Regular visitors to my blog know that at Christmas time I need safe, easy reads to get me through the crazy season in one piece. This year Three Wishes played its part perfectly.The story of a set of triplets - two identical, one fraternal, seemed a bit contrived at the outset, but after a little settling … Continue reading Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty
I am a fan of the Moriarty sisters - Liane, Nicola and Jaclyn - they have all gone off in different directions, genres and target audiences but the one thing they have in common is thoroughly engaging stories, believable characters and the ability to suck me into their world.Jacyln's previous series that wowed my socks … Continue reading The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by Jaclyn Moriarty
I cannot thank Fanda @Classiclit enough for once again hosting #Zoladdiction2017 - one of my favourite readalongs each year! I used this year's readalong to go back to the very beginning of the Rougon-Macquart series, a little worried that reading out of order might muck up the flow of the stories. However, reading part of Brian Nelson's … Continue reading The Fortune of the Rougons by Emile Zola
My Name is Lucy Barton might seem like just another simple mother/daughter story, but like all of Elizabeth Strout's stories there is much more going on under the surface than first meets the eye. Lucy Barton is in hospital for an extended medical procedure. Her husband, busy with his work and their two young girls, arranges … Continue reading My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
I seriously hope there are some Wally Lamb fans out there who can tell me what all the fuss is about or at least that I'll Take You There is simply not an example of his best work.I acknowledge that I am jet-lagged after our big trip away and now a yucky summer head cold … Continue reading I’ll Take You There by Wally Lamb
One of my good friends has been raving about Salt Creek for nearly a year now. I knew I would love it - it has all the things I usually look for in a good book.Strong, interesting female protagonist, fascinating setting (Younghusband Peninsula in South Australia), a lovely cover design and historical fiction based loosely … Continue reading Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar
A good memoir is a true delight and I love it when I find one that catches me by surprise. Memoirs, good memoirs, have the power to heal, to connect, to normalise, to reach out, to understand and to promote empathy. When I picked up the ARC of Spiegelman's I'm Supposed to Protect You From … Continue reading I’m Supposed To Protect You From All This | Nadja Spiegelman
Angle of Repose is Wallace Stegner's Pulitzer prize winning novel from 1971.Stegner created a part fact/part fiction story of life in 1880's America based on the real letters and journals of Mary Hallock Foote. After his book was published, a controversy brewed with some of Foote's descendants about how Stegner went about this merging of … Continue reading Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
Born in Sri Lanka, Savanadasa is now a Melbourne based author and Ruins is his debut novel set in Colombo, Sri Lanka.Ruins is a contemporary novel narrated from multiple points of view.Latha is the Tamil servant of a family at a crossroads of change. The family consists of the disturbed teenage daughter, Anoushka, the bumbling, … Continue reading Ruins by Rajith Savanadasa
Jo's Boys is the final instalment in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women series.It's an odd mix of nostalgia, religion and morality.It's probably the least satisfying of the four stories, but somehow indispensable for its heart-warming conclusion.We see our original little women all grown, married with children of their own. We see the little men approaching … Continue reading Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott
I recently attended a Hardie Grant Egmont roadshow. It was a wonderful chance to meet some of our very talented Australian authors and illustrators for children.One of the teams being interviewed during the evening were Ailsa Wild and Ben Wood - the author and illustrator of the new Squishy Taylor series of books for younger … Continue reading Squishy Taylor and the Bonus Sisters by Ailsa Wild
Most books and movies combine Louisa May Alcott's two stories - Little Women and Good Wives into one.My first copy of the book, when I was about ten, did this. But a couple of years later, I realised that this book was abridged. The language was simplified and the chapters shortened. I was horrified - … Continue reading Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott
How to review a much loved classic that you have read more times than you care to remember?Little Women was such a big part of my childhood.My mum introduced me to her copies of the books at a very early age. They spoke to me. They moved me. I couldn't get enough of them.I was … Continue reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Hopefully this post will be the first sign that life is resuming some semblance of normality here at Brona's Books after our move.The majority of the boxes are unpacked.Most of our stuff has found a new nesting spot.Routines are being re-jigged to fit in around the layout of our new place.Fresh habits are also developing.I … Continue reading The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
It's Monday, but I have nothing new to add to this blogging week.Life is still crazy, busy.And I'm still reading Testament of Youth & The Brain's Way of Healing.ToY is extraordinary - moving & desperate, beautifully written, but it's a slow, thoughtful read and I usually only manage to read a couple of chapters in … Continue reading Back to Blackbrick by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
bronasbooks.com 