The Music Shop

I enjoyed The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce which is set in England mainly in 1988.  Frank owns a music shop which is stocked with only vinyl.  He refuses to have CDs in his shop.  Frank has an extensive knowledge of music passed to him from his mother.  He has an uncanny knack of knowing which music a customer needs to hear.  One day Ilse, a lovely woman in a green coat visiting from Austria sees the shop and Frank.  From there the story continues as Frank gives Ilse weekly "music lessons" introducing her to the classic pieces that are essential to know about.  Here is the playlist.  There are some great characters in this story.  This is another lovely book by the author who also gave us the delightful The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy.  Enjoy. 4/5

Together

I enjoyed Together by Julie Cohen which is a love story set in Maine in the USA.  The two main characters are Robbie and Emily and the story is told backwards, which is quite unusual.  The end begins in 2016 when Robbie makes a very difficult decision.  Then we see where the couple is in 1990, then in 1975 and the beginning in 1962.  As we read the story, we discover that they share a terrible secret which has had a huge impact on their lives and the lives of their extended family.  We wonder what could be so bad that they have been treated by their family this way.  The reason is finally revealed and it was a shock (extra 1/2 star) just for that.  I didn't see that coming. 41/2/5

Wild Fire

I enjoyed Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves but was disappointed to learn this is her last Jimmy Perez mystery.  A young woman is murdered and there are a number of suspects.  "Newcomers" move in to an old house and renovate it.  The family is treated with suspicion when two bodies are found on their property.  Jimmy's boss, Willow has some news for him which he doesn't take very well at first.  They continue with their investigation amid an underlying tension between them.  A good mystery. 4/5

Any Ordinary Day

I enjoyed Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales which is a book of interviews Sales has conducted with various people who have experienced terrible experiences in their lives.  Many of the names are recognisable including Walter Mikac, James Scott, and Stuart Diver.  They and others interviewed were involved in major dramas that changed their lives. "Any ordinary day" any one of us could be involved in a terrible tragedy or one that happens to people we love.  In either case we will be changed.  No one is immune.  We can't think - that happens to other people, not to me.  Sometimes we are the "other people".  How we respond to a new life challenge will determine how we live in the future.  I found the book very interesting and thought provoking.  Recommended. 4/5

November Book Club

We enjoyed our last Book Club meeting for the year last Monday evening.  This year has flown by, but I say that every year.  I remember waiting for months for our holiday in Alaska and Canada, seemed to take forever, and now it's over, left with memories and photographs.  Our host on Monday  provided a great Christmas themed supper which was delicious.  We always want
her recipes.  The lemon cake is on my list to make.  She always has gorgeous tea cosies.  As most of us were at the meeting, one absentee, we had a good time talking about everything, as well as the
wonderful books we've read.  Our host bought a number of great new books and we've got enough to see us through the Christmas/
New Year break.  We hope not to get to that sorry state of having nothing to read. We'll look forward to our Christmas lunch.  Happy Reading!!

Full Bore

I enjoyed Full Bore by William McInnes which is a collection of short stories based on his life.  He is very amusing as he "rambles" on about different events and what it means to be an "Aussie bloke".  He speaks fondly of his upbringing at Redcliffe and attending the HumpyBong primary school.  I found the stories about breakfast cereals, particularly Rice Bubbles, very funny.  I enjoy his self-deprecating humour. 4/5

Before the Fall

I enjoyed this story Before the Fall by Noah Hawley which is set on the east coast of USA.  I read it on Amazon Kindle while on holiday.  A small plane crashes into the sea and there are only two survivors.  Nine die, one of them a billionaire businessman.  The story gives us details about what happened after the crash then the investigation continues, plane parts and bodies recovered are examined as speculations grows about what could have happened.  We learn the back stories of the individuals on the plane.  Eventually, the full horror of what happened is revealed with the recovery of the black box. Recommended. 4/5