Village Missives.

Book Review for “Dear Hugo” by Molly Clavering. Summary: "Sara Monteith makes an ideal correspondent for Hugo Jamieson, brother of her lost love Ivo, killed in the war before they could marry. Her neighbours in the lovely Border village of Ravenskirk don't know that Sara has moved here because it's where Ivo and Hugo grew … Continue reading Village Missives. →

Toddling back into Life.

Book Review for “The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle” by Matt Cain. Summary: "Albert Entwistle is a private man with a quiet, simple life. He lives alone with his cat Gracie. And he’s a postman. At least he was a postman until, three months before his sixty-fifth birthday, he receives a letter from the Royal … Continue reading Toddling back into Life. →

The Nursery’s Nurse.

Book Review for “Mrs. England” by Stacey Halls. Summary: "When newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the … Continue reading The Nursery’s Nurse. →

Cooking Contest Conundrums.

Book Review for “The Kitchen Front” by Jennifer Ryan. Summary: "Two years into WW2, Britain is feeling her losses; the Nazis have won battles, the Blitz has destroyed cities, and U-boats have cut off the supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front … Continue reading Cooking Contest Conundrums. →

TCL’s #DNF Friday #14 – Off-Key Notes.

Why I can't write a Book Review for “Rhapsody” by Mitchell James Kaplan. Summary: "When Katharine “Kay” Swift—the restless but loyal society wife of wealthy banker James Warburg and a serious pianist who longs for recognition—attends a performance of Rhapsody in Blue by a brilliant, elusive young musical genius named George Gershwin, her world is … Continue reading TCL’s #DNF Friday #14 – Off-Key Notes. →

#CCSpin 32 Review – Three Turns to her Future.

Book Review for “Which Way?” by Theodora Benson. Summary: "'There was no one in the room. Blinds and curtains were closed; the light of the skies, if any, was shut out. ... Only the fire was alive, consuming its life-for what? Then the door opened and as Claudia came with hurried steps into the fire's … Continue reading #CCSpin 32 Review – Three Turns to her Future. →

To Soothe a Ravaged Soul.

Book Review for “Keys to Harmony: Memoir of Depression, Daring, and Creativity” by Margalit Jakob. Summary: "A pianist/therapist loses access to a crucial memory. Neither able to play, nor to relinquish her dream, she finds herself in an agonizing limbo. Filled with piercing insights, this is a thrilling book about overcoming depression and reclaiming one's … Continue reading To Soothe a Ravaged Soul. →

Ghost Girl.

Book Review for “Zorrie” by Laird Hunt. Summary: "As a girl, Zorrie Underwood’s modest and hardscrabble home county was the only constant in her young life. After losing both her parents, Zorrie moved in with her aunt, whose own death orphaned Zorrie all over again, casting her off into the perilous realities and sublime landscapes … Continue reading Ghost Girl. →

Oh, Benny!

Book Review for “The Book of Form and Emptiness” by Ruth Ozeki. Summary: "After the tragic death of his beloved musician father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices. The voices belong to the things in his house--a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce. Although Benny doesn't understand what these things … Continue reading Oh, Benny! →

TCL’s #DNF Friday #10 – Migratory Muddle.

Why I can't write a Book Review for “The Last and the First” by Nina Berberova, translated by Marian Schwartz. Summary: "On a crisp September morning, trouble comes to the Gorbatovs' farm. Having fled the ruins of the Russian Revolution, they have endured crushing labour to set up a small farm in Provence. For young … Continue reading TCL’s #DNF Friday #10 – Migratory Muddle. →