gone and written a book! It’s supposedly a young adult book but I’m an old adult and I really enjoyed it. I was really impressed. It’s well written with a lovely flow to the narrative. It’s well plotted, exciting with a satisfying conclusion. I think many a young adult will really enjoy reading this fantasy story. It’s pitched just right.

 

Probably because of my long recovery from Covid, I haven’t attended as many bookshop events as I did last year. But I’ve had a run lately and I spent the most enjoyable evening listening to Jo Wood. Jo is probably the highest profile celebrity who’s been to the bookshop. But she was an absolute delight. So down to earth and genuine. And she’s written a novel. I haven’t read it yet it’s sitting there patiently waiting for me, but I was so interested in everything Jo had to say that I found her autobiography in the library and I read that. My goodness what a life she’s led. And I feel even more privileged to have chatted with her and had my photo taken with her. I know it's become something of a cliché now for anybody with any claims to fame to write a memoir or an autobiography, I’ve read some that are dire, but this isn’t one of them. It’s really engaging and entertaining.

I read Nydia Hetherington‘s A Girl Made of Air and was completely captivated by it. It contains one of my favorite names for a character of all time – Serendipity Wilson! I wrote about the book on my blog.

 https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-girl-made-of-air-nydia-hetherington.html

So I was delighted to find a copy of her next book, Sycorax, sitting on the Library shelf, begging me to take it out on loan. I obliged willingly. Sycorax is the witch in Shakespeare’s the Tempest, never seen, but described as a witch in the mother of Caliban. Nydia Hetherington has created a wonderful fictional tale of Sycorax from her origins right through to the birth of her son, Caliban. It’s a richly imagined tale, encompassing issues, such as living with chronic pain, isolation, and being an outcast as well as weaving a wondrous story of a lesser character.

  

Appointment in Paris – Jane Thynne

 

My introduction to Jane Thynne was via her two dystopian novels, Widowland and Queen High, under the name C.J.Carey. Both stories had mind blowing premises; the former saw the UK having submitted to Germany and the latter, a sequel, where Wallis Simpson is the reigning monarch! Both stories make for thought provoking reads. 

So, I jumped at the chance to read Appointment in Paris which appears to be a second story featuring Harry Fox and Stella Fry, the first being Midnight in Vienna.

 

Whilst a distinctly different genre there were recognisable elements of style and narrative that I had come to enjoy and admire from Thynne/Carey’s work.  Appointment in Paris is an espionage thriller set in those dramatic days before the outbreak of WWII. Set in both the UK and France the catalyst for the story’s evolution is Trent Park, a stately home once owned by Siegfried Sassoon’s cousin, Philip Sassoon. After Sasson’s death the house was requisitioned by the government to house captured Germans and extract information from them via ‘listeners’.

 

Everything is thrust into disarray when the body of a Luftwaffe officer is found in the grounds and on that same day one of the ‘listeners’ goes missing.  Fears that they could expose the entire operation ignite a desperate search to find them ensues. MI5 step in to engage the services of Harry Fox and pair him up with his previous associate, Stella Fry. 

 

What follows is a work of historical fiction, diligently researched, an authentic atmosphere palpably created and populated with believable characters which moves along at a steady pace. It is not a white-knuckle thriller but it is very much a thriller. Something I admired was how subtle and underplayed some of the events, were creating a sense of unease and impending danger that seemed all the more thrilling for not being thrust obviously in the readers’ path. Something of a mystery story, too, as identities and motives are unfurled. I had to chuckle in some places for as I came to a realisation or conclusion it was often echoed by Harry, and I ended up thinking that he and I would make a good team! 

 

The relationship between Stella and Harry is adroitly depicted. There’s an element of will they, won’t they, but there’s no, shall we say, exclusivity!

 

Something else I found quite delightful was the inclusion of real-life characters. And I am loathe to identify them here because I would see that as a spoiler. It was something else that reminded me of the C.J. Carey books, where Wallace Simpson is Queen of England.

 

The conclusion is satisfying yet there is a sense of an unresolved connection between Fox and Fry so it paves the way potentially for more from Harry and Stella. I hope so. In the mean time I shall seek out a copy of Midnight in Vienna.

 

My thanks to Emily Patience and Quercus Books for a gifted copy and spot upon the blog tour. 

 

 

August Round Up

 Here we are again, another month and I still continue with this round up even though I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who reads it! Never mind. It exists as a diary of my monthly reading. My fears that my age was slowing down my reading were unfounded. I'm back to my average eight books a month total with a decent variety of genre.

First up was a birthday gift. Amy Jeffs' Saints. I've read her previous two books and thoroughly enjoyed therm. I won't say I didn't enjoy this, but I felt it lacked the impact that the other two had on me. It was interesting enough and as usual Amy's research is impeccable but I felt it was lacklustre  compared to the first two.

Next, in a real genre switch, was Amy Lilwall with The Water That May Come. I say genre switch because I read somewhere that this is categorised as cli-fi. Yes, you read that correctly. It's short for climate fiction, I guess. I found it to be an utterly compelling and riveting read until perhaps the latter stage is when I felt it fell off a bit. It was sent to me by the brilliant Isabelle Kenyon from Fly on the Wall Press. It's not published till October so I'm sitting on my review until then. 

William Shaw is one of those authors whose books I will always read. The Red Shore is billed as an Eden Driscoll mystery which suggests it might be the start of a new series. I've no problem with that. I've enjoyed all of William Shaw's detectives, Breen and Tozer, Alexandra Cupidi and the stand alone novels. All crime stories, all well plotted with flawed yet endearing characters. Stories that keep you guessing right till the end. Keep 'em coming, William.

I was waiting to collect a Library book that I'd reserved. And I wasn't the only person that had reserved it so I wanted to make sure I wasn't in the middle of a lengthy tome when I picked it up and I could begin it straight away. I had this book by Susanna Clarke sitting on my shelf. It suggested from the blurb that it's a Christmassy tale, but I didn't mind that. I've loved both of Susanna Clarke's books. In fact, Piranesi is on my forever shelf, it's so wonderful. This didn't disappoint. Quirky, magical, enchanting, it tells of Merowdis who can talk to trees and animals. It has the feel of an allegorical tale and I've a feeling this is going to go on my forever shelf too. (My forever shelf is those books that have such an impact on me. I want to read them again before I die).

And here's the library book I was waiting for! Sophie Haydock's Madame Matisse. I loved The Flames so I was really excited to see what she'd come up with next. Again it's art themed. I reviewed it on my blog here.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/08/madame-matisse-sophie-haydock.html

I read a Robert Harris book when I was the fortunate recipient of the entire long list for the Walter Scott historical fiction prize in 2023, Act of Oblivion. I enjoyed the book and I gave it to my yoga teacher who is a Harris fan and she reciprocated by giving me her copy of Pompeii. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it very engrossing. I like the way it was seen through the eyes of four different characters and I think I engaged most with the young engineer, Marcus Attilius. Harris always makes his books believable. The research is incredible. And I learned a lot about aqueducts.

Next up, another Library book, Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I was very excited to read this as I loved her previous two books. And this was wonderful. I wrote about it on my blog.

https://bookphace.blogspot.com/2025/08/atmosphere-taylor-jenkins-reid.html

Finally, this month a book from the good folks at HQ stories Phoenicia Rogerson's Aphrodite. There was a whole spate of Greek myth influenced fiction a while back and I thought maybe the infatuation with mythology had ended. But it certainly hasn't. This was joyous. A quirky, witty romp through the lives and loves of mortals and gods with Aphrodite as the main character. I suppose I may find it irreverent but I didn't. I just love the audacity of the goddess of love! Girl Power, heck yeah!

Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

It might be something of a cliché to say that this book is ‘out of this world’ but it is, and literally in parts!

If a book can make you cry, does that make it a good book? 

Maybe space stories are becoming a ‘thing’ like novels about Greek mythology became and still are a ’thing’. After all a space story won the Booker prize and whilst I don’t think this story will reach those heights, I found it to be an extraordinarily good book. And I cried.

 

Not only is it a cracking good tale but it is rich with atmosphere and some profound speculations and philosophies regarding love, life, God and more. Thematically it looks at the place of women in a male dominated world, female empowerment, attitudes towards sexuality and the impact on life choices. 

 

I suppose it could be considered an historical novel given that it is set in the 1970’s/1980’s when space travel and NASA seemed to be solely the domain of men. We learn of what it takes to become an astronaut, which is fascinating, and we also find out what happens when a mission goes horribly wrong.

 

But the book is subtitled – A Love Story – and it is very much one. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll say no more about. But, reader, I cried. It could be argued that it errs on the side of sentimental but, regardless of that, it seems to work. I guess it’s also about love on several levels, romantic, sexual, familial, parental, love of one’s occupation and interests. 

 

The characters, Joan and Vanessa particularly, seem to be the antithesis of Taylor Jenkins Reid previous characters, I’m thinking perhaps of Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Eveyln Hugo, because they seem less flawed in a sense. Joan is almost perfect!!

 

I think this story really cemented in my mind the importance of structure in a novel. Not that I wasn’t aware of it before, but the arrangement of the timelines impacted greatly on my emotional response to the characters and the action. The story begins in 1984 during a crisis, but Reid takes us back several years to gives us the perspectives and backstories before returning, strategically, to the space drama. Each time we return there we know a little more about the characters which affords the reader a much more intense response to the event that is unfolding. It’s very powerful

 

I found it to be a compelling and absorbing story, and I defy anyone not to go looking at the night sky after they’ve read it. That is, if you didn’t already look at the night sky. 

Madame Matisse – Sophie Haydock

 

It seems that Sophie Haydock may be carving a little niche for herself as a champion of women in art. Specifically women as muses and soul mates to and of artists. Egon Schiele’s muses were the focus for The Flames and here, I think the title gives it away, the wife of Henri Matisse dominates much of the narrative, along with Lydia Delectorskaya and Marguerite, Matisse’s daughter from his first marriage. 

 

Each woman is given a voice in this latest imagining and Haydock skilfully guides us through the tangle of these women’s lives and their relationships to and with Matisse. 

And whilst Amelie and Henri are not quite Sharon and Ozzy it is apparent how large a part she played in his career. All the women have their own kind of strength palpably depicted by Sophie Haydock. I always think the mark of good historical fiction is where the reader goes scuttling off to research further because the story has piqued their interest. I became fascinated by these women, particularly Amelie and Lydia and was keen to read more about them, and after some googling to see photos too, which gave me another dimension.

 

But I would not have done that if Sophie Haydock’s story was not so beautifully written and so thoroughly researched. That period in art comes alive with all the vibrancy of Matisse’s palette and the reader is transported into the very fabric of their lives and becomes invested in all of them. She highlights their rivalries objectively and accurately one feels, the fusing of fact and fiction is seamless, immersive and completely believable. And the writing is as colourful as the paintings being described. 

One also gets a flavour of the life of an artist in 1930’s France and the context within which Matisse lived and worked. A most enjoyable read. 

 

 

July Round Up

 Fewer books this months compared to previous ones. I don’t know what the reason for that is. Maybe as I’m aging and slowing down even my reading is slowing down!

First up this month, Jacinda Arden’s, A Different Kind of Power. I bought this with my birthday money. I can remember during lockdown admiring how she dealt with the pandemic in her country. I know she’s since received some flack for it and that’s putting it mildly. But I did enjoy reading the book and seeing how she came to be Prime Minister of New Zealand. I read some suggestions that it was ghostwritten, but given that she appeared to have written a lot of her own speeches, I’m wondering if she did write it herself. I hope so.

My friend lent me this book. Susan Lewis, and The Girl Who Came Back. An easy, undemanding read. That may seem like a paradox with a psychological thriller, but I find them unexacting reads. Two different timelines, the past and the present. I enjoyed the book and read it quite quickly, although to an extent it was contrived and some of the situations posed some credibility challenges. 

After having read The Burial Plot last month, I realized there was one Elizabeth MacNeal book I hadn’t read, so I borrowed it from the library. The Circus of Wonders, which explores the Victorian obsession with freak shows. I enjoy Elizabeth MacNeal‘s writing, and this one was no exception. I found it thoroughly absorbing, and it seem to totally capture the ambience of that era.

My next book was also a library book. The wonderful Rebecca Wait’s Havoc. And havoc is what it is! It’s not often that you laugh out loud when reading a book but there were two or three occasions when I really did, the writing is so witty. There was a St. Trinians feel about the school as a mysterious illness threatens the well-being and survival of pupils, teachers and school. It’s not all sweetness and light, though there’s some tragedy amidst all the humor. But Wait’s excellent writing dominates, and I shall continue to read her books.

My final book this month is also a library book. Gytha Lodge’s stand-alone Dead to Me. I say standalone, because DCI Jonah Sheens doesn’t feature in it. I felt a twinge of disappointment at this, but I soon forgot all about it as I became immersed in the story. Set amongst the elite world of Cambridge academia, journalist Anna goes undercover to try and solve a suspicious death. Her ex who is a detective is the only person she can trust. I enjoyed the narrative which tells the story from the different perspectives of the characters. It’s twisty and turny. But as always with Gytha Lodge’s work, she strikes a fine balance with her narratives.