What’s on your bookshelf: August

Thistles and Kiwis

It was a very mixed bag of reading this month with a bit of fun, a couple of good reads, poetry, essays and a big disappointment. You just never know what will be the covers until you pick up and open the book.

I’m going to start with the disappointment. Jennifer Trevelyan’s first novel, A Beautiful Family, has been much hyped and lauded. Set on the Kapiti Coast (north of Wellington), it is the tale of a family holiday and what happens. Told through the voice of the younger of the two children, she and a boy about her own age, also on holiday, decide to try and solve the mystery of a girl who disappeared a few years before. The older sister is dealing with her older teenage angst and boys, the parents are clearly having ‘issues’, and the man next door…is he suspicious or innocent? I have to say I really enjoyed the book to begin with, but it trailed off a bit, and the ending…well….If anyone else has read it do let me know. A friend at work had the same view as me.

In contrast, I was not expecting anything from The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, but thought that since Ann Patchett had enjoyed it was a good start. This epistolary novel is witty, poignant and very enjoyable. Sybil van Antwerp loves to write letters, and as she gets older, and begins to loose her sight, she needs to sort a few things out, from fixing the relationship she has with her children to atoning for an old legal case, and finding romance. She was adopted, and also discovers who her true genetic family are. A good weekend read.

Our work bookclub theme this month is ‘a book recommended by AI’. I tried both Chat GPT and Copilot, and after a lot of trial and error (so many things ordered from the library, so many returned) Copilot came up trumps with A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson. I was a bit uncertain to start with but really enjoyed this book about a disappeared teenager, her sister, a man who inherits a house and how/why he ends up where he is. Told through three voices – the young sister, the old woman who owned the house, and the man who now lives there – this is a real delight. Highly recommended for just a nice book with a happy ending.

Now to a mixed bag….The Devotion of Suspect X was the third book I had read by Keigo Higashino, so looked forward to it. I have to say that while a good story, there was a rather unpleasant undercurrent and a truely horrible ending. In contrast, a cosy crime set in Wellington, Rodney Strong’s Three Dogs, Two Murders and a Cat, was funny from start to finish and the perfect thing to pick you up if you are feeling a bit down.

Sigrid Nuñez The Friend came recommended, and I saw has now been made into a film. I’m not sure what to make of this book about a woman who is left a Great Dane to look after after its owner, a good friend dies. To be honest, I struggled to get through this book which was mostly about the central character’s coming to terms with who she is (or rather, a lot of navel gazing). I cannot imagine what the film is like as there is no real plot, just a lot of introspection.

Anyway, Ann Cleeves, as ever saves the day. A Lesson in Dying is the first of her Inspector Ramsay novels, first published in 1990, the mystery revolves around who hanged the headmaster in the playground on the night of the school Hallowe’en Party. He was disliked by a lot of people, and while the police is convinced ‘the wife did it’, Jack Robson, school governor and caretaker, is determined to prove her innocence. A great read.

I actually read some poetry this month for a complete change. Nina Mingya Powles has a new collection of poems out, so I thought I should read her earlier book Magnolia. She has such a beautiful way with words (see Small Bodies of Water and Tiny Moons) and I look forward to reading to her new work. Finally, the non fiction book of the month was The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater by Alanna Okun, a collection of delightful essays on crafting, particularly knitting. A lovely switch off book to dip in and out of.

So…the books rated and in the order I read them.

  • Keigo Higashino The Devotion of Suspect X 3 detectives
  • Rodney Strong Three Dogs, Two Murders and a Cat 4 cats (because it was a fun cosy crime and set in Wellington)
  • Mary Lawson A Town Called Solace 5 tubs of ice-cream (it makes sense if you read the book)
  • Jennifer Trevelyan A Beautiful Family 3.5 holidays and Most Disappointing Book of the Year
  • Alanna Okun The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater 4 knitting needles
  • Nina Mingya Powles Magnolia 5 poems
  • Sigrid Nuñez The Friend 3 Great Danes
  • Ann Cleeves A Lesson in Dying 5 school rooms
  • Virginia Evans The Correspondent 5 letters

Entered in 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 and share – why they resonated with you, how they made you feel, who are your favourite authors and what you recommend.

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 @thistlesandk

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Published by Thistles and Kiwis

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

37 Comments

  1. The Rodney Strong sounds like a lot of fun, and I’ve just reserved A Lesson In Dying. I giggled at the title of the crafting book – my mother always used to say you don’t knit a jumper for a man until he’s your husband.

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  2. I loved A Town Called Solice. I think it might have been recommended by Donna from Retirement Reflections, a while ago. Always yes to Ann Cleeves, but I haven’t read this. Popping it on my Goodreads list. Thanks for the recommendations.

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    1. The title rang a bell so that must have been the reason! I find if I hit a reading slump or read something I don’t particularly like Ann Cleeves helps to get me on track again.

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  5. I have yet to find an Ann Cleeves dud! I laughed out loud at Jo’s comment about knitting: I knitted my boyfriend a jersey, only to have it stolen from his vehicle a few weeks later. He asked me to knit him another exactly the same which, out of love, I did. We have been married for fifty-two years and I’ve not knitted him another thing 🙂

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  6. So many good books and I haven’t read one of them! I am currently reading the books and research I need for the class I’m taking during this fall semester, it is about different perspectives on special needs education. I am inclined to see if my library carry any of the books you mentioned.

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  9. A Town called Solace was the first Mary Lawson book I read, and I’ve read a couple more since and really enjoyed them too. Of your other titles, it is The Correspondent which appeals to me most – will add to my list. My latest read was Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell. I have read several of her books but missed this one and I think it has now become my favourite. I was sorry when it ended because I really loved the characters (even the annoying ones).

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    1. I would definitely read more Mary Lawson if I can find them. The Correspondent was good – think you might enjoy it. Our next book club theme is an author whose first or second name begins with ‘M’ so maybe time to try Maggie O’Farrell!

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  11. I’ve been dabbling with Ai mainly asking questions – very interesting responses. The Correspondent sounds like a novel I’d pick up. My latest reads are not so much disappointing but require slow reading. Thanks for the recommendations.

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  12. I like the sound of The Correspondent and perhaps even the boyfriend sweater essays, as both are different from what I usually read. My go-to is mystery or cozy mystery. Thanks for putting a couple of new things on my radar – Happy Reading!

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