Tag Archive | Harper Collins

The Echoes Of Love by Jenny Ashcroft

Sep27

Wow – Mesmerising!

The Echoes Of Love by Jenny Ashcroft is a marvellous historical novel that totally consumed me.

The action is mainly set during World War II on the occupied island of Crete. It also features Crete in 1936 and also an interview in 1974 with subject #17. The interview intersperses the action as #17 tells of what he did and saw in Crete during WWII. We ‘see’ some of the war through #17’s eyes but mainly through the eyes of the two lead characters.

1936 Crete was a time of gaiety, warmth and freedom. It was in complete contrast to the grey constricting Germany where the clouds of war were darkening. In Crete characters could be themselves. There was no such thing as forbidden love.

Life in London during WWII also contrasted with the brightness of Crete.

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All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien

Sep13

Powerful & Heart-Breaking

All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien is a marvellous debut novel that totally consumed me.

The story is set in 1996 in the Vietnamese community in Australia. It is very powerful and totally heart-breaking.

Much of the community fled Vietnam for the safety of Australia. They fled for a new life but were met with persecution and prejudice. “The looks she got… the way they saw her skin before they saw her.” The people were judged before they were known. Parents took low paid jobs and stressed the importance of education to their children, so that they could rise up out of poverty.

The streets were dangerous places to be. There was much drug related crime.

We follow a character as she searches for answers to her brother’s murder. Witnesses appeared struck blind and dumb as there was fear of retaliation if they talked.

The reader hears the back story to the main characters. We see the hand of kindness and generosity offered to one whose life had known only cruelty and neglect. A friendship rose up and then something happened – the reader can only guess at what as we work our way through the book.

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Steel Girls On The Home Front by Michelle Rawlins

Aug18

Friendship And Hope

Steel Girls On The Home Front by Michelle Rawlins is a fabulous historical novel and the third book in The Steel Girls series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the previous two books first.

Once more we rejoin the Sheffield steel girls in 1940. It is lovely to catch up with familiar faces. The women continue to do their bit for the war effort – whether it’s operating machinery, serving tea or knitting for the troops, the women always give one hundred per cent of themselves.

There is a wonderful community atmosphere as the characters support each other. There are tears and fears, joy and laughter, love and support. Through all the seasons, none of the women battle alone as those around them offer love and care – whether it’s a listening ear, a drink in the pub, or that old favourite, a cup of tea.

Michelle Rawlins has captured the fears perfectly – there is the fear in the air raids, and also a fear that their menfolk will be killed. Some still remember the after effects of World War I and the devastated lives. The reader’s heart breaks for the young girl who misses her daddy.

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The Couple At Causeway Cottage by Diane Jeffrey

Aug18

Wow!

The Couple At Causeway Cottage by Diane Jeffrey is a marvellous contemporary psychological thriller that had me gripped from the start.

Diane Jeffrey really is a master of her craft as she takes the ordinary and spins it into a sinister tale.

The setting could be idyllic or isolated – you choose. The darkness holds secrets, covering the land and raising the tension. It is a wild, untamed landscape where the weather often mirrors the action, building suspense.

All the characters are well drawn and realistic. The story is told in the first person, enabling the reader to ‘see’ and ‘feel’ what the character does as we become immersed in the book.

Everyone seems to have secrets. Diane Jeffrey hints at events in the past that characters want to stay buried. A small community seems a blissful place to be but the secrets it holds are straining to escape.

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