The End of Time is a fabulous modern story about the differences and similarities between people of all races and religions. Told in first person with empathy and humour, it centres on on the story of two teenage Syrian brothers trying to reach the U.K. where they hope to leave the war behind them and […]
contemporary fiction
Review: The Bride Test, by Helen Hoang
I read The Bride Test, by Helen Hoang, when I was flat on my back with the flu. It was such a fun, heartwarming and easy read. It’s an unusual premise with echoes of familiar stories. If you transported Pride and Prejudice to the modern day, mashed it up with Pretty Woman themes and then […]
Teens, drugs and dementia – Love And Other Battles, by Tess Woods
I picked up Love and Other Battles, by Tess Woods because I’d heard others rave about it, and I’m really glad I did. It’s a wonderfully warm and inspiring story of mothers, daughters and lovers across three generations. It made me laugh and cry and I even learned a thing or two about parenting teenagers. I […]
Review: The Paper Wasp, by Lauren Acampora
This a truly strange book that I somehow couldn’t put down. A very dark story, it’s the antithesis of Hollywood though it’s set in L.A. Reading The Paper Wasp was a little like watching film noir. You don’t really understand what it’s about and you arrive at the end none the wiser but somehow you […]
Review: This Taste For Silence – short stories by Amanda O’Callaghan
This Taste For Silence is a stunning collection of stories about silences. From comfortable ones to sinister ones, we’re reminded that among the constant noise it’s the silences that sometimes carry the most meaning. The balance of power in a marriage shifts, with shocking consequences. An elderly woman recounts a chilling childhood memory on the […]
Review: The Farm, by Joanne Ramos
The Farm, by Joanne Ramos, is even more terrifying than The Handmaid’s Tale because it’s not future fiction. It’s entirely plausible that right now, somewhere in the U.S., there is a secret high-end surrogacy facility for the mega-wealthy operating at the same time you’re reading these words. Reagan and Jane are roommates at The Golden […]