Book Reviews: September
August 31st, 2022
Late summer readsApples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
Penguin pbk £8.99.
The ninth novel from the author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. Joy and Stan Delaney have sold their successful Sydney tennis coaching school and are attempting to adjust to retirement and the varying degrees of independence of their adult children. Then Joy vanishes and the family panics. Switching seamlessly from character to character, with an ingenious use of eavesdropping, this intriguing tale of suburban family politics cleverly teases the reader in and out of thriller territory. A most enjoyable read. Sara
New Children’s Fiction reviewed by Gudrun
Sally Jones & the False Rose by Jakub Wegelius.
Pushkin Childrens Books, pbk £9.99
If the ultimate purpose of fiction is to whisk us away from our humdrum realities on an incredible adventure, then this book is pure perfection! Anyone who read Wegelius’s previous novel ‘The Murderer’s Ape’ will agree that Sally Jones, the afore-mentioned Ape, is fiction’s most unforgettable heroine, and ‘The False Rose’ continues the globe-trotting adventures of Sally Jones and her master, the Chief.
There is no need to read ‘The Murderer’s Ape’ before you dive between these pages but I DO recommend reading it anyway, because it’s SO GOOD!
The story picks up with Sally Jones (the ship-engineer Gorilla) and the Chief after they are happily reunited in Lisbon, renovating their boat, The Hudson Queen, only to discover a precious pearl necklace has been hidden on board. Ever strong of moral compass, they are eager to discover the true owners of the necklace.
Wegelius’s stunning pen & ink illustrations bring the characters to life delightfully, and his precise, neat style make a long book, with a twisty plot, just BREEZE by! For age 8 - 88
Unraveller by Frances Hardinge.
Pan Macmillan, hbk £14.99
Where to start? I don’t have enough words to praise this absolute marvel of a story! Frances Hardinge is a unique writer with astonishing world-building skills, and although her books are classified as children’s / YA, the compelling, complex fantasies she weaves transcend categorization. Unraveller is the story of young Kellen and his sidekick Nettle, who live in Radditch, a land ruled by commerce and the common-sense Chancery - but touched by the dark magic of the Wilds, where all manner of unearthly creatures dwell. A mind-bending, heart-wrenching, and mesmerising story of revenge, redemption, trauma, healing, and the power of therapy, beautifully woven from gossamer-fine language.
Frances Hardinge is truly the Queen of Dark Fantasy!
The Baddies by Julia Donaldson.
Scholastic, hbk £12.99
The much-anticipated new book from the superstar duo of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler! Once upon a time there was a trio of Baddies: A witch, a troll and a ghost. They adore being bad and compete to see who is the wickedest! When a little girl moves into a nearby cottage, the Baddies CAN’T WAIT to scare her out of her wits. But the little girl quickly shows them that you don’t have to be big to be brave, and baddies don’t always win. As always, Julia’s rhymes are pitch-perfect, and Axel’s illustrations are exuberant and full of humour. Julia’s inspiration for the story was a Wide Game devised by Steyning Woodcraft folk, and the book is dedicated to them!
Signing with Julia on 17th September for The Baddies, and Julia’s other new book, Rock a Bye Rumpus, a charming collection of action rhymes for the very young. Go to Events on our website to book a time slot/ticket.
Penguin pbk £8.99.
The ninth novel from the author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. Joy and Stan Delaney have sold their successful Sydney tennis coaching school and are attempting to adjust to retirement and the varying degrees of independence of their adult children. Then Joy vanishes and the family panics. Switching seamlessly from character to character, with an ingenious use of eavesdropping, this intriguing tale of suburban family politics cleverly teases the reader in and out of thriller territory. A most enjoyable read. Sara
New Children’s Fiction reviewed by Gudrun
Sally Jones & the False Rose by Jakub Wegelius.
Pushkin Childrens Books, pbk £9.99
If the ultimate purpose of fiction is to whisk us away from our humdrum realities on an incredible adventure, then this book is pure perfection! Anyone who read Wegelius’s previous novel ‘The Murderer’s Ape’ will agree that Sally Jones, the afore-mentioned Ape, is fiction’s most unforgettable heroine, and ‘The False Rose’ continues the globe-trotting adventures of Sally Jones and her master, the Chief.
There is no need to read ‘The Murderer’s Ape’ before you dive between these pages but I DO recommend reading it anyway, because it’s SO GOOD!
The story picks up with Sally Jones (the ship-engineer Gorilla) and the Chief after they are happily reunited in Lisbon, renovating their boat, The Hudson Queen, only to discover a precious pearl necklace has been hidden on board. Ever strong of moral compass, they are eager to discover the true owners of the necklace.
Wegelius’s stunning pen & ink illustrations bring the characters to life delightfully, and his precise, neat style make a long book, with a twisty plot, just BREEZE by! For age 8 - 88
Unraveller by Frances Hardinge.
Pan Macmillan, hbk £14.99
Where to start? I don’t have enough words to praise this absolute marvel of a story! Frances Hardinge is a unique writer with astonishing world-building skills, and although her books are classified as children’s / YA, the compelling, complex fantasies she weaves transcend categorization. Unraveller is the story of young Kellen and his sidekick Nettle, who live in Radditch, a land ruled by commerce and the common-sense Chancery - but touched by the dark magic of the Wilds, where all manner of unearthly creatures dwell. A mind-bending, heart-wrenching, and mesmerising story of revenge, redemption, trauma, healing, and the power of therapy, beautifully woven from gossamer-fine language.
Frances Hardinge is truly the Queen of Dark Fantasy!
The Baddies by Julia Donaldson.
Scholastic, hbk £12.99
The much-anticipated new book from the superstar duo of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler! Once upon a time there was a trio of Baddies: A witch, a troll and a ghost. They adore being bad and compete to see who is the wickedest! When a little girl moves into a nearby cottage, the Baddies CAN’T WAIT to scare her out of her wits. But the little girl quickly shows them that you don’t have to be big to be brave, and baddies don’t always win. As always, Julia’s rhymes are pitch-perfect, and Axel’s illustrations are exuberant and full of humour. Julia’s inspiration for the story was a Wide Game devised by Steyning Woodcraft folk, and the book is dedicated to them!
Signing with Julia on 17th September for The Baddies, and Julia’s other new book, Rock a Bye Rumpus, a charming collection of action rhymes for the very young. Go to Events on our website to book a time slot/ticket.
Comments (0)
No comments have been submitted yet.Why not be the first to send us your thoughts
Leave A Comment
Thank you for your comments, they will appear shortly once approved.
Recent Posts
Have You Seen...
