Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

I enjoyed Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer though it took a while to "get into it".  The story is told in the first person by three characters and at times it is confusing as to which character is narrating.  A young boy, Oskar, loses his father Thomas in the Twin Towers 9/11 tragedy.  He arrived home to hear his father's voice on their answering machine.  He is a highly intelligent boy and deals with the tragedy in an unusual way.  He discovers something that belonged to his father which leads him on a quest to find out more.  Also narrating are his grandmother about her life and survival of the Dresden bombing and also his grandfather who also survived that bombing but has his own problems to deal with.  This is an unusual and "different" story which was originally published in 2005, recently re-released as a "companion" book for a movie. 31/2/5

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

I enjoyed Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs which is set in both "the present" and during WWII.  Jacob has grown up with his grandfather Abe telling him tales of his life on an island in Britain where he was sent by his Jewish parents to escape Nazi Germany.  Jacob believed these tales were like "fairy stories".  Then his grandfather dies tragically and Jacob and his father travel to the island to hopefully learn more about Abe's life there.  Jacob finds his way in to a "time loop" which transports him back to WWII and the home for peculiar children that his grandfather had described.  These children have different "peculiar" traits e.g. one of them is invisible.  Their lives are threatened by evil beings and Jacob resolves to do what he can to save them.  The story itself becomes peculiar at that point but it is a fantasy I was happy to go along with. 31/2/5

Brooklyn

I enjoyed Brooklyn by Colm Toibin which is set in the early 1950s.  A young Irish woman, Eilis Lacey, migrates to Brooklyn to begin a new life.  She  is settled in her job, falls in love and studies bookkeeping to better her employment prospects.  She is suddenly recalled to Ireland and stays longer than she planned, then reconsiders whether she returns to Brooklyn.  She struggles with the pull of her homeland and the new life she's established in Brooklyn and must decide between the two.

Spirit House

I enjoyed Spirit House by Mark Dapin.  It had a slow start but I'm glad I stuck with it.  It is mainly the story of Jimmy, an Jewish Australian POW who spent time in Changi and the Burma Railway.  Most of the story is told in the first person by the character David who Jimmy's grandson. It is set in Sydney in 1990, where Jimmy regularly meets his Jewish friends who were also POWs. Jimmy is plagued by nightmares about his war experiences and the friends who died so builds a "spirit house" with David's help.  As he builds, he tells David the stories some of which are, of course, quite harrowing.  There are stories of betrayal, love, friendship, brutality and loss.  There are some not forgiven for their actions.  The book begins with a first person account set in Siam in 1944 and the reader does not learn the identity of this character till the end of the book, a good "twist". 4/5

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith is the latest in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series and is of course a very familiar story with its wonderful characters.  Mma Ramotswe and her assistant (pardon me "associate") Mma Makutsi must find a way of ensuring Mma Potokwani from the orphanage does not lose her position when a wealthy businessman takes over the running of the orphanage, treating it like a business.  As well, one of the mechanics at Speedy Motors finds himself in trouble when he helps an old acquaintance.  Mma Makutsi and her husband are building a house using an "ungentlemanly" builder.  And then private detective Clovis Anderson, a hero to Mma Ramotswe, visits the area. A lovely easy to read story with characters we've come to know and love. 3/5

Secrets of the Tides

I quite liked Secrets of the Tides by Hannah Richell which is set in England.  The young Tide family, Richard, Helen and daughters Cassie and Dora move from London to the seaside following the deaths of Richard Tide's parents.  The family has some trouble adapting to the new environment.  The mother, Helen, especially feels she would prefer to be in London till she meets a local artist.  Helen and Richard have a baby boy.  Tragedy then strikes the family and the rest of the book examines how they deal with that.  The book jumps back and forth in time for Helen, Cassie and Dora and we gradually learn (but can guess) what the tragedy will be and the guilt they all harbour before finally becoming reconciled to what has happened. 31/2/5

The Mistake

I liked this rather disturbing story The Mistake by Wendy James which has a fascinating premise.  A happily middle-aged married woman, Jodie, with two children is forced to confront her past when it's learned that she had an illegitimate baby girl, when aged 19.  The matron at the hospital arranged an illegal adoption, but there is no proof of any of this and Jodie and her family run the media, legal and social gauntlet as Jodie stands by her story.  Her life and that of her family is thrown in to chaos as the search goes on for the missing girl who would now be in her early 20s.  A good story. 4/5

Bereft

I enjoyed Bereft by Chris Womersley which is set in early 20th century regional Australia.  Quinn Walker's 12 year old sister, Sarah, is murdered and Quinn is suspected of the crime.  He runs away and after serving in WWI he returns to his town 10 years later when the influenza epidemic is at its peak.  He wants justice for his sister and forges an unusual alliance with a young girl, Sadie, who has lost her mother to the flu.  Quinn and Sadie hide out in the bush until that is no longer possible and Quinn's mission reaches its end. It is a dark tale and was on the 2011 Miles Franklin Literary Award Shortlist. 4/5

June Book Club

The winter weather is already biting with the chill in the air, so cold going out in the evening now.  We enjoyed our book club at Kathy's place.  Most of us were there and Marilyn visited while she was in Australia for a short time.  Vee is in England visiting her elderly mother and Robyn and Denise didn't come.  One interesting discussion was around "modern" parenting.  We've all had a fairly good month and enjoyed some great books.  Kathy gave us a delicious supper with some home-cooked cakes that were soooooo good!  She also bought a number of books that look very interesting and I was fortunate enough to grab a couple.  My turn next month - the pressure's on!

A Darker Domain

I enjoyed A Darker Domain by Val McDermid which is set in both the mid-1980s when Thatcher was "at war" with the miners and the present day.  DI Karen Pirie is asked to find a missing person, Mick Prentice, who disappeared in 1984 but has only now been reported missing because it was believed he'd abandoned his family during the strike and was scabbing.  Also new evidence emerges, from a young journalist, Bel, about the murder of the daughter of a wealthy local identity and the abduction of his grandson that occurred around the same time as Mick's disappearance.  Is there a connection, or is it coincidence?  That is what DI Pirie must find out.  A good gripping tale which almost keeps you guessing. 4/5