Flight Behaviour

I enjoyed Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver which is set in a mountain region in USA where the people generally have low aspirations.  Dellarobia one day decides to throw away her unsatisfactory family life and "escape" but she is dazzled to find Monarch butterflies on her family property.  At first she doesn't know what they are but later the butterflies' unexpected appearance in this region becomes news and scientists and "greenies" descend on her property.  Dellarobia and her husband Cub have two small children, but Dellarobia wants more from life.  The community is divided about the butterflies and their impact.  The story of Dellarobia's life is told against the background of the case for global warming.  Very well written. 4/5

Gone Girl

I very much enjoyed Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, a great psychological thriller.  The story is told chapter by chapter by Nick, the husband, and Amy, the wife.  Amy disappears from her home on their fifth wedding anniversary and suspicion of course falls on her husband.  This is a real page-turner as the reader tries to figure out (at the same time as Nick) what is going on - can't say too much.  There are many twists and turns along the way as we finally learn what happened to Amy. 5/5

The Storyteller's Daughter

I very much enjoyed The Storyteller's Daughter by Maria Goodin, her debut novel.  [Note  - has been published under two other names Nutmeg and From the Kitchen of Half Truth]. The story is set in the English countryside where Meg May goes to stay with her dying mother, Val.  Meg was brought up in a "make-believe" world with her mother spinning stories about everyday events and even about Meg's birth.  Meg has rejected this take on the world by becoming a scientist, only interested in facts and the most important fact she wants to learn about is her birth.  Meg is pressured by her boyfriend to find out the truth about her birth and upbringing, however, Meg is somewhat reluctant to broach the subject because of her mother's illness.  A young man comes to help with the garden at Val's house and he has a much more relaxed manner while being very helpful to both Meg and Val.  Will Meg learn the truth before it is "too late"?  Does it really matter?  The reader will be asked to question whether the truth is always necessary to know. A lovely story. 4/5

The Body on the Beach

I quite enjoyed The Body on the Beach by Simon Brett which is set in an English beachside village, Fethering, and has a clear "class divide".  Middle-aged Carole had lived there since retirement and as she's walking along the beach with her dog she discovers a body near the water.  She reports it to the police and then the mystery deepens.  Carole has a new neighbour, Jude, who is a little "unconventional" for Fethering but together they set out to investigate the mystery surrounding the body on the beach. 31/2/5

September Book Club

I was very pleased to return to Book Club to see all the ladies and enjoy a pleasant evening of conversation, book discussion and some delicious supper.  Most of us were there with one lady away in England with family.  Another had also just returned from overseas doing a Mediterranean cruise and her visit to Venice coincided with mine

by one day.  Our hostess provided a wonderful supper and I particularly enjoyed her chocolate brownies.  She'd also bought a selection of great new books and I've now got some books to read, as I had little time for reading while on holiday in Europe (mainly Italy).

A World of Other People

I enjoyed A World of Other People by Steven Carroll, reading the Kindle version.  It is set during the London Blitz and is a romantic story about a young London woman Iris who meets an Australian bomber pilot, Jim, after he has physically recovered from the crash landing of his plane.  Jim is still severely traumatised by the experience though he remembers little about it, having been in a coma for some time.  Coincidentally Iris had witnessed his plane coming down but she doesn't know it was his plane.  They fall in love, but then Iris has a crisis of conscience and their lives take a different path.  A tender story. 4/5.

The Last Runaway

I enjoyed The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier as I have her other books.  This one is set in the 1850s when an English Quaker woman, Honor, travels with her sister to a new life in America.  Her expected circumstances change dramatically and she has to deal with those changes.  She becomes involved in helping escaping slaves which compromises her family's situation.  The area she lives in is more "primitive" than what she's been used to in England and requires considerable adjustment.  She has to juggle her Quaker principles to deal with her beliefs regarding the injustice the slaves must endure.  She learns new customs and eats different foods including corn.  Finally she must make a choice and deal with the consequences of that choice. 4/5