What’s on your bookshelf: April

Thistles and Kiwis


So it is time again for a review of the month’s reading, a post to contribute to the what’s on your bookshelf challenge is hosted by fellow bloggers  Deb, Sue, Donna and Jo. The idea is to share what you’re reading, what you’ve enjoyed lately share – why they resonated with you, how they made you feel, who are your favourite authors and what you recommend. I am a day early but here goes anyway!

Detective time

Our book club theme this month was a book with an apostrophe in the title, and I picked up Hjörth and Rosenfeldt The Man Who Wasn’t There. These writers were behind the (original Swedish) series The Bridge which some of you may well have watched and remember. This is actually the third in the series, and to be honest, although the story stood on its own, it did feel like part of a series. The ending certainly demanded a sequel. Basically, bodies are found in a remote part of northern Sweden, and as the detectives unravel the case, other issues come up. It was OK and woild probably have been better if I had read the prevous two books.

Personally, I don’t think you can go wrong with Ann Cleeves. I picked up one of the Shetland series I hadn’t read, Thin Air. A group of old university friends travel to Unst, (ie Shetland’s most northerly island,) to celebrate the marriage of one of the group to a local. On the night of the wedding party, one of them disappears, her body found the next day. Of course, Jimmy Perez is sent to investigate and solve the crime. A great read as usual.

Some good fiction

And so to Trent Dalton’s Lola in the Mirror. I had seen this book and had wondered about it, and then when Deb of Deb’s World said it was one of the best books she had ever read, I thought well, let’s give it a go, and I am so glad I did. I loved it from beginning to end…… Next month I am going to hear Dalton in an evening with the author, so of course will report on that too. You can read the plotline here, but really you have to read it to get the whole spirit of the book.

I also really enjoyed Nick Bradley’s Four Seasons in Japan, which interestingly also featured a character who wanted to draw and in his heart, be an artist, This is a book within a book, with one part telling the tale of a young woman working as a translator who finds the other book and becomes intrigued by the plot and characters and attempts to translate it from Japanese into English. This was another book I really enjoyed and would highly recommend. The ending was perhaps a little abrupt for me, and I would love to know if the lost cat came home.

Books about food

There are two books about food this month. Tamar Adler’s An Everlasting Meal is a collection of writing and recipes that I kind of enjoyed. She is clearly influenced by MFK FIsher Iwhich she acknowledges) in her style, and while an interesting read, I did feel that all her ideas were not exactly practical for the ordinary home cook who has to make dinner on getting home from work.

I finally got hold of Diana Henry’s most recent book, the updated Roast Figs, Sugar Snow. I really love her writing and recipes so was looking forward to reading this and grabbing my post its. Well, why it is a nice read there are things like roast goose in it I would never cook. It is a bit of a disappointment to be honest, but still a nice book to read.

So that is my most recent reading – what have you read recently? Here are my ratings using the scheme we use in the book club I am part of, items related to the book out of 5.

  • Hjörth and Rosenfeldt The Man Who Wasn’t There 3 Swedish mountains
  • Ann Cleeves Thin Air 4 policemen
  • Trent Dalton Lola in the Mirror 5 streets of Brisbane
  • Nick Bradley Four Seasons in Japan 5 drawings
  • Tamar Adler An Everlasting Meal 4 dishes
  • Diana Henry Roast Figs, Sugar Snow not sure until I cook something from it

Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com or lofgren@thistlesandkiwis.com

Published by Thistles and Kiwis

Loves summer, sunshine and cats. Beginner gardener, likes eating, cooking and reading about food

31 Comments

  1. These are all new to me. I must see if our local bookshop has any new books by Ann Cleeves, one of my favourite autors.

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  5. Great reviews Barbara. A couple of friends have said Lola in the Mirror is a fantastic book, but I’m not a fan of Trent Dalton maybe I should give it a go.
    I loved The Bridge and saw all series, those books sound good.

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    1. I was in two minds about picking up Lola in the Mirror, but am glad I did. I haven’t read any of his other books though. The Swedish crime book was good but I really must find the first two in the series.

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  6. I think I’m the only person who hasn’t read any Trent Dalton – and really should rectify that. I received Everlasting Meal and Roast Figs for Christmas and am yet to read all the way through them. Now it’s getting slightly cooler I’ll definitely do that.

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  7. I have Trent Dalton’s first book here waiting its turn (have you read it), there seems to be mixed reviews on his books so I’m looking forward to seeing how I feel. Then I’ll move on to his later works.

    And having read all the Shetland series awhile ago I feel it might be time for a reread, don’t you think😊

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    1. This is the first of Trent Dalton’s books I have read, so should probably try another one.

      I found I had not read that ‘Shetland’ book so it was nice to find one in the series that had passed me by.

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  8. oh dear I fear i am in a minority when it comes to Trent Dalton. I am a brissie girl so really enjoy his references to brisbane as i can go – yes i know that street – and so on but i really don’t enjoy his writing. I did read Love stories as i like nonfiction and found that quite good but his novels? Oh dear me. I really did not like Lola in the mirror unlike everyone else in my bookclub! sorry!

    cheers

    sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/

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    2. I’m glad I’ve read this as I probably won’t read it. I just don’t like the way he writes and was probably the only one in my bookclub who didn’t like Boy Swallows Universe.

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  10. Hi Barbara I believe we saw The Bridge series 1 & 2. I’ve not read any of Trent Dalton’s books but everyone raves about them. The other morning the ABC Radio in Brisbane organised a bus tour of listeners to visit all the sites mentioned in his Boy Swallows Universe book. It looked very interesting. Anne Cleeves Shetland Series is a favourite. I enjoyed the TV series and have even taken to the new series minus Jimmie Perez which is hard to believe. Thanks for sharing at #WOYBS? and happy reading x

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    1. Hi – oh how funny to have a bus tour like that – I haven’t read Boy Swallows Universe yet but have it on my list for the future. I agree re the Shetland series – I’ve also enjoyed the ‘new’ Shetland as well, even though I thought I wouldn’t. I always enjoy #WOYBS.

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  11. Really enjoyed your reviews! I was on the fence about Lola in the Mirror, but your enthusiasm has definitely tipped me towards giving it a shot. It sounds like Trent Dalton really delivers on an engaging story. I’ve also been curious about Nick Bradley’s Four Seasons in Japan—the concept of a book within a book always intrigues me, and it seems like this one doesn’t disappoint. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and recommendations, they’ve really enriched my to-read list!

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  12. Putting my hand up as a lover of Trent Dalton. I’ve read all his books, and recommend them all, especially Love Stories. I’m sure you will enjoy him at the author event. I’ve been to see him a few times, and listened to podcast interviews with him. He’s a great guest.

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  13. Oh Barbara I’m so pleased you enjoyed Lola and hearing Trent will be a great experience I’m sure. He’s enthusiastic and deep in lots of ways. I look forward to your post about it – no pressure!! As you say we can’t all like the same authors.

    I also enjoy Ann Cleeves and loved watchingThe Bridge. Thanks for joining us for #WOYBS and the shoutout!

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  14. I just finished reading Undiscovered by Peruvian author Gabriela Wiener translated by Julia Sanches. It is a work of autofiction and an investigation into a missing ancestor at the same time as she looks into her own self and wonders if any of her own inclinations might have come through that paternal line. I thought it was excellent, I picked it up as it was on the longlist of the International Booker Prize 2024 and they have this quiz on their website, so I completed the quiz and it tells you which book from the list you’d most likely be interested in. A lucky guess perhaps, but I bought and read the book on the strength of that and I wasn’t disappointed.

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