I confess to not knowing much about the mysterious ‘Mata Hari’ other than her notorious ‘Dance of the Seven Veils,’ and even then I didn’t have much of a clue what that was! So when I had the chance to read and review Paulo Coelho’s latest book, I jumped at it! Born Margaretha Zelle, to... Continue Reading →
Grey Magic began as a short story that featured in JT Lawrence’s anthology ‘Sticky Fingers’. But, as things generally go with witches, they tend to weave a particular type of spell and before you know it, you’re writing a whole book all about them … just them! And that’s exactly what happened with Raven Kane,... Continue Reading →
I know this has been classified as Young Adult reading, but it should also be read by all parents as a cautionary tale! It should also be prescribed reading for all high school learners - perhaps in a slightly watered-down form (teachers tend to get slightly embarassed). Shappi Khorsandi doesn't hold back in this bare-all,... Continue Reading →
I was tagged by the wonderful Pamela Power (thanks for the homework Pamela!). You can see her book confessions on her Vlog - Between the Sheets with Pamela, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkRuUYkhypo#action=share 1. Have you ever damaged a book? Not that I can recall. I would feel absolutely awful if I did! Books are precious – no... Continue Reading →
Sophie Greenwood has decided that the time is right to return to work after taking time off to be a full-time mom to 4-year old Daisy. She’s found her dream job at Jackdaw Publishing (I even found the name a bit sinister), but on day one, she has an unnerving experience. If she thinks that... Continue Reading →
Hortensia James and Marion Agostino are neighbours in the affluent (fictitious) Cape Town suburb of Katterjan Estates. They’re both getting on in years, struggling to deal with their past successful careers that they can no longer use to define who they are, and using the Estate committee meetings as the battleground for their intense dislike... Continue Reading →
This is a breath-taking psychological thriller told in two parts, and from two different perspectives: Lily’s and Carla’s. The story opens with Lily, a fairly young, recently married, newly employed lawyer, who’s off to a maximum security prison to interview Joe Thomas who’s appealing his life sentence for brutally murdering his girlfriend. I must say... Continue Reading →
A heart-wrenching, complex, stellar debut from Kit De Waal about the intricacies and complications of the British care system during the 80’s specifically relating to a sensitive little boy named Leon. We meet Leon when he’s 8 (almost 9). He has a baby brother, who he adores, but his mom Carol is battling to keep... Continue Reading →
Many thanks for NetGalley for my advance copy of this book in return for an honest review. At the end of her book, in a note to her readers, Amanda Prowse claims that she creates characters that she herself would like to sit and have coffee with, and she hopes that her readers feel the... Continue Reading →
If you’re looking for a book that will take you through a medical description and analysis of the transgender process, then I suggest you look elsewhere. This is not the book you’re looking for. Always Anastacia is one woman’s highly personal, heartfelt, sensitive and more often than not, painful journey about what it is like... Continue Reading →
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