Category: contemporary

Gluttons for Punishment.

Book Review for “The Feast” by Margaret Kennedy. Summary: "Cornwall, Midsummer 1947. Pendizack Manor Hotel is buried in the rubble of a collapsed cliff. Seven guests have perished, but is it murder, and what brought this strange assembly together for a moonlit feast before this Act of God - or Man? Over the week before … Continue reading Gluttons for Punishment. →

Acton In and Out.

Book Review for “One True Loves” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Summary: "In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and … Continue reading Acton In and Out. →

TCL’s #6Degrees of Separation for June 3, 2023.

From “Friendaholic” by Elizabeth Day to “The Phantom's Apprentice” by Heather Webb. This is a monthly link-up hosted by KateW at Books Are My Favourite and Best. Each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to … Continue reading TCL’s #6Degrees of Separation for June 3, 2023. →

Dine with Older Dears.

Book Review for “The Silver Ladies Do Lunch” by Author. Summary: "When Lin, Josie and Minnie left Miss Hamilton’s class at Middleton Ferris County Primary School, sixty years ago, they could only dream about what the future had in store for them.  The one thing they knew for certain was that their friendship would thrive. … Continue reading Dine with Older Dears. →

Topping Up Destiny.

Book Review for “The President's Hat” by Antoine Laurain. Summary: "Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can hardly believe his eyes when President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the table next to him. Daniel’s thrill at being in such close proximity to the most powerful man in the land … Continue reading Topping Up Destiny. →

#ShortStorySunday – TCL’s Homework.

Four Short Reviews for Four Irish Short Stories. In preparation for my writers' retreat in Ireland in September (with Claire Keegan - author of "Foster" and "Small Things Like These" which were just amazing), participants were requested to read the novel "The Barracks" by John McGahern, as well as the following short stories: “The Tent” … Continue reading #ShortStorySunday – TCL’s Homework. →

The In Between Time.

Book Review for “Ex-Wife” by Ursula Parrott. Summary: "It's 1924, and Peter and Patricia have what looks to be a very modern marriage. Both drink. Both smoke. Both work, Patricia as a head copywriter at a major department store. When it comes to sex with other people, both believe in “the honesty policy.” Until they … Continue reading The In Between Time. →

Profoundly Different and Profoundly the Same.

Book Review for “The Barracks” by John McGahern. Summary: "Elizabeth Reegan, after years of freedom and loneliness, marries into the enclosed Irish village of her upbringing. The children are not her own; her husband is straining to break free from the servile security of the police force; and her own life, threatened by illness, seems … Continue reading Profoundly Different and Profoundly the Same. →

TCL’s #6Degrees of Separation for May 6, 2023.

From “Hydra” by Adriane Howell to “Ever Rest” by Roz Morris. This is a monthly link-up hosted by KateW at Books Are My Favourite and Best. Each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all … Continue reading TCL’s #6Degrees of Separation for May 6, 2023. →

#CCSpin 33 Review – La Traviata.

Book Review for “The Lady of the Camellias” by Alexandre Dumas fils. Summary: "Marguerite Gautier is a courtesan in the city of Paris. The symbol of her character is the camellia, pale and cold. She was once a needleworker who, while taking a rest cure in Bagneres, was befriended by a wealthy duke whose daughter … Continue reading #CCSpin 33 Review – La Traviata. →