The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw.
This is a lovely bittersweet novel based in an Island community, where myth and legend meets real life. Ida returns in Winter to the island where she met a mysterious man, with a secret of his won. Now she is looking for him to see if he has any answers as to why she is slowly metamorphosing. There are many metamorphic themes running through the book. There is Ida's which is the main one, there is Midas Crook's which Ida encourages.
A beautiful novel about changes and the strength of love.
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe.
Connie Goodwin is clearing out her grandmother's cottage, and come across a name. "Deliverance Dane". This book is about Connie's search in the past for Deliverance Dane,whilst at the same time telling the tale of Deliverance Dane, who was hung as a witch during the Salem Witch Trials. Another good book, although it did annoy me in the first couple of pages due to a lack of consistency. This however soon stopped, and the story just pulled me along.
One thing that did annoy me very much was that this book has also been published under a different title, and I had bought that as well. Changing the title is worse than re-publishing a book with a different cover.
The Parisian's Return by Julia Stagg.
What can I say? Another great book by Julia Stagg. With just the right balance of intrigue, mystery and love.
It opens with one of the residents of Fogas knocking out an intruder with a stale baguette. There is sinister stranger lucking, and dirty deeds being done, that are blamed on someone other than the perpetrator.
Like I said, another great book from Julia Stagg.
Only Human by Tom Holt.
The Supreme Being and his son decide to go on a fishing holiday, leaving the younger son in charge. As they leave the last thing they tell Kevin, is "don't touch" the computer. What Kevin does at the soonest possibility is obvious, but the consequences of his actions are far beyond his imagination. With the life forces of several things, human, animal, machine and what can only be described as decoration changing places the world looks like it is set on a course for chaos.....and the supreme being is out of telephone reach....not that it would help....as all systems seem to be descending into chaos as well. Typical Tom Holt humour throughout, a thoroughly good read. (I've nearly read all his comic novels now, and have the next one on pre-order.)
The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst.
A young man brings his friend home for the weekend during the summer break from university. Daphne meets and falls in love with the friend. At the time no-one realises the impact the weekend will have on the people there, and how it will echo through time. Relationships grow, break up, etc, and all are dealt with in a delicate way.
It is clear to the reader that the two young men are lovers, but their relationship is only alluded to. The way Hollinghurst deals with the relationships echos the way people became more open about relationships as the century progressed. There is no crudeness, or bluntness that you get in some books.
A beautifully written book.
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown.
Although I managed to read this book, there is one thing that sticks in my mind above everything else. The book is written in third person narrative, which is common enough. The narrator sometimes changes, which is also common enough. But what I really didn't like and it spoilt the book for me, was the way the narrator would change with no indication of who exactly was narrating...no breaks in text....nothing. I finished it because I don't like to be beaten by a book, but I can't say I enjoyed it.
The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs by Christina Hopkinson.
You'd think Mary Gilmore had it all, two children, a part-time job and a husband she loves, but does she love him enough to put up with all his little quirks. She makes a spreadsheet and keeps a record of everything he does to annoy her, without telling him. I must say that when it became obvious to the reader that he had found the spreadsheet, I did think it served her right. Everything turns out OK in the end though. I don't normally go for this sort of book, it didn't wind me up as they normally do. There is nothing wrong with the gentle humour and look at family life, just I prefer something that I can get "to grips with".