A LONG-FORGOTTEN LITERARY GEM from 1938, reissued in a sumptuous new edition. Beautifully stark modernist novel traces the gradual diminution of a woman’s life with pitiless clarity. A MINUS
"Damaged Saints has to prove that what happened last year did not stop them but made them more determined than ever. Sex, amazing characters, and rock and roll - how can you go wrong? 5 stars.
I originally read the Otherland series by Tad Williams in Swedish when it was new, and I remember it made quite an impression on me.
Enough that I've now started re-reading it in English. The impression is perhaps not as strong, but I blame myself for that. 😁
I would througly recommend it to anyone who like sci-fi and especially cyberpunk.
THE FAMILY THAT SLEUTHS TOGETHER…finds out more about themselves and each other in this charming, engrossing California murder mystery starring three generations of smart, sharp women solving a complicated crime. B PLUS
A SPIRITUALIST’S WIFE STRUGGLES to come to terms with her husband’s new world of séances and “readings”—and fears he’ll find out some of her own secrets. Lush evocation of post-World War I Scotland and the frenzies of Jazz Age society. B PLUS
Linda reviews "Loose Strings" by Christie Gordon, Road to Rocktoberfest 2023:
"Two men from totally different backgrounds and careers come together with a chance of a HEA, but only if one of them can overcome his fear and open his heart to love. 5 Stars."
#BookReview At Freddie’s by Penelope Fitzgerald
Read as e-book using a mix of Braille and TTS
Pub. 1982, 160pp
Penelope Fitzgerald wrote the introduction to my first #NovNov23 (Novellas in November) read, A Month in the Country by J L Carr, so I figured I’d lean into the connection and read At Freddie’s, her 1982 book.
This is the story of a chaotic stage school in central London and the many children who pass through it in search of a life on the stage.
Run by Freddie, a well known and loved personality in the theatre world, it’s a ramshackle place which is always under threat of closure but always manages to pull through, mainly by the charity of those in the business who adore her. This ongoing struggle is a big theme in the book along with the relationship between two teachers, Hannah and Pierce, neither of whom knew what they were taking on when they said yes to their jobs. They can’t help spending a lot of time together, resulting in a difficult relationship and at one point Hannah decides they must talk it over:
“Lyons teashops might almost have been particularly designed for the resolution of such awkward situations…In a Lyons, as Hannah had reflected, the limits of communication had to be reached by 7 o’clock, while at the same tine it was necessary to share a table or at all events to sit very close to other customers, so that although everyone restricted their elbows, their bodies and their newspapers and by a long established convention showed no signs of understanding what they overheard, they provided all the same a certain check on human intimacy.”
And I particularly like this description of the legendary Freddie ‘here she occupied an entire corner, commanding her territory, a hugely moulting royal raven sprinkled with gems”
If you love the theatre or were a theatre kid this will be a great read but equally, like me, if you know very little but enjoy beautiful writing and great characters this won’t disappoint! #Bookstodon@bookstodon
The collection of cases covered by Emily Webb's SUBURBAN TRUE CRIME go back to the 1940's, through to more recent times, covering a wide range of different murders and disappearances that have occurred in Australian suburban locations.
A FAMILY’S DEEPEST SECRETS are brought to light in this ambitious, poetic memoir. In a mix of recollection and recreation, the author uses her uncle’s conviction for art forgery as the lens through which to examine a family in flight from truth. B PLUS
I think I first heard about this book while listening to an ad on a Rotten Mango podcast episode, and I was drawn to it because of my love for true crime, mystery, thriller, and suspense. The idea of a podcaster becoming the subject of her own podcast was fascinating to me, and I couldn't wait to dive into it.
Lisa Jewell did such a great job crafting these characters and their storylines. I knew after Janie followed Alix to the restroom in that restaurant that she was going to be weird. Her behavior after that initial interaction slowly but creepily escalated from being "okay that's weird" to "wtf is wrong with her?" The social worker in me wants to pull out a DSM-5 manual and diagnose her with a personality disorder. I'm curious if anyone else shares the same opinion.
The ending still left me with questions. None of this is true... but which part? Josie's telling of her version of her life experiences? Roxi and Erin's telling of their version of their life experiences? I personally want to believe that Josie is, in the words of the British, completely mad and that her (possible) personality disorder and (possible) psychosis has deluded her into believing that she truly is a victim who just wanted to break free.
Side note... This would be cool to watch as a dramatized version on Netflix or something.